Brendan Cummins, a 23‑year‑old former Leinster boxing champion, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for punching a prison officer at Portlaoise Prison on 20 February 2017. Cummins had 97 prior disciplinary sanctions and 11 previous assault convictions, including an earlier assault on a prison officer at Cloverhill Prison on the same date. The attack, described as unprovoked, broke the officer's nose and cut his inner lip, causing the officer to suffer headaches and a loss of smell. Cummins pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a three‑year sentence, suspending the final year due to his age, and ordered that he have no contact with the officer or his family for 25 years. The court noted Cummins' plea and the prison punishments already imposed, including a year of solitary confinement.
Adam Pokorny, a 35‑year‑old Czech national, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four and a half years' imprisonment for possessing 5.6 kg of cannabis, valued at €112,120, with intent to supply at Dublin Airport on 3 May 2018. He admitted that he had agreed to transport the drugs to pay off a €30,000 credit‑card debt and to help a friend in financial trouble. Pokorny claimed he knew the substance was cannabis, not harder drugs, and that it would be used by "adults and hippies, not people standing outside schools." Judge Melanie Greally suspended the final 18 months of the sentence on the condition that he leave Ireland upon release and not return for 10 years. He has no prior convictions and pleaded guilty early, cooperating with the Garda investigation. The judge noted his charitable activities and the support he received from family and friends in the Czech Republic.
A man with an address in Cootehill, County Cavan, has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to charges arising from an alleged "tiger kidnapping" at a post office in north Dublin four years ago. Paschal Kelly, aged 52, faces counts of trespass, false imprisonment, robbery and making threats to kill in connection with an incident on 25 September 2014. Prosecution counsel told the jury that two men allegedly broke into a home in Malahide, restrained three women, and drove them to Bayside Post Office in Sutton, where one victim provided access to a safe. Approximately €90,000 was taken during the incident, which lasted several hours. The prosecution indicated that gardaí responded quickly after an emergency call was made from the home, though the caller did not speak. One man was arrested near the post office shortly after; two others fled on foot and were later apprehended. The trial before Judge Karen O'Connor continues with a jury present.
Mark Bissett, a 33-year-old defendant with a former address at Loughlinstown Park, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to attempted robbery at Ranelagh Triangle on October 15, 2017, and robbery at Dunville Avenue, Ranelagh, on October 26, 2017. The court heard that Bissett threatened staff with a knife during the first incident and used a fork during the second, from which he took €220. He has 65 previous convictions, including manslaughter, robbery, and assault. Bissett was previously jailed for six years in 2005 for the killing of his uncle, David Sutherland, in Sallynoggin, Dublin, on December 20, 2003. His defense counsel, Karl Monaghan BL, stated that Bissett hoped to begin an addiction rehabilitation programme and a Community Employment scheme. Judge Elma Sheahan adjourned sentencing to November 5 and ordered an updated report from The Probation Service to be prepared. The matter was adjourned and is not yet concluded.
In a burglary at Wainsfort Manor Grove, Terenure, Dublin, on 13 December 2017, Carlos Lawrence (27) and his partner Catherine Dempsey (26) entered the home of Alan Greene, who was asleep, using a wedge hammer and a black‑clad disguise. They forced Greene to open the front door, demanded money, and threatened him. Lawrence smashed the French doors, took Greene's phone, and made calls claiming a debt of €200,000. The couple stole €15,000 in cash from a bank the next day and withdrew an additional €1,200 from an ATM. They recovered €12,500 from Dempsey's possession, and Greene later received €12,455 of the €16,350 stolen. Both pleaded guilty to theft and aggravated burglary; Lawrence had 51 prior convictions, Dempsey seven. The case was remanded in custody until 31 October, with sentencing scheduled for later that month. The court noted the burglary's impact on Greene, who now blocks his doors and fears returning home.
Paul Kelly, a 42‑year‑old mechanic from Santry, was fined €3,000 and disqualified from driving for four years after he ran over Daniel Ryan, a 60‑year‑old man, as Ryan was pulling out of a driveway near Dublin Airport on 26 October 2016. Ryan suffered multiple fractures to his abdomen and limbs, a pulmonary embolism, and was in an induced coma for two days. He has since lost the ability to play golf, cycle long distances, or walk in the hills, and reports ongoing panic attacks, nightmares and sleep difficulties. Kelly pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention, causing serious bodily harm. The court noted the lack of street lighting on Collinstown Lane and accepted that Kelly's momentary lapse of judgment led to the accident, but also acknowledged his cooperation and remorse after the incident. The judge gave him 12 months to pay the fine and imposed the driving disqualification.
