In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Asta Dauksiene, wife of Edmundas Dauksa, testified that her husband was deeply devoted to his daughter, describing him as "completely destroyed" after the court placed the child in the deceased's custody. Dauksiene recounted that the child had been in the family's care since infancy, with the mother, Ingrida Maciokaite, returning to work and allowing the child to stay with the family. She detailed the court's abnormal and accelerated decision to transfer custody days before the September 18, 2018, murder. Dauksiene also described Dauksa's emotional state, noting he was upset, crying, and later appeared to have a knife in his hand. The trial, with Dauksa pleading not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
A Dublin man, Keith Connorton, aged 42, appealed his murder conviction for stabbing Graham McKeever, 32, to death at his home on 18 February 2017. Connorton claimed self‑defence after McKeever allegedly punched him and attacked with a knife. The trial hinged on conflicting statements from Connorton's partner, Clare McGrath, who first blamed Connorton for the stabbing but later altered her testimony. Lawyers argued that the prosecution should not have admitted McGrath's 999 call and statements to Gardaí, citing potential fabrication after she was assaulted. The judge allowed the evidence, and the jury found Connorton guilty of murder by a 10‑to‑2 majority. The appeal focuses on the admissibility of McGrath's statements and the alleged risk of false testimony. The case remains at the appeal stage.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 40‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to 15 of 74 charges of repeated rape, sexual assault and harassment of a boy between 2004 and 2010. The offences include oral and anal rape, attempted anal rape, sexual assault, assault causing harm and harassment, beginning at a sports facility and continuing at hotels and restaurants in Ireland. Seventy‑one of the original sample charges will be considered for sentencing, while three overseas incidents are excluded. The judge remanded the defendant in custody, with sentencing scheduled for 12 July.
Alan Harte's second murder trial collapsed at the Central Criminal Court after the Director of Public Prosecutions entered a nolle prosequi, dropping the charge. Harte, 40, had pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Anthony Rogers at Robinson's Court, Cork Street, Dublin 8, on November 6, 2016. The prosecution withdrew the case following rulings by Mr Justice Alex Owens that excluded evidence from two gardai who claimed to identify Harte on CCTV, as well as alleged comments made by Harte to gardai 24 days after the killing. The judge subsequently discharged the jury. Harte has a prior conviction for disposing of the body of Peter Gunn at Dunsoghly Lane. In 2014, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy sentenced Harte to six years' imprisonment for that offence and impeding the investigation, with the final three years suspended. An appeal by the DPP to increase this sentence was later rejected by the Court of Appeal. In that earlier matter, Kastriot Boza was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, a sentence later reduced by two years by the Court of Appeal. Harte had previously been acquitted of the murder of Mr Gunn by a unanimous jury.
In a Dundalk murder trial, the jury was shown CCTV footage of Edmundas Dauksa, 51, meeting his former partner, Ingrida Maciokaite, 31, moments before he stabbed her to death in front of their six‑year‑old daughter. The footage captured Dauksa walking onto Linenhall Street at 2.45 pm on 18 September 2018, entering an alleyway from Bridgewater Mews, and later being seen sitting on a wall with a knife on the ground. Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with a child distressed and a black Audi arriving. Dauksa pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, continues with 12 jurors hearing the evidence.
The jury in the trial of Edmundas Dauksa, a 51‑year‑old fishmonger from Dundalk, was discharged after a legal application was made in their absence. Dauksa was charged with the murder of Ingrida Maciokaite, a 31‑year‑old Lithuanian national, who was killed on 18 September 2018 at Bridgewater Mews, Linenhall Street, Dundalk. The judge, Justice Paul McDermott, thanked the jurors and exempted them from duty for five years, and a new jury will be sworn in for the case at the Central Criminal Court later that day. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
A 15‑year‑old boy was convicted by a jury of two counts of defiling a 14‑year‑old girl in Co Meath. The relationship began in summer 2018 and ended in January 2019, during which the boy and girl had sexual intercourse. The boy pleaded not guilty to the defilement charges and to a rape charge, the latter of which the jury could not decide. He had no prior convictions. The court heard that the victim did not wish to give a victim impact statement and that she felt pressured to remain in contact after the relationship ended. The judge, Justice Paul McDermott, found that the boy had significant issues accepting the end of the relationship and that protective factors existed. He ordered the boy to undergo two years of supervision by the Probation Service, but did not impose detention or imprisonment. The case was heard in the Central Criminal Court.
