In a case heard by the Court of Appeal, Jurijs Savcuks, a 39‑year‑old Latvian national, was found guilty of possession of drugs for sale or supply after transporting €19,240 worth of cannabis from Cork to Dublin to repay a business debt. He had pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court. Savcuks' counsel argued that he had no prior convictions, had a good work record, and was acting under significant duress to repay the debt, and that the sentence of five years with a suspended portion was too harsh. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, rejected the appeal, stating that Savcuks was not addicted to drugs and that his decision to involve himself in drug trafficking had consequences. The judge upheld the original sentence, finding no error in the sentencing approach of Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin.
Graham Whelan, 38, father of four, appeared before the Special Criminal Court in Dublin charged with ten non‑scheduled offences. He is accused of laundering €1,275 and €2,140 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Ballsbridge on 31 January 2019, and of converting a Piguet watch and possessing a BQ Aquarius phone, all allegedly linked to drug trafficking. Whelan is also charged with possession of cocaine and cannabis at the hotel, and cannabis at his Walkinstown home on 1 May 2019. Additionally, he is accused of concealing the source of money used to renovate his Walkinstown property between 21 August 2018 and 1 May 2019, and of using that money for the same purpose. Garda Donal Donoghue presented evidence of Whelan's arrest and the charges, noting the defendant's refusal to engage with the officer. The court, presided over by Justice Michael MacGrath, remanded Whelan in custody until a bail application on Wednesday morning.
Alan Cox, 31, from Ashwood Park, Clondalkin, was found guilty of possession of cannabis and diamorphine after a search of his home revealed almost €115,000 worth of heroin stashed in a Henry Hoover vacuum cleaner. Gardaí discovered 69.984 g of cannabis and 817.17 g of diamorphine, along with drug paraphernalia, plastic bags, a pink grinder, €900 in cash, a tick list, plastic cut‑offs, weighing scales and latex gloves. Cox's DNA was on the gloves. He had three prior convictions, including misuse of drugs and threatening behaviour. The court heard that he was battling benzodiazepine and cannabis addiction and that he had stored the drugs to cancel a debt. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to six years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended on strict conditions, including engagement with the Probation Service for two years upon release.
Gary Nolan, 39, was stopped at a Covid checkpoint in Clondalkin on 18 May 2020 while driving a van that contained €95,000 of cocaine. He admitted to the Gardaí that the drugs were part of a debt he owed and that he had been threatened repeatedly. Nolan pleaded guilty to possession of the cocaine at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He had no prior convictions and had been attending counselling regularly, providing clean urine samples. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted his early guilty plea, lack of a record, good work history and family support. The court departed from the mandatory ten‑year minimum and imposed a five‑year sentence, which was suspended in full. The decision was based on the evidence of rehabilitation and the exceptional circumstances presented by the case.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Dubliner Gareth McCarton to two years' imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. The offence occurred at his address in Tallaght on April 13, 2020. Prosecution evidence alleged that McCarton dragged his partner, Shannon Mahon, from bed, threatened to kill her, and subjected her to a sustained episode of violence involving punching, choking, and biting. Gardaí intervened after receiving reports of screaming; Ms Mahon was later diagnosed with a fractured nasal bone and extensive bruising. McCarton, a father of three, admitted the charge. His defence counsel noted that McCarton claimed he had taken crack cocaine for the first time prior to the incident and expressed remorse, stating the act was out of character. The judge acknowledged his previous convictions, including possession of a realistic firearm, and noted that his bail had been revoked for failing to stay away from his partner. Judge Melanie Greally described the incident as a vicious and extreme breach of trust. She emphasised the need for McCarton to address his drug difficulties while recognising his desire to maintain family responsibilities. The court imposed a custodial sentence of two years imprisonment.
John McElroy, a 60‑year‑old former soldier, was sentenced to 12 months in jail after he was found with a 1.1‑kg block of cocaine worth €70,840 in his car in Cabra, Dublin. He claimed he had only accepted the package an hour earlier and was holding it to pay €200 toward his son's €50,000 drug debt. McElroy pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine for sale or supply at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally described his decision as "very ill‑advised" and noted he was assessed as a low risk of reoffending. She sentenced him to three‑and‑a‑half years, suspending the final two and a half years on strict conditions. McElroy is undergoing cancer treatment, and his son requires surgery, which the court said has been a source of ongoing worry for the family.
