In the Central Criminal Court, Donal Colgan, aged 65, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 39‑year‑old David Sheridan outside Luigi's chip shop on North Strand Road on 17/18 August 2014. Prosecutor Paul Burns SC presented evidence that Colgan had left the chip shop after an altercation, returned minutes later armed with a knife, and stabbed Sheridan multiple times, leading to Sheridan's death the following day. CCTV footage from the Sunset House pub, Luigi's chip shop and a nearby Centra was shown to the jury. The footage showed Colgan drinking heavily at the pub, arriving at the chip shop, engaging with other customers, leaving the shop, walking back to his home, and then returning to the shop with a knife. He was seen walking away from the scene carrying the knife, without attempting to conceal it. The trial continued the next day before Justice Carmel Stewart and the jury.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing in Dublin, former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall, aged 39, and his father Patrick Dowdall, aged 59, were denied bail. Both men were charged with falsely imprisoning Alexander Hurley on 15 January at Navan Road, Dublin 7, by detaining him without consent. They also face charges of threatening to kill Hurley and assaulting him, causing harm, at the same location and date. Additionally, they are accused of possessing a firearm or imitation firearm – a sawn‑off shotgun and a handgun – with intent to facilitate the false imprisonment. Judge Robert Eagar, with Judges Sinead Ni Chulachain and James Faughnan, refused bail after hearing objections from Gardaí based on the seriousness of the charges and Section 2A of the Bail Act. The Dowdalls remain remanded in custody until 15 May next year, when their trial is expected to commence.
Bernadette Warnock, former director of the Hepatitis C charity Positive Action Ltd, was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to 71 counts of theft and fraud between 2009 and 2011, stealing €116,226 from the organisation. The charity, founded in 1994 to support women who contracted Hepatitis C through contaminated blood products, had 730 members and received most of its funding from the Health Service Executive (HSE). Warnock, aged 63, had previously been convicted of forging cheques in 1990. The court awarded €63,500 in compensation to the HSE, directing the money to the HSE's division that supports hepatitis C services. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the sentence to allow Warnock to attend a medical appointment, and the final sentence was a three‑year term with the last 12 months suspended. The case highlighted the breach of trust and the impact on the charity's reputation.
Ukrainian taxi driver Ivan Seredych, aged 43, was convicted of sexually assaulting a 24‑year‑old woman in Dublin on 10 June 2012. He pleaded not guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court but was found guilty by a jury and sentenced to three years' imprisonment by Judge Catherine Murphy on 21 December 2015. The victim, who had been drinking and felt vulnerable after being separated from friends, was taken into a taxi where Seredych placed his hand on her thigh, touched her vagina, and exposed his penis. She recorded his name and number, directed him to drive to Raheny, and he did not request payment. Seredych's home was searched and his driver details matched those given by the complainant. His appeal against conviction was dismissed by the Court of Appeal, with Mr Justice George Birmingham ruling that the trial judge acted within her discretion in refusing to give a corroboration warning.
The Special Criminal Court has fixed a trial date for Jonathan Dowdall, 39, and his father Patrick Dowdall, 59, both of Navan Road, Dublin 7. The former Sinn Fein councillor and his father are charged with possessing a firearm or imitation firearm, described as a sawn-off shotgun and a handgun, with the intent to falsely imprison Alexander Hurley at the same address on January 15, 2015. The court set the trial for May 15 next year, with proceedings expected to last two weeks. This procedural step follows the validation of the sentence stage, though the specific finalisation for the accused remains an adjournment to the fixed trial date. The report attributes these allegations to the defendants, who have not yet been found guilty. No plea, finding, or immediate sentence was recorded in this specific procedural update, which solely establishes the timeline for the upcoming trial. The matter is therefore adjourned to the specified date for full trial proceedings, rather than being concluded or finalised at this stage.
Bernadette Warnock, 63, a former director of Positive Action Ltd, a charity that supported women who contracted Hepatitis C from contaminated blood products, was found guilty of 71 counts of theft and fraud between 2009 and 2011, stealing €116,226 from the organisation. The charity, which had 730 members and received most of its funding from the HSE, was closed in 2014 after an audit. Warnock, who herself contracted Hepatitis C at 24, pleaded guilty. The court heard she had previously forged cheques in 1990 and had been removed from the finance committee in 2011 after suspicions arose. She had hidden cheque stubs and forged the second director's signature to write cheques to herself. At sentencing, Judge Melanie Greally imposed a three‑year sentence, suspended the final 12 months, and left the decision on the allocation of the remaining €52,000 to the next hearing.
