Michael Daly, 27, of Knockmore Grove, Tallaght, was jailed for three years and nine months after a high‑speed chase on the N81. He drove a stolen Ford Transit van without a licence or insurance, swerved onto the wrong side of the road at up to 140 km/h, and attempted to hit Garda patrol cars. The chase caused €10,000 of damage to a patrol car and forced a Garda to run into a garden to avoid being struck. Daly pleaded guilty to endangerment, unlawful use of a vehicle, driving without insurance and two counts of criminal damage. He had been disqualified from driving since 2022 and had previous convictions for drugs and public order offences. The judge, after considering his guilty pleas and mitigating factors, imposed the sentence and a four‑year driving disqualification.
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence in the trial concerning the 2014 disappearances of Eoin O'Connor and Anthony Keegan. The prosecution alleged that the pair went to Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan, to collect a debt of approximately €70,000 owed by Jason Symes and South African national Neville van der Westhuizen. Testimony from the O'Connor brothers described attempts to locate the missing men at the homes of Symes and his son, Sean, who reported being threatened by a group of men. The court heard that van der Westhuizen was in a relationship with Ruth Lawrence, with whom he lived in Patrick's Cottage near Lough Sheelin. The prosecution described their relationship as symbiotic and alleged a plan was formed in 2013 to rob drugs from O'Connor's house. While the source text details the trial proceedings and witness accounts, it does not contain the final verdict or sentencing for Ruth Lawrence or Neville van der Westhuizen in this specific instance. However, factual records indicate that Neville van der Westhuizen is currently serving a 15-year sentence in Westville Prison in Durban, having been convicted in 2020 on six counts of kidnapping, attempted murder, and murder. The report does not specify a plea, finding, or sentence for Ruth Lawrence, nor does it detail any adjournments or suspended portions of the sentence.
On 18 November 2022, Nicola Smart, 42, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply and to possessing €3,725 of proceeds of crime in her Prospect Hill home. Gardaí found €24,000 worth of cocaine, €1,160 of cannabis and zopiclone tablets in a garden shed, and a small amount of cannabis in her bedroom. The court heard that Smart's home was being used by criminals to store drugs, and that the drugs were on a top shelf in the shed, a location difficult for her to access because she is in a wheelchair. Smart has two prior convictions for minor traffic offences. She is a paraplegic, a former heroin and cocaine user who suffered a stroke in 2017, and her adult daughter is her carer. The judge, recognising her low culpability and health issues, imposed a three‑year sentence suspended in full under a number of conditions.
A van driver, Colin Radburn, 37, was jailed for four and a half years after a routine Garda checkpoint on St Luke's Road, Dublin 8, revealed €350,000 worth of cocaine and £15,520 in cash hidden in the van's air filter cabinet. Radburn, who had been driving the van at the time, panicked and attempted to abandon it when Gardaí stopped him. He pleaded guilty to one count of possessing drugs for sale or supply under Section 15A of the Misuse of Drugs Act. The court noted his prior convictions for road traffic offences and that he had been out of work since an injury in 2022, which contributed to a drug habit. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Radburn's role was that of transporter and holder, and set the sentence at four and a half years, backdated to his arrest.
Atilas Misevicius, 24, of Montpellier View, Tallaght, pleaded guilty at Tallaght District Court to multiple counts of possession and possession for sale or supply of heroin and cocaine, contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Acts. The court heard that gardaí searched his home on 2 February and found 20 small bags of cocaine with an estimated street value of €210, along with €500 in cash. Misevicius accepted responsibility when questioned. The court also noted that he had previously been found with heroin and cocaine worth €1,000 at the same address on 1 May 2024. Defending solicitor Michael Hennessy stated that his client had taken responsibility at the earliest opportunity. Mr Hennessy told the court that Misevicius, who is originally from Latvia but has lived in Ireland all his life, had been homeless between the ages of 19 and 22. Counsel said his client has since moved away from the Tallaght area, secured a job with an international delivery company, and now has a one-year-old child. Mr Hennessy added that Misevicius had been using cocaine while living in hostels but is no longer taking drugs, and that he has no previous convictions. Judge Patricia McNamara ordered a probation report and remanded Misevicius on continuing bail to appear again at Tallaght District Court on 16 January next.
The Central Criminal Court will hear a fifth day of deliberations in the trial of Ruth Lawrence, 46, who is accused of shooting drug dealer Eoin O'Connor and another man, Anthony Keegan, between 22 April and 26 May 2014. Lawrence, originally from Clontarf, Dublin, was extradited from South Africa in 2023 and has pleaded not guilty to both murder charges. The jury, composed of 12 members, has been considering verdicts for 12 hours and may return a majority verdict on one or both counts if at least ten jurors agree. The prosecution, led by Michael O'Higgins SC, argues that Lawrence and her boyfriend Neville van der Westhuizen acted as a unit to lure and murder the victims, while the defence, represented by Patrick Gageby SC, contends that key witnesses, the Symes, are unreliable. The trial continues with the jury scheduled to return on Wednesday morning to finalize their verdicts.
