Gerard McKenna, aged 52, of Rathmullen Park in Drogheda, County Louth, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court following his guilty plea in November to obstructing the investigation into the murder of 17-year-old Kean Mulready Woods. The court heard that McKenna cleaned and painted his house and removed evidence after the teenager was killed there between 12 and 14 January 2020. Blood-stained items recovered from the scene and a nearby burn site included a ballistic vest, an axe, rubber gloves and part of a sofa, all bearing the victim's DNA. The Defence submitted that McKenna had surrendered his house under duress from an organised criminal group and had no prior knowledge of the murder. The prosecution outlined that despite extensive cleaning efforts, forensic evidence remained throughout the property. McKenna was not present during the killing and has seven children with his wife and one from a subsequent relationship.
Four men are currently on trial at the Central Criminal Court, where they have all pleaded not guilty to charges including rape, sexual assault, and false imprisonment. The prosecution alleges that on December 27, 2016, the defendants, aged between 17 and 19, assaulted a 17-year-old complainant at various locations in the midlands. Counsel Lorcan Staines SC told the jury that the men allegedly picked up the complainant, who had a damaged phone, and drove her to a secluded area. The State's case is that the accused raped her "one after another," while others took photos and videos that were posted to Snapchat. It is further alleged that the complainant was falsely imprisoned when she was prevented from leaving the vehicle upon returning to town, where she allegedly suffered further sexual assault. The first accused (22) faces two counts of sexual assault and one count of false imprisonment. The second accused (24) faces two counts of sexual assault, one count of oral rape, and one count of false imprisonment. The third defendant (24) faces an additional count of rape, two counts of sexual assault, and one count of false imprisonment. The fourth accused (23) faces three counts of sexual assault. The first and second accused admit to sexual touching but claim it was consensual. The trial is before Justice Tara Burns and a jury, with proceedings expected to last six weeks.
A 29‑year‑old man, Trevor Rowe of Abbey Street, Kilkenny, pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to the murder of 71‑year‑old pensioner Anne Butler at her home on Maudlin Street on 20 March 2020. A jury of five women and seven men was sworn in by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, who announced the trial would begin the next day and is expected to last ten days.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Feri Anghel, a 42‑year‑old cleaner with Dublin addresses, pleaded "one hundred percent not guilty" to the murder of Ioan Artene Bob, a 49‑year‑old Romanian national who was found dead on 13 April 2018. Anghel was charged with the killing at a location in County Dublin on the same date. The trial, scheduled to last six to seven weeks, was adjourned to 8 March after a juror fell ill and a new member had to be empaneled. The case is before Mr Justice Paul Burns.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court acquitted a 60‑year‑old retired Garda of raping his wife in their family home in Leinster in July 2018. The trial lasted five days and the jury, composed of eight men and four women, returned a unanimous not‑guilty verdict after a little over two hours of deliberation. The defendant had been remanded on bail throughout the proceedings. Prosecutor Patrick Gageby SC presented evidence that the couple had married in 2007, that their marriage had become acrimonious and was effectively broken by 2018, with the wife seeking a divorce. The wife alleged that she was subjected to emotional and psychological abuse, while the defendant denied this and claimed he was the victim of abuse. She testified that on the morning of the alleged rape she was lying in bed when the defendant, naked from the waist down, entered the room, claimed to be "furiously horny" and forced himself on her. The unnamed 60-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 60‑year‑old retired Garda appeared in the Central Criminal Court on 21 February 2022 to deny a rape charge against his wife. He said he had sought a court safety order against her in September 2018, claiming it was to protect himself and his children, and that the alleged rape in July 2018 was a fabrication. He denied any emotional or psychological abuse, stating he was the one abused, and denied using abusive language. He recounted an incident on 2 September 2018 where his wife struck him with a phone, after which he reported the assault to Gardaí and later obtained a protection order. He denied planning any events after the order and said he feared a rape complaint. The trial is ongoing before Ms Justice Karen O'Connor and a jury. The unnamed 60-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 41‑year‑old Romanian national, Feri Anghel, was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court on 21 February 2022. He faces a charge of murdering another Romanian, Ioan Artene Bob, at a Dublin location on 13 April 2018. Anghel pleaded not guilty. Judge Paul McDermott swore in a jury of seven men and five women, who will hear the trial before Judge Paul Burns. The trial is scheduled to begin on Wednesday and is expected to last about six weeks, with the judge noting that the jury may be asked to leave for a period if legal issues arise.
