Sarah Clarke, a 25‑year‑old mother of one, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for possessing heroin and cocaine for sale or supply. The drugs, worth €553,000 in heroin and €34,600 in cocaine, were found in her apartment in Tallaght after a Garda search. Clarke admitted she was aware that drugs were stored there to pay a €5,000 debt, but claimed she did not know the contents or value. She pleaded guilty on 17 October last year and had no prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan accepted her early guilty plea, cooperation with Gardaí, personal circumstances and lack of previous convictions as mitigating factors. He suspended the final three years of the sentence on the condition that she keep the peace and be of good behaviour during incarceration and for three years after release.
The Disclosures Tribunal heard that Garda Nicholas Keogh, the first whistleblower under Commissioner Noirín O'Sullivan, claims Garda management sought to remove him from the force. Keogh made a protected disclosure in May 2014 alleging collusion between Garda Aidan Lyons and a drug dealer, Miss B. In June 2014, Lyons reported that a man had approached him about Keogh, claiming Keogh had been involved in a theft and would support a complaint. Keogh was later called to Superintendent Noreen McBrien's office, where he was told an investigation was underway but no details were given. Keogh said the report was authored by Lyons, who was his partner, and that the allegation was never rigorously followed up. He described the process as vindictive and believed management, including Superintendent Patrick Murray, imposed excessive supervision and targeted him. The tribunal heard Keogh's evidence and the case remains under investigation.
During the Disclosures Tribunal, Garda Nicholas Keogh testified that he did not "round up" people to file complaints against a senior member of the Athlone drugs unit, identified as Garda A, whom he alleged was colluding with a heroin dealer, Ms B. Keogh explained that on 18 May 2014 he used the Garda Pulse system to query Garda A following intelligence received on 10 May 2014, and that he had reported his findings to an internal investigation team. He claimed that subsequent requests for a report from Superintendent Noreen McBrien and Sergeant Andrew Haran were unnecessary because the information should have been forwarded to the internal investigators. Keogh also denied that he had persuaded a third‑party complainant, Ms O'Neill, to name Garda A, stating that he had only asked her to name names and guards in general.
Swiatoslaw Jaroszynski, 34, was jailed for 20 months after a violent attack in Clondalkin, Dublin, on 26 May 2018. He assaulted a woman jogging on the outer ring road, tried to bite her, and then attacked a passerby, Robert Keogh, during the struggle. Jaroszynski forced a woman driving with her 11‑ and 9‑year‑old children to stop, jumped onto her car's bonnet, headbutted the windscreen, smashed the rear passenger window, and tried to bite the woman's throat. He also grabbed the children and struck them. He had previously been involved in a head‑on collision and fled the scene. Jaroszynski pleaded guilty to three assault‑causing‑harm charges and unlawful interference with a car. He had a history of a suspended drug sentence and a robbery conviction. The judge noted his PTSD and drug use, but imposed a 20‑month sentence, citing the case's violent and unusual nature.
Stephen Sarsfield, 39, of New Street Gardens, Dublin 8, pleaded guilty to possessing €4,170,932 of cannabis and heroin for sale or supply at an address on Ballyfermot Drive on 17 July 2017. He had four minor previous convictions. The Court of Appeal increased his original seven‑year sentence to ten years. The appeal court found the original sentence unduly lenient given the "enormous scale of the activity". Sarsfield was caught with 300 times the amount of drugs required for a minimum sentence of ten years. He had an early guilty plea but offered no material assistance. The Court of Appeal set the term at ten years, noting that a longer sentence could be justified but the minimum was deemed appropriate in this case. The decision was delivered by Mr Justice George Birmingham, with Ms Justice Maire Whelan and Mr Justice Pat McCarthy.
At the Disclosures Tribunal in Dublin Castle, Garda Nicholas Keogh testified that he had been bullied and harassed by his superiors after making a protected disclosure in May 2014 about alleged collusion between Gardaí and drug dealers in Athlone. Keogh claimed that the "dogs on the street" were aware of the collusion and that a senior member of the drugs unit had been aiding a heroin dealer, Ms B, who had no prior drug convictions. He said he entered the information into the Garda Pulse system to protect himself and to make it available to all Gardaí. Keogh alleged that he was targeted and discredited by his superiors, that he had been investigated by Assistant Commissioner Michael Finn, and that he had taken sick leave in 2015. The Tribunal is examining whether the questioning and investigations amounted to targeting or discrediting Keogh, while an allegation of mobile‑phone tapping was dropped for lack of evidence.
