Christopher Coleman, 27, was jailed for two and a half years for dangerous driving that caused the death of Eugene Maher, 62, on 30 June 2015. Coleman, who had been banned from driving and had no licence, drove a car at speed through a red light on Clontarf Road, Dublin, striking Maher and leaving the scene. He also admitted driving without insurance. The judge, Melanie Greally, placed the sentence in the lower half of the medium band, imposing a 30‑month term and a 15‑year disqualification from driving. Witnesses described the car's sudden appearance in the bus lane, its speed, and the driver's attempt to stop with a handbrake. Coleman pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and acknowledged responsibility for the fatal crash. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
David Shanley of Courtown Harbour, Gorey, Co. Wexford, pleaded guilty to manslaughter for the Christmas Eve killing of 42‑year‑old John Lawlor on 24 or 25 December 2014 at Ballinatray Lower, Courtown Harbour. He had previously pleaded not guilty to murder. The prosecution's counsel, John O'Kelly SC, accepted the guilty plea. Shanley's counsel, Patrick Gageby SC, noted a complex inter‑family relationship in the case. Justice Patrick McCarthy allowed Shanley to remain on continuing bail until a further hearing on 22 July, when a probation report will be produced. No objection to bail was raised.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Christopher Coleman, 27, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Eugene Maher, 62, who was struck by Coleman's car at a red light on Clontarf Road on 30 June 2015. Coleman, who had been banned from driving at the time, admitted leaving the crash scene and driving without insurance. Witnesses described the vehicle entering the junction at speed, the driver's attempt to stop with a handbrake, and the subsequent escape at high speed. The court noted Coleman's 15 prior convictions, including four for driving without insurance, and his 2012 disqualification. The hearing focused on Coleman's admissions, remorse, and the impact on the Maher family, without addressing sentencing or future legal outcomes.
A man from County Mayo has been sentenced to four and a half years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his conviction on eight counts of indecent and sexual assault against his four young daughters. Bernard Cunningham, aged 66, was found guilty by unanimous jury verdict in April 2016 of offences committed between 1978 and 1992. He had pleaded not guilty to all charges. Judge Patrick McCartan stated that Cunningham had demonstrated an absolute absence of remorse and noted the victims endured what was described as a "horror of a home" involving sustained physical, mental and sexual abuse. The judge observed that character references describing Cunningham as kind and compassionate could not be reconciled with the evidence of his cruelty. During sentencing, the court acknowledged the victims' bravery in testifying, with one reporting lasting trauma including mental health difficulties. Cunningham's legal team highlighted recent health challenges but the judge emphasised the absence of any apology or acknowledgement of wrongdoing.
Noel Smith otherwise Smyth, 53, of Manomolin, Gorey, was convicted of harassment, making an unwarranted demand with menaces and money laundering between April and June 2009. He pleaded not guilty at Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court, was found guilty by a jury and sentenced to nine years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended by Judge Gerard Giffin on 7 April 2014. The prosecution argued that a named individual received drugs from Smith about fifteen times and was pressured by Smith to pay for them; the individual had gone to his mother for money in summer 2008 and entered rehab in March 2009. Smith's appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal, which found the trial satisfactory and the conviction safe. The appeal was rejected on grounds including telephone records, search warrants and the alleged hoax bomb device found under a mother‑of‑three's car in June 2009.
A 46‑year‑old man was convicted of 18 counts of sexual assault against three women, with offences dated between 1997 and 2009. He pleaded not guilty and was found guilty by a jury at Wexford Circuit Criminal Court, receiving a three‑year prison sentence from Judge Alice Doyle on 10 June 2015. His barrister, Rosario Boyle SC, has lodged an appeal on several grounds, arguing that the trial judge failed to draw the jury's attention to key evidence. Boyle contends that one complainant admitted the abuse began in early 1999 and that the alleged abuse occurred in view of a nearby hatch, and that the jury should have considered whether abuse was likely under those circumstances. She also points to inconsistencies in the complainants' statements and a failure to inform the jury of prior allegations.
