A 32-year-old carpenter from Longford has avoided a custodial sentence following his admission to permitting the supply of heroin within his vehicle. Robert Nevin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to an offence relating to a controlled substance found in a van he was driving on August 15, 2012. Gardaí stopped the white Ford Transit after observing a red light breach and discovered approximately 120 grammes of heroin, valued at over €18,000, concealed within the vehicle. Nevin had travelled from Mullingar to Dublin with another man to collect the drugs. Judge Martin Nolan suspended a three-and-a-half-year sentence. The defence outlined that Nevin, who had previously operated a carpentry business serving Donegal and Sligo, developed a heroin addiction following personal difficulties and his mother's death in 2007. His co-accused received a similar sentence with a portion suspended.
Greg Crawford, aged 27, of St Munchin's Street, Limerick, has applied to the Court of Appeal to overturn his 2012 conviction for the murder of Gareth Brosnan‑Grant on 8 October 2007. He pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court and was sentenced to life imprisonment by Mr Justice Paul Carney. Crawford's barrister, Brendan Grehan SC, argues that the identification of Crawford by witnesses was flawed and that the judge failed to give an adequate identification warning contextualised to the case. He also contends that Gardaí's illegal entry into Crawford's grandparents' home after the shooting violated the law, citing the nullification of the power under section 29 of the Offences Against the State Act. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel, Thomas Creed SC, maintains that the judge properly warned the jury and that circumstantial evidence, including a firearm found in the grandparents' house, supports the conviction. The Court will reserve judgment until 16 February.
Padraig Seery, 27, a Castle Celtic footballer, was charged with assault after head‑butting Leixlip Town captain Mark Coyne during a United Churches Football League match. Seery first kicked Coyne's ankle and then head‑butted him, causing a broken nose that required surgery. The referee issued a red card and the incident was witnessed by several Leixlip players who described it as unprovoked. Seery pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan suspended an 18‑month jail sentence and ordered Seery to pay €5,000 to Coyne. Seery had offered the payment as a token of remorse and an apology. Coyne accepted the payment, though he had not yet paid for his operation. Seery had previously sought anger‑management counselling and legal advice. The case was heard in February 2012 and concluded with the suspended sentence and financial penalty.
In 2011, George Arundel, 27, was found guilty of attempted rape, sexual assault, rape and false imprisonment at Tinker's Field, Cork, and sentenced to ten years' imprisonment in 2012. He appealed to the Court of Appeal, arguing that the jury's verdict was perverse and that inconsistencies in the victim's testimony undermined the conviction. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal, stating that any inconsistencies were matters for the jury and that the evidence was substantially consistent. Arundel also appealed his sentence on the basis of mitigating circumstances, including his age and drug addiction, but the Court of Appeal upheld the original sentence, finding no error in the sentencing process. The appeal was dismissed, and Arundel remains in prison to serve the remainder of his term. George Arundel pleaded not guilty.
John Prendiville, 49, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 14‑year‑old boy in Kerry on 12 May 2012. The boy was in residential care at the time. Prendiville had 33 prior convictions, including five for sexual assault and four for failing to notify the Gardaí under the Sex Offender's Act. He had recently been released from Castlerea Prison after a six‑year term for sex assault. He took the teenager to his B&B, kissed him and performed oral sex. The court suspended the final two years of a twelve‑year sentence, requiring Prendiville to stay away from the victim and undergo 18 months of post‑release supervision. The boy, who was found drunk and reporting assault, was later moved to a new care centre for his safety. The case highlighted Prendiville's repeated breaches of the Sex Offender's Register. John Prendiville pleaded guilty.
A 23-year-old man from Mount Prospect in Roscommon has pleaded guilty to manslaughter before the Central Criminal Court. Ray Gralton was arraigned on Monday in connection with the death of a woman in December 2013. He entered a not guilty plea to murder but accepted responsibility for manslaughter in the incident at Mayo Abbey, Claremorris. The State indicated acceptance of the guilty plea. Mr Justice Paul Carney remanded Gralton in custody pending sentencing, which has been scheduled for 23 March to allow time for the preparation of a probation report.
