The 52‑year‑old father was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of 22 counts of sexual abuse, oral rape, child sexual exploitation and attempted rape between October 2009 and July 2011, when his daughter was aged 13 to 15. He denied sexual abuse but admitted physical abuse, especially towards the mother. On 14 January 2019 he was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended. He appealed, arguing the case was exceptional because the daughter claimed no visible implants in his penis, while he had implants. The Court of Appeal found the daughter could not have noticed the difference. His barrister argued the 12‑year sentence for attempted vaginal rape was excessive compared with the ten‑year sentence for oral rape, citing the lack of penetration and his apology to the family. The appeal was dismissed, and the sentence was upheld. The father has not expressed remorse.
A 38‑year‑old man was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment for repeatedly raping his daughters after re‑entering their lives following a long absence. He pleaded guilty to 14 counts of raping his younger daughter between May 2017 and May 2019 and to one count of sexually assaulting his older daughter in April or May 2019. The court heard the father and mother were regularly drunk, neglecting the children, and that the abuse began when the younger girl was 12. The father threatened suicide if the abuse was disclosed and had previously been physically and sexually abused as a child. He was found to be an alcoholic and drug addict for many years. The judge imposed 12 years' imprisonment, suspended the final two years on strict conditions, and ordered seven years of post‑release supervision.
In a Central Criminal Court case in Cork, a 27‑year‑old man was convicted of raping a 17‑year‑old girl who was described as "semi‑comatose" after a night out. The court heard that the accused had searched the internet for information on rape before Gardaí arrived. He was found guilty by a jury on 27 August 2017 and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with a four‑year post‑release supervision order. The judge noted the victim's condition, the accused's attempts to conceal the act, and the substantial harm caused. The victim's impact statement described feelings of vulnerability, shame and family disruption. The accused's defence highlighted his prior good character and work history, while the prosecution emphasised the lack of consent and the victim's intoxication level. The case concluded with the judge's sentencing decision.
In a 2021 sentencing, a 63‑year‑old man was jailed for 16 years for repeatedly raping and abusing his daughters over a 16‑year period. The younger daughter, now 34, was raped from age seven until 18, and became pregnant by her father at 17. The older daughter was raped from age nine until 16, and was also raped while pregnant. The court heard that social welfare was notified in 2004 but only intervened after the younger daughter reported to Gardaí in 2015. The judge noted missed opportunities by state agencies and described the abuse as violent, neglectful and cruel. The father pleaded guilty to 105 charges, including rape, oral rape and sexual assault. The sentence was reduced from a headline life term to 16 years due to guilty pleas and remorse. The daughters' victim impact statements highlighted ongoing trauma and the lack of basic rights during their upbringing.
A woman accused of murdering a two‑year‑old in the south of Ireland had her name anonymised by the Central Criminal Court following a Court of Appeal ruling. The case was scheduled for trial on Monday but was postponed due to Covid‑19 restrictions on jury swearing. The trial will be rescheduled for June 10. The accused, who is on bail, cannot be named to protect the identity of the deceased child. Brendan Grehan SC argued for anonymisation under Section 252 of the Children's Act, and Justice Michael White agreed.
In a Dublin apartment on 17 July 2019, a 28‑year‑old Moroccan national, Ibrahim Elghynaoui, broke in and sexually assaulted a woman who had just awakened. The woman described being strangled, having his hand forced into her vagina, and fighting back by striking his eyes, groin and biting him. She escaped through a bedroom window, and Elghynaoui fled. He admitted burglary but denied assault. He was convicted of aggravated sexual assault and burglary, and has been in custody since 18 July 2019. Sentencing was adjourned to 1 March 2021 to allow a psychiatric report and to determine his EU status. The victim's impact statement detailed ongoing hyper‑vigilance, PTSD, and the lasting physical and emotional harm she endured. The trial highlighted the traumatic nature of the assault and the victim's struggle to recover. Ibrahim Elghynaoui pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the 28‑year‑old defendant pleaded guilty to murdering an 11‑year‑old boy in the south‑west on 3 November 2019. The boy was struck with a hammer and stabbed 27 times in the torso, arms and neck. The court heard that the boy's mother believed the uncle was "obsessed" with her son and that the uncle had been "trapped" by voices that told him to kill. The mother called on the Minister for Justice to change Section 252 of the Children Act so that child murder victims could be identified in court. Mr Justice Michael White described the crime as a "horrific breach of trust" and an "unspeakably violent crime" before sentencing the defendant to the mandatory term of life imprisonment.
