During the second week of Darren Houlden's murder trial, the defence cross‑examined Rory "Tar" Kavanagh, a friend of the 37‑year‑old Stephen "Apples" Kavanagh, who was stabbed over 40 times on 6 May 2019. Kavanagh denied that the victim had asked him to help with missing cocaine or that he had sold drugs. He said the victim called him at 10:30 pm on 5 May for a normal conversation and that the victim had asked him to come to Houlden's house in Meadowvale that night, but Kavanagh refused. Kavanagh also denied that the victim had threatened to "get bodies down" to Houlden's house. The trial heard that Houlden, who pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, claimed he had taken a blood‑stained knife to stop the victim from making a second phone call. The case remains in court before Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury.
During the Central Criminal Court hearing, Darren Houlden, aged 44, admitted to a violent confrontation with Stephen "Apples" Kavanagh, 37, on the morning of 6 May 2019. Houlden told detectives that he had been threatened by Kavanagh over missing cocaine and that he feared retaliation from others. He claimed he had a knife and an axe for protection and that he stabbed Kavanagh after a scuffle, stating he did not intend to kill him but was forced to stop. Houlden described himself as a "functioning addict" with a history of drug use and treatment. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, a plea rejected by the DPP. The trial continues before Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury.
Sean Maher, aged 20, was arrested for possession of drugs for sale or supply on 27 June 2019. While being led to a patrol car by Garda Brendan Murphy, he attempted to discard drugs hidden in his underwear. Garda Murphy stopped him, searched him, and found a small amount of cannabis. Maher was handcuffed and, during a physical altercation, he dropped drugs onto the ground. All drugs were recovered. A search of Maher's home uncovered additional cannabis, cocaine, heroin, ketamine, and concealed weighing scales, with a total value of €13,220. Maher pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He had no prior convictions. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to three years imprisonment, fully suspended on strict conditions, citing his drug addiction and lack of prior convictions.
In November 2020, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal of a 41‑year‑old Laois truck driver who had been convicted of possession of cocaine for sale or supply. The driver, who had transported almost €300,000 worth of cocaine into Dublin, had denied saying, "So you found the drugs, then?" to the officer who discovered the drugs. The alleged admission was allowed into evidence at his trial. The drugs were found stashed in a fire extinguisher in the cab of his truck after it was seized at Dublin Port more than five years earlier. Judge Patricia Ryan had sentenced him to eight and a half years' imprisonment in 2018, describing him as a facilitator in the importation of the drugs. The appeal focused on the alleged verbal admission, but the Court of Appeal ruled that it was not unfair for the State to rely on the admission, even though it was made before the driver was cautioned. The unnamed 41-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 44‑year‑old Darren Houlden pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in the death of 37‑year‑old Stephen "Apples" Kavanagh. Houlden told detectives he stabbed Kavanagh after the victim threatened him that "gangsters" would shoot him over missing cocaine. He claimed the devil "took him over" and that he was a "lunatic" when he attacked. Houlden drove to Arklow Garda Station at 12.35 am on 6 May, handed a blood‑stained knife to a guard and admitted responsibility. He said he had taken a knife from his kitchen, stabbed Kavanagh in the neck, face, head and back at least seven times, and that he had "went for" the victim's brain. The trial continues before Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury.
Karl Fields, a 26‑year‑old father of two from Ballymun, was sentenced to 21 months' imprisonment for acting as a lookout during a cocaine‑cutting operation that yielded almost €70,000 worth of cocaine. He pleaded guilty to possession of more than €13,000 of cocaine for sale or supply at a Finglas address on 3 January 2018. The court noted that Fields had a drug debt of about €28,000 and that his parents had died of overdoses, with him placed in state care at 13. He had 173 prior convictions, including drug possession and theft. Judge Karen O'Connor imposed a three‑year, nine‑month sentence, suspending the final two years on strict conditions. The court also heard that his co‑accused received a four‑year sentence with the last two years suspended.
In a Central Criminal Court murder trial, Darren Houlden (44) was described by Garda Patrick Phelan as arriving at Arklow Garda Station around 12.35 am on 6 May 2019, covered in blood and holding a 10.5 cm knife. Houlden told the officer that he had attacked Stephen "Apples" Kavanagh (37) over a dispute about missing drugs, admitting "It's my fault. I attacked him." He claimed to have smoked cocaine that morning and had a sip of beer. CCTV footage showed Houlden entering the public area with the knife, after which he was cautioned and taken away. Dr Michael Curtis testified that Kavanagh died from a multiplicity of about 40 stab and slash wounds to the head, neck and face, including severed jugular and thyroid vessels. The trial continued the next day before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury. The case remains ongoing. Darren Houlden pleaded not guilty.
