A 21-year-old digital marketing worker charged with assault causing harm to his former girlfriend has been granted bail. Daragh Fennell is accused of kicking her repeatedly in the leg during an incident in 2024. The court heard that no injuries were reported, and the parties are no longer in a relationship. Judge Anne Watkin ordered no contact with the injured party. Fennell, who has lived abroad in Thailand and Iraq, has family in Iraq and connections in Spain. Conditions for bail include daily sign-on at Stepaside Garda Station and surrendering his passport. Legal aid was granted, and Fennell is to appear again in July for a plea. The court noted the complaint was made 18 months after the incident, and gardaí had no objection to bail.
Bahaalddin Alshwawrah, 46, was sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering his wife, Zeinat Bashabsheh, 42, on Christmas Eve 2021. Alshwawrah stabbed her 14 times with a single‑edged blade, causing fatal chest wounds. He recorded the incident on his mobile phone, shouting "I hope she dies," and sent the footage to another man. The court heard that Alshwawrah had previously claimed his wife had an affair and that he was a victim of her violence, but no evidence supported these allegations. He had two prior convictions in Jordan for simple injury. The victim impact statement described Zeinat as a devoted mother whose death left a profound void. Alshwawrah apologized, admitting he could never forgive himself. Mr Justice Tony Hunt imposed the mandatory life sentence.
Jim Connors, 30, pleaded guilty in the District Court to assault a Circle K worker with a wine bottle on Christmas Eve, 2021. The assault, described by the judge as "terrifying," occurred after Connors tried to steal three bottles of wine at a Circle K on Enniskerry Road, Kilternan. He was arrested after fleeing the scene. The case also included other 2021‑22 charges: theft, a public‑order offence and failure to produce a driving licence, for which he received a four‑year disqualification. Connors has 55 prior convictions, including traffic offences, burglary, public‑order violations and theft. On appeal, Judge Catherine White increased the original custody sentence from three to six months but suspended the jail term for 12 months, conditional on Connors staying away from the Kilternan Circle K. The defence counsel, Lydia Daly BL, argued only the severity of the sentence was appealed.
Three men—Anthony Hickey (39), Fabio Vicente (42) and Matin Zolfaghari (34)—were sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for a gang rape and sexual assault that occurred on 31 August 2019 in a Dublin nightclub. Hickey received 16 years, with the final year suspended; Vicente also received 16 years, suspended; Zolfaghari received 14 years, suspended. All three pleaded not guilty. The judge described the conduct as "cruel, cynical and depraved" and noted the victim was in a vulnerable state. The court directed the men to be supervised by Probation Services for three years after release and back‑dated their sentences to the date of custody. The sentencing hearing included the victim's impact statement, in which she accused the men of recording and sharing videos of the assault and of laughing at her refusal. The judge emphasised that blame rested solely with the men and praised the Garda investigation. No further legal outcomes are mentioned in the article. Anthony Hickey was convicted. Fabio Vicente was found guilty. Matin Zolfaghari was convicted.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a woman who was gang‑raped by three men in a Dublin nightclub on 31 August 2019 gave a victim impact statement. She described how the men – Anthony Hickey (39), Fabio Vicente (42) and Matin Zolfaghari (34) – watched her movements, used her body as an object and raped her in a car and in a house. The statement detailed her fear, anxiety, flashbacks and nightmares, and her anger at the men's videos of the assault that were shared for a laugh. She said the criminal process was long and daunting, and that the men had taken away her freedom, her body and her love for life. The court noted the men were remanded in custody and the case was adjourned for sentencing on 27 March. The statement was given in plain Irish‑English prose, with no additional claims or inferences beyond the facts presented in the article. Anthony Hickey pleaded not guilty and was convicted. Fabio Vicente pleaded not guilty and was found guilty. Matin Zolfaghari pleaded not guilty and was convicted.
Three men—Anthony Hickey (39), Fabio Vicente (42) and Matin Zolfaghari (34)—were found guilty of rape, oral rape and sexual assault against a woman who was recorded repeatedly saying "no" during the attack. The offences took place on 31 August 2019 at an unknown location in a car and in a Dublin house. The jury, after 13 hours of deliberation, returned guilty verdicts on six of the seven charges. Hickey was convicted of rape, oral rape and sexual assault; Vicente of two counts of rape; and Zolfaghari of oral rape. The men pleaded not guilty to the remaining counts. The judge remanded all three men in custody, adjourned the case for sentencing to 10 March and directed the preparation of a victim impact statement. The complainant was present at the verdicts and the court heard her testimony of being drugged, of memory gaps and of being raped twice in a car and once in a house.
Wade O'Brien, 32, of Wicklow, was sentenced to three years in prison for his central role in a savage attack on a homeless man at Rathsallagh Park, Shankill, on 5 April 2021. O'Brien pleaded guilty to affray, and the court accepted the plea based on full facts. CCTV footage showed O'Brien entering the victim's house, beating him with a baseball bat, and then bundling him into the boot of a car that had been pre‑arranged with the boot open. The victim was later found bleeding heavily and required medical treatment for a fractured wrist and severe bruising. O'Brien's 172 prior convictions, including 42 for road traffic offences, were noted. The judge set a headline sentence of five years, reduced to four, with the final year suspended on strict conditions, including remaining drug and alcohol‑free for the term. The case highlighted the victim's lack of cooperation and the strong evidence presented by the prosecution.
