Dean Joyce, 24, of Clondalkin, Dublin, has been remanded on continuing bail until May next for sentencing after being convicted of 10 charges. Joyce, who has 190 previous convictions, pleaded not guilty to 11 charges arising from a high-speed chase on March 3, 2015. These included endangering gardaí by driving into a garda van, four counts of dangerous driving, possession of stolen property, driving without a licence or insurance, possession of a boxcutter used in a burglary, criminal damage to a garda van, and failing to stop for gardaí. Judge Karen O'Connor directed a not guilty verdict on the endangerment charge, but the jury convicted Joyce of all other counts. During the trial, Garda Sergeant Ronan McDermott testified that Joyce led officers on a pursuit through red lights and the wrong side of the road before colliding with a garda van in Ballyfermot, causing €1,500 in damage. Stolen property, including laptops and an iPad, was found in the vehicle. Defence counsel Pieter LeVert highlighted Joyce's personal history and recent imprisonment for other offences, stating it has been "the making of him." Judge O'Connor ordered a Probation Services report and warned Joyce of the "jeopardy he is in." The matter was adjourned to May for sentence.
Michael Fagan (25) of Sperrin Rd, Drimnagh, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of stolen property. The offence involved a safe stolen from the Co. Meath home of Mark Guildea on May 5, 2014, which Fagan dropped from a third-floor balcony at Rathmines flats complex on the same night. Detective Garda Brian McCarthy testified that items, including shotgun cartridges, scattered after the drop. Fagan, who has 51 previous convictions, was jailed for the handling offence. Separately, at Trim Circuit Criminal Court, Dean Fagan (28) of Kildare Park, Crumlin, Dublin, and Daryl Smith (25) of Shancastle Lawns, Clondalkin, Dublin, were jailed after pleading guilty to carrying out the aggravated burglary at Irishtown, Ashbourne, on May 5, 2014. The court heard that the victims, including Guildea's wife and child, were tied up during the incident. Michael Fagan was not charged with the burglary itself. Judge Elma Sheehan presided over the sentencing in Dublin, while the Trim court handed down the sentences for Dean Fagan and Smith. All three individuals received custodial sentences for their respective convictions.
In 2015, seven men pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary at the Corcoran family home in south Tipperary. Five of them—Patrick Gately, Dean Byrne, John Joyce, Patrick Joyce and Thomas Flynn—received sentences ranging from 12 to 20 years, with varying suspended portions. The men appealed in 2017, arguing that the sentences were too severe. Counsel highlighted each defendant's background, remorse, and the nature of the offence, noting the presence of a machete, firearms, and threats against children. The Court of Appeal reserved judgment, with the judges acknowledging the seriousness of the crime and the impact on the Corcoran family. The appeal focused on the proportionality of the sentences and the application of remission, without addressing any subsequent outcomes. The case remains at the appellate stage.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Gary Kearney, aged 25, admitted to robbing a man on Millennium Bridge in the early hours of 11 September 2016. Kearney, who has 160 prior convictions including assault, robbery, theft, burglary, criminal damage and public order offences, claimed to be an undercover Garda before handcuffing and robbing the victim. He and an accomplice used handcuffs and quoted sections of law to intimidate the man, who feared being pushed into the Liffey. They removed his phone, travel and bank cards, returned the cards after the victim demanded them back, but re‑handcuffed him when he asked for his phone. Kearney pleaded guilty to robbery, false imprisonment and theft. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to May to allow Kearney to attend a 12‑week residential treatment programme at Cuan Mhuire. The accomplice fled and has not been charged.
Munir Ghariani, 26, of Dun Laoghaire, pleaded guilty to the robbery of a Chinese national on Granville Road, Cabinteely, on March 21, 2016. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Ghariani, who has 34 previous convictions including sexual assault, indecency, burglary, and theft, was registered as a sex offender. He was on bail for a similar offence at the time of the incident. During the sentencing stage, Ghariani asked Judge Melanie Greally if there was any chance of a suspended sentence, promising to stay home and take medication. The court noted he admitted to the theft but denied biting the victim, claiming her thumb hit his teeth, while stating he acted "for the thrill." Defence counsel described the act as a spontaneous attempt and highlighted Ghariani's complex mental health issues and personal background. Judge Greally rejected a defence application for temporary bail. The matter was adjourned to later this month to hear evidence from medical professionals treating Ghariani for his complex mental health problems.