In a murder trial, Rachel Kearney testified that Darren Houlden, 44, stabbed her boyfriend Stephen "Apples" Kavanagh, 37, to death on 6 May 2019 at Houlden's home. Kearney described seeing Houlden "slaughtering" Kavanagh, with Houlden's knees on Kavanagh's back as he stabbed him. She recounted that Kavanagh had been upset over missing crack cocaine, that Houlden had become aggressive, and that Kavanagh pleaded for help before being stabbed. Kearney said she tried to stop Houlden, who calmly replied, "Ok, I will." The final wounds were to Kavanagh's neck and head. Houlden pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter; the plea was rejected by the DPP and he is on trial at the Central Criminal Court. The trial is set to continue before a jury.
Jonathan Collopy, a 34‑year‑old Limerick man, is wanted in Bulgaria for an 18‑month drink‑driving sentence. He was arrested on 5 November under a European Arrest Warrant. His barrister, Ms Katherine McGillicuddy, argued that the 2016 conviction was a historical, complex matter and that Bulgarian prison conditions required an expert report. She requested the case be adjourned to allow preparation of the report, and Mr Justice Coffey set a new hearing for 21 December. Collopy had been jailed in 2004 for serious drug offences and was granted bail by Mr Justice Paul Burns last week.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Karl Fields, aged 26, pleaded guilty to possession of more than €13,000 of cocaine for sale or supply at Abbotstown Avenue, Finglas, on 3 January 2018. The court heard that Fields had a drug debt of about €28,000 and that he acted as a lookout while others "cut" the cocaine inside the house. Four men were present in the kitchen when Garda David Moran and his colleagues entered on a search warrant; two escaped, while Fields and a co‑accused were arrested. Gardaí seized large bowls of white powder, a blender, a hydraulic press, weighing scales and mobile phones, with the total value of cocaine found at €69,074. Fields has 173 prior convictions, including drug offences, theft, knife possession, traffic and public order offences. The co‑accused received a four‑year sentence with the final two years suspended earlier in the month.
Darren Houlden, 44, walked into an Arklow Garda station wearing blood‑stained clothes and carrying a knife, admitting to stabbing Stephen 'Apples' Kavanagh, 37, to death. The Central Criminal Court jury will hear that Houlden, who pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, claimed he went into a rage after Kavanagh allegedly threatened to call about missing drugs. Prosecutor John D Fitzgerald SC will argue that the act of killing is clear but the jury must decide Houlden's intent and mental state. The case will cover the night of March 6, 2019, when Houlden and Kavanagh, along with Kavanagh's girlfriend, smoked and drank at Houlden's home, leading to a confrontation over missing drugs. Kavanagh suffered stab wounds to the head and neck and was pronounced dead at St Vincent's Hospital. Houlden admitted the stabbing to Gardaí and handed over the knife.
Alma O'Connor, 51, of Finn Street, Oxmantown Road, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply with a value exceeding €13,000. On 5 December 2018, Gardaí obtained a search warrant for her address and were allowed into the house by her daughter. O'Connor showed them a black bag containing about 9,800 Alprazolam tablets, valued at €19,640. Garda Donal Donoghue explained that the tablets were delivered by post under the instructions of another person who had put O'Connor in fear. The defendant was described as an "easy target" by an individual of a more experienced criminal element. O'Connor had no prior convictions. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced her to two‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, fully suspended on strict conditions, and noted it would be unjust to impose the mandatory minimum. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a Dublin trial that began in August 2018, David Fortune, aged 33, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his father, Gerard Fortune, aged 62, who was stabbed in the neck at their family home in Crumlin. On the fifth day of the trial, the prosecution accepted a plea of manslaughter, and the jury was discharged. The judge ordered a probation report and a sentencing hearing for February 26, 2021, with victim impact statements to be heard then. The court heard that the fatal assault occurred after a day of drinking and drug taking in a granny flat, with witnesses describing the accused as paranoid and hallucinating after taking tablets. The post‑mortem showed an 8 cm stab wound that cut the carotid artery and jugular vein, causing haemorrhage and shock. Fortune was remanded in custody until the sentencing date.
