In 2018, Darragh Meehan, then 19, was sentenced to six‑and‑a‑half years for online sexual exploitation and defilement of a 13‑year‑old girl. He met her via Skype, Facebook and text, exposed himself, urged her to masturbate and performed sexual acts when they met. The victim's mother reported the messages to Gardaí. Meehan pleaded guilty to one count of defilement and three counts of sexual exploitation between December 2011 and May 2012, with no prior convictions. On appeal, the Court of Appeal found the original nine‑year headline sentence too high, reducing it to seven‑and‑a‑half years, then to five years imprisonment, taking into account Meehan's good character and lack of prior Garda attention. The final year was suspended, conditional on Meehan's submission to Probation Service supervision for one year after release.
In the Central Criminal Court, the jury for Inga Ozolina's murder trial was shown bloodstained clothing and bedding from the room where Audrius Pukas's body was found. Ozolina, 48, denies murdering Pukas, 40, who died from a stab wound to the chest on 20 November 2016. The prosecution argues there is no self‑defence. Garda Larry Stapleton testified that he examined the scene, identifying a heavily bloodstained yellow t‑shirt, a green bathrobe with cuts and blood stains, two sheets and a pillowcase, all taken from the bedroom. He also noted a pink sheet beneath the white sheet and a blood‑stained pillowcase. Stapleton reported no blood elsewhere in the house, but seized a laptop, a paused film, a picture of Ozolina and Pukas, and broken picture frames from other rooms. The trial proceeds before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury of seven men and five women. Inga Ozolina pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, Inga Ozolina, 48, is charged with murdering her boyfriend Audrius Pukas, 40, in November 2016. The prosecution presented evidence that Ozolina had two bite marks on her arm and bruises on her upper thigh, breast, elbow, wrist, knee and leg. Garda David Donovan testified that he photographed the bite marks, measured them, and took DNA swabs, noting that the marks might have been made by another person. He also photographed bruising on Ozolina's left breast and other areas, measuring each with a ruler. Ozolina pleaded not guilty, and the trial continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury of seven men and five women. The case highlights the alleged lack of self‑defence in the murder of Pukas.
Gheorghe Goidan, 46, was convicted of raping two Czech women who were working as prostitutes in Ireland. He had contacted them through the website "escortsireland.ie" and met each separately in hotel rooms. In each encounter he pulled a knife, threatened the women, and then sexually assaulted and raped them. Goidan had previously pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault at a hotel in Portlaoise on 7 September 2017, and had denied rape, oral rape and anal rape of a second woman at the Maldron Hotel in Galway on the same day. A jury at the Central Criminal Court found him guilty on all counts, including robbery. The trial revealed that the women had not known one another and had booked themselves into the hotel rooms via the website. Goidan's actions were traced through CCTV footage and the vehicle he used was linked to him.
During the Central Criminal Court trial, two 14‑year‑old boys, Boy A and Boy B, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 14‑year‑old Anastasia Kriegel. Boy B told a garda that he arranged to meet Ana in a park because he "didn't want to be seen with her" and that Ana was wearing a "slutty top" when he brought her to the park to meet Boy A. Boy A, who is also charged with aggravated sexual assault, claimed he met Ana the previous Monday in a park and that after leaving her he was assaulted by two men. He described being knocked to the ground, kicked, and having his arms stomped on, and that Ana had "brushed him in the chest area." The trial will continue next week before Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of eight men and four women.
During a Central Criminal Court murder trial, a 14‑year‑old boy (Boy B) told a school counsellor that he had been "dragged into this mess" by his co‑accused (Boy A). He repeated this claim about ten times and insisted he was not the last person to see Ana Kriegel alive. Boy B also suggested that men who had allegedly attacked Boy A might have kidnapped Ana. The counsellor, Gerardine Small BL, noted that Boy B was calm, articulate and bright, and that he had spoken to Gardaí three times, describing the questioning as an "interrogation" and feeling pressure. Boy B said he had gone to the park with Ana on 14 May because Boy A had asked him to bring Ana, who fancied Boy A, and that Boy A had been injured later that day. He left Ana and Boy A in the park and did not consider Boy A a close friend. The unnamed 14-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a murder trial, the jury heard that a father‑of‑one, Audrius Pukas, 40, was stabbed to death at The Malthouse, Roscrea, on 20 November 2016. The accused, Inga Ozolina, 48, pleaded not guilty. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis testified that the fatal wound penetrated Pukas's left chest to a depth of 25.5 cm, cutting the rib cage, left lung, heart, aortic valve, left main coronary artery and aorta, and that a massive blood collection in the left chest cavity caused rapid death. Two additional superficial wounds were found on the left chest and right upper arm. Pukas had bruising on the right face and lower lip, and modest alcohol levels were noted. The jury was told the stabbing force was moderate and the victim's left arm had to be raised for the fatal wound to be inflicted. The trial proceeded before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a 12‑person jury.
