A witness has described how a five-time Irish boxing champion fought unsuccessfully to rise from the ground before being struck by a vehicle for a second time at speed. Derek Hanlon gave evidence at the Central Criminal Court on the morning of the incident on Hyde Road in Limerick on 1 July 2019. Logan Jackson (31), with an address at Longford Road, Coventry, England, is charged with murder. He has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in the death of Kevin Sheehy (20). Mr Jackson also faces a charge of endangerment contrary to the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997. Mr Hanlon testified that he witnessed an earlier verbal altercation between Mr Sheehy and a man with an English accent before a UK-registered Mitsubishi jeep drove towards the group at high speed on the inside road. The vehicle struck Mr Sheehy twice. Mr Hanlon told the court that Mr Sheehy attempted to get up after the first impact but was unable to escape before being hit again.
Michael McGuinness, a 61‑year‑old former army driver, was found guilty of indecent assault on three boys aged seven to thirteen between 1979 and 1990. The victims, who waived anonymity, described how McGuinness used his trusted military reputation to lure them, often disguising himself as a friend and forcing them to masturbate him in his car or home. The abuse was revealed when one victim reported McGuinness to Gardaí after meeting him through work. McGuinness pleaded guilty to five counts of indecent assault, admitted his actions as a "dark dirty secret," and expressed remorse. He had no prior convictions. The court noted the repeated nature of the offences and the lasting impact on the victims, ordering reports and remand pending sentencing on March 15 next year. The maximum sentence for each count is two years, except the final count, which carries a maximum of ten years.
Logan Jackson, a 31-year-old British man from Coventry, is standing trial at the Central Criminal Court for the death of Irish boxing champion Kevin Sheehy. Jackson has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, with the alleged incident occurring on Hyde Road in Limerick City on July 1, 2019. Prosecution counsel Dean Kelly SC outlined the State's case, alleging that after a brief exchange following a house party celebrating Limerick's Munster hurling victory, Jackson drove a Mitsubishi jeep into Sheehy and his cousin. The prosecution contends that Jackson then reversed and drove over Sheehy's body twice more at speed. Sheehy, a five-time Irish champion, died from serious injuries sustained in the collision. Jackson also faces a separate charge of endangerment under Section 13 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997, which he denies. The trial is currently ongoing before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of twelve. The matter was adjourned to continue on Thursday, meaning the proceedings have not yet concluded.
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.
In a High Court decision on 16 November 2021, Mr Justice Mark Sanfey refused to approve a Personal Insolvency Arrangement (PIA) for Mr Daniel Drew, a single businessman in his mid‑forties who operates a petrol and convenience store in Turner's Cross, Cork. The judge held that the court had no jurisdiction to consider the PIA, which had been rejected by Mr Drew's creditors in 2019. Mr Drew's debts exceeded €3 million, and the proposed PIA would have lasted six months, allowing him to retain a Rosegreen, Cashel property and pay creditors a €42,000 lump sum. The judge found no evidence that Mr Drew resided at the Rosegreen house at the time of the proposal, contrary to his sworn statement, and dismissed the PIP's application to confirm the arrangement. The decision noted the PIP's attempt to vary the PIA to 72 months and include rent payments, but the court declined to approve the proposal.
Patrick Quirke, aged 52, lost his appeal against a 2019 conviction for the murder of DJ Bobby "Mr Moonlight" Ryan, aged 52, whose decomposed body was found in a disused slurry tank on a farm leased by Quirke. The Court of Appeal rejected more than 50 grounds of appeal presented by Quirke's lawyers. Judge George Birmingham, delivering the judgment, said he was not persuaded by any of the arguments and expressed unease about the trial's extensive legal argument. He noted the trial was the longest in Irish history, lasting 71 days, and described the number of voir dire as extraordinary. Quirke was not present at the hearing but watched via video link. The court upheld the jury's guilty verdict and the life sentence imposed in 2019. The appeal court also dismissed the defence's claim that the trial judge should have declared the trial unfair. The judgment reaffirmed that the evidence, though circumstantial, was sufficient for conviction.
