In a Dublin Circuit Criminal hearing, 21‑year‑old Kathleen McDonagh pleaded guilty to three counts of money laundering for the period March 2019 to January 2020. Gardaí seized €23,715 worth of luxury goods, a high‑end car bought for €25,750 in cash, and discovered deposits totalling €98,828.88 in her AIB, post office and credit union accounts between March 2018 and December 2019. McDonagh's only income at the time was her lone parent's allowance. She was not the target of the original investigation and had no prior convictions. The court considered her a direct beneficiary of the illicit proceeds but not the perpetrator of the primary offences. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to 4 May to allow a Probation Service assessment, and McDonagh was remanded on bail until that date. The case highlighted her possession of unexplained assets linked to a partner serving a burglary sentence and a European Arrest Warrant.
In January 2022, the Court of Appeal reduced the sentence of Eddie O'Loughlin, a 38‑year‑old former resident of Finbar's Terrace, Bohermore, who had been convicted of aggravated burglary and a violent assault on Jonathan King in June 2016. O'Loughlin entered the family home at 8 am armed with a large kitchen knife and repeatedly stabbed King in front of the victim's daughters, aged four, 11 and 17. He also threatened the mother, Adrienne Keary, by placing his finger on his lips. O'Loughlin was arrested hours later, his clothing stained with King's blood. He had originally pleaded not guilty, later changed to guilty after evidence from Keary, and was sentenced to 10 ½ years in January 2020. On appeal, the Court found no error in the conviction but suspended the final 18 months of the term for three years, subject to a bond with probation services. The appeal was heard by Justices Kennedy, Edwards and McCarthy.
In January 2022, Judge Paul McDermott re‑activated 18 months of the five‑year suspended portion of Jason Paget's 15‑year sentence for aggravated burglary and sexual assault committed in 2003. Paget, 34, had been released in 2018 after serving ten years and had returned to the UK. He had failed to comply with Probation Service requirements, citing lack of a UK system and COVID‑related issues. The judge noted Paget's earlier remorse, good behaviour and limited contact with victims, and decided not to re‑activate the full suspended term. The case remains at the stage of a suspended sentence adjustment, with the court acknowledging Paget's partial compliance and the absence of a UK probation arrangement. No further convictions or outcomes are reported in the article. Probation Service pleaded guilty.
In January 2022, a 32‑year‑old man was sentenced to 30 months in prison for defiling his 16‑year‑old cousin on a church grounds in Galway in May 2018. He pleaded guilty to a sexual act with a child under 17, an offence that carries a maximum penalty of five years. At the time of the offence he was 29. The victim, who was intoxicated and unable to keep her eyes open, described how the man kissed and groped her after she refused to go to the bushes. He denied any wrongdoing during questioning. The court noted his 140 prior convictions, including assault, robbery, burglary, knife possession, theft, public order offences and four Covid‑related convictions. The judge, citing the victim's vulnerability and the lack of grooming or violence, set a headline sentence of three and a half years, reduced by one year for mitigating factors, and imposed a two‑year post‑release supervision period.
John Matthews, 42, returned to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after breaking into a house on Upper Glenageary Road on 5 September 2020, a month after his release from prison on a suspended sentence. He had served half of a nine‑year term for 56 burglaries committed in 16 months; the second half was suspended on conditions including keeping the peace for five years and attending drug treatment. Matthews pleaded guilty to the September burglary, which involved a smashed back window and the theft of small‑value cash, including a 200,000 Thai baht note. The note was later found at Matthews' home. He has 124 previous convictions, 115 of which are burglary convictions. Judge Pauline Codd noted his record is shocking, acknowledged his drug habit, and adjourned the case to 21 February next year to consider his placement on a drug treatment programme. She said he is now facing a substantial amount of time in prison.
