Naoufal Fassih, a 36‑year‑old Dutch national of Moroccan origin, was arrested in April during a raid on a luxury apartment on Baggot Street that Gardaí believed was linked to the Kinahan criminal gang. He appeared before the High Court on a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) seeking his surrender to the Netherlands, where he faces charges of money laundering, assault and possession of false documentation. The court confirmed that the man in attendance was the same individual named in the new EAW and remanded him in custody until 27 July. In April, at Dublin District Court, Fassih was charged with possessing a false passport and identity card, an offence under the Immigration Act and a minor drugs charge for simple possession of cannabis. He had previously pleaded guilty to possessing a false passport and cannabis at Cloverhill District Court.
Warren Nolan, 20, of Rowlagh Park, Clondalkin, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm in suspicious circumstances and three drug‑possession‑for‑sale charges on 8 June 2015. He also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, reckless endangerment and driving without a licence on 4 June 2015. The court heard that Nolan drove at high speed through Clondalkin, forcing two pedestrians to jump over a gate and a wall to escape his car, and that he later drove on footpaths, on the wrong side of the road and through red lights during a garda pursuit. In a separate incident, a taxi containing several men was pursued; when the car stopped, Nolan was found looking at a garda with a sawn‑off shotgun pointed at the officer's face. The gun was unloaded and no ammunition was found. Nolan was also found to have cannabis, cocaine and heroin.
A 25‑year‑old Wexford man was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for defilement of a 13‑year‑old girl, the sister of his former girlfriend. He pleaded guilty on the morning of his trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The offence occurred at his home on 2 March 2010, when he was 19. The man was found to have the defendant's DNA on the girl's underwear, and forensic evidence confirmed sexual contact. He denied any sexual contact during police interviews, claiming the girl had approached him and that they had been "sitting shoulder to shoulder" on the couch. The judge, Patrick McCartan, noted the significant age gap and that the girl was "young and impressionable" and that there was "nothing approaching consent." The final two years of the sentence were suspended on strict conditions. The man has 42 prior convictions, including possession of knives, drugs and theft offences, and has not been in contact with Gardaí since 2010.
Martin McBride, 47, of Enniscorthy, pleaded guilty in 2011 to possessing €97,000 of cannabis for sale in Cork. He was later caught with €40,000 of cannabis in Wexford. The Cork Circuit Criminal Court sentenced him to seven years, and the Wexford Circuit Criminal Court imposed a mandatory minimum of ten years, consecutive to the Cork offence. McBride appealed in February, arguing he had been hit with a statutory "double whammy" and had no prior convictions. The Court of Appeal, exercising its inherent jurisdiction, found the overall sentence unduly harsh and quashed the original seven‑year Cork term, replacing it with a four‑year term. McBride's final sentence was reduced to 14 years imprisonment, with the Wexford ten‑year term remaining consecutive. The decision was made in the interests of justice and to uphold constitutional principles.
Wayne Ellis, 34, of Landen Road, Ballyfermot, had received a wholly suspended sentence for a third firearms offence in 2014. The sentence was upheld as unduly lenient by the Court of Appeal, which ordered him to serve a five‑year term of imprisonment. The appeal was based on Ellis's previous convictions under the Firearm Act, which require a mandatory minimum of five years for a second offence. The High Court had earlier upheld the constitutionality of that minimum. Ellis had pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in suspicious circumstances and to other firearms‑related offences at Knocklyon Shopping Centre on 5 July 2012. The Court of Appeal noted that Ellis had been drug‑free for two years and had made significant progress in overcoming his addiction, but the mandatory minimum could not be suspended. The decision was delivered by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Edwards.
Michael Byrne, a 46‑year‑old convicted drug dealer, lost an appeal against a confiscation order. He had claimed €40,000 in bank accounts from "nixers" while working as a tiler. In March 2010 he was sentenced to 17 years after packages of diamorphine worth about €6 million were found in a van. The Director of Public Prosecutions sought to confiscate the €40,253 in his accounts. A forensic accountant testified that Byrne's declared income was about €43,000 net and he spent about €188,000 net during the period in question. Judge Tony Hunt ordered the confiscation on 31 July 2012. Byrne appealed, arguing the judge had admitted a statement lacking evidential value. The Court of Appeal, led by Justice George Birmingham, rejected the appeal, upheld the confiscation order, and affirmed that the funds were likely proceeds of "nixers" or drug trafficking, with no credible alternative explanation provided.
