In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Bernard Condon SC presented the prosecution case against five family members accused of child abuse in Munster between 2014 and 2016. The accused – parents, aunt and uncles – are alleged to have abused three children and neglected five others. The children, aged between one and eight, were removed from their homes and reported abuse to Gardaí, a process described as traumatic and imperfect. Condon highlighted the children's consistent allegations, the alleged neglect that increased vulnerability, and the involvement of multiple relatives. He noted that the accused denied the charges, with some claims of collusion or fabrication dismissed. The case remains ongoing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott, with no verdict yet reached.
A 54‑year‑old man was convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court for sexually assaulting a woman he claimed to have married in a Muslim ceremony. The jury found him guilty on one count of rape but was deadlocked on the remaining four counts. Judge Alex Owens described the defendant as a "schemer" who believed the ceremony gave him permission to act. He noted the woman was seeking asylum and was vulnerable to manipulation. The judge imposed a six‑year sentence, suspending the final six months on the condition of good behaviour, and ordered a four‑year post‑release supervision. The woman, aged 36, testified that she was not married, that the alleged ceremony was a precursor to marriage, and that she suffered depression and PTSD after the assault. The case was heard in July 2021. The unnamed 54-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 34‑year‑old man, Daniel Murtagh, will be tried at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of 30‑year‑old Nadine Lott, who was killed at her home in St Mary's Court, Arklow, on 17 December 2019. Murtagh admitted killing Lott but denied murder, pleading not guilty to that charge and guilty to manslaughter. The Director of Public Prosecutions did not accept the plea. Mr Justice Michael White appointed a jury of seven men and five women, and the trial, set to begin at 11 a.m. before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath, is expected to last two weeks.
A 39‑year‑old mother has applied to the Central Criminal Court to have two attempted‑murder charges against her dismissed. The charges relate to an incident on 9 October 2019 at her Dublin home, where she allegedly tried to kill her 18‑month‑old twin sons and also allegedly caused serious harm to one of them. She is further charged with producing a large kitchen knife in a manner that could inflict serious injury and with falsely imprisoning a woman on the same date. Defence counsel Anne Rowland SC told the court that the application is under Section 4E of the Criminal Justice Act 1999, which seeks dismissal of a charge. The court heard submissions from Rowland and from Sean Guerin SC for the Director of Public Prosecutions. The trial is expected to take place in October, and Mr Justice Michael MacGrath will rule on the application on 29 July.
In 2017, Richard Dekker (34) of Blanchardstown was convicted of murdering 17‑year‑old Daniel McAnaspie, a teenager who had been in HSE care. The murder took place at Tolka Valley Park on 26 February 2010, when Daniel was out socialising and drinking. Dekker pleaded innocence, but a jury found him guilty after a trial at the Central Criminal Court. The body was discovered two months later in a deep drain in Rathfeigh, County Meath, and a post‑mortem revealed a stabbing. Dekker had previously been acquitted in 2013 when a judge found insufficient evidence for a jury trial; the State later sought a retrial under the Criminal Justice Procedure Act 2010. At the Court of Appeal, counsel Eoghan Cole BL argued the appeal was "dispositive", meaning a successful appeal would preclude a retrial. The appeal hearing was set for 21 January 2022.
In a Munster abuse trial, a 27‑year‑old uncle pleaded not guilty to nine counts of rape, oral rape, anal rape, sexual assault and sexual exploitation, claiming he "witnessed nothing" and "did nothing." The charges, covering incidents between 18 August 2014 and 28 April 2016, involved a girl and one boy. A count of sexual exploitation of the eldest boy was withdrawn by the judge. The trial also involves five other family members—parents, aunt and uncles—who are accused of abusing three children between 2014 and 2016. All accused deny the allegations. The case against the uncle's 32‑year‑old partner and the children's grandmother was withdrawn. The trial continues next week before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury. The uncle's statements and the judge's withdrawals are the only procedural developments reported.
In a case heard by the Central Criminal Court, a 17‑year‑old boy pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 14‑year‑old girl in a field in County Tipperary on 29 July 2019. The assault occurred after both parties had consumed alcohol, which the boy and the girl had purchased together. The boy admitted to touching the victim's genital area. The victim, who trusted the boy as a school friend, expressed fear and a desire for justice. The court, considering the boy's cooperation, early plea, remorse, and good character, imposed a sentence of two years' detention, deferred for one year. The boy must attend all probation appointments, engage with the Garda Youth Diversion Programme, and complete a sexual consent awareness course. He is also ordered to stay away from the victim. The case was adjourned to 23 May 2022.
