A 42‑year‑old man, previously convicted of kidnapping a child in London, was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for raping a 13‑year‑old boy in Dublin between June and September 1994. He pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court and was ordered to serve five years of post‑release supervision. The court noted his 28 prior convictions, including a kidnapping conviction at the Old Bailey. The victim, who was 13 at the time, was abused while the man lived in the same house as the boy and befriended the boy's mother. The man admitted to molesting the boy, giving him money, threatening to expose the boy's mother, and raping him twice, with the third assault involving physical violence. He denied any violence, but the court found evidence of it. The judge considered the man's genuine remorse and his history of being abused as a child, but stated that these did not excuse his actions.
Kevin Braney, 43, of Tallaght, was charged with the murder of Peter Butterly, 35, who was shot dead outside The Huntsman Inn in Gormanston on 6 March 2013, and with membership of the Irish Republican Army. At the Central Criminal Court on 20 December 2017, Braney was refused bail. John Berry BL argued that the State was objecting under Section 2(A) of the Bail Act, citing fears that Braney might commit another serious offence if released. Detective Chief Superintendent Anthony Howard gave evidence, and Justice Patrick McCarthy ruled that bail was reasonably necessary to prevent a serious crime.
Charles Cleary, 24, pleaded guilty to the murder of Leo Carolan, 25, who was stabbed to death in a Dublin flat on 4 October 2016. Cleary, who has no fixed abode and is from Rathfarnham, appeared briefly at the Central Criminal Court where he was arraigned on the single charge. The prosecution requested that he be remanded in custody until 11 January for sentencing, and the victim's family was scheduled to give a statement on that date.
A man serving a life sentence for the 2011 murder of his mother in Castlebar, County Mayo, has lodged an appeal against his conviction at the Court of Appeal. Celyn Eadon was convicted in February 2014 of murdering his 46-year-old mother, whom he fatally stabbed on 9 March 2011. He had pleaded not guilty to murder but admitted manslaughter. During his eight-day trial at the Central Criminal Court in early 2014, the court heard evidence of Eadon's long-standing substance abuse and his mental state at the time of the killing. His legal team argued that the trial judge failed to adequately address the question of intoxication in relation to specific intent. Counsel contended that instructions given to the jury regarding voluntary intoxication may have prevented proper consideration of whether the charge should be reduced to manslaughter. The three-judge panel reserved judgement on the appeal.
The Central Criminal Court heard the case of Graham McEvoy, aged 19, who was found guilty of murdering 23‑year‑old Paul Curran at Seagull House, Dublin, on 16 July 2016. McEvoy pleaded guilty to manslaughter, but the plea was rejected and he faced a week‑long trial. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy sentenced him to life imprisonment. Curran's mother, Elizabeth Curran, was not present but her statement was read by prosecution counsel. She described her son as a soft‑natured, kind boy who loved Christmas and giving presents, and said she suffered mental health issues after his death. She also said McEvoy was a bully and that Curran had tried to slash him with a knife. Defence counsel Barry White SC noted McEvoy's chaotic lifestyle, drug problems and lack of prior violent convictions, and indicated an intention to appeal the verdict.
Trevor McDonagh, aged 19, was convicted in the Central Criminal Court of anally raping a 16‑year‑old girl, biting her breast, and engaging in a sex act with a child under 17 on 4 March 2014 in County Wicklow. He pleaded not guilty to these offences but pleaded guilty to stealing the victim's phone on the same date. The court heard that McDonagh, who was 15 at the time of the offence, lured the girl into a lane, forced her against a wall, bit her breast while she struggled, and then fled when he thought Gardaí were nearby. The victim suffered hair loss, seizures, and attempted suicide; she described the assault as "disgusting, dirty, unwanted." McDonagh was sentenced to eight years, with the final 18 months suspended, on the condition he makes no contact with the victim, stays away from her area, and behaves well.
A 46-year-old Mayo man has been sentenced to 14 years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court following his guilty pleas to 31 counts of rape involving two victims. He pleaded guilty to 20 counts of oral and anal rape of a boy between August 1997 and April 2008, and 11 counts of raping his own daughter from mid-2007 over two years. Mr Justice Tony Hunt imposed a headline sentence of 19 years, reduced to 14 years in recognition of the guilty pleas, which spared the victims from giving evidence at trial. The judge described the offences as of shocking depravity. The man was ordered to undergo post-release supervision for three years. Both victims provided impact statements detailing long-term psychological harm. The court heard the accused groomed the first victim over years of systematic abuse, while exerting total control over his daughter through threats and intimidation. The man cannot be named to protect the victims' identities.
