At the Central Criminal Court, a prosecution barrister opened the trial of two men accused of murdering a 47-year-old man in Co Offaly in late 2013. The court heard that the alleged killing occurred at Bog Lane, Kilbride, Clara, between late December 2013 and early January 2014. Matthew Gralton, aged 22 and from Mt Prospect, Co Roscommon, and Ross Allen, aged 25 with addresses in Dublin and Offaly, have each pleaded not guilty to murder. The prosecution alleges both men admitted involvement in the killing during interviews with gardaí in February 2014, though neither claims to have fired the fatal shots. The court was told the victim discovered a €30,000 drugs stash on the laneway where he lived. The prosecution contends this triggered his death at the hands of individuals sent from Dublin. The victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds and blunt force trauma, and his remains were discovered in a drain in January 2014. The trial continues before Justice Patrick McCarthy.
Bernadette Warnock, 63, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 71 counts of theft and fraud committed between 2009 and 2011, totalling €116,226. The offences allegedly occurred while she managed the finances of Positive Action Ltd, a Hepatitis C support group. Judge Melanie Greally described the conduct as a "most grievous offence" committed by an individual with a history of fraud, noting Warnock had four previous convictions for forging cheques. Although the validated procedural stage is sentence, the matter was adjourned until October to allow Warnock to raise compensation for a new group replacing Positive Action. She was remanded on bail. The judge explicitly stated this adjournment should not be interpreted as an indication that Warnock will receive a non-custodial sentence. Prosecution evidence, presented by Sinead McGrath BL, indicated that chairperson Antoinette Fitzgerald reported financial irregularities. Garda Wayne Donnelly testified that Warnock forged a co-director's signature on cheques and manipulated the charity's finance system to divert funds. Defence counsel Ronan Kennedy BL stated Warnock had €8,500 available and expected an inheritance to cover half the outstanding amount. He also highlighted her health issues and prior dedication to the charity.
Shane Rowan, aged 39, from Forest Park, Killygordan, County Donegal, was charged at an out-of-hours sitting of the Special Criminal Court with possession of three assault rifles and associated ammunition discovered at Tuiterath, Balrath, Slane, County Meath on March 9th, 2016. The charges include possession of a Chinese Type 56, a Romanian PM63 and a Zastava M70 rifle, together with nine magazines and 75 rounds of 7.62 by 39mm calibre ammunition. Mr Rowan was additionally charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army. Detective Sergeant Padraig Boyce of the Special Detective Unit said Mr Rowan was arrested in Drogheda under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act and made no reply when cautioned or shown the charge sheet. Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding with Judge Martin Nolan and Judge William Hamill, remanded Mr Rowan in custody pending mention on March 16th.
This report details seven extraordinary exonerations in Irish courts, highlighting cases where the justice system failed accused individuals. Among the validated subjects is Nora Wall, a former nun convicted in 1999 of rape, a charge she did not plead to but was found guilty of. She became the first woman convicted of rape in the State's history and the first to receive a life sentence for the crime, handed down by Mr Justice Paul Carney. However, her sentence was quashed after a prosecution witness admitted fabricating evidence, and in December 2005, the Court of Criminal Appeal declared her conviction a miscarriage of justice. Another subject, Michael Hannon, was convicted in 1999 of sexually assaulting a ten-year-old girl, Una Hardester, and assaulted Hannon's father. Hannon received a suspended prison sentence of four years. In 2009, the Court of Criminal Appeal declared his conviction a miscarriage of justice after Hardester admitted her allegations were fabricated for revenge following a land dispute. Christy Lynch, convicted of the murder of Vera Cooney in 1976, was also exonerated. Lynch claimed his confession was extracted under duress by the Garda murder squad. Although the Court of Criminal Appeal initially ordered a retrial, the Supreme Court ultimately set Lynch free, declaring him an innocent man based on the inadmissibility of his coerced statement. These cases underscore significant failures in the Irish legal process.
Jonathan O'Neill, 24, of Kilmore, Dublin, pleaded guilty to robbery and aggravated burglary at Clonalvy Post Office, County Meath, on 21 November 2012. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment on both counts, to run concurrently, by Judge Michael O'Shea on 13 November 2014. The Court of Appeal, hearing the appeal on 22 February 2016, dismissed it, ruling that the judge had considered all mitigating factors. The case involved two men armed with knives who entered the post office at about 9.40 am, threatened an elderly employee and a woman in her late 80s, demanded money from a cash delivery, and later forced entry into a house, demanding car keys. The men stole a car, which crashed, and fled on foot. The post office employee was deeply traumatised and did not return to work. O'Neill's history of drug addiction and a prior drug‑possession conviction were noted.