A 25‑year‑old Dublin man was jailed for four years after stabbing two neighbours during a cocaine‑induced paranoid episode. He pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm and one count of producing a knife capable of serious harm. The victims were a father in his 50s and his son in his 20s, who had no prior issues with the defendant. He entered their garden, claimed he was looking for a football, and used a hunting knife to stab the older man in the back three times and cut his thumb. He then stabbed the son to the right side of the head. Both victims were taken to hospital; the father suffered three stab wounds to the back and cuts to the neck and thumb, while the son had a head cut requiring five staples. The court heard victim impact statements describing lasting physical and psychological effects.
Gintaras Jankevicius, 53, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, with the final year suspended, for raping and sexually assaulting a woman over several hours. He threatened to keep her in his home until she became pregnant and gave her a knife, telling her to use it if she wanted him to stop. The victim, who was terrified, did not stab him and later reported the assault to gardaí. Jankevicius pleaded guilty to rape, sexual assault and false imprisonment. He is already serving a three‑year sentence for drug possession and has been in custody since March 2025. The judge imposed strict conditions on the suspended year, including no contact with the victim, abstinence from alcohol and drugs, and offence‑focused work, and ordered five years of post‑release supervision. The court noted Jankevicius showed little remorse and was considered a high risk of reoffending. The victim's impact statement described lasting trauma, nightmares and anxiety.
A 25‑year‑old Brazilian national, Gilson Da Costa Santos, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for importing nearly €200,000 worth of cocaine into Ireland. He pleaded guilty to the offence at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after being stopped at Dublin Airport on 7 May 2025, where 2.85 kg of cocaine was found in his suitcase. Da Costa Santos admitted the importation and claimed he had swallowed drugs, but no evidence of ingestion was found in a hospital scan. He said he was acting under threat and that his family had been threatened, prompting his travel to Ireland with the drugs. The judge accepted his signed pleas and his role as a transporter, and backdated the sentence to the date he entered prison in May. The case was prosecuted by Fergal Foley BL and defended by Marc Thompson SC.
Dominik Biber, a 28‑year‑old Polish national, was convicted of attempting to murder his flatmate Tomasz Grosser, falsely imprisoning him and burglarising a neighbouring apartment. The Central Criminal Court sentenced him to 13 years, with the last two years suspended for the attempted murder, after a judge described the attack as a "ferocious and spontaneous eruption of terrible violence". Biber's appeal to reduce the 11‑year sentence was dismissed by the Court of Appeal. The appeal argued that the offences occurred under "very unusual circumstances" and that Biber's drug‑induced psychosis and prior rehabilitation should have led to a lighter sentence. The Director of Public Prosecutions countered that Biber had persisted in drug use despite previous psychosis. The judge upheld the sentence, noting no extraordinary life‑altering injuries to Grosser and that the 35% reduction was appropriate. The case remains at the appellate stage. Dominik Biber pleaded guilty.
The jury in the trial of Ruth Lawrence, accused of shooting drug dealer Eoin O'Connor and murder suspect Anthony Keegan, has been allowed to return a majority verdict. The panel of four men and eight women began deliberations on Thursday and have spent eight hours and 21 minutes over three days. Lawrence, 46, pleaded not guilty to both murder charges. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, explained that a majority verdict could be accepted if at least ten jurors agreed, and that an alternative verdict of "guilty of assisting an offender" could be used only if the jury found her not guilty of murder. The trial has heard statements from protected witnesses Jason and Stacey Symes, who claimed Lawrence told them she had shot O'Connor and that Neville van der Westhuizen, a South African national, was involved.
Ellysom Ojba, 25, of Fana Glas, Ballybane, Galway, was found guilty of possession of drugs for sale or supply and money laundering after a Garda investigation in Eyre Square and his home. He was discovered with two socks hidden in his underwear, each containing sixteen deal bags of suspected cocaine and ketamine, a weighing scale, and €1,030 in cash. A search of his bedroom revealed additional drugs and €525. Ojba, a first‑time offender with no prior convictions, pleaded guilty and expressed remorse. Judge Brian O'Callaghan described his conduct as "blatant greed" and, considering mitigating factors such as his signed plea, positive probation report, and lack of prior criminal history, sentenced him to two years' imprisonment suspended in full for three years. He was ordered to pay €1,500 each to Jigsaw and Cluine Mhuire within a month, with €500 to each within four weeks.
