In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy testified that Thomas Dooley, aged 64, died from blunt‑force trauma after being struck eight times on the head, with fractures to his skull and internal brain injuries. She noted additional blows to his body that fractured three ribs, contributing to his death. Cassidy examined Dooley's body on 17 February, five days after the alleged murder on 12 February, and observed scorch marks indicating an attempted fire. She identified a baseball bat, which the prosecution claims was the murder weapon, as consistent with the injuries. Under cross‑examination, Cassidy suggested the head injuries were likely inflicted by a single implement, though she could not confirm whether one or more assailants were involved. The defendants—Matthew Cummins (22), Sean Davy (21) and James Davy (25)—remain not guilty pleas. The trial continues before Justice Margaret Heneghan.
During the tenth day of her trial, the Central Criminal Court heard portions of video interviews conducted by Garda Detective Sergeant Fergus O'Brien with Marta Herda, a 29‑year‑old Polish woman charged with the murder of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsos. The interviews, taken a few months after Herda's arrest in August 2013, were played to the court. Herda was accused of driving Orsos into a harbour where he drowned. She pleaded not guilty. In the interviews she stated that she had wanted the situation to stop, referring to the phone calls and text messages she had been receiving from Orsos, who had been following her for two years. The defence cross‑examined O'Brien about the context of her statement, and the barrister for Herda suggested that the statement might describe the events in the car that morning rather than an admission of intent. The trial continues.
Ms Marta Herda, 29, of Pairc Na Saile, Arklow, is charged with the murder of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsos, who drowned after being driven into a harbour on 26 March 2013. Both were in Herda's car when it entered the water; she escaped, but Orsos's body was found later that day. During her trial, video of Herda's garda interviews was shown. She stated she had hoped to save him if she had seen him in the water, but a friend told her not to think of it, fearing they would die together. She described Orsos as a good‑hearted person who had fallen "in love with me badly" and admitted she was afraid of him. The court heard that she had no sexual relationship with him and that she had never been with someone who would "lock me somewhere." The trial continues.
In July 2016, a 49‑year‑old Limerick man, Kieran Lynch, who had spent 11 years in prison after a murder conviction was quashed, was set to be sentenced for manslaughter. Lynch had originally been convicted of murdering his partner, Catherine McEnery, in 2005 and sentenced to life in 2007. He appealed in 2013, arguing issues with the jury charge on provocation and the introduction of new evidence. The Court of Criminal Appeal quashed the conviction, citing his near‑drowning experience and high‑dose benzodiazepine medication. In May 2016, Lynch pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, and the State accepted his plea. He was before Justice Patrick McCarthy for sentencing, with the court hearing testimony about his intoxication, the assault, and the impact on McEnery's family. The sentence was to be announced on 28 July 2016.
A 38‑year‑old Polish man, Andrzej Wawrzyniak, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for stabbing fellow Polish national Jacek Kozakiewicz to death in an abandoned pub squat on Dublin's North Wall Quay on 26 February 2014. Wawrzyniak also pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to another occupant, Filip Talaj. The jury, after a little over four hours, delivered a unanimous verdict. Wawrzyniak was remanded in custody until 10 October for a sentencing hearing. The trial revealed that the squat was a makeshift living space where the occupants, including Kozakiewicz who was described as "the boss", were required to stay indoors during daylight to avoid attention. On the night of the incident, an argument erupted; Wawrzyniak stabbed Talaj several times and later fled the squat, boarding a tram.
In 2016, a Dublin woman, aged 46, was beaten by her husband with a hammer and later raped. She thanked a passer‑by who set the husband's dog on him, chasing him away. The husband, 42, was convicted of rape, threatening to kill, and assault. He pleaded guilty to attempting serious harm and assaulting the victim's mother. During the sentencing hearing, the victim described fearing murder in front of her four‑year‑old son and the husband's "absolute determination" to kill her. The court noted the husband's low risk of future violence but the victim remained terrified of his release. He was remanded in custody until the sentencing date. The case was the third marital‑rape conviction since the 1990 law change. The victim's impact statement detailed lasting trauma and fear for herself and her son.
