The jury for former Anglo Irish Bank chief executive David Drumm, aged 51, was sent home until the end of January because of extensive legal argument in the case. Drumm, who lives in Skerries, Co. Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to conspiring with former bank officials Denis Casey, William McAteer, John Bowe and others to defraud depositors and investors by "dishonestly" creating the impression that Anglo's 2008 deposits were €7.2 billion larger than they actually were. He also pleaded not guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to using an account on 3 December 2008 to provide false information to the market about the bank's deposits. Judge Karen O'Connor warned the 15 jurors not to consult social media or conduct independent research, and to avoid electronic communication such as text, Twitter or Facebook. She told them they could leave until 29 January, when the trial would begin.
David Drumm, aged 51 and former chief executive of Anglo Irish Bank, pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to defraud and false accounting. He is accused of colluding with others to mislead depositors and investors by presenting a false impression that 2008 deposits were €7.2 billion larger than they actually were. The court heard that Drumm allegedly provided misleading information to the market on 3 December 2008, creating the impression of a €7.2 billion deposit surplus. A specially enlarged jury of 15 was sworn in at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to try the case. Drumm denied all allegations, stating he did not conspire with Denis Casey, William McAteer, John Bowe or others, nor did he furnish false information to the market in September 2008. The trial is scheduled to continue after a brief adjournment.
Ronald Flynn (54), of Mount Nugent, Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan, has been sentenced to two years in jail following his guilty plea at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing just under 10kg of cannabis at Citywest Avenue, Citywest Business Park, Dublin on November 19, 2015. Flynn admitted to the charge and was found guilty. The court heard that Jason Flynn, currently serving a five-year sentence for drugs offences, had accrued a drug debt, which was then transferred to his father. Jason Flynn wrote a letter from prison appealing for leniency for his father, stating it was 'all his fault'. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged that Ronald Flynn felt 'coerced' to take part in the operation as he was told his son would be 'killed by Christmas'. However, the judge noted that Flynn, a 'mature man', made a decision to involve himself in serious crime. Detective Garda William Armstrong testified that he posed as a UPS delivery man to intercept the parcel of drugs, valued at €198,900. Flynn was arrested after collecting the package and made full admissions. Flynn has 19 previous convictions, mainly for road traffic offences. Michael Bowman SC, defending, stated that Flynn was threatened with the death of his son unless he collected the drugs. The judge agreed to stay the start of the sentence until February 26 next. The matter was adjourned for the purposes of appeal.
Annette McCluskey and Edward McCluskey pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to charges of stealing adult dependent allowance from the Department of Social and Family Affairs. Annette McCluskey admitted to three representative counts of stealing payments at Pearse Street Post Office between July 2004 and March 2013, and using a PPS number in the name of Jacqueline Hayden at SIPTU College on July 15, 2005. Edward McCluskey pleaded guilty to sample counts of stealing the same allowance between July 2004 and March 2012, and concealing that Annette McCluskey was employed at the Social Welfare Office on June 21, 2005. The prosecution alleged the couple collected €72,482 over 11 years while Annette McCluskey worked under an assumed name. Judge Karen O'Connor adjourned the matter to consider the significant amount of documents and testimonials handed up. The couple was remanded on continuing bail until next February. No sentence or final disposal was recorded at this procedural stage.
Eoin Hannigan, a 19‑year‑old from Oldcourt Farm, Firhouse, was found guilty of possessing seven stolen mountain bikes worth €11,000. He admitted possession on 23 February but claimed he did not know the bikes were stolen. The bikes were taken from a small rental company in Ticknock Forest on 22 February. A psychological report described Hannigan as having ADHD, being on the autism spectrum, and unable to control himself, leading the judge to view the case as "complicated." Judge Martin Nolan imposed a fully suspended two‑year sentence, ordering Hannigan to keep the peace, behave well, and be supervised by the Probation Service for 18 months. The sentence was granted after counsel argued that Hannigan urgently needed psychoactive medication and that his psychological conditions mitigated his responsibility. The court noted the theft of 12 bikes caused major losses for the owners, though only seven were recovered.
Aaron Byrne, aged 24, was sentenced to an additional twelve months in prison for his role in a four‑way altercation that took place on Crumlin Road, Dublin 12, on 3 February 2014. He pleaded guilty to affray at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Byrne, who was already serving an eight‑year sentence for assault causing serious harm, was charged with violent disorder but the charge was later reduced to affray. According to Garda Paul Keville, Byrne and two other men chased an injured party off a Dublin Bus number 122 and pursued him into the forecourt of a Maxol petrol station. The injured party produced a knife to defend himself. Byrne threw a bag of fire logs at the injured party. In cross‑examination, Byrne admitted he had a minimal role and was not actively engaged in the four‑way altercation.
