Aaron Black, aged 23, was part of a four‑man gang that robbed a Balbriggan jeweller's shop on 10 May 2013. The gang threatened staff with a claw hammer, smashed display cases and stole €15,370 worth of jewellery. Black was arrested shortly after the robbery when he was seen in a taxi on the M1, changing clothes. He identified himself on CCTV, apologised to the shop owners, the taxi driver and the Balbriggan community, and pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Mary Ellen Ring sentenced him to three years in prison, suspended in full on the condition that he keep the peace for three years. He is now employed, claims to be drug‑free, and has cooperated with probation services. The court noted his moderate risk of re‑offending but that he has not attracted further Garda attention since the robbery. The jeweller's estimated economic loss was €2,800, including loss of business.
Jason Breen, 41, a chef, set fire to his sister's home in Dun Laoghaire after she obtained a barring order against him. He poured petrol through an upstairs window while the house was empty, and a neighbour entered to rescue a dog, which was later found unharmed. Breen was arrested with singed hair and burn marks, admitting he wanted to destroy the house because it belonged to his late mother and because he had not slept for nine days while using crack cocaine and "snow blow." He pleaded guilty to arson on 30 July 2013. Judge Mary Ellen Ring sentenced him to three years in prison, suspended in full on the condition that he keeps the peace for three years. The court noted his lack of prior convictions, his drug rehabilitation at Coolmine, and his willingness to offer his culinary skills to help others. The fire caused about €30,000 in damage, paid by the local council.
Two men have been convicted and sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for their involvement in a series of violent offences. Dylan Smith, aged 22, and Daniel Malone, aged 20, pleaded guilty to charges arising from incidents in August and September 2013. In August, they unlawfully seized a taxi on Tubber Lane, Lucan, and subjected the driver to false imprisonment, robbery, and serious assault. The victim sustained a skull fracture and multiple facial injuries. In September, Smith stabbed a bus passenger in the thigh during a robbery at Kylemore Road, Bluebell, and subsequently forced the victim to withdraw €200 from an ATM. Smith was sentenced to six years imprisonment with the final eighteen months suspended, to run consecutively with a sentence from Roscommon. Malone received four and a half years with the final eighteen months suspended. Smith has fifty-seven previous convictions; Malone had one prior conviction. Both defendants expressed remorse, with Smith having engaged in rehabilitation since entering custody.
Michael Jones, aged 30, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended for assaulting security guard James Bowe at Powerscourt Shopping Centre in Dublin on 26 June 2010. Jones, who was intoxicated, fractured Bowe's C7 vertebra, bit his finger and palm, and caused serious injuries that Bowe had a pre‑existing spinal condition. The judge, Desmond Hogan, noted the assault was on the lower end of the medium range of seriousness and that Jones had not intended the severe injuries. Jones had previously pleaded not guilty to assault in Dublin and was convicted by a jury in July. He had earlier convictions in Northern Ireland, including a suspended sentence for indecent assault in 2007, and a two‑year prison term for robbery in 2010. The court ordered Jones to attend alcohol treatment and remain under probation supervision for 12 months after release. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the injuries and Jones' prior record.
The State withdrew charges against Thomas Hunt, 40, who was accused of withholding information about a car he allegedly bought that was later used in the fatal shooting of dissident republican Alan Ryan on 3 September 2012. Hunt was arrested in October 2012 and pleaded not guilty to the charge of withholding information between 3 September and 23 October 2012. The case hinged on telephone records stored on a Meteor mainframe computer. Judge Catherine Murphy ruled that the records could not be relied upon because there was no evidence the computer was operating correctly at the relevant time. She required proof of the mainframe's function and operation, a standard established by a 1992 UK appeal court decision. After four days of argument, Judge Murphy discharged the jury and informed them that the State had decided not to proceed with the case.
Sunny Idah, a 39‑year‑old former CIE bus driver of Nigerian origin, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for soliciting two undercover Gardaí to import a kilogram of cocaine from Brazil. The case stemmed from an international police operation involving Swiss and Irish undercover officers. Idah secretly recorded offers of €5,000 each to the undercover officers to swallow 1 kg of cocaine, worth €140,000, and bring it back to Ireland. He had provided the officers with €400 for a hotel room and $1,000 for flight tickets, but the officers never travelled. The court back‑dated the sentence to September 2010, when Idah was first taken into custody. Idah had previously received a 13‑year sentence for a related drug trafficking offence, which was overturned on appeal. The judge described the operation as sophisticated and noted the potential impact on users and addicts if the drugs had reached the market. Sunny Idah pleaded guilty.
