The Special Criminal Court heard eyewitness testimony in the ongoing trial of Lee Canavan, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of shoe shop manager David Douglas (55) in Dublin 1 on July 1, 2016. Mr. Douglas was shot six times, sustaining injuries to his chest, neck, back, torso, elbow, and jaw. Canavan also denies a second charge of criminal damage to a Suzuki Swift on July 4, 2016. Prosecution counsel described the incident as a meticulously planned assassination, alleging Canavan was the shooter. Witness Shane Egan testified that he saw a man enter the shop, heard shots, and observed the suspect walk away while smirking. Medical evidence confirmed Mr. Douglas died at 4:55 pm. A loaded semi-automatic pistol was recovered at the scene. Evidence also linked Canavan to a Mitsubishi involved in the alleged arson of the Suzuki Swift, where he was arrested with €1,065 in cash and petrol on his clothing. The court noted that Nathan Foley (22) was jailed for six years in 2019 after pleading guilty to assisting a criminal organisation by driving one of four cars and buying mobile phones. Additionally, Frederick 'Fat Freddie' Thompson (41) was jailed for life in 2018 for the murder, and Gareth Brophy (26) received a ten-year sentence in February 2020 for acting as a getaway driver. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath.
David Dwyer, 37, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment after a drunken domestic incident on 22 February 2018. While intoxicated, he held a knife to his then partner's neck and threatened to stab two Gardaí who had entered the house. He refused to drop the knife, drew a second blade and threw both knives at the officers. The Garda used pepper spray and a baton before handcuffing him. Dwyer pleaded guilty to the offence of producing an article in the course of a dispute. His prior convictions include arson, robbery, assault and possession of knives. The judge noted his bad temper and advised him to abstain from alcohol, expressing hope for his reform. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Derek Lennon, aged 34, of Neagh Road, Terenure, Dublin 6, had his prison sentence increased by 18 months by the Court of Appeal after a violent assault on State witness Niall Fitzgerald. Lennon had 72 prior convictions, including robbery, arson, assault and assault causing harm. In March 2016 he was convicted of dangerous driving for a motorbike crash, banned from driving for six years and sentenced to 90 hours community service. In 2018, after Fitzgerald was called to testify again, Lennon intimidated him, threatened to kill him, and attacked him with a plank of wood, leaving a permanent scar and dental damage. Lennon pleaded guilty to two counts of intimidation, criminal damage to CCTV cameras, assault causing harm, production of a length of wood and threatening to kill. Judge Martin Nolan originally sentenced him to four and a half years.
In July 2018 a homeless drug addict, Vaidas Pilibaitis, 46, entered the stockroom of a Louis Copeland menswear shop on Pembroke Street, Dublin, and accidentally set fire to a cardboard box of shirts while smoking. The blaze spread, causing nearly €400,000 in damage, and Pilibaitis suffered smoke inhalation and a badly injured arm after breaking a window to escape. He was caught by CCTV, left his rucksack and mobile at the scene, and later claimed no memory of the event. Pilibaitis pleaded guilty to one count of criminal damage. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that the fire was not intentional but reckless, sentencing him to two and a half years' imprisonment, noting a double sentence would have applied if the damage had been intentional. The case also involved a separate violent disorder charge pending sentencing. The store suffered extensive smoke damage, required repainting and replacement of props, and was closed for about a week.
Four men are to stand trial at the Central Criminal Court in June 2021 on charges of attempting to murder Wayne Whelan in a shooting at Griffeen Glen Park, Lucan, Co Dublin on September 4, 2019. Darren Henderson, Cailean Crawford, and Charles McClean, all with Dublin addresses, face the charge alongside Wayne Ryan of Longford. The four are also accused of arson relating to a Ford Focus set alight at the Old Bog Road in Kilcock, Co Kildare on the same date. At a hearing before Mr Justice Michael White, the Director of Public Prosecutions applied to consolidate the trials, which was granted. The trial, expected to last six weeks, is scheduled to commence on June 21, 2021. Whelan survived the initial shooting but was killed in a separate incident two months later.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Shaun Groome, 32, to 15 years' imprisonment for a brutal assault on Ciarán Murphy, 32, which involved 16 stab wounds and an arson attack that left Murphy with 96 % burns. Groome pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and criminal damage by arson. The judge described the offence as "exceptional" and noted Groome's "murderous intent" despite his guilty plea, reducing the headline 20‑year sentence to 15 years with no suspended portion. Groome claimed his actions were driven by misinformation that Murphy was a Garda informant and that he was influenced by drugs. The court considered his remorse, prior convictions, and potential for rehabilitation, but imposed the full custodial term. Murphy suffered severe injuries, lost his ears, and continues to endure pain. The case also involved co‑accused David Keena, 21, who received a five‑year sentence for his role.
