On 23 July 2014, a 36‑year‑old Dublin man was charged with sexual assault of a foreign national at UCD campus. The trial, held at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, is in its fifth day. Witness Criona Cullen, a dog walker, testified that she was walking her dogs around 10 pm when she heard a woman call for help. The woman, speaking limited English, claimed she had met a man on Tinder who had taken her to the campus and attempted to have sex with her. Cullen offered assistance, arranging a taxi and offering to pay the fare. A flatmate of the complainant later testified that the woman was frightened and that the man had taken her to an abandoned area. The case is before Judge Cormac Quinn and a jury of twelve. The accused has pleaded not guilty.
A man from Mayo has pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to twenty counts of child sexual abuse against a boy over a twelve-year period between 1997 and 2008, as well as eleven counts of rape against his own daughter between 2007 and 2009. The victim impact statements revealed the profound harm caused, with both complainants describing lasting psychological damage, including depression, self-harm, and suicidal ideation. The male victim, now aged 31, detailed how the accused groomed him from age ten, exploiting his vulnerable family circumstances. His daughter was first assaulted at fourteen and subjected to repeated attacks characterised as routine abuse. The accused initially denied the allegations but subsequently admitted culpability to gardaí. Mr Justice Tony Hunt adjourned sentencing to December pending a medical report, noting that the guilty pleas had spared the victims a trial while acknowledging that the offences had fundamentally altered their life trajectories.
James Maher, aged 64, was jailed for eight years after pleading guilty to six counts of sexually abusing his two nephews between 1980 and 1984. The victims, aged eight and six at the time of the first abuse, were abused at various locations in Dublin. Maher admitted to indecent assault and other sexual offences, describing the abuse as "pain and violence" and "like an animal." The court heard the brothers turned to drugs and suffered depression as a result of the abuse. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced Maher to nine years, suspending the final year due to his age, health issues, guilty plea and lack of prior convictions. The victims waived anonymity and testified that the abuse had robbed them of their youth and spirit. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Robert Widger, a 38‑year‑old former National Hunt jockey and horse trainer from Waterford, pleaded guilty to theft and possession of stolen property in September‑October 2014. He was originally sentenced to a two‑year term at Waterford Circuit Criminal Court. On appeal, the Court of Appeal reduced the custodial period to 12 months, with the remaining 12 months suspended and to run concurrently with a 12‑month sentence for theft. The judge noted that Widger had stolen six eight‑metre lighting poles from Waterford University Hospital, using a black Land Cruiser registered to him and his wife's swipe card. CCTV captured the theft, and the stolen items were recovered, including a mini‑digger, a horse box, a double trailer and building equipment. Widger, a married father of three and self‑employed in horse training, had a positive probation report citing remorse and low risk of reoffending.
In a High Court case, 65‑year‑old James Foley was awarded €92,000 in damages after he injured his left shoulder while loading a four‑year‑old horse onto a lorry for trainer Margaret Mullins at Canterbrook Stud on 18 November 2013. Foley claimed that the horse became spooked, causing him to fall, and that Mullins, who was present, failed to assist him in securing the horse, thereby breaching her duty of care under the 2005 Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act. Mullins denied the allegations, asserting that the horse was on the ramp when it became unsettled and that Foley had contributed to his injuries by mishandling the animal. Judge Michael Hanna found Foley's version of events more credible, noting that he was an experienced horseman and that Mullins was his employer at the time, and therefore owed him a duty of care.
Anthony Goodman, 72, a convicted sex offender with a history of sacrilege and buggery of an animal, breached a court order by travelling on public transport without notifying Gardaí. In 2012, a Cork Circuit Criminal Court order prohibited him from attending certain locations and from using public transport except one local bus route unless he gave two hours' notice. In 2015, Goodman failed to give notice before boarding buses on Westmoreland Street and to Enniskerry, leading to his arrest on 3 September 2015. He has remained in custody since. Judge Elma Sheahan backdated a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence to September 2015, suspended the final eight months, and structured the sentence so the suspended portion benefits him. Goodman has over 200 prior convictions, including sexual assault, electrical diversion, animal buggery, sacrilege, and previous transport violations. He was removed from the sex offenders register on 29 June after five years on it. Anthony Goodman pleaded guilty.
Gary Kearney, 25, a serial offender with 160 prior convictions, was found guilty of robbery, false imprisonment and theft after he and an accomplice posed as undercover Gardaí, quoting sections of law, and handcuffed a man on Millennium Bridge in Dublin. The victim feared being pushed into the Liffey while handcuffed. Kearney's history includes assault, animal cruelty, robbery, theft, burglary, criminal damage and public order offences. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally, after hearing evidence, noted Kearney's "appalling record of offending" and his need to address addiction issues. She suspended a four‑year sentence on strict conditions, including attendance at AA meetings, and ordered two years of probation supervision. The accomplice fled and was not charged. The victim accepted Kearney's apology and expressed no desire to see him in custody.
