In a High Court case, Mr Justice Michael White announced he would issue a written judgment on July 11 regarding a rape victim's request to waive her anonymity. The case involves a 41‑year‑old Wicklow man who was convicted last month of repeated sexual attacks on a child who was about nine at the time. He pleaded not guilty to four counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault between 1987 and 1989. Mr Justice White had imposed a seven‑year sentence and, at the trial, ordered that the identities of both parties remain unpublished at the DPP's request. The DPP now seeks to lift that order so the victim's name can be disclosed, while the defence argues there is no legal basis to remove the anonymity. The judge noted the seriousness of the issue and the need for a written decision, though he may be delayed by a busy docket.
The German film company W2 Filmproduktion Vertriebs GmbH has brought a claim against Irish film producers Morgan O'Sullivan and James Flynn, alleging that the two diverted €40 million from Octagon Films Ltd to themselves or to corporate entities they control. The claim, which began in 2016, was heard by Ms Justice Teresa Pilkington in 2019. Both defendants deny the allegations. W2 seeks damages for breach of duty, fraud and conspiracy, and a declaration that the defendants must account for all profits made through Octagon. The court ordered discovery of documents relating to 21 productions, to be completed by October, and adjourned the full hearing to 2020. The case remains a derivative action on behalf of Octagon, with the defendants denying any misuse of the company's name or reputation.
A 20‑year‑old Wicklow man, Aiden Hargreaves, was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to consecutive terms of three years and two years for two separate knifepoint robbery offences. The first offence was an attempted robbery at Harbour Court, Dublin on 31 October 2018, and the second was a robbery at Carlingford Parade, Dublin on 29 January 2019. Hargreaves pleaded guilty to both. The final 15 months of the sentence were suspended on strict conditions. The court heard that in October 2018 Hargreaves approached a man who was rolling a cigarette, produced a knife, and the man fled after smashing a bottle. In January 2019, while on bail for the earlier offence, Hargreaves approached a Spanish national, produced a knife, and demanded the man's wallet and phone, which the man handed over. Hargreaves has 33 previous convictions, including burglary, theft, drug possession and failure to comply with a Garda direction.
A 62‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to two and a half years for sexually assaulting a 13‑year‑old babysitter of his grandchild. The jury found him guilty after a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. At the sentencing hearing, Fionnuala O'Sullivan BL noted that the complainant had asked to waive anonymity, but a pending High Court decision on whether she may do so means no identifying details can be published until a ruling is made. Judge Micheal White will decide later this month. Garda Michelle Nolan recounted that the investigation began in March 2016 after the victim, then in her 20s, complained of an August 2001 assault by the defendant, who had lived with her family. She described being babysitting the defendant's three‑year‑old granddaughter, sleeping in the same bed, and the defendant leaning over and attempting to kiss her before touching her genital area. He later denied the allegation and the apology he offered.
In a High Court case, Abu Dhabi businessman Mr Abdullah Rashid Ahmed Almana Mansoori sued Mr Kenneth Smith and Ms Laura Churchard of Hawkslodge, Toolestown, for alleged breaches of a falcon breeding agreement. Mansoori seeks an injunction to stop Smith from supplying falcons to others, damages, a declaration that Smith's termination of the breeding contract in January was invalid, and that Mansoori owns the breeding stock. He also wants a declaration that Churchard holds certain Co Wicklow lands in trust for him and that she transfer them. Smith's counsel argues the contract was lawfully terminated and that the alleged agreement was invalid. The case, which has been adjourned multiple times, was briefly heard by Mr Justice Senan Allen, who noted the dispute will go to mediation soon. An undertaking by Smith to refrain from supplying falcons to others remains in place until after mediation, and the matter is adjourned to early July.
In a High Court case, Abdullah Rashid Ahmed Almana Mansoori of Abu Dhabi has sued Kenneth Smith and Laura Churchard of Hawkslodge, Toolestown, Dunlavin, Co Wicklow, over a falcon breeding dispute. Mansoori seeks an injunction to stop Smith from supplying falcons to anyone other than himself, an order for damages, and a declaration that Smith's alleged termination of a breeding agreement in December is invalid. He also wants a declaration that he owns the breeding stock held by Smith and that Churchard holds certain Wicklow lands in trust for him, with an order to transfer those lands to him. The case was briefly heard ex‑parte by Justice Leonie Reynolds, who allowed Mansoori's lawyers to serve notice by post and email after difficulties in personally serving the defendants, who were found to be ordinarily resident at their premises. The matter was set for a return hearing next week.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 65‑year‑old man was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment for sexually abusing his partner's granddaughter between 2009 and 2013. He pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual assault. The judge noted aggravating factors including the victim's age, the man's abuse of a position of trust, his coercion of the girl to promise not to speak, and the impact on the victim. Mitigating factors cited were the man's age, lack of prior convictions, his guilty plea, admissions, and a psychological report indicating extremely low cognitive function. The final 18 months of the sentence were suspended on the condition that he keep the peace, behave well, and comply with Probation Service directions for 18 months after release.
