John Paul Sheehan, a 38‑year‑old homeless man from Cork, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after a burglary at the Dublin Visitors Centre on Grafton Street. He stole more than €26,000 in cash and cheques, plus a €100 Panasonic Lumix camera. Sheehan was arrested the same day for a drug offence and was found with €9,475 of the stolen cash. He pleaded guilty to trespass and theft. The court noted he had 100 prior convictions, mainly for burglaries, and that he had used the stolen money for food, clothing and to support his drug habit. The judge, taking his guilty plea into account, imposed the sentence without a suspended element, citing a lack of evidence of rehabilitation. The camera was never recovered. The case highlighted the challenges faced by homeless and drug‑addicted individuals who may be compelled to steal to survive.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Darren Gleeson, 35, pleaded guilty to membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 18 May 2017. The court heard that the Special Detective Unit had investigated attempts to import explosives into Dublin. Two parties were identified on the Dark Net, one using the alias "guilleoteen" who sought two grenades and paid with Bitcoin. The grenades were intercepted and a controlled delivery was arranged to Gleeson's address, where he accepted the package. Gleeson was arrested for IRA membership and has prior convictions for knife possession, burglary and robbery. He pleaded guilty early, and the court remanded him in custody until 7 December when sentencing will occur. The case remains at the membership charge stage.
Gareth Joyce, 35, a recovering heroin addict with a long criminal record, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of stolen items worth over €11,000. He was caught on 16 October 2016 with a hedge trimmer, a Black & Decker drill and a gas cooker, each valued at €288, and on 6 October 2016 with a laptop, phones, foreign currency, a pearl necklace and other jewellery totalling €11,000. Forensic evidence linked his thumbprints to the stolen laptop. Joyce initially claimed the property was not his, saying it had been left at his brother's house by a party guest. He has 93 prior convictions, including burglary, handling stolen property, theft, criminal damage and trespass. The judge, citing his extensive criminal history and drug addiction, sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, suspended for five years, and imposed strict rehabilitation conditions. The sentence will be re‑activated if he fails to comply.
In a Dublin garda station, Michael Alexis, aged 53, appeared in a distressed state and admitted involvement in a burglary that occurred on 25 September 2015 at The Gasworks Apartments, Dublin 4. He was physically and mentally unwell, and he claimed he had been a lookout, not the main perpetrator, and that he had received €200 for his role. The burglary took place between 9.30 am and 11 am while residents were away, resulting in the theft of four laptops, a tablet and an iPad mini. Alexis had previously been sectioned under the Mental Health Act but was interviewed by gardaí a month later. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where the judge ordered a probation report and adjourned the case to 21 December for finalisation. The court noted his prior convictions and his personal circumstances, including a history of alcohol abuse and a desire to re‑enter employment.
Alan Judge, 43, of Shangan Park, Ballymun, Dublin, pleaded guilty to burglary and criminal damage at Sutton Dry Cleaners and trespass at Sutton Rugby Club on 6 May 2016. He entered the dry cleaners with a hammer, smashed a safe, and left coins and a smashed vodka bottle but stole nothing. Garda Marie Geraghty spotted him on a roof and later arrested him at the rugby club after he entered the dressing rooms. Judge was already on bail for other burglary charges. He was convicted on 15 December 2016 and sentenced to four years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended. Judge also received a two‑year suspended sentence, to run consecutively to the four‑year term, and will begin serving it from his scheduled release in August. He apologized, cited drug‑free status, and requested placement in a drug treatment centre after custodial time.
A Dublin man, Robert Hedderman, aged 33, pleaded guilty to two burglaries. The first was at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel on Bachelor's Walk, Dublin 1, on 7 October 2016. He smashed a glass security panel to enter and was later confronted by a church volunteer who took him to the parish priest and called the police. Garda Michael O'Donnell found a screwdriver, scissors and many keys on him. While on bail, he committed a second burglary at the Irish Whiskey Museum on Grafton Street on 9 December 2016. CCTV showed him smashing two windows and stealing €300 in cash, merchandise and a laptop, causing the museum a €5,273 loss. He has 40 prior convictions, eight for burglary. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to two years for the chapel burglary and 18 months for the museum burglary, with the final year suspended, giving a total of two and a half years in prison.
A man pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the attempted robbery of a flower shop on Aungier Street in Dublin on 26 November 2015. Andrew Cash, aged 26 and of no fixed abode, produced a Stanley blade and pointed it at the pregnant shop owner's stomach during the incident. The woman, noticing Cash appeared to be under the influence of drugs, managed to grab his arm and push and kick him from the premises. The blade was recovered at the scene. Cash was identified through CCTV footage and arrested several months later whilst serving a sentence in Cloverhill prison for another offence. He has 50 previous convictions including burglary, attempted robbery and assault. The defence submitted that the offence was not premeditated and lasted approximately 10 seconds, with Cash reportedly having recently reconnected with his family in Cavan. Judge Karen O'Connor adjourned the case pending a probation report and remanded Cash in custody until sentencing on 21 December 2017, acknowledging the gravity of threatening a pregnant woman with a blade.