In Cork city, teenager Scott O'Connor was jailed for two years after brandishing a knife outside a house party where 20‑year‑old student Cameron Blair was murdered. The judge said O'Connor deliberately armed himself and threatened people for five minutes on a public street, but did not use the weapon. He had pleaded guilty to violent disorder and to producing a knife capable of serious injury. The court noted that O'Connor's actions contributed to the hostile atmosphere that preceded Blair's fatal stabbing. O'Connor's sentences for violent disorder and for producing the knife run concurrently and were back‑dated to the time he entered custody. The judge highlighted O'Connor's early guilty pleas, cooperation with Gardaí and lack of prior convictions as mitigating factors. The sentence was imposed in the Central Criminal Court by Mr Justice David Keane.
A 16‑year‑old boy, who was 14 at the time of the incident, was charged with violent disorder and the production of a knife outside a house party where 20‑year‑old Cameron Blair was murdered. The Central Criminal Court heard that the boy, who cannot be named, has become a "pariah" in his community and that his family have had to move homes to keep him out of trouble. He pleaded not guilty to producing a knife but pleaded guilty to violent disorder. The Director of Public Prosecutions decided not to pursue the knife charge, entering a nolle prosequi. The court heard that the boy was in possession of a butter knife and had punched a girl during the altercation. The case is still pending sentencing.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 34‑year‑old mother admitted to gardaí that she had abused three of her children between 2014 and 2016, describing the incidents as occurring "maybe once a week or two times a week." She said the abuse began in 2015, that she felt "disgusting" and "ashamed," and that she had been "encouraged" to carry out part of it. The mother also claimed she had witnessed her own mother abusing her daughter once, and that she had told one son not to disclose the abuse. She apologized to the gardaí, saying she had been truthful. The case involves six family members, including parents, aunts and uncles, all of whom have pleaded not guilty to various charges of sexual assault, exploitation and wilful neglect. The trial continues, with the court noting that statements made about co‑accused persons in gardaí interviews cannot be used as evidence against those persons.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, retired State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy testified that Bobby Messett, aged 50, died from a single gunshot wound to the head during a fitness class at Bray Boxing Club on 5 June 2018. The bullet entered through the left side of the nose, travelled diagonally through the upper jaw, nose, left eye and into the skull cavity, exiting at the back of the head. Dr Cassidy described extensive fractures, brain swelling, haemorrhage into the brain stem and blood‑stained clothing, concluding that death was caused by the gunshot. She noted the absence of secondary projectiles, indicating a distance of at least one metre between victim and shooter. The trial also covers Gerard Cervi's charges of murder and attempted murder, but the evidence presented focuses solely on Messett's fatal injury. The hearing continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury. Gerard Cervi pleaded not guilty.
The trial of Gerard Cervi and Peter Taylor for the murder of Bobby Messett (50) at Bray Boxing Club on June 5, 2018, continued at the Central Criminal Court. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the murder charge; Cervi also denies the attempted murder of Taylor and Ian Britton. Garda Glenn McLoughlin, the first responder to the scene, testified that he seized a grey sports top and trainers from Taylor to preserve forensic evidence, placing them in plastic bags before transferring them to evidence bags. McLoughlin stated he never saw or took any cash belonging to Taylor, contradicting Taylor's earlier testimony that his tracksuit bottoms, containing between €200 and €400, were removed and never returned. Taylor's partner, Karen Brown, previously identified a garda holding a blue bag with Taylor's clothing. McLoughlin confirmed Taylor was not wearing tracksuit bottoms in the ambulance or hospital, suggesting they may have been cut off by paramedics. He noted that the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) dismissed Taylor's complaint regarding the missing items. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of three men and nine women.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, witness Viorica Ciocirla testified that Ioan Artene Bob, a 49‑year‑old construction worker, had sent €2,600 from a casino jackpot win to her to deliver to his brother in Romania the day before his death. Ciocirla said Bob gave her the money on 12 April 2018, and she flew to Romania the next day. She reported that Bob appeared agitated and tired when she handed over the cash. Bob was found dead in a Tallaght park on 13 April 2018, with extensive blunt‑force injuries. Feri Anghel, charged with Bob's murder, pleaded not guilty. The trial, presided over by Justice Eileen Creedon, is expected to last five weeks. The court has heard details of Bob's injuries and the circumstances surrounding the money transfer.
