In 2024, a 46‑year‑old man was convicted at the Central Criminal Court in Waterford for repeatedly raping a girl aged eight to eleven between 2014 and 2017. The offences included eight counts of rape, nine of anal rape, eight of oral rape and nine of sexual assault. The court found him guilty of all but three counts of rape, sentencing him to 13½ years for the vaginal rape, later reduced to 11 years, plus two years of post‑release supervision. He appealed, arguing the judge failed to consider mitigating factors such as his constructive use of prison time, schooling, mental health and drug courses, and his job as a cleaner. He also challenged the trial judge's handling of hearsay, the addition of the victim's mother's complaint evidence, and the lack of a corroboration warning. The Court of Appeal heard the case and noted the judge's decision to reserve all aspects of its ruling. The unnamed 46-year-old was acquitted.
Adam Winters, aged 32, met a 14‑year‑old girl on an online dating site in 2012 and groomed her by sending her brutal and extreme pornography. He instructed her to watch the material and then asked her to carry out acts such as bondage, pain, urination and blood‑letting. The relationship lasted until 2018, during which Winters met her twice in person and forced her to give him oral sex. He pleaded guilty to two counts of sexually defiling her, one in Cork between April 2013 and April 2014 and another in Waterford. The first count involved a child under 15, the second a child under 17. Mr Justice David Keane sentenced him to six years for the first count and two years for the second, both to run concurrently, and suspended the final two years, placing him under probation supervision for two years.
The Supreme Court has been asked to overturn orders that would reinstate Mr Aodhagan Ó Suird as principal of Gaelscoil Moshiolog, following a decade‑old dismissal deemed unfair by the Labour Court and the High Court. Lawyers for the school board argue that the Labour Court erred in finding the dismissal unjust, citing irrelevant considerations and failure to consider relevant matters. They also challenge the High Court's ruling that the board must pay Mr Ó Suird's legal costs on a higher practitioner‑client scale. Mr Ó Suird's counsel rejects these arguments, insisting the orders in his favour should stand. The Supreme Court, hearing the appeal on public‑interest grounds, has reserved judgment and will decide as soon as possible. The case centres on alleged misconduct by Mr Ó Suird, including a 2012 incident with a student and accusations of inflated enrolment figures, which the court described as "unfounded" and "unprincipled.".
The High Court has granted Martin Mahoney, a retired man from Wexford, permission to challenge the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman's refusal to investigate his complaint regarding loans allegedly mis-sold by Allied Irish Bank. Mr Mahoney, represented by Gary McCarthy SC, Andrew Walker SC, and Brendan Hennessy BL, contends that the Ombudsman's decision not to investigate his 2021 complaint is unlawful. He alleges that AIB mis-sold him two loans taken out in 2005 and 2008, which he claims were unsuitable and contrary to EU consumer law because they extended beyond his mandatory retirement date. The Ombudsman initially cited an alleged fraud claim as a barrier, which Mr Mahoney subsequently withdrew, before ultimately stating in November that it lacked jurisdiction and the complaint was time-barred. Mr Mahoney argues this refusal is irrational, unreasonable, and inconsistent with previous Ombudsman decisions. Allied Irish Bank PLC is a notice party to the action. Ms Justice Niamh Hyland granted the plaintiff permission to bring the action on an ex-parte basis. The matter was adjourned and will return before the court in April.
In a landmark High Court ruling, Justice Emily Egan held that the noise from the Ballyduff Windfarm at Kilcomb, near Enniscorthy, constitutes an unreasonable interference and therefore a nuisance to neighbouring residents. The decision, the first private nuisance claim against wind turbine noise in Ireland or the UK, found that the sustained periods of high‑level noise, especially in the evenings, weekends and early mornings, substantially interfered with the plaintiffs' enjoyment of their homes. The plaintiffs, Margret Webster and Keith Rollo, and Ross Shorten and Joan Carty, sued Meenacloghspar (Wind) Limited for damages, alleging the noise had damaged their lives, health and property values. The court rejected the defendant's claims of negligence and of non‑breach of planning conditions, and directed the parties to re‑engage in mediation to seek proportionate mitigation measures. The case will proceed to a second module to determine damages and possible injunctions. The hearing lasted 51 days and the costs are estimated above €1 million.
