Liam Devoy, 23, was sentenced at Tallaght District Court after pleading guilty to driving without insurance, dangerous driving and possession of cannabis and cocaine. He had been disqualified from driving for four years in June 2023 and was caught driving a Volkswagen Golf on the N81 Tallaght Bypass on 7 July 2023, still disqualified and without a licence. Gardaí found small amounts of drugs in the car, and a blood sample was taken. Judge Patricia McNamara imposed a five‑month prison sentence, suspended for two years on the condition that Devoy does not drive or control a vehicle during that period. He was also disqualified from driving for an additional five years and fined €500, payable within five months. The court noted he had 17 previous convictions, including three for driving without insurance. The defence counsel highlighted his employment and impending fatherhood, but the judge warned that any future offence would lead to immediate arrest and imprisonment.
A man in his forties was remanded in custody after allegedly threatening his former partner and their young son during a domestic disturbance at a south Dublin house on the night of May 8. He was accused of breaching a safety order, shouting that he would kick the woman's head in, threaten to "kick the face off" her and her son, and that he would burn the house down, calling it "his house" because the children lived there. Garda Daragh Melinn arrested him after he resisted arrest, used handcuffs and a patrol van was called to transport him. The woman gave direct evidence at Tallaght District Court, stating she had to get her niece to take the children upstairs for safety and that one child was traumatised. The accused had three bench warrants in the past 18 months and was not intoxicated at the time of arrest.
A 45‑year‑old woman from Tymon North Gardens, Tallaght, Dublin 24, is due to be sentenced next month after pleading guilty to a series of theft and deception offences that spanned from December 2022 to October 2024. She stole cosmetics, clothing and toiletries worth between €60 and €270 at several locations, including Penneys on O'Connell Street, Arnotts, Citywest Shopping Centre and a Spar outlet in the Village Green. In one incident she was stopped after taking two suitcases worth €90 from Penneys, and in another she stole €150 worth of cosmetics. All items were recovered in saleable condition. The most recent offence occurred on 10 October 2024 when Gardaí were called to Spar; she became abusive and was arrested for theft and deception under Section 4(3) of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001. An active bench warrant was executed during her court appearance that day.
A 22-year-old woman from Athlone with a history of 19 bench warrants has been refused bail at Tallaght District Court. Janelle Quinn, currently of no fixed abode, faces charges including theft, public order offences and criminal damage. She was arrested on foot of two active warrants and made no reply when cautioned. During the hearing, Judge Catherine Ghent expressed concern about the accused's presentation and condition, noting apparent withdrawal symptoms. Her barrister submitted that Ms Quinn was undergoing detoxification and willing to engage with the process, including daily signing at Athlone Garda Station. However, gardaí objected, citing her pattern of failing to appear. The judge stated serious reservations about whether Ms Quinn would return to court if released, despite acknowledging the charges were not of the most serious nature. She noted the accused required medical attention. Ms Quinn was remanded in custody for one week to reappear on 13 May. Legal aid was granted.
A 35‑year‑old man accused of two attacks on his former partner was refused bail by Judge Catherine Ghent at Tallaght District Court. The man is charged with two counts of assault causing harm, alleged to have bitten the woman's forehead, strangled her, pulled her hair and head‑butted her nose in separate incidents in April and July 2024. The victim sustained a broken nose; hospital records and photographs were presented as evidence. She reported the assaults after receiving support from counselling services and Women's Aid, citing a controlling relationship as a reason for the delay. Garda Sarah Cullinane objected to bail on grounds of the seriousness of the offences and potential witness interference. Defence solicitor Michael Hennessey denied the allegations and offered strict bail conditions, but the judge cited grave concerns for the victim's safety and refused bail under Section 2 of the Bail Act.
In a Tallaght District Court hearing on 6 May 2025, a 24‑year‑old woman faced a charge of breaching a protection order that prohibited her from contacting her former partner. The complainant, a 25‑year‑old man, alleged that the woman sent him an abusive WhatsApp message on 3 January, which he had shown to Gardaí and printed as evidence. The woman's solicitor, Michael Hennessy, argued that the message was fabricated using Photoshop, noting that no digital record of the message existed on the defendant's phone and that the phone was water‑damaged and not examined. The prosecution, represented by Dr Seán Smith, maintained that the printed screenshot matched the complainant's phone and that no expert analysis was required. The case collapsed when Judge Patricia Cronin discovered that the charge sheet listed a different name and address, violating Order 38 of the District Court Rules, and dismissed the proceedings for lack of admissible evidence.