Ross Allen, 26, from Clara, Co Offaly, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for his role in the killing of Christy Daly at Bog Lane in Clara. The Central Criminal Court heard that Allen, who had been taken from his drug‑addicted mother as a baby and had lost both foster parents as a child, was involved in retrieving a shotgun he believed would be used to scare Daly. He acted as a lookout while two other men beat and shot Daly eight times. Allen claimed he did not know Daly would be killed. His defence counsel, Blaise O'Carroll SC, described Allen's unsettled background, his early life in care, the deaths of his foster parents, and his attempts to lead a productive life, including work in carpentry and landscaping. Allen had 25 previous convictions but no custodial sentences. He will be sentenced on Wednesday, 27 July.
Dubliner Laura Dempsey, a 25-year-old mother of two, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for assisting an offender in connection with the murder of 33-year-old Kieran Farrelly on October 26, 2014. Dempsey pleaded guilty to impeding the apprehension or prosecution of the person she believed was guilty of the killing, which involved concealing a shotgun used at Killarney Court, Killarney Street, Dublin 1. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy noted that Dempsey admitted being present at the shooting and placing the firearm in a wheelie bin after being given it by another accused. The judge acknowledged mitigating factors, including Dempsey's early guilty plea, her attempt to discourage the attack, and her heroin addiction, while recognizing the serious nature of the offence. Dempsey was sentenced to three years in prison, with the final two years suspended for a period of three years. She must comply with a probation officer and attend the Merchant's Quay Project or a suitable alternative. The sentence commences from the date of sentencing, with credit given for time already served. A separate murder charge against Dempsey was previously dismissed following an application under Section 4E of the Criminal Justice Act 1999.
In the Central Criminal Court, Marta Herda, 29, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsos, who drowned after the car she drove entered a harbour on 26 March 2013. Herda, a Polish waitress from Arklow, claimed she was not in love with Orsos and that the incident was accidental. She said she had been arguing with him in the car and that she did not want to drive fast. Garda testimony revealed that she had called Orsos at 5.20 am and again at 5.35 am, and that the handbrake had been applied before the car entered the water. Forensic evidence showed a skid mark consistent with handbrake use and a shattered driver's side window. The trial was set to continue on Monday before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of eight men and four women.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 14 July 2016, the defence of 38‑year‑old Polish man Andrzej Wawrzyniak argued that he killed his housemate Jacek Kozakiewicz (44) in a "life and death struggle". Wawrzyniak, who has no fixed address, pleaded not guilty to the murder and had pleaded guilty to a second count of assault causing harm to Filip Talaj (31) at the same derelict pub on 26 February 2014. Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC described the squat where five homeless Poles lived as "dark and unpleasant" and said Wawrzyniak was attacked first, feeling he might die. He cited Kozakiewicz's violent past and alleged that Wawrzyniak was panicking and terrified. Prosecution counsel Dominic McGinn SC countered that the evidence showed Kozakiewicz was drunk and asleep, that Wawrzyniak stabbed him 22 times in cold blood, and that the motive may have been bitterness or drunken rage.
A 51‑year‑old woman, Rose Kenny, gave a victim impact statement after a 2014 knife attack by her former partner, Denis Leahy, who had been charged with attempted murder. Kenny described herself as a normal 49‑year‑old working at a local creche when Leahy, whom she had known for about five years, viciously stabbed her three times in the neck and three times in the chest. She survived after twelve hours of surgery and a seven‑week hospital stay, suffering severe physical and psychological trauma. Kenny expressed guilt over having brought Leahy into her life and questioned her judgment of character. She reported ongoing anxiety, loss of trust, and difficulty returning to work, while her family continues to support her recovery. Leahy's guilty plea will be considered at sentencing next Thursday.
The murder trial of Andrzej Wawrzyniak (38) is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court. Wawrzyniak, who has no fixed address, has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Jacek Kozakiewicz (44) at a derelict pub on Dublin's North Wall Quay on February 26, 2014. He also pleaded guilty to a second count of assault causing harm to Filip Talaj (31) at the same location and date. The prosecution presented evidence that Kozakiewicz, who was found dead with more than 20 stab wounds, had a history of drink-related and public order offences, including a suspended sentence for carrying knives and a prison term for possessing a crowbar. Detective Sergeant John Brady testified that Kozakiewicz lived a chaotic lifestyle in a squat occupied by five Polish men, where he was described as the "boss" and a "gentleman." Gardaí were aware of the squat but faced ownership disputes that prevented official eviction. The prosecution concluded its case today, and the closing speech to the jury of nine men and three women is scheduled for tomorrow morning. The matter remains at the trial stage, with no final verdict or sentence yet delivered.
