Abraham Turner, 47, of Cherry Grove, Walkinstown, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary of cash and gold at Hatton Goldsmiths, Citywest Shopping Centre, on 16 January 2014. CCTV footage showed him jumping over the stall counter, prying a locked press open with a screwdriver and removing €1,050 in cash, gold worth €2,156 and two cheques totalling €750. Turner initially denied involvement but later admitted the burglary, saying he used the proceeds to pay a €1,500 drug debt from his heroin addiction. He has 106 previous convictions, including a 1991 manslaughter sentence and a 2004 drug supply conviction. He has been waiting six weeks for a place at the Tiglin residential drug treatment centre. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned his sentencing to 16 December 2015 so he can secure a treatment place.
Michael Walsh, 32, of Cherry Orchard Crescent, Ballyfermot, was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three years' imprisonment, with the final 20 months suspended. He pleaded guilty to endangerment, dangerous driving and driving without insurance on 18 December 2014. Walsh, who had been disqualified from driving for ten years since August 2012, drove erratically at 6 am, refusing to stop when instructed by Sergeant Richard Williams. He drove into a Garda patrol car, crashing head‑on, then reversed and rammed the vehicle three more times in an attempt to force it out of his way. Garda Ciaran Garry removed Walsh from the vehicle, handcuffed him and took him to the local station. Walsh had previously been intoxicated and had not presented valid tax, insurance or NCT certificates. The court noted his guilty plea and expression of remorse, but also his contempt for the road traffic code and the serious nature of his conduct.
Rory Monaghan, 48, of Clondalkin, Dublin, was sentenced to four years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of €200,000 worth of cannabis. The drugs were discovered in 19 bags inside a garden shed at his home on February 22, 2014. Monaghan admitted to gardaí that he had agreed to store the cannabis to pay off a drug debt, a claim supported by his defence counsel, Padraig Dwyer SC. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Monaghan acted solely to settle this debt and noted his immediate admissions, lack of previous convictions, and good family and work history. The judge described the incident as a "huge error of judgement" by a man of mature years who had been taken advantage of. Monaghan, a trained chef and former truck driver, stated he no longer associates with the individuals involved in the offence. His eight and 14-year-old children were at home alone when gardaí forced entry, though one officer remained with them during the search. The court imposed a custodial sentence of four years, reflecting the severity of the offence while acknowledging mitigating factors.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, William Trimble, aged 57, was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment for possessing €243,000, which he claimed was the proceeds of criminal conduct. Trimble had been paid up to €5,000 for holding €292,850 and £12,000. He admitted to a small favour that escalated. The judge considered his six prior convictions, including a three‑year burglary sentence from 1978, but noted Trimble's remorse and family responsibilities. Garda Detective David McKinley described how Trimble was apprehended after surveillance at a premises in Kinsealy, where €24,000 and €23,000 were found in hidden compartments, and additional sums were seized at his home in Edenmore Drive. The State was ordered to confiscate the money, while Trimble's jeep was to be returned to his family. The judge emphasised that Trimble had helped serious criminals hide money. William Trimble pleaded guilty.
Paddy McCann, 67, a homeless alcoholic described by the court as a "complete nuisance to society," was sentenced to ten months' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 17‑year‑old girl at a Dublin bus stop on 20 September 2014. McCann pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Garda Daragh O'Brien reported that McCann had approached the girl, asked her personal questions, and after making her sit beside him, rubbed her hand and demanded a kiss. He repeatedly kissed her face and later, while on the bus, tried to prevent her from boarding the upper level, kissing her again before she escaped. CCTV footage from the bus was later used to arrest McCann on 6 November 2014. McCann claimed the incident was "only kisses" and apologized, citing his intoxication. The judge described him as delusional and a nuisance to society. The case involved no prior sexual offence convictions among McCann's 303 minor convictions.
John McAuley, 21, was a passenger in a stolen taxi that crashed into a bridge on 5 August 2013, killing two of his friends. He was charged with allowing himself to be carried in a stolen vehicle and pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. McAuley is already serving a two‑year sentence for robbery and attempted robbery. Judge Martin Nolan found his culpability in the crash to be small, imposed an 18‑month sentence consecutive to his current term, and suspended it in full. McAuley was discharged from hospital the day after the crash and spoke to Gardaí voluntarily. The prosecution noted that McAuley and his friends had been heading to a party when the taxi was hijacked, and that the driver was forced to flee. The defence highlighted McAuley's lack of prior involvement with stolen vehicles, his genuine distress over the loss of his friends, and his ongoing educational and relapse‑prevention programmes while in custody.
