In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 24‑year‑old woman described the lasting impact of sexual abuse by her stepfather, who had assaulted and raped her for over seven years. She said she would never live a normal life because the man, who was meant to protect her, had stolen her childhood. The court heard that the 44‑year‑old Kildare man began sexually assaulting her when she was 12, started raping her regularly at 15, and continued until 2011. He was found guilty of 17 counts of sexual assault and 16 counts of rape. During the trial he denied the allegations, claiming they were fabricated. The victim's statement detailed severe depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and self‑harm, and she said she could not pursue a career or form lasting relationships. The case was scheduled for sentencing on March 6. The man had prior convictions for assault and larceny and had worked as a builder.
A 28‑year‑old man from Blanchardstown, Trevor Noone, is charged with murdering 17‑year‑old Daniel McAnaspie, who was under HSE care, on 26 February 2010 at Tolka Valley Park. Noone, wearing a navy tie and waistcoat, pleaded not guilty after being arraigned before the Central Criminal Court. The deceased, originally from Finglas, was reported missing in early 2010 and his body was found decomposed in Meath months later. A jury of five women and seven men was sworn in for the trial set to begin tomorrow.
At the Central Criminal Court, December Connors (42) was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the last two suspended, for the manslaughter of Peter Conroy (25) during a brawl at Palmerstown Lodge B&B in Dublin 20 on June 9, 2015. Connors was also sentenced to two months' jail for assaulting Elaine Blunt during the same incident, though this sentence was fully suspended. The case was at the sentence stage, with Connors having pleaded guilty to manslaughter and not guilty to murder. The jury found Connors guilty of manslaughter but not guilty of murder. The victim's parents, Frank and Marion Conroy, expressed their anger and frustration with the sentence, calling the justice system a 'joke'. Connors had previously been charged with murder but was convicted of manslaughter after a one-week trial. The judge noted that Connors had returned to the scene of the brawl with a knife and had made a downwards motion towards the deceased on CCTV, but ruled that the killing lacked the intention required for a murder conviction. Connors expressed remorse during the trial and in court, and the judge acknowledged his background and expressed remorse. The sentence was backdated to October 1, 2015. The court had to adjourn the hearing due to emotional outbursts from the victim's family and others present.
Thomas O'Connor, 29, of Burnaby Court, Greystones, admitted killing John O'Brien, 22, in Wicklow in 2010 but denied murder, pleading guilty to manslaughter at Farrankelly Road. He was arraigned and the State rejected his plea. A jury of six men and six women was sworn in; the trial will start tomorrow and is expected to last about two weeks. Thomas O'Connor pleaded not guilty.
Norma Phillips, aged 47 and originally from Zimbabwe, was convicted of manslaughter for the killing of 36‑year‑old Romanian national Stefan Neanu on 12 April 2015 at her home on Phibsboro Road. A jury found her guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter after she was initially charged with murder. At the Central Criminal Court, Justice Margaret Heneghan sentenced Phillips to three and a half years' imprisonment with a further two years suspended, back‑dating the sentence to account for the nine months she had already spent in custody. The judge noted Phillips' previous good character, genuine remorse, early guilty plea and engagement with rehabilitation services, but also cited aggravating factors such as her initial false statements to emergency services and the Gardaí. Phillips' defence was that she acted in self‑defence after Neanu had pulled a knife, but the force used was deemed not reasonable.