Barry McGee, aged 38, was convicted of raping and threatening to kill two Australian women in 2002. He was sentenced in 2003 to 17 years' imprisonment, with the last two years suspended, and ordered to be supervised by the Probation Service for 10 years after release. In 2017, a Probation Officer applied for three additional conditions: participation in risk assessment, notification of overseas travel two weeks in advance, and compliance with all lawful directions. The court, hearing the application in 2023, found the conditions necessary and imposed them, warning that non‑compliance could lead to a summary conviction and up to 12 months' imprisonment or a fine. The supervision period is set to expire in October 2023. The case details the 2002 assault, the subsequent arrest, and the court's sentencing hearing. Barry McGee pleaded guilty.
Anthony Paget, 46, of Cabra, Dublin, is on trial for the death of Aidan McMenamy, 45, who was stabbed at Clinch's Court on 19 July 2019. Paget has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The jury is instructed to consider whether Paget was provoked to the point of losing self‑control, or whether he believed he was acting in self‑defence, or was so intoxicated that he could not form intent. If any of these scenarios is reasonably possible, the verdict must be manslaughter; otherwise, the jury must find him guilty of murder.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Anthony Paget, 46, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the July 19, 2019 killing of Aidan McMenamy. Paget's defence counsel argued that he was highly intoxicated, having smoked crack cocaine, and that he used a knife as a last resort when faced with serious injury. The defence also claimed self‑defence, intoxication and provocation. Prosecutor Bernard Condon countered that the evidence, including CCTV showing deliberate knife handling and six deep stab wounds to McMenamy's back, negated self‑defence and provocation. Paget's wife Candice testified that McMenamy had threatened to cut Paget's throat and that the fatal stabbing occurred after a confrontation. The jury was instructed to consider the facts and the defence arguments before delivering a verdict.
During the Central Criminal Court trial, Candice Paget, the estranged wife of Anthony Paget, testified that her boyfriend, Aidan McMenamy, was a jealous man who threatened to cut Paget's throat and then used a knife to slash him. She said the fight escalated outside, where McMenamy inflicted stab wounds that caused his death. Paget, 46, pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denied murder. She described the night of July 19, 2019, at Clinch's Court, where all three men were drinking and taking drugs. She admitted seeing Paget stab McMenamy once, though she could not recall the exact number of wounds. The trial continues before Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
In the Central Criminal Court trial of Alan Harte, 40, who is charged with murdering wheelchair user Anthony Rogers, 61, a neighbour, Sharon Farrell, gave evidence describing how she found Rogers lying on the floor of his own apartment with blood everywhere after hearing him scream for help. Farrell said she was walking to her flat at Robinson's Court at 2.30pm on 6 November 2016 when a man approached her, calling her "Maureen" and accusing her of being a child molester. She later heard Rogers screaming, went to his flat, and found him with extensive blood on the floor. She called another neighbour, David McGuinness, and an ambulance. McGuinness also reported seeing Rogers with blood all over the place and unable to speak. Garda Sergeant Brian Hawkins and paramedic Tom McCrory also testified about the scene, noting puncture wounds and a pool of blood. Alan Harte pleaded not guilty.
A man has pleaded guilty to orally raping a woman in her Donegal home on August 9, 2017, during an attack lasting approximately 90 minutes. The Central Criminal Court heard that the 38-year-old defendant, who had known the victim for seven years, called her that evening requesting to visit for drinks. He arrived with another man whose case remains before the courts. During the evening, the defendant attempted to ply the woman with alcohol before sexually assaulting her and dragging her into the bedroom. The woman screamed throughout the ordeal and was in considerable pain. Both men eventually left, and she contacted gardaí. A charge of attempted rape, two counts of sexual assault, and criminal damage were taken into consideration. The victim read a statement describing how the defendant exploited her vulnerable circumstances, noting she has since achieved over three years of sobriety. The defendant initially denied being present but later maintained he had no memory of the night after viewing CCTV footage. His DNA was recovered as evidence.
