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2014-06-03 · Tipperary
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Judge Deirdre Murphy began her charge to a jury of twelve about Maurice Power, 31, who denies murder. Power is accused of firing two shots at Shane Rossiter, 29, on 17 October 2012 in Tipperary, allegedly causing fatal injuries. The trial proceeds with the jury set to deliberate tomorrow. Maurice Power pleaded not guilty.
2014-05-30 · Tipperary
In a Tipperary murder trial, the jury heard closing speeches on the case of Maurice Power, 31, accused of shooting Shane Rossiter, 29, on 17 October 2012. Prosecutor Anthony Sammon SC urged the jury that the evidence was compelling, citing circumstantial facts such as Power's car seen "burning in a bog," the disposal of his mobile phone, and his own statements to Gardaí about shooting Rossiter twice. He highlighted a detailed confession recorded in Interview Seven, describing Power as relaxed and uncoerced. Defence counsel Dominic McGinn SC challenged the reliability of the confession, arguing that Power's relaxed demeanor did not prove truthfulness and that inconsistencies existed between his account and forensic evidence. He questioned the Gardaí interview process and the lack of a recovered firearm, suggesting the confession alone was insufficient to prove guilt. The jury, composed of seven women and five men, will return next Tuesday for deliberation under Justice Deirdre Murphy. Maurice Power pleaded not guilty.
2014-05-30 · Meath
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, Vera McGrath, aged 65, pleaded guilty to materially assisting the killer of her husband, Bernard Brian McGrath, who was 43 at the time of his death. The offence involved the disposal of evidence linked to Bernard's manslaughter at Lower Coole, Westmeath, committed by Colin Pinder between 16 March and 18 April 1987. Mr Justice Paul Carney adjourned sentencing to the following Thursday and remanded Ms McGrath on continuing bail until that date.
2014-05-29 · Mayo
John Biggins, 35, of Ballynalty, Cross, Claremorris, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Carney, accused of murdering his father, Thomas Biggins, 70, at that address on May 6, 2012. The accused entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. Prosecution counsel Bernard Condon SC stated the defence of insanity is being raised, with the burden on the accused to prove insanity. The court heard the accused was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and on disability allowance. Evidence indicated the victim was shot twice with his own legally held shotgun in his yard; Prof Marie Cassidy identified a shotgun wound to the left chest as the cause of death. Det Sgt James Carroll testified that the accused handed himself in at Ballinrobe Garda Station after calling 999, stating, "I just shot the aul lad…I'll be going to jail now." He was co-operative during detention. The accused told gardai he had contemplated suicide and had searched websites on how to kill himself. A hangman's noose and two ropes were found in a barn loft. The accused has no previous convictions. The trial continues.
2014-05-29 · Tipperary
The murder trial of Maurice Power, 31, of Dranganbeg, Kilmoyler, Cahir, was delayed because the jury foreman could not attend the Central Criminal Court. Power has pleaded not guilty to the killing of Shane Rossiter, 29, in County Tipperary on 17 October of the previous year. The prosecution says Power fired two shots that caused catastrophic injuries leading to Rossiter's death. Justice Deirdre Murphy explained the foreman's illness, thanked the jury for their patience, and scheduled the trial to resume tomorrow, with a conclusion expected early next week.
2014-05-29 · Cork
A 37‑year‑old man, Darren Murphy, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of 36‑year‑old Olivia Dunlea, who was his partner for three months. The trial, held in the Central Criminal Court, lasted seven days. Murphy pleaded not guilty to murder but attempted to plead guilty to manslaughter. He admitted setting fire to Dunlea's home, claiming he did not want children to see her, and pleaded guilty to a second charge of arson. The jury found him guilty of murder by a 10‑to‑one majority after four and a half hours of deliberation. The judge imposed a mandatory life sentence, backdated to the date of his arrest, and remanded him in custody for the arson charge. The verdict was met with sobbing from Dunlea's family, while Murphy remained silent throughout the proceedings.
2014-05-27 · Tipperary
During the murder trial of Maurice Power, 31, the court heard that Power had told his mother, Janet Fullop, he was not involved in the death of Shane Rossiter, 29, who was killed in Tipperary on 17 October 2012. Fullop, who had previously informed Gardaí about the close relationship between her son and the Rossiter family, testified that she had persuaded Power to go to the Garda station after the murder. Power's defence counsel, Dominic McGinn SC, confirmed that Fullop had told the Gardaí about the family ties and that she had encouraged her son to cooperate with the police. The prosecution, led by Anthony Sammon SC, also presented evidence that Power had taken a chip from a private security camera, claimed to have burned it, and had told Gardaí that he had asked Sharon O'Donnell about the camera. The trial is proceeding before a jury of seven women and five men, presided over by Justice Deirdre Murphy. Maurice Power pleaded not guilty.
