A 36‑year‑old man named Brian Bridgeman admitted stealing the mummified head of an 800‑year‑old 'Crusader' and a second skull from St Michan's Church in Dublin. The theft occurred between 23 and 24 February when Bridgeman entered the vaults as a trespasser. Gardaí recovered both skulls on 5 March. Bridgeman was arraigned at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, pleaded guilty to trespassing and theft, and was remanded in custody. The case was adjourned for sentencing on 24 July, with a victim impact report due at the next hearing.
Ryan Kelly, 21, bought items he thought were torches from Wish.com, intending to sell them for holiday money. The devices were described as "shock devices" and "torches with an electric shock," but Gardaí discovered they were illegal stun guns. He pleaded guilty to importing firearms without a licence in May 2018. The court noted he had no prior convictions and that he was a hard‑working young man. Judge Karen O'Connor applied the Probation Act, preventing a conviction from being recorded, and placed him on a one‑year bond to keep the peace. He had been dismissed from his job when the offence became public, but after Sgt Darren Colleran explained the circumstances to his employer, he was reinstated.
Emil Wyrebiak, aged 26 and resident in Ballinagh, Co Cavan, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis discovered in a vehicle at Ballyogan Avenue, Carrickmines on April 23, 2018. Gardaí stopped a blue BMW after noticing an expired tax disk and, on detecting a cannabis odour, recovered four plastic bags of the drug from the boot along with two bags of yellow pills, valued at approximately €36,000. A subsequent search of his former residence yielded tablets worth a further €7,500. The court heard that Wyrebiak had agreed to transport drugs following an altercation with a "connected man" at a Dublin nightclub, presenting him with limited options to resolve the matter. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a four-year sentence, suspended in full, having regard to mitigating factors including Wyrebiak's full cooperation with gardaí, admissions, and absence of previous convictions.
In December 2018, Bernard Kelly, aged 38, led Gardaí on a high‑speed chase that ended with his vehicle colliding with cars waiting to collect children from a school. Kelly, who was driving with his partner and their three‑month‑old child, claimed he continued driving to protect the infant and feared Gardaí would ram his car. He broke red lights, drove on the wrong side of the road, and entered a one‑way road. The chase was halted once he approached the school, but he was later arrested. Kelly pleaded guilty to endangerment and criminal damage to seven vehicles, including a car that was written off and a driver who suffered minor whiplash. He received a five‑and‑a‑half‑year jail sentence, with a four‑and‑a‑half‑year term for endangerment and a one‑year term for possession of stolen property, to be served consecutively. The court noted his 141 prior convictions and struggles with heroin addiction.
Ciaran Staunton, 29, of Auburn Park, Castleknock, pleaded guilty to handling proceeds of criminal conduct on 25 April 2017. Gardaí, acting on confidential information, obtained a warrant and searched his home. Staunton arrived in a Jeep and claimed a key to a VW Passat was in a third car, which he would present the next day. Gardaí found a key on his keyring that opened a utilities box outside the apartments, revealing a key to the Passat. The Passat was seized and a forensic search uncovered a hidden compartment where €70,500 in cash bundles were stored. A mobile phone was also found but could not be decrypted. Staunton said he had borrowed the money from an older man he described as "criminally inclined" and kept it to repay a debt. He claimed safety concerns for himself and his family.
Derek Heavey, aged 32, of Moeran Road, Walkinstown, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm and criminal damage following an incident on Ballyfermot Road on May 23, 2018. An off-duty garda sounded his horn at Heavey, who was operating a horse-drawn sulky on the wrong side of the road. Heavey subsequently attacked the garda, striking him through the car window, damaging the vehicle's wing mirror, and punching him in the face, resulting in a chipped tooth. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a two-year custodial sentence, fully suspended on condition Heavey maintain the peace and good behaviour for two years. The court ordered Heavey to pay €1,000 in compensation immediately and raise a further €1,000 within twelve months. The judge characterised the incident as "a gross act of petulance.
A 22-year-old man from Dublin's North Strand has received a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to drug offences at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Daryl Conroy was stopped by gardaí in Drumcondra on 9 December 2015, when officers discovered a quantity of cannabis and cocaine with an estimated street value of €10,628, along with drug paraphernalia and multiple mobile phones. A subsequent search of his home yielded €10,580 in cash. The court heard that Conroy was 19 at the time of the offence and had no previous convictions. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a four-year prison sentence but suspended it in full, conditional on Conroy keeping the peace for that period. The judge noted Conroy's employment history and role as a father, and considered a positive reference from Crumlin Youth Project submitted to the court.
