Tony McInerney, 27, a former drug dealer from Glenina, Gort Road, Ennis, admitted to attempting to murder Daniel Harty Jnr on 18 January 2020 at Pound Street, Sixmilebridge, Co Clare. He pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court. McInerney had previously been convicted of running a cocaine factory and was sentenced to 12 years in prison in May 2021, a term later reduced by two years on appeal. He also pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply and to possessing crime cash on 23 September 2020. The judge described him as "at the top of the pyramid" of the Clare drug scene and noted his status as a target of the divisional drugs unit. The case is set for mention on 10 July, with McInerney remanded in custody. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon ordered a victim impact statement to be prepared by that date.
During a Central Criminal Court hearing on 22 May 2023, Christina Anderson's counsel argued that her moral culpability for stabbing Gareth Kelly was zero because she was in a psychotic episode caused by bipolar‑affective disorder. The State accepted that cannabis intoxication did not feature in the case. Anderson, 41, pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. She was initially charged with murder but the DPP accepted the plea after the trial began. Anderson was taken to the Central Mental Hospital in February 2020 and remains a patient. The court heard that she had been experiencing delusions of a conspiracy involving neighbours, Gardaí and politicians, and that she had been under psychiatric care since 2017. The judge will set a sentence on 20 June, with the defence seeking maximum leniency. The case remains at the manslaughter stage.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, John Titiloye, aged 28, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his 25‑year‑old friend Ademola "Dizzy" Giwa, who was stabbed in the neck on 10 August 2021 in Tallaght. Titiloye told Gardaí that he had an altercation with Giwa's friend Samson Fayemi the day before and that he had been threatened by Giwa. He claimed he had a knife for self‑defence and that he had only used it to intimidate, not to stab. An eyewitness, Fayemi, testified that Titiloye raised his arm and struck Giwa's neck with a knife. A pathologist confirmed Giwa died from a stab wound that severed his jugular vein and damaged a lung. Titiloye's statements to Gardaí and his subsequent interviews were presented as evidence, with the prosecution arguing that he produced the knife and stabbed Giwa during a dispute over a debt and a stolen scooter. The trial will continue with closing speeches scheduled for Monday.
A trial is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court involving five defendants from an extended Traveller family, including a 66-year-old man, his three sons aged 38, 40, and 41, and the 63-year-old wife of the oldest son. The defendants face 126 counts of sexual abuse and assault allegedly committed against four children between 1999 and 2005. All five defendants deny the charges. The prosecution, led by Shane Costelloe SC, argued that the complainants were sexually abused by male relatives, describing the environment as one where children were "treated like dogs." Specifically, the first female complainant alleges she was repeatedly raped and sexually abused by three of her brothers. The second female complainant alleges rape by her grandfather, while a male complainant alleges repeated rape by his uncle. The defence, represented by Michael Bowman SC for the 66-year-old man, challenged the timeline and consistency of the evidence, particularly regarding the male complainant, arguing that care records contradicted the alleged dates of abuse. The defence also highlighted the significant time delay in bringing the case. The trial is currently at the closing speeches stage, with the jury instructed to decide based on the veracity of the complainants' evidence. The matter has not been concluded; the trial resumes on Monday before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring.
A 27‑year‑old Kildare man who violently sexually assaulted his estranged wife, recorded on camera saying he had "every right" to touch her, had his original five‑year sentence increased by eight months after a successful appeal by the State. The Court of Appeal quashed the initial sentence, which had a 20‑month suspended portion, and re‑sentenced him to five years and eight months' imprisonment, with the final 20 months suspended. The judge noted the man's guilty plea and the mitigating factor of an acquired brain injury sustained in 2017. The appeal hearing highlighted the violence, breach of trust, and the impact of the brain injury, while the State argued the sentence was too lenient and the defence emphasised the injury as a key mitigating factor. The woman's victim impact report described the assault as frightening and menacing, and she had previously sought a protection order and stayed in a women's refuge.
