Lesley Dyer, 40, of Constitution Hill, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty to two thefts of €1,050 from an elderly, vulnerable woman she was caring for in Bray, Co Wicklow, on 18 June 2022 and 13 August 2022. The victim, suffering from dementia, had left the money in a handbag and later discovered it missing. CCTV footage and the victim's grandchildren's testimony confirmed Dyer's admission of taking the money. Dyer had previously been convicted of drug possession and a traffic offence. Judge Orla Crowe, hearing the case at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, described the offence as "reprehensible" and a "gross breach of trust", and set a headline sentence of two years' imprisonment. Considering mitigating factors such as her early guilty plea, cooperation, apology letter and the use of the money for children's needs, the judge imposed 240 hours of community service in lieu of an 18‑month prison term.
In the Central Criminal Court, Pete Taylor, a well‑known coach, testified about the shooting that occurred on 5 June 2018 at Bray Boxing Club. He described arriving at the gym at 6.30 am, opening the club, and preparing an exercise class that began at 6.45 am. While setting up music, he heard loud bangs and saw a man in the doorway firing a gun. Taylor attempted to run toward the shooter, who was described as about 5′8″, wearing a hi‑vis vest and black clothing. During his attempt, Taylor dove over a bench, was shot in the left bicep and chest, and was taken to St Vincent's Hospital where he underwent surgery and later had a steel cage fitted to his arm. He stated he had not seen what happened to Robert 'Bobby' Messett during the shooting, and that he had not seen the shooter leave the scene. Pete Taylor pleaded not guilty.
Witnesses at the Central Criminal Court described the June 5, 2018 shooting at Bray Boxing Club. Gerard Cervi pleaded not guilty to the murder of Robert 'Bobby' Messett and the attempted murders of Peter Taylor and Ian Britton. Witness Ian Britton recounted seeing a man in a yellow top and tracksuit, wearing a hard‑hat‑style headwear, who fired a gun that struck Messett in the head and later Taylor. He estimated about ten shots were fired over 30‑45 seconds. Alan Hunter testified that Taylor "made a charge" at the gunman before being shot, describing the gunman as calm and wearing a black visor and gloves. Stephen Kearns also saw Taylor running toward the gunman and falling, with the gunman eventually disappearing. The trial continues before Justice Karen O'Connor.
The State presented fingerprint and DNA evidence linking Gerard Cervi to a van used by the gunman in the Bray Boxing Club shootings of 2018. Cervi, 36, was charged with the murder of Bobby Messett and the attempted murders of coach Pete Taylor and Ian Britton. The prosecution described the shooting at 6:50 am, where nine shots were fired, killing Messett and injuring Taylor and Britton. CCTV footage showed a grey Volkswagen Caddy van with a yellow plate leaving the club, traveling through Cabinteely and Poolbeg to Ringsend. Gardaí seized the van, finding white spirit bottles with Cervi's fingerprints and DNA from the passenger seat and handbrake. Additional footage depicted Cervi traveling to the van on a distinctive bike and returning later that day. The trial was adjourned overnight. Gerard Cervi pleaded not guilty.
A 36‑year‑old man, Gerard Cervi, is accused of murdering Robert 'Bobby' Messett and of attempting to murder coach Pete Taylor and Ian Britton on 5 June 2018 at Bray Boxing Club. He pleaded not guilty to all charges. The Central Criminal Court will hear the case, with a jury of six men and six women sworn in. Judge Paul McDermott warned jurors about media influence and advised them to rely solely on court testimony. The trial is expected to last about six weeks and will begin on Wednesday.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Daniel Webb, 33, pleaded guilty to two counts of active and passive corruption for receiving confidential Garda Pulse system intelligence from former civilian employee Holly Hayden, 27. Webb had been spending up to €200 a night on cocaine and Xanax when Hayden supplied him with 17 lines of intelligence, including screenshots, about Webb and his associates on 6 and 9 September 2019. Hayden also provided a synopsis of Pulse data via Telegram and sent information on Garda checkpoints to a third party. Webb cooperated during a search of his home and car, and his mobile phone was seized. Hayden later pleaded guilty to disclosing confidential information and accessing it for personal gain. The court adjourned Webb's case for finalisation on 6 October, and Hayden's case on 6 November. Judge Orla Crowe noted the seriousness of the breach and considered Webb's clean record and early guilty plea before sentencing.
