Gavin Walsh, 26, a father of one, was ordered to carry out 200 hours of community service instead of a two‑year prison term after pleading guilty to possession of a stolen Ford Focus in County Dublin. The car, stolen from a tow truck in Santry on 15 January 2014, had been advertised for sale on Done Deal and was recovered by undercover Gardaí. Walsh attempted to sell the vehicle to the Gardaí, who discovered the plates and discs had been cloned. He was also linked to a second stolen Audi A4, which had been bought with a fake bank draft and similarly advertised for sale; that vehicle was also returned to its owners. Walsh had six prior convictions for minor road traffic and public order offences. His defence argued that he had recently become a father, was employed, and intended to become a registered carer for his parents.
Michael O'Shea, 70, of Smithstown, Maynooth, had been convicted of careless driving causing the death of Kevin O'Sullivan at Graiguesallagh, Ladychapel, in January 2013. He had pleaded not guilty at Naas Circuit Criminal Court, was disqualified from driving for four years, fined €5,000 and ordered to retake a driver competency test. In December 2014 Judge Gerard Griffin directed the disqualification and fine. On 15 December 2015 the Court of Appeal, hearing the appeal, found that the trial judge had misdirected the jury by classifying the offence as one of strict liability. The Court of Appeal allowed the appeal and directed a retrial. The appeal was argued by Damien Colgan SC, who contended that the jury had not been properly instructed on the requirement of intention or recklessness for the offence of careless driving causing death.
Joseph French, 24, of Neilstown Park, Clondalkin, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to seven and a half years for endangerment of a Garda and dangerous driving. He pleaded guilty to endangerment on the Ninth Lock Road, dangerous driving on Cherry Orchard Avenue, and driving without insurance. French also admitted to two robberies and an attempted robbery between 30 July and 9 August 2014 at Centra on La Touche Road, Bluebell, and Mace on Manor Road. His prior convictions include robbery, theft, burglary, possession of knives, and drug offences. Judge Martin Nolan imposed consecutive terms of seven and a half years, suspending the final two years on strict conditions. French was disqualified from driving for five years. The sentence reflects the violent nature of the robberies, which were committed to fund a drug habit, and the serious risk posed to Garda Fiona Ruddy during the high‑speed chase and reversal of his Volkswagen Passat.
A man from Buncrana, Co Donegal, has had his sentence doubled following a Court of Appeal finding that his original jail term was unduly lenient. Shaun Kelly, aged 27, had pleaded guilty at Letterkenny Circuit Criminal Court to dangerous driving causing the deaths of eight men on a road between Clonmany and Buncrana on 11 July 2010. He was originally sentenced to four years imprisonment with the final two suspended. The Court of Appeal set aside this sentence and re-sentenced Kelly to eight years imprisonment with the final four suspended. Mr Justice George Birmingham described the incident as the worst road traffic accident in the history of the State. The judge noted Kelly's high culpability, the multiple fatalities, and his previous conviction for dangerous driving, whilst acknowledging mitigating factors including his youth, guilty plea, and the extraordinary generosity shown by victims' families. Kelly was also disqualified from driving for ten years.
The Court of Appeal in Letterkenny is reconsidering the sentence imposed on a Buncrana man convicted of dangerous driving that caused eight deaths on a Donegal road in July 2010. Shaun Kelly, aged 27, had pleaded guilty at Letterkenny Circuit Criminal Court to the fatal collision between Clonmany and Buncrana. He received four years imprisonment with the final two years suspended, plus a ten-year driving disqualification. The Director of Public Prosecutions successfully challenged the sentence as unduly lenient, citing it as the most serious fatal collision and dangerous driving case in the State's history. The Court of Appeal agreed and commenced re-sentencing proceedings. During proceedings, the court received impact statements from three victims' families. Mr Justice George Birmingham stressed that while victim submissions warrant consideration, they cannot determine sentencing, which remains a matter of public prosecution by the State. The court indicated it would deliver its re-sentencing decision on the same day.
Paul Norton, 27, of Cromcastle Court, Kilmore, lost an appeal against a seven‑year prison sentence and a lifetime driving ban for his role as getaway driver in a failed cash van robbery at the Northside Shopping Centre on 6 June 2012. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge, Mr Justice Patrick McCartan, suspended the final two years of the sentence and imposed a life disqualification from driving, noting Norton had been disqualified 11 times before. Mr Justice John Edwards, speaking for the Court of Appeal, described how Norton fled from security after a robbery attempt, drove at high speed, ran a red light, and was thrown from his bike when avoiding a JCB. He had 80 prior convictions, including similar offences, and had been shot and involved in a traffic accident on earlier trial dates. The appeal was dismissed, and the court confirmed the sentence and driving ban.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 18‑year‑old Paddy Lawrence was found guilty of unlawful taking of a car, handling stolen property, criminal damage and dangerous driving. On 4 March 2015 he stole a Skoda Octavia from a Balbriggan house, then drove it at high speed, causing a collision on Naul Road that smashed into a car driven by Eddie Tiernan. Tiernan's ten‑year‑old son and eight‑year‑old daughter were inside the vehicle; all were hospitalised with minor injuries. Lawrence fled the scene, smirking when Tiernan asked him to help the trapped family escape. He was arrested later that day. The court described the crash as "inevitable" and Lawrence as "incorrigible", sentencing him to four years' imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended. The Skoda was written off and the other passengers were never apprehended. Lawrence has 37 prior convictions.
