During the Central Criminal Court trial of Lorcan Merriman, a witness, Bernadette Hanlon, testified that she heard a series of loud bangs at 11:35 pm on 25 April 2016 while watching television in her apartment overlooking Thomas Farnan's garden. She said she jumped to the window, heard about four more bangs, and saw a tall, thin man in a dark silver or grey hoodie running out of Farnan's driveway, "like a hare", crossing the street and heading toward the Grand Canal. Hanlon identified the man as young and presumed he was fleeing the scene. Another witness, Kyle Shorten, reported hearing bangs and seeing a person in dark clothing leave the area with a gun in his left hand. Garda Keith Cleary, who was on patrol that night, described arriving at Kilcronan Close after a call and speaking to people outside Farnan's home. Lorcan Merriman pleaded not guilty.
Stephen Penrose, 38, accused of murdering 24‑year‑old Philip Finnegan in Kildare woods, has re‑engaged solicitor Michael French while junior counsel Eoghan Weldon may return to represent him. He has not retained senior counsel Anthony Sammon. Penrose has repeatedly declined to attend his trial, which is in its fourth week at the Central Criminal Court. He previously represented himself, cross‑examining witnesses and accusing a Garda inspector of lying. The judge warned him that continued abuse of witnesses could lead to his removal from the courtroom. Penrose's trial continues with jurors hearing his multiple Garda interviews, where he gave conflicting accounts of the victim's movements and the location of the body. The prosecution has presented evidence of a bloodied glove DNA‑matched to Penrose and phone data linking him to the area where Finnegan's body was found. Stephen Penrose pleaded not guilty.
During a late‑night visit to her dentist, Elaine Heffernan was awakened by three gentle taps on the letterbox. She thought a neighbour was knocking, but as Thomas Farnan opened the front door a gunman fired a single shot that killed him before he could even open the door. He fell slowly, and Heffernan tried to stop him, but he was already dead. Neighbours arrived, one checked his pulse and confirmed he was gone. The shooting took place at Kilcronan Close, Clondak in the early hours of 25 or 26 April 2016. Lorcan Merriman, 25, of Lealand Close, Clondak, is on trial for the murder and has pleaded not guilty. The trial is being heard by Mr Justice David Keane with a jury of nine men and three women. The case remains at the murder‑trial stage.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 37‑year‑old man known to the gardai was shot dead while speaking to his mother on the phone at the front door of his home. The case concerns 25‑year‑old Lorcan Merriman of Lealand Close, Clondalkin, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Thomas Farnan at Kilcronan Close, Clondalkin, on the evening of 25 or 26 April 2016. According to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Farnan was at home talking to his mother when, at 23:43, he heard a knock and opened the door. He was shot at least five times and died almost immediately. Neighbours reported seeing a lone male running from the scene with a gun, wearing a balaclava or ski mask.
In 2016 a 39‑year‑old man was convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court on 48 counts of rape, oral rape, rape with a screwdriver, rape with a vibrator and sexual assault at two Dublin locations between 2000 and 2005. He was sentenced to 11 years. The appeal, heard at the Court of Appeal, argues that the sentence was excessive because one third of the offences were committed when the offender was under 18 and that his youth should have been given greater weight. The appellant's counsel claims the trial judge erred in setting a 14‑year headline sentence and that the offender had no prior convictions. The appeal is pending; the court has not yet ruled on the sentence. The case remains an ongoing appeal.
A 32‑year‑old man, previously convicted of strangling his ex‑girlfriend, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for repeatedly beating and twice raping his 12‑year‑old step‑daughter between September 2019 and May 2020. He pleaded not guilty to charges of child cruelty, assault causing harm, sexual assault and rape. A jury convicted him on one assault‑causing‑harm charge, six child‑cruelty charges, three sexual‑assault charges and two rape charges. He has been in custody since June 2020. The court noted the victim's fear of the man, her life in a foster family, and the man's history of violent offending and failure to comply with early‑release conditions in his native country. Justice Deirdre Murphy imposed the 15‑year term, considered suspending the final two years if he undertakes anger‑management treatment and refrains from contacting the victim, and discussed post‑release supervision. The man maintains his innocence.
