Martin O'Hara, a 31-year-old defendant with a previous conviction for rape, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assaulting his former girlfriend in Tallaght on July 28, 2016. O'Hara pleaded guilty to the charge of assaulting the woman causing her harm. Judge Karen O'Connor described the incident as violent and aggressive behaviour that occurred in the presence of the couple's six-month-old baby. The judge noted that while the physical effects were at the lower end of the scale, the victim suffered psychological trauma. O'Connor acknowledged O'Hara's remorse and recent efforts at rehabilitation and counselling. The court imposed a 12-month prison term. Prosecution evidence detailed that O'Hara punched the woman after an argument, subsequently left with the baby without her consent, and assaulted her sister and partner while they attempted to retrieve the child. The baby was returned uninjured. Defence counsel highlighted O'Hara's history of anger issues and drug abuse, noting he had taken steps towards rehabilitation for the first time. The judge considered his guilty plea and remorse when determining the sentence.
The case of former Anglo Irish Bank chief executive David Drumm, aged 50 and residing in Skerries, Co Dublin, has been further adjourned to May 5, 2017. Judge Karen O'Connor of the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court vacated a trial date earlier this month and adjourned the case due to legal issues. Drumm faces two charges of conspiring to defraud depositors and investors by dishonestly creating the impression that 2008 deposits were €7.2 billion larger than they were, and a third charge relating to the EU transparency directive. He has not yet entered a plea to any of the charges.
A ten-month-old girl presented with injuries consistent with abusive head trauma when admitted to Temple Street Children's Hospital in Dublin in April 2012, a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard. Sandra Higgins, aged 36, of The Beeches, Drumgola Wood, Cavan, has pleaded not guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to the child at her home on 28 March 2012. Higgins was working as a childminder at the time. Paediatric consultant Prof Alf Nicholson described the infant's condition upon admission, which included bilateral retinal bleeding, brain bleeding, rib fractures, and facial bruising. He stated these findings were classic indicators of abusive head trauma. Prof Michael O'Keefe, a consultant surgeon at Temple Street, confirmed the presence of haemorrhages behind both eyes and retinal detachment. The child's condition improved significantly, with bleeding resolving by June 2012. The trial, before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury, continues.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, former Tanaiste Joan Burton recounted a frightening encounter with anti‑water‑charge protesters on 15 November 2014 in Tallaght. She said she and her adviser, Karen O'Connell, were moved from a garda car to a waiting jeep amid a hostile crowd that shouted abuse and threw eggs. Burton described being struck twice in the back of the neck—first by a ball‑like object and later by a water bomb that drenched her hair and jacket. She recalled the crowd's violent surge, the loss of her shoe, and the fear of nearby children. The incident led to charges of false imprisonment against Paul Murphy, Kieran Mahon, Michael Murphy and four others, all of whom denied the allegations. The trial, presided over by Judge Melanie Greally, is ongoing.
A childminder accused of causing serious harm to a ten-month-old infant pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the charge. Sandra Higgins, aged 36, of The Beeches, Drumgola Wood, Cavan town, is alleged to have intentionally or recklessly caused serious harm to the baby at her home on March 28, 2012. During garda interview, Ms Higgins denied that the child was violently shaken or assaulted while in her care. She told gardai she drove the infant to hospital after the baby suffered a seizure at her home. Medical evidence presented to the court indicated the child presented with unusual bruising, subdural haematoma, healing rib fractures, and bilateral haemorrhage behind the eye. Ms Higgins maintained she had cared for the child since June 2011 and that the baby experienced falls within her home. A detective garda confirmed during cross-examination that Ms Higgins had been cooperative throughout questioning. The trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan and jury.
Patrick Fitzgerald, aged 40, of Glenties Park, Finglas, Dublin, has avoided a custodial sentence following an incident on River Road, Castleknock, County Dublin. On 18 August 2014, following a serious motor collision in which a vehicle overturned, Fitzgerald entered a parked car without consent and directed the driver to transport him to Ashtown. The driver repeatedly asked him to leave but continued driving approximately 500 metres before refusing to proceed further, at which point Fitzgerald exited the vehicle. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to interfering with the control of a car by threat of force or intimidation. Judge Melanie Greally suspended a two-year prison sentence conditional on Fitzgerald keeping the peace for that period. The court heard evidence of his previous convictions, including 49 road traffic offences, and noted his efforts to address historical alcohol difficulties.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Solidarity TD Paul Murphy (34) and six other water‑charge protesters were accused of "plainly involving" themselves in restricting the liberty of then Tánaiste Joan Burton and her adviser Karen O'Connell on 15 November 2014. The prosecution alleged that the men, including councillors Kieran Mahon (39) and Michael Murphy (53), had surrounded a garda jeep carrying Burton and O'Connell, preventing its movement and effectively trapping the two women for about two hours. The case was presented by Sean Gillane SC, who described the incident as an intentional or reckless restriction of liberty without consent, a form of false imprisonment under the 1997 Non‑Fatal Offences Act. All seven men entered not‑guilty pleas; the trial continues before Judge Melanie Greally. The prosecution's narrative focused on the alleged obstruction of the jeep and the failure of gardaí to move the vehicle, while the defendants maintained their innocence.