A 21‑year‑old Wexford resident, Eric Sutcliffe, was sentenced to 16 months in jail for robbing a Domino's Pizza delivery man and driving off in the victim's car. Gardaí traced the crime to Sutcliffe after he left fingerprints on a two‑litre bottle of Coke at the scene. The delivery man's €1,300 car was found burnt the following day, and the insurer declined to pay because of the nature of his job. Sutcliffe pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbing cash and car keys on Reuben Walk, Rialto, Dublin, on 3 November 2013. He has 62 prior convictions, including road traffic offences and thefts, and had accumulated 58 of those since the robbery. The judge, taking into account his cooperation and early guilty plea, imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with the final 14 months suspended.
Jayne Kearney, aged 26, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm and driving while intoxicated after she hit Blathnaid Molloy on 8 March 2014. Kearney was almost three times the legal alcohol limit and left the scene. Molloy suffered a fractured skull, brain bleeding, speech and hearing impairment, and dizzy spells. She missed her eldest's first day of school and could not care for her 11‑month‑old child for a time. Kearney had eight prior traffic convictions. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced her to three years' imprisonment, disqualified her from driving for the same period, and noted her remorse and cooperation. The case highlighted the severe impact on Molloy's life and family.
Eoin O'Sullivan, a 28‑year‑old man from Cork, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for a series of offences including dangerous driving, unlawful use of a stolen vehicle and endangerment. On 24 November 2014, Garda Blaine Feely stopped O'Sullivan on the M50 at Santry after a suspicion of dangerous driving. While the garda was partially inside the vehicle, O'Sullivan refused to stop, drove off, and later performed a U‑turn, travelling the wrong way on the M50 and the M1 before colliding with another vehicle at the Oscar Traynor Road Roundabout. He was also accused of tracing a stolen white Ford Transit box van used in a burglary in Louth. The court noted that O'Sullivan had 195 previous convictions, including dangerous driving, driving without insurance and a licence, careless driving and drink driving. Eoin O'Sullivan pleaded guilty.
A 21-year-old man from Longford has been sentenced to one year in custody at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following a dangerous driving incident in Blanchardstown, Dublin on August 2nd, 2013. Dylan Meade of An Cussan, Lisbrack Road pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious harm, failing to remain at the scene, driving without a valid licence and driving without insurance. The court heard that Meade struck a cyclist at approximately 57 kilometres per hour, causing severe brain trauma and four months of amnesia. Judge Catherine Murphy imposed a three and a half year sentence with two and a half years suspended, subject to strict conditions including probation supervision, abstinence from alcohol and drugs, and attendance at mental health appointments. The judge noted that non-compliance would result in activation of the suspended portion. The cyclist, who suffered significant neurological injury, submitted a victim impact statement describing the profound effect on his family and future prospects.
Archili Mindadze, a 40‑year‑old Georgian restaurateur, was sentenced to three years in prison for assaulting Romanian dentist Iurii Borta in Borta's surgery on 1 October 2012. Mindadze and a co‑accused demanded protection money from Borta, asking "Who is your roof?" and threatened to leave Ireland or pay if the police were called. During the attack Mindadze sliced Borta's hand and struck him in the face. Borta suffered scarring, numbness and anxiety. Mindadze admitted presence at the surgery but denied using the knife, claiming the co‑accused supplied it. He has 14 prior convictions, including dangerous driving and theft. The judge suspended the final six months of a 3½‑year sentence, leaving an effective custodial term of three years. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with prosecution by Fiona Murphy BL and defence by Marc Thompson BL. The sentencing hearing took place in October 2015. Archili Mindadze pleaded guilty.
A 16‑year‑old, who bought a car on donedeal.ie for €400, crashed it later that day, killing his 15‑year‑old friend Dayne Cody. The boy, who was 15 at the time of the crash, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 16 months of detention, with the remainder of a four‑year term suspended. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death, driving without a licence and without insurance. The car, an automatic 2002 Kia Magentis, had been driven at speeds far above the 50 kph limit and spun into a tree after the driver accelerated in panic upon seeing a Garda van. The incident left one boy with a 90 % foot amputation and others with minor injuries. The court noted the boy's lack of prior convictions and his remorse, and the Children Act 2001 guided the decision to impose detention rather than imprisonment.