A man from Wicklow has been sentenced to six and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to drug trafficking offences at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Ryon Fitzpatrick, aged 34 and with an address in Enniskelly, was arrested in October 2020 as he accompanied a van containing approximately 304 kilograms of cannabis concealed in shoeboxes near Swords, County Dublin. The drugs, imported from Spain, had an estimated street value of €6.08 million. Fitzpatrick, who was driving a lookout vehicle, fled to Spain following his initial arrest and questioning but was apprehended there last year and extradited to Ireland in December. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a headline sentence of eleven and a half years, reduced to nine years following mitigation, with the final two and a half years suspended on conditions. Two co-accused, Anthony Kinghorn and Mark Nesbitt, both from England, were separately convicted and received eight-year sentences in 2021 and 2022 respectively.
David Hackman, 24, was jailed for four and a half years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to purchase a firearm in suspicious circumstances between 31 March and 28 May 2019. Gardaí observed a silver Ford Focus near a Spar in Waterville, Dublin 15, where Hackman and three other occupants, including his mother, were found. A search revealed a 9mm firearm, orange latex gloves, and evidence of a €4,000 cash transaction between Hackman and his mother. Hackman's mother was charged but the case against her was dropped following his guilty plea. Hackman has prior convictions for assault and drug possession. The court noted his youth, addiction issues, and the mitigating circumstances of his background, and rejected a post‑release drug treatment condition. The sentence reflects the offence's mid‑range sentencing guidelines of seven to ten years.
In a High Court hearing on 11 January 2023, Mr Justice Paul McDermott criticised the Central Mental Hospital for its delayed preparation of a psychiatric report concerning Bahaalddin Alshwawrah, a 43‑year‑old man charged with murdering his partner Zeinat Bashabsheh, aged 42, on 24 December 2021 at their shared residence in Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow. The judge described the delay as "intolerable" and warned that reports unavailable for months hinder proper court business. He urged the State to ensure the hospital has adequate resources and to set a definitive date for the report's completion. The judge noted that several trials were scheduled but none were ready to proceed, and that the case had been pending for a year. The matter was rescheduled for 7 February 2023. The judge's remarks highlighted the need for timely psychiatric assessments in criminal proceedings.
In November 2022, Declan Hannon, aged 52, appealed his 2019 convictions for raping a nine‑year‑old girl on four occasions and for two indecent assaults in Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow. He argued that the decades‑long delay in prosecuting the case had made his trial unfair. Hannon had been found guilty on all six counts and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Michael White. The victim, now in her 40s, had given evidence six times before the conviction. The appeal focused on whether the delay prejudiced Hannon, citing the death of his father in 2006, his mother's medical condition, lost work records, and the loss of evidence over the 11‑year gap between the initial complaint and her formal statement in 2013. The Court of Appeal considered these points but had not yet delivered a decision. The case remains at the appeal stage.
Denise Cribbin, 45, of Stepaside, Co Wicklow, was sentenced to a two‑year wholly suspended term for making a false statement under Section 12(a) of the Criminal Law Act 1976. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was too lenient. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham with Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy and Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly, quashed the original sentence and imposed a one‑year custodial term. Cribbin, who had pleaded guilty in July 2020, was told she would be taken into custody to begin her sentence. The offence stemmed from a false allegation of sexual assault made after a single‑car crash on 12 July 2016, involving Cribbin and the injured party. The court noted the statement was false after witness interviews contradicted it. Cribbin will report to Stepaside Garda Station before 5 pm on Friday to be taken into custody.
Two women, Caitriona Miller (41) and Abbie Mangan (29), were sentenced in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after a scheme involving the delivery of what they believed were car parts turned out to be imitation firearms. The firearms were part of a controlled delivery operation by Gardaí following the interception of real firearms in the United States. Miller, who had previously been convicted of speeding, pleaded guilty to possession of an imitation firearm and to allowing a person to possess cocaine and cannabis at her address on 12 October 2018. Mangan, with no prior convictions, pleaded guilty to knowingly permitting possession of cocaine and cannabis at her address on the same date. Both were given fully suspended sentences of two‑and‑a‑half years for Miller and three‑and‑a‑half years for Mangan, each suspended in its entirety on strict conditions.
