In a Waterford case, a 12‑year‑old boy gave evidence to a social worker that the allegations of rape by his father and forced sexual acts with his mother were not real. He later told the trial that the abuse did occur, but he had said it was false to avoid court. The boy, who was taken into care at eight, said he was forced by his father to have sex with his mother, sometimes while the father watched football, and that it happened weekly for 45 minutes to an hour. He claimed his father held a gun to his head and used a hot poker. The parents face 82 abuse charges and have pleaded not guilty to 16 counts each of sexual exploitation and one child cruelty charge. The trial continues tomorrow before Mr Justice Robert Eagar and a jury.
Waldemar Solowiow, a 49‑year‑old Polish national, was convicted of murdering his 37‑year‑old girlfriend, Mary Ryan, in his Dublin bedsit on 18–19 May 2012. Ryan died from neck compression and head trauma after a physical altercation. Solowiow admitted killing her but denied murder, claiming provocation. He received a mandatory life sentence in October 2013. In 2015 he appealed, arguing the trial judge misdirected the jury on provocation. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, upholding the conviction. The judges found the judge's instructions on provocation adequate and noted that Solowiow had admitted the killing. They also rejected other grounds, including alleged false statements to Gardaí and the handling of expert evidence. Solowiow remains in custody to serve the remainder of his life sentence.
In a Waterford case, a 12‑year‑old boy gave evidence via video‑link that his father forced him to have sex with his mother and repeatedly sexually abused him with a hot poker, threatened him with a gun, and filmed the abuse. He said the abuse began when he was six and continued for about three and a half years, occurring roughly once a month. The boy also alleged that his father threatened to kill him if he told anyone, built a box in the shed to lock him in, and forced him to watch pornographic videos. The parents face 82 abuse charges from 2007 to 2011 and have pleaded not guilty to 16 counts each of sexual exploitation and one count of child cruelty. The trial continues with the boy's testimony before Mr Justice Robert Eagar and a jury.
A witness has testified at the Central Criminal Court that he observed two men remove a 23-year-old from a vehicle, assault him for approximately 15 minutes, and subsequently drag him towards the River Shannon. Kuba Zmuda was providing evidence in the trial of Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, from Warsaw, Poland. Both men are charged with the murder of Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone, County Roscommon on 20 June 2014. Each defendant has entered a not guilty plea to the murder charge and to a separate count of false imprisonment. Mr Zmuda described being present when the accused men located Mr Krupa on Church Street in Athlone town centre and brought him to a location near the N6 bridge crossing the Shannon. He stated the men beat and kicked Mr Krupa, who was subsequently found drowned. The trial continues at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury.
At the Central Criminal Court, a jury heard evidence that a 23-year-old man drowned in the Shannon River following a violent assault that left him incapacitated. State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy described severe blunt force trauma to the deceased's head, including a fractured nose, facial swelling, and injuries consistent with kicks and punching. She found blood-tinged froth in the airways and river debris in the lungs, indicating drowning while unconscious. The brain trauma was sufficient to cause concussion or unconsciousness, rendering the victim unable to resist being pulled into the water, the pathologist concluded. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, from Warsaw, Poland, are charged with murdering Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, County Roscommon, on 20 June 2014. Both men have pleaded not guilty to murder and false imprisonment. The trial before Mr Justice Tony Hunt continues.
A man from County Donegal has been sentenced to three years imprisonment for the rape of a 14-year-old girl at a youth disco in December 2010, when he was aged 15. The Central Criminal Court heard that he pushed the girl into the ladies toilets and raped her in a cubicle. The victim testified that she repeatedly refused his advances during the disco and that he forced her into the toilet against her will. The defence contended the encounter was consensual and had escalated beyond their intentions, but the woman denied this account. A jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on charges of rape and sexual assault after two hours of deliberation in January this year. Justice Margaret Heneghan imposed a five-year sentence but suspended the final two years. The judge considered his age at the time of the offence, his cooperation with gardaí, and absence of previous convictions as mitigating factors, though she noted a lack of remorse. He was also ordered not to contact the victim and to undertake two years of post-release supervision. The unnamed 14-year-old pleaded not guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court, Michael Kinsella, aged 24, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of 29‑year‑old Adil Essalhi, who was stabbed on 6 January 2011. Essalhi suffered 50 stab and chop wounds before his killers attempted to set his body on fire and then dumped it in a ditch in Tyrrelstown. Kinsella's mother, Geraldine, spoke of the devastation to her family, describing her son as kind, loving and full of promise. Detective Sergeant Dan Callaghan revealed that Kinsella's uncle, Wayne, was convicted of murder for his part in Essalhi's death. Kinsella had been in detention since age 14, had 30 prior convictions, and claimed he was coerced by his uncle. Justice Deirdre Murphy adjourned the sentencing to 25 April. The hearing focused on the circumstances of the killing and the defendant's background.