John O'Sullivan, 54, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to evading €100,000 in tax and to three counts of failing to file income tax returns for 2009, 2010 and 2011. He admitted that his 2009 returns omitted €100,000 earned from selling two properties on Dublin's North Strand Road in 2007. The court heard that the total back taxes and capital gains tax amounted to €299,658, of which O'Sullivan has paid €92,392, leaving a debt of €207,267. He has nine prior convictions for failing to file returns, including a 2003 fine of €2,856. O'Sullivan has been making monthly repayments of €4,330. He pleaded guilty to knowingly delivering an incorrect return for 2007 and to evasion of tax on 30 June 2009. Judge John Aylmer granted bail and adjourned sentencing to October next year, requesting an increase in the repayment amount by then.
In a Dublin nightclub, Silviu Voivod (31) was charged with assault causing harm after he tried to stop a woman from being grabbed by a first‑year college student, Robert McMickan, at Dandelion Bar & Nightclub on 12 October 2014. Voivod was glassed in the face, losing two front teeth, and then punched in the back, side and head. McMickan was taken to Tallaght hospital, suffered severe facial injuries and had to miss two weeks of college. Voivod pleaded guilty, offered €500 to McMickan as an expression of remorse, and did not seek a trial date. The court heard that Voivod had no prior convictions and was in a relationship with a young son. Judge Melanie Greally noted the need for a custodial sentence to send a strong message against such "glassing incidents" and announced a custodial sentence would be imposed on 6 December.
The High Court has ordered that the claim for €2.3 million brought by Seamus Maguire and Company Solicitors against businessman Alan Hynes and his wife Noreen Hynes, trading as A&N Properties, will proceed to a full hearing. The solicitors seek summary judgment for the amount in relation to a cheque allegedly dishonoured. The cheque, drawn in November 2007, was made payable to the solicitors' client account and was held at the defendants' request. The defendants, who had borrowed €3 million from AIB to acquire and refinance a site in Moongate, claim the funds were diverted to another property and that the cheque was never paid. They deny the cheque was dishonoured and argue there is no evidence of dishonour. Mr Justice Paul McDermott ruled that the defendants raised an arguable defence that warrants a full hearing, but he was not satisfied that they had established a basis to dismiss the claim.
Ms Justice Caroline Costello has lifted freezing orders on bank accounts at the High Court following agreement by the account holders to transfer funds to the Official Assignee. The monies, totalling over €85,000 in cheques made payable to a bankrupt County Monaghan farmer, had been lodged into accounts held by third parties. The Official Assignee, Chris Lehane, obtained the freezing orders in late August after the farmer's bankruptcy declaration, concerned the deposits represented attempts to place funds beyond the reach of his office. Cheques exceeding €55,000 were lodged to Navan Fruit Co Ltd at an Ulster Bank branch in County Louth, whilst over €31,000 was deposited to an account in the name of Tony Walsh trading as Breathnach Bargains at a Dublin branch of Bank of Ireland. Both account holders agreed to release the funds, with Walsh committing to pay €20,000 within one week and the remainder within two weeks. Ms Justice Costello vacated the freezing orders and adjourned the matter.
Kieran Cox, 32, of Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty to endangerment after a high‑speed chase that ended with his Volkswagen Passat crashing into a Toyota Yaris at a junction in Clonee on 2 February 2012. The Passat lost control, collided with the Yaris, spun into a pole, and a fire broke out, requiring Gardaí to drag Cox out of the vehicle. He was arrested but made no admissions. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, which she suspended in full, citing his significant positive turnaround, cessation of alcohol abuse, and responsible fatherhood. Cox had no Garda attention since 2012 and had previously been convicted of road traffic, drug and theft offences. The case was brought back to court after a 2012 warrant was not executed until 2015.
A 36‑year‑old Meath man, Dermot Molloy, was given a suspended sentence after a judge heard he is the sole carer for a child with a serious birth defect. Molloy had previously pleaded guilty to robbery in 2014 and was serving a suspended portion of a six‑year sentence for earlier robberies. He had threatened a syringe during the 2014 robbery but claimed he was only armed with a pen and that he robbed to buy food for his family. The judge noted that Molloy had complied with bail conditions since 2013, had no recent offences, and was drug‑free. He also cares for his partner's child who had suffered self‑harm. The judge, citing extraordinary circumstances, imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence and suspended it entirely, allowing Molloy to continue his daily reporting at Bridewell Garda Station for the next year.