Conor O'Hora, 40, of Heather Walk, Portmarnock, is scheduled to plead at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 20 February. He faces three charges: harassment of RTÉ newsreader Sharon Ní Bheoláin at various locations from 20 October 2013 to 16 February 2014, and two counts of possessing child pornography in text communications and images during the same period. O'Hora appeared before Judge Martin Nolan today. No Garda objection has been raised to the bail conditions set in October, which require him to remain at his current address and to have no direct or indirect contact with anyone involved in the investigation.
Michael Shine, an 85‑year‑old retired consultant surgeon from Dublin, was jailed last month for indecently assaulting two 15‑year‑old boys in the 1970s. He was convicted on eight counts of indecent assault at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and his private clinic in Drogheda between 1964 and 1991, but was acquitted on the remaining counts. The jury found him guilty of the two 1970s assaults, and the judge imposed consecutive 10‑month sentences, totalling 20 months, a term within the offence's two‑year maximum. Shine has lodged an appeal against both conviction and sentence. On 2 December, the three‑judge court granted him bail pending the appeal, subject to conditions such as residing at his home, attending court dates, signing in weekly at a Garda station, not applying for a passport, and expediting his appeal. The appeal focuses on alleged procedural errors and the harshness of the custodial term given Shine's age and health. Michael Shine pleaded not guilty.
In December 2017, a former Dublin homeless man, Dwayne Barry, aged 29, was found guilty of arson at two Ballsbridge locations. Barry had set wheelie bins on fire to warm his sleeping bag, and when the fires spread he attempted to extinguish them. He pleaded guilty to arson at Ardoyne House, Pembrook Park, Ballsbridge on 25 January 2016, causing €45,000 damage to a Porsche and BMW in a double garage, and to arson at Burlington House, Waterloo Lane, Ballsbridge on 28 February 2016, causing structural damage of over €18,000. Barry has 86 prior convictions. Garda Martin Folan, after reviewing CCTV footage and interviewing Barry, noted Barry's cooperation and efforts to improve his life, including addressing alcohol use and planning to take his Leaving Cert. Judge Karen O'Connor postponed sentencing to March and ordered a probation report. The case remains pending sentencing.
Declan Cosgrave, a 53-year-old painter, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis resin, cannabis, and cocaine worth €1.9m at his home in Donaghmede Park, Dublin 13. Judge Cormac Quinn imposed a seven-year prison term, suspending the final two years for a period of two years. The judge directed that Cosgrave undergo Probation Service supervision for two years upon release. During sentencing, the court acknowledged mitigating factors, including Cosgrave's plea, cooperation with gardai, medical conditions, and an alleged element of coercion. Cosgrave's defense counsel, Blaise O'Carroll SC, argued that the defendant was vulnerable and coerced into storing the drugs to settle a debt, citing his history of cocaine use and chronic sleep apnoea. The judge noted the significant value of the drugs as an aggravating factor but considered Cosgrave's lack of prior serious convictions and his vulnerable state when he took possession of the substances. The matter was finalized with this sentence, which includes the specified suspension and supervision conditions.
In a 2015 incident at a house party in Clarehall, Dublin, 17‑year‑old Leon Kavanagh, then intoxicated, assaulted Garda Paula Carter. While Carter was attempting to locate a missing boy, Kavanagh pushed her to the ground, striking her head and rendering her unconscious. He then kicked her several times while she lay on the footpath. Kavanagh fled but was later arrested and pleaded guilty to assault of a peace officer and violent disorder. In 2017, the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court imposed a suspended sentence of three years, suspended in full on strict conditions, including attendance at alcohol, offending behaviour and anger‑management courses. The judge noted Kavanagh's early guilty plea, remorse, and his enrollment in courses and full‑time employment. The court also heard that Carter suffered anxiety and physical injuries from the assault. The case highlighted the seriousness of assaulting a peace officer and the court's willingness to impose suspended sentences under certain conditions.
Two men, Joseph Connors (22) and John Connors (20), were sentenced to three years' imprisonment for violent disorder after an unprovoked attack on three Afghan nationals, including a thirteen‑year‑old boy, in Marlay Park on 5 May 2016. Judge Cormac Quinn suspended the last 18 months of each sentence on the condition that the men keep the peace and engage with Probation Services. The attack involved shouting, physical assault and the use of kicks and punches, with CCTV footage showing the Connors men striking the Afghanis. One victim sustained a broken nose and the teenager subsequently left Ireland. Both men had prior convictions; Joseph had 56, including burglary and public order offences, while John had two minor traffic convictions. The court denied a request for Joseph to remain on bail until after Christmas, citing his wife's due birth. The Connors were present with €1,000 in compensation for the victims. Joseph Connors pleaded guilty. John Connors pleaded guilty.
