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2015-05-05 · Dublin
A 39‑year‑old Dublin man, Keith O'Neill, will stand trial for the 2012 murder of a 35‑year‑old man named John Wilson in Ballyfermot. O'Neill pleaded not guilty and was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court. The trial, to be heard by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, is expected to last two weeks and will involve a jury of ten members.
2015-05-05 · Kilkenny
A 34‑year‑old Kilkenny man, Tadhg Butler (also known as Thomas O'Grady), has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of 25‑year‑old Michael O'Dwyer, who was stabbed once in the chest at Butler's house in Tramore on 10 January 2014. Butler pleaded not guilty. The prosecution, led by Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley SC, presented evidence that a single stab wound was found on O'Dwyer's chest, that no defensive injuries were present, and that a post‑mortem confirmed the wound. Gardaí arrested Butler on suspicion of assault causing harm the same day and interviewed him twice at Tramore Garda Station. Witness Mr Luke Green testified that he, O'Dwyer, and Tony O'Grady travelled to the house, drank, and that O'Dwyer was found lying on the ground, stabbed, with Tony attempting to help. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, is expected to last two to three weeks.
2015-05-05 · Dublin
A 29‑year‑old man, Ciaran Moran, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Gerard Donnelly in Phoenix Park, Dublin, in late November 2013. He was arraigned at the Central Criminal Court, where he was seen wearing a pink polo shirt and navy tracksuit bottoms. The judge, Patrick McCarthy, swore in a jury of nine men and three women and informed them of potential civilian witnesses from the Dublin 7 area. The trial, to be heard by Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan, is scheduled to begin this afternoon and is expected to last ten working days.
2015-05-01 · Ireland
In a Westmeath case, a 28‑year‑old man was jailed for twelve years for aggravated sexual assault and attempted rape of his sister. He had been serving a suspended portion of a four‑year sentence for an attempted armed robbery and was released in January 2014. After pleading guilty to the assault, the Circuit Court reactivated 18 months of that robbery sentence, making the new sentence consecutive to the remaining term. The victim, a woman in her 20s, testified that the attack left her depressed, in pain and unable to forgive her brother. She described the assault as a violent, threatening act that involved forced sexual contact and threats to kill. The judge noted the seriousness of the case and imposed the twelve‑year term, with the robbery sentence running consecutively. The defendant has a history of 21 prior convictions, including robbery and drug offences, and is placed on the sex offenders' register.
2015-05-01 · Roscommon
Paul Henry, a 29-year-old Roscommon man, has successfully appealed his acquittal for the murder of his mother, Ann Henry, at The Spinney, Abbeystown, in September 2011. Henry had originally pleaded not guilty to the charge. At the Central Criminal Court in Castlebar, a jury found him not guilty by reason of insanity, resulting in his commitment to the Central Mental Hospital by Mr Justice Paul Carney in May 2014. Henry sought a retrial to plead and potentially be convicted of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility, aiming for a determinative sentence rather than indefinite detention. The Court of Appeal, comprising Mr Justice George Birmingham, Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, and Mr Justice John Edwards, ordered a retrial. The court found an "element of misdirection" by the trial judge regarding the burden of proof. The judgment clarified that where the prosecution contends for a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity, the prosecution must prove this on the balance of probabilities. The court noted that the previous outcome led to heavy medication and indefinite detention, whereas a murder conviction would result in a different prison regime. The retrial is scheduled to be listed in the Central Criminal Court in two weeks. This case is noted as the first in Ireland to address the standard of proof for this specific prosecution-led insanity verdict.
2015-05-01 · Louth
In a Central Criminal Court trial, Marius Gaizutis, 52, was found guilty of the axe murder of Audrius Butkus, 44, who was discovered on a Meath beach in 2013. Gaizutis had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter at arraignment. The jury, composed of four women and eight men, deliberated for two hours and forty minutes before delivering a unanimous verdict. The prosecution presented evidence that Butkus died from blunt‑force trauma to the head, consistent with being struck by a rectangular object such as an axe. State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy testified that Butkus had sustained multiple blows to the back, top and left side of his head, and that his liver showed signs of chronic alcohol use. Witnesses described a struggle in which Gaizutis allegedly used an axe after an altercation over a bottle of Captain Morgan's. The court noted forensic DNA evidence linking blood on an axe to Butkus.
