During the fourth day of his trial at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Slawomir Gierlowski, aged 33, denied attacking three women in 2011, 2015 and 2016. A woman, whose identity is withheld, testified that on 16 May 2016 she was attacked while walking to a Luas stop. She described being grabbed from behind by two arms, one holding a hunting knife and the other a dirty grey rag. The knife was pressed against her right cheek and moved down to her throat. She felt the blade cut through her fingers as she pulled it away, and she screamed before the attacker fled. She was taken to hospital where she was treated for severed tendons in three fingers and still cannot fully bend them. Gierlowski denies all allegations of false imprisonment, sexual assault and assault on the three women. The trial continues before Judge Pauline Codd and a jury of 11 men.
Ariunaa Purevjal, a 54‑year‑old former illegal immigrant from Mongolia who later became a naturalised Irish citizen, pleaded guilty to five counts of dishonestly claiming social welfare payments between October 2007 and June 2014. She also pleaded guilty to two counts of making a false instrument (a child benefit claim form and a bank form) and one count of possessing a false instrument – a bank card in a false name. The claims included child benefit, domiciliary care allowance, respite care grant, maternity benefit and other payments, totalling €43,132. Purevjal had used a false identity and did not disclose her status to authorities. She repaid the €4,500 maternity benefit she was not entitled to, and the Department of Social Protection is not seeking repayment of the remaining amounts. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced her to two years, suspended in its entirety, and noted that she had no prior convictions and would not re‑offend.
A man who received a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence for forcing a young friend to have sex with him when the boy was 15 was found guilty on appeal. The accused, now 23, abused the boy, who was 10 or 11, by threatening to keep him in the house and to set his dogs on him if he did not comply. He was convicted by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for defilement in his Dublin home between January and July 2011. He denied the charge. Judge Petria McDonnell described the assault as heinous. The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction, stating the trial was satisfactory and the verdict safe, while the appeal was dismissed by Justices Edwards, Birmingham and Mahon. The case was not withdrawn from the jury.
Two teenage cousins, aged 16 and 17, will be sentenced on March 22 for assault causing harm to a 14‑year‑old boy at Father Collins Park, Donaghmede, on 9 April 2016. The victim, who knew the attackers, had a falling out with the 14‑year‑old cousin shortly before the incident. While walking with a friend, the 14‑year‑old confronted the victim, accusing him of spreading rumours about wanting to kill him. The victim denied the claim and tried to walk away, but was punched in the cheek three times. The older cousin then punched him once in the mouth, causing him to fall. A group of about seven boys surrounded the victim, preventing escape. The victim left with four top teeth missing and required extensive medical care. Neither cousin has prior convictions, and their parents were notified and interviewed voluntarily. The unnamed 17-year-old pleaded guilty.
John Paul Mulready, aged 40, was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for stabbing and biting his upstairs neighbour, Dermot Byrne, after an alleged "incessant" recitation of poetry. Mulready entered Byrne's flat with a serrated knife, shouted about music, and after a brief standoff in which Byrne brandished a frying pan, Mulready tackled him to the ground, stabbed him in the leg and bit him on the face. Byrne, a poet, defended himself with a vodka bottle and was helped by another neighbour. Mulready pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary with a knife in 2015 and has 116 prior convictions, including drug offences, knife possession, assault and criminal damage. He admitted the attack was triggered by the upstairs poetry. The court noted his history of offending and his recent drug‑ and alcohol‑free status at a residential treatment centre, but deemed the crime too serious for a suspended sentence.
Michael Cummins, 32, was jailed for two years after a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found him guilty of falsely imprisoning and threatening two teenage boys during a drug‑induced paranoid episode in Swords in August 2017. Cummins, who had 230 prior convictions, approached a 13‑year‑old and a 15‑year‑old from across the street, demanding they look him in the eyes and threatening to pour what he claimed was acid into their eyes and to blow up their house. He struck the younger boy twice, forced the older boy to delete pictures from his phone, and entered the boys' home, where he also stole a wallet and an iPhone. Gardaí recovered the stolen items and the boys later reported increased fear and distress. Cummins pleaded guilty to theft, burglary, false imprisonment, assault and a threat to kill, and the court accepted his remorse, noting his drug‑induced paranoia but holding him fully liable for his actions.
