A 16‑year‑old boy with 43 prior convictions was sentenced to a two‑year period of detention for robbery after he helped hijack a motorbike during a road‑block by a gang of four teenagers. The offence occurred on 18 October 2020 in Dublin. The boy pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the detention, hoping the boy would use the time to help himself and society. He is currently detained at Oberstown Detention Campus on a separate matter. The court heard that the gang blocked the road at 9 pm, the motorcyclist fell, and one teenager approached the victim with a hammer. DNA on a jacket linked the boy to the scene; CCTV was also presented. The boy denies a physical confrontation but accepts his role. The probation report described his impulsive, thrill‑seeking behaviour and the court ordered the sentence to run concurrently with his existing detention.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 46‑year‑old man was sentenced to eight years for sexually abusing his teenage stepdaughter over a decade. The victim, who was 14 when the abuse began, reported the matter to Gardaí in 2012, but a clerical error caused the investigation to be put on hold for nearly ten years. The abuse started immediately after the man married the girl's mother, with the perpetrator sending sexualised texts from his honeymoon and later engaging in oral sex and intercourse. The victim estimated about 100 sexual encounters and felt groomed because she was "naive, vulnerable and very quiet." She later disclosed the abuse to her mother, who then took the family to the police. The court noted the delay harmed the victim and the accused, and the judge remarked the sentence would have been slightly higher without the procedural lapse. The unnamed 46-year-old pleaded guilty.
Dylan O'Neill, 21, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply after accepting a delivery of €300,000 worth of ketamine to reduce a drug debt. Judge Melanie Greally, citing his youth, early guilty plea, lack of prior convictions and other mitigating factors, decided not to impose the mandatory ten‑year minimum. She imposed a five‑year sentence suspended for five years, conditioned on O'Neill entering a bond to keep the peace and undergoing twelve months of supervision by the Probation Services. The judge warned him that no leniency would be granted for future transgressions. Garda Kerry Harmon testified that customs officers intercepted a 6 kg white‑powder package addressed to 'Dillon O'Neill' on 24 March 2021, and that a controlled delivery was carried out on 26 March 2021. O'Neill accepted the package, claiming he did not know it contained drugs, and later said he accepted it for €1,000 to reduce a drug debt.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Michael French, aged 28, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for a violent burglary that took place at a city‑centre home on 30 January 2021. French entered the victim's house at about 1.30 a.m., wearing only shorts, and confronted the homeowner, who was in his 40s, with a knife. French shouted threats, including "I want to kill you," and pinned the victim against a wall, striking him in the stomach. The victim eventually calmed the situation by agreeing that the house was his, and a neighbour called the Gardaí. French fled but was apprehended after attempting to jump a fence. He admitted to taking cocaine and ecstasy that night and had a history of schizophrenia, drug and alcohol addiction, and homelessness. The judge, citing French's mental health issues, suspended the last 18 months of a four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, resulting in a final term of three years' imprisonment. Michael French pleaded guilty.
Mark Fox, aged 29, was given a suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after a high‑speed chase on three tyres. On 9 May 2021, Fox, driving a Nissan Qashqai with a missing fourth wheel, pursued Gardaí through Dublin and two counties, ramming two patrol cars and a garda helicopter. He threw bags of white powder, suspected cocaine, from his open door, accelerated past red lights, and smashed a taxi driver's wing mirror. The chase lasted 30 minutes over 28 km. Fox was found to have almost three times the legal blood‑alcohol limit and was disqualified from driving at the time of the offence. He pleaded guilty to eight charges, including endangerment, dangerous driving, drink driving, driving without a licence and resisting arrest. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspended in full on the basis of Fox's mental‑health problems, and ordered a five‑year driving disqualification.
Iheanyichukwu Banna, 35, of Clonee, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possessing over €63,000 derived from an invoice redirection fraud. Judge Martin Nolan stated that the offence could not have been carried out without Banna's complicity, inferring he was "up to his neck in it," despite defence counsel arguing the plea was based on recklessness. The court heard that a Kilkenny-based company was defrauded in July 2018 when a bogus email directed a €63,043 payment to a Permanent TSB account. Records showed the funds were transferred to Banna's account, with €5,000 sent to his brother in the UK and €25,000 moved to his savings account within an hour. Banna initially claimed ignorance, alleging a man named Kelvin used his account, but could not explain the transactions. Gardaí recovered €42,000, leaving the victim with a €21,000 loss. Judge Nolan noted Banna's good employment record and lack of prior convictions, describing his conduct as bordering on "wilful blindness." He sentenced Banna to three years' imprisonment, fully suspended on the condition that he be of good behaviour for the duration of the sentence.
