The trial of a 28‑year‑old African national accused of intentionally or recklessly infecting two women with HIV has been adjourned until next Monday. The State alleges the defendant knew his HIV status when he infected the women, constituting serious harm. He pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for causing serious harm to two former partners between November 2009 and June 2010. Judge Martin Nolan informed a jury of nine women and three men that an issue had arisen, delaying the case, and instructed them to return next Monday for the trial to resume.
Peter McDonagh, 29, of Clontarf, was found in possession of 980 images of child pornography, including more than half with extreme sexual content involving children as young as two. The images were discovered on his mobile phones during a search on 18 January 2017, after Canadian authorities alerted Irish police to the material. McDonagh pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and was remanded on continuing bail. Judge Melanie Greally revoked his bail and remanded him in custody pending a sentence in October, ordering a probation report for his eventual release. The court noted that 536 images were Category 1, involving explicit sexual activity between children and adults, while the remainder were Category 2. McDonagh has prior minor convictions and a history of mental health issues, but the judge concluded that a custodial sentence was necessary due to the explicit nature of the material and his method of acquisition.
A homeless man pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to demanding money with menaces following an incident at a store in Clontarf on 16 July 2017. Brendan Glynn, aged 31 and originally from Sligo, handed a threatening note to the proprietor demanding €20,000 initially, followed by €2,000 weekly, with threats to burn down the premises. The note instructed the owner not to contact gardaí and stated he was being watched. The proprietor alerted gardaí and Glynn was arrested two days later after being identified on CCTV footage. Garda evidence indicated Glynn had no connection to serious criminality and lacked means to carry out the threats. His defence counsel described the offence as impulsive and bizarre, unlikely to succeed. Glynn, with 46 previous convictions, was dealing with longstanding drug dependency at the time. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to December pending completion of a probation report.
Ian Browne, aged 44, was jailed for two years after he hid in a Supervalu shop under renovation and stole alcohol, cigarettes and food worth €2,031 when the store was closed. He concealed himself behind building materials, damaged fire doors and attempted to open cash registers, as captured on CCTV. The store manager alerted Gardaí, who found missing spirit bottles and five damaged tills. Browne pleaded guilty to burglary and criminal damage at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 20 August 2017. He has 94 previous convictions and is already serving a sentence of two years and nine months for another burglary. The court noted his long history of homelessness and heroin addiction, his recent drug‑free period, and his efforts to stabilise himself in custody. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspending the final 18 months to motivate him.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Glen Byrne, aged 40, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for possessing €350,000 in criminal proceeds. The money was found in seven bales, each about €50,000, wrapped in masking tape and stored in a box inside a van driven by Byrne. The court described the operation as "planned and very well executed" and noted that Byrne had no financial duress, no declared drug addiction or debts, and had a strong work history. Judge Martina Baxter suspended the final six months of the sentence, citing Byrne's lack of prior convictions, his early guilty plea, and supportive letters. The case involved co‑accused Paul Carew, who had earlier been jailed for eight years for related money‑laundering offences. The possession of the cash was discovered during a surveillance operation targeting large organised crime. Byrne's sentence was back‑dated to 19 June 2017, the date he entered custody.
A 25-year-old man has received a fully suspended sentence for his involvement in an armed robbery at a pizzeria in Tallaght in September 2015. Craig Dempsey, now resident in Achill, County Mayo, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbing Apache Pizza in Oldbawn Shopping Centre, where approximately €2,535 was taken. He also admitted robbing a Spar store in Ballycullen in July 2015 while producing a broken bottle. The court heard that Dempsey and an accomplice, who carried an electric chainsaw, entered the pizzeria in the early hours demanding money. Judge Melanie Greally imposed consecutive sentences totalling six years, fully suspended for three years. The judge noted that Dempsey's principal risk factors, including cocaine use and association with antisocial peers, had been addressed. The court was informed that Dempsey had relocated to Mayo to distance himself from negative influences and was now caring for his unwell mother.
A 28‑year‑old African national is on trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to two former partners by infecting them with HIV. He pleaded not guilty. The State alleges he was aware of his HIV diagnosis when he infected the women, which the prosecution claims caused serious harm. The defendant told Gardaí that he did not intentionally have unprotected sex; he said the encounters occurred while they were drunk. He admitted to having unprotected sex with both women in 2010, but denied deliberately trying to get them pregnant. He claimed he could not remember whether he had disclosed his HIV status to either woman before they became pregnant. The trial is ongoing before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury of nine women and three men. The case is still at the trial stage.