In a High Court hearing in Dublin, Raymond O'Neill, 37, was remanded in custody pending an extradition case to the PSNI concerning the murder of Jennifer Dornan. O'Neill faces charges of murder and arson for the stabbing and burning of Dornan's house in Hazel View, west Belfast, last August. The court adjourned the case to next month, requiring O'Neill's lawyers to file objections by March 7th, with the case to be reconsidered on March 14th.
In February 2016, Dermot Molloy, a 36‑year‑old from Meath, avoided immediate imprisonment after a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court judge heard he is the sole carer for a child with a severe birth defect. Lawyers argued that the child's condition, described as "expanding" rather than the microcephaly seen in Zika‑related cases, required extraordinary medical care. Molloy also cares for a partner's child who recently suffered self‑harm. The judge noted Molloy's compliance with bail since 2013 and his drug‑free status. Molloy, who pleaded guilty to a 2014 robbery at a boutique in Temple Bar, had threatened to use a syringe but claimed he was only armed with a pen. He said he robbed to buy food for his family, not drugs. Judge Nolan adjourned sentencing to July, citing Molloy's caregiving role and potential changes in his partner's condition. Molloy was still serving a suspended sentence from a 2013 robbery conviction.
At the Special Criminal Court, Robert Day (44), of Cabra, Dublin 7, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for the unlawful custody of 400 counterfeit €50 notes at Monck Place, Phibsborough, on February 2, 2014. Day pleaded guilty to the charge. His co-accused, Hubert Duffy (49), of Temple Street, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty to possessing a stolen BMW motorcycle at Phoenix Park Racecourse Apartments, Navan Road, between November 11, 2013, and February 2, 2014. Duffy received an 18-month suspended sentence. Detective Superintendent Thomas Maguire of the Special Detective Unit told the court that the counterfeit money was allegedly used to "finance the activities of the IRA." The court heard evidence that Richard Molloy, previously jailed for six years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for selling €20,000 in counterfeit bills, was involved in the transaction at Clarke's pub. Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding over the non-jury court, stated that the sentencing ignored allegations that the money was part of an IRA fund-raising operation. Day's sentence was backdated to August 10, 2014. The court noted Day had one prior conviction for assault causing harm, while Duffy had no prior convictions.
In 2016, the Director of Public Prosecutions sought a review of sentences for three Vietnamese nationals convicted of cannabis offences, arguing the sentences were "unduly lenient." The Court of Appeal, hearing the case on 8 February 2016, found that the Circuit Court judge had properly weighed the seriousness of the offences and the personal circumstances of the defendants. The judge had imposed six years' imprisonment with three years suspended for Choung Vu (45), four years' imprisonment with two‑and‑a‑half years suspended for Kham Tu (61), and four years' imprisonment with three years suspended for Tuan Cong Le (53). The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, concluding the sentences were not excessive and were proportionate to the harm and culpability involved. The court noted the defendants were legally present in the jurisdiction and did not fall into the comparative cases of illegal migrants or trafficked individuals. The decision reaffirmed the original sentencing as appropriate and justified. Kham Tu pleaded guilty. Tuan Cong Le pleaded guilty.
Karl McDermott, a 19‑year‑old from Ratoath Avenue, Finglas, was sentenced by Judge Sarah Berkeley at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two years in prison for possession of a stolen car and its keys, with the final year suspended on strict conditions. McDermott pleaded guilty to the offence that occurred on St Helena's Road on 30 June 2015. He had 40 prior convictions, including burglary and interfering with a car. The stolen vehicle was a Toyota Yaris, taken from its owner by two men on 29 June 2015 and later abandoned on Tolka Valley Road. McDermott was found heavily intoxicated, resisted Garda questioning, and had attempted self‑harm in the station. He had recently lost his brother in Mountjoy prison, a factor noted by the defence. The judge described him as a danger to himself and to the public, but acknowledged the difficult circumstances surrounding his brother's death. The sentence was imposed with the final year suspended.
In a 2016 trial, a 30‑year‑old man from Skerries, Dragos Nica, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity for stabbing a 55‑year‑old neighbour, Michael Gannon, to death on 14 November 2013. The jury heard that Nica had previously considered killing Gannon's young grandchildren and that he had a history of chronic paranoid schizophrenia, with delusions and hallucinations. He had been admitted to psychiatric facilities on several occasions, often involuntarily, and had a long record of drug use, including cannabis, heroin and ecstasy. On the night of the murder, Nica claimed he believed he had been poisoned by Gannon's daughter and that he was in an agitated state, grabbing a larger knife after a smaller one. He called emergency services after the stabbing, claiming he had stabbed someone. The trial was set to continue with closing speeches before a judge and jury.
