A 73‑year‑old man, who could not be named to protect the victim's identity, was convicted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of 72 counts of indecent assault on his step‑daughter between 1973 and 1979. The abuse began when the child was six and continued until she was about thirteen, with the first incident occurring before her First Holy Communion. The man, who was 25 at the time, was in a long‑term relationship with the victim's mother but never married her. He had earlier convictions for drink driving. In May 2019 Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a 10‑year sentence, using consecutive two‑year terms for seven counts and 14 years on other counts, citing the severity of the abuse and its lasting impact on the victim. The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence, rejecting the appellant's appeal and confirming the judge's decision to impose consecutive terms.
Felix Moorehouse, 19, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three burglaries and an attempted burglary at a gated retirement complex in Dun Laoghaire on 14 January 2021. The victims were all over 90 and Moorehouse stole cash, bank cards, expensive jewellery and a phone. He had 25 prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan noted that Moorehouse did not admit he knew the complex housed elderly residents, and that the incidents were particularly upsetting because the victims were cocooning during lockdown. The judge suspended the final 15 months of a five‑year sentence on the condition that Moorehouse engage with the Probation Service for 15 months after release. Garda Deirdre Finn described how Moorehouse entered the homes, stole items, and was identified by CCTV. His mother testified that he was influenced by his father, a chronic heroin addict with a criminal record, and that he had been well‑behaved at school but spent most weekends with his father.
Dylan Deegan, 24, pleaded guilty to three robberies – €684 from Cash for Clothes (July 2020), €684 from Insomnia Café (February 2021) and a prior robbery of a man at Back Lane Hostel (April 2020). He also admitted producing a knife on 2 July 2020. He had 15 prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to three years for the July 2020 robbery and 18 months for the February 2021 robbery, both to run consecutively with his earlier three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for a violent mugging in April 2020. The judge suspended both new sentences on strict conditions, including three years of probation. Deegan had approached a solicitor's office, claiming he wanted to hand himself in after the February 2021 robbery, stating he was suicidal, drug‑addicted and wanted to go to prison. The court noted he had no knife at the time of the February robbery and that the cash was never recovered.
In September 2020, Michael Quinn (30) of Louth attacked Ruth O'Rourke, known as Izzy Kamikaze (58), during an anti‑lockdown protest on Kildare Street, Dublin. Quinn swung a wooden plank with a tricolour nailed to it, striking O'Rourke's head and knocking her to the ground. After the assault, a crowd of masked men and unmasked protesters shouted homophobic slurs and threatened the victims. Video of the attack and the mob's behaviour was released online, prompting O'Rourke to say it made many people realise the danger of ignoring far‑right protests. Quinn pleaded guilty in June 2021 to assault causing harm and was sentenced to a three‑year prison term, with the final year suspended on conditions. The case highlighted the violent conduct of the attackers and the hostile environment faced by O'Rourke and her friends.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Dylan Cronin, aged 20, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, after pleading guilty to three counts of demanding money with menace. Cronin and a second man had entered a family home at night, falsely claiming a child was involved in a €50,000 drug debt and demanding €25,000. The claim was proven false. The men returned twice more, damaging property and leaving threatening notes. Cronin admitted he was coerced and would receive €2,000–€3,000 for his involvement. The judge noted the offences were planned, occurred at night, and caused significant stress and fear for the family. The sentence included strict probation conditions for 18 months post‑release. The case remains under investigation.