A murder trial at the Central Criminal Court has heard evidence concerning the death of a 23-year-old man recovered from the Shannon in June 2014. The deceased's mother described viewing her son's body at Roscommon mortuary, noting severe bruising and swelling to his face and head. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, with an address in Warsaw, Poland, are charged with murdering Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, County Roscommon on 20 June 2014. Both men have pleaded not guilty to murder and to a second charge of false imprisonment. The prosecution alleges the accused subjected the victim to a severe beating before placing him in the river. A witness testified to observing two men wearing blood-stained clothing at a fuel station later that evening. The trial before Mr Justice Tony Hunt continues with a jury of twelve.
Damien Farrell, 40, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for sexually assaulting his niece. The defendant pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault committed in Dublin between April 1 and September 1, 1992, when the victim was eight years old. Prosecutors stated the assaults occurred while the victim was being babysat at her grandmother's house, where Farrell lived. The first two incidents involved physical contact of a sexual nature while both parties were fully clothed, while the third involved the accused and victim being unclothed. Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan imposed a two-year sentence suspended for three years. In passing sentence, the judge considered the devastating effects on the victim and her family, Farrell's guilty pleas, his letter of apology, and his current family circumstances. The judge noted the victim's statement that she is no longer a victim. Farrell, who has relocated to Sligo, wept as the sentence was read. He has been registered as a sex offender. Defence counsel highlighted that Farrell had disclosed the offences to his wife before marriage and had attended therapy following the incidents in 1992. The court accepted his plea of guilty to sexual assault on the third count.
Shahzad Hussain, aged 35, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the manslaughter of Muhammad Arif, 32, whom he believed was having an affair with his wife. Hussain had previously been jailed for life for the murder of his wife's cousin and for a life sentence for the murder of a distant relative. He also received a seven‑year sentence for serious injury to his wife, Rashida Bibi Haider, 44, and a two‑year sentence for assaulting her in January 2011. In July 2014 the Court of Criminal Appeal quashed his murder conviction, citing a "very real risk of injustice" in the jury's understanding of provocation. A retrial was ordered, and at the retrial Hussain pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter.
A woman described finding her boyfriend's body in the Shannon River while pregnant, giving evidence at the Central Criminal Court in the trial of two men charged with his murder. Malwina Kurowski testified that she had been unable to contact Patryk Krupa after he finished work in Athlone on 20 June 2014. She said her brother told her Mr Krupa had been taken by unknown men. Ms Kurowski collected her brother and a friend, and they drove to Bogganfin near the N6 bridge where they discovered Mr Krupa's belongings and found him in the water. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, from Warsaw, Poland, are each charged with murdering the 23-year-old man by beating him unconscious and leaving him to drown. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to murder and to a second charge of false imprisonment. The trial before Mr Justice Tony Hunt is expected to last over three weeks.
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence in the ongoing trial of Matthew Gralton and Ross Allen, who are accused of the murder of Christy Daly. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charge. State pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy testified that Mr Daly, whose body was found in a drain at Bog Lane, Clara, Co Offaly, likely suffered significant blunt force trauma before being shot. She detailed injuries including knocked-out teeth, a fractured nose, and facial lacerations, concluding that these impacts occurred prior to the gunshot wounds which finally incapacitated him. The cause of death was determined to be gunshot wounds and blunt force trauma, with hypothermia and coronary artery disease as contributing factors. Detective Sergeant Pat Cleary testified that he received an anonymous text message on December 30, 2013, alerting him to someone badly hurt on Curragh Road, Clara. This tip-off was linked to Mr Daly, who had been missing since December 29 and whose caravan had been burnt out. The body was located on January 7, 2014. The trial is proceeding before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury. One juror was discharged after informing the court she was overwhelmed by the proceedings following a recent bereavement. The matter was adjourned to continue tomorrow.