Gerard Kelly, of Ballybough Road, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the production of an article capable of inflicting serious injury on March 27, 2015. The court heard that Kelly allegedly held a large kitchen knife to the throat of a man drinking at Lowry's pub on Summerhill Parade. Although another patron was reportedly stabbed in the leg, no assault charges were before the court. Kelly was arrested nearby while in a state of alcohol delirium. His defence counsel, Luigi Rea BL, stated that Kelly did not know the victims and has since taken steps to address his alcoholism. Detective Garda Michael O'Brien described Kelly's rehabilitation as a "remarkable turnaround," noting he is a different person than when first met in 2015. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged the seriousness of the offence, rejecting intoxication as an excuse. However, noting Kelly's remorse and efforts to reform, the judge suspended a sentence of two and a half years. Judge Nolan warned that if Kelly re-offends, he will go to prison. The record noted that Kelly has 48 previous convictions, all for District Court offences including theft and possession of knives.
Two Vietnamese men, Tham Nguyen (59) and Thang Chinh Hoang (58), were arrested and pleaded guilty to possessing and cultivating cannabis in a grow house in Coolock, Dublin. Gardaí discovered €60,000 worth of cannabis and 2,065 plants, with a theoretical maximum value of €1.6 million if fully mature. The grow house, located at Belcamp Lane, featured a false wall and a roof where the men were found. Nguyen had a prior cannabis conviction; Hoang had none. Both men had lived in the house since late 2017, with Nguyen arriving in December and Hoang in September/October. They were remanded in custody, and the sentence was adjourned to the following week. The court noted their low intelligence, limited English, and vulnerable backgrounds. The case remains at the pleading stage.
Patrick Sherry, 32, of Ventry Park, Cabra, Dublin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to attempting to secure a mortgage of €171,000 by submitting a false mortgage application between 8 June and 8 August 2015. He also faced charges for possessing and using false documents to support the application. Gardaí were alerted to the fraud in March 2016 after Sherry had applied for a mortgage the previous June. The documents he submitted, including bank statements, financial accounts and Revenue notices of assessment, were found to be bogus. The bank statements claimed a balance of €10,623 when his actual balance was €195; his 2013 accounts overstated earnings by €35,000 and his 2014 accounts by €33,000. Revenue officials were also contacted and the tax documentation was found false. Sherry was arrested at his home in July 2015 but exercised his right to silence during the interview.
James Barry, aged 34, robbed a McDonald's on Lower Rathmines Road on 2 February 2016, holding a knife to a female cashier's stomach in front of customers and children and taking €330 in cash. He also pleaded guilty to robbing €460 from a chemist on 5 March 2015. Barry was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison on 5 July 2017, with consecutive sentences because the McDonald's robbery occurred while he was on bail. During the arrest, Barry jumped into the Dodder River, believing the water would conceal his body temperature from a pursuing garda helicopter, although no air pursuit was taking place. The Court of Appeal upheld his sentence, noting the seriousness of the offences and his previous convictions for attempted robbery and possession of a syringe. Barry admitted remorse and described his actions as a "cry for help.".
Ryan Callaghan, aged 25, was found with drugs worth over €44,000 after his landlady reported a burglary at her Palmerstown home. He pleaded guilty to possessing drugs for sale or supply at a rented property on 31 July 2015. Callaghan had two prior convictions for minor traffic offences. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, provided he remains peaceful and well‑behaved upon release. Garda Owen Sheehan explained that officers discovered €24,103 of heroin, €14,746 of cannabis, and €5,348 of cocaine, along with drug paraphernalia, six mobile phones, weighing scales, surgical gloves and plastic cut‑offs. Text messages suggesting drug dealing were found on one phone. Callaghan's father had paid €10,000 to alleged debtors, and the judge noted the aggravating value of the drugs and the mitigating factors of his early plea, addiction history, child, and decent family background.
