Kenneth Williams, a repeat offender with 113 prior convictions, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to dangerous driving, endangerment, driving without insurance and property damage after a high‑speed chase in November 2019. He was sentenced to four years' imprisonment and a four‑year driving disqualification. The judge noted Williams' dangerous conduct, the threat he posed to the public and Gardaí, his drug problems and the fact he was already serving a lengthy sentence. The court heard that Gardaí pursued Williams in an unmarked car after he fled a petrol station incident, driving through red lights, a T‑junction and a roundabout, and attempting to ram a Garda vehicle. He was eventually apprehended after a chase involving air support and a stinger. Williams, who represented himself, claimed he was under the influence of drugs at the time.
Christopher Kearney, 36, of Isaacs Hostel, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to Anthony O'Toole at Aston Quay on 21 January 2022. The assault, captured on CCTV from a Dublin Bus, was described by Judge Martin Nolan as "particularly violent" and followed a dispute between the men. Garda Eric Downey reported that the pair had earlier attracted police attention during a disagreement, claiming they were friends, before walking toward Ha'penny Bridge. Later, Gardaí found O'Toole unconscious, bleeding from nose, mouth and head, with facial injuries; he was taken to hospital but discharged himself and did not cooperate with the investigation. Kearney received a 16‑month prison sentence, with no victim impact statement submitted. He has 77 prior convictions, including theft and violent behaviour, and is homeless, on a social housing waiting list, and engaged with drug‑difficulties services.
Derek Reid, 35, of Clonliffe Road, Dublin 3, was jailed for five and a half years after repeatedly attacking, degrading and sexually assaulting his then partner over a six‑day period in March 2018. He slapped her, choked her, head‑butted her, dragged her by the hair, sat on her chest and forced her to give him oral sex while threatening her family. He also held her in her flat against her will, threatened to make her son go missing and defecated on her bed. Reid pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault and to false imprisonment. The court imposed concurrent sentences of six and a half years for the sexual assaults, suspending the final year, and five and a half years for the false imprisonment, with conditions to keep the peace, attend drug and alcohol treatment and remain drug‑free. The victim described the ordeal as a "nightmare on repeat.".
During a raid on 16 October 2020, Gardaí seized 102 g of cocaine, 2 g of heroin and evidence of cannabis cultivation from the Dublin flat of Aivar Kuura (40) and the kitchen of Michal Pozniakow (43). Kuura, who had 17 prior convictions including a 2010 drug‑dealing offence, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and heroin. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three and a half years' imprisonment. Pozniakow, with three earlier drug convictions, pleaded guilty to cultivation of cannabis and possession of cocaine. He was jailed for 21 months. The court noted that Pozniakow had overseen the cooking of crack cocaine and that the flat also contained a sophisticated cannabis growing operation. Both men were arrested and the seized drugs were valued at €7,504 for cocaine and €46,400 for heroin. The case was prosecuted by Caroline Cummings BL.
Karl McDermott, aged 26, was jailed for seven and a half years after a drug‑influenced spree in Finglas on 4 May 2022. He hijacked a push bike from a 14‑year‑old schoolboy, then attempted to rob a 15‑year‑old girl, a woman at a bank, and a man in a launderette, all within a 45‑minute window. McDermott used a knife described as a butcher's knife and was described by witnesses as drunk or on tablets. He pleaded guilty to two robberies, three attempted robberies and one bicycle hijacking. The court imposed a five‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for the May 2022 offences, to run consecutively with a three‑year term for a 2021 knife‑point robbery. The final year of the eight‑and‑a‑half‑year term was suspended on the condition he keep the peace and engage with the Probation Service for one year.
Vasile Muntean, 28, worked for the grocery‑shopping app Buymie and used his company debit card to shop at 23 supermarkets in Dublin and Kildare. Between 1 and 25 February 2021 he carried out 204 thefts, buying goods worth about €29,000, including €15,000 of One4All gift vouchers that he sold for cash to fund a drug habit. Buymie discovered the discrepancy when the card's spending did not match customer orders, and the company suffered a loss of €14,000. Muntean pleaded guilty to 32 counts of theft at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He was sentenced to a two‑year suspended term, with conditions that he hand over €6,000 to Buymie and save an additional €8,000 within two years. He has no prior convictions and has since undergone drug counselling and is working as a food‑delivery driver.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 17 January 2023, Kevin Shipley, a 37‑year‑old UK national residing in Spain, was sentenced to 33 months' imprisonment for possession of cannabis for sale or supply and handling €14,000 in cash, the proceeds of criminal conduct. The case centred on the seizure of approximately 3,000 cannabis jellies from a car and premises on Bluebell Road, Dublin, on 8 August 2021. Gardaí estimated the street value of the jellies at €10 each, totalling €33,000, while defence counsel presented an independent valuation of about €1 each. Judge Martin Nolan ruled that the true value was likely between the two figures and decided the court need not determine it for sentencing. Shipley's sentence was back‑dated to the time of his arrest, and the €14,000 in cash was confiscated. The court noted Shipley had been in custody for about 18 months prior to sentencing. Kevin Shipley pleaded guilty.
