In the Central Criminal Court, a 36‑year‑old man accused of orally raping his 11‑year‑old brother and assaulting him daily until the brother left the family home at 16 pleaded not guilty to ten counts of oral rape, seven counts of assault causing harm and one count of unlawful intimidation. He admitted during a 2018 Garda interview that he had hit his brother and that their father had also inflicted violence. The accused claimed he might have forced his brother to give him oral sex, stating it was a possibility and that he was "out of his head" or drunk at the time. He denied that the act occurred in the upstairs bedroom and said it happened only once or twice. The trial, presided over by Justice Michael White, continues tomorrow before a jury.
During a Central Criminal Court trial, a 36‑year‑old Dublin man, whose name is withheld, pleaded not guilty to ten counts of oral rape and seven counts of assault against his younger brother, who was 11 at the time of the alleged abuse. The accused is also charged with one count of intimidation. Witnesses testified that the accused repeatedly beat his brother, used a shotgun barrel in his mouth, and forced him to play "dartboard" with his body, leaving blackened feet. Another brother recounted seeing the accused in a bedroom with a blanket over him, laughing, and later pulling a pillow over the complainant's face. A sister described the accused using a stick with nails and glass to beat her brother, and a handgun to hit him in the eye. The accused denied all allegations, claiming the sexual abuse never occurred. The trial is set to continue before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury.
Conor Quaid, 26, received an eight‑year prison sentence with 18 months suspended for raping a young woman while she slept in her own bedroom. The Central Criminal Court heard that Quaid, a trusted family friend from Monaree, Dingle, had entered the victim's home after a night out drinking in a nearby town. He raped her while she was asleep, and she later reported the assault to Gardaí. Quaid denied sexual intercourse but claimed consent to "a certain level of sexual activity." The prosecution, led by Tom Rice SC, argued that Quaid had no express permission to enter the home and had abused the trust placed in him. The court noted that Quaid had not shown remorse and imposed the sentence, suspending 18 months on the condition of good behaviour for three years and permanent distance from the victim. The victim's impact statement described lasting psychological harm, including panic attacks, guilt, shame, and difficulty returning to studies. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty and was found guilty.
The getaway driver, Alan Graham, 49, was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment with the final year suspended, after pleading guilty to facilitating an attempted murder of 26‑year‑old Lee Boylan. Boylan was shot three times at close range in a highly populated area of west Dublin on 6 March 2019, sustaining life‑changing injuries. The judge described the attack as well‑planned, involving sophisticated surveillance and a stakeout of a car wash. Graham's role was to drive the BMW that carried the gunman, who fired the shots. He had 20 prior convictions, mainly for drug offences, and was believed to have been under pressure to repay a drug debt. The sentence was set at 14 years, reduced to 11 with one year suspended, backdated to 17 June 2019. The prosecution sought to drop the attempted murder charge. Boylan survived due to a rare arteriovenous fistula that prevented fatal bleeding.
In a 2021 case, Simon Quilligan, aged 38, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended after a court hearing in the Central Criminal Court. The sentence followed a trial where Quilligan was found guilty of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life, making threats to kill or cause serious harm to two individuals, and causing criminal damage by breaking a caravan window. The offence occurred at a halting site in Tullamore, Co Offaly, where Quilligan discharged a firearm at a group that included children aged ten months to six years. He had threatened the occupants, saying he would kill them all and blow their brains out. The judge noted the presence of children taking cover under a caravan and the terror inflicted on the families present. Quilligan had previously been convicted of 38 offences in Ireland and four in other jurisdictions, including burglary and illegal weapon transport. Simon Quilligan was acquitted.
Ciaran McIntyre, 24, was sentenced to two‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment for defiling a 15‑year‑old girl he met on Snapchat. He invited her to a party, then drove her to a caravan where he forced her to sit on his bed, removed her clothing and performed anal penetration. The victim refused to engage in oral sex earlier in a car‑park. McIntyre denied meeting her but admitted Snapchat contact; his DNA was found on her t‑shirt. He pleaded guilty, and the court noted his lack of insight into the offence, the exploitative nature of the act, the age gap, and the victim's voluntary presence. Mitigating factors included the guilty plea, his youth, good character, and a letter of remorse. He was ordered to undergo 18 months of post‑release supervision. The sentencing took place in the Central Criminal Court.
A 59‑year‑old man from Tipperary was sentenced to 18 years in prison for a series of sexual offences against children, including the rape of a six‑month‑old infant and the sexual abuse of four older girls. The offences, which occurred over seven months up to August 2019, involved the man secretly recording the children while they used a bathroom and filming the infant while he performed oral sex on her. He pleaded guilty to two counts of oral rape, one count of attempted oral rape, five counts of sexual assault of the infant, five counts of child pornography production involving the infant and the older children, and four counts of possession of child pornography. The judge imposed a suspended two‑year portion of the sentence, ordered six years of post‑release supervision, and required the defendant to complete sex‑offender treatment programmes and to keep children under 18 out of his care.
