A retired salesman, Gordon Black, aged 70, received a suspended two‑year prison sentence for indecent assault of a boy while both were members of the Boys Brigade in the 1960s. Black was between 16 and 20 when he molested a victim aged 12 to 16. He pleaded guilty to three counts of indecent assault between 1965 and 1969. The judge noted Black's remorse, lack of prior convictions and the absence of a prison sentence, but suspended the term on the condition that he keep the peace. The court heard that one assault occurred after a youth group trip, when Black drove the boy home, forced him into the back seat, and attempted to have him kiss his penis. The victim, now 66, still feels anger and distress when recalling the abuse. Black admitted that he had been abused as a child by three different people.
In a High Court hearing on 11 July 2019, Mr James Carney, a part‑owner of a horse sold in 2011, apologised to the court for social‑media posts about Goffs Bloodstock Sales Ltd. He admitted the posts were unfounded and pledged not to repeat such conduct. Carney withdrew complaints he had made to professional bodies, including the British Horseracing Authority. Goffs, represented by Robert J. Goff and Co, Goffs Bloodstock Sales Ltd, Goffs UK Ltd, and CEO Mr Henry Beeby, had sued Carney for defamation, claiming the posts damaged the firm's reputation and sought damages. The parties reached a settlement, with Carney agreeing to delete all relevant posts, remove a Twitter account, withdraw complaints to regulatory bodies, and refrain from future complaints. The judge adjourned the case with liberty to re‑enter.
James Kavanagh, a stud farmer from Templerainey, Arklow, Co. Wicklow, has filed a High Court judicial review against An Bord Pleanala's decision to allow a solar power facility on land adjacent to his property. The proposed 20‑30 megawatt plant would use solar panels on steel supports, a substation, transformer, security fencing and access roads. Kavanagh argues the board erred by not requiring an Environmental Impact Assessment and by failing to conduct a screening assessment under the EU Habitats Directive. He seeks to quash the board's February 21 decision to grant permission to Highfield Solar Limited for the Ballinclea site and to obtain declarations that the required assessments were omitted. The challenge, which also names Ireland and the Attorney General, was granted ex parte by Mr Justice Seamus Noonan, who set a July hearing and imposed a stay on the development until further court order.
A 24‑year‑old construction worker, Lukasz Drozdziel, was sentenced to three years in prison for assaulting his former partner in an "episode of extreme rage" that left her with serious injuries. The incident occurred on 5 August 2017 at her home in Marino, Dublin, when Drozdziel, intoxicated, beat her in the hall, broke through the front door, and inflicted cuts to her abdomen and head. He also damaged the front door. Drozdziel pleaded guilty to assault and property damage at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and had four prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally described the assault as extreme, noting the physical and psychological harm, and imposed a three‑year sentence with nine months suspended, ordering 18 months of post‑release supervision and completion of a domestic violence perpetrator programme. Drozdziel has been alcohol‑free for five months and has expressed remorse. The victim's impact statement was not read in court.
Trevor McDonagh, aged 19, was convicted in the Central Criminal Court of anally raping a 16‑year‑old girl, biting her breast, and engaging in a sex act with a child under 17 on 4 March 2014 in County Wicklow. He pleaded not guilty to these offences but pleaded guilty to stealing the victim's phone on the same date. The court heard that McDonagh, who was 15 at the time of the offence, lured the girl into a lane, forced her against a wall, bit her breast while she struggled, and then fled when he thought Gardaí were nearby. The victim suffered hair loss, seizures, and attempted suicide; she described the assault as "disgusting, dirty, unwanted." McDonagh was sentenced to eight years, with the final 18 months suspended, on the condition he makes no contact with the victim, stays away from her area, and behaves well.
The High Court set aside two asset transfers from retired teacher Michael Byrne to his estranged wife Maureen Byrne, ruling them fraudulent and deliberately intended to frustrate Mr Cormac Walsh's recovery of a €200,000 damages award. The transfers involved Byrne's interest in the former family home and lands at Rosewell, Templerainey, Arklow, Co Wicklow, which were moved into Maureen Byrne's sole name in May 2012 and October 2015. Mr Walsh, who had been awarded the damages in 2015, had received no payment from Byrne. Byrne, aged in his 80s and living in Spain, had been convicted in 2014 of indecent assault and sentenced to eight years with four suspended. He denied the transfers were fraudulent, claiming they were made in good faith and for housekeeping reasons. The court found Byrne was aware of the civil action and the subsequent award, and therefore the transfers were set aside. The Byrnes were not present at the hearing.
