Louis Shiels, aged 27, pleaded guilty to rape, oral rape and false imprisonment of a woman who had become separated from friends at a hen party in Galway. The offences took place at his rented accommodation on 5 June 2011. He was sentenced on 25 February 2013 to 15 years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended on each rape count, and a concurrent 8‑year sentence for false imprisonment. Shiels applied to review the sentence, but the Court of Appeal rejected the application. The court upheld the judge's view that the assault was "outrageous" and that mitigating factors such as Shiels' Asperger's syndrome and a psychologist's report were not sufficient to reduce his responsibility. Shiels will serve the remainder of his sentence in prison.
In 2014, a 27‑year‑old man from County Clare was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended, after pleading guilty to one count of rape, four counts of sexual assault and four counts of oral rape against his younger cousin between 2003 and 2005. The Court of Appeal reduced his original nine‑year sentence, citing that the sentencing judge had taken too severe a view of the offender's conduct. The judge noted the abuse began when the accused was 12 and the victim was six, progressed through inappropriate touching and forced oral activity, and culminated in a full vaginal rape when the victim was 12 and the accused had turned 18. The court ordered 18 months of post‑release supervision, a €1,000 bond, and a lifetime prohibition on contact with the victim. The case highlighted the serious impact on the victim's life, including school withdrawal and self‑harm attempts.
A 19‑year‑old Limerick teenager was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended, for sexually abusing his seven‑year‑old step‑sister while babysitting her between February 2011 and January 2012. He pleaded guilty to two counts of oral rape and five counts of sexual assault at locations in Limerick and Clare. The judge cited the distressing details, breach of trust, gravity of the offences and the victim's age. The sentence includes a prohibition on contact with the victim, 18 months of post‑release supervision, and registration on the Sex Offenders Register. The accused had no prior convictions and was 16 at the time of the abuse. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court, with the judge and defence counsel presenting evidence and arguments regarding the offender's age and remorse. The victim's impact statement expressed discomfort and a desire never to see the offender again.
The Court of Appeal has determined that an eight-year prison sentence imposed on a Roscommon man convicted of raping his neighbour's daughter was unduly lenient. President of the Court of Appeal Mr Justice Seán Ryan delivered the decision on 1 December 2014, describing the offences as standing "on the most heinous level" and involving "depravity amounting to torture". The man had pleaded guilty to multiple counts of rape and sexual assault perpetrated between 2004 and 2008 against a child who was five years old when the abuse commenced. The original sentence, imposed in July 2013 by Mr Justice Paul Carney, comprised concurrent terms across fifteen rape charges and five sexual assault charges. The Director of Public Prosecutions successfully challenged the sentencing as inadequate. Mr Justice Ryan stated the sentencing judge had erred gravely in considering eight years appropriate for the rape charges. The existing sentence will remain in place pending a new sentencing hearing scheduled for 13 February 2015.
In 2014 the Court of Appeal reduced the sentence of 29‑year‑old Shane Millea, who stabbed his cousin Paul Harris to death with a flick knife he had given him as a present. Millea had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, and was originally sentenced to ten years with two years suspended. The appeal court found the original sentence too severe and set it aside, imposing an eight‑year term with the last three years suspended on the condition that Millea remain of good behaviour for four years. The court cited Millea's immediate remorse, acceptance of responsibility, and the fact that he had stayed at the scene and provided first aid. The decision was made after considering the gravity of the offence and mitigating factors such as the circumstances of self‑defence and the victim's prior knife possession. The judgment was reserved for a later date.
In a rape trial at the Central Criminal Court, High Court Judge Paul Carney returned from hospital to direct a jury of ten men and two women. He informed them that he would handle any questions by telephone and that they could now resume deliberations to reach a majority verdict. The jury had been sent home earlier after another judge declared Mr Carney unavailable. The accused, whose name is withheld, pleaded not guilty to 32 counts of rape and assault against a woman in County Clare between 1998 and 2004. Judge Carney stated he would be available for telephone queries and would return to receive the verdict.
