Carmel O'Reilly, a 28-year-old from Belturbet, County Cavan, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing almost two kilograms of herbal cannabis for sale or supply on the Naas Road on December 13, 2013. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced her to a five-year suspended sentence, noting she played "a very small part, at the lowest level" in the operation. The judge described O'Reilly as vulnerable and stated she had "perfect mitigation," citing her guilty plea, cooperation with gardaí, lack of prior record, and strong references. He took the "unusual step" of avoiding imprisonment, viewing the incident as a one-off offence. O'Reilly was the front-seat passenger in a vehicle driven by co-accused Dominick Brady, her former partner and the father of her daughter. Brady, who allegedly held the senior role, disappeared three days before his scheduled court appearance in December, and his whereabouts remain unknown. Prosecution evidence indicated Brady brought O'Reilly along for convenience and cover. Defense counsel highlighted O'Reilly's vulnerability, depression, and history of manipulation by Brady. The court accepted that O'Reilly was led by Brady and acted under his influence, resulting in the suspended disposal rather than immediate custody.
Sarah Fitzgerald, 23, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting taxi driver Ji Yu Song on 5 July 2014 in Ranelagh. She admitted striking him and breaking a beer bottle over his head. Judge Martin Nolan gave her a suspended sentence of two and a half years, warning that she had "come very close" to prison. He noted she was a secondary actor while her former boyfriend, Gary Crowley, was the main aggressor, who had previously received a two and a half year prison term and had 28 convictions. Fitzgerald paid €7,000 to Song as a token of remorse, which the judge ordered to be passed to him. She had one prior drink‑driving conviction and was described as very drunk and covered in blood at the time of arrest. She has since stopped drinking, attends AA meetings and counselling, and has written a letter of apology to the court.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a consultant paediatrician has testified that brain injuries sustained by a ten-month-old infant could not reasonably have been inflicted before the child was left with a childminder on 28 March 2012. Sandra Higgins, aged 34, of Cavan town, County Cavan, has pleaded not guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to the child. Dr Alan Finan stated the infant presented with active seizures, brain injuries and fractured ribs when brought to hospital at approximately 5pm, having been normal that morning. He told the court it would be unreasonable to suggest such injuries occurred seven hours earlier. Under cross-examination, the consultant acknowledged changing the certainty of his conclusions between reports dated 4 April and 11 April, attributing this to further consideration rather than new evidence. The trial before Judge Patricia Ryan continues, with additional evidence heard from a consultant ophthalmologist regarding extensive retinal haemorrhaging observed in the infant.
A childminder has pleaded not guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to a ten-month-old baby at her home in Cavan town on 28 March 2012. Sandra Higgins, aged 34, of The Beeches, Drumgola Wood, Cavan told gardai during interview in April 2012 that the infant was not assaulted in her care and that she treated the child as one of her own. She described witnessing a seizure that day after the baby awoke from an afternoon sleep. Medical evidence presented to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court included consultant paediatrician Dr Alan Finan's testimony regarding extensive bruising across the child's body and haemorrhaging at the back of both eyes. The registered childminder acknowledged failing to keep some records properly but denied deliberately creating documentation to cover up any incident. The trial before Judge Patricia Ryan is scheduled for six days with a jury of eight men and four women.
Kenneth O'Farrell, 33, received a suspended two‑year sentence for dangerous driving that caused serious bodily harm to cyclist Marcin Maciejewski on the N81 Tallaght Bypass. O'Farrell broke a filter light, turned right and struck Maciejewski, who was thrown onto his windscreen. Maciejewski sustained severe head injuries requiring 60 stitches and surgery, along with broken hands, a dislocated elbow, and cuts to his back and elbow. An eyewitness, who helped the victim at the scene, contradicted O'Farrell's claim that the cyclist "came out of nowhere" and that he had seen the cyclist. CCTV supported the witness's account. O'Farrell pleaded guilty; the judge found no evidence of speeding or drunkenness, citing inattention and failure to concentrate. He was disqualified from driving for four years and the sentence was suspended on strict conditions. The victim impact report was not read out. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Eoin Daly, aged 29, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for a series of burglaries committed between July and September 2013 across Dublin suburbs and Leixlip. He pleaded guilty to five counts of burglary, one of trespass and attempted theft. The judge noted that Daly had been granted bail repeatedly after each arrest, questioning why he was not remanded earlier. Daly's lawyer described him as a "one‑man crime wave" linked to chronic heroin addiction. The judge suspended the final 18 months of the sentence on the condition that Daly cooperate with the Probation Service upon release. Daly had 30 prior convictions, including burglary, robbery, firearm possession and threats of killing. The sentence reflects the judge's concern that, if he does not change, he will spend his thirties in court and prison.