In a case heard at the Court of Appeal, William Butler, aged 52, was found guilty of stealing €19,380 from a widow's pension over a three‑month period between November 2013 and January 2014. Butler admitted to obtaining the victim's banking details and withdrawing the money from the Bank of Ireland, Ballyfermot branch, to gamble. He had pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, by Judge Karen O'Connor on 13 December 2018. The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence. Butler had made no restitution to the victim, who had discovered the withdrawals and had contacted him. The court noted Butler's previous good character and lack of prior convictions, but emphasized the seriousness of the dishonesty and the vulnerability of the victim. No error was found in the original sentencing, and the appeal was dismissed.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Denis Kaczor Niecko, aged 30, was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment for handling stolen vehicles. He admitted to dealing with a stolen Audi A3 in Balscadden, Co. Dublin, between 9 and 22 February 2017, and a stolen Nissan Juke in Poppintree, Dublin 11, between 19 April and 11 May 2017. The judge, Melanie Greally, suspended the final 12 months of the sentence on strict conditions, citing a probation report that showed a willingness to cooperate. Niecko had raised €2,000 in compensation for the owners of the vehicles, but both owners refused the money; it was directed to the McVerry Trust. He was also found to have been involved in a jet‑ski sale to an undercover Garda, during which he fled in a van and crashed 200 metres up the road. The court noted his prior 23 convictions, his mental‑health difficulties, and his expressed remorse. Denis Kaczor Niecko pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Michael Reilly Senior (49) and his son Michael Reilly Junior (22) were sentenced for an assault on Martin Maughan. The incident, part of a feud, involved the Reillys attacking Maughan with a hammer and pick handle while his wife and five‑year‑old granddaughter witnessed. Reilly Senior also bit Maughan's ear and repeatedly rammed his jeep with his van. Both pleaded guilty to assault causing harm; Reilly Senior also pleaded guilty to endangerment. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a headline sentence of five and a half years for Reilly Senior on the endangerment charge and a three‑year sentence for Reilly Junior on assault. Mitigating factors cited included guilty pleas, remorse, and the defendants' tragic backgrounds. Maughan suffered bruising and soft‑tissue injuries; the child was uninjured but distressed. The court noted prior convictions and mental‑health issues for both defendants.
Peter Sheridan, 52, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to damaging property and theft after smashing the windows of ten cars with a hammer in the Dublin 8 area on 8 June 2017. Gardaí received a call about a broken‑in car from which a Sat Nav was stolen in Dean Swift Square, and CCTV footage showed a man in a dark hoodie using a shatter hammer. The investigation revealed ten cars damaged, with total damage of €3,000. Sheridan admitted he had broken into the cars while heavily intoxicated, claiming he could not remember the act. He had 88 prior convictions, including arson, theft, criminal damage and escape from lawful custody. Judge Pauline Codd, noting the aggravating factor of the number of cars and Sheridan's criminal history, sentenced him to two and a half years imprisonment, fully suspended for three years on the condition that he obey all directions of the Probation Service and remain alcohol‑free.
David Dunne, 35, was sentenced to nine years for 13 robberies in Dublin between July and September 2017. He admitted the robberies were driven by a need to fund his crack cocaine and heroin addiction, saying he was "off my head on crack" and that he had sold his car for €300 to buy drugs. Dunne pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge noted his 92 prior convictions and the seriousness of the 13 victims involved, but also his expressed wish to rehabilitate. Consecutive sentences totalling nine years were imposed, with the final year suspended on strict conditions, including victim‑focused work and residential drug treatment if directed. The robberies involved threats with knives, theft of over €2,640 in cash and cigarettes, and the use of CCTV footage to identify and prosecute him. The case highlighted the impact of drug addiction on criminal behaviour.
Nicolae Vlad, a 28-year-old Romanian national, appeared at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on appeal regarding his conviction for possession of cannabis for sale or supply. The offence occurred on September 13, 2018, at Beacon South Quarter, Sandyford, following a controlled delivery operation where gardaí intercepted a package from Spain containing €80,000 in cannabis. Vlad was observed acting suspiciously near the delivery address and was arrested after signing for the parcel. He admitted to being paid €2,000 to collect the package, though he claimed ignorance of its contents. Vlad pleaded guilty to the charge. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a five-year custodial sentence. The final year of the sentence was suspended on the condition that Vlad leave the jurisdiction within seven days of his release and not return for ten years. Defence counsel James Dwyer SC highlighted Vlad's custody since September and his lack of income at the time of the offence. The court noted Vlad's history of eleven previous convictions, primarily for road traffic offences. This report reflects the sentencing outcome following the guilty plea, with the specific conditions of the suspended portion clearly defined by the judge.
