Martin Aylmer, 31, of Casino Park, Marino, Dublin 3, pleaded guilty today to facilitating the murder of Michael Barr, 35, the manager of the Sunset House pub in Dublin 1, which occurred on 25 April 2016. Aylmer admitted that between 23 and 25 April 2016 he participated in or contributed to activities that could facilitate the commission of the murder by a criminal organisation or its members. He also admitted reckless conduct that could facilitate the murder. The prosecution, led by Dominic McGinn SC, presented the first count to the Special Criminal Court, where Aylmer was arraigned and pleaded guilty. Judge Tony Hunt remanded him on continuing bail until his sentencing hearing on 1 October, noting that his guilty plea would be treated as an early plea with significant credit. The case is the first prosecution under the 2006 organised‑crime legislation. Eamonn Cumberton, 30, was jailed for life in January for the same murder.
Michael Kaiser, a 24‑year‑old Polish national, was found guilty of burglary and assault causing harm to an off‑duty Garda in Naas on 1 July 2016. He was originally sentenced to two years' imprisonment with the final six months suspended. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal agreed and increased his term to two‑and‑a‑half years, crediting time already served. The judge noted that Kaiser and a co‑offender had been drinking at the Ivy Inn, entered the kitchen without permission, attacked the head chef with a mop, and then assaulted Garda James Keating, who had come to the pub for lunch. The assault on the Garda was aggravated by the fact it was committed on an off‑duty officer. The court emphasised that Kaiser had no prior convictions, had been a good employee, and had returned to Ireland in breach of a deportation order. Michael Kaiser pleaded not guilty.
A 27-year-old Dublin man has been sentenced to 16 months in prison for violent disorder at a public house in Finglas. Dean Thomas of Glenties Drive pleaded guilty to his role in the incident at the Cardiff Inn, Cardiffsbridge Road, on 19 October 2017. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Thomas kicked, punched and stomped on a man during an altercation between two groups, after the injured party arrived with associates and approached Thomas's group with a baseball bat. Judge Martin Nolan noted that while Thomas's group had acted in self-defence initially, the encounter subsequently escalated to vengeance. The court heard character references describing Thomas as a talented footballer and popular with pub staff and customers, and noted his expression of remorse. Thomas has 11 previous convictions for minor offences. Other participants in the violent disorder received sentences ranging from nine months to two and a half years.
A 35‑year‑old Waterford man was found guilty of raping his younger cousin at his home on 27 February 2013. The Central Criminal Court jury convicted him and he was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, by Mr Justice Robert Eagar on 18 April 2016. The man appealed against the severity of the sentence. The Court of Appeal, sitting with Mr Justice John Hedigan, Mr Justice Michael Peart and Mr Justice Alan Mahon, upheld the seven‑year jail term. Mr Justice Hedigan noted that the man and the victim had attended a pub gathering to mark the first anniversary of the man's mother's death, moved between pubs, and were intoxicated. The victim woke to find the man on top of her, undressed, and she told him to stop and leave. The man, a separated father of one, had seven prior convictions, including theft and drug supply. The unnamed 35-year-old pleaded not guilty.
David Mulvey, 36, of Berryfield Drive, Finglas, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two and a half years in prison and disqualified from driving for four years. He pleaded guilty to violent disorder, dangerous driving, and endangerment arising from an incident on October 19, 2017. The court heard that Mulvey was part of a group that assaulted Chris Duggan at the Cardiff Inn. After leaving the pub, Mulvey allegedly drove his Toyota Avensis onto the footpath on Cardiffsbridge Road, attempting to strike Duggan and another man before narrowly missing them. Judge Nolan described the driving as "pretty intentional" and "vicious," noting Mulvey's participation in a "ferocious attack." Mulvey, who has 27 previous convictions, has been on remand since November last year. In a related matter, Duggan, 28, of Cardiffsbridge Road, was previously sentenced by Judge Cormac Quinn last April to two years for violent disorder, with the final 15 months suspended. Duggan had also pleaded guilty to violent disorder stemming from the same confrontation. The prosecution noted that while Mulvey attempted to kick and stamp on Duggan, CCTV did not show contact, and he left the scene while the assault continued. Defense counsel acknowledged the response was disproportionate.
In a Dublin pub, Anthony Burns, 43, attempted a robbery on 12 December 2017 using a toy gun. Customers jeered, calling his plastic weapon ineffective, and one struck him with a bottle, causing head cuts. Burns, a crack cocaine addict, took €520 from barman Shay Donnelly. Donnelly, unharmed, expressed relief and sympathy for Burns. Burns pleaded guilty to robbery of the pub, a Subway restaurant, an attempted robbery of Rapeedos, and robbery of a bookmakers shop. Victims included Donnelly, Stacey Ryle, and Katarzyna Filipiak, who feared stabbing and felt threatened. Judge Melanie Greally suspended the last two years of a five‑year sentence, citing Burns' past crime‑free period and the amateurish, desperate nature of the offences. Burns' history includes false imprisonment, robbery, and unlawful car seizure in 2000.