Thomas Coleman, 62, was sentenced to three months' imprisonment for criminal damage after he rubbed his excrement on a cell door and bed at Rathmines Garda Station in 2014. The incident occurred after Coleman, who had been homeless for 20 years, became agitated during an arrest and removed his clothes. Sergeant Brendan Maher reported that the excrement covered the entire cell, causing a strong odor that required professional cleaning costing €50. Coleman pleaded guilty, apologized shortly after, and the judge noted his 67 prior convictions and a history of authority issues.
George Murray, 46, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for harassing a couple, Gareth Sexton and Nora Artola, over a period of almost six months. He repeatedly threatened to kill the occupants, screamed at them, and entered their garden, causing the couple to install CCTV cameras. Murray pleaded guilty to harassment and burglary at Church Avenue South, Rialto, between 12 November 2014 and 3 March 2015, and had 37 prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan initially suspended the last 12 months of the sentence, but after Murray shouted and cursed at the judge and his lawyers, the judge imposed the full term. Murray has a chronic psychiatric disorder, uses anti‑psychotic medication, and has a history of substance abuse. The couple's CCTV footage and victim impact reports were presented in court but not read out. The judge noted that while Murray's mental health is serious, his crime was serious and the couple felt threatened.
Sandra Higgins, a registered child-minder from Cavan town, is currently on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where she has pleaded not guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to a ten-month-old infant at her home on March 28, 2012. The prosecution alleges the child suffered active seizures, extensive bruising, and retinal haemorrhaging consistent with violent shaking. During the first day of the six-day trial before Judge Patricia Ryan, the infant's mother testified that the child appeared healthy when dropped off that morning but was found unconscious with a swelling between the eyebrows when collected. The mother also raised concerns regarding the child-minding diary, alleging that entries describing bumps and bruises were added or changed after the incident. The defence is expected to call an expert witness to argue that the injuries were accidental and that there is no evidence supporting a diagnosis of violent shaking. A court order prohibits the publication of any details that would identify the child. The trial is ongoing, with the jury tasked with evaluating the conflicting medical and testimonial evidence presented by both sides.
A 45-year-old man from Castleblayney, County Monaghan, has been sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment following his conviction for drug trafficking. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Mark Donnelly pleaded guilty to possession of 37 kilograms of cannabis resin on the M1 in north Dublin on 13 February 2014. The drugs carried an estimated street value of €221,400. Donnelly told gardaí he had agreed to transport the narcotics to settle a debt owed to a man who had threatened him. His legal team presented character references from former employers and community members, noting his background as a self-employed joinery worker and involvement with his local hurling club. Judge Martin Nolan described him as a hard-working family man and first-time offender who had made a grave error of judgement under pressure. Detective Garda Eoin Roche confirmed that gardaí, acting on confidential information, intercepted the van as it travelled south from County Louth.
The trial of three former Anglo Irish Bank officials – Aoife Maguire (60), Bernard Daly (65) and Tiarnan O'Mahoney (54) – is set to begin in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. They face charges of deceiving the Revenue and destroying or falsifying bank records related to a named account, allegedly committed in 2003 and 2004. All three plead not guilty. The trial, expected to run until the end of July, was adjourned last week after a shortage of jurors. A female juror was discharged due to a family medical condition, and another withdrew after revealing a professional connection to a firm that shares clients with Anglo Irish Bank. The court has imposed strict restrictions on jurors, excluding those with strong feelings about Anglo, connections to the bank, the Revenue, Ernst & Young or the auditing sector. The trial will open this afternoon before Judge Patrick McCartan with a jury of six women and six men.
Robert Murphy, 32, was convicted of possessing a knife, discharging a firearm, and arson. He had previously pleaded guilty to these offences in 2012 and 2013. Judge Desmond Hogan originally sentenced him to nine years with five suspended, effective eight years. The Court of Appeal, after reviewing the case, found the sentence unduly lenient and imposed a new sentence of 11 years with three suspended, effective eight years. The appeal highlighted that Murphy, a known heroin addict and "career criminal" with 60 prior convictions, had set fire to a house occupied by a mother and child, forcing them to escape through a bedroom window. The court noted that the arson was the most serious offence and that the new sentence was intended to reflect the severity of the crime. The final effective term remains eight years imprisonment.