A 44-year-old painter decorator, Gary Newman of St James Road, Walkinstown, pleaded guilty at Tallaght District Court to drug-driving on Kimmage Road West on 11 February, 2022. The charge was admitted, and the plea was guilty. Garda Dylan O'Malley informed the court that Newman was stopped by gardai after his car, which had no relevant discs displayed, was observed driving in the Crumlin area. Newman was on a learner permit and failed a roadside drug test. A blood sample later confirmed the presence of cocaine in his system. The court heard that Newman had relapsed following personal traumas, including the death of his grandmother and the loss of a child. Since the incident, Newman has completed treatment at St John of God's, is attending Narcotics Anonymous meetings, and has been drug-free for the past year. His solicitor stated that Newman is working full-time, is single but in a relationship, and needs to drive for his job. Judge Karen Dowling acknowledged Newman's progress and directed him to continue engagement with support services and complete a driving awareness course. She ordered a probation report and adjourned the case to 6 February, 2026, for finalisation.
Shane Cowzer, 31, of Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assault causing harm. The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge, which relates to an incident on January 28, 2023. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a 15-month custodial sentence. The judge noted that Cowzer threw a phone at the victim, grabbed her by the neck twice, and bit her on the face. Prosecution evidence indicated Cowzer had threatened the victim and later threatened to visit her workplace via Instagram after she ended their relationship. The victim stated she felt unsafe and required counselling and medication. Defence counsel Luke O'Higgins BL submitted that Cowzer had been homeless and abusing substances at the time but has since become employed, engaged in drug treatment, and entered a committed relationship. He offered a €1,000 compensation payment, contingent on a non-custodial outcome, which was not accepted. The court rejected the mitigation, finding that a custodial term was appropriate for the misbehaviour. The matter was finalised with the imposition of the 15-month sentence.
Marius Mihai Popa, 41, pleaded guilty to careless driving causing the death of Darren Brodigan, 35, on Poppintree Park Lane, Ballymun, on 27 November 2022. Popa was driving at 62 km/h on a 50 km/h road that was dark due to overhanging trees. He called emergency services and flagged an ambulance, but Brodigan died from massive brain injuries. The court heard no CCTV footage; investigators confirmed the speed. Popa cooperated fully, tested negative for alcohol and drugs, and was not distracted. He expressed remorse, apologised to the Brodigan family, and noted he had no previous convictions. Judge Martin Nolan imposed an eight‑month suspended sentence, disqualified Popa from driving for one year, and extended sympathies to the Brodigan family. The case highlighted the darkness of the road and the subsequent upgrade of street lighting. The sentencing was conducted in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The High Court trial of a civil action brought by John Bowe against Supt Rory Sheriff, the Garda Commissioner, the Attorney General, and Ireland continues before Mr Justice Micheál Ó Higgins. Sgt Mick Dee, an applicant in the proceedings, testified regarding an incident outside Bunclody, Co Wexford, on December 5, 2014, following a high-speed pursuit. Sgt Dee stated he believed Mr Bowe was carrying a knife and behaving in a threatening manner, prompting him to alert Supt Sheriff. Supt Sheriff subsequently struck Mr Bowe on the head with a baton. Under cross-examination, Sgt Dee accepted that Mr Bowe did not have a knife, attributing his initial belief to a gut reaction. Mr Bowe claims wrongful and violent assault, alleging he was diagnosed with functional neurological disorder, claims which are denied by the defendants. Witness Det Sgt Noel McSweeney testified that he observed the officers and Mr Bowe walking together without dragging, and noted a cut on Mr Bowe's head. Mr Bowe was previously convicted of dangerous driving arising from the chase but acquitted of a cannabis possession charge. The matter is at the trial stage and has not been finalised; the proceedings continue.
The jury in the trial of Ruth Lawrence, accused of shooting drug dealer Eoin O'Connor and working with her boyfriend Neville van der Westhuizen to murder him and Anthony Keegan, has paused deliberations for the weekend and will resume on Monday. The trial, which began five weeks ago, has heard that Lawrence, 46, was extradited from South Africa and pleaded not guilty to the two murder charges. Two protected witnesses, Jason and Stacey Symes, testified that Lawrence told Stacey she had shot O'Connor but that Neville finished the killing, and that they were asked to move the bodies. The judge explained that the jury can return three verdicts for each murder: guilty, not guilty but guilty of assisting an offender, or not guilty. He emphasized that a conviction requires proof beyond reasonable doubt that Lawrence was part of a joint enterprise to kill the men.
In the Central Criminal Court, a jury of 12 deliberated for 1 hour 22 minutes on the second day of the trial of Ruth Lawrence, aged 46, accused of murdering drug dealer Eoin O'Connor (32) and drug dealer Anthony Keegan (33) between 22 April and 26 May 2014. Lawrence, extradited from South Africa in 2023, pleaded not guilty. The prosecution alleged that Lawrence and her boyfriend Neville van der Westhuizen acted as a "unit" and "tag team", luring O'Connor to their home and shooting him, and that van der Westhuizen also shot Keegan. Two protected witnesses, Jason and Stacey Symes, testified that Lawrence told Stacey she had shot O'Connor but that Neville "took over", and that they were asked to move the bodies.