Former publican Charles Coyle (59), of Bough, Cootehill, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply in Lusk on April 24, 2020. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the sentence, declining to depart from the mandatory minimum of ten years despite defense counsel John Peart SC's submissions that Coyle had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and made full admissions regarding his role. The court found that Coyle acted as a transporter at the directions of others, rather than as the owner of the drugs. Coyle was caught after gardai, acting on confidential information, observed him take three boxes from a truck driven by Dmitrijs Venskovics (45) at a Dublin service station. Venskovics, who was convicted last November, was also jailed for eight years. During the search of Coyle's van, gardai seized one kilogram of cocaine under the front passenger seat and a further 35kg in a rear security compartment. Coyle, who has 20 previous convictions, claimed he was paid €2,000 to transport the items, which he described as vegetables and hand sanitisers. The judge noted that Coyle's actions represented a grievous error of judgement, particularly given his age and experience.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 16 March 2021, Mr Justice Seamus Woulfe delivered his first judgment as an appeal court judge. The case concerned Keith O'Donoghue, a 32‑year‑old former drug addict from Limerick, who had pleaded guilty in 2020 to robbery and unlawful car taking on 21 October 2016. O'Donoghue had been involved in an addiction recovery programme, had begun a stable relationship, moved out of Limerick, worked as a volunteer, and taken part in education, training, health and fitness courses, and counselling. He had also paid €1,000 in compensation and had a positive probation report. The original Circuit Criminal Court judge had imposed a four‑year custodial sentence, with the final two years suspended.
Ricardo Da Silva, a 28‑year‑old Brazilian from Teresina Piazia, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possession of cocaine for sale or supply. He was caught with over €80,000 worth of cocaine, which he had hidden in his underwear after being lured into a non‑existent job offer that created a debt. Da Silva was instructed to ingest the drugs but instead taped 120 pellets to his underwear. He pleaded guilty on 20 September 2020 at Terminal 1, Dublin Airport. The court noted he had no prior convictions and that he was a "desperate man" who believed carrying drugs was his only way to clear the debt. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the sentence without a suspended portion, citing Da Silva's good behaviour in custody and low likelihood of reoffending. The case also involved co‑accused Raynessa De Sousa, who received a two‑year sentence for a similar offence.
Brian Butler, 38, a father of six, threatened a security guard at a Tesco in Ballybrack on 25 August 2017, saying he would shoot him and that he would do ten years. He denied holding a gun under his trousers, claiming he normally kept his hands down his jocks as a comfort thing. Butler told the guard he was preparing to punch him and was tying his tracksuit waistband to run away. A week later he threatened two other guards who witnessed the earlier threats, saying they would be shot if they did not drop the charges. He pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill and to two intimidation of witnesses charges. The court, led by Judge Karen O'Connor, suspended a three‑year prison term on strict conditions, warning that any breach would result in serving the full term. The judge noted Butler's moderate risk of reoffending and his efforts to address drug addiction.
The getaway driver, Alan Graham, 49, was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment with the final year suspended, after pleading guilty to facilitating an attempted murder of 26‑year‑old Lee Boylan. Boylan was shot three times at close range in a highly populated area of west Dublin on 6 March 2019, sustaining life‑changing injuries. The judge described the attack as well‑planned, involving sophisticated surveillance and a stakeout of a car wash. Graham's role was to drive the BMW that carried the gunman, who fired the shots. He had 20 prior convictions, mainly for drug offences, and was believed to have been under pressure to repay a drug debt. The sentence was set at 14 years, reduced to 11 with one year suspended, backdated to 17 June 2019. The prosecution sought to drop the attempted murder charge. Boylan survived due to a rare arteriovenous fistula that prevented fatal bleeding.
