In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Victoria Quinn, 46, pleaded guilty to careless driving causing serious harm after she ran through a crossroads on the R125 in Swords on 4 June 2022, colliding with a car carrying an elderly couple. The collision fractured the 72‑year‑old woman's back and left her with bruising and pain to her wrist, elbow and chest. Quinn's car was written off, and the victim remained in hospital for five weeks, during which she contracted Covid‑19. The victim's husband, who was driving the other car, died 19 days later from pneumonia, an illness unrelated to the crash. Quinn, who had no prior convictions, was told by the court that her driving fell below the required standard and that her statement to Gardaí was inconsistent with the evidence. The case was adjourned for finalisation on 20 January next year.
A 38‑year‑old child psychiatrist, Amirul Arif Bin Mohd Yunos, was sentenced to eight and a half years' imprisonment for sexually abusing a 15‑year‑old girl in 2023. Yunos, who worked at a CAMHS centre in Clonskeagh, had been approached by the girl's parents to help their daughter with mental health difficulties. The victim was not formally his patient. Between May and September 2023, Yunos engaged in a series of sexual acts with the girl, including inappropriate touching, oral sex, and penetration of her vagina and anus, at locations such as a car, his home, her home and his workplace. He pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual activity with a child under 17, one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one of meeting a child for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
A 65‑year‑old man, Ciaran Watters, received a suspended two‑year sentence after he struck his elderly neighbour, Patrick Dunne, with a shovel while Dunne was trimming a hedge on their shared boundary. The assault occurred on 14 June 2021 when Dunne was on a ladder leaning against a wooden fence; Watters hit the fence twice, causing Dunne to fall flat on his back. Dunne, who has had two hip replacements, suffered pain, anxiety and flashbacks, and now requires medication for his spine. Watters, who had a prior assault conviction, admitted alcohol influence, completed an inpatient addiction course, and offered €5,000 to Dunne. The judge imposed a three‑year suspended sentence with conditions to refrain from interfering with neighbours and to pay the compensation. The unnamed 65-year-old pleaded guilty.
A 56‑year‑old man, Adrianus Johannes Kees, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment after defrauding the Irish biotechnology company Ovagen of €840,000. Ovagen, seeking €28 million to patent a germ‑free egg for vaccines, was persuaded by Kees to deposit the money into an alleged escrow account in Lichtenstein. No such account existed; the funds were transferred to Kees' personal accounts and spent on a pool house, a Mercedes‑Benz lease and other expenses. Ovagen had to repay the loan taken from AIB and lost the money. Kees pleaded guilty on the fifth day of his trial, apologized to the victims, and was granted a reduced sentence after a European Arrest Warrant had led to his extradition from Spain. The court noted his lack of prior convictions and cooperation with authorities. The sentence was back‑dated to account for time already spent in custody. The unnamed 56-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Mary O'Sullivan, aged 52, pleaded guilty to one count of deception, four counts of using a false instrument and four counts of false accounting for taking €16,024 from her non‑profit employer, Leargas, between 2016 and 2019. She oversaw the petty cash process and falsified receipts and accounting records. A 2019 review uncovered irregularities, including altered receipts and incomplete records. O'Sullivan was interviewed by Gardaí, attempted to blame colleagues, claimed she was bullied and that the petty cash book was accurate, and suggested the money was used for budget purposes. She offered €16,000 as restitution. The court imposed a two‑year sentence, fully suspended it, and required her to enter a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour, while ordering payment of the restitution to Leargas. The sentence was imposed by Judge Orla Crowe.
Adam Roe-Dwyer (25), of Johnfield Road, Dublin 8, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of assault causing harm to a security officer at Centra, Dame Street, Dublin 2, on March 18, 2022. His co-accused, Ian Lynch (25), of Weaver Street, Dublin 18, had previously pleaded guilty to the same charge and received a two-and-a-half-year suspended sentence earlier this year. Both men admitted to the offence, which involved striking the security guard after he refused entry to a plastic pint glass. The victim sustained two fractures to his nose, requiring surgery and five days of hospitalisation. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced Roe-Dwyer to a two-and-a-half-year term, suspended in full on conditions. This follows Lynch's earlier sentencing, where he also received a two-and-a-half-year suspended sentence after paying €4,000 towards the victim's losses. Roe-Dwyer also paid €4,000 today. The judge noted the seriousness of the assault but considered mitigating factors, including both men's lack of previous convictions, their cooperation with gardaí, and their apologies. The matter was finalised with the imposition of these suspended sentences.
