A 48‑year‑old serial burglar, Bernard Foran, was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that he used a stolen master key to break into a dozen rooms at the Dean Hotel on 17 October 2020 while he was on bail for earlier burglary offences. Foran, who lives on Cloonlara Road, Finglas, had already pleaded guilty to two further burglaries on 18 October 2020 at Cedar Tree Restaurant and The Globe Bar, both in Dublin city centre. He admitted to forcing entry into a storage area, acquiring the master key, and then using it to enter 12 hotel rooms, stealing cash, jewellery and an Apple watch. The next night he was caught by a staff member at The Globe Bar, where he was found with a silver knife he claimed was for protection but had been stolen from Cedar Tree Restaurant.
In a sentencing hearing on 24 February 2021, Judge Melanie Greally imposed a four‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term on 65‑year‑old burglar Patrick McCann, with the final 12 months suspended. McCann, who had 73 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to breaking into a family home on South Circular Road on 21 May 2020. The homeowners, who lost heirlooms and personal items, testified that their sense of security had been severely damaged, describing an "acute sense of violation" and a heightened vulnerability. McCann, a heavy drug user, had been unable to attend a drug‑services clinic due to Covid‑19 restrictions and admitted taking a large number of tablets on the day of the burglary, claiming limited recollection. The judge accepted a letter of apology from McCann and noted his engagement with prison education and art. The suspended period is conditional on probation engagement for 18 months and good behaviour for two years.
Thomas O'Brien, 49, was jailed for four and a half years after Gardaí found him carrying a bag containing €57,435 worth of cocaine. He was discovered while responding to a call about a man banging on a window in Ballyfermot; O'Brien was intoxicated and acting erratically. Gardaí searched his Dunnes Stores bag and found blocks of cocaine, a knife, weighing scales, plastic bagging, spoons, scissors, gloves and a suspected drugs tick list. O'Brien pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Con Colbert Road, Dublin 8, on 1 May 2018. He claimed he had stolen the bag, but his defence argued he had opportunistically taken the drugs after an overdose the night before. Judge Martin Nolan noted O'Brien's remorse and prior convictions, including manslaughter, robbery, burglary and hijacking, and imposed a sentence of four and a half years, recognising the offence's seriousness but departing from the presumptive minimum of ten years.
Sean Everitt, a 20‑year‑old from Hill View, Drogheda, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a one‑year suspended term for laundering €10,000 in criminal proceeds. He pleaded guilty to allowing his bank account to be used by criminals to hold money he knew or was reckless about being illicit, an offence under section seven of the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act 2010. Everitt had previously been convicted of drug dealing and aggravated burglary, and was on bail for a drug offence when the laundering occurred. He was offered €100 for using his account but never received it. The €10,000 was later reimbursed to the victim, who declined to prepare a victim impact report. The suspended sentence is to run consecutively with his existing prison term.
Joseph Cahill, aged 42, was sentenced to five years in prison for robbery after he and an accomplice attacked Eileen Hughes and her husband in a Tallaght car park on 25 March 2018. Cahill, armed with a knife, and the gunman forced Hughes to hand over two rings she had advertised on the "Done Deal" website, worth €12,000. The robbery lasted about two minutes. Hughes' three children, aged 4, 6 and 9, were present. Cahill had pleaded not guilty to the single count but was convicted by a jury. The judge suspended the final twelve months of the sentence on the condition that he keep the peace. Cahill has over 100 prior convictions, including burglary, theft and offences involving stolen cars. He admitted that his life had spiralled due to crack cocaine and heroin addiction, and that custody had saved him.
Kevin Brosnan, 40, pleaded guilty to a robbery at Centra, Old Bawn Shopping Centre, Tallaght, on 2 April 2020. He entered the shop armed with a knife, removed his mask and shouted "Coronavirus" at a security guard, using a racial slur and threatening to kill the guard. He demanded the till be opened, claiming to be HIV positive, and repeatedly threatened the guard as the guard tried to block him. A public witness reported the incident, leading to Brosnan's arrest. He was found with €630, which was returned to the shop. Brosnan had 82 prior convictions, including burglary, theft, knife possession and affray. The court ordered a Probation Service report and adjourned the matter for finalisation on 23 March. The judge noted Brosnan's remorse and the contrast between his sober demeanor and his actions during the offence.
Darragh O'Sullivan, 29, was sentenced to three years in prison for an armed burglary that took place on 3 April 2016 in Ballybrack. He entered a family home with a knife, threatened a former partner of the homeowner, and warned the resident that she would "get a bullet." Five children were present, and two testified. O'Sullivan, who had 43 prior convictions, pleaded not guilty to aggravated burglary and a threat to kill or cause serious harm. During sentencing, he claimed he had tried to rebuild his life in the UK, returned to work, and had become religious while in custody. Judge Karen O'Connor noted his chaotic upbringing but also his efforts to reform, and imposed a sentence of four and a half years, suspending the final 18 months for two years on strict conditions, backdating it by 179 days to account for time already served.