Marie Penny, a 56‑year‑old woman from Landsdowne Gate, Drimnagh, Dublin, was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to possession of heroin, cocaine, cannabis and cannabis resin at her home on 18 January 2019. She had been holding drugs valued at over €130,000 for others to pay her rent and debts after falling on hard times. Garda Michael Ormonde reported that officers entered Penny's kitchen with a search warrant, found the drugs, and Penny told them she had agreed to hold the drugs for money to pay bills. She was paid €200 per week and was a holder rather than a dealer. Judge Cormac Quinn, considering the value and type of the drugs as aggravating factors and her age, personal circumstances and cooperation as mitigating factors, imposed a four‑year sentence and suspended the final two years on strict conditions. The mandatory minimum of ten years did not apply.
Michael McDonald Agu, 57, a father of five, was jailed for 18 months after two child‑pornography videos were found on his phone during a 2018 Garda search for drugs. The first two‑minute clip showed a juvenile male raping an infant male; a second six‑minute clip depicted a woman interacting with three juvenile males. Agu had been charged with possession of child pornography and, after withdrawing his challenge to the evidence, pleaded guilty to both charges on 31 October 2018. He was already serving a four‑year sentence for drug possession, with release scheduled for September 2021. Judge Martin Nolan confirmed the videos were undoubtedly child pornography, noted that Agu had accepted responsibility, and set the 18‑month term to begin immediately rather than run consecutively with the drug sentence. Agu is married, has five daughters and a ten‑year‑old granddaughter, and suffers from several medical conditions.
Patrick Ward, 41, was sentenced to three years in prison after stabbing Edel Delahunty, his neighbour, three times with scissors. The attack occurred after a quarrel at Delahunty's home while they were watching the World Cup. Ward punched Delahunty before stabbing her, and she discovered the wounds when she heard blood on the floor. She was treated in hospital for three stab wounds and required surgery after a lung puncture, staying six nights. Ward pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and possession of a weapon at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 16 June 2018. He had prior convictions for affray, assault, breach of a barring order, production of an article, criminal damage, theft and drugs. The judge noted Ward was very drunk but not excused, and accepted his remorse. Gardaí arrested Ward after he threatened to kill anyone entering his home. He later expressed regret and apologized to the victim.
In a 2019 Disclosures Tribunal hearing, Garda whistleblower Nicholas Keogh alleged harassment and bullying by Garda management after he made a protected disclosure in 2014 about colleagues in Athlone. Keogh, who served in the drug unit from 2009 to 2011, claimed that a drug‑unit colleague, referred to as Garda A, had aided and abetted a woman named Miss B in heroin trade, with a weekly turnover of about €2,500. He recorded this in a Pulse entry. Keogh also reported that a mother's complaint of assault against Miss B was dismissed, though the mother's daughter gave a separate statement. The tribunal examined 22 matters, including allegations that Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan had instructed Keogh's superior to isolate him, and that Keogh faced harassment over car tax, sick leave, back pay, and other workplace issues. The hearing focused on whether these actions constituted targeting or discrediting of Keogh.
Dean Heapes, 34, of Swords, Co Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to 10 burglaries of premises on South William Street, Dublin 2, committed on December 13, 2016. He also admitted to three further burglaries in the city between January 2017 and April 2018, as well as using a false instrument when attempting to cash a stolen cheque on Grafton Street in November 2016. The court heard that Heapes, who has ten previous burglary convictions, was captured on CCTV stealing 13 laptops during the initial incident, five of which were later recovered. Judge Karen O'Connor noted that while the offences were serious, Heapes had no history of violent offending. The judge considered his chronic drug addiction, difficult upbringing, and periods of homelessness, alongside his cooperation with gardai and expressed remorse. Judge O'Connor imposed consecutive sentences totalling five and a half years but suspended the final 18 months. She stated that Heapes has much to be hopeful for, including a supportive partner and young child, but warned that if he does not take this opportunity, he will spend the remainder of the sentence in prison.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a homeless couple, Stacey O'Dwyer (34) and Ciaran O'Toole (35), avoided jail after pleading guilty to possessing €8,000 worth of heroin for sale or supply. The drugs were found in O'Dwyer's tracksuit after a checkpoint search on 27 April. O'Dwyer resisted arrest, kicking, screaming, lying on the ground and later biting a Garda, while O'Toole remained calm. Both pleaded guilty, O'Dwyer also to obstructing an officer. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a suspended three‑year sentence, noting O'Dwyer's mental health history, remorse and rehabilitation progress, and O'Toole's acceptance of responsibility. The pair, living in homeless accommodation, plan to marry in a civil ceremony in early November. The court considered their prior convictions and personal circumstances before deciding the suspended sentence.
In a 2016 robbery at Woodbine Park Post Office, Glen Kavanagh (44) held a loaded Makarov pistol to a customer's head, fired eight shots, and attempted to escape. An ESB repairman tackled him, kicking the raider's ankle and causing the gun to fly, striking an ESB colleague on the head. The incident, described as an "aggressive struggle," resulted in €455 stolen and the recovery of the pistol and cartridges. Kavanagh pleaded guilty to robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to 12 years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, and ordered concurrent service with a ten‑year firearms sentence, both backdated to 1 January 2018. The sentence includes strict conditions and 18 months of probation post‑release. Kavanagh's drug‑related history and lack of memory of the raid were noted by the court. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 11 October 2019. Glen Kavanagh was convicted.