During a June 5, 2018 early‑morning fitness session at Bray Boxing Club, a lone gunman fired nine shots from a semi‑automatic pistol. Witnesses reported the shooter was calm and wore a black helmet, gloves and jacket. The gunman fired at trainer Pete Taylor, who was struck and fell, after which the shooting stopped. The gunman also shot Bobby Messett, who died, and Ian Britton, who was injured. Gerard Cervi, 34, is accused of murder and two attempted murders. He pleaded not guilty. The trial, held in the Central Criminal Court, heard eyewitness accounts from Polish gym‑goer Wojciech Bak, gym‑partner Alan Hunter, and others, describing the rapid, chaotic scene and the gunman's sudden cessation of fire after Taylor was hit. The case continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury.
During a murder trial, witness Marian Dumitru recounted that two days before his death, his friend Ioan Artene Bob, a 49‑year‑old Romanian construction worker, claimed to have won over €2,500 at a casino after finding a €2 coin. Dumitru said Bob had been drunk and had asked him for a knife the night before he was found badly beaten in Tallaght. Bob was discovered in Sean Walsh Park on 13 April 2018, suffered extensive blunt‑force trauma, multiple fractures, bruising to his lungs and heart, and later died in hospital. Feri Anghel, charged with Bob's murder, pleaded not guilty. The court heard that Bob's injuries suggested repeated blows from fists, kicks and stamping‑type strikes, some inflicted while he was curled up or lying down. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, is expected to last five weeks.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 56‑year‑old Dublin man was found to have sexually abused his daughter for seven years, beginning in 2007, and then, after the daughter reported the abuse in 2014, defiled three under‑age girls. He had sexual encounters with two teenage girls and entered a sexual relationship with a third who lived with him for a time. He is currently serving a seven‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for the defilement offences. The court noted he had 17 prior convictions, including child defilement and child pornography offences. He pleaded guilty to six offences against his daughter between 2007 and 2014, including oral rape, sexual assault and incest, and to 25 further counts, including 14 incest and one child‑pornography possession. The judge praised the daughter's courage and composure, and the court will keep reporting restrictions until the sentencing on 22 July.
During a trial in the Central Criminal Court, boxing trainer Pete Taylor recounted being shot while conducting a morning fitness class at his Bray Boxing Club on 5 June 2018. He said he was within a foot of the gunman, a man named Gerard Cervi, when a bullet struck him, causing him to spin and fall. Taylor described the gunman as about five feet eight inches tall, wearing a black jacket and high‑visibility vest, and reported hearing seven or eight shots over 15 to 20 seconds. He also complained that his runners and tracksuit bottoms, containing €200‑€400, were removed by paramedics and never returned, a claim he later lodged with the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission. The case involves Cervi's plea of not guilty to the murder of Bobby Messett and the attempted murder of Taylor and Ian Britton. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Michael White with a jury of twelve.
In a Cork city house party where 20‑year‑old Cameron Blair was murdered, 19‑year‑old Scott O'Connor was found to have brandished a knife. O'Connor's defence counsel told the Central Criminal Court that his client had "minimised" his behaviour and now accepts the facts as presented by the prosecution. He had held the knife above his head and pointed it at party‑goers, and had also pulled up his top to reveal his waistband when a 14‑year‑old friend urged him to "shank one of them." O'Connor had earlier claimed he had taken the knife from the kitchen floor to scare others but denied any intention to use it. He had pleaded guilty to violent disorder and to producing a knife capable of serious injury. The judge adjourned sentencing to July 12, noting a conflict on the facts that the court would resolve. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
The Central Criminal Court sentenced Alexandru Iordache to a mandatory life term for murdering Rose Hanrahan, a vulnerable elderly widow in Thomandgate, Limerick, in December 2017. Mrs Hanrahan's niece, Avril Kenny, thanked the Limerick Gardai for their meticulous investigation, citing the work of Chief Superintendent Derek Smart, Superintendent Dermot O'Connor, Inspector Jimmy Ruddle, Detective Enda Haugh and Garda Loretta Cregan. She praised the prosecution team, including Senior Counsel Anne‑Marie Lawlor and State solicitor Catherine Fanning, and the wider Limerick community for their support. Superintendent O'Connor highlighted the extensive national and international cooperation, including assistance from Romanian and UK police, Interpol and Europol, which helped secure the conviction. The sentencing was described as a relief for the family, ensuring Iordache will never be able to harm anyone again. The court's decision was seen as a closure for the community that had mourned Rose Hanrahan's loss.
