In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, a 68‑year‑old man was convicted of four counts of sexual assault against the daughter of his partner, who was 14 at the time. The offences occurred between January and December 1991, both in the man's shop and at his home. The judge, Pauline Codd, imposed a three‑year prison sentence, suspending the final year for one year on the condition that the defendant remains law‑abiding, behaves well, and engages with the Probation Service after release. The court noted that the victim and her mother lived above the shop, and that the defendant had taken on a step‑father role. The judge cited the breach of trust, the victim's age, and the traumatic impact as aggravating factors, while the defendant's lack of prior convictions, advanced age, and serious health issues were mitigating. The victim delivered a victim impact statement describing the abuse as having an enormous effect on her life.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Silver Drescan (32) and Margherita Lupu (37) pleaded guilty to possessing 52 cloned credit cards and to making false payments, including a €3,400 purchase of a ring for Lupu and attempts to buy two mobile phones and two watches. The pair had used the cloned cards at Dom Marmion car park on 25 June 2018. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced Lupu to two years' imprisonment, suspended, with the condition that she leave the State within seven days and not return for at least ten years. Drescan received a two‑year sentence with the final 15 months suspended, taking into account his good work record and custody of two dependent children. Both defendants now live in the United Kingdom. The court noted that the offence was serious, but Lupu's guilty plea, remorse, lack of prior convictions and motherhood were mitigating factors. The couple's relationship ended after the arrest.
A man has been convicted of sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl at a Dublin mosque. Abdur Rashid, aged 50, was found guilty by jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of a single count of sexual assault occurring in December 2015. The accused, a former resident of Carrick-on-Shannon in Leitrim who later lived in Dublin, had pleaded not guilty to the charge. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to 18 months imprisonment, with the final four months suspended for one year on condition he complies with Probation Services directions and maintains good behaviour. The child's mother discovered the assault when collecting her daughter from the school. Evidence revealed the accused displayed an "unhealthy interest" in the child prior to the incident. The victim subsequently experienced anxiety, nightmares and school avoidance. The judge described the offence as a "gross exploitation of the innocence of a very young child" and noted aggravating factors including the victim's age and breach of the teacher-student relationship. The sentence was backdated to January 2018.
Karl Zambra, 31, of St Teresa's Gardens, Donore Avenue, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, with the final six months suspended for 12 months, after pleading guilty to possessing drugs for sale or supply. The offence involved selling €40 of cocaine to undercover Gardaí who had posed in plain clothes to test whether he would offer drugs. Zambra and another man approached the officers, spoke briefly, and then Zambra signalled to the other man and said, "Them boys are okay, sort them out?" After the officers purchased the cocaine, Zambra gave them his brother's mobile number and suggested they call it to sort themselves out in the future. He was not arrested until almost a year later to avoid blowing the undercover operation. Zambra has 77 previous convictions, including drug misuse, burglary, dangerous driving, drunk driving and a violent disorder offence in a Garda station.
Brian Boyle, a 30‑year‑old former drug addict, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after he punched and kicked an innocent bystander at Longmeadows Apartments on 31 May 2016. Boyle admitted he was very drunk and had little memory of the incident, apologising to the victim who was hospitalised with head and body injuries. Judge Melanie Greally, noting Boyle's history of drug addiction and homelessness, accepted that he was now on the road to recovery and had taken important steps to address his addiction. She imposed a headline sentence of three and a half years, suspended on the condition that he keep the peace for that period, citing his guilty plea, cooperation with the investigation and expressions of remorse. The victim did not complete a victim impact statement. Boyle's 59 previous convictions include theft, robbery and car theft. The court emphasised that imprisoning him now would pose a risk to his rehabilitation process.
Laura Byrne, 40, of Ardglass, Baltinglass, was found guilty of eight counts of theft and two counts of deception by using false HSE receipts between 16 April 2015 and 21 October 2016. She admitted stealing €30,413 from the daily‑care wards at Clonskeagh Hospital, where patients paid €5 a day for meals and transport. The money was collected by Byrne, who was expected to lodge receipts to the HSE and keep an electronic record. Unofficial receipts and missing weeks raised concerns, and the hospital later reported the theft. Byrne gave a prepared statement admitting the theft, apologising, and explaining that her husband had been out of work for two years and then suffered a heart attack, leaving her to manage finances under extreme stress. She has no prior convictions. The court adjourned the case for 12 months to allow a probation report and for Byrne to continue restitution. She is due to be sentenced on 18 November next year.