Anthony Connors, 42, pleaded guilty to burglary at Linenhall St, Dublin, on 20 June 2016. He entered a house by convincing the homeowner, Michael Tonra, that he was looking for a long‑lost friend. Tonra offered to write down Connors' contact details, but Connors stopped him and demanded his jacket. Connors' behaviour changed from normal to intimidating, and he pushed Tonra, forcing him to the ground. Tonra resisted, pinned Connors, and tried to reason with him. Connors threatened to return with other men, struck him, and pushed him toward the front door. After leaving, Connors shouted and demanded his jacket. Gardaí found bail bonds and other documents in Connors' jacket, and CCTV footage confirmed his presence. Connors has 60 prior convictions, including burglary, aggravated burglary, false imprisonment, robbery and impersonating a Garda. Judge Karen O'Connor adjourned sentencing to 19 December and remanded Connors in custody.
A 29-year-old man pleaded guilty to burglary at a takeaway in Castlebar, County Mayo on 18 May 2015. Yasir Ali of Lighthouse Apartments, East Wall, Dublin removed equipment valued at €11,484.50 from Thomas Street Takeaway, including commercial freezers, deep fat fryers, and stainless steel fixtures. Ali had been operating the premises after subletting it without the owner's consent. He was arrested shortly after the theft and subsequently apprehended at Dublin Airport attempting to leave the country with false documentation. Following his arrest, Ali cooperated with gardaí and led them to a farmhouse at Hollymount, County Mayo, where the stolen equipment was recovered. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, the judge noted Ali's cooperation and adherence to bail conditions. He received a three-month suspended sentence for the false documentation offence. Sentencing on the burglary charge has been adjourned to 18 December to allow submission of medical reports. Ali has no previous convictions.
David Clail, aged 28, admitted to breaking into his ex‑girlfriend Sharon Murphy's home on 20 September 2016. He entered the house, smashed doors and windows, damaged furniture, and threatened to kill Murphy and her family. Clail claimed he had no reason for his actions other than waking up "in a black mood" and "blanked out". He pleaded guilty to burglary armed with a flick knife, criminal damage and threatening to kill. The court heard Murphy was alone, had a toothache, and called 999 during the incident. Clail was arrested, admitted the break‑in and the violence, and was scheduled for sentencing on 14 December 2023, pending a psychiatric diagnosis. He has a prior conviction from 2008. The judge warned that any contact with Murphy would result in a court appearance. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
Jamie Shorthall, a 30‑year‑old plumber, carried out an armed raid on an Applegreen petrol station in Monkstown, Dublin, on 17 June 2015. He pointed an imitation Glock pistol at shop worker Phil Collins, demanded the cash tills be opened and took €1,100 before escaping on a bicycle. Shorthall pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of an offensive weapon. He has a history of 20 convictions, including burglary, criminal damage and theft. The court heard he has been attending residential treatment at Coolmine Therapeutic Community and is progressing well, with his programme ending in February 2018. Judge John Aylmer, impressed by his rehabilitation, imposed an 18‑month sentence, suspended in full on strict conditions, including completion of his treatment. The firearm was a realistic replica and the victim was unaware it was an imitation. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Martin Stokes, aged 37, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, false imprisonment and assault with intent to commit an indictable offence after violently breaking into the home of his estranged partner Geraldine Cummins and her son. He entered the house at 2.40am, grabbed Cummins by the neck, pressed a sharp object into her throat and threatened to kill her and her unborn child unless she returned to him. Cummins, who was five months pregnant, was dragged into the kitchen and held with a knife. The mother, aunt and two children escaped and called for help; two men wrestled Stokes to the ground. Cummins' victim impact statement described lasting trauma, especially for her young son. Stokes was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment, with the final 15 months suspended after the Court of Appeal considered his progress toward rehabilitation while in custody. The suspended period requires a good‑behaviour bond for three years post‑release.
Bryan Quigley, 44, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of an Anschutz rifle found in his flat on 29 November 2016. Garda David Chapman reported that a search of Quigley's former home recovered the disassembled rifle and 11 rounds of ammunition. The rifle, stolen in a burglary, was in usable condition but had its telescopic sight installed backwards. Quigley claimed he had no involvement in the burglary and had been drinking when a man, whom he would not name, brought the weapon to his home and asked him to leave it there. Quigley said he feared the man and felt forced to agree. He was homeless after a fire at his flat and had difficulties with alcohol and depression. The court found Quigley a vulnerable person who had been taken advantage of. Judge Nolan, noting Quigley's guilty plea, cooperation and lack of benefit from the offence, imposed a four‑year sentence, which he suspended in full.
