Gary Byrne and James Reilly, both convicted sex offenders, were jailed for 10 years each for drugging and attempting to rape a teenager in 2016. The men lured the victim to their home under the pretense of a house party before giving him an intoxicant, rendering him unable to move. They sexually assaulted him on the street and again in their home, with Reilly attempting to anally rape him. The victim suffered severe and lasting harm, leading to a loss of identity and self-worth. The court noted the aggravating factors, including the men's previous convictions and the use of an intoxicating substance. Both men were sentenced to 11 years with the final year suspended, and a three-year post-release supervision order was imposed. The victim expressed a desire for the men to be identified and encouraged others to come forward if they had been sexually assaulted.
A man has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court following his guilty plea to offences arising from the fatal shooting of Noel Campion in Limerick city in April 2007. Darragh Quinlivan, aged 42 and originally from Limerick but with an address in Bolton, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and to participating in the activity of the Dundon-McCarthy criminal organisation. The court heard that Mr Campion, then 35, was shot multiple times whilst travelling as a passenger on a motorcycle at Thomondgate. Justice Paul McDermott described the shooting as callous and brutal, conducted in cold blood from close range during mid-morning on a public street. The judge noted victim impact statements detailing the lasting devastation caused to Mr Campion's family. In mitigation, the court considered Quinlivan's guilty plea and evidence of rehabilitation since 2012. The final sentence comprised 16 years with the last 12 months suspended, running concurrently with a four-year term on the organisational charge.
A 42-year-old man originally from Limerick City has pleaded guilty to participation in an organised criminal group and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life in connection with the fatal shooting of Noel Campion on April 26, 2007. Darragh Quinlivan, with an address in Manchester, did not plead guilty to murder. The Central Criminal Court heard that Campion, aged 35, was shot multiple times while travelling as a passenger on a motorcycle near Thomondgate in Limerick City. Quinlivan later fled to the United States, where he made incriminating statements to police and others whilst intoxicated, statements he subsequently characterised as "talk" and sarcasm. He was deported to Ireland in 2008. The case was reviewed as a cold case in 2022. Quinlivan has 24 previous convictions. Justice Paul McDermott remanded him in custody for sentencing on February 9. Victim impact statements were heard from Campion's daughter and widow.
In the case of the Director of Public Prosecutions versus Emmett Rigney, a 22‑year‑old from Shinrone, Co Offaly, the Court of Appeal upheld a two‑year suspended sentence. Rigney was convicted of dangerous driving causing serious bodily injury after a head‑on collision with a vehicle in Ballingarry, Co Tipperary, on 14 August 2021. The crash left a five‑year‑old daughter with a severe traumatic brain injury and caused significant financial and emotional hardship for her family, including a pregnant mother who testified that the incident had a destructive impact. The original headline sentence of three and a half years was reduced to two years, suspended for two years on the condition of €10,000 compensation, and Rigney was disqualified from driving for six years.
In February 2024 the Employment Tribunal awarded €30,000 to former Homesavers manager Darell Donnelly after he claimed he was pressured to obstruct Gardaí and health inspectors during a severe mouse infestation at the City East retail park store in Limerick. Donnelly said the infestation was so severe in 2022 that it triggered the alarm at night and that three managers spent three hours each morning cleaning droppings and urine. He alleged that the store's commercial manager told him the matter was "out of his hands" and that he was instructed to keep cleaning while pest control experts recommended fumigation. Donnelly also claimed the commercial manager prevented him from allowing inspectors into the premises and threatened to prosecute him for refusing access to pest‑control records. The tribunal found Donnelly's complaints were protected under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and that the company's actions, including a forced transfer to Nenagh, constituted detrimental treatment.
In a High Court hearing on 31 July 2023, Justice Marguerite Bolger described the living conditions of the McInerney family—six members of the Irish Traveller Community—as "wretched" and "very unsettling." The family, who had been living in a one‑berth caravan and sleeping in a car for several months, had been moved from roadside accommodation in Toomevara to the Springfort Retail Park in Nenagh, only to be told by Garda Síochána to vacate that site as well. Between April and mid‑July they mainly slept in a car, with brief periods in emergency accommodation before receiving a caravan in mid‑July. The family claims that since May they have been denied hotel accommodation and have received only €100 per night toward B&B costs, which they say is insufficient.
Michael Scott, 58, of Gortanumera, Portumna, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his aunt, Ms. Treacy, outside her home on 27 April 2018. The trial heard that Scott had perfect vision in his left eye but a severely weakened right eye, which his brain had largely ignored, a fact established by optometrist Trina Staunton. Staunton explained that a single good eye can suffice for a driving licence and that the brain's neglect of the weaker eye limits peripheral vision when reversing. Scott allegedly deliberately ran over Ms. Treacy while reversing an agricultural tractor, an act the prosecution claims stemmed from a long‑running land dispute. Witnesses described prior damage to electric fences, a strained rental relationship, and a history of conflict over land ownership between Scott and Ms. Treacy. The case is before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs with a jury of fifteen.