In a Dublin apartment on 17 July 2019, a 28‑year‑old Moroccan national, Ibrahim Elghynaoui, broke in and sexually assaulted a woman who had just awakened. The woman described being strangled, having his hand forced into her vagina, and fighting back by striking his eyes, groin and biting him. She escaped through a bedroom window, and Elghynaoui fled. He admitted burglary but denied assault. He was convicted of aggravated sexual assault and burglary, and has been in custody since 18 July 2019. Sentencing was adjourned to 1 March 2021 to allow a psychiatric report and to determine his EU status. The victim's impact statement detailed ongoing hyper‑vigilance, PTSD, and the lasting physical and emotional harm she endured. The trial highlighted the traumatic nature of the assault and the victim's struggle to recover. Ibrahim Elghynaoui pleaded not guilty.
Sandra Warren, 45, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a fully suspended 30‑month imprisonment for robbing a foreign student on O'Curry Avenue, Dublin 8, on 23 May 2016. The student, who had been in Ireland for four days, was led by Warren down a laneway, where Warren seized her bag containing a wallet, bank cards and phone. Warren, who was using drugs and under pressure from a man to obtain money, pleaded guilty. The judge noted Warren's abusive relationship had ended and that she was now in stable accommodation and on methadone. The sentence was suspended for three years on strict conditions, including continued participation in a drug treatment programme. Warren had eight prior convictions for robbery, burglary and theft. The victim was left traumatised, with whiplash injuries, and unable to access funds or contact anyone. The court emphasised the seriousness of the offence against a guest in the country.
Two burglars, Niall Fitzpatrick (53) and Jerry O'Leary (62), were convicted of a carefully planned burglary at Kilberehert, Freemount, Charleville on 19 October 2023. They targeted the home of a couple in their late 80s who were out attending Mass. The crime involved hiring cars, changing drivers, altering clothes, hiding in woods and staked‑out surveillance over two days. Both received seven‑year sentences at Cork Circuit Criminal Court. Their appeals to the Court of Appeal were dismissed. The court noted the planning, the number of offenders, the rural target and the vulnerability of the occupants as aggravating factors. It found no error in principle and stated that the judge was not obliged to suspend any portion of the sentences. The appeals were therefore rejected, leaving the seven‑year terms in place. Niall Fitzpatrick pleaded guilty. Jerry O'Leary pleaded guilty.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Paddy Lynch, a 36‑year‑old homeless man from Ashlawn Court, Bray, pleaded guilty to one count of trespass and criminal damage after breaking into the General Register Office on Werburgh Street, Dublin, on 9 May. Lynch entered the closed building shortly after midnight, triggered an alarm, broke an electronic gate and damaged an internal security door with a metal object. He claimed he was looking for a place to sleep. Garda Greg Moroney reported that Lynch was intoxicated and a needle was found nearby. The damage amounted to €8,000, with the electronic gate alone costing €7,000 to repair. No documents were harmed. Lynch, who has prior convictions for burglary and theft, has remained in custody. Judge Melanie Greally ordered a Probation Services report and adjourned the case to 23 February.
Dean Quigley, aged 23, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for a series of violent offences. In July 2018 he attacked a 17‑year‑old woman on the N11, punching her, pulling her hair and continuing to strike her while she lay on the ground. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. In July 2019 he broke into a 75‑year‑old neighbour's apartment, causing the victim severe injuries and threatening to kill him if he reported the incident. He pleaded guilty to trespassing and criminal damage. In October 2019 he again entered the neighbour's home, assaulting him and threatening further violence. The court imposed concurrent two‑year sentences for the assault on the woman and the July burglary, and a consecutive six‑year sentence for the October burglary, suspending the final two years on the condition of alcohol‑addiction treatment. The judge noted the seriousness of the attacks and the impact on the victims' safety and mental health.
Two Cork men, Niall Fitzpatrick (53) and Jerry O'Leary (62), appealed their seven‑year sentences for a burglary at a home in Charleville on 19 October 2023. The crime, described as carefully planned, targeted an elderly couple who were away at Mass. The men were caught by armed Gardaí after an intelligence‑led investigation. Fitzpatrick had 70 prior convictions, including escape and post office robbery; O'Leary had 48, eight of them burglary. Their counsel argued that mitigating factors such as age, health issues, and the fact that Fitzpatrick had never seen his child due to the pandemic had been insufficiently considered, and that a portion of the sentences should have been suspended to encourage rehabilitation. The Court of Appeal, presiding over the appeal, will decide on Monday. The case highlights the seriousness of the planning and the lack of aggravating factors such as violence or weapons. The appeal is pending. Niall Fitzpatrick pleaded guilty. Jerry O'Leary pleaded guilty.
