Martin Begley, aged 55, was found guilty by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury of nine counts of sexual assault and 12 counts of invitation to sexual touching of a seven‑year‑old boy in two Dublin locations between December 2019 and April 2020. The verdicts followed a six‑day trial in June. Begley, who lived in Larkfield Grove, Kimmage, denied the convictions and intends to appeal. He had been employed by the boy's parents after they advertised on an Irish childminding website; he claimed garda vetting and supplied references, though he never showed evidence. Begley began minding the children in December 2019, moving to his own house during the March 2020 Covid lockdown. In April 2020 the boy's mother discovered a video of a boy being spanked with a belt, leading to immediate termination. The following month the boy's mother learned Begley had shown him how to engage in sexualised behaviour.
Albert Redmond, 46, a crack addict with 401 prior convictions, was sentenced to two years in prison for a series of thefts in Dublin City Centre. He pleaded guilty to two separate counts of theft: one at Frame Experts in Ranelagh on 8 October 2019, and another at the Royal Hospital in Donnybrook on 6 February 2020. The court noted that Redmond has 401 previous convictions, including 144 for burglary and 120 for theft, and is already serving a nine‑year custodial sentence for another offence. Garda Detective Gerard Hickey presented evidence that Redmond stole a woman's wallet at Frame Experts, used her bank card for €28.40 supermarket purchases, and later stole a bank card at the Marco Pierre White restaurant, spending €29.40 on cigarettes.
Derek Boyd, aged 27, pleaded guilty via videolink in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to unlawfully killing his sister Sandra Boyd, who was shot at his home in Collins Place, Finglas, on 19 March. He also admitted unlawful possession of a semi‑automatic pistol and ammunition on the same date. The court, hearing Boyd in custody, ordered victim impact statements and a psychological report. Judge Martin Nolan adjourned sentencing to 28 November, when Boyd will appear in person.
Derek Murray, 39, of Dublin 13, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to possessing €379,400 of proceeds of crime. The money was found in a boot bag and a Lidl shopping bag in his work van on 24 May 2021, when Garda surveillance of a property linked to money laundering and drug supply was underway. Murray claimed he had been approached by a third party who offered him €1,500 to transport the cash, and that he was in severe financial distress, owing €6,000 to the Revenue. He admitted the bag contained a large amount of money and cooperated with Gardaí, handing over his phone and password. He had no prior convictions and had worked as a technician for 21 years. Judge Nolan, acknowledging his remorse and good character, imposed the custodial sentence as a deterrent, noting that a non‑custodial option was unlikely given the seriousness of the offence.
A 26-year-old man has been sentenced to four and a half years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a series of offences including dangerous driving, burglary, and criminal damage. Paul Darcy, with addresses in Dublin and Co Sligo, pleaded guilty to reversing a vehicle into an occupied garda patrol car on September 7, 2018, at Stockhole Lane, Santry, trapping two officers inside and injuring them. He also admitted three burglary charges relating to break-ins at properties in the Glasnevin area on September 2, 2018, unauthorised taking of a taxi from Palmerstown on October 11, 2018, and making off without payment for fuel at a service station two days later. Judge Nolan imposed consecutive sentences on the primary counts while suspending the final 18 months subject to strict conditions. He disqualified Darcy from driving for six years, noting the seriousness of deliberately reversing into an occupied vehicle. The court heard Darcy, who had been on bail at the time of the incident, has since engaged in mental health treatment and is drug-free.
James Maher, 32, of Clondalkin, Dublin, was sentenced at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for three counts of possession of drugs for sale or supply. He pleaded guilty to all charges. The court heard that on April 2, 2020, Maher was observed discarding a backpack and a package containing cocaine and cannabis while fleeing from gardaí. Subsequent searches of his home in July and August 2020 revealed further cannabis, cash, and drug paraphernalia. During interviews, Maher alleged he was acting as a "gilly" to settle a drug debt. Judge Elma Sheahan noted Maher's 17 previous convictions and that he was on bail during the final seizure. Mitigating factors included his early guilty plea, full cooperation with gardaí, and his relationship with his family. Judge Sheahan sentenced Maher to four years in prison. The final six months of the sentence were suspended for 12 months under strict conditions.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Detective Garda David Jennings explained that Amanda Fitzgerald, a 39‑year‑old mother of five, was coerced by painters to provide her bank details and mobile phone access. The painters, who had increased the quoted cost of a kitchen painting from €250 to €500, demanded payment through her account. After Fitzgerald supplied the information, the details were passed to a west Dublin gang that used her account to receive €3,100 of money stolen from another woman's bank account via a "smishing" text. From Fitzgerald's account, €2,400 was moved to a Revolut account and €700 was withdrawn in cash. Fitzgerald pleaded guilty to money laundering on 21 January 2021. Judge Elma Sheahan discharged her from the charge, imposing a six‑month bond to keep the peace under the Probation Act, citing the duress she faced and her role as a mother.
