Eileen Ryan, 26, was found guilty of driving with unrestrained children, dangerous driving, driving without insurance and refusing a blood test. On 25 March 2018 she drove a car with a pregnant woman and two children aged two and five, without seat belts, at speeds over 120 km/h, breaking red lights and driving on the wrong side of the road. Garda Michael Brisbane chased the vehicle, which threw glass bottles at the patrol car and swerved. Ryan was abusive, smelled of alcohol and had slurred speech. She had four prior District Court convictions. She is currently an outpatient at a psychiatric facility, on medication for depression, and the case is adjourned for sentencing in October pending a probation report. The court will hear the sentencing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
David Byrne, 43, of Kilcullen, was convicted of dangerous driving causing the death of 70‑year‑old Patricia Dunne on Collins Avenue East, Killester, on 16 October 2015. He also pleaded not guilty to dishonestly inducing the National Driving Licence Service to issue a licence and to making a false statement while taking out insurance. A jury found him guilty on all three counts and Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to five years' imprisonment on 11 May 2018. Byrne has Type 2 Usher Syndrome, a degenerative eye disorder that causes peripheral vision loss. During the trial the court heard that Dunne was walking home with a shopping trolley, began to cross the road, a van slowed to allow her, but Byrne's car struck her, flinging her into the air before stopping. Byrne has now moved to appeal his conviction in the Court of Appeal, where judgment is reserved.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Miguel Pintos, 38, was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment for endangering two pedestrians after losing control of his motorbike on Shangan Road, Ballymun, on 6 May 2018. He was found guilty of endangering a pedestrian and of endangering a second woman, who suffered a fractured ankle. The court imposed a two‑year sentence, suspending the final nine months on strict conditions. The first victim, who sustained broken legs and required 20 stitches to her head and further surgery for plates in her legs, was described as having suffered lasting pain and a fear of motorcycles. The second victim suffered a fractured ankle and became nervous around motorcycles. Pintos had 29 prior convictions, including drug offences, drunk driving and other road traffic offences, but no alcohol or drugs were involved in this incident. He pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and had taken steps to improve his literacy and engage in voluntary work.
David Robinson, 22, was jailed for four years after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis, cocaine, heroin and prescribed medication found on waste ground behind his house in July 2017. Gardaí had forced entry into his home in December 2017, following confidential information, and found street‑deal drugs in his bedroom. Robinson admitted the sale or supply of drugs at his home on 22 December 2017 and earlier at Barry Avenue on 18 July 2017. He had 15 previous convictions for road traffic and public order offences. During the hearing, Robinson claimed he was under threat and that he was holding the drugs on the behest of someone else. The judge noted the seriousness of the drugs and Robinson's youth and level of involvement before sentencing him to four years in custody.
A Kildare man known as "Mr Nobody" pleaded guilty to possessing 15 lethal firearms and 1,355 rounds of ammunition at a Dublin business park. The Special Criminal Court heard that the weapons were supplied by senior criminals abroad. Gardaí recovered four loaded revolvers ready for imminent use, a sub‑machine gun, an assault rifle, four semi‑automatic pistols, two silencers and ten spare magazines. The defendant, Declan Brady, 53, was arrested on 24 January 2017 after a surveillance operation. He had seven prior convictions for road traffic offences and had received instructions from overseas figures. Brady's co‑accused, Jonathan Harding and James Walsh, had previously been sentenced to ten and nine years' imprisonment with one year suspended. The court noted the seriousness of the firearms and the lack of any innocent use. Brady was remanded in custody until 15 July, when he will be sentenced.
Nicolae Vlad, a 28-year-old Romanian national, appeared at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on appeal regarding his conviction for possession of cannabis for sale or supply. The offence occurred on September 13, 2018, at Beacon South Quarter, Sandyford, following a controlled delivery operation where gardaí intercepted a package from Spain containing €80,000 in cannabis. Vlad was observed acting suspiciously near the delivery address and was arrested after signing for the parcel. He admitted to being paid €2,000 to collect the package, though he claimed ignorance of its contents. Vlad pleaded guilty to the charge. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a five-year custodial sentence. The final year of the sentence was suspended on the condition that Vlad leave the jurisdiction within seven days of his release and not return for ten years. Defence counsel James Dwyer SC highlighted Vlad's custody since September and his lack of income at the time of the offence. The court noted Vlad's history of eleven previous convictions, primarily for road traffic offences. This report reflects the sentencing outcome following the guilty plea, with the specific conditions of the suspended portion clearly defined by the judge.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Shane McDonnell, 29, pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a car, three counts of dangerous driving, driving without insurance or a licence, and possession of a stolen laptop and PlayStation. McDonnell, who has 25 prior convictions and a 10‑year driving disqualification, drove a stolen VW Passat at high speed around Dublin's city centre on 17 April 2017, running red lights, overtaking on the wrong side of the road and causing other drivers to swerve. He was arrested after a foot chase. McDonnell later told Gardaí he had been paid €300 to move the stolen car for someone. He also admitted he had been asked to pick up stolen items from a Terenure burglary for €50. The court noted he had used his time in custody well, describing a transformation, and sentencing was adjourned to 12 July 2019.