During the trial in the Central Criminal Court, a witness named Andy Williams recounted the fatal shooting that occurred on 5 June 2018 at Bray Boxing Club. He said he initially thought the gunman was joking, as the gun appeared fake and did not look real. After a few seconds he saw the gun turn and shoot Bobby Messett in the face, causing Messett to fall. Williams then heard more shots and saw trainer Pete Taylor lying on the ground with a sulphur smell. He later found that Messett was gone and Taylor was being tended to by a classmate. Ian Britton was also hit in the foot. Williams called the Gardaí, but they could not say how long it took to arrive. The accused, Gerard Cervi, 34, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Messett, the attempted murder of Taylor, and the assault on Britton.
A 47-year-old man has received a life sentence at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of a 78-year-old widow in Limerick in December 2017. Alexandru Iordache, originally from Romania, pleaded guilty to the killing of Rose Hanrahan at her home in Thomondgate on or about 14-15 December 2017. The court heard that Iordache observed Mrs Hanrahan entering her PIN at a supermarket checkout on 13 December and subsequently followed her home. She was found dead by family members, having been strangled with a curtain cord and subjected to blows to her head and face. CCTV footage and DNA evidence recovered from the crime scene proved instrumental in identifying the perpetrator. Iordache had travelled to Ireland on 12 December and departed on 21 December. His life sentence was backdated to his extradition date of 16 January 2020. Justice Michael White described the crime as horrific and noted that Mrs Hanrahan had been ruthlessly targeted.
During the Central Criminal Court hearing, a Romanian cleaner, Garofina Selin, testified that on 13 April 2018 she was working with Feri Anghel, a 40‑year‑old co‑worker, at a premises in Slane, Co. Meath. Selin said Anghel made a "nasty smile" and suggested following her into a men's bathroom, which frightened her. She claimed Anghel told her, "Don't be scared, I'm not going to do anything to you." Selin also stated that Anghel had offered to accompany her to the bathroom, but she declined and left. She told Gardaí that she had not considered Anghel a threat. Anghel is charged with the murder of Romanian national Ioan Artene Bob, 49, who was found beaten and suffering extensive blunt‑force trauma in Tallaght, Dublin 24, on the same morning. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, continues with a jury of eight men and four women and is expected to last five weeks. Feri Anghel pleaded not guilty. Ioan Artene Bob pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court has adjourned the third trial of Zoltan Almasi, a 49-year-old truck driver, after the jury failed to reach a verdict. Almasi, who has been in custody for seven years, was charged with murdering Joseph 'JoJo' Dunne, a 20-year-old, at Harbour View, Naas, on 16th May 2014. Almasi pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The jury heard evidence that Almasi struck Dunne in the back of the head with a baseball bat after Dunne banged on his van, causing a fatal skull fracture. Almasi's first trial resulted in a murder conviction, which was quashed by the Supreme Court following an appeal on the grounds of provocation. His second trial also ended in a disagreement. In this third trial, the jury deliberated for over 13 hours before informing the court they were deadlocked. Justice Michael White allowed them to record a verdict of disagreement. The matter was adjourned, with Almasi remanded in custody until 16th July for the Director of Public Prosecutions' further directions. No final sentence or disposal was recorded at this procedural stage.
An eyewitness, Eddie McCann, gave evidence in the trial of Gerard Cervi for the shooting at Bray Boxing Club on 5 June 2018. McCann, a fireman, described the moment he saw a gunman in builder's clothing, wearing a black balaclava and sunglasses, walk into the gym and fire a semi‑automatic pistol. He recalled the gunman's first shot killing Bobby Messett in the head, and the subsequent shots that wounded boxing coach Pete Taylor and participant Ian Britton. McCann detailed his own actions: he applied pressure to Taylor's gunshot wound, called emergency services, and helped other victims. He also described the gunman's appearance and the chaotic scene, including the sounds of gunfire and screams. The evidence was presented to a jury in the Central Criminal Court, with the prosecution arguing that Cervi was the lone gunman who intended to commit murder. The trial continued the following day. Gerard Cervi pleaded not guilty.