A 38-year-old Romanian man has been sentenced to five and a half years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his role in an aggravated burglary targeting two women working as escorts. Ioan Galben of Blanchardstown pleaded guilty to the offence at a premises on Parnell Street, Dublin 1, on 12 November 2019. Judge Pauline Codd found the crime was aggravated by involvement in gang racketeering aimed at exploiting vulnerable women. The court heard Galben facilitated entry for two armed accomplices who brandished a knife and blade, threatening to cut one woman's throat whilst demanding cash, phones and cigarettes. Gardaí established the women were not acting under duress. Galben admitted his involvement during interview and expressed remorse. Judge Codd suspended the final six months of the sentence on condition he leaves the jurisdiction upon release. Galben is currently serving a concurrent five-year sentence for a similar offence in Roscommon.
Bernard Fogarty, 32, known to Gardaí as heavily involved in organised crime, will be sentenced at the Special Criminal Court for possession of a RAK PM‑63 submachine gun. The weapon was found in the passenger footwell of a white Nissan Pulsar that was intercepted in the Shankill area of County Dublin. Fogarty was a passenger in a second vehicle, a silver Hyundai jeep, and was not involved in the hand‑over of the gun. DNA from Fogarty matched DNA on the gun, and a red baseball cap he wore on 7 March was recovered at his Donaghmede address. The gun was not loaded, was in poor condition, and had been heavily gummed. Fogarty pleaded guilty at a non‑jury court and has 40 prior convictions, including criminal damage, assault and burglary. He has been remanded in custody until his sentencing next Monday. The court will consider mitigating factors such as his drug difficulties and cooperation with the investigation.
Chad Redmond, 27, of Belclare Park, Ballymun, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault and criminal damage for an incident on 24 February 2019 at an apartment in Finglas, north Dublin. He entered the apartment of his ex‑girlfriend, shouted, kicked the door down and grabbed her by the throat. Redmond dragged her to the bedroom, threatened to kill her and burn the place down, and attempted to take their three‑year‑old daughter from her mother. He twisted the victim's right hand and fled, later trying to re‑enter. Redmond was on bail at the time and was arrested the following day. He had been under the influence of cocaine. The court noted his prior convictions for burglary, criminal damage, public order and road traffic offences. Judge Elma Sheahan described the case as "disturbing" and sentenced Redmond to three and a half years, suspending the final nine months.
Patrick O'Grady, 37, of Carrickmount Drive, Rathfarnham, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a knife‑point robbery at Daybreak, Beaumont Avenue, Churchtown, on 20 June 2020. He had 29 prior convictions, including burglary, theft and drug possession. Garda Declan O'Connor described how O'Grady entered the shop with a hood and black scarf, walked behind the counter, drew a knife and demanded both tills be opened. The shopkeepers complied and he stole about €750 before leaving. CCTV footage identified him and showed him waiting outside before the robbery. O'Grady, who began using drugs at 12 and is now clean while in custody, was on temporary release during the offence. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to two‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, suspending the final 18 months on strict conditions and ordering the sentence to run consecutively with the one he is currently serving. The sentence is set to run until March 2021.
Jonathan Grimes, aged 33, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for burglary offences. He pleaded guilty to stealing a €300 tablet from the Irish Whiskey Museum on 8 February 2019, and to two burglaries at Bewley's café on 23 February and 6 March 2019. In the first café burglary he entered a women's changing room and stole a cash belt; in the second, with a companion, he stole a bottle of gin and a laptop valued at about €1,500. He had 161 prior convictions, including burglary, robbery and theft. The court noted he was on bail for the first burglary when the later offences occurred. He was sentenced to four years for the museum burglary and three and four years for the café burglaries, to run consecutively, giving an eight‑year term with the final two years suspended on strict conditions. No stolen property was recovered.
In a laneway on Adare Lane, Andrew Stammers died of a drug overdose during the night of 19 October 2017. Owen Comerford (34) and his accomplice, John Murdiff (33), entered the lane and rummaged through Stammers' pockets, taking cigarettes, cash and other items. They later returned to alert emergency services, staying with Stammers until medical help arrived. The court heard that Stammers had been off drugs for years and had been a recovering addict. Judge Melanie Greally found the theft an opportunistic crime against a vulnerable man who was either dead or dying, imposing an 18‑month prison term. Comerford's earlier convictions for burglary and threatening offences added an additional five and a half years, with 12 months suspended on condition of drug‑treatment participation. Murdiff received a two‑year sentence for his role in the theft. The case highlighted the distress caused to Stammers' grieving partner and the broader impact on the community. Owen Comerford pleaded guilty.