Anthony Ryan, aged 33, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and sexual assault of an 18‑year‑old woman in a Dublin suburb on 13 July 2012. He was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, by Ms Justice Carmel Stewart on 4 February 2014. Ryan had voluntarily paid €1,000 in compensation. On 12 June 2015, Mr Justice George Birmingham dismissed Ryan's appeal against the sentence, ruling that the four‑year custodial term was not unduly severe. The case involved Ryan following a group of women from a nightclub in Coolock, driving them to a suburb, and then assaulting the victim after she had been knocked out. Ryan was later arrested by Gardaí and found unfit for interview due to intoxication. The appeal was heard with Mr Justice John Edwards and Mr Justice Alan Mahon.
John Wilson, 56, of Oliver Bond Street, Dublin, was sentenced to eight years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his involvement in a €528,000 cannabis operation. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the sentence, backdated to February of this year, stating Wilson deserved the same term as his co-accused. Wilson pleaded guilty to possessing 88kg of cannabis at Forrest Little Road, Swords, on August 8, 2008. He had previously taken a bench warrant in 2011 and was rearrested in England earlier this year after serving a five-year UK sentence for conspiring to supply cannabis. His co-accused, Joseph Douglas, 38, and James Griffin, 48, were both jailed for eight years for the same offence in 2011. Robert Wilson, 51, received a ten-year sentence in 2011, with the final two years suspended. Detective Sergeant Emmet Casserly testified that surveillance linked Wilson's phone and pickup truck to the loading of 370 slabs of cannabis into a van driven by Griffin. Defence counsel Sean Gillane SC argued for leniency, noting Wilson had "buried his head in the sand" by fleeing. The court accepted that a person above Wilson guided the operation. This sentencing concludes the proceedings for Wilson, while the matters for Douglas, Griffin, and Robert Wilson were finalised in 2011.
Michael Coughlan, a 29‑year‑old British national, was sentenced to four years in prison for possessing 9.8 kg of cannabis worth €196,554 at Dublin Airport on 22 January 2015. He admitted responsibility and pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Garda Mark McDaid reported that customs officials discovered the drugs when they x‑rayed his luggage shortly after his arrival from Barcelona. Coughlan had no prior convictions. The prosecution highlighted that he had accrued a €10,000 cocaine debt while working as a chauffeur for a concierge company catering to high‑end tourists in Ibiza, and that he had become dependent on cocaine. The defence argued that he was fully cooperative and had entered an early guilty plea. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Coughlan was unlikely to re‑offend, described the case as a "one‑off fall from grace," and imposed the four‑year sentence, back‑dated to the date of his arrest.
Daniel Byrne, aged 21 and described as having significant mental disabilities, was sentenced to a two‑year suspended term after pleading guilty to attempting to hijack a woman's car on Old Lucan Road, Palmerstown, on 29 October 2013. Byrne, who left a special needs school at 14 and is in the bottom one per cent of mental ability, was found unsuitable for community service. He was found to have severe mental disabilities, including ADHD and compulsive behaviour, and had 32 prior convictions, including three for assault. Byrne admitted the offence, claimed intoxication, and had spent the previous night in hospital with self‑inflicted injuries. The victim, who had to change jobs and suffered nightmares, reported that Byrne had blood on his face and appeared to have a screwdriver. The judge, Martin Nolan, ordered a Probation Service assessment and a suspended sentence, with no custodial term imposed. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Bianca Maria Birtas, a 25‑year‑old former cash handler, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing €9,520 on 18 September 2014 and an additional €6,010 on 19 September 2014 from G4S Cash Services Ireland Ltd. CCTV footage showed her stuffing money into her sleeves as she counted notes into bundles. The cash was destined for destruction at the Central Bank, and the total missing amount was €15,530. Garda investigations revealed that Birtas had deposited €6,005 of the stolen money in her accounts and that an additional €7,840 was found in her home. She claimed she was worried about paying for her wedding and had no previous convictions. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a suspended sentence of two and a half years, noting that she was unlikely to re‑offend and that the offence could be treated as a one‑off. The stolen cash was to be returned to the Central Bank.
In a Dublin city‑centre assault, 26‑year‑old Romanian Ionut Potop head‑butted and bit Pakistani shop employee Tariq Mohammed at a Londis store on Westmoreland Street on 4 June 2014. Potop, who was drunk and had shouted racial slurs, caused injuries to Mohammed's nose, torso and wrist, leading to hospital treatment. Potop pleaded guilty to assault. Judge Patrick McCartan, noting Potop's lack of prior convictions, ordered him to raise €3,000 for Mohammed within six months as a token of remorse, warning that failure to do so would result in imprisonment. Potop was remanded on continuing bail to allow time to gather the compensation. The case was adjourned to 11 December for sentencing. The court considered Potop's apologies, letters of regret, and his attendance at psychotherapy for anger and alcohol issues. The judge expressed willingness to give Potop a chance if his remorse was genuine. The proceedings remain at the bail stage, with no final sentence yet imposed.