The jury at the Central Criminal Court began deliberations on the case of Monika Matracka, 35, who is charged with the murder of her housemate and former partner, Michal Rejmer, 38. The alleged killing took place at The Pines, Briarfield, Castletroy, Limerick, sometime between 8 pm on 30 December and midnight on 31 December 2015. Matracka pleaded not guilty, claiming she stabbed Rejmer in self‑defence. Mr Rejmer was reported missing on 6 January 2016 after failing to attend work at MacDonald's in Castletroy; his body was found on 8 January under plastic sheeting at the rear of his house. State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy testified that Rejmer died from bleeding caused by stab wounds to his arms. Mr Justice Paul Butler explained that the jury could return one of three verdicts: guilty of murder, not guilty of murder, or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, Wayne Cluskey, aged 25, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for the death of Christopher Nevin, who was killed with an axe during a dispute over a pedigree chihuahua. Josh Turner, aged 24, was convicted of murder for the same incident. The jury, composed of nine men and three women, reached both verdicts by a 10‑to‑2 majority after more than two days of deliberation. Cluskey and Turner were remanded in custody until a sentencing hearing on 27 February. The trial included CCTV footage of the assault, testimony from Wayne Casserly about the dog dispute, and accounts of how Cluskey and Turner entered the scene, used an axe, and struck Nevin, leading to his death. The families of the deceased and the accused were kept inside the court by Gardaí during the proceedings.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, the defence counsel, Mr Mark Nicholas SC, argued that telling lies does not automatically make a person guilty. He represented 35‑year‑old Monika Matracka, charged with murdering her housemate and former partner Michal Rejmer, 38, at The Pines, Briarfield, Castletroy, Limerick. The alleged murder occurred sometime between 8 pm on 30 December and midnight on 31 December 2015. Mr Nicholas highlighted that Ms Matracka concealed the body, disposed of evidence, and lied to Gardaí, but he maintained that these actions alone did not prove guilt. He urged the jury to consider Dr Marie Cassidy's forensic testimony, which suggested Rejmer's death resulted from bleeding from stab wounds to his arms, complicated by a head injury. Mr Nicholas contended that the force used by Ms Matracka could be seen as reasonable self‑defence, potentially reducing the charge to manslaughter. Monika Matracka pleaded not guilty.
In the murder trial of Arnis Labunskis, the Central Criminal Court jury was instructed by Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy that a unanimous verdict was required. The jury could decide on one of three outcomes: guilty; acquittal; or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. Labunskis, a 57‑year‑old Latvian living on Wolfe Tone Street, Limerick, is charged with the killing of 39‑year‑old Dainius Burba on 21 or 22 April 2015. He claims he acted in self‑defence after striking Burba with a coffee‑table leg. Burba's father testified that Burba had brought him into a dark bedroom and repeatedly swung a table leg, forcing him to disarm him. The jury was sent out to deliberate and will resume discussions this afternoon. The case remains at the deliberation stage.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court, hearing murder charges against Wayne Cluskey (25) and Josh Turner (24) for the 2015 killing of Christopher Nevin, was informed that a unanimous verdict was no longer required. Justice Patrick McCarthy announced that a majority of ten votes would suffice for either or both counts, and the jury was scheduled to return at 2 pm. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, the prosecution argued that Monika Matracka (35) could not claim self‑defence for the murder of her housemate and former partner, Michal Rejmer (38), who died from stab wounds to the arms between 8 pm on 30 December and midnight on 31 December 2015. Prosecutor Paul Carroll said that the use of a knife as described would naturally intend to kill or cause serious injury, and that any excess force beyond what was reasonably necessary would amount to unlawful killing, i.e. manslaughter. He highlighted inconsistencies in Matracka's statements, her failure to report the incident to friends or Gardaí, and her attempts to conceal the body by placing it under plastic and logs. The prosecution also noted that Matracka had no prior convictions and that she had exchanged New Year texts with Rejmer after his disappearance. Monika Matracka pleaded not guilty.
The jury in the trial of Wayne Cluskey (25) and Josh Turner (24) of Mooretown, Ratoath, Co Meath, who are accused of murdering Christopher Nevin on 19 November 2015, will return tomorrow to continue deliberations. Both men pleaded not guilty. The jury has been instructed that for Cluskey there are three possible verdicts: not guilty if he was defending Turner and used reasonable force; manslaughter if he was defending Turner but used unreasonable force; or murder if the prosecution proved he was not defending Turner and intended to kill or seriously injure Nevin. For Turner there are two possible verdicts: manslaughter if he was provoked to the point of losing self‑control or if he acted in self‑defence but used unreasonable force; or murder if the prosecution proved he intended to kill or seriously injure Nevin. The case arose from a dispute over a male chihuahua loaned to Nevin for breeding, which led to a fight. Josh Turner was acquitted.
The Central Criminal Court jury has begun deliberations on the case of Arnis Labunskis, a 57‑year‑old Latvian, who is accused of murdering his 39‑year‑old flatmate, Dainius Burba, in Limerick on 21 or 22 April 2015. Labunskis, who lives on Wolfe Tone Street, claims he acted in self‑defence after Burba allegedly entered his darkened bedroom and began attacking him. He says he disarmed Burba and then struck him with a wooden table leg until Burba shouted "stop." Labunskis has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. Justice Deirdre Murphy explained to the jury that they could reach three verdicts: guilty, not guilty, or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. She outlined the law of self‑defence, noting that a verdict of manslaughter would require that Labunskis believed he was using reasonable and necessary force, while a verdict of murder would result if he used unreasonable and unnecessary force.