The trial of Solidarity TD Paul Murphy and six other men for falsely imprisoning former Tánaiste Joan Burton and her advisor Karen O'Connell was postponed because a juror could not continue. Judge Melanie Greally informed the eleven jurors that one had been lost and that a replacement would be selected the next morning. The jury, composed of five women and seven men, had been empanelled after a three‑and‑a‑half‑hour selection process that called over 100 potential jurors. The defendants – Paul Murphy (34), Kieran Mahon (39), Michael Murphy (53), Frank Donaghy (71), Ken Purcell (50), Michael Banks (46) and Scott Masterson (34) – had all entered not‑guilty pleas at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Greally reminded the jurors not to conduct independent research or discuss the case with family or friends.
Darren Martyn, 24, of Cloonbeggin, Claregalway, Co. Galway, pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal damage to data belonging to News International in July 2011. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Martyn, then 19 and a member of Lulzsec, hacked into The Sun's website, redirecting users to a fake story claiming Rupert Murdoch was dead. Garda Marion Brennan stated the hacking caused The Sun, The Times, and The Sunday Times websites to shut down for hours, with full restoration taking three weeks. Martyn's co-accused, Donncha O'Cearbhaill, received a suspended sentence last month. Judge Karen O'Connor remanded Martyn on continuing bail to May 24 for sentence. Defence barrister Leo Mulrooney BL described the case as exceptionally complicated, noting Martyn's guilty pleas were of huge assistance. Mulrooney highlighted that Martyn, who has no previous convictions, is now a security researcher and university lecturer, using his skills to prevent cybercrime. He urged the court to impose a non-custodial sentence, arguing the risk of re-offending was very slim. Martyn apologized for his actions, stating he no longer holds the views he had at the time of the offence.
Michael Daly, aged 18, was sentenced to 18 months in jail for his role in an unprovoked attack on Jack Serole, who was stabbed 20 times and pushed into the Royal Canal on 18 May 2015. The court found that Daly pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. He was one of three teenagers charged; the other two received 18 months and three‑and‑a‑half years respectively. Serole, originally from Botswana, suffered 20 stab wounds, hypothermia and broken front teeth, and later reported anxiety and bodily pains. CCTV footage identified Daly as one of the assailants; he admitted to hitting and kicking Serole but denied pushing him into the canal. Daly had four prior convictions and was in custody for two weeks before sentencing. Judge Martin Nolan described the offence as gravely reprehensible and extremely serious. The final nine months of the sentence were suspended.
Gerard Lawlor, 67, of Balrothery, Tallaght, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 11 counts of fraudulently claiming €167,873 in social welfare payments from 2005 to 2015. The fraud was uncovered during a Revenue audit of his former wife's dieting company, revealing that Lawlor had claimed pre‑retirement payments for himself and adult dependent allowances for his estranged wife. He failed to declare self‑employment, property sales, and work in a garage with his father and brother. Lawlor has no prior convictions and is now receiving a state pension of €183 a week, reduced by €28 to repay the debt. He has paid €11,000 to the department as a token of remorse and has no assets. Lawlor, who lives rent‑free in his sister's home after selling investment properties at a loss, has asked for a non‑custodial sentence to continue caring for his disabled sister.
A childminder has gone on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court charged with intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to a ten-month-old infant in her care in Cavan. Sandra Higgins, aged 36, of The Beeches, Drumgola Wood, Cavan town, has pleaded not guilty to the charge relating to an incident on 28 March 2012. The court heard that the child was presented to Cavan General Hospital with seizures and extensive bruising to her face and head. A consultant paediatrician described the injuries as consistent with shaken baby syndrome and stated it was his conclusive view they occurred on the day of hospitalisation. The defence contends that precise dating of injuries is not certain and disputes allegations that entries in a childminding diary were altered. The child's mother gave evidence of her growing concerns following earlier incidents involving bruising. The trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
The prosecution case against former Anglo Irish Bank chairman Sean FitzPatrick, aged 68, is set to finish this week after a protracted trial that began in September 2016. The trial, held in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, was delayed by weeks of legal argument and the absence of a jury, with evidence only presented in December. In February the case reached its 90th day, longer than any other criminal trial. The prosecution alleges that FitzPatrick and his family artificially reduced multi‑million euro loans for two weeks around the bank's year‑end by taking short‑term loans from other sources, including Irish Nationwide Building Society, and failed to disclose these to auditors between 2002 and 2007. FitzPatrick denies all charges. He has pleaded not guilty to 27 offences under the 1990 Companies Act, including 22 charges of misleading auditors and five of furnishing false information.
