Shane O'Connor, 34, of Tallaght, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the offence of producing an article at Mountjoy Prison on 25 September 2013. The incident involved O'Connor attempting to throw a jug of warm water at fellow inmate Keith Hughes while prison officer Leon Maguire was refilling a jug for tea. O'Connor rushed past Maguire, who was restraining him, and struck Maguire on the forehead with the jug. Maguire was treated for a cut and received one stitch. O'Connor was already serving a four‑year robbery sentence and had 29 prior convictions. He was undergoing drug rehabilitation at Tiglin Centre and was reported drug‑free for a year. Judge Patricia Ryan, after hearing the evidence, imposed a two‑year suspended sentence on strict conditions, recognising O'Connor's admissions, family support and drug‑free status. The sentence was suspended, not executed, pending compliance with the conditions. The case remains at the suspended‑sentence stage.
Stephen Tuohey, aged 25, was tried for assaulting Garda John Santry in a Dublin cell. The trial, lasting two days, ended with a not‑guilty verdict after just over an hour of jury deliberation. Tuohey denied any aggression, claiming he had blocked the cell's viewing hatch to request a phone call and that Santry had attacked him first. He alleged Santry threw him against the wall, struck him with a tie, and that other officers subsequently assaulted him, describing one as "dancing on my head." Tuohey said he was struck in the ribs and that Santry threatened him with pepper spray. The prosecution's evidence was a brief CCTV clip from the hallway, while the defence argued it showed Santry initiating the violence. No footage of the cell interior was available. The jury accepted the defence's account and acquitted Tuohey. Stephen Tuohey pleaded not guilty.
Noel Kinsella, 41, was sentenced to five months' imprisonment for obstructing a Garda during a drug search. Kinsella, who has 98 prior convictions, denied the assault charge but was found guilty of obstruction. The incident occurred on 11 November 2013 when Garda Ross Mannix approached Kinsella's home to conduct a search. Kinsella fled, was pursued, and entered the house where he fell on the front door, landing on the Garda. He shouted "I have the virus" and made biting motions at the Garda's leg. The Garda suffered a serious injury, including a fractured hand that required a cast. The judge noted that no drugs were found, but Kinsella was carrying a sizeable amount of money with no explanation. The sentence reflects the obstruction offence, which carries a maximum of six months. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Stephen Tuohey, aged 25, is accused of assaulting Garda John Santry in a Blanchardstown Garda Station cell on 25 June 2011. He pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The prosecution's main evidence is a few seconds of CCTV footage from the hallway outside the cell, showing Tuohey becoming aggressive because he could not have his own clothes and was returned to the cell for safety. The defence argues the footage shows Santry becoming aggressive, "getting up in his face," before throwing Tuohey into the cell and beating him. Santry, acting as jailer that morning, claims he checked on Tuohey, who was banging the cell door and covering the hatch. He says Tuohey lunged at him, spat, kicked and punched, and that Santry was forced to restrain him. Santry reports minor injuries and denies assault, stating the CCTV lacked audio. The trial will conclude before Judge Petria McDonnell and a jury.
The trial of four senior bankers – Denis Casey, former CEO of Irish Life and Permanent; Willie McAteer, former Head of Finance at Anglo Irish Bank; Peter Fitzpatrick, former ILP director of finance; and John Bowe, former Anglo head of capital markets – continues in legal argument until next week. They are accused of conspiring to mislead investors by using interbank loans to inflate Anglo Irish Bank's value by €7.2 billion between 1 March and 30 September 2008. All four pleaded not guilty. The court has paused the jury for a legal dispute and will resume on Monday.
Eugene Hanratty Senior, aged 57, of Castleblaney Road, Crossmaglen, and Eugene Hanratty Junior, aged 34, of Dundalk Road, Armagh, face charges of assault causing harm to a man in Castleblaney, County Monaghan on 24 November 2012. The trial of the father and son was scheduled to commence this week at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court but could not proceed. Defence counsel cited particular reasons for the adjournment. Judge Sarah Berkeley rescheduled the trial to commence on 25 October, with a pre-trial hearing set for June. Both men were charged following the alleged assault in the Monaghan locality.