In a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, John Titiloye, aged 25, pleaded not guilty to the killing of Ademola "Dizzy" Giwa, aged 25, in Tallaght on 10 August 2021. State pathologist Dr Sally Anne Collis testified that Giwa died from a stab wound to the right side of his neck that cut the jugular vein and damaged the right lung, causing haemorrhage and loss of blood and air in the chest cavity. The wound also penetrated the chest cavity and the upper lobe of the right lung. A second, superficial stab wound was found on Giwa's right forearm. No alcohol was detected in Giwa's system, though he had consumed cannabis containing THC earlier. Witnesses, including Samson Fayemi, described seeing Titiloye raise a knife and strike Giwa's neck during a dispute over a stolen scooter. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott with a jury of twelve.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 38‑year‑old man, the third accused, was heard by a jury after he told Gardaí that his father should be punished for having a child with his daughter. He is one of five defendants – his 66‑year‑old father, two brothers aged 40 and 41, and his 63‑year‑old mother – all charged with numerous counts of sexual abuse of four family members who were children at the time. The indictment lists 126 counts, and all five deny the charges. The 38‑year‑old had previously pleaded guilty to 36 charges, including 22 counts of raping his sister, four counts of sexual assault and six counts of oral rape, but he denied two charges of anally raping his niece and two of his male cousin. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring, continues with the jury hearing the accused's interviews and the complainants' evidence.
An eyewitness, Samson Fayemi, testified that John Titiloye, 28, stabbed Ademola "Dizzy" Giwa, 25, in the neck on 10 August 2021 in Tallaght. Fayemi said he had been with Titiloye and a third man when a dispute over a €100 debt and a scooter escalated. He claimed Titiloye had a mallet and that Fayemi had been threatened with a knife. Fayemi reported that Titiloye, after a fight, produced a pocket knife and struck Giwa's neck while he tried to intervene. The witness also said Titiloye's father, Anthony, was injured in the eye during the altercation. Fayemi denied that Giwa had stabbed Anthony and said he had only been present to try to resolve the debt. The trial is before Mr Justice Paul McDermott with a jury of twelve. John Titiloye pleaded not guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, a jury heard that John Titiloye, aged 28, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ademola Giwa, aged 25, who was fatally stabbed in the neck on 10 August 2021 in Tallaght. Witness Martina Wade testified that on 9 August she was parked at 'Mr Price' when she observed a group of six men, some armed with hammers, engaging in a fight that escalated into a hammer‑fight involving a claw hammer and a mallet. She saw a black Mondeo car involved and noted the men's height and the use of hammers. Wade also described the scene as "too close" and expressed distress. The prosecution alleged that Titiloye produced a knife during a dispute over a debt and a stolen scooter, stabbing Giwa in the neck. The trial, set to continue, involves CCTV footage of the altercation and statements from other witnesses about the scooter and the parties' relationships.
A father of two, who was a teenager when he repeatedly sexually assaulted a young boy, was sentenced to 18 months in prison. The defendant, who cannot be named, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to six counts of sexual assault that occurred between September 2007 and July 2010 at various locations in County Wicklow. He was 17 when he first assaulted the 14‑year‑old victim, masturbating the child and forcing the child to masturbate him. The abuse escalated when the victim was 15, with the offender forcing the child to perform oral sex. The victim reported that the abuse lasted just under three years and involved about 200 incidents. In his victim impact statement, the survivor said the abuse left him feeling worthless and full of self‑doubt, and he urged the court to prevent the offender from harming others. The defendant expressed shame and remorse, acknowledging the harm he caused.
In a Tallaght murder trial, the prosecution presented evidence that 25‑year‑old Ademola Giwa was fatally stabbed in the neck on 10 August 2021 during a dispute over a debt and a stolen scooter. John Titiloye, 26, pleaded not guilty. The State alleged that Titiloye had bought a knife the same day and, after an initial walk away, returned to protect his father, Anthony, who was also injured. The trial heard that Titiloye, Giwa, and Samson Fayemi had a verbal row that escalated into a physical altercation on Mac Uilliam Road. CCTV and mobile footage were cited, and Giwa was pronounced dead at Tallaght Hospital after resuscitation attempts. Titiloye was arrested on 11 August and the case is set to continue before a jury.
Lisa Lee, 41, was sentenced to four years in prison for discarding a knife that was used in the fatal stabbing of Isaac Horgan. The judge suspended two years of the sentence on the condition of good behaviour for three years after her release and required her to work with probation services. Lee, who has 17 prior convictions and has struggled with medical conditions and drug addiction, was warned to "put her life and house in order." She had no fixed abode and had previously lived at Depaul Homeless Hostel. The knife was discarded on 29 March 2021 at Spring Garden Lane, Dublin, after Noel Lennon had stabbed Horgan. Lennon, 48, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was also sentenced earlier that year. The court noted that Lee's attempt to hide the weapon was ineffective, as the knife was found in an area covered by CCTV.
A 66‑year‑old man and his three sons, aged 38, 40 and 41, are on trial at the Central Criminal Court for a total of 126 counts of sexual abuse against four members of their extended Traveller family. The complainant, now 36, says she was sexually assaulted by her father and brothers from about age seven or eight, with repeated rapes from age 11 until she left home at 18. She claims her father is the father of her oldest child, a claim supported by DNA. She alleges the abuse occurred in a caravan and in cars in Connacht and Leinster, involving oral and vaginal rape. All five defendants deny the charges. The trial is proceeding before Justice Mary Ellen Ring and a jury.