A court heard that Jonathan Goulding (28), also known as Goulding Aka Farrell, pleaded guilty to burglary at Mr Price, Coolock Retail Park, on March 27, 2017, and dangerous driving around the Malahide area, Dublin, on October 2, 2014. The charges were admitted, and the case was at the charge_or_pretrial stage. Goulding has 48 previous convictions, including burglary, theft, and a seven-year sentence for a past drugs offence. The court heard that during the burglary, Goulding held a screwdriver in a menacing way towards the shop staff. In the dangerous driving incident, he was involved in a high-speed chase, drove the wrong way on a dual carriageway, and caused multiple vehicles to take evasive action. Judge Melanie Greally noted that Goulding had been in the throes of drug addiction at the time of the offences. She commended his successful rehabilitation, including completing a drug treatment programme and taking up full-time employment in construction. The judge imposed a fully suspended three and a half year prison term and a two-year driving ban. Conditions included remaining sober and substance free and continuing to attend AA meetings. The matter was adjourned.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 8 October 2018, Jason Melia (27) and his brother Glen Melia (22) faced trial for burglary and criminal damage at a house on Shancastle Drive, Clondalkin, where the alleged offences occurred on 6 November 2015. Both pleaded not guilty at a July hearing. During the proceedings, Garda Hugh O'Connell reported that a witness in her 20s, who had previously failed to appear, was brought to court after a bench warrant. O'Connell said he heard Jason Melia call her a "weasel" and Glen Melia refer to her as a "rat cunt". The DPP's barrister, Maurice Coffey BL, argued that these remarks constituted witness intimidation. Jason Melia's barrister, Conor McKenna BL, denied the name‑calling, while Glen Melia's counsel was absent. After a brief adjournment, both men pleaded guilty to the criminal damage charge. Judge Patricia Ryan remanded them on continuing bail until their sentencing on 18 January 2019.
Brian Walton, a 31‑year‑old musician from Portobello Harbour, Dublin 8, was arrested for possessing €21,423 worth of cannabis and cannabis resin. Garda Peter Lyons described Walton as forthcoming and compliant during the arrest and noted that Walton had admitted to selling cannabis to clear debts. During a search of Walton's home, three phones were seized, containing unguarded text messages that advertised drug dealing, including 18 messages sent to regular clients advertising a product to alleviate hangover after St Patrick's Day. Walton pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 24 April 2017. He has no prior convictions. The court adjourned his sentencing to 10 December, ordered an updated probation report, and remanded him on continuing bail. The case highlights the Garda's focus on drug‑related offences and the court's procedural handling of the matter.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Raymond Leonard, 35, was acquitted of assaulting Nicholas Devlin on 30 August 2015 at Anna Villa, Ranelagh. Leonard pleaded not guilty and the jury delivered a unanimous not guilty verdict after just under 90 minutes. Leonard, a former manager at An Bhialann restaurant, claimed he had never been in a fight and could not recall the night. Devlin testified that he was ejected from McSorley's pub, then attacked by Leonard, who punched him twice and knee‑dropped him in the groin, causing Devlin severe pain and a ruptured testicle that required surgery. Devlin identified Leonard on CCTV, though he later said he had been uncertain. The trial concluded with Leonard's acquittal.
Stefan Condurovici, a 32‑year‑old former professional footballer from Romania, was jailed for five months after using six cloned payment cards to buy a pair of runners and toiletries. He was arrested in Dublin on 25 June after Gardaí discovered him and three others in possession of 52 cloned cards at a car park near Dundrum Town Centre. Condurovici pleaded guilty to six counts of possessing cloned cards. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to 18 months in prison, with 13 months suspended, backdated to the day of his arrest. She ordered him to leave Ireland within seven days of release and not to return for ten years. Condurovici had made modest purchases totalling about €200 and had cooperated fully with Gardaí. The judge noted his lack of prior convictions and his sporting background. The case highlighted the seriousness of cloned card offences.
Raymond Leonard, a 35‑year‑old former restaurant manager, was accused of assaulting Nicholas Devlin in Ranelagh on 30 August 2015. Six months after the incident, Leonard voluntarily met with gardaí and said he could not recall the night in question. When asked whether he had engaged in a fight or used the phrase "you guys are fucked," he denied it, stating he had never been in a fight. Leonard also denied punching or pushing a male against a wall and claimed he normally walked straight home after the pub. He identified himself in McSorley's CCTV footage but insisted he was not involved in any assault. The case was brought to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Leonard pleaded not guilty. The trial was in its closing stages before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury of five women and seven men.
Paul Slevin, a 48-year-old father from Finglas, Dublin 11, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to cultivating cannabis plants valued at €23,200. The offence occurred at Ballygall Road East on April 12, 2015. Prosecution evidence stated that Slevin walked into a garda station while intoxicated, claiming he had been bullied out of his home by a lodger who was growing the plants. However, Detective Garda David Sheffield suggested Slevin invented this story because his tenancy was ending and he had no place to store the plants. A search of the apartment revealed 29 cannabis plants, heat lamps, and a water butt. Although the plants were not ready for harvest, they were estimated to be worth €800 each when mature. Slevin, a qualified stone mason with no previous convictions, admitted to the charge. His defence counsel, Seamus Clarke SC, argued that Slevin should receive credit for his guilty plea, for handing the plants to gardaí, and for taking steps to address his addiction. The court noted that the maximum term of imprisonment for this offence is 14 years. Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned sentencing until October 12. The matter was adjourned and not concluded.