Alan Miller, 68, a former property developer, was remanded in custody pending sentencing for failing to pay over €1.56 million in taxes. He pleaded guilty to six counts of failing to file VAT, income tax and capital gains tax returns, and to filing incorrect returns, covering the period 2003‑2009. Miller had sold parts of a renovated property on Capel Street, netting €6.2 million, but now has no income or assets and has been denied a state pension. The bank is foreclosing on his family home. Judge Mary Ellen Ring adjourned the case for an updated probation report. Miller's solicitor was later convicted of theft. Miller has suffered multiple illnesses, including prostate, lung and skin cancer, suspected brain cancer, gout and depression, and has attempted suicide twice. He has been described by community leaders as a quiet, industrious, good‑hearted family man who helped disadvantaged members of the Jewish community.
In a Dublin court, Andrew Shannon, aged 50, was acquitted of damaging two paintings – 'Morning Strand' and 'Evening Strand' – at the Shelbourne hotel on 8 January 2014. The trial judge, Martin Nolan, directed the jury to find him not guilty of these charges. Shannon remains charged with damaging a Claude Monet painting, 'Argenteuil Basin with a Single Sail Boat' (1874), at the National Gallery of Ireland on 29 June 2012, and that case continues in its closing stages. The jury will now hear closing speeches from the prosecution and defence.
Jorge Garcia, a 41‑year‑old Spanish care assistant, was sentenced to a two‑year suspended term for stealing €960 from the accounts of six intellectually disabled residents at Cheeverstown in Dublin. The theft, which occurred between 18 April and 8 August 2013, involved altering withdrawal forms and using a photocopied signature to divert money intended for the residents' expenses. Garcia pleaded guilty to six counts out of 32 charges and has since repaid the full amount. The court noted his cooperation with Garda investigations and his genuine remorse, and considered that the victims' disabilities made the offence particularly serious. Judge Desmond Hogan suspended the sentence, adjourned the case to February for a community service suitability assessment, and highlighted that Garcia had no prior convictions and had not been previously known to the Gardaí. The case remains at the suspended‑sentence stage.
A 17‑year‑old Romanian youth was sentenced to four years' detention for four robberies committed over a two‑week period in April 2014, when he was 16. The court found that the teenager had targeted vulnerable people in a cowardly manner, using violence but no weapon. He was sentenced to concurrent terms of four years' detention, with the last 18 months suspended on strict conditions, including two years of probation supervision. The offences involved the youth and an accomplice who lured pedestrians into a city‑centre alleyway before attacking and robbing them. One victim, a 52‑year‑old stroke survivor, was struck on the head and suffered severe injuries; his briefcase was stolen. Other victims included a 65‑year‑old homeless man, a 46‑year‑old man who sustained head injuries and was robbed of cash and jewellery, and a 20‑year‑old man who was robbed of a watch, phones and €300. The unnamed 17-year-old pleaded guilty.
Jason Whelan, 24, of Ballymun, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to five counts of burglary, theft and criminal damage committed between 18 August and 1 October 2012. He targeted staff locker rooms at the Swan Leisure Centre in Rathmines, the Crown Plaza Hotel, Blanchardstown Shopping Centre and Maximillian's Bistro. In the Swan Centre he broke into six male staff lockers, stealing items worth €5,867, including a laptop, a Trek bike, iPods, iPads, a Kindle Touch, smartphones, kit bags, cycling shorts, a wash bag and cash. Earlier that year he also burgled a guest room at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, stealing a purse, handbag, hair straighteners and a camera, and damaged 13 hotel staff lockers. Whelan had 71 prior convictions, including 29 burglaries and 30 thefts, and was on High Court bail for four other offences. He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment.
Robert Cummins, 35, a father of three from Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison after pleading guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of €143,000 worth of cocaine, amphetamines and PVP. Cummins had been addicted to cocaine, spending €300 a week since 2009, and owed €1,200 to third parties. On 11 November 2013, Gardaí searched his home, finding a key to a locked shed, a blue plastic box with two black refuge sacks, four vacuumed packs of drugs, three smaller bags, digital weighing scales and €4,900. Cummins admitted he had held the drugs for unscrupulous people for six to eight weeks, fearing for his and his family's safety. Defence counsel Kieran Kelly noted Cummins had given up gambling and drugs, and Judge Martin Nolan described the case as tragic for the family and a significant misjudgement by Cummins.