In a family sexual‑abuse trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 30‑year‑old complainant denied that he had made rape allegations against his 38‑year‑old cousin to deflect attention after being accused of raping another family member. He testified that he was anally raped twice by his cousin when he was a child, between the ages of ten and twelve, in 1999‑2005. He described the first incident as occurring while he slept in a car, and the second while the car was parked opposite a graveyard. He said he screamed and shouted for the cousin to stop, who then told him he was "only messing." The court heard that the complainant had not reported the abuse to social workers and that he had approached the police in 2018 with allegations against his cousin, which he claimed were made partly to deflect attention from his own behaviour.
A 28‑year‑old man, John Titiloye, will go on trial on Thursday for the murder of Ademola Giwa, 25, who was killed on 10 August 2021 in the Mac Uilliam Road area of Tallaght. Titiloye was arraigned at the Central Criminal Court and pleaded not guilty. He was employed as a blind fitter in the Dublin area in 2019. The judge, Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, warned the jury not to discuss the case or conduct independent research, and the trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, is expected to last two weeks.
A family sexual abuse trial is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring and a jury. Five defendants, comprising a 66-year-old man, his 63-year-old wife, and their three sons aged 38, 40, and 41, face 126 counts of alleged offences against four family members who were children at the time. The alleged incidents occurred between 1999 and 2005. All five defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. The first accused is charged with 25 counts, including anal and oral rape of his nephew and granddaughter. The second accused faces 31 charges, including rape and sexual assault of his sister. The third accused is charged with 36 counts, including anal rape of his niece and cousin. The fourth accused, the mother, is charged with concealing the effects of anal rape and assaulting her nephew and granddaughter. The fifth accused faces 31 charges of rape, sexual assault, and oral rape against his sister. During testimony, a 33-year-old male complainant alleged that his uncle anally raped him when he was approximately nine or ten years old. He stated that the abuse continued until he was 16 or 17. The trial continues.
Oliver Doran, aged 24, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the axe‑murder of 76‑year‑old Kwok Ping Cheng in Robinson's Court, Dublin. The court heard that Doran entered Cheng's sheltered accommodation at 9.59 pm on 28 April 2021, left at 11.12 pm, returned at 1.03 am on 29 April, and stayed for 11 minutes before Cheng's body was found the next morning. CCTV showed Doran's movements, and a pathologist confirmed multiple blunt and sharp‑force injuries, including a fractured mandible, caused by an axe found beside the body. DNA on the axe matched Doran, who had previously fled Ireland with his family the day after the murder and was arrested on 5 May 2021. He pleaded guilty, had 98 prior convictions, and the judge described the crime as senseless with no motive, imposing a life sentence back‑dated to 17 January 2023. The sentencing hearing included a victim impact statement from Cheng's son, Jason.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 30‑year‑old woman testified that she was raped by two uncles between 1999 and 2004. She described being forced into a van, anally raped, then vaginally raped, and later being taken to a GAA pitch where she was again anally raped. She also recounted an incident at a trailer where another uncle anally raped her and she fled, vomiting. After reporting these assaults to her grandmother, the woman claimed her grandmother beat her with a plastic stick and put an adult nappy on her while she was bleeding. The woman denied any abuse by her grandfather, though prosecutors questioned her earlier statements. The defendants, a 66‑year‑old man and his three sons, deny all charges. The trial is ongoing before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring and a jury.
The Central Criminal Court is currently hearing the trial of five accused individuals, including a 66-year-old man, his three sons aged 38, 40, and 41, and the 63-year-old wife of the first accused. They face over 100 counts of alleged rape, sexual assault, and other offences against four family members, who were children between September 1999 and February 2004. All defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges. The first accused denies 25 charges, including anal rape of his granddaughter and offences against his nephew. The second accused, aged 41, denies 31 charges, including rape and sexual assault of his sister. The third accused, aged 38, denies 36 charges, including anal rape of a cousin and rape of his sister. The fourth accused, the mother of the three men, denies concealing the effects of anal rape by providing an adult diaper to her granddaughter and assaulting her nephew and granddaughter. The fifth accused, aged 40, denies 31 charges, including rape and sexual assault of his sister. On the second day of the trial, a complainant testified to alleged incidents involving her grandfather. The trial continues before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring and is expected to last three weeks.