A highly educated man, now in his 70s, was convicted of sexually abusing his teenage nephew during a sleep‑over at his grandmother's house. The abuse began on 1 April 1989 when the nephew was 14 and continued for two years until 30 April 1991, when the man was 46. He was found guilty by a jury on 20 January 2017 of five counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual assault after a seven‑day trial. The judge sentenced him to eight years' imprisonment on all counts, with the final two years suspended. The man appealed, arguing that the case was prejudiced because the grandmother, a key witness, died in 1998 and the trial judge failed to withdraw the case. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, stating that the unavailability of the grandmother did not deprive the defendant of a realistic defence.
Keith Connorton, in his 40s, was convicted of murdering Graham McKeever, 32, on 18 February 2017 after finding McKeever sleeping with his partner, Claire McGrath, in their Tallaght flat. Connorton stabbed McKeever four times, the fatal blow penetrating the heart. He pleaded not guilty, claiming self‑defence, and later appealed, arguing that the trial judge erred in applying section 16 of the Criminal Justice Act (2006) and in allowing McGrath's 999 call to be admitted. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, finding no error of law and confirming the jury's 10‑2 guilty verdict. The court noted that McGrath's evidence was critical to the trial and that the judge was correct to admit the recording of her 999 call. Connorton remains sentenced to life imprisonment.
In the Central Criminal Court, Stephen Penrose, aged 38, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Philip Finnegan, 24, who was found decapitated in a Kildare woods on 10 August 2016. A Garda officer reported finding a blue Alfa Romeo car in Kilcock on 13 August, with extensive blood splatter on the gearstick and driver's door. The vehicle, registered in Portarlington, was seized as it was believed to contain evidence of the assault. Paramedic Terry Devine treated Penrose for a stab wound to his left arm, noting blood-soaked socks. Penrose claimed five men were involved in an incident where Finnegan was stabbed and he fled in the car. Inspector Aidan Hannon recounted that Penrose was stabbed through a window while driving the Alfa Romeo, after which he stopped, removed his sock, and left the vehicle. The trial continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and 12 jurors.
Christopher Moran, aged 51, pleaded guilty to being the getaway driver in the fatal shooting of gangster Wayne Whelan. The Director of Public Prosecutions accepted his plea. Moran's co‑accused, Anthony Casserly, 25, also pleaded guilty to participating in or contributing to Whelan's murder, and his plea was likewise accepted. Whelan was shot dead on 18 November 2019 at Mount Andrew Rise in Lucan, Co. Dublin, and the car he was in was set on fire with his remains inside. Moran was charged under Section 7(2) of the Criminal Law Act 1997 for impeding the apprehension of an offender, while Casserly was charged under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 for involvement in a criminal organisation. The case was heard by Mr Justice David Keane, who discharged the jury after the DPP indicated that pleas to lesser charges would be accepted.
A 15‑year‑old boy, whose identity is withheld because he is a minor, is charged with the murder of Urantsetseg Tserendorj, a Mongolian national who lived in Dublin. Ms Tserendorj was stabbed on her walk home from work at 9:30 pm on 20 January 2021 at the Custom House Quay building and died two weeks later at Mater Hospital. The boy also faces charges of possession of a knife and robbery arising from the same incident. Judge Paul McDermott set a trial date of 14 March 2022 and urged a swift, appropriate proceeding.
Ibrahim Ahmed Gharib, 43, an Egyptian national, was convicted of raping a 27‑year‑old foreign student in her home after following her from a bus stop. He also denied sexual assault on a bus journey from Dublin to Carlow. In February 2018, a jury at the Central Criminal Court sentenced him to 12 years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, following a three‑week trial. Gharib appealed to reduce the sentence, arguing the 12‑year term was too high and that the judge should have suspended a larger portion. The Court of Appeal rejected the appeal. Judge George Birmingham upheld the original sentence, noting the victim endured significant violence, a threat to kill, and no remorse from Gharib. The court recorded the victim's impact statement, describing her fear and loss of trust after the assault. Ibrahim Ahmed Gharib pleaded not guilty.
A jury was sworn in to hear the trial of Anthony Casserly, 25, and Christopher Moran, 51, both from Rowlagh Park, Clondalkin, who pleaded not guilty to the murder of Wayne Whelan at Mount Andrew Court, Lucan, on 18 November 2019. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, is expected to last four weeks.