In 2015, 19‑year‑old Martin Joyce was jailed for one year and banned from driving for four years after he ran a red light at a pedestrian crossing on Malahide Road, Dublin, and struck six‑year‑old Jennifer Casey. Joyce's van threw Casey into the air, fracturing her femur and causing abdominal injuries. Casey was initially in a wheelchair for weeks and later recovered physically, though she and her family reported ongoing nightmares and fear of roads. Joyce had previously been convicted for leaving the scene of an earlier accident. The court cited his failure to remain at the scene as a gravely aggravating factor, imposing a two‑year custodial sentence with the final year suspended. He was also disqualified from driving for four years. The case highlighted the serious impact of dangerous driving on a child victim and her family.
Sean Casey, 27, of Cooragannive, Skibbereen, was convicted of dangerous driving that caused the death of Megan Johnston, 22, and serious bodily harm to Kate Petford, 24, in a 2013 crash. He was originally sentenced to seven years' imprisonment and a 30‑year driving disqualification. In July 2015 the Court of Appeal found the sentence too severe and reduced it to five years, suspending the final twelve months. The disqualification remained. The Court considered victim impact reports from the Petfords and the Johnsons, a psychologist's report on Casey's mental state, and the principle of proportionality. The final sentence was five years' imprisonment with the last year suspended, and a 30‑year driving ban that will continue to affect Casey's rehabilitation. The decision was made after a successful appeal and a hearing in the Cork Circuit Criminal Court. The case remains a record of the Court's approach to dangerous driving convictions. Sean Casey pleaded guilty.
A man sentenced to two years imprisonment following his guilty plea to dangerous driving that caused eight deaths in County Donegal in 2010 will face resentencing after the Court of Appeal found his original sentence unduly lenient. Shaun Kelly, aged 27 and from Buncrana, received a four-year term with the final two years suspended by a Circuit Court judge in Letterkenny. The Director of Public Prosecutions successfully challenged the sentence, with the Court of Appeal determining that the suspended portion and overall reduction from an appropriate starting point of seven years constituted an error in principle. The collision occurred on a road between Clonmany and Buncrana on 11 July 2010, when Kelly's vehicle, carrying seven passengers and travelling at high speed without seatbelts fastened, struck another car head-on. The court noted Kelly's previous conviction for dangerous driving and described the incident as involving sustained dangerous driving of exceptional gravity. Kelly is scheduled for resentencing on 7 December.
In November 2013, 21‑year‑old Wayne Connors of Upper Rathmines Road, Dublin, attacked two men, Sean Clarke and Gavin Murray, on Boyne Street Upper. Connors, who had previously been charged with assaulting a student who had been pick‑pocketed, struck Clarke and Murray, leaving Clarke with a burst eardrum. Connors was arrested later that night on Bachelors Walk after resisting arrest, requiring pepper spray to subdue him. He pleaded guilty to the assault. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Connors' "history of some tragedy" – including the death of his sister in a caravan fire, his father's death in a road traffic accident, and a family member's death from smoke inhalation – imposed a custodial sentence of two and a half years. Eighteen months of that term were suspended, and an 18‑month post‑release supervision order was imposed. Connors' defence counsel claimed he was drunk and misled by a false accusation against his girlfriend.
Brian Gavin, 28, was driving from Mullingar to Lucan at speeds up to 160 km/h when he clipped a car's wing mirror and later collided with a Skoda, causing Gerard Nolan to suffer a broken hip, broken leg, facial fractures and permanent scarring. Gavin then struck another vehicle before stopping. He told Gardaí he was trying to kill himself, citing suicidal thoughts and a desire to leave his family home. He has bipolar disorder, had stopped his medication, and had a prior suicide attempt. Gavin pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm and failing to stop, and to a second dangerous driving offence. He passed a roadside breath test. Judge Sarah Berkeley adjourned the case to monitor his medication compliance and imposed a mandatory four‑year driving ban.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 27 October 2015, Niall Sheil, aged 37, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery at Dympna's Clairvoyant on 6 January 2015. The court noted that Sheil had turned his life around, was free of drugs, had cooperated with Gardaí, and had entered an early guilty plea. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a four‑year suspended sentence, citing the terrorisation of staff and customers and the discomfort caused. The robbery involved two staff members and two customers; Sheil entered with a steel bar, and the robbers took cash, purses and phones, escaping after a chase that led to their arrest. All items were recovered except €400 taken from reception. The four women victims declined to give victim impact statements. Sheil had 18 prior convictions, mainly for theft, road traffic and drug offences, but none for robbery or violence.