A 51‑year‑old woman, Julie Flood, who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, was committed to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) in Portrane after a Central Criminal Court judge ordered her placement following a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Flood had pleaded not guilty to the murder of her 94‑year‑old father, Patrick Flood, on his birthday in 2019. A jury, after 48 minutes of deliberation, accepted evidence from two forensic psychiatrists that she was in a psychotic state and did not understand that her actions were wrong. The psychiatrists agreed she believed a voice of God told her her father was an imposter. Flood's father died two days after being stabbed, with a post‑mortem attributing death to congestive cardiac failure and a recent stab wound. The judge directed that Flood be treated at CMH in accordance with the relevant legislation.
A husband, his wife, and their three sons are currently on trial at the Central Criminal Court, facing allegations of sexual offences and assaults against four members of their extended family. The first accused, aged 66, has pleaded not guilty to 25 charges, including two counts of anal rape of his granddaughter, and 21 charges against his nephew. His son, the second accused (41), pleaded not guilty to 31 charges involving his niece and sister. The third accused (38), another son, denied 36 charges, including anal rape of his cousin and niece. The fourth accused, their mother (63), pleaded not guilty to concealing the effects of an offence and two counts of assault. The fifth accused (40), the third son, pleaded not guilty to 31 charges against his sister. Prosecutors allege the offences occurred between September 1999 and February 2004. The complainants are two brothers, aged 30 and 33, and two women, aged 30 and 36. Shane Costelloe SC stated that the State's case is that each complainant was sexually abused by some of the accused. The trial, expected to last three weeks, continues before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring.
In a decision on 3 May 2023, Mr Justice Paul McDermott of the Central Criminal Court refused to postpone the opening of a trial because the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) could not locate a senior counsel to prosecute the case. The judge explained that the court's schedule is not to be altered by the availability of barristers and that it is the responsibility of the DPP to ensure that suitable counsel is ready. He noted that junior counsel and solicitors have the right of audience and that the court has sufficient judges to proceed. Mr Justice McDermott emphasised that the only acceptable reasons for delay are the unavailability of courtrooms or judges, not the convenience of barristers. The DPP's representative, Carol Doherty BL, had requested a brief adjournment to allow the original senior counsel to return, but the judge declined, stating that the case would proceed as scheduled.
Two men have been sentenced to a combined total of sixteen-and-a-half years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for facilitating a criminal organisation in the fatal shooting of Thomas McCarthy. Charles McClean, aged thirty-four, of Clondalkin in Dublin, received ten years, to run consecutively after an eight-year sentence for conspiracy to murder. Mark Lee, aged thirty-two, from Lucan in Dublin, received nine years with the final twelve months suspended. Mr McCarthy, a fifty-five-year-old father of five from England, was shot dead at his mother's home in Ballyfermot on twenty-seventh July two thousand twenty after answering the door. He had no involvement in criminality and was shot nine times with no established motive for the killing. Mr Justice Paul McDermott found that McClean played a prominent role in the carefully planned murder, monitoring the victim's movements and signalling the shooter. Lee demonstrated loyalty to the criminal organisation involved whilst showing little empathy for the victim's family. Both men pleaded guilty to the charges.
Eoin Considine, a 24‑year‑old Limerick law graduate, was sentenced to four years in prison for raping a woman after they had engaged in consensual sex. The incident occurred on 11 August 2019 when the couple, who had met in a pub that evening, went to the woman's home. She reported that Considine began pulling her hair, striking her head, and later choking and pinning her down. She withdrew consent and begged him to stop, but he continued sexual penetration for about 90 seconds. Considine pleaded not guilty and denied rape, but was convicted in January. The judge noted the lack of a guilty plea or remorse, set a headline sentence of four and a half years, and imposed a four‑year custodial term with 18 months of post‑release supervision. The victim's impact statement described bruising, bleeding, loss of safety in her own bedroom, and suicidal thoughts. No contact with the victim is allowed.
A 22-year-old man charged with two murders and an attempted murder in Sligo has received a psychiatric assessment, the Central Criminal Court heard this week. Yousef Palani, of Markievicz Heights, Sligo, faces charges relating to incidents in April 2022. He is accused of murdering Aidan Moffitt on April 10 and Michael Snee on April 12, and of attempting to murder another man on April 9. Palani, who is remanded in custody at Castlerea Prison in Roscommon, is due to stand trial on November 13, with proceedings expected to last approximately four weeks. Defence counsel informed Mr Justice Paul McDermott that the assessment had only recently been received and that outstanding evidentiary matters and records from the Central Mental Hospital require attention before trial. The case was adjourned to June 13 for further mention.
