Brandon Cumberton, 19, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, with nine months suspended for one year, after pleading guilty to four phone thefts in Dublin. The court heard he cycled around the city, snatching phones from women while intoxicated, and later apologized to some victims. He had eight prior convictions for minor theft. Judge Karen O'Connor noted the premeditated nature of the offences and the fact all victims were women. Cumberton cooperated with Gardaí, claimed no violence was used, and was described by his defence as a "talented underage footballer" who had played for Belvedere College and Hardwick FC. The judge warned him he could either move past his offending or face significant time in custody. No phones were recovered.
Peter Colleran, a 33‑year‑old former skipper from Cork, was sentenced to two‑and‑a‑half years in prison for possessing cocaine and cannabis worth €105,372. He was found with the drugs in a container at City West Storage in Tallaght on 21 October 2016. Colleran, who has no fixed abode, pleaded guilty. Judge Karen O'Connor handed down a five‑year sentence, suspending the final two‑and‑a‑half years. She noted his addiction and destitution following the 2007 sinking of the fishing trawler Honeydew II, which had claimed the life of his captain and mentor. Colleran admitted to drug‑making to repay debts and to having been homeless and sleeping in his car. He had a small number of prior public‑order convictions. The court heard he was supported by his family, who were present at the hearing.
Neven Vukovic, 40, received a suspended three‑year sentence for assault causing harm to his ex‑partner Fionnuala Ní Mhartín after a September 2015 attack at her Dublin home. Vukovic had previously pleaded guilty to assault and had a prior conviction for cannabis possession in Croatia. The assault involved punches and kicks, including a full‑force punch to the eye, resulting in a fractured eye socket and other injuries. Following the attack, Vukovic repeatedly threatened and harassed Ní Mhartín via text and Facebook, sending messages that included threats of violence and death. The court imposed a 30‑year prohibition on any contact with Ní Mhartín and ordered Vukovic to stay away from her. He has since completed anger‑management and counselling courses. The judge noted his remorse and lack of prior violent convictions. The sentence was suspended for three years.
The trial of Garda Eve Doherty, aged 49, for alleged harassment of State solicitor Elizabeth Howlin, has shown that none of the fingerprints found on abusive material matched Doherty's prints. Doherty denies harassing Howlin between September 2011 and March 2013 and denies making false statements in March 2013 that Howlin was perverting the course of justice. Howlin, a directing officer with the DPP, received letters and emails calling her a "corrupt bitch" and "incompetent useless hobbit", and falsely claiming she was a political appointee who would "pull" files. Detective Garda Conor Kiely presented evidence that fingerprints on four posters, a letter to the DPP, a letter to Howlin's home and a letter to the DPP's office did not match Doherty's prints.
Andrei Panzariu, 32, of Mountjoy Square Apartments, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to four charges of theft committed on March 25, 2014. The defendant admitted to withdrawing €4,042 through four separate transactions following a scam that defrauded a woman of €5,000. Prosecution evidence indicated the victim was targeted via a phishing email impersonating Permanent TSB, leading to unauthorized transfers. Panzariu was identified on CCTV making two ATM withdrawals and two sterling exchanges at post offices. He claimed he was approached by two men at a casino and offered €300 to perform the withdrawals. Judge Melanie Greally noted that Panzariu had 25 previous convictions, primarily for road traffic offences, but acknowledged he had repaid the full stolen amount to the victim, the bank, and the phone company. Defence counsel highlighted the defendant's personal tragedies and financial desperation at the time, noting he is now employed and has apologized to the victim. The judge suspended a sentence of 18 months imprisonment, citing the full restitution and the defendant's current circumstances.
John McGovern, aged 25, pleaded guilty to arson and assault at the Station Hill apartment complex in Clongriffin, Dublin, after a tumultuous relationship with his girlfriend Grainne O'Brien. The fire, set in November, caused €1.25 million in damage, destroyed six homes, and left 25 people, including children, temporarily homeless. McGovern, who had 25 prior convictions, was heavily intoxicated and on drugs during the incident. He threatened O'Brien's ex‑partner, left the building, and later was arrested at Raheny after acting erratically. The court heard that 14 fire trucks responded and the blaze took four‑and‑a‑half hours to control. McGovern's guilty plea and the impact statements from victims were noted, and the case was adjourned for a probation report. The sentencing is scheduled for 27 October.