Colin Culhane, 35, of Courtbrack Accommodation, Limerick, pleaded guilty to eight burglary counts committed over an eight‑month period in 2014. At the Limerick Circuit Criminal Court on 1 October 2015, Judge Tom O'Donnell imposed concurrent five‑year sentences for counts 1‑6 and wholly suspended consecutive two‑year terms for counts 7‑8. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was "unduly lenient". In a fresh hearing, a three‑judge court, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, found that the original judge erred by suspending the entire consecutive two‑year terms. The Court of Appeal re‑sentenced Culhane to three years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, and required him to serve an additional year in custody consecutive to the five‑year sentences for the first six counts. The decision was based on the policy that offences committed while on bail should attract consecutive sentences involving actual custody.
Raymond O'Hara, 50, received an 18‑month prison sentence for stealing seven bottles of spirits from the Clifton Court Hotel in August 2015. He has 231 prior convictions, including 144 theft and fraud offences and 46 road traffic offences, and was released from custody four weeks before the offence. The judge, Pauline Codd, noted the burglary had caused nervousness among staff and imposed the sentence with the final eight months suspended, conditional on one year of probation, remaining drug‑ and alcohol‑free, and attending residential drug treatment if directed. O'Hara intends to use his time in prison as a "health farm," attending the gym, Narcotics Anonymous, and studying computers, claiming he will address his drug and alcohol issues and improve his health. The court accepted his plea of guilty and the conditions of the suspended portion.
James Cash, 59, was given a three‑year suspended sentence after he knocked on Pamela Creighton's granny flat in Blanchardstown, Dublin, while under the influence of alcohol and tablets. He attempted to attack her with a samurai sword and a kitchen knife. Bernard Creighton, the husband, wrested the weapons from Cash's hands and chased him into the garden, after which Gardaí were called. Cash pleaded guilty to two counts of producing a weapon at Corduff Avenue on 30 November 2015. He has 17 previous convictions, including theft, burglary, drink‑driving and criminal damage. Defence counsel Mark Lynam BL highlighted Cash's severe heart disease and lack of circulation in his legs, noting that further surgery might require amputation. Judge Melanie Greally, noting the offence occurred amid inter‑familial tension and Cash's intoxication, imposed a three‑year sentence suspended in full on the condition that Cash engage with the Probation Service and abstain from alcohol.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, the jury was discharged after a juror appeared to fall asleep 15 minutes into the opening address. Prosecutor Garrett Baker BL was explaining "beyond reasonable doubt" when a juror was found seemingly asleep, prompting a jury minder to intervene. Defence barrister Pieter Le Vert BL reported that another male juror also seemed about to nod off. Judge Elma Sheahan ruled that the trial could not replace the two jurors, so she discharged the entire jury. The case involves Dean Joyce (24) of Rowlagh Park, Clondalkin, who pleaded not guilty to 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. A new jury will be sworn in today.
A 23‑year‑old man from Clondalkin, Michael Bayley, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, for two burglaries in Sallynoggin and dangerous driving on 12 May 2016. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Bayley had 22 prior convictions, including aggravated burglary, public order and road traffic offences. The judge also disqualified him from driving for four years. The burglaries involved the theft of a Samsung Galaxy tablet and an iPad from a sick child's home, as well as cash found in a birthday card. Bayley claimed he was recruited by people he owed "15 grand" to repay a debt, and that he had drug addictions. He was arrested after a high‑speed chase in which his stolen car crashed in Blackrock, having driven at 160 kph in a 50 kph zone and failed to stop at red lights.
Warren Brennan, 25, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for robbing a 71‑year‑old pensioner at Alderwood Park, Tallaght, on 27 October 2015. Brennan, wearing a motorcycle helmet and armed with a claw hammer, demanded €5,000 from the victim after the man had withdrawn the cash from a bank. When the pensioner refused and called him a "scumbag", Brennan struck him repeatedly with the hammer, punched him, bit his thumb, and then fled with the money. The victim was knocked to the ground, suffered a broken thumb and later reported flashbacks whenever he saw a hammer or helmet. Brennan pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He has 54 prior convictions, including firearms possession, theft, burglary and assault, and was previously jailed for three years in 2011 for an attempted robbery involving a gun. The court noted that Brennan had been given many chances to reform but had not changed his criminal behaviour.
In a 2017 case, a 27‑year‑old man was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for raping a 54‑year‑old woman outside her home in County Galway. The man had forced entry to the house in the middle of the night, breaking a lock on an access door, and the victim, who was an alcoholic, had met him while drinking. She testified that she had been sober for several weeks before the offence but resumed drinking afterwards. The court noted that the victim and her daughter were present, with the daughter seeking safety and calling the Gardaí. The accused was acquitted of burglary.