Brendan Fitzpatrick, aged 34, was sentenced to five years in prison with the final three years suspended after pleading guilty to possession of PVP and cannabis worth more than €13,000. He was arrested at Store Street Garda Station where a sports bag he carried was inspected, revealing three large brown blocks of suspected cannabis and several golf‑ball‑type packages of a cocaine‑like drug. Analysis identified the drug as PVP (Pyrrolidinovalerophenone) with a street value of €32,900, while the cannabis was valued at €14,431. Fitzpatrick, of Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, had 21 prior convictions, mainly for public order and road traffic offences. He admitted taking the bag while intoxicated and claimed gambling debts of €10,000. Judge Mary Ellen Ring noted his early guilty plea and the substantial quantity of drugs, suspending the last three years of the sentence on strict conditions.
Stephen Cummins, aged 23, was sentenced to three years in prison after being caught with €70,000 of stolen cash from two separate cash‑in‑transit robberies. He was found in a park with blue dye on his trousers and runners, and earlier a man was seen running along garden walls with money falling from his pockets. In the first incident, an empty cash box was discovered at the back of Crumlin Children's Hospital; a follow‑up search of a nearby home revealed the stolen cash stained with blue/purple dye. Cummins later admitted responsibility for the cash. He pleaded guilty to possession of €40,000 at Curlew Road in Drimnagh on 16 July 2012 and €30,000 at Landen Road in Ballyfermot on 16 August 2012. He has 28 prior convictions for road traffic offences and one for unlawful possession of drugs.
The trial of Andrew Shannon (50) of Willians Way, Ongar, Dublin 15, accused of damaging three valuable paintings, continued in legal argument at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in the absence of the jury. Shannon has pleaded not guilty to damaging two paintings, 'Morning Strand' and 'Evening Strand' by Felim Egan, at the Shelbourne hotel on January 8th, 2014, and to damaging one Claude Monet painting, Argenteuil Basin with a Single Sail Boat (1874), at the National Gallery of Ireland on Clare Street on June 29, 2012. The charges against Monet's Argenteuil Basin with a Single Sail Boat are also alleged or contested, with a plea of not guilty. Judge Martin Nolan instructed the jury of seven women and five men to return on Thursday when the trial is expected to resume in their presence. The procedural stage is trial, and the matter was not finalised. No findings, sentences, or proposed dispositions have been made at this stage.
A garda is to face two separate trials at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court next year on allegations of harassing women. Garda Donal Maguire, aged 38, is charged with harassing one woman at a Dublin location during 2012, and with harassing a second woman at a Dublin location on dates in 2014. The accused, formerly resident in Kilbarrack, Dublin, is now living in Bundoran, Co Donegal. At a hearing before the District Court, the defence indicated both trials would require approximately three days each. Trial dates have been set for 30 June and 12 October 2015. Garda Maguire has been remanded in custody pending trial. Pre-trial dates were scheduled for 15 May and 10 July 2015. The court noted that no plea has yet been entered, and the accused remains presumed innocent.
Andrew Shannon, 50, of Dublin 15, was arrested for damaging two paintings at the Shelbourne hotel on 8 January 2014 and a Monet at the National Gallery in 2012. He pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. During Garda interviews on 31 January 2014, Shannon claimed he was at the hotel spa with his nephew and had not harmed the artwork, suggesting staff were seeking a "false confession." Garda Eugene McCarthy noted Shannon's explanation was unreasonable. CCTV footage showed Shannon entering the Adams suite, which leads to the Deirdre suite where the paintings were, but no evidence placed him in the Deirdre suite. The case is pending before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury of twelve. Additional evidence includes a senior investigator's report and a surgeon's note that Shannon had severe heart disease, potentially causing a cardiac episode without external stress. The trial continues.
