In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 23‑year‑old Denis Condron pleaded guilty to harassing his former girlfriend, Elva Duffy, between December 2019 and March 2020. Condron, who had been dating Duffy for several months, claimed that a car crash had altered his personality, making him paranoid, obsessive and possessive. He allegedly called her up to 15 times a day, demanded photographs to prove her identity, video‑called her while she slept, and threatened to kill himself and to send intimate photographs to her parents. After the relationship ended, he continued to contact her, sometimes following her to public places and her college. Judge Martin Nolan found the cumulative behaviour amounted to harassment, imposed a two‑year sentence suspended in full for two years, and ordered Condron no contact with Duffy for 30 years. No custodial sentence was imposed. The court noted that the harassment lasted three months and that both parties had since gone their separate ways.
In a complaint lodged under Section 77 of the Employment Equality Act, Glen Weir, a British Protestant worker at Anord Mardix (Ireland) Ltd in Dundalk, alleged sectarian harassment after two female colleagues repeatedly played anti‑British songs, including one with the lyric "go home you British bastards," and a colleague shouted "up the RA." Weir claimed the music made him uncomfortable and that the comment was threatening, leading him to leave work and feel intimidated. The employer denied the claim, stating Weir had an "agenda" and had not accepted the outcome of an internal appeals process. Anord Mardix's solicitor reported that Weir had failed to attend work on 3 July, requested a meeting, and later invoked the grievance procedure after a mediation meeting on 15 July. The company implemented a new policy prohibiting personal music on the assembly line.
Jack Cleary, 25, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to threatening to kill Leanne Maher and to harassment. He had no prior convictions. Evidence showed he threatened to throw acid at Maher's face and kill her during a phone call after their relationship ended, and later appeared outside her home, making further threats. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, suspended for four years, with conditions that he engage with the Probation Service for 12 months and avoid any contact with Maher or her family home within 500 metres. The judge noted Cleary's mental health difficulties and his subsequent re‑engagement with services, granting credit for his early guilty plea and lack of prior convictions. The sentence was fully suspended, with no custodial term imposed. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
An 18‑year‑old Spanish au pair who worked for a Dublin couple claimed that the host father made sexual advances and touched her without consent while his wife was away. She said the father placed his hands on her armpits and tickled her, then rubbed her legs, and that she repeatedly told him to stop. The couple denied the allegations, saying they had recruited her through a Facebook group and that the arrangement was a cultural exchange. They claimed she had not performed her duties well and that she had been dismissed for performance reasons. The Workplace Relations Commission found the evidence of harassment compelling and ordered the couple to pay the au pair €9,100 in compensation for sexual harassment and discrimination. The au pair also sought unpaid wages, but the claim was rejected. The case was decided by adjudicating officer Jim Dolan.
Anthony Dunne, 61, secretly recorded a work colleague, Paula Jordan, while she showered at the factory where he worked, using a phone camera hidden behind boxes. He also captured intimate images of his partner's daughter‑in‑law, Leanne Daly, in her home bathroom. Dunne pleaded guilty to harassment at an address in Clondalkin, Dublin, between February and April 2020, and to recording an intimate image without consent at O'Neills Factory, Walkinstown, on 23 March 2021. He has no prior convictions. The court heard that Jordan's victim impact statement described the incident as pre‑meditated and extremely distressing, affecting her trust, sleep and use of the shower facilities. Daly reported nightmares and lasting stress. Gardaí recovered the phone, analysed the footage, and found the images of Daly. Dunne resigned from the factory and was remanded on continuing bail, with the matter to be finalised on 5 April.
In March 2022, a 33‑year‑old man from Clare was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for raping his partner with a deodorant can on 26 October 2014. He was convicted by a jury in his absence after failing to attend the closing stages of his Central Criminal Court trial in November 2017. The court found him guilty of one count of rape and acquitted him of one count of criminal damage. Two months after the assault, he sent the victim harassing texts calling her a "dirty tramp" and "dirty slut" and stating he would do it again. The judge noted the attack was sudden, shocking and involved humiliation and degradation. The sentence was back‑dated to 22 July 2021, the date he first entered custody. The man had fled to the UK, was arrested in July 2021, and had previously been convicted of assault and breaching a barring order.
An ex‑soldier, Niall Kennedy, aged 31, was convicted by a jury of 12 counts of rape on eleven occasions in August 2017 and of harassment and threats between February and August 2017. He denied the charges and did not accept the verdicts. Mr Justice Paul Burns sentenced him to 13 years, with 12 years of concurrent sentences and a final two years suspended for five years on strict conditions. Kennedy was ordered to never contact the victim or approach within 200 metres of her location. The court noted Kennedy's lack of remorse, his emotionally illiterate character and above‑average risk of reoffending. The victim, in her early 20s, described a controlling and violent relationship that culminated in repeated rapes and threats, and she expressed fear and trauma following the ordeal. The sentencing hearing highlighted the prolonged cross‑examination of the victim and the complexity of the case.
