A 22-year-old man from New Ross, Co Wexford, has been charged with multiple assault and hate-aggravated assault charges following an alleged racist attack on two men outside a Tesco supermarket in Cherrywood, Dublin 18. The incident, which occurred on March 14 last year, allegedly involved the accused shouting, 'Come out, you Indians. I'll show you,' before punching one of the men in the face. The victim suffered a cut to his eyelid and bruising around his eye, while the second man was allegedly grabbed from behind but not injured. The court heard that the alleged incident was unprovoked and not linked to any demonstration or protest. The charges are based on the alleged racist motivation of the accused. The case was adjourned until October 13 to allow for the preparation of a book of evidence.
Wayne Roche, who murdered his partner's father, John O'Connor, was sentenced to life imprisonment, with the judge criticizing his "appalling" behavior throughout the trial. Roche had repeatedly lied and tried to blame an innocent man, Michael Bancewicz, for the murder. The judge noted that Roche had a significant criminal history, including 83 previous convictions for assault, robbery, and other violent crimes. During the sentencing hearing, Roche interrupted the proceedings and left the court before the sentence was handed down. The judge praised the victim's family for their "patience and dignity" in the face of Roche's provocations. The family described the attack as "vicious" and "inhumane," stating that Roche had shown no remorse. The court heard that Roche had taken the victim's future from his family and that the victim had been robbed of his life. Roche's defense argued that he did not accept the jury's verdict, but the judge emphasized the severity of the crime and the need for justice. Wayne Roche pleaded not guilty.
A man described as a 'manipulative monster' with a history of violence against women has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his eight-year-old daughter and attempted murder of his partner. Muhammed Al Shaker Al Tamimi, who pleaded guilty to the crimes, was given a consecutive ten-year sentence for the attempted murder of his partner, Aisha Al Katib, which will be served before the life sentence. The court heard that Al Tamimi, who had previously held Aisha against her will and forced her to have sex without her consent, stabbed his daughter in front of Aisha, who was paralyzed and unable to move. Aisha described the moment as one of the most traumatic of her life, with Al Tamimi smiling directly at her as he cut his daughter's throat. The judge emphasized the domestic violence aspect of the case and the extraordinary level of violence, stating that the sentences were appropriate.
In a brief arraignment at the Central Criminal Court, 35‑year‑old Muhammed Al Shaker Al Tamimi pleaded guilty to murdering his eight‑year‑old daughter, Malika Al Katib, and attempting to murder her mother, Aisha Al Katib, on 1 December 2024 at Lower William Street, New Ross. Mr Justice Paul McDermott adjourned the case to 15 December for evidence and a statement from Ms Katib and her family. The defendant faces a mandatory life sentence for murder.
Victoria Dalton, 28, pleaded guilty to theft at a Circle K petrol station in Dundrum on 24 March 2020. She entered the shop at about 9:15 pm, asked for children's medicine, and was then approached by a man who held a knife to her throat and demanded €120 from the till. The staff, fearing for their safety, complied. Dalton later claimed she had been acting as a victim and denied participation in the robbery. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced her to 18 months' imprisonment, suspending the final nine months, and directed her to probation supervision for two years. The sentence was back‑dated to 30 March 2020, when she entered custody. Dalton has a history of drug addiction and a prior conviction for possession of drugs for personal use in March 2022. She is currently receiving treatment and intends to attend a residential drug programme after release.
An extradited criminal, Dragos Cirstea, 38, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for laundering money and purchasing luxury goods with €51,000 stolen from Adare Manor. He pleaded guilty to three money‑laundering counts in Dublin on 3 June 2019 and had four prior UK convictions. Cirstea used a bank card to buy items at Brown Thomas, Arnotts and Weir & Sons, spending €51,044, including a Rolex watch and jewellery worth about €44,000. The money had been sent by a Belgium Vintage Automobile Club to a fraudulent bank account, not to the hotel. No luxury items were recovered. The judge noted Cirstea's guilty plea and good work history as mitigating factors but also his role as a vital link in the criminal enterprise. He will receive credit for time served. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with Judge Martin Nolan presiding.
In a December 2018 Christmas arson spree, 34‑year‑old Graham Shannon set fire to three cars and an auto‑body garage in Wexford, destroying the owner's livelihood. He pleaded guilty to four counts of criminal damage. The State appealed the original cumulative sentence of three and a half years, arguing it was unduly lenient and that the four arsons should carry consecutive sentences. The Court of Appeal, led by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, quashed the original sentence and imposed a new nine‑year term: four years for each of the first three vehicle arsons (concurrent) and six years for the garage arson (consecutive), with the final year suspended. The decision was based on the financial loss to the garage owner, the "revenge" element, and Shannon's extensive criminal history, including 82 prior convictions and multiple serious offences. The suspended year was back‑dated to April 7, 2022.