In a 2024 ruling, the Workplace Relations Commission found that former bouncer Ellison Silva dos Santos was not unfairly dismissed by Mercantile Entertainment Group after an incident at Dublin's George bar. Silva dos Santos claimed he was fired two days after a customer allegedly threw herself down the stairs during Pride month, but the company argued he was not allowed to continue working due to concerns over his conduct. The tribunal noted that the company had issued a warning letter and later terminated his contract on 11 August 2023, citing abandonment of employment. Evidence included CCTV footage, witness statements, and text messages indicating the worker was transferred to other venues rather than dismissed. The adjudicator concluded, on the balance of probabilities, that Silva dos Santos was not dismissed on 30 June 2023 as he had alleged, and dismissed his unfair dismissal claim.
Patrick Kinsella secured a temporary High Court injunction that stops Everyday Finance Designated Company and joint receivers Andrew Dolliver and Luke Charleton of EY from auctioning a house in Orristown, Killinick, Co Wexford. Kinsella, who co‑owns the property with his former wife and whose son lives there, argues the receivers were not validly appointed, lack a power of sale and have no right to possess the house. He maintains that their only lawful activity is collecting rent. Kinsella's case stems from a €270,000 loan taken in 2007, later transferred to a family business that failed, and subsequently acquired by Everyday in 2019. He claims Everyday unlawfully demanded full repayment of €213,000 in 2021, leading to the receivers' appointment in 2022. The court, deeming the auction urgent and "extraordinary" with tenants present, granted the injunction, and the matter will return next week.
Egidijus Aleliunas, 43, of The Paddocks Way, Adamstown, Lucan, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to multiple counts including deception, possession of false documents, use of a false instrument, and possessing and transferring the proceeds of criminal conduct over a seven-year period. Judge Nolan described Aleliunas as a "very competent man" who could reform himself. His wife, Anastasija Pavola, 37, of The Paddocks; father-in-law Viaceslav Pavlov, 68, of Earlsfort Road, Lucan; and mother-in-law Natalja Pavlova, 65, of Abbeydale Gardens, Lucan, each pleaded guilty to engaging in the transfer of property that was the proceeds of crime between June and August 2017. The court found they acted recklessly by allowing their bank accounts to be used for transfers to a Dubai investment company. Judge Nolan handed each of them suspended sentences of two years. He noted their good work histories and lack of previous convictions, stating it would be unjust to imprison them. Judge Nolan also agreed not to disqualify Pavola as a director to protect her business. The matter was finalised with these sentences.
John Doyle, 49, of Littleton, Co. Tipperary, was convicted in Wexford of two counts of rape and four counts of sexual assault against his two daughters and his niece. The offences occurred between 2006 and 2017 in the family home and a mobile home. Doyle denied wrongdoing and maintains his innocence. The judge, Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford, described the acts as a "breach of trust of the gravest kind" and imposed concurrent sentences of 12 years for the rape counts, with one year suspended on strict conditions. He received additional sentences of six and four years for the sexual assault counts, all to run concurrently, and was directed to remain away from the victims for five years post‑release under probation supervision. The court noted Doyle's refusal to accept responsibility and the impact on the victims' safety and trust.
Fergal McGrath, a carpet salesman, was dismissed by Lynfrae Trading Company Ltd (trading as Kashan Carpets) after his former boss accused him of misusing a company credit card for cigarettes, lotto tickets and pub expenses. The Workplace Relations Commission found the disciplinary process fundamentally flawed: no written notice of allegations, no notes taken, no appeal provision, and the same person who made the charges acted as the disciplinary officer. McGrath claimed the pub expenses were for missed lunches during delivery runs and that the cigarette and lotto purchase was a one‑off mistake he would have reimbursed. He also argued that the company's van was damaged while he was driving and that he had no knowledge of the damage until later. The tribunal awarded him €18,000 for unfair dismissal, covering almost six months of losses. The decision highlighted the employer's procedural failures and the lack of a proper disciplinary procedure.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Chen Hsien Tsai, 59, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for money‑laundering after he was found carrying more than €1.78 million in cash at Dublin Airport's Terminal One on 7 March. The cash, in euro, sterling and US dollars, was discovered in two envelopes and in bags that also contained food and sanitary items. Tsai, who has no fixed abode in Ireland and no prior convictions in Ireland or the UK, claimed he was merely transporting the money for a friend and was not paid for the service. He admitted to being afraid and frightened when arrested. Judge Martin Nolan noted that an English‑speaking national might have received a longer sentence and that the prison could be a lonely place for a foreign national. The sentence was back‑dated to the day of his arrest. The case has attracted the interest of UK authorities. Chen Hsien Tsai pleaded guilty.