In February 2016 the Director of Public Prosecutions applied to the Court of Appeal for a review of the prison sentences handed to three Vietnamese nationals convicted of cannabis offences in 2011. Choung Vu, aged 45, was found guilty of cultivation, possession and possession for sale of cannabis at Ballinlough, Kells, Co. Meath. He was sentenced on 8 July 2015 to six years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended. Kham Tu, aged 61, pleaded guilty to cultivation and received a four‑year sentence, the last two‑and‑a‑half years suspended, consecutive to a sentence imposed a day earlier in Naas Circuit Court. Tuan Cong Le, aged 53, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession and was sentenced to four years, with the final three years suspended. The DPP argued the sentences were "unduly lenient", citing that the defendants were legally resident in the jurisdiction and not under duress, unlike comparable cases involving illegal migrants or trafficked individuals.
In a High Court ruling on 29 January 2016, Mr Justice Paul Gilligan referred serious complaints about the removal of a bank‑appointed receiver from McElhinneys of Athboy to the Garda Commissioner. Barry Forrest, the receiver appointed by the Bank of Ireland, claimed he entered the store peacefully on 16 January 2014 under a court order, but was violently intimidated and forced out by a mob of up to 40 people he said had been called by general manager Neal Sweeney. Sweeney and businessman Dr Michael Grimes disputed this, asserting that the premises were taken by force by a gang of "thugs, goons and gangsters" and that Dr Grimes's company was in possession of the store. The judge denied Dr Grimes's claim of possession, refused to join him to the proceedings, and dismissed his application to restrain Forrest and the bank. The court had previously granted the receiver possession of the premises and ordered all parties to vacate.
The High Court adjourned a dispute over possession of McElhinneys of Athboy. Bank of Ireland appointed receiver Barry Forrest had sought possession of three Sweeney family‑owned premises—McElhinney's Department Store, McElhinney's Bridal Shop and Guinans—after the owners failed to repay €2.34 million. In September, the court adjourned Forrest's application to commit the Sweenys to prison for allegedly not complying with an agreement to hand over the properties. Two properties were handed over, but Forrest could not secure the department store and sought committals. Dr Michael Grimes, who claims his UK‑registered company, also named McElhinney Fashions Limited, is the sole owner and operator of the store, argues he has possession and seeks injunctions against the bank and Forrest. The judge set the matter back to Thursday next week to allow motions from the receiver and Dr Grimes. The case remains pending.
A Dublin man's prison sentence for violent disorder has been increased by the Court of Appeal. John Doyle, aged 26 and residing in County Meath, had pleaded guilty at Cavan Circuit Criminal Court to violent disorder committed in Belturbet, County Cavan on 24 February 2014. He was originally sentenced to two years imprisonment in June 2015. The Director of Public Prosecutions successfully appealed on grounds of undue leniency. The Court of Appeal increased the sentence to five years, with the final two years suspended for a period of five years. Mr Justice John Edwards stated that Doyle was one of four men who broke into the home of a vulnerable resident. The victim sustained serious injuries including a stab wound and scalp laceration during the incident. The court considered it a serious case warranting the increased custodial term. Doyle was required to enter into a bond of one hundred euro to keep the peace during the suspension period.
A former National Asset Management Agency official, Enda Farrell, aged 39, faces 13 charges for disclosing confidential information in May, June and July 2012. His trial at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was adjourned after new material was received on 8 January. Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC requested the case be removed from the trial list and re‑listed in two weeks for a new trial date. Prosecutor Kerida Naidoo SC said the State had no objection. Judge Patricia Ryan remanded Farrell on continuing bail to appear for mention on 1 February.
In a 2016 High Court decision, Mr Justice Paul Gilligan dismissed Mr Stephen Tennant's application to impose five‑year restriction orders on Andiamo Properties directors Seamus Ross and Michael Keogh. Tennant, acting as liquidator, alleged the directors had acted irresponsibly over a €2.9 million VAT claim. The judge found no circumstances justifying the orders, noting the directors had acted responsibly and honestly. Ross and Keogh had served as directors from 2001 until liquidation in 2013, and the company had not traded for four years before its liquidation. The VAT liability stemmed from land deals treated as exempt; the assessment was upheld in 2010 and the company's appeal was dismissed in 2012. Tennant claimed dividends paid in 2007 and 2009 had stripped the company of assets needed to satisfy Revenue. The directors maintained they had relied on professional advice and believed the VAT dispute would be resolved in their favour.
