A man convicted of assaulting his former partner on two occasions has been sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following a breach of a protection order. John Paul Gantley, aged 35 and residing in Dublin, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm committed in May 2017. He received a three-year custodial sentence, with the final twelve months suspended. Upon his release from prison in November, Gantley contacted his former partner by telephone and text message, threatening violence and demanding to see their daughter, contrary to a court-ordered contact prohibition. He later appeared at her workplace in an intoxicated state and made further threats. In February, he was sentenced to six months' imprisonment for breaching the protection order. At a subsequent hearing, the judge declined to activate the suspended portion of the original sentence, instead extending the suspension for a further two years with a renewed direction that Gantley have no contact with the injured party during that period.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Ian O'Connor (29) pleaded guilty to arson at Tyrone Place, Inchicore on 18 September 2017 and at Ailesbury Road, Dublin on 15 October 2017. He admitted starting the fires by pouring petrol into the letterbox and front door, claiming he was under pressure from debtors who had told him no one would be home. O'Connor also admitted throwing a pipe bomb at another family home in October 2017, saying he had been offered €2,000 for a petrol bomb but was not paid. Margaret Green, mother of three, gave a victim impact statement describing how she and her children were trapped when the fire broke out, how she covered her youngest children with wet towels, and how her eldest son escaped via a balcony with a neighbour's ladder. Green said her seven‑year‑old daughter's hearing aid melted, leaving a permanent scar. The court heard that all four family members sustained injuries.
Susan McNeill, 33, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing €1,352,798 worth of cannabis and cocaine in her apartment. She admitted allowing the drugs to be stored there and cooperating with Gardaí, who found almost 60,000 g of cannabis and over 2,100 g of cocaine. McNeill claimed she was pressured by a neighbour, who had a key to her flat, and that the drugs were kept in a place inaccessible to her 14‑year‑old son. She said she had received €3,000 and €2,000 in cash for the operation and expected a one‑off payment of €500‑1,000. McNeill also provided the code for an encrypted phone. The court adjourned sentencing to June 4 pending a probation report, with Judge Pauline Codd remanding her on continuing bail. The case highlights the alleged involvement of an unnamed man in the drug movement.
Damien O'Reilly, 38, pleaded guilty to burglary at Locks Restaurant and I Monelli in October 2017. While seeking work, he entered Locks, looked through staff lockers, and stole a phone and €20. A staff member caught him and he later surrendered the phone. At I Monelli he tried to book a family dinner but went behind the counter, was photographed by staff and arrested the next day. O'Reilly, a long‑time drug addict who had relapsed after a relationship ended, expressed remorse and regret. Judge Melanie Greally noted the similarity of the offences, his addiction history and lack of lasting victim harm, but also the confrontation with staff. She sentenced him to two‑and‑a‑half years, suspending the final 15 months for 18 months on strict conditions, including drug‑addiction treatment before release.
In March 2019, Kayleigh Byrne, a 26‑year‑old mother of two from Clondalkin, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for transporting nearly €200,000 worth of cannabis herb. She was arrested after a tip that a vehicle would be used to move drugs; 22 wrapped packages were found in the boot of the car on the M50. Byrne pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing the drugs for sale or supply on 3 September 2018. She had two prior convictions for minor road traffic offences. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted Byrne's fear of threats linked to a drug debt owed by her former partner, her role as a good mother, and her early guilty plea. The court suspended the final two and a half years of the sentence, backdating it to the time of her initial custody following the September arrest.
Charlie Magaharan, 25, of Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to Lorcan Travers, Peter Hardy, and Marcus Thomas at Custom House Quay on February 6, 2016. The incident occurred after the victims approached Magaharan and an accomplice, who were allegedly damaging a rental bike. CCTV footage played in court captured the assaults, during which the victims sustained injuries including a fractured cheekbone, dislocated shoulder, and fractured eye socket. Magaharan, who has 19 previous convictions, including a two-year suspended sentence for criminal damage in July 2013, accepted that a fight occurred and expressed remorse. The prosecution noted that the victims accepted a letter of apology and €1,000 compensation. Judge Melanie Greally placed Magaharan on a 12-month probation bond, ordering him to engage with Probation Services and undertake recommended courses. The matter was adjourned for a year.