The Central Criminal Court adjourned the sentencing hearing for an unnamed 17-year-old accused of murdering Claudio Robu (39) in a Dublin laneway on September 14, 2020. The accused, who was 16 at the time, pleaded guilty to the charge. During the hearing, counsel Brendan Grehan SC presented mitigation, noting the accused's history of neglect, his father's early death, and his subsequent placement in State care after his step-father was charged with assaulting him. A mental health report indicated the accused struggled to articulate emotions due to past trauma. The prosecution, represented by Dean Kelly SC, detailed evidence that the accused kicked the intoxicated victim to death and stole his phone, with the cause of death cited as blunt force trauma to the head. The victim's family submitted an impact statement describing their trauma. Mr Justice Paul McDermott adjourned the matter until May 25, citing a pending decision in a separate juvenile case before the Court of Appeal that may influence the sentencing outcome. The hearing was not concluded.
A jury of seven women and five men was sworn in at the Central Criminal Court for the trial of Edmundas Dauksa, a 51‑year‑old Lithuanian fishmonger from Dundalk, who is accused of murdering his partner, 31‑year‑old Ingrida Maciokaite, in September 2018. Dauksa pleaded not guilty. The court noted that both he and Maciokaite were Lithuanian nationals and that they had a six‑year‑old daughter together. Mr Justice Michael White mentioned a prior custody issue before the death. The trial is set to begin this Thursday before Mr Justice Paul McDermott.
A jury convicted a 54‑year‑old man of sexually assaulting a woman who had come to Ireland seeking asylum, but could not reach a verdict on four other counts of rape and attempted rape. The man pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape, one of sexual assault and one of attempted rape for incidents that occurred in his Dublin home between 1 and 3 December 2017. After eight and a half hours of deliberation on day 10 of the trial at the Central Criminal Court, the jury delivered a majority verdict on the sexual assault charge. Judge Alex Owens accepted the verdict, discharged the jury, and remanded the man in custody, revoking his bail and postponing sentencing to 12 July 2021. He was ordered to submit a victim impact statement and a Probation Service report before being certified as a sex offender.
In 2018, a 54‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to 21 charges, including rape, attempted rape and sexual assault, against his daughter aged 5 to 17 over a 12‑year period. He also pleaded guilty to three counts of assault causing harm. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison, with the final three years suspended. He appealed the severity of the sentence, arguing the judge erred by imposing a life sentence as the headline term and that mitigating factors such as his early guilty plea and cooperation with Gardaí warranted a headline sentence of 10 to 15 years. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, found the appeal ground surprising given the seriousness of the offences and reserved its ruling for a later date. The DPP maintained that the life sentence was appropriate due to the aggravating factors.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Anthony Paget, aged 46, faced a murder charge for stabbing his ex‑wife's partner, Aidan McMenamy, 45, to death during an argument on 19 July 2019. The prosecution, represented by Bernard Condon SC, presented CCTV footage showing Paget and his ex‑wife together in Dublin, including a McDonald's visit and a subsequent return to Clinch's Court where McMenamy stayed. At about 3.39 am, a dispute erupted; Paget allegedly wielded a knife and struck McMenamy, who was later pronounced dead after being rushed to hospital. Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margot Bolster identified seven stab wounds to McMenamy's neck and back, with no defensive wounds. Paget pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the killing. The jury was instructed to determine whether the killing constituted murder, requiring proof beyond reasonable doubt that Paget intended to kill or cause serious injury. The case remains at the trial stage.
A 36‑year‑old Dublin man was found guilty by a jury of repeatedly assaulting and orally raping his younger brother, who was 11 at the time of the first offence. The jury, after deliberating for three hours and 39 minutes, returned unanimous guilty verdicts on all counts of assault causing harm and on two sample counts of oral rape dated between 28 March 2001 and 27 March 2002. The jury found the accused not guilty on the remaining eight counts of oral rape and on the charge of producing an article to unlawfully intimidate, which involved an alleged attempt to place a loaded shotgun barrel in the brother's mouth. The accused was remanded in custody and the case was adjourned to 24 May for sentencing. The trial included testimony from the complainant describing daily beatings, forced sexual acts, and intimidation with weapons, as well as the accused's own admissions during police questioning.