A woman, aged in her early 20s, described a violent relationship with former soldier Niall Kennedy (31). She met him on Tinder in December 2016 and they began a relationship that involved constant harassment, unwanted contact, and repeated threats to kill her or her friends. Kennedy was convicted in December 2021 of 12 counts of rape on eleven occasions in August 2017, plus multiple counts of harassment and threats. He denied the charges and refused to accept the verdicts. After his conviction, the state objected to his remand on bail, but he was released under strict conditions, including no contact with the victim, sobriety, and a daily curfew. The victim, who was "on high alert" and feared retaliation, gave a victim impact statement describing the abuse, her fear, and her recovery. The court adjourned his sentence hearing to February 21, 2024, and ordered him to be taken into custody.
In a Waterford case, the Workplace Relations Commission found that a bar worker, Claire O'Neill, was dismissed by text after she raised concerns about sexual harassment by two patrons. The commission held that the pub owners failed to protect her from overt and hostile sexual harassment and that her dismissal was linked to her complaints. The adjudicating officer, Patsy Doyle, concluded that gender discrimination played a role and ordered the owners to pay €30,000 – €25,000 for discrimination and €5,000 for discriminatory dismissal. The case highlighted the lack of robust employment policies at the pub and the owners' failure to investigate the harassment allegations. The ruling emphasized that the owners' decision to terminate O'Neill's employment was careless and callous, and that the workers' conduct was not a mitigating factor in the decision. The decision was based on the evidence presented at the hearing and the commission's assessment of the circumstances. The ruling was made on 25 May.
In February 2022, a tribunal heard retired Garda Sergeant William Hughes claim that Garda management ignored his protected disclosures about policing failures in the unsolved murder of Baiba Saulite, a mother of two shot dead in Swords in 2006. Hughes said he had warned colleagues in 2006 about Saulite's domestic abuse history and later alleged mishandling of the case. After raising concerns, he was investigated for "failure to take appropriate action" and denied the charge. Hughes then went on sick leave from 2006 to 2009, suffered work‑related stress, and was paid half his salary during an investigation into his health. He alleged harassment, bullying and isolation by superiors, naming Assistant Commissioners Michael Feehan and Al McHugh. The disciplinary action against him was dropped in 2009, and Hughes retired in 2013 on medical grounds. The tribunal continues to examine his allegations.
A Limerick man, Gerard Culhane (43) of Marian Place, Glin, Co Limerick, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to harassing Fine Gael TD Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD at unknown places within the State on dates between January 13, 2020 and March 26, 2020. The charge was admitted, and Culhane entered a plea of guilty. The court heard that the accused had indicated a guilty plea well in advance of the hearing. The defence requested a probation report, and the court agreed to order the report. The matter was adjourned for sentence on May 11, next. Culhane was remanded on continuing bail, with conditions including weekly sign-on at a local Garda station and informing gardaí of any change to his address. At a previous appearance in Dún Laoghaire District Court, Detective Sergeant Rachel Kilpatrick detailed that messages sent via Facebook included sexually explicit content and pictures of Ms Carroll MacNeill, which had already been in the public domain. The public representative and Culhane were not known to each other personally. Judge Watkin noted the incident would have been horrific and frightening for Ms Carroll MacNeill.
Trevor Green, 72, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assault causing harm. Green pleaded guilty to stabbing Stephen Corr near their home in Ballyfermot, Dublin, on August 16, 2020. The accused alleged that he lost his temper after years of harassment by Mr. Corr, who allegedly intimidated Green's elderly partner. Green's partner testified that Mr. Corr was intimidating and that the harassment began in 2007. Detective Garda Michael McNulty noted that Mr. Corr was considered a general nuisance to local residents. Judge Elma Sheahan accepted that the victim had been shouting and intimidating the defendant's partner for many years, stating that Green had come to the end of his tether. The judge acknowledged the seriousness of the offence but noted it was out of character for Green, citing his good character, lack of prior offending, remorse, and cooperation with gardaí. She suspended a prison sentence of 16 months on the condition that Green keep the peace and be of good behaviour for that period. Green had previously been remanded on bail following his guilty plea last October.