In a Dublin city‑centre nightclub incident on 7 July 2019, a masked mob armed with a hatchet and a petrol bomb—made from a Hennessy brandy bottle—attempted to force entry into Lost Lane nightclub on Grafton Street. Moses Lulendo, aged 19, joined the group, some members wearing face coverings. The mob sought revenge against those they believed were inside the club and linked to a prior attack on a relative of Lulendo's, following an earlier car attack involving Lulendo and another man. Detective Garda Sarah Barry reported that the mob's intent was retaliation. Lulendo pleaded guilty to violent disorder and to two earlier iPhone robberies. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to 18 months' imprisonment for the disorder charge and 26 months for the robberies, suspending eight months on condition of probation for 12 months. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
David Canning, a homeless 28‑year‑old, set fire to a bag of clothes outside a St Vincent de Paul charity shop in Coolock Village Centre on 4 September 2017. The blaze spread to four commercial premises, causing €159,590 in damage and €318,000 in economic loss, and forced the evacuation of nearby apartments, though no injuries were reported. Canning admitted guilt to arson, citing family difficulties and the influence of benzodiazepines he referred to as "Up Johns." He had previous convictions but none for arson. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to six and a half years, suspending the final 18 months. The sentence reflected the significant risk and economic impact on the businesses, including the loss of jobs at The Discount Store and the prolonged closure of the charity shop. The case was prosecuted by John Byrne BL and defended by Luigi Rea BL. The incident was captured on CCTV, and Canning was arrested the same day. David Canning pleaded guilty.
Ian Morton, 31, was sentenced to a suspended three‑year term for setting fire to a doorway on Harold's Cross Road, Dublin, on 6 October 2019. He had been drinking heavily in a pub in Harold's Cross the previous night, was asked to leave for intoxication, then drove to a nearby garage where he bought €5 of petrol. He returned and lit the fire, which was quickly extinguished by barmen. CCTV captured the purchase and his car registration led to his arrest the next day. Morton suffered burns on his arms, hands and face and was treated in hospital. He pleaded guilty to one count of arson, has two prior drink‑driving convictions, and suffers from bipolar disorder. The judge noted his alcohol abuse and drug use contributed to the offence, and that he is now drug‑ and alcohol‑free, receiving counselling and medication. The suspended sentence is conditional on support measures.
Shaun Groome, aged 32, pleaded guilty via video link to a 2015 attack on drug dealer Ciarán Murphy. He admitted to causing serious harm and to criminal damage by arson at Murphy's home in Coolcor, Offaly, between 6 and 7 September 2015. Groome's co‑accused, David Keena, 21, had been jailed for five years for assault causing serious harm and arson. Murphy, 29, was stabbed 16 times and set on fire after a false rumor that he was a Garda informant. He suffered 96 % burns from the neck down and multiple stab wounds, including to the heart cavity. The court heard Groome was arrested at Baldonnel Aerodrome; a warrant had been issued. Judge Martin Nolan remanded Groome in custody and scheduled a sentencing hearing for 21 December, when full facts will be considered.
In November 2020 the Court of Appeal upheld a six‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for Mark Harte, 26, who set fire to a Flyefit gym in Coolock in July 2016. Harte admitted the arson was committed for a criminal gang after a drug debt from cocaine use. He appealed the severity of the sentence, arguing he had pleaded guilty, was at low risk of re‑offending and had shown positive rehabilitation progress. The appeal judge, citing the planned nature of the offence and the estimated damage of well over €1 million, found no error in the trial judge's discretion. The original headline sentence of 11 years was reduced to nine years, with the final two and a half years suspended on the condition of addiction counselling. The appeal court did not alter the sentence, confirming the six‑and‑a‑half‑year custodial term as imposed.
In March 2019, Phuong Nguyen, aged 42, carried out an "orgy of criminal damage" against his relatives in Dublin. Armed with a meat cleaver and a shatter hammer, he set fire to his aunt's apartment in Newtown Court, Coolock, and later to his sister's house and cars at Templeview Green, Clarehall. The arson caused €165,000 of damage. Nguyen also threatened to kill two family members and was found to be experiencing a psychotic episode due to illicit drug use, including crack cocaine, at the time. He pleaded guilty to five counts of arson, four of criminal damage, three of possessing a meat cleaver in a dispute, and two of threatening to kill. On sentencing, Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a nine‑year prison term, suspending the final three and a half years on conditions, after noting Nguyen's remorse and drug‑free status. No serious injuries occurred, though a two‑year‑old child was present during the incidents.
