Two foot soldiers, Gary Gleeson (34) and Stephen Dunne (39), were arrested in August 2017 after Garda detectives intercepted a Fiat doblo van in Dublin. The van contained a loaded 9mm Luger pistol with ten rounds, a can of petrol, tissues, a lighter, rubber gloves and a small amount of cocaine. DNA evidence linked Dunne to a SIM card in a tracking device found on Michael Frazer's van, and to the firearm's handle and trigger. A recorded conversation from 7:19 pm on 7 August revealed Gleeson demanding "head shots" to secure payment, with Dunne agreeing to approach Frazer. The men had previously been charged with conspiracy to murder Frazer. At the Special Criminal Court, they pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life. The court remanded them in custody until 13 July for further reports, with no sentencing yet announced.
Niamh Fitzpatrick, 39, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing a Smith & Wesson revolver found in an air vent in her Ringsend home on February 23, 2017. The firearm, which contained one round of ammunition, was seized by gardaí during a search for drugs, where over €4,200 of heroin was also recovered. Fitzpatrick admitted to gardaí that she kept the gun for self-protection following a threat to her life, a claim supported by Garda Michelle Fitzpatrick, who confirmed colleagues had served GIM forms notifying Fitzpatrick of the threat, though it had since expired. Defence counsel Keith Spencer BL highlighted Fitzpatrick's history of trauma, including abduction and violent attack, which he stated caused profound Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. He noted her 21 previous convictions, mostly minor road traffic offences, and argued she was now drug-free apart from prescribed medication. Spencer requested a lengthy suspended sentence to reflect the offence's seriousness while acknowledging her regret and support from her father. Judge Melanie Greally did not pass sentence immediately. Instead, she remanded Fitzpatrick on continuing bail pending her sentencing hearing scheduled for July.
Mareks Treinovskis, 32, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for repeatedly stealing electric toothbrushes and razors from the Grafton Street branch of Boots. He entered the store eight times between February and September 2017, taking items worth €4,323, none of which were recovered. Gardaí seized almost €400 worth of stolen Gillette razors after one theft. Treinovskis pleaded guilty to four counts of theft, with four additional counts considered. He had been arrested multiple times, first in April after CCTV captured him stealing Braun shavers and a toothbrush, and again in September and November. He has 56 prior convictions, mainly theft, criminal damage and traffic offences. The court noted his heroin addiction, his clean status at the time of sentencing, and his desire to improve contact with his young daughter. Judge Melanie Greally backdated the sentence to 11 November 2017.
Graham Fitzgerald, 22, and his cousin Gary Fitzgerald, 21, appeared at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court regarding an arson at Green Hills Court Apartments in Tallaght on March 26, 2015. Graham Fitzgerald pleaded guilty to arson and an attempted robbery at Milanos in February 2016. Gary Fitzgerald also pleaded guilty to the arson charge. Judge Melanie Greally noted that Graham's case had been adjourned on successive occasions, most recently to encourage engagement with the Probation Service. She cited his young age, drug use, and antisocial peers at the time of the offences, alongside psychological vulnerabilities. The court accepted tangible evidence that Graham was now drug-free. Judge Greally imposed consecutive sentences totalling five years, suspended in full on strict conditions. Gary Fitzgerald, who had seven previous convictions, received a three-year sentence with the final six months suspended for the arson offence. The court heard that the fire caused €45,000 in damage to an unoccupied apartment in a Focus Ireland complex, forcing an evacuation. While Gardaí could not establish the exact cause of the fire, CCTV identified the defendants as intruders. Graham had four previous convictions, including criminal damage, and was on bail for the arson when he committed the attempted robbery.
In a 2018 incident, Gardaí used remote control of street cameras to track Shane Pollard (41) after he stole €500 from a shop. The cameras captured him taking money from the till, and Garda Patrick Fallon monitored his movements as he fled into a nearby café. Pollard was arrested there, breathing heavily and sweating, and all the stolen money was recovered. He later pleaded guilty to theft of €510 at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally noted no force or violence was used against staff, though Pollard had armed himself with a blade or scissors. She imposed a two‑year sentence, backdated to February to account for time already spent in custody. Pollard, who has 27 prior convictions including seven for robbery, had relapsed into cocaine use after a family bereavement. The defence highlighted his long history of drug use and his current health conditions. The court accepted his guilty plea and cooperation.