Gavin O'Donovan, 30, was arrested after attempting to set an unmarked Garda patrol car on fire outside Rathmines Garda Station. He had placed blue industrial tissue paper soaked in diesel into the car's exhaust, carried a lighter and matches, and later admitted to drinking 12 cans of lager and vodka, feeling suicidal and worried for himself. Garda Niall Freaney and defence lawyer Rory Mulvany described O'Donovan as not in his right mind and suggested his actions may have been a cry for help. Judge Cormac Quinn noted the diesel would not have ignited but found O'Donovan's intentions clear. He pleaded guilty to attempted arson on November 9, 2018, and was given a suspended two‑year prison term, with the judge recognising his efforts to address substance addiction and his remorse for the night's actions.
Nicholas Keane, 41, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to ten counts of handling stolen vehicles and two charges of inducing another to purchase a stolen vehicle between 11 July 2016 and 25 October 2016. He admitted selling ten stolen cars on the "Donedeal" website for €88,795, receiving about €500 for each sale. Keane, who used the alias David O'Brien, met buyers in public areas around Dublin, handed over registration details and accepted cash payments. He claimed he was motivated by financial hardship and wanted to provide for his eight children. Keane apologized to victims, expressing guilt and offering to repay them if he won the lottery. Judge Melanie Greally ordered a probation report, remanded him in custody, and adjourned the case for finalisation on 28 May. The article reports that Keane's role was limited to selling the cars, not stealing them, and that he was not responsible for placing the adverts on the website.
In March 2018, William McCarthy, 28, was stopped by Gardaí in a Ford Mondeo parked at Monastery Gate Avenue, Clondalkin, where two fully loaded .38 special calibre Smith and Wesson revolvers were found in the glove box. McCarthy, who had 72 prior convictions including drug and traffic offences, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of the firearms. The weapons were in good working condition, each loaded with five bullets. McCarthy claimed he was pressured by a drug debt to acquire the guns, and he expressed remorse, citing his father's illness and his own drug relapse after his daughter's birth. He was sentenced to six and a half years, with the final 18 months suspended on conditions such as engaging with the Probation Service for 12 months upon release. He remains remanded in custody.
Ben Merriman, aged 20, pleaded guilty to assault, trespass and criminal damage after helping a friend break into a house in Balbriggan on 27 March 2018. The pair searched for the couple's daughter, Chloe, shouting "Where's Chloe? We're going to kill her". They struck the front door with a metal bar, smashed a living‑room window and kicked the door down. They confronted the parents, demanded the daughter's location, and when she was not found, Merriman spat in the mother's face. The other man threatened to slice her from ear to ear, struck the father on the head with the metal bar and continued to hit him while Merriman kicked him. The court accepted that the other man was the main aggressor and that Merriman acted out of "blind loyalty" and fear. Merriman had no prior convictions and had cut off all contact with the other man.
Rishi Raj Huree, 37, of Beaumont, Dublin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbing €28,870 from Twenty Two Night Club on 12 June 2018. He stole the money to repay a loan for his mother. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to two and a half years' imprisonment, but suspended the entire term on the condition that he keep the peace and be of good behaviour for two and a half years. Garda Jack McGovern explained that the general manager had tried to open a safe but could not find the key, and Huree initially denied knowing the key before admitting the theft and asking if he could return the money to keep his job. Huree was arrested two days later at Dublin Airport with over €15,000 in his backpack; the rest of the money was found in his house, and €25,660 was recovered by Gardaí.
Chico Makamda, 36, of Viking House, Waterford, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to sexual assault, false imprisonment and robbery committed on April 16, 2018, in Adare Lane, Dublin. He attacked a woman in her early fifties who was relieving herself behind bins, punching her three times, attempting to pull her jeans down, and masturbating in front of her. The victim fell, hit her head, and later discovered her wallet and phone missing. Makamda fled when another man arrived. He was sentenced to seven and a half years for false imprisonment and robbery, with the final two and a half years suspended for two and a half years on the condition he leave the country within 14 days of release. He received a concurrent four‑year sentence for sexual assault, backdated to the day of his first custody. The judge noted the victim's severe trauma and the aggravated nature of the offences.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Robert Moore (31) pleaded guilty to hijacking a car on Alfie Byrne Road, Clontarf, on 1 March. He also admitted dangerous driving and driving without insurance. The court heard that Moore tried to drive the vehicle off at speed, crashed onto a footpath, and then attempted a U‑turn, causing the car to hit a kerb. Passerby Nicuser Monteanu ran to help, seized the keys, and Eamonn McGrath intervened, pulling Moore from the car. Moore threatened the men, claiming he knew where they lived. The victim, Delia Graham, a visitor from Northern Ireland, was pulled from the car, bruised, and feared being stabbed. She praised the men's kindness and the Garda's support. Judge Elma Sheahan suspended the final 12 months of a four‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term, conditional on probation and substance‑abuse treatment.
