Michelle Butterworth, 56, was sentenced to one year in prison for her role in a credit‑card fraud gang that operated over three weekends in September and October 2016. The gang travelled to Ireland from the UK, using fake credit cards to purchase high‑value goods worth €8,875, including Sony Playstations, Gucci watches, Samsung and Apple smartphones, and a Claddagh ring. Butterworth admitted her involvement and identified her accomplices after one of them nearly ran her over while fleeing from Gardaí. She had 31 prior convictions for similar fraud and theft offences in the UK, plus a conviction for running a brothel. Her defence counsel argued that she committed the offences to repay a loan taken to bury her husband, who died in 2013. Judge Karen O'Connor noted her early plea and imposed a one‑year sentence back‑dated to October 2016. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Michelle Butterworth pleaded guilty.
Stephen Murphy, a 45‑year‑old taxi driver from Tallaght, was found in possession of €273,859 worth of illegal drugs, including ketamine, ecstasy tablets and cannabis, after a Garda surveillance operation. He pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply on North Road, Finglas, and was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally to four‑and‑a‑half years in prison. The judge cited mitigating factors such as Murphy's previous good character, his guilty plea and remorse, his limited role in the offence and his respectable background, allowing a departure from the ten‑year mandatory minimum. Murphy's case was supported by a letter from Gail O'Rorke, who had been acquitted in 2015 of assisting a suicide, and her husband Barry, who highlighted his friendship with Murphy and his son's Crohn's disease.
In a 2017 court hearing, Gardaí captured live CCTV footage of a shooting at a house on Oranmore Road, Ballyfermot. The footage showed Terence Murphy, aged 35, standing near the house while his co‑accused, Daniel Ennis, 22, fired two shots. Murphy was arrested minutes later and pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in suspicious circumstances. He has 20 prior convictions. Ennis received a four‑year sentence for his role. The judge adjourned sentencing to May 22 to allow a probation report. Inspector David Harrington explained that an earlier altercation involving two men and two women had occurred before the shots were fired, and that the women had contacted Gardaí. Murphy was not present during the initial threats. He had been released on bail 13 months earlier and was on a methadone maintenance program.
A postal worker gave evidence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court describing his ordeal during an alleged kidnapping and robbery in County Louth in August 2011. Warren Nawn told the jury he was tied up and beaten before being forced to collect €600,000 from An Post while his partner and baby were held by armed raiders. Mr Nawn said he feared he would never see his family again, particularly when he spotted a garda car during the journey to work. The State alleges that Jonathan Gill, aged 35, of Malahide Road, Swords, Dublin, was one of five people involved in holding the family hostage in their home before moving them to a shed approximately 90 minutes away. Mr Gill has pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning Mr Nawn, Jean Marie Nawn, and their baby in Drogheda between August 1 and 2, 2011. The trial before Judge Elma Sheahan is expected to last four weeks.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 18‑year‑old Leah Fay was assaulted by 24‑year‑old Sean Flood during a chaotic night of rolling fights in the city centre. Fay intervened to protect a friend, but Flood pushed her to the ground and punched her, breaking her jaw in two places and requiring steel plates. The incident occurred on D'Olier Street on 16 May 2015, amid a melee that followed a local football match. Flood, who has prior assault and public‑order convictions, pleaded guilty. Judge Gerard Griffin remanded him into custody until the following Tuesday, when he will decide on sentencing. Fay, now dealing with pain, depression and social anxiety, presented a victim impact statement. Flood apologized in open court, offering €4,000 to Fay as a token of remorse, and his lawyer highlighted his efforts to address alcohol abuse since 2015. The case remains pending sentencing.
Lisa Smith, 36, of Harelawn Park, Clondalkin, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cocaine, heroin, MDMA and ketamine on 1 April 2016. Garda Gavin Curran reported that a search warrant led to the discovery of €210,000 of drugs and a cocaine press under a kick board in Smith's kitchen. Smith admitted the items were not hers but accepted responsibility. Curran said one or two men had entered Smith's house to use the kitchen for drug‑bagging, paying her €50 each time. He described Smith as vulnerable and living alone, and noted she had no prior convictions. Curran agreed with the defence that Smith had been "asked or pestered" and "afraid not to comply." Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to May to allow a Probation Report, with a full plea in mitigation expected next time.