A 46‑year‑old former journalist from Sierra Leone, Mercy Peters, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of her 42‑year‑old flatmate Tyrone McKenna on 17 July 2014 in Marlay Court, Rathfarnham. Peters claimed voices in her head compelled her to stab McKenna. Both had a history of mental health problems and had met in a psychiatric ward in 2010. McKenna was discovered dead on the stairs by his father, Tom McKenna, who called an ambulance. A post‑mortem found a stab wound to the trunk that collapsed his left lung and injured his left kidney, with a contributory left forearm wound. In court, Peters behaved erratically, spoke of spirits and claimed self‑defence. Two psychiatrists testified that she was suffering from schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and did not understand the wrongfulness of her act. The prosecution argued she had killed McKenna, while the defence highlighted her mental illness and medication lapse.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, 48‑year‑old Inga Ozolina, originally from Latvia, pleaded not guilty to the murder of her 40‑year‑old boyfriend Audrius Pukas, who died on 20 November 2016 at The Malthouse, Roscrea. The prosecution alleged a "tempestuous and volatile" relationship and that there was no self‑defence. Ozolina was described as panicky and frantic when she arrived at Roscrea Garda Station at 2.30 am, wearing a bathrobe and slippers, and claimed she had stabbed Pukas. Garda evidence noted her injuries – a bite mark on her left arm, bruising on her left breast and dried blood on both knees – and that she had asked for an ambulance. Earlier police visits in 2016 and 2013 involved domestic incidents with Pukas. The case is set to continue before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
Schoolgirl Anastasia Kriegel, 14, was found dead at Glenwood House in Lucan on 14 May 2018. The body lay on her back with a blue tape noose around her neck, which she appeared to be pulling away. The tape, identified as Tescon insulation tape, was wrapped once around her neck and knotted. Blood‑stained timber, a concrete block, and various clothing items were recovered from the scene, including a black hoodie, leggings, and boots. The accused, two 14‑year‑olds, pleaded not guilty to murder and to an aggravated sexual assault charge. The jury viewed the scene, a 3‑D reconstruction, and forensic evidence, while the trial proceeded before Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of eight men and four women. The case remains at the Central Criminal Court stage.
A 46‑year‑old woman, Mercy Peters, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of her 42‑year‑old flatmate, Tyrone McKenna, who was stabbed to death on 17 July 2014 in their South Dublin home. Peters pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, claiming that voices in her head compelled her to stab McKenna. The trial, which began on 7 May 2019, is a two‑day hearing before a jury of eight men and two women. Testimony from Sergeant David Bunn and psychiatric experts, including Professor Aiden Corvin and Dr Sally Linehan, details Peters' history of schizophrenia and a severe episode at the time of the offence, during which she reportedly heard her dead mother's voice urging her to act. The court has not yet delivered a verdict, and the case remains before Mr Justice Michael White.
A 43-year-old man has been jailed for three years for the repeated rape of his sister in the early 1990s. The man, who cannot be named to protect his sister's anonymity, was around 16 at the time of the offences and was in charge of babysitting his younger sister, then aged 10 or 11. At a trial at the Central Criminal Court in March, the man denied four charges of anal rape, one of oral rape, and one of sexual assault at the family home on dates between May 1991 and June 1993. He was convicted on all charges by unanimous verdict of the jury. Michael O'Higgins SC, defending, stated that the man accepted the jury's verdict but made no admissions to the crimes. The court heard that the victim secretly recorded a family meeting at which she confronted her brother about raping her when they were children. Excerpts of her phone recording were played to the jury during the trial, in which he expressed apologies to his sister but did not make specific admissions. Ms Justice Tara Burns noted that the accused man had 'accepted wrongdoing of some sexual nature' but did not follow through with an admission of guilt. She set a headline sentence of nine years for the anal rapes and eight years for the oral rape. Taking into account the fact that the accused was aged 16 at the time of the offences, she reduced the headline sentences to five years for the anal rapes, four years for the oral rape, and two years for the sexual assault charge. Ms Justice Burns then suspended the final two years of each sentence, outlining further mitigating factors including the man's strong work history, his significant involvement with the GAA, and his 'impressive' character references. The judge remarked that it was 'heart-breaking' to watch the mother of both the accused and the complainant 'literally crumble' as she gave her evidence. The victim described how she had tried to resolve the issue within the family for nearly three years before going to gardaí. She said all she had wanted was an acknowledgment from her brother of his wrongdoing, but that he had chosen to put his family on the witness stand in court. The woman thanked her husband, family, gardaí, the prosecution team, and judge and jury for believing in her and helping her find the strength to get through the trial. She paid special tribute to the Victim Support at Court team for providing a 'haven' where 'nobody judges you.'
During the trial of two 14‑year‑old boys charged with murdering Anastasia Kriegel, park ranger Norman Macken testified that on the day of her disappearance he heard a man banging on the ranger hut. The man claimed his son had been "jumped on" in the woods by "big fellas". Macken approached the boy, who appeared disheveled, with blood on his fingers and clothes, and described him as looking "like a rabbit caught in the headlights". The boy, about 16, did not engage with Macken and was later seen shaking. Macken noted the boy's father said he was capable of self‑defence. The testimony was given to the Central Criminal Court as part of the ongoing proceedings against the two accused boys, who have pleaded not guilty to murder and an aggravated sexual assault charge. The trial is before Mr Justice Paul McDermott with a jury of eight men and four women.