An ex‑soldier, Niall Kennedy, aged 31, was convicted by a jury of 12 counts of rape on eleven occasions in August 2017 and of harassment and threats between February and August 2017. He denied the charges and did not accept the verdicts. Mr Justice Paul Burns sentenced him to 13 years, with 12 years of concurrent sentences and a final two years suspended for five years on strict conditions. Kennedy was ordered to never contact the victim or approach within 200 metres of her location. The court noted Kennedy's lack of remorse, his emotionally illiterate character and above‑average risk of reoffending. The victim, in her early 20s, described a controlling and violent relationship that culminated in repeated rapes and threats, and she expressed fear and trauma following the ordeal. The sentencing hearing highlighted the prolonged cross‑examination of the victim and the complexity of the case.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 60‑year‑old retired Garda pleaded not guilty to a rape charge against his wife, claiming the allegation was a complete fabrication. The trial, conducted by Patrick Gageby SC, presented the defendant's cautioned interview from December 2018, where he alleged constant assault by his wife, including a broken tooth, kicks, spitting, and water thrown at him. He maintained he had never touched her and that she never made a rape claim. He described keeping a packed bag and staying in a box room for the children's sake, asserting he would return if he left. The prosecution's evidence included a family‑law solicitor's notes indicating the wife had discussed emotional abuse and a rape claim in July 2018, and that she sought to use the allegation in family‑law proceedings. The case remains before Ms Justice Karen O'Connor and a jury.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, the wife of a 60‑year‑old retired Garda testified that their marriage had become toxic, with frequent fighting and separate sleeping arrangements since 2012. She said they had consensual sex last in April 2018, but the alleged rape occurred in July 2018 when she was lying in bed and the husband, naked from the waist down, forced himself on her. She resisted, told him to leave, and that he threatened her afterward. She claimed the marriage had irreparably broken down by 2018 and that she had sought a divorce. The court heard that weeks later Gardaí served her with a safety order after the husband alleged she had "smacked" him with a phone while drunk. The trial is ongoing before Justice Karen O'Connor and a jury. The unnamed 60-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 20‑year‑old defendant, Dean Kerrie, claimed he acted in self‑defence when a 25‑year‑old fisherman, Jack Power, entered his home. Kerrie said Power smashed the front window, kicked in the door and attacked his family. He alleged that Power fell onto a knife he had taken from his brother's bed, resulting in a single stab wound to Power's chest that penetrated his heart. Kerrie's defence argued that he had no intention to kill and was merely protecting his home. The prosecution contended that Kerrie deliberately stabbed Power and used excessive force. After nearly seven hours of deliberation, the jury could not reach a verdict and declared a disagreement. Kerrie was remanded on bail pending the next court date. The case remains unresolved. Dean Kerrie pleaded not guilty.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, a jury of eleven deliberated over the case of 20‑year‑old Dean Kerrie, accused of killing 25‑year‑old Jack Power in 2018. Kerrie claimed he was defending his home when Power, a drunk fisherman, entered as a trespasser. The jury asked the judge whether Kerrie's age—he was 17 at the time—merited special consideration, but the judge said no. They also examined two knives found at Kerrie's house, one with no blood and another with Power's DNA. The prosecution argued Kerrie acted unlawfully, while the defence maintained he acted in self‑defence. The jury was instructed to reach a unanimous verdict of guilty of murder, guilty of manslaughter, or not guilty, and was released to return the next day for further deliberation.
Michael Corbett, 32, was convicted in 2018 of attempting to murder a 17‑year‑old at the Hellfire Club, Montpelier Hill, where he used a knife and a piece of timber to strike a teenager. He received a nine‑year sentence, of which six years were suspended; the suspended portion was re‑activated in 2020 after he assaulted other inmates. In 2019 he pleaded guilty to assaulting a psychiatric nurse and was sentenced to five years, with the final two and a half years suspended, and was placed under strict conditions for 15 years. In October 2020 he tried to attack a prison officer at Mountjoy with a homemade shiv made from a toothbrush and a blade. He pleaded guilty to assaulting the officer and producing a weapon. His defence counsel argued that he suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and was not taking his medication, making him a risk to the public.