Lisa Lyons, a 36‑year‑old mother of four from Tallaght, appeared before Judge Michael Connellan at Tallaght District Court after a Garda search of her home on 15 November 2021. The search uncovered a handbag containing nine individual bags of cannabis (29 g) and €508 in cash. Lyons pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply under Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 and unlawful possession under Section 3 of the same Act. She has six prior convictions for road‑traffic offences but no drug‑related history. Her lawyer, Ethan Foley, argued that Lyons was pressured by criminal groups to hold the drugs and had been living in fear, noting her clean record, family responsibilities, and volunteer work. The court accepted her plea and imposed a €600 fine with a seven‑month payment period, urging leniency. Lyons stated she is now a born‑again Christian and that her anxiety has improved.
Anthony Macken, a 21‑year‑old from Oakpark Avenue, Santry, appeared before Judge Michael Connellan at Tallaght District Court after admitting he had handled a stolen motorbike and was later convicted of dangerous driving. The incident occurred on 28 October 2023 on the M50 northbound at Ballymount, Dublin 24, when Garda Aaron Wogan found a damaged motorbike that had been stolen. Macken pleaded guilty to handling stolen property under Section 18 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 and was convicted of dangerous driving under Section 53(1) of the Road Traffic Act 1961, as amended by the Road Traffic (No. 2) Act 2011. He was fined €200 for handling the stolen motorbike and €50 for dangerous driving, each with a six‑month payment period, and was disqualified from driving for two years. The court heard that a probation report assessed Macken as posing a moderate risk of re‑offending.
In a Tallaght District Court hearing on 30 April 2025, Christopher Armstrong, 39, was convicted of failing to remain at the scene after striking a pedestrian on Old Bawn Road on 20 December 2024. CCTV showed Armstrong stopping his van, checking on the injured man, and then leaving the scene without providing details. The victim suffered serious injuries, including four broken ribs, a broken nose, 12 stitches, and a broken wrist that required surgery. Armstrong pleaded guilty, admitted the incident, and cooperated fully with the investigation. He was fined €1,000 and disqualified from driving for three months. The judge noted mitigating factors such as Armstrong's remorse, lack of prior convictions, and his full-time employment, but upheld the conviction due to the seriousness of the injuries and his failure to remain at the scene.
Jamie Birmingham, 34, of Drumfinn Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, was fined €1,300 by Tallaght District Court after a hearing that found he was driving a van on the N81 on 4 April 2020 without a licence, tax or insurance. Garda Michael Gleeson reported that Birmingham was stopped at 3.30am, failed to produce the required documents at a nominated Garda station, and had 39 prior convictions, including three for driving without insurance, violent behaviour at a Garda station and failure to comply with Garda direction. Earlier this year he received a four‑month suspended sentence and a four‑year driving ban for driving drunk and without insurance, and was convicted of three counts of no insurance at Blanchardstown District Court.
Joseph Rafferty, 45, was remanded in custody after appearing in Tallaght District Court on charges related to a car hijacking in Dublin and two robberies in Wicklow over the weekend. He was arrested at 6.15pm on Sunday at Tallaght Garda Station and formally charged by Sergeant Michael Martin. Rafferty was cautioned and made no reply to the charges. The incidents occurred on Saturday, 26 April. At about 7.45pm, a woman was allegedly threatened and forced out of her black Nissan Qashqai at a commercial premises on St Peter's Road in Walkinstown, Dublin 12; Rafferty is charged with hijacking under Section 10 of the Criminal Law Act 1997 and unlawful use of a vehicle under Section 112 of the Road Traffic Act 1961. Later that evening, he allegedly attempted to rob a store on the Dublin Road in Bray, threatening cashiers as he left, and is charged with attempted robbery.
In a case heard at Tallaght District Court, a 43‑year‑old man named Darren Kane was found asleep in the driver's seat of a Volkswagen camper van at the Spawell Service Station on 9 May 2021. Gardaí discovered two suspected deals of cocaine, each worth €70, in the passenger seat. Kane pleaded guilty to possession under section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act. The court noted that he had 27 prior convictions, including five under the same act, and had previously received a 10‑month suspended sentence in May 2022 for a Section 15 drugs offence. His defence counsel reported that Kane had made "remarkable" progress since then, completing a 20‑month residential programme at Cuan Mhuire, obtaining a Level 6 qualification in psychology, and volunteering to support others in addiction recovery. He had also spoken at a graduation event in March 2024 about his journey and the importance of second chances.
A 32‑year‑old man, Clinton Martin, was fined €250 for stealing a €15 bottle of Jameson from a Centra shop in Tallaght on 15 March 2022. CCTV captured him removing the bottle and leaving without paying. Gardaí identified him the next day, and he pleaded guilty, admitting the theft and apologising. The case was heard at Tallaght District Court where Judge Deirdre Gearty noted the theft occurred over three years ago, remarking that the whiskey was likely long gone. The judge recorded a conviction and imposed the fine, giving Martin five months to pay.