Colin Goode, 49, a former school caretaker, was found with more than €230,000 of drugs in his garden shed and wheelie bin. He initially told Gardaí he had discovered bags of cocaine, MDMA and zopiclone tablets in his back garden and had placed them in the bin and shed with the intention of discarding them. He later admitted he was holding the drugs for another person, but could not recall how he became involved because he was intoxicated. Gardaí discovered over 103,000 zopiclone tablets, worth €207,928, in Goode's shed, along with cocaine worth €19,166 and MDMA powder worth €4,216 in his bin. Goode pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and MDMA, keeping zopiclone for sale without a prescription and without the wholesaler's authorisation. The case was adjourned for sentencing on 27 October.
A 15‑year‑old boy was sentenced to twelve months' detention for assault and robbery. He had previously served eight months at Oberstown Children's Detention Campus for assault and a threat to kill, and had 24 convictions. In April 2017 he robbed a 17‑year‑old from a churchyard, demanding his phone and then stealing a €350 bike. During the incident he struck the victim with a two‑foot wooden post, causing the victim to fall and flee. The boy was arrested the next day, was aggressive in the interview, and later admitted remorse. He had a history of assault, theft, burglary and criminal damage, and was facing another charge later that year. Judge John Aylmer, noting the boy's immediate return to crime after release, imposed the twelve‑month sentence to run consecutively with his current term, starting on the scheduled release date of November 21. The unnamed 15-year-old pleaded guilty.
Clayton McMahon, 24, of Crumlin, Dublin, was convicted in May 2017 of reckless endangerment, dangerous driving, assault of a Garda, driving without insurance or a licence, and failing to produce evidence of insurance or a licence. He had pleaded not guilty. The jury found him guilty on all counts. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to three and a half years, suspended the final year on condition he attends a victim awareness programme and anger‑management counselling, and disqualified him from driving for five years. McMahon, described as an avid boxer, admitted having anger issues. During the incident on 17 November 2016, he shouted threats, punched a window, refused to be handcuffed, spat on a Garda, and was subdued after pepper spray was used. He was later allowed to be handcuffed. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Janet Morrissey, 35, a single mother from Lucan, was found by Gardaí with €117,800 in cash in April 2016, which she claimed were proceeds of crime. She pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of the cash. The court noted her cocaine addiction, heavy debts, and that she had been exploited by serious criminals who used her as a bookkeeper. She had been paid €600 a week for handling the money and had sorted it into bundles of €5,000 and €10,000. Judge Gerard Griffin, after considering her cooperation, drug‑free status, full‑time job, and a letter from her father, suspended a five‑year sentence. He warned that any future contact would not be a pleasant experience. The case ended with a suspended sentence and no custodial term.
A 28-year-old man from Tallaght has been sentenced to 20 months imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to stealing five iPhones from Three mobile phone stores across the country between November 3 and 7, 2015. Viorel Rostas participated in robberies in Navan, Cavan, Letterkenny in Donegal, and Tralee and Killarney in Kerry. Rather than stealing the phones himself, Rostas acted as a distraction or obstructed staff attempting to prevent the thefts while accomplices took the devices, which were collectively valued at over €3,500. Judge John Aylmer considered Rostas's guilty plea and €1,000 compensation offered as mitigating factors, but noted his previous convictions for theft made a suspended sentence inappropriate. The court heard Rostas became involved following his mother's death and financial pressure from a loan taken for funeral expenses in Romania. None of the five phones were recovered by gardaí.
Ciara McGlynn, 43, of Elmwood, Clonsilla, pleaded guilty to robbing €10,700 from a health shop in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre on 29 February 2015. She disguised herself as a young man, wearing a hoodie and hat, and cycled up to the store manager, who was leaving the centre with the takings in a bag. McGlynn seized the bag and was caught by Gardaí on the scene. She has significant psychiatric issues, including post‑natal depression and post‑traumatic stress disorder, and was suffering financial hardship at the time. Judge Karen O'Connor, describing the crime as "bizarre" and "acting out of character", imposed an 18‑month suspended sentence, noting McGlynn's remorse and unlikely future court appearances. The manager, now in the UK, declined to give a victim impact statement. McGlynn has two prior convictions for road traffic offences.
In July 2017, Judge Melanie Greally sentenced 26‑year‑old Munir Ghariani to four years in prison, back‑dating the term to 19 May 2016 after he had been given a partly suspended sentence for robbery in May 2017. Ghariani had admitted attacking a woman and robbing her phone on Granville Road, Cabinteely, on 21 March 2016. He had previously pleaded guilty to robbery and was warned that the three‑year balance of his sentence could be activated if he breached any conditions. In June 2017, his probation officer, Michelle Richardson, reported that he had failed to attend two required meetings and had behaved inappropriately, including urinating outside a glass building in front of female staff on 7 July. Garda Padraig Nagle testified that Ghariani had attracted police attention five times since May 2016, including incidents of staring at a 17‑year‑old girl, walking with trousers down, and allegedly stealing a mobile phone.