A Polish documentary filmmaker, Robert Socha, applied to Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy at the Central Criminal Court for an audio recording of the trial of Marta Herda, a 30‑year‑old former waitress convicted of murdering 31‑year‑old Hungarian man Csaba Orsos. Herda had driven her Volkswagen Passat into a harbour, causing Orsos to drown. She had pleaded not guilty, but a jury found her guilty and she was sentenced to a mandatory life term on 28 July 2016. Herda's appeal was dismissed in March 2013. The judge explained that the courts normally do not release audio recordings or transcripts to the press, citing policy reasons. Socha said his aim was to "get to the bottom of the case" for a documentary, but the request was refused.
Jonathan Hynes, a 31‑year‑old Wicklow man, stole between €1,000 and €7,000 from his employer, Zurich Life Assurance plc, between January and December 2015. He used the stolen money to pay for prescription medication and hospital bills for his drug‑addicted ex‑girlfriend. Hynes has refunded €30,000 to the insurer and still owes €40,000, which he must repay within three years. He pleaded guilty to the thefts. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, hearing the case, found that Hynes's motive was a desperate act driven by emotion rather than greed. Judge Martin Nolan suspended a three‑year sentence, noting that a less noble motive would have led to a different outcome, and ordered the repayment of the remaining debt. No prior convictions were recorded for Hynes.
Marta Herda, a 30‑year‑old Polish waitress, was convicted of murder after she drove a Volkswagen Passat into the harbour at Arklow on 26 March 2013, causing the drowning of 31‑year‑old Hungarian passenger Csaba Orsos. The Central Criminal Court found her guilty and imposed a mandatory life sentence on 28 July 2016. Herda had pleaded not guilty, arguing that the drive into the water was accidental and that she had no intent to kill. She appealed on 17 grounds, including recklessness, the nature of the driving, assault manslaughter, alleged confessions and the judge's charge to the jury. The Court of Appeal dismissed all grounds, ruling that the trial judge's instructions were clear and that the evidence supported a finding of murder. Herda was described as a Polish national who had lived in Ireland since age 19 and had a limited command of English.
The Court of Appeal has allowed the State's appeal, setting aside a High Court judgment that had declared the 2014 arrest of Mark Finnegan unlawful. Finnegan, a resident of Tallaght, was convicted in November 2008 of allowing himself to be carried in a mechanically propelled vehicle without the owner's consent. He was sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment on May 27, 2009. After serving two months in Wheatfield Prison, he was transferred to Shelton Abbey open prison, from which he escaped on October 31, 2009. He remained at large until his arrest in November 2014, during which time he collected social welfare and fathered a child. Mr Justice John Hedigan, writing for the court, stated that the delay in his recapture was attributable to a human error by authorities who failed to enter his absconding details into the Garda PULSE system, preventing nationwide notification. The judge described Finnegan's conduct as a "protracted evasion of justice" and "simply ignoring" his lawful sentence. The court found that the arrest and detention were in accordance with law, noting that the role of gardaí is to catch escapees and hand them to prison authorities. The appeal was allowed, and Finnegan faces a return to prison to complete his sentence. However, lawyers for the State undertook not to arrest him if his solicitor lodges a Supreme Court appeal.
Marta Herda, a 30‑year‑old Polish waitress, was convicted of murder after she drove a Volkswagen Passat into a deep harbour in Arklow on 26 March 2013, causing the drowning of 31‑year‑old Hungarian man Csaba Orsos. The Central Criminal Court found her guilty and imposed a mandatory life sentence on 28 July 2016. Herda escaped through the driver's window, but Orsos's body was recovered on a nearby beach. A post‑mortem confirmed drowning as the cause of death, not injuries from the crash. Herda's defence argued the incident was an accident, citing her lack of intent, language barriers, and the absence of evidence of deliberate action. The prosecution maintained that she deliberately drove into the water, knowing Orsos could not swim. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on her appeal, which challenges the conviction on grounds of recklessness, alleged confessions, and the judge's instructions to the jury. Marta Herda pleaded not guilty.
Marta Herda, 30, of Arklow, appealed her murder conviction after driving a Volkswagen Passat into a harbour on 26 March 2013, causing the drowning of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsos, who could not swim. The Central Criminal Court found her guilty and imposed a mandatory life sentence on 28 July 2016. Herda's appeal argues that the driving was not deliberate, that the prosecution's case relied on alleged confessions and circumstantial evidence, and that the trial judge failed to properly charge the jury on recklessness or intent. She contends that her statements to Gardaí were misrecorded, that she did not intend to kill, and that the prosecution's theory of a pre‑meditated execution is far‑fetched. The appeal seeks a reconsideration of the conviction on these grounds. Marta Herda pleaded not guilty.