James Butler, 33, of Tallaght, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing 1.3 kg of cannabis herb, valued at €27,424, which he had stored in two sport bags at his home. The drugs were discovered after Gardaí forced entry on 3 April 2013. Butler, who has 27 prior convictions mainly for traffic and criminal damage offences, explained that he had abandoned heroin use just before Christmas that year but still owed a debt for his addiction. He admitted he did not know the value of the cannabis when it was dropped at his door. The case was adjourned by Judge Mary Ellen Ring to March 6 to allow a Probation Service assessment of Butler's commitment to addressing his addiction. He remains remanded on bail pending sentencing.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Andrew Shannon, aged 50, pleaded not guilty to allegations of damaging two Felim Egan paintings, 'Morning Strand' and 'Evening Strand', at the Shelbourne hotel on 8 January 2014. The jury heard that the paintings, which were exhibited in the trial, appeared to have been slashed or torn with an object. Shannon also faced a separate not‑guilty plea for damaging a Claude Monet painting, 'Argenteuil Basin with a Single Sail Boat' (1874), at the National Gallery of Ireland on 29 June 2012. The court noted that the Monet had undergone an exhaustive repair and was back on display. Loss‑prevention manager Eamon Kelly reported that CCTV footage, burned to a disk, was handed to Gardaí the day after his return from holiday. Kelly confirmed the paintings were to be destroyed. Garda Eugene McCarthy explained that he had arrested Shannon on 31 January 2014 after reviewing the footage.
Trevor Byrne, 36, was released in March after serving part of an eight‑year sentence for an attempted robbery. His final two years were suspended on conditions including a curfew and abstaining from alcohol. In April he was remanded after being found with six cans of cider, and in October he was released again. In court he admitted breaching the bond on 6 November by drinking a bottle of beer and on 18 November by breaking his curfew while watching a football match in a pub. He denied bringing 12 cans of Dutch Gold lager on 31 October. The prosecution sought to re‑activate the suspended portion of his sentence, but the judge, citing his willingness to engage with Probation Services, decided not to do so as long as he complies with the conditions. Byrne has nine prior convictions, including a 15‑year sentence for rape and a five‑year sentence for assault.
Paul Mooney, 27, was returned to jail for ten years after being found with €27,900 of cannabis, cocaine and heroin in his home and car while on temporary release from a five‑year sentence for a previous drug offence. He pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs and to possession of €2,000 cash near his car. Judge Mary Ellen Ring sentenced him to ten years, back‑dated to 15 February 2013, and ordered a review in February 2019. The judge noted his temporary‑release offence, the relatively low value of the drugs, his young age and the fact that he had already served a substantial period in custody. Mooney accepted responsibility, claimed to be drug‑free in prison, and expressed gratitude to his family for their support. The sentence was not suspended.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Andrew Shannon, 50, pleaded not guilty to damaging two Felim Egan paintings – 'Morning Strand' and 'Evening Strand' – at the Shelbourne hotel on 8 January 2014. The paintings were presented as exhibits on the fourth day of the trial. Shannon also pleaded not guilty to damaging a Claude Monet painting, 'Argenteuil Basin with a Single Sail Boat (1874)', at the National Gallery of Ireland on 29 June 2012. Jury members viewed CCTV footage showing Shannon entering the Shelbourne with a second man, walking through various suites, and later noticing white threads hanging from the blue painting. He photographed the damage on his phone and informed a colleague, who alerted his supervisor. The supervisor promised to address the issue the following morning. The trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan with a jury of seven women and five men.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, John Paget, 37, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for criminal damage by arson after he set a petrol bomb on a Renault Megane parked near a house. The homeowner, who was alone with his three‑year‑old son and a ten‑day‑old baby, was not involved in the incident. Paget pleaded guilty on 12 December 2013. The judge accepted that he was the "patsy" but noted he had gone to the garage, filled a milk bottle with petrol, rode his bike to the premises and threw the bomb. The court suspended the final 12 months of the sentence, citing the presence of other offenders. The damage was limited to the vehicle and the front edges of the neighbouring house, and no victim impact report was prepared because the harm was property‑based. The case was prosecuted by Dean Kelly BL and defended by Luigi Rea BL.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge James O'Donohoe sentenced 30‑year‑old Fintan Phelan to six months' imprisonment for an attempted robbery that took place on February 23, 2012, when he entered the passenger seat of a car stopped at a traffic light on the North Circular Road. Phelan, who was already serving a suspended sentence for robbery, was caught after a passing detective heard the victim, nurse Lorraine Maloney, scream for help. The victim had thrown her phone at Phelan, who then panicked and rolled down the window. Phelan also pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer on August 19, 2012, and received a three‑month sentence for that offence. Both sentences are to run consecutively with the sentence he is already serving.
Two New Zealand tourists recounted seeing a man's fist penetrate a Monet painting worth €10 million at the National Gallery of Ireland on 29 June 2012. The accused, Andrew Shannon, 50, pleaded not guilty to damaging Claude Monet's *Argenteuil Basin with a Single Sail Boat* (1874) and to damaging two Felim Egan paintings at the Shelbourne Hotel. Witnesses, including a paramedic and security staff, described Shannon as fainting, complaining of chest pain and falling against the painting. He later claimed a heart condition and that he had a tin of paint stripper. The case is before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury, with no verdict yet announced. The incident remains a criminal matter under investigation.
