A man granted refugee status in Ireland despite a prior UK sexual assault conviction has been sentenced to ten years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the rape of one woman and the attempted abduction of another in County Sligo. Tayyab Salah Uddin pleaded guilty to raping a woman on 15 September 2018 and to falsely imprisoning a second woman the following day. The court heard that both victims were intoxicated and alone when Uddin approached them in a town centre. After raping the first woman, he returned the next evening and attempted to force a second woman into his car before gardaí intervened following surveillance footage. The court noted Uddin's predatory behaviour in targeting vulnerable, isolated women and his lack of remorse. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed consecutive sentences with three years post-release supervision, having assessed Uddin as presenting a high risk of reoffending. Uddin, a Pakistani national with ocular albinism, arrived in Ireland in 2018 and was granted refugee status.
A 29‑year‑old man awaiting trial on sexual assault charges threatened to kill his estranged wife's family members, including the alleged victim, and to throw acid at her sister in a series of WhatsApp voice notes. The court heard that the defendant also threatened to damage two properties and intimidate witnesses, including his wife's brother, whom he is accused of sexually abusing. He pleaded guilty to seven counts, all occurring on 19 January 2022, and has nine prior convictions including arson and robbery. The defendant is also before the Central Criminal Court on a separate sexual assault allegation involving his brother‑in‑law. Garda Patrick Browne presented the voice messages, which described violent threats and a desire to "go to the UK" after "ripping out one of their throats." The defendant was on bail at the time and has been in custody since the incident. Judge Martina Baxter ordered a Probation Services report and adjourned sentencing to 9 October.
A Leaving Certificate student, aged 18, was jailed for one year after being convicted by a jury of five counts of sexual assault against his half‑sister, who was aged between eight and eleven at the time of the offences. The assaults occurred between July 2016 and August 2018 at the victim's home in Dublin and on 2 November 2019 at a restaurant. The jury found him not guilty of one count of rape and one count of sexual assault. He denied any wrongdoing. A sentencing hearing in February allowed him to sit his Leaving Certificate exams. Justice Mary Ellen Ring imposed a two‑year sentence, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions, including probation supervision for two years post‑release. The sentence was reduced because of his young age and cooperation with Gardaí. The victim's father was informed after she handed him a note in tears describing the abuse.
An 87‑year‑old former Christian Brother from County Waterford was found guilty by a jury of 30 counts of indecent assault on five boys at a County Kilkenny school between August 1975 and June 1976. He was acquitted of one count involving a sixth boy. The maximum sentence for the offences is two years, but Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to three years and two months, with no suspended portion, citing his lack of remorse and continued denial. The judge ordered that he receive appropriate medical treatment while in custody, noting his age and health issues. The five complainants, now men in their 50s, gave victim impact statements describing how the abuse ruined their education, caused depression, anxiety and, for some, alcohol problems. They also said they were let down by the school and the Christian Brothers. The judge praised their bravery for coming to court and urged them not to feel shame.
During a trial in the Central Criminal Court, a security guard testified that on 5 April 2018 he saw a 30‑year‑old Dublin man forcibly lift a toddler by her arm after she fell on a shopping centre travelator. The guard described the incident as "deeply concerning" and stayed in the area, radioing a colleague to keep an eye on the man and children for health and safety reasons. He also requested the shopping centre's CCTV control room to monitor them and arranged for Gardaí to be called. The guard's testimony was corroborated by a second security guard who noted the man's interaction with the children and the man's return to the shopping centre after a brief exit. The case involves ten charges of sexual abuse, reckless endangerment and child cruelty against the toddler and her brother, all of which the accused has pleaded not guilty to. The trial continues before Mr Justice David Keane and a jury.
A 26‑year‑old convicted sex offender was sentenced to eight years and three months in prison, with nine months suspended, for raping a 17‑year‑old girl at a house party. The Central Criminal Court heard that the victim was intoxicated and vulnerable, and that the defendant had taken advantage of her in a predatory manner. The judge noted the defendant's prior convictions, including a 2019 District Court sexual assault conviction, and that he had never served time before. The sentence was back‑dated to 29 May 2023. The defendant does not accept the jury's verdict. The victim's impact statement described her feelings of guilt, loss of self‑esteem and the effect on her studies and family. The judge encouraged her to resume her studies and praised her resilience. The defendant will be a registered sex offender and subject to three years of post‑release supervision. The unnamed 17-year-old pleaded guilty.
