In a 2018 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Alan Donoghue, aged 35, received a three‑year sentence for his part in a pre‑meditated violent assault on fellow inmate Gary Hanley at Wheatfield Prison on 29 April 2015. Donoghue, who was already serving an eight‑year manslaughter sentence, pleaded guilty to violent disorder. He admitted leaving the scene after the initial assault and not pursuing Hanley when the stabbing began. The court noted that Donoghue had no weapon and had left the area before the spoon‑shaped improvised weapon was used by co‑accused Gary Howard, who was sentenced to four years, and Mark Dignam, who received three and a half years. Judge Melanie Greally imposed the three‑year term to run concurrently with part of Donoghue's existing sentence, with the final three years suspended for possession of a firearm and assisting an inmate to escape.
In March 2018 the High Court dismissed Stephen Kearney's appeal against a Circuit Court order that granted Permanent TSB (PTSB) possession of his family home at the Old Mill, Ratoath, County Meath. Kearney had challenged the repossession on several grounds, including alleged breaches of the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations, the 1995 Consumer Credit Act, and the failure of PTSB to provide a life assurance policy for him and his late wife. He also argued that his wife's will gave him a tenancy in common, allowing him to live in the property for life. The judge, Mr Justice Max Barrett, found no evidence of unfair terms, rejected the will argument, and held that PTSB had met its obligations regarding the life assurance policy, which had never been activated due to Kearney's failure to pay the premium. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed on all grounds, leaving the possession order in place.
Thomas Joyce, 37, was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison, with the final year suspended, for robbing two taxi drivers in Finglas on 7 and 8 November 2016. He had previously been convicted of five robberies and three attempted robberies against taxi drivers, bringing his total convictions to 32. Joyce told the first driver he would "cut him" and the second that he had "blades" and would "slash his face to bits." He fled after taking phones and cash. The court noted the crimes were linked to drug use, but that Joyce was now in rehabilitation, having attended a residential treatment course from March to August 2016. He pleaded guilty, showed remorse, and cooperated, factors that were considered in the sentencing. The judge highlighted the terror inflicted on the victims and the high risk of re‑offending identified in Joyce's probation report. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the offences while acknowledging his efforts at rehabilitation.
Two men, Darren Watters (21) and Michael Joyce (28), pleaded guilty to stealing an Adria camper van worth €27,000 on 13 June 2016. At a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Karen O'Connor imposed suspended sentences: Joyce received a two‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term fully suspended, and Watters a two‑year suspended sentence for this offence and a separate offence involving a stolen car. The judge urged both to learn from their mistakes and warned that failure to do so could lead to future incarceration. Both were ordered to keep the peace, complete victim focus work, engage with probation services for 12 months and comply with all professional directions. The case was adjourned for mention on 13 October to decide the disposition of Joyce's €500 gesture of remorse.
During a trial on 4 July 2017, forensic evidence linked Christopher McDonald, 34, to a murder weapon and items found near a sub‑machine gun used to shoot Keith Walker 18 times on 12 June 2015. Dr Edward Connolly of Forensic Science Ireland reported DNA matching McDonald on a clear plastic glove and a black wig, with a probability of less than one in a thousand million that an unrelated person had the same profile. The DNA on the gun and a brown handbag was unsuitable for interpretation, and the ear plug carried a different DNA profile. Dr Thomas Hannigan confirmed firearms residue on the glove and wig, suggesting they were worn by the shooter, but found no residue on swabs from McDonald. He offered possible explanations for the absence of residue, including that McDonald may not have been the shooter or that residue was lost in the 12 hours after the shooting. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
A Dublin man, Darren McDermott, told a jury that he suffered three fractures to his jaw and several broken teeth after an assault by a group of men led by professional footballer Jeff Hendrick. The incident occurred on 12 October 2013 at Harcourt Street, when McDermott was in a nightclub and later in a taxi that stopped at traffic lights. McDermott claimed Hendrick and his associates forced him out of the taxi, threatened him, and then attacked him, delivering kicks to his head, face, chest and back. McDermott fled, was struck by the attackers, and was later rescued by bystanders. He received emergency surgery at James's Hospital and remains under medical care. Hendrick pleaded not guilty to violent disorder and assault causing harm, while co‑accused Jonathan Doran also pleaded not guilty to the same charges. The trial is ongoing before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