Peter McCormack, 59, of Ballinakill, Moate, pleaded guilty to harassing Mary Farrell, a woman he met on Plenty of Fish, between March and September 2020. He made threats to kill her, left voicemails, sent flowers, and placed a €1,000 cheque in her letterbox. He also damaged a Garda cell by smearing blood on the walls. The court heard that his harassment decreased during early pandemic restrictions but resumed in August 2020, culminating in his arrest on 9 September 2020. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a concurrent sentence of two years and eight months, suspended in full for five years and six months, with conditions that McCormack must not contact Farrell, must continue psychiatric treatment, and must allow his doctors to notify Gardaí if he fails to comply. The sentence was suspended to protect the victim. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Karl Hughes, a 28‑year‑old prospective art student, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment in May 2022 for harassing the Kennedy family in Rathfarnham over an €8,500 drug debt owed by their son. CCTV footage showed Hughes repeatedly banging on the family's front door, shouting threats and kicking the door, and he threatened to kill the son unless the debt was paid. The harassment began after the family had paid €15,000 to a man following a threat from the son. Hughes pleaded guilty to harassment at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. On appeal, Court President Mr Justice George Birmingham, with Mr Justice John Edwards and Ms Justice Una Ní Raifeartaigh, suspended the final year of the sentence, citing Hughes' mental health issues, his treatment, and an offer of employment and a place at the National College of Art and Design. The decision was made to encourage rehabilitation. Karl Hughes was convicted.
In 2020, Karl Hughes, aged 28, was convicted of harassing the Kennedy family in Rathfarnham over an €8,500 drug debt. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years' imprisonment by Judge Martin Nolan. Hughes' defence argued the sentence was excessive, citing his depression and alcohol abuse at the time of the offence and his subsequent medical treatment. The Court of Appeal was informed that Hughes had been offered a place to study at the National College of Art and Design and an employment offer. CCTV footage showed Hughes repeatedly banging on the family's door, shouting threats, and kicking the door, actions described by the Director of Public Prosecutions as "planned, prolonged and effective" to cause maximum fear. The sentencing judge described the behaviour as "very serious misbehaviour" and noted the victims were so terrified they considered selling their 24‑year‑old home.
The Central Criminal Court adjourned the sentencing of a 31‑year‑old man convicted of 14 counts of rape, one count of harassment and three counts of threatening to kill or cause serious harm. The defendant, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, could not be named to protect the victim's anonymity. The offences occurred in August 2017 and on Christmas Eve 2016. Defending counsel Desmond Hayes BL informed Judge Paul Burns that the defendant had tested positive for Covid‑19 and was therefore absent. Judge Burns, initially concerned that the defendant might be "playing ducks and drakes," accepted the medical reason and allowed the defendant to remain on bail until February 2 for sentencing. He instructed the Garda to monitor the defendant's compliance with bail conditions, which include no contact with the victim, surrender of his passport, sobriety, and a daily curfew. Antonia Boyle BL, the prosecutor, expressed the complainant's desire for a swift resolution.
A 41‑year‑old former GAA coach was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment for a series of sexual and physical offences against a boy he mentored at a local club. The victim, now 30, was abused over six years, from 2004 to 2010, including rape, anal rape, sexual assault, assault causing harm and harassment. The court imposed concurrent sentences totalling ten and a half years, with a headline sentence of 13.5 years, reduced by three years for the defendant's guilty plea, remorse and lack of prior convictions. Two and a half years were set for the sexual assault offences, two years for the assault‑causing‑harm offences and three years for the harassment offence. The final 18 months were suspended on strict conditions, including post‑release supervision for two years and a 10‑year prohibition on contact with the victim.
Dylan Fogarty, 27, pleaded guilty to assaulting his former partner in April 2019, criminal damage to her home in June 2019, and harassment between April and November 2019. He also pleaded guilty to assaulting an unknown man in October 2017. In November 2020, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three years' imprisonment for both assaults, describing the second attack as "an act of savagery" and noting the victim required surgery. In November 2021, the Court of Appeal quashed the original sentence and imposed a headline term of four years and six months, suspending the last 18 months on the condition of a bond to keep the peace and remain drug‑free. The decision was based on the DPP's view that the original term was too lenient and on evidence of aggravating factors such as threats, violence while intoxicated, and a controlling relationship with the victim.
Mark O'Shea, aged 41, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for burglary and harassment. The burglary occurred on 19 December 2018 at a Dublin City centre location, when O'Shea, accompanied by two other knife‑wielding men, entered the ex‑partner's home after using a woman as a decoy. All three men wore black balaclavas and gloves and were armed with knives. O'Shea had previously pleaded guilty to burglary and to harassment between 19 October 2018 and 31 December 2018. The court described the offence as pre‑meditated, conducted with assistance, involving physicality and intimidation. O'Shea had 44 prior convictions, including burglary, trespass, criminal damage, handling stolen property, possession of drugs, public order and road traffic offences. The judge noted that O'Shea had been in a residential treatment programme for a short period before the hearing. The sentence requires O'Shea to comply with all Probation Service directions for 12 months after release.