During the Special Criminal Court trial of 37‑year‑old Frederick 'Freddie' Thompson, Detective Garda Seamus O'Donovan gave recognition evidence that Thompson was the driver of a "spotter" vehicle in the 2016 murder of shoe shop manager David Douglas. O'Donovan identified Thompson in three CCTV clips taken on the day of the shooting, showing a bearded driver of a Ford Fiesta, one of the alleged spotter cars. The prosecution does not claim Thompson fired the shots; instead, his DNA was found in two spotter cars. O'Donovan also recounted his prior investigation of Thompson in a 2013 violent disorder case at Morrissey's Pub and his involvement in Thompson's extradition from Holland. The defence, led by Michael O'Higgins SC, challenged the admissibility of the CCTV evidence, arguing the footage was insufficient for reliable identification. The court heard the dispute and will consider submissions before Judge Tony Hunt and the other judges. The unnamed 37-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Stephen Collins, 27, a disqualified driver with 85 prior convictions, was jailed for five years after an intoxicated, high‑speed crash on Davitt Road, Dublin. While under the influence of alcohol and drugs, Collins struck a cyclist who was turning right at a green light, sending her airborne and causing a cut to her forehead. He then lost control, hit the wall of The Marble Arch Pub, collided with a curb, and head‑on struck another vehicle, injuring its driver. Collins fled the scene, leaving the injured parties behind. He pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment and failure to assist. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Collins' long history of offences and lack of respect for traffic law, imposed the sentence and a ten‑year driving disqualification. The incident remains a significant incident of road‑traffic violence in Dublin.
In a Dublin nightclub incident, 36‑year‑old British stag tourist Mark Wragg punched a 20‑year‑old Maynooth University student on the dance floor at D2 nightclub on Harcourt Street on the night of 18 November. Wragg, who was part of a 25‑strong stag party, claimed the victim was dancing too close and had pushed him, prompting Wragg to strike him in the face, fracturing the victim's jaw and damaging his teeth. Wragg pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, was arrested after being ejected, and later paid €2,000 to the victim as a token of remorse. Judge Martin Nolan, noting the victim's initial push as provocation but not justification, imposed an 18‑month suspended sentence, finding it unjust to imprison Wragg. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Jonathan Conway, 36, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for stealing a BMW that had been left with its keys inside by the owner. He drove the vehicle in a highly dangerous manner, losing control at a roundabout, briefly becoming airborne and crashing into a lamppost and the wall of a pub. Two female passengers suffered minor injuries. Conway had 120 prior convictions, mainly for traffic and public order offences, theft and court‑appearance failures. He pleaded guilty to taking possession of a car without consent, dangerous driving, driving without insurance and refusing a sample. The judge imposed a five‑year driving ban and noted Conway's limited cooperation with Gardaí, his guilty plea and rehabilitation efforts. He was also in custody on other district court matters. The court heard he had lost a local‑authority accommodation in Blanchardstown. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court by Judge Melanie Greally.
Raymond Stewart, 31, was sentenced to four years in prison by the Central Criminal Court for threatening to rape and kill a woman he met in a Galway nightclub. On 18 July 2016, Stewart followed the woman from his house, repeatedly kicking and pushing her, and in a laneway threw her to the ground while telling her he would rape and kill her. He also shouted that she was "not worth raping." The woman, who had been told friends would be at Stewart's house, fled the scene after a house‑mate intervened. Stewart pleaded guilty to the threat to kill and sexual assault. He had nine prior convictions and was already serving a two‑year sentence for a separate assault. The court imposed concurrent sentences totalling four years, giving credit for time already spent in custody. The victim's impact statement described lasting distress, nightmares, migraines and a withdrawal from social activities.
In a High Court case, Lorcan Bourke, a descendant of Peadar Kearney, has sought the return of an original signed copy of Amhrán na bhFiann and other items from the former Bourke's Bar in Limerick. The bar's premises were sold by receiver Anne O'Dwyer of Duff Phelps Ireland Ltd, and a new pub is set to open there. Bourke claims the receiver holds his items, including the anthem copy, two framed pictures of "The Fields of Athenry" and "Dublin in the Rare Auld Times" signed by composer Pete St. John, and seeks declarations that any sale of these items is void, along with damages. O'Dwyer denies possession of the items and has offered an undertaking not to dispose of any that may be in her care pending the hearing. Justice Caroline Costello adjourned the case for a month, allowing both parties to exchange documents and prepare further submissions.