A jury of seven men and four women returned to the Central Criminal Court on 15 February 2022 to consider the verdict in the murder trial of 20‑year‑old Dean Kerrie. Kerrie, who lives in St Brigid's Square, Portarlington, claimed he acted in self‑defence after a drunken fisherman, Jack Power, 25, entered his home at Shanakiel, Dunmore East, on 26 July 2018. Power was stabbed once in the chest, a wound that pierced his heart. Kerrie pleaded not guilty. Defence counsel Ciaran O'Loughlin SC argued that Kerrie had no intention other than to protect his home and had acted in self‑defence. Prosecution counsel Michael Delaney SC contended that Kerrie had taken the law into his own hands, using excessive force. Justice Eileen Creedon explained that the burden of proof lies with the prosecution and outlined the three possible verdicts: guilty of murder, guilty of manslaughter, or not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court murder trial, 20‑year‑old Dean Kerrie pleaded not guilty to the killing of 25‑year‑old Jack Power, who entered Kerrie's Portarlington home as a trespasser. Kerrie's defence counsel, Ciaran O'Loughlin SC, argued that Kerrie acted in self‑defence, claiming he was attacked and feared for his life. He said Kerrie brandished a knife but did not stab Power, who allegedly fell onto the blade. O'Loughlin highlighted the 999 call where Kerrie expressed fear and stated he stabbed Power "by accident." The prosecution, led by Michael Delaney SC, contended that Kerrie's account was implausible, citing inconsistencies with witnesses, the placement of the knife, and the lack of defensive injuries on Power. Delaney urged the jury to consider whether Kerrie used excessive force and whether a threat justified the stabbing. The case remains at the jury's deliberation stage.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Edmond Cikalleshi, 49, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for raping a woman he had invited for coffee in a Leinster town on 22 June 2017. He pleaded not guilty to the charge, but the court found that DNA evidence matched his semen to the victim, who had been examined at a sexual assault treatment unit immediately after the assault. Cikalleshi's defence admitted consensual sex but the court held the act was non‑consensual. He has been in custody since August 2019 and will serve the term with a suspended year, subject to strict conditions including probation engagement for three years. The sentence was back‑dated to his initial arrest. The victim's impact statement described profound fear, mental distress, and the lasting effects of the rape on her life and family. The judge noted the severity of the offence and the lack of prior convictions in determining the sentence.
A 47‑year‑old Limerick man was jailed for three and a half years after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting his sister in an apartment on 26 October 2019. He had been heavily intoxicated, drinking alcohol and smoking a joint, and had called his sister by another woman's name before telling her he would have sex with her. He dragged her to the bedroom, hit her, pulled down his trousers and grabbed her breasts. The attack ended when neighbours heard screams and intervened. The man had three prior convictions and had been in custody for two years on this and other matters. He was sentenced by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, who noted the unexpected, humiliating nature of the assault and the victim's vulnerability. The judge imposed a four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with the final year suspended for two years, requiring the man to attend rehabilitation, abstain from alcohol and illicit drugs, and receive multi‑agency support.
A woman, aged in her early 20s, described a violent relationship with former soldier Niall Kennedy (31). She met him on Tinder in December 2016 and they began a relationship that involved constant harassment, unwanted contact, and repeated threats to kill her or her friends. Kennedy was convicted in December 2021 of 12 counts of rape on eleven occasions in August 2017, plus multiple counts of harassment and threats. He denied the charges and refused to accept the verdicts. After his conviction, the state objected to his remand on bail, but he was released under strict conditions, including no contact with the victim, sobriety, and a daily curfew. The victim, who was "on high alert" and feared retaliation, gave a victim impact statement describing the abuse, her fear, and her recovery. The court adjourned his sentence hearing to February 21, 2024, and ordered him to be taken into custody.
In a murder trial, 20‑year‑old Dean Kerrie, who was 17 at the time of the incident, testified that Jack Power, 25, entered his home in Portarlington by kicking the front door. Kerrie claimed Power threatened his mother and that Power's attempt to remove a knife from Kerrie's hand led to an accidental stabbing. Kerrie described being choked, thrown to the floor, and later seeing Power's knife on his brother's bed. He said he tried to move out of the way of a kick and that Power's loss of footing caused the stab. Prosecutor Michael Delaney argued the stabbing was deliberate, not accidental, and that Kerrie's statements were false. The case remains in court, with the jury hearing Kerrie's account and the prosecution's counter‑arguments. The trial continues before Justice Eileen Creedon. Dean Kerrie pleaded not guilty.