Simon Whelan, 32, of Ashtown, Dublin, was sentenced to a global term of three and a half years for a series of burglaries, including four student apartments in Gateway Student Village on 4 October 2018, and several shop and restaurant break‑ins between 2017 and 2018. The judge suspended the final 12 months, so the effective custodial term is two and a half years. Whelan admitted all offences and pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He had a long history of offending, 105 prior convictions, and a longstanding drug addiction. The judge noted no violence was used and that some burglaries were committed while he was on bail for earlier offences. He was offered residential treatment and was committed to rehabilitation services. The sentence was back‑dated to 4 October 2018.
Patrick Russell, aged 56, pleaded guilty to stealing €235,000 from businessman Paul O'Connell by posing as an arbitrator and financial consultant. Russell promised to facilitate the purchase of a commercial warehouse for €235,000, but the property was never bought. He obtained €15,000 and €5,000 from O'Connell's bank account, transferred them to a UK account and to an account in his wife's name, claiming they were for stamp duty and fees. O'Connell then paid an additional €215,000 to solicitors who later reported Russell to Gardaí. Russell presented forged documents from the Property Registration Authority to mislead O'Connell and his family. He has nine prior minor traffic convictions, denied theft initially, and pleaded guilty in March. The court adjourned sentencing to November 4, ordered a probation report, and noted Russell's health issues and potential UK employment to repay the remaining €20,000.
A 62‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to two and a half years for sexually assaulting a 13‑year‑old babysitter of his grandchild. The jury found him guilty after a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. At the sentencing hearing, Fionnuala O'Sullivan BL noted that the complainant had asked to waive anonymity, but a pending High Court decision on whether she may do so means no identifying details can be published until a ruling is made. Judge Micheal White will decide later this month. Garda Michelle Nolan recounted that the investigation began in March 2016 after the victim, then in her 20s, complained of an August 2001 assault by the defendant, who had lived with her family. She described being babysitting the defendant's three‑year‑old granddaughter, sleeping in the same bed, and the defendant leaning over and attempting to kiss her before touching her genital area. He later denied the allegation and the apology he offered.
Eve Doherty, 51, a detective sergeant in An Garda Síochána, was found guilty by a jury at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of harassing State solicitor Elizabeth Howlin between September 2011 and March 2013. The harassment involved sending abusive letters and emails to Howlin's home, workplace and GP, calling her "corrupt", "incompetent useless hobbit" and "two‑faced bitch". Doherty denied the charge and was acquitted on two counts of making false statements. She was sentenced to three years' imprisonment in January 2018. Doherty has appealed the severity of the sentence to the Court of Appeal, arguing that prison is more difficult for her as a Garda and that no suitable open prison exists for women. The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgement. The case highlights the seriousness of harassment of public officials.
John Maher, 48, of Drimnagh, was found asleep by Garda Caroline Kelly in possession of stolen jewellery and later pleaded guilty to two burglaries. The first was at Keeper Road, Drimnagh, on 19 October 2017, where a back window was smashed and electronic items worth €1,200 were stolen; blood on the wall matched Maher's DNA. The second was at Crumlin Road, Crumlin, on 18 October 2018. In both cases Maher claimed he had no memory of the offences. He has 42 prior convictions, including aggravated burglary, burglary and criminal damage, and a serious heroin addiction, though he has been on methadone since 2002. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to three and a half years' imprisonment, suspending the final 12 months on strict conditions. The suspended portion is separate from the effective custodial term. All stolen items were returned. The court noted his guilty plea, good prison behaviour and the link between his addiction and offending as mitigating factors.
A man from Aughavas, County Leitrim, has been convicted of theft and money laundering totalling €1.6 million at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Simon Gold, aged 54, had pleaded not guilty to 22 charges including money laundering, theft, deception, and control of false instruments spanning January 2010 to October 2012. Following over two weeks of evidence, a jury returned guilty verdicts on 20 counts after deliberating for more than 12 hours. The jury acquitted Gold on one count of deception relating to €28,000. The prosecution case outlined that Gold misrepresented himself as a qualified financier and merchant banker to secure large sums from investors who believed they were making down payments towards loans. One complainant transferred €1.6 million in October 2012 into what he thought was his own account but which Gold controlled. Gold was remanded in custody pending sentencing on 31 July.