Michael Murray, a convicted rapist, was sentenced to 16 further years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for death threats and harassment. The validated procedural stage is an appeal, though the report details the sentencing following his guilty verdict. Murray, who pleaded not guilty to most charges, was found guilty of threatening barristers Dominic McGinn SC and Tony McGillicuddy BL, harassing his rape victim, and possessing a mobile phone in prison. He had previously been jailed for 19 years for rape and abduction. Judge O'Connor described his actions as an "unprecedented and deliberate" abuse of process. Murray was excluded from the hearing after throwing a Bible at the judge. The court imposed nine years for the threat to Mr McGinn and seven years for the threat to Mr McGillicuddy. Additional sentences included seven years for harassing the victim, four years each for harassing Mr McGinn and a solicitor, and five years for phone possession. The nine-year and seven-year sentences were ordered to be served consecutively, resulting in an effective operative sentence of 16 years, to be served after his original 19-year term. Murray was also ordered to have no contact with the three harassed individuals for 30 years. No mitigation was presented.
Gemma O'Doherty was ordered by a High Court judge to remove three videos she posted online that were deemed defamatory. The videos alleged that staff at Dublin's Beaumont Hospital were forced to receive experimental Covid‑19 injections, that the hospital had killed thousands, harassed unvaccinated staff, and employed "psychopaths" who had committed crimes against humanity. The judge found no reasonable defence for O'Doherty and ruled that the statements were devoid of substance. He emphasised that while journalists have a duty to report on matters of public interest, they must not recklessly impugn others' good names. The court did not prohibit O'Doherty from publishing about the hospital or its director, but the injunctions to remove the videos remain pending the full hearing of the defamation action. The case was brought by the hospital and its director of nursing, represented by Eoin McCullough SC and Michael Binchy BL.
Michael Murray, 50, was found guilty of making death threats to barristers Dominic McGinn SC and Tony McGillicuddy BL, and of harassing the rape victim and the barristers by posting her name and phone number in an online ad. The trial, lasting 15 days at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, concluded with a jury of eight men and four women reaching unanimous verdicts on all five counts. Murray claimed he intended to use the threats to bring attention to alleged procedural errors in his 2013 trial, but the court found no lawful excuse. He was remanded in custody pending sentencing on 29 July. The case highlighted the use of threats and harassment as a tactic to influence legal proceedings, but the jury found no justification for his actions. The trial ended with guilty verdicts and no appeal was considered at that stage. Michael Murray pleaded not guilty.
In a 2021 criminal trial, Michael Murray, 50, was excluded from the courtroom after he claimed he had been offered the names and addresses of the jury. The judge, Karen O'Connor, confirmed that Murray had no access to the jury list. Murray had pleaded not guilty to charges of making death threats against barristers Dominic McGinn and Tony McGillicuddy, as well as to harassing Mr McGinn by advertising him online as a prostitute and similar allegations against his victim and former defence solicitor. The trial, which had reached its 14th day, involved the defence counsel Barry White SC delivering closing arguments in Murray's absence. The judge was to finish charging the jury before deliberations began. The case centred on the alleged threats and harassment, with no mention of any verdict or sentencing at the time of the article. Michael Murray was convicted.
In a trial in Dublin, 50‑year‑old Michael Murray, a convicted rapist, faces five charges: threatening to kill two barristers who prosecuted him for rape, and harassing his victim and former defence solicitor by advertising her as a prostitute online. He pleaded not guilty but admitted owning the phone used for the calls and ads. The prosecution argued that Murray's claim of a "lawful excuse" for the threats was baseless, stating he intended to damage the barristers' privacy and cause distress. The defence, led by Barry White SC, highlighted that Murray had exhausted appeals and that the phone data could be unreliable, noting that the device's logs were set to a default date. The case continues before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury.
Michael Murray, a convicted rapist, is currently on trial for alleged threats to kill and harassment. He has pleaded not guilty to making death threats against Dominic McGinn SC and Tony McGillicuddy BL in late 2014 and early 2015, as well as harassing Mr. McGinn, his former solicitor, and his rape victim by advertising them online as prostitutes. During his testimony on day 11 of the trial, Murray claimed he had a "lawful excuse" for these actions, stating he intended to use the threats as a mechanism to force witnesses from his original trial into court to elicit evidence for a potential appeal. He alleged that the conduct of his previous trial, where his sentence was increased from 15 to 19 years by the Court of Appeal, justified his behavior. Under cross-examination, Murray admitted to devising six ads on BackPage.com that listed the personal phone numbers of the victims and intended to cause them distress. He acknowledged his intention to alarm the barristers and harass the complainant and his former solicitor. Despite these admissions, he maintained his defense was based on a lawful excuse related to the prior proceedings. The trial continues before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury.