In 2020 the Central Criminal Court convicted a 60‑year‑old man of 30 counts of sexual assault against 14 girls aged 11 to 17, after he had pleaded guilty in 2002 to ten of those offences and received a nine‑year sentence with two years suspended. The court found that he lured the children into his apartment with money, jewellery and cigarettes before assaulting them. Ms Justice Tara Burns sentenced him to seven years for the additional 20 convictions. The defendant's lawyers appealed, arguing that the announcement of the first Covid lockdown the day before deliberations began, his prior theft convictions in England, missing Facebook messages, delays in prosecution and misdirection of the jury had made the conviction unsafe. The Court of Appeal rejected all grounds, upheld the conviction and affirmed that the jury had not been pressured or misdirected. The judge described the man as a "true predator" who offered a false refuge before assaulting the children.
In the Central Criminal Court, a 21‑year‑old rape victim recounted how, after the assault, she lay in bed picturing ways to end her life. The assault occurred at a house party in May 2017, where the accused, also 21, had arrived after midnight, drank heavily, and entered the victim's bedroom. He removed her underwear, penetrated her, and forced her to roll over, continuing the assault until she managed to get up and leave with her sister. The victim reported the incident to Gardaí on 9 May 2017 and was examined at the Rotunda Hospital. The accused, who has no prior convictions, pleaded not guilty but accepted the jury's verdict. He was sentenced to eight years, with the final year suspended, and must engage with the Probation Service for a year upon release. The judge noted the assault's detrimental impact on the victim's mental well‑being and education.
During the Central Criminal Court hearing on 7 February 2022, a 20‑year‑old accused of murdering 25‑year‑old Jack Power was described as clutching a bottle of holy water moments after telling his cousin he was "after stabbing him." The accused, Dean Kerrie of St Brigid's Square, Portarlington, pleaded not guilty. Witness Shane Fitzgerald, a cousin of Kerrie, recounted that the day before the alleged offence the three men had swum at Badger's Cove and spent the day together, with Fitzgerald returning home at about 11 pm to watch Netflix. At around 3 am the next morning, Fitzgerald heard a loud bang and saw Christopher Lee, Power's best friend, shouting that he was going to kill him. Fitzgerald tried to call Kerrie but received no answer. He then walked to Kerrie's house, where he found Power lying on the ground.
An eye witness, Christopher Lee, 29, broke down while giving evidence in the murder trial of Dean Kerrie, 20, charged with killing 25‑year‑old Jack Power on 26 July 2018. Lee described seeing Power and another man at the entrance of the Shanakiel estate early that morning. He recalled Power running toward Kerrie's house, where a long knife was held. Lee said Power turned to walk toward him, and Kerrie stabbed Power with the knife. Lee, who was shouting at Power, could not see the exact moment of the stabbing but noted Power's back to him and that Power was injured. After the incident, Lee ran to his father's house, called the gardai and ambulance, and used a golf club to break three windows in Kerrie's house. The trial is ongoing before Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury. Dean Kerrie pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a jury may have to consider self‑defence in the trial of Dean Kerrie, then 17, accused of murdering 25‑year‑old Jack Power in his home in Shanakiel, Dunmore East, on 26 July 2018. Kerrie pleaded not guilty. The prosecution, led by Michael Delaney SC, presented evidence that Power, intoxicated after a night out at a local pub, drove to a cul‑de‑sac near Kerrie's house, where he was allegedly agitated over damage to his car's wing mirror. Witness Christopher Lee testified that Power entered Kerrie's house, a scuffle ensued, and Kerrie stabbed Power in the chest with a knife. Power collapsed outside, was taken to hospital, and died from a 13‑cm stab wound. A post‑mortem found blunt‑force trauma to Power's head and a high alcohol level.
A 20‑year‑old man, Dean Kerrie of Portarlington, faces trial for the murder of 25‑year‑old Jack Power in Waterford. The alleged killing occurred on 26 July 2018 at Shanakiel, Dunmore East. Kerrie was arraigned at the Central Criminal Court, pleaded not guilty, and a jury of nine men and three women was sworn in. The trial, before Justice Eileen Creedon, is set to start Thursday morning and is expected to last two weeks.