A 21‑year‑old teenager, Xolani Mdakani, was found guilty of assaulting a woman in a laneway on 9 February 2018. He grabbed her in a headlock, threatened her, and struck her with a bottle while she tried to escape. A woman in an apartment shouted at him, prompting him to flee. The incident was captured on CCTV, which Mdakani admitted to being. He has 36 prior convictions, including assault, theft, burglary and trespass. Mdakani, who arrived in Ireland from South Africa as an unaccompanied minor around age 13, has been in custody since last October. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and is expected to be sentenced early next year, with sentencing adjourned to 23 February 2021. The case has been referred to the Probation Service. The victim declined to give a victim impact statement. The court noted Mdakani's remorse and his desire to return to South Africa after his sentence.
A High Court judge in Dublin ordered the surrender of Laurence 'Larry' Connors, 29, to the United Kingdom to face three burglary charges linked to alleged thefts of clothing, jewellery, accessories and cash exceeding £100,000 from homes in Kilbride, Hamilton and Cumbernauld, Glasgow, in January 2018. The European Arrest Warrant, issued in November 2019, states the offences are aggravated by a connection with a serious organised crime organisation. Connors, already in custody on other matters and scheduled for release from prison in 2026, was arrested under the warrant in May 2020. He had previously been sentenced in February 2020 by Cork Circuit Criminal Court to ten years, with the final two years suspended, for burglary, possession of stolen property and endangerment of Gardaí. Connors has appealed the severity of that sentence. The judge, Mr Justice Paul Coffey, ordered his surrender but postponed the transfer to March 22, 2021, by which time his appeal is expected to be finalised.
Christian Goonery, 33, was sentenced to two‑and‑a‑half years in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated burglary at Kilcronain Cross, Clondalkin, on 11 June 2020. He entered the home armed with a knife, claiming a "romantic falling out" as the motive. The owner of the house, a man in his mid‑sixties, saw Goonery walk in with the knife and threatened to stab him. The owner, his grandson and another man barricaded themselves in a shed; Goonery kicked at the shed door, screamed threats, and placed a gas cylinder through the window. Small children were present. Goonery discarded the knife in the driveway and was later found asleep on the side of the road by Gardaí, who arrested him. The court noted his intoxication and history of substance abuse, and Judge Martin Nolan praised the owner's courage and sentenced Goonery accordingly.
Edward Wall, 46, was sentenced to nine months in prison for a series of burglaries in which he repeatedly entered unoccupied bars in open pubs during daylight hours and stole alcohol. Lawyers for Wall told the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that most of his 68 prior burglary convictions involved this pattern of theft. Garda Niall Cunningham described how Wall slipped into closed bar areas and took drinks, noting that the judge considered this his "specialisation". In November 2019, Wall entered the Vat House bar in Temple Bar, slipped behind the bar, and stole two bottles of Jameson whiskey; the theft was discovered later during a stock take and CCTV footage was examined. On 10 January, he entered a bar at the Mercantile Hotel on Dame Street, again walked behind an unmanned bar, and was confronted by staff while holding a bottle of whiskey. Wall pleaded guilty to trespass and theft on both occasions.
Gerard Dempsey, 25, a homeless man with no fixed abode, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for robbery at Barrow Street, Ringsend, on 18 May 2020. He attacked a woman at night, stealing her phone to sell it for drugs after Covid‑19 stopped him from receiving charity money. The court noted his substance abuse as the main reason for the offence, and that he had four children with whom he had no contact. The offence was aggravated by its violent nature and the victim's isolation. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year term, suspending the final six months on strict conditions. The case involved a detailed account of the assault, the victim's attempts to escape, and Dempsey's admission of the crime. He had 57 prior convictions, including assault, burglary, theft, criminal damage and threats of serious harm. Gerard Dempsey pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Donal Gannon, 58, a former bomb maker convicted in London in 1997 for conspiracy to cause explosions and sentenced to 35 years, was found to have attempted to renew an Irish passport in the name of David O'Brien, a man who died in 1986. Gannon, released under the Good Friday Agreement in 2000, pleaded guilty to providing false information and documents for the passport renewal between 7 May and 30 May 2017, and to using a false instrument at Kevin's Street Garda Station on 7 May 2017. Gardaí obtained CCTV footage that identified Gannon as the person presenting the passport, and seized a mobile phone with the same number used in the application. Gannon denied making the application, claiming the photographs were planted. The court noted his nine previous convictions, including assault and attempted burglary, and adjourned the case for finalisation on 25 November, with Gannon remaining on bail.
