Simon O'Donovan, a 44-year-old National Museum employee, appeared before the Special Criminal Court at the trial stage, where he was remanded in custody until October 5. O'Donovan is alleged to have knowingly possessed an improvised explosive device on July 22 in Chapelizod, Dublin 10, contrary to the Explosive Substances Act 1883. He remains unrepresented, as his solicitor could not accept instructions due to a legal aid strike. The judge noted that O'Donovan's previous bail application was refused and stated that a second application would require a change of circumstances, such as legal representation. O'Donovan expressed his desire to reapply for bail at the earliest chance. The court indicated that the next procedural step is the service of the book of evidence. In connection with the same investigation, Isobella Perrie Sullivan, a 25-year-old law student, was charged with possession of explosives at a special sitting of Trim District Court. Police alleged that O'Donovan handed a bag containing 394g of Semtex, a timer, and a detonator to Sullivan, who then transported it to Carrickmacross. No plea, finding, or sentence was recorded for either accused at this stage.
A Dublin man, Simon O'Donovan, has been denied bail following a charge of possession of an explosive device in connection with the alleged discovery of a bomb in a car in Co Monaghan. The court heard that the device was allegedly stored in the National Museum at Collins' Barracks where O'Donovan worked. Gardai believe that if O'Donovan were released on bail, he would engage in acts to further the objectives of the dissident Republican group, the New IRA. O'Donovan was arrested after a car carrying the device was stopped on the N2. The device contained 394g of Semtex, a timer switch, and a viable detonator. Gardai objected to bail, citing the risk of O'Donovan interfering with the investigative process and continuing to engage in IRA operational activity. The court ruled that no bail conditions would allay the concerns of gardai and refused bail. A 25-year-old woman, Isobella Perrie Sullivan, was also charged in relation to the same incident and remanded in custody.
Luke Kruger, 25, was sentenced at Galway Circuit Criminal Court for two incidents of unauthorised vehicle taking and associated offences. He pleaded guilty to charges arising from April 24, 2021, and October 15, 2023. In the first incident, Kruger allegedly took a car with a female passenger, driving 55km before crashing in Connemara while she begged him to stop. In the second, he allegedly bit a taxi driver and damaged a second vehicle before fleeing. Judge Brian O'Callaghan imposed a headline sentence of three years for reckless endangerment, reduced to 12 months. For the taxi offences, he set a headline sentence of two and a half years, reduced to 18 months to run consecutively. The final nine months of this second sentence were suspended. Kruger was jailed for a total of one year and nine months. He was placed under Probation Services supervision for 18 months post-release. The sentence was backdated to January 17, when he entered custody. The judge noted Kruger frightened the passenger and displayed aggression towards the taxi driver, while acknowledging his age and addiction issues as mitigating factors.
Terry Ward, 36, of Castle Meadows, Trim, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglaries on 20 July 2024 and 12 February 2025. On 20 July he broke into a business on Baggot Street, stole two laptops worth €3,000, and was arrested the next night while attempting to sell one to a rickshaw driver. On 12 February he carried out a series of burglaries in Dublin 2, breaking into a business, an elderly woman's unoccupied home (stealing earrings and medication), and smashing windows at the Hyde pub on Lennon Street with a beer keg and at the Duke pub with street fencing, causing €2,000 in damage. He also stole €50 from a tip jar. Ward has 176 prior convictions, including 22 burglaries in Ireland and 17 in the UK, plus assault and knife possession.
Ruth Lawrence, aged 46 and originally from Clontarf, Dublin, is on trial in Ireland for the murders of Anthony Keegan (33) and Eoin O'Connor (32). She was extradited from South Africa nearly a decade after the bodies were found on Lough Sheelin. Lawrence denies the charges. Her defence cites testimony from Pastor Robert Roger Brazelle, who says Lawrence worked in safehouses for trafficking victims in Pretoria and Bloemfontein, and Pastor Andre Lombard, who confirms her involvement in feeding schemes for the poor. The prosecution alleges that Lawrence shot O'Connor and, with boyfriend Neville van der Westhuizen, killed both men. Van der Westhuizen is serving a 15‑year sentence in South Africa for kidnapping, attempted murder and murder; extradition to Ireland is pending after his sentence ends. The trial is before Mr Justice Tony Hunt with a jury of twelve.
Daniel Keelan, 47, of Ashbourne, appealed a drunk‑driving conviction that had been handed down in the District Court for an incident on 21 August 2022. The original conviction carried a two‑year driving disqualification and a €200 fine. The appeal was heard in the District Court Appeals Court in Trim. Garda Saoirse Horan testified that she had pursued a black BMW on Frederick Street, observed Keelan in the driver's seat, and arrested him after he refused to exit the vehicle. She claimed he was argumentative, smelled of alcohol, and had a breath alcohol level of 59 mg per 100 ml, well above the legal limit of 22 mg. Keelan's counsel argued that the garda had not explained the arrest, that Keelan was not speeding due to road works, and that the licence information was inconsistent. Daniel Keelan pleaded not guilty.