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 Workplace Relations Commission hearing, former doorman Ellison Silva dos Santos denied that he pushed a transgender woman down the stairs of Dublin's George bar during Pride month. He said the woman, who was heavily intoxicated, slapped him and then tried to escape, after which he grabbed her to prevent her falling. Silva dos Santos claimed he was fired two days later, but the venue's general manager denied dismissal, stating Silva dos Santos had been offered work at other group venues and only failed to attend. The manager also said Silva dos Santos was warned for not attending scheduled shifts and was ultimately terminated for abandonment of employment. Silva dos Santos maintains he was not dismissed and that the warning letter was issued without hearing his side. The case remains under review by the WRC.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, Daniel Picton, a Bord na Móna truck driver, alleged that he had been forced to work excessive hours and was denied the statutory 11‑hour rest between shifts. He claimed to have averaged nearly 50 hours a week for a year, with only one documented breach of the rest requirement in July 2023. Picton said he had repeatedly complained to management about fatigue, including a statement that he feared he might "kill a family in the lorry," but was told to continue the run. He said a manager threatened to take him to court and refused alternative working arrangements. Bord na Móna admitted "nominal" breaches of working‑time legislation but argued the violations were not routine and that Picton had voluntarily worked overtime. The adjudication officer will issue a written decision later.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced four men for money laundering offences linked to €121,000 stolen from a Dublin solicitors' firm via invoice redirect fraud. Judge Martin Nolan warned that the court is "totally fed up" with young money mules using "stupidity as a shield" and stated that those providing bank details after January 2022 face potential custody. Cameron Fanning, 25, pleaded guilty to two counts of money laundering and one count of giving false information to gardaí. He was sentenced to three and a half years in prison, suspended in full on strict conditions. The judge noted the court would not use Fanning as a "sacrificial lamb" given his reckless but believable explanation. Mubarak Salawu, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering and possessing €600 Balenciaga runners bought with proceeds of crime; he received a suspended two-year prison sentence. Olumide Lawal, 27, admitted to two counts of money laundering and possession of an iPhone bought with proceeds of crime; he was also given a suspended two-year prison sentence. Aaron Clancy, 21, pleaded guilty to possessing €3,020 in proceeds of money laundering and a further unrelated count of possessing €4,650 in proceeds of crime; he received a suspended two-year prison sentence. The judge noted that for Salawu, Lawal, and Clancy, the amounts involved were lower and all three were young men with their "futures in front of them".
Barry Cull, a former site manager at BHA Construction Ltd, claims that the company unlawfully docked €620 from his final pay for a laptop damaged by spilled tea and that he was not paid €750 for his last three days of work. He says the payroll administrator, Marie Murphy, never told him he would have to pay for the replacement and that no written agreement existed. Murphy, representing the company, maintains that Cull admitted the damage and agreed to the deduction, and that the laptop was company property. She also says the time‑keeping system recorded only two of Cull's three days, and that the company policy required employees to contact head office if clock‑in failed. The tribunal heard cross‑examination from both parties and will issue a decision in writing. The hearing was held at the Workplace Relations Commission.
Tony Hudson, 61, of Ballymurray, Enniscorthy, was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury of 70 charges of sexual offences against four children aged 12 to 17 between 2000 and 2009. The offences included oral rape, sexual assault, buggery, gross indecency and defilement. Hudson had befriended the children, invited them to his house for chores, paid them modest sums and gave them cigarettes and alcohol. He began touching them sexually, forced them to masturbate, and in some cases forced them to have sex with each other. One victim was recorded having anal sex with Hudson and the video was shown to another victim. Hudson denied the allegations. Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford sentenced him to 13 years in prison, with the final two years suspended, back‑dated to his custody entry on 27 October. The sentence was imposed on 21 December 2023.
In a High Court case, Mr Justice Mark Heslin ordered the financial fund Promontoria Oyster Designated Activity Company to pay €53,000 in damages to Elaine Madigan, who claimed her signature on a 2004 mortgage deed was forged. Madigan, a businesswoman and mother of three, had sued the fund and receiver Tim O'Brien over a bungalow she owned in Ballinamorragh, Curracloe, Co. Wexford. She argued that she never signed the mortgage, had no knowledge of any loan, and that the property had been in her family since the 1990s. A handwriting expert retained by Madigan testified that the signatures on the mortgage and related documents were not hers, a finding accepted by the court. The judge dismissed the appeal that the property could be sold, upheld earlier orders preventing sale, and awarded Madigan €43,000 for damages over 43 months of improper maintenance plus exemplary damages of €10,000, totaling €53,000.