In March 2018 the Special Criminal Court granted bail to Martin Aylmer, 31, of Casino Park, Marino, Dublin 3, who faces charges related to the murder of Michael Barr at the Sunset House pub in Dublin 1 on 25 April 2016. Aylmer is charged with participating in or contributing to activity intended to facilitate the commission of the murder by a criminal organisation or its members, and with reckless participation or contribution that could facilitate the murder. The alleged offences occurred between 23 and 25 April 2016. While the court acknowledged concerns about Aylmer being a flight risk, it decided to grant bail, noting that he would remain in custody until the judges review the financial history of the independent surety. The case was adjourned to 13 March 2018.
A 31‑year‑old Dublin man, Martin Aylmer of Casino Park, Marino, was charged at the Special Criminal Court with aiding or contributing to the murder of Michael Barr at the Sunset House pub on 25 April 2016. He faced charges of participating in or contributing to activity intended to facilitate the commission of the murder, and of reckless participation that could facilitate the murder. The alleged offences occurred between 23 and 25 April 2016. Garda David Chapman arrested Aylmer at his home, conveyed him to Bridewell Garda Station, and the court remanded him in custody pending a bail application.
During the Charleton tribunal, Garda whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe urged anyone who had received text messages from a former Garda press officer alleging he abused children to come forward. McCabe explained that Superintendent David Taylor had forwarded a collection of such texts to journalists, senior Gardaí and politicians as part of an "orchestrated campaign" to "destroy him." He said he had not informed Taylor of his conversations with Deputy John McGuinness and that Taylor had not confirmed whether McCabe's Pulse computer activity was monitored. McCabe also noted that Pulse records had been altered in cases he had highlighted, such as a pub inspection that was later recorded as "inspected premises, all normal." The tribunal will resume on Thursday with closing submissions on the third module, which examined whether former Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan had used unjustified grounds to discredit McCabe at the O'Higgins Commission of Investigation. The chairman remarked that the proceedings were "the beginning of the end.".
During the trial of Slawomir Gierlowski, a 33‑year‑old resident of Galtymore Road, Drimnagh, Garda Warren Farrell presented evidence that the police had analysed hundreds of hours of CCTV footage to trace the movements of a white van linked to the alleged attacker. The van, identified as a white VW Crafter with black trim and three orange lights and registration 08‑D‑20729, was shown on video travelling from New Road, Clondalkin at about 5 am towards the scene of an assault on a woman on 16 May 2016, then moving towards Naas Road at 6:50 am, passing the Marble Arch pub and Galtymore Road, and finally parking near Gierlowski's home. The jury was informed that a 29‑minute gap existed in the footage between 5:12 am and 5:41 am.
Peter Kenny, aged 35, was convicted of the murder of John Carroll, 33, who was shot in Grumpy Jack's pub in the Coombe on 18 February 2009. The Central Criminal Court jury found Kenny guilty and he received a mandatory life sentence on 19 July 2011. On appeal, the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction, stating it was not persuaded that the trial was unsatisfactory or the verdict unsafe. The prosecution alleged Kenny was the pillion passenger who entered the pub and fired the shots. Kenny's defence argued that the evidence of informant Joseph O'Brien was obtained through irregular and illegal means, citing scandalous handling by Gardaí. The Court of Appeal agreed that despite these irregularities, the trial was fair and dismissed the appeal, leaving the conviction and life sentence intact. Peter Kenny pleaded not guilty.
In April 2017, Ingrid Olivares, 28, threw a glass of alcohol at Mr Padraig Hennessy during a late‑night dispute over jackets at Flannery's pub, Camden Street, Dublin. The impact left Hennessy with a permanent scar requiring nine stitches. Olivares, a Mexican national studying for a master's in marketing at DIT, admitted she had consumed a considerable amount of alcohol and became irate when she witnessed a verbal altercation between her boyfriend and another man, each claiming a jacket on a stool. She pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Karen O'Connor, noting Olivares' full admissions, early guilty plea, lack of prior convictions, and letters describing her as law‑abiding, imposed a two‑year sentence. She was ordered to complete 200 hours of community service within 12 months, with the court recognising the benefit of community service over custodial time.
Jace Pelivani, aged 49, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment in Dublin for his role in a €680,000 drug operation. He was arrested on 18 May 2017 in Clondalkin after driving a van that carried pallets of cannabis. Gardaí had received confidential information about a suspicious drug arrival at Dublin Port the previous day, discovered the drugs on a pallet, and re‑wrapped them for a controlled delivery. Surveillance followed the truck to Ashbourne, Co. Meath, where the contents were unloaded before Pelivani transported them to Clondalkin. Officers seized 34 kilos of cannabis, each wrapped separately. Pelivani pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply. The court noted that in November 2000 an Albanian court had convicted him in absentia of murder and possession of a firearm related to a pub fight in 1997. He denied prior knowledge of the drugs, claiming he had never been to Ireland, a statement the court found false.