Gerard Lawlor, 68, of Balrothery, Tallaght, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 11 counts of fraudulently claiming €167,873 in social welfare payments from 2005 to 2015. The fraud was uncovered during a Revenue audit of his former wife's dieting company, which revealed that Lawlor had been claiming pre‑retirement payments for himself and adult dependent allowances for his estranged wife. On 15 June 2017 Judge Karen O'Connor imposed a wholly suspended three‑year sentence with strict conditions, citing a reluctance to imprison Lawlor because it would be detrimental to the life of his sisters, who rely on his support. The Director of Public Prosecutions has requested a review of the sentence on the grounds that it was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgment. The case remains at the appeal stage, with no further outcome reported.
During the trial, Dr Killian McGrogan, a GP, testified that the accused, a 27‑year‑old African national, was not surprised by his positive HIV diagnosis in March 2008. McGrogan read notes from the consultation, noting the accused was informed about transmission and treatment options. The accused, who pleaded not guilty, is charged with intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to two former partners between November 2009 and June 2010. Dr McGrogan also explained that the accused would need specialist care and later wrote a referral letter confirming his HIV status. Specialist Dr John Lambert confirmed that the accused, the complainants, and an African HIV strain were all infected, and that the accused had a positive viral load in 2010, making him infectious. The trial is ongoing before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
In a Dublin homeless hostel, 46‑year‑old George Donovan stabbed fellow resident Alan Rattigan in the face with a butter knife after a dispute over loud television. Donovan pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on 27 October 2015. Judge Melanie Greally, after a one‑year adjournment and a probation report showing progress, imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence and suspended it in full. Rattigan suffered five superficial facial wounds and scarring. Donovan, who has 30 prior convictions and a serious heart condition, admitted the assault immediately to Gardaí, claiming he lost his temper. He has been homeless since age 15, was on methadone, and has since moved to a new hostel with staff support. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 35‑year‑old Sameer Summun pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis for sale or supply on 4 September 2015. The judge, Martina Baxter, noted that Summun continues to abuse cannabis and has nine prior convictions, including a suspended sentence for dealing cannabis issued four months earlier. Summun's defence, represented by Olan Callanan BL, presented a letter from a local imam describing him as kind and gentle, and a letter from his wife praising his parenting. Judge Baxter questioned the relevance of these letters and criticised Summun for not addressing his drug addiction, stating he "has to face reality." She remanded him to custody for one month, adjourned sentencing to 20 July, ordered a urine test, and directed him to engage with the Probation Service while in prison. The case involved the recovery of 122.5 g of cannabis, valued at €2,450, from a bag thrown under a parked car.
Sabrina O'Connor, a former care worker aged 37, was acquitted on ten charges of theft and deception after a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found her not guilty. The case involved allegations that she stole over €43,000 from an elderly stroke victim she cared for between June 2010 and December 2011. The jury could not reach verdicts on three counts and remanded her on continuing bail until July 9 to address those charges. O'Connor admitted that accepting money from a client was against her work policy and said she had been under pressure. She claimed she had attempted to repay the largest sum of €15,000 but the victim said the money was "in custody." The judge ordered that sum to be paid back to the complainant. The trial also covered allegations of bank account theft, use of cheques, and a vehicle purchase, but these were not resolved in the verdict.
Former Anglo Irish Bank chief executive David Drumm, aged 51, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to authorising or permitting illegal loans to ten businessmen in 2008 to purchase shares in the bank. The loans were given to the so‑called Maple 10 group, comprising Brian O'Farrell, Gerard Conlon, Gerard Gannon, Gerard Maguire, John McCabe, Joseph O'Reilly, Patrick Kearney, Patrick McKillan, Seamus Ross and Sean Reilly, between 10 and 17 July 2008. Drumm was transferred from Mountjoy Prison, where he is serving a six‑year sentence for conspiracy to defraud and false accounting, to the court. He answered "guilty" to the ten charges. The prosecution, led by Paul O'Higgins SC, announced that the remaining 21 charges would be withdrawn, including six relating to loans to the wife and children of former billionaire Seán Quinn, 14 concerning false documents, and one about breaching an EU transparency directive.
