A man granted refugee status in Ireland despite a prior UK sexual assault conviction has been sentenced to ten years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the rape of one woman and the attempted abduction of another in County Sligo. Tayyab Salah Uddin pleaded guilty to raping a woman on 15 September 2018 and to falsely imprisoning a second woman the following day. The court heard that both victims were intoxicated and alone when Uddin approached them in a town centre. After raping the first woman, he returned the next evening and attempted to force a second woman into his car before gardaí intervened following surveillance footage. The court noted Uddin's predatory behaviour in targeting vulnerable, isolated women and his lack of remorse. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed consecutive sentences with three years post-release supervision, having assessed Uddin as presenting a high risk of reoffending. Uddin, a Pakistani national with ocular albinism, arrived in Ireland in 2018 and was granted refugee status.
A 33‑year‑old man, Conor Dolan, was arraigned at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Neil Fitzgerald, 36, in Tallaght on 5 June 2016. Dolan pleaded not guilty. Justice Eileen Creedon swore in a jury of seven men and five women. The trial will start on Tuesday morning and is expected to last three weeks.
During a trial in the Central Criminal Court, a security guard testified that on 5 April 2018 he saw a 30‑year‑old Dublin man forcibly lift a toddler by her arm after she fell on a shopping centre travelator. The guard described the incident as "deeply concerning" and stayed in the area, radioing a colleague to keep an eye on the man and children for health and safety reasons. He also requested the shopping centre's CCTV control room to monitor them and arranged for Gardaí to be called. The guard's testimony was corroborated by a second security guard who noted the man's interaction with the children and the man's return to the shopping centre after a brief exit. The case involves ten charges of sexual abuse, reckless endangerment and child cruelty against the toddler and her brother, all of which the accused has pleaded not guilty to. The trial continues before Mr Justice David Keane and a jury.
An 18‑year‑old filmed himself raping a ten‑year‑old boy and later sought to trade child‑abuse material. Gardaí seized an Apple laptop, iPad and iPhone from a rural Munster address, where a video of the anal rape was found. The accused, with no prior convictions, was arrested in September 2019 and pleaded guilty to one count of anal rape, five counts of sexual assault and one count of producing child pornography between January 2014 and February 2015. Additional explicit material involving boys aged 5‑14 and 18,000 instant‑message conversations were discovered. A victim impact statement described the boy's trauma and the accused's grooming. The defendant admitted guilt, apologized and acknowledged the harm caused. Sentencing is adjourned to 28 July for consideration of all facts.
Sean Johnston, 21, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to assault causing serious harm to a teenager in Tymon Lane, Tallaght, on 2 January 2021. He also pleaded guilty to making six threats to kill a male between 1 January and 14 April 2021 at five unknown locations and once at the Red Cow Luas stop. The DPP will withdraw the attempted murder charge and enter a nolle prosequi when Johnston appears for sentencing on 17 July. Johnston has no prior convictions and a psychiatric assessment report is being prepared.
A 41‑year‑old Dublin man was jailed for six years after pleading guilty to three counts of defiling a 14‑year‑old girl between September and October 2016. The girl, who had been friends with the man's teenage nephews and was once a girlfriend of one of them, was given alcohol and offered cocaine by the defendant. On the first occasion he met her in a park, gave her alcohol, attempted to kiss her, then forced her into the bushes, pulled down her clothes and had sex with her. Two further incidents occurred at an apartment building where he engaged in sexual activity and sent pornographic material. The girl's mother noticed a message from an older man and the girl confided in a guidance counsellor. The girl had ADHD, depression, self‑harm and hospital treatment at the time of the offences.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 17‑year‑old girl testified that her father had stopped visiting him after she was raped by his housemate, a 53‑year‑old Slovakian man convicted of one rape and 12 sexual assaults between September 2012 and September 2013. The girl, who was seven when the abuse began, had reported the abuse to her mother in 2019 and later to a guidance counsellor. She was interviewed by specialist Gardaí in December 2020, when she was 15, and described repeated inappropriate touching, the giving of chocolate Kinder Eggs, and a single rape after the man lured her into his room. She said the abuse ruined her childhood, caused anxiety, depression and self‑harm, and left her fearful of men. The court heard that the defendant denies wrongdoing, has a prior murder conviction from 2001, and has been in custody since July 2021.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 23‑month‑old girl was found with a severe genital injury and multiple bruises, likely from non‑accidental trauma. A consultant paediatrician reported the injury was caused by significant trauma, but could not identify the implement or body part used. The child also had a wrist fracture about four weeks old. The accused, a 30‑year‑old man, pleaded not guilty to ten charges, including sexual abuse and reckless endangerment of the girl, and child cruelty against both the girl and her three‑year‑old brother. The brother was examined and found essentially normal, with a few bruises that may have been bite marks. The trial continues before Mr Justice David Keane and a jury.