In a Dublin pub, Anthony Burns, 43, attempted a robbery on 12 December 2017 using a toy gun. Customers jeered, calling his plastic weapon ineffective, and one struck him with a bottle, causing head cuts. Burns, a crack cocaine addict, took €520 from barman Shay Donnelly. Donnelly, unharmed, expressed relief and sympathy for Burns. Burns pleaded guilty to robbery of the pub, a Subway restaurant, an attempted robbery of Rapeedos, and robbery of a bookmakers shop. Victims included Donnelly, Stacey Ryle, and Katarzyna Filipiak, who feared stabbing and felt threatened. Judge Melanie Greally suspended the last two years of a five‑year sentence, citing Burns' past crime‑free period and the amateurish, desperate nature of the offences. Burns' history includes false imprisonment, robbery, and unlawful car seizure in 2000.
Jakub Remlein, a 40‑year‑old Polish mechanic, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to possession of €200,000 worth of cannabis at his rented home in Dublin. Gardaí discovered the drugs during a search linked to an investigation of cannabis cultivation at another site; no charges were brought against Remlein for that site. Seven vacuum‑sealed bags containing cannabis valued at €238,038 were recovered. Remlein had 14 prior road‑traffic convictions. He had received €1,600 to clear a large electricity bill in exchange for allowing the drugs on his premises. The court considered him a low‑level participant, noting his employment since 2005 and lack of addiction or duress. Judge Melanie Greally accepted his early guilty plea, cooperation, and good work history, and imposed a four‑year custodial sentence, departing from the presumptive minimum of ten years for possession of drugs over €13,000.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Joseph Rafferty, aged 38, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment for a cocaine‑fuelled rampage that lasted eight hours and covered 45 km. Rafferty seized multiple vehicles at gunpoint, pursued Gardaí in a high‑speed chase, and committed false imprisonment, aggravated burglary, threats with a sub‑machine gun and reckless endangerment. He pleaded guilty to burglary at Watergate Estate, assault of a homeowner, criminal damage, two carjacking counts, three counts of possessing a sub‑machine gun, unlawful possession of 9 mm Luger ammunition and reckless endangerment. He also admitted stealing a vehicle from Carroll and Roche Subaru. The judge noted his 34 prior convictions and reduced a potential 14‑year sentence to nine years, citing guilty pleas and remorse. No serious injuries were reported, though a man sustained a head laceration during a break‑in. The case highlighted the extensive police response, including 50 Gardaí, air support and the Garda Dog Unit.
During a murder trial, Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis presented evidence that the victim, Neil Reilly, suffered more than 40 injuries. He described chop wounds to Reilly's head causing brain lacerations, multiple fractured ribs, extensive pelvic fractures, and scrapes consistent with being dragged across a rough surface. Curtis argued that the crushed pelvis and chest injuries could indicate that Reilly was run over, though the chest wounds might also result from resuscitation attempts. He noted seven blows with a chopping implement, including two to the head, and similar injuries to arms, back, and shoulder, all life‑threatening. Toxicology revealed cocaine, heroin, methadone, and codeine in Reilly's system. The trial, involving Paul Bradley and his sons, continues before Justice Paul Coffey and a jury. Paul Bradley pleaded not guilty. Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis pleaded not guilty.
Thomas Merrigan, aged 22, was sentenced to 21 months in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of assault causing harm in Sallynoggin on 24 April 2015. The assaults were linked to a dispute over €50 owed for ecstasy pills. Merrigan, intoxicated, cut a large chunk of a 16‑year‑old girl's hair and later punched her 16‑year‑old male friend repeatedly in the head, causing the boy to suffer two seizures and spend five days in the acute care unit of St Vincent's Hospital. The court heard that Merrigan's house contained a substantial quantity of herbal cannabis and plastic bags for drug packaging. He also pleaded guilty to possessing €1,274 worth of cannabis for sale or supply. Judge Martin Nolan described the second assault as "vicious" and at the "middle to high range" of seriousness, and imposed a combined sentence of 21 months for both the assaults and the drug offence.
Sean Darragh, 49, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for possessing 263 g of heroin worth €37,366, which he had agreed to transport from Dublin to Newry to settle a drug debt of €4,000. He pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 19 September 2017. Darragh, a grandfather of two from Cois Locha, had 48 prior convictions, mainly for drugs and thefts in Northern Ireland. Garda Killian Leydon described how Darragh and co‑accused Josephine Hoey were caught after suspicious activity in an apartment car park; Hoey later received a four‑year suspended sentence for possession. Darragh sold his Volkswagen to pay Hoey's bail and had two dogs impounded, which she later reclaimed. Judge Martin Nolan noted Darragh's cooperation and steps taken in custody to address his drug addiction, back‑dating the sentence to his arrest date.