A 43‑year‑old taxi driver, Keith Banks of Castleknock, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing drugs for sale or supply and to having €19,000 in cash from criminal conduct. He admitted that he was pressured to transport almost €300,000 worth of drugs, including cannabis worth €135,000 and cocaine worth €158,000, and that he had a drug debt. Garda Thomas McDaniel secured a warrant to search a Clonsilla property where Banks was found standing at a kitchen counter and throwing a white powder onto the floor. The Gardaí found the drugs in various locations. Banks claimed he was taken advantage of and that he had only a small role in the deliveries. Judge Melanie Greally, after hearing the evidence and a psychological report, imposed concurrent sentences totalling seven and a half years, suspending the final two and a half years on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation supervision upon release.
Lisa O'Connor, 45, of St Brandon's, Crumlin, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for stealing almost €9,000 from an elderly woman she cared for during lockdown. She pleaded guilty to three theft charges covering 90 transactions made with the victim's bank card between March and July 2020. O'Connor also pleaded guilty to possessing over €7,000 worth of heroin for sale or supply, found in her home on 3 February 2021. The judge described her actions as a huge breach of trust, noting she had betrayed the family who had hired her privately after she lost a placement agency job. She had worked for the Downeys for nearly three years, earning €250 a week plus an additional €70 from the daughter. The 18‑month sentence applies to both the theft and drug offences, running concurrently.
Darren Kelly, aged 25, pleaded guilty to possessing €29,645 of proceeds of crime in a sock hidden in his mother's freezer in County Westmeath. The cash was discovered in three bundles bound with elastic bands during a Garda search on 24 October 2019. Kelly admitted the money was criminal proceeds, though DNA of a third party was found on the sock, who denied responsibility. He had been in custody since January 2020 on separate burglary matters and had 61 prior convictions, 52 of which were traffic offences including dangerous driving. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, hearing the case via video link, noted Kelly's good behaviour in prison and his completion of a psychology course. Judge Martin Nolan, acknowledging the seriousness of the offence and Kelly's record, sentenced him to 20 months' imprisonment.
Sadie Douglas, 39, of Rathsallagh Drive, Shankill, was acquitted of wilful neglect of her two‑year‑old daughter Heidi, who died after ingesting methadone in their home. The trial, held at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, lasted five days and concluded in just over an hour. Judge Orla Crowe thanked the jurors and discharged Douglas from the indictment, noting no other pending charges. Her partner, Christopher O'Reilly, pleaded guilty to the same charge and received a three‑and‑a‑half‑year prison sentence. The court heard that O'Reilly, a recovering heroin addict, took daily methadone doses prescribed weekly, and a cup with traces of the drug was found in the house. Douglas claimed she was unaware of the methadone cup and that she had been emotionally distressed after the death of her older daughter Sophie. The post‑mortem concluded that Heidi's death was most likely caused by methadone ingestion, resulting in acute brain inflammation. Sadie Douglas pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Sadie Douglas, 39, pleaded not guilty to wilful neglect of her two‑year‑old daughter, Heidi, who died in April 2016 after ingesting methadone. The post‑mortem concluded acute brain inflammation caused by methadone ingestion. The prosecution argued Douglas failed to supervise Heidi, misled paramedics about methadone in the house, and did not provide crucial information. Evidence included a cup with methadone residue, DNA traces of Douglas's partner Christopher O'Reilly, and multiple methadone bottles with childproof lids. O'Reilly, a recovering heroin addict on daily methadone, pleaded guilty to the same charge. The trial highlighted Douglas's grief after the earlier death of her four‑year‑old daughter, Sophie, and the emotional difficulty of the case. The judge instructed the jury to deliberate on the evidence presented.
Clare O'Connor, 35, of Ashtown, Dublin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing drugs in her home, with a total street value of €47,407. She had previously been convicted of bringing drugs to her partner in Mountjoy prison. Garda Brian O'Toole and solicitor Anne Marie Lawlor argued that O'Connor was under the control of a violent partner who had been jailed for 11 years in 2018 for conspiracy to commit murder. O'Connor claimed she had no choice but to allow the drugs to be stored in her apartment, which she co‑operated with the Gardaí during a search that uncovered 300 g of heroin, tablets, cannabis, resin and MDMA. She also cared for a 10‑year‑old cousin with special needs. Judge Martin Nolan accepted her fear and cooperation, and suspended a four‑year prison term.