A 22‑year‑old Clare man, Robbie Walsh of Island View, Kilrush, is charged with murdering 25‑year‑old Karl Haugh at the Marian Estate in Kilkee on 6 August. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy has set the trial for 22 October 2018 before a Central Criminal Court jury.
A 59‑year‑old Limerick man, Desmond Coyle of Davis Street, is charged with murdering Calo Carpaci on 24 May at Roches Row. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy has set the trial for 26 November 2018 before a judge and jury at the Central Criminal Court.
A trial has been scheduled for Keith Connorton, 39, of Deerpark Avenue, Tallaght, who is charged with the murder of 32‑year‑old Graham McKeever on 18 February. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy set the trial date for 10 December 2018 before a jury at the Central Criminal Court.
A Dublin man, Kieran Greene, 32, of Mountain View Park, Rathfarnham, is accused of murdering a 61‑year‑old woman whose remains were found scattered in the Wicklow mountains. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy has set the trial for 3 December 2018 before a Central Criminal Court jury.
Ian Kelly, a 26‑year‑old apprentice electrician, was given a suspended two‑year prison sentence for assaulting his ex‑girlfriend. He drove her to a secluded spot, repeatedly punched her in the face, head and stomach, bit her hand when she tried to retrieve her phone, and threatened to drive her into the Dublin mountains and kill her, saying she would never see her child again. Kelly has ten prior convictions, including a suspended sentence for a previous assault and a failure to report a hit‑and‑run involving a minor. He was convicted of assault causing harm on 7 May 2015. The judge noted the harm inflicted and Kelly's positive features, such as his apprenticeship and youth football coaching, and suspended the sentence. The victim reported lasting emotional trauma and fear for her safety.
A 19‑year‑old, Graham McEvoy, was found guilty of murder by a Central Criminal Court jury after admitting he stabbed his 23‑year‑old best friend, Paul "Paulie" Curran, to death on 16 July 2016 at Seagull House, Crumlin Road, Dublin. McEvoy had pleaded guilty to manslaughter, but the plea was rejected and he faced a week‑long trial. The jury reached an 11‑to‑one verdict after more than eight hours of deliberation. McEvoy will receive a mandatory life sentence. The trial heard that Curran was stabbed at least six times, with a fatal wound entering under the left armpit and penetrating the upper lobe of the left lung, causing respiratory collapse and death. McEvoy claimed he acted in self‑defence after Curran tried to slash him during a drug‑deal dispute, but the prosecution argued the force used was excessive.
A 39‑year‑old nurse, Greta Dudko, was sentenced to life in prison for murdering her 55‑year‑old mother, Anna Butautiene, on Christmas Eve 2010. Dudko admitted striking her mother's head against a wall and hitting her with a glass bottle, causing blunt‑force trauma. She pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, a plea that was rejected, and was tried at the Central Criminal Court. A majority jury found her guilty of murder (11‑1) and Mr Justice Paul Carney imposed a mandatory life sentence on 22 October 2014. The court noted Dudko's alcohol problem, medication use, and recent suspension from nursing work. She and her family had moved out of the shared home weeks before the murder. Dudko has now lodged an appeal, arguing that the trial judge's conduct and charge were unfair and unbalanced, particularly regarding intoxication and provocation. The appeal is pending.
In a 2014 Christmas‑night incident, a 62‑year‑old Dublin man raped his 41‑year‑old niece while she slept in her own home. The victim reported the crime to Gardaí three months later after discovering a letter from the accused that included a lie‑detector test and claims of consensual sexual activity. The man denied the offence and claimed he had taken a lie‑detector test, but a jury found him guilty after a four‑day trial at the Central Criminal Court. At the sentencing hearing, the judge described the man's actions as "catastrophic misjudgments" and imposed a custodial sentence, noting the lack of any background relationship suggesting the offence. The victim, aged 44, expressed profound trauma and a sense of loss of safety in her own home. The accused was remanded in custody pending sentencing on 21 December.".