In the Central Criminal Court, the Director of Public Prosecutions dropped charges against four extended family members accused of sexually abusing three children in Munster. The accused included the children's 79-year-old grandfather, a 33-year-old uncle, his former partner (37), and a 38-year-old woman. All four had previously pleaded not guilty to sample charges. The grandfather faced three counts of sexually assaulting his granddaughter, one count of sexually exploiting her, and one count of failing to report neglect. The uncle was accused of two counts of sexually assaulting his niece. His former partner faced four counts of sexually assaulting the same girl, two counts of sexually exploiting her, and two counts of failing to report exploitation and child cruelty. The 38-year-old woman was charged with two counts of sexually assaulting two boys and one count of failing to report neglect. These disposals follow last month's sentencing, where the children's father and mother were jailed for 15 and nine years respectively for sexual abuse and wilful neglect. Two uncles, aged 49 and 27, received 15-year sentences, while a maternal aunt (35) was jailed for three years for sexually assaulting two children. Mr Justice Paul McDermott described the parents' actions as a profound breach of trust, noting the children were isolated and subjected to appalling, prolonged abuse.
A 62‑year‑old man was jailed for 12 years after pleading guilty to 15 charges of sexual assault, including oral, anal and vaginal rape, and a single incident of sexual abuse involving a cucumber. The offences occurred between 2018 and 2019 in his Co Kildare home when the victim was aged 13 to 15. He believed the 15‑year‑old girl was his biological daughter, a belief that was disproved by a DNA test after her 2020 birth. The man used emotional manipulation, alcohol and drugs to groom the victim, who had autism. He was ordered to have no contact with the girl or her family, to undergo five years of post‑release supervision, and to never be alone with a child under 18 without supervision. The court noted the victim's strength and the serious harm caused. The sentence was back‑dated to the time of his arrest.
Jose Lacerna Pena, 33, was convicted of orally raping a woman on Wicklow Street, Dublin, on 26 September 2017. The jury found him guilty after the judge noted that the assault was carried out "brazenly in the most public and humiliating manner" as people walked by. Pena, originally from Bolivia and without a fixed address, pleaded not guilty. In April 2020 he received a six‑year prison sentence. He has never accepted the verdict and appealed the conviction. The Court of Appeal, hearing the case in November, rejected his appeal. Justice Isobel Kennedy, sitting with Justices John Edwards and Patrick McCarthy, held that the jury was correctly instructed that the issue was lack of consent, not capacity. The appeal was dismissed, confirming the conviction and the sentence. The victim's impact statement described lasting emotional harm and gratitude to the men who intervened.
In a Dublin case, Colm Doyle, aged 60, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for sexually abusing his younger adopted sister, Doreen Stamp, over a six‑year period from 1974 to 1979. Doyle began molesting the girl when she was about ten, claiming the abuse was justified because they were not biological siblings and that a priest had told him to practice sex on her. He pleaded guilty to 28 counts of indecent assault and rape, part of an indictment of 103 charges. At sentencing, the judge accepted the victim's impact statement, noting the prolonged nature of the abuse, the victim's young age, and Doyle's role as an older sibling. Doyle was given a 33% reduction for his youth at the time of the offences and a 40% reduction for pleading guilty, resulting in a six‑year custodial term. The court also acknowledged Doyle's remorse and low risk of reoffending.
In a Dublin court, Alan Ward, aged 54, was sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering his wife, Catherine Doyle, 41, on 1 March 2019. The judge described the case as part of a "conveyor belt" of domestic‑violence tragedies. Ward denied the murder, claiming diminished responsibility due to a stroke‑induced mental disorder. A jury rejected this defence after hearing evidence of long‑standing violence, including threats and an attempted stabbing of his son Adam. Ward received concurrent five‑year sentences for those offences. The court heard a family statement praising Doyle as a kind, loving mother. Ward's lawyers highlighted his remorse, while the prosecution noted his history of aggression and alcohol use. The case underscored the court's call for people to seek help in abusive relationships. The unnamed accused was convicted.
In January 2022, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal of John Giltrap, 61, who had been convicted of 20 counts of rape against Caroline Kavanagh, a girl aged between 10 and 15, during 1978‑1982 in Bunclody. Giltrap had originally pleaded not guilty to 22 counts but was found guilty on 20 by a jury at the Central Criminal Court in Kilkenny in December 2020 and sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment on each count, with the terms running concurrently. He argued the verdict was "perverse" and "contrary to the weight of evidence." The appellate judges, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, rejected the appeal, stating there was no evidence of jury speculation. Ms Kavanagh, present in the gallery, expressed relief at the decision, noting that Giltrap's lawyers were considering a further appeal of the sentence length.