Brian Reilly, a 29‑year‑old banned driver with 126 prior convictions, was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally in 2021 to seven and a half years' imprisonment for crashing into the Armstrongs' car in January 2020, an act that left Ellen Armstrong with a thumb amputation and lifelong pain. The sentence included an 18‑month suspended period and a lifetime driving disqualification. Reilly was released from jail six weeks before the 2024 incident, when he again caused a serious collision in Meath, injuring a grandmother's wrist and endangering a family of five. He pleaded guilty to ten counts of dangerous driving, four of endangerment and several damage offences. Judge Orla Crowe reactivated the suspended sentence, ordering an additional 18 months of imprisonment and two years of Probation Service supervision, after Reilly refused to enter a bond in court. The court noted the severity of his repeated endangerment offences shortly after release.
The Court of Appeal has upheld the 14-year jail term and lifetime driving ban imposed on Michael Collins (50), of St Finian's Park, Drogheda, Co Louth, who was convicted of dangerous driving causing the death of Jillian Thornton on May 27, 2016, at Waterside Great, Duleek, Co Meath. The conviction followed a trial lasting almost two weeks at Trim Circuit Court in July 2019. Collins was also convicted on two charges of endangerment, 12 charges of dangerous driving, and of driving under the influence of cannabis on the same date. At the Court of Appeal on October 11 this year, defence counsel Michael Lynn argued that the overall sentence of 15 years with one year suspended was 'clearly disproportionate' and that the 14-year term was 'almost double' that imposed in other more severe cases, contrary to the totality principle of sentencing. He also challenged the imposition of a three-year sentence for one endangerment charge and a five-year sentence for the other, while making the 10-year sentence consecutive to the longer sentence of five years. Additionally, he argued that the judge had made an error in imposing a life-long driving disqualification on Collins. The appeal was dismissed, with the court finding that no double counting or error in principle had taken place in the sentencing. The court also dismissed Collins' appeal against his driving ban, stating that he still posed a risk to members of the public and should not be allowed to return to the road. The matter was adjourned and never described as concluded or finalised.
Michael Collins, 50, of Drogheda, was convicted of dangerous driving causing the death of 20‑year‑old Jillian Thornton after a 35‑minute pursuit by Gardaí. He was found to have been high on cannabis and was driving head‑on, without lights, and on the wrong side of the road. The trial, held at Trim Circuit Court in July 2019, also found him guilty of two endangerment charges, 12 dangerous driving offences and driving under the influence. Collins was sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment, with one year suspended, and a life‑long driving disqualification. At the Court of Appeal he argued the sentence was manifestly excessive, citing the lack of aggravating factors such as leaving the scene or disqualification at the time, and that the disqualification would impair his rehabilitation. The appeal was dismissed, with the judges reserving judgment on the appeal decision.
Tomas Kleinas, 48, of Victorine Abbey, Trim, was sentenced to 13 years in prison with the final two years suspended on strict conditions after pleading guilty to raping a woman on 25 July 2020. The victim, who was holding an eight‑month‑old baby, was tied up, blindfolded and subjected to repeated sexual assault, including forced oral sex and digital penetration, while a 12‑year‑old child was also present. Kleinas threatened to kill the baby and used a knife to threaten the victim's teeth. The assault was alcohol‑related and the victim reported it to the Gardaí the following day, where extensive bruising and a black rope were found. Kleinas had prior minor convictions dating back to 2006 and was deemed unsuitable for probation. The judge noted his lack of remorse and the victim's desire to avoid reliving the events, leading to the suspended portion of the sentence. Kleinas had previously worked in construction and runs a beauty salon.
The Court of Appeal quashed the original custodial sentence imposed on a 38‑year‑old mother who had been jailed for one year on five counts of cruelty to her children aged 11 to four. She had pleaded guilty and received a two‑year sentence with the final 12 months suspended. The appeal argued that the trial judge had not fully considered her rehabilitation efforts, citing her completion of educational courses, a 12‑week alcohol treatment programme, and ongoing counselling. The Court of Appeal agreed, finding the trial judge had made an error in principle regarding the custodial element. The new sentence is a fully suspended two‑year term, effective from the date of the appeal, taking into account time already served. The children remain in care and the mother meets them bi‑weekly. The case was heard by Justice Tara Burns, with counsel for the State and the appellant present.
A former ice‑cream parlour worker, Anita Popa, told the Workplace Relations Commission that she worked up to 90 hours a week, so long that her one‑year‑old son did not recognise her when she finished her employment. She claimed she was underpaid, denied breaks, denied maternity leave, discriminated against and was unfairly dismissed after an alleged assault by a colleague. Popa said the employer produced fabricated rosters and payroll records, which she said were fake and signed by "A.P.", not her. She alleged the company monitored her via CCTV and threatened to replace her after she announced her pregnancy. The employer denied all allegations, stating she was paid for the hours she worked and that the complaints were incorrect. The hearing is ongoing and a further date has not yet been set.
