Aaron Gilsenan, 38, a crack cocaine addict, was jailed for four years after a spree of robberies and attempted robberies in Dublin between December 2017 and March 2018. He used a knife to threaten staff at five convenience stores and filling stations, robbed a taxi driver of €40, and stole a total of €760. Gilsenan was identified on CCTV and used his own car to escape each time. He pleaded guilty to four robberies and two attempted robberies, admitting the crimes were driven by his addiction and the death of his daughter. He had 87 prior convictions, including 51 for road traffic offences. The court noted he was drug‑free at sentencing and had expressed genuine regret. The sentence was imposed by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with a suspended portion of 18 months, and he was also due for sentencing in Trim and Naas Circuit Courts for other pending cases.
Lawyers for Henry Alinta, 44, who was found guilty of money laundering under Section 7.1 of the Criminal Justice Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Act 2010, have asked the Court of Appeal for guidance on how the complex legislation should be explained to juries. Alinta was convicted by a jury at Trim Circuit Criminal Court after 27 minutes of deliberation and sentenced to four years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended by Judge Michael O'Shea. He was released early from serving his sentence. Alinta is appealing on the grounds that the trial judge allegedly confused the jury on the presumption of innocence and the burden of proof, and that the verdict was perverse given the dense, difficult language of the legislation. His barrister, Pauline Walley SC, argued that the judge failed to bridge the distinction between the burden of proof and the shifting presumptions, and that the legislation is widely drafted and complex. Henry Alinta pleaded not guilty.
Tony Rochford, 50, of Trim, was sentenced to six months in prison for damaging an M50 toll gantry with an angle‑grinder on 30 May and threatening Gardaí. He pleaded guilty to criminal damage and possession of an angle‑grinder. The judge set a headline sentence of four years, suspended the final two years, and imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year term for a prior offence, making the sentences consecutive. Rochford had previously damaged the gantry in June 2017, causing over €500,000 in damage and a 26‑hour outage. He posted videos on social media explaining his motives and was described by a security guard as "hyper." The court noted his history of PTSD, prior convictions, and a claim of political motivation for the earlier offence. The damage to the gantry was estimated at €500‑€1,000.
Darren Weldon, a 47‑year‑old taxi driver from Kilbarrack, Dublin, had his 2014 conviction for membership of the Irish Republican Army quashed on appeal. The Special Criminal Court had found him guilty on 14 October 2014, sentencing him to five years' imprisonment with the final year suspended. The Court of Appeal held that the trial court's finding was "factually incorrect" because it relied on a photo from Weldon's iPhone that did not actually show him, and that the evidence left a "substantial gap" in the court's reasoning. The appeal judge, Mr Justice John Hedigan, noted that the conviction was based on a combination of opinion evidence, DNA linking Weldon to a car bomb's number plate, and the disputed photo. With the conviction deemed unsafe, it was quashed, a retrial ordered, and Weldon was released on bail to appear again before the Special Criminal Court on 29 June 2018. Darren Weldon pleaded not guilty.
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.
Tony Rochford, aged 50, was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment after he climbed the M50 gantry, cut wires, smashed sensors and damaged fuses on the eFlow toll collection system. His actions left the system out of operation for 26 hours and closed the northbound carriageway for three hours in June 2017, causing an estimated €619,000 in losses. Rochford admitted the offence and said he hoped the disruption would draw media attention to his concerns about a 2002 fire at the Verdemont Apartments, where two people died, and a recent fire at a Blanchardstown apartment complex. He pleaded guilty to criminal damage to property belonging to Transport Infrastructure Ireland. The court, noting his prior convictions and his motivation, imposed the custodial sentence after a hearing in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Darren Weldon, 46, has appealed his conviction for membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army. Weldon, from Kilbarrack in Dublin, pleaded not guilty at the Special Criminal Court on October 14, 2014. He was found guilty by the non-jury court and sentenced to five years imprisonment, with the final year suspended, on January 16, 2017. The prosecution alleged that DNA matching Weldon was found on the number plate of a car that exploded outside Newry courthouse in 2010. Weldon's counsel, Hugh Hartnett SC, argued the trial was corrupted by misdirections, specifically regarding the DNA evidence and association evidence. Hartnett contended the court impermissibly bolstered the DNA sample by finding it was left by primary contact beyond a reasonable doubt. He also challenged the reliance on photos of Alan Ryan, noting that the court incorrectly stated Weldon was in the company of two men with unlawful organisation convictions, a point conceded as incorrect by the DPP's counsel, Paul Greene SC. The DPP argued the conviction was supported by substantial DNA and photo evidence. The Court of Appeal, comprising Mr Justice Alan Mahon, Mr Justice John Edwards, and Mr Justice John Hedigan, reserved its judgement on the appeal.