In a 2018 trial, a mother and her two teenage sons recounted being kidnapped near the Wicklow Mountains during a €2.28 million robbery that occurred almost 15 years earlier. Marie Richardson described how she and her sons were bundled into a jeep, taken to a secluded area, kept for hours, and bound with cable ties before being released. She recalled her husband, Paul Richardson, a cash‑in‑transit driver, being forced to deliver the money at a Dublin pub car park. The defendants—Mark Farrelly, Christopher Corcoran, David Byrne and Niall Byrne—pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and robbery. The jury heard the kidnapping, the captors' orders, and the family's eventual escape, with the trial continuing before Judge Melanie Greally and an enlarged jury.
During the second day of the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Paul Richardson, a Securicor cash‑in‑transit van driver, recounted how he collapsed on the road after learning that an armed gang had released his wife and sons. Richardson said the gang had burst into his home on the evening of 13 March 2005, taken his family, and instructed him to continue his work the next day while they monitored him by phone. He described receiving aggressive calls, being told to drive to the Anglers Rest pub to deposit €2.28 million, and being pressured to keep moving. After the gang announced the family's release, Richardson felt severe chest pains and fainted, falling from the van onto the road. He was later taken to Mullingar hospital by ambulance. The trial involves four men—Mark Farrelly, Christopher Corcoran, David Byrne, and Niall Byrne—who pleaded not guilty to kidnapping and robbery charges.
Paul Richardson, a cash‑in‑transit van driver for Securicor, gave evidence at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on the first day of a retrial for four men accused of kidnapping his family and robbing €2.28 million in March 2005. The accused – Mark Farrelly (46), Christopher Corcoran (70), David Byrne (45) and Niall Byrne (36) – pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and robbery. Richardson described how armed men in navy boiler suits and balaclavas entered his home on 13 March, forced him and his family into the living room, and threatened his 17‑year‑old son with a handgun while the son suffered a panic attack. The men demanded Richardson collect cash from his van and deliver it to a pub, threatening the family's release. The trial, expected to continue until mid‑April, focuses on proving the four men's involvement in the kidnapping and robbery.
A 24‑year‑old Norwegian visitor, Nikolai Vinningland, was found guilty of assault causing harm to Dr. Robert Lee Greaves at Copper Face Jacks nightclub in Dublin on 16 April 2016. Vinningland struck Greaves with a glass that broke, inflicting serious facial and dental injuries. Greaves suffered a lacerated lip, a knocked‑out front tooth, a broken incisor, cuts to his chin, neck and face, and required plastic surgery and extensive dental work. He reported anxiety, embarrassment and financial loss of €7,500. Vinningland pleaded guilty, expressed remorse and provided an apology letter. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to a three‑year custodial term suspended in full on the condition that he pay Greaves €10,000 immediately and an additional €7,500 within 18 months, and to maintain good behaviour for three years. No custodial sentence was imposed. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In January 2018, Paddy Harty, a 44‑year‑old convicted burglar, was sentenced to four years imprisonment for a sexual assault committed on 23 April 2015. Harty met the victim in a pub, they drank together, and he later drove her to a secluded area of The Curragh in County Kildare. While she was still wearing a dress, he forced her down, removed her leggings and underwear, and held her down by her arms. The victim escaped, hid in nearby bushes, and later called the gardai, who could not locate her. She testified that the memory of the attack haunted her daily. Harty pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court. The sentence is consecutive to a previous four‑year term for theft and fraud offences. He has 168 prior convictions, including 42 thefts, three burglaries and 12 breaches of domestic violence orders, but no prior sexual offences.
Eamonn Cumberton, aged 30, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court for the murder of 35‑year‑old Michael Barr, the manager of the Sunset House pub in Dublin. On 25 April 2016, two men in "Freddy Kruger" masks entered the pub, shot Barr seven times—five to the head, one to the shoulder and one to the neck—and then fled in a grey Audi. The court found DNA belonging to Cumberton on a baseball cap and a rubber mask recovered from the vehicle, which was later found partially burnt on Walsh Road. Evidence also linked Cumberton to the getaway car and to a flight to Thailand taken shortly after the killing. The judge described the shooting as a deliberate and planned execution, and noted that Cumberton had 37 prior convictions. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, with no mention of a suspended portion or effective custody term. The court expressed sympathy for Barr's family.