David Nevin, 40, of Terryglass, Nenagh, was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a suspended three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for harassing former girlfriend Patricia Dardis from August 2012 to February 2013. Nevin sent repeated text messages, emails, faxes, handwritten notes, and appeared at Dardis's home and workplace, even attempting to contact the CEO of her firm. He pleaded guilty and was remanded in custody in early May to reflect on his conduct. The judge noted Dardis suffered significant emotional trauma and warned Nevin that a repeat offence would lead to a long prison term. Nevin was ordered to remain of good behaviour for three‑and‑a‑half years, to avoid any contact with Dardis, and to pay €1,000 to court within one week, which would be given to the Rape Crisis Centre if not accepted by Dardis. The sentence was suspended in full.
In a 2013 robbery of a Tallaght post office, former chef and drug counsellor Keith McCarthy (38) participated after relapsing into drug use. He and an accomplice stole €10,351, escaping on a bicycle with one rider on the crossbar. The accomplice, armed with a lump hammer, was never charged and died shortly after. McCarthy, who had been drug‑free for ten years, pleaded guilty to robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Mary Ellen Ring suspended a four‑year jail term, noting he had not offended since and was engaged in drug treatment and victim awareness work. The stolen money was never recovered. McCarthy's fingerprints on the getaway bike led to his arrest two weeks after the raid. The case highlighted his prior 15 convictions and his recent relapse after family difficulties. The court emphasized his commitment to remain drug‑free and comply with the suspended sentence conditions.
Nathan O'Rowe, 20, of Tallaght, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to a taxi driver on New Year's Day 2015. The court heard that O'Rowe and a friend mistakenly believed they had been picked up by their Hailo-ordered taxi. When the driver insisted he was booked for another passenger, the men became aggressive, accusing him of drink driving after spotting a beer can left by a previous passenger. After the driver attempted to leave to meet his actual passenger, O'Rowe allegedly punched him twice in the face. The men then allegedly threw stones and bottles at the vehicle before tackling the driver to the ground, punching and kicking him to the head. The victim, who suffered a fractured nose in two places and permanent disfigurement, blacked out during the second phase of the attack and used a wheel brace to defend himself. Judge Desmond Hogan adjourned sentencing to next October, indicating he may impose a suspended sentence. He cited O'Rowe's lack of previous convictions, guilty plea, and contrition as mitigating factors. The judge ordered a Probation Service assessment for community work suitability and remanded O'Rowe on continuing bail. O'Rowe's counsel stated his client offered €500 as a concrete measure of remorse.
Lewis Smith, 18, previously of Glenshane Grove, Tallaght, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary in Tallaght on September 2, 2014. He is accused of breaking into the home of a profoundly deaf woman with a 17-year-old co-accused, who also pleaded guilty to the same charge. The teenagers allegedly stole a computer tablet, a mobile phone, and a television. Garda Jennifer Grogan stated that the homeowner later discovered a message written on the sitting room wall. Smith has previous convictions for criminal damage and stealing a car. Judge Martin Nolan adjourned the case to July 30 next to allow for the preparation of a probation report to assess Smith's suitability for community service. The judge remanded Smith on continuing bail until then, imposing conditions that he live with his grandmother in Saggart, adhere to a curfew from midnight to 8am, and sign on three times a week at Tallaght Garda Station. Judge Nolan noted that while the woman's peace of mind was greatly affected, it was highly unlikely the teenagers knew she was deaf. Defense counsel George Burns BL stated that Smith had written letters of apology to the victim and the court and expressed remorse.
Anthony Daly, 32, of Santry, Dublin, was jailed for three years after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis resin for sale or supply on 6 December 2011. The offence occurred while he was bound to the peace under a suspended sentence for a 2004 drug offence that had originally carried a ten‑year term with six years suspended. Gardaí stopped Daly on Malahide Road in Swords, searched his home on Shantalla Road and seized just over 500 g of cannabis resin worth €3,000. He had 31 prior convictions, all traffic offences, apart from the 2004 drug offence. The State sought to reactivate the six‑year suspended term, but Judge Martin Nolan imposed only the three‑year jail term and did not order re‑activation of the suspended period. The court noted Daly's good family background and his efforts to control gambling addiction, but ruled that the breach of the bond could not be ignored.
