The Central Criminal Court trial of Kieran Greene, Louise O'Connor, Stephanie O'Connor, and Keith Johnston continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott. All four defendants have pleaded not guilty to charges relating to the alleged murder of Patricia O'Connor (61) at her home in Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, on May 29, 2017. Mr Greene is charged with murdering Mrs O'Connor, while the other three are accused of impeding her apprehension or prosecution, including disguising themselves as the deceased and assisting in the purchase of tools to conceal her remains. Evidence presented includes testimony from neighbour Sam Lin, who described the family as good neighbours and stated he saw nothing unusual on the night of the alleged incident. Gardaí testified that CCTV footage from local stores in Tallaght showed Mr Greene and Mr Johnston purchasing items such as hacksaws, axes, and wellington boots on June 9, 2017. The court heard that Mrs O'Connor's body was dismembered into 15 parts and scattered across nine locations in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains. The trial is ongoing and was not adjourned or finalised during this reporting period.
In a Central Criminal Court case, Mark Tims (48) was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter after he killed his father, Anthony 'Tony' Tims (74), on the latter's birthday. The jury, after six hours and 17 minutes, accepted Tims' plea of guilty to manslaughter and not guilty to murder. The incident occurred at Rowlagh Green, Clondalkin, when Tims, provoked by his father's harsh remarks and a heated argument, struck him with a cup and then kicked him three times, causing fatal injuries. Tims was taken to Midlands Prison pending a sentencing hearing on 24 February. Justice Tony Hunt thanked the jurors and exempted them from further service for 12 years, describing the case as tragic for all involved. The trial highlighted the tense relationship between father and son, with Tims' girlfriend Elizabeth McDonagh testifying about their frequent disputes and the father's controlling behaviour.
The jury in the Central Criminal Court trial of Mark Tims, aged 48, will return to continue deliberations after three days. Tims admits killing but denies murder of his father, Anthony 'Tony' Tims, at their home in Rowlagh Green, Clondalkin, on 13 July 2018. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter and not guilty to murder; the State rejected the plea. The jury, composed of seven women and five men, has spent nearly five hours over two days considering the verdict. Judge Tony Hunt explained that provocation can reduce a murder charge to manslaughter if the accused experiences a sudden, temporary loss of control caused by the deceased's words or actions. He noted that a person who intended to kill or cause serious injury can be convicted of manslaughter if provocation is reasonably possible.
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence in the trial of Kieran Greene, Louise O'Connor, Stephanie O'Connor, and Keith Johnston, all of whom pleaded not guilty to charges related to the murder of Patricia O'Connor (61) at her home in Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, on May 29, 2017. Greene is accused of murdering Mrs. O'Connor, while the other three are charged with impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Greene. The jury heard a December 2017 interview in which Greene alleged he was "set-up" and "took the rap" for the killing. He claimed Gus O'Connor struck his wife with a crowbar and instructed him to assume responsibility. Greene stated Louise O'Connor told him to "get rid" of the body, and Keith Johnston "made a plan" to dismember the remains in Wexford and scatter them in the Wicklow mountains. Greene alleged Stephanie O'Connor disguised herself as her grandmother to conceal the death. The court noted that Mrs. O'Connor's body was found in 15 parts across nine locations. The matter is currently at trial stage, with no findings, sentences, or finalisations recorded.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, the jury must decide whether Mark Tims, 48, was provoked when he killed his father Anthony 'Tony' Tims. Tims pleaded to manslaughter but not guilty to murder. The defence argues that his father's remarks – calling him a "disappointment", a "bollocks" and a "waster", and wishing he had never been born – provoked him. Mr Justice Tony Hunt explained that provocation can reduce a murder charge to manslaughter if the accused had a sudden, temporary loss of control. The jury, composed of seven women and five men, spent a day reviewing evidence, including testimony from Tims's former girlfriend Elizabeth McDonagh and a pathologist, and will return tomorrow for a verdict.
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence in the ongoing trial of Kieran Greene, 34, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patricia O'Connor, 61, at her home in Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, on May 29, 2017. The jury listened to garda interviews in which Mr Greene alleged that the deceased had attempted to kill her husband by pushing him down the stairs and expressed a desire for the family to die. He claimed he let her die to protect his children and subsequently dismembered her body, scattering the remains across Dublin and Wicklow. Mr Greene also alleged his partner, Louise O'Connor, 41, had been diagnosed with Graves' disease and that the deceased had threatened to sign over the house if Louise killed her father. Louise O'Connor, her daughter Stephanie O'Connor, 22, and Louise's ex-partner Keith Johnston, 43, are all charged with impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Mr Greene. Louise O'Connor has pleaded not guilty to agreeing to Stephanie disguising herself as the deceased to conceal her death. Stephanie O'Connor has pleaded not guilty to disguising herself as the deceased. Mr Johnston has pleaded not guilty to assisting Mr Greene in purchasing implements for concealment and to refurbishing the bathroom to destroy evidence. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott.