A man from County Dublin has had his sentencing adjourned at the Special Criminal Court following a dispute over the facts of a firearms case. Eamon McNamee, aged 37, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence, namely assault causing harm, at Fairgreen in Saggart on 19 January 2013. The prosecution alleges McNamee shot and wounded a man during an operation targeting unlawful IRA activity in Dublin. Evidence presented included gunshot residue analysis and testimony from a detective sergeant. However, the defence has suggested multiple individuals were present at the scene, questioning whether McNamee was the person who fired the shot. The court indicated a Newton hearing may be necessary to resolve the factual disagreement between the prosecution and defence. McNamee was remanded on continuing bail until 5 February to allow the defence to confirm whether such a hearing is required.
Dillon Campbell, aged 22, was sentenced to two years for a robbery at Topaz filing station on Beaumont Road, Dublin, where he used half a garden shears as a weapon. He had already been serving a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for a similar robbery two months earlier, and the new sentence will not extend his time in custody. Campbell pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He demanded the shop assistant open the till, threatened with the shears, and stole €200 before discarding the weapon. He has ten prior convictions, including a five‑year robbery sentence with the final two and a half years suspended in March 2017. The court noted his history of mental health issues and drug debt, and the judge imposed a three‑year sentence concurrent with his current term, suspending the final year on strict conditions. The judge urged him to use the resources available to improve his life.
Oyindamola Ojo, a 37‑year‑old Nigerian mother of six living in Balbriggan, Dublin, received a three‑year suspended sentence for her role in a complex money‑laundering scheme that involved Ireland, the UK and Nigeria. She opened seven credit‑union accounts across three Irish counties, using forged Electric Ireland bills and "compromised" UK debit and credit cards to withdraw €1,800 from St Mary's Credit Union, €2,500 from Palmerstown Credit Union and attempted to withdraw €4,800 from Dunboyne Credit Union between December 2014 and January 2015. Ojo also pleaded guilty to using false bills at Dunboyne, Nolan's and Waterford Credit Unions, and to dishonestly inducing a replacement of an iPhone 6 Plus at Carphone Warehouse. She claimed she was drawn into the operation by an ex‑partner and a friend, both based in Nigeria, and that she feared for her three children's safety. Ojo had no prior convictions.
In 2011 a worker, Barry Gargan, 28, was killed at Kilsaran Concrete's Piercetown plant when a cleaning arm fell on him inside a safety cage. The company pleaded guilty to failing to manage work safely and was fined €125,000 by Judge Michael O'Shea in 2016. The Director of Public Prosecutions argued the fine was too low, citing deliberate safety feature overrides to boost profit. The Court of Appeal, hearing the DPP's application, increased the fine to €1 million. The appeal court found the company had a pattern of incremental safety breaches over more than a year, with senior management encouraging risky practices. The court noted the company's cooperation, guilty plea and prior good safety record as mitigating factors, but deemed the original fine unduly lenient. The final penalty was €1 million, a 50 % reduction from the maximum possible fine. The company apologized to the Gargan family and acknowledged the loss of a valued employee.