Shaun Groome, aged 32, pleaded guilty via video link to a 2015 attack on drug dealer Ciarán Murphy. He admitted to causing serious harm and to criminal damage by arson at Murphy's home in Coolcor, Offaly, between 6 and 7 September 2015. Groome's co‑accused, David Keena, 21, had been jailed for five years for assault causing serious harm and arson. Murphy, 29, was stabbed 16 times and set on fire after a false rumor that he was a Garda informant. He suffered 96 % burns from the neck down and multiple stab wounds, including to the heart cavity. The court heard Groome was arrested at Baldonnel Aerodrome; a warrant had been issued. Judge Martin Nolan remanded Groome in custody and scheduled a sentencing hearing for 21 December, when full facts will be considered.
A woman serving a suspended sentence for staging a murder victim's suicide has been sent back to jail after a judge heard she has been charged with 33 new offences, has consumed crack and heroin, and failed to give notice of where she was living. Janice Brady, with a last address at Maryville Hostel, Finisklin, Sligo, was sentenced to four years in prison in November 2019 for staging a suicide to impede the prosecution of her brother for the murder of Sligo musician, Martin "Matt" Kivlehan (60). She had pleaded guilty to the impeding charge in November 2017. Keith Brady (33) was found guilty of Mr Kivlehan's murder at New Apartments, Holborn St, Sligo on August 2 or August 3, 2015. Earlier this month, a bench warrant was issued for Brady after she breached the terms of her suspended sentence again. Activating the suspended part of the original sentence, Mr Justice White said that he had to impose the balance of the ten month sentence as Brady was in trouble again with the law, had failed to cooperate with the probation services and was still abusing drugs. The matter was adjourned.
During the second day of the trial at the Central Criminal Court, Gerard Lambe, the brother of David Fortune, denied that he had put black‑market diazepam tablets into his half‑brother's mouth earlier that day. Gerard was cross‑examined by the defence counsel. The case concerns the murder of David's father, Gerard Fortune, who was stabbed in the neck on 19 August 2018 after watching the All‑Ireland final. David Fortune, aged 33, has pleaded not guilty to the murder. The court heard that David had been taking a number of tablets, cocaine and beer, and that he was experiencing hallucinations and paranoia. Gerard stated that he had no prescription for the tablets and that they were not genuine diazepam. He also said he had not forced David to take the tablets or any other drugs. The trial continues.
In the Central Criminal Court, Laura Lambe, sister of David Fortune, testified that her brother was hallucinating and "possessed" after taking many tablets before stabbing their father, Gerard Fortune, on 19 August 2018. Lambe described the morning as a chaotic scene in the house's shed, where David, his friend, and her brother Gerard drank beer and cocaine while David took tablets. She recalled David becoming paranoid, arguing, and claiming he would kill someone, though no one was behind the television. When their father tried to calm him, David shouted, "Da, I'm going to die," and then swung a knife. Lambe stood between David and their father, saw the father fall, and heard him scream. The father was rushed to hospital and died shortly after. The trial continues. David Fortune pleaded not guilty.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, David Fortune, aged 33, is charged with the murder of his father, Gerard (Gerry) Fortune, who was 63 when he died. The incident occurred on 19 August 2018, the day of the All‑Ireland final, in the family home on Rutland Grove, Crumlin. According to the prosecution, the house was crowded with relatives and friends who were drinking and using drugs. On that day, the accused allegedly behaved erratically, shouting threats and eventually brandishing a knife. He swung the knife at his father, who fell and was stabbed in the neck. The victim was taken to hospital but died from haemorrhage and shock. The accused has pleaded not guilty and the trial is set to continue for three weeks before Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
Scott Purdue, 22, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis for sale or supply after a court heard that he had been caught with a Kinder Surprise egg containing about €4,300 of cannabis. The egg was found wrapped in a sock beside a car in Shancastle Park, Clondalkin, on 20 October 2019. Purdue's defence counsel, Breffni Gordon BL, described a history of violent attacks on the defendant, including being shot in the head in 2017, shot in the lower abdomen in 2018 on the anniversary of the first shooting, and having two fingers forcibly removed when he was 16. Gordon also noted that the head wound left a round lodged in Purdue's head and caused significant impairment to his peripheral vision. Judge Martin Nolan, after considering a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, imposed a 15‑month imprisonment term in light of the defendant's misfortunes.