Two Dublin men, Robert Day, 44, and Hubert Duffy, 47, pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court. Day admitted unlawful custody of 400 counterfeit €50 notes found at Monck Place, Phibsborough, on 2 February 2014. Duffy admitted handling a stolen BMW motorcycle discovered at Phoenix Park Racecourse Apartments, Navan Road, on 12 November 2013. Both were previously charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styled the Irish Republican Army. The court remanded Day in custody and kept Duffy on bail pending sentencing on 10 February.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Ivan Seredych, a 42‑year‑old taxi driver from Clonee, was convicted of sexually assaulting a 24‑year‑old woman in Dublin city centre on 10 June 2012. The victim, who had become separated from friends during a night out, was invited into Seredych's taxi, where he repeatedly touched her in a sexual manner, including placing his hand under her underwear and exposing himself. She managed to record his name and badge number on her phone and fled to a Garda station immediately after the assault. Seredych, who has five prior traffic convictions and arrived in Ireland from Ukraine in 2001, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment. He does not accept the jury's verdict. The judge noted the victim's vulnerability and the seriousness of the offence, imposing the three‑year term. The case highlights the victim's ongoing emotional distress and the court's consideration of the defendant's foreign status.
Gavin Kinsella, 27, pleaded guilty to unlawfully keeping prescription‑only medication for supply at his home in Summerhill Parade. He was found with 15,908 Zopiclone tablets and a small amount of cannabis during a Garda surveillance operation from 14 to 20 December 2013. The tablets, worth €1 each, were not available in Irish pharmacies and are prescribed for short‑term insomnia and anxiety. Kinsella claimed he was holding the drugs for someone else to pay a cocaine debt. He has 12 prior convictions, all dealt with in the District Court. Judge Martin Nolan revoked his bail, remanded him pending sentencing, and on 21 December 2013 sentenced him to a three‑year prison term suspended on strict conditions, citing his admissions, cooperation with Gardaí and prospects for rehabilitation. The sentence was imposed at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The case was prosecuted by Tony McGillicuddy BL.
A 22‑year‑old named Raymond Walsh of Cabra, Dublin 7, was charged with the murder of 41‑year‑old engineer Kevin Molloy, who was found dead on Glendhu Road, Navan Road, Cabra between 23 January and 1 February 2015. The Central Criminal Court set his trial for 11 January 2017.
Thomas Murphy, aged 66, from Ballybinaby, Hackballscross, County Louth, has been found guilty of nine counts of tax evasion at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin. The three-judge court determined that Murphy failed to furnish returns of income to the Collector General or Inspector of Taxes for the years 1996 to 2004, despite conducting substantial farming operations. Evidence presented during the 32-day trial included testimony from Department of Agriculture staff, managers at cattle marts in Roscommon, Ballyjamesduff, Kingscourt and Elphin, meat factory representatives, and Criminal Assets Bureau investigators. The court heard that Murphy received over €100,000 in farming grants and conducted cattle transactions exceeding €500,000 across various livestock marts. Murphy's defence, that his brother Patrick controlled the farming activities, was rejected by the judges. Forensic analysis of a bank account operated in Murphy's name revealed significant financial activity. Murphy was remanded on continuing bail pending sentencing on 12 February 2016.
Gavin Kinsella, 27, was arrested after a Garda surveillance operation uncovered 15,908 Zopiclone tablets and a small amount of cannabis in his Summerhill Parade home. The drugs, a prescription‑only medication used for insomnia and anxiety, were found in blister strips and were not available in Irish pharmacies. Kinsella pleaded guilty to unlawfully keeping the prescription‑only product for supply. He claimed he was holding the drugs for someone else to pay off a cocaine debt, but the prosecution argued he was not involved with the same peer group as at the time of his arrest. He has 12 prior convictions, all dealt with in the District Court. Judge Martin Nolan remanded him in custody, revoking his bail, and scheduled his sentencing for the following week. The court urged him to consider the consequences of his actions while remanded.
Paul Brannigan, aged 24, was convicted by a jury of assaulting Jason Saunders by head‑butting and striking him with a golf club outside Saunders' home on March 18, 2014. Saunders died shortly after the attack. Brannigan was also charged with manslaughter, but the jury could not reach a verdict on that charge. He pleaded not guilty to the assault, production of an article and manslaughter charges. The trial lasted six days with almost five hours of deliberation. CCTV footage showed Brannigan head‑butting Saunders and later swinging a golf club, which he broke into three pieces and discarded. The judge imposed a three‑year sentence for the golf‑club assault, concurrent with a two‑year sentence for the head‑butt, and noted that the manslaughter charge remained unresolved. The case was scheduled for mention again next month.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Karen Smith, a 29‑year‑old former Ulster Bank cashier from Ratoath, was sentenced to a three‑year suspended term for stealing €14,160 from an elderly woman's inactive bank account. Smith withdrew the money two weeks after the woman's death and had forged a bank document to facilitate the theft. She pleaded guilty to both theft and forgery. Smith had no prior convictions and had a seven‑year unblemished record at the bank before being dismissed. Garda Brendan O'Horan testified that Smith had been threatened by a loan shark who pressured her to repay a debt, and that she feared for her safety. Smith admitted the offence, apologized, and expressed remorse. The judge noted the offence was "odious" but accepted her remorse, and acknowledged that Ulster Bank had compensated the estate but suffered reputational damage.