Michael Scott, 58, of Gortanumera, Portumna, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his 76‑year‑old aunt Chrissie Treacy, who was run over by his vehicle outside her home in Derryhiney on 27 April 2018. The Central Criminal Court heard that a witness, Robin Deasy, described Scott as having an "almost childlike" obsession with land and cattle, and that he was motivated only by land. Deasy recalled that Scott had told him he could not "handle that woman at all" and that he had been upset about the land dispute. The prosecution alleged that Scott deliberately ran over his aunt following a long‑running dispute over land. Scott's lawyers said the death was a tragic accident. The trial is before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs with a jury of seven men and eight women. The case remains at the trial stage.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a direct appeal by John O'Meara and his three children against the Minister for Social Protection's refusal to grant them the Widower's Pension. O'Meara's partner, Michelle Batey, died of Covid‑19 in January 2021 after a 20‑year cohabitation. The applicants argued that sections of the 2005 Social Welfare Consolidation Act that exclude non‑married partners from the pension amount to discrimination. The High Court, in a decision by Mr Justice Mark Heslin, rejected the claim, stating that the pension is intended for married spouses or formal civil partners and does not apply to cohabiting couples or children. The Supreme Court panel, comprising Mr Justice Peter Charleton, Mr Justice Seamus Woulfe and Mr Justice Maurice Collins, granted leave to hear the appeal, noting that it raises complex issues of public importance, including the constitutionality of the Act and the purpose of the pension. A hearing date will be set later.
In a High Court judgment, Mr Justice Mark Helsin dismissed a challenge by John O'Meara and his three minor children to the Minister for Social Protection's refusal to grant them the Widower's Pension. O'Meara's partner, Michelle Batey, died of Covid‑19 after a 20‑year relationship, but the court held that the pension is only payable to those who were married or in a formal civil partnership with the deceased. The judge rejected claims that the 2005 Social Welfare Consolidation Act's exclusions amounted to discrimination, stating that the decision of who is entitled to the pension is a matter for the Oireachtas, not the court. O'Meara had applied for the pension in April 2021, but the Minister's refusal was upheld, and the judicial review was dismissed. The case clarified that the pension is not a benefit for children or for cohabiting partners.
James Curtis, 51, of Reiska, Kilcommon, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, was sentenced by the Court of Appeal to ten years' imprisonment, back‑dated to 30 October 2020, after the original eight‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence was quashed. The appeal was brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions, who argued the sentence was too lenient. Curtis was caught red‑handed in a field near his home with a potato bag containing 5 kg of cocaine, a barrel with 4.25 kg of cocaine and €41,000 in cash, and a plastic Penneys bag with €336,000. He pleaded guilty to possessing €647,000 worth of cocaine for sale or supply and to being in possession of €376,550, knowing or recklessly ignoring whether the money was the proceeds of criminal conduct.
The Court of Appeal has adjourned the sentencing appeal of James Curtis (51), from Reiska, Kilcommon, Thurles, Co Tipperary, to Friday, when it is hoped the court will be in a position to give judgment. Curtis was jailed for five and a half years at Nenagh Circuit Criminal Court in October 2021 after pleading guilty to possessing €647,000 worth of cocaine for sale or supply, contrary to Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, and possessing €376,550 knowing or being reckless as to whether it was proceeds of criminal conduct. The State, represented by Tom O'Malley SC, argued the sentence was unduly lenient, alleging Curtis was an "upper echelon" gang member caught red-handed with 5kg of cocaine in a potato bag and further drugs and cash buried nearby. The State contended the pre-mitigation headline sentence should have been at least 10 years, citing his suspended sentence status and previous convictions as aggravating factors. Defense counsel Colman Cody SC argued the guilty plea remained relevant in mitigation and that Curtis may have been under the grip of the gang. The court noted no indication of duress. The matter was adjourned and is not concluded.