In November 2020 the Court of Appeal upheld a six‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for Mark Harte, 26, who set fire to a Flyefit gym in Coolock in July 2016. Harte admitted the arson was committed for a criminal gang after a drug debt from cocaine use. He appealed the severity of the sentence, arguing he had pleaded guilty, was at low risk of re‑offending and had shown positive rehabilitation progress. The appeal judge, citing the planned nature of the offence and the estimated damage of well over €1 million, found no error in the trial judge's discretion. The original headline sentence of 11 years was reduced to nine years, with the final two and a half years suspended on the condition of addiction counselling. The appeal court did not alter the sentence, confirming the six‑and‑a‑half‑year custodial term as imposed.
Desmond Murphy, 49, was convicted of attempted robbery and robbery at two south Dublin building societies on 15 February 2018. He first held up a teller at EBS Main Street Blackrock with a gun, forcing the teller to lock the door and push him back into the public area. Fifteen minutes later he returned to EBS Georges Street Dun Laoghaire, pointed a gun at a female staff member and demanded "tiger money" – cash with serial numbers recorded for such incidents. He stole €10,380. CCTV captured a swallow tattoo on his left hand. Gardaí recovered €8,320 from his home, some matching the tiger‑money serials. Murphy has 51 prior convictions, has attended a drug rehabilitation course, and his lawyers argued he had turned his life around. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to 18 months, noting the gun was likely an imitation but the threat was serious. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Desmond Murphy pleaded guilty.
Dylan Fogarty, aged 26, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to multiple offences. He bit a man on Dame Street, Dublin, in an "act of savagery" following a minor altercation, and also bit his pregnant former partner's face after an argument. In addition to the assault on the man, Fogarty pleaded guilty to assaulting his former partner at their home in April 2019, criminal damage to a plasterboard wall in June 2019, and harassment at various locations between April and November 2019. He has five prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan noted Fogarty's difficulty with anger control when intoxicated, imposed concurrent sentences totalling three years, and ordered a ten‑year restriction on contact with his former partner. Fogarty has been clean of drugs in custody and is attending anger‑management courses. The court accepted his apology and expressed willingness to support his rehabilitation.
Stephen Kenny, 44, of Belarmine Hall, Stepaside, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis for sale or supply and to cultivation of cannabis at Tomdarragh, Roundwood, Co Wicklow, on 30 June 2016. Garda Brian Griffin said enquiries led to the discovery of nearly €140,000 worth of cannabis plants, plant materials and herb in a house that had been vacant since December 2014 and rented out on a short‑term basis. Kenny's fingerprints matched those found in the house, and the garda argued that the operation was "hands on" with no evidence of a superior. The court heard the house was "destroyed" and that the cost to fix it was substantial. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced Kenny to five years, suspending the final two years on conditions, after noting his guilty plea, family circumstances and the high value of the drugs as aggravating factors.
Paul O'Leary, 51, of Follyhouse Lane, New Ross, Co Wexford, was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to five years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. The sentence was imposed after O'Leary pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin, on 24 April 2017. Garda surveillance had revealed O'Leary's van parked at the quay, where he and a second driver transferred two cardboard boxes containing just over 17 kg of cannabis, valued at €350,104. O'Leary's role was described as that of a courier with no wider involvement. He has two minor prior convictions for public order offences. The judge noted his modest work history, gambling addiction, mental health issues, and role as a devoted father to three children, and accepted that a favourable probation report placed him at low risk of re‑offending.
In March 2019, Phuong Nguyen, aged 42, carried out an "orgy of criminal damage" against his relatives in Dublin. Armed with a meat cleaver and a shatter hammer, he set fire to his aunt's apartment in Newtown Court, Coolock, and later to his sister's house and cars at Templeview Green, Clarehall. The arson caused €165,000 of damage. Nguyen also threatened to kill two family members and was found to be experiencing a psychotic episode due to illicit drug use, including crack cocaine, at the time. He pleaded guilty to five counts of arson, four of criminal damage, three of possessing a meat cleaver in a dispute, and two of threatening to kill. On sentencing, Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a nine‑year prison term, suspending the final three and a half years on conditions, after noting Nguyen's remorse and drug‑free status. No serious injuries occurred, though a two‑year‑old child was present during the incidents.
In March 2019, Laurence Grocott, aged 36, fired a machine gun through the front window of a Dublin family home while two children were inside. He pointed the gun at the mother's face and, after she shouted that children were present, he fired two shots that struck the mantelpiece. CCTV footage showed the children cowering and the mother's panic as she moved them to safety. Grocott pleaded guilty to creating a substantial risk of death or serious harm and to unlawful possession of the submachine gun. He also received a separate two‑year sentence for drug possession. Judge Karen O'Connor, noting the premeditated and indiscriminate nature of the attack, imposed an eight‑year prison term, suspending the final year on condition of peacekeeping for one year, for a final operative sentence of ten years with one year suspended. The case highlighted Grocott's history of drug abuse and prior convictions.