Lewis Smith, 19, pleaded guilty to the robbery of Joseph Benson at City West Luas on 17 April 2015. Smith, who has 12 prior convictions, and a friend attacked Benson, shouting "get him" and kicking him. Smith tripped Benson onto the tracks, where his accomplice continued to kick him in the head. The victim's phone was taken. CCTV footage was shown in court. Smith's co‑accused, a cousin of the defendant, was defended by counsel who noted a similar attack in 2014 that killed a man. Benson, who fled Liberia 17 years earlier, suffered serious injuries and was hospitalized for three days. Judge Sarah Berkeley remanded Smith in custody until 4 April for sentencing. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Karl McDermott, a 19‑year‑old from Ratoath Avenue, Finglas, was sentenced by Judge Sarah Berkeley at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two years in prison for possession of a stolen car and its keys, with the final year suspended on strict conditions. McDermott pleaded guilty to the offence that occurred on St Helena's Road on 30 June 2015. He had 40 prior convictions, including burglary and interfering with a car. The stolen vehicle was a Toyota Yaris, taken from its owner by two men on 29 June 2015 and later abandoned on Tolka Valley Road. McDermott was found heavily intoxicated, resisted Garda questioning, and had attempted self‑harm in the station. He had recently lost his brother in Mountjoy prison, a factor noted by the defence. The judge described him as a danger to himself and to the public, but acknowledged the difficult circumstances surrounding his brother's death. The sentence was imposed with the final year suspended.
Sunny Idah, 41, a Nigerian national, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to soliciting two undercover Gardaí posing as Polish drug mules to import cocaine into Ireland between 14 and 19 September 2010. He was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, by Judge Catherine Murphy on 5 December 2014. Idah's appeal to reduce the severity of the sentence was dismissed by the Court of Appeal. Justice Alan Mahon upheld the 10‑year term, noting Idah's central role in a well‑planned, sophisticated operation that involved sending the mules to Brazil to ingest one kilogram of cocaine worth €140,000, with each mule to be paid €5,000. The Court of Appeal confirmed that the suspended 12 months and the overall sentence were appropriate, and Idah remains on temporary release. The appeal was dismissed on 2 February 2016.
Thomas Plunkett, 44, of Markievicz House, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary of St Patrick's Credit Union, Herbert Place, attempted burglary at Merrion Square and assault of Garda Paul Carroll at Pearse Street Garda Station on Easter Monday, April 21, 2014. He was remanded in custody pending sentence. Plunkett was caught with a laptop and overhead projector belonging to the credit union a short distance from where he had tried to break into a Merrion Square home. Garda Barry Moran said Plunkett, who had cuts and blood on his face, neck and hands, initially claimed he didn't know what was in the two bags that he'd been trying to hide. He then co‑operated and showed gardaí the credit union's smashed rear window, but later turned aggressive when officers took his phone. Plunkett refused to switch off his phone on the way to the garda station and became aggressive after it was taken from him.
Jamie Carroll, 33, of Arklow, Co Wicklow, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to five counts of robbery. Judge Sarah Berkeley imposed a six-year custodial sentence, suspending the final two years. The offences occurred on November 11, 2014, at Day 2 Day on Military Road and Boyle Sports in Monkstown; on November 22, 2014, at Bus Stop Shop in Enniscorthy; and on April 8, 2015, at Londis on Foxrock Avenue. On each occasion, Carroll allegedly armed with a knife to demand money. Defence counsel Colman Fitzgerald SC noted Carroll's history of heroin addiction and presented clean urine analysis reports, arguing he was now drug-free. The judge acknowledged the robberies were committed to feed his addiction and that no physical violence was used, though staff were threatened. She suspended the final two years of the sentence, citing Carroll's remorse and co-operation with the Garda investigation. Carroll had previously been released on bail twice, including a March 30, 2015 release for a residential drug treatment program which he failed to attend due to intoxication, before committing the final robbery. He has 121 previous convictions, primarily for driving and public order offences.
Andrew Shannon, 51, was found guilty of possessing 67 stolen antique books, including a 1660 edition of the King James Bible, after a five‑day trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The books had disappeared from the library of Carton House in Kildare during its restoration and were later discovered in Shannon's house during a Garda search. Shannon claimed he bought the books at a fair for about Irl£300 and used them to decorate his home, stating they were of no real value. He pleaded not guilty but the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict after just under four hours of deliberation. Shannon is currently on bail and remanded under the same conditions; he is in custody at Shelton Abbey prison serving a term for a prior conviction of criminal damage to a Monet painting. The case is subject to a victim impact report under the new EU directive on victims.
