In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, professional mixed‑martial‑arts fighter Dylan Tuke, aged 24, pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm after he repeatedly punched a taxi driver on 16 December 2018. Tuke had entered the cab without asking if it was available, called the driver a "sap" and a "fool", and after the driver demanded payment upfront, Tuke struck him in the head and face, breaking the driver's front teeth. The assault was captured on dash‑cam footage, which was circulated to Gardaí and led to Tuke's identification. The driver, who now feels defenseless and suffers from headaches and a facial scar, gave a victim impact statement. Tuke, who has no prior convictions, expressed remorse, citing his upbringing and the potential career impact of a conviction. Judge Pauline Codd adjourned the sentencing to 11 October to allow Tuke to raise further compensation.
Stephen Boylan, a 51‑year‑old taxi driver from Newtown, Kill, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply. He had stored €245,388 worth of cocaine and a small amount of cannabis in a wooden cabin at the rear of a house where he lived for five years. Gardaí, acting on confidential information, conducted a surveillance operation and seized the drugs, bagging materials and a mobile phone with the Wickr app. Boylan claimed financial pressure and that he had been pressured by others to store the drugs, but he did not pack them. He had no prior convictions and was described by the judge as a good family man unlikely to reoffend. The court reduced the presumptive minimum of ten years to the imposed term of four and a half years.
Two men, Robert Malole (43) and Gheorghe Cocos (44), were jailed after they followed an 87‑year‑old woman who had just withdrawn €2,000 from a bank. They watched her at the bank, followed her to a shop, pharmacy and then to her car. Cocos asked her to point out a location on a map, obscuring her view of her handbag while the money was stolen. Gardaí traced the pair through CCTV and by following their rental car, which they had obtained using their real passports. The men repaid the victim in full. They pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to theft at Brackenstown Road, Swords on 20 October 2020. Malole, who has nine previous convictions, was given an eight‑month sentence consecutive to his current term, while Cocos, who has three previous convictions and is serving a two‑year sentence with the final eight months suspended, received a 20‑month sentence.
Paul Heaney, 37, was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment for robbery and attempted robbery at Long's Place on 21 October 2019, with the final nine months suspended on strict conditions. He was part of a joint enterprise with Gareth Mallon, 39, who received a four‑year sentence in December. The offence involved a realistic imitation firearm and the robbery of an Italian student who handed over €60, followed by an attempted robbery of his teacher. Heaney was not armed during the offence and had previously pleaded guilty to 51 convictions, including robbery and attempted robbery. He attended a garda station voluntarily a few days after the crime. The court noted Heaney's troubled upbringing, his efforts at rehabilitation, and his current drug‑free status. The case attracted media attention and was featured on RTE's Liveline. The sentencing was carried out by Judge Elma Sheahan at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Nicola Henry, 32, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to three counts of theft, two counts of attempted theft, and two counts of making a false instrument. The offences, committed between April 2014 and September 2015, involved Henry, then secretary of the Johnson & Johnson social club, forging colleagues' signatures to write 37 cheques to herself. She cashed 27 of these, receiving €17,326, which she spent on luxury holidays, shopping, and beauty treatments. Additionally, she spent €3,233 on a company credit card after it was blocked. Judge Pauline Codd accepted that Henry's actions were driven by depression and noted a psychological report indicating low re-offending risk. The judge handed down a two-year sentence but suspended the final 18 months on conditions. The sentence was backdated to November last year, when Henry was placed in custody following her arrest. Henry, of Co Roscommon, has no previous convictions. A further 65 counts were taken into consideration. The court heard she was suspended from her role when the thefts were discovered in August 2015. Defence counsel highlighted her remorse and family history, while the prosecution detailed the specific luxury expenditures. The matter was finalised with this suspended sentence and effective custody period.