2015-04-29 · Kilkenny
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 29 April 2015, Mary Rose Burke, a former partner of 34‑year‑old Tadhg Butler, testified that she visited him in Cork Prison on 13 January 2014 after he was charged with the murder of 25‑year‑old Michael O'Dwyer. She said Butler, who also goes by Thomas O'Grady, told her he had stabbed O'Dwyer once in the chest, was drunk and had taken Valium, and that he was not remorseful. Burke denied that Butler had suggested a plea for manslaughter or that she had an agenda to harm his case. Prosecutor Denis Vaughan Buckley described the alleged events on 9 January 2014, when O'Dwyer was found dead outside Butler's house with a single stab wound. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, was expected to last two weeks. Tadhg Butler pleaded not guilty.
2015-04-29 · Louth
The trial of Marius Gaizutis, 52, of Marsh Road, Drogheda, Co Louth, is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court. Gaizutis is charged with the alleged murder of Audrius Butkus, 44, at that address on September 9 or 10, 2013. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter; the State rejected the latter plea, resulting in a jury trial. Prosecution counsel Patrick Gageby SC argued that forensic evidence, including skull fractures and a deliberate clean-up, demonstrated intent to kill. Defence counsel Ciaran O'Loughlin SC contended that Gaizutis acted under provocation and lost control, supporting a manslaughter verdict. Justice Margaret Heneghan charged the jury to decide the facts based on oral evidence and exhibits. After two hours and eleven minutes of deliberation, the jury was instructed to suspend deliberations until Friday morning at 10am, as there is no court sitting tomorrow. The matter remains adjourned pending the jury's final decision.
2015-04-29 · Kilkenny
A 34‑year‑old Kilkenny man, Tadhg Butler (also known as Thomas O'Grady), has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of 25‑year‑old Michael O'Dwyer in Waterford on 10 January 2014. Butler, who lives in Seafield, Tramore, is charged with stabbing O'Dwyer once in the chest. Prosecutor Denis Vaughan Buckley SC opened the case to a jury, stating that O'Dwyer and two others were invited to a party at the accused's house on 9 January, where they were drinking. At some point a knife was used to stab O'Dwyer's chest. Emergency services arrived at 11.20 pm, found O'Dwyer lying outside the house, and he was taken to Waterford Regional Hospital, where he died two hours later. Gardaí saw Butler outside the house when they arrived, but he had retreated inside and locked the door. Tadhg Butler pleaded not guilty.
2015-04-28 · Louth
During a murder trial, forensic scientist Stephen Clifford presented evidence that blood on an axe found in Marius Gaizutis's house matched the DNA profile of the deceased, Audrius Butkus. Gaizutis, aged 52, was charged with murdering Butkus, aged 44, at the Marsh Road address on 9 or 10 September 2013. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter at arraignment before the Central Criminal Court. Clifford examined the axe, finding blood only in the hollow groove at its tip, and generated a full male DNA profile that matched Butkus. He also reported DNA matches from blood on a step, kitchen table, bannister, ceiling, a sock, a carpet from Matthews Lane, and a Suzuki Swift car. Detective Sergeant Liam Archibold testified about the search of Matthews Lane, the items recovered, and the medical examination of Gaizutis. The prosecution concluded its case, and the jury was instructed to resume the next day.
2015-04-28 · Limerick
Mary Maloney, a 47-year-old Limerick mother of four, was sentenced in the Central Criminal Court for withholding information related to the 2006 murder of Noel Crawford. Although initially pleading not guilty, Ms. Maloney changed her plea to guilty before the jury, a move accepted by the prosecution. The court heard that the charges stemmed from events on December 17-18, 2006, when her daughter, Jennifer Fitzgerald, was abducted and threatened with a gun. Ms. Maloney allegedly failed to disclose information she knew or believed would assist in securing the apprehension of the perpetrator. Mr. Justice Carroll Moran noted that while withholding information in a murder case is serious, he considered mitigating factors including the guilty plea, the traumatic context of her daughter's abduction, and the fact that her lack of cooperation did not prevent the prosecution of two others—one convicted of murder and one of manslaughter. The judge disregarded her previous convictions from her mid-teens. He imposed a two-year prison sentence, suspended for the same period, with a bond of €100. The judge acknowledged that the plea removed trauma from victims and affirmed that the jury's presence had induced the guilty plea.
2015-04-28 · Louth
During a murder trial, a forensic scientist testified that blood found in the hollow groove at the tip of an axe matched the DNA profile of the deceased, Audrius Butkus, 44. The accused, Marius Gaizutis, 52, of Marsh Road, Drogheda, Co Louth, is charged with murdering Butkus at that address on 9 or 10 September 2013. Gaizutis pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter when arraigned before the Central Criminal Court. The jury was sworn in to try him, and the trial continues.