In the Central Criminal Court, Judge Deirdre Murphy began charging the jury on 15 February 2017 in the murder trial of Arnis Labunskis, a 57‑year‑old Latvian resident of Wolfe Tone Street, Limerick. Labunskis is accused of killing 39‑year‑old Dainius Burba, a Lithuanian father of one and former colleague, in their Limerick home on 21 or 22 April 2015. Labunskis pleaded not guilty, claiming self‑defence. He initially told Gardaí he had returned to find Burba badly injured, but later admitted responsibility. Burba's father testified that Burba had entered his darkened bedroom at night, swung a wooden table leg at him, and continued to attack with fists until the victim shouted "stop." The prosecution dismissed Labunskis's self‑defence claim as an insult to the jury's intelligence, while the defence highlighted that Burba had previously approached Labunskis with an iron bar.
In a 2017 trial, 35‑year‑old Monika Matracka pleaded not guilty to the murder of her former partner, Michal Rejmer, aged 38, who was found dead at her Limerick home between 8 pm on 30 December and midnight on 31 December 2015. Matracka told Gardaí she killed Rejmer in self‑defence, describing herself as the victim. She admitted placing his body in a duvet cover and covering his feet with a pillowcase to avoid looking at him, and that she had been cleaning the house to "forget about everything." She denied striking him on the head, claiming only a knife was used, and said she had no idea how he sustained injuries to his arm and head. She also admitted burning towels and plastic bags used to move the body, and that hair strands found on Rejmer's hands matched hers. The case was heard before Mr Justice Paul Butler and a jury of twelve.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, the State counsel Anthony Sammon criticised the accused, Arnis Labunskis, for presenting a 'tale of self‑defence' that he deemed an insult to the jury's intelligence. Labunskis, 57, is charged with killing 39‑year‑old Dainius Burba, a Lithuanian father of one, in their Limerick home on 21 or 22 April 2015. Labunskis pleaded not guilty and claimed he had returned home to find Burba seriously injured, but Burba's son later testified that Labunskis had inflicted the injuries. Labunskis alleged that Burba had dragged him into a dark bedroom, swung a wooden table leg at him, and that he had defended himself by disarming Burba and striking back until Burba shouted stop. Sammon argued that this new version of events was fabricated, a falsehood, and that Labunskis had lied to Gardaí to avoid criminal liability.
In the Central Criminal Court, Patrick Marrinan SC argued that Wayne Cluskey (25) and Josh Turner (24) should be found guilty of manslaughter rather than murder for the death of Christopher Nevin on 19 November 2015. The case centred on a dispute over a chihuahua loaned to Nevin, which led to a confrontation at Nevin's home. Marrinan highlighted CCTV footage and testimony from Nevin's friend, Wayne Casserly, who revealed Nevin was armed with a hatchet when he answered the door. He contended that Nevin's threat and the presence of a hatchet provoked the accused, who reacted in self‑defence. Marrinan urged the jury to consider that the accused lost control under provocation, making manslaughter the appropriate verdict. Shane Costelloe SC for Cluskey also argued for a not‑guilty verdict, noting no evidence of a joint enterprise. The judge will address the jury tomorrow. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty. Wayne Cluskey pleaded not guilty. Josh Turner pleaded not guilty.
In a 2017 murder trial, Monika Matracka, 35, pleaded not guilty to the killing of her former partner Michal Rejmer, 38, who disappeared on 30 December 2015. Garda interviews revealed that Matracka claimed she stabbed Rejmer in self‑defence after a confrontation over money he had lent her in 2009. She admitted that Rejmer's body remained in the house for at least three days before she moved it to the back garden, where she covered it with turf and plastic. She also said she tried to burn the knife used in the attack and later disposed of it in a public bin. The prosecution presented evidence of the timeline, the alleged self‑defence claim, and the handling of the body, while the defence argued the circumstances of the alleged self‑defence. The case was heard by Mr Justice Paul Butler with a jury of twelve.
