Sean Darragh, 49, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for possessing 263 g of heroin worth €37,366, which he had agreed to transport from Dublin to Newry to settle a drug debt of €4,000. He pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 19 September 2017. Darragh, a grandfather of two from Cois Locha, had 48 prior convictions, mainly for drugs and thefts in Northern Ireland. Garda Killian Leydon described how Darragh and co‑accused Josephine Hoey were caught after suspicious activity in an apartment car park; Hoey later received a four‑year suspended sentence for possession. Darragh sold his Volkswagen to pay Hoey's bail and had two dogs impounded, which she later reclaimed. Judge Martin Nolan noted Darragh's cooperation and steps taken in custody to address his drug addiction, back‑dating the sentence to his arrest date.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, 43‑year‑old carpenter David McKeon pleaded guilty to assaulting his former wife, Caroline McKeon, on 22 May 2015. The assault occurred in their family home after both had drunk three bottles of Heineken each. McKeon discovered his affair from his phone, grabbed Caroline by the waist, pushed her onto the couch, strangled her, slammed her onto tiles and kicked her lower spine. Witnesses, including their children, saw the injuries. The court found psychological and physical harm, including scarring on Caroline's nose, and noted the aggravating factor of the children's presence. McKeon received an 18‑month suspended sentence, was ordered to pay €10,000 to his former wife, to comply with structured arrangements for child access, and to be supervised by Probation Services for 12 months. He has no prior convictions except minor traffic matters.
Brian Manning, a 52‑year‑old Dublin father of four, pleaded guilty on 15 March 2017 to possessing 37 images and one video of child pornography accessed via the Kik Messenger instant‑messaging app. The images mainly showed pre‑teen girls in explicit sexual activity with adults. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced him to an 18‑month fully suspended term, with the headline sentence being two and a half years, and imposed a probation period under the Probation Service. Judge Cormac Quinn cited Manning's early guilty plea and remorse as mitigating factors, noting the case's media coverage had impacted his personal life and marriage. Gardaí were alerted by Canadian authorities, who identified a user "biman4377" distributing child pornography on Kik. Manning's Samsung S5 phone was seized, revealing the offending material. He cooperated fully, expressed regret, and acknowledged that he no longer used Kik or viewed child pornography.
Pawel Wisniewski, aged 43, was sentenced to an additional 33 months in jail for possessing cannabis and a stolen Ford Mondeo after being caught at a Dublin grow‑house. He had previously received a four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for diesel theft and possession of cannabis and a firearm. The new sentence runs consecutively to a two‑and‑a‑half‑year term for earlier cannabis and firearm offences, and to a two‑year term for diesel theft. Wisniewski, who has 34 prior convictions, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 12 October 2017. Judge Martin Nolan noted his mechanical and electrical skills and his cooperation, but highlighted that he was on bail for other offences at the time of the arrest. The court emphasised that he must avoid further criminal conduct. The case involved the seizure of 35 cannabis plants worth up to €28,000 and a stolen car found at Collinstown Cross Industrial Estate.
Dary Sharif, aged 24, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended, for violent disorder after a knife attack at a Luas stop on 5 April 2015. Sharif was stabbed 14 times by two men, one of whom was Daryl Smith, 26, who later required brain surgery. Security staff pulled Smith to the ground, and Sharif, along with two other co‑accused, kicked Smith while he lay helpless. The court considered Sharif's claim of lawful self‑defence, noting he had been severely provoked and had suffered a frenzied knife attack. Judge Cormac Quinn set a headline sentence of four years but reduced it due to mitigating factors, including Sharif's rehabilitation efforts and good behaviour. The sentence reflects the incident's violent nature and the court's assessment of self‑defence and aggravating circumstances. Dary Sharif pleaded guilty. Daryl Smith pleaded guilty.
John Devereux, a former HSE paramedic and volunteer ambulance driver, lost an appeal against his conviction for the repeated sexual assault of a nine‑year‑old child. In 2012 and 2013, he was charged with ten counts of sexual assault. A jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court acquitted him of seven counts but found him guilty of three. He was sentenced to three‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended. Devereux's lawyers argued that the trial judge should have directed the jury to find him not guilty because the prosecution had not cross‑examined him after he gave evidence. Judge Birmingham rejected this claim, noting that the prosecution had cross‑examined Devereux over two court sessions before and after lunch, and that there was no obligation to formally present the prosecution's case to him. The Court of Appeal dismissed all grounds of appeal, finding no evidence of an unfair trial or an unsafe verdict.