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence from CCTV footage during the trial of two men charged with murder in County Roscommon. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan in Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, from Warsaw, Poland, are accused of murdering Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone on 20 June 2014. The prosecution alleges the victim was beaten unconscious and left to drown in the Shannon. Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and to a second charge each of false imprisonment on the same date and location. A jury of twelve was empanelled to hear the case. Video footage captured at Collins Service Station in Athlone on the evening in question was presented to the jury, along with still photographs extracted from the footage. The jury was subsequently excused pending discussion of legal matters.
At the Central Criminal Court, the son of a deceased man gave evidence regarding his final hours with his father on December 29, 2013. Matthew Gralton, aged 22, from Mt Prospect in County Roscommon, and Ross Allen, aged 25, with addresses in Carrickmines, County Dublin and Clara, County Offaly, have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Christy Daly at Bog Lane, Kilbride, Clara. The prosecution alleges that Mr Daly discovered drugs valued at €30,000 concealed on the remote laneway where he resided, and that individuals connected to the drugs subsequently arranged his killing. The State contends that whilst neither accused was the gunman, both had a role in the death. The witness testified that he spent the day with his father and planned to meet him later that evening, but received no response when he attempted to contact him approximately 90 minutes after they parted. Mr Daly's body was discovered in a drain on January 7, 2014.
Two men appeared before the Central Criminal Court in April 2016 charged with the murder of a 23-year-old man in County Roscommon nearly two years earlier. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, with an address in Warsaw, Poland, pleaded not guilty to murdering Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone on 20 June 2014. Both men also denied a charge of false imprisonment on the same date and location. The prosecution outlined that the victim had been subjected to severe violence and subsequently drowned in the Shannon River. Evidence was expected to show that witnesses identified the accused men leaving a black BMW vehicle at the riverside location. A pathologist was anticipated to give evidence regarding injuries consistent with footwear marks and that the victim was unconscious when entering the water. The trial, heard before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, was expected to continue for more than three weeks.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a Waterford couple faced 82 charges of sexual abuse and exploitation of their son, aged between five and nine, and the father was also accused of raping him with a poker over a four‑year period. The parents denied all allegations, claiming the boy was a "difficult child" with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and behavioural problems. They pleaded not guilty to 16 counts each of sexual exploitation and one charge each of child cruelty, while the mother also denied 16 counts of sexual assault and the father denied 16 counts of anal rape and 16 counts of sexual assault with a poker. The prosecution presented a medical examination that found no physical trauma but did not rule out sexual abuse. The boy, now 12, was to testify in the ongoing trial before Mr Justice Robert Eagar.
A witness told the Central Criminal Court that Christy Daly, aged 47, expressed concern about men in dark clothing loitering near his home on the day he went missing. Gary Gonoude gave evidence at the trial of Matthew Gralton, aged 22, from Co Roscommon, and Ross Allen, aged 25, from Co Dublin and Offaly, who have pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Daly at Bog Lane, Kilbride, Clara, Co Offaly between December 29, 2013 and January 7, 2014. Mr Gonoude told prosecuting counsel that when towing a car to Mr Daly's residence on December 29, 2013, they encountered several hooded figures in the laneway. Mr Daly questioned their presence. Defence counsel for Mr Gralton challenged inconsistencies in Mr Gonoude's accounts to gardaí and in court testimony regarding the number and appearance of those present. Mr Daly's brother confirmed they last met that day. The trial continues before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.
At the Central Criminal Court, a prosecution barrister opened the trial of two men accused of murdering a 47-year-old man in Co Offaly in late 2013. The court heard that the alleged killing occurred at Bog Lane, Kilbride, Clara, between late December 2013 and early January 2014. Matthew Gralton, aged 22 and from Mt Prospect, Co Roscommon, and Ross Allen, aged 25 with addresses in Dublin and Offaly, have each pleaded not guilty to murder. The prosecution alleges both men admitted involvement in the killing during interviews with gardaí in February 2014, though neither claims to have fired the fatal shots. The court was told the victim discovered a €30,000 drugs stash on the laneway where he lived. The prosecution contends this triggered his death at the hands of individuals sent from Dublin. The victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds and blunt force trauma, and his remains were discovered in a drain in January 2014. The trial continues before Justice Patrick McCarthy.