Paul Brannigan, 24, pleaded not guilty to manslaughter of Jason Saunders, who died after a rare cardiac arrest called commotio cordis. A six‑day trial and almost five hours of deliberation ended with a hung jury on the manslaughter charge. The jury found Brannigan guilty of two counts of assault by head‑butting and striking with a golf club, and of producing an article capable of serious injury. Brannigan denied all offences. Judge Patrick McCartan remanded him in custody for sentencing on 15 December. Chief State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy testified that Saunders died from a blow to the chest within a 30‑millisecond window, while defence pathologist Dr Declan Gilsenan disputed this, suggesting drug use and a testosterone spike caused the arrest. Brannigan admitted head‑butting and swinging a golf club but denied striking the victim. He later expressed remorse to the family. The case concluded with Brannigan taken to prison.
In 2015, Breffni O'Rourke, a 67‑year‑old music teacher, appealed a 2012 conviction for indecent assault of a nine‑year‑old girl in 1987. He had been found guilty by a jury and sentenced to two years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended. O'Rourke's barrister, Colman Cody SC, argued that the jury should have been discharged because of prejudicial evidence from the complainant's twin sister. She claimed O'Rourke was 'friendly' and had a 'habit of tickling us', and that he would put his hands under clothes and feel skin. Cody said this testimony was not probative and was highly prejudicial, and that it went beyond mere tickling. He also contended that the defence was denied access to notes from an English teacher that might have clarified the complainant's earlier statements. The Director of Public Prosecutions maintained that the witness's remarks were not prejudicial, and the Court of Appeal would reserve judgment. Breffni O'Rourke pleaded not guilty.
Clare Dooley, 43, a former Meath insurance broker, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to ten counts of making and using false declaration forms at New Ireland Assurance plc between November 2010 and September 2011. She had taken out 38 fictitious life‑insurance policies, receiving €109,000 in commission, but the insurer was repaid and no one suffered loss. The court imposed a four‑year suspended sentence and ordered 240 hours of unpaid community service to be completed within 12 months. Judge Martin Nolan confirmed the suspended sentence, noting that Dooley's fitness to carry out the work would be assessed medically; if unfit the suspension would remain. No prior convictions were recorded, and the insurer's complaint in 2013 led to the investigation and her arrest. The case concluded with a favourable probation report and the judge's final sentencing.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court manslaughter trial, retired pathologist Dr Declan Gilsenan opposed Chief State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy's conclusion that Jason Saunders died from commotio cordis, a rare cardiac arrest caused by a chest blow. Gilsenan argued Saunders' death resulted from a combination of an argument with Paul Brannigan and a cocktail of illegal drugs, noting that cocaine can disturb heart rhythm regardless of dose. He cited the absence of commotio cordis deaths in Ireland and estimated a 1‑in‑50‑000 incidence for cocaine‑related deaths in Cork and Kerry, versus 1‑in‑50‑million for commotio cordis in the US. Brannigan, 24, pleaded not guilty to manslaughter, assault, and possession of a golf club, admitting a verbal row and head‑butting but denying striking Saunders with the club. The trial continues before Judge Patrick McCartan and a twelve‑person jury.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Paul Brannigan, aged 24, pleaded not guilty to manslaughter, assault, and possession of a golf club in the death of Jason Saunders on 18 March 2014. Chief State Pathologist Marie Cassidy testified that Saunders died from commotio cordis, a lethal heart rhythm disruption caused by a blow to the chest over the heart within a 30‑millisecond window of the cardiac cycle. Cassidy described bruising and a rib fracture likely from a golf club strike. She noted that the fatal blow must occur at a precise moment, otherwise it would not be fatal. Defence counsel challenged the consistency of the evidence, arguing that Saunders' movements before collapse were inconsistent with typical commotio cordis cases. The trial continues before Judge Patrick McCartan and a twelve‑person jury.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court manslaughter trial, Paul Brannigan, aged 24, pleaded not guilty to the death of Jason Saunders, who died on 18 March 2014 after a confrontation at Fassaugh Avenue. Brannigan was accused of striking Saunders with a golf club, causing a fatal blow to the chest, and of assaulting him. Witnesses, including a shopkeeper and Spar store manager Kevin Coffey, described a scuffle where Brannigan head‑butted Saunders before repeatedly swinging a golf club. Brannigan allegedly asked the shopkeeper to "delete that camera for us?" after Saunders was described as "in a bad way." CCTV footage from the shop, pub, Garda station and a bus was shown to the jury. Nurses Melissa Lanigan and Lorna Nangle testified that Saunders received CPR but never regained consciousness, and an ambulance crew later took over resuscitation. The case continues before Judge Patrick McCartan and a twelve‑person jury.