Anthony Dwyer, aged 28, pleaded guilty to robbery at Manor Pharmacy in Dublin 7 on 28 May 2020. He entered the pharmacy an hour before the robbery, asking about job vacancies and about foot cream. He returned later with a hood on, pulled a screwdriver, demanded a female employee open the till, but she refused and fled. Dwyer opened the till himself and stole €275. He was identified from CCTV footage and arrested. In police interviews he admitted the robbery, claimed he used a pen instead of a screwdriver, and said he had taken crack cocaine that morning. He stated he stole the money to "bribe" his girlfriend to allow him to see his children. He was on bail at the time of the offence. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to three‑and‑a‑half years imprisonment. The court noted his 110 previous convictions, including robbery, attempted robbery and burglary.
Jamie Nulty, aged 22, pleaded guilty to burglary at Sarah Kearney's home in Clonee on 15 July 2017, when he was 19. He broke in through a downstairs window, armed with a screwdriver, demanded money, and held Kearney at gunpoint, throwing her onto the bed and threatening her. The court heard he also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving in February 2017. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to five years and nine months, back‑dating four years and seven months to credit time already spent in custody, and suspended the final 14 months on conditions. The sentence reflected mitigating factors such as his youth, homelessness and drug addiction. Kearney suffered post‑traumatic stress, loss of €1,000 in earnings and therapy costs, and remains fearful of being alone in the house. Nulty has 23 prior convictions and has not been in contact with Gardaí since the offence.
Gerry Wall, 27, of The Laurels, Bluebell, Dublin, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison for burglary at a Walkinstown home on 1 February 2016. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and had 26 prior convictions. Garda Aidan Devaney reported that the elderly woman's son returned to find the house in a chaotic state, with clothes and belongings scattered. CCTV footage showed Wall leaving with a suitcase and two bags. Items missing included jewellery, saris, coins and flags, valued at €32,450, many of which were irreplaceable family heirlooms. Judge Karen O'Connor noted the violation of a family home and the financial and sentimental loss. She imposed a five‑year, three‑month sentence, suspended the final year, and backdated it to July when Wall entered custody.
On 7 March 2020, Raymond Neeson (44) and Francis Duffy (43) were caught breaking into Central Park Apartments in Leopardstown. Neeson assaulted three residents, spat blood in a Garda car, broke a wing mirror and defecated in a Garda cell, while Duffy tried to hand Neeson a shatter hammer and fire extinguisher before both were restrained by the residents. Neeson pleaded guilty to burglary, three counts of assault causing harm, a threat to kill or cause serious harm to a Garda, and criminal damage to a squad car. Duffy pleaded guilty to burglary. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Neeson to four and a half years' imprisonment and Duffy to two and a half years' imprisonment, noting Neeson's more serious conduct and Duffy's lesser role. Both men have numerous prior convictions. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Stephen Ennis, a 30‑year‑old heroin addict, was sentenced to one year in prison after he stabbed a treating doctor three times in the back at St James' Hospital on 7 March 2020. Ennis had been found collapsed outside a Garda station with a seizure and was brought to the hospital by ambulance. While in the hospital he refused to stay on his trolley, bothered nurses, and eventually withdrew a needle he had taken from his own arm. He held the needle over his head and charged at the doctor, who fled down the corridor. The doctor was not aware of the stabs until a colleague informed him. Ennis pleaded guilty to assaulting a person providing medical care. He has 72 prior convictions, including violent disorder, drug possession, knife possession, burglary and begging. The judge noted that Ennis probably did not intend the assault and that the doctor has made a full recovery.