A 16‑year‑old youth, now 17, pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of a stolen phone after attacking a delivery man on Deerhaven Avenue, Clonee, Dublin. The victim, a pensioner, was repeatedly kicked and beaten, sustaining a broken nose, concussion and chipped teeth, and suffered ongoing headaches and fear of further attacks. The court heard the youth had no prior convictions, a good educational record, supportive family and a favourable probation report, and had pleaded guilty early. Judge Melanie Greally set a headline sentence of six years but imposed a four‑year suspended sentence, to be suspended in full if the youth keeps the peace for four years and undergoes 12 months' supervision by the probation services. The start of the sentence was deferred until 31 July 2019 in accordance with the Children Act. The case involved two other youths who fled the scene, and the victim's impact statement highlighted financial loss and ongoing trauma.
Michael Lynch, 34, of Emmet Place, Inchicore, has been issued a bench warrant after failing to appear in court again. He has 16 prior convictions for failing to turn up. Lynch pleaded guilty to theft at Fairfield House, Newbridge Avenue, Dublin 4, on 26 February 2017 while on temporary release for other charges. He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with 18 months suspended, by Judge Patricia Ryan on 6 October 2017. The Director of Public Prosecutions seeks a review, arguing the sentence was "unduly lenient". In the Court of Appeal, Lynch was absent but had been notified by Gardaí. The court noted he had been charged with fresh offences recently and had been granted compassionate bail to visit his family during a hospital fire in Inchicore. He was denied visitation of his daughter in the ICU because of his handcuffs and prison officers.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 35‑year‑old Raymond Leonard of Sliabh Ban, Ballybane, Galway pleaded not guilty to assaulting Nicholas Devlin at Anna Villa, Ranelagh, on 30 August 2015. Devlin testified that his lasting impression of the attacker was 6ft tall and wearing a dark shirt, but the court noted that CCTV footage showed the accused in a white shirt. Defence counsel Keith Spencer BL highlighted that Leonard is 5ft 8 and slim. Devlin also described being ejected from McSorley's pub by a bouncer, after which he was punched and kicked in the groin by a group that included Leonard. Leonard's alleged assault involved a claim that he had been "shorter" than described, a point he accepted during cross‑examination. The case remains at the trial stage.
Shane Bradley, aged 33, was sentenced by Judge Karen O'Connor at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to five and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, after pleading guilty to a series of robberies in May and June 2015. He stole €750 from a Maxol garage, €500 from Chapter and Verse convenience store, and attempted to rob a Centra supermarket. Bradley threatened staff with a scissors and a blood‑filled syringe, claiming he had HIV while wielding a needle, which the judge considered an aggravating factor. He was arrested after the incidents, initially denied the offences, but pleaded guilty weeks before trial. Bradley has 79 prior convictions, mainly from the District Court, and has lived on the streets with a significant drug addiction. He is now drug‑free and has been offered a place on Fr Peter McVerry's residential drug treatment programme. The sentence was back‑dated to 10 April 2017.
Michelle Ruth, 40, of Spring Garden Street, North Strand, Dublin, pleaded guilty to assaulting a female shop worker at Londis on 8 November 2015. She had previously been barred from the shop and, when the staff member asked her and a male companion to leave, Ruth grabbed the woman by the hair, filled a paper cup with boiling water and flung it at her face, also throwing a jar of powdered chocolate. The victim suffered a sore, swollen, red face and was taken to hospital; she later reported mental distress but no physical scarring. Ruth, who has 158 prior convictions mainly for shoplifting and public order offences, was arrested after CCTV footage identified her. She apologized in court, claiming she was not drug‑free and had been under stress. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to allow further urine analysis, with the case to be finalised on 14 November.
Adam Clarke, 20, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to causing serious harm to Ownie O'Connell at the Tivoli Theatre, Francis Street, Dublin 8, on July 3, 2016. The prosecution alleged that Clarke, an apprentice electrician, punched the victim in a fit of jealousy after seeing him kiss a mutual acquaintance. Mr O'Connell was knocked unconscious, suffered a scalp cut, and was left permanently deaf in his left ear with tinnitus. He was hospitalized for five days. Clarke, of Donaghmede, has no previous convictions. During his Garda interview, he reportedly showed no remorse, stating he had no regrets because it was a great night. However, he later visited the victim in hospital, accepting he had delivered an unprovoked assault and expressing that he was sorry and jealous. In a victim impact statement, Mr O'Connell detailed how the impairment affected his education, social life, and ability to play football. Defense counsel Dominic McGinn SC submitted that Clarke's initial attitude did not reflect his character, citing testimonials describing him as placid and remorseful. He noted Clarke had €2,000 in court as a concrete indication of genuine remorse and argued against custody. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case to November 2 next and remanded Clarke on continuing bail.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Raymond Leonard, 35, pleaded not guilty to assaulting Nicholas Devlin on 30 August 2015 at Anna Villa, Ranelagh. Devlin, who had been ejected from McSorley's pub, approached a group outside the pub and was punched twice in the face and kneed in the groin by Leonard. Devlin suffered severe pain, collapsed, and was taken to hospital where doctors found a ruptured testicle, leading to surgery to remove part of it. Devlin testified that he was not overly intoxicated and identified Leonard on CCTV presented in court. Leonard's defence lawyer noted some equivocation in Devlin's language. The prosecution alleged Leonard acted in a vindictive and malicious manner, having removed his shirt before the assault. The case is before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury of five women and seven men.