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence that a 58‑year‑old man from Munster recorded videos of himself orally raping his partner's six‑month‑old niece and produced explicit images of four other children aged five to twelve. The abuse occurred over seven months up to August 2019. An anonymous envelope containing a memory card and a handwritten note was delivered to a Garda station on 14 August 2019, alleging the card held a clip of an infant being sexually abused and urging arrest. Examination of the card revealed 20 three‑minute clips, including footage of the defendant masturbating on the infant and performing oral sex on her. The defendant had pleaded guilty to two counts of oral rape, one attempted rape, five counts of sexual assault of the infant, five counts of child‑pornography production, and four counts of possession of child pornography. He was remanded in custody until 26 February, when sentencing will occur.
In 2002 a 30‑year‑old former care worker pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 10‑year‑old neighbour in west Dublin. He failed to attend his sentencing hearing and fled to the UK, remaining at large for 17 years. He was located in 2019, extradited to Ireland, and in 2021 was sentenced by Mr Justice Michael White to three years' imprisonment, back‑dated to 19 April 2019. The court noted the assault occurred on St Patrick's Day 2000 when the victim, who had come to borrow Sellotape, was pushed off a couch, had her clothing removed, and was allegedly penetrated for five minutes. The defendant admitted sexual contact but denied penetration; the judge found the act to be "much more serious than touching" and imposed the custodial term accordingly. The sentence was based on the guilty plea, admissions and limited remorse shown. The victim's identity was protected.
Maura Thornton, 38, of Inverin, Connemara, was originally sentenced in 2013 to ten years imprisonment for the manslaughter of her former partner Kevin Joyce, 59, outside her Salthill apartment on 3 July 2011. Three years of that sentence were suspended. In February 2018 she was granted early release, but she breached the conditions of her partly suspended sentence by drinking alcohol. In October 2022 a bench warrant was issued after she failed to appear in court. At a hearing on 9 February 2021, Mr Justice Paul McDermott found that Thornton had not engaged with probation services and had attempted to negotiate with the court. He therefore sent her back to prison for 16 months, activating 22 months of the suspended term and leaving the remaining three years suspended. The court noted that Thornton had been in custody since 8 October 2020 and that her compliance with treatment and probation had been inadequate. Maura Thornton was found guilty.
A 29‑year‑old man, Thomas Power, was sentenced to seven‑and‑a‑half years in prison for stabbing a stranger, Eoin Casey, in the head on 20 August 2018. The knife entered Casey's left temple, travelled across his brain and left the tip inside the skull. Casey spent two weeks on a ventilator and five months in a rehabilitation centre, and now suffers lifelong disability, epilepsy, speech dyspraxia and impaired reading and writing. Power pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and assault causing harm, and was also found guilty of assaulting Aaron Grant, who sustained superficial injuries. Power's sentence, back‑dated to 20 January 2021, runs concurrently with the two convictions and includes an 18‑month suspended portion for the serious‑harm charge.
Kevin Brazil, aged 51, was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 12‑year‑old boy in 2002. The boy was lured into Brazil's flat with the promise of high‑end electronic gadgets and was psychologically coerced into further sexual acts. Brazil had been questioned by Gardaí at Rathmines Garda Station in 2002 and had admitted to the abuse, yet the file was inexplicably not forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions. In July 2020 Brazil pleaded guilty to six counts of child sexual assault and received a fully suspended three‑year sentence. In January 2021 the Central Criminal Court, presided over by Justice Michael White, imposed a five‑year sentence, reduced to two and a half years, taking into account the delay in prosecution, Brazil's cooperation and guilty plea. The victim reported lasting anxiety and depression as a result of the abuse.
Kevin Brazil, 51, was convicted of sexually assaulting a 12‑year‑old boy in 2002. He lured the child to his flat with promises of high‑end electronic gadgets, then psychologically tortured him by threatening to expose the incident to the boy's friends if he did not return for further sexual acts. Brazil was first questioned in 2002 and made admissions to Gardaí at Rathmines Garda Station, but the files were never forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions. In July 2023 he received a fully suspended three‑year prison sentence after pleading guilty to six counts of sexual assault. At the sentencing hearing in January 2024, the victim reported lasting anxiety and depression, and the court noted the delay in prosecution. Judge Michael White ordered a custodial sentence, remanding Brazil for sentencing on 19 January 2024.