A 19‑year‑old Limerick teenager, who was 16 at the time of the offences, pleaded guilty to two counts of oral rape and five counts of sexual assault against his seven‑year‑old step‑sister while she was under his care between February 2011 and January 2012. The abuse occurred in Limerick and Clare and was reported by the girl's parents after the teenager sent a text admitting the abuse. The girl, who was interviewed by Garda specialists, described daily abuse, including dragging her to the teenager's room and forcing her to touch his penis and put it in her mouth. The teenager admitted the acts, expressed remorse, and said he had moved out to stop the abuse. Mr Justice Paul Carney remanded him in custody until December for further assessment by the Probation Service. The case was prosecuted by Vincent Heneghan BL. The girl's statement expressed discomfort and a desire never to see the teenager again.
In the first criminal case heard by the new Court of Appeal, Kastriot Boza, aged 41, appealed a February 2012 sentence of six years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended for impeding a Garda murder investigation. The case concerned the murder of Peter Gunn, 29, who was found stabbed to death in Dunsoghly Lane, The Ward, on 15 January 2009 after being missing for 11 days. Boza admitted to disposing of a meat knife and a blood‑stained carpet to hinder the apprehension of the alleged murderer. He pleaded guilty on the morning of his trial, which took place in Dublin on 6 and 7 January 2009. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Justice Seán Ryan, reduced Boza's sentence to four years with the final two years suspended, noting mitigating factors such as duress, his cooperation with the prosecution, and his participation in the Witness Protection Programme.
A 21‑year‑old Dublin man, who was himself raped as a teenager, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of sexually assaulting his five‑year‑old niece between April and November 2011. He admitted fondling her when she entered his bed at night because she feared the dark and ghosts. The man, who was 13 when he was raped by an older man and forced to engage in sexual acts with his brother while in care, had previously been jailed for life for a separate case of "exceptional depravity"; that sentence was later reduced by the Court of Criminal Appeal. Judge Mary Ellen Ring adjourned the case to June next year, ordering the accused to continue counselling and stay away from the victim. He expressed remorse, wrote a letter to the victim, and claimed he did not know why he had acted.
A 23‑year‑old man from St Joseph's Way, Ballymun, denied all charges in a Central Criminal Court arraignment. He pleaded not guilty to murdering Jason Flannery on 13 September 2012 and to causing serious harm to John O'Neill, as well as to assaulting Jade Byrne, Anthony Byrne and Claire Byrne at the same time and place. Mr Justice Paul Carney sworn in a jury of five women and seven men, who will hear the case tomorrow. The two‑week trial will be the first murder case before the newly‑appointed Mr Justice Carroll Moran.
Michael Maughan, 40, was found guilty of murder and assault in Ennis, County Clare, after stabbing Piotr Nowakowski, 31, twice and striking him again in the head. The jury, after a two‑hour and 23‑minute trial, returned a unanimous verdict. Mr. Maughan had pleaded not guilty to both charges, but the prosecution rejected his manslaughter plea. Mr. Maughan, who had a history of alcohol‑related offences, claimed he was out of control and had no memory of the motive. Mr. Nowakowski was a Polish immigrant who had come to Ireland for a better life. Mr. Maughan was sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment for the murder, concurrent with a four‑year sentence for the assault, both back‑dated to 24 July 2013 for time already spent in custody. The court heard that Mr. Maughan had 68 prior convictions dating back to 1991, including public order, burglary and theft.
Patrick O'Brien, aged 74, pleaded guilty to 16 rape and indecent assault charges committed between 1973 and 1982 at Mackintosh Park, Pottery Road, Dun Laoghaire. The trial judge, Mr Justice Paul Carney, described the case as one of the worst abuse cases and, considering O'Brien's health, sentenced him to 12 years in prison, suspending the final nine years and granting bail pending appeal. The DPP has appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient. The State's application will be heard by the new Court of Appeal on 17 December, while O'Brien remains in prison serving the unsuspended portion of his sentence.
In a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Paul Carney instructed the jury that alcohol does not excuse criminal responsibility. The accused, Michael Maughan, 40, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of Piotr Nowakowski, 31, who was stabbed twice on 23 July 2013 and died en route to a hospital. Maughan and his brother had been drinking with Nowakowski and two others earlier that day and returned to the apartment later that night. Maughan also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Declan O'Dea at the same address. The judge emphasized that intent can arise instantly and that pre‑planning is not required. The prosecution argued that ample evidence supported a murder conviction, while the defence highlighted Maughan's alcoholism and recent release from an addiction centre. The jury was sworn in for a week‑long trial.