A 22‑year‑old man was sentenced to one year and ten months in prison for defilement after a Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty of having sex with a 15‑year‑old girl at a Dublin house party in June 2018. The victim, who is unnamed to protect her identity, gave a victim impact statement in which she said the offence had a massive toll on her life and mental well‑being, robbed her of her virginity, and caused a loss of motivation for her studies. She described herself as standoffish with men and said the man's actions had made her feel like a liar. The judge, Mr Justice Paul Coffey, noted the defendant's 107 previous convictions, mainly for theft and burglary, and his history of alcohol and drug abuse, but also that he had no prior sexual offences. The unnamed 22-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, 38‑year‑old Stephen Penrose, accused of murdering Philip Finnegan, is representing himself in his trial. During cross‑examination of Inspector Aidan Hannon, Penrose repeatedly accused the witness of lying under oath, shouting "you're a liar" and demanding Hannon be dismissed. Judge Alexander Owens warned Penrose that if he continued to "abuse" and "ballyrag" witnesses he would be taken to the cells and barred from participating in his own trial. Owens also cautioned that barristers may not call witnesses liars under oath. Penrose's outbursts included shouting at the jury and threatening to have the witness's statement taken. The judge called the behaviour contempt of court and ordered Penrose to sit down or face removal. The trial, expected to last five to six weeks, continues with the judge and 12 jurors present. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court on 14 October 2021, Angela Finnegan, mother of the missing 24‑year‑old Philip Finnegan, was cross‑examined by Stephen Penrose, the man accused of murdering her son. Ms Finnegan confirmed that Philip had been in contact with Penrose on the morning of 10 August 2016, the day he disappeared, and that he had been "in good form" when she last saw him. She stated that Philip had been looking for directions to Cloverhill Courthouse and that she had tried to reach him again at 4.40 pm, but his phone was off. Ms Finnegan also agreed with the prosecution that a named man in Portlaoise Prison had threatened Philip and that this man was present in the prison at the time of Philip's disappearance. Stephen Penrose pleaded not guilty. Angela Finnegan pleaded not guilty.
The trial of Stephen Penrose, 38, for the murder of 24‑year‑old Philip Finnegan, began on 13 October 2021. The prosecution, led by Brendan Grehan SC, presented evidence that Finnegan's decapitated body was found buried in a shallow grave in Rahin Woods, Kildare, after attempts to cut and burn it. A bloodied glove recovered from the woods matched Penrose's DNA. Penrose had been seen in a blue Alfa Romeo on CCTV near a fast‑food restaurant in Kilcock on the day of the murder and had claimed to have been attacked by men, a story the court said was inconsistent with the evidence. The prosecution argued that Penrose had killed Finnegan in the woods, disposed of the body, and then lied to Gardaí to conceal the location. The trial is scheduled to continue for five to six weeks. Stephen Penrose pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, Valerijs Leitons, a 25‑year‑old Latvian national with paranoid schizophrenia, was found guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility for stabbing his lover, 34‑year‑old Ms Valdgeima, to death on 26 June 2019 at the Binary Hub aparthotel. The jury, after eight hours and 34 minutes of deliberation over two days, returned a verdict of guilty of manslaughter by a majority of ten to two. Leitons had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, but the jury rejected that defence, concluding he did not meet the three criteria for that verdict. The case involved a complex psychiatric history, with expert witnesses presenting differing views on Leitons' mental state. The judge remanded him in custody until a sentencing hearing on 8 December, with a victim impact report to be prepared. The trial highlighted the interplay between mental disorder and criminal responsibility in Irish law.
A 38‑year‑old man named Stephen Penrose, who lives on Newtown Court, Malahide Road, Coolock, Dublin 17, is set to go on trial for the murder of Philip Finnegan, a 24‑year‑old man, in Rahin Woods, Rahin, Co Kildare, on 10 August 2016. Penrose was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court and pleaded not guilty. The judge, Mr Justice Paul McDermott, noted that Penrose is from west Kildare and Finnegan was from the south inner city of Dublin, and that most of the Gardaí involved are from the Leixlip area of Co Kildare. He mentioned that there is substantial CCTV footage, telecommunication experts and technical witnesses. A jury of eight men and four women was sworn in, and the trial, to be heard by Mr Justice Alexander Owens, is expected to last between five and six weeks.
