Sean Cole, aged 52, of Donnycarney, Dublin, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for indecent assault and sexual assault of a girl who was a child at the time. The offences occurred between January 1987 and December 1991 when Cole was aged 16 to 20 and the victim was seven years younger. The girl was described as being in a vulnerable situation, with siblings suffering serious illness and parents often in hospital. Cole's conduct involved digitally penetrating the girl and forcing her to masturbate him. The court noted the victim's difficult childhood and the impact of the abuse. Cole had previously been convicted of sexual assault and had left school without exams. Judge Orla Crowe set a headline sentence of ten years, reduced to five years, and suspended the final year on conditions. Sean Cole pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Chang Teng Wang, 58, admitted to the manslaughter of his 10‑month‑old grandson, Séan, who died on 15 August 2019. Wang told Gardaí he had shaken the baby vigorously in an attempt to calm him, an action that caused head and neck trauma leading to death. The child had been in Wang's care before being taken to Temple Street Children's Hospital, where he was found unresponsive and in cardiac arrest. Despite initial thoughts of choking, CT scans revealed severe injuries. The parents, who had been out with friends, rushed Séan to the hospital after finding him pale. Gardaí found no evidence of punishment or other causes for the injuries. Judge Martina Baxter adjourned sentencing to 6 November pending the Director of Public Prosecution's view, with a plea of mitigation to be heard then. Chang Teng Wang pleaded guilty.
The trial of former solicitor Michael Lynn, aged 55, is set to begin this week at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He faces 21 counts of stealing property from various financial institutions between 2006 and 2007 and has pleaded not guilty. An extended panel of 15 jurors, comprising seven men and eight women, has been selected. The trial, presided over by Judge Martin Nolan, is expected to last eight weeks.
Francis Fennell, Christopher Mellon, Alan Fagan, Paul Fagan, and Aaron King were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for their roles in an international cocaine smuggling ring. All five defendants pleaded guilty to various charges, including conspiracy to commit serious offences, money laundering, and conspiracy to bring proceeds of criminal conduct into the state between 2012 and 2016. Judge Pauline Codd described the enterprise as a "get rich quick scheme" exploiting price disparities in Australia and New Zealand. Fennell, identified as the mastermind, received a ten-year sentence with the final two years suspended on strict conditions. Mellon, a first-time offender, had his three-and-a-half-year sentence suspended in full and was ordered to pay €10,000 to the Anna Livia project. Alan Fagan, described as a trusted lieutenant, was sentenced to six years with the final four and a half years suspended. Paul Fagan received a six-year sentence with the final three and a half years suspended on conditions. Aaron King, the youngest defendant, was sentenced to four and a half years with the final 18 months suspended on conditions. The judge noted mitigating factors such as guilty pleas, remorse, and evidence of rehabilitation for all defendants.
Paul Clarke, 41, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for robbing a Lidl supermarket on Malahide Road on 13 November 2019. CCTV showed him entering the store, firing a handgun into the ceiling, then demanding money from two open tills. He took about €1,000, placing the cash in a bag he had brought. When he struggled to leave, he forced the manager to open the doors by threatening him with the gun and demanded the other tills be opened, but the manager refused. Clarke then fled in a getaway vehicle driven by an accomplice. Garda patrol stopped the car, seized drug paraphernalia and cash, and found gunshot residue on Clarke's jacket and the vehicle. He has 115 prior convictions, including robbery, false imprisonment and threats of serious harm, and had previously been sentenced to five years for an attempted robbery in 2021.
A 39-year-old woman from Granard, County Longford, has been sentenced to twelve months in prison following an assault on a prison officer at the Dochas Centre in Mountjoy Prison on 29 September 2021. Stephanie Martin pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The court heard that Martin grabbed food aggressively from the officer, placed her in a headlock, and pulled her hair, causing significant injury. The officer required hospital treatment and subsequently took a year off work, reporting ongoing anxiety and trauma. Judge Orla Crowe noted the seriousness of assaulting an officer in the course of duty and Martin's twenty-two previous convictions. However, the judge considered mitigating factors including Martin's early guilty plea, apology, and remorse. Martin has not come to garda attention since the incident. The headline sentence was set at eighteen months before reduction to twelve months.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Brandon Brooks, 25, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for assault causing harm to nightclub bouncer Sean Owens at Buzz nightclub on 9 November 2019. Owens, who was working to save for a wedding, was repeatedly punched and stabbed by an attacker other than Brooks during a mob attack that included Brooks. Owens now suffers from PTSD, insomnia, flashbacks and nightmares. Judge Orla Crowe noted the seriousness of Owens' injuries and the harrowing victim impact statement. Brooks, who had 49 prior convictions and was on bail at the time, pleaded guilty early and was described as an enhanced prisoner. The judge suspended the final six months of the sentence, imposed a 12‑month probation supervision period, and allowed the remaining term to be served in custody. The court considered letters from Brooks' mother and other family members as mitigating factors.