Paul Kavanagh, a 25‑year‑old shop worker, admitted to stealing almost €54,000 from the Londis store where he worked by creating fake Lotto wins. He spent the money on take‑aways, taxis and cannabis, as his counsel noted. Kavanagh pleaded guilty to theft from owner Ray Sheehan between 2014 and 2015 and was also found with a small amount of cannabis at his home. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case to January 13th next year, allowing Kavanagh to repay €1,000 a month to the shop owner and to pay €3,600 within three days from his savings. The court's decision gives him a chance to avoid jail by repaying the stolen funds. The case remains at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court stage.
A 17‑year‑old boy from Shankill, Dublin, pleaded guilty to 12 offences, including robbery, attempted robbery, knife production and criminal damage, for incidents between August 2014 and October 2015. The most serious offences occurred on 21 October 2015 near Shankill Dart station, when he and an unnamed co‑accused threatened passers‑by with knives, robbed a man of his phone and wallet, punched him, robbed a teenage boy of his wallet after the boy threatened him with a bike lock, and threatened a father with a knife. The boy also threatened three men walking or jogging. He was arrested that night. The court noted he was two days from his 18th birthday and therefore treated as a juvenile. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a suspended three‑year sentence, requiring good behaviour, training and education, victim awareness and drug treatment programmes, with reactivation if conditions are breached. The boy was not detained.
During the murder trial of three men accused of killing 64‑year‑old Thomas "Toddy" Dooley, Matthew Cummins, aged 22, testified that he and co‑accused Sean Davy and James Davy had been drinking and using cocaine at a house party on 11 February 2014. Cummins said James Davy had a baseball bat and that after the party they decided to break into Dooley's house through a window. Cummins entered first, then let the others in. While inside, Cummins claimed he and the others drank with Dooley, who refused vodka but drank Budweiser. Cummins alleged that Sean Davy struck Dooley on the back of the head with the bat, then again on the chest, and that James Davy attempted to stab Dooley with a knife that broke. Cummins said he shouted at Davy and that the trio left the house with a plastic bag, the bat and prescription sleeping pills. Matthew Cummins pleaded not guilty. Sean Davy pleaded not guilty. James Davy pleaded not guilty.
Samuel Hutch, 40, of Finglas, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to trespass and possession of a stolen bicycle in Sandymount on 25 October 2015, to damaging a car door in Ringsend on the same date, and to a burglary in Cabra on 6 February 2016. He has 89 prior convictions, including 39 burglaries, possession of a phone in prison, robbery, theft, criminal damage, road traffic and drug offences. Judge Melanie Greally noted that Hutch would face special security arrangements in custody that isolate him from visitors, other prisoners and prison facilities, creating an environment of fear and tension. She accepted his guilty pleas and the fact that the burglaries were committed to fund his drug addiction, and sentenced him to a consecutive four‑year term, suspending the final 18 months on strict conditions. The court acknowledged his ongoing drug treatment in prison and his intention to start a new life after release.
Sean Bird, 25, of Ard Mor Lawn, Fortunestown, Tallaght, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to five years in prison for possession of drugs for sale or supply. The final three years of the sentence were suspended on strict conditions. Bird pleaded guilty to possessing €34,000 worth of heroin found at his home on December 18, 2014. He initially denied the charge but changed his plea to guilty on the second day of trial, after which he was remanded in custody pending sentence. Judge Patrick McCartan noted that Bird had no previous convictions and acknowledged evidence of mental health issues, citing his mother's testimony regarding prior psychiatric assistance. The judge praised Garda Fran Glennon for his police work in stopping Bird and removing the drugs from circulation. Despite offering leniency due to Bird's supportive family and good character, Judge McCartan emphasized the need to send a strong message against assisting drug trafficking. He expressed dismay that the Direction of Public Prosecution left the sentencing decision to the court, given Bird's late guilty plea. The judge also noted that while defense counsel submitted Bird only abused cannabis, reports indicated he had also taken heroin and cocaine. The matter was finalized with this sentence, reflecting the court's balance between leniency for a first-time offender and the severity of the offense.
Christopher Byrne, 29, of Coolock, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for slashing the face of his ex‑girlfriend's 17‑year‑old brother in February 2015. Byrne pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and to possessing a stun gun without a certificate. The incident occurred at the ex‑girlfriend's apartment in Santry when Byrne, acting under a "cloud of anger" after their relationship ended, grabbed a knife from the kitchen sink and struck the boy across the nose and cheek, leaving him in a pool of blood. The boy required 16 stitches and reported being afraid to leave home for a month. Byrne had 28 prior convictions, including two for assault. He was described as remorseful, drug‑free, in a new relationship and training to become a fitness instructor. The judge characterised the assault as vicious, unprovoked and an act of rage, noting the victim's disfiguring laceration.