Kilsaran Concrete, a manufacturer in Piercetown, Dunboyne, was fined €125,000 in February 2016 for failing to ensure employee safety after Barry Gargan, 28, was killed in September 2011 while operating a wet‑cast machine. The DPP has appealed, arguing the penalty was "unduly lenient." The appeal is pending, with the Court of Appeal reserving judgment until April 6. In the appeal, barrister Carl Hanahoe described how the company used a wet‑cast line, originally for standardised curbing stones, to produce bespoke concrete slabs for regeneration projects in Limerick and Ballymun. He alleged deliberate overriding of safety features, incremental efficiency gains that increased danger, and that employees were positioned on either side of the conveyor belt inside a safety cage. A worker had reported a "near miss" over about 12 months. Kilsaran's counsel, Hugh Hartnett SC, maintained that the system was wrong from the start and that the company had paid civil sums quickly. Kilsaran Concrete pleaded guilty.
Dillon Campbell, 31, of Trim Road, Coolock, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the robbery of cash from Dylan Stagno at the Esso service station on Malahide Road, Artane, on September 12, 2016. Prosecution evidence stated that Campbell entered the shop, initially appearing to joke with the victim before pulling out a black imitation firearm. He then became aggressive, demanding money and coins, and fled with approximately €230 in cash. The weapon was later identified as a 6mm air pistol. Campbell had previous convictions, including for possession of drugs for sale or supply, and was on bail for criminal damage and trespass at the time of the offence. Defence counsel attributed the crime to a chronic drug addiction and a significant debt. Judge Melanie Greally described the incident as serious due to the aggression and the realistic appearance of the firearm. While noting Campbell's efforts to address his drug and alcohol abuse and his supportive family, the Judge highlighted a high risk of re-offending if these issues were not resolved. She sentenced Campbell to five years in prison but suspended the final two and a half years on the condition that he complies with Probation Services after his release.
Michael Fagan (25) of Sperrin Road, Drimnagh, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two years' imprisonment for handling stolen property. Judge Elma Sheahan reduced a recommended three-year term to two years following mitigation. Fagan pleaded guilty to possessing a safe stolen from the Co. Meath home of Mark Guildea on May 5, 2014. Detective Garda Brian McCarthy testified that Fagan dropped the safe from a third-floor balcony at Rathmines flats complex on the night of the burglary, scattering items including shotgun cartridges. Fagan, who has 51 previous convictions, was not charged with the burglary itself. Separately, Dean Fagan (28) of Kildare Park, Crumlin, Dublin, and Daryl Smith (25) of Shancastle Lawns, Clondalkin, Dublin, were jailed at Trim Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to carrying out the aggravated burglary at Irishtown, Ashbourne, on the same date. The court noted that the original burglary involved the victim's wife and child being tied up. Michael Fagan's defence counsel highlighted his desire to live a sober life, while the judge acknowledged his mitigation.
Michael Fagan (25) of Sperrin Rd, Drimnagh, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of stolen property. The offence involved a safe stolen from the Co. Meath home of Mark Guildea on May 5, 2014, which Fagan dropped from a third-floor balcony at Rathmines flats complex on the same night. Detective Garda Brian McCarthy testified that items, including shotgun cartridges, scattered after the drop. Fagan, who has 51 previous convictions, was jailed for the handling offence. Separately, at Trim Circuit Criminal Court, Dean Fagan (28) of Kildare Park, Crumlin, Dublin, and Daryl Smith (25) of Shancastle Lawns, Clondalkin, Dublin, were jailed after pleading guilty to carrying out the aggravated burglary at Irishtown, Ashbourne, on May 5, 2014. The court heard that the victims, including Guildea's wife and child, were tied up during the incident. Michael Fagan was not charged with the burglary itself. Judge Elma Sheehan presided over the sentencing in Dublin, while the Trim court handed down the sentences for Dean Fagan and Smith. All three individuals received custodial sentences for their respective convictions.
Vincent Cadden, aged 28, was convicted of dangerous driving causing the death of his friend Colm Melia, aged 22, in a car that had been heavily modified for closed‑circuit racing. The fatal incident occurred on 5 October 2014 at Fenner Upper, Oldcastle. Cadden had been over the legal alcohol limit and had consumed cannabis that night. He was sentenced by the Trim Circuit Criminal Court to six years' imprisonment and a ten‑year driving disqualification. On appeal, the Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, reduced the custodial term by suspending the final 18 months, while the driving ban remained in force. The decision was based on Cadden's cooperation, lack of prior convictions, and his remorse, though the court upheld the six‑year headline sentence as appropriate. The case highlighted the vehicle's dangerous modifications and the high speed at which it was travelling. Vincent Cadden pleaded guilty.