During the trial of Christopher McDonald, a 34‑year‑old from Dublin's East Wall, a witness named Jason O'Connor was restrained by prison officers after he lunged at McDonald in front of the jury. O'Connor had been called to give evidence and, after walking behind McDonald, attacked him. Four prison officers and a Garda intervened, and Justice Patrick McCarthy warned O'Connor that he had powers to deal with people who do not act in a "civilised manner." The jury was asked to leave for a few minutes; when they returned, the judge reminded them that they must decide the case based on the evidence and that McDonald enjoys a presumption of innocence. McCarthy described O'Connor's behaviour as "disgraceful" and insisted it should not affect the jury. The trial, which also involves a witness named Stuart Kane who described a shooting at the Blanchardstown Pigeon Racing Club, continues under Justice McCarthy's direction. Christopher McDonald pleaded not guilty.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Christopher McDonald, aged 34, is charged with the killing of 36‑year‑old Keith Walker at Blanchardstown Pigeon Racing Club on 12 June 2015. According to barrister Denis Vaughan Buckley, Walker left his home with his six‑year‑old son, travelled to Whitestown, met Jason O'Connor, and later drove to the club with pigeons in a car. At about 6 pm, a man dressed as a woman—wearing a long black‑haired wig, black leggings, dark sunglasses and a handbag—entered the car park, approached Walker, removed a sub‑machine gun from his handbag and fired 18 shots, fatally wounding Walker. CCTV footage will show the shooting and a subsequent image from a Lidl in Blanchardstown of a person without a wig but otherwise similarly dressed. A post‑mortem by Professor Marie Cassidy will confirm 18 gunshot wounds to Walker's head, body and left leg. Christopher McDonald pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 6 March 2017, Justice Patrick McCarthy sentenced Cluskey, aged 25, to nine years' imprisonment for manslaughter after he killed Christopher Nevin with an axe outside a house on Tailteann Road, Navan, on 19 November 2015. Cluskey had been found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. The judge reduced the recommended 12‑year term to nine years, citing Cluskey's early guilty plea and his claim of reasonable self‑defence. The sentence was back‑dated to 23 November 2015, the date Cluskey entered custody. Lisa Nevin, Nevin's wife, was removed from the courtroom after becoming emotional and shouting that she would never see her husband's face again. The case also involved co‑accused Josh Turner, who was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. The judge noted the confrontation between Turner and Nevin, the use of an axe, and the impact statements from Nevin's family.
In a house on Tailteann Road in Navan, Josh Turner (24) was found guilty of murdering 27‑year‑old Christopher Nevin during a dispute over a pedigree chihuahua. Turner was sentenced to life imprisonment, the mandatory sentence for murder, at the Central Criminal Court. Wayne Cluskey (25), who was also present, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for his part in Nevin's death. Cluskey will be sentenced next Monday. The trial, lasting eight days, relied heavily on CCTV footage and testimony from close friends, including Wayne Casserly, who described the confrontation as savage. Nevin was struck with a hatchet and an axe, leading to his death. Both accused voluntarily admitted their roles four days after the incident. The court heard statements from Nevin's mother and wife, who expressed deep grief and described Turner as a monster. Cluskey's defence highlighted his lack of intent to kill and his claim of defending Turner.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, Wayne Cluskey, aged 25, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for the death of Christopher Nevin, who was killed with an axe during a dispute over a pedigree chihuahua. Josh Turner, aged 24, was convicted of murder for the same incident. The jury, composed of nine men and three women, reached both verdicts by a 10‑to‑2 majority after more than two days of deliberation. Cluskey and Turner were remanded in custody until a sentencing hearing on 27 February. The trial included CCTV footage of the assault, testimony from Wayne Casserly about the dog dispute, and accounts of how Cluskey and Turner entered the scene, used an axe, and struck Nevin, leading to his death. The families of the deceased and the accused were kept inside the court by Gardaí during the proceedings.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court, hearing murder charges against Wayne Cluskey (25) and Josh Turner (24) for the 2015 killing of Christopher Nevin, was informed that a unanimous verdict was no longer required. Justice Patrick McCarthy announced that a majority of ten votes would suffice for either or both counts, and the jury was scheduled to return at 2 pm. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
The jury in the trial of Wayne Cluskey (25) and Josh Turner (24) of Mooretown, Ratoath, Co Meath, who are accused of murdering Christopher Nevin on 19 November 2015, will return tomorrow to continue deliberations. Both men pleaded not guilty. The jury has been instructed that for Cluskey there are three possible verdicts: not guilty if he was defending Turner and used reasonable force; manslaughter if he was defending Turner but used unreasonable force; or murder if the prosecution proved he was not defending Turner and intended to kill or seriously injure Nevin. For Turner there are two possible verdicts: manslaughter if he was provoked to the point of losing self‑control or if he acted in self‑defence but used unreasonable force; or murder if the prosecution proved he intended to kill or seriously injure Nevin. The case arose from a dispute over a male chihuahua loaned to Nevin for breeding, which led to a fight. Josh Turner was acquitted.