The trial of Michael Maughan, 40, of Stone Court, Ennis, continues before a jury of seven men and five women under Mr Justice Paul Carney. Maughan pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Piotr Nowakowski, 31, at Sandfield Mews, Ennis, on 23 July 2013. The prosecution rejected the manslaughter plea and a jury was sworn in for the murder trial. Maughan also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Declan O'Dea at the same address and date. Detective Garda Brendan Rouine testified that he saw a man with two stab wounds to the chest and that O'Dea was injured in the leg, face and head. He described the accused as "known to drink a lot" and recounted that Maughan claimed he was angry because he could not enter the apartment, that he had lifted his brother to gain entry, and that he stabbed Nowakowski twice after the victim emerged.
A 36‑year‑old man from Cork was sentenced to five years in prison for sexually assaulting his younger sister between 1991 and 1997. The Central Criminal Court, sitting in Cork, found him guilty of 23 counts of sexual assault after a trial in July. The abuse began when the accused was 14 and his sister 10, continuing until he was 20 and she was 16. Mr Justice Paul Carney described the offences as grave, noted the victim's impact, the multiplicity of acts and the victim's age, and imposed a five‑year term. He suspended the final year, citing the man's lack of prior convictions, good employment history and youth, and ordered him to stay away from the victim permanently, except with her consent. The judge also imposed 18 months of post‑release supervision. The accused, who has learning difficulties, has been in custody since conviction.
Michael Maughan, aged 40, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of Piotr Nowakowski, 31, at Sandfield Mews, Ennis, on 23 July 2013. He also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Declan O'Dea at the same address. In Garda interviews, Maughan admitted stabbing Nowakowski twice, kicking him in the head after paramedics arrived, and claimed he had no control, saying he "just went berserk" after seeing a knife. He denied intent to kill, stating he thought Nowakowski was drunk. Cross‑examination of Maughan by Garda Stephen Hession echoed this, describing the incident as "total madness" with no excuse. Margaret Nihill, Maughan's former girlfriend, testified about their relationship and his alcohol consumption that night. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis reported that Nowakowski died from stab wounds to the chest, lung and liver, plus blunt force trauma to the head, with a blood alcohol level of 415 mg per cent.
During a murder trial, a paramedic testified that he saw the deceased, Piotr Nowakowski, being kicked in the head. The accused, Michael Maughan, 40, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The paramedic, Ralph O'Neill, arrived at 1:05 am after a call about a stabbing at Sandfield Mews. He described a scene where several men were present, the victim lying on the floor with multiple wounds, and a third man repeatedly kicking him. Maughan's brother, Darren, and the third man were also present. The paramedics left the scene at 1:57 am, hoping to transport the patient by helicopter, but he died at Shannon Airport. The trial continues with a jury hearing the case.
A 36‑year‑old nurse, Greta Dudko, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of her 55‑year‑old mother, Anna Butautiene, on Christmas Eve 2010. Dudko admitted striking her mother's head against a wall and then hitting her twice with a glass bottle, resulting in blunt‑force trauma. The trial, held at the Central Criminal Court, noted Dudko's alcohol problem and medication use, her suspension from nursing due to intoxication, and the recent move of her family from the shared home. She claimed lack of intent because of intoxication and invoked provocation, citing her mother's alleged threats to take her grandson back to Lithuania. The jury, after four and a half hours of deliberation, returned a majority verdict of 11‑to‑1, finding her guilty of murder. The life sentence is back‑dated to her September 2011 arrest. The case was the second jury hearing after a hung jury the previous year.
Warren Dumbrell, aged 40, and his brother Jeffrey, aged 34, were sentenced to life imprisonment in February 2011 after being convicted of murdering Christopher Cawley, a father of six, outside his flat in Inchicore on 29 October 2006. The brothers had pleaded not guilty and were found guilty in 2008, but the Court of Criminal Appeal deemed the conviction unsafe in July 2010 because of remarks made by Mr Justice Paul Carney during a lecture he delivered while presiding over the case. The court ordered a retrial, and the brothers were convicted again. In 2014, Dumbrell's counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, applied to the Court of Criminal Appeal to determine whether Dumbrell's failed appeal involved a point of law of exceptional public importance and whether it should be taken to the Supreme Court.