Conor O'Hora, 41, of Portmarnock, was sentenced to three years in prison for harassing RTÉ newsreader Sharon Ní Bheoláin and for three counts of possessing child pornography. He pleaded guilty to harassing Ní Bheoláin between March 2013 and January 2014, which involved posting over 30 altered photographs of her on a website and engaging in 40 sexually explicit and violent online conversations. He also pleaded guilty to knowingly possessing child pornography on a mobile phone and a computer hard drive, with 93 images of children aged eight to 17 found on his devices. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspending the final 18 months, and ordered O'Hora not to contact Ní Bheoláin. He was also required to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for 18 months under probation supervision. The court noted his cooperation with Gardaí and his efforts at rehabilitation. The co‑accused received an 18‑month suspended sentence earlier this year.
A 34‑year‑old man was sentenced to 18½ years in prison for three pre‑meditated, brutal sex attacks on women in Clondalkin, south Dublin, in 2011, 2015 and 2016. The judge described the attacks as primal and brutal, noting an escalation of violence. The first attack occurred late at night on 11 September 2011, when the victim was sexually assaulted and repeatedly punched. The second, on 3 September 2015, involved a leather belt, duct tape and a sexual assault. The third, on 16 May 2016, took place in daylight; the attacker used a hunting knife and the victim sustained injuries to her fingers. The judge imposed consecutive sentences of eight years, nine and a half years and five years, suspending the final four years on completion of sex‑offender programmes. A nine‑year post‑release supervision period was also imposed. The man has been in custody since his arrest in June 2016.
Cathal Forde, 52, of Buttercup Park, Darndale, was sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possessing 4,168 images of child pornography, including 34 movie files, and for distributing such material between 19 May 2011 and 11 January 2013. He also pleaded guilty to producing child pornography on 20 December 2012. Garda Brian Healy traced Forde to two email addresses used to purchase DVDs of naked children from a Canadian company, leading to a search warrant. During the search, Forde admitted possession of child porn, surrendered a computer hard drive, CDs, DVDs, passwords, and two laptops. Forensic examination uncovered over 1,000 explicit images, some of children as young as six months, and two text documents he had sent to contacts. The case took three years to reach court due to a backlog in the relevant Garda unit.
The jury in the trial of four men accused of a €2.28 million cash‑in‑transit robbery and tiger kidnapping will continue deliberations tomorrow. Mark Farrelly (47), Christopher Corcoran (70), Niall Byrne (36) and David Byrne (45) all pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the false imprisonment of Securicor driver Paul Richardson and his family at their home at Ashcroft, Raheny, Dublin, on 13 and 14 March 2005. They also pleaded not guilty to robbing Mr Richardson and Securicor of €2.28 million on 14 March 2005. The trial began last January before a specially enlarged jury of 15. Three jurors were discharged due to personal commitments and 12 jurors are now deliberating on the evidence. After six and a half hours of deliberations on Wednesday afternoon, Judge Melanie Greally told the jurors to suspend deliberations and sent them home for the night.
Conor O'Hora, 41, of Heather Walk, Portmarnock, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to harassing RTÉ newsreader Sharon Ní Bheoláin between 27 March 2013 and 7 January 2014 and to three counts of knowingly possessing child pornography. The harassment involved posting over 30 modified photographs of Ní Bheoláin on a website reachable via a Google search of her name. The child‑pornography charges concerned roughly 100 images of children in sexually explicit activity and 40 explicit online conversations between O'Hora and a co‑accused. The images were found on O'Hora's HP Pavilion laptop and iPhone, depicting children aged eight to 17, including three identified children. O'Hora was remanded overnight pending sentencing; Judge Martin Nolan warned that he would certainly face jail for his "debasing behaviour" and "insidious harassment." The court heard that the co‑accused had received an 18‑month suspended sentence earlier this year, now being appealed by the DPP for undue leniency.
A burglar, Matthew Ahern, 53, was jailed for 17 months after a CCTV video captured him having a haircut in a barbershop next to the house he broke into. He pleaded guilty to burglary at Collins Avenue East, Killester, on 17 February 2016. The home was occupied by a mother and her twins who were napping when the crime occurred. Ahern entered the house, stole an iPad, a laptop, and two mobile phones, and left without any weapons. He had 48 prior convictions, including seven for burglary, dating back to 1982. Judge Karen O'Connor, noting the seriousness of violating a family home, sentenced him to three years' imprisonment with the final 19 months suspended, citing his guilty plea and efforts to change his lifestyle. The suspended portion was intended to keep him out of trouble while in custody. The sentence reflects the judge's concern for the victim's safety and the property stolen.
A jury has begun deliberations in a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court involving four men—Mark Farrelly (47), Christopher Corcoran (70), Niall Byrne (36) and David Byrne (45)—who are accused of a €2.28 million cash‑in‑transit robbery and tiger kidnapping. The defendants pleaded not guilty to the false imprisonment of Securicor driver Paul Richardson and his family at their Ashcroft home in Raheny on 13 and 14 March 2005, as well as to the robbery of Richardson and Securicor on 14 March 2005. The trial started last January before a specially enlarged jury of 15, but three jurors were discharged, leaving 12 to deliberate. Judge Melanie Greally spent over two days explaining the law and summarising the evidence before sending the jury out to deliberate for just under three hours, after which they were sent home for the night.
