In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 16 November 2016, Adam McCarthy, a 24‑year‑old college student, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Niall McHale outside Tamango's Nightclub in Portmarnock on 27 December 2014. McCarthy had joined a group that cut in line for a taxi, and when McHale protested that the taxi was not theirs, McCarthy punched him above the right eye, causing McHale to fall and lose consciousness. McHale was then kicked in the head, sustaining bruising, lacerations and seven stitches. McCarthy was restrained by nightclub bouncers before Gardaí arrived. McHale, who had been housebound for most of the Christmas holidays, was taken to Beaumont Hospital. McCarthy, who has no prior convictions, apologized in a letter and offered €5,000 to McHale's family, to be donated to a charity of their choice. Judge Melanie Greally noted the seriousness of a head kick, considered the possibility of community service, and adjourned sentencing to 8 February 2017.
An unemployed courier from Glenties Road, Finglas, Dublin has been sentenced to six years imprisonment following his conviction for drug and firearms offences. Ken McDermott, aged 47, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession for sale or supply of controlled drugs and unlawful possession of firearms on 27 May 2015. Gardaí arrested McDermott after he collected two rucksacks containing a .32 Colt revolver, a .38 Remington revolver with ammunition, cocaine valued at approximately €219,104, and ecstasy tablets estimated at €256,820. Additional controlled substances were recovered from a vehicle at the Finglas location. The total estimated street value of drugs seized exceeded €483,000. Judge Melanie Greally noted McDermott's guilty plea and family circumstances as mitigating factors but stated he failed to consider the community impact of his actions. The judge recommended Mountjoy Prison for his detention to facilitate family contact.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Kelvin Lynch, aged 24, received a suspended sentence after assaulting Barry Fitzgerald in Copperface Jack's nightclub on Harcourt Street. Lynch had ordered drinks and, believing Fitzgerald had taken his change, grabbed him by the hand and head‑butted him, causing a broken nose and front tooth. The incident occurred on 19 April 2015, when Fitzgerald was in the city centre watching a Dublin match and had visited two pubs before arriving at the nightclub around 2 a.m. Lynch pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted the violence was "characteristic of a culture of people feeling they can engage in very significant violence for very little reason." She imposed a three‑year sentence, suspended for three years, and ordered Lynch to pay €5,000 to Fitzgerald as a token of remorse. Lynch has no prior convictions and works in human resources.
In a €2 million drug bust, Tara Kennedy (22) and her partner Graham O'Toole (24) were charged with possession of drugs for sale or supply. Kennedy's son, aged three, was present when Gardaí raided their home, finding €1,158,600 worth of cannabis, cocaine and heroin. O'Toole had previously pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and received a four‑year sentence with the final two years suspended. Alan Dowling (46), who acted as a courier, was also charged and pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply. All three accused will be sentenced on 25 November. The court heard that Kennedy had spent much of her life in care and was genuinely remorseful, while O'Toole had a moderate risk of re‑offending and had attended rehabilitation programmes. Dowling had 16 prior traffic convictions and had cooperated with Gardaí from the outset. The case highlights the involvement of a young child in a serious drug offence.
Conor McKee, 26, will be sentenced in February for stealing €7,939.35 from his own Bank of Ireland account. He withdrew the cash in three separate locations on 24 April 2014 after discovering a large sum had been deposited into his account, a deposit made via a forged cheque that he had no involvement with. McKee admitted the money was not his and spent it on food, drink and trips with his partner. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Judge Melanie Greally noted the theft was not pre‑meditated but still dishonest, causing a significant loss to the bank. McKee was remanded on continuing bail until 23 February and the Probation Service was ordered to assess him for community service. He has no further contact with Gardaí since the arrest.
Patrick Purcell, aged 33, will be sentenced later this month for holding over €1 million worth of drugs in a storage unit he rented. Gardaí observed him handing a drug package to Jordan Maher, 19, and a warrant was secured for the lock‑up where €1 million of ketamine and €14 896 of cocaine were found. Purcell admitted he was paid €500 to hold and distribute the drugs, and that he rented the unit for €15 a week, claiming it was for tools for his landscaping business. He pleaded guilty to possession of 18 kg of ketamine worth €1 080 000 and 212 g of cocaine for sale or supply at the Straffan premises, and to possession of 2.2 kg of ketamine worth €103 123 at Maiden's Row, Chapelizod. He has four prior convictions, including a suspended sentence for a drug offence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 14 November 2016, Elliot Kidd, aged 25, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended, subject to strict conditions including engagement with the Probation Service and addiction and mental‑health services. Kidd pleaded guilty to possessing drugs for sale or supply on 11 June 2015. He was part of a scheme that moved €778,000 of cannabis imported from Spain, hidden under scented candles. The drugs were discovered when a customs officer with a sniffer dog found 37.9 kg of cannabis herb packed in pallets at a warehouse on 9 June 2015. Kidd, along with co‑accused Jonathan Carberry (35) and Gavin Mulvey (35), were arrested while unloading the pallets at Bath Lane, Dublin. Carberry received a seven‑year sentence with two years suspended, and Mulvey received three years with the last year suspended.