The trial of Greta Dudko, a 36-year-old nurse accused of killing her mother, Anna Butautiene, in their Dublin home on Christmas Eve 2010, is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court. Ms. Dudko has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of the 55-year-old but maintains a not guilty plea to her murder. During closing submissions, defence counsel Caroline Biggs SC argued that the accused lacked the specific intent required for murder due to severe intoxication and the paradoxical effects of her medications. She urged the jury to consider this partial defence or, alternatively, provocation, citing the accused's claim that the incident was spontaneous. Prosecuting counsel Pauline Walley SC countered that the scene, described as a 'silent witness,' showed no signs of a struggle, such as scuff marks or overturned furniture. Mr Justice Paul Carney instructed the jury that their verdict options were guilty of murder or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. After deliberating for more than two hours, the jury has not reached a decision. The matter was adjourned, with the jury scheduled to resume deliberations the following morning.
The trial of Greta Dudko, a 36-year-old nurse, is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court. Dudko has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of her mother, 55-year-old Anna Butautiene, but pleaded not guilty to her murder at their Clonsilla home on December 24, 2010. The prosecution, led by Pauline Walley SC, argued that the accused possessed the necessary intent for murder, describing her as an ordinary person who made bad decisions. Ms. Walley highlighted evidence suggesting the accused wanted her mother "exterminated from her life," citing the destruction of the deceased's phone, passport, and glasses. She noted the absence of scuff marks on the wall, challenging the accused's account of a physical struggle. The court heard that Butautiene died of blunt force trauma to the head. The defence, represented by Caroline Biggs SC, has begun her closing speech. The matter was adjourned, with the defence continuing its address before Mr Justice Paul Carney and the jury on Tuesday morning.
In a Dublin trial, a 36‑year‑old nurse, Greta Dudko, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of her 55‑year‑old mother, Anna Butautiene, who died on Christmas Eve 2010. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis testified that Butautiene's death was caused by blunt force trauma to the head, with five wounds from multiple blows, including a fractured skull. Dudko claimed she struck her mother's head against a wall twice and then struck her with a glass bottle. The jury heard that Dudko had been a reliable nurse at New Park Care Centre until December 2010, when she left work early citing a winter vomiting bug, later admitted to taking Tramadol. She was suspended for three months and advised to seek GP treatment. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Carney, will continue on Monday with a jury of seven men and five women.
In a 2014 murder trial, a jury in the Central Criminal Court saw photographs of the body of Anna Butautiene, a 55‑year‑old Lithuanian mother, who was killed by her daughter, 36‑year‑old nurse Greta Dudko, on Christmas Eve 2010. Detective Sergeant Paul Curran testified that he photographed the remains in the bed, noting the deceased's hands over her chest, redness on her head, blood, and smearing on the wall. He also photographed burnt passport fragments found in a rubbish bin. An exhibits officer showed the charred remains to each juror. Dr Haroon Khan examined Dudko at Blanchardstown Garda Station after 10 pm, noting she was not under the influence of alcohol at that time, though a later blood sample showed a level of 151 mg, equivalent to about six glasses of vodka. Dudko had been taking several medications that could interact with alcohol. Greta Dudko pleaded guilty.
In a 2014 trial, a jury was shown a bloodstained Irish Knights bottle, a key piece of evidence in the case of 36‑year‑old Greta Dudko, who is charged with murdering her 55‑year‑old mother, Anna Butautiene, on Christmas Eve 2010. Forensic scientist John Hoade presented the bottle, noting blood stains on its label and matching DNA from the blood to the deceased. He also showed blood with the same DNA profile on a sleeveless jacket and mentioned two light‑coloured hairs found on Ms. Butautiene's left hand, though their origin could not be determined. The jury also viewed a blood‑soaked pillow, a bloodstained duvet, and the deceased's passport, which had been cut and burnt. Detective Sergeant Thomas Carey testified about the scene, describing the victim's heavily blood‑stained face and wounds, and the discovery of bank cards in her daughter's name. Greta Dudko pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin trial, a 36‑year‑old nurse, Greta Dudko, pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder for killing her 55‑year‑old mother, Anna Butautiene, on Christmas Eve 2010. The jury heard that Dudko struck her mother twice with a glass bottle after pushing her against a wall in their duplex. Detective Garda Patrick Traynor presented evidence from a rubbish bin, including heavily‑bloodstained latex gloves and the charred remains of a Lithuanian passport in the mother's name. Dudko claimed the passport was her old one and denied intent to destroy it. A post‑mortem revealed more than the four head injuries she admitted. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Carney, continues before a jury of seven men and five women.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Greta Dudko, 36, admitted to striking her mother, Anna Butautiene, 55, with an empty glass bottle on Christmas Eve 2010, claiming she feared her mother would ruin her life. Dudko said the altercation began when her mother returned home to find her daughter had allowed her three‑year‑old son to stay with her husband, whom the family had left weeks earlier. Dudko described pushing her mother against a wall, then retrieving a bottle from the kitchen and striking her twice over the head while she lay in bed. She denied intent to kill, stating she only wanted her mother to leave. The case is proceeding before Mr Justice Paul Carney with a jury of seven men and five women. Greta Dudko pleaded guilty.
