A 40‑year‑old married Kerry man was found guilty of threatening a sex worker to withdraw criminal allegations against him. He sent texts and emails calling her a whore and threatening to expose her as a prostitute to her family and neighbours if she did not drop the charges. The woman, who was working as an escort, had met him in a hotel after arranging a "girlfriend experience" on the Escorts Ireland website. After he left, she reported him to the Gardaí, who began identifying him. He used pseudonyms and unregistered phones, but investigators traced 250 IP addresses and CCTV footage to confirm his identity. He pleaded not guilty, but a jury convicted him of two counts of threatening or putting a witness in fear. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy adjourned sentencing to January, remanding him in custody until then.
Darren Murphy, 38, of Passage West, Cork, was convicted of murdering Olivia Dunlea, a mother of three, in her Pembroke Crescent home on 17 February 2013, and of arson. He had pleaded not guilty to the murder but admitted killing her and setting the house on fire, claiming he did not want the children to find her. The Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty after four hours of deliberation and he received a mandatory life sentence on 29 May 2014. Murphy appealed on the basis that the trial judge's definition of provocation was incorrectly directed to the jury. The Court of Appeal allowed the appeal, remanded him in custody, and ordered a retrial. The Director of Public Prosecutions will seek a new trial. The case involved allegations that Dunlea had provoked Murphy by suggesting a former intimate would call, which he claimed enraged him.
During a trial in the Central Criminal Court, a 34‑year‑old Pakistani man was accused of raping a woman with Down syndrome at his Dublin home on 12 June 2013. He pleaded not guilty to rape, sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person. Defence psychologist Dr Rioghnach O'Leary testified that the accused ranks in the bottom three percent of the population in cognitive functioning, with an overall IQ of 73, and that he would have difficulty adapting to social norms. She described him as having an elevated sexual preoccupation and a singular focus on women as potential sexual partners. The accused admitted some sexual contact but claimed it was consensual and that he was unaware of the victim's Down syndrome. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Tony Hunt with a jury of twelve.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Trevor Corr, 39, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of James Humphries, 32, at Kiltalown Way, Tallaght, on 22 September 2013. The State's counsel, Mr John Byrne BL, called neighbour Ms Christine Kelly to testify. Ms Kelly, who lived a few doors away, observed Corr and three others outside his garden. She recalled Corr greeting her, claiming he had been "on drink and drugs for the past eight days" and appeared "happy drunk" and unaggressive. Under cross‑examination, Ms Kelly confirmed Corr's statement that he was not hostile. Garda Ivor Wilkinson, who arrived at 18.35, reported Corr standing at the front door, looking intoxicated and unsteady. Wilkinson noted a trail of blood leading to a bedroom where Corr allegedly stabbed Humphries. Corr was arrested at 18.52 and later became highly agitated on the way back to Tallaght Garda Station. The trial continues.
A 39‑year‑old man from the Ivory Coast was sentenced to six years in prison in Limerick for raping his former partner on 8 July 2013. He pleaded not guilty to rape and oral rape. The victim, aged in her 40s, described being terrified and believing she would die during the assault. The judge noted the accused had shown no remorse and that the victim had previously shown charity by helping him with food and cooking. The court heard that the man had moved into a new house, had a history of heavy drinking, and had threatened the victim with a knife and violence. After the assault the man claimed the sex was consensual, but witnesses confirmed the relationship had ended. The victim reported ongoing nightmares and lasting trauma. The judge imposed the six‑year sentence, taking into account the accused's foreign nationality. The man remains denied of the rape. The unnamed 39-year-old was convicted.
Pat Healy, 66, of Norwood Park, Garryowen, Limerick, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to indecent assault of his daughter aged 13‑16 between 1981 and 1984. He had no prior convictions. The victim, now 46, waived anonymity so her father could be named. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy described the offence as high seriousness, noting long‑term effects on the victim and that the father accepted moral responsibility. He imposed a seven‑year imprisonment term. The victim recalled being forced to touch Healy's penis, to be touched in return, and to perform oral sex, including incidents in a car and during a Sunday lunch outing. She left home at 16, later entered care, and filed a complaint in 2013; Healy was arrested February 2014. The court recorded the victim's statement that the abuse destroyed her life and that she hoped to move on.