Dylan Brophy, 19, was arrested two hours after a robbery on Reuben Street on 12 March 2015, where he used a metal brush handle to strike two students, Bronte Kavanagh and Ryan Donnelly, and stole a bag and a phone. He pleaded guilty to robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Brophy claimed he was defending a friend who had called him after being attacked. He has 21 prior convictions for traffic, public order and drug offences. Garda Brendan Lynn said the victims were warned to run, then dragged to the ground, hit, and robbed of a bag containing an iPhone and €40. The victims suffered concussions and bruises. Brophy denied threats and said he knew police were searching for him, so he turned himself in. A psychological report recommended probation assessment before sentencing, which is adjourned to 16 January.
A 17-year-old boy has been sentenced to one year's detention at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following a series of offences committed in April 2016. The teenager pleaded guilty to burglary, dangerous driving, and criminal damage to a bridge after crashing a stolen Hyundai into the River Liffey at Celbridge while evading gardai from a burglary scene in Lucan. Within 48 hours of his release on bail, he assaulted an elderly man and stole his vehicle. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a three-year sentence with the final two years suspended, noting that detention should be a last resort for minors. The court heard evidence that the accused was intoxicated during the chase and was abusing prescribed drugs at the time. His legal counsel submitted that he is now drug-free, has expressed remorse, and is willing to engage with rehabilitation services and address anger management issues.
Jonathan McLoughlin, 34, of Sheephill Park, Blanchardstown, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting deception in an Electric Picnic ticket scam. The court noted he was vulnerable, had a learning disability, and was exploited because he had a bank account. He withdrew €1,845 from his account, which was later distributed to the victims. The scam involved advertising tickets on Donedeal and an unknown man contacting buyers, with McLoughlin's account used for transfers. A total of €2,630 was deposited, much of which was withdrawn via ATMs. Gardaí stopped the account after the victims reported it. McLoughlin was not the orchestrator; the court imposed probation, stressing he was taken advantage of. No other person has been charged.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Melanie Greally ruled that a prison sentence was inevitable for Jonathan McSherry (34) after he pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on Jessica Bowes on 20 December 2015. Footage showed McSherry repeatedly punching and kicking Bowes, leaving her unconscious twice and causing fractures to her skull, eye sockets and cheekbone, as well as permanent scarring and nerve damage. Bowes, a mother of three, described the attack as merciless and said she feared she would die. She reported ongoing anxiety, nightmares and physical impairments, including difficulty closing her lips and memory loss. McSherry was remanded on continuing bail until 21 December to allow him to attend the Coolmine residential drug treatment programme. The court noted a prior barring order and that McSherry had two children with Bowes. The judge emphasised the severity of the assault and the injuries when stating that jail was inevitable.
In November 2016, William Beresford, a 45‑year‑old former casino employee, was sentenced to four years in jail for robbing the Station's Sport Club on 20 August 2015. Beresford used a pellet gun to threaten colleagues and forced a staff member to open a safe, taking €4,400 that was never recovered. He had previously been convicted of manslaughter in 1999 for killing his brother and had 28 other minor convictions. Beresford surrendered to Gardaí four days after the robbery and expressed remorse, citing drug addiction as a motive. Judge Melanie Greally noted his progress in overcoming addiction but deemed the offence serious, describing the pellet gun as effectively a firearm. The final 18 months of the sentence were suspended on conditions including two years of probation. The case highlighted Beresford's troubled personal history, including a prior family tragedy and ongoing drug abuse.
Jane Fay, 64, of Bawnlea Avenue, Tallaght, was found to have fraudulently claimed over €30,000 in social welfare benefits in the name of her late cousin, Teresa Royal. The fraud was uncovered in 2015 when a facial‑recognition check matched Fay's photo to a claim under Royal's name. Fay had stopped the fraudulent claims in September 2014 and has since repaid €22,000 to the Department of Social Protection, with an additional €11,534 remaining in a frozen bank account, leaving a balance of €747 outstanding. She pleaded guilty to 38 charges covering claims from April 2010 to September 2014, totalling €34,781 in losses. Fay has no prior convictions and has cooperated fully with Gardaí, providing admissions and testimonials from community members, friends and family. The court adjourned sentencing to February 2 to allow the balance of compensation to be gathered and to review the large number of testimonials.