David Saunders, 29, was jailed for three years after a 70‑minute incident on the roof of his Fassaugh Avenue home in Cabra, Dublin, where he was naked and threw slates at armed Gardaí. The event followed an earlier pub altercation involving Saunders. He pleaded guilty to creating a substantial risk of death or serious harm to others and to damaging two cars on 23 September 2018. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to six years, suspending the final three years on strict conditions. Saunders admitted drinking seven bottles of wine and taking a few grams of cocaine, and claimed he could not recall the night. He had prior convictions for hijacking a car and intimidation of a witness, and was serving a six‑month suspended sentence for property damage at the time of the roof incident.
Gerard Dempsey, 25, a homeless man with no fixed abode, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for robbery at Barrow Street, Ringsend, on 18 May 2020. He attacked a woman at night, stealing her phone to sell it for drugs after Covid‑19 stopped him from receiving charity money. The court noted his substance abuse as the main reason for the offence, and that he had four children with whom he had no contact. The offence was aggravated by its violent nature and the victim's isolation. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year term, suspending the final six months on strict conditions. The case involved a detailed account of the assault, the victim's attempts to escape, and Dempsey's admission of the crime. He had 57 prior convictions, including assault, burglary, theft, criminal damage and threats of serious harm. Gerard Dempsey pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Rodrigo Amaro, aged 33, was sentenced to one year in prison for assaulting his friend Eduardo Pereira. Amaro, who was intoxicated with liquid ecstasy and cannabis, struck Pereira with a glass at Ukiyo Bar on 22 December 2016, causing a permanent facial scar. Pereira, who now feels labelled a "troublemaker," declined Amaro's apology. Amaro pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm and had four prior traffic convictions. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspending the final 18 months under conditions, and backdated it to July of the same year when Amaro entered custody. Amaro's lawyer, Pieter Le Vert, described the defendant as horrified by the injuries inflicted and noted Amaro had ceased drug use and provided a €5,750 token of remorse to Pereira. The case ended with Amaro's first custodial term.
A 44‑year‑old recovering addict, Albert Redmond, was sentenced to 12½ years in prison for a spree of 20 burglaries, two criminal damage offences, three counts of possession of stolen credit cards, a handbag theft and four deception counts involving stolen cards. The crimes, committed between October 2019 and March 2020 in south Dublin, were linked to a relationship that began after his release from prison. Redmond claimed he had devised strategies to avoid relapse, but the relationship introduced him to a partner with a crack cocaine problem, leading to drug use and further offences. Judge Elma Sheahan, after a probation report, imposed the sentence and suspended the final four and a half years on the condition that Redmond engage with the Probation Service and drug counselling programmes upon release. The judge noted his past drug‑free period in 1996 and his desire to remain drug‑free while in custody.
A 34‑year‑old Limerick man, Jonathan Collopy, is wanted in Bulgaria to serve an 18‑month sentence for a drink‑driving offence that was convicted in his absence. He was previously jailed in the early 2000s for serious drugs offences. Collopy is a father of five, expecting a sixth child, and has started a car sales business in Limerick. The High Court granted him bail pending an extradition hearing. The judge accepted that Collopy poses a flight risk but imposed conditions: he must live at St Mary's Park, deposit €2,000 in cash, provide an independent surety of €2,000, sign daily at Henry Street Garda Station, obey a curfew from 10 pm to 7 am, and keep his mobile phone charged for Garda contact. Detective Sergeant Jim Kirwan objected to bail, citing Collopy's 17 prior convictions, mainly for road traffic matters, and his substantial sentence in Bulgaria.
A 45‑year‑old Latvian beef farmer, Dmitrijs Venskovics, was sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to transporting 36 kg of cocaine worth €2.52 million. He admitted that a Russian man had offered him €150‑€200 to move a consignment of boxes in his lorry, which he later handed over to a Ford Transit van. Gardaí found the cocaine in the van's concealed compartment. Venskovics claimed he never handled the drugs and that his role was purely that of a transporter. He had no prior convictions and was in custody since his arrest. The judge noted his cooperation with the investigation, his low level of involvement, and his status as a family man, but emphasised the seriousness of the offence due to the amount of drugs involved. The sentence reflects the offence's gravity while acknowledging his limited role in the wider operation.