Wesley Preston, 40, of Tulla House, Clarehall, Dublin, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for carrying out three robberies and three attempted robberies at The Village Discount Store in Coolock between 3 and 8 December 2016. He stole a total of €450 in cash, using a knife and threatening employees with a steak knife or a Stanley blade. During one incident he fought with a customer and was involved in a scuffle. Preston also attempted to rob Martin's Pub in Clonshaugh, a KFC outlet at the Northside Shopping Centre, and a Spar shop on Tonlegee Road, but fled each time when staff raised the alarm. The judge, Martin Nolan, suspended the final year of the sentence, credited Preston for his efforts to reform, and noted that the robberies were not the most serious offences.
Patrick Kennedy, aged 69, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for unlawful possession of a .455 Colt "New Service" revolver and a .455 Webley Mark 6 revolver with serial number 324736. He pleaded guilty in October at the Special Criminal Court. The offence occurred on 14 September 2013 when Kennedy, acting as a courier, was observed by Gardaí in Dublin's James Street. He had received a beige canvas bag from co‑accused Gary Yeung, who had travelled from Limerick that day. Gardaí followed Kennedy into a pub, searched the bag and found the two firearms. A ballistics examination revealed one gun was rusted but functional and the other was non‑working. Kennedy had three prior convictions, the most recent being an assault in 1978.
During the fourth day of the trial at the Central Criminal Court, bus driver Patrick Bushby testified about the night of 26/27 June 2014, when a Jason Derulo tour bus was reportedly shaking as if a disco were playing, though no music was heard. Bushby, who was hired to pick up the band after a concert at The Marquee in Cork, described a chaotic scene outside the nightclub, with many people and vehicles. He noted that the bus was crowded with girls, and that a girl in an olive jumpsuit was seen talking to a 35‑year‑old man, later identified by the prosecution as "cap guy." Bushby observed the girl leave the bus, return, and then remain on the vehicle as the bus continued to shake for about twenty minutes. Gardaí arrived ten minutes later after a report of an incident. The unnamed 35-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, David McFadden, aged 29, was sentenced to six‑and‑a‑half years for a one‑punch assault that caused severe brain injuries to 38‑year‑old solicitor Kevin Geraghty. The attack occurred outside the Back Door Pub on 25 June 2016, when McFadden, who claimed to be a boxer, struck Geraghty on the head without provocation. Geraghty suffered catastrophic brain damage, required two emergency surgeries, spent ten days in a coma, and has been unable to return to work or drive. McFadden had been assaulted minutes earlier by another man, a fact he cited in court. The judge noted the unprovoked nature of the attack and the high culpability of McFadden, who had 24 prior convictions. The prosecution's victim impact statement highlighted Geraghty's ongoing physical and psychological difficulties. McFadden's defence argued the assault was not pre‑meditated and that he was highly intoxicated at the time. David McFadden pleaded guilty.
Two men, aged 35 and 44, are on trial in the Central Criminal Court for rape, false imprisonment and related offences against a 19‑year‑old woman. The alleged incidents took place in a vehicle at an unknown location in Cork city on 27 June 2014, after a "VIP party" following a Jason Derulo concert. The 35‑year‑old pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, sexual assault and false imprisonment; the 44‑year‑old pleaded not guilty to anal rape and false imprisonment. The prosecution, led by Timothy O'Leary SC, outlined that the complainant was present at the nightclub, was invited to a second location, and was allegedly taken in a vehicle by a man wearing a cap (the 35‑year‑old) who allegedly raped and assaulted her, and by a larger man (the 44‑year‑old) who allegedly anally raped her.
Patrick Kennedy, aged 69, will be sentenced by the Special Criminal Court later this month. He pleaded guilty in October to unlawful possession of a .455 Colt "New Service" revolver and a .455 Webley Mark 6 revolver (serial 324736) found on James Street, Dublin 8, on 14 September 2013. Kennedy acted as a courier for two guns during a planned transfer of firearms between IRA members. Garda surveillance captured Kennedy handing a beige canvas bag with an LV logo to co‑accused Gary Yeung, who had previously been jailed for five years with three suspended for possession of firearms. Kennedy later entered a pub, placed the bag at his feet, and Gardaí searched it, discovering the two firearms. A ballistics report noted one gun was rusted but functional, the other non‑working. Kennedy has three prior convictions, the latest being an assault in 1978. He remains on bail until 22 January, when sentencing will occur.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Eamonn Cumberton, aged 30, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 35‑year‑old Michael Barr, who was shot seven times at the Sunset House pub on 25 April 2016. The prosecution, led by Dominic McGinn SC, argued that a partially burnt Audi found near the crime scene was linked to the shooting and that a mask and baseball cap recovered from the vehicle contained Cumberton's DNA, which he could not explain. McGinn also cited Cumberton's travel to Thailand shortly after the murder, arriving at Dublin airport without luggage, as evidence of his involvement. Cumberton's defence, represented by Bernard Condon SC, dismissed the DNA and travel evidence as unreliable, arguing that the DNA could have been deposited indirectly and that the Thailand trip was irrelevant. Judge Tony Hunt remanded Cumberton in custody until the court will deliver judgement on 29 January 2018.