In a Dublin murder trial, a 61‑year‑old wheelchair‑bound man named Anthony Rogers was stabbed multiple times in the head, neck and other areas at his flat in Robinson's Court, Cork Street, on 6 November 2016. The prosecution, led by Sean Gillane SC, presented evidence that a 40‑year‑old man, Alan Harte, was seen leaving the complex that afternoon and had told a resident that he was a child molester. The resident, Ms Farrell, heard Rogers screaming "help me I'm dying here" from the hallway and found him bleeding heavily, lying in a pool of blood. Emergency services arrived, but Rogers was pronounced dead at 3:18 pm. A post‑mortem revealed 11 stab wounds to the left side of his head and neck, a puncture of the jugular vein, and a wound above the Adam's apple. The unnamed 61-year-old pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court is now in the final stages of a trial involving a 54‑year‑old man accused of raping a 36‑year‑old woman who had sought asylum in Ireland to escape an arranged marriage. The complainant testified that after a ceremony between them, the accused took her to his flat and raped her repeatedly over three days. He denied the allegations, claiming they were lies, and said they had performed a Nikah ceremony, which he described as a blessing for a sexual relationship but not a legally binding marriage. He also alleged that the complainant had initiated sex on several occasions and that she had told him she came to Ireland because immigration laws were weak. The accused pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape, one count of sexual assault and one count of attempted rape. The jury, addressed by barristers for both sides, is expected to retire tomorrow to consider their verdict.
A 40‑year‑old man, Alan Harte, will stand trial for the murder of Anthony Rogers, 61, who was killed at Rogers' Dublin 8 home on 6 November 2016. Harte, who lives at Island Quay Apartments, East Wall, was charged with the killing at Robinson's Court, Cork Street. He appeared before the Central Criminal Court on 14 April 2021, wearing a blue shirt and black trousers, and pleaded not guilty. The judge, Michael White, explained that trial dates are uncertain because the courtroom must be free and jury deliberations must finish. The trial is scheduled to begin on Friday morning before Justice Alexander Owens and is expected to last seven days. A jury of seven men and five women was sworn in, and the judge instructed them to consider only the evidence presented in court, avoiding external research. The case will be heard in the Central Criminal Court.
A 46‑year‑old man, Anthony Paget of Carnlough Road, Cabra, Dublin 7, will be tried for the murder of Aidan McMenamy, 45, who was killed at Clinches Court, North Strand, Dublin 3 on 19 July 2019. Paget admits he killed McMenamy but denies murder, pleading guilty to manslaughter. The Central Criminal Court will hear the case tomorrow at 2.30 pm before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon. The trial will last six days and will involve civilian witnesses from Clinches Court, garda and Dublin Fire Brigade witnesses, with a jury of twelve.
During a rape trial, a witness testified that the accused, a 54‑year‑old man, told her he could not have raped the complainant because "there is no rape within marriage." The 36‑year‑old complainant had already testified that after a ceremony in a mosque, the accused took her to his flat and raped her over three days. The witness explained that she had introduced the complainant and the accused through a mosque, and that the complainant had emailed her in December 2017 asking whether the ceremony had constituted a legal marriage. She told the jury that the accused had insisted he could not rape her because she was his wife, and that she had warned him that Irish law allows rape within marriage. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Alex Owens. The unnamed 36-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In 2021 the Central Criminal Court heard that a 55‑year‑old father raped and sexually abused his daughter over a period of seven and a half years. He blackmailed her by threatening to expose her online chatroom activity to his employer, demanding that she have sex with men while he threatened her job security. The abuse began after she turned 18, when she received anonymous text messages that later proved to be from her father. He forced her to give him oral sex and to engage in sexual acts with other men while she was blindfolded and wearing earphones. The daughter discovered a DVD of the first incident in 2010, confronted her father, who denied responsibility and claimed he was being blackmailed. The abuse ended in June 2014 when she informed her mother and authorities. The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
A mother, whose name cannot be published for legal reasons, faces trial at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of her three young children on 24 January 2020 at their family home. The case is scheduled for a two‑day trial, with the judge setting the date for 17 May 2021. The accused was absent from the court during the brief hearing. The Children Act 2001 prohibits identifying child victims, and it is an offence to publish any identifying information about a child alleged to have been a victim, including a deceased child.