During a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 56‑year‑old father accused of abusing and neglecting his children told Gardaí that his children "had everything they wanted". He said he did not work because of a medical condition and that he would "nearly go without fags to get the kids what they wanted". When asked about the children's hygiene, he said they were bathed twice a week and that the house was "as clean as it could be with five kids". He denied the abuse allegations made by one of his sons, calling the son a liar and describing the child as "unbelievable wild". The father also claimed he was unaware of his wife's pregnancy with their sixth child, saying she never told him she was pregnant. The trial heard that 66 devices seized from the accused's homes contained no evidential value.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Gerard Cervi, aged 34, is accused of firing nine shots from a semi‑automatic pistol inside Bray Boxing Club on 5 June 2018. The shooting occurred during a 12‑person exercise class organised by trainer Peter Taylor. The prosecution alleges that Cervi killed 50‑year‑old Bobby Messett and attempted to murder trainer Peter Taylor and participant Ian Britton, who were injured. A prosecution barrister presented evidence that the gunman entered the club just before 7 a.m., fired rapidly in varying directions, and escaped. The case is framed as three separate charges—one murder and two attempted murders—each to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Michael White, is expected to last eight weeks. Gerard Cervi pleaded not guilty.
A 19‑year‑old, Scott O'Connor, was sentenced for violent disorder and for producing a knife at a party on Bandon Road, Cork, where 20‑year‑old Cameron Blair was murdered. O'Connor, who had a 14‑year‑old friend, was told to "give it to me, I'll shank one of them" and pulled up his top to reveal his waistband. He claimed he had taken a kitchen knife to scare people and had no intention of using it. The court heard that he and his friends had armed themselves with knives, that O'Connor had held a six‑inch white‑handled knife above his head and pointed it at party‑goers, and that he had later dropped it. O'Connor pleaded guilty to violent disorder and to producing a knife, and was remanded on continuing bail until July 5 for sentencing.
A 34‑year‑old man named Gerard Cervi pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to three charges: the murder of Bobby Messett, aged 50, at Bray Boxing Club on 5 June 2018, and the attempted murder of boxing coach Pete Taylor and Ian Britton on the same day and place. Cervi, from Dublin's East Wall, was seen in a navy jumper, tie and dark jeans. He was arraigned, identified himself, and the court is preparing a jury for a trial set to begin tomorrow before Mr Justice Michael White, expected to last eight weeks.
A 38‑year‑old man from Cork was sentenced to four years' imprisonment after being convicted of raping his younger sister when she was aged between eight and ten and of sexually assaulting her again when she was 16. The offences took place in the family home, the first between 25 November 1995 and 17 January 1998, the second between 19 March 2004 and 23 November 2004. He pleaded not guilty to both charges. The victim, who was asleep on a couch when the second assault occurred, testified that her brother removed her clothes and assaulted her, and that her older sister intervened and took her to another house. In her impact statement she described the trauma and shame she felt, and how coming forward has relieved her of the burden. The court noted the breach of trust and the victim's youth as aggravating factors, and the defendant's age at the time of the offences as mitigating.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, Zoltan Almasi, 49, faced charges of murdering 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne with a single blow from a baseball bat. Almasi pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The case centred on whether Almasi's use of the bat was provoked. Evidence showed Dunne had jostled Almasi's van, after which Almasi chased him with a bat. Dunne died when the bat struck the back of his head, fracturing his skull and driving bone into his brain. Almasi's counsel argued that the force used indicated loss of control, a partial defence of provocation. The prosecution contended that Dunne was retreating and posed no threat, and that Almasi struck him in anger. Judge Michael White instructed the jury to seek a unanimous verdict and to keep deliberations confidential.
In a Munster abuse trial, a GP reported that the youngest child in a family of five was at the 0.4th percentile for weight, suggesting inadequate food intake. Over a year, the boy's weight percentile rose to the 10th before falling back to the 0.4th, and his height moved from the 2nd to the 9th percentile. The doctor noted the boy was the most underweight and that his height was also below average, attributing height to genetics. The trial also heard from a pharmacist who said the family collected melatonin at half the expected frequency, implying possible over‑ or under‑medication. A family support worker described the mother as defensive and unwilling to engage with children, and the father as lacking warmth. The case involves six accused family members, all pleading not guilty to multiple counts of sexual assault, exploitation and neglect, with the trial set to continue next week.
