Simon Gold, aged 54, with an address in Aughavas, County Leitrim, stands trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 22 charges including money laundering, theft, deception and control of false instruments, relating to events between January 2010 and October 2012. He has pleaded not guilty. During the seventh day of evidence, the court heard that a Danish businessman transferred €1.6 million in two tranches to what he believed was a custodial bank account with Ulster Bank in Dublin in October 2012. The account was subsequently frozen by gardaí. The businessman told the court he understood the funds were for a green energy investment opportunity and that he never authorised any withdrawals. A sum of €335,000 was transferred from the account to a third party without his instruction. Earlier testimony established that the accused used multiple aliases, including Simon Gould, Simon Magnier and Niall O'Donoghue. The trial continues before Judge Nolan and a jury.
Shauna Culligan and Nicola Culligan were sentenced in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assaults committed outside SuperValu, Balally shopping centre, on November 18, 2016. Shauna Culligan pleaded guilty to assault and assault causing harm, while Nicola Culligan pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on the same occasion. Judge Melanie Greally described the incident as an "extremely nasty incident of violence" arising from considerable hostility between the parties. The court heard that the injured party was assaulted in front of her baby son, an aggravating factor noted by the judge. Both defendants received 12-month probation bonds. Nicola Culligan was ordered to complete 240 hours of community service in lieu of two years' imprisonment. Shauna Culligan was ordered to complete 200 hours of community service in lieu of 18 months' imprisonment. Both sisters were directed to engage in offence-focused and victim-focused work as directed by Probation Services and to undergo anger management awareness and intervention training. The judge credited their early guilty pleas, their status as mothers of young children, and their difficult childhoods. Nicola Culligan has minor convictions for road offences, while Shauna Culligan has no previous convictions. The matter was finalised with these sentences.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, 29‑year‑old Colm Delaney pleaded guilty to assaulting his 42‑year‑old sister, Sharon Delaney, at their shared home on 1 October 2018. The incident began after a dispute over Delaney cleaning the bathroom. Delaney stabbed Sharon in the back, then slapped her face, and later laughed that it was only a scratch. Sharon later discovered a single stab wound and a slash on her back, and she was covered in blood when she touched the wound. Delaney, who has no prior convictions, was remanded in custody. Judge Karen O'Connor, noting the unusual circumstances and the offence being out of character, imposed a two‑year sentence backdated to the offence date and suspended the balance of the term. He was ordered to undergo 12 months of probation supervision.
A quarry owner from Limerick told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that he paid a £10,000 deposit to secure a €4 million loan that never materialised. The man said he was contacted by someone using the name "Simon Magnier" after seeking financial assistance during the economic recession. He stated that following the deposit payment, the promised funds did not arrive and contact with the person became difficult to maintain. The trial concerns Simon Gold, aged 54, of Aughavas, County Leitrim, who 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. Evidence has established that the accused used multiple aliases including Simon Gould, Simon Magnier and Niall O'Donoghue, and operated an Ulster Bank account in the name Anglo Irish Global Ltd. The trial before Judge Nolan and jury continues.
Wayne Duffy (46) and Darren Coughlan (46) were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possessing cocaine for sale or supply. Both men admitted to the offence, which involved transporting 49kg of cocaine with a street value of €3,435,000. Judge Patricia Ryan described the incident as a planned and premeditated operation. Duffy, of Clonee, Dublin 15, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment, while Coughlan, of Dunboyne, Co Meath, received a six-year sentence. Both sentences were backdated to December 6, the date they first went into custody. A third man, Bernadus Jozef Scherrenberg (47), was sentenced earlier this year to seven years' imprisonment for the same offence after pleading guilty in the District Court. The court heard that the drugs were concealed in plastic tubs within a Peugeot with a hidden hydraulic compartment. During a search of Coughlan's home, €45,250 in cash was found in a shed. Judge Ryan noted Duffy's 11 previous convictions, including three for drug offences, while acknowledging his cooperation with gardaí. For Coughlan, the judge considered his lack of significant prior convictions and his role as the least involved participant in the enterprise. Both defendants had pleaded guilty early in the process.
Patrick Hand, 38, with 100 prior convictions, was captured on CCTV attempting to rob a man at an Abbey Street LUAS stop on 15 July 2017. Hand approached the victim, asked for the price of a vodka bottle, and after the victim refused, followed him to the stop, demanding money and then trying to take his bag. He struck the victim in the chest and face. Hand, heavily intoxicated with cocaine and alcohol, was restrained by LUAS security until Gardaí arrived. During a Garda interview, Hand admitted the incident, acknowledged wrongdoing, and claimed he might have been hallucinating and had a blackout. He believed the bag was his. He pleaded guilty to attempted robbery. The court adjourned sentencing to 31 July to allow a probation report and a full plea in mitigation.
