In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 58‑year‑old GP Bernadette Scully stands accused of unlawfully killing her 11‑year‑old daughter, Emily Barut, who was profoundly disabled. The prosecution alleges Scully's gross negligence in administering excessive chloral hydrate on 15 September 2012, with toxic levels found in Emily's system. Scully, who pleaded not guilty, claims she gave the drug in response to seizures and that medical conditions could have caused death. The defence argues she acted under extreme stress, had no alternative medication, and that the post‑mortem indicated a possible terminal seizure. The trial has focused on whether Scully breached her duty of care, with the jury instructed to consider the evidence of drug dosage, medical history, and the circumstances surrounding the night of Emily's death. The case remains at the trial stage, with no verdict yet reached.
David McGuinness, aged 27, fraudulently obtained a €99,000 mortgage on his parents' house by presenting a forged payslip and bank statement. The loan was advanced before the fraud was discovered, and the money was handed to a criminal gang to pay his older brother's drug debt. McGuinness did not profit personally. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to obtaining a mortgage by deception and using false instruments. With 21 prior convictions, Judge Melanie Greally described the operation as "relatively sophisticated" and noted the documentation appeared legitimate. She imposed a two‑year sentence, suspended in full, and ordered 240 hours of community service within one year. The court heard the mortgage was being paid and the bank was not at a loss. The case highlighted the bank's reliance on false information and the family's hardship due to the brother's drug addiction.
Samuel Templeman, a 36‑year‑old unemployed handyman from the UK, flew from Argentina to Dublin carrying 34 cocaine pellets, 17 of which he had placed in his rectum and two between his buttocks after failing to swallow the full 100 pellets he was instructed to ingest. He was intercepted by customs on arrival on 8 May and pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine for sale or supply at Dublin Airport. He received a three‑year sentence, with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended, and was described by the judge as a vulnerable prey of drug dealers. Templeman has no prior convictions, was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, and has since behaved as a model prisoner, working in a trusted position and receiving drug counselling in the UK. The sentence was back‑dated to his initial custody, making him eligible for release under the imposed conditions.
An oncologist at Beacon Hospital in south Dublin, identified only as Dr A, was censured by the Medical Council after prescribing more than twice the correct dose of the chemotherapy drug Temozolomide to Sinead Ni Dhulaing Johnson, a 44‑year‑old RTE producer who later died of a brain tumour. The patient received 350 mls of the drug, whereas the correct dose was 135 mls, and she took the excess for 16 days in August and September 2008. The overdose caused severe symptoms including a hot rash, hair loss, extensive bone‑marrow damage and required hospitalisation from September until November 2008. Dr A admitted the mistake, implemented precautions by 15 September 2008, and pledged not to repeat the behaviour. The Medical Council inquiry, held in September 2016, concluded that the error had no suggestion of hastening Ms Ni Dhulaing Johnson's death. The council censured Dr A for the conduct that led to the inquiry.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, William Gilsenan, 24, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 29‑year‑old Edward Fitzgerald, who was stabbed in a car park outside Gilsenan's home on 17 October 2014. Prosecutor Orla Crowe SC argued that Gilsenan was the aggressor, having entered the scene with a knife and choosing to confront Fitzgerald after the latter shouted at him. Crowe said Gilsenan could have retreated but did not, and that he stabbed Fitzgerald twice, killing him. Defence counsel Caroline Biggs SC urged the jury to consider Gilsenan's state of mind, noting that Fitzgerald, a drug dealer, had threatened Gilsenan's home and family and that Gilsenan had expressed fear to the Gardaí.
A man who pleaded guilty to robbing an Apache Pizza outlet in Tallaght in September 2015 appeared before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Craig Dempsey, aged 25, admitted the robbery of the restaurant in Oldbawn Shopping Centre, where €2,535 was taken. He also pleaded guilty to a separate robbery of a Spar store in Ballycullen in July 2015, during which he produced a broken bottle. Gardaí recovered his DNA from a blood-stained till and clothing found at the scene. The court heard Dempsey had relocated from Dublin to Mayo to distance himself from negative influences and had engaged with local boxing and community activities. His defence counsel cited a significant drug debt as the motivation for the offences and referenced personal trauma. Judge Melanie Greally expressed concern about his non-engagement with probation services previously but offered one final opportunity for him to comply with such services in Mayo. Sentencing has been adjourned to April 2017.