During the trial of two 14‑year‑old boys charged with the murder of Anastasia Kriegel, a dog walker named Gerard Redmond testified that he saw a schoolboy make a direct, 45‑degree turn from a low embankment into a ditch and then head straight toward the abandoned Glenwood House where Ana's body was found. Redmond described the boy's path as a "beeline" and suggested the boy was simply taking a shortcut home. A child witness also reported seeing Ana and one of the boys walking together in a nearby park, laughing and joking. Additional witnesses described the boy's injuries and alleged that he had been attacked by two people in the park. The court continued the hearing with a judge's order restricting reporting to a single media outlet. The trial proceeded before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury. Glenwood House pleaded not guilty.
During the 2019 murder trial of Inga Ozolina, the prosecution presented evidence that Garda Sergeant Tony Hanrahan found the body of Audrius Pukas, 43, lying on his back in a downstairs bedroom of The Malthouse, Roscrea, on 20 November 2016. Hanrahan reported that Pukas was wearing only underwear, had no pulse, and was still warm, with blood around his left armpit and on the bed sheets. He also noted blood on Ozolina's calf. Paramedic Ronan Wall corroborated the lack of pulse and the left‑armpit wound. CCTV footage showed Ozolina arriving at Roscrea Garda Station at 2.30 am, wearing a bathrobe and slippers, then driving to The Malthouse where she was later arrested at 3.43 am. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens, continued with a jury of twelve. The prosecution argued there was no self‑defence and that the relationship was volatile and violent. Ozolina pleaded not guilty.
Two 19‑year‑old men pleaded guilty to defilement of a 14‑year‑old autistic girl in a bush on 25 January 2016. Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced each to 18 months imprisonment, suspending the entire term for two years under strict conditions, including no contact with the victim. The men, aged 16 and 15 at the time, were part of a group of six boys who went to a field where the victim and a younger boy entered a bush and engaged in sexual activity. The men were encouraged by other boys to join. Neither wore a condom, and the victim was in school uniform. The court heard no evidence of force or that the men knew of the victim's autism or age. The victim's impact statement described feeling dirty, unsafe and worthless, but also noted progress in coping with trauma.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, two fourteen‑year‑old boys are charged with murdering Kildare schoolgirl Anastasia Kriegel and, for one, with aggravated sexual assault. Both pleaded not guilty. Judge Paul McDermott, presiding over the case, ordered that no media reporting of evidence be allowed until the trial concludes. He reminded the jury that they must base their verdict solely on what they hear in court, ignoring any external coverage. The judge also announced that the restriction on reporting would remain in force until the trial ends or a further order is made. The proceedings continue with Mr Justice McDermott and a jury of eight men and four women. The accused cannot be named due to their minor status. The trial is ongoing.
The trial of two 14-year-old boys, referred to as Boy A and Boy B, charged with the murder of Anastasia Kriegel at Glenwood House in Lucan on 14 May last year, is ongoing before the Central Criminal Court. Both accused have pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. Boy A additionally faces a charge of aggravated sexual assault involving serious violence, to which he also pleaded not guilty. Gardai testified that the boys provided conflicting accounts of their last meeting with the victim. Boy A alleged he declined Ana's romantic interest and was subsequently assaulted by two unidentified males, claiming injuries to his right hand and leg. Boy B stated he had 'no clue' what happened to her after she appeared upset following her interaction with Boy A. Detective Sergeant John O'Keefe noted discrepancies between the boys' statements, while Sergeant Aonghus Hussey described observing confusion and inconsistent movements during a re-enactment at St Catherine's Park. The court heard that Boy A used his left hand to initial his statement due to a right-hand injury. The matter was adjourned and is scheduled to continue on Friday morning before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
An alleged IRA member, Seamus Marley, aged 45, was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for raping two teenage boys in County Louth during the early 1990s. The Central Criminal Court found him guilty on six counts of sexual assault and two counts of rape after a six‑day trial. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed a seven‑year term for the rape of the younger victim and a six‑year term for the older victim, with both sentences running concurrently, giving an effective custodial period of seven years. The judge also ordered Marley to refrain from any contact with the victims or their families and to comply with post‑release supervision. No part of the sentence was suspended, and the judge noted that Marley had no prior convictions and had not shown any attempt at rehabilitation. The case highlighted the alleged use of his republican connections to silence the victims. Seamus Marley pleaded not guilty.
Anastasia Kriegel, 14, vanished on 14 May after leaving home with a boy she had known. Her father, Patric Kriegel, says he saw her walk away with the boy, now identified as Boy B, at about 5 pm, before her phone last connected to her mother's office at 5:32 pm. The State claims she was dead by that time. The trial, held at the Central Criminal Court, is the second day of proceedings against two 14‑year‑olds charged with her murder. Both accused, who cannot be named, pleaded not guilty. Boy A is also charged with aggravated sexual assault. The prosecution alleges the boys lured Ana to a derelict farmhouse where she was murdered. The case remains at the trial stage, with no verdict yet.
