Douglas Glynn and his brother Anthony Glynn pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to charges related to the possession of ammunition and drugs for an organised crime gang. Douglas Glynn admitted to conspiracy to possess 335 rounds of ammunition and various calibres of ammunition, as well as conspiracy to possess cocaine and cannabis valued over €13,000 for sale or supply. Anthony Glynn pleaded guilty to possessing the ammunition and drugs for an organised crime gang. The court heard that gardaí seized 20kg of cocaine, cannabis, and ammunition from a Dublin 15 business park in March 2017. Evidence included encrypted phone messages using code words for drugs and firearms, which identified Douglas Glynn as a manager of the operation. Douglas Glynn is already serving a six-and-a-half-year sentence for his role in a foiled Kinahan Cartel plot to murder James 'Mago' Gately, for which he was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years with the final year suspended. Mr Justice Hunt adjourned the matter to March 16 for sentence finalisation.
Geido Voolain, 39, of Seagrave Terrace, Finglas, pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis for sale or supply after a police search uncovered a growhouse with 17 plants, 4.3 kg of cannabis, and €100,000 worth of the drug. Gardaí found a locked concrete shed containing a growhouse, 17 plants, lighting, irrigation, and vacuum‑packed bags of cannabis. Voolain claimed he had started growing as a hobby, later turning to profit after an accident left him unemployed. He denied cultivating the vacuum‑packed cannabis, stating he had bought it for €50,000 and sold it. Siobhan Myles, 44, his partner, pleaded guilty to knowingly permitting cultivation at the property. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Voolain to three and a half years' imprisonment and Myles to a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence suspended on strict conditions. Both defendants cooperated with Gardaí and signed the notebook. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Paul Storey, a 36-year-old civil servant from Clondalkin, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine and diamorphine for sale or supply. The charges relate to an incident on April 24, 2021, at Baronrath, Straffan, Co Kildare. Gardai discovered 3.3kg of cocaine and 560g of diamorphine, valued at over €310,000, inside a Honda Accord located in a container at a property subject to a search warrant. Although Storey was not present during the search, he was arrested later and initially denied knowledge of the drugs. Prosecution evidence indicated he was holding the substances for a third party, a characterization agreed upon by the investigating garda, who noted Storey was low down the chain and lacked trappings of wealth. Defence counsel Anne Marie Lawlor SC argued that Storey's involvement stemmed from a desire to help a partner with a drugs debt, describing it as a serious misjudgement rather than primary criminal intent. She highlighted his early guilty plea, remorse, full-time employment, and support for his parents as mitigating factors. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged Storey's reduced culpability due to acting on behalf of another, while noting his previous convictions for minor drug and road traffic offences. Taking into account his early plea and good work history, the Judge imposed a four-year prison sentence.
Jonathan Whelan, aged 48, was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for a prolonged assault on his neighbour. The victim was beaten, stripped to her underwear, repeatedly forced to vomit and threatened with death. Whelan also took her keys, ransacked her apartment, and demanded money. He and a friend used a metal rod, a knife, scissors and a razor blade to threaten and beat her for hours. The assault took place in Whelan's flat on North Great Charles Street, Dublin 1, on 4 April 2021. He had previously pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and to possessing cannabis for sale, receiving four‑year and four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentences respectively, which ran consecutively. The court reduced the headline sentence to eight and a half years on mitigation. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 1 March 2023.
Dylan Reddington, aged 27, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for two counts of endangerment after leading Gardaí on a high‑speed chase on 27 February 2015 when he was 19. He pleaded guilty in December 2022. Reddington has 54 prior convictions, including dangerous driving, endangerment, firearms possession and drug offences, and has spent much of his adult life in prison. He has been in residential rehabilitation since shortly after his release and is required to remain there for the duration of the programme. Judge Martin Nolan ruled that Reddington's sentence will commence on 31 July 2023, allowing him to finish his current stay in rehab before the custodial term begins. The judge noted Reddington's reckless driving and the seriousness of his convictions but also acknowledged his efforts to reform. The sentence is intended to start after the completion of the rehabilitation programme.
Anthony Byrne, 28, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to a 16‑year‑old boy on 4 January 2022 at Camden Lock, Ringsend, Dublin 4. He struck the boy with a baseball bat, hitting him on the left side of his face, head, legs and left middle finger, causing a swollen lip, fractured finger and bruising. The boy was treated at St Vincent's Hospital and required finger surgery. Byrne was identified by CCTV, arrested and admitted the assault. He claimed he feared a trespasser and wanted to protect his family, but the footage showed no intruder. Byrne has three prior convictions, including two minor drug offences. The court, led by Judge Orla Crowe, deemed the act "very serious" and adjourned the case to 6 June for a probation report and risk assessment. The boy expressed fear and worry about a repeat incident. Byrne offered an apology and requested a suspended sentence. The court will consider these factors before sentencing.
