Clinton Byrne, 41, was sentenced to four years in prison for possessing more than €280,000 worth of heroin for sale or supply. He was arrested on 26 April 2023 after Gardaí searched a house in Clondalkin where he was found with €3,985 in cash, a weighing scale, a half‑kilogram block of heroin and a small amount of cannabis. Gardaí also seized three additional packages of heroin weighing just over 1.5 kg in a car parked by the house, bringing the total street value of the seized heroin to €280,630. Byrne pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and cannabis, claiming he was only holding the drugs for a few hours and that it was an "effing set‑up". He admitted an addiction to gambling and cocaine and a debt that had driven him to the offence. Byrne's brother said his brother was in a psychosis at the time.
Kevin Kelleher, 50, manager of a Dublin pub, pleaded guilty to possession of just under three kilograms of amphetamines, valued at €43,000, found in concealed compartments in the ladies' bathroom and a roof area of a store room. Garda Jamie Greville described a surveillance operation triggered by a tip, with Kelleher identified and arrested after CCTV footage showed him moving the drugs. Kelleher claimed duress and that he was forced to store the drugs. He had no prior convictions and no material wealth. The prosecution argued no evidence of payment, addiction, debt repayment or gang involvement. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a headline sentence of four years, reduced to three years, and suspended the entire term on strict conditions, including keeping the peace and good behaviour for five years.
Raul Rodriguez Ramirez, 36, was found guilty of defrauding 18 international students who paid him to secure English language courses in Dublin between June 2020 and June 2021. He used the money to invest in a restaurant that failed during the pandemic, rather than booking the students' courses. The students suffered financial loss, with each losing between €1,100 and €3,800, and endured hardship such as sleeping in a church doorway and being unable to travel home to see a dying mother. Ramirez pleaded guilty and has no prior convictions. Judge Orla Crowe adjourned sentencing to March 21 to allow him to gather the balance of €29,042 to reimburse the victims. He has been in Ireland since his arrest, relying on friends, and has expressed remorse, stating he intends to repay the students fully. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Noel Robinson, 50, pleaded guilty to possessing 81 Android TV boxes that bypass Sky's subscription system. The boxes, sold from his Ballyfermot home, allowed users to watch Sky without paying the €126 monthly fee. Robinson had no prior convictions and had been a law‑abiding citizen, though he had an alcohol addiction until February 2020. Gardaí seized the boxes after a Sky anti‑piracy investigator identified a listing on Adverts.ie. Robinson cooperated fully during the search and admitted to the offence. The prosecution estimated a potential loss of €102,060 to Sky. Judge Orla Crowe imposed an 18‑month prison sentence, suspended in full for three years on strict conditions. Robinson's profits were €13,625, largely spent on alcohol, and he has two autistic sons and a son who is a chef. The case prompted him to stop drinking.
Joseph Mockler, aged 63, was convicted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of four counts of indecent assault against two teenage boys aged 14 to 16 between January 1987 and December 1988. The court found that Mockler, a sports coach, had used his position and alcohol to exploit the boys, engaging in repeated inappropriate touching, masturbation and oral sex while they were intoxicated. He was found guilty by a jury of two counts of indecent assault for each boy, though he denied the verdicts. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a sentence of five years for the first boy and five and a half years for the second, to run consecutively, then reduced the second to three years for proportionality, giving a global sentence of eight years. The final 12 months were suspended on strict conditions, and Mockler will be placed under probation supervision for 12 months after release.
Josh Cummins (19) was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his role in an organised assault on December 30, 2021. Cummins pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Alanna Quinn Idris, violent disorder, production of a hurl, and assault causing harm to Louis O'Sullivan. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to five years' imprisonment for the serious harm and violent disorder counts, suspending the final two years on strict conditions. He received a concurrent three-year sentence for the assault causing harm count. The court noted Cummins was 17 at the time, had no prior convictions, and there was no suggestion he struck Ms Quinn Idris, who lost vision in one eye. In March, co-accused Darragh Lyons (19) was sentenced to four and a half years for assault causing serious harm to Ms Quinn Idris, having also pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Mr O'Sullivan and violent disorder. The case relies on joint enterprise principles. Two other accused remain before the courts or unidentified. Ms Quinn Idris described the sentence as disappointing but appreciated the custodial outcome.
Patricia Kelly, 61, widow of the late Paul Kelly, founder of the suicide‑prevention charity Console, pleaded guilty before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of failing to keep books of account as a director of the company, contrary to the Companies Act 1990. She admitted that, other than wilfully, she did not maintain proper records of the company's transactions, which are required to determine its financial position accurately and to allow directors to compile annual accounts and enable proper audit. The offence took place between 6 December 2006 and 21 May 2015. The case was originally scheduled for trial next month, with a potential duration of up to ten weeks, but was adjourned to a sentencing hearing on 20 February 2024, later amended to 22 February 2024, with Ms Kelly remanded on bail until that date.