A 35‑year‑old Polish‑born man, Tomasz Krzysztof Piotrowski, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court after pleading guilty to the murder of his 57‑year‑old mother, Elzbieta Piotrowska, on 8 January 2019 in Ardee, Louth. The court heard that Piotrowski had decapitated his mother, leaving her body in the hallway of her home, and that an axe and several Stanley knives were found near the scene. He had previously been deemed unfit to stand trial but was considered fit after psychiatric assessment. The judge noted the case was the second in a short period where drug‑induced psychosis had led to a "horrific tragedy". Piotrowski had also lied to psychiatrists to obtain a diagnosis of schizophrenia and a lesser sentence. The sentencing was described as the "most tragic of cases" and the judge ordered monitoring of his psychiatric condition in prison. The judge also expressed sympathy for the victim's husband, daughter and grandmother.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Dubliner Derek Ennis to four and a half years imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to attempted robbery at Paddy Power, Seafort Avenue, Sandymount, south Dublin, on February 26, 2020. Judge Martin Nolan noted that the firearm used was likely an imitation due to the "sheer incompetence" of the crime, stating it seemed unlikely a man behaving in such a manner could acquire a real firearm. Prosecution evidence indicated Ennis entered the bookmakers with his hood up but removed it when asked by an employee, making him easily identifiable on CCTV. He pointed a gun at the employee, who fled and activated a panic button; Ennis left without stealing any money. Ennis, of Strandmill Road, Portmarnock, has six previous convictions for robbery, along with other offenses including theft, assault, and drug possession. Defense counsel Emmet Nolan BL described the incident as a "completely incompetent act" and highlighted Ennis's lifelong drug addiction, which he claimed drove the crime. The judge accepted that the enterprise was poorly executed but imposed the custodial sentence. The matter was finalized with this sentence.
Dubliner Kevin Murphy (30) was sentenced to four years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for robbery at Aston Place, Temple Bar, Dublin city centre, on June 29, 2020. Murphy pleaded guilty to the charge. The incident involved Murphy attacking a man, punching and kicking him while he was on the ground. The victim was found bleeding, surrounded by people, and his phone was missing. A security guard from a nearby restaurant observed the incident and saw Murphy beating the victim. Murphy fled the scene and was apprehended by an off-duty garda who recovered the victim's stolen phone from his hand. Murphy had previous convictions for possession of drugs for sale or supply, possession of stolen property, and violent behaviour in a garda station. Defence counsel, Carol Doherty BL, stated that Murphy was heavily intoxicated at the time of apprehension and had a history of drug use, including crack and heroin, since the age of 28. She noted that Murphy is homeless and has two children, and asked the court to give him the opportunity to prove he can remain intoxicant free and be a family man. Judge Martin Nolan described the robbery as 'nasty enough' and noted that the property was recovered and that Murphy wants to reform. The matter was finalised at the sentence stage.
Jonathan Collopy, 34, of St Mary's Park, Limerick, is wanted in Bulgaria to serve an 18‑month sentence for drink driving committed in his absence. He has a prior conviction for serious drug offences in 2004. Collopy's barrister, Katherine McGillicuddy BL, told Mr Justice Paul Burns that she requires two weeks to prepare submissions challenging Bulgarian authorities' claim that prisons are not overcrowded. The court adjourned the matter to March 25. The case follows Collopy's arrest on 5 November after a European Arrest Warrant was issued by Bulgaria.
Stephen Boylan, a 51‑year‑old taxi driver from Newtown, Kill, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply. He had stored €245,388 worth of cocaine and a small amount of cannabis in a wooden cabin at the rear of a house where he lived for five years. Gardaí, acting on confidential information, conducted a surveillance operation and seized the drugs, bagging materials and a mobile phone with the Wickr app. Boylan claimed financial pressure and that he had been pressured by others to store the drugs, but he did not pack them. He had no prior convictions and was described by the judge as a good family man unlikely to reoffend. The court reduced the presumptive minimum of ten years to the imposed term of four and a half years.