The Court of Appeal has reduced the sentence of an unnamed 81-year-old man from seven years to five-and-a-half years. The defendant, who cannot be named to protect his victims, had previously pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to six sample counts of indecent and sexual assault. These counts were drawn from an indictment containing 18 sample counts detailing abuse inflicted over two distinct periods: between 1972 and 1978 against his adopted daughter, then aged eight to 14, and between 1997 and 2001 against his granddaughter, then aged four to eight. The original seven-year sentence was imposed by Judge Martin Nolan on July 24, 2015. The Court of Appeal has now cut this term to five-and-a-half years. The case emerged after the granddaughter sought counselling in 2013 and disclosed the abuse to her mother. The defendant subsequently admitted the offences to the girl's father and later to a priest during confession, who advised him to report the matters to the gardaí. The man voluntarily went to a garda station to make a confession. The appeal resulted in the reduction of his effective custody period, reflecting the appellate court's review of the original sentencing decision.
A 32‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to 11 months' imprisonment for sexual assault after he put a hand under a woman's skirt and groped her while she slept at a house party in Blanchardstown on 21 June 2015. The man, whose name is withheld to protect the victim, pleaded not guilty but was unanimously convicted by a jury in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He had no prior convictions. The victim, aged 29, had fallen asleep after failing to secure a taxi and later recalled waking to a hand rubbing her vagina on the outside of her skirt. She reported stress and work absence in her victim impact statement. The judge noted the offender's family status but found the offence to be of a mid‑range severity, and the defendant could not accept responsibility for the act. The sentence was imposed with no mention of a suspended portion or effective custody beyond the 11‑month term.
Blaine Coakley, a 31‑year‑old chronic heroin addict with 100 prior convictions, pleaded with Judge Karen O'Connor in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to be readmitted to the Coolmine drug rehabilitation centre after robbing a Gala shop in August 2017. He claimed he had changed since the robbery and that prison had not helped him, describing how he had been with another drug user upon release and struggled to cope. Judge O'Connor noted that Coakley had absconded from Coolmine, which limited her options, but she accepted his remorse and desire to address his drug problems. She imposed a four‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended, ordered 18 months of post‑release supervision, and required him to complete a Coolmine residential treatment programme when a bed becomes available. The robbery involved €780 taken with a bread knife while he was on a suspended sentence for theft. Blaine Coakley pleaded guilty.
Siobhan Maguire, 48, of The Brambles, Skerries, was convicted of 32 sample theft and fraud charges for fraudulently lodging 660 cheques into her personal bank account between 2001 and 2015. The cheques, falsely endorsed on the back, ranged from €5,000 to several hundred euros, and the total theft amounted to €1,187,616. She had initially faced 1,320 charges. The Court of Appeal found her original four‑year sentence too harsh compared with similar offences and re‑sentenced her to three years imprisonment, with the final year suspended. The judge noted her early guilty plea, cooperation, good character, low re‑offending risk, genuine remorse, and lack of wealth. She entered a good‑behaviour bond for the suspended year and pledged to comply. The sentence was imposed on 3 October 2018.
A Dublin man, whose name is withheld to protect the victim's identity, is on trial in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for having unlawful sex with his teenage cousin over a two‑year period. He is charged with engaging in sexual activity with her while she was under the age of consent and with sexually exploiting her by inviting her to perform obscene acts. The defendant pleaded not guilty. Prosecutor Fionnuala O'Sullivan BL presented the State's case, stating that the 22‑year‑old man first attempted to induce his cousin, then fifteen, into sexual contact. She described how they began kissing in the cousin's bedroom, the man grinding his crotch against her, and later asking her to perform oral sex while his zipper was down. The first alleged sexual act occurred in September 2012 at the cousin's grandparents' house, with further incidents reported, the last during the Christmas holidays of 2013.