A man from Castleblaney, County Monaghan, has been sentenced to 18 years imprisonment following his conviction for sexually abusing six children and raping two of them over a period of nearly three decades. Peter Sharkey, aged 47, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to three counts of indecent assault dating from 1987 to 1990, six counts of sexual assault between 1997 and 2015, one count of rape with an object in 1998 or 1999, and one count of rape in 2014. The victims, aged between nine and sixteen at the time of the offences, reported the abuse to gardaí following a complaint made in April 2015. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy described Sharkey as "a paedophile of the dangerous kind" and imposed consecutive sentences to ensure appropriate punishment for the harm inflicted on each victim. The court heard victim impact statements describing lasting psychological damage. Sharkey was ordered to register as a sex offender and placed under probation supervision for five years following his release.
A jury in the Central Criminal Court will return to deliberate on the case of 19‑year‑old Graham McEvoy, who stabbed his best friend Paul "Paulie" Curran to death. McEvoy pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. He claimed he met Curran to sell cocaine, and when Curran demanded money, Curran pulled a knife and tried to slash him. McEvoy's lawyer argued self‑defence, while the prosecution contended that McEvoy stabbed Curran six times while he was trying to escape. Justice Patrick McCarthy has asked the jury to reconvene on Monday.
A jury returned to the Central Criminal Court after a little less than four hours of deliberation to decide the verdict in the trial of 19‑year‑old Graham McEvoy, accused of murdering his best friend. McEvoy, of Captain's Road in Crumlin, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of Paul "Paulie" Curran (23) at Seagull House on Crumlin Road in Dublin on 16 July 2016. He claimed he met Curran to sell half an ounce of cocaine, but when Curran demanded money, Curran pulled a knife and tried to slash McEvoy. McEvoy said he defended himself and that Curran suffered fatal injuries in the struggle. Justice Patrick McCarthy explained that the prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt that McEvoy knew the force he used was excessive. If they fail, the jury should find him not guilty of murder and guilty of manslaughter; if they succeed, they should find him guilty of murder.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 14 December 2017, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy presided over the trial of 19‑year‑old Graham McEvoy, who was charged with murder but pleaded not guilty to that charge and guilty to manslaughter. McEvoy's plea to manslaughter indicates acceptance of responsibility for the killing of 23‑year‑old Paul "Paulie" Curran, but denies intent to kill or cause serious injury. McEvoy claimed that he met Curran to sell cocaine, and that Curran drew a knife and attempted to slash him. McEvoy then stabbed Curran six times, resulting in fatal injuries. Justice McCarthy explained that a defendant may be found guilty of manslaughter if the force used was excessive, even if the defendant was not intent on killing. He instructed the jury that they must decide whether the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that McEvoy knew the force was excessive. The jury was then sent to deliberate.
In the Central Criminal Court, 19‑year‑old Graham McEvoy pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of 23‑year‑old Paul Curran. The prosecution, led by Conor Devally SC, argued that McEvoy's self‑defence claim lacked credibility. Devally cited CCTV footage showing McEvoy's movements after the stabbing, the condition of a light‑coloured hoodie, and the absence of blood on the hoodie, arguing that the hoodie could not have been slashed. He also questioned McEvoy's statements about driving a red Honda Civic, noting that CCTV showed him in a silver Hyundai. Devally further highlighted that McEvoy bought a mobile phone after the incident, suggesting he was covering his tracks. The defence, represented by Barry White SC, maintained that the incident was a drug deal gone wrong and that McEvoy acted in self‑defence, seeking a manslaughter conviction rather than murder. The trial remains ongoing.
A Mulhuddart man, Andrew Gibney, who admitted stabbing Gerard Burnett three times, was sentenced to eight years in prison with one year suspended at the Central Criminal Court for manslaughter during an appeal. Gibney was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter by a jury last month after deliberating for seven hours and six minutes over three days. He had pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Burnett at Castlecurragh Vale, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15 on August 21, 2012. Mr Justice Paul Butler accepted the jury's verdict, noting that Gibney did not intend to kill or cause serious injury. Gibney admitted stabbing Mr Burnett three times in the side with a knife and voluntarily went to gardaí a week after the incident. The prosecution argued that Gibney was part of a joint enterprise to murder Mr Burnett, while the defence maintained that the appropriate verdict was manslaughter. The court heard that Mr Burnett suffered 30 knife injuries, including six fatal stab wounds to his chest. Mr Justice Butler noted that Gibney's remorse was credible and that he had made progress while in custody. The sentence was backdated to August 28, 2012, when Gibney entered custody. The matter was adjourned for the sentence hearing, and Gibney was asked to enter a bond of €100 for good behaviour.