A trial at the Central Criminal Court concerning the death of a five-time Irish boxing champion has been adjourned due to Covid-19 restrictions. Logan Jackson, aged 30 and with an address in Coventry, England, is charged with the murder of Kevin Sheehy, who died after being struck by a vehicle on Hyde Road in Limerick on July 1, 2019. Mr Sheehy's body was discovered in the road at approximately 4.40am. Mr Justice Michael White adjourned the proceedings to February 9, when a trial date will be set. The court indicated that Mr Jackson's trial would be afforded priority status.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 16‑year‑old boy was found guilty by a jury of one count of sexually assaulting a six‑year‑old neighbour in April 2019. The offence involved the older boy pulling down the younger child's trousers and repeatedly spanking his bare bottom in a local field near their homes. The accused, who was 14 at the time, denies the offence and has not shown remorse. He has no prior convictions. Mr Justice Paul Coffey noted the significant impact on the victim, describing the child as traumatised, vulnerable and intimidated, and observed that the families' previously cordial relationship has been damaged. The judge imposed a community sanction, ordering the boy to be supervised by the Probation Service until he turns 19 in November 2023, with conditions that he have no contact with the victim or other children and continue full‑time education.
Bernard Maguire, aged 29, was sentenced to a one‑year jail term for orally raping his younger half‑sister, Bethany Maguire, when she was six to seven and he was fifteen to sixteen. The offences occurred between September 2006 and September 2008 at their father's home. Maguire pleaded guilty before the Central Criminal Court. The court noted the serious nature of the offence, the breach of trust by an older sibling, and the age gap as aggravating factors, while also considering Maguire's immediate admissions, remorse, and youth at the time. The judge imposed a two‑year sentence with the final year suspended, subject to conditions including participation in the Better Lives program. Bethany waived her right to anonymity, allowing the parties' names to be published. The case was heard under the Children Act, with the victim's impact statement highlighting lasting trauma and fear of her brother. The sentence reflects the court's assessment of the offence's gravity and the defendant's circumstances.
During the sentencing of a 16‑year‑old who admitted raping his cousin between December 2017 and May 2019, the victim's father spoke about the chronic lack of government funding for the CARI foundation, which supports victims of child sexual abuse. He said the foundation's long waiting list meant his daughter had to wait 15 months for an appointment. The father described the abuse, noting the boy had shown her adult pornography and forced her into sexual acts, and that she suffered panic attacks. He thanked Gardaí and the foundation for their support, but criticised the government for not providing more assistance. The father also reflected on the erosion of his daughter's confidence and the emotional impact on his family. The sentencing was adjourned to February 23. The unnamed girl pleaded guilty.
The 52‑year‑old man, already serving sentences for raping five children, was sentenced to an additional eight years' imprisonment for raping and sexually abusing his younger sister. The new sentence runs consecutively to his existing terms, which are set to end in 2034. Justice Michael White described the offences as brutal and terrifying rapes, noting that most occurred when the defendant was over 18. He pleaded guilty to five counts of rape and five counts of indecent assault, including anal rape, at various locations near the family home between 1983 and 1990. The court heard the victim's impact statement, detailing repeated abuse from the age of ten and the lasting trauma.
A 48‑year‑old Munster man was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for raping his younger sister in their family home in County Limerick between September and November 1989. He pleaded not guilty and maintains his innocence, claiming the allegation is part of a conspiracy against him. The victim, aged about eight at the time, testified that the offence occurred while the accused was alone with her in the house, that he brought her to his bedroom, lifted her skirt and raped her, and that she later noticed blood. She disclosed the crime to Gardaí in 2017. The court noted the offence was a single event committed by a minor, that the accused had no prior convictions, and that the offence had a lifelong effect on the victim.