An 18‑year‑old filmed himself raping a ten‑year‑old boy and later sought to trade child‑abuse material. Gardaí seized an Apple laptop, iPad and iPhone from a rural Munster address, where a video of the anal rape was found. The accused, with no prior convictions, was arrested in September 2019 and pleaded guilty to one count of anal rape, five counts of sexual assault and one count of producing child pornography between January 2014 and February 2015. Additional explicit material involving boys aged 5‑14 and 18,000 instant‑message conversations were discovered. A victim impact statement described the boy's trauma and the accused's grooming. The defendant admitted guilt, apologized and acknowledged the harm caused. Sentencing is adjourned to 28 July for consideration of all facts.
A 30‑year‑old Dublin man was charged with 10 offences against his partner's toddler and her brother, including sexual abuse, reckless endangerment and child cruelty, for incidents between February and April 2018. The toddler, aged 23 months, suffered a severe genital injury, extensive bruising and an old fractured wrist when admitted to hospital on 5 April 2018. The man pleaded not guilty to all charges. He claimed he was a "good father" and that the bruising was accidental, citing a fall from a buggy and a wooden toy box. Gardaí and Tusla investigated after the injuries were reported; the mother was arrested in July 2018. The trial is before Mr Justice David Keane and a jury. The man also denied three child‑cruelty charges relating to the boy, aged three. The case remains at the pleading stage.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 17‑year‑old girl testified that her father had stopped visiting him after she was raped by his housemate, a 53‑year‑old Slovakian man convicted of one rape and 12 sexual assaults between September 2012 and September 2013. The girl, who was seven when the abuse began, had reported the abuse to her mother in 2019 and later to a guidance counsellor. She was interviewed by specialist Gardaí in December 2020, when she was 15, and described repeated inappropriate touching, the giving of chocolate Kinder Eggs, and a single rape after the man lured her into his room. She said the abuse ruined her childhood, caused anxiety, depression and self‑harm, and left her fearful of men. The court heard that the defendant denies wrongdoing, has a prior murder conviction from 2001, and has been in custody since July 2021.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 23‑month‑old girl was found with a severe genital injury and multiple bruises, likely from non‑accidental trauma. A consultant paediatrician reported the injury was caused by significant trauma, but could not identify the implement or body part used. The child also had a wrist fracture about four weeks old. The accused, a 30‑year‑old man, pleaded not guilty to ten charges, including sexual abuse and reckless endangerment of the girl, and child cruelty against both the girl and her three‑year‑old brother. The brother was examined and found essentially normal, with a few bruises that may have been bite marks. The trial continues before Mr Justice David Keane and a jury.
An Irish man aged 46 was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment for repeated rape and sexual assault of a girl aged 8‑11 between August 2014 and August 2017. The offences, committed at his Wexford home, included eight counts of rape, nine of anal rape, eight of oral rape and nine of sexual assault. The court noted a particularly violent incident in which he tied the victim to a bed and held a knife to her throat, threatening her. He was found not guilty of three other rape counts. The judge imposed concurrent sentences of nine years and seven months for the anal and oral rape counts and four years and ten months for the sexual assault counts, with a two‑year post‑release supervision order. The sentence was back‑dated to the date he entered custody after the trial.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 23‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to raping his 16‑year‑old girlfriend in April 2019 while she was napping at her Dublin home. The victim was taking Prozac, which caused her to go in and out of consciousness, and she later reported that her boyfriend knew about the medication. She had told friends and a counsellor about the assault and eventually reported it to gardaí in April 2020. The accused admitted the rape on Instagram after the victim posted her name and called him a rapist. He was 18 at the time of the offence and had no prior convictions. Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced him to four years and six months, suspending the final two years on conditions including cooperation with probation and therapeutic assessment. The court noted the defendant's remorse, mental health difficulties, and the victim's forgiving attitude.