Thomas Kinsella, 37, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter by reason of self‑defence after stabbing John Murdoch in Tallaght on 27 August 2011. The Central Criminal Court jury accepted that Kinsella believed he was acting in self‑defence and used no more force than he thought necessary. He was originally sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment, with the final five years suspended. On appeal the Court of Appeal held that the 14‑year starting point was "seriously out of line" with comparable manslaughter cases and re‑sentenced him to 11 years' imprisonment, suspending the final two years. The judge noted Kinsella's progress in custody, including attendance at AA meetings and being free of drugs and alcohol, and expressed hope that he will avoid re‑offending after release.
Vincent Fox, 39, was sentenced to seven years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended, after pleading guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis, heroin and diazepam for sale or supply, and the supply of a medical product, zopiclone, without prescription. The court found that Fox had accumulated a drug debt of €4,000 from smoking cannabis and used the sale of drugs to clear that debt. Garda investigations uncovered diazepam tablets worth €282,957, heroin and cannabis, and 284,872 zopiclone sleeping tablets valued at €569,744, along with paraphernalia such as bagging, labels, scales and a tick list. Fox claimed the drugs were for his own use and that he had been staying at a friend's house. The prosecution argued that Fox's drug debt made him a potential "dirty worker" for the drug hierarchy.
Michael Bayley, a 23‑year‑old from Clondalkin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two burglaries in Sallynoggin and dangerous driving on 12 May 2016. He admitted owing €15,000 to people who had brought him to the burglary sites to repay a debt. During a high‑speed chase that reached 160 km/h in a 50 km/h zone, Bayley fled in a stolen car, which crashed in Blackrock. He was arrested alone in the vehicle. The burglaries involved the theft of a Samsung Galaxy tablet and an iPad from a sick child's home, and a €100 note was found in a birthday card at the victim's house. Bayley acknowledged drug addictions, claimed he did not recall taking the items, and offered a full apology. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case to allow victim impact statements and a probation report before the next hearing on 1 February 2017.
The 58‑year‑old GP, Bernadette Scully, is on trial for the manslaughter of her 11‑year‑old profoundly disabled daughter, Emily Barut, who died after an excessive dose of chloral hydrate on 15 September 2012. Scully denies that a suicide note she wrote after Emily's death acknowledges her responsibility for the death, saying she had lost her reason for living. She claims she gave the drug in an attempt to stop a seizure, citing medical literature that documents its use in children with epilepsy. During cross‑examination, she explained that she had administered the drug while the child was in a fit and that she had not normally given two doses at once. She also described her emotional state after Emily's passing, stating she had tried to take her own life twice and that she could not bear the pain of watching Emily suffer. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of twelve. Bernadette Scully pleaded not guilty.
Jamie Shorthall, a 30‑year‑old plumber from Monkstown Farm, Dún Laoghaire, carried out an armed raid on an Applegreen petrol station in Dublin on 17 June 2015 to pay off drug and gambling debts. He wore a white boiler suit and a black balaclava, pointed a realistic replica of a Glock pistol at shop worker Phil Collins, and demanded the cash tills be opened. Collins, frightened, handed over €1,100. Shorthall escaped on a push bike left outside the shop. He pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of an offensive weapon. The court noted his 20 prior convictions, including burglary, criminal damage and theft, and that he had relapsed into cocaine and gambling problems. His father had previously paid up to €14,000 to menacing individuals demanding money for his son's debts. A psychological report said Shorthall was under duress and threatened with harm to his family. Judge John Aylmer adjourned sentencing to the following Monday.
Justin Murray, aged 38, was jailed for a 2014 burglary in Clontarf where he forced his way into a 12‑year‑old boy's home, forced the child to help gather valuables, and kicked him when the boy tried to call for help. Murray, who has long struggled with drug addiction, claimed "It's not me, it's the addict in me." He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan, noting the seriousness of the offence and Murray's 23 prior burglary convictions, imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, citing the terror inflicted on the boy. Murray admitted he had likely broken in but denied striking the child, and he was not invited into the house. The boy later identified him on CCTV and was rescued by neighbours and Gardaí. The case highlighted the impact of drug‑related crime on vulnerable children.
In December 2016, 21‑year‑old Carl McGuiness was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for robbing a taxi driver, Harry Boland, to obtain money for drugs. McGuiness and an accomplice, who had been in the back seat, seized Boland's vehicle on Glasnevin Avenue, threatening him with a syringe and demanding cash. After the robbery, McGuiness drove the taxi, crashed into a woman's car in Blanchardstown, and was later arrested in Dublin's IFSC. He pleaded guilty to robbery, damaging a car and leaving the scene of an accident. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted his 48 prior convictions and the escalation of violence after a 2013 prison term. McGuiness's final 18 months of the sentence were suspended, and he was placed on a methadone programme in custody. Boland has since quit taxi driving due to the risk.