Four men are to stand trial at the Central Criminal Court in June 2021 on charges of attempting to murder Wayne Whelan in a shooting at Griffeen Glen Park, Lucan, Co Dublin on September 4, 2019. Darren Henderson, Cailean Crawford, and Charles McClean, all with Dublin addresses, face the charge alongside Wayne Ryan of Longford. The four are also accused of arson relating to a Ford Focus set alight at the Old Bog Road in Kilcock, Co Kildare on the same date. At a hearing before Mr Justice Michael White, the Director of Public Prosecutions applied to consolidate the trials, which was granted. The trial, expected to last six weeks, is scheduled to commence on June 21, 2021. Whelan survived the initial shooting but was killed in a separate incident two months later.
Liam Vickers, aged 23, was sentenced to a fully suspended two‑year prison term for a "cowardly" knife attack on a transgender escort in Dublin. The assault occurred on 30 September 2017 when Vickers entered the victim's apartment, brandished a large knife, and attempted to stab her in the face while demanding free sex. The victim, who was working as an escort, blocked the attack and was wounded in her arm and cheek. Vickers also threatened the victim's roommate, who was later instructed to delete Vickers' phone number and text messages from his phone. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and had prior convictions for driving while holding a mobile phone and failure to appear. The judge, Elma Sheahan, suspended the entire sentence for three years on strict conditions, including compliance with the Probation Service, monthly drug testing, and payment of €2,000 compensation to the victim.
The sentencing of a 25‑year‑old man convicted of raping his best friend's sister while she slept has been postponed due to Covid‑19 travel concerns. The conviction, obtained last September at the Central Criminal Court in Cork, followed a trial where the defendant pleaded not guilty to a single rape charge at a place in Co Kerry on 10 June 2018. The sentence hearing was scheduled for today before Justice Mary Rose Gearty in the Criminal Courts of Justice building in Dublin. Prosecutor Vincent Heneghan informed the judge that the complainant, aged about 20, wished to attend but was uneasy about travelling during the pandemic lockdown. He requested an adjournment, which the defence accepted. The judge set the new hearing for 25 March.
A 28-year-old man pleaded guilty to the murder of an 11-year-old boy in the south-west of the country on November 3, 2019, at the Central Criminal Court. The defendant, who cannot be named due to legal restrictions regarding the victim's status as a minor and their family relationship, appeared via video-link from prison. Prosecution counsel Michael Delaney SC informed Mr Justice Michael White that the victim was a child, invoking Section 252 of the Children Act, 2001, which prohibits the identification of child victims. The judge ordered that the identities of both the accused and the deceased remain undisclosed to the public until further order. The court is currently at the sentencing stage, where the judge directed the preparation of a victim impact report. The man was remanded in custody until February 1, when he is expected to be sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment for the admitted offence.
A 19‑year‑old teenager pleaded guilty before the Central Criminal Court in Dublin to two counts relating to a violent incident in Cork City on 16 January 2020 that caused a fatality. He admitted to violent disorder and to producing a knife in a manner likely to intimidate another. The case was adjourned by Mr Justice Paul McDermott to 15 March for sentencing.
A 49‑year‑old man, Alan Graham of Limerick, pleaded guilty to helping facilitate the attempted murder of Lee Boylan, who was shot in 2019. Graham admitted knowledge of a criminal organisation and participation in activities intended to aid the offence. He was arraigned via video link from Mountjoy Prison. The prosecution noted two counts on the indictment; a nolle prosequi will be entered on the attempted murder charge after sentencing. Mr Justice Michael White remanded Graham in custody until February 2 for a sentence hearing and a victim impact report.
The Central Criminal Court could not proceed with the murder trial of 55‑year‑old Michael Scott, accused of killing 75‑year‑old Chrissie Treacy of Portumna on 27 April 2018. The trial was scheduled for 11 January 2021 but was postponed because the courts were not swearing in new juries amid Covid‑19 restrictions. Judge Michael White announced that jury panels are suspended for three weeks, with a review on 26 January and a new trial date expected on 2 February. Brendan Grehan SC requested a later court term for the case due to its anticipated length.
