Ruth Lawrence, 45, is on trial for the alleged murder of Anthony Keegan, 33, and Eoin O'Connor, 32, at an unknown location in the State between April 22 and May 26, 2014. Ms Lawrence has pleaded not guilty to both charges. The trial is currently ongoing before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury. In evidence, former Chief State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy testified regarding the post-mortem examination of Mr O'Connor, whose remains were found wrapped in nylon on May 27, 2014. She identified three gunshot wounds: one to the head, one to the abdomen, and one to the left hand. Cassidy stated the head wound was the cause of death, while the abdominal injury was potentially fatal. She opined it was likely the abdominal shot occurred before the fatal headshot. Separately, retired Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis testified that Mr Keegan died from two gunshot wounds to the head and neck. The prosecution alleges Ms Lawrence shot Mr O'Connor and acted with her boyfriend, Neville van der Westhuizen, to kill both men. The trial continues.
Four men – Miljan Koprivica (45) of Manchester, UK, and three Filipino men, Hanz Pangahin (36), Christopher Ampo (44) and Feljon Lao (62) – pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to conspiring to import drugs worth over €13,000 between 18 December 2024 and 15 January 2025, both inside and outside the State. The offence contravenes section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. Two other co‑accused, Conor Costello (31) of Derry and Ryan Watson (32) of Glasgow, had already pleaded guilty to the same charge. All defendants remain in custody awaiting the court hearing on 3 November.
David Kearney, 39, was sentenced to ten years in prison for a series of sexual offences against a girl who was aged 11 to 16 during the period from April 2019 to October 2023. He pleaded guilty to twelve counts of sexual abuse, including rape, oral rape, anal rape and the use of communication technology to facilitate the exploitation of a child under 17. Kearney's crimes were committed while he was living a double life as a family man, partner and father, and a drug user and sexual abuser. The court noted that the victim, now 17, had endured severe emotional trauma and that Kearney's appreciation of his wrongdoing was limited. The judge imposed a 10‑year custodial sentence, suspended 18 months, with conditions including therapeutic programme participation, no contact with the victim, and probation supervision for 18 months after release. The sentence was reduced from an initial 11½‑year term after mitigation arguments.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Lucas Andre Alves, a 26‑year‑old Brazilian from Rio de Janeiro, pleaded guilty to possession of 100 pellets of cocaine worth €57,342 for sale or supply at Dublin Airport on 8 September 2024. Alves, who had lost his job in Brazil, admitted ingesting the pellets before travelling to Ireland, describing the act as a "crime of desperation." He has no prior convictions and has been in custody since his arrest. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Alves' guilty plea, good work history and the circumstances of the offence, imposed a two‑year and nine‑month sentence, back‑dated to September 2024, and departed from the ten‑year mandatory minimum. Garda Peter Elliot reported that Alves was stopped at customs, admitted to ingesting the pellets, and that he had been pressured by others to pay for his travel and documents.
Winifred Joyce, aged 30, was sentenced to three years and six months in prison, with the last six months suspended on strict conditions, after pleading guilty to common assault and sexual assault in November 2022. The judge described Joyce's conduct as a "humiliating internal search" that was "inexcusable" and a "brutal, humiliating attack." The offence stemmed from a dispute over drugs at a Dublin city centre hostel. Joyce grabbed the victim by the hair, forced her to crawl, struck her, and sexually assaulted her while searching for drugs. Joyce has 62 prior convictions, including 29 thefts and one assault causing harm, and is undergoing treatment for addiction and schizophrenia. The suspended portion requires her to engage with the Probation Service, mental health supports and addiction treatment for 18 months after release.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 17 October 2025, Kevin Cronin, 45, was ordered to pay €3,000 to an escort after he forced her to transfer money to his Revolut account. Cronin, who had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty to robbery on 7 February 2023. He claimed he was "high on drugs" and threatened the woman, who was described as vulnerable, to transfer €180. The judge noted Cronin's cooperation, guilty plea, and long work history, and imposed a two‑year suspended sentence, citing mitigation. He also directed Cronin to pay the victim the €3,000, or, if she declined, to donate it to a local charity. The case highlighted Cronin's drug use and the alleged threat that he was a gang member, which the prosecution denied. The court did not impose custodial time, citing the conviction's stigma and the victim's financial loss.
Paul Cullen, 45, of Crumlin, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to six years and nine months in prison, with the final 12 months suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to seven offences including assault, robbery, attempted robbery and theft. The judge highlighted a pattern of violent crime, drug use and the use of weapons such as a meat cleaver, screwdriver, claw hammer and an imitation firearm. Cullen's crimes included a violent robbery at a Luas stop where a victim suffered a broken ankle, an attempted robbery at a hotel where he brandished a cleaver, a robbery of Boyle Sports Bookmakers where he stole €7,400, and an attempted robbery at Paddy Power Bookmakers while wearing a white hazmat suit. He also robbed a beauty salon and an estate agency, and was found with a scorched hazmat suit at a mortuary.
