In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Melanie Greally ruled that a prison sentence was inevitable for Jonathan McSherry (34) after he pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on Jessica Bowes on 20 December 2015. Footage showed McSherry repeatedly punching and kicking Bowes, leaving her unconscious twice and causing fractures to her skull, eye sockets and cheekbone, as well as permanent scarring and nerve damage. Bowes, a mother of three, described the attack as merciless and said she feared she would die. She reported ongoing anxiety, nightmares and physical impairments, including difficulty closing her lips and memory loss. McSherry was remanded on continuing bail until 21 December to allow him to attend the Coolmine residential drug treatment programme. The court noted a prior barring order and that McSherry had two children with Bowes. The judge emphasised the severity of the assault and the injuries when stating that jail was inevitable.
In November 2016, William Beresford, a 45‑year‑old former casino employee, was sentenced to four years in jail for robbing the Station's Sport Club on 20 August 2015. Beresford used a pellet gun to threaten colleagues and forced a staff member to open a safe, taking €4,400 that was never recovered. He had previously been convicted of manslaughter in 1999 for killing his brother and had 28 other minor convictions. Beresford surrendered to Gardaí four days after the robbery and expressed remorse, citing drug addiction as a motive. Judge Melanie Greally noted his progress in overcoming addiction but deemed the offence serious, describing the pellet gun as effectively a firearm. The final 18 months of the sentence were suspended on conditions including two years of probation. The case highlighted Beresford's troubled personal history, including a prior family tragedy and ongoing drug abuse.
During a sentencing hearing, Judge Martin Nolan described Gardaí as "very optimistic farmers" when estimating the market value of cannabis. The case involved Polish man Marcin Jedlinski, 41, who was caught growing 36 cannabis plants at his rented Dublin home after Gardaí had previously stopped his car and found 5.4 kg of cannabis herb in the boot. Jedlinski pleaded guilty to possession of €138,466 worth of cannabis. Garda John McWeeney estimated the street value of the herb at €109,666 and the crop at €28,000, a figure the defence argued was a peak value and that the actual harvest would be lower. Judge Nolan noted Jedlinski's cooperation and prior guilty plea, and imposed a three‑year sentence. A co‑accused, Tomosz Adamski, 39, received a suspended two‑year sentence for allowing cultivation at the shared rental accommodation.
Marcin Malinski, a 35‑year‑old cafe owner, was stopped at a Garda checkpoint when officers detected a strong smell of cannabis from his BMW. A bag of cannabis plant cut‑offs was found in the car, and Malinski and his passenger were taken in for questioning. A subsequent search of his home revealed a grow house containing 17 cannabis plants at various stages of maturity. Garda Niall Carolan estimated the street value of the drugs, if fully matured, at €13,600. Malinski pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs on 29 October 2015 at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He has no prior convictions and admitted growing the cannabis for medicinal purposes to ease back pain, though he knew it was illegal. He was remanded on bail pending sentencing on 7 February, with a probation report to be prepared to assess his suitability for community service.
In a 2016 Central Criminal Court hearing, 52‑year‑old Liam Power, a man of no fixed abode, told Gardaí that he had repeatedly kicked a 41‑year‑old Latvian man, Gints Intembergs, before removing his clothes and attempting to burn him. Power claimed he had been "frightened" and "like an animal" during the incident, which took place on the night of 15 September 2014, with Intembergs found dead on the kitchen floor the next morning. Power admitted drinking about 16 cans of beer and smoking crack cocaine in the hours before the alleged murder. He also said he had used a lighter to try to set fire to the victim's privates, with co‑accused Dzintars Sackalausks (33) assisting. Power pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, while Sackalausks pleaded not guilty to murder. The trial continued on Monday before Justice Isobel Kennedy and a jury.
Aaron Collins, 24, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended for violent disorder and assault causing harm to Noel O'Rourke during a Luas incident on 11 December 2014. Collins admitted he swiped a bottle of beer at O'Rourke, striking his eye, and later smashed the bottle on the victim's head. The assault occurred on an outbound Luas red line between Smithfield and Museum stops. O'Rourke, 46, suffered a fractured eye socket, scalp and lip wounds. Collins pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He had 36 prior convictions, none for violence, and was already serving an 18‑month sentence for a drug offence. The court noted Collins' claim of a misguided act of chivalry and his homelessness and alcohol use at the time. The case involved co‑accused Aoife Molloy and Martin O'Connor, who received partially suspended four‑year sentences. The incident was captured on CCTV, showing the escalation and Collins' involvement.