A retired senior Garda detective, Kevin Dolan, denied that his team was "waiting for more calls" before arresting Michael Murray, a convicted rapist, for questioning. Murray, aged 50, is on trial at Dublin Circuit Court for making death threats in late 2014 and early 2015 against the barristers who prosecuted him for rape, Dominic McGinn SC and Tony McGillicuddy BL, and for harassing the woman he raped by advertising her online as a prostitute in early 2015, as well as harassing his defence solicitor and Mr McGinn. He denies these charges but pleaded guilty to possessing a mobile phone that fell out of his rectum during a strip‑search on 11 February 2015. Dolan said he applied to Portlaoise District Court for an arrest warrant in May 2015 after learning of the threat on Mr McGinn in mid‑November 2014.
In a 2021 trial, Michael Murray, 50, faces charges of harassment and death threats from prison. The accused, formerly of Seafield Road, Killiney, is alleged to have advertised a woman as a prostitute online in 2015 and to have threatened Dominic McGinn SC and his co‑counsel during a 2013 rape trial. He denies the harassment claims but admits to possessing an unauthorised mobile phone while incarcerated. The woman, whose name is withheld, testified that she received numerous unknown male‑voiced phone calls and texts beginning in January 2015, describing the experience as terrifying. She could not recall the exact number of calls but confirmed that her contact number had been used. Her husband also reported receiving a threatening call from a withheld number on 9 February 2015, claiming knowledge of the woman's location and warning of future trouble. The trial, presided over by Judge Karen O'Connor, continues with a jury hearing the evidence. Michael Murray pleaded guilty.
During a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Michael Murray, 50, faced charges of threatening to kill two barristers, Dominic McGinn SC and Tony McGillicuddy BL, who had prosecuted him for rape in 2013. He also allegedly harassed them by advertising them as prostitutes online. Murray denied all allegations. McGillicuddy recounted a 43‑second call from a blocked number on 9 February 2015, claiming it threatened his life. He immediately called Gardaí and McGinn. Murray's former defence solicitor, who could not be named, testified that she received suspicious texts and discovered ads containing her name and number. Garda Sergeant Gary Farrell reported that forensic analysis of a seized Samsung Galaxy S3 phone, found in Murray's possession, revealed deleted call logs and 112 references to BackPage.com, where ads listed McGinn's phone number. The case will proceed tomorrow before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury. Michael Murray was convicted.
The Special Criminal Court trial of Alan O'Brien, Darren Redmond, Luke O'Reilly, and an unnamed man referred to as YZ continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and two other judges. All four accused have pleaded not guilty to the alleged false imprisonment and intentional causing of serious harm to Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney on September 17, 2019. The prosecution alleges that the men abducted Mr Lunney, assaulted him, and forced him to resign as a director. During testimony, Sergeant Fergal McDonagh stated he mediated between YZ and local gardai in May 2019 after YZ complained of harassment. Sgt McDonagh also testified that YZ provided a phone number ending in 717, which the prosecution links to the deceased Cyril McGuinness, who allegedly instructed the accused. The court viewed CCTV footage of vehicles allegedly used in the offences, including a silver Renault Kangoo and a black Audi A4. The trial is ongoing and was adjourned to continue on Monday.
Michael Murray, 50, is on trial at the Circuit Court in Dublin for threatening to kill senior counsel Dominic McGinn and barrister Tony McGillicuddy, who prosecuted him for rape in 2013, and for harassing McGinn by advertising him online as a prostitute, as well as harassing his former defence solicitor and the woman he was convicted of raping. He pleaded not guilty to the threats and harassment charges. Murray admitted owning the phone used for the calls, which his defence said was given to him by another solicitor. During a May 8, 2015 interview, Murray told detectives that he had instructed his former solicitor to call 24 defence witnesses, but she did not comply, and that he believed his legal calls were being intercepted. He also claimed he had planned to have his solicitor abducted by a "foreign gang," a plan he later cancelled.
Zoltan Almasi, 49, a Serbian truck driver, denies knowing he had committed a terrible act when he left the scene after striking 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne with a baseball bat. Almasi, who is in the witness box for a second day at the Central Criminal Court, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the death that occurred on 16 May 2014 at Harbour View. He testified that he had gone out with a bat to chase people who were harassing his van, without intending harm, and later returned home, showered, and went to his wife's house as arranged. Prosecutor Caroline Biggs cross‑examined him, showing CCTV of his departure and questioning his route choice and why he did not call the gardai earlier. The cross‑examination continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of seven men and four women.