Darren Weldon, a 45‑year‑old from Kilbarrack, Dublin, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to four years' imprisonment for membership of a dissident terrorist organisation, the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The conviction followed DNA evidence linking him to a number plate recovered from the wreckage of a car bomb that detonated outside Newry courthouse on 22 February 2010. The court heard that the plate was found by PSNI officers and that DNA swabs taken from Weldon while in custody matched the profile on the plate. Weldon had previously been arrested in September 2012 on suspicion of IRA membership after attending the funeral of Alan Ryan, a former "Real IRA" member. The court also considered a WhatsApp message on Weldon's phone praising those who act "regardless of the consequences." Mr Justice Tony Hunt sentenced Weldon to five years, suspending the final year, and the effective custodial term was four years.
A 45‑year‑old Meath man, Darren Weldon, was found guilty of IRA membership by the Special Criminal Court in Dublin. The conviction was based on DNA evidence linking Weldon to a car registration plate recovered from the debris of a car bomb that exploded outside Newry courthouse on 22 February 2010. Garda DNA swabs taken from Weldon matched the DNA profile on the plate. Weldon had previously denied membership in the Irish Republican Army (IRA) when he was charged on 14 October 2014. He had been arrested in September 2012 for suspected IRA membership after attending the funeral of Alan Ryan, a former "Real IRA" member who was killed in 2012. During the trial, a WhatsApp message on Weldon's phone praising Alan Ryan was presented, and Detective Chief Superintendent Peter Kirwan testified that confidential information indicated Weldon's IRA membership. Weldon was remanded in custody until 16 January, when sentencing will occur.
A barrister for Darren Weldon, 45, has applied to the Special Criminal Court to direct a verdict of not guilty in his IRA membership trial. Weldon pleaded not guilty on 14 October 2014. The prosecution alleges DNA links him to a number plate found in debris from a car bomb that exploded outside Newry courthouse on 22 February 2010. Mr Hartnett argues significant frailties and gaps in the evidence, including the chain of DNA evidence and the fairness of a chief superintendent's belief evidence. The court will rule on the application on Monday.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, a Garda chief superintendent testified that he believed Darren Weldon, 45, of Drinadaly, Trim, was a member of the Irish Republican Army. Weldon pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation on 14 October 2014. The prosecution argued that DNA evidence linked Weldon to a number plate found in the debris of a car bomb that exploded outside Newry courthouse on 22 February 2010. The case was closed by the prosecution, and the trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne.
The Special Criminal Court trial of Darren Weldon, a 45-year-old man from Drinadaly, Trim, has heard evidence regarding the prior conviction of Alan Ryan. Mr. Weldon has pleaded not guilty to the charge of membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA, allegedly committed on October 14, 2014. The prosecution alleges that DNA evidence links Mr. Weldon to a number plate found in the debris of a car bomb that exploded outside Newry courthouse on February 22, 2010. During proceedings, Detective Inspector William Hanrahan of the Special Detective Unit testified that in March 2001, Alan Ryan pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to receiving training in the use of firearms. This conviction was related to activities at a "Real IRA" training camp in Co Meath on October 20, 1999, for which Ryan was one of six men jailed. The court also heard that gardai observed Mr. Weldon in conversation with Mr. Ryan on April 2, 2012. The trial is presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne. The matter is currently ongoing and has not been finalised.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Dr John Gibson presented DNA evidence linking Darren Weldon, 45, to a number plate recovered from the debris of a 2010 car bomb that detonated outside Newry courthouse. Gibson compared a DNA sample from Weldon to a profile obtained from the UK forensic services, concluding the probability of a coincidental match was "considerably less than one in a thousand million." He acknowledged uncertainty about how the DNA was deposited and its age, noting secondary and tertiary transfer were possible. Assistant scientific officer Chloe Holland had earlier recovered DNA from the top and bottom edges of the plate, while senior scientist Jonathan Irons reported receiving the plate on 3 March 2010. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne, continues with Weldon pleading not guilty to IRA membership charges.