A Dublin man, Peter Harte, aged 26, received a three‑year suspended sentence for a ten‑minute violent attack on two passengers, Pedro Mendez and Gabriella Leon, on a bus in July 2014. Harte, who had 11 prior convictions mainly for alcohol‑related offences, launched the assault after a disagreement over a seat. The attack involved head‑butting, kicking and punching, and Harte threatened to kill Mendez. The victims suffered bruising, blurred vision and other injuries. Judge Desmond Hogan imposed 240 hours of voluntary community work, participation in the Restorative Justice Programme, and possible drug, alcohol and anger‑management programmes. Harte was also ordered to transfer €1,500 he had raised as a token of remorse to the victims. The sentence was suspended, with no custodial time imposed. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Peter Harte pleaded guilty.
Michael Bonner, a 43‑year‑old barman from Laurel Lodge, Castleknock, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm after stabbing Gary Dawnay twice in the shoulder with a steak knife. The attack occurred on 14 August 2013 at Hayworth Terrace, Ongar, when Bonner discovered Dawnay in bed with his ex‑partner. Dawnay suffered a collapsed lung and a sliced thumb. Judge Desmond Hogan found the offence serious but noted little pre‑meditation, describing the assault as a frenzied, disproportionate reaction. He imposed a three‑year suspended sentence, ordered Bonner to attend an alcohol treatment programme, and required the €3,000 he had raised as a token of remorse to be paid to Dawnay. The court did not read the victim impact statement. Bonner was arrested after being restrained by a group of people, and he admitted the stabbing and apologized. He had reportedly drunk eight or nine pints that night.
Tiarnan O'Mahoney, aged 56 and former Chief Operations Officer of Anglo Irish Bank, was convicted of conspiring to conceal bank accounts from the Revenue Commissioners, furnishing false information to the Revenue, and defrauding the Revenue. After a two‑month trial and nearly seven hours of deliberation, a jury found him guilty and Judge Patrick McCartan sentenced him to three years' imprisonment on 31 July 2015. O'Mahoney intends to appeal the conviction on 11 January and had sought bail pending that appeal. His lawyers requested the Court of Appeal to postpone the bail application until the trial transcripts are available, arguing that the necessary evidence to assess the bail threshold would be clearer once the transcripts are reviewed. The Court of Appeal agreed to adjourn the bail application, allowing O'Mahoney's counsel to reapply once the transcripts are ready. The co‑accused, Bernard Daly, was denied bail but may reapply when transcripts are available.
Alison Wilkins, 48, of Balcurris Park West, Ballymun, received a three‑year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to nine theft charges for stealing over €30,000 from Rita Keogh, a 78‑year‑old widow with dementia. Wilkins had become Keogh's sole carer, gaining access to her debit card and PIN after earning the victim's trust. Between July 2013 and March 2014, Wilkins carried out 57 unauthorised transactions, leaving Keogh's bank balance reduced from €33,000 to €13,900. The court ordered Wilkins to return €1,500 already recovered and to repay €28,500 to Keogh's family over four years, to complete 240 hours of community voluntary work, to undergo 12 months of probation supervision and to finish any recommended drug‑treatment programme. She was also directed to hand over the money she had raised so far.
Aoife Maguire, a former Anglo Irish Bank official, was granted a priority hearing date for her appeal against sentence in the Court of Appeal. Maguire, 62, of Kilmainham, Dublin, had previously pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to charges of conspiring to delete bank accounts connected to Mr Seán Fitzpatrick from the bank's internal system and conspiring to defraud the Revenue Commissioners in 2003 and 2004. Following a two-month trial, a jury found her guilty, and Judge Patrick McCartan sentenced her to 18 months imprisonment on July 31, 2015. Maguire is specifically appealing against the severity of this sentence, not her conviction. During case management procedures before Mr Justice George Birmingham, her solicitor Michael Hanahoe requested the appeal be heard on the final day of the current legal term. The judge listed the appeal for Monday, December 21. Additionally, Mr Justice Birmingham extended legal aid to Maguire for two barristers for the appeal. Her co-accused, Tiarnan O'Mahoney and Bernard Daly, are also appellants in the matter, though the report notes Maguire is not appealing her conviction unlike some co-accused. The matter is currently at the appeal stage, with the hearing scheduled for the specified date.
Christopher Morrissey, aged 29, was jailed for 21 months after a drunken driving incident on 4 October 2014. He had been driving a taxi back from a pub with a woman he met online, then attempted to turn his car around, colliding with three parked cars. While being taken to a squad car, he head‑butted Garda Kevin Gaynor, causing a cut to the officer's mouth and damage to his teeth. Morrissey resisted arrest, refused to provide a blood or urine sample, and was found intoxicated in a public place. He also faced charges of assaulting a Garda, resisting arrest, refusing a sample, intoxication, breach of the peace, and driving without insurance. With 60 prior convictions and recent disqualifications for 12 and 15 years, the court imposed a 21‑month custodial sentence and a five‑year driving disqualification. The judge noted his cavalier attitude towards road rules and the seriousness of the offences. Christopher Morrissey pleaded guilty.