Thomas Murray, aged 34, was sentenced to six years in prison for a series of robberies in Dublin between December 2015 and February 2016. He used a knife to threaten victims and cut the straps of handbags, and he also used stolen bank cards for small "tap" purchases. The court noted that he had 37 prior convictions and that his most recent offences were committed while on bail. Murray was apprehended after being "rugby tackled" by two Dublin Bus drivers who pursued him following a robbery at a bus stop. He pleaded guilty to eight robberies, one attempted robbery and one threat to kill, and he admitted that his crimes were driven by a heroin addiction and the need to fund his drug habit and provide for his children. The judge imposed a consecutive sentence of eight years, with the final two years suspended, and ordered 18 months of post‑release supervision.
Slawomir Gierlowski, 32, of Galtymore Road, Drimnagh, was denied bail by Judge Melanie Greally at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He faces charges of false imprisonment and sexual assault of a woman in September 2016 in Clondalkin, assault causing harm and false imprisonment of another woman in May 2016 near Naas Road, and false imprisonment and assault causing harm to a third woman in September 2011. Gierlowski has not entered a plea. He remains in custody until March 20, when a sentencing date will be set. The court has not released further details of the hearing.
Patrick Clarke, 31, was convicted by a jury in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of making two menacing phone calls to Paul Gilmartin, demanding €60,000. Clarke admitted to the calls but denied that he threatened money. The court heard that the calls were made while Gilmartin was already receiving sustained threatening calls and texts. Clarke claimed he was instructed by an unknown man to buy a SIM card and call Gilmartin, and that he had no intention to harm the victim. He also stated he received no payment for the calls. The jury found him guilty of the unwarranted demand with menace on 10 May 2012 and again on a later date. Judge Gerard Griffin remanded Clarke on continuing bail pending sentencing next week. The case involved no other convictions or outcomes.
Patrick Connors, aged 46, was found guilty of endangerment for driving at speeds exceeding 160 km/h, including a high‑speed chase on Swords Road, Dublin. He drove on the wrong side of the road, wrong‑way around a roundabout, performed a u‑turn at speed, and exceeded the 50 km/h limit, even running a red light and colliding with a taxi. Connors also admitted possession of stolen laptops, jewellery, a screwdriver, and a "jemmy" bar, items recovered from his vehicle after the chase. He was charged with dangerous driving but did not plead to those charges. With 89 prior convictions, including dangerous driving, burglary, and theft, Connors was remanded in custody for sentencing in April, and a Probation Service report was ordered.
Jonathan Gill, aged 35, faced trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for kidnapping An Post worker Warren Nawn, his partner Jean Marie Matthews, and their 10‑week‑old baby in August 2011. The State alleged Gill, part of a five‑man gang, held the family hostage in their Drogheda home, threatened them with what appeared to be guns, tied them with cable ties, and moved them to a shed 90 minutes away. Gill pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and to robbery of €661,125 from An Post. Prosecutor Vincent Heneghan presented evidence of the family watching TV when the abduction began, the use of a pizza box to assault Nawn, and the subsequent forced transport of the family to the shed. The trial, presided over by Judge Elma Sheahan, is expected to last four weeks. The case remains ongoing.
A Circuit Court judge ordered that two prisoners sharing the same name be brought to court to confirm their identities after allegations that they had been swapping charge sheets to confuse the Prison Service. One of the men was scheduled to appear before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, but the wrong prisoner was produced, marking the fourth such incident. The judge, Melanie Greally, expressed disbelief and requested a representative from Cloverhill Prison to explain the situation. A Prison Service officer confirmed that two inmates with the same name are housed at Cloverhill, one born in December 1976 and the other in March 1971. The charge sheet presented was for one count of attempted robbery at a Dublin city centre hotel in 2014. Judge Greally directed that both men be brought to court the following day, and that the legal team for the scheduled defendant meet with both prisoners in the cells to identify the correct individual.
Maria Muntean, 28, a mother of four who is expecting a fifth child, pleaded guilty to the theft of two iPhone 6s mobile phones from Three Ireland Phone Stores in Tralee and Killarney on 7 November 2015. CCTV footage showed her with two men: one removed the phones from the display case, the other watched staff while Muntean blocked the view with a brochure, which she then placed over the cradle. The phones, each valued at €699, were not recovered. Muntean had 54 previous convictions under two identities, including 17 thefts, one robbery, casual trading and road traffic offences. She was arrested but made no admissions during the Garda interview. The court, noting she was the least culpable of those arrested and had engaged with the Probation Service, imposed a two‑year sentence, which was suspended in full on strict conditions. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Patrick Clarke, a 37‑year‑old from Silverlawns, Navan, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possession of a stolen BMW. He had agreed to move the vehicle from one location to another in exchange for €100, describing the offer as "too good to be true." Clarke, who has struggled with alcohol since age 14 and has eight prior convictions, was arrested after Garda surveillance linked him to the theft. He was found in the stolen car with its keys and a mobile phone. The car was returned to its owner. Clarke pleaded guilty and was noted by the judge to have detoxed and intended to remain alcohol‑free. Judge Patricia Ryan, considering his early guilty plea and cooperation, imposed a two‑year sentence, which she suspended in full for two years.