Gareth White, 33, was jailed for two-and-a-half years after defrauding a woman and the Society of St Vincent de Paul of over €20,000 by claiming the money was needed for urgent medical expenses. White had previously failed to repay a €10,000 cheque to the woman, which bounced and was recovered by the bank. He pleaded guilty to deception charges against both victims in October and November 2020. The court found that the money was actually used to pay gambling debts, and that White's gambling addiction had spiraled beyond his control. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to three-and-a-half years, suspending the final 12 months on strict conditions, including a five‑year ban on gambling. White admitted the charity's funds were misused and that he had no legitimate medical need for the money. The case highlighted the extent of White's financial fraud and his ongoing gambling problem.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 39‑year‑old father denied gardaí that he tortured his nine‑year‑old daughter, who sustained 40 injuries, including eleven burns and bites, on 2 July 2019. He and his 36‑year‑old wife pleaded not guilty to two assault‑causing‑serious‑harm charges and three child‑cruelty charges. The couple, originally from North Africa, moved to Ireland in 2011 and the daughter joined them in March 2019. The father was arrested on 7 August 2019. During the trial, detectives presented evidence of the arrest and transcripts of the father's interviews. He repeatedly answered "I don't know" when asked how the injuries occurred, and said he had no idea how his daughter was hurt. He claimed he performed CPR on her after finding her lying in his bedroom and called 999. The case remains before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
Jonas Mercado, 30, of Castlecurragh Vale, Mulhuddart, was sentenced to 12 months in prison with the final six months suspended on strict conditions after pleading guilty to a single charge of sexual assault. The offence occurred on Middle Abbey Street, Dublin, on 15 July 2017, when Mercado approached a woman speaking on her mobile phone, placed a hand on her leg, and attempted to tear her underwear. Passers‑by restrained him and he fled. The victim, who felt extremely vulnerable, reported the assault to Gardaí and later to the court. Judge Melanie Greally noted Mercado's intoxication, high risk of reoffending, and his remorse, including a €4,500 compensation payment. The sentence aims to be punitive and deterrent while encouraging treatment and responsibility under probation supervision. Jonas Mercado was convicted.
During a child cruelty trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, expert Dr. Shirley Potter, a consultant plastic and reconstructive surgeon, testified that the nine‑year‑old victim suffered burn marks and bruising that occurred within seven days of her July 2, 2019 hospitalisation. Potter examined the child on July 3, 2019, and again in July 2021, identifying 28 scars on her hands, arms, thighs, lower legs, ankles, feet and back, linking them to injuries sustained in 2019. The parents, a 39‑year‑old man and a 36‑year‑old woman of North African origin, pleaded not guilty to two assault‑causing‑serious‑harm charges and three child‑cruelty charges for incidents between June 28 and July 2, 2019. Dr. Lisa Oakley, a UK‑based professor and expert in faith‑based abuse, explained that beliefs in spirit possession can lead to violence, citing examples of beating, burning, cutting, semi‑strangulation and starving.
Elvis Chiriac, aged 35, was sentenced to two years in prison, with the final six months suspended, after pleading guilty to 15 counts of theft at AIB ATMs and banks in Dublin between 8 and 10 January 2020. He used a rented GoCar and a "Transaction Reversal Fraud" technique to withdraw €8,520 from 22 ATMs over three days, damaging several machines. Gardaí traced his movements using the GoCar's GPS and CCTV footage from a Centra shop, identifying him at the ATMs. Chiriac's prior convictions for fraud and money laundering in Romania were considered, as were his efforts to address a drug habit and his impact on his partner and young family. The €3,000 he brought to court was ordered to be paid to a charity nominated by the bank. The case was heard by Judge Melanie Greally at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Judge Pauline Codd, presiding over the sentencing of Marcin Konar, a 43‑year‑old former Lidl store manager, highlighted the duty of bookmakers to scrutinise accounts that receive large sums of stolen money. Konar had stolen €26,600 from Lidl between February and May 2018, using the cash to fund an online gambling addiction. He admitted the theft, confessed to the gardaí, and expressed remorse, claiming he intended to repay the money. Codd noted that the stolen funds had been transferred to an online gambling account, effectively "walking into the sunset" for the bookmaker. She imposed a suspended two‑year imprisonment, suspended in its entirety for four years, and required Konar to hand over €3,700, repay a minimum of €500 monthly to Lidl, and comply with strict conditions. The judge urged the gardaí to investigate the bookmaker's handling of the proceeds, as no prior inquiry had been made. Marcin Konar pleaded guilty.
During the trial of a 39‑year‑old man and his 36‑year‑old wife, both accused of assault causing serious harm and child cruelty, a medical expert confirmed that the nine‑year‑old girl's injuries were consistent with child abuse and non‑accidental injury. The parents pleaded not guilty to two assault charges and three child cruelty charges relating to incidents at their Dublin home between 28 June and 2 July 2019. The jury heard that the girl suffered a brain injury that will require 24‑hour care for life. Dr Louise Kyne, a paediatrician, stated that the parents' medical history did not explain the injuries. Professor Jack Crane examined photographs and described burn marks, bruising, bite‑like marks, purple bruises suggesting several days old, and evidence of blunt‑force trauma, including a subdural haematoma and bleeding in both eyes. The trial is ongoing before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
Gary Hurley, 38, was found guilty of deception and use of a false instrument for obtaining a mortgage for his family home. He had submitted forged documents, including a non‑existent VAT number and mismatched signatures, to KBC Bank. The bank restructured the loan and allowed him to continue repayments, reducing arrears from over €9,000 to €1,180 by September 2021. The court heard that Hurley had no employment with the company he claimed to work for. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to three years imprisonment, fully suspended on strict conditions, including keeping the peace and good behaviour for three years. The bank agreed to a 35‑year mortgage and was willing to accept his repayments, while the Gardaí had investigated the fraud. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 20 October 2017.
