Court archive
Court reports mentioning Daingean, Offaly
2026-06-15 · Offaly
Noel O'Neill (30) was convicted of three counts of orally raping a child when she was between six and 12 years old. The abuse occurred at his former family home in Edenderry, Co Offaly, and involved a game called 'guess the finger' where he would place his penis in the child's mouth. The victim, now 19, waived her anonymity and described the abuse as having taken her innocence and caused her PTSD. She stated that O'Neill's refusal to acknowledge the verdict broke her further and that the court process retraumatized her. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon set a headline sentence of 11 years but reduced it to 10 years considering mitigating factors such as O'Neill's lack of previous convictions and his role as a sole provider. O'Neill has not acknowledged the verdict and has never offered an apology. The victim expressed a desire to raise awareness and support other abuse victims. Noel O'Neill pleaded not guilty.
2026-03-23 · Offaly
A 19-year-old woman waived her anonymity and told the Central Criminal Court that she refuses to remain silent about repeated oral rape during childhood. Noel O'Neill was convicted of three counts committed when the victim was aged between six and 12. The court adjourned finalisation of the case to June 15 and remanded O'Neill in continuing custody. Noel O'Neill pleaded not guilty.
2025-10-06 · Offaly
Joseph Campbell (63), of Castle Court, Daingean, Co Offaly, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court to eight and a half years in prison for rape and sexual assault. Campbell, who maintains his innocence and does not accept the jury's verdict, was convicted last June of raping an 11-year-old boy, identified as Devin O'Donnell, in October 2017. Additional charges of sexual assault in December 2021 were taken into account. Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring imposed a headline sentence of 11 years, reduced to 10 years, with the final 18 months suspended. Concurrent six-year terms were imposed for the sexual assault offences. Campbell was ordered to have no contact with Mr O'Donnell during his imprisonment and for five years post-release, and must engage with the Probation Service for 12 months upon release. The judge noted aggravating factors, including Campbell's breach of trust as a grandfather figure and his lack of insight, while accepting his lack of previous convictions as mitigation. The sentence hearing had previously been adjourned to allow for the preparation of a Probation Services report.
2023-11-09 · Dublin
In the trial of Jozef Puska, the prosecution presented evidence that Puska stalked and murdered Ashling Murphy on the Grand Canal towpath on 13 January. Puska allegedly dragged Murphy into briars, stabbed her 11 times in the neck and slashed her once, causing fatal blood loss. Witnesses, including teacher Jenna Stack, described seeing a man crouched over Murphy, holding her down, and Puska's DNA was found under Murphy's fingernails. Puska was arrested in Tullamore, questioned in hospital, and during the trial he repeatedly denied involvement, later claiming he had been stabbed elsewhere and that he had confessed to the murder. The court heard conflicting statements and the prosecution urged the jury to reject Puska's lies and convict him of murder.
2023-11-02 · Offaly
Jozef Puska, aged 33, took the stand in his own defence at the Ashling Murphy murder trial. He denied any intent to harm the 23‑year‑old teacher, stating he had "no bad intention whatsoever" when he was cycling behind Annemarie Kelly, a witness who claimed Puska was following her. Puska explained that he had left his home in Mucklagh at 11:30 a.m. on a push bike, travelled to Tullamore, and moved around the town, looking for his brother. He described the bike he rode—a black Falcon Storm push bike with a green needle—as the one found near the murder site. Puska also said he would not comment on questions about his DNA found under Murphy's fingernails or his presence at the scene, after being interviewed by Gardaí under the Criminal Justice Act 1984. The prosecution closed its case, and Puska's testimony will continue tomorrow. Jozef Puska pleaded not guilty.
2023-10-24 · Offaly
The trial of Jozef Puska, 33, who has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Ashling Murphy at Cappincur, Tullamore, Co Offaly, on January 12, 2022, continued before Mr Justice Tony Hunt. Prosecution evidence included Fitbit data from Ms Murphy's watch, which recorded erratic or violent movements at 3.21pm before her heart rate ceased. Witness Rostislav Pokuta testified that Puska visited his home around 9pm on the night of the alleged incident, appearing wet, frightened, and covered in scratches. Pokuta stated he initially withheld this information from gardai due to fear for his family's safety amid an "ugly atmosphere" in Tullamore, but later reported the meeting. Puska was driven to Mucklagh and identified on CCTV. Defence counsel suggested Puska had suffered stab wounds to his stomach. Det Gda Ciaran Byrne presented the Fitbit data, while Det Sgt Paul McDonnell described interviewing Puska at St James's Hospital, where Puska alleged he was stabbed in Blanchardstown by two men. The trial is ongoing.
2023-10-23 · Offaly
In the trial of Jozef Puska, a 33‑year‑old accused of murdering 23‑year‑old schoolteacher Ashling Murphy, Annemarie Kelly testified that she felt uncomfortable when Puska cycled behind her very slowly and stared at her. She described the stare as intimidating and noted his physical appearance: about five feet seven or eight inches tall, slim build, shaved head, black stubble, dark eyebrows, sallow skin and dark eyes. Kelly said she tried to avoid him by walking fast, jogging past him, and eventually crossing a canal bridge to escape. She also reported contacting gardai after the incident. Puska denies the murder charge. The trial is before Mr Justice Tony Hunt with a jury of nine men and three women. The case remains at the trial stage.