A Dublin man, Darren Hogan, aged 43, was extradited to the United Kingdom to serve the remaining five years of a 14‑year sentence for importing eleven kilograms of cocaine. Hogan had already served seven years of his sentence before breaching probation by returning to Dublin, where he was born. He pleaded guilty at Chelmsford Crown Court in October 2005 and was stopped by customs at Stansted airport in August 2005 after travelling from Faro, Portugal, with ten tape‑wrapped blocks of the drug. In October 2012 he was released on licence from HM Prison Liverpool under supervision, but in July 2014 he failed to attend an appointment with his probation officer and was later found to have travelled back to Dublin. The High Court, presided over by Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly, heard that the central issue was whether Hogan's family rights would be violated by his surrender to the UK.
In the trial of 58‑year‑old GP Bernadette Scully, the inspector, Ger Glavin, confirmed that the Gardaí had not been "blinkered" to the possibility that the excessive administration of chloral hydrate was the sole cause of death of her 11‑year‑old daughter, Emily Barut. Scully, charged with unlawful killing, had admitted giving her daughter too much sedative after a procedure to replace a tube into her stomach. The inspector noted that investigators considered other potential causes, including Emily's severe epilepsy, microcephaly, cerebral palsy and lung inflammation, but that the post‑mortem revealed 220 micrograms of the drug's metabolite, trichloroethanol, in her bloodstream. The trial also heard from a neuropathologist who found brain damage consistent with a recent event. The prosecution has closed its case, and the trial continues before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
During the Central Criminal Court hearing, William Gilsenan, aged 24, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 29‑year‑old Edward Fitzgerald, who was stabbed in a car park outside Gilsenan's home on 17 October 2014. Gilsenan was described by a neighbour, John Curry, as "distraught and upset" when he was taken to the scene by Garda Emily Carr. Curry, who had spoken to Gilsenan's father, William Kinsella, about the incident, reported that Gilsenan had accepted that he must hand himself over to the gardai. Garda Carr found a knife blade and a black handle near the driver's side door of the car, which were presented as evidence. Dillon Mahady, a friend of the deceased, testified that Gilsenan owed him €100 for cannabis and that a fight over the money led to the stabbing. The trial will continue the following day before Justice Paul Butler and a jury of seven women and five men.
Alison Cleary, aged 22, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for possessing €128,000 worth of cocaine in a wardrobe at her family home when she was 19. She pleaded guilty to possession for sale or supply on 4 February 2015 and was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 19 July 2016. Cleary appealed the sentence, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, ruling that a three‑year term was not harsh for the amount of drugs involved. Justice Alan Mahon, sitting with Justices George Birmingham and Garrett Sheehan, noted that the judge had appropriately considered mitigating factors such as Cleary's guilty plea, her youth, lack of prior convictions and her minor role in the drug consignment. The court found no evidence that her medical history or behaviour impaired her understanding of the seriousness of the offence, and upheld the custodial sentence. Cleary was taken to prison to continue serving her term.
Amanda Daly, 36, was arrested after dropping a purse containing a social welfare receipt near the scene of a robbery on Summer Street South on 15 April 2015. She pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery of €700 from a taxi driver. Daly, who has no fixed abode and 39 prior convictions for district court offences, was allowed out on bail to attend residential drug treatment. Judge Melanie Greally remanded her in custody with consent to bail on the condition that she stay at the treatment centre for the duration of her rehabilitation, and adjourned the case to 19 January to assess her progress. Her accomplice, Jason Hynes, 43, had earlier received a four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for his role. The robbery involved the taxi driver being threatened with a syringe and forced to hand over money, a wallet and keys. Daly was found by Gardai after the purse was dropped and was subsequently arrested.
Derek Mulligan, a 43‑year‑old former estate agent turned DJ from Tallaght, was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to eight years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. He pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply on 5 February 2015. Mulligan had previously been convicted of drug and firearm offences. He admitted that he owed €30,000 and that he had been told he would receive a €500 reduction on that debt if he agreed to transport and deliver cocaine, cannabis, ecstasy, mixing agents and prescription medication. Mulligan claimed he was coerced, saying he was "dancing to their tune" and had no choice. Gardaí had initially caught him with about €20,000 worth of cannabis in his car after a traffic offence, and a subsequent search of his home uncovered €592,471 worth of drugs, including €495,000 of cocaine.