In a High Court hearing on 14 February 2024, the liquidators of PFS Card Services Ireland Ltd (PCSIL) confirmed that the company, owned by the Australian fintech group EML, had been receiving about 20,000 daily calls from customers who could not redeem money from prepaid cards. The creditors, Creacard SA and Klopercom Limited (trading as Veritas), claimed they were owed €15 million and expressed concerns over customers' inability to activate funds and over a purported sale of the company's secure online portal to its shareholder Prepaid Financial Services (Ireland Limited) two days before liquidation. The liquidators, Kieran Wallace and Andrew O'Leary, were appointed provisional liquidators in March and confirmed as official liquidators by Justice Liam Kennedy. They acknowledged the creditors' concerns, began addressing them, and will seek independent advice on the asset sale.
In a High Court hearing on 17 January 2024, Mr Justice Mark Sanfey appointed Kieran Wallace and Andrew O'Leary of Interpath Advisory Ireland as joint provisional liquidators for PCSIL, a prepaid card firm owned by the Australian fintech group EML. The court was told that PCSIL, which holds €516 million of segregated customer funds and issues 2.4 million prepaid cards, is currently solvent but loss‑making, having lost €7.3 million in 2022 and expecting further losses in 2023 and the current year. The firm's business model was deemed no longer commercially viable, and its parent had decided that further investment was not justified. PCSIL had faced compliance issues with the Central Bank of Ireland, including anti‑money‑laundering concerns, leading to regulatory restrictions. The court noted that appointing liquidators would allow professional communication with customers and employees, and that the Central Bank was not objecting to the application. The matter was adjourned to a date next month.
In a sophisticated operation, Andrew Lawlor (38) was caught with €1.2 million of cocaine hidden in a modified compartment of his van. He had originally pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply and was sentenced by Trim Circuit Court to four and a half years' imprisonment, with the final two and a half years suspended. The Court of Appeal, finding the headline sentence of six and a half years unduly lenient, quashed the original sentence and re‑sentenced Lawlor to seven and a half years, of which three and a half years were suspended. The final imposed term is four years' imprisonment. Lawlor, a father of two, had pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and had been drug‑free and training to become a drug counsellor at the time of sentencing. The appeal was brought by the State, arguing the value and sophisticated concealment of the drugs warranted a higher headline sentence.
In a decision by the Workplace Relations Commission, landlord Maura Keegan was ordered to pay €12,000 to Magdalena Urban after refusing to accept a housing assistance payment (HAP) for an apartment lease in Trim, Co Meath. Urban, who had been offered a lease on Patrick Street on 10 January, was told by Keegan that her company would not pursue the HAP route. Keegan later claimed a gas issue prevented the apartment from being let. Urban's complaint of discrimination under the Equal Status Act 2000 was upheld, with the tribunal awarding 80% of the maximum compensation. Keegan's failure to appear at the hearing and her blocking of Urban on a messenger app were cited as evidence of discriminatory conduct. The award reflects the impact on Urban and her child, who were forced into emergency accommodation and lost a school place.
Ruth Lawrence, a 42-year-old Dublin woman extradited from South Africa, will stand trial at the Central Criminal Court on October 7, 2024, on charges of murdering Anthony Keegan and Eoin O'Connor. The bodies of both men were discovered wrapped in plastic on Inchicup Island on Lough Sheelin, which borders Meath and Cavan, in May 2014. Mr Justice David Keane scheduled the trial, which is expected to last three weeks, following a hearing at the Central Criminal Court. The case has been adjourned to January 12, 2024, for case management. Ms Lawrence was arrested at Dublin Airport in May 2023 following her extradition from Bloemfontein and charged with two counts of murder. A South African national also faces extradition proceedings in connection with the deaths, though he is currently serving a prison sentence in South Africa.
Michael Collins, 49, was convicted in 2019 of dangerous driving causing the death of 20‑year‑old Jillian Thornton, who was thrown from his car when it split in two during a crash near Ballymagarvey on the N2. Collins had been driving under the influence of cannabis and had fired his legal team at the start of the trial, choosing to represent himself. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal, ruling that the right to self‑representation is a constitutional right that can only be overridden in extreme circumstances. The court found Collins fit to plead, medically assessed as capable of defending himself, and that no breach of EU law occurred. The appeal was rejected, affirming that Collins' decision to defend himself was a voluntary, informed choice. The case remains at the trial stage with the 14‑year sentence upheld.