Michael O'Regan, 43, pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a 14‑year‑old girl with Down's syndrome, asking her to send pictures of her breasts. He was sentenced to seven months in prison at Clonmel Circuit Criminal Court, a term described by Judge Eoin Garavan as "utterly exploitative" and "reprehensible". The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient and lacked deterrence, citing O'Regan's 35 prior convictions for similar offences between 2016 and 2017. The Court of Appeal, hearing the appeal on 15 November 2021, rejected the request to increase the term. O'Regan's seven‑month sentence was to run consecutively with earlier sentences, a point noted by the court as a deterrent. The case highlights the court's decision to uphold the original seven‑month term despite the DPP's appeal.
Two building firms, Trinity Homes Ltd (THL) and Yeronga Ltd, both mainly funded through the Immigrant Investment Programme, were granted court protection from creditors. The firms, established in 2014, have become insolvent and cannot meet debt repayments. They attribute their difficulties to Covid‑19 site shutdowns, rising material costs, and an inability to meet scheduled loan repayments. An additional issue is a €3 million share purchase from a former THL director, during which over €900,000 of THL's funds were paid to that director, a transaction the court said breached company law and will be investigated. The companies had been profitable from 2015 to 2019 and had borrowed over €11 million through the programme, which allows non‑EEA citizens to invest over €1 million for three years in exchange for residency and eventual citizenship. THL's directors are Stephen Mahon (75 % shareholder), Ecaterina Olaru, and Ben Reid, while Mahon and Olaru also direct Yeronga.
The High Court approved a Personal Insolvency Arrangement for 54‑year‑old Assumpta Gaffney, an accounts administrator married with two children. The arrangement allows her to write off about €4.2 million of debt owed to financial institutions. She will keep her family home at Mountain Lodge, Ballyleigh, Waterfall, Co. Cork, and continue making mortgage repayments on the €550,000 property, which has been restructured. Her creditors include ACC, AIB and Bank of Ireland. The 12‑month PIA includes a one‑off €50,000 lump‑sum payment from a third party to creditors and the surrender of two properties in Ballykisteen, Co. Tipperary, to satisfy part of her debts. The PIA was drafted by Personal Insolvency Practitioner Judy Mooney of McCambridge Duffy and represented in court by Keith Farry BL. The court noted that Ms.
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.
Evelyn Corrigan, 68, of Tallaght, was charged with possession of 325.7 g of cannabis for sale or supply. She pleaded guilty to possession but denied selling, claiming she grew the plants to make medicine for her pain. The court found no evidence of intent to distribute; a jury returned a not‑guilty verdict on the charge of possession for sale or supply. Judge Pauline Codd dismissed the charge under the Probation Act. Corrigan admitted the quantity but stated she had never intended to give it to anyone else. The trial included testimony that she used the cannabis to produce a CBD‑oil extract for her glaucoma, emphysema, asthma and arthritis. No prior convictions were recorded. The case ended with the jury acquitting her of the charge of possession for sale or supply.
Ross Outram, aged 30, was convicted in 2019 by a Central Criminal Court jury of murdering 90‑year‑old Paddy Lyons, the oldest man in his village, at Loughleagh, Ballysaggart, Lismore, Co. Waterford. Lyons was found dead in his armchair with blood on his face; he had suffered multiple blows to head and neck, fractures of hip, jaw and ribs, with the hip fracture deemed the cause of death. Outram, previously convicted of burglary and assault, claimed self‑defence, arguing that Lyons' fatal fall was unrelated to the assault. The Court of Appeal rejected this appeal, stating that the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt that the assault caused the fall and hip fracture. The appeal was dismissed, leaving Outram's life sentence intact.
In a case heard by the Central Criminal Court, a 17‑year‑old boy pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 14‑year‑old girl in a field in County Tipperary on 29 July 2019. The assault occurred after both parties had consumed alcohol, which the boy and the girl had purchased together. The boy admitted to touching the victim's genital area. The victim, who trusted the boy as a school friend, expressed fear and a desire for justice. The court, considering the boy's cooperation, early plea, remorse, and good character, imposed a sentence of two years' detention, deferred for one year. The boy must attend all probation appointments, engage with the Garda Youth Diversion Programme, and complete a sexual consent awareness course. He is also ordered to stay away from the victim. The case was adjourned to 23 May 2022.