Stephen McKeever, an 18‑year‑old teenager, called the local Garda station from a public phone box on Tyrconnell Road, claiming a bomb had been planted at his friend's house on Thomas Davis Street, Inchicore. The call was made out of curiosity about the phone boxes and a mischief motive, not malice. Garda Shane Cahill dispatched eight officers to investigate; after a thorough search, the house was cleared as a hoax. McKeever pleaded guilty to knowingly making a false report on 13 December 2015. He has 14 prior convictions for assault, theft and handling stolen property, all dealt with in the District Court. Judge Melanie Greally, noting his status as a father to a three‑month‑old baby and his lack of recent offences, sentenced him to two‑and‑a‑half years in prison, suspended in full on strict conditions, including 12 months of engagement with the Probation Service.
Stephen Rooney (37), Alan Richardson (28) and Vincent Brunton (34) were jailed for their roles in an NCT scam that involved passing cars that had previously failed roadworthiness tests. The men were arrested after a Garda investigation prompted by an RTÉ Prime Time documentary in 2011. Judge Gerard Griffin sentenced Rooney and Richardson to three years with two‑and‑a‑half years suspended, and suspended the entire three‑year term for Brunton. Rooney pleaded guilty to forgery of an NCT certificate and corruption for accepting €100 as inducement; Richardson pleaded guilty to the same forgery and corruption for accepting a cash gift; Brunton pleaded guilty to forging an NCT certificate. The court noted the cars passed were unroadworthy and unsafe, and that the men's actions undermined public trust in the NCT system. The case was adjourned after the evidence was heard.
A 20‑year‑old woman pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after inviting a 54‑year‑old man she had been in a sexual relationship with to her apartment so her boyfriend could beat him. The assault took place on 11 August 2015 at her Dublin home. The victim, a father of six, was punched, kicked, stabbed, and suffered broken bones and a wired jaw. The woman was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, which was fully suspended. She was not the ringleader but was prosecuted under joint enterprise for facilitating the attack. The court noted that the garda had given sympathetic evidence, citing her difficult past. The case is separate from a defilement case the Director of Public Prosecutions is considering against the victim. The woman has no prior convictions. The co‑accused in the assault is unnamed and will stand trial on similar charges. The victim's name is withheld for legal reasons.
In July 2016, former Anglo Irish Bank head John Bowe (52) and former Irish Life and Permanent chief executive Denis Casey (56) were convicted by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of conspiring to mislead the public about Anglo Irish Bank's financial health. They had used interbank loans to inflate the bank's value by €7.2 bn between 1 March and 30 September 2008. Bowe received a two‑year sentence and Casey a two‑year‑nine‑month sentence. Both men lodged appeals, which began before the Court of Appeal on 6 March 2017. John Bowe pleaded not guilty. Denis Casey pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Dean McCarthy, aged 26, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for possessing €1.674 million worth of cannabis hidden in a consignment of vintage clothing. The drugs were discovered by a customs officer at Highland Shipping in Finglas, who found 115 packets weighing nearly 84 kg. Gardaí re‑packaged the clothes and allowed the owner to collect them. On 26 June 2015, McCarthy drove a transit van to the business park, collected the pallet under undercover Garda surveillance, and later handed the keys to another man. The van was seized by Gardaí, prompting the driver to flee. McCarthy was arrested that night, denied knowledge of the contents, and pleaded guilty. The court noted his 12 prior minor convictions, his early guilty plea, and mitigating personal circumstances, including a difficult upbringing and family support, before sentencing him to six years in jail.
Michael Fagan (25) of Sperrin Rd, Drimnagh, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of stolen property. The offence involved a safe stolen from the Co. Meath home of Mark Guildea on May 5, 2014, which Fagan dropped from a third-floor balcony at Rathmines flats complex on the same night. Detective Garda Brian McCarthy testified that items, including shotgun cartridges, scattered after the drop. Fagan, who has 51 previous convictions, was jailed for the handling offence. Separately, at Trim Circuit Criminal Court, Dean Fagan (28) of Kildare Park, Crumlin, Dublin, and Daryl Smith (25) of Shancastle Lawns, Clondalkin, Dublin, were jailed after pleading guilty to carrying out the aggravated burglary at Irishtown, Ashbourne, on May 5, 2014. The court heard that the victims, including Guildea's wife and child, were tied up during the incident. Michael Fagan was not charged with the burglary itself. Judge Elma Sheehan presided over the sentencing in Dublin, while the Trim court handed down the sentences for Dean Fagan and Smith. All three individuals received custodial sentences for their respective convictions.