A Louth man (29), who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to sexual intercourse with a minor at a hotel in Co. Dublin between November 28 and December 6, 2013. The man told the 15-year-old schoolgirl he could get her a fake passport if she wanted to come away with him to Northern Ireland, warning her she would have to dye her hair and live as the name on the fake passport. The girl later told gardaí that she had consensual sex once with the man while staying at various hotel accommodations over a few nights while waiting for the passport. The man has 38 previous convictions, including assault, burglary, criminal damage, and theft. Sergeant Louise McHugh testified that the girl had met the man outside a pub the previous summer and had kept in phone contact with him. They met twice to play pool together, and on another date, the girl stayed with the man in a hotel after spending a night out drinking with him. The girl had a half day from school when she met the man at a shopping centre on November 28, still in her uniform. The man bought her a €60 phone and they spent the day drinking together at the centre before she agreed to stay with him when she missed her bus home. Over the next few nights, the man booked them into hotel and B&B accommodation and organised a change of clothing for the schoolgirl from his female friend. He told the 15-year-old that they would stay at the final hotel a bit longer while they waited for the passport. The girl told gardaí that the man had sex with her once and that she had been happy to run away with him. She said that another couple joined them in the hotel room for the last few nights and she described spending the daytime with the female while the males went out to work. Gardaí tracked the girl down to an internet cafe on December 6, after stopping the man and his male friend on a different street. The girl told officers that the ten-year age gap between her and the man didn't bother either of them and that while he never said he loved her, she felt there was something there. She declined to make a Victim Impact Statement. Dominic McGinn SC, defending, agreed with Sergeant McHugh that his client had had a history of self-harm and had made serious attempts to take his own life. He further agreed that the man had co-operated with gardaí fully. Mc McGinn submitted to Judge Cormac Quinn that it was the disparity in age that made the case against his client as there was no evidence of coercion or violence. Referring to a psychologist's report, Mr McGinn submitted that some of the tragic elements of his client's background had been the catalyst for drug abuse and antisocial behaviour. Counsel said the man had tried to take his own life three weeks before the incident with the girl and that he was at a place in his life where he was looking for support. Mr McGinn said being in prison awaiting sentence had given his client stability and structure and that he wants to deal with his drugs issue. Judge Quinn ordered a probation services report and put the matter back to October for sentence.
Carl Freeman, aged 22, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, back‑dated to January, for an aggravated burglary at a 77‑year‑old Dublin woman's home in Tallaght on 12 March 2013. The court noted the victim was left severely traumatised, fearing for her life and subsequently never returned to the house, now living with her daughter. Freeman pleaded guilty to the burglary and had 62 prior convictions, including dangerous driving, burglary and assault. The judge described him as a "menace to society" and imposed a five‑year term, with the court's decision reflecting the serious impact on the victim. The burglary involved the theft of jewellery, a TV, cash and other items, and the perpetrators used a stolen Audi A4 to escape. Freeman's defence highlighted his family's support and his history of drug abuse and ADHD. The court accepted his guilty plea as a genuine benefit to the victim.
Patrick Stokes, 36, of Hill Street, Dublin, was convicted of burglary and criminal damage at a Boots chemist on Drimnagh Road on 14 January 2017. He admitted that a silver Honda Civic had been reversed into the front doors twice, smashing the door and setting the shop ablaze. CCTV showed Stokes and an accomplice loading Dior, Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana perfumes and aftershave into a wheelie bin. The stolen goods were valued at €3,183 and the door damage at €6,969. Stokes, who has 50 previous convictions including five for burglary and nine for theft, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to three and a half years, suspending the final 18 months on strict conditions, including Probation Supervision to begin before his release. The case highlighted Stokes' mild intellectual disability and his history of drug addiction, which his defence argued made him vulnerable.
Glen Conroy, aged 29, was sentenced to an additional 18 months in prison for assaulting a prison officer at Mountjoy Prison on 20 March 2013. Conroy, who was already serving a six‑year sentence for aggravated burglary and had 57 prior convictions, had complained that his new cell lacked a television. Prison officer Paul Brady promised to arrange a TV, but Conroy lunged at him, head‑butting him and punching him in the face. Conroy resisted restraint attempts by other officers and was brought to the ground by three officers. Officer Brady suffered facial injuries and was out of work for a month. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, after a three‑day trial, imposed the 18‑month term to be served consecutively to Conroy's existing sentence. The court noted Conroy's long history of violent offences and his limited time at liberty over the past 15 years.