A man has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and arson following the death of a 61-year-old pensioner in a house fire in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan in March 2016. Aaron McDonagh, aged 21, of no fixed abode, admitted to killing Gerry Marron by setting fire to his home at St Macartans Villas and to damaging the property by fire whilst reckless as to whether life would be endangered. At sentencing in the Central Criminal Court, victim impact statements detailed Mr Marron's vulnerability following an acquired brain injury. His brother described standing helplessly outside the burning house and the family's distress at being unable to identify the body due to severe charring, requiring DNA confirmation instead. The sister recounted the horrendous condition of the remains within the home. Mr Marron's case was being heard following a full garda investigation into the fire.
A jury of seven men and five women will start deliberating on Monday at 10.30am in the trial of Zoltan Almasi, a 49‑year‑old Serbian man, charged with murdering a 20‑year‑old man named Joseph Dunne. Almasi pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for an incident that occurred on 16 May 2014 at Harbour View, Naas, Co. Kildare. The case involved a single blow with a baseball bat that shattered Dunne's skull and caused his death. The trial, which lasted more than four weeks, focused on the issue of provocation. Almasi's barrister argued that the force used might show loss of control, while the prosecution maintained that Dunne was running for his life and was not a threat. Judge Michael White instructed the jury to reach a unanimous verdict and explained that deliberations would take place in a converted courtroom due to pandemic restrictions.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Michael White instructed a jury that the key issue was provocation. The accused, Zoltan Almasi, 49, of Serbian origin, was charged with murdering 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne after a confrontation involving Almasi's van. Almasi claimed he did not realise he had struck Dunne with a baseball bat until later. His defence argued that the force used indicated loss of control, a potential element of provocation. Prosecutor Caroline Biggs countered that Dunne was fleeing and posed no threat, suggesting the bat was struck in anger. The judge explained that provocation must cause a complete loss of self‑control, beyond ordinary restraint, and that the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that this defence was rebutted. If not, the verdict would be guilty of manslaughter rather than murder. The judge's charge continued the following day. Zoltan Almasi pleaded not guilty.
A 56-year-old travelling salesman has appealed his conviction for rape at the Court of Appeal. The appellant, who maintains his innocence, was sentenced to five years in prison in October 2018 by Mr Justice Paul McDermott after a jury at the Central Criminal Court found him guilty by a majority verdict of raping a 24-year-old mother of one in a camper van in Co Cork on August 2, 2015. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on a separate rape charge from the same date. At the time of the offence, the man was serving a suspended two-year sentence for sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman in 2011. Counsel for the appellant, Michael Bowman SC, argued that text messages of a sexual nature between the appellant, the victim, and another employee should not have been admitted as evidence. He contended the texts were irrelevant or inadmissible hearsay and that the conviction was perverse given the jury's failure to convict on the other count. Bowman also claimed the trial judge's charge to the jury was inadequate and imbalanced. Opposing the appeal, DPP counsel Alice Fawsitt SC stated the texts were necessary to provide context and noted the appellant had effectively admitted initiating sex while the victim was asleep. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham with Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, reserved their ruling. The matter was adjourned.
A neighbour gave evidence in a Central Criminal Court child‑abuse trial in Munster, describing constant screaming, roaring and crying from children in the accused parents' house. She said she heard the children fall down the stairs several times and that the noise persisted day and night. The neighbour kept diaries after contacting authorities, noting incidents such as a boy dangling from a window, another urinating on a garden shed, and children playing unsupervised on the street. She reported the father administering medicine from a syringe to lined‑up children in the garden, usually in the early evening. The trial involves six family members accused of abuse and neglect between 2014 and 2016; all defendants have denied the charges. The case is ongoing, with the trial set to resume on Monday.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Feri Anghel (40), who has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Romanian national Ioan Artene Bob (49) in Co Dublin on April 13, 2018, heard evidence from Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster. Dr Bolster testified that Mr Bob died from extensive blunt force trauma, including multiple rib fractures, bruising to the lungs and heart, and fractures to the hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage. She stated the injuries suggested multiple blows, kicks, and stamping-type impacts, some inflicted while the deceased was curled up. Toxicology indicated a blood ethanol level of 166 milligrams. Paramedic Tony Donnelly described finding Mr Bob in distress in Sean Walsh Park, Tallaght, before he lost consciousness at Tallaght Hospital. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, is ongoing and expected to last five weeks. The matter was adjourned until next Wednesday.