At the Central Criminal Court, families of two men missing since 2014 provided testimony in the murder trial of Ruth Lawrence. The 45-year-old, from Mountnugent in County Meath, has pleaded not guilty to the murders of Anthony Keegan and Eoin O'Connor, whose remains were discovered on an island in May 2014. Karen Roche, Mr O'Connor's former partner, told the court that he received an unsettling phone call on 22 April 2014 and departed their home shortly after, never to return. Rory O'Connor, the victim's brother, spoke to Eoin by telephone that evening but received no further contact after 8.45pm. The prosecution alleges Mr O'Connor was a drug dealer and that financial disputes over approximately €70,000 provided motive. The trial, before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and jury, continues. The State argues the accused woman and her boyfriend acted together in the killings.
The Criminal Assets Bureau seized a range of items from Jamie Geoghegan, a 29‑year‑old former footballer who was jailed for six‑and‑a‑half years for a 2023 assault involving dragging a victim into a Jeep, driving him to a caravan, tying him up, beating and stabbing him. At sentencing Geoghegan pleaded guilty to assault and false imprisonment and had 75 prior convictions, including theft, burglary, firearms and drug offences. He had represented Ireland at under‑age level and at the Homeless World Cup. In a High Court hearing on 15 October 2025, Geoghegan did not contest the CAB's application to seize assets deemed proceeds of crime. The court was told the CAB had identified 23 items – €4,000 cash, £2,000 cash, a VW Golf, a Skoda Superb, a modular home and a watch – seized from his Dublin home and another location.
James 'Mago' Gately, a Hutch gang member, will have his Coolock house auctioned by the Criminal Assets Bureau after he spent €440,000 on refurbishments while not working since 2015. The High Court, with counsel David Dodd BL for the CAB, confirmed the sale on November 12, with a guide price of €295,000, and the case will return to court on November 19. Gately's former partner, Charlene Lam, a self‑employed beautician, is also a respondent; both denied wrongdoing. The property was seized in April, repaired after a court order, and the High Court found the home's equity largely derived from crime proceeds. Gately purchased the house in 2013 for €125,000, and the CAB alleges links to armed robberies, gangland murders and drug dealing, though he has never been convicted of serious offences. The sale will determine the distribution of the property's proceeds.
Dan Moorehouse, 26, of Richmond Park, Monkstown, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to two counts of assault causing harm and one count of burglary at an address on Monkstown Road, south Dublin. The court heard that Moorehouse, who has 60 previous convictions, allegedly broke into the home and attacked two sisters who confronted him. Prosecution evidence stated he punched one woman in the face, bursting her lip and cutting her cheekbone, and struck the other in the nose. Judge Martin Nolan described the incident as a traumatic ordeal, noting that Moorehouse allegedly burgled the house to fund a drug habit. While acknowledging the defendant's difficult background and mental health issues, the Judge stated that Moorehouse knew right from wrong. Moorehouse was sentenced to a six-year custodial term. The Judge suspended the final 18 months of this sentence, resulting in an effective custody period of four and a half years. The matter was finalised at the sentencing stage.
Jonathan Vieira, a 31‑year‑old Brazilian, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for importing cocaine into Ireland by swallowing 90 pellets of the drug. He pleaded guilty to possession for sale, possession of cocaine and importation of cocaine at Dublin Airport on 16 March 2025. Garda Avril Owens reported that Vieira was stopped by customs after flying from Brazil because he was deemed suspicious. He admitted swallowing 90 pellets, passing 71 while in custody, and that the pellets were worth an estimated €48,825 on the street. Vieira claimed he was an Uber driver who had borrowed €2,000 from a debt collector to buy a vehicle, and that he was forced to transport the cocaine to repay the debt within three days. He acknowledged that his actions were illegal but said he felt pressured.
Chloe Dunne, 29, of Finglas, was stopped by Gardaí for using her phone while driving in Clondalkin on 26 July 2023. Officers found a large carrier bag containing 973 grammes of cannabis in the front passenger seat, with an estimated street value of €19,750. Dunne admitted that someone had placed the drugs in her car and that her role was to deliver the bag to a specific address. She claimed she was unaware of the drugs' value and was seeking €300–€400 for her part. She had no prior convictions. At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court she pleaded guilty to possessing drugs for sale or supply. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a two‑year sentence, suspended in full on strict conditions, citing her lack of experience and immediate admission of guilt.