In a trial in Dublin, a 29‑year‑old man accused of child cruelty and sexual abuse of a toddler sister is facing 10 charges. An eight‑year‑old boy gave evidence via video‑link, saying he cannot remember the accused man doing anything. The boy, who was just under three at the time of the alleged offences, had earlier been interviewed by Gardaí in 2019 and 2020. In the final interview he described the man as a "bold daddy" who "hurted us" every day and laughed about it, but he now says he does not remember any of those incidents. The boy also denies remembering his mother's alleged involvement. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice David Keane, continues with a jury hearing the boy's testimony and the man's not‑guilty pleas. The case involves separate charges for the boy and the girl, each with distinct allegations. The man has pleaded not guilty to all 10 charges.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a seven‑year‑old girl testified via video link that she stopped living with her mother and the mother's partner because they were "being mean." The 29‑year‑old Dublin man, who cannot be named, pleaded not guilty to ten charges, including sexual abuse, reckless endangerment, child cruelty, and assault. The girl, who was under two at the time of the alleged abuse, denied that the man had bitten her or hit her with a stick, although a specialist interview when she was four had recorded her claiming such incidents. The jury also saw videos of specialist interviews with the girl's older brother, who described the man as a "bold daddy" and said he had hurt the children daily. The trial will resume before the jury and Mr Justice David Keane.
During a Central Criminal Court hearing, a four‑year‑old girl testified that her mother's partner had bitten her on her private area and struck her with a stick. The girl, who was just under two years old at the time of the alleged abuse, was found to have traumatic genital injuries that could have had potentially fatal consequences if untreated. The 29‑year‑old accused, whose name is withheld to protect the child's identity, pleaded not guilty to ten charges of sexual assault, reckless endangerment and child cruelty covering incidents between March and April 2018. The charges include allegations of biting the girl's genitals, failing to seek medical care for her injuries, and assaulting a boy under three years old. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice David Keane.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 29‑year‑old man pleaded not guilty to ten charges of sexual assault, reckless endangerment and child cruelty involving a girl just under two and a boy just under three, dated March–April 2018. The prosecution argued that the girl was taken to hospital after Gardaí and social workers observed bruising and facial injuries. Doctors found severe genital trauma, describing it as "potentially fatal" if untreated, and a wrist fracture. The boy was later examined and found with bruising. Evidence included CCTV from a Dublin shopping centre, security footage, and interviews with the children. The accused denied all allegations, including penetrating the girl's vagina, failing to seek medical care, assaulting the boy's genitals, and biting the girl's genital area. The trial remains ongoing before Mr Justice David Keane.
In a High Court hearing, Ms Justice Karen O'Connor addressed a 17‑year‑old rape victim who had been assaulted at a party in 2018. The victim, now 26, read her impact statement, describing how she fell asleep in a bedroom, was later raped by a man who had previously assaulted her, and how the defendant denied responsibility. The defendant, a 26‑year‑old convicted sex offender with six prior convictions, pleaded guilty to the rape and received a five‑month sentence, later reduced to 120 hours of community service. The judge encouraged the victim to speak out, saying her testimony could help others realise they are not alone, and wished her well as she seeks to resume her studies. The case was adjourned to 29 June for finalisation, with the defendant remanded in custody until that date.
Two survivors of sexual abuse by Patrick Killally, aged 45, told the Central Criminal Court how they spoke out to protect children and encourage others to come forward. One survivor was between six and nine years old when abused; the other was between 12 and 14. Killally was a teenager when he assaulted the first boy and an adult when he abused the second boy over two years. He was convicted of three counts of sexual assault of the first boy (1992‑1996) and 40 counts of sexual assault, attempted anal rape, oral rape and anal rape of the second boy (2005‑2007). The survivors described the long‑term emotional burden, fear of speaking out, and their decision to testify after the trial ended in May 2023. Killally maintains his innocence; the court remanded him in custody and adjourned sentencing to 10 July.