Michael Cawley, 44, of Swords, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment with two years suspended, meaning a two‑year custodial term, for attempted theft and criminal damage. The offence occurred on 26 March 2015 when he followed a man, Alan O'Neill, who had just cashed a €2,100 cheque at Bank of Ireland. Cawley entered the bank, joined the queue behind O'Neill, and after the cheque was cashed he followed O'Neill to his car. CCTV and a witness photo showed Cawley smashing the front passenger window and reaching into the vehicle, though he took no money. He pleaded guilty; the judge noted his 153 prior convictions, 120 of which were thefts linked to social welfare fraud, and his serious alcohol problem. He was also the sole provider for his wife, who receives a disability allowance. The court accepted a €100 payment as an expression of remorse for the damage.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 27‑year‑old Irish international footballer Anthony Stokes pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Anthony Bradley at Buck Whaleys nightclub on Leeson Street on 8 June 2013. The case, originally scheduled for trial on 22 November, was postponed at the prosecutor's request. Judge Melanie Greally set a sentencing date for 20 December and remanded Stokes on continuing bail.
Patrick O'Brien, a former lay worker with the Church of Ireland, was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment for raping and molesting 14 boys over a 40‑year period. He pleaded guilty to 48 counts of indecent assault and three counts of sexual assault, with offences ranging from kissing to forceful anal penetration. The abuse occurred between 1974 and 2013 at locations including Kildare, Westmeath, a boat in Loughrea, and St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin. O'Brien had previously received a one‑year suspended sentence in 1989 for assaulting a ten‑year‑old boy. The sentencing hearing, held over two days, included victim impact statements from 14 men aged 7 to 16, who described the abuse as predatory and pervasive.
Warren Brennan, 25, of Pearse Street, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery at Alderwood Park, Tallaght, on October 27, 2015. He also pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary at a bookmakers on Lombard Street and resisting a police officer on the same occasion. Judge Catherine Murphy described the Tallaght robbery, in which Brennan attacked a 71-year-old victim with a hammer, as "particularly nasty" and involving "gratuitous violence." The judge noted Brennan's 54 previous convictions, including a 2011 three-year jail term for an attempted armed robbery. Although Brennan was on bail for the Lombard Street burglary when he committed the Tallaght robbery, he is currently in custody for other offences. The judge remanded Brennan on continuing bail until January 16 for sentence, stating she needed time to consider various reports. Defense counsel Sean Gillane SC highlighted Brennan's difficult childhood, addiction issues, and a psychiatric report indicating a risk of developing schizophrenia, urging the court not to discard him entirely. Prosecution counsel detailed how Brennan was identified after giving a false name and how he attempted to stab gardai during the Lombard Street incident. The matter was adjourned for sentencing.
During a sentencing hearing, Judge Martin Nolan described Gardaí as "very optimistic farmers" when estimating the market value of cannabis. The case involved Polish man Marcin Jedlinski, 41, who was caught growing 36 cannabis plants at his rented Dublin home after Gardaí had previously stopped his car and found 5.4 kg of cannabis herb in the boot. Jedlinski pleaded guilty to possession of €138,466 worth of cannabis. Garda John McWeeney estimated the street value of the herb at €109,666 and the crop at €28,000, a figure the defence argued was a peak value and that the actual harvest would be lower. Judge Nolan noted Jedlinski's cooperation and prior guilty plea, and imposed a three‑year sentence. A co‑accused, Tomosz Adamski, 39, received a suspended two‑year sentence for allowing cultivation at the shared rental accommodation.
Marcin Malinski, a 35‑year‑old cafe owner, was stopped at a Garda checkpoint when officers detected a strong smell of cannabis from his BMW. A bag of cannabis plant cut‑offs was found in the car, and Malinski and his passenger were taken in for questioning. A subsequent search of his home revealed a grow house containing 17 cannabis plants at various stages of maturity. Garda Niall Carolan estimated the street value of the drugs, if fully matured, at €13,600. Malinski pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs on 29 October 2015 at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He has no prior convictions and admitted growing the cannabis for medicinal purposes to ease back pain, though he knew it was illegal. He was remanded on bail pending sentencing on 7 February, with a probation report to be prepared to assess his suitability for community service.
Bernadette Warnock, former director of the Hepatitis C charity Positive Action Ltd, was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to 71 counts of theft and fraud between 2009 and 2011, stealing €116,226 from the organisation. The charity, founded in 1994 to support women who contracted Hepatitis C through contaminated blood products, had 730 members and received most of its funding from the Health Service Executive (HSE). Warnock, aged 63, had previously been convicted of forging cheques in 1990. The court awarded €63,500 in compensation to the HSE, directing the money to the HSE's division that supports hepatitis C services. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the sentence to allow Warnock to attend a medical appointment, and the final sentence was a three‑year term with the last 12 months suspended. The case highlighted the breach of trust and the impact on the charity's reputation.