During a 999 call about an abduction in the Drogheda feud, armed gardai breached a house in the Moneymore Estate and found Aaron Rochford, 22, crouched in a bathtub, unclothed and covered in blood with a broken jaw and slash wounds to his torso and head. Rochford had been moved between two houses and was later found in shock. Dean Thornton, 23, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Rochford on 11 November 2018. He was described as not a ring leader. The court noted Thornton's guilty plea, remorse and cooperation, and imposed a three‑year sentence, crediting time already spent in custody. The case highlighted heightened tensions during the feud and the gardai's response to the emergency call. The victim's grandmother described him as a "lovable rogue" and expressed deep distress at his injuries. The court also considered Thornton's prior convictions and his future plans to remain drug‑free. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Paul Bradley, 40, entered Liberties Careplus pharmacy, brandishing a 20‑cm knife and demanding Valium tablets and €250 in cash. He fled with the drugs and money, then was pursued by the pharmacist to a nearby apartment complex where Gardaí were alerted. Police found Bradley still holding the knife, the cash, and the tablet bag. He pleaded guilty to robbing the pharmacy on 13 April 2021 and to a prior burglary of a business premises on 15 April 2018. The 2018 burglary involved breaking into an office via a fire escape, damaging a window and leaving DNA evidence. Bradley has 22 prior burglary convictions. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to one year for the office burglary and three years for the pharmacy robbery, with both terms to run consecutively. The judge noted Bradley's repeated failures in crime.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Mohammad Bah, a 21‑year‑old college student, avoided jail for stealing five phones from a UPS sorting facility. He pleaded guilty to two counts of theft on 2 August 2019. The judge, after a restorative justice programme, imposed a €100 fine and deferred imprisonment under Section 100 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, citing Bah's youth and potential for rehabilitation. Bah admitted to being part of a "gang" of employees who stole phones, initially acting as a lookout before profiting from the thefts. He claimed the operation was led by a senior employee and that he earned up to €900 from the stolen phones. The case highlights the court's emphasis on restorative measures for first‑time offenders.
Kenneth Lynch, 32, a special needs assistant, was found with over €4,000 of cocaine and €10,000 in cash in his home in Clondalkin. He pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply at his address on 23 August 2018. Gardaí had been surveilling him and obtained a search warrant. During the search, they discovered cocaine worth €4,816 and €10,400 in cash in a safe. Lynch admitted he had paid €1,500 for the cocaine and intended to sell it to "locals" to double his money, a scheme he had run for a year and a half. He claimed the cash came from people who owed him money and that he feared them after being threatened. Judge Pauline Codd described the activity as "a very nefarious trade" and ordered a report from the Probation Service, with the matter adjourned for finalisation on 6 May.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Matthew Johnstone, 31, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. Gardaí seized a laptop from his Brabazon House apartment, uncovering 22 images and 13 videos depicting children aged 1 to 12 years in sexual and physical abuse. The images showed girls aged 4 to 12 being abused, with eight digitally altered to include a horse's genitalia. The videos featured girls aged 1 to 10, including four of an 18‑month‑old baby abused by an adult woman, and a "trailer" video. Judge Pauline Codd described the material as "stomach churning" and adjourned the case for finalisation on March 24. Johnstone had no prior convictions, had worked as a bar manager, and claimed remorse, stating he had attended two counsellors and was seeking rehabilitation. The court considered a non‑custodial sentence.
A man was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for assaulting his infant child and his ex‑partner in two separate incidents. In September 2019 he struck the woman repeatedly around the head while she held their three‑month‑old baby, pushed her against a wall, and knocked the child's head against the wall. He later took the child away, but the woman recovered the baby. In June 2020, while arguing over milk for the baby in his home in Rush, the man hit the woman with closed fists, dragged her back when she tried to leave, and threatened a nearby technician with a metal bar. He held the child up to a window and later to the back of a door when Gardaí attempted to intervene. He pleaded guilty to child cruelty and assault causing harm to both the woman and the child.