An Irish man aged 46 was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment for repeated rape and sexual assault of a girl aged 8‑11 between August 2014 and August 2017. The offences, committed at his Wexford home, included eight counts of rape, nine of anal rape, eight of oral rape and nine of sexual assault. The court noted a particularly violent incident in which he tied the victim to a bed and held a knife to her throat, threatening her. He was found not guilty of three other rape counts. The judge imposed concurrent sentences of nine years and seven months for the anal and oral rape counts and four years and ten months for the sexual assault counts, with a two‑year post‑release supervision order. The sentence was back‑dated to the date he entered custody after the trial.
Three family members and a teenager accused of murdering Thomas 'Tom' Dooley, 43, will be tried at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin on 29 May 2024. The defendants are Patrick Dooley (35), Thomas Dooley Senior (41), Thomas Dooley Junior (20) and a 17‑year‑old boy who cannot be named. They are charged with the murder of Mr Dooley at Rath Cemetery, Rathass, Tralee, on 5 October 2022, after he was attacked by a group of men while attending a funeral. Thomas Dooley Junior is also charged with assault causing serious harm to Mr Dooley's wife, Siobhán, and the teenager is charged with producing an article likely to intimidate or cause serious injury to Ms Dooley. Mr Dooley died after the attack; Siobhán suffered serious injuries. The court set the trial for the four defendants, with a mention scheduled for 10 July 2024 to allow the defence to receive case materials.
In a Dublin suburb, 35‑year‑old Andrew Lacey was accused of stabbing 31‑year‑old Derek Reddin to death on 14 or 15 October 2019. Lacey claimed he was there for a "straightener" and a fight, not by coincidence, and that a history of animosity existed between their associates. He said he was attacked by two men, one of whom he identified as Reddin, and that he used a work knife to defend himself. The prosecution argued that Lacey used more force than reasonably necessary. Evidence to be presented includes a 45‑second call to emergency services, CCTV footage, forensic blood and DNA on a knife, and a short video taken by a friend's phone. The trial is before Justice Mary Ellen Ring and a jury of eight men and four women. The case remains at the opening stage, with no verdict yet. Andrew Lacey pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 23‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to raping his 16‑year‑old girlfriend in April 2019 while she was napping at her Dublin home. The victim was taking Prozac, which caused her to go in and out of consciousness, and she later reported that her boyfriend knew about the medication. She had told friends and a counsellor about the assault and eventually reported it to gardaí in April 2020. The accused admitted the rape on Instagram after the victim posted her name and called him a rapist. He was 18 at the time of the offence and had no prior convictions. Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced him to four years and six months, suspending the final two years on conditions including cooperation with probation and therapeutic assessment. The court noted the defendant's remorse, mental health difficulties, and the victim's forgiving attitude.
A 27-year-old man from Donegal has been sentenced to 18 months in prison by the Central Criminal Court for sexually assaulting his partner's teenage sister in June 2017. The assault occurred while the victim slept in the accused's bed alongside her older sister. He initially claimed the encounter was consensual, a position he has since abandoned. The victim outlined the profound impact of the offence and the subsequent five-year delay in the case, describing how she lost family support and endured significant psychological harm. Mr Justice Paul McDermott noted that the initial false account compounded the damage to family relationships. The judge acknowledged the accused's guilty plea, his lack of relevant convictions, and expressions of remorse as mitigating factors. He imposed a three-year sentence with the final 18 months suspended on condition that the defendant engage in assessment for relevant programmes. A contact ban was also imposed.
A jury of eight men and four women was sworn in to hear the trial of Andrew Lacey, a 35‑year‑old from Riverside, Loughlinstown, who is accused of murdering Derek Reddin, 31, on Loughlinstown Drive between 14 and 15 October 2019. Lacey appeared before the Central Criminal Court, pleaded not guilty, and spoke only "not guilty" when the single charge was read. Justice Mary Ellen Ring informed potential jurors of any impediments and noted Lacey's employment with the Parks Department in Dun Laoghaire. The trial, scheduled to begin the next day, is expected to last about two weeks.