Richard Bourke, aged 37, appealed against an 11‑year sentence for setting fire to the home of Detective Garda John Griffin. The appeal was dismissed by a three‑judge Court of Appeal. Bourke had pleaded guilty to two arson counts in February 2019, claiming he was intoxicated and that the attack was a "f*** you" to the detective, who had charged him with murder two decades earlier. The court noted premeditation, the fact that the house was occupied, and the damage caused. Judge Patricia Ryan had imposed an 11‑year term with the final three years suspended, citing mitigating factors such as Bourke's early guilty plea and his work record. The Court of Appeal found no reason to increase the sentence and upheld the original ruling. The case remains a criminal proceeding with no further outcome reported.
Warren Nolan, 18 when he shot Alan O'Neill, 35, in Tallaght on 27 May 2015, was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. He appealed to the Court of Appeal on the basis that the case against him was circumstantial, citing the absence of a test on a hoodie that had been lost during the investigation. The trial had found gunshot residue on his gloves and accelerant on his t‑shirt, but the hoodie was never examined. Nolan denied both the shooting and the arson. The Court of Appeal, led by Justice George Birmingham, rejected the appeal, stating that the missing hoodie did not materially affect the fairness of the trial and that the evidence presented was sufficient to uphold the conviction. The appeal was dismissed, leaving Nolan's life sentence intact.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, David Keena, aged 21, was sentenced to six and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, for his role in a 2015 arson attack on Ciarán Murphy, a low‑level drug dealer in Offaly. Keena, who was 17 at the time, pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and criminal damage by arson. He was found to have stabbed Murphy 16 times and poured petrol over him, resulting in 96 % burns and multiple stab wounds, including to the heart. Murphy survived but suffered life‑threatening injuries and permanent physical and mental trauma. Keena's sentence runs consecutively with a previously imposed six‑year term for a drug‑dealing offence. The court noted Keena's youth, lack of prior convictions and drug use as mitigating factors. The case involved a false rumour that Murphy was a Garda informant, spread by his former girlfriend, which the court found to be untrue.
In October 2019, 31‑year‑old Ian Morton, after being asked to leave a pub in Harold's Cross for drunkenness, drove to a nearby garage, bought €5 of petrol, and set fire to the doorway of a house on Harold's Cross Road. Witnesses at the pub saw the fire and extinguished it with a fire extinguisher, but the building, which housed several apartments, was evacuated and suffered smoke damage. Morton, who had burns on his arms, hands and face, was arrested the next day at his aunt's house. He pleaded guilty to one count of arson. The court noted he had two prior drink‑driving convictions, had no memory of the incident, and was deeply remorseful. He has stopped drinking, is seeking rehabilitation, and has €2,000 available as a token of remorse. The matter was adjourned for finalisation on 7 December.
Jordan Fay, 25, was jailed for three years after setting fire to a wheelie bin in the underground carpark of an apartment complex, causing €40,450 worth of damage. Fay entered the carpark by forcing his way into a security hut, claiming to be a security guard, and was arrested when Gardaí arrived. He pleaded guilty to arson at Parkgate Place, Parkgate Street, Dublin 8, on 3 November 2018, and a charge of stealing a phone and high‑visibility jacket was also taken into account. Fay had 53 previous convictions, all dealt with in the District Court. The court noted his drug addiction and intoxication at the time of arrest, and he was found to have no obvious or malicious motive. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a four‑year custodial sentence, suspended the final year on condition that Fay engage with the Probation Service for a year upon release.
Rebecca Coates, aged 45, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to arson at Avondale Park, Mulhuddart, on 10 March 2019. She set fire to her sister's camper van after a verbal disagreement at a hen party in the city centre. Coates used an empty bottle of Prosecco and nail polish remover as an accelerant, intending to frighten her sister. The fire was discovered by her nephew, who extinguished it, and the damage amounted to €800. Judge Pauline Codd noted Coates' mental health decline following her daughter's suicide in 2017 and her history of domestic violence. She sentenced Coates to four years' imprisonment, suspended in full, with strict conditions including compliance with the Probation Service for two years and payment of €800 to the prosecuting Garda within six months. The injured party may nominate a charity to receive the money.
In September 2015 a low‑level drug dealer, Ciarán Murphy (29), was stabbed 16 times and set on fire at his home in Coolcor, Offaly, after his ex‑girlfriend spread a false rumour that he was a Garda informant. Murphy suffered 96 % burns from the neck down, multiple stab wounds including to the heart cavity, and lost both ears. He was treated at Tullamore Regional Hospital and later St James's Hospital, Dublin, undergoing several emergency surgeries and skin grafts. David Keena (21) was remanded in custody after admitting he was present when Shaun Groome (31) stabbed Murphy and poured petrol over him. Keena pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and criminal damage by arson. Groome had been charged with assault causing serious harm in November 2015, but no prosecution has yet taken place. The case was adjourned to 28 July 2020 for sentencing.