In February 2018, Christopher Dunne, a 27‑year‑old Kildare resident, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison after the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found him guilty of possessing 19 kg of cocaine worth €1.3 million and under 1 kg of heroin worth €170 000. Dunne had rented a flat on his own name for third parties and broke down bulk drugs arriving at the premises into smaller packages. He claimed he had lost his job at Intel, became depressed and spent thousands of euros a week on cocaine, and that he was involved to offset a substantial drug debt. The case began when a caretaker mistakenly entered the flat, saw white powder, and reported it to the letting agent, who then called Gardaí. Gardaí found the flat empty but containing eight wrapped packages of cocaine, a digital weighing scale, loose white powder, a black hold‑all bag and a wooden spoon.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Declan Hendley, a 49‑year‑old former community worker, pleaded guilty to possession of an imitation firearm in a public place with the intention of intimidating a security guard at a Centra shop on Poppintree Parade, Ballymun, on 25 May 2015. The court found that Hendley had brought an air‑soft AK‑47 type imitation gun to the shop after a verbal altercation with the guard, who was attempting to move a group of young people outside. Hendley had threatened the guard with a pole during a brief physical confrontation, then returned ten minutes later with the imitation firearm, which was found to be non‑functional. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a two‑year sentence, suspending the final 14 months on strict conditions. The case highlighted Hendley's 29 prior convictions, mainly for road traffic offences, and his claim that the incident was a "moment of utter madness.".
Anthony Heffernan, 32, of Blanchardstown, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for robbery. He pleaded guilty to robbing a Centra shop in Huntstown on April 8, 2017. Prosecution evidence stated that Heffernan entered the store armed with a knife, shouted at a staff member, and took approximately €250. He subsequently surrendered himself to gardaí at Blanchardstown Garda Station, identifying himself on CCTV footage. The court heard that Heffernan was a gambling addict who had run out of cash to bet, and he was transferred to a psychiatric unit after his arrest. He has 13 previous convictions, mainly for road traffic offences. Defence counsel Sarah Connolly BL highlighted his cooperation, remorse, and efforts to overcome addiction through Gamblers Anonymous and programs at Coolmine. Judge Martin Nolan noted letters demonstrating Heffernan's positive character and past difficulties. The judge stated that a custodial sentence was not justified and imposed a two-year suspended term.
Graham Armstrong, 33, was sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment for stabbing Thomas McDonnell, his partner's father, in the back of the neck with a screwdriver on 11 September 2015. The wound measured two to three millimetres and McDonnell recovered after a tetanus injection. Armstrong also pleaded guilty to an attempted robbery at Eddie Rockets on 16 December 2015, where he tried to force a worker to bring cash into the restaurant. He was arrested an hour later. The court noted Armstrong had 42 prior convictions, including possession of stolen property and burglary, and that he had been struggling after his mother's death in 2016. He was ordered to pay €1,500 to his victims as a token of remorse. Armstrong and his partner have since reconciled, and McDonnell declined to pursue the matter further. The judge, Martin Nolan, imposed the custodial sentence on the basis of Armstrong's serious criminal record.
Keila Pineda Lopez, 29, was caught at Dublin Airport with 20 shirts soaked in cocaine, valued at €179,550. She pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply. Gardaí said the shirts could be chemically processed to extract the drug at the destination, but Lopez had no knowledge of this. She claimed she was offered €3,000 to transport the drugs from Brazil and that she faced threats. Garda Michael Higgins noted a mix of inducement and coercion. Lopez cooperated fully, admitted guilt, and expressed remorse. Her defence highlighted her role as a young mother, limited English, and coercion. Judge Melanie Greally, considering her plea, cooperation, and circumstances, imposed a three‑year custodial sentence, deviating from the typical ten‑year minimum for the offence. The sentence is to run from the date she entered custody.
An autistic man, Alyn Maginn, 41, was caught with over €600,000 of heroin and cocaine in a car park at Dublin Airport. He pleaded guilty to one count of possession. The drugs were found in a Seat Ibiza after customs profiling. Maginn had not imported the drugs; they had been in the car already. The drugs were owned by a co‑accused, Martin Gilroy, who had previously been jailed for seven years. Maginn had no prior convictions and cooperated with Gardaí. A psychological report showed Maginn had borderline cognitive ability, was on the autism spectrum, and was easily led. Judge Martin Nolan, citing Maginn's psychological make‑up and low moral culpability, imposed a suspended five‑year sentence, stating it would be unjust to jail him for this crime.