A 67-year-old man from Donegal has been sentenced to twenty years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the rape and sexual abuse of four girls spanning a twenty-six-year period from 1982 to 2008. The defendant pleaded guilty to six counts of rape, one count of attempted oral rape, nine counts of attempted rape, five counts of indecent assault, and twenty-nine counts of sexual assault. Justice Ellen Ring described him as a "committed long-term child abuser" who breached the trust of his victims and their families. The court heard the abuse occurred in various locations including his home and vehicle. The offences involved family members, including his sister-in-law and three nieces, who were aged between five and sixteen at the time. The defendant was assessed as presenting medium to high risk of re-offending with deviant sexual interest in children under sixteen. Justice Ring imposed consecutive sentences for the most serious offences while noting the defendant's guilty pleas and work history.
In a 2023 Central Criminal Court case, a 43‑year‑old man was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for raping and sexually assaulting two foster brothers between 1995 and 1998. The younger victim, aged 11 when the abuse began, was raped orally four times and assaulted sexually seven times; the older brother, aged 12, was assaulted four times. The defendant, aged 15‑18 during the offences, pleaded not guilty but accepted the jury verdict. The trial judge, Justice Deirdre Murphy, treated the case as a juvenile offence, citing the defendant's low intellectual functioning and the victims' vulnerability. The Court of Appeal heard that the State argued the sentence was too lenient, citing a 2½‑year concurrent discount and the failure of authorities to act on an earlier complaint. The judge noted the defendant's post‑conviction acknowledgement of guilt and the impact of the abuse on the victims. The case remains under appeal.
The Central Criminal Court heard that a 43‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to indecent assault and multiple sexual assault charges against his sister, who was abused from age three to ten. The abuse began when she was three, continued after she reported it to her parents at four and to a GP in July 1991, and persisted for five more years. The court noted that the family had attended one counselling session before the father decided not to return. The judge highlighted the sister's forgiveness and lack of desire for imprisonment, her remorse, and her efforts to rebuild her life, including studying psychology. The man was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions. The hearing focused on the ongoing abuse, the sister's impact statement, and the man's admissions and cooperation with investigators.
In a Westmeath case, a 33‑year‑old man was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of raping a 15‑year‑old girl in an unoccupied apartment on 20 January 2019. The victim, aged 15‑half at the time, was invited to the apartment with a friend, where the accused entered through a window. After refusing a kiss, the man touched her, pulled down her leggings, pushed her onto a couch and raped her while she shouted for him to stop. He used abusive language and later left for the toilet. The girl did not give a victim impact statement and only later sought medical treatment for a hymen laceration, after which the matter was reported to Gardaí. The accused denies sexual contact. He has prior convictions for assault, disorder and traffic offences but none of a sexual nature.
Emmet O'Connor, 30, of Kerry, was convicted in December 2020 of two counts of rape, organising prostitution and intimidating a witness. He was sentenced in April 2021 to eight years for the rapes, two years for organising prostitution and one year for intimidation, all consecutive. O'Connor denied the charges. The victim, a sex worker, testified that she and O'Connor had consensual rough sex a year earlier but that on 25 September 2017 she was forced to sleep with him, was crying and begged him to stop; he grabbed her, carried her upstairs, threw her on the bed and raped her twice. O'Connor's appeal argues that the trial judge erred by allowing evidence from two recent‑complaint witnesses without adequate warning of its limited use, and that late forensic evidence was introduced too late. The State's counsel said the evidence was not hearsay and that the judge had explained its limited use. The court will reserve judgment on the appeal.
In a June 2023 sentencing, a 37‑year‑old man was jailed for five years for sexually abusing a boy who was four to eight years old between 1999 and 2002. The defendant, aged 13 to 17 at the time of the offences, pleaded guilty to oral rape and sexual assault, involving insertion of fingers into the boy's anus at the boy's home. He had no prior convictions. The victim, now 28, gave a victim impact statement describing long‑term depression, anxiety, nightmares and fear, and praised the judge for encouraging others to speak out. Judge Mary Ellen Ring noted the defendant's lack of maturity and the absence of a risk assessment, imposed concurrent sentencing, and ordered 18 months of post‑release supervision. The case highlighted the abuse's occurrence while the defendant was a minor and the victim's decision to disclose the abuse after a two‑year period of uncertainty.