John O'Brien, 44, with 119 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to stealing an electric scooter from a shop on Dame Street on 31 January 2022. The theft occurred after an argument between shop security, O'Brien and two other men. O'Brien seized the scooter and fled toward Trinity College, threatening the victim with death. The victim pursued him, pleaded for the scooter, and was assaulted by another man who also threatened him. Gardaí later apprehended O'Brien while he was riding the scooter. O'Brien was on bail for other offences at the time and is already serving a sentence. Judge Orla Crowe described the offence as a "mean‑spirited theft", noted his chronic addiction and previous convictions, and imposed a two‑year sentence back‑dated to his guilty plea. The sentence will run concurrently with his current term, with release projected for December 2027 and support structures in place for his eventual release.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 35‑year‑old Gareth McGrath pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on two occasions (29 July and 8 August 2023) and to threatening to kill a former girlfriend and intimidating her to withdraw a Garda complaint between 14 and 23 August 2023. McGrath, who has 15 prior convictions, was present for sentencing via video link from prison. The victim, who met McGrath during residential addiction treatment, described a brief relationship that turned violent. She reported being punched, thrown to the ground, and cut on the breast with a butter knife, sustaining head injuries, a bruised ear, a hearing deficit, a forehead bump and a chest puncture. She said McGrath pressured her to retract her complaint, but she ultimately maintained her statement. The judge adjourned sentencing to early next year to allow a probation report to be prepared.
Patrick Joyce, 30, of Balbriggan, pleaded guilty to two burglary counts and one assault causing harm. The incidents occurred within 500 metres of his home on 7 and 8 March 2024. A neighbour heard a noise, chased Joyce, and recorded him; a bar manager reported Joyce taking a bottle of vodka; and a man was punched by Joyce after a confrontation at his front door. CCTV footage confirmed the assault. Joyce denied the offences but was arrested at 1 a.m. and later admitted guilt. He has 12 prior convictions. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced him to two years' imprisonment for the burglary and two years for the assault, to run concurrently, with the final six months suspended for one year. The sentence was back‑dated to include time already served.
Shirley Creighton, 49, of Derham Park, Balbriggan, pleaded guilty to careless driving causing serious bodily harm on 12 July 2022 when she struck a woman in her late 80s crossing Bridge Street. The victim suffered a serious leg fracture, required surgery and skin grafts, and her home now needs adaptation. Creighton was not driving fast and did not see the pedestrian. She had recently lost a family member and wished the case to proceed. Judge Dara Hayes adjourned the case to 18 December and directed the Probation Service to assess her suitability for community service. Creighton has no prior convictions, sold her car after the crash, and has expressed remorse, offering a letter of apology and testimonials. She seeks leniency and wishes to retain her licence, arguing she has not driven since the incident and has regained confidence after six months. The court heard her husband and family are respected locally and that she has no further proceedings pending.
Joseph Collins, 27, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a single robbery at Boyles Sports in Finglas on 27 November 2023. He entered the shop around 7 pm, approached the counter, muttered "Money", and produced a Stanley blade that he placed under the glass, a foot from the cashier's face. Collins handed over €280 before leaving. Garda Dwayne O'Brien obtained CCTV footage that identified Collins, leading to his arrest. Collins has ten prior convictions and a history of alcohol and drug abuse, though he has completed residential rehabilitation at Coolmine Treatment Centre. He expressed deep shame, denied violence, and requested an apology to the cashier and co‑worker. Judge Orla Crowe noted his rehabilitation work and lack of violent history, ordered a probation report, and remanded him in custody until 3 March 2025 when the case will be finalised.
Two brothers, Denis Burns (42) and Gavin Burns (33), were sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for attacking a homeless man who had been lured back to their home at The Beeches, Donaghmede, on 15 June 2023. The brothers, along with a third unnamed man, trapped the victim inside the house, where Denis used a kitchen knife to repeatedly slash the victim's head. The incident lasted about 10 to 15 minutes and left the victim with heavy head bleeding requiring stitches. Both brothers pleaded guilty—Denis to assault causing harm and affray, Gavin to assault causing harm. Judge Nolan imposed a two‑year sentence on each, suspended in its entirety, and ordered them to pay €1,000 each to the victim. The case stemmed from a prior dispute over missing lawnmower and electronic equipment and alleged threats to the brothers' sister.
Michael Donoghue, aged 21, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and making threats to kill after pointing a double‑barrel shotgun at unarmed, uniformed Gardaí at Stocking Hill, Rathfarnham, on 20 December 2023. The officers, who were in a marked patrol car and unarmed, described genuine fear for their lives and lasting professional and personal effects. Donoghue's shotgun was later found to be unloaded, but the Gardaí were unaware of this at the time. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a headline sentence of eight years, reduced to a five‑year term with the final 12 months suspended, requiring Donoghue to keep the peace, maintain good behaviour for two years and engage with the Probation Service for 12 months. The case highlighted the officers' shock, fear and ongoing trauma following the incident.