In September 2015, Constantin Zahira (29) stabbed his girlfriend repeatedly in the face after accusing her of cheating, and also attacked his sister and his girlfriend's father with a Stanley knife. The girlfriend sustained eight wounds requiring stitches and will bear lifelong scarring. Zahira, who had no fixed abode, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to causing serious harm to his girlfriend and assault causing harm to her father and his sister. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a nine‑year sentence, suspending the final two and a half years. The court noted Zahira's lack of prior convictions and his late guilty plea. Character references, including one from his sister and the mayor of his Romanian hometown, were submitted. A psychological report highlighted a history of distrust, jealousy and past physical abuse. Gardaí found Zahira after he fled the scene, and he later claimed he was drunk and that his girlfriend had slapped him first.
Richard Molloy, 45, of Naas, was convicted in 2015 for possessing equipment to produce counterfeit €50 notes and was sentenced to six years' imprisonment. He had sold €20,000 in counterfeit bills to a suspected IRA member and was found to have €2 million worth of counterfeit currency in preparation. On appeal the Court of Appeal found the original judge had not explained the overall rationale for the sentence and had not recorded the mitigating discount. The appeal court re‑sentenced Molloy to five‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended. He was required to enter a good‑behaviour bond for the suspended period. The case involved the discovery of two Heidelberg colour offset printers, various powders, guillotines, digital printers and paper, and a large quantity of completed and partially completed counterfeit notes. The court noted Molloy's financial difficulties, his partner's illness and death, and his alcohol problems as mitigating factors. Richard Molloy pleaded guilty.
In a 2016 hearing, the Special Criminal Court found Brian Kenna, 54, breached bail conditions by speaking at a Wolfe Tone commemoration in Sallins, County Kildare. Kenna, who had been charged with membership of the Irish Republican Army, was required not to associate with anyone charged or convicted before the court. At the event, he was observed conversing with Edward McGrath, 33, who is also on bail for murder, firearms and IRA membership. Garda Colm Finnerty reported seeing both men together and taking their names. Kenna denied any conversation with McGrath and claimed he was not in danger of breaching bail. The court, impressed by Finnerty's testimony, ruled that Kenna had indeed breached his bail conditions and directed the matter to be reconsidered for further action.
Shane Rowan, aged 39, from Forest Park, Killygordan, County Donegal, has been sentenced to seven and a half years' imprisonment at the Special Criminal Court for possession of three assault rifles and ammunition discovered in his vehicle in Slane, County Meath on 9 March 2016. He received an additional four-year sentence for membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, with both sentences to run concurrently. Rowan pleaded guilty to possessing a Chinese Type 56, Romanian PM63, and Zastava M70 rifle, along with associated magazines and 153 rounds of assorted ammunition. He also admitted to IRA membership. The court heard gardaí had monitored his movements as he collected the firearms in Dublin before travelling through Northern Ireland to Donegal. Mr Justice Paul Butler noted Rowan's early guilty plea to all counts as a mitigating factor, describing such cooperation as unusual. The sentences were backdated to the date of his arrest.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 27 July 2016, former Sinn Féin councillor Jonathan Dowdall, aged 39, and his father Patrick Dowdall, aged 59, were charged with three offences each: falsely imprisoning, assaulting and threatening to kill Alexander Hurley. The alleged incidents occurred on 15 January at Navan Road, Dublin 7, where the Dowdalls are said to have detained Hurley without consent, assaulted him causing harm, and threatened him with death. Earlier, they faced charges for possessing a sawn‑off shotgun and a handgun with intent to falsely imprison Hurley at the same location and date. The court read the charge sheets to the accused; both made no reply. Counsel for the State applied for remand, and the judges remanded both men in custody until 7 October, when the case will be mentioned again.
In July 2016, Meath County Council initiated High Court proceedings against Mr. John and Mrs. Bridgie Stokes, alleging they had unlawfully occupied a vacant council house at 11 Tailteann Street, Navan. The council sought an injunction compelling the couple to vacate and hand over possession. Mr. Justice Donald Binchy granted the council permission to serve short notice of the injunction ex‑parte, adjourned the matter for a week, and allowed the council to proceed. The council described the matter as "very urgent" because the house was earmarked for another family on its housing list. A security company had reported that shutters were removed and that someone was living in the property; an official subsequently found the Stokes inside. The council had informed the couple that they had no lawful entitlement to occupy the house and requested they leave, but the Stokes refused to vacate.