Shane Fitzgerald, 26, of Tullorum, Spa, Killarney, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for burglary and sexual assault committed in September 2015. He entered a flat in a Co Kerry town on a "drunken spree," barged in, pulled down his pants, exposed his penis and forced the vulnerable woman, in her fifties, to mouth it. The victim was awakened at 3.30 am, fled screaming, and was later assisted by a neighbour. Fitzgerald pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and has 56 prior convictions. The judge noted the crime's squalid nature, the victim's vulnerability, and Fitzgerald's dysfunctional background. He imposed a five‑year custodial sentence, followed by three years of post‑release supervision with the Probation Service. No other charges were brought against the accomplices. The victim remains in counselling and has not returned to her flat.
A 15‑year‑old boy was sentenced to twelve months' detention for assault and robbery. He had previously served eight months at Oberstown Children's Detention Campus for assault and a threat to kill, and had 24 convictions. In April 2017 he robbed a 17‑year‑old from a churchyard, demanding his phone and then stealing a €350 bike. During the incident he struck the victim with a two‑foot wooden post, causing the victim to fall and flee. The boy was arrested the next day, was aggressive in the interview, and later admitted remorse. He had a history of assault, theft, burglary and criminal damage, and was facing another charge later that year. Judge John Aylmer, noting the boy's immediate return to crime after release, imposed the twelve‑month sentence to run consecutively with his current term, starting on the scheduled release date of November 21. The unnamed 15-year-old pleaded guilty.
Matthew Ahern, 53, pleaded guilty to burglary at Collins Avenue East, Killester on 17 February 2016. He entered the house by smashing a panel in the front door, stole two phones, and left. The homeowner heard rustling, thought it was her husband, but saw Ahern with her iPad and laptop. Garda Laura Nulty presented CCTV from a neighbouring barber shop showing Ahern having a haircut immediately before the burglary. Ahern, who has 48 prior convictions including seven burglaries and one robbery, initially denied involvement. The court heard he had a seven‑year gap in serious offending before 2016 and had been engaged with various agencies. Judge Karen O'Connor adjourned sentencing to October to allow Ahern to complete a stabilisation program for his long‑standing drug addiction and ordered a probation report to assess his risk of re‑offending.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, Shane Fitzgerald, 26, pleaded guilty to burglary and sexual assault after breaking into a vulnerable woman's flat in a Kerry town in September 2016. Fitzgerald, who has 56 prior convictions, admitted to entering the flat, pulling down his pants, exposing his penis and forcing the woman to perform oral sex. He demanded money, took a sum, and fled. The victim, a woman in her fifties, was awakened at 3.30 am, was terrified, and later received assistance from a neighbour. Fitzgerald was arrested a few days later and has been in custody since October 2016. He has expressed remorse, written a letter to the court, and is undertaking anger‑management and psychological counselling. No other charges were brought against the other men involved. The case was adjourned to next Monday for finalisation.
The Court of Appeal has fixed December 14 as the date for the hearing of the Director of Public Prosecutions' application to review the sentences of cousins Michael Casey and David Casey. Prosecutors intend to argue that the prison terms imposed for a "fatal burglary" were "unduly lenient." The men, aged 34 and 22 respectively, had previously pleaded guilty to a series of burglaries, including an incident at the home of John O'Donoghue at Toomaline, Doon, on August 27, 2015. In December 2016, Judge Tom O'Donnell at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court sentenced both defendants to four-and-a-half years imprisonment, with the final year suspended. The DPP is seeking a review on the grounds that these sentences are unduly lenient. Prosecuting counsel John G O'Sullivan BL characterized the offense as a fatal burglary. The Caseys were not present in court when the hearing date was fixed. This procedural stage involves the appellate review of the original sentencing decision rather than a new trial on the merits of the charges.
A Ballinrobe man pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary at a Castlebar takeaway in May 2015. Yasir Ali, aged 29, admitted stealing commercial kitchen equipment valued at €11,484.50 from Thomas Street Takeaway. The stolen items included freezers, deep fat fryers, a burger fryer, microwave, blender, stainless steel tables and bowls, and food preparation equipment. Judge Karen O'Connor ordered a probation report and adjourned sentencing to November 2, 2017, when the full facts of the case will be heard before the court.
Dean Joyce, aged 24, was convicted in February after a second trial of 11 charges, including endangering Gardaí by driving his car into a Garda van, four counts of dangerous driving, possession of stolen property, driving without a licence, driving without insurance, possession of a boxcutter used in a burglary, criminal damage of a Garda van and failing to stop for Gardaí. The jury in his first trial was discharged after a juror fell asleep 15 minutes into the trial. Judge Karen O'Connor found him not guilty of the offence of endangerment but convicted him of all other counts. She imposed a total of three years imprisonment, suspended the final six months on strict conditions, and disqualified him from driving for ten years. Joyce was arrested after a high‑speed pursuit in which he drove through red lights, on the wrong side of the road and collided with a Garda van, causing €1,500 worth of damage.