Enda Holmes, 38, received a fully suspended sentence of two‑and‑a‑half years for a campaign of harassment against a woman he met on an escort website. Holmes repeatedly called and texted the victim, set up an account on the same website displaying her phone number and her daughter's name, and sent messages that linked to her location. He also paid her €200 by direct debit and continued to contact her after she blocked his number, including visiting her workplace. The victim reported the incidents to Gardaí in February 2020, after which Holmes ceased contact. Judge Melanie Greally imposed the suspended sentence on strict conditions, ordering Holmes to avoid the victim's residence and workplace for ten years and to refrain from any contact. A breach of this order is a separate offence punishable by up to 12 months imprisonment. The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
Two brothers, Karl (27) and Cian (30) Hughes, were sentenced to a combined six and a half years in prison for harassing the Kennedy family in Rathfarnham, Dublin, between April and September 2019. The harassment stemmed from a debt the brothers claimed the family's son, Cormac, owed. The brothers repeatedly visited the Kennedy home, threatened the family, and in some instances physically banged on the door. CCTV footage of the incidents was presented at the hearing. The court found Karl to be the leader and Cian a follower. Judge Martin Nolan imposed four years for Karl and two and a half years for Cian, ordering that neither brother may contact the Kennedy family again. The case highlighted the severe emotional distress caused to the family, who ultimately sold their home and sought increased security measures.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 40‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to 15 of 74 charges of repeated rape, sexual assault and harassment of a boy between 2004 and 2010. The offences include oral and anal rape, attempted anal rape, sexual assault, assault causing harm and harassment, beginning at a sports facility and continuing at hotels and restaurants in Ireland. Seventy‑one of the original sample charges will be considered for sentencing, while three overseas incidents are excluded. The judge remanded the defendant in custody, with sentencing scheduled for 12 July.
The High Court has adjourned an injunction application brought by receiver Mr Declan Taite against businesswoman Mairead Barry. Mr Taite, of Duff and Phelps, alleged that Ms Barry engaged in acts of intimidation and made threats against him, his family, and company employees. He claimed she threatened to drive her vehicle through the front window of the firm's offices in Dublin 2. The applicant sought an injunction preventing Ms Barry and her agents from behaving in a threatening, abusive, or intimidating manner, as well as orders barring her from attending or entering the company offices. Additionally, he sought damages for harassment and the intentional infliction of emotional suffering. Mr Taite stated he was appointed receiver over properties belonging to Ms Barry's husband, Tim Sheahan, and that disputes arose regarding a transaction involving apartments in Limerick and an unsigned B10 form. He alleged Ms Barry used abusive language and made specific threats during conversations. Following a complaint to the Gardaí, who indicated the threats were credible, Mr Taite initiated proceedings. The application came before Mr Justice Senan Allen on an ex-parte basis. The judge granted Mr Taite permission to serve short notice of the injunction proceedings against Ms Barry. The matter was adjourned for a week.
Karl Fields, aged 26, was jailed for five‑and‑a‑half years after repeatedly harassing his former partner, calling her up to 100 times a day and threatening to kill her, to throw acid in her face, to "boot the baby out of her" and to cut her throat. He also threatened to burn her house and to kill her children. The court heard that his threats were motivated by jealousy over her new relationship. Fields pleaded guilty to harassment, threat to kill and contravention of a protection order in April 2020, and to an additional threat to kill and another contravention in November 2020. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a total of eight years' imprisonment, suspending the final two‑and‑a‑half years, and ordered the sentences to run consecutively. The victim's impact statement highlighted the fear and disruption caused by Fields' conduct. The defendant's defence cited a difficult upbringing and behavioural problems.
The High Court granted bail to Farah Damji, a 54-year-old woman convicted in the UK for breaching restraining orders and absconding from trial. Mr Justice Paul Burns applied the principle of proportionality, noting that Damji had already served eight months in Irish custody while contesting her extradition on medical grounds. The judge stated the sentence she faced in the UK was nine months' imprisonment. Damji, who fled to Ireland in February 2023, was arrested in Dublin in August 2023 under a European Arrest Warrant. She is alleged to have harassed two male victims by naming, stalking, and harassing them, including calling one victim ten times daily and tweeting a link to his victim impact statement. She also faces a breach of licence sentence for absconding. Damji, who has a criminal record dating back to 1995, is now represented by Ms Joanne Williams BL. Bail conditions require her to reside at an agreed address, sign daily at a Garda station, provide a mobile number, agree not to apply for travel documents, and keep the peace. She must lodge a €1,000 bond (part of a €1,200 total) by next Tuesday. A separate application from her legal team is scheduled for May.