At the Special Criminal Court, Robert Redmond (35) and Jamie Gray (27) were sentenced for possessing a RAK PM-63 submachine gun at M11 Southbound, Shankill, Dublin, on May 7, 2020. Both pleaded guilty to charges under Section 27A(1) of the Firearms Act 1964. Mr Justice Paul Burns sentenced Redmond, who is serving a life sentence for murder, to six years imprisonment. This sentence runs from October 5, 2021. Gray received a sentence of five years and three months, with the final year suspended for three years, running from July 10, 2023. The judge noted the weapon was in poor condition, missing components, and had an erased serial number. Redmond has 97 previous convictions, while Gray has 91, mostly for road traffic offences. The court acknowledged both men sourced the weapon for others without intent to use it. Separately, Bernard Fogarty (34) was previously sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Barry Wolverson and jailed for five years in 2020 for possessing a similar firearm on March 7, 2020. Fogarty was involved in the initial handover of the weapon in Clondalkin. The judge described the prevalence of such firearms as a dangerous scourge on society.
A former civilian employee of An Garda Siochana, Holly Hayden, 27, pleaded guilty to disclosing confidential information from the Garda Pulse database in exchange for cocaine. Hayden admitted to providing details of a named individual on 29 October 2019, and to sending Pulse data to a person she knew on 9 September 2019 and again between 28 April and 11 May 2020. She also sent images of Covid‑19 checkpoint locations via WhatsApp and Telegram, receiving cocaine in return. Hayden's addiction to alcohol and drugs was highlighted by her admissions and her mother's testimony. She expressed remorse and acknowledged her actions as a gross disloyalty to her employer. The court considered a urine analysis before proceeding with sentencing, with a potential adjournment to 6 November to facilitate the test.
Two men pleaded guilty in the Special Criminal Court to unlawful possession of a RAK PM-63 submachine gun recovered during a garda operation on the N11 in Shankill, Dublin on 7 March 2020. Robert Redmond, aged 35, and Jamie Gray, aged 27, were charged under the Firearms Act 1964. Evidence revealed that Redmond and co-accused Bernard Fogarty transferred the firearm to a driver in Clondalkin, with Gray directing operations via text messages from a separate location in Bray where he had met with the others. The weapon, deliberately reactivated after prior deactivation, bore no serial number. Redmond is serving a life sentence for murder; Fogarty was previously sentenced to life for the same offence and five years for separate firearm possession. Gray has 91 previous convictions, mostly traffic offences. In mitigation, his counsel noted his long-standing gambling addiction, recent employment, and rehabilitation efforts at Coolmine Therapeutic Lodge. The Director of Public Prosecutions assessed the matter at mid-range seriousness. Mr Justice Paul Burns remanded both men in custody pending sentencing on 24 July.
Dumitru Sehleanu, a van driver, won €15,000 in compensation from Cordelia Foods Ltd following a Workplace Relations Commission hearing. The adjudicator found that the company committed longstanding breaches of the Organisation of Working Time Act, specifically regarding excessive hours and lack of breaks. Mr. Sehleanu alleged he worked 12 to 13-hour days, driving 600km to 900km routes, and was forced to urinate in a bottle due to the inability to take rest periods. The adjudicator accepted this evidence, awarding €7,500 for rest period violations and a further €7,500 for exceeding weekly maximum hours between May and August 2020. However, Mr. Sehleanu's claims for constructive dismissal under the Unfair Dismissals Act, penalisation under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, and a National Minimum Wage Act complaint were all rejected. The adjudicator ruled that while the working time breaches were significant, they did not constitute a repudiatory breach of contract because Mr. Sehleanu resigned without first raising the issues with his employer. The minimum wage claim failed due to procedural non-compliance. The total award was €15,000. Mr. Sehleanu has since secured new employment as a firefighter in Bray.
Lesley Dyer, 40, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two thefts totalling €1,050 from an elderly woman she cared for in Bray, Co Wicklow, on 18 June 2022 and 13 August 2022. The victim, suffering from dementia, had left €1,000 in a handbag and later discovered the money missing; CCTV later showed Dyer taking €50 from a card. Dyer admitted the thefts, citing financial pressure and a recent split with her partner. Judge Orla Crowe described the offences as a "really serious breach of trust" and adjourned the case to allow a Probation Service assessment for suitability for community service. If deemed suitable, Dyer may be ordered to complete 240 hours of community service in lieu of an 18‑month prison term. The case is set for a hearing on 3 November 2023.
Robert Redmond (35) and Jamie Gray (27) pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to possessing a PAK PM-63 submachine gun at M11 Southbound, Shankill, Dublin, on May 7, 2020. The charge, under Section 27A(1) of the Firearms Act 1964, alleged they had the firearm in their possession or control without a lawful purpose. Prosecution confirmed that count one, alleging participation in criminal organisation activity, would not be proceeded with. Mr Justice Paul Burns remanded Redmond in custody and granted Gray bail until July 10, when their sentence hearing will take place. Redmond, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in December last year for the murder of Barry Wolverson in Swords, Co Dublin, is currently serving that mandatory term. Gray, who has no indictable previous convictions, was granted a governor's report for his sentencing. Bernard Fogarty (34), Redmond's co-accused in the Wolverson murder, was also sentenced to life imprisonment. The court noted that Redmond had previously denied the murder charge, while Fogarty was convicted. The current matter remains pending sentencing, with the hearing scheduled for July 10.