2014-05-27 · Dublin
A jury in the Central Criminal Court could not reach a verdict on the murder charge against 20‑year‑old Wesley Kelly, who was found guilty of assault by a majority verdict of 11‑1. The jury had previously found Kelly's 17‑year‑old co‑accused guilty on both the murder and assault counts. After 10 hours and 2 minutes of deliberation over four days, the jury failed to reach a majority verdict on the murder charge against Kelly, and the foreman confirmed there was no prospect of a unanimous verdict. Mr Justice Barry White thanked the jury and remanded both accused on continuing bail until June 23 for sentencing. The 17‑year‑old will be sentenced on both counts, while Kelly will be sentenced on the assault charge on June 23. The article reports no further developments. Wesley Kelly pleaded not guilty.
2014-05-27 · Cork
In a murder trial in Dublin, Darren Murphy, 37, is charged with killing 36‑year‑old Olivia Dunlea in her Pembroke Crescent home on 17 February 2013. He has pleaded not guilty to the murder but guilty to arson after stabbing her. During his final interview, his barrister Michael Delaney SC questioned Garda Sergeant Anthony Harrington about a nine‑and‑a‑half‑minute gap between Murphy's release from the cell and the recorder being turned on, suggesting a pre‑interview discussion. Harrington denied any discussion, citing possible discrepancies between the station clock and the recorder. Detective Garda James Nagle agreed that no discussion had taken place. The jury heard testimony from Sergeant Stephen Dennehy about a watch inscription on Dunlea's body. The prosecution has closed its case before Mr Justice Paul Carney and a jury of eleven.
2014-05-26 · Dublin
A 43‑year‑old Dublin man, David Mahon, is charged with the murder of 23‑year‑old Dean Fitzpatrick, who was killed on 26 May 2013 at Northern Cross on Malahide Road. Mahon appeared in the Central Criminal Court where a trial date was set for 20 July 2015.
2014-05-26 · Dublin
In 2014 a Dublin man, Kevin Walsh, aged 25, was sent back to jail after the Court of Criminal Appeal activated nine months of the suspended portion of his eight‑year manslaughter sentence. Walsh had originally been convicted of killing 20‑year‑old James Burke in 2005 and received an eight‑year sentence with five years suspended. In 2007 the appeal court increased the suspended portion to three years. Walsh had been required to keep the peace, remain under probation supervision and abstain from drugs or alcohol. In 2011 he pleaded guilty to stealing pizzas worth €34, a breach of his bond. The judge noted Walsh's sporadic attendance at the Tallaght Probation Project and his regular drug use while there. The court deemed his failure to comply with the probationary conditions serious and therefore invoked nine months of the suspended sentence, remanding him to the Circuit Court. Kevin Walsh pleaded not guilty.
2014-05-26 · Limerick
In a Court of Criminal Appeal hearing, Adam Fitzgibbon, aged 20, was described as "vastly better" than two years ago after a brutal attack on a 16‑year‑old schoolboy that left the victim with permanent brain damage. Fitzgibbon's assault, captured on CCTV, involved 65 kicks, 26 punches and several stamps to the boy's head, chest and body, and was deemed unprovoked, sustained and vicious. He had previously been sentenced to 15 years, with the final three years suspended, for intentionally causing serious harm. The appeal argued that Fitzgibbon's severe background, including drug and alcohol problems, should be considered in sentencing. The court will review reports of his progress in prison and hear submissions from the appellant and the Director of Public Prosecutions before deciding a new sentence. The victim remains in a state of ongoing medical care for weakness, deafness and speech problems.
2014-05-26 · Dublin
A 45‑year‑old Algerian man, Lounes Ouachek of St Dominic's Terrace, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of his 32‑year‑old wife, Ruta Ouachek, at their home on 23 August 2012. He was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court, where Mr Justice Paul Carney adjourned sentencing to 14 July and ordered that the victim's evidence be presented by video link.
2014-05-26 · Mayo
A 35-year-old man from Claremorris in County Mayo has pleaded not guilty to murdering his elderly father by reason of insanity at the Central Criminal Court. John Biggins of Ballynalty, Cross, Claremorris faces a charge of murdering Thomas Biggins, aged 71, at the same address on May 6th 2012. Following his arraignment before Mr Justice Paul Carney, a jury of seven men and five women was sworn in to hear the trial. The proceedings are scheduled to commence on Thursday and are anticipated to last approximately two days.