A man in his early forties has been imprisoned for three and a half years following his conviction on sexual assault and assault charges at the Central Criminal Court in Castlebar. The jury found him guilty of two counts of sexual assault against his wife and one count of assault causing harm, relating to an incident in Galway city in October 2017. A rape charge could not proceed after the jury failed to reach agreement; the Director of Public Prosecutions subsequently discontinued this count with the victim's consent. The court heard the man forced his wife to a wooded area where he assaulted her, threatening violence and repeatedly striking her. The woman escaped and reported the incident to gardaí. Ms Justice Carmel Stewart imposed a four-and-a-half-year sentence with the final year suspended, backdated to his custody date in April 2019. The judge commended the victim for her courage in coming forward.
A man with convictions for stalking and harassment of former partners was found guilty at the Central Criminal Court in Castlebar, County Mayo, of sexually assaulting his wife in Galway city on October 13, 2017. The 42-year-old man was convicted of two counts of sexual assault and one count of assault causing harm. A jury was unable to reach a verdict on a rape charge, which the Director of Public Prosecutions subsequently dropped with the victim's support. The court heard the man forced his wife to accompany him to a wooded area following an incident at a church where she had sought shelter with other homeless women. Evidence included CCTV footage of the assault. The victim provided an impact statement describing ongoing trauma and psychological effects. The man, who has 24 previous convictions in Ireland and more serious convictions in the United Kingdom, has been in custody since April 2019. Ms Justice Carmel Stewart adjourned sentencing to December 1.
In a 2018 incident on Finglas Road, 20‑year‑old Ryan Thompson, armed with a golf club shaft, attacked two men he believed were harassing teenage girls outside a supermarket. The men were known to Gardaí. During the confrontation, one target pulled a Stanley knife and cut Thompson's throat under his chin, a wound only millimetres from being life‑threatening. Thompson was taken to hospital and later admitted his role in the attack but expressed fear of the two men, one of whom is awaiting trial. He pleaded guilty to violent disorder. The court, noting his youth and lack of prior convictions, discharged him under the Probation Act, requiring him to keep the peace for two years, rather than imposing a prison term. The judge highlighted the extreme fright caused by the injury and Thompson's good character and family support.
Dylan Fogarty, aged 26, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to multiple offences. He bit a man on Dame Street, Dublin, in an "act of savagery" following a minor altercation, and also bit his pregnant former partner's face after an argument. In addition to the assault on the man, Fogarty pleaded guilty to assaulting his former partner at their home in April 2019, criminal damage to a plasterboard wall in June 2019, and harassment at various locations between April and November 2019. He has five prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan noted Fogarty's difficulty with anger control when intoxicated, imposed concurrent sentences totalling three years, and ordered a ten‑year restriction on contact with his former partner. Fogarty has been clean of drugs in custody and is attending anger‑management courses. The court accepted his apology and expressed willingness to support his rehabilitation.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Samantha Otto, a 58‑year‑old Filipino woman, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after she poured boiling water over a man's face at Empire Casino on 27 April 2019. The court found that Otto had harassed the victim for months, sending sexual text messages and demanding he unblock her phone. When the victim refused to speak to her, Otto pushed him, called him an "asshole" and then poured boiling water onto his face, causing burns to his face, neck, shoulders and chest. Otto had no prior convictions. The judge, citing the unprovoked nature of the assault and the period of harassment, imposed a three‑year custodial sentence but suspended it in full on strict conditions, taking into account Otto's good character and life difficulties. The victim has fully recovered from his injuries. The case was concluded with the suspended sentence.
Roxana Dufficy, aged 32, was sentenced to a fully suspended two‑and‑a‑half‑year term for harassment of a man over a five‑year period. She repeatedly sent threatening messages to the victim's family, friends and workplace, claiming he was not the father of his girlfriend's unborn child and threatening to release compromising photos of him. Dufficy also made constant phone calls to his work and sent letters to his mother's home. She was arrested in June 2018 and pleaded guilty to harassment at unknown locations between 1 October 2013 and 12 June 2018. The court imposed a suspended sentence on the condition of good behaviour and prohibited her from contacting the victim or his relatives. She has not contacted him since her arrest. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Ben O'Leary, 20, of Balinteer Gardens, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for harassment and making an unwarranted demand for cash. The defendant pleaded guilty to harassment occurring between December 2018 and January 2019 and admitted to making an unwarranted demand for cash on December 11, 2018. The court heard that O'Leary allegedly demanded €6,000 from a family in Templeogue, Dublin, claiming their son owed him money related to a purported drug debt. He allegedly threatened the family, including warnings about property damage and advising them not to contact gardaí. On one occasion, a second man in a vehicle with O'Leary allegedly threatened the mother, stating her son would be killed. Judge Melanie Greally noted that while O'Leary was not the individual who issued the specific threat to the mother, he was part of the enterprise. The judge acknowledged O'Leary's efforts to address his cocaine addiction since his arrest in March 2019. Judge Greally sentenced O'Leary to three years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended. Additionally, the court ordered that O'Leary have no contact with the injured parties or their family for seven years.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by a debt collector against an 18-month custodial sentence imposed for intimidation and harassment offences. Kevin Molloy, aged 51, originally from Donegal and currently residing in Cavan, was convicted in May at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court of harassing a man and his daughter between April and August 2015. His offences included threatening to kidnap and harm an individual, and arranging the distribution of defamatory flyers at equestrian events and in Mullingar. Molloy, who operated a debt recovery business based in Kildare, received a headline sentence of four years with 18 months suspended. The three-judge court, presiding over the appeal on Friday, upheld the sentencing judge's assessment that the offences fell within the upper mid-range. The judges described the 18-month actual custodial term as generous and rejected claims the sentence was unduly harsh. The court also upheld a seven-year ban on Molloy operating as a debt collector, deeming it legitimate and proportionate. Molloy was permitted time to arrange his affairs before beginning his sentence on 30 September.