Philip Kernan, aged 48, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment with two years suspended for assault causing harm after a 45‑minute attack on his former partner, Angela Bissett, in her caravan in Donabate, Co. Dublin. Kernan repeatedly kicked Bissett in the face and head about 20 times, attempted strangulation, and dragged her back to the caravan after she had fled. He also demanded sex and threatened to "finish her off" if she sought help. Bissett suffered severe facial swelling, a cut lip, a wrist fracture and required 14 sutures. Kernan pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 4 September 2016. In a victim impact statement, Bissett described ongoing fear and physical scars. Kernan's defence highlighted no prior violent convictions and claimed the incident was isolated, citing a history of abuse and post‑traumatic stress. The court imposed the sentence as stated.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Shane McDonnell, 29, pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a car, three counts of dangerous driving, driving without insurance or a licence, and possession of a stolen laptop and PlayStation. McDonnell, who has 25 prior convictions and a 10‑year driving disqualification, drove a stolen VW Passat at high speed around Dublin's city centre on 17 April 2017, running red lights, overtaking on the wrong side of the road and causing other drivers to swerve. He was arrested after a foot chase. McDonnell later told Gardaí he had been paid €300 to move the stolen car for someone. He also admitted he had been asked to pick up stolen items from a Terenure burglary for €50. The court noted he had used his time in custody well, describing a transformation, and sentencing was adjourned to 12 July 2019.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Glen Campbell, 42, was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 16‑year‑old girl in her home on 18 April 2015. He had previously denied two counts of assault, one in 2013 and the other in 2015, and was acquitted of the 2013 offence. The court noted that Campbell had been known to the victim and had frequent access to her home, and that he had abused her without warning by grabbing her waist and fondling her genitals. Judge Cormac Quinn imposed a headline sentence of three years' imprisonment but fully suspended a two‑year term, citing Campbell's cognitive difficulties, the death of his mother, remorse, and lack of prior convictions. Campbell will remain under Probation Service supervision for two years and must comply with all directions, including offence‑focused work to reduce re‑offending.
In a 2019 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Mark Harte, aged 26, was sentenced to six and a half years in prison for arson that caused nearly €2 million in damage to a Flyefit gym in Coolock. Harte admitted that he carried out the arson in July 2016 for a criminal gang to whom he owed a drug debt because of his cocaine use. CCTV footage showed a car driven through the gym's front glass doors, stopped at the security turnstiles, and then set alight. Harte had left the car and was holding a container; he had also ensured no one was nearby before signalling the driver. DNA on white latex gloves linked him to the scene, and a neighbour's photograph helped identify the suspicious vehicle. Harte pleaded guilty to the arson charge.
In a failed robbery at Medipharm on 23 March 2018, Brendan Duffy (45) of Ballyfermot, Dublin, entered the pharmacy and demanded the male employee open the till. The employee refused, and a struggle ensued. Duffy punched the employee, who was knocked onto a display case. Duffy then produced a screwdriver, threatened the employee with "I'll kill you," and stabbed him in the arm before fleeing the shop. Duffy claimed the offence was driven by a drug debt and fear of debtors, and that he had no intention to harm anyone. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, admitting the offence and cooperating with Gardaí. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Duffy's guilty plea, remorse, prior convictions, drug problems beginning at age 16, and personal tragedy, sentenced him to 14 months imprisonment, crediting time already served.
A jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has begun deliberating in the trial of a 54-year-old man from Aughavas, County Leitrim, who faces 22 charges including money laundering, theft, deception and control of false instruments. The accused has pleaded not guilty to all charges relating to events between January 2010 and October 2012. Evidence heard over eleven days established that the man represented himself as a qualified financier and merchant banker, using multiple names including Simon Gold, Simon Gould, Simon Magnier and Niall O'Donoghue. The prosecution alleges he defrauded four Irish men and a Danish businessman. The defence contended that the absence of complaints to gardaí undermined the prosecution case. After deliberating for nearly three hours, the jury was directed to adjourn and will resume consideration of the matter the following day.
Michal Wojciak, 36, of Ridgewood Grove, Swords, Dublin, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography at the District Court and was sentenced by Judge Cormac Quinn in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a fully suspended two‑year prison term. The offence involved over 4,000 images and videos, seized from his former home in Sandyford on 19 September 2012, and later analysed in August 2016, revealing 681 videos and 3,873 images of pre‑teen and teenage girls in sexual activities. Wojciak admitted the possession, denied actively seeking the material, and cooperated fully with Gardaí, providing all requested items and information. He has no prior convictions, and a probation report and psychologist's assessment deemed him low risk of re‑offending. The judge ordered him to maintain good behaviour, remain under probation supervision, participate in a sex‑offender treatment programme, and avoid contact with any child under 18 except in the presence of a parent or guardian.