Simon Gold, aged 54, with an address in Aughavas, County Leitrim, denies 22 charges including money laundering, theft, deception and control of false instruments at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The charges relate to the period between January 2010 and October 2012. During the fifth day of evidence, a fraud prevention analyst from Ulster Bank Belfast described a meeting held on 23 October 2012 regarding an account in the name of Anglo Irish Global Ltd. According to meeting minutes, Mr Gold stated the business operated in renewable energy and affordable housing, describing it as transparent and seeking to maintain good banking relations. The court heard Mr Gold acknowledged responsibility for the account and that he had used multiple names including Simon Gold, Simon Gould, Simon Magnier and Niall O'Donoghue. When informed by bank officials that a court order had been served to freeze the account, Mr Gold reportedly disputed any wrongdoing, claiming he would be foolish to engage in money laundering. The trial continues.
A trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard audio recordings allegedly capturing discussions about concealing large cash withdrawals. 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, spanning January 2010 to October 2012. Detective Garda Deirdre Heenehan told the court that gardaí recovered a laptop containing relevant recordings. In one recording from October 15, 2012, a man referred to as "Niall" allegedly expressed concern about withdrawing €50,000 from €800,000 without triggering alerts. A second recording from October 24, 2012 captured discussion of frozen accounts and requests for cash payments. The court heard that Mr Gold acknowledged €800,000 was transferred to an Ulster Bank account in the name of Anglo Irish Global Ltd on October 15, 2012, and that he is responsible for this account. The trial continues.
Michael Doherty, a 39‑year‑old former wine and school‑lunch delivery businessman, was sentenced in October for an armed robbery of a Maxol petrol station in Lucan. On 31 March 2017 he entered the station, threatened staff with a claw hammer, demanded the till be opened, struck it when it did not, and stole about €400. He fled in a black car that Gardaí linked to him, leading to his arrest. Doherty pleaded guilty to the robbery of Kim Heffernan. Prosecutor Diana Stuart noted his 24 prior convictions were mainly traffic offences, while defence counsel Sarah‑Jane O'Callaghan argued the robbery was out of character, citing the collapse of his marriage, drug abuse, and business failure as contributing factors. Judge Melanie Greally ordered a Probation Service report, adjourned sentencing to 16 October, and remanded Doherty on continuing bail until that date.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 22 May 2019, Eoin Comerford, aged 33, was found guilty of producing an article capable of inflicting serious harm after a series of incidents at two Dublin shops on 10 August 2018. The first incident occurred at the Gala shop on East Wall Road, where Comerford was caught tampering with sweets and, after being asked to stop, threatened the shopkeeper with a screwdriver and called her a "fucking prostitute." He spat at her and, when her husband tried to escort him out, he threatened to burn the shop down. In a second incident at a premises on Amiens Street, he threatened a security guard with the screwdriver, saying he would "stick this in your neck" if the guard tried to hold him again. The court noted that Comerford had 169 prior convictions, including burglary, robbery, drug dealing and assault, and that he had a history of heroin and crack cocaine addiction.
Two men, Martin Lumsden (35) and John Finn (32), were remanded in custody after pleading guilty to trespass and theft at Gaelscoil Cholmcille, a primary school, on 18 April 2018. They stole €880.78 from Trócaire charity boxes, which were found ripped open and almost empty. Lumsden also pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of a firearm at Mace, All Saints Park, on 7 May 2018, where he stole about €500 from two tills and was armed with a gun. Lumsden has 110 previous convictions, including hijacking, false imprisonment, robbery and burglary; Finn has 17 previous convictions, including burglary, theft, criminal damage and drug misuse. Judge Melanie Greally remanded Lumsden in custody with a condition to attend Coolmine Therapeutic Community until the completion of a treatment programme. She proposed a two‑year sentence for Finn with the final 12 months suspended, pending confirmation of his drug‑free status.
Anthony Goodman, 74, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to exposure at McGovern's Restaurant in Malahide on 13 August 2018 and to exposure on the 46a bus at Donnybrook Fair and sexual assault on Stillorgan Road on 20 August 2018. Garda Rosemary Gallagher described how Goodman sat near two women at the restaurant, squirmed and moved his hands on his crotch for 30‑40 minutes, leaving after leaving a wet stain on his t‑shirt. A week later, Garda Danielle Cassidy reported that on the 46a bus he masturbated while facing a woman, touched her knee, tickled her side, and later touched a woman's breast. Goodman has 201 previous convictions, including sexual assault, indecency, arson, threats to kill and firearms possession, and breached a sex offender order that prohibited bus travel without Gardaí notification. Judge Melanie Greally ordered a probation report and adjourned the case to 11 October.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a 54-year-old man from Aughavas, County Leitrim, pleaded not guilty to 22 charges including money laundering, theft, deception and control of false instruments between January 2010 and October 2012. A garda crime analyst told the court that during interview the accused acknowledged responsibility for a bank account in the name Anglo Irish Global Ltd, through which over €660,000 was transferred across multiple accounts within four days in mid-October 2012. The court heard the accused admitted receiving two €800,000 transfers from a Danish businessman and confirmed making numerous subsequent transfers to accounts under various names he had used. The accused previously told gardaí the funds were intended for a renewable energy project in the Ivory Coast, with his company to receive approximately 20 per cent of monies processed. The trial, before Judge Nolan and a jury, continues.