Grace Miano, aged 53, was charged with the murder of Malawian man Limbani 'Robert' Mzoma, aged 27, at Tudor Lawns, Foxrock, Dublin, on 1 November 2018. She was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity by a unanimous jury verdict. On 11 October 2021, she appeared before Mr Justice Paul McDermott at the Central Criminal Court. Prosecutor Elva Duffy presented a report from a consultant psychiatrist at the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) recommending that Miano remain in the hospital for ongoing treatment. The psychiatrist diagnosed her with schizoaffective disorder and noted progress but a risk of relapse. Mr Justice McDermott committed Miano to the CMH under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006 to continue her treatment. Miano's defence counsel, Michael Bowman SC, described her delusions, including believing she was possessed by Princess Diana and that she killed Mzoma to protect Prince William and women.
Gerard Lynch, 34, of Main Street, Pallaskenry, Co Limerick, was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of his brother, Willie Lynch. Lynch pleaded guilty last May to the December 30, 2017, killing. At the sentence hearing, Detective Sergeant Michael Reidy told prosecuting counsel Bernard Condon SC that Lynch entered a nearby shop with blood on his hands, roaring for help, before locals discovered the victim's body. The Assistant State Pathologist reported four stab wounds, with the fatal injury damaging the thorax. Lynch admitted to stabbing his brother and identified the weapon. He had 36 previous convictions, including a three-year jail term in 2007 for arson. His barrister, Mark Nicholas SC, described the case as "absolutely tragic," noting Lynch's history of psychiatric admissions, ADHD, and substance use. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed the mandatory life sentence, backdated to 2017 when Lynch first went into custody. The judge agreed to attach a transcript of the hearing to Lynch's file, allowing the parole board to consider the mitigating factors under the Parole Act 2019, and expressed sympathy to the Lynch family.
A Dublin man, Mark Whelan, aged 48, was found guilty of murder by a unanimous jury at the Central Criminal Court after he stabbed Noel Whelan, 22, to death on 30 March 2019. Whelan was intoxicated with a mixture of cocaine, cannabis and benzodiazepines at the time of the offence and claimed he was psychotic through intoxication, not knowing the nature or wrongness of his actions. The jury rejected this defence and returned a guilty verdict in two hours. The judge, Ms Justice Tara Burns, confirmed that the prosecution and defence had accepted that Whelan killed Noel Whelan and that the evidence did not meet the threshold for diminished responsibility or not‑guilty by reason of insanity. The case was adjourned to 15 November for sentencing and victim impact statements. The trial included expert testimony from Dr Francis Kelly and Professor Harry Kennedy, who found no underlying mental disorder. Mark Whelan pleaded not guilty.
In the murder trial of Mark Whelan, 48, the judge instructed the jury that an insanity verdict was not an option and that they must decide whether Whelan could form the intent to kill. The jury was told that the prosecution and defence had accepted that Whelan killed Noel Thomas Whelan, 22, on 30 March 2019. The judge explained that the evidence did not meet the threshold for diminished responsibility or not‑guilty by reason of insanity. He asked the jury to consider whether Whelan was capable of forming the intention to cause serious harm or to kill, and if he did so on the night. The court heard defence counsel Dr Francis Kelly argue that Whelan was intoxicated, psychotic and did not know the nature of his act, while the State's witness Prof Harry Kennedy found no mental disorder, attributing his behaviour to poly‑substance abuse. The judge reminded the jury that only a unanimous verdict was available. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty and was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Mark Whelan pleaded not guilty.
The jury in the Central Criminal Court case of Valerijs Leitons, a 25‑year‑old Latvian national, has paused its deliberations after four hours and ten minutes of discussion. Leitons, who pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, is charged with murdering his affair partner, Skaidrite Valdgeima, 34, on 26 June 2019 at the Binary Hub aparthotel. The trial established that the couple had a sexual relationship that began in May 2019. A pathologist reported Valdgeima suffered multiple penetrating wounds, including defence‑type injuries on both arms. Two forensic psychiatrists testified about Leitons' mental state: Dr Damien Smith, representing the prosecution, said he did not meet the criteria for a not‑guilty‑by‑reason‑of‑insanity verdict, while Dr Ronan Mullaney, for the defence, argued he did. The jury must decide between a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity or guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
In County Kerry, a 61‑year‑old man is set to be sentenced for repeatedly raping his wife's niece between 1990 and 1994. The victim, now 41, reported the abuse to gardaí in 2019, describing how the perpetrator would force her to lie on her side, hold her hips tightly and rape her each morning, starting when she was nine. She had visited the couple's home regularly and often slept in the same bed. The man was arrested in May 2019 after a confrontation with the victim's parents, during which he admitted to having sex with her. He pleaded guilty to four of the 13 charges. The court will consider his plea and the victim's impact statement before sentencing on 22 November 2021.