A 49‑year‑old Kilkenny man, whose name is withheld to protect the identity of a 33‑year‑old man, was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of 15 counts of rape and oral rape and one charge of sexual assault. He had pleaded not guilty to 35 counts, with the trial judge directing not guilty on the balance. He received a 10‑year sentence, the final year suspended by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy on 8 February 2016. On appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham quashed three counts of rape and the remaining count of sexual assault that related to periods before 1 January 1999. The quashing was based on new evidence from the Department of Social Protection showing the man began receiving rent supplement in May or November 1999, indicating he likely did not live at the rented address in 1998.
A Sligo man has been convicted and sentenced to seven and a half years imprisonment following a trial at the Central Criminal Court. Clement Limen, aged 45, of North Court, Quayside, Sligo town, was found guilty of raping two women at his apartment on June 2, 2014, and one count of sexual assault. The offences occurred after he met the victims during a night out at a nightclub on the June bank holiday weekend. Mr Justice Paul Coffey imposed the sentence after hearing victim impact statements detailing the significant trauma caused by the crimes. The court noted the aggravating circumstances surrounding the attacks. Limen has indicated his intention to appeal his conviction and to mount a separate constitutional challenge regarding his detention terms. A concurrent sentence of four years was imposed on the sexual assault conviction.
The prosecution has finished presenting its evidence in the murder trial of 19‑year‑old Graham McEvoy, who was accused of stabbing his best friend, 23‑year‑old Paul "Paulie" Curran, during a drug deal on 16 July 2016. McEvoy pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The State did not accept the plea and the case is proceeding at the Central Criminal Court. Garda Julianne McNamara supplied mobile phone records showing McEvoy called Curran three times in the 42 minutes before the stabbing. McEvoy had told police he intended to meet Curran at Seagull House to buy half an ounce of cocaine. After Curran allegedly pulled a knife, McEvoy claimed he stabbed him in self‑defence. McNamara also found that McEvoy had made three calls that day to a 15‑year‑old girl who had previously testified that he was looking for Curran.
In a Dublin domestic‑violence case, 28‑year‑old Afghan national Muhammed Tajik pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his pregnant wife, Susan Walmsley, after a dispute over her new job. On 8 December 2015, Tajik grabbed Walmsley's neck, punched her until she passed out, and left her with a fractured jaw, eye socket injury, neck wound and swollen neck. He drove her to A&E, where she received treatment. Walmsley, a mother of two, described the assault as brutal, stating she feared she would die that night. The court noted her ongoing trauma, including panic attacks, PTSD and suicidal thoughts. Judge Patrick McCarthy sentenced Tajik to three years' imprisonment, citing the severity of the violence and the lack of provocation. Walmsley expressed shock at the sentence length and urged other abuse victims to seek help.
Graham McEvoy, aged 19, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of his best friend Paul "Paulie" Curran, aged 23, after a drug deal at Seagull House on 16 July 2016. McEvoy told Garda Dermot English that he met Curran for a 14‑gram cocaine transaction. Curran allegedly pulled a knife and attacked McEvoy, who claimed Curran nearly stabbed him and struck him with a portable speaker. In the ensuing struggle McEvoy says he used Curran's jacket to wrest the knife from him and stabbed Curran a few times, with the knife entering below the armpit. McEvoy left the scene in his car, later bought a car, and planned to turn himself in the next day. He described the incident as self‑defence and expressed genuine distress over the death of his friend. The trial is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court.
Dave Mahon, aged 46, lost an appeal against a seven‑year prison sentence for the killing of his partner's son, Dean Fitzpatrick, aged 23. Mahon had pleaded not guilty to murder but was found guilty of manslaughter by a Central Criminal Court jury. The jury held that Mahon had not thrust a knife into Fitzpatrick, only produced it, and that the death was accidental or possibly suicide. The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence, noting it was typical for knife manslaughters and that the judge had considered aggravating factors such as the production of a large knife, the failure to seek medical help and the relationship between Mahon and Fitzpatrick. The appeal was dismissed, leaving Mahon's seven‑year term in place. The case was heard on 8 December 2017.