In a Court of Appeal decision on 28 July 2023, the conviction of Bajo Ziflai, a 23‑year‑old Albanian national, was quashed. Ziflai had been found guilty by a jury of four counts of raping a 23‑year‑old woman he met on a dating website, where he used a false name, and one count of sexual assault. The original trial, held in Central Court in July 2022, had sentenced him to nine years' imprisonment. Ziflai had pleaded not guilty to all five charges and maintained that the woman's allegations were fabricated. The appeal argued that the trial judge erred in how the jury was instructed on the significance of lies told by the accused. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, held that the jury may not have fully understood the role of lies, found the verdict unsafe, and directed a retrial. No new sentence was imposed.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Victoria Dalton, aged 26, pleaded guilty to one count of theft after a petrol station robbery at Circle K, Dundrum, on 24 March 2020. Dalton entered the station at about 9.15 pm, asked for children's medicine, and was approached by a man whose face was covered with a scarf. He held a knife to her throat and demanded €120 from the till, threatening to kill her if she refused. The staff, fearing for their safety, handed over the money. Dalton later told Gardaí she was fine, but when a second officer arrived she admitted the knife had been held to her neck. She denied any role in the robbery, claiming she had gone to buy medicine for a toothache. The man, who matched the description of the accomplice, fled to a nearby apartment complex. Dalton was arrested shortly after the theft.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, 22‑year‑old Bajo Ziflai was found guilty of four counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against a 23‑year‑old woman he met on a dating website. He had given her a false name and arranged to meet at a house where he forced her to submit to repeated sexual violence despite her clear refusal. The victim suffered PTSD and depression, and her impact statement described ongoing flashbacks and self‑harm. Ziflai, who had no prior convictions, has been in custody since the attack. Justice Eileen Creedon sentenced him to ten years' imprisonment, suspending the final year, and ordered his placement on the Sex Offenders Register. He maintains the allegations are fabricated and refuses to apologise or accept the verdict.
Donal Carroll, aged 43, was convicted of possessing and distributing extreme child abuse material. He was found with nearly 1,500 images and videos, including a disturbing video that appeared to show a mother and child being raped and murdered, though the exact content of that video was not confirmed. Carroll pleaded guilty to one count of possession and two counts of distribution. He had no prior convictions. The material was discovered after a 2016 online activity alert by Norwegian authorities, leading to a search of his home and seizure of his laptop, which was analyzed in 2019. Carroll shared 11 images with a Norwegian contact. He has admitted to mental health issues and past suicide attempts. Judge Martin Nolan, considering the delayed seizure and distribution, imposed a one‑year custodial sentence.
In July 2022 the Court of Appeal quashed Leslie Peacock's 2015 conviction for failing to ensure fire safety at Kennedy Plaza Apartments, despite rejecting his appeal grounds. The court found sufficient evidence that Peacock, the owner, had control of the premises and was responsible for the alarm system. It also rejected the argument that a change in the indictment wording misled the jury. However, the appellate judges were concerned that the trial judge's charge confused the jury about the offence's elements, particularly the relevance of knowledge and reasonable practicability, and that hearsay evidence about the alarm being disabled was improperly presented. Consequently, the conviction was quashed and a retrial ordered for October 4, 2022, while Peacock remains liable for a €50,000 fine payable in monthly instalments, with imprisonment if payments are missed. Leslie Peacock pleaded not guilty.
Edward McDonnell, a convicted sex offender aged 57, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court for unlawful possession of a Grand Power G9 semi‑automatic pistol. The pistol was found in a car driven by Stephen Little, 48, who was also charged with possession of the weapon in suspicious circumstances. Little was sentenced to six years. McDonnell's appeal to the Court of Appeal was dismissed. The appeal argued that the disparity between McDonnell's nine‑year sentence and Little's six‑year sentence was an error, citing differences in plea timing, previous convictions and alleged involvement in a revenge plot for the murder of Sean Little, 22, who was shot dead in May 2019. The Court of Appeal, with Mr Justice McCarthy presiding, found no basis for the disparity and upheld the nine‑year sentence. Stephen Little pleaded guilty.