A woman has been found guilty of indecently assaulting a 13-year-old boy in the 1980s following a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Jacintha McSherry O'Connor, aged 63, of Donegal Town, was convicted on two counts of indecent assault by majority jury verdict after 11 hours of deliberation. The offences allegedly occurred between June and September 1985 while she worked as a student teacher at a Dublin secondary school. The complainant, now in his fifties, told the court the abuse occurred during tutoring sessions at his home and on a family holiday to Spain. McSherry O'Connor, who had pleaded not guilty, maintained she never engaged in sexual conduct with the boy. Judge Elma Sheahan remanded her on continuing bail pending sentencing on 8 November 2023.
Linda Finnegan, 51, of Stamullen, was found guilty of fraud under the Companies Act for withdrawing €35,601 from her family's Waldorf Barbers shop in Dublin. The shop, founded by her father Liam Finnegan, had been run successfully for many years, with Liam owning 75 % and Linda 25 %. After a falling out in 2016, Liam's share was bequeathed to two employees. Following Liam's death in February 2019, Linda withdrew €4,950 and €28,000 in March 2019 without permission, and later €2,651. Gardaí seized cash from her home and CCTV captured the withdrawals. The company was liquidated, but the employees continue trading under a new name. Linda has no prior convictions and has expressed remorse; the case was adjourned for sentencing to 2 November.
An Irish celebrity, aged 40, was acquitted by a jury of three counts of engaging in sexual acts with a 16‑year‑old girl between August and December 2010. The trial, held at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, lasted eight days and the jury deliberated for just under six hours before returning not‑guilty verdicts on all counts. The accused, who could not be named, appeared anxious and emotional during the proceedings. The complainant, aged 29, testified that she met the man at the Oxegen festival in July 2010, that she initially claimed to be 18 but later revealed she was 16, and that alleged incidents of oral sex and masturbation occurred at the accused's workplace and home. The prosecution's case relied on the complainant's testimony and text‑message evidence, while the defence argued the incidents did not occur before the complainant's 17th birthday. Judge Pauline Codd thanked the jurors for their time and noted the case's historic nature. The unnamed 16-year-old pleaded not guilty.
E W Technologies was fined €50,000 at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after its former managing director, David Ford, pleaded guilty to failing to provide adequate fall prevention measures. The charge related to a workplace accident on January 15, 2021, at a warehouse in Blanchardstown Corporate Park. The court heard that Ludovic Tanfin, a 58-year-old employee, fell over two metres from an improvised platform constructed on a forklift while attempting to repair a damaged shutter door. Judge Orla Crowe noted that Mr Tanfin suffered a fractured skull, inter-cranial bleeds, and multiple rib fractures, resulting in a year-long absence from work and ongoing cognitive difficulties. The judge described the incident as a one-off event, highlighting the company's impeccable safety record and lack of systemic failures. The company, which has since been sold to a US firm, was fined €50,000 to be paid forthwith. Prosecutors from the Health and Safety Authority stated that staff should have left the repair to experts, but their efforts to fix the door created the serious risk. Defence counsel noted the company's early plea and full cooperation with the investigation. Mr Tanfin is currently pursuing a separate personal injury case.
The jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has begun deliberations on the trial of a 40‑year‑old Irish celebrity accused of defiling a 16‑year‑old girl between August and December 2010. He has pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual acts with a child under 17, alleged to have occurred at his workplace and twice at his home. The State claims he inserted his penis into the complainant's mouth on each occasion. The judge, Pauline Codd, delivered her charge this morning, and the jurors retired at 11.05 am to consider the verdicts.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Katarzyna Wsiubiak, aged 34, was found not guilty by reason of insanity after she threw a cup of acid at workers in the One Asian Kitchen in Tallaght on 13 December 2020. The jury heard that Wsiubiak was paranoid and delusional when she entered the restaurant, and that she had known the main target, a woman who had previously provided translation services for her. The attack left the first victim with severe burns covering 16 % of her body, including her face, neck, chest and left upper arm, and caused permanent eye damage; the second victim suffered second‑degree burns to her neck, left arm and fingers while helping the injured colleague; the third victim sustained first‑degree burns to her ankle.