The 66‑year‑old man, who had previously been convicted of sexual assault, was sentenced by Judge Patricia Ryan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after admitting he had breached a Section 16 sex‑offender order by attempting to talk to children while intoxicated. The order, issued by Judge Martin Nolan in February 2015, prohibited any interaction with children for five years and required the offender to remain unidentified. The man pleaded guilty to the breach on 11 August 2016 and has been in custody since. Judge Ryan imposed an 18‑month sentence, back‑dated to the offence, and suspended the balance on the condition that he complies with all directions of the Probation Service and remains abstinent from non‑prescription intoxicants. He will access a multidisciplinary treatment programme in the community rather than in custody, as outlined in a probation and welfare report presented to the court.
Donal O'Hara, 51, of Glin Park, Coolock, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to cultivating cannabis and possessing a sawn‑off shotgun. In February 2015 Gardaí discovered 72 cannabis plants in his master bedroom; O'Hara claimed they were for personal use. In June 2016 a search revealed a 12‑gauge single‑barrel shotgun and cartridges in a bag in a trailer at the rear of his house. O'Hara said he had the firearm for self‑defence after shots were fired at his home days earlier. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a four‑year sentence for the drug offence, with one year suspended, and a seven‑year sentence for the firearms offence, with the final four years suspended, giving a total custodial term of six years. O'Hara had 29 prior convictions, including drugs, public order and road traffic offences. The court noted unusual circumstances, including threats to his family and a gun pointed at a son.
In a Dublin city centre brawl on 23 May 2016, 19‑year‑old Jordan McGuinness and 20‑year‑old Craig Smith, along with two other men, attacked two students who were walking by. McGuinness punched Lee Whelan, knocking him to the ground, while Smith and another man struck Dylan Campbell with an iron bar and a hammer. CCTV footage showed the assaults and the use of the weapons. Both McGuinness and Smith pleaded guilty to violent disorder at D'Olier Street and were scheduled for sentencing in April 2017. They were also charged with assault causing harm to the victims and, for Smith, production of an offensive weapon. The court noted their remorse and the offers of compensation, but the final sentencing was pending at the time of the report.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Gary Kearney, aged 25, admitted to robbing a man on Millennium Bridge in the early hours of 11 September 2016. Kearney, who has 160 prior convictions including assault, robbery, theft, burglary, criminal damage and public order offences, claimed to be an undercover Garda before handcuffing and robbing the victim. He and an accomplice used handcuffs and quoted sections of law to intimidate the man, who feared being pushed into the Liffey. They removed his phone, travel and bank cards, returned the cards after the victim demanded them back, but re‑handcuffed him when he asked for his phone. Kearney pleaded guilty to robbery, false imprisonment and theft. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to May to allow Kearney to attend a 12‑week residential treatment programme at Cuan Mhuire. The accomplice fled and has not been charged.
Michelle Butterworth, 56, of Stanley Street, Rochdale, faces jail after pleading guilty to 13 credit card fraud offences committed over three weekends in September and October 2016. The offences occurred in Galway, Kildare and Dublin, where she and a gang used high‑quality fake credit cards to purchase €8,875 worth of goods, including Sony Playstations, Gucci watches, Samsung and Apple smartphones and a Claddagh ring. The gang targeted Field's Jewellers, Argos and Gamestop, exploiting a loyalty scheme and manual card entry to bypass security checks. Garda James Codd reported that the gang was apprehended after staff became suspicious and a surveillance operation led to arrests at a petrol station. Butterworth admitted her role, identified accomplices and claimed the fraud was to repay a loan taken to bury her husband, who died in 2013. Judge Karen O'Connor remanded her in continuing custody on 10 March, when a sentence will be imposed.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 2 March 2017, Mario White, aged 20, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after he threw a glass bottle into the smoking area outside La Fayette bar on 28 March 2015. The bottle struck Warren McKeown, who sustained tendon damage to his left thumb and forearm, impairing his plumbing work and requiring surgery. Judge Gerard Griffin described White's conduct as reckless and gratuitously violent, but, citing his early guilty plea and remorse, suspended an 18‑month prison sentence for two years. White was ordered to pay €2,500 to McKeown. The court noted that White had been on bail for a robbery offence committed on 25 November 2013, when he was still a juvenile. Security staff had restrained White until Gardaí arrived, and McKeown received eight stitches in hospital. The judge warned that any future offence would result in imprisonment.