Kerrie Fitzpatrick, a 40‑year‑old mother of three from Loughnamona Park, Leixlip, was found guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of attempting to smuggle 63 grams of heroin into Mountjoy Prison on 14 January 2017. Garda Derek Gibney reported that a prison officer randomly selected Fitzpatrick for a check, during which she claimed to have concealed drugs inside her body. The package she handed over was discovered to contain heroin worth €9,575. Fitzpatrick said she had received a phone call instructing her to deliver a package to her former partner in prison, and that she had been given the package by an unknown man who she believed contained pills. She has 11 prior convictions, including a similar offence involving Portlaoise Prison, for which she had benefited from the Probation Act.
Christian Herbert, 40, of Blanchardstown, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply. The court heard that on November 16, 2018, the accused was caught transporting approximately €136,000 worth of cocaine at Blackcourt Road, Corduff, allegedly on behalf of another person in exchange for a €500 reduction in a drug debt. Judge Elma Sheahan noted the offence was aggravated by its seriousness but mitigated by Herbert's early guilty plea, cooperation with gardaí, genuine remorse, and his previous work as a drug counsellor. The judge also considered his moderate risk of re-offending due to addiction, his current methadone treatment, and his status as a cleaner in custody. Judge Sheahan sentenced Herbert to three-and-a-half years' imprisonment. However, she suspended the final 12 months of the sentence for 24 months on strict conditions. The sentence was backdated to November 16, the date Herbert first went into custody. The matter was finalised with this sentencing order.
Laurence Christie, 31, of Tallaght, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possessing cocaine and cannabis for sale or supply at his home on December 22, 2017. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a two-year custodial sentence, stating he could not consider a non-custodial option because Christie intentionally involved himself in the affair due to his own addiction problem. The prosecution presented evidence that a search of Christie's residence, following a garda tip-off, revealed just under 200g of cocaine valued at €13,416, 2kg of cannabis valued at €39,914, and €795 in cash. While Christie initially denied using drugs or owing money in interview, Sergeant Darren Coller testified that Christie later admitted "off the record" to having a cocaine addiction, running up a debt, and holding the drugs under threat to pay it off. Defense counsel Damien Colgan SC highlighted that Christie is now drug-free, employed, and a responsible family man with two children. Judge Nolan acknowledged Christie's cooperation and positive references but maintained that the sentence reflected the seriousness of the offense and the defendant's personal culpability. The matter was finalized with the imposition of the custodial sentence.
In a High Court hearing on 8 October 2019, Justice Carmel Stewart ruled that more than €250,000 in four bank accounts linked to Derek O'Driscoll were proceeds of crime and ordered the State to keep the money. The Criminal Assets Bureau seized the accounts in December 2018. Benedict O'Floinn SC, acting for the State, presented evidence that O'Driscoll and his associate David Reilly were involved in drug dealing and extortion, and that they had acted as "enforcers" for protection services at construction sites in Ballyfermot and the wider Dublin area. Building firms, including those contracted by Dublin City Council and Co‑Operative Housing Ireland, had paid €1,500 and €1,200 per week to the pair to stop anti‑social behaviour. O'Driscoll and Reilly denied criminal involvement; their counsel claimed the money was for "fence maintenance".
Molly Sloyan, 26, from Kinsale, was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment with the final three years suspended for her role in a cocaine "factory" operation in Bantry. The Court of Appeal found the headline tariff too high, reducing it to seven years, then to five years after mitigating factors. Sloyan admitted to renting a house, hiring a car and buying chemicals used in extracting cocaine from imported fabric, but she was not involved in the extraction itself. She was not the mastermind or top of the hierarchy, though she provided logistical support and was fully aware of the operation. The Court noted her lack of prior convictions, early guilty plea, cooperation with Gardaí, and a psychological report detailing life adversities. A suspended 18‑month period was imposed, and she must fully cooperate with probation services for two years. The decision was made by Mr Justice John Edwards, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy.
Alex Bravo, a 60‑year‑old arthritis sufferer, was found by Gardai with over five kilograms of cannabis resin in his Dublin flat, after a confidential tip that the drugs were being stored for a criminal gang. The cannabis, in a suitcase, was valued at €31,460. Bravo claimed he used the drug to manage his arthritis pain, micro‑dosing two‑tenths of a gram of cannabis oil, and that the suppliers had asked him to store the drugs on Sherrard Street. He pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Karen O'Connor accepted his fear of the suppliers, noted no evidence of him profiting from distribution, and suspended a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, citing his good character and long residence in the area. She also ordered him to engage in offence and victim‑focused work.