A 24‑year‑old man, who was mentally ill and experiencing psychotic symptoms, was jailed for three and a half years after attempting to rape a seven‑year‑old girl who was in his mother's care. He took the child by the hand, brought her to a bedroom, and exposed himself. The child's mother, who was watching her children, ran in, saw the man with his penis out, and called the Gardaí. The man later admitted to the Gardaí that he intended to rape the child and that he was not in his right mind. He pleaded guilty before the Central Criminal Court. The judge, noting the child's age, the man's previous convictions and his psychiatric condition, imposed the sentence and ordered post‑release supervision. The victim's parents described the lasting trauma and expressed guilt for leaving the child alone that day.
In a Dublin court, a 36‑year‑old asylum seeker testified that she did not consent to any sexual activity with a man accused of rape. She explained that she had come to Ireland in November 2017 to avoid an arranged marriage in her home country and had applied for asylum at the International Protection Office. She was introduced to the accused through a mosque that facilitated meetings for the Muslim community. After a ceremony in a smaller mosque, the accused allegedly took her to his flat and raped her over three days. During cross‑examination, the defense lawyer questioned her about alleged sexual contact, to which she denied any initiation or consent, stating she had never touched him and that she was a virgin who was forced. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Alex Owens. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 36‑year‑old asylum seeker accused of rape, sexual assault and attempted rape of a woman in her Dublin home over the weekend of 1–3 December 2017 has pleaded not guilty. The woman, who arrived in Ireland in November 2017 to attend a conference and later sought asylum to escape an arranged marriage, testified that she met the defendant through a mosque that offered a Muslim community service arranging meetings for those interested in marriage. She denied that her asylum application was a "string to your bow" to secure residency, and insisted she had no knowledge of a Nikah ceremony in her culture. The defendant's counsel suggested her objective was to obtain residency, a claim the woman rejected. The court heard that after the alleged assaults the defendant drove her back to her accommodation, and that they continued to communicate via text and phone.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 36‑year‑old woman seeking asylum in Ireland testified that a man raped her in his Dublin flat between 1 and 3 December 2017. She said she had come to Ireland in November 2017 to attend a conference, then sought asylum and was introduced to the accused through a mosque. The man allegedly arranged a "ceremony" at a mosque, asked her how much money she wanted for a marriage, and gave her €20, claiming he would pay the rest. She denied any marriage and later travelled to the man's flat where he allegedly tried to kiss her, pushed her into a bedroom, and attempted to take her clothes off. She said he forced his penis into her vagina, used a pillow on her face, and told her to stay quiet. The man pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape, one count of sexual assault and one of attempted rape.
A 36‑year‑old Dublin man is on trial for ten counts of oral rape and seven counts of assault with a baton or other weapons, all alleged to have occurred at a family home between 2001 and 2006. The complainant, who was 11 to 15 during the incidents, says he was repeatedly beaten with baseball bats, a nail‑laden baton, and darts, and that the accused forced him to perform sexual acts, including oral rape, on two occasions. He also claims the accused placed a loaded shotgun barrel in his mouth and threatened him with robbery. The accused pleaded not guilty to all charges. The trial is proceeding before Justice Michael White and a jury of five women and seven men, with the prosecution presenting the allegations as occurring while the brothers lived together after their parents separated and their father left the home.
A 36‑year‑old woman who sought asylum in Ireland after her family tried to force her into marriage is on trial for rape. She was introduced to the accused through a mosque in Dublin. The accused, who pleaded not guilty, is charged with three counts of rape, one of sexual assault and one of attempted rape, all alleged to have occurred at his Dublin home between 1 and 3 December 2017. The woman gave evidence via video link, describing how she met the accused, how he pressured her about marriage, and how he allegedly forced sexual acts on her, including an attempted rape that she resisted. The trial is being heard at the Central Criminal Court, with the prosecution presenting evidence of the accused's contact with the mosque's Imam and the alleged sexual conduct. The case is scheduled to continue before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 46‑year‑old man was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for sexually abusing his 12‑year‑old stepdaughter. He pleaded guilty to 25 counts of sexual assault, eight counts of oral rape and one count of rape using an object between May 2017 and December 2018. The abuse began while he was still in a relationship with the girl's mother and continued after that relationship ended, with the girl visiting him on weekends. He groomed her into believing they were in a relationship, presenting himself as a father figure and boyfriend. A paramilitary organisation discovered he possessed naked images of the girl and shot him in the legs. The judge noted the high degree of manipulation and control, ordered three years of post‑release supervision, and highlighted the traumatic impact on the victim, who now reports PTSD and anxiety.
