A 54‑year‑old man who sexually assaulted a 16‑year‑old girl in his Dublin home was sentenced in December. After the assault he sent explicit texts to the victim, claiming he had touched her breast and apologising. He threatened suicide at a pier, but Gardaí and RNLI persuaded him to return. He pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault and a charge of sending an explicit message to a child. The judge adjourned the case to 15 December to complete a psychological report, revoked his bail and remanded him in custody, noting that Cloverhill Prison could not accept new inmates due to a Covid outbreak. The victim's mother read a victim impact statement describing the assault's lasting effect on her daughter's identity and mental health. The man described himself as a functioning alcoholic and expressed remorse. The case remains at the criminal court stage.
Michael O'Regan, 43, pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a 14‑year‑old girl with Down's syndrome, asking her to send pictures of her breasts. He was sentenced to seven months in prison at Clonmel Circuit Criminal Court, a term described by Judge Eoin Garavan as "utterly exploitative" and "reprehensible". The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient and lacked deterrence, citing O'Regan's 35 prior convictions for similar offences between 2016 and 2017. The Court of Appeal, hearing the appeal on 15 November 2021, rejected the request to increase the term. O'Regan's seven‑month sentence was to run consecutively with earlier sentences, a point noted by the court as a deterrent. The case highlights the court's decision to uphold the original seven‑month term despite the DPP's appeal.
Two building firms, Trinity Homes Ltd (THL) and Yeronga Ltd, both mainly funded through the Immigrant Investment Programme, were granted court protection from creditors. The firms, established in 2014, have become insolvent and cannot meet debt repayments. They attribute their difficulties to Covid‑19 site shutdowns, rising material costs, and an inability to meet scheduled loan repayments. An additional issue is a €3 million share purchase from a former THL director, during which over €900,000 of THL's funds were paid to that director, a transaction the court said breached company law and will be investigated. The companies had been profitable from 2015 to 2019 and had borrowed over €11 million through the programme, which allows non‑EEA citizens to invest over €1 million for three years in exchange for residency and eventual citizenship. THL's directors are Stephen Mahon (75 % shareholder), Ecaterina Olaru, and Ben Reid, while Mahon and Olaru also direct Yeronga.
Avril O'Brien, 51, was convicted of stealing €80,000 from the Loreto playgroup in Tallaght, Dublin, between October 2013 and March 2016. The playgroup, which helps single mothers return to work, suffered financial hardship when O'Brien, then office manager, transferred money to her personal accounts under fictitious names such as 'wages'. Gardaí discovered the theft in February 2017 after O'Brien falsely claimed she had permission from the director, Sister Teresa McCullagh. O'Brien's diaries revealed extravagant spending on home renovations, a mobile home in Wexford and family holidays to Florida. She pleaded guilty to 11 counts of theft, and the court agreed that €80,000 had been stolen, though €119,000 was later deposited into her accounts. On 3 November 2021, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced her to three years' imprisonment, suspending the final 18 months on strict conditions, including a €12,000 payment to the playgroup within a month.
Lee Bergin, 41, a legally blind man, was found guilty of operating an illegal cable‑TV service. He transmitted decryption codes from legitimate viewing cards over the internet, enabling customers to watch cable broadcasts without paying. Gardaí discovered computers, card readers, and set‑top boxes at his former Stoneybatter address, and the court heard how the cards were used to descramble signals. Bergin pleaded guilty to dishonestly operating a computer in 2015 and had no prior convictions. He expressed remorse and claimed his wife was uninvolved. Judge Elma Sheahan described the offence as sophisticated, noted his genuine regret, and, believing he was on a path to rehabilitation, imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence fully suspended on strict conditions. The sentence was suspended in its entirety, with no custodial term imposed.