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 sophisticated operation, Andrew Lawlor (38) was caught with €1.2 million of cocaine hidden in a modified compartment of his van. He had originally pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply and was sentenced by Trim Circuit Court to four and a half years' imprisonment, with the final two and a half years suspended. The Court of Appeal, finding the headline sentence of six and a half years unduly lenient, quashed the original sentence and re‑sentenced Lawlor to seven and a half years, of which three and a half years were suspended. The final imposed term is four years' imprisonment. Lawlor, a father of two, had pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and had been drug‑free and training to become a drug counsellor at the time of sentencing. The appeal was brought by the State, arguing the value and sophisticated concealment of the drugs warranted a higher headline sentence.
The High Court approved a Personal Insolvency Arrangement for 54‑year‑old Dermot King of Bishopscourt, Straffan, allowing him to write off over €16 million of unsecured debt owed to Everyday Finance DAC. King, who had been self‑employed trading as DMK Property Limited from 2004 to 2017, owed the fund €17.2 million. Under the arrangement, he will keep his €1.5 million family home, continue mortgage repayments for 25 years, and sell his interests in an investment property in Rosslare, part of the land on which his home sits, and an investment property in Athy to reduce the debt. He will make a €23 000 payment, of which €13 000 will go toward the unsecured debt. The PIA, lasting 12 months, was prepared by Personal Insolvency Practitioner John McCormack and approved by Mr Justice Alexander Owens after counsel noted no opposition and that creditors would fare better than under bankruptcy.
A 45‑year‑old man, David Bolger, was sentenced to nine years in prison for the manslaughter of his friend Przemyslaw Klimczuk, who was 43, in a house on Greenville Lane, Enniscorthy, on 1 May 2020. The incident occurred during a Covid lockdown when the defendants were drinking heavily. Bolger denied a murder charge but was found guilty of manslaughter, with the judge noting that his intoxication removed the intent required for murder. The judge reduced the headline sentence of 14 years to ten years and six months, suspending the final 18 months on the condition of good behaviour and peace‑keeping. Bolger will serve 12 months under probation supervision after release and must comply with probation conditions or serve the suspended portion. The sentence was back‑dated to 6 July to account for time already served. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court, where victim impact statements from Klimczuk's children were read.
A senior barrister, Diarmuid Phelan, aged 54, is seeking a variation of his bail conditions to return to his 170‑acre farm in Tallaght and to his 54‑acre farm in Wexford. He was charged with the murder of Keith Conlon, 36, who was shot at Hazelgrove Farm on 22 February 2022 and died two days later. Phelan was remanded after appearing at Tallaght District Court on 25 February 2022, and a High Court bail refusal was overturned by the Court of Appeal, allowing him to be released on two €50,000 bonds. His trial is set for 29 May next year before the Central Criminal Court. In the bail variation hearing, agricultural consultant Jeff Barry testified that Phelan's Tallaght farm, which had been accepted into an organic scheme in January, has suffered from halted fencing and maintenance work, leading to serious welfare concerns for the livestock.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the children of Przemyslaw Klimczuk, aged ten and thirteen, said their father's death by a kitchen knife stabbing had forced them to confront a harsh reality of society. The court had earlier found David Bolger, 45, not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for the May 1, 2020 incident at a shared house in Enniscorthy. Bolger, who had been drinking since 4 pm, stabbed Klimczuk after a fight with housemates. He denied the murder charge and claimed he was provoked. The children's statement, read by James B Dwyer SC, expressed that good memories of their father were fading and that they had learned to accept this terrible side of society. Bolger's defence presented an apology letter, acknowledging his remorse and the pain caused to the family. The case was scheduled for sentencing on October 31.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Robert Dunne, 27, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault against a 24‑year‑old woman in Dublin. The assault occurred on 7 May 2018 at Island Bridge, when Dunne and the victim had alcohol and cocaine, followed by consensual sex that turned violent. Dunne repeatedly penetrated the victim while she pretended to be asleep, and she fled to a hotel where Gardaí were called. The victim's impact statement described lasting trauma, including thoughts of self‑harm and ongoing emotional distress. Dunne had no prior convictions and had shown remorse, including apologies and a letter to the victim. The judge, Justice Paul McDermott, imposed a headline sentence of four years, sentencing Dunne to three years on each count to run concurrently and suspending the final 18 months for two years under strict conditions. The sentence reflected the seriousness of the assaults and the victim's impact.