Zoltan Almasi, 49, a Serbian truck driver, denies that training in the Yugoslav army taught him how to hurt people. He is on trial in the Central Criminal Court for the murder of 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne, who died after a single blow to the back of his head with a baseball bat on 16 May 2014. Almasi pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. He claims he did not realise he had struck Dunne until he saw an ambulance and Garda car, and that he had no memory of the incident. During cross‑examination, the counsel questioned his alleged army training, to which Almasi replied that he was never taught to hurt others. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of seven men and four women.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice Michael White ruled that Zoltan Almasi, a 49‑year‑old Serbian truck driver, need not hold the baseball bat used to kill 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne in Harbour View on 16 May 2014. Almasi pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The prosecution, represented by Caroline Biggs SC, had requested the bat be presented to Almasi during cross‑examination. Almasi claimed he did not remember the impact and refused to touch the bat, stating he did not want to handle it. Justice White confirmed that Almasi was not required to touch the bat if he chose not to. The case continues with further cross‑examination scheduled for the next day.
A 40‑year‑old man, Feri Anghel, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Romanian construction worker Ioan Artene Bob, who was found in physical distress in Sean Walsh Park, Tallaght, on 13 April 2018. Anghel pleaded not guilty. The prosecution, led by Paul Greene SC, will present evidence that the Gardaí first became aware of the incident in the early hours of 13 April, that Bob was seriously assaulted and suffered extensive blunt‑force trauma, including fractured ribs and internal lacerations, and that he died later that day in hospital. Witnesses will testify to the movements of both men on 12 and 13 April, their interactions on public transport, and Anghel's contact with Gardaí and use of Bob's bank card. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, is expected to last five weeks.
Zoltan Almasi, 49, a Serbian truck driver, denies knowing he had committed a terrible act when he left the scene after striking 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne with a baseball bat. Almasi, who is in the witness box for a second day at the Central Criminal Court, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the death that occurred on 16 May 2014 at Harbour View. He testified that he had gone out with a bat to chase people who were harassing his van, without intending harm, and later returned home, showered, and went to his wife's house as arranged. Prosecutor Caroline Biggs cross‑examined him, showing CCTV of his departure and questioning his route choice and why he did not call the gardai earlier. The cross‑examination continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of seven men and four women.
During his murder trial, Zoltan Almasi, a 49‑year‑old Serbian truck driver, explained that he had chased a 20‑year‑old man away from his van and struck the man's head with a baseball bat. Almasi said he had been defending his vehicle after it was attacked by several people, but he did not intend to cause serious harm. He returned home, showered, and drove to his wife's house as planned. Almasi admitted that he had hit the victim, Joseph Dunne, who died after a single blow shattered his skull. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. Almasi expressed remorse, stating he did not want anyone to die, and that he had been in prison for seven years and had been seeing a psychologist for three years. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of seven men and four women.
The Director of Public Prosecutions announced that the charge of producing a knife at the Bandon Road house party where 20‑year‑old Cameron Blair was murdered would be withdrawn. The 16‑year‑old accused, who was 14 at the time of the incident, had pleaded not guilty to producing a knife capable of inflicting serious injury. He had previously pleaded guilty to violent disorder with two others. The trial at the Central Criminal Court had been proceeding for almost three weeks before the DPP entered a nolle prosequi. The judge, Mr Justice Keane, declared the trial ended and directed a probation report within 28 days, remanding the juvenile on bail until 12 July. The case was closed without proceeding with the knife‑production charge.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Zoltan Almasi, 49, for the 2014 death of Joseph Dunne, heard expert testimony from retired pathologist Dr Michael Curtis. Almasi, a Serbian-born man from Naas, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The jury examined a wooden baseball bat, which Dr Curtis stated could have caused Dunne's fatal injury from a single blow wielded with severe force. Testifying regarding the post-mortem examination conducted seven years ago, Dr Curtis described a comminuted, depressed fracture on the upper back of Dunne's head, where the skull bone was shattered and driven inwards. He confirmed that the injuries resulted from one act of force, causing the brain's bridging veins to split and bleed, leading to rapid death from severe traumatic head injury. The court also heard that Dunne had struck Almasi's parked Mercedes van before Almasi emerged with the bat. The prosecution has now closed its case. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of seven men and four women. No verdict or sentence has been delivered, and the matter remains at the trial stage.