A 36‑year‑old man, Gerard Cervi, faces trial at the Central Criminal Court on 2 October for the murder of Bobby Messett (50) and the attempted murder of boxing coach Pete Taylor, who was also shot when a gunman entered Bray Boxing Club on 5 June 2018. Cervi, originally from Dublin's East Wall, is also accused of attempting to murder Ian Britton on the same day and location. He has been in custody since September 2018, with his first trial in September 2021 collapsed after 10 weeks when a juror fell ill. The Court of Appeal had previously considered granting him bail under the strictest conditions, but denied bail after a trial date was fixed. The case is expected to last six weeks, with the court noting that the trial will likely be very long.
Anthony Larkin, 46, and Gerard Windrum, 38, were sentenced to a combined 13 years in prison for moving almost €1.2 million in cannabis resin. Larkin pleaded guilty to possession for sale or supply of just over 92 kg of the drug, worth about €556,800, seized at a storage unit in Mount Seskin, Tallaght on 1 April 2022. Windrum pleaded guilty to possession for sale or supply of 105 kg, worth just over €630,000, found at the same unit. Larkin had no prior convictions, while Windrum had 103, mainly traffic offences, including a heroin sale conviction. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Windrum to eight years and Larkin to five, citing their roles as couriers and the influence of debt. Gardaí had been surveilling the unit after a tip, discovered the drugs, and followed the vans to the transfer site in Brittas. Both men were arrested, questioned, and Larkin claimed his life was in danger due to drug debt.
Vesel Jahiri, a convicted murderer serving life imprisonment, appeared before the Court of Appeal to challenge his Central Criminal Court convictions for the 2012 murder of Anna Finnegan and the stabbing of her brother, Karl Finnegan. Jahiri, who pleaded not guilty to both charges and was found guilty by a jury, is representing himself in this appeal. He alleges that gardaí planted evidence, including knives and a knife block, at his temporary address to link him to the crime. The appellant further claims the trial judge erred by excluding him from the latter stages of the trial, denying him a closing speech, and preventing him from inspecting the murder weapon. He asserts that gardaí wiped the knife blade to remove Karl Finnegan's fingerprints and deleted CCTV footage from Cabra Garda Station. The State, represented by Cathleen Noctor SC, countered that these were matters for the jury and that Jahiri's legal teams had access to all materials. Noctor noted that Jahiri's claims regarding the evidence were rejected by the jury and that his assertions about procedural failures were unsupported. The three-judge court, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, reserved its judgment in the matter.
Gerard Cervi, the appellant accused of the murder of Bobby Messett and the attempted murders of Pete Taylor and Ian Britton at Bray Boxing Club in June 2018, may be granted bail on stringent conditions. The Court of Appeal found that Cervi has spent a "highly unusual amount of time" in custody, nearly five years, without a date for his second trial. While the State opposed bail, citing flight risk due to his post-incident travel to Spain, the court noted the absence of an imminent trial date. Justice George Birmingham stated that the substantial period in custody and uncertain timeline persuaded the court to contemplate bail, provided strict conditions are met. These proposed conditions include residing at a named address, signing on twice daily, surrendering travel documents and driving licence, installing a landline, and allowing electronic tracking of his mobile phone. The court invited parties to return to discuss whether these proposals were broadly appropriate. The matter was adjourned to allow for further discussion on the conditions, and no final decision on the bail application was made at this stage.
A man accused of murdering Bobby Messett and attempting to murder boxing coach Pete Taylor during a shooting at Bray Boxing Club in June 2018 has applied for bail at the Court of Appeal, citing nearly five years in custody without a trial date. Gerard Cervi, originally from Dublin, faces charges relating to the incident in which a gunman entered the premises on Bray Harbour, County Wicklow, and fired nine shots. His trial at the Central Criminal Court collapsed in September 2021 after ten weeks when jury numbers fell below the required threshold. Cervi's legal team argued that extended delay, combined with an anticipated Supreme Court ruling on phone evidence, justified reconsideration of bail conditions. The State opposed the application, citing evidence that Cervi had purchased a one-way ticket to Malaga at the time of his arrest and had made unexplained trips to Spain after the shooting. Mr Justice George Birmingham adjourned the matter to May 18 for further submissions regarding Cervi's work history, travel patterns, and living arrangements.
In a Court of Appeal hearing, two men, Curtis Devlin (28) and Patrick Gray (39), had their six‑year prison sentences upheld for blackmail and demanding with menace. The men entered a couple's home in Wexford in October 2020, claiming a drug debt owed by the couple's daughter. They demanded money and threatened to kill the wife and husband. After leaving, they called the couple from a getaway car, demanding €10,000 by 9 pm and issuing further threats. The appeal court found no difference in culpability between the men, ruling the case a joint enterprise. The court upheld the original sentences, noting the pre‑meditated targeting of innocent family members to pressure payment. The victim impact statement described the family's life as changed, with them feeling trapped and obsessed with safety in their own home. Curtis Devlin pleaded guilty. Patrick Gray pleaded guilty.