Pawel Wisniewski, aged 43, was sentenced to an additional 33 months in jail for possessing cannabis and a stolen Ford Mondeo after being caught at a Dublin grow‑house. He had previously received a four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for diesel theft and possession of cannabis and a firearm. The new sentence runs consecutively to a two‑and‑a‑half‑year term for earlier cannabis and firearm offences, and to a two‑year term for diesel theft. Wisniewski, who has 34 prior convictions, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 12 October 2017. Judge Martin Nolan noted his mechanical and electrical skills and his cooperation, but highlighted that he was on bail for other offences at the time of the arrest. The court emphasised that he must avoid further criminal conduct. The case involved the seizure of 35 cannabis plants worth up to €28,000 and a stolen car found at Collinstown Cross Industrial Estate.
A man from Castlebar, County Mayo, has failed in his appeal against a murder conviction at the Court of Appeal. The 25-year-old was sentenced to life imprisonment in February 2014 for the death of his mother on March 9, 2011. He had admitted manslaughter but pleaded not guilty to murder. During his trial at the Central Criminal Court, evidence emerged concerning his long-standing substance abuse and intoxication at the time of the killing. His defence centred on arguments of diminished responsibility and an inability to form the necessary intent due to drug use. A jury unanimously rejected these submissions and returned a guilty verdict for murder. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice John Edwards, found the trial satisfactory and the conviction safe. The court considered the trial judge's instructions to the jury adequate despite submissions regarding the handling of intoxication evidence. The appeal was dismissed.
Stephen Doherty, 50, was jailed for two-and-a-half years after robbing an Applegreen petrol station in Baldoyle, Dublin, while high on heroin. He used a meat thermometer, which he initially claimed was an ice pick, to threaten a cashier and force the release of €200. Doherty also attempted to rob a woman outside the station, who escaped. He pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and one count of attempted robbery on 31 October last year. Doherty, who has 62 prior convictions including theft, burglary and drug misuse, told the court he committed the robbery to raise money for his mother's funeral, the only family member who could not contribute. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to two-and-a-half years, backdated to the time of his first arrest in October. The sentence was imposed in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The case highlights the intersection of drug addiction and criminal activity.
In a High Court hearing on 14 May 2018, Justice Carmel Stewart ruled that €1.2 million in cash found in the boot of a car seized during a Garda Intelligence operation was the proceeds of crime. The money was recovered by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) in August 2017 from a vehicle driven by haulier John Fitzgerald, who had been stopped at a Garda checkpoint in Ballyvergal, Carlow. After the seizure, CAB obtained a High Court freezing order and placed the cash in a bank account. Grainne O'Neill Bl, acting for CAB, told the judge that the money was linked to illegal cigarettes and drugs and that Fitzgerald had been transporting it out of the country for an unknown recipient. Fitzgerald admitted to Gardai that he had collected the cash and would receive €7,000 for moving it abroad, claiming he was doing so because his own business was in difficulty.
Stephen Bollard, 27, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for six robberies in north Dublin and possession of €270 worth of cocaine. The court heard that Bollard used an imitation firearm, knives and a wheel‑brace to "terrify" victims. He was identified by CCTV in most of the incidents and had previously been on bail for the first offence. After being arrested, a plastic bag containing cocaine was found in his possession. Bollard had left Ireland for Scotland in late 2014, served a robbery sentence in Edinburgh, and was returned to Ireland on a European Arrest Warrant in February 2018. The judge, Martin Nolan, took into account Bollard's guilty plea, cooperation, psychological report and attempts at rehabilitation, and imposed consecutive sentences back‑dated to January. The court noted that Bollard's drug addiction was a factor in the offences. The sentence was imposed in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Stephen Keenan, aged 31, was sentenced to six‑and‑a‑half years in prison for four counts of unlawful possession of two handguns and bullets, and for stealing a car on 24 October last year. The firearms were found in a rucksack on Casement Drive, Finglas, and were in working order, capable of firing lethal ammunition. Keenan admitted he had agreed to hold the guns for "dangerous people" to whom he owed a €50,000 drug debt, and that he still owed €5,000. He claimed the debt pressured him into the crimes, though he had previously served a suspended sentence for a similar offence in 2015. The judge noted Keenan's drug addiction and his attempts at rehabilitation, but imposed the statutory mandatory minimum of five years, back‑dating the sentence to October 2017. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Stephen Keenan pleaded guilty.
Alan Long, aged 27, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for terrorising a 16‑year‑old boy and his mother over a drug debt. He pleaded guilty to trespass and theft, assault and demanding money with menaces at the victim's Kilbarrack home on 18 and 19 October. Long repeatedly visited the house, demanding €8,000, then €4,000, and took items including a flat‑screen TV, a suitcase of clothes and a Nintendo system. He assaulted the boy in the kitchen and threatened the mother with a headstone if she did not pay. The mother, who had been too afraid to contact Gardaí, made a formal statement after the incidents. Long had 10 prior convictions and had been in custody since his November arrest. The victim impact statement described ongoing fear, stress, anxiety and depression. The court noted Long's remorse and traumatic background. The sentence was imposed by Judge Martin Nolan.