Megan Creighton, 34, pleaded guilty to robbery on Old Navan Road on 3 December 2020. The victim was approached by Creighton and her partner, who demanded money, phone and wallet. Creighton threatened to bite his nose, bit him, and then told her accomplice to use a knife. The accomplice struck the victim with a screwdriver, causing facial damage and neck marks. An off‑duty Garda intervened, leading to the muggers' arrest. The victim's injuries were documented and a victim impact statement was submitted but not read. Creighton, a mother of five with 17 prior convictions and a history of heroin addiction, claimed she was a victim of domestic violence. She expressed remorse and accepted responsibility. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced her to three years' imprisonment.
Dorian Brylewicz, 23, pleaded guilty to impersonating a Garda during lockdown in April 2020 and to theft in May 2019. He drove an Audi A3 with a blue flashing light, stopped pedestrians and a bus driver, claiming to be a Garda, but did not produce identification when asked. He also attempted to take a man's phone and had previously stolen €560 from a Cork man via a phone sale on donedeal.ie. The court noted his prior convictions for road traffic offences and bicycle theft. Judge Nolan, after hearing the defendant's remorse and current employment, sentenced him to 18 months in prison, suspended in full on the condition that he pay €5,000 within three months – €4,000 to a Castleknock charity and €1,000 to the victim. The judge emphasised that the suspended sentence was a punitive measure and a reminder of the defendant's wrongdoing. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 15‑year‑old schoolboy was found guilty of one count of harassment for sending sexually explicit material to his teacher over a year from August 2018 to October 2019. The boy, who had no prior convictions, sent anonymous images and videos, including photos of the teacher with semen and a video of someone ejaculating on her image, and threatened to stop unless she responded. He also impersonated her on fake social media accounts to obtain more images. The teacher, who was unaware of the sender's identity, suffered significant anxiety and avoided going out during the harassment. The boy pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, suspended on conditions that he have no contact with the teacher for life. The judge noted his age, mental health issues, and lack of criminal history as mitigating factors.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Sadie Douglas, 39, pleaded not guilty to child neglect leading to the death of her two‑year‑old daughter Heidi Douglas, who died on 19 April 2016 after ingesting methadone. The post‑mortem found acute brain inflammation most likely caused by methadone. Douglas's partner, Christopher O'Reilly, had pleaded guilty last July to the same charge. O'Reilly, a recovering heroin addict, was taking daily methadone prescribed by a local chemist. The court heard that Douglas was grieving her four‑year‑old daughter Sophie, who had died earlier that year from a brain haemorrhage. Douglas described being in a "little world" and emotionally distressed. DNA evidence linked O'Reilly to a measuring cup containing methadone residue, and a large plastic bottle of methadone was found in the house. The trial continues before Judge Orla Crowe and a jury.
Seamus Robert, 61, of Tallaght, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for indecent assault and unlawful assault against two girls, aged about six, between 1982 and 1988. Robert, who worked with the homeless, lured the girls into his home to play with his kittens before sexually assaulting them. One victim, who cannot be named, testified that the abuse disrupted her emotional, social and educational development, describing a prison in her mind. She reported the abuse to Gardaí in 2016 and named a childhood friend as a possible witness. Robert pleaded guilty before his trial began and had no prior convictions. The judge described his conduct as "grossly reprehensible" and imposed a five‑year sentence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Lloyd Saunders, aged 33, was convicted of assault causing harm to his former girlfriend, Kelly Evans, after a prolonged attack that began with strangulation. Saunders pleaded not guilty to additional charges of false imprisonment and threatening to kill, which the jury did not convict on. Evans testified that Saunders repeatedly slapped her, strangled her for about an hour and a half, and asked if she was "ready for round two" before ending the assault. She described severe bruising, anxiety, depression and PTSD, and noted that the trial process had a major impact on her mental health. Saunders had 10 prior convictions. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to three and a half years, suspending the final six months on strict conditions, including probation engagement. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the prolonged assault on a vulnerable woman in an intimate relationship.
Michael Lynn, a former solicitor aged 53, faces a retrial set for 16 October 2023 after a previous trial in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court ended with a hung jury. He was accused of stealing about €27 million from seven banks between 2006 and 2007, including Bank of Ireland, National Irish Bank, Irish Life and Permanent, Ulster Bank, ACC Bank, Bank of Scotland Ireland Ltd and Irish Nationwide Building Society. Lynn pleaded not guilty to 21 counts of theft covering the period from 23 October 2006 to 20 April 2007. During the original trial he claimed the banks knew he held multiple mortgages on the same properties and that this was a common practice in Celtic Tiger Ireland. He also alleged he had secret deals with bankers that allowed him to use loan money for property developments abroad. Prosecutor John Berry said the Director of Public Prosecutions sought a retrial to make certain enquiries following Lynn's assertions.