During the seventh day of the 29‑year‑old Marta Herda's murder trial, the jury viewed a video of the deceased, 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsos, celebrating his birthday with Herda. The footage, shown in the Central Criminal Court, shows Herda seated beside Orsos as he blew out candles on a cake. Herda is charged with murdering Orsos by driving him into a harbour where he drowned on 26 March 2013. Orsos's brother, Zoltan Sandor, testified that the family had celebrated Orsos's birthday at his home in July 2012 and that the video was part of that celebration. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, continues with a jury of eight men and four women. The court heard additional testimony from witnesses about Herda's relationship with Orsos and alleged prior conflicts, but no verdict has yet been reached.
An 81‑year‑old man was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by a Central Criminal Court jury after being found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting his niece in August 1971 in County Clare. He had denied the charges. The court also recalled a previous conviction by another Central Criminal Court jury, which had sentenced him to four and a half years for 11 counts of indecent assault on two daughters between 1971 and 1980; both girls were aged 11 to 13 at the time. The victim, now 56, testified that she was 11 when first raped, describing the assault in detail and the subsequent pain. She also recounted a second incident involving molestation while she was out shooting rabbits. The accused had left Ireland, was returned under a European Arrest Warrant in 2012, and had been granted bail pending trial. The victim's impact statement highlighted the lasting trauma, noting that she no longer wishes to be a victim.
During the trial of 29‑year‑old Marta Herda, a jury was shown a Valentine's card she had received from the 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsas, the man she is accused of murdering by driving him into a harbour where he drowned. The card, held up by Garda Anthony Crehan, had pink roses on the front and the words "Thinking of you" inside a love heart. Inside, handwritten notes declared love, promised to change habits, and offered a phone number. The card was dated 21/5/12 at 22.54. Herda denied deliberately driving into the water and claimed she had not proposed that she drive into the water. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, continues with a jury of eight men and four women. The defence has not yet presented a verdict.
A 66‑year‑old musician was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment for raping and sexually assaulting his stepdaughter between 1994 and 2000. He pleaded not guilty to one count of rape, one count of oral rape and 27 counts of sexual assault. The jury found him guilty on all counts. The victim, aged between 10 and 16 at the time, first reported the abuse to Gardaí in May 2012. The abuse occurred frequently in the family home and car, with the accused forcing the girl to touch him and perform oral sex while he was bedridden. The victim was raped in June 2000 while her mother was away. The court heard the abuse caused severe anxiety, panic attacks, depression and suicidal thoughts. The unnamed 66-year-old was convicted.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 12 July 2016, Andrzej Wawrzyniak, aged 38, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jacek Kozakiewicz, aged 44, who was stabbed at a derelict pub on Dublin's North Wall Quay on 26 February 2014. Wawrzyniak also pleaded guilty to a second count of assault causing harm to Filip Talaj, aged 31, at the same location and date. Garda interviews revealed that Wawrzyniak described a fight with Kozakiewicz, who he said was aggressive and often threatened to kill him when drunk. Wawrzyniak claimed he was terrified and stabbed Kozakiewicz four times in self‑defence, though post‑mortem results later showed 22 stab wounds. He expressed remorse and said he would live with the incident for the rest of his life. The trial was set to continue the following day before Justice Robert Eagar and a jury of nine men and three women.
Marta Herda, 29, of Arklow, was charged with the murder of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsas on 26 March 2013 after he was driven into a harbour and drowned. In her first Garda statements, read to the Central Criminal Court on the fifth day of the trial, Herda said she could no longer tolerate Orsas, who had followed her for two years, texted her, and claimed to love her. She described how he had followed her to work, to her friends' homes, and even to a playground, and how she had felt threatened and depressed. Herda claimed that she drove the car into the water to stop the situation, stating she knew he could not swim. The trial heard testimony from Garda Anthony Crehan, Dr Donal Bailey, and Nurse Claire Best, and continues before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.
In July 2016 the Central Criminal Court sentenced a 67‑year‑old Kerry man to 13 years' imprisonment for raping and sexually assaulting his daughter and two granddaughters between 1995 and 2014. The court noted the abuse spanned two generations, with the youngest victim aged six to nine and the older granddaughter aged nine to ten. The defendant admitted using a condom during the rape of the younger granddaughter while babysitting. He also confessed to assaulting his daughter between ages ten and fourteen, including touching her breasts and forcing her to touch his genitals. He pleaded guilty to all charges, had no prior convictions, and was described as a "wolf in sheep's clothing." The judge imposed consecutive sentences totaling 13 years, with the defendant now estranged from his family. The court heard victim impact statements from the daughter and the youngest grandchild, who reported the abuse after a school "Stay Safe" program.