Alan Sallinger, 53, was sentenced to three years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possessing €396,910 in criminal proceeds. The offence occurred on June 14, 2016, at an Applegreen service station in north county Dublin. Sallinger admitted to the charge on the basis that he was reckless, with defence counsel Garret Baker SC arguing that Sallinger did not know the specific contents of the bag he transferred from his car to another man's vehicle. Gardaí, conducting surveillance, observed the transfer and subsequently arrested the men, finding vacuum-packed cash in the bag. Sallinger, of Brookview Walk, Tallaght, was arrested in 2017 and entered his guilty plea on his trial date. Judge Martin Nolan stated it was clear Sallinger was transporting the money for a third party in exchange for payment, noting he must have known the bag contained illicit items. The judge acknowledged Sallinger's remorse and cooperation with gardaí, as well as mitigating factors including a history of drug abuse and alcohol problems at the time of the offence. Although Sallinger has 18 previous convictions, mostly from the 1980s and 1990s, the judge reduced the headline sentence of six years to three years, taking these mitigating circumstances into account.
Dawood Aziz, 37, of Cabinteely, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of €300,360 worth of ketamine and possession of a mobile phone used in a drug‑trafficking offence. Gardaí, following confidential information, set up surveillance and observed Aziz moving items from a premises to his van. A search of the van revealed just over €300,000 worth of ketamine. Aziz claimed the drugs were handed to him and that he had taken them to clear debt from a failed business venture. He admitted he was in debt and had become involved to pay it off. Judge Melanie Greally noted his prior cannabis conviction, his guilty plea, good employment history and pro‑social family. She imposed a five‑year sentence, suspended the final 18 months on conditions including engagement with addiction services and 12 months under Probation Service supervision.
John Kelly, 36, of Cherrywood Villas, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to cultivating cannabis at a derelict farmyard in Johnstown Kennedy, Rathcoole, on 26 November 2018. He was found supervising a grow house that contained three tents with 140 cannabis plants and saplings, valued at €60,000 for sentencing purposes. Kelly has 89 prior convictions, mainly for traffic offences, and previously served a seven‑year sentence for drug possession and a term for endangerment. Garda Donal Donoghue reported that Kelly's suspicious electricity bill led to a search warrant and the discovery of the grow operation. The court, noting mitigating factors such as his guilty plea and his legitimate stud‑farm business, sentenced him to two and a half years' imprisonment, suspending the final six months of a three‑year term on condition of continued engagement with the Probation Service to address his addiction. The sentence was back‑dated to 17 May of the previous year.
In a February 2023 hearing, Mr. Gavin Guerrine, aged 31, was warned by Mr. Justice Paul McDermott that any further breaches of his probation could lead to the activation of a five‑year suspended sentence. Guerrine had previously been sentenced in 2011 to ten years, with the last five years suspended, for deliberately running over Christopher O'Rourke in 2009. O'Rourke, who was 17 at the time, suffered severe brain injury, fractures and a serious knee injury, and later died in 2010 from a drug overdose. Guerrine's failure to attend probation appointments, attributed to illness, was cited as a breach. The court emphasized the need for Guerrine to engage with probation services, provide required urinalysis, and participate in training and employment programs, or risk re‑activation of the suspended sentence.
Douglas Purcell, aged 40, pleaded guilty to a single count of making a threat to kill or cause serious harm after threatening to shoot a garda's wife and children. The incident occurred on 20 August 2017 at Ballyfermot Garda Station, where Purcell, who had been arrested on a separate charge, approached the injured party, threatened to follow him home and shoot his family, and performed push‑ups on the ground. He was arrested on 11 September 2017, interviewed once, and made no admissions. A victim impact statement was read, describing the victim's paranoia, installation of CCTV, and poor sleep. Purcell apologized for calling names but denied making threats, and his defence counsel highlighted his mental health issues, drug addiction, and previous convictions for theft and criminal damage. Judge Orla Crowe adjourned the case to April, ordered Purcell to engage with the Probation Service, and directed the prosecution to contact the victim regarding the expression of remorse.
Stephen Rabbitte, 36, was sentenced to 16 years in prison with the final year suspended for the attempted murder of his partner, Audrey Reddin, on 10 April 2021. The court heard that Rabbitte strangled Reddin in bed, then stabbed her in the neck with a knife, leaving the tip embedded in her spine. He also used a slash hook to strike her, causing a broken arm and other injuries. Reddin suffered a broken nose, broken teeth, a stab wound to her left hand, and ongoing pain and PTSD. Rabbitte had pleaded guilty and had a letter of apology. He had 51 prior convictions, including assault and knife possession, and was on a suspended drug sentence at the time of the attack. The sentence was back‑dated to 12 April 2021 and he will appear in Galway Circuit Court on 7 March for reactivation of his suspended sentence.