Charity Bothar seeks to add the estate of its late founder Peter Ireton as a co‑defendant in High Court proceedings against former CEO David Moloney. Bothar alleges Moloney misappropriated charity funds for personal use, admitting he spent the money on family holidays and friends, never depositing it in a bank. He also claims some misappropriated money was paid to others, including the deceased Ireton. Bothar has secured a freezing order preventing Moloney from reducing his assets below €1.1 million. The court has scheduled a hearing on the motion to add Ireton's estate for October, after the summer recess, and has deferred a decision on whether Moloney's wife Olive should be named a notice party. Moloney, who resigned as CEO in February, has expressed remorse for the damage caused. Bothar's board has suspended fundraising activities following the discovery of the misappropriations.
The trial of Gerard Cervi and Peter Taylor for the murder of Bobby Messett (50) at Bray Boxing Club on June 5, 2018, continued at the Central Criminal Court. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the murder charge; Cervi also denies the attempted murder of Taylor and Ian Britton. Garda Glenn McLoughlin, the first responder to the scene, testified that he seized a grey sports top and trainers from Taylor to preserve forensic evidence, placing them in plastic bags before transferring them to evidence bags. McLoughlin stated he never saw or took any cash belonging to Taylor, contradicting Taylor's earlier testimony that his tracksuit bottoms, containing between €200 and €400, were removed and never returned. Taylor's partner, Karen Brown, previously identified a garda holding a blue bag with Taylor's clothing. McLoughlin confirmed Taylor was not wearing tracksuit bottoms in the ambulance or hospital, suggesting they may have been cut off by paramedics. He noted that the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) dismissed Taylor's complaint regarding the missing items. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of three men and nine women.
Darren McDonnell, aged 38, was jailed for three years after a series of offences. He had been staying at a rehabilitation centre for two days when he disappeared from the grounds and later burglarised a home in Curraheenduff, Thurles, on 4 November 2020. An employee discovered he was carrying a concealed shotgun in his trousers when he returned to the centre. McDonnell was arrested a few days later in Dublin after a knife‑point robbery at a Spar shop in Coolock on 9 November 2020, where he stole €280 and was caught by Gardaí. He pleaded guilty to burglary, robbery and possession of a knife. The judge noted his extensive criminal history, drug addiction and attempts at detox, and sentenced him to five years in prison, suspending the final two years on strict conditions, including three years of probation. The burglary damaged the victims' peace of mind and the centre's reputation.
A building contractor, Sepam Solutions Limited, secured High Court orders against subcontractors MDLR Ltd and Titin Ltd, claiming their actions delayed a new vaccine plant at the IDA Science and Technology Park in Dundalk. Sepam, contracted to provide plumbing, mechanical and electrical works, alleges MDLR has retained essential equipment and Titin has withheld a six‑figure down‑payment. The court granted injunctions requiring the defendants to return the equipment and the down‑payment, and to prevent them from reducing assets below €500,000 or dealing with the payment. The orders were issued by Mr Justice Senan Allen after the defendants failed to appear. Sepam says the delays of 12 to 16 weeks damage its reputation and threaten its contract to build the plant for WuXi Vaccines Ireland Ltd, which will employ about 200 people and produce Dengue vaccines for Merck, Sharp and Dohme. The plant is part of a biopharmaceutical facility in Mullagharlin, Dundalk, Co. Louth.
In a 2021 appeal, a 73‑year‑old man who was convicted in 2019 of indecent assault on his sister‑in‑law, then six, seeks to overturn his three‑year sentence. He argues that background evidence of a 1973 incident, described as "grooming," was improperly introduced at trial. The evidence involved an alleged incident at a christening where the victim, then four, was observed by the defendant and his sister‑in‑law, who allegedly called her a "dirty girl." The appellant's counsel contended that this incident was unrelated to the later indecent assaults, which involved digital penetration, and that it was not a crime at the time. The State maintained that the incident was relevant to the defendant's intent and the victim's perception of the abuse. The Court of Appeal will consider the appeal. The unnamed 73-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a 2021 Court of Appeal decision, a 41‑year‑old man's five‑and‑a‑half‑year jail term, originally imposed for two sexual assaults on his step‑daughter, was reduced by two years. The first assault occurred in early 2015 when the man, while seated beside the bed, fondled the girl's breasts while her mother slept. The second assault took place in mid‑2016, after a pub visit, when the man again forced his hand under the girl's t‑shirt. The original sentences—five years with 18 months suspended for the first offence and five years with three years suspended for the second—were set to run consecutively. The Court of Appeal, citing the severity of the offences and the victim's severe impact, removed the suspended portions and set concurrent custodial terms of two years for the first offence and three‑and‑a‑half years for the second, back‑dating them to the original sentencing date.