Bernard Ward, 71, a former meditation teacher at the Transcendental Meditation Centre in Dublin, was jailed for three years for sexual assaults on a child during the 1970s. The victim, a ten‑year‑old who attended the centre on weekends, was abused in a shower room while Ward was teaching. Ward pleaded not guilty to three counts of indecent assault between 1 January 1974 and 31 December 1977, but was convicted by a majority verdict. He was acquitted of a separate indecent assault charge at another location in Dublin city centre. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed consecutive sentences totalling three and a half years, suspending the last six months, citing Ward's lack of remorse and the abuse of trust inherent in his teaching role. Ward has no prior convictions, is married with three adult children, and suffers from medical ailments. The victim's impact statement highlighted the lasting harm caused by the abuse. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Three men – Michael Maughan (23), Martin Maughan (30) and John Reilly (30) – pleaded guilty to discharging a shotgun at Edenmore Crescent, Raheny, on 12 June 2016. The offence stemmed from a dispute over a €30,000 insurance payout following a traffic accident involving Michael Maughan. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Michael and Martin to four and a half years' imprisonment, suspending the final two years on strict conditions and requiring 12 months' supervision by the Probation Service. John Reilly received a three and a half year sentence, suspended in full, reflecting his lesser role and fewer serious prior convictions. The judge noted the men's remorse, positive changes since the offence, and the absence of further hostilities, but emphasised that a custodial sentence was unavoidable given their previous offending histories. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Mansoor Uddin, a 41‑year‑old taxi driver from Castleway, Adamstown, Lucan, pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault committed in January and February 2016. He was sentenced by Judge Sinéad Ní Chulacháin to three years' imprisonment for each count, with the last two sentences running concurrently but consecutive to the first. The final year of the two later sentences was suspended for two years under strict conditions, giving an effective custodial term of six years with one year suspended. Uddin was credited for time already spent in custody. The court heard that he sexually assaulted three young women, all under 21, during two weeks, using his position as a taxi driver to exploit their vulnerability.
Simon Gold, aged 54, from Aughavas, County Leitrim, pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 22 charges of money laundering, theft, deception and control of false instruments between January 2010 and October 2012. During the second day of evidence, a transcript of a garda interview was read to the jury in which Mr Gold acknowledged using multiple names including Simon Gold, Simon Magnier, Niall O'Donoghue, Simon Gould and Stephen Gould. He stated he had adopted these names to prevent gardaí from tracking him, though he claimed to have remained "in plain sight". Mr Gold confirmed that €1.6 million was transferred into an Ulster Bank account for Anglo Irish Global Ltd in October 2012, which he said was intended for a renewable energy project in the Ivory Coast. He admitted dispersing funds on instructions from others and using false documents, including an ESB bill and UK driving licence, to open accounts and make purchases. A detective sergeant described finding vacant offices at Leixlip purportedly housing the company. The trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan.
Glen Kavanagh, 43, was sentenced to ten years imprisonment for the 2016 raid on Woodbine Park Post Office, Blackrock, where he fired eight shots from a semi‑automatic Makarov pistol. He held a customer's head to the gun, leapt over the counter, and was tackled by an ESB repairman who forced the gun out of his hand, injuring a colleague. Kavanagh pleaded guilty to robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm. The judge, citing his guilty plea, cooperation with investigators, drug‑related background, and rehabilitation efforts, imposed a ten‑year term back‑dated to January 2018. He was also found guilty of robbery, for which sentencing was adjourned to July 31 pending a probation report. The raid resulted in €455 stolen, the gun recovered, and Kavanagh's DNA found on a bag and a bloodstain outside the post office. The case highlighted his long‑standing drug problems and 46 prior convictions.