Nigel McEvoy, 46, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Paddy Keogh, 74, at a Dublin bar on 24 November 2018. The attack left Keogh with panic attacks, early‑onset dementia and a nursing home stay. McEvoy, who has 14 prior convictions including nine public‑order offences, was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally to 36 months' custody, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions. The judge noted the assault was "violent in the extreme" and that Keogh's life‑changing injuries were fully described in a victim impact statement. McEvoy, who has schizophrenia and a history of mental‑health difficulties, expressed remorse, offered €200 as a gesture of apology (to be donated to the Alzheimer's Society of Ireland), and has taken steps to improve his circumstances since 2019. The sentence reflects mitigating factors such as his guilty plea, limited violent history and his efforts to address his mental health.
Brian Mullen, aged 77, was convicted by a jury at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in February 2022 of assaulting John Wayne with a pitchfork during a dispute over the demolition of a boundary wall. The assault took place on 13 April 2019 at Wayne's address and caused facial injury and a fractured leg. Mullen was also found guilty of production of an article and endangerment at the same address on the same date. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and had no prior convictions. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a fully suspended custodial sentence of 20 months, conditioned on Mullen having no contact with the victim. The judge cited his age, remorse, good record and the €10,000 he brought to court as a demonstration of remorse. The court noted that Mullen had contacted Gardaí twice before the incident and again on the day of the assault, and that he accepted the jury verdict and expressed remorse.
Marcos Da Silva Generino, aged 21, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for possessing and importing 966.5 grammes of cocaine into Dublin. He admitted to swallowing 85 pellets of the drug in exchange for €3,000, claiming the money was needed because his mother was very ill and the family had no health insurance. Da Silva Generino had no prior convictions. He was stopped at Dublin Airport after flying from Brazil; customs officials x‑rayed his baggage and, with an interpreter, questioned him about his visit. Initially he said he was on a two‑week holiday, but later admitted to ingesting the pellets and showed six capsules from his underwear. He was taken to Beaumont Hospital, monitored, and then passed the 85 pellets. Judge Martin Nolan accepted his admissions, cooperation, lack of previous convictions, and the difficulty of serving time abroad, and found him acting out of desperation. Da Silva Generino pleaded guilty.
John Murphy, a 62-year-old retired Garda Superintendent, was sentenced to six and a half years imprisonment after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis resin worth €259,120 found at his home in Clontarf on September 29, 2021. Murphy had accumulated €855,000 in financial debts following poor business decisions and was consuming alcohol heavily on a daily basis. Judge Martin Nolan stated that Murphy, despite his 40 years of public service, should have known better and was holding the drugs for financial reward to alleviate his debts.
A Dublin construction worker, Aaron Broderick, aged 29, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for assaulting his ex‑girlfriend after their break‑up. On 27 July 2019, he approached the woman as she walked home from work near Crumlin, put his arm around her, threatened to stab her, and forced his fingers into her mouth to silence her. She struggled, fell, and he grabbed her by the neck, pushing her over a neighbour's wall. She screamed, attracting her mother's attention, and Broderick fled. Later that night he entered her home, stole her mobile phone and clothing, and left a handwritten note. He had previously broken into her home two days earlier, taken her phone, and returned it after she demanded it back. He pleaded guilty to assault, burglary, theft and trespass, and the court noted his remorse and participation in drug detox and violence‑reduction programmes. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the assault and the subsequent offences.