The trial of Kieran Greene, aged 61, centred on the murder of his partner's mother, Patricia O'Connor, who was found dead in a shallow grave in Wexford. Greene admitted to a physical altercation in the house, claiming he struck her with a hurley and she struck him back. He said she became unresponsive, that he carried her upstairs, placed her in the boot of a Toyota Corolla, drove to Wexford, dug a shallow grave, buried her, and later dismembered her body with a hacksaw. Greene told Gardaí he had acted alone, that he had no accomplices, and that he had handed himself in because he could not live with the guilt. He also claimed the murder was self‑defence. The prosecution presented CCTV footage, forensic evidence of hair and body parts, and statements from family members to show Greene's involvement. The jury heard that Greene's December interview was unreliable and that he had changed his account.
A jury acquitted a 21‑year‑old defendant of raping a 14‑year‑old girl in a derelict building in County Kildare on 14 May 2016. The defendant, who was 17 at the time of the alleged assault, pleaded not guilty to counts of sexual assault, anal rape and defilement of a child. The complainant testified that they played truth or dare, during which the defendant allegedly dared her to touch his penis and later to let him hug her, during which he reportedly rubbed his penis through her clothes and inserted it into her anus. She reported pain and later sought medical treatment, where a doctor noted lacerations consistent with forced anal penetration. The jury returned not‑guilty verdicts on all three counts, with majority verdicts on sexual assault and anal rape and a unanimous verdict on defilement.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 21‑year‑old defendant, who was 17 when the alleged offence occurred, pleaded not guilty to sexual assault, anal rape and defilement of a 14‑year‑old girl. The incident took place in a derelict building in Co. Kildare on 14 May 2016 during a game of truth or dare. The mother of the accused testified that two girls had repeatedly asked her son to play with them, describing them as "adamant" and claiming they had "bad intentions" and "bitterness" in their hearts. She said she had reluctantly allowed her son to go because the girls were insistent. The prosecution presented a doctor's findings of recent lacerations to the complainant's anus, while the defence argued the accused was unaware of the girl's age and that the allegations were false. The trial was set to continue before Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
During a trial in the Central Criminal Court, a 21‑year‑old defendant, who cannot be named, pleaded not guilty to sexual assault, anal rape and defilement of a 14‑year‑old girl. He was alleged to have assaulted the girl in a derelict building in County Kildare on 14 May 2016, when he was 17. In a Garda interview, the defendant initially denied the allegations, but after his father spoke to him in another language, he said that everything the girl had said was true. He later claimed he had hugged the girl and removed his trousers, but denied that his penis entered her. A second interview saw him deny knowing her age, claiming she was 15 or 16. A doctor examined the girl 21–23 hours after the incident and noted lacerations on her anal margin and canal, which were consistent with forced anal penetration but could have other explanations.
In December 2020, a 17‑year‑old pleaded guilty to the murder of 20‑year‑old Glen 'Ossie' Osborne at Ballybough House, Dublin. Osborne's partner, Lauren Cray, had just given birth to their first child two months after his death. The teenager was sentenced to detention for life with a review after ten years. He will remain at Oberstown Detention Centre until his 18th birthday, when he will be transferred to an adult prison. Mr Justice Paul McDermott ordered health reports on the boy's 18th birthday and every two years thereafter, to be reviewed in 2030. The judge cited the use of a knife and the victim's unarmed status as aggravating factors, while the guilty plea and expressions of remorse were mitigating. The sentence reflects the boy's lack of judgment, chaotic background, and drug problems, but not a pre‑planned, malicious act. The review will consider the boy's progress and reports before deciding on continued imprisonment.