The trial of Jonathan Gill, aged 35, collapsed after the jury was discharged by Judge Elma Sheahan on the fifth day of deliberations. Gill was accused of kidnapping a Drogheda postal worker, his partner and their 10‑week‑old baby, then robbing €660,000 from the workplace. The jury, consisting of seven men and five women, had deliberated for just over 14 hours. A juror handed a note to the judge, alleging that jurors were receiving outside information and that strangers had discussed the case on a tram. The judge, citing the seriousness of the allegations, discharged the jury and remanded Gill on continuing bail to appear again on 28 April. The case may be heard by another jury. Jonathan Gill pleaded not guilty.
The jury in the trial of Jonathan Gill, 35, accused of kidnapping a Drogheda postal worker, his partner and their 10‑week‑old baby before robbing €660,000 from the workplace, is set to begin its fifth day of deliberations. The jury, composed of seven men and five women, has already spent 13½ hours deliberating since the trial began last Thursday. Judge Elma Sheahan asked the jury forewoman whether more time would help reach a verdict; the forewoman replied that she could not say yet if more time was needed. Judge Sheahan reminded her that there is no time limit on deliberations and that the jury may continue as long as they are making progress. Gill, who pleaded not guilty, is charged with false imprisonment of Warren Nawn, Jean Marie Nawn and their baby in Drogheda between 1 and 2 August 2011.
A jury in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has finished its third day of deliberations in the kidnapping trial of Jonathan Gill, 35, who is accused of abducting a Drogheda postal worker, his partner and their ten‑week‑old baby before stealing €660,000 from the workplace. The State alleges Gill was part of a five‑man group that held the family hostage in their home and later moved them to a shed about 90 minutes away. Gill pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment of Warren Nawn, Jean Marie Nawn and the infant, and the jury will resume tomorrow morning.
Gary Simpson, aged 29, was jailed for four and a half years after robbing several bookmakers in Dublin in November and December 2015. He used a note under the counter claiming he had a gun, leaving the note with his fingerprints. Simpson had previously been convicted 112 times and had a suspended five‑year sentence for earlier robberies. He was on bail for those offences when he committed the bookmaker robberies. The court noted he had completed a residential drug rehabilitation course and reactivated the suspended portion of his earlier sentence, imposing a concurrent total sentence of six years with the final 18 months suspended. He was captured on CCTV during all incidents and admitted the crimes during a Garda interview. Gary Simpson pleaded guilty.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced two men for their involvement in a drugs operation involving heroin with an estimated street value of €560,000. Michael White (42) and Gareth Prior (35) pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and heroin for sale or supply on December 9, 2015. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a six-year sentence on White, with the final three years suspended. She noted White had no previous convictions and expressed deep regret. Prior received a 12-year sentence, with the final three years suspended. The judge acknowledged Prior's lack of recent garda attention and his efforts in self-education, despite his 17 previous convictions, including three for drug dealing. During the raid on White's house in Clondalkin, gardaí found cocaine worth €68,000 and paraphernalia. A search of a house linked to Prior in Newbridge revealed €175,000 worth of cocaine, €3,360 worth of ketamine, and €9,740 worth of herbal cannabis, for which Prior accepted responsibility. Judge Ryan cited the quantity and type of drugs as an aggravating factor but recognized both men's early guilty pleas and acceptance of responsibility.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Joseph Union was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, for assaulting a Garda during a high‑speed drunken chase. Union, a father of two from Pinewoods, Clondalkin, was found guilty by a jury of assaulting the Garda after he had asked the officer to pick up his glasses. Union then kicked the Garda in the face, fracturing his nose. He was also found not guilty of resisting arrest but pleaded guilty to one count of drink‑driving, three counts of dangerous driving and one count of failing to stop, all committed in Ballyfermot on 11 April 2012. The court noted Union's prior convictions and the Garda's victim impact statement, and Judge Cormac Quinn imposed the custodial sentence after viewing CCTV footage of the incident.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Robert Faherty, 63, pleaded guilty to careless driving causing serious harm after his car collided with cyclist Grainne Duncan on February 4, 2015, on Malahide Road. Faherty was driving without lights on; speed and alcohol were not factors. Duncan, wearing a high‑visibility jacket, helmet and bike light, was cycling left‑hand side and turning right at a junction when the collision occurred. She remained in a coma for two months, later regaining awareness but suffering severe brain damage that left her unable to speak, walk or hear, and requiring depression treatment. Faherty's daughter expressed deep remorse. The case involves pending civil proceedings and medical costs estimated at €540,000. Judge Pauline Codd reserved judgment until May 5, citing Faherty's compliance, remorse and poor health, and requested no jail sentence. The charge carries a maximum of two years imprisonment.