A former secondary school teacher, Jacintha McSherry O'Connor (63), of the Mullins, Donegal Town, Co Donegal, was found guilty of two counts of indecently assaulting a male student in 1985 following a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial in October. The court heard the abuse occurred while McSherry O'Connor worked as a student teacher at a Dublin secondary school. The complainant, now in his fifties, stated that McSherry O'Connor 'has been like a spectre hanging over me my whole life' and that she 'took my innocence away'. He also mentioned that the truth was close to never coming out, but he was glad he spoke out. The trial also heard allegations of inappropriate sexual relations between McSherry O'Connor and the boy on a holiday in Spain, but no charges were before the jury in relation to these alleged incidents. Marc Thompson BL, defending, described the case as 'highly unusual' and said his client does not accept the verdict. He said the result of the trial had a 'significant impact' on her and that her imprisonment will have a significant impact on her mother, who is elderly. He asked the court to be as lenient as possible. Judge Elma Sheahan adjourned the case for finalisation on January 11, 2024.
Audrey McKeever, 38, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to charges of making threats to kill or cause serious harm and criminal damage at an apartment complex in Crumlin on December 20, 2022. The court heard that McKeever allegedly threatened the victim, a former partner's current girlfriend, shouting that she would kill her and "dance all over her daughter's head." She also kicked the complex's outer door, causing over €1,000 in damage, and posted threatening messages on Facebook. Judge Martin Nolan described the behavior as "nasty" and "frightening." Considering the guilty plea, remorse, and mitigating factors including health issues and detoxification, the judge determined a prison sentence was not warranted. He imposed a sentence of 18 months suspended on strict conditions. McKeever was ordered to pay a further €500 within 15 months to defray repair costs, with her initial €230 token of remorse directed toward the door repair. The judge directed McKeever to have no contact with the victim and explicitly warned her "not to go near" the apartment building.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 9 December 2023, former solicitor Michael Lynn, aged 55, faced 21 counts of theft involving about €27 million from seven banks between October 2006 and April 2007. Retired Inspector Patrick Linehan, who led the investigation, explained that Gardaí had arranged interviews with Lynn in 2011, first in Portugal and later in London, but the meetings were cancelled because Lynn's solicitors were not all available. Lynn had moved to Brazil before the October 2011 interview, a fact Gardaí only learned after the interview was postponed. Linehan noted that Gardaí had monitored Lynn's movements via Interpol and had no extradition treaty with Brazil. He also said Gardaí had not received a direction from the Director of Public Prosecutions to charge Lynn while he was in Portugal. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
Patrick Stokes, 31, was sentenced to six years in prison for a series of offences including robbery, assault and criminal damage. He was living in a tent near the Dáil and had a long criminal record of 97 convictions. In October 2021 he robbed a homeless man in St Audoen's Park, taking about €400 from the victim's sock after the victim had given him €40. He also assaulted a man on the Liffey Boardwalk in September 2021, punching him to the ground and stamping on him, causing bruising and soft‑tissue damage. In June 2022 he robbed a shop in Dun Laoghaire, threatening the assistant with a knife, and later caused damage during a burglary on Baggot Street. The judge noted Stokes' addiction and history of adversity, and imposed a seven‑year sentence with the final 12 months suspended, to run consecutively with a prior three‑and‑a‑half‑year term. Patrick Stokes pleaded guilty.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 55‑year‑old Michael Lynn stands trial for 21 counts of theft, accused of siphoning roughly €27 million from seven financial institutions between October 2006 and April 2007. Lynn maintains that the mortgages he secured on the same properties were "undertaking‑only" mortgages, not first legal charges, and that banks were unaware of overlapping financing. Suzanne Bainton, a practising solicitor and member of the Law Society's conveyancing committee, testified that she has never encountered a solicitor's undertaking‑only mortgage where a bank could claim against a solicitor's professional indemnity insurance. She explained that such undertakings are intended to reduce lending costs and rely on implicit trust in solicitors, noting that insurance coverage for solicitor fraud does not exist. Bainton also clarified that the undertaking is not meant for commercial lending, though banks may accept it. Michael Lynn pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Owen Flood, aged 29, pleaded guilty to two robbery offences committed in February and March 2020. The first involved forcibly taking a Volkswagen Golf car key from a nine‑year‑old boy and driving the vehicle away; the car, valued at about €15,000, was never recovered. The second offence saw Flood and another man rob a man outside a post office in Celbridge, stealing €180 from his social welfare payment; the victim's money was also not recovered. Flood, who has 55 prior convictions and is homeless with drug and mental‑health issues, was sentenced to four years and eight months' imprisonment, with the final eight months suspended to encourage rehabilitation. No victim impact statements were presented, and the court noted Flood's remorse and cooperation with authorities. The case highlights the seriousness of robbery involving a child and the impact of repeated offending.