Patrick O'Brien, aged 74, was sentenced by the Court of Appeal to 12 years' imprisonment with a three‑year suspension, following a review of his original 12‑year custodial sentence that had been deemed too lenient. The appeal court confirmed the custodial term and adjusted the suspended period from nine to three years. O'Brien had pleaded guilty to 16 counts of rape and indecent assault of his daughter, Fiona Doyle, committed in the 1970s and 80s. The judge noted O'Brien's serious health problems and advanced age but ruled that these did not preclude imprisonment. The sentence was imposed on the same conditions as the original, with O'Brien required to post a €100 bond and remain in custody from the date of release. The court emphasised that the guilty plea was a mitigating factor in determining the final sentence. The decision was made by Mr Justice Seán Ryan, sitting with Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan and Mr Justice Alan Mahon.
John Walsh, 49, appealed his murder conviction, arguing that Gardaí had "harvested" evidence after misleading his solicitor about the nature of his arrest. He was arrested on a bench warrant for failing to display a valid NCT certificate, and his solicitor, Frank Buttimer, was told this was the only issue. While in custody, Walsh provided five sets of material evidence related to the murder of John McManus, which the appeal contends was done without meaningful legal advice. The appeal cites the Supreme Court's Gormley ruling, which requires suspects to receive meaningful legal advice before interrogation. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment, with a decision expected "as soon as possible.".
Karl Donohoe, 33, of Ringsend, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Ray Bates, 49, at a junction in Sandymount on 26 September 2010. The original 12‑year sentence, with the last two years suspended, was deemed too severe by the Court of Appeal. The appeal court, led by Justice Seán Ryan, found that the circumstances—both men driving in the same direction, a brief altercation after a traffic light, and Donohoe's use of a hurley to strike Bates—did not justify a "category of gravity" warranting the full term. The court reduced the sentence to ten years, suspending the final two years, and imposed a €1,000 bond for good behaviour during the suspended period. The decision was based solely on the facts presented in the trial and the appellate judges' assessment of mitigating factors. The summary reflects the procedural outcome as stated in the article.
In 2010, Douglas Ward, 38, of Louth, killed 18‑year‑old Niall Dorr in a prolonged assault on Castle Road, Dundalk. Ward pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was originally sentenced to 16 years' imprisonment, with three years suspended, by Mr Justice Paul Carney in 2012. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice Seán Ryan, found the sentence excessive, citing Ward's lack of pre‑meditation, no serious prior convictions, and his efforts to address alcohol and drug problems. The appeal court reduced the sentence to 13 years' imprisonment, again with three years suspended. The decision was based on the violent nature of the attack, the severity of injuries, and the absence of provocation or prior conflict involving Dorr. Ward expressed remorse for the killing. The case remains a manslaughter conviction with a reduced custodial term.
John Prendiville, 49, who has no fixed abode, will be sentenced next week for sexually assaulting a 14‑year‑old boy in a Kerry town in May 2012. Prendiville pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court. The court heard that the victim was in residential care at the time and was found drunk and slumped against a door after being reported missing. Prendiville had been released from Castlerea Prison after serving a six‑year term for a previous sex assault and had taken the teenager to his B&B where he performed oral sex. He admitted he knew the victim was underage and referred to him as a "kid" and a "young fella." The victim's impact report described lasting fear and mistrust, and his social worker noted he had been moved to a new care centre for safety. Prendiville's 33 prior convictions include five for sexual assault and four for failing to notify Gardaí under the Sex Offender's Act.
A 41‑year‑old man, Graham Dwyer of Foxrock, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of 37‑year‑old Elaine O'Hara, who was killed on 22 August 2012 in Kilakee, Rathfarnham. Dwyer was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court and stood in a navy suit, pleading not guilty. Judge Paul Carney warned potential jurors about the case's graphic nature and that anyone connected to the website www.alt.com should not serve. A jury of five women and seven men was sworn in to hear the trial, which will begin tomorrow morning.
Patrick O'Brien, aged 75, was convicted of 16 counts of rape and indecent assault against his daughter Fiona Doyle between 1973 and 1982. The Central Criminal Court sentenced him to 12 years' imprisonment, suspending nine years, and granted bail pending appeal. The Court of Appeal later ruled the sentence unduly lenient, stating that ill or elderly defendants are not exempt from prison. O'Brien's health conditions—arthritis, heart disease, lung problems, and other ailments—were considered, but the court noted that prison care could match community care. The appeal will decide a new sentence while O'Brien remains in custody. The case highlights the court's stance that serious health issues do not preclude custodial punishment for severe offences. The unnamed 75-year-old pleaded guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 27‑year‑old Westmeath man pleaded guilty to four offences committed over two days in June 2014: attempted rape, aggravated sexual assault, threats to kill and false imprisonment of a woman. The prosecution, represented by Garett Baker BL, cited a psychological report recommending further assessment. Judge Paul Carney adjourned sentencing to 16 March.