A 47-year-old man from County Longford has been sentenced to 11 years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court following his conviction on charges relating to the sexual abuse of his teenage nephew. The jury found him guilty of 11 counts of rape, 10 counts of defilement, five counts of sexual assault, and one count of sexual exploitation of a child. The offences occurred between 2007 and 2014, spanning a period of seven years when the victim was aged 13 to 20. During trial, the accused claimed the relationship was consensual, a claim rejected by the court. Mr Justice Paul McDermott noted the defendant's use of substances and money to secure the victim's silence, describing his conduct as a grave breach of trust. The judge acknowledged the defendant's employment history and community involvement but highlighted his complete absence of remorse and failure to enter a guilty plea. The man has been directed to register as a sex offender and will be subject to five years of probation supervision following release.
A 77-year-old appellant has lost his appeal against the severity of his prison sentence. The man, whose identity is protected to preserve the victim's anonymity, was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury following a retrial of 14 counts of rape and 60 counts of sexual assault committed against his daughter between 2002 and 2006. In May 2011, Mr Justice Paul Carney imposed concurrent 15-year sentences for each rape count and 10-year sentences for each sexual assault count, with the final three years suspended. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice John Hedigan, dismissed the appeal, finding no error in the sentencing judge's approach or conclusions. The court noted the aggravating factors, including the breach of trust, the victim's age, the duration of the offending, and the absence of genuine remorse. The appellant's primary grounds argued that the judge failed to adequately consider his good character, lack of extreme violence, and potential for rehabilitation. However, the court determined that the most significant mitigation, an early guilty plea, was unavailable. Additionally, the court could not address the appellant's successful Supreme Court challenge regarding the constitutionality of Section 249.1 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, as no leave to add these grounds had been sought in this specific appeal. The three-judge panel concluded that the sentence was appropriate given the circumstances.
A 19‑year‑old, Graham McEvoy, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in the death of 23‑year‑old Paul Curran at Seagull House, Dublin, on 16 July 2016. The prosecution, represented by Conor Devally SC, argued that McEvoy entered the stairwell, later re‑emerged, dropped items, and fled. Curran, fatally wounded, stumbled into a flat where the incident was reported. Devally explained that the jury must decide whether McEvoy intended to kill or cause serious injury, noting that intent is presumed unless the accused claims self‑defence or fear. Evidence presented included a map and photographs of the stairwell and balcony taken by crime examiner Garda Alan Carolan. The trial, held at the Central Criminal Court before Justice Patrick McCarthy, will continue the following day with a jury of six men and six women.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, a 42‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 13‑year‑old boy who had recently come out as gay and had been a victim of prior sexual abuse. The assault took place at the child's Dublin home on 6 November 2015. The defendant, who was aware of the boy's sexual orientation and past abuse, entered the boy's bedroom, climbed into the top bunk of the bed and attempted to force his penis into the boy's bottom. The boy's mother and stepfather witnessed the defendant leaving the bedroom, and a DNA profile from semen in the boy's underwear matched the defendant. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy sentenced the man to five years' imprisonment, placed him on the sex offender list and ordered three years of post‑release supervision.
In a decision at the Central Criminal Court, the State applied for a nolle prosequi, and the court granted it, dropping the murder charges against Gary Thompson, 33, of Plunkett Drive, Finglas, and Glen McGrath, 47, of McKelvey Avenue, Finglas. The charges related to the killing of Graham McNally, 34, at Coldwinters, Finglas, on 20 January 2009. Thompson and McGrath were due to stand trial that morning, and both were present when the case was called before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy. The court agreed to the State's application, ending the prosecution against the two men.
A 30-year-old man from Sligo is to stand trial for murder at the Central Criminal Court in November 2018 following the discharge of a jury that could not reach a verdict. Keith Brady of Cartron Estate is charged with the murder of a 59-year-old musician on 2nd or 3rd August 2015 at New Apartments on Holborn Street, Sligo. Mr Brady has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The State rejected the manslaughter plea, and the case proceeded to trial at the Central Criminal Court. After nine days of evidence and several hours of deliberation, the jury was unable to reach agreement and was discharged. Justice Patrick McCarthy fixed a new trial date of 19th November 2018.