In a High Court decision, 59‑year‑old James Molloy, a glass factory worker from Nenagh, was awarded a six‑figure sum for injuries sustained on 16 March 2018 when sheets of glass fell from a trolley. The court found Tipperary Glass Limited negligent for failing to secure the glass, which weighed 100 kg and was estimated to number 10–20 sheets. Molloy suffered compression injuries to his lower limbs and back, lacerations, and permanent scarring, and was confined to bed for four to six weeks. The judge awarded €75,000 in general damages, €38,000 for loss of earnings to date, and a future earnings loss equivalent to four years of wages, with the exact amount to be finalised later. An additional €7,000 for special damages was also granted. The case will return to court to resolve remaining matters later this month.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Dennis McAuliffe, 51, a site foreman for McAleer & Rush Ltd, was fined €12,500 for failing to notify two staff members about asbestos on a city centre building site. The incident occurred on 23 June 2016 at Findlater House, Cathal Brugha Street, where a subcontracting team had discovered an asbestos warning sticker under roof tiles. McAuliffe had not informed his own staff after the subcontractors left, and two men began cleaning the site without direction. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) had sealed the area and investigated, confirming asbestos presence. McAuliffe pleaded guilty, had no prior convictions, and cooperated fully with the HSA. Judge Pauline Codd set a headline fine of €30,000, reduced to €12,500 after mitigating factors, to be paid within 12 months. The case highlighted the importance of proper asbestos notification and site closure procedures.
Phelim Coady, aged 24, avoided prison for a second time after a Court of Appeal decision. He had been convicted of dangerous driving causing death, driving a dangerously deficient vehicle, and driving while intoxicated with alcohol and cannabis, and without insurance. The original sentence of two years and six months' imprisonment was fully suspended, and he received a four‑year driving ban. The Court of Appeal quashed that sentence, ruling it too lenient, but imposed a new non‑custodial term of four and a half years, with a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended portion and a two‑year custodial term suspended for three years. The driving ban remained unchanged. The judge noted Coady's remorse, mental fragility, and the mitigating influence of his friend's family's plea not to jail him. The case involved the fatal crash on 30 June 2019, when Stephen Gleeson, 21, was thrown from a Toyota Starlet and died. The other three occupants survived uninjured. Phelim Coady pleaded guilty.
Phelim Coady, aged 22, was found in tears beside the body of Stephen Gleeson after a fatal crash on June 30, 2019, in Garrykennedy, Co. Tipperary. The 1995 Toyota Starlet, owned by Gleeson, overturned at 5am after hitting a bend, throwing Gleeson from the rear window. Coady, who was intoxicated and under the influence of alcohol and cannabis, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and driving a dangerously deficient vehicle. Judge Patrick Meghen sentenced him to two years and six months' imprisonment, suspended entirely, and banned him from driving for four years. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed the sentence as unduly lenient, citing insufficient weight to aggravating factors. Coady's counsel described the incident as highly unusual, noting the car's poor condition and the fact that the other occupants walked away uninjured. The Court of Appeal heard the case and reserved judgment. The judge expressed sympathy for Gleeson's family and emphasized the need for consequences.
In a High Court settlement, the State confirmed that a person shooting on their own for exercise within 5 km of their home during Level 5 Covid‑19 restrictions was not in breach of the temporary regulations. The case, brought by farmer John Flannery of Mill Road, Newtown, Nenagh, sought a declaration that his rough shooting of authorised species on his own land did not contravene the restrictions. Flannery, a firearms licence holder and long‑time member of the National Association of Regional Game Council, had continued to shoot within the 5 km limit during Level 5. He had been told by the Gardaí that pheasant shooting was prohibited, but argued that the Garda website contained misleading information. The court, hearing the matter in November, adjourned it for out‑of‑court discussions. The settlement clarified that rough shooting for exercise within the 5 km radius was permissible under the Level 5 restrictions, and the judge welcomed the resolution.
Mr John Flannery, a farmer and long‑time member of the National Association of Regional Game Council, has filed a High Court judicial review to challenge the Gardaí's claim that shooting pheasants during the Level 5 Covid restrictions is prohibited. He argues that his "rough shooting" – shooting authorised species on his own land within 5 km of his home – is lawful and that the Gardaí's website contains misleading information. The review seeks a declaration that he is not in breach of the temporary regulations under the 1947 Health Act, an injunction against prosecution, and a directive for the Gardaí to publish a statement confirming that individual rough shooting in compliance with Level 5 restrictions is not prohibited. The case is a test action, with the court scheduled to consider it on December 8, pending the possible easing of restrictions. The respondents are the Garda Commissioner, the Minister for Justice, and the Attorney General.
The High Court has appointed provisional liquidators to two fashion retail companies that operated thirteen Pamela Scott stores across Ireland. Arzac Developments Ltd ran ten stores while Richard Alan & Co operated three, with outlets in locations including Sligo, Dublin, Limerick, Tralee and Cork. The firms, employing 104 people, sought winding up orders citing challenging market conditions, rising operating costs and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which rendered them insolvent. Mr Justice David Keane appointed insolvency practitioners Eamonn Richardson and Ian Barrett of KPMG as joint provisional liquidators. The court heard the companies faced pressure from landlords, reduced footfall and changes to wage subsidy schemes. Both firms were dependent on their parent company, Flairline Fashion Ltd, for administrative and financial support, which was no longer available. The judge made the cases returnable to November.