A 24‑year‑old Dublin man, Paul Brannigan, is on trial for the manslaughter of Jason Saunders, who died outside a flat on Nassau Avenue, Cabra West, on 18 March 2014. Brannigan has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter, assault causing harm, and possession of a golf club during the dispute. Prosecutor Colm O'Briain told the jury that Saunders arrived at Brannigan's flat in a taxi at about 6 a.m., that the men argued, and that Brannigan head‑butted Saunders before striking him on the left side of the chest with a golf club. CCTV footage and witness statements will show Saunders stumbling, falling face‑down, and being tended by nurses before an ambulance arrived. The Chief State Pathologist will testify that the blow caused fatal interference with Saunders' heart, and the prosecution will argue that Saunders was "extremely unlucky" that the blow was fatal, without alleging intent to kill.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 26‑year‑old Amy McAuley of Ledwidge Hall, Slane pleaded guilty to stealing €132,355 from Nordzucker Ireland Ltd between 23 July 2013 and 26 February 2014. The thefts were carried out while she was a credit controller on maternity leave, using the distributor's bank details to divert client payments. McAuley later admitted the crimes to her father, who helped transfer €10,000 back to the company. She claimed she used part of the stolen money to repay €91,113 she had taken from a previous employer to support her family. The court noted her repeated offending but also her willingness to repay, and Judge Patrick McCartan imposed a two‑year suspended sentence, suspended for ten years, with a requirement to continue repayments. The sentence was not to be enforced unless she failed to meet the repayment plan.
The family of an infant who died two days after birth at Cavan General Hospital have settled their action against the HSE for €70,000 in the High Court. Francis Flynn and Fiona Watters, from Navan in Co Meath, had sued the health service for mental distress and shock following the death of their son Jamie in November 2012. The infant was delivered by caesarian section but presented with no heartbeat or breath reflex upon delivery. Despite resuscitation efforts and transfer to intensive care at the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin, Jamie died two days later. The HSE admitted liability in July 2014. Mr Justice Richard Humphreys approved the settlement on Monday, directing that €5,000 of the award be paid into court for the benefit of the couple's daughter. An inquest into Jamie's death previously returned a verdict of medical misadventure.
Archili Mindadze, a 40‑year‑old Georgian restaurateur, was sentenced to three years in prison for assaulting Romanian dentist Iurii Borta in Borta's surgery on 1 October 2012. Mindadze and a co‑accused demanded protection money from Borta, asking "Who is your roof?" and threatened to leave Ireland or pay if the police were called. During the attack Mindadze sliced Borta's hand and struck him in the face. Borta suffered scarring, numbness and anxiety. Mindadze admitted presence at the surgery but denied using the knife, claiming the co‑accused supplied it. He has 14 prior convictions, including dangerous driving and theft. The judge suspended the final six months of a 3½‑year sentence, leaving an effective custodial term of three years. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with prosecution by Fiona Murphy BL and defence by Marc Thompson BL. The sentencing hearing took place in October 2015. Archili Mindadze pleaded guilty.
Clive Keogh, a 40‑year‑old former businessman and graphic designer, was found guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of possessing a false travel pass in the name of Brad Pitt, along with four other fake passes on a USB key. He pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a false travel pass with intent to deceive. The judge, Catherine Murphy, noted Keogh's prior 18 minor convictions and his recent shop‑lifting charge, but also acknowledged his progress since July, including enrolment in a training course and secured accommodation. She imposed a nine‑month prison sentence, suspended in full on strict conditions, and ordered 240 hours of community service and engagement with the Probation Service for two years. The sentence was delivered after a Garda investigation that uncovered the fake passes and Keogh's cooperation with the authorities.
Richard Molloy, a 44‑year‑old printer from Kildare, was convicted of possessing equipment for producing counterfeit banknotes and sentenced to six years in prison. He had been selling €20,000 of fake €50 notes to an IRA associate in exchange for €2,200, and a Special Detective Unit search uncovered over €2 million in counterfeit notes and the machinery used to make them. Molloy admitted he was working with the IRA but denied direct involvement with the organisation. He pleaded guilty to possession of counterfeiting tools after initially being charged with membership of an illegal organisation. The court, after hearing his financial difficulties and family circumstances, imposed the full six‑year term without suspension.
Brian Fitzpatrick, 50, of Castleross, Dundalk, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to five years' imprisonment, with the last two years suspended, after pleading guilty to possession of an explosive substance under suspicious circumstances. The offence was committed on 16 December at Mitchelstown Cross, Castletown, Navan, Co. Meath. Fitzpatrick pleaded guilty to one of the two counts shortly after the incident and has shown remorse. The court heard that he suffered severe psychiatric problems following a brutal assault 18 years earlier, which left him unable to work and depressed, and that he had received ongoing mental‑health treatment. He is described as a family man; his wife said she would be "lost without him" and that he had helped her after a fall. Fitzpatrick had raised funds for foreign missions and had worked with underage groups in his local GAA club. He had previously worked on boats and in factories in the UK to support his family.