David Stone, 65, owner of Ashton Dog Pound in Dublin, was fined €30,000 after a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found he unlawfully stored and incorrectly administered the euthanasia drug Pentobarbital to two dogs on 24 July 2020. Garda Áine McQuillan reported that the drug was found in an unlocked tin box at the pound's reception, with over 350 ml in total, and that the dogs had been given the drug orally rather than intravenously by a registered veterinary practitioner as required. Stone pleaded guilty to using a premises for the supply of an animal remedy contrary to European regulations, possession of a veterinary‑only drug, and permitting its improper administration. The court noted the drug's lethal potential for both animals and humans, Stone's breach of a €277,000 contract with Dublin City Council, and his lack of prior convictions, and imposed the fine without custodial sentence.
Killian Kinsella, a former footballer, was sentenced to nine months in jail for stealing mobile phones from a post office where he worked, three months after receiving a suspended two‑year prison sentence for possessing €10,000 worth of cannabis. In July 2021, Judge Melanie Greally had imposed the suspended sentence following a guilty plea. Kinsella, who had no prior convictions, was found by Gardaí in a taxi with a cardboard box containing cannabis. He later pleaded guilty to eight counts of interfering with the post and one count of possession of stolen property. The court noted his loss of employment at An Post and his potential for reform, but concluded that his criminal conduct within the suspension period warranted imprisonment. The nine‑month term is part of the suspended two‑year sentence.
Bruno Farias, 31, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for possessing 12 kg of cocaine, worth €840 000, at Dublin Airport on 11 July 2022. He had taken the drugs from a toilet cubicle to bypass customs, after Lucas Farias, 27, had brought a suitcase containing just under 15 kg of cocaine from Brazil. Lucas was jailed for seven years, and Jocelino De Silva, 44, received six years for holding the remaining 3 kg. All three were employees of a contractor at the airport, which allowed them to use staff entrances and an employee bus. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted that Farias acted as a courier with no proprietary interest and imposed the sentence back‑dated to the date he entered custody. The case was investigated by Gardaí following alerts about the suitcase's route from São Paulo to Dublin via Frankfurt. Bruno Farias pleaded guilty.
Ciaran Dolan, 32, of Lucan, was convicted of dangerous driving causing the death of barrister Edward O'Hara on Peamount Road, Newcastle, on 29 January 2022. He was driving a silver Volkswagen Golf at high speed, filmed on his phone at 160 km/h, and collided with O'Hara from behind. O'Hara, walking in the direction of Newcastle, was struck, carried 118 m, and later died at Tallaght Hospital. Dolan fled the scene, later turning the car around and pulling into a lay‑by before being apprehended. He was found to be under the influence of cannabis, had admitted smoking two joints that day, and had signed pleas. The court noted his previous five convictions for road offences, his remorse, and his signed pleas, but also his grossly reprehensible conduct and failure to assist the victim. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to five and a half years' imprisonment, deeming a custodial sentence inevitable.
Dr Bruno Seigle-Murandi, a former Roche drug safety manager, is currently undergoing cross-examination at the Workplace Relations Commission regarding statutory complaints under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 and the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. Roche's counsel, Mark Connaughton SC, accused the applicant of making false allegations against former colleagues, specifically former general manager Pierre-Alain Delley, claiming Dr Seigle-Murandi was pressured to sign off on an alternative storyline regarding a marketing literature recall. The applicant denied these accusations, maintaining that he allowed a notification letter to go to the HPRA without realizing his recommendation for a recall was omitted. Roche also challenged the applicant's claim of a second HPRA notification in July 2020, asserting the regulator had closed its file. During the hearing, Dr Seigle-Murandi stated he struggled with the complexity of questions as a non-native English speaker. Adjudicating officer David James Murphy noted the applicant could request an interpreter. The matter was adjourned, with the applicant indicating he would seek to have the case set down for three more days of hearing. Dr Seigle-Murandi must continue to attend in person until cross-examination concludes, after which he may participate via video-link.