Munir Ghariani, 26, of Dun Laoghaire, pleaded guilty to the robbery of a Chinese national on Granville Road, Cabinteely, on March 21, 2016. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Ghariani, who has 34 previous convictions including sexual assault, indecency, burglary, and theft, was registered as a sex offender. He was on bail for a similar offence at the time of the incident. During the sentencing stage, Ghariani asked Judge Melanie Greally if there was any chance of a suspended sentence, promising to stay home and take medication. The court noted he admitted to the theft but denied biting the victim, claiming her thumb hit his teeth, while stating he acted "for the thrill." Defence counsel described the act as a spontaneous attempt and highlighted Ghariani's complex mental health issues and personal background. Judge Greally rejected a defence application for temporary bail. The matter was adjourned to later this month to hear evidence from medical professionals treating Ghariani for his complex mental health problems.
A former office manager from Carrigallen, County Leitrim, has received a suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for stealing €10,350 from her employer over five years. Antoinette Connolly, aged 53, pleaded guilty to four sample counts of theft from Killester College on Collins Avenue East, Dublin, between October 2006 and October 2011. The thefts included €4,250 in cheques and postal orders. Connolly withdrew approximately €100 monthly, which she used to pay household bills and mortgage arrears. The offences came to light in 2011 after she took sick leave. The court heard she faced significant financial hardship while supporting her family, as her husband had been unable to work since 2007. Judge James O'Donoghue suspended a two-year prison sentence on condition she keep the peace for that period, noting she had already lost her employment and repaid the full amount stolen. A Probation Service report indicated no risk of reoffending.
In March 2017, Gail O'Rourke, who had been acquitted in 2015 of an attempt to assist a friend's suicide, appeared in court to support taxi driver Stephen Murphy, who faces a mandatory ten‑year minimum sentence for drug dealing. O'Rourke, who recently published a book about her experiences, and her husband Barry wrote a letter to Judge Melanie Greally stating that Murphy had "lost so much of his life" because of the offence and that his son suffers from Crohn's disease. Murphy, 44, was caught with €273,859 worth of drugs—including ketamine, ecstasy tablets and cannabis—in the boot of his taxi after a Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau surveillance operation. He pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply on North Road, Finglas, on 13 May 2015 and is scheduled to be sentenced on 10 March. The Garda investigation began after a tip‑off that drugs were being moved in the Finglas area.
Ian Sheridan, 32, of Bray, was given a suspended three‑year sentence after a judge found that a custodial sentence was not necessary. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on 21 February 2015 after beating his girlfriend, Patricia Rodriguez, for over an hour and biting her face twice. The assault took place in their home after an argument; Sheridan had been drinking and had a history of drug and alcohol problems. He had previously been convicted of theft, public order and road traffic offences. Sheridan offered Rodriguez €1,600 as a token of remorse, which she declined, and the money was directed to a women's refuge. The judge required Sheridan to keep the peace and participate in a restorative justice programme as conditions of the suspended sentence. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Ian Quinn, a 35‑year‑old chronic crack cocaine and heroin addict, was sentenced to five years in prison for robbing Paddy Powers Bookmakers in Castletymon, Tallaght, on 29 September 2015. He smashed the security glass with a stool, stole €980, and was caught after staff ran to the back office and triggered a panic alarm. Quinn pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and had 44 previous convictions, including robbery and possession of an imitation firearm. He is currently serving a sentence for those offences and is due for release in 2021. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted Quinn's dire health and chronic addiction, suspended the final 12 months of the sentence on strict conditions, and required him to engage with the Probation Service for two years after release. The case highlighted Quinn's repeated relapses and the impact on staff who suffered anxiety and lost work time.
David Marsh, a 30‑year‑old former IT worker, was sentenced to four‑and‑a‑half months in jail for stealing €1,200 from a colleague in Stepaside, Dublin, by promising her All‑Ireland football final tickets. The offence, committed on 17 September 2015, was added to a two‑year sentence he is already serving for earlier scams. Marsh had previously defrauded a Limerick couple out of €76,000 by promising a cheap house, and had scammed colleagues and tag‑rugby teammates out of nearly €8,000 by claiming he could secure tickets to a Conor McGregor UFC fight. He pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where the judge noted the similarity of this offence to his earlier conduct. Marsh admitted the fraud, apologized, and a psychological report indicated depression and suicidal ideation. The judge imposed the new sentence to run consecutively with the existing two‑year term.