A 23‑year‑old Stephen Butler was jailed for four years after he killed his 48‑year‑old father John Butler during a fist‑fight that erupted moments after the pair left a pub in Portlaw, Co. Waterford. Butler told gardai he did not intend to kill his father and claimed the fight was simply a row. He pleaded not guilty to murder but admitted manslaughter. After an eight‑day trial in October 2021, the jury accepted his defence and he was remanded for sentencing. At the hearing, Mr Justice Paul Burns noted the lack of premeditation, no weapon, and Butler's remorse. The judge sentenced Butler to five years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended for five years, citing his lack of prior convictions, early guilty plea, cooperation with investigators and genuine remorse. The case highlighted the tragic impact on Butler's sister Katilyn, who lost her father and now struggles to forgive her brother.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 19‑year‑old Katilyn Butler testified that her life was "changed forever" after her mother informed her that her father, John Butler, had died from injuries sustained in a fight with her brother, Stephen Butler. Katilyn, who still loves her brother but says she can never fully forgive him, described the shock of learning of her father's death at 4 a.m. at University Hospital Waterford, two hours after the altercation. She recounted the emotional impact, her anger toward Stephen, and her hope to rebuild their relationship. The court also heard a victim impact statement from Stephen's brother, William Butler, who lamented the loss of a family member. Stephen Butler, aged 23, had pleaded not guilty to murder but admitted manslaughter; the jury found him not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, and he was remanded for sentencing. Mr Justice Paul Burns adjourned the sentencing until 24 January.
Paul O'Leary, 51, of Follyhouse Lane, New Ross, Co Wexford, was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to five years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. The sentence was imposed after O'Leary pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin, on 24 April 2017. Garda surveillance had revealed O'Leary's van parked at the quay, where he and a second driver transferred two cardboard boxes containing just over 17 kg of cannabis, valued at €350,104. O'Leary's role was described as that of a courier with no wider involvement. He has two minor prior convictions for public order offences. The judge noted his modest work history, gambling addiction, mental health issues, and role as a devoted father to three children, and accepted that a favourable probation report placed him at low risk of re‑offending.
Samantha Sinnott, a 41‑year‑old midwife at Wexford General Hospital, was convicted of a money‑laundering offence and received a 12‑month suspended prison sentence in February 2020. She claims she was dismissed by the HSE after the sentencing, despite having continued to work, been promoted, and given a new contract. Sinnott alleges the HSE failed to investigate her case, did not interview her, and dismissed her on the basis of her conviction without proper procedure. She has filed a High Court judicial review seeking to quash the dismissal, arguing it was unreasonable, irrational, disproportionate, and violated her constitutional and ECHR rights. The court granted permission ex‑parte, and the case is set for a December hearing. Samantha Sinnott pleaded guilty.
The Special Criminal Court sentenced Stephen Little (47) and Edward McDonnell (56) for unlawful possession of a semi-automatic weapon. Little, of Dublin 5, pleaded guilty to possessing a Grand Power G9 pistol at Lein Park, Harmonstown, on September 14, 2019. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, backdated to December 21, 2019. The judge noted Little's motivation was the murder of his son, Sean Little, and accepted he was not the intended triggerman. McDonnell, of New Ross, Co Wexford, also pleaded guilty to possessing the weapon at the same location and date. He received a nine-year sentence, backdated to September 16, 2019. The court highlighted McDonnell's 47 previous convictions and his guilty plea entered on the fifth day of trial. Both men were originally charged with having the weapon with intent to endanger life but convicted under Section 27A (1) of the Firearms Act. Gardaí recovered the loaded handgun under the passenger seat of an Audi, along with balaclavas, gloves, and a petrol can. Little, who drove McDonnell to the scene, made statements to gardaí expressing intent to kill the person responsible for his son's death. The judge described the case as one of "intended lethality" avoided by Garda intervention. Both defendants were remanded in custody prior to sentencing.