Marta Herda, a 29‑year‑old woman from Arklow, drove a 31‑year‑old Hungarian man, Csaba Orsos, into a deep harbour where he drowned. The incident occurred on 26 March 2013 when Herda drove her Volkswagen Passat through the crash barriers at South Quay, Arklow, before 6 a.m. The Polish waitress, who was with Orsos, escaped through the driver's window, but Orsos's body was found on a nearby beach later that day. A post‑mortem found he died from drowning, not from injuries related to the crash. Herda pleaded not guilty, but a jury at the Central Criminal Court found her guilty of murder and she received a mandatory life sentence on 28 July 2016. She has lodged an appeal and a hearing is scheduled for 18–19 July 2024, with the expectation that the appeal will take two days of hearing. The case management hearing was held without Herda present.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, 40‑year‑old Roy Webster of Ashbree, Wicklow, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Anne Shortall, 47, who died on Good Friday, 3 April 2015, at The Murrough. Webster admitted striking Shortall on the head with a hammer three or four times after she threatened to inform his wife about a prior affair. He claimed he had no intention to kill her, describing the act as a panic‑driven response to her threats. After the assault, he drove to a Centra shop, called his wife, returned home, ate dinner, and fell asleep in front of the television, claiming life returned to normal. He later discovered Shortall's body in his van, taped her, and moved her to his workshop. A pathologist's report later confirmed she was not pregnant and had been struck nine times on the head. The case proceeds before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.
Marta Herda, 29, was convicted of murder after driving a Volkswagen Passat into a deep harbour in Arklow on 26 March 2013, causing the drowning of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsos. The Central Criminal Court found that Herda had driven the car through the crash barriers at South Quay, applied the handbrake before entering the water, and that the only open window was the driver's. Orsos's body was recovered from a nearby beach; a post‑mortem confirmed death by drowning, not by crash injuries. Herda pleaded not guilty, was found guilty by a jury, and received a mandatory life sentence on 28 July 2016. She has lodged an appeal and is seeking bail pending the appeal hearing, arguing a "discrete, clear ground" that could give her a strong chance of success. The bail application is scheduled for 5 April. The case remains at the appeal stage, with no further verdicts announced.
In March 2013, 29‑year‑old Marta Herda drove her Volkswagen Passat through crash barriers at South Quay, Arklow, into a deep harbour. She had been arguing with her passenger, 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsos, who could not swim. The car entered the water, and Orsos drowned. A post‑mortem confirmed drowning, not crash injuries. Herda, a Polish waitress, pleaded not guilty and was tried at the Central Criminal Court. The jury found her guilty of murder by a 11‑to‑one majority. She was sentenced to life imprisonment. The case highlighted the argument between the couple, Herda's claim of wanting the situation to stop, and the fact that Orsos was in love with her. The trial did not address any subsequent appeals or further legal developments.
In the trial of Marta Herda, a 29‑year‑old Polish waitress from Arklow, the jury was informed that a majority verdict could be accepted. Herda is charged with the murder of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsos, who drowned after the car she was driving entered a harbour on 26 March 2013. She pleaded not guilty. The court heard that the couple had worked together in a hotel and that Orsos had been in love with Herda, who did not reciprocate. He had reportedly followed her for two years, calling and messaging her, and the pair were arguing in the car when it entered the water. The jury, consisting of eight men and four women, was given three possible verdicts: guilty of murder, acquittal, or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.
In the trial of Marta Herda, a 29‑year‑old Polish waitress from Arklow, the jury resumed deliberations on Wednesday after a Monday morning session. Herda is charged with the murder of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsos, a Hungarian national, who drowned when the car she was driving entered a harbour on 26 March 2013. Herda pleaded not guilty. The Central Criminal Court heard that the couple had worked together and that Orsos had been in love with Herda, who did not reciprocate. He had followed her for two years, calling and texting her, and they were arguing in the car when it entered the water. The judge explained the possible verdicts—guilty of murder, acquittal, or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter—and that a unanimous decision was required. The jury had spent six hours and 14 minutes on the case before being sent home, and they will resume tomorrow.