Gareth Kenna, 35, was jailed for five years after hijacking a Honda Jazz and driving it dangerously while disqualified. He crashed sideways into Laura Mahony's car on Hearse Road, Donabate, on 10 October 2014, crushing her legs and trapping her and her son inside. Kenna pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm, two counts of attempted hijacking and one count of hijacking. He had 98 prior convictions, including 14 for dangerous driving, and had been disqualified for 20 years. Mahony spent eight days in hospital and underwent multiple reconstructive surgeries. Kenna's early guilty plea and remorse were noted, but the fact he seized a car and drove it while disqualified were considered severe aggravating factors. The judge imposed a five‑year custodial sentence.
The Director of Public Prosecutions has appealed a sentence imposed on a man convicted of dangerous driving that resulted in eight deaths near Buncrana, County Donegal. Shaun Kelly, aged 26, of Hill Road, Ballymagan, Buncrana, pleaded guilty at Letterkenny Circuit Criminal Court to causing eight deaths through dangerous driving on a road between Clonmany and Buncrana on 11 July 2010. The trial judge imposed a four-year sentence with the final two years suspended and imposed a ten-year driving disqualification. The DPP argued before the Court of Appeal that the sentence was unduly lenient, contending it failed to reflect the gravity of Kelly's culpability and the severity of the harm caused. The prosecution submitted there was evidence of prolonged deliberate dangerous driving, that multiple fatalities were foreseeable, and that Kelly had a previous dangerous-driving conviction. Kelly's counsel argued the sentencing judge properly considered all aggravating and mitigating factors. The Court of Appeal reserved judgement.
In 2013, Sean Casey, aged 27, drove a BMW four times over the legal limit and crashed into a roundabout in Skibbereen, killing 22‑year‑old Megan Johnston and leaving 24‑year‑old Kate Petford paralysed. Casey pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and serious bodily harm. He was sentenced in February 2014 to seven years' imprisonment and a 30‑year driving disqualification. He appealed, and the Court of Appeal found the sentence "out of line with other decided cases", ordering a new sentencing hearing. On 19 October 2015 the Court of Appeal adjourned the sentencing to 17 November, citing a letter from Petford's parents describing changes in her condition and requesting the court consider these circumstances. The court noted the DPP's submission that Casey had been 4.1 times over the limit and had travelled at 80 km/h into the roundabout, and that the vehicle was heavily intoxicated. No further sentencing decision was made in the article.
Sebastian Charzynski, a 30-year-old man from Crumlin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis with an estimated value of €77,600 and cultivation of plants at an apartment on October 25, 2014. The case reached the sentence stage before Judge Martin Nolan. Prosecution evidence indicated that gardaí detected the odour of cannabis on Aungier Street, traced it to the Grafton Hall complex, and entered the flat with a warrant. They discovered 45 plants in a tent in the sitting room and 51 mature plants in another room, along with ventilation equipment. Charzynski admitted to the charges. Judge Nolan noted there was no evidence the drugs were prepared for distribution or that the defendant profited from dealing. The judge stated it would be unjust to jail the man on that basis. He sentenced Charzynski to four years in prison, which was suspended in full on strict conditions. The defence, represented by Diarmaid McGuinness SC, submitted medical reports citing a dislocated vertebrae and claimed the defendant grew the cannabis for medical problems following a 2010 road traffic accident. The prosecution accepted that none of the drugs were bagged up and that the defendant was in the process of harvesting older plants.
Faizal Baccus, a 36‑year‑old Mauritian national, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for defrauding at least 11 people by selling them cars that were not roadworthy and intended for scrap. He advertised the vehicles on donedeal.ie, claiming they had recently passed the National Car Test (NCT) and were taxed, and supplied customers with forged NCT certificates, tax discs and log books. Baccus pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including dishonestly inducing purchase by deception, making false NCT certificates and log books, and possessing equipment to forge documents. He had four prior convictions for road traffic offences and had lived in Ireland for eight years before losing his security job and starting the scam. After serving his sentence, he is to be deported to Mauritius. The judge noted Baccus's ability, education and energy, and acknowledged his cooperation with the Garda investigation and expression of remorse.
Michael Walsh, 32, of Cherry Orchard Crescent, Ballyfermot, was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three years' imprisonment, with the final 20 months suspended. He pleaded guilty to endangerment, dangerous driving and driving without insurance on 18 December 2014. Walsh, who had been disqualified from driving for ten years since August 2012, drove erratically at 6 am, refusing to stop when instructed by Sergeant Richard Williams. He drove into a Garda patrol car, crashing head‑on, then reversed and rammed the vehicle three more times in an attempt to force it out of his way. Garda Ciaran Garry removed Walsh from the vehicle, handcuffed him and took him to the local station. Walsh had previously been intoxicated and had not presented valid tax, insurance or NCT certificates. The court noted his guilty plea and expression of remorse, but also his contempt for the road traffic code and the serious nature of his conduct.