Three men—Stephen Rooney (35), Vincent Brunton (33) and Alan Richardson (27)—will be sentenced on 13 July for forging a National Car Test certificate on 20 April 2011. Rooney and Richardson, who live at The Paddocks Grove, Adamstown, Dublin, and Brunton, who lives at Priory Square, St Raphaels Manor, Celbridge, pleaded guilty on a without‑prejudice basis at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. They were arrested after a four‑year Garda investigation prompted by an RTÉ Primetime documentary in 2011. Judge Karen O'Connor set the hearing for half a day, when full facts will be heard.
A 52-year-old man from Cork has been served with a book of evidence at the Special Criminal Court following his arrest in December as part of an investigation into dissident republican activity. Martin McHale stands charged with possession of an explosive substance, namely ten sealed bags containing white prills of ammonium nitrate and calcium carbonate, allegedly found at Mall Road, Tirkeenan, County Monaghan on November 1st, 2013. He is also charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army. The State Solicitor confirmed the book of evidence had been served on the accused. Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding with Judge Alison Lindsay and Judge Flann Brennan, remanded Mr McHale on continuing bail. The case is scheduled for mention on June 10th.
Kenneth Collopy, aged 25, was convicted of murdering 25‑year‑old Daniel Fitzgerald in 2009 and sentenced to life imprisonment. Collopy pleaded not guilty, claiming he had mistakenly fired at a caravan in revenge for an arson attack on his mother's van, and that he intended only to shoot at the mobile home, unaware of any victim. He admitted killing Fitzgerald but maintained he had no intent to kill. The jury found him guilty of murder and the judge imposed a mandatory life sentence. Collopy appealed, arguing the jury's verdict was perverse, citing the inclusion of a video statement from a witness, David Bussoli, and questioning whether Bussoli and Christopher Mulqueen were accomplices. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal on all grounds, affirming the trial judge's decisions, the use of the video statement, and the jury's verdict. Collopy was taken away to continue serving his life sentence.
A solicitor who admitted to dishonestly obtaining a mortgage with AIB for €297,000 between May 5, 2009, and July 20, 2009, has been given a suspended sentence. Declan McEvoy (50), who was principal at William Early Solicitors in Carlow town, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. His defence counsel highlighted that McEvoy was under extreme financial pressure and that he made a serious error in judgment to resolve issues that were not entirely his creation. Judge Melanie Greally noted that McEvoy's actions brought disgrace upon himself and his profession, which was an aggravating factor. However, she acknowledged his exceptional mitigation and the likelihood that he would not re-offend, leading her to impose an 18-month suspended sentence. The matter was adjourned following the sentence. Another Carlow defendant was also present, but no charges were listed against them, and their plea and sentence details were not provided.
A Carlow solicitor, Declan McEvoy (50), who pleaded guilty to dishonestly obtaining a mortgage with AIB for €297,000 between May 5, 2009, and July 20, 2009, will be sentenced next week. McEvoy, who was principal at William Early Solicitors in Carlow town, admitted to the charge at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. His defence counsel, Felix McEnroy SC, stated that McEvoy made a serious error in judgment to address financial issues arising from his father's firm, JM McEvoy in Gorey, which was under investigation by the Law Society. McEvoy used the mortgage proceeds to clear debts in his father's firm. The case was adjourned by Judge Melanie Greally until April 27, next, for sentencing. Another Carlow defendant also pleaded guilty, but no charges were specified. The matter was adjourned and not finalised. McEvoy, who has no previous convictions, has been living in Australia since 2012 and returned to Ireland last January, surrendering his passport. He has been remanded on continuing bail.
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.".