Clare Parsons, wife of the 34‑year‑old Vincent Parsons, gave a victim‑impact statement at the Central Criminal Court after the mandatory life sentences were imposed on Philip Disney (27) and Sean Carlyle (30). She described her husband as a loving, gentle family man who had never been aggressive. She said she was in denial when she first heard the news of his death, that the body was returned to her after ten days, and that the loss had shattered her family's life. She recalled the fear she felt when she realised he had been murdered, the long wait to see him, and the emotional toll of losing him. She thanked the court, the jury, the police and the public for their support, and said she would never get Vincent back but that justice had been served. The statement was read in plain Irish‑English prose and did not speculate on future outcomes.
Brandon Carroll, aged 19, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for robbing seven mobile phones and an electric scooter from boys at several south Dublin DART stations between 8 and 15 January. The judge suspended the final two years of the sentence. Carroll pleaded guilty to seven counts of robbery and one of attempted robbery. He was accompanied by a juvenile companion who threatened to stab victims and chased a 15‑year‑old boy down a railway track. The court noted Carroll's remorse, shame, difficult background, and vulnerability, including a history of 33 convictions and a borderline intellectual level. The judge ordered Carroll to engage with probation, addiction, and anger‑management services for two years upon release. Victims reported fear and anxiety about using public transport after the incidents.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Paul O'Carroll (47) was convicted of unlawful killing after he punched Vincent Kelly (45) once outside the Royal Hotel in Bray on 9 June 2018. Kelly, who had taken a drink from the hotel bar, followed O'Carroll to retrieve it after the defendant moved it outside. O'Carroll struck Kelly in the face, causing him to fall and suffer catastrophic head injuries. Kelly was taken to St Vincent's Hospital, then Beaumont Hospital, where he later died from a heart attack. O'Carroll claimed he acted in self‑defence, but the jury rejected this. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced him to five years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended on strict conditions, citing O'Carroll's high moral culpability and his previous convictions. The sentence was imposed on the basis of the facts presented in the trial, without reference to any later developments.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Vincent Kelly, 45, died from head injuries after being punched once in the face by Paul O'Carroll, 47, outside the Royal Hotel in Bray on 9 June 2018. O'Carroll was found guilty of unlawful killing. The court heard that Kelly had been drinking and had been in the hotel lobby when O'Carroll took his drink, walked out, and struck him once. CCTV showed no defensive action by Kelly. Kelly fell, sustained catastrophic head injuries, was taken to St Vincent's Hospital, then Beaumont Hospital, and died the next day. O'Carroll claimed he acted in self‑defence, feeling threatened, and later made a voluntary statement. The judge adjourned the case to 13 October for finalisation. The hearing also included impact statements from Kelly's wife and sister, describing the devastation and lasting change to the family's lives. The court considered O'Carroll's community involvement and prior convictions in sentencing. The case remains pending.
Ndricim Qema, 27, an asylum seeker who had arrived from Albania in 2018 and lived in Direct Provision, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for his role in a people‑smuggling operation that illegally brought 12 Albanian nationals into Ireland. Qema pleaded guilty to three counts of people smuggling at Dublin airport in 2019, and to one count each of money laundering, possessing a false instrument and using a false instrument at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He had been in custody since April 2021 and had 29 prior convictions, mainly for alcohol theft. Gardaí recovered a phone containing 30 photos of false IDs and messages linking Qema to his father, a senior smuggler, and to others seeking to enter Ireland. The judge described Qema as an "integral part" of the operation in Ireland, noting that the leaders were based in Albania. The sentence was back‑dated to the time of his arrest.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Simon Dominican Byrne, 40, received a two‑year suspended sentence for two counts of deception after he falsely presented insurance certificates to Mary Ring, who had engaged him to build an extension on her home. Byrne claimed to be insured, but the certificates were fabricated, and he was uninsured when he began work. Ring said the deception caused her and her husband to lose their savings and forced them to live in a home without heating. Byrne admitted the mistake, citing debt and mental health issues, and the judge noted his personal stress and family responsibilities. The judge imposed concurrent two‑year sentences, suspended in full, with strict conditions including probation and therapy. The case remains subject to ongoing civil proceedings regarding the loss suffered by the homeowners.