Michael Alexis, 53, appeared at Store Street Garda Station in a distressed state and admitted involvement in a burglary that occurred on 25 September 2015 at The Gasworks Apartments, Dublin 4. He was a lookout and claimed he had not known about the burglary in advance, that the individual he was with had a key, and that he had spent the €200 he received. Gardaí recovered stolen electrical equipment, including four laptops, a tablet and an iPad mini, and returned it to the owners. Alexis pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Karen O'Connor noted his mental health issues, alcohol difficulty and nine prior convictions. She imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence, ordered addiction treatment and offence‑focused work under probation supervision, and urged him to address his problems. The burglary took place between 9.30 am and 11 am while residents were away.
Declan Henry, a 37‑year‑old father of six from Brookview Close, Tallaght, was given a suspended jail sentence after pleading guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply. In June 2016, Gardaí seized cannabis with an estimated street value of €39,900 during a search of his home. Henry claimed he had borrowed €1,200 for Christmas and was holding the drugs to repay the debt, admitting he could not pay back the money. He expressed remorse for the impact on his wife and children. The court heard that Henry had no prior convictions and was not on any Garda radar for criminal activity. Judge Karen O'Connor noted no evidence of an affluent lifestyle or profit from the drugs. The sentence of three and a half years was suspended on the condition that Henry keep the peace and engage with Probation Services to address his cannabis use.
A Dublin man has been sentenced to 32 months' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his guilty plea to assaulting a champion power lifter at College Green on 17 January 2017. Dermot Dowd, aged 25, of Allenton Gardens, Tallaght, stabbed the injured party with scissors after being asked to leave a nightclub entrance. The victim, Thomas Gleeson, sustained a 10-centimetre wound to his back and lacerations to his shoulder, requiring hospital treatment. The assault prevented Mr Gleeson from competing in European weightlifting championships and caused him to withdraw from representing Ireland in his sport. He was absent from work for 38 weeks and reported suffering anxiety and chest pains since the incident. Judge Martin Nolan noted the offence fell at the higher end of the assault scale given the severity of injuries and the weapon used. Dowd, who has 42 previous convictions, is also facing sentencing in the New Year for dangerous driving causing death in Donegal. The sentence was backdated to 17 January 2017.
James McGinley, aged 40, was arrested after plain‑clothes gardai spotted him walking with a fire extinguisher in the early hours. He pleaded guilty to burglary and criminal damage at Fitzwilliam Square West, Dublin, on the night of 29–30 July 2017. McGinley and a co‑accused broke into a Georgian building housing several businesses, using a fire extinguisher to force open office doors. Six laptops and a mobile phone were taken; a solicitor's office was ransacked but no items were removed. The total damage was €2,500. McGinley admitted he needed money for a relative's birthday and said he should have bought a card instead. He was sentenced by Judge Cormac Quinn to three years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, and is currently in custody. The co‑accused awaits sentencing in the District Court.
In a Dublin court hearing, Jason Kearney, 37, was found drinking orange juice in the kitchen of his home while a fire raged. Garda Neill McGrath, responding to the fire, had to shout at Kearney several times to leave the premises as he kept walking back into the kitchen. After the fire was extinguished, the garda discovered prescription tablets on a countertop and later obtained a warrant to search the house. The raid uncovered €104,604 of phenazepam tablets, €41,180 of zopiclone pills, and €7,400 of the illegal drug TFMPP in zip‑lock bags in the tumble dryer. Kearney, a father of three from Lucan, pleaded guilty to possessing TFMPP for sale or supply at his home on 27 May 2015. He has 15 prior convictions and is already in custody until 2023 for another serious drug offence. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three‑year sentence to run concurrently with the jail term he is currently serving.
A Mayo man and former member of the Anti-Corruption Taskforce has been imprisoned for a hit-and-run incident involving a garda sergeant. Joseph Doocey (51) of Knoxbarret, Ballina, was convicted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following a nine-day trial in October on charges of endangerment, dangerous driving, and assault causing harm to Sergeant Declan Casey. The offences arose from an incident on 8 June 2015 near Font Cross, Ballina, when Doocey failed to stop at a garda checkpoint. He drove his vehicle at Sgt Casey, struck him multiple times, reversed over his foot, and collided with a van before driving at speed towards the sergeant while he remained on the roadway. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a three-and-a-half-year sentence with the final year suspended, conditional on Doocey signing a bond restricting online posts about gardaí and court personnel. When Doocey refused to sign, the judge imposed the full custodial term. He was also disqualified from driving for five years. Joseph Doocey pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 56‑year‑old Joseph Tyrell, who has 85 prior convictions, was found to have spent more time in prison than in the community. Since age 16, he has been in and out of custody, with the longest period outside prison in the last 40 years lasting only 15 months. His convictions include 27 for burglary, three for aggravated burglary and four for robbery. Tyrell pleaded guilty to a burglary at Lower Kimmage Road on 31 August 2016, where he entered through an open window, stole a wallet containing €600, and was identified by CCTV. The prosecution and defence agreed the offence was opportunistic. The judge adjourned sentencing to 2 March 2018 and ordered an updated probation report. The defendant, a father of three, expressed a desire to complete courses and provide drug‑free urine analysis before transfer to another prison. The court noted his improved health and commitment to bettering himself.