A 54‑year‑old man was convicted of 75 offences against his three daughters, including 44 counts of sexual abuse, 37 rapes of his eldest daughter, an anal rape of that daughter, an oral rape of her younger sister, and a threat to kill his youngest daughters. The offences occurred between October 1994 and July 2012. He was sentenced to 17 years' imprisonment by Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan on 18 May 2015. The judge described the conduct as an "abhorred and evil campaign of rape and sexual abuse" and praised the victims for their courage. The eldest daughter testified that abuse began when she was nine, escalated to rape at eleven, and included an anal rape at fourteen. She ended the abuse after escaping to England at seventeen. The man has appealed the conviction on grounds that some alleged offences fell outside the indictment's time frame and that a cross‑examination was curtailed. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment. The unnamed 54-year-old pleaded not guilty.
The trial of a 29‑year‑old man accused of raping a woman he met at Copper Face Jacks nightclub ended after his death. He had pleaded not guilty to raping and sexually assaulting a woman at his Dublin home on 23 December 2016. On the sixth day of the trial, Mr Justice Alex Owens informed the jury that the defendant had not appeared in court the previous day and that enquiries had been made. He announced the accused was deceased and that the jury need not continue or reach a verdict. The complainant, a woman in her 20s, testified that after leaving the nightclub she and the accused went to his home, where they began consensual sex that turned violent. She described being choked, forced to continue, spitting on her, and being kicked. She reported the incident to Gardaí on 29 December 2016, and the accused denied the offences during police interview. The identities of the parties remain undisclosed.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Kieran Greene, 34, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patricia O'Connor, 61, at her home in Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, on May 29, 2017, continued with evidence of his voluntary statements to gardai. The jury heard that Greene alleged he killed Ms O'Connor after a physical altercation involving a hurl, subsequently burying her in a shallow grave in Wexford. He later claimed he returned to dismember the body to make it lighter, scattering the remains across the Dublin and Wicklow mountains. The court also heard allegations that Louise O'Connor, Stephanie O'Connor, and Keith Johnston, all of whom have pleaded not guilty, agreed to or acquiesced in Stephanie O'Connor disguising herself as the deceased to conceal her death. These defendants are further alleged to have assisted Greene in purchasing implements in Tallaght, Dublin 24, for the concealment of remains. The trial is ongoing, with no findings, sentences, or finalisations recorded for any accused.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, defence counsel Vincent Heneghan SC argued that 48‑year‑old Mark Tims was provoked by his 74‑year‑old father, Anthony 'Tony' Tims, and should be convicted of manslaughter rather than murder. Heneghan cited a history of the father's controlling, domineering behaviour, including verbal abuse and threats to call the guards, and described an incident on 13 July 2018 when the father returned from a pub, insulted Mark, and threatened him. Mark allegedly responded by striking his father with a teacup, then kicking him, causing fatal injuries. Heneghan maintained that Mark's loss of self‑control was sudden and that the father's conduct provoked him. The prosecution, represented by Michael Delaney SC, countered that Mark's actions were deliberate and that the father's behaviour did not justify a manslaughter verdict. The jury was instructed to consider the evidence and decide whether provocation applies. The case remains at the jury deliberation stage.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice Michael White praised the courage of Elizabeth Williams, who reported sexual abuse by her second cousin John Moran, a 66‑year‑old former resident of Cannakill, Croghan, Co Offaly. Williams, aged 5 to 11 when abused, said the incidents were frequent and normalised in her childhood, and that no action was taken by family or authorities until after her father's death. She had been denied medical care, faced family hostility, and considered suicide. Moran, who was 14 to 21 at the time of the offences, pleaded guilty to one count of rape and seven counts of indecent assault. The judge imposed an eight‑year sentence with the final two years suspended, citing mitigating factors such as his ill health and lack of prior convictions, and aggravating factors including the prolonged nature of the abuse and the victim's innocence.
A 22‑year‑old Dubliner who sexually assaulted a female friend when both were 16 will not receive an additional prison sentence. He had already spent nine months in custody after failing to appear before the Children's Court in 2018. The judge, Mr Justice Michael White, said no further custodial term would be imposed beyond the nine months already served. The case was adjourned to February 3 to structure a sentence that would include supervision orders. The assault occurred on 1 August 2014 at a Dublin address while the victim was asleep after a drinks party. She reported that her jeans had been pulled down and the boy had penetrated her with his finger. She later described depression, anxiety and panic attacks as a result of the incident. The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault and expressed remorse.