Paul Heaney, 37, was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment for robbery and attempted robbery at Long's Place on 21 October 2019, with the final nine months suspended on strict conditions. He was part of a joint enterprise with Gareth Mallon, 39, who received a four‑year sentence in December. The offence involved a realistic imitation firearm and the robbery of an Italian student who handed over €60, followed by an attempted robbery of his teacher. Heaney was not armed during the offence and had previously pleaded guilty to 51 convictions, including robbery and attempted robbery. He attended a garda station voluntarily a few days after the crime. The court noted Heaney's troubled upbringing, his efforts at rehabilitation, and his current drug‑free status. The case attracted media attention and was featured on RTE's Liveline. The sentencing was carried out by Judge Elma Sheahan at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
During a 999 call about an abduction in the Drogheda feud, armed gardai breached a house in the Moneymore Estate and found Aaron Rochford, 22, crouched in a bathtub, unclothed and covered in blood with a broken jaw and slash wounds to his torso and head. Rochford had been moved between two houses and was later found in shock. Dean Thornton, 23, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Rochford on 11 November 2018. He was described as not a ring leader. The court noted Thornton's guilty plea, remorse and cooperation, and imposed a three‑year sentence, crediting time already spent in custody. The case highlighted heightened tensions during the feud and the gardai's response to the emergency call. The victim's grandmother described him as a "lovable rogue" and expressed deep distress at his injuries. The court also considered Thornton's prior convictions and his future plans to remain drug‑free. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Joseph Griffiths, aged 36 and homeless at the time, pleaded guilty in the Circuit Criminal Court to making threats with a syringe under the Non‑Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 after he threatened to stab two Luas security guards with a syringe while claiming he was HIV positive. In July 2019 Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to four years in prison, a reduction from the headline five‑year sentence after considering mitigating factors such as his long history of drug abuse and efforts to stop using drugs. Griffith's appeal to the Court of Appeal was dismissed by Justice Isobel Kennedy, who found no error in the sentencing judge's decision. The appeal was rejected on the basis that the threats were frightening and volatile, and that the victims were strong, well‑prepared men who were not elderly or vulnerable. The Court noted Griffith's 18 previous convictions and upheld the four‑year sentence.
Paul Bradley, 40, entered Liberties Careplus pharmacy, brandishing a 20‑cm knife and demanding Valium tablets and €250 in cash. He fled with the drugs and money, then was pursued by the pharmacist to a nearby apartment complex where Gardaí were alerted. Police found Bradley still holding the knife, the cash, and the tablet bag. He pleaded guilty to robbing the pharmacy on 13 April 2021 and to a prior burglary of a business premises on 15 April 2018. The 2018 burglary involved breaking into an office via a fire escape, damaging a window and leaving DNA evidence. Bradley has 22 prior burglary convictions. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to one year for the office burglary and three years for the pharmacy robbery, with both terms to run consecutively. The judge noted Bradley's repeated failures in crime.
Kenneth Lynch, 32, a special needs assistant, was found with over €4,000 of cocaine and €10,000 in cash in his home in Clondalkin. He pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply at his address on 23 August 2018. Gardaí had been surveilling him and obtained a search warrant. During the search, they discovered cocaine worth €4,816 and €10,400 in cash in a safe. Lynch admitted he had paid €1,500 for the cocaine and intended to sell it to "locals" to double his money, a scheme he had run for a year and a half. He claimed the cash came from people who owed him money and that he feared them after being threatened. Judge Pauline Codd described the activity as "a very nefarious trade" and ordered a report from the Probation Service, with the matter adjourned for finalisation on 6 May.
Paul Crosby, 25, of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, faced a five‑year prison sentence with six months suspended for arson after he and two others jump‑started a stolen Volkswagen Polo, drove it to a field in the Yellowbatter area, and set it on fire. The car, stolen from Dublin and fitted with stolen plates, tax and insurance discs, was valued at €10,000 and was a write‑off. A judge at the Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court reduced the headline seven‑year sentence to five years after taking into account Crosby's early guilty plea. Crosby has 40 prior convictions, including 31 for road traffic offences, four for theft, three for drug‑related offences and two for criminal damage. He was acquitted of an attempted murder charge in February 2019. The Court of Appeal heard that the arson was described as "mysterious" and that the fire was set in a field away from houses and people.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Nathan Harold, 26, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years' imprisonment for robbery and assault. The offence occurred on 22 November 2019 at Camden Place, Dublin city centre, when Harold, then on bail, approached an intoxicated man, Cathal Doyle, who had been refused entry to a nightclub. Harold punched Doyle repeatedly, knocked him to the ground, and stamped on him as he was leaving. Doyle's phone and wallet were taken. Harold had no fixed address, previously lived on Ratoath Avenue, Finglas, and had 55 prior convictions, including theft, drug possession and public order offences. He pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and was described by the judge as having seized an opportunity to prey on Doyle. The court imposed the sentence accordingly.