A 22‑year‑old man, Dean Donovan, and his uncle Jonathan Donovan (33) robbed a Spar shop on Martin's Road, Chapelizod, on 8 April 2018, taking €305 in cash. While fleeing, Dean brandished a machete at Garda Peter Smyth and Garda James Keogh, who were approaching the shop. The pair escaped in an Opel Corsa, but were pursued and arrested. Dean was sentenced to six years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended; Jonathan received six and a half years' imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended and was disqualified from driving for five years. Both pleaded guilty to robbery; Dean also pleaded guilty to six burglary counts in Dublin and to possession of a machete, while Jonathan pleaded guilty to driving without insurance. The judge noted each defendant's prior convictions, addiction history and efforts at rehabilitation. The sentences reflect the seriousness of the robbery and the use of a weapon.
A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a man who failed to attend his sentencing hearing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Hassan Bilal, aged 38, of Church Street, Tullamore, Co Offaly, had pleaded guilty to burglary and theft of catering equipment valued at over €10,000 belonging to a Mayo businessman. The items stolen on 18 May 2015 included a commercial freezer, deep fat fryers, mixing bowls, trays, a chip holder, a burger fryer, microwave, food blender and chopping boards. Bilal has 24 previous convictions for road traffic offences. His defence counsel informed the court she was unable to contact her client and could not oppose a prosecution application for an arrest warrant. Judge Elma Sheahan granted the warrant.
Keith O'Reilly, aged 28, was convicted in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possession of four handguns, a submachine gun and ammunition, endangerment, and four counts of dangerous driving. The trial followed a high‑speed Garda pursuit that ended when his car hit a curb and spun near a bus stop. O'Reilly escaped, retrieved a bag containing the weapons and ammunition, and was later arrested. The firearms were found to be in working order, with the machine gun loaded and ready, and three handguns, including a Glock, also loaded. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to eight and a half years for possession, suspending the final 12 months on strict conditions, and to four years for endangerment and three months for each dangerous driving count, all concurrent. The sentence reflected the multiple loaded firearms, the significant ammunition, and the risk posed to the public during the incident.
Patrick Dignam, 45, threatened a staff member with a rusty knife and stole €170 from a Centra shop on Harold's Cross Road on 15 April 2018. Gardaí tracked him from the robbery scene to his home using CCTV footage from the shop and surrounding street cameras, locating his distinctive tracksuit bottoms at his residence. He pleaded guilty to robbery at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to four and a half years' imprisonment, suspending the entire term for four and a half years on the condition that he keep the peace, behave well and engage with the Probation Service for 18 months. Dignam has 47 prior convictions, mainly for public order and road traffic offences, and was previously jailed for robbery in 1992. No cash was recovered and the staff member suffered no injuries. The judge noted the offence was "isolated" and "out of character" for Dignam.
Stephen Weafer, 32, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three years and three months in prison for assaulting two women on December 27, 2016. Judge Karen O'Connor suspended the final 15 months of the sentence on strict conditions, requiring Weafer to engage with the Probation Service for that duration. Weafer pleaded guilty to assaulting both victims, causing them harm. The incident occurred outside the Greyhound Pub in Blanchardstown, where Weafer allegedly head-butted Rebecca Burke and kicked her sister, Rachel Burke, during a melee. Rachel Burke suffered a broken nose with permanent cosmetic damage, while Rebecca Burke broke a finger. Although Weafer admitted to the head-butt, he initially denied kicking Rachel Burke, claiming he was defending himself. The court accepted that the women were unprovoked victims. Weafer, who has 49 previous convictions for road traffic offences, provided €3,500 as a token of remorse. Judge O'Connor noted that Weafer's behaviour was out of character and acknowledged he was also a victim of an unprovoked attack during the fracas. The judge accepted that alcohol was a factor, noting Weafer was on epilepsy medication and should not have been drinking. The matter was finalised with this sentence.