Gary O'Brien, 24, of Old Connaught View, Bray, was sentenced to 14 months' imprisonment for threatening to kill Gardaí and their families and for damaging a Garda car. The offences occurred on 21 September 2021 at Shanganagh Park and Shankill. Garda Matthew Firran reported that O'Brien was seen behind a car, threw an object over a wall, and later became abusive, threatening to follow Gardaí home and kill them and their families. He also threw an object at a Garda car, damaging a window. O'Brien was taken to Dun Laoghaire Garda Station, deemed intoxicated, and later claimed he was playing hurling. He pleaded guilty to two charges of threatening to kill or cause serious harm and to criminal damage. Judge Martin Nolan, noting O'Brien's 74 prior convictions and his "reprehensible" behaviour, imposed the 14‑month term, back‑dated to his entry into custody, taking the criminal damage charge into account.
James Howlin, 29, of Bray, was jailed after pleading guilty to possessing cocaine with intent to supply. He was originally sentenced to 10 years, the mandatory minimum for the offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977. The Court of Appeal found the judge had erred by ignoring mitigating factors such as Howlin's early guilty plea and his status as a chronic addict who moved the drugs to pay a debt. The appeal was allowed and the 10‑year term was quashed. The new headline sentence was seven‑and‑a‑half years, reduced by one year for the early plea and another year to encourage rehabilitation. The Court noted the original judge had not considered these factors in the first instance. The decision was made by Mr Justice John Edwards, with Ms Justice Isobel Kenendy and Ms Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh.
Stephen Preston, a stage hand with 16 years of experience at Metropolitan Films, claimed he was blackballed after his union shop steward, John Arkins, spoke to an Oireachtas committee about alleged industry practices. Preston alleged that he was told he was "too close" to Arkins and would never be rehired. He and fellow stage hand Nigel Murphy filed complaints under the Protection of Employees (Fixed-Term Work) Act 2003, but the Workplace Relations Commission ruled the claims were brought outside the statutory time limits. The Commission found neither man was an employee of Metropolitan, and both had last worked for the company more than twelve months before filing. Consequently, the Commission had no jurisdiction to investigate, and the complaints were dismissed as statute‑barred. The decision was part of a larger series of 39 complaints from IFWA members lodged between December 2019 and March 2020.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 15 March 2022, Marko Lovric, 28, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography after showing a video of a child and an adult simulating sex to a colleague at the National Lottery Headquarters. The incident, which occurred on 1 September 2019, led to a Garda investigation that seized four videos depicting child abuse, including rape and exposure of genital areas. Lovric, who had no prior convictions, cooperated fully with the investigation and expressed remorse. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a nine‑month sentence, suspended in full on the condition that he engage with the Probation Service for 18 months. He was also required to participate in "safer lives" and "harmful sexual behaviour in the community" programmes while under supervision. Lovric was suspended from work and is registered as a sex offender. He hopes to return to Croatia after the matter is resolved.
In March 2022 the Court of Appeal upheld a trial judge's decision to direct a jury to acquit a 72‑year‑old man of four historic child sex‑abuse charges. The accused had pleaded not guilty to indecent assault allegations dated between April 1968 and December 1970, involving a complainant aged seven to nine at the time. The complainant first reported the allegations to Gardaí in January 2015. The case was returned to the Bray Circuit Criminal Court in November 2016 and the trial began in March 2019. After a single day, the judge refused the Director of Public Prosecutions an adjournment and, because the chief witness could not attend, directed the jury to acquit the accused of all charges. The Director of Public Prosecutions sought a judicial review, arguing the judge had exceeded his jurisdiction, but the High Court dismissed that claim.
In a case heard by the Court of Appeal, the appellant argued that the trial judge had exceeded his jurisdiction by directing a jury to acquit a 72‑year‑old man of four historic child sex‑abuse charges. The accused had pleaded not guilty to indecent assault allegations dating from 1968 to 1970. The complainant, a relative of the accused aged seven to nine at the time of the alleged offences, first reported the allegations to the Gardaí in January 2015. The accused was returned to trial in November 2016, but the trial lasted only one day because the judge refused to grant the Director of Public Prosecutions an adjournment. A pre‑trial hearing in March 2016 had informed the court that the complainant could not attend proceedings, and with the chief witness unavailable the judge directed the jury to acquit the accused of all charges the following day.
Drmitriu Sehleanu, a former delivery driver from Bray, Co Wicklow, appeared before the Workplace Relations Commission to present a complaint of constructive dismissal against Cordelia Foods Ltd. The hearing, presided over by Adjudicator Kevin Baneham, concluded with the matter adjourned for the adjudicator to consider a decision. Mr Sehleanu alleged that he was forced to work 12 to 13 hours daily, driving up to 900km per day, and was pressured to exceed speed limits to meet delivery deadlines. He claimed he had to relieve himself into a bottle due to a lack of bathroom access and suffered a back injury while lifting flour without proper training. The company denied all claims, stating there was no bottle in the van, no workplace accident occurred, and Mr Sehleanu did not work beyond contracted hours. The company's representative, Rafaella Capolupo, argued that if the alleged speeding texts were true, Mr Sehleanu should be fined. The adjudicator closed the hearing to deliberate on the findings.