Mark Sorahan, 44, of Ferrycarrig Drive, Coolock, Dublin, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of heroin for sale or supply and obstruction of a Garda in the course of a search on Priorswood Road on 16 March 2018. He was found with two packages of heroin, one concealed within his buttocks, with a total estimated street value of €1,497. Sorahan admitted responsibility and cooperated with Gardaí, explaining that he had bought the drugs to fund repairs for his girlfriend's car. He also claimed a desire for a normal life and an interest in music. Judge Karen O'Connor imposed a suspended jail term of two and a half years for the possession charge and a separate suspended sentence of five months for the obstruction charge, stating that he had engaged in unacceptable behaviour and that he would either mend his ways or spend considerable time in prison.
Selem Abbas, aged 22, was one of three men who threatened a teenager with scissors and a hurling stick, forced the victim into a car, and demanded he withdraw €100 from an ATM. The incident, which involved false imprisonment, was reported to the Gardaí. Abbas pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, robbery, production of scissors and a hurling stick, and false imprisonment. He had 22 prior convictions. At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Abbas to six years' imprisonment, suspending the final 18 months on strict conditions. The sentence reflected the seriousness of the robbery, the use of weapons, and the false imprisonment of the teenager. Abbas was described as a frequent drug user at the time of the offence, but the court noted he was clean of drugs and had good family support. The teenager did not submit a victim impact statement. The case was prosecuted by Derek Cooney BL and defended by Brian Storan BL.
Daniel Mordukhov, a 33‑year‑old Russian national, entered Ireland using a false Lithuanian passport to escape police pressure in Russia that he claimed was aimed at entrapment of drug dealers. He obtained a PPS number and an Irish driving licence under the bogus identity, which enabled him to work and claim nearly €24,000 in state benefits from December 2005 to July 2011. He pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to forging a PPS number, forging a driving licence and stealing welfare payments. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three‑year suspended jail term, requiring Mordukhov to surrender €15,000 he had in court and pay an additional €5,000 to the State within three years. He has no prior convictions in Ireland or Russia and is married with two children. The case was prosecuted by Eoin Lawlor BL, with Garda Michael McGreal reporting that Mordukhov voluntarily disclosed his false identity to immigration authorities.
Stephen Keane, a 30‑year‑old former British Army land sergeant who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a series of offences committed on 25 August 2018. He pleaded guilty to impersonating a Garda at BoyleSports, unlawfully seizing a vehicle at Firhouse Shopping Centre, and robbery at Dwan's Off‑Licence. Keane admitted that he had been suffering from PTSD and had developed a heroin and crack cocaine addiction after his service, which he said motivated his desperate actions. He was given a six‑year prison term with the final three years suspended, conditional on engaging in probation, offence‑ and victim‑focused work and drug treatment. The judge noted his remorse and the frightening impact of his conduct on victims, while acknowledging his addiction and drug debt as driving factors. Keane has 68 prior convictions in Ireland and the UK.
The Court of Appeal has reduced the sentence of Martin Wanden, who was found guilty of his role in the €440 million drugs haul that went awry at Dunlough Bay, West Cork, in 2007. Wanden, who pleaded not guilty, was originally sentenced to 30 years imprisonment by Cork Circuit Criminal Court. His appeal, arguing the sentence was "crushing" and disproportionate, was successful. The court re-sentenced him to 23 years, noting mitigating factors including the tragic death of his wife and his status as a foreigner. The court found him "majorly involved" at an operational level, referencing his prior 2005 conviction for smuggling drugs in France. In related appeals, Perry Wharrie's original 30-year sentence was previously reduced to 17.5 years by the Court of Criminal Appeal, though the Supreme Court later ruled this reduction was legally incorrect. Joe Daly's 25-year sentence was upheld on appeal. A fourth defendant, Gerard Hagan, who pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply, received a 10-year sentence. The appeals highlighted the severity of the original sentences, which were among the longest ever imposed for drugs offences in Ireland.
A 54-year-old woman from Dublin has received a fully suspended five-year sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for storing over €192,000 worth of drugs at her home. Catherine Byrne pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply on May 29, 2018. Her co-accused, Robert Yeates, aged 32, also pleaded guilty to possession of a shotgun at a location in Finglas North on the same date. The court heard that Byrne became involved in the offence to settle her daughter's drug debt after threats were made against her family. Judge Martin Nolan found her culpability low, noting she acted under duress to protect her daughter from serious individuals. Yeates received a three-and-a-half-year suspended sentence conditional on keeping the peace and maintaining good behaviour for that period. Byrne has 21 previous convictions for road traffic offences, while Yeates has two similar prior convictions.