Anthony Glynn, 51, of Fitzgibbon Court, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to two charges. He admitted that between 25 January 2017 and 12 April 2017 he possessed controlled drugs—cocaine and cannabis—for the purpose of selling or supplying them to an organised crime gang. He also admitted that during the same period he possessed 335 rounds of ammunition, including 199 .44 Remington Magnum, 76 .357 Magnum, 38 .45 ACP and 22 .22 LR rounds, in circumstances that reasonably suggested the ammunition was not for a lawful purpose. The charges are under Section 73 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, amended by the 2009 Act. Glynn had originally faced similar charges under Section 71 but was re‑charged after an application by State solicitor Ciara Vibien. Mr Justice Tony Hunt adjourned the case to 8 May for sentencing, when the two original charges are expected to be withdrawn.
Dr Bruno Seigle‑Murandi, a pharmacovigilance manager at Roche Products Ireland, alleged to the Workplace Relations Commission that Roche's Irish arm had distributed non‑compliant marketing literature with a commercial purpose. He claimed that after a 2019 review, some oncologists received letters instructing them to discard all Roche literature and to advise patients to visit the practice. Seigle‑Murandi said Roche retaliated against him when he raised the issue, alleging a cover‑up to protect marketing and medical departments. Roche denies retaliation and says it acted immediately, notifying the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), which closed its file in February 2020. Seigle‑Murandi was dismissed for gross misconduct after refusing to comply with an internal audit and sending confidential emails from a personal account. The case was adjourned to Friday.
Daniel Lynch, aged 25, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for coercive control of his pregnant partner between 19 September 2020 and 15 January 2022. He had full access to her phone and social media, took her money every Monday, and verbally abused her, telling her no one loved her and hoping she would miscarry. He threatened to kill her in a WhatsApp voice message on 15 January 2022, breaching a protection order. He also left a voicemail saying he would murder her the first chance he got. The judge noted his lack of remorse and imposed a concurrent sentence of three and a half years, suspending the final six months, with strict conditions including victim‑focused work and substance‑abuse treatment. The offence of coercive control carries a maximum penalty of five years. The court heard the victim's impact statement describing physical abuse, isolation, and drug use. The sentence reflects the seriousness of Lynch's conduct.
Brian Ferns, aged 38, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for setting fire to his mother's house in Clondalkin, Dublin, causing damage of €91,240. In April 2020, Ferns repeatedly called his mother, demanding she travel to Dublin to give him money for drugs or he would burn the family home. On 3 April, he intentionally set a mattress on fire in his bedroom; the fire brigade found the blaze started upstairs. Ferns hindered the firefighters and later claimed the fire was accidental. He pleaded guilty to one count of arson, an offence with a maximum life sentence. He has seven prior convictions, including criminal damage and drug possession. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted Ferns' deliberate intent and imposed a three‑year sentence, suspending the final 15 months under conditions. The court highlighted Ferns' mental health issues and his participation in a rehabilitation programme. The sentence reflects the seriousness of arson and the potential danger it poses.
Lauren Larkin, 27, was jailed for two years after two separate Gardaí raids on her Finglas home. In August 2020, a search warrant seized over €14,000 worth of cannabis, which Larkin claimed she was holding for her "boss" to pay a €1,000 drug debt. A year later, while on bail for that offence, a second raid found cannabis and cocaine worth just under €5,000. Larkin pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis for sale or supply on 14 August 2020 and to possessing cocaine for sale or supply on 23 August 2021. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced her to one year for each offence, to run consecutively, citing the second offence while on bail as the decisive factor. She has eight prior road traffic convictions and is a carer for her sister with serious medical issues.
Brian Carroll, 38, was sentenced to four and a half years in jail for a series of pharmacy robberies that took place over three days in November 2022. He pleaded guilty to three counts of robbery, each involving a different pharmacy in the north Dublin area. Carroll entered the pharmacies armed with a knife, demanding medication to feed his drug addiction. In one incident he cornered three female workers with a knife, while in another he threatened a cashier and later engaged in a scuffle with a passer‑by. Victims described anxiety and trauma following the robberies. Carroll has a long criminal history, including prior convictions for robbery and attempted robbery, and has been in custody since his arrest. Judge Martin Nolan noted his addiction and the repeated nature of his offences, and imposed a five‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with the final year suspended on conditions.
Luke Byrne, a 25-year-old plumber with no previous convictions, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply, where the drugs had a market value of €13,000 or more, and possession of the proceeds of crime. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a prison term of 27 months for each offence, to run concurrently. The judge departed from the mandatory ten-year sentence, citing Byrne's guilty plea, cooperation with gardai, admissions, and lack of prior convictions. Byrne admitted to holding cocaine and cash to settle a drug debt. While the judge accepted the debt narrative, he noted the case was not exceptional enough for a non-custodial sentence. The sentences are subject to review by higher courts. The report notes that the matter was adjourned for sentencing, which was subsequently carried out, but the finalisation status remains subject to appeal review.