Patrick Quirke, a 50‑year‑old farmer from Breanshamore, Co. Tipperary, stands accused of murdering Bobby Ryan, a part‑time DJ known as Mr. Moonlight, who vanished on 3 June 2011 after leaving his girlfriend Mary Lowry's home. Ryan's body was discovered in an underground run‑off tank on Lowry's farm, leased by Quirke, on 30 April 2013. The trial, lasting 13 weeks with five days of closing arguments, has seen a jury of six men and six women deliberate for 18 hours and 24 minutes. Justice Eileen Creedon explained that a majority verdict requires at least ten votes in favour; otherwise the jury may write "disagree" on the issue paper. Quirke has pleaded not guilty, while the prosecution alleges he killed Ryan to rekindle an affair with Lowry. The defence contends the prosecution has not proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt and seeks Quirke's acquittal.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, 48‑year‑old Inga Ozolina, originally from Latvia, pleaded not guilty to the murder of her 43‑year‑old boyfriend, Audrius Pukas, who was stabbed in the chest on 20 November 2016 at The Malthouse, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary. Prosecutor Paul Murray SC described their relationship as "tempestuous and volatile" and "violent at times", arguing there was no self‑defence. Gardaí arrived at the Roscrea apartment early on the night of the murder and found Pukas dead. A post‑mortem revealed three knife wounds: a fatal left‑chest wound that pierced the lung, heart, aortic valve, left pulmonary artery and aorta to a depth of 25.5 cm, a second 13‑cm wound on the right upper arm, and a superficial left‑chest abrasion.
The jury in the Central Criminal Court trial of Patrick Quirke, a farmer aged 50 from Breanshamore, Co. Tipperary, is set to return for an eighth day of deliberations. Quirke denies murdering Bobby Ryan, a part‑time DJ known as Mr. Moonlight, who disappeared on 3 June 2011 after leaving his girlfriend Mary Lowry's home. Ryan's body was discovered 22 months later in an underground run‑off tank on a farm owned by Lowry and leased by Quirke at Fawnagown, Tipperary. The trial, lasting 13 weeks, included closing speeches from defence and prosecution barristers. The prosecution alleges Quirke killed Ryan to rekindle an affair with Lowry, aged 52. The defence contends the prosecution has not proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt and seeks Quirke's acquittal. Justice Eileen Creedon instructed the jury to avoid emotional influence and to treat circumstantial evidence carefully. The jury's verdict remains pending. Patrick Quirke pleaded not guilty.
Maurice Lafferty, 50, of Corcullen, Castlefin, Donegal, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court after pleading guilty to raping his daughter, Annie Lafferty, at their home between November 1, 2010, and June 30, 2011. The court heard that Lafferty, a father of six, committed the offences while his wife was away from the home four nights a week. Prosecution evidence detailed that Lafferty coerced his then-seventeen-year-old daughter, pinning her down and threatening her with the removal of her younger siblings if she reported the abuse. He allegedly raped her weekly during this period. Mr Justice Alex Owens described Lafferty as a violent and controlling man, noting that his attacks were coercive and depraved. The judge rejected Lafferty's apology as insincere and noted a probation report indicating he blamed intoxication and his daughter for the crimes. Lafferty was assessed as a moderate risk of re-offending. He was sentenced to eleven years' imprisonment. Additionally, the court ordered that he stay away from any activity involving children upon his release. In mitigation, defence counsel Anne Rowland SC cited Lafferty's heavy drinking, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and financial difficulties regarding his home. The victim, now 25, waived her anonymity and stated that her father's actions left permanent scars.
Patrick Quirke, a 50‑year‑old farmer from Breanshamore, Co. Tipperary, is on trial for the murder of Bobby Ryan, a part‑time DJ known as Mr Moonlight. Ryan vanished on 3 June 2011 after leaving his girlfriend Mary Lowry's home. His body was discovered in an underground run‑off tank on Lowry's farm, leased by Quirke, 22 months later in April 2013. Quirke pleaded not guilty. The trial, lasting 13 weeks, concluded with closing speeches from defence and prosecution barristers. The prosecution alleges Quirke killed Ryan to rekindle an affair with Lowry, aged 52. The defence argues the prosecution has not proved the case beyond reasonable doubt and seeks Quirke's acquittal. Justice Eileen Creedon instructed the jury to avoid emotional influence and to handle circumstantial evidence carefully. The jury will return tomorrow for a sixth day of deliberations after more than 14 hours of discussion.
Two fourteen‑year‑old boys, whose names are withheld because they are minors, are set to go on trial for the murder of Kildare schoolgirl Anastasia Kriegel. The boys pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and one also pleaded not guilty to a separate charge of sexually assaulting the victim with serious violence. The body of Ms Kriegel was found at a derelict house in County Dublin on 17 May, three days after she was reported missing. The alleged killings took place at Glenwood House, Laraghcon, Clonee Road, Lucan on 14 May. Judge Paul McDermott swore in a jury of eight men and four women, stressing the need for an independent assessment and warning that the evidence could be upsetting. The trial is expected to last about six weeks.