David Nevin, 46, of Quay Road, Terryglass, Nenagh, Tipperary, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for a series of fraud offences. He used forged bank statements and payslips to obtain a €40,000 loan and to lease an Audi A5. Nevin pleaded guilty to inducing the hand‑over of the car at Leaseplan in Dublin on 14 June 2018, to presenting a fake AIB statement at Leaseplan Fleet Management Services on 28 May 2018, to using a false payslip in a KBC credit‑card application, and to deceiving a staff member at the Bank of Ireland Operations Centre in Cabinteely to authorise the loan. He had previously repaid €5,500 and brought an additional €1,000 to court. The car was returned to the leasing company. Judge Elma Sheahan noted the offences were pre‑meditated and part of an "aspirational lifestyle." She imposed a two‑year sentence, suspending the final six months.
In a Central Criminal Court case, a 43‑year‑old man was found guilty of murder after stabbing a friend six times in a Limerick bar during a dispute over cocaine payment. The jury rejected the defendant's claim of self‑defence, concluding he intended serious injury and that the force used was excessive. The prosecution argued that the knife wounds to the heart, jugular vein, neck and arm inevitably caused death. The judge announced a mandatory life sentence and remanded the defendant in custody. The trial included testimony from witnesses who observed the altercation, a barman who saw the stabbing, and the defendant's wife who described his fear and subsequent actions. The case highlighted the severity of the assault and the court's determination of intent and culpability. The unnamed 43-year-old pleaded not guilty.
The appeal in the case of Mark Crawford (43), who is alleged to have murdered Patrick 'Pa' O'Connor (24) at Fitzgerald's Bar, Sexton Street, in Limerick city between July 7 and July 8, 2018, is ongoing. Crawford has pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder. The State has argued that there was nothing to justify the use of force against the deceased, let alone the level of force used, which resulted in six stab wounds, including two fatal ones to the heart and jugular vein. The prosecution has highlighted that Crawford admitted stabbing the deceased to gardai but claimed self-defence. Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster testified that the deceased sustained six stab wounds. The State has also pointed to evidence suggesting Crawford disposed of the flick-knife used in the attack and moved to multiple locations before surrendering to gardai. Defence counsel Patrick McGrath SC has argued that Crawford was genuinely distressed and remorseful, and that the appropriate verdict, if there is doubt about his intention or if he mistakenly believed he was under threat, would be manslaughter. The matter is adjourned for the jury to be charged by Ms Justice Tara Burns.
In the Central Criminal Court, Mark Crawford (43) faces a murder charge for stabbing Patrick 'Pa' O'Connor (24) to death at Fitzgerald's Bar, Limerick, on 7 July 2018. His wife, Karen Crawford, testified that the night after the incident he called her from the pub, asking her to pick him up. She described him as staggered, blood‑dripping, crying, and saying he needed to "get his head straight." She drove him to her sister's house, then to the Abbey Court Hotel, and finally to the garda station where he handed himself in. Karen also recounted that the next day he told her, "what am I after doing to that boy as he was my friend?" The prosecution alleged a dispute over €100 for cocaine, while the defence claimed self‑defence. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Tara Burns, is expected to last two weeks. Mark Crawford pleaded not guilty.
Robert Maxwell, 26, was found guilty of endangering Simon Ryan by driving a van into a group of people in Nenagh on 6–7 August 2017. Maxwell struck Ryan, knocked him to the ground, drove over him and then drove at him again. He pleaded guilty to the endangerment and to three public order offences. The Tipperary Circuit Criminal Court had imposed a wholly suspended four‑year sentence on 28 June 2019, but the Court of Appeal deemed it unduly lenient. The appeal court quashed the original sentence and re‑sentenced Maxwell to four years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. He must enter a good‑behaviour bond for the suspended period. Maxwell had 28 prior convictions, many for road traffic offences, and had been disqualified from driving on several occasions.