Paul O'Leary, 51, of Follyhouse Lane, New Ross, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply after a Garda surveillance operation uncovered two cardboard boxes containing just over 17 kg of cannabis with a street value of €350,104 in his van. O'Leary's role was described by his lawyers and the Garda as that of a courier; he had no wider involvement in the drug transfer. He had two minor previous convictions for public order offences and no criminal history beyond that. O'Leary had advertised himself online as a "man with a van" offering delivery jobs to escape debt, a strategy that attracted others. He expressed deep shame and remorse, and his counsel highlighted his ordinary background, employment history, and community contributions. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to 16 November 2020 to allow a probation report to be prepared.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Stephen Little, 47, and Edward McDonnell, 56, were charged with unlawful possession of a Grand Power G9 semi‑automatic pistol and intent to endanger life. The case stemmed from a gun seizure on a Dublin estate on 14 September 2019. Gardaí recovered a loaded handgun under the passenger seat of an Audi, along with a red petrol can, a long‑handled lighter, two balaclavas, two baseball caps, and two pairs of gloves. Little's son, Sean, 22, had been shot dead in May 2019, an event that prompted Little to make a statement to police that "had you given me another hour I would have killed the bastard that killed him." McDonnell denied knowledge of the firearm. Both men were remanded in custody pending sentencing on 31 August. The court noted that Little had one prior traffic offence and McDonnell had 47 prior convictions, including robbery, sexual assault and assault causing harm. Stephen Little pleaded guilty. Edward McDonnell pleaded guilty.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Edward McDonnell, aged 55, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a Grand Power G9 semi‑automatic pistol at Lein Park, Harmonstown, Dublin, on 14 September 2019. The plea came just hours after his defence counsel, Michael Bowman SC, had applied to the court for a not‑guilty verdict on both counts. McDonnell had originally pleaded not guilty to possession of the pistol with intent to endanger life. Evidence presented during the five‑day trial included a loaded handgun found under the passenger seat of an Audi, two baseball hats, two balaclavas, gloves, a red petrol can, and a long‑handled lighter. The prosecution argued that the circumstances collectively proved the charge. The court set a sentence hearing for 21 July 2024. A second defendant, Stephen Little, 46, also pleaded guilty to the same offence and will have his sentence hearing on the same date.
The trial of Edward McDonnell, 55, at the Special Criminal Court continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and two other judges. Mr McDonnell, of New Ross, Co Wexford, has pleaded not guilty to being in unlawful possession of a semi-automatic Grand Power G9 pistol and having it with intent to endanger life at Lein Park, Harmonstown, Dublin 5, on September 14, 2019. Prosecution evidence indicates that Detective Garda Ronan Doolan interviewed the accused at Raheny Garda Station, where he claimed ignorance of the firearm and stated he was "innocent of any crime." The court heard that items including balaclavas, gloves, and a petrol can were found in the Audi vehicle from which Mr McDonnell was removed. Additionally, forensic analysis linked mobile phones seized from the accused to devices found in a Toyota Avensis. In a related matter, Stephen Little, 46, of Dublin 5, pleaded guilty last month to the unlawful possession of the same Grand Power G9 pistol at the same location and date. The trial is ongoing and was adjourned to Monday.
Edward McDonnell, 55, of Waterside Apartments, New Ross, was arrested on 14 September 2019 in Dublin for unlawful possession of a Grand Power G9 semi‑automatic pistol and for having the weapon with intent to endanger life. Garda Eoin Byrne interviewed McDonnell at Raheny Garda Station the same day. McDonnell claimed he had come to Dublin to look at cars, stating, "One minute I'm looking at a car, next thing I'm lying on the floor covered in blood." He said he had driven from New Ross to Ballyfermot, left his Toyota RAV4 at Mr Price, and then went to view a dark‑coloured Audi at Lein Park. Garda David McGinley showed McDonnell items found on him at arrest, including two balaclavas, two baseball caps, gloves and a red petrol can. Detective Sergeant John Keane testified that McDonnell entered the Audi with his firearm drawn and was removed by an armed garda. Edward McDonnell pleaded not guilty.
During a Special Criminal Court hearing on 7 July 2020, the trial of Edward McDonnell, 55, of Waterside Apartments, New Ross, was presented. McDonnell pleaded not guilty to unlawful possession of a Grand Power G9 semi‑automatic pistol and to having the weapon with intent to endanger life. Garda Joseph Enright testified that he had observed a silver Toyota Avensis driven by Stephen Little, 46, on 11 September 2019, and that a loaded handgun was found under the passenger seat of the vehicle the day before McDonnell was forcibly removed. Enright also described items that fell from McDonnell's lap upon arrest, including baseball hats, balaclavas, gloves, a red petrol can and a long‑handled lighter. The court heard that a surveillance operation, led by Detective Inspector Noel Browne, had been underway in north Dublin from 11 September, culminating in the discovery of the firearm and related items. The trial was scheduled to continue on Thursday.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Edward McDonnell, 55, of Waterside Apartments, New Ross, was arraigned on two charges of unlawful possession of a Grand Power G9 semi‑automatic pistol and possession of that weapon with intent to endanger life. The prosecution, represented by Sean Gillane SC, presented evidence from a Garda surveillance operation that began on 11 September 2019 in north Dublin. The operation involved a Toyota Avensis driven by Stephen Little and an unknown male, and a navy‑coloured Audi parked at Lein Park, Harmonstown. On 13 September, Garda Jonathan O'Leary discovered a loaded handgun under the Avensis passenger seat, removed its magazine, and later returned it to the seat. On 14 September, McDonnell allegedly exited the Avensis, approached the Audi, took a key, and entered the vehicle before being arrested. During the arrest, items such as two balaclavas, two black caps, two pairs of gloves, a red petrol can, and an encrypted phone were recovered. Edward McDonnell pleaded not guilty.