James Smith, 38, of Huntstown Wood, Dublin, was caught in possession of €76,800 worth of cannabis resin during a covert Garda operation in early 2017. He was observed visiting a property in Ashbourne, Co. Meath, and leaving it with a plastic Tesco bag containing five bars of cannabis resin. Smith claimed he had collected the blocks to pay a €10,000 cocaine debt. At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martina Baxter sentenced him to five years in prison but suspended the sentence in full, ordering him to keep the peace for five years and attend probation services for two years. The court noted that Smith had additional drugs in the house he visited, with 15 more bars recovered, and that he had multiple prior convictions but none for drug offences. Judge Baxter highlighted Smith's early guilty plea, family focus, rehabilitation efforts, and negative drug tests as mitigating factors, concluding that imprisonment would be unfair and unjust.
Dubliner Christopher Dunne (34) has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison for his role in a series of robberies and attempted robberies across Dublin between October 24, 2017, and December 11, 2017. Dunne, who has no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to the charges at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Karen O'Connor imposed consecutive sentences of three years and four and a half years. A portion of the sentence was suspended for 24 months on the condition that Dunne keep the peace. The court heard that Dunne used weapons such as a knife, screwdriver, and claw hammer during the crimes. Garda Aoife O'Brien stated that Dunne robbed cash from Applegreen, Howth Road, Clontarf, on four occasions and committed further robberies in Killester, Artane, and Clontarf. Dunne was also involved in a robbery at a shop in Waterville, Blanchardstown, and acted as the getaway driver in another robbery on Oxmantown Road, Stoneybatter. Dunne has 89 previous convictions, including for robbery, burglary, theft, and drug possession. His defence acknowledged that he was a drug user who committed the crimes to fund his addiction. Judge O'Connor noted that the crimes caused fear and distress to victims and that Dunne is a chronic drug addict who pleaded guilty to the charges.
Michael Brady, aged 54, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to eight years and six months' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, for possession of €1.25 million worth of heroin found in the base of a bed at an apartment in Sallins Bridge, Naas, on 24 January 2017. The judge noted that Brady was trusted by a criminal gang to look after the heroin, but was not involved in buying, selling or planning criminal activity. Brady was found not guilty of possessing cocaine, cannabis, an assault rifle and ammunition, and the charge of possessing three ammunition magazines was withdrawn. Brady denied all charges and claimed he only looked after dogs belonging to his brother, Declan Brady, who was jailed for 10 ½ years for supervising a firearms arsenal. The sentence was back‑dated to 12 April 2017, the date of Brady's initial custody. Michael Brady was found guilty.
Christopher Black, 27, pleaded guilty to two robberies and heroin possession in Dublin in late 2016 and early 2017. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to consecutive terms totalling four‑and‑a‑half years on 6 December 2017. Black's appeal against the severity of that sentence was dismissed by the Court of Appeal. Justice Aileen Donnelly, sitting with Justices George Birmingham and Patrick McCarthy, held that the sentence was not excessive. Donnelly recounted Black's offences: a 2016 robbery of a 65‑year‑old shopkeeper on Glasnaon Road, a drug‑related incident on Amiens Street where he was found with 27 g of heroin, and a 2016 ATM robbery of an 18‑year‑old woman on Camden Street while holding a syringe. She noted Black's 55 prior convictions and long‑standing substance abuse, but said rehabilitation was not a sufficient reason for a suspended portion. The appeal was therefore dismissed.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 25‑year‑old Liam O'Neill pleaded guilty to robbing 58‑year‑old Paul Mullarkey on Grattan Parade, Drumcondra, on 29 November. O'Neill had consumed heroin, cocaine and alcohol that day. CCTV showed him jostling Mullarkey, thrusting a sharp piece of a small tree branch into his stomach and throat, threatening to stab him, kicking and punching him, then biting parts of his ear and nose. The attack lasted about six minutes, during which O'Neill stamped on Mullarkey's head and torso and stole €50. Mullarkey suffered cuts, scratches and bite injuries, requiring treatment at the Mater. O'Neill was arrested that evening after erratic behaviour outside Mater Hospital; DNA on his clothing matched Mullarkey's. O'Neill had 82 prior convictions, including violent offences, and had served a four‑year term for a previous robbery. Judge Martin Nolan described the robbery as "serious" and the assault as "visceral and barbaric".
Glen Carolan, 21, pleaded guilty to robbing a McDonald's in Santry on 1 May 2018, taking €513. He claimed he was forced to do it or be killed, citing debts from drug addiction and gambling. Carolan admitted he used a knife to threaten staff while wearing a balaclava and blue latex gloves, demanded money, and placed the cash in a plastic bag. He fled on a push bike, which was later found, and was subsequently located hiding in shrubbery. Judge Melanie Greally suspended a five‑year prison sentence for five years, ordering him to engage with the Probation Service for 12 months for addiction services and drug screening. The court noted his lack of prior convictions and the "do or die" situation he described. The sentence was imposed on the condition of compliance with the probation order.