2015-04-27 · Louth
In a murder trial in Drogheda, Judge Margaret Heneghan decided to continue the case with only one defendant, 52‑year‑old Marius Gaizutis, after initially having two. Gaizutis admitted killing 44‑year‑old Audrius Butkus, whose body was found on a Louth beach in 2013. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter at arraignment. The co‑accused, 53‑year‑old Aivers Sonders, was charged with assisting an offender by moving the body, cleaning the scene and disposing of evidence, and pleaded not guilty to all three counts. The judge told the jury that they would no longer consider Sonders. The trial continues with further evidence, including CCTV footage of the night of the murder. The case remains at the Central Criminal Court.
2015-04-27 · Ireland
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 74‑year‑old man was found guilty of 11 counts of indecent assault on a 53‑year‑old woman between 1971 and 1974. The woman, who was 10 when the abuse began, described repeated sexual assaults at the man's Kerry home, including incidents where he would pull her bed sheets off while she slept. She reported the abuse to her family in 1986 but only to Gardaí in 2007. The man denied the allegations when questioned in 2008. The jury agreed on eight of the eleven counts, with disagreement on the final three. The sentencing is scheduled for May 8. The case highlights the long‑term impact on the victim, who suffered depression, anxiety and flashbacks, and the court's consideration of the defendant's age and lack of prior convictions. The unnamed 74-year-old pleaded not guilty.
2015-04-27 · Dublin
A 50‑year‑old Tipperary man was found guilty of 75 charges of sexually abusing and raping his four daughters between 1994 and 2012. He pleaded not guilty to 44 charges, including 37 counts of raping his eldest daughter, one count of anal rape of that daughter, one count of oral rape of her younger sister, and one charge of threatening to kill his youngest daughters. The judge directed a not‑guilty verdict on three charges. The eldest daughter, now 29, said she was first abused at nine, raped at eleven, and anally raped at fourteen before escaping to England at seventeen. The second daughter, now 27, was abused from ten to just before fourteen and claimed forced oral sex. The third daughter, now 24, was assaulted from eleven to thirteen and reported a threat to kill her sisters. The youngest, 15, was abused four times in summer 2012.
2015-04-27 · Dublin
During a two‑week trial at the Central Criminal Court, 39‑year‑old Jooda Akanbi was acquitted of murder after a fight with 45‑year‑old Taiwo Jamani on Main Street, Swords, on 10 October 2013. Akanbi claimed he acted in self‑defence, striking Jamani with a baseball bat after the latter allegedly punched him. Witnesses described the altercation as "like something out of Star Wars". Jamani died in hospital from a severe traumatic brain injury caused by a blunt force blow to the head. No CCTV footage captured the incident. The prosecution sought a murder verdict, arguing Akanbi intended to kill or seriously injure Jamani, while the State denied self‑defence. The jury, after more than seven hours of deliberation, returned a verdict of not guilty, and Akanbi was discharged. No family members of the deceased were present at the verdict.
2015-04-27 · Limerick
The trial of 47‑year‑old Mary Maloney of South Claughan Road, Garryowen, Limerick, will begin tomorrow. She is charged with failing to disclose information to the Gardaí that she knew or believed could assist in the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of a person for the 2006 murder of Noel Crawford. The charge covers the period from 18 December 2006 to February 2011. Maloney pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. A jury of six men and six women was sworn in, and the case is expected to last four to five days.
2015-04-27 · Kilkenny
Tadhg Butler, 34, also known as Thomas O'Grady, from Kilkenny, was arraigned in the Central Criminal Court for the 2014 murder of 25‑year‑old Michael O'Dwyer in Waterford. He pleaded not guilty. The trial, set to begin Wednesday before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, will be heard by a jury of eight women and four men and is expected to last two weeks.
2015-04-24 · Ireland
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions to review the sentence of Alan Harte, finding it was not unduly lenient. Harte, 34, had pleaded not guilty to the murder of his friend Peter Gunn in January 2009 but admitted assisting in the disposal of Gunn's body. A jury found him not guilty of murder but guilty of assisting in the disposal of the body. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended. The DPP argued the sentence was unduly lenient and sought to have the suspended portion removed, proposing Harte serve an additional year or 18 months. However, Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, sitting with Justices Birmingham and Mahon, held that the trial judge had properly applied principles of proportionality and rehabilitation. The court noted that Harte was already under active probation supervision, making the proposed increase disproportionate. The appeal was unsuccessful, and the original sentence stands. Kastriot Boza, who was also involved in the disposal of the body, had previously received a six-year sentence with the final two years suspended, which was reduced by two years in a separate Court of Appeal hearing last November. Boza is currently in the witness protection programme.