In a trial held in Navan, a jury of nine men and three women has begun deliberations over the murder of Christopher Nevin, who was killed on 19 November 2015. The accused are Wayne Cluskey, aged 25, and Josh Turner, aged 24, both from Mooretown, Ratoath, Co. Meath. Both men pleaded not guilty. Cluskey's counsel, Shane Costelloe SC, argues that Cluskey acted in defence of Turner when he "barrelled into" Nevin and grappled with him on the ground, claiming that Nevin was holding a hatchet and threatening Turner. The jury was instructed to consider whether Cluskey's force was reasonable; if it was, he should be found not guilty, if it was not, he could be guilty of manslaughter, and if he intended to kill, he could be guilty of murder.
In the Central Criminal Court, Patrick Marrinan SC argued that Wayne Cluskey (25) and Josh Turner (24) should be found guilty of manslaughter rather than murder for the death of Christopher Nevin on 19 November 2015. The case centred on a dispute over a chihuahua loaned to Nevin, which led to a confrontation at Nevin's home. Marrinan highlighted CCTV footage and testimony from Nevin's friend, Wayne Casserly, who revealed Nevin was armed with a hatchet when he answered the door. He contended that Nevin's threat and the presence of a hatchet provoked the accused, who reacted in self‑defence. Marrinan urged the jury to consider that the accused lost control under provocation, making manslaughter the appropriate verdict. Shane Costelloe SC for Cluskey also argued for a not‑guilty verdict, noting no evidence of a joint enterprise. The judge will address the jury tomorrow. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty. Wayne Cluskey pleaded not guilty. Josh Turner pleaded not guilty.
In the 2017 trial of Wayne Cluskey, 25, and Josh Turner, 24, both accused of murdering Christopher Nevin on 19 November 2015, the prosecution argued that the two men acted together to kill Nevin during a dispute over a pedigree chihuahua. Michael O'Higgins SC presented evidence that Turner had loaned a male chihuahua to Nevin, who owned three females and only one became pregnant, creating friction. The prosecution claimed that Cluskey and Turner drove to Nevin's home, where Nevin emerged with a hatchet. CCTV footage was cited to show Cluskey striking Nevin with an axe, followed by Turner's blows, and later Cluskey's use of the hatchet. The prosecution urged the jury to consider the defendants' claims of self‑defence and the possibility of manslaughter if the force used was deemed excessive. Both men had pleaded not guilty and were set to give their closing arguments the following day.
In a 2017 trial, 25‑year‑old Josh Turner, of Mooretown, Ratoath, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 27‑year‑old Christopher Nevin, who was killed on Tailteann Road, Navan, on 19 November 2015. Turner took the stand at the Central Criminal Court and admitted that he had "lost it" and struck Nevin multiple times with an axe, describing the act as a "minute of madness." He said he had been "dizzy" and "panicking" when he picked up the axe and that he had hit Nevin more than once, contrary to his earlier claim of a single blow. Turner recounted that Nevin had threatened him with a hatchet, that a friend, Wayne Cluskey, was present, and that Turner had later found the axe on the ground and used it. He also said he had tried to call for help after Nevin lay dying.
In the murder trial of Wayne Cluskey (25) and Josh Turner (24) for the killing of 27‑year‑old Christopher Nevin on 19 November 2015, Justice Patrick McCarthy found no evidence presented. He informed the jury that legal matters required resolution before proceeding and instructed the nine men and three women to return to the Central Criminal Court the following day. Wayne Cluskey pleaded not guilty. Josh Turner pleaded not guilty.