Kieran O'Dea, aged 40, was sentenced to four years and nine months in custody after pleading guilty to possession for sale or supply of cannabis at Dublin Airport on 18 August 2024. He travelled to Thailand to collect drugs to repay a debt of €8,000 and was told by creditors that failure to comply would have consequences. O'Dea claimed he believed the bag contained clothing and a small amount of cannabis, but customs officers found 24 kg of cannabis, worth an estimated €480,000. He had a history of drug addiction since 2017, had previously been convicted of drug dealing and possession, and had attempted rehabilitation. The judge noted his efforts to overcome addiction but highlighted the substantial quantity of drugs involved in this offence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 24‑year‑old Jake Higgins pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of drugs for sale or supply. Garda Michael Brislane testified that Higgins was carrying a backpack with ketamine and MDMA, worth €3,642 and €1,260 respectively, and a weighing scale. Higgins claimed the drugs were for personal use but later admitted the charges. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Higgins' lack of prior convictions and employment, suspended a two‑year prison sentence on the condition of good behaviour and keeping the peace.
The High Court has granted leave for an ex parte application by a 16-year-old, acting through his father, to challenge a July 2025 Dublin District Court sentence. The teenager was sentenced to a fully suspended three-month prison term after the District Court judge stated he was precluded from imposing a Probation Residential Supervision Order (PRSO) due to the absence of available hostel residences for minors. The applicant seeks to quash the sentence as allegedly unlawful, arguing that the judge's discretion was fettered by the State's failure to provide certified hostels under Section 126 of the Children Act 2001. The action is brought against the District Court judge, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Minister for Justice, Ireland, and the Attorney General. It demands a declaration that the State failed to protect the boy's constitutional rights and comply with statutory obligations, and requests details on available hostel capacity. The boy, who has faced multiple charges including drug offences and theft since 2023, is alleged to have been eligible for a PRSO but was denied one because no suitable premises existed. Ms Justice Mary Rose Gearty granted leave for the application and adjourned the matter to November.
Jordan Grimes, 27, had a three‑month jail term for dangerous driving and driving without insurance overturned on appeal, replaced by a suspended six‑month sentence. He remains under a four‑year driving disqualification and a six‑year, three‑month prison term for driving without insurance, which now runs concurrently with the suspended sentence. Grimes was caught joy‑riding an e‑scrambler bike on the Royal Canal Greenway on 5 January 2024, driving at speed toward Garda Gerard Hanahoe and a colleague. The Garda reported that Grimes narrowly avoided hitting them and that he claimed to be travelling only 70 km/h. He was already serving a 20‑year driving ban at the time of the incident. The court required Grimes to enter probation supervision and comply with drug counselling, while his driving disqualification remains in force. Jordan Grimes was convicted.
Killian McNay, 40, of Ardilaun Green, Mullingar, Westmeath, was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. McNay admitted to possessing 40 kilograms of cocaine for sale or supply at Dublin Port on 22 September 2024 and to having imported the drugs, valued at €2.8 million, concealed under a Lego shipment destined for Lidl stores. The cocaine was hidden in specialised containers in the base of a flat‑bed trailer that had been carrying legitimate Lego goods. McNay had hired a driver and travelled to Holland to ensure proper loading; the driver remains before the courts. McNay was under significant financial pressure and had a history of minor road‑traffic convictions. He was interviewed six times and admitted his presence during loading. The court noted his debt‑driven circumstances and his role in the haulage industry. Judge Nolan described his actions as a grievous misjudgement and sentenced him accordingly.
Dariusz Skowronski, 47, was given a 12‑month suspended sentence after he drove over a three‑year‑old girl while reversing into a driveway. The child, who was not visible above the rear window, sustained life‑changing injuries, including a severe brain injury and skull fractures. Skowronski stopped briefly after the first impact but continued reversing, causing the charge of careless driving causing serious bodily harm. He pleaded guilty on 17 May 2022 and had no prior convictions. Footage of the incident was shown to Judge Martin Nolan, who noted the lack of aggravating factors such as alcohol, drugs or phone use. The judge expressed sympathy for the family and, after considering the circumstances, imposed a one‑year sentence suspended in full. The child's parents were present, and victim impact statements were submitted but not read out in court.
Patrick McGregor, 39, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to four counts of demanding money with menaces from two families in North Dublin in November and December 2024, and to theft of a Ring doorbell and acquisition of €5,000 as proceeds of crime. He also pleaded guilty to possessing a heavy‑duty stun gun without a valid certificate. McGregor claimed he had been threatened by men over a drug debt owed by others and that he took it upon himself to collect the money, admitting he had acted in the "wrong way" and was "deeply ashamed". The court heard that he had threatened to burn the families' houses and that a taser gun was seized during a search of his home. He has 101 previous convictions, mainly for traffic offences. The sentence was back‑dated to the date of his arrest.