An Irish celebrity, aged 40, pleaded not guilty to three counts of engaging in sexual acts with a 16‑year‑old girl between August and December 2010. During cross‑examination on 16 October 2023, he agreed that the complainant, who is described as "someone who doesn't have a grudge," had been upset after a meeting at a Spanish festival in 2012. He said he had left his phone at the complainant's house and later sent an apology message. He denied that the alleged sexual acts occurred in the stairwell of his workplace, claiming he used a different staircase, and disputed the complainant's detailed description of the location. He also denied that the restaurant where they supposedly had lunch in January 2011 was open, but admitted they had eaten in the area. The trial is ongoing.
Jacintha McSherry O'Connor, a 63-year-old teacher from Donegal, is currently on trial at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. She has pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecently assaulting a child on dates between June 1 and September 1, 1985. The prosecution alleges that the accused, then aged 24 or 25, indecently assaulted the 13-year-old complainant on two occasions in his home while giving him grinds, and that further sexual contact occurred during a holiday in Spain. Ms McSherry O'Connor took the stand and denied having any sexual relations with the boy, stating she did not indecently assault him in his home or in Spain. She testified that the complainant followed her home to discover her address and that she was disappointed he knew where she lived. Prosecution counsel alleged she groomed the boy, a claim she rejected. She stated she has had no contact with the complainant since 1985 and suggested he may have been pushed into making the allegations. Defence witness Doreen Maher Ritchie, a teacher who holidayed in Spain with the accused, testified that they were together constantly and did not interact much with the boy's family. She expressed being appalled by the allegations and recalled no uncomfortable behaviour. The trial continues before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury.
A Dublin garda, Mark Doyle, 38, who is currently suspended, pleaded guilty to six assault charges. He admitted assault causing harm to a woman on four occasions between 8 May 2010 and 28 August 2019, to a male on 3 September 2017, and to a second male on two occasions between 2008 and 2009. The pleas were accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Judge Orla Crowe set a sentencing hearing for 29 January 2024, ordered victim impact statements for that date, and remanded Doyle on continuing bail.
A 39‑year‑old man from North Circular Road, Dublin, was sentenced to seven years in prison after being caught handing over €417,000 worth of heroin outside the Lamplighter pub in Dublin 8 on 12 April 2022. Gregory Dunne pleaded guilty to possessing 2.9 kg of heroin. Judge Elma Sheahan noted his previous serious drug conviction as an aggravating factor and imposed an eight‑year sentence with the final year suspended on a number of conditions. Gardaí had surveillance footage of Dunne placing a green Aldi bag into a beach bag belonging to a woman, Sharon Hickey (45), who later took a taxi and was intercepted on Tyrconnell Road. The court also heard that Dunne had 19 prior convictions, including a 2012 conviction for a kilo of heroin that resulted in a three‑year sentence.
Liam Coughlan, 87, a former Christian Brother, was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment for 19 counts of indecent assault on boys at a school in the south east of Ireland between 1974 and 1978. He had previously been convicted of 30 counts of indecent assault on five other boys at the same school and was serving a three‑year, two‑month sentence. The judge noted the abuse caused lasting fear, embarrassment and psychological harm, and that Coughlan's position of authority and religious affiliation intensified the victims' sense of powerlessness. He pleaded guilty in July after earlier trials were scheduled. The sentence will run concurrently with the sentence he is currently serving. Coughlan has serious health problems, including prostate and bone cancer, heart disease and arthritis, which were cited as mitigating factors. The court heard victim impact statements describing anxiety, trust issues, alcohol problems and, for some, PTSD and severe mental health effects.