In a Tesco Express robbery in Finglas, Aaron McDermott, 24, and an accomplice threatened staff with firearms and demanded €3,000 and a vodka bottle. A shop assistant recognised McDermott as a former schoolmate, nicknamed Choppy, after his hooded jacket collar slipped. CCTV footage identified him, leading to his arrest at home. McDermott pleaded guilty to robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Pauline Codd suspended the final three years of a four‑year sentence, conditional on drug treatment and participation in a victim awareness programme. She noted his struggle following his brother's 2015 suicide and his recent release from a psychiatric ward. McDermott's letter of apology was read in court, and the judge considered his personal circumstances and guilty plea in sentencing.
Wayne Cluskey (25) and Josh Turner (24) pleaded not guilty to the murder of 27‑year‑old Christopher Nevin on 19 November 2015. In interviews on 23 and 24 November, Garda Michael Fitzpatrick showed Cluskey CCTV footage from a house across the road where Nevin suffered blows that caused his death. Cluskey said the footage made it appear they had "made it our business to kill him" and that he had not expected the violence. He explained that the dispute began when Nevin owed Turner €100 for a male chihuahua loaned to breed with three females, and that only one dog became pregnant. Cluskey claimed he had not struck the first blow, that Nevin had a hatchet when he left the house, and that Turner delivered the fatal blow. He admitted to telling "white lies" after seeing the footage.
In a murder case, Wayne Cluskey (25) and Josh Turner (24) pleaded not guilty to the killing of 27‑year‑old Christopher Nevin on 19 November 2015. Turner voluntarily appeared at Navan Garda station on 23 November, where he gave several interviews. In a second interview on 24 November he claimed he struck Nevin's fatal blow after Nevin attacked him with a hatchet during a dispute over a chihuahua. Turner said he had loaned Nevin a male dog for €250, and a disagreement arose when Nevin claimed the dog had gone missing and later that it was "shooting blanks." Turner described meeting Nevin at a friend's house on Tailteann Road, where Nevin allegedly approached him with a green hatchet. Turner said he took the hatchet from Nevin's hand and struck Nevin on the head with the blunt side, seeing blood but not realizing he was fighting for his life. The trial continues before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.
In the Central Criminal Court, Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis testified that four severe blows, consistent with an axe, caused the death of 27‑year‑old Christopher Nevin. Two blows struck the head and one the neck, producing skull fractures, internal bleeding and brain swelling, leading to blunt‑force trauma death. A fourth blow to the body caused extensive injuries but did not kill him. The case involves Wayne Cluskey (25) and Josh Turner (24), who plead not guilty to Nevin's murder, amid a dispute over a male chihuahua given to Nevin.
Two men, Wayne Cluskey (25) and Josh Turner (24), from Mooretown, Ratoath, Co Meath, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 27‑year‑old Christopher Nevin on 19 November 2015. The Central Criminal Court heard that the accused suffered injuries to their hands and heads four days after the fatal fight. Dr Thomas Ravenscroft examined Cluskey on 23 November and found a cut on the top of his head, lacerations and bruises on both hands and wrists, and cuts on both shoulders. Turner had lacerations on both hands and a small cut on the top of his head, with scratch marks on his right shoulder. The injuries were described as about four days old. The trial, presided over by Justice Patrick McCarthy, continues with a jury of nine men and three women. The case involves a dispute over chihuahua pups that escalated into a fatal axe attack. The accused are charged with murder. The trial is ongoing.
During the Central Criminal Court trial of Wayne Cluskey (25) and Josh Turner (24) for the murder of 27‑year‑old Christopher Nevin, a witness, Wayne Casserly, admitted he had lied to the prosecution. He had omitted that Nevin entered the scene with a hatchet. Casserly said Nevin had taken the hatchet to confront the accused about a male chihuahua that had been lent to Nevin for breeding. After Nevin emerged with the hatchet, Cluskey allegedly took an axe from his car and struck Nevin, while Turner allegedly struck Nevin several times after retreating to Casserly's house. Casserly also admitted that Turner had told him to "keep your mouth shut." The trial continues before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of nine men and three women.