A man has been sentenced to two years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following a burglary at Carndonagh Park, Donaghmede, Dublin, in June 2017. Mark O'Mahony (33) of St Donagh's Road, Donaghmede, pleaded guilty to burglary and to possessing property belonging to another person found at the scene. The court heard that the householder discovered O'Mahony asleep in his kitchen armchair in the early morning and retained him until gardaí arrived. O'Mahony, who was in an exceptionally intoxicated state, had also taken approximately €100 in cash from a bag in the kitchen. Judge Martin Nolan noted the non-violent nature of the offence and described the burglary as inept. The sentence was backdated to June of the previous year when O'Mahony entered custody. The defendant has eighty-six previous convictions.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Alison Walker (32) and Gillian Walker (39) to two‑and‑a‑half years each, with the sentences suspended under conditions. The sisters had fraudulently claimed over €50,000 in social welfare benefits after their father's death, with Alison claiming €22,078 in carer's allowance and respite care grants and Gillian claiming €32,398 in carer's allowance and state pension. Both pleaded guilty to four counts of stealing from the Department of Social Protection at Drimnagh Post Office between 2013 and 2016. The judge noted the sisters' knowledge of wrongdoing, their financial motives, and mitigating factors such as Alison's pregnancy and Gillian's single parenthood of four children. The court accepted their remorse and the mitigating circumstances presented by their defence lawyers. The sentences were suspended pending compliance with the court's conditions.
During the trial of Slawomir Gierlowski, a 33‑year‑old man charged with nine offences including false imprisonment, assault and sexual assault, a woman testified that she believed she was about to die during one of the attacks. She described being forced to the ground by a belt‑like restraint around her neck, her hands taken behind her back, and her mouth and nose covered. She said the attacker, who she identified as having an Eastern European accent, threatened to kill her and then taped her head and face. She felt light‑headed and thought she might pass out, describing the experience as both brief and endless. The attack ended when police arrived after a witness called 999. The case is still before Judge Pauline Codd. Slawomir Gierlowski pleaded not guilty.
Lisa Lynch, 33, a former director of AGL Logistics, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for stealing €460,660 from Bibby Financial Services over three months in 2013. The Court of Appeal had suspended the final six months of her sentence in January, but on 23 February 2018 the court extended the suspended portion by one day to make her eligible for the Care After Prison (CAP) community support scheme, which is available only to prisoners serving sentences of 364 days or fewer. Lynch had pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after making immediate admissions and an early guilty plea. She had taken over AGL after her husband's diagnosis of a rare mouth cancer, and the judge noted her motive was to keep the company afloat for its 70 employees, citing her cooperation, early plea and lack of prior convictions as mitigating factors.
During the 30th day of David Drumm's trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, the jury heard recordings of phone calls made in September 2008 between Drumm, former Anglo Irish Bank director John Bowe, and other bank officials. The calls, recorded by the bank for business purposes, were played to show Drumm's discussions with Bowe about seeking emergency funding from the Central Bank and the bank's liquidity situation. Drumm referred to the regulator as "Freddie fucking Fly" and described the bank's financial state as "still f***ed," noting a €14 bn liquidity shortfall. He also talked about the bank's balance‑sheet manipulation and the need to present a simplified cash‑flow statement to the regulator. Drumm pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and false accounting charges related to the 2008 deposit figures. The trial continues before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury of ten men and four women.
Gareth Carroll, 36, was jailed for one year after he brought heroin, Valium and Xanax into Mountjoy Prison on a temporary release. He was told by inmates that if he refused, his brother's leg would be broken. Carroll returned to the prison and officers found drug paraphernalia in his cell; the drugs fell out of his underwear when he was searched. He pleaded guilty to possession of €1,497 of heroin, €768 of diazepam and €286 of alprazolam on 10 May 2015 while serving a drug offence sentence. Both he and his brother were in Mountjoy at the time. The court noted Carroll's long history of drug abuse and the credible threat to his brother. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a two‑year sentence, suspending the final 12 months, and highlighted the seriousness of bringing drugs into prison.
In a Darndale incident, 37‑year‑old Jonathan Hopkins broke into an elderly couple's home, claiming to be under attack and shouting about a gun. He was found on a shed roof, shouting, punching the air and hallucinating, and had also damaged two parked cars. Gardaí used pepper spray to subdue him. Hopkins pleaded guilty to trespass and criminal damage at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He had been hospitalised in intensive care for a month after the incident. Judge Patrick Quinn, noting Hopkins' extreme intoxication, described his conduct as almost unforgivable but considered his context. The judge praised Hopkins' efforts to seek employment, address addiction, and compensate victims, and noted a character reference supporting his progress and potential as a drug‑treatment counsellor. No jail sentence was imposed.