The trial of Jacintha McSherry O'Connor, 63, is ongoing before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The accused, a former student teacher from Donegal Town, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecently assaulting a child between June 1 and September 1, 1985. Prosecutors allege the incidents occurred while she gave the then-13-year-old complainant grinds and during a holiday in Spain. In evidence, Ms McSherry O'Connor told gardaí that nothing untoward happened, describing the boy as having a crush on her and viewing him as a little brother. She denied performing oral sex or any sexual contact, suggesting the complainant may have fantasised about her. The complainant, now in his fifties, testified that he was infatuated with her but stated that the alleged abuse started eating away at him over time. He told the court he confided in his girlfriend at age 19 but did not report to gardaí until recently. Under cross-examination, he maintained that the sexual abuse was burnt on his mind, rejecting the defence suggestion that he was not telling the truth. The trial resumes on Monday.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 40‑year‑old Irish celebrity pleaded not guilty to three counts of engaging in sexual acts with a child under 17 between August and December 2010. During cross‑examination, he admitted giving his phone to a 17‑year‑old complainant at the 2010 Oxegen music festival, but denied kissing her or any sexual contact at the festival. He claimed the girl had lied about her age, stating she was 18 when they first met and later 16 before any alleged sexual activity. He said their contact from July 2010 to January 2011 was minimal and that any later sexual relationship occurred after the alleged offences. He also provided eight phones to Gardaí, asserting no overtly sexual messages were found. The trial remains ongoing.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, a 41‑year‑old man was convicted of sexual assault against his 10‑year‑old daughter, who was in his bed when the alleged offence occurred between 1 January and 30 April 2017. The daughter reported that the man rubbed her front and back and inserted a finger into her vagina while they were in his bed, but she could not say for certain whether he was awake or asleep. The jury found him guilty, and Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to three years and four months' imprisonment. The man has now appealed, arguing that the trial judge erred by not directing the jury that the evidence did not establish his intent and by failing to issue a corroboration warning. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, has reserved judgment on the appeal. The unnamed girl pleaded not guilty.
Michael McGrane, 47, was given a suspended sentence of two years and three months after a judge found he had run two dodgy box companies that sold illegal access to premium TV content, including Sky Sports. McGrane pleaded guilty to two counts of selling a protection‑defeating device and one count of possessing such a device, as well as to unlawful use of a computer. He admitted that the scheme ran from September 2017 to September 2018, generating just over €29,000 in profit, which he had paid tax on. The judge noted that McGrane appeared naive or reckless, had no prior convictions, and had cooperated with Gardaí. A forfeiture order of €27,665 was made, the seized items were ordered destroyed, and McGrane was prohibited from engaging in electronic streaming devices. The sentence was fully suspended, with no custodial time imposed.
An unnamed 40‑year‑old Irish celebrity, who has pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual acts with a child under 17, took the stand at his own trial. He told the jury that the 16‑year‑old complainant was never in his home. The accused said he met her on 14 July 2010 at an Eminem concert during the Oxegen festival, that she had a plastic cup of alcohol, and that they later had lunch together. He claimed she had told him she was 18 by text before the lunch, but later she said she was 17. He denied arranging tickets for a Deadmau5 concert on 14 December 2010 and denied that she was at his house on that date or any other occasion. He also denied any sexual interaction with her on the lunch date or before, and denied using the fire‑escape stairs.
In October 2023, Sebastian Betlejewski, 37, was extradited from Poland to face charges for an assault that occurred in 2008 at the Zanzibar nightclub in Dublin. The incident involved Betlejewski punching a stag party-goer, who suffered a fractured skull and cheekbone after falling onto the dancefloor. Betlejewski pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm. He had no prior convictions in either Ireland or Poland. The court heard the victim, a Northern Irishman, had returned home after the incident and had since moved on with his life. Betlejewski claimed mistaken identity, stating another man had assaulted him. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to 18 months, suspended on conditions, and he was released on bail after brief custody in both countries. He paid €5,000 to the victim and expressed remorse. The case concluded with a suspended custodial sentence and no further custodial term imposed.
During a defilement trial, a 40‑year‑old Irish celebrity, whose name is withheld, pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual acts with a child under 17, alleged to have occurred in Dublin between August and December 2010. The court heard that on 7 June 2021 Gardaí searched the defendant's home, seizing four Huawei and five iPhone devices. The defendant supplied the PINs for all nine phones, a fact the defence noted as helpful. An expert extracted data from eight of the nine phones; a hard drive containing 600 GB of data was disclosed to the defence in September, with further evidence provided that morning. A detective sergeant testified she learned of the allegations in March 2021, obtained a warrant in June 2021, and conducted the search without informing the judge of the defendant's profession. She confirmed the defendant was alone during the search and was told of the allegations.
