A senior garda has brought judicial review proceedings in the High Court challenging a decision not to backdate his promotion to inspector. Inspector Tom Quinn, stationed in Mullingar, County Westmeath, was scheduled for promotion in January 2019 but the advancement was delayed following allegations made against him in connection with a firearms incident near Granard, County Longford, in December 2018. Following investigation by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, Inspector Quinn was fully exonerated. His promotion ultimately proceeded in August 2019. The inspector seeks to have his promotion backdated to January, arguing the seven-month delay caused financial and reputational harm. The Garda Commissioner opposes the application, maintaining he exercised proper discretion by awaiting the investigation outcome before recommending promotion. Mr Justice Charles Meenan reserved judgment following the High Court hearing, with a decision expected in the new year.
The High Court has dismissed an application by Friends of the Irish Environment alleging that Roscommon County Council breached a court order regarding a proposed flood relief scheme. Mr Justice Garrett Simons rejected claims that council chief executive Eugene Cummins should be held in contempt. The case centres on a 3km pipeline designed to transfer water from Lough Funshinagh, a protected seasonal lake, to Lough Ree to alleviate flooding affecting nearby residents. FIE successfully challenged the original scheme last August on environmental grounds, and the council agreed to remediate works already carried out. However, the council subsequently obtained approval for emergency flood relief works under different statutory provisions in October, which would utilise the partially-constructed pipeline. The judge held that the August order did not prevent the council from pursuing the scheme under alternative legislation, and that obtaining fresh development consent constituted a significant change in circumstance. Mr Justice Simons invited FIE to bring judicial review proceedings if it wished to challenge the October decision, directing that any such application be heard before him.
The High Court will deliver a ruling this week on whether Roscommon County Council has breached a court order relating to a proposed flood relief scheme. The Friends of the Irish Environment brought the contempt allegation following High Court proceedings resolved in August concerning a three-kilometre pipeline designed to transfer water from Lough Funshinagh to Lough Ree. The council had accepted it had not fulfilled certain obligations regarding the flood relief works and agreed to carry out remediation. FIE subsequently claimed the council failed to comply with the remediation order and sought enforcement action against the council's chief executive. The council denies any breach and states the remediation plan is being implemented to address severe flooding affecting local residents. During submissions, Mr Justice Garrett Simons indicated he would not impose a custodial sentence if contempt were found, but rather a monetary fine. The council gave an undertaking to cease pipeline works whilst continuing remediation efforts. The judge's determination is expected next Thursday.
The High Court heard submissions on whether Roscommon County Council has breached a settlement agreement relating to a flood relief scheme involving a pipeline between Lough Funshinagh and Lough Ree. The Friends of the Irish Environment seeks an order to have the council's chief executive, Eugene Cummins, brought before the court on contempt allegations. FIE contends the council failed to comply with a Remediation Plan agreed in August following judicial review proceedings. The council denies breaching the agreement and maintains it has completed or substantially progressed remedial phases, with delays attributed to weather and pending facility identification. Mr Cummins objected to FIE's characterisation of the council's actions, stating the organisation used extreme language without disclosing contextual facts. The case concerns a proposed pipeline intended to protect homes from flooding. Mr Justice Garrett Simons adjourned the matter for hearing on the following Tuesday and determined that Mr Cummins need not attend.
Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) has claimed before the High Court that Roscommon County Council is in contempt of court for allegedly breaching an agreement regarding a flood relief scheme. The dispute concerns the Council's plan to construct a 3km pipeline transferring water from Lough Funshinagh to Lough Ree, located 12km north of Athlone. FIE seeks an order for the Council's CEO, Mr Eugene Cummins, to be attached and brought before the court to answer the alleged contempt. Last August, the court granted FIE a temporary order halting works. The matter was subsequently resolved before a hearing when the Council consented to orders quashing its decision to permit the works, agreed to remediate the affected lands, and paid FIE's costs. A Remediation Plan was agreed between the parties. However, FIE alleges that on October 14, the Council used section 152 of the 2001 Local Government Act to authorise the pipeline's construction without consulting FIE. FIE claims the Council has taken no substantive steps to comply with the Remediation Plan by reusing previously constructed pipeline and manholes. FIE states it requested the Council to desist from these steps, but the request was not complied with. The matter came before Mr Justice Garrett Simons on Wednesday, where FIE's counsel, Jon Kenny BL, instructed by Eoin Brady of FP Logue Solicitors, presented the claim of contempt arising from the alleged breach of the August orders.
The Court of Appeal has upheld the conviction of Osborn Irabor for careless driving causing the death of cyclist Mary White on November 17, 2014. Irabor, aged 60 from French Park, Tyrrelstown, Dublin, was originally convicted following a two-day trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in October 2018 and disqualified from driving for four years. He had pleaded not guilty to the charge. His appeal centred on claims that the trial judge had not adequately explained legal terminology to the jury in accessible language during a re-charge following their request for clarification. The Court of Appeal, in a judgment delivered by Mr Justice John Edwards, rejected these arguments, finding the verdict was properly supported by evidence. The court noted that the prosecution had presented clear evidence that Irabor's double-decker bus cut the corner when turning at a T junction on Burlington Road, Dublin, striking Ms White and causing her death from head injuries two days later.