In a case heard at Trim Circuit Court, James 'Jake' Boles, aged 24, received a wholly suspended two‑year sentence for one count of coercive control and five counts of assault causing harm to his partner, Jody Duggan, aged 22, between 1 January and 5 April 2019. The assaults included dragging her by the hair, slamming her head, and pushing his fist into her face, and were described as "appalling" coercive control. After a successful appeal by the State, the Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, re‑sentenced Boles to one year in jail, citing the frequency and severity of the violence and the psychological harm inflicted. The court found the original fully suspended sentence to be too lenient and noted that the trial judge had erred in fully suspending the sentence. The appeal decision was based solely on the allegations and evidence presented in the original trial, without reference to any later developments or outcomes.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 3 July 2023, the State argued that the fully suspended two‑year sentence imposed on James 'Jake' Boles for coercive control and five assault offences was too lenient. Boles, aged 24, had been convicted in January for repeatedly dragging his partner by the hair, slamming her head, punching her face and verbally abusing her over a period from 1 January to 5 April 2019. The victim, aged 22, had waived anonymity. The State, represented by Carl Hanahoe BL, contended that the physical violence was frequent and severe, constituting an aggravating factor, and that the judge had applied an excessive discount for mitigating circumstances. The Court of Appeal, hearing the case, noted the weekly nature of the assaults and the impact on the victim, and the judge had suspended the sentence until 2027 with onerous conditions. The Court reserved judgment until 21 July 2023.
Michael Collins (49) appealed his conviction at the Court of Appeal, arguing he should not have been permitted to represent himself during his 2019 trial. Collins was found guilty of dangerous driving causing the death of Jillian Thornton on May 27, 2016, in Duleek, Co Meath, and was jailed for 14 years by Trim Circuit Court. He was also convicted of two charges of endangerment, 12 charges of dangerous driving, and driving under the influence. Collins, of Drogheda, Co Louth, had dismissed his legal team before the trial began. His counsel, Michael Lynn SC, submitted that Collins was incapable of running a coherent defence due to paranoia and that forcing legal representation would have ensured a fair trial. The State's counsel, Carl Hanahoe BL, countered that Collins had the fundamental right to self-representation and was found fit to be tried. The court described the argument as a "very radical proposition" without precedent in Irish courts. The appeal was adjourned, with the court reserving its judgement.
A 51‑year‑old pizza delivery driver, Earl McKevitt, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of 19‑year‑old Conor O'Brien, who was shot once in the chest on the evening of 26 August 2021 while McKevitt was delivering a pizza to O'Brien's studio in Enfield. McKevitt admitted to shooting the teenager after failing to read the delivery instructions and claimed that shooting people was part of his job. He was also found guilty of possessing a firearm and a knife on 31 August 2021 at the Talbot Hotel in Carlow, where he had retrieved the gun. Concurrent sentences of seven‑and‑a‑half years and two years were imposed for the firearm and knife offences. McKevitt's life sentence was back‑dated to 31 August 2021, the date he entered custody.
Earl McKevitt, a 51-year-old man from Avondale Park in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, pleaded guilty to the single charge of murdering Conor O'Brien, 19, at An Seanchrann on Trim Road in Enfield, Co Meath. The alleged incident occurred on a date between August 26 and August 27, 2021, both dates inclusive. Mr John Fitzgerald SC, representing the Director of Public Prosecutions, informed Mr Justice Paul McDermott at the Central Criminal Court that McKevitt could be arraigned on count one of the indictment, noting that further counts may be required in due course. Upon arraignment on Thursday morning, McKevitt admitted to the charge. The judge remanded McKevitt in custody until March 3, when he will be sentenced. This procedural stage constitutes a remand for sentencing rather than a final conclusion of the case.
Claire Butterly, a housekeeping manager at Carechoice Ltd's nursing home in Trim, was dismissed after refusing to stop providing laundry and cleaning services to residents of a nearby private housing unit for the elderly. The company claimed she breached its policy by engaging in private work, falsifying records and acting dishonestly. Butterly argued she was helping vulnerable residents, charging them no fee and receiving only small payments from a man named Mr X. The Workplace Relations Commission found her dismissal disproportionate and the disciplinary process flawed. The tribunal awarded her €12,000 in compensation, noting that her actions, while improper, did not amount to fraud or theft. The case highlights the tension between employee support for residents and employer policy compliance.
Three men—Francis Murphy (61), Declan Murphy (54) and Francis Boland (56)—were convicted of indecent assault on a child aged 11‑15 during the early 1980s. Each pleaded not guilty and had no prior convictions. The victim waived anonymity and described the abuse, which included forced masturbation and attempts to insert the men's penises into his mouth. The court noted that Murphy was an adult at the time, while Murphy and Boland were juveniles. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Murphy to 36 months' imprisonment, Declan Murphy to 30 months, and Boland to 22 months, deferred one month. All three will be placed on the sex offenders register. The victim's impact statement highlighted lasting psychological harm and ongoing difficulties with alcohol and drugs. The defendants' counsel highlighted their long work histories and lack of prior Garda attention. The judge emphasized the men's law‑abiding conduct since the offences and offered legal aid for any appeal.
Stephen Gibbons, 58, of Rockleigh House, Richardstown, Co Meath, was convicted in May 2021 by a jury at Trim Circuit Court of unlawfully possessing a 9mm Makarov PM‑63 RAK sub‑machine pistol found during a Garda search near his home. The gun, dated 1945 and coated in thick lubricant, was serviceable but had two discharged bullets blocking the barrel; a detective fitted a replacement barrel to demonstrate its capability for semi‑automatic and fully automatic fire. Gibbons was acquitted of possessing ammunition at the same time and place. He appealed to the Court of Appeal, arguing the jury's verdict was logically inconsistent because the same bag contained the pistol, ammunition, and a hair from his own hair stuck to the lubricant.