The trial of former Anglo Irish Bank officials Aoife Maguire, Bernard Daly and Tiarnan O'Mahoney has been adjourned to Monday because the court ran out of jurors. The three, aged 60, 65 and 54 respectively, face charges of deceiving the Revenue and destroying or falsifying bank records from 2003 and 2004. They have pleaded not guilty to all charges. The allegations include conspiring to destroy, mutilate or falsify documents relating to a named account, furnishing a list of accounts that omitted the named account, and defrauding the Revenue by deleting or concealing accounts held by Anglo in the name of the named person. The trial, expected to run until the end of July, was scheduled to begin at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Patrick McCartan. Only seven jurors were sworn in before the court ran out of potential jurors, so jury swearing will resume on Monday with a fresh panel.
A 43‑year‑old Nigerian man, Dayo Akinsuyi, was sentenced to 21 months' imprisonment for burglary and assault causing harm after he and an accomplice broke into an apartment on 20 August 2013. They entered the flat shortly after 9 a.m. and attacked the resident, George Cristo, with a scalpel and a fake gun. Cristo suffered cuts to his forearms, head and defensive wounds on his hands. Akinsuyi pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge noted that the men had apparently been searching for money, but the offence was deemed very serious. Akinsuyi had minor prior convictions for road traffic offences and had shown remorse. He was described as a good father and partner, and his good work history was taken into account. The sentence was imposed after the court accepted his guilty plea and the evidence of the assault. The case was prosecuted by James Dwyer BL and investigated by Garda Shane Moriarty.
David Bradshaw (33) and Patrick O'Dowd (30) pleaded guilty to handling a stolen Mercedes Benz in November 2013. They claimed they bought the vehicle for €6,000 from a woman named Alex, who said it was her husband's car, and later sold it online for €5,000 to an Irish buyer. They could not provide details about Alex, the buyer or the men who collected the car. The court found the men had been reckless about the vehicle's status and had not reported it. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence on each, requiring them to raise €5,000 within a year to pay the original owner. The car, valued at €20,000, was never recovered, and the owner continues to repay the loan. Bradshaw had 17 prior convictions, while O'Dowd had two.
Peter Moore, 25, of Lynnwood, Ballyboughal, was remanded in custody after pleading guilty to criminal damage at Chapel Lane, Swords, on 20 January 2015. He used a crowbar and angle grinder to destroy a parking meter because he was angry about a parking fine. Garda Amanda King arrested him after finding the tools in a boot of a nearby car. Fingal County Council estimated the damage at €11,000, covering replacement, disposal and removal of the old meter's concrete base. Moore's defence offered €3,000 in compensation and highlighted his cocaine and alcohol addiction, his role as a carer for his mother with motor neuron disease, and his work with the Homeless World Cup charity. Judge Martin Nolan described him as a vandal, noted his 47 prior convictions, and adjourned sentencing to 23 June, stating the cost of reinstating the meter was not fully understood.
The trial of three former Anglo Irish Bank officials – Aoife Maguire, Bernard Daly and Tiarnan O'Mahoney – is set to start tomorrow at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. They face charges of deceiving the Revenue and hiding bank accounts, allegedly committed in 2003 and 2004. The defendants deny the allegations. A jury will be sworn in the morning, and the trial will commence at 2 pm before Judge Patrick McCartan. It is expected to last five to six weeks, with no need for an enhanced jury panel.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, a 62‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting an 11‑year‑old boy at his nephew's house on 19 May 2013. Garda Liam Healy described the assault as the man fondling the boy's private parts after sitting him on his knee, then touching the boy's bottom, an act that lasted only a few seconds before another person entered the house. The boy later returned home, was unable to sleep, and reported the incident to his mother, who notified the police. The defendant, with no prior convictions, admitted full responsibility and expressed genuine remorse. He was placed on the Sex Offenders Register and had no compensation to offer. Judge Martin Nolan, noting the seriousness of the offence but considering it a one‑off lapse, imposed a two‑year suspended sentence.
A 27‑year‑old Polish national, Gregor Mazerkiewicz, pleaded guilty to cultivating 27 cannabis plants at his Dublin flat for personal use. Garda Sean Byrnes presented evidence that the plants were found in a tent in a back bedroom, each valued at €800, and that 7.8 g of amphetamine was also discovered. Mazerkiewicz had no prior convictions and was described as candid and cooperative. The judge, after considering the defendant's addiction and economic circumstances, imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence.
Barry Fowler, 30, was jailed for seven and a half years after pleading guilty to possessing over €370,000 of drugs for sale or supply. Gardaí traced him to a basement where a transit van contained €250,727 of cannabis, €103,404 of cocaine, €8,827 of heroin, €5,672 of amphetamines, €1,522 of cannabis resin and €2,000 of cannabis under his BMW's bonnet. He also pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a sawn‑off shotgun and 9mm bullets. Fowler, a father of one, had prior convictions for road traffic matters, common assault and a three‑year sentence for dangerous driving causing death in 2005. He claimed he held the drugs, weapons and €118,000 cash to offset a €60,000 drug debt. He had been in custody since April for breaching bail conditions after being arrested at Shannon Airport.