A Sligo man has received a five-year suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possession of heroin worth over €100,000 with intent to supply. Anthony Fitzpatrick, aged 22 and resident in Tubbercurry, pleaded guilty to the offence, which occurred at various locations in Dublin 8 on 5 March 2013. Judge Mary Ellen Ring suspended the sentence in full, imposing strict conditions requiring engagement with the Probation Service for one year. The judge warned that any breach would result in the full custodial term being activated. Fitzpatrick, who has no previous convictions, was noted to have relocated from Dublin to Sligo eighteen months prior and has settled into a stable environment, including college attendance. A co-accused, then aged 17, was also charged in connection with the seizure. The court heard that Fitzpatrick's involvement stemmed from pressure to settle a cannabis-related debt and that he is currently receiving treatment for addiction.
Aaron Dunne, aged 21, of Grangeview Road, Clondalkin, Dublin, has been sentenced to three and a half years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following convictions for document fraud and criminal damage. Dunne pleaded guilty to ten counts of possessing and using a forged learner permit licence between June and November 2012, having arranged for another person to sit his theory test and then altering the resulting licence with his own photograph. When gardaí seized the false document, Dunne reported it lost and obtained a replacement through a local garda station without the seizure being checked on the database. He was sentenced to two and a half years for the fraud offences. Dunne also pleaded guilty to criminal damage and producing a baseball bat during an incident at a restaurant near Rathcoole in January 2013, receiving an additional consecutive sentence of two and a half years with eighteen months suspended. Judge Mary Ellen Ring noted the extended period of false document use posed a danger to the public.
An Albanian chef, Emil Duro, 28, was caught by Gardai in Dublin city centre carrying a white bag containing €67,000 of cocaine and later found to have €20,000 of cannabis at his home. He pleaded guilty to possession of the cocaine on Gardner Street Lower and the cannabis on Francis Street. Duro claimed he owed €6,000 from a drug debt and offered €3,000 from savings, which was rejected. Judge Mary Ellen Ring imposed a six‑year suspended sentence, requiring Duro to keep the peace.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Karl Boyne, aged 31, was sentenced to four and a half years in jail for stabbing Polish architect Mr. Jerzy Stacharski with a butcher's knife after a tennis match at Cambridge Park, Ringsend. The knife punctured Stacharski's shoulder, causing two wounds and a long‑term impact that forced him to quit his job as an architect. Stacharski, now 65, remains fearful of open areas and requires social care. Boyne also pleaded guilty to possession of a knife on Thorncastle Street and burglary of a petrol station on Beech Road, receiving six months' imprisonment for the latter. The sentences are to run consecutively. Boyne's history includes 41 prior convictions, including a five‑year robbery sentence, and he is advised to undergo drug rehabilitation while in custody. The court noted Boyne's admission of drug and alcohol use at the time of the attack.
In a 2013 incident at the Abberley Hotel in Tallaght, Zoe Thompson, aged 21, struck two brothers, Aidan and Colm Brown, with the heel of her stiletto shoe. The assault began when Aidan Brown, a barman, was involved in a scuffle after a confrontation on the dance floor of the "Entourage" nightclub. Thompson intervened, hitting Aidan on the forehead, which required seven surgical staples, and later struck his brother from behind, resulting in five staples to the back of his head. Both victims suffered financial losses: Aidan lost €1,000 in wages and Colm lost €690. Thompson pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm and has four prior convictions for road traffic offences, including drink driving. She is awaiting sentencing in January, with the court considering her suitability for a restorative justice programme. The case highlights the severity of the injuries and the financial impact on the victims.
Joseph Cooney, aged 22, pleaded guilty to arson of a shed behind the Salmon Leap pub and a house on Main Street in Leixlip in November 2012, causing almost €400,000 in damage. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to five years in prison but suspended the sentence in full after Cooney accepted a Garda's view that the arson was a one‑off "act of madness". At the hearing, Nolan ordered Cooney to spend two weeks in jail to reflect on his future if he fell from grace again. Cooney was told to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for the five years of his suspended sentence. He had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty, showed remorse, and had many good references, which contributed to the mitigation. The court noted that Cooney and a co‑accused were "basically on drugs for the night and were bored and decided to liven up their lives by setting properties on fire".