Anthony Connors, 47, pleaded guilty to robbing a priest at a parochial house in Coolock on 30 September 2021. CCTV showed him inside the house for 20 minutes, during which he stole from the priest, knocked him to the ground and threatened him with a knife, leaving the priest terrified. Connors has 61 prior convictions, including burglary, false imprisonment, assault and impersonating a Garda. The court heard the priest escaped, ran to a neighbour who called the Gardaí, and that the priest now suffers sleepless nights and anxiety about opening his door. Connors' guilty plea and letter of remorse were considered. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a headline sentence of eight years but, after taking the plea and remorse into account, sentenced him to six years in prison, backdated from his arrest. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the offence and Connors' extensive criminal record. The priest's victim impact statement was submitted but not read aloud.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 11 October 2023, Ludovic Tanfin, who fractured his skull after falling from an improvised forklift platform at E W Technologies' warehouse in Blanchardstown, was reported to still suffer cognitive difficulties more than two years later. Tanfin had stood on a wooden pallet placed on the forklift's prongs after the company's roller shutter door collapsed when he tried to remove damaged panels. He fell over two metres, sustaining skull fractures, inter‑cranial bleeds and rib fractures, and spent eight days in hospital. The company, represented by former managing director David Ford, pleaded guilty to failing to provide adequate fall‑prevention measures and faces a potential fine of up to €3 million or a prison term of up to two years. The court noted that the incident occurred after the company had been sold to a larger US firm and that the company had an otherwise impeccable safety record.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 16‑year‑old complainant denied the defence's claim that she never visited the accused's home. The accused, 40, pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a child under 17 at locations in Dublin between August and December 2010. The complainant testified that she had told the accused her true age before the acts and that she had visited his home twice, where sexual acts occurred. She also stated she could not recall the exact address of the house. The defence argued she had never been to the accused's house and that no sexual activity took place there. The cross‑examination focused on the complainant's memory of dates, locations, and the alleged sexual acts, with the complainant maintaining that the incidents did occur at the accused's home and workplace.
John Paul Duncan, 39, with 139 prior convictions, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after he attacked two gardaí while being escorted to Mater Hospital. He had been arrested for possessing €8,500 worth of cocaine in six condoms and pleaded guilty. Duncan had requested a stay of sentence to enter a residential drug treatment program, but Judge Orla Crowe refused. The judge set a headline sentence of four years for the cocaine possession, reduced due to Duncan's early plea and remorse, and added a suspended six‑month portion for 18 months. The court also ordered Duncan to maintain good behaviour for 18 months upon release and to comply with Probation Services supervision. The assault on the gardaí, described as "nasty", was taken into account in the sentencing decision. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Lynsey Ryan, 39, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to forging prescriptions for sleeping tablets at five pharmacies in west Dublin between August 2018 and August 2020. She admitted taking 20 tablets nightly and relying on them for 15 years, citing addiction and the death of two family members as triggers. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced her to one year, suspended on conditions including engagement with employment services, urine analysis, and potential re‑introduction to court if drugs are detected. Ryan has 159 prior district court convictions, 67 for using a false instrument. Garda evidence showed forged prescriptions were identified by pharmacists and doctors, leading to CCTV evidence of 12 incidents at Lloyds Pharmacy Tallaght and 36 at McCabe's Pharmacy Tallaght, among others. A letter of apology and a partner's letter were presented to the court.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a 16‑year‑old woman testified that she had told a 40‑year‑old Irish celebrity she was 16 before any sexual activity. She first claimed she was 18, but the defendant's text "Sweet 16?" prompted her to admit her true age. The defendant, who cannot be named, pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual acts with a child under 17 at various Dublin locations between August and December 2010. The witness described meeting the defendant at the Oxegen Music Festival in July 2011, exchanging phone numbers, and later engaging in oral sex and masturbation at the defendant's workplace and home. She said the encounters were consensual and that their relationship ended when she entered college, though they remained in contact until 2020. The trial is ongoing before Judge Pauline Codd and a jury.
A 40‑year‑old man, whose name is withheld for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of defilement under the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2006. The allegations, presented to a jury in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, claim that between August and December 2010 he engaged in sexual acts with a 16‑year‑old girl at three separate occasions. The first alleged act took place in a stairwell of the man's workplace, while the second and third were said to have occurred at his residence. The girl, who was in her fourth year of school, initially told the man she was 18 but later admitted she was 16. The prosecution argues that the man was aware of her age and that consent is not a defence, though a defence of honest belief that the child was 17 or older is available.