A case currently in appeal involves Paul Gregory (56) of Lucky Brook House, Cronroe, Ashford, Co Wicklow, who admitted to 205 counts of rape and sexual assault of his wife's two sons at his Co Wicklow home. The abuse, which began in 1993 when the victims were under ten years old and continued for a decade, was admitted by Gregory during a guilty plea in 2015. The victims, now adults, had previously waived their statutory anonymity, but a stay on the lifting of the gagging order was imposed to avoid prejudicing other trials. Those trials have since concluded, and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) applied to lift the stay. Gregory has expressed concerns about his safety if his identity is published, and his legal team has raised questions regarding the interpretation of Section 252 of the Children Act. The matter was adjourned pending an application to the Court of Appeal by Gregory, but no such appeal has been made, and the deadline has passed. The court has now lifted the reporting restrictions, allowing Gregory to be named publicly. The case remains in the appeal stage, with no finalised sentence or disposal at this time.
Maura Thornton, 38, of Inverin, Connemara, was sentenced in 2013 to ten years' imprisonment for the manslaughter of her former partner Kevin Joyce, 59, who was stabbed 18 times outside her Salthill apartment on 31 July 2011. Three years of the sentence were suspended. In February 2018 she was granted early release but breached the conditions by drinking alcohol, violating the suspended portion. In a hearing on 16 December 2020, Thornton appeared via video link from the Dochas Women's Centre at Mountjoy prison. She did not speak, but her barrister, Blaise O'Carroll SC, reported that she has been attending regular meetings with health professionals who describe her as open, insightful and realistic, and that she is engaging with prison services. Justice Paul McDermott expressed concerns and refused to release her for Christmas, requesting a structured treatment plan and adjourned the case until 9 February to allow that plan to be developed.
In a Central Criminal Court murder trial, Darren Houlden (44) was described by Garda Patrick Phelan as arriving at Arklow Garda Station around 12.35 am on 6 May 2019, covered in blood and holding a 10.5 cm knife. Houlden told the officer that he had attacked Stephen "Apples" Kavanagh (37) over a dispute about missing drugs, admitting "It's my fault. I attacked him." He claimed to have smoked cocaine that morning and had a sip of beer. CCTV footage showed Houlden entering the public area with the knife, after which he was cautioned and taken away. Dr Michael Curtis testified that Kavanagh died from a multiplicity of about 40 stab and slash wounds to the head, neck and face, including severed jugular and thyroid vessels. The trial continued the next day before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury. The case remains ongoing. Darren Houlden pleaded not guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, Jason Warrington, 47, pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm after stabbing Tadhg O'Shea, 27, 11 times in the back and chest during a gathering at Warrington's home in Mallow. The attack occurred on 23 December 2018, when O'Shea was visiting after a Christmas event. Garda Anthony Daly testified that O'Shea had reported no prior threats and that the assault began with Warrington's knife. O'Shea was rescued by a guest, taken to hospital, and later gave a victim impact statement expressing ongoing depression and loss of family life. Warrington apologized in court, stating he was disgusted that O'Shea survived and had intended to kill him. He was remanded in custody pending sentencing. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
In the trial of Sean Nolan, 36, for the murder of his partner Amanda Carroll, 33, a jury asked the judge whether intoxication could negate intent. Defence counsel argued Nolan was too drunk to form intent, seeking a manslaughter verdict. The judge explained that voluntary intoxication can reduce murder to manslaughter if the prosecution fails to prove intent to kill or cause serious injury. He also clarified that "serious injury" is a matter of judgement. Nolan had been involved in a road collision earlier that day, fled the scene, and was later arrested after the body was found. The jury will return to decide between a murder or manslaughter verdict. The case is heard at Homestead Court, Quarry Road, Cabra. The judge emphasized that the jury must remain unanimous. The prosecution maintains that Nolan intended to kill when he strangled Carroll for 20 seconds. The trial continues. Sean Nolan pleaded not guilty.
Patrick Cawley, aged 49, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for sexually abusing his niece, Winnie McDonagh, who was 23 at the time of sentencing. McDonagh was taken into Cawley's home when she was four after her mother's death and was abused from the age of 15. Cawley pleaded guilty to two counts of defilement of a child for acts that occurred between 23 November 2011 and 22 November 2014. The court heard that Cawley, while acting as her de facto parent, forced sexual acts on McDonagh on several occasions, including in a car, a hotel and while she was shopping. He threatened her with death if she disclosed the abuse. The judge noted his guilty plea, remorse and family background as mitigating factors, but emphasised the persistent nature of the abuse and the vulnerability of the victim. The sentence was imposed with no mention of a suspended portion or effective custody.
The jury in the trial of Sebastian Barczuk, aged 32, who denies murdering his homeless friend Michal Kurek, aged 33, has been informed that a majority verdict is permissible. The case involves Kurek's death by 62 stab wounds, including 25 to the back, found on August 4, 2017, in Ballyboughal. Barczuk is charged with murder and has pleaded not guilty. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding, offered the jury of seven men and five women the option of a majority verdict, noting that at least ten members would need to agree. He also urged them to aim for unanimity but left the majority option open. The jury has spent nine hours and 24 minutes over three days deliberating and will resume at 11 am tomorrow. The verdict options remain guilty or not guilty of murder.