Neil Mannion, 35, of Dublin, pleaded guilty to possessing €143,000 worth of LSD, amphetamine and cannabis resin for sale or supply at Bank House Business Centre on 5 November 2014. He was sentenced to six‑and‑a‑half years imprisonment by Judge Martin Nolan. Mannion's appeal against the sentence was dismissed by Mr Justice George Birmingham. The court noted that Gardaí had information linking a specific computer IP address to the sale and supply of drugs on the dark net. Surveillance captured Mannion visiting the premises, where a weighing scale, Visa electron cards, a vacuum packing machine, envelopes, postage labels and foil wrapping were found. Mannion admitted his role as a vendor, packaging and sending orders to customers worldwide, including the UK, USA, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Mexico, France, Holland, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Japan, Sweden, Ukraine, Thailand, Denmark, Spain, Malaysia, Israel, Norway, Argentina, Canada, Lithuania, Finland and Belgium, as well as Ireland.
An unemployed man from Glenties was remanded for sentencing after pleading guilty to serious drugs and firearms offences at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Ken McDermott, aged 47, admitted possession for sale or supply of controlled drugs and unlawful possession of firearms following his arrest in Finglas on May 27, 2015. Gardaí intercepted a vehicle at Dublin Port acting on confidential information about a planned firearms importation. McDermott was observed transferring rucksacks from a car to a van, which officers then stopped. A search recovered two revolvers and ammunition, along with cocaine and ecstasy tablets with an estimated street value exceeding €483,000. McDermott told gardaí he had agreed to participate in the importation to support his family following the collapse of his courier business. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case to November 16 for consideration of sentence.
Paul Kavanagh, aged 25, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment after stealing nearly €54,000 from the Londis shop where he worked. He had awarded himself fake Lotto wins and spent the proceeds on take‑aways, taxis and cannabis. Kavanagh had previously agreed to repay €1,000 a month to the shop owner and to pay €3,600 within three days, but he failed to do so after losing his security job amid publicity. He pleaded guilty to theft from owner Ray Sheehan between 2014 and 2015 and was found with a small amount of cannabis at his home. The judge noted his remorse, lack of prior convictions, early guilty plea and low risk of re‑offending as mitigating factors, but also that the loss was significant for the business. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the theft and the impact on the shop.
The Central Criminal Court trial of seven Dubliners charged with the murder of Dale Creighton has heard expert evidence regarding his cause of death. Creighton, 20, was assaulted on New Year's Morning 2014 at the footbridge over the Tallaght bypass and died the following day. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis testified that Creighton sustained extensive blunt force trauma to the head and face, resulting in brain swelling, diffuse axonal injury, and brain stem compression. He identified a fractured skull, broken nose, dislocated thumb, and a stab wound to the thigh, noting the latter was likely inflicted by an implement other than a knife. Toxicology revealed modest alcohol and trace cocaine levels. Dr Curtis concluded the cause of death was blunt force injury, stating that axonal injury could result from direct violence or prolonged coma. Under cross-examination, he acknowledged that injuries from an earlier assault by a man not before the court could have contributed to the fatal brain damage. The accused are Aisling Burke, David Burke, Graham Palmer, Ross Callery, James Reid, Jason Beresford, and Gerard Stevens. All pleaded not guilty to murder. While all initially pleaded not guilty to violent disorder, Jason Beresford later changed his plea to guilty for that specific charge. The trial continues before Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy and a jury.
A 44‑year‑old man, James Lammon, was found guilty by unanimous verdict of a "brutal and pre‑meditated" murder of Jason Doogue on 21 August 2015 in Green Hills, Athy. The jury, after just over two hours and thirty minutes, concluded that Lammon, masked and hooded, rode a bike to Doogue's garden, fired a Makarov pistol with a silver silencer three times, and then cycled away. The State's evidence was circumstantial, relying on witnesses who heard Lammon threaten to kill Doogue, forensic DNA and gun‑residue on cloths in a black toolbox, and the discovery of the gun, a bike and gloves in the River Barrow area. Lammon had 20 prior convictions, including a four‑year drug sentence in 2011. Justice Butler handed down a mandatory life sentence, back‑dated to 21 August 2015, and exempted the jury from duty for ten years. The verdict was met with tears and gratitude from Doogue's family.
Gerard Walsh, 38, pleaded guilty to burglary at the Liffey Valley valet service where he had worked. He admitted that a drug dealer had urged him to break into the premises to recover car keys and vehicles to pay a drug debt. Walsh and an accomplice forced entry, breaking three locks to reach the office where six sets of keys and three cars – a Volkswagen Touran, a Volkswagen Passat and an Audi A6 Avant – were taken. Two cars were recovered; the third was found a year later, costing the owner an estimated €3,500. The court heard that Walsh had previous convictions for public order and theft, dealt with 15 years earlier. Judge Melanie Greally accepted that Walsh was under personal hardship, allowing an adjournment to April 28 for him to raise compensation.