The Charleton tribunal was told that no files exist on garda computer systems portraying whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe or former press officer Superintendent David Taylor as targets or suspects. Peter Kirwan, a former detective chief superintendent who worked in the Security and Intelligence Section, conducted searches of garda databases and systems at the tribunal's direction. His report confirmed there were no documents presenting either man in a derogatory light. Files in the intelligence section referenced Sergeant McCabe only in connection with his participation in a drugs operation in Clones in 2002 and a smuggling investigation in 1989. The tribunal also heard that no lawful authorisation for telephone interception was applied for on Sergeant McCabe between January 2009 and November 2016. The inquiry is examining allegations by Superintendent Taylor that he was directed by former garda commissioner Martin Callinan to brief media negatively on Sergeant McCabe, claims Mr Callinan denies. The tribunal continues next week with Superintendent Taylor's evidence.
Stephen Collins, 27, a disqualified driver with 85 prior convictions, was jailed for five years after an intoxicated, high‑speed crash on Davitt Road, Dublin. While under the influence of alcohol and drugs, Collins struck a cyclist who was turning right at a green light, sending her airborne and causing a cut to her forehead. He then lost control, hit the wall of The Marble Arch Pub, collided with a curb, and head‑on struck another vehicle, injuring its driver. Collins fled the scene, leaving the injured parties behind. He pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment and failure to assist. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Collins' long history of offences and lack of respect for traffic law, imposed the sentence and a ten‑year driving disqualification. The incident remains a significant incident of road‑traffic violence in Dublin.
Mark O'Dwyer, 44, of Dublin, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply and three charges of possessing stun guns. The drugs, valued at €4,170,932, were found at an address on Ballyfermot Drive on July 17, 2017. Detective Garda Brian Foran testified that the location operated as a large-scale drug distribution hub, containing 188 kgs of cannabis and 2.9 kgs of heroin. O'Dwyer admitted to being recruited as an unskilled labourer to pack the drugs, a role for which he was promised €1,500. Judge Martin Nolan noted O'Dwyer had no proprietary interest in the drugs and had maintained a methadone programme for 20 years. In a related matter, Stephen Sarsfield, 39, of Dublin 8, was jailed for seven years last month after pleading guilty to the same offence. Both men were observed transferring boxes of cannabis from a lorry into a garage before gardaí executed a search warrant. The court accepted that O'Dwyer did not resist arrest and co-operated with police. The sentence reflects the serious nature of the operation, despite O'Dwyer's limited involvement and lack of prior convictions since his methadone enrolment.
In 2018, Martin Maughan, aged 21, was sentenced to 18 months in jail for an unprovoked assault on Simon Cornish on Dublin's Henry Street in 2016. Maughan struck Cornish, a probation officer, causing a fractured facial bone and a detached retina, leading to surgery and permanent implants. Maughan pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm. He had 15 prior convictions, including robbery and criminal damage. The judge, Martin Nolan, imposed a three‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended, citing the long‑term consequences for Cornish and the lack of provocation. Mitigating factors included Maughan's cessation of alcohol and drugs, his involvement with Focus Ireland, and his impending fatherhood. Maughan paid €2,000 to Cornish and presented a letter of apology. The court noted the emotional impact on both parties, with family members crying during sentencing. The case remains at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court stage.
Jason Heaphy, 33, of Dunmanus Park, Knocknaheeny, Co Cork, lost a challenge to the terms of a good‑behaviour bond he had entered into after breaching a suspended sentence. Heaphy had been caught with €5,000 worth of heroin and cocaine on Kerryhall Road, Fairhill, during the May bank holiday weekend of 2015. Judge David Riordan activated his suspended sentence and added a consecutive three‑year jail term in November 2015. Heaphy had previously received a 10‑year sentence in March 2007, with the final three years suspended for possession of a large quantity of cocaine. He argued that no valid written record of the 2008 sentencing order existed and that the good‑behaviour bond should run from his imprisonment, not his release.
Josephine Hoey, 38, of Banbridge, was given a four‑year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to possessing heroin worth over €37,000. The court found she had transported the drugs from Dublin to the North to pay off a debt of about £1,800 for her own addiction. Judge Martin Nolan described her as "unlucky" and noted the pressure she faced, including threats against her 15‑year‑old son. Defence counsel Pieter Le Vert highlighted Hoey's long‑standing vulnerability and mental‑health struggles, arguing she was not fully culpable. Gardaí had stopped two cars on the night in question, found tinfoil and a package of 260 g of heroin in Hoey's handbag, and seized a further quantity on her person. Hoey thanked the judge and pledged to work on her mental health and avoid drugs again.