Reports that the Government intends to establish a second Special Criminal Court have surprised legal practitioners, despite existing legislation. The current non-jury court faces a significant backlog, with the earliest available trial date in June 2017. Establishing a second court requires new judicial panels, additional resources for the DPP and Gardaí, and a secure location, potentially Cloverhill, as the current Court 11 at the Criminal Courts of Justice is fully utilized. The court currently has 34 people before it and 19 fixed trials scheduled through early 2017. Notable recent proceedings include the July 2014 sentencing of Wayne Dundon and Nathan Killeen, who were convicted of the murder of Limerick businessman Roy Collins and jailed for life following a 29-day trial. Additionally, the trial of three men accused of the murder of dissident republican Peter Butterly collapsed in January after 55 days due to disclosure issues; the matter was adjourned for a retrial in January 2017, and the accused were released on bail. A separate 21-day trial of seven Dublin men accused of dissident republican membership ended with their acquittal earlier this year. The Special Criminal Court, established in 1972, has historically handled cases related to the Troubles and more recently dissident republican and gangland activity.
The trial of Thomas Murphy, 66, of Ballybinaby, Hackballscross, Co Louth, for alleged tax evasion is ongoing at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin. The defendant has pleaded not guilty to nine charges alleging that he failed to furnish returns of his income, profits, or gains to the Collector General or Inspector of Taxes for the years 1996/97 to 2004. The prosecution, acting on an investigation by the Criminal Assets Bureau, contends that although Murphy conducted significant dealings in cattle and land and received farming grants, he did not report this income to Revenue. During proceedings, the court heard evidence from Vincent Murray, a former procurement manager at Newgrange Meats in Slane, County Meath. Murray provided records indicating that a man named Thomas Murphy supplied cattle to the factory. Specifically, the court was shown records stating that on October 18, 2004, twenty-two cattle were slaughtered, supplied by Thomas Murphy of Ballybinaby. Two cheques totaling over €15,000, made payable to Thomas Murphy, were exhibited to the three-judge court. Defense counsel John Kearney QC suggested to the witness that the signatures on the back of these cheques were clearly different from the defendant's signature, a point Murray agreed with. The trial, which was adjourned before lunch, will resume on Tuesday.
The trial of Thomas Murphy at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin has heard evidence regarding substantial cattle transactions spanning several years. A former project manager at Kepak Meat Processors testified that between August 1999 and August 2001, cattle valued at over €30,000 were supplied to the company by a man named Thomas Murphy. Additional evidence was presented concerning cattle purchases made in May 2004, including transactions at livestock marts in County Galway and Kingscourt, County Cavan. Mr Murphy, aged 66 and resident in County Louth, has pleaded not guilty to nine charges of failing to furnish income returns to revenue authorities for the years 1996/97 to 2004. The prosecution alleges that despite significant dealings in cattle and land and receipt of farming grants, the accused made no tax returns. The investigation was conducted by the Criminal Assets Bureau. The trial before the three-judge court continues.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Archili Mindadze, a 40‑year‑old Georgian business owner, was found guilty of assaulting Romanian dentist Iurii Borta on 1 October 2012. Mindadze and a co‑accused entered Borta's surgery at Griffith Hall, Griffith Avenue, and threatened the dentist with a knife, demanding he pay protection money or leave Ireland within ten days. Mindadze sliced the dentist's hand and struck him in the face. He was arrested on 12 October 2012 after the co‑accused fled. A knife recovered from Mindadze's kitchen matched the DNA of the injured party. Mindadze pleaded guilty, denied using the knife or force, and claimed PTSD from his past. The court ordered a Probation and Welfare Services Report and remanded him in custody pending sentencing. The dentist suffered scarring and numbness on his left hand, and reported nervousness and anxiety following the attack. The case was prosecuted by Fiona Murphy BL and defended by Marc Thompson BL.
In the murder trial of Kenneth Cummins (28) and Sabrina Cummins (37) for the killing of Thomas Horan (63) at Cambridge Court, Ringsend, a witness testified that he heard a woman's voice say "where's the wallet" early on the morning of January 6th. The witness described CCTV footage showing the Cummins siblings near the pub Sally's and later at Horan's bedsit, with Kenneth allegedly running out of the court and hiding behind a car. He also identified the Cummins as being present at the back door of the bedsit around 4.45am, when a commotion was heard. The witness, a neighbour, reported hearing the exchange and the disturbance that followed. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, is scheduled to continue next week with a jury of twelve. The defendants have pleaded not guilty. The case is expected to last three weeks.