Grace Tormey, aged 22, was remanded in custody after a jury found her guilty of assaulting Lisa Lee, a partially paralysed woman who had suffered a stroke, during an aggravated burglary at Rollins Villas, Sallynoggin, on 16 November 2012. Lee reported that she awoke to hear banging on her front door and that she and her partner, Jason Kelly, had barricaded themselves in an upstairs bedroom. Tormey and an unidentified man forced entry, and the attackers entered the bedroom, kicking and punching Lee, who was lying on the ground due to her paralysis. Lee claimed that Tormey smashed a wine bottle over her head, kicked, punched and pulled hair. Gardaí found Tormey "apparently attending" to Lee's wounds, but she denied burglary and claimed she had come to help. After a four‑day trial and 1½ hours of deliberation, a jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict. Grace Tormey pleaded not guilty.
The trial of five senior bankers accused of conspiring to mislead investors by making Anglo Irish Bank appear €7.2 billion more valuable than it was between March 1st and September 30th, 2008, has entered legal argument and will continue until Thursday. The accused include William McAteer, Denis Casey, Willie McAteer, Peter Fitzpatrick, and John Bowe, who have all pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiring together and with others to mislead investors through financial transactions. The trial is ongoing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. On day nine of the trial, the State's first witness, Matt Cullen, a former director of treasury at Anglo, completed his direct evidence and was cross-examined by Diarmaid McGuinness SC, defending John Bowe. Legal disputes regarding the admissibility of certain evidence arose, prompting Judge Martin Nolan to ask the jury to leave the courtroom temporarily. The jury was instructed to return on Thursday. The trial is in the validated procedural stage of trial, with no findings, sentences, or finalisations yet determined.
Jason Rowe, aged 40, will be sentenced on 3 March after pleading guilty in District Court to possession of heroin and cocaine worth over €13,000 for sale and supply, and to possession of a Heckler and Koch MP5, a Steyr AUG, a GSG5 sub‑machine gun, a 9mm handgun, a .45 handgun and 23 bullets. The drugs were estimated at €360,000 street value. He faces a maximum life sentence, a mandatory minimum of ten years for the drugs and a mandatory minimum of five years for the firearms, and remains on bail until sentencing.
The jury in the trial of Andrew Shannon, 51, accused of illegally handling 67 alleged stolen antique books including a 1660 King James Bible, will resume deliberations tomorrow. The books, originally from Carton House library, were reportedly found in Shannon's home after a Garda search. Shannon claimed he bought them for about Irl£300 at a fair and used them for decoration. He pleaded not guilty to possession of the books while knowing or being reckless about their stolen status. The jury had previously deliberated for two and a half hours before returning home.
In a 2014 incident at Show Nightclub, Tallaght, a 19‑year‑old named Ciaran Meleady stabbed a stranger in the buttock with a knife, claiming the victim had also been stabbed. No prior interaction existed. Meleady, who had eight prior road‑traffic convictions and was taking medication for depression, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. The victim required steri‑strips and antibiotics. Judge Melanie Greally described the act as occurring "for absolutely no apparent reason," citing possible alcohol‑medication interaction and the recent death of Meleady's grandmother. She sentenced him to 18 months, suspended in full for two years. The knife was not recovered and the assault was not captured on CCTV, though footage showed Meleady standing behind the victim before the attack. Meleady left the premises when Gardaí arrived and was later identified via CCTV. The case was prosecuted by Rosin Lacey BL and defended by Kieran Kelly BL.
During a trial in Dublin, former executives of Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life and Permanent (ILP) were accused of conspiring to mislead investors by disguising €750 million in short‑term interbank loans as legitimate deposits. The defendants, including former ILP CEO Denis Casey, former Anglo finance head Willie McAteer, former ILP finance director Peter Fitzpatrick and former Anglo capital markets head John Bowe, pleaded not guilty. Testimony revealed that Anglo transferred money to ILP, which was then returned to Anglo via Irish Life Assurance, creating the appearance of large corporate deposits for the 30 September 2008 year‑end report. Calls between executives in March 2008 discussed keeping the transactions "tight as a duck's arse" and breaking the €750 million into smaller amounts to disguise the scheme. Additional evidence included internal emails showing daily outflows of deposits in September 2008, with the collapse of Lehman Brothers exacerbating the bank's liquidity crisis.
Raymond Creighton, 26, of Poddle Green, Kimmage, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing 1.03 kg of cocaine worth €72,100 at a friend's house on Cashel Road, Crumlin, on 5 February 2015. He admitted he had been standing on the side of the road when two acquaintances pulled up and "slagged" him, and he agreed to hold drugs for them, expecting only €100 or a small amount of hash. Garda Triona Gallagher testified that Creighton had no signs of wealth and had been cycling around Crumlin on his sister's bicycle, making him stand out. A warrant was obtained to search the Cashel Road address, where a rucksack of cocaine and weighing scales were found in the house owner's bedroom; Creighton admitted placing them there. He has two minor public‑order convictions from 2011.