A man has launched an appeal against his conviction for rape and sexual assault following a trial in the Central Criminal Court. Stephen Lynch, with an address in County Offaly, was convicted in May 2021 of raping a fifteen-year-old girl at a property in Athlone, County Roscommon, in October 2015, and of sexually assaulting another young woman and assaulting her friend in December 2015. Lynch pleaded not guilty to all charges. At the Court of Appeal, his legal representatives argued the jury should have been discharged due to concerns they were photographed during the trial and following a reference by a witness to previous stories about the accused. The State's counsel submitted these issues were resolved at trial and were not sufficiently prejudicial to warrant discharge. The appeal court reserved judgment. Lynch was sentenced to eight years and nine months for the rape offence and concurrent sentences totalling two years and nine months for the other convictions.
Kevin Kletzander, a former Trinity College student, pleaded guilty to nine counts of sexual assault committed in Dublin between 5 and 28 August 2021. The offences occurred at Grafton Street, Stephen's Green, Aston Quay, Usher's Island, the Ilac Shopping Centre and Store Street Garda Station. In each incident he forced contact with a woman's crotch or buttocks, sometimes using force or a fist, and once slapped a female Garda. He was arrested at the Ilac Centre and has been in custody since August 2021. Kletzander has no prior convictions and admitted the acts were inappropriate, citing mental health problems that had led to hospitalisations. The court heard psychiatric and probation reports and adjourned the case to 23 June for finalisation. The case was presided over by Judge Orla Crowe.
Vadim Veste, a 28-year-old dual Moldovan-Romanian national from Fermoy, Co Cork, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for aggravated sexual assault. He pleaded guilty to the November 7, 2021, attack on a woman in her 50s at St Colman's Park. Mr Justice Paul McDermott described the incident as shocking, brutal, and cowardly, noting the victim sustained injuries and that Veste used a hat as a gag. The judge highlighted Veste's history, including a previous three-year prison sentence for the rape of a 14-year-old in Eastern Europe in July 2016, from which he was released just 18 days before the current offence. Although a headline sentence of nine years was set, the judge reduced the term due to Veste's expression of remorse, despite a Probation Service report indicating a lack of insight. Veste was sentenced to six years and six months in prison, with the final six months suspended for two years on strict conditions, including attending treatment deemed appropriate by the Probation Service. The court also ordered that Veste not approach the victim or her family, prohibited unsupervised access to children, and imposed a six-year post-release supervision order to protect society and prevent future offending.
A 51‑year‑old Galway man pleaded guilty to one count of anal rape, one count of sexual assault and one count of sexual exploitation of his teenage nephew, aged 14‑15, between June 2016 and June 2017. The offences occurred at the defendant's home, a horsebox, his car and the victim's home. The abuse began with inappropriate touching and masturbation, escalating to oral and anal rape. The nephew's behaviour changed from "happy‑go‑lucky" to misbehaving, prompting his family to notice the abuse in 2017. The man voluntarily admitted to the Gardaí and was arrested in November 2018. He pleaded guilty in March 2024 after a jury was empanelled. He has no prior convictions. The court heard a victim impact statement describing the abuse's effect on the nephew's mental health and family relationships. The judge thanked the victim for his statement and noted the nephew's support network.
A 37‑year‑old Tipperary man pleaded guilty in the Central Criminal Court to oral rape and sexual assault of a four‑year‑old neighbour between 1999 and 2002. He was 13 when the abuse began and was 17 at its end. The victim, now 28, described how the abuse ruined his childhood, education and relationships, causing depression, anxiety, nightmares and paranoia. He said he had struggled to disclose the abuse and feared for future children. Justice Mary Ellen Ring praised his courage and noted the victim's emotional and physical suffering and the breach of family trust. The court adjourned the case to the following Friday, remanded the accused in custody, and noted that the offender had no prior convictions and was a minor at the time of the offences. The prosecution suggested a 10‑15‑year sentence, but the defence highlighted the guilty plea and the statutory discount for a minor offender. The case remains pending.