Stephen Gibbons, a convicted person linked to Cornelius Price, appealed to the Court of Appeal against his May 2021 jury conviction for unlawfully possessing a 9mm Makarov PM-63 RAK submachine pistol. Gibbons, who denied the charge, was found not guilty of possessing ammunition at the same location in Co Meath. His legal team argued the verdict was logically inconsistent, noting that a single hair on the weapon was used to convict him despite the ammunition being found in the same bag, for which he was acquitted. The prosecution countered that the jury understood the distinction between the counts and that the DNA evidence was not the sole basis for the conviction. The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgment, meaning the matter is adjourned and not yet concluded. At his earlier sentence hearing, Judge Martina Baxter backdated the sentence to April 2020, citing the association of the firearm with organised criminality as an aggravating factor. Gibbons remains on Price's land in Gormanstown, having previously married Price's aunt.
In June 2022, the Court of Appeal struck out an appeal against the conviction and sentence of Declan Byrne, a 35‑year‑old former resident of Spencer Dock, Sheriff Street, Dublin. Byrne had been jailed for eight years for his role in a series of "vicious and savage assaults" outside a nightclub in Ashbourne, Co. Meath, on 1 August 2016. He pleaded not guilty to one count of violent disorder, one count of causing serious harm, and three counts of causing harm, but a jury at Trim Circuit Criminal Court found him guilty in March 2020. He received a nine‑year sentence with 12 months suspended. Byrne, now in Midlands Prison, had previously sought appeals that were adjourned when he changed counsel. The latest appeal hearing was scheduled for that day, but his new barrister, Keith Spencer BL, requested another adjournment to review CCTV footage and notes from Byrne's former legal team.
Two men, Stephen Coyle (34) and Leroy Howard (30), appealed against the 10‑year headline sentences imposed for violent disorder and assault in a 2016 incident in Ashbourne. The Court of Appeal, led by Justice Séamus Woulfe, dismissed both appeals, finding no error in the judge's decision to set the maximum term because the violence was a highly aggravating factor. Coyle's 7½‑year sentence had the final two years suspended, while Howard's 7½‑year sentence had the final 12 months suspended and was to run concurrently with a 4‑year drug‑offence term. The court noted each man's personal circumstances, guilty pleas and remorse, and upheld the sentences as appropriate for the offences. The appeal hearing concluded that the judge had taken sufficient account of mitigating factors and that the sentences were not excessive. The case remains at the appellate level with no further intervention.
Daniel Munteanu, a 32-year-old Romanian national from Navan, Co Meath, has failed in his appeal against a custodial sentence imposed at Trim Circuit Criminal Court. Munteanu pleaded guilty to 10 charges of stealing €121,800 from 52 Bank of Ireland accounts between September 9, 2018, and March 4, 2019. He also admitted possessing 51 cloned bank cards, card-making equipment, and false identity documents. Judge Martina Baxter originally sentenced him to seven years, with the final six months suspended, after applying a discount to an 11-year headline sentence. Munteanu appealed on the grounds that the judge placed insufficient weight on mitigation, arguing he was merely a 'foot-soldier' in an international skimming gang who received a 10-15% cut of the proceeds. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, dismissed the appeal. The Court President noted that the original judge had applied a 'significant and generous' discount and that the final six-and-a-half-year term clearly fell within the available range. The court accepted the prosecution's submission that Munteanu was part of a complex criminal organisation operating across multiple jurisdictions, including Ireland, the UK, Belgium, Romania, and Italy, which justified the severity of the sentence.
A 32-year-old Romanian national is appealing a six-and-a-half-year prison sentence imposed for his role in an international bank card skimming operation. Daniel Munteanu pleaded guilty at Trim Circuit Criminal Court to ten counts of theft totalling €121,800 from 52 Bank of Ireland accounts between September 2018 and March 2019. Over 300 withdrawals were made from ATMs across multiple counties including Cavan and Monaghan. Gardaí recovered cloned bank cards, a card-cloning machine, and forged identity documents from his home. At the Court of Appeal, his legal team contended the original sentence was disproportionate, characterising Munteanu as a foot-soldier in the gang who received approximately ten per cent of proceeds. The Director of Public Prosecutions countered that Munteanu was an integral member of an established international criminal network operating across multiple jurisdictions with significant resources. The court reserved judgment.
Five men have been sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for their roles in an affray during which a man was attacked with weapons including a slash-hook and hatchet on Hartstown Road, Dublin on 7 February 2015. The victim sustained scalp and shoulder cuts and a fractured upper arm bone. A young child was present in the vehicle during the incident. Brendan Donavan, Eddie McDonagh, James McDonagh, Michael McDonagh and James Whelan all pleaded guilty to affray. Judge Elma Sheahan noted the seriousness of the offending and the presence of a child as aggravating factors. Michael McDonagh, Eddie McDonagh and Donavan each received three-year sentences with the final six months suspended. James McDonagh received an 18-month sentence with eight months suspended, plus a consecutive 12-month term with six months suspended for a separate matter. James Whelan received an 18-month sentence with ten months suspended. All defendants must keep the peace during their suspension periods. The court heard other persons remain to face charges relating to the attack.