During a trial for harassing a State solicitor, a Dublin garda, Eve Doherty, 49, was found to have worn a wig and sunglasses while sending anonymous emails from an internet café. The emails, sent between September 2011 and March 2013, targeted Elizabeth Howlin, a directing officer at the Director of Public Prosecutions, with slurs such as "corrupt bitch" and "incompetent useless hobbit." They also falsely claimed Howlin was a political appointee who would "pull" files to protect those connected to her or the Government. Evidence showed the emails originated from Hushmail addresses linked to the Wired café on Aungier Street. Doherty admitted she had received a document, added to it, and forwarded it to recipients at the Courts Service, the Financial Ombudsman and the Ombudsman. The trial is ongoing before Judge Melanie Greally and a jury.
Jamie Kavanagh, a professional boxer, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assaulting a doorman and engaging in threatening or abusive behaviour on Harcourt Street on September 23, 2014. Kavanagh pleaded guilty to these summary offences, which were sent to the Circuit Court alongside co-accused Paul Rice and Mark Carlyle, who pleaded guilty to the more serious charge of violent disorder. The court heard that Kavanagh played a peripheral role in the incident, which prosecutors described as an "explosion of violence" outside Copper Face Jacks nightclub. Judge Elma Sheahan applied section 1(1) of the Probation Offenders Act, ordering Kavanagh to be of good behaviour and keep the peace for 12 months, leaving him without a conviction. This disposal was granted to prevent a recorded conviction from interfering with a significant US fight contract. In contrast, co-accused Mark Carlyle, who has multiple serious previous convictions and was identified as an instigator of the brawl, received a sentence of five years in December 2015, with the final 18 months suspended. Paul Rice, also an instigator with 11 previous convictions, was sentenced in April 2016 to three years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended. The court noted that Kavanagh had no previous convictions and had complied with a prior order to provide 20 hours of coaching to his local amateur boxing club.
In July 2017, Gardaí stopped a stolen vehicle in heavy traffic near St Margaret's, Dublin. The driver, Michael Boylan, 45, refused to exit when ordered, revving the car and endangering other road users. Officers opened the doors and, after Boylan's continued refusal, managed to free themselves and the vehicle. Boylan was later arrested at his home, where he was found hiding in a downstairs toilet. He pleaded guilty to driving a stolen car and reckless conduct at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. With 54 prior convictions, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison, to run consecutively with his current sentence, with the final 12 months suspended. The court noted his efforts to address drug addiction and his status as a model prisoner. The stolen vehicle was recovered and returned to its owner.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 20 July 2017, the court considered the case of Colm O'Hara, 49, who stabbed his older sister, Miriam O'Hara, on 23 June 2016 at her home on Edenmore Green, Raheny. O'Hara, who had no fixed abode and was suffering from mental health issues, had stopped taking his medication on the day of the attack. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. The court heard that he had become agitated, grabbed a knife from a kitchen counter, and lunged at his sister, stabbing her in the back and later cutting her arm and wrist. Miriam O'Hara, who had been in fear of her life, later told the court that she had forgiven her brother and felt no animosity toward him. Judge Karen O'Connor, after hearing the victim impact statement, suspended a two‑year sentence on the condition that O'Hara keep the peace and continue his medication.
George Simpson, aged 30, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for attempting to rob the Rush Post Office on 28 November 2016. He entered armed with an air pistol and a hatchet, threatened to chop a customer's head off, and smashed a glass panel in front of the tills. Simpson pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, possession of an imitation firearm with intent to rob, production of a weapon, threat to kill or cause serious harm, and criminal damage. The judge, after viewing CCTV footage, noted the incident was frightening for staff and customers, and that Simpson's behaviour was out of character. His final 18 months were suspended, leaving an effective custodial term of four years and six months. Simpson has since moved out of his shared home and has begun attending a psychologist. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Lithuanian man Julian Matiunin, aged 34, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for assault causing harm after punching Jan Wielgus, aged 46, in the jaw on 21 June 2015 at St Stephen's Green West. Witnesses described Wielgus falling "like a tree" and hearing the crack of his head on pavement. Wielgus suffered severe head injuries, was admitted to intensive care, spent over three weeks in an induced coma, and later returned to hospital with stomach problems from intubation. He continues to suffer headaches and vomiting. Matiunin pleaded guilty and had two prior public order convictions. Judge Karen O'Connor suspended the last 12 months of the custodial term, noting the violent attack on a person walking away and describing Wielgus as a "peace maker" who tried to calm the situation.