A 43‑year‑old man was convicted by a jury in the Central Criminal Court for raping his wife in their home in May 2014 and for threatening to cut her face and to kill her the next day. He was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, in June 2016. The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction on 1 December 2017, finding that none of the grounds of appeal presented by the defendant's counsel succeeded. The appeal was dismissed by Mr Justice Alan Mahon, sitting with Mr Justice George Birmingham and Mr Justice John Edwards. The appeal did not address any new evidence or procedural errors; it simply confirmed the original conviction and sentence. The case remains at the appellate stage, with no further changes to the conviction or sentence announced.
Andrew Gibney, 25, of Mulhuddart, Dublin 15, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter by a Central Criminal Court jury. The case, an appeal resulting in a retrial after his 2014 life sentence was overturned, concerned the alleged killing of Gerard Burnett, 28, at Castlecurragh Vale on August 21, 2012. Gibney had pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. Prosecution counsel alleged Gibney was part of a joint enterprise to murder Mr Burnett, while defence counsel argued the evidence supported a lesser intent. The jury deliberated for over seven hours before returning their verdict. Mr Justice Paul Butler adjourned sentencing until December 13 and remanded Gibney in custody until that date. Gibney had previously been convicted of the murder and sentenced to life imprisonment in January 2014, but that conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal in November last year, ordering a retrial. The court heard evidence that Gibney admitted to stabbing the deceased three times in the side. The matter was adjourned for sentencing.
In a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, a 25‑year‑old man, Andrew Gibney, is accused of killing Gerard Burnett, 28, in Mulhuddart on 21 August 2012. The jury, after seven hours and six minutes of deliberation, has been instructed by Judge Paul Butler that no juror should feel pressured to change their view. Butler reminded them that the opinion of Detective Superintendent Colm O'Malley is not a deciding factor and that each juror may hold a particular view without pressure to alter it. He outlined the three possible verdicts: not guilty; guilty of murder; or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. The prosecution alleges Gibney was part of a joint enterprise to murder Burnett, while the defence argues that if the evidence shows only a reasonable possibility of causing harm short of serious harm, manslaughter is the appropriate verdict. The jury will resume deliberations at 2.10 pm.
In a Dublin murder trial, a jury of five men and seven women has deliberated for two days and will return for a third day to decide the verdict against 25‑year‑old Andrew Gibney, accused of killing 28‑year‑old Gerard Burnett on 21 August 2012. Gibney pleaded not guilty. The prosecution argues he was part of a joint enterprise with four other men who entered Burnett's house that night. The defence contends that if the evidence shows Gibney intended only to cause some harm, a manslaughter verdict would be appropriate. The jury has requested to re‑hear evidence from Detective Superintendent Colm O'Malley and Chief State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy, who confirmed Burnett died from multiple stab wounds and blood loss. The judge explained that the jury could return a not guilty verdict, a guilty verdict for murder, or a guilty verdict for manslaughter. The jury will resume deliberations tomorrow at 11.15 a.m.
The 34‑year‑old accused in the Louth double murder trial, Jason O'Driscoll, admitted in court that he is the man shown in CCTV footage presented by the State. The admission was made by his barrister, Seán Guerin, under Section 22 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984, allowing the prosecution to rely on the footage without further proof. The footage includes a man entering a Newry hotel at 7.45 pm on the night of the killings, a man in a blue jacket inside Murphy's in Meigh after 11 pm, and a man in a Eurospar shop on several days in March. Guerin confirmed that O'Driscoll was the man in each of these recordings. The trial continues with the jury awaiting further proceedings after the judge addressed a legal issue. The accused remains not guilty on the charges of murdering Anthony Burnett and Joseph Redmond.
A jury in the Central Criminal Court will return tomorrow to decide the verdict in the murder trial of Andrew Gibney, a 25‑year‑old from Mulhuddart, who is accused of killing Gerard Burnett, 28, at Castlecurragh Vale on 21 August 2012. After deliberating for two hours and 16 minutes, the jury requested a re‑hear of the Chief State Pathologist's evidence. Dr Marie Cassidy explained that Burnett died from multiple stab wounds and blood loss caused by injuries to his right lung, heart and liver. Gibney had told Gardaí on 28 August that he had stabbed the victim three times on the side with a knife and had voluntarily turned himself in, saying he wanted to give the deceased peace. The prosecution argues that Gibney was part of a joint enterprise with four other men who entered Burnett's house that night, making him criminally liable. Andrew Gibney pleaded not guilty.