Clare Dooley, 43, a former Meath insurance broker and on‑air financial adviser, pleaded guilty to ten counts of making and using false declaration forms to obtain €109,000 in commission from 38 fictitious life insurance policies between November 2010 and September 2011. The policies were taken out using false information; the insured parties were unaware and suffered no loss. Dooley's commission was paid by New Ireland Assurance plc, and the company has since been repaid. The court, after noting the breach of trust and the lack of loss, imposed a four‑year suspended sentence with strict conditions, including 240 hours of unpaid community work. The case was adjourned to December 7, 2015 to assess her suitability for the work. No prior convictions were recorded.
In a dispute over the operation of Bellinter House Hotel in Co Meath, DCM Hotels Ltd sued the hotel's owners, Jay Bourke and John Reynolds, claiming a five‑year lease. The owners denied ever granting such a lease, asserting only a month‑to‑month agreement existed. On the fourth day of the hearing, Mr Justice Paul Gilligan announced the parties had reached a settlement. Under the agreement, DCM will relinquish vacant possession of the hotel by 8 January 2016. From that date, any new owner will assume responsibility for all bookings and staff; if no new owner emerges, the partnership will take on those duties. DCM will cease taking new bookings. The settlement was accepted by counsel for both sides, concluding the court action. The case was heard in 2015.
Clare Dooley, 43, a former Newstalk financial adviser, will be sentenced next week for a €109,000 life‑insurance scam. She pleaded guilty to ten counts of making and using false declaration forms at New Ireland Assurance plc between November 2010 and September 2011. The scam involved 38 fictitious policies, of which Dooley received €109,000 in commission. The prosecution asked for a short adjournment, which Judge Desmond Hogan granted, but he said the sentence would be imposed next week unless the DPP presented a solid reason otherwise. Dooley had no prior convictions. She had been a financial adviser on Newstalk's Global Village show from 2011 to 2014 and had founded Moneybloom after the scam. The court will consider her guilty pleas, the impact on her family and community, and her lack of previous convictions when determining the sentence.
Brian Fitzpatrick, 49, of Castleross, Dundalk, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to possessing two complete Improvised Explosive Devices in County Meath. The devices were allegedly in his possession on 16 December 2014 at Mitchelstown Cross, Castletown, Navan. The judge remanded him on continuing bail to return on 29 October for sentencing.
Clare Dooley, a 43‑year‑old Meath insurance broker, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to ten counts of making and using false declaration forms to create 38 fictitious policies at New Ireland Assurance plc between November 2010 and September 2011. The false policies were issued to obtain a commission totalling €109,000, which the insurer has since been repaid. Dooley, who later founded Moneybloom, was arrested after Gardaí discovered relevant documentation during searches of her home and business. She claimed she did not intend permanent theft and that she would ultimately not profit from the offences, arguing that she had to pay monthly premiums to keep the policies live and avoid a clawback. She was pregnant with her second child at the time and had been the sole breadwinner after her husband fell into depression. The case was adjourned to October 8 for sentencing. The article does not state the final sentence.
Richard Molloy, a 44‑year‑old printer from Naas, was found to have run a sophisticated counterfeit banknote operation while allegedly working with the IRA. He sold €20,000 in fake €50 notes to an IRA associate in exchange for €2,200 in genuine cash. A Special Detective Unit search of his printing premises uncovered over €2 million in counterfeit notes, both finished and unfinished, and the equipment used to produce them. Molloy pleaded guilty to possession of counterfeiting tools at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and was remanded on continuing bail for sentencing on 7 November 2015. The court heard he began counterfeiting after his printing business suffered from the economic downturn, and that he had no direct involvement with the IRA beyond alleged cooperation. The case highlighted the scale of the operation and the evidence presented by the prosecution. The judge was urged to consider Molloy's financial hardship, his ill partner and child when determining his sentence.
Mrs Hong Thi Nguyen and Mr Phuc Nguyen Le successfully appealed their prison sentences at the Court of Appeal. Both had previously pleaded guilty to cultivating more than €1 million worth of cannabis at an industrial unit in Kells Business Park, Co Meath, on April 13, 2013. At Trim Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Michael O'Shea had sentenced Mrs Nguyen to 10 years imprisonment with the final four-and-a-half years suspended, and Mr Le to 10 years with the final three years suspended. The appellate panel, led by Mr Justice Alan Mahon, found an error in principle, noting the sentencing judge failed to account for the appellants' limited roles as workers or 'gardeners' who were brought into the country for that purpose. The court heard they had no involvement in the operation's setup, planning, or financing. A new sentence of five years imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, was imposed on Mr Le. Mrs Nguyen received a new sentence of three-and-a-half years imprisonment, with the final six months suspended. The court noted Mr Le had a relevant previous conviction in the UK in 2007, while Mrs Nguyen had none. As both had been in custody since their arrest in 2013, the court heard that Mrs Nguyen's new sentence had effectively been served.