Mark Carty, 55, of The Mill Race, Chapelizod Village, pleaded guilty to several counts of theft and fraud involving €13,662 taken from various post offices and a Bank of Ireland ATM in January 2017. He also admitted fraudulently obtaining a Visa debit card in the name of Edward Glennon in April 2019 and using it to check Glennon's bank balance. The court heard that Glennon had been reimbursed for the €52,000 stolen, but the bank remained at a loss. Carty, who has 25 prior convictions, was arrested in August 2019 and denied knowledge of the thefts, claiming he was a recovering drug addict with a gambling problem. He was given a suspended two‑year sentence, with the judge citing his role as a caretaker for his terminally ill partner and their eight‑year‑old child. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
Mum-of-three Christina Anderson has pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility for stabbing a man to death outside her home after spending over a month on trial accused of murder. Ms Anderson, who has been a patient at the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) since shortly after she stabbed 39-year-old Gareth Kelly to death, had previously pleaded not guilty to murder by reason of insanity. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has considered a plea to the lesser charge of manslaughter, and Ms Anderson was arraigned on the new charge of manslaughter and pleaded guilty in front of the jury. Patrick McGrath SC, for the DPP, said the plea was accepted and the DPP intends to enter a 'nolle prosequi' in relation to the murder charge at a sentencing hearing next April. Michael O'Higgins SC, who acted for Ms Anderson, said that the plea decision was taken 'after lengthy consideration and appraisal of this case'. The court has previously heard that Professor Harry Kennedy, a consultant psychiatrist, disagreed with Dr Brenda Wright, a consultant psychiatrist called by the defence, who said that Ms Anderson was suffering from bipolar affective disorder and as a result of her mental disorder she was unable to refrain from stabbing Mr Kelly. Professor Kennedy had written a report in which he said that Ms Anderson's behaviour was better explained by cannabis intoxication. Intoxication cannot be used as a defence under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006. Following today's plea, Ms Anderson began to cry as Mr O'Higgins told the court that his client's first instruction was to 'apologise profusely' to the Kelly family for the events that led to Mr Kelly's death. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor will hear evidence and submissions relating to sentencing on April 17 when the Kelly family will also be invited to make impact statements to the court. The judge remanded Ms Anderson in custody after hearing that the accused will be taken to the Dochas women's prison before being transferred back to the CMH where she is undergoing treatment for her psychiatric condition. Gareth Kelly, the defendant, faces a charge of murder by reason of insanity and has pleaded not guilty. The matter was adjourned.
A 39‑year‑old Dublin security guard was sentenced to nine years in prison for grooming, molesting and raping his partner's daughter, aged eight to ten, between 2018 and 2019. He threatened the girl with violence if she disclosed the abuse and was found guilty of sexual assault and one count of rape at several Dublin locations, including his home. The judge noted the defendant's admission of wrongdoing, his attempts to blame the victim, and his ambiguous moral stance. The victim, now a mid‑teen, described her childhood as a period of terror and expressed fear and guilt. The judge praised her courage for coming forward. The sentence includes a suspended final year, conditions for psychiatric and drug‑abuse treatment, and a post‑release supervision order to protect the victim and other children.
Shane Finn, 24, of Killinarden Estate, Tallaght, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for possessing €74,000 worth of cannabis at his home on 17 July 2021. Finn pleaded guilty to the offence of possession for sale or supply. He claimed he was coerced by masked men who threatened to kill him and to have his brother "cut up in prison" if he did not hold the drugs. The court heard that Finn was on bail for a previous drug offence when the cannabis was seized during a separate robbery investigation involving his brother, Jamie Finn. Finn admitted responsibility for the drugs, stating he had no knowledge of their quantity and had been forced to keep them. The judge noted the coercion but held Finn liable for breaking the law, and rejected a second suspended sentence, imposing a custodial term of two years.
During the sentencing hearing at the Central Criminal Court, the husband of the murdered Mongolian national Urantsetseg Tserendorj, aged 49, delivered a victim impact statement expressing the profound loss and mental anguish he and his children suffered after the murder. The court heard that the 16‑year‑old accused, who was 14 at the time of the offence, had 31 previous convictions, including robbery, violence and drug offences. He denied the murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter on 29 January 2021, a plea the State did not accept. The jury returned a guilty verdict after nearly nine hours of deliberation. The victim was stabbed in the neck on a walkway between George's Dock and Custom House Quay in the IFSC, Dublin, on 20 January 2021, and died the following evening due to lack of oxygen caused by the stab wound.