In the Central Criminal Court, the jury heard the case of James Connors, 29, accused of murdering his ex‑girlfriend's partner, Jason Ryan, 27, at Hollyville Heights on 25 January 2012. Connors pleaded not guilty. After five hours of deliberation, Justice Margaret Heneghan informed the jury that they could return a majority verdict of ten to two or eleven to one. She explained that the verdict could be not guilty, not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, or guilty of murder. The jury finished deliberations at 4 pm Monday and will resume on Tuesday morning.
In a Dublin murder trial, Trevor Corr (39) pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of James Humphries (32) at Kiltalown Way, Tallaght, on 22 September 2013. The jury heard that Corr claimed he stabbed Humphries while the victim lay in his bed. Gardaí arrived at 6.35 pm, questioned Corr who identified himself and admitted stabbing the man in his bedroom. Forensic evidence included bloodstained tracksuit bottoms and a knife with blood from both men, found in the bedroom. The State presented testimony from paramedic Brian Murphy, forensic scientists, Chief State Pathologist Marie Cassidy, and witnesses including Jason Hart, a delivery man at a nearby Chinese take‑away. The trial continued at 2 pm on Monday.
The trial of a 34‑year‑old man accused of raping a woman with Down syndrome will resume evidence on Monday. He admits some sexual contact but says it was consensual and that he was unaware of her mental impairment. He has pleaded not guilty to rape, sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person at his Dublin home on 12 June 2013. The defence was to call witnesses after the accused finished giving evidence on Thursday, but Justice Tony Hunt postponed further evidence until Monday.
The Central Criminal Court jury has begun deliberations on the case of James Connors, 29, who is accused of murdering Jason Ryan, 27, on 25 January 2012. Connors pleaded not guilty. Justice Margaret Heneghan explained that the jury may return a verdict of not guilty, not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, or guilty of murder, depending on whether they find Connors acted in self‑defence with reasonable or unreasonable force, or intended to kill. The jury spent two hours and 40 minutes deliberating and will report on Monday.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 10 December 2015, a 34‑year‑old Pakistani national was tried for rape, sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person. He denied all charges, claiming the alleged victim, a woman with Down syndrome, lied about the events. He said they had consensual sexual activity but no penetrative sex, and that she had returned to his house willingly after meeting him on the street. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, expressed frustration at the accused's repeated refusal to answer questions. The prosecution maintained that the man lured the woman from the street, brought her to his home and raped her on 12 June 2013. Evidence was presented that the woman was mentally disabled under the Sexual Offences Act 1993. The trial continued with a jury of six men and six women.
A Dublin man has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Adil Essalhi following a five-day trial at the Central Criminal Court. Michael Kinsella, aged 22, with addresses in Tallaght and Ardkeen, Cavan, had initially pleaded not guilty to murder. The State's case alleged that Mr Essalhi, aged 29, was killed at Tyrellstown, Dublin on 6 January 2011 by two people acting together. The prosecution accepted a plea to the lesser charge of unlawful killing on condition that Kinsella admitted assaulting the deceased with a weapon. Medical evidence heard during trial indicated Mr Essalhi sustained in excess of fifty stabbing and chopping wounds, predominantly to the head and neck. His body was subsequently burnt. Kinsella's uncle, Wayne Kinsella, was previously convicted of Mr Essalhi's murder in 2012. Justice Deirdre Murphy adjourned sentencing to a later date.
The Central Criminal Court will open a murder trial tomorrow. Trevor Corr, 39, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of James Humphries, 32, who was killed on Kiltalown Way, Tallaght, on 22 September 2013. Justice Isobel Kennedy told the jury that the trial was not ready to start and asked them to return tomorrow at 2 pm.