A Dublin man, now 52, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment after a jury convicted him of 56 charges of sexual assault against his cousin, a toddler aged two and a half to five, between January 1982 and August 1986. The assaults involved forcing his penis into the child's mouth while she was placed on a toilet seat, and the man was under 18 for most of the incidents. He denies the offences. The victim, who could not be named, gave a victim impact statement describing lifelong terror, a loss of the ability to love, and an attempt to kill herself at 15. She was shocked by the accused's denial at the trial. The judge, Patricia Ryan, considered the severity of the abuse, the age gap, the prolonged period of offending, and the victim's suffering, while noting the accused's prior good character, employment, voluntary work and family hardship, before imposing the ten‑year sentence.
In 2017, 41‑year‑old Robert Kane was convicted of burglary and criminal damage at Patrick Morrissey and Co Solicitors in Dun Laoghaire. He denied the offences, claiming he was homeless and seeking a place to sleep. The jury found him guilty and sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended. In May 2019 the Court of Appeal quashed Kane's conviction because the trial judge failed to adequately explain the defence case to the jury, particularly the claim that Kane was homeless and that no items were taken. The appeal also highlighted problems with the police interview process, including attempts to interview Kane while handcuffed and without his solicitor present. Lawyers for the DPP confirmed that no retrial was being sought. Kane had already served his sentence when the conviction was overturned. The Court of Appeal allowed the appeal and no retrial will be pursued.
Stephen Sarsfield, 39, pleaded guilty to possessing €4,170,932 of cannabis and heroin for sale or supply at an address on Ballyfermot Drive. He was found transferring boxes of cannabis from a large lorry into a garage in a Dublin housing estate before Gardaí moved in. Detective Garda Brian Foran described the site as a "large scale drug distribution hub" with 188 kg of cannabis herb and 2.9 kg of cocaine, a money‑counting machine, two plastic bag sealers, three stun guns and a weighing scale. Sarsfield was sentenced to seven years imprisonment by Judge Martin Nolan on 10 April 2018. The Director of Public Prosecutions now seeks a review, arguing the sentence was "unduly lenient" and that a mandatory minimum of 10 years should have applied. The Court of Appeal has scheduled further submissions for 1 July.
A 54-year-old man from Aughavas, County Leitrim, has gone on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court charged with defrauding five men of approximately €1.7 million. Simon Gold 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 prosecution alleges that Mr Gold represented himself under multiple identities as a qualified financier and merchant banker to deceive victims into transferring funds. A wealthy Danish businessman and four Irish men, including a quarry owner and dairy farmer, are said to have been deceived into transferring money into bank accounts controlled by the accused. The prosecution claims Mr Gold used false documentation, including a fabricated ESB bill and purported bank drafts from a non-existent Irish Nationwide Bank, to facilitate the scheme. The trial before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury continues.
In a 2019 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Paul Evans, 36, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended, for an attempted robbery of taxi driver Frank Rowan on Marigold Avenue, Darndale, on 13 November 2016. Evans pointed a 6 mm BB gun at Rowan's head, demanding money and threatening to shoot. Rowan resisted, overpowered Evans, and seized the firearm, striking Evans on the head with the gun. A passer‑by called Gardaí, who later arrested Evans after he claimed the incident was a joke. Evans admitted to unlawful possession of a realistic imitation firearm and pleaded guilty. The judge noted Evans had no prior violent convictions, was heavily intoxicated, and described the offence as out of character, yet deemed the behaviour too serious for a suspended sentence, citing the broader issue of menacing behaviour faced by taxi drivers.
Andrew Shannon, 54, was convicted on 31 January 2014 for handling a stolen Frederick Goodall oil painting, valued at about €5,000, found in his Dublin home. The painting, a 1892 desert scene, had been stolen from Bantry House, Cork, in March 2006. A two‑day trial in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court led to a two‑year sentence imposed by Judge Patricia Ryan in November 2014. Shannon appealed today, arguing that evidence obtained during his 2006 arrest for suspected theft of John Speed maps from Tinakilly House was improperly used to convict him of handling the Goodall painting. His barrister, Marc Thompson BL, contended that Gardaí should have formally questioned him about Bantry House as a suspect, not while interrogating him on unrelated matters, and that the 2006 information was "fishing" for evidence. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Justice George Birmingham, will reserve judgment.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 15 May 2019, 29‑year‑old Colm Delaney pleaded guilty to assaulting his 42‑year‑old sister, Sharon Delaney, at their shared home on 1 October 2018. The incident began after a dispute over Delaney's cleaning of the bathroom. Delaney struck Sharon, who turned away and felt a sharp pain in her back. He then slapped her face and laughed, later claiming it was only a scratch. Sharon later discovered a stab wound on her back when she touched it, and a neighbour described a slash‑like mark. Delaney admitted a love/hate relationship with his sister and described her as a "Jekyll and Hyde" type. He has been remanded in custody, has no prior convictions, and is in a long‑term relationship. The case was adjourned for sentencing on 24 May.
