In the trial of Damien Singleton, a 30‑year‑old man with no fixed abode, the prosecution presented a case that the killing of Peter Donnelly, a 39‑year‑old from Kilkenny who had been living rough in Dublin, was murder and nothing else. Singleton had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The prosecution argued that CCTV footage showed Singleton stabbing Donnelly three times with a knife and then striking him with a bottle before fleeing. They also claimed that Singleton had approached a young girl on O'Connell Street, engaged in a heated exchange with Donnelly, and that the incident occurred around 12.25 am on 11 June 2019. The prosecution's evidence included testimony from Garda Nicola Tornsey, who described the confrontation, the subsequent CPR by witnesses, and the recovery of a blood‑stained knife near the arrest site.
During the Central Criminal Court trial, Chief State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan testified that it is highly unlikely Anne Colomines stabbed herself to death. She described four stab wounds, a 22‑centimetre throat incision, and six defensive injuries on her hands, noting the fatal chest wound entered the right side between the fourth and fifth ribs and penetrated the heart. The throat wound was jagged, suggesting multiple passes, and would have caused severe pain and bleeding. Dr Mulligan argued that the pattern of wounds, the right‑handedness of the victim, and the absence of tentative wounds made self‑infliction improbable, though she could not rule it out entirely. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Michael MacGrath, continues with a jury of twelve. The accused, Renato Gehlen, remains not guilty of murdering his 37‑year‑old French wife. The case also involves evidence from laptops and a knife found at the scene. The trial is ongoing.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 41‑year‑old man pleaded not guilty to rape, sexual assault and false imprisonment. The complainant, now 19, was 15 at the time of the alleged rape. She testified via video link that she had left home after being grounded, was alone in her town, and was approached by the accused. She claimed the man raped her after she went to his home. Forensic scientist Dr Charlotte Murphy examined a mattress fabric sample from the accused's bed and found DNA matching the complainant in a blood stain. No semen was detected. The accused argued the blood was menstrual, but Dr Murphy noted the absence of semen does not rule out intercourse. The trial also heard testimony from the accused's former flatmate, who described the night's events and the accused's statements about the girl's presence in the apartment. The case remains before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
During a murder trial, the Central Criminal Court heard that Renato Gehlen, a 39‑year‑old Brazilian, told his 37‑year‑old French wife, Anne Colomines, that "when someone loves so much, it is the worst thing in the world" two days before she was killed by knife wounds at their Dublin apartment. Detective Garda Niamh Coates presented Facebook messages from Gehlen's phone in which he repeatedly expressed love and said, "A marriage is two imperfect people who do not give up on each other." Two days before her death he wished her a "happy wedding anniversary" and urged her not to give up on him. The court also heard that on the night of her death she exchanged 296 messages with a new French boyfriend, ending at 23:06, and that emergency responders found her lifeless body in her bedroom less than 30 minutes later. Renato Gehlen pleaded not guilty.
A 30‑year‑old man, Damien Singleton, who has no fixed abode, appeared at the Central Criminal Court on 20 September 2021. He is charged with the murder of 39‑year‑old Peter Donnelly, a father‑of‑one from Kilkenny, who was killed on O'Connell Street in Dublin on 11 June 2019. Singleton denies the murder charge but pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Justice Tara Burns informed the jury that the trial is expected to finish by the following Friday, with opening speeches scheduled for the next day before a jury of eight men and four women.
A 14‑year‑old boy and his 17‑year‑old brother pleaded guilty to raping a 17‑year‑old girl in a public field near a holiday caravan park. The attacks, which included oral, vaginal and anal rape, were carried out in front of about seven other boys. The younger defendant was sentenced to five years detention, while the older received seven and a half years with 18 months suspended. The court noted the victim's young age, the threats of violence, the humiliating public nature of the assaults and the lack of consent. The younger accused was described as "clearly out of control" and lacking empathy, while the older showed some remorse. The victim suffered post‑traumatic stress, dropped out of school and developed anorexia. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court.
At 11.30pm the Dublin Fire Brigade entered the bedroom of the apartment on Dorset Square, Gardiner Street, where Anne Colomines, 37, lay dead on a blood‑stained floor beside her husband Renato Gehlen, 39. Fire officers observed a large amount of blood on the bed and floor, a white‑handled knife protruding from Gehlen's chest, and multiple stab wounds, a throat slash and a cut on his palm. Paramedics attempted resuscitation for 30 minutes but she had no pulse. The knife lodged in Gehlen's chest was not deep and fell out as he was moved downstairs. Officers found a black and yellow Stanley knife near the skirting board and blood spatter on the wall. The case is being heard by the Central Criminal Court, with Gehlen pleading not guilty to the murder of his French wife. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath and a jury.