Tony Hunt, 47, was sentenced to two years in prison after the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found he had no choice but to hold 198 rounds of 9mm Parabellum ammunition. The bullets were moved from a wheelie bin into the spare wheel well of his car when the bins were due for collection. Gardaí discovered the package during a random stop after seeing the car leave a known drug dealer's home in Kildare. Hunt initially claimed the ammunition belonged to a deer‑hunting colleague, later admitting he had been told a package would be left in his bin for 24 hours but did not know its contents. He pleaded guilty to possession of the rounds, which were mainly used in semi‑automatic handguns. Judge Pauline Codd suspended the final three years of a five‑year sentence, requiring Hunt to keep the peace for the entire period. Hunt's only prior conviction was for possession of stolen property in 2004.
Jake O'Neill, aged 22, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for assault causing harm and robbery. In August 2016 he attacked an Austrian doctor and his son outside a café in Temple Bar after they refused to give him money. O'Neill punched the doctor's son and then the doctor, who suffered a broken eye socket, fractures to his cheek and jaw, and lost teeth. In October 2017 he participated in a robbery on James' Street, where he and another person assaulted a man who had given him a cigarette, taking the man's phone, wallet and keys. O'Neill pleaded guilty to both offences, admitted the robbery was an "act of bravado" after drinking and drug use, and was found to have a history of drug addiction. The judge suspended the final six months of the sentence on strict conditions. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
David Saunders, 29, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to creating a substantial risk of death or serious harm to others on September 23, 2018. He also admitted damaging two cars on the same date. The court heard that Saunders, who was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and cocaine, stripped naked on his roof in Cabra and threw slates at gardaí, one of which narrowly missed a garda's head. A negotiator eventually persuaded him to come down. Garda Adrian Kildea told the court that Saunders was serving a six-month suspended sentence for property damage when he committed these current offences. He also has previous convictions for hijacking a car and intimidation of a witness. Defence counsel highlighted Saunders' struggle with drug addiction and his successful rehabilitation efforts. Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned sentencing to Friday next. The matter was adjourned and not concluded.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Ross Maher, aged 22, was fined €25 after he swung a 12‑inch carving knife at Gardaí while topless and covered in blood. The incident occurred on May 23 at Ross Road near Christchurch Cathedral, where Maher had been drinking and taking pills. He repeatedly refused Garda commands to drop the knife, prompting a Garda to draw his firearm. Maher's father intervened, and the officer used pepper spray to compel him to surrender the weapon. Maher was arrested, treated at St James's Hospital, and pleaded guilty to possessing a large carving knife in the course of a dispute. He has no prior convictions, has since entered rehabilitation, and is now drug‑free. The judge, citing the event as a one‑off, sentenced him under the Probation Act, ordering the €25 fine.
Jason Murtagh, a 41‑year‑old former film actor known for roles in The Commitments, The Snapper, The Boxer and In The Name Of The Father, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three years in prison for robbing a Costcutters convenience store on 13 March 2017. Murtagh, who has 126 prior convictions and is a homeless crack cocaine addict, pleaded guilty to the offence. He and an accomplice entered the shop at about 6 a.m., armed with knives, forced a female shop assistant to open the tills, and stole €200 in cash. The store manager, who spotted them on CCTV, pursued them and saw them flee to a nearby flat complex. Murtagh requested custody to aid his rehabilitation, and Judge Pauline Codd imposed a four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspending the final 18 months to facilitate his rehabilitation. The judge praised the shop assistant and manager for their courage during the incident.
Philip Dunbar, aged 20, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Adam 'Floater' Muldoon, a 23‑year‑old man with cerebral palsy, who was stabbed 183 times in an unprovoked attack at Butler Park, Jobstown Park, Tallaght on 22 or 23 June 2018. The Central Criminal Court found Dunbar guilty by unanimous jury verdict. The sentencing judge, Mr Justice Paul McDermott, backdated the life sentence to the date of the murder, 24 June 2018, and noted that the victim's family had suffered immense grief. Dunbar's defence argued intoxication and lack of intent, but the jury rejected these claims. The judge also acknowledged that Dunbar had previous convictions under the Theft Act, for possession of drugs and for Road Traffic Act violations. The case remains subject to appeal by Dunbar's counsel. Philip Dunbar pleaded not guilty and was found guilty.