A man has been convicted and sentenced following the shooting of a garda during a raid on a Dublin property in December 2017. Charles Moore, aged 48, of Barnwell Drive, Ballymun, was found guilty on all counts at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, including possession of a firearm without lawful purpose, possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life, and reckless discharge of a firearm. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Moore to nine years imprisonment for the endangerment offence. Sergeant Paul McManus was struck in the forearm when Moore discharged a semi-automatic pistol as gardaí secured the premises for a drugs search. The officer subsequently underwent multiple surgeries and physiotherapy, and was later medically discharged from An Garda Síochána. Moore, who has eighteen previous convictions, maintained he did not intend to shoot a garda, claiming he believed his home was under attack. The judge accepted Moore was intoxicated at the time and unable to properly assess the situation. Charles Moore pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court is set to resume with several high-profile matters, including the appeal of Aaron Brady. Brady, 30, was convicted by an 11-to-1 majority jury verdict for the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe in January 2013. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years, plus a concurrent 14-year sentence for robbery. His appeal is expected in 2022. Other upcoming trials include that of Sameer Syed, 37, accused of murdering his wife Seema Banu and their two children in Rathfarnham in October 2021; his trial is scheduled for June 15, 2022. Michael Scott, 55, faces trial on January 11, 2022, for the alleged murder of Chrissie Treacy in Portumna in 2018. Stephen Silver, 44, is charged with the murder of Garda Colm Horkan in Castlerea in June 2020; his trial is also set for June 15, 2022. Additionally, an appeal by Boy B regarding the 2018 murder of Ana Kriegel is expected before the Court of Appeal. Boy B and Boy A were found guilty in 2019; both were 13 at the time, denied the offences, and were remanded to Oberstown Detention Centre.
A 75-year-old man from Ballyfarnon, County Roscommon, has been sentenced to nine years imprisonment following his conviction at the Central Criminal Court for sexually assaulting and orally raping his partner's daughter between 1998 and 1999. Christopher Ashmore pleaded not guilty to five charges but was found guilty on four counts. The victim, who waived anonymity, gave an impact statement describing how the abuse transformed her from a happy child into one consumed by fear and anxiety. Justice Carmel Stewart noted that Ashmore held a position of trust within the family home and has continued to deny the offences without expressing remorse. The judge sentenced him to ten years for two Section 4 rape offences and three years for two further sexual assaults, with sentences to run concurrently and the final twelve months suspended. Ashmore was also ordered to register as a sex offender.
A man has been sentenced to eight years and nine months imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court following his conviction for the rape of his then partner's teenage sister. Stephen Lynch, with an address in Offaly, was found guilty in May 2021 of rape committed at a property in Athlone, County Roscommon, in October 2015. He was also convicted of sexual assault and assault causing harm arising from an incident in December 2015 at the same address. The court heard that Lynch had drugged and raped the first victim, then subjected a second woman to sexual assault while also attacking her friend who attempted to intervene. Justice David Keane imposed concurrent sentences, noting the offences were aggravated by the victim's age and the use of drugs. Lynch pleaded not guilty throughout. The sentences were backdated to May 2021 when he first entered custody following conviction.
In a High Court case, Janvier Tumusabeyezu, a Rwandan security guard, was injured when the car he rode in, driven by Daniel Muresan, crashed near Mullingar. Tumusabeyezu suffered soft tissue injuries, a bowel perforation, shoulder and back injuries, and later had abdominal surgery. He sued Muresan, who admitted negligence, and the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland (MIBI). The High Court ruled that MIBI was not liable for damages awarded to Tumusabeyezu. Muresan had no insurance, licence, NCT or tax on the Mitsubishi Colt. He claimed he had informed passengers of the lack of insurance, but Tumusabeyezu and two other passengers denied this. The High Court accepted Muresan's account, supported by a garda sergeant's testimony. Tumusabeyezu appealed, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, affirming the High Court's decision and ruling that the claim against MIBI must fail. The case remains at the appeal stage.
Samuel Pop, aged 27, from Charnwood Court, Clonsilla, Dublin, has been sentenced to four years imprisonment following a conviction for false imprisonment and robbery at the Clayton Hotel, Dublin 4, on 6 November 2019. Pop pleaded guilty to his involvement in an attack on an escort in her hotel room, during which he and a co-accused, who has since died in custody, restrained and robbed the victim of cash, a phone and passport. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Pop's co-accused was the primary aggressor in the incident. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a sentence of five-and-a-half years with the final 18 months suspended, subject to strict conditions including payment of €5,000 compensation to the victim. Pop has previous convictions relating to a similar incident in Roscommon in October 2019.