David Tyrell, a 36‑year‑old gym manager from Firhouse, Dublin, was found guilty of stealing €22,264 from his employer by redirecting payments from the online voucher site Pigsback.com to his own bank account. He had been tasked with changing the password for accessing the payments and used that opportunity to alter the bank account details. Tyrell pleaded guilty to four counts of theft at Permanent TSB in Tallaght between April and August 2016 and had three prior convictions for road traffic offences. He resigned when the theft was discovered and later made full restitution. Judge Melanie Greally, noting the full repayment and lack of further offending, imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year prison sentence that was fully suspended on strict conditions, citing Tyrell as a low‑risk offender. The court recorded that the case had been adjourned previously to allow the restitution to be completed.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, a 39‑year‑old father and his 36‑year‑old wife pleaded not guilty to two assault‑causing‑serious‑harm charges and three child‑cruelty charges for their nine‑year‑old daughter. The daughter, who now requires 24‑hour care after a brain injury, was admitted to Temple St children's hospital with head, facial injuries and extensive bruising. The father told Detective Inspector David McInerney that he had performed a ritual to remove a "djinn" from his daughter's body, describing the djinn as a devil. He claimed he consulted a Moroccan ruqyah practitioner, who advised prayers and holy water, and that he placed a towel over the child's head while reciting Koranic prayers. The father also said he opened a bedroom window and told the djinn to leave, after which the child allegedly hit her head on the wall. The trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
Trevor Robinson, aged 31, pleaded guilty to assisting an offender after an offence, criminal damage and two burglary charges following a high‑speed chase on 9 April 2018. The incident began when Christina Joyce, aged 33, accelerated a Volvo while Garda Thomas Gallagher attempted to seize the vehicle. Gallagher, fearing he would be dragged under the car, held onto the door and later fell, sustaining serious injuries. Joyce was convicted of endangering Gallagher and assault, receiving a four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence. Robinson was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally to a cumulative term of three years, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions, including probation for 12 months after release. The court noted Robinson's burglaries were committed in a frantic attempt to evade pursuing Gardaí. No further outcomes are reported in the article.
Maura Keogh, 60, former accounts manager at CS Construction Spares Ltd, stole €23,366 from her employer by forging bank lodgement slips. She pleaded guilty to 18 theft charges and three false accounting counts for the period 31 December 2015 to 6 September 2016. Keogh, the sole breadwinner of her household, admitted the theft after a discrepancy was discovered in August 2016 and was dismissed in September 2016. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced her to two‑and‑a‑half years imprisonment, fully suspended on strict conditions, after noting her remorse, repayment of the stolen amount, lack of prior convictions and low risk of reoffending. The case caused a restructuring of the company's Dublin premises and job losses for several colleagues. The judge described the offence as a serious aberration from an otherwise law‑abiding life.
Brandon Brannock, aged 19, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, after pleading guilty to endangering traffic and criminal damage to a car in Ballymun on 6 December 2019. He was 17 when the offence occurred. The court heard that during a high‑speed pursuit in the middle of the day, Brannock's vehicle left the ground on speed ramps, crossed to the wrong side of the road repeatedly, broke a red light and narrowly missed an elderly woman. He crashed into a parked car, causing significant damage, and fled with three male passengers to a nearby house where they were refused entry by a man at the door. Brannock was disqualified from driving for four years. He has 32 prior convictions, including drug and road traffic offences, and the judge noted his youth and the stress and fear caused to others. The incident was not pre‑meditated.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a nine‑year‑old brother of a girl alleged to have suffered serious assault by her parents described how his father used "some evil thing" to scare him and his sister. The parents, 39‑year‑old man and 36‑year‑old woman, pleaded not guilty to two charges of assault causing serious harm and three charges of child cruelty. The boy testified that his mother used a leather belt, a phone charger, a hot knife, a spray and pliers to inflict injuries, and that his father choked his sister while she was pinned to a wall. He also said his father told him the "demon" talk was planned to frighten them. The trial, presided over by Judge Martin Nolan, continues with a jury hearing the allegations.