Shahzad Hussain, 35, of Woodland Avenue, Mosney, Co Meath, pleaded guilty to killing a man he suspected of having an affair with his wife. He had previously been jailed for life for murdering his wife's cousin and a distant relative, Muhammad Arif, 32, and had received sentences of seven years for seriously injuring his wife, Rashida Bibi Haider, 44, and two years for assaulting her. In July 2014 the Court of Criminal Appeal quashed his murder conviction and ordered a retrial, after a three‑judge panel found a "very real risk of injustice" in the trial judge's explanation of provocation to the jury. The retrial led to a plea of not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of Mr Arif. Hussain remains in custody awaiting sentencing, which will be set on Friday morning at 11 am.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 16 March 2016, a 28‑year‑old man, Kenneth Cummins, sought to withdraw his guilty plea for the murder of Thomas Horan, claiming he was suffering from panic attacks at the time. The court heard that Cummins had changed his plea to guilty during the trial, despite his barrister, Pauline Walley SC, arguing that the plea should have been taken later. Dr Paul O'Connell testified that Cummins had no recollection of the plea change the next morning and that panic attacks began on the first day of the trial. Dr Remy Farrell SC cross‑examined O'Connell, suggesting the panic‑attack claim was likely a lie and that Cummins lacked the sophistication to fabricate such a ruse. Both parties were to submit further arguments after Easter.
A Dublin man, Gary Flynn, aged 31, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the 2009 murder of Seamus Shay O'Byrne in Tallaght. The trial lasted nine weeks, with the jury taking one hour and forty minutes to convict. Flynn pleaded not guilty. The judge, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, backdated the sentence to October 2013, the date of Flynn's arrest under a European Arrest Warrant. Flynn was not identified as the gunman; the shooter was identified as Garrett O'Brien, convicted in 2012. Evidence against Flynn included CCTV footage of him traveling with Eugene Cullen, a "Topaz Phone" linking him to the gang, and gunshot residue on a hoodie. The court heard a victim impact statement from O'Byrne's family and girlfriend, Sharon Rattigan, who was also shot during the incident. Flynn was taken to prison to begin his mandatory life term.
Zoltan Almasi, a 44‑year‑old Hungarian national, was sentenced to life imprisonment on 16 March 2016 for the murder of 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne, who was struck with a baseball bat at their shared Harbour View address in Naas on 16 May 2014. Almasi pleaded not guilty, but a jury of twelve found him guilty after four days of deliberation. He had been in custody since the offence and had three prior traffic convictions. The court heard CCTV footage of Almasi raising a bat and fleeing the scene, and forensic evidence of a single fatal blow to Dunne's head. Almasi's wife and step‑son had previously lived in Naas but had moved to Canada; his three children live in Hungary. The sentence was back‑dated to his arrest date. The Dunne family delivered victim impact statements describing Joseph as a kind, gentle, family‑loving young man who loved horses and was a devoted son, brother and friend.
In a Central Criminal Court case, a jury acquitted a man of raping a woman in the back office of a Limerick pub on 10 November 2012. The woman testified that she had been on a date with another man when the accused brought her into the back office to show her the CCTV system, which she described as "fascinating." She alleged that she was "brutally, brutally raped" there, and she held up her wrist to show bruises from being held against a wall. During cross‑examination she suggested the accused might have destroyed CCTV footage and said her children were now afraid to go to certain places because of the incident. The jury deliberated for 36 minutes on day five and returned a verdict of not guilty. The judge thanked the jurors and allowed the accused to leave with his family.
A jury in the Central Criminal Court will start deliberations on the trial of Gary Flynn, 31, who is accused of being part of the murder gang that killed Seamus 'Shay' O'Byrne at Tymon Park North in Tallaght on 13 March 2009. Flynn has pleaded not guilty. The trial began almost nine weeks ago, with more than 100 witnesses giving evidence, and Justice Patrick McCarthy will finish his charge on Wednesday, after which the jury will consider their verdict.
A 33‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment for raping his younger sister with a screwdriver and other sexual offences between 2000 and 2005. He pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court but was convicted by a jury on 48 counts, including rape, oral rape, rape with a screwdriver, rape with a vibrator and sexual assault at two Dublin locations. The victim, who was 10 when the abuse began, gave a moving impact statement describing a life filled with fear and terror, anxiety, depression and ill health. She said her family had changed forever and that her parents were "shadows" of themselves. The judge, Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, imposed the 11‑year term after the case had been adjourned last week to consider the evidence. The defendant had no prior convictions and had worked hard all his life, a point raised by his defence counsel.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 14 March 2016, Justice Patrick McCarthy addressed a jury of eight men and three women regarding the trial of Gary Flynn, aged 31, who is accused of being part of a "murder gang" that shot Seamus 'Shay' O'Byrne to death in Tallaght on 13 March 2009. Flynn has pleaded not guilty. The judge explained that the prosecution's case is built on circumstantial evidence, which, while insufficient alone, can establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt when combined. He emphasized that the standard of proof remains the same and that the prosecution must eliminate any rational hypothesis that contradicts its narrative. McCarthy clarified that the case does not allege Flynn fired the fatal shot, but that he could still be guilty as part of the common design, citing an example of a burglary gang where the getaway driver is as culpable as the breaker.