In a routine traffic stop on Ratoath Road, Garda Diarmuid Murphy mistakenly identified a car as uninsured and pulled it over. The driver, Gavin Jordan, 49, was found to have the vehicle insured. During the stop, the Garda smelled cannabis, searched the vehicle and Jordan, and discovered an envelope containing €26,000 in cash in his trouser pocket. Jordan admitted to acting as a courier in a money‑laundering scheme to help his son, who had a drug debt after Garda seizure of drugs from his home. He claimed the envelope held €15,000, but two withdrawals from his account in April 2020 totaled €20,000. Jordan pleaded guilty to possession of the proceeds of crime. The court noted his long, honest employment as a welder and his care for his elderly mother. Judge Melanie Greally, considering these mitigating factors, sentenced him to an 18‑month suspended prison term.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, the neglect trial of Sadie Douglas, charged with wilful neglect leading to the death of her two‑year‑old daughter Heidi, was presented with evidence that Heidi suffered a severe brain injury after ingesting methadone. Chief State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan testified that a scan taken two days after Heidi was admitted to Our Lady's Children's Hospital in Crumlin on 14 April 2016 showed a "devastating brain injury" with swelling that pressed onto the spinal column. Dr Mulligan concluded, based on a post‑mortem, that acute cerebellitis—most likely caused by methadone ingestion—led to Heidi's death on 19 April 2016, after she had been clinically dead for several days. The trial also noted that Heidi's partner, a recovering heroin addict, was taking daily methadone doses from a local chemist, with the medication supplied in a child‑proof bottle and a warning that 5 ml could kill a child. Sadie Douglas pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Darragh Dodrill, 26, admitted to possessing €250,000 worth of cocaine and 500g of cannabis in his car and €242,000 worth of cocaine in a van. Gardaí had suspected his Terenure car and issued a warrant, leading to a surveillance operation where the drugs were seized. Dodrill, who spent up to €1,500 a week on cocaine, claimed he began dealing to pay off debts that grew from €8,000 to €50,000. He also admitted to a gambling addiction. During a Garda interview, he likened his situation to an episode of "Father Ted" and said he was "up there with the dumbest drug dealers." He pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at Kilwarden Court on 26 February 2021. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case to 7 November and ordered a probation report for that date.
A Dublin man, whose identity is protected to safeguard a child victim, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assaulting his former partner and their 12-year-old son in April 2018. The defendant, a convicted rapist with 31 previous convictions, was found guilty after a trial of two counts of assault causing harm and one count of criminal damage, having denied all charges. He disregarded a barring order by visiting his ex-partner's home, where he became physically violent. The 12-year-old boy attempted to protect his mother and was also assaulted before calling gardaí. The woman sustained cuts to her head and face, while the child suffered cuts to his ankle and thigh. In a victim impact statement, the woman described the actions as inhumane. Judge Pauline Codd noted the lack of remorse and the defendant's disregard for the court order as aggravating factors. She sentenced him to four years in prison, suspending the final six months on conditions. This sentence will not commence until 2029, once he completes his current prison term for previous sexual offending.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 16 June 2022, convicted murderer Laurence Murphy, aged 44, was sentenced to three years in prison for assaulting prison officer Kieran Maher at Wheatfield Prison on 10 July 2019. Murphy had pleaded guilty to the offence. The court noted that Murphy had previously been convicted of murdering Thomas Brady, aged 22, in 2001, when he stabbed Brady with a butter knife in a shared cell. During the 2019 assault, Murphy head‑butted and repeatedly punched Officer Maher, causing injuries to the officer's nose, face, gums, teeth and back. Officer Maher reported flashbacks, ten months of work absence and breathing difficulties. The prosecution argued that prisoners serving life sentences can attack staff with impunity, as such attacks do not affect their sentences. Judge Melanie Greally reduced Murphy's original four‑year sentence to three years, taking his guilty plea into account. Murphy was present via video‑link from prison.