In a Dublin court on 9 December 2015, a 34‑year‑old Pakistani man accused of raping a woman with Down syndrome pleaded not guilty to rape, sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person. He testified that in his home country mentally disabled people are kept at home or in hospitals and that he was unaware the woman was mentally impaired. He claimed the alleged victim enjoyed the sexual activity, describing how they met on the street, went to his house, kissed, undressed and engaged in sexual acts for about twenty minutes before she left. He said he had no limit to the number of women he approached and that he had "success" with many. The jury heard from 16 women who said the accused approached them on the street. The trial will continue tomorrow before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of six men and six women.
At the Central Criminal Court, a resident of an apartment complex in Tyrellstown, Dublin 15 has given evidence in the trial of Michael Kinsella (22), who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Adil Essalhi (29) on January 6, 2011. The witness told the jury she was approached by a man at the building on January 7, 2011 and asked if she had a saw. The prosecution contends that the killing was carried out by two people. Kinsella, with addresses in Tallaght and Ardkeen, County Cavan, has maintained his not guilty plea. His uncle, Wayne Kinsella, was convicted of the same killing in 2012. Evidence from another witness, the former partner of Wayne Kinsella, was also heard. The cross-examination continued before the jury, with one member becoming unwell. Proceedings are ongoing.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 9 December 2015, forensic scientist Dr Stephen Clifford presented evidence that a knife allegedly used to murder 27‑year‑old Jason Ryan on 25 January 2012 contained DNA matching Ryan but not that of accused James Connors, 29, of Rosemount, Drinagh, Co. Wexford. The knife and a baton found at the scene were examined; the baton's handle and middle yielded blood matching Ryan's DNA, possibly from his wounds, while two other incomplete DNA profiles were found but could not be identified. No DNA from Connors was detected on either item. Connors had pleaded not guilty. Justice Margaret Heneghan informed the jury that no further evidence would be presented and the prosecution would commence its summary the following day.
James Connors, aged 29, was accused of murdering Jason Ryan, 27, in Wexford on 25 January 2012. He pleaded not guilty. In the Central Criminal Court, Connors admitted to setting fire to a blood‑stained hoodie he had worn during the fatal fight, claiming he had forgotten to wash it and burned it with a lighter and a stick. He also said he called Ryan's girlfriend, Samantha Hore, at 2.12 am to check on Ryan's condition, but she hung up. Connors denied luring Ryan away from security cameras or intending to kill him. Garda interviews revealed that Connors had called Ryan's home, tried to persuade him to forget their feud, and later claimed he was attacked by Ryan with a baton and a knife. The trial was scheduled to continue before Justice Margaret Heneghan the following day.
At the Central Criminal Court, a jury heard evidence on Tuesday in the trial of Michael Kinsella (22), of Swiftbrook Close, Tallaght and Ardkeen, Cavan, who has pleaded not guilty to murdering Adil Essalhi (29) on January 6, 2011. The prosecution alleges the killing was committed by two people. Gardaí located Mr Essalhi's body partially submerged in a ditch near Tyrellstown, Dublin 15, on January 13, 2011 during an investigation into a missing person. A knife was recovered from the ditch the following day. Evidence was heard from gardaí who conducted the search and from a witness who was present when the deceased left a party with both Michael Kinsella and his uncle Wayne Kinsella, who was convicted of the murder in 2012. The trial continues.
A prosecution witness told the Central Criminal Court that she wrote to the late Mr Justice Paul Carney claiming a convicted killer had pressured her into making false allegations against the accused, the jury heard. Michael Kinsella, aged 22, with addresses in Tallaght and Cavan, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Adil Essalhi on 6 January 2011. His uncle Wayne Kinsella was convicted of the killing in 2012. The prosecution contends that two people carried out the murder. The witness said Michael Kinsella was present with Wayne Kinsella when the latter returned to their shared Tyrrellstown apartment on 7 January carrying petrol. Under cross-examination, the defence highlighted that the witness had previously written to the judge stating Wayne Kinsella had forced residents to provide false evidence against Michael Kinsella as revenge. The defence suggested this indicated she would not fabricate testimony against the accused. The trial continues at the Central Criminal Court.