Daniel O'Neill, 30, of Dublin 17, was already serving a 3‑year‑9‑month sentence for drug offences since October 2023. He pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to money laundering and obtaining insurance by deception between 8 January 2021 and 4 January 2023. A Garda investigation, triggered by his drug‑dealing conviction, analysed several bank accounts and found €290,000 in cash lodgements in his name and a second person's name, plus further cash through a Revolut account. The money was used to buy cars, take holidays and shop online. O'Neill also secured three insurance policies for the cars using a false date of birth while he was disqualified from driving. The court imposed a seven‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, back‑dated to his initial custody in October 2023.
A 22-year-old UK national has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for importing cannabis from Thailand destined for Donegal. Jamie Kearns of Coventry entered signed pleas to possession of drugs and drug importation following his arrest at Dublin Airport on 12 February 2025. Gardaí recovered 24.472 kilograms of cannabis, valued at €489,440, from vacuum-packed bags in his luggage. The court heard Kearns had been approached whilst backpacking in Thailand and asked to transport the drugs to settle a personal drug debt of €4,551.46. Judge Martin Nolan noted the defendant's early guilty plea, lack of previous convictions, and youth at the time of the offence as mitigating factors, departing from the mandatory ten-year minimum sentence. The sentence was backdated to his date of custody.
Patrick Lynch, 45, from Naas, Co Kildare, appealed the severity of a five‑month jail sentence imposed for driving without a licence, insurance or tax and for failing to produce a licence, offences under the Road Traffic Act 1961. Lynch had previously received three driving disqualifications in 2018, lasting six, ten and twenty years, and had 194 prior convictions, about 100 of which were road‑traffic matters. The appeal was heard by Judge Deirdre Browne in the District Court Appeals Court. Lynch's defence counsel, Seosaimhín Ní Chathasaigh BL, argued that Lynch had an early guilty plea, had been born into poverty, had struggled with alcohol and drug misuse, and was now seeking community rehabilitation rather than custody. Judge Browne noted that the offence was "particularly egregious" and that no evidence linked the offence to Lynch's addiction issues; she adjourned the case to 13 November, pending further evidence from the defence. The appeal remains pending.
Kieran Fogarty, aged 21, was resentenced by the Court of Appeal to a total of 14 years in prison, with the final year suspended, after the original eight‑year sentence was deemed unduly lenient. The appeal concerned his role in the fatal hit‑and‑run that killed 21‑year‑old student Joe Drennan on Dublin Road, Limerick, on 13 October 2023. CCTV showed Fogarty driving at 100–122 km/h in a 50 km/h zone, colliding with Drennan's car, then wiping the steering wheel for 14 seconds before fleeing. The Court of Appeal also addressed his other offences: a drive‑by shooting and a drugs‑for‑sale charge. Sentences for the firearms offence and the drugs charge were reduced to eight and four years respectively, while the dangerous‑driving‑causing‑death sentence was set at eight years, to run concurrently with the firearms sentence. Fogarty was disqualified from driving for 20 years. Kieran Fogarty pleaded guilty.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 6 November 2025, the court found that a judge had erred by attributing the suicide of a man who had been threatened over a €1,000 drug debt to the actions of Kenneth Kelly, a 54‑year‑old convicted armed robber. Kelly, who had pleaded guilty to demanding money with menaces and was sentenced to six years in prison in June 2025, had been accused of a prolonged campaign of threats. Defence counsel argued that the judge over‑extended the causal link between Kelly's conduct and the victim's death, noting the victim's mental health difficulties. The appeal focused on the severity of the sentence, with counsel suggesting a seven‑year term would have been more appropriate. The court, led by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, upheld the original sentence but reserved further judgment, with a decision scheduled for 20 November 2025.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Sebastian Czajka, aged 27, was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment for possession of drugs for sale and possession of proceeds of criminal conduct. Gardaí seized €850,020 worth of cannabis, cocaine and ketamine, plus €226,160 in cash, from his Tallaght home. Czajka pleaded guilty to three counts of drug possession for sale or supply and one count of possession of proceeds. The judge, Martin Nolan, had originally considered a 15‑year headline sentence but, after noting Czajka's early guilty plea, his age and the possibility of rehabilitation, imposed 11 years, backdated to his arrest. Defence counsel requested a suspended portion, but the judge declined. The case was heard as a criminal trial, with no prior convictions for Czajka. The drugs were seized following a search warrant issued after a Gardaí raid. The sentence was delivered on 18 February 2024.
The jury has begun deliberations in the trial of Ruth Lawrence, 46, accused of shooting drug dealer Eoin O'Connor and killing drug dealer Anthony Keegan with her boyfriend Neville van der Westhuizen. The case, heard at the Central Criminal Court after a five‑week trial, relies on statements from protected witnesses Jason and Stacey Symes, who claim Lawrence told them she shot O'Connor but that Neville finished the act, and that they were asked to move the bodies. The judge explained that Lawrence could be found guilty of murder on the basis of joint enterprise only if she assisted in a concrete way and had a purpose to help the killings. The jury may return a verdict of guilty of murder, guilty of assisting an offender, or not guilty for each murder charge, and must decide unanimously.