In a High Court decision on 19 July 2016, the court dismissed a damages claim brought by John Cash, represented by his mother Mary, against Fingal County Council. The claim alleged that the council was negligent because it failed to cover an uncovered manhole on Old Ashbourne Road, Co. Dublin, where a five‑year‑old boy, John, had fallen on 20 April 2010, sustaining serious injuries including a fractured left arm that required surgery. The council denied negligence, arguing that medical accounts of the incident varied and that evidence was inconsistent. The judge, Mr Justice Paul McDermott, found that while the boy had indeed suffered serious injuries, the claim of council negligence was not proven on the balance of probabilities. The court dismissed the appeal, awarded the council its costs, and made no orders regarding the Circuit Court's costs. The case was previously dismissed by the Dublin Circuit Civil Court.
Richard Molloy, 45, of Naas, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of equipment for producing counterfeit €20,000 in bills sold to an alleged IRA member, and was found to have prepared an additional €2 million. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment by Judge Patricia Ryan on 6 November 2015. Molloy's counsel, Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC, has appealed, seeking a reduced sentence and a suspended portion, arguing that the judge did not consider Molloy's rehabilitation prospects, his alcohol‑related mental state, and his role as a caring father to a 12‑year‑old child. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Vincent Heneghan BL, noted that the counterfeit money was exchanged with "members of the IRA" and that a follow‑up search uncovered €189,000 in complete notes and an additional €2 million in preparation. Judge Garrett Sheehan, sitting with Justices Alan Mahon and John Edwards, said the Court of Appeal would decide next Thursday.
A 39-year-old man from Killygordan in County Donegal has pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin to multiple charges including possession of three assault rifles and ammunition. Shane Rowan admitted to possessing a Chinese Type 56 rifle, a Romanian PM63 rifle, and a Zastava M70 rifle, together with associated magazines, discovered at a location in County Meath on 9 March 2016. He further pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing ammunition: 75 rounds of 7.62 by 39mm calibre rounds and 78 rounds of 9mm parabellum calibre rounds. Rowan also admitted to membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army. The three-judge panel remanded him in custody pending sentencing on 27 July 2016.
John Byrne, aged 28, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for stealing a white Mercedes worth over €50,000 and driving it recklessly on the M3 motorway. The vehicle was taken from Charlemont estate near Griffith Avenue on 3 February 2015, and a Garda pursuit began shortly after. Byrne's car hit a roundabout at high speed, nearly flipped, then crashed through a stop sign and a fence before stopping in wasteland. He fled the scene, wading through a river, before being captured. The car was badly damaged and written off. Byrne pleaded guilty to using a car without the owner's consent and recklessly damaging it. He had six prior convictions, including drug misuse and property damage. The court found his actions "appalling" and "extraordinarily reckless," and sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, with the two counts running concurrently.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Adebowale Okunade, 41, pleaded guilty to possessing the proceeds of crime and to four counts of dishonestly appropriating money from Dunboyne Credit Union and Waterford Credit Union between 14 November and 19 December 2014, as well as to using an electricity bill in another name to open a Ballyfermot Credit Union account on 15 December 2014. Okunade admitted that he had transferred €27,127 from a Bank of Ireland account into his own account in September 2014, and that the money originally came from a Mexican woman's brokerage account, which had been stolen. He exploited a "glitch" in the credit union system, using compromised credit cards to lodge and withdraw money, resulting in a total loss of €13,950 to the credit unions. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to three years' imprisonment for possessing the proceeds of crime, suspending the final 12 months of the term.
In a brief appearance before the High Court on 11 July 2016, bankrupt developer John McCabe Snr and his wife Mary were processed through the statutory sitting phase of their bankruptcy. Judge Caroline Costello confirmed that the court‑appointed bankruptcy officer, Mr Chris Lehane, now formally owned the couple's assets and would administer their estate. The judge also issued a Section 85 order directing the couple to pay €680 per month to the official assignee until September 2018, with the proceeds going to creditors. The McCabes, who were not represented, consented to the payment order. Their son, John McCabe Junior, was absent but was expected to attend the statutory sitting later that month. The hearing was part of a broader group of 16 individuals, many self‑represented, who made similar brief appearances, with payment orders ranging from €278 to €2,900 per month for 14 to 18 months.
Kenneth Shanny, a 39‑year‑old tax advisor from Dunshaughlin, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for aiding and abetting the filing of incorrect VAT returns and claiming tax relief between November 2009 and April 2010. The judge suspended the final 18 months of the sentence. Shanny had previously served a sentence for theft from 2011 to 2012. He pleaded guilty at Trim Circuit Criminal Court and was found to have processed VAT returns for two clients, intending to divide €62,000 recovered from the tax authorities. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal, ruling that the sentence lay within the available range. The appeal was heard by Justices Alan Mahon, George Birmingham and Garrett Sheehan. The decision was based on the seriousness of the breach of trust and the substantial loss to the Revenue. The appeal was dismissed.