Stephen Little, 46, of Kilbarron Avenue, Dublin 5, and Edward McDonnell, 55, of Waterside Apartments, New Ross, Co. Wexford, were accused of unlawful possession of a semi‑automatic pistol and of having the weapon with intent to endanger life at Lein Park, Harmonstown, Dublin 5 on 14 September 2019. They appeared by video link before the Special Criminal Court, where Mr Justice Tony Hunt set a trial date for 6 July. The court also ordered witnesses and exhibits for that date, and the case will be mentioned again on 25 May for disclosure matters.
Stephen Little, 46, of Kilbarron Avenue, Dublin 5, and Edward McDonnell, 55, of Waterside Apartments, New Ross, Co. Wexford, are accused of unlawful possession of a semi‑automatic pistol and of having the weapon with intent to endanger life at Lein Park, Harmonstown, Dublin 5 on 14 September 2019. The State solicitor, Michael O'Donovan, requested that the two men be tried in the Special Criminal Court, a non‑jury court. Mr Justice Tony Hunt granted the order, and the accused did not appear in court.
Wendy Whitty, a businesswoman, was released from custody after apologising to the High Court and agreeing not to interfere with the receivership of eight properties owned by her and her husband, Scott Dyer, in County Wexford and County Cork. Whitty had previously been jailed for contempt of court after refusing to comply with orders to stop interfering with or collecting rent from the properties. She had given undertakings to the judge but later sent a letter challenging the court's jurisdiction and claiming the undertakings were made under duress, which the judge deemed a further contempt. After legal advice, Whitty apologized, promised cooperation with the receiver, and agreed to inform tenants that rent should be paid to the receiver. The judge accepted her undertaking and released her, warning that any further interference would have serious consequences. The receiver's actions against the couple will return to court next week.
A High Court judge remanded businesswoman Wendy Whitty overnight after she failed to comply with an order not to interfere with the receivership of several investment properties owned by her and her husband, Mr Scot Dyer, in County Wexford and Cork. The judge had previously ordered Whitty to seek legal advice to understand the seriousness of the situation. Whitty had given an undertaking not to interfere, but the judge found she had not complied, citing ongoing interference, especially with tenants in Wexford. Whitty, who was not represented by counsel, had sent a letter to the court claiming the undertaking was made under duress and that "duress voids all contracts." The judge remanded her to Mountjoy Prison for the night, with a review scheduled for Friday morning. Whitty denied breaching the court's orders and said she had not approached the properties since giving the undertaking.
The High Court jailed businesswoman Wendy Whitty for contempt after she refused to comply with an injunction that barred her and her husband Scott Dyer from interfering with the receivership of several properties in Wexford and Cork. Whitty had previously undertaken not to impede the bank‑appointed receivers from collecting rents, not to present herself as the rent‑collector, not to communicate with tenants or enter the properties. She later rescinded these undertakings, claiming duress and intimidation, and the court found her to have clearly resiled from them. The judge committed her to Mountjoy prison until she purges her contempt. Dyer was unable to attend court due to illness, and the judge ordered a detailed medical report. The case was adjourned to the following week.
In October 2018, a Polish man named Andrezej Pacek, aged 44 and currently serving a ten‑year prison sentence for a drug offence, was denied legal aid to defend a Criminal Assets Bureau claim that a commercial property in Hollyford, Co. Tipperary, where about €1 million of cannabis was found, was purchased with proceeds of crime. Pacek, who lives in Deerpark, New Ross, Co. Wexford, had earlier been convicted in 2017 for possession of a controlled drug worth €13 000 or more, with six years of his sentence suspended. The CAB argued that the Hollyford house was bought with illicit funds, citing unexplained four‑figure deposits into Pacek's bank accounts before the purchase. Pacek claimed the property was bought with savings from selling his Polish transport business in 2006. Ms Justice Carmel Stewart dismissed his legal aid application, noting translation difficulties and a lack of supporting documentation, and adjourned the case to November.