Stephen Casey, 39, of Brookview Drive, Tallaght, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis for sale or supply after a December 12, 2019 raid on his home. Garda Padraig Rowan reported that officers executed a search warrant, finding several kilo bars of cannabis resin, baggies, and a weighing scale in a shed. The drugs were estimated to be worth €44,000. Casey admitted responsibility, claiming he had accumulated a drug debt from cocaine use and had agreed to split the cannabis into bags without realizing its value. He had prior convictions for possession for personal use and cultivation of cannabis. His counsel, Kathleen Noctor SC, argued that Casey was a good father and that imprisonment would harm his family, citing a social worker's testimonial. Judge Martin Nolan, impressed by the evidence, suspended a three‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, retired Garda Superintendent John Murphy, aged 62, was sentenced to six and a half years' imprisonment for possessing cannabis resin worth nearly €260,000. Murphy had accrued €855,000 in debt over a decade after leaving the force, and the court found he held the drugs to secure financial gain to alleviate those debts. He pleaded guilty to possession for sale or supply of cannabis at his Clontarf home on 29 September 2021. Garda Inspector Brian Hanley reported that a warrant, based on confidential information, led to a search that uncovered eight bags of cannabis in a walk‑in wardrobe, seven vacuum‑packed bags in a coal bunker, and five bags in Murphy's car, totalling just under 13 kg. CCTV footage from an industrial estate in Co. Meath showed Murphy collecting the bags and loading them into his car.
Dean Kelly, 46, was sentenced to eight months in jail for falsifying passport information. He acted as a "donor", allowing a passport application to be made in his name for a senior member of a British organised crime group. The application was submitted on 9 March 2020 after Kelly had visited Tallaght Garda Station on 2 March to obtain a certificate of identity. The photo on the application and the Public Service Card were of another person, identified as a Liverpool crime group member. Garda Detective Padraig Hanley testified that the Passport Service had been contacted in July 2020 about the application, and that calls about its status were likely made by a facilitator. Kelly had 45 prior convictions, including 12 thefts, and was already serving a separate sentence. The judge noted that the passport was never issued or used, but that the scheme was intended for nefarious purposes. The eight‑month term will run consecutively with his existing sentence. Dean Kelly pleaded guilty.
Sean Mooney, 39, of Barry Park, Finglas, was sentenced to eight months in jail after pleading guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply. On 19 January 2017, Gardaí executed a search warrant at his home and found 13 street deals of heroin and nine of crack cocaine, each wrapped in Kinder Surprise eggs. They also seized an electronic weighing scale and cash of €740 and £890. The drugs' estimated street value was €420. Mooney had 39 prior convictions, including assault and drug dealing, and his defence highlighted his family circumstances and drug addiction.
Declan Fagan, 38, of Sallynoggin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to two separate counts of possession of drugs for sale or supply. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a custodial sentence of four years in prison for the September 2019 offence, with the final 18 months suspended. Additionally, Fagan received a two-year prison term for the December 2020 offence. Both sentences will run concurrently. The court heard that Gardaí seized cannabis valued at over €20,000, cocaine, cash, and drug paraphernalia during the first raid, while the second search yielded cannabis valued at €2,374, cash, and phones. Judge Nolan noted that Fagan appeared to be dealing to fund his own addiction. Mitigating factors included his early guilty pleas, cooperation with Gardaí, and his role as the primary carer for his three-year-old daughter. The judge stated that Fagan deserved a custodial sentence given the nature of the offences. Post-release, Fagan is to be under the supervision of probation services.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Paul Farrell, aged 65, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for a single count of sexual assault and to eighteen months' imprisonment for each of ten sample counts of sexual assault, all of which will run concurrently. The offences, committed between 1992 and 1993, involved Farrell assaulting his niece, Anita Byrne, when she was aged 12 to 13. The first assault occurred on the day of her grandfather's funeral, when Farrell asked Byrne to retrieve an item from a cupboard, then placed his hands under her clothes and touched her breasts, almost reaching her genital area before she fled the room. Byrne later returned to find Farrell waiting and told her not to disclose the incident. The court noted the large age gap, the victim's age, the aggravating factor of Farrell's threat to silence Byrne, and the mitigating factor of his medical condition. Paul Farrell was found guilty.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced three men for their roles in a romance fraud that caused a woman in her sixties to lose over €254,000 in life savings. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Omowale Owolabi (31) of Navan, Co Meath, to three years and three months in prison after he pleaded guilty to theft. Raak Sami Sadu (32) of Clonsilla, Dublin 15, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud. Samson Ajayi (33) of Grangerath, Co Meath, received a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to three money laundering charges. The court heard the defendants used a fake profile named Neil Turner on Plenty of Fish to deceive the victim, who made ten payments between November 2019 and mid-2020. Gardaí linked the profile to the three Nigerian nationals and seized devices containing evidence of the scheme, including messages regarding the division of funds. Owolabi admitted receiving €30,000 for his role, while Ajayi admitted receiving money but claimed ignorance of wrongdoing. Sadu made limited admissions. The judge noted the defendants' early guilty pleas, cooperation, remorse, and lack of previous convictions as mitigating factors, while emphasizing the severe damage such fraud inflicts on victims who often feel humiliated.