In a High Court hearing on 11 June 2021, Sepam Solutions Limited, contracted to supply plumbing, mechanical and electrical works for a vaccine plant at the IDA Science and Technology Park in Dundalk, claimed that its subcontractors MDLR Ltd and Titin Ltd had breached their agreements. Sepam alleged that MDLR had retained essential equipment supplied by the plaintiff, while Titin had refused to return an €830,000 down payment made for specialised materials. The dispute has caused a delay of 12 to 16 weeks in the plant's construction, which is intended to produce Dengue fever vaccines for Merck, Sharp & Dohme. Sepam seeks an injunction ordering the defendants to return the equipment and the down payment, and to prevent them from reducing the value of their assets below €830,000. Mr Justice Senan Allen granted Sepam permission to serve a short notice of the injunction application, with the case set to return later in the month.
Thomas McDonnell, aged 43, was convicted of hijacking a car on 4 January 2019 at Belgard Square, Tallaght. While in a drug‑induced psychosis, he threw himself over the bonnet of a vehicle whose driver had just dropped his daughter at a creche, demanded the driver exit or he would kill him, and then fled after the car could only travel a short distance. The driver, who had the key, was forced to stop and was later unharmed, though his wife, who was pregnant, was physically ill during the incident. McDonnell had been released from Tallaght Hospital the night before for mental health issues and had recently had a dispute with his girlfriend. He had six prior drug‑related convictions. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to four years, suspending the final 18 months under conditions, after noting the incident was short‑lived and the car was returned undamaged. Thomas McDonnell pleaded guilty.
In High Court civil proceedings brought by Bóthar against former CEO David Moloney, the matter was adjourned to a date next month. Bóthar claims Moloney misappropriated hundreds of thousands of euro donated to the charity over a 21-year period for his own use. Moloney has admitted to this misappropriation, stating in a sworn statement that he spent the cash on family holidays and friends, and claims much of it was paid to others, including the late Bóthar founder Peter Ireton. Bóthar does not accept these explanations. At the hearing before Mr Justice Senan Allen, Moloney's previous lawyers came off record. Moloney stated he had approached the Legal Aid centre in Limerick and requested an adjournment to determine if his application for legal aid is successful. Bóthar's counsel, Frank Beatty SC, also sought an adjournment, noting that investigations into the complex matters regarding the missing monies are continuing and that other parties may be added later. The court also heard that Moloney's wife, Olive, against whom no allegations of wrongdoing have been made, is considering her own proceedings regarding her interest in his assets. Mr Justice Allen deferred any decision to formally join Mrs Moloney to the proceedings. The judge agreed to adjourn the case, noting it could return before the scheduled date if necessary.
Darren McDonnell, 38, was caught at a rehabilitation centre after attempting to bring a stolen shotgun concealed in his trousers. He had been at the centre for two days before disappearing from the grounds and burglarising a home in Curraheenduff, Thurles, on 4 November 2020. An employee noticed the shotgun when he returned, and McDonnell admitted the burglary and surrendered the weapon, its cartridges and a stolen tablet. He was later arrested in Dublin for a knife‑point robbery at a Spar shop in Coolock on 9 November 2020, where he stole €280 before being apprehended. McDonnell has over 40 prior convictions, including robbery and unauthorised vehicle taking. He was remanded in continuing custody, with the case scheduled for finalisation on 14 June. The court heard that he was declared unfit for interview due to drug use and that his rehabilitation stay had been largely unsuccessful. The matter remains pending. Darren McDonnell pleaded guilty.
In a High Court hearing, former Bóthar CEO David Moloney admitted to taking cash donated to the charity over 21 years to fund his lifestyle, including family holidays and gifts to friends. He claimed he never deposited the money in a bank and did not keep any cash. Moloney said he had paid some of the misappropriated funds to others, including the late founder Peter Ireton, and that his wife Olive did not benefit from the money. He expressed remorse and said he was now on welfare. The court varied the freezing order from €769,000 to €1.1m, allowing Moloney to release €13,000 from a credit union account for legal fees and to make payments from his accounts for essential living expenses. Olive Moloney's applications to vary orders were dismissed. The case remains before the court next month.