A 19‑year‑old teenager, who was 15 at the time of the alleged rape, gave evidence via video link in the Central Criminal Court. She denies that she was "running away from home" on the night of 21 August 2017, when she was allegedly raped, sexually assaulted and falsely imprisoned by a 41‑year‑old man who cannot be named. The accused has pleaded not guilty. The teenager stated she left her home at about 3.45 am, was alone in her local town, and that the accused approached her several times. She said she had no plan that night, had left her phone behind by accident, and that she had gone to the accused's apartment to clear her head after a family dispute. She also said she had taken her father's medication with the intention of overdosing.
A 59‑year‑old man was sentenced to six months' imprisonment for two indecent assaults on his younger niece when he was a teenager. The assaults, committed between 1976 and 1979, involved the niece aged six to eight and took place in her family home, first in a bedroom and later in a bathroom. The Central Criminal Court in Waterford found the defendant guilty of two charges of indecent assault after he denied the allegations. Justice Mary Rose Gearty initially imposed a 20‑month sentence, citing the victim's very young age, the home setting and the lasting impact of the assaults. She reduced the term by ten months, suspended the final four months, and gave credit for the defendant's lack of further serious offences and his otherwise "largely blameless" life since 1979. The victim's impact statement described a lifetime of pain and avoidance, and the court noted the defendant's absence of remorse or a guilty plea.
The Central Criminal Court heard that Renato Gehlen, a 39‑year‑old Brazilian, sent a text to Anne Colomines' new boyfriend warning him "not to ever go near" her. Colomines, a 37‑year‑old French national who worked for Pay‑Pal, had begun a relationship with a younger man she met on a holiday in France and had told Gehlen she wanted a divorce. She was found dead on 25 October 2017 in the apartment she shared with Gehlen in Dublin. Gehlen has pleaded not guilty to her murder. Witnesses, including former Pay‑Pal colleagues, described Colomines' desire for a fresh start and her attempts to help Gehlen with visa documents before her death. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath with a jury of five women and seven men.
In a Dublin suburb, a 15‑year‑old girl testified that a 41‑year‑old man brought her to a sealed room, locked the door, and raped her. She described how the man offered her whiskey, led her to a bedroom with a locked window, and forced sexual acts while she tried to resist. She said the assault lasted "forever" and she began bleeding. After escaping, she fled to a train station, eventually reached a Garda station, and her mother was called. She later spoke to a teacher and was examined at a sexual assault treatment unit. The man pleaded not guilty to rape, sexual assault and false imprisonment. The case is before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury at the Central Criminal Court. The trial continues.
During the murder trial, the accused, Renato Gehlen, was heard by the Central Criminal Court to have spoken to a friend on the night of his wife Anne Colomines' death, saying, "Sorry, I killed Anne and now I'm going to kill myself." The court also heard that Gehlen had been upset because his wife wanted a divorce, accusing him of being controlling and absent during her operation. Witness Ralph Comendador recounted that Gehlen had argued with Anne after discovering she was not wearing her wedding ring and that she had complained about his video‑gaming and his desire for a baby. On the night of the murder, Gehlen sent a message to Comendador saying, "The same shit man. No talk. Cold and avoiding. Fuck, I really want to stab." The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath and a jury of five women and seven men. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, 39‑year‑old Renato Gehlen, a Brazilian national, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his 37‑year‑old French wife, Anne Colomines, who was found dead in their Dublin apartment on 25 October 2017. The prosecution, represented by Shane Costelloe SC, presented evidence that the couple's marriage, which began in October 2012, was in serious difficulty and that Ms Colomines had expressed a desire for divorce. According to the defence, Gehlen was deeply upset by this prospect. On the night of the death, Gehlen allegedly told a friend, "I have just killed Anne and I'm going to kill myself." Gardaí and the Dublin Fire Brigade entered the apartment, finding Ms Colomines deceased and Gehlen with a knife protruding from his torso. He was taken to Mater Hospital, where he received extensive treatment before being arrested.