In 2013, Michael Murray, aged 44, was sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Central Criminal Court for a series of offences committed on 12 and 13 February 2010. The charges included rape, attempted rape, oral rape, aggravated sexual assault, child abduction, threats to kill or cause serious harm, false imprisonment and theft. The jury heard that Murray lured his victim into an apartment by claiming an elderly woman was dying, tied her up, assaulted her, and then abducted her son, abandoning him in a city centre square late at night. He later returned to the flat, drugged and raped the victim. Murray denied all charges but was found guilty on all counts by a unanimous jury. In March 2016, the DPP announced it would argue in July that the 15‑year sentence was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal scheduled the DPP's appeal for 7 July, while Murray is also due to appeal his conviction.
The Central Criminal Court trial of a man accused of raping a woman in a Limerick pub's back office has entered its closing stages. The woman, who was on a date with another man, says the accused brought her into the office to show her CCTV, where she was "brutally brutally raped." She pleaded not guilty. Evidence has finished; the jury will deliberate tomorrow after counsel's closing speeches.
Faisal Ellahi, 34, from Haripur, Pakistan, was sentenced by Judge Tony Hunt to 13 years' imprisonment for raping a young woman with Down syndrome on 12 June 2013 at his Dublin home. The jury convicted him of rape and sexual assault; the judge declined to suspend any part of the sentence, noting the offence severely undermined the victim's independence. Ellahi had previously pleaded not guilty to rape, sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person. He admitted propositioning women and claiming consensual contact, but denied penetrative sex with the victim, stating he was unaware of her condition. The court heard that the victim was locked inside a house, feared for her life, and that Ellahi had used his DNA to match the crime scene. The judge back‑dated the term to the date of his arrest. The case highlighted the victim's severe mental impairment and the impact of the assault on her life.
A 54-year-old man from Convoy, County Donegal, has been sentenced to five years imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court following his conviction on six counts of sexual assault. Fergus Carson, of The Green, Main Street, was found guilty by jury of assaulting a 14-year-old girl he had known throughout her life at a relative's house between May and September 2012. Mr Justice Tony Hunt noted that Carson had abused his access to the premises and exploited his knowledge of when the girl's family would be absent. The judge imposed the five-year sentence with the final fifteen months suspended for two years, and ordered twelve months post-release supervision. Carson, who has no previous convictions, does not accept the verdict. The defence submitted concerns regarding victim impact evidence, which the judge addressed in his remarks before sentencing, acknowledging the serious effects of the offending on the young complainant during a critical developmental period.
In a 2016 rape trial, a witness testified that he was in "extreme shock" after a woman he had arranged to meet in a bar told him his friend of twenty years had "forced himself on her" that evening. The alleged victim said she was on a date with another man when the accused brought her to the back office to show her the CCTV system, where she claimed she was "brutally raped." The accused pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to raping the woman in a Limerick pub on 10 November 2012. The witness described meeting the complainant in the bar's smoking area a week before the alleged rape, arranging a meeting, and spending most of the night together. He said they kissed "on and off," later went to a disabled toilet where they kissed passionately for about 15 minutes, and then returned to the bar.