Robert Cronnolly, 29, of Tallaght, pleaded guilty to assaulting Cornelia Brouder on 26 March 2017. He punched her several times, grabbed her throat and attempted to strangle her, causing her jaw to fracture in three places and requiring facial surgery. Brouder suffered ongoing pain, anxiety and nightmares. The court heard that Cronnolly had been arguing with his girlfriend when Brouder intervened to stop a potential attack on her flatmate. He was sentenced to three years in prison, with a headline sentence of four to four and a half years, reduced by his guilty plea, remorse and mitigating personal qualities. Cronnolly has 12 prior convictions, including assault, and a history of alcohol and drug addiction. The judge described the assault as vicious, reprehensible and unforgivable. The sentence was passed by Judge Martin Nolan.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 37‑year‑old woman and a 42‑year‑old man were sentenced to 21 and 18 months respectively for the systematic neglect and physical abuse of the woman's 16‑year‑old daughter. The court heard that the child suffered 46 injuries, including puncture marks, bruises, scratches and cuts, over a year. The mother pleaded guilty to nine counts of wilfully assaulting, ill‑treating or neglecting a child between September 2007 and August 2008, while the father pleaded guilty to two similar charges. The court noted the mother's addiction to heroin, the father's work commitments, and the child's reports of being tied to a bed, denied sleep, and beaten for minor infractions. The child was removed from the home in August 2008, placed in foster care, and has remained there for nine years. The judge described the abuse as "grotesquely wrong" and highlighted the father's failure to protect his daughter.
Antonia McGrath, aged 25, a former talented soccer player who had to abandon a scholarship at Manchester after becoming pregnant at 18, was jailed for three and a half years for possession of cannabis for sale or supply. She admitted holding over €450,000 worth of cannabis in her Clondalkin apartment. McGrath was caught after a Garda tip led to surveillance of her flat; a man, Keith Tiswell, was seen driving into the underground carpark, later found carrying cannabis and cocaine. CCTV showed McGrath handing the drugs to Tiswell. A warrant was executed, uncovering 16.39 kg of cannabis herb (valued at €328,000) and 1.43 kg of cannabis (valued at €8,580) in her hot press. She pleaded guilty on 25 May 2017, had no prior convictions, and claimed fear for her life and that of her son.
Paul Crosby, 22, of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, was charged with attempting to murder Gerard Boyle, 22, at Knockcommon, Beauparc, Slane, County Meath, on 10 November 2016. The Central Criminal Court granted him bail. His brother and sister provided sureties totalling €2,100. Conditions include living at his mother's Drogheda home, observing a 9 pm to 7 am curfew, being available to Gardaí at that address and by phone, abstaining from drugs and alcohol, signing in regularly at Drogheda Garda Station, and not contacting the alleged victim or witnesses. His trial is scheduled for February next year.
An Irish High Court judge has allowed a former Garda covert informant to use sensitive State documents in his extradition challenge from the UK to France. The informant, who was arrested in France 17 years ago on drug trafficking charges and later sentenced to four years in prison (never served), was detained in England under a European Arrest Warrant issued by French authorities. He seeks to prevent his surrender and has applied to the Irish High Court to use documents obtained from the Garda Commissioner and the State, which he claims will help defeat the extradition request. The State opposed the application, arguing lack of control over the documents and that the request was premature. Justice Marie Baker ruled that special circumstances justified modifying the undertaking, that the English court would provide adequate protection for the documents, and that she would not direct the English court on how to handle them.
Pawel Wisniewski, 43, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison for stealing thousands of litres of diesel from an Applegreen service station in Balbriggan over three days in August 2019. He also received a two-and-a-half year sentence for possession of cannabis for sale or supply and a firearm at a grow‑house in Tallaght, and a two‑year sentence for the diesel offence, all to run consecutively. Wisniewski, a qualified electrician and former Polish army serviceman, used a cloned Applegreen card to pump diesel into his van, stealing €5,220 worth of fuel. He was also convicted of driving without insurance. His girlfriend received a suspended one‑year sentence. Wisniewski was disqualified from driving for three years and his sentence was back‑dated to October 2019. The court noted this was the first case involving large‑scale diesel theft of this nature. Pawel Wisniewski pleaded guilty.
John Walsh, 45, was arrested after CCTV footage from a Spar shop in Dublin was shown on the RTE programme Crimecall. The footage showed him holding a realistic imitation firearm, later identified as a pellet gun resembling a semi‑automatic pistol. Walsh had been waiting for Gardaí at his home when they arrived and had previously cut his hair to change his appearance. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a realistic imitation firearm. Judge Martin Nolan remanded him in custody and later handed down a suspended three‑year sentence, warning that a further offence could lead to imprisonment. Walsh admitted the gun was for his own protection, was intoxicated at the time, and expressed remorse. He has since ceased drug use and intends to attend a residential treatment programme. The shop received a letter of apology from Walsh.
