Court archive
Limerick Circuit Court
2025-11-25 · Tipperary
George Hackett, a 39-year-old man with over 200 previous convictions, had his six-year jail sentence reduced to four years and six months on appeal. Hackett was found guilty of burglary and two attempted theft charges after breaking into a house and stealing a Revolut card. During the burglary, he threatened to use a knife when restrained by a neighbor. The Court of Appeal noted that the original sentence was too harsh and that Hackett's rehabilitation efforts should have been considered. The court acknowledged the aggravating factors, including the burglary at a dwelling and the threat of violence, but also recognized Hackett's willingness to engage in rehabilitation. The new sentence includes six months suspended, and Hackett is encouraged to seek help to break the cycle of criminality.
2025-06-27 · Limerick
Melissa Whelan's appeal against her sentence was dismissed by Mr Justice John Edwards, who ruled the four-year term was proportionate for the May 15, 2023, offences. Whelan, who pleaded guilty at Limerick Circuit Court in April 2024, was convicted of producing an article capable of inflicting serious injury, two counts of Section 2 assault, and two counts of criminal damage. The court found she punched one man and slashed another with a knife while under a partially suspended sentence for a prior 2015 assault. Judge Dermot Sheahan originally sentenced her to four years, with the final two years suspended, and re-activated two years of her previous suspended term to run consecutively, resulting in an effective custody period of four years. The appellate court rejected arguments regarding mental health mitigation, noting the sentencing judge had adequately considered these factors. The appeal was not adjourned; the decision was final, upholding the original disposal and the re-activation of the suspended portion.
2023-07-10 · Clare
In 2022, Palfinger Ireland Ltd was fined €25,000 for health and safety breaches after a crane supplied by the company was used in an incident that caused the drowning of two stonemasons, Bryan Whelan (29) and TJ O'Herlihy (36), on the River Shannon in 2015. The incident involved a steel cage that fell into the water, and a safety mechanism on the crane failed. The fine was imposed by Limerick Circuit Court, which had unlimited fine jurisdiction. Nationwide Crane Hire Ltd, the operator of the crane, was fined €200,000 for similar breaches. The Court of Appeal heard arguments that the fine for Palfinger was too low, with the Director of Public Prosecutions claiming the sentencing judge erred in not setting a higher headline fine and in treating the missing manual chapter as a mitigating factor. The appeal was reserved for a later decision.