Dubliner Laura Dempsey, a 25-year-old mother of two, was remanded in custody at the Central Criminal Court for sentencing next Monday. She pleaded guilty to impeding the apprehension or prosecution of the person she believed was guilty of murdering 33-year-old Kieran Farrelly on October 26, 2014. The offence involved assisting in the concealment of a shotgun used in the killing at Killarney Court, Killarney Street. Although initially charged with murder, that charge was dismissed following an application under Section 4E of the Criminal Justice Act 1999. Detective Garda Gary Moran testified that Dempsey had 59 previous convictions, including for drugs possession and theft, many of which occurred after the shooting. He noted her heroin addiction and that victim impact statements were prepared but not read. Defence counsel Remy Farrell SC submitted a psychiatric report detailing ongoing flashbacks and clinical depression, arguing that a pronounced element of duress constituted a powerful mitigating factor. He highlighted that Dempsey made full voluntary admissions and had only transient possession of the weapon. Prosecuting counsel Dominic McGinn SC stated the maximum sentence for the offence was 10 years. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy said she needed time to consider the material handed in and remanded Dempsey in custody for sentencing next Monday.
A jury was sworn in for the trial of three men accused of murdering a 64‑year‑old man in Offaly. Sean Davy, 21, of Edenderry; James Davy, 25, of Celbridge; and Matthew Cummins, 22, of Edenderry, were charged with the murder of Thomas Dooley at Sister Senan Court on 12 February 2014. The men pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. Justice Patrick McCarthy told the jury that the trial was expected to last three weeks, though it could extend beyond that. The trial began in evidence before Justice Margaret Heneghan.
In County Clare, a 26‑year‑old man was originally sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment for serial sodomisation of a six‑year‑old girl between 2009 and 2012, with five years suspended. His appeal argued the starting point was too high. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, found the original 18‑year sentence "out of line" with comparable cases and recommended a 15‑year starting point. The judge then reduced the sentence to 12 years, suspending the final two years for the rape offences. A separate eight‑year sentence was imposed for the sexual assault count, to run concurrently, and two years of post‑release supervision were added. The defendant entered a good‑behaviour bond and agreed to comply with it. The decision reflects the court's assessment of the plea, the defendant's youth, family circumstances, and progress in prison. The unnamed 26-year-old pleaded guilty.
A 62‑year‑old Dublin man, whose name cannot be disclosed, pleaded guilty in the Central Criminal Court to 11 counts of indecent assault on two girls between 1978 and 1987. He was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Paul Carney on 27 February 2014. His barrister, Caroline Biggs SC, has now filed an appeal against the sentence, arguing that the judge erred in structuring the sentence and failed to consider significant mitigating factors. Ms Biggs contends that the starting point of the sentence before mitigation was unclear, that consecutive sentences were unnecessary, and that the maximum penalty for the offences should have been ten years rather than the two years believed. She also notes that the defendant had no prior convictions, was rendered homeless for four years, and that a psychological report indicating remorse was ignored.
In the Central Criminal Court, Marta Herda, aged 29, is on trial for the murder of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsas. The prosecution alleges that on 26 March 2013, Herda drove Orsas into a harbour at South Quay, Arklow, where he drowned. During the trial, a paramedic testified that he was called to the quay at about 6.15 a.m. and found Herda soaked, cold and shivering, with white foam in her mouth. He treated her for hypothermia and transported her to hospital. While in the ambulance, Herda repeatedly said that Orsas "shouldn't have been there" and that she had driven the car into the water. A witness, Christina Byrne, claimed to have heard Herda shout that she had been raped, but her statement was cross‑examined and the court noted uncertainty about the words. The case remains at the trial stage.