Aaron Dardis, 25, was given a one‑year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to assisting an offender under section 72 of the Criminal Law Act. He admitted driving a group of young men to the scene of a meat cleaver attack at Balgaddy, Dublin, on 7 August 2017. Dardis said he had offered them a lift after they claimed they were going to a "fair fight" and that he did not hear the assault until days later. The victim, who was walking past the playground, was struck on the arm with a meat cleaver and beaten with other implements, leaving the victim with limited arm use. The court noted Dardis had no prior convictions and was considered low risk of re‑offending, and imposed the suspended sentence on a number of conditions.
Mark Taylor (31), of no fixed abode in the Tallaght area, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for offences committed on December 9, 2019. Taylor, who had 142 previous convictions including 24 for dangerous driving, pleaded guilty to three counts of dangerous driving, one count of endangerment, one count of criminal damage, and one count of driving with no insurance. He was already disqualified from driving for 25 years and on bail for another driving-related offence at the time. Judge Melanie Greally noted the extreme risk to road users during the high-speed pursuit, which involved Taylor allegedly attempting to run over a garda and ramming two patrol cars. The court heard that Taylor drove over 100km/h, crossed onto the wrong side of the road, and caused €12,000 in damage to garda vehicles. Judge Greally handed down an eight-year sentence, suspending the final three years on conditions. Taylor was banned from driving for life. As a condition of the suspended portion, he was ordered to enter a drug rehabilitation programme upon release and complete it. The sentence was backdated to when Taylor first went into custody on these offences.
Rinaldo Sciolla, 36, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of the proceeds of criminal conduct after a company in Cork mistakenly paid €13,166 to his Bank of Ireland account. He claimed he had no idea how the money arrived, saying he was expecting a €10 refund and saw the balance when checking. He withdrew €4,000 for accommodation, food and petrol, and later withdrew €2,000 and transferred €7,000 to a UK account, which he denied knowledge of. The court noted the money was not recovered and the company had to repay the supplier. Judge Melanie Greally set a headline sentence of two and a half years, gave credit for his plea and circumstances, and imposed an 18‑month sentence suspended in full.
During a trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a 14‑year‑old sister of a girl alleged to have been seriously assaulted by her parents gave testimony about the abuse. She said the mother, a 36‑year‑old, had threatened to kill her sister and had physically abused both sisters with a belt, a stick, a hot knife, and by pulling hair. The mother also allegedly used tape to bind the sisters' hands and feet and forced one sister to touch a hot hob. The father was described as choking the sister, punching and kicking her, and locking her in a dark attic. The sisters were reportedly not taken to an ambulance immediately, and the mother claimed she would go to jail. The parents, originally from North Africa, pleaded not guilty to charges of assault causing serious harm and child cruelty. The case is ongoing.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Noel Shannon, a 40‑year‑old electrician from Finglas, admitted to taking photographs of a Garda intelligence board that listed personal details of 108 individuals involved in ongoing investigations. The board, located at Kilmainham Garda Station, was accessed by Shannon on 13 March 2019 while he was contracted to check emergency lighting. He later sent the images to two other electricians, and the pictures were subsequently shared on social media under the caption "never let an electrician into a garda station." The case is noted as the first criminal breach of the Data Protection Act 2018 to be prosecuted on indictment. Shannon, who has four prior convictions including theft and a public order offence, pleaded guilty to disclosing personal data without authorisation. He was remanded on bail, with the matter scheduled for finalisation on 17 December.
David Morgan, aged 30, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary, unlawful vehicle taking and property damage at LPD Cars & Commercials, Greenhills Road, Tallaght, on 3 September 2018. He also pleaded guilty to refusing a sample at Tallaght Garda Station and driving without insurance on Homelawn Avenue, both on the same date. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to two years in prison, suspended in full, after noting his admissions, remorse, apology and payment of €1,700 compensation to the dealership. The suspension is conditional on Morgan keeping the peace and good behaviour for two years. Morgan had been on a probation bond since January 2020, had engaged satisfactorily with the Probation Service, and is expected to finish his work with them in 2022. He was intoxicated during the offences and had been observed driving at high speed, crashing into parked cars, and resisting arrest.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Ioan Ovidiu (54) was found guilty of attempting to meet a child for sexual activity after responding to a fake child's profile on the adult dating site Fastmeet. The profile was operated by a volunteer group that set up decoy accounts to catch online predators. Ovidiu was told the woman was 14 and sent a photograph of a teenager to support this claim. He continued communication, requesting explicit images and sending his own. An arrangement was made to meet at a supermarket in Mulhuddart on 27 May 2018. He was confronted by a hostile crowd, restrained, and taken to a Garda station. A forensic analysis of his phone revealed an image of a naked adult male touching a child's genitals, estimated to be about nine years old.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court appeal, two medical experts disputed whether a one‑year‑old girl's injuries were due to female genital mutilation (FGM). The parents, convicted of child cruelty, were found guilty of performing FGM on their daughter on 16 September 2016. Professor Birgitta Essen, a Swedish obstetrician‑gynecologist with 25 years of FGM research, argued that the absence of scarring and a visible clitoris meant FGM had not occurred, citing WHO criteria. Professor Sri Paran, a paediatric surgeon who cauterised the wound, contended that cautery could mask scars and that the child had not self‑injured. The father's counsel highlighted translation errors that he claimed compromised the trial's fairness. The appeal hearing remains ongoing.