Alan Byrne, 46, was sentenced to seven years and eight months in prison, with the final 18 months suspended, for threatening to kill a sex worker and assaulting his 84‑year‑old father. The court heard Byrne placed an imitation gun and a knife on the escort's head, threatened to stab her, and pushed her against a wall. He had paid her €375 and US$100 for two hours of sexual activity, after which he demanded more money and, when she refused, assaulted her. In a separate incident, Byrne threw his father against a wall, breaking his hip. He pleaded guilty to both offences. Byrne, a heavy drug user, had a history of drug addiction and had been a carer for his father. The sentencing judge, Melanie Greally, suspended the last 18 months of the term. The court noted Byrne's drug use and the circumstances of the assaults. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
David Hogan, 31, an electrician whose life had unraveled, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for aggravated burglary and drug possession. On 22 March 2021 he and another man broke into a family home at The Gallops, Leopardstown, armed with a wheel brace, shouting threats and demanding the homeowner's son. Six days later, Hogan and two others returned; the homeowner closed the door, but they again threatened the occupants and damaged the car. Gardaí later found over €45,000 of drugs in Hogan's possession at Russell Crescent, Tallaght. Hogan pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, burglary and possession of drugs for sale or supply. Judge Melanie Greally noted the high level of threat and aggression, the family's intimidation, and Hogan's prior life as a qualified electrician. She imposed an eight‑year sentence, suspended the final two years, and back‑dated it to 31 March 2021 when he entered custody.
A 15‑year‑old girl, Bernadette Donovan, was involved in a 40‑minute brawl at the Rotunda Hospital reception during a family feud. The fight, which took place around Christmas 2018, saw a group of five women and two men shouting at a couple who had come to the hospital. The altercation included a woman being kicked and a man holding a wine bottle. CCTV identified Donovan, who did not engage in violence, and she was arrested in March 2019. She pleaded guilty to affray. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced her to nine months, suspended for two years on strict conditions, noting her age and that she was the youngest participant. Donovan has no prior convictions and is completing a baking course.
John Woodlock, 42, was given a suspended three‑year sentence for harassing a solicitor over a three‑month period from 17 August to 18 November 2021. He had approached the woman near her home, repeatedly called and emailed her, and visited her street, sometimes pointing at a wall with her initials and handing her a document he claimed was a charge sheet. He sent her private messages, tagged her in tweets, and called her a "bitch" in an email. The woman documented the harassment with screenshots and forwarded them to Gardaí. Woodlock was arrested in November 2021, detained under the Mental Health Act, and later released on bail. He pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and has complied with bail conditions. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a suspended sentence, requiring Woodlock to raise €3,000 for the woman within 18 months and forbidding any contact with her forever. If he contacts her again, the suspended term may be re‑activated.
Robert O'Connor, 34, of Dublin 17, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a loaded semi‑automatic pistol in Finglas on 13 October 2021. The gun, which had three rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber, was found in a Tesco bag along with two jackets, two pairs of gloves, two face masks and a second jacket. Garda Sean Kelly reported that O'Connor and another man had abandoned a vehicle on the N2, were chased down North Road, and were seen removing their tops before being stopped. O'Connor claimed he carried the gun to pay off a drug debt and that he feared for his life. The court accepted his guilty plea, cooperation with the investigation and his stated ambition to reform. Judge Martin Nolan set a headline sentence of nine years but, after considering the plea and cooperation, sentenced him to six and a half years in prison.