2015-04-23 · Ireland
A 28‑year‑old man from the Midlands, whose identity is withheld to protect his sister, admitted to the Central Criminal Court that he sexually assaulted and attempted to rape his 26‑year‑old sister on the night of 16 June last year at his home. He pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault, attempted rape, threatening to kill and false imprisonment. The court heard that the sister had come to his house to remove alcohol and help clean up, and that he violently attacked her, threatening to stab her and threatening to cut her vaginal area. She described the assault as devastating, leading to depression, an overdose attempt and loss of contact with her children. The judge adjourned sentencing to May, noting the man is already serving a suspended sentence for a previous offence. The case highlights the severe impact on the victim and the defendant's history of drug addiction and prior convictions.
2015-04-23 · Louth
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence in the murder trial of Marius Gaizutis (52), who is charged with murdering Audrius Butkus (44) at Marsh Road, Drogheda, on September 9 or 10, 2013. Gaizutis pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter; the State rejected this plea, and a jury was sworn in. Co-accused Aivers Sonders (53) faces three counts of assisting an offender by impeding Gaizutis's apprehension, to which he pleaded not guilty. State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy testified that Butkus died from blunt force trauma to the head, consistent with strikes from an object with a rectangular surface. She noted extensive skull damage, over forty fresh injuries, and chronic alcohol use, concluding the assault was sustained and violent. Detective Sergeant Liam Archbold presented Gaizutis's statements, in which he alleged a struggle involving a broken bottle and claimed he used an axe in self-defense before ordering Sonders to dispose of the body. The trial is ongoing, with the judge adjourning proceedings to Monday at 2 pm.
2015-04-23 · Sligo
A 21‑year‑old man was jailed for two years at the Central Criminal Court after pleading guilty to one count of defilement of a child. The offence occurred on 4 August 2012 when he had sex with a 15‑year‑old girl at an 18th‑birthday party in County Meath. The girl had slept at 2.30 am and the man entered her room at 6 am, having sex with her without a condom. She reported the incident to the gardai that day, leading to his arrest. He pleaded guilty in January 2015 and has been in custody since. Mr Justice Paul Carney sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, and imposed a €1,000 bond and a lifelong prohibition from approaching the victim. The court noted the man's guilty plea, his work ethic, and the serious impact on the victim.
2015-04-22 · Dublin
In the Central Criminal Court, a 39‑year‑old Nigerian man, Jooda Akanbi, is charged with murder after striking 45‑year‑old Taiwo Jamani with a baseball bat on Main Street, Swords, on 10 October 2013. The prosecution, led by Denis Vaughan Buckley SC, argued that Akanbi's claim of self‑defence was unsupported, describing the force used as "unreasonable and excessive" and asserting that evidence indicated Jamani was not the initial aggressor. Witnesses testified to a brief fight outside a bank around 12.20 pm, with Akanbi admitting to hitting Jamani but denying it in Garda interviews. Buckley urged the jury to consider the evidence sufficient for a murder conviction, noting that the incident was a flash‑in‑the‑pan event on a busy street. The trial remains ongoing. Jooda Akanbi pleaded not guilty.
2015-04-22 · Dublin
During a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, the defence presented Garda Damien Rogers as a witness. Rogers recounted a 2011 search of an apartment at The Bakery, George's Hill, Balbriggan, where the deceased, Taiwo Jamani, was present. He noted that Jamani's address was Dublin Street and that the premises was a computer business named Data Links owned by Jamani. Rogers claimed he entered a Garda Pulse system entry stating that Jamani and two others should be made suspects of computer and credit card fraud, but he also said no prosecution followed and Jamani had no prior convictions. The trial concerned the 2013 murder of Jamani by 39‑year‑old Jooda Akanbi, who was charged with killing Jamani with a baseball bat on Main Street, Swords. The defence argued that the alleged fraud allegations were unrelated to the murder case. The trial continued into the afternoon. Jooda Akanbi pleaded not guilty.
2015-04-22 · Louth
The Central Criminal Court is currently hearing the trial of Marius Gaizutis (52) and co-accused Aivers Sonders (53) under Justice Margaret Heneghan. Gaizutis, of Marsh Road, Drogheda, is charged with murdering Audrius Butkus (44) at that address on September 9 or 10, 2013. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter; the State rejected this plea, resulting in a jury trial. Sonders, of Termon Abbey, faces three counts of assisting an offender by impeding Gaizutis's apprehension, including moving the body to Mornington Beach and cleaning the scene. He pleaded not guilty to all counts. Prosecution counsel Patrick Gagey SC told the jury that Butkus died from a sharp, heavy implement, possibly an axe, to the back of the head. Evidence presented includes blood staining on a mop, bucket, and a red Suzuki Swift, as well as a blood-covered bag found near the body. Witnesses included Brian McAreavey, who discovered the body, and Garda Deirdre Semple, who noted drag marks. Gaizutis allegedly admitted to a fight with Butkus and instructed Sonders to dispose of the body. The trial is ongoing and expected to last five to six days.