In February 2023, a Waterford man, Chris Kelly, aged 32, was caught by the Garda Armed Response Unit with a handgun while wearing disposable gloves. He had pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm on 20 May 2020, the same date and location as his co‑accused Kealan Madden. Kelly had one prior conviction for cannabis possession, whereas Madden had 13 prior convictions. The original sentence in December 2021 was six years' imprisonment with the last year suspended. Kelly appealed, arguing that his single prior conviction gave him a "justified grievance" and that he should not be treated more severely than Madden. The Court of Appeal quashed the original sentence and re‑sentenced Kelly to five years' imprisonment with one year suspended, matching Madden's sentence. The decision was based on the lack of a substantial basis for distinguishing the two men, despite Kelly's Crohn's disease and other personal circumstances.
In February 2023 the Court of Appeal quashed a suspended three‑year sentence for Mark Kearney, 44, who had chained a man to the steering wheel of an abandoned car over an alleged drug debt. The original sentence, imposed in April 2022, was deemed too lenient. Kearney had pleaded guilty to false imprisonment after taking the victim from Ballymun to his Cedarhurst home, where he tied the man's right wrist to the steering wheel with a chain and padlock, removed his shoes and socks, and left him in the cold. The victim described the ordeal as psychological torture, including racial abuse. The Court of Appeal, citing the severity of the restraint, imposed a new sentence of two‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with the last two years and six months suspended on conditions of good behaviour and rehabilitation. The decision was based on the State's appeal that the original suspended sentence was unduly lenient.
In a Court of Appeal hearing, two men, Curtis Devlin (28) and Patrick Gray (39), had their six‑year prison sentences upheld for blackmail and demanding with menace. The men entered a couple's home in Wexford in October 2020, claiming a drug debt owed by the couple's daughter. They demanded money and threatened to kill the wife and husband. After leaving, they called the couple from a getaway car, demanding €10,000 by 9 pm and issuing further threats. The appeal court found no difference in culpability between the men, ruling the case a joint enterprise. The court upheld the original sentences, noting the pre‑meditated targeting of innocent family members to pressure payment. The victim impact statement described the family's life as changed, with them feeling trapped and obsessed with safety in their own home. Curtis Devlin pleaded guilty. Patrick Gray pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 16 February 2023, construction worker Josh Keating, aged 22, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for possession of cocaine for sale or supply and possession of the proceeds of crime amounting to €23,950. Keating, who had no prior convictions, admitted to selling cocaine for the previous 18 months and was found with €4,200 worth of cocaine and €23,950 in cash during a Garda search of his home in Lucan. He cooperated fully with investigators, provided his mobile phone and PIN, and claimed he had been drug‑free since rehabilitation. The judge, citing Keating's lack of prior offences and good work history, imposed the custodial term, noting the mitigation was excellent but the offence warranted imprisonment. The sentence reflects the court's assessment of culpability and the profit made from the drug trade. Josh Keating pleaded guilty.
Ross Donoghue, a 31‑year‑old former resident of Northway Estate in Finglas, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted robbery in the Malahide area on 28 June 2020. He tried to rob a 16‑year‑old girl and a 64‑year‑old man on the same morning. The girl was forced to remove her earphones when Donoghue demanded her phone and threatened to stab her; she escaped after Donoghue fell. The man, Robert Ennis, was tackled by Donoghue, who kicked him several times. Ennis suffered facial bruising and mild orbital swelling. Donoghue had a long record of convictions for assault, criminal damage, attempted robbery, drug possession and obstruction, and was on bail at the time of the offence. Judge Martin Nolan, after noting Donoghue's remorse and admissions, imposed a custodial sentence of 21 months, consecutive to his current term, citing his long‑standing addictions and prior convictions as aggravating factors. The sentence was delivered on 15 February 2023.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Kaua Da Lima, 27, and his wife Natila Vargas, 34, pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis for sale or supply at their rented home in Fairview, Dublin 3, where they were raising an eight‑month‑old baby. Da Lima, a delivery cyclist, admitted he began dealing drugs during the Covid‑19 pandemic to support his family, citing financial hardship. Vargas, a healthcare worker caring for their child, also pleaded guilty. Gardaí discovered six cannabis plants in a bedroom wardrobe, with heat lamps and a fan, and nearly half a kilo of cannabis herb, valued at just under €14,000. Da Lima received a three‑year custodial sentence, suspended on conditions, while Vargas was fined €200, a fraction of the €2,500 maximum for possession. Both had no prior convictions and had not been previously known to the Gardaí.