A man with 116 previous convictions, including 17 for burglary, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to trespass with intent to commit an offence at a dwelling in Dublin 8 on 4 October 2015. James Smith, aged 33, of Mostrim Oaks, Ballymahon Road, Edgeworthstown, County Longford, entered the house by breaking a kitchen window. When the occupants shouted that gardaí had been contacted, Smith indicated he required assistance as someone was pursuing him. Upon the arrival of gardaí, Smith opened the door to admit them. He later told gardaí he had entered the property intending to steal items for sale, stating he needed money urgently and was unaware occupants were present. Nothing was taken from the house. Smith acknowledged he had consumed drugs prior to the incident. Judge Pauline Codd adjourned sentencing to allow preparation of updated psychological and probation reports. A sentence date of 3 April 2017 was fixed, at which point defence counsel will make a plea in mitigation.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Mohammed Abduljabbar, a 29‑year‑old Saudi Arabian master's student, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and two counts of criminal damage after breaking into student accommodation at the Gateway Student Village in Ballymun on 25 June. He used a nunchuck to assault a fellow student, whom he claimed had damaged his car, and smashed two glass doors. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, suspending 21 months on conditions that included payment of €2,000 in damages to the doors within 28 days. The Saudi Arabian embassy, represented in court, agreed to pay the damages. Abduljabbar admitted guilt, expressed remorse, and was noted to have a low risk of re‑offending by Probation Services. The victim suffered superficial injuries and declined to give an impact statement. The case highlighted Abduljabbar's prior convictions and his status as a foreign student facing educational disruption.
In January 2015 a Dublin man, aged 53, was arrested after a jury found him guilty of three counts of sexual assault in November 2014, involving the touching of his heavily‑pregnant partner's anal area while she slept. The jury could not reach a verdict on two additional rape allegations from December 2014, and the man will face a retrial on those charges. Garda Brendan Harte revealed that police had discovered three video clips, each 31 to 57 seconds long, showing the man inserting a finger into the woman's anus while she slept, illuminated by a torch. The victim, aged 40, identified herself in the footage and claimed the acts were consensual, though she later stated she felt humiliated and degraded. She has since become a single mother and is taking antidepressants. The man has three prior convictions, including burglary and careless driving, but denies any history of abusive or threatening behaviour. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
In a case heard at the Clonmel Circuit Criminal Court, Romanian national Duku Popovici, aged 43, was found guilty of aggravated burglary at the home of James and Sarah Quigley in Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Tipperary, on 26 September 2013. The jury convicted him of aggravated burglary, and Judge Tom Teehan sentenced him to 12 years' imprisonment, suspending the final two years. The Court of Appeal, hearing the appeal on 23 January 2017, reduced the headline sentence to nine years' imprisonment, again suspending the final two years. The appeal was based on the judge's error in setting the headline sentence and in imposing a sentence twice that of the co‑accused. The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction and the revised sentence, dismissing the appeal for conviction. The case involved a violent confrontation in the Quigley home, with Popovici allegedly threatening the occupants with a spanner and a second intruder striking the victim. Duku Popovici pleaded not guilty.
Jonathan Coyle, 33, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for recklessly colliding with Philip Woodcock's car, an act that caused both vehicles to be damaged. The collision followed a violent altercation between the occupants of the two cars, during which Woodcock punched Coyle and an unidentified man stabbed a man who had been with Woodcock's group, killing former soldier Warren O'Connor, 24. Coyle pleaded guilty to endangerment and was already under a ten‑year driving disqualification. Judge Cormac Quinn imposed the sentence, suspended the final 18 months, ordered 18 months of probation supervision from release, and disqualified Coyle from driving for ten years. The court noted Coyle's prior convictions, including five‑year and ten‑year driving bans, robbery, assault and burglary. The hearing was held in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with the O'Connor family present. The case did not involve any charges against Woodcock or others for the killing.
Michael McDermott, 43, was arrested for burglary in Coolock, Dublin, after a house was broken into on 23 January 2016. He was found asleep on the homeowner's bed after piling up items he intended to steal, having fallen asleep in the box room. McDermott had been heavily intoxicated, having taken a large number of tablets, and was described by the homeowner's sons as "out of his mind." He had cut himself when smashing a front window to gain entry. Garda Richard Carroll reported that McDermott's condition warranted medical treatment and an ambulance was called. McDermott pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment by Judge Melanie Greally. He has 95 prior convictions, including assault, burglary, robbery and drug offences. The court noted his history of drug use and a 30‑year addiction that he claimed to have overcome in 2013.