Thomas Green (20), of Bluebell, Dublin 8, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to arson at Oberstown Children Detention Campus on August 29, 2016. He also admitted two charges of unlawful use of a vehicle and one count of robbery involving two mobiles and cash. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a total of five years imprisonment, suspending the final year. The court noted Green had 93 previous convictions and a drug problem. Prosecution evidence described Green as playing an active role in the incident, which caused €3 million in damage to the unit. In related matters, co-accused Shane Farrelly (20) was previously jailed for two years after pleading guilty to public disorder and damaging property at the centre. Three other youths who pleaded guilty to arson were jailed for five years, with the final two years suspended. Green was not charged with stealing the vehicles he drove, nor with damage to a convenience store or a jewellery shop, though he admitted shattering a window in the latter. The judge acknowledged Green's apology and potential for rehabilitation.
Amir Essalhi, 35, of Burg an Ri Walk, Balgaddy, Clondalkin, Dublin, pleaded guilty to four armed robberies and one attempted robbery committed over a nine‑day period in November 2018. The incidents included robberies at Ebano Hair & Beauty Salon, Ballinteer Shopping Centre, Centra on Drummartin Road, Centra on Ballinteer Road, and an attempted robbery at Spar on Rockville Road, Blackrock. Essalhi admitted possession of weapons ranging from a screwdriver to a knife at each event, with threats of violence but no actual violence. He has 65 prior convictions for robbery, arson, burglary and assault causing harm. Judge Martin Nolan, noting the seriousness of the offences and the mitigating effect of Essalhi's guilty pleas, sentenced him to four‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment. The defence highlighted Essalhi's background, his brother's murder in 2011, his drug‑free status at the time of the offences, his two children and parental support, and his remorse, requesting leniency.
The High Court heard that a 16‑year‑old boy was being used by older peers to fight other youngsters in an illegal fight club. The Child and Family Agency (CFA) sought orders to place the boy in a secure special care unit for his welfare and safety. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Mark Sanfey, extended the boy's placement for an additional three months. Counsel for the CFA, David Leahy BL, explained that the boy had previously been detained under a temporary order due to his "very disturbing behaviour." Investigations revealed that he had been found in the boot of a car, placed there by older peers, and had been involved in violent fights. The boy has also reported drug and alcohol use, and is accused of sexual assault, hijacking a car, assault, criminal damage, and arson. He has had several voluntary placements, including foster care, but these ended in homelessness.
In February 2020, Gerard Dunne, aged 32, was jailed for four years after he hurled an ignited petrol bomb toward Garda Karl Kelly, who was waiting for a vehicle to be towed on the Link Road, Darndale, Dublin. Dunne, who had been cycling on a pink and white bike, threw the device across the road; it struck a curb, exploded, and produced a flame. Garda Kelly narrowly avoided injury by moving out of the way. Dunne was arrested, shown CCTV footage of the incident, and later pleaded guilty to endangerment and possession of a petrol bomb. He denied intent to target the Garda but admitted the possibility after being named a suspect. The court noted his 97 prior convictions and his heroin addiction, and sentenced him to four and a half years, suspending the final six months for 12 months on strict conditions.
Paul Crosby, 24, of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, was released on bail by the High Court on 24 May last year after being charged with possession of a stolen silver Yamaha motorcycle on 21 November 2019 and possession of a stolen Volkswagen Polo on 10 May 2019, as well as arson for setting the Polo on fire at Yellowbatter Drogheda on the same day. Since his release, Garda Donal Clarke reported several alleged breaches of his bail conditions. On 16 January, a warrant was issued for his arrest, and he was taken into custody at Beechwood Drive, Drogheda, at 19:01 on Sunday. The warrant was executed at the Central Criminal Court, where Justice Michael White remanded him to Cloverhill. Crosby's solicitor, Lily Buckley BL, expressed that her client was anxious to address the court himself and wished to give evidence regarding the context of the matters.
Sean Howard, aged 32, was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment for arson after a fire he claimed was started to keep warm spiralled out of control. The blaze began when he lit a piece of cardboard in a bin behind the Temple Bar Hotel in Dublin on 28 April 2019 while intoxicated and under the influence of drugs. The fire melted the bins, damaged the hotel's back wall, boiler and double metal doors, and forced the evacuation of 236 guests. Howard pleaded guilty to arson at the hotel and to a prior arson on 3 April 2019, which caused €3,000 of damage and required the evacuation of two rooms. He has 132 previous convictions, including three for arson, and the judge cited his substance use as a major problem. The sentence was three and a half years, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions.