In July 2022, a 31‑year‑old Dublin mother was sentenced to five years in prison for recklessly endangering her two children, aged two and three, by failing to seek medical care when they were physically abused. She pleaded guilty to two counts of reckless endangerment and five counts of child cruelty, including punching her son. The court noted that the children were taken into care and would suffer lifelong trauma. Her appeal, arguing that rehabilitation had not been considered and that part of the sentence should have been suspended, was dismissed by the Court of Appeal. The judge had already applied a generous discount for mitigating factors and imposed concurrent jail terms of five and three years, deeming the custodial sentence necessary due to the grave nature of the offences.
A 61-year-old man pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to nine sample counts from 69 charges, spanning March 2021 to November 2022, alleging he sexually exploited a girl aged three to five. The accused admitted to five counts of sexually exploiting a child, three counts of producing child pornography, and one count of possessing child pornography. He befriended the victim's father, who lived nearby, and abused the child while caring for her. The court heard of his extensive criminal history, including a 2008 jail sentence for sexually assaulting a minor and a 2014 suspended sentence for possessing child pornography. Although the validated procedural stage is sentence, the matter was adjourned to January 31 for finalisation. Judge Orla Crowe ordered a probation report to assess future risk and requested a structure for the accused's eventual release. The court noted the accused's medical condition, including a recent coronary stent, and his cooperation with gardaí. Victim impact statements highlighted the severe trauma suffered by the child and her parents. The accused expressed remorse, and counsel noted his early guilty plea and history of therapy, though he struggled to control urges. The case remains pending final sentencing.
An ACC Bank fraud officer has given evidence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in the ongoing theft trial of Michael Lynn, a former solicitor. Mr Lynn, aged 55 and resident in County Wicklow, faces 21 counts of theft relating to alleged offences between October 2006 and April 2007, with a total value of approximately €27 million across seven financial institutions. The prosecution alleges Mr Lynn obtained multiple mortgages on identical properties without the lenders' knowledge. The witness confirmed that a €3.7 million loan provided by ACC to Mr Lynn in 2007 for the purchase of Glenlion House in Howth was classified as a private residential mortgage and not a commercial facility. He stated the bank would not have advanced funds had it been aware that the Irish Nationwide Building Society and Bank of Scotland Ireland had simultaneously provided loans totalling over €8 million for the same property. The trial, before Judge Martin Nolan, continues. Michael Lynn pleaded not guilty.
Killian Grehan, 28, of Templeview Park, Clarehall, Dublin, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for money laundering after €214,800 was found in a concealed compartment of his Hyundai. He pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering in the Coolock area on 26 March 2022. Garda surveillance had observed a vehicle in the Landon Road area on the day in question, and a brown envelope was handed to the driver, who later placed it in the car. The car was stopped in Coolock, searched, and the concealed compartment was discovered. Grehan admitted he was moving the money to pay off a drug debt and that his family had been threatened. He expressed remorse, had no prior convictions, and was deemed at low risk of reoffending.
Fionn Costello, 35, pleaded guilty to publishing a threatening voice note in 2021 that said he would 'throw two social workers over a balcony and cut them up.' The message was sent to a woman who works as a social worker on 13 July 2021, and it also referenced another social worker. Garda Jean McDonald explained that Costello had contacted the woman to bring the message to her attention, but he claimed he had no intention of sending it to either woman. Costello admitted the messages were intimidating but said they were not meant for the recipients. He was arrested on 5 May 2022, pleaded guilty on 4 October, and has prior convictions for drug possession, public order and road traffic offences. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced him to four and a half months' imprisonment, suspended in its entirety, after noting the unusual nature of the case and the lack of intent to send the threats.
Thomas Kane, 29, of Ard Mor Drive, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis and cocaine with intent to sell or supply on 10 June 2020. Gardaí searched his apartment following a warrant and found over 30 g of cocaine and 47.5 g of cannabis in a hot press, plus 10 g of cannabis in the kitchen. Two Adidas bags in a bin labelled with his apartment number contained almost 3 kg of cannabis. The total value of the cannabis was €60,946 and the cocaine €2,149. Kane claimed he kept the drugs to protect his brother, an addict with a drug debt, from threats to his life. His defence argued exceptional circumstances and that he was not profiting. Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned the case for finalisation in March pending a probation report.