In March 2021, a 20‑year‑old Dublin man, Calvin Brophy, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for his role in a violent escape from the Oberstown youth detention centre in May 2017. At that time he was 17 and, together with two other youths, used metal bars and other implements to damage the centre, smash a CCTV camera, and break into a tool shed. They stole an angle grinder and a sledgehammer, which they used to cut through a perimeter fence and escape. Brophy admitted his involvement after walking into a Garda station two months later, but he failed to appear for trial, leading to a warrant and arrest in November. He pleaded guilty to criminal damage and was found guilty of the offences.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Adetola Jimoh, aged 53, was sentenced to 240 hours of community service over 18 months instead of prison for his role in a €362,810 invoice redirect scam. Jimoh admitted to accepting €10,000 that had been transferred to his account as part of the fraud, claiming he believed the money was for buying a car for a friend. He pleaded guilty to one charge of money laundering on 25 August 2015 and had no prior convictions. The court noted that the €10,000 was withdrawn through ATMs and point‑of‑sale transactions. Judge Melanie Greally accepted his plea as based on recklessness, acknowledged the Garda evidence, and ordered the community service sentence. The case involved a fraudulent payment to a construction firm, Rhatigans, by Maynooth University, which was never received. The university was the victim of an invoice redirect fraud originating from a server in America.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Melanie Greally announced her intention to sentence former security guard Owen Shannon, aged 53, to imprisonment after he admitted downloading approximately 3,500 images and videos of child sexual abuse. The material, seized from two laptops, a computer and a hard drive, included children as young as five and some as young as three, with many classified as Category 1. Shannon, who had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty in December 2016 to possessing child pornography. The judge deferred sentencing until after Shannon's father, who is in his 80s, is vaccinated against Covid‑19, and will impose a partly suspended sentence with an 18‑month custodial period. Shannon has lived a solitary life, caring for his ill mother and father, and has expressed remorse for his actions. The case highlights the seriousness of child sexual exploitation offenses.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Nathan Harold, 26, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years' imprisonment for robbery and assault. The offence occurred on 22 November 2019 at Camden Place, Dublin city centre, when Harold, then on bail, approached an intoxicated man, Cathal Doyle, who had been refused entry to a nightclub. Harold punched Doyle repeatedly, knocked him to the ground, and stamped on him as he was leaving. Doyle's phone and wallet were taken. Harold had no fixed address, previously lived on Ratoath Avenue, Finglas, and had 55 prior convictions, including theft, drug possession and public order offences. He pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and was described by the judge as having seized an opportunity to prey on Doyle. The court imposed the sentence accordingly.
In March 2021, Noel McCabe, aged 25, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for obstructing justice after he threatened his ex‑partner, claiming her family, including her young daughter, would be shot if she did not drop assault charges. McCabe, already serving a six‑and‑a‑half‑year term for assault and violent disorder, pleaded guilty to intimidation in June 2018. The court noted the victim's 18‑month relationship with McCabe and her "nightmare" description of it. Judge Melanie Greally suspended the final year of a five‑year sentence on the condition of two years' peace and Probation Service engagement, and ordered no contact with the victim or her family. McCabe also admitted unlawful possession of five shotgun cartridges, receiving a similar concurrent sentence. The sentences run concurrently with his current term, ending after its completion. The judge cited mitigating factors such as remorse and personal hardship.
Shauna Kavanagh, aged 33, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of assault causing harm and two counts of assault on James Street, Dublin, on 9 December 2017. The assaults involved punching Thomas Coogan, a family friend, to the face when he tried to break up a fight outside the Malt House Bar, causing Coogan a fractured skull and brain bleeding. Coogan later died of cancer. Kavanagh also punched bar man Ian Byrne and threw a bottle at event manager Denis Heatly during a karaoke session. She was found to have a history of two minor convictions for public order and failing to produce a specimen. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced Kavanagh to two years' imprisonment, suspending the final 12 months, and directed that she serve the term in a women's prison, noting her psychological vulnerability and the fact that she had been living as a woman in London prior to the incident.
In a case heard by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Jamiee Griffin, aged 26, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after punching another man in the entrance to a District Court on 10 November 2017. The victim sustained a cut to his lip, an injury observed by a nearby Garda and captured on security footage. Griffin, who has 30 prior convictions including assault, affray, violent disorder, obstruction of a peace officer, public order and road traffic offences, was found to have no victim impact statement or complaint filed. Judge Melanie Greally, noting his history and recent efforts at rehabilitation, imposed a 12‑month sentence and suspended it in full for 12 months. The court recorded that Griffin had taken positive steps, was not abusing drugs, and had not attracted significant Garda attention since 2017. The case concluded with the judge's decision to suspend the sentence, reflecting his apparent maturity and change of behaviour.