Peter Ward, aged 33, was given a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis and threatening to assault a Garda while being transported to prison. Gardaí discovered €60 of cannabis in his Dublin home and found a warrant for his arrest because he had failed to pay a €500 fine. Detective Garda Michael Parry Jones offered Ward the choice of paying the fine or serving 15 days in Midlands Prison; Ward chose prison. While en route, he verbally abused the detective, threatened to leave the country, and lunged at him with his head in an attempt to head‑butt. The officer restrained Ward, who then fled to Blanchardstown Garda Station where he paid the fine. Judge Martin Nolan, describing Ward as a "menace to society," suspended the sentence on strict conditions, noting Ward's remorse, his willingness to donate €500 to a charity, and his progress in overcoming a crack cocaine addiction.
Kathleen Kiely, 31, of London, pleaded guilty to handling stolen property at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after attempting to sell €90,000 of stolen gold jewellery to a cash‑for‑gold shop in Tallaght. Garda surveillance had been placed on the shop following tips that two men would call. Kiely entered the shop the day before the offence, asking the owner how much he would pay for 18‑carat gold, claiming her husband had some to sell. She was stopped by Gardaí who found a second bag containing badly damaged gold jewellery, originally valued at €90,000 but reduced to €37,000 due to damage. The jewellery was traced to a burglary in Lucan. Kiely had no prior convictions and was influenced by her former partner, Michael Maughan, 25, who also pleaded guilty to handling stolen jewellery. Maughan was sentenced to four years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, and a probation report was ordered.
Michael O'Sullivan, 34, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to cultivating 36 cannabis plants at his Artane home on 28 June 2017. Gardaí found the plants at various maturity stages, lights, extraction equipment and a total value of €28,800. O'Sullivan said he grew the plants to produce cannabis oil for his mother, who was suffering from cancer and unaware of the cultivation. His mother died in April 2017, two months before the discovery. He had no prior convictions and was the father of a young child. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, suspending the entire term on the condition of good behaviour and keeping the peace for two years. The court noted the plants' value would normally warrant custodial time but accepted the mitigating factors of his plea, cooperation, lack of convictions, remorse, shame and family circumstances.
David Fox, 51, of Croftwood Crescent, Ballyfermot, Dublin, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis and cocaine for sale or supply at his address on 5 November 2016. Gardaí searched the premises on a warrant and found a large cardboard box beside Fox's bed containing 6.92 kg of cannabis and 2.59 kg of cocaine, with a combined value of €320,313. Fox initially claimed one of his three daughters was responsible, but later accepted sole responsibility. He said he was short of money and agreed to hold the drugs for one night in exchange for €50, claiming he owed no drug debt and had no prior convictions. The court adjourned the case pending a psychological assessment, to be completed on 17 July. The judge noted the peculiarity of engaging in criminal activity for such a small payment.
Jonathan Chubb, a former property investor, withdrew his appeal against the severity of his sentence at the Court of Appeal. Chubb, 38, of Drimnagh, Dublin, had previously pleaded guilty to 34 counts of theft and one count of money laundering committed between March 2013 and July 2015. He also admitted to providing a false reference, deception, and possession of a forged driving licence. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Chubb allegedly stole deposits from 11 would-be tenants who believed he was the landlord of an apartment on Tyrconnell Road. Gardaí reported that victims arrived at the address to find numerous others in similar situations. One victim, a woman with an eight-year-old daughter, was left homeless as a result of the alleged fraud. Chubb was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years' imprisonment on June 1, 2018, with the final 18 months suspended. Judge Karen O'Connor noted the offending was premeditated and involved vulnerable victims. Before the appeal hearing began, President of the Court of Appeal Mr Justice George Birmingham advised Chubb's lawyers that the court could increase as well as reduce sentences. Following this warning, Chubb's barrister, James Dwyer SC, stated that Chubb wished to withdraw the appeal. Chubb confirmed this decision to the court. The matter was adjourned, and the appeal was not concluded.
Mark Knight, 43, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for defrauding six customers out of almost €60,000 by taking payments for minibuses he never delivered. He ran a business that sourced minibuses from the UK, imported them to Ireland, and advertised under Versatile Vehicles and Minibus World. Knight secured deposits or full payments between September 2009 and July 2011 but used excuses such as destroyed log books, snow‑delayed transport, or required repairs to avoid delivery. He pleaded guilty after a Garda investigation, fled to England, and was returned to Ireland on a European Arrest Warrant. The court accepted victim impact reports, ordered compensation of €58,505 from his employer and an additional €9,885 within 12 months, and suspended the final 12 months of his sentence on strict conditions, including leaving Ireland within seven days of release and not returning for ten years.