Sean Casey, 27, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving that killed 22‑year‑old Megan Johnston and seriously injured 24‑year‑old Kate Petford, leaving her paralysed. He was sentenced by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to seven years' imprisonment and a 30‑year driving disqualification on 17 February 2014. The Court of Appeal, hearing the appeal on 31 July 2015, found the sentence "out of line" with other dangerous‑driving cases. Judge Garrett Sheehan noted that in eight comparable cases the Court of Appeal had imposed sentences below five years, and that the judge had erred by placing Casey's case at the absolute apex of the dangerous‑driving scale. The appeal was remitted for a new sentence, with the Court of Appeal not adopting the Director of Public Prosecutions' request for guidelines in this case.
The High Court ruled that model and TV presenter Glenda Gilson must face a restriction order preventing her from acting as a company director for five years, while her brother Damien Gilson was disqualified from that role for the same period. The orders arose from the liquidation of Gilson Motor Company Ltd, where the siblings were directors. Liquidator Mr Gary Lennon applied under Sections 160 and 150 of the 1990 Companies Act, seeking Damien's disqualification and restrictions on Glenda. Glenda opposed the application, claiming no involvement in the business and no personal benefit, but the judge found she had not kept herself informed of the company's affairs, a requirement for directors. The court accepted that Damien had run the business, managed sales, and was responsible for fraudulent diversion of funds to evade taxes. The matter was adjourned to October for final formal orders. The decision was based solely on the information presented in the liquidation proceedings.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 25‑year‑old Scott Brady of Glenageary Avenue, Dun Laoghaire, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft for selling two supercharger air compressors online for USD$20,000 that he never possessed. Brady used an online forum to arrange the sale, sent the American buyer photos of the parts, and received $10,000 twice into his bank account before attempting to organise shipment. He repeatedly delayed delivery, claiming his mother had died, and was eventually identified by the Gardaí through Interpol after the buyer reported the theft. Brady had the full amount in a bank draft payable to the American. He had no relevant criminal record, had previously been convicted of two road traffic offences, and had sold his car and possessions to repay the victim. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, suspended in full on strict conditions.
Leonard Dumbrell, aged 26, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for leading Gardaí on a high‑speed chase through Dublin city centre in a stolen car. He stole the vehicle in Ballsbridge, drove it at speed and in the wrong direction, nearly knocking over pedestrians on O'Connell Bridge before crashing it at Temple Bar Square. The court noted he had 108 previous convictions, including car thefts, assaulting a Garda and violent disorder, and that he had previously been allowed out on bail for drug treatment but failed to appear. Judge Mary Ellen Ring imposed concurrent sentences totalling three years, ordered that time already spent in custody be taken into account, and disqualified him from driving for five years. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where the court considered the evidence of the chase and the subsequent crash. Leonard Dumbrell pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Christopher Murphy, aged 23, pleaded guilty to assaulting Sabrina Quinn on 9 December 2012, leaving her with a fractured jaw, a broken tooth and severe injuries. The judge sentenced him to three years, with the last 18 months suspended, and imposed strict conditions. Murphy's previous convictions involved drug and road traffic offences. Ms Quinn described the attack as "everything went black", and she later required hospital treatment, including stitches, tooth removal and a steel brace that forced her to eat only blended foods for months. The brace later snapped, necessitating further surgery. The court accepted evidence of Murphy's remorse, including letters from family, and noted his history of anger issues and counselling at Pieta House. The case highlighted the seriousness of the assault and the court's decision to suspend part of the sentence under strict conditions.
Dean Adams, 22, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm after delivering a running kick to Deomid Ryabkov's forehead on 19 February 2012. Ryabkov was attacked while attempting to recover stolen headphones. Adams, who claimed the thief was a friend, later expressed remorse. Judge Mary Ellen Ring imposed a suspended sentence of three and a half years, conditioned on Adams keeping the peace and engaging with Probation Service education and training programmes. Adams has 52 prior convictions, including assault, theft, public order and road traffic offences. He expressed a desire to apologise to the victim and continue drug treatment, noting his problems arise mainly when intoxicated. The court noted the assault was unprovoked and resulted in a severe skull fracture for Ryabkov.
Darren McKevitt, 26, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to arson of a car, dangerous driving, driving under the influence, driving without insurance, three counts of assault, possession of a stolen Toyota Avensis, a stolen PSV certificate, an Irish driving licence and insurance certificate, and unlawful possession of a stun gun. The offences occurred on 31 October 2014 at Durrow Road, Crumlin, and on 24 November 2014 at Cushlawn Park, Tallaght. A blood sample showed he was five times over the legal alcohol limit. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a probation bond, requiring McKevitt to work with probation officers, undergo drug rehabilitation and employment training, and to return to court on 1 July 2016. He was arrested after Garda Michael Creegan and Garda Micheal O'Sullivan chased him following the bonfire incident, during which McKevitt assaulted three gardaí and was later taken to Crumlin Garda Station. The court noted his nine previous convictions, including possession of drugs for sale or supply.