A 68‑year‑old woman, Josephine McMahon, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for sexually assaulting two brothers in Kerry between 1992 and 1996. The younger brother, aged four or five at the time, was abused in the house's bathroom with a wooden spoon, while the older brother, aged eight to twelve, was assaulted on several occasions, including being threatened with a wooden spoon and exposed to the perpetrator's genitals. McMahon pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court. The judge, Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, noted the maximum sentence for the offence at the time was five years and imposed a suspended 12‑month period, ordering McMahon to remain under probation supervision for a further year after release. The sentence reflected mitigating factors such as her deteriorating health, diabetes and kidney disease, and the need for dialysis. The court heard the victims' impact statements, describing lasting depression, anxiety, addiction issues, and family effects.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a seven‑year‑old girl testified via video link that she stopped living with her mother and the mother's partner because they were "being mean." The 29‑year‑old Dublin man, who cannot be named, pleaded not guilty to ten charges, including sexual abuse, reckless endangerment, child cruelty, and assault. The girl, who was under two at the time of the alleged abuse, denied that the man had bitten her or hit her with a stick, although a specialist interview when she was four had recorded her claiming such incidents. The jury also saw videos of specialist interviews with the girl's older brother, who described the man as a "bold daddy" and said he had hurt the children daily. The trial will resume before the jury and Mr Justice David Keane.
During a Central Criminal Court hearing, a four‑year‑old girl testified that her mother's partner had bitten her on her private area and struck her with a stick. The girl, who was just under two years old at the time of the alleged abuse, was found to have traumatic genital injuries that could have had potentially fatal consequences if untreated. The 29‑year‑old accused, whose name is withheld to protect the child's identity, pleaded not guilty to ten charges of sexual assault, reckless endangerment and child cruelty covering incidents between March and April 2018. The charges include allegations of biting the girl's genitals, failing to seek medical care for her injuries, and assaulting a boy under three years old. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice David Keane.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 29‑year‑old man pleaded not guilty to ten charges of sexual assault, reckless endangerment and child cruelty involving a girl just under two and a boy just under three, dated March–April 2018. The prosecution argued that the girl was taken to hospital after Gardaí and social workers observed bruising and facial injuries. Doctors found severe genital trauma, describing it as "potentially fatal" if untreated, and a wrist fracture. The boy was later examined and found with bruising. Evidence included CCTV from a Dublin shopping centre, security footage, and interviews with the children. The accused denied all allegations, including penetrating the girl's vagina, failing to seek medical care, assaulting the boy's genitals, and biting the girl's genital area. The trial remains ongoing before Mr Justice David Keane.
Christina Anderson, aged 41, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Gareth Kelly, aged 38, who was stabbed five times on 25 February 2020 while attempting to start his car outside her home. Anderson was diagnosed with schizo‑affective disorder and had been in the Central Mental Hospital since shortly after the stabbing. She pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, but the Director of Public Prosecutions accepted a plea of guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility due to a mental disorder. The judge, Justice Karen O'Connor, noted that Anderson's responsibility was diminished by her mental condition and that her actions were "highly dominated by her mental condition." The sentence was reduced from a headline of 13 years to 11 years, with the final three years suspended for four years on the condition that Anderson remain under probation supervision, comply with psychiatric treatment, and refrain from drug and alcohol use.
Two survivors of sexual abuse by Patrick Killally, aged 45, told the Central Criminal Court how they spoke out to protect children and encourage others to come forward. One survivor was between six and nine years old when abused; the other was between 12 and 14. Killally was a teenager when he assaulted the first boy and an adult when he abused the second boy over two years. He was convicted of three counts of sexual assault of the first boy (1992‑1996) and 40 counts of sexual assault, attempted anal rape, oral rape and anal rape of the second boy (2005‑2007). The survivors described the long‑term emotional burden, fear of speaking out, and their decision to testify after the trial ended in May 2023. Killally maintains his innocence; the court remanded him in custody and adjourned sentencing to 10 July.