During a trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a 39‑year‑old man and a 36‑year‑old woman, who pleaded not guilty, faced two assault‑causing‑serious‑harm charges and three child‑cruelty charges for the alleged abuse of their young daughter between 28 June and 2 July 2019. The prosecution, represented by Anne Rowland SC, argued that the child suffered a brain injury that will likely require 24‑hour care for life. Neighbours testified that they heard frequent screaming and shouting from the defendants' home, with the noise reportedly increasing in intensity and frequency in the weeks leading up to 2 July. Fire‑brigade officers and a nursing staff member from Temple Street Children's Hospital also provided evidence of the child's injuries and the parents' distressed state. The case remains before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
Derek Hackett, 55, a former French Foreign Legion member, was jailed for three‑and‑a‑half years after being caught with just under €80,000 of cannabis. Gardaí, conducting a surveillance operation aimed at another man, observed Hackett handing a black refuse bag containing the drugs to that man at Drumfinn Road, Ballyfermot, on 1 August 2020. Hackett pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply. Judge Melanie Greally, noting his prior convictions for traffic offences, attributed his drug use to a debt stemming from escalating cocaine use linked to trauma from war‑torn areas where he served. She sentenced him to four‑and‑a‑half years, suspending the final 12 months on strict conditions. The case highlighted the seriousness of assisting drug distribution and the judge's emphasis on the need for serious consequences. The prosecution and defence discussed his PTSD symptoms, low re‑offending risk, and family ties, but the sentence remained unchanged.
Gerdas Svambaris, aged 20, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a fully suspended nine‑month imprisonment for possession of the proceeds of criminal conduct after he allowed his bank account to receive over £10,000 that was the proceeds of criminal activity. He was 18 when he agreed to store the money and could not withdraw it because the account was frozen following the lodgement. Svambaris pleaded guilty on 24 April 2019 at AIB, Main Street Lucan. He had no prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally noted that the origin of the money was not yet established and that the case involved a young man approached by more menacing elements in the criminal underworld. The sentence was suspended in its entirety on strict conditions, and the judge said Svambaris had learned his lesson and was assessed as a low risk of re‑offending. The account was frozen, preventing any loss to parties involved.
Anthony Leddy, 25, was driving a motorbike with passenger Cian Doherty when the bike collided with a car near his home. Leddy fled the scene with the bike, later returning to check on Doherty, who suffered a very serious head injury, required part of his skull removed, and now has life‑long injuries. Leddy pleaded guilty to failing to remain at the scene, careless driving and driving without insurance. He had no prior convictions. The court heard that Leddy was not skilled on the bike and was travelling too fast for the traffic. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to two years imprisonment, suspended in its entirety, with strict conditions of good behaviour and keeping the peace for two years. The sentence was imposed on 8 June 2018, and the case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 6 October 2021.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, 31‑year‑old Ronan Byrne was acquitted of manslaughter, assault and possession of a bat after a dispute with his mother's partner, James Marren, who died on 31 October 2013. Byrne testified that he feared Marren and had never struck back. He claimed Marren had repeatedly abused him and that the altercation began when Marren called him a "scumbag" and threatened his daughter. Byrne said he used a wooden bat to try to stop Marren from attacking, striking him a few times, but not with intent to kill. Marren was taken to hospital with a fractured leg, casted, and died days later from a pulmonary embolism caused by a deep vein thrombosis in the injured leg. The jury found Byrne not guilty on all charges after deliberating over three and a half hours. The case highlighted the alleged abuse and the medical chain of causation presented by the pathologist.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, 31‑year‑old Ronan Byrne pleaded not guilty to the unlawful killing of 57‑year‑old James Marren, who died on 31 October 2013. Byrne is accused of fracturing Marren's leg with a bat during an altercation on 26 October 2013. The defence argued that Marren's death resulted from a "freak event" – a blood clot that formed after the leg was cast and travelled to his heart – rather than Byrne's actions. The defence counsel, Padraig Dwyer SC, emphasised that the clot was a rare complication of deep vein thrombosis and that Byrne's strike was "reasonable and proportionate" to stop Marren from rising. Dwyer also highlighted the long relationship between Byrne's mother and Marren, and that Byrne had never retaliated before. The jury was instructed to consider these points before delivering a verdict. The trial continues before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury.