Brendan Mangan, 43, of Wellington Walk, Mornington Park, Co Meath, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of €2.3 million worth of cannabis for sale or supply at two locations in Dublin on 27 March 2014. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to six‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment on 23 April 2015. Mangan, described as "gullible and easily led", had been intercepted by Gardaí in a car on the date in question, where half‑a‑million‑euro worth of cannabis was found. A subsequent search of his rented dwelling on Tonlegee Road, Coolock, seized €1.8 million worth of the drug. On appeal, Judge George Birmingham, sitting with Justices Garrett Sheehan and Alan Mahon, suspended the final 15 months of the sentence. Mangan must post a €100 bond and remain of good behaviour for the suspended period.
Darren Byrne, 34, of Harelawn Avenue, Clondalkin, was convicted of assaulting a man at The Village Inn, Clondalkin, on 23 June 2012. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment by Judge Martin Nolan on 24 February 2015. Byrne's appeal against the severity of the sentence was dismissed by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan on 8 October 2015. Sheehan noted that CCTV showed the victim speaking to Byrne before Byrne punched him, and that the victim was later grabbed by the neck and had part of his ear severed. The victim suffered ongoing anxiety, depression and career impacts. Byrne had no prior violent convictions, had been on medication for depression, and had a history of heroin use and mouth cancer. The Court of Appeal found no error in the sentencing decision and upheld the three‑year term.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Shane O'Connor, aged 34, pleaded guilty to assaulting a prison officer while attempting to throw warm water at a fellow inmate. The incident occurred on 25 September 2013 at Mountjoy Prison when Officer Leon Maguire was refilling jugs of hot water for inmates. O'Connor rushed past Maguire, aiming to throw the water at prisoner Keith Hughes, with whom he had a prior disagreement. Maguire tried to restrain O'Connor and was struck on the forehead by the water jug, sustaining a laceration that required one stitch at Mater Hospital. O'Connor, who was serving a four‑year robbery sentence, had 29 prior convictions including assault, criminal damage, knife possession, robbery and theft. He was undergoing drug rehabilitation at Tiglin Centre and was complying with its conditions. The judge adjourned the case to January 2016 for a probation report.
Alina Onofrei, a 31‑year‑old Romanian mother of three, was sentenced to a suspended two and a half‑year term for fraudulently obtaining work and welfare benefits in Ireland. She had purchased a fake Lithuanian passport for €800 and used it to secure employment in a supermarket. Between August 2009 and September 2010 she claimed over €8,000 in maternity and illness benefits, presenting a doctor's letter with a false name. The court noted that she could not legally work in Ireland at the time because Romania was not yet an EU member. Onofrei pleaded guilty, had no prior convictions, and cooperated with Gardaí, expressing remorse. The judge suspended the entire sentence, citing her desperate need for employment and her husband's concurrent three‑year prison term for social welfare fraud. No further penalties were imposed beyond the suspended sentence.
Clare Dooley, 43, a former Newstalk financial adviser, will be sentenced next week for a €109,000 life‑insurance scam. She pleaded guilty to ten counts of making and using false declaration forms at New Ireland Assurance plc between November 2010 and September 2011. The scam involved 38 fictitious policies, of which Dooley received €109,000 in commission. The prosecution asked for a short adjournment, which Judge Desmond Hogan granted, but he said the sentence would be imposed next week unless the DPP presented a solid reason otherwise. Dooley had no prior convictions. She had been a financial adviser on Newstalk's Global Village show from 2011 to 2014 and had founded Moneybloom after the scam. The court will consider her guilty pleas, the impact on her family and community, and her lack of previous convictions when determining the sentence.
Craig Boothman, 23, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a total of three years for a series of offences. He pleaded guilty to robbery at Shay's Pharmacy, a robbery of a Spar shop, criminal damage and burglary of an off‑license in Irishtown, and assault causing harm and criminal damage to a taxi. Each offence was committed while he was on bail for the previous one. Boothman had 27 prior convictions, including burglary, theft, assault and drug possession, dealt with at District Court level. The judge noted Boothman's violent behaviour when intoxicated but also his prospects if he remained clean. Boothman was arrested less than a week after the pharmacy robbery, where he used a knife to threaten a cashier and fled with the tills. He has been clean of drink and drugs since entering prison in March and has a job waiting for him in his grandfather's pub upon release.