The Central Criminal Court will hear a case involving ten individuals and three companies accused of anti‑competition offences in the provision of school bus services in the State. The prosecution alleges that between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2016 the accused entered into or authorised agreements that prevented, restricted or distorted competition in the trade of school bus services. The charges are under sections 4, 6, 8 and 8(6) of the Competition Act 2002 and were brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions on behalf of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission following a 2016 investigation. Ms Tessa White BL presented the case to Mr Justice Paul McDermott, who adjourned the matter to 9 June to review progress and consider pre‑trial applications. The trial is expected to last 12 weeks and will be heard as a single trial with all parties together.
Aidan Horan, 39, of East Wall, Dublin, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court after pleading not guilty to two counts of assaulting his wife on January 1, 2019, and February 22, 2019. Following a trial, he was convicted of both charges. Prosecution evidence detailed that during the first incident, Horan struck the woman in the head and face, while the second involved her finger being hyper-extended, requiring surgery. Mr Justice Paul Burns acknowledged claims that violence was mutual but noted that only Horan was convicted. He described the relationship as tempestuous but stated there is no excuse for violence. The court imposed a 12-month custodial sentence. The final three months of this sentence were suspended on strict conditions, requiring Horan to engage with the Probation Service for three months upon his ultimate release from prison. The judge emphasized the specific impact of domestic violence under the Domestic Violence Act. Horan had no previous convictions, and his defense counsel offered €4,500 as a token of remorse, which the victim declined.
A 58‑year‑old man was sentenced to 14 years in prison after a Central Criminal Court trial in November convicted him of 11 offences, including rape, oral rape, sexual assault, false imprisonment, threat to kill and forcing a child to watch sexual activity. The crimes were committed against his nine‑year‑old daughter in the family home in the Midlands between December 2019 and April 2020. He used religious arguments, telling the child that the bible required obedience to a father, and threatened to kill her and other family members if she disclosed the abuse, showing her a knife. The daughter, now 11, described lasting trauma, nightmares, vomiting and fear of being ostracised by peers. Her mother also gave a victim impact statement. The judge imposed concurrent 15‑year terms for the rape offences, suspended the final year on condition of good behaviour, and ordered probation supervision for one year.
A 38‑year‑old man, Brian McHugh, has been charged with the murder of 52‑year‑old youth worker Lisa Thompson, who was found dead with multiple stab wounds in her Dublin home on 10 May 2022. A co‑accused, Deirdre Arnold, 40, faces a charge of impeding the prosecution or apprehension of the alleged murderer between 9 May and 11 July 2022. Mr Justice Paul McDermott set a trial date for 26 February 2024, with case management to finish by 21 July 2023, and the trial is expected to last four weeks.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Nathan O'Neill, aged 24, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for the manslaughter of Jamie Higgins, who was stabbed five times in a nightclub fight in Shannon on 18 March 2018. O'Neill had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter and to causing serious harm to Michael Shannon, for which he received a seven‑year sentence. Both sentences run concurrently and are back‑dated to 1 April 2022. The judge noted O'Neill's prior convictions for threatening to kill, possession of a knife and criminal damage, and his earlier guilty plea and cooperation with Gardaí, which led to a reduction from the headline 14‑year sentence. O'Neill admitted the knife was taken from a car after an earlier altercation and that he feared further violence. The court heard victim impact statements from Higgins's family, describing the profound loss and the family's grief. O'Neill expressed remorse and apologised to the family.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, 51‑year‑old Julie Flood was found not guilty of murdering her 94‑year‑old father, Patrick Flood, by reason of insanity. The trial, which lasted 48 minutes of deliberation, focused on Flood's paranoid schizophrenia and psychotic state at the time of the stabbing. She claimed a voice of God told her her father was an imposter, and she had a history of persecutory delusions, including a belief that U2's voices accused her of rape. The jury accepted psychiatric evidence that she met the criteria for a not‑guilty‑by‑reason‑of‑insanity verdict. Judge Paul McDermott remanded Flood to the Central Mental Hospital in Portrane, with a new court appearance scheduled for 4 May. The court thanked counsel and nursing staff for their assistance during the proceedings. Julie Flood was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
Diarmuid Phelan, a 53-year-old senior barrister and law professor from Kiltalown Lane, Tallaght, County Dublin, is charged with the alleged murder of Keith Conlon at Hazelgrove Farm, Kiltalown Lane, Tallaght, on February 22, 2022. The matter was adjourned at the Central Criminal Court to allow the Director of Public Prosecution time to respond to detailed disclosure requests from the defence. Defence counsel Karl Monahan BL applied for Arthur McClean Solicitors to come on record, noting substantial prior correspondence regarding disclosure. He stated that the accused's previous solicitors had sought detailed records on March 21, while new solicitors recently requested "further and better" disclosure. Prosecution lawyers indicated they required considerable time to respond to these requests and asked for the matter to be put back for six weeks. Mr Justice Paul McDermott acknowledged that the defence letter set out significant detail regarding the information sought, noting that providing a comprehensive reply would require time. He suggested that readily available materials could potentially be addressed within four weeks. The judge adjourned the case to May 25 to review the matter again. Phelan is due to go on trial at the Central Criminal Court on May 29, 2024. Keith Conlon, a father-of-four from Kiltalown Park, was seriously injured in a shooting incident and died at Tallaght University Hospital two days later.