In a case heard by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Jamiee Griffin, aged 26, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after punching another man in the entrance to a District Court on 10 November 2017. The victim sustained a cut to his lip, an injury observed by a nearby Garda and captured on security footage. Griffin, who has 30 prior convictions including assault, affray, violent disorder, obstruction of a peace officer, public order and road traffic offences, was found to have no victim impact statement or complaint filed. Judge Melanie Greally, noting his history and recent efforts at rehabilitation, imposed a 12‑month sentence and suspended it in full for 12 months. The court recorded that Griffin had taken positive steps, was not abusing drugs, and had not attracted significant Garda attention since 2017. The case concluded with the judge's decision to suspend the sentence, reflecting his apparent maturity and change of behaviour.
David Fortune, 33, of Crumlin, was re‑arraigned on the fifth day of his trial for the murder of his father, Gerry Fortune, 62, on 19 August 2018. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The trial judge, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, adjourned the sentence hearing to allow a psychiatric and forensic psychological assessment, as recommended by probation services. The hearing is scheduled for 26 April. During the trial, witnesses described a day of drinking and drug use in a granny flat, a confrontation with half‑brother Gerard Lambe, and the alleged administration of black‑market diazepam tablets to Fortune. Fortune stabbed his father in the neck with a knife after a quarrel, then fled, hijacked a car, and was arrested after receiving Valium in hospital. The post‑mortem found an 8‑cm stab wound that severed the carotid artery and jugular vein, causing haemorrhage and shock.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced 28‑year‑old Francis Lynch to a four‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term for possession of drugs for sale or supply, after he pleaded guilty. Lynch had moved about two kilos of cocaine in a specially modified Ford Kuga, which had a concealed compartment accessed by a hydraulic false floor. Gardaí observed Lynch and co‑accused Alan O'Flaherty (37) transfer the drugs from the Kuga to O'Flaherty's car at De Selby Park, Tallaght, before both vehicles were stopped and searched. The drugs were found to be worth roughly €139,000. Lynch claimed he acted under duress because of a "drug debt," but the judge found these submissions uncredible, citing evidence that he had no debt and that he was motivated by financial need. The judge accepted his guilty plea, remorse, support for his family and a history of depression as mitigating factors, but did not find duress.
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.
Raynessa De Sousa, a 27-year-old Brazilian woman, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to having drugs for sale or supply at Dublin Airport on September 20, 2020. The court accepted that she swallowed 88 pellets of cocaine, weighing 792 grammes with an estimated street value of €55,447, while travelling from Sao Paulo to Dublin. Prosecution evidence indicated that De Sousa was refused entry due to a lack of a visa and subsequently identified the drugs in her stomach. She stated she was promised €1,200 for the transport but claimed she was threatened into ingesting the pellets after attempting to back out. Defence counsel highlighted her lack of prior convictions, her mental health struggles, and the threats faced by her family in Brazil. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged that De Sousa was desperate for money and accepted that she wanted to withdraw from the scheme but was prevented by threats. The judge noted it was unlikely she would re-offend. De Sousa was jailed for two years.
Stephen Berrigan, a 44‑year‑old father of two from St Mark's Crescent, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and cannabis for sale or supply at his address on 25 August 2019. He agreed to store over €178,000 worth of drugs in two vans in his driveway after his father's funeral bill of €7,000 left him in financial distress. The drugs were seized by Gardaí, who found two bricks of heroin and three packs of cannabis in the vans, with no drugs in Berrigan's home. He had no prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally, hearing the case at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, sentenced him to five years imprisonment, fully suspended on strict conditions, citing his intense grief and the "act of desperation" that led him to criminality. The sentence was imposed while acknowledging the value of the drugs and the likelihood of no reoffending. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
A 29-year-old man from Castlebar, County Mayo, has been sentenced to fourteen years' imprisonment for the manslaughter of his mother at their home in Derrycrieve, Islandeady, in March 2011. The Central Criminal Court heard that the defendant killed his 46-year-old mother in a frenzied knife attack whilst under the influence of drugs. His original murder conviction was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2019, which found the trial judge's instruction to the jury on intoxication as a partial defence to be inadequate. The Director of Public Prosecutions subsequently accepted a plea to manslaughter on the basis of intoxication. Mr Justice Michael White imposed the sentence on condition that the final two years remain suspended, subject to strict conditions including supervision by the probation service and residence in high-support accommodation upon release. The judge noted the defendant's violent temperament and eight assault convictions against prison staff, emphasising the need for structured community supervision. The unnamed 29-year-old pleaded guilty.