Raymond Molloy, a 55‑year‑old former equestrian centre manager, was sentenced to six and a half years in prison for possessing over €6 million worth of cannabis resin. Molloy had spent 11 years on the run, living and working on the Isle of White, before being extradited to Ireland. Gardaí stopped a van he drove in Coolock during a surveillance operation, seizing 498 kg of cannabis resin. He pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply on 16 August 2002. The court noted that Molloy had no prior convictions and was not a member of a criminal enterprise. He had been pressured by associates to transport the drugs, and he claimed he was threatened with harm to his horse if he did not comply. The judge acknowledged his early guilty plea and cooperation but imposed the custodial sentence for the serious nature of the offence.
A 26-year-old man from Roscommon has pleaded guilty to his role in a violent robbery on Arran Quay in Dublin in June 2014. Patrick Conroy, with 156 previous convictions, was one of four men who approached a pedestrian and subjected him to robbery whilst using a growling Alsatian dog to intimidate the victim. The victim was threatened with physical violence, including being kneed and choked, before being robbed of his mobile phone, wallet and house keys. He sustained injuries to his lower back, neck and throat, and subsequently suffered psychological effects from the incident. CCTV footage placed Conroy in the vicinity at the time. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Conroy had been released on bail only days before the robbery occurred. Judge Pauline Codd remanded him on continuing bail pending a probation report and consideration of his admission to a residential drug treatment centre. Sentencing is scheduled for May 8th.
During a Special Criminal Court hearing, Detective Garda Colm Finnerty reported that a list of items seized from the bedroom of David Murray, a 56‑year‑old man accused of IRA membership, included shotgun cartridges, chemicals for explosives, six small alarm clocks, six large rocket‑type fireworks, six circuit boards, six tubes of solder, six flash bulbs, two steel 45‑gallon drums and face masks. The detective noted that the list was almost identical to one found in the van of Stephen Hendrick, who was sentenced to eleven years for firearms, ammunition and explosives. In addition to the list, documents seized included a transcript of a 2014 Special Criminal Court bail hearing for an IRA‑membership case, a handwritten note about a cigarette delivery van in Red Cow that might be an intelligence document, a photocopy of a Garda letterhead with Chief Superintendent Patrick Leahy's signature, a handwritten note on security companies, and a document noting minutes of a meeting.
Anna Finnegan sent text messages to her former partner, Vesel Jahiri, who is accused of murdering her, saying she did not want to see him again and wanted to feel "safe without some animal beating and bullying" her. The Central Criminal Court jury heard that the texts were sent between 8 and 14 September 2012, with Finnegan describing Jahiri as a "control freak" and a "fucking drug dealer" and stating she had "had enough" and would change her number and the locks on their home. Jahiri denied sending the texts and claimed they were from Finnegan's sister and cousin. The jury also heard that a letter written by Finnegan, found in a handbag in the kitchen of Allendale Glen, alleged that Jahiri had beaten her and almost killed her. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Coffey and a jury of nine men and two women. Anna Finnegan pleaded not guilty.
The Court of Appeal has reserved judgement on William Jones' appeal against the High Court's refusal to grant injunctions that would have stopped Coolmore Stud's lawyers from warning book distributors and retailers that his book, "The Dark Horse: Inside Coolmore", contained defamatory material. Jones, who worked at Coolmore from 2006 to 2015 and published the book through his own company, Gold Rush Publications, argues that the High Court's decision infringes his freedom of expression and is biased. Coolmore's lawyers, Arthur Cox, had warned Amazon and other bookshops that the book included allegations of bullying and the deaths of two horses, Mountjeu and Jude, and that distributors had withdrawn the book. Coolmore also cited a 2014 agreement that both parties would not make derogatory remarks about each other and that Jones would not disclose records. The High Court found that Coolmore had made this agreement clear to Jones before publication and that any defamatory content would expose distributors to liability.
In a cold‑case murder trial, the Central Criminal Court heard that 69‑year‑old Ann 'Nancy' Smyth was strangled and suffered head injuries before a fire was set in her Kilkenny home on 11 September 1987. The accused, 53‑year‑old John Joseph Malone of Newpark, pleaded not guilty. State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy presented evidence from the post‑mortem, noting burns on the left side of the body, bruising and hemorrhages around the eye, and a horizontal pressure mark on the back of the neck. Professor Harbison's examination confirmed fresh bleeding and no soot in the respiratory tract, indicating death by asphyxia due to manual strangulation before the fire. The court also heard testimony from first responders who observed the fire and the scene, noting suspicious circumstances and the presence of a dead dog. The trial continues before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.