A Dublin man has been sentenced to 32 months' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his guilty plea to assaulting a champion power lifter at College Green on 17 January 2017. Dermot Dowd, aged 25, of Allenton Gardens, Tallaght, stabbed the injured party with scissors after being asked to leave a nightclub entrance. The victim, Thomas Gleeson, sustained a 10-centimetre wound to his back and lacerations to his shoulder, requiring hospital treatment. The assault prevented Mr Gleeson from competing in European weightlifting championships and caused him to withdraw from representing Ireland in his sport. He was absent from work for 38 weeks and reported suffering anxiety and chest pains since the incident. Judge Martin Nolan noted the offence fell at the higher end of the assault scale given the severity of injuries and the weapon used. Dowd, who has 42 previous convictions, is also facing sentencing in the New Year for dangerous driving causing death in Donegal. The sentence was backdated to 17 January 2017.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, defence counsel Bernard Condon SC has applied for a not‑guilty direction in the murder trial of Eamonn Cumberton, 30, who is accused of killing 35‑year‑old Michael Barr at the Sunset House pub on 25 April 2016. Cumberton was shot seven times at the bar counter. The prosecution alleges that Cumberton is "inextricably linked" to items recovered from a silver Audi, a partially burnt‑out getaway car, and that these items are linked to the shooting. Condon argues that the evidence of Cumberton travelling to Thailand the day after the murder is "incredibly weak" and that the prosecution has not proved Cumberton was not the last wearer of a rubber mask found in the car. DNA matches on a rubber mask and a baseball cap are cited by the prosecution, who say no innocent explanation has been offered. Eamonn Cumberton pleaded not guilty. Sunset House pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 19 December 2017, Noel Parsons, aged 54, and his son Craig Parsons, aged 22, were sentenced to suspended prison terms for a "vicious and unprovoked" assault that took place outside Brady's Pub in Shankill on 13 May 2012. The court described the attack as having caused serious injuries to bartender William Kelly, who suffered a bleeding bite to his left arm, and to customer Ronan Mulcahy, who required six stitches to his forehead after being punched and kicked. Noel Parsons received a two‑year prison sentence suspended for two years and was ordered to pay €800 in compensation, while Craig Parsons received an 18‑month sentence suspended for 18 months and was ordered to pay €2,000. Both defendants pleaded guilty, and the judge noted their recent bereavements, medical conditions, and character references in determining the suspended sentences.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 19 December 2017, DNA evidence linking Eamonn Cumberton, aged 30, to a rubber mask found in a suspected getaway car was accepted. The court had earlier heard that the DNA profile on the mask was "one in a thousand million times more likely" to belong to Mr Cumberton and two unknown persons rather than to three unknown persons. Mr Cumberton, of Mountjoy Street, Dublin 7, had pleaded not guilty to the murder of 35‑year‑old Michael Barr, who was shot seven times at the Sunset House pub on 25 April 2016. The prosecution argued that Mr Cumberton was "inextricably linked" to items recovered from a silver Audi, partially burnt‑out near the scene, and that those items were "inextricably linked" to the shooting.
Father‑of‑two Timothy Magee (42) of Finglas was given a three‑year fully‑suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assaulting Gavin Mitchell with a baseball bat outside McGrath's Pub on 10 January 2015. Magee pleaded guilty to causing a serious fracture to Mitchell's forehead and additional blows to his body. The court ordered Magee to pay €8,000 in compensation, with €2,000 payable immediately and €6,000 thereafter. Judge Martin Nolan noted that Magee did not initiate the altercation but that his response was "grossly disproportionate." Magee admitted he was very intoxicated and had little memory of the night. Mitchell suffered a fractured bone, required surgery to remove an aneurism, and now lives with an arteriovenous fistula. Magee had three prior minor traffic convictions and was described by employers and a GAA club chairman as a reliable, hardworking, loyal family man. The case was presented as an instance of excessive force in a self‑defence claim.