During the trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, former solicitor and property developer Michael Lynn (55) pleaded not guilty to 21 counts of theft, accused of stealing about €27 million from seven banks between October 2006 and April 2007. The prosecution argued that Lynn secured multiple mortgages on the same properties, with banks unaware that other institutions were also financing the same assets. John Kinsella, a partner at Kinsella Mitchell & Associates and former auditor for Lynn's company Kendar Holdings Limited, was cross‑examined. Kinsella admitted that Lynn had a favourable relationship with banks and was never denied a loan. He also confirmed that Lynn's financial affairs were "an open book" and that he had access to Lynn's accounts. The trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
Silvio Rabbitte, 55, of Castleknock, Dublin, pleaded guilty to one count of impeding the apprehension of his co-accused, Wesley Williams, between September 2012 and July 2014. Williams, 46, of Ratoath, Co Meath, pleaded guilty to one count of fraud. Both men were involved in a €1.4 million money-laundering scheme where funds from German investors were transferred into a shared account. Rabbitte received €350,000, while Williams also received a sum. The defence argued Rabbitte was duped and acted with recklessness, noting he had no previous convictions. Simon Gold, 59, of Athlone, Co Westmeath, was previously found guilty by a jury of money laundering, theft, deception, and control of false instruments, and was jailed for seven years in 2019. Judge Martin Nolan adjourned the matter for finalisation on February 7 next year, stating he would sentence Rabbitte after hearing evidence in Williams' case. Rabbitte was remanded on continuing bail until that date. The court noted that the charge against Rabbitte was only recently offered to him, and that the Criminal Assets Bureau had seized €190,000 from his ill-gotten gains.
Alan Rooney, 54, of Stillorgan, was given a fully suspended 18‑month sentence for a series of offences committed on 18 September 2022 at Dundrum Town Centre. He pleaded guilty to theft, threats to kill, threatening abusive behaviour, breach of the peace, assault causing harm and entering a private kitchen and taking a kitchen knife. Rooney attacked a security guard, struck him five to six times and attempted to bring him to the ground before other security staff intervened. He also threatened a shopper, saying he would "cut the hearts out" of the shopper's wife and children. CCTV footage of the altercation was shown to the court. The judge, citing Rooney's 25 previous convictions, his 10‑year UK prison term for robbery and his moderate risk of reoffending, imposed the sentence on condition of probation, addiction services and victim‑focused work, suspending it in full for three years.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, truck driver Zahir Boudahane (50) pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious injury to 32‑year‑old William Burke on O'Connell Bridge on 10 June 2022. Boudahane, unfamiliar with the city centre, was driving in the bus lane on Bachelor's Walk when he broke a red light and made an illegal right‑hand turn onto O'Connell Bridge. Burke, crossing from the Eden Quay direction, was struck head‑on. He was dragged under the front of the vehicle, with the front wheel passing over his left leg and the rear wheel over his foot. Burke later reported seeing bones exposed and blood everywhere; Garda Cathal Keon described the injury as effectively "de‑gloved." Burke was treated at Mater Hospital, underwent urgent surgery, and ultimately had a below‑knee amputation. He now uses a wheelchair. Boudahane's dashcam showed a speed of 17 km/h; breath tests found no drugs or alcohol.
In a dramatic October morning, a Garda pursued David Paget, a 43‑year‑old serial burglar, who had broken into a family home in Dublin. Paget threw a shovel through the front window of the occupied house and attempted to flee. The Garda, Detective Shane Woods, followed him into the Tolka River and later apprehended him hiding behind shrubbery. Paget, who had 57 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to stealing a car and 11 burglaries between September 2020 and October 2023, most of which occurred in Mulhuddart, Dublin 15. Judge Orla Crowe noted that Paget had been on bail for the car theft and for several burglaries when he committed the latest offence. She accepted his cooperation, admissions, remorse, and efforts to address his addiction. The judge imposed consecutive sentences totalling seven and a half years, suspended the final year on strict conditions, and required Paget to engage with the Probation Service for 12 months upon release.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 18 foreign students who had paid a fraudster, Raul Rodriguez Ramirez, for English‑language courses suffered severe psychological and emotional distress. Ramirez, who ran a legitimate agency from 2018 to 2020, diverted the students' money into a restaurant venture that failed during the pandemic. The students, many from Mexico, Bolivia, Japan and South Korea, were left without course placements, risking their visas, and faced financial hardship—one slept in a church doorway for two nights, another could not travel home to see his mother before she died. They reported being pressured to pay quickly and receiving "contracts" by email, yet their funds were never used to secure enrolment. Ramirez pleaded guilty to inducing the students to pay sums between June 2020 and June 2021, and the judge adjourned sentencing for a week to allow him to gather funds for compensation.