Richard Bourke, aged 36, was sentenced to eight years in prison for arson after setting fire to the front door of Detective Garda John Griffin's house in Finglas. The incident occurred on 26 February 2019, when Bourke first lit a small flame and then threw petrol, creating a fireball that forced the Griffins to call 999. The attack caused smoke damage to the hall and required the front door to be replaced. Bourke pleaded guilty to two counts of arson at two Finglas locations and to stealing petrol from a Circle K station. He also admitted setting fire to a derelict building near the airport. The court noted premeditation, the occupied nature of the house, and Bourke's history of bipolar disorder and drug abuse. The sentence was 11 years with the final three years suspended, resulting in an eight‑year custodial term. The Griffins suffered an "indelible scar" and increased security measures following the attack.
A 21‑year‑old man, Blake Sweeney, was sentenced to eight years and six months' imprisonment for the manslaughter of Robert Elston, 33, after Sweeney stabbed Elston twice in the abdomen. The incident occurred on 23 May 2018 when Elston set fire to a car in the Sweeney family driveway. Sweeney, who had been told by his mother to stay at home, pursued Elston into the house armed with a knife. The judge noted that Sweeney had no pre‑meditation, had offered to plead guilty, and had cooperated with Gardaí. The sentence was reduced from a headline of ten years to eight years and six months, with the last 18 months suspended, and was back‑dated to the date of the offence. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court by Mr Justice Tony Hunt. Blake Sweeney was acquitted.
Shane Farrelly, aged 20, was convicted of public disorder and two counts of damaging property during a riot at Oberstown Children Detention Campus on 29 August 2016, when staff were on strike. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three-and-a-half years, with the final 18 months suspended. Farrelly was part of a group of teenagers who caused €3 million in damage to the detention centre, including smashing televisions and windows, and also contributed to an additional €500 000 in damage to other units. He had 21 prior convictions, including assault, criminal damage and threats to kill. Three co‑accused who pleaded guilty to arson received five‑year sentences, with the last two years suspended. The court noted that Farrelly did not set fire to the building but participated in violent disorder that caused the damage. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The article does not mention any further proceedings.
Alex Kane, aged 22, was convicted of a series of arson and trespass offences that caused over €700,000 in damage to two apartment blocks in Dublin. In 2014 he set fires in the underground carparks of Fairhaven and Abbey Glen Apartments, destroying eight cars and forcing the evacuation of both buildings. He also admitted to trespassing and criminal damage at Auburn Lodge Apartments. In 2018 he pleaded guilty to handling stolen property after being found in possession of a stolen cheque and cash. Kane was sentenced to five years in prison for the arson and a consecutive one‑year term for the stolen property charge. The court noted he had no prior convictions and that the damage cost the owners €751,409, largely covered by insurance. The judge described Kane as "well capable of reforming" and sentenced him to a total of six years in custody.
Anthony Goodman, aged 74, was convicted of indecent exposure at a Malahide restaurant on 13 August 2018 and on a bus on 20 August 2018, and of sexual assault on 20 August 2018. He pleaded guilty to all three offences. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to nine months imprisonment for each indecent exposure, to run consecutively, and to two and a half years imprisonment for the sexual assault, also to run consecutively, giving a total of four years. The final 18 months of the sentence were suspended for five years on conditions of good behaviour, engagement with Probation Services, and restriction to public transport only with Garda permission. The sentence was back‑dated to 23 August 2018, the day he first entered custody. Goodman has 201 previous convictions, including sexual assault, indecency, arson, threats to kill and firearms possession, and had breached a sex‑offender order that prohibited him from riding a bus without Garda notification.
Mr Justice Tony Hunt adjourned the sentencing of Blake Sweeney until November 11 at the Central Criminal Court. Sweeney, 21, was convicted in July of the manslaughter of Robert Elston, 33, who was stabbed to death in May 2018. The judge noted that Sweeney should have listened to his mother's advice to stay home after Elston set fire to a car in the Sweeney driveway. Evidence indicated Sweeney pursued Elston with a knife, while the jury found it reasonably possible Elston was armed with an axe, a factor that distinguished the charge from murder. Sweeney's counsel highlighted his early offer to plead guilty to manslaughter and his genuine remorse, noting his 22 previous District Court convictions were not aggravating. The judge stated he would consider the David Mahon case, where Mahon received a seven-year sentence for the 2013 manslaughter of Dean Fitzpatrick, as a comparable precedent. The matter was adjourned and not concluded.
Peter Bradshaw, 55, of Glin Court, Coolock, Dublin, pleaded guilty to arson at his apartment on 24 January 2018. The fire spread to neighbouring flats, causing €782,027 in damage and forcing residents into emergency accommodation. He was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to 11 years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended on strict conditions. After the fire, Bradshaw went to Clontarf Garda Station and confessed to a fictitious murder, claiming he had assaulted a man, set a mattress on fire, and attempted to fake his own death. He later admitted he had not murdered anyone. Bradshaw has 40 prior convictions, including arson, burglary and theft, and had a five‑year sentence for arson in 2009. The judge noted his propensity for setting fires and the danger he posed to society.