Sadie Douglas, aged 25, stood trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for wilful neglect after her two‑year‑old daughter, Heidi, died on 14 April 2016 from methadone toxicity. Heidi, born 8 August 2013, was found unconscious in the bed at the family home on Rathsallagh Drive, Shankill, Co. Dublin. Douglas and her partner had stayed up late on 13 April, looking at photographs on an old phone. On 14 April, Douglas allegedly placed Heidi beside her on the bed and fell asleep, while the father slept at the foot of the bed. Heidi ate crackers with her brother, then remained in bed until discovered unconscious. An ambulance took her to Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, where she died. A state pathologist found methadone in Heidi's system, concluding death was due to methadone poisoning. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
A man has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison following a serious unprovoked assault in Dublin city centre. Daryl Cassells, aged 27 and of no fixed abode, attacked a man outside Burger King on Grafton Street at approximately 1am on 19 July 2019. The victim sustained significant injuries including a brain bleed, skull fracture, and fractured eye socket. He suffered seizures during transport to St James Hospital and was admitted for eight days. The assault subsequently resulted in the development of epilepsy, affecting the victim's employment prospects and quality of life. Cassells pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Pauline Codd noted the serious nature of the unprovoked attack and the significant injuries inflicted. She suspended the final six months of the sentence on condition that Cassells keep the peace and be of good behaviour for one year, and cooperate with probation services. The sentence was backdated to account for time already served in custody.
Colin Kevitt, 29, pleaded guilty to possession of a 9mm Glock pistol found wrapped in black plastic under a flower pot in a wicker basket by a homeowner in Drogheda. The gun, with five loaded bullets and additional ammunition, was seized and tested, showing no evidence of use in a crime. Kevitt's DNA matched samples from the gun, though he denied any admission. His defence claimed a friend had taken the gun to a party where Kevitt handled it, and that his DNA was not on the bullets or plastic. Judge Melanie Greally noted the DNA evidence and Kevitt's prior convictions for minor offences, describing the current offence as a marked escalation. The case was adjourned to 28 October for finalisation, with Kevitt remanded on continuing bail and a Probation Service report ordered.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 34‑year‑old woman testified that her former partner, aged 41, sent her more than 300 messages over two weeks in January 2021, describing the harassment as having "destroyed the best part of me." The accused accessed the victim's email via her son's tablet while the children were with him, found sexual images and a picture of another man, and called her at 1.30 am to accuse her of texting another man and sending sexual images. He sent the images he claimed were found on her email, calling her a "slut" and "sleazy." Garda Padraig Guinan reported 300 WhatsApp messages and 34 text messages were sent daily between 14 and 29 January. The accused threatened to send the images to the victim's close family. He was blocked on WhatsApp but continued to text her on another messenger app. The unnamed 34-year-old pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Derek Mangan, aged 41, was sentenced to a four‑year suspended prison term for possessing cannabis that he had sold to support his own drug habit. Gardaí had obtained a search warrant for a property on Carrow Road, Drimnagh, Dublin 15, where they seized cannabis, weighing and bagging items, and two "tick lists". The seized drugs were valued at €4,860. Mangan pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs at an earlier date. Judge Pauline Codd noted that the value of the drugs was in the lower range and that Mangan had 26 previous convictions, many for drug‑related offences, which she considered the most aggravating factor. She also weighed mitigating factors such as his early guilty plea, a negative drug analysis report, family support and personal circumstances.
In a January 2020 incident at Carmen's Hall hostel, Peter Quinn, aged 52 and without a fixed address, assaulted a homeless man with a metal chair, kicking him and striking him with the victim's own crutch. Quinn, who has 106 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and production of an article. The victim suffered 25 stitches to the head, five to the eyes, and severe bruising, and reported flashbacks. Quinn's history includes long-term institutional care from age five and psychiatric diagnoses of schizophrenia and substance abuse. The court noted a positive probation report and that Quinn was engaging with support services. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Quinn to four years' imprisonment, describing the assault as "extremely brutal and violent." The second charge of production of an article was deferred to June 24.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 7 February 2021, a cyclist named Ariel Rocha Stefani, aged 26, was stopped for failing to stop at a red light. Gardaí found six small bags of cocaine, four small bags of MDMA, two bags of cannabis and an unknown blue tablet on him, along with €515 in cash. A search of his home later uncovered a large quantity of suspected cannabis, MDMA, a measuring spoon, three mobile phones and over €1,810 in cash. Stefani admitted to paying €200 for the MDMA and claimed all drugs were for personal use. He pleaded guilty and cooperated with investigators. Judge Martin Nolan, after considering a positive probation report and Stefani's cooperation, sentenced him to two years in prison for possession of drugs, suspending the entire term on the condition that he remains law‑abiding and well‑behaved for two years.