Philip Daly, 23, was jailed after he attacked his friend David O'Rourke, who lived with him in a hostel, on 15 December 2017. Daly had repeatedly asked O'Rourke for money, claiming the friend had taken items from his room. He threatened to "kick the shite" out of him if the money was not paid. On the night of the assault, Daly struck O'Rourke with an object, causing a large cut above the eye that required 30 stitches. Daly pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to three‑and‑a‑half years, suspended the last 12 months on condition of offence and victim awareness programmes, and credited him for 10 months already spent in custody. She noted evidence of remorse and efforts to address risk factors.
Two Dublin men, Eddie Valentine (44) and Mark Kavanagh (40), pleaded guilty to stealing a cash register from Leisureplex, Stillorgan, during a children's birthday party on 4 May 2017. The theft, captured on CCTV, involved €95 in cash and four vending‑machine keys. At a hearing in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Karen O'Connor imposed a headline sentence of three years for each, reduced to two years fully suspended, citing early guilty pleas and chronic drug addiction. Both men were ordered to be supervised by Probation Services for 12 months and to comply with education and drug‑addiction treatment directives. The court noted the incident's aggravating context—children present and a party in progress—and praised a staff member who detained the men. The cash register was never recovered, and the victim impact statement estimated the loss at just under €1,000, including a €500 replacement and €400 for additional security measures.
A man has been sentenced to nine years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a series of robberies committed across Dublin between March and April 2018, with an additional offence in May 2017. Dean Gray, aged 31, of Buttercup Drive, Darndale, Dublin, pleaded guilty to seven robbery offences, attempted robbery, threats to kill, and production of weapons including a knife and screwdriver. The court heard Gray robbed €350 from a shop in Baldoyle after arriving by taxi, which he then tipped before departing. He committed further robberies at retail outlets and a tanning salon within days of each other. A three-year consecutive sentence was imposed for a street robbery committed while on bail. Judge Patricia Ryan suspended the final three years conditional on good behaviour and peace-keeping for three years following release. She ordered engagement with the Probation Service, drug addiction treatment, and employment support. Gray has 69 previous convictions, including 21 robberies. His defence counsel noted his difficult background and stated his aspiration to seek residential drug treatment.
Daniel Delaney, 26, of Mariner's Port, Dublin, pleaded guilty to three burglaries committed while on bail for a prior offence. He was found guilty of breaking into Clonsilla Inn on 8 January 2017, Siam Thai on 21 May 2017 and Monkstown Rugby Club on 20 September 2017. The court sentenced him to a total of eight years, with consecutive terms of three and a half years for the first burglary, one and a half years for the second and three years for the third. Judge Elma Sheahan suspended the final 12 months of the sentence on the condition that Delaney keep the peace and behave well for two years after release. The judge noted that Delaney had committed two of the burglaries while on bail, had 128 previous convictions, and had been identified by CCTV on both occasions. He also highlighted mitigating factors such as his guilty plea, a young child and prior positive community contributions.
John Murphy (69), a former travel agent and founder of the Children to Lapland charity, was convicted of four counts of theft totaling €18,643 from the charity between June and July 2010. He had pleaded not guilty, arguing that the charity owed him money and that funds routinely moved between accounts. The prosecution described his defence as the "Father Ted defence." A jury found him guilty after 42 minutes of deliberation, and he received a wholly suspended three‑year sentence in 2016. On 1 March 2019, the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal. Justice Isobel Kennedy, joined by Justices George Birmingham and Patrick McCarthy, upheld the conviction, noting that evidence of an honest belief in entitlement was insufficient and that the trial judge's instructions to the jury were correct. The appeal was therefore dismissed.
In a 2019 court hearing, Gardaí used a sting operation to investigate a series of car thefts by purchasing a stolen jet ski listed on Adverts.ie. The seller, Denis Kaczor Niecko, 30, fled in a van and crashed 200 metres up the road. Niecko later pleaded guilty to handling 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. He was arrested when Gardaí found a car key to the Audi in his van and subsequently located the stolen vehicles, both fitted with false registration plates, tax and NCT discs, and certificates. Fingerprint evidence linked Niecko to both cars. He has 23 prior convictions, including handling and possessing stolen property and theft, and has lived in Ireland for about ten years.