In a trial for a 21‑year‑old accused of raping a 14‑year‑old girl in a derelict building during a game of truth or dare, the complainant denied any suggestion that she sought the accused out or encouraged further sexual activity. She stated she was shocked when the accused allegedly pulled down his trousers and exposed his penis, and she rejected claims that she had taken her own trousers down or that she had agreed to further acts. The complainant also denied any promise to keep the incident secret and denied being terrified of her father or mother discovering the assault. A friend testified that the girl had been with her on the day of the incident and later described the assault, while a Garda confirmed that no semen was found on swabs or clothing and that the medical examination occurred about 22 hours after the alleged event. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
A 21‑year‑old man, who cannot be named, is on trial in the Central Criminal Court for anally raping and sexually assaulting a 14‑year‑old girl in a derelict building in Co. Kildare on 14 May 2016. He pleaded not guilty to one count each of sexual assault, anal rape and defilement of a child. The complainant, now 18, said she and a friend were roller‑skating when they called the accused's house. She had previously shown the boys a derelict site. During a game of truth or dare, the accused asked her uncomfortable questions, dared her to touch his penis, and later dared her to let him hug her. He allegedly forced her to hug from behind, pulled her clothes, and inserted his penis into her anus. She reported severe pain, bleeding, and shock, and later told her mother and went to a Garda station. The trial continues tomorrow before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court found a 17‑year‑old boy not guilty of raping a 15‑year‑old girl in a public park. The boy claimed that after meeting the girl at a shopping centre, they kissed and she suggested they go to a nearby park where she proposed sex. He said he was physically unable to have penetrative sex but claimed the girl masturbated him. The girl, aged 16, testified that she was happy to kiss the boy but did not want to do anything else, and that he led her into bushes and forced her to have sex with him while she was too drunk to stop him. The trial lasted eight days and the jury deliberated for just under four hours before returning not‑guilty verdicts on both rape and sexual assault charges. The jury had to accept a majority verdict after the foreman noted they could not reach unanimity.
A jury has begun deliberations in the trial of a 17‑year‑old boy accused of raping a 15‑year‑old girl in a public park in south Dublin on 13 April 2019. The defendant pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and not guilty to one count of sexual assault. The trial is being held at the Central Criminal Court. On the seventh day of the trial, Justice Eileen Creedon instructed the jury to suspend deliberations for the evening and return on Thursday morning. In the prosecution's closing speech, Garnet Orange SC described the defendant as an "accomplished repeated liar," citing three interviews with Gardaí conducted ten days after the alleged rape. He urged jurors to treat the defendant's final interview with extreme caution.
In a rape trial at the Central Criminal Court, lawyers for a 17‑year‑old accused of raping a 15‑year‑old girl in a public park argue that the complainant's testimony cannot be relied upon. The defense counsel, Michael Bowman SC, contends that teenagers may lie to avoid trouble and that the defendant, a 16‑year‑old with no prior convictions, was frightened and reluctant to speak. He highlights inconsistencies in the girl's statements, including a claim that she was with a friend when her mother called, and a photograph sent to her mother that shows her with a friend. Bowman also points to CCTV footage suggesting the girl was in control after leaving the bushes, countering the prosecution's portrayal of her as incapacitated. The prosecution, led by Garnet Orange SC, maintains the defendant is a "repeated liar" based on his police interviews. The jury of nine women and three men will deliberate tomorrow. The unnamed 15-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 17‑year‑old was accused of raping a 15‑year‑old girl in a south Dublin park. He pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and one count of sexual assault. During the trial, the jury heard three interviews with the defendant. In the first interview he claimed he was at home at 7 pm, had not kissed any girls that evening, and denied any sexual activity. In the second interview, after viewing CCTV, he admitted being with the complainant at a Tesco but insisted he had not raped her, describing the encounter as a kiss. In the third interview, after DNA evidence linked his semen to the complainant, he admitted that she had asked him for a blowjob and for sex, but he said he was physically unable to perform penetrative sex.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 13 April 2019, a 17‑year‑old boy was tried for raping a 15‑year‑old girl in a south Dublin park. The defendant pleaded not guilty to both the rape and a separate sexual assault charge. The girl's mother testified that she saw her daughter, who was dishevelled and barely able to walk, after the alleged incident. She described how she tried to get her daughter into a car, wrestled with her, and later found her in a state of distress. The mother also recounted a prior incident in 2018 where the girl claimed a boy had forced sexual activity, which the mother denied. The trial was proceeding before Ms Eileen Justice Creedon with a jury present.