A 47-year-old man has received a life sentence at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of a 78-year-old widow in Limerick in December 2017. Alexandru Iordache, originally from Romania, pleaded guilty to the killing of Rose Hanrahan at her home in Thomondgate on or about 14-15 December 2017. The court heard that Iordache observed Mrs Hanrahan entering her PIN at a supermarket checkout on 13 December and subsequently followed her home. She was found dead by family members, having been strangled with a curtain cord and subjected to blows to her head and face. CCTV footage and DNA evidence recovered from the crime scene proved instrumental in identifying the perpetrator. Iordache had travelled to Ireland on 12 December and departed on 21 December. His life sentence was backdated to his extradition date of 16 January 2020. Justice Michael White described the crime as horrific and noted that Mrs Hanrahan had been ruthlessly targeted.
Jason Reed, a 40-year-old from Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, was sentenced to seven years in prison by the Special Criminal Court for money laundering and possessing proceeds of crime. Mr Justice Tony Hunt described Reed as a trusted, mid-to-high level member of a transnational criminal organisation. Reed pleaded guilty to laundering €289,770 and £62,025 found in a car park in Drogheda, Co Louth, and to laundering €32,330 and £390 found at his home. The judge set a headline sentence of 10 years but reduced it to seven years, running concurrently on both charges, citing Reed's guilty plea and lack of relevant convictions. The court noted evidence including an encrypted phone, luxury watches, and a cash-purchased mobile home. Co-accused Catherine Dawson, a 44-year-old care worker from Bettystown, Co Meath, who pleaded guilty to possessing the cash while knowing or being reckless as to whether it was criminal proceeds, was previously sentenced to three years and nine months. That term was fully suspended for five years. Detective Chief Superintendent Angela Willis stated that the sentencing reflects the Garda focus on the assets of major crime gangs.
Jason Reed, a 40-year-old from Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, pleaded guilty to money laundering and possessing the proceeds of crime. He admitted to having €32,330 and £390 at his home and €289,770 and £62,025 in a blue Nike bag at a Drogheda car park on May 11, 2021. Prosecutors alleged Reed was a high-level member of a transnational crime gang, noting he possessed five luxury watches, an encrypted phone, and had purchased a mobile home in cash despite having no source of income. His vehicle was found to have a remote-controlled false compartment. Catherine Dawson, 44, also pleaded guilty to possessing the cash while knowing or being reckless as to whether it was criminal proceeds. She was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison, a term fully suspended for five years. Mr Justice Hunt remanded Reed in custody to reappear for sentencing at the Special Criminal Court on Monday, July 5. The court acknowledged Reed's early plea, lack of previous convictions, and cooperation with gardaí, but deferred the final disposal until the scheduled sentencing date.
Vasile Braileanu, 43, was sentenced to 240 hours of community service instead of a two‑year prison term for defrauding motor insurance companies of about €13,000. He pleaded guilty to 15 fraud‑related offences, including dishonestly inducing insurers to offer reduced premiums and creating false No Claims Discount and Experienced Driver certificates. Between April 2015 and November 2017, Braileanu brokered 30 policies for friends and acquaintances, receiving €400‑€600 per policy, though only ten were found by investigators. Gardaí seized a "ghost brokering kit" and templates from his home. He admitted being a customer of a ghost broker in 2013 and later ran his own small, amateur operation. Judge Martin Nolan noted the operation was small and ordered the community service, with the case adjourned to July 7 to assess suitability.
The owners of two trans‑Atlantic communication cables, GTT Communications Inc and its affiliates Hibernia Express Ireland Ltd and Hibernia Atlantic Cable System Limited, have applied to the High Court for injunctions to stop fishermen from trawling within one kilometre of their cables. The cables, which link Ireland, the UK and Canada, carry data for major financial, telecommunications and cloud firms, and one cable transmits information vital to global stock traders. The companies allege that vessels owned by Brendan, Denis, James and John O'Flaherty, operating out of Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford, have been trawling near the cables, posing a high risk of damage and endangering crews because the cables are charged and have previously caused vessels to sink when fishing gear became entangled. The applicants seek orders restraining the respondents from trawling, dropping anchor or interfering with the seabed until the dispute is resolved.