In a High Court hearing, lawyers for a convicted child rapist argued that rape victims could be prosecuted if they reveal their own identity. The case concerns a 41‑year‑old Wicklow man convicted in March of repeated sexual attacks on a child who was about nine at the time. He pleaded not guilty to four counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault between 1987 and 1989, and was sentenced to seven years by Mr Justice Micheal White, who also imposed an order preventing publication of either party's identity. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) now seeks to lift the victim's anonymity so the abuser can be named. Defence counsel argues there is no legal basis for removing anonymity, citing the 1981 (Rape) Act's provisions that protect complainants from identification. The court will issue a written judgment on June 28 after receiving submissions from both sides.
In a 2019 case, a 41‑year‑old Wicklow man was convicted of repeated sexual attacks on a victim who was nine when the first assault occurred. The man pleaded not guilty to four counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault between 1987 and 1989, and was sentenced to seven years. During the trial, Mr Justice Michael White ordered that the identities of both parties remain unpublished, a request made by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The 1981 Rape Act prohibits publishing the identity of a man accused of rape until conviction and also protects the complainant's anonymity. After the conviction, the victim asked a reporter to name the offender, prompting the State to bring the matter back to court.
The High Court appointed a provisional liquidator to Play Print Ltd, a Dublin-based printing company that specialises in bingo cards, scratch cards and lottery tickets and employs 47 people. The court found the company insolvent and unable to meet its debts, citing loss-making since 2016, competition from online and digital technologies, a shrinking bingo market, fewer clubs and community centres using bingo for fundraising, and exchange rate changes after Brexit. The company's directors, including Managing Director John Martin, Ms Clair McCrosain and Mr Manus MacCrosain, agreed that appointing a provisional liquidator was in the best interest of all parties, including creditors, to ensure existing contracts could be completed over the next three to four weeks. Mr Micheál Leydon of Outlook Accountants was named the provisional liquidator. The matter will return to court later this month.
Abdur Rashid, a 51‑year‑old Bangladeshi religious teacher living in Dublin, was found guilty of molesting a six‑year‑old girl during a mosque lesson in December 2015. He was originally sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment, with the last four months suspended, by Judge Pauline Codd in November 2018. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was too lenient. The Court of Appeal, in a three‑judge panel, increased the term to four‑and‑a‑half years. The court held that Rashid's conduct—kissing the child in an adult manner, placing his hands under her clothing and touching her genital area—was of considerable gravity. It noted the victim's trauma, including nightmares and anxiety, and the impact on her family. The appeal court found the original judge had erred in setting a two‑year pre‑mitigation headline sentence, and set a five‑and‑a‑half‑year starting point, with a one‑year discount for mitigating factors. Abdur Rashid pleaded not guilty.
James Kavanagh, a stud farmer from Templerainey, Arklow, Co. Wicklow, has filed a High Court judicial review against An Bord Pleanala's decision to allow a solar power facility on land adjacent to his property. The proposed 20‑30 megawatt plant would use solar panels on steel supports, a substation, transformer, security fencing and access roads. Kavanagh argues the board erred by not requiring an Environmental Impact Assessment and by failing to conduct a screening assessment under the EU Habitats Directive. He seeks to quash the board's February 21 decision to grant permission to Highfield Solar Limited for the Ballinclea site and to obtain declarations that the required assessments were omitted. The challenge, which also names Ireland and the Attorney General, was granted ex parte by Mr Justice Seamus Noonan, who set a July hearing and imposed a stay on the development until further court order.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 16‑year‑old from Bray, Co. Wicklow pleaded guilty to burglary of a house in Dalkey on 29 February 2016. The burglary involved the theft of a camera and laptop that held the last photos and videos of the widow and her late husband. The homeowner's husband had died about four months earlier, and the victim reported that an urn containing his ashes had been disturbed and "gone through". The teenager, who cannot be identified, admitted he did not understand the impact of his actions at the time but now feels remorse and apologised. He has prior convictions for robbery, criminal damage, public order offences and breaches of the road traffic act. He has been in Oberstown children detention centre since last year, and the court noted his progress in completed courses. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case to 17 October.