David Dwyer, 37, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment after a drunken domestic incident on 22 February 2018. While intoxicated, he held a knife to his then partner's neck and threatened to stab two Gardaí who had entered the house. He refused to drop the knife, drew a second blade and threw both knives at the officers. The Garda used pepper spray and a baton before handcuffing him. Dwyer pleaded guilty to the offence of producing an article in the course of a dispute. His prior convictions include arson, robbery, assault and possession of knives. The judge noted his bad temper and advised him to abstain from alcohol, expressing hope for his reform. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Jason Freeman, 26, was sentenced to seven years in prison after firing a handgun to "cause terror" in Ballymun. On 28 June 2020, Freeman pointed the gun at a man's head in a driveway, then moved it and discharged two shots that passed through the front door of a neighbouring house. One bullet grazed the head of the woman inside, who had children and a grandchild. She sustained a one‑inch wound requiring eight staples. Freeman pleaded guilty to possession of a 9mm handgun in suspicious circumstances and to recklessly discharging a firearm. He had 48 prior convictions, including robbery and assault. The court noted his intent was to instill fear, not to kill, and imposed the custodial sentence accordingly. The firearm was not recovered. The sentence was back‑dated to 30 June 2020.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced 28‑year‑old Francis Lynch to a four‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term for possession of drugs for sale or supply, after he pleaded guilty. Lynch had moved about two kilos of cocaine in a specially modified Ford Kuga, which had a concealed compartment accessed by a hydraulic false floor. Gardaí observed Lynch and co‑accused Alan O'Flaherty (37) transfer the drugs from the Kuga to O'Flaherty's car at De Selby Park, Tallaght, before both vehicles were stopped and searched. The drugs were found to be worth roughly €139,000. Lynch claimed he acted under duress because of a "drug debt," but the judge found these submissions uncredible, citing evidence that he had no debt and that he was motivated by financial need. The judge accepted his guilty plea, remorse, support for his family and a history of depression as mitigating factors, but did not find duress.
A 48‑year‑old serial burglar, Bernard Foran, was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that he used a stolen master key to break into a dozen rooms at the Dean Hotel on 17 October 2020 while he was on bail for earlier burglary offences. Foran, who lives on Cloonlara Road, Finglas, had already pleaded guilty to two further burglaries on 18 October 2020 at Cedar Tree Restaurant and The Globe Bar, both in Dublin city centre. He admitted to forcing entry into a storage area, acquiring the master key, and then using it to enter 12 hotel rooms, stealing cash, jewellery and an Apple watch. The next night he was caught by a staff member at The Globe Bar, where he was found with a silver knife he claimed was for protection but had been stolen from Cedar Tree Restaurant.
John Corr, 55, owner of a pharmacy chain, pleaded guilty before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 20 counts of deception under the Theft and Fraud Act 2001 for fraudulently obtaining payments from the HSE's Primary Care Reimbursement Service. He admitted to inducing the scheme to reimburse €769.14 for services at Corr's pharmacy in Mell, Drogheda, on 28 July 2016. The offence involved various sums ranging from €7 to €220 at his Dublin and Drogheda locations. The DPP had previously directed trial on indictment, and Corr was remanded on continuing bail until 19 April for sentencing.
Philip Murphy, 40, was scheduled for sentencing for two sexual assaults in Dublin in February 2016, but the hearing was adjourned to 16 April because Midlands Prison is in lockdown after Covid‑positive cases. Murphy had previously served a 10‑year sentence for false imprisonment and was extradited from the UK in 2020. He pleaded guilty to assaulting two women on Jervis Lane and O'Rahilly Parade, describing threats of death and sexual violence. CCTV and witness accounts detail the incidents, including a first victim who was chased by a passer‑by and a second who was pushed into a street and threatened. Murphy denied the offences during a Garda interview, claiming he had received psychological treatment and was no longer attracted to women. The judge noted a lengthy probation period would be required for any sentence. Victim impact statements highlighted lasting psychological harm and loss of confidence.
Shane Ward, 24, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for dangerous driving that caused serious harm to a foreign student, Radhika Lausin, 28, at Drimnagh LUAS Stop on 30 January 2020. Ward, riding an uninsured scrambler motorbike, struck Lausin from behind while she had just disembarked from the LUAS. The collision sent the bike into a nearby canal; Ward escaped the scene on a friend's bike. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving without insurance and leaving the scene. Lausin suffered head injury, jaw and wrist fractures, and a thigh injury, requiring two operations. The court noted Ward's prior insurance offence and his remorse, including a €10,000 payment. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the custodial sentence and a six‑year driving disqualification. Ward's case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Milo Stuart, 26, pleaded guilty to criminal damage, assault causing harm and production of an article after breaking into his ex‑girlfriend's Dublin apartment on 6 November 2018. He had psychiatric issues at the time, had refused admission to a psychiatric hospital two days before the incident, and had not contacted the victim since. The court heard that Stuart had no prior convictions and that the victim had worked for a catering company run by Stuart's mother, with whom she had a turbulent relationship. During the incident Stuart broke the victim's door, took her phone, held a knife to her stomach, and forced her into a bathroom where she was injured. Gardaí arrested him after the scene. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Stuart's psychiatric state and guilty plea, ordered 150 hours of community service in lieu of a one‑year prison term.