Norma Phillips, 47, appeared before the Central Criminal Court for sentencing after being convicted of manslaughter for the killing of 36-year-old Stefan Neanu at her Phibsboro Road home on April 12, 2015. Although initially charged with murder, a jury found her not guilty of that charge but guilty of manslaughter. During the hearing, Detective Garda Martin McInerney stated that Mr. Neanu died from a stab wound to the heart following a drunken argument. Phillips alleged she acted in self-defence when he pulled a knife on her, though she initially provided false statements to gardai before admitting her involvement. Mitigation was presented by Sean Gillane SC, who highlighted Phillips's chronic alcohol problem, lack of prior convictions, and her subsequent rehabilitation through Focus Ireland. The court also heard a statement from the victim's aunt, Gabi Corina Tapu, who described the family's devastation. Justice Margaret Heneghan remanded Phillips on continuing bail until February 20 to consider the appropriate sentence. The matter was adjourned.
Monika Matracka, 35, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michal Rejmer, 38, at The Pines, Briarfield, Castletroy, Limerick, between 8 pm on 30 December and midnight on 31 December 2015. She told Gardaí she stabbed Rejmer in self‑defence. Rejmer was reported missing on 6 January 2016 after failing to attend work. Garda Pat Whelan testified that the back garden became a crime scene on 8 January when a body was found. Matracka had a long‑distance relationship with Rejmer, moved to Ireland in 2012, and they lived together from March 2014 after breaking up in January 2013. She claimed she had been asked for €300 and that Rejmer had helped her financially. After the body was discovered, she was taken to Henry Street Garda Station, where she admitted to killing Rejmer, describing the stabbing and burial. The case is before Mr Justice Paul Butler with a jury of twelve.
The 14‑year‑old who stabbed 21‑year‑old Lorcan O'Reilly to death at a Halloween bonfire party in the Oliver Bond flats was sentenced by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy to four‑and‑a‑half years' detention. The boy pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The judge described the incident as occurring in an open area where about 23 people were present; the accused had a hurley, was taken away, returned with a knife and struck O'Reilly in the chest. The judge noted the seriousness of a knife‑related manslaughter and the impact on the victim's family, quoting a statement from O'Reilly's father that the family's hearts were broken. The sentence was reduced by two years from an eight‑year recommendation because of the early guilty plea, and the last 18 months of the term will be suspended, subject to good behaviour and other conditions.
Arnis Labunskis, 57, is on trial for the murder of his flatmate Dainius Burba, 39, in Limerick on 21‑22 April 2015. He has admitted to the jury that he inflicted serious injuries on Bur — including a fractured skull and broken jaw—after a confrontation in the middle of the night. Labunskis claimed he had taken a table leg from Bur 's hand when the latter swung it at him, and that he had called Bur into a darkened room before the assault. He has also said he threw a plastic bag containing a t‑shirt stained with Bur 's blood into a wheelie bin that morning. During cross‑examination, Labunskis could not explain why he gave Gardaí a different account of the death than he gave in court, stating he did not know why he had done so. The trial is proceeding before Justice Deirdre McCarthy with a jury of ten.
A jury of six men and six women was sworn in by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy for the trial of Richard Dekker, 30, and Trevor Noone, 28, who are charged with the murder of 17‑year‑old Daniel McAnespie at Tolka Valley Park, Blanchardstown, on 26 February 2010. Both men pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. The jury is to return on Wednesday at 10.55 am to begin a trial expected to last three weeks.
During the eighth day of his Central Criminal Court trial, 57‑year‑old Arnis Labunskis, accused of murdering 39‑year‑old Dainius Burba, became emotional while describing the incident. He said he had been washing his hands in the kitchen when Bur a grabbed him from behind and tore his clothes. Labunskis opened the door and told Bur a to leave, but Bur a ran upstairs. Later, Labunskis went downstairs for a cigarette and was called back to Bur a's room, which was dark except for shadowy light from a window. Bur a pushed the door closed and, according to Labunskis, began swinging an object. Labunskis claimed he grabbed the object, which turned out to be a table leg, and struck Bur a once, causing a scream. Bur a shouted, "Stop old man," before Labunskis fled into the corridor and turned on the light. The trial is proceeding before Justice Deirdre McCarthy and a jury of twelve.
Monika Matracka, 35, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michal Rejmer, 38, at her home in The Pines, Briarfield, Castletroy, between 8 pm on 30 December and midnight on 31 December 2015. She claimed self‑defence, stating she stabbed Rejmer. Rejmer was reported missing on 6 January 2016 after failing to report to work at MacDonald's. Witnesses from the Kilmurry Lodge Hotel testified that Matracka was "very honest and sincere" and had been visibly upset and crying on 7 January, citing stress and the ongoing search for Rejmer. CCTV footage showed Matracka's movements at the hotel and in the area, including a clip of her walking near The Pines with something across her arm or shoulder. The trial is before Mr Justice Paul Butler and a jury of twelve.