A 67-year-old man from Donegal has been sentenced to twenty years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the rape and sexual abuse of four girls spanning a twenty-six-year period from 1982 to 2008. The defendant pleaded guilty to six counts of rape, one count of attempted oral rape, nine counts of attempted rape, five counts of indecent assault, and twenty-nine counts of sexual assault. Justice Ellen Ring described him as a "committed long-term child abuser" who breached the trust of his victims and their families. The court heard the abuse occurred in various locations including his home and vehicle. The offences involved family members, including his sister-in-law and three nieces, who were aged between five and sixteen at the time. The defendant was assessed as presenting medium to high risk of re-offending with deviant sexual interest in children under sixteen. Justice Ring imposed consecutive sentences for the most serious offences while noting the defendant's guilty pleas and work history.
The Central Criminal Court heard that a 43‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to indecent assault and multiple sexual assault charges against his sister, who was abused from age three to ten. The abuse began when she was three, continued after she reported it to her parents at four and to a GP in July 1991, and persisted for five more years. The court noted that the family had attended one counselling session before the father decided not to return. The judge highlighted the sister's forgiveness and lack of desire for imprisonment, her remorse, and her efforts to rebuild her life, including studying psychology. The man was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions. The hearing focused on the ongoing abuse, the sister's impact statement, and the man's admissions and cooperation with investigators.
In a Westmeath case, a 33‑year‑old man was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of raping a 15‑year‑old girl in an unoccupied apartment on 20 January 2019. The victim, aged 15‑half at the time, was invited to the apartment with a friend, where the accused entered through a window. After refusing a kiss, the man touched her, pulled down her leggings, pushed her onto a couch and raped her while she shouted for him to stop. He used abusive language and later left for the toilet. The girl did not give a victim impact statement and only later sought medical treatment for a hymen laceration, after which the matter was reported to Gardaí. The accused denies sexual contact. He has prior convictions for assault, disorder and traffic offences but none of a sexual nature.
Christopher Coakley, 31, with 124 prior convictions, was sentenced to eight years in prison for a pre‑meditated, brutal attack on a doctor in Dublin's north inner city. Coakley approached the doctor, who was travelling on a motorised scooter, and stabbed him repeatedly with scissors, targeting the head, neck, chest and stomach. The victim, a doctor who had never met Coakley, sustained penetrating wounds and required hospital treatment and physiotherapy. CCTV and DNA linked Coakley to the scene, and he was arrested in June 2021. The judge, Mr Justice Paul Burns, noted Coakley's history of drug addiction and early criminal record, reduced the headline sentence of 11 years to nine years with a 12‑month suspended portion, and imposed conditions of medical compliance and probation supervision. The case was originally charged as attempted murder but the charge was dropped after Coakley pleaded guilty to causing serious harm.
Noel Lennon, 49, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for the manslaughter of Isaac Horgan, 52, who died after being stabbed in the leg at his home in Dublin 2 on March 29, 2021. Originally charged with murder, Lennon pleaded not guilty to that charge but guilty to manslaughter, a plea accepted by the State. Mr Justice Tony Hunt imposed a headline sentence of nine years, reduced by 18 months to seven and a half years. The final year of the sentence was suspended for a post-release period of four years, with the judge warning that any breach would result in immediate custody. The sentence was backdated to March 30 last year. The court noted Lennon's high risk of re-offending and his 12 previous convictions. Aggravating factors included the impact on Horgan's nine-year-old son and the fact the victim was killed in his own home. A co-accused, Lisa Lee, was previously convicted by a jury of discarding the knife used in the attack. Lee, of no fixed abode, was jailed for two years last December. The report also notes that Horgan had previously been acquitted of the 2002 manslaughter of Douglas McManus, having pleaded not guilty to murder and assault charges in that earlier case.
Emmet O'Connor, 30, of Kerry, was convicted in December 2020 of two counts of rape, organising prostitution and intimidating a witness. He was sentenced in April 2021 to eight years for the rapes, two years for organising prostitution and one year for intimidation, all consecutive. O'Connor denied the charges. The victim, a sex worker, testified that she and O'Connor had consensual rough sex a year earlier but that on 25 September 2017 she was forced to sleep with him, was crying and begged him to stop; he grabbed her, carried her upstairs, threw her on the bed and raped her twice. O'Connor's appeal argues that the trial judge erred by allowing evidence from two recent‑complaint witnesses without adequate warning of its limited use, and that late forensic evidence was introduced too late. The State's counsel said the evidence was not hearsay and that the judge had explained its limited use. The court will reserve judgment on the appeal.