Jakub Gorski, 37, pleaded guilty in 2011 to possessing €40,000 worth of cannabis and was due to be sentenced in April 2012. He fled Ireland in 2012, before the hearing, and was later arrested in Denmark in August 2021. Gorski, who had built a new life in Denmark with a wife, two children, a house, a mortgage and a job, was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally to a three‑year term suspended on the condition that he leave Ireland within 72 hours and not return for 15 years. The judge noted his reformation and the potential disproportionate impact of a custodial sentence, and highlighted that he had no prior convictions and had not committed any offences since leaving Ireland. The suspended sentence reflects the court's view that his new life should not be unduly disrupted.
Tomasz Lorenc, a 32‑year‑old Polish national living in Dublin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing cannabis for sale or supply. The offence involved €467,000 worth of cannabis found in a rented 40‑foot metal storage container at Meadowfield Storage in Saggart. Gardaí obtained a search warrant and matched Lorenc's fingerprints to those taken from the drugs. The container had been rented under an alias, Karl Finnegan BL, which later proved to be Lorenc's. He is wanted in Poland for an assault charge and faces an outstanding European arrest warrant. Lorenc has one prior UK conviction for drug importation. He will be returned to Poland after serving his sentence. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to five years' imprisonment, back‑dated to his September 2020 arrest. The sentence was imposed after a psychologist report noted Lorenc's addiction, depression and other mental health issues.
A man has been convicted and sentenced following the shooting of a garda during a raid on a Dublin property in December 2017. Charles Moore, aged 48, of Barnwell Drive, Ballymun, was found guilty on all counts at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, including possession of a firearm without lawful purpose, possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life, and reckless discharge of a firearm. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Moore to nine years imprisonment for the endangerment offence. Sergeant Paul McManus was struck in the forearm when Moore discharged a semi-automatic pistol as gardaí secured the premises for a drugs search. The officer subsequently underwent multiple surgeries and physiotherapy, and was later medically discharged from An Garda Síochána. Moore, who has eighteen previous convictions, maintained he did not intend to shoot a garda, claiming he believed his home was under attack. The judge accepted Moore was intoxicated at the time and unable to properly assess the situation. Charles Moore pleaded not guilty.
During a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, the prosecution argued that the alleged victim, James Marren, was "unlucky" to die from injuries sustained in an altercation with Ronan Byrne, but that this does not absolve Byrne of liability. Byrne, 31, is accused of fracturing Marren's leg with a baseball bat on 26 October 2013, an act that the prosecution says was intended to cause serious harm. The jury heard that a blood clot formed after Marren's leg was cast, travelled to his heart and proved fatal. Byrne denies both the use of the bat and the assault. The prosecution, led by Philipp Rahn BL, emphasized that the causal chain from Byrne's actions to Marren's death is clear and that any medical treatment or Marren's refusal to seek further care does not mitigate Byrne's responsibility. The case remains before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury. Ronan Byrne pleaded not guilty.
Anthony Behan, 62, was convicted of impeding the apprehension of his brother during the violent armed robbery of Mizzoni's Pizza on New Year's Day 2019. He was sentenced to two‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment by Judge Martin Nolan on 3 April 2020. His counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, appealed the length of the sentence, arguing that the three months and four days he had spent in custody before bail should be credited. The High Court, presided over by Justice George Birmingham, granted the appeal, effectively back‑dating the sentence so that Behan's release would be on 7 October 2022 instead of 11 January 2022. The appeal also noted that Behan's separate appeal against conviction had been abandoned. The case was heard after a jury trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 28 February 2020, where both Anthony and his brother Joseph were found guilty of their respective roles in the robbery.