In the Central Criminal Court, a jury will resume deliberations on Tuesday morning in the trial of Marta Herda, a 29‑year‑old Polish waitress from Arklow, charged with the murder of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsos. The case concerns an incident on 26 March 2013 when Herda drove her car into a harbour at South Quay, Arklow, causing Orsos to drown. Herda escaped the water, but Orsos could not swim and his body was recovered from a nearby beach later that day. The trial established that the two had worked together and that Orsos had been in love with Herda, who denied feeling the same way. She claimed he had followed her for two years, phoned and sent messages, and that they were arguing in the car when she drove into the water.
The trial of Marta Herda, a 29‑year‑old Polish waitress, is set to begin jury deliberations on Monday. She is charged with the murder of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsos, who drowned after the car she was in drove into a harbour on 26 March 2013. Herda escaped the water, but Orsos could not swim and his body was recovered later that day. The prosecution presented evidence that the couple had been arguing in the car and that Orsos had been following Herda for two years, calling and texting him. Herda pleaded not guilty. Judge Patrick McCarthy explained to the jury that they could find her guilty of murder, acquitted, or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, noting that intent to kill could arise on the spot and that motive need not be proven. He also clarified that gross negligence would be required for a manslaughter verdict. The jury must reach a unanimous verdict.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 22 July 2016, Judge Patrick McCarthy began charging the jury in the trial of Marta Herda, a 29‑year‑old Polish waitress from Arklow, with the murder of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsos. The case concerns an incident on 26 March 2013 when Herda drove her car into a harbour at South Quay, Arklow, causing Orsos to drown. Herda had pleaded not guilty. The trial established that both were in the car when it entered the water shortly before 6 a.m., that Herda escaped while Orsos could not swim and his body was recovered later that day. Herda had told police that Orsos was in love with her and had followed her for two years, but she did not reciprocate. She also claimed they were arguing in the car when she drove into the water.
In a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, the defence counsel for Marta Herda, a 29‑year‑old Polish waitress, argued that if she had deliberately driven her car into the harbour at South Quay, Arklow, it would have constituted suicide rather than murder. Herda is charged with the death of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsos, who drowned after the vehicle entered the water on 26 March 2013. The defence highlighted that the prosecution's case was unsustainable, noting that the handbrake may have been pulled by Orsos and that the evidence did not prove intent to kill. The counsel suggested that any verdict should consider whether Herda's actions were reckless or intentional, and urged the jury to consider a not‑guilty outcome. The trial was scheduled to continue with the jury hearing on Friday.
In a 2016 Central Criminal Court trial, the prosecution argued that Marta Herda, a 29‑year‑old Polish waitress, deliberately drove her car into the sea at Arklow harbour on 26 March 2013, resulting in the drowning of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsos. Herda, who was in the car with Orsos that morning, escaped the harbour while Orsos' body was found later that day on a nearby beach. The prosecution's case relied on circumstantial evidence, including CCTV footage showing Herda's car moving from her home toward Orsos' residence around 5.30 am, a brake‑mark of 13 ft 6 in at the scene, and phone records indicating she called Orsos three times that morning, the last at 5.37 am. Herda had previously claimed that Orsos had been stalking her and that she could not stand his anger, but she also stated she knew he could not swim.
In a 2016 trial, Marta Herda, a 29‑year‑old Polish waitress, was charged with the murder of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsos, who drowned after being driven into a harbour on 26 March 2013. Herda and Orsos had been in her car when it entered the water that morning; she escaped, but Orsos' body was recovered later that day on a nearby beach. The prosecution alleged that Herda had lured Orsos out of his house, citing phone records showing she called him at 5.30 am and that he had been in love with her, though she did not reciprocate. Detective Sergeant Fergus O'Brien testified about interviews conducted after Herda's arrest, and portions of those interviews were played to the jury. The prosecution closed its case, with closing speeches scheduled before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of eight men and four women.
Marta Herda, 29, of Arklow, is on trial for the murder of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsos, who drowned after their car entered a harbour on 26 March 2013. She pleaded not guilty. During the trial, excerpts of her garda interviews were played. In them, she described a struggle in the car as they approached the harbour, saying she had to "fight for my life" in the water. She recounted losing her shoes and sweater, hearing waves, and being unable to swim or say goodbye. She claimed she had been pursued by Orsos for two years, receiving calls and texts. The court heard her statement that she wanted the situation to stop when she drove into the water. The trial is before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy with a jury of eight men and four women.