In a speech at the Central Criminal Court on 13 September 2021, Mr Justice Paul McDermott warned that barristers must notify the court in writing if a trial is expected to last more than three weeks. He said that without a written memo explaining the reasons for the delay and the required duration, a trial longer than three weeks will not receive a trial date. McDermott also said that the court will not tolerate significant overruns beyond the estimated time. He added that jurors should be informed of the expected length of the trial and that, in some cases, 15 jurors may be enlisted to cover for those who cannot continue. The judge cited the collapse of the Bray Boxing Club murder trial, where a 34‑year‑old defendant, Gerard Cervi, faced delays and a jury that was unable to finish the trial due to health and procedural issues. Gerard Cervi pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court is set to resume with several high-profile matters, including the appeal of Aaron Brady. Brady, 30, was convicted by an 11-to-1 majority jury verdict for the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe in January 2013. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years, plus a concurrent 14-year sentence for robbery. His appeal is expected in 2022. Other upcoming trials include that of Sameer Syed, 37, accused of murdering his wife Seema Banu and their two children in Rathfarnham in October 2021; his trial is scheduled for June 15, 2022. Michael Scott, 55, faces trial on January 11, 2022, for the alleged murder of Chrissie Treacy in Portumna in 2018. Stephen Silver, 44, is charged with the murder of Garda Colm Horkan in Castlerea in June 2020; his trial is also set for June 15, 2022. Additionally, an appeal by Boy B regarding the 2018 murder of Ana Kriegel is expected before the Court of Appeal. Boy B and Boy A were found guilty in 2019; both were 13 at the time, denied the offences, and were remanded to Oberstown Detention Centre.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Gerard Cervi for the murder of Bobby Messett and attempted murder of coach Pete Taylor at Bray Boxing Club collapsed after a juror became seriously ill, reducing the jury below the required ten members. Judge Michael White adjourned the case and discharged the remaining nine jurors, exempting them from future service. Cervi, aged 50, had pleaded not guilty to the killings that occurred on 5 June 2018, when a gunman entered the club, fired nine shots from a semi‑automatic pistol, killing Messett instantly and injuring Taylor and Ian Britton. The prosecution alleged Cervi was the lone gunman, linking him to a silver Volkswagen van seen near the club and to a bicycle at Pigeon House Road. Witnesses described the chaotic shooting, the gunman's appearance, and the subsequent removal of Taylor's clothing by paramedics. The trial was scheduled to resume on 11 October 2021.
A Dublin man, now 25, was jailed for five years after being convicted of one count of anal rape and five counts of sexual assault against his younger cousin, who was nine or ten at the time. The offences occurred between 2013 and early 2015 while the man, aged 17 or 18, was a regular visitor to the family home. He pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court in May 2021. The judge noted the breach of trust, the victim's age and the impact on the victim and his family, and considered the accused's youth and lack of prior convictions. He was sentenced to five years imprisonment, with one year of post‑release supervision by the Probation Service. The court also ordered that breaching the supervision order would be a separate criminal offence.
Conor Dreelan, aged 25, was sentenced to four years in prison at the Central Criminal Court for intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to his mother, Phyllis Dreelan, and stepfather, David Dignam, during a cocaine‑induced psychotic episode. He had taken 2 grams of cocaine the day before the assault. Dreelan was found to have no evidence of psychosis when not using drugs and was described as being in shock when he realised the harm he had caused. The court imposed a six‑year sentence on each count of causing serious harm, suspended the final two years on the condition of good behaviour and supervision by probation services, and ordered the sentences to run concurrently. The victims reported that they knew the attack was not truly carried out by their son and expressed hope for his return home after his diagnosis of an acute psychotic episode secondary to drug consumption. Conor Dreelan pleaded guilty.
Four men have been sentenced to a combined 33 years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court following their convictions in connection with a gangland murder conspiracy. Wayne Ryan, aged 41 and with an address in Longford, pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Wayne Whelan at Griffeen Glen Park, Lucan, on September 4th, 2019, and received 15 years. Three others—Cailean Crawford, Darren Henderson, and Charles McClean—pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder Whelan between May and November 2019. McClean received eight years, whilst Henderson and Crawford each received seven years with the final two years suspended. Mr Justice Michael White noted the "callous indifference" demonstrated in the broad daylight attack outside the victim's home. Whelan survived the initial shooting but was killed in a second attack in November 2019. The judge backdated sentences according to custody commencement dates and imposed good behaviour bonds on Henderson and Crawford regarding their suspended portions.