Stephen Cahoon, aged 44, was found guilty of murdering his ex‑girlfriend Jean Teresa Quigley, aged 30, who was ten weeks pregnant with his child. The murder took place on 26 July 2008 at Cornshell Fields, Derry. Cahoon admitted strangling Quigley but denied it was murder, claiming it occurred after consensual sex and that she was still alive when he left her home. He did not call an ambulance. The jury at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin unanimously convicted him and he received a mandatory life sentence in December 2015. The appeal focused on the admissibility of witness statements under Section 16 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. Judge Alan Mahon upheld the conviction, finding the trial judge's decision to admit the statements correct and the jury instructions fair. Cahoon was not present at the hearing.
A former army officer, Timothy O'Sullivan, aged 66, was sentenced to eleven years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting and raping two teenage boys between 1991 and 1996. The victims, aged 13 to 16 at the time, were repeatedly subjected to oral and anal rape, threatened with death or burial in the mountains, and given alcohol that sometimes made them ill. O'Sullivan, who was in his forties during the offences, used his position and the boys' vulnerabilities to groom and abuse them at various locations, including his home, a bathhouse, car parks, pubs and hotel rooms. The judge noted the aggravating factors of grooming, the victims' youth, and the abuse of trust, while also recognising mitigating factors such as the offenders' guilty pleas. The sentence was imposed by Mr Justice Tony Hunt at the Central Criminal Court, following the victims' courageous impact statements and the investigation that began after complaints in 2011 and 2013.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has been discharged after failing to reach a verdict in a murder trial. Keith Brady, aged 30, of Cartron Estate, Sligo had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in connection with the death of Martin Kivlehan, aged 59, at New Apartments, Holborn Street, Sligo on 2nd and 3rd August 2015. The Crown rejected the manslaughter plea, and Mr Brady underwent a two-week trial. During proceedings, the jury heard that Mr Kivlehan died from two stab wounds to the neck. Mr Brady admitted inflicting the injuries. The eleven-member jury was asked to determine whether the act constituted murder or manslaughter. After indicating they could not achieve unanimity, and subsequently failing to reach a majority verdict, the jury was discharged. Mr Justice Paul McDermott remanded Mr Brady in custody until 4th December for potential further proceedings.
A 24‑year‑old Dublin man, Raymond Walsh, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the unexplained murder of 41‑year‑old Kevin Molloy, who lived alone in Cabra. Walsh pleaded guilty to the murder, which occurred between 23 January and 1 February 2015 at Molloy's home on Glendhu Road, Navan Road. The Central Criminal Court heard that Molloy's body was found after his father investigated a lack of contact. Detectives linked Walsh to the house through fingerprints and DNA, and he denied any explanation for being there. The Molloy family delivered a victim impact statement, describing their son as loving and innocent. Walsh, who had no prior convictions, expressed remorse and pleaded guilty, leading Judge Patrick McCarthy to impose a life sentence, backdated to 7 October 2015. The sentence was delivered in the presence of the court and the family, who left quietly.
In Waterford, a Brazilian man, Juraci Da Silva, aged 36, was sentenced by Justice Michael White to eight years in prison for the manslaughter of James 'Jay' Banville, who died from a single stab wound to the heart on 8 October 2016. Da Silva was found not guilty of murder and not guilty of assault causing harm to Conor Hogan, but guilty of producing a knife during an altercation. He received an additional five‑year sentence for producing a knife, with both sentences running concurrently and back‑dated to the date of the offence. The judge described the killing as a "tragedy of epic proportions" and noted that Da Silva had been twice assaulted by Banville and Hogan, including racial and sexual remarks, before he armed himself with a knife and killed Banville. The sentence was deemed proportionate, taking into account Da Silva's lack of prior convictions and his limited English. The legal teams have 28 days to appeal.