In the Central Criminal Court, the jury heard mobile‑phone cell‑site analysis linking the accused, Sebastian Barczuk, and the deceased, Michal Kurek, on the days surrounding the murder. The accused's phone connected to a cell site near Ballyboughal at 00.53 on 4 August 2017, the same time the deceased's phone used a Ballyboughal site at 00.52. Barczuk's phone made a data connection at a Ballyboughal site at 00.55, and the last activity on his phone was at 1.53 am in Dunboyne. The jury also viewed CCTV footage of a blue Fiat Punto travelling from Clonsilla Inn on 3 August to Ballyboughal on 4 August, and heard testimony that the vehicle was sold to Barczuk on 2 August. The prosecution presented the phone‑call timeline, showing multiple calls and texts between the two men on 3 August, and the defence argued that cell‑site analysis is not an exact science. Sebastian Barczuk pleaded not guilty.
A 15‑year‑old boy was given a two‑year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to repeated oral and anal rape of his eight‑year‑old nephew between June and September 2017. The nephew's mother reported the abuse to Gardaí, and the boy initially denied the allegations before admitting them. The court noted the boy's exposure to adult pornography on his smartphone and his social isolation, and his lawyer argued that he was socially and emotionally immature. Mr Justice Michael White deferred a three‑year detention, instead ordering the boy to be supervised by a probation and welfare officer and to comply with conditions set by the Probation Service. The suspended sentence is conditional on good behaviour, peace, and supervision of the boy and his nephew during family gatherings, with notification to Gardaí if the boy travels abroad. The boy and his mother have since left Ireland. The nephew's father acknowledged the impact of the abuse on the family.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 41‑year‑old foreign national was sentenced to 12 years for raping and sexually abusing his vulnerable 16‑year‑old stepdaughter between 2015 and 2018. He pleaded guilty to 12 counts of rape, 12 of oral rape, 11 of exploitation and six of producing pornography, representing 288 charges. The abuse included daily rape, forced video recordings with a sex toy, and threats of publishing the material. The victim, who had been in State care since 2019, now has supervised access with her mother. Mr Justice Paul McDermott suspended the final year of the sentence, imposed a five‑year post‑release supervision order, and required the offender to engage with the Probation Service and sexual offender treatment for a year in custody and a year after release. The court described the conduct as appalling, degrading and humiliating, noting the victim's fear and the lack of protection from her mother.
Patrick Kelly, aged 54, pleaded guilty to one count of rape, 12 counts of defilement and 13 counts of sexual exploitation of a 15‑year‑old girl between February 2014 and December 2015. The abuse was uncovered when Gardaí investigating separate child‑abuse allegations seized Kelly's diary, which contained dates, phone numbers and "squiggles" indicating sexual contact, along with the victim's initials. The diary and a large volume of text messages (17,500) showed Kelly's persistent grooming, gifting, and repeated sexual acts, including anal sex and intercourse. The victim's impact statement described physical, mental and emotional abuse, insomnia, PTSD and suicidal thoughts. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed a concurrent custodial sentence of four years, to run consecutively to a nine‑year sentence for other child‑abuse offences, and ordered five years of post‑release supervision with conditions preventing unsupervised contact with children and the victim. The court noted Kelly's guilty plea and lack of insight as mitigating factors.
Maura Thornton, 38, from Inverin, Connemara, was sentenced in 2013 to ten years' imprisonment for the manslaughter of her former partner Kevin Joyce, 59, who was stabbed 18 times outside her Salthill apartment on 3 July 2011. Three years of her sentence were suspended on the condition that she address her alcohol problems. In 2020 the Central Criminal Court heard that Thornton had breached this condition by returning to drinking, a relapse she attributed in part to isolation during the Covid‑19 pandemic. She was admitted to hospital on 10 June for detoxification and had been sober for 19 days, taking alcohol deterrent medication, anti‑depressants and other drugs. Her probation officer had urged her to attend a residential treatment centre, which she agreed to, and the case was adjourned to 7 October for a progress update. The court noted that Thornton had recognised her problem and was taking steps to address it.