Michael McDonald Agu, 56, of Avondale Park, Mulhuddart, was jailed for four years after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply at his home on 31 January 2018. He had received a "Hello Kitty" stuffed toy from Thailand that contained nearly €200,000 worth of cannabis. Agu also admitted possession of cocaine for sale or supply at the same location and dangerous driving. Garda Alan Barry testified that after receiving the package Agu made a phone call, then drove off with it, breaking stop signs and driving on the wrong side of the road in a residential area. During his arrest, gardaí found €5,000 worth of cocaine on Agu when it fell from a beanie hat he was wearing, along with a drugs tick list, bagging and weighing scales. Customs officers had intercepted the soft toy at customs, where a sniffer dog had detected cannabis.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, a 17‑year‑old minor was due to be sentenced for assault after throwing a stone at a fellow youth's head, an act the victim described as homophobic. The victim, a young actor, sustained a facial scar requiring 11 stitches. The teenager pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on 17 July 2016 and has 24 prior convictions for assault, theft, burglary, criminal damage and trespass. He has been suspected of involvement in a burglary, a mugging, two assaults and criminal damage. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the sentencing to 3 December to review updated reports from the agencies dealing with the teenager, who has a history of missing from his care home 20 times in the last three months and is still addicted to cannabis. The case remains pending.
In a 2015 burglary and criminal damage case at the Halligan household in Coolock, Dublin, 23‑year‑old Josh Byrne, assisted by two other men, used baseball bats to smash windows, a front door and various household items. The assault was carried out under the direction of Byrne's mother, Alice Byrne, who had a telephone argument with the mother of Byrne's girlfriend, Rebecca Halligan. Byrne's mother opened the house to the men, who wore balaclavas and demanded to see Dean Halligan, who was not present. Byrne had prior convictions for traffic offences and obstruction, the latter ending in July. He was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment, suspended on condition of engaging with the Probation Service, and a €2,000 compensation was offered to the victims. The mother's sentencing was adjourned pending a probation report. Josh Byrne was found guilty.
In a week‑long spree in November 2016, 21‑year‑old Jordon Boyle, of Sheephill Green, Blanchardstown, used large knives to rob an Esso garage on Navan Road, a petrol station in Castleknock, and attempted to hijack a Bentley in the same garage forecourt. During the first robbery he held a butcher's knife to a cashier's face, demanded money, stole a bottle of vodka and fled. The second robbery involved a woman in her 60s whom he grabbed from behind, held a machete to her face, and forced a cashier to hand over money. The third incident saw him jump onto a Bentley's hood, threaten the driver and try to open the door before the car was driven away. Boyle pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery, one of false imprisonment and one of attempted unlawful seizure of a vehicle.
In July 2018, a homeless Dublin man, Alan Jackson, 32, set fire to an acquaintance's flat on Rathmines Avenue, causing damage exceeding €29,000. Jackson, who had no fixed abode and a history of 50 convictions, pleaded guilty to criminal damage by arson on 21 August 2017. He had previously received a four‑year suspended sentence for robbery. The victim, Patricia Martin, and her daughter were forced to leave their 17‑year home and seek emergency accommodation. Jackson threatened to burn the flat after a phone call and was found with a burning wooden stick, which he claimed was for protection. He later wrote a letter from prison expressing remorse and claiming he only wanted to "get back" at Martin. The court, hearing the victim's impact statement, remanded Jackson in custody and will finalize the sentence in December. The case highlights the severe breach of trust and the ongoing legal proceedings.
Martin Morgan, 53, of Highbury Road, London, was convicted in 2008 of organising prostitution and running a brothel at a Bachelor's Walk apartment between 22 August and 10 October 2005. He was jailed for three years. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court ordered the confiscation of €252,908, calculated from the likely net profit of the business during the offending period. The Court of Appeal reduced the amount by €9,000, acknowledging a failure to deduct €9,397 seized from Morgan. The appeal was dismissed. Justice John Hedigan ruled that a person who benefits from crime must pay the State an amount equivalent to the criminally obtained benefit, regardless of the source. The order may be enforced against any assets Morgan possesses at the time. Morgan's barrister, Paul Greene SC, argued that Morgan had spent the entire benefit on business expenses and had no realisable assets, but the court rejected this claim. Martin Morgan pleaded not guilty.
John Paul Gantley, 36, of The Coombe, Dublin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of assault causing harm that occurred on 20 and 24 May 2017. He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended for a two‑year period during which he may not contact his former partner. He will be supervised by the Probation Service for 12 months. Garda Gary Burke described how, on 20 May, Gantley texted his ex‑partner, arrived at her house, pinned her against a wall, held her by the throat, struck her face and brandished a kitchen knife, cutting her forearm. On 24 May he again went to her house, followed her onto the street, struck her face with a hand while holding a sharp object, cutting her face. The victim's impact statement said she was "always on the edge of fear of John Paul" and "fearful of the day he is released".