2014-05-26 · Dublin
A 17‑year‑old Dublin youth was found guilty of murdering German student Thomas Heinrich and assault causing harm to Robert Rinker. The jury, after almost eight hours of deliberation over three days, returned a unanimous verdict on the murder charge and a majority verdict on the assault charge. The case involved a night out on St Anthony's Road in Rialto, where the accused were allegedly looking for a fight and were prosecuted on the basis of joint enterprise. The 17‑year‑old claimed he was attacked by a beer can and that he acted in self‑defence, but the court heard that he had a knife and that Rinker and Heinrich had brought knives to the scene. Rinker survived with stab wounds to his chest and abdomen, while Heinrich died from a fatal abdominal wound. The jury has not yet decided on the murder charge against Wesley Kelly, who was found guilty of assault causing harm to Rinker.
2014-05-26 · Meath
A 65‑year‑old Vera McGrath of Volvenstown, Fordstown, Navan, Co Meath pleaded guilty in the Central Criminal Court to being an accessory after the fact to her husband's manslaughter. She admitted materially assisting the killer, Bernard Brian McGrath, by disposing of evidence linked to his 1987 manslaughter at Lower Coole, Westmeath. The charge named Colin Pinder as the killer. Mr Justice Paul Carney accepted the plea and remanded her on continuing bail for sentencing on Friday.
2014-05-22 · Cork
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 22 May 2014, a 37‑year‑old man named Darren Murphy pleaded not guilty to the murder of 36‑year‑old Olivia Dunlea, whom he had dated for three months. He also pleaded guilty to arson of the deceased's home on the same night. Murphy told the court that a knife was "no sooner in my hands than it was in her neck" after a heated argument. He described how he stabbed Ms Dunlea at the back of the neck, then tried to leave the scene, wiping the knife on a pillow and discarding it in the toilet to stop a ringing phone. A taxi driver, Thomas Farrell, testified that he and Ms Dunlea had been friends and had a one‑night stand months earlier, but had no further contact. The case was set to continue before a jury the following day.
2014-05-22 · Dublin
A jury at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin began deliberations on the trial of two Dublin youths, Thomas Heinrich (22) and Robert Rinker (23), charged with murdering a German student and injuring another. The incident occurred on St Anthony's Road in Rialto on 1 December 2012, when Heinrich was stabbed to death and Rinker survived with injuries. Wesley Kelly (20) pleaded not guilty to murder and assault causing harm to Rinker, while a 17‑year‑old unnamed defendant also denied both charges. The State alleges a joint enterprise between the accused, and the judge instructed the jury to consider the defence of self‑defence and the amount of force used. The jury spent just over half an hour before being sent home, with a return scheduled for the next morning. The judge warned that if a verdict was not reached by lunchtime he would send them home for the weekend.
2014-05-21 · Ireland
In a 2014 trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 25‑year‑old Laois man, Robert Corbet, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 30‑year‑old Aoife Phelan. Corbet testified that he had argued with Phelan about a claimed pregnancy, after which she threatened to ruin his life and business. He said he lost self‑control, strangled her, hit her, and placed a plastic bag and cable ties around her neck before dropping her body into a barrel on his property. Corbet admitted to having suicidal thoughts during Garda interviews and claimed he would have said anything to finish them. The prosecution argued he was not provoked and that his actions were calculated. The case was heard by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan with a jury of nine men and three women.
2014-05-21 · Dublin
In the Rialto murder trial, two Dublin youths, Thomas Heinrich (22) and Robert Rinker (23), were charged with stabbing a German student, Heinrich, to death and injuring Rinker on St Anthony's Road on 1 December 2012. A 20‑year‑old Wesley Kelly pleaded not guilty to murder and assault causing harm, while a 17‑year‑old, unnamed, also denied both charges. Prosecutor Tara Burns argued that the accused sought a fight and were acting under joint enterprise, noting that Rinker and Heinrich each brought knives and that the 17‑year‑old admitted to striking the fatal wound but denied responsibility for the other three wounds. She rejected self‑defence for all accused. Defence counsel Sean Gillane highlighted panic and confusion, asserting his client had no intent to kill and that his Garda statements were consistent. Aileen Donnelly defended Kelly, claiming he was not part of a joint enterprise and had no intent to cause serious harm.
2014-05-21 · Cork
A 37‑year‑old man, Darren Murphy, was accused of murdering Olivia Dunlea, 36, in Passage West, Cork, on 17 February 2013. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, and he also pleaded guilty to arson on the victim's home. During the trial, Murphy admitted to handing over a pair of clothes to Gardaí that were not his, claiming they were worn on the night the body was found. He explained that a heated argument in a taxi and at the victim's house led him to stab her twice with a knife he described as a long blade with a red handle. Murphy said he lit the house on fire because he did not want her three children to find her body. He also admitted to suffering from depression and having stopped taking medication. The case was set to continue before a jury the following day.