Frederick Cham, 62, of Railway Cottages, Hazelhatch, Celbridge, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two charges of organising or facilitating the entry of illegal immigrants into Ireland. The alleged offences involved helping persons bypass passport control at Dublin Airport on 29 December 2016 and 9 January 2017. Cham, originally from Hong Kong, was arrested by the Garda National Immigration Bureau. He was granted legal aid after a prior refusal. Judge Martin Nolan ordered a governor's report from Cloverhill Prison and adjourned the case to 6 February 2018.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 19 December 2017, Noel Parsons, aged 54, and his son Craig Parsons, aged 22, were sentenced to suspended prison terms for a "vicious and unprovoked" assault that took place outside Brady's Pub in Shankill on 13 May 2012. The court described the attack as having caused serious injuries to bartender William Kelly, who suffered a bleeding bite to his left arm, and to customer Ronan Mulcahy, who required six stitches to his forehead after being punched and kicked. Noel Parsons received a two‑year prison sentence suspended for two years and was ordered to pay €800 in compensation, while Craig Parsons received an 18‑month sentence suspended for 18 months and was ordered to pay €2,000. Both defendants pleaded guilty, and the judge noted their recent bereavements, medical conditions, and character references in determining the suspended sentences.
A 22‑year‑old man, Niky Sosso, was found with 387 g of cocaine worth €27,115 in his bedroom in Mulhuddart, Dublin, on 28 January 2016. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing cocaine for sale or supply. The offence carries a presumptive mandatory minimum of ten years, but the judge, Karen O'Connor, departed from that minimum because Sosso cooperated with the Gardaí, had no prior convictions, and had a good character record. The court imposed a suspended prison sentence of three years, with the sentence suspended for the full term. Sosso admitted he was holding the drugs for others, had no significant assets, and was a student at the time. He pledged to pay drug rehabilitation facilities with his earnings. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Anthony Connors, aged 42, was sentenced to four years in prison for a burglary that turned violent when he attacked Michael Tonra in Tonra's home on 20 June 2016. Connors had convinced Tonra he was looking for a long‑lost friend and, after Tonra offered to write down his contact details, Connors entered the house, pushed Tonra, and tried to force his way past him. Tonra resisted, and a struggle ensued in which Tonra pinned Connors to the ground, struck him, and forced him out of the house. Connors shouted threats of return and demanded his jacket, which he had taken during the fight. The court noted Connors' 60 prior convictions, including burglary and robbery, and his history of drug abuse. Judge Karen O'Connor, after hearing the case, imposed a five‑year sentence, suspended the last year on the condition that Connors participate in Probation Service programmes to address violent offending and substance abuse. Anthony Connors pleaded guilty.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Eric Harcourt pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Cloverhill Prison, Clondalkin, Dublin, on July 29, 2015. Judge Martin Nolan found Harcourt to be an active participant in the disorder and imposed a six-month sentence consecutive to his current jail term, which is due to expire in April 2019. Harcourt was on remand at the time for an offence of endangerment, for which he received a four-and-a-half-year jail term. Dean Byrne, of Belcamp Crescent Priorswood, received a six-month consecutive sentence for aiding and abetting violent disorder on the same date. The court heard that Harcourt climbed onto the prison roof using clothing tossed up by other inmates and remained there for hours with Byrne. Both refused attempts by a prison negotiator and their grandmothers to persuade them to descend. Harcourt was seen throwing debris onto prison officers below and smashing an aerial. He eventually descended at 1:30 am after the riot began around 11 am the previous day. The judge noted that Harcourt had 74 previous convictions and very low cognitive ability, and that he was a father of one. The matter was finalised with the imposition of the consecutive sentences.
A bookkeeper from Virginia, County Cavan, has avoided imprisonment after admitting theft from a Dublin creche. Elizabeth Ingram (61) pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing €14,000 from Ballyfermot Resource Centre during 2011 and 2012. Judge Melanie Greally imposed 240 hours of community service in lieu of a one-year prison sentence. The court heard Ingram had worked in bookkeeping at the resource centre for eight years before the thefts were uncovered during a mandatory Government funding audit. She admitted taking approximately €100 from every €1,000 in creche payments over several weeks, plus €800 from the centre's restaurant. Ingram repaid the full amount by bank draft following her admission. Judge Greally acknowledged the serious breach of trust but noted Ingram was under financial pressure at the time and described the offence as uncharacteristic of an otherwise law-abiding woman who raised four children as a single parent.