The Central Criminal Court heard the case of Greta Dudko, a 36‑year‑old nurse, charged with murdering her mother, Anna Butautiene, 55, on Christmas Eve 2010. Dudko admitted striking Anna with a bottle, killing her, but denied the murder at the address. She pleaded not guilty to murder and guilty to manslaughter, a plea rejected by the DPP. The court heard that Dudko had an alcohol problem, had been suspended from work, and had left her husband weeks before the killing. She had moved to Station Court Hall with her three‑year‑old son and her mother, who had come to Ireland to help care for the child. Dudko's estranged husband, Vitalij Dudko, testified that his wife's mother was a caring grandmother who would never leave their son with his wife when she was drinking. He said the mother accused them of being bad parents and threatened to take the child back to Lithuania.
A 36‑year‑old Lithuanian nurse, Greta Dudko, went on trial at the Central Criminal Court on 8 October 2014. She is charged with murdering her 55‑year‑old mother, Anna Butautiene, on Christmas Eve 2010 by striking her over the head with a bottle. Dudko has denied the murder but pleaded not guilty to murder and guilty to manslaughter, a plea rejected by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The trial began with testimony from her husband, Vitalij Dudko, who described the shock of learning of the death on Christmas Day and recounted the events of the night, including his wife's drunken state and the alleged altercation with her mother. Prosecutor Pauline Walley SC presented evidence that Dudko had been suspended from her nursing job weeks before the killing and that the family had moved to a duplex near Station Court Hall. The jury, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Carney, will decide Dudko's intent in the killing.
Sanjeev Chada, 44, of Co. Carlow, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court to two mandatory life sentences for the murder of his sons, Eoghan (10) and Ruairi (5). The sentences, handed down by Mr Justice Paul Carney, run concurrently and were backdated to July 31, 2013. Chada pleaded guilty to murdering the boys in Skehanagh Lower, Ballintubber, Co. Mayo, on July 29, 2013, after their bodies were discovered in the boot of his crashed car. He admitted strangling them with a rope and causing blunt force trauma to Eoghan's head. The court heard that Chada had accumulated significant gambling debts and intended to kill his wife, Kathleen Chada, but spared her. Kathleen Chada delivered an emotional victim impact statement, describing the loss of her children. Defense counsel Brendan Grehan SC noted Chada's guilty plea and his current status on suicide watch at the Central Mental Hospital. The matter was finalized with the imposition of the life sentences.
A 36‑year‑old Lithuanian woman, Greta Dudko, admitted killing her mother, Anna Butautiene, 55, on Christmas Eve 2010 at Station Court Hall, Clonsilla. She pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, a plea rejected by the DPP. Mr Justice Paul Carney has sworn in a jury of seven men and five women. Her trial will start tomorrow and is expected to last up to three weeks.
In October 2014, Adrian Mooney, a 36‑year‑old from Offaly, was jailed for nine years after pleading guilty to 11 rape charges in 2008. He forced a young woman to have sex with him up to three times a week, threatening her with IRA punishment. His sentence included registration as a sex offender and five years of post‑release supervision. Mooney has now filed a High Court application seeking early release under the 2007 Prison Rules, claiming entitlement to a one‑third remission because he has served more than 66% of his sentence and has shown good behaviour, participated in prison programmes, and taken education courses. The Minister for Justice has not yet responded. Mr Justice Michael Peart granted Mooney permission to bring judicial review proceedings to compel the Minister to decide on the remission. The case is returnable later in the month. Similar applications by other prisoners, including former Real IRA member Michael McKevitt, are also pending.