Donncha O'Cearbhaill, 24, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of criminal damage to data on thesun.co.uk, a website owned by News International. The defendant admitted to inserting a "Trojan horse" into the site in July 2011, which redirected visitors to a hoax article alleging media mogul Rupert Murdoch had died, and later to the Lulzsec Twitter feed. Judge Martin Nolan handed down a nine-month sentence, which was suspended on a number of conditions. The court heard that the hacks caused the servers to be shut down for two hours and required a three-week rebuild. O'Cearbhaill stated he acted in retaliation for the phone hacking scandal and expressed regret for his reckless actions. Defense counsel Giollaíosa O'Lideadha SC requested disposal under the Probation Act to avoid a criminal record, highlighting the defendant's youth at the time of the offense and his current role as an online security advisor. A letter from Web Summit founder Paddy Cosgrave described O'Cearbhaill as possessing rare intelligence. The judge noted the defendant knowingly committed the damaging acts but accepted his young age. No incoming IP addresses were captured due to the use of the Tor browser, though forensic analysis of a Dell laptop and Samsung notebook found a saved image matching the hoax site. O'Cearbhaill was arrested in September 2011 and cooperated with gardaí, admitting to using the username "Palladium" in chat logs.
During the Central Criminal Court trial of Vesel Jahiri, a witness named Joan Broe testified that she was 100 per cent certain of seeing Jahiri chase his former partner Anna Finnegan, bring her to the ground and punch her on the right side. Broe, who was walking her dog at 8.30pm on 21 September 2012, heard Finnegan screaming for help and later described Jahiri's pursuit and violent actions. She stated that she had not been able to intervene and expressed remorse for not doing more. Broe also provided a typed statement to the court and a separate statement to Detective Garda Brendan O'Hora, adding that Jahiri landed at least four blows to Finnegan's right side. The defence counsel challenged the accuracy of this detail, but Broe maintained her certainty. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Coffey and a jury. Vesel Jahiri pleaded not guilty.
During a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, witness Joan Broe testified that on 21 September 2012, Anna Finnegan (26) was dragged by the neck and stabbed by her former partner Vesel Jahiri (35), who was originally from Kosovo and had no fixed abode. Broe, who was walking her dog at 8.30 pm that evening, heard a loud crash and a girl screaming for help. She saw Finnegan standing in her doorway, panicked and frightened, and later saw Jahiri and Karl Finnegan (Anna's brother) in the driveway. Broe described how Jahiri ran after Finnegan, jumped onto her back, and dragged her by the neck toward the house. She also reported seeing Finnegan's brother punched in the stomach and later lying on the ground. The prosecution had argued that Jahiri and Finnegan had been in a relationship for about ten years, had two children together, and had separated before the incident. Vesel Jahiri pleaded not guilty.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, Wayne Cluskey, aged 25, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for the death of Christopher Nevin, who was killed with an axe during a dispute over a pedigree chihuahua. Josh Turner, aged 24, was convicted of murder for the same incident. The jury, composed of nine men and three women, reached both verdicts by a 10‑to‑2 majority after more than two days of deliberation. Cluskey and Turner were remanded in custody until a sentencing hearing on 27 February. The trial included CCTV footage of the assault, testimony from Wayne Casserly about the dog dispute, and accounts of how Cluskey and Turner entered the scene, used an axe, and struck Nevin, leading to his death. The families of the deceased and the accused were kept inside the court by Gardaí during the proceedings.
Wayne Cluskey (25) and Josh Turner (24) pleaded not guilty to the murder of 27‑year‑old Christopher Nevin on 19 November 2015. In interviews on 23 and 24 November, Garda Michael Fitzpatrick showed Cluskey CCTV footage from a house across the road where Nevin suffered blows that caused his death. Cluskey said the footage made it appear they had "made it our business to kill him" and that he had not expected the violence. He explained that the dispute began when Nevin owed Turner €100 for a male chihuahua loaned to breed with three females, and that only one dog became pregnant. Cluskey claimed he had not struck the first blow, that Nevin had a hatchet when he left the house, and that Turner delivered the fatal blow. He admitted to telling "white lies" after seeing the footage.
In a High Court hearing, Mr Chris Mahon of County Laois described how flood waters in November 2014 surged across his property like a "small tsunami," breaching the front door of his family home at Clonaheen, Mountmellick, after a local stream overflowed. He recalled hearing a cracking noise before the water rose to his boots, and that a family dog was rescued from the yard. The flooding caused extensive damage to the interior, yard, and drinking water supply, leaving the Mahons unable to obtain flood insurance. Mr Mahon, who became upset during testimony, said the council's 2007 culvert works were negligent, leading to a collapsed section that backed up water. He seeks damages and an injunction to repair the culvert, while the council denies negligence, attributing the floods to record rainfall. The case is before Mr Justice Paul McDermott, with mediation suggested.