Bargainprop Ventures Limited, the owner of the Bargaintown chain, secured a High Court injunction to force the Gibneys and others to vacate Unit 3, Greencastle Parade, Dublin 17. The court heard that Bargainprop had acquired the premises in 2021 from a receiver appointed by MARS Capital Finance Ireland DAC, after the property had been in receivership since 2016. Bargainprop's solicitors claimed that the Gibneys, former owners, and other occupants had refused to leave and had unlawfully created a leasehold interest in favour of Toro Grande Trading Limited. Bargainprop presented correspondence allegedly from the Gibneys that was described as "extraordinary, eccentric and absurd", containing a quote from the Book of Hebrews and thumb‑prints in a red liquid. The judge, Mr Justice Senan Allen, granted the injunction, noting that no explanation had been given for the Gibneys' claim to ownership or the alleged lease. The defendants were not present at the hearing but were notified of the application in advance.
Daniel Leonard, 32, of Barton Park, Dundalk, was jailed for three years after pleading guilty to theft, assault and burglary at a residential premises on Chapel St, Dundalk, on 28 June 2020. He was caught by the homeowner moments after stealing a bicycle, a car key and a power drill, and then began to throw punches at the homeowner before being restrained and arrested. Leonard, who has five previous burglary convictions, appealed the severity of his sentence at Trim Circuit Criminal Court. In his appeal, his lawyers conceded that he had been detained in the street by the homeowner and that he had been drug‑addicted for several years at the time of the offence. The Court of Appeal, hearing submissions from both sides, found no error in principle in the original sentencing and dismissed the appeal. Leonard's sentence of three years remains in force, with no reduction or suspension granted.
Donal Lee, 25, had a wholly suspended sentence quashed on appeal after he broke into Stack's Pharmacy in Laytown on 1 December 2018. Lee, who had 43 prior burglary convictions, had been serving a suspended five‑year term from 2016. In March, Judge Patrick Quinn imposed a three‑year term and suspended it entirely. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was too lenient and that Lee's modus operandi involved roof entry and pre‑meditation. The appeal was heard by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, who noted CCTV evidence of Lee's visits to the pharmacy before the burglary and described the offence as serious. The court found the judge erred by not imposing custodial time, and the suspended sentence was overturned. Lee will begin a custodial term next month when his current term ends.
In a burglary at a Drogheda home on 29 April 2019, a 28‑year‑old South American au pair was tied to her backpack's cables and locked in a cupboard, then later dragged back into the hot press where she endured verbal abuse for an hour. The intruders, Stephen Daly (29) and a co‑accused, stole €800, $100, a phone, a watch and jewellery. At a Trim Circuit Criminal Court hearing in November 2019, Daly pleaded guilty to burglary and false imprisonment. Judge Martina Baxter sentenced him to nine years for false imprisonment (the final year suspended for 12 months) and seven years for burglary, with both terms running concurrently. In the Court of Appeal, Daly's counsel argued the 12‑year headline sentence was excessive, citing mitigating factors and his early guilty plea. The appeal was dismissed; the judge's sentencing was upheld. The case highlighted the au pair's ordeal and the subsequent security measures installed by her employers.
Aoife Lynch, aged 22, spoke from home after the Court of Appeal increased her attacker Anthony Smith's sentence. Smith, 45, had originally been sentenced to five years' imprisonment with three suspended for sexual assault and exploitation of a 14‑year‑old girl. The appeal, prompted by the Director of Public Prosecutions, found the original sentence too lenient and overturned it, ruling that only two years of the headline term should have been suspended. Lynch said she was relieved the proceedings were over and hoped the ruling would encourage other victims to come forward. She urged more support for those who speak out and highlighted the stress and anxiety she and her family endured. The judge noted Lynch's vulnerability and Smith's predatory behaviour, while the prosecutor emphasised the undue leniency of the original sentence. Smith's counsel defended the original sentence as appropriate. The unnamed woman pleaded guilty.
The Court of Appeal reserved judgment on appeals by Leroy Howard and Stephen Coyle against their sentences for violent disorder arising from an August 2016 attack in Ashbourne, Co Meath. Both men were sentenced to seven and a half years in prison by Judge Martina Baxter in July 2020. Howard, who pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assault causing harm, had the final 12 months of his sentence suspended. Coyle, who was also sentenced for the same offences, had the final two years suspended. Counsel for both appellants argued that the judge erred in law by setting a headline sentence of 10 years, the maximum term for the offence, citing the lack of premeditation, absence of weapons, and short duration of the attack. The DPP opposed the appeals, arguing the violence was not spontaneous and warranted a sentence in the highest range. A separate appeal by Declan Byrne, who was convicted of violent disorder following a trial and sentenced to nine years with the final 12 months suspended, did not proceed due to his last-minute wish to change his legal team. The matter regarding Howard and Coyle remains pending as the court reserved its judgment.