In a 2018 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, 24‑year‑old Daragh Brown was sentenced to a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended term for robbing a Centra shop at Old Bawn Shopping Centre, Tallaght, on 14 April 2017. Brown entered the shop armed with a knife, demanded money from the tills, and after failing to obtain cash fled with a quantity of John Player Blue cigarettes. He was pursued by two bread delivery men, Will Murray and Joe Daniel, who were stocking the shelves. During the chase Brown's trousers fell, revealing colourful boxer shorts, and he threatened the men with a knife, claiming that "ten lads" were waiting in a nearby estate. Gardaí, alerted by witnesses, described the robber and stopped him a short distance away on Allenton Avenue, where two packets of cigarettes and a knife were recovered. Brown pleaded guilty to robbery and making threats to kill.
Paul Brannigan, 27, of Finglas, was convicted of two assault charges after a March 18, 2014 incident at Fassaugh Avenue, Cabra, where he struck Jason Saunders, who later died at the scene. Brannigan pleaded not guilty to manslaughter, assault causing harm, and possession of a golf club during the assault. A jury could not reach a majority verdict on manslaughter. The Director of Public Prosecutions announced no third trial would be pursued. Brannigan claimed the headbutt was in self‑defence and that the golf club was used to scare Saunders. CCTV and witness evidence showed a headbutt and a golf club injury, with post‑mortem revealing a tulip‑shaped bruise and fractured rib. Brannigan, with ten prior convictions, was remanded in custody pending sentencing on October 22. The court had not yet received a victim impact report.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Christopher Lenihan, aged 28, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, following a 2017 assault on his ex‑partner Grace Brady at the Plaza Hotel, Tallaght. Lenihan held Brady down, punched her repeatedly, grabbed her hair, and covered her mouth to silence her. He later threatened to release personal photographs of her if she did not comply. After the attack, Lenihan sent over 200 harassing texts and emails, and was arrested for harassment in January 2017. He pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and assault causing harm, and admitted further harassment between 13 and 31 January. The judge noted Lenihan showed no remorse and had limited insight into the impact of his actions. Lenihan must complete probation supervision for 18 months, offence‑focused work, and a domestic‑violence programme if suitable. He has a prior conviction for breach of a barring order in February 2016.
In a 2018 robbery at Dolphin's Barn, 41‑year‑old Mark Dwyer broke a woman's finger while smashing the window of her car and seized her handbag containing €920. Dwyer pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and was sentenced to three years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended. The judge noted the victim, Christine Pollard, suffered both physical injury and emotional distress, and that the robbery occurred in full public view. Dwyer's prior convictions included assaults, drug misuse, burglaries and possession of a weapon. He had previously served a three‑year sentence in 2013 for firearm possession. The suspended portion of the sentence was conditioned on his engagement with the Probation Service for two years. The case highlighted the victim's ongoing treatment for a broken ring finger and her feelings of vulnerability after the incident. The stolen goods, valued at €990, were not recovered.
In January 2018, Bayarsaikhan Davaatseren, a 45‑year‑old former Mongolian policeman, stabbed his former wife four times in their Dublin apartment, inflicting a broken sternum and a potentially fatal chest wound that filled her cavity with blood. He urged her to inform the Gardaí, and she managed to escape before collapsing outside. Davaatseren, who was heavily intoxicated and later admitted himself to the Garda station, pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm. Judge Martin Nolan, noting the severity of the injuries and the lack of a defence for intoxication, imposed an eight‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence. The victim underwent surgery and remained in hospital for two months; she later described the attack and her fear of dying. The case highlighted Davaatseren's prior convictions and his subsequent refusal of asylum.
A 21‑year‑old Dublin man, who cannot be named to protect the victim's identity, will be sentenced for having sex with a 14‑year‑old neighbour. Garda Campbell Brennan said the man had been in a relationship with the girl and had been affectionate when alone. The girl told the school chaplain, who notified her family and Gardaí, and the offence came to light after she reported it. The man pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to sexual intercourse with a child under 17 on a date between 1 and 24 July 2014. He has 47 previous convictions for assault, drugs offences, false imprisonment, criminal damage and road traffic matters. The victim's impact statement described depression, suicide attempts, drug and alcohol addiction, school withdrawal and family distress. The man admitted he did not know the girl's age and later admitted having sex with her once in his bedroom.