Matthew Ahern, 53, pleaded guilty to burglary at Collins Avenue East, Killester on 17 February 2016. He entered the house by smashing a panel in the front door, stole two phones, and left. The homeowner heard rustling, thought it was her husband, but saw Ahern with her iPad and laptop. Garda Laura Nulty presented CCTV from a neighbouring barber shop showing Ahern having a haircut immediately before the burglary. Ahern, who has 48 prior convictions including seven burglaries and one robbery, initially denied involvement. The court heard he had a seven‑year gap in serious offending before 2016 and had been engaged with various agencies. Judge Karen O'Connor adjourned sentencing to October to allow Ahern to complete a stabilisation program for his long‑standing drug addiction and ordered a probation report to assess his risk of re‑offending.
Kenneth McCabe, 25, received a suspended one‑year jail sentence after he threw a glass into the air in a crowded bar, unintentionally striking a beam and showering glass on a woman named Corrigan Serpa. Serpa suffered injuries to her nose and left thumb, requiring stitches. McCabe pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on 14 February 2016 at The Quay Public House, Temple Bar. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that the assault was reckless but not intentional, and imposed a suspended sentence on the condition that McCabe keep the peace and behave well. He also ordered McCabe to pay €3,000 to Serpa within 12 months. McCabe, who was severely intoxicated, apologized and said he did not intend to harm her. The court warned that a future conviction could lead to jail.
Atif Saeed, a 29‑year‑old Pakistani pizza delivery man, pleaded guilty to removing €5,000 from the State that was part of a €2.8 million online fraud. He claimed he believed he was helping a third party pay university fees when he transferred the money to the UK. The court found he was not involved in the fraud itself and accepted his guilty plea as reckless. Judge Karen O'Connor noted Saeed had no prior convictions, lived frugally and had not benefited materially from the offence. She imposed a two‑year sentence, backdated to his entry into custody, and suspended the balance from today. The case remains under investigation, with most of the €2.8 million recovered and the remaining funds frozen in Saeed's account. The court highlighted the difficulty Saeed faced in prison, including lack of visitors and observing Ramadan.
The trial of Garda Eve Doherty, aged 49, continues in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after the jury was absent. Doherty, a Dublin-based Garda, is charged with harassing State solicitor Elizabeth Howlin from September 2011 to March 2013 and making false statements that Howlin was perverting the course of justice. She has pleaded not guilty. Judge Melanie Greally is hearing a legal argument and will rule on the issue Thursday morning. The jury is scheduled to return on Thursday to hear further evidence.
Ryan Lee Thomas, 25, was found guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of sexually assaulting three women in the city centre on 30 December 2016 while under the influence of the party drug GBL, which he had purchased online. The assaults occurred over an hour‑and‑a‑half at a house party on Lower Gardiner Street and involved repeated attempts to touch and kiss the victims, who were all young women. Thomas also pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing a controlled drug. Gardaí recovered additional GBL from his home the following day. Thomas has ten prior convictions in Melbourne for sexual offences committed while under the influence of the same drug. He will be sentenced on 27 July. The court heard that Thomas admitted possession of GBL but could not recall the events of that night. He has expressed regret and wishes to apologise to each victim.
Kyle Foley, 25, of Claddagh Green, Ballyfermot, Dublin, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for hijacking a pizza delivery man's car on 9 May 2015. He pleaded guilty to unlawful seizure of a vehicle, three counts of criminal damage, driving without insurance and driving without a licence. The incident involved Foley and two other men approaching the delivery vehicle, opening the doors, stealing a wallet, and then Foley striking the delivery man with a bottle before driving off. The car was abandoned in Monksfield Heights, and the delivery man was later found to have left the jurisdiction. DNA evidence linked Foley to a beer bottle left in the car, and his keys were recovered in a garden. He had prior convictions for theft, drugs, public order and trespass, and was serving a four‑month sentence for obstruction.