A Mayo native has been sentenced to two years imprisonment, with sixteen months suspended, following his conviction for a sustained harassment campaign against a former tenant at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Thomas Armstrong, aged forty-six, of Addison Avenue, Glasnevin, Dublin, pleaded guilty to harassment of the complainant between August 2016 and August 2018. The court heard that following a rental dispute, Armstrong engaged in a calculated course of intimidation involving multiple forms of abuse. These included making anonymous complaints to Dublin City Council regarding the complainant's parents' property, creating a fraudulent social media account in her name with photographs and false posts, and advertising tickets using her contact details. Judge Melanie Greally described the offending as an "extreme violation" of the complainant's privacy and peace of mind. Armstrong brought four thousand euros to court as a gesture of remorse, which was redirected to Pieta House after the complainant declined it. He was issued a forty-year non-contact order and a five-hundred-metre exclusion zone from the complainant's residence and workplace.
Alan Cloake, aged 47, was jailed for three years after impersonating an immigration officer and defrauding ten people of €71,000 between 2015 and 2017. He convinced victims, all Malawian and Filipino nationals, that he could secure legitimate citizenship for a fee. Cloake used aliases "Michael Madden" and "Michael Walsh" and a phone number linked to a 2013 traffic report. Victims paid thousands of euros, which Cloake spent on gambling and hotels. He pleaded guilty to false representation and possession of proceeds. The court noted he had paid back about €6,000 and imposed a four‑year sentence, suspending the final year on the condition of good behaviour. Cloake admitted his gambling was the root cause of the offence. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Paul Cahill, 39, pleaded guilty to two robberies in Dublin and was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to a suspended sentence. The judge, after hearing compelling testimony from Cahill's father, who described the family's 20‑year struggle with Cahill's drug and alcohol addiction and his father's experience walking past Cahill asleep in the snow, decided not to impose custodial time. The sentence is fully suspended on the condition that Cahill keeps the peace and behaves well for five years; if he reoffends within that period, he will serve five years in prison. Cahill's convictions were for robbing Jordon Casey on George's Street South on 11 September 2018 and robbing a Subway deli on Aungier Street on 21 February 2019, with both sentences to run concurrently. The court noted Cahill's 79 previous convictions and his father's testimony of his rehabilitation.
Dylan Murphy, 26, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for offences committed while on bail. He pleaded guilty to the attempted robbery of a taxi driver at Dolphins Barn, Dublin city, on September 20, 2019, as well as robbery and attempted robbery at St Stephen's Green on August 2, 2021. During the latter incident, Murphy allegedly posed as a garda to rob two teenagers, resulting in injuries to the male victim. Judge Pauline Codd described both attacks as vicious assaults. Acknowledging Murphy's tragic background and entrenched drug addiction, the judge imposed a total operative sentence of eight years. However, she suspended the final year to incentivise rehabilitation, conditional on Murphy engaging with the Probation Service and drug addiction treatment. The sentence was backdated to last March, when Murphy pleaded guilty to the offences. This decision follows his admission of guilt to the charges, which included his 65 previous convictions for robbery, burglary, and assaults.
Glen McEnroe, 39, of Cathedral View Walk, Dublin 8, was sentenced to four years in prison with the final 12 months suspended, backdated to 21 December 2020, for his role in a robbery that involved setting fire to a stolen cash‑in‑transit box. The incident occurred on 15 December 2020 when a Brinks security van driver, Brian Byrne, had taken a cash box from the van, entered a building on Thomas Street, and left with €19,300. Byrne was attacked by a man who threw the box at him; the box was later found on fire at St Kevin's Avenue. CCTV identified McEnroe buying a gas canister, entering the area, and attempting to ignite the box. He pleaded guilty, claiming he was threatened to do so. The court noted his limited role but considered the robbery pre‑meditated and the cash never recovered.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Christopher Lambe, 32, pleaded guilty to threatening to kill Ms Julie Piggot. On 24 January 2021, Ms Piggot was awakened at 5 am by a banging on a downstairs window. She saw a man in a woollen hat, thought it was her partner, and after checking on her children, opened the front door. Lambe grabbed her from the doorway, pressed something into her side, and forced her across the road to an unfamiliar apartment. While she knocked on the door, Lambe shouted that he would stab her and then fled. CCTV footage identified Lambe and captured him saying, "I will cut the neck of ya." Gardaí arrested him at Tallaght Garda Station. He had 86 prior convictions. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted his remorse and family background but sentenced him to 18 months in prison, citing the threat and the influence of alcohol. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
The jury in the multi‑million euro theft trial of former solicitor Michael Lynn was discharged after failing to reach a majority verdict following more than 12 hours of deliberations in a three‑and‑a‑half‑month trial. Judge Martin Nolan asked whether the jury could reach a verdict if given more time; the jurors replied they could not, so the judge had no option but to discharge them. Lynn, aged 53 and from Millbrook Court, Red Cross, Co Wicklow, had pleaded not guilty to 21 counts of theft relating to Dublin property transactions between 23 October 2006 and 20 April 2007. He had claimed that banks were aware of his multiple mortgages on the same properties and that this was "custom and practice" in Celtic Tiger Ireland. He also alleged secret deals with bankers and a profit‑share agreement with former Irish Nationwide chief executive Michael Fingleton concerning a property development in Portugal.