In a Dublin house‑party case, a 27‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman who was intoxicated and asleep on 28 October 2018. He admitted to carrying her to bed after she fell asleep and to having sex with her while she was unconscious. After the assault he texted the victim's sister, acknowledging the act. The court heard that the man had a mild intellectual disability and limited insight into consent. He was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended on conditions that he must not contact the victim or her family. The victim's impact statement described her vulnerability, loss of self‑esteem, and ongoing counselling. The judge noted the man's remorse but also his difficulty grasping the gravity of his offence. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court.
A 37‑year‑old Dublin man was convicted at the Central Criminal Court of 33 counts of rape and 15 counts of sexual assault against his younger sister between 1999 and 2005, when she was aged ten to sixteen. He was sentenced on 15 March 2016 to 11 years' imprisonment for rape and three and a half years for sexual assault, the sentences running concurrently. The man appealed to the Court of Appeal against both conviction and sentence. On 15 March 2021 Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy dismissed the conviction appeal, finding no grounds to overturn the verdict. The appeal centred on a prosecution question about "experimenting" that the defence argued breached evidence rules, but the judge held the question did not justify a jury discharge. The court noted the sister's testimony of abuse, including the use of a screwdriver, and her lasting psychological harm, but upheld the original conviction and sentence.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 24 March 2021, a 17‑year‑old boy admitted murdering 39‑year‑old Claudiu Robu in a Kilmainham laneway on 14 September 2020. The boy, who could not be named because he is a minor, pleaded guilty while wearing a black jacket, white shirt and trousers. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC noted the boy is subject to an interim care order, his father is deceased and his mother lives outside the jurisdiction, and that a Tusla solicitor and a social worker were present. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Dean Kelly SC, requested a 28‑day remand and a probation service report, and the trial was set for 19 April. Judge Michael White directed the boy to be detained at Oberstown Children Detention Centre until the sentence hearing, and instructed cooperation with probation services. The mandatory life sentence for murder does not apply to a minor.
A 44-year-old man charged with the murder of Detective Garda Colm Horkan has been scheduled for trial at the Central Criminal Court in June 2022. Stephen Silver of Aughaward, Foxford, County Mayo is accused of murdering the garda while he was acting in the course of his duty on Main Street, Castlerea, County Roscommon on 17 June 2020. Detective Garda Horkan, aged 49 and based at Castlerea Garda Station, died following a shooting incident in the town. The trial is expected to last five weeks. Mr Silver is currently in custody at the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum. The court was informed of significant psychiatric treatment background in the case. Justice Michael White approved legal representation comprising two senior counsel and one research documentary junior for the defence. Mr Silver was sent forward for trial following presentation of the book of evidence in February.
A man has pleaded guilty to rape and oral rape following a violent assault on a woman at her Dublin home in January 2018. Peter Loughran, aged 36, of Glasnevin Downs, Ballygall, Dublin, met the victim through the dating application Tinder before arriving at her apartment. During the attack, Loughran assaulted the woman, filmed her without consent, and subjected her to sustained sexual violence. The victim, who feared the incident would continue indefinitely, eventually escaped by feigning illness and summoning gardaí. Medical examination confirmed injuries to multiple areas of her body. Loughran initially denied the allegations to gardaí, claiming the contact was consensual. The Central Criminal Court has adjourned sentencing to April 30th, when victim impact evidence and mitigation will be heard. Loughran has four previous convictions including drugs possession, drink-driving, and public order offences.
In 2021, a 77‑year‑old man was sentenced to 11 years in prison for sexually abusing three of his granddaughters in County Tipperary between 2010 and 2014. The victims, aged between four and eight, were abused at the grandfather's home, their own homes and on holiday. One girl, who was abused after school, described how the grandfather bribed her with sweets and forced her to do inappropriate acts. She feared that revealing the abuse would break up her family. The man pleaded guilty to 16 counts of oral rape and 19 counts of sexual assault involving a third granddaughter, and to 13 counts of sexual assault involving the eldest. He also admitted to showing pornographic videos to a four‑year‑old. The court noted the seriousness of the breach of trust, the ages of the victims, the frequency and duration of the abuse, and the man's remorse and medical issues.