In a murder case, Wayne Cluskey (25) and Josh Turner (24) pleaded not guilty to the killing of 27‑year‑old Christopher Nevin on 19 November 2015. Turner voluntarily appeared at Navan Garda station on 23 November, where he gave several interviews. In a second interview on 24 November he claimed he struck Nevin's fatal blow after Nevin attacked him with a hatchet during a dispute over a chihuahua. Turner said he had loaned Nevin a male dog for €250, and a disagreement arose when Nevin claimed the dog had gone missing and later that it was "shooting blanks." Turner described meeting Nevin at a friend's house on Tailteann Road, where Nevin allegedly approached him with a green hatchet. Turner said he took the hatchet from Nevin's hand and struck Nevin on the head with the blunt side, seeing blood but not realizing he was fighting for his life. The trial continues before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.
The Court of Appeal dismissed Thomas "Slab" Murphy's appeal against his conviction for tax evasion. Murphy, 67, had been found guilty by the Special Criminal Court on nine counts of failing to comply with tax laws for the period 1996/97 to 2004, and was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment. His defence argued that he had no involvement in cattle farming and that documents in his name were forged by his brother, Patrick. The Court of Appeal, after reviewing the 94‑page judgment, concluded that the Special Criminal Court had correctly established Murphy as a chargeable person and that the evidence of a herd number, bank account, and cattle sales supported the prosecution's case. The appeal was dismissed on all grounds, and the matter was scheduled for further consideration regarding a possible appeal against the sentence. The unnamed 67-year-old pleaded not guilty.
George Crombie, aged 47, was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to eight counts of sexually assaulting his stepdaughter, Laura Johnston, between February 2004 and December 2006. The assaults took place in their Ringsend home and involved Crombie placing a dog lead around Johnston's neck and a knife in his pyjama waistband. He threatened her that "murder in this flat" would occur if she disclosed the abuse. Johnston, now in her twenties, gave a victim impact statement condemning Crombie for betraying her trust and love. Judge Melanie Greally noted the abuse was "unrelenting" and "predictable," occurring every Thursday and Saturday, and described it as a breach of trust that would leave a lasting impact. The court imposed concurrent sentences totaling two and a half years.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Laura Johnston, now in her twenties, gave an emotional victim impact statement about sexual abuse by her stepfather, George Crombie, who was 47. Johnston, aged 10 to 13 during the abuse, described how Crombie put a dog lead around her neck and used a knife while assaulting her. He also threatened her that if she told her mother, "there would be murder in this flat." The abuse occurred over a three‑year period, mainly on Thursday and Saturday nights, when Crombie was drinking. Johnston said she had once believed Crombie was her real father until her mother revealed he was her stepfather. Crombie pleaded guilty to eight counts of sexual assault. The case was adjourned for sentencing next Monday.
A 53‑year‑old Wexford man was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a 41‑year‑old Latvian man, Gints Intembergs, who was found dead on the floor of a kitchen in Co Carlow on 16 September 2014. The Central Criminal Court heard that the victim had beaten the accused in an arm‑wrestling match and that the accused, Liam Power, had stamped on the victim's head and testicles, kicked him repeatedly, and attempted to set fire to his hair and privates with a lighter. Power claimed he was intoxicated, having drunk about 16 cans of cider and smoked crack cocaine before the killing. Forensic evidence showed blunt‑force trauma to the head and neck, with blood patterns matching the accused's shoes. Power pleaded not guilty to murder but was found guilty and given a mandatory life sentence, back‑dated to 18 September 2014.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 14 November 2016, Elliot Kidd, aged 25, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended, subject to strict conditions including engagement with the Probation Service and addiction and mental‑health services. Kidd pleaded guilty to possessing drugs for sale or supply on 11 June 2015. He was part of a scheme that moved €778,000 of cannabis imported from Spain, hidden under scented candles. The drugs were discovered when a customs officer with a sniffer dog found 37.9 kg of cannabis herb packed in pallets at a warehouse on 9 June 2015. Kidd, along with co‑accused Jonathan Carberry (35) and Gavin Mulvey (35), were arrested while unloading the pallets at Bath Lane, Dublin. Carberry received a seven‑year sentence with two years suspended, and Mulvey received three years with the last year suspended.
Thomas "Slab" Murphy, 67, appealed a conviction for tax evasion related to a cattle farm at Ballybinaby, Hackballscross, Co. Louth. He had pleaded not guilty to nine charges covering 1996/97 to 2004. The Special Criminal Court found him guilty on all counts and sentenced him to 18 months' imprisonment. In the appeal, his barrister John Kearney QC argued that Murphy's brother, Patrick, had controlled the farm since before 1991 and that the authorities had targeted Thomas for tax that Patrick had already paid. Kearney cited documents and banking evidence suggesting Patrick operated the farm and the accounts, and that Thomas had no involvement in cattle farming. He presented 48 grounds of appeal, and the Court of Appeal hearing was scheduled to conclude the following day.