A garda fingerprint expert has told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that examination of a vehicle used in a €90,000 tiger kidnapping yielded no evidential value. Garda Frank Doyle said he found nothing of relevance during internal and external inspection of a Volkswagen Golf, nor did he recover relevant fingerprints from items within the car or from the home of postmistress Susan Lawlor, who was among three people abducted in the incident four years ago. Paschal Kelly, aged 52, from Cootehill, Co. Cavan, has pleaded not guilty to charges including false imprisonment of Ms Lawlor, her daughter, and an Italian student at a Dublin location on 25 September 2014. He has also denied robbery and threats to kill, as well as unlawful vehicle possession. Defence counsel questioned the expert regarding fingerprint contamination on surfaces and noted that third-party prints were found on CDs recovered from the car. The trial continues before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Alan Curtis, aged 34, was convicted of intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to a 16‑year‑old boy on 28 March 2014. Curtis, who had previously served a partially suspended six‑year sentence for a 2004 assault, used a hurley to fracture the teen's skull after an antisocial incident involving about 20 youths outside his mother's house. The teen suffered a depressed skull fracture, required emergency surgery, and was later treated at the National Rehabilitation Hospital for speech and cognitive difficulties. Curtis was sentenced to four years, with the final two years suspended, following a unanimous jury verdict. The judge noted that Curtis's prior conviction and the circumstances of the offence influenced the decision to suspend part of the sentence.
Aidan Conroy, a 40‑year‑old truck driver from Ashbrook, Clonaslee, was jailed for eight and a half years after a court found him a facilitator in the importation of nearly €300,000 worth of cocaine. The drugs were seized at Dublin Port on 20 August 2015 when officers stopped his freight truck after it disembarked from a ferry. They discovered 4.2 kilos of cocaine hidden in a fire extinguisher in the truck cab and an additional 6.9 kilos in a bag on pallets in the trailer. A jury acquitted Conroy of charges relating to the trailer drugs but convicted him of possession of the cab drugs. He pleaded not guilty to possession for sale or supply of cocaine with a market value over €13,000 and denied importation.
David Browne, 41, of Clondalkin, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to eight burglary counts in Celbridge in June 2017. Garda Conor Morris presented CCTV evidence of Browne entering sheds, taking power tools and a laptop from a business premises, and avoiding confrontation with homeowners. Browne has 171 prior convictions, including 36 theft offences, one robbery and 108 traffic offences. He had a four‑year sentence in 2013 for 11 thefts. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a four‑year prison term, suspending the last 15 months on condition he engage with the Probation Service after release.
Alan Lynch, 58, a homeless man with no fixed abode, was sentenced to ten years in jail for cultivating cannabis at Keelogues House, Heronford Lane, Shankill, Dublin. Lynch had previously been released from prison after a four‑year sentence for drug possession and had 19 prior traffic convictions. He pleaded guilty to a Section 15A offence for growing cannabis worth an estimated €763,560. Judge Melanie Greally imposed the mandatory minimum of ten years, citing Lynch's history of drug and alcohol dependence and his inability to rehabilitate. Lynch had been in custody since his arrest in January of that year. The court noted that the balance of the sentence could be reviewed after six years, with the possibility of serving or suspending the remaining term. The case stemmed from a police investigation triggered by a blue Mercedes van crash near the grow house, which led to the discovery of 917 cannabis plants and a 1.5 kg haul.
A Dublin man has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for defilement and a concurrent one-year term for child sexual exploitation. The unnamed defendant, who was 23 at the time of the offences, was convicted by a jury at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on four charges of defilement and one charge of sexual exploitation of a child. The offences occurred between September 2012 and February 2014, when the victim, now 21, was aged 15. The court heard that the victim was living with her grandmother due to her parents' inability to care for her, and that the pair had sexual relations on multiple occasions. Evidence included text messages in which the victim expressed that the relationship was wrong because he was her cousin. Judge Elma Sheahan noted the significant age disparity and the breach of trust, stating the defendant was in a stable position and should have known better. Although the man accepted the jury's verdict, he offered no apology or remorse. The judge declined to suspend any portion of the sentence, citing his lack of insight into the harm caused. The victim's impact statement described a loss of stability and peace of mind, while an investigating garda stated the case had ripped the family apart.
A jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard evidence regarding garda procedures at a crime scene in a tiger kidnapping trial. Paschal Kelly, aged 52 and from Cootehill, County Cavan, has pleaded not guilty to charges of trespass and false imprisonment of a postmistress and two others at a property in Malahide on 25 September 2014. He has also pleaded not guilty to robbery at Bayside Post Office in Sutton and threats to kill the three individuals, as well as unlawful possession of a vehicle on the same date. On the twenty-second day of proceedings, three gardaí provided testimony concerning the preservation of the Bayside Post Office scene. Garda Daniel Rogers told the court that he maintained security of a Nissan Qashqai during technical examination and confirmed no unauthorised access occurred whilst he was on duty. The trial before Judge Karen O'Connor continues.