The trial of Marta Herda, 29, for the murder of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsas began on the second day at the Central Criminal Court. Herda, a Polish waitress from Arklow, is charged with driving Orsas into a deep harbour on 26 March 2013 and has pleaded not guilty. Defence counsel Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC argued that the State's case is that Herda lured Orsas to his death through phone calls. Garda Michael Hall presented records of calls and texts between Herda, Orsas and colleagues at the Brook Lodge Hotel, noting several between 5.20 am and 5.21 am that day. The prosecution suggested these communications were suspicious and instrumental in luring Orsas. State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy testified that Orsas's injuries were consistent with drowning, citing abundant blood‑stained froth in his airways and overinflated lungs. The jury, presided over by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, heard these arguments and evidence before continuing the trial later that day.
During the murder trial of Marta Herda, a 29‑year‑old Polish waitress, the court heard that a witness, Paul Hickey, saw Herda arguing on the phone in a car early that morning. Hickey described seeing a Volkswagen Passat with a driver who appeared animated and engaged in a heated conversation. He noted the car's slow movement and that it did not overtake a cyclist, suggesting the driver was still on the phone. Hickey also reported that the car had later been pulled from the harbour where the victim, 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsas, was found drowned. The jury also heard that a postman discovered Orsas's front door open about two hours after the car entered the water. Garda Michael Hall testified that Herda had two mobile phones; the first was used for most contact with Orsas, including a final call at 5.35 am lasting two minutes.
During a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution presented evidence that Andrzej Wawrzyniak, 38, who has no fixed address, was involved in a fatal stabbing at a derelict pub on Dublin's North Wall Quay on 26 February 2014. Wawrzyniak pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jacek Kozakiewicz, 44, but pleaded guilty to a second count of assault causing harm to Filip Talaj at the same location and date. The case was opened by Dominic McGinn SC, who described the setting: five Polish residents, including Wawrzyniak, were drinking in a squat that had formerly been a pub. An argument erupted between Talaj and Wawrzyniak, leading Talaj to claim that Wawrzyniak had grabbed a knife and attacked him. Talaj fled, hiding in a dark corner, while Wawrzyniak remained concealed. After some time, Talaj emerged, armed with a knife for protection, and returned to his hiding place.
During the trial of Marta Herda, a 29‑year‑old Polish waitress charged with murdering her 31‑year‑old Hungarian colleague Csaba Orsas, a postman named Stephen Mitchell testified. He was delivering mail to Brookview Court at 8.15 am on 26 March 2013 when he noticed the front door of the house at Pairc Na Saile, Emoclew Road, Arklow, open. He described the door as a couple of feet ajar and reported it to a Garda car that had pulled up. The case is before Justice Patrick McCarthy with a jury of eight men and four women.
In a Wicklow harbour murder trial, a 29‑year‑old Polish waitress, Marta Herda, was charged with killing her 31‑year‑old Hungarian colleague, Csaba Orsas, by driving her car through harbour barriers into the sea. Prosecutor Brendan Grehan presented evidence that the car entered the water at high speed, that Herda was the driver, and that Orsas was a front‑seat passenger. He noted that Herda could swim while Orsas could not, and that the body was found drowned on a beach two miles away. Testimony from a security guard described a high‑speed vehicle and a woman screaming near the quay, later identified as Herda. Garda Fiona Furlong recounted finding Herda wet and distressed, pointing to the harbour. The case was opened to the Central Criminal Court, with a three‑week trial before Mr Justice McCarthy and a jury of eight men and four women. The unnamed 29-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 48‑year‑old Dublin man was jailed for three‑and‑a‑half years, with the last six months suspended, after pleading guilty to assault causing harm to a woman he had met to use heroin. The assault took place on 16 April 2012 in the woman's apartment in Rathmines, where the man repeatedly struck her with various objects, including an air‑freshener can. The victim was left with extensive bruising on her thighs, abdomen, lower spine and arms, and she later claimed the attack left her homeless and worsened her psychiatric and substance‑use problems. The judge noted the man had 12 prior convictions, including an attempted rape, and that the offence was at the most serious end of the scale. The sentence was back‑dated to July 2012, allowing credit for time already served.
The Central Criminal Court heard that a 64‑year‑old father and a 38‑year‑old mother, both from the UK, will not be sentenced before October. They were convicted in May after a seven‑week trial that heard dozens of allegations of horrific sexual abuse against their young son. The jury found the father guilty of nine counts of raping his son from the age of six and of child cruelty, but acquitted him of raping the child with a poker. The mother was convicted of child cruelty but found not guilty of sex assault relating to allegations that she had sex or simulated sex with her child when he was between six and seven. The offences occurred between 2009 and 2011 in their Waterford home. The parents had originally faced 82 charges, but 60 were withdrawn. The mother was due to be sentenced today, but a psychological report on her was not ready.