During the tenth day of her trial, the Central Criminal Court heard portions of video interviews conducted by Garda Detective Sergeant Fergus O'Brien with Marta Herda, a 29‑year‑old Polish woman charged with the murder of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsos. The interviews, taken a few months after Herda's arrest in August 2013, were played to the court. Herda was accused of driving Orsos into a harbour where he drowned. She pleaded not guilty. In the interviews she stated that she had wanted the situation to stop, referring to the phone calls and text messages she had been receiving from Orsos, who had been following her for two years. The defence cross‑examined O'Brien about the context of her statement, and the barrister for Herda suggested that the statement might describe the events in the car that morning rather than an admission of intent. The trial continues.
Ms Marta Herda, 29, of Pairc Na Saile, Arklow, is charged with the murder of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsos, who drowned after being driven into a harbour on 26 March 2013. Both were in Herda's car when it entered the water; she escaped, but Orsos's body was found later that day. During her trial, video of Herda's garda interviews was shown. She stated she had hoped to save him if she had seen him in the water, but a friend told her not to think of it, fearing they would die together. She described Orsos as a good‑hearted person who had fallen "in love with me badly" and admitted she was afraid of him. The court heard that she had no sexual relationship with him and that she had never been with someone who would "lock me somewhere." The trial continues.
In the Central Criminal Court, Marta Herda, 29, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsos, who drowned after the car she drove entered a harbour on 26 March 2013. Herda, a Polish waitress from Arklow, claimed she was not in love with Orsos and that the incident was accidental. She said she had been arguing with him in the car and that she did not want to drive fast. Garda testimony revealed that she had called Orsos at 5.20 am and again at 5.35 am, and that the handbrake had been applied before the car entered the water. Forensic evidence showed a skid mark consistent with handbrake use and a shattered driver's side window. The trial was set to continue on Monday before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of eight men and four women.
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence on the eighth day of the 29‑year‑old Marta Herda's trial for the murder of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsos. Herda, a Polish waitress, is charged with driving Orsos into a harbour where he drowned on 26 March 2013. She pleaded not guilty and claimed the victim had been in love with her, a feeling she did not share, and that she could no longer tolerate the situation. Forensic Collision Investigator Garda Cliff Harding testified that a skid mark on the quay indicated the handbrake had been applied before the car entered the water, as the mark was consistent with a locked tyre caused by emergency braking. He noted that ABS would prevent such a mark, implying the handbrake was used.
During the seventh day of the 29‑year‑old Marta Herda's murder trial, the jury viewed a video of the deceased, 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsos, celebrating his birthday with Herda. The footage, shown in the Central Criminal Court, shows Herda seated beside Orsos as he blew out candles on a cake. Herda is charged with murdering Orsos by driving him into a harbour where he drowned on 26 March 2013. Orsos's brother, Zoltan Sandor, testified that the family had celebrated Orsos's birthday at his home in July 2012 and that the video was part of that celebration. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, continues with a jury of eight men and four women. The court heard additional testimony from witnesses about Herda's relationship with Orsos and alleged prior conflicts, but no verdict has yet been reached.
During the trial of 29‑year‑old Marta Herda, a jury was shown a Valentine's card she had received from the 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsas, the man she is accused of murdering by driving him into a harbour where he drowned. The card, held up by Garda Anthony Crehan, had pink roses on the front and the words "Thinking of you" inside a love heart. Inside, handwritten notes declared love, promised to change habits, and offered a phone number. The card was dated 21/5/12 at 22.54. Herda denied deliberately driving into the water and claimed she had not proposed that she drive into the water. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, continues with a jury of eight men and four women. The defence has not yet presented a verdict.
Marta Herda, 29, of Arklow, was charged with the murder of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsas on 26 March 2013 after he was driven into a harbour and drowned. In her first Garda statements, read to the Central Criminal Court on the fifth day of the trial, Herda said she could no longer tolerate Orsas, who had followed her for two years, texted her, and claimed to love her. She described how he had followed her to work, to her friends' homes, and even to a playground, and how she had felt threatened and depressed. Herda claimed that she drove the car into the water to stop the situation, stating she knew he could not swim. The trial heard testimony from Garda Anthony Crehan, Dr Donal Bailey, and Nurse Claire Best, and continues before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.