James Maughan, 38, was sentenced to three years in jail with the final two years suspended after a repeat social welfare fraud conviction. He had previously claimed disability benefit in his own name and then fraudulently applied for Jobseeker's Allowance under the false name 'Terence Maughan', stealing €438. Facial‑recognition software used by Department of Social Protection staff linked his public services card photo to his true identity. Maughan had 11 prior social welfare fraud convictions dating back to 2013 and a total of 55 convictions overall, most theft‑related. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, was remanded in custody since November 1, and had attended rehabilitation at Cuan Mhuire in August before leaving in September. Judge Melanie Greally noted his drug‑free status, work while remanded, and repayment of the debt to the State, and imposed the suspended sentence. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Paul Mason, 28, was sentenced to two years in prison with eight months suspended after pleading guilty to assaulting Keith Lynch at Lynch's home in County Louth. The offence, committed on 16 February 2014, stemmed from a 2013 campaign in Ardee that listed Lynch's name among alleged drug dealers. On the night of the assault, Mason and two others confronted Lynch at his front door, claiming to be INLA members and demanding money. They punched, kicked and kicked Lynch to the ground, striking his face and eyes. Lynch later reported that the attackers threatened him with a deadline to pay a ransom. Mason was on bail for a prior theft conviction at the time of the assault. The Special Criminal Court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, found aggravating factors in the pre‑planned nature of the attack and the extortion threat, but noted mitigating factors such as Mason's lack of prior convictions and his apology.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, witness Charlie Brodigan recounted a confrontation that led to the murder of Edward Fitzgerald (29) on 17 October 2014. Brodigan, a college friend of William Gilsenan (24), described how Gilsenan and Fitzgerald argued over a €100 drug debt. Gilsenan left the scene, later returning to the accused's home where a fight erupted. Brodigan claimed Fitzgerald threatened to burn down Gilsenan's house and his mother's house, and that Gilsenan was "shaken" and "white in the face" after the first altercation. He also said he heard Fitzgerald threaten Gilsenan. Shane Cullen testified that he witnessed the fight from his balcony and that Gilsenan had been punched and kicked repeatedly. The trial, with Justice Paul Butler and a jury, continues tomorrow. The article does not state any verdict or sentencing. William Gilsenan pleaded not guilty.
Joseph Hickey, aged 42, was jailed for five years after pleading guilty to possessing drugs worth over €13,000 for sale or supply at Tallaght on 28 October 2015. The court found he was a "small fish" in a larger drug operation and had no knowledge of the drugs' full value, which was €2.85 million. Hickey's involvement was motivated by a drug debt, and he had a history of chronic alcohol and cocaine addiction. He had four prior convictions, including one for child cruelty, and had received residential treatment for his addiction. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a seven‑year sentence with the final two years suspended, resulting in a five‑year custodial term. The case was part of an undercover operation that seized 28 bags of cocaine (27.9 kg) and 13 bags of heroin (6.4 kg) from Hickey's vehicle. The co‑accused was also charged with drug and firearm offences and received a similar suspended sentence.
In a murder trial, William Gilsenan, aged 24, pleaded not guilty to the killing of 29‑year‑old Edward Fitzgerald, who was described by Gilsenan's friend as a "big brother." The incident occurred on 17 October 2014 in a carpark outside Fitzgerald's home. Prosecutor Dillon Mahady alleged that Gilsenan owed Fitzgerald €100 for marijuana. The parties were in a car when a verbal dispute escalated. Gilsenan allegedly approached the vehicle, and Fitzgerald claimed Gilsenan swung a kitchen knife with a black handle, striking him. Fitzgerald was unable to escape and was later taken to the hospital, where he died. Gilsenan was seen wiping the knife and discarding it. The trial is set to continue before Justice Paul Butler and a jury.
Patrick Purcell, 33, of Lucan, Co Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to nine years' imprisonment for possession of drugs, with the final two years suspended. He pleaded guilty to possessing 18kg of ketamine, valued at €1,080,000, and 212g of cocaine for sale or supply at a rented premises in Straffan, Kildare, on June 4, 2015. He also admitted to possessing 2.2kg of ketamine, worth an estimated €103,123, at Maiden's Row, Chapelizod, on the same date. Co-accused Jordan Maher, 19, of Lucan, pleaded guilty to possessing the ketamine at Maiden's Row when spotted handling the package. Judge Melanie Greally noted Purcell's four previous convictions, including a prior suspended sentence for a drug offence. She accepted his genuine regret, cooperation with gardaí, and the submission of impressive testimonials. Purcell had claimed he was paid €500 to hold the drugs and used the storage unit for landscaping tools. The court acknowledged his role in storing and assisting with distribution, while noting his alcohol issues. The sentence reflects the severity of the offences and his criminal history, with the suspended portion contingent on good behaviour.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a bar manager was acquitted of rape and sexual assault after a woman claimed she was incapacitated by ketamine she mistakenly took at a party. The accused, who denied the allegations, testified that the encounter was consensual and that he did not strike the woman with his penis. The woman, who had snorted a line of ketamine thinking it was cocaine, described being unable to speak or move and later being sexually assaulted for about twenty seconds. She reported that the accused pulled down her jeans and that she was left in a comatose state. The jury deliberated for just over two hours before finding the accused not guilty of both charges. The judge thanked the jurors and released them from future service for ten years. The case had originally involved a plea of not guilty to rape and sexual assault in a Dublin apartment in November 2013.