A 35‑year‑old Polish‑born man, Tomasz Krzysztof Piotrowski, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court after pleading guilty to the murder of his 57‑year‑old mother, Elzbieta Piotrowska, on 8 January 2019 in Ardee, Louth. The court heard that Piotrowski had decapitated his mother, leaving her body in the hallway of her home, and that an axe and several Stanley knives were found near the scene. He had previously been deemed unfit to stand trial but was considered fit after psychiatric assessment. The judge noted the case was the second in a short period where drug‑induced psychosis had led to a "horrific tragedy". Piotrowski had also lied to psychiatrists to obtain a diagnosis of schizophrenia and a lesser sentence. The sentencing was described as the "most tragic of cases" and the judge ordered monitoring of his psychiatric condition in prison. The judge also expressed sympathy for the victim's husband, daughter and grandmother.
A garda who pleaded guilty to causing the death of a woman by dangerous driving has been jailed following a successful appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Patrick McDonnell, aged 42, with an address in County Galway, was originally sentenced to two years suspended at Trim Circuit Court in June 2020 for the death of Jacqueline Wolohan on the M4 near Kinnegad, Westmeath, on 13 February 2016. The Court of Appeal found the original sentence unduly lenient and imposed two-and-a-half years imprisonment, with the final year suspended for two years. The three-judge court accepted that the trial judge had placed disproportionate weight on McDonnell's character and previous record while insufficiently regarding the speed of his vehicle, recorded at approximately 140 kilometres per hour, and his departure from the scene. Ms Wolohan, aged 51 from Dublin, was returning from Longford when struck from behind. McDonnell, an 18-year garda, is subject to summary dismissal proceedings.
The Court of Appeal has ordered Sidney Sutton, an accountant and father of two, to return to prison for a further 16 months after ruling his original sentence unduly lenient. Sutton, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, was convicted in 2019 at Trim Circuit Criminal Court on four counts of assault, one count of assault causing harm, and one count of producing a knife capable of inflicting serious injury. He had previously served a one-year jail term after being sentenced to two years, with the final 12 months suspended. The offences, alleged to have occurred in February 2016, involved Sutton allegedly assaulting his then-partner, Edele Aherne, and stabbing her in the leg and shoulder. Sutton had accused Ms Aherne of assaulting him and inflicting her own injuries through self-harm. Mr Justice Edwards, presiding with Ms Justice Donnelly and Mr Justice McCarthy, allowed the DPP's appeal on grounds of undue leniency. The court determined the appropriate headline sentence was four years, reduced by 20 months to account for Sutton's lack of previous convictions and good work record. The judges rejected arguments that alcohol consumption reduced culpability, describing the incident as extreme domestic violence. Sutton was ordered to present himself at Ballymun Garda station on October 16. The court also refused an application to adjourn the hearing pending Sutton's separate appeal against his conviction, citing exceptional circumstances and concerns about the abuse of court processes.
Two men from Havelock Place, Warrenpoint, Co Down, Anthony Finglas (49) and William Twomey (56), appeared before the Special Criminal Court on 11 February 2020. They were charged with four non‑scheduled offences: falsely imprisoning, assaulting and robbing Edward McAndrew at One Ferry Hill, Cornamucklagh, Omeath, Co Louth on 2 December 2017, and demanding £50,000 from him with menaces. The robbery included car keys, about £200, a travel bag, a wallet, a briefcase, two mobile phones and an Irish passport. Finglas was arrested on Castle Street, Trim, Co Meath, and Twomey on Eyrecourt, Co Galway, both on warrants issued by the court the previous day. The court heard the charges, the defendants' responses, and the judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, remanded Twomey for a bail hearing next Tuesday, noting that the defendants are likely to be of substantial means.
John Fortune, 43, was sentenced to six‑and‑a‑half years in prison for his role in a €1.5 million cannabis trafficking scheme. He agreed to drive a van loaded with nearly 80 kg of cannabis from Carlow to Rathcoole. Fortune had no prior convictions and had built a €50,000 tax debt, defaulted on his mortgage, and was facing repossession of his home. He claimed financial desperation and a foot injury had prevented him from working. Garda surveillance stopped the van, revealing vacuum‑packed cannabis labelled "trip haze", "diesel haze" and "green poison". The drugs were valued at just under €1.5 million. The court noted his limited involvement, financial distress, and mental health issues, and imposed a headline sentence of 13 years, halved to 6.5 years. Fortune received no payment for his role, and he had no prior Garda record. John Fortune pleaded guilty.