Noel Ryan, 42, of Charleville Mall, Dublin, pleaded guilty to handling a stolen Toyota Land Cruiser and deception on 27 June 2016 and to unauthorized taking of a Ford Fiesta on 24 March 2017. He sold the stolen Land Cruiser on DoneDeal, arranging a meeting at Woodie's car park in Lucan where the buyer paid €11,600 after noticing marks on the car. The victim later learned the log book was false and that the vehicle had been stolen from Drogheda. Ryan also advertised the Fiesta on DoneDeal, met the buyer at Northside Shopping Centre, and stole the car after a test drive, taking the driver's licence and superimposing his own photo on it. He had 16 prior convictions, including aggravated burglary and robbery, and was on bail at the time of the offences. The case is pending sentencing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with a probation report to be prepared before the hearing on 21 June.
In March 2019, Joseph McGrane, a 59‑year‑old Dublin fruit and veg wholesaler, was convicted by a jury of 11 counts of indecent assault and seven counts of sexual assault against three boys and a young woman, committed between 1985 and 1993. The court, hearing that McGrane abused his employer position and used alcohol to facilitate the offences, sentenced him to 13 years in prison, with the final year suspended. Judge Elma Sheahan set headline sentences of eight and six years for the first two victims and four years each for the other complainants, citing the seriousness and intensity of the abuse. McGrane had no prior convictions, had worked as a productive member of society, and was now on the Sex Offenders' Register. The sentence was back‑dated to 22 March, the day he entered custody.
Michelle McCullough, 40, of Regina Coeli Hostel, was found guilty of assaulting a prison officer at Dóchas Centre on 25 July 2015. On that day she had received medication, then refused to return to her cell, claiming she had "heard her dead child in the walls." While walking through the prison yard, she became agitated; officers attempted to restrain her, and she pulled the hair of a female officer and kicked her in the stomach. The officer suffered breathing difficulties and was out of work for about eight weeks, later recovering fully. McCullough has 177 prior convictions, mainly for theft, and five for assault. She had spent 18 months in a psychiatric unit after her child's death and had a history of drug addiction, though she was reportedly heroin‑free. The court, noting the aggravated nature of the assault on a staff member and the victim's impact, sentenced her to four and a half months' imprisonment.
Angela Walsh, 44, a home carer who had worked for Thomas Armstrong for years, stole about €9,000 from him between October 2016 and March 2017. She admitted the theft, explaining she needed the money to pay a drug debt owed by one of her daughters. Walsh pleaded guilty to three counts of stealing cash from Armstrong's Bank of Ireland account in Coolock Village. She had taken his bank card and the PIN written on a paper beside it. None of the cash was reimbursed by the bank. After the offence was discovered, Walsh lost her job with the home care service and now works as a cleaner for Air B&B lettings. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court Judge Martin Nolan imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspended in full, and ordered Walsh to repay the remaining €4,000 within six months, noting she had already brought €5,000 to court for restitution.
Paul Maguire, aged 32, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of assault causing harm after an unprovoked attack on two tourists at the Generator Hostel on Smithfield Square on 1 June 2016. The victims, an English tourist and a Finnish woman, were struck with a pool cue, leaving deep scars on the English man's chin and the Finnish woman's forehead. Both were taken to Mater Hospital; the English man required stitches and suffered pain for days. Judge Melanie Greally condemned the assault as an "outrageous outburst of impatience and anger" and noted that neither victim accepted the €5,000 offered by Maguire as a gesture of remorse. She ordered the money to be paid to Temple Street Children's Hospital. After considering a probation report that highlighted Maguire's employment prospects and a pro‑social partner, the judge imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspending the final year on strict conditions.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Thomas McMahon, 35, pleaded guilty to exposure on a Dublin bus in Crumlin on 28 June 2017. He claimed he had been urinating when the bus jerked forward, pushing him toward a female passenger. Judge Melanie Greally noted the offence appeared not to be for sexual gratification but occurred while McMahon was inebriated and in need of "relieving himself." She considered his long‑standing drug and alcohol addictions, mental health history, and his remorse. The judge imposed a one‑year sentence, suspended for 12 months on strict conditions. McMahon was identified by CCTV, arrested, and cooperated with the investigation. He has ten previous convictions for District Court offences such as public order and assault. The victim described the incident as "the scariest thing that had happened me on a bus" and took two days off work, with no lasting impact reported.
Keith O'Reilly, aged 28, was convicted in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possession of four handguns, a submachine gun and ammunition, endangerment, and four counts of dangerous driving. The trial followed a high‑speed Garda pursuit that ended when his car hit a curb and spun near a bus stop. O'Reilly escaped, retrieved a bag containing the weapons and ammunition, and was later arrested. The firearms were found to be in working order, with the machine gun loaded and ready, and three handguns, including a Glock, also loaded. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to eight and a half years for possession, suspending the final 12 months on strict conditions, and to four years for endangerment and three months for each dangerous driving count, all concurrent. The sentence reflected the multiple loaded firearms, the significant ammunition, and the risk posed to the public during the incident.