Simon Quilligan, 40, was convicted in March 2021 of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life at a halting site where he allegedly said "I'll kill you all; man, woman or child." He had previously been found not guilty of attempted murder and of intentionally or recklessly discharging a firearm in a separate incident. Quilligan appealed the firearms conviction, arguing insufficient evidence and inconsistency with his acquittal on the discharge charge. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, rejected the appeal, stating ample evidence justified a jury decision and that the conviction was not inconsistent with the acquittal. Quilligan remains jailed, with release scheduled for 10 June 2024, and the Court of Appeal will set a date for his sentence appeal next week. The case involved additional convictions for threatening to kill or cause serious harm and for criminal damage, all of which were sentenced to run concurrently.
Vadim Veste, a 28-year-old dual Moldovan-Romanian national from Fermoy, Co Cork, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for aggravated sexual assault. He pleaded guilty to the November 7, 2021, attack on a woman in her 50s at St Colman's Park. Mr Justice Paul McDermott described the incident as shocking, brutal, and cowardly, noting the victim sustained injuries and that Veste used a hat as a gag. The judge highlighted Veste's history, including a previous three-year prison sentence for the rape of a 14-year-old in Eastern Europe in July 2016, from which he was released just 18 days before the current offence. Although a headline sentence of nine years was set, the judge reduced the term due to Veste's expression of remorse, despite a Probation Service report indicating a lack of insight. Veste was sentenced to six years and six months in prison, with the final six months suspended for two years on strict conditions, including attending treatment deemed appropriate by the Probation Service. The court also ordered that Veste not approach the victim or her family, prohibited unsupervised access to children, and imposed a six-year post-release supervision order to protect society and prevent future offending.
Michael Scott, aged 59, was convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence after driving an agricultural teleporter over his 76‑year‑old aunt Chrissie Treacy outside her home in Derryhiney, Portumna, on 27 April 2018. The Central Criminal Court heard that Scott had been involved in a long‑running land dispute with Ms Treacy and had driven the teleporter across her yard while reversing. He claimed he had felt a "thump" and thought he had hit a trailer, then moved the machine forward, after which he discovered his aunt lying on the ground. A friend of Ms Treacy's, Regina Donohue, testified that Scott had subjected her to verbal abuse and mental torture before the incident. At the sentencing hearing on 12 June 2023, the Director of Public Prosecutions said the offence falls in the mid‑category for manslaughter, recommending a headline sentence of four to ten years. Michael Scott pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 12 June 2023, a 25‑year‑old former male model, Utseoritselaju Uwatse, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for raping a fellow college student. The victim, who waived anonymity, testified that the offence occurred after a night out in Limerick following a student‑village celebration. CCTV showed Uwatse and the victim hugging before she was taken to a bedroom where he forced sex, claiming it was consensual. She reported that he asked if she was on the pill and that the condom broke. Uwatse was arrested in June 2018 and denied the allegations. The judge, Mr Justice Paul Burns, imposed a headline sentence of four years, noting Uwatse's lack of prior convictions and his "promising future." The court heard the victim's impact statement describing the lasting damage and her feelings of guilt. Uwatse's defence highlighted his background, cooperation with Gardaí, and lack of family in Ireland. The sentence was accepted by the court.
A 37‑year‑old Tipperary man pleaded guilty in the Central Criminal Court to oral rape and sexual assault of a four‑year‑old neighbour between 1999 and 2002. He was 13 when the abuse began and was 17 at its end. The victim, now 28, described how the abuse ruined his childhood, education and relationships, causing depression, anxiety, nightmares and paranoia. He said he had struggled to disclose the abuse and feared for future children. Justice Mary Ellen Ring praised his courage and noted the victim's emotional and physical suffering and the breach of family trust. The court adjourned the case to the following Friday, remanded the accused in custody, and noted that the offender had no prior convictions and was a minor at the time of the offences. The prosecution suggested a 10‑15‑year sentence, but the defence highlighted the guilty plea and the statutory discount for a minor offender. The case remains pending.