Patrick Brazil, 42, was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a series of shop robberies between August 2014 and January 2016, most while on bail. He pleaded guilty to three counts of robbery, one count of trespassing, criminal damage and possession of a knife. On 29 January 2015 he entered a shop on Oxmantown Road, held an imitation Smith & Wesson gun to a shop assistant's head, and demanded the till be emptied. An off‑duty trainee Garda, Claire Rafferty, intervened, was briefly threatened with the gun, but returned to the shop to protect the assistant. A struggle followed; Brazil was overpowered, the gun knocked to the floor, and he was arrested. Gardaí arrived shortly after. Brazil's defence highlighted his severe alcohol and drug addiction at the time, noting he has since abstained and is seeking treatment.
Damian Trojnar, 33, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at a Tallaght address on May 29, 2012. The case originated when Garda Cathal McGeoghan stopped Trojnar for bad parking, leading to the discovery of a European Arrest Warrant. Upon executing the warrant at Trojnar's rented home in Ellensborough Meadows, gardai seized bags of cannabis with an estimated street value of €21,132, along with €2,200 in cash, a suspected drugs tick-list, and weighing scales. Trojnar was initially extradited to Poland, where he served a four-year sentence for theft and burglary offences committed 12 years ago. Following his release, he voluntarily returned to Ireland to face the drugs charges. Judge John Aylmer described Trojnar as a reformed man, noting his exemplary behaviour in Polish prison and his voluntary return. The judge suspended a jail sentence of two years on the condition that Trojnar be of good behaviour. Defence counsel Dominic McGinn SC highlighted that Trojnar had lived in Ireland for six years, working in construction, and wished to make a life for himself. The matter was finalised with this suspended sentence.
Patrick Whelan, aged 20, was sentenced in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a suspended three‑year term for robbing and assaulting Sikh shop assistant Navdeep Singh at a newsagent in Blanchardstown on 27 July 2015. Whelan struck Singh over the head with a meat cleaver, forcing him to have his hair cut against his wishes, and stole €600 from the till. He pleaded guilty to the robbery, assault and being a passenger in a stolen car. The court ordered him to pay €4,000 in compensation to Singh. Judge Pauline Codd noted Whelan was a first‑time offender from a "decent, hardworking family", and that the assault was "completely unjustified". The suspended sentence is subject to probation supervision for four years and requires Whelan to attend drug, alcohol, anger awareness and victim awareness courses, as well as to pay the compensation in two instalments. The co‑accused remains before the courts.
Thomas Wall, 29, was sentenced to two years in jail, with the final two months suspended, for attempting to break into a foreign student's Dublin apartment to obtain money for his daughter's First Communion. Wall told Gardaí he had missed the Communion because he had been "locked up" and was trying to gather money to give to his daughter afterwards. He also said he had recently lost his mother and wanted money to put a picture on her gravestone. The apartment was occupied by a Venezuelan woman studying English; she woke up to a noise at the window, saw Wall on the balcony trying to push the window open, and screamed when she saw him. Wall continued to try to get in while she called for help. He was arrested outside by Gardaí. The court noted no force or violence was used and no one was harmed. Wall, a heroin user, had made good progress in addressing his addiction. Thomas Wall pleaded guilty.
Noel Fitzgerald, 48, of St Michans House, Greek Street, Dublin, pleaded guilty to possession of benzocaine, a cutting agent sometimes used with cocaine, on 22 April 2015. Gardaí seized 60 kg of benzocaine valued at €30 000, along with caffeine and paracetamol, after following a transit van and a car at Greek Street. Fitzgerald admitted he knew the substance was not above board but claimed he was doing a favour for someone else and did not answer further questions. He has two minor prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally, noting Fitzgerald's respected community role and personal tragedies, imposed a three‑year sentence suspended in full for five years, warning that any future involvement with unsavoury elements would trigger the full term. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Trevor O'Donoghue, 34, pleaded guilty to robbing €750 from a 61‑year‑old man at Cork City Bus Station on 29 June 2014. The original sentence was five years' imprisonment with the last 18 months suspended. On appeal the Court of Appeal reduced the term to four years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months still suspended, after finding the Circuit Court had incorrectly been told O'Donoghue had a prior conviction he did not possess. The victim, who used a walking stick, did not give a victim impact statement and asked that O'Donoghue not be sent to jail. O'Donoghue's associate, who was present that night, had died of heroin before the case reached court. The appeal judge noted O'Donoghue's history of drug use and his efforts to address his addiction while in prison. The final sentence remains four years' imprisonment with 18 months suspended.