A damages action brought by Diarmuid Rossa Phelan, a barrister and law lecturer at Trinity College Dublin, against Catherine O'Meara, otherwise Sheehan O'Meara, has been resolved. The case, heard before Mr Justice David Keane, concerned serious injuries Mr Phelan sustained as a passenger in a road traffic accident on August 3, 2008, near Clashnevin, Nenagh, Co Tipperary. It was alleged that the defendant, driving a vehicle she owned, struck the nearly stationary vehicle from behind due to negligence, including failing to keep a proper lookout, excessive speed, and driving an unfit vehicle. Liability was not contested; the trial stage focused solely on the assessment of damages. Mr Phelan claimed significant personal and professional disruption, citing ongoing pain to his spine, neck, knee, and pelvis, along with soft tissue damage and bruising. He reported that his recovery has been poor and that he continues to undergo treatment. During the proceedings, counsel Des O'Neill SC, appearing with Alistair Rutherdale BL for the plaintiff, informed the court that discussions between the parties had been successful. Consequently, the case was struck out with an order for costs in favour of the plaintiff. Fergus O'Hagen SC, representing the defendant, consented to this disposal. The judge praised both sides for their efforts in reaching a settlement and wished Mr Phelan well in his continued recovery.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Declan McLogan, acting for McAleer & Rushe UK Ltd, admitted that the firm breached health and safety regulations by carrying out work at Findlater House, Cathal Brugha Street, Dublin, on or about 23 June 2016 without conducting an asbestos risk assessment. The offence contravenes the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Exposure to Asbestos) (Amendment) Regulations 2010 and the Safety, Health and Welfare Act 2005. Judge Melanie Greally set a sentencing date for 27 February, and Dennis McAuliffe of Killnasalla, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary will be arraigned on 23 April.
Damien Mitchell, 32, was arrested after striking John Walsh with a pint glass during a domestic dispute. Mitchell admitted the fight but claimed limited memory due to alcohol. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm in Dublin. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a three‑year sentence, fully suspended on conditions of sobriety and other requirements. Mitchell's apology letter, €3,000 payment to Walsh, and counselling attendance were noted as evidence of remorse. Walsh, who suffered eye and facial scarring, expressed a desire for Mitchell not to serve custodial time, describing him as "extremely magnanimous." The judge highlighted alcohol's role and the seriousness of the injuries, noting that a slightly more severe outcome would have led to imprisonment. Mitchell has no prior convictions.
In a 2019 decision, the Court of Appeal struck out appeals filed by Portuguese companies against a €1 million damages award granted to workers who claimed they were underpaid and lived in a "work camp" while building part of the N7 motorway. The High Court had awarded the workers damages and legal costs, and the companies—Rosas Construtores SA, Constructocoes Gabriel AS Couto SA and Empresa Deconstrucoes Amandio Carvalho SA—had appealed. The three‑judge panel, led by Justice Michael Peart, Justice Marie Baker and Justice Caroline Costello, found the appeals to be an abuse of process aimed at delaying payment. Justice Costello noted that the employers' conduct was "extremely serious and persistent" and that the appeals would add further years of delay. The court therefore dismissed all appeals, leaving the employers liable to pay the compensation and legal costs. The employers announced plans to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.
In the trial of 48‑year‑old Inga Ozolina, charged with murdering 40‑year‑old Audrius Pukas in Co. Tipperary, a neighbour testified that Pukas was always the aggressor in their arguments. He described a fatal fight on 20 November 2016, after which he met a garda and asked if Ozolina was OK, having heard a scream of pain from her. Photographs of bite marks and other injuries were shown to the court. Ozolina claimed self‑defence. Mark Fletcher, a neighbour, recounted frequent late‑night shouting, usually by Pukas, and that the fight ended abruptly. Garda Maureen Finnerty testified about the injuries found on Ozolina's body. The case is proceeding before a jury of seven men and five women. The unnamed 48-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 48‑year‑old woman from Laois, Inga Ozolina, pleaded not guilty to the murder of her 40‑year‑old boyfriend, Mr Pukas, who died on 20 November 2016 from a stab wound to the chest. Ozolina told Gardaí that she had saved his number as "sadist" because of frequent fights. She claimed she took a kitchen knife to protect herself after he grabbed her by the hair, and that she only pointed the knife at him when he tried to take it away. Ozolina said she was afraid he might kill her and that she had not intended to kill him. She also stated that she had given him mouth‑to‑mouth after finding him on the ground. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury. The prosecution maintains that there is no question of self‑defence. The case is still at the trial stage.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, Inga Ozolina, 48, is charged with murdering her boyfriend Audrius Pukas, 40, in November 2016. The prosecution presented evidence that Ozolina had two bite marks on her arm and bruises on her upper thigh, breast, elbow, wrist, knee and leg. Garda David Donovan testified that he photographed the bite marks, measured them, and took DNA swabs, noting that the marks might have been made by another person. He also photographed bruising on Ozolina's left breast and other areas, measuring each with a ruler. Ozolina pleaded not guilty, and the trial continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury of seven men and five women. The case highlights the alleged lack of self‑defence in the murder of Pukas.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, 48‑year‑old Inga Ozolina, originally from Latvia, pleaded not guilty to the murder of her 40‑year‑old boyfriend Audrius Pukas, who died on 20 November 2016 at The Malthouse, Roscrea. The prosecution alleged a "tempestuous and volatile" relationship and that there was no self‑defence. Ozolina was described as panicky and frantic when she arrived at Roscrea Garda Station at 2.30 am, wearing a bathrobe and slippers, and claimed she had stabbed Pukas. Garda evidence noted her injuries – a bite mark on her left arm, bruising on her left breast and dried blood on both knees – and that she had asked for an ambulance. Earlier police visits in 2016 and 2013 involved domestic incidents with Pukas. The case is set to continue before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
During the 2019 murder trial of Inga Ozolina, the prosecution presented evidence that Garda Sergeant Tony Hanrahan found the body of Audrius Pukas, 43, lying on his back in a downstairs bedroom of The Malthouse, Roscrea, on 20 November 2016. Hanrahan reported that Pukas was wearing only underwear, had no pulse, and was still warm, with blood around his left armpit and on the bed sheets. He also noted blood on Ozolina's calf. Paramedic Ronan Wall corroborated the lack of pulse and the left‑armpit wound. CCTV footage showed Ozolina arriving at Roscrea Garda Station at 2.30 am, wearing a bathrobe and slippers, then driving to The Malthouse where she was later arrested at 3.43 am. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens, continued with a jury of twelve. The prosecution argued there was no self‑defence and that the relationship was volatile and violent. Ozolina pleaded not guilty.