Mapulana Monnakgolta, 38, received a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to importing 5.8 kg of cannabis resin worth €116,700 between 9 and 20 February 2015. She had no prior convictions, cooperated fully, and had not been previously caught by Gardaí. Monnakgolta claimed she expected the packages to contain clothes and shoes and was to be paid €500 per parcel by unknown persons. Garda Killian Duffy noted her statements were "somewhat confused." Judge Melanie Greally sentenced her to three and a half years, fully suspended, and ordered her to attend psychiatric appointments and take medication as directed. She now lives in a hostel on North Brunswick Street, Dublin. The case involved parcels intercepted by customs upon arrival in Ireland. The suspended sentence means she will not serve time unless she breaches the conditions set by the court.
Father‑of‑two Timothy Magee (42) of Finglas was given a three‑year fully‑suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assaulting Gavin Mitchell with a baseball bat outside McGrath's Pub on 10 January 2015. Magee pleaded guilty to causing a serious fracture to Mitchell's forehead and additional blows to his body. The court ordered Magee to pay €8,000 in compensation, with €2,000 payable immediately and €6,000 thereafter. Judge Martin Nolan noted that Magee did not initiate the altercation but that his response was "grossly disproportionate." Magee admitted he was very intoxicated and had little memory of the night. Mitchell suffered a fractured bone, required surgery to remove an aneurism, and now lives with an arteriovenous fistula. Magee had three prior minor traffic convictions and was described by employers and a GAA club chairman as a reliable, hardworking, loyal family man. The case was presented as an instance of excessive force in a self‑defence claim.
A man has received a two-year suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his guilty plea to burglary at a takeaway in Castlebar, County Mayo. Yasir Ali, aged 29, of Lighthouse Apartments, East Wall, Dublin, stole equipment valued at €11,484.50 from Thomas Street Takeaway on 18 May 2015. The stolen items included commercial freezers, deep fat fryers, a burger fryer, microwave, food blender, and stainless steel fixtures. Ali was arrested shortly after the offence and subsequently apprehended at Dublin Airport attempting to leave the country with false documentation. Following his arrest, he cooperated with gardaí and led them to a farmhouse at Hollymount, County Mayo, where the concealed equipment was recovered in July 2015. Judge Karen O'Connor imposed the sentence in full suspension. Ali received an additional three-month suspended sentence for the false documentation offence. The court heard he has no previous convictions and had adhered to bail conditions.
Warren Brennan, aged 26, was re‑sentenced to ten years' imprisonment with the final three years suspended after the Court of Appeal found his original seven‑year sentence unduly lenient. Brennan had pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, robbery and related offences at a bookmakers shop on Lombard Street in December 2014 and at Alderwood Park in October 2015. He was convicted of robbing a 71‑year‑old pensioner with a hammer, repeatedly striking him on the head and body, and also striking the victim's nephew. Brennan had previously been convicted of 54 offences, including robbery and possession of a firearm. The Court of Appeal, judging that the evidence was overwhelming and that the guilty pleas had earned excessive credit, imposed a consecutive five‑year term with the final three years suspended, requiring a good‑behaviour bond for the suspended period.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, aged 20, pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment and dangerous driving in Dublin. He was charged with leading a high‑speed chase that forced parents and schoolchildren to take evasive action near a Donaghmede school, and with driving a Toyota Prius at up to 120 km/h, overtaking on the wrong side of the road, causing a two‑car collision, side‑swiping a Garda car and bypassing a road block. The court noted his previous road traffic and drug convictions. Judge Patrick Quinn sentenced him to three years' imprisonment but suspended the sentence in full, citing his early plea, employment, completion of a barber training course and the potential for a "make or break point" in his life. The judge also disqualified Fitzpatrick from driving for five years. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 17 February 2016. The sentencing decision was made on 18 December 2017.
John Theaddus, a 30‑year‑old former refugee from Nigeria, was found guilty by a jury of conspiring to import cocaine and of possessing cocaine. He was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, back‑dated to the day of his conviction, November 15. The case involved a total of €23,644 worth of cocaine seized by Gardaí. Theaddus had been arrested after a package containing cocaine was delivered to a hostel where he was staying, and further drugs were found at his South Circular Road address. He had previously been convicted of public order offences. James Onwuka, who was co‑accused and pleaded guilty to the same counts, received a separate sentence of two and a half years' imprisonment. The trial was held at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Theaddus had been granted a residential permit in 2014, allowing him to work and study, and had no prior criminal record beyond the public order convictions.