Aoife Molloy, aged 25, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Noel O'Rourke on a Luas tram on 11 December 2014. She was originally sentenced to four years' imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended. On appeal the Court of Appeal reduced her jail term by six months, citing that her sentence should have been on par with that of her co‑accused, who received four years with two years suspended. The judge noted that the incident involved Molloy and a group of young people who were drinking on the tram, that Molloy struck O'Rourke twice with a bottle and then jabbed him in the lip. O'Rourke suffered a fractured jaw‑eye bone and required stitches. Molloy had seven prior convictions for road‑traffic offences and was under the influence of alcohol and prescription drugs at the time of the assault. The final sentence imposed was four years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended.
A 21‑year‑old unaccompanied learner driver, Gareth Jones, pleaded guilty to careless driving causing the death of 16‑year‑old Paul McCormack on Tolka Valley Road, Finglas, on 26 June 2015. Jones was driving a Toyota Avnesis at an estimated 70–80 km/h in a 50 km/h zone when he swerved to avoid three of the boy's friends who were crossing the road. He hit Paul, who had turned back toward the opposite side of the road. The collision left Paul with catastrophic brain injuries and he died at Mater Hospital. Jones had two minor previous convictions and was a provisional licence holder without a qualified driver in the car. The court heard a fault in the vehicle's ABS braking system, but there was no indication Jones was aware of it. All drug and alcohol tests were clear. The case was adjourned to 20 October for sentencing, with a maximum term of two years imprisonment.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 12 October 2016, Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Karl Brennan, 36, to six years' imprisonment for transporting €400,000 worth of heroin in his car while his one‑year‑old daughter was present. Brennan pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs at Tower Road, Clondalkin, on 10 December 2015. The judge imposed a six‑year term, suspending the final two years on strict conditions. Brennan, who has a heart condition and had previously worked for Coca Cola, was described by his family as a caring father. He admitted he had acted as a drug courier to earn money for Christmas. Garda surveillance had tracked his movements, revealing the heroin concealed in the door panel of his Nissan Micra. No prior convictions were recorded, and the person who had deposited the drugs was not apprehended. The court heard that Brennan cooperated fully with Gardaí and that he had no intention to re‑offend.
Gerard Hughes, 19, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, for a series of drug‑induced offences including assault, property damage, unlawful car taking and dangerous driving. He pleaded guilty to assaulting a hotel manager at The Maldron Hotel in Tallaght on 20 November 2015, damaging property, unlawfully taking a Nissan Qashqai on 13 December 2015 and two counts of dangerous driving on the same day. The assault involved Hughes entering the manager's office with a fire extinguisher, demanding money, grabbing her around the mouth, shoving her to the ground and fleeing. The victim suffered a split lip, facial bruising and leg injury. Hughes was identified by CCTV, had no memory of the incident due to drug use, and was arrested after a chase that involved driving the stolen car the wrong way around a roundabout. He has 47 prior convictions and was banned from driving for 10 years.
Michael Brennan, 29, was given a three‑year suspended sentence in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of a knife at Cromcastle Drive, Kilmore, on 7 January 2016. The court heard that he had chased a group of people to a parked car, appeared to try to open the door or stab the car, and was ordered by Gardaí to drop the knives. The incident stemmed from a family dispute and occurred while Brennan was relapsing into drug addiction. He has 67 previous convictions, including attempted murder, intimidation of a witness and threats to kill, and was released from a ten‑year attempted murder sentence in May 2015. The judge, Melanie Greally, suspended the sentence on the condition that Brennan complete a residential drug treatment programme and remain under probation supervision for 18 months.
Lisa Blake, 38, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to Michelle Lowry on 30 July 2013 while staying in emergency accommodation at the Regency Hotel, Drumcondra. Blake used a chisel to strike Lowry, who now bears a permanent scar on her nose. Blake had no prior convictions and had previously lived in her own home before losing it due to the economic downturn and heroin addiction. In a victim impact report, Lowry expressed sympathy for Blake's circumstances. Judge Elma Sheahan described the assault as unprovoked and noted Blake's apology and the likelihood that she would not return to court. Blake received an 18‑month suspended sentence, was ordered to engage with probation services, drug treatment and work programmes, and was required to stay with her former partner and children. The court also heard that Blake had been drinking and that the alcohol interacted poorly with her medication.
Nianje He, a 35‑year‑old Chinese national, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to unlawfully cultivating cannabis in his apartment on 8 May 2014. The court found 126 cannabis plants at various stages of growth, valued at €108,000, and noted a strong smell of cannabis when Garda Seamus Donoghue entered the premises. He had jumped from a second‑floor window after being caught. He was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment by Judge Martin Nolan on 20 November 2015. On 7 October 2016, Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan dismissed He's appeal against that sentence. Sheehan said He had been involved in the offence to discharge gambling debts, had expected €10,000 from the harvest, and had committed a further cultivation offence in Galway while on bail for the Dublin offence. The Court of Appeal found the sentence not excessive and gave He credit for six weeks spent in custody for this offence.