Two brothers from Belturbet, County Cavan, admitted stealing more than €8,000 while working behind a charity bar at a Dublin music festival. John McGinley, 25, pleaded guilty to taking €5,275 and his younger brother Conal McGinley, 22, admitted taking €3,370 from the Workers Beer Company operation at Marlay Park on 8 July 2016. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Workers Beer Company raises funds through bars at music festivals. Gardaí observing the first day of the three-day event saw the brothers putting cash into their pockets rather than into the charity collection. When the pair were arrested that evening, money was found in their clothing, footwear and vehicle. John McGinley had €4,145 on him and €1,130 in his car. Conal McGinley had €1,860 on him, with further cash recovered from the vehicle. Both brothers pleaded guilty to one count of theft and made immediate admissions in interviews with gardaí. The court heard that they had no previous convictions. Their address was given as Naughan, Belturbet, Co Cavan. John McGinley had held a job at a London financial firm. Defence counsel said he had fallen into debt while gambling in the UK and had become indebted to loan sharks. The defence described the theft as a desperate attempt to raise money towards that debt. The court also heard that he had left his London job, returned to Ireland and attended Gambling Anonymous. Conal McGinley was in the final year of a business degree. His counsel said he had acted to help his brother, but that the case had put his future career at risk. A letter from the brothers' father was handed to the court. Judge Cormac Quinn remanded both men on bail for sentencing on 14 June. They were later ordered to complete 180 hours of community service each. This LocalNews report is an original account based on the contemporaneous Courts News Ireland court report.
Anthony Fitzgerald, a 32‑year‑old former professional boxer from Gloucester Place, Dublin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to bus driver Toufik Slali on North Circular Road on 18 November 2014. The incident began when a Mini pulled out in front of Slali's bus without signalling, forcing the driver to brake hard and honk. Fitzgerald jumped out of the car, shouted that his children were in the vehicle, and then entered the bus. He allegedly head‑butted Slali's nose, causing a fracture that required surgery, and punched him. Fitzgerald denied head‑butting and claimed he struck with an open hand. Judge Melanie Greally, noting his boxing background, imposed a suspended three‑year prison sentence on the condition he keep the peace. He has 31 prior convictions, including assault, criminal damage and firearms offences, and has been disqualified from driving for ten years.
Michael Breen, 41, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to transporting almost €80,000 worth of cannabis. Gardaí stopped his car following a tip, and a search revealed nearly four kilograms of cannabis hidden under the carpet in the wheel well. Breen admitted to having the drugs for sale on 16 May 2016 at Bluebell Mews, Old Naas Road, Dublin 12. He has 40 prior convictions for theft and road traffic offences and three drug offences involving the sale of small amounts to undercover officers. During the interview, Breen claimed he was told he would receive €200 for his role, which was to drop off the drugs, and he accepted that he was operating at a low level. Judge Melanie Greally, noting his guilty plea and full cooperation, imposed the sentence and ordered him to engage with Probation Services upon release. Mr.
Patrick Connors, 46, was sentenced to two and a half years in jail at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for dangerous driving after a high‑speed chase. He drove over 160 km/h on the wrong side of a busy road, performed a U‑turn at speed, exceeded 100 km/h on a 50 km/h road, ran a red light and collided with a taxi at a junction. Connors pleaded guilty to endangerment creating a substantial risk of death or serious harm to another on Swords Road on 19 September. He also admitted possession of stolen laptops, jewellery, a screwdriver and a "jemmy" bar, which were found in his car when the chase ended. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with the final year suspended, citing the seriousness of the charges and Connors' 89 prior convictions, including dangerous driving, burglary, theft, assault and 56 summary road traffic offences.