A 14‑year‑old boy who accompanied his father to a burglary was found in a car with house‑breaking equipment and was later given a suspended two‑year detention. Judge Melanie Greally, hearing the case at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, noted the boy was now in his mother's care and doing well, but warned him to stay away from family members who might lead him astray. The boy, now 16, pleaded guilty to burglary in 2014 and had no prior convictions. His father is serving a prison sentence. The court described the incident: the car, containing screwdrivers and pliers, was stopped by gardai; occupants, including the boy, wore balaclavas and gloves and tried to escape. The boy was a back‑seat passenger and was described as a pawn used by his father.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Andrew Allen, 38, was sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment for a series of offences including endangerment, dangerous driving and driving without insurance. The court heard that Allen, a disqualified driver, was pursued by ten Garda patrol cars on the M50, reaching speeds up to 200 km/h, and collided with two patrol cars during the chase. He pleaded guilty to burglary on Navan Road in April 2016 and to multiple road traffic offences. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a suspended final year and ordered one year of probation supervision. Allen received medical treatment for minor injuries sustained during the pursuit, and no Garda or civilian injuries were reported. The case highlighted Allen's history of 87 convictions and his prior warning of a threat to his life by Garda officers.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal against conviction lodged by Duku Popovici, a 43-year-old Romanian national from Cabra Park, Dublin 7. Popovici had pleaded not guilty to aggravated burglary at the home of James and Sarah Quigley in Carrick-on-Suir, Co Tipperary, on September 26, 2013. He was previously found guilty by a jury at Clonmel Circuit Criminal Court and sentenced to 12 years imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, by Judge Tom Teehan on July 23, 2015. During the appeal, Popovici's legal team argued that the trial judge failed to properly direct the jury on the lesser charge of attempted burglary, asserting that the defence case was that Popovici was never inside the house. However, Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, sitting with Mr Justice George Birmingham and Mr Justice Alan Mahon, rejected this argument. The court noted that the trial judge's charge was succinct and that it would have been perverse not to convict of attempted burglary if the jury were not satisfied of aggravated burglary. The appeal was dismissed on all grounds, upholding the original conviction and sentence.
Jamie Daly, aged 20, pleaded guilty to burglary and unlawful possession of a motor vehicle after breaking into a Blackrock home on 17 February. He and a co‑accused loitered in the house, stealing expensive items, then fled in the victim's black Jaguar, which crashed on the road. CCTV identified them; the co‑accused received a five‑year sentence with one year suspended. Daly was given a suspended three‑year sentence. He had four prior convictions for minor offences and was homeless at the time of the crime, having been displaced from Ballymun. He was on drugs during the offence and had little recollection. Since then, he has enrolled in a horticulture course at Blackrock Further Education Institute and engaged positively with the Probation Service. The judge noted the burglary was aggravated by the prolonged presence in the victim's home but also acknowledged Daly's efforts to reform.
Aidan Quigley, 43, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two burglary and one attempted burglary offences committed between June 2014 and May 2015 while on bail for each. He had 41 prior convictions, 21 for burglary. Gardaí noted he always ensured houses were unoccupied and that each raid was to fund a heroin addiction. All stolen items were returned to owners as Quigley was still in possession when arrested. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed consecutive sentences totalling four years, suspended in full, citing Quigley's "trojan efforts at rehabilitating himself". Quigley's counsel argued that a personal tragedy and drug addiction had driven his crimes, and that he had ceased burglaries and was drug‑free since July of the previous year. No further burglary charges had been brought against him since May 2015. The suspended sentence reflects the court's view that Quigley was moving away from the lifestyle he had lived.
Conor Clarke, 24, was released on bail after pleading guilty to burglary, theft and criminal damage at Tessa House, a homeless shelter in Dublin. He admitted breaking into the shelter on 21 November 2015, smashing a cash register and causing damage costing just over €2,600, including €2,122 for repairs and a €500 new register. Clarke, who has 47 prior convictions, was in custody since February and has undergone drug counselling in prison. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned finalisation to March 28, allowing Clarke to remain on bail for several months to see if he can maintain the progress he has made in prison, citing his recent fatherhood as motivation. The case will return to court for finalisation on 28 March.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 19‑year‑old Ross Behan pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, attempted robbery and possession of a knife after stabbing a Brazilian man on a Luas tram on 6 May. The victim, who had tried to defend himself with a fake taser, suffered a one‑inch laceration and was taken to St James's Hospital. Behan also pleaded guilty to breaking and entering a house in Inchicore and stealing two cars, which he crashed and abandoned. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to six years' imprisonment, suspending the final three years, and ordered drug treatment on release. Behan had 27 prior convictions, including burglary and theft, and had pleaded guilty to the earlier offences. The court heard he was on drugs at the time of the attacks and that his childhood was marked by hardship. The judge noted that a prolonged incarceration would not best serve the community.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Christy Connors, aged 27, was given a suspended three‑year sentence after pleading guilty to producing a rod‑like device for burglary in Dun Laoghaire on 28 January 2015. Connors had 162 prior convictions and was caught with house‑breaking tools within 24 hours of his release on 9 January 2015. He had previously received a four‑year sentence in 2013, with the final year suspended, for assaulting an off‑duty Garda and stealing a handbag in 2011. Judge Melanie Greally, after hearing evidence and a probation report, imposed a suspended sentence and ordered 18 months of probation supervision. Garda Neill Doyle recounted spotting Connors with a whip‑like implement used to fish out car keys, leading to his arrest and pepper‑spray restraint. The court noted Connors' difficult background, his recent desire to reform, and his lack of family contact since 2008.