In a case involving the alleged murder of Elzbieta Piotrowska, a 57‑year‑old Polish woman found decapitated in her Ardee home on 8 January 2019, the Central Criminal Court is set to decide whether her son, Tomasz Krzysztof Piotrowski, aged 33, is fit to stand trial. Dominic McGinn SC, representing the Director of Public Prosecutions, presented evidence that Piotrowski's body was discovered with multiple stab wounds and that an axe and Stanley knives were nearby. Piotrowski was arrested the same day and was previously declared unfit to be tried after assessments at the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum. However, Dr Mary Davoren reported on 3 December that Piotrowski is now fit to stand trial, following a November consultation in which he admitted lying to psychiatrists. Contrarily, Dr Conor O'Neill, a consultant psychiatrist at the CMH, disagreed, asserting that Piotrowski remains suffering from delusional beliefs consistent with paranoid schizophrenia and is still unfit to plead.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 17‑year‑old girl denied that she ever suggested a previous consensual encounter with a boy in 2018 was against her will. She testified that she was 14 at the time and that she had no knowledge of the boy. The defendant, who is 17, pleaded not guilty to raping a 15‑year‑old girl and to sexually assaulting her in a south Dublin park on 13 April 2019. The girl, now 17, appeared via video‑link and confirmed that she had told Gardaí in 2018 that she had engaged in consensual sexual activity with a boy in a park. She also stated that she had not implied that the boy had forced her. During cross‑examination she was upset, describing herself as stressed and her head "all over the place." The court was disrupted by frequent public‑service announcements about social distancing, which the judge found highly disruptive.
A Central Criminal Court jury found Darren Houlden not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter after he admitted stabbing Stephen "Apples" Kavanagh 40 times. Houlden, 44, arrived at Arklow Garda Station in blood‑stained clothes with a knife, claiming he had lost control and was provoked by Kavanagh's threat that "gangsters" would come to shoot him over missing cocaine. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan argued a partial defence of provocation, citing Kavanagh's anger and threats. The jury rejected the State's claim that Houlden had weighed his options and reasoned before attacking. The verdict was reached after 3 hours 16 minutes of deliberation. Sentencing was adjourned to February 1, with Houlden remanded in custody pending a victim impact statement. The judge thanked the jury and exempted them from service for five years. The case was heard in the early hours of May 6, 2019.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, a 17‑year‑old girl alleged that she was raped in a public park by a 17‑year‑old boy on 13 April 2019. She told Gardaí she was "really drunk" and "wasn't really aware of what was happening." The defendant pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and one count of sexual assault. The girl, now 17, was interviewed by a child specialist three days after the alleged assault. She recounted that she and a friend had been drinking vodka and gin, then went to a Tesco where a group of boys met them. One boy asked her to kiss him for more drinks, then led her to a park, kissed her, and allegedly forced sexual contact while she was intoxicated. She later attempted self‑harm and was rescued by her step‑father. The trial is proceeding before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, defence counsel Brendan Grehan argued that Darren Houlden, aged 44, lost control and snapped when he stabbed Stephen "Apples" Kavanagh, 37, over 40 times after a dispute over missing cocaine. Grehan claimed fear of personal harm and threats to Houlden's parents drove the accused to act in a "hot‑blooded" frenzied attack, and urged the jury to find him guilty of manslaughter rather than murder. Prosecution counsel John Fitzgerald countered that Houlden was not provoked, had weighed his options, and intended to kill Kavanagh, rejecting the loss‑of‑control defence. The case centred on a May 6, 2019 incident at Meadowvale, Arklow, where Houlden claimed he stabbed Kavanagh to prevent a second phone call that threatened his family. The jury was to deliberate on the appropriate verdict. Darren Houlden pleaded not guilty.