A 39-year-old man from Killygordan in County Donegal has been charged with unlawful possession of ammunition before the Special Criminal Court. Shane Rowan was charged with possessing 78 rounds of 9mm parabellum ammunition at his Forest Park address on 9 March this year. The charge was brought before the court on 7 July following a caution. Rowan faces three additional charges arising from the same date: possession of three assault rifles and associated magazines at a separate location in County Meath, possession of ammunition of different calibre at that same address, and membership of an unlawful organisation. The book of evidence for all charges was served on the accused today. Justice Paul Butler, sitting with Judges Alison Lindsay and Cormac Dunne, remanded Rowan in custody pending his next hearing on 19 July.
Brian Reilly, 20, of Boyne View, Navan, was convicted of reckless endangerment and theft of a vehicle after he stole a post van and drove over a postman's foot on 22 August 2013. In March 2015 Judge Patrick McCartan imposed consecutive sentences of five years for the endangerment and four years for the theft, suspending the last three years to deter re‑offending. Reilly appealed, and on 5 July 2016 the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Garrett Sheehan, found that the judge had not identified a headline offence and had not explained why a consecutive sentence was necessary. The appeal court also could not determine how mitigation and Reilly's guilty plea had been considered. Reilly's sentence was reduced to six years, with the final eighteen months suspended for the endangerment and three years for the theft, the sentences running concurrently and back‑dated to 11 September 2014.
Andrew Smith, a 24‑year‑old mechanic from Navan, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his girlfriend Chloe Cherry on 27 October 2013. The original sentence of two‑and‑a‑half years, with six months suspended, was imposed by Judge Michael O'Shea on 18 June 2015. Smith appealed, arguing that the sentencing judge failed to resolve a factual conflict regarding an alleged incident in which he supposedly locked Cherry in a dog cage. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice Alan Mahon, found that the judge had not conducted a "Newton type hearing" and had accepted the victim's account of the dog‑cage allegation as true, an error in principle. Consequently, Smith was re‑sentenced to two years' imprisonment, with 15 months suspended, and was required to enter a good‑behaviour bond for the suspended period. The appeal did not alter any other aspects of the case.
Mark Donohoe, a 40-year-old man from Navan, Co Meath, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for an assault that occurred on September 2, 2013, at Eurospar, Hartstown Shopping Centre. The defendant pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, specifically on the basis that his actions were excessive, a plea accepted by the prosecution as excessive self-defence. The court heard that the incident began when the victim, Alan McIllroy, head-butted Donohoe following a dispute over personal space in a queue. Donohoe subsequently used a knife to attack McIllroy, who suffered severe facial injuries, including a wound from his ear canal to his cheek. Judge Patricia Ryan found that while Donohoe acted in self-defence, he used force beyond what was required. The judge suspended a two-year prison sentence on the condition that Donohoe keeps the peace and is of good behaviour for that period. Additionally, the court ordered that €4,000, offered by Donohoe in remorse, be paid to the victim. In mitigation, the judge noted Donohoe's unblemished record, excellent educational and working history, volunteer engagement, and his unequivocal state of being under attack.
During a funeral in Dublin, Liam O'Connell, aged 26, attacked Seamus Mooney, 58, after attempting to kick one of Mooney's dogs. O'Connell punched Mooney between six and ten times while Mooney lay on the ground, and also kicked the dog. Mooney defended himself with a walking stick, which he carried after a recent hip replacement. O'Connell pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Witnesses observed the assault, and a passing motorist stopped the attack before O'Connell and his family left in a taxi. Gardaí later identified O'Connell and arrested him. Mooney was taken to hospital for swelling, bleeding, cuts and facial numbness. O'Connell was sentenced to 14 months' imprisonment, with no compensation or community service imposed. The case highlighted O'Connell's 16 prior convictions, including violent disorder. The judge noted his drunken state and mourning as mitigating factors but still imposed the jail term.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Tautvydas Tamulis, aged 30, pleaded guilty to assaulting Garda Patrick O'Rourke in Finglas on 30 June 2015. Tamulis had consumed a bottle and a half of spirits before the incident and his recollection of the events was described as "sketchy at best." He had previously been convicted 25 times in district courts, including for dangerous driving that caused serious harm. The court adjourned sentencing to 20 October to allow a probation report to be prepared, noting a significant background of alcohol abuse. Tamulis had pretended to be a Garda, flashing an ID card to a shop assistant who then called the police. He was arrested, but during the arrest he jumped out of the patrol car, pursued by Garda O'Rourke, and a struggle ensued. O'Rourke was punched several times and had a finger of Tamulis inserted into his eye, though he suffered no long‑term damage.