A man from Castlerea in County Roscommon has received a fully suspended sentence at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court following what the judge described as a remarkable turnaround in his life. Ernest Ashman, aged 39, pleaded guilty to possession of almost one kilogramme of cannabis, valued at approximately €20,000, for sale or supply at Rathcluain, Kiltimagh, County Mayo on 3 October 2023. He was arrested following a traffic stop after gardaí observed his vehicle being driven erratically through a housing estate. Ashman was handed a two-year suspended sentence and disqualified from driving for six years. Judge Eoin Garavan imposed a headline sentence of three years but reduced it to two years in light of mitigating factors, including Ashman's rehabilitation efforts. The court heard that Ashman has since trained in addiction counselling to Level 7 qualification standard, now works in a community centre, and remains drug-free. He has been instructed to comply with probation supervision for one year and continue mental health counselling.
In a Dublin court, a 38‑year‑old woman whose older brother sexually assaulted her between 1999 and 2002 pleaded guilty to sexual assault. She was aged eight to eleven at the time, while the brother was twelve to fifteen. The court accepted the plea on a full facts basis and imposed a two‑year sentence, with eight months suspended on strict conditions. The woman described four incidents of abuse, the last occurring while their mother was downstairs. She said she felt shame, fear of not being believed, and turned to drugs and alcohol, but is now receiving counselling. Her parents disowned her and supported the brother after she complained to Gardaí. She stated that forgiveness is not an option and that she will never forgive him.
In a sentencing hearing at the Central Criminal Court, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon imposed a mandatory life sentence on George Turner, 56, for the murder of Emma McCrory, 45, who died in a house fire on 15 December 2022. Turner admitted setting the blaze, claiming he believed Ms McCrory had "no quality of life" and wanted to "take her out of her pain." He also said he hoped the fire would evict her and that she might live with him. The fire started in Ms McCrory's bedroom on Howth Road, Clontarf, and she died from inhaling combustion products. Ms McCrory's mother, Pauline Costello, testified that her daughter was "beautiful inside and out," and that Turner's actions left two children motherless. Turner had 42 prior convictions, including firearms and drug offences, and has been drug‑free since his 2023 arrest. George Turner pleaded guilty.
In Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Govonor Ogbonnaya, 27, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at a Tallaght address on 20 October 2020. He had 52 prior theft convictions. Gardaí obtained a search warrant for a Tallaght home, finding 26.6 g of cannabis in the house and 2,067 g in bags on adjacent bins, totaling €43,854 in seized cannabis. Ogbonnaya admitted to taking the drugs after seeing them stored under a bush, but claimed uncertainty about what to do with them. He presented himself to Gardaí when the house owner was arrested and took responsibility. Judge Martin Nolan, noting mitigation, departed from the ten‑year mandatory minimum and sentenced Ogbonnaya to two years in prison, back‑dated to his custody entry. The sentence reflects the court's view that the defendant deserves custodial punishment while acknowledging his desire to leave that life behind.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Connor James McCabe, 29, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm and to driving a defective vehicle after a collision on Balbutcher Lane, Ballymun, on 20 February 2023. McCabe admitted that the front tyres of his car were bald and that he had traces of cannabis in his system, but he denied that intoxication contributed to the loss of control. The victim suffered fractures to the arm and leg, a broken nose and a brain bleed, with speech and memory affected. McCabe, who had no prior convictions and was fully insured, was found to have lost control of the vehicle, which was travelling under the speed limit. Judge Martin Nolan, after considering the evidence, imposed an 18‑month suspended sentence and a four‑year driving ban, citing McCabe's early guilty plea, remorse and lack of previous convictions as mitigating factors. The case was adjourned overnight for sentencing.
Ruth Lawrence, a Dublin woman with an address in County Meath, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of two men whose bodies were discovered on Inchicup Island in Lough Sheelin in May 2014. The island straddles the borders of Meath, Westmeath and Cavan. At the opening of the trial at the Central Criminal Court, the State outlined its case that Lawrence and her boyfriend worked "as a unit" to kill Anthony Keegan and Eoin O'Connor between April 22 and May 26, 2014. The prosecution contends Lawrence shot one man, with a follow-up shot delivered by her boyfriend. Both men died from gunshot wounds. The State alleges the accused and her boyfriend discussed the murders and disposal of the bodies openly. Evidence will address a debt owed by one defendant to one of the deceased, and activities at the cottage near the lake following the alleged killings. The trial, before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury, is expected to conclude on November 14.
A man caught transporting nearly €500,000 worth of cannabis has been sentenced to three years and three months imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Conor Delaney, formerly of Dublin 15, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply following his arrest at Larch Hill, Santry on March 25, 2021. Gardaí conducting a surveillance operation observed Delaney receive two boxes from a van driven by co-accused Glen Stankard, who was previously sentenced to six years with the final three and a half years suspended. Analysis of the seized packages revealed 24.8 kilograms of cannabis valued at €496,384. The defence submitted that Delaney, now living in Donegal, had successfully rehabilitated from drug addiction and was drug-free. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged the defendant's rehabilitation efforts and family support but noted his difficulties stemmed from his own choices. The judge imposed a headline sentence of six years before reducing it to three years and three months.