Jordan McGuinness, aged 19, and Craig Smith, aged 20, together with two other men, attacked two students while attempting to break up a fight between two women in Dublin's city centre on 23 May 2016. McGuinness punched Lee Whelan, knocking him to the ground, and struck Dylan Campbell with a hammer. Smith used an iron bar and a hammer against Campbell. CCTV footage showed the assaults. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced McGuinness to a one‑year prison term, suspended for 18 months, and ordered one year of probation supervision. Smith's sentencing was adjourned to December, with the judge noting his use of a weapon. Both men offered €500 each to the victims as a token of remorse. The court heard that McGuinness and Smith pleaded guilty to violent disorder and that the men had no prior convictions. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Amir Essalhi, 32, received a partly suspended four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for a drug‑fuelled spree of robberies in west Dublin. He pleaded guilty to six counts of robbery, including three attacks on women in their cars, a pharmacy robbery with a knife, and a tanning salon robbery with a spoon he pretended was a knife. The offences, committed in April and May 2016, were said to fund his heroin addiction. Essalhi's brother was murdered in 2011, an event cited by his defence. Judge Cormac Quinn suspended the last two years of the sentence, ordered victim‑awareness work, and residential drug treatment. The court noted the distress caused to the victims, who suffered injuries and loss of property, most of which was not recovered.
In a kidnapping trial, a jury will resume deliberations after a three‑hour session. The accused, Jonathan Gill, 35, faces charges of kidnapping a Drogheda postal worker, his partner and their ten‑week‑old baby, and of robbing €660,000 from the workplace. The State alleges Gill was one of five who held the family hostage in their home before moving them to a shed about 90 minutes away. Gill pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment of Warren Nawn, Jean Marie Nawn and the infant, and the case is before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Thomas Roberts, 23, of Carrow Road, Drimnagh, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a series of violent offences committed between November 2012 and April 2013. Roberts pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm, two counts of robbery, one count of attempted robbery, and one count of possessing cannabis. Judge Karen O'Connor imposed a total of six years in consecutive sentences. She suspended the final three years on strict conditions and backdated the sentence to February, when Roberts entered custody on these bills. The court heard that Roberts, who was 19 at the time of the offences, was involved in attacks on two Italian men, Francisco Brescia and Andrea Pelle, as well as the robbery of a woman. Prosecution evidence detailed that Roberts smashed a glass bottle over Mr. Brescia's head during an attack on O'Connell Street, while he placed Mr. Pelle in a headlock on Westmoreland Street. Victim impact statements highlighted the lasting trauma, with one victim stating he no longer felt safe in Ireland and another leaving the country. Defence counsel Fiona Murphy, BL, noted Roberts' remorse, his history of homelessness, and his dysfunctional childhood. The court also noted Roberts had 20 previous convictions and was on bail during some of the offences. The matter was finalised with the imposition of the custodial sentence.
Craig Maloney, aged 21, and an accomplice stole bikes from two barmen at the George Bernard Shaw pub in Dublin. When confronted, Maloney kicked one barman in the eye and fled back to the bar, where they smashed glass bottles and he attacked a barman with a barstool. He pleaded guilty to theft and assault causing harm to Kevin Mangan in 2011. The court noted his prior convictions for minor offences, his epilepsy‑related withdrawal from football, and his involvement in drug and alcohol problems. Maloney also pleaded guilty to a robbery at Spar on Clogher Road, where he and an accomplice stole €358 and were confronted by Gardaí who used pepper spray. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to 18 months for the assault and 2½ years for the robbery, suspending both terms on the condition that he remain out of trouble and maintain good behaviour. She highlighted his charity work and cooperation with probation services.
A 17‑year‑old was sentenced to five years' detention, three of which were suspended, after a drunken rampage on 10 July 2016 in Dublin. He had consumed half a litre of vodka at home and spent €90 on vodka and mixers at a local pub. CCTV showed him assaulting three women who had returned from a Beyoncé concert, pushing one to the ground, kicking her, and throwing another to the pavement. He also smashed a chipper's glass window and door and damaged a nearby car's windscreen. The boy pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to four people and criminal damage. The judge described the incident as "terror and violence" and ordered him to engage fully with Probation Services to address his anger and alcohol issues. The women reported acute psychological distress. The boy's family were described as well regarded in the area. The judge noted that the boy's problems were partly due to alcohol and an overburdened mother.
Jonathan Gill, aged 35, faces charges of kidnapping a Drogheda postal worker, his partner and their ten‑week‑old daughter, followed by a €660,000 robbery. The prosecution argues that, though no direct forensic evidence links Gill to the crime scenes, circumstantial evidence—his association with two other men linked to the offence, a car he owned that was in the area on the day of the kidnapping, and CCTV footage of him buying milk at 5.30 am while the kidnapping was underway—collectively proves his guilt. The jury was told the evidence is circumstantial but compelling, likening the combined threads to a rope. Gill pleaded not guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. His defence counsel highlighted the lack of evidence of his presence between the start of the kidnapping at 10.30 pm and the milk purchase, arguing no guilt by association. The case will be presented to the jury tomorrow for deliberation.