Philip Douglas, 31, of Monlea Grove, Firhouse, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession for sale or supply of cocaine at his address and a property in Saggart on October 10, 2017. Prosecution evidence indicated that gardaí discovered a significant quantity of cocaine, bulking agent, weighing scales, a hydraulic press, and large blocks of white powder at the Saggart location. Additionally, three bags of MDMA were found at Douglas's residence. The total value of the seized drugs was assessed at €122,340. Douglas admitted to pressing and wrapping the cocaine on instructions to settle a personal debt. Judge Cormac Quinn described the operation as a sophisticated "coke processing plant" but noted that Douglas was not the mastermind and was acting under fear or threat. The judge acknowledged that Douglas is now drug-free and had returned from Australia to care for his cancer-stricken mother. Douglas, who has five previous convictions, received a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence. The judge suspended the final 18 months of this term on the condition that Douglas engages with addiction treatment services. The matter was concluded with this sentencing order.
A 46‑year‑old man was jailed for nine months after abducting his children and keeping them abroad for four years. He pleaded guilty to four charges of taking his children out of the country without consent at Dublin Airport on 8 November 2014. Judge Cormac Quinn sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, suspending the final 15 months on the condition that he keep the peace, behave well and engage with the Probation Service for three months after release. The court noted the seriousness of the offence, the young ages of the children (now 8 to 15), the length of time they were out of jurisdiction, the deception and pre‑planning involved, and the impact on the children and their mother. The man had no prior convictions and was a foreign national. The children were returned to their mother after his return to Ireland in October 2018, and neither the mother nor the children made victim impact statements.
At the trial of Simon Gold (54) of Augharan, Aughavas, Co. Leitrim, charged with 22 counts including money laundering, theft, deception, and control of false instruments between January 1, 2010, and October 22, 2012, the prosecution has stated that Gold 'is not Walter Mitty' and that he created fake documents that 'conned real people out of real money in real life'. Gold has pleaded not guilty. The jury has heard that Gold represented himself as a highly qualified financier, merchant banker, or financial consultant. The trial has heard that Gold accepted he used multiple names, including Simon Gould, Simon Magnier, and Niall O'Donoghue, and that he is responsible for an Ulster Bank account in the name of Anglo Irish Global Ltd. The prosecution has stated that Gold operated companies such as Anglo Irish Global Ltd, Belgravia Consultants Ltd, Elite Bank Group, and Irish Nationwide Bank, which he described as a 'virtual bank' not authorised by the Central Bank of Ireland. The prosecution alleges that Gold stole money from Danish businessman Kurt Lauridsen in 2012 and laundered it, and that he admitted to being in possession of two tranches of €800,000 belonging to Lauridsen. The prosecution also claims that two Irish men transferred €28,000 and £30,000 respectively into the account of Belgravia Consultants Ltd, and that two other Irish men transferred £10,000 each into the account of Anglo Irish Global Ltd. The trial continues tomorrow before Judge Nolan and a jury.
Susan McNeill, 33, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing drugs for sale or supply after a raid uncovered over €1.3 million worth of cannabis and cocaine in her flat. The drugs were estimated at €1,352,798, with almost 60,000 g of cannabis and 2,100 g of cocaine seized. McNeill admitted she had been pressured by a neighbour, who had a key to her flat, to store the drugs and that she had been under peer pressure. She cooperated with Gardaí, revealing cash and an encrypted phone. Judge Pauline Codd found McNeill vulnerable due to past physical and emotional violence in a relationship and her role as sole carer for a son with vulnerabilities. She was given a suspended nine‑year prison sentence, conditional on keeping the peace and following Probation Services for five years.
During Storm Emma, Mohammed Smew (26) entered the Centra supermarket in Tallaght, Dublin, with a sledgehammer and participated in a looting that caused significant damage to the shop and the local community. He pleaded guilty to burglary and possession of a sledgehammer at Kiltalawn on 2 March 2018. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to a headline term of four and a half years, reduced to three years with the final 18 months suspended, citing his guilty plea, lack of serious prior convictions, educational background, remorse, and commitment to reform. The judge noted his family's respectable professional background and that the incident was an aberration. Smew had already spent seven months in custody and was credited for this time. The court also heard letters and testimonials from family, friends, and Griffith College supporting his case. The incident involved a large group, a con saw cutting a hole in the shop's steel shutter, and a Garda's attempt to apprehend the suspect.
Andrew Shannon, 54, was convicted on 31 January 2014 for handling a stolen Frederick Goodall oil painting, a 1892 desert scene taken from Bantry House in Cork in March 2006. Gardaí searched his Dublin home in 2014, finding the painting valued at about €5,000. He was found guilty by jury after a two‑day trial and sentenced to two years' imprisonment by Judge Patricia Ryan in November 2014. Shannon appealed, arguing that evidence from his 2006 arrest over John Speed maps from Tinakilly House was improperly introduced to link him to the Bantry House theft. The Court of Appeal rejected this ground, stating the Gardaí had no suspicion of him in relation to Bantry House and that the evidence was admissible. The appeal was dismissed by Justice Isobel Kennedy, with the case heard by Justices George Birmingham and Patrick McCarthy.