Bernard Daly, the former Anglo Irish Bank company secretary, was refused bail pending his appeal against a conspiracy conviction. Daly, 67, of Dublin, had pleaded not guilty to furnishing false information, conspiring to defraud the Revenue Commissioners, and conspiring to delete accounts from the bank's internal system. He was found guilty by a jury and sentenced to two years imprisonment by Judge Patrick McCartan on July 31. His lawyers argued the trial was unfair, specifically citing an inadequate accomplice warning regarding evidence from the bank's head of compliance, Mr Gillespie. The Court of Appeal, comprising Mr Justice George Birmingham, Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, and Mr Justice Alan Mahon, ruled that the threshold for bail had not been met. However, the court noted that the substance of the accomplice warning argument could only be fully assessed once the trial transcript is available and did not rule out a fresh bail application at that time. The appeal hearing was fixed for January 11. Daly is currently detained in Mountjoy Prison. His co-accused, Tiarnan O'Mahoney, the bank's former Chief Operations Manager, who was jailed for three years in July, will seek bail later this week pending his own appeal.
Patrick Smith, aged 20, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for his role in a pre‑planned, savage attack on Ian McKenna outside the Central Bank on 9 September 2013. Smith and three other men dragged McKenna to the ground, kicked and punched him, and one of them stabbed him eight times, causing life‑threatening injuries. McKenna had a machete with him, which he claimed was for protection after a prior prison assault. Smith pleaded guilty to violent disorder at the Central Bank and to robbery at Ladbrokes on 13 January 2012, for which he was on bail. He has 80 previous convictions. The judge noted Smith's admissions and cooperation but also his long criminal history, and sentenced him to consecutive terms totalling two and a half years. The other three men are due for trial. The article does not report any further outcomes.
Ceraldo Eyken, 45, of Chaplin Court, Clondalkin, was acquitted by a jury of assault causing harm to prison officer Gareth Sheeran at Cloverhill Prison on 11 April 2009. The incident occurred just before tea‑time when inmates were carrying empty trays down the stairs. Eyken claimed he was defending himself from a fellow prisoner who had pushed him down the stairs seconds earlier. Officer Sheeran, who now works at the Dóchas Centre, was injured when a meal tray was thrown at him, severing a tendon in his wrist and causing permanent nerve damage. Eyken denied the assault charge, stating he had no intention to hit an officer and was angry after an earlier altercation with another inmate. The jury returned its verdict in just under an hour after a two‑day trial. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Sarah Berkeley.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Ceraldo Eyken, 45, of Chaplin Court, Clondalkin, denied assault causing harm to prison officer Gareth Sheeran, 36, at Cloverhill Prison on 11 April 2009. Eyken was accused of slashing a meal tray over Sheeran's wrist, severing a tendon and causing permanent nerve damage that left Sheeran with a constant tingling sensation. Sheeran, who received 19 stitches and plastic surgery, testified that he was caught in the middle of an altercation when Eyken, after being pushed down the stairs by another prisoner, used the tray as a weapon. Eyken claimed he was defending himself after being shoved and that he would never hit an officer, expressing remorse. The trial, presided over by Judge Sarah Berkeley with a jury of eight women and four men, was set to conclude within the next day or two.
Gerardo Martinez Rodriguez, a 34‑year‑old Spanish national, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for possessing and importing 1,029.9 g of cannabis resin, worth €6,179, into Ireland. He had swallowed 107 pellets of the resin over several days before travelling to Dublin, and was arrested at Dublin Airport Terminal 2 on 24 July 2015. Garda Tanya Shinkins reported that Rodriguez was escorted to Beaumont Hospital shortly after his arrest because the authorities feared the drugs might rupture his insides. He pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and admitted that he had concealed the resin internally. In his defence, his lawyer argued that Rodriguez had no prior convictions, had been unemployed for three years, and had intended to sell the drugs for €1,000 to help his sick mother.
Michael Cahill, aged 46, was jailed for two and a half years for drug dealing after failing to attend his sentence hearing in June 2008. He had pleaded guilty to possession of €23,200 worth of heroin for sale or supply at his home on Synge Place, Dublin, on 21 August 2006. Cahill's partner, the mother of his two children, died after he had pleaded guilty. He had not appeared for sentencing, leading to a bench warrant. He was arrested in Dublin last month after returning from the UK with his children. The judge, Martin Nolan, acknowledged Cahill's past heroin addiction and his attempts to manage it. Garda John O'Connell reported that heroin was found in carrot jars and a plastic container, along with a weighing scale, €2,210 in cash and other drug‑dealing paraphernalia.