Vincent Halligan, a 33-year-old lorry driver from Duncormick, Co Wexford, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for importing heroin. Halligan pleaded guilty to three charges of importing heroin from the German/Dutch border on August 18, 2015. Prosecutors alleged that nearly ten kilos of heroin, with a street value of €1.4 million, were concealed in a box of fire extinguishers within his articulated lorry. Gardaí intercepted the vehicle at the Applegreen Service Station, where a handover was attempted with a silver Toyota. Halligan admitted he knew drugs were involved but claimed he believed they were cannabis. He stated he was to be paid €8,000 for the importation, a sum he never received, though €2,600 and £2,000 were found in the truck. Defending counsel highlighted Halligan's lack of previous convictions, his financial pressures, and his genuine remorse. Judge Melanie Greally noted his early plea and high level of cooperation with gardaí as mitigating factors. The judge imposed an eight-year sentence, with the final two years suspended. The sentence was backdated to August 18, 2015, when Halligan first entered custody, resulting in an effective custody period of six years.
Liam McCann, 26, of Enniscorthy, pleaded guilty to false imprisonment, damage to a house and unlawful car removal on 11 August 2014. He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended. McCann claimed he had been drinking and taking drugs for two or three days before the incident, and that he believed the British army and gardaí were after him. He allegedly entered the victim's home with a knife to his own throat, took a car, and fled across fields and a river before being arrested. The Court of Appeal heard that McCann was a first‑time offender with a good character record, had completed significant third‑level education, and had shown remorse. His appeal outcome is pending. The court reserved judgment.
Karen Browne, 27, of Waterford, travelled to Dublin to collect a bag of heroin worth €4,092 from a known drug‑dealing spot in Bawnogue, Clondalkin. She was to take 1.2 grams for her own use, which would have sustained her addiction for a week. On 23 September 2014, Gardaí followed her in a taxi, stopped her and found just over 27 grams of heroin in her handbag. Browne claimed she had been paid €950 to purchase the drugs for a man in Waterford. She pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge, Melanie Greally, described her as co‑operative, frank and forthright. Browne was given a suspended two‑year sentence, with the court noting she had not previously come to garda attention and had secured employment at a garden centre in Wexford. The court expressed confidence that she would not appear before the courts again.
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.
David Gorey, an accountant aged 33 from Kilbride, Trim, stole €489,000 from ABM Construction Ltd between August 2009 and July 2013. He used the money to pay off a €5,000 credit union loan, a €15,000 car loan, buy three BMWs worth €100,000, and fund gambling and social activities. Gorey altered payment certificates, had company directors sign them, and transferred the cash to his own accounts. He pleaded guilty to four sample theft charges. The court, after a victim impact report, noted the significant breach of trust and the impact on the business. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a two‑year custodial sentence, citing the large sum stolen and the loss of trust. Gorey had no serious prior convictions, had cooperated with investigators, and was considered low risk of re‑offending. He is now employed as a floor manager in a Trim restaurant.
In March 2016 the Court of Appeal quashed the convictions of Eleanor Joel, aged 41, and her partner Jonathan Costen, aged 43, for the unlawful killing of Joel's mother, Evelyn, aged 59, by neglect. The original 2013 conviction had followed a retrial in which a jury found the couple guilty of manslaughter and imposed a two‑year suspended sentence with a requirement of 230 hours of community service. The appeal was based on procedural errors, including the replacement of a juror without the presence of Joel's legal advisers, and on substantive grounds such as the failure of the Health Service Executive to provide adequate care in the final months of Evelyn's life. The Court held that the trial was unsatisfactory and that the convictions were quashed. The Director of Public Prosecutions confirmed that no retrial would be sought, leaving the case closed without further criminal proceedings. Jonathan Costen pleaded not guilty.
In March 2016, Mrs. Rosarii Molloy Curran settled a High Court medical negligence claim against Dr. Colm Quigley and the HSE for €60,000. The claim arose from her husband John Curran's death from lung cancer in April 2011. Mrs. Curran alleged that between August 2009 and his death, Dr. Quigley failed to diagnose, investigate, or follow up on lung cancer despite Mr. Curran's smoking history and repeated requests for further tests. He was misdiagnosed with low sodium, Raynaud's phenomenon, and other conditions, and no bronchoscopy or other investigations were arranged. The court approved the settlement, and Dr. Quigley apologized. The case highlighted alleged deficiencies in patient management and prompted calls for improved testing protocols. The settlement was accepted by the Curran family, who hoped it would lead to safer procedures for future patients.