A divorced couple received fully suspended sentences at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for money laundering nearly €180,000 stolen through an invoice redirect fraud targeting an education board. Zanab Ibrahim, aged 51, of Wolfe Tone Street in Cavan, and her ex-husband Francis Falaye, aged 54, of Lobinstown Apartment in Navan, Co Meath, pleaded guilty to the offence. The Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board was defrauded when an email purporting to come from a construction company redirected payment for school works in Tullamore to accounts controlled by the defendants. Ibrahim received €178,695 into her fashion boutique account, from which €50,000 was transferred to Falaye four days later. The fraud emerged when the genuine contractor advised non-receipt of payment. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a suspended two-and-a-half-year sentence on each defendant, conditional on keeping the peace. Falaye was ordered to pay €1,000 to the Peter McVerry Trust. Gardaí recovered all but €1,000 of the stolen funds.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Vincent Kelly, 45, died from head injuries after being punched once in the face by Paul O'Carroll, 47, outside the Royal Hotel in Bray on 9 June 2018. O'Carroll was found guilty of unlawful killing. The court heard that Kelly had been drinking and had been in the hotel lobby when O'Carroll took his drink, walked out, and struck him once. CCTV showed no defensive action by Kelly. Kelly fell, sustained catastrophic head injuries, was taken to St Vincent's Hospital, then Beaumont Hospital, and died the next day. O'Carroll claimed he acted in self‑defence, feeling threatened, and later made a voluntary statement. The judge adjourned the case to 13 October for finalisation. The hearing also included impact statements from Kelly's wife and sister, describing the devastation and lasting change to the family's lives. The court considered O'Carroll's community involvement and prior convictions in sentencing. The case remains pending.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 16‑year‑old boy who pushed his bike at a teenage girl on the Howth Junction Dart platform, causing her to fall headfirst and briefly become trapped beside a train, was found not to have intended the fall. The judge, Martin Nolan, described the boy's conduct as prankish and irresponsible, noting it was unlikely he anticipated the outcome. The boy pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm; a second charge of violent disorder was dismissed due to insufficient evidence. He received no detention, instead being ordered to community sanctions, a Probation Services report, and an adjournment to August 24. The court heard the girl suffered a concussion, was hospitalised, and expressed feeling let down by Irish Rail. The boy's remorse and lack of prior convictions were considered mitigating factors. The case highlighted the incident's impact on the victim and the boy's subsequent reflection on his actions.
In October 2021, Paul Clarke (40) and Patrick Byrne (37) carried out an armed robbery of a post office in Baldoyle, Co Dublin. Gardaí from the Emergency Response Unit arrived six minutes after the raid began. Clarke was armed with a hammer and a spade, while Byrne held an imitation firearm. The raiders shouted threats, forced customers to the ground, and threatened to kill or seriously harm them. An elderly pensioner was unable to crouch due to recent knee surgery and later reported that a gun was held to her face. The men also used the spade and hammer to damage the glass screen separating staff from customers. Both pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, false imprisonment of two female customers, and making a threat to kill or cause serious harm. Byrne also pleaded guilty to possession of an imitation firearm.
A 29‑year‑old Dublin woman was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for recklessly endangering her two children, one of whom was believed to have been raped by her partner when she was a toddler. The court heard that the mother knew her two‑year‑old daughter had been sexually assaulted by the partner, who is not the father, but did nothing to protect her or seek medical care. She pleaded guilty to two counts of reckless endangerment between April and November 2018 and was also considered for five counts of child cruelty, including punching her son. The children, aged two and three at the time, suffered injuries such as a fractured wrist, bite marks and bruising. The judge noted the children would endure lifelong trauma and imposed the custodial sentence accordingly. The partner is wanted and has fled the jurisdiction. The mother expressed remorse and hopes to be reunited with her children.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, truck driver David Morrissey, aged 29, received a nine‑month suspended sentence for careless driving that caused the death of 19‑year‑old cyclist Harry Boland on 18 April 2018. The incident occurred at the junction of Greenfield Park and Stillorgan Road when the traffic lights turned green and Morrissey turned left, placing Boland under his large DAF truck. Despite early medical response, Boland was pronounced dead at St Vincent's Hospital. The prosecution argued that Boland was visible from the truck's cab and should have been seen via the truck's wide‑angle mirrors. Morrissey denied seeing Boland, claiming he had checked his mirrors. The judge noted no aggravating factors such as intoxication, speeding or mobile phone use, and imposed a fully suspended nine‑month custodial sentence, a five‑year disqualification, and no additional penalties. The sentence reflected Morrissey's lack of prior convictions and his cooperation with the investigation. David Morrissey pleaded not guilty.
Two semi‑professional footballers from Scotland, Liam Callaghan and Craig Johnston, both aged 27, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and obstruction in Dublin City Centre on 8 December 2019. The defendants, who are cousins and play for Montrose FC, attacked a victim after an altercation at the nightclub Xico on Baggot Street. The victim was punched in the jaw, struck with a traffic cone and a box, and suffered facial injuries, a fractured eye socket, and a broken ankle that required three surgeries. Garda Emmet Hayde testified that the defendants fled but were apprehended. The court heard the victim's impact statement, noting ruined Christmas, depression, anxiety, missed work opportunities and an economic loss of over €6,000. The defendants offered €2,000 as a gesture of remorse, which the victim accepted, but Judge Orla Crowe said this was insufficient. The sentencing was adjourned to 20 January 2023, with the court seeking a more concrete expression of remorse.