In a sentencing hearing on 24 February 2021, Judge Melanie Greally imposed a four‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term on 65‑year‑old burglar Patrick McCann, with the final 12 months suspended. McCann, who had 73 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to breaking into a family home on South Circular Road on 21 May 2020. The homeowners, who lost heirlooms and personal items, testified that their sense of security had been severely damaged, describing an "acute sense of violation" and a heightened vulnerability. McCann, a heavy drug user, had been unable to attend a drug‑services clinic due to Covid‑19 restrictions and admitted taking a large number of tablets on the day of the burglary, claiming limited recollection. The judge accepted a letter of apology from McCann and noted his engagement with prison education and art. The suspended period is conditional on probation engagement for 18 months and good behaviour for two years.
Raynessa De Sousa, a 27-year-old Brazilian woman, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to having drugs for sale or supply at Dublin Airport on September 20, 2020. The court accepted that she swallowed 88 pellets of cocaine, weighing 792 grammes with an estimated street value of €55,447, while travelling from Sao Paulo to Dublin. Prosecution evidence indicated that De Sousa was refused entry due to a lack of a visa and subsequently identified the drugs in her stomach. She stated she was promised €1,200 for the transport but claimed she was threatened into ingesting the pellets after attempting to back out. Defence counsel highlighted her lack of prior convictions, her mental health struggles, and the threats faced by her family in Brazil. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged that De Sousa was desperate for money and accepted that she wanted to withdraw from the scheme but was prevented by threats. The judge noted it was unlikely she would re-offend. De Sousa was jailed for two years.
Liam Stoneham, a 24‑year‑old master's student, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to recklessly causing serious harm to Adam Ward after punching him in a pub. The assault, described by Judge Martin Nolan as a "one punch assault", left Ward with a fractured skull, traumatic brain injury, loss of smell and ongoing effects. Stoneham was given a four‑year suspended sentence, with the full term suspended on the condition he pays €10,000 to Ward and raises an additional €10,000 within two years if Ward wishes. The court noted Stoneham had no prior convictions, had shown remorse, and was a good student. CCTV evidence showed Stoneham's punch after a dispute in the bar, and the court considered the injury serious but borderline in severity. Stoneham's family supported him, and he had brought the initial €10,000 to court.
Stephen Berrigan, a 44‑year‑old father of two from St Mark's Crescent, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and cannabis for sale or supply at his address on 25 August 2019. He agreed to store over €178,000 worth of drugs in two vans in his driveway after his father's funeral bill of €7,000 left him in financial distress. The drugs were seized by Gardaí, who found two bricks of heroin and three packs of cannabis in the vans, with no drugs in Berrigan's home. He had no prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally, hearing the case at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, sentenced him to five years imprisonment, fully suspended on strict conditions, citing his intense grief and the "act of desperation" that led him to criminality. The sentence was imposed while acknowledging the value of the drugs and the likelihood of no reoffending. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 24‑year‑old Muslim woman testified that she was sexually assaulted by Mujahed Omer, a 57‑year‑old father of four who was highly regarded in his community. The victim described how Omer lured her into a bathroom under the pretext of removing fittings, then used a toothbrush, acid, and cream to assault her. She reported the incident to Gardaí, her family, and later to a Sexual Assault Treatment Unit. Judge Pauline Codd praised the victim's courage and stated that any blame or shame lay solely with the perpetrator. Omer, who had no prior convictions, was convicted by a jury and sentenced to four years' imprisonment. The judge noted his continued denial of guilt and lack of remorse. The case highlighted the victim's loss of trust in her community and her avoidance of her local mosque. Mujahed Omer pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Galin Genov, a 54‑year‑old nightclub bouncer, was jailed for a second assault on a drunken customer, Sean McEvoy, during a chaotic night at Dicey Reillys bar. The incident followed a previous assault in September 2015, for which Genov had been convicted in 2018. On the night in question, a third doorman was glassed, and Genov, believing McEvoy had pushed the assailant, punched him three times in the head and face. McEvoy sustained a chipped tooth, facial tissue damage and eye cuts, and later received €30,000 in a civil claim. Genov had continued working as a security officer until the March 2020 lockdown. Judge Elma Sheahan, acknowledging the difficult nature of the job, imposed a 20‑month prison term, suspending the final eight months on the condition of good behaviour. The court noted Genov's prior record and the aggravating factor that the assault occurred in the course of his duties. Galin Genov pleaded guilty.