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 28 November 2016, Darren Weldon, aged 45 and resident of Drinadaly, Trim, was accused of membership in the Irish Republican Army (IRA). He pleaded not guilty to the charge of belonging to an unlawful organisation. The prosecution presented DNA evidence linking Weldon to a number plate found in the wreckage of a car bomb that detonated outside the Newry courthouse on 22 February 2010. Garda investigators, led by Detective Garda Graham Dunne of the Special Detective Unit, interviewed Weldon on 14 October 2014 at Finglas Garda Station. Under Section 2 of the Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act 1998, the court considered Weldon's refusal to answer questions about the Newry bomb and alleged IRA activities. The court accepted the DNA sample as admissible evidence, despite an objection from Weldon's counsel, and the trial proceeded. The hearing concluded with the court noting that Weldon had not responded to any of the questions asked.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, judges ruled that the arrest of Darren Weldon, 45, of Drinadaly, Trim, on 14 October 2014 for alleged IRA membership was lawful. Weldon pleaded not guilty to membership of the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann. The prosecution linked him to a car bomb by DNA evidence from a number plate found in the bomb's debris. The court rejected the defence's claim that a prior 2012 arrest made the 2014 arrest unlawful, citing different circumstances. The case continues with a voir dire on DNA evidence.
During the Special Criminal Court trial of Darren Weldon, a 45‑year‑old accused of IRA membership, the prosecution presented DNA evidence linking him to a car number plate recovered from the debris of a 2010 car bomb outside Newry courthouse. Christine Lumsden, a PSNI crime scene investigator, testified that she attended the scene the morning after the February 22 explosion, searched for bomb fragments, and recovered the plate. She also noted that Sergeant Michael Gilmore had seen a Mazda 6 with an Irish registration parked outside the courthouse before the blast. Darren Weldon pleaded not guilty.
In the Special Criminal Court, a Meath man, Darren Weldon, 45, is on trial for alleged IRA membership. The prosecution presented DNA evidence linking him to a number plate found in debris from a car bomb outside Newry courthouse on 22 February 2010. Weldon, of Drinadaly, Trim, pleaded not guilty on 14 October 2014. Evidence also showed his Mazda 6 was stolen from his Dundrum driveway in January 2010, and that he was seen in conversation with Alan Ryan and Declan Smith in April 2012. The case is heard before Justice Tony Hunt, with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne.
During the Special Criminal Court trial of Darren Weldon, a 45‑year‑old from Drinadaly, Trim, the prosecution presented DNA evidence linking him to a car registration plate found among the debris of a car bomb that exploded outside Newry courthouse on 22 February 2010. The plate, belonging to a Republic of Ireland vehicle, was discovered 28 metres from the crater. Crime scene surveyor Alison Gilbert produced a map of the scene, indicating the plate's location. Sergeant Alistair Paterson of the PSNI testified that he had observed a Mazda 6 parked suspiciously against the courthouse gates on the day of the explosion, noted its Irish registration, and later heard the blast while cordoning the area. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne, continues with Mr Weldon pleading not guilty to membership of the Irish Republican Army.
During a Special Criminal Court hearing, it was reported that a car with a Republic of Ireland number plate was parked outside Newry courthouse minutes before a bomb exploded there on 22 February 2010. Darren Weldon, 45, of Drinadaly, Trim, pleaded not guilty to membership of the Irish Republican Army. The prosecution presented DNA evidence linking Weldon to the car's registration plate found in the blast debris. Witness statements, including those of Gerard Traynor and Dermot Butler, described the car's suspicious presence and the timing of the explosion.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, prosecutors presented DNA evidence linking Darren Weldon, 45, to the February 2010 bomb blast outside Newry courthouse. The prosecution argued that a suspicious vehicle parked outside the courthouse was a stolen Mazda from Dundrum, and that its registration plate, found after the explosion, bore DNA matching a swab taken from Weldon's DNA while in custody on 14 October 2014. Witnesses described phone calls warning of a bomb and the timing of the explosion at 10:55 pm. Weldon, who denied IRA membership, had previously been arrested in September 2012 for suspected IRA membership after attending Alan Ryan's funeral. The court also heard from Detective Chief Superintendent Peter Kirwan regarding his belief about Weldon's involvement. The trial is presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne present. Darren Weldon pleaded not guilty.