Noel Carroll, a 27‑year‑old Xtravision store manager, stole €10,025 from dormant customer accounts between December 2013 and June 2015. He created a €10,025 gift card, deposited it in a savings account, and withdrew the cash. He also issued vouchers to purchase a television, laptop, and computer from Xtravision branches. An auditor noticed unusual batch refunds from dormant accounts, leading to investigation and discovery of the theft. Carroll pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Cormac Quinn described the offence as a serious breach of trust but noted Carroll's good character and full admissions. He was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment, which was fully suspended on strict conditions after a probation report indicated a low risk of re‑offending. Carroll repaid the company in full with a loan from his parents, and his father described him as withdrawn and depressed following the incident.
Kevin McCarthy, aged 23, was sentenced by Judge Pauline Codd to four years' imprisonment, with two and a half years suspended, for dangerous driving that caused the death of 21‑year‑old Thomas Carroll on the N81 near Brittas on 29 May 2014. McCarthy, who had 73 prior convictions including careless driving and driving without insurance, pleaded guilty. He was driving at an estimated speed of 100‑120 km/h, well above the 60 km/h limit signposted 300 metres before the crash. The vehicle spun into trees, flipped twice and travelled 115 metres, ejecting Carroll who died shortly after. McCarthy expressed remorse, apologising to Carroll's family, and the judge noted his lack of respect for road law and the severe impact on the victim's relatives. The sentence was described as a deterrent and a reflection of McCarthy's criminal recklessness.
Margaret McDonnell, a 23‑year‑old single mother from Rathvilly Park, Finglas, was given a suspended 18‑month jail sentence after she spent €51,000 that had been mistakenly deposited into her account by Bank of Ireland. Between March 7 and 16, 2013, she withdrew and spent €24,946 on items for her two children and personal purchases, including crystal vases, a crystal mushroom lamp, and various clothing and food items. She pleaded guilty to 13 counts of theft of cash. The judge, citing the accidental nature of the deposit, suspended the sentence on the condition that McDonnell repay €1,000 to the bank within 18 months and complete 150 hours of community service. The Probation Service assessed her as low risk of re‑offending, and the court noted that the offences were not pre‑planned and the money was spent on mundane items.
A 26-year-old man from Roscommon has pleaded guilty to his role in a violent robbery on Arran Quay in Dublin in June 2014. Patrick Conroy, with 156 previous convictions, was one of four men who approached a pedestrian and subjected him to robbery whilst using a growling Alsatian dog to intimidate the victim. The victim was threatened with physical violence, including being kneed and choked, before being robbed of his mobile phone, wallet and house keys. He sustained injuries to his lower back, neck and throat, and subsequently suffered psychological effects from the incident. CCTV footage placed Conroy in the vicinity at the time. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Conroy had been released on bail only days before the robbery occurred. Judge Pauline Codd remanded him on continuing bail pending a probation report and consideration of his admission to a residential drug treatment centre. Sentencing is scheduled for May 8th.
Rebecca McEnroe, 36, was sentenced to nine months in jail after stealing cosmetics worth €2,286 from Boots in St Stephen's Green Shopping Centre and selling them for €200. She also stole €575 worth of products from Holland & Barrett the following day. McEnroe, who has 70 prior convictions including 59 for theft, admitted the thefts and pleaded guilty on April 26 and 27. The judge noted her drug addiction, describing her as "strung out on crack cocaine and tablets" and said she needed help. A two‑year sentence was imposed, with the final 15 months suspended on conditions such as supervision by Probation Services. McEnroe is a mother of three and is currently drug‑free, hoping to remain so after release.
An Egyptian man, Mohamed Ahmed, aged 31, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one year in prison for sexually assaulting a young woman in her Dublin home on 19 September 2016. Ahmed had been living in Ireland illegally since 2014. He pleaded guilty after the victim, who asked to remain unnamed, described how he pinned her to the ground, removed his trousers, and digitally penetrated her. The victim had been receiving counselling since the incident and could not walk home alone at night. The court noted the distress caused by the assault and Ahmed's lack of prior convictions. He was sentenced to 18 months with the final six months suspended and was required to register as a sex offender. The sentence was imposed by Judge Melanie Greally.
James Byrne, 45, was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after he had applied for a job at a fast‑food restaurant and then returned to burgle the premises. Byrne left the restaurant after staff mentioned a possible driving position, but shortly thereafter he stole a bag of coins worth €95 from a back‑office area. He has 57 prior convictions and is currently serving a two‑year sentence for a burglary committed in November 2016. The court noted that Byrne's offences are usually opportunistic and lack sophistication, and that he has targeted non‑dwelling premises such as schools and churches. Byrne pleaded guilty to the burglary at BASE Pizza in Terenure on 19 June 2016. Garda James Duffy presented CCTV footage and Byrne's full admissions. The judge adjourned sentencing to 26 May 2017 to allow a probation report to be prepared.