A 21-year-old sports science student from Kiltimagh, County Mayo, has avoided a custodial sentence after admitting drug dealing at Dublin City University. Cian Charlton pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cocaine, ketamine and MDMA for sale or supply at Hampstead House, Glasnevin, on 15 November 2017. Following a garda raid on his campus residence, officers recovered the drugs with weighing scales and documentation, with an estimated street value of €3,079. Charlton initially provided false accounts to gardaí before acknowledging he could not identify his suppliers due to fear. Judge Pauline Codd suspended a one-year prison sentence on condition Charlton maintain the peace and complete a drug awareness course with the Probation Service. The university subsequently suspended him from his course for the academic year. The court noted Charlton's lack of previous convictions, engagement with counselling, and supportive family background in mitigation.
A detective gave evidence on day 21 of the trial of Paschal Kelly at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, describing the discovery of an additional licence plate during examination of a vehicle alleged to have been used in a tiger kidnapping. Mr Kelly, aged 52 and from Cootehill, County Cavan, has pleaded not guilty to charges including false imprisonment, robbery and threats relating to an incident at Malahide and Bayside Post Office on 25 September 2014. Detective Garda Seamus O'Donnell told the court he found a Meath licence plate in the boot of a grey Volkswagen Golf bearing Dublin plates. He collected DNA samples from items in the vehicle and noted damage to the passenger door and wing mirrors. The defence questioned whether DNA contamination may have occurred during handling, though the detective stated he changed gloves regularly. The trial continues before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury.
Gary Kelly, a 40‑year‑old Dublin City Council plumber, was arrested at his family home after threatening to shoot two colleagues, Brian Fitzpatrick and John Maher, on 23 and 24 January. He had severe mental health problems, including a psychotic episode, and believed he was being followed by "drones, ISIS and other organisations." Kelly denied the offences and was considered paranoid by the arresting Garda. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and was remanded in custody until 27 November pending sentencing. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case for two weeks to consider a psychiatric report, which recommended an independent forensic psychological assessment. The judge expressed concern that Kelly's risk of re‑offending would be high if he continued to drink and that he would only be released under a proper regime. No previous convictions were recorded. The case remains pending sentencing.
Brian Quinn, a 51-year-old psychiatric nurse from Balbriggan, Co Dublin, was convicted by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Lee Harte. The incident occurred on October 9, 2011, following an altercation outside Quinn's former residence in Tallaght. Prosecution evidence stated that Quinn stabbed Harte in the leg and stomach after Harte intervened to protect his cousin. Harte, who was 18 at the time, required surgery and reported long-term trauma and career disruption in a victim impact statement. Judge Patrick Quinn sentenced Quinn to five and a half years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended on condition he keep the peace and be of good behaviour for two years post-release. Additionally, Quinn received a concurrent two-year sentence for using an offensive weapon. The judge ordered credit for the two years and one month Quinn had already served following a previous conviction that was later quashed by the Court of Appeal. Defence counsel Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC argued the incident occurred during an attack by multiple individuals and highlighted Quinn's lack of prior convictions. The judge acknowledged mitigating factors, including Quinn's loss of employment and good character, while noting the tragedy of the case and Harte's innocence.
Olga Leschen, aged 50, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing over €10,000 in rental deposits from eight prospective lodgers between September and October 2015. She advertised her house on Daft.ie, collected deposits ranging from €200 to €2,600, and then prevented the lodgers from moving in, citing health issues. None of the deposits were returned. Leschen was arrested on 25 October 2015 and initially denied the allegations, claiming she always returns what she takes. She later expressed remorse, wrote apology letters, and cooperated with the investigation. Judge Terence O'Sullivan sentenced her to six months imprisonment, fully suspended for 12 months on the condition of good behaviour. She has repaid all but one deposit, with the remaining €1,100 held by her solicitor and earmarked for donation if the injured party does not come forward within three years. No prior convictions were recorded.
Derek Thompson, a 58‑year‑old former An Post postman from Wicklow, was sentenced to a six‑month suspended term after he was found guilty of four counts of preventing the delivery of postal items without the addressee's consent. Thompson had discarded mainly marketing material, including two letters about medical appointments, from his delivery route in order to shorten his round so he could care for his sick mother. The court heard that no addressee missed any appointments and that the discarded mail consisted largely of brochures and charity solicitations. Thompson had no prior convictions and had served 34 years with An Post. Judge Melanie Greally accepted that the offence was at the lower end of the scale, noted that no harm was done, and imposed a suspended six‑month sentence, citing the loss of his long‑standing job as a significant consequence.