The trial of 22‑year‑old Grace Tormey, accused of assaulting a partially paralysed woman with a wine bottle during an aggravated burglary, heard that DNA from the bottle matched Tormey's. Tormey pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for the burglary at Rollins Villas, Sallynoggin, on 16 November 2012. The alleged victim, Lisa Lee, had suffered a stroke and was partially paralysed. Lee told prosecutor Gerardine Small that she could not hold the door and that Tormey and an unidentified man entered her bedroom, kicking and punching her. Lee said the attackers pulled out a knife and Tormey smashed a wine bottle over her head, also kicking, punching and pulling hair. Dr Linda Williams of Forensic Science Ireland analysed a blood sample from the bottle and found a mixed DNA sample. She stated it was highly likely, to a factor of one to a billion, that the DNA matched Tormey and Lee.
The evidence phase of the trial of Andrew Shannon, aged 51, accused of illegally possessing 67 antique books including a rare 1660 King James Bible, has concluded. The books, originally from Carton House's library, were allegedly missing after storage during a restoration and later found in Shannon's Dublin home. Shannon claimed he bought them at a fair for about Irl£300 and used them as ornaments. He pleaded not guilty to possession of stolen books at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with the jury set to deliberate next Monday.
James McLoughlin, 42, of Summer Street South, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to tampering with two Bord Gais gas meters and an ESB electricity meter between July 2013 and February 2014, and to possessing a stolen Bord Gais meter. He also admitted interfering with a Bord Gais meter on Benbulbin Road between March and May 2013. McLoughlin offered householders a "cheaper" energy service by allowing free gas flow, charging €100 for the service and advising a weekly €10 top‑up. Gardaí observed him visiting houses, obtained a search warrant, and found stolen meters and a drilled electricity meter. He exercised his right to silence at arrest. The case was adjourned for a probation and community service report, with the judge noting his mental health and addiction issues.
Grace Tormey, 22, is on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for aggravated burglary and assault at Rollins Villas, Sallynoggin, on 16 November 2012. She pleaded not guilty. According to the trial, Lisa Lee, a partially paralysed woman who had suffered a stroke, was asleep in a downstairs bedroom when she heard banging on the front door at about four a.m. Lee and her partner Jason Kelly barricaded themselves in an upstairs bedroom. Lee reported that voices shouted threats and that men entered the house. Lee said a man and a woman, who identified themselves as Grace Tormey and an unnamed male, attacked her by kicking and punching. Lee claimed the attacker used a knife and smashed a wine bottle over her head, and that Tormey pulled lumps out of her hair. Lee was bleeding with facial injuries when Garda Garvin Alan arrived.
Andrew Shannon, 51, was accused of illegally handling 67 antique books that had disappeared from Carton House's library during a restoration. The books, including a rare 1660 King James Bible, were found in his home during a March 2007 search. Shannon pleaded not guilty to possession of stolen property, claiming he had bought the books for decoration at a market fair for €300 and that they were of no real value. He told Gardaí he "can't read too well" when asked to identify his signature on a list of seized books. The court heard that the books were valued at about €6,000 in 2006, with a defence expert estimating £3,000. The case is pending before Judge Petria O'Donnell and a jury.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 29 October 2013, Brendan Byrne, a 58‑year‑old taxi driver from Millrace Avenue, Saggart, pleaded guilty to dishonestly appropriating household furniture and assorted items from an apartment in Hazelgrove Court, Tallaght. Byrne, together with three others, removed a range of items including two televisions, two couches, a washing machine, a microwave, mirrors, paintings, tables and light fittings. The landlord had changed the locks after a Garda raid a few days earlier, and the tenancy agreement between the landlord and Byrne's stepson had not yet expired. Byrne had previously been convicted of attempted robbery (1984) and forgery (1998). Judge Melanie Greally accepted Byrne's recklessness regarding ownership, noted that some items were recovered while light fittings and small pieces were not, and that Byrne had pushed the door open.
Noel Nolan, 29, pleaded guilty to possessing 352 g of heroin worth €52,810, which he had held to offset a cocaine debt. He was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, but the sentence was adjourned pending a Probation and Welfare Service report. Nolan had three prior minor public‑order convictions and had worked as a labourer until the recession. Garda Colleen Gallagher reported that Nolan had shown the drugs and admitted to holding them for a week to settle the debt.