In 2016 the Court of Appeal quashed the convictions of Eleanor Joel, aged 41, and her partner Jonathan Costen, aged 43, for the unlawful killing by neglect of Evelyn Joel, a 59‑year‑old multiple sclerosis sufferer. The couple had been found guilty in 2013 and received a two‑year suspended sentence with a condition of 230 hours of community service. The appeal was successful on several grounds, including the claim that statutory agencies, not the couple, were responsible for the neglect, the lack of adequate HSE visits in the final months of Evelyn's life, and procedural issues such as the replacement of a juror without legal counsel present. The Court of Appeal held that these factors undermined the fairness of the trial and therefore quashed the convictions. The Director of Public Prosecutions was advised to consider whether to seek a retrial. Jonathan Costen pleaded not guilty.
John Stokes, 25, of Beachside, Riverchapel, Gorey, was jailed for five and a half years for a series of violent and theft offences. He first threatened a woman, Mary Kate McDonagh, with a crossbow in December 2014, then robbed a handbag from a woman in Ballsbridge in January 2015, and again stole a handbag from an elderly lady in Baggot Street in February 2015. Stokes had 48 prior convictions, mainly for traffic offences but also for theft, robbery, false imprisonment, burglary and knife possession. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to five and a half years, suspending the final 18 months on the condition he engage with the Probation Service for two years. The sentence reflected the seriousness of each offence and Stokes' history of drug use and lack of post‑release supervision.
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.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 17 February 2016, applications to exclude evidence in the case of Samuel Devlin, a 55‑year‑old Northern Irishman accused of unlawfully possessing PETN, were dismissed. Devlin, who had stayed at Finnstown House Hotel under a false name, pleaded not guilty to the charge. His counsel, Bernard Condon SC, sought to exclude DNA samples taken while Devlin was in custody, arguing the garda had not properly informed him of potential use in evidence, and to exclude testimony from Detective Garda Brian Barry, who had compared detonating cord found in the hotel room with plastic tubing from a bin outside the hotel. The court ruled that the DNA samples and Barry's testimony were admissible, noting that the DNA collection complied with requirements and that only part of the cord had been destroyed, with samples retained for defence use.
A 25‑year‑old Dublin man, Derek O'Connor, was sentenced to two years in prison for possessing 140 grammes of heroin worth €12,090, after pleading guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. O'Connor, who cares for his double‑amputee father, claimed he held the drugs "under duress" because of a cannabis debt. Garda Gerry Smith reported that officers became suspicious when O'Connor was seen jumping fences and carrying a metallic object, later found to be a plastic bag containing heroin. He was arrested after dropping two packages into brambles. O'Connor had 26 prior convictions, including drug possession and traffic offences. Judge Melanie Greally accepted his plea, noted he was not a major drug dealer, and imposed a four‑year sentence with the final two years suspended, effectively giving him a two‑year custodial term. The judge also highlighted the impact on families of accused persons.
Martin McBride, 47, of Enniscorthy, pleaded guilty in 2011 to possessing €97,000 of cannabis for sale in Cork. While on bail, he was later caught with €40,000 of cannabis in Wexford. He received a seven‑year sentence in Cork and a consecutive ten‑year minimum in Wexford, totaling 17 years. His lawyer, Bernard Condon SC, appealed, arguing that the Wexford offence was a second offence triggering a mandatory minimum only if a conviction had already been recorded, and that the conviction was not yet formalised at the time of the second offence. He also questioned whether consecutive sentencing for bail offences and mandatory minimums should apply simultaneously. The Court of Appeal noted the case and reserved judgment. The article reports only the procedural arguments and the 17‑year sentence, without any further outcome.