The Central Criminal Court sentenced a 22-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect the victim's identity, for defilement of a child. The defendant pleaded guilty to four sample counts of defilement of a child in Co Westmeath and Co Clare, committed between July and December 2016. Mr Justice Paul McDermott noted that the defendant, who was a teenager at the time, met the victim online after lying about his age. The judge acknowledged that the victim was not physically assaulted or coerced, but stated the offences were aggravated by the age disparity, the deception employed, and the defendant's disregard for the victim. Substantial mitigation was accepted, including the defendant's youth at the time of initial contact, his guilty plea, expression of remorse, and lack of previous convictions. Mr Justice McDermott sentenced the defendant to two-and-a-half years imprisonment. However, considering the probation report and testimonials, the judge suspended the sentence in full on strict conditions. These conditions require the defendant to follow all directions of the Probation Service for three years and to refrain from directly or indirectly contacting the victim, her friends, or her family. The matter was finalised with this suspended sentence.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 58‑year‑old man was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for sexual assaults on 14 teenage girls between May 1994 and February 2001. He pleaded guilty in 2002 to ten of the assaults and received a nine‑year sentence with two years suspended. He denied three further assaults, but a jury convicted him of 30 counts involving four additional girls. The court imposed consecutive sentences: two years for the first victim, two‑and‑a‑half years for the second, two years for the third, and six months for the fourth, totaling seven years. The judge described him as a "true predator" who groomed victims with money, cigarettes and jewellery, and who used his flat as a refuge to facilitate abuse. The man had been convicted of burglary in Ireland and the UK and had been in custody since March 2018. No further charges were brought for his time in the UK.
An 18‑year‑old man, now 22, pleaded guilty to four counts of defilement of a child in Co. Westmeath and Co. Clare for offences between July and December 2016. He first contacted a 15‑year‑old girl on Facebook in August 2015, claiming to be 16 when he was actually 17. He sent her explicit photos and encouraged her to send similar ones. They met in July 2016 at a birthday party where he repeatedly asked for oral sex and sex, which she eventually agreed to after initially refusing. They had sex on three occasions over two days, all without a condom. In December 2016, while she was at his home, her brother and cousin also attempted to force her to have sex; she refused. The girl, aged 16 at the time of the offences, gave a victim impact statement describing fear, intimidation, and feeling brain‑washed.
A 46-year-old man has appealed his sentence for sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl. The defendant, who cannot be named to protect the victim's identity, pleaded guilty to defilement and sexual exploitation of a child and three charges of sexual assault occurring between September 2014 and August 2015. He had six previous convictions, including for sexual assault in 1993. At the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice White imposed a nine-year sentence, with the final two years suspended. The man argued in his appeal to the Court of Appeal that the sentencing judge placed too much weight on his claim that the girl initiated the contact due to hormonal urges. His barrister, Colman Cody SC, submitted that undue weight was attached to this factor. The court heard evidence that the man had been in a relationship with the girl's mother and that phone analysis confirmed he sent sexualised text messages to her. The survivor stated she initially viewed him as a father figure but later realized the abuse was not normal. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Justice George Birmingham with Justices Kennedy and Ni Raifeartaigh, reserved judgement and will deliver their decision at a later date.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 58‑year‑old Dublin man was found guilty of 30 counts of sexual assault against four girls, having previously pleaded guilty to ten similar offences in 2002 and 2003. He received a nine‑year sentence with the final two years suspended. The court heard victim impact statements from three of the four women, who described long‑term emotional damage, drug use, abusive relationships and a sense of survivor identity. The judge adjourned the case for finalisation. The accused, who had been in custody since March 2018 after extradition from the UK, had also been convicted of burglary in both Ireland and the UK. No new charges were brought for his time in the UK, where he worked at a homeless charity centre. The court considered his prior sentence and the possibility of a lenient sentence. The hearing concluded with the judge setting a date for finalisation. The unnamed 58-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In 2020 the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal by a 53‑year‑old man who had been convicted of attempted rape in 1984 and of five further counts of raping his seven‑year‑old cousin on a weekly basis between 1985 and 1986. The man, who was 17 when the first offence occurred, had been found guilty by a jury and sentenced to nine years' imprisonment, the final year suspended. He had argued that the trial judge had admitted the complainant's older brother's evidence incorrectly, had failed to warn the jury about uncorroborated evidence, and had made errors in jury instructions. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, found no basis to doubt the fairness of the trial or the safety of the verdict and affirmed the conviction.
In April 2020 the Court of Appeal quashed a 2017 conviction for two counts of rape against a Dublin man aged 55, who had previously been convicted of three sexual assaults against the same heavily‑pregnant partner. The appeal was based on a misdirection by the trial judge who had told the jury that the consistency of the complainant's account could be "supportive or corroborative" of the prosecution case. The Court of Appeal held that such consistency was not independent evidence and that the judge's instruction could have misled the jury. All other grounds of appeal, including a claim of adverse publicity, were rejected. The court therefore overturned the rape convictions without ordering a retrial, leaving the earlier sexual‑assault convictions and the 10‑year sentence with a two‑year‑six‑month suspended portion intact. The case highlights the importance of precise jury instructions regarding corroboration.