John O'Sullivan, a 59‑year‑old father of six, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to knowingly filing an incorrect 2007 tax return and evading €100,000 in tax, as well as to failing to file returns for 2009, 2010 and 2011. He admitted nine prior convictions for failing to file returns. The total tax liability, including back taxes and capital gains tax, was €299,658, which he has fully repaid. Judge John Aylmer, after considering mitigating factors such as the economic downturn of 2008, the guilty plea and repayment, sentenced O'Sullivan to 18 months imprisonment, but suspended the sentence entirely on strict conditions, requiring him to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for 12 months. The case was prosecuted by Diarmuid Collins BL on behalf of Revenue, and defended by John Fitzgerald SC.
Anthony Keogh, a 64‑year‑old farmer and former director of Keogh's Crisps, was charged with unlawfully possessing and cultivating 39 cannabis plants in his greenhouse, valued at €7,800. He pleaded guilty on 9 July 2020. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Keogh grew the plants out of curiosity about their medicinal benefits, describing the activity as a "gardening experiment." Judge Melanie Greally had initially proposed an eight‑month prison sentence but, after Keogh met the judge's conditions—including a bond to keep the peace, good behaviour for the adjourned period, and a €200 contribution to the Father Peter McVerry Trust—discharged him under Section 100 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. The case was therefore dismissed without conviction, and Keogh was released from the indictment. The Gardaí had found the plants during a search warrant, noting they were seedlings and unlikely to enter drug circulation. The prosecution described the circumstances as "very unusual.".
A manslaughter trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard evidence regarding the character of the deceased man in the case. Ronan Byrne, aged 31, of Lohunda Downs, Clonsilla, Blanchardstown, Dublin, pleads not guilty to the unlawful killing of James Marren, aged 57, at that address on 31 October 2013. He also denies producing a baseball bat during a dispute and assaulting Mr Marren on 26 October 2013. The prosecution alleges Mr Byrne fractured the victim's leg with a bat, leading to complications including a fatal blood clot. During the sixth day of trial, the court heard a statement from the deceased man's son describing the victim as heavily drinking and abusive towards the accused and his family members. The witness stated he had not seen his father for four years prior to his death due to the pattern of abusive behaviour. The prosecution formally closed its case before the jury. Judge Patricia Ryan presides over the trial, which continues.
During a manslaughter trial, 31‑year‑old Ronan Byrne pleaded not guilty to the unlawful killing of 57‑year‑old James Marren on 31 October 2013. Byrne claimed he feared for himself and his child after Marren, who had returned home drunk, shouted abuse, pushed him and threatened him. Byrne said he grabbed a baseball bat from the hallway, struck Marren a few times—once or twice to the head and once or twice to the legs—then fled the house, later returning to bring his child to her mother. He denied that he had used the bat in a full swing or that he had previously hit Marren with a bat. The court heard that Marren's leg was cast after the assault, a blood clot formed, travelled to his heart and proved fatal. The trial continues before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury.
During a manslaughter trial, the court heard that a direct chain of causation links a leg injury to a fatal blood clot. Ronan Byrne, 31, is accused of fracturing James Marren's leg with a bat on 26 October 2013. Marren, 57, was later found dead on 31 October 2013. Byrne pleaded not guilty to unlawful killing and denies using a baseball bat or assaulting Marren. Dr Stuart Hamilton, a forensic pathologist, testified that Marren's right leg was fractured, immobilised in a cast, and developed a deep vein thrombosis that led to a pulmonary embolism. Hamilton stated that the clot travelled from the leg to the heart and then to the lungs, causing death. He described this as a rare medical condition that can cause sudden death. The trial continues before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury.
A manslaughter trial is ongoing with medical witnesses and emergency personnel providing evidence regarding the death of James Marren. Ronan Byrne (31) is accused of fracturing Mr Marren's leg with a bat during an altercation. The jury heard that a blood clot developed in Mr Marren's leg after it was placed in a cast, leading to his death. Byrne has pleaded not guilty to the unlawful killing of Mr Marren on October 31, 2013, and to assault and the use of a bat on October 26, 2013. Medical evidence showed Mr Marren had a fractured leg, excessive bruising, and alcohol in his system. Doctors testified that immobility can lead to deep vein thrombosis, but no issues with the cast were noted. Mr Marren was found unresponsive at home, and paramedics performed CPR before he was pronounced dead at the hospital. The trial continues before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, 31‑year‑old Ronan Byrne pleaded not guilty to the unlawful killing of James Marren, 57, who died on 31 October 2013 after a blood clot from a fractured leg travelled to his heart. Byrne is alleged to have fractured Marren's leg with a bat on 26 October 2013, days before the fatal clot. He denies both the assault and the use of a baseball bat. Byrne's mother, Mairead, testified that Marren had been in a relationship with her for at least 13 years and that Marren had verbally abused her son, but she did not witness the fight. Neighbour Hugh Kenny described a commotion at the house on 26 October, noting Marren was lying on the bathroom floor with a large forehead wound and that an ambulance was called. The trial continues before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury.