Mario Hanzic Broz, aged 44, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for two attempted robberies at Dublin post offices on 8 and 10 May 2018. He entered the offices armed with a 6mm air pistol, but left without money. Broz pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and possession of an air pistol at both locations. He had no prior convictions in Ireland. The judge noted his history of service in the Balkans, where he witnessed atrocities and suffered post‑traumatic stress disorder, and his use of drugs to cope. He was given credit for his guilty pleas, cooperation, remorse and personal difficulties. The final two years of a six‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence were suspended on the condition of keeping the peace and obeying probation services. No victim impact statements were filed for the second offence.
A jury found Terence Maguire, 63, not guilty of reckless endangerment after he cut a gas pipe in his Dublin home and lit a cigarette, causing a large explosion that destroyed his house and damaged neighbouring buildings and cars. Maguire had attempted suicide by inhaling gas and claimed he did not intend the explosion. He had a 13‑year history of mental illness and had been treated in psychiatric hospitals from 2009 to 2014. The trial heard that the natural gas was highly flammable but not poisonous, and that inhalation would make one sick but not kill. Maguire denied 13 charges of criminal damage to houses and cars. The jury acquitted him of the reckless endangerment charge, while the trial also considered his mental state and intent. Judge Elma Sheahan thanked the jurors and praised the conduct of the police and lawyers. The case was heard at Sullivan Street, Dublin 7, on 1 June 2014.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a jury began deliberating on the case of Terence Maguire, 63, who cut a gas pipe in his home and took sleeping tablets before lighting a cigarette, causing a gas explosion that destroyed his house and damaged neighbouring buildings. Maguire pleaded not guilty to charges of recklessly creating a substantial risk of death or serious harm and to 13 counts of criminal damage. The judge instructed jurors to assess whether Maguire acted recklessly, considering his state of mind and belief about the risks. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan argued that Maguire intended only to kill himself and had no intention to cause the explosion, while the prosecution, led by Eoin Lawlor, maintained that Maguire was fully aware of the consequences and had disregarded the risk. Maguire had a 13‑year history of depression and had been treated in psychiatric hospitals from 2009 to 2014.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Terence Maguire, 63, pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from a 2014 gas explosion that destroyed four buildings. He admitted cutting a gas pipe in his home, taking sleeping tablets, and lighting a cigarette, which caused the blast. Maguire claimed he was not in a rational state of mind, citing 13 years of depression and multiple psychiatric hospital stays from 2009 to 2014. He described extreme suicidal thoughts on the day of the explosion and said he had no awareness of the danger of lighting a cigarette in a gas-filled room. He acknowledged that, in hindsight, his actions were reckless but asserted that his urgent suicidal intent overrode any consideration of recklessness. The case remains pending before Judge Elma Sheahan.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, 63‑year‑old Terence Maguire pleaded not guilty to charges of intentionally or recklessly creating a substantial risk of death or serious harm by causing a gas explosion during an alleged suicide attempt on June 1, 2014. Maguire allegedly cut through the inlet pipe of his domestic gas meter, placed towels under doors to trap gas, put a warning sign up, took sleeping tablets, and fell asleep. He later opened the back door, lit a cigarette, and an explosion occurred, demolishing his home and damaging neighbouring houses and cars. Witnesses described the blast as "utter devastation," with walls blown out, ceilings collapsed, and a mushroom cloud seen by a nearby driver. The trial, presided over by Judge Elma Sheahan, continues before a jury.
In 2017, Jack Hall Ellis, a 21‑year‑old apprentice carpenter, punched 20‑year‑old Luke O'Reilly once after a night of heavy drinking. The assault occurred on Old Blessington Road, Tallaght, when O'Reilly was walking away from a pub. The single blow to the right side of O'Reilly's head caused a fall that left him with brain injuries. He was taken to hospital in a coma and died 13 days later. Ellis, who had consumed seven to ten double Captain Morgan rums that night, pleaded guilty to unlawful killing at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The court adjourned sentencing to allow reports to be prepared and will hear a plea in mitigation next month. O'Reilly's mother, Janet O'Brien, delivered a victim impact statement describing her son as a gentle giant and expressing the family's profound loss. The case highlights the fatal consequences of a single punch delivered in a drunken state.