In the Central Criminal Court, Marta Herda, aged 29, is on trial for the murder of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsas. The prosecution alleges that on 26 March 2013, Herda drove Orsas into a harbour at South Quay, Arklow, where he drowned. During the trial, a paramedic testified that he was called to the quay at about 6.15 a.m. and found Herda soaked, cold and shivering, with white foam in her mouth. He treated her for hypothermia and transported her to hospital. While in the ambulance, Herda repeatedly said that Orsas "shouldn't have been there" and that she had driven the car into the water. A witness, Christina Byrne, claimed to have heard Herda shout that she had been raped, but her statement was cross‑examined and the court noted uncertainty about the words. The case remains at the trial stage.
The trial of Marta Herda, 29, for the murder of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsas began on the second day at the Central Criminal Court. Herda, a Polish waitress from Arklow, is charged with driving Orsas into a deep harbour on 26 March 2013 and has pleaded not guilty. Defence counsel Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC argued that the State's case is that Herda lured Orsas to his death through phone calls. Garda Michael Hall presented records of calls and texts between Herda, Orsas and colleagues at the Brook Lodge Hotel, noting several between 5.20 am and 5.21 am that day. The prosecution suggested these communications were suspicious and instrumental in luring Orsas. State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy testified that Orsas's injuries were consistent with drowning, citing abundant blood‑stained froth in his airways and overinflated lungs. The jury, presided over by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, heard these arguments and evidence before continuing the trial later that day.
During the murder trial of Marta Herda, a 29‑year‑old Polish waitress, the court heard that a witness, Paul Hickey, saw Herda arguing on the phone in a car early that morning. Hickey described seeing a Volkswagen Passat with a driver who appeared animated and engaged in a heated conversation. He noted the car's slow movement and that it did not overtake a cyclist, suggesting the driver was still on the phone. Hickey also reported that the car had later been pulled from the harbour where the victim, 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsas, was found drowned. The jury also heard that a postman discovered Orsas's front door open about two hours after the car entered the water. Garda Michael Hall testified that Herda had two mobile phones; the first was used for most contact with Orsas, including a final call at 5.35 am lasting two minutes.
During the trial of Marta Herda, a 29‑year‑old Polish waitress charged with murdering her 31‑year‑old Hungarian colleague Csaba Orsas, a postman named Stephen Mitchell testified. He was delivering mail to Brookview Court at 8.15 am on 26 March 2013 when he noticed the front door of the house at Pairc Na Saile, Emoclew Road, Arklow, open. He described the door as a couple of feet ajar and reported it to a Garda car that had pulled up. The case is before Justice Patrick McCarthy with a jury of eight men and four women.
In a Wicklow harbour murder trial, a 29‑year‑old Polish waitress, Marta Herda, was charged with killing her 31‑year‑old Hungarian colleague, Csaba Orsas, by driving her car through harbour barriers into the sea. Prosecutor Brendan Grehan presented evidence that the car entered the water at high speed, that Herda was the driver, and that Orsas was a front‑seat passenger. He noted that Herda could swim while Orsas could not, and that the body was found drowned on a beach two miles away. Testimony from a security guard described a high‑speed vehicle and a woman screaming near the quay, later identified as Herda. Garda Fiona Furlong recounted finding Herda wet and distressed, pointing to the harbour. The case was opened to the Central Criminal Court, with a three‑week trial before Mr Justice McCarthy and a jury of eight men and four women. The unnamed 29-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 29‑year‑old woman, Marta Herda of Arklow, was arraigned in the Central Criminal Court on 4 July 2016 for the murder of Hungarian Csaba Orsas at South Quay, Arklow, on 26 March 2013. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy informed the court that the trial would last three weeks and had sworn in a jury of seven men and five women. When the jury returned, the judge addressed one juror who confirmed she had been a member of An Garda Siochana. He explained that while there was no principle objection to a former Garda serving, the case might present a difficulty because of her insider knowledge. The judge, acknowledging her eligibility, discharged her with some embarrassment, stating it was best for the jury to remain impartial. He informed the remaining 11 jurors that the panel would leave for the day and that a replacement would be sworn in the following day, when the trial was expected to commence.
A man has been sentenced to three years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his role in two violent car-jackings committed on the same night in April 2014. David Thomas, aged 32, of Glenties Avenue, Finglas, Dublin, pleaded guilty to unlawful seizure of a vehicle at Shankill, Dublin. The court heard that Thomas and another man pulled the driver from his car, assaulted him, and threatened to shoot him after he witnessed their faces. The stolen vehicle was subsequently abandoned on the N11 near Wicklow. Thomas went on to forcibly remove a second driver from a van in the vicinity. Judge John Aylmer imposed a concurrent sentence, stating the Shankill incident was the more serious offence. The victim reported experiencing significant fear and psychological distress following the attack. The defence argued the incidents constituted a chaotic, alcohol-fuelled episode, with no actual firearm involved.