In 2013, five men—Patrick Gately (29), Dean Byrne (23), John Joyce (22), Patrick Joyce (24), and Thomas Flynn (22)—pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary at the Corcoran family home in south Tipperary. Judge Thomas Teehan sentenced them on 1 October 2015: Gately and Byrne received 20‑year terms with the last four years suspended; Joyce received 15 years with four suspended; Patrick Joyce received 14 years with four suspended; Flynn received 12 years consecutive to a sentence already served. All five have appealed the severity of their sentences. The Court of Appeal set a hearing for 2 March, with submissions lodged except for Gately, who had a legal‑aid certificate transferred to a new solicitor. The appeal will consider whether the sentences are too harsh. The case remains at the appeal stage.
Michael Bayley, a 23‑year‑old from Clondalkin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two burglaries in Sallynoggin and dangerous driving on 12 May 2016. He admitted owing €15,000 to people who had brought him to the burglary sites to repay a debt. During a high‑speed chase that reached 160 km/h in a 50 km/h zone, Bayley fled in a stolen car, which crashed in Blackrock. He was arrested alone in the vehicle. The burglaries involved the theft of a Samsung Galaxy tablet and an iPad from a sick child's home, and a €100 note was found in a birthday card at the victim's house. Bayley acknowledged drug addictions, claimed he did not recall taking the items, and offered a full apology. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case to allow victim impact statements and a probation report before the next hearing on 1 February 2017.
Jamie Shorthall, a 30‑year‑old plumber from Monkstown Farm, Dún Laoghaire, carried out an armed raid on an Applegreen petrol station in Dublin on 17 June 2015 to pay off drug and gambling debts. He wore a white boiler suit and a black balaclava, pointed a realistic replica of a Glock pistol at shop worker Phil Collins, and demanded the cash tills be opened. Collins, frightened, handed over €1,100. Shorthall escaped on a push bike left outside the shop. He pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of an offensive weapon. The court noted his 20 prior convictions, including burglary, criminal damage and theft, and that he had relapsed into cocaine and gambling problems. His father had previously paid up to €14,000 to menacing individuals demanding money for his son's debts. A psychological report said Shorthall was under duress and threatened with harm to his family. Judge John Aylmer adjourned sentencing to the following Monday.
Justin Murray, aged 38, was jailed for a 2014 burglary in Clontarf where he forced his way into a 12‑year‑old boy's home, forced the child to help gather valuables, and kicked him when the boy tried to call for help. Murray, who has long struggled with drug addiction, claimed "It's not me, it's the addict in me." He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan, noting the seriousness of the offence and Murray's 23 prior burglary convictions, imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, citing the terror inflicted on the boy. Murray admitted he had likely broken in but denied striking the child, and he was not invited into the house. The boy later identified him on CCTV and was rescued by neighbours and Gardaí. The case highlighted the impact of drug‑related crime on vulnerable children.
In a robbery on 2 November 2015, John Joyce, aged 25, used an Airsoft pistol to threaten a staff member at a dry‑cleaning shop he had previously visited for alterations. He forced the employee to hand over €436 in cash. Joyce was later apprehended at a halting site where a car containing an Airsoft handgun was found. He pleaded guilty to this robbery, as well as to a robbery on 21 August 2014 and to damaging cars with a screwdriver in mid‑2014. The judge imposed a six‑year sentence, suspending the last 18 months. Joyce has 66 prior convictions, including robbery, burglary and handling stolen property. The victim reported nightmares and a change of workplace following the incident. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a Dublin city‑centre incident on 11 February 2015, 41‑year‑old Colm Donnelly broke into a woman's home, threatened to kill her, and dragged her about 60 metres down a street while brandishing a metal bar. He told Kelly Cullen he was HIV‑positive and forced her to withdraw money from an ATM. Cullen escaped when a passer‑by intervened, and the two fled, but Donnelly pursued them for a time before they outran him. Donnelly had earlier that day broken into an apartment at The Waterside, Ringsend, threatened a man with the bar, robbed his mobile phone, robbed a shop, and stole €300. He pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and false imprisonment, and was sentenced to three‑and‑a‑half years in prison, with the final six months suspended under conditions. The sentence was back‑dated to his initial custody in February.