Mark Whelan, aged 48, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Noel Thomas Whelan on 30 March 2019. He claimed a vision of his daughter's partner killing and eating her unborn baby prompted him to stab Noel to bits. Whelan left the scene, turned himself in at Finglas Garda Station, and was held overnight. During the trial, he described hearing his mother's voice and a vision of Noel murdering his daughter, leading him to stab Noel with two knives. He also admitted cutting himself while stabbing and later fighting two men in Blanchardstown Village. Gardaí noted Whelan's self‑harm behaviors in custody, including attempts to gouge his eye and eat toilet paper. The prosecution presented evidence of psychosis medication, painkillers, and an empty methodone bottle found at the scene. The case was concluded by the State, with the defence planning to call medical evidence at the next hearing.
A 32‑year‑old man, who had served a 10‑year sentence for killing his former girlfriend in his native EU country, was released on the condition he not leave that country until January 2022. He moved to County Cork in 2019, married the mother of a 12‑year‑old girl and moved into the family home. In May 2020 a neighbour reported a domestic incident; Gardaí found the girl with bruises and a cut on her nose. She later admitted to being beaten and sexually abused, describing three episodes of sexual assault and two rapes between September 2019 and May 2020. The man pleaded not guilty to charges of child cruelty, assault causing harm, sexual assault and rape. A jury convicted him on one assault charge, six child‑cruelty charges, three sexual‑assault charges and two rape charges. He has been remanded since June 2020 and sentencing is adjourned to 22 October.
During a Central Criminal Court murder trial, Chief State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan testified that the deceased, Noel Thomas Whelan, suffered 18 knife wounds to his head, neck and trunk, including a fatal neck wound that severed the carotid artery and a lung‑penetrating wound that collapsed the lung. She identified nine additional stab wounds and seven incised wounds that contributed to his death, concluding the cause was multiple stab wounds with no other factors. The accused, Mark Whelan, 48, pleaded not guilty to the murder. The trial noted that the victim and accused were not related but the victim was the partner of one of Mark Whelan's daughters. Dr Mulligan arrived at the scene at 21:41, found the body at the bottom of a narrow staircase, and observed bloodstains, finger prints and two blood‑stained knives in the kitchen. Toxicology revealed cocaine but no alcohol.
During a ten‑week Munster child‑abuse trial, five family members were convicted of 78 counts, except one. The trial, held in Croke Park, involved a 15‑member jury, with 12 jurors deliberating for nearly 20 hours. After the trial, a juror wrote to Judge Paul McDermott about his views on the jury system; the judge received the letter but said it would not affect sentencing. The defendants, aged 27 to 56, were parents, aunt and uncles of the abused children, who were between one and nine years old at the time of the offences. They were found guilty of sexual abuse, neglect and mistreatment. All five were remanded in custody until a sentence hearing set for 10 January, with victim impact reports expected by December. The judge allowed defence teams to return later if they wished to raise concerns about the letter. The unnamed 35-year-old was acquitted.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 4 October 2021, Claire Lott gave a victim‑impact statement describing the brutal murder of her daughter, Nadine Lott, by Daniel Murtagh. Lott recounted finding Nadine lying on her back in the kitchen of her apartment, gasping for air and covered in blood, and described the scene as "total horror" with broken glass and smashed mirrors. She spoke of the prolonged, savage attack that left Nadine "completely unrecognisable" and of the emotional toll on her family. The court had earlier convicted Murtagh of murder; he was sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment, a sentence back‑dated to 16 December 2019. The hearing focused on the impact of the crime on Lott's family and the brutality of the assault, without discussing any subsequent legal developments.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mark Whelan, aged 48, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Noel Thomas Whelan, a man in his twenties who was the partner of Whelan's daughter. The trial began with evidence that Whelan was found at Castlecurragh Heath on 30 March 2019 with blood on his face and clothing, and that he had called a local Garda station where he was heard saying, "It's me that you want." Forensic testimony confirmed that Noel Whelan was stabbed multiple times and died at the scene, and that a bag of clothes seized from Whelan contained Noel's DNA and blood. Garda Dwayne O'Brien recounted that Whelan was arrested after appearing at the station with blood‑spattered clothing and a Lidl bag of clothes. During his detention, Whelan made a series of disordered statements, including claims of killing "the last of the seven saints," and expressed remorse to the Garda. The unnamed accused was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
A 56‑year‑old man, who cannot be named, was sentenced by the Central Criminal Court to three years and nine months in prison for raping his sister between 1979 and 1982. The judge, Justice Deirdre Murphy, noted that the defendant was aged 14 to 16 at the time of the offences, so the sentence was set as a juvenile sentence. The court disregarded a testimonial written by a convicted sex offender, and the judge expressed concern that the defendant had known the writer's status when he invited him to write the testimonial. The defendant's apology, offered through his barrister, was deemed "tactical" and not a true acceptance of responsibility. The judge also suspended one year of the sentence for the defendant's crime‑free life and an additional three months for his acceptance of the jury's verdict. The sentencing was back‑dated to the defendant's initial custody in July.