Joseph Mulraney, a 54-year-old man from Kimmage, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for false imprisonment and threatening to spray blood at Our Ladies Hospice in Harolds Cross on April 18, 2017. Mulraney pleaded guilty to the charges. The court heard that the defendant, who was distressed about his partner's stay at the hospice, confronted a social worker, cut his hand with a razor blade, and threatened to transmit "the virus" via his blood. He also rubbed blood on office surfaces. Judge Martin Nolan described the incident as a "fairly insidious and disgusting crime," noting the significant impact on the victim. However, the judge acknowledged Mulraney's guilty plea, remorse, and the fact that he had no intention of stabbing the worker. Considering the defendant's minor previous convictions from the 1980s and his current circumstances, Judge Nolan imposed a three-and-a-half-year sentence, which was suspended in full. The matter was concluded with this suspended sentence, meaning Mulraney avoided immediate custody.
Alice Connors, 46, of Kiltalown Path, Tallaght, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for burglary after she tricked her way into the home of an 84‑year‑old dementia sufferer in Newcastle, Co. Dublin, on 14 March 2017. Connors pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. She had 98 prior convictions, including 20 for burglary. The victim was visited by her 75‑year‑old sister when the two women, accompanied by a child, knocked on the door. Connors and co‑accused Margaret Cawley, 27, entered the house, brushed past the homeowner into the sitting room, and stole handbags. The stolen items were recovered from a maroon car that fled the scene. Connors was found remorseful; the judge noted no violence and described the offence as a "crime of stealth." She was given credit for time already spent in custody on this charge alone.
A 33‑year‑old Dublin man, Slawomir Gierlowski, has gone on trial at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for nine charges covering three alleged attacks on women over five years. He is accused of false imprisonment, sexual assault and assault in each incident, and of unlawfully possessing a hunting knife with intent to intimidate in the 2016 case. Gierlowski pleaded not guilty to all charges. The prosecution, led by Roisin Lacey SC, presented evidence from three victims describing attacks in September 2011, September 2015 and September 2016. Witnesses recounted being choked, punched, and sexually assaulted, with injuries such as a broken nose and swollen eyes. DNA evidence allegedly linked Gierlowski to each crime scene, and a blood‑stained jacket and cable ties were found at his home and in a white van. A jury of 12 men has been empanelled for the trial.
In a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, former Anglo Irish Bank chief executive David Drumm, aged 51, pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and false accounting charges. Drumm claimed the Central Bank and the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority were fully aware of Anglo's actions to protect itself in September 2008, citing an email to former CFO Matt Moran. He alleged that the regulator and the bank had been informed of Anglo's efforts to create the impression that 2008 deposits were €7.2 billion larger than they were. Drumm also stated that the Central Bank governor urged Anglo to engage with other Irish banks for an intra‑Ireland market, and that Anglo had a good relationship with Irish Life and Permanent. The trial, presided over by Judge Karen O'Connor, continues with a jury of ten men and four women. The case remains at the pleading stage, with no verdict yet.
Patrick Dunne, aged 30, was jailed for robbing a Centra shop on Coultry Road, Ballymun, on 12 September 2017. He entered the shop in a black jacket with his hood up before 8 pm, waited in line with his hand in his jacket, and then pointed a realistic imitation firearm at a shop assistant. He demanded the cashier open the till, threatening to shoot if he did not comply. The cashier eventually opened the till and Dunne took €880, placing it in a blue plastic bag. While the robbery was underway, two Gardaí were in the back of the shop checking CCTV footage for another investigation. They drew their firearms, called out "Armed Gardaí," and chased Dunne out of the shop. He was arrested and later pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to four and a half years' imprisonment, back‑dating the term to 12 December 2017.
Modh Nordin Bin Modh Hassan, a 31‑year‑old Malaysian elevator technician, was sentenced to three years in prison for transporting 11 kg of cannabis worth €224,000 into Ireland. He admitted to the offence after claiming that threats against his wife had compelled him to act. Hassan told Gardaí that a friend he met in Spain had given him the drugs and instructed him to bring them to Ireland, and that he had not been in financial difficulty. He had no prior convictions and had only recently obtained a passport. The court accepted his early guilty plea, full cooperation, and the fact that he was a foreign national with no previous record. The sentence was back‑dated to the date he entered custody in September 2017. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court by Judge Martin Nolan, with Dominic McGinn SC defending Hassan and Tony McGillicuddy BL prosecuting.
The former company secretary of Anglo Irish Bank admitted to amending audit committee minutes to include a reference to a transaction with Irish Life and Permanent after being asked by bank executives. She said that Donal O'Connor, the bank's chairman, had told her that he and two other executives had discussed the matter and that the minutes should reflect their recollection of a discussion about ILP. She also noted that the minutes should state that the ILP customer account had been discussed and that balance‑sheet management was normal. The amendment was made after O'Connor sent an email on 17 February 2009, recalling the November 2008 meeting. The jury heard that the secretary had checked her own notes and was satisfied that the transaction had been discussed before including it in the final minutes. The trial of former Anglo CEO David Drumm, who has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and false accounting, continues before Judge Karen O'Connor.