In a 2015 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Derek Aylmer, aged 39, pleaded guilty to criminal damage after a six‑hour incident on Christmas night 2013 in which he held a knife to his friend Gerard Sheridan's throat, threatened self‑harm, and set fire to Sheridan's home. Aylmer had no prior convictions. Sheridan, an addiction counsellor, testified that Aylmer suffered from depression, had become more aware of it, and was on a waiting list for an alcohol awareness programme. Judge Martin Nolan, persuaded by Sheridan's testimony and Aylmer's remorse, imposed 150 hours of community service in lieu of a two‑year prison sentence. Aylmer subsequently sold a car and paid Sheridan for damages. The court noted that Aylmer's behaviour was out of character and that he had made amends for his actions.
Andrew Durran, aged 43, is set to be sentenced on 12 November for a sexual assault that occurred at a party in December 2006. He was convicted by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury after a trial in June. The assault took place in a house in Dublin where Durran, who had never met the victim before, forced himself on her while she was sleeping. She resisted, but he pushed her down and attempted to kiss and forcibly penetrate her. She reported the incident to the police and later told a friend what happened. Durran denied penetration and claimed the act was consensual, calling the allegation "a whole lot of shit." He has 17 prior convictions, including a 2007 defilement of his daughter, and is currently serving a seven‑year sentence for that offence. The judge adjourned sentencing to allow a psychiatric report to be completed. The maximum sentence for the assault is ten years imprisonment.
In a 2015 case, a 21‑year‑old Dublin man named Colin Hammond pleaded guilty to making false bomb calls that shut down the M4 motorway, disrupted air traffic control and prevented 4,000 Intel staff from working. Hammond, who had been drinking and taking tablets, was paid €30 by a friend who did not want to go to work at Intel in Leixlip. He called 999 twice, claiming bombs would detonate in 12 hours and that "Islamic State" was responsible. The court heard that 300 employees were evacuated and 3,700 were prevented from entering the site, and that the incident cost Intel 6,000 hours of production. Judge Martin Nolan adjourned sentencing to October and indicated a potential sentence of 200 hours of community service in lieu of two years' imprisonment, pending suitability. The case highlighted the disruptive impact of hoax bomb threats on public safety and business operations.
A 51-year-old man charged with 50 counts of sexual abuse against two young girls has had his trial rescheduled to June 2016 at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The accused faces 40 counts of child exploitation, three counts of sexual assault, and seven counts of defilement of a child under 17. The alleged offences occurred between 2007 and 2011 at locations in Dublin and Donegal. The trial, expected to last a fortnight, was originally fixed for May 2016 but was adjourned following a prosecution application citing the unavailability of a State witness. Judge Martin Nolan rescheduled the proceedings to begin on 13 June 2016 and remanded the accused on continuing bail.
A 39‑year‑old foreign national was given a two‑year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to wilful assault of her nine‑year‑old son on 24 June 2012. The mother beat the child with a tree branch and poured salt over his wounds after he had soiled his trousers. She then forced him to sleep in the bath and left him there. The court noted the mother's apology and remorse, and that she now recognises such discipline is unacceptable in Ireland. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a two‑year sentence, suspended in full for two years. The case was brought to court after the boy reported the abuse to his teacher, who alerted authorities. No prior convictions were recorded for the mother. The child and his siblings were briefly placed in care but have since returned to the family.
Three former Anglo Irish Bank officials—Tiarnan O'Mahoney, Bernard Daly and Aoife Maguire—were sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three years, two years and 18 months respectively for conspiring to conceal or alter bank accounts sought by Revenue. The jury found them guilty on all charges after a two‑month trial and nearly seven hours of deliberation. The judge noted that the conspiracy offence has no statutory maximum, but applied a five‑year cap for all offences in the same scheme. Sentences began immediately. The court heard that the officials had acted to hide accounts linked to former chairman Sean FitzPatrick from Revenue's investigation into non‑resident accounts potentially liable for Deposit Interest Retention Tax. The judge described Anglo as a "very sick bank" and praised the integrity of the bank's IT staff who refused to delete the accounts, leading to their production as evidence. Aoife Maguire pleaded not guilty.
Patrick Moran, a 39‑year‑old former financial controller at Deutsche Bank, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment after pleading guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing €283,740 between November 2011 and January 2013. He used his company credit card without authorisation, falsified documents to raise the card limit, and diverted money via PayPal. He also altered bi‑annual reports submitted to the Company Registration Office. The bank recovered €15,000 but incurred €50,000 in legal costs, and the rest of the money is unlikely to be recovered. Moran admitted the theft, citing depression and medication, and acknowledged that he had let his wife and five‑year‑old son down. The judge accepted that he was unlikely to re‑offend and that he was now "unemployable" in his field. No prior convictions were recorded.