In a 2017 trial, 25‑year‑old Josh Turner, of Mooretown, Ratoath, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 27‑year‑old Christopher Nevin, who was killed on Tailteann Road, Navan, on 19 November 2015. Turner took the stand at the Central Criminal Court and admitted that he had "lost it" and struck Nevin multiple times with an axe, describing the act as a "minute of madness." He said he had been "dizzy" and "panicking" when he picked up the axe and that he had hit Nevin more than once, contrary to his earlier claim of a single blow. Turner recounted that Nevin had threatened him with a hatchet, that a friend, Wayne Cluskey, was present, and that Turner had later found the axe on the ground and used it. He also said he had tried to call for help after Nevin lay dying.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Gardaí warned 57‑year‑old Arnis Labunskis, accused of murdering his flatmate Dainius Burba, that a judge and jury could draw inferences if he failed to disclose any facts he intended to rely on in his defence. Labunskis, who lives on Wolfe Tone Street, Limerick, was found to have discovered Burba's body in their unlocked flat on 21 or 22 April 2015. He had previously pleaded not guilty to the murder of the 39‑year‑old Lithuanian father of two. Detective Sergeant Brian O'Connor, who interviewed Labunskis multiple times after the discovery, warned him that any omission could be used against him. Labunskis replied that he had nothing to say. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Deirdre McCarthy with a jury of three women and nine men, will resume this afternoon.
During the seventh day of the 57‑year‑old Arnis Labunskis's trial, the court heard his garda interviews. Labunskis, who lives on Wolfe Tone Street, Limerick, was charged with murdering 39‑year‑old Dainius Burba, a Lithuanian father, in their shared flat on 21 or 22 April 2015. He told the police that he arrived home at about 11 pm after drinking in the park, found the front door unlocked, and turned on the lights. He claimed to have seen a table leg covered in blood near the stairs and, fearing an intruder, took the leg upstairs. He then found Burba with blood from his head, almost dead, and described him as roaring and calling out in Russian. Labunskis said he did not call 999 because he did not know the number. The jury will hear further details on Friday.
In the murder trial of Wayne Cluskey (25) and Josh Turner (24) for the killing of 27‑year‑old Christopher Nevin on 19 November 2015, Justice Patrick McCarthy found no evidence presented. He informed the jury that legal matters required resolution before proceeding and instructed the nine men and three women to return to the Central Criminal Court the following day. Wayne Cluskey pleaded not guilty. Josh Turner pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court heard a murder trial in which Monika Matracka, aged 35, pleaded not guilty to the killing of Michal Rejmer, aged 38, at their shared home in Limerick between 8 pm on 30 December and midnight on 31 December 2015. The prosecution presented evidence that Rejmer was reported missing on 6 January 2016 after failing to attend work, and that he was last seen on 30 December. Witnesses, including former athletics club members Mike Purtill and Adrian Kiely, testified that they visited the house on 7 January and observed suspicious activity, such as burning papers and a laptop. On 8 January, a search party discovered Rejmer's body wrapped in a blood‑stained bedsheet in the back garden. Garda James Muldowney and Sergeant David Burke provided statements about the discovery and subsequent evidence collection. The trial, presided over by Justice Paul Butler, is expected to last two to three weeks.
In a 2017 trial at the Central Criminal Court, 35‑year‑old Monika Matracka pleaded not guilty to the murder of 38‑year‑old Michal Rejmer, who was found dead at their shared house in Castletroy, Limerick, between 8 pm on 30 December and midnight on 31 December 2015. Prosecutor Paul Carroll presented evidence that Rejmer had worked at McDonald's, left work at 8 pm on 30 December, and was not seen again. Gardaí called the house on 6 January and 8 January; Matracka claimed she last saw Rejmer at 11 pm on 30 December and that she had sent him a New Year's text. She later admitted to stabbing him after he allegedly entered her room with a knife, claiming self‑defence. A post‑mortem found haemorrhage from stab wounds to the arms, with defensive wounds on Rejmer's hands.
In 2014, a 65‑year‑old former primary school teacher was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of one count of rape and 115 counts of indecent assault and sexual assault against his sister‑in‑law between 1981 and 1993. He was sentenced to ten years for rape and two concurrent five‑year terms for each assault count. The defendant, who had denied all charges, was acquitted on 29 counts and found not guilty on 27 further counts. In 2017, he appealed the conviction. Judge George Birmingham dismissed the appeal, ruling that the trial judge had not acted unfairly or unsafely, that the jury's verdicts were safe, and that the evidence presented, including that of six witnesses, was admissible and relevant. The Court of Appeal therefore upheld the original conviction and sentence.