The trial of former Anglo Irish Bank chairman Sean FitzPatrick, aged 68, has entered its 90th day, making it the longest criminal trial in Irish history. The prosecution alleges that FitzPatrick and his family artificially reduced multi‑million euro loans for two weeks around the bank's financial year‑end by taking short‑term loans from other sources, including Irish Nationwide Building Society. The case centres on FitzPatrick's alleged failure to disclose these loans to auditors between 2002 and 2007. FitzPatrick denies all charges. The trial began in September and was expected to finish by Christmas, but legal arguments have delayed it. Judge John Aylmer told jurors they could take breaks and that the trial would likely extend into April. FitzPatrick faces 27 offences under the 1990 Companies Act, including 22 for misleading auditors and five for furnishing false information between 2002 and 2007. The trial continues.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Stephen Rooney, 37, was sentenced to one year in jail for forging an NCT certificate and accepting a €100 inducement. He collapsed in the dock, prompting an ambulance call. Judge Gerard Griffin had originally imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspending the final two‑and‑a‑half years due to Rooney's cooperation and remorse. The court also set sentencing dates for co‑accused Alan Richardson, 28, and Vincent Brunton, 34, who had each pleaded guilty to forgery and corruption for passing two un‑roadworthy Toyota Carinas. Both men were to receive suspended sentences after full cooperation. A fourth man, Darren Meehan, 40, had already received a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence for producing a false NCT certificate. All three men were remanded on continuing bail pending the March 6 sentencing. The case stemmed from a 2011 RTÉ Prime Time documentary and a Garda investigation.
During the trial of Sean FitzPatrick, former Anglo Irish Bank auditor Vincent Bergin denied that a "system failure" occurred during the firm's audit of the bank. The State alleges that FitzPatrick's multi‑million‑euro loans were artificially reduced for two weeks around the bank's year‑end by short‑term loans from other sources, including Irish Nationwide Building Society. Prosecutor Dominic McGinn SC said the case concerns the former chairman's failure to disclose these loans to auditors between 2002 and 2007. Bergin, a partner at EY, led the audit from 2005 to 2008 and testified that the audit file for 2006 did not contain information reconciling the €63.7 million of loans linked to FitzPatrick with the €25 million figure reported in the financial statements. He admitted no evidence that the reconciliation was performed, but denied that a system failure had occurred. Sean FitzPatrick pleaded not guilty.
Raymond O'Hara, 50, received an 18‑month prison sentence for stealing seven bottles of spirits from the Clifton Court Hotel in August 2015. He has 231 prior convictions, including 144 theft and fraud offences and 46 road traffic offences, and was released from custody four weeks before the offence. The judge, Pauline Codd, noted the burglary had caused nervousness among staff and imposed the sentence with the final eight months suspended, conditional on one year of probation, remaining drug‑ and alcohol‑free, and attending residential drug treatment if directed. O'Hara intends to use his time in prison as a "health farm," attending the gym, Narcotics Anonymous, and studying computers, claiming he will address his drug and alcohol issues and improve his health. The court accepted his plea of guilty and the conditions of the suspended portion.
Cornelius Price, 35, of Meath, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for endangering a Garda at Balbriggan Garda Station on 22 January 2014. He drove a Ford van at high speed, forcing Garda Gary Dillane to jump out of the van's path to avoid serious injury. The offence was aggravated by the fact that it was committed against a Garda in the execution of duty. Judge Patricia Ryan noted the impact on the Garda and considered mitigating factors such as Price's educational achievements and voluntary work while in custody. She backdated the sentence to the conviction date of 17 February. Price had previously spent ten and a half months in custody on a separate charge of threatening to damage Garda property, from which he was later acquitted. The court also heard that the incident had caused Garda Dillane to consider resigning, though he ultimately decided to remain in the force. Cornelius Price pleaded not guilty.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, former Anglo Irish Bank auditor Vincent Bergin testified that he was willing to give the "unvarnished truth" even if it conflicted with his audit firm EY's interests. He confirmed that multi‑million euro loans taken by Sean FitzPatrick (68) and his family were allegedly "artificially reduced" for two weeks around the bank's year‑end by short‑term loans from other sources, including Irish Nationwide Building Society. Bergin, who led the audit from 2005 to 2008, said he would admit mistakes if they existed and that he had sworn an oath to tell the truth. He also noted that the bank had sued EY in 2012 and that EY was involved in proceedings with the Chartered Accountants Regulatory Board. The trial, which had been adjourned for a legal matter, continues tomorrow. Sean FitzPatrick pleaded not guilty.