Thomas Fox, 22, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a global custodial term of five and a half years after pleading guilty to multiple offences arising from the November 23, 2022 riots. Judge Martin Nolan set a headline sentence of eight years before reducing it to the final term. Fox admitted to committing a riot on Burgh Quay, violent disorder, burglary of Foot Locker on O'Connell Street, interfering with a bus mechanism on O'Connell Bridge, assaulting Sergeant Brendan Eddery causing him harm, and possession of cocaine for sale or supply in his Lord Edward Street hostel. The prosecution accepted the assault charge on the basis of joint enterprise. Fox was identified by two gardaí via CCTV and arrested in July 2024. During the hearing, Sergeant Eddery read a victim impact statement detailing his injuries and the psychological trauma caused by the live-streamed attack, which his family later viewed. The judge acknowledged Fox's sincere remorse and apology, noting his history of drug addiction and homelessness. Despite the significant damage caused by the riots, estimated at €10 million, the court imposed the custodial sentence, concluding with Judge Nolan wishing the sergeant luck.
James Colton, a 43‑year‑old repeat offender, was jailed for 15 months after a dangerous driving incident in Dublin. In September 2022, a passerby found him unconscious in his car in Crumlin and, after rousing him, Colton drove at high speed, "like a maniac", around Crumlin and Sundrive. He drove over 100 km/h, on the wrong side of the road, and mounted the kerb, narrowly missing a cyclist before crashing into a parked van and causing €11,150 in damage. Colton, who had been disqualified from driving and had 76 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to three counts of dangerous driving, one of driving without a licence, one of criminal damage and one of failing to report the incident. The court noted his long‑standing drug addiction and that he was under the influence of intoxicants on the day. Judge Martin Nolan, taking mitigating factors into account, sentenced him to 15 months' imprisonment and a five‑year driving disqualification.
In the Special Criminal Court, lawyers for 42‑year‑old James Leen argued that mobile phone evidence supports his innocence. Colm Smyth SC requested an adjournment to allow a mobile‑phone expert to examine devices seized by the gardai. Smyth said the prosecution's case hinges on alleged phone conversations linking Leen to three machines that were imported into Ireland, one of which contained the seized drugs. He contended that further analysis would show Leen was involved with only two of the machines and had no connection to the third. The court agreed to postpone the trial to 19 December to give the defence time to compile its report. Leen faces five charges, including directing a criminal organisation, importing crystal meth, and possession of methamphetamine at Ballyseedy Garden Centre. The State alleges the drugs were imported from Mexico, stored at Ballyseedy, and then moved to Cork for export to Australia.
Aaron Crowley, a 21-year-old man from Tallaght, Dublin, appeared before Judge Anne Watkin at Dún Laoghaire District Court regarding an incident on March 17, 2024. Crowley admitted to charges of careless driving and the unlawful possession of cocaine under section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977. The court heard that Crowley was driving a Honda Civic on Simmonscourt Road when he failed to stop and swerved past a garda directing traffic. Although originally charged with dangerous driving, the charge was reduced to careless driving. Crowley pleaded guilty to both remaining offences. Gardaí noted that a drug-driving test yielded no positive results. The court was informed that Crowley has 33 previous convictions, including 25 road-traffic offences and drug-related charges such as possession of heroin for sale or supply. He is currently serving a two-year driving ban. Defence counsel Michael O'BL argued that Crowley had fallen in with the wrong crowd but had abstained from drugs for 18 months. Judge Watkin remarked that Crowley sounded like he was "the wrong crowd himself" and expressed surprise he had not been jailed given his record, which included supplying drugs he did not use. The judge ordered a probation report and adjourned sentencing until January.
Raymond McCabe, 48, of White Pines Grove, Rathfarnham, pleaded guilty at Tallaght District Court to driving without insurance on the Tallaght bypass (N81) on 1 October 2024. He was stopped by Gardaí in a Volkswagen Golf, could not produce a licence or insurance, and the car was seized under the Road Traffic Act. McCabe failed to provide the documents at Tallaght Garda Station within ten days. The court noted he has 14 prior convictions, including 12 traffic offences and four for driving without insurance, the most recent in March 2024. Defence solicitor Jeremiah Breen explained McCabe's unemployment, grown‑up children, and cocaine addiction, stating he has "no excuse" but is now in treatment. Judge John Brennan, recognising McCabe's issues, imposed a four‑month prison sentence suspended for two years, a three‑year driving disqualification effective in 14 days, a €200 fine, and a €400 bond.