Leroy Roche AKA Dumbrell, 31, of Dun Laoghaire, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a further 14 months in prison for violent disorder. Judge Martin Nolan noted that Dumbrell pleaded guilty to the offence, which occurred on August 29, 2015, during a disturbance at Cloverhill Prison. The court heard that Dumbrell allegedly acted as a ringleader, striking riot squad officers' shields with an iron bar and threatening to take a hostage. Judge Nolan described the behaviour as disgraceful, particularly given that the offence was committed while Dumbrell was already in custody. The judge acknowledged mitigating factors, including Dumbrell's efforts to reform, evidenced by completed education courses and a drug-free status. Dumbrell's 14-month sentence will run consecutively to the six-year jail term he is currently serving for making threats to kill and violent disorder. His current sentence is due for release on July 30, 2019, and the new sentence will take effect from that date. Defence counsel Damien Colgan SC highlighted that the guilty plea spared the court a trial and presented evidence of Dumbrell's rehabilitation, including completion of an Alternative to Violence course.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Donal Geoghegan, 37, was charged with sexually assaulting a woman on a dance floor in a late bar on 21 November 2015. The complainant recounted feeling a hand on her thigh that moved to her vagina, but she could not identify the assailant. Judge Cormac Quinn directed the jury to acquit Geoghegan on day four, citing the lack of evidence that the defendant touched the complainant. He noted that CCTV footage did not reveal the assailant's identity and that another man, referred to as "Mr X," was present and had behaved in a tactile manner towards several women, including the complainant. The judge argued that the Garda investigation had not examined Mr X or other potential witnesses, and that this omission made a conviction impossible. The case was dismissed, and an application for costs will be heard on 11 January 2018. Donal Geoghegan pleaded not guilty.
Paul Gill, a 37‑year‑old construction worker from Naas, pleaded guilty to assaulting Patrick "Patsy" Kelly, 58, and Martin Curtis on 22 August 2015. He admitted punching Kelly in the face, dragging him eight metres from Curtis's front door and kicking him once in the head, then attacking Curtis when he arrived. Emergency services performed CPR on Kelly, who later died. Post‑mortem found Kelly died of heart disease, with the assault's minor trauma contributing. Gill had previously pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and was acquitted after a six‑day trial. Judge Melanie Greally, noting aggravating factors such as Kelly's vulnerability and intoxication, imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year jail sentence for the assault on Kelly, taking the assault on Curtis into account. The sentence reflected Gill's guilty plea, admissions, remorse, and the impact on Kelly's family. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Donal Geoghegan, aged 37, pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting a bar woman on 21 November 2015. On the third day of trial, defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC cross‑examined Sergeant Joanne McCormack, the investigating officer. McCormack had reviewed CCTV footage showing an unidentified man, referred to as "Mr X", engaging in tactile behaviour with several women, including placing hands on arms and hair, patting a head and approaching a fourth woman's arm. She stated that Mr X's conduct could be assault but not sexual assault, and that no complaints were made against him. O'Higgins suggested that treating Mr X as a person of interest would expose the investigation as incompetent. McCormack denied this, asserting the investigation was professional and that she had not considered Mr X a suspect.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 36‑year‑old Ashley Lucas pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering for setting up a bank account at AIB Drogheda on 24 March 2015. The account was used to defraud foreign student Marlene Lienau, who transferred €1,040 for a room that did not exist. Lucas claimed he was instructed by a Nigerian man in the UK and denied knowing Lienau. Judge Karen O'Connor noted Lucas had paid €1,400 as redress, had no prior convictions, and had complied with bail conditions. She adjourned the case to February to assess suitability for community service, indicating a possible order of 240 hours in lieu of a three‑year prison term. Lienau suffered an economic loss of €1,346 and expressed distress at being scammed and the impact on her view of Ireland.
Mihail Coptu, a 46‑year‑old Moldovan, was jailed for one year after he attempted to choke a 70‑year‑old taxi driver with a seat belt while the taxi was moving onto a motorway slip road. Coptu, who had 23 prior convictions, was found drunk at the time of the offence. He pleaded guilty to endangerment and obstruction of a garda at the M1 motorway on 17 March 2016. The judge, citing the seriousness of the offence and Coptu's intoxication, imposed a custodial sentence, rejecting a non‑custodial alternative. Garda Gerard Mullarkey reported that the driver had freed himself by pulling the seat belt over his head, after which Coptu fled the moving vehicle. The court heard a victim impact statement noting the driver's three‑week loss of work and the cost of installing a screen in the taxi. Coptu later expressed remorse and claimed the incident was an aberration caused by alcohol.