Gerard Creighton, aged 50, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for false imprisonment and robbery. He held a female shop worker at the Healthy Hut on Bolton Street for a few minutes before stealing €285 from the till. Two days earlier, he forced another female worker back into a shop she was closing, armed with a knife, and robbed €150. Creighton pleaded guilty to one count of false imprisonment and one count of robbery at the Healthy Hut, and to one count of robbery at the Old World New shop on Leinster Street. He has 22 prior convictions, including a nine‑year sentence in 1999 for rape and false imprisonment, and a three‑year sentence in 2015 for attempted robbery of a bookmaker. The judge noted his desire to reform and suspended the final two years of the sentence on conditions.
Stephen Doherty, 50, was jailed for two-and-a-half years after robbing an Applegreen petrol station in Baldoyle, Dublin, while high on heroin. He used a meat thermometer, which he initially claimed was an ice pick, to threaten a cashier and force the release of €200. Doherty also attempted to rob a woman outside the station, who escaped. He pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and one count of attempted robbery on 31 October last year. Doherty, who has 62 prior convictions including theft, burglary and drug misuse, told the court he committed the robbery to raise money for his mother's funeral, the only family member who could not contribute. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to two-and-a-half years, backdated to the time of his first arrest in October. The sentence was imposed in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The case highlights the intersection of drug addiction and criminal activity.
The State's case against former Anglo Irish Bank chief executive David Drumm at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court closed after 74 days of evidence. Prosecutor Paul O'Higgins SC informed the jury that the DPP's evidence was complete and the prosecution case had closed. Judge Karen O'Connor sent the jury home for the day, noting that Mr Drumm's lawyers would make an application to the court which she would consider in their absence. Drumm, 51, of Skerries, Co Dublin, pleaded not guilty to conspiring with former bank officials to defraud depositors and investors by dishonestly creating the impression that Anglo's 2008 deposits were €7.2 billion larger than they were. He also pleaded not guilty to false accounting on 3 December 2008. Drumm accepts that the multi‑million euro transactions took place between Anglo and ILP in 2008 but disputes that they were fraudulent or dishonest.
During the fifteenth week of David Drumm's trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a financial analyst, Eamon Hughes, testified that Anglo Irish Bank's share price fell from 0.94c to 0.48c after the release of preliminary 2008 figures. Hughes explained that the drop reflected a 50‑percent decline and that the loan‑to‑deposit ratio had risen, a key metric for investors. He described attending the bank's presentation on 3 December 2008, noting that the figures were later used by Goodbody Stockbrokers to produce an early market assessment. Hughes also acknowledged that the share price slump was traumatic and that the bank's results were below expectations. Drumm, aged 51, has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to defraud and false accounting, and the prosecution's case is described as "very close to conclusion.".
Father‑of‑three Besnik Vucaj, aged 49, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment after pleading guilty to five counts of deception for fraudulently claiming over €51,000 in rent supplements and carer's allowances from the Department of Social Protection between June 2012 and March 2016. He had purchased two Italian identity cards from a former resident of his past address to present himself as an Italian worker at a Dublin construction firm. Vucaj admitted to using these false identities to obtain benefits while working in Terenure, Dublin. The court noted his lack of prior convictions, his cooperation with investigators, and his efforts to repay the debt, and therefore suspended two years of a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence. He is now paying €100 per week toward the €49,000 still owed to the department. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with Judge Pauline Codd presiding.
John Whelan, 47, avoided jail after a four‑year suspended sentence for possession of child pornography. He had previously pleaded guilty to harassing eight women at the National Rehabilitation Hospital between July 2011 and January 2012, for which he received a suspended sentence in 2012. Gardaí discovered over 5,500 child pornographic images on his laptop during the harassment investigation, including six explicit child sex images and the rest of children exposing themselves or animated. The images were downloaded between 2009 and 2012. Judge Martin Nolan noted that the Garda Cyber Crime Bureau lacked resources, delaying analysis until 2016, which allowed the prosecution to proceed. He suspended a three‑year sentence on strict conditions, requiring Whelan to engage with the Probation Service for 18 months, citing his role as a carer for elderly parents and low risk of re‑offending.