Brendan Doolin, 37, was found guilty of sending hundreds of abusive emails to six female writers and journalists between May 2012 and February 2018. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended on the condition that he never contact any of the complainants again. The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence, rejecting the appeal that argued the judge had over‑penalised Doolin and failed to consider mitigating factors such as his guilty plea, lack of prior convictions and psychiatric report indicating he was not a threat. The appeal was dismissed after the court considered the seriousness of the harassment, the number of victims and the impact on the women, who were all female journalists or media figures. The decision was announced by Justice Isobel Kennedy in a virtual hearing attended by Doolin and the victims.
John Waters and Gemma O'Doherty have applied to the High Court to challenge a range of Covid‑19 laws, arguing that they amount to an "effective suspension" of constitutional rights. They contend that the legislation, enacted in response to the pandemic, violates articles covering travel, bodily integrity and the family, and that it keeps people confined to their homes, closing parks and beaches. Waters cites Lord Sumption's comparison of the restrictions to those of World War II and warns of an economic downturn akin to 1929. O'Doherty, a journalist, claims the laws grant Gardai powers to harass citizens and liken the restrictions to "living in Nazi Germany," arguing they are scientifically fraudulent and harm health by limiting vitamin D.
In March 2020 a Disclosures Tribunal heard that Garda whistleblower Nicholas Keogh, who made a protected disclosure in 2014, alleged that a senior member of the Athlone drugs unit had an improper relationship with an alleged heroin dealer. Keogh claimed he was bullied by Garda management after his disclosure. In 2017, Chief Superintendent John Scanlan of the Laois-Offaly District gave an interview praising Commissioner Noirín O'Sullivan. Keogh allegedly called 999 and threatened to "break Scanlan's jaw" after the interview. Scanlan said he was concerned but not angry, and that he had handled Keogh professionally. He also stated that he had received Keogh's complaint file in March 2017, had completed it by April, and had no role in its subsequent investigation, which began in November. The tribunal examined whether Keogh was targeted, harassed, undermined or bullied after his disclosure. The hearing was chaired by Judge Sean Ryan. The tribunal has not yet reached a conclusion.
In a 2020 Central Criminal Court hearing, a 32‑year‑old man was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment for a series of violent offences against his former partner and their three‑year‑old child. He pleaded guilty to assault, false imprisonment, threatening to kill and to burn the house, and to producing knives. A separate trial found him guilty of rape. The court described the incident as of "utmost seriousness" and noted the aggravating factors of the victim's status as the mother of his child and the continued harassment for six weeks after the assault. The judge highlighted the victim's testimony of enduring "horrific" false imprisonment and sexual assault, her ongoing trauma, and her fear of the offender's release. The sentencing reflected the severity of the violence and the victim's impact statement, with no mention of any mitigating factors beyond the offender's troubled childhood. The sentence was imposed by Mr Justice White.
The Disclosures Tribunal, chaired by Judge Sean Ryan, heard evidence in February 2020 concerning whistleblower Garda Nicholas Keogh, who made a protected disclosure in May 2014 about a senior member of the Athlone drugs unit, Garda A, allegedly in an improper relationship with a heroin dealer, Ms B. Keogh claimed he was targeted, harassed, undermined or bullied after his disclosure. The tribunal examined the mis-recording of Keogh's sickness absences as 'flu/viral' and the resulting pay cut to a 'temporarily reduced remuneration' level in late 2015, despite his GP certifying work‑related stress. Human Resources Chief Superintendent Tony McLoughlin, who managed protected disclosures, testified that Keogh had admitted to alcohol dependence due to work‑related stress and that his pay was restored and back‑dated in October 2016 after the absences were correctly recorded. McLoughlin also noted Keogh's concerns about management's handling of the investigation and his belief that the Garda Commissioner failed to protect him.