Paul Moody, a former Garda, was sentenced to three years and three months in prison for coercive control and related offences against a terminally‑ill partner. Over a four‑year period, he sent more than 30,000 threatening and abusive messages, threatened violence, took secret photographs, and threatened to post them online. He also stole her keys, caused criminal damage, and physically assaulted her on several occasions. Moody pleaded guilty to a charge of coercive control covering 2019‑2020 and to 19 other counts including harassment, assault, criminal damage, theft and threats to kill. The court noted his guilty plea and the absence of prior convictions, and reduced the maximum five‑year sentence to the stated term. He will lose his Garda position and is remanded in custody pending the decision on a psychological report. The sentencing judge highlighted the severity of his conduct and the impact on the victim.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 38‑year‑old man was sentenced to 30 months' imprisonment for sexual assault. The court heard that the victim, a woman who had locked her bedroom door, believed the accused entered her apartment by climbing through an open window onto a balcony. The man had taken a photograph of the sleeping woman and sent it to her the next day, claiming he had performed a sexual act on her. He pleaded guilty to the assault, which occurred on either 1 or 2 June 2018, and had four prior convictions, including drink driving. Judge Melanie Greally noted the victim's traumatic experience and the man's substance‑use problems, and imposed a 39‑month sentence with nine months suspended for 12 months, requiring participation in drug and alcohol assessments. The judge emphasised the need for rehabilitation to prevent recurrence.
Chico Makamda, 39, was returned to jail for two years after failing to leave Ireland as required by his 2019 sentence. He had been sentenced to seven and a half years, with the final two and a half years suspended on the condition that he leave the country within 14 days of release. Makamda was released in January 2022 but did not depart, and he accrued two convictions for failing to notify the Gardaí of his address under the Sex Offenders Act. He was re‑arrested in June and has been in custody since. The court reactivated the suspended portion of his sentence, noting he had made no genuine effort to comply with the condition. The hearing reaffirmed his willingness to leave, but the judge found he had intentionally refused to comply. The case also referenced his earlier conviction for sexual assault, false imprisonment and robbery in 2018. Chico Makamda pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 43‑year‑old terminally‑ill woman gave a victim impact statement about her former partner, a 42‑year‑old Garda, who had harassed, threatened, assaulted, stolen from and controlled her for over four years after meeting online in 2017. She described how he sent more than 30,000 messages, including 652 in a single 14‑hour period, and threatened to kill her, steal her cancer medication, and record her at the hospital where he told her he was there to "watch her bleed to death". The man pleaded guilty to coercive control and 19 other counts, including assault, theft and threats to kill. He was suspended from duty in March 2021 and is set to resign. The court adjourned the case to consider a psychological report, with the man remanded pending the decision. The woman urged others in similar situations to come forward.
Suzanne Shannon, aged 38, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, with the final six months suspended on strict conditions, for transporting heroin at the behest of her then partner. The drugs, valued at €69,608, were found at her Avondale House home on North Cumberland Street on 23 June 2017. Shannon pleaded guilty to one count of possession of heroin. Judge Orla Crowe noted her chronic drug problem and 46 prior convictions, mainly for theft, but also acknowledged that she had been acting under her partner's influence, who had taken responsibility for the drugs. The judge considered her cooperation with Gardaí, early guilty plea, and clean urine samples as mitigating factors, and ordered credit for time already spent in custody. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Philip Daly, a 52‑year‑old former fisherman from Balbriggan, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three burglary offences committed in 2020. He was found at a Supermacs in a Texaco service station on 24 May 2020, wearing underpants on his head, and had also broken into a hairdresser on 2 February 2020. Earlier that year he had been convicted of a burglary at the same Texaco station, for which he received a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended; he has served that term and is now under probation supervision. Judge Orla Crowe adjourned the case to clarify why sentencing had proceeded on one count separately and ordered an updated probation report and fortnightly drug testing. Garda Stephen O'Toole described how Daly jumped a fence, prised open the emergency door, and later returned to the station after a panic alarm.