A man's appeal against his four-year jail sentence for the sexual abuse of a child in County Cavan has been dismissed by the Court of Appeal. The appellant, now 23, pleaded guilty at Cavan Circuit Criminal Court in June 2021 to defilement of a person under 15 years of age following an incident in 2017 when he was 17. The trial judge imposed a sentence of five and a half years in January 2022, suspending the final 18 months. The appellant's counsel argued the sentence was excessive, contending that the age difference between the accused and the victim was not inherently aggravating and that the duration of the assault was brief. The Court of Appeal found the trial judge had properly identified aggravating factors including coercion, persistence, and a significant age disparity. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy noted the victim had repeatedly refused consent and dismissed the appeal, stating the headline sentence of seven years fell within the judge's discretion.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 9 June 2023, 69‑year‑old Josephine McMahon pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault against two brothers aged four to five and eight to twelve, committed between 1992 and 1996 at her house in Kenmare, Co Kerry. McMahon admitted using a wooden spoon to assault the younger boy in a bathroom, threatening him and later assaulting him again in a bath, and a third assault in a bedroom. She also exposed herself to the older brother and threatened him with the spoon. The younger brother's victim impact statement described ongoing depression, anxiety, addiction, suicidal thoughts and lasting shame, while the older brother cited deep emotional scars and family impact. McMahon, a wheelchair user with diabetes and kidney disease, has no prior convictions and will be placed on the Sex Offenders Register. The case was adjourned to 26 June for sentencing, with a request for a suspended sentence.
The Court of Appeal upheld a 5‑½‑year jail sentence for a 55‑year‑old man who abused five sisters between 1980 and 1988. The abuse began when the man was 12 and ended when he was 20. The sisters were aged seven to 13 at the time of the abuse. He pleaded guilty to one count of rape and six counts of indecent assault. In February 2022 he received a total of six years and six months' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended. The judge ordered the three‑and‑a‑half‑year rape sentence and the three‑year indecent‑assault sentence to run consecutively. The appeal argued that consecutive sentences ignored mitigating factors such as the offender's age, cognitive difficulties, lack of insight and remorse, but the Court of Appeal rejected the appeal, finding the judge had carefully considered all mitigating factors and that the consecutive sentences were appropriate and not unduly lenient.
A 51-year-old man convicted of rape has been sentenced to eight years and four months imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following an aggravated burglary committed in April 2018. Mark McAnaw forced his way into a Dublin home armed with a large kitchen knife three months after completing a nine-year prison sentence imposed in 2012 for sexually assaulting a young foreign student in County Donegal in 2010. The victim, who knew McAnaw from prior social contact, reported feeling terrified during the attack and subsequently developed PTSD, moving from her home and leaving her employment. Judge Melanie Greally imposed the final 16 months of the sentence on a suspended basis for 16 years, conditional on McAnaw's supervision by the Probation Services. The judge cited the targeted nature of the offence, the weapon used, and McAnaw's previous convictions as aggravating factors, whilst noting his guilty plea and psychiatric engagement as mitigating elements. Strict conditions have been imposed, including compliance with the Sex Offenders Act and abstinence from illicit substances.
The Court of Appeal has been asked to consider quashing the sentence of a teenager who raped his seven‑year‑old cousin. The boy, aged 17 when convicted in February, was sentenced to one year's detention in Oberstown. He is now over 18 and will be transferred to an adult prison by 17 October, where he must serve the remaining 31 days. Lorcan Staines SC argues that the trial judge could not have imposed a non‑custodial sentence on a child and that the appellate court should either quash the sentence or affirm it. The State, represented by John William Fennelly BL, notes that the 31 days are not excessive given the nature of the offences and that the appellant did not accept the jury verdict. The court will reserve judgment. The unnamed 17-year-old pleaded guilty.