Two men were sentenced for laundering over €160,000 in a worldwide invoice‑redirection fraud investigation. Emanuele Cocco, 29, received a ten‑month sentence for possessing €17,923 as proceeds of crime in AIB, Bank of Ireland, Revolut accounts and cash. Daniel O'Carroll, 28, was given a fully‑suspended 16‑month sentence for holding just over €26,000 in various bank accounts. Cocco is already serving a two‑year drugs sentence and will be released in December 2023; O'Carroll has no prior convictions. The judge noted Cocco's lack of direct control over the Bank of Ireland account and that the phone number linked to it was changed to O'Carroll's. Garda investigations revealed fraudulent international payments from Germany, Belgium and Denmark, and the court heard that the money had been withdrawn before it could be recalled. Both men pleaded guilty to possessing proceeds of crime in specific accounts during 2019 and 2020.
A Dublin taxi driver, Mark Byrne, 47, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to possessing about €100,000 worth of cannabis for sale or supply at Watermill Drive, Raheny, on 22 February 2021. He also admitted to possessing €3,500 in cash as proceeds of crime and a Nokia mobile phone used to facilitate a drug trafficking offence at Springdale Road, Raheny, on the same date. Byrne, who had no prior criminal record and had worked as a taxi driver for 20 years, was described by Judge Martin Nolan as having made a "huge misjudgement" and being "highly unlikely" to appear again in court. The judge noted Byrne's financial difficulties and the psychological report indicating he was easily manipulated and suffered from severe anxiety and depression. Byrne's taxi licence was revoked, and he was paid €3,500 as compensation or reward for transporting the drugs.
The trial of Christina Anderson, 41, accused of murdering Gareth Kelly, 39, will resume after Christmas. Anderson, a mother of three from Brownsbarn Wood, Kingswood, Dublin 22, is charged with stabbing Kelly five times as he tried to start his car outside her home on 25 February 2020. She pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The court heard from consultant psychiatrist Dr Brenda Wright, who said Anderson suffered from bipolar affective disorder at the time of the stabbing and could not refrain from the killing. Dr Wright also noted that Anderson believed Kelly posed a threat to her family, giving her a moral justification for the act. Dr Wright discussed Professor Harry Kennedy's report, which disagrees with her findings and suggests cannabis intoxication rather than psychosis. The trial will continue in January before the jury and Ms Justice O'Connor.
A 22‑year‑old mother, Shauna O'Brien, remains gravely ill in intensive care after the De Paul Hostel on Little Green Street, Dublin 7, was set on fire on 26 March. She is permanently blind, unable to speak and suffers chronic nerve damage after falling unconscious while escaping the blaze. Her lungs are severely scarred from inhaling toxic smoke, requiring a ventilator, and she has undergone multiple surgeries to remove scar tissue, though the tissue keeps growing back. She is in an induced coma and her prognosis is uncertain, with discussions about a possible end‑of‑life pathway. Keith Riggs, 38, pleaded guilty to two counts of arson and one count of endangerment. He was seen on CCTV entering the hostel, setting fire to a toilet, moving through rooms, and eventually leaving after calling 999. He has a history of drug addiction, schizophrenia and previous convictions. Riggs will be sentenced on 16 January, with a psychiatric report pending.
Sean Connell, 32, of Poppintree, Dublin, is serving a six‑year sentence for the seizure of €1.5 million of cocaine at Rosslare Harbour. He pleaded guilty to possession of diamorphine for sale or supply on 10 March 2020. Gardaí later found nearly €70,000 of heroin in his car, and he was on bail when he and another man led gardaí on a high‑speed chase after shots were fired at a house in Finglas. The pursuit ended when the car overturned and Connell was taken to hospital. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and possession of a firearm on 29 September 2020. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced him to seven and a half years for the drug offences, with six months suspended, and to 18 months for the firearm and dangerous driving offences, with six months suspended. The sentences are consecutive to the Wexford drugs matter, and he is disqualified from driving for two years.
Bradley Spencer, 28, of Corian, Pueblos Los Olieos, Malaga, was found with €4.5 million worth of cocaine in the boot of a Toyota Yaris that had been specially altered. The drugs, 67 kg in six black refuse bags, were seized on Leopardstown Road, Dublin, on 3 June 2022. An investigation led to the discovery of Spencer's passport and a vacuum packing machine in an apartment whose key was found on him. Spencer pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, admitting possession but denying DNA on the packaging. He had no prior convictions. Judge Dara Hayes set a headline sentence of 12 years, then imposed nine years with 18 months suspended on strict conditions. Spencer has been remanded since arrest and is described as a previously good character who has shown remorse and cooperation with the Garda investigation.