A bus driver from Dublin has been convicted of careless driving causing death following a collision with a cyclist on Burlington Road in November 2014. Osborn Irabor, aged fifty-eight, had pleaded not guilty to the charge but was found guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The incident occurred when his double-decker bus struck Mary White as she cycled towards a T-junction. Ms White sustained traumatic head injuries and died two days later in hospital. Judge Francis Comerford emphasised that drivers must exercise particular regard for cyclists' vulnerability on roads. The court found that the bus cut the corner at the junction, placing the cyclist in a blind spot created by the wing mirror. The judge noted Irabor's previously unblemished safety record since joining Dublin Bus in two thousand and seven, and determined that imprisonment was not warranted. However, Irabor received a mandatory four-year driving disqualification, effective from January first, which will likely result in job loss.
Joseph O'Connor, a 58‑year‑old Garda from west Dublin, was convicted on five counts of possessing child pornography. The charges stem from a laptop seized on 2 August 2011 during an investigation of other allegations. Analysis of the laptop revealed videos and images depicting boys under ten and under 17 in sexual acts, as well as 16 different images of children sexually exposed. A jury found him guilty on four counts, acquitting him on one count involving 56 duplicate images. He was convicted of possessing two original images in a folder named "Spanked Boys," 15 explicit videos, 56 images and 42 videos of sexual acts, and 41 images of sexual exposure. The files were largely located in the hard drive's unallocated cluster space. O'Connor, who has been suspended since the matters arose, denied downloading the material and claimed it was placed on his computer by others. He was remanded on continuing bail until 14 January. Joseph O'Connor pleaded not guilty.
Silver Drescan (32) and Margherita Lupu (37), both from the United Kingdom, were arrested on 25 June 2018 in Dublin for possessing 52 cloned credit cards and for making false payments. They used the cards to buy a €3,400 ring, two mobile phones and two watches. Lupu pleaded guilty to each count and was sentenced by Judge Elma Sheahan to two years' imprisonment per count, suspended on the condition that she leave the State within seven days and not return for at least ten years. Drescan's sentencing was adjourned to 19 November 2018. Garda Karl O'Neill described how the pair were stopped at a shopping centre, followed to a car park, and searched, revealing the cards. The couple had arrived from the UK the day before to visit friends and family, but their relationship ended after the arrest.
Tony Walsh, a former "singing" priest aged 64, will be sentenced in December for indecently assaulting a teenage boy in 1983. He has already been serving a seven‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for raping another boy three times in the 1980s, with a crucifix used in one of those assaults. Walsh pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the 1983 charge. Garda John Barrett described the incident: the boy, who had been drunk, woke up naked and in pain with Walsh on top of him in a single bed; Walsh allegedly inserted his penis into the boy's anus for a "split second". The victim reported a "stabbing pain" and later turned to drinking. A victim impact report was filed but not read. Walsh's defence argued that his guilty plea spared the victim from testifying and highlighted a long delay in the case.
Karl Zambra, 31, of St Teresa's Gardens, Dublin, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of drugs for sale or supply after an undercover operation on 18 August 2014. Two plain‑clothes Gardaí entered St Teresa's Gardens to see if they would be offered drugs. Zambra and another man were on the steps when the Gardaí approached; they spoke briefly before Zambra signalled to the other man and said, "Them boys are okay, sort them out?" The Gardaí then purchased €40 of cocaine. Zambra gave them his brother's mobile number and told them to call it to "sort themselves out" in the future. The Gardaí believed Zambra was "directing" the drug operations. He was not arrested until almost a year later to preserve the undercover operation's cover. Zambra has 77 previous convictions, including drug misuse, burglary, dangerous driving, drunk driving and a violent disorder offence in a Garda station.
Marian Minarik, a 40‑year‑old Slovakian national living in Ireland for 12 years, was given an 18‑month suspended sentence for possession of child pornography. Gardaí, alerted by Luxembourg authorities, searched his Dublin home and seized a laptop and hard drive containing 39,792 images and 404 videos of child pornography. Minarik admitted downloading the material, claiming he began at age 15, and denied any compulsion to have sex with children, though he acknowledged sexual gratification from the images. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of child pornography between March 2009 and July 2010. The judge considered his early guilty plea, cooperation, remorse and admissions, and ordered him to undertake a sex offender treatment programme and offence‑focused work under the Probation Service. No prior convictions were recorded. The case involved extensive evidence of sexual content, but Minarik denied any role in production or distribution. He is on medication for depression.