Eve Doherty, a former detective sergeant, has lost her appeal against a conviction for harassing State solicitor Elizabeth Howlin. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice John Edwards alongside President Mr Justice George Birmingham and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, upheld the jury's finding of guilt from Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Doherty was originally found guilty of harassing Ms Howlin between September 2011 and March 2013 by sending abusive letters and emails. She had denied the charge but was found not guilty on two separate counts of making false statements in March 2012. In January 2018, Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Doherty to three years imprisonment, describing the communications as containing outright and "scurrilous" lies. Doherty's legal team argued that evidence obtained under the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011 was inadmissible because the Act breached EU law, and that the trial judge erred regarding the definition of harassment and the exclusion of certain documents. The Court of Appeal rejected these grounds, ruling that the retained data did not constitute Doherty's personal data and that her privacy rights were not breached. The judgment dismissed all appeals, thereby upholding the original conviction and sentence.
Marcellus Ebhodaghe, 33, was sentenced by Judge Elma Sheahan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two years' imprisonment for possession of the proceeds of criminal conduct. The sentence was back‑dated to the date of the offence, 19 December 2018, and the final 12 months were suspended on strict conditions. Ebhodaghe was found in possession of €3,000 in €50 notes and three payment cards that did not bear his name. Garda Joseph Robinson described how he observed Ebhodaghe withdrawing large sums from an ATM, then moving to another machine, and how he was stopped by Garda colleagues. The money had been transferred into two bank accounts from Fáilte Ireland and a Luxembourg company on the direction of fraudulent emails purporting to be from the CEOs of both organisations. Ebhodaghe had no prior convictions and was living in the United Kingdom for nine years before the offence. Marcellus Ebhodaghe pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 65‑year‑old man was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment for sexually abusing his partner's granddaughter between 2009 and 2013. He pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual assault. The judge noted aggravating factors including the victim's age, the man's abuse of a position of trust, his coercion of the girl to promise not to speak, and the impact on the victim. Mitigating factors cited were the man's age, lack of prior convictions, his guilty plea, admissions, and a psychological report indicating extremely low cognitive function. The final 18 months of the sentence were suspended on the condition that he keep the peace, behave well, and comply with Probation Service directions for 18 months after release.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Serena O'Leary, 44, was granted a 12‑month probation bond and will be sentenced in June 2020. She pleaded guilty to assaulting Caroline Madden on 20 August 2016, after a confrontation at a mutual friend's house. O'Leary, who had previously been in a relationship that involved drug use and homelessness, produced a nine‑inch blade and threatened Madden, who managed to stop the stabbing attempt. O'Leary punched Madden in the face and continued to threaten her until Madden's brother intervened. The court noted O'Leary's nine prior convictions and her recent efforts to stabilise herself in Cork. Judge Melanie Greally ordered O'Leary to comply with probation directions, including drug counselling, accommodation and employment services, and adjourned sentencing to 10 June 2020. The knife did not inflict injuries, and the victim reported regaining confidence and normalcy.
Luke Foran, aged 21, will be sentenced for possession of a stolen mobile phone. The phone had been snatched from a woman who was injured when a man tried to retrieve it from a car. Foran was found in possession of the phone when Gardaí responded to a report of a car driving dangerously on East Wall Road. He was 17 at the time of the incident and was not charged in relation to the initial theft. Foran pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of the phone on 2 November 2015. He has 105 prior convictions, including 19 thefts, 17 burglaries, five for handling stolen property and one for possession of stolen property, and is currently serving a five‑year sentence for criminal damage. Judge Elma Sheahan ordered a probation report before finalising sentencing on 21 October 2021. The woman confirmed the phone was hers.