Brian Veale, 31, was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Graham Johnson in the kitchen of Cork Prison on 16 May 2015. Veale stabbed Johnson through the heart with a carving knife after an argument over television channels. The jury found him guilty after deliberating for 1 hour 56 minutes. Victim impact statements were read by Johnson's sister, Vivienne, and his 13‑year‑old daughter, describing the loss and emotional toll. Veale, originally from Dungarvan, had 105 prior convictions and was already in custody on a robbery charge when the murder occurred. The judge imposed the mandatory life sentence, consecutive to a previous offence imposed on 28 February 2015. The court heard that the knife used was available to kitchen staff and that the incident followed a brief confrontation over a horse‑racing channel. The case concluded with the judge's sentencing and no further legal proceedings reported. Brian Veale pleaded not guilty.
In a 2016 Central Criminal Court hearing, 52‑year‑old Liam Power, a man of no fixed abode, told Gardaí that he had repeatedly kicked a 41‑year‑old Latvian man, Gints Intembergs, before removing his clothes and attempting to burn him. Power claimed he had been "frightened" and "like an animal" during the incident, which took place on the night of 15 September 2014, with Intembergs found dead on the kitchen floor the next morning. Power admitted drinking about 16 cans of beer and smoking crack cocaine in the hours before the alleged murder. He also said he had used a lighter to try to set fire to the victim's privates, with co‑accused Dzintars Sackalausks (33) assisting. Power pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, while Sackalausks pleaded not guilty to murder. The trial continued on Monday before Justice Isobel Kennedy and a jury.
In the Central Criminal Court, DNA on latex gloves and cloths with firearms residue matched James 'Jimmy' Lammon, 44, accused of murdering 22‑year‑old Jason Doogue on 21 August 2015. Forensic Science Ireland scientist Kristen O'Connor identified Lammon's DNA on the gloves, found by gardai near his home, and on two cloths from a black toolbox in a house belonging to Paul Day, partner of Lammon's sister. Dr Thomas Hannigan confirmed firearms residue on the gloves and cloths. Lammon pleaded not guilty. Defence counsel Mary Rose Gearty called his brother Johnny, who described a dog‑shooting the day before Doogue's murder and noted Lammon wore green latex gloves that evening. A neighbour, Anthony Keogh, testified seeing Lammon in his yard that night. Justice Paul Butler ended the evidence session, with the trial to resume before a jury tomorrow.
During a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, a witness testified that on 16 May 2015, in the kitchen of Cork Prison, an argument over television channels escalated between Brian Veale (31) and Graham Johnson. Johnson, who wanted to watch a horse race, threatened Veale that he would "batter" him and told him to leave. Veale allegedly approached Johnson with a kitchen knife, inserted it into Johnson's chest, causing a 6‑cm stab wound that penetrated the sternum, sliced the heart and aorta, and resulted in fatal haemorrhage. The knife was then thrown onto the counter. State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy confirmed the post‑mortem findings, describing the wound trajectory and the heart's perforation. The case is proceeding before Justice Isobel Kennedy with a jury of twelve, and the trial is expected to last five days. Brian Veale pleaded not guilty.
James 'Jimmy' Lammon, aged 44, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jason Doogue, 22, in Athy on 21 August 2015. At the Central Criminal Court, Lammon told the court that Gardaí would never be able to charge him and that they had "nothing" to prove. He claimed that the shooter was a fully covered rider on a bike who matched his height and build, and that the bullet was intended for Jamie Quinn. Lammon also denied being in the Green Hills area that day and said he had used latex gloves to pick up a dead dog, not to conceal a crime. The trial heard that a witness would not be available until Monday afternoon, and the prosecution's evidence was nearly finished. The case remains at the trial stage.
The High Court has dismissed a damages claim against Northern Ireland's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, ruling that the body is entitled to sovereign immunity as an agent of the British Crown. The action was brought by Co Wicklow potato farmers Paul and John Brady, who alleged that in 2012 they purchased €88,000 worth of seed potatoes sourced in Co Down that subsequently failed. The applicants claimed total crop losses of €332,000 and alleged the Department was negligent in certifying two batches of Premier Elite seed potatoes as fit for purpose. They contended that shortcomings in the examination of the seed by inspectors resulted in their crop being suitable only for animal feed. In a pretrial motion, the Department argued that the Dublin Court lacked jurisdiction to hear the claim against it. At the time the proceedings were launched, Sinn Fein's MLA Michelle O'Neill was NI's Minister for Agriculture; she has since been replaced by DUP MLA Michelle McIlveen. Mr Justice Seamus Noonan held that the Minister and the Department were agents of the Crown, exercising executive powers under the Northern Ireland Act of 1998. The judge determined that the Department was administering the seed certification programme in a public law capacity, not engaging in private trade. Consequently, the court was not competent to adjudicate upon the administrative acts of a foreign sovereign's agent. The statement of claim against the NI Department was set aside. The Brady's damages claim against other defendants remains live.