Michelle O'Leary, aged 31, broke into the home of a 90‑year‑old neighbour in St Peter's Court, Phibsborough, by pretending to be a police officer and demanding money. She produced a knife, took €60 from the victim's pocket, dropped the weapon and fled. The victim identified her and she was arrested at her mother's apartment, where she was not supposed to be staying. O'Leary pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, production of a knife and making a false statement to Gardaí on 15 April 2021. She has 30 prior convictions for robbery, assault and theft. She has been remanded in custody since the arrest and is scheduled for sentencing in February 2022. The case was adjourned by Judge Melanie Greally to allow time for reports and she remains in custody until the hearing. The victim's family is seeking a nursing home placement for the neighbour. The incident was described as swift and frightening by Garda Kelly Mannion.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 13 December 2021, Martin Ward, 43, was found guilty of possession of a stolen school safe and possession of burglary articles. Ward, who has 42 prior convictions, was on bail for 11 other offences when he was caught by gardai running down a busy city street with a school safe under his arm. Gardaí had earlier observed him attempting to enter premises using a plastic slip, and on 4 August 2020 he was seen trying to gain entry to an apartment block on Bolton Street. He was apprehended in the foyer before accessing any apartments. The safe, taken from St Declan's school, was returned to the school. Judge Melanie Greally imposed consecutive sentences totalling three years, suspending the final six months to encourage Ward's efforts to address his drug difficulties.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Joseph O'Brien, aged 35, was found to have robbed a victim on James Street on 21 January 2019. O'Brien struck the victim twice on the back of the head with a glass bottle, then kicked him 20 to 30 times while he lay on the ground before stealing his phone. The victim suffered a laceration requiring stitches, heavy facial bruising, black eyes and a broken tooth. Witnesses saw O'Brien use the bottle and a woman also kicked the victim two or three times. O'Brien had previously committed a pharmacy robbery two days earlier, where he forced a staff member to open the till and stole about €300. He has 56 prior convictions, including robbery, burglary, assault and drug‑related offences. The court noted his history of drug addiction and homelessness, and Judge Melanie Greally ordered a Probation Service report and adjourned sentencing to 29 March, indicating a likely lengthy sentence. Joseph O'Brien pleaded guilty.
In February, Christopher Jones, aged 28, was jailed for aggravated burglary and impersonating a Garda after pleading guilty to several house break‑ins in Cork during the first Covid lockdown. Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin sentenced him to five years with 12 months suspended on each count, terms running concurrently. The DPP appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice John Edwards, agreed and found the original five‑year term for the burglary at an elderly woman's home "substantially out of the norm". Edwards quashed the five‑year term and imposed a seven‑year headline sentence, later reduced to six years with the last 12 months suspended. The judge noted the burglar had a baseball bat and that the break‑ins were planned, not opportunistic. Jones's defence argued he lived in a slum and was addressing drug addiction while in custody.
Donal Lee, 25, had a wholly suspended sentence quashed on appeal after he broke into Stack's Pharmacy in Laytown on 1 December 2018. Lee, who had 43 prior burglary convictions, had been serving a suspended five‑year term from 2016. In March, Judge Patrick Quinn imposed a three‑year term and suspended it entirely. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was too lenient and that Lee's modus operandi involved roof entry and pre‑meditation. The appeal was heard by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, who noted CCTV evidence of Lee's visits to the pharmacy before the burglary and described the offence as serious. The court found the judge erred by not imposing custodial time, and the suspended sentence was overturned. Lee will begin a custodial term next month when his current term ends.
John Saul, aged 37 and also known as John Keegan, was found in possession of a bag of heroin while attempting to deliver it. He was stopped by Gardaí, who discovered the drugs in his underwear and seized them. Saul pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for sale or supply at a location within Dublin on 8 November 2020. He has 15 prior convictions, the most recent dating back to 2010, including drug offences, assault, burglary and theft. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted that Saul's involvement in the offence was a "very serious error" and that it coincided with financial hardship caused by pandemic pressures on his family. She acknowledged that he had made some progress in his life and therefore suspended an 18‑month prison sentence in its entirety, imposing strict conditions.
In a burglary at a Drogheda home on 29 April 2019, a 28‑year‑old South American au pair was tied to her backpack's cables and locked in a cupboard, then later dragged back into the hot press where she endured verbal abuse for an hour. The intruders, Stephen Daly (29) and a co‑accused, stole €800, $100, a phone, a watch and jewellery. At a Trim Circuit Criminal Court hearing in November 2019, Daly pleaded guilty to burglary and false imprisonment. Judge Martina Baxter sentenced him to nine years for false imprisonment (the final year suspended for 12 months) and seven years for burglary, with both terms running concurrently. In the Court of Appeal, Daly's counsel argued the 12‑year headline sentence was excessive, citing mitigating factors and his early guilty plea. The appeal was dismissed; the judge's sentencing was upheld. The case highlighted the au pair's ordeal and the subsequent security measures installed by her employers.
Mark O'Shea, aged 41, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for burglary and harassment. The burglary occurred on 19 December 2018 at a Dublin City centre location, when O'Shea, accompanied by two other knife‑wielding men, entered the ex‑partner's home after using a woman as a decoy. All three men wore black balaclavas and gloves and were armed with knives. O'Shea had previously pleaded guilty to burglary and to harassment between 19 October 2018 and 31 December 2018. The court described the offence as pre‑meditated, conducted with assistance, involving physicality and intimidation. O'Shea had 44 prior convictions, including burglary, trespass, criminal damage, handling stolen property, possession of drugs, public order and road traffic offences. The judge noted that O'Shea had been in a residential treatment programme for a short period before the hearing. The sentence requires O'Shea to comply with all Probation Service directions for 12 months after release.