Kenneth Locke, 29, of Ballyfermot, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, with the final two and a half years suspended, for burglary with a plank at Cloverhill Road on 1 April. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Locke was extremely intoxicated, having taken thirty‑forty Xanax tablets that day, and had 127 prior convictions. The burglary occurred a little over a month after his release from an eight‑year sentence for aggravated burglary, of which two years were suspended. The court heard that a pregnant woman, her partner and two young children were awakened by an intruder screaming and banging on their bed with a plank, an event described as "profoundly frightening." Judge Melanie Greally noted the lasting loss of security for the family and the presence of a pregnant woman and children, and gave the headline sentence of ten years, while acknowledging Locke's early guilty plea, his young age and attempts to address his drug addiction.
Martin McDonagh, 27, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for violent disorder and assault causing harm arising from an incident on November 19, 2016, at Old Castle Drive, Clondalkin. He pleaded guilty to both charges. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to three years for violent disorder and two and a half years for assault causing harm, with both sentences fully suspended for three years. The court heard that McDonagh struck Patrick Reilly with a baseball bat, breaking his nose. Judge Greally noted McDonagh acted in an unjustifiable manner but was no worse than others involved. She credited his lack of prior or subsequent violence and efforts to stabilize his family life. Previously, Martin McDonagh Snr, Ellen McDonagh, Nora McDonagh, Helen McDonagh, and Shannon Sherlock pleaded guilty to violent disorder in the same incident. McDonagh Snr received a four-year sentence fully suspended, while the other four received two-year sentences fully suspended. The prosecution alleged the group arrived at the Reilly home armed with weapons, including a sickle, hurleys, and a baton. The defense stated McDonagh had no substance issues and had moved his family from the area following the incident.
Paul Keating, 23, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of firearms at his Dublin home on 27 October 2017. A garda detective, conducting a drugs search for cocaine, discovered broken firearm parts. She noted that young people often store gun parts to settle drug debts and believed Keating was under pressure. Judge Elma Sheehan warned him of the seriousness of the offence and that he should feel ashamed. Defence counsel Keith Spencer BL argued the parts were in poor condition, incapable of firing, and not intended as film props. He emphasised that the components were tools of a dangerous industry. The judge adjourned sentencing to allow the defence to submit further reports. No further details of the case were provided.
A man with previous convictions for manslaughter has been imprisoned after carrying out armed raids whilst serving a suspended sentence. Mark Bissett, aged 33, of Swords Road, Dublin 9, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to threatening to burn down the house of a charity worker in May 2016. The threat was made at Central Bank Plaza, Dame Street, during a soup run for homeless people in Dublin city centre. Judge Karen O'Connor had suspended a two-year sentence for this offence in June 2017, cautioning Bissett that he faced imprisonment if he reoffended. Within four months, Bissett carried out armed robberies on two shops in Ranelagh. On 15 October 2017 he wielded a knife during one raid, and on 26 October he used a fork during a pharmacy robbery. Judge O'Connor activated the suspended sentence, imposing the full two-year term. Bissett has sixty previous convictions including manslaughter, assault and public order offences.
A 21‑year‑old Dublin man, Michael McDonagh, was jailed for one and a half years after acting as a look‑out in a 2014 hijacking of a black Toyota Yaris at Hampton Wood, Finglas. The shop manager, listening to his car radio at 7.10 am, noticed McDonagh and two other men. One of the men broke the car's driver‑side window with a screwdriver, and the victim was pulled out of the car and kicked after slipping. McDonagh, from Carton Road, Poppintree, Ballymun, pleaded guilty to the hijacking but later took a bench warrant. He had 39 prior convictions, including public order offences, thefts and criminal damage. The court noted his peripheral role, lack of routine, drug use, and lack of a fixed abode. Judge Melanie Greally gave him a three‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended, ordering him to engage with addiction services and education or training courses.