The Central Criminal Court has scheduled a trial for June 10, 2020, in the case of Richard Burke, who faces a charge of murder in connection with the death of Jasmine McMonagle. Ms McMonagle, aged 28, was discovered deceased at her residence in Forest Park, Killygordon, County Donegal, on January 4. Burke, also aged 27 and from the same address, was brought before Sligo District Court on January 5 and charged with murder contrary to common law. At a hearing before Mr Justice Michael White in Dublin, the court was informed the trial is expected to extend over three weeks. Burke remains remanded in custody pending trial.
A jury of seven men and five women was sworn in at the Central Criminal Court for the trial of Inga Ozolina, a 45‑year‑old Latvian woman, accused of murdering Lithuanian man Audrius Pukas, 43, at The Malthouse, Roscrea, on 20 November 2016. Ozolina, who now lives and works in Mountrath, Co. Laois, pleaded not guilty. Her trial will begin tomorrow before Mr Justice Alexander Owens at 11 a.m.
Seamus Marley, 45, pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to charges of sexual assault and anally raping two teenage boys in County Louth in the early 1990s. After a six‑day trial, the jury found him guilty on six counts of sexual assault and two counts of rape. The case centred on a large home owned by a "dedicated republican" that was used as a "safe house" for IRA volunteers. Marley was described by a character reference from his pastor as an "excellent Christian" with a "charitable spirit". The older victim reported being groped and anally raped by Marley, who warned him not to speak of the abuse. The younger victim described repeated groping, forced masturbation and an anally rape in a tent near the house. Marley had no prior convictions. The judge remanded him in custody and adjourned sentencing for the following Thursday.
Patrick Quirke, a 50‑year‑old farmer from Breanshamore, Co. Tipperary, is on trial for the murder of Bobby Ryan, a part‑time DJ known as Mr Moonlight. Ryan vanished on 3 June 2011 after leaving his girlfriend Mary Lowry's home. His body was discovered in an underground run‑off tank on Lowry's farm, leased by Quirke, 22 months later in April 2013. Quirke pleaded not guilty. The prosecution alleges he killed Ryan to rekindle an affair with Lowry, aged 52, while the defence argues the evidence does not prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The jury, composed of six men and six women, has deliberated for seven hours and 23 minutes and will resume on Friday at 11 a.m. They must decide between a guilty or not‑guilty verdict. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon cautioned the jury to avoid emotional bias and to handle circumstantial evidence carefully. The trial is held in the Central Criminal Court.
In the Central Criminal Court, defence barrister Bernard Condon SC argued that the evidence against Patrick Quirke, 50, amounted only to suspicion and was insufficient to prove he killed Bobby Ryan, a part‑time DJ known as Mr Moonlight. Condon criticised the Garda investigation, claiming substandard evidence and failures such as not searching Mary Lowry's house, not videotaping the body's removal, and mishandling forensic items like a hair clip and maggots. He highlighted that Quirke's internet searches for DNA and body decomposition were general, not case‑specific, and that the prosecution's case required "enormous leaps." Condon urged the jury to start from the presumption of innocence, to scrutinise the weak evidence, and to acquit Quirke. The jury will return next Tuesday for the judge's charge before deliberation. Patrick Quirke pleaded not guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court, defence counsel Bernard Condon SC characterised Mary Lowry's evidence as fundamentally unreliable during closing arguments in the trial of Patrick Quirke, accused of murdering Bobby Ryan, known as Mr Moonlight. Mr Quirke, aged 50, of Breanshamore, County Tipperary, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Ryan, a part-time DJ, who disappeared on 3 June 2011 from Ms Lowry's home near Bundoran, Donegal. His remains were discovered in an underground tank on farmland at Fawnagowan 22 months later. Mr Condon submitted that Ms Lowry had altered her account of events between her initial 2011 statement to gardaí and her later testimony, particularly regarding observations she made on the morning of Mr Ryan's disappearance. He contended that she had demonstrated a pattern of inconsistency about the Bundoran incident and other matters, describing her as manipulative. The defence case proceeded that evidence of the former relationship between Ms Lowry and Mr Quirke, whilst complex, did not constitute evidence of murder. The trial continues before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon.
In the Central Criminal Court, the State's prosecution argued that Patrick Quirke, 50, committed a "callous, calculated, controlled murder" of Bobby Ryan, a part‑time DJ known as Mr Moonlight, on 3 June 2011. Ryan vanished after leaving his girlfriend Mary Lowry's home at 6.30 am; his body was discovered 22 months later in an underground run‑off tank on Lowry's farm, leased by Quirke. The prosecution alleged Quirke killed Ryan to rekindle an affair with Lowry, citing motive, financial pressure, and Quirke's possession of knowledge about the tank. They dismissed suicide, accident and other theories, insisting the evidence pointed to murder. Quirke pleaded not guilty. Defence counsel Bernard Condon countered that the prosecution's evidence was thin, largely circumstantial, and urged the jury to remain skeptical of Lowry's testimony and the alleged motive. The trial focused on the facts presented, with no verdict yet reached.