In the Central Criminal Court, a toxicologist, Dr Johann Grundlingh, testified that it is "extremely unlikely" Christina Anderson was still intoxicated from cannabis when she stabbed Gareth Kelly to death outside her home. He explained that cannabis effects typically last one to three hours and, given Anderson's last cigarette at about 10 pm the previous evening and the stabbing at about 7 am, intoxication would not have persisted. Anderson, 41, is charged with murdering Kelly, 39, who was stabbed five times as he tried to start his car on 25 February 2020. She pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Dr Brenda Wright, a forensic psychiatrist, had earlier testified that Anderson had bipolar affective disorder, leading her to falsely believe Kelly posed a danger to her and her family, and that her mental condition prevented her from refraining from stabbing him.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 26‑year‑old Ailbhe Smith died on 1 October 2020 after taking two lines of cocaine and MDMA pills supplied by her boyfriend, 28‑year‑old IT technician Glen Burke. A post‑mortem found a cerebral bleed caused by MDMA toxicity and cocaine use. Burke pleaded guilty to possession for sale or supply of MDMA and cocaine valued at less than €100. He admitted that after the drugs were taken, Smith began sweating, was made to drink water, then became convulsing and limp; he called 999. He claimed he loved Smith, had met her online six weeks earlier, and blamed himself for the tragedy. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a fully‑suspended two‑year sentence, noting the case as a warning about drug use and expressing condolences to Smith's family. The hearing highlighted the immediate impact of the drugs supplied by Burke on Smith's death.
In December 2022, the Court of Appeal upheld that Kirsty Cummins, a 20‑year‑old mother, had been given an overly lenient fully‑suspended four‑year sentence for possession of drugs for sale or supply. Cummins, who had recently turned 18 at the time of the offence, was found with a Tesco bag containing about €70,000 of cocaine and €172,000 of heroin. She pleaded guilty and had no prior convictions. The Court noted her pregnancy, her child's health issues, her remorse, and a positive probation report. The judge re‑sentenced her to the same fully‑suspended four years but increased her probation supervision from 18 months to three years. The decision was made after the State argued the sentence was too lenient compared with a co‑accused who received three years' imprisonment. The court considered Cummins' age, lack of prior convictions, and her efforts to distance herself from negative peers as mitigating factors.
Christina Anderson, aged 41, was charged with murdering Gareth Kelly, 39, who was stabbed five times on 25 February 2020 while attempting to start his car outside her home. In the Central Criminal Court, Dr Brenda Wright, a consultant psychiatrist, testified that Anderson was suffering a relapse of bipolar affective disorder and believed she was morally justified in killing Kelly to protect her family. She was unable to refrain from the act because she perceived an immediate danger, a delusional belief that her family was in imminent peril. Dr Wright found Anderson's capacity to form intent impaired by her mental disorder, not by cannabis or alcohol use. Anderson pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The trial was ongoing before Ms Justice Karen O'Connor with a jury of twelve.
Christina Anderson, aged 41, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of Gareth Kelly, 39, who died from stab wounds on 25 February 2020. Psychiatrist Dr Brenda Wright testified that Anderson had an alter‑ego named 'Nicky' and reported a history of childhood bullying, sexual assault at 16, self‑harm, and psychiatric illness. She described her father as psychologically abusive and a narcissist, and mentioned a paternal uncle who committed suicide. Anderson's mental health history included bipolar affective disorder, depression, mania, and hallucinations while smoking cannabis. She had taken antidepressants and lithium, and used alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, speed, ecstasy and magic mushrooms. Dr Wright confirmed Anderson understood her hallucinations were not real. Prosecutor Patrick McGrath described the CCTV evidence of the stabbing and Anderson's movements. The trial continues before Ms Justice Karen O'Connor and a jury.
Paul Flanagan, an accountant with Holbury Ltd (trading as Safe‑Stride), claimed he was unfairly dismissed after seeking treatment for cocaine addiction. He had been assured by the company's HR officer that a job would always be available, though not a specific position, when he entered a 20‑week residential drug‑treatment course at Cuan Mhuire in July 2020. After leaving the course early, the company sent a letter—dated 10 July—informing him that his job was considered vacated and that he should confirm whether he intended to return. Flanagan argued the letter was sent to the wrong address and that he had not resigned. The Workplace Relations Commission found that the employer had not documented any resignation and that the dismissal was "very under‑handed." The tribunal upheld his complaint under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 and awarded him €20,000 in compensation. The decision was published on 13 December 2022.
Christina Anderson, 41, of Brownsbarn Wood, Kingswood, Dublin 24, was charged with the murder of Gareth Kelly, 39, who died from stab wounds on the morning of 25 February 2020. In the Central Criminal Court, Anderson told a psychologist that she stabbed the man outside her home after seeing him and believing he was there to kill her. She said she had stabbed him once, then returned to the house and stabbed him three more times to ensure he was dead. Anderson admitted she was "really ill" the week before the offence, hearing voices and feeling paranoid that someone would stab her. She claimed she had been delusional at the time and later realised this. Anderson pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The trial heard evidence of her mental state, cannabis use, and family concerns, but the prosecution's case was that she killed Kelly and the issue was her state of mind at the time.