Edward Travers, 24, of Tallaght, Dublin, was sentenced at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for burglary. He pleaded guilty to breaking into the home of a 66-year-old priest on December 2, 2013. The court heard that Travers, along with two co-accused, kicked in the door while the priest was on the phone. One co-accused allegedly punched the victim after he asked them to leave. Travers was identified via CCTV and arrested the following year. Judge Melanie Greally noted the victim was shaken, lost confidence, and upgraded his home security. The judge acknowledged Travers' remorse and positive steps toward addressing his drug addiction, including completing an anger management course. Despite his 70 previous convictions, Judge Greally imposed a three-year sentence. The final year of the sentence was suspended, and Travers was ordered to serve 12 months under probation supervision. The sentence was backdated to July, when evidence was originally heard. The matter was finalised with this sentencing order.
Simon McGinley, aged 32 from Connaughton Road Car Park in Sligo, has had his appeals against conviction and sentence dismissed by the Court of Appeal. McGinley was convicted of the murder of Eugene Gillespie, a 67-year-old retired telecoms broker, who died following an assault at his home on Old Market Street on 19 September 2012. McGinley had admitted killing Mr Gillespie but denied the charge was murder. A jury found him guilty of murder in April 2014, and he received a mandatory life sentence along with concurrent sentences for false imprisonment and burglary. The three-judge court, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, found no grounds of substance in McGinley's appeals. The court noted the seriousness of the offences and McGinley's significant criminal history of 21 previous convictions. McGinley was returned to prison to continue serving his sentences.
Ross Glynn, a plumber from Palmerstown, pleaded guilty to burglary at the Dublin Fire Brigade Workshop in Grangegorman Lower on August 28, 2010. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a four-month sentence, backdated to when Glynn entered custody in July, resulting in him being released as a free man. Glynn had fled to New Zealand after being granted bail, remaining at large because Ireland lacks an extradition treaty with that country. He was arrested in a Palmerstown pub earlier this year. His co-accused, Darren Snee, was sentenced to three years with 28 months suspended for the same offence. The pair allegedly stole €82,512 worth of firefighting equipment, including life-saving rescue tools. Snee gained entry using a key fob from his father, who worked at the workshop. Prosecutors argued Glynn knew the nature of the theft, despite his claim that he believed Snee had permission. Glynn received €300 from the sale of the stolen goods. Judge Nolan noted Glynn had no previous convictions apart from three road traffic offences and accepted he was unlikely to re-offend.
John Paul O'Driscoll, 29, from Fairhill, appealed a 12‑year sentence imposed by Cork Circuit Criminal Court for 17 offences including burglary, unlawful van taking, reckless endangerment and criminal damage. He was driving a stolen van drunk, pursued from one end of Cork to another, and deliberately struck Garda Michael Twomey on a motorbike, throwing him a considerable distance. O'Driscoll had 168 prior convictions, was disqualified from driving, and had been on two sets of bail. Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin gave consecutive sentences totalling 12 years, suspending the final two years. O'Driscoll's counsel, Elizabeth O'Connell SC, argued the judge erred in imposing consecutive sentences and that the guilty plea should have earned more credit. The appeal was filed on 15 November 2016. The court expected a decision within a month.
In a €2 million drug bust, Tara Kennedy (22) and her partner Graham O'Toole (24) were charged with possession of drugs for sale or supply. Kennedy's son, aged three, was present when Gardaí raided their home, finding €1,158,600 worth of cannabis, cocaine and heroin. O'Toole had previously pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and received a four‑year sentence with the final two years suspended. Alan Dowling (46), who acted as a courier, was also charged and pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply. All three accused will be sentenced on 25 November. The court heard that Kennedy had spent much of her life in care and was genuinely remorseful, while O'Toole had a moderate risk of re‑offending and had attended rehabilitation programmes. Dowling had 16 prior traffic convictions and had cooperated with Gardaí from the outset. The case highlights the involvement of a young child in a serious drug offence.