In the trial of Ruth Lawrence, Mr Justice Tony Hunt explained that the jury may return an alternative verdict of assisting an offender if they are not satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that she participated in a joint enterprise to murder drug dealer Anthony Keegan and his friend Eoin O'Connor between 22 April and 26 May 2014. He clarified that for a murder conviction on joint enterprise, the accused must have assisted in a concrete way and had a purpose to deliberately assist in the killings. The judge noted that the two murder counts must be considered separately and that a conviction on one does not automatically imply a conviction on the other. He warned the jury to assess the reliability of the Symes witnesses, who are in the Witness Protection Programme, and to consider the impact of any benefits they receive on their testimony. Ruth Lawrence pleaded not guilty.
Joe Donogher, 55, of Ashlawn Park, Ballybrack, was sentenced to 33 months in jail after pleading guilty to transporting almost €150,000 worth of cocaine. He admitted to possessing a 2‑kg quantity of the drug, valued at €143,925, for sale or supply in Sallynoggin, Dublin, on 16 May 2024. Donogher had no prior convictions. Gardaí had set up a surveillance operation and found the drugs in a toolbox he placed in his van. He claimed he accepted the drugs because his son, who was in debt to "unsavoury characters," was threatened with violence if the debt was not paid. Donogher stated that his son's life was at risk and that he was acting to protect him. The court accepted his early guilty plea and his otherwise clean record, and the judge imposed a 33‑month term, a significant departure from the mandatory minimum of ten years.
John Joseph Carey, a 57-year-old man from Tipperary Town, was sentenced to seven years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to having 16.6 kg of cocaine for sale or supply at Dublin Port on October 10, 2022. The drugs, estimated to have a street value of €1,232,560, were concealed in a Perspex box built into the chassis of a camper van driven by Carey. Prosecution evidence indicated that Carey, who has no previous convictions, was pressured to transport the cocaine to settle a debt that had risen to €250,000. Judge Martin Nolan accepted Carey's guilty plea and noted his cooperation with the Garda investigation. The judge described Carey's culpability as "low to mid," acknowledging that he did not own the drugs and acted to resolve personal financial problems. Consequently, the court imposed a sentence of seven years. The matter was finalized with this sentence, reflecting the court's assessment of the defendant's role and mitigating factors.
A 40-year-old woman from Ballina in County Mayo has pleaded guilty to possessing €62,000 worth of cannabis herb for sale or supply. Bernadette Muldoon, of St Patrick's estate, admitted the offence relating to drugs found at a different address on the same estate on 7 June last year. Gardaí discovered the cannabis in plastic bags and a protein tub following a tip-off search. A man fled the scene when officers arrived. Muldoon presented herself at Ballina Garda Station later that day and accepted responsibility for the drugs. She told gardaí she was holding them under duress due to a €3,000 drug debt and expressed fear for her safety after her home was damaged. The court heard she struggles with cocaine addiction. Judge Eoin Garavan adjourned sentencing to February 2026 to allow Muldoon to engage with probation services and address her substance misuse. The garda acknowledged the operation was not sophisticated and that Muldoon occupied a lower tier in the arrangement.
Michael Rooney Dignam, 44, was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for a series of seven robberies committed between August and September 2024 in Dublin. The robberies involved armed threats with a broken bottle, knife and syringe, and included an incident where a teenage shopkeeper's daughter was held at knife‑point. Victims were shop staff and off‑licence workers who were threatened with stabbing or struck with a broken bottle. Rooney Dignam, who has 55 prior convictions including the manslaughter of his brother, pleaded guilty and expressed remorse. Judge Orla Crowe set a headline sentence of 10 years, reduced to seven and a half years, and suspended the final 12 months on strict conditions, including good behaviour for two years and 12 months of probation. No money was recovered from the robberies. The court noted that the offences were carried out to fund a drug addiction following his release from prison.
In a High Court case, Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced Aidan Duffy, 44, of Gort, for a sexual assault of a 16‑year‑old girl and for engaging in a sexual act with a child under 17. The judge set a headline sentence of seven years for the latter charge, noting it might be reviewed elsewhere, and reduced it to five years due to mitigation and Duffy's guilty plea. For the sexual assault count, the headline was eight years, reduced to six years, with the final year suspended for two years; both sentences run concurrently. Duffy was ordered to probation, therapeutic programmes, no contact with the victim or her family, and a five‑year post‑release supervision. The victim, who wished to remain anonymous, described the assault, drug use, and subsequent trauma, while Duffy denied the allegations and claimed the contact was consensual. The judge highlighted the seriousness of the offences and the impact on the victim.