Eddie McEvoy, 34, was sentenced to two years in prison for a series of thefts in Dublin's city centre that totalled over €10,000 in goods, including perfume, cosmetics, alcohol and scratch cards. He pleaded guilty to eight thefts and one trespass with intent between 13 October 2017 and 26 January 2018. McEvoy's counsel described the offences as opportunistic and driven by a chronic addiction to crack cocaine, heroin, tablets and benzos, noting he was now drug‑free except for methadone. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a three‑year sentence with the final 12 months suspended, citing the accumulation of 204 prior convictions, up from 145 a year earlier. The court heard that McEvoy had lost a lung in 2016 due to an overdose and that he had been captured on CCTV during several of the thefts, including a €6,000 haul of scratch cards from a Londis staff room.
In a hearing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Keith McDonnell, aged 29, pleaded guilty to criminal damage to his Mountjoy Prison cell on 21 May 2013. The court heard that McDonnell had been serving a separate sentence for criminal damage at the time of the offence. His former partner, Sarah‑Jane O'Callaghan, said she had died by suicide and that after visiting her in the mortuary McDonnell "lost his head" and went to pieces. A prison officer heard commotion, saw McDonnell shouting and throwing a cup of tea, and after McDonnell threw a television at the ground, the officer left the cell. McDonnell was removed and placed in a special observation cell. The damage to the cell, including a smashed washbasin, broken waste pipes, a 22‑metre glass viewing panel, a modesty screen door, a laminated mirror and a spyhole, cost €1,750. McDonnell has 68 previous convictions, including five for criminal damage, multiple assaults and thefts.
John Daly, aged 58, received a five‑year sentence for five acts of gross indecency with a mentally impaired male between 2016 and 2017. The Court of Criminal Appeal heard that Daly had threatened the complainant with death and had performed oral sex and rubbed his penis over the male. Judge Melanie Greally noted the maximum sentence for such offences is two years but imposed five consecutive years, suspending the final 12 months for five years. She ordered three years of probation supervision, compliance with all directions and completion of a sex‑offender treatment programme if appropriate. Daly had previously served a partially suspended four‑year sentence for assaulting two teenage girls in 2011 and a six‑year sentence in 2000 for other sexual crimes. The court acknowledged that Daly's guilty plea and admissions were taken into account in the sentencing decision.
Barry Keating, 33, of Coolock, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for drug offences. He pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for sale or supply at Harmonstown Road, Dublin 5, on June 29, 2016, and possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Shonvalley Apartments, Lucan, on August 8, 2016. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a four-and-a-half-year sentence, with the final 18 months suspended. The court noted Keating's 53 previous convictions, drug addiction, and difficult youth circumstances. Prosecution and defence agreed he was effectively "passed from pillar to post" after being abandoned as an infant and acted as a courier under the influence of others. Separately, Gerard Gerard Cleary, 34, pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine for sale or supply. He was sentenced to three years, with the final 18 months suspended, by Judge Karen O'Connor on December 1, 2017. Cleary cooperated with gardaí and made full admissions during interview. The cocaine involved in the Lucan incident had a street value of €138,837, while the heroin in the Harmonstown incident was valued at €16,190. Both defendants were arrested at the scene of the respective incidents.
Lee O'Brien, 32, of Cooley Road, Drimnagh, was sentenced to three‑and‑a‑half years in prison for a high‑speed chase that ended with him crashing into a garda car and a taxi. He pleaded guilty to three counts of endangerment, one count of dangerous driving and one count of driving without insurance. The pursuit began when a garda patrol noticed a red Nissan Micra that sped away, leading to a series of collisions. O'Brien's vehicle collided with a patrol car, then a taxi, causing the taxi to spin and hit a pole. All occupants suffered minor injuries. The judge, Melanie Greally, described the incident as an "extremely serious episode of highly dangerous driving", noted O'Brien's 122 prior convictions, and imposed a ten‑year driving ban upon release. The sentence was back‑dated to May of the previous year. O'Brien admitted the charges, expressed remorse, and was found intoxicated during the incident.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Vasile Marin, aged 24, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for robbing an 81‑year‑old pensioner in Sutton on 10 September 2016. The victim, who had recently had a pacemaker implanted, was robbed of a €300 purse while she was shopping at Eurospar in Bayside. Marin, a father of two living in Foxborough Close, Lucan, pleaded guilty to robbery. He had two prior theft convictions and was motivated by a gambling debt, according to his defence counsel. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a three‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended, noting Marin's lack of employment history and receipt of disability benefits for depression. The victim, who was terrified and unable to leave her home for six months after the incident, expressed that she had moved on but no longer uses cash and relies on home help for shopping.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Kelly Simpson, aged 27, pleaded guilty to possessing 177 g of crack cocaine and 329 g of cannabis, valued at €12,417 and €6,588 respectively, after Gardaí searched her apartment following complaints of suspicious activity. The search, conducted with a warrant, revealed a strong smell of cannabis and the presence of Simpson and her three children. Simpson, who had previously been fined for taking drugs into a prison, admitted that she stored the drugs to obtain money for her children, citing financial hardship and lack of support from their fathers. She also disclosed using benzodiazepines to manage panic attacks. Judge Melanie Greally, noting the seriousness of the offence, adjourned sentencing to May, remanded Simpson on continuing bail, and scheduled a defence plea in mitigation for the next hearing.