A 17-year-old boy has been sentenced to one year's detention at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following a series of offences committed in April 2016. The teenager pleaded guilty to burglary, dangerous driving, and criminal damage to a bridge after crashing a stolen Hyundai into the River Liffey at Celbridge while evading gardai from a burglary scene in Lucan. Within 48 hours of his release on bail, he assaulted an elderly man and stole his vehicle. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a three-year sentence with the final two years suspended, noting that detention should be a last resort for minors. The court heard evidence that the accused was intoxicated during the chase and was abusing prescribed drugs at the time. His legal counsel submitted that he is now drug-free, has expressed remorse, and is willing to engage with rehabilitation services and address anger management issues.
Warren Brennan, 25, of Pearse Street, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery at Alderwood Park, Tallaght, on October 27, 2015. He also pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary at a bookmakers on Lombard Street and resisting a police officer on the same occasion. Judge Catherine Murphy described the Tallaght robbery, in which Brennan attacked a 71-year-old victim with a hammer, as "particularly nasty" and involving "gratuitous violence." The judge noted Brennan's 54 previous convictions, including a 2011 three-year jail term for an attempted armed robbery. Although Brennan was on bail for the Lombard Street burglary when he committed the Tallaght robbery, he is currently in custody for other offences. The judge remanded Brennan on continuing bail until January 16 for sentence, stating she needed time to consider various reports. Defense counsel Sean Gillane SC highlighted Brennan's difficult childhood, addiction issues, and a psychiatric report indicating a risk of developing schizophrenia, urging the court not to discard him entirely. Prosecution counsel detailed how Brennan was identified after giving a false name and how he attempted to stab gardai during the Lombard Street incident. The matter was adjourned for sentencing.
Dean Fagan, 26, of Fairway Drive, Rosslare Strand, Wexford, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for an aggravated burglary that took place on 4 January 2014 at John Street, Enniscorthy. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The burglary involved two men who entered the victim's home at about 11.30 p.m. armed with a knife and a hatchet. The victim, who was at home with her five‑year‑old son, was threatened and forced to give up money and jewellery. The men took two mobile phones and a laptop before leaving. Fagan had previously been serving a six‑year sentence for a separate aggravated burglary. The court noted that Fagan had no forensic evidence linking him to the crime and that his admissions to the gardai formed a large part of the evidence against him.
Edward Wall (44) and Patrick Wall (36) were sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four years imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for burglary at a house in Drogheda and an attempted burglary in Gainstown on 31 October 2014. Patrick had four prior burglary convictions, including one aggravated burglary, with two suspended sentences, one six‑month term and a community service order. Edward had eight prior burglary convictions, receiving various sentences from suspensions to a three‑year term. The Director of Public Prosecutions applied for a review on the grounds of "unduly lenient" sentences, but the Court of Appeal found no clear divergence from the norm. The judge noted the Walls' prior convictions, the planning and sophistication of the burglary, and the fact that they were on bail for other matters at the time of sentencing. The review was rejected. Edward Wall pleaded guilty. Patrick Wall pleaded guilty.
Michael Cawley, aged 24, received a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for acting as a distraction in four burglaries and one attempted burglary of elderly homes in Dublin between February and May 2010. He was 17 at the time of the offences. The court noted he had returned to the UK after the crimes and was now a married father of two living in Clondalkin, Dublin. Cawley had seven prior convictions and was serving a two‑year sentence with nine months suspended for similar offences in Cork. Judge Martin Nolan described the crimes as "atrocious" and said they exploited the trust of elderly victims, but noted there was no real violence. The judge imposed the sentence, stating it would have been longer had Cawley not been a minor when the offences occurred. Cawley claimed he was forced by an accomplice and had no knowledge of the burglary plan. Michael Cawley pleaded guilty.
Liam Fox, 19, of Rossfield Park, Tallaght, was sentenced to 20 months in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his role in stealing €18,000 worth of computers and electronics from Brookfield Youth and Community Centre on 7 November 2014. The stolen items included five Dell laptops, three Playstations, iPads, Apple Macbooks, a digital camera and memory sticks, and the burglary caused damage to a glass door and filing cabinet. The offence lasted 55 minutes and was captured on CCTV, with Fox identified by Gardaí as one of four teenagers involved. Fox is already serving an eight‑year sentence for a separate aggravated burglary, with three‑and‑a‑half years suspended. The 20‑month term will run concurrently with that sentence. Judge Martin Nolan noted Fox's potential for reform upon release and warned that a future court appearance could result in a longer sentence. Liam Fox pleaded guilty.
Gerard Walsh, 38, pleaded guilty to burglary at the Liffey Valley valet service where he had worked. He admitted that a drug dealer had urged him to break into the premises to recover car keys and vehicles to pay a drug debt. Walsh and an accomplice forced entry, breaking three locks to reach the office where six sets of keys and three cars – a Volkswagen Touran, a Volkswagen Passat and an Audi A6 Avant – were taken. Two cars were recovered; the third was found a year later, costing the owner an estimated €3,500. The court heard that Walsh had previous convictions for public order and theft, dealt with 15 years earlier. Judge Melanie Greally accepted that Walsh was under personal hardship, allowing an adjournment to April 28 for him to raise compensation.