At a sentencing hearing in the Central Criminal Court, the sister of Stephen 'Apples' Kavanagh, Stephanie Kavanagh, described her brother's death as 'brutally and viciously robbed' after a row over missing crack cocaine. She stated that her 37-year-old brother had 40 stab wounds on his body and was 'left to die like a dog'. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC for Darren Houlden, who was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, stated that it had not taken 'Sherlock Holmes' to solve the case as his client had walked into a garda station covered in blood and admitted stabbing the deceased. The judge remanded Houlden in custody until July 6, when he will be sentenced. The jury accepted the defence case that Houlden had 'lost control and snapped' when he stabbed Mr Kavanagh in a 'frenzied attack'. The defence contention was that 'fear' was at 'the heart of the case' and the accused was afraid for 'his own skin' as the victim had threatened his family. Houlden had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The matter was adjourned and never described as concluded or finalised.
In the Central Criminal Court, a 49‑year‑old man, Zoltan Almasi, is on trial for the murder of 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne, who was killed with a baseball bat in 2014. Almasi pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. Prosecutor Caroline Biggs explained that Dunne had walked past Almasi's parked van, struck it, and Almasi then emerged with a bat. Detective Garda Christine Brady, the incident‑room coordinator, testified about her role in the investigation, including the creation of a "Jobs Book" that listed 143 tasks for officers. She searched 55,000 pages of records for any prior contact between Almasi and the Gardaí, finding one entry from April 2013. Brady also addressed a witness statement about a Renault Scenic being damaged that night, noting no damage reports and that no appeal was made for the owner to come forward.
A 40‑year‑old Romanian man, Feri Anghel, who has no fixed abode, will be tried in the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Ioan Artene Bob in Dublin on 13 April 2018. Anghel pleaded not guilty. Mr Justice Michael White has sworn in a jury of eight men and four women. The trial will start on Thursday and is expected to last five weeks.
Oliver Kane, 41, who was homeless and had mental health issues, walked into a Garda station on 14 June 2021 to inform officers that he had just attempted to rape a 21‑year‑old woman in Ardee on 16 November 2020. He admitted that he had approached the woman with the intention of forcing her into a side area, but she fought him off and escaped. Kane pleaded guilty to attempted rape at the Central Criminal Court. Mr Justice Paul Coffey sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, and imposed a three‑year post‑release supervision order. The judge required Kane to engage with local mental health services for three years upon release and to register as a sex offender. The sentence reflected the judge's view that Kane's actions were opportunistic and that the victim suffered ongoing mental‑health effects. The court noted Kane's single prior public‑order conviction and his minor intellectual disability.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 14 June 2021, Stephen Keane, aged 31, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of 60‑year‑old John Lowe in Portlaw, Waterford, on 13 December 2018. The court heard victim impact statements from three of Lowe's sisters, who described the loss of their brother and the emotional devastation caused by his brutal death. Keane had pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not to murder, claiming a single punch after an alleged argument over a silver box and that Lowe had approached him with a knife – evidence that gardaí could not confirm. The jury heard that Keane had attempted to resuscitate Lowe and that he was heavily intoxicated on the day of the incident. The life sentence was back‑dated to the date of the murder. The judge offered condolences to Lowe's family. The hearing concluded with the sentence imposed. Stephen Keane was found guilty.
The trial of a 16‑year‑old boy accused of producing a knife at a house party on Bandon Road in Cork, where 20‑year‑old Cameron Blair was murdered, has been paused for a second day. The accused, who was 14 at the time of the incident, pleaded not guilty to producing a knife capable of serious injury and to unlawfully intimidating another person. He pleaded guilty to violent disorder with two others, using or threatening unlawful violence, and to conduct that would cause a reasonable person present to fear for their safety. Judge David Keane informed the jury that legal issues needed to be addressed and asked them to return to Croke Park at midday. The trial, which began on 28 May, is scheduled to last three weeks. The judge said the trial would still finish within the original time estimate.