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.
Two Dublin men pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to charges relating to a fraudulent forestry investment scheme. Between January 2014 and mid-2016, Garret Hevey and David Peile induced approximately 143 foreign investors to deposit roughly €5.5 million into Arden Forestry Management. Detective Inspector Catharina Gunne told the court the investments would have required around 858 acres of land, but the company owned only 30.2 acres. Investors were promised returns based on government grants and forest harvesting, though the company was ineligible for grants as its trees exceeded the twenty-year age limit. One investor visited a forest site in Frenchpark, County Roscommon, but was prevented from accessing the land registry to verify ownership. Hevey, of Shankill, Dublin, and Peile, of Ballyguile, Wicklow, both pleaded guilty to dishonestly inducing investment and deception charges. Approximately €1.98 million remained in the company account when gardaí froze it, with €1.5 million having been transferred to a Dubai account. Judge Melanie Greally remanded both men on bail pending sentencing submissions.
A 65‑year‑old man pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to six counts of sexual assault against a girl who was 10 years old in 2013. The court heard that the man had abused the girl on several occasions, including when she was sleeping in a camper van, during walks in Wicklow, and while she was on his knee in a shed. He claimed some of the touching was accidental and that he had memory problems. He also hinted that he had killed a former partner to keep the girl silent. The girl, now a teenager, reported ongoing fear, nightmares, and difficulty trusting people. The case was adjourned pending a psychological report, and the man remains on bail until sentencing in May.
Ben Merriman, aged 20, pleaded guilty to assault, trespass and criminal damage after helping a friend break into a house in Balbriggan on 27 March 2018. The pair searched for the couple's daughter, Chloe, shouting "Where's Chloe? We're going to kill her". They struck the front door with a metal bar, smashed a living‑room window and kicked the door down. They confronted the parents, demanded the daughter's location, and when she was not found, Merriman spat in the mother's face. The other man threatened to slice her from ear to ear, struck the father on the head with the metal bar and continued to hit him while Merriman kicked him. The court accepted that the other man was the main aggressor and that Merriman acted out of "blind loyalty" and fear. Merriman had no prior convictions and had cut off all contact with the other man.
Mark O'Sullivan, 29, of Old Connaught View, Bray, was convicted of assault causing serious harm after striking David Kirwan with a single blow to the head on 15 January 2017 near James Everett Park. Kirwan suffered catastrophic injuries, including brain damage, seizures, memory loss and hearing loss, and was in a medically‑induced coma for days. O'Sullivan pleaded guilty and was sentenced on 28 April 2018 to seven years' imprisonment, with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended. He had no prior convictions. O'Sullivan has now lodged an appeal against the severity of the sentence, arguing that the seven‑year term was too high given his lack of intent and remorse. His barrister, Michael O'Higgins SC, contends the sentence is disproportionate, while the Director of Public Prosecutions, Eoghan Cole BL, maintains the attack was unprovoked and the seven‑year term appropriate. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment.
In a High Court case in Dublin, businesswoman Ali Barker sued former partner Owen Owens over a claimed 50 % share in a property business they said had been built together. Barker also sought declarations that the company was a quasi‑partnership and that she was entitled to reliefs under the 2010 Civil Partnership Act, and she claimed damages. Owens denied any partnership existed and counter‑claimed that Barker should vacate the house she currently occupies. On 14 February 2019 the parties announced a settlement and the court struck out the proceedings. No settlement terms were disclosed. Judge John Jordan congratulated the parties, noting that resolving the dispute themselves avoided a potentially different court judgment. The case had been expected to last up to ten days before settlement. The parties had been together for 17 years before separating in 2010. The dispute centred on alleged business and property entitlements, not on any criminal conduct.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a woman, who remains unnamed to protect her anonymity, stated that she had forgiven her former partner, a 59‑year‑old Wicklow man, for raping her while she slept. The man, convicted by a jury in December of a single rape charge that occurred on 5 November 2015, had denied the allegation and had no prior convictions. Justice Carmel Stewart imposed a seven‑year sentence, suspending the final 18 months. The court noted the woman's "heartfelt" victim impact statement and her brave admission of forgiveness. The judge wished her well and a full recovery. The case involved a brief relationship that ended in 2015, a subsequent new relationship, and an alleged assault that the man claimed was consensual. The woman described the assault, the medical examination, and her ongoing mental‑health struggles. The defense highlighted the man's good character and parenting record.