Noel Smith otherwise Smyth, 53, of Gorey, Co Wexford, has appealed his conviction for harassment, making an unwarranted demand with menaces, and money laundering alleged between April and June 2009. At Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court, Smith pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by a jury. On April 7, 2014, Judge Gerard Giffin sentenced him to nine years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended. The prosecution alleged Smith pressured a named individual to pay for drugs and made threatening calls to the individual's mother. Defence counsel Remy Farrell SC argued that police entry into Smith's dwelling was unlawful, noting Smith was "present with a pitchfork" when gardaí arrived with a warrant under section 29 of the Offences Against the State Act, a provision later ruled unconstitutional. Farrell contended that a detective sergeant's later assertion of section 6 arrest powers was a "legal confection" manufactured after the event, as the officer did not invoke such powers at the time. He described the silent invocation of police entry powers as "wholly obnoxious to Irish law." The Court of Appeal, comprising Mr Justice George Birmingham, Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, and Mr Justice John Edwards, heard the arguments and reserved judgment. The matter remains pending, with no final decision issued.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 3 February 2016, Samuel Devlin, aged 55, was tried for unlawful possession of an explosive substance (PETN) and membership of an unlawful organisation, Oglaigh na hEireann (IRA). The prosecution alleged that Devlin was residing in a chalet at Finnstown House Hotel, Lucan, from 31 March 2014, using a fictitious booking name, Joe Murphy. On 9 May 2014, surveillance officers observed Devlin leave the hotel on a bicycle, deposit a bag in a bin on Adamstown Avenue, and the Gardaí recovered the bag containing plastic tubing, fibres, a J‑cloth, gloves and a newspaper. Forensic analysis linked the tubing to the bag and the detonator cord found in the chalet on 11 May 2014 to Devlin. Devlin pleaded not guilty to the charge of possessing explosives. The trial, expected to last two weeks, continued with mapping evidence and legal arguments.
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.
Jamie Carroll, 33, of Arklow, Co Wicklow, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to five counts of robbery. Judge Sarah Berkeley imposed a six-year custodial sentence, suspending the final two years. The offences occurred on November 11, 2014, at Day 2 Day on Military Road and Boyle Sports in Monkstown; on November 22, 2014, at Bus Stop Shop in Enniscorthy; and on April 8, 2015, at Londis on Foxrock Avenue. On each occasion, Carroll allegedly armed with a knife to demand money. Defence counsel Colman Fitzgerald SC noted Carroll's history of heroin addiction and presented clean urine analysis reports, arguing he was now drug-free. The judge acknowledged the robberies were committed to feed his addiction and that no physical violence was used, though staff were threatened. She suspended the final two years of the sentence, citing Carroll's remorse and co-operation with the Garda investigation. Carroll had previously been released on bail twice, including a March 30, 2015 release for a residential drug treatment program which he failed to attend due to intoxication, before committing the final robbery. He has 121 previous convictions, primarily for driving and public order offences.
In December 2013, Johanna Kelly, aged 42, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Patrick O'Brien, a 60‑year‑old man, and was sentenced to a term with two years suspended on the condition that she engage with addiction rehabilitation and educational courses. In December 2015, the Central Criminal Court heard that since her release earlier that year, Ms Kelly had missed appointments with probation services and failed to attend the rehabilitation programme at Cluain Mhuire Addiction Treatment Centre. Probation officer Catherine Lambert reported that Ms Kelly missed a September appointment because she could not get out of bed after drinking too much, and that she had seen other people drinking at her home in Gorey. She also noted that Ms Kelly had not attended a hairdressing course arranged by social services.
A 52-year-old man from Cork has been granted bail at the Special Criminal Court following charges relating to IRA membership and explosives offences. Martin McHale of Blackwater Grove, Togher, Cork, was charged on November 1st, 2013, with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, and with possession of an explosive substance consisting of ten sealed bags of white prills containing ammonium nitrate and calcium carbonate discovered at Mall Road, Tirkeenan, Monaghan. The State consented to the bail application. Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding with Judge John O'Hagan and Judge Ann Ryan, imposed strict conditions including a daily curfew from 12pm to 7am, three weekly sign-ons at Togher Garda Station, and surrender of his passport. Mr McHale was also prohibited from associating with individuals charged or convicted of scheduled offences and from contacting proposed prosecution witnesses.