Noel McKeon, a former hospital security guard, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for the rape and violent assault of two sex workers. McKeon pleaded guilty to sexual assault, assault, robbery, and rape of the two women, as well as false imprisonment of the first victim. The attacks occurred in 2016 and 2018 after McKeon contacted the women via an escorts website. In the 2016 incident, he allegedly assaulted the victim, forced her into sexual acts, and attempted to stab her as she escaped from a window. In the 2018 incident, he allegedly punched the victim, pulled her hair, and raped her vaginally and anally. Mr Justice Tony Hunt described the conduct as degrading and humiliating. He imposed consecutive headline sentences of ten years for each victim. Taking into account McKeon's guilty pleas, the judge applied a four-year discount, resulting in a total term of 16 years. The court suspended the final two years of this sentence on the condition that McKeon engages in sex offender treatment, addiction treatment, and anger management specifically addressing violence towards women. McKeon's defense counsel highlighted his history of drug abuse and suicide attempts, noting he wished to express remorse. The victims provided impact statements describing their fear and humiliation.
A man from Co. Westmeath was sentenced to two-and-a-half years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a woman who was asleep in her own bed. The Central Criminal Court heard that the victim was wearing a tampon at the time of the assault, which was later removed in the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit. The accused, aged 24, had no prior knowledge of the victim, though they shared mutual friends. He testified that he had engaged in consensual sexual activity with her, including digital penetration, but the jury found him guilty of sexual assault. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, noted the victim's right to privacy and the man's lack of business in her bedroom, describing the act as a catastrophic error of judgement. The sentence was deemed lenient in length, but the judge expressed concern that the man would find custody difficult. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
A 38‑year‑old UK businessman was convicted of raping and sexually assaulting two girls aged 10 and 12 in Dublin and Louth between December 2010 and March 2011. He had denied the charges during a 42‑day trial. The girls lived with their mother and siblings in the UK before moving into the businessman's house, where he showered them with gifts and trips. UK social services had been involved and were concerned about his daily control and grooming of the children. He was sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. His appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal, which upheld the conviction and found the trial and conviction to be satisfactory. The appeal was rejected on all grounds, including the specialist Gardaí interviews and the use of pre‑interview materials. The court confirmed the conviction was safe.
A 19‑year‑old Clare man was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended on strict conditions, for repeatedly raping his half‑brother and attempting to rape his half‑sister between November 2014 and May 2015. The offences occurred while the younger siblings were visiting their mother and older brother at weekends. The man, who was 14 at the time of the abuse, pleaded guilty to six counts of orally raping his half‑brother, one count of anally raping the boy, and one count of attempting to anally rape the girl. He was found to have an unstable childhood, frequent moves, early drug use and eight prior convictions, including possession of a knife and traffic offences. The court noted the abuse was aggravated by its nature and the sustained period over which it occurred, and that the victim's age at the time was a major factor in sentencing.
Andrius Lipinskas, 41, was convicted of raping and violently assaulting a woman in her home in Dublin in August 2010. The conviction was based on DNA evidence from a partly‑smoked cigarette found in the house, which matched a sample taken from Lipinskas in Lithuania. He was extradited to Ireland, tried, and found guilty on all counts by a jury after three hours of deliberation. He received a 15‑year prison sentence, with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended. Lipinskas had previously served a 15‑year sentence in Lithuania for a 1995 murder. He appealed the conviction, arguing that the DNA sample and his recorded response were inadmissible, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, affirming the trial's fairness and the admissibility of the evidence. Andrius Lipinskas pleaded not guilty.