Derek Hickey, aged 30, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for stealing iPads and a laptop from the Law Society of Ireland on Blackhall Place, Dublin, on 17 July 2017. He entered through an ajar side door, stole the items, caused damage, and fled. The theft occurred after 6 pm when most staff had left. Maura Butler, who was working in her office, witnessed the intruder and later reported that he had fled after seeing her. CCTV identified Hickey, who was arrested the next day and admitted to the theft, stating he had sold the stolen items to a Chinese shop. He had previously spent four months in custody for this offence. The judge noted his long history of offending but also his guilty plea, remorse, and cooperation. He had been offered a 20‑week residential rehabilitation programme and had attended treatment for heroin addiction. The sentence took into account the time already served.
Darren De Lacey, 37, of Cremona Road, Ballyfermot, was found in May 2017 driving a car with a bag of heroin while he was on bail for earlier cocaine offences. Gardaí, acting on confidential information, stopped the vehicle and discovered 744 g of heroin, worth an estimated €104,202, between his feet. De Lacey pleaded guilty to possession of heroin at a location on the M7 motorway on 22 May 2017. He had previously been convicted of possession for sale or supply of large quantities of cocaine, for which he received a seven‑year prison sentence with three years suspended in October 2017. The court imposed an additional four‑year prison term, to run consecutively with the sentence he is already serving, bringing his total custodial period to eight years. The judge noted De Lacey's 65 prior convictions, including 50 for road‑traffic offences and one for theft. The case highlights the continued enforcement of drug‑related offences in Dublin.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 38‑year‑old Justin Murray was found guilty of stealing €500 from mass donations at the Church of Our Lady of Victories in Ballymun on 6 November 2016. He had cycled to the church, entered the premises, and taken money from the collection envelopes before being seen by a parishioner and fleeing on foot. Garda Ross Brierley identified him from CCTV footage and arrested him the following day at a shopping centre. Murray's bicycle, which had a sticker reading "Justin Murray," was later found on the church grounds. He has 77 prior convictions, including ten thefts and 20 burglaries. Judge Elma Sheahan adjourned his sentencing for one year, noting his drug‑free status and desire to rehabilitate, and ordered updated urine analysis and reports. The final sentence will be consecutive to his current term, with release not until July 2019.
In a Dublin trial, 37‑year‑old Tomas Gajowniczek pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and serious harm of his partner, Alicja Kalinowska, on 16 June 2016. Psychiatrist Professor Damian Mohan testified that Gajowniczek was smoking cannabis at the time and was suffering a drug‑induced psychosis, but he did not meet the criteria for a special insanity verdict. Mohan disagreed with a colleague who had previously argued that Gajowniczek had a mental disorder. He noted that the accused had been intoxicated and angry, had locked his partner out of their apartment, and had claimed she had poisoned him. Mohan said the intoxication was not a mental disorder and that Gajowniczek's claims of poisoning were unsubstantiated. The accused remains in a drug‑free high‑support unit at Cloverhill Prison, where he has not shown psychotic symptoms since July 2017. The jury will hear closing arguments tomorrow.
John Walsh, 45, was arrested after CCTV footage from a Spar shop in Dublin was aired on Crimecall. The footage showed him demanding €20 back, becoming aggressive, and claiming to have a gun. He produced a pellet gun that resembled a semi‑automatic pistol, pointed it at staff, and was later apprehended by Gardaí. Walsh had previously pleaded guilty to possession of a realistic imitation firearm on 1 September 2016. He was remanded pending sentencing. Garda Paul Geraghty noted Walsh's intoxication and that he had been waiting for the Gardaí when they arrived. Walsh admitted the gun was for his own protection and expressed remorse. The shop received an apology letter from him. He has a history of alcohol and drug dependence and has sought treatment. The case is set for sentencing on Friday.
In a Dublin court, Tomas Gajowniczek, 37, pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and serious harm against his partner, Alicja Kalinowska, 30, after an assault on 16 June 2016. The prosecution argued he was angry and high on cannabis when he used a hammer. Defence psychiatrist Dr Conor O'Neill, citing evidence of Gajowniczek's behaviour and interviews, said the accused was likely intoxicated but also suffered a mental disorder, qualifying for a not‑guilty‑by‑reason‑of‑insanity verdict. He noted that cannabis effects would subside once removed, so delusional beliefs persisted. Dr O'Neill maintained that intoxication does not exclude mental illness. The trial will hear Professor Damian Mohan's testimony on Monday, with the jury composed of six men and six women. The case remains at the hearing stage.