2015-04-21 · Dublin
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, 39‑year‑old Jooda Akanbi pleaded not guilty to the killing of 45‑year‑old Taiwo Jamani on 10 October 2013 on Main Street, Swords. The prosecution closed its case after the defence presented evidence that the fatal blow was delivered in self‑defence. Akanbi testified that he had been threatened by Jamani, who had allegedly tried to coerce him into fraud and had threatened to involve the Gardaí. Akanbi claimed he struck Jamani with a baseball bat after being punched and that the death was caused by the accused's actions. The judge struck the second count of serious harm from the issue paper, stating the death was caused by the accused's own actions. No conviction or sentencing was reported in the article.
2015-04-21 · Dublin
During a trial at the Central Criminal Court, Jooda Akanbi, aged 39, faced charges of murdering 45‑year‑old Taiwo Jamani with a baseball bat on 13 November 2013, the day of Jamani's death at Beaumont Hospital. The case also included a separate charge of intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Jamani on 10 October 2013, when the two men fought on Main Street, Swords. Akanbi pleaded not guilty to both charges, claiming self‑defence. Judge Tony Hunt announced that the second charge would be struck from the indictment, describing it as a precautionary, non‑fatal allegation that was now superfluous because the death was attributed to the accused's actions. The trial continued with the remaining murder charge. The article reports only the procedural decision to drop the second count and does not state any verdict or sentencing. The trial was ongoing at the time of reporting.
2015-04-20 · Wicklow
In the Central Criminal Court, Frank O'Hara's two‑page victim impact statement was read by prosecution barrister Seán Guerin SC. He described his daughter Elaine as intelligent, emotionally vulnerable, and a future teacher who had earned a BA in Montessori Education. He recounted her disappearance in August 2012, initially presumed a suicide, and the subsequent discovery of her remains in September 2013, which shifted the investigation to murder. O'Hara expressed anguish over media coverage that he felt was insulting and over the questioning of his evidence's credibility. He highlighted unanswered questions about the circumstances of Elaine's death, including whether she was restrained or left to die alone. He concluded that the family's experience is a "life sentence" with no parole, emphasizing the ongoing pain and lack of closure.
2015-04-20 · Cork
Trevor Andre, a 27‑year‑old student from Pembroke Woods, Passage West, was convicted at the Central Criminal Court of attempted rape and sexual assault after he entered a woman's house on 8 June 2013, climbed into her bed while she slept, and attempted to insert his penis into her mouth. The victim, who is in her twenties, reported that she woke to find Andre straddling her and that he had tried to molest her breasts and mouth. She punched and squeezed his testicles and shouted for him to leave. Andre pleaded not guilty, but a jury of four women and eight men found him guilty. Mr Justice Tony Hunt sentenced him to six years' imprisonment, suspending the last two years on the condition that he remain under Probation Services supervision for two years after release.
2015-04-20 · Dublin
Mark Nash has been found guilty of murdering two women at sheltered accommodation in Grangegorman, Dublin, in March 1997. A Central Criminal Court jury returned a unanimous verdict after deliberating for over four hours on Monday, 20 April 2015. The trial lasted 48 days, during which 71 witnesses gave evidence. Nash, 42, originally from England with Dublin addresses, had pleaded not guilty to the murders of Sylvia Sheils, aged 59, and Mary Callanan, aged 61. The prosecution's case rested on admissions made by Nash, forensic evidence including DNA found on his jacket, and a caterpillar boot print discovered at the scene. Nash is already serving a life sentence for murders committed in Ballintober, Castlerea, County Roscommon, in August 1997. Mr Justice Carroll Moran imposed a life sentence for the Grangegorman murders. The case had remained unsolved for eighteen years before a DNA breakthrough in 2009 led to Nash's formal charging in October of that year.
2015-04-20 · Dublin
Graham Dwyer, a Cork‑born father of three, was sentenced to a mandatory life term by Mr Justice Tony Hunt for the murder of 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara. Dwyer was found guilty after a trial lasting more than two months, during which a jury of five women and seven men concluded that he lured O'Hara up the Dublin Mountains that evening, stabbed her for sexual gratification, and disposed of her belongings to stage a suicide. The judge described the crime as chilling and pre‑meditated, noted Dwyer's lack of remorse, and praised the evidence presented by the O'Hara family and Gardaí. He highlighted the victim's hard work and love of children, and the judge's remarks on the family's courage. Dwyer was taken to prison to begin serving his life sentence.