Leroy Dumbrell, 32, of Carriglea Gardens, Dun Laoghaire, withdrew a sentence appeal after a senior judge warned that the Court of Appeal could increase his sentence. Dumbrell had pleaded guilty to violent disorder in 2013 and to threatening a detective in 2015. He had over 70 prior convictions, including arson and a prison brawl. He was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment with the final year suspended in 2016. The appeal was to challenge the severity of the six‑year term, but the judge noted Dumbrell's extensive criminal record and the Court of Appeal's power to increase sentences. Dumbrell's lawyers requested withdrawal, and the judge described him as "very wise." The case was dismissed before hearing.
Peter Sheridan, 52, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to damaging property and theft after smashing the windows of ten cars with a hammer in the Dublin 8 area on 8 June 2017. Gardaí received a call about a broken‑in car from which a Sat Nav was stolen in Dean Swift Square, and CCTV footage showed a man in a dark hoodie using a shatter hammer. The investigation revealed ten cars damaged, with total damage of €3,000. Sheridan admitted he had broken into the cars while heavily intoxicated, claiming he could not remember the act. He had 88 prior convictions, including arson, theft, criminal damage and escape from lawful custody. Judge Pauline Codd, noting the aggravating factor of the number of cars and Sheridan's criminal history, sentenced him to two and a half years imprisonment, fully suspended for three years on the condition that he obey all directions of the Probation Service and remain alcohol‑free.
The High Court has been asked to consider a dispute between Clare County Council and Bernard and Helen McDonagh over the Ashline site on Kilrush Road, Ennis. The McDonaghs say they have a tenancy at the site, having moved their caravans there in November 2017, and that the council wrongfully breached that tenancy by surrendering it in 2012 after a fire. They argue the council failed to fulfil its statutory duties to provide Traveller‑specific accommodation and that it acted without political will or funding. The council, represented by James Connolly SC, counters that the McDonaghs unlawfully moved their caravans onto the site after the council removed bollards, and that the site was unsafe and uninsurable after arson attacks. The council seeks possession of the land and a permanent injunction preventing the McDonaghs from using the site, and also seeks orders to remove them from other Ennis locations deemed unsuitable.
In a 2019 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Mark Harte, aged 26, was sentenced to six and a half years in prison for arson that caused nearly €2 million in damage to a Flyefit gym in Coolock. Harte admitted that he carried out the arson in July 2016 for a criminal gang to whom he owed a drug debt because of his cocaine use. CCTV footage showed a car driven through the gym's front glass doors, stopped at the security turnstiles, and then set alight. Harte had left the car and was holding a container; he had also ensured no one was nearby before signalling the driver. DNA on white latex gloves linked him to the scene, and a neighbour's photograph helped identify the suspicious vehicle. Harte pleaded guilty to the arson charge.
Damien Metcalfe (33) was sentenced to two years and six months imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court for membership of an unlawful organisation, the IRA. The non-jury court found him guilty earlier this month after he denied the charge on November 24, 2015. Mr Justice Tony Hunt stated that evidence, including audio and video from a Garda surveillance operation at Riverwood Park, Castleknock, indicated Metcalfe played a supporting and logistical role in IRA inquiries regarding leaks to gardai. The judge noted Metcalfe was willing and trusted by the IRA to assist in these inquiries, participating in one interview and transporting individuals to and from the site. Although the offence carries a maximum penalty of eight years, the judge determined a starting point of three years, reduced by six months for mitigating factors such as compliance with bail conditions and lack of adverse attention since the incident. The sentence was backdated to May 6, when Metcalfe entered custody. His younger brother, Conor Metcalfe (28), was separately found guilty of IRA membership by the three-judge court last December and jailed for four years and six months. Metcalfe had 15 previous convictions, including one for arson, but his defense counsel highlighted his lower level of involvement and employment history.
Anthony Goodman, 74, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to exposure at McGovern's Restaurant in Malahide on 13 August 2018 and to exposure on the 46a bus at Donnybrook Fair and sexual assault on Stillorgan Road on 20 August 2018. Garda Rosemary Gallagher described how Goodman sat near two women at the restaurant, squirmed and moved his hands on his crotch for 30‑40 minutes, leaving after leaving a wet stain on his t‑shirt. A week later, Garda Danielle Cassidy reported that on the 46a bus he masturbated while facing a woman, touched her knee, tickled her side, and later touched a woman's breast. Goodman has 201 previous convictions, including sexual assault, indecency, arson, threats to kill and firearms possession, and breached a sex offender order that prohibited bus travel without Gardaí notification. Judge Melanie Greally ordered a probation report and adjourned the case to 11 October.