A man has been sentenced to three years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his role in two violent car-jackings committed on the same night in April 2014. David Thomas, aged 32, of Glenties Avenue, Finglas, Dublin, pleaded guilty to unlawful seizure of a vehicle at Shankill, Dublin. The court heard that Thomas and another man pulled the driver from his car, assaulted him, and threatened to shoot him after he witnessed their faces. The stolen vehicle was subsequently abandoned on the N11 near Wicklow. Thomas went on to forcibly remove a second driver from a van in the vicinity. Judge John Aylmer imposed a concurrent sentence, stating the Shankill incident was the more serious offence. The victim reported experiencing significant fear and psychological distress following the attack. The defence argued the incidents constituted a chaotic, alcohol-fuelled episode, with no actual firearm involved.
In a High Court case, Fergus O'Connor, owner of an equestrian centre in Dunmoe, Navan, challenged Offaly County Council's renewal of a national waste collection permit for Tag A Bin Ltd. O'Connor alleged that the waste site's operations were polluting the environment and posing health risks to his clients, workers, and horses, and that the site was within 600 metres of the River Boyne and River Blackwater Special Areas of Conservation. He claimed the council had failed to conduct proper screening, complied with EU Habitat Directives, and had no statutory authority to act as the National Waste Permit Collection Office. O'Connor sought orders quashing the renewal, declarations that the council acted beyond its powers, and that it had no jurisdiction in Meath. The case was heard ex‑parte by Mr Justice Richard Humphreys, who granted O'Connor permission to proceed and set a return date for October. Tag A Bin Ltd and Meath County Council were named as notice parties.
James Murphy, 37, was stopped by Gardaí for erratic driving and found with €44,712 worth of cannabis in his boot. He pleaded guilty to possession for sale or supply at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. A follow‑up search of his home uncovered an additional €404 of cannabis. Murphy had seven prior convictions, including larceny, traffic offences and drug possession. During the interview he claimed he had smoked a joint two hours earlier and that he was transporting drugs "from A to B" for "bit of weed". Judge Melanie Greally, after a cold analysis of the evidence, imposed a five‑year suspended sentence, noting Murphy's efforts to rehabilitate and his low intellectual functioning. The sentence includes 240 hours of community service and 18 months of engagement with the Probation Service. The hearing also recorded Murphy's admission of debt and his desire to leave the drug habit.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 28 June 2016, former Sinn Féin councillor Jonathan Dowdall, aged 39, and his father Patrick Dowdall, aged 59, were charged with intent to commit false imprisonment. The charges involve possession of a sawn‑off shotgun and a handgun, allegedly used to falsely imprison Alexander Hurley at the Dowdalls' Navan Road address on 15 January 2015. The DPP withdrew earlier possession charges and replaced them with these intent charges. Both men were remanded in custody until 22 July for a subsequent mention.
In a Court of Appeal hearing, Andrew Smith (24) contested the claim that he had locked his girlfriend, Chloe Cherry, in a dog cage during an assault. Smith, who pleaded guilty to assaulting Cherry on 27 October 2013, was sentenced in June 2015 to two and a half years in prison, with the final six months suspended. His lawyer, Patrick McCullough BL, argued that the cage allegation was a disputed fact denied by Smith and that the judge treated it as an aggravating factor without investigating it. He also claimed the trial judge failed to consider rehabilitation, Smith's lack of prior convictions, early guilty plea, remorse, and compensation offered. The State's lawyer, Orla Crowe BL, maintained the cage claim was part of the evidence and that it was the defence's responsibility to challenge it. The judge reserved judgment until 5 July.
Amy McAuley, 26, pleaded guilty in 2015 to stealing €132,355 from Nordzucker Ireland Ltd between July 2013 and February 2014. Judge Patrick McCartan imposed a wholly suspended two‑year sentence, requiring her to stay out of trouble and make full restitution within ten years. The Court of Appeal upheld this sentence, rejecting the Director of Public Prosecutions' appeal that it was unduly lenient. The appeal cited the ingenuity of the theft, its connection to a prior €90,000 theft that had been fully repaid, and the significant breach of trust. The court noted McAuley's youth, self‑reporting, early guilty plea, remorse, partial restitution, and her status as an accomplished musician. It modified the repayment schedule, setting 30 % of the debt due within five years, another 30 % within seven‑and‑a‑half years, and the balance by ten years, with €30,000 already paid and €102,000 outstanding.