The jury in the trial of former care worker Sabrina O'Connor, aged 37, will enter its third day of deliberations at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. O'Connor denies 13 theft counts and one deception count relating to alleged theft of over €43,000 from an elderly stroke victim between 2010 and 2011. The prosecution claims the largest sum stolen was €15,000, used to secure a house option, and that O'Connor also stole an €8,500 bank draft to purchase a Land Rover. Evidence shows she used 11 cheques, ranging from €1,000 to €2,500, totalling €20,100, to withdraw money from the victim's account for her own benefit. The victim, who suffered a stroke, said O'Connor had access to her account and that O'Connor had claimed gifts of €8,000, €10,000, and a €15,000 loan for a house deposit, which she has not repaid.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Mark Byrne, a 39‑year‑old homeless man, received a 12‑month suspended sentence for possessing a realistic imitation firearm. Byrne, who lived at a homeless unit on Newtown Avenue, Blackrock, admitted to buying an air pistol and about 1,000 6mm plastic pellets from a toy shop on Talbot Street for €10. He claimed he had no real life and that the gun was meant for shooting at the back of street cars. The court noted Byrne was under the influence and giggling while waving the pistol out of a DART carriage, frightening an American passenger. Witnesses described the incident as frightening but harmless, and Garda Siobhán Frisby confirmed Byrne's actions were not intended to harm anyone. Judge Karen O'Connor accepted Byrne's remorse, citing his extensive history of public order offences and addiction issues, and warned of serious consequences if he breached bail conditions. The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
A 27-year-old Dublin man has been sentenced to 16 months in prison for violent disorder at a public house in Finglas. Dean Thomas of Glenties Drive pleaded guilty to his role in the incident at the Cardiff Inn, Cardiffsbridge Road, on 19 October 2017. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Thomas kicked, punched and stomped on a man during an altercation between two groups, after the injured party arrived with associates and approached Thomas's group with a baseball bat. Judge Martin Nolan noted that while Thomas's group had acted in self-defence initially, the encounter subsequently escalated to vengeance. The court heard character references describing Thomas as a talented footballer and popular with pub staff and customers, and noted his expression of remorse. Thomas has 11 previous convictions for minor offences. Other participants in the violent disorder received sentences ranging from nine months to two and a half years.
The trial of a 27‑year‑old African man accused of infecting two former partners with HIV continues in legal argument before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury of eight men and four women. The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge of intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to the two women between November 2009 and June 2010. Prosecution counsel Dominic McGinn SC argued that the accused was aware of his HIV diagnosis when he infected the women, constituting serious harm. The accused's ex‑wife testified that he was not shocked by her diagnosis after routine hospital tests and that he had agreed to use a condom at first intercourse but did not wear one. Another ex‑partner claimed the accused blamed her HIV test result on her and removed a condom during their first sexual encounter. The woman described the act as "very sneaky" and noted that subsequent encounters involved no contraception.
Joseph Walshe, a 50‑year‑old former general manager of Nevinar Cosmetics Ltd, was found guilty of ten counts of theft for stealing Clarins cosmetics worth over €700,000 retail from his employer between January 2010 and December 2011. He sold the goods to a UK wholesaler who believed he acted on behalf of Nevinar, receiving €204,122.38, while the loss to Nevinar was €181,582.00. A jury convicted him after a 12‑day trial and Judge Pauline Code sentenced him to two‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, suspending the final 12 months on the condition that he repay €181,000 within one year. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, finding no error in the sentencing judge's approach. The case was described as a serious, pre‑meditated fraud carried out over more than two years. Joseph Walshe pleaded not guilty.
The trial of Sabrina O'Connor, a former care worker, is in its final stage at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. She denies 13 theft counts and one deception charge relating to an elderly stroke victim between 2010 and 2011. On day six, the jury of twelve members had deliberated for just over an hour before Judge Karen O'Connor suspended the session for the evening, with deliberations to resume tomorrow.