Paulina Galantkiewicz, 34, of Belmount Park, Raheny, has gone on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm to cyclist Thames Aline Taveres. The incident occurred on 1 June 2018 at Oak Road, Clondalkin, when Galantkiewicz, a learner driver, was unaccompanied while driving to a job interview. Taveres, returning home from work at about 3.25 pm, was cycling without a helmet or high‑visibility jacket in the rain. Galantkiewicz was turning left at a T‑junction and failed to bring her vehicle to a complete stop, colliding with Taveres' bike. The collision sent the cyclist toward the front of the car, where she was struck and knocked from her bike, and the car then drove over her before stopping. Taveres was taken to Tallaght Hospital for serious injuries. Galantkiewicz admitted she was the driver, passed a roadside breathalyser test, and remained at the scene. Paulina Galantkiewicz pleaded not guilty.
Jordan Stone, a 23‑year‑old father of three, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale and supply after Gardaí seized 2.9 kg of cannabis, €1,420 in cash, and 1.1 g of cocaine from his home in Ringsend. He has prior convictions for drug possession and assault. At his sentencing hearing, Stone admitted he had a drug addiction and had been under pressure to hold drugs for someone else, but he would not name anyone. The judge noted the seized amount was significant but within the middle range for the Circuit Court, and considered his good work record and recent loss of his mother as mitigating factors. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a five‑year prison term, suspended for three years, and ordered Stone to attend courses on victim awareness and substance misuse, to destroy the drugs and surrender the cash. She urged him to rehabilitate and warned he should not return to court.
Joseph Keegan, a 79-year-old former Franciscan friar from Crumlin, Dublin 12, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for two counts of indecent assault. A jury found him guilty of anally raping a boy aged nine or ten in 1986 or 1987 at a Church property, and sexually assaulting him after football training in 1985 or 1986. Judge Pauline Codd noted aggravating factors including the breach of trust, grooming, and the lack of remorse or admission of guilt. She also considered Keegan's previous 1999 conviction for gross indecency involving five boys. Despite his frailty and low risk of reoffending, the judge imposed a six-year sentence for the rape and a four-year sentence for the sexual assault. These sentences were ordered to run concurrently. The final year of both terms was suspended, resulting in an effective custody period of five years. Keegan, who was seated in a wheelchair throughout the proceedings, was taken into custody after entering the bond.
The Court of Appeal has reduced the jail sentence of an unnamed 51-year-old man who pleaded guilty to the sexual assault of his step-daughter, then aged 11, and to producing and distributing child pornography. The appellant challenged the severity of the original six-year sentence imposed by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in July 2020, arguing that the final term of six years and nine months, with nine months suspended, was excessive. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham with Mr Justice John Edwards and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, upheld the categorisation of the offences in the mid-range but determined that the headline sentence for the two child pornography offences was too high. Consequently, the sentence for those offences was reduced by six months to five years and six months. The original three-year sentence for the sexual assault conviction remained unchanged. The court also imposed a post-release supervision order of six years, with the condition that the appellant receive psychological counselling. The appeal was successful in reducing the total effective custody period, reflecting the court's assessment that the original sentencing did not adequately balance the gravity of the conduct with the specific circumstances of the pornography charges.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Kai Zhu, 39, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his wife, Meihan Meng, and to one count of criminal damage. The assault occurred on 13 May 2020 at their home, where Zhu held Meng down on the kitchen floor, strangled her, slapped and punched her face repeatedly, and smashed her mobile phone. Meng, who was with their three‑year‑old daughter, described feeling unable to breathe and losing consciousness. A medical report noted temporary hearing loss. Zhu denied using a chokehold, claiming he only slapped. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to 15 months' imprisonment, with the final three months suspended, and a concurrent six‑month sentence for criminal damage. The case highlighted the domestic violence that can occur in family homes. The court heard Meng was on sick leave for 46 days following the assault.