Talia Pavia De Souse, a 24‑year‑old Brazilian student nurse and mother of two, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for possession of 330 g of cocaine, worth €23,000, which she swallowed before travelling to Ireland. The court heard that she had taken a €2,700 loan for family expenses in Brazil and was threatened by loan‑shark creditors, which she said forced her to ingest the drugs. She was detained at Beaumont Hospital for three days and was under suspicion after arriving on a newly‑issued Brazilian passport. De Souse pleaded guilty and had no prior convictions. The judge, citing her guilty plea, cooperation, lack of record and the lower amount of drugs, imposed a 21‑month term back‑dated to June 2022 when she entered custody. The sentence reflects her role as a drug mule under financial pressure and coercion.
Two Waterford men, Peter Cawley (42) and Richard Nolan (35), will be sentenced next year for transporting drugs. Gardaí on a mobile patrol stopped a van on 19 March 2020, found cannabis, heroin worth €9,683, cocaine worth €289, and tablets worth €80. Cawley drove the van; Nolan lay in the back and placed a hand‑held item in a bucket. Both were searched; Nolan had drugs in his underwear and a white wrap he swallowed, later claiming it was crack cocaine. They were arrested, the van seized, and the drugs confiscated. Cawley pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for sale or supply; Nolan pleaded guilty to three counts of having drugs for sale or supply. Both men entered guilty pleas, admitted full responsibility, and were described by Garda Conor Dooley as cooperating. Judge Patricia Ryan will place them on a one‑year probation bond, finalising the matter in February 2024.
Two men, Thomas Harvey (42) and Daniel Kavanagh (29), were sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to 18 months in prison, suspended in full, for stealing 60 kilos of meat from Captain Americas on Grafton Street. Harvey climbed a fire‑escape ladder to the storeroom, stole the meat worth €2,000, and passed it to Kavanagh, who tried to sell it in a taxi to a hotel but failed. The meat was later sold to a mother of eight for €100. Both pleaded guilty to trespass and theft. The judge noted their drug use at the time but that they are now drug‑free, and remarked that their burglary was not the most insidious. Kavanagh apologized to Gardaí, saying he acted to survive, and both men had numerous prior convictions. The court heard that none of the meat was recovered.
George Radford, a 33‑year‑old former army soldier, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing drugs for sale or supply at his home on 2 October 2021. He admitted he had held just under two kilograms of cocaine, valued at €137,690, in a safe found in a shed on his property after a Garda search. Radford said he had brought the drugs in to help his younger brother, who was in debt over drugs, and that no one else knew about the drugs. He had resigned from the army when the matter came to light. Judge Martin Nolan described the case as "exceptional", noting that the problems were created by Radford's brother, and imposed a four‑year suspended sentence with a period of good behaviour, stating Radford was unlikely to appear again before the courts.
Kyle Boland, 27, of Ringsend, Dublin, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment after pleading guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing over five kilograms of cannabis for sale or supply, valued at €117,762. Garda Stephen Gillespie reported that Boland's van was stopped on Rathfarnham Road following a tip, where a holdall containing a kilogram of cannabis was found beside the sliding door and a cardboard box with the remainder of the drugs was discovered after the vehicle was seized and taken to a Garda station. A phone and a tick list were also found in the van's front. Boland's 99 prior convictions were mainly for road traffic offences, including possession of a flick knife. He had been staying in a hotel at the time and claimed he was transporting the drugs for €500 to reduce a drug debt, suggesting he was acting on someone else's instructions.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Paul Clarke (29) was sentenced to four years and three months' imprisonment for assault causing harm to Lyndsey Byrne, who was tied up, struck with a stick and repeatedly scalded with boiling water during two attacks in November 2021. Clarke, described as the "main man", was accompanied by Josh Conlon (19) on the first day and Craig Kelly (38) on the second. Conlon pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, while Kelly pleaded guilty to simple assault. Clarke's sentence was back‑dated to the date of his arrest. The court noted Clarke's 79 prior convictions and the severity of the assault, while Kelly received a five‑month sentence and Conlon's sentence was to be decided the following day. The proceedings focused on the assault and the guilty pleas, without reference to any subsequent developments.
Dean Paget, 34, pleaded guilty to attempting to murder his former partner Lisa Ward and to intentionally ending the life of their unborn child. At a Central Criminal Court sentencing hearing, Judge Paul McDermott imposed a 14‑year sentence, with the final 12 months suspended for two years on the condition that Paget work with probation services and continue treatment for drug and alcohol addiction. The court considered Paget's violent assault on Ward on 25 April 2021, during which he punched, kicked, choked and threatened her, and threatened to "rip" their unborn daughter, Ruby Rose, out of her. CCTV evidence showed a series of vicious assaults and appalling threats. Paget's guilty plea and admission of remorse were noted as mitigating factors, but the judge emphasised the severe and terrifying nature of the violence and the lasting impact on Ward. The suspended portion of the sentence was tied to addressing violence and addiction issues.