David Healy, 48, of Passage West, Cork, was found guilty of arson after he set fire to his own commercial premises, Munster Air Compressors, on 16 December 2014, causing damage over €200,000. He pleaded not guilty to the arson but later pleaded guilty to a second charge of attempted deception on 8 January 2015. On 15 May 2018, Judge Gerard O'Brien sentenced him to a 10‑year suspended term and a €33,000 fine. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, and the Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, ruled the original sentence was "unduly lenient." Healy was re‑sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the final five years suspended for the arson, credit for ten weeks already spent in custody, and a wholly suspended three‑year sentence for the attempted deception. He will begin serving a net jail term of two years on 13 May.
Two men, Colin Casey (32) and Daniel Hegarty (24), were jailed for assisting the murder of Aidan "The Beast" O'Driscoll, who was shot on Cork's Old Commons Road in December 2016. Casey was sentenced to four years and six months, Hegarty to four years, both sentences running concurrently. They pleaded guilty to four counts each of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of O'Driscoll's killers. Casey supplied the alleged gunmen with vehicles and acted as a support driver; Hegarty transported and concealed a bag linked to the killers and set fire to a motorbike and a red Opel Astra. A third man, Eoin Morrissey (19), pleaded guilty to two counts of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of the killers and was given a suspended sentence of two years, with a probation report to be finalised in October. The Special Criminal Court, presided over by Justice Tony Hunt, found the defendants' assistance to be substantial and proximate to the murder.
Dwayne Barry, a 30‑year‑old former homeless man, was sentenced to three years in prison for arson at two Dublin locations. He set wheelie bins on fire to heat his sleeping bag, then tried to extinguish the flames when they spread. Barry pleaded guilty to arson at Ardoyne House, Pembrooke Park, Ballsbridge, where a blaze on 25 January 2016 caused €45,000 damage to two cars, and to arson at Burlington House, Waterloo Lane, Ballsbridge, where a fire on 28 February 2016 caused structural damage of over €18,000. He has 86 prior convictions, including theft, robbery and criminal damage. Judge Karen O'Connor, after multiple adjournments, imposed a three‑year sentence with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions, acknowledging Barry's genuine remorse and willingness to engage with addiction services. The judge noted the seriousness of arson and the difficulty of controlling fire, and accepted Barry's apology and attempts to put the fires out.
Michael Rae, 39, was convicted of arson and criminal damage after petrol bombing a family home and vehicle at Knockmore Park, Tallaght, on 26 May 2017. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced on 14 June 2018 to five years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, by Judge Melanie Greally. The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence. The appeal judge, Mr Justice George Birmingham, noted that the victim saw Rae near the driveway that night, that CCTV captured him filling a plastic bottle with petrol, setting it alight and throwing it at the house, and that the attack caused damage to the vehicle, a wall and a window. Rae had 29 prior convictions, including two for non‑arson criminal damage and 15 for traffic offences, and was intoxicated on the night of the attack. The appeal was dismissed.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 19‑year‑old Clayton Brennan was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for an unprovoked assault on Mexican national Jose Mondragon on Bachelors Walk on 27 April 2016. Brennan, who claimed he wanted to appear tough before friends, punched and kicked Mondragon, who was sitting on the Liffey boardwalk. The attack left Mondragon with half of his front teeth lost, costing €4,205 to repair. Brennan, who was 16 at the time of the offence, had eight prior convictions, including a serious assault in May 2016 and a violent disorder, arson and criminal damage case that had a five‑year sentence with the last two years suspended. Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin imposed a two‑year term, suspended the final six months on condition of no mind‑altering substances and compliance with the Probation Service. Brennan is to be released on 30 January 2020 and remain under probation supervision for 18 months. Clayton Brennan pleaded guilty.
Ian O'Connor, 29, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to ten years' imprisonment for two arsons. He pleaded guilty to setting fire to Tyrone Place, Inchicore on 18 September 2017, where a seven‑year‑old's hearing aid melted, and to a later arson at Ailesbury Road on 15 October 2017. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a twelve‑year term for the first arson, suspending the final two years on the condition of peace‑keeping and probation engagement, and a six‑year term for the second arson, to run concurrently. All sentences were back‑dated to 9 March 2018. O'Connor admitted pouring petrol into a letterbox and front door, claiming debt‑related pressure and that he believed the house was empty. He had prior convictions for drunk driving and was unmarried with one child.