Defrocked priest Denis Nolan, aged 71, had his prison term quadrupled by the Court of Appeal. He had previously been jailed for seven years in 2014 for sexually abusing a boy over five years, and for six years in 2017 for rape and abuse of another boy. In December 2023 he pleaded guilty to three counts of anal rape, one of oral rape and five of sexual assault of a third boy, with offences dated 2001‑2005. The trial judge imposed a nine‑year sentence, suspending seven‑and‑a‑half years, but the Court of Appeal quashed that and imposed a new six‑year term to run consecutively with his existing sentence, which expires in December. The appeal was based on the claim that the suspended portion was unduly excessive and that the original sentence did not reflect the overall gravity of the offences.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a man was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment for raping and sexually assaulting his niece over a five‑year period from 2008 to 2013. The victim, aged between seven and thirteen, was repeatedly abused in the accused's caravan, where he called her "ugly" and told her she "didn't have to be ugly any more" while raping her. The jury found him guilty of two counts of rape, one count of anal rape and two counts of sexual assault. He has 12 prior convictions, including a three‑year sentence for sexual assault. The judge, Justice Karen O'Connor, noted the victim's courage and the aggravating factor of the accused's dominance, and imposed a seven‑year post‑release supervision order. The sentence was back‑dated to the time he entered custody in April. The case was brought to light in 2017 when the victim disclosed the abuse to social care workers.
A Dublin man was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for the abuse of his daughter, who was between four and seven years old at the time of the offences. The man, whose identity is withheld to protect his daughter, was found guilty by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after previously denying two counts of indecent assault in 1987. The victim, now in her 40s, read a victim impact statement describing her father as a "monster" who used her serious illness to his advantage, leaving her feeling "dirty, worthless and inadequate." Judge Martin Nolan described the conduct as a "huge breach of trust" and noted the man's age, long work history and low likelihood of re‑offending as mitigating factors. The sentence was back‑dated to 8 May, and the judge also considered the man's prior minor convictions and letters of support from his siblings.
During a three‑week Central Criminal Court trial, the jury heard harrowing evidence of gratuitous sexual violence against four children in an extended Traveller family. Prosecutor Shane Costelloe warned that the evidence would be unsettling and unsavoury, and after seven hours and 33 minutes of deliberation, the jury returned guilty verdicts on 117 of 124 counts. The accused included a 66‑year‑old patriarch, his sons aged 38, 40 and 41, and a 63‑year‑old wife. The patriarch faced 24 charges, each son faced 31 or 36 charges, and the wife faced charges of assault and assistance in an alleged anally rape. All accused denied the charges. The trial highlighted the alleged abuse occurring between 1999 and 2005 across various locations in Ireland, with the family described as part of the Traveller community. The prosecution's case focused on the veracity of the complainants' accounts, while the defence argued inconsistencies and lack of detail in the evidence.
A 57‑year‑old man, whose name is withheld to protect his wife, was convicted of 16 counts of anal rape of his then‑wife between 2003 and 2007 and of eight counts of indecent assault and three counts of rape of his younger sister between 1978 and 1987. He was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment, with seven years for the sister offences and six years for the wife offences, to run consecutively with no portion suspended. The appeal argued that the use of a screen separating the witness from the court was prejudicial and that certain background evidence should not have been admitted. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, holding that the judge had considered the need to protect the complainant from secondary victimisation and that the evidence was relevant and necessary to illustrate the depth of violence in the relationship. The judge found no error in admitting the background evidence or in allowing the screen.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court found a 66‑year‑old grandfather guilty of 24 counts of sexual abuse, including two anally raping his granddaughter and 22 charges against his nephew – 12 anally and ten orally. He had pleaded not guilty to 25 charges, one assault charge was withdrawn. The jury also convicted his three sons, aged 38, 40 and 41, of multiple counts of rape and sexual assault against their sisters, nieces and a cousin, with each man receiving a range of guilty verdicts and some acquittals. A 63‑year‑old wife was found guilty of assisting one of her sons in anally raping her granddaughter and assaulting the same child. The defendants were remanded in custody or on bail pending sentencing, with the court setting a July 17 mention date for the sentencing hearing. The judge thanked the jurors and noted the case was difficult and the evidence unpleasant. The unnamed 66-year-old was acquitted.