Michelle Ruth, 40, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for assaulting a shop worker at Londis, O'Connell Street, Dublin on 8 November 2015. She pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The offence involved Ruth throwing boiling water and a jar of powdered chocolate at the female staff member, causing her severe facial injury and shock. Ruth has 158 prior convictions, mainly shoplifting and public order offences, and several for assault, robbery, criminal damage and knife possession. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a three‑year sentence but suspended the final 18 months, conditional on Ruth keeping the peace, behaving well and following Probation Service directions for 18 months after release. The judge described the act as an "extremely serious offence of wanton violence" and noted Ruth's remorse and engagement with drug services. The victim's impact statement was not read in court. The case was prosecuted by Elva Duffy BL and defended by Luigi Rea BL.
Patrick Dignam, 45, threatened a staff member with a rusty knife and stole €170 from a Centra shop on Harold's Cross Road on 15 April 2018. Gardaí tracked him from the robbery scene to his home using CCTV footage from the shop and surrounding street cameras, locating his distinctive tracksuit bottoms at his residence. He pleaded guilty to robbery at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to four and a half years' imprisonment, suspending the entire term for four and a half years on the condition that he keep the peace, behave well and engage with the Probation Service for 18 months. Dignam has 47 prior convictions, mainly for public order and road traffic offences, and was previously jailed for robbery in 1992. No cash was recovered and the staff member suffered no injuries. The judge noted the offence was "isolated" and "out of character" for Dignam.
Stephen Weafer, 32, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three years and three months in prison for assaulting two women on December 27, 2016. Judge Karen O'Connor suspended the final 15 months of the sentence on strict conditions, requiring Weafer to engage with the Probation Service for that duration. Weafer pleaded guilty to assaulting both victims, causing them harm. The incident occurred outside the Greyhound Pub in Blanchardstown, where Weafer allegedly head-butted Rebecca Burke and kicked her sister, Rachel Burke, during a melee. Rachel Burke suffered a broken nose with permanent cosmetic damage, while Rebecca Burke broke a finger. Although Weafer admitted to the head-butt, he initially denied kicking Rachel Burke, claiming he was defending himself. The court accepted that the women were unprovoked victims. Weafer, who has 49 previous convictions for road traffic offences, provided €3,500 as a token of remorse. Judge O'Connor noted that Weafer's behaviour was out of character and acknowledged he was also a victim of an unprovoked attack during the fracas. The judge accepted that alcohol was a factor, noting Weafer was on epilepsy medication and should not have been drinking. The matter was finalised with this sentence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Susan Redmond, aged 50, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for stealing up to €395,000 from Larkhill and District Credit Union over a decade. Redmond, who had worked at the credit union for 20 years, began forging loan applications in 2003, signing them and issuing cheques that she cashed. She pleaded guilty to ten sample theft charges covering July 2003 to April 2013, representing 102 thefts. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a three‑year sentence on each count but suspended the final 18 months of each, ordering all sentences to run concurrently. The court noted that the 40 affected account holders were friends and family, all reimbursed by the credit union, and that Redmond had no significant purchases recorded. The judge highlighted mitigating factors including her guilty pleas, cooperation, mental health history, and a €20,000 contribution toward the loss. The case was also subject to civil proceedings by Liberty Insurance.
Mansoor Uddin, a 41‑year‑old taxi driver from Castleway, Adamstown, Lucan, pleaded guilty in February 2019 to sexual assault on three young women who had ridden in his taxi between January and February 2016. The court heard that a psychological report required for his bail conditions had not been completed, leading to a second adjournment. Uddin's licence was revoked after his guilty plea, and he was not permitted to work as a taxi driver since November of the previous year. His bail conditions included a curfew and a rule that any single passenger must sit in the back of the vehicle. The judge remanded him on continuing bail until 20 May to allow for the psychological assessment. The case remains at the hearing stage, with no sentencing or further legal outcome reported in the article.