John Shaw, a 73-year-old English national serving a life sentence for murders committed in 1976, has been granted an extension of time to appeal a High Court decision at the Court of Appeal. Shaw has been in Irish custody since September 1976, when he and Geoffrey Evans were arrested for the abduction, rape, torture and murder of two women in Wicklow and Mayo. Both men received life sentences in February 1978. In 2016, the Parole Board recommended Shaw be granted two days of escorted temporary release annually, a recommendation the Minister for Justice declined to support. Shaw's legal challenge to that decision was dismissed by the High Court in March, though the presiding judge noted the Minister's reasoning was inadequate. At today's hearing, President of the Court of Appeal Mr Justice George Birmingham approved the late filing of Shaw's appeal, accepting that he had formed clear intention to appeal within the required timeframe.
The High Court appointed a provisional liquidator, Mr Micheál Leydon, to CKSK Limited, a Dublin‑based digital marketing firm that has lost 22 jobs. CKSK, which had clients such as VHI, Pepsico, Sony, Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, Heineken and Three Mobile, became insolvent after contracts were cancelled or failed to materialise, and a sale of the company was not possible due to concerns over Brexit. The court was satisfied that the company could not pay its debts. CKSK, founded in 2006, had been profitable until 2017 but recorded an operating loss of €283,000 and a net loss of €738,000 for the year ending 2018, with a deficit of €852,000. The provisional liquidator will finish existing contracts, collect invoices, and explore the sale of parts of the business. The case will return to court in February.
The Court of Appeal heard a procedural application on Friday concerning John Shaw, aged 73, who has been in custody since 1976. Shaw and another man were convicted of two murders committed in Wicklow and Mayo that year and received life sentences in February 1978. Following a Parole Board recommendation in 2016 that Shaw be granted two days of escorted outings annually, the Minister for Justice declined to support this. Shaw subsequently challenged the decision through judicial review in the High Court. Ms Justice Mary Faherty dismissed the application last March, finding fair procedures had been observed. Shaw is now seeking an extension of time to lodge an appeal against that High Court ruling, an application the State opposes. The Court of Appeal fixed 4 February for hearing the extension application.
Matthew Kelly, 26, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his ex‑partner in Roundwood, Co Wicklow, on 17 November 2017. He was originally given a wholly suspended two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence by Judge Michael O'Shea at Bray Circuit Criminal Court on 26 July 2018. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was "unduly lenient". The Court of Appeal agreed and, on 15 January 2019, imposed a new two‑and‑a‑half‑year term with all but the final 12 months suspended, effectively sentencing Kelly to 12 months in custody. The appeal judge noted the assault occurred near a creche where the victim's two‑year‑old daughter was being collected, that Kelly had a safety order in force at the time, and that the attack was described as "cowardly, vicious and violent". The court highlighted the seriousness of breaching a safety order and the presence of the victim's child during the assault.
A 44‑year‑old former Croatian café worker, Mario Hanzic Broz, was found homeless after his work hours were cut, leading to a court hearing in Dublin. Broz attempted to rob two post offices in May 2018, carrying a 6mm air pistol. In the first incident at Botanic Road Post Office, he entered the building, shouted for money, but left without taking any cash. The elderly postmaster, aware of firearms from past robberies, could not see him on CCTV and later discovered he was gone. Two days later, at Berkeley Road Post Office, Broz approached a cashier, produced the pistol from a plastic bag, demanded money, then turned around and fled. Gardaí arrived after the panic button was pressed, and Broz was arrested at Blessington Street Basin. He pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and possession of an air pistol at both locations, with no prior convictions in Ireland.
Anthony and Kathleen Hogan of Mullica Lower, Donard, Dunlavin, Co Wicklow, have brought High Court proceedings against Kevin Lawlor Senior and his son Kevin Junior, also of Mullica Lower, Donard, Dunlavin. The Hogans claim that a JCB allegedly destroyed a pump house on the Lawlor property in September, leaving their home without running water. They allege that Mr Lawlor Senior demolished the pump house and has since erected a steel fence blocking access to the site, preventing the Hogans from restoring water. The Hogans say Mr Lawlor Senior has been intoxicated and aggressive, threatening them and interfering with workers. They seek injunctions to stop harassment, allow access to the property and right of way, and to enable the restoration of the well and pump house. Mr Justice Tony O'Connor granted Mr Lupton permission to serve short‑notice proceedings on the Lawlors, with the matter adjourned to next week's sitting.