A 19‑year‑old man from Blackhall Parade, Dublin 7, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for attempting to rob a woman on the Luas on 7 April 2014. The incident occurred at the St James's Hospital stop when the tram doors closed on the victim's arm. The offender, Jeffrey Crowley, tried to seize the woman's umbrella as the doors shut, causing her arm to fracture. CCTV footage identified him and he was arrested and pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Terence O'Sullivan imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with the final 12 months suspended, citing the frightening nature of the attack. Crowley, who admitted drug use at the time, has 37 prior convictions and is now completing his Leaving Certificate while undergoing drug‑addiction treatment. The judge ordered him to abstain from narcotics upon release. The victim, Ciara Dunne, remains in pain and feels more wary on public transport.
Andrew Gilmore, a 27‑year‑old serving member of the Irish Defence Forces, pleaded guilty to violent disorder at the Central Bank Plaza in Dublin on 9 February 2012. On 29 November 2013 Judge Martin Nolan imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year deferred sentence, requiring Gilmore to keep the peace, behave well for a specified period and pay €3,000 to the injured parties. The Court of Appeal considered that a custodial sentence, a suspended sentence or a fine over €800 would have automatically led to his discharge from the army. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was "unduly lenient" and that the judge had shown too much mercy. Mr Justice George Birmingham, joined by Mr Justice John Edwards and Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, rejected the appeal, noting that the deferred sentence was appropriate given the mitigating circumstances and that a suspended sentence would have had serious consequences for Gilmore's military career.
Lee McDonnell, 23, of Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of an imitation firearm with intent to commit robbery at Sarsfield Service Station on 21 January 2012, and to robbery of cigarettes, a sunglass case and a shop assistant. He was originally sentenced to six years imprisonment, three of which were suspended. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was too lenient. The Court of Appeal set a new effective sentence of six years imprisonment with the final year suspended, and a concurrent four‑year sentence for the robbery charge. The new sentences run concurrently with a five‑year sentence for a burglary committed in 2011, and McDonnell is already serving a nine‑year sentence with two years suspended for aggravated burglary. The appeal was heard by a three‑judge panel, and the court noted McDonnell's 111 prior convictions at the time of sentencing.
Mark Kavanagh, 39, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of €135,000 worth of cocaine, €18,000 worth of cannabis, and a firearm. The original sentence of three‑and‑a‑half years was deemed unduly lenient by the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the Court of Appeal increased it to five years. One year of each count was suspended, to run concurrently for three years after release. The appeal highlighted that Kavanagh had been "minding" the drugs for a few weeks in return for relief on a €700 debt, and that he had claimed a threat against his family, later denying it. The court noted mitigating factors such as no prior convictions, a guilty plea, and remorse, but insisted the firearm offence required a separate, stricter sentence. The final effective custodial term is five years with a one‑year suspension for each count.
Ian Gibbons, 39, of Emmet Road, Inchicore, Dublin, turned himself in after robbing Shoezone on Ballyfermot Road on 14 August 2014. He pleaded guilty to one count of robbery. Susan O'Brian, who was working in the shop, said Gibbons threatened to stab her if she did not open the register. He opened it and took €114 in cash and coins. Gibbons initially refused to be interviewed but returned sober the next day and confessed, expressing remorse and describing the stress he had caused the woman. He denied threatening to stab her and claimed he was not carrying a weapon. He explained that he had been coerced by violent people who had forced him to return a stolen bicycle or pay €1,500. Gibbons has 20 previous convictions, mainly for drug and road traffic offences. Judge Terence O'Sullivan imposed a two‑year suspended sentence, noting Gibbons' remorse and the unusual nature of his voluntary admission.
In a 2015 court hearing, former Anglo Irish Bank executive William McAteer, aged 63, was granted legal aid for two upcoming criminal trials. The court noted that an enlarged jury panel would be required for the trial involving McAteer and three co‑accused: John Bowe (50), former head of capital markets at Anglo Irish Bank; Denis Casey (54), former chief executive of Irish Life and Permanent; and Peter Fitzpatrick (61), former director of finance at IL&P. The co‑accused are charged with conspiring to mislead investors by transferring €7.2 billion to inflate the bank's value between March and September 2008. McAteer and Bowe also face separate charges of falsifying accounts under the Theft and Fraud Act. McAteer is also set to stand trial in January 2017 for fraudulently obtaining a loan from Anglo Irish Bank to repay a personal loan with Bank of Ireland in September 2008. William McAteer was convicted.