A murder trial has heard that 27-year-old Christopher Nevin, who was allegedly beaten to death with a hatchet during a dispute over a chihuahua, had a previous conviction for stamping on a man's head. Wayne Cluskey (25) and Josh Turner (24), both of Mooretown, Ratoath, Co Meath, have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Christopher Nevin at Tailteann Road, Navan on November 19, 2015, as well as assault causing serious harm and possession of an article with intent to cause injury. Michael Fitzpatrick, a garda, stated that in 2007, Christopher Nevin pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and was jailed for five and a half years. He was also convicted of possession of an article with intent to cause injury. Lisa Nevin, Christopher Nevin's wife, testified that she married him in 2011 and that they were very happy. She stated that Wayne Cluskey and Josh Turner were friends of her husband and that Turner had provided a male chihuahua to breed with her husband's dogs. On the day of the incident, Christopher Nevin received a phone call from the council informing them they were to get a house. The last time Lisa Nevin saw her husband alive was when he left the caravan with his friend, Wayne Casserly, to walk to Casserly's home on Tailteann Road. Wayne Casserly testified that he and Christopher Nevin arrived at the house on Tailteann Road at about 1.20pm. Moments later, Turner and Cluskey arrived in Cluskey's girlfriend's car. Turner knocked on the living room window, and Nevin went to the door. A commotion ensued, and Cluskey took something out of the back seat of the car, which Casserly later identified as a hatchet or axe. Cluskey struck Nevin on the shoulder with the weapon, and the three men scuffled until Nevin ended up on the ground. Casserly said that Cluskey was on top of Nevin and Turner was standing over him with the axe. Casserly tried to intervene but was struck on the back of the head with the weapon. He said he heard Cluskey say, 'You have gone and done it now, you have killed him.' When he regained his senses, he saw Nevin lying on the ground, bleeding, and went inside to get his phone and call an ambulance. Casserly said that Turner told him to keep his mouth shut and that the two men checked to see if Nevin was breathing before leaving. About half an hour later, Casserly received a phone call from Turner who asked about Nevin. Casserly told him, 'I think you are after killing him.' Turner again told him to keep his mouth shut. Casserly agreed with Turner's defence counsel, Patrick Marrinan SC, that he believed the two men were concerned for Nevin before they left. The trial is continuing tomorrow in front of Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of nine men and three women.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a prosecution barrister presented evidence that two men, Wayne Cluskey, 25, and Josh Turner, 24, from Mooretown, Ratoath, were involved in a joint enterprise that led to the murder of 27‑year‑old Christopher Nevin on 19 November 2015. Nevin, who owned several dogs including three female chihuahuas, had obtained a male chihuahua from Turner to breed with the females. After only one of the chihuahuas became pregnant, a dispute arose over Turner's expected benefit. CCTV footage showed Turner arriving in a silver Honda Civic, knocking on Nevin's door, and a brief conversation. Cluskey then entered and struck Nevin with a hatchet, causing fatal injuries. The men left the scene in a car, later voluntarily turned themselves in at Navan Garda Station. The trial, presided over by Justice Patrick McCarthy, will continue with a jury of nine men and three women. The prosecution described the footage as distressing. The men have pleaded not guilty.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
Four Dublin men—Graham Farrell (32), Christopher Waldron (33), David Waldron (38) and Mark Buckley (33)—were jailed for two years each after pleading guilty to violent disorder at Cabra House on 16 August 2013. The incident involved the men arriving in two cars, armed with a wheel brace and a hand saw, and attacking a victim inside the pub. CCTV footage showed them beating the victim, using a pint glass, a bar stool and the wheel brace, and continuing the assault outside after forcing the victim out. The victim sustained serious injuries but did not cooperate with Gardaí. Judge Martin Nolan described the attack as intentional, pre‑meditated and organised. The prosecution relied on the CCTV evidence, and the men's guilty pleas secured the sentences. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Two Lithuanian men have been sentenced to four years in prison with the final two years suspended at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following their conviction on extortion and threatening-to-kill charges. Deividas Sutkevicius, aged 29, of Fox Lodge, Ratoath, County Meath, and Arturas Jankus, aged 52, of Cortolvin View, Monaghan, were found guilty of demanding €3,500 and €2,500 with menaces from a Monaghan-based fitter on separate dates in March and April 2011. They were also convicted of threatening to kill or cause serious harm to the same man on those occasions. The offences occurred at a garage between Carrickmacross and Ardee. Both men have been ordered to remain away from the injured party and his family for twenty years. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed the sentence on each count. Both defendants have no previous convictions.