A High Court hearing set for December 17th will consider a dispute between Fr Michael O'Leary, a 50‑year‑old Catholic priest charged in the United States with drug offences, and his siblings over the late Elizabeth O'Leary's 2009 will. The siblings—Ms Nora Harpur, Mr Barry O'Leary, Mr Tadgh O'Leary and Ms Marie O'Leary—sue Fr O'Leary and his brother Mr John O'Leary, seeking to set aside the will on the grounds that Mrs O'Leary was not of sound mind and that the defendants exerted undue influence while she prepared it. They claim the family home was left to the defendants and the residue of the estate to the other siblings. The defendants deny the allegations and the action is fully contested.
A 30-year-old man from Ballymun has received a two-year suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for stealing twenty bottles of spirits valued at €900 from Copper Face Jack's nightclub on Harcourt Street in May 2017. Jason Whelan pleaded guilty to the burglary charge after being identified on CCTV footage removing the alcohol from the venue's Premier Bar. The court heard that Whelan has 91 previous convictions, 43 of which relate to burglary offences, and that his criminal activity was motivated by a long-standing drug addiction. Judge Melanie Greally noted that since the theft, Whelan had undertaken treatment at Coolmine and received a favourable probation report. The judge cited his guilty plea, demonstrated remorse, and rehabilitation efforts as mitigating factors. The suspended sentence is conditional on Whelan maintaining the peace and accepting twelve-month supervision from the Probation Service.
Dominik Kaczmarek, 27, of Maplewood Green, Springfield, Tallaght, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of 3,944 MDMA tablets found in his home on 8 October 2018. He had agreed to hold €39,000 worth of ecstasy tablets for €500 because of a gambling debt. Judge Martin Nolan noted Kaczmarek's gambling problem, his willingness to hand the drugs to third parties, and his good work record and cooperation with Gardaí. He had four prior convictions for minor road traffic offences but no relevant previous convictions. Garda Vincent Jaffray reported the tablets were found in a bedroom drawer and a jacket pocket, along with a weighing scale. Kaczmarek was jailed for two years, with the judge refusing a fully suspended sentence. The case highlighted his gambling addiction and his desire to turn his life around.
In March 2017, 20‑year‑old Lee Fetherson punched and kicked a 15‑year‑old pupil in a St Vincent's CBS corridor, briefly knocking him unconscious. The victim suffered a broken nose, concussion and ongoing breathing difficulties. Fetherson, who had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to 18 months imprisonment, suspended in full for 24 months on strict conditions. He paid €2,500 to court, which the judge ordered to be handed to the Gardaí for the victim's medical costs. The incident was captured on CCTV and presented to the judge. Fetherson had initially intended to break up a dispute but reacted violently after being shoved. He expressed remorse, offered compensation, and had no drug or alcohol issues. The victim's mother accepted the funds to aid his recovery. The case highlighted the seriousness of the offence and the mitigating factors of Fetherson's youth, good character and cooperation.
Michael Geoghegan, 36, a former Crufts best dog handler, was placed on a probation bond after pleading guilty to three knife‑point robberies in Swords, north Dublin. The judge, Patricia Ryan, adjourned his sentence to January, citing his efforts to address drug and alcohol addiction and a probation report supporting his rehabilitation. Geoghegan handed €2,500 as a gesture of remorse to be divided among the victims. He had previously admitted to producing a large kitchen knife and an iron drill bit to intimidate victims and resisting arrest. The court noted his past convictions for robbery with an imitation firearm (2005) and drug offences. He threatened a Garda with a knife during the arrests, but the officer used a baton to disarm him. The case remains pending, with the sentence to be decided next year.
Molly Sloyan, 26, from Kinsale, Co Cork, had her 10‑year prison sentence for participation in a cocaine "factory" cut in half by the Court of Appeal. She had pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Seascape, Dromleigh, Bantry, on 26 November 2017. The original sentence, imposed by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin, was 10 years with the final three years suspended, after the court described the operation as a sophisticated system of extracting cocaine from fabric imported from Brazil. Sloyan admitted renting a house on Airbnb, hiring a car and buying chemicals used in the extraction. The Court of Appeal found the headline sentence "simply too high" and re‑sentenced her to five years with the final 18 months suspended.
Gary Kinlan, 42, with 129 prior convictions, was sentenced to three years after robbing a cash‑in‑transit driver of €25,000 on 3 December 2018. The robbery occurred after Kinlan left Dublin District Court, where he had just received an eight‑month suspended sentence for another offence. While the driver was returning a cash box to his van, Kinlan, carrying nail clippers, threatened him with a metal object he claimed was a knife. The driver, fearing for his safety, dropped the box; Kinlan seized it and fled. Witnesses photographed him carrying the cash, and Gardaí were alerted by members of the public. Kinlan was arrested after attempting to evade officers, and a set of keys and nail clippers were seized. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, and the judge, noting his drug and alcohol issues and the opportunistic nature of the crime, imposed a three‑year sentence back‑dated to December 2018.