In a court hearing on 28 November 2016, Justice Aileen Donnelly was informed that Raymond O'Neill, 37, who is wanted in Northern Ireland for the murder and arson connected with the death of Jennifer Dornan, 30, remains in critical condition in prison. Dornan was found stabbed to death in her burning house in Hazel View, west Belfast, in August 2015. O'Neill was arrested in Dublin in February on a European Arrest Warrant and had previously been held in a Midlands prison where he overdosed on drugs, leading to an adjournment of an extradition hearing at the High Court. The court was told that O'Neill could not attend in person due to health reasons, and his solicitor, Caroline Cummings BL, confirmed his critical state but had not received any medical evidence. Judge Donnelly expressed frustration at the lack of a medical report, which she had ordered to assess O'Neill's capacity to give instructions.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a man accused of raping a woman at a party is under jury deliberation. The woman, who had mistakenly taken ketamine thinking it was cocaine, claims she was incapacitated and unable to speak or see. She alleges the accused struck her face with his penis before raping her while she lay in his bed. The accused, a bar manager, denies the assault and claims consensual sex. He has previously pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault. The jury, composed of eight men and four women, has heard all evidence and begun deliberations, which will resume after a recap of the woman's testimony. No verdict has been reached yet.
Shire Ali, a 41‑year‑old Somalian with a brain injury, was arrested at Dublin Airport after customs found 38.3 kg of khat in his luggage. He had travelled from Nairobi to Glasgow, but was stopped while transiting Dublin. Ali pleaded guilty to importation and possession of the drug, which is banned in Ireland. He has no prior convictions and had been in custody since his arrest. The court, noting his vulnerability and lack of fixed abode, imposed a suspended sentence of two and a half years. The suspended portion will be enforced only if he fails to leave Ireland within 72 hours. Arrangements are being made for a flight to Stockholm to facilitate his departure. The judge highlighted that Ali's cognitive difficulties, stemming from an inter‑cranial haemorrhage in 2008, required additional assistance in managing his life.
Edward Travers, 24, of Tallaght, Dublin, was sentenced at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for burglary. He pleaded guilty to breaking into the home of a 66-year-old priest on December 2, 2013. The court heard that Travers, along with two co-accused, kicked in the door while the priest was on the phone. One co-accused allegedly punched the victim after he asked them to leave. Travers was identified via CCTV and arrested the following year. Judge Melanie Greally noted the victim was shaken, lost confidence, and upgraded his home security. The judge acknowledged Travers' remorse and positive steps toward addressing his drug addiction, including completing an anger management course. Despite his 70 previous convictions, Judge Greally imposed a three-year sentence. The final year of the sentence was suspended, and Travers was ordered to serve 12 months under probation supervision. The sentence was backdated to July, when evidence was originally heard. The matter was finalised with this sentencing order.
Musuala Lombe, a 34‑year‑old Congolese father of four who has lived in Ireland since 2000, was found guilty by a jury of unlawful possession of a controlled drug and possession of cannabis for the purpose of sale or supply on 27 April 2009. The cannabis, worth €20,000, was seized from a suspicious package that customs and excise officers in Portlaoise intercepted on 22 April 2009. Lombe signed for the package at a Ballycullen address, was arrested five minutes later, and was not charged until 2014. He has no prior convictions and has not been involved with Gardaí since the offence. The court noted the seriousness of the offence, ordered a probation report and adjourned sentencing to 23 January next year. The case also raised questions about the renewal of his green card, which has been subject to frequent renewal and may be affected by the criminal proceedings.
Judge Melanie Greally sentenced three defendants at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for their roles in a drug operation on October 10, 2015. Graham O'Toole and Alan Dowling pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply, while Tara Kennedy pleaded guilty to allowing her home to be used for the sale, supply, or distribution of 17.37 kilogrammes of cannabis valued at €347,400. The court accepted that O'Toole was responsible for drugs valued at €1,158,600 found in his home, and Dowling for drugs valued at €854,000 found in his vehicle. Judge Greally imposed a nine-year sentence on O'Toole, suspending the final four years. She rejected a defense application for him to begin his sentence after Christmas. For Dowling, the judge imposed a seven-year sentence, suspending the final two years. Kennedy received a four-year sentence, which was suspended in full due to exceptional circumstances regarding the care of her three-year-old son. The judge noted O'Toole's disadvantaged background and Dowling's remorse, while acknowledging Kennedy's lack of previous convictions and her role as a mother. All three defendants were convicted based on their guilty pleas.