In June 2018 a bench warrant was issued for a 67‑year‑old Dublin man who had previously been identified by Gardaí as a risk to the public due to a predilection for juveniles. Judge Martin Nolan in 2015 had ordered that the man could not be identified and imposed a five‑year Sex Offenders Act order restricting contact with children and loitering near them. In 2017 Judge Patricia Ryan found the man had breached this order by attempting to communicate with children while intoxicated, with his hand on his crotch and his zipper undone. She imposed an 18‑month sentence, back‑dated to the offence, and suspended the balance on the condition that he comply with Probation Service directions and remain abstinent from non‑prescription intoxicants. The man failed to attend a subsequent court appearance, prompting the bench warrant. The unnamed 67-year-old was convicted.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Dean Creedy, aged 28, pleaded guilty to attempting to rob a post office on Ballymun Road on 11 November 2017. He admitted that, driven by a €600 debt to drug dealers and a desire to self‑medicate with cannabis after stopping anti‑depressants, he had approached the post office with a knife. While the postmaster was collecting his pension, Creedy held the knife to the throat of an 83‑year‑old pensioner, threatening to cut him if money was not handed over. The victim suffered no injuries and did not file a victim impact report. Creedy had no prior convictions, expressed remorse, and had previously attempted suicide due to drug‑related pressure. Judge Melanie Greally remanded him on continuing bail, adjourned the case to 17 October for sentencing, and required a urine test to confirm he was drug‑free.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a 27‑year‑old African national accused of infecting two women with HIV is on trial. A witness, who met the accused at an HIV clinic around 2008‑2009, testified that he followed her there and asked her not to disclose his diagnosis. She confirmed she had met him in 2010 and had known him since 2008. The accused, who pleaded not guilty, is charged with intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to the women between November 2009 and June 2010. On day three, the second complainant testified that she began a relationship with him in 2009, that he removed a condom during their first intercourse, and that they had frequent sex in hotels without contraception. She disclosed that she was diagnosed with HIV in 2010 after abdominal pain led to testing.
Philip Nolan, 30, of Tallaght, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of child pornography, including text stories, images and videos, found in his home during a 2011 search. Australian investigators had alerted Irish authorities via Interpol about an IP address linked to Nolan's residence. Forensic examination in 2017 uncovered 106 files, including videos of pre‑teens masturbating, images of pre‑teen boys and girls with exposed genitals, and hentai images depicting five‑year‑olds in penetrative sex with an adult male. Nolan admitted attempting to masturbate to the material but expressed shame and regret. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a suspended sentence of two and a half years, conditional on Nolan attending a sexual offenders treatment programme. He was deemed low risk of re‑offending, had no prior convictions, and had accepted responsibility for his actions.
Sabrina O'Connor, 37, pleaded not guilty to 13 theft charges and one deception charge in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. She admitted that while caring for a stroke‑victim client she sometimes withdrew money from the client's account, presented a cheque to the bank, and received cash in an envelope. She also claimed that the client gave her €8,000 as a gift to buy a car and later loaned €15,000 for a house deposit, which she said she had not yet repaid. O'Connor said she accepted the money to keep the client happy and was afraid of losing her job, so she did not inform her employers. The trial, presided over by Judge Karen O'Connor, is in its closing stages. The prosecution, led by Noel Devitt BL, questioned her about the nature of the cheques and her failure to report the transactions to the Gardaí.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Independent TD Michael Lowry and his company Garuda Ltd were convicted of two charges each of filing incorrect corporation tax returns and of failing to keep proper accounts. Judge Martin Nolan, after the jury's verdict, ruled that a custodial sentence would be inappropriate and imposed a total fine of €25,000 – €15,000 on Lowry personally and €10,000 on Garuda – and disqualified Lowry from acting as a director for three years. The judge noted Lowry's lack of prior convictions, his role as a good employer and public representative, and his earlier payment of a €1.4 million tax bill in 2007. The case involved alleged concealment of a €372,000 commission paid in 2002, which was later re‑mortgaged by Lowry to settle the tax bill. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
The former wife of a man accused of infecting her with HIV has admitted under cross‑examination that she had sex with him in a hotel in May of the previous year. She had initially denied this but, after a court break, accepted that she met the accused, a 27‑year‑old, and had sex with him at that location. She also conceded that she might have had sex with him on two other occasions in 2016, though she denied it. She told the jury that she became pregnant soon after starting a relationship with the accused in early 2010 and discovered she was HIV positive following routine hospital tests. She said the accused had agreed to use a condom the first time they had sex, but after intercourse on this occasion she noticed he was not wearing one. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
Michael Lowry, a former TD, and his company Garuda Ltd were found guilty of two charges: delivering an incorrect corporation tax return and failing to keep proper accounts. The jury, after eight and a half hours of deliberation, convicted him on these charges but could not decide on four remaining ones. Judge Martin Nolan announced a later sentencing and remand on continuing bail. The case centred on a £248,624 (€372,000) commission paid by Norpe OY in August 2002, allegedly routed through the Glebe Trust in the Isle of Man and omitted from Garuda's accounts. The prosecution argued the payment should have been recorded in 2002, while Lowry's defence claimed it was a commission owed to the company. The jury was instructed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Lowry knew the money was not included in the accounts and tax computations. The trial concluded with convictions on the two charges, while the other four remained unresolved. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
Neil Dolan, a 26‑year‑old finance worker, used Microsoft Paint to forge identity documents and applied for three bank loans between 30 June and 7 July 2017, using the alias "Neil Nolan." He sent altered copies of a PTSB account statement, passport, age card, revenue documents, a utility bill and a pay slip to KBC, Permanent TSB and KBC again. All applications were rejected because the banks could not verify his identity, and the Gardaí were alerted. Dolan admitted 14 counts of forging documents and 14 counts of using forged documents in the loan applications. He had a prior conviction for forging a death certificate and a 2013 fine for a similar offence. The case was sent to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Judge Cormac Quinn ordered a probation report and adjourned sentencing to 31 July. Dolan expressed remorse, claimed he was under stress and strain, and had considered starting a business.