Paul Dempsey, 51, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment with the final year suspended after he was caught by Gardaí hiding a heroin‑filled football in a front garden. He had been caring for his son's maternal grandmother when Garda Stephen Byrne noticed him acting suspiciously and attempting to conceal a round object. A warrant was issued and within an hour the drugs were discovered. Dempsey pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of the drugs for sale or supply in Rathmines on 6 May 2015. He had previous convictions for road traffic offences and possession of drugs. Garda Eoin Hickey noted that a palm print on the package matched Dempsey's, but the court accepted that he was not the owner of the drugs. The judge acknowledged his past heroin addiction, recent gambling problems and positive steps taken to address his addictions, and imposed a four‑year sentence with the final year suspended on strict conditions.
A man from Cabra West in Dublin has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, following his conviction for involvement in a cocaine importation scheme at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Michael Moore (62) of Killala Road pleaded guilty to possession of one kilogramme of cocaine discovered at Finglas on 4 September 2009. Gardaí intercepted thirteen packages addressed to a bogus engineering company at Dublin Airport; Moore and a co-accused were arrested while examining one such package at a UPS depot. During detention, Moore received threatening text messages demanding he answer his phone and warning he was "playing a dangerous game". He initially denied involvement but later admitted arranging for the package's collection, claiming he believed it contained cash rather than drugs. Moore told officers he had been provided a phone by associates in Spain and feared for his family's safety. He was released on High Court bail but subsequently absconded for six years before his arrest last May following his return to Ireland.
Liam McCann, aged 26, pleaded guilty to false imprisonment, damage to a house and unlawful taking of a car at a woman's home near Scarawalsh, Co. Wexford, on 11 August 2014. He had been drinking and taking drugs for two or three days before the incident. McCann forcefully entered the victim's home at 4 pm, threw himself against a living‑room window, climbed in, put two young children into a cupboard, took two knives, and threatened the woman. He stole her car, crashed it into a wall, attempted to stop passing motorists, and waded across the River Slaney before being apprehended at Gorry Garda Station. He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended. His appeal against the sentence was dismissed by the Court of Appeal, which held that the term reflected the seriousness of the offence.
Donal Ryan, 49, of Kingsfort Avenue, Mallow, pleaded guilty in 2014 to possessing almost €100,000 worth of cannabis for sale or supply at Annakissa, Co Cork. He was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. Ryan appealed the sentence, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, ruling that the eight‑year term was within the available range. The court noted that Gardaí had conducted a surveillance operation targeting Ryan, who was observed at an isolated church and later arrested when cannabis worth €96,000 was seized from a van. Ryan claimed he was a "collector and store man," a role the judge deemed higher than mere storage. His barrister argued that the Criminal Assets Bureau had returned his Q7 jeep and that his partner was working, but the court found no error in the sentencing decision. The appeal was dismissed by Justices Birmingham, Sheehan and Edwards.
John Byrne, aged 28, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for stealing a white Mercedes worth over €50,000 and driving it recklessly on the M3 motorway. The vehicle was taken from Charlemont estate near Griffith Avenue on 3 February 2015, and a Garda pursuit began shortly after. Byrne's car hit a roundabout at high speed, nearly flipped, then crashed through a stop sign and a fence before stopping in wasteland. He fled the scene, wading through a river, before being captured. The car was badly damaged and written off. Byrne pleaded guilty to using a car without the owner's consent and recklessly damaging it. He had six prior convictions, including drug misuse and property damage. The court found his actions "appalling" and "extraordinarily reckless," and sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, with the two counts running concurrently.
Ross Allen, 26, from Clara, Co Offaly, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for his role in the killing of Christy Daly at Bog Lane in Clara. The Central Criminal Court heard that Allen, who had been taken from his drug‑addicted mother as a baby and had lost both foster parents as a child, was involved in retrieving a shotgun he believed would be used to scare Daly. He acted as a lookout while two other men beat and shot Daly eight times. Allen claimed he did not know Daly would be killed. His defence counsel, Blaise O'Carroll SC, described Allen's unsettled background, his early life in care, the deaths of his foster parents, and his attempts to lead a productive life, including work in carpentry and landscaping. Allen had 25 previous convictions but no custodial sentences. He will be sentenced on Wednesday, 27 July.
Dubliner Laura Dempsey, a 25-year-old mother of two, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for assisting an offender in connection with the murder of 33-year-old Kieran Farrelly on October 26, 2014. Dempsey pleaded guilty to impeding the apprehension or prosecution of the person she believed was guilty of the killing, which involved concealing a shotgun used at Killarney Court, Killarney Street, Dublin 1. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy noted that Dempsey admitted being present at the shooting and placing the firearm in a wheelie bin after being given it by another accused. The judge acknowledged mitigating factors, including Dempsey's early guilty plea, her attempt to discourage the attack, and her heroin addiction, while recognizing the serious nature of the offence. Dempsey was sentenced to three years in prison, with the final two years suspended for a period of three years. She must comply with a probation officer and attend the Merchant's Quay Project or a suitable alternative. The sentence commences from the date of sentencing, with credit given for time already served. A separate murder charge against Dempsey was previously dismissed following an application under Section 4E of the Criminal Justice Act 1999.