Pedro Miguel Dos Santos E Silva, a 25‑year‑old Brazilian rickshaw driver, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a Dutch student at a Dublin city centre hostel on 20 January 2018. The victim, who was returning from a night out, was approached by Dos Santos E Silva as she tried to enter her room. He initially offered to help her but then took her key, removed her hat and scarf, and entered the female toilets. He attempted to kiss her, remove her jeans, and expose himself, eventually placing his penis in her face. The assault ended when the victim became distressed. Gardaí found a small amount of MDMA in his bag and he was believed to have been under its influence. He had no prior Irish convictions and had lived in the hostel for four days before the incident. The 18‑month sentence was back‑dated to his first arrest in January. Pedro Miguel Dos Santos E Silva pleaded guilty.
Stephen Bollard, 27, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for six robberies in north Dublin and possession of €270 worth of cocaine. The court heard that Bollard used an imitation firearm, knives and a wheel‑brace to "terrify" victims. He was identified by CCTV in most of the incidents and had previously been on bail for the first offence. After being arrested, a plastic bag containing cocaine was found in his possession. Bollard had left Ireland for Scotland in late 2014, served a robbery sentence in Edinburgh, and was returned to Ireland on a European Arrest Warrant in February 2018. The judge, Martin Nolan, took into account Bollard's guilty plea, cooperation, psychological report and attempts at rehabilitation, and imposed consecutive sentences back‑dated to January. The court noted that Bollard's drug addiction was a factor in the offences. The sentence was imposed in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Stephen Keenan, aged 31, was sentenced to six‑and‑a‑half years in prison for four counts of unlawful possession of two handguns and bullets, and for stealing a car on 24 October last year. The firearms were found in a rucksack on Casement Drive, Finglas, and were in working order, capable of firing lethal ammunition. Keenan admitted he had agreed to hold the guns for "dangerous people" to whom he owed a €50,000 drug debt, and that he still owed €5,000. He claimed the debt pressured him into the crimes, though he had previously served a suspended sentence for a similar offence in 2015. The judge noted Keenan's drug addiction and his attempts at rehabilitation, but imposed the statutory mandatory minimum of five years, back‑dating the sentence to October 2017. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Stephen Keenan pleaded guilty.
Alan Long, aged 27, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for terrorising a 16‑year‑old boy and his mother over a drug debt. He pleaded guilty to trespass and theft, assault and demanding money with menaces at the victim's Kilbarrack home on 18 and 19 October. Long repeatedly visited the house, demanding €8,000, then €4,000, and took items including a flat‑screen TV, a suitcase of clothes and a Nintendo system. He assaulted the boy in the kitchen and threatened the mother with a headstone if she did not pay. The mother, who had been too afraid to contact Gardaí, made a formal statement after the incidents. Long had 10 prior convictions and had been in custody since his November arrest. The victim impact statement described ongoing fear, stress, anxiety and depression. The court noted Long's remorse and traumatic background. The sentence was imposed by Judge Martin Nolan.
A 54‑year‑old Nigerian man, whose identity is withheld to protect his children, pleaded guilty to five counts of child cruelty for beating his children, aged about eight and nine, between October 2011 and April 2014. He struck them 50 to 100 times with household items such as a belt, ladle and spoon, and verbally abused them. The abuse was reported when one child told a teacher, leading to social services involvement and the children being placed in foster care until 2016 and 2017. The man received a two‑year suspended sentence, with the judge citing his lack of prior convictions, remorse, and the similar sentence given to his wife, who also beat the children. He was ordered to comply with all social services orders concerning his children's welfare. The children, now teenagers, declined to give victim impact statements. The case highlighted cultural arguments presented by the defence, which were rejected by the court.
A 20‑year‑old Dublin man, Conor Emmet, was sentenced to two‑and‑a‑half years in jail, with the final 15 months suspended, after pleading guilty to possessing 5,919 images and 328 videos of child pornography that included sadomasochistic rape and torture of an 18‑month‑old girl. The material was seized from two laptops during a raid on his family home in May 2016, following an intelligence operation involving the FBI and Europol. Emmet admitted first accessing such material at age 16 and expressed relief at being caught. The judge noted the seriousness of the content, the vulnerability of the children depicted, and Emmet's lack of prior convictions, good academic record, charity work, and progress in rehabilitation. He will also undergo 15 months of post‑release supervision. The maximum sentence for the offence is five years.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 42‑year‑old postman David Byrne was convicted of dangerous driving causing the death of 70‑year‑old Patricia Dunne. Byrne, who suffers from Type 2 Usher Syndrome, had previously pleaded not guilty to the charge and to related offences of dishonestly inducing the National Driving Licence Service to issue a licence and making a false statement on an insurance application. The jury found him guilty on all three counts. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to five years' imprisonment, reducing the headline figure of eight years to five on the basis of mitigating factors such as his cooperation, good record and remorse. Byrne was ordered to attend his son's First Holy Communion before reporting to Mountjoy Prison. The sentence includes treatment for his medical condition while incarcerated.