Judge Patrick McCartan sentenced the mother to two years' imprisonment after hearing a moving account of her child's cruelty. The mother, who pleaded guilty to child cruelty between 10 October and 13 December 2012, was found to have neglected her daughter for four days while intoxicated. The child, who was left alone, recalled eating fish food because she was hungry and described her mother as unpredictable and frightening. She was lonely, with only a dog for company, and later engaged in self‑harm. The court heard that the child had severe lice, scabbing, and a poor physical condition, and that she had been absent from school for two weeks without explanation. The mother denied leaving the child alone, but evidence of alcohol, dirty dishes, and a broken vodka bottle was presented. The sentence reflects the mid‑range offence of utter neglect of a young child's needs.
In 2016, a Dublin woman, aged 46, was beaten by her husband with a hammer and later raped. She thanked a passer‑by who set the husband's dog on him, chasing him away. The husband, 42, was convicted of rape, threatening to kill, and assault. He pleaded guilty to attempting serious harm and assaulting the victim's mother. During the sentencing hearing, the victim described fearing murder in front of her four‑year‑old son and the husband's "absolute determination" to kill her. The court noted the husband's low risk of future violence but the victim remained terrified of his release. He was remanded in custody until the sentencing date. The case was the third marital‑rape conviction since the 1990 law change. The victim's impact statement detailed lasting trauma and fear for herself and her son.
In July 2016 the Central Criminal Court sentenced a 67‑year‑old Kerry man to 13 years' imprisonment for raping and sexually assaulting his daughter and two granddaughters between 1995 and 2014. The court noted the abuse spanned two generations, with the youngest victim aged six to nine and the older granddaughter aged nine to ten. The defendant admitted using a condom during the rape of the younger granddaughter while babysitting. He also confessed to assaulting his daughter between ages ten and fourteen, including touching her breasts and forcing her to touch his genitals. He pleaded guilty to all charges, had no prior convictions, and was described as a "wolf in sheep's clothing." The judge imposed consecutive sentences totaling 13 years, with the defendant now estranged from his family. The court heard victim impact statements from the daughter and the youngest grandchild, who reported the abuse after a school "Stay Safe" program.
Andrew Smith, a 24‑year‑old mechanic from Navan, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his girlfriend Chloe Cherry on 27 October 2013. The original sentence of two‑and‑a‑half years, with six months suspended, was imposed by Judge Michael O'Shea on 18 June 2015. Smith appealed, arguing that the sentencing judge failed to resolve a factual conflict regarding an alleged incident in which he supposedly locked Cherry in a dog cage. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice Alan Mahon, found that the judge had not conducted a "Newton type hearing" and had accepted the victim's account of the dog‑cage allegation as true, an error in principle. Consequently, Smith was re‑sentenced to two years' imprisonment, with 15 months suspended, and was required to enter a good‑behaviour bond for the suspended period. The appeal did not alter any other aspects of the case.
During a funeral in Dublin, Liam O'Connell, aged 26, attacked Seamus Mooney, 58, after attempting to kick one of Mooney's dogs. O'Connell punched Mooney between six and ten times while Mooney lay on the ground, and also kicked the dog. Mooney defended himself with a walking stick, which he carried after a recent hip replacement. O'Connell pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Witnesses observed the assault, and a passing motorist stopped the attack before O'Connell and his family left in a taxi. Gardaí later identified O'Connell and arrested him. Mooney was taken to hospital for swelling, bleeding, cuts and facial numbness. O'Connell was sentenced to 14 months' imprisonment, with no compensation or community service imposed. The case highlighted O'Connell's 16 prior convictions, including violent disorder. The judge noted his drunken state and mourning as mitigating factors but still imposed the jail term.
In a Court of Appeal hearing, Andrew Smith (24) contested the claim that he had locked his girlfriend, Chloe Cherry, in a dog cage during an assault. Smith, who pleaded guilty to assaulting Cherry on 27 October 2013, was sentenced in June 2015 to two and a half years in prison, with the final six months suspended. His lawyer, Patrick McCullough BL, argued that the cage allegation was a disputed fact denied by Smith and that the judge treated it as an aggravating factor without investigating it. He also claimed the trial judge failed to consider rehabilitation, Smith's lack of prior convictions, early guilty plea, remorse, and compensation offered. The State's lawyer, Orla Crowe BL, maintained the cage claim was part of the evidence and that it was the defence's responsibility to challenge it. The judge reserved judgment until 5 July.