Christopher Warburton, 22, of Montpelier Park, Dublin, was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to assaulting his ex‑girlfriend, Ashley Caulfield, on 1 September 2015. Warburton approached Caulfield on Kinvara Avenue, Navan Road, after their break‑up in May 2015, and after refusing to let her leave, he grabbed her wrist and forced her to walk with him. While a bystander tried to intervene, Warburton verbally abused the man and a second person in the car before punching Caulfield in the nose. The blow fractured her nose, exposing the bone and leaving a scar. Caulfield was taken to Mater Hospital, where she received four stitches. Warburton, who had 16 prior convictions and was on bail at the time, claimed he had not hit her. The judge described the assault as a serious crime and noted Warburton's history of anger issues. The sentence reflects the severity of the offence.
Jonathan Dowdall (39) and his father Patrick Dowdall (59) were denied bail by the Special Criminal Court on 27 May 2016. Both were charged with intent to commit false imprisonment, allegedly using a sawn‑off shotgun and a .44 calibre revolver to detain Alexander Hurley at their Navan Road home on 15 January 2015. The court, hearing objections from Detective Inspector William Hanrahan and Chief Superintendent John McMahon under Section 2A of the Bail Act, cited serious offence concerns. The men were remanded until 28 June for a further hearing.
In an out‑of‑hours sitting of the Special Criminal Court on 24 May 2016, former Sinn Féin councillor Jonathan Dowdall, aged 37, and his father Patrick Dowdall, aged 59, were charged with firearms offences. Both men were arrested by the Special Detective Unit and accused of possessing a sawn‑off shotgun and a .44 calibre magnum revolver, allegedly intended to facilitate the false imprisonment of Alexander Hurley at their home on 15 January 2015. Jonathan Dowdall was arrested in Clontarf, Dublin 3, while Patrick Dowdall was taken into custody outside Swords Garda Station, Co. Dublin. Neither man applied for bail at the time of arrest. Their barristers, Mr Derek Cooney BL for Jonathan and Ms Annemarie Lawlor BL for Patrick, noted that the DPP had no objection to legal aid and requested that the warrant reflect the men's prescribed medication.
In May 2016 a former National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) official, Enda Farrell, was sentenced to a two‑year suspended term for unlawfully disclosing confidential NAMA valuation data. Farrell, aged 40, sent records covering hundreds of properties—including those of major developers, NAMA's hotel portfolio and German holdings—to QED Equity Ltd. and Canaccord Genuity between May and July 2012. He pleaded guilty to eight counts under the 2009 NAMA Act. The court found no evidence that Farrell benefited personally or that NAMA's business was harmed. Judge Karen O'Connor noted the breach of trust and Farrell's attempts to bypass security as aggravating factors, but also his cooperation and admission of wrongdoing. The sentence was fully suspended, with no custodial time imposed. Farrell had not profited from the leaks, and NAMA suffered no loss from the disclosures. The case highlighted the pressures faced by NAMA staff and the importance of safeguarding confidential information.
Breffni O'Rourke, aged 67 and living in Ferrybank, Waterford, was convicted in 2012 of indecently assaulting a nine‑year‑old girl in his home in 1987. He had pleaded not guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The jury found him guilty and Judge Desmond Hogan sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended. O'Rourke appealed the conviction, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal on several grounds. Justice Garrett Sheehan, sitting with Justices Alan Mahon and John Edwards, noted that O'Rourke was single and lived alone in a cottage, worked in credit control, and gave music lessons. He had begun teaching the victim in 1985, later moving lessons to his home. The court found the evidence of a 1992 meeting and subsequent complaints credible, and concluded that any alleged prejudice was minimal. The appeal was rejected.
A former National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) official, Enda Farrell, 40, was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 21 April 2016. He admitted leaking confidential NAMA valuation data to QED Equity Ltd. and Canaccord Genuity Ltd. between May and July 2012, including lists of properties from major developers, NAMA's hotel portfolio and German holdings. Farrell had previously pleaded guilty to a 2012 email to Stewart Doyle of QED Equity Ltd. He faced 13 charges, of which 12 were heard. The court noted he did not profit from the disclosures and that NAMA suffered no loss. He was remanded on continuing bail, with the case adjourned to 12 May for sentencing. The offence carries a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment or a €5,000 fine. The judge said she would consider an appropriate sentence. The hearing highlighted the pressures Farrell claimed to have faced while valuing properties for NAMA.