In a case heard by the Court of Appeal, a 25‑year‑old Connaught man who had pleaded guilty to two counts of buggery of mentally impaired brothers was given a reduced sentence. The original eight‑year term, with the final two years suspended, was set aside because the sentencing judge had not properly considered the offender's age at the time of the offences and his lack of relevant prior convictions. The Court of Appeal imposed a new six‑year sentence, with the final two years suspended, for each offence to run concurrently. The offender, who had been between 17 and 19 when the crimes occurred, was required to enter a €100 bond, keep the peace, be of good behaviour for two years and have no contact with the victims. The Court noted the offender's remorse and the early guilty plea as mitigating factors.
Karl Donohoe, 33, of Bealing Village, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of British national Raymond Bates, 49, after a road‑rage incident on 30 September 2010. Donohoe beat Bates with a hurley stick, striking him on the head and repeatedly hitting him while he was on the ground. Bates, a construction worker from Durham, was later pronounced dead after a four‑day hospital stay. In April 2012, Mr Justice Paul Carney sentenced Donohoe to 12 years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, citing the savagery of the assault and Donohoe's self‑appointment as "sheriff and enforcer" in response to Bates' drunken driving. Donohoe appealed the sentence, arguing the judge had erred by referencing a separate case and the hate mail he had received. The Court of Appeal reserved judgment for 19 January, while counsel for the DPP maintained that the sentence was proportionate to the aggravating and mitigating factors presented. The case remains pending appeal.
Patrick O'Brien, aged 75, pleaded guilty to 16 rape and indecent assault charges committed between 1973 and 1982. The trial judge, Mr Justice Paul Carney, sentenced him to 12 years' imprisonment, suspended the final nine years, and granted him bail pending appeal. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice Seán Ryan, found the sentence unduly lenient and ordered a review. The appeal was based on the argument that O'Brien's age alone should not mitigate his sentence and that there was insufficient evidence that his medical conditions made prison intolerable. The Court of Appeal will give reasons on 19 January and impose a new sentence on 26 January. O'Brien was present in court, assisted by a mobility aid, and his daughter Fiona Doyle attended with supporters.
A 41‑year‑old woman, Mercy Peters, originally from Sierra Leone, faces trial for the murder of her former partner, 42‑year‑old Tyrone McKenna, who was killed on 17 July at their shared home in Marlay Court, Rathfarnham. The case was heard before the Central Criminal Court, and Mr Justice Paul Carney set the trial for 20 June 2016.
In October 2016, the Central Criminal Court will hear the trial of eight Tallaght residents charged in the murder of 20‑year‑old Dale Creighton, who died on 2 January after being injured on a footbridge on Saint Dominic's Road. Seven defendants—Aisling Burke (21), David Burke (26), Graham Palmer (24), Ross Callery (21), James Reid (24), Jason Beresford (21) and Gerard Stephens (25)—are charged with murder. A eighth defendant, James O'Brien (22), is charged with assault causing harm. The trial is expected to last eight weeks, with the first hearing set for 3 October 2016.
A Letterkenny chiropractor has had his sentence for burglary reduced on appeal. Kevin Ginty, aged 47, pleaded guilty to burgling the home of a woman with whom he had been in a relationship. He was initially sentenced to five years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court in July 2013 for the offence committed in April 2010. The Court of Appeal has now reduced the sentence to two years, to run from the date of his conviction. The court found that insufficient weight had been given to Ginty's lack of previous convictions and his standing in the community. Whilst acknowledging the seriousness of the burglary, which involved an assault on the woman in her own home, the appellate court determined that a two-year custodial sentence was more proportionate for a first-time offender in cases of this nature.
In a case involving a 29‑year‑old man who pleaded guilty to sexual assault, false imprisonment and the production of a knife, the Court of Appeal reduced his sentence. The original 2012 judgment had imposed six years for the assault and false imprisonment and four years for the knife, to run concurrently. The appeal court agreed that part of the sentence should be suspended and imposed two new six‑year terms for the assault/false imprisonment and for the knife, to run concurrently, with the final 18 months suspended. The suspension was conditioned on the defendant completing a sexual offenders programme. The court also ordered 12 months of post‑release supervision. The case was heard by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, Mr Justice Seán Ryan and Mr Justice George Birmingham. The defendant's background, including a lack of prior convictions and a troubled personal history, was cited in the decision to suspend the final 18 months.