The State has dropped the sexual assault charges against Cork GP Kevin Mulcahy, 61, after a jury failed to reach a verdict in a trial earlier this month. Mulcahy had pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of sexual assault – one alleged in his Mallow surgery in February 1995 and a second between 8 May and 31 December 1996. Prosecutor Maddie Grant BL informed Judge Melanie Greally that the State would not pursue a third trial and requested a nolle prosequi. The judge granted the request, discharging Mulcahy from the indictment.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Michal Wojciak, 36, admitted possession of over 4,000 child pornography images and videos, all discovered during a forensic analysis in August 2016. The material, seized from his Swords apartment in 2012, included 681 videos and 3,873 images depicting preteen and teenage girls in sexual activities, some with adults, and a 24‑minute video of a preteen masturbating. Wojciak denied actively searching for such material but acknowledged possession. He had no prior convictions and had lost his job in 2018. The court ordered him to remain on bail until 31 May, with the preparation of forensic psychological and probation reports requested by counsel. The case highlighted Gardaí's use of peer‑to‑peer monitoring and the delay in forensic analysis due to resource constraints. The hearing focused on the admission of guilt and the procedural steps pending before any sentencing. Michal Wojciak pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 45‑year‑old man was found to have abducted his children and kept them abroad for four years, separating them from their mother. The court heard that the man had taken the children out of Ireland without consent on 8 November 2014 at Dublin Airport, and that he had pleaded guilty to four charges of taking them abroad. The children, now aged eight to 15, were returned to their mother in October 2018 after the mother contacted the court. The man had no prior convictions and had no contact with the children since their return, except a single phone call with his son on a birthday. The maximum penalty for each charge is seven years. Judge Cormac Quinn ordered a Probation Service report, remanded the man on continuing bail, and adjourned the case to 29 May for a plea in mitigation. The mother and children declined to give victim impact statements.
Patrick Paget, 30, of Ballymun, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to two robberies and an attempted robbery of personal belongings at Abbey Street, Dublin, on January 18, 2017. Judge Patrick Quinn imposed a 20-month sentence, with the final 15 months suspended, and credited any time Paget spent in custody. The judge described the offences as "cowardly" but noted Paget's significant rehabilitation efforts, stating he had done "Trojan work" and remained out of trouble since his last offence. The sentence was suspended on the condition that Paget remains drug and alcohol free and attends NA meetings. Prosecution evidence highlighted Paget's 128 previous convictions, including 25 under the Larceny Act, and an 18-month prison term for burglary in 2015. Defence counsel submitted that Paget has been drug-free for 23 months and has stable accommodation with his partner and child. Co-accused Paul Coady, 27, of Cabra, also pleaded guilty to the same offences on the same date, as well as an attempted robbery at Tesco Express, Aungier Street, on January 20, 2018. Coady, who has nine previous convictions for minor offences, was not sentenced at this stage and will be sentenced in October.
Michael Wall, 18, was found guilty of robbing an unoccupied house in Willowfield, Dublin 4, where he stole cash and jewellery worth €11,310. DNA evidence linked him to the scene after he smashed a bedroom window and left blood on the property. He pleaded guilty to a single count of robbery. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to two and a half years in prison, but the sentence was fully suspended on the condition that he keep the peace and comply with Probation Services supervision for 18 months. Wall had no prior convictions. The victim, who did not submit a Victim Impact Statement, discovered the house was left open and the window smashed. Gardaí noted the thief had injured himself during the break‑in. The case was prosecuted by John Berry Bl and defended by Marc Thompson Bl, who cited Wall's recent bereavement and drug issues. Probation Services assessed Wall as a moderate risk of re‑offending.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 58‑year‑old Greg Gilligan of Avonbeg Gardens, Tallaght, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for possessing cannabis and a small quantity of crack cocaine. The drugs, valued at €71,695, were found in a black hold‑all bag that Gilligan had thrown into a neighbour's garden after a Garda raid on 24 August 2016. Gilligan admitted he had been storing the drugs for a friend who was a drug addict; when the drugs were lost, he incurred a €2,500 debt. He pleaded guilty, and his counsel argued for a fully suspended sentence, citing his caring nature, charitable work for homeless people, and lack of prior convictions. The judge accepted his remorse, noted his drug‑free status, and highlighted his low risk of re‑offending, but imposed the two‑year custodial term.