In a burglary case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 22‑year‑old Eddie Cawley pleaded guilty to breaking into a house in Portmarnock on 9 March 2020. He and a co‑accused rang the doorbell and knocked on the front door at lunchtime. When no one answered, they damaged the door to gain entry. The homeowner's son, who was in the bathroom upstairs, heard the noise, ran out, and confronted one of the burglars on the stairs. The intruder fled after a brief confrontation. Cawley and the other man then fled in a Nissan Almera, which was later stopped by Gardaí. No items were taken from the house, though the front door was damaged. Cawley stated he would not have entered had he known someone was home and claimed he had no weapon. He has 27 prior convictions, including six burglaries. The judge adjourned sentencing to 31 January 2022 to allow reports to be prepared.
In a dispute over a mobile phone that was later found in the accused's flat, Scott Byrne, aged 31, stabbed his neighbour Jamie Shortt, aged 28, on 11 July 2020. Byrne and two friends had been at a party celebrating a six‑year‑old's birthday, then joined another party in Shortt's flat where alcohol and cocaine were consumed. After the party, Byrne's friend could not locate his phone and suspected it was in Shortt's flat. Byrne and two others forced entry, and Shortt locked himself in a bathroom. Shortt later armed himself with a hammer and entered Byrne's flat, where Byrne, holding a knife, stabbed Shortt six to eight times around the shoulder and neck. Shortt sustained superficial injuries and fully recovered. Byrne was arrested, tried, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assault causing harm, and was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment. The court noted Byrne's 16 prior convictions, including burglary, theft and violent disorder.
Judge Martin Nolan imposed a 12‑year prison sentence on Michael "Mikey" Greene (20) for a series of extremely violent robberies and burglaries. Greene beat a couple with a wrench in their home, struck an office worker with a hammer, and held a broken bottle to a man in his seventies. He also used a hammer to assault a sales clerk, attacked workers with scissors, and broke into a private house, hitting the occupants with a wrench. Greene pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery, burglary and assault, and had 51 prior convictions. The judge noted Greene's youth, guilty pleas, chronic drug addiction and some remorse as reasons for suspending three years of the sentence. The court heard that Greene's violent acts caused physical and psychological harm to the victims, but no victim impact statements were read into the record.
Felix Moorehouse, 19, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three burglaries and an attempted burglary at a gated retirement complex in Dun Laoghaire on 14 January 2021. The victims were all over 90 and Moorehouse stole cash, bank cards, expensive jewellery and a phone. He had 25 prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan noted that Moorehouse did not admit he knew the complex housed elderly residents, and that the incidents were particularly upsetting because the victims were cocooning during lockdown. The judge suspended the final 15 months of a five‑year sentence on the condition that Moorehouse engage with the Probation Service for 15 months after release. Garda Deirdre Finn described how Moorehouse entered the homes, stole items, and was identified by CCTV. His mother testified that he was influenced by his father, a chronic heroin addict with a criminal record, and that he had been well‑behaved at school but spent most weekends with his father.
A 22‑year‑old man was sentenced to one year and ten months in prison for defilement after a Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty of having sex with a 15‑year‑old girl at a Dublin house party in June 2018. The victim, who is unnamed to protect her identity, gave a victim impact statement in which she said the offence had a massive toll on her life and mental well‑being, robbed her of her virginity, and caused a loss of motivation for her studies. She described herself as standoffish with men and said the man's actions had made her feel like a liar. The judge, Mr Justice Paul Coffey, noted the defendant's 107 previous convictions, mainly for theft and burglary, and his history of alcohol and drug abuse, but also that he had no prior sexual offences. The unnamed 22-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Trevor Robinson, aged 31, pleaded guilty to assisting an offender after an offence, criminal damage and two burglary charges following a high‑speed chase on 9 April 2018. The incident began when Christina Joyce, aged 33, accelerated a Volvo while Garda Thomas Gallagher attempted to seize the vehicle. Gallagher, fearing he would be dragged under the car, held onto the door and later fell, sustaining serious injuries. Joyce was convicted of endangering Gallagher and assault, receiving a four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence. Robinson was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally to a cumulative term of three years, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions, including probation for 12 months after release. The court noted Robinson's burglaries were committed in a frantic attempt to evade pursuing Gardaí. No further outcomes are reported in the article.