Emmanuel Ilunga, 23, of Navan, was convicted at Dún Laoghaire District Court for carrying a flick knife in his car on 14 April 2024. Ilunga admitted possession but claimed the knife was for his warehouse job, where he cut boxes and plastic. Garda David Buckley stopped him at 12:30 am in a grey Mercedes at M50 Junction 13. Ilunga appeared nervous, avoided eye contact and struggled to answer questions. A search under the Misuse of Drugs Act found the knife in the driver's side door and a wheel brace; no drugs were discovered. The judge, Anne Watkin, rejected Ilunga's work‑use defence, warned that carrying knives is "extremely serious", and imposed a €300 fine with a three‑month payment period, plus a €200 own‑bond recognisance. The case was prosecuted by Dr Sean Smyth for the DPP. Emmanuel Ilunga pleaded not guilty.
A 23‑year‑old e‑scooter rider, Jason Thornton, was convicted of a public order offence after shouting abuse at Garda Jack Hamilton during a criminal damage investigation on 15 June 2024 in south Dublin. Thornton, who was on an e‑scooter on a nearby walkway, raised his middle finger and shouted "F*** you, you red prick" while Hamilton was speaking to the injured party. Hamilton tried to issue a warning but Thornton accelerated away, and a crowd gathered. The court found that the incident, occurring while Gardaí were already dealing with a criminal damage case, met the threshold for a public order offence. Thornton pleaded not guilty, but Judge Anne Watkin convicted him. He has 38 prior convictions, including assault, criminal damage, misuse of drugs, burglary, robbery, theft and threats to kill, and his most recent conviction was under the Misuse of Drugs Act on 16 May 2025.
Daryl Boyd, 28, pleaded guilty in the District Court to multiple offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 between 2020 and 2022. He received three consecutive six‑month prison sentences for supplying controlled drugs into prisons, with one of those sentences suspended. Additional charges included possession of controlled drugs and failure to appear in court. Boyd appealed the severity of his sentence. Sergeant Shay Leonard recounted that on 16 May 2020, 28 November 2020 and 26 September 2022, Boyd threw copper pipes and other items containing controlled drugs over the walls of Wheatfield Prison, the last incident involving 700 euros worth of cannabis. Boyd has 40 prior convictions, including theft and public order offences. Defence counsel noted his drug debt and severe pressure after a threat to a family member. Judge Jonathan Dunphy suspended Boyd's entire sentence for two years, requiring him to enter probation supervision, complete residential treatment and engage in education and training as directed.
In a District Court case, 38‑year‑old Natasha Tynan was convicted for possessing nail scissors, a prohibited item under Section 9(1)(7) of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990, and sentenced to three months in custody. The conviction followed a stop and search by Garda David Byrne on 8 October 2024, when he found the scissors in her handbag. Tynan, who has 37 prior convictions, pleaded guilty and later appealed the custodial sentence. On appeal, Judge Jonathan Dunphy replaced the three‑month custodial term with a 12‑month peace bond, citing Tynan's lack of intent to harm, her drug‑related history, and her active participation in counselling and a horticulture employment scheme. The peace bond requires her to keep the peace and continue her treatment and counselling efforts for the year.
In a Carlow Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Declan Carr, 29, pleaded guilty to threatening to kill his partner and to two assault charges. He sent messages on 5 March threatening to kill her, saying she would be "dead and buried" and no one would find her. The victim, who had been in an on‑and‑off relationship with Carr for 12 years, reported being assaulted, including an elbow strike to her face and a blow to the back of her head, though Carr denied the latter. Gardaí found €170 worth of cannabis in his car and he admitted the threats were not intended to be carried out. Carr apologized via video‑link, expressed remorse, and offered to attend domestic‑violence or addiction courses. Judge Sinéad McMullan remanded him on bail pending a sentencing date in November, noting the need for further consideration.
Ryan Watson, 32, of Glasgow, pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court to conspiring to import controlled drugs worth over €13,000 between 18 December 2024 and 15 January 2025, both inside and outside the State. The case is scheduled for mention on 20 October, when the court will review a probation report, a governor's report, an education report and a urinalysis. Conor Costello, 31, of Derry, also pleaded guilty to the same charge earlier this month. Other defendants include Gary Monks, 40, Miljan Koprivica, 45, and three Filipino men: Hanz Pangahin, 36; Christopher Ampo, 44; and Feljon Lao, 62.
Ryan Kearney, 39, was sentenced to ten years in prison with one year suspended for three years, following a nine‑year custodial term that was reduced by mitigation. The sentence was imposed after a jury found him guilty of manslaughter, not murder, for stabbing Jeffrey Jackson, 50, 16 times in a "frenzied knife" attack on 8 February 2024. Kearney claimed he acted in self‑defence, citing a dispute over alcohol and Jackson's intoxication. The judge described the violence as extreme and sustained, noting Kearney's 152 prior convictions, including a 10‑year drug‑supply sentence with three years suspended. Victim impact statements highlighted the brutality of the attack and the lasting pain felt by Jackson's family. The court emphasised that the defendant's alcohol‑related history and lack of remorse were factors in the sentencing decision. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty and was acquitted.