In March 2019 the Central Criminal Court heard that Mary Lowry, aged 52, visited a psychic in Nenagh after her boyfriend Bobby "Mr Moonlight" Ryan disappeared on 3 June 2011. Ryan's body was found in an underground run‑off tank on Lowry's farm in Fawnagown, Tipperary, 22 months later in April 2013. Patrick Quirke, 50, is charged with Ryan's murder and has pleaded not guilty. Quirke allegedly called Lowry a "right bitch" and threatened to remove her from a Mass for his son. Evidence from Acting State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis suggested the most likely cause of Ryan's injuries was impact with a vehicle, but the pathology evidence was described as "sub‑optimal". The trial continues before Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of twelve.
Rosemary Jones, 49, of Ballygraigue, Nenagh, was convicted of forgery and criminal damage to her landlords' property after a strained landlord‑tenant relationship in 2014. She pleaded guilty and received a two‑year sentence for forgery and a consecutive three‑year sentence for criminal damage in March 2018. The judge noted she had not paid rent for an extended period and that the forgery involved a signature on a Rent Supplement Review Form, with no financial gain. Criminal damage included damage to kitchen furniture, a door, household items, a shower, walls and skirting boards, estimated at €10,000. The Court of Appeal found the five‑year aggregate sentence excessive, re‑sentencing her to two years imprisonment with the final six months suspended, and a concurrent 12‑month sentence for forgery. She must enter a good‑behaviour bond for the suspended period and for two years after release.
In a High Court decision dated 18 December 2018, Ms Justice Carmel Stewart awarded more than €1 million in damages and interest to a group of twenty Portuguese workers who had been employed by three Portuguese companies—Rosas Construtores SA, Constructocoes Gabriel AS Couto SA and Empresa Deconstrucoes Amandio Carvalho SA—under the RAC Eire Partnership. The workers had been building a section of the N7 motorway between Limerick and Nenagh in 2007‑2008 and claimed they were treated appallingly, underpaid, and housed in a cramped, fire‑hazardous prefab building with no drinkable water, unreliable showers and foul wastewater. They alleged unreasonable wage deductions for accommodation and laundry, and that the employers kept fraudulent records of hours worked. The judge found the employers breached numerous employment regulations, including the Organisation of Working Time Act, and ruled the workers were entitled to damages of €818,000, with the final award expected to exceed €1 million after interest.
Eddie Barnaville, a former kickboxing champion, has lost his appeal against the severity of his sentence for two robberies committed within 24 hours of each other in Thurles in January 2016. Barnaville pleaded guilty to the offences, which involved violently assaulting victims on Liberty Square and Kickham Street. At Nenagh Circuit Criminal Court on April 28, 2017, Judge Thomas Teehan imposed consecutive five-year sentences, totalling 10 years, with the final four years suspended. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice John Edwards alongside President Mr Justice George Birmingham and Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, dismissed the appeal. The court held that the sentencing judge correctly assessed the gravity of the offences, noting the victims were in vulnerable, semi-conscious states when subjected to extreme violence. Mr Justice Edwards described the sentencing approach as "impeccable" and the four-year discount for mitigation as adequate and generous. The court rejected the argument that the gravity was over-assessed, emphasizing that Barnaville's culpability was significant due to his prior convictions and the gratuitous nature of the attacks. The appeal was dismissed, upholding the original sentence.