In a 2025 appeal, Judge Deidre Browne replaced a four‑month jail term with a fully suspended nine‑month sentence for Richard Joseph Doyle, 34, who had been convicted of two counts of assault and a threat of property damage after grabbing a woman by the neck in a Dublin house. The original sentence included four months imprisonment, a €200 fine, and €200 compensation for a damaged window. Doyle appealed on the grounds of severity. The judge, citing a probation report, expressed "very significant concerns" over Doyle's lack of insight into the seriousness of his actions and limited victim empathy. She increased the custodial term to nine months but suspended it, requiring Doyle to enter probation supervision, attend offence‑focused work, participate in a violence‑prevention program, disclose intimate relationships, and undergo drug screening or intervention as directed.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, prosecution barrister Michael O'Higgins SC argued that Ruth Lawrence (46) and her South African boyfriend Neville van der Westhuizen acted as a "unit and tag team" to lure drug dealer Eoin O'Connor (32) to their home at Patricks Cottage, Ross, Mountnugent, and murder him. O'Higgins said Lawrence shot O'Connor in the stomach with intent to kill, but she did not act alone; van der Westhuizen allegedly finished him off, possibly by grappling and shooting him in the head. The prosecution also claimed that the couple killed Anthony Keegan (33) and that both bodies were later found bound and covered on Inchicup Island, Lough Sheelin. Witnesses Jason and Stacey Symes testified that Lawrence told them she had shot O'Connor but it "went wrong" and that van der Westhuizen took over. The case presented evidence of a planned, highly calculated double murder, with Lawrence and van der Westhuizen equally liable under the law. Ruth Lawrence pleaded not guilty.
Conor O'Brien, 24, appeared at the Central Criminal Court for sentencing following his guilty plea to possession of an article in a public place with the intention of causing injury, contrary to section 9(5) of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990. The offence, dated October 21, 2024, involved carrying a knife at New Oak Estate, Carlow. A further charge regarding the possession of a metal bar was taken into consideration. O'Brien is alleged to have accompanied a co-accused to the home of Darren Quigley, where Mr Quigley was allegedly stabbed to death. Prosecution evidence stated O'Brien admitted bringing the weapons to lend 'moral support' and pushing the co-accused off the victim. The co-accused is separately charged with murder. Defence counsel Kathleen Leader SC argued O'Brien was under the influence of alcohol and drugs, had cooperated with the investigation, and is a suitable candidate for probation supervision with family support. Mr Justice Paul McDermott adjourned the matter to November 17 for sentencing.
A 22-year-old man has been sentenced to three years in custody at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for the violent robbery of an off-duty garda in the Camden Road area on 22 January 2024. Evan Ward of Navan Road, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty to the offence. CCTV footage presented at sentencing showed Ward and a juvenile accomplice attacking the garda in the early morning hours, with Ward delivering multiple punches to the victim's head before both assailants stole items including the garda's official identification badge, two passports, bank cards, mobile phones, and car keys. The victim was left unconscious on the ground. Ward admitted he was under the influence of cocaine at the time. He has 57 previous convictions. The court heard evidence of significant childhood mental health difficulties and recent diagnosis of schizophrenic spectrum disorder. The judge imposed a four-year sentence with the final year suspended on condition of continued psychiatric care. The juvenile co-accused received a deferred 22-month detention sentence earlier this year.
Sarah Jane Byrne, 37, and Jamie Moss, 22, were remanded in custody by the Special Criminal Court until 1 December after pleading guilty to firearms offences. Byrne admitted possession of a 9mm Makarov pistol, 27 rounds of 9mm Luger ammunition, a 12‑gauge sawn‑off Beretta shotgun and a Tokarev submachine gun, all found during a Garda operation on 16 February 2024 at Old Navan Road, Blanchardstown. Moss admitted possession of a 9mm Makarov pistol and a 9mm Makarov Sellier and Bellot round of ammunition, also seized on the same day. Byrne's counsel described her as a vulnerable woman with mental health and addiction problems, who stored firearms to pay a debt to drug dealers and had recently overcome addiction but relapsed after a cancer diagnosis. Moss's counsel highlighted his recent completion of a carpentry apprenticeship and community respect. Both defendants had no prior convictions and were considered low risk of reoffending.
A 52‑year‑old man, Kasonga Mbuyi, was given a fully suspended sentence of two‑and‑a‑half years for repeatedly stabbing a German passenger at Dublin Airport. The attack was described as unprovoked and random, with the victim sustaining eight superficial wounds that required 12 stitches. Mbuyi, who was barefoot and behaving erratically, had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and had a history of cannabis misuse. He pleaded guilty after being deemed fit to plead following almost two years in custody. The judge noted his mental illness and cooperation with the investigation, and imposed strict conditions including 18 months of probation supervision, attendance at offence‑related interventions, and engagement with health and vocational services. The sentence was suspended to encourage continued rehabilitation. The victim's impact statement highlighted the profound effect on his life and family.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Noel Smullen, 58, of Silverdale, Clara, Co. Offaly, was sentenced to six and a half years' imprisonment for the unlawful importation of 40 kilos of cocaine, worth €2.8 million, hidden beneath a legitimate cargo of Lego toys. Smullen's role was described as lower than that of co‑accused Killian McNay, 40, who received a seven‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence earlier that month. Smullen pleaded guilty to the offence, which occurred at Dublin Port on 22 September 2024, after customs officers detected a concealed metal compartment in his lorry's trailer. He had nine prior convictions, including burglary and possession of stolen property. The judge, Martina Baxter, noted his cooperation, early guilty plea and lack of drug‑dealing convictions, and suspended the last 18 months of his sentence for two years on the condition of good behaviour and engagement with the Probation Service.