Michael Campbell, 31, was jailed for three and a half years after being caught driving a Ford van that contained €600,000 worth of cannabis. He had been pressed by third parties to transport the drugs after accruing a drug debt of €1,000 to €2,000. Campbell pleaded guilty to possessing almost 30 kilos of cannabis for sale or supply when stopped at the Ballymun exit of the M50 on 22 June. He claimed he was the "lowest of the low" in the operation and had no knowledge of the quantity of drugs he was asked to transport. Gardaí found six black plastic bags of cannabis in the van's back. Campbell had no prior convictions, had voluntarily relinquished bail in September, and was described as having an excellent work record and a good family background. The sentence was back‑dated to 12 September 2022.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a Brazilian woman gave evidence that she was required to engage in sexual relations with one of the accused and her husband on multiple occasions. Testifying via video-link with an interpreter, the complainant described being selected as a "girlfriend" for weekends at properties in Roscommon and various hotels. She stated she was not willing to participate in these activities. The prosecution alleges that Ivanilce Vailones Fidelis, of Racecourse Road, Roscommon, and Natalia Nogueira Da Silva, of Drumlish, County Longford, trafficked two vulnerable Brazilian women for sexual exploitation. The court heard the complainant was encouraged to consume alcohol and drugs, and was instructed to continue working during menstruation. She was subsequently evicted from an apartment near Kildare Village after requesting repairs. Ms Vailones Fidelis, aged 46, has denied all 18 charges including human trafficking and money laundering offences dating between 2015 and 2020. Ms Da Silva, aged 32, has admitted 35 charges but denies one count of human trafficking. The trial continues before Ms Justice Patricia Ryan.
Stacey Harcourt, 41, pleaded guilty to unlawful cultivation of cannabis at her north Dublin home after a Garda search in October 2021 uncovered 448 g of the herb. Harcourt, a cancer sufferer diagnosed with skin cancer in 2010 and treated with eight neck operations and 15 melanoma‑related procedures, said she grew the plant from seed and used about five grams each evening for pain relief, claiming it was the only effective treatment after chemotherapy failed. She denied ever selling the cannabis. Her lawyer, Olan Callanan, argued that the drug was used solely for her own medical comfort. Judge Martina Baxter acknowledged Harcourt's situation but reiterated that each use constituted an offence. The court adjourned sentencing to 21 April, pending a Probation Service assessment and urine drug analysis.
A 34‑year‑old man, Charles McClean of St Mark's Grove, Clondalkin, has been charged with the murder of gangland figure Mark 'Guinea Pig' Desmond, who was shot at least three times at Griffeen Valley Park, Lucan, on 2 December 2016. Mr Justice Paul McDermott set the trial for 29 January 2024, with all disclosure to be finished by 22 May 2023. Desmond, aged 41 at death, had links to dissident republicans and the drug trade in west Dublin. He had earlier faced, but had those charges dropped, the murder of two men in 1999.
In January 2023, Liam Byrne, aged 41, was sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment after threatening to stab Gardaí and assaulting them with a wooden pole and knife at his mother's home in Dublin. Byrne had previously been barred from the house but was allowed back after promising to stay clean. The incident followed a June 2022 court case where he pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill a Garda and producing a knife. Byrne's lawyer linked his violent escalation to the traumatic discovery of his father's murder in 2000, which led to severe drug addiction. He had reportedly rehabilitated a year earlier, worked in construction, and assisted at a vaccination centre, but relapsed and was intoxicated during the offence. He is now awaiting assessment for residential treatment.