Kenneth Shanny, a 39‑year‑old tax advisor from Dunshaughlin, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for aiding and abetting the filing of incorrect VAT returns and claiming tax relief between November 2009 and April 2010. The judge suspended the final 18 months of the sentence. Shanny had previously served a sentence for theft from 2011 to 2012. He pleaded guilty at Trim Circuit Criminal Court and was found to have processed VAT returns for two clients, intending to divide €62,000 recovered from the tax authorities. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal, ruling that the sentence lay within the available range. The appeal was heard by Justices Alan Mahon, George Birmingham and Garrett Sheehan. The decision was based on the seriousness of the breach of trust and the substantial loss to the Revenue. The appeal was dismissed.
Andrew Smith, a 24‑year‑old mechanic from Navan, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his girlfriend Chloe Cherry on 27 October 2013. The original sentence of two‑and‑a‑half years, with six months suspended, was imposed by Judge Michael O'Shea on 18 June 2015. Smith appealed, arguing that the sentencing judge failed to resolve a factual conflict regarding an alleged incident in which he supposedly locked Cherry in a dog cage. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice Alan Mahon, found that the judge had not conducted a "Newton type hearing" and had accepted the victim's account of the dog‑cage allegation as true, an error in principle. Consequently, Smith was re‑sentenced to two years' imprisonment, with 15 months suspended, and was required to enter a good‑behaviour bond for the suspended period. The appeal did not alter any other aspects of the case.
In a Court of Appeal hearing, Andrew Smith (24) contested the claim that he had locked his girlfriend, Chloe Cherry, in a dog cage during an assault. Smith, who pleaded guilty to assaulting Cherry on 27 October 2013, was sentenced in June 2015 to two and a half years in prison, with the final six months suspended. His lawyer, Patrick McCullough BL, argued that the cage allegation was a disputed fact denied by Smith and that the judge treated it as an aggravating factor without investigating it. He also claimed the trial judge failed to consider rehabilitation, Smith's lack of prior convictions, early guilty plea, remorse, and compensation offered. The State's lawyer, Orla Crowe BL, maintained the cage claim was part of the evidence and that it was the defence's responsibility to challenge it. The judge reserved judgment until 5 July.
At the Central Criminal Court, the son of a deceased man gave evidence regarding his final hours with his father on December 29, 2013. Matthew Gralton, aged 22, from Mt Prospect in County Roscommon, and Ross Allen, aged 25, with addresses in Carrickmines, County Dublin and Clara, County Offaly, have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Christy Daly at Bog Lane, Kilbride, Clara. The prosecution alleges that Mr Daly discovered drugs valued at €30,000 concealed on the remote laneway where he resided, and that individuals connected to the drugs subsequently arranged his killing. The State contends that whilst neither accused was the gunman, both had a role in the death. The witness testified that he spent the day with his father and planned to meet him later that evening, but received no response when he attempted to contact him approximately 90 minutes after they parted. Mr Daly's body was discovered in a drain on January 7, 2014.
David Gorey, an accountant aged 33 from Kilbride, Trim, stole €489,000 from ABM Construction Ltd between August 2009 and July 2013. He used the money to pay off a €5,000 credit union loan, a €15,000 car loan, buy three BMWs worth €100,000, and fund gambling and social activities. Gorey altered payment certificates, had company directors sign them, and transferred the cash to his own accounts. He pleaded guilty to four sample theft charges. The court, after a victim impact report, noted the significant breach of trust and the impact on the business. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a two‑year custodial sentence, citing the large sum stolen and the loss of trust. Gorey had no serious prior convictions, had cooperated with investigators, and was considered low risk of re‑offending. He is now employed as a floor manager in a Trim restaurant.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
Darren Rafferty, aged 40, was sentenced to three‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment on 5 June 2014 for setting fire to his former fiancée's house in Navan on 14 January 2013. The arson caused about €79,000 of damage to the conservatory, kitchen and house, and four units of the Navan fire brigade attended the scene. Rafferty was arrested at 3.20 a.m. the same day, was intoxicated and could not be interviewed, but later confirmed he started the fire, left the house and returned to the pub, citing frustration over the breakup. He pleaded guilty at Trim Circuit Criminal Court. On 10 July 2015 the Court of Appeal, hearing Mr Justice George Birmingham, upheld the sentence but suspended the balance from 31 July, allowing Rafferty to pursue a job offer in the UK. He was ordered not to contact his former fiancée again.