A Longford woman has received a suspended sentence for her role in an assault on a fellow inmate at the Dochas Centre women's prison in Dublin. Marian Leddy, aged 31, of Barrack Street, Granard, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to another prisoner on 26 May 2015. The court heard that Leddy held the victim's legs while a co-accused inflicted facial injuries using a broken cup. Judge Petria McDonnell imposed a three-month sentence, suspended in full for twelve months, taking into account Leddy's progress in addressing her heroin addiction and engagement with local support services. The judge noted that Leddy had played a lesser role than her co-accused and caused no direct injuries. The victim sustained minor cuts to her face with no permanent scarring. Leddy, who has 77 previous convictions predominantly for theft, told the court she was committed to turning her life around.
Neil Mannion, 35, of Dublin, was sentenced to six‑and‑a‑half years for possessing €143,000 of LSD, amphetamine and cannabis resin with intent to sell or supply. He admitted guilt and described how the drugs were sold on the dark net, a part of the internet likened to eBay or Amazon. Mannion was the main beneficiary and organiser of the operation. His co‑accused received a three‑year sentence. At the Court of Appeal, Mannion's barrister, Michael Bowman SC, argued that the harsher sentence was disproportionate and that Mannion's cooperation with investigators should not lead to a harsher outcome. The three‑judge panel, led by Justices George Birmingham, John Edwards and Alan Mahon, could not decide immediately and reserved judgment, stating a decision would be made in the coming weeks. The unnamed accused pleaded guilty.
Peng Fei He, a 33‑year‑old Chinese national, was sentenced to eight years in prison, with the final two years suspended, after pleading guilty to possession of over 7 kg of cannabis worth €141,920. He admitted taking responsibility for two separate packages, each valued at €70,000, that were intercepted by customs. He had previously been convicted of three road‑traffic offences and had been in custody since his arrest. Judge Pauline Codd noted that he lived in squalid conditions and owed a €5,000 gambling debt, and she considered that he acted mainly for financial motives and under some fear. He claimed he had arranged the deliveries, used random addresses, and was paid €200 per kilo for organising the transport. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Mark Kenna, 32, was arrested after CCTV captured him robbing a Japanese tourist's purse at the revolving door of Best Western Academy Plaza Hotel on 2 February 2015. Kenna, who had 54 prior convictions but none for violence, told Gardaí he could not remember the incident and was "strung out" at the time. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally described the offence as "nasty and frightening" but noted Kenna's crack cocaine habit and that he had taken tablets that day. She was impressed by a favourable probation report showing insight, remorse and steps taken to address his drug addiction. The judge imposed a three‑year sentence, suspended in full, with strict conditions: 12 months probation supervision and one‑to‑one drug‑addiction counselling. The case was prosecuted by Elva Duffy BL and defended by Rebecca Smith BL.
Kieran Cox, 32, of Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty to endangerment after a high‑speed chase that ended with his Volkswagen Passat crashing into a Toyota Yaris at a junction in Clonee on 2 February 2012. The Passat lost control, collided with the Yaris, spun into a pole, and a fire broke out, requiring Gardaí to drag Cox out of the vehicle. He was arrested but made no admissions. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, which she suspended in full, citing his significant positive turnaround, cessation of alcohol abuse, and responsible fatherhood. Cox had no Garda attention since 2012 and had previously been convicted of road traffic, drug and theft offences. The case was brought back to court after a 2012 warrant was not executed until 2015.
Mark Mosley, 24, was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, for a series of offences including the robbery of a €7,000 gold‑plated monstrance from St Bridget's Church in Killester, a mobile‑phone robbery at Harmonstown Dart Station, a house burglary in Edenmore, and a threat to Sergeant Basil Grimes. Mosley pleaded guilty to each charge at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He admitted abusing alcohol, tablets and heroin at the time of the offences. The monstrance, containing the Holy Sacrament, was never recovered. Mosley's criminal history includes 71 prior convictions and 88 disciplinary incidents while in prison. The sentence reflects his drug‑free status at sentencing but acknowledges his extensive disciplinary record.