Stephen Collins, 27, a disqualified driver with 85 prior convictions, was jailed for five years after an intoxicated, high‑speed crash on Davitt Road, Dublin. While under the influence of alcohol and drugs, Collins struck a cyclist who was turning right at a green light, sending her airborne and causing a cut to her forehead. He then lost control, hit the wall of The Marble Arch Pub, collided with a curb, and head‑on struck another vehicle, injuring its driver. Collins fled the scene, leaving the injured parties behind. He pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment and failure to assist. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Collins' long history of offences and lack of respect for traffic law, imposed the sentence and a ten‑year driving disqualification. The incident remains a significant incident of road‑traffic violence in Dublin.
Philip Devereux, 51, a former worker at a juvenile residential unit, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography. Gardaí recovered a laptop with 24 illegal images, a floppy disk with six child sex stories, and 13 DVDs containing images of pre‑pubescent boys. The material was analysed by the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau in 2017. Devereux had no prior convictions and had cooperated with the investigation, handing over devices and passwords. A psychologist's report and his strong work history were considered. Judge Martin Nolan, following higher court guidance, imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence suspended in full, concluding that a custodial sentence was not justified. The case had been delayed by a backlog of material awaiting analysis. The judge noted Devereux's efforts to rehabilitate and the impact of the conviction on his future.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal against the conviction of Sean Carraher for harassing Sgt Conor Gilmartin. Carraher, who pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, was convicted by a jury of harassing the sergeant between March 2009 and May 2011. The allegations included making ten to twelve abusive telephone calls and publishing 58 internet postings on three websites, which contained claims that the officer was corrupt and unfaithful. Carraher had been sentenced to five years' imprisonment by Judge Patrick McCartan, who stated the tariff was intended to deter others from spreading grossly defamatory information. In his appeal, Carraher's counsel argued that the prosecution breached its duty to disclose his own telephone records, which were not put before the jury. However, Mr Justice Alan Mahon, sitting with Mr Justice George Birmingham and Mr Justice John Hedigan, ruled that the prosecution was not in breach of its disclosure duties. The court found that the records were available to Carraher, their absence did not prejudice his defence, and the trial remained fair. The judges noted that while the phone calls were heard by limited personnel, the internet postings were public. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed, upholding the original conviction and sentence.
The jury in the conspiracy to defraud trial of David Drumm, a 51‑year‑old from Skerries, Co. Dublin, has been informed that the prosecution will finish presenting its evidence next week. Judge Karen O'Connor noted that the case is at day 72 of hearing and is approaching its conclusion. Drumm has pleaded not guilty to conspiring with former Anglo Irish Bank officials Denis Casey, William McAteer, John Bowe and others to defraud depositors and investors by falsely presenting 2008 deposits as €7.2 billion larger than they were. He also pleaded not guilty to false accounting at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The prosecution read a witness statement from Lorraine Hanrahan, who confirmed her awareness of September and October 2008 transactions between Irish Life Investment Managers and Anglo Irish Bank, and described the transactions as non‑standard and unusually large. The jury was reminded not to conduct independent research and will return on Monday for further evidence.
David Lawrence, aged 22, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for a drunken rampage that took place on 23 April 2017 at a house in Lusk. He admitted assaulting a teenage boy and a 15‑year‑old girl, smashing windows with a bale of briquettes and a lump of timber, and threatening to kill the boy. The court heard that Lawrence knocked on the door, used the bathroom, returned to demand a phone, knocked the girl to the ground, struck the boy, smashed the front‑door window, and threatened to slit the boy's throat with a knife. He also smashed another window with a wooden stick and tried to open the bathroom door. The family, who had known Lawrence before, were frightened and suffered long‑term emotional damage. Judge Martin Nolan noted that alcohol was not an excuse for his behaviour. Lawrence's sentence was back‑dated to 7 September 2017 when he entered custody. David Lawrence pleaded guilty.