A Traveller family, consisting of a husband, wife and two minor children, has brought a constitutional challenge against Wexford County Council's decision to suspend them from the council's housing list following the father's convictions for two minor public‑order offences. The council argues that, under the 1997 and 2009 Housing Acts, it may refuse or defer letting a dwelling to a person who has engaged in anti‑social behaviour, and that a Garda report confirming a conviction justifies such action. The family contends that the relevant statutory provisions, when properly construed, do not provide a legal basis for the suspension and that the council's strategy is discriminatory and unconstitutional. They also allege that the council's claim of having allocated a specific house to them is false. The case is directed against the council, the State and the Attorney General, with the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission as a notice party.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 24‑year‑old Muslim woman testified that she was sexually assaulted by Mujahed Omer, a 57‑year‑old father of four who was highly regarded in his community. The victim described how Omer lured her into a bathroom under the pretext of removing fittings, then used a toothbrush, acid, and cream to assault her. She reported the incident to Gardaí, her family, and later to a Sexual Assault Treatment Unit. Judge Pauline Codd praised the victim's courage and stated that any blame or shame lay solely with the perpetrator. Omer, who had no prior convictions, was convicted by a jury and sentenced to four years' imprisonment. The judge noted his continued denial of guilt and lack of remorse. The case highlighted the victim's loss of trust in her community and her avoidance of her local mosque. Mujahed Omer pleaded not guilty.
A 39-year-old man facing trial on charges of deception and theft had a bail surety of €100,000 incorrectly refunded in full instead of the reduced amount of €50,000, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Friday. The defendant, from Limerick, had the money distributed amongst family members who had contributed to the surety. His legal team told the court he is currently reliant on Covid-19 welfare payments following redundancy. During an application to vary bail conditions, Judge Melanie Greally expressed concern about evidence that the accused had been travelling in a newly acquired van with power tools, questioning how this aligned with his stated financial circumstances. A detective garda objected to any variation, citing flight risk concerns and the seriousness of potential penalties if convicted. The matter was adjourned to March 5th to allow gardaí to establish whether the defendant's stated need to travel to Wexford for care duties was necessary. The accused faces 18 theft counts involving over €85,000 in County Mayo.
In a High Court case, Integrated Environmental Solutions Ltd (IES) and its subsidiary IES R&D Ltd have sued four former Irish employees—John Gleeson, Stephen Earle, Darren Jordan, and Sean O'Riordan—alongside the company Building Performance Consulting Engineers (BPCE). IES alleges that the defendants, all senior staff at its Irish branch, resigned between December and January of the previous year and, while still employed, diverted business to BPCE, a rival firm they are said to have set up. The claim further states that the ex‑employees took IES's proprietary "Virtual Environment" software and created models for BPCE's benefit. IES seeks injunctions to prevent the use of its software and to recover any revenue earned by the defendants from solicited business during their employment. Justice Leonie Reynolds granted IES permission to serve short notice of the proceedings, with the case scheduled to return next week.
Ciaran Long, 37, of Barntown, Co. Wexford, pleaded guilty to possessing €201,000 in proceeds of criminal conduct under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act 2010. He was found to have acted as a "drugs mule," collecting money for a gang and handing it to an unnamed recipient. The original sentence was a four‑year headline with a two‑and‑a‑half‑year fully suspended term, reduced by 18 months for mitigating factors such as no prior convictions and an apology. The Court of Appeal deemed the sentence too lenient, re‑sentencing Long to a six‑year headline and a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended term. He must report to Wexford Garda station on 18 February to begin his jail term. The decision reflects the seriousness of the offence and the role Long played in the gang's cash handling.
Samantha Sinnott, a 41‑year‑old midwife from Hilltown, Ballymitty, pleaded guilty in 2019 to concealing €109,890 she knew was the proceeds of crime. She moved the money from her partner's house to her own home after hearing that men had been arrested in Wexford. Sinnott admitted to emptying a safe in a concrete floor, taking the cash in two bags, and later confiding in Gardaí, claiming she believed the money belonged to her partner and that she acted to protect him. She entered an early guilty plea and cooperated with officers. The Court of Appeal upheld her 12‑month suspended sentence, finding her actions were a sudden, unpremeditated error of judgment and that she was a generally law‑abiding citizen with no prior convictions. The appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions was dismissed, and Sinnott's subsequent High Court challenge against her dismissal from Wexford General Hospital is noted but not resolved in this article.