Harry Archer, a 23‑year‑old former junior cricketer from Kellys Bay Rocks, Skerries, was found with €4,886 worth of cannabis at his home on 18 January 2022. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Judge Orla Crowe accepted that he is now drug‑free, has not attracted police attention since, and has a job offer. The judge imposed a 12‑month sentence, suspended in full, after noting Archer's "turned a corner" and ordered him to engage with the Probation Service for two years. Archer had 13 prior drug and traffic convictions. He had previously been caught with drugs, had a separate custody case, and had not appeared at the Garda station as promised. The case highlighted repeated attacks on his family home and his past cricket achievements, but the court focused solely on the current possession offence and the suspended sentence imposed.
A 21‑year‑old man, Shane Murray, was jailed for three years and six months for driving a stolen car and striking a cyclist, leaving the victim with a broken leg and ankle. The collision was recorded on Snapchat and shown in court, where the video showed Murray driving on after the impact and shouting "Go, Go, Go" from the front seat. The judge criticised the callousness of uploading the footage and of Murray's failure to stop or check on the cyclist. Murray also pleaded guilty to a robbery the previous month, for which he received an 18‑month sentence; both sentences run concurrently. He was disqualified from driving for four years and had a six‑month suspended portion of the driving sentence. The cyclist, a Croatian courier, required surgery for his fractures. Murray expressed remorse in a letter to the court. The case highlighted the seriousness of reckless driving and the use of stolen vehicles.
Brandon Carey, 24, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple burglaries and attempted burglaries in Dublin 9 on 31 January 2024. He broke into occupied homes at night, including the house of an 86‑year‑old woman who woke to find him in her bedroom. Carey entered through an open window, left blood on the windowsill, stole a bag of coins, an ID card and a bank card, and demanded money from another 86‑year‑old homeowner before fleeing. He also smashed a kitchen window to gain entry to a third home, leaving blood droplets on the ground. Garda Ben Grimes noted that Carey was initially too intoxicated for questioning but later admitted the crimes. He denied deliberately targeting elderly people, and the court accepted his remorse while noting the violation of homeowners' safety.
Jason Cullen, a 36‑year‑old GAA player from Ballyfermot, was sentenced to an 18‑month suspended term after pleading guilty to assaulting doorman David Barrett at Ryan's Bar on 11 February 2024. Cullen, who had been asked to leave the bar for intoxication, attempted to re‑enter to retrieve his jacket and, while intoxicated and unsteady, threw a single punch that knocked Barrett unconscious. Barrett suffered a cut on the bridge of his nose, swelling and bleeding, and later reported headaches, memory loss and sinus issues. Cullen offered a written apology and €10,000 as a gesture of remorse, which the court accepted. Judge Orla Crowe described the act as a "sucker punch", noted Cullen's otherwise pro‑social life and work history, and imposed a fully suspended sentence on the condition that Cullen hand over the €10,000, keep the peace and behave well for two years.
Ian Doyle, 33, was on bail for assaulting another partner when he severely beat his current partner in February 2023. He kept her in the house for almost a week, preventing her from leaving with her four‑year‑old daughter, and threatened to cut her throat and eat her liver. Doyle supplied her with paper stitches and painkillers but refused to let her go to the hospital. CCTV footage showed him forcing her back inside when she tried to escape. He also controlled her mobile phone, monitoring calls and sending messages from her account. Doyle pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and false imprisonment. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced him to three years and six months, suspended for six months on conditions of probation and violence‑prevention courses, to run consecutively with his current term due to expire in April 2026. The sentence reflects the prolonged, controlling nature of the abuse and the victim's fear and trauma.
Brian McKee, 29, pleaded guilty to arson that set fire to his partner's family home on 27 July 2018, causing that house and two adjoining terraced houses to be demolished. The fire began on a couch in the living room and spread through the attic, where furniture had been stored, igniting the neighbouring houses. McKee, who had recently stopped drinking, admitted drinking a can of Coors Light and gin and possibly taking cocaine before the incident. He was found outside the house at 5 am, covered in blood, holding a knife, and later detained by Gardaí. The court heard victim impact statements from the owners of the damaged houses, detailing loss of belongings, financial hardship and emotional distress. McKee's defence highlighted his bipolar disorder, past rehabilitation and lack of prior convictions. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a seven‑year prison sentence, suspending six years on conditions including engagement with addiction services and full cooperation with his mental‑health care plan.