A pre‑trial hearing has started in the case of Noel Long, a 74‑year‑old man accused of murdering 54‑year‑old Nora Sheehan in 1981. The hearing, expected to last three weeks, is before Mr Justice Paul McDermott at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. Brendan Grehan, senior counsel, leads the prosecution, while Michael Delaney SC heads the defence. Sheehan's body was discovered by forestry workers at The Viewing Point, Shippool Woods, Cork, six days after she was reported missing. A jury will be sworn in after the pre‑trial hearing concludes.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 9 June 2023, 69‑year‑old Josephine McMahon pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault against two brothers aged four to five and eight to twelve, committed between 1992 and 1996 at her house in Kenmare, Co Kerry. McMahon admitted using a wooden spoon to assault the younger boy in a bathroom, threatening him and later assaulting him again in a bath, and a third assault in a bedroom. She also exposed herself to the older brother and threatened him with the spoon. The younger brother's victim impact statement described ongoing depression, anxiety, addiction, suicidal thoughts and lasting shame, while the older brother cited deep emotional scars and family impact. McMahon, a wheelchair user with diabetes and kidney disease, has no prior convictions and will be placed on the Sex Offenders Register. The case was adjourned to 26 June for sentencing, with a request for a suspended sentence.
A 51-year-old man convicted of rape has been sentenced to eight years and four months imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following an aggravated burglary committed in April 2018. Mark McAnaw forced his way into a Dublin home armed with a large kitchen knife three months after completing a nine-year prison sentence imposed in 2012 for sexually assaulting a young foreign student in County Donegal in 2010. The victim, who knew McAnaw from prior social contact, reported feeling terrified during the attack and subsequently developed PTSD, moving from her home and leaving her employment. Judge Melanie Greally imposed the final 16 months of the sentence on a suspended basis for 16 years, conditional on McAnaw's supervision by the Probation Services. The judge cited the targeted nature of the offence, the weapon used, and McAnaw's previous convictions as aggravating factors, whilst noting his guilty plea and psychiatric engagement as mitigating elements. Strict conditions have been imposed, including compliance with the Sex Offenders Act and abstinence from illicit substances.
Stephen Keane, 33, of Coolfin Meadows, Portlaw, was convicted of murder for the death of John Lowe, 60, in December 2018. He had pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not to murder. Keane claimed intoxication and that he had only struck Lowe once, but the trial judge allowed admissions he made to Gardaí during pre‑detention interviews and notebook entries to be admitted as evidence. Keane's lawyers argue that these admissions were made while he was intoxicated, without legal advice, and should have been excluded. They contend the judge erred in admitting the Garda notebook entries and in not applying the same fairness test used for the first two interviews. The Court of Appeal will decide on June 15. The case remains at the appeal stage, with no verdict yet.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 31‑year‑old Christopher Coakley pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to a doctor on Seville Place, Dublin, on 28 January 2021. Coakley, who had 124 prior convictions, knocked the doctor from his e‑scooter, then stabbed him seven times with a pair of scissors. The victim, a Mountjoy Prison doctor, sustained penetrating wounds to the abdomen, chest, head and neck, and required ongoing physiotherapy. Coakley was charged with attempted murder, robbery and production of scissors, but a nolle prosequi was entered for the attempted murder charge. The court considered the robbery and production charges in sentencing. Coakley's lawyer highlighted his drug‑related background and a possible bipolar disorder, and requested a partially suspended custodial sentence with conditions. The judge will sentence on 19 June.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a man was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment for raping and sexually assaulting his niece over a five‑year period from 2008 to 2013. The victim, aged between seven and thirteen, was repeatedly abused in the accused's caravan, where he called her "ugly" and told her she "didn't have to be ugly any more" while raping her. The jury found him guilty of two counts of rape, one count of anal rape and two counts of sexual assault. He has 12 prior convictions, including a three‑year sentence for sexual assault. The judge, Justice Karen O'Connor, noted the victim's courage and the aggravating factor of the accused's dominance, and imposed a seven‑year post‑release supervision order. The sentence was back‑dated to the time he entered custody in April. The case was brought to light in 2017 when the victim disclosed the abuse to social care workers.
During a three‑week Central Criminal Court trial, the jury heard harrowing evidence of gratuitous sexual violence against four children in an extended Traveller family. Prosecutor Shane Costelloe warned that the evidence would be unsettling and unsavoury, and after seven hours and 33 minutes of deliberation, the jury returned guilty verdicts on 117 of 124 counts. The accused included a 66‑year‑old patriarch, his sons aged 38, 40 and 41, and a 63‑year‑old wife. The patriarch faced 24 charges, each son faced 31 or 36 charges, and the wife faced charges of assault and assistance in an alleged anally rape. All accused denied the charges. The trial highlighted the alleged abuse occurring between 1999 and 2005 across various locations in Ireland, with the family described as part of the Traveller community. The prosecution's case focused on the veracity of the complainants' accounts, while the defence argued inconsistencies and lack of detail in the evidence.