A 54‑year‑old man was sentenced to 12 years in prison for raping and sexually abusing his three step‑children. The Central Criminal Court imposed two concurrent 12‑year terms: one for abuse of the two youngest children and another for abuse of the eldest child. The judge noted that the man, who moved to Ireland from abroad and began a relationship with the children's mother, denied all allegations and maintained his innocence, which the court considered a mitigating factor. The eldest child, aged 11‑15 at the time of the offences, was convicted of four counts of rape, ten counts of sexual assault, one oral rape and two counts of using an object to penetrate her between 2001 and 2005. The other two children, aged 7‑13 and 11‑17, were convicted of 35 counts of sexual assault and rape. The sentences will run concurrently. The man continues to deny the abuse.
A 29‑year‑old woman, Marta Herda of Arklow, was arraigned in the Central Criminal Court on 4 July 2016 for the murder of Hungarian Csaba Orsas at South Quay, Arklow, on 26 March 2013. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy informed the court that the trial would last three weeks and had sworn in a jury of seven men and five women. When the jury returned, the judge addressed one juror who confirmed she had been a member of An Garda Siochana. He explained that while there was no principle objection to a former Garda serving, the case might present a difficulty because of her insider knowledge. The judge, acknowledging her eligibility, discharged her with some embarrassment, stating it was best for the jury to remain impartial. He informed the remaining 11 jurors that the panel would leave for the day and that a replacement would be sworn in the following day, when the trial was expected to commence.
The jury in the trial of Krzystof Grzegorski (22) will return tomorrow to continue deliberating on its verdict. Grzegorski is accused of murdering fellow Polish man Bogdan Michalkiewicz (41) at Westside Apartments in Letterkenny, Co Donegal, on May 13, 2013. The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder. Although he offered a plea of guilty to manslaughter, the State did not accept this plea. Following a trial that lasted almost three weeks at the Central Criminal Court, Justice Patrick McCarthy instructed the eight men and four women on the jury that they could return a verdict of guilty of murder, or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. The jury spent nearly three hours deliberating today before being adjourned until tomorrow morning to continue their consideration. The matter remains at the trial stage, with no final verdict or sentence yet determined.
A jury was sworn in at the Central Criminal Court for the trial of Polish man Andrzej Wawrzyniak, aged 38, who is accused of murdering Jacek Kozakiewicz at Valence & McGrath's, North Wall Quay, Dublin 1, on 26 February 2014. Wawrzyniak pleaded not guilty. Justice Patrick McCarthy informed the nine‑man, three‑woman jury that the case would be ready to proceed on Wednesday and would take two weeks to complete.
In July 2016, a 69‑year‑old man, a trusted figure in Cork, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for sexually abusing two boys between January and May 1991. The younger victim, now 30, was five at the time and was lured into a camper van by the offender, who performed oral sex and masturbated him. The older victim, now 40, was 14 and was forced to steer the van while the offender ripped his trousers and molested him, causing the boy to lose control of the vehicle. Both victims described the offender as a trusted community member. Mr Justice Tony Hunt imposed consecutive terms of four years, citing the severity of the abuse and the victims' impact statements. The offender had 48 prior convictions and had been arrested in Portugal in 2014 after a European Arrest Warrant. The court noted his guilty pleas and the offender's health and prior absence from Ireland.
A judge discharged a jury of twelve sworn to hear the trial of 29‑year‑old Marta Herda, accused of murdering Hungarian Csaba Orsas in Arklow on 26 March 2013. Herda pleaded not guilty at her arraignment. The judge explained that a difficulty had arisen and the estimated trial time had been revised from seven or eight days to three weeks, making it impossible to start until Monday. He discharged the jury, noting they had agreed to a shorter estimate, and said the system would seek them again. Herda will return to court on Monday for a new jury.
In a 13‑day trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 42‑year‑old man was convicted of raping his wife in their home in May 2014 and of threatening to cut her face with a carving knife the day before. He was also found guilty of threatening to kill her over the phone the following day. The jury could not reach verdicts on charges that he head‑butted her in May 2014 and threatened to do "serious damage" to her when they met to discuss custody of their son. The accused denied the rape and other allegations, claiming jealousy over his wife's career and a sense of being excluded by her family. He had previously pleaded guilty to assault with a hammer in August 2014. Justice Isobel Kennedy ordered his registration as a sex offender and remanded him in custody for sentencing on 18 July. The unnamed 42 year old pleaded not guilty.