A 64‑year‑old man was jailed for one year after pleading guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to sexually assaulting his partner's 13‑year‑old granddaughter on 21 May 2023. The victim was present with two other children when the assault occurred. Gardaí reports say the girl sat on the man's lap, he rubbed her bum, then placed a hand up her shorts and pinched her vagina. The man admitted rubbing the victim but denied touching her vagina until the end of the interview, claiming he only did so after a hug. He has four prior convictions, but the investigating garda and his lawyer argued the offences were not of the same nature. The judge noted the assault was a serious, isolated incident and, after considering the man's guilty plea, remorse and low risk of reoffending, sentenced him to one year in custody.
Steven Gillman, a 70‑year‑old software company owner, was found guilty of assault after he repeatedly punched a fellow member of the Royal St George Yacht Club during a billiards tournament in September 2023. The victim suffered a fractured eye socket, a dislocated eye lens, double vision, tinnitus and ongoing medical care. Gillman pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm and paid €15,000 as a token of remorse. He had no prior convictions and was described by his defence counsel as a "model citizen." Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to a headline term of three years, reduced to two years, and suspended the entire sentence on a number of conditions. Gillman has since resigned from the yacht club, which had been a significant part of his social life. The victim's impact statement highlighted lasting physical and psychological damage, and the assault's effect on his social and sporting activities.
Cahir O'Higgins, a Dublin criminal‑defence solicitor aged 49, was convicted in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of one count of theft and four counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice. He denied stealing €400 from a client on 30 July 2016 and denied providing incorrect notes to Gardaí in December 2017. The judge described the conduct as "deranged", "thuggish", "base" and "despicable". O'Higgins had earlier pleaded guilty to assault and harassment of a former employee, for which he received a 16‑month sentence in July. The new sentence, imposed by Judge Martin Nolan, was 27 months, back‑dated to 21 October, with the court noting the seriousness of the perverting‑justice charges and the impact on his reputation. O'Higgins expressed remorse and requested an apology to those affected. The court considered mitigating factors but extended his custodial term accordingly. The case remains at the sentencing stage, with no further verdicts announced.
Former rugby international Brendan Mullin, aged 61, was convicted in a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial of stealing just over €567,000 from Bank of Ireland Private Bank between 2011 and 2013. The jury found him guilty on 12 of 14 charges, including the theft of €500,000 that was transferred to Spice Holdings, a company registered in the British Virgin Islands. Mullin had arranged payments to McCann Fitzgerald solicitors, Beechwood accountants and Grant Thornton for work he performed personally or for his firm Quantum Investment Strategies, and had redirected invoices from his personal address to the private bank. He was acquitted of two charges relating to Beechwood Partners and a deception count. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, noting his position of trust and the fact that the bank was fully repaid before the investigation began. Mullin accepted the verdict and expressed remorse. The sentence was handed down on the day of the hearing.
During a sentencing hearing, Judge Pauline Codd described Temple Bar as a "violent, post‑apocalyptic no‑go area" after a 25‑year‑old defendant, Jordan Maguire, was jailed for three and a half years for a "barbaric" assault on an innocent bystander. Maguire, who had previously pleaded guilty to assault on Bedford Row and to producing a cider can during that assault, was captured on CCTV punching, kicking, stomping and beating the victim with a cider can. Garda Michael Walsh testified that a different man had initially assaulted the victim but that this was not recorded. Maguire was sleeping rough in Dublin City Centre, had more than 50 prior convictions, and was already serving a sentence for two other assaults. Judge Codd noted the violence was mindless and senseless, and that Maguire had left the scene and returned with a cider can to strike the victim's head.
James Hawkins, 24, of Ellis Quay Hostel, pleaded guilty to a single robbery on 21 February 2023 at College Green, Dublin. He violently took a woman's purse after she withdrew €200 from an ATM at about 6.30 pm. The victim, an American student in her early 30s studying at Trinity College, was left with cuts to her knees and torn tights. CCTV from Grafton Street showed Hawkins running away; he was identified, arrested, and admitted the offence. Hawkins has 76 prior convictions, all District Court matters, and was homeless with heroin and crack addiction at the time. He cooperated, pleaded early, and apologized. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a three‑year custodial sentence, suspended the final six months for two years, and ordered 12 months of probation. Hawkins will be released on bond before being led away.
Alan McCrea, 48, of Porterstown, Dublin 15, was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison after pleading guilty to seven counts of possession of child pornography. The court heard that Gardaí seized 47 devices and a child mannequin in a school uniform from his home, revealing over 1.29 million images and videos of child sexual abuse. The material was evenly split between images and videos, depicting female children of all ages with adult males, including oral rape, masturbation, and visible anal and genital areas. McCrea admitted downloading the material during a Garda search and a phone call in May 2018, stating he knew he had "fucked up big time." The judge noted his early guilty plea, remorse, lack of distribution, and health issues, and imposed a sentence of three and a half years with the final nine months suspended for two years, subject to strict conditions, probation supervision, and alcohol treatment.