On 1 April 2021, Maria Mohan, 36, of Belfry Green, Citywest, Dublin 24, entered Springfield Pharmacy in Tallaght and became agitated when informed her prescription had expired. She struck a protective Covid screen that was part of the till area, causing the entire structure to shatter and damaging cosmetics and surrounding property. The damage was estimated at €1,000, but no compensation was paid. Mohan pleaded guilty to criminal damage, possession of cannabis (from an arrest on 18 April 2019) and threatening behaviour at Tallaght Garda Station on 10 October 2023. At Tallaght District Court, Judge Patricia McNamara imposed a five‑month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, for the criminal damage, and fined her €300. She was also fined €250 for the public‑order offence, both payable within five months, and entered into a peace bond. The court noted her mental‑health conditions and her engagement with a restorative justice programme.
Five men were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for the false imprisonment and assault causing harm of Natalie Ennis at Henrietta House, Dublin 7, on September 26, 2024. All defendants pleaded guilty to the charges, with additional counts taken into consideration. Judge Pauline Codd described the incident as sadistic and cruel, noting the victim was beaten, burned, cut, and threatened. Braxton Rice, identified as the main ringleader, received a 15-year sentence, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions. Sean Conroy, described as a main mover, was sentenced to 13 years, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions. Mark McMahon, who facilitated the offence by providing his flat, received a 12-year sentence. His son, Mark Keogh, was jailed for nine years. Kian Walshe, who transported the victim and shared a recording of the attack, received an 11-year sentence, with the final two-and-a-half years suspended on strict conditions. The judge backdated all sentences to the date each man entered custody. She highlighted the aggravating factors, including the premediated nature of the attack and the defendants' bail status, while acknowledging their guilty pleas and personal circumstances.
Bradford Meehan, a 54-year-old serial offender with 116 previous convictions, had his five-month prison sentence suspended on appeal. Meehan was convicted in the District Court of burglary contrary to section 12(1b)(3) of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001, after allegedly causing €5,000 worth of damage to an apartment complex on Bonham Street, Dublin 8, in July. He was originally sentenced to five months consecutive to a 42-month sentence he is currently serving for a different matter. Meehan appealed against the severity of this sentence. Defence counsel Seosaimhín Ní Chathasaigh BL argued that Meehan's reoffending was driven by a chronic drug addiction and that he is now a model prisoner in Mountjoy Prison, free of illicit substances. Judge Christopher Callan acknowledged that seeking a suspended sentence was "a stretch" given Meehan was on release from prison when the alleged crime occurred and had succumbed to addiction again. However, the judge decided to suspend the five-month sentence for two years. The conditions require Meehan to keep the peace and come under the supervision of the probation service upon release. Additionally, the judge directed that Meehan remain on the enhanced privilege regime while in custody.
The Court of Appeal rejected Paul Bourke's appeal against his ten‑year prison sentence for drug offences. Bourke, aged 57, pleaded guilty to eight counts including possession of €1.7 million worth of cocaine, €18,100 in cash, and three Glock 17 pistols. The offences occurred at his Kilkenny home, a Ballygall Parade address, and locations in Tallaght and Ashbourne. The sentencing judge had reduced the headline 15‑year sentence by one‑third to ten years, citing Bourke's personal circumstances. Bourke's defence argued that incarceration would be too difficult due to psychological issues, but the court found no formal diagnosis and noted the presence of firearms and large drug quantities. The appeal was dismissed, and the ten‑year sentence stands. The court emphasised the gravity of the offence and the extent of Bourke's involvement in the drug supply chain.
The Court of Appeal has granted bail to Brendan O'Mara, a former Ryanair pilot, after overturning a High Court decision that had denied him release. O'Mara, 62, is charged with possessing cannabis for sale or supply at his home address in Meelick, Co Clare, on May 7 this year. Gardaí and Customs officers allegedly discovered pallets containing 502kg of cannabis, with an estimated street value exceeding €10 million. In the High Court, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon refused bail, citing concerns that O'Mara was a flight risk due to his commercial pilot status and access to airfields. Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC argued this evidential basis was lacking, noting O'Mara does not hold membership at any airfield. He offered an independent surety of €150,000 from O'Mara's sister and proposed that O'Mara surrender his pilot's licence and all documentation. Counsel for the State, Roisin Lacey SC, countered that O'Mara had significant industry contacts and had recently arranged to emigrate to the United States. Mr Justice John Edwards acknowledged the charge was very serious, carrying a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, and noted the theoretical possibility of O'Mara procuring an aircraft to avoid justice. However, the court concluded that while flight risk concerns existed, they were not sufficient to deny bail absolutely. As a condition of his release, O'Mara must surrender his pilot's licence.