Raymond Molloy, a 55‑year‑old former equestrian centre manager from Hollywood, Co Wicklow, pleaded guilty to possession of over €6 million worth of cannabis resin for sale or supply in Dublin. He had spent 11 years on the run in the Isle of White before being extradited to Ireland. Gardaí recovered 498 kg of cannabis resin from a van he drove in Coolock during a surveillance operation. In May 2017 he was sentenced to six‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment. On appeal, his barrister argued that Molloy's involvement was limited to 30 minutes, that he had no financial gain, and that he had shown deep remorse and had no prior convictions. The Court of Appeal, after reviewing mitigating factors such as his guilty plea, mental‑health difficulties and cooperation, reduced the sentence to five years' imprisonment, with no part suspended. The decision was made by a three‑judge panel headed by Mr Justice John Edwards.
Thomas O'Driscoll, 35, was arrested after a Garda saw him walking down a city centre street with a stolen mountain bike still locked to a railing. The bike was later identified as stolen property. O'Driscoll, who has 193 convictions, pleaded guilty to possessing the stolen bike, to stealing €1,300 worth of clothing from Urban Outfitters, to possessing a stolen ladies coat, and to trespassing and theft at a holiday apartment letting office in Temple Bar. He was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail, backdated to September of the previous year when he entered custody. The judge noted his prolific shoplifting record. Garda Carl Bolger reported CCTV footage of O'Driscoll taking clothes, and he was later found with a stolen coat from Marks and Spencer. O'Driscoll's defence highlighted his troubled background, drug addiction, and attempts at rehabilitation. The court also noted his father's murder when he was 11, his early school leaving, and his ongoing methadone programme in custody.
During the trial of David Drumm, the jury heard that Anglo Irish Bank's audit committee was an independent watchdog tasked with overseeing management. Former company secretary Natasha Mercer said the committee's role was to challenge management if activities were not appropriate and that all members had substantial accountancy experience. Drumm, 51, pleaded not guilty to conspiring with former bank officials to defraud depositors and investors by creating the impression that 2008 deposits were €7.2 billion larger than they were. He also pleaded not guilty to false accounting on 3 December 2008. The court heard that Drumm accepts the facts of the 2008 transactions between Anglo and Irish Life and Permanent but disputes that they were fraudulent or dishonest. The trial, held at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, continues before a jury of ten men and four women.
In the first week of David Drumm's conspiracy to defraud trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, the former head of treasury risk at Anglo Irish Bank, aged 51, pleaded not guilty to conspiring with former bank officials to defraud depositors and investors by 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. Michael Nurse, a witness, explained that Anglo's treasury credit committee met weekly to approve interbank credit limits, with a fast‑track process requiring only one senior manager's sign‑off for certain transactions. A €1 billion transaction with Irish Life and Permanent on 31 March 2008 was fast‑tracked and exceeded ILP's credit limit by 400 %. The €7.2 billion transaction on 30 September 2008 was approved "post transaction" by Drumm and Willie McAteer, with no signature required at the time.
In a late‑night incident in Dublin's Temple Bar, 23‑year‑old forklift driver Kamil Stawicki punched 38‑year‑old Fred Murray in the head, and the victim's leg was fractured in four places. Stawicki claimed he could not remember breaking the leg, but a taxi driver who witnessed the assault testified that Stawicki stomped on Murray's leg, wedging it between the kerb and cobbles, and that the leg was broken as if a stick were snapped for firewood. Murray suffered four fractures, metal plates and screws, and had to take four months off work. In a victim impact statement he expressed concern about future arthritis. Judge Patrick Quinn sentenced Stawicki to two years, suspended on the condition he keep the peace and pay €5,000 to Murray, which he paid in court. Stawicki had previously denied the assault charge, but a jury convicted him in September 2013.