Gary Culhane, 40, from Limerick, pleaded guilty to burglary at The Good Shepherd Church and Parochial House in Churchtown, Dublin, on 15 October 2016. He forced entry through the front door while the priest was away saying mass, ransacking the house and stealing €650, a mix of the priest's own money, collections and the poor box. The neighbouring church office was also broken into but nothing was taken. Garda Aine Bolton, who had received CCTV footage, identified Culhane and arrested him the next day. He admitted to being "stuck for cash," having debts and a chronic drug addiction, and claimed he had found money in the office and in envelopes. He has 97 prior convictions, including burglary, robbery and theft, and has spent 20 years in prison. The court adjourned sentencing to October to allow a probation report to be prepared. The plea in mitigation will be heard on that date.
Stefan Boyle, 28, was arrested after a knife‑wounding burglary at Ali Hussain House in Milltown Bridge, Dundrum, on 2 November 2016. He was caught when a caretaker, Ali Yassine, saw him hiding under a mosque table and later confronted him. Boyle admitted the burglary and pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He has 110 prior convictions, 63 of which are burglary. Judge Karen O'Connor, after assessing Boyle as suitable for residential drug treatment, adjourned sentencing to January to allow him to enter a program at Coolmine Therapeutic Centre. The court noted Boyle's willingness to apologise, his homelessness, and his desire to recover stolen phones, and gave him a final chance to present himself favourably before sentencing. The case remains pending until the sentencing hearing.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Niall Fitzpatrick, aged 50, was acquitted of firearms offences and attempted aggravated burglary at Patrick Glavin's home. Fitzpatrick denied possession of a Remington 12‑ga pump‑action shotgun and ammunition, and pleaded not guilty to the burglary charges. The jury delivered not‑guilty verdicts on the firearms and aggravated burglary charges, but could not reach a verdict on the attempted burglary charge. The case stemmed from an incident on 11 August 2013 at Glavin's residence in Rougrane, Glanmire.
Jonathan Dunne, a 27‑year‑old father of four, was convicted of stealing two bicycles and three wheels from a locked bike shed at Gasworks Apartments in Ringsend. CCTV footage showed him carrying bolt cutters and cutting a large hole in the wire cage that secured the shed. The stolen bikes were worth €3,450 and the damage to the shed €1,608. Dunne pleaded guilty to two charges of theft and criminal damage on 28 July 2016. He had 76 prior convictions, including burglary and handling stolen property. Judge Karen O'Connor, noting his pre‑meditated plan and drug addiction, sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, taking into account his cooperation and guilty plea. The case was prosecuted by Elva Duffy BL and defended by Karl Monahan BL. The incident occurred on the night of 28 July 2016.
A man has had the suspended portion of his sentence for aggravated burglary increased by the Court of Appeal following an undue leniency review. Andrzej Topolski, aged 50 and formerly of Castlebar, County Mayo, had pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary at his former wife's home in Blackfort Manor, Castlebar on 22 March 2015. The Circuit Court had sentenced him to three years in July 2016, suspending the unserved balance after he had spent eleven months in custody awaiting trial. The Court of Appeal increased the suspended sentence to five years. Mr Justice George Birmingham noted the offence occurred in a domestic context following the breakdown of Topolski's marriage, though the court determined a higher starting point of seven years would have been more appropriate. The judge acknowledged Topolski had secured employment as a stone mason during seventeen months at liberty and found that immediate incarceration would be unduly harsh. Topolski was ordered to undertake good behaviour and maintain no contact with the injured party or his former wife for five years.
Stephen Bollard, aged 35, was jailed for a series of thefts committed in 2016, described by the court as a "one man crime wave." He pleaded guilty to two burglaries, one attempted burglary, three thefts and one act of criminal damage across Dublin. The offences, all non‑violent, caused financial loss to businesses and increased security costs. Bollard had 118 prior convictions, including 27 for theft, 33 for burglary and nine for attempted burglary. The judge noted his lack of violent history and his reduced methadone intake while in custody. A consecutive sentence of four years and four months was imposed, with the final 18 months suspended. The case highlighted the impact of repeated non‑violent thefts on victims and the broader community.