David Morgan, aged 30, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary, unlawful vehicle taking and property damage at LPD Cars & Commercials, Greenhills Road, Tallaght, on 3 September 2018. He also pleaded guilty to refusing a sample at Tallaght Garda Station and driving without insurance on Homelawn Avenue, both on the same date. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to two years in prison, suspended in full, after noting his admissions, remorse, apology and payment of €1,700 compensation to the dealership. The suspension is conditional on Morgan keeping the peace and good behaviour for two years. Morgan had been on a probation bond since January 2020, had engaged satisfactorily with the Probation Service, and is expected to finish his work with them in 2022. He was intoxicated during the offences and had been observed driving at high speed, crashing into parked cars, and resisting arrest.
Alan Melia, 27, was arrested by Gardaí on a stakeout in Tallaght Village after being caught with a stolen BMW 520. He had pleaded guilty to possession of the vehicle on 29 September 2020. Melia had 92 prior convictions, including theft, vehicle‑related offences, burglary, criminal damage and arson. The BMW was found in the New Bancroft Apartments car park; officers observed him approaching the car, taking items from behind the rear bumper, and entering it. He was taken into custody with a key, pliers and gloves. The car was damaged and written off by the insurer. Melia's defence cited his ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder diagnoses and a difficult upbringing. The court imposed a two‑year imprisonment sentence for handling the stolen car, activated 18 months of a suspended sentence, and left 12 months suspended for a year. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
Keith McDonnell, 32, of Tallaght, Dublin, appeared before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for sentencing. He pleaded guilty in April this year to burglary at St James's Road, Walkinstown, on October 14, 2013, and violent disorder at a Maxol garage on the Crumlin Road on February 3, 2014. Judge Elma Sheahan noted that McDonnell was on bail during the violent disorder incident and had 58 previous convictions. While acknowledging his guilty pleas, remorse, and addiction issues, the judge highlighted the seriousness of breaking into a family home with a hammer. Considering the 18 months already served and other charges on the indictments, Judge Sheahan sentenced McDonnell to 12 months imprisonment for the violent disorder and two and a half years imprisonment for the burglary. Both sentences were suspended in full for their respective durations. The conditions of the suspension include probation supervision and the completion of a residential drugs treatment programme. The court also noted that his co-accused received a three-year suspended sentence after pleading guilty.
Stephen Feery, 31, escaped Garda custody by crawling through a hospital bathroom vent while awaiting treatment for a broken arm. He had been taken to St James Hospital after a burglary at Dame House, where he stole electrical equipment. During the escape, he struck a Garda and was later rearrested. Feery pleaded guilty to burglary and the escape charge. He has 159 prior convictions, including theft, fraud, and traffic offences. The court heard that he was heavily addicted to crack cocaine and that his escape was driven by a desire for more drugs. Counsel highlighted his complex needs and the importance of psychiatric and psychological reports. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to November 25 to allow these reports to be prepared and to consider residential rehabilitation and support for his mental wellbeing.
Ross Outram, aged 30, was convicted in 2019 by a Central Criminal Court jury of murdering 90‑year‑old Paddy Lyons, the oldest man in his village, at Loughleagh, Ballysaggart, Lismore, Co. Waterford. Lyons was found dead in his armchair with blood on his face; he had suffered multiple blows to head and neck, fractures of hip, jaw and ribs, with the hip fracture deemed the cause of death. Outram, previously convicted of burglary and assault, claimed self‑defence, arguing that Lyons' fatal fall was unrelated to the assault. The Court of Appeal rejected this appeal, stating that the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt that the assault caused the fall and hip fracture. The appeal was dismissed, leaving Outram's life sentence intact.
Robert Hedderman, 37, was jailed for 18 months after a burglary on Christmas Day 2016 in which he damaged furniture, electronic devices and urinated throughout the house. He was already on bail for that offence and was serving a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for a 2016 burglary. Hedderman pleaded guilty to a 2019 burglary at an industrial building in Cookstown Court, Tallaght, where six laptops worth €9,000 were stolen. Blood on a broken window matched his DNA. He has 51 prior convictions, including 10 for burglary, robbery, criminal damage, knife possession and public order offences. The judge suspended the final 18 months of the new sentence, to run consecutively with the existing term, and imposed strict conditions. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Colm Donnelly, 46, of Pearse House, Dublin 2, pleaded guilty to three burglaries committed over three days in March 2020. The first took place at City Quay, where he accessed a site under renovation and stole valuable tools that were later recovered. On 14 March he stole €50 from the till at The Workshop on Georges Quay, and on 15 March he used a crow bar to threaten a customer and stole €2,500 from Keoghs Coffee Shop on Trinity Street. Donnelly has 164 prior convictions, including aggravated burglary, dishonesty and theft offences. Judge Melanie Greally noted his life had been marred by drug addiction and homelessness, and that he had reduced his methadone intake while in custody. She imposed a sentence of three years and nine months, suspending the final nine months on conditions of pre‑release planning, offence and victim‑focused work, and ordered 12 months of post‑release supervision by the Probation Service.