A 27‑year‑old man has gone on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on charges of intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to two former girlfriends by infecting them with HIV. The prosecution, represented by Dominic McGinn SC, alleges that the defendant was aware of his HIV diagnosis from March 2008 and failed to disclose this to either woman, thereby infecting them during unprotected sex. The case covers dates between November 2009 and June 2010. McGinn presented evidence that no condoms or barrier protection were used, that one complainant became pregnant and was diagnosed with HIV after a standard screening in early 2010, and that the second complainant was diagnosed in June 2010. He also noted that the defendant had babies with both women, but the children did not contract the virus. The trial is scheduled to last seven days. The defendant has pleaded not guilty.
The appeal of Michael Lowry TD, concerning four charges of filing incorrect tax returns between August 2002 and August 2007 in relation to a sum of Stg £248,624 received by his company, Garuda Ltd, and one charge of failing to keep a proper set of accounts between August 28, 2002 and August 3, 2007, is ongoing. The charges allege that Lowry arranged for a payment of Stg £248,624 to be made to a third party through the Glebe Trust, resulting in the payment not appearing in the company accounts for that year. It is further alleged that the accounts were falsified in 2007 to reflect that the payment was received in 2006. Lowry and Garuda Ltd pleaded not guilty to these charges. The appeal is currently at the stage of deliberation, with the jury having retired for the evening after failing to reach a verdict on the second day of deliberations. The matter is to be adjourned until tomorrow morning for the jury to resume their deliberations.
David Mulvey, 36, of Berryfield Drive, Finglas, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two and a half years in prison and disqualified from driving for four years. He pleaded guilty to violent disorder, dangerous driving, and endangerment arising from an incident on October 19, 2017. The court heard that Mulvey was part of a group that assaulted Chris Duggan at the Cardiff Inn. After leaving the pub, Mulvey allegedly drove his Toyota Avensis onto the footpath on Cardiffsbridge Road, attempting to strike Duggan and another man before narrowly missing them. Judge Nolan described the driving as "pretty intentional" and "vicious," noting Mulvey's participation in a "ferocious attack." Mulvey, who has 27 previous convictions, has been on remand since November last year. In a related matter, Duggan, 28, of Cardiffsbridge Road, was previously sentenced by Judge Cormac Quinn last April to two years for violent disorder, with the final 15 months suspended. Duggan had also pleaded guilty to violent disorder stemming from the same confrontation. The prosecution noted that while Mulvey attempted to kick and stamp on Duggan, CCTV did not show contact, and he left the scene while the assault continued. Defense counsel acknowledged the response was disproportionate.
Gerard Creighton, aged 49, was sentenced again in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for failing to notify Gardaí of his change of address. He had previously been jailed for three years in March 2015 for the same offence, as well as for an attempted robbery and possession of an imitation firearm. In the current case, Creighton pleaded guilty to not informing Gardaí of his address between 5 and 24 June 2016. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a one‑year prison term. The judge warned Creighton that he must comply with the Garda regime and that failure to do so could result in further imprisonment. Garda Niall Murray noted that Creighton was due for release in May 2016 and had been warned by a prison officer to notify the Gardaí of any address change. The court heard that Creighton had not returned to a Garda station after being told to do so.