In a High Court decision, a Personal Insolvency Arrangement (PIA) was approved for 54‑year‑old Esther Kirwan of Moycarkey, Thurles, allowing her to continue making mortgage repayments on her family home until age 90. Kirwan, a single shop assistant living in a three‑bedroom bungalow, owes €108,000, of which €83,000 is to Start Mortgages for a €145,000‑valued home, with the remainder to AIB and Revenue. Under the PIA, her mortgage is restructured and she will pay €214 monthly for 420 months to cover interest. The loan remains unchanged and is payable at the end of the term or upon her death, whichever comes first. The arrangement was supported by Start and had no creditor opposition, and the High Court upheld it after a Circuit Court refusal, citing the lack of a viable alternative for Kirwan. The judge highlighted that the PIA was a test case for extending mortgage terms in insolvency proceedings.
David Moloney, former CEO of the charity Bothar, admitted in the High Court to misappropriating large sums of donated money for personal use. He confessed to taking about €200,000 that was intended for a Roman Catholic order in Tanzania, €34,000 meant for a Kenyan project, €127,000 paid to an English company for unexecuted Rwanda projects, €100,000 fraudulently transferred to a pension fund he set up, and €10,000 used for a hay shed on his own property. Moloney also admitted receiving extra salary, expense payments, and a €19,000 Christmas bonus that were not authorised by the board. Bothar's counsel highlighted that these admissions were welcomed but that Moloney had not yet provided details on where the money went or his assets. The court increased the freezing order value to €769,000 and directed Moloney to submit a statement of assets by May 4th.
Robert Devine, aged 44, and his son Lee Kelly, aged 21, appealed the sentences imposed for a 2017 burglary and assault at the O'Reilly home. The original 20‑year sentence for Devine (12 years for burglary, 4 years each for two assault counts) and 17‑year sentence for Kelly (10 years suspended) were quashed. The Court of Appeal substituted a 12‑year term for Devine with the final two years suspended, and a 7‑year‑6‑month term for Kelly with the final year suspended. The four‑year assault sentences remain but will run concurrently. The appeal was based on the judge's error in imposing consecutive sentences for offences arising from the same incident. The Court noted the seriousness of the burglary and assault, the victims' injuries, and the defendants' guilty pleas and expressions of remorse. The decision was made by Justice Isobel Kennedy, with Justices George Birmingham and Patrick McCarthy.
Patrick McCarthy, 56, a taxi driver from Dublin, pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing drugs for sale at his home and taxi. Gardaí seized €23,000 worth of cocaine, including €8,000 in the taxi, €4,550 in the vehicle, and €15,000 in a safe in his bedroom. McCarthy admitted transporting drugs in his taxi to pay off debts from his own addiction, and that he had used the proceeds to buy more cocaine. He had no prior convictions and had led a blameless life before the arrest. Judge Martin Nolan, citing McCarthy's cooperation and the absence of a custodial sentence, imposed a three‑year suspended sentence. The court noted McCarthy's past industrial school detention and his recent engagement in drug treatment, concluding he would not re‑appear in court.
Ross Outram, aged 30, appeals his 2019 life sentence for murdering 90‑year‑old farmer Paddy Lyons. He argues that the fatal hip fracture was not caused by his assault but by an accidental fall after he left the scene. His lawyer, Michael O'Higgins SC, notes that pathology showed a hip fracture, brain injury and head lacerations, but the hip injury could have resulted from a fall. O'Higgins cites blood‑pooling evidence suggesting Lyons was mobile after the beating and that forensic analysis found no blood on Outram's hoodie. He contends the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the hip fracture was caused by the assault. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on the appeal. Ross Outram was found guilty.
In 2021, a 77‑year‑old man was sentenced to 11 years in prison for sexually abusing three of his granddaughters in County Tipperary between 2010 and 2014. The victims, aged between four and eight, were abused at the grandfather's home, their own homes and on holiday. One girl, who was abused after school, described how the grandfather bribed her with sweets and forced her to do inappropriate acts. She feared that revealing the abuse would break up her family. The man pleaded guilty to 16 counts of oral rape and 19 counts of sexual assault involving a third granddaughter, and to 13 counts of sexual assault involving the eldest. He also admitted to showing pornographic videos to a four‑year‑old. The court noted the seriousness of the breach of trust, the ages of the victims, the frequency and duration of the abuse, and the man's remorse and medical issues.