Paddy Lynch, 36, a homeless man from Ashlawn Court, Bray, was found guilty of trespassing and criminal damage after breaking into the General Register Office on 9 May 2020. He entered the closed building shortly after midnight, triggered an alarm, broke an electronic gate and damaged an internal security door with a metal object. The damage amounted to €8,000, with the gate alone costing €7,000 to repair. Lynch claimed he was looking for a place to sleep and was intoxicated, with a needle found nearby. He has prior convictions for burglary and theft. A psychological report linked his drug addiction to trauma from the 2015 Carrickmines fire. Judge Melanie Greally, after adjournment for a probation assessment, imposed a fully suspended two‑year sentence, requiring Lynch to keep the peace and continue drug treatment and probation services if needed. No documents were harmed during the incident.
Paul Nolan, 57, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment with two years suspended for two counts of possession of child pornography involving bestiality images. The offence was committed between January and September 2013. Nolan appealed, arguing the judge had not considered the time elapsed between the offence and sentencing and the relatively small number of images. The Court of Appeal reduced the sentence to two years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended for three years, and imposed a three‑year probation period. Nolan had no prior convictions and had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. He was also deemed a candidate for the Safer Lives rehabilitation programme. The appeal was heard by Justice Patrick McCarthy, Justice Isobel Kennedy and Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh. The case was originally heard in Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court.
Brandon Power, aged 23, avoided a custodial sentence for the second time after the Court of Appeal quashed his original one‑year suspended sentence for biting a Garda's finger, which broke the bone. The appellate court, deeming the original non‑custodial term unduly lenient, ordered a re‑sentencing that would give Power a chance to engage with probation services. Court President Mr Justice George Birmingham announced that Power would now receive a three‑year imprisonment term, suspended in full for two years, and warned that failure to cooperate with probation could lead to a jail sentence. The judge described the offence as a "vicious assault" against a Garda performing duties and noted that positive background reports from the Probation Service indicated Power was making a genuine effort to change. Power had previously pleaded guilty to assaulting Garda Trevor Devereux in March 2018 and was sentenced in April 2019.
Ahemd Yagoub, 57, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to two counts of sexual assault, two counts of exposure, and one count of assault. The offences occurred over a two-week period in June and July 2020 in a Dublin park, where he allegedly followed and assaulted teenage girls. Judge Melanie Greally described his conduct as predatory. She imposed a prison term of two years and nine months for the most serious sexual assault. Concurrent sentences of one year were imposed for three other offences. The sentence on the fifth offence was adjourned to next February to allow the Probation Service to compile a risk assessment report. The court noted Yagoub's lack of previous convictions, his documented history of bipolar disorder and depression, and favourable testimonials from his current residence. While he made useful admissions to gardai, he denied the underlying offences during interview. Defence counsel highlighted his mental health history and expressed remorse. The matter was not fully concluded due to the adjournment of the final sentencing component.
In a single‑punch manslaughter case, a judge discharged the jury after a five‑day trial. Vincent Kelly, 45, died from a catastrophic brain injury one day after being punched by Paul O'Carroll, 46, outside the Royal Hotel in Bray on 9 June 2018. O'Carroll, who had pleaded not guilty, claimed he struck Kelly only to remove him from the situation, stating he did not intend to kill or seriously injure him. The trial heard that Kelly had suffered a transient ischemic attack two years earlier and was on blood‑thinning medication, which Dr. Michael Curtis said could worsen head‑injury outcomes. Kelly was taken to St Vincent's Hospital, then Beaumont Hospital, where he underwent surgery, suffered cardiac arrest, was revived, but later died. O'Carroll was remanded on continuing bail until 2 November to set a new trial date.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Vincent Kelly, aged 45, died from a catastrophic brain injury after being punched in the face by Paul O'Carroll, aged 46, outside the Royal Hotel in Bray on 9 June 2018. O'Carroll, who pleaded not guilty, claimed he struck Kelly only to remove him from a verbal altercation. Kelly was on blood‑thinning medication, including aspirin, following a transient ischemic attack two years earlier, which a pathologist said likely worsened his injuries. Post‑mortem findings showed a single blow to Kelly's left face causing him to fall and hit his head on the ground, with skull fracture, brain bleeding and bruising. CCTV footage corroborated the sequence of events. Kelly was taken to St Vincent's Hospital, then Beaumont, where he underwent surgery, suffered cardiac arrest, was revived, but died early on 10 June. Traces of cocaine were found in Kelly, suggesting recent use. The case remains before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury.