A 36‑year‑old man, Gerard Cervi, faces trial at the Central Criminal Court on 2 October for the murder of Bobby Messett (50) and the attempted murder of boxing coach Pete Taylor, who was also shot when a gunman entered Bray Boxing Club on 5 June 2018. Cervi, originally from Dublin's East Wall, is also accused of attempting to murder Ian Britton on the same day and location. He has been in custody since September 2018, with his first trial in September 2021 collapsed after 10 weeks when a juror fell ill. The Court of Appeal had previously considered granting him bail under the strictest conditions, but denied bail after a trial date was fixed. The case is expected to last six weeks, with the court noting that the trial will likely be very long.
A 57‑year‑old man, whose name is withheld to protect his wife, was convicted of 16 counts of anal rape of his then‑wife between 2003 and 2007 and of eight counts of indecent assault and three counts of rape of his younger sister between 1978 and 1987. He was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment, with seven years for the sister offences and six years for the wife offences, to run consecutively with no portion suspended. The appeal argued that the use of a screen separating the witness from the court was prejudicial and that certain background evidence should not have been admitted. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, holding that the judge had considered the need to protect the complainant from secondary victimisation and that the evidence was relevant and necessary to illustrate the depth of violence in the relationship. The judge found no error in admitting the background evidence or in allowing the screen.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court found a 66‑year‑old grandfather guilty of 24 counts of sexual abuse, including two anally raping his granddaughter and 22 charges against his nephew – 12 anally and ten orally. He had pleaded not guilty to 25 charges, one assault charge was withdrawn. The jury also convicted his three sons, aged 38, 40 and 41, of multiple counts of rape and sexual assault against their sisters, nieces and a cousin, with each man receiving a range of guilty verdicts and some acquittals. A 63‑year‑old wife was found guilty of assisting one of her sons in anally raping her granddaughter and assaulting the same child. The defendants were remanded in custody or on bail pending sentencing, with the court setting a July 17 mention date for the sentencing hearing. The judge thanked the jurors and noted the case was difficult and the evidence unpleasant. The unnamed 66-year-old was acquitted.
In the Central Criminal Court, a 30‑year‑old woman charged with the murder of a four‑year‑old boy in the southwest had her plea of guilty to manslaughter rejected. The prosecution, represented by Aoife O'Leary BL, argued that the plea was not acceptable to the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the case will proceed to trial on the murder charge next year. The defendant pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter on 16 March 2021, the day the boy died in hospital after sustaining injuries at an address. She also pleaded guilty to willfully assaulting the child on two separate occasions: one between 1 January and 5 March 2021, and another between 6 and 11 March 2021. She began to cry in the dock before being arraigned on the third count.
Dermot Carr, 51, a former Dublin bus driver, was sentenced to nine years in prison, with the final year suspended, for a series of sexual offences spanning from 2001 to 2018. He pleaded guilty to harassment of a nine‑year‑old boy, sending explicit images and requesting naked photographs, and to multiple counts of sexual assault against five girls aged 11 to 17. Carr's conduct involved persistent grooming, text messaging, providing drugs and alcohol, and forcing the girls to masturbate or engage in sexual acts in his car or apartment. The judge noted a pattern of deliberate, persistent grooming over many years and imposed consecutive sentences for the six victims, ordering Carr to pay €10,000 in compensation to the first female victim and to engage with probation and counselling upon release. The case highlighted the long‑term impact on the victims, who described trauma, nightmares, and lasting psychological effects.
Inita Romanovska, 36, was due before the Central Criminal Court for a sentencing hearing after pleading guilty to attempting to cause serious harm to Stephen O'Flaherty, whom she met on Tinder. The alleged incident occurred on 11 March 2020 at an apartment complex on Henry St, Limerick. Romanovska, residing at Cahercalla, Kilrush Road, Ennis, Co Clare, had originally been charged with attempting to murder O'Flaherty. Her lawyer, Michael Bowman SC, confirmed she did not attend the hearing and was unreachable by phone. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon issued a bench warrant and postponed the sentencing hearing.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a jury found John Titiloye not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for stabbing Ademola Giwa in the neck during a dispute over a stolen scooter. The jury rejected the prosecution's claim that Titiloye intentionally killed Giwa, instead concluding that the act was a result of provocation and a lack of intent to kill. Titiloye, aged 28, had claimed he was defending his father, Anthony, who had been attacked by Giwa. The judge, Mr Justice McDermott, noted the partial defence of provocation and self‑defence as possible bases for the manslaughter verdict. Titiloye was remanded in custody pending sentencing, with the court scheduled to hear a victim impact statement on 17 July. The case highlighted the jury's unanimous decision after nearly five hours of deliberation.