Joseph Byrne, 21, who suffers from schizophrenia and was off his medication, attacked an innocent boy by slashing his face with a blade. Byrne approached the boy, who was walking home from school, accusing him of having his X‑Box console. When the boy denied it, Byrne cut a 10‑cm slash down the side of the boy's face. The victim was left with a significant scar and required 36 stitches. Byrne pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm at Balbutcher Lane, Ballymun, on 4 February 2014. He has 15 prior convictions, including two for possession of knives. Garda Niall Minnock and counsel Michael O'Higgins SC noted that Byrne comes from a respectable family who supported him, but that he was off medication at the time of the attack. Judge Desmond Hogan allowed Byrne to remain on bail pending sentencing, citing a high risk of reoffending and the need for psychiatric support. The case is set for sentencing next November.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 25‑year‑old Scott Brady of Glenageary Avenue, Dun Laoghaire, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft for selling two supercharger air compressors online for USD$20,000 that he never possessed. Brady used an online forum to arrange the sale, sent the American buyer photos of the parts, and received $10,000 twice into his bank account before attempting to organise shipment. He repeatedly delayed delivery, claiming his mother had died, and was eventually identified by the Gardaí through Interpol after the buyer reported the theft. Brady had the full amount in a bank draft payable to the American. He had no relevant criminal record, had previously been convicted of two road traffic offences, and had sold his car and possessions to repay the victim. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, suspended in full on strict conditions.
In a Tallaght burglary, 18‑year‑old Lewis Smith and a 17‑year‑old boy stole a computer tablet, a mobile phone and a television from a profoundly deaf woman. Smith pleaded guilty to burglary at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 2 September 2014. He had prior convictions for criminal damage and car theft. Judge Martin Nolan, after hearing evidence, remanded Smith on continuing bail with conditions: live with his grandmother, observe a curfew, and sign on three times a week at Tallaght Garda Station. Smith later broke his curfew and was charged with public order offences. Judge Nolan ordered Smith to carry out 200 hours of community service within a year in lieu of a two‑year prison sentence, noting he was considered suitable for community service by the Probation Service. The 17‑year‑old co‑accused pleaded guilty and is due for sentencing later. The case remains ongoing.
Patrick O'Brien, 32, of Abbeyfeale, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment after he defrauded 81‑year‑old Sinclair Downey of €14,200 in 2013. O'Brien had a history of 29 convictions, 12 for theft, many involving elderly victims. He and an accomplice visited Downey three times, claiming to repair a roof. They first quoted €80, then raised the price to €1,700, and later demanded €4,800 for a flat roof that had not been agreed upon. Downey, fearing tax penalties, paid the amounts and signed no contract. O'Brien was caught on CCTV cashing the money at a bank. Garda investigations revealed the work cost far less than claimed. O'Brien pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court; Judge Martin Nolan described the men as "preying" on Downey and imposed the sentence. The case is pending a similar offence in Tralee Circuit Criminal Court later this year.
Three former Anglo Irish Bank officials – Tiarnan O'Mahoney, Bernard Daly and Aoife Maguire – were found guilty of conspiring to conceal or alter bank accounts linked to chairman Sean FitzPatrick. The jury convicted them on all charges after a two‑month trial and nearly seven hours of deliberation. O'Mahoney, aged 56, was accused of directing staff to hide accounts from Revenue's 2003‑2004 audit and of asking a staff member to omit an account from a list. Daly, aged 67, was alleged to have led a team that supplied information to Revenue and to have asked a staff member to conceal account details. Maguire, aged 62, was alleged to have acted as a mole, reporting directly to O'Mahoney and ordering the IT department to delete six FitzPatrick‑related accounts. The verdict was delayed by a claim of jury tampering, but the judge ultimately accepted the guilty verdicts. Aoife Maguire pleaded not guilty.
Clare Dooley, a 43‑year‑old Meath insurance broker, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to ten counts of making and using false declaration forms to create 38 fictitious policies at New Ireland Assurance plc between November 2010 and September 2011. The false policies were issued to obtain a commission totalling €109,000, which the insurer has since been repaid. Dooley, who later founded Moneybloom, was arrested after Gardaí discovered relevant documentation during searches of her home and business. She claimed she did not intend permanent theft and that she would ultimately not profit from the offences, arguing that she had to pay monthly premiums to keep the policies live and avoid a clawback. She was pregnant with her second child at the time and had been the sole breadwinner after her husband fell into depression. The case was adjourned to October 8 for sentencing. The article does not state the final sentence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Christopher Murphy, aged 23, pleaded guilty to assaulting Sabrina Quinn on 9 December 2012, leaving her with a fractured jaw, a broken tooth and severe injuries. The judge sentenced him to three years, with the last 18 months suspended, and imposed strict conditions. Murphy's previous convictions involved drug and road traffic offences. Ms Quinn described the attack as "everything went black", and she later required hospital treatment, including stitches, tooth removal and a steel brace that forced her to eat only blended foods for months. The brace later snapped, necessitating further surgery. The court accepted evidence of Murphy's remorse, including letters from family, and noted his history of anger issues and counselling at Pieta House. The case highlighted the seriousness of the assault and the court's decision to suspend part of the sentence under strict conditions.