In a 2015 trial, a 34‑year‑old man accused of raping a woman with Down Syndrome was observed by Garda Fiona Morrison two days after the alleged offence. The man had allegedly lured the woman to his home and raped her after she separated from her mother. He admits some sexual contact but claims it was consensual and that he was unaware of her mental impairment. He pleaded not guilty to rape, sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person at his Dublin home on 12 June 2013. On day 14 of the trial, Morrison, on plain‑clothes duty, saw the accused leave his house and later encounter two 15‑year‑old girls. She positioned herself between the girls and the accused, noting the accused approached them. She heard a scream, saw the girls sprint away, and later took their statements.
Trevor Corr, 39, of Killinarden Estate, Tallaght, was arraigned in the Central Criminal Court on 7 December 2015. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in the death of James Humphries, 32, at Kiltalown Way on 22 September 2013. The prosecution did not accept the plea. A jury of seven men and five women was sworn in by Justice Patrick McCarthy for a trial expected to last one week.
In December 2015, Wayne Kennedy, aged 34, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for manslaughter after a Christmas‑day altercation at Rathsallagh Park, Dublin. Kennedy was charged with murdering David Spain, aged 26, on 26 December 2013, and with intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Sean Turner on the same day. A jury found Kennedy not guilty of the second charge and guilty of manslaughter, after deliberating for four hours and 48 minutes. The court heard that Kennedy and Spain had a "duel" that night, during which Spain was stabbed six times, with two wounds deemed potentially fatal. Kennedy was also accused of assaulting Turner, who was armed with a stone; the jury acquitted him of that charge. The judge noted Kennedy's cooperation and good behaviour in custody, and imposed the eight‑year sentence.
In December 2015, Magnus Meyer Hustveit, a 25‑year‑old Norwegian, pleaded guilty to rape and sexual assault of his 28‑year‑old girlfriend between 2011 and 2012. The Central Criminal Court sentenced him to a wholly suspended seven‑year term on 13 July 2015. The Director of Public Prosecutions has requested a review, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal set 4 February for a hearing on the appeal, though Hustveit was not present for the procedural matter.
In a Dublin rape trial, a 34‑year‑old man was accused of luring a woman with Down syndrome to his home and raping her on 12 June 2013. He admitted some sexual contact but claimed it was consensual and that he was unaware of her mental impairment. The court heard that it is an offence to have sex with a person who cannot live independently or protect themselves from serious exploitation. Psychologist Fergal Rooney testified that the woman lacked the capacity to consent to sexual intercourse, had a trusting view of others, could not advocate for herself, and had a significant deficit in sexual knowledge, including an inability to understand pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases. Rooney also noted she could not determine appropriate responses to ambiguous situations. Defence counsel Padraig Dwyer acknowledged that people with intellectual disabilities have sexual desires and that the law has a grey area, but no national policy exists. The unnamed 34-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, James Connors (29) of Rosemount, Drinagh, Co. Wexford, pleaded not guilty to the killing of 27‑year‑old James Ryan on 25 January 2012. Connors told Gardaí that he had called Ryan's home at Hollyville Heights after an argument with Ryan's partner, Samantha Hore, who was in prison. He claimed Ryan had a bat and a knife and that, when Connors approached, Ryan struck him. Connors said he pulled a knife from Ryan's waistband and stabbed him, after which Ryan hit him again. Connors admitted taking tablets and drinking spirits before the incident. The case is set to resume on Monday before Justice Margaret Heneghan.
During the trial of a 34‑year‑old foreign national accused of raping a woman with Down syndrome, the court heard that the facial features associated with the condition are universally recognisable. Pat Clarke, CEO of Down Syndrome Ireland, explained that people with Down syndrome typically have a round face and mouth, a short nose, distinctive ears, a tendency toward obesity and very lax muscle tone. He stated that these features are consistent across all races and countries, including the accused's native country, which has a lower rate of Down syndrome live births. The accused admitted some sexual contact but claimed it was consensual and that he did not know she was mentally impaired. He pleaded not guilty to rape, sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person. The trial also heard testimony from several women who reported uncomfortable encounters with a man matching the accused's description around the time of the alleged rape.