Damian Trojnar, 33, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at a Tallaght address on May 29, 2012. The case originated when Garda Cathal McGeoghan stopped Trojnar for bad parking, leading to the discovery of a European Arrest Warrant. Upon executing the warrant at Trojnar's rented home in Ellensborough Meadows, gardai seized bags of cannabis with an estimated street value of €21,132, along with €2,200 in cash, a suspected drugs tick-list, and weighing scales. Trojnar was initially extradited to Poland, where he served a four-year sentence for theft and burglary offences committed 12 years ago. Following his release, he voluntarily returned to Ireland to face the drugs charges. Judge John Aylmer described Trojnar as a reformed man, noting his exemplary behaviour in Polish prison and his voluntary return. The judge suspended a jail sentence of two years on the condition that Trojnar be of good behaviour. Defence counsel Dominic McGinn SC highlighted that Trojnar had lived in Ireland for six years, working in construction, and wished to make a life for himself. The matter was finalised with this suspended sentence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Ovidiu Raducanu, aged 31, pleaded guilty to burglary at Mountjoy Square on 6 September 2013. He had staged a scheme to sell DJ equipment for €2,500, luring a victim into his apartment where he and two other men robbed the victim, who was briefly tied up and later freed. Raducanu denied the offence initially but admitted later that he had set up the victim. He claimed he had been threatened by the robbers, who had a knife, and that he had been offered a share of the proceeds but refused. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to six years, suspending the final two years. Raducanu had 28 prior convictions and had previously paid €2,500 to the victim as a "practical expression of remorse.".
A 22‑year‑old man, Garrett Lyster, was found guilty of burglary after a break‑in at a couple's Finglas home in May 2013. He acted as a lookout and was caught when he left his mobile phone at the scene, which was recovered by the couple's son. The phone was linked to Lyster, who admitted to "keeping sketch" during the burglary. The court heard that the elderly couple, aged in their early nineties, were in bed when the intruders entered. One raider struck the husband with a saw and then cut his hand with a sharp object before fleeing. Gardaí arrived shortly after and the victim was taken to hospital. Lyster pleaded guilty and was given a one‑year sentence, suspended on strict conditions, by Judge Catherine Murphy. The prosecution noted the couple had no victim impact reports due to the woman's Alzheimer's and the man's ill health.
A man convicted of aggravated burglary at Ballymahon, County Longford, has failed to overturn his conviction at the Court of Appeal, despite judges acknowledging that his DNA sample was unlawfully retained beyond the statutory 12-month deadline. Eamon Murphy (48) of Attracta Road, Cabra, Dublin 7, pleaded not guilty to the offence at Longford Circuit Criminal Court but was found guilty and sentenced to ten years imprisonment, with the final three years suspended, in October 2015. A forensic swab was lawfully taken following his arrest in November 2011, but no application was made to retain it beyond the required period before his charge in January 2013. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice Alan Mahon, found that whilst the retention breach violated Murphy's legal rights, the trial judge had properly exercised her discretion to admit the evidence. The appeal was dismissed.
The family of a 64‑year‑old man who was murdered by three men after they broke into his home expressed shock and horror at the brutality of his death. The family statement, read at the Central Criminal Court, said they were "horrified and shocked at the cruel and heartless way he was brutally taken from us" and that they hoped for justice. The three men, Matthew Cummins (22), Sean Davy (22) and James Davy (25), were convicted of murder on 4–5 August. The judge imposed a mandatory life sentence on each, back‑dating the sentences to account for time spent in custody since 24 November 2014. The court heard that the men had previously been convicted of a range of offences, including arson, burglary and assault.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 22‑year‑old Gerry Wall pleaded guilty to burglary at Hyde Road, Dalkey, after breaking into a house and stealing jewellery worth €4,030 and a jar of coins valued at €58. CCTV captured Wall and an accomplice climbing over a fence, entering the house, and later exchanging the stolen coins for notes at a neighbouring petrol station. The burglary caused €2,315 in damage and none of the stolen property was recovered. Wall, who has nine prior convictions, was given a suspended sentence of two and a half years on strict conditions. The judge, citing a probation report that showed a "turnaround in attitude" and Wall's recent fatherhood, accepted that no further charges were pending and allowed him a chance to demonstrate his commitment to leaving criminality behind him.