Dean Paget, 36, pleaded guilty to attempting to murder his former partner Lisa Ward, who was 32 weeks pregnant, and to intentionally ending the life of their unborn child. At the Central Criminal Court, CCTV footage showed Paget repeatedly kicking and punching Ward as they walked along Dame Street toward a tent on Montague Lane on 25 April 2021. He shouted, "I'll rip her out of you," and later called the unborn child a "bastard." Ward, aged 32, was taken to the Rotunda Hospital in a distraught state; medical tests found no fetal heartbeat and a placental abruption likely caused by the assault. Paget's 68 prior convictions include robbery, violent behaviour and drug offences. He expressed remorse during the hearing, apologised to Ward, and was remanded in custody pending sentencing on 7 February. Ward's statement described the lasting emotional pain and her loss of hope for a child.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Gavin Deering, 24, was jailed for one year after a hotel room bust at the Maldron Hotel in Tallaght. Gardaí had been surveilling Deering, who was seen entering and leaving the hotel while dealing drugs. He pleaded guilty to possessing €15,000 worth of cannabis for sale or supply and to having a controlled drug, cocaine, in his possession on 4 July 2021. Deering had 28 prior convictions, all traffic offences. Judge Martin Nolan noted that a clean record might have allowed a suspended sentence, but given Deering's history, he imposed a three‑year sentence, suspending the final two years on conditions of good behaviour for two years after release. The court seized a large wrapped package of cannabis, weighing €15,568, and a small amount of cocaine, valued at €106.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced 27‑year‑old Silmara Onofre to two years' imprisonment for possessing €66,297 worth of cocaine. Onofre, who had an address in Brazil, swallowed 78 pellets weighing 0.949 kg to smuggle the drug into Ireland. She was stopped by customs at Dublin Airport on a flight from Portugal, arrested, and taken to Beaumont Hospital where she passed the pellets under medical supervision. Onofre pleaded guilty and claimed she was manipulated, exploited and financially desperate. The judge described her as a "disposable" drug mule who took a "considerable risk" and noted that some people in Ireland have an "unending appetite for cocaine." The sentence was back‑dated to the day she was taken into custody, 17 April last.
The Court of Appeal dismissed a 39‑year‑old man's appeal against a three‑year prison sentence, with 18 months suspended, for his role in a sophisticated drug‑dealing scheme that imported cannabis disguised as nappies. The appellant, Damien Cahill of Railway Close, Kilsheelan, was convicted in July 2021 for possessing cannabis for sale or supply on 22 September 2017. He had previously supplied cocaine, a fact the court noted as evidence of a recidivist pattern. Cahill admitted he had ceased cocaine but continued to use cannabis, and the court found no evidence of rehabilitation or completion of addiction treatment. The judge upheld the original sentence, citing the seriousness of the offence and the lack of error in the sentencing decision. The appeal was therefore rejected.
James Maher, 32, of Kilcronin Crescent, Clondalkin, was jailed for 32 months after pleading guilty to possessing cocaine and cannabis for sale or supply on 23 August 2020. While on bail, he was seen by Sergeant Peter Smith on patrol around the Grand Canal in Clondalkin, acting suspiciously and placing items from a ditch into a shopping bag on his bike. Maher ran off, threw a large bin bag into the canal, jumped in, retrieved the bag, and later threw it into a nearby field. The bag on his bike was recovered, containing cannabis worth €2,500, and he was found wet with cocaine worth €980 on him. The field search failed to recover the bin bag. Maher has 27 prior convictions, mainly for drug dealing, and was previously sentenced by Judge Elma Sheahan. He is due for release on 20 May 2025.
Luke Yates, aged 21, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for attempting to impede the arrest of Robert O'Connor, aged 34, during an incident in north Dublin on 12 October 2021. Yates pleaded guilty to the offence. O'Connor, who was later convicted of unlawful possession of firearms and jailed for six and a half years, was fatally attacked 48 hours after his sentencing and died five days later. Yates had been in 23‑hour lockup since the fatal attack. The court noted Yates' prior convictions, including drug offences, hit‑and‑run, possession of a mobile phone in custody and dangerous driving, some of which were committed as a minor. The judge considered Yates' guilty plea and age as mitigating factors and imposed the sentence from the date of the offence, 12 October 2021.
Jocelino De Silva, 44, a manager of the corporate lounge at Dublin Airport, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment after he helped move smuggled cocaine out of the airport. He had taken three kilograms of the drug, worth €210,000, from a toilet cubicle after Lucas Farias, 27, had brought just under 15 kg from Brazil in a suitcase. De Silva pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, while Farias admitted the importation of the 15 kg. Both men had no prior convictions and were remanded in custody since their arrests. Judge Martin Nolan noted the perceived problem of getting the drugs out of the airport and the role of De Silva's staff card in accessing secure areas. The case also involved a third man who was caught with the remaining 12 kg but has not yet been dealt with by the courts.
Robert O'Leary, a 44‑year‑old used‑car salesman from Finglas, Dublin, had his 2020 conviction for IRA membership quashed after it was revealed that the prosecution's chief witness, Nik Kasapi, was a convicted drug dealer. O'Leary was originally jailed for three years by a Special Criminal Court after being found guilty of belonging to a group styling itself as the Irish Republican Army in August 2019. He claimed he sold a Skoda Octavia, later used in a bomb plot against a PSNI officer, and that no evidence existed against him. Following the quash, O'Leary is seeking a miscarriage‑of‑justice certificate under Section 9 of the Court of Appeal Act 2014. The Court of Appeal has adjourned the matter to February 17 for mention. O'Leary has vowed that his case will not be ignored and has called for the abolition of the Special Criminal Court.