The trial of four men accused of the 2005 tiger kidnap and robbery of Securicor driver Paul Richardson and his family in Raheny, Dublin, is ongoing at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Niall Byrne, Christopher Corcoran, Mark Farrelly, and David Byrne have all pleaded not guilty to the false imprisonment of Mr. Richardson and his family on March 13 and 14, 2005, and the robbery of €2.28 million on March 14, 2005. This is the fifth time the matter has come to trial. In his closing address, defence counsel Feargal Kavanagh SC argued that Niall Byrne is an innocent family man with no previous convictions, rather than a hardened criminal. He contended that phone evidence linking Byrne to previously convicted accomplice Jason Kavanagh does not prove involvement, suggesting the calls were unrelated or that Byrne was unaware of the crime. The defence asserted that Byrne had no need to be an "inside man" given Securicor's large workforce and established security procedures. Judge Melanie Greally is scheduled to charge the jury in the law tomorrow. The matter remains at the trial stage, with no verdict or sentence yet delivered.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 9 May 2018, a 30‑year‑old man was sentenced to a three‑year suspended term for breaking into his ex‑partner's Tallaght home on 7 April, assaulting her and falsely imprisoning their one‑year‑old daughter. Gardaí found him intoxicated at about 5 am, ten minutes from the house, and persuaded him to return the child. The judge, Martin Nolan, imposed the suspended sentence on the condition that the man keep the peace for the duration of the term, comply with Probation Services supervision for 18 months, and refrain from approaching or contacting his ex‑partner or the child for three years unless authorised by the mother or a Family Court order. The court warned that breaching this condition could result in imprisonment. The man had previously been convicted of threatening and abusive behaviour. The unnamed 30-year-old pleaded guilty.
During the 70th day of David Drumm's conspiracy to defraud trial, the jury heard from Pamela Lennon, a former Central Bank manager, who described a shared European network that recorded real‑time balances of banks. Lennon testified that the network captured daily balances and that the data was transferred to storage facilities in Germany, France and Italy. She showed the jury account statements for 29 and 30 September 2008, revealing 583 transactions on Anglo's account on 29 September and a €1 bn deposit from the Central Bank, an overnight facility with a fee. Lennon confirmed that Anglo was eligible for and received €1 bn from the European Central Bank on that day. Drumm admitted the transactions occurred but denied they were fraudulent or dishonest. The hearing continues in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury of ten men and four women. David Drumm pleaded not guilty.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Anthony Sammon SC defended 45‑year‑old David Byrne, arguing that the prosecution's case hinged on a single, unreliable witness, Alan Drumgoole. Sammon highlighted Drumgoole's admissions of lying to Gardaí and his contradictory statements about phone contacts, including a "Mousey" number that he claimed belonged to Byrne. He urged the jury to disregard Drumgoole's testimony, asserting that without trust in the witness, the prosecution's case collapsed. Byrne, along with Christopher Corcoran (70), Mark Farrelly (47), and Niall Byrne (36), had pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and robbery of Securicor driver Paul Richardson and his family on 13–14 March 2005, a case that had reached trial for the fifth time. The defence also challenged circumstantial evidence linking Corcoran to the operation, noting discrepancies in phone data and travel routes. The trial proceeded with closing arguments before Judge Melanie Greally and a 14‑member jury.
Barry Kennedy, a 51‑year‑old Dublin bus driver, was tried at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for careless driving that caused the death of 25‑year‑old Brazilian motorcyclist Lucas Lapa Sanchez on 21 October 2015. Kennedy, who had been employed by Dublin Bus for 16 years, was driving a "ghost bus" with no passengers when he turned right into the Broadstone Depot on Constitution Hill. CCTV footage showed the bus travelling at about 21 km/h colliding with Sanchez's motorcycle, which was moving at about 61 km/h on a wet, windy night. The prosecution alleged Kennedy failed to exercise due care, looking out his right‑hand window during the turn. The defence argued Kennedy had no prior incidents and highlighted the difficult turn, lighting, and Sanchez's lack of high‑visibility gear. After 1 hour and 20 minutes of deliberation, the jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty.
Mark O'Dwyer, 44, of Dublin, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply and three charges of possessing stun guns. The drugs, valued at €4,170,932, were found at an address on Ballyfermot Drive on July 17, 2017. Detective Garda Brian Foran testified that the location operated as a large-scale drug distribution hub, containing 188 kgs of cannabis and 2.9 kgs of heroin. O'Dwyer admitted to being recruited as an unskilled labourer to pack the drugs, a role for which he was promised €1,500. Judge Martin Nolan noted O'Dwyer had no proprietary interest in the drugs and had maintained a methadone programme for 20 years. In a related matter, Stephen Sarsfield, 39, of Dublin 8, was jailed for seven years last month after pleading guilty to the same offence. Both men were observed transferring boxes of cannabis from a lorry into a garage before gardaí executed a search warrant. The court accepted that O'Dwyer did not resist arrest and co-operated with police. The sentence reflects the serious nature of the operation, despite O'Dwyer's limited involvement and lack of prior convictions since his methadone enrolment.
In 2018, Martin Maughan, aged 21, was sentenced to 18 months in jail for an unprovoked assault on Simon Cornish on Dublin's Henry Street in 2016. Maughan struck Cornish, a probation officer, causing a fractured facial bone and a detached retina, leading to surgery and permanent implants. Maughan pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm. He had 15 prior convictions, including robbery and criminal damage. The judge, Martin Nolan, imposed a three‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended, citing the long‑term consequences for Cornish and the lack of provocation. Mitigating factors included Maughan's cessation of alcohol and drugs, his involvement with Focus Ireland, and his impending fatherhood. Maughan paid €2,000 to Cornish and presented a letter of apology. The court noted the emotional impact on both parties, with family members crying during sentencing. The case remains at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court stage.