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.
A 53-year-old Slovakian man, who was found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of one count of rape and 12 counts of sexual assault, has been sentenced to ten years and six months for the rape charge and seven years and six months for the sexual assault charges. The sentences are to run concurrently and were backdated to July 18, 2021, when the man went into custody. The offending occurred between September 21, 2012, and September 6, 2013, when the victim was seven years old, at a house in Co Wexford. The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, does not accept the jury's verdict. The victim, now aged 17, told the court that the man had threatened her and used chocolate to groom her in a 'despicable way.' Ms Justice Karen O'Connor noted the aggravating features of the case, including the victim's young age and the age difference of 36 years between the defendant and the girl. The man has a previous conviction for a 'serious violent offence' in another jurisdiction and a 2001 murder conviction from an Eastern European jurisdiction, for which he received a prison sentence. The matter was adjourned following the sentencing hearing.
In a High Court hearing on 14 July 2023, Mr Justice Rory Mulcahy discharged an injunction that had barred several corporate entities from accessing proceeds from the sale of Trinity House, a property in Dunboyne, Co Meath, and from insurance payouts following a fire. Mr Stephen Mahon had claimed a fair issue regarding the sale proceeds and insurance money, seeking payment of over €230,000 and the majority of the €810,000 sale proceeds. The court found that damages would be an adequate remedy and that Mr Mahon had not demonstrated that the defendants intended to dissipate assets outside the jurisdiction. The judge noted that Mr Mahon had failed to disclose relevant assets, including a €570,000 development site in Co Wexford owned by Yeronga, and that the injunction was therefore unnecessary. All defendants denied wrongdoing and argued that the injunction had harmed their business operations. The case will return to court later in the month.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 13 July 2023, Declan Hannon, aged 52, lost his bid to overturn a 2019 conviction for four counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault against a nine‑year‑old girl in Co. Wicklow. Hannon had pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by a jury on all six counts and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Michael White. The appeal argued that the trial judge should have discharged the jury due to prejudice from delays, missing witnesses, and undisclosed evidence. The Court of Appeal, led by Ms Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh, rejected all grounds, concluding that the trial was fair and that no prejudice warranted a jury discharge. The decision reaffirmed Hannon's conviction and sentence. The case also highlighted the victim's repeated court appearances and the earlier legal battle that led to Hannon's name being publicly released.
Mary Charles, of Dinree House, Piercetown, Dunboyne, Co Meath, has been granted permission by the High Court to bring a judicial review action against An Bord Pleanála and the Attorney General. The applicant challenges the board's March decision to grant retention planning permission to respondent Leslie Fitzpatrick for upgrading the lighting system at the Wynmere equestrian facility in Dunboyne. Ms Charles alleges that the proposed eight-meter LED lighting columns will adversely affect a family member with photosensitive epilepsy, whose home is located 100 meters from the arena. She claims the board's decision is invalid because it failed to consider the potential health impacts of light pollution, did not carry out an adequate survey of bat fauna, and erroneously concluded that an Environmental Impact Assessment screening was not required. The applicant further alleges that the board made material errors of law and fact and failed to provide proper reasons for its decision. Ms Charles seeks orders quashing the board's decision to grant planning permission. The matter was heard by Ms Justice Niamh Hyland, who granted the application for permission on an ex-parte basis. Mr Fitzpatrick was made a notice party to the proceedings, and the matter was adjourned to a date in October for further hearing.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 27‑year‑old Wexford man pleaded guilty to three sexual assault charges after repeatedly assaulting a 24‑year‑old woman at his Dublin home on 7 May 2018. The victim, who had previously had consensual sex with him, fell asleep and was digitally penetrated while she pretended to be asleep. She later fled to a hotel where staff and Gardaí assisted her. The court heard her victim impact statement, describing the assault as turning her world upside down and leaving her with lasting trauma. The man had sent apologetic messages and a letter, and had begun counselling. The judge adjourned the case to 28 July for sentencing, remanding the defendant on continuing bail. The hearing focused on the assault, the victim's statement, and the defendant's remorse and rehabilitation efforts.