The High Court approved a Personal Insolvency Arrangement for Mr Ciaran O'Neill, a 59‑year‑old construction manager, allowing him to write off almost €3 million in debt. Under the arrangement, Mr O'Neill will contribute €163,000 over six years, making monthly payments between €685 and €1,025. Creditors include Promontoria Aran and Promontoria Scariff DAC, AIB and AIB Mortgage Bank, Bank of Ireland, the Revenue Commissioners, and numerous trade creditors. The PIA permits Mr O'Neill to retain his family home at Rockville, Killegar, Ballybetagh Road, Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow. The court noted that unsecured creditors will receive 2 cents per euro under the PIA, compared with 1 cent per euro in bankruptcy. No objections were raised to the arrangement, though some creditors voted against the proposals. The arrangement was approved by Mr Justice Mark Sanfey on Monday.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Derek O'Brien, 38, pleaded guilty to burglary and unlawful possession of a motor vehicle after a patrol officer noticed a silver VW Polo driving on its rim with a missing tire. Garda Ronan Kennedy described the vehicle as sparking and swerving, and O'Brien admitted he had stolen the car keys from a house he had burgled earlier that evening. The burglary also involved a small amount of cash and a broken rear window. O'Brien claimed the damage was caused by the car hitting a path while he was driving. He has 91 prior convictions and has completed a detox programme. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to 21 months imprisonment. The car was economically written off after the incident. The case was heard at Ailesbury Park, Ballsbridge. The court noted O'Brien's intent to complete his Leaving Cert while in custody.
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.
In summer 2017, a family picnic in the Dublin mountains led to the discovery of dismembered remains of retired grandmother Patricia O'Connor. The body was found in 15 separate parts across nine sites within a 30km radius, including Military Road, Glenmacnass Waterfall, and other locations. Initial bone measurements suggested a male, but DNA and dental records confirmed a female. Post‑mortem examinations by Dr Michael Curtis revealed blunt force trauma to the head, with multiple scalp lacerations and bruising, indicating a violent death. The remains were likely dismembered with a power tool, with hands and wrists sawn off by hand‑held saws. Kieran Greene testified that he had buried the body in Wexford, later exhumed it, cut it up, and scattered the parts across the Dublin mountains, disposing of them in black bags at various points. The evidence presented detailed the locations and conditions of each body part, confirming the identity of Mrs O'Connor and the circumstances of her death.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Kieran Greene, 34, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patricia O'Connor, 61, at her Rathfarnham home on May 29, 2017, heard forensic evidence regarding the dismemberment of the deceased. Former Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis testified that Mrs O'Connor's body was cut into 15 parts, likely using a power tool, with her wrists and hands possibly removed by a hand-held saw. He stated the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, noting three full-thickness lacerations and bruising consistent with pre-death injury. The remains were discovered at nine locations in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains between June 10 and 14, 2017. Greene is also charged with impeding justice. Co-accused Louise O'Connor, 41, Stephanie O'Connor, 22, and Keith Johnston, 43, have all pleaded not guilty to charges including impeding the apprehension of Greene, disguising themselves as the deceased to conceal her death, and assisting in the purchase of implements for concealment. Johnston additionally denies refurbishing a bathroom to destroy evidence. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Kieran Greene, 34, has heard evidence regarding the discovery of human remains in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains. Prosecutors allege that 61-year-old Patricia O'Connor was murdered at her Rathfarnham home on May 29, 2017, and her body was subsequently dismembered and dispersed across nine locations. Witnesses described finding a torso near the Military Road in Enniskerry on June 10, 2017, while picnicking. Medical evidence confirmed the remains belonged to Mrs O'Connor via dental records. Mr Greene, of Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. Louise O'Connor, 41, and Stephanie O'Connor, 22, have both pleaded not guilty to charges including disguising themselves as the deceased to conceal her death and assisting in the purchase of implements for concealment. Keith Johnston, 43, has pleaded not guilty to assisting Mr Greene in purchasing items and refurbishing a bathroom to destroy evidence. The prosecution alleges the body was buried in Co Wexford before being dismembered. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury, with an expected duration of five to seven weeks.
The trial heard that 61‑year‑old Patricia O'Connor was murdered on 29 May 2017 at her Rathfarnham home. She was struck on the head with a solid implement, then her body was placed in the boot of her Toyota Corolla and taken to Wexford where it was buried in a shallow grave. After the body was exhumed, it was dismembered over three to four hours using hacksaws and a hatchet. Fifteen body parts were found at nine separate locations in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains between 10 and 14 June 2017, including Glencree, Glenmacnass Waterfall and Sally Gap. The prosecution alleged that Kieran Greene, Louise O'Connor, Stephanie O'Connor and Keith Johnston impeded the apprehension or prosecution of Greene, who pleaded not guilty to the murder. The case was presented to a jury by Roisin Lacey SC. The trial is scheduled to continue before Mr Justice Paul McDermott.
A financial fund, Promontoria (Arrow) Ltd, is objecting to a personal insolvency arrangement (PIA) proposed for businessman Conor Clarkson, who would write off over €70 million in debts. Clarkson, a former property developer, seeks court approval of the PIA to restore solvency and retain his family home. The PIA includes a €100 000 lump sum from a relative, available to creditors, and a sale strategy for his properties. Promontoria claims the PIA prejudices it, as it is owed €64 million—about 94 % of its total debts to Clarkson—and voted against the PIA at a creditor meeting in January. The fund's objection was filed outside the 14‑day window, citing a mistaken belief of a March 1 deadline. Promontoria's lawyer, Eoin Martin BL, requested an extension; the court, presided over by Mr Justice Denis McDonald, considered the request and noted the PIA's prudent stance. The case will be revisited later this year.