During the restoration of Carton House, 67 valuable antique books, including a rare 1660 edition of the King James Bible, went missing after being stored. Andrew Shannon, 51, stands trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for unlawfully possessing the books, having them in his home when found during a March 2007 search. He pleaded not guilty, claiming ignorance or recklessness regarding their stolen status. The prosecution, represented by Monika Leech BL, argued that the State's case was not that Shannon stole the books but that he possessed them. Conor Mallon, who has overseen the house's restoration since 1994, testified that the books were photographed before storage and identified by the Fitzgerald family crest on their spines. He noted the books dated from the mid‑17th century onward and that no family member had sold or lent them. The trial continues before Judge Petria McDonnell.
The sentencing of a 72‑year‑old bus driver who sexually abused a 30‑year‑old special‑needs passenger is adjourned. The driver, who pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault on the bus, had previously denied ten other charges. The court postponed the sentence to allow a full medical diagnosis after the driver's GP expressed grave concerns about his health. The victim, who has cerebral palsy and functions at a six‑ or seven‑year‑old level, disclosed the abuse after receiving a birthday card from the driver. She reported that he touched her breasts and private parts while driving her home, and she struck him when he refused to stop. The court noted the victim's mother was present and that the case causes distress to the family. The judge will sentence the driver once the medical report is available.
Graham Costigan, 42, of Santry, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for evading excise duty on ten million cigarettes imported from the Netherlands. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 16 September 2013. The operation involved six men; Costigan was the only one charged. He supplied documentation and emailed packing lists to facilitate the transport of the cigarettes from Singapore to the Netherlands and then to Ireland. He had no prior convictions and was not the principal target of the Garda operation. Judge Melanie Greally noted his good character but also his willingness to act for monetary gain. The sentence was three years with 18 months suspended on strict conditions. The State suffered no loss of duty as the haul was seized.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 29 August 2015, 20‑year‑old Carl McGuinness pleaded guilty to making threats to kill a taxi driver and to possession of a syringe. McGuinness, who had 49 prior convictions, was found to have a blood‑filled syringe in his hand when he opened the passenger door of a taxi and threatened the driver twice. The driver, who had stopped to allow pedestrians to cross, was left terrified and called 999. A bystander later identified McGuinness to the Gardaí. McGuinness was searched and admitted to having an uncapped syringe, which was recovered from his tracksuit. The victim's impact report noted the driver was out of work for three weeks. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced McGuinness to four years' imprisonment, suspending the last 12 months, and imposed strict conditions including engagement with the Probation Service for two years upon release.
A 71‑year‑old man was sentenced to six years in prison for indecent assault on his three sons, aged between six and 15, at various locations in Dublin, mainly the family home, between 1974 and 1986. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury found him guilty of repeatedly abusing the children over a long period. Judge Catherine Murphy described the offences as particularly heinous, noting the father's lack of regret or remorse and the vulnerability of the victims. She back‑dated the sentence to account for time already spent in custody. The judge highlighted the courage of the three men in giving clear, convincing evidence and the profound suffering they endured. The case involved no prior sexual convictions for the accused, though he had other convictions. The prosecution, led by Garnet Orange SC, detailed how the abuse began when the children entered the father's bedroom looking for money, with the mother eventually moving the family away.
Richard Mansfield, 21, of Tallaght, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two endangerment charges, taking a vehicle and dangerous driving after stealing a BMW. He admitted smoking cannabis before driving. Mansfield performed a handbrake turn into oncoming rush‑hour traffic on the Tallaght Bypass on 7 January 2015, accelerating at high speed across three lanes and narrowly missing a patrol car and pedestrians. Garda Alan Young arrested him after a chase. Mansfield had 60 prior convictions, including dangerous driving, burglary and drug possession. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to four and a half years, suspending the last 18 months, and disqualified him from driving for four years. The suspended portion is conditional on probation for two years after release. The sentence reflects the serious risk posed to many people, including Gardaí, during the incident.
John Behan, a 40‑year‑old father from Drimnagh, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing 830 grammes of cannabis, valued at a potential €16,600, found in his former Landon Road home in Ballyfermot on 21 September 2014. He had previously lost his job and claimed the drugs were for personal use and to sell if he faced financial hardship. Garda Michael McNulty, who led the search, noted that the cannabis was in six containers in a shed and a bin at the front of the house. Judge Melanie Greally accepted that the street value might have been somewhat in excess of the actual worth, considered Behan's lack of further offences and his new employment at Intel, and imposed a four‑year suspended sentence, suspended for three years, with no custodial time required. The court also acknowledged that the operation was "not the most professional" and that the drugs were "substandard.".