Ryan O'Driscoll, aged 20, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving after he stole a motorbike and drove it through Dublin city streets on 6 March 2015. The bike, with incorrect plates, was pursued by Garda patrol cars that eventually boxed it in. O'Driscoll was arrested and later sentenced by Judge Patricia Ryan to three and a half years' imprisonment, backdated to 20 February, with the balance suspended and a four‑year driving disqualification. He had previously been convicted 84 times, 64 for road traffic offences, and was serving a six‑month sentence for minor traffic offences at the time of sentencing. The court noted his history of drug use and prior sentences at Oberstown, and his stated intention to become a mechanic after release.
Daniel Sweeney, 28, of Croftwood Gardens, Cherry Orchard, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to threatening to kill a Garda, intoxication in a public place and producing a meat cleaver after fleeing from Gardaí on 5 June 2016. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to two‑and‑a‑half years for producing the meat cleaver and 18 months for threatening to kill the Garda, but suspended the entirety of both sentences, which were to run concurrently. The incident began when Garda Peter Smith received a call about a disturbance; Sweeney attempted to flee on a bike, fell, and was seized by Gardaí. He swung the cleaver at Smith, missed, and then shouted threats at Garda Cronin while being transported back to the station. Sweeney, who has two children and a history of alcohol abuse, has 26 previous convictions, including criminal damage, public order offences and 17 road traffic offences.
Michael Hanney, 24, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to five years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended for possessing a 9mm Makarov pistol, a silencer and three rounds of ammunition in a silver case, and for possessing an air pistol at his home. He pleaded guilty to both offences. The Court of Appeal dismissed the Director of Public Prosecutions' application to review the sentence, describing the case as "very serious" but noting Hanney's early admission of responsibility, his age of 22 at the time of the offence, and his positive community involvement. The judge considered the sentence to be at the outer limits of leniency but not unduly so, and therefore upheld the original sentence. No further changes to the custodial term were made.
A retired schoolteacher in his seventies has filed a High Court application to stop a trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court over 16 alleged indecent assault charges against nine boys, dating from September 1968 to 1971. He claims the prosecution is unfair because the Director of Public Prosecutions delayed action, the alleged incidents are so old that key witnesses are deceased, and that proceeding would breach his constitutional and human rights. The teacher denies the allegations and says he has cooperated with Gardaí since his first interview. He also seeks declarations that the prosecution would be unlawful and that it would be unjust to put him on trial. The High Court, on an ex‑parte basis, granted permission to bring the challenge and placed a stay on the trial until the High Court case is decided, with a return date set for October.
Adrianne Bradley, 53, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing €68,154 worth of cannabis for sale or supply at her home on 11 August 2015. She admitted to smoking cannabis occasionally but denied any drink or drug problem. Garda Alan Flaherty testified that Bradley was vulnerable and used by others, not linked to criminal conduct or drug sales. Bradley, a grandmother and mother of four, was on social welfare and had been assaulted in 2013 when her home was invaded and destroyed, which impacted her mental health. She claimed she had been given the drugs about two weeks before the arrest and had no fingerprints on them. Judge Karen O'Connor remanded her on continuing bail, adjourned sentencing to 20 October, and ordered a probation report. The case is set for sentencing next October.
A Ballinrobe man pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary at a Castlebar takeaway in May 2015. Yasir Ali, aged 29, admitted stealing commercial kitchen equipment valued at €11,484.50 from Thomas Street Takeaway. The stolen items included freezers, deep fat fryers, a burger fryer, microwave, blender, stainless steel tables and bowls, and food preparation equipment. Judge Karen O'Connor ordered a probation report and adjourned sentencing to November 2, 2017, when the full facts of the case will be heard before the court.
Alan Foley, a 46‑year‑old bouncer at Colossus Casino in Dublin, was convicted of assault causing harm after he kicked Robert O'Donnell, a casino member, during a verbal altercation. CCTV showed Foley flicking his leg at O'Donnell, who had been denied entry for his friends. Foley pleaded guilty to the assault on 16 December 2015. The judge, Karen O'Connor, deemed the offence a reckless act and imposed a one‑year sentence, which was suspended in full. Foley was ordered to pay €3,000 to O'Donnell, who suffered a ruptured left testicle and was hospitalized for pain but later recovered. Foley, who has no prior convictions and 20 years of security experience, expressed remorse and accepted the apology and payment as a token of contrition. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
A 28-year-old man from Tallaght has pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to his involvement in the theft of five iPhones from mobile phone stores across the country between November 2015. Viorel Rostas admitted to taking part in robberies at outlets in Navan, Cavan, Letterkenny, Tralee, and Killarney over a five-day period, with the stolen handsets valued at over €3,500. During each incident, Rostas acted as a distraction or obstructed attempts to prevent the thefts while accomplices removed the phones. The robberies occurred during business hours and were recorded on store CCTV; none of the phones were recovered. Detective Garda evidence indicated Rostas was part of a group of four involved in the thefts. The defence outlined that Rostas took a €10,000 loan to finance his mother's funeral in Romania following her death in July 2015, subsequently agreeing to participate in the robberies due to pressure from the lender. Rostas, who has lived in Ireland over twenty years, has seventy-one previous convictions. Judge John Aylmer adjourned the case for sentencing on 24 July.