In January 2020, a court case in Cork involved Las Vegas Balan, a 25‑year‑old Romanian national who had been sleeping rough on the streets. He was charged with sexually assaulting a woman in a laneway in May 2018. The victim, who was extremely drunk and walking barefoot around the city, was found by Gardaí in an incoherent state after Balan pushed her against a wall, groped her, and pulled her behind a van. CCTV footage showed the woman struggling to remain upright and later moving voluntarily behind the van. Balan admitted the victim was very intoxicated but claimed the encounter was consensual. He pleaded guilty, and Mr Justice Micheal White imposed a five‑year prison term, backdated to May 2018, noting the victim was "absolutely incapable" of giving consent and that Balan had taken advantage of her situation. The judge also considered the victim's prior mental health difficulties and the impact of the offence.
In the murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution has finished presenting its evidence against Mark Tims, 48, who admitted to killing his father but denies murder. Mr Justice Tony Hunt informed the jury that the next phase would involve closing speeches from both sides. Tims pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder of his father, Anthony 'Tony' Tims, 74, who died on 13 July 2018 at their home in Rowlagh Green, Clondalkin. The State rejected his plea. Witnesses described a heated argument after Anthony returned from the pub on his birthday, during which Tims allegedly put his father in a headlock, struck him twice in the head and kicked him. Tims claimed he "lost it" after his father "kept at" him for drinking. The jury also heard a 999 call made by Tims's then‑girlfriend, Elizabeth 'Lil' McDonagh, immediately after the assault that caused the death.
An 18‑year‑old Dublin man pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to intentionally causing serious harm to a relative by stabbing him in the chest on 27 August 2018 at a house in Tallaght. The defendant, who was 17 at the time of the offence, was described by counsel as coming from a very dysfunctional background. The plea was accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions on a full facts basis. Mr Justice Alex Owens remanded the teenager in custody until 30 March for a sentence hearing.
A woman has described how she was raped by two men after losing consciousness at a house party in County Leitrim in 2017. Following an eleven-day trial at the Central Criminal Court last November, a jury convicted the first man of rape and the second of oral rape. Both men, now in their early twenties and known to the complainant from school, deny the offences and do not accept the verdicts. In a victim impact statement, the woman said the attacks have caused her severe psychological harm, describing her life as "a struggle" and stating the trauma will affect her permanently. The first man's defence counsel highlighted his previously unblemished character and submitted references from community members. The second man's counsel indicated an intention to appeal, noting his client maintains his innocence. The Director of Public Prosecutions entered a nolle prosequi on the rape charge against the second accused. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon adjourned sentencing to 17 February for consideration of the evidence. The unnamed woman pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Kieran Greene, Louise O'Connor, Stephanie O'Connor, and Keith Johnston continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott. All four defendants have pleaded not guilty to charges including the murder of Patricia O'Connor on May 29, 2017, and impeding her apprehension or prosecution. The prosecution alleges Mrs O'Connor suffered a violent death at her Rathfarnham home, with her remains subsequently dismembered and dispersed across the Dublin and Wicklow mountains. Evidence presented by Detective Garda Janette O'Neill detailed the recovery of 15 body parts from nine locations, describing the sites as a "dumping ground." Forensic scientist John Hoade testified that DNA analysis confirmed the remains belonged to Louise O'Connor's mother. He reported finding a low-level male DNA profile in the bathroom where the alleged attack occurred, while no blood was found on seized hacksaws or the deceased's vehicle. The court heard that the defendants allegedly purchased implements to conceal the remains and that Stephanie O'Connor disguised herself as her mother to hide the death. The matter is ongoing, with the trial set to continue on Monday.
Boy B, a 15‑year‑old, will appeal his murder conviction on 24 April. He was found guilty of killing 14‑year‑old Ana Kriégel in May 2018, when he was 13. The Central Criminal Court, applying children's court procedures, sentenced him to 15 years' detention, reviewable after eight years. Boy B's appeal concerns only the conviction, not the sentence. The Court of Appeal set an early hearing date; counsel expects the hearing to last a day. Boy B is currently detained at Oberstown Children Detention Campus, with a possible release in June 2027. The case attracted significant media interest, leading the trial judge to restrict coverage. No appeal has been lodged on Boy A's behalf, who was also convicted of murder and aggravated sexual assault and sentenced to life imprisonment with a review after 12 years and eight years for the assault. The court will consider the boys' conduct in custody when reviewing their sentences.