Steven Smith, a 44-year-old former resident of Dundalk, Louth, appeared at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on appeal regarding his conviction for possession and unlawful importation of cocaine. Smith pleaded guilty to concealing 49 pellets of cocaine, valued at €42,920, internally while arriving at Dublin Airport from Brazil via Amsterdam on November 21, 2013. He had previously left Ireland on High Court bail in 2014 but was returned from the United Kingdom in June following a Crime Watch appeal. Judge Martin Nolan noted that Smith, a drug user at the time, acted for reward or debt alleviation and was likely at the lowest level of the trafficking operation. The judge acknowledged Smith's cooperation and admissions. Judge Nolan imposed a sentence of three years and three months, backdated to June to reflect time already spent in custody. Defense counsel Dominick McGinn SC highlighted Smith's history of moving to Canada, his subsequent downward spiral, and his recent efforts to reform, including ending drug use and gaining employment in the UK. The court accepted that the method of importation indicated desperation rather than high-level criminal enterprise. Smith has prior convictions in Canada, the UK, and Ireland for various offences, including assault and theft.
In Lusk, Co Dublin, Declan Turner, aged 23, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, for a string of hold‑ups that took place over a ten‑minute period within 500 metres of each other. The offences, committed on 15 November 2019, included an attempted robbery at Supervalu, a robbery at Gino's takeaway, and an attempted robbery at Orlynn Park. Turner was identified by CCTV, arrested the following day and has been in custody since. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, admitted a drug problem and expressed remorse. The judge, on condition of keeping the peace for the suspended period, required Turner to cooperate with the Probation Service for 18 months and to engage in residential drug treatment if directed. Turner has 33 previous convictions and a history of mental health issues. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the repeated armed robberies.
Anthony Dwyer, aged 28, pleaded guilty to robbery at Manor Pharmacy in Dublin 7 on 28 May 2020. He entered the pharmacy an hour before the robbery, asking about job vacancies and about foot cream. He returned later with a hood on, pulled a screwdriver, demanded a female employee open the till, but she refused and fled. Dwyer opened the till himself and stole €275. He was identified from CCTV footage and arrested. In police interviews he admitted the robbery, claimed he used a pen instead of a screwdriver, and said he had taken crack cocaine that morning. He stated he stole the money to "bribe" his girlfriend to allow him to see his children. He was on bail at the time of the offence. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to three‑and‑a‑half years imprisonment. The court noted his 110 previous convictions, including robbery, attempted robbery and burglary.
Christopher Prentice, 25, of Tallaght, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for two armed carjackings committed on February 6, 2020. Prentice pleaded guilty to two counts of seizing control of a vehicle by force in south Dublin. He also admitted to dangerous driving in Clondalkin and assaulting two gardaí during a high-speed chase that ended when he rammed their patrol car. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Prentice to six and a half years in prison and disqualified him from driving for ten years. The judge noted that Prentice was serving the suspended portion of a January 2019 sentence for dangerous driving of a stolen car when these offences occurred. Prentice had previously been convicted of a carjacking in December 2014. In mitigation, his defense counsel, James Dwyer SC, highlighted Prentice's remorse and his claim that he was grieving the recent death of a cousin while under the influence of alcohol and cannabis. Victims described severe trauma, with one female driver stating she could no longer work in sales due to anxiety, and a taxi driver wishing to leave the profession. The court acknowledged the vulnerability of the victims and the traumatic nature of the attacks.
James Tracey, 31, a former painter who lost his job in December, held up a cash‑in‑transit van on 6 January 2020 using an imitation firearm. He pointed the realistic pistol at the driver, shouted "drop the box", and the driver froze, then fled. Tracey escaped in a getaway car parked near the M3 motorway, where Garda Emergency Response Unit officers arrested him and a co‑accused. The €27,000 cash box was recovered intact. In court, Tracey pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to commit robbery and to robbery of a cash box. He claimed he had a drug debt and needed money, but the detective superintendent found no evidence of a drug problem. The judge adjourned finalisation to 8 February 2021. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Paul Keating, aged 25, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for unlawful possession of firearms, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions. He pleaded guilty on 27 October 2017 to possessing broken shotgun parts that could not be assembled or fired. Gardaí found the parts during a drug search for cocaine at his home in Brookhaven Grove, Blanchardstown, Dublin. Keating had agreed to hold the parts in exchange for a €1,000 reduction of a €2,000 drug debt, which he later paid off with family help. He claimed he had not used the parts or attempted to fire them between February and October 2017. The court noted he had not reported the offence to the Probation Service and had subsequent convictions for road traffic and theft offences. The judge emphasised the seriousness of the offence and urged Keating to be ashamed of his actions.