Juraci Da Silva, 36, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the death of James Banville, 28, who was stabbed in the heart on New Street in Waterford on October 8, 2016. Da Silva has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, a plea the State has not accepted. He also pleads not guilty to assaulting Conor Hogan and producing a knife. The trial heard that Banville had eight previous convictions, including a four-month jail sentence in March 2009 at New Ross District Court for threatening to kill under section 5 of the Non-fatal Offences Against the Person Act. Other convictions included assault, carrying an offensive weapon, and criminal damage. Defence counsel noted that Banville and Hogan allegedly assaulted and racially abused Da Silva before the incident. Detective Garda Darren Colfer testified that Da Silva was interviewed on October 9, 2016, where he denied stabbing anyone despite witness identification. The prosecution has finished calling evidence. Mr Justice Michael White is currently dealing with matters in the jury's absence and has asked them to return tomorrow morning. The matter is therefore adjourned.
The High Court appointed Mr Kieran Wallace as provisional liquidator for Wexford Echo Limited, the publisher of the Wexford Echo, Gorey Echo, New Ross Echo and Enniscorthy Echo. The court was told the company is insolvent and cannot pay its debts, with net liabilities of €834,000 at the end of May. Wallace will keep the four titles operating in the hope a buyer can be found, preserving their saleability and preventing any suspension that could prejudice a sale. The company employs 30 people across journalism, advertising, sales, sub‑editing, page production, finance and management. Its directors are Thomas Crosbie, Noel Wall, Daniel Francis Linehan, Thomas Joseph Murphy and Sean O'Keeffe. The company is a member of the Landmark Media Group, which has ceased financial support, leading shareholders to resolve to wind up the company and appoint a provisional liquidator.
Christopher Zinck, aged 33, and Rory Kilkenny, also 33, pleaded guilty in Carlow Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis for sale or supply at a site in Kidalton, Piltown, Co Kilkenny, on 2 May 2013. Kilkenny was sentenced to four years imprisonment, later increased to 12 years with four years suspended on appeal. Zinck received a wholly suspended nine‑year sentence, later increased to a fully suspended ten‑year sentence. The Court of Appeal upheld the suspended nature of Zinck's sentence, citing his rehabilitation and employment. The case involved a large cannabis grow operation with 2,504 plants and 43.54 kg of herb, valued at €2,874,174. Three Asian gardeners were sentenced to seven years with six years suspended. Zinck admitted involvement, receiving a €5,000 fee for delivering supplies to the growers. The court noted his 18‑month drug‑free period and praised his inspirational recovery.
John Joe Synnott, aged 61, a former Garda, was convicted of deception and corruption for staging a non‑existent road traffic accident on 9 September 2007. He had reported an Audi A4 colliding with a parked Subaru Imprezza, creating a PULSE incident report and a Traffic Accident Preliminary Report, and paid out €23,352 to the drivers, Beverley Redmond and Lorraine Quinlan, through AXA Insurance. The prosecution argued that Synnott deliberately assisted the drivers and Joe Redmond, a friend and known criminal, in fraud. He was found guilty on all counts and sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. Synnott appealed on grounds relating to the judge's jury instructions, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal. He remains in custody on an undisclosed matter and is no longer a serving Garda. John Joe Synnott pleaded not guilty.
John Joe Synnott, a 60‑year‑old Garda from Camblin Hill, New Ross, was convicted in 2011 of deception and corruption related to an alleged car crash that never occurred. He pleaded not guilty to three charges concerning a reported traffic accident on 9 September 2007, but a jury found him guilty on all counts. The judge sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, suspending the final two years. Synnott had been the investigating officer who reported that an Audi A4 had collided with a parked Subaru Imprezza, leading AXA Insurance to pay €23,352. He admitted calling the Garda Information Service to report the accident and not attending the scene. In October 2011 he was granted bail pending an appeal, which was opened today on several grounds, including alleged misdirection of the jury and improper definition of "induced.".
In April 2016 the High Court, under Justice Miriam O'Regan, ordered AIB, Bank of Ireland and Bunclody Credit Union to supply details of bank accounts and addresses of people alleged to have intimidated James Richard Hodgins into signing cheques that led to €83,000 being paid to them. The orders were part of a broader effort to identify those who, according to Hodgins, threatened and coerced him over several years. The court also continued injunctions restraining 14 individuals from approaching Hodgins or his farm, while the injunctions against three others were deemed unnecessary. Hodgins, who lives alone near Roscrea, claimed the defendants had repeatedly offered work, then demanded money, and that he was forced to write cheques totalling €102,000, of which €83,000 was cashed. The case was adjourned to June for further proceedings.
In 2016 the Court of Appeal found the sentences given to two men for their roles in Ireland's largest cannabis‑growing facility too lenient. Rory Kilkenny, 33, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale and was originally sentenced to four years. Christopher Zinck, 32, also pleaded guilty and received a wholly suspended nine‑year sentence. The Court of Appeal re‑sentenced Kilkenny to 12 years, suspending the final four, and reduced Zinck's sentence by one year, keeping it suspended, hoping his rehabilitation could be preserved. The facility, discovered in Piltown, Kilkenny, contained 2,504 plants and 43.54 kg of cannabis, valued at €2,874,174. Three Asian gardeners were sentenced to seven years with six suspended. The Court noted Kilkenny's essential role and a subsequent offence in 2014, and Zinck's involvement in a serious enterprise but also his exceptional recovery, leading to the adjusted sentences.