In the Central Criminal Court, 48‑year‑old Mark Tims admitted killing his father, Anthony Tims, but denied murder. He told Garda Colm Harrington that he had a heated argument over a burnt breakfast and that his father's repeated complaints about drinking had provoked him. Tims claimed he struck his father with a cup, then kicked him when he fell. He said he felt his head "boiling" and "freaked" during the incident. Garda Aine O'Sullivan recorded that Tims described his father's death as a result of blunt‑force trauma, noting that the body had multiple fractures and bruises. The trial heard that Tims had pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder. The case is proceeding before Mr Justice Tony Hunt with a jury of twelve. The court has not yet delivered a verdict.
In the Central Criminal Court, Mark Tims (48) pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder in the death of his father Anthony 'Tony' Tims (74) on 13 July 2018. The trial heard that a row erupted when Anthony returned from the pub on his birthday and Mark told him he had "cremated" his breakfast. Mark then put his father in a headlock, punched him twice in the head and kicked him when he fell. Sandra O'Donnell, Anthony's younger sister, described their relationship as a love/hate one, noting that they had lived together for most of Mark's life and had frequent arguments. She said Mark was not a bad person and that he was in shock after the incident. The case is being heard by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with a jury of twelve.
The trial of Kieran Greene, 34, accused of murdering Patricia O'Connor, 61, at Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, on May 29, 2017, was delayed at the Central Criminal Court due to juror issues. Mr Justice Paul McDermott discharged one juror for health reasons and investigated another regarding a potential conflict of interest. The accused suggested the juror was a delivery man to Lower Gardiner Street, where Louise and Stephanie O'Connor had resided. The juror denied this, and the judge dismissed the inquiry. The trial, expected to last five to seven weeks, was scheduled to open later that day. Greene pleaded not guilty to murder. Louise O'Connor, 41, and Stephanie O'Connor, 22, both pleaded not guilty to agreeing to or acquiescing in Stephanie disguising herself as Patricia to conceal her death, and to assisting Greene in purchasing implements for concealment. Keith Johnston, 43, pleaded not guilty to assisting Greene in purchasing implements and to refurbishing a bathroom to destroy evidence. All defendants are charged with impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Greene. The matter remains at the trial stage with no findings or sentences recorded.
In a Central Criminal Court murder trial, 48‑year‑old Mark Tims pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of his 74‑year‑old father, Anthony 'Tony' Tims. The prosecution, led by Michael Delaney SC, argued that on 13 July 2018, after a drunken argument on the father's birthday, Tims violently assaulted his father at their Rowlagh Green home. Tims allegedly punched his father, used a mug, kicked him in the head and trunk, and repeatedly struck him with a coat. The father was found on the kitchen floor in distress and later died at Tallaght Hospital after a post‑mortem revealed fractured ribs that caused lung collapse. Tims, who had been drinking heavily, remained in the area for nearly 24 hours before being found by Gardaí. He admitted assaulting his father in four Garda interviews, though details varied. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, continues with a jury of twelve.
A Dublin man, Kieran Greene, 34, is set to stand trial for the murder of 61‑year‑old Patricia O'Connor on 29 May 2017. Greene pleaded not guilty. His daughter, Louise O'Connor, 41, and her ex‑partner, Keith Johnston, 43, along with Louise's daughter, Stephanie O'Connor, 22, were also arraigned. They face charges of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Greene, knowing or believing he committed the murder. Louise pleaded not guilty to agreeing to or acquiescing in her daughter's disguise as Patricia O'Connor to conceal the death. Johnston pleaded not guilty to assisting Greene in purchasing implements for concealing remains and to refurbishing a bathroom to destroy evidence. Stephanie pleaded not guilty to disguising herself as Patricia after the murder. The body was dismembered and parts were found scattered across the Wicklow mountains. The trial will begin tomorrow before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and is expected to last five to seven weeks.
A 48‑year‑old Dublin man, Mark Tims, admitted to killing his 74‑year‑old father, Anthony Tims, on 13 July 2018, but denied that the act was murder. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter, a plea rejected by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The case will be heard by a jury of five men and seven women before Mr Justice Tony Hunt at the Central Criminal Court, with the trial expected to last two weeks.
Yusif Ali Abdi, the appellant, was committed to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) for inpatient care following a retrial at the Central Criminal Court. Abdi, who pleaded not guilty to the 2001 murder of his 20-month-old son, Nathan, was found not guilty by reason of insanity. This verdict followed the Court of Appeal quashing his 2003 murder conviction after he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2013. During the retrial, four consultant psychiatrists testified that Abdi suffered from schizophrenia at the time of the incident. Judge Alexander Owens accepted the evidence that Abdi suffers from a mental disorder and ordered his commitment to the CMH, where his condition will be reviewed by the Mental Health Review Board. Abdi's wife, Amanda Bailey, delivered a victim impact statement, stating she always believed her husband could not have known what he was doing. She described the profound grief of losing their son and expressed a sense of peace with the verdict. The court heard that Abdi had previously spent 16 years in prison for the offense. The matter was concluded with the judge's order committing Abdi to the CMH, rather than an adjournment.