Slawomir Gierlowski, 36, has had ten years added to his prison term following a sentencing hearing at the Central Criminal Court. Gierlowski was previously convicted in 2018 of random outdoor attacks on three women in Clondalkin between 2011 and 2016, receiving a 22.5-year sentence with four years suspended. In May 2019, he was convicted of attempted rape, sexual assault, and assault causing harm against a fourth victim in a city centre attack on December 18, 2010, charges he denied. Sentencing for these offences was adjourned while Gierlowski appealed his 2018 convictions and sentence, appeals which the Court of Appeal dismissed in July. Today, Mr Justice Michael White imposed a headline sentence of 15 years for the attempted rape, reduced to ten years to be served consecutively upon the termination of his current term. He also imposed concurrent five-year sentences for the other two charges. The judge noted Gierlowski remains a serious threat to women's safety due to his lack of acknowledgement of predatory behaviour. The court applied the principle of totality, determining that the circumstances warranted minimal reduction. Gierlowski is currently serving his original sentence, with the new ten-year term to follow.
In a 2021 trial, a jury examined CCTV footage of Bray Boxing Club on the morning of June 5 2018, when Robert Messett was shot dead and two others injured. Detective Garda Alan Thompson described a grey or silver long‑wheelbase van with a 'DFZ' registration, slide rails, tinted rear windows, and a driver in a cap, dark trousers and a yellow high‑visibility vest. The van was seen outside the club at 6:50 am, and the driver entered the club. Thompson guided prosecution counsel Paul Murray SC through a montage of footage from Bray, Shankill, Cabinteely, Deansgrange, Blackrock and Merrion Road up to 7:19 am. Gerard Cervi pleaded not guilty to Messett's murder and the attempted murders of trainer Peter Taylor and Ian Britton. The case is before the Central Criminal Court with Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of seven men and three women.
The trial of Gerard Cervi, accused of shooting Bobby Messett to death at Bray Boxing Club, has been extended. Initially expected to last eight weeks, the trial was pushed back to September, causing two jurors to withdraw. On the ninth week, Judge Michael White asked the remaining ten jurors if they could continue until a new date of 22 October. Nine agreed, while one pending decision. The judge emphasized that no juror would be forced to stay and would be informed of any consequences if they could not continue. He thanked the jurors for their service and apologized for underestimating the trial's duration. Cervi, 34, from Dublin 3, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Messett, 50, and denies attempted murders of trainer Peter Taylor and Ian Britton on the same day and place.
The Central Criminal Court heard the trial of 40‑year‑old Feri Anghel, a Roma gypsy, accused of murdering 49‑year‑old Romanian Ioan Artene Bob in Sean Walsh Park, Tallaght, on 13 April 2018. Bob was found alive with extensive blunt‑force injuries and died later that day. Dr Margot Bolster, the assistant state pathologist, described injuries that suggested stamping, punching and kicking, but could not rule out more than one assailant. CCTV footage showed Anghel and Bob travelling together on a Luas tram and later walking toward the park; further footage captured a person resembling Anghel at an ATM using Bob's card. The defence argued that forensic evidence indicated other people were present and that the prosecution had not established Anghel's sole responsibility. The jury, reduced from 12 to 10, could not reach a unanimous verdict after three days of deliberation and the case was adjourned to 4 October for a possible retrial. Feri Anghel pleaded not guilty.
In the trial of Feri Anghel, 40, accused of murdering Romanian construction worker Ioan Artene Bob, 49, the prosecution's closing speech emphasized that the evidence was circumstantial but should be considered in its totality. Anghel was found dead in Tallaght park on 13 April 2018, after being beaten and later dying in hospital. The prosecution presented evidence that Bob's phone and bank card were used at various locations in Dublin and Slane on the day of his death, and that a phone attributed to Anghel pinged a cell site within nine minutes of Bob's phone. Witnesses described a night of drinking and a Luas journey to Tallaght, and CCTV footage allegedly showed Anghel leading Bob toward the Luas. The prosecution urged the jury to consider the evidence dispassionately, noting no forensic link to a weapon or boots, and that the case rested on the cumulative circumstantial evidence. Feri Anghel pleaded not guilty.
In a 10‑week Central Criminal Court trial, five members of a Munster family were charged with sexually abusing and neglecting their children. The defendants, ranging in age from 27 to 56, included the parents, an aunt and uncles. They were accused of sexually abusing three older children between 2014 and 2016, and of wilfully neglecting five children, who were removed from the home in 2016. The trial heard testimony from the children, social workers, foster parents, teachers, medical professionals and Gardaí. The prosecution alleged that the parents, a sister, a husband and a brother also participated in the abuse. The defence challenged the credibility of the children's statements and the adequacy of the evidence, arguing that the family had been under constant scrutiny by social services. The case involved 78 counts against the five defendants, each treated as a separate case. The trial was held in Croke Park with an enlarged jury of 15.