During a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, former Michael Lynn solicitor Fiona McAleenan denied any knowledge of Mr Lynn's bank borrowings and claimed she had never been a partner in the practice. Mr Lynn, aged 55, faces 21 theft counts for allegedly stealing about €27 million from seven banks between October 2006 and April 2007. McAleenan said she had only been appointed partner in October 2006 and that she had never been a partner before or after leaving the firm. She denied involvement in any bank transfers or money movements, stating she was unaware of the lending or the amounts. The prosecution's case alleges Mr Lynn secured multiple mortgages on the same properties while banks were unaware of other lenders. McAleenan's testimony concluded after the judge thanked her for her attendance, and the trial continues before Judge Nolan and a jury. Fiona McAleenan pleaded not guilty.
A 59‑year‑old woman, Kim Ng Swan, pleaded guilty to careless driving causing the death of 36‑year‑old Deliveroo motorcyclist Jose Eduardo Silba Pereira. The incident occurred on Kimmage Road West on 30 December 2021 when Swan turned right and failed to see Pereira's motorbike coming from the opposite direction. The collision threw Pereira from his bike and he died at the scene. The court noted no speeding, distraction or phone use, but that Swan did not see the motorbike within the eight seconds it was visible on her dashcam. Judge Orla Crowe, hearing the case, found no aggravating factors and several mitigating circumstances, including Swan's lack of prior convictions, community work and remorse. She was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment, fully suspended, and disqualified from driving for one year. The sentence reflected the tragic nature of the accident and the absence of animosity from Pereira's family.
Dennis Menton, a 34‑year‑old father of five from Rathcoole, pleaded guilty to possession of 30 kg of cannabis for sale or supply outside his home. He was caught after Garda officers, acting on confidential information, stopped him while he parked a rental car and discovered the drugs in a second vehicle. Menton admitted transporting the drugs on five to six occasions over the past three months, earning €2,000 per job. He had no prior convictions and had been working multiple jobs to meet financial obligations. The court noted his early guilty plea, cooperation, good work record and family responsibilities. The offence carries a mandatory 10‑year sentence, but the judge departed from that and imposed a five‑and‑a‑half‑year term, citing mitigating factors. Menton has expressed remorse, is attending counselling and has considered studying community addiction studies. The court accepted his statements that the drugs were cannabis, a less harmful substance than cocaine or heroin.
Laurence Maguire, 47, pleaded guilty to two robberies and an assault at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He had been on the run for seven years after a bench warrant was issued in 2016, during which time Gardaí could not locate him. In June 2023 he surrendered and has been in custody since. The first robbery occurred at Courtview, Rathbourne, where he forced a woman to drop her bags, stole a River Island handbag containing about €30, bank cards and a DKNY watch, and left her with a sore neck and a cut. The second robbery took place on Glasnevin Avenue, Ballymun, where he attempted to seize a woman's bag, injured her husband with cuts to his face and hand, and stole a Marks & Spencer handbag. Gardaí recovered the vehicle, bank cards, and evidence linking Maguire to the incidents. He admitted to possessing a knife and having a drug addiction, and has 17 prior convictions.
Sharon Hickey, 45, of Kilmainham, Dublin 8, pleaded guilty to possessing 2.9kg of heroin for sale or supply outside the Lamplighter pub in Dublin 8 on April 12, 2022. She appeared before Judge Elma Sheahan in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where she admitted to the charge. Gardaí reported that Hickey was intercepted after receiving a bag containing the drugs and €500 in cash from co-accused Gregory Dunne. During interview, Hickey stated she was instructed to find a hiding place for the drugs to settle a drug debt, for which she was to be paid €500 and have her debt reduced. Her defence counsel highlighted her difficult childhood, addiction struggles, and a certificate in addiction studies, urging leniency. Hickey has one previous conviction for larceny from the 1990s. Judge Sheahan adjourned the case for finalisation on January 12, 2024. Co-accused Gregory Dunne, 39, of Dublin 7, had previously pleaded guilty to the same charge. In October, Judge Sheahan sentenced Dunne to eight years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended on strict conditions.
Two teenagers, Jamie Agemoh (20) and Wayne Dennis (21), were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for intimidating a 51‑year‑old woman over her son's drug debt. Agemoh, who had previously been convicted of a firearms offence, pleaded guilty to demanding money with menaces and was given a two‑year, three‑month prison term, fully suspended for four years with conditions including one year of probation. Dennis, who had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty to a single count of demanding money with menaces and received a twelve‑month sentence, fully suspended. The court noted Agemoh's repeated demands between May and June 2020, which resulted in the woman paying over €2,500. Both men were described as having acted to intimidate the victim, with Agemoh's behaviour deemed "terrorising" and Dennis serving as a "body man.".
Anthony Goodman, a 78‑year‑old sex offender with no fixed abode, was jailed for 12 months after a Garda detective spotted him attempting to board a Luas tram at Smithfield. Goodman had a sex offender order issued in August 2017 that barred him from using public transport without prior Garda notice. The detective, Fergus Grant, approached Goodman, who admitted he had knowingly violated the order and had decided to "take a chance." Goodman had 213 prior convictions, including sexual assault, indecency, breaches of a sex offender order, burglary, arson and threats to kill, and was already serving a sentence for another offence. Judge Dara Hayes noted Goodman's age, frailty and cooperation, but imposed a 12‑month sentence, crediting him for time already served. The order had previously prevented him from riding a bus without informing Gardaí. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Anthony Goodman was found guilty.