Michael Cawley, aged 22, was sentenced to an additional two and a half years' imprisonment for two counts of endangerment, dangerous driving and driving without a licence. The sentence, imposed by Judge Karen O'Connor at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, was suspended for 18 months on strict conditions and will run consecutively to the three and a half year term he is currently serving for burglary and unauthorised taking of a car. The offence involved Cawley driving a Volvo at speeds up to 140 kilometres per hour, reversing and then driving straight at a Garda on a junction in Tallaght, narrowly missing the officer and forcing other motorists and pedestrians to take evasive action. The Garda lost sight of the vehicle while it was still on the road. Cawley's 35 previous convictions were noted, and the judge highlighted his young age, the aggravating circumstances of the incident, and his progress in custody. Michael Cawley pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Derek O'Brien, 38, pleaded guilty to burglary and unlawful possession of a motor vehicle after a patrol officer noticed a silver VW Polo driving on its rim with a missing tire. Garda Ronan Kennedy described the vehicle as sparking and swerving, and O'Brien admitted he had stolen the car keys from a house he had burgled earlier that evening. The burglary also involved a small amount of cash and a broken rear window. O'Brien claimed the damage was caused by the car hitting a path while he was driving. He has 91 prior convictions and has completed a detox programme. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to 21 months imprisonment. The car was economically written off after the incident. The case was heard at Ailesbury Park, Ballsbridge. The court noted O'Brien's intent to complete his Leaving Cert while in custody.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 6 October 2020, Thomas Locke, aged 28, was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for aggravated burglary and assault causing harm, with the final two years suspended. Locke, who claimed no recollection of the events, was found guilty of stabbing a 24‑year‑old victim nine times, including a wound that pierced the victim's kidney. The victim described the ordeal as lasting an hour, with significant injuries and lasting psychological impact. Locke was identified through forensic evidence, including gloves, a beer can, and knives found at the scene, and was noted to have a history of drug addiction. The judge took into account Locke's plea of guilty and his addiction difficulties when determining the sentence.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 45‑year‑old Pierce Byrne of Hazelwood Crescent, Hartstown, pleaded guilty to theft after stealing a packet of 20 cigarettes from a Spar shop on 19 August 2019. Byrne entered the shop, requested the cigarettes, and after receiving them asked the shopkeeper if he could pay later. The shopkeeper refused, and Byrne left with the cigarettes, refusing to return them when pursued outside. CCTV footage identified Byrne, and he admitted the offence during an interview. He has 46 prior convictions, including manslaughter, robbery, burglary, theft and assault. Byrne's defence highlighted his addiction history and that he had stopped taking bipolar medication around the time of the offence. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to 10 months' imprisonment, back‑dating the term to 1 December 2019 when he first entered custody.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Martin Polak, aged 34, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary after pointing a group of men to the home of an innocent family in Clondalkin, Dublin, on 27 July 2019. Polak claimed he believed the address was vacant, though the homeowner, a man with his wife and child, lived there. The men forced entry, held a knife to the homeowner's throat, kicked him, and fled with the wife's handbag after finding the intended target absent. Polak, who has 22 prior convictions including one in the Czech Republic for aggravated theft, was found to have high moral culpability for enabling the burglary. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a three‑and‑a‑half year sentence, suspended the final year, and noted Polak's remorse, cooperation, and rehabilitation efforts. The court considered the incident a serious nighttime invasion that terrified the victim. The prosecution, represented by Oisin Clarke BL, accepted Polak's responsibility and cooperation.
Eddie Kiely, aged 29, attacked a resident who had let him into a flat complex, punching and kicking the victim before locking himself in the victim's apartment. Gardaí forced entry and found him highly intoxicated on the couch. Kiely pleaded guilty to burglary and assault at Coultry Terrace, Ballymun, on 7 June 2019. He was already serving a two‑year sentence for robbery and a consecutive three‑year sentence for criminal damage. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a six‑year sentence, with the final 18 months suspended, making it consecutive to the two‑year sentence and concurrent to the three‑year sentence, effectively extending his time in prison by 18 months. The victim, who was asleep at 4 am, was assaulted, suffered bruising and a laceration, and underwent a CT scan. Kiely's defence highlighted his intoxication, past drug misuse, and efforts at rehabilitation, but the judge noted the severity of the assault and his long‑standing alcohol issues.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 27‑year‑old Gerry Wall pleaded guilty to burglary at a Walkinstown house on 1 February 2016. The victim, an elderly woman, had a son who returned to find the home in a chaotic state, with clothes piled and belongings knocked over. CCTV footage showed Wall leaving the house with a suitcase and two bags. Items taken included jewellery, saris, coins and flags, totalling €32,450, many of which were irreplaceable family heirlooms. None of the items have been recovered. Wall, who has 26 prior convictions, had been granted bail on stringent conditions but failed to appear on his sentence date. A warrant was issued and he was arrested by arrangement. The court adjourned sentencing to 15 October 2020. The prosecution and defence noted the burglary was unplanned, with no confrontation, and Wall expressed remorse and requested an apology. The case remains pending sentencing.
Albert Redmond, 44, with 341 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to 20 burglaries, two counts of criminal damage, three counts of possession of stolen credit cards, theft of a handbag and four counts of deception by using stolen credit cards. He said he had planned to avoid relapse after his last release in June 2019 but did not anticipate falling in love. The relationship began soon after release, initially positive, but the partner's crack cocaine use became a feature of the relationship, leading Redmond to commit further offences. He was arrested in January 2020, released, then re‑arrested in March 2020 after a burglary at a café in Harolds Cross. He admitted all offences and stated he had not expected to return to court. Judge Elma Sheehan adjourned sentencing to 23 October 2020 to prepare a probation report. The burglaries mainly targeted cafés, restaurants, offices and shops, with some occurring in private houses.