In a 2018 decision, Judge Martin Nolan refused insurers' request for costs of two trials involving former Anglo Irish Bank senior executive Tiarnan O'Mahoney, aged 59, who had been acquitted of conspiracy to falsify records and defraud the Revenue Commissioners. The 2017 trial, a retrial after a 2014 conviction was quashed, had seen O'Mahoney plead not guilty to offences alleged between 25 March 2003 and 31 December 2004, linked to eight bank accounts associated with former CEO Sean FitzPatrick. Brendan Grehan SC argued that the insurer's policy covered O'Mahoney's legal costs, while Dominic McGinn SC contended that the Court of Appeal had only awarded costs for the appeal, not the original trial. Judge Nolan acknowledged insurers could recover costs if they pursued that route but ultimately made no order for the insurers' application, noting no financial distress or extraordinary circumstances. He also declined to grant the DPP's application for costs.
Tiarnan O'Mahoney, 58, former Chief Operations Officer of Anglo Irish Bank, is seeking legal costs for his original 2015 trial and the retrial that led to his acquittal. In 2015 he was found guilty of furnishing false information and conspiring to defraud the Revenue and delete accounts linked to former CEO Seán Fitzpatrick. He successfully appealed in March 2016, arguing that many documents were wrongly admitted and that the false‑information charge was outside the ten‑year limitation. The Court of Appeal ordered a retrial, which Judge Martin Nolan directed to acquit O'Mahoney on all charges. The Court of Appeal had awarded costs for the successful appeal, but the issue now is whether O'Mahoney is entitled to costs for the original trial and retrial. The matter will be heard by Judge Martin Nolan next Monday. The case also involved former company secretary Bernard Daly, who was acquitted, and assistant manager Aoife Maguire, whose conviction remains.
Tiarnan O'Mahoney, a former senior Anglo Irish Bank official, was acquitted of all charges by direction at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The 58-year-old, who pleaded not guilty, faced allegations of conspiring to destroy, mutilate, or falsify bank records and conspiracy to defraud the Revenue Commissioners regarding bogus non-resident accounts liable for Deposit Interest Retention Tax. These offences were alleged to have occurred between March 2003 and December 2004, involving eight accounts connected to former chief executive Sean FitzPatrick. Judge Martin Nolan directed the jury to acquit O'Mahoney after accepting a defence submission that the prosecution failed to prove a necessary connection between the accused and former assistant manager Aoife Maguire. The judge described the evidence of conspiracy as "too tenuous" and "too remote," stating that a conviction would be perverse. This 21-day trial was a retrial following the Court of Appeal's quashing of O'Mahoney's 2015 conviction in April 2016. The judge noted that while FitzPatrick benefited from the account deletions, the formal evidence linking O'Mahoney to a conspiracy with Maguire was insufficient. O'Mahoney was discharged from the court.
Judge Martin Nolan of Dublin Circuit Criminal Court intends to direct the jury to acquit Tiarnan O'Mahoney, a former chief operations officer at Anglo Irish Bank, of all charges. The 58-year-old, who pleaded not guilty, was accused of conspiring to destroy, mutilate, or falsify books and documents relating to the bank's property or affairs, and conspiracy to defraud the Revenue Commissioners regarding bogus non-resident accounts potentially liable for Deposit Interest Retention Tax (DIRT). The alleged offences, involving eight accounts connected to former chief executive Sean FitzPatrick, occurred between March 2003 and December 2004. This retrial followed the Court of Appeal quashing O'Mahoney's 2015 conviction in April 2016. Judge Nolan ruled the prosecution's case was "too tenuous" and "too remote" to go to the jury, stating that a conviction would be "perverse" due to a lack of formal evidence linking O'Mahoney to Aoife Maguire, a former assistant manager. Although the judge noted O'Mahoney had insight into the accounts and was instrumental in removing certain staff from the DIRT investigation team, he found the evidence insufficient to prove conspiracy. The judge described Maguire as a "mere conduit" for more powerful voices and acknowledged that FitzPatrick benefited from the account deletions to trade Anglo shares during a prohibited period. The judge praised the Garda investigation but concluded that the jury would be asked to speculate to fill gaps in the evidence. The formal acquittal is scheduled for the following day.
Tiarnan O'Mahoney, 58, former Chief Operations Officer of Anglo Irish Bank, is on trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for conspiracy to destroy, mutilate or falsify records relating to eight bank accounts linked to former chief executive Sean FitzPatrick. He pleaded not guilty to both the record‑alteration charge and a separate conspiracy to defraud the Revenue Commissioners. The alleged offences, dated between 25 March 2003 and 31 December 2004, involved deleting six accounts from the bank's electronic system and disguising two others. The prosecution, led by Dominic McGinn SC, argues that the accounts were part of a scheme to conceal non‑resident accounts exceeding £100,000 from the Revenue during an audit. Witnesses included a former Revenue Principal Officer and a trust and pensions advisor. The trial, presided over by Judge Martin Nolan with a jury of twelve, is expected to last four to six weeks.