In the trial of Stephanie O'Connor, a 22‑year‑old accused of disguising herself as her grandmother to conceal the latter's death, the defence argued that no direct evidence proved she was absent from the house on the night of May 29 2017. The prosecution claimed a lack of a "smoking gun" and alleged that the CCTV footage was incomplete, suggesting that the defendant's actions were a ruse. The case also involved Louise O'Connor, 41, and Keith Johnston, 43, charged with impeding the apprehension of the alleged murderer, Kieran Greene, 35. Evidence presented included dismemberment of the body into 15 parts found across a 30 km range, blunt‑force trauma to the head, and conflicting statements from Greene. The defence highlighted the absence of hard evidence and the possibility of false testimony, urging the jury to acquit the accused. The trial concluded with the defence's closing remarks, and the prosecution's case was deemed speculative. Kieran Greene pleaded not guilty. Louise O'Connor pleaded not guilty. Stephanie O'Connor pleaded not guilty. Keith Johnston pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court heard the prosecution's closing submissions in the trial of Kieran Greene, 35, who pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patricia O'Connor, 61, at her home in Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, on May 29, 2017. Three co-accused, Louise O'Connor, 41, Stephanie O'Connor, 22, and Keith Johnston, 43, all pleaded not guilty to charges of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Greene. The prosecution alleged that Stephanie O'Connor disguised herself as her grandmother to create a false CCTV record that Mrs O'Connor was alive, while Louise O'Connor acquiesced in this ruse. Additionally, the State contended that Keith Johnston assisted Greene in purchasing DIY tools, including hacksaws and axes, on June 9, 2017, which were allegedly used to dismember the body. Evidence presented indicated that Mrs O'Connor's body was found in 15 separate parts across Dublin and Wicklow between June 10 and 14, 2017, with the cause of death determined to be blunt force trauma to the head. The prosecution invited the jury to return guilty verdicts for all four defendants. The matter remains at the trial stage, with defence counsel scheduled to deliver closing arguments. No findings, sentences, or finalisations have been recorded.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Kieran Greene, Louise O'Connor, Stephanie O'Connor, and Keith Johnston is ongoing. Greene, 35, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patricia O'Connor, 61, at her home in Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, on May 29, 2017. The other three accused have pleaded not guilty to charges of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of an offender. The jury was told that Augustine 'Gus' O'Connor, 75, originally part of the trial, pleaded guilty on the first hearing date to reporting his wife missing on June 1, 2017, while knowing she was dead. Evidence presented includes Detective Inspector Brian O'Keeffe's testimony regarding Greene's initial statements and subsequent retraction, where Greene alleged he was set up. The prosecution closed its case, and defence counsel made applications in the jury's absence. The court heard that Mrs O'Connor's remains were found dismembered in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains. Mr Justice Paul McDermott adjourned the proceedings, instructing the jury to return the following morning at 12pm.
Darren Thompson, 25, was convicted of rape in 2017 and sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. In January 2020 the Director of Public Prosecutions announced an investigation into alleged "new evidence" that could affect the outcome of the case. Thompson, who maintains his innocence, was released on bail pending the hearing of the application to present this evidence. The bail was granted by Mr Justice John Edwards, with a condition that Thompson appear again on 24 March. The case involved a woman in her 20s who claimed she had consensual sex with a man she met in a nightclub, but later alleged that Thompson and another man attempted to have sex with her while she was under the influence of drugs. No further details were disclosed in court. The Central Criminal Court noted that Thompson's family and girlfriend remain supportive. The application to present new evidence is scheduled for the Court of Appeal.
The trial of Louise O'Connor, Stephanie O'Connor, Keith Johnston, and Kieran Greene is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court. All four defendants have pleaded not guilty to charges including the murder of Patricia O'Connor on May 29, 2017, and impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Kieran Greene. The prosecution alleges that Stephanie O'Connor disguised herself as her grandmother to conceal the murder, while Louise O'Connor and Keith Johnston assisted in covering up the crime. Evidence presented includes CCTV footage showing a figure leaving the Mountainview Park residence with a suitcase, which the State contends was Stephanie O'Connor in disguise. Louise O'Connor denied to gardai that she left the house to obtain "permanent peace" and insisted her mother was alive when she returned. She also denied discussing the killing with family members. Stephanie O'Connor stated she was unaware of the incident until two weeks later when Greene confessed. The jury is currently hearing testimony regarding the interviews conducted with the accused in September 2017. No findings, sentences, or finalisations have been recorded at this procedural stage.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Kieran Greene, 34, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patricia O'Connor, 61, at her Rathfarnham home on May 29, 2017, heard forensic evidence regarding the dismemberment of the deceased. Former Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis testified that Mrs O'Connor's body was cut into 15 parts, likely using a power tool, with her wrists and hands possibly removed by a hand-held saw. He stated the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, noting three full-thickness lacerations and bruising consistent with pre-death injury. The remains were discovered at nine locations in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains between June 10 and 14, 2017. Greene is also charged with impeding justice. Co-accused Louise O'Connor, 41, Stephanie O'Connor, 22, and Keith Johnston, 43, have all pleaded not guilty to charges including impeding the apprehension of Greene, disguising themselves as the deceased to conceal her death, and assisting in the purchase of implements for concealment. Johnston additionally denies refurbishing a bathroom to destroy evidence. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Kieran Greene, 34, has heard evidence regarding the discovery of human remains in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains. Prosecutors allege that 61-year-old Patricia O'Connor was murdered at her Rathfarnham home on May 29, 2017, and her body was subsequently dismembered and dispersed across nine locations. Witnesses described finding a torso near the Military Road in Enniskerry on June 10, 2017, while picnicking. Medical evidence confirmed the remains belonged to Mrs O'Connor via dental records. Mr Greene, of Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. Louise O'Connor, 41, and Stephanie O'Connor, 22, have both pleaded not guilty to charges including disguising themselves as the deceased to conceal her death and assisting in the purchase of implements for concealment. Keith Johnston, 43, has pleaded not guilty to assisting Mr Greene in purchasing items and refurbishing a bathroom to destroy evidence. The prosecution alleges the body was buried in Co Wexford before being dismembered. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury, with an expected duration of five to seven weeks.