James McDonagh, aged 26, was sentenced to four years in prison after he pointed a handgun at Dolores Doyle's head when she asked his children to stop pulling down bunting she had erected in her garden. The incident occurred after Doyle and her husband Patrick, both in their sixties, had repeatedly asked McDonagh's two children to leave their garden. McDonagh threatened violence, including burning the house and killing Doyle's son, and returned with a black six‑inch handgun. He pointed it at Doyle as she tried to return home, then at her husband's face, and later pleaded guilty to threatening to kill or seriously harm the Doyles. The court accepted evidence that the gun was likely not real and that McDonagh had a history of road traffic offences. He had taken steps toward rehabilitation and had moved away from the area. The judge imposed a custodial sentence, suspending the final two years of the four‑year term.
In a 2018 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Alan Donoghue, aged 35, received a three‑year sentence for his part in a pre‑meditated violent assault on fellow inmate Gary Hanley at Wheatfield Prison on 29 April 2015. Donoghue, who was already serving an eight‑year manslaughter sentence, pleaded guilty to violent disorder. He admitted leaving the scene after the initial assault and not pursuing Hanley when the stabbing began. The court noted that Donoghue had no weapon and had left the area before the spoon‑shaped improvised weapon was used by co‑accused Gary Howard, who was sentenced to four years, and Mark Dignam, who received three and a half years. Judge Melanie Greally imposed the three‑year term to run concurrently with part of Donoghue's existing sentence, with the final three years suspended for possession of a firearm and assisting an inmate to escape.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Bridget O'Neill, a professional carer, testified that she noticed an unusually high number of transactions on the bank statement of an elderly stroke victim she cared for. O'Neill, who worked for the same company as the defendant, described feeling uneasy after reviewing the statement, noting that the number of transactions exceeded what would normally be expected. She explained that the victim was physically disabled and dependent on her for daily care, including food, laundry, and even playing Lotto. O'Neill also revealed that the victim had gifted her €5,000 and €3,000 on separate occasions, and that the victim had loaned money to the accused. The trial, presided over by Judge Karen O'Connor, continues with a jury of twelve. The defendant, Sabrina O'Connor, has pleaded not guilty to 13 theft charges and one deception charge.
A new retrial date has been set for Jonathan Gill, 36, who is accused of the 2011 "tiger kidnapping" of Warren Nawn, Jean Marie Nawn and their ten‑week‑old baby in Drogheda. Gill denies the allegations of false imprisonment. Judge Melanie Greally of the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court scheduled the retrial for 19 June 2019, with an estimated duration of three weeks.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Michael Lowry, a 64‑year‑old TD from Tipperary, pleaded not guilty to four charges of filing incorrect tax returns and one charge of failing to keep proper accounts for the period 2002‑2007, relating to a £248,624 commission received by his company Garuda Ltd from Norpe OY. He also pleaded not guilty on behalf of Garuda Ltd to three similar tax charges and one accounts charge. The prosecution alleged that Lowry arranged for the payment to be made to a third party in the Isle of Man, omitted it from the company's 2002 accounts, and later falsified the accounts in 2007 to record the payment as received in 2006. The judge instructed the jury to determine whether Lowry had knowledge of the omission and falsification, and to deliver separate verdicts for Lowry and for Garuda Ltd. The jury was instructed to return on Monday to continue deliberations.
An elderly stroke victim, who is the complainant, told the court that she was very annoyed that her money was gone. She alleged that her former carer, Sabrina O'Connor, stole thousands of euros from her bank account over a period of two years. The complainant denied that a female friend assisted her memory when she made her statement to the Gardaí. She said she had lent O'Connor money after the defendant claimed she needed an operation on her leg, and that O'Connor had not repaid her. The prosecution alleged that O'Connor stole a €15,000 bank draft used to secure a house option, a €8,500 draft used to buy a Land Rover, and used cheques to take money from the complainant's account for her own benefit. The trial is before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury. Sabrina O'Connor pleaded not guilty.
Brendan Delappe, 58, avoided jail after a suspended sentence of two and a half years for failing to pay €150,000 in tax. The court found his offences were not systemic fraud but stemmed from a poor business model and bad management, exacerbated by depression following his wife's death in 2008. Delappe had provided merchandising services, charged VAT to a company, but did not remit the payments to Revenue. He also failed to file correct income tax returns between 2007 and 2012. Revenue Officer Karen Burns reported €140,626 in unpaid VAT and €19,615 in unpaid income tax. Delappe pleaded guilty, cooperated with Gardaí, and showed genuine remorse. His three adult daughters now manage his affairs and are organising repayments. Judge Melanie Greally noted mitigating factors, including his depression, guilty plea, and cooperation, and commended the daughters' support. The headline sentence was four years, but the final imposed term was fully suspended.