Noel Ward, 59, of Ballymun, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for fraudulently claiming over €109,000 in social welfare benefits between May 2008 and August 2019. Ward pleaded guilty to two charges of using a false instrument, including a driving licence, and six counts of theft from the State. The court heard that Ward used the identity of his late friend, Patrick Rooney, to claim benefits such as Jobseekers' Allowance and Disability Benefit, while also working under Rooney's name to claim additional allowances in his own name. Judge Orla Crowe described the conduct as a deliberate and sophisticated fraud. Considering mitigating factors, including Ward's status as a sole carer and his repayment of all but €15,000 of the stolen funds, the judge set a headline sentence of five years. She imposed a term of three years, suspending the final 18 months. Ward is required to repay the remaining €15,000 to the State within four years. The matter was finalised with this custodial sentence and suspended portion.
Jonathon Fraiser, 38, of Drimnagh, Dublin, pleaded guilty to possession of a knife at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The court heard that on April 6, 2020, gardai attempted to stop Fraiser while he was cycling near Kylemore Road and Bluebell. He allegedly tried to escape, fell off his bike, and ran away before being apprehended. A search recovered a black-handled kitchen knife with a four-inch blade. Fraiser, who has 68 previous convictions, was remanded in custody on April 7, 2020, but was granted High Court bail in January 2021 to attend residential treatment. Prosecution Sergeant Mark Melbourne agreed with defense counsel John Gallagher BL that Fraiser's period of detention was suspended for a period due to his level of intoxication. It was accepted that he served approximately 10 months in custody during the pandemic. Judge Orla Crowe noted that possessing a knife in a public place is a serious matter and that his prior convictions were an aggravating factor. However, she acknowledged his guilty plea, apology, and efforts toward rehabilitation, including time spent in treatment for addiction. The judge imposed a 12-month sentence, fully suspended, on the condition that Fraiser keep the peace and be of good behaviour.
Gareth O'Neill, 25, of Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to threatening to "blow up" the homes of his ex‑partner's mother and grandmother on a November 2020 incident. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court where O'Neill's partner's mother intervened, leading to O'Neill's threat and subsequent apology. The victim feared the threat but did not give a victim impact statement. O'Neill has 11 prior convictions, mainly for traffic offences. His defence counsel, Sarah Jane O'Callaghan BL, presented evidence of remorse, an apology letter, and his stable employment. Judge Orla Crowe accepted mitigating factors, imposed a 12‑month sentence, and suspended it in full for two years under strict conditions, warning that any further offence would bring the case back before the courts.
Declan Donaghey, 28, pleaded guilty to arson, violent disorder and criminal damage after setting a Garda patrol car on fire and damaging a migrant centre during a riot in Dublin. The court found the offences to be of a very serious nature, noting the destruction of a patrol car valued at €20,000 and damage to a migrant accommodation centre, as well as the broader context of the riot that saw 60 locations damaged or looted. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced Donaghey to seven-and-a-half years, with the final year suspended on the arson charge, and imposed four-and-a-half years for violent disorder and three years for criminal damage, all to run concurrently. The judge took into account Donaghey's personal circumstances, including anxiety, depression and alcohol addiction, but did not consider his five prior convictions. The sentence was imposed in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 20 November 2024.
In August 2022, Robert Carroll, a 39‑year‑old construction worker, fired two shots from a revolver into the air outside his Finglas home while experiencing psychosis and not taking his medication. Garda armed support and a negotiator were called after reports of the discharge. Carroll's behaviour was erratic; he threw items from windows and was incoherent when approached. He voluntarily left the house after 75 minutes, was arrested under the Mental Health Act, and taken to hospital where a medical report confirmed a transient psychotic episode with a background of cocaine use. He was later formally arrested, interviewed without admissions, and a search of his house revealed five bullet casings, a revolver, one live round, and €10,050 in cash. Carroll pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition in suspicious circumstances. He has 21 prior convictions, the most recent from 2019. Judge Sarah Berkeley remanded him in custody, with the case adjourned to 26 November for finalisation.
Kym Dunleavy, 50, of St Josephs Place, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to using a false medical prescription between November 2018 and April 2019. She had taken a prescription pad from Beaumont Hospital and forged prescriptions for sleeping tablets. Gardaí discovered the pad after a pharmacy raised concerns about a false prescription. CCTV footage identified Dunleavy, and a warrant led to the pad being found under a mattress at her home. The pharmacist confirmed the pad was legitimate but the prescriptions were forgeries. Dunleavy claimed she used the forged prescriptions to obtain more tablets to manage anxiety and nightmares. She has 71 prior convictions, mainly theft and fraud. The court remanded her on bail pending sentencing, with a Probation Service report due on 31 March. The judge noted her high risk of re‑offending and lack of engagement with psychiatric services.