A Central Criminal Court jury found five members of an extended family guilty of sexually abusing three children in Munster between 2014 and 2016. The accused – the children's parents, aunt, uncle and the aunt's husband – were convicted on 78 counts, with the 27‑year‑old uncle receiving a single not‑guilty verdict. The father was found guilty of 31 counts, including rape, sexual assault and neglect; the mother of 25 counts, including assault and neglect; the aunt of three counts of assault; the uncle of ten counts, including rape and assault; and the 27‑year‑old uncle of eight counts, including rape and exploitation. All five were remanded in custody pending sentencing, which will be set on 4 October. The trial highlighted the children's allegations, the accused's denials, and the prosecution's emphasis on neglect and abuse. No further outcomes are reported in the article. The unnamed 27-year-old was acquitted.
In December 2019, 30‑year‑old beautician Nadine Lott was found severely injured in her Arklow apartment. Witnesses, including her mother Claire Lott and neighbour Amela Kulenovic, described a violent assault in which Daniel Murtagh, Nadine's former partner, struck her with force, applied pressure to her neck and shoulders, and inflicted blunt trauma that separated flesh from bone. The scene was covered in blood, with a strong odor and scattered glass fragments. Paramedics and Gardaí arrived within minutes, attempting resuscitation and providing emergency care. Nadine was transported to St Vincent's Hospital, where she received extensive treatment but died on 17 December 2019. The case proceeded to trial, where Murtagh pleaded guilty to manslaughter but was convicted of murder, with the jury rejecting an intoxication defence. The trial highlighted the brutality of the attack and the extensive injuries sustained by Nadine.
A jury of seven men and five women returned to the Central Criminal Court to continue deliberating the murder trial of Daniel Murtagh, accused of killing his former partner Nadine Lott in her Arklow home. The jury had spent over four hours and 18 minutes in a separate courtroom and had not yet reached a verdict. Judge Michael MacGrath adjourned the proceedings to the next morning, instructing the jurors to focus solely on the evidence presented and to avoid speculation or media influence. Murtagh pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, claiming intoxication as a defence. The jury must decide whether he intended to kill or merely to seriously injure Lott, with a unanimous verdict required for the murder charge. The trial will resume at 10:30 am the following day.
The Central Criminal Court heard that the murder trial of Gerard Cervi, 34, accused of killing Bobby Messett, 50, at Bray Boxing Club on 5 June 2018, will continue beyond its original schedule. Cervi, who also denies attempted murders of trainer Pete Taylor and Ian Britton, pleaded not guilty. The trial, which began on 28 June with a jury of 12, was expected to last eight weeks but was extended. Judge Michael White considered whether the jury could remain for the full duration and suggested a new end date of 17 September, with 24 September as a final contingency. Two jurors were excused due to work commitments, and one had to cancel a holiday to stay on the panel. The court will resume legal arguments on 16 August, with the jury scheduled to return at 10:30 a.m. The case remains ongoing.
Dermot O'Connor, aged 49, was jailed for five and a half years after pleading guilty to raping a 20‑year‑old woman in a public park on 21 July 2019. The victim, who was intoxicated and had separated from her friends, had gone to sleep in the park and was assaulted while sleeping. O'Connor first sexually assaulted her and left, then returned to rape her again. The victim gave a victim impact statement, describing anxiety, depression and fear of being alone after the assault. Mr Justice Michael MacGrath, hearing the case, noted the opportunistic nature of the attack and the delays caused by the pandemic. He imposed a six‑year sentence, suspended the final six months, and took into account the absence of prior sexual offending and the victim's relief at the guilty plea. The investigation involved 60 witness statements, 300 hours of CCTV footage and DNA evidence linking O'Connor to the assault.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, Daniel Murtagh, 34, faced murder charges for killing his ex‑girlfriend Nadine Lott, 30, in Arklow on 17 December 2019. Prosecution barrister John O'Kelly SC argued that Lott suffered "the most appalling and dreadful blunt trauma injuries" to her face, with flesh separated from underlying structures, and that the assault was sustained, violent and fueled by anger, drink and drugs. He highlighted eyewitness testimony, a neighbour's account, and pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan's evidence of 64 injuries, including fractured jaws, severe brain injury and a stabbing above the Adam's apple. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC contended that Murtagh's intent was unclear, citing intoxication and a claim that the violence would not have occurred without alcohol and drugs. Murtagh pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, a plea rejected by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The jury heard that Lott never regained consciousness and died three days later in St Vincent's Hospital.