In a decision on 21 June 2018, a court lifted an order that had barred the media from naming Slawomir Gierlowski, a 34‑year‑old Polish roofer from Drimnagh, who had been jailed in March for a series of violent sex attacks. Gierlowski was convicted of attacking three women in 2011, 2015 and 2016 around Clondalkin, south Dublin. Two of the attacks involved sexual assault and occurred late at night, while the third, in daylight, saw Gierlowski brandishing a hunting knife at Ruth Maxwell as she walked to the Luas. He pleaded not guilty to nine charges and maintains his innocence. Judge Pauline Codd, at his May sentencing hearing, described the attacks as brutal and primal, using a leather belt, a hunting knife, duct tape and cable ties. She imposed consecutive sentences of eight years, nine and a half years and five years, suspending the final four years on the condition that he complete sex‑offender programmes in custody.
In the trial of Independent TD Michael Lowry, the State alleges that his company, Garuda Ltd, received €372,000 in commission from Norpe OY in August 2002, which was routed to a third party in the Isle of Man and omitted from the 2002 accounts. The prosecution claims the accounts were falsified in 2007 to record the payment as received in 2006. Remy Farrell SC urged the jury to view the series of alleged mis‑reporting as a "tragic series of unfortunate events" and suggested that Lowry deliberately concealed the transaction to avoid corporation tax and to protect the company from insolvency. Patrick Treacy SC defended Lowry, noting that a charge of an incorrect income tax return was dropped and that the case centred on alleged misfiling of an invoice rather than fraud. The trial, presided over by Judge Martin Nolan, continues with a jury of eleven.
A former solicitor from Maynooth, County Kildare, has been granted bail on appeal at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following approval of a €100,000 independent surety. Michael Lynn, aged 49, faces allegations of stealing approximately €30 million from seven financial institutions. A family member provided the surety, which will remain frozen in her bank account throughout the trial, with the judge cautioning that the funds would be forfeited if bail conditions were breached. Mr Lynn's passports, along with those of his wife and four children, have been surrendered to gardaí. His bail conditions include daily sign-on at Leixlip Garda Station, residence at his Maynooth address, a 9pm to 6am curfew, prohibition from Irish ports and airports, and the requirement to carry a mobile phone accessible to gardaí. He was extradited from Brazil in March 2018, having been taken into custody there in August 2013. The trial is scheduled to commence in January 2020 and is expected to last six to eight weeks.
The third re-trial of a Cavan childminder accused of causing serious harm to a baby has collapsed at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Sandra Higgins, aged 37 of The Beeches, Drumgola Wood, Cavan, had pleaded not guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to a baby girl at her home on 28 March 2012. The State alleged the child's injuries, which included head and facial bruising, brain bleeding and detached retinas, were inflicted by Ms Higgins. Judge Pauline Codd found that undisclosed email communications between expert witnesses had not been passed to the defence, potentially hampering adequate trial preparation. The judge ruled a fair trial could not be assured and discharged the jury. Ms Higgins was remanded on continuing bail pending a mention date in July. The Director of Public Prosecutions will determine whether to pursue the matter further.
In August 2002, Michael Lowry instructed his long‑time political secretary, Aileen Dempsey, to oversee a £250,000 payment to Kevin Phelan for a property deal. Dempsey, employed by Lowry for 30 years and paid by the Oireachtas, worked from Lowry's company office, Garuda Ltd, trading as Streamline Enterprises. She relayed Lowry's instructions to raise an invoice from Streamline for the amount and to ensure the payment was made to Phelan. Lowry claimed he had "cleared" the transfer with the CEO of Norpe OY, a Finnish refrigeration company, and that the invoice should come from Phelan or his company. Dempsey later confirmed she stored the invoice and related documents, and that she had not been told to keep the transaction confidential. She also noted that in 2007 she produced a letter on Streamline paper, signed by Lowry, detailing a commission of €372,000 for Garuda, but she did not connect this with the £250,000 payment.