A 28‑year‑old man, Declan Donaghey, pleaded guilty to arson, violent disorder, criminal damage and rioting after setting a Garda car on fire and damaging a migrant centre during the Dublin riots. He said he was "caught up in it" because a close relative attended a school on Cavendish Row where earlier that day children and a care assistant were stabbed. Donaghey denied being a racist and claimed he felt bad for the child and teacher. He apologized to the government and everyone involved in a handwritten letter read to the court. Judge Orla Crowe remanded him in custody pending sentencing. The court heard that the riot was one of the gravest examples of public disorder in the State's history, with 60 locations damaged or looted, including an abandoned bus and Luas vehicles. Donaghey had five previous convictions, including two for public order offences, and was on medication for anxiety and depression.
Mary O'Sullivan, 52, pleaded guilty to one count of deception, four counts of using a false instrument and four counts of false accounting for taking €16,024 from Leargas, a non‑profit, between 2016 and 2019. She oversaw the petty cash process, kept incomplete records and falsified receipts. A 2019 review uncovered irregularities, altered receipts and incomplete accounts. O'Sullivan delayed reconciliation, handed over receipts and the petty cash book only after being asked, and during interviews blamed colleagues, claimed budget reasons and said receipts were in storage. Garda searches found no evidence. Her employment ended after the review. She has no prior convictions, was working and supporting her parents, and pleaded remorse. The case was adjourned to 2 December for finalisation.
Sean Dunne, 26, was jailed for two years after a vicious assault on a married American couple in a Dublin hotel elevator on 7 April 2023. He repeatedly punched the couple, threatened the wife with rape and murder, and struck the husband in the mouth. Garda Stephen Lawlor arrived after a call, found Dunne restrained on the corridor floor, and noted blood on the carpet. The couple, aged in their sixties, received on‑scene treatment and later returned to the United States. Dunne pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm. He has been in custody since April 2023, has a schizophrenia diagnosis, and has ten prior convictions. Judge Sarah Berkeley sentenced him to two‑and‑a‑half years, suspended the final six months, and ordered 18 months of post‑release supervision and probation engagement. The sentence was back‑dated to April 2023 for time already served.
A 43‑year‑old drug dealer, Toma Dani, was caught by Gardaí attempting to dispose of part of an almost €474,000 cannabis stash in a carpark bin when a search warrant was executed at his home. Dani, who claimed he was trying to pay off a €100,000 gambling debt, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply on September 10, 2023. Gardaí recovered €6,370, identified as proceeds from drug sales, along with drug paraphernalia such as bagging and scales. He had no prior convictions and had reduced his gambling debt to €70,000 over the previous year. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, hearing his back injury and lack of a drug problem, imposed a four‑year and six‑month sentence, following a headline of six years, citing mitigating circumstances and his remorse. The court noted his apology letters and the impact of drugs on society.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced three members of the Wall family for a burglary in Killiney, south Dublin, on February 19, 2021, where they stole €19,800 in gold jewellery from an elderly couple. Edward Wall (52), Martin Wall (45), and Patrick Wall (21) pleaded guilty to the offence. The court heard the men used a modified vehicle to aid the crime, with Edward and Martin acting as lookouts while Patrick and an accomplice entered the home. All property was returned. Judge Elva Duffy jailed Edward and Martin for four years each, finding them active participants in a joint enterprise. Patrick was sentenced to three-and-a-half years, with the final 12 months suspended. The judge declined to apply compensation, stating it would not restore the victims' peace of mind. Patrick Wall had previously pleaded guilty to possession of stolen property after gardaí captured him digging up almost €80,000 buried in coffee jars in a suburban Dublin field. The defendants have extensive criminal records, including prior convictions for burglary and possession of stolen property. Counsel for the defendants cited personal hardships and the benefit of guilty pleas, but the judge imposed custodial sentences reflecting the pre-planned nature of the offence and the defendants' histories.
Lee Conlon, 46, of Meath Place, Dublin, was convicted of aggravated burglary with a large kitchen knife at an apartment on Montague Street on 22 November 2022. He was also found guilty of armed robbery of Capital Credit on St Luke's Avenue on 16 January 2023, during which he threatened to kill or seriously harm two customers, one aged 83. In the burglary, he entered a sleeping couple's home, was tackled by the infant's father, and fled with items worth almost €600, leaving a large kitchen knife behind. In the credit‑union robbery, he entered with a handgun, threatened customers, demanded cash, and stole €1,200 before escaping. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced him to five and a half years for the burglary and four and a half years for the robbery, to be served concurrently with his existing seven‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, with the final four‑and‑a‑half‑year term suspended under conditions.