In the Munster child‑abuse trial, the jury paused its deliberations at the Central Criminal Court after nearly two and a half hours of discussion. Judge Paul McDermott had instructed the 13‑member panel that no time limit applied and that any verdict must be unanimous. He handed the jury the issue paper and exhibits, reminding them that each count must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt and that each accused should be considered separately. The panel was reduced to 12 after a juror was excused for a future commitment. The trial, held in a temporary courtroom at Croke Park, has lasted nine weeks and involves five unnamed family members accused of abusing three children between 2014 and 2016. All accused have denied the charges, and reporting restrictions protect the children's identities. The jury will resume tomorrow morning.
A 39‑year‑old mother was charged with attempting to murder her 18‑month‑old twin sons on 9 October 2019 at her Dublin home. She also faced charges of intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to one child, producing a large kitchen knife capable of serious injury in a dispute, and falsely imprisoning a woman on the same date. In July, her defence counsel applied to the Central Criminal Court to dismiss the two attempted‑murder charges under Section 4E of the Criminal Justice Act 1999. The court heard submissions from the defence and from the Director of Public Prosecutions. Judge Michael MacGrath announced that he would refuse the application and would issue a written decision later, while pronouncing the court's conclusion today. The trial is scheduled for October at the Central Criminal Court. The Children Act 2001 prohibits identifying child victims, making it an offence to publish identifying details.
A 36‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment for two counts of orally raping his youngest brother and for seven counts of assault causing harm to the same brother, plus five counts of assault causing harm to his middle brother. The convictions were obtained by jury at the Central Criminal Court in April, with earlier convictions for assault spanning 1999‑2006. He was found not guilty of a sexual assault allegation against the middle brother. The judge cited the extreme violence inflicted, the long‑term effects, the accused's age and the risk of reoffending as aggravating factors. Sentences for the rapes and assaults were to run concurrently, with the effective term of nine years back‑dated to his detention on 5 February 2020. The case involved testimony of the brothers describing beatings with bamboo poles, baseball bats, hurleys and sticks, and incidents of forced oral contact.
In a trial held at the Central Criminal Court, Daniel Murtagh, aged 34, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in the death of his former partner, 30‑year‑old Nadine Lott, who was found dead three days after a violent assault at her Arklow home. Murtagh, a boxer, told gardai that he had been "pounding" Lott and "punching like mad", and that if he had wanted to kill her he would have. He claimed his knuckles were conditioned from boxing and denied using any weapon other than his fists. Garda interviews revealed he had been drinking and possibly under the influence of drugs, and that he had hit Lott for several minutes, causing severe blunt‑force trauma and stab injuries. The jury heard evidence that Lott never regained consciousness and died in St Vincent's Hospital. The case remains pending before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath and a jury of twelve.
A 30‑year‑old man, Adam O'Keefe, lost his appeal against a life sentence for murdering his girlfriend, Amy McCarthy, in Cork. He had admitted manslaughter but denied murder, claiming intoxication and lack of intent. The Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty. O'Keefe's appeal argued that the trial judge failed to consider intoxication as a factor in the provocation defence. However, two Supreme Court judgments in 2020 and 2021 held that intoxication cannot be used to excuse a loss of self‑control in provocation. Justice Úna Ni Raifeartaigh, sitting with the Court President and Justice Patrick McCarthy, ruled that these judgments carried significant weight and that the trial judge's handling of provocation was correct. Consequently, the Court dismissed O'Keefe's appeal, leaving his life sentence intact.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Daniel Murtagh, aged 34, denied murdering his ex‑girlfriend Nadine Lott, claiming the incident was a domestic dispute. He told Gardaí that he had given her "six or seven hard digs" but did not "go to town." Murtagh described himself as "protective" and insisted he had never hit a woman before. He admitted breaking his hand that night and expressed disbelief at having struck "the love of my life a couple of slaps." The jury heard that Lott suffered severe blunt‑force trauma and stab wounds in a sustained violent attack at her Arklow home, leading to her death three days later in St Vincent's Hospital. Murtagh pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, with the case proceeding before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath and a jury of twelve.
In the Central Criminal Court, the jury heard that Daniel Murtagh, aged 34, had communicated with his former partner Nadine Lott via WhatsApp from July 15 to December 14, 2019. The messages show Murtagh asking Lott about seeing someone from Dublin and expressing concern, to which Lott replied that she was not seeing anyone and told him not to threaten her. Lott also stated that nothing would happen between them again. Murtagh pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Lott, who was 30, at her Arklow apartment on 17 December 2019. The jury was presented with evidence that Lott suffered severe blunt‑force trauma and stab injuries, never regained consciousness, and died three days later in St Vincent's Hospital. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath and a jury of twelve.