An asylum seeker, Mohamed Morei, aged 21 and originally from Egypt, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of 24‑year‑old Yosuke Sasaki, whom he stabbed on 3 January 2018 in Dundalk. Morei also assaulted two men that morning, causing a head wound that required stitches, and was charged with criminal damage to a car and robbery by trespassing. A jury returned the same not‑guilty‑by‑reason‑of‑insanity verdict on those charges. During the trial, Morei claimed he was "fighting for Isis" and stabbed Sasaki "for God", but a detective inspector described his statements as incoherent and found no evidence of terrorist links. Two consultant psychiatrists diagnosed him with schizophrenia, stating he was unaware his actions were wrong and could not refrain from them. He was committed to the Central Mental Hospital, where his detention will be reviewed every six months under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act.
A man convicted of raping two women at his Sligo apartment has failed in his appeal against conviction at the Court of Appeal. Clement Limen, aged 47, of North Court, Quayside, Sligo town, was found guilty by jury at the Central Criminal Court of the offences committed on 2 June 2014. The trial heard that Limen had invited the women, lifelong friends in their 30s, to his flat following a chance meeting at a nightclub during a bank holiday weekend. Evidence indicated that after consuming drinks prepared by Limen, both women lost consciousness and were subsequently assaulted. Limen denied the charges, claiming consensual contact with one woman and denying contact with the other. Mr Justice Paul Coffey imposed a sentence of seven-and-a-half years in December 2017. Limen's appeal centred on claims regarding the trial judge's rulings on evidence and detention procedures. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, found no grounds for intervention and dismissed the appeal.
Gerard Kane, 43, a convicted rapist and serial burglar, was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment in December 2019 for two break‑ins committed after his release in August 2018. Kane had previously received a 12‑year sentence in 2012 for raping a woman after breaking into her home, with the final three years suspended. He was released on bail for burglary at the constituency office of former Fianna Fáil Minister Barry Andrews. In the 2019 case, Kane pleaded guilty to burglary at Dun Laoghaire Further Education Institute, burglary at Silchester Crescent, Glenageary, and handling stolen property. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three and a half years, suspending the final 12 months on strict conditions, including compliance with Probation Service directions for 12 months post‑release. The court noted Kane's psychological problems but also his awareness of right and wrong.
A 55‑year‑old Dublin man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has appealed his conviction for raping his heavily‑pregnant girlfriend. He was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury of three counts of sexual assault in November 2014 and two counts of rape in December 2014, just before the victim was due to give birth to their second child. He denied all charges during both trials. Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy described his actions as "sneaky, underhand and clandestine" and noted the victim's humiliation when videos of the assault were shown in court. Mr Justice Paul Butler imposed a concurrent sentence of 10 years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended. The appeal was lodged on grounds that the trial judge erred in instructing the jury about corroboration and consistency of the complainant's account, and that adverse publicity and procedural issues may have affected the trial. The Court of Appeal reserved its judgment.
Roy Webster, 42, of Ashbree, Ashford, Co Wicklow, was convicted of murder for bludgeoning Anne Shortall, 47, to death with a hammer on 3 April 2015. Webster claimed he was provoked after Shortall threatened to inform his wife of their affair. He was found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court and sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy on 24 March 2017. On 17 December 2019, Webster lodged an appeal in the Court of Appeal, challenging the trial judge's instructions on the defence of provocation. His barrister, Michael Bowman SC, argued that the test for provocation should be subjective, based on Webster's state of mind, rather than the objective standard used by the judge. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, is expected to deliver a decision on 20 December 2019. The appeal focuses solely on the provocation defence and does not address any other aspects of the case.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced two 15‑year‑old boys to life with a review after 12 years and 15 years with a review after eight years, respectively, for the murder and sexual assault of 14‑year‑old Ana Kriegel. The boys will be detained in a young offenders centre until 18, then transferred to an adult prison. The judge noted the boys' ages as a mitigating factor, but emphasised their responsibility for Ana's death. He described the crime as calculated, violent and shocking, and highlighted the boys' lack of remorse and the severity of the assault. The sentences were back‑dated to the June convictions, and the judge ordered reports for the review periods. The hearing included statements from Ana's parents and Garda officials, who praised the investigation and expressed gratitude for the justice delivered.