In the Central Criminal Court, James Connors, aged 29, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 27‑year‑old James Ryan, who was stabbed in Hollyville Heights on 25 January 2012. Connors was arrested after he told a friend to wipe the numbers and messages from his mobile phone. Mary Connors, a distant relative, testified that Connors had asked her to delete the phone's contents before she drove home and later retrieved the phone from under the passenger seat. She described a series of calls and visits in the days leading up to the murder, including an incident on John's Road where Connors was reportedly injured and refused medical help. Neighbour Danielle Kelly recounted seeing Connors with blood on his face on the night of 24 January, and that he had been seen climbing a window before police arrived. The trial is set to continue before Justice Margaret Heneghan.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court unanimously found Stephen Cahoon guilty of murder on 3 December following his third trial over six years. Cahoon, aged 43, from Derry, was convicted of strangling his pregnant ex-girlfriend Jean Teresa Quigley at Cornshell Fields in Derry on 26 July 2008. Ms Quigley, aged 30 and ten weeks pregnant with Cahoon's child, was discovered dead at her home by her mother. Cahoon had admitted killing Ms Quigley but denied murder, claiming loss of self-control. The prosecution presented evidence of forced entry, defensive injuries, and bruising inconsistent with Cahoon's account. The jury deliberated for three hours and forty-three minutes before reaching their verdict. Justice Deirdre Murphy sentenced Cahoon to life imprisonment, backdated to his arrest on 5 August 2008. This conviction follows a previous guilty verdict in 2012, which was quashed on appeal due to judicial misdirection regarding provocation. Cahoon became the first person tried in the Republic under the Criminal Law Jurisdiction Act 1976 for a murder committed in Northern Ireland.
In a hearing before the Central Criminal Court, grieving mother Audrey Mahon, aged 44, pleaded with Justice Margaret Heneghan for her husband David Mahon's permission to travel to Portugal with her for two weeks. David Mahon, also 44, is charged with the murder of his 23‑year‑old son, Dean Fitzpatrick, who was killed on 26 May 2013 at Northern Cross on Dublin's Malahide Road. The trial is scheduled to begin in April 2016. Mahon's wife, who has suffered mental health problems since her daughter Amy disappeared in Spain eight years ago, said a psychiatrist had recommended a trip to Portugal to rest and relax. She explained that she has been drinking heavily and self‑harming while searching for Amy, and that she is on anti‑depressants, Xanax, and sleeping tablets. She also has chronic liver disease.
Keith Hall, aged 26, was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment for the manslaughter of 16‑year‑old Melanie McCarthy McNamara, who was shot in a car in Tallaght on 8 February 2012. Hall pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, and the Director of Public Prosecutions accepted the plea. He was convicted by Mr Justice Paul Carney on 31 July 2013. Hall has now applied to appeal the sentence, arguing that the judge gave insufficient weight to mitigating factors such as his admissions, remorse, young age and guilty plea. His barrister, Caroline Biggs SC, contended that the judge's remarks did not clarify any discount applied and that Hall's intoxication with crack cocaine and benzodiazepines on the day of the offence should have been considered. The DPP's counsel, Brendan Grehan SC, noted that the judge had indicated the sentence was on the higher end of the manslaughter scale, between a life sentence and the maximum 20‑year term.
In a six‑day trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 40‑year‑old Kerry man was acquitted of rape and sexual assault after a jury found no evidence that he had forced the woman to perform oral sex in a Dublin hotel room on 28 March 2010. The jury, however, found him guilty of two counts of threatening or putting the woman in fear between 29 April and 28 May 2010. He had sent her text messages and emails from unregistered numbers calling her a whore, threatening to expose her as a prostitute to her family and neighbours, and claiming she had "false allegations." The man pleaded not guilty to all charges. He was remanded in custody pending sentencing, and his defence sought bail to see his children, a request denied by the judge.