In a 2015 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 19‑year‑old Josh Butler pleaded guilty to an unprovoked assault that left Seamus Lagan unconscious and with a fractured skull. Butler and a 13‑year‑old youth punched Lagan while he was defending himself against a third man outside a Londis shop on Grafton Street on 19 September 2014. The blows caused Lagan to fall and hit his head on the ground, resulting in fractures and brain bleeding. Butler was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended because of his cooperation with Gardaí and early guilty plea. The suspension is conditional on Butler keeping the peace for the full term. The judge noted Butler's propensity for violence and his two prior assault convictions within months of the offence. Lagan suffered lasting fear, anxiety and short‑term memory loss following the attack.
Mark Sheridan, 25, of Railway Road, Clongriffin, Dublin, was convicted of threatening to kill Mark Jones, an acquaintance, on 20 October 2013. He pleaded not guilty to the threat and to charges of firearm possession and harassment between 1 July and 19 October 2013, but was acquitted of the latter offences. The jury found him guilty of the threat after a four‑day trial. At sentencing, Judge Mary Ellen Ring imposed a three‑year suspended sentence and ordered Sheridan to raise €5,000 for a charity nominated by Jones by September. Sheridan must have no contact with Jones, including via social media. The judge noted that Sheridan had not attracted Garda attention since the offence and that the seriousness of the crime could not be overlooked. Jones had previously stated he did not wish to receive compensation.
Stephen Nolan, 31, of Finglas, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to two offences. He admitted to assaulting Ryan Perkins, causing him harm at Cairn Court, Ballymun, on December 13, 2014, and robbing car keys at Poppintree Terrace, Ballymun, on January 1, 2015. The court heard that Nolan attacked the first victim with a glass bottle and later assaulted a second man to steal his vehicle keys. Judge Desmond Hogan imposed a two-year sentence for the assault to run consecutive to a three-year sentence for the robbery. The judge suspended the final two years of the total sentence, describing it as providing "light at the end of the tunnel." Nolan, who has 128 previous convictions, was noted to have cooperated with gardai and cited his father's recent death and substance issues as mitigating factors. The judge acknowledged Nolan's difficult life but emphasized the severity of attacking unarmed victims. The matter was finalized with this sentencing order.
Richard Molloy, a 44‑year‑old printer from Naas, was found to have run a sophisticated counterfeit banknote operation while allegedly working with the IRA. He sold €20,000 in fake €50 notes to an IRA associate in exchange for €2,200 in genuine cash. A Special Detective Unit search of his printing premises uncovered over €2 million in counterfeit notes, both finished and unfinished, and the equipment used to produce them. Molloy pleaded guilty to possession of counterfeiting tools at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and was remanded on continuing bail for sentencing on 7 November 2015. The court heard he began counterfeiting after his printing business suffered from the economic downturn, and that he had no direct involvement with the IRA beyond alleged cooperation. The case highlighted the scale of the operation and the evidence presented by the prosecution. The judge was urged to consider Molloy's financial hardship, his ill partner and child when determining his sentence.
James Byrne, 43, of Crumlin, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary of Drimnagh Castle Primary School, St Agnes Church, Assumption Church, and St Mark's Junior School between 3 and 13 October 2014, and to criminal damage at St Mark's Junior School. He was already serving a suspended sentence for earlier burglaries when these offences occurred. Judge Catherine Murphy imposed a one‑year jail term, suspending the final year of a two‑year sentence on the condition that Byrne keeps the peace and engages with drug‑addiction services. Byrne admitted stealing €56 from St Agnes Church, €200–€300 from Assumption Church, and causing €3,500 of damage at St Mark's Junior School, but claimed he took no items during the burglaries. He apologized for locking an 80‑year‑old man in the church. The court noted his 26 previous convictions, including five burglaries and three aggravated burglaries.