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.
Two Dubliners, Stephen Tynan (41) and Raymond Fitzgerald (37), were found guilty of murdering Andrew Guerrine, a cousin of Tynan, who was discovered with 20 stab wounds on Steelstown Lane in Rathcoole on 23 May 2015. The trial, held in the Central Criminal Court, relied on circumstantial evidence including phone records, CCTV footage of a black Peugeot 307, and testimony from a neighbour and a taxi driver. No murder weapon or DNA evidence linked the accused directly to the killing, but the prosecution argued the evidence proved pre‑planned intent. Both men pleaded not guilty, and their lawyers sought acquittal, arguing they were merely accessories after the fact. The jury, after 10½ hours of deliberation, returned a verdict of guilty by a 10‑to‑two majority. Sentencing was adjourned to 19 December to allow a victim impact statement.
Dan Donovan, 49, and his daughter Charlene Donovan, 23, were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for offences committed on December 12, 2017, at Parslickstown Gardens, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15. Both pleaded guilty to possessing a shotgun with intent to endanger life and recklessly discharging a firearm. Dan Donovan additionally pleaded guilty to threatening to kill or cause serious harm to Michael Collins. The court heard that Charlene Donovan fired a shotgun across the road, injuring a 17-year-old man, his mother, and a six-month-old baby in the legs. Dan Donovan then took the weapon, threatened to "bury" Mr Collins, and accidentally discharged it into the ground. Judge Martin Nolan jailed both defendants for five years. He noted the ongoing dispute between the families and accepted that the Donovans were in fear, but emphasized the child's blamelessness. Charlene Donovan, who has no prior record and significant intellectual difficulties, broke down in tears upon hearing the sentence. Dan Donovan, who has previous minor road traffic convictions, was held by his daughter. The judge acknowledged the intimidating nature of the rival family but stated he was satisfied Charlene Donovan understood the consequences of her actions.
In a High Court case involving two craft beer‑brewing firms, Whiplash Beer Limited sued The Dublin Lager Company Limited (trading as Larkins Brewing Company) over access to a shared facility at Renmore Business Park, Kilcoole, Wicklow. Whiplash had obtained a temporary injunction, claiming that the defendant had prevented its owner and director, Mr Alex Laws, from entering the premises, thereby creating uncertainty for the business. The injunction, granted ex‑parte, also barred the defendant from stopping any Whiplash personnel from accessing the shared premises. The defendant denied wrongdoing and sought to lift the injunction. A court hearing was scheduled to decide whether the injunction should remain until the case was resolved. Following a recommendation by Mr Justice David Barniville, the parties agreed to mediation. When the case returned before the court, Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds was informed by Whiplash's counsel that mediation had led to a settlement, and the case was struck out.
A man has been convicted of sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl at a Dublin mosque. Abdur Rashid, aged 50, was found guilty by jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of a single count of sexual assault occurring in December 2015. The accused, a former resident of Carrick-on-Shannon in Leitrim who later lived in Dublin, had pleaded not guilty to the charge. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to 18 months imprisonment, with the final four months suspended for one year on condition he complies with Probation Services directions and maintains good behaviour. The child's mother discovered the assault when collecting her daughter from the school. Evidence revealed the accused displayed an "unhealthy interest" in the child prior to the incident. The victim subsequently experienced anxiety, nightmares and school avoidance. The judge described the offence as a "gross exploitation of the innocence of a very young child" and noted aggravating factors including the victim's age and breach of the teacher-student relationship. The sentence was backdated to January 2018.
Laura Byrne, 40, of Ardglass, Baltinglass, was found guilty of eight counts of theft and two counts of deception by using false HSE receipts between 16 April 2015 and 21 October 2016. She admitted stealing €30,413 from the daily‑care wards at Clonskeagh Hospital, where patients paid €5 a day for meals and transport. The money was collected by Byrne, who was expected to lodge receipts to the HSE and keep an electronic record. Unofficial receipts and missing weeks raised concerns, and the hospital later reported the theft. Byrne gave a prepared statement admitting the theft, apologising, and explaining that her husband had been out of work for two years and then suffered a heart attack, leaving her to manage finances under extreme stress. She has no prior convictions. The court adjourned the case for 12 months to allow a probation report and for Byrne to continue restitution. She is due to be sentenced on 18 November next year.