A judge discharged a jury of twelve sworn to hear the trial of 29‑year‑old Marta Herda, accused of murdering Hungarian Csaba Orsas in Arklow on 26 March 2013. Herda pleaded not guilty at her arraignment. The judge explained that a difficulty had arisen and the estimated trial time had been revised from seven or eight days to three weeks, making it impossible to start until Monday. He discharged the jury, noting they had agreed to a shorter estimate, and said the system would seek them again. Herda will return to court on Monday for a new jury.
A 29‑year‑old woman, Marta Herda of Arklow, will stand trial for the 2013 murder of Hungarian Csaba Orsas in Wicklow. She was arraigned at the Central Criminal Court, where she pleaded not guilty. The case will be heard by a jury of seven women and five men, with the trial expected to last seven or eight days. The prosecution requested a Hungarian interpreter for one witness, while the defense was assisted by a Polish interpreter during the arraignment.
In 2016 a Wicklow civil engineering company, RSJ Civil Ltd, was fined €30,000 after a fatal incident on Kill Avenue, Dun Laoghaire. Polish worker Grzegorz Burczak, aged 31, was struck to death by a manhole cover when a traffic cone that had been knocked over by a passing car detached and hit the cover. The company had failed to provide adequate warning signs, a safety exclusion zone, or sufficient traffic cones. RSJ had entered a plea of guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for failing to ensure the safety, health and welfare of its employees during work on manhole covers. The court accepted that the accident was largely due to human error and a lapse in training, and noted the company's cooperation and regret. The company subsequently completed a full health and safety review and engaged a consultant to improve its systems. The incident was described as an unavoidable and unnecessary loss of human life.
RSJ Civil Ltd of South Winds, South Quay, Arklow faced sentencing for health and safety failures that caused the fatal injury of Polish worker Grzegorz Burczak (31) on 12 June 2012. Burczak was working on a manhole cover on Kill Avenue, Dun Laoghaire, when a traffic cone struck by a passing car detached and hit the cover, fatally impacting him. The company had failed to provide advanced warning signs, a safety exclusion zone, or sufficient traffic cones; only two cones were used, whereas an expert engineer recommended a minimum of nine. RSJ Civil Ltd entered a plea of guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for failing to ensure the safety, health and welfare of its employees during manhole work. The court adjourned sentencing to 12 May, and the Health and Safety Authority inspector noted that RSJ Civil Ltd was a subcontractor on a development off Kill Avenue.
This report details seven extraordinary exonerations in Irish courts, highlighting cases where the justice system failed accused individuals. Among the validated subjects is Nora Wall, a former nun convicted in 1999 of rape, a charge she did not plead to but was found guilty of. She became the first woman convicted of rape in the State's history and the first to receive a life sentence for the crime, handed down by Mr Justice Paul Carney. However, her sentence was quashed after a prosecution witness admitted fabricating evidence, and in December 2005, the Court of Criminal Appeal declared her conviction a miscarriage of justice. Another subject, Michael Hannon, was convicted in 1999 of sexually assaulting a ten-year-old girl, Una Hardester, and assaulted Hannon's father. Hannon received a suspended prison sentence of four years. In 2009, the Court of Criminal Appeal declared his conviction a miscarriage of justice after Hardester admitted her allegations were fabricated for revenge following a land dispute. Christy Lynch, convicted of the murder of Vera Cooney in 1976, was also exonerated. Lynch claimed his confession was extracted under duress by the Garda murder squad. Although the Court of Criminal Appeal initially ordered a retrial, the Supreme Court ultimately set Lynch free, declaring him an innocent man based on the inadmissibility of his coerced statement. These cases underscore significant failures in the Irish legal process.
Jamie Carroll, 33, of Arklow, Co Wicklow, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to five counts of robbery. Judge Sarah Berkeley imposed a six-year custodial sentence, suspending the final two years. The offences occurred on November 11, 2014, at Day 2 Day on Military Road and Boyle Sports in Monkstown; on November 22, 2014, at Bus Stop Shop in Enniscorthy; and on April 8, 2015, at Londis on Foxrock Avenue. On each occasion, Carroll allegedly armed with a knife to demand money. Defence counsel Colman Fitzgerald SC noted Carroll's history of heroin addiction and presented clean urine analysis reports, arguing he was now drug-free. The judge acknowledged the robberies were committed to feed his addiction and that no physical violence was used, though staff were threatened. She suspended the final two years of the sentence, citing Carroll's remorse and co-operation with the Garda investigation. Carroll had previously been released on bail twice, including a March 30, 2015 release for a residential drug treatment program which he failed to attend due to intoxication, before committing the final robbery. He has 121 previous convictions, primarily for driving and public order offences.