Leon O Brien, 22, was sentenced to three years and nine months for dangerous driving, endangerment and possession of 240 g of cannabis, with the final nine months suspended on strict conditions. He drove a black Skoda Octavia, pulled a handbrake turn near a Garda checkpoint, and crashed into a Fingal County Council van on Hearse Road. Garda Neil Cotter reported that O Brien fled the vehicle, was found under his father's mobile home in a caravan park with a hand injury from broken glass, and possessed over €1,400 of cannabis. O Brien claimed he was speeding because his girlfriend was in labour, a claim accepted by the court. The van driver, Philip Daly, suffered severe back pain and a spinal collar was applied. Judge Melanie Greally noted O Brien's remorse, limited violence history and the impact on Daly's life, and imposed supervision by the Probation Service for 12 months. The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
Darragh O'Hare, 27, was sentenced to 28 months in prison for stealing a €150 bicycle and a burglary that occurred in Balbriggan in May 2017. He had 91 prior convictions, 73 of which were committed while on bail for other offences. The Director of Public Prosecutions sought a review of the sentence as "unduly lenient", but the Court of Appeal upheld the judge's decision, noting the sentence was within the discretionary range, though at its outer limits. O'Hare had previously been on bail for dangerous driving and unauthorised vehicle use when the theft and burglary took place. He pleaded guilty on his first appearance in the Circuit Court, and the judge considered his past drug difficulties and a letter from Fr Peter McVerry stating he was now drug‑free. The appeal was dismissed, leaving the 28‑month sentence in place.
Paul Connolly, 37, of Cregg Court, Kilmeague, was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for dangerous driving that caused serious bodily harm to Michael Igoe (54) and Francis Dhala (19) on Coolmine Road, Coolmine, on 1 May 2018. Connolly, who was under the influence of cocaine and tablets the night before, drove his young child to school, mounted the footpath, hit Igoe and then Dhala, and left the scene calmly with a smashed windscreen. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving under the influence of drugs, possession of cannabis, failing to remain at the scene, failing to offer assistance, failing to alert Gardaí, and driving without insurance or a licence. Judge Melanie Greally suspended the final 18 months of the sentence, citing Connolly's guilty plea, remorse, limited cooperation and long‑standing addiction issues. The sentence was back‑dated to 1 May 2018.
Derek Claffey, aged 30, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for unlawful seizure of cars in Lucan and Ardevin on 25 September 2017. The judge suspended the final year of the sentence on strict conditions and backdated the term to 20 September 2018, the date of his first custody in the matter. Claffey had discharged himself from hospital after a road‑traffic accident and had taken heroin earlier that day. He attempted to car‑jack two female drivers at knifepoint, using an eight‑inch serrated steak knife. In one incident he offered a woman €50 for her car keys; in another he cut a seat belt and threatened a woman's son. He has 64 previous convictions, including possession of knives, robbery and dangerous driving. The judge cited his guilty plea and personal circumstances as mitigating factors, while noting his history of substance abuse and the knife as aggravating factors. The prosecution requested a destruction order for the knife.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 16‑year‑old from Bray, Co. Wicklow pleaded guilty to burglary of a house in Dalkey on 29 February 2016. The burglary involved the theft of a camera and laptop that held the last photos and videos of the widow and her late husband. The homeowner's husband had died about four months earlier, and the victim reported that an urn containing his ashes had been disturbed and "gone through". The teenager, who cannot be identified, admitted he did not understand the impact of his actions at the time but now feels remorse and apologised. He has prior convictions for robbery, criminal damage, public order offences and breaches of the road traffic act. He has been in Oberstown children detention centre since last year, and the court noted his progress in completed courses. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case to 17 October.
John Langfield, 35, was jailed after deliberately reversing his car into a Garda patrol car on the M7 motorway at 200 km/h on a wet March night. The high‑speed chase began in a housing estate in Kill, Co. Kildare, and ended when Langfield performed a handbrake turn on Nangor Road, Clondalkin, struck the patrol car a second time and mounted a traffic island. He was arrested at the scene and later pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of dangerous driving, criminal damage to a patrol car and having no insurance. Judge Karen O'Connor accepted his remorse, suspended the final 18 months of a three‑year sentence and imposed a custodial term of 18 months. The patrol car suffered €1,400 in damage and was out of service for five days. Langfield had 23 prior convictions, including a suspended sentence for drug possession in 2009.
Keith Duffy, aged 31, was sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment for endangerment, dangerous driving and criminal damage after a high‑speed chase that ended with him repeatedly ramming a Garda patrol car. The incident, which took place on 30 March 2018 in the Dublin 7 area, involved a 26‑minute pursuit that saw Duffy's van stop on a humpback bridge, wait for the patrol car, and then attempt to ram it, forcing the vehicle onto the footpath. Two other patrol cars joined the chase, which concluded when Duffy's van turned into a cul‑de‑sac at Newgrange Road, reversed, and twice rammed another patrol car before being blocked by a third. Garda Sean Kelly described the event as the worst dangerous driving he had encountered in ten years. Duffy, who has 66 prior convictions, pleaded guilty and was also found guilty of robbery at Kiely's Chemist on 29 March 2018, stealing drugs worth €225.