In a murder trial held at the Central Criminal Court, the jury heard that 29‑year‑old Adil Essalhi was killed on 6 January 2011 by Michael Kinsella (22) and his uncle Wayne Kinsella. The prosecution, led by Mr Kerida Naidoo SC, presented evidence that the killing took place in a field outside a block of apartments in Tyrrellstown. Mr Essalhi had met Wayne and another person at a pub that evening, and the three later went to an apartment where they drank before leaving together for the field. Mr Naidoo stated that medical evidence showed Mr Essalhi died from more than 50 wounds, including stabbing and chopping injuries, mainly to the head and neck. After the killing, the body was reportedly burnt with petrol. The jury, composed of five women and seven men, was to view CCTV footage during the trial, which was expected to last one week. Michael Kinsella pleaded not guilty.
During the murder trial of James Connors, a 29‑year‑old from Rosemount, Drinagh, witnesses described a fight that preceded the fatal stabbing of 27‑year‑old James Ryan at Hollyville Heights on 25 January 2012. Ms Catriona Purdy, a former neighbour, said she awoke after midnight, heard a loud bang, and saw two men – a taller, well‑built man waving a baton and a smaller man being struck. She confirmed that her statement to the gardai the following day was accurate. Neighbours John Purdy and Tina Grogan also reported hearing a bang and seeing the two men fight, noting that the taller man returned after a brief pause, limping and holding his side. James Connors pleaded not guilty.
Michael Kinsella, 22, of Swiftbrook Close, Tallaght, was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court on 2 December 2015. He pleaded not guilty to the murder of Adil Essalhi, who was killed in Tyrrelstown on 6 January 2011. The trial, set to begin that afternoon before Miss Justice Margaret Heneghan, will last one week with a jury of five women and seven men.
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence in the trial of James Connors, 29, of Rosemount, Drinagh, Co Wexford, who has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of 27-year-old James Ryan at Hollyville Heights in Wexford Town on January 25, 2012. Defence counsel Michael Delaney SC informed the jury that both parties agreed to submit evidence regarding Connors's imprisonment at Wheatfield Prison in 2011. It was stated that Connors was granted temporary leave for Christmas 2011 but failed to return to prison on December 28. Prosecution witness Samantha Hore, who dated Connors for ten years before breaking up in 2010, testified that she later began a relationship with Ryan. She alleged Connors threatened to harm anyone she moved on with and described a confrontation on the night of the incident where Ryan returned to their apartment with chest stab wounds. Hore also claimed Connors had stabbed Ryan twice approximately three weeks prior. Under cross-examination, Hore admitted Ryan was carrying a baton with metal studs and had chased Connors, details she initially omitted. Defence counsel suggested Hore exaggerated her account to prejudice Connors. Neighbours testified to seeing a man hiding in bushes outside the apartment before the argument. The matter is currently at the sentence stage, though the trial continues before Justice Margaret Heneghan.
The Central Criminal Court trial of an unnamed accused, who has pleaded not guilty, is ongoing. He faces charges of oral rape and sexual assault of a woman in a Dublin hotel room on March 28, 2010, as well as two counts of threatening or putting in fear a witness between April 29 and May 28, 2010. Prosecuting counsel Sean Gillane SC argued the case centered on the accused's attempts to exercise control, rejecting the defense suggestion that the complainant's allegations stemmed from being underpaid. Gillane stated the texts sent to the complainant were a campaign of intimidation to drop charges. Defending counsel Thomas Creed SC contended the accused believed the encounter was consensual and that the complainant's testimony lacked corroboration of violence. Creed suggested the accused suspected the allegations were a scam to extort money, noting he did not know the complainant's real identity. The trial heard the accused used a pseudonym and unregistered mobile phone, only being identified when Detective Garda Ronan Conway linked an email address to a former employer via IP addresses. The jury is set to begin deliberations following the judge's directions.
During the trial of a 34‑year‑old man accused of raping a woman with Down syndrome, ten women testified that they were harassed or pestered by him near the alleged rape site. The incidents, mostly within days of the alleged rape on 12 June 2013, involved the accused approaching women on the street, offering wine or cigarettes, and asking for sex for money. One 18‑year‑old witness described being grabbed, offered €200 for sex, and then physically attacked by her before fleeing. Other witnesses recounted being followed, stared at, and threatened by the accused, who was described as dark‑haired and dark‑complexioned. The accused admits some sexual contact but claims it was consensual and that he did not know the woman was mentally impaired. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of six men and six women. Down Syndrome pleaded not guilty.