Luke Cronin, aged 22, was one of four juvenile detainees who caused €120,000 of damage to the Oberstown Children's Detention Centre on 20 and 21 September 2016. He pleaded guilty to a charge of criminal damage. At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Melanie Greally imposed a headline sentence of six years, reduced to a final sentence of four years with the last three years suspended, reflecting mitigating factors such as his youth and an inexplicable delay in the case. Cronin must comply with Probation Service directions for 18 months after release. He was also in custody on another matter. The incident involved extensive damage to furniture, IT equipment, the kitchen and staff room, and was described as an incident of disorder lasting several hours. No victim impact statements were submitted. The sentence was back‑dated to 4 April 2022.
Patrick Casey, 35, was sentenced to nine years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following an appeal-stage hearing regarding drug offences. The defendant pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine and cannabis for sale or supply at Marigold Ave, Darndale, and Tonlegee Road, Raheny, on March 7, 2014. Prosecution evidence indicated that gardaí seized just over €700,000 worth of drugs from his car and just under €2 million from his home during a 2014 operation in the Coolock area. Casey had previously evaded arrest after a high-speed chase and fled to the UK, where he rehabilitated himself before returning to Ireland in 2020. He was arrested in July 2021 and has remained in custody since. Judge Martin Nolan noted Casey's prior convictions, including a 2007 drugs-related offence for which he was initially jailed for eight years, a sentence later reduced by the Court of Appeal to five years with the final two years suspended. While acknowledging Casey's efforts to reform and his sporting background as a former Dublin minor hurler, the judge emphasized the scale of the drug distribution. The court handed down the nine-year sentence, reflecting the seriousness of the admitted charges and his criminal history.
Leanne O'Neill, 31, was intoxicated when she threatened to kill pharmacy staff at MediPharm in Dublin on 18 May 2020. She demanded a prescription for her aunt, who had previously instructed staff that O'Neill could not collect it. When the aunt arrived, O'Neill became aggressive, made threats to three staff members, and gestured a throat‑slitting motion captured on CCTV. She later told Gardaí her surname was Kinahan, but the court found no connection to that name. O'Neill pleaded guilty to three counts of making threats to kill. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a 20‑month suspended prison sentence, citing her intoxication, remorse, and mitigating factors, and noted the offence was aggravated by her return to the pharmacy the next day. The sentence was suspended on strict conditions.
Tony Walsh, aged 72, was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to four years in prison for indecent assault of schoolboys in the 1980s. Walsh, a former curate in Ballyfermot and chaplain at De La Salle school, abused boys between 1978 and 1986. He pleaded guilty to indecent assault of a child in a lane in Ballyfermot and at De La Salle school, as well as to indecent assault of a ten‑year‑old boy in 1982. The court heard victim impact statements describing how Walsh's actions caused lasting emotional and psychological harm. Walsh has previously served 20 years in prison since 1995, when he was first convicted of indecent assault, and has been convicted of 28 counts of indecent assault, five of sexual assault and five of buggery. The sentence reflects the cumulative nature of his offences and the harm inflicted on the victims.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 21 July 2022, James Doyle, 36, pleaded guilty to assaulting his friends Dylan Gallagher and James Dixon on 28 April 2019. Doyle, who had been intoxicated after a dispute with his girlfriend, attacked the men with a stick while they were at a christening. Gallagher suffered a fractured arm, nerve damage and a seven‑inch scar, while Dixon sustained a head injury and cracked teeth. Both men were due to be married in the months following the assault and said the attack took away the joy of their wedding day. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a suspended three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence on Doyle, ordered him to pay €10,000 to Gallagher and €3,000 to Dixon, and considered the defendant unlikely to re‑offend. The court noted Doyle's remorse and lack of prior convictions.
A 36‑year‑old man was sentenced to 32 months' imprisonment for assaulting his former partner and her 15‑year‑old daughter in their home. He pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm on 23 November 2021. The judge described the attacks as having "severely traumatised" the victims in a place that should be a refuge. He was given a headline sentence of four years on both counts, reduced to three years and two months with the final six months suspended on strict conditions. The defendant has 78 prior convictions, including four for threatening behaviour, and is currently on remand. He was ordered to have no contact with the victim except in relation to their children.
Alina Buckley, aged 19, will be sentenced on 29 July after admitting possession of a knife outside Blackrock Garda Station on three occasions in 2020. She pleaded guilty to knife possession on 20 January, 1 February and 15 May 2020, and to threatening behaviour on 10 April 2020. Buckley, who had severe mental health difficulties at the time, was also abusive towards Gardaí during each incident. Garda Ciara Morris and Garda Sinead Whelan gave evidence of her behaviour, noting she was 17 during the first incident and that she had a steak knife and a razor blade in her possession. She had eight previous convictions, including two for assault, and had spent nine months in custody. Judge Orla Crowe adjourned sentencing to 29 July for finalisation.