The Special Criminal Court has adjourned the trial of Eamonn Cumberton, who is accused of the murder of 35-year-old Michael Barr in the Sunset House pub in Dublin's north inner city on April 25th, 2016. Mr Cumberton, of Mountjoy Street, Dublin 7, has pleaded not guilty to the charge. The court previously heard that Mr Barr was shot seven times at the bar counter. The prosecution alleges that Mr Cumberton is inextricably linked to items recovered from a partially burnt-out silver Audi, identified as the alleged getaway car, which were themselves linked to the shooting. Defence counsel Bernard Condon SC objected to the admissibility of DNA evidence found on a rubber mask recovered from the vehicle. He argued that the Forensic Science Ireland method, which uses STRMIX software to calculate likelihood ratios, improperly reduces guilt or innocence to mathematical probability. Condon submitted that this case requires special rules as it is the first criminal trial in Ireland to use STRMIX. Prosecuting counsel Dominic McGinn SC countered that likelihood ratio calculations are an established scientific practice. The court has not yet ruled on the admissibility of the evidence. The trial was adjourned until next Tuesday, when Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding with Judges Patricia Ryan and James Faughnan, will deliver a ruling on the matter.
During the Special Criminal Court hearing of Eamonn Cumberton, who is accused of murdering Michael Barr at the Sunset House pub, a defence expert challenged the reliability of the DNA analysis software used by Forensic Science Ireland. The court had previously heard that DNA on a rubber mask from the alleged getaway car was more likely to belong to Cumberton and two unknown individuals than to three unknown individuals. Cumberton, aged 30, pleaded not guilty to the shooting of Barr, who was 35, on 25 April 2016. Bernard Condon SC represented Cumberton and objected to the admissibility of the DNA evidence, leading to a voir dire. Allan Jamieson, a forensic scientist for the defence, testified that the software STRMIX, which calculates likelihood ratios, may be flawed because it "fits the defendant to the evidence" rather than deriving conclusions from the evidence itself.
During the murder trial of Eamonn Cumberton, accused of killing 35‑year‑old Michael Barr at the Sunset House pub, a forensic scientist from Forensic Science Ireland raised concerns about the software used to calculate the likelihood that Cumberton's DNA was found on a rubber mask taken from the getaway car. The prosecution argued that the mask's mixed DNA profile, comprising two major contributors and a trace third contributor, linked Cumberton to the car and the shooting. The scientist said the probability that the DNA came from Cumberton and two unknown persons was "one in a thousand million times more likely" than from three unknown persons. Bernard Condon, Cumberton's counsel, objected to the evidence's admissibility, and the matter is being heard in a voir dire to decide whether the DNA evidence can be admitted. The trial is before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, Judge Patricia Ryan and Judge James Faughnan. Eamonn Cumberton pleaded not guilty.
A Sligo man has been convicted and sentenced to seven and a half years imprisonment following a trial at the Central Criminal Court. Clement Limen, aged 45, of North Court, Quayside, Sligo town, was found guilty of raping two women at his apartment on June 2, 2014, and one count of sexual assault. The offences occurred after he met the victims during a night out at a nightclub on the June bank holiday weekend. Mr Justice Paul Coffey imposed the sentence after hearing victim impact statements detailing the significant trauma caused by the crimes. The court noted the aggravating circumstances surrounding the attacks. Limen has indicated his intention to appeal his conviction and to mount a separate constitutional challenge regarding his detention terms. A concurrent sentence of four years was imposed on the sexual assault conviction.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, DNA matching the accused, Eamonn Cumberton, was found on a baseball cap recovered from the alleged getaway car in the murder of Michael Barr. Cumberton, 30, pleaded not guilty to the April 25, 2016 shooting of the 35‑year‑old manager of the Sunset House pub. The prosecution argued that Cumberton was "inextricably linked" to items from the partially burnt‑out silver Audi, including the cap and a rubber mask found in the rear. Forensic scientist Rodney Lakes presented a mixed DNA profile on the cap, with a major contributor matching Cumberton's DNA. A similar mixed profile on the mask was also reported. Cumberton's defence objected to the admissibility of the DNA evidence, leading to a voir‑dire hearing. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, Judge Patricia Ryan and Judge James Faughnan.
Five men charged with violent disorder following an alleged altercation at a public house in Finglas, Dublin, on 19 October have been refused bail by the High Court. David Mulvey, aged 35, Robert Gaynor, aged 27, and Shane Thomas, aged 25, all of addresses in Finglas, Christopher Duggan, aged 28, of no fixed address, and Scott Capper, aged 24, of Cappagh Green in Finglas, face charges relating to an incident at The Cardiff Inn on Cardiffsbridge Road. The State objected to bail applications on grounds including the O'Callaghan principles and Section 2 of the Bail Act 1997. Evidence was heard from gardaí and a Detective Chief Superintendent from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation regarding concerns about the risk of further serious offences. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy refused bail for all five accused and remanded them in custody.