A 20‑year‑old Dublin man, Conor Emmet, was found to possess 5,919 images and 328 videos of child pornography, including graphic material depicting the rape and torture of an 18‑month‑old girl. The material was discovered on two laptops and a phone seized during a Garda raid in May 2016, following an intelligence operation involving the FBI and Europol. Emmet pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of the digital images and movies. The court heard that one video showed a masked female sexually abusing the child, who was gagged, bound, beaten, and subjected to candle wax. Another video showed the child being urinated on. Emmet had first accessed child porn at age 16. The case was adjourned for sentencing until May 11th. The court did not discuss any prior convictions or future outcomes.
A 34‑year‑old homeless Latvian man, Aigars Grinfelds, was sentenced to five months for sexually assaulting a woman who was sleeping on a Dublin street in December 2017. Grinfelds placed his hand inside the woman's underwear while she lay on the pavement, an act witnessed by a passer‑by who intervened and arrested him. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and had been in custody since 19 January 2018. Grinfelds admitted he was drunk at the time. The victim, who was asleep before and after the incident, expressed distress and felt unsafe in a public place. Judge Martin Nolan, noting the case was at the lower end of the scale, imposed a 12‑month sentence with the final seven months suspended, back‑dating it to the date of his arrest.
An unnamed teenager, who was 15 at the time of the offence, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing serious harm to a victim on August 13, 2016. The court heard that the defendant allegedly pushed the victim, who has autism, into a headlock and punched him in the right eye, resulting in permanent blindness in that eye. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a period of detention of three and a half years, which he deferred for one year. This deferred child detention order requires the boy to be supervised by the Probation Service and to obey all their instructions and directions. Judge Nolan stated that there is no such thing in law as a suspended sentence for a child, noting that the Children Act 2001 allows for this deferral mechanism. The judge emphasized the severity of the case, telling the defendant he should be "terribly ashamed" and warning that non-compliance with probation directions would result in detention. The matter was adjourned for finalisation on May 3, 2019, at which point the judge may impose the detention, suspend part or all of it, or impose a community sanction.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Patrick Quinn sentenced Kevin Fay, 42, for fraud committed in 2014, after a four‑year delay that the judge described as "terribly unfair." Fay, a former agent for Provident Personal Credit, had submitted false loan applications and stole €4,300. He pleaded guilty to three counts of theft. Initially, Quinn imposed a three‑month jail term to deter trust‑based employees from stealing. After defence lawyer Luigi Rea requested a brief reprieve, Fay presented €1,100 in compensation. The judge suspended the entire one‑year prison sentence, requiring Fay to repay the remaining €3,200 within two years. Fay, now a roofer earning €580 a week, had no prior convictions. The judge noted the delay and the lack of earlier restitution efforts as factors in the sentencing decision.
Plasterer Patrick O'Reilly, 56, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to assault causing harm and unlawful production of a baseball bat. The incident occurred on August 8, 2016, at the Kiltipper Inn in Tallaght, where O'Reilly allegedly attacked Frank Shannon following a dispute over Olympic sailing. Garda Cian Steers testified that O'Reilly struck Mr. Shannon multiple times before being disarmed by others. Mr. Shannon suffered a full-depth hole in his upper lip, resulting in a permanent scar, though no bones or teeth were broken. O'Reilly handed himself in to gardai the following day. In mitigation, defense counsel Gaby Dean BL highlighted O'Reilly's remorse, his clean criminal record, and his background in sports, including two caps for Ireland in hockey. Judge Patrick Quinn acknowledged that O'Reilly made a "stupid decision" but noted his immediate admission of guilt and apologetic demeanor. The court suspended a 12-month prison sentence on the condition that O'Reilly pays €1,000 to the victim. The judge cited O'Reilly's good character and remorse as key factors in the disposal.
In a Dublin court, 42‑year‑old David Byrne, who has Type 2 Usher Syndrome, was found guilty of dangerous driving causing the death of 70‑year‑old Patricia Dunne on 16 October 2015. Byrne pleaded not guilty to the charge and to related offences of dishonestly inducing the National Driving Licence Service to issue a licence and making a false statement on insurance. The jury convicted him on all three charges. The court heard that Mrs Dunne was walking home with a shopping trolley when Byrne's car struck her, flinging her into the air before stopping. Byrne has no prior convictions. Judge Patricia Ryan remanded him on bail pending sentencing. The Dunne family, led by son John, expressed that they will never forgive Byrne for killing their mother, citing the lack of remorse and apology. Byrne's counsel requested leniency, noting his rehabilitation and the single accident in 20 years of driving with the disease.