Dean Fagan, 26, of Fairway Drive, Rosslare Strand, Wexford, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for an aggravated burglary that took place on 4 January 2014 at John Street, Enniscorthy. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The burglary involved two men who entered the victim's home at about 11.30 p.m. armed with a knife and a hatchet. The victim, who was at home with her five‑year‑old son, was threatened and forced to give up money and jewellery. The men took two mobile phones and a laptop before leaving. Fagan had previously been serving a six‑year sentence for a separate aggravated burglary. The court noted that Fagan had no forensic evidence linking him to the crime and that his admissions to the gardai formed a large part of the evidence against him.
During a sentencing hearing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 67‑year‑old Marie McNally, a grieving pensioner whose sons were shot dead, accused her 30‑year‑old carer Laura Pennick of stealing €41,935 from her between January 2010 and December 2012. McNally said Pennick, who had become her "unofficial carer" after the deaths of her sons and her own ill health, accessed her ATM cards and bank accounts, including the €42,000 inheritance from her mother's house sale, and withdrew money for personal expenses such as home improvements, fashion, furnishings and holidays. Pennick pleaded guilty to the thefts. McNally's solicitor, Damien Colgan SC, noted Pennick's 29 previous convictions, including five thefts. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case for one year, ordering Pennick to return €1,100 to McNally within 14 days and to save €100 a week for the victim, while keeping a custodial sentence open. The matter will return to court on 4 December next year.
A former solicitor from County Mayo pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing €260,000 from client accounts between 2008 and 2011. Jacqueline Durcan, aged 47, made five withdrawals from mixed deposit accounts while managing Durcan Solicitors in Castlebar, which she had inherited from her father. The court heard she and her husband were indebted to banks for €6.5 million at the time, following property investments during the boom years. While some funds were used for office costs and insurance, €51,500 was applied to her home purchase in 2010. Upon learning an audit was imminent in early 2011, Durcan notified the Law Society of the deficit. She was struck off in 2011 and subsequently relocated to Belgium, where she teaches English. The Law Society paid €206,184 in compensation claims, which Durcan has since repaid. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to 21 November 2016.
David Drumm, former chief executive of Anglo Irish Bank, was granted a one‑day relaxation of his bail conditions by Judge Melanie Greally. The court heard that Drumm, aged 49 and residing in Skerries, Co. Dublin, is charged with 33 counts under two separate bills relating to alleged offences at the now‑defunct bank. He has not yet entered a plea. Two trials are scheduled: the first on 24 April next year, where he faces charges of conspiring to defraud depositors and investors by creating a false impression that 2008 deposits were €7.2 billion larger, and a charge under the EU transparency directive; the second in January 2018, where he faces 16 counts of offering unlawful financial assistance to members of businessman Sean Quinn's family and 10 other individuals, plus 14 charges of falsifying documents. The April trial is expected to last about three months, while the January trial is expected to last about two months.
A 35-year-old Dublin man has been found not guilty by reason of insanity of assaulting two women in Dublin city centre on 14 April 2015. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, the defendant pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to two counts of assault causing harm. The court heard he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and had discontinued his anti-psychotic medication prior to the offences. Both prosecution and defence counsel submitted that he met the criteria under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006, as he did not know his actions were wrong and was unable to control himself. Forensic psychiatrists for both sides concurred on these grounds. The jury returned the special verdict within minutes. Judge Martin Nolan ordered that the defendant be brought to the Central Mental Hospital for assessment of his treatment needs. The case was adjourned to 17 November.
Edward Wall (44) and Patrick Wall (36) were sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four years imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for burglary at a house in Drogheda and an attempted burglary in Gainstown on 31 October 2014. Patrick had four prior burglary convictions, including one aggravated burglary, with two suspended sentences, one six‑month term and a community service order. Edward had eight prior burglary convictions, receiving various sentences from suspensions to a three‑year term. The Director of Public Prosecutions applied for a review on the grounds of "unduly lenient" sentences, but the Court of Appeal found no clear divergence from the norm. The judge noted the Walls' prior convictions, the planning and sophistication of the burglary, and the fact that they were on bail for other matters at the time of sentencing. The review was rejected. Edward Wall pleaded guilty. Patrick Wall pleaded guilty.