An American tourist, Debbie Halley, described seeing a blood‑covered woman in a Dublin apartment complex as "like the movie Carrie" and hearing her cry for help. Another American tourist, Sean Miller, recounted waking at 3 am to a screaming, a woman bleeding on the floor and a man with a knife. Miller and his friend Tyler Chen used a chair and a fire extinguisher to repel the man, then carried the woman to the corridor where they attempted first aid. The woman, Skaidrite Valdgeima, was later found dead. Valdgeima's friend Grita Steine testified that Valdgeima and the accused, Valerijs Leitons (25), had begun a sexual relationship after meeting at a concert in May 2019. Leitons, who was booked at St Kevin's Gardens, is on trial for her murder at the Central Criminal Court.
Grace Miano, 53, was charged with the murder of Malawian man Limbani 'Robert' Mzoma, 27, at Tudor Lawns in Foxrock, Co Dublin, on 1 November 2018. She claimed she was possessed by the spirit of Princess Diana and killed Mzoma to "protect Prince William", then cut off his genitals post‑mortem to "protect women". A jury found her not guilty by reason of insanity after less than two and a half hours of deliberation. The judge, Mr Justice Paul McDermott, explained that the verdict was based on psychiatric evidence that Miano did not know her actions were wrong and was unable to refrain from them, satisfying two of the three criteria under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006. The State applied for Miano to be examined at a designated centre for 14 days; the judge granted the application and remanded her to appear again on 11 October for a psychiatric report. The judge expressed condolences to Mzoma's family.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Grace Miano, aged 53, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of Malawian man Limbani 'Robert' Mzoma, aged 27, at Tudor Lawns, Foxrock, Co Dublin, on 1 November 2018. Miano, also known as Margaret Sloane, claimed she was inhabited by the spirit of Princess Diana and that Diana guided her to kill Mzoma to protect Prince William and other members of the royal family. She alleged that Mzoma had raped and beaten her since 1989 and that she had been threatened by a plot involving Kate Middleton. Psychiatrists Dr Paul O'Connell and Dr Brenda Wright diagnosed Miano with schizoaffective disorder, describing her as intensely psychotic with hallucinations and persecutory beliefs. Both doctors agreed that a not‑guilty verdict by reason of insanity was appropriate, and the prosecution accepted this conclusion. The case remains at the trial stage, with the jury to be instructed by Justice Paul McDermott.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Mark Whelan, 48, pleaded not guilty to the killing of Noel Thomas Whelan, a man in his twenties, who was the partner of Whelan's daughter. The prosecution presented evidence that on 30 March 2019, neighbours heard noise from the apartment at Castlecurragh Heath and later saw a topless male, covered in blood, leaving the building around 6 pm. An eyewitness identified the man as Whelan, who was then seen walking toward his sister's home in Mulhuddart. Gardaí found Whelan's body in the hallway, covered with two heavy tool trolleys, with 11 stab wounds to the head, neck and chest, including a severed carotid artery and a perforated lung. Two blood‑stained knives with handprints matching Whelan's DNA were recovered from the kitchen sink, and similar prints were found on a wall and a toolbox.
Valerijs Leitons, 25, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of Skaidrite Valdgeima on 26 June 2019 at Binary Hub, Bonham Street, Dublin 8. He appeared in the Central Criminal Court wearing a dark grey suit and a white respirator mask, with a Russian interpreter beside him. The court registrar asked how he was pleading; Leitons answered, "Not guilty, by reason of insanity." A jury of five women and seven men was sworn in, and the trial is scheduled to begin before Mr Justice Paul Burns on 30 September, expected to last three or four days.