Kasim Muchhala, a 34‑year‑old accountant from Temple Woods, Dublin, allowed a colleague, referred to in court as "Suspect A", to use his bank account on several occasions between January and October 2019. Muchhala pleaded guilty to money laundering on the basis of recklessness when €72,070 was transferred into his account. Detective Garda David Egan said Suspect A stole €1.2 million from the company by filing fraudulent expense claims, and that €72,050 was laundered through Muchhala's account. Muchhala received no reward or money for his role. His defence argued he was unaware of the source of the funds and had trusted his long‑standing friendship with Suspect A. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Muchhala did not know the account was being used to defraud another entity and, considering his good character, suspended an 18‑month sentence on strict conditions.
A 13‑year‑old boy, now 16, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm, production of a bicycle pump during an assault, two robberies and two attempted robberies on 20 October 2019. He had 24 prior convictions for burglary and robbery, all committed to fund a drug addiction that began when he was 12. The boy, born addicted to heroin and raised by his grandmother and aunts, began abusing cocaine and tablets after a traumatic encounter with his biological mother at age 12. He was said to spend €1,000 per day on drugs. The court sentenced him to 18 months' detention, backdated to January 2021 when he was first remanded in Oberstown. The case involved a violent mugging of teenagers at Na Fianna GAA grounds in Drumcondra, where a victim was struck with a bicycle pump, left with bruising, swelling, a black eye and leg bruises. Photographs and a medical report were presented.
Chad Redmond, aged 29, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for assault causing harm and criminal damage after a February 2020 incident in which he threatened to throw his ex‑partner off her balcony. The assault took place at her apartment on Hampton Wood Drive, Finglas, after Redmond forced entry, shouted at her friends, struck her on the head, and threatened to push her off the balcony. He had previously been convicted of burglary at the same home, where he also assaulted her. Redmond was intoxicated, having taken cocaine, and had a history of drug addiction. The victim withdrew her statement to Gardaí and did not give a victim impact statement. Judge Martin Nolan reduced the headline sentence of three and a half years to 20 months, citing mitigating factors such as the victim's cooperation and Redmond's intoxication. Chad Redmond pleaded guilty.
Patrick Fahey, aged 47, was sentenced to six and a half years in prison by Judge Martin Nolan at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a series of robberies and attempted robberies committed between August 2019 and October 2021. The offences included a €400 theft from a Soho adult shop, a €30 theft from a vintage clothes shop where he left with only fruit and a chocolate bar, a €350 theft from Londis, a €700 theft and €500 damage at a café, and a €200‑€300 theft from a Spar shop. Fahey pleaded guilty to seven counts and had 18 prior convictions. He had been remanded since October 2021 and had admitted his involvement, expressed remorse, and apologized for his actions. The judge noted the lack of violence but the fear caused to victims, and highlighted Fahey's previous attempts at reform. The sentence was back‑dated to 3 October 2021.
Patrick Bell, aged 55, was sentenced to six and a half years in prison for unlawful possession of heroin for sale or supply. Bell, a mid‑to‑high level member of a large‑scale drug operation, was arrested in September 2019 after Garda surveillance uncovered heroin, cutting agents and large amounts of empty kilo packaging at a garage in Thomas Court Bawn, Dublin 8. The operation had been rented since 2010 under a false name linked to Bell, and phones seized from his home indicated he was involved in supplying drugs under direction from unknown people. Bell pleaded guilty and had only a few minor traffic convictions. The judge noted Bell's role was integral but not at the top of the operation, and accepted his guilty plea as a mitigating factor, allowing a departure from the mandatory ten‑year sentence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Melanie Greally sentenced 37‑year‑old Waqas Ahmed to four months in prison for a trespass with intent offence, which was the plea accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions after an initial sexual nature charge. Ahmed entered his neighbour's apartment on 14 December 2018, claiming he needed water, and while her children played on the floor, exposed his penis to the woman. The judge described the incident as "somewhat concerning" and noted the victim's profound impact, including ongoing fear and mental distress. Ahmed was deemed a moderate risk of reoffending, with no prior convictions. The sentence was suspended in full on strict conditions: engagement with the Probation Service for 12 months, adherence to all directions, and a 10‑year prohibition on any contact with the victim or her family. The judge also ordered Ahmed to remain away from the victim's apartment building. The case remains on record as a trespass offence. Waqas Ahmed pleaded guilty.