Aidan "The Beast" O'Driscoll, a senior Real IRA member, was shot four times on Old Commons Road, Blackpool, Cork, on 7 December 2016. The Special Criminal Court heard that the killing was part of an internal dispute between the Real IRA and the New IRA. Colin Casey (32) and Daniel Hegarty (24) pleaded guilty to four counts of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of O'Driscoll's killers, while Eoin Morrissey (19) pleaded guilty to two such counts. Casey collected the alleged gunmen from Redemption Road, drove them in a white Vauxhall Astra van that he later burned, and was involved in the disposal of the Nissan Almera used by the killers. Hegarty buried a bag used by the killers and set fire to a Honda motorbike and a red Opel Astra. Morrissey supplied a firelighter and followed Hegarty to the site where the Opel Astra was burned.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Ian O'Connor (29) pleaded guilty to arson at Tyrone Place, Inchicore on 18 September 2017 and at Ailesbury Road, Dublin on 15 October 2017. He admitted starting the fires by pouring petrol into the letterbox and front door, claiming he was under pressure from debtors who had told him no one would be home. O'Connor also admitted throwing a pipe bomb at another family home in October 2017, saying he had been offered €2,000 for a petrol bomb but was not paid. Margaret Green, mother of three, gave a victim impact statement describing how she and her children were trapped when the fire broke out, how she covered her youngest children with wet towels, and how her eldest son escaped via a balcony with a neighbour's ladder. Green said her seven‑year‑old daughter's hearing aid melted, leaving a permanent scar. The court heard that all four family members sustained injuries.
Gavin O'Donovan, 30, was arrested after attempting to set an unmarked Garda patrol car on fire outside Rathmines Garda Station. He had placed blue industrial tissue paper soaked in diesel into the car's exhaust, carried a lighter and matches, and later admitted to drinking 12 cans of lager and vodka, feeling suicidal and worried for himself. Garda Niall Freaney and defence lawyer Rory Mulvany described O'Donovan as not in his right mind and suggested his actions may have been a cry for help. Judge Cormac Quinn noted the diesel would not have ignited but found O'Donovan's intentions clear. He pleaded guilty to attempted arson on November 9, 2018, and was given a suspended two‑year prison term, with the judge recognising his efforts to address substance addiction and his remorse for the night's actions.
Sean O'Kelly, 24, was sentenced to six years in jail for arson that endangered an elderly woman, her granddaughter and a ten‑week‑old great‑grandson. He set two cars on fire in a driveway, melting the front door and forcing the family to seek refuge in the back garden. The court heard that the blaze could have spread, posing catastrophic risk. O'Kelly also vandalised six other cars, stole items, and was convicted of robbery, burglary and criminal damage on the same night. He admitted to arson in an underground carpark, causing an estimated €90,000 in damage, later settled for over €76,000. He has 24 prior convictions, including theft and firearms offences. The judge imposed consecutive sentences totalling 12 years, suspended the final six years on strict conditions, citing his rehabilitation efforts and lack of offences since 2017. The court considered his drug addiction, his apology letters, and the testimonies in his favour. Sean O'Kelly pleaded guilty.
Warren Nolan, 22, was sentenced today by Mr Justice Paul McDermott to the mandatory term of life imprisonment for the murder of Alan O'Neill. Nolan was found guilty of this charge by a majority jury verdict in December. He was also found guilty by unanimous verdict of setting fire to the car used in the attack. For the arson, the judge imposed a six-year sentence, noting that while an appropriate range was seven to ten years, he considered Nolan's young age and mitigating factors. Both sentences were backdated to September 2017. The court heard from Doris O'Neill, the victim's mother, who described her son as a "gentle giant" and stated she would never understand his murder. Counsel for Nolan highlighted his difficult background and low intellectual ability, while the prosecution noted his 24 previous convictions, including a recent firearms offense. Evidence indicated the shooting was planned, with the stolen vehicle stalking the victim prior to the attack. Nolan was arrested near a burning car and denied involvement in the murder during interviews, claiming he only set the vehicle alight. The judge's sentencing concluded the procedural stage for these proven charges.
Sean O'Kelly, aged 24, admitted to endangering three generations of a family when he set two cars on fire in their driveway, forcing an 80‑year‑old woman, her granddaughter and a ten‑week‑old great‑grandson to seek refuge in the back garden. The heat from the blazing cars melted the front door shut, and the family feared they would have to choose between saving the infant or the grandmother if the house caught fire. O'Kelly also vandalised six other cars and stole items from them on the same night. He pleaded guilty to one count of endangerment, one count of robbery, two counts of burglary and six counts of criminal damage. Separately, he admitted arson of two cars in an underground carpark, causing an estimated €90,000 of damage, for which an insurance settlement of over €76,000 was later made. The court noted O'Kelly's 24 previous convictions, his rehabilitation from drug addiction, and his apology letters.