2014-05-20 · Ireland
In a murder trial, the court heard that 30‑year‑old Laois nanny Aoife Phelan was not pregnant when she was strangled to death. State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy testified that Phelan's body was found buried behind the accused Robert Corbet's property. The autopsy revealed asphyxia with blood in the nose and ears, pinpoint haemorrhages in the eyes and mouth, fractured hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage, and blunt‑force trauma to the head. Cassidy noted multiple greenstick rib fractures and concluded that Phelan was first assaulted and then strangled, with no evidence of struggle in the barrel. She stated the cause of death was asphyxia due to strangulation, with blunt‑force trauma as a contributory factor. The trial also covered Corbet's admissions and the circumstances of the burial. The prosecution closed its case before the judge and jury. Robert Corbet pleaded not guilty. Aoife Phelan pleaded not guilty.
2014-05-20 · Dublin
The trial of Wesley Kelly and a 17-year-old accused of murdering Thomas Heinrich and assaulting Robert Rinker in Rialto is in its closing stages at the Central Criminal Court. Kelly, aged 20, has pleaded not guilty to both charges, while the minor also denies the allegations. Prosecutors Tara Burns SC stated the pair were charged on the basis of joint enterprise after allegedly seeking a fight. State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy testified that Heinrich died from a stab wound to the abdomen causing hemorrhage and shock. She identified a large kitchen knife as the likely weapon, noting it required little force to inflict the fatal injury, though she conceded under cross-examination that it was impossible to definitively link specific knives to specific wounds. Consultant cardio-thoracic surgeon Michael Tolan described treating Rinker, who survived despite severe chest and abdominal stab wounds, a pierced lung, and significant blood loss. Tolan noted Rinker was lucky to survive. The prosecution has finished calling evidence, and the matter remains ongoing as the trial proceeds toward its conclusion.
2014-05-20 · Cork
A 37‑year‑old man, Darren Murphy, stands trial in the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Olivia Dunlea, 36, who lived in Pembroke Crescent, Passage West, Co Cork. Murphy, who had been in a relationship with Dunlea for three months, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter and to arson on her home. Prosecutor Thomas Creed SC presented evidence that the body was found in an upstairs bedroom after a fire, with six stab wounds to the neck and inhalation of toxic fumes. Murphy admitted he "snapped" and grabbed a knife, lit a quilt beside the bed and a roll of tissue paper on the kitchen table before leaving the house. He was arrested at 10:30 pm on 17 February 2013, cautioned and detained at Togher Garda Station. The case was set to continue before a jury of seven men and five women with Mr Justice Paul Carney presiding.
2014-05-20 · Ireland
The Court of Criminal Appeal quashed the conviction of an unidentified man who had been found guilty in 2012 of six counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual assault against his nephew, a minor at the time, for incidents between 1988 and 1991. He had received an eight‑year sentence with the last two years suspended. The appeal argued that the trial judge failed to warn the jury about the dangers of convicting on uncorroborated evidence and about the long delay between the alleged assaults and the trial, and that the evidence was insufficient for a jury decision. The Court of Criminal Appeal, sitting as a panel of three judges, agreed that the jury charge was deficient and that the case should not have been presented to the jury. Consequently, the conviction was set aside and a retrial was ordered. The unnamed man was acquitted.
2014-05-19 · Dublin
In the Dublin murder trial, the jury was shown a heavily bloodstained coat linked to the case. Thomas Heinrich, 22, was stabbed to death on St Anthony's Road, Rialto, on 1 December 2012, while Robert Rinker survived. Wesley Kelly, 20, pleaded not guilty to murder and assault causing harm. A 17‑year‑old defendant also denied both charges. Prosecutor Tara Burns argued the accused acted under joint enterprise. Forensic evidence presented by Sandra McGrath included DNA from knives, a bread knife, ETO jeans, a Duffer hooded top, a Marc O'Polo coat, and a Tommy Hilfiger jacket. DNA from the coat matched Heinrich; DNA from the jacket matched Rinker and the 17‑year‑old. Kelly was arrested at Kilmainham Garda Station after voluntarily presenting himself, claiming self‑defence. The trial remains ongoing.