In a three‑week trial at Sr Senan Court, Edenderry, the jury found Matthew Cummins (22), Sean Davy (21) and James Davy (25) guilty of murdering 64‑year‑old Thomas 'Toddy' Dooley. The men were convicted of beating Dooley to death with a baseball bat in his home. The trial recounted how the trio met at Mangan's Pub, drank, used cocaine, and later attended a house party at April Murray's home where they caused extensive damage. After the party, they entered Dooley's house, where Cummins claimed Sean Davy struck Dooley with the bat, while Davy accounts varied. The prosecution described the attack as a joint enterprise. The men face mandatory life sentences; sentencing is postponed to 10 October, with reports ordered and all three remanded in custody. Matthew Cummins pleaded not guilty. James Davy pleaded not guilty. Sean Davy pleaded not guilty.
A 21-year-old Louth man who raped a 15-year-old family friend has been sentenced to eight years in prison. The now 23-year-old accused, who cannot be named to protect his victim's identity, was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury following a trial earlier this month of rape and defilement of the girl at his home between the 4th and 5th of October 2014. He has no previous convictions and is maintaining his innocence of the charges. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy was asked to partially suspend the sentence but refused, noting that there were no mitigation factors in favour of the man. The matter was adjourned for the purpose of the court considering the application for a suspended sentence, but the judge ultimately refused the request. The victim, in her impact statement, described the emotional and psychological effects of the crime on her life, including trust issues, difficulties with schoolwork, and sleep disturbances. The accused's defence counsel submitted testimonials from family members, work and sports clubs, highlighting his character as a good father, hardworking, friendly, and a positive influence in the lives of young people. Counsel also noted that cannabis had been a significant part of the accused's life at the time and asked the court to consider that the aggravating circumstances present in other cases were absent in this case.
Gavin Fitzhenry, 32, of Tallaght, pleaded guilty to three failed burglaries in south Dublin on the night of 27 June 2014. He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment. The court noted his 42 prior convictions and that he was helping to pay off his brother's €19,000 drug debt. Judge Elma Sheahan highlighted his efforts to become drug‑free while in prison, his remorse, and his willingness to enter a residential drug treatment programme after release. She also mentioned that he was expecting his first child and that Probation Services had given positive reports. The judge recorded the trauma and upset caused to the victims, especially the young children, and the fact that Fitzhenry carried out two further robberies after the first. The court heard from Garda Vincent Carroll about the incidents, the victims' reactions, and the impact on the families. Fitzhenry was caught after hiding in bushes near the scenes.
A 36‑year‑old Meath man, Dermot Molloy, was given a suspended sentence after a judge heard he is the sole carer for a child with a serious birth defect. Molloy had previously pleaded guilty to robbery in 2014 and was serving a suspended portion of a six‑year sentence for earlier robberies. He had threatened a syringe during the 2014 robbery but claimed he was only armed with a pen and that he robbed to buy food for his family. The judge noted that Molloy had complied with bail conditions since 2013, had no recent offences, and was drug‑free. He also cares for his partner's child who had suffered self‑harm. The judge, citing extraordinary circumstances, imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence and suspended it entirely, allowing Molloy to continue his daily reporting at Bridewell Garda Station for the next year.
In the Central Criminal Court, defence counsel Caroline Biggs SC argued that the evidence against 22‑year‑old Matthew Cummins of Churchview Heights, Edenderry, shows "morally corrupt" behaviour but does not prove he committed murder. Cummins, who pleaded not guilty to the killing of Thomas 'Toddy' Dooley, was present at the crime scene, had taken drugs, and was involved in earlier vandalism, but there is no evidence he intended to kill or seriously injure Dooley. Biggs contended that Cummins' actions after Dooley's death, such as cleaning the scene and possibly setting the body on fire, cannot constitute murder. She urged the jury to find him not guilty of murder but guilty of impeding the arrest or prosecution of the principal offender. The trial also heard defence arguments for Sean Davy, who was to be found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, and the case will continue with James Davy's defence on Tuesday.
In a sentencing hearing at the Central Criminal Court, a 36‑year‑old man read a victim impact statement about the sexual abuse he endured as a child, which he said led to a serious heroin addiction, a dangerous crack habit and four suicide attempts. He described how the abuse began the day before he started secondary school, leaving him confused, doubting his sexuality and blaming himself for years. He said he eventually overcame his drug addiction but the pain returned, and his last suicide attempt in 2014 was averted by his family and wife. He disclosed the abuse in 2011, began counselling soon after, and continues weekly sessions. He concluded that the abuse caused lasting damage but he hopes to move on. The statement was read during the sentencing of Joseph Anderson, who was jailed for six years for raping and molesting the boy between 1992 and 1995. Joseph Anderson pleaded not guilty and was convicted.