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.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Declan Brady (54), his wife Deirdre Brady (53), and Erika Lukacs (37) were charged with 68 cash‑laundering offences under Section 7 of the Criminal Justice Act 2010. The charges cover a five‑year period from 1 January 2012 to 24 January 2017 and involve amounts ranging from €2,000 to €269,000. Brady faces 16 non‑scheduled offences, Deirdre 36, and Lukacs 16. Allegations include concealing €2,000 and £10,000 in a breadbin and €268,940 in an attic at The Dairy, Naas, on 24 January 2017, and manipulating funds in Ulster Bank, Allied Irish Bank and Permanent TSB accounts between 2012 and 2016. Detectives from the National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau presented evidence of arrests, warrants and the charge sheets. All three accused were remanded in custody until 24 March, with bail conditions for Deirdre and Erika, and Brady also remanded until that date.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Michael Joyce, aged 23, was found guilty of assault causing harm to his then partner Katelyn Stevenson, criminal damage to her iPhone, and theft of two mobile phones. The incident occurred on 24 May 2020 in the bedroom of Joyce's sister Elizabeth's home. Joyce, who was under the influence of cocaine, became enraged when Stevenson questioned his fidelity. He seized her phone, smashed it, pushed and slapped her, and later punched her sister twice. The sister's daughter, present in the room, pleaded with her mother not to be hit. Joyce also struck the sister a third time before leaving. He was sentenced to an 18‑month prison term, suspended for three years, with a condition of good behaviour. The court noted his prior record of 27 convictions, including criminal damage and violence, and his remorse expressed to Gardaí.
James Fagan, aged 28, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm and three counts of making threats to kill or cause serious harm after an incident at Red Cow Luas Stop on 28 July 2019. He had punched a security guard who had tried to restrain him following reports of passenger abuse on a tram. While restrained, Fagan threatened to kill the guard and a colleague, claiming affiliation with a "well‑known crime group." He was found intoxicated, having taken ecstasy and cocaine, and had used a tin can as a weapon. Fagan's prior conviction for assault causing harm is currently serving a five‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended. The court adjourned the case for finalisation to 12 May, ordering a Probation Service report. The defence described Fagan as a young man attempting to change his ways, noting his violent tendencies and personal background.
John Gossan, 40, of Castlegrange Hill, Swords, pleaded guilty to sexual assault at Wright's Cafe Bar, Malahide Road, Swords, on 22 February 2019. The court found he was in a drunken state when he grabbed a young woman's breasts and nether area over her clothes. Judge Martin Nolan described the act as shameful and frightening, noting it was a short encounter with no aggravating factors. Gossan received a fully suspended sentence of one year imprisonment, with strict conditions to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for one year. He was ordered to hand over €2,000 to the prosecuting Garda, which may be given to charity if the victim declines. Gossan has a prior 2010 drug‑dealing conviction for which he served four years. The sentencing took place at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Jordan Murray, aged 23, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years imprisonment for possession of a firearm and ammunition. The case stemmed from a police search of a taxi that stopped at Neilstown Road, Clondalkin, on 31 July 2020. Gardaí discovered a Glock 9mm handgun, 12 rounds of 9mm ammunition, and a small amount of cannabis in the vehicle. The handgun's serial number had been filed off, and Murray offered no explanation for its presence. He had previously pleaded guilty to the firearm offences and had nine prior convictions for public order offences and theft. The judge noted that the detective's suggestion that Murray had obtained the gun for revenge after a prior assault could not be relied upon, and he emphasized that the gun could have been used to threaten, injure, or kill. Murray's record was considered, but the judge highlighted his apparent willingness to reform while in custody.
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.
During a sentencing hearing in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Melanie Greally addressed the case of Daniel Flanagan, a 21‑year‑old who allowed his bank account to be used to hold proceeds of crime. Flanagan had just sat his applied Leaving Cert exam in 2018 when he gave his bank card and details to a man he owed a "drug debt" to. Garda Stephen Hughes explained that the account was used in a "Done Deal" scam where a woman paid €650 for car parts that were never received, and the seller became uncontactable. Four other victims were also given the same account, and the total money found was €2,120. Flanagan pleaded guilty to recklessly holding the proceeds of crime in September 2018 under the Money Laundering Act 2010. The judge noted that while an awareness campaign exists, schools, colleges and banks should do more to highlight the serious consequences of acting as a money mule.