In the trial of 37‑year‑old Tomas Gajowniczek, who denies attempting to murder his partner Alicja Kalinowska by stuffing underwear in her mouth and striking her with a hammer, a psychiatrist for the defence, Dr Conor O'Neill, testified that the accused suffers from a delusional disorder. Dr O'Neill explained that this mental illness, as defined by the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act, prevented Gajowniczek from controlling his actions. He stated that Gajowniczek believed his partner was trying to poison him and his baby, a belief he described as delusional. The defence argued that the accused's symptoms had been present for months before the alleged assault, and that drug use, while possible, does not exclude a diagnosis of mental illness. The trial will continue before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury at the Central Criminal Court. Tomas Gajowniczek pleaded not guilty.
Mark Foster (23) pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of drugs for sale or supply at his home on South Circular Road, Dublin, on 11 January 2017. Gardaí discovered cannabis, MDMA, cocaine and ketamine with a combined street value of €26,840, along with €7,385 in cash. Foster, from Cavan, immediately accepted responsibility to protect his housemates from questioning. The court heard he had since relocated to his native county to live with his parents, works on the family farm, remains drug-free and intends to pursue college education. Judge Martin Nolan described the operation as amateurish and noted Foster's youth and early intervention as mitigating factors. Despite the seriousness of the charges, the judge imposed a five-year prison sentence, suspended in full, citing Foster's co-operation, guilty plea, and low risk of re-offending.
Dean Reddington, 33, of Drimnagh, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three robberies between February 2016 and September 2017 at bookmakers around Dublin, plus an attempted robbery and weapon production at Ladbrokes on 4 September 2017. He admitted using a black bag to conceal a stick or tree branch, presenting it as a gun, which caused terror for staff and customers. Victim Tracey O'Reilly of Boyle Sports reported €728 stolen and lasting anxiety, sleeplessness and PTSD. Reddington also robbed €714 at Paddy Powers and €240 at Boyle Sports in Balally. He has 35 prior convictions, 22 in Circuit Court, including 14 robberies. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to four and a half years, citing early guilty plea, cooperation, remorse, drug‑free status and rehabilitation prospects, while noting the robberies' long‑term impact on victims. The judge set a headline sentence of six to seven years, but the final imposed term was four and a half years.
A 32‑year‑old Malaysian named Han Fan was arrested at Dublin Airport after drug‑sniffing dogs detected a strong chemical smell in his luggage. Customs officers found 12 vacuum‑packed bags of cannabis, worth €195,200, and a name tag identifying Fan. He initially denied owning the suitcase but later admitted it was his. Fan claimed he had agreed to transport the drugs from Spain to Scotland for loan sharks to whom he was indebted, after losing his job and facing threats from the lenders. He pleaded guilty to one count of importing cannabis with a street value over €13,000. Judge Martin Nolan struck out other possession charges, ruling they did not apply in Ireland, but upheld the importation charge. Fan was sentenced to 32 months' imprisonment, backdated to the September 2017 arrest, and is considered an enhanced prisoner with a positive governor's report. The case highlights the influence of loan‑shark debt on drug trafficking decisions.
In 2018 the Court of Appeal upheld a seven‑year jail sentence for Damien Green, who was convicted of assault causing serious harm after slicing the face of his friend Richard Coster. The original trial at Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court had found Green guilty and sentenced him to ten years, with the final three years suspended. The appeal was dismissed because the sentencing judge's approach was deemed correct. Judge John Edwards noted that Coster, a friend of Green, had been heavily drinking and possibly under the influence of drugs on the day of the attack, which occurred at Green's apartment on Richmond Hill. Green had no memory of the events, had previously been uncooperative, and had a history of violent convictions. The judge placed the offence in the high range of seven to twelve years, citing Green's lack of mitigating factors and his prior violent record. The appeal was dismissed, confirming the original sentence. Damien Green pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Garda Patrick McAvinue described Anne Marie Donovan, aged 40, as the most vulnerable person he had encountered in his decade in the drug unit. Donovan was found with €25,000 of heroin and €5,000 of cocaine in her flat, which had been raided nearly two years earlier. She cooperated with officers, pointing out the drugs, and admitted she had little or no choice but to hold them. McAvinue testified that Donovan had been threatened with violence, had been stabbed in the head, and her son was thrown down the stairs, leading her to feel a "prisoner in her own flat." Donovan pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply on 3 September 2016, had no prior convictions, and was sentenced to 18 months in prison, which Judge Martin Nolan suspended in full, noting her culpability was very low. The court accepted McAvinue's evidence and did not hear further mitigation.