Zoltan Almasi, 44, a Hungarian national living in Harbour View, Naas, was found guilty of murdering 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne with a baseball bat on 16 May 2014. The Central Criminal Court jury deliberated for 11 hours 13 minutes before returning a majority guilty verdict. Almasi had pleaded not guilty. The prosecution presented CCTV footage showing Almasi raising a bat and running away, finger‑print evidence from a white Mercedes van, and eyewitness testimony from Mikey McDonagh, Gavin Breen and nurse Anita Ryan. The post‑mortem confirmed Dunne died from a single blunt‑force blow to the head, consistent with a baseball‑bat strike. Almasi was remanded in custody for sentencing on 16 March 2024. The judge thanked the jury and exempted them from service for 15 years. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
In a Central Criminal Court case, a woman accused of rape by a man in a Limerick pub's back office on 10 November 2012 presented her testimony. She claimed she was on a date with another man that night, that the accused had shown her the CCTV system, and that she was then raped. She alleged the accused may have destroyed CCTV footage and that her children now fear certain places. During cross‑examination, she said she had been told by the other man not to go to Gardaí. Defence counsel Sean Gillane SC criticised her conduct, calling it "pouring poison and prejudice into the case." The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, was set to continue on Friday. The accused pleaded not guilty. The case remains at the trial stage.
The jury in the murder trial of Hungarian national Zoltan Almasi, aged 44, continues its deliberations. Almasi, who lives at Harbour View, Naas, Co. Kildare, is charged with the murder of 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne at the same address on 16 May 2014. He pleaded not guilty two weeks ago at the Central Criminal Court. The jury retired to deliberate on Monday at 12.44 am and has spent 9 hours 19 minutes so far. After 4 hours 48 minutes of deliberation yesterday, Justice Margaret Heneghan offered the option of a majority verdict. Today, after 8 hours 56 minutes, the foreman asked for a definition of a "terminal collapse." Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis testified that a deep abrasion on Dunne's right knee was typical of a person collapsing onto a rough surface. At 4 pm the foreman reported that at least ten jurors had not agreed on a verdict and requested more time.
In a 2016 Limerick rape trial, the complainant testified that she had been celibate for 18 years and had no interest in sex. She described being violently attacked in a pub office on 10 November 2012, held against a wall, bruised, and threatened with violence. She said the accused, who had been drunk after a match, later apologized to her and her daughter. The complainant reported the incident to Gardaí two days later but did not file a formal complaint. She returned in December, stating the accused had locked the door and raped her. She denied any flirtation with the accused, insisted she was older and uninterested in sex, and rejected a defence claim that another man was present. The case proceeded before Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan and a jury. The unnamed woman pleaded not guilty.
The jury in the trial of Hungarian national Zoltan Almasi, 44, accused of murdering 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne at their shared address in Harbour View, Naas, Co. Kildare, will continue deliberations. Almasi pleaded not guilty two weeks ago. The jury began deliberations at 12:44 am, spent five hours and 55 minutes, and after four hours and 48 minutes the judge offered the option of a majority verdict. At 4 pm the foreman reported that at least ten jurors had not agreed on a verdict and requested more time. Deliberations will resume at 11 am tomorrow.
In a 2016 case, a 28‑year‑old accused of murdering Thomas Horan, a 63‑year‑old man, sought to withdraw a guilty plea he had entered after suffering panic attacks. The accused, Kenneth Cummins, had initially pleaded not guilty, then changed to guilty four weeks into his trial at the Central Criminal Court. His sister, Sabrina Cummins, received a life sentence a week later. Mr Cummins returned to court with an application to retract his guilty plea, arguing that the plea should have been taken the next morning due to his mental state. His barrister, Pauline Walley SC, highlighted his panic attacks, stress, and lack of medical care, noting that the judge had already informed the jury of the plea change. A forensic psychiatrist testified that Cummins had experienced panic attacks from the first day of trial and had a history of a deprived childhood. The hearing was scheduled to continue the following week.
A 47‑year‑old Waterford man, previously jailed for raping his daughter, was released on bail for kidnapping and assaulting his girlfriend. He later raped his girlfriend and, days later, her 60‑year‑old mother after breaking into the mother's house and threatening her with a knife. The mother was saved when her daughter heard the assault in a voicemail left by the attacker. The man pleaded guilty to rape of both women, false imprisonment, attempted rape, aggravated burglary, threats to kill and aggravated sexual assault. He was sentenced to three and a half years for the kidnapping and faces a strong possibility of life imprisonment for the latest attacks. His defence counsel requested a determinate sentence so he could work toward a target date, but the judge adjourned finalisation until May 3. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court.
In May, a 37‑year‑old Meath man will be sentenced for sexual assault and anal rape of a girl aged 12‑14 who stayed at his family home between 1999 and 2001. He was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury in January. The victim, who cannot be named, said the man took away her innocence and normal childhood. She had not spoken to anyone until becoming a mother, when she decided to protect her child and others. The court adjourned sentencing to allow a probation report and will hear a plea in mitigation on the next date. The man, with no prior convictions, denied the allegations. The victim's mother had alcohol problems and sometimes stayed at the house. The assaults began with the man touching the girl's leg, rubbing her vagina, and later forcing her to masturbate him. A few months later he inserted his penis into her anus, causing pain and the only time she cried.