Edward Bryan, a former Christian Brother aged 61, was returned to prison after an appeal. He had been convicted in 2013 of indecently assaulting three boys at North Monastery secondary school in Cork between 1984 and 1990, on seven of ten counts. He had been sentenced to five years imprisonment, but a 2013 bail allowed him to challenge the conviction and sentence. In May 2015, one count was quashed, the others upheld, and the appeal dismissed. During the sentence appeal, Bryan cited a Court of Appeal ruling that the maximum sentence for indecently assaulting a male at that time was two years, not ten. The Court of Appeal, however, imposed three consecutive 10‑month sentences, totaling two‑and‑a‑half years in prison. The judge noted Bryan's role as a teacher, his involvement in basketball, the nature of the abuse, and his otherwise good character. He was taken to custody and returned to prison. Edward Bryan pleaded not guilty.
Sean Brady, 34, of Clonliffe Road, Drumcondra, was sentenced at Swords District Court for the burglary of Kinsealy Pet Store in North Dublin on October 24, 2013. Brady pleaded guilty to the offence, which resulted in over €600 worth of birds dying due to shock and cold. Garda Killian Layden testified that the store owner, Aidan O'Connor, discovered an intruder in the aviary area around 10:30 pm and saw a male fleeing toward a red BMW. O'Connor struck the vehicle with a hatchet, causing him to jump out of the way. Brady was arrested after his blood was found at the scene. Defence counsel Patrick Jackson noted that Brady has ten previous convictions and a drug habit, and that he had recently had a one-year portion of a three-year suspended sentence re-activated at Trim Circuit Court for unlawful possession of drugs for sale or supply. Judge Denis McLoughlin stated that committing an offence under a suspended sentence carries consequences. Consequently, Brady was sentenced to three months in prison, to run consecutively to the sentence he is currently serving. The judge also fixed recognisance in the event of an appeal.
In a Swords District Court hearing, two men, Sean Brady (34) and Damien Byrne (45), pleaded guilty to burglary at Kinsealy Pet Store on 24 October 2013. Brady also pleaded guilty to careless driving. Garda evidence showed the owner, Aidan O'Connor, discovered an intruder around 10.30 pm, and the store's doors were left open, causing €660 worth of birds to die from cold exposure. Blood at the scene matched Brady's DNA. O'Connor saw a male fleeing the aviary toward a red BMW, struck the vehicle with a hatchet, and had to jump out of the way. Garda Kevin Farrell noted the BMW, driven by Byrne, was stopped at Artane Roundabout. Brady, with ten prior convictions, will have his case sent back to Trim Circuit Court for a Section 99 re‑entry on 3 February next year.
Mark Allen, 36, of Mulhuddart, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for falsely imprisoning Ciaran Noonan on October 20, 2011. Allen pleaded guilty to this charge, as well as destroying phone evidence. The court noted that Allen was not charged with the victim's death, though Judge Patrick McCartan stated Allen's actions ultimately led to Mr Noonan's death. Allen received a nine-year prison sentence. Co-accused Daniel Quinn, 24, of Balbriggan, pleaded guilty to unlawfully killing Mr Noonan between October 20 and November 4, 2011, and destroying phone evidence. Lynn Issacson, 34, of East Wall, pleaded guilty to destroying phone evidence on October 20, 2011, and received a three-year suspended sentence. The court heard that Mr Noonan, a father-of-one, was abducted from Russell Avenue, East Wall, after owing Allen drugs money. His body was found near Trim on November 4, 2011. A post-mortem revealed neck compression as the cause of death. Allen had previously skipped bail conditions and was arrested in Holland earlier this year. The judge expressed sympathy for the Noonan family, describing the victim as a young man who was dearly loved and whose departure left his family deeply traumatised.