A judge ordered a consultant psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist to prepare reports on a 16‑year‑old boy who tried to murder a 25‑year‑old woman he met on the Whisper app. The boy, who cannot be named, pleaded guilty to attempting to murder Ms Ng on 23 December 2017 at Sea Front, Queen's Road, Dun Laoghaire. He met her in person, suggested a selfie by the water's edge, then grabbed her from behind, choked her to unconsciousness and slashed her neck with a knife. Gardai found a book of drawings in his bedroom, including a sketch of a person being cut and the words "serial killer." Ms Ng gave an emotional victim impact statement at the sentencing hearing. The court directed the reports to be prepared by experts nominated by Prof Kennedy and submitted by 9 May, and remanded the teenager in custody until that date.
A man found guilty of shooting his wife dead in an act of gross negligence has lost an appeal against his conviction and sentence. Oliver Kierans (60) of Drumbannon, Bailieborough in Cavan, had pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to murdering Patricia Kierans (54), his wife of 33 years, at his home address on September 5th, 2013. He was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter by a majority jury verdict following fifteen hours of deliberations. Kierans was also found guilty of possessing a double barrel sawn-off shotgun and possessing the weapon with intent to endanger life. Patricia Kierans died from a shotgun wound to the chest after being shot at a range of about 1.2 metres or 4 feet, in the close confines of a bedroom in Kierans' home. Kierans contended that he had picked up the firearm with the intention of taking his own life but the shotgun discharged in the direction of his wife. After the shooting, Kierans went to The Square bar in Bailieborough where a 'siege' took place. Garda Thomas Fay, who had known Kierans for almost 30 years, went into the bar to talk to him. However, CCTV footage from inside the pub showed Kierans pointing the shotgun at the garda. Kierans pulled the trigger, but the gun did not go off. CCTV showed him looking at the gun quizzically afterwards. The situation came to an end when Kierans eventually left the pub with Garda Fay. Kierans was sentenced to nine years imprisonment for his wife's manslaughter, eight years for possession of the shotgun and 12 years for pointing the gun at Garda Fay by Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly on April 20, 2015. All sentences were to run concurrently. Upholding his conviction and sentence today, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy said Kierans had picked up the shotgun to show his wife he would kill himself. However, the gun discharged due to 'unexpected movement'. Mr Justice McCarthy said the trial judge correctly instructed the jury with regards to intent and the particular circumstances of the case. He said the court rejected Kierans' appeal against conviction. In relation to sentence, Kierans' barrister, Paul Greene SC, submitted that the Central Criminal Court judge ought to have afforded more credit for Kierans' personal circumstances. However, Mr Justice McCarthy said the judge expressly took account of Kierans' family situation and his previous good character. He said the aggravating factors were significant. Kierans reloaded the shotgun after the homicide and went to a public place. Mr Justice McCarthy said Ireland had the 'privilege of having an unarmed police force' and Kierans put Garda Fay 'in fear of his life'. Mr Justice McCarthy, who sat with President of the Court of Appeal Mr Justice George Birmingham and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, said the sentences were within range and the appeal was accordingly dismissed.
In 2017, Keith Hearne, aged 30, was sentenced to 12 years for raping Dominique Meehan at the ArcadeCon gaming convention. Hearne pleaded guilty to two counts of rape, one count of oral rape and one count of false imprisonment. The sentencing judge, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, noted the seriousness of the offence and the evidence of sadomasochistic items found at the scene. Hearne's defence argued that his psychiatric history – Asperger's syndrome, ADHD, dyslexia and bipolar disorder – and lack of prior convictions should have been considered as mitigating factors. The Court of Appeal heard that only one mitigating circumstance had been considered. The DPP maintained the sentence was proper and proportionate to the heinous nature of the crime. Meehan, 27, expressed relief at the sentence but said it was too light and that her life had changed dramatically since the assault.
A 43-year-old man from Donegal has been convicted of sexually abusing his sister during their childhood. The Central Criminal Court jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on all charges following a trial in March, finding him guilty of four counts of anal rape, one of oral rape, and one of sexual assault at the family home between May 1991 and June 1993. Evidence presented included a secret audio recording in which the woman confronted her brother about the abuse during a family meeting. The man, who cannot be identified to protect the complainant's privacy, had pleaded not guilty to all charges. He has no previous convictions. During sentencing submissions, defence counsel noted his client's long employment history and community involvement, requesting leniency. Justice Tara Burns remanded him on continuing bail until May for sentencing, allowing him time to arrange his affairs.