Two men imprisoned for contempt of court in connection with interference at a disputed farm in County Roscommon have been released from custody. Michael Anthony McGann, who owned the property at Falsk, Strokestown, and Kevin Taylor, a retired garda from Longford, were held in Mountjoy Prison for nearly five months following their arrest for obstructing KBC Bank's agents during enforcement of a repossession order. On Friday, Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds directed their release after both men provided undertakings to the court to remain away from the property. The judge warned that any breach would result in their immediate return to prison. A cost order against McGann, described as the "puppet master" in the matter, was estimated at well into six figures. A third man, Colm Granahan from Ballina, Mayo, was previously released after purging his contempt. The underlying dispute concerns a farm that was the subject of a controversial 2018 eviction following KBC's €431,000 loan recovery action. The full hearing of the case is scheduled for June.
Two men imprisoned for interfering with a bank's lawful repossession of a farm in Strokestown, County Roscommon, have sought their release from custody. Michael Anthony McGann and Kevin Taylor, a retired garda from Longford, were detained in Mountjoy Prison after being found in contempt of court for obstruction during the 2018 eviction. A third man, Colm Granahan of Ballina, purged his contempt and was released before Christmas. At Thursday's High Court hearing before Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds, counsel for the men argued they had satisfied both coercive and punitive elements of their contempt findings. KBC Bank's legal representatives opposed the application, stating the men could secure release by purging contempt and complying with existing court orders. The men offered undertakings to avoid the property if the bank reciprocated, which counsel for KBC rejected as improper. Ms Justice Reynolds adjourned proceedings to allow further consultation between the applicants and their legal team, with the hearing resuming Friday.
A 44-year-old man charged with the murder of Detective Garda Colm Horkan has been scheduled for trial at the Central Criminal Court in June 2022. Stephen Silver of Aughaward, Foxford, County Mayo is accused of murdering the garda while he was acting in the course of his duty on Main Street, Castlerea, County Roscommon on 17 June 2020. Detective Garda Horkan, aged 49 and based at Castlerea Garda Station, died following a shooting incident in the town. The trial is expected to last five weeks. Mr Silver is currently in custody at the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum. The court was informed of significant psychiatric treatment background in the case. Justice Michael White approved legal representation comprising two senior counsel and one research documentary junior for the defence. Mr Silver was sent forward for trial following presentation of the book of evidence in February.
Nicola Henry, 32, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to three counts of theft, two counts of attempted theft, and two counts of making a false instrument. The offences, committed between April 2014 and September 2015, involved Henry, then secretary of the Johnson & Johnson social club, forging colleagues' signatures to write 37 cheques to herself. She cashed 27 of these, receiving €17,326, which she spent on luxury holidays, shopping, and beauty treatments. Additionally, she spent €3,233 on a company credit card after it was blocked. Judge Pauline Codd accepted that Henry's actions were driven by depression and noted a psychological report indicating low re-offending risk. The judge handed down a two-year sentence but suspended the final 18 months on conditions. The sentence was backdated to November last year, when Henry was placed in custody following her arrest. Henry, of Co Roscommon, has no previous convictions. A further 65 counts were taken into consideration. The court heard she was suspended from her role when the thefts were discovered in August 2015. Defence counsel highlighted her remorse and family history, while the prosecution detailed the specific luxury expenditures. The matter was finalised with this suspended sentence and effective custody period.
Two men imprisoned by the High Court for interfering with KBC Bank's repossession of a farm at Falsk, Strokestown, County Roscommon will remain in custody after declining to purge their contempt of court. Michael Anthony McGann, the property owner, and Kevin Taylor, a retired garda from Dublin Road, Longford, were arrested in November alongside a third man following efforts by the bank's agents to secure the property after a 2018 eviction. While Colm Granahan from Ballina, Mayo purged his contempt in December and was released, McGann and Taylor have maintained their refusal to do so. At a High Court hearing on Thursday, Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds reviewed their cases remotely. McGann, now represented by solicitor, stated he would not purge contempt, as did Taylor. The judge remanded both men in custody until April, confirming they may apply to purge contempt at any time. The case arises from a €431,000 debt on the property.
A bus driver has appealed his conviction for careless driving causing death, challenging the trial judge's instructions to the jury on legal terminology. Osborn Irabor, aged 60 of French Park, Dublin, was convicted in 2018 at the Circuit Criminal Court in connection with the death of a cyclist on November 17, 2014. During jury deliberations, jurors requested clarification of legal principles in layman's terms, but the judge subsequently re-charged them using formal legal language including words such as "appreciable" and "due care and attention." At the Court of Appeal, Irabor's counsel argued this approach may have caused jury confusion and questioned what conduct demonstrated a fall below the standard expected of a competent driver. The three-judge panel, presiding over the appeal, reserved judgment. At sentencing in 2018, the trial judge imposed a mandatory four-year driving ban, finding imprisonment unjustified despite the serious nature of the offence. The judge noted Irabor's unblemished safety record and absence of previous convictions.
A woman from Kiltoom, County Roscommon, has pleaded guilty to theft and forgery offences at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Nicola Henry, aged 32, admitted forging colleagues' signatures on 37 cheques while serving as secretary of a Johnson & Johnson social club, obtaining €17,326 which she spent on luxury holidays to Australia, Sri Lanka and Dubai, along with restaurants, shopping and beauty treatments. A further €3,233 was spent using a company credit card after the initial thefts came to light in August 2015. Ten cheques totalling €35,340 were unsuccessful. Henry pleaded guilty to three counts of theft and two counts of attempted theft, along with two counts of making a false instrument. A total of 65 additional counts were taken into consideration. The court heard she failed to appear at several earlier hearings, resulting in her arrest. Judge Pauline Codd ordered psychological and probation reports and remanded Henry in custody pending sentencing on 8 March 2021.