A 14‑year‑old boy was found guilty of defiling a 16‑year‑old girl in a public park on 31 December 2019. The victim, now 16, described the assault as a nightmare that she relives each New Year's Eve, saying she cannot trust anyone and fears she will never feel normal again. She told the court that the boy "took advantage of my body and my vulnerability." The boy pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court. Judge Paul McDermott, applying the Children Act 2001, said a detention order should be a last resort and deferred a four‑year detention order, setting a future hearing for 19 December. He remanded the boy on bail with strict conditions, including no contact with the victim, compliance with the Probation Service, and no further offences. The boy denied unlawful sex but admitted other sexual activity, claiming the victim was the instigator and that consent was involved, a view he now rejects.
A man has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years for manslaughter following the death of his uncle in a house fire at Derrylurgan, Ballyjamesduff, County Cavan in August 2018. Daniel Murray (40) pleaded guilty to manslaughter and arson intending to endanger life, having initially faced a murder charge. At the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed a headline sentence of twelve years, suspended eighteen months of the final term. The court heard Murray set fire to sheets with a lighter in an act of revenge against his uncle Patrick Oliver Murray, who died from smoke inhalation. The judge noted Murray's prior history of arson convictions, his indifference to his uncle's welfare following the blaze, and a pattern of setting fires to neighbouring properties. In mitigation, the court considered Murray's guilty plea, expressed remorse, and engagement with addiction services. The sentence was backdated to August 2021 when Murray entered custody.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, Graham Daly, aged 37, was convicted by a jury of seven counts of raping and sexually abusing his younger brother Thomas over a four‑year period from 1998 to 2002. The abuse, which began when Thomas was 10, included inappropriate touching, oral and anal rape, and largely took place in their family home in Limerick. Daly, a teacher from Clonree, Newport, Co. Tipperary, denied the charges and claimed his brother was lying out of jealousy and a desire to destroy his life, citing his brother's sexuality. Thomas, who waived anonymity, testified about the long‑term impact on his life and family, describing the abuse as a secret kept for 18 years. Justice Karen O'Connor sentenced Daly to eight and a half years, treating him as a juvenile because the offences ended when he turned 18, and back‑dated the term to his recent custody.
In March 2021, Dean McCarthy, 32, shot Sinead Connolly three times in front of her daughter at Bernard Curtis House, Bluebell, Dublin, leaving her paralysed below the chest. At the Central Criminal Court, McCarthy pleaded guilty to attempted murder and to possession of a Grand Power semi‑automatic handgun with intent to endanger life. His case was adjourned to 8 April for a sentencing hearing, with a victim impact statement and probation report to be prepared. The registrar recorded his plea as "guilty.".
The Central Criminal Court adjourned the sentencing of a 31‑year‑old man convicted of 14 counts of rape, one count of harassment and three counts of threatening to kill or cause serious harm. The defendant, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, could not be named to protect the victim's anonymity. The offences occurred in August 2017 and on Christmas Eve 2016. Defending counsel Desmond Hayes BL informed Judge Paul Burns that the defendant had tested positive for Covid‑19 and was therefore absent. Judge Burns, initially concerned that the defendant might be "playing ducks and drakes," accepted the medical reason and allowed the defendant to remain on bail until February 2 for sentencing. He instructed the Garda to monitor the defendant's compliance with bail conditions, which include no contact with the victim, surrender of his passport, sobriety, and a daily curfew. Antonia Boyle BL, the prosecutor, expressed the complainant's desire for a swift resolution.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced a Munster family to a combined 24 years for sexual abuse, exploitation and wilful neglect of their children. The 57‑year‑old father received 15 years for 31 offences, including rape of his three eldest children, sexual assault, exploitation and child cruelty. The 34‑year‑old mother was jailed for nine years for 25 offences, including sexual assault, exploitation and neglect. The children's 49‑year‑old uncle was sentenced to 15 years for 10 counts of rape, assault and exploitation. His 35‑year‑old wife received three years for sexually assaulting two children. The 27‑year‑old maternal uncle was jailed for 15 years for eight of nine charges, including rape and exploitation. The judge noted the children suffered enormous pain and that the offenders showed no remorse. The unnamed 49-year-old was found guilty.