A 38‑year‑old man was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment for repeatedly raping his daughters after re‑entering their lives following a long absence. He pleaded guilty to 14 counts of raping his younger daughter between May 2017 and May 2019 and to one count of sexually assaulting his older daughter in April or May 2019. The court heard the father and mother were regularly drunk, neglecting the children, and that the abuse began when the younger girl was 12. The father threatened suicide if the abuse was disclosed and had previously been physically and sexually abused as a child. He was found to be an alcoholic and drug addict for many years. The judge imposed 12 years' imprisonment, suspended the final two years on strict conditions, and ordered seven years of post‑release supervision.
Luke Cummins, 24, of Clondalkin, Dublin, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at his home on 2 February 2019. Gardaí, acting on confidential information, entered the house with a search warrant and found cannabis herb in several places, weighing about four kilograms with an estimated street value of €75,760. Cummins returned to the house while officers were present and admitted responsibility for the drugs, stating he owed around €8,000 to dealers who had threatened him and his family with guns and death. His father was forced to pay the dealers approximately €24,000 after the seizure. Cummins had previously worked as a sheet metal worker with his father but became addicted to cannabis, accruing a large debt. He has since sought treatment for his drug use. Judge Martin Nolan accepted his remorse and imposed a three‑year prison term.
Przemyslaw Goska, 33, a Polish national, was sentenced to six years in prison for possession of MDMA worth €506,000 and cocaine worth €68,300. The drugs were found in his rented Kildare home and in a car he was driving. Goska admitted to transporting the drugs from "point A to point B" and claimed he was promised money for holding them. He said he had no intention of bringing the cocaine into the house, only to pick up clothes. Gardaí interviewed him ten times; he cooperated but was too afraid to give further information. He had no prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally took into account his cooperation, guilty pleas, and family hardship, and imposed a seven‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended on the condition of good behaviour and leaving Ireland within 14 days of release.
James Tracey, 32, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for pointing a realistic imitation firearm at a cash‑in‑transit van driver during a robbery on 6 January 2020. The incident occurred near an Aldi branch in Clonee, Co. Meath, where Tracey forced the driver to drop a cash box containing €27,000. Tracey pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to commit robbery and robbery of a cash box. He fled the scene, was apprehended by Garda Emergency Response Unit members, and the cash was recovered in full. The court noted the victim's severe shock and ongoing anxiety. Tracey's defence cited financial hardship and alleged drug debt, but the judge found no evidence of a drug problem. The judge accepted Tracey's remorse, assessed him as moderately likely to reoffend, and suspended the final two years of a seven‑year sentence on the condition of post‑release supervision for two years.
Celyn Eadon, 29, appeared at the Central Criminal Court for a sentencing hearing regarding the manslaughter of his mother, Noreen Kelly. Eadon admitted to her killing and pleaded guilty to manslaughter, a plea accepted by the DPP after the Supreme Court overturned his previous murder conviction. Defence counsel Patrick Gageby SC argued that gross intoxication deprived Eadon of the intent to kill, noting he suffered a brain injury from juvenile drug use. The DPP, represented by Seamus Clarke SC, assessed the case as high culpability but warned that Eadon would face homelessness if released, as probation services could not currently provide suitable accommodation. Mr Justice Michael White remanded Eadon in custody until February 22, when he will be sentenced. The judge indicated the sentence would include a suspended element of community supervision with strict conditions. Eadon has 13 other convictions, mostly for assaults, committed since his initial life sentence for the 2011 killing in Castlebar, Co Mayo.
Ciaran Long, 37, of Barntown, Co. Wexford, pleaded guilty to possessing €201,000 in proceeds of criminal conduct under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act 2010. He was found to have acted as a "drugs mule," collecting money for a gang and handing it to an unnamed recipient. The original sentence was a four‑year headline with a two‑and‑a‑half‑year fully suspended term, reduced by 18 months for mitigating factors such as no prior convictions and an apology. The Court of Appeal deemed the sentence too lenient, re‑sentencing Long to a six‑year headline and a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended term. He must report to Wexford Garda station on 18 February to begin his jail term. The decision reflects the seriousness of the offence and the role Long played in the gang's cash handling.