In a case brought before the Workplace Relations Commission, Elamir Elamdkhoum, a migrant fisherman, secured an order against R&E Fish Ltd for failing to pay the minimum wage under the National Minimum Wage Act 2000. The tribunal found that Elamdkhoum, who worked on a 24‑foot prawn boat from December 2019, was entitled to the national minimum hourly rate for 39 hours each week, even when the vessel was tied up. The employer had not provided a proper employment contract or a written statement of terms, and had failed to supply records of Elamdkhoum's working hours. The adjudicating officer, Conor Stokes, accepted the trade union's calculation and ordered R&E Fish to pay €11,540.78 in pay arrears, €408 for a holiday entitlement breach, and an additional week's pay for the lack of a written statement, bringing the total to €12,500.78.
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 hearing, a 17‑year‑old girl testified that her father had stopped visiting him after she was raped by his housemate, a 53‑year‑old Slovakian man convicted of one rape and 12 sexual assaults between September 2012 and September 2013. The girl, who was seven when the abuse began, had reported the abuse to her mother in 2019 and later to a guidance counsellor. She was interviewed by specialist Gardaí in December 2020, when she was 15, and described repeated inappropriate touching, the giving of chocolate Kinder Eggs, and a single rape after the man lured her into his room. She said the abuse ruined her childhood, caused anxiety, depression and self‑harm, and left her fearful of men. The court heard that the defendant denies wrongdoing, has a prior murder conviction from 2001, and has been in custody since July 2021.
An Irish man aged 46 was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment for repeated rape and sexual assault of a girl aged 8‑11 between August 2014 and August 2017. The offences, committed at his Wexford home, included eight counts of rape, nine of anal rape, eight of oral rape and nine of sexual assault. The court noted a particularly violent incident in which he tied the victim to a bed and held a knife to her throat, threatening her. He was found not guilty of three other rape counts. The judge imposed concurrent sentences of nine years and seven months for the anal and oral rape counts and four years and ten months for the sexual assault counts, with a two‑year post‑release supervision order. The sentence was back‑dated to the date he entered custody after the trial.
Patrick O'Connor, a Wexford County Council worker, was awarded €20,000 by the Workplace Relations Commission for penalisation under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. O'Connor alleged that a colleague, identified as Mr F, strangled him with a seatbelt in November 2019 and later threatened to "sort [him] out" during a July 2021 confrontation at the 1798 Rebellion centre in Enniscorthy. Following a formal complaint, O'Connor claimed he suffered diminished duties, isolation, and blocked overtime. The council's HR officer, Ciara O'Reilly, stated the complaint was investigated and not upheld, denying that O'Connor was ostracised or lost overtime. However, adjudicating officer Niamh O'Carroll found O'Connor to be a credible witness and noted the council lacked supporting documentation for its position. The tribunal ruled that the council's failure to investigate and the resulting detriments were "at the most serious end of the scale." The decision, published this morning, upheld the complaint and awarded compensation, rejecting the council's defense that no procedural breaches occurred.
In a June 2023 decision, the Workplace Relations Commission dismissed Hilary Ellis's claim that she was discriminated against for refusing a Covid‑19 vaccine on religious grounds when applying to Araglen House Nursing Home in Cork. Ellis, a Christian Scientist, argued that her faith allowed her to refuse medical treatment. The nursing home's HR manager, Chris Woods, informed her that vaccination was a mandatory condition for all employees and that she would not be employed if unvaccinated. The commission's adjudicating officer, Thomas O'Driscoll, found that Ellis's position was not a protected religious belief under the Employment Equality Act 1998 and that the nursing home's vaccine requirement was a valid condition of employment to protect residents. Consequently, the complaint was rejected, with the commission concluding no discrimination had occurred. The decision was published on 20 June 2023.
A 51‑year‑old woman, Julie Flood, who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, was committed to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) in Portrane after a Central Criminal Court judge ordered her placement following a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Flood had pleaded not guilty to the murder of her 94‑year‑old father, Patrick Flood, on his birthday in 2019. A jury, after 48 minutes of deliberation, accepted evidence from two forensic psychiatrists that she was in a psychotic state and did not understand that her actions were wrong. The psychiatrists agreed she believed a voice of God told her her father was an imposter. Flood's father died two days after being stabbed, with a post‑mortem attributing death to congestive cardiac failure and a recent stab wound. The judge directed that Flood be treated at CMH in accordance with the relevant legislation.
In a High Court hearing, Canadian businessman Louis Trudel, CEO of TTMG International SARL, alleged that Waterford‑based Carray Homes Unlimited and its director Darren Carroll committed fraud by misrepresenting progress on a €1.2 million loan used to build 25 houses and 6 apartments at Adamstown Kilmeaden. Trudel claimed the loans, repayable in 11 months at 30 % interest, were advanced in two tranches: €300,000 to demonstrate cash flow to Waterford County Council and €900,000 to purchase land. He said aerial photographs supplied by the defendants were falsified, and that a colleague's drone images proved the reports were misleading. Trudel has not seen any agreement with the council and seeks repayment of the loans. After partial payment of €50,000, the remaining €250,000 of the first tranche remains unpaid.