In a 2019 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 74‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to indecent assault of his nephew, a boy aged about 13 or 14, committed between 1980 and 1983. The judge, citing the offence's maximum sentence of two years, imposed 16 months imprisonment, noting the defendant's age, remorse, guilty plea and mitigation. The court heard that the victim had been watching an Elvis Presley film when the uncle entered, forced the boy onto the couch, removed his clothes, and performed an anal rape. The uncle threatened the boy with death and family breakup if he disclosed the abuse. The defendant had 30 prior convictions, including firearms, drug possession and indecent assault. Gardaí had received an admission in 1989 that the defendant had done something "wrong" to the victim but did not investigate or inform the victim.
Wesley Purse, a 41‑year‑old Welshman, was found cultivating 112 cannabis plants in County Tipperary while he was supposed to be serving a 12‑year sentence in the UK. He pleaded guilty to possession and cultivation of €42,000 worth of cannabis at Rossadrehid on 3 May 2017. The Clonmel Circuit Criminal Court sentenced him to five years' imprisonment on 29 June 2018, a sentence upheld by the Court of Appeal on 22 July 2019. In the appeal hearing, Justice Máire Whelan noted that Purse had initially given a false name to Gardaí and claimed coercion by a gang in Cork, but the claim was undermined by the fact that the name was an alias he used elsewhere. She highlighted that Purse had 92 prior convictions, including 13 drug offences, and that he committed the offence while he was supposed to be in prison in the UK.
Christina Joyce, 31, was found guilty of endangering Garda Thomas Gallagher and assaulting him on 9 April 2018 at Macken Villas, Grand Canal Dock. She also pleaded guilty to two counts of trespass, damaging a wall and a car. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced her to four‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment on 19 July 2018, a sentence upheld by the Court of Appeal. The appeal was dismissed by a three‑judge panel headed by Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly. The court noted that Joyce, while high on crack cocaine, drove her Volvo at speed, failed to stop when signalled, and fled after a confrontation with the garda. She had a history of 67 convictions, including 14 public‑order offences and 13 theft or fraud offences. The appeal was rejected, leaving the original sentence in place.
Lee Murray, 24, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to two separate assaults. In November 2016, he attacked Sam Hess on a Luas tram, using a screwdriver and attempting to rob him, causing Hess to suffer injuries and seek medical attention. In July 2017, he assaulted shopkeeper Brian O'Carroll on Drumcondra Road after a dispute over stolen alcohol, knocking O'Carroll unconscious. The court imposed a four‑year term for the Luas assault and a consecutive two‑year term for the shop assault, suspending the final 18 months on the condition that Murray keep the peace. Murray's history of 34 prior convictions, drug addiction, and homelessness were considered in sentencing, and he expressed remorse and has entered a rehabilitation programme. The judge noted the seriousness of the assaults and the use of a screwdriver as aggravating factors.
Ruairc Bell, 44, pleaded guilty to possession of a syringe with intent to threaten or cause injury after a syringe fell from his underwear during a confrontation with Garda Damien Byrne at Store Street Garda Station on 29 March 2017. Bell was arrested, searched, and a needle containing heroin was found. He held the needle toward the garda, prompting a struggle that ended with Bell restrained. Judge Cormac Quinn sentenced Bell to 18 months imprisonment, suspended in full on the condition of keeping the peace and good behaviour for that period. Bell has 12 prior convictions, including robbery, theft and public order offences. His defence lawyer, Karen Dowling, noted he was homeless at the time, drug‑free for two years, and had apologised to the garda. The judge cited the seriousness of the offence and the impact on the garda as aggravating factors, while Bell's guilty plea, remorse, age and treatment history were mitigating factors.
Douglas Byrne, 47, of Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to handling stolen property and possession of scissors at Rolestown Garda Station on 18 August 2018. He was found by gardaí in a highly intoxicated state, fled, was arrested, and searched. A large amount of money, €1,731.50, was discovered in his underwear and identified as belonging to Far East Chinese Restaurant on Ballyfermot Road. Byrne had 120 previous convictions, including burglary, theft and drug offences. He was charged with burglary of the restaurant but pleaded not guilty and the charge was dropped. Judge Melaine Greally sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, suspending the final 12 months on strict conditions. The sentence was backdated to 28 August, when he first entered custody for the matter. The court noted Byrne's long history of drug addiction and prior convictions as mitigating factors.
The Special Criminal Court heard sentencing submissions for Alan Wilson and Joseph Kelly, who are accused of conspiring to murder Gary Hanley and possessing a 9mm Beretta pistol with intent to endanger life. Both men pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge, while Kelly also admitted to the firearm possession. The court heard evidence of secret recordings where Wilson instructed Kelly to kill Hanley, and surveillance of reconnaissance trips to plan the attack. Wilson, who has no prior convictions, expressed remorse in a letter to the court, while Kelly, who has 64 previous convictions, cited drug addiction and a difficult background as mitigating factors. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding with Judges Martin Nolan and Ann Ryan, remanded both defendants in custody until July 29, when they will be sentenced. The matter was adjourned and is not yet concluded. Luke Wilson, Alan Wilson's nephew, was previously sentenced to 11 years for the same firearm charge and a concurrent six years for the conspiracy.