The Court of Appeal refused to allow Marian Lingurar Jnr, 26, to appeal his conviction for the manslaughter of John Kenny, 56, who was killed in a burglary at Kenny's pub in Oughterard on 25 September 2011. The court considered the impact of new proceedings on the victim's family, ten years after the killing, and found the appeal had little chance of success. It will, however, allow Lingurar to appeal his nine‑year prison sentence. Lingurar, a Romanian national who had broken bail, fled Ireland, and returned under a false name, was found guilty by a jury in 2019. The judge noted that Lingurar was a juvenile at the time of the offence and that the family's impact would be less if the sentence were appealed rather than the conviction. The appeal of the sentence will be heard after the defence argues that the sentence was overly severe given Lingurar's youth.
Darren McDonnell, aged 38, was jailed for three years after a series of offences. He had been staying at a rehabilitation centre for two days when he disappeared from the grounds and later burglarised a home in Curraheenduff, Thurles, on 4 November 2020. An employee discovered he was carrying a concealed shotgun in his trousers when he returned to the centre. McDonnell was arrested a few days later in Dublin after a knife‑point robbery at a Spar shop in Coolock on 9 November 2020, where he stole €280 and was caught by Gardaí. He pleaded guilty to burglary, robbery and possession of a knife. The judge noted his extensive criminal history, drug addiction and attempts at detox, and sentenced him to five years in prison, suspending the final two years on strict conditions, including three years of probation. The burglary damaged the victims' peace of mind and the centre's reputation.
Francis Maguire, 44, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to using a car without the consent of its owner, two counts of dangerous driving, driving without insurance, and burglary. The offences occurred in Lucan and Clondalkin between November 16 and 17, 2019. Judge Melanie Greally noted that Maguire drove the stolen vehicle dangerously, crashing into a stationary car with a child inside, though no injuries were reported. Items found in the vehicle linked him to the burglary at Presentation Convent, where forced entry and blood were noted at the scene. The judge highlighted that addiction was the driving force behind the crimes and acknowledged Maguire's cooperation and remorse. Despite his 25 previous convictions and high risk of re-offending, the court considered his efforts to address addiction since 2016. Judge Greally imposed a two-and-a-half year sentence, suspending the final six months on the condition that Maguire undergo 12 months of probation supervision. He was also disqualified from driving for five years. Defence counsel highlighted Maguire's difficult background and his current engagement with services, asking the court to offer hope for his rehabilitation.
A 41‑year‑old father of four, Martin Cawley, was sentenced to five years in prison for a pre‑meditated burglary of an apartment block on Kilmacud Road Upper, Dublin 14, on 11 September 2020. The judge, Melanie Greally, described the offence as an organised, targeted incident intended to extend to several apartments. Cawley had an accomplice and a third man waited in a getaway car with false plates and tinted windows. He was equipped with house‑breaking implements. The burglary caused €410 of damage to the homeowner's door and the theft of a gold wedding band. Cawley pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and had 104 previous convictions. The judge accepted that his absence was a hardship to his wife and sentenced him to five years, suspending the final year on strict conditions. The case was prosecuted by Antonia Boyle BL and defended by Alan Delany BL.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Margaret Connors, 26, pleaded guilty to handling stolen property on 28 May 2019. She had previously been convicted 12 times for theft, shoplifting and traffic offences. Garda Marguerite O'Reilly, Special Crimes Task Force, informed Connors of the location of high‑end handbags and shoulder bags worth about €11,000 that had been taken in a burglary in County Wicklow. Connors brought the items to a city centre shop, where the owner examined them for about 40 minutes before paying her cash. CCTV captured Connors arriving with a child two days after the burglary. On 14 November, Gardaí raided Connors' home, arrested her and questioned her at Kevin Street Garda Station. She claimed she had bought the items from a person at her Tallaght home and identified herself on shop CCTV.
Jonathan Grimes, aged 33, had a six‑year jail term reduced to four years after a Court of Appeal decision. He had 161 prior convictions and was on bail for a burglary at the Irish Whiskey Museum when he stole a €300 tablet. He then committed two burglaries at Bewley's café on Grafton Street, stealing a cash belt and later a bottle of gin and a €1,500 laptop. He pleaded guilty to all three offences. Judge Elma Sheahan had originally sentenced him to four years for the museum burglary and three and four years for the café burglaries, with the last two years suspended, giving a net six‑year term. The appeal argued the museum sentence was too harsh and that mitigating factors such as substance misuse and a 10‑year‑old son had been overlooked.