The trial of Stephen Tynan and Raymond Fitzgerald for the alleged murder of Andrew Guerrine is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court. Both defendants, who are from Tallaght, have pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Guerrine at an unknown location between May 22 and May 23, 2015. In his closing address, prosecutor Brendan Grehan SC acknowledged the absence of fingerprints, DNA, a murder weapon, or eyewitness testimony. However, he argued that circumstantial evidence strongly links the accused to the crime. Key evidence includes a child's jacket entangled in the victim's legs when the body was dumped on Steelstown Lane in Rathcoole. The prosecution contends this jacket was connected to a car later found burnt out, which the accused had pushed into a petrol station. Mr Grehan highlighted phone records showing Tynan's phone was inactive during the critical period and Fitzgerald's phone ceased activity shortly before 1am on May 23. He also cited CCTV footage of the car on Steelstown Lane and alleged lies in Fitzgerald's statement to gardai. The prosecution asserts the murder was premeditated, citing efforts to procure a vehicle before the victim arrived in Tallaght. The defense barristers are scheduled to deliver their closing speeches on Friday morning.
In November 2018, Berlin‑based W2 Filmproduktion Vertriebs GmbH filed a derivative action against Irish film producers Morgan O'Sullivan and James Flynn, alleging that the two diverted between €40 million and €50 million from Octagon Films Ltd, a company in which they are shareholders, to themselves or to corporate entities they control. W2 claims breach of duty, fraud and conspiracy, and seeks damages and a declaration that the defendants must account for all profits made through Octagon and the producers' involvement in numerous TV and film productions. O'Sullivan and Flynn deny the allegations, asserting they did not divert any fees or income and that Octagon was a separate entity devoted to film development. They argue that the company benefited from their association with projects outside Octagon's business and will provide forensic accountancy evidence to refute W2's claims.
Derek Thompson, a 58‑year‑old former An Post postman from Wicklow, was sentenced to a six‑month suspended term after he was found guilty of four counts of preventing the delivery of postal items without the addressee's consent. Thompson had discarded mainly marketing material, including two letters about medical appointments, from his delivery route in order to shorten his round so he could care for his sick mother. The court heard that no addressee missed any appointments and that the discarded mail consisted largely of brochures and charity solicitations. Thompson had no prior convictions and had served 34 years with An Post. Judge Melanie Greally accepted that the offence was at the lower end of the scale, noted that no harm was done, and imposed a suspended six‑month sentence, citing the loss of his long‑standing job as a significant consequence.
In a High Court case involving two craft‑beer firms, Whiplash Beer Limited has sued The Dublin Lager Company Limited, trading as Larkins Brewing Company, over access to a shared facility at Renmore Business Park, Kilcoole, Wicklow. Whiplash secured a temporary injunction last month, claiming that the defendant had prevented Mr Alex Lawes, an award‑winning brewer and Whiplash owner, from entering the premises, thereby creating uncertainty for the business. The injunction, granted ex‑parte, barred the defendant from interfering with Whiplash's operations and from stopping Whiplash personnel, represented by Rory Kennedy Bl, from entering the shared premises. The defendant, represented by Eugene Gleeson SC, denied wrongdoing and sought the injunction lifted. When the case returned to the High Court, Mr Justice David Barniville, noting the dispute was "a very obvious case for mediation," allowed the parties to agree to mediation, which is scheduled for early next week. The judge adjourned the matter for a week.
A man with previous convictions for manslaughter has been imprisoned after carrying out armed raids whilst serving a suspended sentence. Mark Bissett, aged 33, of Swords Road, Dublin 9, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to threatening to burn down the house of a charity worker in May 2016. The threat was made at Central Bank Plaza, Dame Street, during a soup run for homeless people in Dublin city centre. Judge Karen O'Connor had suspended a two-year sentence for this offence in June 2017, cautioning Bissett that he faced imprisonment if he reoffended. Within four months, Bissett carried out armed robberies on two shops in Ranelagh. On 15 October 2017 he wielded a knife during one raid, and on 26 October he used a fork during a pharmacy robbery. Judge O'Connor activated the suspended sentence, imposing the full two-year term. Bissett has sixty previous convictions including manslaughter, assault and public order offences.