Patrick Brunell, 35, was jailed for five years after Gardaí seized €2.5 million worth of drugs and a large weapons cache at his father's transport company in Tallaght. He handed over 29 kg of cocaine, 6.4 kg of heroin, a Czech CZ rifle with silencer, a Beretta shotgun, a Yugoslavian AK‑47 style assault rifle and a German Sauer rifle with telescopic sight, plus 105 rounds of ammunition. Brunell, who had held the items for two weeks, claimed he was paid €1,500‑€2,000 and that he had no choice. He pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs and weapons. Judge Patrick McCartan, citing the seriousness of the weapons but noting Brunell was not the dealer, imposed a seven‑year sentence with the final two years suspended. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The article reports no further legal developments.
Joseph O'Neill, 41, of Ballyfermot, was sentenced to seven years in prison for possessing €1.4 million worth of heroin concealed in two fire extinguishers. He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply on 19 August last year. O'Neill had been in Cloverhill Prison for nine months when he became chairman of the jail's Red Cross organisation and worked on a programme to reduce prison violence. He had given media interviews and spoke at an international conference in Dublin Castle, where he was one of four Irish prisoners invited and was not restrained. The judge noted his transformation and imposed a seven‑year sentence, suspending the final three years on strict conditions, backdating it to the date he entered custody. O'Neill apologized, said he was a chronic cocaine addict, and expressed remorse for the potential harm caused by the drugs. The operation was described as sophisticated, with the heroin hidden in hollowed fire extinguishers.
A 23‑year‑old man, Jordan Cunningham, was sentenced to six and a half years' imprisonment for a series of robberies committed while on bail. He pleaded guilty to burglary at Event Fuel (July 19 2015), robbery at Tuttys corner shop and South Circular Pharmacy, attempted robbery at Cahills Pharmacy (July 22 2015), and robbery at Ladbrookes (October 22 2015). In each offence he used knives or a broken bottle to threaten staff and demanded money. Cunningham was released on bail for the burglary and later on high‑court bail to attend drug treatment, yet he continued to commit offences to repay drug debts. The judge noted his long‑standing drug addiction and the escalation of violence he was willing to use. Consecutive sentences totalling six and a half years were imposed, with the final year suspended. The court highlighted Cunningham's admissions, apologies and progress in rehabilitation courses while in custody.
Michael Brennan, 29, with a prior conviction for attempted murder, was seen by Gardaí chasing a group while armed with two knives. He pursued the group to a parked car, attempting to open or stab it, before Gardaí ordered him to drop the knives. Brennan, from Almayne Park South, Balgriffin, had previously pleaded guilty to knife possession in January 2016 and had 67 prior convictions, including attempted murder, intimidation of a witness and threats to kill. He was released in May 2015 after a ten‑year sentence for the 2007 attempted murder. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard the incident stemmed from a family dispute and that Brennan was relapsing into drug addiction. Judge Melanie Greally remanded him in custody until 11 October, noting his high risk of re‑offending and concern over his capacity for extreme violence. The court considered a probation report that was positive but highlighted the need for support structures to prevent future offending.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 13 July 2016, Shane Byrne, aged 28, pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in his home between 1 and 7 March 2012. Gardaí, acting on a search warrant, entered a house in Castleknock that Byrne shared with his older brother, Michael. Byrne led officers to his bedroom where a shotgun was found tucked under an armchair. A second shotgun and a quantity of drugs were also seized. Byrne claimed the gun had been left there by his brother and that he had no involvement in the illegal items. The court noted that Byrne had no prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally ruled that the shotgun was not Byrne's property, attributing responsibility to his brother. She imposed a three‑year sentence, suspended in its entirety, and highlighted the harm firearms pose to society.
During a murder trial, witness Ms. April Murray testified that on 11 February 2014 she and her daughter were at Mangan's pub in Edenderry, where they met James Davy, Sean Davy and Jade Mooney. After the pub, they returned to Murray's house, where the men drank beer and used cocaine from a key. Murray described a chaotic scene the next morning, with damage to the living room and kitchen, and noted a light‑brown wooden baseball bat on the kitchen table. She claimed the bat had been used and was later left in a taxi. Courtleigh Maloney, an 18‑year‑old, confirmed that James Davy had brought the bat to the pub and left it in the taxi. Jade Mooney also stated that Davy had shown her the bat and said it was to "protect himself." The accused men, Matthew Cummins, Sean Davy and James Davy, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Thomas Dooley.