James Murphy, 37, was stopped by Gardaí for erratic driving on 23 February 2014 and a strong smell of cannabis led to a search of his vehicle. The boot contained over €44,000 worth of cannabis, and a follow‑up search of his home uncovered an additional €404 worth. Murphy had previously admitted to transporting drugs "from a to b" for a small amount of weed and claimed he was spending €50 a week on cannabis after overcoming a heroin addiction. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis for sale or supply. His seven prior convictions include larceny, road traffic offences and a drug possession charge. The case was adjourned to 28 June, with a probation report ordered. The court heard that Murphy's erratic driving was the reason he was caught. The proceedings remain at the pleading stage.
The High Court dismissed a challenge to An Bord Pleanala's refusal to grant planning permission for a 9‑screen cinema, café and retail units in Navan, Co. Meath. The developers had secured permission from Meath County Council for a 1.58‑hectare site adjacent to Dan Shaw Road, including a car park. An Bord Pleanala had refused the permission in July, citing that the development would not consolidate the town centre, would be premature and remote, and conflicted with the Navan Town Development Plan and the county's Development Plan. The developer argued the refusal was based on an inspector's report that mistakenly linked the site to a proposed Central Rail Station, a project with no confirmed delivery date or requirement in the development plan. The court found the board had correctly interpreted the plan and that the refusal was reasonable and consistent with the plan, so the challenge was dismissed.
Aaron McDermott, aged 23, was sentenced to two years in prison for possessing a rusty rifle he claimed to have found while cycling in a field. He admitted bringing the weapon home and placing it between the partition walls of his and his neighbour's houses. McDermott pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm at his home on 26 January 2015. He had 73 prior convictions and a history of drug and alcohol misuse. The judge reactivated a one‑year suspended portion of a previous three‑year sentence for attempted robbery and imposed a consecutive two‑year term for the firearms offence, with the final year suspended. A search of his home uncovered a small bag of cannabis and the rifle, which had a shortened stock and barrel, was capable of firing but had no ammunition. The prosecution considered the offence low‑level for sentencing purposes.
A former National Asset Management Agency official, Enda Farrell, 39, pleaded guilty to disclosing confidential NAMA information to Stewart Doyle of QED Equity Ltd by email on 17 May 2012. The disclosure involved data about the Cosgrave Group and was made without authority. Farrell, who lives in Brussels and was formerly based in Dunboyne, appeared on bail for arraignment before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally set a sentencing date for 21 April 2016.
At the Central Criminal Court, the son of a deceased man gave evidence regarding his final hours with his father on December 29, 2013. Matthew Gralton, aged 22, from Mt Prospect in County Roscommon, and Ross Allen, aged 25, with addresses in Carrickmines, County Dublin and Clara, County Offaly, have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Christy Daly at Bog Lane, Kilbride, Clara. The prosecution alleges that Mr Daly discovered drugs valued at €30,000 concealed on the remote laneway where he resided, and that individuals connected to the drugs subsequently arranged his killing. The State contends that whilst neither accused was the gunman, both had a role in the death. The witness testified that he spent the day with his father and planned to meet him later that evening, but received no response when he attempted to contact him approximately 90 minutes after they parted. Mr Daly's body was discovered in a drain on January 7, 2014.
David Gorey, an accountant aged 33 from Kilbride, Trim, stole €489,000 from ABM Construction Ltd between August 2009 and July 2013. He used the money to pay off a €5,000 credit union loan, a €15,000 car loan, buy three BMWs worth €100,000, and fund gambling and social activities. Gorey altered payment certificates, had company directors sign them, and transferred the cash to his own accounts. He pleaded guilty to four sample theft charges. The court, after a victim impact report, noted the significant breach of trust and the impact on the business. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a two‑year custodial sentence, citing the large sum stolen and the loss of trust. Gorey had no serious prior convictions, had cooperated with investigators, and was considered low risk of re‑offending. He is now employed as a floor manager in a Trim restaurant.
A witness told the Central Criminal Court that Christy Daly, aged 47, expressed concern about men in dark clothing loitering near his home on the day he went missing. Gary Gonoude gave evidence at the trial of Matthew Gralton, aged 22, from Co Roscommon, and Ross Allen, aged 25, from Co Dublin and Offaly, who have pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Daly at Bog Lane, Kilbride, Clara, Co Offaly between December 29, 2013 and January 7, 2014. Mr Gonoude told prosecuting counsel that when towing a car to Mr Daly's residence on December 29, 2013, they encountered several hooded figures in the laneway. Mr Daly questioned their presence. Defence counsel for Mr Gralton challenged inconsistencies in Mr Gonoude's accounts to gardaí and in court testimony regarding the number and appearance of those present. Mr Daly's brother confirmed they last met that day. The trial continues before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.