Two men, Robert Burns (59) and Lorenzo Cantaragiu (22), were sentenced by Mr Justice Tony Hunt at the Central Criminal Court for aiding the murder of Mahamud Ilyas (22). Burns provided a house for drug dealing and allowed the killers to use it; he also cleaned blood from the premises. Cantaragiu drove the killers from the scene to Belgree Lane in Co Meath, where Ilyas was left to die, and later cleaned the car. Both were given four‑year prison terms with the entirety suspended, meaning they walk free today but must remain of good behaviour for four years or risk serving the term. They also face a one‑year probation bond and must attend programmes recommended by the probation service. The judge warned them to avoid further criminal activity and to address Burns' cannabis use, which he said had drawn the killers into his life. Lorenzo Cantaragiu was convicted.
Robert Clinch, aged 43, received a seven‑year sentence for two robberies of a Coolock pharmacy in February and July 2023, with the final three years suspended. The court noted his 189 prior convictions and his status as a long‑time drug addict who had been released during Covid without support. Clinch pleaded guilty, claiming a desire to rehabilitate and become drug‑free. Judge Elma Duffy highlighted that he targeted the same shop and victims twice, and that he had been described as a "pathetic figure" driven by a need to feed his habit. The judge imposed consecutive sentences, suspended the last three years on strict conditions, and required assessment by the probation service before release. The court heard that Clinch had entered the pharmacy armed with a knife, demanded €150 and 300 tablets, and had been identified by CCTV.
In a Court of Appeal decision on 29 July 2025, Judge Brian O'Moore upheld a fully suspended sentence for Mohamed Adeagbo, a 24‑year‑old from Highfield, Ballincollig, who pleaded guilty to possessing €114,000 worth of cocaine for sale and to a money‑laundering offence involving €1,530 in cash. Adeagbo had been paid €500 per week for his role in drug supply. The Court found the three‑and‑a‑half‑year drug sentence, fully suspended, and a concurrent one‑year money‑laundering sentence, also fully suspended, to be appropriate. The Director of Public Prosecutions had appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient, citing the quantity of drugs, cash, and an iPhone with offending messages. The Court rejected the appeal, noting Adeagbo's compliance with probation, his drug‑free status at sentencing, and his efforts to reform, and stated that the suspended sentence did not represent a substantial departure from an appropriate penalty.".
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the brother of cancer‑survivor Jeffrey Jackson said the defendant, 39‑year‑old Ryan Kearney, showed no respect or remorse for the family when the verdict was read. Kearney, who had 152 prior convictions, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter after a jury rejected the prosecution's claim that he had intentionally stabbed Jackson from head to toe. Kearney claimed he acted in self‑defence during a "frenzied knife" attack that left Jackson with 16 stab wounds, two fatal chest wounds, and a death caused by alcohol‑related impairment. The court heard that Kearney had previously been convicted of drug possession, theft, and other offences, and that he had been on bail for several matters at the time of the incident. The sentencing hearing was scheduled for Thursday, with Kearney remanded in custody. The victim impact statements highlighted the family's grief and the brutality of the attack.
Denis Cupcea, 21, pleaded guilty in the District Court to using threatening and abusive language and failing to comply with a Garda's direction under the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994. He was convicted and sentenced to two months' custody for the section 8 charge, with the other charge considered. Cupcea appealed the severity of the sentence. The appeal court heard that on 18 May 2024, Garda Robert Ruddy was on mobile patrol when Cupcea shouted at him and the people he was dealing with, calling the Garda a "rat" and threatening to file a claim for a false arrest. Ruddy cautioned Cupcea, who was later arrested and cautioned. Cupcea's defence counsel said he entered a guilty plea, was remorseful, and had drug dependence. Judge Dara Hayes ordered a report to assess whether Cupcea could complete community service.
A woman who was tortured and falsely imprisoned in a Dublin flat over a false accusation about missing drugs has told a court she will never forgive the 'sick human beings' for what they did to her. During a three-hour period in September 2024, the woman was subjected to unimaginable trauma, including being beaten with metal poles, burned with a makeshift blow torch, cut with a knife, and threatened with rape. The assault ended when gardaí entered the flat with a search warrant. Mark Keogh (33), Mark McMahon (55), Braxton Rice (21), Sean Conroy (21), and Kian Walshe (22) all pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and assault causing harm to the woman at Henrietta House on September 26, 2024. Each of the men has a number of previous convictions. The case was adjourned by Judge Codd to next Wednesday, when defence counsel will give their pleas of mitigation. The woman, who suffered multiple injuries including a broken eye socket, broken cheekbone, and burns, described the men as 'animals' and said she was 'completely helpless' and outnumbered by the eight men present. The court heard that the men had taken running jumps at her during the assault and threatened to make her drink ammonia and rape her teenage daughter. The woman's victim impact statement highlighted the lasting psychological effects of the incident, including flashbacks and constant headaches. The maximum sentences for false imprisonment and assault causing harm are life and 10 years respectively.