A major road haulage firm, Roadteam Logistic Solutions (formerly Nolan Transport Limited), was fined €1 million for inadequately securing steel coils that slid off a trailer, killing two motorists and injuring four others in a 2007 accident near Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny. The company pleaded guilty to breaching the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act. The fine, imposed by Mr Justice Raymond Fullam in 2013, was the maximum of €3 million but was reduced to €1 million. Roadteam appealed, arguing the penalty was disproportionate to a single omission, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, finding the fine "just and proportionate" given the gross dereliction of duty and the serious harm caused. The €1 million fine is to be paid over three years. The case highlighted the company's failure to secure heavy loads properly, leading to a fatal road incident.
Roadteam Logistic Solutions, formerly Nolan Transport Limited, was fined €1 million by Wexford Circuit Criminal Court for breaching section 12 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 after a 2007 road accident that killed two women. The company pleaded guilty to a breach of health and safety laws involving an unsecured load that caused the fatalities and injuries to three others. On 25 February 2013, Mr Justice Raymond Fullam imposed the fine, citing the seriousness of the offence and the company's failure to secure the load. The company has now lodged an appeal, arguing that the judge erred in describing the case as "the worst" before the Circuit Court, that the fine was disproportionate to an omission rather than a deliberate act, and that the company had complied with warnings and expressed regret.
John Murphy, 31, of New Ross, Wexford, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for theft committed at an address in Foxrock, Dublin, on October 28, 2014. Murphy pleaded guilty to the charge. The court heard that Murphy, posing as a journalist, extorted €1,000 from 82-year-old Patrick Brendan Tiernan by threatening to publish his image alongside sex offender Larry Murphy. Tiernan, who previously pleaded guilty to 14 charges of indecent assault and gross indecency involving nine victims, was targeted for his prior convictions. Judge Desmond Hogan described the act as a "particularly mean offence" and sentenced Murphy to three years in prison, suspended in full for four years. Murphy was ordered to pay €5,500 to the victim, keep the peace and be of good behaviour for four years, and comply with probation services for two years. The judge noted that Murphy acted as the frontman for a sophisticated operation involving surveillance. The matter was finalised with this suspended sentence and associated conditions.
John Murphy, 31, of New Ross, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to theft at an address in Foxrock, Dublin, on October 28, 2014. The court heard that Murphy, posing as a journalist named "Andrew," allegedly extorted €1,000 from 82-year-old Patrick Brendan Tiernan by threatening to publish his photograph alongside sex offender Larry Murphy. Tiernan, who previously pleaded guilty to 14 charges of indecent assault and gross indecency involving nine victims, was targeted in what the judge described as a sophisticated operation involving surveillance. Judge Desmond Hogan characterized the conduct as a "particularly mean offence" and noted that Murphy acted as the frontman for the scheme. Although the judge did not rule out a prison term, he agreed to adjourn the matter to July 17. This delay allows the Probation Service to assess Murphy's suitability for the Restorative Justice Programme. The judge remarked that while Murphy was able to demand money, he should now demonstrate the ability to apologize. Defense counsel requested that no immediate jail term be imposed so Murphy could be present for the birth of his first child, noting that €3,000 was available in court as compensation. The matter was adjourned, not concluded.
Two Wexford businessmen, Noel Hayes (61) and William O'Leary (51), were acquitted of forging the will of Matthew Hayes, dated between December 1998 and January 1999, at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The jury, composed of eight men and four women, returned a not‑guilty verdict after about two and a half hours of deliberation on the ninth day of the trial. The prosecution's key witness, Charlie O'Leary, had previously pleaded guilty to a related offence and received an 18‑month suspended sentence, and he testified that the will was signed a week after Matthew Hayes' death. He alleged that Noel Hayes sought to resolve an old land dispute and that the O'Leary brothers had a bitter business relationship that led to ongoing legal disputes, including a high‑court case where Charlie O'Leary was awarded around €3 million. William O'Leary pleaded not guilty. Noel Hayes pleaded not guilty.