A 40‑year‑old man, Terence Connors of Drumcairn Drive, Tallaght, is accused of murdering Peter Conroy in the Palmerstown area of Dublin on 9 June 2015. The Central Criminal Court has set the trial for 8 May 2017.
The trial heard that DNA from semen found on a woman with Down syndrome matched the DNA of the accused, with a one‑in‑a‑billion likelihood of it belonging to someone else. The accused, who pleaded not guilty, is charged with rape, sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person at his Dublin home on 12 June 2013. Forensic evidence included fibres from the accused's bedclothes matching those on the woman's clothes, and a laceration on her vagina, which the defence said did not prove lack of consent. The accused admitted some sexual contact but claimed it was consensual and that he was unaware of her impairment. Garda interview transcripts were presented, showing the accused denying prior contact and questioning the woman's appearance. The case is before Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of twelve.
During the trial of a Kerry man accused of raping a sex worker in a Dublin hotel room on 28 March 2010, evidence was presented that semen found at the scene belonged to two unknown men. The accused pleaded not guilty to oral rape and sexual assault, and denied two counts of threatening a witness in a Garda investigation between 29 April and 28 May 2010. Forensic scientist Michael Burlington extracted DNA from semen samples recovered from a sink in the hotel room, which did not match the accused's DNA profile; this profile was labelled "unknown one". The woman testified that the accused ejaculated into her mouth, after which she spat the semen into the sink and wiped her mouth with a towel. DNA from the towel yielded a second unknown profile, labelled "unknown two", which could not be ruled out as the source.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, James Connors, aged 29, pleaded not guilty to the killing of 27‑year‑old James Ryan on 25 January 2012. The prosecution, represented by Mr Gerard Clarke, argued that Ryan died from puncture wounds to his torso. Garda Leisha Fahey testified that she arrived at the Hollyville Heights apartment early that morning, saw blood on the front door, and entered with Ryan's girlfriend. She found Ryan lying on a couch with puncture wounds and described him as extremely pale, complaining of pain in his legs, though he had no leg wounds. Fahey also confirmed that another garda, Mr Michael Delaney, offered Ryan a "dying declaration" about who caused his injuries, which Ryan refused. The court was shown a mini baseball bat with metal studs seized at the scene. Garda Padraig Hartigan, on beat duty, reported seeing Ryan on the couch with chest wounds and breathing difficulties.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 30 November 2015, a 53‑year‑old Polish man was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for raping his wife in County Wexford in October 2011. He had pleaded not guilty to rape and false imprisonment. The judge, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, rejected the defence's argument that cultural differences might excuse the conduct and noted that the accused had claimed he believed he was entitled to act as he did, a view the court found unlawful. The victim, who declined to give a victim impact statement, had been living with the accused for seven years before their separation over his alcoholism and aggression. DNA evidence from vaginal swabs confirmed the accused's presence and the rape. The sentence was imposed after a four‑day trial, with the accused in custody since the arrest eleven days after the offence. The unnamed 53-year-old was convicted.
Kenneth Cummins, 28, of Ringsend Park, Dublin, was granted an adjournment until next year to consider an application to withdraw his guilty plea for the murder of Thomas Horan, 63, at Cambridge Court, Ringsend, on 6 January 2014. Cummins had initially pleaded not guilty but changed his plea to guilty four weeks into his Central Criminal Court trial. His solicitor, Mr Giollaiosa O Lideadha SC, argued that Cummins was not fit to plead on 11 November, citing a psychiatrist's assessment that panic attacks at the time of the plea could have affected his capacity. The prosecution counsel, Mr Remy Farrell SC, described the application as "breath‑taking" and a mere "stroke" by Cummins. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, who had reservations about the application, acknowledged the solicitor's professional duty and scheduled the adjournment for 1 February next year, noting that the matter was not urgent. The case remains pending, with the adjournment allowing further examination of Cummins' fitness to plead.