Aaron Collins, 24, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended for violent disorder and assault causing harm to Noel O'Rourke during a Luas incident on 11 December 2014. Collins admitted he swiped a bottle of beer at O'Rourke, striking his eye, and later smashed the bottle on the victim's head. The assault occurred on an outbound Luas red line between Smithfield and Museum stops. O'Rourke, 46, suffered a fractured eye socket, scalp and lip wounds. Collins pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He had 36 prior convictions, none for violence, and was already serving an 18‑month sentence for a drug offence. The court noted Collins' claim of a misguided act of chivalry and his homelessness and alcohol use at the time. The case involved co‑accused Aoife Molloy and Martin O'Connor, who received partially suspended four‑year sentences. The incident was captured on CCTV, showing the escalation and Collins' involvement.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, the jury hearing former Anglo Irish Bank chairman Sean FitzPatrick's trial was sent away for a week to resolve a legal issue. FitzPatrick, aged 68, faces 21 charges of misleading auditors and six charges of furnishing false information between 2002 and 2007. The State alleges that loans taken by FitzPatrick, his wife and family rose from about €10 million in 2002 to roughly €100 million in 2007, and that the amount was artificially reduced for two weeks around the bank's year‑end by short‑term loans from other sources, including Irish Nationwide Building Society, without disclosure to auditors Ernst & Young, contrary to the 1990 Companies Act. Judge John Aylmer explained that progress was stalled by an unforeseen legal matter, and the jury will reconvene on 14 November after a week's break. The trial, originally scheduled for 12 weeks, had a 15‑member jury and had already seen two jurors excused for personal reasons. Sean FitzPatrick pleaded not guilty.
Michael Cawley, aged 24, received a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for acting as a distraction in four burglaries and one attempted burglary of elderly homes in Dublin between February and May 2010. He was 17 at the time of the offences. The court noted he had returned to the UK after the crimes and was now a married father of two living in Clondalkin, Dublin. Cawley had seven prior convictions and was serving a two‑year sentence with nine months suspended for similar offences in Cork. Judge Martin Nolan described the crimes as "atrocious" and said they exploited the trust of elderly victims, but noted there was no real violence. The judge imposed the sentence, stating it would have been longer had Cawley not been a minor when the offences occurred. Cawley claimed he was forced by an accomplice and had no knowledge of the burglary plan. Michael Cawley pleaded guilty.
Ukrainian taxi driver Ivan Seredych, aged 43, was convicted of sexually assaulting a 24‑year‑old woman in Dublin on 10 June 2012. He pleaded not guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court but was found guilty by a jury and sentenced to three years' imprisonment by Judge Catherine Murphy on 21 December 2015. The victim, who had been drinking and felt vulnerable after being separated from friends, was taken into a taxi where Seredych placed his hand on her thigh, touched her vagina, and exposed his penis. She recorded his name and number, directed him to drive to Raheny, and he did not request payment. Seredych's home was searched and his driver details matched those given by the complainant. His appeal against conviction was dismissed by the Court of Appeal, with Mr Justice George Birmingham ruling that the trial judge acted within her discretion in refusing to give a corroboration warning.
Neil Mannion, 35, of Dublin, pleaded guilty to possessing €143,000 worth of LSD, amphetamine and cannabis resin for sale or supply at Bank House Business Centre on 5 November 2014. He was sentenced to six‑and‑a‑half years imprisonment by Judge Martin Nolan. Mannion's appeal against the sentence was dismissed by Mr Justice George Birmingham. The court noted that Gardaí had information linking a specific computer IP address to the sale and supply of drugs on the dark net. Surveillance captured Mannion visiting the premises, where a weighing scale, Visa electron cards, a vacuum packing machine, envelopes, postage labels and foil wrapping were found. Mannion admitted his role as a vendor, packaging and sending orders to customers worldwide, including the UK, USA, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Mexico, France, Holland, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Japan, Sweden, Ukraine, Thailand, Denmark, Spain, Malaysia, Israel, Norway, Argentina, Canada, Lithuania, Finland and Belgium, as well as Ireland.
The trial of former Anglo Irish Bank chairman Sean FitzPatrick began at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. FitzPatrick, 68, is accused of misleading the bank's auditors, Ernst & Young, about multi‑million euro loans taken by him, his wife and family between 2002 and 2007. The loans grew from about €10 million in 2002 to roughly €100 million in 2007 and were used to finance shopping centres, hotels and offices. Prosecutor Dominic McGinn argued that FitzPatrick artificially reduced the loan figures for two weeks around the bank's year‑end by taking short‑term loans from other sources, including Irish Nationwide Building Society, and by transferring funds from deposits and savings accounts. The case involves 27 offences under the 1990 Companies Act, including 22 charges of making misleading statements to auditors and five charges of furnishing false information. The jury will hear evidence from 75 witnesses, including former bank staff and the former chairman of Anglo's successor bank, IBRC. Sean FitzPatrick pleaded not guilty.