In a Carlow farm case, James Kavanagh, aged 48, pleaded guilty to 30 counts of animal cruelty at his Raheenleigh property in April 2015. He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, ordered to pay €35,000 toward ISPCA costs, and disqualified for life from any involvement with dogs or horses. His wife, Jennifer, received a wholly suspended 12‑month sentence for 30 counts of allowing animal cruelty. The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence, noting that 340 dogs and 11 horses were removed over 11 days, with 20 dogs and four horses euthanised. The premises were described as "strewn with skeletal remains" and "truly shocking," with evidence of severe neglect, cannibalism, and health problems among the animals. The appeal was dismissed, confirming the severity of the original sentence.
Paul Beatty, 32, was arrested in Dublin's north inner city with a loaded .38 special calibre Smith & Wesson revolver wrapped in a plastic bag. He had previously admitted unlawful possession of a firearm in 2018 and had a seven‑year sentence from 2010 for the same offence. Beatty was under surveillance after Garda confidential information indicated firearm activity. On 2 June 2018, while cycling along the Royal Canal, he was observed by Garda Damien Broughan, who pursued him. Beatty fled, threw the bag onto a footpath, and was tackled by the detective. The bag contained the revolver and five rounds of ammunition. Ballistics confirmed the gun was in good condition but its serial number was obliterated. Beatty denied the offence during interviews. He has 71 prior convictions, including endangerment, drug possession and dangerous driving. The court noted he was an "important and trusted member" of an organised crime gang. Paul Beatty pleaded guilty.
Paul Connolly, 37, with 14 dangerous‑driving convictions and 3 hit‑and‑run convictions, drove under the influence of cocaine and benzodiazepine on Coolmine Road on 1 May 2018. While driving his child to school, he mounted a footpath, first striking Michael Igoe, 54, and then student Francis Dhala, 19. Igoe suffered a fractured ankle, bruising, torn shoulder muscles and a concussion; Dhala sustained a severe head injury, requiring multiple surgeries and a prolonged hospital stay. Connolly left the scene calmly, later claiming he thought he had hit a bush. He was intercepted by a driving instructor and Gardaí, admitted to drug use, and pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm, driving under the influence, possession of cannabis, failing to remain at the scene, failing to offer assistance, failing to alert Gardaí, and driving without insurance or a licence.
A 29‑year‑old man from Kiltalown Park, Tallaght, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after a high‑speed chase in which he drove a Volkswagen Passat at up to 120 km/h in a 50 km/h zone, forcing other motorists to take evasive action. The judge noted that he had been under a 40‑year driving ban and had eleven prior convictions for dangerous driving. He was convicted of three counts of endangerment and three counts of dangerous driving. The judge suspended the last year of a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence on the condition that he engage with addiction services, drug treatment and victim‑focused work, and imposed a ten‑year driving disqualification. He denies the offences and claims he is turning a corner toward a better life. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
A 42-year-old man has been sentenced to 14 months imprisonment for dangerous driving causing death at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. James Dingle, of Drumcliffe Road, Cabra, Dublin pleaded guilty to causing the death of Maureen Creaner, aged 92, on Navan Road, Cabra on 4 September 2016. The collision occurred as Mrs Creaner crossed the road to purchase a newspaper. Garda collision experts established Dingle was travelling at 64 kilometres per hour in a 50 kilometre per hour zone. A breath test revealed he was marginally over the legal drink-driving limit, having consumed alcohol the previous evening. Analysis of his phone activity indicated significant sleep deprivation in the hours before the incident. Judge Martin Nolan noted Dingle had made conscious decisions regarding his condition and speed, for which he bore responsibility. Mitigating factors included his remaining at the scene and full co-operation with gardaí. Dingle was also disqualified from driving for four years.
John Cash, 37, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for driving at a Garda while attempting to escape arrest for burglary. He had previously been jailed for eight years in 2008 after pleading guilty to dangerous driving that caused the deaths of two French tourists, Martine Talon (54) and Martine Liotard (53), on the Kylemore Road in Dublin on 16 May 2007. Cash had been banned from driving for 20 years after that conviction. In December 2017 he pleaded guilty to burglary at Aldi, Old Lucan Road, Palmerstown Lower, and dangerous driving. During the burglary, he drove his car at Garda Barry O'Shea, smashing the patrol car's windscreen with a baton and then driving into the patrol car, forcing the Garda to jump out of the way. The court described the act as "callous" and noted Cash's prior guilty plea for dangerous driving that caused death.
A 29‑year‑old man named Graham Taylor, who had a 40‑year driving disqualification and 121 prior convictions, was heard in a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court about a high‑speed chase that began on 19 June 2016 in Tallaght. The court considered three counts of endangerment and three counts of dangerous driving. Taylor, who denies the charges, was stopped at a traffic light at 12.30 pm on the junction of Brookfield and Cheeverstown Roads when a Volkswagen Passat, driven by Taylor, turned onto Brookfield Road. Garda David Jennings moved his vehicle to block the Passat, but it accelerated, prompting a pursuit. The chase lasted about two minutes, involved driving at 120 km/h in a 50 km/h zone, wrong‑way driving around roundabouts, and forcing other motorists onto the pavement. No collisions or injuries were reported.