In February 2021 the Court of Appeal increased Bernard Joyce's sentence for possessing €911,600, the proceeds of criminal conduct, by one year. Joyce, 45, had been found with the cash concealed in a camper van in Foulksmills, Co. Wexford, wrapped in onions to avoid detection by a sniffer dog. He pleaded guilty at Wexford Circuit Criminal Court. The Court of Appeal agreed with the Director of Public Prosecutions that the original three‑year sentence was unduly lenient, citing the amount of cash, its concealment and Joyce's attempt to flee. The judges accepted the headline sentence of seven years but, after accounting for time already served, imposed an actual custodial term of four years. Joyce was ordered to report to Wexford Garda station on 19 February.
Bernard Maguire, aged 29, was sentenced to a one‑year jail term for orally raping his younger half‑sister, Bethany Maguire, when she was six to seven and he was fifteen to sixteen. The offences occurred between September 2006 and September 2008 at their father's home. Maguire pleaded guilty before the Central Criminal Court. The court noted the serious nature of the offence, the breach of trust by an older sibling, and the age gap as aggravating factors, while also considering Maguire's immediate admissions, remorse, and youth at the time. The judge imposed a two‑year sentence with the final year suspended, subject to conditions including participation in the Better Lives program. Bethany waived her right to anonymity, allowing the parties' names to be published. The case was heard under the Children Act, with the victim's impact statement highlighting lasting trauma and fear of her brother. The sentence reflects the court's assessment of the offence's gravity and the defendant's circumstances.
In January 2021, Energia Group Holdings DAC and its subsidiaries Energia Renewables ROI Ltd and Energia Offshore Wind Ltd lodged High Court proceedings against the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Minister of State for Local Government and Planning. They challenged a decision made in October 2019 to introduce a priority order for processing foreshore licence applications. The priority order gave precedence to projects deemed most aligned with national policy, such as inter‑connectors and national test sites, while projects off Helvick Head in County Waterford and off Cahore Point in County Wexford – the sites for Energia's two offshore wind farm proposals – were assigned a lower priority. Energia argues that the minister lacks statutory authority to set such an order, that no reasons were provided, and that the decision has caused unreasonable delays to its applications, which were lodged 20 months earlier.
A 29‑year‑old Wexford man was remanded on bail pending sentencing for pleading guilty to two counts of orally raping his younger half‑sister between September 2006 and September 2008. The offences occurred when the victim was aged six to seven and the accused was aged fifteen to sixteen. He blindfolded her and forced her mouth to hold his penis during a game, and on another occasion he told her to close her eyes before the act. The case was brought to court in 2018 when the victim, now 20, reported the abuse to Gardaí. The judge adjourned the case to allow time for sentencing considerations, noting the accused was a child at the time of the offences but is now an adult. The man remains on continuing bail until the hearing on 28 January. The victim delivered a powerful impact statement describing lasting trauma and fear of her brother.
The trial of Kieran Greene, aged 61, centred on the murder of his partner's mother, Patricia O'Connor, who was found dead in a shallow grave in Wexford. Greene admitted to a physical altercation in the house, claiming he struck her with a hurley and she struck him back. He said she became unresponsive, that he carried her upstairs, placed her in the boot of a Toyota Corolla, drove to Wexford, dug a shallow grave, buried her, and later dismembered her body with a hacksaw. Greene told Gardaí he had acted alone, that he had no accomplices, and that he had handed himself in because he could not live with the guilt. He also claimed the murder was self‑defence. The prosecution presented CCTV footage, forensic evidence of hair and body parts, and statements from family members to show Greene's involvement. The jury heard that Greene's December interview was unreliable and that he had changed his account.