A 51-year-old man has been remanded on continuing bail ahead of trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court next month on charges relating to alleged sexual offences against two young girls. The defendant faces 50 counts in total, including 40 counts of child exploitation involving alleged production of child sexual abuse material, three counts of sexual assault, and seven counts of defilement of a child under 17. The alleged offences are said to have occurred between 2007 and 2011 at locations in Dublin and Donegal. At a pre-trial hearing, the defence indicated the case would be ready to proceed as scheduled. Trial commencement is set for 13 July, with proceedings expected to last approximately two weeks.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 5 June 2015, Niall Flynn, aged 31, was given a suspended sentence of 18 months for two counts of attempted robbery and one count of robbery. Flynn, who has 23 prior convictions, attempted to rob a Boylesports shop on Mary Street on 30 August 2014 by brandishing a large golf umbrella as a weapon. He entered the shop for about 60 seconds, demanded money, and was stopped by staff who triggered the panic alarm. Later that day he entered a Ladbrokes bookies with an iron bar and also robbed €40 from a premises opposite Kevin Street Garda station, threatening a worker with a knife. Flynn was arrested at his hostel, pleaded guilty, and later admitted the charges after reviewing CCTV footage.
Peter Byrne, 44, pleaded guilty to two robberies committed on 29 and 30 November 2014 at the School Supply Centre in Village Green, Tallaght, and the Abberley Hotel on Belgard Road, Tallaght. He used a scalpel to threaten an employee at the shop and a hotel front‑desk staff member, demanding cash. Byrne admitted the offences, apologized, and claimed he was homeless and needed money for a deposit. He had 91 prior convictions, including four robberies, burglary, theft and assault. Judge Martin Nolan, hearing the case at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, accepted Byrne's expressed desire to reform but questioned his capacity to comply. Nolan imposed a four‑year jail term, suspended the final 18 months, and ordered Byrne to serve the remaining two and a half years in custody. The court noted Byrne's age, his long prison history, and the impact on the hotel staff, who had begun self‑defence courses after the incident.
Eoghan McGarry, aged 30, appeared in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court escorted by five security officers in riot gear. He had pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and possession of cannabis, both at Sundrive Road Garda Station on 2 September 2014. McGarry denied the two additional charges of possessing and handling stolen jewellery at his home. The Director of Public Prosecutions had required pleas to the additional charges and set a trial date in April 2016, pending the court's sentencing decision.
In a 2015 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, 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, who had been living with Sheridan, was remanded on bail pending a sentence scheduled for October. Sheridan, an addiction counsellor, testified that Aylmer suffers from depression but had shown improvement since the incident, engaging with services and seeking help. He also claimed Aylmer had become more aware of his condition and was on a waiting list for an alcohol awareness programme. The judge adjourned the case to assess Aylmer's suitability for community service, noting Sheridan's evidence was "very helpful and very forgiving" and that Aylmer had not been imprisoned. Garda Kevin McHugh corroborated Sheridan's account, describing the confrontation, Aylmer's threats to officers, and the eventual evacuation by firemen.
A 21‑year‑old Dublin man, whose identity is protected, was given a suspended three‑year prison sentence for sexually assaulting his five‑year‑old niece. The victim, who had been a child rape victim herself, was forced into the man's bed at night because she feared ghosts and the dark. The man had previously been abused as a child and had pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault between April and November 2011. He had received counselling for his own abuse and was ordered to continue therapy and to live in a home for children from dysfunctional backgrounds. The court noted his early admission, guilty plea and cooperation as mitigating factors, and the sentence was suspended on the condition of ongoing treatment and residence in the specified home.
In a Dublin flat raid, 28‑year‑old David Doherty was found with 6 g of heroin and was charged with possession for sale. He pleaded guilty and received a suspended sentence of two and a half years, conditional on keeping the peace and attending the Tuam Community Training Centre. Doherty, who had 49 prior convictions mainly for traffic offences, was described by the judge as having made significant progress in dealing with his heroin addiction. His co‑accused, 36‑year‑old Stephen Lunders, pleaded guilty to the same charge and was given a three‑year jail term, with the last 18 months suspended. Lunders had 28 prior convictions, including drug offences, and was found with 2 oz of heroin and €1,010 in cash. The raid was triggered by a tip‑off, and the flat contained evidence of drug preparation and street‑dealing.