Eddie Cunningham Cummins and Erica Cunningham Cummins, residents of Heron's Wood, Carrigaline, Co Cork, have brought a High Court judicial review against the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal and the Minister for Justice. The applicants are the children of Eddie Cummins Snr, who was killed in a shooting in Ballincollig, Co Cork, in 2005. The Tribunal initially refused their compensation claim in 2021, citing that the application was made outside the statutory time limit and that the victim's conduct, including previous convictions and the nature of the killing, rendered an award inappropriate under Article 13 of the scheme. The applicants appealed this decision, arguing that Article 13 applies only to the conduct of the applicant, not the deceased victim, and that the children were innocent of their father's actions. The Tribunal upheld the refusal in 2022. In the current proceedings, the applicants seek to quash the Tribunal's decision, claiming it was irrational, breached fair procedures, and violated their rights under EU law, the Irish Constitution, and the European Convention on Human Rights. The matter was heard by Mr Justice Charles Meenan, who granted the applicants permission to bring the challenge on an ex-parte basis. The case was adjourned and made returnable to a date in February.
Milad Khalili Ghanbari, 35, a former movie‑set caterer who had worked on the Star Wars franchise, was arrested after robbing phones from five people on St Patrick's Day 2021. He had recently split with his girlfriend and was described by counsel as having a "mental breakdown." Ghanbari gave Gardaí a false name and his neighbour's apartment number as his address. When officers entered that apartment they detected a strong cannabis smell and found 11 cannabis plants with a full grow‑out system. He pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and one count of cultivating cannabis in Dublin city centre. He has eight prior convictions, including a failure to stop after an accident. He has been in custody since the offence. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to six years' imprisonment, suspending the final year and back‑dating the term to the date he entered custody. The court noted his remorse and guilty pleas as mitigating factors.
Dominik Biber, 25, was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment with the last two years suspended for four years for attempting to murder Tomasz Grosser, 60, during a prolonged knife attack in Limerick. Biber, who claimed to be Jesus Christ after taking large amounts of drugs, stabbed Grosser repeatedly, causing multiple stab wounds and a puncture to the skull. Grosser survived with serious injuries and long‑term pain. Biber also pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and burglary at a neighbouring apartment. The judge, Mr Justice McDermott, noted Biber's early guilty plea, admissions to Gardaí, remorse, and a moderate risk of reoffending. Grosser's victim impact statement highlighted his inability to work for eight months and ongoing pain. Biber's defence counsel described his delusional state as a result of voluntary intoxication. The sentencing reflected the ferocious and spontaneous nature of the violence.
During the trial of Christina Anderson for the murder of Gareth Kelly, her husband Mark Anderson testified that the couple regularly consumed cannabis, spending €200‑€250 monthly. He admitted that two immature cannabis plants were found in a locked room upstairs when Gardaí arrived after the stabbing. Mark said the plants were his and that he had no conviction after a charitable contribution. He also revealed that he had planned to take his wife to the Mary Mercer psychiatric clinic the day after the murder, but the appointment was scheduled for 9 am the following day. Mark described his wife's mental state the week before the stabbing, noting she appeared delusional and paranoid, and that he had not seen such behaviour before. He stated that the couple's cannabis use was a regular habit, typically two to three joints in the evenings, and that they had a high tolerance. The trial continues with a jury hearing the case. Christina Anderson pleaded not guilty.
The 23‑year‑old Aaron Connolly, charged with the murder of 18‑year‑old Cameron Reilly, told Gardaí he could not recall what he did during a "missing hour" on the night of the death. He said he had taken a combination of drugs that caused him to black out. Connolly denied any sexual activity with Reilly, stating he was "straight", but his defence counsel later admitted he had given oral sex to Reilly. He claimed he had left Reilly at a driveway and then returned home at 1.40 am, with no knowledge of what happened to Reilly during the missing hour. Connolly also disputed the forensic finding that his DNA was on Reilly's penis, arguing the report was wrong. The trial is ongoing, with the prosecution presenting evidence of the alleged assault and murder, while the defence has made submissions regarding sexual contact and the circumstances of the death. Aaron Connolly pleaded not guilty.
Sean Doherty, 29, of Rory O'Connor House, Dublin, pleaded guilty to robbery on 7 July 2017 after claiming he was in the IRA. He had 25 prior convictions, including burglary, aggravated burglary, assault, and drug offences. The victim had gone out for drinks, and after a night of drinking, Doherty entered the victim's apartment, threatened him with a knife, and said "I'm in the IRA." He struck the victim twice on the head with an empty vodka bottle, stole his mobile phone, and the victim fled to the balcony. The victim was taken to St James Hospital and received stitches. Doherty was on bail at the time of the offence and was already serving a five‑year sentence. Judge James McCourt, after considering Doherty's guilty plea, mental health issues, apology, remorse, drug dependency and troubled background, sentenced him to four years in prison to run consecutively to his existing sentence.