Paul Bissett, 38, pleaded guilty to robbery and criminal damage on 22 December 2023. He held up a cash‑in‑transit guard armed with a hammer, demanded a cash box, and fled with it. He attempted to open the €17,200 box by dropping it from the first and second floors of a stairwell, but failed. The attempt triggered an alarm and released dye that stained the area and his clothes. Garda Zoe Johnston reported that Bissett was later found hiding on a roof, where he cooperated with the Garda Armed Support Unit and left with them. The court noted his 68 prior convictions, including assault and robbery, and his history of drug addiction. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a four‑year sentence, crediting any time already served, and highlighted the need for Bissett to rehabilitate on his own. The decision was based on the threats made but no violence was committed.
Cahir O'Higgins, a former criminal‑defence solicitor, was found guilty of theft and perverting the course of justice. The court allowed the previously imposed reporting ban on his earlier harassment and assault case to be lifted. O'Higgins had been convicted of assaulting fellow solicitor Stephen O'Mahony, including a 2021 incident in which he broke O'Mahony's nose. He was sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment, with the sentence deferred until September to allow him to close his practice. The judge described his conduct as "deranged", "thuggish", "base" and "despicable", noting the harassment stemmed from a professional rivalry. O'Higgins was granted leave to travel to Spain and to compete in the World Cycling Championships before his custodial term began. The case highlights the court's decision to lift the reporting restriction once the theft and perverting the course of justice trial concluded.
Sandile Hlatshwayo, 43, of Riverwood Hall, Castleknock, pleaded guilty to endangerment after striking a three‑year‑old on a bike while speeding on 31 October 2020. He also pleaded guilty to failing to remain at the scene, refusing a drug test and driving without a licence. The child was taken to hospital with fractures and required emergency surgery. Hlatshwayo, who has 26 prior convictions, mainly for road offences including four drink‑driving convictions, was sentenced by Judge Elma Duffy to three years in prison, with the final 12 months suspended, and banned from driving for 15 years. He was also ordered to keep the peace and exhibit good behaviour for 12 months upon release. The judge described his aggressive conduct as "incomprehensible" and noted the severe impact on the child's family. The sentence was imposed to encourage Hlatshwayo's return to work and community contribution.
A 43-year-old cabinet maker from Boyle, Co Roscommon, has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his guilty plea to drug offences. Justin McCormack pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis worth €3.9 million for sale or supply at a business unit in Fairview and in a white transit van on 11 and 12 October 2023. Gardaí stopped McCormack while driving the van on the evening of 11 October and discovered a substantial quantity of cannabis. A subsequent search of the business unit, which McCormack had been using for his kitchen manufacturing trade, uncovered a further 1,174 kilograms of cannabis. Judge Orla Crowe imposed concurrent sentences of nine years on each count, suspending the final twelve months. The judge acknowledged McCormack's financial difficulties but stated that financial hardship alone does not justify criminal involvement. She noted his active role in transporting and storing the drugs constituted significant aggravating factors. The sentence was backdated to October 2023 when McCormack entered custody.
Adrian Mah Yew Beng, a 40-year-old Malaysian national, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possessing cannabis herb valued at €560,000 for sale or supply on February 28. Beng pleaded guilty to the charge. Judge Martin Nolan noted that while drug transportation is serious, Beng operated at the lowest level of the trade. The judge set a headline sentence of eight years, which was reduced to an effective custodial term of four and a half years, backdated to February 28. Prosecution evidence indicated Beng arrived at Dublin Airport with two locked suitcases containing 30kg of cannabis in 56 vacuum-sealed packages. He claimed he did not pack the luggage, believed it contained cigarettes, and was to be paid approximately €600. Defense counsel John Byrne SC described Beng as a "Joe Soap from Malaysia" who took a chance for small money. The court heard Beng has no previous convictions, is cooperative, and is willing to leave Ireland and not return upon completing his sentence. He has two children and cares for his mother. The matter was finalized with the imposition of the custodial sentence.
The jury in the trial of Cahir O'Higgins, a criminal defence solicitor accused of stealing €400 and attempting to pervert the course of justice, has begun deliberating at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. O'Higgins, 49, has pleaded not guilty to one count of theft in July 2016 and four counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice in December 2017. He denies the allegations. The court heard that O'Higgins is a criminal defence solicitor with over 20 years of experience. The jury retired shortly after 11am this morning after being charged by Judge Martin Nolan, who instructed them to be neutral and impartial and not to consider O'Higgins's profession in their deliberations. After deliberating for about 90 minutes, the jury asked if theft can be said to have occurred when an owner is temporarily deprived of their property.