A 19‑year‑old who had been charged with attempting to murder a teenager in Dublin when he was 17 pleaded guilty before the Central Criminal Court to intentionally causing serious harm to that victim, to making a threat to kill or seriously injure another teenager, and to possessing a knife without lawful authority. The prosecution presented four counts; guilty pleas were entered on three, and a nolle prosequi was entered for the attempted murder charge, meaning the State will not pursue that count. The defendant was originally charged with the attempted murder of a teenage boy at Tymon Lane, Tallaght, on 2 January 2021. He also pleaded guilty to threatening a second teenager at Red Cow Luas Stop, Clondalkin, on 14 April 2021, and to having a knife on him at that time.
Vesel Jahiri, a convicted murderer serving life imprisonment, appeared before the Court of Appeal to challenge his Central Criminal Court convictions for the 2012 murder of Anna Finnegan and the stabbing of her brother, Karl Finnegan. Jahiri, who pleaded not guilty to both charges and was found guilty by a jury, is representing himself in this appeal. He alleges that gardaí planted evidence, including knives and a knife block, at his temporary address to link him to the crime. The appellant further claims the trial judge erred by excluding him from the latter stages of the trial, denying him a closing speech, and preventing him from inspecting the murder weapon. He asserts that gardaí wiped the knife blade to remove Karl Finnegan's fingerprints and deleted CCTV footage from Cabra Garda Station. The State, represented by Cathleen Noctor SC, countered that these were matters for the jury and that Jahiri's legal teams had access to all materials. Noctor noted that Jahiri's claims regarding the evidence were rejected by the jury and that his assertions about procedural failures were unsupported. The three-judge court, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, reserved its judgment in the matter.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 66‑year‑old man and his three sons (aged 38, 40, 41) face 31 to 36 charges of raping and sexually assaulting four family members, all children at the time. The 63‑year‑old wife of the eldest man is charged with assisting her son in an alleged anal rape of her granddaughter and assaulting the granddaughter. The alleged offences are said to have occurred between 1999 and 2005 in various locations. All five defendants deny the charges. Lawyers argue the evidence is vague, contradictory and dates are mismatched, citing inconsistencies in complainants' statements and difficulties in recalling details. The defence urges the jury to acquit on all counts, noting the prosecution has not proven the case beyond a reasonable doubt. The trial proceeds under Justice Mary Ellen Ring. The unnamed 66-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 53‑year‑old Galway farmer pleaded guilty to sexual assault and oral rape of his nephew, aged five to thirteen, between 1989 and 1996. The nephew, now 39, described how the abuse, which began with unwanted touching during "games" and progressed to masturbation and oral rape, was carried out at the farm, in the yard, outbuildings or a caravan. He said he was told not to speak out, fearing his uncle would be in trouble, and that the abuse left him with lasting pain, flashbacks and sleepless nights. The farmer denied the offences at his arrest but later pleaded guilty. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon adjourned sentencing to July to allow reports to be finalised. The case was brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions, who viewed the offences as "more serious" with a headline sentence of 10 to 15 years imprisonment.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Brendan Grehan SC defended John Titiloye, who pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ademola "Dizzy" Giwa, 25, on 10 August 2021. Grehan argued the incident was a spontaneous reaction to a confrontation involving Titiloye's father and Giwa, not a premeditated act. He claimed Titiloye acted in defence of his father after a dispute over a stolen scooter and a debt owed to Samson Fayemi. Grehan highlighted CCTV footage showing the father's involvement and the rapid escalation of the altercation, suggesting Titiloye's use of a knife was a defensive response. The prosecution, led by John Byrne SC, maintained that Titiloye intentionally stabbed Giwa in the neck with the intent to kill, and that no justification existed for the act. The case remained at the jury's deliberation stage.