A 30‑year‑old man, Gary Flynn, charged with the murder of Seamus (Shay) O'Byrne, was refused bail by Mr Justice Paul Carney at the Central Criminal Court. Flynn was remanded in custody and a trial has been scheduled for 11 January 2016.
The Central Criminal Court heard that six months of CCTV footage are available in the murder case of Graham Dwyer, a 41‑year‑old south Dublin architect charged with killing childcare worker Elaine O'Hara, 37, on 22 August 2012. Mr Dwyer was present in court. Defence counsel Ronan Kennedy BL applied for a second junior counsel; the judge agreed. The case contains 540 witness statements, 408 witnesses, seven volumes of evidence, 925 exhibits and five terabytes of computer data. The trial is scheduled to start 19 January next year and is expected to last six weeks.
Lounes Ouachek, 44, of St Dominic's Terrace, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to attempting to murder his wife, Ruta Ouachek, 35, by striking her on the head with a kettle bell on 23 August 2012. The court heard the couple's marriage had deteriorated after he lost his job and she began an engineering degree, and that he resented her independence. The assault left her with skull and facial fractures, motor and sensory deficits, and required surgery at Tallaght and Beaumont Hospitals. Ouachek fled the scene, left the house, and later travelled to Tunisia via Paris, leaving his wife injured for nine hours. He was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment with three years suspended, backdated to 14 February 2013, and ordered to stay away from his wife and undergo 18 months of post‑release supervision. The judge noted his guilty plea, lack of prior convictions, and foreign nationality as mitigating factors. The sentence reflects the callous and brutal nature of the crime.
In 2014, a Limerick man, Adam Fitzgibbon, aged 20, was sentenced to fifteen years for an unprovoked, sustained, and vicious attack that left a 16‑year‑old schoolboy with permanent brain damage. CCTV showed Fitzgibbon delivering 65 kicks, 26 punches, and multiple stamps to the victim's head, chest, and body, continuing the assault after the boy had stopped moving. The Central Criminal Court accepted a plea of intentionally causing serious harm, and Mr Justice Paul Carney imposed a fifteen‑year sentence with the final three years suspended. On appeal, the Court of Criminal Appeal reduced the sentence to nine‑and‑a‑half years, citing mitigating factors such as Fitzgibbon's young age, difficult background, substance‑abuse history, and attempts to address these issues. The reduction was based on a sentencing analysis that placed the offence at the upper end of the range for similar cases.
A 44‑year‑old Algerian man, Lounes Ouachek, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to attempting to murder his wife, Ruta Ouachek, by striking her on the head with a kettle bell on 23 August 2012. The court heard that the couple's marriage had deteriorated after he lost his job and she began an engineering degree. After the attack, Ms Ouachek fled the house, drove to Dublin airport and left for Tunisia, leaving her injured. She was found unconscious on the bathroom floor by a neighbour and taken to Tallaght Hospital, where she suffered a complex skull fracture and later transferred to Beaumont Hospital for surgery. Ms Ouachek sustained bruising, motor and sensory deficits, and continues to suffer physical and psychological effects. The court remanded Ouachek in custody and adjourned sentencing to the following Monday.
The trial of Alan Wilson, 35, charged with murdering 18‑year‑old Marioara Rostas in Dublin in 2008, will open on Wednesday. Wilson pleaded not guilty. He was arraigned at the Central Criminal Court last week and a jury was sworn in. The trial was scheduled to start Monday but was delayed because two jurors could not serve, leading to the jury's discharge. A new jury was then sworn in, with Justice Paul Carney reminding them of their commitment to serve until a verdict. The trial is expected to last three to four weeks.