2015-04-20 · Ireland
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, a 29‑year‑old fisherman pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault of a 58‑year‑old woman with mild intellectual disabilities and schizophrenia. The assault, which took place at the victim's home in Kerry on 29 July 2011, involved physical violence, forced sexual intercourse, and the victim's throat being held. The attacker forced his way into the house after a brief encounter at a pub, punched the victim, and used a cigarette to burn her face. DNA and a fingerprint matched the accused, and the victim's DNA was found on a memoriam card. The victim suffered bruising, abrasions, carpet burns, and difficulty swallowing. She has since lost her independence and her role in the community centre, and she feels frightened and guilty about the incident. The court remanded the accused in continuing custody for sentencing in July, after a guilty plea was entered and a victim impact report was presented.
2015-04-20 · Sligo
A 21‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to one count of defilement of a child after having sex with a 15‑year‑old girl at an 18th birthday party in County Meath. The girl was staying at a friend's house when the man, who had previously met her at a hotel, entered her room at 6 am and had sex with her without a condom. She reported the incident to the Gardaí that day, leading to the man's arrest and subsequent guilty plea in January 2015. He has been in custody since then and will be sentenced on 23 April. In a victim impact statement read by Caroline Biggs SC, the girl, now 18, described the lasting emotional harm and the support she received. Derek Kenneally SC defended the man, noting his remorse, drinking problem, unemployment, and engagement with Alcoholics Anonymous and educational courses while in custody. The court will consider these factors when sentencing.
2015-04-20 · Cavan
Oliver Kierans, aged 57, from Drumbannon in Bailieborough, County Cavan, has been sentenced to twelve years imprisonment following proceedings at the Central Criminal Court. A jury returned a majority verdict finding him guilty of manslaughter, but not guilty of murder, in the death of his wife Patricia Kierans on 5 September 2013 at their family home. He was also convicted of unlawful possession of a sawn-off shotgun and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly imposed concurrent sentences of nine years for manslaughter, eight years for unlawful possession, and twelve years for possession with intent to endanger life. The court heard that the couple had been married thirty-three years when marital difficulties arose in 2013. The judge noted that Mr Kierans, who has no previous convictions, subsequently attended a public house in Bailieborough where a protracted incident involving gardaí ensued, which was resolved peacefully. Oliver Kierans was acquitted.
2015-04-20 · Dublin
The jury in the trial of Mark Nash, aged 42, who is accused of murdering Sylvia Sheils (59) and Mary Callanan (61) in March 1997, had deliberated for a total of two hours and fifty minutes at the Central Criminal Court before being instructed by Mr Justice Carroll Moran to take a lunch break and resume at 2 pm. Nash had pleaded not guilty. The case involves two murders that occurred 18 years ago.
2015-04-17 · Dublin
A jury in the Central Criminal Court, hearing the case of Mark Nash, 42, accused of murdering Sylvia Sheils, 59, and Mary Callanan, 61, in March 1997, spent a total of one hour deliberating before being sent home. Nash pleaded not guilty. The judge recharged the jury on issues such as Nash's Caterpillar boots, Palmarian pictures found on Dean Lyons, and suspect Martin Stafford. He told the jury they could decide when to resume, and they chose to reconvene on Monday at 11 am.
2015-04-17 · Dublin
In the Central Criminal Court, a jury resumed deliberations on the murder trial of Mark Nash, 42, who is accused of killing Sylvia Sheils, 59, and Mary Callanan, 61, between 6 and 7 March 1997. The victims were living in sheltered accommodation attached to St Brendan's Psychiatric Hospital in Grangegorman at the time of their deaths. The jury sought the initial statement of the late Dean Lyons, who had previously admitted to the murders and was charged with Callanan's murder on 27 July 1997, a charge later withdrawn in April 1998. Judge Carroll Moran reminded the jury that only evidence presented in court could be considered. The jury requested highlighters and drawing pens, viewed a video of the crime scene, and then paused for lunch before returning to continue deliberations. The trial remains ongoing. Mark Nash pleaded not guilty.