John O'Rourke, 18, pleaded guilty to robbery of Chinese man Fen Ling Wang on Liffey Street on 10 July 2015. The attack involved seven teenagers who assaulted Wang, delivering kicks and blows that left him unconscious. The gang robbed his phone and shoes before abandoning him. Gardaí monitored the assault live via CCTV and interviewed the attackers after a six‑hour delay. O'Rourke was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally to a three‑year suspended term, with conditions of good behaviour, probation supervision and participation in drug, alcohol and anger‑awareness programmes. The court noted his difficult childhood and positive steps taken in his life. Other members of the group received separate sentences, including a ten‑month term for one male and a five‑month term for a 14‑year‑old girl. The case highlighted the violent nature of the assault and the victim's significant injuries and medical costs.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Catherine Murphy sentenced 20‑year‑old Buti Sashi to nine months' imprisonment for robbing a taxi driver on 23 August 2014. Sashi, a former Blackrock College rugby player, beat the driver, stole his iPhone, SatNav and €220, and left his passport, mobile phone and a necklace in the taxi before reporting the passport lost at a Garda station. He pleaded guilty to the robbery, failed to attend probation and restorative justice conferences, and tested positive for cocaine and speed. Sashi had not completed a Rathmines College course or an anger‑awareness course, and his employer reference was deemed unsatisfactory. He apologized to the court, calling himself an "idiot" for taking drugs, and Judge Murphy urged him to use his custodial time constructively. The sentence reflects the court's view that Sashi had been given many opportunities to improve his situation.
Anthony Connors, 40, pleaded guilty to burglary at the Daughter's of Charity Community Services in Dublin on 13 October 2015. He had been released from an eleven‑year sentence in September 2015 after a 2009 conviction for burglary, false imprisonment, robbery and handling stolen property. Connors had 47 prior convictions and had relapsed into drug use after release. Garda Aidan Noonan reported that an employee found a missing laptop, CCTV identified Connors acting suspiciously, and he was arrested the next day. Judge Karen O'Connor, after hearing evidence in May, noted his long history of custody and chronic drug addiction, but that he was now methadone‑free. She imposed a one‑year sentence, suspended it in full, and warned that failure to seek help would lead to more prison time. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Dubliner Laura Dempsey, a 25-year-old mother of two, was remanded in custody at the Central Criminal Court for sentencing next Monday. She pleaded guilty to impeding the apprehension or prosecution of the person she believed was guilty of murdering 33-year-old Kieran Farrelly on October 26, 2014. The offence involved assisting in the concealment of a shotgun used in the killing at Killarney Court, Killarney Street. Although initially charged with murder, that charge was dismissed following an application under Section 4E of the Criminal Justice Act 1999. Detective Garda Gary Moran testified that Dempsey had 59 previous convictions, including for drugs possession and theft, many of which occurred after the shooting. He noted her heroin addiction and that victim impact statements were prepared but not read. Defence counsel Remy Farrell SC submitted a psychiatric report detailing ongoing flashbacks and clinical depression, arguing that a pronounced element of duress constituted a powerful mitigating factor. He highlighted that Dempsey made full voluntary admissions and had only transient possession of the weapon. Prosecuting counsel Dominic McGinn SC stated the maximum sentence for the offence was 10 years. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy said she needed time to consider the material handed in and remanded Dempsey in custody for sentencing next Monday.
Gavan Murphy, a 31‑year‑old horticulture student from St Aidan's Park, Marino, Dublin, pleaded guilty to cultivating cannabis plants on 12 August 2015. Gardai, acting on a tip, searched his house and discovered a garage converted into a grow‑house equipped with grow tents, a heating system and tin foil. The garage contained twelve mature plants and 33 smaller ones, plus three jars of buds and seeds in the bedroom. The estimated street value of the 55 plants was €44,000. Murphy claimed he grew the plants for personal use to avoid buying from a dealer and that half would die within a week. He had no prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally suspended a three‑year sentence on the condition that he remain drug‑free, noting his steps to address cannabis dependency.
The Court of Appeal upheld the five‑year suspended sentences imposed on Warren Bale, 45, of Castlecurragh Vale, and his nephew Kaide Fowler, 28, of Deanstown Avenue, Finglas, for their roles as "pickers" in a cannabis‑grow‑house operation. The DPP had appealed the sentences, arguing that the judge had not considered the commercial scale of the operation and had failed to weigh aggravating factors. Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, sitting with Mr Justice John Edwards and Mr Justice Paul Butler, ruled that the trial judge had fully appreciated the seriousness of the offences and the damage caused by drug abuse. He noted that Bale's early guilty plea and lack of prior convictions were not alone sufficient for a suspended sentence, but his dependence on cannabis after a serious road‑traffic accident and subsequent addiction were mitigating.