The trial of Noel Hayes and William O'Leary, both accused of forging the will of Matthew Hayes between December 1998 and January 1999, continued before Judge Patricia Ryan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty. On the seventh day of the trial, Noel Hayes, a vegetable wholesaler from Ramsgrange, Co Wexford, was cross-examined by prosecuting counsel Philip Sheahan SC. Hayes suggested that the main prosecution witness, Charlie O'Leary, who previously pleaded guilty and received an 18-month suspended sentence plus an order to pay €30,000, acted out of a 'vendetta' against his brother, William. Hayes described himself as the 'meat in the sandwich' in this dispute. Counsel questioned Hayes on whether it was odd for William O'Leary to 'concoct' a story exposing himself to imprisonment to 'shop his best friend' due to a vendetta. Hayes acknowledged it would be odd for a normal person but not for Charlie O'Leary, stating that 'nothing mattered to him except to bring down his brother.' Counsel also alleged that Hayes' repeated requests for William O'Leary to join a 2004 land deal stemmed from anxiety that the will had not been executed, a claim Hayes denied, citing their lifelong friendship. The trial continues.
During a trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Noel Hayes, a 61‑year‑old vegetable wholesaler from Ramsgrange, Co. Wexford, pleaded not guilty to forging the will of Matthew Hayes, a bachelor farmer, alongside his brother William O'Leary, 51, from New Ross. The alleged forging is said to have occurred between December 1998 and January 1999. Noel Hayes claimed that the prosecution witness, Charles O'Leary, was "blinded with anger" against William, describing William as a "tormented man" during the period when their business relationship deteriorated. Charles O'Leary had previously pleaded guilty to forging the same will, receiving an 18‑month suspended sentence and a €30,000 payment to the next of kin. He was also awarded about €3 million in a High Court case against the company he ran with William. Noel Hayes testified that the will was drawn up and signed on 31 August 1998, and that Matthew died on Christmas Day that year.
During the trial of William O'Leary and Noel Hayes for forging a will, a retired nurse, Marian Argue, testified that she had advised a caller that the elderly farmer Matthew Hayes might not have been medically capable of making a will. Argue, who worked on St Aidan's Ward at Wexford General Hospital in 1998, described Hayes as thin, emaciated, incontinent, and bruised on his right hip. She noted that he was receiving IV fluids and was nursed on alternative sides, and that he responded very little, making it difficult to understand him. Argue could not confirm whether Noel Hayes visited each day or was present at Matthew's death. The trial, held in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, continues with Judge Patricia Ryan presiding and a jury of eight men and four women. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty. Noel Hayes pleaded not guilty.
In the fourth day of the trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, William O'Leary (51) and Noel Hayes (61) pleaded not guilty to forging the will of Matthew Hayes. The prosecution witness, Charles O'Leary, denied to defence counsel that he was exploiting a sick child of friends. He had previously pleaded guilty to the alleged forgery, received an 18‑month suspended sentence and was ordered to pay €30,000. O'Leary claimed he had received £12,500 for his role but gave the money to his sister and a family friend, and that he had not mentioned to the Gardaí that he was the guarantor on a boat loan. Defence counsel accused O'Leary of inserting his brother into statements about the forgery and of acting deviously. The trial continues before Judge Patricia Ryan.
The trial of Noel Hayes (61) and William O'Leary (51), both of Co Wexford, continued before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury. The two men, who have pleaded not guilty to forging the will of Matthew Hayes between December 1998 and January 1999, are accused of taking part in the alleged forgery. Prosecution witness Charles O'Leary, who previously pleaded guilty to taking part in the alleged forgery, testified that he first met the deceased on his deathbed in hospital on Christmas Eve 1998. He stated that Noel Hayes brought him to the hospital and denied possessing a pre-printed will. Charles O'Leary was sentenced to 18 months suspended and ordered to pay €30,000 into an account pending for the next of kin of Matthew Hayes. The will, purportedly signed in August 1998, left 162 acres of land and funds to Noel Hayes. It is alleged that all three were involved in forging the document, with Noel Hayes forging the signature. The trial continues.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Noel Hayes (61) and William O'Leary (51) pleaded not guilty to forging the will of Matthew Hayes, dated between December 1998 and January 1999. The prosecution's key witness, Charles O'Leary, had earlier admitted participation in the alleged forgery and received an 18‑month suspended sentence and a €30,000 payment to Matthew Hayes' next of kin. During cross‑examination, O'Leary denied threatening to "bury" Hayes or Noel, denied calling Hayes a "greedy bastard," and denied remarks about "bringing those two down." He also denied claims that he was "shafted" in a land deal and that he had threatened to "bury" his brother. O'Leary stated he had been seeing a psychiatrist since 1994, citing depression during the period of the alleged forgery. The trial, presided over by Judge Patricia Ryan, continues with a jury.