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Andrew Shannon, 50, of Willians Way, Ongar, Dublin 15, pleaded not guilty to allegations of damaging Claude Monet's 1874 painting *Argenteuil Basin with a Single Sail Boat* at the National Art Gallery on Clare Street. The judge, Martin Nolan, indicated technical and legal arguments would be presented and adjourned the case until the following morning. The trial is expected to last two weeks.
The State has requested an enlarged jury panel for the trial of former Anglo Irish Bank executive William McAteer, aged 63, and three co‑accused. The men are charged with conspiring to mislead investors about the bank's deposit books by transferring €7.2 billion to inflate the bank's value between March and September 2008. McAteer, John Bowe (50), Denis Casey (54) and Peter Fitzpatrick (61) also face separate charges of falsifying accounts under section 10 of the Theft and Fraud Act. The case was listed for mention before Judge Mary Ellen Ring on 24 November 2014 to monitor disclosure progress. Counsel for the prosecution, Diana Stuart BL, noted that the first stage of disclosure was almost complete and requested a new mention date to allow continued monitoring. The prosecution also applied for an enlarged jury panel, and the defence teams agreed with the submission.
In a 2014 trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, prison officer Thomas Hogg, aged 49, was acquitted of assaulting prisoner Bernard Cawley, aged 46, in the holding cells of the Criminal Courts of Justice on 20 April 2012. Hogg claimed he acted in self‑defence after Cawley had become agitated, kicked the cell door, and allegedly lunged at him. The jury deliberated for two hours and found Hogg not guilty. Judge Patrick McCartan thanked the jury of eight men and four women, noting the prosecution's case that Hogg intentionally assaulted Cawley with a set of keys. Cawley, who had been awaiting transfer to Mountjoy Prison after a four‑month burglary sentence, described being struck on the head and face, and later reported injuries. Hogg had also voluntarily interviewed with Gardaí in January 2013, stating he had struck Cawley in self‑defence but had not used any weapon. The trial concluded with Hogg's acquittal.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, nurse Barbara O'Toole, aged 42, was charged with dangerous driving causing serious harm after an alleged collision with Paul Woodley's motorcycle on 21 October 2010. The trial judge, Desmond Hogan, directed a not‑guilty verdict on the third day, citing a flawed investigation that lacked key evidence such as a scene of crime, point‑of‑impact data, and a proper map. Judge Hogan noted the absence of a clear determination of whether the motorcycle's left indicator was on, and that the PSV inspector had inspected the bike "blindly." He argued that the prosecution had failed to provide the defence with relevant evidence, making a conviction unsafe. The judge emphasized that the case's outcome did not affect Woodley's civil rights. The jury, composed of six men and six women, was instructed to return a not‑guilty verdict. The decision was made without a formal jury verdict, based solely on the judge's direction. Barbara O'Toole pleaded not guilty.
Nathan Kinsella, 35, a father of six, was sentenced by Judge Patricia Ryan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four months in prison for driving two men in a car on Brewery Road, Stillorgan, on 9 December 2010, while knowing they possessed stolen property. The sentence is to run concurrently with his existing three‑year term in Midlands Prison, which he received after pleading guilty in April 2014 to membership of an illegal organisation, the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The final year of that sentence was suspended. Kinsella had previously pleaded guilty to IRA membership on 13 September 2012. Garda Michael McArdle explained that the car was stopped after a break‑in at Beechwood Court, where a camera and related equipment were stolen. The stolen items were recovered and returned to the owner. The two co‑accused received 120 hours of community service in lieu of nine months' imprisonment. Kinsella has 14 prior convictions, mainly for traffic offences.
In a 2014 appeal, the Court of Appeal upheld a seven‑year prison sentence for Paul Rice, 28, who pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his best friend Keith Mills, 22, in Ayrfield, Dublin, on 22 December 2008. The original judge, Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan, had suspended the final two years of the term. Rice's conviction followed an assault that began after a two‑day drinking binge, during which Mills was struck with a belt and subsequently suffered severe traumatic brain injuries, leading to his death ten days later. Rice initially offered a false account of the incident but later pleaded guilty. The appeal, brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions, was dismissed; the Court of Appeal found no error in principle in the sentencing judge's decision. Rice remains in custody to serve the remainder of his sentence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, 39‑year‑old Mark Mulligan was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for harassing a woman and discussing the rape of her young son. Mulligan admitted to harassing the victim between 2008 and 2012 and to possessing child pornography at his home on 7 July 2013. He pleaded not guilty to a third charge of producing child pornography between 1 and 17 March 2013. The judge, Patricia Ryan, found him guilty after a 44‑minute jury deliberation, noting the harassment spanned years and involved late‑night texts and emails. A four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence was imposed, with the last year suspended. Mulligan was ordered to stay away from the victim and her family for 30 years, to comply with probation services for 18 months after release, and to engage in rehabilitation or treatment as directed. The sentence was back‑dated to 7 July 2013.