The trial heard that 61‑year‑old Patricia O'Connor was murdered on 29 May 2017 at her Rathfarnham home. She was struck on the head with a solid implement, then her body was placed in the boot of her Toyota Corolla and taken to Wexford where it was buried in a shallow grave. After the body was exhumed, it was dismembered over three to four hours using hacksaws and a hatchet. Fifteen body parts were found at nine separate locations in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains between 10 and 14 June 2017, including Glencree, Glenmacnass Waterfall and Sally Gap. The prosecution alleged that Kieran Greene, Louise O'Connor, Stephanie O'Connor and Keith Johnston impeded the apprehension or prosecution of Greene, who pleaded not guilty to the murder. The case was presented to a jury by Roisin Lacey SC. The trial is scheduled to continue before Mr Justice Paul McDermott.
Alan Cawley, aged 32, of Four Winds, Corrinbla, Ballina, County Mayo, has lost his appeal against murder convictions at the Court of Appeal. Cawley was found guilty in 2017 of murdering Thomas Blaine, aged 69, and John Blaine, aged 76, at New Antrim Street in Castlebar on 10 July 2013. He had admitted killing the brothers with a shovel and a walking stick but denied murder, arguing diminished responsibility due to mental health disorders. A jury unanimously rejected this defence, and Mr Justice Paul Coffey imposed mandatory life sentences. Cawley appealed on grounds that the trial judge misdirected the jury regarding intoxication and diminished responsibility. The three-judge appeal panel, led by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, found no error in the trial judge's instructions and dismissed the appeal. The brothers, who had special needs and were under HSE care, were both assaulted fatally during the attack.
A murder trial at the Central Criminal Court heard that 20-month-old Nathan Baraka Andrew Ali died from head injuries caused by forceful impacts against a hard surface, likely a wall or floor. Consultant Pathologist Professor Jack Crane testified that the toddler's injuries were not accidental and involved at least three or four impacts. Yusif Ali Abdi, 46, pleaded not guilty to the charge of murdering Nathan at The Elms, College Road, Clane, Co Kildare on April 17, 2001. The court heard that Abdi, who was granted refugee status in 2000 and married an Irish woman, had previously been found guilty in 2003 but had his conviction overturned in 2019 due to newly discovered evidence suggesting he may have been legally insane at the time. The trial is ongoing, with the matter currently in the appeal stage. Former Northern Ireland State and Consultant Pathologist Professor Jack are also named as accused, though their charges remain alleged or contested. The case has been adjourned and is not yet concluded.
Anthony Walsh, 32, was convicted of murder for the killing of Dermot Byrne, 54, in Swords on 16 July 2017. Walsh admitted killing Byrne but denied it was murder. He claimed Byrne attacked him during a drunken altercation over a cigarette, but prosecutors argued his account was unrealistic given Walsh's height and Byrne's intoxication. Walsh sent social‑media messages after the killing, describing the attack with laughing emojis and a voice message stating he was "going to fucking jail." The Court of Appeal upheld his conviction, ruling the messages were not overly prejudicial and that Walsh's admission of wrongdoing was clear. A second appeal ground, the partial defence of provocation, was also dismissed. Walsh's conviction was affirmed, and he remains sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, Paul Wells Junior, aged 33, pleaded not guilty to disposing of a chainsaw motor and blade in County Kildare in January 2016. He claimed he was unaware the chainsaw had been used to dismember Kenneth O'Brien, whose body was found in a suitcase on the Grand Canal. Wells Junior said he had thrown the chainsaw into the canal to avoid hindering the investigation, believing it was stained with what he thought was dog meat. He also stated he had spoken voluntarily to Gardaí to help the O'Brien family seek justice. The court heard that O'Brien died from a gunshot wound to the head, and that his dismembered remains were found in a suitcase. Paul Wells Senior, aged 51, was jailed for life for O'Brien's murder. The trial continues before Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury of twelve.
A man has had his sentence increased following an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions on grounds of undue leniency. Aurelijus Kizelavicius, aged 23, of Knocktornagh, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, pleaded guilty to rape and assault causing harm to a woman on 29 March 2015. The Central Criminal Court heard the woman had accepted a late-night lift from Kizelavicius after becoming stranded in Monaghan town. Upon reaching her home, he attacked her with repeated punches to the face before sexually assaulting her. Mr Justice Paul Butler originally imposed a five-year sentence with the final two years suspended in April 2018. The Court of Appeal today increased the custodial term to seven years with the final two suspended. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy described the offence as a serious rape involving significant additional violence. She noted the victim sustained facial injuries and referenced adverse probation reports and disciplinary breaches in custody. The court also heard the man has agreed to participate in a sex offenders programme.