In 2008, Perry Wharrie, aged 56, was convicted in a Cork Circuit Criminal Court for his role in a failed €440m cocaine smuggling operation off the Irish coast. He received a 30‑year sentence, the longest for a drug offence in the State, which was later reduced to 17½ years on appeal. Wharrie's conviction was upheld after a 42‑day trial, and his appeal was dismissed. He now seeks a new appeal to the Supreme Court, arguing that he should not have been charged with sale and supply because the drugs were not destined for Ireland. The Director of Public Prosecutions opposes the application, contending that Wharrie did not admit the drugs were intended for another jurisdiction and that the prosecution must prove intent to supply within Ireland. The Court of Criminal Appeal has reserved judgment on the application, with no decision date announced. Wharrie was not present in court but observed proceedings via video link from prison.
A Dublin man, Francis Fitzpatrick (37), of Kilmartin Avenue, Tallaght Dublin, was sentenced to five and a half years in custody at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his guilty plea to possession of 11 kilograms of cocaine on the Tallaght by-pass on November 27, 2015. The drugs, with a street value of €770,539, were discovered during a Garda search of his blue BMW after he was stopped at the junction of Killinarden Heights. Fitzpatrick admitted to picking up the drugs to pay off a drug debt and stated he had been using cocaine for ten years. He also admitted to selling drugs to fund his habit. During the proceedings, it was noted that Fitzpatrick had one minor previous conviction and had taken steps towards rehabilitation, including being drug-free and assisting his mother in caring for his ill father. The court heard that Fitzpatrick had been cooperative with the Garda and expressed regret for his actions. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged the seriousness of the case but departed from the presumptive mandatory ten-year sentence. The matter was finalised at the sentence stage with no adjournments.
Lewis Smith, 19, of Tallaght, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for robbing a mobile phone from an unconscious man at the Fortunestown City West Luas stop on 17 April 2015. Smith, who had 13 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to robbery. The victim, who was attacked while returning home from work, was tripped, fell onto the Luas tracks, and was then kicked and punched until unconscious. His €400 phone was taken while he lay on the ground. The victim spent three days in hospital with concussion and still suffers nerve pain. Smith's sentence includes a six‑month suspended portion and a 12‑month probation period with requirements for education, employment and drug treatment. The judge noted Smith had written an apology letter and that his cousin had died in a similar assault. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Two Dublin men, Jonathan Carberry and Gavin Mulvey, were jailed for their roles in moving €778,000 worth of cannabis from Spain, hidden under scented candles. The drugs were being unloaded at Bath Lane when Gardaí arrested them. Carberry, aged 35, pleaded guilty to possessing drugs for sale or supply on 11 June 2015, and was sentenced to seven years with two years suspended, citing his previous good character. Mulvey, also 35, received a three‑year sentence with the last year suspended, as he joined the scheme at the last minute and had no prior knowledge. Elliot Kidd, aged 25, was remanded on continuing bail and a Probation Service report was ordered. The court noted Carberry's debt and Mulvey's recent recovery from a neck injury, while Kidd had three prior convictions and was a drug addict seeking to pay a debt.
A 49‑year‑old Limerick man, Kieran Lynch, was freed after 11 years in custody following the quashing of his murder conviction. Lynch had originally been sentenced to life in prison in 2007 for the killing of his partner, Catherine McEnery, aged 36, at their home in Craughwell, Co. Galway. He appealed in 2013 on the grounds of misdirection by the judge and the influence of benzodiazepines he had received after a near‑drowning incident. The Court of Criminal Appeal quashed the conviction, and Lynch was re‑arraigned in May, pleading not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. He was sentenced to 12 years, with the last four years suspended for two years post‑release, and was released after paying a €10 bond for good behaviour. The case highlighted the impact of drug influence on his actions and the severe injuries sustained by McEnery. The court noted the significant assault and the family's profound loss.
Eoin Daly, 30, of Kippure Park, Finglas, Dublin, was sentenced by Judge Patrick McCartan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a three‑year suspended sentence with two years of probation for smuggling more than €8,000 worth of heroin and cocaine into Cloverhill Prison. Daly pleaded guilty to possessing heroin for sale or supply and possessing cocaine on 10 May 2015. He was also remanded on a burglary offence after attending his son's first communion. At the sentencing hearing in June, Judge McCartan had ordered a urine sample for drug testing, but Daly claimed he could not provide one due to "stage fright," a psychological condition, and offered a blood sample instead. The judge noted Daly's good report from Probation Services and his willingness to remain drug‑free, but also highlighted his 32 previous convictions and his current five‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for burglaries. Daly is due for release in April 2016.