A 39-year-old man facing trial on charges of deception and theft had a bail surety of €100,000 incorrectly refunded in full instead of the reduced amount of €50,000, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Friday. The defendant, from Limerick, had the money distributed amongst family members who had contributed to the surety. His legal team told the court he is currently reliant on Covid-19 welfare payments following redundancy. During an application to vary bail conditions, Judge Melanie Greally expressed concern about evidence that the accused had been travelling in a newly acquired van with power tools, questioning how this aligned with his stated financial circumstances. A detective garda objected to any variation, citing flight risk concerns and the seriousness of potential penalties if convicted. The matter was adjourned to March 5th to allow gardaí to establish whether the defendant's stated need to travel to Wexford for care duties was necessary. The accused faces 18 theft counts involving over €85,000 in County Mayo.
Thomas O'Brien, 49, was jailed for four and a half years after Gardaí found him carrying a bag containing €57,435 worth of cocaine. He was discovered while responding to a call about a man banging on a window in Ballyfermot; O'Brien was intoxicated and acting erratically. Gardaí searched his Dunnes Stores bag and found blocks of cocaine, a knife, weighing scales, plastic bagging, spoons, scissors, gloves and a suspected drugs tick list. O'Brien pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Con Colbert Road, Dublin 8, on 1 May 2018. He claimed he had stolen the bag, but his defence argued he had opportunistically taken the drugs after an overdose the night before. Judge Martin Nolan noted O'Brien's remorse and prior convictions, including manslaughter, robbery, burglary and hijacking, and imposed a sentence of four and a half years, recognising the offence's seriousness but departing from the presumptive minimum of ten years.
A 29‑year‑old Jehovah's Witness was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for sexually exploiting a 13‑year‑old girl. The court heard that in 2016 he and the girl exchanged Viber messages that included sexually explicit images of the child. He pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and to possession of child‑pornographic images. Judge Karen O'Connor noted the absence of prior convictions and the value of the guilty pleas, and suspended the final year of a two‑and‑a‑half‑year term on the condition of good behaviour and participation in a sex‑offender treatment programme. He was also ordered to have no unsupervised access to children. The offence was discovered when the girl's older sister saw the messages and alerted their mother. The man claimed he was "sexually naive in the extreme" due to his religious beliefs, but the court found the allegations and his admissions to be credible.
John McClean, aged 76, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for sexually abusing 23 boys at Terenure College between 1973 and 1990. The offences involved repeated indecent assaults, including groping, fondling and sexual touching, often under the guise of costume fittings, teaching duties or disciplinary meetings. McClean denied the allegations during Gardaí interviews, but pleaded guilty in November 2020. He had no prior convictions. The court noted the prolonged duration and scale of the abuse, the psychological manipulation of the victims, and the impact on their adult lives. Judge Pauline Codd imposed an 11‑year sentence, suspending the final three years on the condition of good behaviour for two years after release. McClean had previously worked as a rugby coach at UCD after leaving the school in 1996. The sentencing highlighted the severity of the repeated sexual offences and the court's decision to impose a suspended portion rather than consecutive sentences.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Michael Joyce, aged 23, was found guilty of assault causing harm to his then partner Katelyn Stevenson, criminal damage to her iPhone, and theft of two mobile phones. The incident occurred on 24 May 2020 in the bedroom of Joyce's sister Elizabeth's home. Joyce, who was under the influence of cocaine, became enraged when Stevenson questioned his fidelity. He seized her phone, smashed it, pushed and slapped her, and later punched her sister twice. The sister's daughter, present in the room, pleaded with her mother not to be hit. Joyce also struck the sister a third time before leaving. He was sentenced to an 18‑month prison term, suspended for three years, with a condition of good behaviour. The court noted his prior record of 27 convictions, including criminal damage and violence, and his remorse expressed to Gardaí.