2014-05-19 · Wicklow
Anthony Farrell, a 23-year-old man with a previous address at Marian Villas, Arklow, appeared before the Court of Criminal Appeal to challenge his 2011 life imprisonment sentence for the murder of John Deasy. Farrell, who was 19 at the time of the incident, was convicted by a unanimous jury in April 2011 and sentenced in May 2011 for stabbing Mr Deasy at Brauder's shop in Arklow on November 25, 2009. His counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, argued that Farrell acted in self-defence while attempting an unlawful escape from the premises he had robbed. O'Higgins submitted that Farrell was never asked by gardaí if he was acting in self-defence and believed his life was under threat. Conversely, DPP counsel Una Ní Raifeartaigh SC contended that self-defence does not apply to unlawful force, noting that Mr Deasy was using lawful force to guard the door against a burglar wielding a knife. Farrell's interview statements indicated he stabbed Mr Deasy to clear the doorway and escape, without expressing fear. Presiding Judge Donal O'Donnell, joined by Justices Michael Moriarty and Daniel Herbert, reserved judgment in the appeal. The matter was adjourned, and no final decision was reached during this hearing.
2014-05-19 · Sligo
Edward Boylan Jnr, aged 31 and without a fixed abode, was found not guilty of murdering his father, Edward Boylan Snr, 74, by reason of insanity. The Central Criminal Court heard that Boylan Jnr had been diagnosed with schizophrenia over a decade earlier and had been a 'special needs' prisoner in Mountjoy Prison while serving a sentence for a minor offence. He was in a special wing with supervision, but prison medics noted he was hearing voices. Boylan Jnr claimed he was denied medication and was released the morning before the killing without appropriate supervision, medication or housing. He was in a manic, psychotic state at the time of the murder. The jury reached the verdict in 14 minutes. Boylan Jnr was committed to the Central Mental Hospital for treatment and a report by Dr O'Connell confirmed his mental illness. The court ordered his continued detention for treatment to prevent future unpredictable behaviour.
2014-05-16 · Dublin
In a Dublin murder trial, Wesley Kelly, aged 20, pleaded not guilty to killing 22‑year‑old Thomas Heinrich and injuring Robert Rinker on St Anthony's Road, Rialto, on 1 December 2012. A 17‑year‑old accused, whose name is withheld, also denies the charges. Prosecutor Tara Burns opened the case by stating the defendants were charged under joint enterprise after allegedly seeking a fight. The 17‑year‑old claimed self‑defence, saying the German men approached with knives and that he had only stabbed Heinrich once, though later he admitted there were three wounds. He expressed remorse, saying he had never been violent before. The trial is ongoing, with no verdict yet. The article reports the facts presented at the Central Criminal Court without adding any further claims or outcomes.
2014-05-16 · Tipperary
The Central Criminal Court is hearing a legal argument in the murder trial of Maurice "Mossy" Power, 31, who has pleaded not guilty to the killing of 29‑year‑old Shane Rossiter on 17 October 2012. The prosecution says Power fired two shots that caused catastrophic injuries leading to Rossiter's death. No evidence will be presented until Thursday.
2014-05-15 · Dublin
In the Rialto murder trial, the jury watched CCTV footage of the December 1, 2012 incident on St Anthony's Road. Thomas Heinrich, 22, was stabbed and died; Robert Rinker survived. Wesley Kelly, 20, pleaded not guilty to murder and assault causing harm. A 17‑year‑old also denied the charges. Prosecutor Tara Burns said the accused sought a fight and were charged under joint enterprise. The footage showed Heinrich entering the apartments at 4:34 am, letting in Rinker, Julia Weidler and a friend Lars. Rinker left at 5:20 am, returned at 5:30 am, and was seen striking Kelly. Heinrich re‑entered, the door closed, and the pair were followed into the apartments. Witnesses, including Weidler, described the men's movements, the use of knives, and the injuries sustained. Firefighters and Gardaí found blood, knives, and wounds, confirming the violent nature of the incident. The trial continues.
2014-05-14 · Laois
A trial is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court regarding the murder of Aoife Phelan (30), whose body was discovered buried in a barrel in Capoley Portlaoise between 25 October and 7 November 2012. Robert Corbet of Sheffield Cross County Laois is accused of the murder but pleaded not guilty, though he admitted to manslaughter earlier this week. The plea of manslaughter was not accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Sergeant Liam Mulhall testified that gardai found evidence of a disturbance near Corbet's home on 6 November 2012, leading to an excavation where a barrel containing Phelan's remains was discovered. The discovery was described as 'the saddest and most gruesome discovery made' by Conor Devally SC defending. Betty Phelan, the mother of the deceased, stated that concerns arose when her daughter did not answer her phone on 26 October 2012, which was out of character for her. It was confirmed that Phelan had made a complaint to gardai in 2005 following an incident of non-consensual sex, which had deeply upset her. The trial continues before Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan and a jury of three women and nine men.