A 34‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to six and a half years' imprisonment for a high‑speed chase on the M50 that endangered his partner and two small children. He had 226 prior convictions and was already serving a sentence for a petrol‑bomb attack. The court heard he pleaded guilty to endangerment, dangerous driving, criminal damage, driving without a licence and insurance, possession of a foil bag for theft, and refusal to provide a blood or urine sample. He also admitted to a Tesco Metro robbery in 2020. CCTV showed him driving over a shopping centre median, evading barriers, and then speeding onto the motorway, where he swerved between lanes and used the hard shoulder. The judge noted his long history of offending, his drug addiction, and the lack of a licence or insurance, and disqualified him from driving for ten years.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Danilo De Silva, aged 41, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for assault causing harm to a sex worker. The incident occurred in November 2020 when De Silva, who had previously worked as a professional chef, confronted the woman after they had consensual sex at her apartment in Clondalkin. He shouted at her, demanding money, and swung a large kitchen knife at her head and throat. The victim, who was operating as a sex worker, managed to shield herself with her hand, sustaining a cut on her palm and a small cut to her face. Gardaí found the palm heavily cut and covered in blood. De Silva fled but was later arrested. In June 2021 he pleaded guilty to the assault. The judge highlighted the vulnerability of the victim and the need for deterrence, noting the knife was in his backpack from his chef work. The sentence was three years' imprisonment.
Robert Cruise, aged 34, was sentenced to eight years in prison, with the final two years suspended, after pleading guilty to being in control of a semi‑automatic pistol and in possession of six rounds of ammunition on 15 June 2017. The pistol and a petrol can of accelerant were found in a car he had moved, along with a motorbike helmet containing clothes. Gardaí stopped Cruise around 10 pm that night on Northbrook Road, searched him, and later found a key he claimed belonged to his brother, which opened the car. Cruise was arrested in May of the following year when his fingerprints were found on the bag holding the petrol can. He has 67 prior convictions, including threats to kill and assault. The court accepted that Cruise was pressured into the role and that the offence was out of character for him, citing his struggles with addiction and mental health.
In a Dublin homeless hostel on 2 January 2017, a 26‑year‑old man threw a baby's bottle at his partner during a dispute over heroin. The bottle's lid struck their one‑month‑old son on the forehead, while the bottle hit the mother. The child sustained a bruise but was not seriously injured. The man pleaded guilty to one count of common assault, a charge carrying a maximum six‑month sentence. He was sentenced to four months' imprisonment by Judge Martin Nolan, who noted the reckless nature of the act. The court also recorded that the defendant, who has 67 prior convictions and a history of homelessness, drug addiction and mental health issues, is due for release in July but will remain in custody longer because of this offence. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Patrick Shields, aged 33, received a five‑year suspended sentence after the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that he and his father were assaulted and abducted before Gardaí discovered heroin in his home. The court noted that Gardaí had been alerted to a credible threat to Shields' life following a search of his Clongriffin residence, where €34,044 of heroin was found. Shields had previously fled to the UK after a bench warrant but returned in 2020, after which he took responsibility for the drugs. He has 152 prior convictions in Ireland, including drug offences and traffic offences, and nine in the UK. The judge accepted that Shields had been targeted by a gang and that his family suffered collateral damage, but also acknowledged his self‑rehabilitation and current employment as a hospital janitor. The sentence was suspended in full to encourage continued rehabilitation, with the five years to be served if a relapse occurs. Patrick Shields pleaded guilty.