During a 13‑week trial, the prosecution presented circumstantial evidence linking Patrick Quirke to the murder of Bobby Ryan, arguing that Quirke's jealousy and financial dependence on Mary Lowry motivated the killing. Quirke had leased Lowry's land, had a sexual relationship with her, and was seen at her home on the day Ryan disappeared. He claimed he discovered Ryan's body in a waste‑water tank on 30 April 2013, describing the tank as partially full and the body as a "carpet or inflatable doll." Forensic entomology suggested the body had been present for at least 11 days. The defence argued the evidence was unreliable, citing inconsistencies in Lowry's testimony, lack of independent evidence of Quirke's motive, and questioning the integrity of the tank's condition. The jury ultimately convicted Quirke by a majority verdict for Ryan's murder.
Patrick Quirke was found guilty of murdering part‑time DJ Bobby Ryan, known as "Mr Moonlight", by a ten‑to‑two majority jury at the Central Criminal Court. Quirke, who had pleaded not guilty, was sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment. The trial, the longest murder trial in Irish history, lasted 13 weeks and involved extensive legal argument. Ryan, 52, disappeared after leaving his girlfriend Mary Lowry's home on 3 June 2011. His body was recovered 22 months later in an underground run‑off tank on a farm leased by Quirke. The prosecution alleged Quirke killed Ryan to rekindle an affair with Lowry. The jury deliberated for 20 hours and 39 minutes before delivering the verdict. The case ended with Quirke being escorted out by prison guards, while Ryan's family, including his daughter Michelle, expressed deep grief and reflected on the loss.
Brahim Maddi, 36, a homeless Algerian national, pleaded guilty to sexual assault and oral rape of a drunk, unconscious man in Dublin in 2019. CCTV showed the victim lying face‑down, motionless, while Maddi repeatedly approached, stole €5, rubbed the victim's buttocks, masturbated, and on a fourth visit orally raped the victim. Gardaí arrested Maddi near the scene; the victim was later hospitalized. Mr Justice Michael White sentenced Maddi to seven years' imprisonment, reduced to four years after considering his guilty plea, admissions, and remorse. Maddi's history of schizophrenia and his status as a vulnerable man were noted. The victim's impact statement, read by his father, described suicidal thoughts and guilt following the assault. The court ordered limited media reporting of the incident's location and date.
Robert Lawlor, a 35‑year‑old father of three, was acquitted of five charges, including attempted murder, after a trial where his ex‑girlfriend Rachel Kirwan recanted a statement to the Gardaí that alleged he had threatened to kill her new partner Derek Mitchell and his mother Fiona Mitchell. The jury found him not guilty on all counts. On 16 December 2019, the Central Criminal Court struck out the sole remaining charge against Lawlor – assault causing harm to Kirwan on an unknown date in December 2014 – by entering a nolle prosequi. Judge Michael White declared Lawlor fully discharged, no longer in custody, and free to leave. The court proceedings followed earlier acquittals in May 2018 of attempted murder of Fiona Mitchell, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and shooting of Ms Mitchell's dog Chopper. No further charges were pursued.
Patrick Quirke, a 50‑year‑old farmer from Breanshamore, Co. Tipperary, has been granted a hearing in October to appeal his conviction for the murder of Bobby Ryan, a part‑time DJ known as 'Mr Moonlight'. Ryan disappeared on 3 June 2011 after leaving the home of his girlfriend, Mary Lowry, and his body was found in an underground run‑off tank on Lowry's farm in April 2013. The prosecution argued Quirke killed Ryan to rekindle a relationship with Lowry and staged the body's discovery after Lowry tried to terminate his lease. Quirke's lawyers contended the evidence was merely suspicious, citing inconsistencies in Lowry's testimony and questioning her reliability. A Central Criminal Court jury found Quirke guilty after 20 hours and 39 minutes of deliberation, and he received a mandatory life sentence on 1 May 2019. The Court of Appeal has set 13 October for the appeal hearing, which is expected to last four days.
In a retrial held at the Central Criminal Court, Yusif Ali Abdi, aged 46, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of his 20‑month‑old son, Nathan Baraka Andrew Ali, who died on 17 April 2001. The original 2003 trial had convicted Abdi of murder after a jury rejected his insanity defence. In 2013 he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, a fact that led the Court of Appeal to quash the conviction earlier this year. During the four‑day retrial, psychiatrist Dr Damian Mohan testified that Abdi had shown early signs of the disorder at the time of the offence and that he was unable to appreciate the wrongfulness of his actions. The jury deliberated 17 minutes and returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Judge Alexander Owens ordered Abdi to be committed to the Central Mental Hospital and to appear before the court again next Friday.
Yusif Ali Abdi, 46, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of his 20-month-old son, Nathan Baraka Andrew Ali, at The Elms, College Road, Clane, Co Kildare, on April 17, 2001. Abdi pleaded not guilty to the charge. The matter is currently at the retrial stage following an appeal in which the Court of Appeal quashed his 2003 murder conviction, citing a newly discovered diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia in 2013. During closing submissions, defence counsel Barry White SC stated that Abdi had been admitted to the Central Mental Hospital on three separate occasions during his detention. White argued that all four expert psychiatrists now agree Abdi was suffering from schizophrenia at the time of the killing, rendering him legally insane. Prosecution counsel Seamus Clarke SC contended that the proper verdict is not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury is currently deliberating, with the judge continuing to charge them. No final verdict or sentence has been recorded in this report.