In a murder case, Wayne Cluskey (25) and Josh Turner (24) pleaded not guilty to the killing of 27‑year‑old Christopher Nevin on 19 November 2015. Turner voluntarily appeared at Navan Garda station on 23 November, where he gave several interviews. In a second interview on 24 November he claimed he struck Nevin's fatal blow after Nevin attacked him with a hatchet during a dispute over a chihuahua. Turner said he had loaned Nevin a male dog for €250, and a disagreement arose when Nevin claimed the dog had gone missing and later that it was "shooting blanks." Turner described meeting Nevin at a friend's house on Tailteann Road, where Nevin allegedly approached him with a green hatchet. Turner said he took the hatchet from Nevin's hand and struck Nevin on the head with the blunt side, seeing blood but not realizing he was fighting for his life. The trial continues before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.
During the fifth day of the 57‑year‑old Arnis Labunskis's murder trial, the Central Criminal Court heard that when Gardaí arrived at the Wolfe Tone Street flat on 21 or 22 April 2015, there was blood on the walls, on a bed and a body face‑down on the floor. Labunskis, who pleaded not guilty, claimed he had come home to find his Lithuanian flatmate, 39‑year‑old Dainius Burba, seriously injured. Denis O'Loughlin, who answered a call at 5.20 am, described how he was led to the house, saw blood spatter on the stair architrave and in a bedroom, and found Burba unresponsive on the ground. Garda Martin Crowley later found a bin with a white liner and blue fabric bearing blood, and DNA from the bin's t‑shirt matched Burba's profile while Labunskis's DNA was found on the underarm area. The trial continues before Justice Deirdre McCarthy and a jury.
In the Central Criminal Court, Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis testified that four severe blows, consistent with an axe, caused the death of 27‑year‑old Christopher Nevin. Two blows struck the head and one the neck, producing skull fractures, internal bleeding and brain swelling, leading to blunt‑force trauma death. A fourth blow to the body caused extensive injuries but did not kill him. The case involves Wayne Cluskey (25) and Josh Turner (24), who plead not guilty to Nevin's murder, amid a dispute over a male chihuahua given to Nevin.
Two men, Wayne Cluskey (25) and Josh Turner (24), from Mooretown, Ratoath, Co Meath, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 27‑year‑old Christopher Nevin on 19 November 2015. The Central Criminal Court heard that the accused suffered injuries to their hands and heads four days after the fatal fight. Dr Thomas Ravenscroft examined Cluskey on 23 November and found a cut on the top of his head, lacerations and bruises on both hands and wrists, and cuts on both shoulders. Turner had lacerations on both hands and a small cut on the top of his head, with scratch marks on his right shoulder. The injuries were described as about four days old. The trial, presided over by Justice Patrick McCarthy, continues with a jury of nine men and three women. The case involves a dispute over chihuahua pups that escalated into a fatal axe attack. The accused are charged with murder. The trial is ongoing.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Paddy Rooney, father of the 21‑year‑old Lorcan O'Reilly, expressed profound grief after his son was fatally stabbed by a 14‑year‑old boy during a Halloween party at the Oliver Bond flats. Rooney said the family could no longer celebrate Halloween and that Lorcan's death robbed them of a "happy, kind and thoughtful" son. The accused, now 16, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. Court footage showed the teenager swinging a hurley, confronting Lorcan, and then striking him with a knife. Rooney read a victim impact statement, noting Lorcan's love of music and the loss of his future. The case was adjourned for sentencing, with the accused remanded on continuing bail. The judge described the case as a serious homicide.
In a Dublin criminal court, a 53‑year‑old man was sentenced to seven and a half years' imprisonment for drugging and sexually assaulting his heavily‑pregnant partner. The judge described the man as a danger to society and to women, noting the victim was eight months pregnant with their second child. The judge found the man's actions "sneaky, underhand and clandestine" and said the victim felt humiliated and degraded, especially when the assault videos were played in court. The final six months of the sentence were suspended unconditionally, and a further two years were suspended on the condition that the man attend a sexual offenders treatment programme. He was also registered as a sex offender. The man maintains his innocence and faces a retrial on rape charges that were not proven at this hearing. The unnamed 40-year-old pleaded not guilty and was found guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, the trial of 57‑year‑old Arnis Labunskis, accused of murdering 39‑year‑old Dainius Burba, progressed on the fourth day. Labunskis pleaded not guilty. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis testified that Burba's death resulted from a multiplicity of blows—estimated at 19—to his head and face, causing lacerations, extensive skull fractures, and severe brain injury. The cause of death was blunt force injury to the head and face. Forensic scientist Dr Stephen Doak presented evidence of a violent assault, including blood‑stained items and DNA matching the accused. He concluded that the evidence strongly supported the proposition that Labunskis assaulted Burba. The trial is before Justice Deirdre McCarthy with a jury of twelve.