A 35‑year‑old Polish‑born man, Tomasz Krzysztof Piotrowski, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court after pleading guilty to the murder of his 57‑year‑old mother, Elzbieta Piotrowska, on 8 January 2019 in Ardee, Louth. The court heard that Piotrowski had decapitated his mother, leaving her body in the hallway of her home, and that an axe and several Stanley knives were found near the scene. He had previously been deemed unfit to stand trial but was considered fit after psychiatric assessment. The judge noted the case was the second in a short period where drug‑induced psychosis had led to a "horrific tragedy". Piotrowski had also lied to psychiatrists to obtain a diagnosis of schizophrenia and a lesser sentence. The sentencing was described as the "most tragic of cases" and the judge ordered monitoring of his psychiatric condition in prison. The judge also expressed sympathy for the victim's husband, daughter and grandmother.
A 21-year-old man has pleaded guilty to manslaughter at the Central Criminal Court for the death of a 61-year-old Monaghan man whose house was deliberately set alight in Carrickmacross in March 2016. Aaron McDonagh, of no fixed abode, initially faced a murder charge but entered a guilty plea to manslaughter and arson without lawful excuse. The prosecution counsel confirmed the Director of Public Prosecutions accepted the plea on a full facts basis. The court heard the accused was 16 years old at the time of the incident. A psychiatric assessment led to arrangements for support during his court appearance. Mr Justice Michael White ordered preparation of a probation service report examining the accused's family background and directed a victim impact statement be prepared. McDonagh was remanded in custody pending a sentence hearing scheduled for June 14. The unnamed 21-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 33‑year‑old Polish man, Tomasz Krzysztof Piotrowski, was found fit to stand trial by Mr Justice Michael White at the Central Criminal Court after two consultant psychiatrists disagreed on his fitness. The judge was satisfied that Piotrowski could navigate a plea, follow evidence and make a proper defence. He was charged with decapitating his 57‑year‑old mother, Elzbieta Piotrowska, on 8 January 2019 at her home in Clonmore, Ardee. The body was discovered that morning with multiple stab wounds and an axe and Stanley knives nearby. Piotrowski was arrested the same day and had previously been deemed unfit to be tried by psychiatrists at the Central Mental Hospital. Dr Mary Davoren, after a November consultation, concluded he was now fit, citing his understanding of plea options and good concentration. Dr Conor O'Neill disagreed, asserting ongoing delusional beliefs and a history of substance misuse.
A 64-year-old man from County Mayo has been sentenced to two years imprisonment, with the final nine months suspended, following his conviction for aggravated sexual assault at the Central Criminal Court. The man pleaded guilty to attacking his then partner at their home on 14 December 2018 after returning drunk from a nearby hotel. The assault involved physical violence and sexual contact without consent. The victim sustained abrasions, bruises, and hair loss during the incident. In a victim impact statement read to the court, the woman stated the assault resulted from alcohol abuse and expressed forgiveness towards the accused. Justice Michael White acknowledged the victim as exceptionally compassionate and described the accused as a "kind, clever and good man" who had been "destroyed" by alcohol. The judge cited the guilty plea, full admissions to gardaí, and expressions of remorse as mitigating factors in determining the sentence. The accused has two previous convictions for drink driving.
In a Dublin burglary, Ibrahim Elghynaoui (28) broke into a sleeping woman's bedroom through a window and sexually assaulted her while she fought back. The victim described being strangled, forced into sexual contact, and physically attacked before escaping. Elghynaoui denied the assault but admitted burglary. He was convicted of aggravated sexual assault and burglary. The judge imposed a ten‑year sentence for the sexual assault and seven and a half years for the burglary, with all sentences running concurrently. The victim, who suffered lasting physical and psychological harm, testified that the crime left her in a state of hyper‑vigilance and ongoing trauma. The case highlighted the severe impact of the assault on her life and relationships. The judge noted the defendant's high culpability and the lack of remorse. The sentencing reflected the seriousness of the offenses and the victim's suffering. Ibrahim Elghynaoui pleaded not guilty.
During a sentence hearing in the Central Criminal Court, the court heard that Alan Graham (49) was the getaway driver in a gang‑planned attempted murder of Lee Boylan (26) on 6 March 2019. Boylan was shot three times in the shoulder and neck while seated in his van in a busy area of Mulhuddart, Dublin. He survived because the gunshot wounds created an arteriovenous fistula that stopped the bleeding. Boylan suffered life‑changing injuries, including a severe neurological injury, and remained in hospital and rehabilitation until 30 August 2019. The three bullets remain in his body. Graham pleaded guilty to knowledge of the criminal organisation and participation in the attempted murder, but the State will not prosecute the first count of attempted murder after sentencing.