Darren Martin, aged 48, of Bride Road, Dublin 8, has been sentenced to four and a half years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his guilty pleas to two robberies of elderly women in March 2022. The offences occurred in Dublin 8, where Martin targeted women in their 80s on consecutive days, snatching handbags and a walking stick. Judge Elma Sheahan noted that Martin had robbed the victims not only of property but of their peace of mind. Martin's previous convictions for robbery and other offences were cited as aggravating factors. The court heard evidence of the distress caused to both women. The defence noted Martin's struggles with drug addiction and mental health difficulties. Martin received credit for time already spent in custody.
Chantal Johnston, 37, of Clonard Road in Crumlin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm and dangerous driving. The charges relate to an incident at Domino's Pizza on the Crumlin Road in the early hours of July 9, 2022. Prosecutors alleged that Johnston racially abused a part-time delivery driver, calling him a "bloody foreigner" and a "little Paki," before pushing, punching, kicking, and biting him. She was further accused of driving her car toward the victim in a threatening manner and threatening to kill him. The victim, who described the attack as being like a "vicious animal," stated in a victim impact statement that the racially motivated incident caused him lasting physical pain, anxiety, and depression. Defense counsel Seoirse Ó Dúnlaing BL submitted that Johnston, a mother of two, had taken an excessive amount of anti-depressants and was under the influence. He offered a fulsome apology and noted she had no previous convictions. Judge Orla Crowe expressed disappointment with the apology, stating she was "utterly underwhelmed" given the personalized and racial nature of the attack. The judge agreed to defer the sentence and ordered a probation report, suggesting probation services might propose a form of restorative justice. The matter was adjourned for finalisation to March 11 next year.
Patrick McNamee, 42, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for stealing €200 from a 69‑year‑old wheelchair user in Cork. McNamee, who has 190 prior convictions, pretended to be a home carer, entered the victim's home uninvited, forced him into a wheelchair, and took him to a local Spar shop to collect his pension. He later returned to the house, found the pension withdrawn, and took the cash from the victim's armchair. The victim did not file a victim impact statement. McNamee admitted the theft, apologized, and claimed drug addiction had influenced his actions. The judge, after considering his personal circumstances and prison conduct, reduced a headline sentence of six years to the current term, backdated to June 26.
Leeanda Farrelly, aged 49, admitted on 29 November 2023 that she posted a Facebook photo on 19 June 2019 of 'Boy A', one of the two 13‑year‑old boys who murdered 14‑year‑old Ana Kriégel in May 2018. The photo was likely to lead to his identification, contravening the Children Act's prohibition on publishing images that could identify child offenders. Farrelly will be sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 22 February next year. The case remains at the sentencing stage, with no further judicial outcome reported in the article. Leeanda Farrelly pleaded guilty.
Antoinette Geoghegan, 37, of Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a controlled drug for sale and supply on 15 February 2022, and to possession of €2,180 as proceeds of crime. A Garda raid on her home uncovered a schoolbag near the front door containing 11 large bags and 24 smaller packets of heroin, totalling 341 g and valued at €47,782. The bag also held 41 g of crack cocaine, valued at €2,887, €2,180 in cash, weighing scales and two mobile phones. Geoghegan admitted she was holding the heroin for others and that she intended to sell the crack cocaine. She has two prior convictions, including assault causing harm in 2005. The court adjourned the case to 22 March 2024 for finalisation, with a probation report to be prepared.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Kim Ng Swan, 59, pleaded guilty to careless driving causing the death of Deliveroo motorcyclist Jose Eduardo Silba Pereira, 36, who was killed on Kimmage Road West on 30 December 2021. Dashcam footage showed Swan turning right into the path of Pereira's motorbike, which collided with her car and threw him from the bike, resulting in fatal injuries. The court heard that the collision occurred in wet, rainy conditions and that Pereira was travelling at about 80 km/h in a 50 km/h zone. Swan was extremely distressed, remained in her car in shock until Gardaí arrived, and offered "unqualified cooperation" with the investigation. Pereira's family, including his sister and widow, expressed no anger toward Swan and spoke of forgiveness and the pain of loss. The judge adjourned the matter for finalisation and remanded Swan on continuing bail. Outside court, Swan embraced the family members of the deceased.