2014-05-14 · Dublin
A German student, Robert Rinker, survived a stabbing that killed his friend Thomas Heinrich and testified in the murder trial of two Dublin youths. Rinker, from Stuttgart, met Heinrich on his first day at Griffith College and they were studying in Dublin. On 1 December 2012, after a night out, Rinker and another German student went to Heinrich's apartment. Rinker describes hearing two boys on the street and later seeing a taller boy with a knife. He says he tried to scare the boys with two knives, but they attacked him. Rinker claims he fought the taller boy, dragged him outside, and that Heinrich was left inside. Both were taken to hospital; Heinrich died. Rinker testified that the accused, Wesley Kelly, was the taller boy and that Kelly had no knife when he punched Rinker. The trial is before Mr Justice Barry White with a jury of twelve. Wesley Kelly pleaded not guilty.
2014-05-13 · Dublin
Two Dublin youths are currently on trial at the Central Criminal Court, facing charges related to the stabbing of two German students on St Anthony's Road in Rialto on December 1, 2012. Wesley Kelly, 20, and a 17-year-old co-accused, whose identity is protected due to age, have both pleaded not guilty to the murder of Thomas Heinrich and the assault causing harm to Robert Rinker. Mr. Heinrich, 22, died from his injuries, while Mr. Rinker survived. Prosecuting counsel Tara Burns SC opened the trial by alleging that the accused went to the apartment "looking for a fight" and are being prosecuted on the basis of joint enterprise. She stated that a verbal altercation escalated into a physical confrontation where knives were used. The prosecution maintains that defences of self-defence or excessive self-defence are not supported by the facts. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Barry White and a jury of three women and nine men. It is expected to last two weeks. No findings, sentences, or finalisations have been recorded at this procedural stage.
2014-05-13 · Laois
The trial of Robert Corbet (25) of Sheffield Cross County Laois, charged with the murder of Aoife Phelan (30) between 25 October and 7 November 2012, commenced at the Central Criminal Court. Corbet pleaded not guilty to the murder charge but admitted to manslaughter, a plea not accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The prosecution alleges that Corbet met Phelan at a nightclub, engaged in sexual contact without intercourse, and later repeatedly struck her before disposing of her body in an oil barrel at Capoley, Portlaoise. The cause of death is stated as asphyxia with blunt force trauma to the head and chest. The prosecution claims Corbet brought Phelan to his garage, restrained her, and disposed of her body. Garda Louise Young detailed that Phelan's father, Michael Phelan, reported her missing on 26 October 2012. Her mobile phone and handbag were later found in Corbet's vehicle. Corbet's statement to gardai indicated he had no sexual intercourse with Phelan and denied being the father of her unborn child. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, continues with a jury of three women and nine men, with CCTV footage to be presented.
2014-05-13 · Tipperary
The Central Criminal Court is hearing a legal argument in the murder trial of Maurice "Mossy" Power, 31, who has pleaded not guilty to the killing of 29‑year‑old Shane Rossiter on 17 October 2012 in County Tipperary. The prosecution claims Power fired two shots that caused catastrophic injuries leading to Rossiter's death. No evidence will be presented before Thursday, and the trial is currently focused on legal issues.
2014-05-12 · Dublin
In the Central Criminal Court, Vesel Jahiri, aged 33, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Anna Finnegan and to assault causing harm to her brother Karl on 21 September 2012. Prosecutor Patrick Marrinan described a ten‑year relationship that had deteriorated, noting that the couple had two children. Witness Karl Finnegan testified that he was having tea with Anna when Jahiri burst into the house with a knife. He claimed to have seen the knife, describing it as having a wooden handle with rivets, and said he was stabbed in the chest and head while Anna fled. Finnegan also stated that he had made statements to Gardaí in 2014, detailing the events and the alleged knife. The case was set to continue before a jury with Justice Paul McDermott presiding.
2014-05-12 · Tipperary
In 2009, John Paul Buck, aged 34, was sentenced to life imprisonment by Mr Justice George Birmingham after a Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty of fatally stabbing 30‑year‑old Fergus Roche in a vacant house on 1 October 2005. Buck also set fire to the house and received a concurrent five‑year arson sentence. The appeal court heard that an alleged confession by Buck to Detective Garda Larry Bergin in August 2006 was admitted as evidence. Buck denied the confession, but the detective claimed Buck admitted stabbing Roche while he slept, describing Roche as his "best friend". The appeal argued the confession was improperly admitted, citing late cautioning, the lack of tape, and the influence of media coverage on the jury's deliberations. The court postponed further hearing to the next two to three weeks. Buck had seven prior convictions, including arson, robbery, and burglary.