Ian Kelly, a 36‑year‑old mechanic from Phibsboro, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious injury to Keith Lawless at the Topaz Garage in Hartstown on 24 March 2012. Kelly struck Lawless with his car and then reversed over him, breaking bones in Lawless's neck, caving in his skull, causing multiple head fractures and a brain bleed. Lawless was carried 10–12 feet under the vehicle, found unconscious and bleeding, and now suffers post‑traumatic amnesia and lasting impairments to speech, vision, balance, memory, learning, concentration and behaviour. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Kelly to four and a half years' imprisonment, disqualified him from driving for four years, and rejected a €10,000 compensation offer. The court noted Kelly's remorse and good character, but deemed the offence close to the height of dangerous driving. The case remains an open and shut civil matter for Lawless.
The jury was discharged in the trial of former Anglo Irish Bank chairman Sean FitzPatrick, who was charged with 27 offences under the 1990 Companies Act for allegedly failing to disclose millions of euros in loans to the bank's auditors. The trial, held at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, had been delayed for seven weeks due to legal arguments and a witness illness, and no evidence had been presented to the jury. Judge Mary Ellen Ring explained that the trial could not continue and would be rescheduled for 5 October 2015, with a new jury to be empanelled. FitzPatrick, aged 66, had pleaded not guilty to charges including making misleading statements to auditors and furnishing false information between 2002 and 2007. The prosecution's case was based on an investigation by the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement into alleged "warehousing" of loans and arrangements that concealed the true loan balances from auditors.
Andrew O'Toole, 22, was given a suspended sentence of three and a half years after pleading guilty to dangerous driving and reckless endangerment for leading Gardaí on a high‑speed chase on a stolen motorbike. The incident, which took place on May 26, 2013, involved O'Toole driving the wrong way down a dual carriageway, around several roundabouts, and failing to stop at red lights, ultimately crashing into a parked car. Garda Stephen Walsh described how the pursuit forced other motorists to take evasive action, including a bus that had to swerve into road works. O'Toole was arrested after a brief struggle that injured the Garda's hand. He has 12 prior convictions and became a father two days after the offence. Judge Martin Nolan remanded him in custody for over a month, warning that re‑offending would result in further custody. The court noted his recent period of good conduct but emphasised the danger he posed to himself and others.
Ian Kelly, a 36‑year‑old mechanic from Castle Terrace, Phibsboro, was remanded in custody after striking Keith Lawless with his car and then reversing over him on 24 March 2012 at the Topaz Garage in Hartstown. The collision caused Lawless serious and permanent head injuries, including broken neck bones, a collapsed skull, multiple head fractures, a brain bleed, and ongoing impairments to speech, vision, balance, memory, learning, concentration and behaviour. Lawless was carried 10 to 12 feet under the vehicle, found unconscious and bleeding, and has since been described as a "shell of the person he used to be", unable to work as a roofer or play sport. Kelly pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious injury and was sentenced to ten days in jail pending a final sentence on 3 June. Judge Martin Nolan warned that Kelly would face a substantial term of imprisonment for the offence, noting the "devastating injuries" suffered by Lawless.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 27‑year‑old Dean Moore pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and robbery of Conor Muldoon on 3 June 2013. The incident occurred at 4 a.m. on Pearse Street when Muldoon was walking home after a night out. Moore allegedly believed Muldoon was threatening a woman and attacked him out of a "misplaced sense of chivalry", striking him in the head, face, leg and chest until Muldoon surrendered his wallet and phone, worth €400. Garda Alan Roche arrested Moore at the scene after a struggle. Muldoon suffered a fractured jaw and broken nose, was treated at St James' Hospital, and later reported being unable to eat solid food for a week. Moore's defence described him as an affable young man from a difficult background, and the judge adjourned sentencing to October to allow engagement with Probation Services and a concrete expression of remorse.
Alison Wilkins, 48, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to nine sample charges of theft committed between July 2013 and March 2014. The accused, a carer for Rita Keogh, a vulnerable widow suffering from dementia, allegedly stole over €30,000 from Keogh's bank account. Gardaí evidence indicated Wilkins carried out 57 unauthorised transactions, including ATM withdrawals and debit card payments, after gaining access to Keogh's card and PIN. Keogh's balance dropped from €33,000 to €13,900 during the period. Wilkins, who has no previous convictions, admitted the offences. Defence counsel Kerida Naidoo BL highlighted Wilkins' prior decent life, her drug habit, and her remorse, submitting that her admissions were useful to the State. Judge Desmond Hogan adjourned the case to October for sentencing. He ordered a probation report to assess Wilkins' suitability for community service, noting he was not ruling out that disposal but emphasizing Keogh's vulnerability. The judge also advised defence counsel to explore the possibility of gathering funds to compensate Keogh. Wilkins was remanded on continuing bail. The matter was adjourned and not concluded.