Patrick McNamee, who has 164 prior convictions, was charged with being unlawfully at large for breaching a condition of temporary release from Mountjoy Prison that he be of good behaviour. Six days after his release in December 2015, Gardaí alleged he was seen trespassing on residential property. McNamee's lawyers argued that the charge was too vague and uncertain to be tried, claiming it could encompass anything from poor table manners to spitting in public. The High Court refused leave to bring judicial review proceedings in May. In the Court of Appeal, counsel Patrick McGrath SC presented the argument that the charge effectively meant not being of good behaviour, specifically an attempt to commit burglary. The three‑judge panel, including Mr Justice George Birmingham, Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Edwards, reserved its judgement.
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.
Stefan Boyle, 28, was arrested after a burglary at Ali Yassine's house in Milltown Bridge, Dundrum, on 2 November 2016. Boyle entered the house through an open window, stole two phones, and later confronted Yassine in a mosque where he had been hiding. Boyle lunged at Yassine with a knife, nicking him before Yassine escaped. Yassine, a caretaker, defended himself, then made Boyle scrambled eggs and sat with him. Boyle confessed to the burglary, pleaded guilty, and admitted he had stolen the phones during a 30‑minute conversation with Yassine. He claimed he wanted money for drugs and had forgotten the phones. Boyle has 110 prior convictions, 63 for burglary. The case was adjourned to 26 June for sentencing, with a probation report to be prepared.
A Kildare man was acquitted of an attempted burglary at the home of celebrity impressionist Mario Rosenstock. The case involved a separate conviction of Thomas McCann, 42, who was found guilty by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury of burglary at Marentimo House apartments in Blackrock, Dublin, on 30 September 2011. McCann, of Morristown Estate, Newbridge, had pleaded not guilty to both charges. Mrs. Rosenstock testified that she encountered McCann after returning home, describing him as tall, slender, wearing white socks, a baseball hat, sunglasses, and a tracksuit bottom tucked into his socks. He claimed to be a painter and decorator working at a neighbour's house and said he had come to check on her. Mrs. Rosenstock called the gardai immediately after he left on a mountain bike.
Munir Ghariani, 26, pleaded guilty to robbery of a Chinese woman on Granville Road, Cabinteely, on 21 March 2016. He followed the victim, demanded her phone, pushed her to the ground, bit her finger and tried to flee. A passer‑by tackled him until Gardaí arrived. Ghariani has 34 prior convictions, including sexual assault, indecency, burglary and theft, and was a registered sex offender. He was on bail for a similar offence at the time of the robbery. His defence counsel reported that he became an involuntary patient at St John of God's hospital on 3 April 2024 and has remained a voluntary patient since 20 April, taking anti‑psychotic medication. Probation officer Michelle Richardson described him as high‑risk, non‑compliant with medication, and now homeless, with local authorities providing accommodation. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a four‑year sentence, back‑dating it to 19 May 2016, and suspended the balance.
Four Dublin men, linked to the drugs trade, were stopped at Dublin Airport in February 2016 and had €17,600 in cash seized. The men were preparing to travel to Malaga, Spain on one‑way tickets. Customs and Excise officials, while screening outbound passengers, confiscated the cash after hearing contradictory explanations about its use. Kieran Kelly BL, for the State, argued that the cash represented proceeds of crime or was intended for criminal conduct. Judge Karen O'Connor granted forfeiture under section 39 of the Criminal Justice Act 1994. The court heard that Gerard Claxton Jnr claimed the money was for buying an apartment in Malaga, while his father claimed it was for furnishing a Spanish apartment. Claxton Jnr had prior convictions for firearms possession and attempted robbery; his father had a burglary conviction. Lee Boylan and Michael Jones had no prior convictions.
A 22‑year‑old Roma man pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault against a 16‑year‑old girl in Cork. The victim was told to drink alcohol or he would kill her, then he attempted to have sex with her and left her unconscious and undressed on a footpath. He was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, by Judge Gerard O'Brien on 7 July 2016. On appeal the Court of Appeal reduced the jail term by one year, citing the judge's failure to mention the victim's €10,000 compensation payment, a token of the man's remorse. The Court of Appeal left the seven‑year sentence in place but suspended the final two years, and ordered 12 months of post‑release supervision. The man had 29 prior convictions, including theft, burglary and public order offences. The case was heard by Mr Justice George Birmingham, Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Hedigan.
Christopher Cummins, 37, of Cherry Park, River Valley, Swords, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for his fiftieth burglary conviction. The offence involved the theft of €12,000 from a health store in Liffey Valley Shopping Centre on 31 October 2015, when a safe was left unlocked and an employee was distracted. Cummins had 139 prior convictions, including 49 burglaries, and had been released from a four‑year sentence the day before the Liffey Valley robbery. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced by Judge Pat McCartan on 21 July 2016. Cummins appealed the sentence, but the Court of Appeal, with Justice George Birmingham, dismissed the appeal, stating that a harsher sentence might have been upheld and that the five‑year term was not unduly severe. The court noted Cummins' extensive criminal record and the seriousness of the theft. The appeal was rejected.