An unemployed man from Glenties was remanded for sentencing after pleading guilty to serious drugs and firearms offences at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Ken McDermott, aged 47, admitted possession for sale or supply of controlled drugs and unlawful possession of firearms following his arrest in Finglas on May 27, 2015. Gardaí intercepted a vehicle at Dublin Port acting on confidential information about a planned firearms importation. McDermott was observed transferring rucksacks from a car to a van, which officers then stopped. A search recovered two revolvers and ammunition, along with cocaine and ecstasy tablets with an estimated street value exceeding €483,000. McDermott told gardaí he had agreed to participate in the importation to support his family following the collapse of his courier business. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case to November 16 for consideration of sentence.
Kenneth Cooke, aged 53, was sentenced by Judge Patricia Ryan to a total of 18 years in prison for sexually abusing two boys. The first abuse began in 1980 when the victim was nine, involving molestation and anally raping the boy, which caused a severe stammer that took 20 years to overcome. Cooke received a nine‑year term with four years suspended for this period. The second abuse occurred between 2000 and 2003, when the victim was aged 11 to 13; Cooke was given an eleven‑year term with two years suspended. Both sentences run consecutively to his existing nine‑year sentence for a 2014 conviction of sexual abuse of a female victim. The judge noted the extreme seriousness of the offences and the lasting impact on the victims, who suffered nightmares, physical and emotional trauma, and a lifelong sense of shame and loss. The court upheld the severity of the sentence on appeal. Kenneth Cooke pleaded guilty.
Paul Kavanagh, aged 25, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment after stealing nearly €54,000 from the Londis shop where he worked. He had awarded himself fake Lotto wins and spent the proceeds on take‑aways, taxis and cannabis. Kavanagh had previously agreed to repay €1,000 a month to the shop owner and to pay €3,600 within three days, but he failed to do so after losing his security job amid publicity. He pleaded guilty to theft from owner Ray Sheehan between 2014 and 2015 and was found with a small amount of cannabis at his home. The judge noted his remorse, lack of prior convictions, early guilty plea and low risk of re‑offending as mitigating factors, but also that the loss was significant for the business. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the theft and the impact on the shop.
An appeal has been heard in the High Court regarding the conviction of Glen Paisley for assault causing harm to Mr Nicolas Omnes on Camden Street in Dublin 2 on the evening of May 4, 2014. Paisley, who was found guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, has appealed the sentence of two and a half years in custody. The case was adjourned for further consideration. Paisley admitted to the charge and pleaded guilty. He has a history of fifty previous convictions, including 43 road traffic offences. The victim, Mr Omnes, was punched and fell, hitting his head on the ground, resulting in a head injury requiring hospital treatment. Paisley was with two friends during the incident and was more aggressive than others involved. CCTV footage later confirmed his involvement. The victim's statement highlighted the lasting impact of the assault on his life, including social and emotional effects. Defence counsel expressed remorse on behalf of Paisley and offered an apology. The matter was adjourned and is not yet finalised.
Liam Fox, 19, of Rossfield Park, Tallaght, was sentenced to 20 months in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his role in stealing €18,000 worth of computers and electronics from Brookfield Youth and Community Centre on 7 November 2014. The stolen items included five Dell laptops, three Playstations, iPads, Apple Macbooks, a digital camera and memory sticks, and the burglary caused damage to a glass door and filing cabinet. The offence lasted 55 minutes and was captured on CCTV, with Fox identified by Gardaí as one of four teenagers involved. Fox is already serving an eight‑year sentence for a separate aggravated burglary, with three‑and‑a‑half years suspended. The 20‑month term will run concurrently with that sentence. Judge Martin Nolan noted Fox's potential for reform upon release and warned that a future court appearance could result in a longer sentence. Liam Fox pleaded guilty.
Gerard Field, 28, of Coolock, pleaded guilty to three counts of arson at his own home and adjacent houses on 11 April 2015. He set fire to a bag of clothes in the back room of his downstairs with the intention of taking his own life, using no petrol or other flammable materials. Field, who uses a wheelchair and has spina bifida, hydrocephalus and mild cerebral palsy, had been depressed and had sought psychiatric help the day before the incident. He was severely injured, lost consciousness and was rescued by the Dublin Fire Brigade; his parents were taken to Beaumont Hospital and his sister suffered minor injuries. Field had no prior convictions. The court, after hearing his background and the lack of intent to harm others, imposed a five‑year suspended sentence and required him to engage with probation services for two years. The judge described the sentence as lenient given his circumstances and the seriousness of the offence.