Eoin Morrow, a 38‑year‑old bricklayer from Dundalk, was sentenced to eight years in prison for possessing €1.38 million worth of cannabis resin and prescription drugs. Gardaí, using confidential information, set up a surveillance operation on a Scania truck that met Morrow's Volkswagen Jetta. The truck driver, John Needham, 31, and Morrow removed boxes of cannabis and 29 boxes of Zopiclone tablets onto a trolley bound for a storage unit in Newcourt Business Park, Finglas. A subsequent search uncovered 96 kg of cannabis, valued at €580,200, and 400,000 Zopiclone pills, valued at €800,000. Morrow pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis resin and supplying a prescription‑only drug on 25 July 2015. He had 15 prior convictions, including assault, burglary and theft. He had taken a bench warrant, fled to Europe, but returned and surrendered.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 7 November 2018, Karl McDermott, aged 21, was sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, for a robbery at Dunnes Stores on 25 May 2018. McDermott used a homemade machete‑type weapon that his brother, a metal fabricator, had constructed for a Halloween costume. The weapon was described as a long silver knife with a padded handle covered in tin foil, and was found in the back of a drawer at the family home. McDermott pleaded guilty to robbery and the production of the homemade machete. He had 45 prior convictions, including robbery, possession of knives, criminal damage, violent disorder and drug offences. The court noted that McDermott had been taking tablets and alcohol, and that he had been struggling mentally. The judge accepted his early guilty plea but emphasised that the weapon was capable of serious injury.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 7 November 2018, Wong Chung Sing, a 28‑year‑old Malaysian national, pleaded guilty to possession of almost €100,000 worth of cannabis. The drugs, valued at €98,530, were found in a black bag he carried across the city to a second man for a fee of about €100. Garda Donal O'Sullivan, on plain‑clothes patrol, observed the transaction at a Tesco store and stopped both men. Sing claimed he was asked to transport the bag and that he had no prior convictions. During his custody, Sing alleged that a cellmate set his mattress on fire, an act he described as an attempt to set him on fire. Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin adjourned sentencing to 14 November 2018. The case remains pending as of the hearing date.
Paddy McCarthy, 35, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after punching a stranger, Glen Verdun, at a Subway store on Wexford Street, Dublin, on 30 July 2016. McCarthy, who was intoxicated, entered the store early in the morning, shouted at Verdun when he was asked to give his girlfriend space, and was escorted out by staff. He returned, told Verdun he would wait outside, and then punched him on the right side of the face. Verdun fell, suffered a broken eye socket, underwent surgery with a titanium plate, and was out of work for eight months, losing €9,000. McCarthy claimed he was tired of being abused by his father, a disciplinarian who had assaulted him many times. He was a carer for his father, who had Alzheimer's, at the time. McCarthy did not remember the incident, cried when viewing CCTV footage, and identified himself to Gardaí.
Joseph O'Connor, a 58‑year‑old Garda from west Dublin, was found guilty by a jury of possessing child pornography. He had pleaded not guilty to five counts of possession of child pornography at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The charges related to images and videos seized from his home on 2 August 2011, when Gardaí investigating other allegations seized a laptop. Analysis of the laptop revealed videos in the recycle bin of boys under ten and under 17 being subjected to sexual acts, as well as 16 different images of children sexually exposed or involved in sexual acts. The jury returned unanimous verdicts of guilty on four counts and acquitted him of one count involving 56 duplicates of two images. He was convicted of possessing the two originals of those images, 15 explicit videos, 56 images and 42 videos of children being subjected to explicit sexual acts, and 41 images of children being sexually exposed.
The jury has begun deliberating in the trial of Joseph O'Connor, a 58‑year‑old Garda from west Dublin, who has pleaded not guilty to five counts of possession of child pornography. The charges relate to images and videos found on a laptop seized from his home on 2 August 2011, which investigators said contained videos of boys under ten and under 17 being subjected to sexual acts, as well as 16 images of children sexually exposed. O'Connor denies downloading the material, claiming it was placed on his computer by a man who had visited his home for sex days before the seizure and that he believes the man corrupted his computer. The State's case rests on proving beyond reasonable doubt that O'Connor knew the files were on his laptop, while the defence argues that the files could have been placed by others.
James Jordan, a 51-year-old property developer from Castleknock, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to knowingly and wilfully submitting 16 incorrect VAT returns, six incorrect income tax returns, four incorrect invoices, and three false claims of income tax relief. Prosecuting counsel Gerardine Small stated that Jordan failed to pay capital gains tax on the sale of five properties worth €1,960,500 between 2004 and 2010. The total amount owed, including interest and penalties, was alleged to be €1,236,885. Jordan has one previous conviction from 2017 for failing to file an income tax return. Séamus Clarke SC, defending, argued that Jordan ran a carpet business and that a custodial sentence would result in job losses and eliminate any hope of repayment. He submitted character references describing Jordan as "very honest." Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin remarked on the description, questioning whether the author was aware of the admitted offences. The matter was adjourned until November 20 next for finalisation.
Neil Dolan, a 26‑year‑old finance worker, was found guilty of forging documents and using them to apply for three loans between 30 June and 7 July 2017. He altered identity papers with Microsoft Paint and presented them to KBC and Permanent TSB under the alias "Neil Nolan." All applications were rejected after the banks detected the alterations, and Gardaí confirmed Dolan's involvement. He admitted 14 counts of forging documents and 14 counts of using forged documents in the loan applications. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court imposed an 18‑month prison sentence, suspended on the condition that Dolan complete a computer training course. No loss of income to the banks was reported, and the case involved no violence. Dolan had a prior conviction for forging a death certificate and had previously received a fine in 2013. The court noted his stress and anxiety at the time of the offences.