Michael Shine, an 86‑year‑old retired surgeon, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four years' imprisonment for one count of indecent assault and 18 months for the remaining 11 counts, all to run concurrently. The charges cover 12 indecent assault offences and one sexual assault committed during medical examinations at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and two private clinics in Drogheda between 1971 and 1992. A jury found him guilty after just over six hours of deliberation. Judge Martin Nolan noted the seriousness of the pattern of misbehaviour, the victims' vulnerability and Shine's position of trust as aggravating factors, while his age and health were mitigating. Shine denied any improper conduct and claimed no memory of the incidents. The sentence reflects the court's decision to impose the headline term of four years, with the remaining terms running concurrently. The case remains under appeal for previous convictions. Michael Shine pleaded not guilty.
In a court hearing on 22 February 2019, Garda Warren Farrell, aged 33 and serving in Ballyfermot, Co Dublin, expressed remorse to the family of Elizabeth Core, a 75‑year‑old pedestrian who died after being struck by his patrol car on 28 August 2014. The court heard that Farrell had pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving causing death, but was convicted on an alternative charge of careless driving causing death by a jury majority. The judge, Cormac Quinn, adjourned the case to 12 March to consider evidence and testimonials. Farrell's son, Thomas Core, delivered a victim impact statement describing his mother as healthy and full of life, noting his father's health decline after her death. Farrell has a 12‑year Garda career, an unblemished disciplinary record, and has led a specialist CCTV unit that contributed to serious convictions. He offered a charitable contribution to the Core family as a token of remorse.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, retired surgeon Michael Shine, aged 86, was found guilty of 12 indecent assault charges and one sexual assault charge committed during medical examinations between 1971 and 1992. The jury, after just over six hours of deliberation, returned guilty verdicts. Victim Patrick Cusack, who waived anonymity, described the abuse as a "life sentence of pain, hurt, anguish and shame," noting he had not slept properly for 45 years until the verdict. Two other victims also testified that Shine showed no understanding of his actions and that the abuse had eroded their trust in people. The court adjourned sentencing to the following Monday, with Shine remanded on continuing bail. No sentencing outcome was provided in the article.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Michael Rooney Dignam, 38, pleaded guilty to robbery at a Centra shop on 7 May 2017. He entered the shop, threatened a worker with a syringe filled with red liquid, claiming he had "the virus" and demanded the till be opened. The worker saw the syringe, which she believed contained his blood. Rooney Dignam stole €600. He admitted no memory of the incident but later identified himself on CCTV. He has 47 prior convictions, including 18 for robbery and one for manslaughter. He is serving a six‑year sentence, with the final 18 months suspended for three robberies in May 2017, and is scheduled for release on 29 September 2020. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to 18 months' imprisonment, to start today.
Brian Kavanagh, 33, was jailed after attempting to mug US military policeman Christian Escobar in Dublin using a roll of tin foil that he claimed was a silver bar. Kavanagh, under the influence of drugs, tried to seize Escobar's backpack, leading to a scuffle that caused both men to crash through a shop window, damaging about €2,000 worth of goods. Escobar suffered severe tendon damage to his wrist. Garda Theresa Brady observed Kavanagh behaving violently, head‑butting security guards and a glass partition, and deemed him unfit for interview for six hours. Kavanagh pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, assault causing harm and violent behaviour in a police station. Judge Karen O'Connor, noting 147 prior convictions and failed attempts to address his addictions, sentenced him to two years and nine months' imprisonment, rejecting his offer to engage with Probation Services.