Joseph O'Neill, 41, pleaded guilty to possessing €1.4 million worth of heroin with intent to supply. He was caught with 10 kg of heroin concealed in two fire extinguishers. While in Cloverhill Prison, O'Neill became chairman of the jail's Red Cross organisation and worked on a programme to reduce prison violence. He gave a speech at an international conference in Dublin Castle and was left standing on Dame Street for an hour before guards escorted him back to prison. O'Neill apologised to gardaí, admitted he was a chronic cocaine addict and had been motivated by debt after losing his truck‑driver job. He asked the court to consider suspending part of any sentence imposed. He will be sentenced on 15 July.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Patrick McCartan sentenced 43‑year‑old Robert Kealy to five years' imprisonment, suspending the final year on probation, after Kealy pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for sale or supply. Kealy was arrested following a Garda stop outside The Barge Pub, where he was found with heroin worth €7,598. A subsequent search of his home uncovered weighing scales and drug‑dealing "tick lists". The judge said the sentence was intended to remove one more dealer from the streets, noting Kealy was selling drugs to support his own habit despite medical warnings of possible amputations. Kealy's record includes 42 prior convictions for drug dealing, assault, theft, burglary and criminal damage. His defence counsel, Sarah‑Jane Callaghan, described him as a chronic drug user who was deeply sorry for the harm he caused. Garda Paddy Farrell confirmed Kealy's role as a trusted distributor within the local drug‑using community.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 5 July 2016, Thomas Wall, aged 29, pleaded guilty to attempted burglary at a foreign student's apartment on High Street. Wall claimed he had missed his daughter's First Communion because he was "locked up" and was trying to obtain money to give her after the event. 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 to a noise, saw Wall on the balcony attempting to open the window, screamed, and called for help. Gardaí arrested Wall outside the balcony. He was remanded in custody until 24 October, when his sentence would be finalised. Wall, a heroin user, has 74 prior convictions, including 15 for burglary, and has been making progress in addressing his addiction.
A 48‑year‑old Dublin man was jailed for three‑and‑a‑half years, with the last six months suspended, after pleading guilty to assault causing harm to a woman he had met to use heroin. The assault took place on 16 April 2012 in the woman's apartment in Rathmines, where the man repeatedly struck her with various objects, including an air‑freshener can. The victim was left with extensive bruising on her thighs, abdomen, lower spine and arms, and she later claimed the attack left her homeless and worsened her psychiatric and substance‑use problems. The judge noted the man had 12 prior convictions, including an attempted rape, and that the offence was at the most serious end of the scale. The sentence was back‑dated to July 2012, allowing credit for time already served.
An Ecuadorian man, Angel Felix Garcia, aged 30, was jailed for nine months after attempting to smuggle cannabis into Ireland to fund an eye operation for his daughter. Garcia was arrested at Dublin Airport on 5 February 2016 after a customs officer searched him and found 150 cannabis pellets weighing 1.5 kg, valued at under €9,000. He admitted swallowing the pellets and had purchased €2,500 worth of drugs with savings, hoping to sell them for €6,000 to cover the €5,500 operation. Garcia explained that the 2016 Ecuador earthquake had destroyed his family's home, placing his two daughters and former partner on the missing persons list. He pleaded guilty, showing "uncommon candour," and received an 18‑month sentence with the final nine months suspended, back‑dated to his arrest. The judge noted his early guilty plea and his willingness to search for his family.
Haulier John Needham, 31, was sentenced to eight years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis and supplying a prescription-only medicinal product otherwise than in accordance with marketing authorisation. The offences occurred in July 2015 at a location in Finglas. Gardaí recovered 100 kilograms of cannabis resin valued at €580,000 and 400,000 Zopiclone tablets valued at €800,000 from a truck Needham was unloading. He admitted to being paid €500 to transport the goods, believing they were only tablets. Judge Melanie Greally noted that Needham had previously received a three-year sentence in France for a similar cannabis offence, with the final 18 months suspended. Despite mitigation that he was "easily led" and acting to help his financially troubled father, the Judge stated it was inconceivable he would repeat the offence for such a small reward. She found he had learned little from his prior incarceration and played a crucial role in bringing significant drugs into the country. The eight-year sentence was imposed as the final disposal for these admitted charges.