John Biggins, a 35-year-old man from Claremorris, County Mayo, was ordered by the Central Criminal Court to return to the Central Mental Hospital following his acquittal. Biggins had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of his father, Thomas Biggins, who was shot twice with a shotgun at their home in May 2012. The jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity after a two-day trial. Consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Sally Lenihan testified that Biggins, who has chronic schizophrenia, has made good progress in rehabilitation but requires ongoing specialist care. She recommended his return to the hospital, a recommendation accepted by Mr Justice Paul Carney. Defence expert Dr Paul O'Connell had previously stated that Biggins suffered from psychotic symptoms and paranoid delusions, fulfilling criteria under the Mental Insanity Act. The court noted that Biggins was diagnosed with severe schizophrenia and mild intellectual disability. The judge issued the order based on the psychiatric recommendations, ensuring the defendant continues to receive the necessary specialist treatment for his condition.
John Biggins, 35, of Ballynalty, Cross, Claremorris, was found not guilty by reason of insanity of murdering his father, Thomas Biggins, 70, at their home on May 6, 2012. The Central Criminal Court jury returned a unanimous verdict after 27 minutes of deliberation. Biggins had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The court heard that Biggins was diagnosed with severe schizophrenia and mild intellectual disability. Defence psychiatrists testified that he met the criteria under the Mental Insanity Act, citing psychotic symptoms and paranoid delusions. Prosecution counsel Bernard Condon SC requested an order to commit Biggins to the Central Mental Hospital, with a return date set for the following Wednesday to appear before the court. Mr Justice Paul Carney thanked the jury and exempted them from further service for life. Evidence indicated Biggins shot his father twice with a legally held shotgun. After the incident, Biggins rang 999, told Garda Mark Kilbride he was turning himself in, and drove to Ballinrobe Garda Station, where he was cooperative. Detective Sergeant James Carroll described the post-event behavior as "quite bizarre," noting Biggins stated, "I just shot the aul lad…I'll be going to jail now." The matter was adjourned for the proposed disposal hearing.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, Vera McGrath, aged 65, pleaded guilty to materially assisting the killer of her husband, Bernard Brian McGrath, who was 43 at the time of his death. The offence involved the disposal of evidence linked to Bernard's manslaughter at Lower Coole, Westmeath, committed by Colin Pinder between 16 March and 18 April 1987. Mr Justice Paul Carney adjourned sentencing to the following Thursday and remanded Ms McGrath on continuing bail until that date.
John Biggins, 35, of Ballynalty, Cross, Claremorris, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Carney, accused of murdering his father, Thomas Biggins, 70, at that address on May 6, 2012. The accused entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. Prosecution counsel Bernard Condon SC stated the defence of insanity is being raised, with the burden on the accused to prove insanity. The court heard the accused was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and on disability allowance. Evidence indicated the victim was shot twice with his own legally held shotgun in his yard; Prof Marie Cassidy identified a shotgun wound to the left chest as the cause of death. Det Sgt James Carroll testified that the accused handed himself in at Ballinrobe Garda Station after calling 999, stating, "I just shot the aul lad…I'll be going to jail now." He was co-operative during detention. The accused told gardai he had contemplated suicide and had searched websites on how to kill himself. A hangman's noose and two ropes were found in a barn loft. The accused has no previous convictions. The trial continues.
A 37‑year‑old man, Darren Murphy, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of 36‑year‑old Olivia Dunlea, who was his partner for three months. The trial, held in the Central Criminal Court, lasted seven days. Murphy pleaded not guilty to murder but attempted to plead guilty to manslaughter. He admitted setting fire to Dunlea's home, claiming he did not want children to see her, and pleaded guilty to a second charge of arson. The jury found him guilty of murder by a 10‑to‑one majority after four and a half hours of deliberation. The judge imposed a mandatory life sentence, backdated to the date of his arrest, and remanded him in custody for the arson charge. The verdict was met with sobbing from Dunlea's family, while Murphy remained silent throughout the proceedings.
Darren Murphy, 37, pleaded not guilty to murder of his girlfriend Olivia Dunlea, 36, and guilty to arson of her house on 17 February 2013. The jury heard that the couple had been together for about three months and had a heated argument the night before the death. Prosecutor Thomas Creed argued that Murphy, described as possessive, had checked Dunlea's texts, drove past her home at 3 am, and then set the house on fire while she was inside. He claimed Murphy watched the blaze from Church Hill "like Nero" and left her in a situation where she could have been saved. Defence counsel Michael Delaney presented a narrative of provocation, citing a prior relationship with another man, Fás, and alleged that Murphy's loss of self‑control was sudden. The jury deliberated for 2 hours 17 minutes before returning the next day. The case remains at the trial stage.