In a Dublin family home, a 25‑year‑old son, Conor Dreelan, stabbed his step‑father, David Dignam, and attempted to kill his mother, Phyllis Dreelan, on 13 June 2020. The mother awoke to the attack, describing seeing a knife in the son's hand and the son's blank expression. The step‑father was stabbed in the eye and fled to a neighbour's house, where an alarm was raised. The son later went to his girlfriend's house and confessed to the assault, claiming he was in a distressed state after taking 2 g of cocaine the previous day. Both parents were hospitalized for weeks; the mother suffered knife wounds to her neck, chest and arm, while the step‑father required intensive care. The Central Criminal Court heard the son had since been diagnosed with an acute psychotic episode secondary to drug consumption. The case is set for sentencing in September.
Wayne Ryan, aged 41, with an address in Longford but originally from Limerick, has pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Wayne Whelan at Griffeen Glen Park, Lucan on 4 September 2019. Three Dublin men—Cailean Crawford, Darren Henderson and Charles McClean—pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder Whelan at that location between May and November 2019. McClean and Whelan had previously been business partners in a car sales enterprise that ceased trading in 2016. Evidence presented to the Central Criminal Court detailed how Whelan was shot eleven times as he sat in his vehicle, struck by four bullets. A badly damaged handgun was recovered from a burnt-out van minutes after the attack. Firearms residue found on Ryan's clothing offered extremely strong support that he had discharged the shots. The four men were remanded in custody pending sentencing on 2 September 2021.
In a Cork Central Criminal Court case, a 44‑year‑old man was convicted of raping a friend who was sleeping in her daughter's bed with the child beside her. The offence occurred on the night of 3‑4 February 2017 at the woman's home. She reported the assault after discovering the man had slept on her son's bed and had pulled down the zip of her onesie, causing vaginal pain. The victim, who had been friends with the accused for many years, described the impact on her daily life and her children. The judge noted the man had no prior convictions, had worked full‑time, and was in a long‑term relationship with a child due in December. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, and no post‑release supervision was imposed. The sentence was delivered by Mr Justice Michael MacGrath. The unnamed 44-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 75-year-old man from Ballyfarnon, County Roscommon, has been sentenced to nine years imprisonment following his conviction at the Central Criminal Court for sexually assaulting and orally raping his partner's daughter between 1998 and 1999. Christopher Ashmore pleaded not guilty to five charges but was found guilty on four counts. The victim, who waived anonymity, gave an impact statement describing how the abuse transformed her from a happy child into one consumed by fear and anxiety. Justice Carmel Stewart noted that Ashmore held a position of trust within the family home and has continued to deny the offences without expressing remorse. The judge sentenced him to ten years for two Section 4 rape offences and three years for two further sexual assaults, with sentences to run concurrently and the final twelve months suspended. Ashmore was also ordered to register as a sex offender.
At the Central Criminal Court, a 16-year-old juvenile was sentenced for violent disorder committed on Bandon Road, Cork, on January 16, 2020, the night Cameron Blair was murdered. The boy, who was 14 at the time, pleaded guilty to committing violent disorder and producing a knife to intimidate others. Although the DPP entered a nolle prosequi regarding the knife charge, Mr Justice Keane considered the trial evidence, noting the boy armed himself with a butter knife and struck a young woman in the face. The judge described the conduct as deliberate and calculated, contributing to the febrile atmosphere surrounding the murder. In mitigation, the court accepted his age, guilty plea, and lack of prior convictions, reducing a headline sentence of six years to four. He was ordered to serve two years in detention and two years under Probation Service supervision. The finalisation of the sentence was adjourned until next week to determine placement at Oberstown Children Detention Campus. Separately, Scott O'Connor, 19, of Churchfield, Cork, who brandished a knife at the scene, was jailed for two years. Another juvenile pleaded guilty to Blair's murder and received a life sentence.
In the Munster Abuse trial, the jury was instructed to scrutinise the credibility of children's testimony. Defence counsel Anthony Sammon SC argued that the case against the children's aunt was not "rock solid," citing diary entries from the foster mother that questioned the children's reliability. He highlighted the children's varied personalities, alleged fabrication of stories, and instances where the foster mother's instructions may have influenced the children's statements. Sammon urged the jury to remain sceptical, noting that the children had withdrawn allegations against other family members but not against the aunt. The prosecution, represented by Bernard Condon SC, maintained that the aunt was not central but still responsible, while Andrew Sexton SC defended the aunt's husband, stressing his denial of abuse and the implausibility of the allegations. The trial continued with the jury hearing further evidence and arguments from both sides. The unnamed 35-year-old pleaded not guilty.