Leroy Howard, a 28‑year‑old father of two, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to six years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended on strict conditions. He was found in possession of €115,000 worth of drugs, including 5 kg of cannabis (valued at €99,868) and 250 g of cocaine (valued at €15,060). Howard had previously pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply on St Joseph's Avenue, Drumcondra, on 20 December 2017. He has 65 prior convictions, 49 of which are driving offences, plus convictions for public order, theft and drug offences. The judge noted his history of disregard for the law and his role as a devoted father, accepting that he was remorseful and had a drug addiction at the time of the offence.
In November 2018, a 23‑year‑old homeless woman, Donna Dineen, was sentenced to six years in prison for slashing the stomach of a man who had come to help her in the street. Dineen, who had previously given birth in custody, admitted to stabbing Saurjan Syergaz, a 27‑year‑old man, with a 25‑cm knife wound on 8 May 2017, and to robbing his wallet on the same occasion. She pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and robbery at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally imposed concurrent terms of six years for robbery and five years for assault, suspending the final two years on strict conditions. The sentence reflected Dineen's unstable background, history of abuse, drug and alcohol dependence, and her expressed remorse and desire to keep her newborn son with her for an extended period while in custody.
Joseph O'Connor, 58, pleaded not guilty to five counts of possession of child pornography at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Gardaí seized a Dell laptop from his west Dublin home during an August 2011 search. The laptop contained 12 videos depicting boys under ten and between ten and seventeen in explicit sexual acts, including with a male adult. O'Connor denied downloading or viewing the material, claiming it was uploaded by someone else and that his laptop was unsecured and used by visitors. He alleged a man who had visited his home the night before the seizure had corrupted the computer. O'Connor also recounted a separate incident involving a man who stole his Garda ID and €20, which led to a confrontation and a subsequent complaint to the Garda Ombudsman. The court heard that an Inspector Fox investigation found no evidence of rape or sexual assault, attributing alleged injuries to consensual acts. The case remains at the trial stage.
A witness has testified at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in the ongoing trial of a man charged in connection with a €90,000 tiger kidnapping that occurred in September 2014. The witness described how his vehicle was struck by another car near McAllister's Garage in Malahide, following which two men fled the scene on foot. Paschal Kelly, aged 52 and from Cootehill, County Cavan, has pleaded not guilty to charges including falsely imprisoning three women at a property in Malahide, robbery at Bayside Post Office in Sutton, and making threats to kill. He also denies unlawful possession of a vehicle. The witness told the court that one man ran towards nearby woodlands whilst the driver departed in the direction of Swords Road. He noted the driver appeared frightened. Gardaí arrived within seconds of the men leaving the vehicle. The trial, now on its seventeenth day, continues before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury.
Brian Willoughby, a 40‑year‑old Dublin murderer convicted of murder in 2003, received a two and a half year sentence for assaulting a prison officer at Mountjoy Prison on 31 December 2017. The officer, supervising inmates during lunchtime, was punched in the back of the head by Willoughby, who was later restrained. The officer sustained soft tissue damage to his neck, shoulder and head and was off work for two months. Willoughby, who has been on psychiatric medication since his incarceration 18 years ago, pleaded guilty to the assault. He has four prior convictions, including the 2003 murder, two assaults in 2000 and another assault in a courtroom in 2017. Judge Melanie Greally, noting his history of extreme violence and psychiatric treatment, imposed the sentence concurrent with his life sentence, giving credit for his early guilty plea and cooperation.
In November 2015, 24‑year‑old Edward Andrews, already serving a four‑year robbery sentence, harassed pub owner Stephen Rooney in Dublin. Andrews warned Rooney that the area was "his patch" during a 30th birthday celebration at The Farmhouse Inn, Monkstown. The next day he drove close to Rooney's workplace, revved his engine and shouted threats, then fled. A few days later, Andrews blocked Rooney into a cul‑de‑sac in his car, threatened to shoot him, and made a trigger‑pulling gesture. Rooney, who was in his own vehicle, reported the incident to Gardaí. Andrews pleaded guilty to harassing Rooney at several Dublin locations between 21 and 26 November 2015. He was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally to a three‑year jail term, with the final 12 months suspended, after acknowledging his guilty plea, youth, and efforts to become drug‑free.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 58‑year‑old Garda Joseph O'Connor pleaded not guilty to five counts of possessing child pornography. The prosecution presented videos seized from his home on 2 August 2011, showing boys under ten and between ten and seventeen in explicit sexual acts, including two files depicting a male adult with a child. O'Connor claimed he had contacted a man via the gay website Manhunt, exchanged texts about sexual activity, and the man stayed overnight at his home. The next morning O'Connor reported the front door slamming, his laptop closed, €20 and his Garda ID missing. He later found the man, who was wearing his badge and handcuffs, and recovered the money. A complaint of a sexual nature was made against O'Connor, but the complainant withdrew it after the Garda Ombudsman's involvement. The case is proceeding before Judge Sheahan with a jury of ten men and two women.