A 51‑year‑old woman, Julie Flood, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for stabbing her 94‑year‑old father, Patrick Flood, on his birthday. The Central Criminal Court jury deliberated 48 minutes before delivering a unanimous verdict. Flood, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, claimed she heard God instructing her to stab her father, whom she believed was an imposter. Two psychiatrists testified that she did not understand the nature or wrongness of her actions at the time of the stabbing. Witness Alan Somers described seeing Flood in a hysterical state before the incident. Patrick Flood died two days later from a combination of a stab wound and underlying heart disease. The judge thanked the jury and adjourned the case for arrangements concerning Flood's care.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 51‑year‑old woman, Julie Flood, was tried for murdering her 94‑year‑old father on his birthday. Two psychiatrists testified that Flood suffered from persecutory delusions and auditory hallucinations, including voices of U2 and God, which led her to believe her father had been replaced and that she must stab him to rid him of evil. They argued she did not understand the wrongfulness of her act and therefore met the criteria for a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. The prosecution urged the jury to accept this expert evidence, while the defence prepared to argue otherwise. The trial was set to continue with the jury's deliberation the following day.
Stephen Silver, aged 46 and a resident of Aughaward, Foxford, County Mayo, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years at the Central Criminal Court following his conviction for the murder of Detective Garda Colm Horkan on 17 June 2020 at Castlerea, County Roscommon. Justice Tara Burns imposed the sentence, noting she had no discretion in light of the jury's guilty verdict on the capital murder charge. The court heard that Silver had initially pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. With standard remission for good behaviour, Silver will become eligible for parole consideration after 30 years, when he will be aged 74. Justice Burns emphasised the importance of mental health treatment maintenance, noting evidence that Silver had ceased medication for bipolar affective disorder prior to the shooting. Members of Garda Horkan's family delivered impact statements describing their profound loss and the ongoing trauma caused by his death.
At the Central Criminal Court in Monaghan, victim impact statements were heard in the case of Richard Burke, who pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Jasmine McMonagle on 4 January 2019 at Forest Park, Killygordon, County Donegal. The 28-year-old was found dead in her home following a three-hour standoff with gardaí. Burke, aged 32, had initially pleaded not guilty to murder but accepted responsibility for manslaughter. A jury unanimously returned a manslaughter verdict last month after hearing psychiatric evidence that Burke was suffering from a mental disorder substantially diminishing his responsibility. During today's hearing, Ms McMonagle's mother, Jacqueline, described the devastating impact on her family, whilst her daughter spoke of ongoing trauma and separation from her sibling. The court heard Burke has 23 previous convictions. Justice Paul Burns remanded him in custody pending sentencing on 22 May.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Julie Flood, 51, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity for fatally stabbing her 94‑year‑old father, Patrick Flood, on his birthday in April 2019. The prosecution alleged that Flood was in a psychotic state, claiming God instructed her that her father was an intruder and that she must stab him. She stabbed him with a kitchen knife, left the house, and later flagged down a driver, stating she was after stabbing her daddy. Gardaí arrested and detained her under the Mental Health Act. Patrick Flood was taken to hospital, underwent surgery, but died two days later from a stab wound to the abdomen compounded by severe heart disease. The trial focuses on whether Flood was insane at the time of the act, with expert testimony from both sides expected. The case continues before a jury.
Paul Coffey, a 46‑year‑old Limerick resident with 100 prior convictions, was sentenced to five years in prison for the reckless discharge of a firearm and possession of a firearm in circumstances suggesting it was not for a lawful purpose. He pleaded guilty in March to the offence of discharging a firearm recklessly and to possession of a firearm in circumstances implying unlawful possession. The Central Criminal Court, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Burns, imposed a headline sentence of nine years, but reduced it to six years with the final 12 months suspended for three years in respect of the possession charge. The judge also sentenced Coffey to three years for the reckless discharge offence, to run concurrently. Coffey's sentence will be back‑dated to August 2021, when he first entered custody. He will be required to work with the probation services and keep the peace upon release.