The Court of Appeal has adjourned the appeal against conviction lodged by Michael Murray, a 44-year-old man formerly of Killiney, Dublin, who was found guilty in 2013 of rape, attempted rape, oral rape, aggravated sexual assault, child abduction, threats to kill, false imprisonment, and theft. Murray was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment for offences committed in February 2010. The Director of Public Prosecutions is seeking a review of this sentence on grounds that it was "unduly lenient." Mr Justice Birmingham stated that, given Murray's apparent lack of enthusiasm for his conviction appeal, the court may proceed with the DPP's undue leniency application first, departing from the normal practice of hearing conviction appeals before sentence appeals. The matter was put in for case management on Friday. Separately, Murray's earlier appeal against the dismissal of his High Court action against the Irish Prison Service and the Minister for Justice was dismissed by the Court of Appeal in March. That action concerned the recording of his prison telephone calls; both courts found the recording inappropriate but noted it was made inadvertently and not accessed, awarding costs against Murray.
A 66‑year‑old musician, whose name is withheld to protect the victim, was found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting his stepdaughter between 1994 and 2000. He pleaded not guilty to one count of rape, one count of oral rape and 27 counts of sexual assault, but the jury convicted him on all counts. The victim, aged between 10 and 16 at the time, first reported the abuse to the gardai in May 2012. The abuse occurred frequently in the family home and car, with the accused forcing the girl to touch him and perform oral sex while he was bedridden. The most serious incident was a rape in June 2000, after which the accused gave her a bottle of Jack Daniels and told her not to inform her mother. The victim suffered anxiety, panic attacks, flashbacks, depression and suicidal thoughts, and felt blamed for the abuse.
Krzystof Grzegorski (22) made a video confession from England after learning his co-accused had been arrested for a killing he carried out, the Central Criminal Court heard on Monday. Mr Grzegorski has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the death of Bogdan Michalkiewicz (41) at his home in Letterkenny, Co Donegal on May 13, 2013. The State did not accept the guilty plea. His co-accused, Dariusz Weckowicz (51), has pleaded not guilty to murder. During interview at Ronanstown Garda Station in March 2014, gardai heard Mr Grzegorski describe recording the video while in England, stating he would not allow a friend to serve time for the offence. In the video, he confessed to inflicting all deadly wounds and asserted Mr Weckowicz's innocence. Mr Grzegorski told detectives he could not recall specifics of the incident due to heavy drinking but remembered stabbing the deceased in the chest following a dispute. The trial before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury continues on Wednesday.
In a 2016 trial, a 42‑year‑old man was accused of raping his wife during a marital breakdown. He pleaded not guilty to rape, assault causing harm, and four threat counts, while a fifth threat count was directed to a not‑guilty verdict. Defence counsel Padraig Dwyer urged jurors to consider possible motives for the wife's allegations, citing revenge, bitterness, desire, custody or property concerns. He noted the accused admitted assaulting his wife with a hammer months after the alleged rape, arguing this should not influence other charges. Prosecuting counsel Mary Rose Gearty highlighted alleged inconsistencies in the wife's testimony, including fabricated claims of head‑butting and petrol dousing, and questioned her credibility. The trial proceeded before Justice Isobel Kennedy and a jury.
Lee Wainwright, a former assistant manager at the Corralea Court Hotel in Tuam, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for raping a young woman in 2014. The victim, in her early twenties, was attending a hotel event when Wainwright escorted her to a room and later forced sex on her while she was asleep. He initially denied the rape, claiming a medical condition prevented him from having sex, but later pleaded guilty after DNA evidence linked him to the victim. Mr Justice Paul Butler imposed a six‑year term with the final two years suspended, noting the offence's seriousness and Wainwright's good work record and lack of prior convictions. The court heard the victim's impact statement describing the lasting psychological harm and the loss of trust caused by the assault. Wainwright's counsel read an apology letter to the victim and her family. The sentence reflects the judge's view that substantial custodial punishment is necessary in rape cases.