In February 2020, a mother‑of‑one, Tanya Breen, 30, and a Dublin bus driver, Laurence Keane, 42, were arrested after Gardaí discovered bundles of cash in a Kia Sportage and at Breen's home. The pair were charged with possession of €59,710 in proceeds of crime, linked to drug trafficking. Both pleaded guilty. Breen's lawyer argued she was a single mother struggling with bills and that the money was offered by community members. Keane's counsel highlighted his long employment with Dublin Bus and family responsibilities. Judge Elma Sheahan found no threat or compulsion, deeming the offence a "lifestyle choice" with high culpability. She sentenced Breen to 3½ years, suspending the final six months on a 12‑month good‑behaviour condition, and Keane to 2½ years, similarly suspended. The case was prosecuted under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act, 2010.
Desmond McGrath, aged 50, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for his role in a violent forced eviction that took place on 9 June 2015 at The Towers, Garter Lane, Saggart. McGrath, who claimed he was attending a job interview for security work, was part of a gang of seven men that included convicted murderer Declan Duffy and INLA kidnapper Dessie O'Hare. The gang falsely imprisoned the Byrne family, assaulted security guard John Roche, and inflicted injuries on Martin Byrne, who sustained fractures to his forearm and nasal bone. McGrath pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and false imprisonment, and his sentence was suspended for 12 months on strict conditions. The court noted his guilty plea, remorse, and efforts to rehabilitate from drug and alcohol addiction as mitigating factors. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with the judge distinguishing McGrath's conduct from that of the ringleaders. The Byrne family remains in the Witness Protection Programme.
Jordan Ward, 23, pleaded guilty to possession of €35,000 worth of cannabis for sale or supply. He had 20 prior convictions and faced a presumptive mandatory minimum of ten years under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Judge Pauline Codd, after hearing evidence, departed from the minimum and sentenced him to four years in prison, fully suspended on strict conditions. Ward must remain under Probation Service supervision for two years and comply with all terms or face the four‑year custodial sentence. The judge noted Ward was a low‑level drug mule, had not profited, and had shown insight and transformation. He accepted responsibility, wrote an apology letter, and presented evidence of personal change and support from family. The court emphasised the opportunity for rehabilitation and the potential threat if the suspension terms are breached.
Terry Meegan Jr, 27, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to an operating sentence of four years and three months imprisonment. He pleaded guilty to robbery at a Centra shop in Dalkey on March 10, 2020, as well as trespass, criminal damage, and assault committed in December 2019. Judge Martin Nolan imposed two years and three months for the robbery and two years for the earlier offences, ordered to run consecutively. The robbery involved Edward Andrews, 26, who received a separate sentence of three years and three months in December 2020. The getaway car was driven by Darren Rowe, 35, who was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years for dangerous driving causing death. During the escape, the vehicle struck two pedestrians, resulting in the death of Jacqueline McGovern, 54, and injuries to Audrey Began. Meegan was on bail for the 2019 assault at the time of the robbery. The court acknowledged mitigation including his guilty plea, remorse, and completion of residential drug treatment, but prioritized punishment over rehabilitation given the severity of the crimes.
In a case heard by the Court of Appeal, Dung Tran, a 41‑year‑old Vietnamese man who had arrived in Ireland at 18 and was an Irish citizen, was sentenced to twelve years' imprisonment for possessing €480,000 worth of cannabis. The original sentence, handed down by Kilkenny Circuit Court in May 2020, had two years suspended. Tran was caught on 6 February 2019 when Gardaí stopped his black Mercedes in Rathcash, Co. Kilkenny, after it was observed overtaking at about 160 kph. Gardaí noted a strong smell of cannabis, searched the vehicle and found six black refuse sacks in the boot containing vacuum‑packed cannabis. Tran pleaded guilty, cooperated fully, had no prior convictions, and had not applied for bail. He had lost his job before Christmas 2019 and had three children. The Court of Appeal, hearing arguments from Mr Séamus Clarke SC and Mr David Humphries BL, found that the 12‑year sentence was excessive.