Noel Darby, 40, was identified by his mugging victim after the victim recognised him from a documentary about drug rehabilitation in Dublin. Darby, who had not committed a serious offence in 13 years, pleaded guilty to robbery of a mobile phone on Malahide Road in Coolock on 9 February 2015. He had previously been convicted of firearm possession, drug offences and a robbery. During the robbery, Darby demanded a phone from a man at a bus stop, grabbed it, and fled, brandishing a seven‑inch kitchen knife. The victim, who had watched the documentary on YouTube, confirmed Darby's identity. Darby was arrested the next day, admitted the offence, and was remanded on continuing bail pending sentencing, which was adjourned to 18 November. The court ordered a probation report and allowed time for a defence witness regarding Darby's drug treatment engagement.
Damien Halpin, 29, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possession of €17,318 of cocaine and for assault causing harm at Gibson Hotel. He pleaded guilty to both offences. The court noted that he had previously fled to Australia in 2011 after being labelled a "rat" by graffiti and that his home was shot at. In Australia he was convicted of arson, assault and being armed with intent in 2015, served one year in New South Wales, and was deported to Ireland in January 2016. Judge Melanie Greally accepted his admissions about the drugs, his chaotic lifestyle, and his positive attitude in custody, but imposed consecutive sentences totaling six years, suspending the final two years on strict conditions. The case also highlighted 21 prior convictions for traffic and public‑order offences.
Ross Allen, 26, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for manslaughter after he acted as a lookout during the killing of Christy Daly, 47, on 29 December 2013. The Central Criminal Court found Allen not guilty of murder but guilty of assault‑manslaughter. The jury was not convinced that he was part of a common purpose to kill. Allen had previously hidden €30,000 worth of cannabis near Daly's caravan on Bog Lane, and when the stash disappeared he feared the drug dealer might blame Daly. He was told to drive a Volvo to a location outside Clara, where two Dublin gang members and a driver planned the attack. Allen collected a sawn‑off shotgun and a semi‑automatic pistol, stood at the gate as a lookout, and the men shot Daly eight times.
Clare Dowling, 22, of Ballybough, Dublin, pleaded guilty to theft and assault causing harm to Xiao Chang on 3 May 2014. Dowling posed as an immigration officer, entered Ms Chang's apartment with an accomplice, stole her laptop and fled. She later punched Ms Chang in the face, causing bleeding. Ms Chang was not located for a victim impact statement and is believed to have returned to China. Dowling had 23 prior convictions, including burglary and theft. No charges were brought against her accomplice. Dowling was under the influence of heroin and tablets at the time of the offence and was homeless. She is now drug‑free, in a new relationship and living with her boyfriend's mother. Judge Patrick McCartan sentenced her to a suspended three‑year term for both offences, to run concurrently and suspended entirely. The judge warned that a further offence would result in imprisonment.
In a €2 million drug bust, Graham O'Toole (24), Tara Kennedy (22) and Alan Dowling (46) are set to be sentenced in November. Gardaí intercepted Dowling's van, discovering 7 kg of cocaine and 2.2 kg of heroin, and later seized 17.37 kg of cannabis from O'Toole's home. Dowling pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply, admitting responsibility for the drugs in his boot; O'Toole pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply, admitting responsibility for the drugs in his home; Kennedy pleaded guilty to allowing her home to be used for the sale, supply or distribution of cannabis. O'Toole had previously received a four‑year sentence with the final two years suspended for aggravated burglary of his father's home. All three were remanded on continuing bail, with probation reports ordered for Dowling and O'Toole and a report already prepared for Kennedy. The court will hear from each defence barrister on the next hearing.
Mantis Kerbelis, 23, was arrested at Dublin Airport after customs discovered a whiskey bottle containing 83 pellets of cocaine worth €91,079. He claimed he had no knowledge of the drugs and that the container was given to him in Dubai as part of a deal for a short holiday in Ireland. Kerbelis pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at Terminal Two on 5 February 2016. Judge Melanie Greally, noting his good cooperation, imposed a four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspending the final 18 months on the condition he leaves the country within seven days of release. He has one prior domestic‑violence conviction in Lithuania and had recently divorced after financial difficulties. He has been in custody since his arrest and has used his time productively.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 19‑year‑old Karl Smith was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for a series of violent offences committed over a month. The offences included assault causing harm to 21‑year‑old Devon Whiston, threatening a 16‑year‑old boy, criminal damage to a front door, and two counts of producing a weapon. Judge Patrick McCartan suspended the last two years of the sentence on strict conditions, emphasising the need for Smith to face the consequences of his conduct, particularly towards Mr Whiston, whose life had been "turned upside down." The judge expressed willingness to grant Smith "considerable leniency" to encourage rehabilitation, noting his potential for positive change. Smith's defence counsel highlighted a psychiatric report diagnosing social anxiety and paranoia, and reported that Smith was now drug‑free and engaged in educational opportunities while on remand. The court also ordered a probation report and a psychiatric report. The unnamed 16-year-old pleaded guilty.