Gerard Walsh, 38, pleaded guilty to burglary at a valet service he had previously worked for in Liffey Valley, Dublin, on 20 March 2015. He admitted stealing six sets of car keys and three vehicles—a Volkswagen Touran, a Volkswagen Passat and an Audi A6 Avant—to pay a drug debt. Two of the cars were recovered; the third was found a year later, resulting in an estimated loss of €3,500 to the owner. The court also noted that Walsh had previously been convicted of public order and theft offences, dealt with 15 years earlier. Judge Melanie Greally, acknowledging Walsh's difficult personal circumstances and his efforts to rehabilitate, imposed a suspended three‑year sentence and required him to pay €3,500 in compensation to his former employer. The sentence was suspended, with no immediate custodial term imposed. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Stuart Perry, aged 42, was sentenced to a one‑year suspended term for burglary at Richmond Cheshire Home in Monkstown on 19 September 2014. Perry, who has 67 prior convictions, was found asleep in the care home's corridor beside a "do not disturb" sign and fled with a female accomplice after staff discovered them. They were apprehended outside with a bottle of detergent and the office keys. Garda David Maloney reported that the pair had been unfit for questioning initially but later made full admissions, admitting to having taken crystal meth and apologising for their actions. Judge Patricia Ryan, after hearing positive probation reports and evidence of Perry's rehabilitation efforts, imposed the suspended sentence and one year of probation supervision. The only items taken from the home were the office keys and the detergent bottle. Stuart Perry pleaded guilty.
Angelique Arundel, 31, of Shannon Lawn, Mayfield, Co Cork, and John O'Donnell were convicted of aggravated burglary at a home in Churchtown, Mallow, on 28 and 29 August 2015. Arundel pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years' imprisonment by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on 2 February 2016. She appealed the sentence, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal today, holding that a five‑year term was appropriate for an aggravated burglary involving an armed intrusion into a family bedroom. The Court noted that the victim, a man in his 70s, his partner and a two‑year‑old son, awoke to glass breaking; a man with a sledgehammer and Arundel with an iron bar entered the bedroom. The co‑accused demanded €3,000 the next day and threatened the victim with violence and a gun. Arundel had 63 prior convictions, mainly for public order and road traffic offences.
A 33‑year‑old Wexford man was convicted of orally raping his partner's seven‑year‑old son between 1 March and 30 September 2013 after the boy's mother had gone on an errand. The offence took place at the man's rented home. He denied the charge and has no remorse. The Central Criminal Court found him guilty of one count of oral rape. Mr Justice Paul Butler sentenced him to seven and a half years, suspending the final two and a half years on conditions including no contact with the victim. The judge noted the offence was a single incident, not a pattern of abuse, and that the man had a prior burglary conviction. The victim's mother described the child's emotional and academic decline following the assault. The boy, aged eight at the time of a Garda interview, reported the man's abusive language and forced sexual act. The mother's impact statement highlighted the child's trauma and loss of safety.
Patrick Connors, 46, was sentenced to two and a half years in jail at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for dangerous driving after a high‑speed chase. He drove over 160 km/h on the wrong side of a busy road, performed a U‑turn at speed, exceeded 100 km/h on a 50 km/h road, ran a red light and collided with a taxi at a junction. Connors pleaded guilty to endangerment creating a substantial risk of death or serious harm to another on Swords Road on 19 September. He also admitted possession of stolen laptops, jewellery, a screwdriver and a "jemmy" bar, which were found in his car when the chase ended. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with the final year suspended, citing the seriousness of the charges and Connors' 89 prior convictions, including dangerous driving, burglary, theft, assault and 56 summary road traffic offences.
James Byrne, 45, was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after he had applied for a job at a fast‑food restaurant and then returned to burgle the premises. Byrne left the restaurant after staff mentioned a possible driving position, but shortly thereafter he stole a bag of coins worth €95 from a back‑office area. He has 57 prior convictions and is currently serving a two‑year sentence for a burglary committed in November 2016. The court noted that Byrne's offences are usually opportunistic and lack sophistication, and that he has targeted non‑dwelling premises such as schools and churches. Byrne pleaded guilty to the burglary at BASE Pizza in Terenure on 19 June 2016. Garda James Duffy presented CCTV footage and Byrne's full admissions. The judge adjourned sentencing to 26 May 2017 to allow a probation report to be prepared.