Thomas McCarthy, a fifty-five-year-old father of five, was shot dead at his mother's home in Ballyfermot, Dublin, on 27 July 2020, having been due to return to England that same evening following a three-week visit. The Central Criminal Court heard that Mr McCarthy sustained nine separate gunshot injuries when he answered the door, apparently to what he believed was a postal delivery. Charles McClean, aged thirty-four, of Clondalkin, and Mark Lee, aged thirty-two, of Lucan, have each admitted to facilitating a criminal organisation in connection with the fatal shooting. Detective evidence established that Mr McCarthy had no involvement in criminality and there was no apparent motive for the attack. Victim impact statements were read to the court describing the profound devastation caused to Mr McCarthy's family and his long-term partner. Mr Justice Paul McDermott remanded McClean in custody and Lee on continuing bail to 27 April for sentencing. Thomas McCarthy pleaded guilty. Charles McClean pleaded guilty. Mark Lee pleaded guilty.
A 38-year-old man was sentenced to five years in prison at the Central Criminal Court after pleading guilty to seven counts of assault causing harm to his younger brother. The offences, committed between March 2001 and March 2006 at a Dublin family home, involved the defendant, then aged 16 to 21, subjecting the victim, then aged 11 to 16, to beatings with a nail-studded baton and other violence. Ms Justice Melanie Greally described the conduct as "sadistic" and involving "particular brutality," noting the profound and lasting damage inflicted on the victim. The court heard the defendant has 138 previous convictions and is currently serving a separate five-year sentence for assaulting another brother. Although oral rape charges were withdrawn by the Director of Public Prosecutions during the current trial, the defendant admitted to the seven assault counts. Defence counsel Kathleen Leader SC urged the judge not to extend his custody beyond his current term, citing his history of substance abuse and family instability. Ms Justice Greally handed down a five-year sentence, backdated to February 2020, when the man first entered custody for the other brother's convictions. The judge considered the guilty pleas as a mitigating factor while emphasizing the breach of trust and the vulnerability of the child victim.
During a sentencing hearing in the Central Criminal Court, a nine‑year‑old boy, who has an acquired brain injury and autism, read a victim impact statement about his father, Isaac Horgan, who died from a stab wound to the leg in his Dublin home. The boy, who calls his foster parents Mam and Dad, said he is very sad that he will never see his Daddy again and asked if his Daddy's soul lives in the teddy bear named Blue that his father gave him. The statement, prepared with a social worker, noted the boy's loss will have a lasting impact and that he has never met his birth mother. The hearing also covered the sentencing of Noel Lennon, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter, and Lisa Lee, who was convicted of discarding the knife used in the stabbing. The court adjourned the matter to June 19 for sentencing.
Julie Flood, aged 51 and resident of The Oyle, Oylegate, Co Wexford, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of her 94‑year‑old father, Patrick Flood, who was killed on his birthday, 14 April 2019, at their home. A jury was sworn in at the Central Criminal Court on 17 April 2023, and the trial will begin the following day before Mr Justice Paul McDermott. The court expects to hear from several factual witnesses and medical experts, and the trial is scheduled to last up to three days with a jury of twelve.
Bryan Kennedy, 35, was sentenced by Ms Justice Caroline Biggs at the Central Criminal Court to five years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended. Kennedy had hired a man known as 'AL', described as unhinged and with prior convictions, to murder a Canadian couple who were having an online affair with Kennedy's wife. He paid €8,000 to AL and had planned to kill both women, later considering whether to kill only one. Kennedy accessed his wife's Facebook to obtain details of the couple. He pleaded guilty to soliciting the murder of Stephanie Poirier and her partner Clara Houdebrumette. The judge noted Kennedy's cooperation with Gardaí, his role as a good father, and his depression, but found no mitigating effect in his decision to pursue the plan. The sentence was reduced from an initial headline of eight years to five years with a suspended six‑month portion. Kennedy's address is Mount Tallant Avenue, Harold's Cross, Dublin 6W.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court failed to reach a verdict in the trial of three men accused of raping a teenage girl in a car in December 2017. The complainant, then 17, alleged she was raped in turn by the defendants at a hotel car park in the Leinster area. The first defendant, aged 22, pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault. The second defendant, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. The third defendant, also 23, pleaded not guilty to rape and oral rape. After a three-week trial and over nine hours of deliberation, the jury returned verdicts of disagreed on all eight counts. Ms Justice Greally adjourned the case for mention to April 28 next. Prosecutors argued the complainant explicitly said no, while defence counsel contended the interactions were consensual or that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. Under the 1981 Rape Act, the defendants retain anonymity until conviction, and the complainant remains entitled to anonymity.