At the trial of Kieran Greene, Louise O'Connor, and Stephanie O'Connor, the jury heard evidence regarding the murder of Patricia O'Connor and a subsequent cover-up. The prosecution alleged that Greene murdered O'Connor on May 29, 2017, and that Louise and Stephanie conspired to disguise Stephanie as the deceased to create a false CCTV record of her leaving the house alive. The State argued this ruse was designed to mislead anyone reporting her missing. Evidence included CCTV footage showing a figure in a hooded jacket leaving the property at 9:34pm, which the jury was invited to identify as Stephanie. Prosecutors presented testimony that Greene gave conflicting accounts of the death, first claiming self-defence and later blaming Augustine O'Connor, while forensic experts noted a lack of blood evidence despite Greene's claims of a struggle and cleaning. The trial also examined Greene's movements, including fueling a car in Templeogue and purchasing tools with Keith Johnston, who was seen performing repairs at the house. The prosecution maintained that the defendants acted in concert to conceal the body, which was later found dismembered in the Wicklow mountains. The report details the procedural stage as a trial, with the jury hearing closing speeches and evidence regarding the alleged conspiracy and the disposal of the victim.
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.
A Formula 1 engineer's appeal against a nine-year prison sentence for attacking and falsely imprisoning his elderly landlord has been dismissed by the Court of Appeal. Stefan Schaufler, aged 53, pleaded guilty at Sligo Circuit Court in 2018 to assaulting Michael Lally, aged 81, causing him serious harm, falsely imprisoning him for 29 hours, and robbing him at a house in Sligo. Schaufler lured Mr Lally to a bedroom under false pretence and beat him with a metal bar, causing multiple facial and skull fractures, brain bleeding, and spinal injuries. He also stole Mr Lally's wallet and car before handing himself in to gardaí in Wexford several days later. The Court of Appeal found the nine-year sentence was not excessive given the premeditated nature of the offence, the severity of injuries inflicted on an elderly victim, and the extended period of false imprisonment. The court noted Mr Lally's rescue depended on his family's intervention and gardaí diligence.
In a High Court decision dated 3 November 2020, Mr Oliver Bennett, aged 64, was awarded €231,000 in damages for life‑changing injuries sustained in an unprovoked assault at the Tir Na nOg Public House, Wellington Bridge, Wexford, on 15 April 2009. The assault was carried out by John Codd, who later pleaded guilty and received an 18‑month sentence. Mr Bennett sued both Codd and Wallace Taverns Limited, the pub's operator, for negligence. The court found no contest to liability, and the claim was assessed solely for damages. Mr Bennett, a former building‑trade entrepreneur who managed 300 workers, suffered severe head injuries, a coma, a stroke, memory loss, and limited physical and communicative abilities, now living in sheltered accommodation. The award also covered Mr Bennett's legal costs. The judge praised the legal representation of both parties and highlighted the lasting impact of the injuries on Mr Bennett's life.
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.
Stefan Schaufler, a 53-year-old engineer formerly employed in Formula 1, has appealed his sentence at the Court of Appeal for an attack on his 81-year-old landlord in Sligo on 20 June 2018. Schaufler lured Michael Lally to a bedroom under false pretences before beating him with a metal bar, stealing his wallet and car, and confining him in a locked room for 29 hours. Mr Lally sustained life-threatening injuries including multiple facial and skull fractures, a brain bleed, and spinal fractures. At Sligo Circuit Court, Schaufler pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm, false imprisonment, and robbery. Judge Francis Comerford imposed concurrent sentences totalling nine years imprisonment. Schaufler's barrister argued the sentencing judge erred in severity and failed to adequately consider mitigating factors. The Director of Public Prosecutions contended the offence's gravity justified the sentence, noting Mr Lally's survival depended on chance discovery. Court President Justice George Birmingham reserved judgement pending full deliberation by the three-judge panel.
Sarah Doyle, 30, of The Heath, Ramsgate Village, Gorey, Co Wexford, is charged with murdering her husband Philip Doyle, 33, at their home on 26 January. The Central Criminal Court in Dublin scheduled her trial for 25 April 2022, a delay of two years caused by a backlog partly due to the Covid‑19 outbreak. The trial is expected to last three weeks.