A 45-year-old Cork woman with extremely low intellectual ability was sentenced by Ms Justice Karen O'Connor after being found guilty by a jury of wilful neglect, sexual assault, and sexual exploitation of her child between 2010 and 2015. The defendant, who does not accept the verdicts, was convicted last June. The court heard she has high intervention needs, including heroin addiction now managed with methadone, and significant childhood trauma. The victim, now in State care, provided a statement detailing ongoing nightmares and fear. The child's father, who was charged with more serious offences, died in custody before trial, retaining his presumption of innocence. Defence counsel Ronan Munro SC highlighted the defendant's post-natal depression and lack of prior loving relationships. Forensic psychologist Dr Patrick Randall assessed her risk of sexual reoffending as low. Justice O'Connor noted the devastating impact on the victim but determined that further incarceration would not benefit society given the defendant's cognitive limitations. The court backdated a three-year prison sentence and suspended the remainder. Conditions require the woman to engage with Tusla regarding child safeguarding measures and to participate in drug and alcohol interventions as advised.
In a High Court hearing on 7 December 2022, the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) sought to have 111 cars seized from Stephen Bawn Motors Ltd and €20,000 in a linked bank account declared proceeds of crime under the 1996 Proceeds of Crime Act. The cars, sold at auction for €820,000, were bought by the dealership, which began trading about seven years earlier, with money allegedly derived from illegal drug dealing. CAB alleged that the dealership was used by individuals with links to local, national and international criminals, including Christy Keane and the Kinahan gang, to launder drug proceeds and that the owner, Mr Mike Nash, was involved in drug importation and sale. The company and Mr Nash denied the claims. CAB also cited VAT fraud and other illegal activities. The case is pending before Mr Justice Alexander Owens.
Christina Anderson, 41, of Brownsbarn Wood, Kingswood, Dublin 22, is charged with murdering Gareth Kelly, 39, who was stabbed five times on 25 February 2020 as he tried to start his car outside her home. She pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The trial, heard in the Central Criminal Court, focuses on whether her behaviour when she stabbed Mr Kelly was driven by mental illness or by cannabis intoxication. Her husband, Mark Anderson, called her psychiatric clinic the day before the incident, but did not testify. Dr Thomas McMonagle, one of her treating psychiatrists, testified that Anderson used cannabis sometimes daily but also abstained for long periods, and that she had told doctors it did not cause paranoia. He described her as normally measured and in control, but at the Garda station she appeared psychotic and not in contact with reality, though he found her fit for interview.
In a Dublin murder trial, the Central Criminal Court heard that Vincent Parsons, 34, died on 26 August 2019 from hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy caused by internal bleeding and a heart attack following blunt‑force trauma. The prosecution alleged that Philip Disney (27) and Sean Carlyle (30) beat Parsons to death after a confrontation at the Killinarden Inn. Parsons suffered 12 facial injuries, a broken nose, and no defensive wounds on his hands or forearms. Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan testified that Parsons had no pulse upon admission, was resuscitated with adrenaline, but ultimately died at 7.20 pm. She noted cocaine and alcohol in his system but said they were not contributory. Forensic evidence included DNA from blood on shorts and a T‑shirt linked to Carlyle, and a watch identified by Parsons' mother. The accused pleaded not guilty. The case was scheduled to close the following day.
Evan Harborne, 27, of Rathfarnham, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of €79,526 worth of cannabis for sale or supply at his rented home on 6 January 2021. He held the drugs to pay a €650 debt. Garda Stephen Burke secured a warrant, searched the upstairs bedroom, and Harborne cooperated, stating he would find "weed in the wardrobe." He denied selling drugs, claiming he only wanted to clear the debt. Harborne had no prior convictions and had previously been a cocaine addict, now using €50 of cannabis weekly. The prosecution argued he was at the very lower end of a drug network. Judge Elma Sheahan accepted his cooperation, rehabilitation, and a low‑risk probation report. She imposed a headline sentence of four years, then reduced it to a suspended two‑and‑a‑half‑year term, conditional on good behaviour and abstaining from illicit drugs for that period.
Craig Corcoran, 29, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, trespass and obstruction of a peace officer after punching his former partner in front of their child. The incident occurred on 17 February 2022 at Empress Place, Dublin 1, when Corcoran followed the victim, struck her twice, and fled after a confrontation with Gardaí. He was later arrested after climbing a wall and entering a building via its roof. Corcoran has 66 prior convictions, mainly for assault and drug offences. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced him to 27 months, with the final six months suspended for two years on strict conditions, including Probation Service supervision. The court noted the presence of the child and the aggravating nature of the assault, but also considered mitigating factors such as Corcoran's guilty plea, apology, and efforts to address his drug addiction while in custody. The couple, now engaged, had reconciled after the incident.