2014-05-12 · Tipperary
John Hannigan, 46, of River House, New Quay, Clonmel, was sentenced to three years in prison for assault causing harm to Anthony Fallon, whom he later murdered. Hannigan already serves a life sentence for the murder of Fallon, a fellow father of two, which occurred on 18 January 2012. The assault took place early that morning in Fallon's Abbey Street flat, where Hannigan and Joseph O'Riordan subjected Fallon to a prolonged attack. Neighbours heard the assault, and after leaving the flat the trio went to a shop where the shopkeeper did not recognise Fallon due to his injuries. The murder happened in a car park after the shop. Hannigan admitted striking Fallon with "Bruce Lee" punches because he "wouldn't shut up." The post‑mortem found 31 fractures to Fallon's ribs, collar and breast bones, with blunt‑force trauma to the head and trunk as the cause of death. The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
2014-05-12 · Dublin
In Dublin, two youths, aged 20 and 17, pleaded not guilty to murder and assault causing harm following the stabbing of German student Thomas Heinrich and the survival of Robert Rinker on 1 December 2012 near their Rialto home. The 20‑year‑old, Wesley Kelly, and the unnamed 17‑year‑old were arraigned before the Central Criminal Court. A jury of three women and nine men was sworn in, and the trial, presided over by Mr Justice Barry White, is set to begin on Tuesday and is expected to last two weeks.
2014-05-09 · Dublin
In the Central Criminal Court, Vesel Jahiri, aged 33, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Anna Finnegan and to assaulting her brother Karl. Karl testified that he and Anna were having tea when a bang was heard at the front door. He saw Jahiri entering with a knife, and Anna screamed and fled. Karl claimed he was stabbed in the head and chest by Jahiri, who said he acted in self‑defence and had no part in stabbing Anna. Karl described being on the ground, possibly blacking out, and later seeing Anna collapse. He noted Jahiri's presence near Anna but no visible injuries. Jahiri's defence argued that a recorded conversation with social worker Karen Byrne was misrepresented. The case remains before a jury presided by Mr Justice Paul McDermott.
2014-05-08 · Dublin
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 31‑year‑old Dublin man, Edward Boylan Jnr, was charged with killing his 74‑year‑old father with a World War I sword. He admitted stabbing his father 13 times, then setting fire to the apartment. Both sides presented psychiatric evidence. The prosecution's Dr Sally Linehan testified that Boylan Jnr had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and later schizoaffective disorder, and that he believed his father's eyes were changing colour, a sign of threat, which led to the fatal act. She argued he was in an active phase of mental illness and could not control his actions, meeting the criteria for a special verdict of "not guilty by reason of insanity." The defence's Dr Paul O'Connell also confirmed Boylan Jnr's psychosis at the time of the killing. The case is before Mr Justice Paul Carney and a jury of seven men and five women.
2014-05-08 · Tipperary
In the Central Criminal Court, Maurice "Mossy" Power, aged 31, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 29‑year‑old Shane Rossiter, who died after being shot twice on 17 October 2012. The prosecution said the shots were fired at about 6.30 am following a house party in Church Lane, Golden, Co. Tipperary. Witnesses included Paul McCarthy, who fled to a graveyard after the first shot, and Rachel Keating, who had known Rossiter for a week and testified that Rossiter had called Power to arrange a delivery of weed. Keating described a conversation about money owed and a kiss goodnight before Rossiter was shot. Paramedic T.J. Connolly reported that Rossiter was taken to South Tipperary General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead an hour later. The trial is now addressing legal issues before a jury of twelve, presided over by Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy.
2014-05-07 · Tipperary
In the Central Criminal Court trial of Maurice Power, a 31‑year‑old Tipperary man charged with the murder of Shane Rossiter, the sister of the 29‑year‑old victim testified that Power had told her he was planning to sort out differences with her brother shortly before the shooting. Power was said to have approached the Rossiter family after the victim's return from Australia, apologising for past conflicts. Witnesses described a brief encounter between Power and the victim the evening before the killing, with no apparent tension. Liam O'Sullivan, a neighbour, heard two gunshots at 6.30 am on 17 October 2012 and saw a man in a grey hoodie leave the house. Paul McCarthy, who called emergency services, reported seeing a gun barrel exit a car window and hearing a shot. The prosecution noted that a black Audi A4, later burnt out in a Waterford bog, was linked to Power's partner. The trial continues.