Two men have been sentenced to seven years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following their arrest with cannabis worth €2.3 million concealed beneath frozen chicken. Daniel Bowker, aged 40, from Bolton in the United Kingdom, and Ibrar Sharif, aged 47, from Kilmainham, Dublin, were apprehended on 22 December 2022 at a property in Kilmainham after gardaí observed them unloading boxes from a van. Both men pleaded guilty to possession of approximately 119 kilos of cannabis for sale or supply. Judge Orla Crowe noted the accused had engaged productively since their arrest and suspended the final year of the sentence conditional upon two years probation supervision upon release. The court heard both men claimed they sought to raise funds for Christmas presents. Detective evidence established that both accused occupied lower positions within an organised crime operation and would not materially benefit from the offence.
A jury was sworn in for the trial of an unnamed Irish celebrity in his 40s, charged with defiling a minor. He pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual acts with a child under 17, alleged to have occurred in Dublin between August and December 2010. The trial will begin the following day and is expected to last four to five days. Judge Patricia Ryan instructed jurors to keep the case confidential outside the jury room and to rely solely on evidence presented during the trial.
Daniel Webb, 33, of Greystones, pleaded guilty to two counts of active and passive corruption for receiving confidential Garda Pulse information from former civilian employee Holly Hayden in exchange for cocaine. The court heard that Hayden sent 17 lines of intelligence and screenshots to Webb on 6 and 9 September 2019, and that Webb received the information and was later searched. Judge Orla Crowe set a headline sentence of three years, but imposed two years in prison on each count to run concurrently, with the final 12 months suspended for two years. Webb had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty early, and was described as remorseful and at low risk of reoffending. The case was adjourned for Webb's co‑accused until 6 November.
Vasile Lazar, 52, a Romanian national, was sentenced to two years in prison for eight counts of theft and one attempted robbery. Between November 2022 and January 2023, he stole €9,745 from victims in Donaghmeade, Swords, Artane, Bettystown and Mullingar. He targeted shoppers in Dunnes Stores and other retail outlets, taking purses, debit cards and withdrawing cash from ATMs. He also used stolen debit cards to withdraw €1,600 and to pay €650 to a Cyprus company via Google Pay. Lazar admitted the thefts, expressed remorse, and claimed desperation after a personal breakdown. He has no prior convictions in Ireland but has convictions in the UK, Austria and Italy. The judge noted aggravating factors such as the amount stolen and victim impact, but also considered his guilty plea and remorse. The sentence is back‑dated to his arrest.
In Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, victims of an 87‑year‑old former Christian Brother, who abused 19 boys in the 1970s, presented impact statements. They described lasting anxiety, trust issues, alcohol problems, and the fear of being disbelieved because the perpetrator was a religious teacher. The abuse, which involved inappropriate touching and intimidation, was carried out while the boys were in class or after school. The victims, now men in their late 50s and early 60s, said the perpetrator's habit and position protected him. They expressed relief that justice was finally being served after 47 years. The court heard the defendant, who is currently serving a three‑year, two‑month sentence for other counts, has serious health problems and no prior convictions. Sentencing is scheduled for October 16. The unnamed 87-year-old pleaded guilty and was found guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Tyreece O'Farrell, a 15‑year‑old at the time of the offences, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for stealing 24 bicycles from apartment blocks in the Ballsbridge area between December 2019 and June 2020. The bicycles, valued between €500 and €2,500, were locked in underground car parks or outdoor areas; only one was recovered. The sentence includes a 16‑month suspended portion, leaving an effective custodial term of 20 months. O'Farrell also pleaded guilty to violent disorder in East Wall, where a driver suffered a brain injury after nine days in hospital. He received an 18‑month sentence for that offence, to run concurrently with the bicycle‑theft term. The court ordered 16 months of good‑behaviour supervision under the Probation Service following release. The judge noted O'Farrell's 29 prior convictions, drug addiction, and homelessness, and urged him to consider rehabilitation.