A 25‑year‑old Latvian man, Valerijs Leitons, was sentenced to 13 years in prison with the final year suspended for five years, after a jury found him guilty of manslaughter with substantially diminished responsibility for the stabbing death of 34‑year‑old Latvian translator Valdgeima at the Binary Hub aparthotel in Dublin on 26 June 2019. Leitons, who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and had stopped taking his medication, told investigators that he and Valdgeima were "playing a sexual game" and that he believed she was an enemy agent. He stabbed her more than 50 times, killing her. The judge noted that the mental disorder could diminish but not eliminate his culpability, and set a headline sentence of 15 years, reduced to 13 years with a suspended year. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court, with witnesses describing the attack as brutal and pre‑meditated, and the victim's family delivering impact statements. The unnamed 25-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 17 January 2022, a 37‑year‑old man from County Limerick, whose brother is unnamed to protect anonymity, told the court that his parents would rather believe he was lying than accept that their eldest son was a paedophile rapist. He had been sexually abused by his older brother, aged 14 to 18, between 1998 and 2002, including at the family home. The victim had kept the abuse secret for 18 years, sharing it with his father in 2015 and with Gardaí in early 2016, but his parents only supported him if he kept the matter private. He said the family blamed him, sided with his brother, and forced him out of the home. He described ongoing mental health struggles, including depression, insomnia, PTSD and suicidal thoughts, and stated that no sentence would change his loss of 18 years of life. The unnamed man was found guilty.
A man who pleaded guilty to manslaughter following the death of his uncle in a house fire at Derrylurgan, Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan in August 2018 appeared before the Central Criminal Court. Daniel Murray (40) admitted setting fire to sheets with a lighter, causing the blaze that killed Patrick Oliver Murray through smoke inhalation. The court heard Murray had 48 previous convictions, including multiple arson offences. When informed of his uncle's death, Murray reportedly enquired about the family dog rather than expressing concern about the fatality. Murray subsequently told gardai he had intended only to frighten his uncle and sought to take revenge over past grievances, stating the fire "went the wrong way". A victim impact statement described the deceased as a quiet, good-humoured man who had cared for their elderly mother. The defence submitted Murray had acted recklessly but unintentionally, with heavy alcohol consumption contributing to his actions. Justice Paul McDermott adjourned sentencing to January 25.
A 23‑year‑old Stephen Butler was jailed for four years after he killed his 48‑year‑old father John Butler during a fist‑fight that erupted moments after the pair left a pub in Portlaw, Co. Waterford. Butler told gardai he did not intend to kill his father and claimed the fight was simply a row. He pleaded not guilty to murder but admitted manslaughter. After an eight‑day trial in October 2021, the jury accepted his defence and he was remanded for sentencing. At the hearing, Mr Justice Paul Burns noted the lack of premeditation, no weapon, and Butler's remorse. The judge sentenced Butler to five years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended for five years, citing his lack of prior convictions, early guilty plea, cooperation with investigators and genuine remorse. The case highlighted the tragic impact on Butler's sister Katilyn, who lost her father and now struggles to forgive her brother.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Wayne Whelan, a 42‑year‑old gangster, was shot at least three times in the head and found in a burning car on 18 November 2019. His sister Hazel Grainger testified that Whelan trusted Anthony Casserly, who lured him to his death under the pretense of watching a soccer match. Casserly, 25, pleaded guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder, while Christopher Moran, 52, pleaded guilty as the getaway driver. The court heard that Whelan's body was in the passenger seat of a Toyota Corolla that was set on fire, and DNA analysis was required to identify him. The hearing focused on the relationship between Whelan and Casserly, the events leading to the murder, and the evidence presented by the prosecution and defence. Casserly is scheduled for sentencing on 31 January. The case remains at the sentencing stage, with no verdict yet.
In 2014, a Central Criminal Court jury found Andrzej Benko, 50, guilty of attempting to murder his wife Joanna Benko by striking her with a lump hammer while she slept. He was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy. Benko appealed, arguing that his cooperation with Gardaí after arrest warranted a shorter term. The Court of Appeal, in a written judgment delivered on 13 January 2022, rejected the appeal, affirming the 15‑year sentence. Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh, sitting with Mr Justice George Birmingham and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, noted the case's "alarming features" and the severe, lifelong injuries inflicted on Mrs Benko, who now requires full‑time care and cannot care for her son. The court also recorded that Benko had admitted striking his wife's head at least three times and that he had intended to kill her that morning. The appeal was dismissed, leaving the original sentence intact. Andrzej Benko pleaded not guilty.
A 26-year-old man from Cavan has been sentenced to four and a half years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court following his guilty pleas to sexually abusing two young children in their home during summer 2014. The defendant, who cannot be named to protect the victims' anonymity, was their uncle and had been left in their care while babysitting. He pleaded guilty to the sexual exploitation of a four-year-old girl and the rape of her older brother. The abuse came to light in 2014 when the younger child disclosed the assault to her mother, but prosecution was delayed after the defendant relocated to the United Kingdom. He returned to Ireland in March 2020 and was subsequently arrested. Mr Justice Paul McDermott noted the breach of trust and imposed conditions including a suspended final year, a prohibition on unsupervised contact with children, and mandatory engagement with sex offender treatment programmes. The children's mother described the abuse as "a parent's worst nightmare.