During the fourth day of the 25‑year‑old Andrew Gibney's trial, the court heard that he had voluntarily approached a Garda station on 28 August 2012 and told officers that he had been stabbed in the shoulder by the deceased, Gerard Burnett, with a screwdriver four years earlier. Gibney also claimed that the two men had since made amends and that he had no intention to murder Burnett, who was 28 and a father of one. He admitted stabbing Burnett three times with a knife on the night of 21 August 2012, but said he was drunk and that the incident was a "blur." Gibney said he had cleaned the knife with boiling water and that he had no knowledge of the depth of the wounds. The prosecution had charged him with murder; he had pleaded not guilty and had no prior convictions.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court is to resume deliberations on Monday in the trial of Keith Brady, aged 30 of Cartron Estate, Sligo. Mr Brady has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter following the death of 59-year-old musician Martin Kivlehan at New Apartments on Holborn Street, Sligo in August 2015. The deceased died from two stab wounds to the neck. The defence argued that Mr Brady was too intoxicated to form the necessary intent for murder, and invited the jury to consider whether he was provoked by the deceased's alleged inappropriate conduct towards his sister. Mr Justice Paul McDermott directed the jury to assess the credibility of Mr Brady's account and whether provocation may have caused him to lose control. The judge instructed jurors to consider the accused's circumstances as a drug user rather than applying the standard of a reasonable man. The jury of six women and five men must determine whether the charge should be murder or manslaughter.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court is to consider whether a 30-year-old man from Sligo was too intoxicated to form the intention to murder when he inflicted fatal stab wounds to the neck of a 59-year-old man in August 2015. Keith Brady of Cartron Estate has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for his role in the death of Martin Kivlehan at New Apartments, Holborn Street, Sligo. The State rejected his manslaughter plea. In closing arguments, the prosecution contended that despite evidence of severe intoxication, Mr Brady retained sufficient capacity to engage in deliberate actions before and after the stabbing, suggesting he possessed murderous intent. The defence argued that his intoxication and troubled background prevented him from forming such intention and that a manslaughter verdict was appropriate. The judge instructed the jury that they must determine whether Mr Brady was so affected by drink and drugs that he could not have intended to kill or cause serious injury. Mr Justice Paul McDermott will continue his charge to the jury today.
Keith Brady, aged 30, of Cartron Estate in Sligo, stands trial at the Central Criminal Court on a charge of murdering Martin 'Matt' Kivlehan, aged 59, at New Apartments on Holborn Street, Sligo on August 2nd or 3rd, 2015. Mr Brady has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The State rejected the manslaughter plea, and the trial proceeded. The prosecution concluded its evidence this week. During testimony, gardai recounted a statement Mr Brady made at Castlerea Prison in December 2015, in which he described being under the influence of heroin and alcohol at the time of the incident. He recalled stabbing the deceased in the neck but stated he could not remember his motivation. Mr Kivlehan died from two stab wounds to the neck. The trial, presided over by Justice Paul McDermott and a jury, continues.
A 30-year-old man accused of murdering a Sligo musician told gardai he stabbed the victim in the neck but could not recall his motive, the Central Criminal Court heard today. Keith Brady of Cartron Estate, Sligo has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in connection with the death of Martin Kivlehan, aged 59, at New Apartments on Holborn Street on August 2nd or 3rd, 2015. The State rejected his guilty plea. Mr Kivlehan died from two stab wounds to the neck. Inspector Tom Colsh told the court that Mr Brady invited gardai to his cell in Castlerea Prison in December 2015 and provided a detailed statement about the incident. Mr Brady said he had been addicted to heroin at the time and that events unfolded after visiting the victim's apartment with his sister. He described the stabbing as a "freak moment" and stated he never intended to kill anyone. Following the incident, he said he and his sister moved the body and placed a duvet over it before leaving.
In the Central Criminal Court, Andrew Gibney (25) pleaded not guilty to the murder of Gerard Burnett (28) on 21 August 2012. Chief State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy testified that Burnett's body, found in his porch, suffered 30 knife injuries, including six deep, fatal stab wounds to the right side of his chest that penetrated the lung, heart and liver. She noted ten shallow wounds on his back, multiple abrasions from broken glass on his face, and injuries to his right hand suggesting a defensive struggle. Cassidy suggested the wounds were inflicted by a broad‑bladed knife with a single edge, possibly by more than one assailant, and that death was not immediate. Witnesses Anne‑Marie Corbett and her husband described hearing a commotion and seeing three men running toward the main road that night. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Butler, is scheduled to continue for up to three weeks.