Jorgen Sorensen, a 65-year-old Danish bus driver, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after entering signed guilty pleas to importing and possessing cocaine for sale or supply. The offence occurred on November 1, 2018, at Dublin Airport T2, where customs officers discovered two wrapped packages of cocaine valued at €66,871 in his luggage. Sorensen alleged he had been deceived into transporting what he believed were inheritance documents for a woman he met on Facebook, claiming he was to be paid €800 to deliver them from Brazil to London. He stated he had never inspected the bag and trusted the individuals who organised his travel. Judge Melanie Greally described Sorensen's actions as showing a "huge level of naivety" and "significant level of recklessness," noting the enterprise "reeked of scam." The court accepted that his trusting nature had been exploited, though he remained criminally liable. Judge Greally imposed a three-year sentence, with the final 18 months suspended, resulting in an effective custody period of 18 months. The sentence was backdated to the date Sorensen entered custody. Additionally, the court ordered that he leave the jurisdiction within seven days of his release.
Derek White, 41, of Lucan, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to unlawful possession of cannabis at his home on 11 July 2016. Garda David Sheehy reported that White was stopped while driving and a small amount of cannabis was found in his car; a search of his house uncovered 16 cannabis plants growing in a tent in an upstairs room, valued at €12,800. White cultivated the plants to extract medicinal oil for himself, who suffers from Crohn's disease, and for his autistic son. He claimed he was not selling the cannabis. Judge Cormac Quinn sentenced White to two years' imprisonment, but suspended the entire sentence on the condition that he keep the peace and be of good behaviour for two years. White has four prior convictions, including possession of drugs, cultivation of cannabis and unlawful possession of ammunition.
Lawrence Doyle, a 51‑year‑old taxi driver, was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally to 180 hours of community service within 12 months instead of an 18‑month prison term for a drink‑fuelled assault on Christopher Darcy. The incident occurred on 15 May 2017 at Mullets Bar, Amiens Street, when Doyle bit off a 3‑cm portion of Darcy's ear after a quarrel. CCTV showed Doyle attacking Darcy, who was struck repeatedly in the chest and attempted to defend himself. Darcy was taken to Mater Hospital, treated for a permanent ear injury, and received a tetanus shot and antibiotics. Doyle pleaded guilty, had no prior convictions, cooperated with Gardaí, and paid €1,000 in compensation. The judge noted the assault was out of character for Doyle and described it as vicious and violent.
Bayo Olanrewaju, 48, was jailed for four and a half years after he was caught carrying nearly €200,000 worth of heroin into Dublin Airport. He had swallowed most of the drugs in pellets and claimed he would meet someone in Dublin and hand them over at a hotel. Olanrewaju said he had agreed to transport the drugs because he needed money to travel to Mozambique for his grandmother's funeral. He had previously borrowed money from people who took advantage of his financial situation. Garda Aoife Cusask reported that customs officials stopped him after his flight from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and found a plastic bag with heroin pellets taped to his inside groin area. He admitted swallowing more drugs and that he would be paid €1,000 once he delivered them. The pellets contained 1,305 g of heroin, valued at €182,700. Bayo Olanrewaju pleaded guilty.
In a 2016 incident on Marigold Avenue, Darndale, Dublin, 36‑year‑old Paul Evans attempted to rob taxi driver Frank Rowan. Evans brandished a 6mm air pistol, claiming it was a "practical joke," and threatened Rowan with the gun. Rowan, fearing a real shot, managed to overpower Evans, who repeatedly ran at him and demanded the gun back. Rowan struck Evans on the head with the gun, causing a small forehead injury. A passerby called the Gardaí, who later arrested Evans, who was wearing a black ski mask. Evans pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and unlawful possession of a realistic imitation firearm. He claimed the pistol belonged to his son and was used for shooting cans. The court noted Evans had no prior violent convictions and adjourned sentencing to 16 May, remanding him in custody until then.
In a robbery on Station Road, Lusk, on 9 March 2016, Folarin Odunlami (22) and an accomplice used a long steak knife to threaten a young man, demanding his phone, wallet and €110. The victim fled to a nursing home, called Gardaí, and later identified the two men at a train station. Gardaí chased them; they fell 15 feet from a footbridge into a carpark and hid. Garda Air Support Unit detected them a short time later, lying under brambles, using thermal imaging from a helicopter. Odunlami pleaded guilty to robbing the victim's phone, wallet and cash. At a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Melanie Greally noted his remorse and lack of further offences, ordering 240 hours of community service. The case highlighted the use of thermal imaging to locate suspects hiding in vegetation.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Damien Reilly, 36, pleaded guilty to two robberies in Stoneybatter on 24 February 2017 and 7 April 2017. During the April incident, a nurse was robbed at an ATM when Reilly seized her and threatened to stab her with a needle, saying "Don't fucking move, don't fucking scream, I have a needle in my hand" and "stick" her with it. The woman screamed, tried to escape, was caught in a headlock and fell to the ground. A passer‑by struck Reilly with a bottle, after which he fled over a wall and was later found "cowering" by Gardaí. The victim reported €200 stolen and the loss of a phone with "precious images" of her daughter. In a separate robbery weeks earlier, Reilly grabbed a woman's bag strap, knocked her to the ground and she banged her head on a wall; she claimed €575 was stolen.