A 36‑year‑old woman, Laura Kenna, was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment, with the last five years suspended, for attempting to murder civil servant Fionnuala Burke on Lower Drumcondra Road on 3 January 2017. Kenna, who had no fixed abode, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, a plea rejected by a Central Criminal Court jury on 5 March. The jury heard that Kenna attacked Burke, who was walking home from work, by pushing her onto a grassy area and stabbing her. Burke suffered a deep slash across her neck that penetrated muscle and the thyroid gland, requiring surgery and intensive care. Kenna later admitted to the Gardaí that she had "sliced her like you would a goat." Justice Tara Burns, after considering Kenna's mental health history and admissions, imposed a 15‑year term, suspending the final five years on the condition that Kenna comply with psychiatric treatment and remain drug‑ and alcohol‑free during the suspended period. Laura Kenna was found guilty.
A 31‑year‑old man pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to sexually assaulting and exploiting his niece over a three‑year period from 9 June 2013 to 16 July 2016. The abuse began when the niece was six and involved the uncle taking her on walks, coaxing her into sexual acts, entering her bedroom, shining a light in her eyes, offering to insert his penis into her mouth, and showing her pornographic videos. He promised sweets and money and warned her not to disclose the abuse. The victim disclosed the abuse to a cousin, who then told her mother. A local garda testified that the defendant has shown no remorse. The victim's mother delivered a victim impact statement describing the child's destroyed childhood, nightmares, constant fear of the uncle, and family breakdown. The defendant, described as having low cognitive ability and being psychologically vulnerable, was remanded on continuing bail with sentencing set for 29 April.
Paddy Harty, 45, of Ennis, was on the run when he sexually assaulted a 53‑year‑old woman he met in a pub in Kildare on 23 April 2015. He pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court and was sentenced to four years imprisonment, consecutive to a four‑year sentence for theft and fraud that he had received two months earlier. Harty's appeal against the severity of the sentence was dismissed by the Court of Appeal, which found the total sentence "appropriate". The Court noted that Harty had met the woman in a bar, they had drinks, kissed, and then he drove her to a secluded area known as 'Braveheart Hill'. There he removed her bottom clothing and forcibly held her by the arms. She fled, hid in a thorny bush and called the Gardaí. Harty was identified from CCTV footage and initially denied having met the woman.
A 23‑year‑old drug addict, Robbie Walsh, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment with one year suspended for manslaughter after stabbing Karl "Gobbo" Haugh in the back during a row at Marion Estate, Kilkee, in August 2017. The court found that Walsh had not brought a knife to the scene; the knife used was taken from a kitchen block belonging to Haugh's friend. Walsh pleaded guilty to manslaughter and had previously been convicted of drug‑related offences. The judge noted his cooperation with Gardaí and his remorse, and reduced the headline sentence from ten to eight years. The suspended year was to run for three years, back‑dated to the date of his arrest. The sentence was imposed at the Central Criminal Court, with the judge urging Walsh to attend addiction and counselling services while in custody. Robbie Walsh pleaded not guilty and was acquitted.
A 38‑year‑old Limerick man was sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment for a series of violent rapes that took place on the night of 10 September 2016. He broke into his ex‑partner's home and, over a seven‑and‑a‑half‑hour period, threatened the woman with a knife, assaulted her, and raped her and her 16‑year‑old foster daughter. The man pleaded guilty ten days before the trial and expressed remorse through his counsel. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy imposed a headline sentence of life imprisonment but reduced it to 18 years because of the guilty plea, the man's remorse, and his rehabilitation efforts. The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence as proportionate. The case involved two victims, one of whom was a minor, and the man had a prior conviction for breach of a barring order.
During a trial at the Central Criminal Court, Chief Superintendent Dominic Hayes testified that a garda involved in the investigation of Bobby Ryan's disappearance had made a note in his notebook stating, "Mary Lowry had his head melted." Hayes could not recall who made the remark. Ryan, a 52‑year‑old part‑time DJ known as Mr Moonlight, vanished on 3 June 2011 after leaving his girlfriend Mary Lowry's house at 6:30 am. His body was discovered 22 months later in April 2013 in a run‑off tank on a farm owned by Lowry and leased by Patrick Quirke, a 50‑year‑old man from Breanshamore, Tipperary. The prosecution alleges Quirke murdered Ryan to rekindle an affair with Lowry, but Quirke has pleaded not guilty.
Oliver Kierans, aged 60, of Drumbannon, Bailieborough in Cavan, has lodged an appeal against his conviction and sentence at the Court of Appeal. Kierans was found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of his wife, Patricia Kierans, at their home on 5 September 2013. He was also convicted of possessing a sawn-off shotgun and of pointing the weapon at a member of An Garda Síochána in a public house in Bailieborough. He had pleaded not guilty to murder. Justice Aileen Donnelly sentenced him to nine years imprisonment for manslaughter, with additional concurrent sentences imposed for the firearms offences in April 2015. During proceedings at the Court of Appeal, counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions submitted that Kierans's moral culpability was significant, particularly regarding the incident involving the garda. The court, presided over by President Mr Justice George Birmingham, reserved judgement. Oliver Kierans was acquitted.