Former Anglo Irish Bank CEO David Drumm was sentenced to six years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for conspiracy to defraud and false accounting. Judge Karen O'Connor described the conduct as "grossly reprehensible" and part of a "premeditated and planned" scheme. Drumm, who pleaded not guilty, was convicted by a jury of conspiring with former officials Denis Casey, William McAteer, John Bowe, and others to dishonestly inflate Anglo's 2008 deposits by €7.2 billion. He was also found guilty of false accounting for misleading the market on December 3, 2008. The judge noted that while the bank was in difficult circumstances, this did not excuse the fraud. Drumm received credit for five months previously served in a US federal penitentiary. He had been on bail throughout the trial, and his bail was continued following the conviction. The judge acknowledged the personal impact on Drumm and his family but emphasized the abuse of trust and significant planning involved in the alleged fraud.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan directed that Independent TD Michael Lowry be found not guilty on a charge of delivering an incorrect income tax return for 2002. The charge, alleging that Lowry knowingly submitted a return omitting €372,000 received by his company Garuda Ltd, was withdrawn. The judge agreed with the defence that the State had not opposed a direction of not guilty. Eight other charges relating to Garuda Ltd's corporation tax filings for 2002 and 2006 remain pending before the jury. Lowry, aged 64, had pleaded not guilty to four charges of filing incorrect tax returns between August 2002 and August 2007, and to a charge of failing to keep proper accounts for the same period. The case continues with the remaining counts awaiting jury deliberation.
Sabrina O'Connor, 37, of The Green, Dunboyne Castle, Dunboyne, is on trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for 13 theft charges and one deception charge relating to an elderly stroke victim she cared for. The prosecution, led by Noel Devitt BL, alleges that O'Connor accessed the victim's bank account and stole €15,000 and €8,500 bank drafts, using them to secure a house option and purchase a Land Rover. She is also accused of taking money via cheques, spending it for her own benefit, and buying food and paying bills with the victim's bank cards. The victim, who had her cheque book in an unlocked drawer, claims she never authorized these withdrawals and has no recollection of them. The trial is set to continue on Thursday before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury of twelve. Sabrina O'Connor pleaded not guilty.
Niamh Fitzpatrick, 39, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing a Smith & Wesson revolver found in an air vent in her Ringsend home on February 23, 2017. The firearm, which contained one round of ammunition, was seized by gardaí during a search for drugs, where over €4,200 of heroin was also recovered. Fitzpatrick admitted to gardaí that she kept the gun for self-protection following a threat to her life, a claim supported by Garda Michelle Fitzpatrick, who confirmed colleagues had served GIM forms notifying Fitzpatrick of the threat, though it had since expired. Defence counsel Keith Spencer BL highlighted Fitzpatrick's history of trauma, including abduction and violent attack, which he stated caused profound Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. He noted her 21 previous convictions, mostly minor road traffic offences, and argued she was now drug-free apart from prescribed medication. Spencer requested a lengthy suspended sentence to reflect the offence's seriousness while acknowledging her regret and support from her father. Judge Melanie Greally did not pass sentence immediately. Instead, she remanded Fitzpatrick on continuing bail pending her sentencing hearing scheduled for July.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Eoin Berkeley, aged 24, was sentenced to two and a half years for possessing a realistic imitation AK‑47 rifle in a public place. Gardaí had received several reports of a man walking near Dublin Airport and Santry with what appeared to be a firearm. When approached on Northwood Avenue, Berkeley claimed the gun was fake, but the device was later identified as an airgun capable of firing 6mm ball bearings. He had pleaded guilty to the offence on 29 May 2016 and had 24 prior convictions from 2013 to 2017. Berkeley had been in custody for 18 months on this charge, and the judge, citing the seriousness of the offence and his extensive criminal record, imposed the sentence while crediting the time already served. The court noted that possession of an imitation firearm is not a trivial matter and must be treated seriously.
Peter McDonagh, 29, of Clontarf, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing almost 1,000 images of child pornography, including more than 500 Category 1 images depicting extreme sexual activity involving children as young as two years old. The images were found on his mobile phones during a search on 18 January 2017, after Canadian authorities alerted Irish police to the material. McDonagh admitted full cooperation and was present during the search. He has minor prior convictions under the Public Order Act and a history of mental health issues, including an adult personality disorder. His defence counsel argued that he was a "taboo seeker" with no paedophilic interest and urged a sentence of probation and welfare support. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to 3 July.