Darren McKevitt, 26, of Walkinstown, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to arson of a car, dangerous driving, driving under the influence, driving without insurance, three counts of assault, possession of a stolen Toyota Avensis, a PSV certificate, an Irish driving licence and insurance certificate, and unlawful possession of a stun gun. The offences occurred between October and November 2014, including a bonfire incident on Halloween where he drove a car into a bonfire, jumped out, and assaulted three gardaí on Durrow Road, Crumlin. Blood tests showed he was five times over the alcohol limit. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a five‑year sentence, back‑dated to November 2014, with the balance suspended, and ordered continued work with probation officers, drug rehabilitation and employment training. The court noted McKevitt had nine previous convictions, including drug possession for sale or supply. The case was prosecuted by Monika Leech BL and defended by Libby Charlton BL.
Sean McKevitt, aged 30, received a three‑year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to assaulting tourist Zoe Jackson in Temple Bar Square on 6 May 2013. McKevitt, who was homeless and on a methadone maintenance programme at the time, had been in a group listening to buskers when Jackson's boyfriend refused him a cigarette. McKevitt allegedly aimed a punch at the boyfriend, who moved, but the blow struck Jackson, fracturing her right eye socket and causing a laceration. She was hospitalized for five days and suffered temporary double vision. McKevitt had 117 prior convictions, mainly for public‑order offences. Judge Patricia Ryan, after hearing evidence of his recent housing and drug‑treatment progress, imposed the suspended sentence. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In June 2016 a 16‑year‑old Dublin teenager was sentenced to four‑and‑a‑half years' detention for a series of robberies in which he threatened four women with a large knife. He pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and four robbery charges in the Tallaght area. The court noted that the teenager had 29 prior convictions but this was his first violent offence. He admitted to using a knife and drugs to feel brave enough to commit the robberies. Judge Martin Nolan suspended the final two years of the sentence on the condition that the teenager engage with the Probation Service for two years after release and take every educational opportunity while in custody. The case was prosecuted by Fiona Murphy BL and defended by Cathal McGreal BL, who highlighted the defendant's borderline intellectual disability and history of abuse. The incidents involved threatening victims, demanding cash, and stealing phones and bank cards.
James Murphy, 37, was stopped by Gardaí for erratic driving and found with €44,712 worth of cannabis in his boot. He pleaded guilty to possession for sale or supply at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. A follow‑up search of his home uncovered an additional €404 of cannabis. Murphy had seven prior convictions, including larceny, traffic offences and drug possession. During the interview he claimed he had smoked a joint two hours earlier and that he was transporting drugs "from A to B" for "bit of weed". Judge Melanie Greally, after a cold analysis of the evidence, imposed a five‑year suspended sentence, noting Murphy's efforts to rehabilitate and his low intellectual functioning. The sentence includes 240 hours of community service and 18 months of engagement with the Probation Service. The hearing also recorded Murphy's admission of debt and his desire to leave the drug habit.
Emmet McAuley, 31, pleaded guilty to robbery at a Celbridge off‑licence on 30 May 2015. He was armed with a plastic McDonald's knife, which he claimed to hold, and was pursued on foot by the shop owner. The robbery lasted about 60 seconds, involved no violence, and the robbers escaped with cash and cigarettes, which were later recovered. McAuley was restrained without resistance and later arrested. He has 22 prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three‑year sentence, suspended in full on strict conditions, including a €1,000 payment to the injured party. The court noted McAuley's cooperation with Gardaí and his completion of a residential drug treatment programme. No further convictions or outcomes were mentioned in the article.
Daniel Kavanagh, aged 25, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment on 18 February 2016 for possessing a 9mm Makarov pistol, a silencer and three rounds of ammunition. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 13 July 2015. The judge, Martin Nolan, held that Kavanagh must have known the weapons would be used to kill or injure, and that the most innocent explanation was that he was transporting the gun for others to use. Garda Alan Carbery testified that the firearm was found in a silver metal case inside a black bag in the footwell of a car in which Kavanagh was a passenger. Ballistic tests confirmed the gun and silencer were compatible and capable of firing the ammunition. The serial number on the gun had been deliberately erased. Kavanagh had nine prior convictions, including three for drug dealing. The driver of the car, an associate, pleaded guilty to related offences and will be sentenced next month.
Lucas Lima, a 25‑year‑old Brazilian student living at Mountjoy Square, Dublin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to importing cocaine into Ireland. He was offered €1,000 to €3,000 to transport a bag containing €139,650 worth of cocaine from Spain to Dublin Airport on 11 January 2016. Revenue officials intercepted him at the airport using customs profiling; they found three plastic bottles in a second suitcase, the lids of which were glued and contained cocaine when opened. Lima claimed he needed money to renew his student visa and pay for an English‑language college, and that a Brazilian acquaintance offered him payment for the delivery. Garda Kevin Nolan said Lima knew he was bringing illicit goods. Judge Elma Sheahan, noting the circumstances, imposed a six‑year sentence, suspended the final three and a half years, and allowed her to depart from the mandatory ten‑year minimum for the offence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Judge Melanie Greally ruled that an accused's alleged income from criminal activity could not be considered when assessing his eligibility for legal aid. The man, charged with drug dealing and firearm offences, had applied for legal aid, but Gardaí believed he possessed income from crime. The judge agreed with Garda Janice Gray that seized cash and vehicles were suspected to be from illicit sources, but stated that only legal assets could be used to assess the accused's ability to pay for his defence. The accused receives disability benefit and rent supplement payments, and the judge found no significant lawful income. The case remains pending, with the trial scheduled for next year.