Yusif Ali Abdi, the appellant, is currently on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of his 20-month-old son, Nathan Baraka Andrew Ali, at The Elms, College Road, Clane, Co Kildare, on April 17, 2001. Abdi has pleaded not guilty to the charge. His previous murder conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal earlier this year after he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2013. The current proceedings focus on the insanity defence, with the State and defence largely agreeing on the issue. Dr Damian Mohan, a consultant psychiatrist, testified that he now agrees with other experts that Abdi was suffering from a mental disorder at the time of the offence, a view he did not hold during the 2003 trial. Mohan stated that Abdi met the criteria for a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity, as he was unable to refrain from committing the act. This aligns with the testimony of Dr Alex Quinn and Dr Aggrey Washington Burke, who also concluded Abdi fulfilled the criteria for the special verdict. The court heard that Abdi was admitted to the Central Mental Hospital on four occasions between 2001 and 2013 for various psychiatric conditions, including psychotic depression and suicidal ideation. The trial continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
In a Dundalk murder trial, Mohamed Morei, a 21‑year‑old asylum seeker, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for stabbing 24‑year‑old Yosuke Sasaki to death on 3 January 2018. The jury also returned not‑guilty verdicts for assaulting two men, criminal damage to a car and robbery by trespassing between 2 and 3 January. The case was heard over three days, with psychiatrists describing Morei as suffering from acute paranoid schizophrenia and lacking awareness of the wrongfulness of his actions. Morei was remanded to the Central Mental Hospital and will appear again on 20 December to discuss his ongoing treatment. The Sasaki family, including sister Shiori and father Akifusa, expressed profound grief and frustration at the circumstances surrounding the incident.
In a 2019 Central Criminal Court hearing, psychiatrist Professor Keith Rix testified that Yusif Ali Abdi, aged 46, suffered from paranoid schizophrenia at the time he killed his 20‑month‑old son, Nathan Baraka Andrew Ali, in April 2001. Rix cited Abdi's reports of hearing voices, disorientation, and belief that his son was a threat, as well as depressive symptoms and post‑traumatic stress indicators noted by doctors in 1998 and 2001. He argued that these symptoms meant Abdi could not appreciate the moral wrongness of his act or refrain from it, satisfying the criteria for a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. The court had previously rejected Abdi's insanity defence in 2003, but his 2019 appeal led to a retrial based on newly discovered psychiatric evidence. The trial continued the following day before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury. Yusif Ali Abdi was found guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Detective Inspector Martin Beggy told the jury that Mohamed Morei, 21, had no terrorist links and that his claims of being an Isis member were "rambling" and "totally incoherent". Morei, who had applied for asylum in Britain and then in Ireland, was arrested in Northern Ireland and later travelled to Dundalk where he carried out a series of attacks on January 3 2018. He stabbed Yosuke Sasaki, 24, and assaulted two other men, all of whom were wearing headphones. Psychiatric experts Dr Brenda Wright and Dr Paul O'Connell diagnosed Morei with paranoid schizophrenia and a mild intellectual disability, stating that he believed he was justified in his actions and could not refrain from them. The defence has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity for all charges, and the trial is ongoing before Justice Carmel Stewart and a 12‑person jury.
In a tragic incident on 3 January 2018, 20‑year‑old Egyptian Mohamed Morei, who had no fixed abode, stabbed 24‑year‑old Japanese Yosuke Sasaki to death on Long Avenue, Dundalk. Morei, suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, also attacked Dylan Grehan and Cian Murphy, and caused criminal damage to a car and burglary at Long Avenue. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to all charges. The trial, opened by Sean Gillane SC, presented psychiatric evidence that Morei was severely unwell, with disordered thoughts, and was not aware of the wrongfulness of his actions. Morei has been committed to the Central Mental Hospital since the charge. The case is pending before the Central Criminal Court, with the jury hearing scheduled for the following day.
A 50‑year‑old Dublin man, whose name is withheld, was due to stand trial for three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against his two nephews at a Dublin address in 2009. A Central Criminal Court judge, Ms Justice Tara Burns, ruled that the man is unfit to stand trial because he suffers from a mental disorder under the Mental Health Act. She noted that he cannot make a legal defence, understand evidence or instruct legal representation, and is unsuitable for treatment at the Central Mental Hospital. A consultant psychiatrist, Dr John Hillery, assessed him as having a mild to moderate mental disability, hearing impairment, inability to read or write, limited comprehension, and a very vulnerable, solitary lifestyle. Dr Hillery and another forensic psychiatrist, Dr Anthony Kearns, agreed that the man's intellectual disability and limited understanding of the charges made him unfit to plead. The proceedings were adjourned until further notice.