2015-04-16 · Dublin
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has adjourned deliberations in the trial of Mark Nash, who stands accused of murdering two women in 1997. The 42-year-old, with addresses in Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to charges relating to the deaths of two residents of sheltered accommodation at Grangegorman in March that year. Following a 48-day trial, Mr Justice Carroll Moran addressed the jury on legal principles and evidence, including admissions allegedly made by the accused, forensic findings, and DNA analysis. The judge also referenced incidents in Ballintubber, County Roscommon, noting these carried no probative value in the case. He instructed jurors to set aside sympathy and reach unanimous verdicts on the two counts. The jury deliberated for less than forty minutes on Thursday before being released until Friday morning, when they will resume their considerations.
2015-04-16 · Dublin
During a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, a taxi driver named John Clarke testified that on 10 October 2013 he witnessed a violent altercation on Main Street, Swords, involving two men and baseball bats. Clarke described one man pulling a bat from a car boot and striking the other, then the second man retrieving another bat and swinging it. He likened the scene to "something out of Star Wars." Another witness, Pearse Fagan, recounted hearing the fight from his phone call, seeing both men swing bats, and noting the victim's head bleeding. Fagan, a first aider, removed his t-shirt to stop the bleeding and photographed the assailant. The accused, Jooda Akanbi, is charged with murdering Taiwo Jamani and with causing serious harm to another man on the same day. Akanbi pleaded not guilty, claiming self‑defence. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Tony Hunt with a jury of twelve.
2015-04-15 · Dublin
In a 2015 murder trial, defence counsel Hugh Hartnett SC argued that forensic evidence from the Grangegorman scene supports the innocence of Mark Nash, who is 42 and lives in Dublin. Nash, charged with the murders of Sylvia Shields (60) and Mary Callanan (61) in March 1997, pleaded not guilty. Hartnett highlighted that no hair or DNA from Nash was found at the Orchard View house, and that black fibres on the window came from another source. He also noted that forensic analysis of a jacket and bedding linked to Nash showed no blood contamination. Hartnett contrasted these findings with the detailed admissions of former inmate Dean Lyons, whose statements he claimed were accurate and corroborated by evidence. He urged the jury to acquit Nash, asserting the evidence fell far below the required standard of proof. The judge would later address legal principles.
2015-04-15 · Dublin
In a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, a witness testified that the accused, Jooda Akanbi, told Taiwo Jamani he was going to beat him just moments before striking him twice in the head with a baseball bat on Main Street, Swords, in October 2013. The witness, Abayoni Oluvole, described the exchange in both English and Yoruba, noting that Akanbi repeated the threat three times before Jamani told him to leave. He also recounted that Akanbi took a bat from his BMW's boot and hit Jamani, who fell and did not rise. The witness denied any fabrication and was cross‑examined by Patrick Marrinan SC, who questioned the timing of the threat. CCTV footage showed the build‑up but not the actual strike. The case remains before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury, with a two‑week trial expected. Jooda Akanbi pleaded not guilty.
2015-04-15 · Louth
Christopher Ward, aged 52, was convicted of raping his 74‑year‑old aunt Kathleen Ward in Dundalk on 13 March 2011. After an eight‑day trial, a Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty and Mr Justice George Birmingham sentenced him to 14 years' imprisonment on 19 May 2014. Ward had pleaded not guilty and was due to appeal his conviction and sentence in the Court of Appeal before 18 April 2015. However, his barrister, Michael O'Higgins SC, informed the Court that Ward suffered a heart attack on Friday and died, so the appeal will not proceed.
2015-04-15 · Dublin
In a Dublin murder trial, a 39‑year‑old man, Jooda Akanbi, is charged with killing 45‑year‑old Taiwo Jamani with a baseball bat on November 13, 2013, and with causing serious harm to another Nigerian on October 10, 2013. Akanbi pleaded not guilty to both charges, claiming self‑defence. The incident occurred on Main Street, Swords, during daylight, but none of the 12 local CCTV cameras captured it. However, footage of the build‑up was shown to the jury, including the movements of Akanbi's BMW 5 Series, a witness speaking to the injured party, and cyclist Adam Ounch. Ounch testified that he was cycling behind the BMW, heard the driver shouting, and later saw two men near the car, one lying on the street and the other speaking to Gardaí. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, is expected to last two weeks.
2015-04-15 · Dublin
In the Central Criminal Court, Mark Nash, aged 42, pleaded not guilty to the murders of Sylvia Shields (60) and Mary Callanan (61) committed between 6 and 7 March 1997. The prosecution, led by Mr Brendan Grehan SC, concluded his closing speech by arguing that if Nash is not the person who carried out the killings, he is a "most unfortunate person." He cited Nash's residence on Prussia Street, his lack of an accomplice, his unsolicited admissions to Gardaí, and the presence of DNA from both victims on a black velvet jacket Nash allegedly wore. Grehan also mentioned that Nash's letter of retraction introduced new material about mutilation and the use of five knives, and that Nash owned caterpillar boots matching prints found at the scene. Mr Hugh Hartnett SC, counsel for Nash, began his closing remarks by stating he would focus on the scientific facts of the case.