A 48‑year‑old man named Mark Whelan, who lives in Castlecurragh Heath, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15, is set to stand trial for the murder of Noel Thomas Whelan at the latter's home on 30 March 2019. Whelan was arrested and appeared in the Central Criminal Court in a light grey tracksuit and a disposable blue face mask. He pleaded not guilty to the charge. A jury of nine men and three women was sworn in, and the trial is scheduled to begin before Justice Tara Burns tomorrow.
A 53‑year‑old Kenyan woman, Grace Miano, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the murder of 27‑year‑old Malawian man Limbani 'Robert' Mzoma at Tudor Lawns, Foxrock, on 1 November 2018. She told the court that she killed Mzoma to "protect Prince William" and cut off his genitals after death "to protect women". The prosecution presented evidence that Mzoma died from blunt‑force and stabbing injuries, with post‑mortem wounds to the head, neck and genital area. Human remains were found in the kitchen sink. Miano's defence argued she suffered a schizoaffective disorder and did not know her actions were wrong. The trial is before Mr Justice Paul McDermott with a jury of five women and seven men, and the prosecution seeks a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity under Section 5 of the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act. The case remains at the opening‑speech stage.
A jury of seven men and five women is continuing deliberations in the murder trial of Renato Gehlen, a 39‑year‑old Brazilian, accused of stabbing his 37‑year‑old French wife, Anne Colomines, to death in their Dublin apartment on 25 October 2017. The jury began deliberating at noon on Tuesday and had spent 1 hour 40 minutes before the registrar asked if a verdict had been reached; the answer was no. Judge Michael MacGrath adjourned the proceedings to the next morning, instructing the jury to avoid media and external inquiries. Prosecution counsel Shane Costelloe argued that Gehlen's act was an attempt to regain control of the marriage, describing it as "the ultimate in toxic masculinity." Defence counsel Seamus Clarke contended that the prosecution had not ruled out the possibility that the injuries were self‑inflicted, urging the jury to acquit if reasonable doubt existed. Renato Gehlen pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a woman recounted years of sexual, physical and emotional abuse by her older brother, now 56, who was convicted of 11 rapes committed between 1979 and 1982. She said the abuse began when she was nine and her brother fourteen, escalating from touching to rape, with violence such as hitting and breaking fingers. The victim had reported the abuse to Gardaí in 2015, leading to the brother's arrest that year; he denied the allegations. The court heard the abuse occurred at their Dublin family home, starting at the time of her first communion. The woman described enduring fear, manipulation and a sense of isolation, and expressed that she could now confront the memories she had kept hidden. She thanked her husband, supporters, victim‑support services, the prosecution and Gardaí, and stated she would no longer be harmed by her brother.
Grace Miano, 53, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of Malawian man Limbani 'Robert' Mzoma, 27, at Tudor Lawns in Foxrock, Co Dublin, on 1 November 2018. The charge was read to her at the Central Criminal Court, where she confirmed her identity and answered the registrar. She is also known as 'Margaret Sloane'. Judge Paul McDermott informed the jury that the trial would last two to three days and begin the following day. Miano first arrived in Ireland in 1989 and had stayed in hostels around Finglas and Harcourt Street in Dublin.
In 2015, Richard O'Mara, aged 32, raped a 17‑year‑old schoolgirl twice at his sister's 18th birthday party in County Clare. The first assault occurred in a field behind the house; the second took place on a couch inside the house after the party. The victim, who was terrified of seeing O'Mara again, stayed in her bedroom for two months and reported severe physical and psychological trauma. O'Mara pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury in April 2019. He was sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended on strict conditions. In June 2019, the Court of Appeal dismissed O'Mara's appeal, upholding the conviction and confirming that the evidence and investigative procedures met the required legal standards. No further sentence changes were announced.