Liam Dowling, 44, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to killing a protected animal at Clonliffe College on August 19, 2014. Prosecution evidence alleged that Dowling swung a Jack Russell dog by its lead and smashed it into the ground up to 30 times, an act witnessed by children. A DSPCA veterinarian determined the dog died from repeated blunt force trauma. Dowling claimed the sick pet was a family dog and that he could not afford vet bills, stating he intended to smother the animal but engaged in distorted behaviour due to antidepressants. Judge Martin Nolan described the actions as incredibly cruel but noted Dowling's status as a contributing member of society who cares for a child. The judge indicated an intention to impose 200 hours of community service in lieu of a two-year sentence, provided Dowling is deemed suitable. He also declined to impose an animal ban to avoid depriving Dowling's child of a dog. The matter was adjourned until October pending a community service report.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Diana Karacsony, a 32‑year‑old Hungarian, was ordered to pay €10,000 to the charity Ruhama after admitting she managed a brothel at The Asgard, Custom House Harbour, Dublin 1 from 1 January 2011 to 30 May 2012. She pleaded guilty to assisting in keeping and managing the brothel, taking 40 % of the hourly rates charged to the women. Two Hungarian prostitutes described Karacsony as a "second mother" and a friend, saying she kept the premises safe and helped with cooking, cleaning, rent and other expenses. Judge Catherine Murphy suspended a two‑year imprisonment sentence on the condition that Karacsony, now in Budapest, pay the donation immediately. The case highlighted that the brothel was run professionally and that the women were not trafficked or coerced. The judge noted Karacsony's relative youth, lack of prior convictions and her admissions to Gardaí.
Kevin O'Keeffe, aged 30, stole a priest's Toyota Avensis by entering the curate's home while it was being repainted, taking the keys and later smashing the window of an identical vehicle to steal a sat nav, tax, insurance and NCT discs. He fitted the stolen discs onto the priest's car and used fake registration plates that matched the stolen discs. O'Keeffe had been on bail for a false imprisonment offence when he committed these acts. He pleaded guilty to theft of car keys, unlawful possession of a vehicle, criminal damage and stealing property. With 86 prior convictions, Judge Martin Nolan imposed an 18‑month custodial sentence, to commence after the five‑year term for the false imprisonment case expires. The court noted O'Keeffe's cooperation and efforts to reform, but the sentence was deemed necessary due to his extensive criminal record.
Paul Ryan, a 50‑year‑old security guard with eight years of service and no prior convictions, pleaded guilty to robbery at Hodges Figgis on 23 March 2014. He tied up the day manager, Ciara Flanagan, in the cloak room with tape, took €22,145 from the shop's safes, and spent the money on alcohol and betting while living rough for a month. Ryan later turned himself in. The court considered a false imprisonment charge. Judge Catherine Murphy imposed a four‑year prison sentence back‑dated to 24 April 2014, but suspended the remaining term on the condition that Ryan keep the peace and address his gambling and alcohol addictions through Probation Services. The sentence was not read out in full, and the victim impact report was not presented. Ryan has been described as a model prisoner during custody.
Aoife Maguire, a 62‑year‑old former assistant manager at Anglo Irish Bank, is accused of instructing IT staff to delete accounts linked to chairman Sean FitzPatrick during a Revenue investigation into alleged deposit interest retention tax evasion. Her defence counsel, Patrick Gageby SC, argued that Maguire was merely a "gopher" at the lowest rung of the bank's hierarchy, acting as a messenger rather than an instructor, and that higher‑ranking staff carried out the deletions. He contended that the prosecution's claim of conspiracy was unfounded, as the offence was completed when the account of FitzPatrick's brother‑in‑law was removed from the list. Maguire, along with co‑accused Tiarnan O'Mahoney and Bernard Daly, pleaded not guilty to seven counts in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The trial, lasting eight weeks, is concluding with the jury set to deliberate tomorrow under Judge Patrick McCartan's direction.
O'Reilly Commercials Limited, a vehicle testing firm, was found guilty of breaching health and safety laws during an official test of a school bus on 5–6 August 2005. The test, conducted under the Safety Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989, allegedly exposed persons to risk because the company failed to ensure safety, notably by not noting the bus's modified rear suspension system. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, after a 23‑day trial and nearly eight hours of jury deliberation, convicted the firm on the first count. The company was fined €25,000 on 29 July 2013. Mr John Deegan, a director, has applied to represent the company in an appeal, arguing that no other lawyer had represented the firm in such proceedings and that legal aid may be available. The Court of Appeal has scheduled a hearing for 23 October to decide the appeal and any legal‑aid application.
Dean Furlong, 45, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to handling €12,000 of stolen cash from a cash‑in‑transit robbery on 12 April 2012 and €30,000 from a robbery on 16 August 2012, and to supplying prescription tablets without a prescription and possessing drugs for sale in Tallaght on 13 October 2011. He admitted possession of 178,000 Zopiclone tablets and 19,000 Dalmane tablets, valued at €430,000, found in his van in November 2011. Furlong also admitted taking responsibility for €11,885 of cash found in an orange bag in April 2012, which had been taken during a robbery of a cash‑in‑transit van in Terenure the week before. Judge Mary Ellen Ring, after noting his completion of a drug‑addiction treatment programme and enrolment in an addiction studies course, suspended a seven‑year sentence, wishing him good luck.