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Dylan Murphy, aged 20, pleaded guilty to assaulting Jonathan Cooley on 24 May 2015, when he glassed Cooley in the face after witnessing an altercation involving his sister. Murphy admitted he had "snapped" and overreacted "out of pure rage." Cooley, who sustained facial cuts and now has scars and flashbacks, forgave Murphy but expressed concern about future assaults. Murphy also pleaded guilty to possessing a stolen iPod taken from a bag belonging to another man at Dame Court on the same date. He has 24 prior convictions, including four assaults. Garda Elaine Murtagh described Murphy as a "feral youth" with a difficult upbringing and periods of teenage homelessness. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing until March pending a probation report. The case highlights the court's focus on anger management and supervision for Murphy.
Two men, Niall Carey (28) of Hyde Road, Ballinacurra Weston, and Daniel Martin (30) of Brookview Gardens, Tallaght Dublin, are to be sentenced for their roles in an attack at Wheatfield Prison on January 21, 2013. Both pleaded guilty to violent disorder at the prison and Carey also pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Noel Murray during the same incident. The charges were admitted, and both men have pleaded guilty. A third man, Stephen Seery (34) of Ballyogan Vale, Carrickmines, Dublin, was last year sentenced to six months imprisonment for violent disorder at the prison during the same incident. The case is at the sentence stage. Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned both men's cases until March and ordered probation reports. Carey has 40 previous convictions and is due for release in June. Martin has 47 convictions and was released last August. The matter was adjourned and no sentence has been imposed yet.
Ajibola Ajala, 22, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after an unprovoked attack on Gary Doran at the Wright Venue nightclub in Swords on 17 December 2011. Doran suffered head injuries and a fractured jaw, with nine staples inserted into his skull. Ajala, who had never been in trouble before and had come to Ireland from Nigeria at age 15, was found by Judge Patrick McCartan to have no reason for the assault. The judge, citing that everyone is entitled to one mistake, suspended a two‑year jail term on the condition that Ajala pay €5,000 to Doran within six months. Failure to pay or any further trouble within two years could result in imprisonment. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with counsel for both parties present. The judge emphasised the lack of evidence that Ajala was involved in any groping or that a drink had been thrown at him.
A 21-year-old man, convicted by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of defilement, appeared for sentencing. The accused, who was 15 at the time of the offence, was found guilty of abusing a boy aged ten or eleven in his Dublin home between January and July 2011. He had denied the charge. Prosecuting counsel Lisa Dempsey BL presented evidence that the accused forced the victim to engage in sexual acts by threatening to set his dogs on him and preventing him from leaving. The victim made a complaint in July 2011. At the hearing, the accused submitted a letter to Judge Petria McDonnell, stating he felt suicidal and feared prison would exacerbate his mental state. He noted he had moved abroad after being charged due to community hostility. Defence counsel Bernard Condon SC argued the offence was at the lower end of the range, citing a lack of evidence of pain or injury, and suggested a suspended sentence would have been likely had the accused been a minor. A victim impact report was submitted but not read. Judge McDonnell reserved her decision, noting the victim had received relief through the conviction. The matter was adjourned to April 11th, a date agreed upon by the defence and consented to by the judge, despite the prosecution's preference for an earlier date due to the victim's exams.
James Mahon, a 47‑year‑old Dublin father of six, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to failing to file tax returns for 2003, 2008 and 2009. He had received €3.3 million from Dolianus Enterprises Ltd between 2003 and 2009 to distribute free newspapers around Dublin. Revenue said Mahon owed €869,731 in unpaid tax, excluding interest and penalties, and that he had not been registered for income tax since 1991. Bank records showed €1.9 million moved through his Bank of Ireland and EBS accounts, but the balance of the €3.3 million was unknown. Mahon claimed he earned about €400 a week, but a 2011 audit found payments of €384,342 in 2006 and €478,713 in 2008. He had no prior convictions. The court remanded him on bail until 15 February, when his sentence will be finalised.
Brian Cox, a 38‑year‑old father from Boot Road, Clondalkin, was caught by Garda Steve Kelly showing a stolen car that had been advertised on DoneDeal.ie. The vehicle, reported stolen almost a month earlier, was found to have a false NCT disc. Cox pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing the stolen car and using a false NCT disc on Chapelizod Road, Chapelizod, on 1 April 2015. He has 39 prior convictions, including thefts and drug offences. During the hearing, defence counsel Fiona Pekaar argued that Cox had faced intimidation from an old drug debt and had not been in trouble with Gardaí since 2009. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case to obtain a probation report and assess Cox's suitability for community service, rather than imposing a custodial sentence.