Gerard Curtis, 32, was jailed for 28 months after pointing an air gun at three gardaí on a second‑floor balcony in Dublin. While still wearing funeral clothes following his mother's cremation, he threatened the officers, saying he would slaughter them all, and then pointed a BB gun at them twice, causing the officers to retreat. Curtis later admitted he was "whacked out of it" after a cocaine‑fuelled party. He pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm on 14 June 2016. The judge noted the weapon was harmless but would not appear so to those confronted. Curtis had 116 prior convictions and had cooperated with the investigation, showing remorse. The incident was described as serious misbehaviour with potential serious repercussions for both Curtis and the gardaí.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Martin Lumsden, 35, pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of a firearm after stealing from a Mace shop in All Saints Park, Raheny, on 7 May 2018. He had previously pleaded guilty to trespass and theft at Gaelscoil Cholmcille, a primary school, on 18 April 2018, where he and co‑accused John Finn, 32, had thrown a bag of coins over the school's railings, later found to contain €880.78, all of which was recovered. Lumsden stole about €500 from two tills in the Mace shop, none of which was recovered, and the firearm was not recovered. He has 110 prior convictions, including hijacking, false imprisonment, robbery and burglary. Finn has 17 prior convictions. The judge ordered probation reports for both men and adjourned sentencing to 21 May.
Gary Murphy, 38, of Church Road, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting a taxi driver, Mohammed Naseem, on 28 May 2016. Murphy entered Naseem's taxi early in the morning, distracted him with the horn, verbally abused him and threatened to shoot him, reaching into his trousers as if he had a weapon. Naseem sprayed Murphy with body spray; Murphy then struck him six or seven times, causing cuts and swelling. Murphy was heavily intoxicated at the time and had many prior convictions, none involving assault or violence. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to three and a half years' imprisonment, suspending the final 12 months on the condition that he keep the peace, behave well and comply with the Probation Service for 12 months after release.
In a 2019 case, Arturas Bulksas, 55, was found guilty of stabbing his housemate in the torso, neck and ear during a domestic dispute. The victim, who spent two days in hospital, declined to give a victim impact statement or medical report. Bulksas, who had no prior convictions and had recently arrived in Ireland, pleaded guilty. Judge Melanie Greally, after hearing evidence, ordered 240 hours of community service to replace a two‑year custodial sentence, which she suspended in full. She also required Bulksas to complete the community service within 12 months. The judge noted the injuries were not life‑threatening and that Bulksas had shown remorse and a clean record. No jail time was imposed.
James Jordan, 51, of Castleknock, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to knowingly submitting 16 incorrect VAT returns, six incorrect income tax returns, four incorrect invoices and three false claims of income tax relief. Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin sentenced him to 240 hours of community service in lieu of 18 months imprisonment for one count of submitting an incorrect tax return. He received an 18‑month imprisonment sentence for one count of submitting an incorrect invoice, but the entire sentence was suspended for three years on the condition that he keep the peace, be of good behaviour and comply with an arrangement with Revenue. The arrangement requires Jordan to pay about €5,000 a month for 113 months; he has already paid €57,500. The court noted that Jordan owed €1,236,881 in total, including €162,945 VAT liability, €297,974 capital gains tax, and €775,962 interest and penalties.
A former Christian Brothers teacher, John Gibson (71) of Dun Laoghaire, Dublin, has been found guilty of indecent assault against a 12-year-old girl at a Christian Brother's School in Co. Wexford, between May and September 1983. Gibson pleaded not guilty to the charges, but a jury returned majority guilty verdicts on all three charges after deliberating for just over four hours. The trial, which lasted five days, heard testimony from two complainants who alleged that Gibson molested them while washing them after they had carried out manual work around the school. Judge Elma Sheahan thanked the jurors for their care and attention to the case. She remanded Gibson on continuing bail until his sentence hearing on March 19th, next. She further ordered victim impact reports for that date. Gibson was also ordered to sign on at Dun Laoghaire Garda Station once a week, surrender his passport, and notify authorities of any change in his address. The matter was adjourned and will be finalised at the sentence hearing on March 19th.