Two Vietnamese nationals, Ba Nguyen (44) and Ha Nguyen (49), were found guilty of cultivating cannabis at a commercial premises in County Meath on 20 November 2012. They had been trafficked into Ireland and lived in rudimentary conditions on site. The original sentences of six years each, with the final two years suspended, were imposed by Judge Michael O'Shea on 14 November 2013. On 5 December 2014 the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Garrett Sheehan, imposed new three‑year sentences and unconditionally suspended the balance of those sentences from that day. The court cited the defendants' impoverished circumstances, lack of prior convictions, and the fact that they were not free agents in determining the reduced, suspended sentences. The decision was upheld by President Justice Seán Ryan. The defendants had no significant financial gain from the operation and were not involved in its financing or logistics.
Two men, Jason Keogh (50) of Laytown, Co Meath, and Niall O'Leary (42) of Castledermot, Co Kildare, each pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at Bettystown, Co Meath, on 20 July 2011. They were each sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended, by Judge Michael O'Shea at Trim Circuit Criminal Court in 2012. The Court of Appeal dismissed their appeals against the sentence. The case stemmed from a Garda National Drugs Unit surveillance operation in Swords, Co Dublin, where Keogh was seen collecting seven blue barrels of cannabis from an industrial estate and transporting them to a rented house in Bettystown. A search warrant led to the discovery of about 100 kg of vacuum‑packed cannabis, estimated at €1.2 million street value. Keogh and O'Leary were paid €5,000 and €2,500 respectively for their roles.
Adiodan Kamoru Kareem, 36, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for possessing €1.4 million worth of cocaine with intent to sell or supply. He pleaded guilty in May 2011 and was convicted by Judge Michael O'Shea at Trim Circuit Court on 17 February 2012. The appeal against the sentence was dismissed by Mr Justice Seán Ryan on 24 November 2014. Ryan described Kareem as a "devoutly religious" man who had no history of drinking or smoking. He was "caught red-handed" when Gardaí seized a false diplomatic package that had been delivered to a car park in Navan, from which Kareem collected a car and drove to an apartment where a search uncovered the cocaine, €100,000 in cash, mixing agents, a pharmaceutical drug, plastic bags and other paraphernalia. The Court of Appeal confirmed that the mandatory minimum of ten years was justified and that the circumstances did not render the sentence unjust.".
The Special Criminal Court granted bail to Darren Weldon, a 43‑year‑old resident of Drinadaly, Trim, who was arrested on Tuesday for his alleged involvement in the February 22, 2010 bomb attack on Newry courthouse. Weldon was charged with membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on October 14. His counsel, Philipp Rahn BL, applied for bail, and the court, presided over by Justice Deirdre Murphy, Justice Margaret Heneghan and Judge Cormac Dunne, accepted the application without objection from the State. Bail conditions include daily reporting to a local Garda station, surrendering his passport, providing his mobile phone number to Gardaí and maintaining good behaviour. The court noted that the book of evidence will be served at a later date. Detective Garda Kieran Regan, who formally arrested Weldon on Mellowes Road, Finglas, Dublin 11, stated that at the time of arrest he believed Weldon had committed the offence.
Darren Weldon, aged 43, was arrested by the Special Detective Unit on Tuesday as part of an investigation into the February 22, 2010 bomb attack on Newry Courthouse. The attack involved a large car bomb that exploded outside the courthouse, damaging its gate while police were evacuating the area. Weldon, who lives at Drinadaly, Trim, Co Meath, was charged this morning before the non‑jury Special Criminal Court with membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). He appeared in court wearing a grey cardigan and jeans and denied ever being a member of the IRA. The court, presided over by Justice Garrett Sheehan with Justice Deirdre Murphy and Judge Margaret Heneghan, remanded Weldon in custody to appear again on October 21. The case is pending further hearings, with potential applications for bail and legal aid expected.