In a case heard in the Special Criminal Court, Paul Mason, aged 28, pleaded guilty to assaulting Keith Lynch on 16 February 2014 at The Saltings, Annagassan, County Louth. Mason, who had been on bail for a prior theft conviction, claimed to be a member of the INLA and told Lynch that his name was on a list of "Drug Dealers Out" that had been posted around Ardee in December 2013. According to Lynch, Mason and two other men entered his home, where Lynch was with his partner and a 14‑month‑old daughter, and began punching and kicking him. Lynch reported that Mason struck him on the left cheek and that the men were "laying into him," before they left. The court remanded Mason in custody until 2 December, when he will be sentenced. The case was presented by Detective Sergeant Peter Cooney and prosecuting counsel Caroline Cummings BL, with defense counsel Hugh Hartnett SC.
Shire Ali, a 41‑year‑old Somalian with a brain injury, will be sentenced for bringing 38.3 kg of khat into Dublin Airport from Kenya. He travelled to Africa believing it was a holiday, but was returned to Sweden after two days with the drugs. Khat, a north‑African plant with amphetamine‑like effects, was outlawed in Ireland in 2014. Ali pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 24 June 2016 for possession of khat at Terminal Two. He had no fixed abode, no previous convictions, and was in custody since his arrest. Customs stopped him while transiting from Nairobi to Glasgow; his suitcases were searched and the drug was found. He claimed he was given the bags by a man in Kenya and did not realise he was carrying khat. He had no money on him. Prosecutor Dara Hayes noted three similar cases with similar itineraries.
A 19‑year‑old named Dylan Thomas was sentenced to three years' detention for robbing a group of American tourists in a north Dublin park and for assaulting two gardai. CCTV footage showed Thomas, part of a large group of youths, robbed the tourists of a camera bag and attacked them when they tried to recover it. He later punched and kicked a garda who directed him to leave the area and again assaulted another garda who attempted to search him at the garda station. Thomas pleaded guilty to assaulting Garda Stephen Harte and Garda Keith Delaney, and to the robbery. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a four‑year detention sentence, suspending the final year on strict conditions, including cooperation with the Probation Service, attendance at psychiatric and educational services, and addressing drug, alcohol and anger‑control issues. The court noted Thomas's prospects for rehabilitation and his willingness to engage in positive pursuits.
James Kennedy, 34, from Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin, pleaded guilty to arson on Westland Row on 12 September 2015. He set a motorbike on fire, causing a passing woman and child to flee for safety. CCTV shows Kennedy moving the bike, tampering with the petrol tank, placing lottery slips under it, and then setting them alight in a nearby café. The bike, worth €3,000, was completely destroyed. Kennedy had 40 prior convictions, including criminal damage, theft, public order and violent behaviour. He admits alcohol problems, stating he was "full of alcohol" after drinking a bottle of vodka that day, and does not recall the incident. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case to allow assessment for residential drug treatment and ordered a probation report. Kennedy will be sentenced next February.
In Waterford, a 47‑year‑old man was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment for sexually abusing his nephew in the 1980s and raping the nephew's sister a decade later. The victims were aged four to five when the abuse began. The abuse was reported after the youngest victim approached Gardaí in 2012, followed by her brother's complaint. The brother explained that he had wanted to come forward sooner but could not find the words, and that the abuse remained secret until his sister spoke out. The sister, who was four when the abuse started, described the lasting impact, including thoughts of suicide, drug and alcohol misuse, and the difficulty of describing the trauma. She said no sentence could restore her childhood. The accused pleaded guilty to rape, oral rape, sexual assault and indecent assault between 1988 and 2003. He has a mild intellectual disability, and a doctor noted concerns about his ability to cope alone in prison.
Derek Mulligan, aged 43, was arrested after Gardaí found over €600,000 worth of drugs in his possession, including €495,000 of cocaine, cannabis resin, ecstasy, prescription medication and mixing agents. He claimed he was a "runner" for a drug operation, saying he owed €30,000 and that he would receive a €500 reduction on his debt if he delivered drugs. Mulligan first appeared in court on 5 February 2014, pleading guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply. He has two prior convictions for drugs and firearms. Judge Melanie Greally remanded him on continuing bail until 2 December, after noting he had taken responsibility for the drugs but feared naming others. Mulligan also said he was a carer for his elderly parents and that he had been working as a DJ at the time of his arrest.