A mechanic, Xhevair Ibraj, aged 42, was caught by Gardaí during a routine patrol in West Dublin when he was receiving a Lidl bag from a co‑accused. The bag, later found to contain cocaine, was discovered in the footwell of his car. Gardaí also seized another package of cocaine, bringing the combined street value of the drugs to €139,132. Ibraj pleaded guilty to one count of possessing drugs for sale or supply on 17 March 2020. He had no prior convictions. His co‑accused, who pleaded guilty to a more serious drugs charge, had previously served a four‑year sentence. Ibraj was described by defence counsel as a hardworking family man with no signs of wealth. The court sentenced him to two years' imprisonment for his role in the drug handover.
During the trial of former Michael Lynn solicitor Michael Lynn, aged 55, at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Ms Fiona McAleenan repeatedly denied any involvement in conveyancing within the firm. She was called to the stand for a third day and cross‑examined by defence counsel Paul Comiskey O'Keeffe BL. The prosecution presented internal emails and office documents suggesting Ms McAleenan received weekly conveyancing reports, which she denied remembering. She claimed she had no staff and that Mr Lynn was the principal solicitor, stating she performed her work properly and that no issues were raised with her litigation files. Defence counsel highlighted a memo from Mr Lynn in March 2007 requesting her to manage all files and a May 2007 email indicating she would take control of litigation matters. Ms McAleenan maintained she was not involved in conveyancing, offering to call witnesses who could confirm this. The trial, presided over by Judge Martin Nolan, continues with the jury hearing the evidence. Fiona McAleenan pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Craig O'Brien, aged 28, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to social media influencer Charleen Murphy on 10 February at the Grafton Capital Hotel. O'Brien, who has ten prior convictions including two for assault, struck Murphy from behind, delivering a blow to the back of her head that caused facial injuries and a forehead wound. CCTV footage was described by Judge Orla Crowe as "absolutely shocking". The judge noted no prior animosity between the parties and highlighted the unprovoked nature of the attack. O'Brien was sentenced to two years and three months, with nine months suspended for 18 months, and ordered to remain under probation supervision for 18 months. He must also refrain from any contact with Murphy and keep a 50‑metre distance for five years after release. The court recorded Murphy's victim impact statement, detailing ongoing nightmares, panic attacks and a sense of being "a shell of herself.".
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Gerry Daly, 57, was found not guilty of dangerous driving causing the death of Jacqueline Griffin, 39, in a fatal M50 collision on 24 January 2019. The jury, after six hours and fifty minutes of deliberation, accepted the defence's argument that Daly's type‑one diabetes had severely impaired his judgment, preventing a conscious decision to drive. Expert testimony from a consultant endocrinologist who had supervised Daly for over a decade confirmed that his blood glucose was well below normal, likely causing confusion and a loss of consciousness. Evidence indicated Daly's vehicle was travelling between 138 and 151 km/h at the time of the crash, which involved a high‑speed collision with a truck and a subsequent roll‑over of Griffin's car, resulting in catastrophic head injuries and her instant death.
Five family members were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after gardaí uncovered a drug-dealing operation during raids on a Finglas home. Judge Orla Crowe handed Anthony Robinson an effective global sentence of two years for all offences, with the final six months suspended, taking into account his age and health difficulties. He had admitted possessing cocaine and heroin for sale or supply, allowing his premises to be used for drug dealing, and obstructing the work of gardaí. His son, Christopher Robinson, pleaded guilty to possessing €8,680 worth of heroin for sale or supply and obstructing a drug search. He received an effective sentence of 18 months and was ordered to be of good behaviour for three years. Caroline Robinson, who pleaded guilty to allowing her premises to be used for drug dealing, was given a two-year fully suspended sentence and ordered to keep the peace for four years. Paul Archibold, who admitted to possessing cannabis, received a 12-month suspended sentence. Kyle Cooney, who admitted to possessing drugs and obstructing gardaí, was handed a 12-month suspended sentence and ordered to keep the peace for three years. The court noted that all defendants had taken responsibility for their actions, with some citing debt clearance as a motive.
Charlie Darcy (35), of John's Lane West, Dublin 8, appeared before Judge Orla Crowe in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court at the sentencing stage. He pleaded guilty to counts of taking a vehicle without consent and possession of stolen property on separate occasions between December 14 and 16, 2021. The court heard that Darcy was on bail for the burglary of the Marble Arch pub in Drimnagh, for which he previously pleaded guilty, as well as for possession of a firearm at Longs Place, Dublin 8, on December 18, 2021. Darcy and his accomplice in the pub break-in, Jason Paget (35), were both jailed for four and a half years for those earlier offences. For the current charges, Judge Crowe imposed a consecutive two-year sentence. The court noted that Darcy is currently in custody serving the sentence for the Marble Arch burglary and will begin the new two-year term upon its conclusion early next year. Defense counsel Keith Spencer BL stated that Darcy was under pressure to repay a debt and struggling with addiction, but noted he has tried to better himself in custody. The judge acknowledged Darcy's good conduct and academic achievements while imposing the sentence.