The jury in the trial of Hungarian national Zoltan Almasi, 44, accused of murdering 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne in Naas, Co. Kildare, will resume deliberations tomorrow at 11 am. Almasi, who pleaded not guilty, was charged with the murder that occurred on 16 May 2014 at the same address. The jury had been deliberating for two hours and eight minutes before retiring at 12:44 am this morning.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution argued that Gary Flynn, 31, was linked to the gang that killed Seamus 'Shay' O'Byrne on 13 March 2009. They cited CCTV, mobile phone and forensic evidence, including gunshot residue on Flynn's hoodie and a phone credit purchase at a Topaz garage shortly before the shooting. The prosecution claimed Flynn travelled in a Nissan Primera to Tymon Park with Garrett O'Brien, who shot O'Byrne, and that Flynn's alleged gang members fled after the victim's girlfriend, Sharon Rattigan, tackled O'Brien. Defence counsel countered that Flynn's phone use was not proven and that he may have simply bought credit for Eugene Cullen. The jury heard evidence that Flynn was seen with Cullen in Coolock after the shooting but not during the crime. The case was presented to a jury of nine men and three women, with the trial continuing on Monday. Gary Flynn pleaded not guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court, the jury in the trial of Zoltan Almasi, 44, of Naas, Co Kildare, has been told the central issue is whether the death of Joseph Dunne constitutes murder or manslaughter. Mr Almasi, who pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Mr Dunne at the same address on May 16, 2014, faces a charge that carries a potential life sentence. Prosecution counsel Bernard Condon SC argued that the evidence, including a depressed skull and shattered bones, demonstrates an intentional killing with a baseball bat, asserting that the accused was the aggressor and that regret does not defeat intent. Conversely, defence counsel Colm O'Briain SC contended that the blow was a reckless swipe rather than a deliberate strike, arguing that the prosecution has not proven the specific intention required for murder beyond reasonable doubt. The defence highlighted that the accused did not dispose of the weapon or evidence, suggesting the act was not a cold-blooded murder. The court heard that the cause of death was a single blow to the head. Justice Margaret Heneghan is scheduled to finish charging the jury on Monday morning, with the matter currently at the stage of closing submissions prior to the verdict.
Michael Murray, aged 44, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2013 for rape, attempted rape, oral rape, aggravated sexual assault, child abduction, threats to kill or cause serious harm, false imprisonment and theft. In March 2016 he appealed against the State after it was revealed that his solicitor's calls had been recorded in prison. The High Court dismissed his application in July, ruling the recordings were inappropriate but not accessed, and that no prejudice had occurred. The appeal was dismissed by a three‑judge court, which agreed with the earlier decision, finding the application "without substance" and the appeal "without merit." Costs were awarded against Murray, who had insulted the judges. The case highlighted that prison inmates must list up to 12 contact numbers on an "Application for Phone Calls" form, with the first number required to be the solicitor, and that all calls except those to the solicitor and Samaritans are monitored and recorded. Michael Murray was found guilty.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, Zoltan Almasi, a 44‑year‑old Hungarian national, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Joseph Dunne, a young Kildare man, at their shared address on 16 May 2014. Almasi told Gardaí that he had brought a baseball bat that night, believing it might be needed for self‑defence against men he considered "not kids" and "bigger" than him. He claimed he was about 2–3 metres from Dunne when the latter fell and denied that he struck him with the bat, saying the distance was too great. When questioned whether he had swung the bat, Almasi said he could not remember doing so and that it "looks like I did but I didn't reach him." He maintained that any contact would have been accidental and that he had no intention to hit anyone. Almasi has three prior convictions for road‑traffic offences. The trial continues.