In a Dublin case, former security guard Carlos Daly, aged 51, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for burglary after a peculiar incident during a break‑in. Daly had taken two trays of Tranax anti‑anxiety tablets before entering a basement flat on Tivoli Terrace. He claimed the tablets caused him to pass out halfway through the burglary. Garda Peter Daly reported that the suspect was found asleep by police after the resident discovered him. When taken to the station, Daly had left stolen items—two jewellery boxes and a mobile phone—in the footwell of the patrol car. He admitted burglary on 26 June 2018 and also admitted breaking into a car and stealing from a second car that night. With over 50 prior burglary convictions, the judge noted his drug addiction as a contributing factor but upheld the seriousness of the offence, imposing the sentence.
Gary Simpson, aged 32, pleaded guilty to robbery at Dublin's Jury's Inn on 25 March 2020. The hotel was closed due to the Covid‑19 epidemic and contained no money in its tills. Simpson entered the hotel, walked behind the reception counter holding a broken glass bottle, demanded the tills be opened and took a phone from a desk, returning it when asked. He left the premises voluntarily. Gardaí identified him quickly, aided by a description from hotel staff and the low footfall in the city at the time. Simpson had 155 prior convictions, including robbery, burglary and theft. The court described the offence as a "particularly pointless attempt at robbery" and noted the lack of violence and material gain. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to 21 months' imprisonment.
Patrick Carter, of Coombe Court, Dublin city, was sentenced at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his part in a violent 2009 knife attack on Patrick Fowler. Carter pleaded guilty to assault causing harm but had previously failed to appear on his sentence date, fleeing to the UK where he was later imprisoned for aggravated burglary before being extradited to Ireland. The court heard that on April 19, 2009, Carter and Gerard Howe assaulted Fowler in a restaurant on Dame Street. Fowler alleged that Howe slashed his face with a blade, causing severe injuries including exposed facial muscles and a permanent scar. Carter admitted his role in the assault, stating he intervened to help a friend. Judge Martin Nolan rejected defense arguments that Carter had changed, noting he should not benefit from evading justice. Carter received a two-year prison sentence, with the final nine months suspended on conditions of good behaviour and payment of €2,000 to the victim. The sentence was backdated to June 19 of the previous year. Gerard Howe, who was jailed in 2013 for the same offence, was not present for this sentencing.
A man has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison following a series of attempted car thefts in a Dublin housing estate while under the influence of crack cocaine. Thomas Cahill Donohue, aged 35, pleaded guilty to twelve charges including burglary, attempted robbery, criminal damage, unlawful use of a vehicle, threatening behaviour and assault on gardaí at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. On 25 October 2019, Donohue approached multiple residents in the Whitethorn Walk estate in Lusk, making threats and attempting to take their vehicles while holding his pet chihuahua. Residents reported that he made violent threats towards them. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the sentence on Thursday, noting that whilst Donohue expressed a desire to reform and seek drug treatment, the seriousness of his conduct and the trauma caused to civilians and gardaí necessitated custodial punishment. The judge stated that substance abuse was no defence. The sentence was backdated to 1 January last.
James Doran, aged 29, was sentenced to 28 months in prison for an aggravated burglary that took place on 12 January 2013. He broke into the home of a taxi driver in Dublin 16, armed with a knife, and demanded €400. The victim's wife and five‑year‑old son were locked in a bedroom while Gardaí arrived. Doran threatened the victim with the knife, who sustained a cut on his thumb while defending himself. Doran was arrested at his own home after a warrant was issued in February 2014 when he failed to attend a sentence hearing. He had fled to the UK, was extradited back to Ireland in August 2023, and has been in custody since. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a five‑year sentence, suspending all but 28 months on strict conditions. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. James Doran pleaded guilty.
David Johnston, 38, of Golden Lane, BrideStreet, Dublin 8, was sentenced to four years in prison, with the final two years suspended on strict conditions, after pleading guilty to burglary at a flat on Cooke Street on 14 November 2019. He had previously been convicted 28 times. Johnston broke into the flat by kicking in a glass panel of the front door while the occupants were watching television. He forced his way in, threatened the victim with a Stanley knife held to the victim's neck, and demanded €20 that the victim owed him. The victim received a small cut to his throat that did not require medical attention. After the victim paid the €20, Johnston left the flat, elbowing a kitchen window as he exited. He was later arrested and has been on remand in prison since his arrest. The victim did not submit a victim impact statement.
