Court archive
Court reports mentioning Kilbeggan, Westmeath
2025-12-09 · Westmeath
The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on appeals against the sentences of three men convicted of the gang rape of a 17-year-old student in December 2016. The defendants, Gabriel Gomes Da Rocha, Eduardo Dias Ferreira Filho, and Marcus De Silva Umbelino, were unanimously convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury. In June 2022, Ms Justice Tara Burns sentenced Da Rocha to 20 years, Ferreira Filho to 18 years, and Umbelino to 15 years, suspending the final year of each term. The appeals argue these sentences are excessive. Counsel for Da Rocha and Ferreira Filho contended the trial judge erred in categorizing the offending in the highest band, suggesting a 10-to-15-year range was appropriate given their ages and lack of prior convictions. For Umbelino, who was a minor at the time, counsel argued the reduction for youth was insufficient, citing UK guidelines. The Director of Public Prosecutions maintained the trial judge correctly applied the law and considered mitigating factors. The matter was adjourned pending the court's decision.
2023-11-07 · Dublin
Alex Almajanu, 23, received a fully suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to endangerment, two breaches of Covid regulations, dangerous driving, not holding a driver's license, and criminal damage on the basis of recklessness committed on April 25, 2020. The offences involved fleeing a checkpoint in County Clare and subsequently leading gardaí on a high-speed chase across the midlands, which included driving at 200 km/hr and causing over €13,000 in damage to a patrol car. Judge Orla Crowe described the conduct as "deplorable" and noted that public resources were expended during a national crisis. While acknowledging the defendant's mitigation, including his recovery from drug addiction and role as a father, the judge stated the offences warranted a headline sentence of three years. She imposed a sentence of two years and three months, suspending the entire term for three years on the condition that Almajanu engage with the Probation Service for 12 months. Additionally, he was disqualified from driving for five years. Defence counsel highlighted that the defendant was under the influence of drugs at the time but is now drug-free and caring for his infant daughter.
2022-06-03 · Westmeath
Five men aged 17 to 19 were convicted of gang‑rape and sexual assault of a 17‑year‑old Leaving Cert student on 27 December 2016. The victim was taken from a midlands town to a remote dry dock in Co Westmeath where the men raped her one after another, filmed the assaults, and later forced her into a car where further sexual acts occurred. The court heard the victim's impact statement, describing how the men stripped her of dignity and left her in shock. Ms Justice Tara Burns sentenced the men to a combined 66 years: 15 years for Marcos Vinicius De Silva Umbelino, 18 years for Eduardo Dias Ferreira Filho, 20 years for Gabriel Gomes Da Rocha, 12 years for Conor Byrne, and 7 years for Ethan Nikolaou. All sentences had a suspended year, and additional concurrent sentences were imposed for other assaults. Conor Byrne pleaded guilty.
2022-05-30 · Westmeath
Five men were convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of sexually assaulting and raping a 17-year-old Leaving Cert student in December 2016. The defendants are Gabriel Gomes Da Rocha, Eduardo Dias Ferreira Filho, Ethan Nikolaou, Marcos De Silva Umbelino, and Conor Byrne. Byrne entered a guilty plea to rape, while the other four men denied all charges but were found guilty of various counts of sexual assault, rape, and false imprisonment. The jury reached unanimous verdicts after a four-week trial. During the proceedings, the victim addressed the court, expressing her trauma and PTSD. She specifically addressed Byrne, acknowledging his admission of guilt and asking him not to let this be the defining moment of his life. She stated she would not forgive the other four men, who she said showed no remorse. The defence lawyers for all five men stated they accepted the jury verdicts and highlighted their clients' remorse. Ms Justice Tara Burns adjourned the case to 2pm on Thursday for finalisation. The five men were remanded in custody pending that finalisation.
2022-04-07 · Westmeath
In the trial, the 17‑year‑old victim recounted a night of repeated sexual assault by six men. She was lured into a car after a taxi wait, where she was forced into the back seat and subjected to molestation and rape by Gabriel Gomes Da Rocha, Marcos Vinicius De Silva Umbelino, Conor Byrne, Ethan Nikolaou, Eduardo Dias Ferreira Filho, and a fifth unnamed man. The victim described being coerced into touching a man's genitals, forced oral sex, and being prevented from leaving the vehicle. She reported feeling shocked, paralyzed, and crying throughout the assaults. The court heard CCTV footage of her running to a friend's house after the final assault. The defendants were convicted of various sexual assault and rape charges, with one defendant pleading guilty before trial. The case highlighted the victim's lack of escape options and the men's coordinated abuse.
2022-04-07 · Westmeath
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a jury convicted four men of multiple sexual assaults during a gang rape of a 17‑year‑old girl on 27 December 2016. The girl was taken in a car by five men after she was separated from friends. While traveling, she was repeatedly groped and molested. The car was parked at a remote spot where two men raped her consecutively, then the car returned to town and was parked again. The girl attempted to leave; two men prevented her, one raped her again, and another orally raped her. After nine hours of deliberation, the jury found Marcos Vinicius De Silva Umbelino (22), Eduardo Dias Ferreira Filho (24), Gabriel Gomes Da Rocha (24) and Ethan Nikolaou (23) guilty of various charges, including rape and sexual assault. A fifth man, Conor Byrne (24), pleaded guilty to rape. All verdicts were unanimous.
2016-07-19 · Westmeath
Dinah Loughlin, a 30‑year‑old GAA star from Kilbeggan, Westmeath, pleaded guilty to twenty counts of theft for stealing more than €28,000 from her employer, senior counsel Marguerite Bolger, over a five‑year period. While working as a legal secretary, Loughlin used Bolger's credit‑card and bank accounts to pay for transcription work and to make personal purchases, including online shopping at Asos, River Island, Amazon, and gift‑cards from an office‑supply site. She also withdrew cash from an ATM and bought CDs, DVDs, an iPod, and paid her motor tax through Bolger's account. After the thefts were discovered, Loughlin repaid the money with savings earmarked for a wedding and sold her car. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, hearing that Bolger had a "very benevolent view" of the offence, imposed a two‑year suspended sentence, suspended for two years, noting Loughlin's previous good character and repayment. The judge warned that she was "perilously close" to jail.