Two men have been sentenced to a combined total of sixteen-and-a-half years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for facilitating a criminal organisation in the fatal shooting of Thomas McCarthy. Charles McClean, aged thirty-four, of Clondalkin in Dublin, received ten years, to run consecutively after an eight-year sentence for conspiracy to murder. Mark Lee, aged thirty-two, from Lucan in Dublin, received nine years with the final twelve months suspended. Mr McCarthy, a fifty-five-year-old father of five from England, was shot dead at his mother's home in Ballyfermot on twenty-seventh July two thousand twenty after answering the door. He had no involvement in criminality and was shot nine times with no established motive for the killing. Mr Justice Paul McDermott found that McClean played a prominent role in the carefully planned murder, monitoring the victim's movements and signalling the shooter. Lee demonstrated loyalty to the criminal organisation involved whilst showing little empathy for the victim's family. Both men pleaded guilty to the charges.
The Workplace Relations Commission has ordered landlords Lisa and Michael Furlong to pay €12,000 in compensation to tenants Joselyn King and Piotr Pedzisz for discrimination on the housing assistance ground. The adjudicator found that the landlords' refusal to accept a Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) was the initiating factor in a campaign of harassment described as "egregious." The tribunal heard evidence that after the tenants requested HAP in November 2020, they faced intimidation, including an agricultural trailer parked against their front door, sand placed in the driveway, and electricity cuts. On 27 October 2021, gardaí were called to remove masked men carrying large tools from the property in Kilmuckridge, Co Wexford. The adjudicator, Michael McEntee, noted that the Residential Tenancies Board had previously found that family members significantly interfered with the tenants' peaceful occupation. Although the landlords argued that HAP was irrelevant and that their actions were acceptable on their own property, the tribunal upheld the discrimination complaint. The €12,000 award, equivalent to approximately one year's rent, was deemed a sizeable sum reflecting the severity of the respondents' behavior. This decision follows a separate RTB determination that ordered Lisa Fanning to pay €1,741 for breaching the Residential Tenancies Act.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, 51‑year‑old Julie Flood was found not guilty of murdering her 94‑year‑old father, Patrick Flood, by reason of insanity. The trial, which lasted 48 minutes of deliberation, focused on Flood's paranoid schizophrenia and psychotic state at the time of the stabbing. She claimed a voice of God told her her father was an imposter, and she had a history of persecutory delusions, including a belief that U2's voices accused her of rape. The jury accepted psychiatric evidence that she met the criteria for a not‑guilty‑by‑reason‑of‑insanity verdict. Judge Paul McDermott remanded Flood to the Central Mental Hospital in Portrane, with a new court appearance scheduled for 4 May. The court thanked counsel and nursing staff for their assistance during the proceedings. Julie Flood was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
A 51‑year‑old woman, Julie Flood, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for stabbing her 94‑year‑old father, Patrick Flood, on his birthday. The Central Criminal Court jury deliberated 48 minutes before delivering a unanimous verdict. Flood, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, claimed she heard God instructing her to stab her father, whom she believed was an imposter. Two psychiatrists testified that she did not understand the nature or wrongness of her actions at the time of the stabbing. Witness Alan Somers described seeing Flood in a hysterical state before the incident. Patrick Flood died two days later from a combination of a stab wound and underlying heart disease. The judge thanked the jury and adjourned the case for arrangements concerning Flood's care.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 51‑year‑old woman, Julie Flood, was tried for murdering her 94‑year‑old father on his birthday. Two psychiatrists testified that Flood suffered from persecutory delusions and auditory hallucinations, including voices of U2 and God, which led her to believe her father had been replaced and that she must stab him to rid him of evil. They argued she did not understand the wrongfulness of her act and therefore met the criteria for a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. The prosecution urged the jury to accept this expert evidence, while the defence prepared to argue otherwise. The trial was set to continue with the jury's deliberation the following day.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Julie Flood, 51, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity for fatally stabbing her 94‑year‑old father, Patrick Flood, on his birthday in April 2019. The prosecution alleged that Flood was in a psychotic state, claiming God instructed her that her father was an intruder and that she must stab him. She stabbed him with a kitchen knife, left the house, and later flagged down a driver, stating she was after stabbing her daddy. Gardaí arrested and detained her under the Mental Health Act. Patrick Flood was taken to hospital, underwent surgery, but died two days later from a stab wound to the abdomen compounded by severe heart disease. The trial focuses on whether Flood was insane at the time of the act, with expert testimony from both sides expected. The case continues before a jury.