A jury of eight women and four men was sworn in for the trial of Tiarnan O'Mahoney, 58, a former Chief Operations Officer at Anglo Irish Bank. He has pleaded not guilty to a conspiracy charge alleging that he conspired to destroy, mutilate or falsify books and documents relating to Anglo Irish Bank's property or affairs between 25 March 2003 and 31 December 2004, involving several named accounts. O'Mahoney, now a business consultant living in Glen Pines, Enniskerry, denies the charge. Judge Martin Nolan of the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court explained that the trial is expected to last four to six weeks and that anyone with an association to the bank or who could not act impartially should not serve. He warned the jury against researching the case online. The prosecution is represented by Dominic McGinn SC and Kerida Naidoo SC, while O'Mahoney's defence is led by Brendan Grehan SC with Lorcan Staines BL and Edward Doocy BL.
Anthony Goodman, 72, a convicted sex offender with a history of sacrilege and buggery of an animal, breached a court order by travelling on public transport without notifying Gardaí. In 2012, a Cork Circuit Criminal Court order prohibited him from attending certain locations and from using public transport except one local bus route unless he gave two hours' notice. In 2015, Goodman failed to give notice before boarding buses on Westmoreland Street and to Enniskerry, leading to his arrest on 3 September 2015. He has remained in custody since. Judge Elma Sheahan backdated a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence to September 2015, suspended the final eight months, and structured the sentence so the suspended portion benefits him. Goodman has over 200 prior convictions, including sexual assault, electrical diversion, animal buggery, sacrilege, and previous transport violations. He was removed from the sex offenders register on 29 June after five years on it. Anthony Goodman pleaded guilty.
Tiarnan O'Mahoney, a former Chief Operations Officer of Anglo Irish Bank, was scheduled to stand trial on Monday, 19 October 2016, for charges of conspiring to conceal or alter bank accounts. He had previously been convicted in July 2015 on seven charges and sentenced to three years' imprisonment, but that conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal in April 2016. The new trial date was set for 24 October 2016. The charges allege that in 2003 and 2004 O'Mahoney conspired to hide or omit accounts from Anglo's Core Banking System or from documentation provided to Revenue, which was investigating bogus non‑resident accounts potentially liable for Deposit Interest Retention Tax. The prosecution, led by Dominic McGinn SC, requested that the trial not be held concurrently with the ongoing trial of Sean FitzPatrick, and Judge Melanie Greally agreed, setting a new trial date for 2 October 2017. Tiarnan O'Mahoney pleaded not guilty.
In 2015, former Anglo Irish Bank Chief Operations Officer Tiarnan O'Mahoney was convicted by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury of conspiring to conceal or alter bank accounts sought by Revenue. He was jailed for three years. The Court of Appeal quashed the conviction and ordered a retrial. O'Mahoney, aged 57, was remanded on continuing bail until July 22, 2016, with a trial date set for October 24, 2016 and a provisional date of October 9, 2017. Judge Melanie Greally noted the case was expected to last six weeks and would be scheduled either in October or November 2016, or October 2017 if not ready earlier. The Court also addressed legal costs, awarding costs for the appeal and ancillary applications but reserving costs for the retrial. The case remains pending, with the retrial to be held before Judge Greally. Tiarnan O'Mahoney pleaded not guilty.
The Court of Appeal quashed the convictions of former Anglo Irish Bank executives Tiarnan O'Mahoney (56) and Bernard Daly (67) for furnishing false information to the Revenue Commissioners and conspiring to delete bank accounts. The convictions, obtained by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, had led to O'Mahoney's three‑year sentence and Daly's two‑year sentence in July 2015. The appeal was successful on several grounds: the proceedings were not commenced within the ten‑year limitation period; the charges were reformulated after the defendants were formally charged, creating a procedural error; the defendants were charged as principals rather than officers; and a substantial number of documents were wrongly admitted as evidence. The court also held that the conspiracy charge against Daly should have been withdrawn from the jury, and that the evidence against him was thin and tenuous. O'Mahoney's appeal was based on multiple complaints about the trial, and the court will consider whether a retrial is necessary.
Aoife Maguire, aged 62, was convicted of conspiring to defraud the Revenue and delete bank accounts. She received an 18‑month sentence, which the Court of Appeal quashed in December 2015, replacing it with a nine‑month term and suspending the remainder, freeing her from prison. Maguire did not appeal her conviction. Her co‑accused, Bernard Daly (67) and Tiarnan O'Mahoney (56), who denied the allegations, appealed their convictions in the Court of Appeal. During the appeal hearing, the Director of Public Prosecutions argued that Maguire's acceptance of a fair trial was evidenced by her lack of appeal. The hearing focused on the prosecution's opening and closing speeches, the admissibility of evidence, and the judge's directions to the jury, with counsel for the co‑accused preparing submissions for the next day's hearing before three judges. The case remains at the appeal stage.
In a 2016 Court of Appeal hearing, lawyers for Bernard Daly (67) and Tiarnan O'Mahoney (56) argued that their clients' convictions for conspiracy to defraud the Revenue and for deleting bank accounts were the result of an unfair trial. Daly, a former company secretary, and O'Mahoney, a former deputy head, had been found guilty by a jury at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and sentenced to two and three years' imprisonment respectively on 31 July 2015. Counsel Seán Guerin SC contended that the prosecution misrepresented evidence, altered the indictment on the morning of the trial, and that the trial judge made new, inaccurate statements that prejudiced the jury. He requested the Court of Appeal to restore the defendants' good character and overturn the convictions, citing the trial's procedural errors. The prosecution, represented by Dominic McGinn SC, maintained that the indictment was accurate and that no unfairness had occurred.