The Special Criminal Court heard that Eamonn Cumberton, 30, of Mountjoy Street, Dublin 7, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 35‑year‑old Michael Barr, who was shot seven times at the counter of the Sunset House pub on 25 April 2016. The prosecution argued that Cumberton was "inextricably linked" to items recovered from a silver Audi, the alleged getaway car, which was found partially burnt near the scene and whose items were also linked to the shooting. Jonathan Gallagher, a Emirates employee, testified that on 26 April Cumberton tried to board a flight to Dubai but his passport was invalid; he later returned with a new passport and attempted to board again the next day. Garda Shane Connolly presented CCTV footage showing a car driving toward the pub, parking opposite, then moving to Walsh Road where it was set on fire.
The Special Criminal Court is hearing the case of Eamonn Cumberton, 30, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael Barr, 35, who was shot seven times at the Sunset House pub in Dublin on 25 April 2016. The prosecution argues that Cumberton is "inextricably linked" to items recovered from a silver Audi, the alleged getaway car, which was found partially burnt near the scene, and that those items are "inextricably linked" to the shooting. The trial will continue tomorrow before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, with Judges Patricia Ryan and James Faughnan presiding.
A 22‑year‑old university student, Hakim Mansour, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after striking a stranger with a bottle at Krystle nightclub on 21 February 2016. The victim suffered facial lacerations and nerve damage to his hand. Mansour, who had no prior convictions, was identified by the victim through Facebook photos. Judge Martin Nolan, noting the lack of provocation and Mansour's cooperation, imposed a two‑year custodial sentence suspended in full on the condition of good behaviour and payment of €12,500 to the victim within two years. The court considered Mansour's background, education, and employment prospects, and the financial penalty was intended to punish and compensate. Mansour's defence highlighted his early guilty plea and low risk of re‑offending, while the prosecution maintained the assault was a serious, unprovoked act. The case concluded with a suspended sentence and a financial penalty.
In the Special Criminal Court, the trial of Eamonn Cumberton, aged 30, for the murder of Michael Barr, 35, at the Sunset House pub, has progressed to evidence about a suspected getaway vehicle. Barr was shot seven times at the bar counter on 25 April 2016. The prosecution argues that Cumberton is "inextricably linked" to a silver Audi found near the scene, partially burnt, and that items recovered from the car are "inextricably linked" to the shooting. Evidence was presented by Dublin Fire Brigade members: Brian Burke reported seeing the Audi on Walsh Road, Drumcondra, with fire damage to the front seats; Peter Conroy removed an empty petrol can from the driver's seat but did not enter the rear. Terence O'Brien noted that the crew had no reason to approach the rear doors. Detective Garda Gary McDonnell observed that no one touched the car after it arrived on a tow‑truck. Eamonn Cumberton pleaded not guilty. Sunset House pleaded not guilty.
Jason Whelan, 28, of Woodhazel Terrace, Ballymun, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to trespass and theft offences at Clifton Court Hotel and The Gresham Hotel in 2017. He admitted stealing a receptionist's phone and seven bottles of spirits worth €225, and burglary of €257 worth of spirits at Clifton Court. Garda Michelle Fitzpatrick reported that Whelan also took €43 worth of spirits from The Grand Central pub after leaving ten bottles in a bag behind a function room door. Whelan has 28 prior burglary convictions, ten theft convictions and other handling‑stolen‑property offences. Judge Martin Nolan remarked that Whelan "cannot stop himself from committing burglaries" and sentenced him to two and a half years' imprisonment, crediting time already served. His brother, Stephen Whelan, 34, pleaded guilty to the same offences and received a 16‑month sentence. No violence was reported in any incident.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, judges ruled that the arrest of Eamonn Cumberton, 30, accused of murdering Michael Barr, 35, at the Sunset House pub on 25 April 2016, was lawful. Cumberton pleaded not guilty. The prosecution argued he was linked to items recovered from a partially burnt car near the scene, and that forensic evidence connected him to the shooting. Evidence was presented that Cumberton was arrested at Dublin Airport on an outstanding bench warrant one month after the murder and later, on 27 May, was arrested by Inspector Brian Delaney on suspicion of murder. The court found the arrest valid and proper, rejecting the defence's claim that it was a contrivance. The case continues.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, judges will decide next week whether the arrest of Eamonn Cumberton, 30, of Mountjoy Street, Dublin 7, was lawful. Cumberton has pleaded not guilty to the murder of 35‑year‑old Michael Barr, who was shot in the Sunset House pub on 25 April 2016. The prosecution argues that Cumberton is "inextricably linked" to items recovered from a partially burnt car near the scene and that those items were "inextricably linked" to the shooting. The defence challenges the legality of the arrest, citing that Inspector Brian Delaney's evidence was "unsatisfactory" and that the grounds for arrest were based on "inadequate information." Delaney had arrested Cumberton on 27 May 2015 on suspicion of murder, citing confidential information, forensic links to the getaway car, and his movements after the shooting. Cumberton travelled to Thailand two days after the incident.