James Connors, 29, of Rosemount, Drinagh, Co. Wexford, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Jason Ryan, 27, at Hollyville Heights on 25 January 2012. Connors had been serving a sentence for assault and was unlawfully absent from prison when he killed Ryan. The jury, after 11 hours and 21 minutes of deliberation, found him guilty of murder by a 10‑to‑2 majority. The court heard that Connors had approached Ryan's apartment at midnight, exchanged insults, and then stabbed Ryan five times with a kitchen knife. Evidence included CCTV footage, DNA on the knife, and testimony from Ryan's mother, Catherine Ryan, who described the loss and anger caused by the killing. Connors' prior convictions, including a five‑year assault sentence, were also presented. Justice Margaret Heneghan imposed a mandatory life sentence, back‑dating it by two years and three months to account for time already served before bail was granted. James Connors pleaded not guilty.
The jury in the trial of James Connors, 29, accused of murdering his ex‑girlfriend's partner Jason Ryan, 27, at Hollyville Heights on 25 January 2012, will resume deliberations on Thursday. Connors has pleaded not guilty. The jury has spent 9 hours and 30 minutes considering their verdict and the foreman believes another 30 minutes to an hour may suffice. The court is not sitting on Wednesday, so Justice Margaret Heneghan has asked the jury to return on Thursday.
A 52-year-old man from Cork has been charged at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin with membership of an unlawful organisation and possession of an explosive substance. Martin McHale, of Blackwater Grove, Togher, was charged with IRA membership on November 1st, 2013. He was additionally charged with possessing ten sealed bags containing ammonium nitrate and calcium carbonate at Mall Road, Tirkeenan, Monaghan on the same date. Detective Sergeant Gabriel Bell told the three-judge court that Mr McHale was arrested this morning under the Offences Against the State Act. The defendant made no reply when cautioned or when shown the charge sheet. Mr Justice Paul Butler, sitting with Judge John O'Hagan and Judge Ann Ryan, remanded Mr McHale in custody pending a bail application hearing scheduled for Thursday.
In the Central Criminal Court, the jury heard the case of James Connors, 29, accused of murdering his ex‑girlfriend's partner, Jason Ryan, 27, at Hollyville Heights on 25 January 2012. Connors pleaded not guilty. After five hours of deliberation, Justice Margaret Heneghan informed the jury that they could return a majority verdict of ten to two or eleven to one. She explained that the verdict could be not guilty, not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, or guilty of murder. The jury finished deliberations at 4 pm Monday and will resume on Tuesday morning.
The Central Criminal Court jury has begun deliberations on the case of James Connors, 29, who is accused of murdering Jason Ryan, 27, on 25 January 2012. Connors pleaded not guilty. Justice Margaret Heneghan explained that the jury may return a verdict of not guilty, not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, or guilty of murder, depending on whether they find Connors acted in self‑defence with reasonable or unreasonable force, or intended to kill. The jury spent two hours and 40 minutes deliberating and will report on Monday.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 9 December 2015, forensic scientist Dr Stephen Clifford presented evidence that a knife allegedly used to murder 27‑year‑old Jason Ryan on 25 January 2012 contained DNA matching Ryan but not that of accused James Connors, 29, of Rosemount, Drinagh, Co. Wexford. The knife and a baton found at the scene were examined; the baton's handle and middle yielded blood matching Ryan's DNA, possibly from his wounds, while two other incomplete DNA profiles were found but could not be identified. No DNA from Connors was detected on either item. Connors had pleaded not guilty. Justice Margaret Heneghan informed the jury that no further evidence would be presented and the prosecution would commence its summary the following day.