In a Dublin murder case, Josip Strok and his friend David Druzinec were attacked after a 17‑year‑old boy at a bus stop was denied a lighter. The boy later warned other teenagers, who then boarded a bus and were followed by Mark Lee (44) and Anthony Delappe (19). Lee and Delappe, who had been in Lee's house smoking cannabis, pursued Strok and Druzinec, striking them with a pickaxe handle and a half‑crutch. Strok suffered a fatal brain injury after falling and was pronounced dead four days later. Lee and Delappe pleaded not guilty to murder but were found guilty by an 11‑to‑1 majority. Connor Rafferty (21) was acquitted of murder after claiming he only delivered light smacks. The case was heard in the Central Criminal Court on 30 March 2024. The verdicts were delivered on 30 October 2025.
At the Central Criminal Court, a jury heard that drug dealer Eoin O'Connor sent a text message on April 22, 2014, stating "have to go to country… if anything happens to me" before he and Anthony Keegan disappeared. Ruth Lawrence (45), with an address in Co Meath, has pleaded not guilty to murdering both men at an unknown location between April 22 and May 26, 2014. A senior garda intelligence analyst told the court she examined phone records for twelve numbers in the investigation. Cell site data indicated the men travelled from Dublin to Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan that evening. Ms Lawrence's phone showed activity consistent with travel towards Cavan town after 6.25pm, with her last connection at 7.36pm. The prosecution alleges Ms Lawrence and her boyfriend killed Mr O'Connor over a €70,000 drug debt, with both bodies later discovered bound and wrapped on Inchicup Island, Lough Sheelin. The trial continues.
Daniel Ryan, 24, of Clondalkin, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for two offences. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on May 1 2023 after striking Garda Mark Walsh and Garda Grace Lumsden during a stop of a Kia Sportage in Clondalkin. He also pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply on January 8 2019, after fingerprints matched a discarded lunchbox containing 24.6 g of crack cocaine and heroin. Ryan was on bail at the time of the assault and had 36 prior convictions. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a one‑year term for the drug offence and a two‑and‑a‑half‑year term for the assault, to run consecutively, totalling three and a half years. The final 18 months were suspended on strict conditions, including engagement with the Probation Service. Ryan is currently serving five and a half years, with his sentence expiring in November 2028.
In October 2025, Eric Norton, a 32‑year‑old drug dealer who advertised cocaine and tablets on Snapchat, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison. He pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing drugs for sale or supply and two counts of possession of drugs at addresses in Dublin in October 2020 and March 2021, and to one count of burglary at a Tesco store in Adamstown on 26 March 2023. Norton had 101 previous convictions. An undercover Garda rang him after seeing his Snapchat ad, and the Garda bought drugs from him on three occasions. In February 2021, Gardaí discovered a basement flat leased by Norton containing Diazepam tablets, cannabis, ketamine and documents linked to him. In March 2023, Norton and three men disguised as workmen entered a Tesco store during a fire test, accessed the store through an open shutter, and stole €89,000 worth of mobile phones, razors and cigarettes.
Alan Tighe, 38, was jailed for five and a half years after authorities seized €700,000 worth of cannabis and cocaine. The drugs were hidden in air compressors and a van. Tighe was arrested when Gardaí, alerted by customs, intercepted a delivery of air compressors and found the cannabis, then later discovered the cocaine in a van. He pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at Centre Point Business Park on 17 October 2023 and at an underground car park in Tallaght on 18 October 2023. Tighe has prior convictions for road traffic offences. The judge noted his addiction and debt‑related duress, his early guilty plea and family background, and imposed concurrent sentences of five and a half years, deviating from the mandatory 10‑year term. The court heard that Tighe's role was not sophisticated and that he had no signs of wealth. The defence highlighted his addiction, debt, and cooperation.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Valdas Sakinis, aged 40, was sentenced to four years and five months in prison for possession of cannabis and zopiclone tablets for sale or supply. Gardai discovered over €680,000 worth of illegal drugs in a storage unit on Mount Seskin Road, Tallaght. The unit contained 33.4 kg of cannabis, valued at €668,000, and €12,600 of zopiclone tablets. Sakinis was found with €200 of cannabis for personal use, a small amount of ketamine in a hidden compartment, cling film, a key to the unit, and a van. He had no fixed abode, claimed to live in Lithuania, and refused to identify the key owner. He had three prior convictions for theft, criminal damage and trespass dating back to 2011. The court accepted his early guilty plea, cooperation, and a letter from his priest, and noted his lower‑to‑middle offending level and foreign‑national status.