Thomas McCarthy, a fifty-five-year-old father of five, was shot dead at his mother's home in Ballyfermot, Dublin, on 27 July 2020, having been due to return to England that same evening following a three-week visit. The Central Criminal Court heard that Mr McCarthy sustained nine separate gunshot injuries when he answered the door, apparently to what he believed was a postal delivery. Charles McClean, aged thirty-four, of Clondalkin, and Mark Lee, aged thirty-two, of Lucan, have each admitted to facilitating a criminal organisation in connection with the fatal shooting. Detective evidence established that Mr McCarthy had no involvement in criminality and there was no apparent motive for the attack. Victim impact statements were read to the court describing the profound devastation caused to Mr McCarthy's family and his long-term partner. Mr Justice Paul McDermott remanded McClean in custody and Lee on continuing bail to 27 April for sentencing. Thomas McCarthy pleaded guilty. Charles McClean pleaded guilty. Mark Lee pleaded guilty.
Julie Flood, aged 51 and resident of The Oyle, Oylegate, Co Wexford, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of her 94‑year‑old father, Patrick Flood, who was killed on his birthday, 14 April 2019, at their home. A jury was sworn in at the Central Criminal Court on 17 April 2023, and the trial will begin the following day before Mr Justice Paul McDermott. The court expects to hear from several factual witnesses and medical experts, and the trial is scheduled to last up to three days with a jury of twelve.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 56‑year‑old Wexford man was convicted of five sexual assault and two oral rape offences against a 36‑year‑old victim, with incidents spanning 1991 to 2005. His defence argued that the prolific nature of his attacks indicated an underlying compulsion that could be a mitigating personal characteristic, but Judge David Keane dismissed the claim as unattractive and lacking medical evidence. The judge imposed a 14‑year prison term for the rape offences and sentences of three and seven years for the sexual assaults, all concurrent and back‑dated to the date of custody. He did not suspend any portion of the sentence and ordered the offender to be supervised by the Probation Service for two years after release. The victim gave a victim impact statement describing the abuse and her resilience, while the defendant continued to deny the charges.
Haremi Limited, the clothing company co-owned by Paul Quinn and Rosie Connolly Quinn, brought High Court proceedings against Safet Duran, Mohsan Bari, and Independent Clothing Ltd over alleged trademark infringement. The plaintiff claimed that garments bearing its '4th ARQ' trademark were discovered for sale at Bella Moda in Gorey, Co Wexford, and Elle Boutique in Tallaght, Dublin. Haremi alleged these items originated from a rejected batch ordered from Independent Clothing Ltd, which it claimed was substandard and poorly constructed. The company sought an injunction restraining the defendants from dealing in goods bearing its trademark, as well as orders requiring the disclosure of supplier and customer details. When the matter returned before Mr Justice Brian O'Moore on Tuesday, counsel Kelley Smith SC informed the court that the proceedings had been adjourned after the defendants provided certain undertakings. These undertakings included an agreement to make specific disclosures to Haremi, which have been complied with. Counsel stated that Haremi was satisfied with the progress, noting that the only remaining issue in its injunction application concerned the allocation of legal costs. Mr Justice O'Moore agreed to adjourn the issue of costs to a date later this month. The matter was therefore adjourned, with no final determination on the substantive claims or costs at this stage.
Haremi Limited, a clothing company co‑owned by fashion blogger Rosie Connolly Quinn and her husband Paul Quinn, has brought High Court proceedings against three parties it says have engaged in 'passing off' its trademarked brand 'The 4TH ARQ'. The claim arose after Haremi discovered hoodies, sweatpants and jumpers bearing its logo being sold at two fashion outlets – one in Dublin and one in Co Wexford – despite the company's policy that its goods can only be purchased through its website. Haremi alleges the items were supplied by Independent Clothing Ltd, a supplier it had rejected last year, and that the garments were inferior and substandard. The court granted Haremi permission to serve short‑notice injunction proceedings on the defendants and adjourned the matter to Friday's sitting. Haremi seeks injunctions restraining the defendants from selling, marketing or dealing in goods bearing its trademark, and orders to disclose the names and addresses of all suppliers of such goods.