The murder trial of Rihards Lavickis, 26, continued at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Michael White. Lavickis, originally from Latvia, is charged with the murder of Akadiusz 'Arik' Czajkowski on 1st November 2016 at Rue Noyal Chatillon, Townspark, Longford. He has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. On the fourth day of the trial, the jury viewed CCTV footage showing the accused chasing the deceased while grasping a knife. Detective Sergeant Eric Godfrey testified that the footage depicted Lavickis running across the street with his right arm raised, holding an implement believed to be a knife. The jury also heard evidence regarding the previous convictions of both men; Lavickis had prior convictions for knife possession, dangerous driving, and drug supply, and had previously been sentenced to periods of imprisonment. Retired State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy testified that Czajkowski died from a single stab wound to the chest that penetrated his rib cage into his heart, causing fatal blood loss. She noted that both drugs and alcohol were present in the deceased's system. The trial continues.
In the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution presented evidence that an anonymous text message sent to Mary Lowry after her boyfriend Bobby "Mr Moonlight" Ryan went missing accused her of hiding something and threatened to watch her until she cracked. Garda Tony O'Brien detailed call logs from phones linked to Ryan and the accused, Patrick Quirke, and also from Lowry's phone, revealing the text in September 2011. The court heard that Ryan's body, found in an underground tank on Lowry's farm in 2013, had multiple fractures from at least four impacts, possibly from a road traffic accident or blunt blows. Dr Anthony Ryan's CT scan indicated severe head, facial, rib and femur injuries requiring significant force. Quirke, 50, pleaded not guilty to Ryan's murder, while the trial continues before Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
Warren Farrell, a 33‑year‑old Garda in Ballyfermot, was driving a marked patrol car when he struck 75‑year‑old Elizabeth Core on Fonthill Road South, Dublin, on 28 August 2014. He pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving causing death, but was convicted on an alternative charge of careless driving causing death. The jury found him guilty by majority verdict. Judge Cormac Quinn noted Farrell's speed was between 50 and 56 km/h, slightly above the 50 km/h limit, and that he failed to slow after seeing Core cross the road. Farrell claimed he expected her to stop, applied brakes, and tried to avoid her by moving onto the footpath, but a tyre burst prevented this. The judge deferred a nine‑month prison sentence under section 100 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, requiring Farrell to pay a €2,000 fine and €5,000 to the Irish Road Victims Association within four months.
John Doyle, 38, was arrested after looting a Centra shop in Tallaght during Storm Emma. He entered the shop for only one minute and 30 seconds before Gardaí arrived, carrying three packets of cigarettes. Doyle pleaded guilty to trespassing with intent to commit theft. While Gardaí pursued him, he threw trolleys to obstruct them and was found crouched in a store room. Two other men were present, one with a sledgehammer. Doyle has 111 prior convictions, including robbery, burglary, possession of stolen property, road traffic offences and criminal damage. A co‑accused, David Berney, already received an 18‑month suspended sentence. The court adjourned sentencing to July to allow a probation report. The incident involved a mechanical saw breach of the shop's front shutter and Gardaí arriving by jeep and on foot. Doyle's defence highlighted his panic, shame and claim of being lured into the chaos. The case remains at the pleading stage.
Aaron Gilsenan, 38, a crack cocaine addict, was jailed for four years after a spree of robberies and attempted robberies in Dublin between December 2017 and March 2018. He used a knife to threaten staff at five convenience stores and filling stations, robbed a taxi driver of €40, and stole a total of €760. Gilsenan was identified on CCTV and used his own car to escape each time. He pleaded guilty to four robberies and two attempted robberies, admitting the crimes were driven by his addiction and the death of his daughter. He had 87 prior convictions, including 51 for road traffic offences. The court noted he was drug‑free at sentencing and had expressed genuine regret. The sentence was imposed by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with a suspended portion of 18 months, and he was also due for sentencing in Trim and Naas Circuit Courts for other pending cases.
In 2019, a motorist was acquitted of dangerous driving causing the death of an oncoming driver after a trial judge found insufficient evidence. The case involved the accused's car crossing 1.7 metres into the opposing lane on the N20, colliding with a deceased driver. The accused had not been drinking, speeding, or using his phone for more than half an hour before the incident, and no medical, vehicle, environmental, or loss‑of‑control factors were found. The trial judge directed an acquittal, and no alternative charge such as careless driving was considered. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed the acquittal on a point of law under Section 23 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2010. The Court of Appeal quashed the acquittal, stating the judge had performed a personal analysis and that the jury should have assessed whether the 1.7‑metre drift constituted a dangerous act. The Court ordered a retrial.