Desmond Collopy, aged 29, was jailed for six and a half years after he killed 50‑year‑old Eamon Cronin while driving a Volkswagen Golf. Collopy had six active disqualification orders and had been drinking heavily that night, having consumed at least nine pints of lager and cocktails before driving. Witnesses said he was showing off and jerking the steering wheel, accelerating before striking Cronin, who had just crossed the road to break up a fight. Collopy left the scene, told passengers that a bottle had been thrown at his car, and later continued drinking at a B&B. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death, driving without insurance, driving while disqualified and failing to stop at the scene. The court also imposed a ten‑year driving disqualification. The judge noted that Collopy's actions showed "total contempt for road traffic law" and that he had caused the death of a "good Samaritan.".
Folajimmy Awode, 31, was found guilty of sexually assaulting a female patient at the Mater Private Hospital in Dublin. He had been working part‑time as a care assistant and had cleaned the patient's toilet that evening. The victim, who was on muscle relaxants and Valium, reported feeling a rubbing sensation on her right breast after she fell asleep. She later described Awode standing by her bed, moving his hand away, and then leaving the room. Witnesses confirmed he entered the ward twice, left, and then returned to the patient's bedside for a few minutes. The judge noted pre‑meditation and breach of trust, suspended six months of a two‑year sentence, and placed Awode on the Sex Offenders' Register. He had prior convictions for dangerous driving and no insurance. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Folajimmy Awode pleaded not guilty.
The Director of Public Prosecutions will argue before the Court of Appeal in October that a sentence imposed on a man convicted of dangerous driving causing eight deaths was unduly lenient. Shaun Kelly, aged 26 and from Hill Road, Ballymagan, Buncrana, County Donegal, pleaded guilty at Letterkenney Circuit Criminal Court to dangerous driving that resulted in the deaths of eight men on a road between Clonmany and Buncrana on 11 July 2010. He received a four-year custodial sentence with the final two years suspended by Judge John O'Hagan in December 2014, and was disqualified from driving for a decade. The DPP has applied for the Court of Appeal to review the sentence on grounds of undue leniency. Mr Justice George Birmingham set 22 October 2015 for the hearing.
Jimmy Cash, 25, was convicted in February 2013 of endangerment, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and no insurance after driving the wrong way up the M50, crashing into cars. He received a six‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended. In March 2014 Judge Patricia Ryan imposed the sentence. Cash appealed against the sentence, but in July 2015 Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan dismissed the appeal, noting that the court had seriously considered increasing the sentence in light of Cash's prior convictions and subsequent offences. The court also considered the circumstances of the M50 incident, including the police response and the injuries Cash sustained. The appeal was rejected, and no additional jail time was imposed. The case remains at the sentencing stage, with no further outcome reported. Jimmy Cash pleaded guilty.
Dean O'Reilly, a 42‑year‑old former newspaper delivery man from Castlemoyne, Balgriffin, was sentenced to 18 months in prison by Judge Martin Nolan after pleading guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to failing to remit VAT from January 2008 to December 2011. O'Reilly owed Revenue €246,206 in unpaid VAT, income tax, penalties and interest, with the unremitted VAT originally estimated at €69,699 and later revalued at €59,226. Revenue's investigation began when it discovered O'Reilly had received VAT‑inclusive payments from Newspread Ltd, a newspaper distribution company, and found he had made no VAT returns since 1995 or income tax returns since 1994. O'Reilly admitted he had not managed his accounts properly. He has five prior convictions for minor road traffic offences and receives unemployment and child benefits to support his family of four. The judge noted the seriousness of Revenue fraud, while acknowledging O'Reilly's role as a hard‑working family man.
The Court of Appeal will consider whether to set sentencing guidelines for cases of dangerous driving causing death. The suggestion was made by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan in the case of Seán Casey, 27, of Cooragannive, Skibbereen, who was jailed last year for seven years for dangerous driving that caused the death of a 22‑year‑old woman and the paralysis of her friend. Casey was driving at 80 km/h, four times the legal limit, when he entered a roundabout. His barrister, Tom Creed SC, argued that the sentencing judge had placed Casey's offence "at the apex" of dangerous‑driving‑causing‑death cases before mitigation was applied. The maximum sentence for the offence is ten years imprisonment. Mr Justice Sheehan said the three‑judge court would consider setting guidelines, following the precedent of the Fitzgibbon guidelines for assault causing serious harm and the Ryan guidelines for possession of a firearm.