Chesing Wan, 37, of Tallaght, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to handling €64,195 and £2,180 sterling, alleged to be proceeds of crime found at his home on July 16, 2023. Judge Orla Crowe noted that Wan was "clearly trusted" in storing the considerable amount of cash. Detective Garda Mark Berigan testified that a search warrant was executed following confidential information, revealing Wan had used WhatsApp to arrange meetings for collecting cash, verified by photographs of a €20 note. The court heard that Wan, a father of four with a history of drug addiction and depression, has four previous minor convictions. Judge Crowe acknowledged mitigating factors including his guilty plea, mental health difficulties, and character references. She determined the offence warranted a custodial sentence, noting the maximum available penalty was fourteen years. Wan was sentenced to eighteen months in prison, with the final nine months suspended for two years. He was also placed under the supervision of probation services for one year post-release. The probation report placed him at a "moderate" risk of re-offending.
Dean Madden, 32, of Balcurris Road, Ballymun, Dublin 11, was sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment after pleading guilty in Dublin District Court to possession, production and distribution of child pornography. The charges stemmed from a March 2024 raid on his home, where 3,832 images and 162 videos were seized. Garda Paul Higgins identified Madden through his email and username on a particular app. Of the material, 1,601 images and 151 videos were classified as the most serious category, depicting sexual activity involving children as young as two years old with other children or adults; 1,818 images were classified as child exposure images, while the remainder were animated or computer‑generated. Madden also admitted simple possession of drugs, with a small amount of cannabis seized. He had no prior convictions and had not attracted Garda attention before the arrest.
In a Dún Laoghaire District Court hearing on 22 October 2025, Corey Plunkett, aged 32, pleaded guilty to assaulting Garda Sergeant Cara O'Sullivan on 23 May 2021. While in custody for a public order offence, Plunkett kicked the sergeant in the back, causing a jolt and ongoing back pain. He is already serving a four‑year prison term, with the final year suspended, for assault and possession of a weapon. Defence counsel highlighted Plunkett's history of drug misuse, including cocaine addiction. Judge Anne Watkin described the incident as a "very serious assault" on a garda, noting the injuries were not necessarily deliberate but had serious consequences. The maximum sentence available was 12 months; the judge imposed an eight‑month imprisonment sentence to run concurrently with Plunkett's existing term.
During a Central Criminal Court trial on 22 October 2025, key witness Stacey Symes (32) testified that Ruth Lawrence (45) claimed she had shot drug dealer Eoin O'Connor (32) but that the attempt failed, and that her boyfriend Neville van der Westhuizen "took over" and killed O'Connor and Anthony Keegan (33). Symes said she and her father visited Patrick's Cottage on 22 April, where Lawrence allegedly said she had shot O'Connor. Cross‑examination by Patrick Gageby SC challenged Symes, who insisted Lawrence had spoken of shooting. Gageby suggested Neville was the one who shot, but Symes maintained Lawrence's statement. Lawrence, originally from Clontarf, Dublin, pleaded not guilty to the murders of Keegan and O'Connor, which occurred between 22 April and 26 May 2014. The case proceeds before Mr Justice Tony Hunt with a jury of four men and eight women, and Symes' father Jason is scheduled to give direct evidence.
A sniffer dog alerted Gardaí to a 9mm submachine pistol, silencer and 37 rounds of ammunition hidden in the boot of a Citroën C4 parked at the home of Glen Dempsey, a 30‑year‑old father of four from Cuthbert Meadows, Clondalkin. Gardaí seized the vehicle after the dog signalled the boot, and a technical examination revealed a rusted but fully functional Scorpion submachine gun, a silencer and live ammunition. Dempsey, who had previously pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm, ammunition and a silencer in suspicious circumstances on 15 May 2024, claimed he was holding the gun because he owed €20,000 in drugs debt and was threatened by a third party. He said he had never seen or touched the weapon and that the car was not his or his partner's.
A witness has told the Central Criminal Court that Ruth Lawrence, the accused in a double murder trial, admitted to shooting drug dealer Eoin O'Connor but said the killing "went wrong" and her boyfriend "took over". Stacey Symes testified that Lawrence said Anthony Keegan died for O'Connor "because they were friends". Ms Symes, who grew up in Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan, said she and her father were asked to help move the bodies of both men. Lawrence, aged 45, with an address at Patricks Cottage, Ross, Mountnugent, Co Meath, has pleaded not guilty to murdering O'Connor and Keegan between 22 April and 26 May 2014. The court heard the bodies were later discovered on Inchicup Island on Lough Sheelin. The trial before Mr Justice Tony Hunt continues, with the defence due to cross-examine the witness.