On 20 October 2023, Garda Niall McGahern stopped a car on Whitestown Way, Tallaght, after noticing the driver acting suspiciously at a traffic light. The driver, Adam Printo, 26, of Sundale Villas, Jobstown, Tallaght, Dublin 24, produced a large butcher's knife from inside the car and could not explain why he had it. He was arrested and taken to Tallaght Garda Station, where a small amount of cannabis was also found on him. Printo entered a guilty plea to a charge under Section 9 of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act. Defence counsel Lauren Flanagan BL argued that Printo had been using the knife as a makeshift screwdriver earlier that day to fix the windscreen wipers. The court heard that Printo was employed full‑time in a warehouse, earning around €500 a week, and had no previous convictions or history of addiction. The knife was presented in court as evidence in a plastic bag.
In a case heard in Tallaght District Court, a clothes shop owner was charged under Section 45 of the Criminal Justice (Sexual Offences) Act for allegedly lifting a woman's skirt and making a sexually explicit remark about her "beautiful pussy" while also making a suggestive hand gesture. The incident, reported to have occurred on 7 January 2022 in a Dublin shop, involved no physical contact. Garda Sergeant Ruth Finnegan presented the evidence, noting the alleged lifting and comment. The accused, represented by solicitor Michael Hennessy, pleaded not guilty and requested that the case be heard in a higher court with a judge and jury, arguing that the act was part of his job in alterations. Judge John Brennan denied this request, ruling that the offence was too minor for a higher court and that the State should not incur undue expense.
In a Tallaght District Court hearing, Judge Patricia McNamara sentenced Dumitru Lupu, a 30‑year‑old cleaning‑company owner from Boherboy, Saggart, to pay €150 for criminal damage and €100 to a garda charity after he urinated all over a garda cell while intoxicated. Lupu, who has no prior convictions except for traffic offences, was arrested following a verbal altercation at his home on 30 September 2022. Garda officers described him as unsteady, aggressive and abusive, and he laughed when informed of the damage. The judge noted that, given his occupation, Lupu "would have been in a good position to clean up his own mess" but that it was too late. He was ordered to complete 80 hours of community service pending a probation report on 12 May. The court also ordered a €100 donation to Little Blue Heroes, a charity for children with disabilities. Dumitru Lupu pleaded guilty.
In Tallaght District Court, a father whose weekly child‑support payments are €80 had his bail revoked after alleged breaches of a protection order. The court heard that on 13 March he used the Revolut payment app to send a love‑heart emoji with a payment, a white‑flag emoji a week later, and a text praising the complainant as a "great mother" and offering help. The complainant said the messages were not innocent but an attempt to emotionally manipulate her, describing feeling unsafe and having to change her home locks. She claimed that any contact from the accused caused significant distress and that she feared for her safety. The prosecution argued that even emoji contact violated the protection order. The accused, who had no prior convictions, admitted an "error of judgment" but denied intent to intimidate.
At the Central Criminal Court trial of Diarmuid Phelan, the jury heard extensive background evidence regarding repeated trespassing and criminal damage at his Hazelgrove farm in West Dublin. The defence argued that understanding the defendant's history was essential to contextualizing the events of February 24, 2022. Testimony detailed numerous incidents, including arson, vehicle theft, and assaults, which Phelan reported to gardai. Specific attention was given to a 2017 District Court case involving three young men, including Kallum Coleman and Robin Duggan, who were accused of trespassing. Although the source text notes that three individuals were previously convicted of trespassing and criminal damage in that earlier matter, the current trial focused on the subsequent murder charge against Phelan. The defence highlighted that Phelan had been threatened by these individuals in court, leading to his fear of returning. The trial also examined the context of badger baiting, an illegal activity, which Phelan allegedly encountered when he shot a dog he believed was threatening his livestock. The jury was presented with Phelan's account of the confrontation that followed, where he claimed the men emerged from the bushes and screamed at him. The proceedings emphasized the long-standing conflict between Phelan and local trespassers, with the defence urging jurors to consider the cumulative impact of these alleged crimes on the defendant's state of mind.
The murder trial of Diarmuid Phelan, 56, continues before Justice Siobhan Lankford and a jury. Phelan, a barrister and farmer, has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Keith Conlon, 36, at Hazelgrove Farm in Tallaght, Dublin 24, on February 24, 2022. The State alleges that Phelan shot Conlon in the back of the head with a Smith & Wesson revolver as Conlon turned away to leave, intending to kill or cause serious injury. Conversely, the defence asserts the shooting was an accidental result of a legitimate act of self-defence. State pathologist Dr Heidi Okkers testified that Conlon died from a single gunshot wound to the head, with no contributory factors. She agreed with defence counsel that the bullet's track alone cannot determine the victim's position relative to the shooter, as head movement could account for the wound's location. She also noted that an uncontrolled fall of 3.2 metres could explain Conlon's clavicle fracture. Defence counsel presented evidence of prior incidents at the farm, including arson and trespass, to contextualise the accused's concerns. The prosecution maintains that Phelan fired three shots, two into the air and one at Conlon. The trial is ongoing and has not been finalised.