Sean Casey, 27, of Cooragannive, Skibbereen, was found guilty of dangerous driving causing the death of Megan Johnston, 22, and serious bodily harm to Kate Petford, 24, who was left paralysed after a crash at Skibbereen on 8 April 2013. He was sentenced by Cork Circuit Criminal Court to seven years imprisonment and a 30‑year driving disqualification on 17 February 2014. Casey, who drove a silver BMW that was 4.1 times over the legal alcohol limit, is appealing the sentence. His counsel, Tom Creed SC, argues the judge ignored rehabilitation possibilities and was unduly influenced by a victim impact report. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Lorcan Staines BL, emphasised the high speed (80 km/h) and excessive alcohol consumption, noting five people were in the vehicle. The appeal will be heard by the Court of Appeal on 9 July 2024.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Christopher Green, a 32‑year‑old father of six from Thornton Heights, Inchicore, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for dangerous driving and reckless endangerment. The offence involved a high‑speed chase in the north of the city during which Green reversed a Nissan Almera out of a housing estate, forced a pedestrian Garda to jump out of the way, and performed a handbrake turn that caused a patrol car to swerve. He also nearly collided with a car at a junction, forcing an elderly lady and her dog to flee. Green pleaded guilty to two counts of reckless endangerment and dangerous driving at Woodbine Park, Raheny, on 12 September 2014. He has 49 prior convictions, including one for possessing an offensive weapon in Northern Ireland. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted Green's history of authority problems, banned him from driving for two years, and accepted his early guilty plea and remorse.
Kenneth O'Farrell, 33, received a suspended two‑year sentence for dangerous driving that caused serious bodily harm to cyclist Marcin Maciejewski on the N81 Tallaght Bypass. O'Farrell broke a filter light, turned right and struck Maciejewski, who was thrown onto his windscreen. Maciejewski sustained severe head injuries requiring 60 stitches and surgery, along with broken hands, a dislocated elbow, and cuts to his back and elbow. An eyewitness, who helped the victim at the scene, contradicted O'Farrell's claim that the cyclist "came out of nowhere" and that he had seen the cyclist. CCTV supported the witness's account. O'Farrell pleaded guilty; the judge found no evidence of speeding or drunkenness, citing inattention and failure to concentrate. He was disqualified from driving for four years and the sentence was suspended on strict conditions. The victim impact report was not read out. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
A 43‑year‑old Nigerian man, Dayo Akinsuyi, was sentenced to 21 months' imprisonment for burglary and assault causing harm after he and an accomplice broke into an apartment on 20 August 2013. They entered the flat shortly after 9 a.m. and attacked the resident, George Cristo, with a scalpel and a fake gun. Cristo suffered cuts to his forearms, head and defensive wounds on his hands. Akinsuyi pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge noted that the men had apparently been searching for money, but the offence was deemed very serious. Akinsuyi had minor prior convictions for road traffic offences and had shown remorse. He was described as a good father and partner, and his good work history was taken into account. The sentence was imposed after the court accepted his guilty plea and the evidence of the assault. The case was prosecuted by James Dwyer BL and investigated by Garda Shane Moriarty.
Barry Fowler, 30, was jailed for seven and a half years after pleading guilty to possessing over €370,000 of drugs for sale or supply. Gardaí traced him to a basement where a transit van contained €250,727 of cannabis, €103,404 of cocaine, €8,827 of heroin, €5,672 of amphetamines, €1,522 of cannabis resin and €2,000 of cannabis under his BMW's bonnet. He also pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a sawn‑off shotgun and 9mm bullets. Fowler, a father of one, had prior convictions for road traffic matters, common assault and a three‑year sentence for dangerous driving causing death in 2005. He claimed he held the drugs, weapons and €118,000 cash to offset a €60,000 drug debt. He had been in custody since April for breaching bail conditions after being arrested at Shannon Airport.
Ian Gibbons, 39, of Emmet Road, Inchicore, Dublin, turned himself in after robbing Shoezone on Ballyfermot Road on 14 August 2014. He pleaded guilty to one count of robbery. Susan O'Brian, who was working in the shop, said Gibbons threatened to stab her if she did not open the register. He opened it and took €114 in cash and coins. Gibbons initially refused to be interviewed but returned sober the next day and confessed, expressing remorse and describing the stress he had caused the woman. He denied threatening to stab her and claimed he was not carrying a weapon. He explained that he had been coerced by violent people who had forced him to return a stolen bicycle or pay €1,500. Gibbons has 20 previous convictions, mainly for drug and road traffic offences. Judge Terence O'Sullivan imposed a two‑year suspended sentence, noting Gibbons' remorse and the unusual nature of his voluntary admission.