Thomas "Slab" Murphy, 66, was convicted by a non‑jury Special Criminal Court of nine tax‑evasion offences for failing to file returns on income, profits or gains from 1996 to 2004. The court found he owed €189,964 in tax and that the Cab's assessment of his tax bill was €5,344,157. Evidence included a March 2006 search of an outhouse on the border with Northern Ireland, where investigators seized documents, ledgers, cash worth €256,235, £111,185, uncashed cheques worth €579,000, £80,000 and €24,000, and evidence of cattle purchases and sales totalling over €700,000. Murphy's defence claimed his brother Patrick controlled the farming activities. He was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment on 26 February. In March, his counsel filed a 47‑ground appeal, seeking a provisional hearing in November, and also challenged the sentence's severity. The Court of Appeal set a provisional hearing for 22 November, to be confirmed in June. The unnamed 66-year-old pleaded not guilty.
The High Court will decide on Friday whether to extend an injunction that prevented disruption of an auction of 1,000 cows and calves belonging to Peter and Tracey Kingston of Craden Hill Farm, Kinsale. The injunction was granted by the Cork County Sheriff, Solicitor Sinead McNamara, after concerns that members of the Land League and New Land League, including spokesman Jerry Beades, might interfere with the sale. The auction took place on 12 April and the cattle were sold, but two bidders failed to pay, raising the possibility of resale. McNamara seeks further orders to protect the collection of animals from the farm and to prevent bidding that could frustrate the sale. Beades, representing himself, disputed the injunction's validity, claiming no connection to the Kingstons and that the protest was peaceful. During the hearing, heated exchanges occurred between Beades and Judge Gilligan, who warned that further derogatory remarks would result in his removal from the court.
In a High Court case concerning the auction of more than 1,000 cattle owned by Peter and Tracey Kingston of Craden Hill Farm, the action was adjourned. The Kingston farm had entered receivership last year, and a receiver was appointed. The Cork County Sheriff, Sinead McNamara, secured an injunction to prevent protesters from disrupting the sale, which was held on 12 April and resulted in the cattle being sold. Two bidders who had won about 500 animals failed to pay, raising the possibility of resale. The Sheriff's counsel, Frank Callanan SC, requested an extension of the injunction, citing urgent developments, including an expiring export licence. Jerry Beades, representing himself, challenged the injunction's validity, claimed he was not involved with the Kingstons, and sought to have the order set aside. He also accused the judge of unfairness and requested recusal, but Justice Paul Gilligan denied the request and rejected the accusations.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 31‑year‑old Ian Brady, formerly of Beaver Street, was sentenced to a three‑year suspended term for assault causing harm to Garda Gerard O'Toole on 17 June 2014. Brady, who now lives in hostel accommodation and has 38 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to the offence. The incident occurred when Garda Shona Moran approached Brady and another man after suspecting a drug deal. Brady's companion fled, and O'Toole, a 51‑year‑old GPO worker, attempted to stop the fleeing man. Brady punched O'Toole in the forehead, an act captured on CCTV, leaving O'Toole with a severe laceration and a permanent scar. O'Toole expressed in a victim impact report that he would think twice about helping a garda again. Brady's defence described him as a "white sheep" of his family, noting his background, job loss, depression and drug use, and stated he had not been involved with garda attention since the incident.
The High Court granted an injunction to stop any interference with the auction of 1,000 cattle belonging to Peter and Tracey Kingston, winners of RTE's 'Ireland's Fittest Family'. The auction, scheduled for Tuesday morning at the Kingston farm in Cradenhill, Nohoval, Co. Cork, was threatened by the Land League and the New Land League, whose spokesman Mr Jerry Beades had posted on Facebook indicating an intention to disrupt the sale. The Sheriff of County Cork, Sinead McNamara, sought the injunction after attempts to secure an undertaking from Mr Beades failed. Mr Justice Paul Gilligan ordered that members of the two groups and Mr Beades could not interfere with or attend the auction from midnight on Monday for several days. The injunction, made ex‑parte, is returnable next week and may be applied for on 24‑hour notice. The order also applies to anyone with knowledge of it.
Thomas "Slab" Murphy, a prominent republican farmer and cattle dealer, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to 18 months' imprisonment for nine tax‑evasion charges covering 1996‑2004. The court found he failed to file returns for farming income, profits or gains, and that he owed Revenue approximately €190,000. The judge noted the case was tried as a farmer and cattle dealer, that publicity did not influence the decision, and that mitigating factors included Murphy's age, lack of prior convictions, and his current employment as a yards man. Murphy, through his solicitor, maintains his innocence and has instructed his legal team to appeal. No fine or suspended sentence was imposed, and the nine concurrent sentences run from the hearing date. The court considered the case's evidence, including seized documents, cash, and un‑cashed cheques, and the fact that Murphy had no assets. The decision was made after a 32‑day trial. The unnamed accused pleaded guilty.