Stephen Winders, aged 41, was caught in 2010 with 19 cannabis plants and a plastic bag of heroin worth €1,668, which he claimed were for personal use. He fled to the United States while on bail, entered a drug‑treatment programme and later returned to Ireland to register a homelessness charity. Gardaí discovered outstanding warrants and arrested him. In Dublin Circuit Criminal Court he pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis and heroin for sale or supply. Judge Catherine Murphy suspended a two‑year sentence for three years, conditioned on 18 months of Probation Services engagement, and ordered 240 hours of community service. The case was adjourned in December with a potential for a suspended sentence pending a clean probation report. No jail time was imposed.
Des Kavanagh, 39, a former youth worker, was found guilty of possessing and distributing child pornography after he pretended to be a 15‑year‑old boy in an online chat group. Gardaí, acting on Interpol information, seized his laptops and recovered 240 images and two short clips, all classified as child posing or sexual activity between children, with no material in the most serious categories. Kavanagh had no prior convictions and had cooperated fully with the police, admitting his actions and expressing remorse. The court, noting his long‑suppressed sexuality, low risk of re‑offending, and lack of profit motive, imposed a two‑year suspended sentence, requiring good behaviour and no probation service involvement. The judge highlighted that the offence was serious but deemed a custodial sentence unfair given the circumstances. The case ended with Kavanagh's guilty plea and the suspended sentence.
Seven water charge protesters, including Paul Murphy TD, Kieran Mahon, Michael Murphy, Michael Banks, Frank Donaghy, Ken Purcell, and Scott Masterson, appeared before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court regarding their upcoming trial. The defendants are accused of falsely imprisoning then Tánaiste Joan Burton and Karen O'Connell during a protest in Jobstown on November 15, 2014. The case was listed after the Director of Public Prosecutions raised concerns about a campaign and a rally scheduled for the weekend. Counsel for the accused informed the court that their clients would undertake not to speak about the trial at the rally. Judge Melanie Greally noted relief at this responsible position. The trial is scheduled to begin on April 24, with a jury to be selected. The court discussed the possibility of an enlarged jury panel if the trial exceeds the scheduled six weeks. The defendants face charges of false imprisonment, and the matter is currently at the pre-trial stage ahead of the scheduled hearing.
During the trial, a jury was informed that CCTV footage from a petrol station in the early hours of August 1, 2011, showed Jonathan Gill, aged 35, buying a litre of milk. Gill is accused of kidnapping a Drogheda postal worker, his partner, and their ten‑week‑old baby, holding them hostage in their home before moving them to a shed about 90 minutes away. The State alleges that the family was held overnight in the shed, where the baby cried and was given milk. After the kidnapping, authorities recovered an empty milk container from a partially burnt vehicle and other items from the shed, including cigarette butts. A detective testified that he canvassed 24‑hour shops, found a sale of milk at Topaz Garage in Balgriffin, and reviewed the CCTV, identifying Gill in the footage. The case continues before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury of seven men and five women. Jonathan Gill pleaded not guilty.
Adam Gear, a 25‑year‑old first‑time offender from Castle Lawns, Tallaght, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to possessing nearly 500 g of heroin and 2.5 kg of cannabis at his grandparents' house in Tallaght on 30 January 2016. The drugs, valued at about €74,000 for heroin and €49,000 for cannabis, were found outside the house following a confidential tip‑off and inside Gear's bedroom. Gear admitted he was keeping the drugs for people to whom he owed a significant debt and claimed he did not reach the downstairs storage in time before Gardaí seized them. The judge, Martin Nolan, accepted that Gear was under pressure but held him responsible for his actions, noting he had no prior convictions and was a father. Despite defence arguments citing exceptional circumstances and a desire for a non‑custodial sentence, the judge imposed the custodial term.
Larry Connors, 23, of Rathcurragh, Newbridge, Co Kildare, pleaded guilty to endangerment and dangerous driving during a "mad cap chase" on 1 May 2014. He was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to six years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, and a 20‑year driving ban. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal, ruling the sentence was within the judge's discretion. The case involved Connors travelling westbound on the N81, weaving through traffic and overtaking vehicles, while Gardaí pursued him. He was observed deliberately ramming his car, which was insured and registered to him. At the time of the offence he was disqualified from driving. Connors had 51 prior convictions, 44 of which were for road traffic offences, and was described as a "committed persistent offender." The appeal was dismissed by Mr Justice John Hedigan, who noted that deterrence must play a part in sentencing and that wild driving is unacceptable.