A farmer from County Galway has given evidence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in the trial of a man charged with money laundering and related offences. The witness told the court that he had sought assistance in securing a €15 million loan to restructure substantial debts accrued through land purchases. He said he paid €28,000 to obtain purported proof of funds, but later received a fictitious letter from Irish Nationwide Bank bearing the signature of Simon Magnier, falsely confirming he and his father held over €961,000 in an account. The witness stated they had never banked with Irish Nationwide and the loan did not materialise. Simon Gold, aged 54, from Aughavas, County Leitrim, has pleaded not guilty to 22 charges including money laundering, theft, deception and control of false instruments alleged to have occurred between January 2010 and October 2012. The trial continues.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Dubliner Jason Spooner to four and a half years in prison for the attempted robbery of cigarettes valued at €300 and possessing a crowbar to intimidate staff at a Centra store in Finglas on February 25, 2017. Spooner, of Ballymun, pleaded guilty to the charges. Judge Karen O'Connor imposed the sentence with the final 18 months suspended, reducing a headline six-year term due to mitigating factors, including the death of Spooner's father. The judge noted that Spooner's guilty plea, entered a week before trial, was diluted by its late timing. The court heard that Spooner, wearing a balaclava, entered the shop, locked the doors, and threatened a five-months-pregnant employee with the crowbar, demanding she open the safe. Although the victim fled to a back office, Spooner attempted to force entry and began loading cigarettes into a bag. He was arrested by Sergeant Conor Scully after threatening the garda with the weapon. Spooner told gardaí he had taken pills and intended to steal cigarettes. The judge acknowledged the ongoing fear experienced by the victim and noted Spooner's history of addiction and 16 previous convictions. Spooner's solicitor conveyed his client's apologies to the victim.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Vasile Marin, 24, was found guilty of robbing an 81‑year‑old woman's purse on 10 September 2016. The victim, who had recently had a pacemaker fitted, was targeted while shopping at Eurospar; Marin, seen on CCTV, approached her from behind, seized her purse containing €300, and fled. Marin had previously been convicted of theft twice, had no employment history, and was receiving disability allowance for hearing issues and depression. He claimed a gambling debt as his motive. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, suspending the final 18 months, a decision upheld by the Court of Appeal. The judge emphasised that protecting vulnerable elderly people and ensuring deterrence were key reasons for the custodial sentence. The appeal was dismissed.
Winnifred Lawrence, 69, of Moorefield Grove, Clondalkin, admitted to forging a personal injury claim to RSA insurance, pretending to be Ellen Stokes, to cover funeral costs for herself and her husband. She had no prior convictions. Lawrence had previously filed a bogus claim in February 2018, which was struck out. The insurance company suffered a loss of €14,143.37, including legal costs. Lawrence's motivation was her and her husband's ill health and lack of funds; she had two children who died as infants and her husband had a brain haemorrhage. She was sentenced by Judge Pauline Codd to three years' imprisonment, suspended in full, after pleading guilty in the District Court. The judge noted Lawrence's cooperation, remorse, and personal circumstances, and highlighted the offence's impact on insurance costs.
The trial of Simon Gold, a former psychic accused of money laundering, theft, deception, and controlling false instruments, continued at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Gold, who has pleaded not guilty to 22 charges relating to offences between January 1, 2010, and October 22, 2012, is alleged to have used multiple aliases, including Simon Magnier and Niall O'Donoghue. On the ninth day of evidence, witness Eamonn O'Toole, a dairy farmer from Co. Tipperary, testified that he sought a loan in 2011 and was directed to contact Simon Magnier. O'Toole stated he transferred £10,000 to Anglo Irish Global Ltd, believing Magnier was a principal banker, but the loan never materialised. He described attempts to contact the alleged loan manager, Niall O'Donoghue, as futile, remarking it would be easier to reach Donald Trump. O'Toole also testified that he was advised to place a teenager's name on loan documents. The matter was adjourned and continues before Judge Nolan and a jury.
A 22‑year‑old man, Dean Donovan, and his uncle Jonathan Donovan (33) robbed a Spar shop on Martin's Road, Chapelizod, on 8 April 2018, taking €305 in cash. While fleeing, Dean brandished a machete at Garda Peter Smyth and Garda James Keogh, who were approaching the shop. The pair escaped in an Opel Corsa, but were pursued and arrested. Dean was sentenced to six years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended; Jonathan received six and a half years' imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended and was disqualified from driving for five years. Both pleaded guilty to robbery; Dean also pleaded guilty to six burglary counts in Dublin and to possession of a machete, while Jonathan pleaded guilty to driving without insurance. The judge noted each defendant's prior convictions, addiction history and efforts at rehabilitation. The sentences reflect the seriousness of the robbery and the use of a weapon.
Nicholas Keane, 41, of Balbriggan, was jailed for three years after pleading guilty to ten counts of handling stolen vehicles and two counts of inducing others to purchase stolen cars between July and October 2016. He sold ten stolen cars on the "Donedeal" website for €88,795, earning about €500 per sale. Keane admitted he was motivated by financial hardship and wanted to provide for his eight children. He denied involvement in the thefts, claiming he was only the front‑man who met buyers, handed over registration details and accepted cash. The judge, Melanie Greally, suspended the last year of a four‑year sentence on the condition that he obeys Probation Service directions regarding substance abuse. Keane expressed remorse and said he would repay victims if he won the lottery. The article reports the victims' financial losses and the impact on their lives.