During the trial of a 17‑year‑old boy accused of raping a teenage girl in a South Dublin park, the jury heard from a doctor who treated the girl in a sexual assault treatment unit. The girl, who cannot be named, pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and not guilty to one count of sexual assault. The doctor explained that the girl was accompanied by her mother and a Garda when she presented to the SATU on 13 April 2019. He took a history of the alleged attack, noting that the girl described the assailant as a stranger and that she was drunk and not thinking straight. She reported that a boy asked her to kiss him, then asked if she wanted to do "this", and she said no. She described the boy asking for oral sex, pulling down her leggings, and attempting anal sex.
During the second week of Darren Houlden's murder trial, the defence cross‑examined Rory "Tar" Kavanagh, a friend of the 37‑year‑old Stephen "Apples" Kavanagh, who was stabbed over 40 times on 6 May 2019. Kavanagh denied that the victim had asked him to help with missing cocaine or that he had sold drugs. He said the victim called him at 10:30 pm on 5 May for a normal conversation and that the victim had asked him to come to Houlden's house in Meadowvale that night, but Kavanagh refused. Kavanagh also denied that the victim had threatened to "get bodies down" to Houlden's house. The trial heard that Houlden, who pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, claimed he had taken a blood‑stained knife to stop the victim from making a second phone call. The case remains in court before Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury.
A 17‑year‑old boy has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court on a charge of raping and sexually assaulting a 17‑year‑old girl in a south Dublin park on 13 April 2019. He pleaded not guilty to both counts. The prosecution, represented by Garnet Orange SC, presented evidence that the girl and the boy, who were of similar age and had not previously known each other, met after a night of drinking with friends. They allegedly went to a wooded area of the park where the boy allegedly forced his penis into the girl's vagina and engaged in other sexual contact. The boy denied any contact, but forensic DNA evidence linked him to the girl. The case is being heard by Justice Eileen Creedon.
A man in his early forties has been imprisoned for three and a half years following his conviction on sexual assault and assault charges at the Central Criminal Court in Castlebar. The jury found him guilty of two counts of sexual assault against his wife and one count of assault causing harm, relating to an incident in Galway city in October 2017. A rape charge could not proceed after the jury failed to reach agreement; the Director of Public Prosecutions subsequently discontinued this count with the victim's consent. The court heard the man forced his wife to a wooded area where he assaulted her, threatening violence and repeatedly striking her. The woman escaped and reported the incident to gardaí. Ms Justice Carmel Stewart imposed a four-and-a-half-year sentence with the final year suspended, backdated to his custody date in April 2019. The judge commended the victim for her courage in coming forward.
A trial date has been set for 38‑year‑old Christina Anderson, a mother of three, who is accused of murdering Garreth Kelly, 39, who died from stab wounds after an incident at Brownsbarn Estate, Kingswood, Co Dublin, on the morning of 25 February. Mr Justice Paul Coffey scheduled the trial for 7 March 2022 at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. Anderson, who lived at Brownsbarn Wood, Kingswood, was arrested and held at Clondalkin Garda station before being transferred to the Central Mental Hospital for treatment. She was not present for the hearing.
During the Central Criminal Court hearing, Darren Houlden, aged 44, admitted to a violent confrontation with Stephen "Apples" Kavanagh, 37, on the morning of 6 May 2019. Houlden told detectives that he had been threatened by Kavanagh over missing cocaine and that he feared retaliation from others. He claimed he had a knife and an axe for protection and that he stabbed Kavanagh after a scuffle, stating he did not intend to kill him but was forced to stop. Houlden described himself as a "functioning addict" with a history of drug use and treatment. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, a plea rejected by the DPP. The trial continues before Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 44‑year‑old Darren Houlden pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in the death of 37‑year‑old Stephen "Apples" Kavanagh. Houlden told detectives he stabbed Kavanagh after the victim threatened him that "gangsters" would shoot him over missing cocaine. He claimed the devil "took him over" and that he was a "lunatic" when he attacked. Houlden drove to Arklow Garda Station at 12.35 am on 6 May, handed a blood‑stained knife to a guard and admitted responsibility. He said he had taken a knife from his kitchen, stabbed Kavanagh in the neck, face, head and back at least seven times, and that he had "went for" the victim's brain. The trial continues before Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury.