In a murder trial in Dublin, Darren Murphy, 37, is charged with killing 36‑year‑old Olivia Dunlea in her Pembroke Crescent home on 17 February 2013. He has pleaded not guilty to the murder but guilty to arson after stabbing her. During his final interview, his barrister Michael Delaney SC questioned Garda Sergeant Anthony Harrington about a nine‑and‑a‑half‑minute gap between Murphy's release from the cell and the recorder being turned on, suggesting a pre‑interview discussion. Harrington denied any discussion, citing possible discrepancies between the station clock and the recorder. Detective Garda James Nagle agreed that no discussion had taken place. The jury heard testimony from Sergeant Stephen Dennehy about a watch inscription on Dunlea's body. The prosecution has closed its case before Mr Justice Paul Carney and a jury of eleven.
In a Court of Criminal Appeal hearing, Adam Fitzgibbon, aged 20, was described as "vastly better" than two years ago after a brutal attack on a 16‑year‑old schoolboy that left the victim with permanent brain damage. Fitzgibbon's assault, captured on CCTV, involved 65 kicks, 26 punches and several stamps to the boy's head, chest and body, and was deemed unprovoked, sustained and vicious. He had previously been sentenced to 15 years, with the final three years suspended, for intentionally causing serious harm. The appeal argued that Fitzgibbon's severe background, including drug and alcohol problems, should be considered in sentencing. The court will review reports of his progress in prison and hear submissions from the appellant and the Director of Public Prosecutions before deciding a new sentence. The victim remains in a state of ongoing medical care for weakness, deafness and speech problems.
A 45‑year‑old Algerian man, Lounes Ouachek of St Dominic's Terrace, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of his 32‑year‑old wife, Ruta Ouachek, at their home on 23 August 2012. He was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court, where Mr Justice Paul Carney adjourned sentencing to 14 July and ordered that the victim's evidence be presented by video link.
A 35-year-old man from Claremorris in County Mayo has pleaded not guilty to murdering his elderly father by reason of insanity at the Central Criminal Court. John Biggins of Ballynalty, Cross, Claremorris faces a charge of murdering Thomas Biggins, aged 71, at the same address on May 6th 2012. Following his arraignment before Mr Justice Paul Carney, a jury of seven men and five women was sworn in to hear the trial. The proceedings are scheduled to commence on Thursday and are anticipated to last approximately two days.
A 65‑year‑old Vera McGrath of Volvenstown, Fordstown, Navan, Co Meath pleaded guilty in the Central Criminal Court to being an accessory after the fact to her husband's manslaughter. She admitted materially assisting the killer, Bernard Brian McGrath, by disposing of evidence linked to his 1987 manslaughter at Lower Coole, Westmeath. The charge named Colin Pinder as the killer. Mr Justice Paul Carney accepted the plea and remanded her on continuing bail for sentencing on Friday.
In a murder trial, the court heard that text messages exchanged between the deceased, Olivia Dunlea, and the accused, Darren Murphy, were of a friendly nature in the days leading up to her death. Murphy, 37, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, and also pleaded guilty to arson on Dunlea's home. The court noted that for about three months prior to the incident, the pair were "an item." On the night before her death, they were at the Rochestown Inn, then had a quarrel at home. Murphy claimed he "just snapped" after a confrontation, describing a rapid escalation to a knife attack. Garda testimony indicated extensive texting of a good nature, no evidence of conflict, and that Dunlea's phone was destroyed by Murphy. The case proceeded to a jury hearing on Monday.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 22 May 2014, a 37‑year‑old man named Darren Murphy pleaded not guilty to the murder of 36‑year‑old Olivia Dunlea, whom he had dated for three months. He also pleaded guilty to arson of the deceased's home on the same night. Murphy told the court that a knife was "no sooner in my hands than it was in her neck" after a heated argument. He described how he stabbed Ms Dunlea at the back of the neck, then tried to leave the scene, wiping the knife on a pillow and discarding it in the toilet to stop a ringing phone. A taxi driver, Thomas Farrell, testified that he and Ms Dunlea had been friends and had a one‑night stand months earlier, but had no further contact. The case was set to continue before a jury the following day.