During a hearing, a court heard that Gareth Carroll, 35, was threatened by inmates that his brother's legs would be broken if he refused to smuggle heroin, Valium and Xanax into Mountjoy Prison. Carroll, who was on temporary release, received the call while his brother was in prison. He returned to the facility and officers found drug paraphernalia in his cell; the drugs fell out of his underwear when he was searched. Carroll pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of €1,497 of heroin, €768 of diazepam and €286 of alprazolam on 10 May 2015. He was serving a sentence for a drug offence at the time. Garda Barry Brennan confirmed that both Carroll and his brother were serving sentences in Mountjoy when the drugs were brought in. Carroll admitted concealing the heroin and tablets internally. The brother was later placed in protective custody. Mr.
Thomas Kinsella, 37, a homeless man, was convicted of manslaughter by reason of self‑defence for the fatal stabbing of 23‑year‑old John Murdoch on 27 August 2011 in Tallaght. A Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty in December 2012 and he received a 14‑year prison sentence, five of which were suspended, on 31 January 2013. Kinsella's barrister Brendan Grehan SC has now withdrawn an appeal against conviction and is pursuing only a sentence appeal. Grehan argues the headline 14‑year term is unjustified and the five‑year suspended period is excessively long, especially given Kinsella's drug addiction and the circumstances of the incident. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Dominic McGinn SC, contended that Kinsella's habitual knife carrying aggravated the offence and justified the suspended period. The Court of Appeal will consider the appeal. Thomas Kinsella pleaded not guilty.
A 53‑year‑old Wexford man was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a 41‑year‑old Latvian man, Gints Intembergs, who was found dead on the floor of a kitchen in Co Carlow on 16 September 2014. The Central Criminal Court heard that the victim had beaten the accused in an arm‑wrestling match and that the accused, Liam Power, had stamped on the victim's head and testicles, kicked him repeatedly, and attempted to set fire to his hair and privates with a lighter. Power claimed he was intoxicated, having drunk about 16 cans of cider and smoked crack cocaine before the killing. Forensic evidence showed blunt‑force trauma to the head and neck, with blood patterns matching the accused's shoes. Power pleaded not guilty to murder but was found guilty and given a mandatory life sentence, back‑dated to 18 September 2014.
Joseph Hickey, 42, was found with more than €2.8 million worth of cocaine and heroin in his possession. He pleaded guilty to possessing drugs valued over €13,000 for sale or supply at Tallaght on 28 October 2015. Garda Stephen Connor explained that undercover officers were surveilling a carpark on Greenhills Road when Hickey arrived in a grey Fiat. He parked beside a co‑accused, and the two men exchanged bags that were later seized. The seized drugs included 28 bags of cocaine (27.9 kg, €1,957,000) and 13 bags of heroin (6.4 kg, €896,000), totalling €2.85 million. Hickey's co‑accused was charged with drug and firearm offences and received a seven‑year sentence with two years suspended. Hickey had four prior convictions, including one for child cruelty, and was described by his defence as a "small fish" who did not know the drugs' value. He has since undergone residential treatment for addiction.
An unemployed courier from Glenties Road, Finglas, Dublin has been sentenced to six years imprisonment following his conviction for drug and firearms offences. Ken McDermott, aged 47, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession for sale or supply of controlled drugs and unlawful possession of firearms on 27 May 2015. Gardaí arrested McDermott after he collected two rucksacks containing a .32 Colt revolver, a .38 Remington revolver with ammunition, cocaine valued at approximately €219,104, and ecstasy tablets estimated at €256,820. Additional controlled substances were recovered from a vehicle at the Finglas location. The total estimated street value of drugs seized exceeded €483,000. Judge Melanie Greally noted McDermott's guilty plea and family circumstances as mitigating factors but stated he failed to consider the community impact of his actions. The judge recommended Mountjoy Prison for his detention to facilitate family contact.
Richard Sweeney, aged 27 of Railway Lough, Belturbet, Co Cavan, has had his prison sentence doubled by the Court of Appeal following a prosecution challenge that his original term was unduly lenient. Sweeney had pleaded guilty at Cavan Circuit Criminal Court to violent disorder in the home of a vulnerable man in Belturbet on 24 February 2014. He was initially sentenced to two years imprisonment with six months suspended in March 2015. The Court of Appeal found the sentence fell considerably short of reflecting the gravity of the offence, in which Sweeney was one of four masked men who forced entry to the victim's home, threatened to kill him, and subjected him to a severe assault involving weapons. Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, delivering judgment, noted aggravating factors including the planned nature of the attack, the victim's vulnerability, and violation of his home. Sweeney was re-sentenced to four years imprisonment with the final year suspended.