2014-05-06 · Dublin
A 31‑year‑old Dublin man, Edward Boylan Jnr, is on trial for murdering his 74‑year‑old father by stabbing him with a 100‑year‑old bayonet, a family heirloom from World War 1. Boylan Jnr admitted stabbing his father, causing death, but pleaded not guilty. He was released from Mountjoy Prison on 6 January 2012, and that evening was seen at Ravensdale Close, a gated retirement community where his father lived. Prosecutor Conor Devally told the jury that Boylan Jnr used the bayonet or sword, plunged it through his father's chest multiple times, and later bought lighter fluid and matches to set fire to the apartment. The fire was discovered by neighbours; the Dublin fire brigade found the victim with the bayonet protruding from his chest. Detective Sergeant Barry Butler testified that 13 stab wounds were confirmed, penetrating the heart, lungs, sternum, liver and kidney, and that the victim died before the fire started.
2014-05-06 · Tipperary
In the trial of Maurice Power, 31, accused of murdering 29‑year‑old Shane Rossiter on 17 October 2012, a witness, Paul McCarthy, testified that he felt he was being set up by Rossiter. McCarthy, who is now in custody, said he was in the house on Church Lane, Golden, when Rossiter asked him to go outside. He claimed to have seen a gun barrel from a car, ran, and called emergency services after hearing one shot. McCarthy admitted taking drugs that night and that he could not recall details, including Rossiter's name. He also denied calling for weed delivery and said he had told Gardaí he was being set up. The prosecution alleged Power fired two shots, causing Rossiter's death. The trial is set to continue before a jury presided by Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy. Maurice Power pleaded not guilty.
2014-05-06 · Dublin
A 33‑year‑old man, Vesel Jahiri, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of his former partner, Anna Finnegan, who was 25 and mother of their two children. Jahiri pleaded not guilty to both the murder and an assault on Finnegan's brother, Karl, on 21 September 2012. The prosecution, represented by Patrick Marrinan SC, described Finnegan's relationship with Jahiri as having deteriorated a month before her death, with the couple no longer living together. On the night of the murder, Jahiri allegedly forced entry into Finnegan's home, where an altercation with Karl resulted in Finnegan being stabbed in the chest and head. She was taken to James Connolly Hospital, where she died at 10.30 pm. Jahiri later contacted emergency services, was arrested the next day, and denied any involvement in the stabbing, claiming self‑defence.
2014-05-02 · Tipperary
In the Central Criminal Court, Maurice Power, aged 31, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 29‑year‑old Shane Rossiter, who died on 17 October 2012 after being shot at a house party in Church Lane, Golden, Co. Tipperary. State Pathologist Marie Cassidy testified that a post‑mortem at Waterford Regional Hospital revealed two shotgun entry wounds to Rossiter's chest and abdomen, with no exit wounds, causing catastrophic internal injuries and massive blood loss. The wounds damaged the right lung, heart, liver, spleen, bowel, aorta and inferior vena cava, leading to death by blood loss. Cassidy noted Rossiter had taken cocaine, heroin, amphetamine and benzodiazepam, but these substances were not the cause of death. The trial continued on Tuesday before a jury of seven women and five men, presided over by Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy.
2014-05-01 · Tipperary
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 31‑year‑old Maurice Power of Dranganbeg, Kilmoyler, Cahir pleaded not guilty to the murder of 29‑year‑old Shane Rossiter, who died on 17 October 2012 after being shot twice at a house party in Church Lane, Golden, Co. Tipperary. Prosecutor Anthony Sammon SC presented evidence that Power fired the shots, citing a black Audi A4 registered to Power's partner that was later burned in a bog in Co. Waterford. Power was arrested on 11 December 2012 for murder with a firearm. During a lengthy detention he allegedly made a full confession to the Gardaí, stating a long‑standing feud with Rossiter that began seven years earlier and involved a stabbing. The trial is proceeding before a jury of seven women and five men, presided over by Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy. The case remains at the trial stage.
2014-04-30 · Offaly
Edward Piotrowski, aged 48, lost his appeal against his conviction for the rape and sexual assault of a woman. The court found no legitimate basis to overturn the jury's decision. Piotrowski had claimed the trial judge erred in explaining the presumption of innocence and in presenting the defence case, but the Court of Criminal Appeal rejected these arguments. The court also dismissed his attempt to introduce new evidence, calling it unsubstantiated and implausible. Piotrowski was sentenced in January 2010 to five concurrent life sentences for three counts of rape, one count of aggravated sexual assault and one count of false imprisonment, plus concurrent terms of 10, five and 10 years for aggravated burglary, assault and false imprisonment of the man. The appeal against the sentence will be heard later. The unnamed man pleaded guilty.