Craig Courtney and Kane Duffy, both of Tallaght, were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for offences committed on April 6, 2017, at Centra, Old Bawn Shopping Centre. Courtney pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Roberta Rodriguez Brasil and violent disorder, while Duffy pleaded guilty to violent disorder. Both defendants admitted to committing these offences after being released from custody. Judge Patricia Ryan noted that in a "perfect world," Courtney would have been sentenced for this offence concurrently with his money laundering conviction. The court heard that Courtney accidentally struck Ms Brasil with a hurley stick while she was used as a human shield during an incident described as "extreme lawlessness." Courtney later returned to the shop with flowers, chocolates, and an apology. Judge Ryan sentenced both men to two-and-a-half years imprisonment, but suspended both sentences in their entirety on strict conditions. The judge ordered that €4,000 in compensation, comprising €3,000 from Courtney and €1,000 from Duffy, be handed over to the garda to be forwarded to the injured party.
James Fagan, aged 28, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm and three counts of making threats to kill or cause serious harm after an incident at Red Cow Luas Stop on 28 July 2019. He had punched a security guard who had tried to restrain him following reports of passenger abuse on a tram. While restrained, Fagan threatened to kill the guard and a colleague, claiming affiliation with a "well‑known crime group." He was found intoxicated, having taken ecstasy and cocaine, and had used a tin can as a weapon. Fagan's prior conviction for assault causing harm is currently serving a five‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended. The court adjourned the case for finalisation to 12 May, ordering a Probation Service report. The defence described Fagan as a young man attempting to change his ways, noting his violent tendencies and personal background.
John Gossan, 40, of Castlegrange Hill, Swords, pleaded guilty to sexual assault at Wright's Cafe Bar, Malahide Road, Swords, on 22 February 2019. The court found he was in a drunken state when he grabbed a young woman's breasts and nether area over her clothes. Judge Martin Nolan described the act as shameful and frightening, noting it was a short encounter with no aggravating factors. Gossan received a fully suspended sentence of one year imprisonment, with strict conditions to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for one year. He was ordered to hand over €2,000 to the prosecuting Garda, which may be given to charity if the victim declines. Gossan has a prior 2010 drug‑dealing conviction for which he served four years. The sentencing took place at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Ahmad Majeed, 26, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and possession of weapons at a 2019 brawl outside Love Lane nightclub. He admitted bringing a hatchet, hammer, wheel brace, and a towing eye from a Brown Thomas shopping bag, and a rucksack containing two petrol bombs. CCTV showed him gathering with about 20 men on Clarendon Street, passing the bag to another, then retrieving it before heading to the club. He also moved a traffic cone to reveal the rucksack. The mob, about 30 masked men, attempted to force entry, injuring a doorman who was punched and kicked. Majeed denied involvement in the assaults and claimed ignorance of the bombs, stating he would have stayed home if he had known. The court adjourned sentencing to March 12 and remanded him on bail.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Jordan Murray, aged 23, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years imprisonment for possession of a firearm and ammunition. The case stemmed from a police search of a taxi that stopped at Neilstown Road, Clondalkin, on 31 July 2020. Gardaí discovered a Glock 9mm handgun, 12 rounds of 9mm ammunition, and a small amount of cannabis in the vehicle. The handgun's serial number had been filed off, and Murray offered no explanation for its presence. He had previously pleaded guilty to the firearm offences and had nine prior convictions for public order offences and theft. The judge noted that the detective's suggestion that Murray had obtained the gun for revenge after a prior assault could not be relied upon, and he emphasized that the gun could have been used to threaten, injure, or kill. Murray's record was considered, but the judge highlighted his apparent willingness to reform while in custody.
Sean Everitt, a 20‑year‑old from Hill View, Drogheda, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a one‑year suspended term for laundering €10,000 in criminal proceeds. He pleaded guilty to allowing his bank account to be used by criminals to hold money he knew or was reckless about being illicit, an offence under section seven of the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act 2010. Everitt had previously been convicted of drug dealing and aggravated burglary, and was on bail for a drug offence when the laundering occurred. He was offered €100 for using his account but never received it. The €10,000 was later reimbursed to the victim, who declined to prepare a victim impact report. The suspended sentence is to run consecutively with his existing prison term.