A 38-year-old Romanian man has been sentenced to five and a half years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his role in an aggravated burglary targeting two women working as escorts. Ioan Galben of Blanchardstown pleaded guilty to the offence at a premises on Parnell Street, Dublin 1, on 12 November 2019. Judge Pauline Codd found the crime was aggravated by involvement in gang racketeering aimed at exploiting vulnerable women. The court heard Galben facilitated entry for two armed accomplices who brandished a knife and blade, threatening to cut one woman's throat whilst demanding cash, phones and cigarettes. Gardaí established the women were not acting under duress. Galben admitted his involvement during interview and expressed remorse. Judge Codd suspended the final six months of the sentence on condition he leaves the jurisdiction upon release. Galben is currently serving a concurrent five-year sentence for a similar offence in Roscommon.
Three men remain in custody at Mountjoy Prison following a High Court ruling that they must stay detained indefinitely until they comply with orders to vacate a farm in Falsk, Strokestown, County Roscommon. Michael Anthony McGann, Kevin Taylor and Colm Granahan were jailed for contempt of court after refusing to give undertakings to stay away from the property, which was subject to a repossession order by KBC bank and subsequent vacant possession orders. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds found their actions constituted a flagrant, deliberate and contrived breach of existing court orders. The judge noted evidence that all three were present on the farm despite having no entitlement to be there, and referenced an orchestrated social media campaign that undermined court authority and encouraged others to attend the property. The men have been offered opportunities to purge their contempt but have demonstrated unwillingness to do so. Mr Granahan is from Ballina, County Mayo, Mr Taylor is a retired Garda from Longford, and Mr McGann is from Strokestown.
Three men remain imprisoned in Mountjoy following their refusal to comply with High Court orders at a hearing last week. Michael Anthony McGann, Colm Granahan and Kevin Taylor were found in contempt of court for breaching orders to stay away from a property at Falsk, Strokestown, County Roscommon. The men, arrested by An Garda Síochána, appeared before the High Court via video-link on Monday. Justice Leonie Reynolds invited each to purge their contempt by undertaking to comply with the orders sought by KBC Bank, but all three refused, instead disputing the validity of the court orders. The judge determined that imprisonment must continue, noting the men could return to court at any time to comply. KBC Bank's counsel indicated the bank does not seek imprisonment but requires the men's undertakings to vacate the property, which the bank has now secured. The matter originates from a €431,000 debt on the farm, with the men having remained on the property in breach of earlier possession orders.
Colm Granahan was committed to Mountjoy Prison on Friday by Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds after refusing to provide an undertaking to stay away from a farm in Falsk, Strokestown, Co Roscommon. The judge stated she had no choice but to commit him until he purges his contempt of court orders. This follows the earlier jailing of Michael Anthony McGann, the property owner, and retired Garda Kevin Taylor, both of whom were jailed for failing to give undertakings to comply with orders to vacate the farm. KBC Bank, which holds possession orders arising from a €431,000 debt, argued that an undertaking would satisfy its requirements, though it did not seek incarceration. Mr Granahan, from Ballina, Co Mayo, objected to the court's characterization of the orders as technically flawed and refused to answer the judge's request for an undertaking, stating he was "remaining mute." The judge noted that the matter would be reviewed next week. The farm has been the subject of ongoing proceedings involving the McGann siblings and KBC Bank, including a controversial eviction in 2018 and subsequent incidents involving security personnel. The court emphasized that the refusal to comply with the injunction resulted in the contempt proceedings.
Two men remain in custody at Mountjoy Prison after refusing to give undertakings to vacate a farm at Falsk, Strokestown, County Roscommon. Michael Anthony McGann, who owns the property, and retired Garda Kevin Taylor of Longford were remanded in continuing custody by Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds at the High Court on Thursday. Both men declined to provide sworn undertakings to comply with court orders made in favour of KBC Bank requiring them to leave the premises. The bank obtained an order for possession in 2018 following a substantial debt on the property. Mr McGann disputed the proceedings, claiming perjury and fraud, whilst Mr Taylor stated he would remain in prison rather than comply. Ms Justice Reynolds said her function was solely to ensure compliance with court orders and that she would not engage with conspiracy theories. The matter will be reviewed the following week, with both men entitled to apply to purge their contempt at any time.
Two men have been remanded in custody following their failure to comply with High Court orders to vacate a farm at Falsk, Strokestown, County Roscommon. Michael Anthony McGann, who owns the property, and retired Garda Kevin Taylor of Dublin Road, Longford were arrested on Wednesday morning and brought before Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds at the High Court. The judge heard that both men were in contempt of court orders requiring them to leave the premises. KBC Bank, which holds an injunction granting it vacant possession of the farm, told the court that Mr McGann had breached an undertaking given last month to vacate the property and had made statements on social media indicating he would not leave. Mr Taylor was said to have been present at the farm and part of a coordinated attempt to frustrate the court's orders. Both men were remanded to Mountjoy Prison pending a further hearing on Thursday to address the contempt proceedings.