Lucas Lima, a 25‑year‑old Brazilian language student, admitted to transporting a bag of cocaine from Spain to Dublin to raise money for college fees. He was offered between €1,000 and €3,000 to carry €139,650 worth of cocaine. At Dublin Airport on 11 January 2016, customs officials, using profiling techniques, stopped him and discovered three plastic bottles in a second suitcase; the lids were glued and the contents were cocaine. Lima had returned from a two‑day trip to Barcelona and had an extra suitcase. He claimed that a Brazilian acquaintance, aware of his financial difficulties, offered the money if he completed the delivery. Garda Kevin Nolan said Lima knew he was carrying illicit goods and was aware of the risk. Judge Elma Sheahan adjourned sentencing to a Thursday, stating she needed time to consider her verdict. The defence argued the offence was out of character and that Lima would leave Ireland and never return.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Samuel Hutch, 40, a cousin of the murdered Gary Hutch, was found to face special security arrangements in prison that would isolate him from visitors, other inmates and prison facilities. The court heard that these measures were imposed because of an "environment of fear and tension" and that Hutch would be "extremely lonely." Breffni Gordon BL argued that Hutch was a different character from the Hutch family's criminal brand, citing his 89 prior convictions, including 39 burglaries, possession of a stolen bicycle, and a burglary in Cabra. Hutch pleaded guilty to trespass, possession of a stolen bicycle, damaging a car door, and a burglary. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to July 21 to allow a victim impact report and urinalysis. Gordon noted that Hutch had been in drug rehabilitation before the 2015 family tragedies, including his cousin's murder, caused a relapse.
William Beresford, aged 45, was convicted of manslaughter in 1999 after killing his brother during a fight. He pleaded guilty to robbery at the Station's Sport Club in August 2015, using a pellet gun to threaten former colleagues. Beresford, who had 28 prior convictions for minor offences, surrendered to Gardaí four days after the robbery. He admitted embarrassment and regret, citing drug addiction as a motive. Judge Melanie Greally revoked his bail and remanded him in custody until a sentencing hearing on 11 November, ordering a probation report. The robbery involved a €4,400 theft that was never recovered. Beresford's background includes a history of drug abuse, four children aged 12 to 29, and a marriage that ended in 2012. The case highlights his ongoing legal and personal difficulties.
A homeless mother of five, Lisa Blake, aged 38, was staying in a Dublin hotel with her children when she entered another resident's room and attacked her with a chisel. The victim, Michelle Lowry, sustained minor injuries, including a small scar on her nose. Blake, who had previously lived in her own home and worked at The Regency Hotel, claimed that the economic downturn and heroin addiction had caused her to lose her home. She pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm on 30 July 2013. Garda James Woods described the incident as involving Blake entering the victim's room, hitting and kicking while shouting "you're a rat," pulling the victim by the hair, and using a chisel. The altercation involved the victim's four‑year‑old daughter and teenage son, and was broken up in the corridor by other residents. Judge Elma Sheahan adjourned the sentence to October to allow Blake to engage with Probation Services.
A man who became involved in selling a stolen car to reduce his drug debt has been given a suspended sentence. Karl Burke (27), of Oatfield Lawns, Clondalkin Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to handling a stolen car and possession of a false Vehicle Registration Certificate (VRC) at The Park Shopping Centre, Carrickmines on October 30, 2014. The case was heard_or_decision. Burke admitted to the charges and was found guilty. Judge Melanie Greally noted that Burke had no longer been using drugs and had a supportive family. She imposed a three-year sentence, which was suspended in full. Garda Paschal Carley stated that gardai were alerted by an official at Wicklow County Council about suspicions regarding a VRC. The investigation revealed the car had been stolen from Castleknock and had a cloned chassis number. Burke had initially met the buyer in Clondalkin and later sold the car at Carrickmines, producing a driver's licence in a false name. Burke told gardai he had become involved in the offence to pay off a cocaine debt of between €8,000 – €10,000. He was to have €500 taken off his debt for his role. Mary Rose Gearty SC, defending, said Burke had taken care of the main catalyst for the offence and no longer wants anything to do with drugs or his old associates. He is a father of two and wishes to return to full-time education.