Dean Joyce, aged 24, was convicted in February after a second trial of 11 charges, including endangering Gardaí by driving his car into a Garda van, four counts of dangerous driving, possession of stolen property, driving without a licence, driving without insurance, possession of a boxcutter used in a burglary, criminal damage of a Garda van and failing to stop for Gardaí. The jury in his first trial was discharged after a juror fell asleep 15 minutes into the trial. Judge Karen O'Connor found him not guilty of the offence of endangerment but convicted him of all other counts. She imposed a total of three years imprisonment, suspended the final six months on strict conditions, and disqualified him from driving for ten years. Joyce was arrested after a high‑speed pursuit in which he drove through red lights, on the wrong side of the road and collided with a Garda van, causing €1,500 worth of damage.
A 15-year-old boy pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of robbery committed on April 6, 2017. The prosecution alleged that the defendant, along with others, assaulted a 17-year-old victim in a churchyard, striking him with a wooden post and stealing his €350 bicycle. The boy is currently serving an eight-month detention sentence at Oberstown Children's Detention Campus for prior charges of assault, theft, and making a threat to kill. He has 24 previous convictions and spent 12 months in custody last year. Defence counsel Pieter Le Vert BL urged Judge John Aylmer to consider a suspended sentence, arguing the boy is at a "real risk of institutionalisation" and that the damage from ongoing custody outweighs the need for punishment. Le Vert highlighted the defendant's challenging home situation, history of care, and mild learning disability. The court heard the boy expressed remorse and had been aggressive during his Garda interview. The matter is at the sentencing stage, with Judge Aylmer scheduled to hand down the sentence on July 24. The boy is due for release from his current custody term in November.
Ethan Emmett, aged 24, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm for an incident that occurred on 31 March 2011 in Finglas. The assault took place at a chipper where Emmett, then 18, had been denied a phone charger and returned with beer bottles. He threw the bottles at the owner, threatened to kill him, and used a small knife before fleeing the premises. The owner suffered injuries and the restaurant incurred an estimated €2,000 in damage. Emmett was arrested three days later and released on bail. While on bail he fled to Australia, where he served a five‑year, eleven‑month sentence for a separate stabbing offence in 2012. He returned to Ireland in March after completing his Australian sentence and was arrested at the airport. He has 30 prior convictions, mainly for assault, criminal damage and public order offences. Judge Karen O'Connor adjourned the sentencing to 28 July.
Roman Vladislav, a 35‑year‑old Moldovan, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, for setting fire to the front door of his former housemate's home in Swords, Co. Dublin. The arson occurred on 9 May 2016 after a dispute over a missing mobile phone, during which Vladislav, who was intoxicated, had made drunken threats and had previously threatened to kill the occupants. He had also grabbed a resident's arm and put a knife to her throat, threatening to kill her and her sons. Gardaí were called to a commotion at the house; Vladislav fled before they arrived. The fire brigade extinguished the blaze, which had not entered the interior. Vladislav had 13 prior convictions and had cooperated with the investigation. The judge noted his use of custody time productively and a moderate risk of re‑offending, but accepted the pre‑meditated nature of the offence. Roman Vladislav pleaded guilty.
Kassem Hamdam, 30, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment with the final nine months suspended for assault causing harm and production of a weapon after he repeatedly stabbed his ex‑wife in front of their four‑year‑old daughter. The incident occurred on Blessington Street, Dublin 7, on 23 August 2015. Hamdam pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He claimed he had wanted the woman to be left with a permanent scar and said he could not leave his child "with this bitch". He told Gardaí that the woman had "fucked my life" and that the relationship had ended because she was jealous and did not like him drinking. The court noted that Hamdam had been brought to a Lebanese refugee camp as a six‑year‑old, witnessed daily shootings and detonations, and had been diagnosed with post‑traumatic stress disorder after arriving in Ireland in 2006 to seek asylum.