Paul Mooney (35), of Ring Street, Inchicore, Dublin 8, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for his role in the aftermath of an attempted murder. Mooney pleaded guilty to possessing a G9A Grand Power semi-automatic handgun and Luger Barnaul ammunition at Bernard Curtis House, Bluebell, Dublin 12, on March 6, 2021. Mr Justice Paul McDermott noted that while Mooney was not directly involved in the shooting of Sinead Connolly, he disposed of the firearm openly and without hesitation. The court heard that Connolly was left paralysed after being shot by Dean McCarthy (33), who was jailed for 15 years for attempted murder. Co-accused Joseph Byrne (33) was jailed for nine-and-a-half years for possessing the handgun with intent to endanger life. Mooney, who had nine previous convictions, received a headline sentence of eight years. Considering mitigating factors including remorse and assistance to gardaí, the judge imposed a prison term of six years. The final 12 months of the sentence were suspended for two years, conditional on Mooney keeping the peace, engaging with victim impact and alcohol/drug awareness programmes, and following probation service directions. The sentence was backdated to October 6, 2022.
Dominik Biber, a 25‑year‑old Polish national, pleaded guilty to attempting to murder his flatmate Tomasz Grosser, 60, on 11 April 2020 in Limerick. Biber had taken a large quantity of drugs and claimed he believed he was Jesus Christ and that Grosser was the devil. During the attack, Biber stabbed Grosser in the face, neck and chest, thrusting a knife toward his heart, and later continued to stab him after Grosser had fled to a friend's apartment. Grosser was left with multiple stab wounds and puncture injuries, was taken to hospital, and survived after paramedics provided life support. Biber was remanded in custody for sentencing on 12 December 2022. The court heard that Biber's drug‑induced delusions and violent behaviour were central to the case.
Scott Knight, 48, was sentenced to a fully suspended three‑year prison term for forging documents to obtain a fake passport to visit his UK girlfriend. The court noted his earlier 1996 murder conviction, later reduced to accessory to murder, and his five‑year sentence. Knight also has convictions for weapons smuggling in France, narcotics possession linked to a Belgian illegal organisation, drug dealing, and possession of drugs. He admitted to providing false documents for a passport application in 2015, using a stolen identity and false birth certificate and student ID. The offence was discovered when Knight applied to renew his own passport in 2019, where facial recognition matched his photo to the fraudulent application. Judge Pauline Codd imposed the suspended sentence, ordered two years of probation supervision, and required attendance at all appointments. Knight has cooperated with Gardaí and has engaged in drug‑free treatment for 16 months. The unnamed accused pleaded guilty.
Pierce McComiskey, aged 44, was jailed for three years and three months for an armed robbery at Rocks Jewellers on Grafton Street on 16 February 2022. He entered the shop with a knife, demanded diamonds from a female employee, and instead took envelopes of jewellery from a deposit drawer. He returned to his hostel in Dublin City Centre, where Gardaí found an orange backpack, a knife and the jewellery, including 31 rings that he had hidden internally. All the items were recovered and returned to their owners. McComiskey, who has 26 previous convictions and was already serving a sentence for another offence, admitted the robbery and stated he was addicted to crack cocaine. He was taken to hospital after the arrest and is now receiving drug counselling and methadone treatment. Judge Orla Crowe noted the robbery was pre‑planned, involved a knife, and caused fear for the shop employees.
Mark Rooney, aged 49, was jailed for seven years after a series of armed robberies. He first entered a chipper in Finglas on 18 November 2019 with a meat cleaver, demanding money from staff. On 19 January 2021 he entered a Burger King in Clearwater, Finglas armed with a small knife, held the knife to a young worker's neck, forced the till open, and fled. He left his mobile phone at the scene, which allowed Gardaí to identify him from a photograph on the phone's screen. Rooney had recently reported a burglary at his home and was on bail pending prosecution. He later attempted to rob a pharmacy in Dublin city centre on 13 July 2021, holding a knife to a security guard's throat; the guard seized the knife handle and forced Rooney out. Rooney was questioned by Gardaí, admitted to taking 20 Xanax tablets, and had a history of ten robbery convictions and thirteen drug offences. Mark Rooney pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a woman, protected under the 2018 Domestic Violence Act, recounted how her partner, Daniel Lynch (25), exercised coercive control from September 2020 to January 2022. Lynch accessed her mobile phone and social media, took her money each Monday, and verbally abused her, claiming no one loved her and hoping she would miscarry their unborn child. He threatened to kill her in a January 2022 WhatsApp voice message, breaching a prior protection order. Earlier, in September 2021, he allegedly threatened to "kick the baby out of her" and struck her with a broom handle. The victim described isolation, loss of self-worth, and drug use, including cocaine supplied by Lynch. Lynch pleaded guilty to coercive control and a threat to kill, with sentencing deferred to February. The court noted the victim's bravery and the impact of her statement.