In March 2019, Kayleigh Byrne, a 26‑year‑old mother of two from Clondalkin, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for transporting nearly €200,000 worth of cannabis herb. She was arrested after a tip that a vehicle would be used to move drugs; 22 wrapped packages were found in the boot of the car on the M50. Byrne pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing the drugs for sale or supply on 3 September 2018. She had two prior convictions for minor road traffic offences. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted Byrne's fear of threats linked to a drug debt owed by her former partner, her role as a good mother, and her early guilty plea. The court suspended the final two and a half years of the sentence, backdating it to the time of her initial custody following the September arrest.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Robert Moore (31) pleaded guilty to hijacking a car on Alfie Byrne Road, Clontarf, on 1 March. He also admitted dangerous driving and driving without insurance. The court heard that Moore tried to drive the vehicle off at speed, crashed onto a footpath, and then attempted a U‑turn, causing the car to hit a kerb. Passerby Nicuser Monteanu ran to help, seized the keys, and Eamonn McGrath intervened, pulling Moore from the car. Moore threatened the men, claiming he knew where they lived. The victim, Delia Graham, a visitor from Northern Ireland, was pulled from the car, bruised, and feared being stabbed. She praised the men's kindness and the Garda's support. Judge Elma Sheahan suspended the final 12 months of a four‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term, conditional on probation and substance‑abuse treatment.
In a case heard by the Court of Appeal on 28 February 2019, a motorist who had previously been acquitted of dangerous driving causing the death of an oncoming driver had that acquittal overturned. The man, whose identity is not disclosed, was charged five years earlier in Munster with dangerous driving causing death. The appeal centred on the fact that his vehicle crossed 1.7 metres into the opposing lane before colliding with the deceased's car on a straight stretch of the N20. The trial judge had directed the jury to acquit due to insufficient evidence, and no alternative charge such as careless driving was considered. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed on a point of law under Section 23 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2010, arguing that the jury should have assessed whether the 1.7‑metre drift constituted a dangerous act.
Lee O'Brien, 32, of Cooley Road, Drimnagh, was sentenced to three‑and‑a‑half years in prison for a high‑speed chase that ended with him crashing into a garda car and a taxi. He pleaded guilty to three counts of endangerment, one count of dangerous driving and one count of driving without insurance. The pursuit began when a garda patrol noticed a red Nissan Micra that sped away, leading to a series of collisions. O'Brien's vehicle collided with a patrol car, then a taxi, causing the taxi to spin and hit a pole. All occupants suffered minor injuries. The judge, Melanie Greally, described the incident as an "extremely serious episode of highly dangerous driving", noted O'Brien's 122 prior convictions, and imposed a ten‑year driving ban upon release. The sentence was back‑dated to May of the previous year. O'Brien admitted the charges, expressed remorse, and was found intoxicated during the incident.
In a court hearing on 22 February 2019, Garda Warren Farrell, aged 33 and serving in Ballyfermot, Co Dublin, expressed remorse to the family of Elizabeth Core, a 75‑year‑old pedestrian who died after being struck by his patrol car on 28 August 2014. The court heard that Farrell had pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving causing death, but was convicted on an alternative charge of careless driving causing death by a jury majority. The judge, Cormac Quinn, adjourned the case to 12 March to consider evidence and testimonials. Farrell's son, Thomas Core, delivered a victim impact statement describing his mother as healthy and full of life, noting his father's health decline after her death. Farrell has a 12‑year Garda career, an unblemished disciplinary record, and has led a specialist CCTV unit that contributed to serious convictions. He offered a charitable contribution to the Core family as a token of remorse.
The Court of Appeal re-sentenced Sean Ward, a former All Ireland boxing champion, to six years' imprisonment with the final nine months suspended, following an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Ward, who pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm to Natasha Keenan and driving without insurance in Dundalk in 2015, had previously received a six-year sentence with two years suspended. The court found his effective four-year term unduly lenient, noting he was driving while disqualified and had 68 prior convictions. President Mr Justice George Birmingham, sitting with Ms Justice Mary Irvine and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, stated Ward's prior record did not justify a significant suspended element. The court noted Ward initially provided a false account to gardaí, attempting to pin responsibility on the victim, and showed little empathy in his probation report. Ms Keenan suffered catastrophic injuries, including broken bones and skin grafting, and remains disabled. Ward was required to enter a good behaviour bond for the suspended period and two years post-release. Ward's own appeal against the severity of his sentence was withdrawn during the proceedings.