Mark Egan, 41, of Cabra Road, Dublin 7, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to two burglaries and one attempted burglary at Bishop Street, Dublin 8, on May 28, 2019. Prosecution evidence presented by Garda Greg Moroney alleged that Egan entered a building housing multiple organisations, stealing laptops valued at €4,700 and cash from two companies, while ransacking the offices of a third without taking items. Egan admitted responsibility during interview after viewing CCTV footage, noting he was on medication that prevented him from recalling the events. Judge Melanie Greally acknowledged Egan's 41 previous convictions and his history of relapse following a probation bond, but commended his recent successful supervision and efforts to address addiction. During the hearing, Egan requested to remain in custody to complete a two-month drugs course at Mountjoy Prison. The judge agreed to finalise sentencing, imposing a three-year prison term. However, she suspended the final two years of the sentence on strict conditions. The sentence was backdated to January 17, the date Egan first went into custody, resulting in an effective custody period of one year.
In a burglary of stables outside Mullinahone, Co. Tipperary, 27‑year‑old Owen Kirwan and two others entered a tack room where horse owner Miguel Gunn was lying on a couch with a mare in foal. Kirwan was caught "red‑handed" by Gunn, who had a pitchfork for self‑defence. Kirwan threatened that "20 lads" would return to "burn you out" if he was not let go, and later admitted the offence after a voicemail recording was played. He had pleaded guilty to burglary and threat to damage property. Judge Tom Teehan at Clonmel Circuit Court imposed a seven‑year sentence, with two and a half years suspended. Kirwan appealed to the Court of Appeal, arguing the sentence was disproportionate, but the appeal was dismissed by Justice Patrick McCarthy, Court President George Birmingham and Justice Isobel Kennedy. The appeal was refused.
Edwards Wall, 46, was sentenced to 16 months in prison for two burglaries at The Well pub in Dublin. He had 177 prior convictions, including 68 for burglary. On January 8, 2020, CCTV captured him entering a restricted area of the pub and stealing six bottles of Jameson whiskey worth €360. Two days later he returned and stole another six bottles. No items were recovered. Wall pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He was arrested on January 11, 2020, and has been in custody since. The judge noted his extensive criminal record, drug addiction, and that the thefts were discovered by "happenstance." He described Wall as "not a very accomplished burglar" and highlighted the seriousness of burglary, imposing the sentence backdated to account for time already spent in custody. The sentence was imposed during the Covid‑19 pandemic, limiting family visits. The court did not mention any future appeals or additional charges.
In a Howth burglary on 13 December 2013, Declan Murphy (53) and two accomplices forced entry into a mother's home, tying the woman and her eight‑year‑old daughter with cable ties and ransacking the house. They stole €27,000 in cash and over €30,000 in jewellery, then fled in the victim's 4×4, which was later abandoned with a flat tyre. CCTV and DNA linked the crime to a white van owned by the late Eamon Brennan (35) and to Murphy. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Murphy initially pleaded not guilty but later pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and two false imprisonment charges. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a 12‑year prison term, suspended the final year, and noted Murphy's drug‑addiction history and prior 157 convictions, including 38 for burglary. The sentence was suspended for three years on condition of good behaviour and engagement with Probation Services.
Derek Carrick, aged 43, was sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to aggravated burglary in Ballyfermot on 11 February 2019 and unlawfully seizing a car on 10 October 2019. Carrick, a nephew of three brothers in their 50s and 60s, entered their home armed with knives and wearing a balaclava. Two brothers were held at knife‑point downstairs while Carrick took a third victim upstairs and stole €12,000 from an envelope and €80 from a bag. He also jumped into a 68‑year‑old woman's car, which he started without a key, and drove away. The car was later recovered with Carrick asleep inside. Carrick had 44 prior convictions, made full admissions, and apologized to the woman. Judge Martin Nolan described the burglary as "despicable" and noted the crime was frightening, though not violently extreme. He imposed the sentence after noting Carrick's remorse and the disappointment felt by the victims.
Joseph O'Shaughnessy, 32, of Ballyfermot, travelled to Galway and carried out a spree of burglary, criminal damage and theft offences on 6 June 2019. He pleaded guilty to three burglary, three criminal damage and two theft offences in various Galway business premises, causing almost €90,000 of damage and stealing about €5,000 of goods. He was found under a table in a Woodies DIY store. Judge Rory McCabe sentenced him to six years in prison, describing the offences as an "orgy of burglary, theft and criminal damage" and noting that O'Shaughnessy had no legitimate reason to be in the city. O'Shaughnessy appealed, arguing that the judge had failed to impose proportionate sentences for each offence. The Court of Appeal, with Justice George Birmingham, Justice Patrick McCarthy and Justice Aileen Donnelly, quashed the original sentence and replaced it with a five‑year term. The new sentence was deemed proportionate by the DPP's counsel, Elva Duffy BL.