Mark Dwyer, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of robbing Christine Pollard at Dolphin's Barn on October 1 last year. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Dwyer smashed the window of Ms Pollard's car, grabbed her handbag containing €920 in cash, and broke her ring finger during a struggle. A witness identified Dwyer, and his DNA matched blood found on the vehicle. The total value of stolen goods was €990, none of which were recovered. Ms Pollard, who required a splint for 16 weeks, stated she now feels vulnerable in her car. Dwyer, who has 106 previous convictions including a 2013 three-year jail term for firearm possession, has been in custody since the robbery. Defence counsel Michael Hourigan BL cited Dwyer's long-standing drug addiction and recent relapse following pneumonia as mitigating factors, noting he had been using his time in custody well. Judge Martina Baxter described the offence as serious and noted Dwyer's extensive criminal record. Although the validated procedural stage is listed as sentence, the court did not impose a penalty at this hearing. Instead, Judge Baxter ordered a number of reports and adjourned the matter for sentence on July 30.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 42‑year‑old David McDermott pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm to his 22‑year‑old adult stepson, Daniel Conlon, after a row over the garden. McDermott, who has a history of alcoholism, entered Conlon's late grandmother's house after several drinks, punched him in the eye, repeatedly struck him in the head, kicked him in the torso and threatened to slit his throat. Conlon recorded the assault on his phone and later provided the audio to Gardaí. McDermott initially denied the assault and threatened to kill Conlon, claiming he loved him as a son. He admitted to drinking a naggin of vodka and several pints before the incident. The court noted the assault was serious and that McDermott had no prior convictions. Sentencing was adjourned to 30 July.
In April 2017, Ingrid Olivares, 28, threw a glass of alcohol at Mr Padraig Hennessy during a late‑night dispute over jackets at Flannery's pub, Camden Street, Dublin. The impact left Hennessy with a permanent scar requiring nine stitches. Olivares, a Mexican national studying for a master's in marketing at DIT, admitted she had consumed a considerable amount of alcohol and became irate when she witnessed a verbal altercation between her boyfriend and another man, each claiming a jacket on a stool. She pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Karen O'Connor, noting Olivares' full admissions, early guilty plea, lack of prior convictions, and letters describing her as law‑abiding, imposed a two‑year sentence. She was ordered to complete 200 hours of community service within 12 months, with the court recognising the benefit of community service over custodial time.
Anthony McDonnell (26) was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for two counts of robbery committed on May 1, 2017, in Mary's Lane and Cuckoo Lane. McDonnell pleaded guilty to the charges, which involved the violent attack of two victims who were kicked, punched, and robbed of their phones and wallets. Judge Martin Nolan handed down a four-and-a-half-year sentence, suspending the final 18 months on a number of conditions. The judge noted that McDonnell, who has 22 previous convictions, deserved a longer term than his co-accused due to his age and extensive criminal record. His co-accused, Thomas Jackson (21), a homeless man, was jailed for two years. Prosecution evidence detailed how the attackers blocked the victims' paths, used physical force to seize property, and left one victim with a broken wrist and another with broken teeth. Defence counsel Keith Spencer BL argued that McDonnell was remorseful and heavily intoxicated at the time, urging a sentence similar to Jackson's. The court accepted the guilty plea and imposed the custodial sentence with the specified suspended portion.
During the trial of David Drumm, former Anglo Irish Bank executive Brian Lynch testified that the plan to cover a funding shortfall grew from €1 bn to €7 bn in the weeks before the bank's year‑end. Lynch said Drumm had aimed for a year‑end deposit figure of €55–56 bn, with a shortfall of about €7 bn. He explained that the only viable funding option left was a deal with Irish Life Assurance (ILP), which involved transferring money to ILP's banking arm in exchange for corporate deposits that would improve the bank's balance sheet. Lynch first learned of the deal in August 2008, when the target figure was €1 bn, and by mid‑September it had risen to €7 bn. He also noted that Drumm had asked for an ad‑hoc liquidity report in October 2008, which the Central Bank did not challenge. The trial continues with Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury. David Drumm pleaded not guilty.
Thomas Jackson, aged 21 and a homeless man living in Focus Ireland managed accommodation, was sentenced to two years in prison for taking part in two "vicious" robberies on Mary's Lane and Cuckoo Lane in Dublin city centre on 1 May 2017. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge, Martin Nolan, described the attacks as very violent, with victims being kicked, punched and one losing consciousness. Jackson's sentence of four and a half years was reduced, with the last two and a half years suspended on the condition that he keep the peace and engage with Probation Services after release. The court heard that the robberies involved forced theft of phones, wallets and a key, and that victims suffered injuries such as broken teeth, a broken wrist and bruising. Jackson had two prior convictions for public order and theft offences.
In February 2018 the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court extended the prison term of 22‑year‑old Eric Harcourt by one year for a burglary at the home of two elderly sisters aged 78 and 80 in Ballybough on 22 October 2015. Harcourt, who had been in custody since age 13 and had previously been sentenced to six months for violent disorder in December 2015, pleaded guilty to the burglary. He had been out on High Court bail for two and a half weeks when he broke into the sisters' house, broke a lock, and removed items from a cupboard. Garda Mark Deasy described the break‑in as "random" and noted Harcourt had not known the occupants' ages. The sisters declined to give a victim impact statement.