A developer told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on the eighth day of evidence that he "freaked straight away" upon discovering that a man presented as a prospective financier knew nothing of his Portuguese construction project. Frank Gleeson, testifying in the trial of Simon Gold (54), of Augharan, Aughavas, County Leitrim, recounted seeking a bridging loan after failing to secure funding through conventional channels. He stated that Gold had agreed to arrange £3 million in financing in exchange for a £30,000 deposit, which Mr Gleeson and business partners transferred to an account in the name of Belgravia Consultants UK Ltd. Mr Gleeson said he subsequently met the proposed investor in London, who demonstrated no knowledge of the project. When the deposit was transferred despite his objections, Mr Gleeson said he pursued the matter and later established that Gold used alternative names. He recovered only £10,000 of the £30,000. Gold has pleaded not guilty to twenty-two charges including money laundering, theft, deception and control of false instruments allegedly committed between January 2010 and October 2012.
Annette Sheehan, 38, of Harolds Cross, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to 27 charges of theft and money laundering involving €148,289 between November 2017 and February 2018. Prosecution evidence alleged Sheehan, an office manager, transferred funds from her employer to her partner, Graham McAuley, 39, under implied threats. Detective Garda Rory O'Connor stated Sheehan was manipulated and considered a victim, noting that while all stolen employer funds were recovered, €25,000 of her personal savings given to McAuley was not. Judge Cormac Quinn acknowledged Sheehan's vulnerability, remorse, and lack of prior convictions. He described the case as exceptional, justifying a suspended sentence due to her cooperation and the garda's support. Sheehan was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended in full on strict conditions. Separately, McAuley, of Broc House, Nutley Lane, Dublin 4, was sentenced last February after pleading guilty to handling the stolen cash. He was ordered to carry out 240 hours of community service in lieu of an 18-month prison sentence.
Dubliner Sean Carroll (35) pleaded guilty to two charges of attempted robbery at St Stephen's Green West on June 23, 2017, and a separate offence of assault causing harm outside a pub in Kilmacud, south Dublin on February 19, 2017. The charges were admitted, and Carroll was sentenced at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Greally imposed concurrent four-year sentences for each robbery, which were suspended on the condition that Carroll engage in offence and victim awareness work with the Probation Service. For the assault charge, a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence was imposed and suspended on the condition that he keep the peace for that period. The court heard that Carroll had a history of drug abuse involving cocaine and heroin at the time of the offences but has since made significant improvements in his life, including completing residential drug treatment and living in accommodation under the Peter McVerry Trust. The matter was adjourned following the sentence.
Michelle Geoghegan, a mother of five from Rathgael, Deansrath, Clondalkin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a five‑year suspended prison term for possession for sale or supply of heroin and cocaine. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted that Geoghegan was in a state of acute depression and had been under "considerable pressure" from others who wanted her to store, prepare and package drugs in her home. She pleaded guilty on 27 February last year. Gardaí had searched her home in February, finding over €145,000 worth of heroin in a locked safe and €3,548 of cocaine in a Centra bag, with a total street value of €149,484. The judge set a headline sentence of seven and a half years but, after credit for her early guilty plea, difficult childhood, long‑standing addiction and efforts to address her drug problem, imposed a suspended sentence.
James Broderick, 45, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after punching his supervisor at Cleveland Cable Company in Finglas on 10 October 2016. The supervisor suffered a fractured jaw and a black eye but did not file a victim impact report. Broderick, who lives in Markievicz House, claimed he had been treated unfairly by the supervisor before the incident. The court noted that hostilities had been brewing for days. Broderick had 37 prior convictions, mainly for public order offences, and had voluntarily met with Gardaí. He was sentenced by Judge Cormac Quinn to a headline term of two years, reduced to 12 months suspended for two years. He must pay €3,000 to the victim within four months, comply with Probation Services for 12 months, and keep the peace for two years.
A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a man who failed to attend his sentencing hearing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Hassan Bilal, aged 38, of Church Street, Tullamore, Co Offaly, had pleaded guilty to burglary and theft of catering equipment valued at over €10,000 belonging to a Mayo businessman. The items stolen on 18 May 2015 included a commercial freezer, deep fat fryers, mixing bowls, trays, a chip holder, a burger fryer, microwave, food blender and chopping boards. Bilal has 24 previous convictions for road traffic offences. His defence counsel informed the court she was unable to contact her client and could not oppose a prosecution application for an arrest warrant. Judge Elma Sheahan granted the warrant.