Stephen Brophy, aged 27, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assault causing harm in Ashbury View, Roscrea, during a feud between the McCarthy/O'Donoghues and the Hutchinson/Marshalls. He had thrown a pitchfork that bounced and struck a woman, Sharon McCarthy, on the lips, causing a scar and requiring surgery. The original sentence of seven years, with two years suspended, was quashed on appeal. He was re‑sentenced to four years for violent disorder (two years suspended) and three years for the assault (12 months suspended), with both terms running concurrently. Brophy must remain in good behaviour for two years after release and may not approach a McCarthy family member unless invited or in a friendly manner. The appeal was granted by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, with the Court of Appeal hearing the case.
Don Duggan, aged 30, had 28 prior burglary convictions and pleaded guilty to burglary in Tipperary and a threat to kill on 23 December 2015. He received a ten‑year sentence with four years suspended, imposed by Judge Thomas Teehan at Clonmel Circuit Criminal Court on 11 May 2016. He also pleaded guilty to several burglaries between 18 and 24 August 2015 and was given a six‑year sentence with three years suspended, imposed by the same judge at Nenagh Circuit Criminal Court on 17 June 2016. The sentences were consecutive. Duggan appealed both sentences, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, holding the sentences were appropriate. The Court noted the victim's fear for her 10‑year‑old son, the threat of shooting, and Duggan's history of 115 convictions, including 28 for burglary, 13 for theft, and four for robbery with violence. The Court found no error of principle and affirmed the consecutive sentences.
John Joe Patterson, 57, was convicted by a jury at Nenagh Circuit Criminal Court of sexually abusing his two step‑daughters over a ten‑year period, beginning when they were nine. The women waived anonymity so Patterson could be named in the media. He received an effective sentence of eight years imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, imposed by Judge John Hannan on 9 November 2015. More than two years later, Patterson applied to the Court of Appeal for an extension of time to bring an appeal. The Court, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, refused the extension, citing "considerable difficulty" in accepting Patterson's claims that a misunderstanding had arisen from the indictment and that his former solicitor had advised that an appeal was not possible. The Court found the application to be "very significantly out of time" and not sufficiently grounded in the facts, and it was opposed by the State counsel Antonia Boyle BL.
Christopher McCarthy, 29, a homeless traveller with a long history of alcohol problems and 133 prior convictions, had previously pleaded guilty to criminal damage and obstruction of a Garda at Mr Cole's home in Roscrea and was sentenced to five years in prison. He had broken into the same home twice in May 2013. In June 2016 he successfully appealed and received a three‑year sentence with the final 12 months suspended on the condition that he stay away from Mr Cole and certain streets in Roscrea. In April he entered Mr Cole's home again, hiding behind a cardboard box, and was found by Gardaí. The Court of Appeal, after reviewing the breach, activated the suspended 12‑month sentence in full, back‑dated to 20 October, the expiry date of an earlier eight‑month District Court sentence for trespass.
Armando Agostinho Alves Da Silva, a construction worker, testified in the High Court that he and 20 other Portuguese colleagues endured "terrible conditions" while building a section of the N7 motorway between Limerick and Nenagh in 2007‑2008. The workers, employed by three Portuguese companies under the RAC Eire Partnership, were housed in a prefab building outside Nenagh where 6‑8 men shared a room. The accommodation lacked basic facilities: the water was unfit for drinking, showers were unreliable, and wastewater produced a foul smell. Meals were supplied only on working days; on Sundays the workers had to fend for themselves with no cooking facilities. Da Silva said the new employer offered better pay and shorter hours, prompting him to move into a local house. The case, part of a series of actions against the same companies, seeks damages for alleged breach of contract, unpaid wages, unfair deductions for accommodation and laundry, and fraudulent record‑keeping.
Anne Fennell, aged 57, received a suspended five‑year sentence for repeatedly making obscene and threatening phone calls to President Michael D. Higgins, the Department of Finance, the European Commission, An Post, and several TDs between February and December 2014. She also pleaded guilty to harassing Fr Desmond Byrne in 2006. The court noted that many of her threats were taken seriously and required significant resources to investigate, but that she had no prior convictions and a vulnerable psychological background. Judge Melanie Greally imposed consecutive sentences totaling five years, suspended in full, and ordered 18 months of probation with psychiatric and therapeutic services. The decision reflected her remorse and the lack of evidence that she could carry out the threats. The case highlighted the seriousness of her conduct and the court's focus on rehabilitation rather than incarceration.