Brendan Treacy, 35, will be sentenced in July for making a false emergency call that a gangland member had been shot at Peadar Kearney House, Railway Street, Dublin. The call prompted 11 Garda units, a fire brigade truck and an ambulance to respond, and the emergency operation lasted 24 minutes before being called off. Treacy admitted the call was a "moment of madness" while heavily intoxicated on tablets and vodka. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to making a false report at an unknown location in Dublin 1 on 23 August 2017. Treacy has 40 previous convictions, including theft, road traffic and drug offences. He has since detoxed from tablets, is methadone and heroin free, and seeks treatment at a residential centre. Judge Martina Baxter adjourned the case to allow Treacy to access treatment, warning that such conduct is unacceptable in a democratic society.
In February 2017, Dean Fitzpatrick, 26, assaulted David Curran on Grafton Street, causing a broken nose, three jaw fractures and a fracture above his eye. Curran required surgery, multiple stitches and spent seven months recovering, suffering nerve damage and losing several teeth. The assault left him traumatised, leading to a drop‑out from college and loss of his degree. Curran's victim impact statement, read by Antonia Boyle BL, detailed his mental health decline, social life disruption and ongoing physical injuries. Fitzpatrick pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case to 25 July to allow Fitzpatrick to complete a residential drug treatment programme and ordered a probation report. Garda Paul Jordan recounted finding Curran with blood from nose and mouth, and that the incident followed a night out at a nightclub and McDonald's. Fitzpatrick's 70 prior convictions include assault, theft, public order and road traffic offences.
Tony Ward, 40, of Castlecurragh Park, Mulhuddart, Dublin, was convicted at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for endangerment, dangerous driving, assault causing harm and unlawful seizure of a vehicle. The offence occurred on 29 August 2017 between Dublin city centre and Finglas when Ward hijacked a taxi, threatened the driver with a knife, and forced the vehicle into a high‑speed chase that ended with the taxi colliding with two Garda cars. Garda Ciaran Garry was injured, suffering a large wound to his left arm that required 30 stitches. Ward pleaded guilty, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 21 months suspended on the condition of good behaviour and compliance with probation for 12 months. He was also disqualified from driving for two years and credited for time already spent in custody.
Michael Maughan, 24, of Hazel Hill, Tallaght, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 21 January 2018 to handling €80,000 worth of stolen jewellery. The items, seized after an accomplice tried to sell them to a cash‑for‑gold shop, were stolen in a burglary in Lucan three days earlier. Garda Redmond O'Leary described a surveillance operation outside Gold Digger Jewellery that led to Maughan's arrest when a Volkswagen Golf stopped and a woman was found carrying two bags of jewellery. The jewellery, weighing one kilogram, included 48 adult bracelets, three baby bracelets, rings, cuff links and earrings, many of which had sentimental value. Maughan's 40 prior convictions included trespass, theft, criminal damage, road traffic offences and failure to appear at court. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a four‑year sentence, suspending the final two years. She noted the jewellery's sentimental value and the fact that some items were permanently damaged.
A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to three and a half years imprisonment, with the final twelve months suspended, following a high-speed car chase across Kildare and Dublin last May. Christopher Prentice, of Tallaght, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to unlawfully using a stolen vehicle and three counts of dangerous driving. The court heard that gardaí observed Prentice driving a jeep reported stolen on the Naas Road and pursued him as he drove at speeds exceeding 180 kilometres per hour, broke red lights, crossed lanes, and forced oncoming traffic to swerve. The chase ended when Prentice lost control, mounted a kerb, and came to a stop on Raphoe Road. Judge Melanie Greally described it as miraculous that no injuries or damage occurred. Prentice was also disqualified from driving for five years. He has thirty-three previous convictions. The sentence was backdated to May.
Paschal Kelly, aged 53, of Cootehill, County Cavan, has been convicted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of false imprisonment, robbery, and threatening to kill three women during a tiger kidnapping in September 2014. The convictions relate to the abduction of postmistress Susan Lawlor, her daughter Emma Carter, and an Italian student from their Malahide home, followed by a €92,000 robbery at Bayside Post Office in Sutton. Kelly was also found guilty of possessing a stolen vehicle. He had pleaded not guilty to all charges. The trial extended to nine weeks. DNA evidence recovered from items at the scene linked Kelly to the offence. The court heard of his sixty previous convictions, including assault, robbery, and road traffic offences. Sentencing has been adjourned to the following week, with Kelly remanded in custody. The three women's victim impact statements were submitted but their contents were not disclosed in court at their request.
Michael Connors, aged 25, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to escaping custody twice in 2017 and 2018. He also admitted unlawfully possessing two stolen cars in April 2018 and was charged with producing a hammer and possessing stolen property. Gardaí found stolen car keys and an RF radio signal jammer at his home. Judge Melanie Greally suspended the last year of a five‑year sentence and disqualified him from driving for six years. Connors had previously escaped custody while being treated for a bitten ear at Tallaght Hospital, slipping his handcuffs and fleeing. He had 38 prior convictions, including burglary, knife possession, endangerment and escaping lawful custody. The court heard he had a troubled background, early school leaving, drug use, and had undergone psychiatric treatment. The judge noted his apology and desire to change.