In a 2014 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Garda authorities refused to conduct a forensic scene investigation after a road‑traffic collision on Monastery Road, Clondalkin, because the victim, 72‑year‑old Paul Woodley, did not die. The case involved 42‑year‑old nurse Barbara O'Toole, who was charged with dangerous driving causing serious harm. O'Toole allegedly left a housing estate onto a main road and collided with Woodley's motorcycle, resulting in the loss of part of his leg. O'Toole pleaded not guilty. The barrister, Pieter LeVert, argued that the refusal was "appalling" and that the collision was clearly serious. Garda Catherine Gunning had requested a forensic examination of the vehicles within five minutes of arriving, but the request was denied on the basis of no fatality. She later resubmitted the request, which was again refused. An inspector did examine the motorbike, but was unaware of the indicator light issue.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Derek Smith, aged 33, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended on condition. Smith, a resident of Holly Road, Donnycarney, pleaded guilty to demanding money with menaces at a Whitehall house on 26 September 2013, claiming he had been intoxicated and acting under instructions. He admitted to threatening to smash the victim's car after the homeowner denied any debt. Smith, who has 13 prior convictions for road traffic offences, expressed deep remorse and described the act as "ridiculous." The judge noted the victim's loss of peace of mind and the seriousness of the offence, while defence counsel argued that a custodial sentence would be disproportionate given Smith's family responsibilities and financial difficulties. The court imposed the suspended sentence, reflecting the defendant's lack of pre‑planning and the influence of others on the night in question. The case remains at the sentencing stage, with no further proceedings reported.
Keith Byrne, 33, of Greenfort Crescent, Clondalkin and Liffey Avenue, Lucan, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of heroin for sale or supply at Castlebaggot in Newcastle, Co Dublin on 7 May 2014. The heroin seized was worth about €860,000. Judge Mary Ellen Ring ordered a probation report and set a sentencing date of 11 March next year, when full facts will be heard.
A former chef, Keith McCarthy, 38, will be sentenced next year for robbing a Tallaght post office. On 9 May 2013 he stood at the door while an armed accomplice threatened a cashier with a lump hammer and forced her to open cash drawers, taking €10,351. The post office was crowded with 40‑50 customers and staff; parents asked a staff member to hide children behind her desk. McCarthy, who had relapsed into drug use after a decade of sobriety, was remanded in custody until 23 January next year. He pleaded guilty to robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and had 15 prior convictions. The robbery was investigated by Garda Kieran Kilcoyne, who identified McCarthy from fingerprints on the getaway bike. The money was never recovered. The court noted McCarthy's history as a chef, drug counsellor, and his recent relapse into street methadone. He is on a waiting list for Tiglin treatment centre.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, 42‑year‑old nurse Barbara O'Toole pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving causing serious harm to motorcyclist Paul Woodley. The incident occurred on 21 October 2010 on Monastery Road, Clondalkin, when O'Toole allegedly drove a car from the Monastery Estate onto the main road and struck Woodley's motorcycle. Woodley was taken to Tallaght Hospital with an ankle injury and later to St James's Hospital where his leg was amputated below the knee. Witness Keith Gregg, a First Responder, testified that he was 60 feet behind Woodley when a car pulled out of the estate, hit the motorbike, and continued across the road. Gregg described the crash and the motorbike's upside‑down position. The case is before Judge Desmond Hogan and a jury of twelve. The trial remains ongoing.
Thomas O'Donnell, 22, of Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply at his home on 8 June 2012. Garda Michael Noone reported that 3.34 kg of cannabis was found in a holdall in a converted shed at the back of the house, with a smaller amount in O'Donnell's bedroom. O'Donnell claimed he had discovered the drugs on a wall two weeks earlier and left them in his brother's room, insisting he owed no money and had no drug debt. The drugs were later valued at €20,552.88. Defending counsel Luigi Rea argued that O'Donnell's brother had no involvement and that O'Donnell had agreed to hold the drugs as a weekly allowance for his own use. Judge Mary Ellen Ring imposed a three‑year suspended sentence on strict conditions, noting that O'Donnell had no prior convictions and was not charged with a more serious offence. If he reoffends within three years, he will face prison.