A man from Cootehill, County Cavan, has died by suicide since his arrest on the morning of a tiger kidnapping, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard. Paschal Kelly, aged 52, has pleaded not guilty to charges including false imprisonment of a postmistress and her daughter at a property in Malahide on 25 September 2014, as well as robbery from Bayside Post Office in Sutton and threats to kill. He also denies unlawful possession of a vehicle. During the sixteenth day of the trial, gardaí gave evidence that Kelly was arrested while fleeing a suspect vehicle at traffic lights in north Dublin that morning. A garda subsequently attended his death at a city-centre premises in June 2016, an inquest finding nothing of suspect nature. The trial heard how the postmistress and her daughter were discovered bound with ties at the post office, visibly distressed. The case continues before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury.
Alan Tuite, 28, of Ennel Park, Artane, was sentenced to five years in prison with the final 18 months suspended after pleading guilty to assault causing harm and production of a knife at the Rialto Luas stop on 3 July 2017. He slashed a passenger's face with a flick knife during a "moment of madness" over a prior alleged altercation between their children. The victim suffered facial injuries requiring six stitches, incurred €8,000–€10,000 in medical costs, and now experiences anxiety when using the Luas. The attack occurred in front of the victim's wife, two children, and a two‑year‑old girl who woke to see blood. CCTV showed Tuite and a co‑accused watching the victim, then Tuite disembarking, receiving the knife, and fleeing after the assault. Tuite admitted the harm, expressed regret, and claimed he had no control at the time. He has seven prior minor convictions and a psychological report indicating borderline personality disorder.
Jonathan Chubb, a 38‑year‑old former property investor from Dublin, pleaded guilty to 34 counts of theft and one count of money laundering for stealing deposits from 11 would‑be tenants between March 2013 and July 2015. He also admitted to providing a false reference, deception and possession of a forged driving licence. The victims had believed Chubb was the landlord of an apartment at Oblate View, Tyrconnell Road, and were left homeless, including a woman who had no family support and her eight‑year‑old daughter. Chubb's fraudulent activities netted almost €50,000. He was sentenced on 1 June 2018 to seven‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended. Ten weeks after the sentencing, he lodged an appeal for a reduction in the severity of the sentence.
Sean Foster, 21, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at St Joseph's Adolescent Unit on 5 January 2015 and at Oak Ward, Phoenix House Care Centre on 7 April 2017. He struck music teacher Dean McEvoy with a pool cue, breaking the cue and fracturing McEvoy's skull and severing a brain artery, causing PTSD. Foster also punched staff member Michael Kelly, knocking out a tooth and requiring €7,500 in dental work. Foster suffers from treatment‑resistant schizophrenia and was an in‑patient at St Joseph's during the first assault. Judge Cormac Quinn sentenced him to 18 months' imprisonment for the first assault, suspending the final six months on conditions of good behaviour, drug‑free status and medical compliance, and to 12 months' imprisonment for the second assault; the sentences run concurrently.
Craig O'Connor and Chelsea Curtis, both of Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to violent disorder in Temple Bar on September 10, 2015. Judge Cormac Quinn sentenced O'Connor to two and a half years' imprisonment and Curtis to 12 months' imprisonment. The judge suspended the entirety of both sentences on the condition that they keep the peace and be of good behaviour for the duration. Prosecution evidence alleged that O'Connor punched and kicked Alan Delve, who had previously punched O'Connor's uncle, Gareth O'Connor. Gareth O'Connor subsequently fell unconscious and never regained consciousness. James O'Connor, who also pleaded guilty to violent disorder, received a fully suspended two and a half-year sentence on June 8, 2018. CCTV footage reportedly showed O'Connor and Curtis struggling with a second man, with Curtis kicking a third male. Mr. Delve, who suffered a fractured cheekbone and head injuries, stated in a victim impact statement that he did not want anyone to go to prison. Defence counsel noted O'Connor was not the instigator and that the couple has two children. The judge cited the seriousness of the offence and effect on the victim as aggravating factors, while considering the guilty pleas, the defendants' ages, and the victim's wishes as mitigating factors.