Valentin Bulgaru, a 33‑year‑old Romanian national, was arrested in Dublin on 31 July 2021 after Gardaí found €104,905 in cash in his car. He pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering. Garda Brian McDermott described how Bulgaru was seen driving around the shopping centre, handling an object in the passenger seat, and later revealing the cash was intended to buy a truck in Belgium. Prosecutor Oisin Clarke noted that Bulgaru had accrued a €9,000 debt to a criminal gang and agreed to launder money to pay €3,500 of that debt. Defence lawyer Rónán Prendergast said Bulgaru had lived in the UK for one or two years, worked as a truck driver, and had minimal ties to Ireland, visiting only to collect the money. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, with the last two years suspended and a five‑year ban on re‑entry to Ireland.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Jamie Heffernan, aged 22, pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Aaron Murdiff after a spontaneous assault that left Murdiff with a traumatic brain injury. Heffernan, who had been chatting with Murdiff on CCTV, was reportedly informed that Murdiff had assaulted his cousin at a house party earlier that night. Heffernan struck Murdiff, causing him to fall, and then launched three separate assaults over a period of four and a half minutes, striking him in the head and body. Heffernan was arrested shortly after the attack. Murdiff suffered a brain injury with lasting balance issues, and a victim impact statement was submitted by his mother and sister. Two minor co‑accused await sentencing for their roles in the assault. The case is scheduled for sentencing in July. The court noted Heffernan's prior convictions, his early guilty plea, and his efforts to address alcohol and cannabis use.
The jury in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case against truck driver David Morrissey (29) was sent home after 2 hours and 33 minutes of deliberation. Morrissey is accused of causing the death of 19‑year‑old cyclist Harry Boland on 18 April 2018 at a junction near RTÉ. The prosecution alleges he failed to use mirrors and turn with due care, while the defence argues Boland may have fallen off his bike and was not wearing a helmet. The jury will resume tomorrow morning. David Morrissey pleaded not guilty.
The jury in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial of former solicitor Michael Lynn, aged 53, was sent home after six hours and 35 minutes of deliberation. Judge Martin Nolan directed the jury to return the following morning. Lynn stands accused of stealing approximately €27 million from seven financial institutions between 23 October 2006 and 20 April 2007, facing 21 counts of theft. He has pleaded not guilty. The prosecution alleges that Lynn secured multiple mortgages on the same properties, a practice the banks claimed was common in Celtic Tiger Ireland. Lynn contends that the banks were aware of his multiple loans and that he had "secret deals" with bankers who allowed him to use the loan money for overseas property developments. He also testified that he and former Irish Nationwide chief executive Michael Fingleton were involved in a purported secret profit‑share agreement concerning a property development in Portugal.
Mary Kennedy, a 46‑year‑old former accounts worker at St Columcille's Hospital, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for stealing more than €670,000 over a 16‑year period. Kennedy devised a fraudulent scheme that involved issuing cheques to doctors who were not actually employed by the hospital. After the hospital's computerisation in 2019, she arranged for the money to be paid into her brother‑in‑law Paul Leeson's account, who later returned the funds to her and made a €5,000 profit. Kennedy pleaded guilty to 16 counts of theft and two counts of fraud covering 2004‑2020, while Leeson pleaded guilty to one count of possessing the proceeds of crime between June 2019 and October 2020. Judge Martin Nolan, noting mitigating factors such as Kennedy's health problems, lack of prior convictions and role as a mother, imposed a two‑year sentence, which was fully suspended for Leeson.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a jury began deliberating on the case of truck driver David Morrissey, 29, who is accused of careless driving that caused the death of 19‑year‑old cyclist Harry Boland on 18 April 2018. Morrissey pleaded not guilty to driving without due care and attention. The prosecution, led by Michael Hourigan BL, argued that evidence from eyewitnesses Quentin Guillemot and Jason McMahon showed contact between the truck and the bike, and that Morrissey failed to see Boland. Defence counsel Garnet Orange SC contended that a truck driver cannot have a 360‑degree view, that Boland was not stationary and may have veered into the truck's path, and criticised the Garda investigation for lacking measurements and photographs. The jury was sent out by Judge Elma Sheahan after 3 pm and will resume on Monday morning.
Mark Taylor, aged 32, was sentenced to two years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for allowing himself to be carried in a stolen Nissan car on 3 December 2019. The car was stolen from a house in Orwell Park, Templeogue, crashed after theft, and was later recovered in Cabra. DNA from a glove, hat and Yop yoghurt bottle linked Taylor to the offence. The owner's victim impact report noted €20,000 purchase price and €14,000 damage. Taylor has 152 prior convictions, including traffic, drugs, assault, vehicle theft, burglary and endangerment. He has been in custody since October for a five‑year endangerment sentence. His defence argued a personal change after his twin brother's death, but the judge noted his behaviour was less culpable than earlier offences and did not extend his sentence beyond the two years imposed. The sentence is effective from the hearing date.