James Connors, aged 29, was accused of murdering Jason Ryan, 27, in Wexford on 25 January 2012. He pleaded not guilty. In the Central Criminal Court, Connors admitted to setting fire to a blood‑stained hoodie he had worn during the fatal fight, claiming he had forgotten to wash it and burned it with a lighter and a stick. He also said he called Ryan's girlfriend, Samantha Hore, at 2.12 am to check on Ryan's condition, but she hung up. Connors denied luring Ryan away from security cameras or intending to kill him. Garda interviews revealed that Connors had called Ryan's home, tried to persuade him to forget their feud, and later claimed he was attacked by Ryan with a baton and a knife. The trial was scheduled to continue before Justice Margaret Heneghan the following day.
The jury in the trial of James Connors, 29, accused of murdering his ex‑girlfriend's partner, was sent home while the court considered legal arguments. Connors pleaded not guilty to the murder of 27‑year‑old Jason Ryan at Hollyville Heights on 25 January 2012. No evidence was heard; Justice Margaret Heneghan noted a juror's illness and the trial will resume tomorrow.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, James Connors (29) of Rosemount, Drinagh, Co. Wexford, pleaded not guilty to the killing of 27‑year‑old James Ryan on 25 January 2012. Connors told Gardaí that he had called Ryan's home at Hollyville Heights after an argument with Ryan's partner, Samantha Hore, who was in prison. He claimed Ryan had a bat and a knife and that, when Connors approached, Ryan struck him. Connors said he pulled a knife from Ryan's waistband and stabbed him, after which Ryan hit him again. Connors admitted taking tablets and drinking spirits before the incident. The case is set to resume on Monday before Justice Margaret Heneghan.
In the Central Criminal Court, James Connors, aged 29, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 27‑year‑old James Ryan, who was stabbed in Hollyville Heights on 25 January 2012. Connors was arrested after he told a friend to wipe the numbers and messages from his mobile phone. Mary Connors, a distant relative, testified that Connors had asked her to delete the phone's contents before she drove home and later retrieved the phone from under the passenger seat. She described a series of calls and visits in the days leading up to the murder, including an incident on John's Road where Connors was reportedly injured and refused medical help. Neighbour Danielle Kelly recounted seeing Connors with blood on his face on the night of 24 January, and that he had been seen climbing a window before police arrived. The trial is set to continue before Justice Margaret Heneghan.
During the murder trial of James Connors, a 29‑year‑old from Rosemount, Drinagh, witnesses described a fight that preceded the fatal stabbing of 27‑year‑old James Ryan at Hollyville Heights on 25 January 2012. Ms Catriona Purdy, a former neighbour, said she awoke after midnight, heard a loud bang, and saw two men – a taller, well‑built man waving a baton and a smaller man being struck. She confirmed that her statement to the gardai the following day was accurate. Neighbours John Purdy and Tina Grogan also reported hearing a bang and seeing the two men fight, noting that the taller man returned after a brief pause, limping and holding his side. James Connors pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence in the trial of James Connors, 29, of Rosemount, Drinagh, Co Wexford, who has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of 27-year-old James Ryan at Hollyville Heights in Wexford Town on January 25, 2012. Defence counsel Michael Delaney SC informed the jury that both parties agreed to submit evidence regarding Connors's imprisonment at Wheatfield Prison in 2011. It was stated that Connors was granted temporary leave for Christmas 2011 but failed to return to prison on December 28. Prosecution witness Samantha Hore, who dated Connors for ten years before breaking up in 2010, testified that she later began a relationship with Ryan. She alleged Connors threatened to harm anyone she moved on with and described a confrontation on the night of the incident where Ryan returned to their apartment with chest stab wounds. Hore also claimed Connors had stabbed Ryan twice approximately three weeks prior. Under cross-examination, Hore admitted Ryan was carrying a baton with metal studs and had chased Connors, details she initially omitted. Defence counsel suggested Hore exaggerated her account to prejudice Connors. Neighbours testified to seeing a man hiding in bushes outside the apartment before the argument. The matter is currently at the sentence stage, though the trial continues before Justice Margaret Heneghan.