Tom "Slab" Murphy, born August 1949 in Ballybinaby, Co. Louth, is alleged to have been a former Chief of Staff of the Provisional IRA and to have run a cross‑border smuggling operation from his family farm that straddled the Republic‑Northern Ireland border. Court documents and affidavits from the Criminal Assets Bureau, Gardaí, customs and PSNI describe how the farm, which Murphy inherited in 1968, was used to smuggle pigs, cattle, fuel and oil between the two jurisdictions. The operation involved large storage tanks, underground tanks, and concealed dispensing machines that allowed fuel to be moved across the border. Affidavits also report the discovery of €256,245 and £111,185 in cash and cheques during a 2006 raid. Murphy has pursued libel actions against the Sunday Times, but the court found against him in both 1990 and 1998 trials. The case highlights the alleged scale of the smuggling enterprise and the legal challenges faced by authorities.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 5 February 2016, Detective Garda Michael McGrath presented CCTV footage that linked three suspects to the March 2009 murder of Seamus 'Shay' O'Byrne in Tallaght. The footage showed Gary Flynn (31) entering the Leisureplex in Coolock with Eugene Cullen and another suspect at 8.50 pm, after the fatal shooting at 8.14 pm. McGrath identified Flynn's Nissan Primera, missing a headlight and wing mirror, and Garrett O'Brien's white Micra, both seen near the Red Cow roundabout. He also described a saloon with a defective headlight entering Tymon Park minutes before the shooting, though the exact make was disputed by defence counsel, who cited teenage witnesses claiming a Volkswagen Passat. Dr Michael Burrington testified that DNA from a mobile phone matched O'Brien's profile, with a one‑in‑two‑million chance of coincidence. The case proceeded to trial before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of nine men and three women. Gary Flynn pleaded not guilty.
Gary Flynn, of Rossfield Drive, Tallaght, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court, having pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Seamus 'Shay' O'Byrne at Tymon North Park on March 13, 2009. Prosecuting counsel Alex Owens SC stated it is the prosecution's case that Flynn was part of a "murder gang" that plotted the killing. Detective Garda Michael McGrath testified that gardai trawled through days of CCTV footage from south and west Dublin to investigate the incident. He presented footage tracking a Ford Transit Van, a red Honda Accord, and a white Nissan on March 12. The evidence showed Eugene Cullen arriving in the Ford Transit to purchase petrol, while Garret O'Brien arrived in the Honda Accord wearing a New York Yankees cap and blue hoodie. A second man in a grey Nike jumper was also observed. Footage from the Red Cow Hotel area indicated an interaction between the vehicles. On the day of the alleged murder, a speed camera captured the Nissan Micra with a driver wearing similar attire to O'Brien. The trial continues before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of nine men and three women.
Thomas Murphy, aged 66, from Ballybinaby, Hackballscross, County Louth, has been found guilty of nine counts of tax evasion at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin. The three-judge court determined that Murphy failed to furnish returns of income to the Collector General or Inspector of Taxes for the years 1996 to 2004, despite conducting substantial farming operations. Evidence presented during the 32-day trial included testimony from Department of Agriculture staff, managers at cattle marts in Roscommon, Ballyjamesduff, Kingscourt and Elphin, meat factory representatives, and Criminal Assets Bureau investigators. The court heard that Murphy received over €100,000 in farming grants and conducted cattle transactions exceeding €500,000 across various livestock marts. Murphy's defence, that his brother Patrick controlled the farming activities, was rejected by the judges. Forensic analysis of a bank account operated in Murphy's name revealed significant financial activity. Murphy was remanded on continuing bail pending sentencing on 12 February 2016.
A 16‑year‑old boy was sentenced to two and a half years' detention for violently robbing a woman at a Luas stop on 2 December 2014 and for burglary and criminal damage at the Black Horse Inn on the same day. He also pleaded guilty to criminal damage of three cars, theft of a Garmin Sat Nav and possession of a wheelbrace on 6 January 2015. The court noted that he had 29 prior convictions, including thefts and criminal damage, since March 2014. He was described by the court as a danger to society. The judge imposed four years' detention for the phone robbery, suspended the final 18 months, and added the other offences to the sentence. A co‑accused, Carl Farrell (23), received two years' consecutive sentences for car‑park damage and burglary, with a one‑year sentence for criminal damage and theft to run consecutively to a one‑year burglary term.
Daniel Ennis, aged 20, was sentenced to six years in prison after a series of violent incidents in Ballyfermot, Dublin. In January 2014 he threatened to kill or seriously harm Garda Ryan and Garda Doyle when they searched his back garden for a stolen postbag and bike. He also threatened to kill or seriously harm Linda Carrie and Lena Tims, to damage property, and was found in possession of a firearm on 8 May 2015. Ennis threw a small dog, a paving slab and a bike at four Gardaí, threatened to ram a patrol car, and shouted from an upstairs window that he was armed with a knife. Over a year later, while on bail, he fired shots at a house on Oranmore Road, where a woman was sleeping after being released from hospital, after threatening to blow the occupants' heads off and to burn the house down. Daniel Ennis pleaded guilty.