Stephen Rock, 51, was sentenced to ten years in prison for setting fire to a house on Colepark Drive, Ballyfermot, Dublin, on 12 July 2014. The blaze destroyed the home, killed a family pet, and caused an estimated €40,000 in economic loss, excluding personal property. Witnesses saw an object resembling a shoe box burning in the window, and Rock was observed near the house that night. The Nolan family, who lived there, were forced to relocate; Maureen Nolan was assaulted by Rock earlier that day, and her daughter Leanne Nolan attempted to extinguish the fire and rescue her brother. Rock, a former life‑sentenced murderer who escaped in 1999 and was released on full temporary release four days before the incident, denied starting the fire. The court noted his prior convictions and the seriousness of his actions, and Judge Patrick McCartan condemned his conduct before imposing the sentence. Stephen Rock was found guilty.
In July 2015 the High Court resolved a dispute between Bray Wanderers Ltd and three former associates. Mr Justice Paul Gilligan had granted temporary injunctions against Mr John Deering, Paul Lennon and former goalkeeper Darren Quigley, preventing them from trespassing on the club's Carlisle Grounds, misrepresenting themselves as directors, calling official meetings or publishing official‑looking material. The injunction was withdrawn after the defendants offered undertakings: they would not trespass without prior arrangement, would not publish official‑looking information, would not misrepresent themselves as directors or claim to act in an official capacity, and would not call official meetings. Mr Deering also agreed to delete data he had accessed from the club's email and website systems. The parties agreed to amend the Companies Registration Office filings that had purportedly removed four directors and appointed Mr Deering. The court left open the possibility of future proceedings if necessary.
A 21‑year‑old Wicklow man, Dylan Keegan Duignan, and an accomplice robbed a 62‑year‑old taxi driver, Leslie Leady, on 14 October 2014. The robbery took place after the driver had taken the men from Dublin's O'Connell Street to St Margaret's Park halting site in Ballymun. Duignan sat in the front passenger seat while the other man sat behind Leady. The accomplice threatened Leady with a sharp object, demanding money, and Duignan then took the car keys. Leady was forced to walk into a field. The robbers fled to the nearest petrol station after the taxi's tank ran empty; they were arrested when they returned with petrol. Duignan pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and was sentenced to two years' imprisonment by Judge Martin Nolan, adding to an existing eleven‑month term for a 2012 robbery. The other accomplice is also before the courts for the same offences.
In a High Court hearing on 6 May 2015, the court dismissed Alan Toal's attempt to stop an internal disciplinary tribunal from imposing sanctions on him. Toal had previously been found by the tribunal to have breached the barristers' code of conduct, including taking money from a former client in 2010, failing to engage with internal inquiries and berating the client. He sought an injunction to prevent the tribunal from deciding on a sanction hearing held in July. Toal's lawyers argued that because all superior court judges are benchers of the Honourable Society of Kings Inns, they were parties to any action against the tribunal and should be recused. Judge David Keane refused to adjourn or recuse himself, declined to refer the matter to the European Court, and allowed the disciplinary proceedings to continue. The judge also awarded the respondents' legal costs. The case remains at the disciplinary stage, with Toal's appeal dismissed and the tribunal's proceedings proceeding.
Alan Toal Bl, a barrister from Arklow, has brought High Court proceedings to stop an internal disciplinary tribunal from imposing sanctions on him, arguing that judges of the Superior courts cannot hear the case because they are effectively defendants. He claims that all judges are automatically benchers of the Honourable Society of the Kings Inns, the body that regulates barristers, and therefore cannot be independent. Toal seeks injunctions to prevent the Barristers Disciplinary Tribunal from deciding on his case after a sanction hearing in July, and to expunge certain complaints. The four respondents – the Barristers Disciplinary Tribunal, the General Council of the Bar Council of Ireland, the Professional Practices Committee of the Bar Council, and the Barristers Professional Conduct Tribunal – have opposed the action. Mr Justice David Keane dismissed applications to adjourn the case or recuse himself, stating there was no legal basis for the case to be held.