Nathan Coakley (24) has been sentenced to five years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his role in an armed robbery. Coakley, of Buckingham Street Upper, Dublin, pleaded guilty to possessing a kitchen knife during a hold-up at a Spar shop on Long Brook Quay on December 10, 2015. His accomplice carried an imitation firearm and assaulted a staff member when unable to access a time-locked safe. The raiders escaped with €6,114, which was never recovered. Judge Cormac Quinn imposed the five-year sentence with the final 18 months suspended, conditional on compliance with the Probation Services. The court noted that a victim, who has since relocated to Donegal, found the robbery traumatic. Coakley's previous convictions number 82, predominantly for road traffic offences, though Judge Quinn acknowledged his recent achievement in becoming drug-free and noted the absence of prior violent crime convictions.
Craig Smith, aged 20, was given an 18‑month suspended sentence for his role in a violent brawl on D'Olier Street in Dublin on 23 May 2016. Smith, who was armed with an iron bar, struck two male victims, Mr Dylan Campbell and Mr Lee Whelan, during an attempt to break up a fight between two women. CCTV footage showed Smith swinging the bar at the victims and making contact with Mr Campbell, while another man struck Mr Campbell with a hammer. Smith pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assault with an offensive weapon. The judge noted his lack of prior convictions and personal circumstances, imposing a suspended sentence with strict conditions, including two years of probation supervision. The case also involved Jordan McGuinness, who received a one‑year suspended sentence for his part in the incident. Both men withdrew their complaints after initial statements to Gardaí.
A 44‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to seven and a half years' imprisonment for sexually abusing his teenage nephew between 2004 and 2006. He pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual assault and four counts of buggery involving a male person under 17. The abuse began as oral sex when the nephew was 15 and progressed to intercourse when he turned 16. The judge described the conduct as "horrendous" and imposed a nine‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended, directing the offender to use rehabilitation and treatment facilities while in custody. Garda Dermot English testified that the nephew was frequently at the uncle's home, especially during school holidays, and that the uncle recorded the abuse on his mobile phone. The victim's impact report detailed suicidal thoughts, nightmares, depression and a sense of being "dirty" as a result of the abuse.
Edward McCarthy, aged 31, travelled to Italy in May 2016 using a passport belonging to Alan O'Reilly after discovering his own passport had expired. He returned to Dublin Airport where a passport officer noticed the photograph did not match his appearance and he was arrested. McCarthy pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful use of a passport. He claimed he had booked the holiday before learning his passport was out of date, and that a new passport application had been returned incorrectly, prompting him to use another person's passport to avoid missing the holiday. The passport owner reported it missing and had a new one issued. McCarthy has 35 prior convictions, mainly for traffic offences. The court accepted his explanation as probably true and imposed a 16‑month suspended sentence with conditions.
The sentencing of a 36‑year‑old Dublin man convicted of sexually assaulting a woman on UCD campus on 23 July 2014 has been adjourned to allow the prosecution to obtain formal records of his previous convictions from another European country where he was a minor. The jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found him guilty on a single count after a 90‑minute deliberation. Prosecutor Paul Burns SC requested the court obtain the man's earlier convictions and seek advice from a criminal lawyer in that country on whether those convictions are "spent" or expunged under that country's law. Defence lawyer Paul Flannery SC asked for a psychiatric report and for the court to consider whether the earlier convictions could be taken into account. Judge Cormac Quinn adjourned sentencing to 2 March and remanded the man in continuing custody. The case will return next week for further legal argument on the issue of previous convictions. The unnamed 36-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 14 December 2017, Donal Geoghegan, aged 37, pleaded not guilty to a charge of sexually assaulting a bar woman on the dance floor of a late‑night bar on 21 November 2015. The complainant, who cannot be named, testified that she felt a hand on the top of her thigh that moved to her vagina and remained there for what she described as hours. She said she saw Geoghegan staring at her and that he had deliberately reached for her private area. Geoghegan told Gardaí he was drunk after drinking beer, red wine, shots and spirits with colleagues, and claimed he had no memory of the incident beyond being in a holding area. Garda Sergeant Joanne McCormack gave evidence of his interviews, and CCTV footage was shown of an unknown man, "Mr X", behaving in a tactile manner towards several women.
David Aminu, a 42‑year‑old Nigerian national, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment by Judge Martin Nolan after pleading guilty to fraudulently claiming €136,449 in social welfare payments over seven years. Aminu used his cousin's name to obtain a PPS number and claim Family Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance, Supplementary Welfare Allowance, and other benefits from 2006 to 2013. In 2015 he wrote a letter to the Department of Social Welfare revealing his true identity and date of birth, an act that prompted the Gardaí to investigate and ultimately detect the fraud. The court noted that Aminu had no prior convictions, had cooperated fully, and had used the funds to support his family rather than for a lavish lifestyle. The judge emphasised the need for deterrence in such difficult‑to‑detect crimes, while acknowledging Aminu's remorse and good family background. The sentence may have long‑term consequences for Aminu, including potential deportation.