John Wheeler, 49, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to attempting to rob a post office on Botanic Road on 13 October 2017. He entered the shop with a plastic bag that concealed a sweeping brush, which he claimed was a gun. The post office owner, 72, heard a banging noise, checked a safe, and later saw Wheeler banging on the counter and demanding money. The owner pressed a panic button and called Garda Barry Brennan, who reviewed CCTV and identified Wheeler. Wheeler later admitted to the Garda that he had tried to rob the post office "as a joke" and had no intention to actually commit robbery. He denied having the brush during the attempt. Wheeler had 55 prior convictions, including assault, robbery, theft, larceny, forgery, dangerous driving and drunk driving. He was sentenced to four years, with 18 months suspended, for a final effective custodial term of two and a half years.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, a 46‑year‑old man was convicted of 24 counts of sexually assaulting one girl and one count of assaulting her younger sister, all while the children were staying at their grandmother's home. The first victim, aged six or seven, was assaulted between July 2000 and July 2002 when she slept on the man's date, and the second victim, also aged six or seven at the first assault, was assaulted from 2005 to 2010 while she slept in her bedroom. The man pleaded not guilty to 33 charges; a jury convicted him on 25 counts and the judge acquitted him of eight. Judge Martina Baxter described the acts as "gratuitous, depraved and exploitative," noted the family's division, and imposed an eight‑year sentence with the final 12 months suspended. The sentence was partially suspended, leaving the man to serve eight years in custody.
A man from Strokestown, County Longford, has been sentenced to four years in prison for causing over €50,000 in damage to Oberstown Children Detention Campus during four separate incidents in 2016. The 18-year-old, who was 16 at the time, pleaded guilty to four counts of criminal damage at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The incidents involved stand-offs with staff spanning between three and four hours each. One incident included a fire being set in a multi-purpose room. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed the sentence with the final year suspended, and ordered two years' probation supervision upon release. The court acknowledged Ward's efforts at rehabilitation while in detention and his expressions of remorse, but noted the incidents were violent and aggressive, causing significant anxiety to staff and residents. Two further counts of assault and theft were taken into account.
Ryan McLoughlin, aged 22, was found guilty of assaulting Scott Byrne on the Tallaght bypass on 26 May 2013. McLoughlin followed Byrne after a night out, stabbed him in the buttock and stomach, and during the attack sliced an artery in his own left hand. Byrne was treated at Tallaght Hospital while McLoughlin was later taken to the hospital on a trolley with his injured hand. McLoughlin, who has prior convictions for drug offences and traffic matters, pleaded guilty on his trial date. The prosecution noted delays in the case and presented a victim impact statement and medical report. The court remanded McLoughlin in custody until December, when a sentence will be finalised, and ordered updated psychological and probation reports.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Karl Sutton, aged 33, received a suspended sentence for a violent assault on his girlfriend, Tiffany Curtis, on 16 August 2003. Sutton accused Curtis of cheating before attacking her, striking her head against walls and floors, kicking her, and threatening their infant son who was in a Moses basket nearby. The court noted the extreme violence, the couple's turbulent relationship, and that they had two children together, one of whom died in 2010. Curtis had written to the court expressing remorse for Sutton's potential imprisonment. Judge Melanie Greally set a headline sentence of five years, then imposed a four‑year term entirely suspended on strict conditions, including two years of probation and participation in an intervention program for intimate‑violence perpetrators. Sutton pleaded guilty, showed remorse, and had no prior convictions. The case ended with the suspended sentence and probationary conditions.
The Central Bank was granted access to the transcripts and exhibits from the trial of former Anglo Irish Bank CEO David Drumm. The application was made before Judge Karen O'Connor at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after written submissions and relevant case law were submitted last Tuesday. The application was not contested by the Director of Public Prosecutions or Drumm. Drumm, aged 51, was jailed for six years last month for his role in a multi‑billion‑euro bank fraud scheme in 2008. The jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on conspiracy to defraud and false accounting after just over ten and a half hours of deliberations. The State alleged that Drumm conspired with former Irish Life & Permanent CEO Denis Casey, Anglo's former financial director Willie McAteer and former Head of Treasury John Bowe, among others, to carry out €7.2 bn in fraudulent circular transactions to inflate Anglo's customer deposits figure.
An African national aged 28 was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to two former partners by infecting them with HIV between November 2009 and June 2010. The victims, both women, testified that the man repeatedly told others they would not want to be with them because of their HIV status, that he pestered them, and that he followed and texted them, revealing their infection to anyone they spoke to. One victim described being forced into unprotected sex, hospitalisation, suicide attempts, and ongoing medication. The other victim reported being close to overdosing on HIV medication and struggling to leave bed after diagnosis. The judge described the man's behaviour as "grossly reprehensible" and noted his remorse, youth, and difficult upbringing. The case was the first of its kind in Ireland, with the Director of Public Prosecutions giving no indication of seriousness. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty and was convicted.