A man has been sentenced to ten years imprisonment following his conviction at the Central Criminal Court in Sligo on 31 counts of sexual assault and rape offences against a teenage boy in County Donegal between 1995 and 2000. The 59-year-old, with an address in Ballina, Falcarragh, was found guilty by jury after a trial that represented the fourth legal proceeding in the case. Earlier trials had been discharged for legal reasons or resulted in hung juries. The complainant, now aged 39, described enduring six years of "complete torture" through the protracted court process since first reporting the matter to gardaí in October 2015. He testified four times during proceedings. Mr Justice David Keane imposed a headline sentence of thirteen years, reduced to ten years to account for mitigating factors including the defendant's lack of prior convictions. A three-year post-release supervision order was also imposed. The defendant intends to appeal his conviction, and has been registered as a sex offender.
In a victim impact statement for the Central Criminal Court sentencing hearing, the eldest boy in the Munster sexual abuse case, now a teenager, said he believes his parents and other family members who abused him should go to jail for a long time. He described how the abuse at home changed his life, that he had never known a normal life until joining a foster family, and that he is now clean, happy, never hungry and not afraid to sleep. He added that the abusers should not be near children again. The statement was read in court alongside other victim impact statements. The five children's parents and three other family members were found guilty on all but one of the 78 counts against them after a 10‑week trial. The defendants denied all charges. The children were taken into care in 2016 and are protected by reporting restrictions. The court adjourned the matter for finalisation on 18 January.
In a 2016 murder trial, James Lammon, aged 48, was found guilty by a unanimous jury of the brutal, pre‑meditated killing of Jason Doogue in Athy, Co. Kildare, and sentenced to life imprisonment. Lammon appealed, arguing that his counsel failed to challenge a disputed Garda Daniel O'Shea memo that he had allegedly recorded a conversation in an exercise yard after his arrest. The memo, which Lammon denied ever occurred, was admitted in edited form. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Justice George Birmingham, rejected the appeal, concluding that Lammon had been informed of the prosecution's proposal regarding the memo, had understood it, and had instructed his legal team to accept it. The court found no evidence that his counsel acted contrary to his instructions and dismissed the appeal, leaving the life sentence in place.
In a court hearing on 21 December 2021, solicitor Sinead Nolan spoke for Kevin Sheehy's family, expressing relief that the case had concluded after two years of grief and a two‑week court session. She highlighted Kevin's life as a respected gentleman and promising boxer, noting his loss of future potential and his daughter Kevaeh's inability to meet him. The family thanked emergency services and others who supported them. The court delivered a life sentence to the accused, which the family accepted as a form of justice. Victim impact statements were read by Tracey Tully, her daughter Cassidy, cousin Thomas Lysaght, and partner Emma Colbert, each describing the profound personal loss, ongoing trauma, and the enduring memory of Kevin as a kind, talented, and devoted individual. The statements underscored the deep emotional impact on the family and community, while the court's decision marked the end of the legal proceedings.
Jonathan Reid, 27, of Newhall, Naas, pleaded guilty in the Central Criminal Court to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Greg Shiels on 6 March 2020 at New Hall, contrary to Section 4 of the Non‑Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997. The State will later enter a nolle prosequi on the attempted murder charge. Mr Justice Paul McDermott fixed a sentence hearing for 21 March 2022, remanded Reid to remain in custody until that date, and ordered the preparation of a victim impact statement, a governor's report and a probation report.
A man from Coventry, England, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Kevin Sheehy, a five-times Irish boxing champion, at the Central Criminal Court. Logan Jackson, aged 31, was found guilty by unanimous jury verdict of murdering the 20-year-old at Hyde Road in Limerick city on 1 July 2019. Jackson had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The jury rejected his defence of provocation. Evidence presented at trial established that Jackson repeatedly ran over Mr Sheehy with a Mitsubishi Shogun jeep following a brief altercation outside a house party. A concurrent sentence of seven years was imposed on a second conviction for endangerment involving dangerous driving. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon backdated the sentence to 1 July 2019, when Jackson entered custody. Victim impact statements were read to the court by Mr Sheehy's family members.