Trevor Robinson, 30, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assisting an offender and two charges of burglary arising from incidents on April 9, 2018. The court heard that Robinson was in a vehicle with Christina Joyce when she accelerated away while Garda Thomas Gallagher was attempting to seize the car. An eyewitness alleged that Robinson shouted at Joyce to wipe down the vehicle to remove fingerprints as they fled. The pair subsequently broke into the home of a 77-year-old woman and a second apartment to escape Gardaí, with Robinson allegedly kicking down the back door. Robinson, of Ballyfermot, admitted the charges. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to October 13, stating that a custodial sentence was unavoidable. She ordered a Probation Service report to assess rehabilitation options. This follows the 2018 sentencing of Joyce, who was jailed for four and a half years by Judge Martin Nolan for endangering and assaulting Garda Gallagher. The garda sustained a dislocated knee and shoulder injuries during the incident. Robinson has previous convictions in Ireland and the UK, mostly for minor offences.
In March 2020, 18‑year‑old Alan Clarke of Kilcross Lawn, Sandyford, punched a 19‑year‑old victim, James Coady, on the chin in Dublin city centre, causing Coady to fall and hit his head on the pavement. Clarke, who had taken cocaine and Xanax that day, had no prior acquaintance with the victim. CCTV showed Clarke also aimed a kick at Coady's stomach before punching him. The assault resulted in a skull fracture and brain bleed for Coady, who later suffered two epileptic seizures and was diagnosed with epilepsy secondary to a traumatic brain injury. Clarke pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at O'Connell Street and was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to three years' imprisonment. Clarke had seven previous convictions, including robbery and aggravated burglary. The court noted the attack was "cowardly, unprovoked and sudden.".
Gary Murphy, 36, was sentenced to a fully suspended four‑year term after pleading guilty to attempted burglary and production of an article at Bentley House, a homeless care centre in Dun Laoghaire, on 14 March 2019. He had tried twice to force entry, once with a hammer‑bearing accomplice, and had threatened a resident. Murphy, who had 75 prior convictions and a history of alcohol misuse, claimed intoxication and that his intent was to obtain a "straightener" to settle an argument. The court noted his significant addiction issues, his role as a father, and a largely positive Probation Service report. The sentence was suspended on strict conditions, including compliance with Probation Service directions for two and a half years. No custodial time was imposed. The judge emphasised the outrageous nature of his conduct and the need for leniency given his circumstances.
Darren McDonnell, 38, was caught at a rehabilitation centre after attempting to bring a stolen shotgun concealed in his trousers. He had been at the centre for two days before disappearing from the grounds and burglarising a home in Curraheenduff, Thurles, on 4 November 2020. An employee noticed the shotgun when he returned, and McDonnell admitted the burglary and surrendered the weapon, its cartridges and a stolen tablet. He was later arrested in Dublin for a knife‑point robbery at a Spar shop in Coolock on 9 November 2020, where he stole €280 before being apprehended. McDonnell has over 40 prior convictions, including robbery and unauthorised vehicle taking. He was remanded in continuing custody, with the case scheduled for finalisation on 14 June. The court heard that he was declared unfit for interview due to drug use and that his rehabilitation stay had been largely unsuccessful. The matter remains pending. Darren McDonnell pleaded guilty.
Aaron Carey, aged 30, was sentenced to seven‑and‑a‑half years in prison for a series of offences committed during the Christmas period of 2019 and early 2020. The court heard that he attempted burglary at a nursing home on 23 December 2019, robbed a Spar shop and attempted robbery of a service station on 24 December 2019, and damaged a patrol car and two other cars on 7 February 2020. He also pleaded guilty to robbery of a Pizza Hut, attempted burglary of a family home, and other offences. Carey's defence cited psychiatric difficulties, including a recent diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, ADHD and other conditions, and drug addiction. The judge noted the lack of violence but the high risk of reoffending, and suspended the final 18 months of the sentence on strict conditions. No residential treatment facilities were available, so the sentence was imposed with a probationary period thereafter.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Xolani Mdakani, aged 21, was sentenced to three years and nine months imprisonment for assaulting a woman in a city centre laneway on 9 February 2018. Mdakani, who has 36 prior convictions including assault, theft, burglary and trespass, pleaded guilty. He had previously lived in Finglas and had a history of violent offences as a child. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted his youth and the possibility that repatriation to South Africa might help him address his difficulties. The final nine months of the sentence were suspended on strict conditions. Mdakani was identified by CCTV footage, admitted the assault, and expressed remorse. He intends to seek assistance from the International Organisation for Migration to return to South Africa after his sentence. The victim did not submit a victim impact statement.