2023-10-20 · Offaly
The Central Criminal Court heard that Ashling Murphy died before paramedics could attempt resuscitation after she was found with 12 sharp force wounds to her neck in the undergrowth by the Grand Canal in Tullamore. CCTV footage showed a garda believing he could see the accused, Jozef Puska, moving in the same direction as two women, reaching into his pockets and appearing to have something in his hand before returning it to his pocket. The prosecution presented footage of Ashling's movements from leaving work at Scoil Naomh Colmcille at 2.37 pm to arriving at the Daingean Road car park at 2.50 pm and walking to the towpath. Puska, aged 33, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ms Murphy on 12 January 2022. The trial continues next week before Mr Justice Tony Hunt.
2023-10-18 · Offaly
In the trial of Jozef Puska, accused of murdering 23‑year‑old teacher Ashling Murphy, defence counsel Michael Bowman SC argued that Puska was attempting to help Murphy stop bleeding when a jogger arrived. Witness Jenna Stack testified that she saw Puska "trying to assist" Murphy, but she disagreed, describing him as aggressive, shouting "get away" and holding the girl down while she kicked her legs. Stack said Murphy was distressed and moving only her legs. She also noted Puska's foreign accent, shaved head and dark eyebrows. Bowman suggested Puska's shout was pain from a cut leg, not aggression, and that Murphy had reached for Puska's forearms to stop bleeding. Stack maintained she saw no weapon and that Puska could have asked for help. The case continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury. Jozef Puska pleaded not guilty.
2022-03-22 · Offaly
In a High Court decision on 22 March 2022, Mr Justice Charles Meenan granted a judgement of just over €7 million to the financial fund Promontoria (Arrow Limited) against Thomas Dowling, who now lives in the UK. Promontoria claimed that Dowling's liability stemmed from a failure by Danum Development Limited to repay a €4.69 million loan taken in 2006 to buy 8.5 acres of land at the Whitehall Estate, Daingean Road, Tullamore, where 55 houses were planned. The loan was originally borrowed from Anglo Irish Bank, transferred to NAMA after Anglo's collapse, and later acquired by Promontoria in 2015. Dowling and three other parties had given personal guarantees for the borrowing. Promontoria demanded repayment in April 2016, which Danum did not pay, and in 2018 demanded repayment from Dowling and the other guarantors. Dowling, described as an experienced Irish businessman, failed to repay the amount now due, which Promontoria says is approximately €7 million.
2022-02-18 · Offaly
In a High Court case in Offaly, residents near the Oxigen Environmental waste recycling site in Barnan, Daingean, claim the facility has repeatedly breached a court order issued by Mr Justice Garrett Simons in September 2022. The order, based on the site's planning permission, restricts the facility to accepting only construction and demolition waste, such as stone, soil, brick rubble and concrete, and prohibits the acceptance of mixed dry recyclables, household or commercial skips, civic amenity waste, fridges, WEEE, mattresses, sofas, tyres and timber shredding. The residents allege that Oxigen, operating as Guessford Ltd, continues to process commercial, timber and municipal waste, causing noise and dust, and that the company has ignored communications about the breaches. They have brought fresh proceedings seeking the attachment and possible committal of directors Mr Sean Doyle and Mr Alan Doyle for contempt of court. The matter is set to return before the court early next week.
2016-11-15 · Offaly
In a 2016 Offaly case, Thomas Moran, aged 52, was convicted of 13 counts of indecent assault on his sister Roisin between 1981 and 1984, when she was eight. He also pleaded guilty to seven counts against sister Dolores between 1980 and 1983, when she was 12 to 15. Both sisters waived anonymity and testified. The judge, Justice Robert Eager, sentenced Moran to three years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, citing his juvenile status during much of the offending and his unlikely re‑offending. He praised the sisters' determination and bravery for reporting the abuse, which began after their father's death when Moran assumed the "man of the house" role. The sisters endured family upheaval and guilt, and only after a nervous breakdown in 2000 did Roisin report the abuse to Gardaí in 2012, following the Jimmy Saville case.
2016-04-05 · Offaly
A witness told the Central Criminal Court that Christy Daly, aged 47, expressed concern about men in dark clothing loitering near his home on the day he went missing. Gary Gonoude gave evidence at the trial of Matthew Gralton, aged 22, from Co Roscommon, and Ross Allen, aged 25, from Co Dublin and Offaly, who have pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Daly at Bog Lane, Kilbride, Clara, Co Offaly between December 29, 2013 and January 7, 2014. Mr Gonoude told prosecuting counsel that when towing a car to Mr Daly's residence on December 29, 2013, they encountered several hooded figures in the laneway. Mr Daly questioned their presence. Defence counsel for Mr Gralton challenged inconsistencies in Mr Gonoude's accounts to gardaí and in court testimony regarding the number and appearance of those present. Mr Daly's brother confirmed they last met that day. The trial continues before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.