Dylan King, 27, of Longdale Terrace, Ballymun, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after a road‑rage incident on 5 March 2019. King performed a u‑turn to follow victim Gary O'Donovan, opened the victim's car door, and punched him once in the face, breaking his nose and fracturing the area above his right eye socket. O'Donovan required surgery. King had previously been convicted of road‑traffic offences. In court, King admitted the assault and explained that a dispute with his mother over debts owed to the city council had triggered his "road‑rage" reaction. He was described as remorseful and was said to be attending local mental‑health services. Judge Melanie Greally noted King's chaotic upbringing, the recent violent death of his father, and his potential for rehabilitation. She imposed a two‑year prison sentence, fully suspended on strict conditions, with no custodial time imposed. The sentence was delivered at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Donal Gannon, 58, a former bomb maker convicted in London in 1997 of conspiracy to cause explosions, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 240 hours of community service within 18 months for providing false documents in a passport application. He also received a three‑year prison sentence for using a false instrument, which was suspended in full on strict conditions. Gannon had attempted to renew an Irish passport in the name of David O'Brien, a man who died in 1986, claiming he needed it to climb a mountain in the US. Gardaí found CCTV footage, photographs, and a passport bearing Gannon's name, and he denied making the application, alleging the photos were planted. The court noted his release under the Good Friday Agreement in 2000 and his subsequent "exemplary life.". Donal Gannon pleaded guilty.
During a sentencing hearing in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Melanie Greally addressed the case of Daniel Flanagan, a 21‑year‑old who allowed his bank account to be used to hold proceeds of crime. Flanagan had just sat his applied Leaving Cert exam in 2018 when he gave his bank card and details to a man he owed a "drug debt" to. Garda Stephen Hughes explained that the account was used in a "Done Deal" scam where a woman paid €650 for car parts that were never received, and the seller became uncontactable. Four other victims were also given the same account, and the total money found was €2,120. Flanagan pleaded guilty to recklessly holding the proceeds of crime in September 2018 under the Money Laundering Act 2010. The judge noted that while an awareness campaign exists, schools, colleges and banks should do more to highlight the serious consequences of acting as a money mule.
A 40‑year‑old Lithuanian named Renaldas Gruska was sentenced to three years' imprisonment in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for smuggling 422,860 cigarettes into Ireland. Gruska, who runs an import/export business with his wife, admitted that he was paid €700 to transport the cigarettes, concealed in a furnace, on a trailer that was first x‑rayed and then searched by customs officials at New Customs House, Dublin Port, on 5 November 2020. The cigarettes were identified as Minsk Capital brand. Revenue Officer Paddy Gibney informed the court that the state had been notified of the trailer's arrival and that customs officials discovered the hidden cigarettes during the search. The total tax loss, including excise duty and VAT, amounted to €231,727. Gruska pleaded guilty to evasion of excise duty. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the three‑year sentence. The case was prosecuted by Fiona McGowan BL and defended by Luigi Rea BL.
Bernard Browne, aged 62, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for repeatedly sexually abusing boys at the CBS school on Richmond Street and later at his flat on Belvedere Place between 1983 and 1990. He pleaded guilty to nine counts of indecent assault, part of a larger indictment of 44 charges. Browne lured boys with promises of pocket money, claiming he was collecting sperm to donate to childless couples. Victims, aged 11 to 17, described weekly molestation, forced exposure, and intimidation. The judge noted severe emotional distress, long‑term psychological damage, and the impact on the victims' education. Browne's position of trust, the duration of the abuse, and his planning were aggravating factors; his guilty pleas, remorse, age and ill health were mitigating. The final year of the sentence was suspended on the condition of completing treatment programmes while in custody.
Luke Cummins, 24, of Clondalkin, Dublin, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at his home on 2 February 2019. Gardaí, acting on confidential information, entered the house with a search warrant and found cannabis herb in several places, weighing about four kilograms with an estimated street value of €75,760. Cummins returned to the house while officers were present and admitted responsibility for the drugs, stating he owed around €8,000 to dealers who had threatened him and his family with guns and death. His father was forced to pay the dealers approximately €24,000 after the seizure. Cummins had previously worked as a sheet metal worker with his father but became addicted to cannabis, accruing a large debt. He has since sought treatment for his drug use. Judge Martin Nolan accepted his remorse and imposed a three‑year prison term.
John McClean, a former rugby coach and teacher at Terenure College, was found guilty of 27 charges of indecent assault against 23 boys between 1973 and 1990. The court heard that McClean abused boys during costume fittings for school plays, in his office after class, and while coaching rugby. Victims ranged from 12 to 17 years old. McClean's abuse included physical assault, fondling, and sexual touching, often while he was in a position of authority. He left the school in 1996 after allegations surfaced and later worked as a rugby coach at UCD. The sentencing hearing considered evidence of 15 of the 23 victims, with further charges under consideration. The hearing will continue tomorrow before Judge Pauline Codd.