Robert Lawlor, 31, of Donaghmede, was jailed for possessing €3,420 that had been dyed blue after a cash‑box robbery at McDonald's Donaghmede on 23 March 2013. He pleaded guilty to possession of stolen property at Belcamp Gardens on 26 March 2013. Judge Martin Nolan originally sentenced him to 32 months in prison on 27 July 2015. On appeal, the Court of Appeal set aside that sentence and imposed a new 36‑month term, with the final 12 months suspended. Lawlor was required to post a €100 bond and remain of good behaviour for 12 months after release. The appeal considered that his earlier 16‑month sentence for a separate offence was too divergent from the 32‑month sentence for possession, and that his co‑accused received a comparable sentence. The court noted Lawlor's willingness to rehabilitate and accepted his statement that he would be bound by the bond.
Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy, 32, of Ballinteer, appeared at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court alongside 18 co-accused, including Alliance Councillor Michael Murphy, 50, of Ballyboden, and Dublin Councillor Kieran Mahon, 38, of Tallaght. The group faces allegations of falsely imprisoning Tánaiste Joan Burton and violent disorder during a water charges protest in Jobstown on November 15, 2014. Prosecution counsel Tony McGillicuddy BL requested that all accused be remanded to appear for arraignment on March 7, noting that some defendants seek trial dates while others require further disclosure. Judge Melanie Greally granted senior counsel to all accused except Cllr Mahon, who has not yet been assigned legal aid. The court remanded Mr Murphy and all co-accused on continuing bail to appear on Monday, March 7, for arraignment. The defence indicated they are anxious for further disclosure but intend to seek a trial date at the next occasion. The matter was adjourned.
At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Sofiane Benchouat (44) of Sunbury Gardens, Dartry, Dublin, pleaded guilty to theft of €778 and €643 and one count of possession of a stolen ATM card at various locations between October 17th and November 23rd, 2014. He also admitted to theft of €40 and €456 and two counts of possession of a stolen ATM card during the same time period. Benchouat, who was homeless at the time of the offences, was sentenced by Judge Patricia Ryan to a two-year term, which was suspended in full. He was ordered to pay €900 in compensation to the financial institutions affected. Benchouat has four previous road traffic convictions and had previously married an Irish woman he met in Germany, but the marriage ended, leading to his homelessness. Co-accused Algerian Mohammed Fanit (41), formerly of Auburn Villas, Rathgar, Dublin, but now living in emergency accommodation, pleaded guilty to theft of €40 and €456 and two counts of possession of a stolen ATM card. His case was adjourned until March to allow him to gather compensation. Fanit has one previous conviction and previously worked as a taxi driver. Both men were identified on CCTV footage from Argos and Harvey Norman in the Nutgrove Retail Park, where they used the stolen cards to purchase goods. The financial institutions involved suffered a loss of just under €2,000. The cards were reportedly obtained by a third party, who gave the men a fee for making the purchases.
David Gill, a 40‑year‑old former GAA youth coach and father of three from The Pines, Leopardstown Road, Dublin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing €5,000 of cannabis herb seized in a Tipperary drug bust. The court heard that Gill's fingerprints were found on a bag of the seized cannabis, but he denied any link to the people involved in the operation. Sergeant David Buckley confirmed that Gill had no connection to the targets of the Garda operation and that the package would have passed through his hands while he was involved in transporting drugs in Dublin. Gill has three prior convictions, including a seven‑year sentence for possessing almost €600,000 of cannabis in August 2013. The judge, recognising his cooperation and efforts to improve while incarcerated, imposed a two‑year sentence to run concurrently with the seven years he is already serving.
At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, the trial of four senior bankers, including former Irish Life and Permanent (ILP) CEO Denis Casey and Anglo's former group finance director William McAteer, continued. The accused, who include Peter Fitzpatrick and John Bowe, have all pleaded not guilty to four charges of conspiring to mislead investors between March 1st and September 30th, 2008. The charges allege that they engaged in transactions between Anglo, ILP, and Irish Life Assurance (ILA) to make Anglo appear €7.2 billion more valuable than it was. Anglo Irish Bank applied for €1 billion in emergency funding from the Central Bank at the same time as these alleged transactions. Testimony from Anglo's former head of treasury, Matt Cullen, indicated that the executive directors were aware of the purpose of the transactions and assumed the board was also aware. The scheme involved transferring money from Anglo to ILP, which would then be deposited back by ILA to appear as corporate deposits in Anglo's accounts. The matter was adjourned after a legal issue arose, with the jury sent home until Monday at the earliest.