Swords District Court heard several matters involving defendants Emmet Fitzsimons, Antons Marchinkevics, and Gillian O'Donnell. Fitzsimons, 21, pleaded guilty to being intoxicated and using threatening and abusive behaviour in Swords. Judge Dermot Dempsey struck out the case after Fitzsimons paid €250 to the Garda Benevolent Fund, noting the defendant had apologised and completed a security course. In a separate matter, Antons Marchinkevics, 33, pleaded guilty to drink driving and driving without insurance following a crash in Rush. He was disqualified for three years for drink driving and two years for lack of insurance, and fined €400 for each offence. Marchinkevics provided a breath sample of 72mg/100ml. Regarding Gillian O'Donnell, 38, the court issued a bench warrant for her arrest after she failed to appear. She is alleged to have stolen footwear from Tesco Express in Balbriggan and to be in unlawful possession of cannabis. The matter remains at the pre-trial stage with no plea entered or finalisation recorded. Additionally, Caroline Joyce was granted a hearing date of March 23rd for alleged criminal damage and breach of a protection order, though she is not a validated subject in this summary.
Alan Bradley, currently serving a prison sentence, has brought a High Court action against the Minister for Justice and Equality, the Irish Prison Service, and the Governor of Portlaoise Prison to compel the provision of orthodontic treatment. Bradley, who is incarcerated at Portlaoise, alleges that despite an independent expert report confirming his entitlement to treatment under HSE criteria, his request has been denied. His counsel, Dominic McGinn SC, argued that the failure to provide care is irrational and unreasonable, noting that Bradley has suffered severe pain for over a year. Mr Justice Paul McDermott granted leave to bring the application on an ex parte basis and adjourned the matter to a date in mid-December. The court heard that Bradley pleaded guilty in 2012 to conspiring to steal cash from a Chubb Ireland security van in 2007. Judge Tony Hunt originally sentenced him to nine years, with the final two suspended. On appeal, the Court of Criminal Appeal reduced this to eight years, with the final 18 months suspended. His brother, Wayne Bradley, also pleaded guilty to the offence. He was initially sentenced to seven years with 18 months suspended, a term the CCA reduced to six years with the final year suspended. Three other men, including a Chubb employee, were also sentenced for their roles in the incident.
In 2014 the Court of Criminal Appeal ruled that Martin Conmey's 1972 conviction for the manslaughter of Una Lynskey was a miscarriage of justice. Conmey, aged 63, had been jailed for three years in 1970 before being acquitted in 2010. The appeal court found that early witness statements favouring Conmey were withheld from the defence and were radically inconsistent with later statements. The court noted that no credible evidence established Conmey's involvement in a joint enterprise, a key element of the original case. Conmey's counsel argued that the state had never clarified his role in the killing and that no factual or scientific allegations were directed at him. The court therefore overturned the conviction, allowing Conmey to seek compensation for the miscarriage of justice. The ruling was delivered by Justices Hardiman, McGovern and White.
The Court of Criminal Appeal has reduced the sentences of Alan Bradley (40) and Wayne Bradley (35) by six months each following an appeal against convictions for conspiring to steal cash from Chubb Ireland on November 2, 2007, at Tesco, Celbridge, Co Kildare. Both men had previously pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. In April 2012, Judge Tony Hunt sentenced Alan Bradley to nine years with two years suspended and Wayne Bradley to seven years with 18 months suspended. Presiding Judge Mr Justice John MacMenamin found an error in principle in the original sentencing, noting that the trial judge appeared to start from the maximum ten-year penalty rather than assessing the case's position on the offending spectrum. Consequently, the appeal court determined that Alan Bradley's appropriate sentence was eight years with one-and-a-half years suspended. For Wayne Bradley, the court considered documentation regarding his health, including panic attacks and ankylosing spondylitis, and determined his appropriate sentence was six years with one year suspended. The court also congratulated gardai on their investigative work which prevented the commission of a more serious crime. The brothers had been involved in an attempted raid directed by the late Eamon Dunne, targeting a van containing nearly one million euro.