A 47‑year‑old financial controller, Donna Magee, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for stealing more than €270,000 from her former employer, O'Mara Geraghty McCourt Solicitors, between late 2007 and June 2009. She transferred the money into her own account over several months, including a €101,000 payment that was meant for a UK client and a €55,000 transfer that was supposed to be a VAT payment to Revenue. The court found she abused her position of trust and, after a guilty plea, imposed a three‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended. The judge refused her request for a week's leave before incarceration, citing the seriousness of the offence. Magee has prior convictions, including forgery, and has been described by her defence as a vulnerable woman who was pressured by her ex‑husband's gambling debts. The case was brought to court nine years after her employment at the Dublin firm.
Paul Moore, 51, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a woman on a DART train on 28 August 2014. The judge, Melanie Greally, suspended the final 18 months of a three‑year sentence, imposing strict conditions including a curfew from 10 pm to 8 am for ten years, supervision by Probation Services, mandatory reporting of any address or phone changes, and a requirement to remain alcohol‑free in public. Moore had previously been jailed six times for sexual offences over 25 years, including a 15‑month term in 2015 for two separate attacks in the city centre and earlier convictions for rape in 1995 and 2001. The court noted that Moore showed no remorse, resisted rehabilitation, and posed an indefinite danger to adult females, with alcohol cited as a major contributing factor. The sentence was imposed for the 2014 offence, not for past offences, and the judge highlighted the need for ongoing multi‑agency monitoring. Paul Moore pleaded guilty.
A surveillance garda testified that he saw Jonathan Gill, 35, driving a silver Renault Clio on Rathbeale Road in Swords on 1 August 2011, the day before the alleged kidnapping of a Drogheda postal worker, his partner and their ten‑week‑old baby. The garda, who cannot be named, also observed a silver Opel Corsa with registration 10D4798 in the same area, which he said stopped briefly before both vehicles left. Gill is charged with false imprisonment of Warren Nawn, Jean Marie Nawn and their baby between 1 and 2 August 2011. He pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The case is before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury of seven men and five women. The garda's testimony was challenged by Gill's defence counsel, who questioned the accuracy of the witness's observations. The trial continues.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Mark Brennan, aged 39, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for possessing €80,000 worth of cannabis herb and cocaine. Gardaí seized the drugs from Brennan's flat after a drug search, discovering €17,339 of cocaine and €63,600 of cannabis herb. Brennan claimed he held the drugs to repay an estimated €23,000 debt to third parties, stating he could not provide information about those parties. He pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis herb at his former Ranelagh Road address and possession for sale or supply of cocaine at Grand Parade, Dublin 6, on 25 March 2016. Brennan, who now resides in Drogheda, has one prior conviction. Judge Martin Nolan noted Brennan's addiction and the influence of "dangerous individuals," describing him as the "author of his own misfortune," and imposed the three‑year sentence. The court did not consider any subsequent rehabilitation or community work in determining the sentence.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has raised concerns that the constitutional process of trial by jury may be interfered with in the upcoming trial of water charge protesters. Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy (33), Dublin Councillor Kieran Mahon (39), Anti Austerity Alliance Councillor Michael Murphy (53), and four other men are due to stand trial next month on charges related to the alleged false imprisonment of then Tánaiste Joan Burton three years ago. The trial was discussed in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Sean Gillane SC, prosecuting, highlighted concerns regarding literature and a campaign surrounding the trial, which could potentially interfere with the jury process. The court heard that an event being billed as a national event was to be held in the capital this weekend, with activists and journalists expected to attend. Various lawyers for the defendants requested clarification from the DPP regarding any orders sought from the court. The matter was listed for further hearing tomorrow afternoon. The accused include Frank Donaghy (71), Ken Purcell (50), Michael Banks (46), and Scott Masterson (34), each facing charges arising from a water protest in Jobstown on November 15th, 2014. A second trial of six people accused of false imprisonment is scheduled for October 2, 2017, with a pre-trial date set for June 8, 2017. The final trial of five people accused of violent disorder is set for April 9, 2018, with a pre-trial date set for December 13, 2017.
In March 2017, Richard O'Reilly, aged 32, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment after Gardaí seized a Glock semi‑automatic pistol and ammunition from his vehicle during a surveillance operation. O'Reilly, who had been grieving the death of his close friend David Byrne, pleaded guilty to possession of the weapon in suspicious circumstances. He claimed the loss of Byrne was the sole trigger for his possession of the gun, stating he had no financial motive and that the offence was not gang‑related. The judge noted O'Reilly's lack of prior convictions, good work record and cooperation with Gardaí as mitigating factors, but inferred from the evidence that he intended to use the weapon if the opportunity arose. The sentence was back‑dated to the date of his arrest. O'Reilly had previously been convicted of possession of stolen property and had been in custody since his arrest. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.