In the Central Criminal Court, a jury heard CCTV footage of a dark‑coloured hatchback with one headlight and one taillight out of service, moving through Tallaght on the night Andrew Guerrine was stabbed. The car was first seen at 11.51pm in Killinarden, then tracked along Blessington Road until just before 1am. At about 5am it was captured outside a pharmacy, then moved to a garage where it stalled, after which the driver and passenger pushed it to a petrol pump. The vehicle was later seen on Cushlawn Way, last at 5.28am, and again leaving the same spot at 2.42am the following night. Stephen Tynan (41) and Raymond Fitzgerald (37) pleaded not guilty to Guerrine's murder, which involved 20 stab wounds, two penetrating the skull and cervical spine. The trial continues before Justice Michael McDermott with a jury of seven men and five women.
During a murder trial, witness Graham Egan testified that he saw a dark‑coloured SUV parked at a field entrance on Steelstown Lane just before the body of Andrew Guerrine was discovered. Egan, who left his home at 11.10 pm on 22 May to drive a friend to Wicklow, passed the gateway at about 12.20 am and saw the vehicle with its lights off, noting only a brief glimpse and no movement. He confirmed the car was not there when he left at 11.10 pm. The trial concerns Stephen Tynan (41) and Raymond Fitzgerald (37), both pleading not guilty to Guerrine's murder, which occurred between 22 and 23 May 2015. The body, found early on 23 May, had 20 stab wounds, including two that penetrated the skull and cervical spine.
Kieran Greene, 32, of Mountain View Park, Rathfarnham, is charged with the murder of 61‑year‑old Patricia O'Connor, whose remains were found scattered in the Wicklow mountains between 29 and 30 May 2017. The Central Criminal Court has adjourned his trial, which was scheduled for 3 December, and has applied to vacate the date. Four co‑accused have been charged with impeding the Garda investigation, and the State is seeking a joint trial. Mr Justice Michael White remanded Greene in custody until the new trial date is fixed on 28 January 2019.
A 24‑year‑old construction worker, Lukasz Drozdziel, was sentenced to three years in prison for assaulting his former partner in an "episode of extreme rage" that left her with serious injuries. The incident occurred on 5 August 2017 at her home in Marino, Dublin, when Drozdziel, intoxicated, beat her in the hall, broke through the front door, and inflicted cuts to her abdomen and head. He also damaged the front door. Drozdziel pleaded guilty to assault and property damage at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and had four prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally described the assault as extreme, noting the physical and psychological harm, and imposed a three‑year sentence with nine months suspended, ordering 18 months of post‑release supervision and completion of a domestic violence perpetrator programme. Drozdziel has been alcohol‑free for five months and has expressed remorse. The victim's impact statement was not read in court.
The 65‑year‑old former Roman Catholic priest, who had been defrocked and was already serving a seven‑year sentence for sexually abusing a boy, was given an eight‑year consecutive sentence by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy on 15 May 2017 for six counts of oral rape, defilement and sexual assault of a boy aged 10‑11 at his home between 2005 and 2006. The abuse began shortly after the priest's earlier offence ended in 2006. On appeal, the Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, found an error in the sentencing judge's remarks that had led to a 15‑year total sentence. The court reduced the eight‑year term to six years, leaving a total of 13 years in prison. The priest had initially made inappropriate remarks about the victim's puberty, encouraged him to look up sexual subjects online, and progressed to fondling, oral rape and sexual assault in his house, the presbytery and a car. The unnamed 65-year-old was found guilty.
In a High Court hearing on 9 October 2018, Alex Lawes, co‑founder of Whiplash Beer Limited and twice named "Best Brewer in Ireland", was told that he had been "locked out" and banned from the shared brewery premises in Renmore Business Park, Kilcoole, where Whiplash and The Dublin Lager Company Limited (trading as Larkins Brewing Company) brew and package their beers. Lawes' legal representative, Rory Kennedy BL, explained that the ban was imposed by the defendant, a family‑owned microbrewery, who alleged that Lawes was a bully – an allegation Lawes denied. The defendant also threatened to terminate Whiplash's contract, which guaranteed 24‑hour access to the premises, and to force Whiplash to relocate. The contract, which had two years remaining, was said to be breached. Whiplash has sought an alternative brewing site but cannot move immediately, offering to vacate by the end of March 2019.