The Court of Appeal has upheld a finding that the sentence imposed on Muiris Flynn, a 31-year-old appellant, was unduly lenient for dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm, drink driving, and driving without insurance at Doon near Boyle on September 24, 2017. Flynn pleaded guilty to all charges. While the three-judge panel nominated a headline sentence of six years, they decided not to increase the custodial element because Flynn had already been released from prison and secured new employment. Instead, the court imposed a €20,000 fine, describing it as a substantial part of his punishment. The unserved balance of the three-year custodial sentence was suspended. The court re-imposed the original driving disqualifications, acknowledging their adverse impact on his social and working life but deeming them an appropriate response to the devastating harm caused to the victims. Flynn was given until December 31, 2020, to pay the fine in a single instalment, with permission to pay through the Roscommon Town court office. The matter was not adjourned; the re-sentencing and fine payment deadline were finalized.
Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds of the High Court has ordered the arrest of any person found in occupation of a farm at Falsk, Strokestown in County Roscommon. The order was made against three named individuals: Michael Anthony McGann, the property owner; former Garda Kevin Taylor of Dublin Road, Longford; and Colm Granahan from Ballina, County Mayo. KBC Bank, which previously obtained an injunction for vacant possession of the property, presented evidence to the court that the three remain on the farm in breach of High Court orders. The judge found that the individuals were engaged in a concerted effort to undermine court orders. She directed that the three, along with any other occupants discovered on the property, be brought before the court by An Garda Síochána to answer allegations of contempt. The judge stated that Gardaí may use all reasonable force necessary to enforce the order. The matter will return to court at a later date.
The High Court in Dublin has heard that a farm at Falsk, Strokestown in County Roscommon remains occupied in breach of court orders granted to KBC Bank. The property has been at the centre of protracted legal proceedings involving three siblings—Anthony, David, and Geraldine McGann—and the financial institution, which secured a possession order several years ago following a €431,000 debt. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds had issued a deadline of 6pm on Sunday, 1 November for all occupants to vacate, warning that those remaining could face imprisonment for contempt of court. When the matter was mentioned before the court on Tuesday, the judge was informed the farm remained occupied by several individuals, preventing KBC from taking possession. Ms Justice Reynolds indicated her willingness to hear the bank's application to commit those currently on the property for contempt. The matter will be considered by the court on Friday.
A High Court judge has warned that any person occupying a farm at Falsk, Strokestown, Co Roscommon after 6pm on Sunday is likely to face imprisonment for contempt of court. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds made the remarks after being informed that whilst the three McGann siblings have complied with orders to vacate the property, which is subject to a repossession order by KBC bank, other individuals are preventing the bank from taking possession. The court heard that a retired garda and possibly others remain on the farm. Counsel for KBC stated that the retired garda has acted in a threatening manner towards the bank's agents and that social media posts have encouraged defiance of court orders. Ms Justice Reynolds expressed concern at what she described as a deliberate breach of the court's order and indicated she would hear applications for committal if the property was not vacated by the deadline. The case will return to court the following week.
The Court of Appeal has added a €20,000 fine to the sentence of Muiris Flynn, a 31-year-old appellant, following a successful DPP appeal against the undue leniency of his original sentence. Flynn pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm, drink driving, and driving without insurance at Doon near Boyle on September 24th, 2017. The original sentence, imposed by Judge Francis Comerford, was four years in prison for dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm, with the final two and a half years suspended, alongside concurrent disqualifications for the other charges. The three-judge appellate court, presided over by Justice John Edwards, found the original sentence unduly lenient and nominated a headline sentence of six years. However, considering Flynn's release from prison, his finding of new employment, and the interests of justice in promoting reform, the court decided not to increase the custodial element. Instead, they suspended the unserved balance of the newly imposed three-year term and imposed the substantial €20,000 fine. The court re-imposed the same driving disqualifications as the circuit court, acknowledging the adverse impact on Flynn's social and working life but deeming it an appropriate response to the devastating harm caused to the victims.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, David Keena, aged 21, was sentenced to six and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, for his role in a 2015 arson attack on Ciarán Murphy, a low‑level drug dealer in Offaly. Keena, who was 17 at the time, pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and criminal damage by arson. He was found to have stabbed Murphy 16 times and poured petrol over him, resulting in 96 % burns and multiple stab wounds, including to the heart. Murphy survived but suffered life‑threatening injuries and permanent physical and mental trauma. Keena's sentence runs consecutively with a previously imposed six‑year term for a drug‑dealing offence. The court noted Keena's youth, lack of prior convictions and drug use as mitigating factors. The case involved a false rumour that Murphy was a Garda informant, spread by his former girlfriend, which the court found to be untrue.