John Paul Duncan, 39, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing €8,500 in cocaine contained in six condoms at Store Street Garda Station on January 31 last. He also admitted assaulting two gardaí who took him to the Mater Hospital on the same day after he reported feeling unwell. Duncan, who has 139 previous convictions in Ireland and 11 in other jurisdictions, was previously sentenced to eight years in prison for his role in a €1.8 million cocaine haul in 2007. He escaped from Loughan House open prison in 2016 and was later extradited from the UK. During the sentencing hearing, Duncan requested that his sentence be stayed to allow him to undertake a 14-week residential drug treatment course starting October 17. He testified that he has been drug-free for a couple of months and cited childhood domestic violence as the origin of his addiction. Judge Orla Crowe adjourned the matter for sentence to next Wednesday, October 11, to obtain a urine analysis. The court did not conclude the case or impose a final penalty during this session.
Patrick Stokes, 31, with 97 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to robbery in St Audoen's Park, Dublin 8, on 11 October 2021. The robbery involved a homeless man who had given Stokes €40 from his sock; Stokes then took about €400 from the sock after the victim and another man had smoked crack together in a park near Christchurch. The victim later identified Stokes in a shop on Westmoreland Street, leading to his arrest. Stokes also pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on the Liffey Boardwalk, Bachelor's Walk, Dublin 1, on 21 September 2021, where he punched a man to the ground and stamped on him, causing bruising and soft‑tissue damage. He was on bail for a 2019 assault causing serious harm. The court heard that Stokes has a long history of drug addiction, has been living in a tent near the Dáil, and has been attending workshops in custody. Judge Orla Crowe adjourned sentencing to 8 December.
A County Meath man, Michael McGrane, 47, was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for running two dodgy box companies that sold illegal access to premium TV content, including Sky Sports. McGrane pleaded guilty to two counts of selling a protection‑defeating device and one count of possessing such a device between September 2017 and September 2018, and to unlawful use of a computer between March and September 2018. The scheme involved selling altered set‑top boxes through JarvisBox and streaming services via StreamSupreme, with customers paying into Irish PayPal accounts. Gardaí launched Operation Fleming after a UK brand protection company flagged copyright infringement. McGrane's home was searched in June 2018, seizing laptops, phones, illicit boxes and financial documents. He reportedly earned just over €29,000 from the scheme, a 40 per cent share of the €145,795 turnover, and the case was adjourned for sentencing to 13 October 2023.
Jason Owens, 34, of Oak Grove, Royal Oak, Santry, Dublin 9, pleaded guilty to assaulting Conor Kelly at the Cock and Bull pub in Coolock on 1 January 2020. Owens, a former Taekwon‑Do international, struck Kelly with a savage, powerful punch in the pub toilets, causing life‑threatening injuries. CCTV showed the punch was extraordinarily effective, and Owens also kicked Kelly once in the head before leaving. Kelly suffered haemorrhaging to the brain, a fracture, and required 18 days in intensive care and four surgeries. Owens was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to three and a half years, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions. The judge noted Owens' lack of intent to cause such injuries but highlighted the reckless nature of the attack. No prior convictions were recorded for Owens.
Craig Lynham, aged 23, was sentenced to 16 months in prison by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for four counts of sexual assault committed against a 14‑year‑old girl during a sleepover in February 2020. The victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, was present at a gathering where Lynham, then 19, sat beside her on the sofa while they watched television. Over the course of the night, he inappropriately touched her on four separate occasions, causing her to freeze and not move. She reported the incident to her boyfriend the following day, who informed her father, leading to a complaint to the Gardaí. Lynham has 11 prior convictions, including possession of stolen property and drug offences, and is already serving a sentence for another matter. He has expressed remorse and accepted the jury's verdict. Craig Lynham was found guilty.
Anthony Byrne, 40, used a fake name and doctored a letting contract to defraud four victims, each paying €3,000 for a rental deposit that never existed. He advertised the property on daft.ie, claiming to be a letting agent named Stephen Cummings, and demanded cash payments. Gardaí traced the scheme after a woman reported the fraud; they found the doctored contract and evidence linking Byrne to the false persona. Byrne pleaded guilty to four charges of deception and use of a false instrument at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He repaid the €12,000 to the victims and, after early guilty pleas and expressions of remorse, was sentenced to a two‑year term suspended in full for two years. The judge noted the financial loss was made good and considered Byrne's difficult family and financial circumstances. The victims suffered significant hardship and emotional distress.
Thomas Phoenix, 61, of Saint Anne's Square, Blackrock, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a series of harassing and threatening offences. He pleaded guilty to harassing a woman at a pub in Blackrock in June 2019, to harassing a neighbour between 18 and 26 March 2022, and to making threats to kill or cause serious harm. Phoenix also threatened a shop manager on 26 March 2022. The court heard that he had sent about 60 threatening WhatsApp messages to a neighbour, had thrown eggs at a family, and had threatened to kill a partner. He had previously served 13 convictions, including threats to kill. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a four‑year term, with the final 18 months suspended for the shopkeeper case, and an additional consecutive 18‑month term for the harassment of the woman, for a total effective custodial period of four years under strict probation conditions.
Three men have been sentenced to fifteen years' imprisonment following their conviction on fifteen charges relating to an armed attack on security personnel at a repossessed farmhouse near Strokestown, County Roscommon on 16 December 2018. Martin O'Toole, PJ Sweeney and Paul Beirne were found guilty of aggravated burglary, violent disorder, false imprisonment, assault causing harm, arson and animal cruelty. A fourth defendant, David Lawlor, was acquitted of all charges. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martina Baxter described the incident as a "well-executed plan" involving approximately thirty armed men who arrived in the early hours to terrorise the security guards. The judge noted the attack demonstrated "extensive planning and pre-meditation" and included "calculated cruelty". Sentencing to run concurrently, Judge Baxter stated there was no excuse for such lawlessness and declined to suspend any portion of the sentences. All three men are to be backdated to when they entered custody.
Angela Manning, 59, of Ballinteer, pleaded guilty to seven charges of stealing over €122,000 from the joint account of an elderly couple, Ms Laetitia Lynam and her husband Enda O'Regan, during the Covid‑19 pandemic. She had been hired as a carer, given an ATM card and pin by Ms Lynam, and withdrew the money after falling for a Facebook romance fraud involving a fictitious US soldier named Sam. The court heard that Manning believed the money was a loan to be repaid and that she had no personal benefit from the theft. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced her to a fully suspended three‑year prison term, suspended for four years, and ordered her to undergo two years of therapy and to make efforts to repay the victims. The couple's home deeds were transferred to them, and Manning's husband had to return to work after her taking his retirement savings.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Stephen Tormey, 39, pleaded guilty to possession of 9 kg of cocaine valued at €702,702 and €2,900 in cash, believed to be proceeds of crime, after a Garda stop and search in Carpenterstown on 3 February. He had six prior convictions. Judge Elma Sheahan, noting the mandatory minimum of ten years but considering his early guilty plea and cooperation, imposed a headline sentence of eight years. She suspended six months of the sentence, giving a final custodial term of five and a half years, backdated to his arrest. The court considered mitigating factors such as his cooperation, lack of wealth, and his efforts at rehabilitation, while acknowledging the impact on his family. The case was prosecuted by Kate Egan BL and defended by Dominic McGinn SC. The Garda investigation was led by Detective Garda James Doolin, who seized the drugs and cash during the search.
Kevin Kletzander, a former Trinity College student, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting nine women in daylight attacks across Dublin city centre in August 2021. The sentence, back‑dated to August 2021, allows a maximum of 18 months' custodial time. The court heard that Kletzander, who had no fixed abode, was arrested after slapping a female Garda at Store Street Garda Station. He pleaded guilty to nine counts of sexual assault at locations including Grafton Street, St Stephen's Green, Aston Quay, Usher's Island, the Ilac Shopping Centre and the Garda station. Victim impact statements described the assaults as humiliating and shocking, with one woman unable to socialise afterwards. Kletzander's mother attended court, offering to pay for a private psychological assessment but not for accommodation upon release. The judge ordered good behaviour for four and a half years and compliance with probation and mental‑health treatment directives.
Ovidiu Raducanu, aged 38, was extradited from the UK and jailed for stealing more than €8,500 from 11 AIB ATMs in Dublin between 6 and 10 January 2020. He used a "transaction reversal fraud" scheme, inserting a genuine card to withdraw a small amount, placing a trapping device, then inserting a gift or loyalty card to withdraw the maximum amount, which was manually removed. The device triggered a re‑credit of the original card, leaving the bank account unchanged on the statement. Gardaí traced the thief and his accomplice's movements using GPS data from rented Go‑Cars and CCTV footage. Raducanu caused €5,800 of damage to the machines, and AIB suffered a total loss of €14,343. He pleaded guilty to 32 offences, including 15 thefts, 7 attempted thefts and 10 criminal damage.