Mark Hurley, aged 22, pleaded guilty to burglary of Pinocchio's toy store on Paul Street, Cork, on 22 December 2014. He broke a window, stole €1,200, a charity collection box and an i‑pod nano, and damaged a card‑reading machine, hindering the shopkeeper's ability to process card transactions during the busy Christmas period. Hurley left a palm print that led to his identification. He had 33 prior convictions, including 23 burglaries and 15 offences committed while on bail, and had recently been released from Portlaoise prison on temporary release. The Circuit Court had sentenced him to six years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. On appeal, the Court of Appeal found the starting point too high and re‑sentenced him to five years' imprisonment, again with the final two years suspended. He was required to enter a good‑behaviour bond for the suspended period.
John Paul O'Driscoll, 29, of Fairhill, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for a series of offences committed in April 2013, including burglary, unlawful vehicle taking, reckless endangerment and criminal damage. He was driving a stolen van while intoxicated, pursued by Gardaí from one end of Cork to the other, and collided with Garda Michael Twomey, throwing him from his motorbike and causing serious injuries. O'Driscoll's blood alcohol level was 244mg per 100ml. At the time of sentencing he was unemployed and living in a Simon Community hostel. He had 168 prior convictions and was disqualified from driving. On appeal, the Court of Appeal reduced his sentence to seven years and nine months, suspending the final 12 months on condition, and upheld a 35‑year driving disqualification. The appeal was based on the court's determination that the offence was reckless rather than intentional endangerment, and on procedural errors in the original sentencing. John Paul O'Driscoll pleaded guilty.
Anthony Connors, 41, was sentenced to a cumulative 144 years in prison for a career of burglaries that mainly targeted pensioners. In a 2016 incident, he broke into the flat of 81‑year‑old artist Noel Lewis and his partner Dympna O'Halloran, 56, holding them hostage and demanding cash. Connors threatened to stab Lewis with a broom handle and to set the apartment on fire. Lewis managed to "belt" Connors with a heavy battery pack, stunning him. Connors stole €170 from the couple, a tablet containing O'Halloran's artwork, and a distinctive shirt. The victim impact reports described fear, nightmares, and loss of confidence for Lewis and disorientation and memory loss for O'Halloran. Connors was remanded in custody pending sentencing of his final burglary. The judge noted the need to protect the public and consider rehabilitation. Anthony Connors pleaded guilty.
Pat McCann, a 70-year-old convicted garda murderer, appeared before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court at the sentencing stage for criminal damage. He pleaded guilty to throwing a keg against the window of John Brereton Jewellers on Grafton Street on July 23, 2015, causing over €8,300 in damage. McCann was originally sentenced to death in 1980 for the capital murder of Garda Henry Byrne and Detective Garda John Morley during an armed robbery near Loughglynn, Co Roscommon. His sentence was commuted to 40 years, and he was released in 2013. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the matter until April 7 to allow for a probation report, noting McCann's extensive custody history and consistent criminal conduct since release. The prosecution highlighted 12 previous convictions, including arson and burglary, and stated McCann was intoxicated during the offence. Defence counsel Diarmaid McGuinness SC cited McCann's mental health history, his remorse, and his willingness to repay damages using pension funds. The court heard McCann has been in custody since December and hopes to secure accommodation with an adult child upon release. The matter was adjourned, not concluded.
Michael Fagan (25) of Sperrin Road, Drimnagh, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two years' imprisonment for handling stolen property. Judge Elma Sheahan reduced a recommended three-year term to two years following mitigation. Fagan pleaded guilty to possessing a safe stolen from the Co. Meath home of Mark Guildea on May 5, 2014. Detective Garda Brian McCarthy testified that Fagan dropped the safe from a third-floor balcony at Rathmines flats complex on the night of the burglary, scattering items including shotgun cartridges. Fagan, who has 51 previous convictions, was not charged with the burglary itself. Separately, Dean Fagan (28) of Kildare Park, Crumlin, Dublin, and Daryl Smith (25) of Shancastle Lawns, Clondalkin, Dublin, were jailed at Trim Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to carrying out the aggravated burglary at Irishtown, Ashbourne, on the same date. The court noted that the original burglary involved the victim's wife and child being tied up. Michael Fagan's defence counsel highlighted his desire to live a sober life, while the judge acknowledged his mitigation.
Patrick Connors, aged 46, was found guilty of endangerment for driving at speeds exceeding 160 km/h, including a high‑speed chase on Swords Road, Dublin. He drove on the wrong side of the road, wrong‑way around a roundabout, performed a u‑turn at speed, and exceeded the 50 km/h limit, even running a red light and colliding with a taxi. Connors also admitted possession of stolen laptops, jewellery, a screwdriver, and a "jemmy" bar, items recovered from his vehicle after the chase. He was charged with dangerous driving but did not plead to those charges. With 89 prior convictions, including dangerous driving, burglary, and theft, Connors was remanded in custody for sentencing in April, and a Probation Service report was ordered.