A 33-year-old man has been acquitted of murder at the Central Criminal Court following a trial concerning a stabbing at a housing estate in Swinford, County Mayo. The jury, comprising nine men and three women, returned a majority verdict after deliberating for nine hours and 54 minutes over three days. The accused had pleaded not guilty to the murder of a 24-year-old man on 16 November 2020. The defence case centred on self-defence, with the accused maintaining throughout that he feared for his life during the incident. Expert psychiatric evidence was presented indicating the accused has paranoid schizophrenia, which was likely active at the time of the stabbing. A pathologist confirmed the fatal wound was a single stab to the abdomen. Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring thanked the jury for their service in what she described as a difficult trial and excused them from jury duty for ten years.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 56‑year‑old Wexford man was convicted of five sexual assault and two oral rape offences against a 36‑year‑old victim, with incidents spanning 1991 to 2005. His defence argued that the prolific nature of his attacks indicated an underlying compulsion that could be a mitigating personal characteristic, but Judge David Keane dismissed the claim as unattractive and lacking medical evidence. The judge imposed a 14‑year prison term for the rape offences and sentences of three and seven years for the sexual assaults, all concurrent and back‑dated to the date of custody. He did not suspend any portion of the sentence and ordered the offender to be supervised by the Probation Service for two years after release. The victim gave a victim impact statement describing the abuse and her resilience, while the defendant continued to deny the charges.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has sought clarification from Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring on self-defence and intent in the murder trial of Matusz Batiuk (33), formerly of Carrabeg Estate, Swinford, County Mayo. Mr Batiuk has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael McDonagh, who died following a stabbing at the housing estate on November 16, 2020. The jury asked whether self-defence and lack of intent to commit murder or cause serious harm were mutually exclusive. In response, the judge explained that if the jury were not satisfied the accused intended to kill or cause serious harm, manslaughter would be the appropriate verdict. Ms Justice Ring noted Mr Batiuk's longstanding mental health difficulties, instructing the jury to consider him as a person with that illness. The prosecution contends he deliberately stabbed Mr McDonagh with intent to kill, whilst the defence argues he acted in self-defence, believing his life was in danger. The jury is continuing deliberations.
Closing speeches were delivered at the Central Criminal Court for two of three men accused of raping a then-teenage girl in a hotel car park in the Leinster area on December 20, 2017. The first defendant, aged 22, pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault. The second defendant, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. The third defendant, aged 23, who pleaded not guilty to rape and oral rape, is scheduled to deliver his closing speech tomorrow. Defence counsel argued that the complainant's evidence contained inconsistencies and suggested she may have manipulated information to distance herself from her actions. Counsel for the second defendant questioned the plausibility of the complainant not raising an alarm after being allegedly raped in succession by three men. Counsel for the first defendant highlighted the absence of DNA evidence linking his client to the complainant and suggested an alternative verdict of sexual assault might be open to the jury. Both defence teams urged the jury to be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that their clients knew or were reckless about the lack of consent. The trial continues before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and the jury.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has begun deliberations in the case of a man charged with murdering a 24-year-old from County Mayo. Matusz Batiuk, formerly of Carrabeg Estate in Swinford, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael McDonagh, who died from a single stab wound on November 16, 2020. Justice Mary Ellen Ring outlined five possible verdicts available to the jury, ranging from murder to manslaughter verdicts on grounds of self-defence, excessive force, lack of intent to kill, or diminished responsibility. The accused has maintained he acted in self-defence, telling gardaí at the scene that he stabbed Mr McDonagh because he believed his life was in danger. Evidence heard during the trial included testimony from a pathologist regarding the fatal wound and psychiatric assessments of the accused. The judge reminded the jury of conflicting accounts given by a witness present at the property. The jury, comprising nine men and three women, will continue their deliberations on the following day.
In the trial of Michael Scott, who denies murdering his aunt by running over her in an agricultural teleporter, the jury was deliberating for 11 hours and 18 minutes when the court registrar asked if they had reached a unanimous verdict. The judge, Ms Justice Caroline Biggs, offered the option of a majority verdict if ten of the twelve jurors agreed, while encouraging them to continue striving for unanimity. The jury has gone home for the evening and will return tomorrow for the fifth day of deliberations. Mr Scott, 58, of Gortanumera, Portumna, Co Galway, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ms Treacy outside her home in Derryhiney, Portumna, on 27 April 2018. The prosecution alleges that he deliberately reversed over Ms Treacy following a long-running land dispute. Mr Scott's lawyers have stated that her death was a tragic accident.