2015-04-14 · Dublin
A 39‑year‑old Nigerian man, Jooda Akanbi, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of 45‑year‑old Taiwo Jamani on 13 November 2013. The alleged killing occurred on Main Street, Swords, in broad daylight at about 12.15pm on 10 October 2013, when Akanbi allegedly struck Jamani with a baseball bat, causing fatal head injuries. Akanbi pleaded not guilty to both the murder charge and a separate charge of intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm. He claims the act was in self‑defence. The prosecution, led by Denis Vaughan Buckley SC, presented eyewitness testimony, photographs of the scene, and post‑mortem evidence indicating blunt‑force trauma to the head as the cause of death. The trial is expected to last two weeks.
2015-04-14 · Dublin
The trial of Mark Nash, 42, accused of murdering Sylvia Shields, 60, and Mary Callanan, 61, in March 1997, has entered its closing speeches. Nash, who lives on Prussia Street and Clonliffe Road in Dublin, pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. The victims were residents of a sheltered accommodation attached to St Brendan's Psychiatric Hospital in Grangegorman. Judge Carroll Moran informed the jury that the case's final chapter remains, and counsel for the State, Brendan Grehan SC, began his closing speech before midday, with the remainder of the day to follow.
2015-04-13 · Mayo
A 23-year-old man from Mount Prospect, Roscommon, has been sentenced to ten years imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, following his conviction for manslaughter at the Central Criminal Court. Ray Gralton pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Sara Staunton, a 28-year-old mother-of-two, who died at her home in Portagh, Mayo Abbey, Claremorris on 13 December 2013. The court heard the pair had been in a turbulent relationship marked by heavy alcohol consumption. During the evening of her death, a violent altercation occurred between Gralton and Ms Staunton, during which she sustained severe blunt force trauma to the head. A pathologist confirmed multiple bruises and brain damage. Mr Justice Paul Carney noted the offence's inherent gravity and the impact on the deceased's family. In imposing sentence, the judge acknowledged Gralton's remorse and good work record. The suspended portion is conditional on a €1,000 bond and that Gralton maintain distance from the Staunton family.
2015-04-13 · Cavan
At the Central Criminal Court on April 13th, Kevin Moran was sentenced to twelve years imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, for the manslaughter of archaeologist Emmett Connolly. The thirty-year-old from Lodgeview, Cootehill, County Cavan, pleaded guilty to manslaughter following a jury finding in February that he was not guilty of murder. Mr Connolly, aged thirty-two from Rockcorry, County Monaghan, died from seventeen stab wounds sustained on September 28th, 2013. Mr Justice Paul Carney imposed the sentence on condition that Moran maintain a bond of one thousand euro and remain away from the deceased's family. The court heard evidence regarding the gravity of the attack and its impact on those bereaved. The Connolly family released a statement expressing relief that proceedings had concluded whilst acknowledging their ongoing grief. Moran was remanded in custody from December 7th, 2013.
2015-04-13 · Galway
In a 2015 Central Criminal Court hearing, Henry Crowe, aged 57, was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment for repeatedly raping his partner's daughter, Majella Cahill, between 1988 and 1992. The offences were pleaded guilty and involved five separate rapes when Cahill was aged 11 to 15. Judge Paul Carney declared Crowe a sex offender, citing the gross breach of trust, the victim's age and the multiplicity of offences. The sentence was back‑dated to March 2013, with the final two years suspended due to Crowe's early guilty plea, remorse and good character. Crowe was ordered to undergo 18 months of post‑release supervision and to stay away from Cahill upon release. The hearing included Cahill's victim impact statement, detailing her childhood neglect, abuse by her grandfather, and the abuse she suffered from Crowe, which she described as daily and horrific. The court noted that Crowe had no prior convictions.
2015-04-13 · Dublin
In a North Dublin town, a 39‑year‑old man named Jooda Akanbi, of Ashton Avenue, Applewood, Swords, pleaded not guilty to two charges before the Central Criminal Court. He is accused of murdering 45‑year‑old Taiwo Jamani on 13 November 2013 on Main Street, Swords, and of intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Jamani on 10 October 2013. Akanbi, wearing a black suit and cream shirt, was arraigned and a jury of five women and seven men was sworn in. The trial is set to begin the following day and is expected to last two weeks.