Carol Clarke, a 57‑year‑old mother of five, pleaded guilty to stealing €104,431 from the Department of Social Welfare between 1994 and 2011 by pretending to be her sister. The theft was uncovered in 2012 when gardaí found claims made under her sister's name. Clarke was arrested, denied the allegations, but later admitted guilt after handwriting and fingerprint tests. She had a prior conviction for handling stolen property in 1999. At the sentence hearing, Judge Karen O'Connor imposed a two‑year prison term, which she suspended in full, citing the "heartbreak and tragedy" in Clarke's family, including the deaths of two sons and her husband's Huntington's disease. The judge also noted Clarke's role as full‑time caregiver for her ill daughter and grandchildren, and she was not required to compensate the State due to limited financial means. Clarke is paying back the debt in €50 instalments. The court heard that the offence was premeditated and of some duration.
John O'Keefe, 26, was stopped by Garda Stephen Connor after the officer observed him using a mobile phone while driving a van toward Dublin city centre. O'Keefe was found to be transporting drugs to pay off gambling debts incurred after his father's death in 2011. Garda Connor noted O'Keefe was extremely nervous and there was a strong smell of cannabis. The van was searched and a bag of 248 MDMA tablets, worth €2,480, and a bag of cannabis herb, worth €4,734, were seized. O'Keefe admitted he had been paid €200 to move the drugs, which he had picked up about half an hour earlier, and claimed he did not know the value of the drugs or who he was doing it for. He pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The bail conditions for former Anglo Irish Bank chief executive David Drumm, aged 50, have been relaxed by Judge Karen O'Connor. Drumm will now report to Balbriggan Garda station three times a week—Monday, Wednesday and Friday—rather than daily. He must give 24‑hour notice if he wishes to report at a different station. Drumm, who lives in Skerries, faces two charges of conspiring to defraud depositors and investors by misrepresenting deposits in 2008, and an additional charge under the EU transparency directive. He has not yet entered a plea. The trial is scheduled for 10 January 2018.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, State solicitor Eve Doherty, aged 49, denied harassing DPP directing officer Elizabeth Howlin between September 2011 and March 2013 and refuting claims that Howlin was perverting justice. Doherty said she had no idea how a "disgruntled" person could know Howlin's personal details, noting that Howlin's role involved deciding on prosecutions. Howlin testified that letters and emails sent to her home, workplace and GP called her a "corrupt bitch" and "incompetent useless hobbit," alleging she was a political appointee who would "pull" files to protect government associates. She denied the allegations, stating they were untrue but contained true personal details. Doherty's counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, insisted the accusations were unfounded and that the system was often "rigged" against those not prosecuted. The case remains before Judge Melanie Greally and a jury. The unnamed accused pleaded guilty and had the case struck out.
George Simpson, 30, was sentenced later in July after a post office raid in Rush on 28 November 2016. He attempted robbery, possessed an imitation firearm, produced a weapon, threatened to kill or cause serious harm, and caused criminal damage. Simpson entered the post office armed with an air pistol and a hatchet, threatened a female staff member that he would chop off a customer's head if she did not hand over cash, and smashed a glass panel in front of the tills. He shouted "fuck this" and fled. Garda Ross Rowan reported that the staff member hid in the back office, pressed the panic alarm, and did not return until a customer informed gardaí that Simpson had left. Simpson was remanded in custody pending sentencing on 21 July and chose to go to prison. He apologized to staff and customers, admitted the threat, and acknowledged that he would face further punishment. George Simpson pleaded guilty.
Eve Doherty, a garda based in Dublin, has gone on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court accused of harassing State solicitor Elizabeth Howlin and making false statements. The accused, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges, is alleged to have sent a series of letters and emails between September 2011 and March 2013. These communications purported to describe Ms Howlin as politically corrupt and claimed she attempted to pervert the course of justice. Specifically, the charges include harassment and making false statements on March 1, 2012, and March 31, 2012. Prosecutors stated that the material contained abusive language and false allegations that Ms Howlin, who worked in the Director of Public Prosecutions office, interfered with prosecutions. Ms Howlin testified that the claims were untrue and caused her significant anxiety. The defense, represented by Michael O'Higgins SC, maintains that Ms Doherty denies authoring the letters and emails. Regarding specific allegations concerning a diving company, Ms Howlin clarified that while her brother and ex-husband were directors, the company was prosecuted under health and safety laws and fined following an accident, contradicting claims of murder. The trial is currently ongoing before Judge Melanie Greally and a jury.