Leon O Brien, 22, was sentenced to three years and nine months for dangerous driving, endangerment and possession of 240 g of cannabis, with the final nine months suspended on strict conditions. He drove a black Skoda Octavia, pulled a handbrake turn near a Garda checkpoint, and crashed into a Fingal County Council van on Hearse Road. Garda Neil Cotter reported that O Brien fled the vehicle, was found under his father's mobile home in a caravan park with a hand injury from broken glass, and possessed over €1,400 of cannabis. O Brien claimed he was speeding because his girlfriend was in labour, a claim accepted by the court. The van driver, Philip Daly, suffered severe back pain and a spinal collar was applied. Judge Melanie Greally noted O Brien's remorse, limited violence history and the impact on Daly's life, and imposed supervision by the Probation Service for 12 months. The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
John Roe, 38, of Ballyfermot, Dublin, was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to possession for sale or supply of cocaine, cannabis and MDMA tablets at his home on 16 November 2016. Gardaí seized drugs with an estimated street value of €42,645, along with weighing scales, plastic bagging and two mobile phones. Roe admitted he had been holding the drugs for criminals to whom he owed a €2,500 debt, and that he had forgotten about cannabis stored in a garden shed for nearly a year. He claimed the arrest was the worst and best thing that had happened to him, and that the chance of reoffending was very slim. Judge Martin Nolan, considering Roe's employment history and lack of prior convictions, suspended the last two and a half years of a four‑year sentence, leaving an 18‑month custodial term. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Joseph Dillon, 32, of Ballymun, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at his home on 9 February 2018 after his girlfriend was "poked" on Facebook by another man. Dillon told her to delete the man and threatened her, then struck her, knocking her to the ground, kicking her in the face and ribs, punching her repeatedly, spitting at her and calling her a tramp. He had previously hit her once, prompting her to leave for a day before returning. In court she described fractured ribs, soft‑tissue damage to her right eye and bruises all over her body, saying the assault lasted hours and she feared for her life. Dillon had no prior convictions, had sole custody of his son, and the child's mother had died in 2009. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to two and a half years, suspended the final six months, and back‑dated the sentence to 27 November, the date he first entered custody.
Darragh O'Hare, 27, was sentenced to 28 months in prison for stealing a €150 bicycle and a burglary that occurred in Balbriggan in May 2017. He had 91 prior convictions, 73 of which were committed while on bail for other offences. The Director of Public Prosecutions sought a review of the sentence as "unduly lenient", but the Court of Appeal upheld the judge's decision, noting the sentence was within the discretionary range, though at its outer limits. O'Hare had previously been on bail for dangerous driving and unauthorised vehicle use when the theft and burglary took place. He pleaded guilty on his first appearance in the Circuit Court, and the judge considered his past drug difficulties and a letter from Fr Peter McVerry stating he was now drug‑free. The appeal was dismissed, leaving the 28‑month sentence in place.
Damien Reilly, 36, of Camden Street, Dublin, pleaded guilty to two robberies in Stoneybatter on 24 February and 7 April 2017. In the April incident, he threatened a nurse with a syringe needle, grabbed her PIN, and forced her into a headlock before fleeing. He also assaulted another woman after a yoga class, stealing €575 and injuring her. Reilly's victims reported significant emotional distress and loss of personal items. The court noted Reilly's 17 prior convictions, including robbery, burglary, firearm possession, and syringe threats, and his history of drug abuse. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to five years' imprisonment, suspending the final two years, and imposed a two‑year supervised release with probation, drug treatment, and employment directives. The sentence was back‑dated to 7 May 2018.
Dylan Mooney, 23, from Blanchardstown, was sentenced to a 12‑month probation bond after pleading guilty to possession of a semi‑automatic pistol, cannabis resin and herb, and two charges of handling stolen property. Mooney admitted that he had become addicted to gambling while hospitalized for cystic fibrosis, accruing a €15,000 debt. To settle the debt he offered the gun, ammunition, €20,600 worth of cannabis and two motorbikes. Judge Melanie Greally, after considering his medical condition and the risk of infection in prison, imposed the probation bond and required him to engage with the Probation Service and gambling‑addiction services. The case was adjourned to May 7, 2020, with Mooney remanded on continuing bail. The police recovered the gun, ammunition, a shotgun cartridge, 619 g of cannabis herb and 1.3 kg of cannabis resin from a safe in his grandfather's attic, and the two motorbikes, each valued at about €1,750.
Paul Connolly, 37, of Cregg Court, Kilmeague, was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for dangerous driving that caused serious bodily harm to Michael Igoe (54) and Francis Dhala (19) on Coolmine Road, Coolmine, on 1 May 2018. Connolly, who was under the influence of cocaine and tablets the night before, drove his young child to school, mounted the footpath, hit Igoe and then Dhala, and left the scene calmly with a smashed windscreen. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving under the influence of drugs, possession of cannabis, failing to remain at the scene, failing to offer assistance, failing to alert Gardaí, and driving without insurance or a licence. Judge Melanie Greally suspended the final 18 months of the sentence, citing Connolly's guilty plea, remorse, limited cooperation and long‑standing addiction issues. The sentence was back‑dated to 1 May 2018.