John Power, 55, an Irish engineer living in the Netherlands, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to providing false information to the passport office twice, in February 2015 and between January and February 2016. He had obtained a fake Irish passport in 2006 by using the birth certificate of a Tipperary man named John Power, and later tried to secure another fake passport in his brother's name. Power claimed he sought the passports to avoid a 1998 drink‑driving conviction that might surface while he travelled across Europe. He was arrested at Dublin Airport while travelling to the US on a legitimate passport. Judge Pauline Codd, noting medical evidence of a past stroke and memory loss, imposed a suspended three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, citing the high level of planning and the fact that the fake passports were used to circumvent the law regarding the drink‑driving offence. The sentence was suspended on a number of conditions.
Robert Devine, 44, and his son Lee Kelly, 21, appealed their sentences for a 2017 burglary and assault at the home of PJ and Brian O'Reilly. Devine had previously served a ten‑year sentence for manslaughter. The appeal was heard by a three‑judge Court of Appeal. Vincent Heneghan SC for the Director of Public Prosecutions argued that Judge Patrick Meghan should not have imposed consecutive sentences, but the director accepted the effective sentences of 12 and seven years. Ronan Munro SC for Devine presented evidence of rehabilitation, including prison education and positive reports from the prison governor, and requested a release with a programme of probation and addiction counselling. Kathleen Leader SC for Kelly highlighted his youth, remorse, and cooperation with Gardaí, and suggested a suspended portion of his sentence. The Court of Appeal reserved judgement. Robert Devine pleaded guilty. Lee Kelly pleaded guilty.
A 59‑year‑old man from Tipperary was sentenced to 18 years in prison for a series of sexual offences against children, including the rape of a six‑month‑old infant and the sexual abuse of four older girls. The offences, which occurred over seven months up to August 2019, involved the man secretly recording the children while they used a bathroom and filming the infant while he performed oral sex on her. He pleaded guilty to two counts of oral rape, one count of attempted oral rape, five counts of sexual assault of the infant, five counts of child pornography production involving the infant and the older children, and four counts of possession of child pornography. The judge imposed a suspended two‑year portion of the sentence, ordered six years of post‑release supervision, and required the defendant to complete sex‑offender treatment programmes and to keep children under 18 out of his care.
In a 2021 Court of Appeal decision, the court upheld a trial judge's decision to allow an FBI agent and two Gardaí from the National Surveillance Unit to give evidence anonymously in an explosives conspiracy case. The case involved Thomas Bates, who had received inert hand grenades, a decommissioned Glock pistol and dummy ammunition after an FBI agent uncovered a Darknet plot. Bates was convicted of conspiracy to possess firearms, ammunition and explosives between 24 October and 10 November 2017. Judge Thomas Teehan sentenced him to seven years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended. The appeal argued that anonymity violated statutory requirements, but the Court of Appeal found no legal basis to prohibit anonymous testimony and concluded the trial was fair. The decision clarified that a judge may permit witnesses to use initials or pseudonyms without compromising the accused's right to a fair trial.
Michael Small, a 54‑year‑old former solicitor from Renville, Oranmore, Co. Galway, faces a trial set for 9 January 2023 in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He is charged with multiple counts of theft, deception, failure to keep accounting records and the use of false accounting documents, alleged to have occurred over a two‑year period while he was practising in Limerick. Earlier, in 2008 and 2009, he appeared before the Dublin District Court on similar charges. The case involves allegations of €1.2 million in fraud, and free legal aid was granted for the circuit court proceedings.
A 29‑year‑old man, Thomas Power, was sentenced to seven‑and‑a‑half years in prison for stabbing a stranger, Eoin Casey, in the head on 20 August 2018. The knife entered Casey's left temple, travelled across his brain and left the tip inside the skull. Casey spent two weeks on a ventilator and five months in a rehabilitation centre, and now suffers lifelong disability, epilepsy, speech dyspraxia and impaired reading and writing. Power pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and assault causing harm, and was also found guilty of assaulting Aaron Grant, who sustained superficial injuries. Power's sentence, back‑dated to 20 January 2021, runs concurrently with the two convictions and includes an 18‑month suspended portion for the serious‑harm charge.