A 21‑year‑old Wexford resident, Eric Sutcliffe, was sentenced to 16 months in jail for robbing a Domino's Pizza delivery man and driving off in the victim's car. Gardaí traced the crime to Sutcliffe after he left fingerprints on a two‑litre bottle of Coke at the scene. The delivery man's €1,300 car was found burnt the following day, and the insurer declined to pay because of the nature of his job. Sutcliffe pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbing cash and car keys on Reuben Walk, Rialto, Dublin, on 3 November 2013. He has 62 prior convictions, including road traffic offences and thefts, and had accumulated 58 of those since the robbery. The judge, taking into account his cooperation and early guilty plea, imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with the final 14 months suspended.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, James Connors, aged 29, pleaded not guilty to the killing of 27‑year‑old James Ryan on 25 January 2012. The prosecution, represented by Mr Gerard Clarke, argued that Ryan died from puncture wounds to his torso. Garda Leisha Fahey testified that she arrived at the Hollyville Heights apartment early that morning, saw blood on the front door, and entered with Ryan's girlfriend. She found Ryan lying on a couch with puncture wounds and described him as extremely pale, complaining of pain in his legs, though he had no leg wounds. Fahey also confirmed that another garda, Mr Michael Delaney, offered Ryan a "dying declaration" about who caused his injuries, which Ryan refused. The court was shown a mini baseball bat with metal studs seized at the scene. Garda Padraig Hartigan, on beat duty, reported seeing Ryan on the couch with chest wounds and breathing difficulties.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 30 November 2015, a 53‑year‑old Polish man was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for raping his wife in County Wexford in October 2011. He had pleaded not guilty to rape and false imprisonment. The judge, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, rejected the defence's argument that cultural differences might excuse the conduct and noted that the accused had claimed he believed he was entitled to act as he did, a view the court found unlawful. The victim, who declined to give a victim impact statement, had been living with the accused for seven years before their separation over his alcoholism and aggression. DNA evidence from vaginal swabs confirmed the accused's presence and the rape. The sentence was imposed after a four‑day trial, with the accused in custody since the arrest eleven days after the offence. The unnamed 53-year-old was convicted.
A jury of five women and seven men was sworn in at the Central Criminal Court for the trial of James Connors, 29, of Rosemount, Drinagh, who is charged with the murder of 27‑year‑old Jason Ryan in Wexford Town on 25 January 2012. Connors pleaded not guilty. Justice Patrick McCarthy said the trial could last up to three weeks, and Justice Margaret Heneghan will preside.
In a sentencing hearing on 23 November 2015, Peter Jackson, aged 41, was given a mandatory life sentence for the murder of David Hamilton, aged 31, on 4 May 2012. Jackson, a former heroin addict, admitted remorse, saying "I'm sorry, I didn't set out to do this." The court heard that the killing occurred during a heroin injection session at a house on Kerryhall Road, where an argument over the drug escalated into a stabbing. Jackson had 73 prior convictions, mainly for traffic, public order, theft and burglary, and a previous three‑year sentence for heroin supply. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not to murder, a plea rejected by the prosecution. The sentence was back‑dated to the day of the murder, 4 May 2012. The hearing included a victim impact statement from Hamilton's uncle, Robert Denby, describing the family's profound grief. The judge, Justice Isobel Kennedy, confirmed the life sentence and the back‑dating. Peter Jackson was found guilty.
In 2011, Nicholas Kendall, aged 25, was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court for possessing a range of explosive materials, including Semtex components, mortar bomb fusing parts, improvised timing units, explosive propellant powder, and clothes pegs modified as electro‑mechanical switches. He also pleaded guilty to holding a 9mm Smith & Wesson semi‑automatic pistol and a component of a timing power unit. The offences were uncovered during raids on his parents' rural home in Wexford and a house in Louth on 8 October 2010. On appeal, Kendall argued the sentence was unduly excessive. The court agreed, reducing the sentence to two consecutive five‑year terms with the final 21 months suspended, thereby establishing an effective custodial term of ten years and one month. The decision was based on the seriousness of the offences, the lack of prior convictions, and the plea of guilty.