Stephen Penrose, 39, a former garda's son, is serving a life sentence for the murder of Philip Finnegan in 2016. While in Mountjoy Prison, he pleaded guilty to possession of diamorphine for sale and supply. In a supervised visit, Penrose attempted to conceal a package containing a mobile phone, 49.2 g of diamorphine, and 113 zopiclone tablets. Prison officers intervened, and the package was seized. Penrose initially denied receiving the drugs but later admitted he was unaware of the package until the visit and that his partner had instructed him to hand it to another inmate. He has 34 prior convictions, including murder, manslaughter and drug possession. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a concurrent sentence of two and a half years to deter drug smuggling in prison.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the State presented evidence that teenager Cameron Reilly (18) was socialising with Aaron Connolly (22) the night before his murder. The prosecution described a large group of about 15–16 young people gathering in a field near Dunleer on 25 May 2018, drinking and possibly using drugs. Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan testified that Reilly died from asphyxia caused by external pressure to the front of his neck, consistent with a chokehold or suffocation involving a ligature. The jury was told that Reilly was alive until just before 1 a.m., after which Connolly allegedly inflicted injuries that led to Reilly's death. Connolly is charged with murder and has pleaded not guilty. The trial will continue before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of seven women and five men.
In a 2021 incident, Daniel Goulding, a 39‑year‑old diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, fired a semi‑automatic pistol and a sub‑machine gun at two Gardaí outside his home, forcing them to take cover behind their patrol car for nearly 30 minutes. The gunfire lasted three and a half minutes, during which both officers were shot in the legs and one in the hand. The shooting ceased after Garda Brendan O'Hora intervened, persuading Goulding to surrender his firearms. Goulding pleaded guilty to attempting to murder the two officers. He has 33 prior convictions, including a 2009 ten‑year sentence for misuse of drugs. The Central Criminal Court will sentence him next Friday, with the DPP noting his psychotic episode at the time of the offence but not a premeditated intent to kill. The case remains at the sentencing stage. Daniel Goulding was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
Stephen McMullen, aged 25, was one of three men who attacked a car clamper in Werburgh Street car park, Dublin, on 21 February 2019. The men approached the clamper, threatened him with a knife, threw chips at him and then drove their van at him, forcing him to jump a fence to avoid being run over. McMullen pleaded guilty to one count of coercion, a charge covering the threats and intimidation that prevented the clamper from clamping cars. He was sentenced to one year in prison, with the final 18 months suspended on conditions. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, and McMullen's plea and history of drug abuse were noted by the court. The other two men received longer sentences. The clamper suffered soft‑tissue injuries and expressed fear and sleeplessness following the incident. The men were identified and arrested after CCTV footage linked them to a chip shop they had visited earlier that day.
Trevor Keyes, a 49‑year‑old taxi driver from Drogheda, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a suspended three‑year prison term for possession of almost €100,000 of cannabis. The drugs were found in the boot of a red Toyota Avensis taxi he was driving on Harold's Cross Road. Keyes had previously helped apprehend a man who stabbed a 60‑year‑old woman in 2010 and had a brain aneurysm that left him unable to work, with surgery scheduled for February of the previous year. Judge Elma Sheahan, who had adjourned the case to allow the operation, noted Keyes' low risk of re‑offending, his remorse, and his positive character before offending. She accepted that he had not profited from the drugs and that he was not a serious drug trafficker. Trevor Keyes pleaded guilty.
Barry O'Driscoll, a 40‑year‑old maths book proofreader from Dublin, was caught with over €60,000 worth of cannabis and €20,000 in proceeds of crime. Gardaí seized nearly €40,000 of cannabis in a carpark and later found an additional €19,352 of cannabis, LSD tablets and €19,000 in cash at his home. He pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing drugs for sale or supply and one count of handling the proceeds of crime. O'Driscoll has no prior convictions. He is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, autism spectrum and ADHD, conditions that contributed to his social difficulties and substance use. Judge Orla Crowe, noting his full cooperation, clean urine tests, charity work and low re‑offending risk, imposed a fully suspended sentence of two and a half years for the drug possession counts and two years for the proceeds of crime count. The sentence is wholly suspended, reflecting his vulnerability and rehabilitation.
Michael Greene, 46, of Seabury Lawns, Mornington, Meath, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to laundering €104,720 in cash. The money was seized from his vehicle on the Swords exit of the M1 after a surveillance operation that had originally targeted Michael Jameson of Aidton Court, Newtown Mearns, Glasgow. Greene claimed he had been asked to collect the cash for €500 and had no knowledge of its contents. During questioning he admitted to a chronic cocaine addiction and a debt that he said was partly to be written off in exchange for his cooperation. He also stated that he used cocaine to "calm him down" because of sleep apnea. The judge, Pauline Codd, found Greene to be a foot‑soldier, highly psychologically vulnerable and in fear for his life over drug debts. She sentenced him to three years, suspended the final year on the condition of good behaviour, and imposed a two‑year custodial term.