The trial of farmer Patrick Quirke, 50, for the alleged murder of Bobby Ryan, a part-time DJ known as Mr Moonlight, continued at the Central Criminal Court. Quirke, of Breanshamore, Co Tipperary, has pleaded not guilty to the charge. The prosecution alleges he murdered Ryan to rekindle an affair with Ryan's girlfriend, Mary Lowry. Ryan went missing in June 2011 and his body was found in an underground tank on a farm leased by Quirke in April 2013. Chief Superintendent Dominic Hayes, testifying for the defence, stated that injuries to Ryan's body were not caused by debris falling when the concrete lid covering the tank was removed. He confirmed that only minor debris fell and that the detachment of Ryan's arm was the only damage sustained during removal. Hayes also testified that Quirke has no previous convictions and is not suspected of other crimes, noting that prior burglary charges were withdrawn by the DPP. The cross-examination covered various investigative details, including the timing of phone masts, the examination of Lowry's home, and the handling of fingerprints and phone data. Hayes acknowledged that fingerprints from Ryan's van were not tested against Quirke's until recently, attributing this to a responsibility issue at Garda headquarters. He also noted that the Deputy State Pathologist did not attend the scene, which he stated had no negative impact on the examination. The matter was adjourned, with cross-examination to continue before Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
Mary Lowry's son, 19‑year‑old Jack Lowry, testified at the Central Criminal Court that Pat Quirke, 50, was "in control most of the time, grumpy some of the time" and that he moved around his mother's farm as if he owned it. Lowry's son described his relationship with Quirke's family, noting that Quirke leased the farm from his mother and that Quirke's children were known to the family. He recalled his mother's affair with Bobby Ryan, a part‑time DJ known as Mr Moonlight, who disappeared on 3 June 2011 after leaving the Lowry home. Ryan's body was found in an underground run‑off tank on the farm 22 months later. The prosecution alleges Quirke killed Ryan to rekindle the affair. Lowry's son also recounted his own childhood memories of the farm, the family's travels, and his limited recollection of the day Ryan went missing. The trial is ongoing, with the court presided over by Justice Eileen Creedon. Pat Quirke pleaded not guilty.
The Court of Appeal has adjourned the appeal of Christopher Redmond, a 75-year-old man convicted of raping and sexually assaulting his granddaughter. Redmond, of Finglas, pleaded not guilty to four counts of rape and five counts of sexual assault committed between January 2002 and May 2004 at the Tolka Valley pitch and putt club. He was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury in early 2018 and sentenced to five years' imprisonment by Ms Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh on April 27, 2018. His defence counsel, Andrew Sexton SC, argued that a post-conviction forensic psychiatric report, which identified significant cognitive impairment, raised doubts about his fitness to plead under Section 4 of the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006. The report noted his condition likely predated the trial but did not explicitly address fitness to plead as the conviction had already occurred. President of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, stated the court required specific expert opinions on his fitness to be tried. The State indicated its intention to have Redmond assessed by a Central Mental Hospital expert. The matter was adjourned for mention on June 21 to allow for these further assessments. Redmond is currently detained in Midlands Prison.
A 16‑year‑old boy was sentenced by Mr Justice Michael White at the Central Criminal Court to a five‑year detention that was fully suspended for five years, provided he follows Probation Service directions, keeps the peace and behaves well. The court also ordered that he live away from his parents for a period recommended by NIAP, an inter‑agency project dealing with adolescents who sexually abuse, and that this condition remain in force when he turns 18. He must also participate in a treatment programme to educate him on the consequences of his offending behaviour. The boy pleaded guilty to five counts of oral rape and 44 counts of sexual assault against his eight‑year‑old half‑sister, committed between September 2016 and January 2017. The abuse was discovered when the boy's mother found him inappropriately touching his sister's genitals in January 2017.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Detective Garda Fiona Maguire presented evidence that fingerprints recovered from a black diary and a driving licence taken from Bobby Ryan's van did not match those of the accused, Patrick Quirke. The prints were collected in 2013, after Ryan's body was found in an underground tank in April 2013. Maguire identified five marks on the diary and two palm marks on the licence, four of which belonged to Ryan's daughter Michelle; the remaining marks could not be identified. None matched Quirke's prints, and a national database search yielded no match. Detective Ernie Fraser also reported that fingerprints taken in 2012 from an aftershave bottle and the driver's door in the van likewise did not match Quirke. Quirke, 50, has pleaded not guilty to Ryan's murder.
In March 2019 the Central Criminal Court heard that Mary Lowry, aged 52, visited a psychic in Nenagh after her boyfriend Bobby "Mr Moonlight" Ryan disappeared on 3 June 2011. Ryan's body was found in an underground run‑off tank on Lowry's farm in Fawnagown, Tipperary, 22 months later in April 2013. Patrick Quirke, 50, is charged with Ryan's murder and has pleaded not guilty. Quirke allegedly called Lowry a "right bitch" and threatened to remove her from a Mass for his son. Evidence from Acting State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis suggested the most likely cause of Ryan's injuries was impact with a vehicle, but the pathology evidence was described as "sub‑optimal". The trial continues before Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of twelve.