The Court of Appeal was told that the State's case against former Anglo Irish Bank officials Tiarnan O'Mahoney (56) and Bernard Daly (67) was astonishingly weak. Both men had been convicted of conspiring to conceal or alter bank accounts and of furnishing false information to the Revenue Commissioners. Judge Patrick McCartan had jailed O'Mahoney for three years and Daly for two years on 31 July 2015. In December, the Court of Appeal quashed an 18‑month sentence for co‑accused Aoife Maguire, replacing it with a nine‑month sentence suspended in its entirety. Counsel for Daly, Seán Guerin SC, argued that the prosecution had misled the jury, failed to explain why Daly was guilty, and relied on a flawed investigation and erroneous judge's instructions. Counsel for O'Mahoney, Brendan Grehan SC, challenged the admissibility of Daly's unedited Garda interview, claiming it prejudiced O'Mahoney's right to a fair trial. Both appeals remain pending.
Two former Anglo Irish Bank executives, Tiarnan O'Mahoney and Bernard Daly, are appealing convictions for conspiring to conceal or alter bank accounts sought by Revenue. O'Mahoney, aged 56, received a three‑year sentence; Daly received two years. The Court of Appeal was told that the trial judge's rulings were erroneous and that evidence presented was flawed, including cross‑examination of witness Brian Gillespie, an email from Ms. Aoife Maguire, evidence from James Shaw, and unedited interviews of Mr. Daly. The defence argued that these pieces of evidence unfairly altered the case from circumstantial to direct, prejudicing the accused. The appeal also highlighted that the investigation was outsourced to an internal fraud investigator and that the statutory time limit for charging the offences had not been met. The case remains before the Court of Appeal.
Bernard Daly, a former Anglo Irish Bank company secretary, was refused bail for the second time by the Court of Appeal pending his appeal against conviction. Daly, 67, pleaded not guilty to furnishing false information, conspiring to defraud the Revenue Commissioners, and conspiring to delete accounts from the bank's internal system. He was found guilty by a jury and sentenced to two years' imprisonment by Judge Patrick McCartan on July 31. His counsel argued the trial was unfair, specifically criticizing the trial judge's handling of an accomplice warning regarding evidence from former compliance head Brian Gillespie. Mr Justice George Birmingham, sitting with Justices Sheehan and Mahon, stated it was not possible to establish a strong chance of success at this stage, noting the issues would demand considerable attention at the hearing. The court set aside three days for Daly's appeal on January 13. Co-accused Tiarnan O'Mahoney, the former Chief Operations Officer, will also move to appeal his conviction on that date; he had denied furnishing false information and conspiring to delete accounts and defraud the Revenue. O'Mahoney did not seek bail. Aoife Maguire, a former assistant manager, has not sought bail but was granted a priority hearing date of December 23 for her appeal against sentence. Maguire had denied conspiring to delete accounts and defraud the Revenue. The matter remains adjourned pending these hearings.
Bernard Daly, a former Anglo Irish Bank company secretary, must await a Court of Appeal decision on his bail application pending his appeal against a two-year prison sentence. Daly, who pleaded not guilty to furnishing false information, conspiring to defraud the Revenue Commissioners, and conspiring to delete bank accounts, was found guilty by a jury and sentenced by Judge Patrick McCartan on July 31. His counsel argued the trial was unfair, specifically citing deficiencies in the accomplice warning regarding a former compliance head. The prosecution contended the case did not rely solely on that witness and requested bail be refused. The court, comprising Justices Birmingham, Sheehan, and Mahon, adjourned the decision to next week. Co-accused Tiarnan O'Mahoney, the former Chief Operations Officer, had previously pleaded not guilty to similar charges including conspiring to defraud the Revenue. He adjourned his bail bid until transcripts were available and did not seek bail today. Aoife Maguire, a former assistant manager, who denied conspiring to delete accounts and defraud the Revenue, has not sought bail. She was granted a priority hearing date of December 23 for her appeal against sentence. The matter remains at the appeal stage with bail decisions pending or adjourned.
Bernard Daly, 67, former company secretary of Anglo Irish Bank, was found guilty of furnishing false information, conspiring to defraud the Revenue Commissioners and conspiring to delete bank accounts from the bank's internal system. He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment on 31 July 2015. Daly's lawyers argued that his trial was unfair and that the availability of the trial transcript had strengthened his case for bail. The Court of Appeal, hearing the renewed bail application, noted that the transcript had not yet been considered and that the threshold for bail had not been met. The judges scheduled a fresh bail hearing for 3 November. Daly's co‑accused, Tiarnan O'Mahoney, also applied for bail but postponed his application until the transcript was available. Aoife Maguire, a former assistant manager, was given a priority hearing for her appeal on 23 December. The article reports only the procedural developments and the charges as stated. Bernard Daly pleaded not guilty.