In a robbery at Old Bawn Shopping Centre on 14 April 2017, 24‑year‑old Daragh Brown entered a Centra shop armed with a knife and demanded money from the tills. After failing to obtain cash, he fled with a quantity of John Player Blue cigarettes. Two bread delivery men, Will Murray and Joe Daniel, chased him. While running into the car park, Brown's trousers fell, revealing his colourful boxer shorts. He threatened the men, saying he would stab them if they approached, and warned of "ten lads" waiting in a nearby estate. The men stopped following him. Gardaí, alerted by witnesses, described Brown and arrested him at Allenton Avenue. Two cigarette packets and a knife were recovered from his person and the car park. Brown pleaded guilty to robbery and making threats to kill, and will be sentenced in July. He has 29 prior convictions and has been diagnosed with depression. The judge deferred sentencing until 31 July.
During a 2018 trial, former Anglo Irish Bank chief executive David Drumm, aged 51, pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to defraud and false accounting involving €7.2 billion in 2008. The case centred on a proposed €750 million short‑term loan between Anglo and Irish Life & Permanent (ILP). Senior Anglo executive John Bowe testified that the Financial Regulator was "more or less…not looking" at the loan, and that the regulator's stance was effectively a non‑intervention. Witness Matt Cullen, former treasury director at Anglo, described the unusual size of the loans and the discussions with the regulator and other banks about how Irish banks would support each other during the global market downturn. Cullen also recounted a conversation with ILP's David Gantly about structuring the loan into smaller transactions to avoid scrutiny. Drumm's defence acknowledged the transactions but denied they were fraudulent or dishonest.
Darragh Newman, 23, received a two‑year suspended sentence for his role in a theft scam organised by a well‑known Dublin criminal group. He provided the gang with his bank account details, allowing them to defraud businessman Joe Carey of €7,995 after Carey responded to a fake online ad for a teleporter. Gardaí tracked Newman via Facebook and obtained CCTV footage of him withdrawing the money over two days. Newman, a former DIT student, had pleaded guilty to theft in 2016 and had four prior minor traffic convictions. The court found Newman knowingly acted dishonestly, but noted his remorse and potential for reform. Judge Martin Nolan suspended the sentence for two years and ordered the €7,000 to be handed over to the Gardaí for restitution to Carey. The case remains an ongoing investigation into the broader criminal enterprise.
Dorota Samulak, 47, was sentenced to three and a half years in jail for stabbing her ex‑partner during a drunken argument. The incident occurred on 16 March 2017 at their shared flat in Buckingham Village, Dublin. The victim suffered a collapsed lung and spent three days in hospital. Samulak pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and producing a knife. She had two prior convictions for a bench warrant and a public order offence. Judge Martin Nolan noted the severity of the knife wound and, despite acknowledging her remorse and cooperation, imposed a custodial sentence. Two and a half years of the term were suspended. The court recorded that the assault was committed in a drunken state and had a domestic background. No further court matters were pending against her.
Herton Diansambu, 21, was jailed for two and a half years after a series of violent robberies. He first stole a €700 phone from a mother with her baby and teenage son on 7 July 2016, then on 21 August 2016 robbed a Gourmet Pizza delivery man at The Boulevard, Mount Garrett, taking €130 worth of food, €50 cash and a phone. Diansambu admitted the crimes and claimed the robberies were motivated by hunger. He was found guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and had no prior convictions. The court noted his cooperation, full admissions and a drug problem, and imposed a four‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended due to his young age and good record. The sentence was to be served consecutively, with the suspended portion not to be enforced. The case was prosecuted by Lisa Dempsey BL and defended by Kenneth Kerins BL.
Rainis Koovit, aged 21, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with one year suspended, for robbing a café in Dublin. On 27 February 2017 he brandished a syringe at a barista in Kaph Café, threatening to "stick it into her" if she tried to stop him. He attempted to take a tip jar, which was chained, and then stole about €20 worth of foreign currency before fleeing. Koovit pleaded guilty to robbery and to producing a syringe with intent to cause injury or intimidate. He had been on bail and was ordered to stay out of the Dublin 2 area, which the judge cited as an aggravating factor. The syringe was not believed to be infected with HIV. The court noted his history of drug use and prior convictions, and directed him to engage with probation services and address his addiction upon release.