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.
A Mayo man has failed in his appeal against a six-year prison sentence imposed for dangerous driving that caused serious injury to his front seat passenger, though the Court of Appeal has reduced his driving disqualification from twenty years to twelve years. Martin Kearney, aged 33, from Ballina, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious harm arising from an incident on 30 September 2010 near Sligo Town. Kearney had driven a BMW M3 at speeds exceeding 150 kilometres per hour over a distance of 2.6 kilometres before losing control. The vehicle mounted barriers, somersaulted, and came to rest 80 to 100 metres beyond the road surface. His front seat passenger sustained devastating injuries requiring twenty-four-hour care. Kearney himself sustained considerable injuries. Sentencing him in June 2012 at Sligo Circuit Criminal Court, Mr Justice Tony Hunt imposed four years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended and imposed a twenty-year driving ban.
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 Sligo man has received a five-year suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possession of heroin worth over €100,000 with intent to supply. Anthony Fitzpatrick, aged 22 and resident in Tubbercurry, pleaded guilty to the offence, which occurred at various locations in Dublin 8 on 5 March 2013. Judge Mary Ellen Ring suspended the sentence in full, imposing strict conditions requiring engagement with the Probation Service for one year. The judge warned that any breach would result in the full custodial term being activated. Fitzpatrick, who has no previous convictions, was noted to have relocated from Dublin to Sligo eighteen months prior and has settled into a stable environment, including college attendance. A co-accused, then aged 17, was also charged in connection with the seizure. The court heard that Fitzpatrick's involvement stemmed from pressure to settle a cannabis-related debt and that he is currently receiving treatment for addiction.
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 jury at the Central Criminal Court has acquitted a Galway man charged with raping a woman in Sligo in December 2010. The man had pleaded not guilty to the allegation. During a four-day trial, the complainant gave evidence that she had met the accused in a nightclub and subsequently engaged in consensual sexual activity at his flat. She alleged that the following morning, after she expressed her wish to leave, he forced himself upon her despite her repeated requests that he stop. Under cross-examination, defence counsel highlighted that the woman had been in control throughout the night and demonstrated various interactions with the accused. The jury, comprising nine men and three women, deliberated for under one hour before returning a unanimous not-guilty verdict.
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.
A man originally from Sligo has failed in his bid to have his conviction appeal heard by the Supreme Court following an attack on his former partner in Dublin in 2009. Fergal McNulty was convicted by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of assault causing harm and assault causing serious harm after striking the woman on the face, causing permanent facial scarring. He was sentenced to eight years imprisonment in July 2012. The Court of Criminal Appeal dismissed his initial appeal in March, finding the conviction was safe. McNulty's legal team subsequently applied for Supreme Court referral, arguing the case raised a point of law of exceptional public importance concerning jury instruction on alibi defences. On Wednesday, the Court of Criminal Appeal, comprising three judges, rejected this application. The court determined that no point of law of exceptional public importance had been established and that it was not in the public interest to refer the matter to the Supreme Court. Fergal McNulty pleaded not guilty.
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 26-year-old man born in Sligo pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to trespassing with intent to commit an offence at an ESB substation on the Ninth Lock Road, Clondalkin on 3 November 2013. Jamie Gordon suffered severe burns to his hands and feet after being electrocuted while attempting to steal copper wiring and lead flashing. He sustained entry wounds to his palms and exit wounds to his feet, with one foot left with 70 per cent third degree burns. The incident caused over €10,000 damage to the substation and left approximately 4,000 homes without power for up to one minute. Judge Mary Ellen Ring suspended a three-year jail sentence on condition Gordon keep the peace for five years. The court heard Gordon has 21 previous convictions and struggles with drug addiction, which motivated his criminal activity.
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.
A bench warrant has been issued for the arrest of a garda accused of harassment following his failure to appear at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Garda Donal Maguire, aged 38, faced charges of harassing a woman at a Dublin location during 2012 and again during 2012 and early 2013. He had been remanded on continuing bail in July with an instruction to appear for arraignment today. The accused, formerly resident in Kilbarrack, Dublin, is currently based in Bundoran, County Donegal. His defence counsel noted that Maguire had discharged himself from hospital in Sligo to attend his previous court date and requested discretion in executing the warrant given the circumstances involved. The prosecution indicated the accused is accessing mental health services, with certain concerns noted. Judge Mary Ellen Ring issued the warrant at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
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.