In a court hearing on 28 January 2021, the case of Thomas Power, a 29‑year‑old Limerick resident, was presented. Power pleaded guilty to assaulting Eoin Casey, 25, on 20 August 2018, when a knife penetrated Casey's left temple, leaving a fragment inside his skull. Casey suffered a severe brain injury, requiring transfer to Cork University Hospital and subsequent rehabilitation in Dublin. He now has lifelong disabilities, including speech dyspraxia and memory deficits, and continues ongoing medical treatment. Power also pleaded guilty to assaulting Aaron Grant on the same night, who sustained superficial injuries. The court heard victim impact statements from Casey's brother and Grant, describing the lasting physical and emotional effects. Power was remanded in custody pending sentencing, with the judge noting the incident was a chance encounter without prior history between the parties. The case highlights the serious harm caused by the stabbing and the enduring impact on the victim's life.
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.
In a High Court hearing, Mr Justice Michael Hanna awarded €83,000 in damages to 58‑year‑old Doris Whelan after she slipped and fell on a small amount of an oil‑like substance at a Dunnes Stores outlet in Ashleaf Shopping Centre, Walkinstown, Dublin 12, on 27 June 2013. Whelan sued Dunnes for injuries she claimed were caused by the hazardous floor condition. The court found that the evidence, including CCTV footage, showed Whelan had slipped while wearing flat shoes and that the oil‑like substance had come from a stock trolley. Dunnes had denied the claims and argued that Whelan had contributed by not looking where she was going, but no evidence was presented to counter the claim. The judge noted that Whelan had no prior knee problems and had undergone knee replacement surgery many years earlier.
Colm Granahan was committed to Mountjoy Prison on Friday by Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds after refusing to provide an undertaking to stay away from a farm in Falsk, Strokestown, Co Roscommon. The judge stated she had no choice but to commit him until he purges his contempt of court orders. This follows the earlier jailing of Michael Anthony McGann, the property owner, and retired Garda Kevin Taylor, both of whom were jailed for failing to give undertakings to comply with orders to vacate the farm. KBC Bank, which holds possession orders arising from a €431,000 debt, argued that an undertaking would satisfy its requirements, though it did not seek incarceration. Mr Granahan, from Ballina, Co Mayo, objected to the court's characterization of the orders as technically flawed and refused to answer the judge's request for an undertaking, stating he was "remaining mute." The judge noted that the matter would be reviewed next week. The farm has been the subject of ongoing proceedings involving the McGann siblings and KBC Bank, including a controversial eviction in 2018 and subsequent incidents involving security personnel. The court emphasized that the refusal to comply with the injunction resulted in the contempt proceedings.
Ian O'Sullivan, aged 32, appealed against a 12‑year prison sentence for a violent robbery of Thomas Lonergan in Clonmel on 26 February 2017. The Court of Appeal, led by Justice John Edwards, found the headline sentence excessive, noting a lack of guidance for judges on robbery. O'Sullivan's offence was deemed a serious instance of robbery with significant culpability but no weapon was used and the attack was spontaneous. The court re‑sentenced him to six years' imprisonment, suspending the final year on conditions, and upheld a €2,000 compensation order. Lonergan suffered severe physical and psychological harm, including blurred vision and diabetic complications, and his family relocated due to fear of further attacks. The appeal focused solely on the sentence, not on the facts of the robbery. The unnamed 32-year-old pleaded guilty.
Ian O'Sullivan, 32, appealed the 12‑year sentence he received for a 2017 unprovoked assault on Thomas Lonergan in Clonmel. O'Sullivan, one of three attackers, was found guilty of robbery after a CCTV‑recorded attack in which Lonergan was punched, kicked, and forced to hand over money and a phone. Lonergan suffered severe injuries, hospital treatment, eight weeks out of work, blurred vision, and long‑term health complications, including diabetic shock. O'Sullivan had 18 prior convictions, including assault and knife possession. Judge Thomas Teehan imposed a 12‑year term with four years suspended and a €2,000 compensation order. O'Sullivan's lawyer argued the sentence was too harsh, citing the victim's impact, while the DPP defended the judge's decision. The Court of Appeal will decide on Thursday.