The High Court has appointed provisional liquidators to two fashion retail companies that operated thirteen Pamela Scott stores across Ireland. Arzac Developments Ltd ran ten stores while Richard Alan & Co operated three, with outlets in locations including Sligo, Dublin, Limerick, Tralee and Cork. The firms, employing 104 people, sought winding up orders citing challenging market conditions, rising operating costs and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which rendered them insolvent. Mr Justice David Keane appointed insolvency practitioners Eamonn Richardson and Ian Barrett of KPMG as joint provisional liquidators. The court heard the companies faced pressure from landlords, reduced footfall and changes to wage subsidy schemes. Both firms were dependent on their parent company, Flairline Fashion Ltd, for administrative and financial support, which was no longer available. The judge made the cases returnable to November.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by a debt collector against an 18-month custodial sentence imposed for intimidation and harassment offences. Kevin Molloy, aged 51, originally from Donegal and currently residing in Cavan, was convicted in May at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court of harassing a man and his daughter between April and August 2015. His offences included threatening to kidnap and harm an individual, and arranging the distribution of defamatory flyers at equestrian events and in Mullingar. Molloy, who operated a debt recovery business based in Kildare, received a headline sentence of four years with 18 months suspended. The three-judge court, presiding over the appeal on Friday, upheld the sentencing judge's assessment that the offences fell within the upper mid-range. The judges described the 18-month actual custodial term as generous and rejected claims the sentence was unduly harsh. The court also upheld a seven-year ban on Molloy operating as a debt collector, deeming it legitimate and proportionate. Molloy was permitted time to arrange his affairs before beginning his sentence on 30 September.
In September 2018, Bernard Joyce, 45, of Newtown, Beauparc, Slane, was found guilty of possessing €911,600, the proceeds of criminal conduct, under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act 2010. Garda Stephen Burke described how the cash was concealed in two gear bags inside a hollow section of a camper van, wrapped in brown sellotape and surrounded by onions to deter a sniffer dog. The cash was recovered at Arnestown, Foulksmills, Co Wexford. Joyce pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended on the condition of a €200 bond while in prison and after release for two years. The DPP appealed, arguing the sentence was "unduly lenient" and that the judge had not adequately considered the amount of cash, its concealment, and Joyce's attempt to flee. The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgement.
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.
Chloe Bates, a 21‑year‑old student from Summerfield, Ballycale, Gorey, was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment for careless driving that seriously injured Pamela Levingston, a woman in her 60s, while she was walking her dogs on a country road near Millands, Gorey, on 28 May 2018. Levingston was thrown over a ditch, suffered heart injuries requiring stents, fractures to her legs, arms, ribs and breastbone, and required emergency surgery and five months in hospital. Bates also received a four‑month concurrent sentence for hit‑and‑run. On appeal, the Court of Appeal found the original 18‑month headline sentence excessive and reduced Bates' jail term to eight months, citing mitigating factors such as her cooperation with Gardaí and her young age. The sentence is to run from 18 June. The appeal court did not suspend any portion of the sentence. The case remains at the appellate stage.
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.
A Wexford commerce student, Chloe Bates, 21, appealed the one‑year custodial sentence she received for careless driving that seriously injured Pamela Levingston, a woman walking her dogs on a country road near Millands, Gorey, on 28 May 2018. Levingston was thrown over a ditch, suffered rib fractures and required emergency surgery. Bates was also given a concurrent four‑month sentence for failing to remain at the scene. In her appeal, Bates' barrister, Colman Cody SC, argued that the judge erred by not suspending any part of the sentence and that disproportionate weight had been given to her failure to stay at the scene, while mitigating factors had been overlooked. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Sinead Gleeson BL, countered that the judge's decision was correct and that the custodial sentence was not disproportionate. The Court of Appeal will deliver judgment next week.
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.