During the murder trial of Daniel Murtagh, a paramedic testified that the emergency call to Nadine Lott's Arklow apartment was one of the most horrific scenes he had ever seen. He described broken furniture, shattered glass, and a kitchen wrecked by a "bulldozer" of violence. The paramedic recounted kneeling on broken glass, his uniform soaked in blood, and performing CPR on an unconscious, severely injured Lott. He said the scene would haunt him for the rest of his career. Witnesses, including Garda Linda Butler and nurses from St Vincent's Hospital, described Lott's severe blunt‑force trauma, multiple stab wounds, and extensive blood loss. Murtagh, 34, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of the 30‑year‑old Lott, who died three days later in hospital. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Michael MacGrath, continues with a jury hearing evidence of the assault and its aftermath.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a defence barrister argued that the alleged sexual abuse of three children by family members would be "extraordinary" if it occurred under the intense scrutiny of State agencies. The barrister described the family's care as "tremendous and monumental" and likened the oversight to a "police helicopter" hovering over the house. He questioned the adequacy of Gardaí interviews, suggesting that the mother's admissions were not thoroughly probed and that the officers failed to pursue deeper evidence. The mother, aged 34, pleaded not guilty to 25 counts, including sexual assault and wilfully neglecting children, while the father, 56, pleaded not guilty to 31 counts. Other relatives also pleaded not guilty to various sexual and neglect charges. The trial was scheduled to continue before Mr Justice Paul McDermott.
Craig O'Donoghue, 20, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for contempt of court after failing to attend the trial of a teenager charged with violent disorder at the Cameron Blair murder scene. O'Donoghue, a witness who had been served with a witness order, booked a holiday to Ayia Napa, Cyprus, and refused to return despite police contact. He was arrested at Dublin airport upon his return. Justice David Keane described the conduct as "premeditated, flagrant and persistent," noting O'Donoghue's high culpability and disdain for the law. The judge imposed a headline sentence of three months in prison, reduced by one month to an effective two-month term, citing mitigation including O'Donoghue's remorse and previous good character. He was also fined €1,000, payable within nine months. O'Donoghue has been in custody since his arrest. His co-accused, Darragh O'Connor, 20, was sentenced for a similar contempt last week. The underlying trial involved a teenager who pleaded guilty to Mr Blair's murder and received a life sentence, while another teenager's trial ended after the defence accepted possession of a butter knife, leading the DPP to discontinue the knife possession charge.
During the murder trial of Daniel Murtagh, Nadine Lott's mother, Claire Lott, recounted the moment she found her daughter lying on her back in the kitchen, gurgling and gasping for air. She described how she attempted mouth‑to‑mouth resuscitation, but the effort was ineffective as Nadine could not inflate her chest. Lott also testified that Nadine had suffered severe blunt‑force trauma and stab wounds in a sustained attack by Murtagh, her former partner, in their Arklow home. The prosecution alleged that these injuries were so serious that Nadine never regained consciousness and died three days later in St Vincent's Hospital. Murtagh, aged 34, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of the 30‑year‑old Lott. The trial, held at the Central Criminal Court, continues before a jury and Judge Michael MacGrath. The case is expected to last two weeks.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, defence counsel Mark Nicholas SC argued that no evidence supports the claim that a 56‑year‑old father sexually abused three of his children. He urged jurors to set aside their emotional reactions and examine the evidence objectively, noting that the alleged abuse dates span a wide period between 2014 and 2016 and that no specific dates were established. Nicholas highlighted that the father's alleged neglect was not proven to be criminal, citing reports from social workers and a psychologist that suggested capacity issues rather than deliberate wrongdoing. He also questioned the reliability of a neighbour's testimony and the relevance of photographs taken after the children were removed from the home. The father, along with four other family members, has pleaded not guilty to the charges presented in the case.
During a sustained attack in her Arklow home, Nadine Lott suffered severe blunt‑force trauma and stab injuries inflicted by her former partner, Daniel Murtagh, who was later charged with murder and manslaughter. The Central Criminal Court jury heard that the injuries were so serious that Lott never regained consciousness and died three days later at St Vincent's Hospital. Murtagh, aged 34, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The prosecution presented evidence that Lott was attacked in the early hours of 14 December 2019, with forensic findings of extensive facial trauma, an incised wound on the left side of the neck and a stab wound on the right side. Paramedics attempted resuscitation, but Lott remained in intensive care until her death on 17 December. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Michael MacGrath, is expected to last two weeks.