Peter Brazil, 41, was convicted of stealing six kegs of beer from The Great Wood Wetherspoons Pub in Blanchardstown on 7 September 2016. The stolen goods, valued at €800, were not recovered. Brazil, who has 268 prior convictions, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Pauline Codd, after hearing evidence in July, sentenced him to 18 months in prison, suspended in full for two years on the condition that he engage with the Probation Service. The judge noted Brazil's long‑term drug addiction and its impact on his health, stating that continued thieving must stop. Garda Terrance Nevin had identified Brazil from CCTV footage showing him driving a white transit van that carried the kegs. Keith Spencer BL defended Brazil, noting his client's efforts to address his drug addiction. The case was adjourned to allow Brazil time to work with the Probation Service.
Jamie Nulty, aged 22, pleaded guilty to burglary at Sarah Kearney's home in Clonee on 15 July 2017, when he was 19. He broke in through a downstairs window, armed with a screwdriver, demanded money, and held Kearney at gunpoint, throwing her onto the bed and threatening her. The court heard he also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving in February 2017. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to five years and nine months, back‑dating four years and seven months to credit time already spent in custody, and suspended the final 14 months on conditions. The sentence reflected mitigating factors such as his youth, homelessness and drug addiction. Kearney suffered post‑traumatic stress, loss of €1,000 in earnings and therapy costs, and remains fearful of being alone in the house. Nulty has 23 prior convictions and has not been in contact with Gardaí since the offence.
Philip Dunbar, aged 20, is accused of stabbing Adam Muldoon, aged 23, 183 times in Tallaght on 22–23 June 2018. He pleaded not guilty to murder. Dunbar told police and psychiatrists he was drunk and on drugs when he entered the field where Muldoon's body was found the next morning, claiming a blackout and hallucinations. Judge Paul McDermott instructed the jury that if they are convinced beyond reasonable doubt that Dunbar carried out the stabbing, they must consider whether intoxication negated the intent to kill or cause serious injury. If that is reasonably possible, the conviction would be manslaughter rather than murder. The jury began deliberations this afternoon and will return to the Central Criminal Court on Monday.
Mark Adams, a 41‑year‑old former airport policeman and male model, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for laundering over €1 million. He pleaded guilty to handling €582,045 of criminal proceeds at Dublin Airport on 11 September 2015 and to laundering €227,130 at Bank of Ireland, €298,280 at PTSB, Malahide and €78,990 at Bank of Ireland Credit Card Centre between January 2012 and March 2017. Customs officials intercepted him at the airport with a concealed sum of cash, and a subsequent investigation uncovered €604,400 deposited into three accounts linked to Adams. He had no prior convictions, was a father, and was on a waiting list for treatment for drug and gambling dependencies. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the five‑year term without suspension, citing the seriousness of money laundering and Adams' capacity for reform. The court noted he had not used his former policing role to facilitate the offences.
In the Central Criminal Court, Philip Dunbar, aged 20, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 23‑year‑old Adam Muldoon, who was stabbed 183 times in Butler Park, Jobstown Park, Tallaght, on 22 or 23 June 2018. His barrister, Giollaiosa Ó Lideadha SC, argued that the prosecution had not proved Dunbar had the intent to kill or cause serious injury, citing Dunbar's intoxication and long‑term drug use. Ó Lideadha highlighted that Dunbar had no memory of the incident, having blacked out after approaching the victim. He challenged the reliability of a prosecution witness who claimed Dunbar admitted "slaughtering" Muldoon, pointing out ten fundamental problems with that witness's evidence. The barrister urged the jury to consider that Dunbar's intent was not established, given his intoxication and the circumstances surrounding the crime. The judge, Paul McDermott, began addressing the jury, with proceedings to continue the next day.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, Philip Dunbar, aged 20, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Adam Muldoon, aged 23, who was stabbed 183 times in Tallaght in June 2018. His barrister, Giollaiosa O'Lideadha SC, argued that the prosecution failed to prove intent, citing a pathologist's view that the injuries could stem from a mental disorder. O'Lideadha highlighted that Dunbar had no memory of the act, had blacked out, and was intoxicated with cannabis and benzodiazepines at the time. The defence presented Dr. Brenda Wright, a forensic psychiatrist, who found no mental disorder and no diminished responsibility, but noted intoxication may have influenced behaviour. The prosecution's counsel, Pauline Walley SC, countered that intoxication did not negate intent, citing CCTV showing Dunbar's composed demeanor and a claim that he was not overcome by drugs. The jury was asked to weigh these conflicting accounts. Philip Dunbar was found not guilty by reason of insanity.