Anthony Hannon, 39, was sentenced to three years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended, for stabbing Joanne Teeling and Leanne Gleeson over a €50 debt owed by his partner. The attacks occurred on Wellview Avenue, Ladyswell, on 2 February 2011. Hannon claimed self‑defence, saying Teeling had attacked him with a glass bottle and pulled him into her garden. Garda Ciara O'Brien reported that Gleeson lost her spleen and suffered a punctured lung, while Teeling was left with numbness in her left small finger and a stab wound to her arm and stomach, requiring surgery. Hannon had no prior convictions. Judge Mary Ellen Ring imposed the sentence, back‑dated to February, and suspended the final 18 months on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation supervision after release. Anthony Hannon pleaded guilty.
In 2012, Thomas McDonagh, aged 21, hijacked a taxi on Tyrconnell Road, Inchicore, using force or threat of force. His cousin, Bernard McDonagh, 16, was also in the vehicle. After the hijacking, the taxi crashed into another car near Slane Castle, County Meath. Bernard died from his injuries hours later; Thomas suffered serious injuries, including a broken spine and brain bleeding, and now has epilepsy and other medical issues. The incident was reported to Gardaí, who described the hijackers and the taxi. Thomas was arrested six months later, admitted the hijacking, apologized, and expressed remorse. He has ten prior convictions, including robbery, and was remanded in custody for sentencing on December 9. The court adjourned sentencing to await guidelines on hijacking cases. The case is pending sentencing.
Wayne Donnelly, 28, from Oakcourt Lawn, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm, false imprisonment of a taxi driver, and unlawful seizure of a car. The offences occurred in Palmerstown and Lucan in July and August 2013. Donnelly, who has 26 prior convictions, was part of a group that attacked a taxi driver, tied him up, stole his car, and threw him into a ditch. He also assaulted a man in Palmerstown, threatening him with grenades and physically attacking him. The judge adjourned sentencing to March next year and ordered a probation report. Donnelly's case was presented by Detective Garda Padraig Jennings, with testimony from Garda Caroline Flynn and defence counsel Anne Marie Lawlor. The article reports Donnelly's background, drug use, and claims of remorse, but no sentencing outcome is given.
Gary Broderick, aged 42, pleaded guilty to an attempted robbery at Ulster Bank on College Green on 9 January 2012. The court found he was homeless, drug‑ and alcohol‑addicted, and living a chaotic life at the time of the offence. A woman in the bank saw him enter, screamed, and called 999; Garda Paul Burke later identified him and he was arrested. An imitation firearm was found abandoned at the bank door, and CCTV footage captured his approach. Broderick claimed he wanted to discuss a money issue with bank officials and had been to a drug clinic en route, making him unfit for interview. He has 79 prior convictions, including traffic offences and court appearances. Judge Mary Ellen Ring sentenced him to three years, suspended in full for 18 months, and directed him to continue housing, drug counselling, urine analysis and Probation Services for 18 months.
Deirdre Griffin, aged 25, was found in possession of a bar of cannabis resin worth €1,476 after her ex‑boyfriend could not pay for diesel he had added to his van. She was living in her car at the time of the offence and had a history of six road‑traffic convictions. Griffin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and was given an 18‑month sentence, which the judge suspended in full on strict conditions. The judge noted her efforts to turn her life around, her stable relationship with a new partner, and her drug‑free status. Her former partner, Christopher O'Toole, received a five‑year suspended sentence for possession of €26,000 of the controlled drug PVP ("snow blow") found in the van, of which Griffin had no knowledge. The court considered the circumstances of her living situation and her past caregiving role for her mother, who died of cancer in 2004.
Lucky Osaseyi, a 36‑year‑old father of one from Ashford Place, Dublin 7, had previously served three years of a ten‑year sentence in Dubai for drug possession and was deported back to Ireland in 2011 because of a serious medical condition. In Dublin, he was charged with transporting 304 g of cocaine worth €21,284 at Terminal 1 of Dublin Airport on 28 April 2013. Osaseyi admitted swallowing 23 plastic‑wrapped cocaine pellets to obtain €980, claiming he needed the money. He pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a five‑year prison sentence, suspending the last two years on the condition that he keep the peace for three years after release. The case was prosecuted by John Quirke BL and defended by Gerardine Small BL, who noted that Osaseyi's early guilty plea and full co‑operation were beneficial, avoiding a trial.