A 50‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment for sexually abusing his partner's two sons. He pleaded guilty to ten counts of sexual assault of the older boy, aged 13 to 19 at the time, and to sexual assault, attempted sexual assault and one count of sexual exploitation of the younger boy, who was about 15. The abuse began when the older boy was 13 and continued regularly until 2013, with the accused man masturbating and touching him at various locations, including the boy's home. The younger boy was abused in 2015, with two incidents confirmed and a third attempted. The accused offered the boys money and alcohol, and the older boy eventually overdosed on tablets before revealing the abuse. Judge Martin Nolan described the conduct as "reprehensible" and noted the victims' courage in coming forward. The court did not read victim impact statements in open court.
Craig Mooney, 20, and Sam Mooney, 22, of Broadford Walk, Ballinteer, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to criminal damage to a garda patrol car on January 17, 2016. The court heard that the brothers, described as highly intoxicated and blood-spattered, kicked, punched, and spat at the vehicle while threatening officers. Judge Karen O'Connor imposed a one-year suspended sentence on Craig, consecutive to his current two-and-a-half-year prison term for arson. The sentence was suspended for 18 months with probation supervision. Craig is currently serving his existing sentence and was due for release in October 2018. The judge adjourned Sam's sentencing until January 15, 2017, to assess his suitability for community service. Prosecution evidence detailed the brothers' abusive behavior and undressing in the street. Defense counsel highlighted Craig's ADHD, prosthetic eye, and productive custody regime, while noting Sam's intoxication, recent detoxification, and head injury from an assault. Both men have previous convictions, including affray and criminal damage. The matter regarding Sam remains pending further assessment.
A 21‑year‑old man named Lee Harris, who served as a lookout during an armed robbery of a G4S cash‑in‑transit van on 11 February 2016, was later apprehended by Gardaí for drink driving. While being stopped, officers discovered €2,850 in €50 bank notes on Harris that were stained with a blue‑green security ink, indicating they had been taken from a security cash box. Harris had pleaded guilty to robbery at La Touche Road, Bluebell, Dublin, and the court found his role was to watch for Gardaí. The robbery involved a handgun, a knife, and a getaway driver. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Harris to four years' imprisonment, suspending all but the final 16 months on the condition of cooperation with Probation Services. The case highlighted the use of security ink to trace stolen cash. The article does not mention any further legal proceedings or outcomes beyond this sentencing.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Donal Geoghegan, 37, pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting a 22‑year‑old bar woman on the dance floor of a late‑night bar on 21 November 2015. The prosecution alleged that Geoghegan touched the woman's vaginal area while she carried empty glasses. The complainant, aged 20 at the time, testified that she felt a hand move across her left thigh toward her vagina, that she turned to identify the man, and that she reported the incident to security. Security staff escorted Geoghegan to the office, and management asked him to leave the premises. Geoghegan denied any contact, claiming any touch was accidental and unintentional. The trial is proceeding before Judge Cormac Quinn and a jury of eight men and four women.
Derek Reville, 40, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to stealing a suitcase and its €250 worth of contents from the Arc Bar, Liffey Valley, on July 21, 2017. He also admitted to endangerment on the M50 and at a junction at Clonshaugh Road, dangerous driving at Bothar Na Life, Lucan, and having no insurance at Greencastle Road, Coolock, on the same date. Prosecution evidence detailed that Reville led gardai on a ten-minute chase, driving his Renault Laguna at speeds up to 180 kmph, weaving through traffic, and driving the wrong way down a dual carriageway. The chase ended when he crashed at Greencastle Road. Judge Martin Nolan described the actions as "reprehensible" and the driving as "deplorable." Reville, who had 17 previous convictions, was on bail for seven other offences and had a four-month suspended sentence at the time. The court imposed a three-and-a-half-year jail term, backdated to when he entered custody. He was also banned from driving for four years.
Olga Dretcaru, a 38‑year‑old seamstress from Rathmines, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to evading excise duty on 20,000 Marlboro cigarettes she brought from Moldova. Customs officer Gillian Gough testified that the cigarettes had a retail value of €10,500, including about €2,000 VAT and €6,500 in excise duty, and that the state lost just under €8,371. Judge Martin Nolan noted that Dretcaru had no prior convictions and had fully admitted her role to investigators. He imposed a two‑year prison sentence, suspended on the condition that she does not repeat the offence; a repeat would result in imprisonment. Dretcaru had purchased the cigarettes in Moldova for €1,000 in cash, intended to sell some in Ireland but was unsure how, and had a Moldovan tax stamp on the packs.