Ian Kelly, a 36‑year‑old mechanic from Phibsboro, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious injury to Keith Lawless at the Topaz Garage in Hartstown on 24 March 2012. Kelly struck Lawless with his car and then reversed over him, breaking bones in Lawless's neck, caving in his skull, causing multiple head fractures and a brain bleed. Lawless was carried 10–12 feet under the vehicle, found unconscious and bleeding, and now suffers post‑traumatic amnesia and lasting impairments to speech, vision, balance, memory, learning, concentration and behaviour. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Kelly to four and a half years' imprisonment, disqualified him from driving for four years, and rejected a €10,000 compensation offer. The court noted Kelly's remorse and good character, but deemed the offence close to the height of dangerous driving. The case remains an open and shut civil matter for Lawless.
Andrew O'Toole, 22, was given a suspended sentence of three and a half years after pleading guilty to dangerous driving and reckless endangerment for leading Gardaí on a high‑speed chase on a stolen motorbike. The incident, which took place on May 26, 2013, involved O'Toole driving the wrong way down a dual carriageway, around several roundabouts, and failing to stop at red lights, ultimately crashing into a parked car. Garda Stephen Walsh described how the pursuit forced other motorists to take evasive action, including a bus that had to swerve into road works. O'Toole was arrested after a brief struggle that injured the Garda's hand. He has 12 prior convictions and became a father two days after the offence. Judge Martin Nolan remanded him in custody for over a month, warning that re‑offending would result in further custody. The court noted his recent period of good conduct but emphasised the danger he posed to himself and others.
Ian Kelly, a 36‑year‑old mechanic from Castle Terrace, Phibsboro, was remanded in custody after striking Keith Lawless with his car and then reversing over him on 24 March 2012 at the Topaz Garage in Hartstown. The collision caused Lawless serious and permanent head injuries, including broken neck bones, a collapsed skull, multiple head fractures, a brain bleed, and ongoing impairments to speech, vision, balance, memory, learning, concentration and behaviour. Lawless was carried 10 to 12 feet under the vehicle, found unconscious and bleeding, and has since been described as a "shell of the person he used to be", unable to work as a roofer or play sport. Kelly pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious injury and was sentenced to ten days in jail pending a final sentence on 3 June. Judge Martin Nolan warned that Kelly would face a substantial term of imprisonment for the offence, noting the "devastating injuries" suffered by Lawless.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Eric Wansboro, 27, was sentenced to eight and a half years in jail for dangerous driving that caused the death of 43‑year‑old Sinead Maguire and serious bodily harm to Liam McDonagh. Wansboro pleaded guilty to the offence committed on 29 May 2014 when he was driving a Toyota Avensis at high speed, pursued by a Garda patrol. The collision, which occurred at a junction with a 50 kph limit, left the car heavily damaged and all occupants unconscious. Maguire died from severe neck and spinal injuries; McDonagh suffered a fractured jaw and lost five teeth. Wansboro had a suspended three‑year sentence for a 2011 stolen‑car offence and a ten‑year driving disqualification. The judge imposed a five‑and‑a‑half‑year term for the dangerous driving, back‑dated to the date he entered custody, and added the suspended sentence, bringing the total to eight and a half years.
Daryl Bolger, aged 23, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for endangerment, five counts of dangerous driving and driving without insurance after a high‑speed pursuit in January 2015. He had taken 20 tranquiliser tablets and, while a passenger, moved to the driver's seat and fled the Garda's questioning. The chase, lasting 20 minutes around Tallaght, saw the toddler in the back seat unrestrained, causing school children to flee the road and motorists to swerve. Bolger's vehicle broke red lights, lifted off the road and, at one point, performed a handbrake turn that nearly collided with a patrol car. He was arrested at his home after hiding under a bed, with the child still in the car. The court noted his 91 prior convictions, including hijacking, theft and burglary, and his unlawful release from Mountjoy Prison for drug treatment. Daryl Bolger pleaded guilty.
Michael Harty, aged 30, was convicted of dangerous driving that caused the deaths of Maurice Hartnett, 61, and his wife Margaret, 59, on 29 July 2009 in Askeaton. The jury found him guilty and he received a five‑year prison sentence and a 30‑year driving ban on 25 January 2013. Harty appealed the conviction and was granted bail five months later. The appeal focused on whether the trial judge correctly admitted biochemistry reports showing Harty's blood‑alcohol level exceeded the legal limit. Harty's counsel argued the evidence breached his constitutional right to privacy, claiming the right had never been formally enumerated. The Court of Criminal Appeal, led by Justice Garrett Sheehan with Justices George Birmingham and John Edwards, upheld the original conviction, stating the judge had acted correctly in admitting the evidence. Harty must now serve the original sentence. The court will publish its full reasoning at a later date. Michael Harty pleaded not guilty.