During the second day of the 57‑year‑old Arnis Labunskis's trial, witness Igars Makulens testified that the accused told him he needed to get rid of the body after a morning visit to the flat where 39‑year‑old Dainius Burba was murdered on 21 or 22 April 2015. Makulens said the accused's daughter had called him early that morning, asking him to check on her father's home. He knocked on Labunskis's door, was denied entry until he claimed the daughter had sent him, and then was told the man was upstairs and dead. Labunskis allegedly said he had hit Burba, had a mobile phone and passport in his hands, and told Makulens to hide them and get rid of the body. The witness was cross‑examined by Michael Bowman SC, who questioned whether Labunskis had suggested the body be taken to the woods or that the police be called. Labunskis has pleaded not guilty.
During the Central Criminal Court trial of Wayne Cluskey (25) and Josh Turner (24) for the murder of 27‑year‑old Christopher Nevin, a witness, Wayne Casserly, admitted he had lied to the prosecution. He had omitted that Nevin entered the scene with a hatchet. Casserly said Nevin had taken the hatchet to confront the accused about a male chihuahua that had been lent to Nevin for breeding. After Nevin emerged with the hatchet, Cluskey allegedly took an axe from his car and struck Nevin, while Turner allegedly struck Nevin several times after retreating to Casserly's house. Casserly also admitted that Turner had told him to "keep your mouth shut." The trial continues before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of nine men and three women.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a prosecution barrister presented evidence that two men, Wayne Cluskey, 25, and Josh Turner, 24, from Mooretown, Ratoath, were involved in a joint enterprise that led to the murder of 27‑year‑old Christopher Nevin on 19 November 2015. Nevin, who owned several dogs including three female chihuahuas, had obtained a male chihuahua from Turner to breed with the females. After only one of the chihuahuas became pregnant, a dispute arose over Turner's expected benefit. CCTV footage showed Turner arriving in a silver Honda Civic, knocking on Nevin's door, and a brief conversation. Cluskey then entered and struck Nevin with a hatchet, causing fatal injuries. The men left the scene in a car, later voluntarily turned themselves in at Navan Garda Station. The trial, presided over by Justice Patrick McCarthy, will continue with a jury of nine men and three women. The prosecution described the footage as distressing. The men have pleaded not guilty.
The trial of Arnis Labunskis, 57, who is accused of murdering his flatmate Dainius Burba, 39, at their Wolfe Tone Street, Limerick City, flat on 21st or 22nd April 2015, continued at the Central Criminal Court. Labunskis has pleaded not guilty. Witness William Neville testified that he heard an "awful noise" and a verbal argument from the house around 12.30am on the night of the alleged incident. The jury reviewed CCTV footage showing an individual carrying a white item, similar to a bag, which was deposited into a wheelie bin shortly before 5am. Detective Garda Nicholas Jones also presented evidence regarding the movement of an individual and a car earlier that morning. The prosecution highlighted a discrepancy in Labunskis's accounts, noting that while he told gardai he arrived home to find his flatmate injured by potential intruders, he had previously told his daughter that he had fought with the deceased. The trial is presided over by Ms Justice Deirdre McCarthy and a jury of three women and nine men. The matter is ongoing and is expected to continue until the end of next week.
In a Limerick murder trial, 57‑year‑old Arnis Labunskis is charged with killing his 39‑year‑old flatmate, Dainius Burba, on 21 or 22 April 2015. Labunskis pleaded not guilty. During the opening speech, the prosecution presented evidence that Labunskis had told his daughter that he had fought with Burba and that she had seen blood on his clothing. The daughter drove him to her brother's house, where the brother also noticed blood on Labunskis's shoes. A man was sent to check the flat, and Labunskis allowed him in, where he saw blood on the wall and on Labunskis's hoodie and was shown Burba's body. Labunskis later told gardai he had returned home to find Burba badly injured, was alarmed by possible intruders, and had taken a table leg to defend himself. The prosecution suggested the table leg could be the murder weapon, a point for the jury to consider.