A 46‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for a series of sexual offences against his younger sister that occurred between 1990 and 1994. He was aged 16 when he first abused his eight‑year‑old sister and continued to commit four further acts over the next three years. The victim, now 46, described the abuse as having profoundly damaged her sense of safety and innocence, and said she felt "crippled" even as an adult when her brother lived in the same house. She reported the incidents to her mother at 17, and later to Gardaí in 2018, after her children were born and she had experienced bereavement. The man pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court, admitted the acts, and was found to have no prior convictions.
In a murder trial, Rachel Kearney testified that Darren Houlden, 44, stabbed her boyfriend Stephen "Apples" Kavanagh, 37, to death on 6 May 2019 at Houlden's home. Kearney described seeing Houlden "slaughtering" Kavanagh, with Houlden's knees on Kavanagh's back as he stabbed him. She recounted that Kavanagh had been upset over missing crack cocaine, that Houlden had become aggressive, and that Kavanagh pleaded for help before being stabbed. Kearney said she tried to stop Houlden, who calmly replied, "Ok, I will." The final wounds were to Kavanagh's neck and head. Houlden pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter; the plea was rejected by the DPP and he is on trial at the Central Criminal Court. The trial is set to continue before a jury.
A man with convictions for stalking and harassment of former partners was found guilty at the Central Criminal Court in Castlebar, County Mayo, of sexually assaulting his wife in Galway city on October 13, 2017. The 42-year-old man was convicted of two counts of sexual assault and one count of assault causing harm. A jury was unable to reach a verdict on a rape charge, which the Director of Public Prosecutions subsequently dropped with the victim's support. The court heard the man forced his wife to accompany him to a wooded area following an incident at a church where she had sought shelter with other homeless women. Evidence included CCTV footage of the assault. The victim provided an impact statement describing ongoing trauma and psychological effects. The man, who has 24 previous convictions in Ireland and more serious convictions in the United Kingdom, has been in custody since April 2019. Ms Justice Carmel Stewart adjourned sentencing to December 1.
Darren Houlden, 44, walked into an Arklow Garda station wearing blood‑stained clothes and carrying a knife, admitting to stabbing Stephen 'Apples' Kavanagh, 37, to death. The Central Criminal Court jury will hear that Houlden, who pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, claimed he went into a rage after Kavanagh allegedly threatened to call about missing drugs. Prosecutor John D Fitzgerald SC will argue that the act of killing is clear but the jury must decide Houlden's intent and mental state. The case will cover the night of March 6, 2019, when Houlden and Kavanagh, along with Kavanagh's girlfriend, smoked and drank at Houlden's home, leading to a confrontation over missing drugs. Kavanagh suffered stab wounds to the head and neck and was pronounced dead at St Vincent's Hospital. Houlden admitted the stabbing to Gardaí and handed over the knife.
A 44‑year‑old man named Darren Houlden, who lives in Arklow, Co Wicklow, has been charged with murdering 37‑year‑old Stephen Kavanagh at the same address. Houlden pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter on 6 May 2019; the plea was rejected by the DPP. Mr Justice Michael White has sworn a jury of eight men and four women to hear the case. The trial, to be heard by Ms Justice Carmel Stewart, will begin at 11.30 am tomorrow and is expected to last two weeks.
In a Dublin trial that began in August 2018, David Fortune, aged 33, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his father, Gerard Fortune, aged 62, who was stabbed in the neck at their family home in Crumlin. On the fifth day of the trial, the prosecution accepted a plea of manslaughter, and the jury was discharged. The judge ordered a probation report and a sentencing hearing for February 26, 2021, with victim impact statements to be heard then. The court heard that the fatal assault occurred after a day of drinking and drug taking in a granny flat, with witnesses describing the accused as paranoid and hallucinating after taking tablets. The post‑mortem showed an 8 cm stab wound that cut the carotid artery and jugular vein, causing haemorrhage and shock. Fortune was remanded in custody until the sentencing date.