In a €2 million drug bust, Tara Kennedy (22) and her partner Graham O'Toole (24) were charged with possession of drugs for sale or supply. Kennedy's son, aged three, was present when Gardaí raided their home, finding €1,158,600 worth of cannabis, cocaine and heroin. O'Toole had previously pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and received a four‑year sentence with the final two years suspended. Alan Dowling (46), who acted as a courier, was also charged and pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply. All three accused will be sentenced on 25 November. The court heard that Kennedy had spent much of her life in care and was genuinely remorseful, while O'Toole had a moderate risk of re‑offending and had attended rehabilitation programmes. Dowling had 16 prior traffic convictions and had cooperated with Gardaí from the outset. The case highlights the involvement of a young child in a serious drug offence.
Patrick Purcell, aged 33, will be sentenced later this month for holding over €1 million worth of drugs in a storage unit he rented. Gardaí observed him handing a drug package to Jordan Maher, 19, and a warrant was secured for the lock‑up where €1 million of ketamine and €14 896 of cocaine were found. Purcell admitted he was paid €500 to hold and distribute the drugs, and that he rented the unit for €15 a week, claiming it was for tools for his landscaping business. He pleaded guilty to possession of 18 kg of ketamine worth €1 080 000 and 212 g of cocaine for sale or supply at the Straffan premises, and to possession of 2.2 kg of ketamine worth €103 123 at Maiden's Row, Chapelizod. He has four prior convictions, including a suspended sentence for a drug offence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 14 November 2016, Elliot Kidd, aged 25, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended, subject to strict conditions including engagement with the Probation Service and addiction and mental‑health services. Kidd pleaded guilty to possessing drugs for sale or supply on 11 June 2015. He was part of a scheme that moved €778,000 of cannabis imported from Spain, hidden under scented candles. The drugs were discovered when a customs officer with a sniffer dog found 37.9 kg of cannabis herb packed in pallets at a warehouse on 9 June 2015. Kidd, along with co‑accused Jonathan Carberry (35) and Gavin Mulvey (35), were arrested while unloading the pallets at Bath Lane, Dublin. Carberry received a seven‑year sentence with two years suspended, and Mulvey received three years with the last year suspended.
Dylan Brophy, 19, was arrested two hours after a robbery on Reuben Street on 12 March 2015, where he used a metal brush handle to strike two students, Bronte Kavanagh and Ryan Donnelly, and stole a bag and a phone. He pleaded guilty to robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Brophy claimed he was defending a friend who had called him after being attacked. He has 21 prior convictions for traffic, public order and drug offences. Garda Brendan Lynn said the victims were warned to run, then dragged to the ground, hit, and robbed of a bag containing an iPhone and €40. The victims suffered concussions and bruises. Brophy denied threats and said he knew police were searching for him, so he turned himself in. A psychological report recommended probation assessment before sentencing, which is adjourned to 16 January.
Trevor Gleeson, a 36‑year‑old prison officer from Monasterevin, Co. Kildare, successfully appealed a conviction for possessing drugs. In 2009 he was charged with simple possession of controlled drugs and possession for sale or supply at Grey Abbey Road, Kildare Town. A jury found him guilty of five possession counts but could not reach a verdict on the sale or supply charge; a retrial on that charge ended with a jury discharge after late disclosure of CCTV footage. Gleeson received a wholly suspended 18‑month sentence in 2014. The Court of Appeal ruled that the trial judge erred in instructing the jury on the defence of duress and that CCTV footage, which had existed at the time of the first trial, was improperly withheld. The appeal was allowed on those grounds, with no further determination on other issues such as the Garda investigation. The case remains at the appeal stage. Trevor Gleeson pleaded not guilty.
A 17-year-old boy has been sentenced to one year's detention at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following a series of offences committed in April 2016. The teenager pleaded guilty to burglary, dangerous driving, and criminal damage to a bridge after crashing a stolen Hyundai into the River Liffey at Celbridge while evading gardai from a burglary scene in Lucan. Within 48 hours of his release on bail, he assaulted an elderly man and stole his vehicle. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a three-year sentence with the final two years suspended, noting that detention should be a last resort for minors. The court heard evidence that the accused was intoxicated during the chase and was abusing prescribed drugs at the time. His legal counsel submitted that he is now drug-free, has expressed remorse, and is willing to engage with rehabilitation services and address anger management issues.