In a 2017 case, a 27‑year‑old man was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for raping a 54‑year‑old woman outside her home in County Galway. The man had forced entry to the house in the middle of the night, breaking a lock on an access door, and the victim, who was an alcoholic, had met him while drinking. She testified that she had been sober for several weeks before the offence but resumed drinking afterwards. The court noted that the victim and her daughter were present, with the daughter seeking safety and calling the Gardaí. The accused was acquitted of burglary.
At the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy set a trial date of November 13, 2017, for Keith Brady, 29, of Cartron Estate, Sligo, and his sister Janice Brady, 32, of Maryville Hostel, Finisklin, Sligo. Keith Brady is charged with murdering Martin Kivlehan, 59, on August 3, 2015, at Holbron Street, Sligo. He is also charged with impeding the apprehension or prosecution of another for murder. Janice Brady is charged with impeding the apprehension or prosecution of another for murder. Both defendants are accused of these offences, and the charges remain alleged or contested. No plea, finding, sentence, or finalisation has been recorded at this procedural stage. The matter was adjourned to the set trial date, and it has not been concluded or finalised. All allegations are attributed to the charges brought against the accused, and no conviction has been established. The court proceedings are at the charge or pretrial stage, with no suspended portions, effective custody, conditions, or additional adjournments noted beyond the trial date setting.
A 57‑year‑old man, Arnis Labunskis of Wolfe Tone Street, is set to go on trial for the murder of 39‑year‑old Dainius Burba, who was killed at that address on 21 or 22 April 2015. He was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court today and pleaded not guilty. A jury of three women and nine men was sworn in; the trial began today and is expected to run until the end of next week.
A 54-year-old man, whose identity is protected to safeguard his victims, is appealing his conviction and 12-year sentence for sexually abusing his step-children. The Court of Appeal heard arguments regarding his conviction for abusing two of his three step-children, for which he was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy on June 20, 2016. In a separate trial, he was convicted of four counts of rape, ten counts of sexual assault, one offence of oral rape, and two charges of using an object to penetrate his step-daughter between 2001 and 2005. Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan imposed a concurrent 12-year sentence for abusing the eldest child in July 2016. The appellant, represented by Paddy McGrath SC, argued that the trial judge erred by refusing to sever the indictment for separate trials, failed to discharge the jury after accidental evidence of other allegations was introduced, and that the verdict was perverse. Counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions, Timothy O'Leary SC, countered that sufficient similarities, including the step-parent relationship and the offering of money, justified joint trials. The three-judge panel, comprising Mr Justice George Birmingham, Mr Justice Alan Mahon, and Mr Justice John Edwards, reserved judgment. Consequently, the matter was adjourned, and the outcome of the appeal remains pending.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, Derek Corr, aged 31, was jailed for attempting to attack neighbour Gary Dargan with a knife in June 2015. Corr had previously lived peacefully beside the Dargan family but on the day of the incident he entered Dargan's living room, claiming he was looking for Dargan's sister. He brandished a large kitchen knife, made threatening remarks, and lunged at Dargan, who managed to escape and call the Gardaí. Corr fled, later being arrested with additional knives. No motive was given. Judge Pauline Codd described the act as a "moment of madness" and, considering mitigating factors such as Corr's guilty plea and remorse, imposed a three‑year sentence with the final two years suspended. The case is distinct from the unrelated 2015 shooting of Dargan's mother by James Redmond, who was found not guilty by reason of insanity and remanded to the Central Mental Hospital.
In a murder trial held at the Central Criminal Court, the jury was asked by Justice Margaret Heneghan whether they could return a majority verdict instead of a unanimous one. The case concerns Norma Phillips, 46, who is accused of stabbing her partner, 36‑year‑old Romanian Stefan Neanu, to death with a kitchen carving knife on 12 April 2015 at her former home on Phibsboro Road, Dublin 7. Phillips has pleaded not guilty. The prosecution alleges that Neanu pointed the knife at her during a drunken argument and that she killed him when she pushed the weapon away in self‑defence. Justice Heneghan explained that the jury has three possible verdicts: guilty of murder if the prosecution proves intent and lack of self‑defence; guilty of manslaughter if she acted in self‑defence but used excessive force; or not guilty if she acted in self‑defence with reasonable force.