A 31-year-old man from Geevagh, County Sligo has had his sentence referred for review by the Court of Appeal after being convicted of dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm, drink driving and driving without insurance. The offences arose from a collision on a country road near Boyle, County Roscommon, on 24 September 2017, when his vehicle struck two cyclists. One victim sustained spinal fractures and hip dislocation, requiring prolonged recovery and leaving her unable to return to her former employment as a teacher. The other cyclist suffered significant pelvic fractures and required intensive care treatment. At sentencing in Roscommon Circuit Court, the defendant received four years imprisonment with the final two and a half years suspended, along with an eight-year driving disqualification. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed the sentence as unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal found the original sentence was indeed unduly lenient and determined that re-sentencing was necessary. The court indicated it would consider all available options, including the possibility of imposing a substantial fine. Judgement is expected by month's end.
A man from Tuam, County Rosemmon, must serve eighteen months in prison following a Court of Appeal decision that his original suspended sentence was unduly lenient. Stephen Connor, aged 43, pleaded guilty in July 2019 to assault causing harm, false imprisonment, and producing a knife during an incident at a house in Letterkenny, County Donegal, on 5 May 2018. The sentencing judge had imposed a two-and-a-half-year sentence but suspended it in full. The Director of Public Prosecutions successfully appealed, arguing the sentence failed to reflect society's condemnation of domestic violence or incorporate adequate deterrence. The Court of Appeal found Connor's case contained no exceptional circumstances warranting full suspension. Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh, sitting with two colleagues, ruled that while the two-and-a-half-year custodial sentence remained appropriate, the final year would be suspended as a matter of appellate practice.
A High Court judge has ordered an inquiry into the detention of a 33-year-old Chilean student held in the Dochas Centre at Mountjoy Prison. Ms Estefany Carolina Alquinta Gonzalez arrived in Dublin on 2 July to begin an English language course at a Dublin school. She was refused entry at the airport on grounds that she posed a threat to the State's fundamental policy interests, and was subsequently placed in solitary confinement. Ms Gonzalez, represented by Rosario Boyle SC and Aoife McMahon BL, denies posing any security or public policy risk. Evidence presented to Mr Justice Charles Meenan indicated she had pre-arrival contact with the Department of Foreign Affairs regarding entry requirements. Ms Gonzalez claims she held all required documentation, including her passport, proof of funds, and accommodation details in County Roscommon. The judge directed the inquiry under Article 40 of the Constitution on Monday and adjourned the matter to Tuesday.
Mary Walsh has applied to the High Court for permission to sue An Post National Lottery Company, which is in liquidation, alleging negligence regarding advice given on her €3.3m Lotto win. The application before Ms Justice Teresa Pilkington is opposed. Mrs Walsh claims a lottery representative advised that gifts to others should be exempt from tax if those persons signed the winning ticket. She alleges she was not informed of the full implications, leading her and five others, including her stepson David Walsh and her late husband's nephew Kevin Black, to sign the ticket. This resulted in litigation against her. The company argues the application should have been filed when proceedings began in 2016 and that the claim is bound to fail given a prior High Court judgment critical of Mrs Walsh. Counsel for Mrs Walsh, John Shortt SC, argued she should be allowed to bring the claim after changing solicitors. The judge reserved her decision. In the underlying dispute, Mr Justice Humphreys ruled in 2017 that David Walsh was entitled to a one-sixth share of the ticket, ordering Mrs Walsh to pay him €560,000 plus costs. Mrs Walsh appealed, but in 2018 the Court of Appeal was informed the action was resolved entirely, with her appeal allowed as part of a settlement. Mrs Walsh had claimed David Walsh accepted her and her late husband Peter Walsh's house in lieu of €200,000, a claim he denied.
The Director of Public Prosecutions has appealed a suspended sentence imposed on a Roscommon man convicted of assaulting and falsely imprisoning his ex-partner at her home in Letterkenny, County Donegal on 5 May 2018. Stephen Connor, aged 43, of Tuam, Kilrooskey pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, false imprisonment and production of a knife. Letterkenny Circuit Court imposed sentences totalling four years but suspended the entire term. The DPP argues the suspension constitutes undue leniency given the severity of the offence, described by the sentencing judge as a protracted and brutal onslaught. Counsel for the prosecution submitted the sentence failed to reflect the domestic violence context or provide adequate general deterrence. Defence counsel contended the sentencing judge properly balanced personal and general deterrence considerations. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Justice George Birmingham, has reserved judgement.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has declared a damages claim by Mark Nash inadmissible due to delay. Nash, who is serving life sentences for the Grangegorman murders, had complained that his right to a trial within a reasonable time was breached. The Strasbourg Court unanimously held that his complaints were lodged more than six months after the final Irish Supreme Court decision, rendering them inadmissible. Nash was found guilty in 2015 of murdering Sylvia Sheils and Mary Callanan in 1997, a conviction upheld by the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. He had previously sought damages in Irish courts for the delay between his initial questioning in 1997 and formal charges in 2009, but the High Court and Supreme Court refused relief. The ECHR noted that the Supreme Court dismissed his damages claim in October 2016, and a subsequent 2017 application to revisit that order did not restart the six-month filing period. The Court stated that allowing such applications to reset the deadline would subvert the purpose of the six-month rule. Consequently, Nash's application for damages regarding pre-trial prosecutorial delay was dismissed. Nash remains serving four life sentences at Midlands Prison, Portlaoise, for the murders of two women in Dublin and two people in Roscommon.
Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds has directed gardai to arrest three siblings at the centre of a protracted property dispute in Co Roscommon and bring them before the High Court. Michael Anthony, David and Geraldine McGann face allegations of contempt of court arising from their alleged failure to vacate their family home at Falsk, near Strokestown, following a KBC bank possession order. The judge indicated she was satisfied the McGanns were fully aware of the bank's application and the potential consequences of non-compliance. An injunction granted last October required the family to leave by noon on 12 November, an order the judge noted had not been obeyed. The McGanns, absent from proceedings and unrepresented, had previously been advised of the bank's application. Ms Justice Reynolds adjourned the matter to April. The case stems from a December 2018 eviction that attracted national attention when the property was retaken by masked individuals. The McGanns have remained on the property since.
The High Court has granted KBC Bank permission to pursue proceedings that could result in the imprisonment of three siblings for alleged non-compliance with a court order to vacate their family home near Strokestown, County Roscommon. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds made directions on a motion seeking the attachment and committal to prison of Michael Anthony, David, and Geraldine McGann. The bank claims the siblings have breached an October injunction requiring them to leave the property at Falsk by November 12th. The court ordered that any personal service of documents on the McGanns be carried out with gardaí present, with the motion to return next month. In a related application, the judge allowed the McGanns' former solicitors to cease representation after losing contact with the clients, though she directed them to inform their former clients of the court's decision and explain the gravity of their situation. The case stems from a December 2018 eviction following a possession order secured by KBC years earlier.
KBC bank has moved to seek committal orders against three siblings from near Strokestown, County Roscommon, over alleged non-compliance with a High Court direction to vacate their family farm. The High Court heard on Friday that Michael Anthony, David and Geraldine McGann have not left the property at Falsk despite an injunction granted in October requiring them to vacate by November 12th. Justice Leonie Reynolds adjourned the matter to early the following week after being informed that related proceedings concerning the removal of legal representation for David and Geraldine McGann are pending. The case stems from a December 2018 eviction executed following a possession order obtained by KBC years earlier. The borrower had fallen into arrears on a loan of approximately €431,000, with the last repayment recorded in February 2014. The McGanns have remained on the property since returning after that eviction.
The Court of Appeal has adjourned the finalisation of Garret Hevey's appeal, increasing his sentence from five years to six years imprisonment. Hevey, who pleaded guilty to dishonestly inducing investment in Arden FML and three counts of inducing payments by deception, was originally sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, sitting with President George Birmingham and Mr Justice Brian McGovern, found the original sentence unduly lenient, describing the company as an "engine of fraud" that sold the same forests repeatedly. The court determined that no portion of the new six-year sentence should be suspended. Hevey's co-accused, David Peile, also known as David Marshall, pleaded guilty to similar charges and was sentenced to four years imprisonment with the final year suspended. No appeal has been lodged regarding Peile's sentence. The appeal process for Hevey is now complete with the revised sentence imposed, while Peile's case remains unchanged.
Alan Craughwell (35) of Athlone, Co Westmeath, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm following a collision with a nurse on December 24, 2017 at Taghmaconnell, Co Roscommon. He had been travelling with more than twice the legal alcohol limit and narrowly missed six oncoming vehicles before striking the victim's car. The Circuit Court imposed a fully suspended two-and-a-half year sentence in May 2019. The Court of Appeal found this sentence unduly lenient and re-sentenced Craughwell to two-and-a-half years imprisonment with the final 15 months suspended. Mr Justice George Birmingham described the driving as "sustained, rank bad driving" rather than isolated poor judgement. The victim, a nurse, sustained serious injuries including fractured ankles and experienced significant disruption to her working life and family activities. Craughwell's ten-year driving ban remained in effect, and he was required to enter a good behaviour bond for the suspended portion of his sentence. Alan Craughwell had the case dismissed.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice Michael White praised the courage of Elizabeth Williams, who reported sexual abuse by her second cousin John Moran, a 66‑year‑old former resident of Cannakill, Croghan, Co Offaly. Williams, aged 5 to 11 when abused, said the incidents were frequent and normalised in her childhood, and that no action was taken by family or authorities until after her father's death. She had been denied medical care, faced family hostility, and considered suicide. Moran, who was 14 to 21 at the time of the offences, pleaded guilty to one count of rape and seven counts of indecent assault. The judge imposed an eight‑year sentence with the final two years suspended, citing mitigating factors such as his ill health and lack of prior convictions, and aggravating factors including the prolonged nature of the abuse and the victim's innocence.
Alan Cawley, aged 32, of Four Winds, Corrinbla, Ballina, County Mayo, has lost his appeal against murder convictions at the Court of Appeal. Cawley was found guilty in 2017 of murdering Thomas Blaine, aged 69, and John Blaine, aged 76, at New Antrim Street in Castlebar on 10 July 2013. He had admitted killing the brothers with a shovel and a walking stick but denied murder, arguing diminished responsibility due to mental health disorders. A jury unanimously rejected this defence, and Mr Justice Paul Coffey imposed mandatory life sentences. Cawley appealed on grounds that the trial judge misdirected the jury regarding intoxication and diminished responsibility. The three-judge appeal panel, led by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, found no error in the trial judge's instructions and dismissed the appeal. The brothers, who had special needs and were under HSE care, were both assaulted fatally during the attack.