In a Cork case, Jaroslaw Kupper, a 39‑year‑old Polish carpenter, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman on 28 September 2013. The assault began with kissing outside a pub after midnight, then moved to a laneway where Kupper became pushy, grabbed the victim's arm, pushed her to the ground, and pulled down her jeans and underwear. The victim screamed for help, a neighbour heard and called the gardai. The incident lasted a considerable time before police arrived. Kupper, who had been working in Ireland for ten years and was fluent in English, was sentenced by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy to three and a half years in prison. The victim, who was intoxicated, described the assault as frightening and said it had severely impacted her social life and mental well‑being. The court noted her victim impact report and Kupper's lack of prior convictions. The sentence was imposed with no mention of a suspended portion.
At the Central Criminal Court, Symon Tarkowski, a Polish national aged 28 from Tullamore, County Offaly, received a suspended sentence of five years for his role in the false imprisonment of Patryk Krupa at Bogganall, County Rosemmon, on June 20th and 21st, 2014. Mr Krupa, aged 23, subsequently drowned in the Shannon whilst incapacitated from a head injury sustained during a violent assault. Two other men, Leszek Sychulec and Andrzej Gruchacz, were convicted of Mr Krupa's murder and received life sentences in June. Mr Justice Tony Hunt distinguished Tarkowski's involvement from that of the convicted murderers, noting he had not planned the assault and remained in his vehicle during the beating. The judge acknowledged Tarkowski's subsequent cooperation with gardaí and his genuine remorse, whilst criticising his decision to clean his car. The suspended sentence reflected the limited nature of his culpability and the mitigating factors present in his case. Symon Tarkowski pleaded guilty.
A 29‑year‑old woman, Marta Herda of Arklow, will stand trial for the 2013 murder of Hungarian Csaba Orsas in Wicklow. She was arraigned at the Central Criminal Court, where she pleaded not guilty. The case will be heard by a jury of seven women and five men, with the trial expected to last seven or eight days. The prosecution requested a Hungarian interpreter for one witness, while the defense was assisted by a Polish interpreter during the arraignment.
Two men stand accused of murdering Bogdan Michalkiewicz on May 13, 2013, at Westside Apartments in Letterkenny, County Donegal. The Central Criminal Court heard that Dariusz Weckowicz, aged 51, told gardaí following his arrest in June 2013 that he was "more than 100 per cent sure" he did not kill the deceased. Weckowicz has pleaded not guilty to murder. His co-accused, Krzystof Grzegorski, aged 22, also from Letterkenny, initially pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder; the State rejected this plea. Grzegorski was initially arrested the day of the alleged killing for an unrelated shoplifting matter at a local store. Gardaí noted what appeared to be dried blood on his clothing upon arrival at the station. The trial before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury continues before the Central Criminal Court.
A 25‑year‑old woman, Laura Dempsey, pleaded guilty to assisting an offender in the 2014 killing of 33‑year‑old Kieran Farrelly near Portland Row, Dublin. She was charged with impeding the apprehension or prosecution of the suspect and with assisting in concealing a shotgun used in the murder at Killarney Court. The murder charge was dismissed after she applied under Section 4E of the Criminal Justice Act 1999. Dempsey was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court, pleaded guilty, and was remanded in custody for sentencing on 11 July. The court directed a psychiatric report.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 22 June 2016, a 42‑year‑old man accused of raping and assaulting his wife denied any abusive conduct towards Gardaí who passed him in the courtroom. He had spent the seventh day of his trial giving evidence in his own defence, where he denied raping, threatening and head‑butting his wife during a marital breakdown in 2014. He had previously pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife with a hammer in August 2014 and expressed deep remorse. Prosecutor Mary Rose Gearty SC questioned him about allegedly calling the Gardaí "you fucker"; he denied this and claimed the officers had broken two of his ribs during his arrest. He also denied other alleged acts such as head‑butting, threatening to cut her face, and lying on top of her to rape her. The unnamed 42 year old pleaded not guilty.
A 69‑year‑old man, a trusted figure in his Cork community, was remanded pending sentencing after pleading guilty to three counts of sexual abuse of two boys between January and May 1991. The younger victim, now 30, was five at the time and was abused in a camper van where the accused lured him with treats and performed oral sex. The older victim, now 40, was 14 when the accused asked him to drive a van home from a pub; while the boy sat on his lap, the accused ripped his trousers and molested him, causing the boy to lose control of the van. Both victims described the accused as a trusted community member. The court noted the accused's 48 prior convictions, including a four‑month sentence in England, and he remains in custody until a sentencing hearing on 2 July 2024.