In a 2015 raid on Alan Norman's flat in Drumcondra, Gardaí seized about 1,500 tablets of Xanax and Valium. Norman, who was on a methadone programme, claimed the drugs were for a dealer and that the raid was at the wrong address. He later told his landlord that the Gardaí had entered the wrong door, prompting a damages claim. In court, Norman pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply. His lawyer argued he was merely storing drugs for a dealer, and there was no evidence of wealth. Judge Gerard Griffin adjourned sentencing to July, ordered drug testing and cooperation with the Probation Service, and noted a possible suspended sentence if a favourable report was received. The case highlighted the Gardaí's efforts to defend the claim and the procedural steps pending sentencing.
Derek Corr, 31, was convicted in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for orchestrating a passport fraud scheme that involved persuading his GP, Dr Lewis Regan, to sign a false identity certificate. The court found Corr was the main person behind an attempt to obtain a passport for an unknown individual, though the intended recipient remains unidentified. Corr received a five‑year sentence, with four years suspended, to run concurrently with a one‑year term he is already serving for a knife attack on a neighbour. Judge Pauline Codd described the offence as "at the higher end of the mid range." Corr pleaded guilty to providing false information in a passport application in January 2015. The case also involved a third defendant who was still at large, and Dr Regan had previously been sentenced under the Probation Act for filling out the false form, with no conviction recorded.
Damien Murphy, 40, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for a series of pharmacy robberies that took place between December 2015 and February 2016. He admitted to four robberies, one attempted robbery and the production of a knife, and was armed with a knife or scissors during each incident. The robberies were carried out in Dublin city centre, including at Byrnes Pharmacy, Mangans Pharmacy, Blackhall Pharmacy and Janet Dillon Pharmacy. In one robbery a four‑year‑old child was present. Murphy had previously kept his drug addiction under control but relapsed after a financial crisis. He pleaded guilty and made full admissions. The judge imposed concurrent sentences totalling six years, suspended the final 18 months, and imposed 12 months of probation supervision.
Christopher Coleman, 27, of Dublin, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for dangerous driving that caused the death of Eugene Maher, 62, on Clontarf Road on 30 June 2015. The Court of Appeal increased the original two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence to six years, suspending the final two years and nine months. Coleman also received a 15‑year driving disqualification. He had previously been disqualified and had no licence at the time of the offence. The prosecution argued the original sentence was too lenient, citing Coleman's speed, failure to stop at a red light, driving while disqualified, leaving the crash scene and lack of insurance. The court noted his guilty plea and remorse, but upheld the increased term with suspension due to mitigating factors. The case remains a criminal proceeding at the appellate level.
During the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, former Anglo Irish Bank auditor Vincent Bergin testified that he was unaware of documents indicating that Sean FitzPatrick's multi‑million‑euro loans were temporarily refinanced. The trial, which has been ongoing for 85 days, focuses on FitzPatrick's alleged failure to disclose the extent of these loans to auditors between 2002 and 2007. Prosecutor Dominic McGinn presented evidence of deposit accounts, loan facilities and letters from Irish Nationwide Building Society offering short‑term loans to FitzPatrick and his wife, amounting to over €62 million in 2007. Bergin, who audited Anglo from 2005 to 2008, stated that he would have raised concerns and possibly resigned if he had known of the refinancing. FitzPatrick, aged 68, denies all 27 charges, including 22 for misleading auditors and five for furnishing false information. The case remains before Judge John Aylmer and a jury.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 25‑year‑old Roberts Augstkalms pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after a drunken altercation with a taxi driver over a €6.40 fare. Augstkalms, who had been waiting for a Hailo fare that failed to materialise, refused to pay and verbally abused the driver, calling him a "robber." He then left the vehicle, pulled the driver out, and punched him in the face, breaking the driver's nose and cutting his eye. The driver was frightened and screamed, and bystanders intervened. Augstkalms later admitted to the assault and expressed remorse, paying €2,000 as a token of apology. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted his cooperation with the Probation Service and lack of prior convictions, and ordered 240 hours of community service within 12 months in lieu of a one‑year jail sentence.