The trial of Gary Flynn, 31, of Tallaght, continued at the Central Criminal Court before Justice Patrick McCarthy. Mr Flynn has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Seamus 'Shay' O'Byrne on March 13, 2009, at Tymon Park North in Tallaght. Prosecution evidence presented by Alex Owens SC focused on mobile phone tracing conducted by gardai. Senior crime analyst Sarah Skedd testified that investigators traced calls, texts, and locations of 13 mobile phones believed to be used by a gang. She detailed communications between these devices in the days leading up to the shooting, including a text sent by a phone linked to Eugene Cullen to a device found at the crime scene, which is associated with Garrett O'Brien. The prosecution alleges Mr O'Brien was the shooter. Skedd's evidence, which includes charts of phone interactions, is ongoing. Additionally, Brendan McKenna of Vilicom Engineering provided analysis of mobile mast locations, tracing a phone seized from Mr O'Brien to areas from Bray to Ballymount, and another phone found in a Nissan Primera to Coolock. The trial previously heard from Forensic Science Laboratory analyst Liam Fleury, who stated that fingerprints lifted from the Nissan Primera matched Mr Flynn's. The matter is currently at the trial stage and will continue on Thursday.
In the Central Criminal Court, 44‑year‑old Zoltan Almasi pleaded not guilty to the murder of Joseph Dunne, who died at their shared Harbour View address on 16 May 2014. Almasi told Gardaí that he had lived there for three years and owned a white Mercedes van, which he parked in front of his garage that night. He claimed to have heard a banging noise from outside his bedroom window and saw several men, including two males, shouting at him. Almasi said he grabbed a baseball bat to scare them away, chased two men down the street, and that one fell to the ground. He denied striking Dunne with the bat, stating he was "not capable" of doing so. Garda evidence noted only general wear on the van and a baseball bat found behind a hallway door. The trial continues.
In a 2016 case, Zoltan Almasi, 44, of Harbour View, Naas, was charged with the murder of Joseph Dunne, also at Harbour View, on 16 May 2014. Almasi pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. Prosecutor Bernard Condon SC called Garda Stephen Flaherty to testify. Flaherty reported arriving at the scene at 10:20 pm, seeing a man lying on the ground and a group of people nearby. He described the alleged offender's appearance and was directed to a house by a friend of the deceased. Flaherty approached the house but received no response, then returned to preserve the scene outside the Vie de Châteaux restaurant. At 11:20 pm, a male approached, matching the offender's description. The man gave his name as Zoltan Almasi and an address in Naas.
In March 2015, Mr Justice Paul Carney ruled that a 40‑year‑old man with intellectual disabilities was unfit to stand trial for rape. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) appealed this finding in the Court of Appeal on 1 March 2016. Counsel Marjorie Farrelly argued that one psychiatrist had shown the man had untreated depression, but a third psychiatrist had found no evidence of depression on the day of assessment. Justice George Birmingham said the appeal should be dismissed, noting it challenged a factual finding of the Central Criminal Court. Farrelly also raised a second ground, questioning whether the judge had sent the man to inpatient or outpatient care after ruling him unfit. Justice John Edwards noted the DPP's interest in revisiting the man's fitness, and the court would reserve judgment on this second ground. The Court of Appeal will give reasons later.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 1 March 2016, 31‑year‑old Gary Flynn of Rossfield Drive, Tallaght, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Seamus 'Shay' O'Byrne, who was shot at Tymon Park North on 13 March 2009. The court heard that Flynn had been nicknamed "Damien Duff" by Garda John O'Connell because of his resemblance to the former Irish soccer player. Evidence was presented by Garda Damien McGarry concerning several mobile phones linked to suspects. One phone found at the shooting scene had a contact named "Damien Duff" matching a number belonging to Eugene Cullen, another phone given to Garda by Cullen's former girlfriend, Louise Lawlor, had a number saved as Gary Flynn, though Lawlor could not confirm the identity.
A murder trial at the Central Criminal Court heard that a young Kildare man, Joseph Dunne, died from severe traumatic head injury consistent with a blow from the tip of a baseball bat. Zoltan Almasi (44), of Harbour View, Naas, Co Kildare, is charged with murdering Mr Dunne at the same address on May 16, 2014. Mr Almasi pleaded not guilty to the charge. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis testified that the post mortem examination revealed thirteen injuries to the deceased's head and neck, including a large area of bruising and a significant bleed in the skull. The cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma to the head. A toxicology report indicated that Mr Dunne was intoxicated with alcohol at the time of his death, but no drugs were detected. Dr Curtis stated that the injury was consistent with a blow from a baseball bat. Witness Donal Dockery described seeing two men agitated around a vehicle and a man with a baseball bat. Ms Mary Bergin O'Connor testified that she heard someone shout 'drop the baseball bat' and saw a man running away. The trial continues.