Daragh Hart, 27, of Dublin 12, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to three counts of criminal damage to railings and two vehicles at Harold's Cross on October 17, 2019. He also admitted to failing to provide an oral sample and driving without insurance or a licence. The court heard that Hart was driving at high speed, causing his car to become "semi-airborne" before colliding with a Ford Ranger and a Skoda, resulting in approximately €6,000 in damage to the railings and both vehicles being written off. Garda DJ O'Connor testified that Hart had trouble standing and was visually impaired post-crash. Judge Pauline Codd noted that Hart's actions turned the car into a "deadly weapon." Hart is currently serving a lengthy prison sentence for false imprisonment convicted at Wexford Circuit Court. Judge Codd banned him from driving for eight years and suspended the final 18 months of a six-year sentence, conditional on his engagement with Probation Services.
Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced four individuals at the Central Criminal Court for their roles in the murder and concealment of Patricia O'Connor. Augustine 'Gus' O'Connor, who pleaded guilty to reporting his wife as missing while knowing she was dead, was sentenced to 18 months in prison. The judge described his actions as a betrayal of his wife and son. Louise O'Connor, found guilty of acquiescing in her daughter Stephanie disguising herself as the deceased to conceal the murder, received a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence. Stephanie O'Connor, found guilty of disguising herself as her grandmother, was jailed for one-and-a-half years. Keith Johnston, found guilty of assisting Kieran Greene in purchasing implements used to conceal the remains, was sentenced to three years. Mr Justice McDermott noted that Greene, who was separately sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder, had changed his account of the killing. The judge emphasized that the defendants' efforts to conceal the crime were elaborate and callous, noting that no attempt was made to seek emergency assistance. The sentences reflect the distinct culpability of each defendant, with the judge highlighting Louise O'Connor's dominant role in the household and Keith Johnston's intent to ensure the remains were never found.
In a Central Criminal Court sentencing hearing on 22 June 2020, Kieran Greene was given a mandatory life sentence for the murder of 61‑year‑old Patricia O'Connor, who was bludgeoned to death with a hurley in her Rathfarnham home on 29 May 2017. The sentence was back‑dated to the date of her death. Four other defendants – Louise O'Connor (41), Stephanie O'Connor (22), Keith Johnston (43) and Augustine 'Gus' O'Connor (76) – were remanded on continuing bail pending their own sentencing. The court heard victim impact statements from Patricia's son Richard and sister Collette Barry, who expressed disbelief at the brutality of the murder and the alleged cover‑up by family members. The hearing also included evidence that Patricia's body was dismembered into 15 parts found at nine sites across the Dublin and Wicklow mountains. Louise O'Connor pleaded guilty and was found guilty. Gus' O'Connor pleaded guilty. Kieran Greene pleaded not guilty and was found guilty.
In a High Court case on 22 June 2020, John Kieran Brennan of Clonmulen, Bunclody, Co. Carlow alleged that former developer Patrick Fitzpatrick was employing the debt‑collection firm run by Martin 'The Viper' Foley to pursue a disputed debt of over €100,000. Brennan, who denies owing any money, secured a temporary injunction after men associated with Foley's firm entered his home, threatened him and his family, and demanded payment. The injunction, granted by Mr Justice Michael Twomey, prohibits Fitzpatrick, his agents or any of his servants from intimidating, threatening, watching or besetting Brennan and his family. Brennan's counsel highlighted that Fitzpatrick had purchased 400,000 shares in Moralltach Global Plc for €100,000, of which Brennan is a director, and that Fitzpatrick has not taken any court action against Brennan regarding the alleged debt. The injunction is set to be reviewed later in the week. The case remains at the interim injunction stage.
A Dublin man, Mr Ryan Byrne of St Teresa's Road Crumlin, has filed a High Court judicial review against the Garda Commissioner and the Superintendent of Enniscorthy Garda Station. The challenge concerns the seizure and continued retention of his car following his arrest on 16 April for an alleged false imprisonment charge. Byrne was released from Crumlin Station on 17 April, but his vehicle was seized as part of the investigation, which the court says is being conducted by Gardai in Co Wexford. He was told he could retrieve the car on 18 April, but upon returning he was informed that release required a Garda Sergeant from Gorey, Co Wexford. Byrne's solicitor, Mr Tony Collier, has requested the car's return, but it remains in Dublin. Byrne, who is unemployed, argues the car is essential for family reasons, particularly to obtain medicine for his asthmatic son amid the Covid‑19 pandemic.