A man from Ballina in County Mayo has failed in his appeal against a five-year custodial sentence for causing a fatal collision while driving under the influence of alcohol and cocaine. Declan Moran pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to dangerous driving causing the death of Martin Wynne, a motorcyclist, on the N26 near Ballinahaglish on 8 May 2016. He also admitted leaving the scene. Moran had attempted an illegal U-turn whilst impaired and collided with Mr Wynne's motorcycle, resulting in fatal injuries. A urine sample taken hours after the incident revealed alcohol levels nearly three times the legal limit. The Court of Appeal upheld the six-year sentence, with the final year suspended, finding the culpability serious and the previous drink-driving conviction a significant aggravating factor.
Barry Grogan, a 38‑year‑old truck driver from Kilbarrack, pleaded guilty to careless driving that caused the death of Martina Loughlin on the M50 near Lucan on 11 November 2015. The court found that Loughlin's car had broken down and was stopped on the motorway, and that Grogan's Volvo lorry struck her vehicle, sending it 60 metres forward. A second vehicle collided with Loughlin's car seven seconds later. Loughlin was pronounced dead on 14 November 2015. Grogan was sentenced to one year's imprisonment, the whole term suspended for one year on the condition that he keep the peace and behave well. He was also disqualified from driving for four years, effective 18 March. The judge noted Grogan's guilty plea, cooperation, voluntary statement, lack of prior convictions, good employment record and remorse. No other charges were brought against Grogan.
Michael Jones, a 25‑year‑old roofer from Dublin, was found guilty of dangerous driving causing the death of Hong Qing Qu in a collision on Blanchardstown Road on 17 November 2015. Jones had broken a red light and was travelling between 115 km/h and 137 km/h, well above the 60 km/h limit. He pleaded not guilty, but a jury convicted him in December 2016. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to five years' imprisonment, back‑dating the term to 19 December 2015, the day he entered custody, and disqualified him from driving for life. The sentence reflected Jones' admission of driving the Audi, his lack of prior convictions, his young age, his remorse, and the fact that he was injured in the crash. The court also considered the victim impact statement from Mr Qu's widow, who described the loss of her husband and the effect on their children.
Geoffrey Cotter, 48, received a suspended two‑year prison sentence after he punched taxi driver David Carey unconscious during a parking dispute in Dublin. Cotter, who was on a lunch break delivering oil, parked in a taxi rank and, when Carey asked him to move, told him to "fuck off" and threatened to punch any taxi driver who clamped him. He then entered Carey's car, removed his top, and began punching the driver, causing bruising and unconsciousness. CCTV footage showed the assault. Cotter admitted assault causing harm and was ordered to pay €3,000 to his solicitor as a token of remorse, to be given to charity if Carey declined. The court noted Carey's recovery and ongoing anxiety, and Cotter's prior convictions for dangerous driving and assault. Judge Martin Nolan described the attack as unprovoked and suspended the sentence on the condition of good behaviour.
Michael Jones (25), a roofer from Whitestown Drive, Dublin, pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Hong Qing Qu at Blanchardstown Road South on November 17, 2015. The jury returned a guilty verdict on day nine of his trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court last December 19, after deliberating for just over two and a half hours. In her victim impact statement, Mr Qu's widow expressed the profound impact of her husband's death on her family, including her children who are too young to understand death. She stated that her husband's parents had not seen their son in ten years by the time they saw him lying dead in the hospital. She asked the court to picture an old man shouting and screaming at his son to wake up. She said she wanted justice and for the law in Ireland to be seen as truthful, with the person who made the mistake taking responsibility. After reading her statement, she held up a photo of her husband to Jones and shouted that she wanted him to see how young Mr Qu had been at the time of his death. Sergeant Stephen Byrne told Dominic McGinn SC, prosecuting, that Mr Qu was driving home from work when his car was struck by an Audi A3 driven by Jones. Mr Qu sustained serious injuries and was brought to James Connolly Hospital in Dublin where he was pronounced dead. Sgt Byrne said that gardaí were able to determine that Jones had driven through a red light and had been travelling between 115km/h and 137km/h at the point of collision. The speed limit of roads in the area was 60km/h, the court heard. Jones was taken from the scene by men who put him into a Volkswagen Passat and drove him to a hospital, where they left him lying on the ground. Jones gave a false name and said he had injured his leg in a fall. Padraig Dwyer SC, defending, said his client wished to express his remorse for his actions. Mr Dwyer submitted that this case fell in the medium range of offending and that a term of imprisonment of four or five years would be appropriate. Jones has no previous convictions. Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned the matter for finalisation this Thursday, January 17.