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.
A man convicted of rape and sexual assault has had his sentence reduced by eighteen months following a Court of Appeal finding that the trial judge may have imposed a longer sentence than warranted due to comments about remission. The Court of Appeal quashed the twelve-year sentence imposed on Richard Moloney and re-sentenced him to ten-and-a-half years imprisonment. The appeal court found that remarks by the sentencing judge at Dublin's Central Criminal Court in November 2019 suggested he was taking potential early release into account when determining the headline sentence, which departed from standard sentencing practice. Moloney was convicted in July 2019 of rape, oral rape, and sexual assault against his foster daughter in July 2016. He was acquitted of a further charge of anal rape. The court rejected Moloney's appeal against conviction, finding no error in the trial judge's jury instructions.
Patrick Quirke, aged 51, awaits the Court of Appeal's decision on his appeal against a murder conviction for the killing of Bobby "Mr Moonlight" Ryan, aged 52, in 2011. The appeal, presented over four days, lists about 50 grounds, including claims of unfair trial due to prejudicial evidence, flawed search warrant, and improper jury admission of seized material. Quirke's counsel argues the warrant omitted computer references, yet a computer was seized, containing a disputed audio recording of Mary Lowry and Flor Cantillon. They contend the recording was inadmissible and prejudicial. The prosecution maintains the warrant was lawful, the recording admissible, and the evidence of a motor‑vehicle impact credible. The Court of Appeal will consider these arguments before issuing a ruling.
In the appeal of Pat Quirke, the Director of Public Prosecutions argued that evidence of Quirke's bad behaviour towards Mary Lowry was essential to establish his motive for murdering Bobby Ryan. Quirke, 51, was convicted of the 2011 murder of DJ Bobby Ryan, 52, who disappeared after leaving Lowry's home. Quirke's defence claimed the trial was unfair, citing evidence of Quirke removing underwear from Lowry's washing line and police suggestions of "cash on demand and sex on demand." The prosecution maintained that Quirke killed Ryan to rekindle his affair with Lowry, who had previously been his lover and financial supporter. The appeal also contested the validity of a warrant that seized Quirke's computer, arguing it was improperly framed and infringed on privacy rights. The court will consider these submissions in the ongoing appeal.
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.
In a Court of Appeal hearing, the Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel, Michael Bowman SC, defended the fairness of Patrick Quirke's trial. Bowman argued that the trial judge correctly exercised discretion by allowing the jury to hear evidence of Quirke's "obsession" with his former lover, Mary Lowry. Lowry was involved with the deceased, Bobby Ryan, whom Quirke murdered. Quirke, aged 51, was convicted of Ryan's murder, which occurred after Ryan vanished on 3 June 2011. The body was found in a disused underground tank on 30 April 2013. Bowman continued his submissions later that day.
Aaron Brady has been sentenced to life imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe in January 2013. Brady, aged twenty-nine and from New Road in Crossmaglen, County Armagh, was convicted in August following a trial lasting more than six months. Under the Criminal Justice Act 1990, he must serve a minimum of forty years before becoming eligible for parole. Justice Michael White imposed an additional concurrent sentence of fourteen years for robbery in connection with the credit union raid in County Louth, during which seven thousand euros was stolen in fifty-eight seconds. The court heard victim impact statements from Detective Donohoe's family and colleagues. Brady has maintained his innocence despite conviction, with supporters gathering outside the Courts of Criminal Justice to protest the outcome.
At the Central Criminal Court, victim impact statements were read concerning the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohue, who died during an armed robbery at Lordship Credit Union on 25 January 2013. His wife Caroline described the lasting trauma of witnessing the incident and the absence of their father from their children's milestones. His parents Hugh and Peggy Donohue spoke of their son's character, his devotion to family and the Gardaí, and the irreversible division their lives experienced following his death. Detective Garda Joseph Ryan, Donohue's colleague who was present during the shooting, detailed his diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder and his subsequent early retirement from An Garda Síochána in 2018. Adrian's siblings expressed the immeasurable void left by his death and lamented the family occasions and relationships he would never experience. The statements were presented as part of proceedings at the Central Criminal Court relating to the case.