Anthony Maguire, 30, of Courtown, Co Wexford, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possession of drugs for sale or supply. He pleaded guilty to the charge relating to an incident at Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Co Dublin, on June 3, 2017. The court heard that during the Forbidden Fruit music festival, gardaí in plain clothes observed Maguire engaging in drug transactions. He allegedly resisted a search and attempted to flee before being arrested, at which point MDMA tablets with a total value of €3,468 were found in his bag. Judge Melanie Greally had previously adjourned the case for 12 months in March 2019, remanding Maguire on bail under Probation Service supervision. However, the judge noted that probation supervision "never got off the ground" and that Maguire experienced a complete relapse into drug use. She also acknowledged his guilty plea, expression of remorse, and the explanation that he had a significant drug debt at the time of the offence. Judge Greally sentenced Maguire to two-and-a-half years imprisonment. She suspended the final 12 months of the sentence on strict conditions, requiring him to follow all directions of the Probation Service for 12 months post-release.
Anthony Rossitter, a 32‑year‑old drug addict from County Wexford, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three attempted robbery charges after threatening staff in three city‑centre shops on 15 May 2019 with a large pair of stainless‑steel scissors. He entered a Gala shop on Abbey Street, placed a plastic bag on the counter and demanded cash, threatening to cut a staff member if he did not comply. After leaving without money, he went to a Spar shop in Temple Bar and then to a Gala shop on Dorset Street, again demanding cash and showing the scissors, but left empty‑handed and was arrested shortly thereafter. Rossitter has 85 prior convictions, including 46 for traffic offences, and a history of assault and drug dealing. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to four‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, suspending the final 12 months on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation after release.
Myles Byrne, 28, was sentenced to ten months' imprisonment after a shop robbery in Dublin's city centre. He entered a Tesco at about 9 am, attempted to purchase four cans of cider, and when staff refused to sell him alcohol he threatened a staff member with a syringe, saying "get away or I'll stab you" and that he was lucky he didn't rob the tills. Garda Aine Hogan reported that staff feared for their lives, and the deputy manager described Byrne as "out of it" and "swaying". Byrne pleaded guilty to robbery and to making a threat to kill or cause serious harm. He has 79 prior convictions, including assault, robbery and traffic offences, and was on bail when the offence occurred. His defence counsel, Rebecca Smith BL, noted his ongoing alcohol problems and lack of memory of the incident, and that he wished to address his addiction but was unable to access residential treatment due to pandemic restrictions.
Kieran Greene, 35, who was found guilty of murdering Patricia O'Connor in Rathfarnham in May 2017, has had his sentencing adjourned until June 22 due to Covid-19 restrictions. Mr Justice Paul McDermott stated that the court could not proceed with the mandatory life imprisonment sentence at this time. Greene, who pleaded not guilty, was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of inflicting catastrophic injuries on the retired hospital worker. His sentence hearing was originally scheduled for today but was postponed as part of reduced court sittings. Four other defendants—Louise O'Connor, Stephanie O'Connor, Keith Johnston, and Augustine 'Gus' O'Connor—were also excused from attending their sentence hearings today. Louise O'Connor and Stephanie O'Connor were found guilty of impeding the apprehension of Greene, with Louise specifically found guilty of acquiescing in Stephanie disguising herself as the deceased to conceal her death. Johnston was found guilty of assisting Greene in purchasing implements to conceal the remains. Augustine 'Gus' O'Connor, the deceased's husband, pleaded guilty to reporting his wife as missing while knowing she was dead. All four were previously remanded on continuing bail. The court indicated that parties may not need to appear in person if restrictions remain in place on June 22.