Patrick McAuliffe, 53, was found guilty of robbing an 83‑year‑old man in Cork on 12 November 2015, stealing €300 and later €2,300. He was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, by Judge David Riordan on 1 November 2016. McAuliffe, a chronic alcoholic and homeless at the time, had 261 prior convictions dating back to 1981, including theft, assault, drug offences and one robbery. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal on 16 April 2018, ruling that the net custodial term of four years was "almost lenient" given the victim's catastrophic loss of independence and McAuliffe's extensive criminal record. The appeal was rejected by the three‑judge panel, confirming the sentence as imposed.
Anna Marie Pezzillo (35) and Rachel Comiskey (35) pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of Ian Quinn (32) at Annally Grove, Dublin 15, between 30 and 31 May 2014. The two women admitted that they suffocated Quinn by placing plastic bags over his head after a period of drinking vodka and taking tranquillisers. They claimed the intent was to frighten, not kill, and that they had not intended to cause death. Pezzillo had been released from Limerick prison the day before Quinn joined them, and the three had a history of drug and alcohol use. Both women expressed remorse in letters to the court. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy remanded them in custody until 14 May, when he will deliver their sentences.
Martin O'Brien, 36, was sentenced to 16 months in prison for burglary after DNA matched blood spatters left when he cut his hand to smash a glass front door at a Foxrock home on 11 November 2015. He stole jewellery, electronic equipment, cash and checks worth over €15,000, causing €300 damage to the door, and left the house after a young woman saw him. O'Brien, who has 64 prior convictions and is already serving a four‑year robbery sentence, will serve the new term consecutively. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, admitted he was on heroin and tablets at the time, and expressed remorse. Judge Martin Nolan noted his cooperation, early guilty plea and difficult background, and imposed the 16‑month sentence to run after his current term.
David Fetherston, aged 31, was convicted of robbing a teenage schoolgirl's mobile phone on Malahide Road in March 2013 and of six further shop robberies in north Dublin during August–September 2016. He was found guilty by a jury in July 2017 and sentenced to four years' imprisonment, with the sentence backdated to that month. Judge Patricia Ryan also ordered that he must stay away from all his victims for 30 years. The court heard that Fetherston had an outburst during his trial, which caused concern for the girl, and that he had 134 previous convictions. He had been addicted to heroin at the time of the offences but had become drug‑free before the trial. The judge noted his remorse, rehabilitation from drugs and good behaviour in custody. The sentence reflects the violent nature of the crimes, but acknowledges his acceptance of guilt and improved conduct. The order to keep distance from victims is a separate protective measure.
In the Court of Appeal, Daniel McDonnell's lawyers argued that letters he wrote while in custody, bragging about the murder of 16‑year‑old Melanie McCarthy, were unreliable and should not have been admitted to the jury. McDonnell, 23, had been convicted of the murder on the basis of these letters and a single piece of graffiti. His barrister, Bernard Condon SC, contended that the letters were produced by a 17‑year‑old in a 23‑hour lock‑up, with a history of drug use and limited education, making them suspect. He highlighted the lack of other evidence linking McDonnell to the crime and the absence of safeguards during the letters' creation. The prosecution, represented by Brendan Grehan SC, maintained that the letters were voluntary, lucid, and highly probative. The appeal was heard by a panel of three judges, who reserved judgment on the matter. Daniel McDonnell pleaded not guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, a 37‑year‑old man, Tadhg Butler, is charged with murdering his 25‑year‑old nephew's friend, Michael O'Dwyer, on 10 January 2014. Butler pleaded not guilty. The prosecution presented a statement from Butler's nephew, Tony O'Grady, who claimed Butler had walked up to O'Dwyer and stabbed him with a butcher's knife during a party at Butler's home. O'Grady said he had no memory of the statement or the events, citing medication for mental disorders and drug use. During cross‑examination, O'Grady admitted that Butler had previously wrestled knives from him to prevent self‑harm and that Butler might have struggled to remove a knife from O'Dwyer's hand. The jury heard that O'Dwyer died from a single stab wound to the chest, with the pathologist noting a penetrating injury between the ribs that damaged the heart and left lung. The trial will continue tomorrow before Mr Justice Paul Butler and a 12‑person jury.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Adam Barrett, 24, to four years' imprisonment for possessing €24,000 worth of cocaine found at his Spencer Dock apartment. Barrett owned the drugs, unlike most offenders who merely transport or hold them to pay debts. He pleaded guilty to possessing drugs for sale or supply and to holding about €3,000 in cash. The judge noted the headline sentence was six years but reduced it, citing Barrett's work record and rehabilitation efforts. Gardaí discovered 355 g of cocaine, five mobile phones in Barrett's bedroom and seven in the living room, and a digital weighing scale. Barrett had 65 prior convictions, mainly traffic offences, and had cooperated with police but exercised his right to silence during five interviews. The sentence was back‑dated to 15 December of the previous year.