A jury of five women and seven men was sworn in at the Central Criminal Court for the trial of James Connors, 29, of Rosemount, Drinagh, who is charged with the murder of 27‑year‑old Jason Ryan in Wexford Town on 25 January 2012. Connors pleaded not guilty. Justice Patrick McCarthy said the trial could last up to three weeks, and Justice Margaret Heneghan will preside.
Gary Campion, aged 31, had two life sentences for separate murders. He appealed both convictions. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal for the murder of Brian Fitzgerald and confirmed his conviction for the murder of Frank Ryan. Campion denied involvement in both killings. The appeal focused on the admissibility of witness statements by Mr Errol Ibrahim, who was present at the scene and later retracted his statements. The Court of Appeal upheld the trial judge's decision to admit Ibrahim's statements under section 16 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2006. The court also considered other evidence, including pathology and ballistic evidence, and rejected all arguments presented by Campion's lawyers. The conviction for Frank Ryan's murder was therefore confirmed by the Court of Appeal.
A Kerry man is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for oral rape and sexual assault of a sex worker in a Dublin hotel room on 28 March 2010. He pleaded not guilty and denied that he pursued a vendetta to force the woman to withdraw her allegations. The accused also denies two counts of threatening or intimidating a witness in a Garda investigation between 29 April and 28 May 2010. The complainant, who had worked as an escort for four years, advertised herself as a former model on the Escorts Ireland website. She claimed the meeting was for a "girlfriend experience" but that the accused became rough, forced her to perform oral sex while holding her by the hair, and did not pay her. The accused was identified through a pseudonym email linked to a former employer. After his arrest he told Gardaí that the sex was consensual and that he had never assaulted anyone.
In a 2015 case, a 34‑year‑old foreign national was arrested and charged with rape, sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person. He claimed he had never heard of Down syndrome and denied knowing the woman was mentally impaired. He admitted some sexual contact but insisted it was consensual. The woman, in her twenties, had been separated from her mother and was taken to the accused's home where the alleged rape occurred on 12 June 2013. During Garda interviews, the accused denied having sex with anyone that day, said he frequently had sex with women met on the street, and repeatedly claimed he had never spoken to a woman on the street that day. He also denied grabbing anyone. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, continued with a jury of twelve. The unnamed 34-year-old pleaded not guilty.
David Mahon, 44, charged with murdering 23‑year‑old Dean Fitzpatrick on 26 May 2013, was denied a bail variation that would have let him travel to Spain for two weeks. He had previously been allowed to travel in September, but the court refused the new request. The judge cited concerns from Detective Sergeant Eddie Carroll that Mahon is a flight risk, especially as his trial is set to begin in April 2016. Mahon may apply again for bail.
A Kerry man, whose identity is protected, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for oral rape and sexual assault of a prostitute in a Dublin hotel room on 28 March 2010. He pleaded not guilty. The woman, who had agreed to a "girlfriend experience", claims the man forced her to perform oral sex while holding her by the hair, threatened her, and sent threatening texts and emails to her family and neighbours after the alleged assault. She says she was not consenting and that the man's behaviour was aggressive and violent. The accused's counsel argues that the woman consented and that the acts were a quickie for which she was paid. The trial is before Justice Patrick McCarthy with a jury of twelve. The case also involves the man's alleged attempts to pervert the course of justice by sending threatening messages to the victim.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, a foreign national was arrested and charged with rape, sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person. The accused, who was found at the victim's Dublin home on 12 June 2013, claimed that the sexual contact was consensual and that he was unaware of the woman's Down syndrome. During the arrest, he told Gardaí that he wanted "this woman to stand in front of me". The victim, a woman in her twenties who had become separated from her mother while walking, was taken to the accused's house where the alleged rape occurred. Garda Alan Hughes reported that the accused was handcuffed and brought to the station, where he repeated the statement. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with a jury of six men and six women, continues to consider the allegations and the accused's defence. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.