In a speech at the Central Criminal Court on 13 September 2021, Mr Justice Paul McDermott warned that barristers must notify the court in writing if a trial is expected to last more than three weeks. He said that without a written memo explaining the reasons for the delay and the required duration, a trial longer than three weeks will not receive a trial date. McDermott also said that the court will not tolerate significant overruns beyond the estimated time. He added that jurors should be informed of the expected length of the trial and that, in some cases, 15 jurors may be enlisted to cover for those who cannot continue. The judge cited the collapse of the Bray Boxing Club murder trial, where a 34‑year‑old defendant, Gerard Cervi, faced delays and a jury that was unable to finish the trial due to health and procedural issues. Gerard Cervi pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Gerard Cervi for the murder of Bobby Messett and attempted murder of coach Pete Taylor at Bray Boxing Club collapsed after a juror became seriously ill, reducing the jury below the required ten members. Judge Michael White adjourned the case and discharged the remaining nine jurors, exempting them from future service. Cervi, aged 50, had pleaded not guilty to the killings that occurred on 5 June 2018, when a gunman entered the club, fired nine shots from a semi‑automatic pistol, killing Messett instantly and injuring Taylor and Ian Britton. The prosecution alleged Cervi was the lone gunman, linking him to a silver Volkswagen van seen near the club and to a bicycle at Pigeon House Road. Witnesses described the chaotic shooting, the gunman's appearance, and the subsequent removal of Taylor's clothing by paramedics. The trial was scheduled to resume on 11 October 2021.
Four men have been sentenced to a combined 33 years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court following their convictions in connection with a gangland murder conspiracy. Wayne Ryan, aged 41 and with an address in Longford, pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Wayne Whelan at Griffeen Glen Park, Lucan, on September 4th, 2019, and received 15 years. Three others—Cailean Crawford, Darren Henderson, and Charles McClean—pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder Whelan between May and November 2019. McClean received eight years, whilst Henderson and Crawford each received seven years with the final two years suspended. Mr Justice Michael White noted the "callous indifference" demonstrated in the broad daylight attack outside the victim's home. Whelan survived the initial shooting but was killed in a second attack in November 2019. The judge backdated sentences according to custody commencement dates and imposed good behaviour bonds on Henderson and Crawford regarding their suspended portions.
In the Bray Boxing Club murder trial, a juror from Dublin's East Wall area, Gerard Cervi, fell ill and could not attend court. The trial concerns a man who, on 5 June 2018, allegedly shot and killed 50‑year‑old Bobby Messett at Bray Boxing Club, and also allegedly attempted to murder boxing trainer Peter Taylor and Ian Britton on the same day. The defendant pleaded not guilty to all charges. The trial, originally scheduled to finish in August, was extended to September, prompting two jurors to request discharge. The remaining ten jurors agreed to continue until 22 October. On the day of the hearing, nine jurors were present; Justice Michael White expressed regret over the illness, wished a swift recovery, and adjourned the trial until the following Monday, when he expected an update on the juror's condition.
In a 2021 trial, a jury examined CCTV footage of Bray Boxing Club on the morning of June 5 2018, when Robert Messett was shot dead and two others injured. Detective Garda Alan Thompson described a grey or silver long‑wheelbase van with a 'DFZ' registration, slide rails, tinted rear windows, and a driver in a cap, dark trousers and a yellow high‑visibility vest. The van was seen outside the club at 6:50 am, and the driver entered the club. Thompson guided prosecution counsel Paul Murray SC through a montage of footage from Bray, Shankill, Cabinteely, Deansgrange, Blackrock and Merrion Road up to 7:19 am. Gerard Cervi pleaded not guilty to Messett's murder and the attempted murders of trainer Peter Taylor and Ian Britton. The case is before the Central Criminal Court with Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of seven men and three women.
The trial of Gerard Cervi, accused of shooting Bobby Messett to death at Bray Boxing Club, has been extended. Initially expected to last eight weeks, the trial was pushed back to September, causing two jurors to withdraw. On the ninth week, Judge Michael White asked the remaining ten jurors if they could continue until a new date of 22 October. Nine agreed, while one pending decision. The judge emphasized that no juror would be forced to stay and would be informed of any consequences if they could not continue. He thanked the jurors for their service and apologized for underestimating the trial's duration. Cervi, 34, from Dublin 3, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Messett, 50, and denies attempted murders of trainer Peter Taylor and Ian Britton on the same day and place.
The Central Criminal Court heard that the murder trial of Gerard Cervi, 34, accused of killing Bobby Messett, 50, at Bray Boxing Club on 5 June 2018, will continue beyond its original schedule. Cervi, who also denies attempted murders of trainer Pete Taylor and Ian Britton, pleaded not guilty. The trial, which began on 28 June with a jury of 12, was expected to last eight weeks but was extended. Judge Michael White considered whether the jury could remain for the full duration and suggested a new end date of 17 September, with 24 September as a final contingency. Two jurors were excused due to work commitments, and one had to cancel a holiday to stay on the panel. The court will resume legal arguments on 16 August, with the jury scheduled to return at 10:30 a.m. The case remains ongoing.