David Mantle, 45, a drug addict with 111 prior convictions, was sentenced by Judge Elma Sheahan in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to six years and three months' imprisonment, with the last six months suspended for 12 months. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on 21 October 2021, when he attacked a man on St Agnes Road, Crumlin with a dog chain, and to robbery on 26 November 2022, when he and another man robbed a pharmacy in Ranelagh with a screwdriver, stealing €470 in cash, medication, headsets and a mobile phone. Garda evidence showed the assault victim had blood on his face and cuts to his forehead and back of his head, requiring stitches at St James's Hospital. The court noted Mantle's long‑standing drug problems and his attempts to detox, but also his 111 previous convictions, including assault, robbery and drug possession.
Soufiane Mountassir, 39, was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a violent assault on his former partner that left her with severe injuries and lasting trauma. The court heard that Mountassir, who claimed to be Moroccan, had been drinking, taking Dalmane, cocaine and cannabis during the incident. He forced the woman into a car boot, repeatedly punched and smashed her face against the vehicle's interior, and drove the car onto the footpath, damaging the wheel. Witnesses described the attack as a "blind rage" and reported blood on the car's interior and the victim's clothing. Mountassir pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and assault causing harm. He is also wanted in Germany for an arson offence and is due before the European Arrest Warrant court on Monday. The case will be finalised on 21 December 2023.
The jury in the trial of Gerry Daly, 57, of Derby Lodge, Brownstown, The Curragh, Kildare, has begun deliberations after the court heard that Daly was charged with dangerous driving causing the death of Jacqueline Griffin, 39, at junction five of the M50 on 24 January 2019. The prosecution alleged that Daly's collision forced Griffin into crash barriers, resulting in her instant death from catastrophic head injuries. Daly pleaded not guilty. In his closing speech, defence counsel Roderick O'Hanlon argued that Daly was in an autonomous condition due to diabetes and extremely low blood sugar, which he claimed impaired brain function and awareness at the time of the crash. O'Hanlon said Daly could not have known where he was or what had happened. Prosecuting counsel Garnet Orange countered that the automatism defence was unsuitable, noting that Daly had known how to manage his diabetes and had failed to take simple precautions to avoid the danger.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Gerry Daly, 57, pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Jacqueline Griffin on the M50. Defence counsel Roderick O'Hanlon argued that Daly was in an autonomous condition due to severe hypoglycaemia from his long‑term diabetes, claiming he could not consciously control his driving. O'Hanlon cited medical evidence of low blood glucose impairing brain function and described Daly as unaware of his surroundings. Prosecutor Garnet Orange countered that the automatism defence was unsuitable, noting Daly's knowledge of his condition and failure to take precautions. The jury heard a post‑mortem report stating Griffin died from catastrophic head injuries after her car was struck from the rear, CCTV footage, eyewitness accounts of a fast‑moving vehicle, and Dr Kevin Moore's expert testimony on Daly's impaired cognition. The case remains at the jury's deliberation stage.
Matthew Coward, a former Swim Ireland coach aged 32, was sentenced to three years in prison for sexual exploitation and producing child abuse material. He secretly filmed three girls while they changed into swimming skins in his office, demanding they be completely naked. The court heard that the girls had "worshipped" him and that one girl's father reported her being recorded, leading to a Garda investigation and the discovery of nearly 80 videos on Coward's devices. Two videos were classified as child abuse material and seven as inappropriate. Coward pleaded guilty to six counts—three of sexual exploitation and three of producing child pornography—between September 2021 and February 2022. He received concurrent sentences of four and three years, with the final 12 months of the four‑year term suspended on strict conditions, including good behaviour for two years after release. Coward's plea of guilty and expression of remorse were taken into account by Judge Orla Crowe.
Karl Scully, 34, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for careless driving causing the death of Devin Shepherd, 7, at St Joseph's Way, Ballymun, on September 1, 2019. Scully pleaded guilty to the charge. Judge Pauline Codd imposed an 18-month prison sentence and disqualified him from driving for 10 years. During sentencing, Scully interjected to request a lifetime driving ban. The court noted that Scully, a road sweeper, failed to check his rear-view camera while reversing, striking the child. This conviction follows a prior six-month suspended sentence imposed in June 2023 for careless driving causing the death of Anthony Hanney, 61, in December 2018. In that earlier case, Scully entered a bus lane prematurely, leading to the fatal collision. The judge considered Scully's guilty plea, remorse, and personal circumstances in mitigation, while noting his prior conviction for causing death by careless driving as an aggravating factor. Victim impact statements from Devin's family highlighted their ongoing grief. Scully has 15 previous District Court convictions, including two for failing to display tax. The court emphasized the driver's duty of care in the presence of children.