In a 2003 trial at the Central Criminal Court, a psychiatrist who had earlier testified that Yusif Ali Abdi was not suffering from paranoid schizophrenia now stated that Abdi displayed early signs of the condition in 2001. Abdi, a 46‑year‑old Somali refugee, was charged with murdering his 20‑month‑old son, Nathan, on 17 April 2001. He pleaded not guilty at arraignment. The prosecution argued that Abdi's mental health deteriorated after traumatic experiences in Somalia, including the death of his father, and that he became paranoid about Gardaí. Evidence was presented that Abdi had been admitted to the Central Mental Hospital from November 2001 until 2003 and was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2013. The case was retried in 2019 after a Court of Appeal decision to order a retrial based on newly discovered facts. Yusif Ali Abdi was convicted.
A 46‑year‑old man, Yusif Ali Abdi of Charleville Road, Phibsboro, Dublin, will stand trial for the murder of his 20‑month‑old son, Nathan Baraka Andrew Ali, who was killed at The Elms, College Road, Clane, Co Kildare, on 17 April 2001. Abdi, wearing a white anorak over a grey suit, pleaded not guilty when arraigned before the Central Criminal Court. The trial, set to begin tomorrow before Mr Justice Alexander Owens, is a restricted form focused on sanity and insanity, with a jury of seven men and five women hearing medical witnesses and two psychiatric consultants.
A 20‑year‑old Egyptian man, Mohamed Morei, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of Yosuke Sasaki, a 24‑year‑old Japanese national, on 3 January 2018 in Dundalk. The case is being heard in the Central Criminal Court. Mr Justice Michael White read the indictment to Mr Morei, who, with an interpreter, answered "not guilty by reason of insanity." A jury of seven men and five women was sworn in. The trial is scheduled to begin the following day at 2 p.m. before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart and is expected to last up to two days. Mr White noted that the facts of the offence are not in dispute, while the dispute lies over sanity and insanity. Two consultant forensic psychiatrists from the Central Mental Hospital will give evidence in the case. The incident is a Dundalk case involving an Egyptian defendant and a Japanese victim.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, Robert Lawlor, aged 35, was found not guilty on all five charges, including threatening to murder his ex‑girlfriend's partner and attempting to murder the partner's mother by firing shots into her home. The jury, after two hours and forty minutes, returned a verdict of not guilty. Lawlor, who had pleaded not guilty to each charge, was represented by barrister Patrick McGrath SC, who challenged the reliability of witness testimony, particularly that of Fiona Mitchell, who claimed to have seen Lawlor with a gun. The prosecution maintained Mitchell's account was consistent, but the court accepted the defence's arguments. The judge thanked the jury and exempted them from further service for five years. No sentence was imposed as the verdict was a not‑guilty finding.
In a case of attempted murder, the jury was cautioned by Mr Justice Paul McDermott to scrutinise the identification evidence presented by a woman who claimed to recognise the gunman. The woman, Ms. Mitchell, alleged that she saw Robert Lawlor holding a gun in her garden before shots were fired into her home and that a dog was also shot. Mr McDermott warned that even multiple witnesses can err, urging jurors to consider the duration and clarity of Ms. Mitchell's view from her lit kitchen into a dark garden. He reminded them that the defence argued her testimony was dishonest. The jury must decide whether the shooting constituted attempted murder or intimidation, and each of the five charges against Lawlor must be judged separately with unanimous verdicts. Lawlor has pleaded not guilty to all charges, including attempted murder, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, a threat to a third party, and shooting a dog.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 4 December 2019, Robert Lawlor (35) faced five attempted‑murder charges for an attack on Fiona Mitchell on 26 May 2018. Defence counsel Patrick McGrath SC argued that Mitchell's identification of Lawlor was unreliable, citing inconsistencies and the difficulty of seeing in a dark garden. He warned of the dangers of identification evidence and urged the jury to reject Mitchell's testimony. Prosecution counsel John O'Kelly SC countered, presenting Mitchell's consistent statements, CCTV showing two men entering her garden, and bullet trajectories that matched her account. He highlighted the damage to the house, the presence of a dog that was killed, and the absence of DNA or fingerprints. O'Kelly also detailed prior threats by Lawlor toward Mitchell's ex‑girlfriend and her partner, framing the attack as a response to those threats. The case remained at the trial stage, with the judge scheduled to charge the jury the following day. Robert Lawlor pleaded not guilty.