David Fortune, 33, of Crumlin, was re‑arraigned on the fifth day of his trial for the murder of his father, Gerry Fortune, 62, on 19 August 2018. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The trial judge, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, adjourned the sentence hearing to allow a psychiatric and forensic psychological assessment, as recommended by probation services. The hearing is scheduled for 26 April. During the trial, witnesses described a day of drinking and drug use in a granny flat, a confrontation with half‑brother Gerard Lambe, and the alleged administration of black‑market diazepam tablets to Fortune. Fortune stabbed his father in the neck with a knife after a quarrel, then fled, hijacked a car, and was arrested after receiving Valium in hospital. The post‑mortem found an 8‑cm stab wound that severed the carotid artery and jugular vein, causing haemorrhage and shock.
The Central Criminal Court and Special Criminal Court have adjourned multiple trials due to the pandemic backlog. Inita Romanovska, 34, of Ennis, Co Clare, is charged with the alleged attempted murder of a man she met on Tinder during an incident in Limerick in March 2020. Her trial, previously scheduled for 2021, was adjourned to March 6, 2023. Mr Justice Michael White noted that jury trials will not resume until late March or April 2022, pending safety assessments. Meanwhile, at the Special Criminal Court, the trial of four men accused of abducting and assaulting Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney was adjourned from March 1 to May 31, 2022. The accused are Luke O'Reilly, 66, of Co Cavan; Darren Redmond, 25, of Dublin 3; and Alan O'Brien, 38, of Dublin 1. They face charges of false imprisonment and assault causing serious harm to Mr Lunney in September 2019. Mr Justice Tony Hunt stated that the five-party trial could not proceed in March due to public health restrictions and would run for 12 weeks starting in late May. A fifth unnamed male is also charged with the same offences. All matters remain at the procedural stage of fixing trial dates, with no pleas entered or findings made.
Inita Romanovska, 34, from Latvia, is charged with attempted murder after an incident at a Limerick apartment complex on 11 March 2020. She met the alleged victim on Tinder and they had several dates but were not in a relationship. Romanovska did not attend the Central Criminal Court in Dublin where Mr Justice Michael White had scheduled her trial for 6 March 2023. The trial is delayed for over two years because of a pandemic‑related backlog, with the court prioritising cases where the accused is in custody. She was granted bail last March.
A 32-year-old man from Castlefin, County Donegal, has been sentenced to four years imprisonment following his conviction for rape at the Central Criminal Court. The man pleaded guilty to entering an apartment through an unlocked door and sexually assaulting a sleeping woman in October 2016. The woman woke during the assault and the perpetrator fled after a struggle. DNA evidence linked him to the offence. Mr Justice Alex Owens noted the man's significant intellectual impairment in sentencing, reducing the headline sentence from ten years to four years. The judge rejected the defendant's claims that he believed the woman was engaged in sex work, describing such assertions as demonstrating lack of remorse. A post-release supervision period of four years was also imposed. The victim provided a statement describing lasting psychological impact and altered behaviour in her own home.
The Court of Appeal has upheld the conviction of an unnamed 44-year-old man who was found guilty of sexually abusing his step-daughter. The appellant, who cannot be named to protect the victim's identity, was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment in January 2019 following a Central Criminal Court trial. A jury found him guilty of 13 counts of rape, three counts of defilement, and one count of sexual exploitation of a child, relating to abuse alleged to have occurred between 2010 and 2017. In his appeal, counsel Donal Colgan SC argued that a voluntary interview given to gardai should not have been admitted, claiming the appellant had poor English and did not understand the role of a solicitor. He also challenged the admission of a statement from the appellant's wife. However, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, delivering the judgment for the three-judge panel, rejected these arguments. He noted that the appellant had the benefit of an interpreter, was informed of his right to leave and to legal representation, and that the gardai behaved in an exemplary manner. The court also found that the trial judge correctly exercised discretion in allowing the wife's statement to be read to the jury. The appeal was dismissed, and the original conviction and sentence stand.