Three men – Stephen Rooney (37), Alan Richardson (28) and Vincent Brunton (34) – were arrested after a Garda investigation into a 2011 RTÉ Prime Time documentary that exposed a scheme to pass unroadworthy vehicles at a Dublin NCT centre. Richardson, then an NCT inspector, was approached by Rooney to pass two Toyota Carinas that had previously failed the test. The men were to receive €100, but no money was exchanged. Richardson then asked Brunton to issue a false NCT certificate for one vehicle, while a fourth man, Darren Meehan (40), was approached to pass the second vehicle and received a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence for producing a false certificate. Rooney pleaded guilty to forgery and corruption for accepting €100 as inducement; Richardson pleaded guilty to the same forgery and corruption for accepting cash from Rooney; Brunton pleaded guilty to forgery for creating a false certificate. All three men fully cooperated with the Garda investigation and expressed remorse.
Paul Moore, 51, who has received six jail sentences for rape and sexual assault over the last 25 years, will remain on bail pending sentencing for sexually assaulting an au pair on the southside DART on 28 August 2014. Gardaí examined CCTV footage of the incident but Moore was not recognised until 2016, when he was arrested. In 2014, Moore approached the victim on the DART, made small talk, then touched her breasts and pulled at her trousers before another passenger intervened. He had a toy turtle in his hand and claimed he was looking for a child to give it to. In 2015 he was jailed for 15 months for two separate street assaults where he stopped women for a cigarette and sexually assaulted them. His other convictions include rape of a musician in 2001 (10 years) and rape of another woman in 1995 (7 years). The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
In a 2014 incident at Balbriggan Garda Station, Cornelius Price, a 35‑year‑old van driver, was found guilty of endangering a Garda. On the night of 22 January, two vehicles – a Hyundai and a Ford van – were driving at high speed in the station's car park. Garda Gary Dillane, in full uniform, stopped the van and shouted "stop," but Price continued to drive straight at him. Dillane jumped out of the van's path, injuring his leg; he later said he could have been seriously injured or killed. Price was pursued by Dillane and Garda Sean Caffrey but escaped. The van driver was arrested, and Price denied seeing the Garda. He had previously spent 11½ months in custody on a separate charge, which was later acquitted. The case was set for sentencing on 24 February, with the court hearing a victim impact statement from Dillane, who described the event as terrifying and considered resigning from the force. Cornelius Price pleaded not guilty.
Thomas Stokes, 23, of Clondalkin, Dublin, was sentenced to six years in prison at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to six sample charges, including robbery and possession of an imitation firearm, committed between July 15 and July 25, 2016. Judge Melanie Greally suspended the final 18 months of the sentence on strict conditions. Prosecution evidence detailed a ten-day crime spree during which Stokes allegedly robbed a total of €1,157 and a mobile phone, threatening victims with a toy gun and a steel bollard. He admitted to gardaí that he committed the offences to pay a €2,200 drug debt after his family's trailer was threatened. The final victim, a 66-year-old shop owner, closed his family-run business days later due to fear of further attacks. Stokes was identified via CCTV footage showing a distinct tattoo. Judge Greally noted the escalating seriousness of the crimes and the lingering menace felt by the victim, while accepting that the offences were motivated by Stokes's drug addiction and family pressures. She acknowledged his genuine remorse and that the actions were out of character for a man from a law-abiding family. Stokes has also been sentenced in the District Court for an earlier theft that preceded the robberies. No injuries were reported during the incidents.
Shane Murphy, 25, of Swords, was sentenced to one year in prison for assault causing harm to Aidan Mullen on 10 July 2011. The offence occurred after a dispute over a stolen green bin. Mullen, who had a heart attack in March, was attacked by Murphy who shouted, "I don't give a fuck about you or your heart attack." Murphy struck Mullen on the face, causing fractures to his skull and cheekbone, and inflicted pain that led to medical bills of €1,500 and lost income of €4,200. Murphy pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and had 19 prior convictions, including assault and intoxication offences. He had previously been sentenced to three years with the final two years suspended, but the judge imposed a one‑year term for this offence. The court noted his history of drug addiction and that he had since completed residential treatment.
In February 2017, Scott Hallion, aged 25, was sentenced to four years in prison for his role in a riot at Cloverhill Prison that caused over €30,000 in damage. Hallion was captured on CCTV holding a shaved piece of perspex and a 21‑year‑old Afghan inmate in a hostage situation. He pleaded guilty to violent disorder, assault causing harm, false imprisonment and criminal damage. The court found he was not a ringleader but was swept up in the mayhem. Judge Melanie Greally described the incident as "disturbing" and "extreme violence", suspended the last 12 months of the sentence on strict conditions, and required the term to run consecutively with a sentence Hallion was already serving. Hallion had 52 prior convictions and was already serving a sentence that was due for release in February 2019.