During the trial of David Drumm, former Anglo Treasury head Matt Cullen testified that on the evening of 29 September 2008 he personally delivered a letter to the Central Bank requesting over €1 billion in emergency funding. Cullen explained that Anglo was short of cash and could not meet payment obligations the following day. He recounted that after the bank's share price fell sharply following the "St Patrick's Day Massacre," discussions began in late March 2008 among Anglo, the Financial Regulator, the Central Bank and other banks about mutual assistance. Cullen said he was asked to seek funding ideas, and that he received calls from Central Bank officials and from David Gantley of Irish Life and Permanent about a potential €3 billion repo. He described weekly financial incentive meetings that became routine from June 2008, culminating in Friday afternoon briefings in Drumm's office. The trial, presided over by Judge O'Connor, continues before a jury of ten men and five women. David Drumm pleaded not guilty. Matt Cullen pleaded not guilty.
In June 2016, 22‑year‑old Lee Murray robbed a business tourist on Hanover Street East, Dublin, threatening him with a bread knife and stealing his iPhone 7. The victim reported that the robber had a bandage on his hand. Gardaí located Murray a few hours later at Misery Hill, where he admitted the crime, led them to the hidden phone and apologized. Murray pleaded guilty to one count of robbery. On 13 February 2018, the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced him to 20 months' imprisonment. Judge Martin Nolan cited mitigating circumstances, including Murray's history of heroin addiction, his recent stab‑wound injury, and his status on the waiting list for residential treatment. The judge noted that Murray's behaviour on the day left him with "no choice" and that a custodial sentence was necessary. Murray has 24 prior convictions, including theft and knife offences, and is a father of a two‑year‑old child.
In February 2018, a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Jason Burke, 34, to a one‑year suspended sentence after he assaulted his two sisters with a hurley and pulled one by the hair following a dispute over a family holiday. The court heard that the sisters were traumatised when Gardaí arrived, but that they had since reconciled and booked the holiday. Burke pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and criminal damage at the Fettercairn premises in Tallaght on 26 April 2016. He had previously been convicted of assaults and public order offences. Garda Stephen Gillespie reported that the sisters observed Burke was under the influence when he entered the house, smashed a glass table and a mobile phone, and threatened both women. The court noted that one sister managed to call the Gardaí using a second phone.
During the trial of former Anglo Irish Bank chief executive David Drumm, witness Matt Cullen, ex‑Treasury head, testified that he sensed impending trouble after a colleague warned that the interbank market was "drying up." Cullen agreed with prosecutor Paul O'Higgins that tremors were beginning to reverberate across the financial world. He recounted that in 2007, following a meeting with the Central Bank Governor and the Financial Regulator, Drumm formed a group to explore funding incentives, led by John Bowe. On 16 March 2008, Cullen received an email from Drumm inviting him to a St Patrick's Day executive meeting to discuss how Anglo could collaborate with other banks, possibly pooling resources into a 12‑month facility. Cullen noted that global market rumours at the time affected banks' ability to attract funds. Drumm, aged 51, has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and false accounting charges, claiming the alleged transactions were not dishonest.
Andrew Dunne, 33, was sentenced to four years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possessing almost €110,000 worth of heroin, cocaine, and cannabis at his Drimnagh home on July 7, 2016. He also admitted to two counts of endangering gardaí on August 7, 2016, during a high-speed chase that involved ramming a patrol vehicle and dragging a sergeant. Judge Martin Nolan described Dunne as a good family man and father who was unlikely to re-offend, noting he was a "mature man who had got himself into difficulties." The judge stated it was not necessary to include a suspended period in the sentence. Dunne was also disqualified from driving for six years. Prosecution evidence indicated Dunne was intoxicated and under threat from a drug debt, while defense counsel argued he was in a state of intense fear and paranoia. The court heard Dunne had rehabilitated himself and is now drug-free.
In February 2018, a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court fined Felix O'Hare Contractors €25,000 plus costs for breaching health and safety standards at a construction site on Harbour Road, Skerries, Co Dublin. The company had failed to erect appropriate barriers, allowing amateur photographer Harvey Wolfe (54) to enter the site. Wolfe was caught between a hoarding and an excavator moving stones, sustaining crush injuries that proved fatal. The court heard Wolfe's mother, Patricia Wolfe, who expressed that her son would not want his death to harm his "comrades" on the site. Judge Martin Nolan noted the company's good record but stressed that Wolfe should not have been allowed on site that day and that stronger preventive measures were required. The Health and Safety Authority inspector highlighted the lack of interlocking plastic fencing and traffic control. The company has since increased its health and safety officers from one to three. Felix O'Hare Contractors pleaded guilty.