Tiarnan O'Mahoney, aged 56 and former Chief Operations Officer of Anglo Irish Bank, was convicted of conspiring to conceal bank accounts from the Revenue Commissioners, furnishing false information to the Revenue, and defrauding the Revenue. After a two‑month trial and nearly seven hours of deliberation, a jury found him guilty and Judge Patrick McCartan sentenced him to three years' imprisonment on 31 July 2015. O'Mahoney intends to appeal the conviction on 11 January and had sought bail pending that appeal. His lawyers requested the Court of Appeal to postpone the bail application until the trial transcripts are available, arguing that the necessary evidence to assess the bail threshold would be clearer once the transcripts are reviewed. The Court of Appeal agreed to adjourn the bail application, allowing O'Mahoney's counsel to reapply once the transcripts are ready. The co‑accused, Bernard Daly, was denied bail but may reapply when transcripts are available.
Aoife Maguire, a former Anglo Irish Bank official, was granted a priority hearing date for her appeal against sentence in the Court of Appeal. Maguire, 62, of Kilmainham, Dublin, had previously pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to charges of conspiring to delete bank accounts connected to Mr Seán Fitzpatrick from the bank's internal system and conspiring to defraud the Revenue Commissioners in 2003 and 2004. Following a two-month trial, a jury found her guilty, and Judge Patrick McCartan sentenced her to 18 months imprisonment on July 31, 2015. Maguire is specifically appealing against the severity of this sentence, not her conviction. During case management procedures before Mr Justice George Birmingham, her solicitor Michael Hanahoe requested the appeal be heard on the final day of the current legal term. The judge listed the appeal for Monday, December 21. Additionally, Mr Justice Birmingham extended legal aid to Maguire for two barristers for the appeal. Her co-accused, Tiarnan O'Mahoney and Bernard Daly, are also appellants in the matter, though the report notes Maguire is not appealing her conviction unlike some co-accused. The matter is currently at the appeal stage, with the hearing scheduled for the specified date.
Bernard Daly, the former Anglo Irish Bank company secretary, was refused bail pending his appeal against a conspiracy conviction. Daly, 67, of Dublin, had pleaded not guilty to furnishing false information, conspiring to defraud the Revenue Commissioners, and conspiring to delete accounts from the bank's internal system. He was found guilty by a jury and sentenced to two years imprisonment by Judge Patrick McCartan on July 31. His lawyers argued the trial was unfair, specifically citing an inadequate accomplice warning regarding evidence from the bank's head of compliance, Mr Gillespie. The Court of Appeal, comprising Mr Justice George Birmingham, Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, and Mr Justice Alan Mahon, ruled that the threshold for bail had not been met. However, the court noted that the substance of the accomplice warning argument could only be fully assessed once the trial transcript is available and did not rule out a fresh bail application at that time. The appeal hearing was fixed for January 11. Daly is currently detained in Mountjoy Prison. His co-accused, Tiarnan O'Mahoney, the bank's former Chief Operations Manager, who was jailed for three years in July, will seek bail later this week pending his own appeal.
Three former Anglo Irish Bank officials—Tiarnan O'Mahoney, Bernard Daly and Aoife Maguire—were sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three years, two years and 18 months respectively for conspiring to conceal or alter bank accounts sought by Revenue. The jury found them guilty on all charges after a two‑month trial and nearly seven hours of deliberation. The judge noted that the conspiracy offence has no statutory maximum, but applied a five‑year cap for all offences in the same scheme. Sentences began immediately. The court heard that the officials had acted to hide accounts linked to former chairman Sean FitzPatrick from Revenue's investigation into non‑resident accounts potentially liable for Deposit Interest Retention Tax. The judge described Anglo as a "very sick bank" and praised the integrity of the bank's IT staff who refused to delete the accounts, leading to their production as evidence. Aoife Maguire pleaded not guilty.
Three former Anglo Irish Bank officials – Tiarnan O'Mahoney, Bernard Daly and Aoife Maguire – were found guilty of conspiring to conceal or alter bank accounts linked to chairman Sean FitzPatrick. The jury convicted them on all charges after a two‑month trial and nearly seven hours of deliberation. O'Mahoney, aged 56, was accused of directing staff to hide accounts from Revenue's 2003‑2004 audit and of asking a staff member to omit an account from a list. Daly, aged 67, was alleged to have led a team that supplied information to Revenue and to have asked a staff member to conceal account details. Maguire, aged 62, was alleged to have acted as a mole, reporting directly to O'Mahoney and ordering the IT department to delete six FitzPatrick‑related accounts. The verdict was delayed by a claim of jury tampering, but the judge ultimately accepted the guilty verdicts. Aoife Maguire pleaded not guilty.
In a trial of three former Anglo Irish Bank staff, the jury has begun deliberations after a judge reminded them that the bank itself is not on trial and that they must set aside any pre‑existing views about Anglo. The accused—Bernard Daly, Tiarnan O'Mahoney and Aoife Maguire—have pleaded not guilty to seven alleged offences committed in 2003 and 2004. The charges allege that they conspired to conceal or alter accounts linked to former chairman Sean FitzPatrick, thereby evading potential Deposit Interest Retention Tax. The judge explained that the offence is the agreement to break the law, regardless of whether the accounts were ultimately liable. He noted that the evidence is largely circumstantial, involving alleged emails, instructions to delete accounts and changes made through anonymous logins. The jury will resume tomorrow and is expected to finish by lunch.