Jack McCarthy, 24, of Ardbhaile, Mayfield, Co Cork, was sentenced by the Cork Circuit Court to four years in prison, with the final year suspended for two years, for a burglary committed on 11 April at a house near his home. He entered a signed guilty plea at the earliest opportunity in the District Court and maintained it when sent to the Circuit Court. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, reduced the sentence to three years, suspending the final six months. The judge highlighted the value of an early guilty plea and McCarthy's genuine remorse, noting his attempts to enrol in a residential rehabilitation programme before the first public‑health lockdown. Aggravating factors included McCarthy's prior convictions for burglary, assault and knife possession.
Marian Lingurar Junior, 26, a Romanian national, is serving a nine‑year sentence for his role in the 2011 murder of John Kenny, a Galway publican, during a burglary. He has applied to the Court of Appeal for leave to appeal, arguing that his appeal was mistakenly filed under his father's name and that his privacy rights were breached when Gardaí obtained phone records used at trial. The Court noted that Lingurar had breached bail, fled Ireland, and returned under a false name, delaying his trial until 2019. The Director of Public Prosecutions opposed the extension, citing insufficient evidence that the appeal would succeed and the need to protect the victim's family. The appeal's outcome remains pending. The case also involved a second burglary conviction for the same night.
Robert Devine, aged 44, and his son Lee Kelly, aged 21, appealed the sentences imposed for a 2017 burglary and assault at the O'Reilly home. The original 20‑year sentence for Devine (12 years for burglary, 4 years each for two assault counts) and 17‑year sentence for Kelly (10 years suspended) were quashed. The Court of Appeal substituted a 12‑year term for Devine with the final two years suspended, and a 7‑year‑6‑month term for Kelly with the final year suspended. The four‑year assault sentences remain but will run concurrently. The appeal was based on the judge's error in imposing consecutive sentences for offences arising from the same incident. The Court noted the seriousness of the burglary and assault, the victims' injuries, and the defendants' guilty pleas and expressions of remorse. The decision was made by Justice Isobel Kennedy, with Justices George Birmingham and Patrick McCarthy.
Kevin Brosnan, aged 40, was sentenced to four‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment for a knife‑point robbery at Centra, Old Bawn Shopping Centre, Tallaght, on 2 April 2020. During the robbery he removed his mask, shouted "Coronavirus" at a security guard, threatened to kill the guard and used a racial slur. He demanded the till be opened, claiming to be HIV positive, and threatened the guard again as he fled. Brosnan was found with €630, which was returned to the shop. He pleaded guilty to the robbery and had 82 prior convictions, including burglary, theft, possession of knives and affray. The judge, citing his difficult background, chronic addiction and homelessness, suspended the final 18 months of the sentence on strict conditions, including participation in a programme on racist behaviour. Brosnan had previously pleaded guilty to a robbery at Mace, Killinarden Way, Tallaght, in October 2019, where he and an accomplice threatened a shop assistant with a knife.
Michael Cawley, 16 at the time of the offence, was sentenced to three‑and‑a‑half years for an attempted burglary on Brewery Road, Stillorgan, in February 2014. The Court of Appeal, after the Director of Public Prosecutions argued that the sentence was too lenient, increased it to four‑and‑a‑half years. Cawley had tried to jimmy the door with a screwdriver while the homeowner held it shut, and after failing to enter the house he later broke into a home on Wilson Road, Mount Merrion, stealing €5,000 worth of property and a BMW. He had previously fled to the UK, where he committed another burglary in 2016, and had 29 prior convictions. The Court of Appeal noted the aggravating factors, including the planning, the late‑night timing and the confrontation with a homeowner, and imposed the increased sentence with no portion suspended.
Paul Meehan, 45, was jailed for a burglary at the Mater Hospital on 5 May 2020. He entered through an open side door during lockdown, disguised himself in a doctor's coat and a phlebotomist's name tag, and filled a trolley with personal belongings from staff lockers. The items taken included an Apple computer, CD player, doctors' coats, bed clothes, Chanel perfume, glasses, keys and Fit Bits. Security stopped him near the entrance, and he fled with one bag before being caught. At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court he pleaded guilty. Judge Martin Nolan noted Meehan's long criminal record of 22 prior burglaries and his mental‑health difficulties. He was sentenced to two‑and‑a‑half years, with the final year suspended on conditions.