Two Limerick men, John O'Donoghue (29) and Paul Whelan (25), were sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to a combined 21 years after armed Gardaí stopped their car and found a loaded 9mm Colt pistol with eight rounds, a petrol canister, latex gloves, clothes and cocaine. The judge, Ms Justice Tara Burns, described the operation as carefully planned, noting the pistol was primed with a round in the breach and an accelerant was present, indicating intent to use the gun and possibly burn the vehicle to destroy evidence. Both men had pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in suspicious circumstances, for which each received a five‑year sentence. The headline sentences were 12 years each, but after mitigating factors the court imposed 11 years for O'Donoghue and 10½ years for Whelan, backdated to 13 July 2018. The lesser sentences were also imposed for the firearms charges. The court highlighted the men's prior convictions and the seriousness of the offence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 20‑year‑old Lawrence Mubango received a partially‑suspended 10‑year prison sentence for a knife attack that left his friend Ashley Ncube eviscerated. Mubango, who had been drinking and taking cocaine with two friends, claimed he feared they would rape his partner and acted to protect her, but the judge found no basis for self‑defence. Mubango first punched the men, then armed himself with a kitchen knife, stabbing Nhlanhla Nduli in the chest and Ncube in the stomach, even as Ncube begged him to stop. The court noted the victims' injuries and the drug‑induced state of all parties. Mubango's last 18 months of the sentence were suspended on the condition of drug and alcohol rehabilitation. The sentence was back‑dated to 24 May 2018. Lawrence Mubango pleaded guilty.
In a High Court dispute, Fr Michael O'Leary, a Catholic priest facing drug charges in the United States, and his brother Mr John O'Leary are sued by their siblings Ms Nora Harpur, Mr Barry O'Leary, Mr Tadgh O'Leary and Ms Marie O'Leary. The siblings seek to set aside their late mother Elizabeth O'Leary's 2009 will, alleging undue influence and that she was not of sound mind when it was executed. They also request discovery of Fr O'Leary's bank account records from 2006 to 2010, citing two €5,000 transactions in 2009 that they consider suspicious. Fr O'Leary's counsel argues the discovery request is overly broad and that the bank had already closed the relevant accounts in January 2018. Mr Justice Senan Allen dismissed the discovery application, noting it was a "fishing expedition," and adjourned the case to October, giving Fr O'Leary six weeks to comply with a prior agreed discovery of a joint account.
Damien Gray, 35, was found asleep beside a playground in Hermitage Park, Lucan, when Gardaí received a call. Officers discovered him with a Kleenex packet containing €5,700 worth of heroin in individual street deals and later found a quantity of crack cocaine. Gray, of Shancastle Close, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 31 May 2017 to possession of heroin and cocaine for sale or supply. He admitted acquiring the drugs three or four days earlier, selling them to pay debts, and that he had been smoking heroin for two weeks. He claimed someone else had wrapped the drugs into individual deals. Garda Ronan Culligan informed the prosecution that Gray was arrested and questioned. The drugs were analysed, confirming the heroin's street value of €5,700 and the crack cocaine's estimated value of €300. Gray's home was broken into after his arrest, and he was attacked with a machete, leaving him with scarring.
A Dublin man, Michael Brady (54), will be sentenced at the Special Criminal Court later this month for possessing €1.25 million worth of heroin. Brady was found guilty in June of possessing the drugs at an apartment in Sallins Bridge, Sallins, Naas, Co Kildare, on January 24, 2017. The trial heard that heroin, cocaine, and cannabis were found at the premises, along with a 7.62 x 39mm calibre VZ 58 assault rifle and various ammunition. Brady was found not guilty of possessing the cocaine and cannabis, and had earlier been found not guilty of possessing the assault rifle by direction of the court. Another charge accusing him of possessing three ammunition magazines was withdrawn by the State. Brady had denied all charges. At a sentence hearing, Brady's barrister, Dominic McGinn SC, said his client was not significantly involved in 'this criminal organisation' and his involvement in looking after the consignment of drugs was at the 'lowest end'. Brady was remanded in custody until the sentencing date of July 29. Declan Brady (53), Michael Brady's brother, was jailed for 10-and-a-half years today for minding an 'arsenal' of firearms and ammunition at Unit 52, Block 503, Grants Drive, Greenogue Business Park, Rathcoole, Co Dublin. The court found that Declan Brady was tasked by senior criminal figures abroad to supervise the arsenal, which was assembled to 'support and sustain organised crime of the most serious nature'.