In a Dublin murder trial, prosecution counsel Shane Costelloe SC argued that Renato Gehlen, a 39‑year‑old Brazilian, stabbed his 37‑year‑old French wife Anne Colomines to death on 25 October 2017 to end their marriage. Costelloe described the act as "the ultimate in toxic masculinity," claiming Gehlen lost control and could not handle the marriage's end. He cited evidence of four stab wounds, a 22‑centimetre throat wound, and six defensive injuries, concluding it was highly unlikely the wounds were self‑inflicted. Costelloe also highlighted Gehlen's Facebook activity, including a message expressing a desire to stab, as evidence of intent. He urged the jury to find Gehlen guilty of murder, emphasizing that a man cannot kill his wife simply because she is unfaithful. The defense maintained that the wounds could have been self‑inflicted and called for an acquittal. The jury was instructed to deliberate on the case. Renato Gehlen pleaded not guilty.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court found a 41‑year‑old man guilty of raping and sexually assaulting a 19‑year‑old girl in a Dublin suburb on 21 August 2017. The accused, who pleaded not guilty, was acquitted of a false imprisonment charge. The victim, who testified via video link, described how she was alone in her town when the man approached her, offered her a place to stay, and then forced her into his home where he raped her. She later fled to a train station, was taken to a Garda station, and her family was notified. The man denied the allegations, claiming the girl was older and that she left his home. Forensic evidence, including DNA from a mattress, was presented. The judge remanded the man in custody until his sentencing date of 29 November 2021, ordering a victim impact statement and a probation report.
The murder trial of Damien Singleton, 30, accused of killing Peter Donnelly on Dublin's O'Connell Street in June 2019, collapsed after a juror claimed to have overheard Gardaí discussing witness statements in the courtroom. The trial, held in Court 9 of the Central Criminal Court before Ms Justice Tara Burns, began with Singleton pleading not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. During the proceedings, a juror noted that he believed he heard partial conversations between Gardaí about witness statements, a claim the prosecution denied, stating the Gardaí present were only there for logistical reasons and did not discuss witness statements. The judge, concerned about the jurors' seating and potential distractions, decided to discharge the jury. The case was re‑listed for mention for the following Monday. The trial had been conducted under Covid‑19 health and safety guidelines, with only five jurors seated in the jury box and seven in the body of the court.
Renato Gehlen, a 39‑year‑old Brazilian, denied murdering his 37‑year‑old French wife, Anne Colomines, and told Gardaí that she stabbed herself after a heated argument. He claimed that after trying to persuade her to speak and asking if she was seeing anyone else, she took a Stanley knife and began cutting her neck, but the cut was shallow and did not bleed. He said they fought over her computer, during which she allegedly said, "If I'm going to fuck me up I'm going to be sure to fuck you up very well." Gehlen reported that he tried to grab the knife, fell, and that Colomines then stabbed herself in the abdomen. He further alleged that she had a second cut on her torso, possibly from the struggle. Gehlen also claimed he panicked, called a friend, and attempted suicide with a knife, cutting his arms and legs before being taken to hospital. Renato Gehlen pleaded not guilty.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster testified that Peter Donnelly, a 39‑year‑old homeless man from Kilkenny, was killed on Dublin's O'Connell Street on the early hours of 11 June 2019. Dr Bolster described two fatal stab wounds inflicted by a single‑blade knife: a 4 cm‑deep wound to Donnelly's jugular vein and a branch of the aorta, and a V‑shaped wound near his backbone that missed the spine. The left lung had collapsed, with 500 ml of fresh blood in the cavity. Donnelly's blood alcohol level was 241 mg ml⁻¹, and cocaine, heroin and antidepressants were present. The knife recovered by Gardaí was 14 cm and matched the wounds. The case is before a jury of eight men and four women, with Mr Damien Singleton, 30, pleading not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of Donnelly. The trial continues tomorrow.
The Central Criminal Court is in the closing phase of a trial involving a 41‑year‑old man who has pleaded not guilty to rape, sexual assault and false imprisonment. The complainant, now 19, testified via video link that she was snuck out of her home after being grounded by her mother and was alone in her local town when the accused approached her. She alleges that after she went to his home she was raped, then the accused left the room, closed the door, and she could not leave because there was no handle on her side. She claims she left when the door was left open after a shower. Gardaí were alerted after the girl told a teacher in November 2017, and the accused was interviewed in February 2018.
Renato Gehlen, 39, a Brazilian national, denies murdering his 37‑year‑old French wife Anne Colomines. He told a Garda that they were arguing over "another man" when he tried to take a knife from her hand and she was stabbed. Gehlen claimed the blame was 50/50 and that he tried to make her stop, describing the incident as an accident. He also said he attempted suicide because she was his family. The Central Criminal Court heard that Colomines had four stab wounds to her torso, a 22‑cm neck incision and a 20‑cm wound that passed through her heart. Gehlen was treated for injuries after the night of her death, was discharged on 10 November, and was arrested that day. The trial is before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath with a jury of five women and seven men.