Robert Devine, 44, and his son Lee Kelly, 21, appealed their sentences for a 2017 burglary and assault at the home of PJ and Brian O'Reilly. Devine had previously served a ten‑year sentence for manslaughter. The appeal was heard by a three‑judge Court of Appeal. Vincent Heneghan SC for the Director of Public Prosecutions argued that Judge Patrick Meghan should not have imposed consecutive sentences, but the director accepted the effective sentences of 12 and seven years. Ronan Munro SC for Devine presented evidence of rehabilitation, including prison education and positive reports from the prison governor, and requested a release with a programme of probation and addiction counselling. Kathleen Leader SC for Kelly highlighted his youth, remorse, and cooperation with Gardaí, and suggested a suspended portion of his sentence. The Court of Appeal reserved judgement. Robert Devine pleaded guilty. Lee Kelly pleaded guilty.
In a 2021 case, Simon Quilligan, aged 38, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended after a court hearing in the Central Criminal Court. The sentence followed a trial where Quilligan was found guilty of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life, making threats to kill or cause serious harm to two individuals, and causing criminal damage by breaking a caravan window. The offence occurred at a halting site in Tullamore, Co Offaly, where Quilligan discharged a firearm at a group that included children aged ten months to six years. He had threatened the occupants, saying he would kill them all and blow their brains out. The judge noted the presence of children taking cover under a caravan and the terror inflicted on the families present. Quilligan had previously been convicted of 38 offences in Ireland and four in other jurisdictions, including burglary and illegal weapon transport. Simon Quilligan was acquitted.
Paul Bradley, 40, entered Liberties Careplus pharmacy, brandishing a 20‑cm knife and demanding Valium tablets and €250 in cash. He fled with the drugs and money, then was pursued by the pharmacist to a nearby apartment complex where Gardaí were alerted. Police found Bradley still holding the knife, the cash, and the tablet bag. He pleaded guilty to robbing the pharmacy on 13 April 2021 and to a prior burglary of a business premises on 15 April 2018. The 2018 burglary involved breaking into an office via a fire escape, damaging a window and leaving DNA evidence. Bradley has 22 prior burglary convictions. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to one year for the office burglary and three years for the pharmacy robbery, with both terms to run consecutively. The judge noted Bradley's repeated failures in crime.
David Berney, a 39‑year‑old from Tallaght, was convicted of looting a Centra store in Jobstown during Storm Emma in March 2018. He pleaded guilty and received an 18‑month suspended sentence, which the Court of Appeal later deemed unduly lenient. The court set a three‑year term but suspended the entire period, subject to conditions such as maintaining employment and engaging with probation services if he loses his job. The suspension was back‑dated to November 2019. Berney also faced a separate 2014 burglary of a private home, for which he received a two‑year sentence and an additional 18‑month suspended term, contingent on staying out of trouble and participating in addiction and reintegration services. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed the original sentence, arguing it was too lenient. The court warned that if Berney fails to stay "on the straight and narrow," he will be sent to prison.
In a Dublin burglary, Ibrahim Elghynaoui (28) broke into a sleeping woman's bedroom through a window and sexually assaulted her while she fought back. The victim described being strangled, forced into sexual contact, and physically attacked before escaping. Elghynaoui denied the assault but admitted burglary. He was convicted of aggravated sexual assault and burglary. The judge imposed a ten‑year sentence for the sexual assault and seven and a half years for the burglary, with all sentences running concurrently. The victim, who suffered lasting physical and psychological harm, testified that the crime left her in a state of hyper‑vigilance and ongoing trauma. The case highlighted the severe impact of the assault on her life and relationships. The judge noted the defendant's high culpability and the lack of remorse. The sentencing reflected the seriousness of the offenses and the victim's suffering. Ibrahim Elghynaoui pleaded not guilty.
David Berney, a convicted burglar from Tallaght, was found guilty in 2018 of looting a Centra store in Jobstown during Storm Emma. He had previously pleaded guilty to a 2014 burglary of a private home. At the Circuit Court, a two‑year sentence was imposed for the 2014 offence and an additional 18‑month term for the 2018 looting, which was suspended on the condition that he remain law‑abiding and engage with addiction and social reintegration services. The Court of Appeal, after reviewing positive probation reports, deemed the original sentence unduly lenient but chose to increase the suspended portion rather than impose further custodial time. Berney, who could not attend the appeal hearing because he was starting a plumbing apprenticeship, will receive a new sentencing date at a later time. The appeal was brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions, who argued that Berney's prior conviction and bail status warranted a harsher penalty.