Shamaine McNulty, 23, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to one count of using a false instrument to open a bank account in Drogheda on March 23, 2015, and one count of handling stolen property between March 23 and October 10, 2015. The court heard that McNulty allegedly used a fake electricity bill to open an AIB account for a man known as 'Frank', who is accused of scamming two international students out of over €2,000 through false rental advertisements. McNulty made two withdrawals totaling €8,000 for the man. Judge Karen O'Connor noted that while a three-year custodial sentence would have been appropriate, she considered McNulty's significant assistance to gardaí, which led to the man's arrest. He is due to be sentenced later this year. Judge O'Connor handed down a suspended 18-month sentence. McNulty, who has no previous convictions, was warned not to return to court. The judge acknowledged the distress caused to the victims and the loss of reputation for the country. McNulty's defence highlighted her status as a primary carer for two children and her current homelessness following a house fire. A €100 token of remorse was accepted by the court.
Michelle O'Leary, 33, of St Patrick's Court, Phibsborough, was sentenced to one year in prison for attempting to rob a woman's handbag while she was cycling home with groceries on 6 February 2016. O'Leary pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and admitted she had been pressured by her then boyfriend, who had "clattered" her in the face, to carry out the offence. She had 39 prior convictions and a serious drug addiction. Judge Karen O'Connor had previously adjourned sentencing to check for a residential drug treatment bed, but none was available. The judge imposed a three‑year sentence, suspending the last two years on conditions, recognising O'Leary's remorse and efforts to reduce her methadone intake. The court was briefly disrupted by a supporter who shouted abuse at the judge before the proceedings resumed.
Tom Humphries, 54, of Corr Castle, Sutton, Dublin, had his sentencing for sexual exploitation and defilement of a child adjourned to 3 October. He pleaded guilty in March to six sexual offences against a girl under 17, including two counts of defilement between 5 December 2010 and 19 February 2011 and four counts of inviting a child to participate in a sexually explicit act between January 2010 and March 2011. Three further charges were dropped last month. The judge, citing the need for a report, postponed the hearing to October.
Noel Dempsey (61), of Stannaway Road, Dublin 12, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for violent disorder. The incident occurred on February 5, 2011, at Purrrfect Pets, Longmile Road, following a dispute over a parking space. Dempsey initially denied charges of assault causing harm and violent disorder but pleaded guilty to violent disorder on the second day of his trial before a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury. Judge John Aylmer described the attack on victim Mark Eagers as savage and unprovoked, noting that Dempsey entered the store with calm determination to assist his son. The court heard that Eagers suffered a broken nose and a key lodged in his thumb. In related proceedings, Vicky Dempsey (36) received a two-year suspended sentence in February 2015 after pleading guilty to violent disorder. The court noted she allegedly dragged a woman by the hair during the attack. Her brother, Karl Dempsey (38), was jailed for 20 months in May 2015 after also pleading guilty to violent disorder. The judge acknowledged Karl was the initial aggressor but stated he summoned his father and sister to seek revenge. Noel Dempsey, who has 103 previous convictions, was defended by Keith Spencer BL, who cited his client's ill-health, including heart stents and cancer remission, and argued he entered the store only to prevent his daughter from losing her temper.
Ryan O'Driscoll, aged 18 at the time of the incident, was found guilty of dangerous driving after he operated a stolen motorbike on Dublin city streets. The motorbike, which had been stolen the previous month and bore incorrect plates, was pursued by Garda patrol cars after it was spotted on Malahide Road. O'Driscoll drove at high speed, overtaking stationary cars, weaving through traffic on Fairview Strand, and even using a footpath. He managed to escape onto Clontarf Road, collided with a second patrol car, and was eventually boxed in by the Garda. He was arrested and later pleaded guilty to the charge. O'Driscoll has 84 prior convictions, 64 of which are for road traffic offences, and is currently serving a six‑month sentence for minor road traffic offences. The court heard that he is now 20, wishes to train as a mechanic, and has expressed a desire to avoid future criminal activity.
A jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court acquitted Republic of Ireland footballer Jeff Hendrick of violent disorder after a four‑day trial. The case stemmed from a 2013 incident at Krystal nightclub where Darren McDermott alleged Hendrick pulled him from a taxi and was later chased into a laneway, where McDermott claimed he was assaulted and suffered multiple jaw fractures. Hendrick's lawyers argued he could not have run due to a leg injury and that McDermott had a civil case against him. Hendrick (25) and co‑accused Jonathan Doran (26) pleaded not guilty. The jury found Hendrick not guilty but convicted Doran of violent disorder, while Judge Martin Nolan withdrew an assault charge against Doran. Hendrick remains free pending further proceedings.