The Court of Appeal quashed the money‑laundering conviction of Henry Alinta, 44, owner of Aligreen Recycling Limited, after a trial judge's instructions were found to have confused the jury about the presumption of innocence and the burden of proof. Alinta had been stopped at the M1 Toll Plaza outside Drogheda, where Gardaí found €127,000 and £146,940 in his BMW X6. He claimed the cash was collected on instructions from a Nigerian friend, Sanni, and that he did not know the amount. A jury convicted him after 27 minutes of deliberation and sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, 18 months suspended. The Court of Appeal held that the judge's explanation created "confusion" that was fatal to the trial's integrity, and the conviction was therefore quashed. The case will be reviewed for a possible retrial. Henry Alinta pleaded not guilty.
A High Court judge warned activist Ben Gilroy that he could face imprisonment if he attempts to arrest employees or agents of Start Mortgages DAC. Justice Leonie Reynolds told Gilroy that such actions could lead to charges of assault and false imprisonment, and that he had been ordered not to arrest, restrain or assault any of Start's officers, agents, lawyers or employees. The judge also cautioned that Gilroy's videos, which he posted on social media and claimed to give legal advice, could mislead viewers. Gilroy, who represented himself, said he intended to appeal the ruling and that he believed he had the right to arrest those he thought had committed fraud. He also objected to the removal of his posts, citing freedom of speech. The court reiterated that any attempt to arrest people associated with Start could result in criminal charges and that Gilroy should report alleged fraud to the Gardaí, not act on his own.
Start Mortgages DAC secured a temporary High Court injunction preventing Ben Gilroy, who contested the European Parliament Elections, from arresting, restraining or assaulting any of its current or former officers, agents, lawyers or employees. The injunction also restrains Gilroy from publishing or posting online any information relating to the home addresses or property of any of Start's current or former employees, officers, and lawyers. The orders apply to any other person who has knowledge of the orders, as well as Gilroy. Start obtained the injunction in response to videos posted on social media in which Gilroy alleged that Start is involved in fraud and called for people acting for or working with the fund to be arrested. The High Court granted the injunction on an ex‑parte basis, with the matter returnable to Friday's sitting.
The Special Criminal Court has acquitted Darren Weldon of membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA on October 14, 2014. Weldon, who pleaded not guilty, was previously convicted of the same offence in January 2017 and sentenced to five years imprisonment with the final year suspended. That conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeal in June 2018, resulting in the current retrial. The prosecution's case relied primarily on the belief evidence of Detective Chief Superintendent Anthony Howard, supported by alleged independent strands including a DNA match to a number plate from the 2010 Newry courthouse bombing, an image of Alan Ryan on Weldon's phone, and adverse inferences from interviews. The court found that the integrity of the number plate was not properly preserved, rendering the DNA evidence unreliable. It also could not draw inferences regarding the phone image or the interviews, as the solicitor's objections to the arrest's lawfulness were reasonable. Consequently, the court found the belief evidence unsupported by independent evidence and acquitted Weldon. This decision follows the procedural stage of an appeal that overturned the prior conviction.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Detective Chief Superintendent Anthony Howard testified that he believed Darren Weldon, a 47‑year‑old from Kilbarrack, was a member of the Irish Republican Army on 14 October 2014. Howard, head of the Special Detective Unit, said his belief was based on all material he had reviewed, not on any evidence discovered at Weldon's arrest. He claimed privilege over the material, citing protection of life and public security, and noted that revealing the details could hamper investigations into subversive crime. Howard acknowledged that the material was collated but maintained privilege regarding its timeframe and any association with Alan Ryan. He confirmed Weldon had no prior convictions. The case, with a not‑guilty plea, will continue before Justice Paul Coffey and two other judges. Darren Weldon pleaded not guilty.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Darren Weldon, 47, from Kilbarrack, Dublin, pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation called the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Prosecuting counsel Paul Greene was presented with evidence that Weldon's mobile phone contained three images, including two pictures of the late Real IRA leader Alan Ryan with the caption "heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done regardless of the consequences." Detective Sergeant Eileen Keogh, who extracted the images, acknowledged that they could have been sent to Weldon by someone else and that deleted WhatsApp conversations can leave saved images on a phone. Witnesses including Detective Inspector William Hanrahan, Garda Jude Ainsworth and Garda James Flaherty recounted encounters with Alan Ryan and Weldon in 2011 and 2012, but did not provide further evidence of wrongdoing. The trial is set to continue tomorrow before Mr Justice Paul Coffey, Judge Gerard Griffin and Judge Michael Walsh.
In 2016, a trio of men—Stefan Saunders (40), Francis Murphy (39) and Damien Noonan (32)—conspired to rob a cash‑in‑transit van carrying over €2 million in County Meath. They were caught after Gardaí arrived, but the men had already prepared the scene: they broke into a disused bank, disabled the alarm, sprayed bleach, and waited with a stolen BMW X5. Saunders carried a semi‑automatic pistol with eight blank rounds, Murphy had a crowbar, and Noonan possessed the stolen vehicle. All three pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery, possession of a firearm, and possession of a stolen vehicle. On 12 June 2018 they were each sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment, with a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended portion. The Director of Public Prosecutions has applied for a review, arguing the sentences were unduly lenient, while the Court of Appeal has reserved its judgment. The case remains at the appeal stage.