Jonathan Chubb, a former property investor, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 34 counts of theft, two counts of providing a false reference, four counts of deception, six counts of possession of a forged driving licence, and one count of money laundering between March 2013 and July 2015. Prosecutors alleged he stole apartment deposits from 11 victims, including a woman and her child who were left homeless, and defrauded businesses of over €23,000. Chubb also admitted to 11 charges of stealing rent money totalling €8,660 in 2012, for which he previously received 200 hours of community service in lieu of two and a half years imprisonment. Defending counsel noted Chubb had brought €9,000 to court for injured parties and promised further compensation. Judge Karen O'Connor described the crimes as disturbing, noting the impact on vulnerable families. The matter was adjourned until May 30, 2018, for sentencing.
Josephine Hoey, 38, of Banbridge, was given a four‑year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to possessing heroin worth over €37,000. The court found she had transported the drugs from Dublin to the North to pay off a debt of about £1,800 for her own addiction. Judge Martin Nolan described her as "unlucky" and noted the pressure she faced, including threats against her 15‑year‑old son. Defence counsel Pieter Le Vert highlighted Hoey's long‑standing vulnerability and mental‑health struggles, arguing she was not fully culpable. Gardaí had stopped two cars on the night in question, found tinfoil and a package of 260 g of heroin in Hoey's handbag, and seized a further quantity on her person. Hoey thanked the judge and pledged to work on her mental health and avoid drugs again.
The trial of Mark Farrelly, Christopher Corcoran, Niall Byrne, and David Byrne is ongoing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The four defendants, who have all pleaded not guilty, are accused of the false imprisonment of Securicor driver Paul Richardson and his family at their Raheny home on March 13 and 14, 2005, and the subsequent robbery of €2.28 million from Mr Richardson and Securicor on March 14, 2005. Prosecutors allege the gang operated with an organised command structure, with Mr Farrelly identified as the alleged mastermind. During closing speeches, defence counsel Ciaran O'Loughlin SC challenged the prosecution's theory that a fluorescent jacket found in Mr Farrelly's wardrobe was a souvenir from the crime, describing the suggestion as "daft" and an insult to the jury's intelligence. He further criticised the investigation's reliance on phone network analysis, specifically regarding a number referred to as 'the grey phone', arguing that the evidence was shoehorned into a pre-determined prejudice. The defence contended that the investigation was not thorough and that there is no evidence linking Mr Farrelly to all members of the alleged gang. The trial, which began last January, will resume on Tuesday with continuing speeches.
In a Dublin court hearing, a 20‑year‑old autistic man was left blind in his right eye after a violent assault by a 17‑year‑old former friend. The attack, which took place in St Stephen's Green in 2016, was witnessed by 30‑40 friends and filmed on phones. The perpetrator, who was 15 at the time, pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm on 13 August 2016. He is scheduled for sentencing at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan described the assault as vicious and tragic, noting the victim's innocence and the severe impact of losing an eye. The judge highlighted the victim's autism and the potential long‑term effects on his confidence and employment prospects. The court heard the victim's impact statement, which was not read aloud but submitted to the judge. The defendant, who has no prior convictions, had been working in a Youthreach mentoring programme and expressed remorse.
Robert Cronnolly, 29, of Tallaght, pleaded guilty to assaulting Cornelia Brouder on 26 March 2017. He punched her several times, grabbed her throat and attempted to strangle her, causing her jaw to fracture in three places and requiring facial surgery. Brouder suffered ongoing pain, anxiety and nightmares. The court heard that Cronnolly had been arguing with his girlfriend when Brouder intervened to stop a potential attack on her flatmate. He was sentenced to three years in prison, with a headline sentence of four to four and a half years, reduced by his guilty plea, remorse and mitigating personal qualities. Cronnolly has 12 prior convictions, including assault, and a history of alcohol and drug addiction. The judge described the assault as vicious, reprehensible and unforgivable. The sentence was passed by Judge Martin Nolan.
John Luong, 42, was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to eight counts of theft from Icon Plc between November 2013 and November 2014. He stole a total of €156,497 by altering invoices and substituting his own IBAN details, diverting payments meant for the company into his personal account. The amounts ranged from €3,000 to €35,000 per incident. Luong, an accounts administrator, admitted a gambling addiction that drove the theft, estimating he had taken about €70,000. He had been suspended and later dismissed after an audit revealed the diversions. The judge described the theft as a "huge error of judgement" and a breach of trust, noting that none of the stolen money has been recovered. Luong has seven prior convictions for road traffic offences. The court acknowledged his personal suffering but emphasized the seriousness of the financial loss.