Stephen Rock, 51, was sentenced to ten years in prison for setting fire to a house on Colepark Drive, Ballyfermot, Dublin, on 12 July 2014. The blaze destroyed the home, killed a family pet, and caused an estimated €40,000 in economic loss, excluding personal property. Witnesses saw an object resembling a shoe box burning in the window, and Rock was observed near the house that night. The Nolan family, who lived there, were forced to relocate; Maureen Nolan was assaulted by Rock earlier that day, and her daughter Leanne Nolan attempted to extinguish the fire and rescue her brother. Rock, a former life‑sentenced murderer who escaped in 1999 and was released on full temporary release four days before the incident, denied starting the fire. The court noted his prior convictions and the seriousness of his actions, and Judge Patrick McCartan condemned his conduct before imposing the sentence. Stephen Rock was found guilty.
Graham Costigan, 42, of Santry Court, Santry Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to charges of evasion of excise duty and attempted evasion of excise duty on cigarettes dated September 16, 2013. The prosecution alleged that Costigan facilitated the importation of ten million cigarettes from the Netherlands by supplying necessary documentation, including packing lists, to clear the containers into Ireland. Detective Garda Paul Kane stated that Costigan was not the principal target of the operation but was the only one of six arrested men charged. He admitted to emailing documents to facilitate the transport of goods from Singapore to the Netherlands and then to Ireland, using a furniture company as a cover. The potential loss to the exchequer was estimated at over €4 million, though the State suffered no actual loss as the haul was seized. Costigan, who has no previous convictions, was described by his defense counsel as having been exploited and isolated. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case to Wednesday for sentence and remanded Costigan on continuing bail. The matter was adjourned and not concluded.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, four former Anglo Irish Bank executives—Denis Casey, Willie McAteer, Peter Fitzpatrick and John Bowe—were accused of conspiring to mislead investors by creating an artificial €7.2 billion increase in the bank's customer deposits between March and September 2008. Prosecutor Paul O'Higgins described a scheme involving repeated interbank transfers, including a €1 billion move from Anglo to Irish Life and back, and a €978 million transfer from an Isle of Man subsidiary that was later reversed. The alleged transactions had no commercial substance and were intended solely to inflate Anglo's financial position. All four pleaded not guilty. The case, heard by Judge Martin Nolan, included testimony from Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation members and former Anglo employees. The trial focused on the alleged deceptive financial manoeuvres and the executives' alleged intent to deceive investors.
Aaron O'Neill, 20, and his friend Colin Hammond, 21, were found guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of making a false bomb report on Bath Road, Balbriggan, on 13 January 2015. O'Neill had been drinking and taking tablets with Hammond when he decided he did not want to go to work the next day. He paid Hammond to call a pay‑phone outside Hammond's home, claiming an Islamic State bomb would detonate in 12 hours. The hoax caused a motorway closure, disrupted air‑traffic control and forced the evacuation of 300 Intel employees, preventing 4,000 staff from working. Both men had no prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan described Hammond as "profoundly stupid" and imposed 200 hours of community service in lieu of a two‑year sentence. Judge Melanie Greally later confirmed the order, giving O'Neill one year to complete the work. The case highlighted the serious disruption caused by the hoax call.
Anne Fennell, a 57‑year‑old Dublin woman, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of harassing Fr Desmond Byrne by telephone on 8 October 2006 and between 5 October 2005 and 10 January 2006. She also admitted to sending obscene phone messages threatening to bomb President Michael D Higgins and several ministers. The court heard that she had called the president a "ladyboy" and threatened that he and "Sabrina Higgins" would be buried in plastic bags if they entered England. She made repeated bomb threats in April and October 2014, prompting a search of the area around Dáil Éireann on 18 November 2014. Fennell had her sentence for the obscene messages adjourned to allow her to continue psychological therapy. Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned the harassment hearing to July, remanded her on continuing bail and ordered a victim impact statement.
Patrick Healy, 31, of Buttercup Park, Darndale, was sentenced to 15 years in jail, with the final five years suspended, for a series of violent and dangerous driving offences committed between 2011 and 2013. He pleaded guilty to assaulting a man on the North Circular Road, where the victim's arm was almost severed by a meat cleaver, burglary and theft at Upper Kilmacud Road, unlawful vehicle taking and dangerous driving on the M50, and to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm on Oscar Traynor Road, unlawful vehicle taking and driving under the influence. The judge, Pat McCartan, imposed consecutive terms of three years for the assault, four years for the burglary and theft, and eight years for the dangerous driving, suspending the last five years. Healy's appeal to reduce the sentence was dismissed by the Court of Appeal, where Justice Alan Mahon upheld the sentence as appropriate given the repeated and severe nature of the offences.