In April 2011, Melvin McNamara (36), Michael Fogarty (45) and Noel Markham (41) attempted to rob Tadgh O'Flynn Jewellers in Nenagh. McNamara and Markham entered the shop in hoodies and balaclavas, while Fogarty stayed in a stolen VW Passat with false plates. McNamara brandished a firearm and Markham approached the window display. During a struggle, Markham shouted to McNamara to "shoot him"; McNamara fired a shot that lodged in the wall above the shopkeeper's head, though the gun was real. The shopkeeper pressed the panic button and pushed the gun down. The men fled in the getaway car, which Fogarty drove at high speed, leading to a 61‑km pursuit at 180‑200 km/h. The vehicle was eventually stopped in a farm yard. McNamara received a 10‑year sentence, Markham nine years and Fogarty eight years, all of which were upheld on appeal. The Court of Appeal confirmed the sentences were within the appropriate range and found no error. Melvin McNamara pleaded guilty. Michael Fogarty pleaded guilty. Noel Markham pleaded guilty.
Michael Lowry, 60, former TD and minister, is set to stand trial on March 20, 2017, for alleged tax offences. He faces charges of knowingly filing incorrect tax returns in 2003 and 2007. Lowry had previously lost a High Court application to dismiss the case. He was first heard in Thurles District Court in 2014, charged with three counts for October 31, 2003, and one count for August 3, 2007. Judge Elizabeth MacGrath sent him to Nenagh Circuit Criminal Court, but the case was later transferred to Dublin on the DPP's application.
The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court adjourned the case of Independent TD Michael Lowry, 60, for mention until April 6. Lowry, of Glenreigh, Holycross, Co. Tipperary, faces charges of filing incorrect tax returns in 2003 and 2007. He was excused from court today. Prosecutor Grainne O'Neill noted the adjournment had been delayed by pending High Court judicial review, with final orders due April 5. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case and excused Lowry's attendance for the next hearing. The case originated in Thurles District Court in 2014 and was later transferred to Dublin.
A 57‑year‑old Dublin woman, Anne Fennell, pleaded guilty to making persistent obscene and menacing phone calls to the President, the Department of Finance, the European Commission, An Post and several TDs between February and December 2014. She threatened to bomb President Michael D Higgins if he visited England, and also threatened bombs and bullets at other officials, including the Environment Minister and TDs. Fennell, a former An Post worker, claimed she was lonely and that her threats were "just words". She had no prior convictions and lived alone in poor conditions, reportedly in a sleeping bag in a bottom room of her house. The court remanded her on continuing bail to July, allowing her to continue psychological therapy and engage with probation services, and ordered a welfare report to explore pro‑social support structures. The judge noted her isolation as a key factor in her offending.
Gerard Mounsey, 47, of Knockshegowna, Ballingarry, Nenagh, Tipperary, was found guilty in 2014 of eight counts of knowingly or wilfully filing incorrect income tax returns for the years 2003 to 2009. He was acquitted on one count and convicted on seven, receiving a suspended 18‑month prison sentence and a €10,000 fine. Mounsey appealed, and on 19 October 2015 the Court of Appeal quashed his conviction. The appeal court held that the conviction could not stand, citing that the tax liability for the relevant years had not been finally determined at the time of trial. The court also noted that the evidence of tax assessments was presented as opinion evidence, and that the defence had been inadequately engaged with the issue. The judgment was delivered by Mr Justice George Birmingham, sitting with Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan and Mr Justice Alan Mahon. Gerard Mounsey pleaded not guilty.
In a High Court judgment, Mr Justice Donald Binchy held that consultant engineers and Limerick County Council were jointly responsible for the wrongful demolition of the O'Shaughnessys' single‑storey farmhouse, 'The Hollows', in Annaholty, Birdhill, Co. Tipperary, on 6 September 2006. The court found the consultant engineering joint venture, RPS Scetauroute, was 70 % liable and the local authority 30 % liable, while the third party that carried out the demolition was not negligent. The demolition stemmed from a series of acts and omissions: an RPS engineer incorrectly designated the plot as derelict, Limerick County Council staff mistakenly identified the O'Shaughnessys' home as plot 156a, and both parties failed to supervise or verify the site. The O'Shaughnessys had purchased the house for IR£34,500 in 1998, lived there, and had planned renovations before the house was unexpectedly removed. The case was settled on undisclosed terms in January of the following year.
David Nevin, 40, of Terryglass, Nenagh, was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a suspended three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for harassing former girlfriend Patricia Dardis from August 2012 to February 2013. Nevin sent repeated text messages, emails, faxes, handwritten notes, and appeared at Dardis's home and workplace, even attempting to contact the CEO of her firm. He pleaded guilty and was remanded in custody in early May to reflect on his conduct. The judge noted Dardis suffered significant emotional trauma and warned Nevin that a repeat offence would lead to a long prison term. Nevin was ordered to remain of good behaviour for three‑and‑a‑half years, to avoid any contact with Dardis, and to pay €1,000 to court within one week, which would be given to the Rape Crisis Centre if not accepted by Dardis. The sentence was suspended in full.