A Dubliner, Noel Ward, 59, used the PPS number of a friend who had moved to Thailand to fraudulently claim €109,235 in social welfare benefits over a decade. Ward, who was homeless when the scheme began, claimed benefits such as Jobseekers' Benefit, Disability Benefit, Jobseekers' Allowance, Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance and Rent Allowance, and transferred about €64,000 into his friend Patrick Rooney's AIB account. He pleaded guilty to two counts of using a false instrument, including a false driving licence, and six counts of theft from the State between May 2008 and August 2019. Ward has been repaying the State since 2017, including a €20,000 lump sum, and is expected to clear the remaining €15,000 debt within four years. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with the hearing adjourned for finalisation on November 20.
A 40‑year‑old Lithuanian man, Donatas Koncevicius, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possessing cannabis herb worth €258,224 in a lead‑lined compartment in his car. Gardaí stopped his vehicle at Junction 4 of the M3 after he had travelled from Dublin to Cherbourg, France, on a ferry. The car's elaborate concealment, located between the back passenger seat and the boot, was accessed by a switch under the driver's seat and required over an hour of forced entry. Koncevicius pleaded guilty to possession for sale or supply and to possessing a concealed compartment to facilitate drug trafficking on 2 March 2024. He had no prior convictions, was married with two daughters, and had been in Ireland for 20 years.
During a routine customs search at Dublin Port, delivery driver Daljeet Singh, 52, was found transporting 55 kg of cannabis concealed in 50 brown cardboard bags, valued at about €1 million. Singh claimed he had not packed the van and was unaware of the drugs, but a photo from his phone later confirmed he knew of the cannabis. He pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis for sale or supply. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a headline sentence of nine years, but after considering mitigating factors, sentenced Singh to six years, suspending the final six months and backdating the term to the date of the offence. Singh has no prior convictions, lives with his elderly parents in the UK, and has five daughters and several grandchildren. The case highlighted alleged pressure from third parties and Singh's financial difficulties. The sentence was delivered at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Mark Davis, 35, with 207 prior convictions and a 20‑year driving ban, pleaded guilty to stealing a DPD delivery van in Jobstown on 4 December 2023 and to stealing 66 packages worth €901 and driving without a licence on the same day. During a court hearing, the judge heard that Davis, while driving past the victim, told him, "I'll leave the van 'round in that estate," and that the van was later found parked with its engine running and most of the packages missing. Davis also admitted to driving without a licence, hit‑and‑runs, dangerous driving and other offences. He was remanded on continuing bail, with the judge expressing concern that imprisonment would disrupt the progress he has made and that he would be exposed to drugs in custody. The case is set to resume on 10 March.
Five family members from Cabra, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to violent disorder committed on November 5, 2018. Judge Orla Crowe accepted that Eoin Maughan Senior, Ann Maughan, Patrick Maughan, Stephen Maughan, and Eoin Maughan Jnr acted out of profound concerns for a relative, but ruled that engaging in violent disorder was unlawful. The court heard the defendants attempted to remove the woman from a patrol car and became aggressive toward gardaí during the confrontation. Judge Crowe imposed an 18-month sentence on Eoin Maughan Senior, Ann Maughan, Patrick Maughan, and Eoin Maughan Jnr, which was suspended in full on strict conditions requiring them to engage with the Probation Service for 12 months. Stephen Maughan, who has no previous convictions, received a different disposal. Judge Crowe imposed a section 100 order under the Criminal Justice Act, meaning he will not have a criminal conviction if he keeps the peace and is of good behaviour until May 2025. His case was adjourned to April 2025, by which time he must also pay a €100 fine to the garda benevolent fund. The matter for Stephen Maughan was adjourned and not concluded at this stage.
Lucas Matley, a 19‑year‑old from Manchester, was caught at Dublin Airport with 12.8 kg of vacuum‑packed cannabis worth about €257,860. He had travelled to Las Vegas for five days to pick up the suitcase and then flew to Ireland, claiming he was paid £5,000 to transport the drugs. Matley pleaded guilty to having the drugs for sale or supply at the airport on 10 March 2024. Judge Orla Crowe noted his lack of prior convictions and cooperation with Gardaí, and considered mitigating factors such as letters from his former school. She imposed a headline sentence of four years but reduced it to three years, suspending the final six months for one year. The sentence was imposed at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after a Garda investigation that found 28 vacuum‑packed packages in his luggage.