Aoife Maguire, a 62‑year‑old former assistant manager at Anglo Irish Bank, is accused of instructing IT staff to delete accounts linked to chairman Sean FitzPatrick during a Revenue investigation into alleged deposit interest retention tax evasion. Her defence counsel, Patrick Gageby SC, argued that Maguire was merely a "gopher" at the lowest rung of the bank's hierarchy, acting as a messenger rather than an instructor, and that higher‑ranking staff carried out the deletions. He contended that the prosecution's claim of conspiracy was unfounded, as the offence was completed when the account of FitzPatrick's brother‑in‑law was removed from the list. Maguire, along with co‑accused Tiarnan O'Mahoney and Bernard Daly, pleaded not guilty to seven counts in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The trial, lasting eight weeks, is concluding with the jury set to deliberate tomorrow under Judge Patrick McCartan's direction.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a jury was informed that former Anglo Irish Bank chairman Sean FitzPatrick was not a defendant in the case. Brendan Grehan SC defended Tiarnan O'Mahoney, former chief operations officer, who, along with former company secretary Bernard Daly and former assistant manager Aoife Maguire, pleaded not guilty to seven counts of conspiracy to defraud Revenue. The prosecution alleged that the trio concealed or omitted accounts linked to FitzPatrick from the bank's Core Banking System and from documents supplied to Revenue during an investigation into bogus non‑resident accounts potentially liable for Deposit Interest Retention Tax. Grehan argued that there was no evidence of loss to Revenue, no evidence that O'Mahoney knew the details of the accounts, and that FitzPatrick's alleged motive was to avoid future scrutiny as he moved from CEO to chairman.
In a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, three former Anglo Irish Bank officials—Tiarnan O'Mahoney, Bernard Daly, and Aoife Maguire—were accused of hiding or altering accounts linked to chairman Sean FitzPatrick to avoid tax liability. The prosecution argued that the officials deleted or archived six accounts and altered details on two others to conceal them from Revenue during an investigation into bogus non-resident accounts potentially liable for Deposit Interest Retention Tax. Evidence included emails and testimony that the officials were motivated by their connection to FitzPatrick and the desire to protect his interests, particularly concerning an account belonging to his brother‑in‑law, John Peter O'Toole. The jury was told the case involved conspiracy to conceal financial records, but no verdict was reached on FitzPatrick's guilt or innocence. The prosecution's closing statement was delivered by Dominic McGinn SC, after which counsel for O'Mahoney addressed the jury. Bernard Daly pleaded not guilty. Aoife Maguire pleaded not guilty.
The trial of three former Anglo Irish Bank officials—Aoife Maguire, Tiarnan O'Mahoney and Bernard Daly—reached its closing stages after 23 days of prosecution evidence. They are accused of hiding or omitting accounts linked to former chairman Sean FitzPatrick from the bank's Core Banking System and from documents supplied to Revenue between 2003 and 2004. One account was in the name of FitzPatrick's brother‑in‑law, John Peter O'Toole. The defendants pleaded not guilty to seven counts and the court will hear closing speeches and a judge's address tomorrow.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, the prosecution concluded its evidence in the trial of three former Anglo Irish Bank officials accused of concealing accounts from the Revenue as part of a tax‑evasion scheme. The accused—Tiarnan O'Mahoney (56), Bernard Daly (67) and Aoife Maguire (62)—have pleaded not guilty to seven counts. O'Mahoney denied ever instructing a subordinate to remove a name from a list of accounts supplied to the Revenue, and denied that he had asked team leader Zita Madden to do so. He also denied telling former head of compliance Brian Gillespie to omit the account of John Peter O'Toole, Mr FitzPatrick's brother‑in‑law, from a list. The prosecution's evidence, which has lasted 23 days, included interviews, emails and a loan facility letter. The jury will hear later this week whether the defence intends to call witnesses. The trial continues before Judge Patrick McCartan and a jury of twelve.
The trial of former Anglo Irish Bank officials Bernard Daly, Tiarnan O'Mahoney, and Aoife Maguire continues before Judge Patrick McCartan and a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The three defendants, who have pleaded not guilty to seven counts, are alleged to have hid or omitted accounts connected to former chairman Sean FitzPatrick from the bank's Core Banking System or documentation provided to Revenue between 2003 and 2004. On day 22, former company secretary Bernard Daly testified that he was appointed to handle the Revenue audit due to his public service background. Daly stated he had no memory of asking subordinate Brian Gillespie to delete an account and was unaware that the account of FitzPatrick's brother-in-law, John Peter O'Toole, was omitted from the list of non-resident accounts handed to Revenue. He described the bank's attitude toward the audit as focused on settling a financial liability rather than investigating individual accounts, noting a €2.9 million settlement was reached. Daly also characterized former Chief Operations Officer Tiarnan O'Mahoney as a bully with whom he had a difficult relationship. The prosecution presented evidence that the O'Toole account, holding nearly Ir£140,000 in 1995, fell under the audit remit but was missing from the submitted list. Daly acknowledged the omission but stated he did not compile the list. The matter remains at the trial stage and has not been finalised.