Two Romanian nationals, Marius Radu, 38, and Bogdan Plesu, 31, were sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two years and two-and-a-half years in jail respectively for stealing a Visa card using a rudimentary device from an ATM and spending €17,064.67 in Argos shops. The device, described as a "Lebanese loop" made from a cut measuring tape, was used to trap the card and was later found in Plesu's girlfriend's home in Tallaght. CCTV footage linked the men to multiple Argos stores and a multi-storey car park, where the car they drove was traced to the same address. Gardaí discovered €3,500 in Plesu's room and €2,000 in Radu's room. Both men had previously pleaded guilty to theft of cash and a Visa card in January 2016. Judge Melanie Greally noted their education and employment records but was unconvinced that gambling motivated the offence.
A jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has acquitted a 34-year-old Armagh man of assaulting a former Republican prisoner, though the panel could not reach agreement on a charge against his father. Both Eugene Hanratty Jnr of Dundalk Road, Crossmaglen and Eugene Hanratty Snr of Castleblaney Road, Crossmaglen had pleaded not guilty to assaulting Martin McAllister causing him harm at Castleblaney, County Monaghan on 24 November 2012. The prosecution had argued the younger man was liable under the doctrine of joint enterprise despite not participating in the physical assault itself. After deliberating for two hours and five minutes, jurors found the younger accused not guilty. However, they were unable to reach a verdict regarding the senior accused, who is scheduled to return to court on 7 November. The judge discharged the jury and commended members for their service.
Marie McMahon, 68, a former women's rights campaigner, admitted to fraudulently claiming over €100,000 in social welfare payments by using her sister Katherine's card. After Katherine emigrated in 1992, a friend initially collected the benefits, and McMahon later continued the scheme, splitting the money. The fraud spanned from 2002 to 2014, with a total of €101,538.80 stolen. McMahon was detected in July 2014 through facial recognition technology, which confirmed she was not Katherine. She pleaded guilty to 13 charges at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a five‑year sentence, suspended in full on the condition that McMahon complete 240 hours of community service and pay €15 per week to the Department of Social Protection. No jail time was imposed.
The trial of Eugene Hanratty Snr and Eugune Hanratty Jnr is ongoing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Both defendants, from Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, have pleaded not guilty to the alleged assault of Martin McAllister causing him harm at Castleblaney, Co Monaghan, on November 24, 2012. The prosecution alleges that the younger accused blocked the victim's car with a jeep, after which his father exited the vehicle and assaulted Mr McAllister. The alleged victim testified that he suffered fractured nose and eye sockets during a sustained attack. Witness Mary McAllister described the senior accused as being in an "absolute mental frenzy," stating he struck her husband repeatedly on the head with fists and feet while she begged him to stop. She claimed the younger accused remained in the vehicle until later intervening to tell his father he had gone too far. Defence counsel characterized the incident as a dispute over shooting rights at a nearby duck sanctuary, suggesting the victim initiated the confrontation. While the defence alleged the victim discharged a pistol, which the accused then destroyed, the witness denied this. Garda witnesses testified that initial reports of a shooting incident were not corroborated by other officers. The matter remains at the trial stage with no verdict or sentence recorded.
Gerard Walsh, 38, pleaded guilty to burglary at the Liffey Valley valet service where he had worked. He admitted that a drug dealer had urged him to break into the premises to recover car keys and vehicles to pay a drug debt. Walsh and an accomplice forced entry, breaking three locks to reach the office where six sets of keys and three cars – a Volkswagen Touran, a Volkswagen Passat and an Audi A6 Avant – were taken. Two cars were recovered; the third was found a year later, costing the owner an estimated €3,500. The court heard that Walsh had previous convictions for public order and theft, dealt with 15 years earlier. Judge Melanie Greally accepted that Walsh was under personal hardship, allowing an adjournment to April 28 for him to raise compensation.
Eugene Hanratty Senior and Eugene Hanratty Jnr are standing trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, accused of assaulting Martin McAllister causing him harm at Castleblaney, Co. Monaghan on November 24, 2012. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges. The trial is currently ongoing before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury, with the matter not yet finalised. Mr. McAllister alleged that the younger accused blocked his vehicle with a jeep, after which the senior accused exited and subjected him to a sustained assault, resulting in fractured nose and eye sockets. He denied striking the first blow or producing a pistol, as suggested by defence counsel Garnet Orange SC. Mr. McAllister stated that commenting on the legitimacy of the senior accused's oil business would be "very dangerous." He also referenced his past, noting he was sentenced to ten years in 1974 for firearms offences, which he described as ancient history. The defence suggested the incident stemmed from a dispute over shooting rights in a duck sanctuary. The trial continues.