Wayne Ryan, aged 41, with an address in Longford but originally from Limerick, has pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Wayne Whelan at Griffeen Glen Park, Lucan on 4 September 2019. Three Dublin men—Cailean Crawford, Darren Henderson and Charles McClean—pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder Whelan at that location between May and November 2019. McClean and Whelan had previously been business partners in a car sales enterprise that ceased trading in 2016. Evidence presented to the Central Criminal Court detailed how Whelan was shot eleven times as he sat in his vehicle, struck by four bullets. A badly damaged handgun was recovered from a burnt-out van minutes after the attack. Firearms residue found on Ryan's clothing offered extremely strong support that he had discharged the shots. The four men were remanded in custody pending sentencing on 2 September 2021.
In the Bray Boxing Club murder trial, witnesses described a grey or silver Caddy van seen on the morning of the shooting. A Dublin Bus driver reported the van nearly colliding with his bus at speed, while a milkman noted a silver Volkswagen Caddy passing his truck and later returning with yellow registration plates. A witness from Willow Grove observed a silver van approaching her estate, noting the driver's high‑vis jacket and sunglasses. Garda reports linked a van with non‑Irish plates parked on Pigeon House Road, where a man and a bicycle were seen. The prosecution alleges the van was used in the fatal attack on Bobby Messett, with Gerard Cervi (34) pleading not guilty to murder and attempted murder charges. The trial continues with the judge noting a period of absence for the jury until late July.
The trial of Gerard Cervi, 34, who has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Bobby Messett, 50, at Pete Taylor's Bray Boxing Club in Bray, Co Wicklow, on June 5, 2018, continued before Mr Justice Michael White. Cervi also denies the alleged attempted murders of Pete Taylor and Ian Britton. Witness Elizabeth Petcu testified that she heard an "explosion" and saw a man in a yellow hard hat and high-vis vest run from the club, jump a barrier, and drive off in a van. She described the vehicle as silver or white with a yellow plate containing "AZ". Another witness, Anne-Marie Holland, stated she was nearly struck by a reversing silver car in the car park and later learned of a shooting. Prosecution counsel Paul Murray SC presented evidence linking a silver Volkswagen Caddy with registration DFZ to the scene, noting it was found near the East Link toll bridge. The prosecution alleges Cervi was seen on a bicycle near the van earlier that morning. The matter was adjourned to Tuesday.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, retired State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy testified that Bobby Messett, aged 50, died from a single gunshot wound to the head during a fitness class at Bray Boxing Club on 5 June 2018. The bullet entered through the left side of the nose, travelled diagonally through the upper jaw, nose, left eye and into the skull cavity, exiting at the back of the head. Dr Cassidy described extensive fractures, brain swelling, haemorrhage into the brain stem and blood‑stained clothing, concluding that death was caused by the gunshot. She noted the absence of secondary projectiles, indicating a distance of at least one metre between victim and shooter. The trial also covers Gerard Cervi's charges of murder and attempted murder, but the evidence presented focuses solely on Messett's fatal injury. The hearing continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury. Gerard Cervi pleaded not guilty.
The trial of Gerard Cervi and Peter Taylor for the murder of Bobby Messett (50) at Bray Boxing Club on June 5, 2018, continued at the Central Criminal Court. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the murder charge; Cervi also denies the attempted murder of Taylor and Ian Britton. Garda Glenn McLoughlin, the first responder to the scene, testified that he seized a grey sports top and trainers from Taylor to preserve forensic evidence, placing them in plastic bags before transferring them to evidence bags. McLoughlin stated he never saw or took any cash belonging to Taylor, contradicting Taylor's earlier testimony that his tracksuit bottoms, containing between €200 and €400, were removed and never returned. Taylor's partner, Karen Brown, previously identified a garda holding a blue bag with Taylor's clothing. McLoughlin confirmed Taylor was not wearing tracksuit bottoms in the ambulance or hospital, suggesting they may have been cut off by paramedics. He noted that the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) dismissed Taylor's complaint regarding the missing items. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of three men and nine women.
During a June 5, 2018 early‑morning fitness session at Bray Boxing Club, a lone gunman fired nine shots from a semi‑automatic pistol. Witnesses reported the shooter was calm and wore a black helmet, gloves and jacket. The gunman fired at trainer Pete Taylor, who was struck and fell, after which the shooting stopped. The gunman also shot Bobby Messett, who died, and Ian Britton, who was injured. Gerard Cervi, 34, is accused of murder and two attempted murders. He pleaded not guilty. The trial, held in the Central Criminal Court, heard eyewitness accounts from Polish gym‑goer Wojciech Bak, gym‑partner Alan Hunter, and others, describing the rapid, chaotic scene and the gunman's sudden cessation of fire after Taylor was hit. The case continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury.