In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 33‑year‑old Daragh Houlihan pleaded guilty to robbery after assaulting his pregnant girlfriend at her home. The incident began while she was cooking; Houlihan entered the kitchen, demanded a knife she was holding, and a one‑minute struggle ensued. He then seized her phone, demanding the unlock code, and pushed her onto the ground. He left the apartment, later pursued her to retrieve the phone, during which he struck her with his leg and threw her phone over a wall before fleeing. The victim, distressed, reported the assault to Gardaí and was later taken to Mater Hospital. Houlihan admitted stealing the phone but denied violent conduct, citing a belief the victim might stab him. He is scheduled for sentencing later this year, with a probation report and urine analysis ordered for the next court date on 19 June.
Colin Kevitt, 29, of Moneymore, Drogheda, was sentenced in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possession of a 9mm Glock semi‑automatic pistol found at a home in Drogheda on 8 February 2020. The gun, wrapped in black plastic beneath a flower pot, was discovered by a homeowner who called the gardaí. Forensic testing showed the pistol was in fair condition and contained five loaded bullets and additional ammunition. Kevitt's DNA matched samples taken from the gun, though he denied any admission. His defence argued that a friend had taken the gun to a party and that Kevitt had handled it there, but the court found this explanation unconvincing. The judge noted Kevitt's prior minor convictions and described the offence as a marked escalation. He pleaded guilty, and the judge imposed a headline sentence of six years, reduced to four years and eight months, with a one‑year suspension on conditions including engagement with addiction services.
Paul Hendrick, aged 75, pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault against a male at the Christian Brothers' School in Westland Row between May 1980 and July 1981. He appeared before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Judge Patricia Ryan set a sentence hearing for 24 May and remanded him on bail until that date.
David Stone, 65, owner of Ashton Dog Pound in Dublin, was fined €30,000 after a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found he unlawfully stored and incorrectly administered the euthanasia drug Pentobarbital to two dogs on 24 July 2020. Garda Áine McQuillan reported that the drug was found in an unlocked tin box at the pound's reception, with over 350 ml in total, and that the dogs had been given the drug orally rather than intravenously by a registered veterinary practitioner as required. Stone pleaded guilty to using a premises for the supply of an animal remedy contrary to European regulations, possession of a veterinary‑only drug, and permitting its improper administration. The court noted the drug's lethal potential for both animals and humans, Stone's breach of a €277,000 contract with Dublin City Council, and his lack of prior convictions, and imposed the fine without custodial sentence.
Killian Kinsella, a former footballer, was sentenced to nine months in jail for stealing mobile phones from a post office where he worked, three months after receiving a suspended two‑year prison sentence for possessing €10,000 worth of cannabis. In July 2021, Judge Melanie Greally had imposed the suspended sentence following a guilty plea. Kinsella, who had no prior convictions, was found by Gardaí in a taxi with a cardboard box containing cannabis. He later pleaded guilty to eight counts of interfering with the post and one count of possession of stolen property. The court noted his loss of employment at An Post and his potential for reform, but concluded that his criminal conduct within the suspension period warranted imprisonment. The nine‑month term is part of the suspended two‑year sentence.
Franklin Olukoya, 18 at the time of the incident, was jailed for eight months after driving without a licence and insurance, causing serious harm to his 17‑year‑old passenger. On 24 June 2019, while driving along Portmarnock, he lost control of the car, which hit a low wall, spun and landed on its side. The passenger suffered a broken back in two places, a fractured thumb and a head contusion, and has undergone surgery and ongoing physiotherapy. Olukoya pleaded guilty to careless driving causing serious harm and driving without insurance. The judge noted the aggravating factors of no licence or insurance, reduced the charge from dangerous driving, and imposed an eight‑month custodial term back‑dated to November, along with a four‑year driving disqualification. He had four prior convictions and admitted he had epilepsy and a history of seizures. The court accepted his guilty plea and remorse.
Bruno Farias, 31, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for possessing 12 kg of cocaine, worth €840 000, at Dublin Airport on 11 July 2022. He had taken the drugs from a toilet cubicle to bypass customs, after Lucas Farias, 27, had brought a suitcase containing just under 15 kg of cocaine from Brazil. Lucas was jailed for seven years, and Jocelino De Silva, 44, received six years for holding the remaining 3 kg. All three were employees of a contractor at the airport, which allowed them to use staff entrances and an employee bus. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted that Farias acted as a courier with no proprietary interest and imposed the sentence back‑dated to the date he entered custody. The case was investigated by Gardaí following alerts about the suitcase's route from São Paulo to Dublin via Frankfurt. Bruno Farias pleaded guilty.
Vincent Brady, 34, was sentenced to five years in prison for two unprovoked assaults on homeless men in Rathmines, Dublin, on 19 May 2021. Brady, who admitted to smoking crystal meth that day, used a Stanley blade to slash a Romanian homeless man across the face in church grounds, leaving a six‑centimetre wound that required five stitches. Within about 45 minutes he attacked a second victim near the canal, pushing him into the water and later slicing him across the back of the neck and head, causing blood to drip down his neck. Brady was arrested shortly after the second attack, identified by CCTV and the victim, and had 21 prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Brady's violent history and intoxicated state, imposed the five‑year sentence, back‑dated to his earlier custody, and highlighted the lasting impact of the victims' scars. Vincent Brady pleaded guilty.
Anna Byrne and Coleman Byrne, neighbours in Dublin 6, accused Arjita Chawla (54) of repeated harassment and abuse from 2011 to 2021. Chawla, who lived next door, repeatedly called the Byrnes derogatory names, blocked their cars, sent over 600 complaint emails, recorded them on video, and left dog faeces at their doorstep. She also called Gardaí on them more than 100 times, including on Christmas Eve. Chawla pleaded guilty to two counts of threatening or abusive words or behaviour. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced her to one month in prison on each count, to run concurrently, and imposed a 15‑year restriction preventing her from approaching the Byrnes' address within 100 metres. The court noted her guilty plea and remorse as mitigating factors. The case was described as an unusual escalation from neighbourly dispute to sustained harassment.
Ciaran Dolan, 32, of Lucan, was convicted of dangerous driving causing the death of barrister Edward O'Hara on Peamount Road, Newcastle, on 29 January 2022. He was driving a silver Volkswagen Golf at high speed, filmed on his phone at 160 km/h, and collided with O'Hara from behind. O'Hara, walking in the direction of Newcastle, was struck, carried 118 m, and later died at Tallaght Hospital. Dolan fled the scene, later turning the car around and pulling into a lay‑by before being apprehended. He was found to be under the influence of cannabis, had admitted smoking two joints that day, and had signed pleas. The court noted his previous five convictions for road offences, his remorse, and his signed pleas, but also his grossly reprehensible conduct and failure to assist the victim. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to five and a half years' imprisonment, deeming a custodial sentence inevitable.
Karl Dalton, 32, was one of three men who violently robbed a businessman of high‑value phones outside the victim's home in Lucan, Dublin, in February 2019. The robbery involved a stabbing attempt and a wheel‑brace strike, and the victim was shouted "kill him" at the scene. Dalton's fingerprints were found on the victim's car, linking him to the crime. He pleaded guilty to robbery and was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally to six years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended and a 12‑month probation order. The phones, worth €11,000–€12,000, were not covered by insurance. Dalton appealed the sentence, arguing for greater mitigation, but Judge George Birmingham dismissed the appeal, upholding the original six‑year term and noting Dalton's extensive criminal history and the seriousness of the robbery.
A security guard has given evidence to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court regarding an alleged assault at a rural property in Roscommon on 16 December 2018. The witness, who owns a security company, described the moment a dog in his care was struck with a baseball bat during the incident. He told the court that a group of approximately 30 to 40 men arrived at the farmhouse in the early morning, some wearing balaclavas and high-visibility clothing, and that he feared for his life as the assault unfolded. Four men have pleaded not guilty to 53 charges in relation to the incident, including aggravated burglary, false imprisonment, assault causing harm, arson, violent disorder, robbery and animal cruelty. The defendants are Patrick Sweeney from Ramelton, County Donegal; Martin O'Toole from Claremorris, County Mayo; Paul Beirne from Boyle, County Roscommon; and David Lawlor from County Meath. The trial before Judge Martin Baxter continues.
At a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 60‑year‑old former Terenure College pupil described the school as "a very safe place for paedophiles" and recounted the daily bullying, humiliation and sexual abuse he endured at the hands of former rugby coach and teacher John McClean. McClean, aged 78, admitted to sexually assaulting 20 boys between 1971 and 1992 and is currently serving an 11‑year sentence, with the final three years suspended, for abusing 23 pupils. Victims testified that McClean used his positions as form master, rugby coach, French and English teacher, and his private office or physiotherapy room to prey on children, often under the pretext of treating sports injuries. Several survivors spoke of lasting mental health problems, substance misuse, relationship breakdowns and job loss caused by the abuse. McClean's guilty pleas included 23 counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault. The court adjourned the case for sentencing to the following day.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Orla Crowe began giving directions to a jury of twelve in the trial of Ms Ciara Kelleher, 51, a former financial services manager. Kelleher is charged with one count of conspiring to defraud investors, clients and customers of Custom House Capital Ltd. The alleged conspiracy involved intentionally misleading investors about the location or status of their assets between October 2008 and July 2011. The judge outlined the evidence presented so far, and the trial is ongoing. Ciara Kelleher pleaded not guilty. Custom House Capital pleaded not guilty.
Linda Mitchell, 54, worked at Ballyfermot Pharmacy from 2011 until her thefts were discovered in early 2020. Between August 2019 and February 2020 she stole about €14,000 by manipulating tills and voiding sales while taking 24 Nurofen Plus tablets a day, indicating a codeine addiction. The pharmacy owner, Mr. Tadgh Dillane, suspected irregularities, installed CCTV, and hired Tonic Consultancy to investigate. Mitchell pleaded guilty and repaid €7,500, with an additional €6,500 to be paid within a week. The court, noting her remorse and lack of prior convictions, imposed a two‑year suspended sentence, ordering her to remain of good behaviour and to hand over the remaining restitution. She has no previous convictions, is now employed again, and has two adult children. The case highlighted the breach of trust and significant financial loss.
Daniel Lynch, aged 25, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for coercive control of his pregnant partner between 19 September 2020 and 15 January 2022. He had full access to her phone and social media, took her money every Monday, and verbally abused her, telling her no one loved her and hoping she would miscarry. He threatened to kill her in a WhatsApp voice message on 15 January 2022, breaching a protection order. He also left a voicemail saying he would murder her the first chance he got. The judge noted his lack of remorse and imposed a concurrent sentence of three and a half years, suspending the final six months, with strict conditions including victim‑focused work and substance‑abuse treatment. The offence of coercive control carries a maximum penalty of five years. The court heard the victim's impact statement describing physical abuse, isolation, and drug use. The sentence reflects the seriousness of Lynch's conduct.
Four men have gone on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court accused of involvement in a sustained and brutal attack on security personnel at a repossessed property near Strokestown, County Roscommon in December 2018. Patrick Sweeney, Martin O'Toole, Paul Beirne and David Lawlor each face 17 charges including false imprisonment, assault causing harm, aggravated burglary and arson. The prosecution alleges that approximately 20 to 30 people arrived at the rural house around 5am on 16 December 2018, armed with various weapons, and attacked four security guards who were guarding the property. The court heard that the guards were seriously assaulted, had their hands tied with cable ties and their shoes removed. A German Shepherd dog at the property was beaten and subsequently had to be put down. All four defendants have pleaded not guilty. The prosecution intends to rely on the legal principle of joint enterprise to establish liability. The trial, before Judge Martin Baxter, is scheduled to run for five weeks.
Kamil Naumczyk, 40, was sentenced to 240 hours of community service in lieu of an 18‑month jail term for punching an eight‑year‑old boy in the face after a dispute involving his daughters. The incident occurred in a back garden near a cabin when Naumczyk followed the boys and struck the child, causing a broken nose and a deviated septum that required surgery. Naumczyk pleaded guilty to assaulting a child on 8 May 2021 and had no prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan noted Naumczyk's immediate admission, remorse, cooperation with Gardaí, long work history, family responsibilities and lack of previous offences. The judge considered monetary compensation but deemed it inappropriate for a minor. Naumczyk's suitability for community service will be assessed before the final sentence is imposed on 3 May. The case highlights the seriousness of assaulting a minor and the court's emphasis on rehabilitation.
Brian Ferns, aged 38, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for setting fire to his mother's house in Clondalkin, Dublin, causing damage of €91,240. In April 2020, Ferns repeatedly called his mother, demanding she travel to Dublin to give him money for drugs or he would burn the family home. On 3 April, he intentionally set a mattress on fire in his bedroom; the fire brigade found the blaze started upstairs. Ferns hindered the firefighters and later claimed the fire was accidental. He pleaded guilty to one count of arson, an offence with a maximum life sentence. He has seven prior convictions, including criminal damage and drug possession. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted Ferns' deliberate intent and imposed a three‑year sentence, suspending the final 15 months under conditions. The court highlighted Ferns' mental health issues and his participation in a rehabilitation programme. The sentence reflects the seriousness of arson and the potential danger it poses.
Ray Burke, 47, was sentenced to one year in jail for committing criminal damage that cost about €12,000. He sprayed graffiti slogans on several Dublin sites, including Clontarf Dart station, a store on Talbot Street, and the GPO on O'Connell Street, in protest over his brother's death. Burke's brother died a number of years ago, and an open verdict was recorded in the death, which may have been suicide or a jump into a canal while being pursued by gardaí. Burke pleaded guilty to three counts of criminal damage, was caught on CCTV, and has 24 prior convictions. He has a history of poly‑substance abuse and psychiatric issues, and his defence argued the acts were not typical criminal damage. Judge Martin Nolan noted Burke's motives were driven by a sense of injustice over his brother's death and imposed the sentence accordingly.
On 7 March 2022, Francis Leonard, a 60‑year‑old aircraft maintenance engineer, drove a double‑decker bus carrying 17 passengers, including 15 schoolchildren and two teachers, to a sports game when the vehicle struck a rail bridge on Moyne Road, Baldoyle. The bridge had a clearance of 12 ft 8 in (3.85 m) while the bus was 14 ft 3 in (4.35 m) high, and three height‑limit signs had been posted. Leonard had been asked to step in at short notice to drive the bus, a vehicle he was not accustomed to, and had to change routes due to roadworks. The bus hit the bridge at low speed, shearing off its top; no passengers were injured and the bridge sustained only minor chipping. Leonard pleaded guilty to one count of driving a vehicle under a structure where the height exceeded the bridge's clearance.
Carolyn Riguad, aged 63, was sentenced to one year in prison for stealing €87,000 from her employer over seven years, from 2009 to 2016. She pleaded guilty to sample counts of theft and producing a false instrument in a 270‑count indictment. Riguad, who ran the Irish arm of a UK business, diverted company funds into her own accounts, altering cheques and at one point attempting to cover her tracks by re‑diverting funds within the company. The fraud was uncovered when she went on sick leave in 2016, leading to the discovery of 258 cheques with discrepancies. Riguad denied involvement when interviewed by Gardaí, claiming a colleague was responsible. She has no prior convictions, suffers from medical difficulties and memory issues, and has an adult son with a medical condition. The court noted her competence and the breach of trust, and, considering her health, imposed a one‑year custodial sentence. The company has since revised its procedures.
A 26-year-old man from Sligo has received an concurrent 18-month prison sentence following his guilty plea to threatening a prison officer at Mountjoy Prison. Paul Darcy of Calry Court, Stephen Street, Sligo, made the threat on August 17, 2019, after refusing to return to his cell during the evening lock-in. When instructed by the officer to comply, Darcy charged towards him aggressively, shouting threats of violence, and subsequently warned he would harm both the officer and his home upon release. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that gardai were contacted due to the menacing nature of the threat. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the sentence concurrently with an existing sentence, Darcy being due for release in 2026. The court noted that Darcy has since apologised to the officer and caused no further difficulties in custody whilst studying for his Junior Certificate.
Lauren Larkin, 27, was jailed for two years after two separate Gardaí raids on her Finglas home. In August 2020, a search warrant seized over €14,000 worth of cannabis, which Larkin claimed she was holding for her "boss" to pay a €1,000 drug debt. A year later, while on bail for that offence, a second raid found cannabis and cocaine worth just under €5,000. Larkin pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis for sale or supply on 14 August 2020 and to possessing cocaine for sale or supply on 23 August 2021. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced her to one year for each offence, to run consecutively, citing the second offence while on bail as the decisive factor. She has eight prior road traffic convictions and is a carer for her sister with serious medical issues.
Brian Carroll, 38, was sentenced to four and a half years in jail for a series of pharmacy robberies that took place over three days in November 2022. He pleaded guilty to three counts of robbery, each involving a different pharmacy in the north Dublin area. Carroll entered the pharmacies armed with a knife, demanding medication to feed his drug addiction. In one incident he cornered three female workers with a knife, while in another he threatened a cashier and later engaged in a scuffle with a passer‑by. Victims described anxiety and trauma following the robberies. Carroll has a long criminal history, including prior convictions for robbery and attempted robbery, and has been in custody since his arrest. Judge Martin Nolan noted his addiction and the repeated nature of his offences, and imposed a five‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with the final year suspended on conditions.
A man has been sentenced to three years' imprisonment following a burglary at a residential property in Dundrum, south Dublin on July 2nd, 2022. Gary Bailey, aged 45, of Gleann Na Ri, Druids Valley, Loughlinstown, pleaded guilty to the offence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. During the incident, the male occupant confronted the intruder and a struggle ensued in which Bailey grabbed the homeowner by the groin. As Bailey attempted to escape through a bedroom window, the resident struck him several times with a golf club, causing Bailey to become briefly suspended upside down from the window blinds before falling. Judge Martin Nolan noted that Bailey's primary objective upon being confronted was escape rather than violence. The court heard Bailey had acted impulsively, telling gardaí the burglary was not premeditated and that he had been under the influence of medication at the time. The judge accepted that Bailey had displayed remorse and wished to apologise to both victims.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 16 February 2023, Meraj Ahmed, a 27‑year‑old pizza chef from Lucan, was sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment for a knife attack on a housemate. The incident occurred on 18 February 2018 when Gardaí were called to a Lucan property where Ahmed was found with severe hand injuries. Ahmed pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. The court noted that he had attacked the victim with punches and attempted to stab him in the stomach, while the victim defended himself and sustained serious hand injuries. Judge Martin Nolan highlighted Ahmed's guilty plea, lack of prior convictions, work history and cooperation as mitigating factors, but ruled a custodial sentence was unavoidable. The sentence was imposed from the date of the hearing. The case involved a history of conflict between the two men and the victim's injuries were treated at Blanchardstown Hospital. The court did not consider any future appearance of Ahmed.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 16 February 2023, construction worker Josh Keating, aged 22, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for possession of cocaine for sale or supply and possession of the proceeds of crime amounting to €23,950. Keating, who had no prior convictions, admitted to selling cocaine for the previous 18 months and was found with €4,200 worth of cocaine and €23,950 in cash during a Garda search of his home in Lucan. He cooperated fully with investigators, provided his mobile phone and PIN, and claimed he had been drug‑free since rehabilitation. The judge, citing Keating's lack of prior offences and good work history, imposed the custodial term, noting the mitigation was excellent but the offence warranted imprisonment. The sentence reflects the court's assessment of culpability and the profit made from the drug trade. Josh Keating pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 16 February 2023, Des Roche, 60, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after a drunken confrontation with a tenant over Airsoft rifles in his home. The tenant, a student, had discovered two Airsoft pistols and a rifle in a locked bedroom and the dispute escalated when Roche, intoxicated, brandished a knife. The tenant sustained temporary marks on his hands from the knife, but no serious injury. Garda Alan Butler reported that Roche was unfit for questioning for six hours after arrest. Judge Martin Nolan suspended in full a 21‑month prison term, conditional on Roche keeping the peace and good behaviour for the period. The court noted the tenant's privacy was invaded and that Roche had no prior convictions. The case ended with Roche's release and no further incidents reported.
During the trial of former financial services manager Ciara Kelleher, the jury heard that Custom House Capital (CHC) executives met regularly with the Central Bank between 2009 and 2011. On 5 April 2011, CHC's former CEO Harry Cassidy, John Whyte, head of private clients, and John Mulholland, a non‑executive director, attended a meeting with the Central Bank concerning the dispersal of funds from a mezzanine bond. Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC questioned whether the minutes of that meeting had been read, and Detective Garda Aidan Deveney admitted he had not. The jury also heard that a stockbroker account was a notional bookkeeping place rather than a physical bank account. Excerpts from Kelleher's January 2020 Garda interviews were played. Kelleher, aged 51, has pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud investors, clients and customers of CHC between October 2008 and July 2011. The trial is before Judge Orla Crowe and a jury.
Martin Cunningham, 28, of Mulhuddart, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for a sustained campaign of harassment against his former partner while he was in Mountjoy Prison. Between 1 January and 30 March 2021, he made 3,800 calls, many from a private or blocked number, and left voicemails threatening to kill or cause serious harm. The court found the calls were made from prison, where he should not have had a phone, and that they were part of a callous, calculating, cruel and sustained course of harassment. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, back‑dated to 10 August 2021, and suspended the final six months for two years on strict conditions, including probation supervision for one year after release. The sentence also directed Cunningham to avoid any contact with the victim while in custody and during the suspended period. Martin Cunningham pleaded guilty.
The fraud trial of former Custom House Capital (CHC) manager Ciara Kelleher heard on day 11 that former CEO Harry Cassidy, John Whyte, Paul Lavery, and John Mulholland have pleaded guilty to charges arising from a Garda investigation. Cassidy, Whyte, and Lavery admitted to conspiring with others to defraud investors and clients of CHC between October 2008 and July 2011. Mulholland, a non-executive director, pleaded guilty to one count of neglect on the part of a director of a body corporate regarding the company's dishonest acts. Kelleher, who pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiring to defraud CHC investors by misleading them about asset placement, remains the sole defendant facing trial. Evidence presented included testimony from Detective Garda David Coyne regarding Kelleher's 2016 arrest and Detective Garda Aidan Deveney, who detailed the retrieval of 2.5 million objects from a server and the use of forensic tools to search over 1.2 million emails. Deveney acknowledged that Cassidy allegedly pressured Kelleher regarding client valuations and fees. The trial continues before Judge Orla Crowe and the jury.
Hamid Zatout, 25, was jailed for six and a half years after pleading guilty to four robbery charges, one assault causing harm and one attempted robbery. The crimes, committed in July and August 2019, involved targeted muggings of expensive designer watches ranging from €5,000 to €47,000, including a €20,000 watch from an American tourist in Dublin's Temple Bar. Gardaí used over 57 CCTV clips to show Zatout and accomplices following victims before forcibly breaking watch straps to steal the timepieces. Zatout had lived in a Dundalk hotel at the time of arrest and had previously left Ireland via Belfast in September 2019, returning under a different name. He had no prior convictions in Ireland, and the court accepted his guilty pleas, noting his remorse before sentencing.
Robert Ashmore, 54, was jailed for 16 months after an online vigilante group staged a sting operation, posing as a 13‑year‑old in WhatsApp chats. The groups, 'Child Protection Awareness' and 'Justice Reborn', supplied Gardaí with over 2,000 exchanges that were explicit and led to Ashmore's guilty plea at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for attempting to facilitate the sexual exploitation of a child between 3 March and 23 April 2018. He also admitted possession of 71 cartoon images of children aged eight to ten in sexual acts. Ashmore claimed he believed he was talking to scammers and had no notion of engaging with a minor. He was found to have no prior convictions, was deeply regretful, and is now on the sex offender register. The judge accepted his cooperation and the absence of witness statements from the groups, sentencing him to 16 months' custody.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 14 February 2023, Daniel Keane, a 36‑year‑old Irish Army NCO, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, production of an article and making off without paying for a taxi. The incident occurred on 7 December 2019 when Keane and his partner, both intoxicated, had a verbal dispute with a taxi driver at St Anthony's Crescent, Crumlin. Keane left the vehicle, entered the driver's house, and used a 2‑ft black fire poker to strike the driver on the hip and face, causing injuries that required hospital treatment. He also stole €100 from the driver's wallet, later returned it, and took the driver's phone. The court imposed an 18‑month prison sentence, suspended in full for two years on strict conditions, and ordered Keane to pay the driver the €20.80 fare.
During the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, the jury heard that Gardaí carried out a keyword search of over one million emails sent and received within Custom House Capital (CHC) as part of an investigation into an alleged conspiracy to defraud investors. The defendant, Ciara Kelleher, aged 51, was questioned about her role in checking information entered into the 'Unity' system and about whether she was aware of any fraudulent activity. She denied that she had knowledge of or participated in any deception, stating that she only provided information she believed to be correct and that she was not aware of any 'backing out' process used to disguise fraud. Kelleher also denied that she had knowingly issued false valuations or backdated invoices, and she said she had raised concerns with senior staff. The trial continues before Judge Orla Crowe and a jury. Ciara Kelleher pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Kaua Da Lima, 27, and his wife Natila Vargas, 34, pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis for sale or supply at their rented home in Fairview, Dublin 3, where they were raising an eight‑month‑old baby. Da Lima, a delivery cyclist, admitted he began dealing drugs during the Covid‑19 pandemic to support his family, citing financial hardship. Vargas, a healthcare worker caring for their child, also pleaded guilty. Gardaí discovered six cannabis plants in a bedroom wardrobe, with heat lamps and a fan, and nearly half a kilo of cannabis herb, valued at just under €14,000. Da Lima received a three‑year custodial sentence, suspended on conditions, while Vargas was fined €200, a fraction of the €2,500 maximum for possession. Both had no prior convictions and had not been previously known to the Gardaí.
During a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, emails were presented that alleged a non‑executive director of Custom House Capital (CHC), John Mulholland, used €60,000 from his pension fund to credit a client's account and reverse a property transaction in 2010. The emails, read to the jury, show Mulholland telling CHC head of private clients John Whyte and CEO Harry Cassidy that he believed no error had been made, but he took the money to "remove this difficulty from CHC's book" and avoid the client going to the regulator. Ms Ciara Kelleher, a senior manager at CHC, was questioned by gardai about these emails and denied knowledge of any wrongdoing. She said she was not involved in any secret circle and believed her team followed normal procedures. Ms Kelleher, aged 51, pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiring to defraud investors, clients and customers of CHC Ltd, with alleged offences occurring between October 2008 and July 2011.
Talia Pavia De Souse, a 24‑year‑old Brazilian student nurse and mother of two, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for possession of 330 g of cocaine, worth €23,000, which she swallowed before travelling to Ireland. The court heard that she had taken a €2,700 loan for family expenses in Brazil and was threatened by loan‑shark creditors, which she said forced her to ingest the drugs. She was detained at Beaumont Hospital for three days and was under suspicion after arriving on a newly‑issued Brazilian passport. De Souse pleaded guilty and had no prior convictions. The judge, citing her guilty plea, cooperation, lack of record and the lower amount of drugs, imposed a 21‑month term back‑dated to June 2022 when she entered custody. The sentence reflects her role as a drug mule under financial pressure and coercion.
Paul O'Brien, 38, pleaded guilty to three counts of copyright infringement for selling android 'dodgy boxes' that enabled cheap access to about 4,000 TV channels. He sold the boxes to 150 customers, charging €12 a month for activation codes, generating roughly €1,800 monthly. Gardaí traced him after a Sky investigator purchased a box from his website, IPTV Wizard, and seized evidence including a black Tower PC, flyers, business cards and bank details. O'Brien's bank account held €34,410, about 60 % from illegal sales. Judge Martin Nolan, noting the offence's "sneaky" nature, imposed 240 hours of community service instead of a custodial sentence, ordered forfeiture of €20,410 and destruction of seized equipment, and adjourned the case for finalisation on 27 April. The judge highlighted the potential earnings and the impact on O'Brien's personal life, including his partner's cervical cancer diagnosis and their 14‑year‑old son. The case remains at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Two Waterford men, Peter Cawley (42) and Richard Nolan (35), will be sentenced next year for transporting drugs. Gardaí on a mobile patrol stopped a van on 19 March 2020, found cannabis, heroin worth €9,683, cocaine worth €289, and tablets worth €80. Cawley drove the van; Nolan lay in the back and placed a hand‑held item in a bucket. Both were searched; Nolan had drugs in his underwear and a white wrap he swallowed, later claiming it was crack cocaine. They were arrested, the van seized, and the drugs confiscated. Cawley pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for sale or supply; Nolan pleaded guilty to three counts of having drugs for sale or supply. Both men entered guilty pleas, admitted full responsibility, and were described by Garda Conor Dooley as cooperating. Judge Patricia Ryan will place them on a one‑year probation bond, finalising the matter in February 2024.
Two men, Thomas Harvey (42) and Daniel Kavanagh (29), were sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to 18 months in prison, suspended in full, for stealing 60 kilos of meat from Captain Americas on Grafton Street. Harvey climbed a fire‑escape ladder to the storeroom, stole the meat worth €2,000, and passed it to Kavanagh, who tried to sell it in a taxi to a hotel but failed. The meat was later sold to a mother of eight for €100. Both pleaded guilty to trespass and theft. The judge noted their drug use at the time but that they are now drug‑free, and remarked that their burglary was not the most insidious. Kavanagh apologized to Gardaí, saying he acted to survive, and both men had numerous prior convictions. The court heard that none of the meat was recovered.
In a traffic stop on Lombard Street, Gardaí observed Barry Blackmore, 32, playing on his phone and acting nervously. He was found to be concealing an electric key fob in his underwear, which opened a hidden compartment behind the air vent on his car's dashboard. The compartment contained €250,030 in cash, identified as criminal proceeds. Blackmore was arrested on suspicion of money‑laundering. He pleaded guilty and cooperated with the investigation, citing fear for his life and that of his family. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three and a half years' imprisonment, reduced from a headline six‑year sentence due to his cooperation and guilty plea. The court ordered the €250,000 forfeited to the State and the vehicle forfeited and destroyed. Blackmore's background includes 32 prior convictions, 17 for traffic offences, and he is a landscaper and father of five.
During a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Ciara Kelleher, a former financial services manager at Custom House Capital, pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud investors. The jury heard that Kelleher, aged 51, claimed internal emails did not reveal her awareness of criminal activity between October 2008 and July 2011. In a second interview with Gardaí on 29 January 2020, she denied that her emails to John Whyte and Paul Lavery were offers to facilitate fraud, stating they were requests for training and procedural clarification to resolve a backlog of client valuations. Kelleher maintained that her team followed procedures, that she had no reason to suspect wrongdoing, and that she was unaware of a Central Bank directive or any illicit handling of client funds. The case remains before Judge Orla Crowe and a jury.
Ciara Kelleher, 51, of Dublin 7, pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiring to defraud investors in Custom House Capital Ltd. She told Gardaí that she was not part of the company's "inner circle" and had no role in buying shares or in any alleged conspiracy. Kelleher's duties were to support John Whyte, head of private clients, by checking valuation reports and sending them to clients. She said she had no knowledge of wrongdoing and that she had never suspected any criminal activity. Kelleher also described an incident in which Harry Cassidy, then CEO, shouted at her over a client funds transfer request. The trial, heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, continues before Judge Orla Crowe and a jury. The case involves alleged offences committed between October 2008 and July 2011.
Two sisters, Hala Salman Alaabsali (39) and Raghad Salaman Alaabsali (29), were sentenced at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for fraudulently claiming Direct Provision payments totalling just over €10,000. Both pleaded guilty to making false statements to obtain weekly payments of about €38, accommodation and meals, which they were not entitled to as EU citizens. Each received a suspended 16‑month sentence and a 16‑month good‑behaviour order. Judge Martin Nolan described the case as an unusual form of criminal behaviour but noted the sisters had no prior convictions and were unlikely to reoffend. The court heard that the sisters had repaid the money to the State, were working, and had contributed to community groups. Their Iraqi and Spanish citizenships were highlighted, and they had been granted Spanish nationality in 2012 and 2014 before moving to Ireland in 2017.
George Radford, a 33‑year‑old former army soldier, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing drugs for sale or supply at his home on 2 October 2021. He admitted he had held just under two kilograms of cocaine, valued at €137,690, in a safe found in a shed on his property after a Garda search. Radford said he had brought the drugs in to help his younger brother, who was in debt over drugs, and that no one else knew about the drugs. He had resigned from the army when the matter came to light. Judge Martin Nolan described the case as "exceptional", noting that the problems were created by Radford's brother, and imposed a four‑year suspended sentence with a period of good behaviour, stating Radford was unlikely to appear again before the courts.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 19‑year‑old Josh Conlon received a fully suspended three‑year sentence for his involvement in a two‑hour assault on Ms Lyndsey Byrne in November 2021. Conlon pleaded guilty to assault causing harm but was deemed not the "prime mover" of the attack, which was led by Paul Clarke. Judge Martin Nolan noted Conlon's lesser role, early guilty plea, youth and lack of prior convictions, and ordered him to maintain good behaviour under Probation Services supervision for one year. Clarke, aged 29, was sentenced to four years and three months for the assault, while Craig Kelly, 38, received a five‑month sentence for simple assault. The court highlighted the brutality of the attack, including the use of a broom handle and boiling water, and the severe injuries sustained by Byrne. The sentences were back‑dated to the November 2021 incident.
A human trafficking trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has been discharged after ten days due to unforeseen circumstances. The case against Natalia Nogueira Da Silva of Drumlish, County Longford, and Ivanilce Vailones Fidelis of Roscommon is expected to recommence before a new jury later this month. Judge Patricia Ryan discharged the existing jury, citing the impossibility of proceeding under current circumstances. Da Silva has admitted 35 charges including organising prostitution, facilitating illegal entry, and money laundering offences alleged between 2015 and 2020. She has denied a single count of human trafficking. Vailones Fidelis has denied all 18 charges against her, including two counts of human trafficking, one count of organising prostitution, and money laundering charges covering the same period. The original trial had been scheduled for six weeks. The matter was adjourned to Friday for assignment of a new trial date.
Owen Kavanagh, aged 53, was given a suspended three‑year prison sentence and a four‑year driving disqualification after he hijacked a car on 4 January 2021. He admitted to having drunk two bottles of whiskey, a bottle of gin and prescribed medication before confronting a woman at Campus Oil, East Wall Road, Dublin, demanding her car keys. CCTV showed him threatening the woman with a kitchen knife and two men attempting to stop him. During the subsequent Garda pursuit, Kavanagh broke red lights, drove on the wrong side of the road, drove at excessive speed, collided with a patrol car, and drove around a traffic island. Gardaí used a stinger device to stop his vehicle, deflating its tyres and causing a collision. The court found him guilty of seizing a car by threat or force, criminal damage to a patrol car, three dangerous driving offences and driving without insurance.