Patrick Brazil, 42, was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a series of shop robberies between August 2014 and January 2016, most while on bail. He pleaded guilty to three counts of robbery, one count of trespassing, criminal damage and possession of a knife. On 29 January 2015 he entered a shop on Oxmantown Road, held an imitation Smith & Wesson gun to a shop assistant's head, and demanded the till be emptied. An off‑duty trainee Garda, Claire Rafferty, intervened, was briefly threatened with the gun, but returned to the shop to protect the assistant. A struggle followed; Brazil was overpowered, the gun knocked to the floor, and he was arrested. Gardaí arrived shortly after. Brazil's defence highlighted his severe alcohol and drug addiction at the time, noting he has since abstained and is seeking treatment.
Jonathon Duffy, aged 33, was convicted of robbing the Blackrock Post Office on 16 April 2013 with a €2 toy gun, possessing an imitation firearm with intent to commit robbery, unlawfully seizing a vehicle and attempting to seize another. He was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by Judge Mary Ellen Ring on 26 May 2014. Duffy appealed the sentence, but Mr Justice George Birmingham dismissed the appeal on 25 October 2016, stating that Duffy had entered the post office, threatened a woman with the toy gun, stole about €3,000 in €20 notes, and then attempted to stop cars while fleeing. Gardaí pursued him, and he was eventually apprehended after a woman's vehicle was seized. Duffy had 35 prior convictions, including 10 for robbery, and had been temporarily released from prison 11 days before the offence. The court found no error in principle and upheld the seven‑year term. Jonathon Duffy pleaded guilty.
Paul Haughey, a 36-year-old father-of-five from Keady, Co Armagh, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of attempting to remove markers from gas oil without the consent of the Revenue Commissioners on September 1, 2011. Prosecutors stated that markers differentiate diesel from mineral oil, noting the significant tax disparity between the two fuels at the time. Detective Garda Paul Kane testified that Haughey was observed entering a property near Castleblaney, Co Monaghan, with another man to launder diesel before armed gardaí and customs officials raided the site. Over 13,000 litres of laundered diesel were discovered, and Haughey was stopped by an armed garda as he attempted to flee. Defending counsel Michael O'Higgins SC argued that Haughey played a minor role, cooperated fully with gardaí, and suffered from severe depression, requesting a non-custodial sentence such as community service. He also highlighted that the case had been delayed for five years. Judge Melanie Greally described the offence as one requiring a serious sanction to deter similar behavior. She ordered a community services report and adjourned the matter for sentencing on December 19.
Damian Trojnar, 33, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at a Tallaght address on May 29, 2012. The case originated when Garda Cathal McGeoghan stopped Trojnar for bad parking, leading to the discovery of a European Arrest Warrant. Upon executing the warrant at Trojnar's rented home in Ellensborough Meadows, gardai seized bags of cannabis with an estimated street value of €21,132, along with €2,200 in cash, a suspected drugs tick-list, and weighing scales. Trojnar was initially extradited to Poland, where he served a four-year sentence for theft and burglary offences committed 12 years ago. Following his release, he voluntarily returned to Ireland to face the drugs charges. Judge John Aylmer described Trojnar as a reformed man, noting his exemplary behaviour in Polish prison and his voluntary return. The judge suspended a jail sentence of two years on the condition that Trojnar be of good behaviour. Defence counsel Dominic McGinn SC highlighted that Trojnar had lived in Ireland for six years, working in construction, and wished to make a life for himself. The matter was finalised with this suspended sentence.
Niall Barron, a 44‑year‑old former Vodafone Ireland executive, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for a fraud scheme that deprived the company of about €1.95 million. Between 2003 and 2007, while serving as head of corporate financial services and fraud prevention, Barron used his authority to approve purchase orders and invoices for a company he owned, Tel‑Q Ltd, registered in Vanuatu. He ordered services that were never performed and paid invoices for work that did not occur. The court described the thefts as a sophisticated, pre‑meditated breach of trust. Barron pleaded guilty to sample charges under the Theft and Fraud Act. Co‑accused Elaine and David McGovern received suspended sentences and a nine‑month term, respectively, for lesser roles in the same fraud scheme. The case remains an ongoing civil matter for Vodafone.
Patrick Whelan, aged 20, was sentenced in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a suspended three‑year term for robbing and assaulting Sikh shop assistant Navdeep Singh at a newsagent in Blanchardstown on 27 July 2015. Whelan struck Singh over the head with a meat cleaver, forcing him to have his hair cut against his wishes, and stole €600 from the till. He pleaded guilty to the robbery, assault and being a passenger in a stolen car. The court ordered him to pay €4,000 in compensation to Singh. Judge Pauline Codd noted Whelan was a first‑time offender from a "decent, hardworking family", and that the assault was "completely unjustified". The suspended sentence is subject to probation supervision for four years and requires Whelan to attend drug, alcohol, anger awareness and victim awareness courses, as well as to pay the compensation in two instalments. The co‑accused remains before the courts.