A man has been sentenced to eleven years imprisonment following a hammer attack on a shopkeeper in Dublin in March 2017. John McKeon, aged 31 and with an address in Strokestown, County Longford, was convicted by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of robbery, attempted robbery and assault causing serious harm. He and his cousin targeted Tansey's Newsagent on Fitzmaurice Road, Finglas, where McKeon struck the shopkeeper three times to the head with a claw hammer, causing severe traumatic brain injury. The victim, who remains in recovery, was the sole carer for his blind wife and three children. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a sentence of twelve-and-a-half years with the final eighteen months suspended. McKeon's cousin, Daryl McKeon, was previously jailed for seven years in connection with the same incident. Daryl McKeon pleaded guilty.
Keith Brady, aged 32, of Cartron Estate in Sligo, stands charged with murder following the death of a local musician at New Apartments on Holborn Street in August 2015. He has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. At the Central Criminal Court, the jury heard evidence of interviews conducted by gardaí. In an August 2015 interview at Sligo Garda Station, Mr Brady admitted stabbing the deceased and stated that matters had spiralled beyond his control. However, during a subsequent November interview at Ballymote Garda Station, he denied involvement and claimed memory loss due to intoxication. The court was informed that Mr Brady later approached prison authorities at Castlerea Prison in Roscommon in December 2015, requesting to speak with a sergeant who had previously interviewed him. During this meeting, Mr Brady provided a detailed account in which he acknowledged responsibility, expressed remorse to the deceased's family, and described the incident as unintentional. The trial continues.
A family in Co Roscommon has been ordered by the High Court to vacate their home near Strokestown within one month. Mr Justice Senan Allen ruled on Friday that KBC bank is entitled to an injunction requiring siblings Michael Anthony, David, and Geraldine McGann to leave their property at Falsk. The judge found the defendants have no legal entitlement to remain and are trespassers, having lost a possession order obtained by the bank in 2012. The family must vacate by noon on 12 November. The case stems from a controversial eviction attempt in December last year when the property was repossessed following loan arrears exceeding €431,000. The McGanns subsequently re-entered and occupied the property. Their legal representatives indicated an intention to appeal the decision to the Court of Appeal and requested a stay on the vacation order, which the judge partially granted to allow time for alternative accommodation.
Two men were jailed at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 29 July 2019 following their convictions for defrauding over 140 foreign investors of approximately €5.5 million through Arden Forestry Management between January 2014 and mid-2016. Garret Hevey, described by the court as the scheme's architect, pleaded guilty to dishonestly inducing investment and making deceptive payment requests. David Peile, who joined the company in 2015, entered similar guilty pleas. The fraud involved misrepresenting forestry investment opportunities, with investors led to believe their funds would purchase land generating returns through government grants and forest harvesting. In reality, the company owned only 30 acres when investigated, insufficient to service the claimed 858 acres of investor holdings. Judge Melanie Greally characterised the offence as calculated fraud, noting significant harm to victims, many of whom had invested for their children. Hevey received five years imprisonment with the final year suspended, while Peile was sentenced to four years with one year suspended. The court heard that €1.98 million remained in company accounts when frozen by gardaí.
The High Court application by KBC Bank to evict a family from their home near Strokestown in County Roscommon will be heard on 10 October. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds rejected a request by David McGann to consolidate separate proceedings he has initiated with the bank's injunction application. Mr McGann seeks to challenge the validity of the possession order executed by the Roscommon County Registrar and to prevent any party from taking possession of the property. The judge found that consolidating the cases, which involve different parties and distinct issues, would unnecessarily increase legal costs. The McGann siblings were evicted from the farm property in December 2018 following a repossession order obtained by KBC several years earlier. The registered owner, Michael Anthony McGann, fell into arrears on a loan and owed approximately €431,000 to the bank. The family subsequently returned to the property.
Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds adjourned a High Court application by KBC Bank for an injunction requiring the McGann family to vacate their home at Falsk, near Strokestown, Co Roscommon. The matter was not concluded and will be heard next term due to judicial availability difficulties. KBC seeks an order requiring siblings Michael Anthony, David, and Geraldine McGann to leave the property, which is subject to a loan agreement where Michael Anthony McGann is the registered owner and owes approximately €431,000. The application is opposed. Counsel for the applicants, David Browne BL, instructed by solicitor Donnacha Anhold, argued the hearing would take longer than KBC estimated and requested that related proceedings brought by David McGann be consolidated. David McGann's separate action challenges the validity of the possession order obtained by KBC and seeks orders preventing interference with the property. Ms Justice Reynolds granted permission to seek consolidation of the two cases. Michael Anthony McGann was absent, and no representations were made on his behalf. The family was previously evicted in December following the execution of a 2012 possession order, an incident that drew national attention after security personnel were attacked. KBC commenced these injunction proceedings in May, noting that Gardaí have cleared the bank to proceed.