Dermot Carr, 51, a former Dublin bus driver, was sentenced to nine years in prison, with the final year suspended, for a series of sexual offences spanning from 2001 to 2018. He pleaded guilty to harassment of a nine‑year‑old boy, sending explicit images and requesting naked photographs, and to multiple counts of sexual assault against five girls aged 11 to 17. Carr's conduct involved persistent grooming, text messaging, providing drugs and alcohol, and forcing the girls to masturbate or engage in sexual acts in his car or apartment. The judge noted a pattern of deliberate, persistent grooming over many years and imposed consecutive sentences for the six victims, ordering Carr to pay €10,000 in compensation to the first female victim and to engage with probation and counselling upon release. The case highlighted the long‑term impact on the victims, who described trauma, nightmares, and lasting psychological effects.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, Martin Burke, aged 26, was convicted of three counts of sexual assault and acquitted on one. The offences occurred on the night of 26 August 2018 in a Kerry town. Burke first assaulted a woman who had known him from a previous encounter; after a party involving alcohol and cannabis, he entered her spare room, bit her cheek and sexually assaulted her. She escaped to a shed, kicked him, and he fled. He later entered the bedroom of a second woman who was sleeping with her boyfriend. He asked if she was alright, grabbed her breast, left, returned, and touched her thigh under the sheets. The second victim kicked him and he left. Burke pleaded not guilty. Judge Paul McDermott sentenced him to five and a half years, suspending the final 12 months on the condition of probation for three years, and ordered him to stay away from both victims.
Paul Hendrick, a retired school principal and former Christian Brother, pleaded guilty to 11 counts of indecent assault on Kenneth Grace between 1980 and 1984. The abuse began when Grace was 13, a first‑year student at CBS Westland Row, and continued as he aged, involving repeated sexual and physical misconduct in various school locations, including the furnace room, a reception room at the priest's residence, and during camping trips in Waterford and Tipperary. Grace recalled being forced into wrestling, being restrained, and experiencing sexual contact while in his underwear. He was isolated from classmates and subjected to verbal abuse. Grace's victim impact statement described lasting mental health effects, including depression, anxiety and PTSD. Hendrick, who had no prior convictions, was remanded on bail pending a final hearing scheduled for July 10. The case highlights the prolonged nature of the abuse and its enduring impact on the victim.
In a High Court hearing, Mr Justice Paul Burns sentenced Trevor Richardson, 49, to twelve years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended, after a jury found him guilty of 56 counts of sexual assault, including one oral rape, committed between 2000 and 2014. Richardson, who had been a father‑figure to two of the victims, was in a relationship with the mother of two of the girls. The victims, who waived anonymity, described abuse that involved touching genital areas, digital penetration, and forced oral sex. One victim recalled being forced to perform oral sex at age seven or eight and later describing a life of self‑harm and anxiety. The judge noted Richardson's lack of prior convictions, good work history, and alcohol abuse as mitigating factors, and ordered him to be supervised by Probation Services for three years after release. The case highlighted prolonged abuse and a breach of trust.
Kevin Cradden, 33, of Kilkenny, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault at a Dublin house on 31 May 2021. He was described as "dumb drunk" after consuming large amounts of alcohol at a barbecue. The victim, a tenant, woke to find him in her bed, kissing her and touching her vagina. She identified him as "Kevin" and left the house, later reporting the assault. Cradden left the house naked from the waist down and was later called back to dress. He has no prior convictions and has not been involved with Gardaí since. Judge Orla Crowe accepted the victim's impact statement, noting loss of self‑worth and trust issues. The judge imposed a headline sentence of four years, reduced to three years in prison, with 18 months suspended on strict conditions, including probation and abstention from alcohol. The court heard Cradden's remorse, lack of memory, and family support.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 66‑year‑old man and his three sons (aged 38, 40, 41) face 31 to 36 charges of raping and sexually assaulting four family members, all children at the time. The 63‑year‑old wife of the eldest man is charged with assisting her son in an alleged anal rape of her granddaughter and assaulting the granddaughter. The alleged offences are said to have occurred between 1999 and 2005 in various locations. All five defendants deny the charges. Lawyers argue the evidence is vague, contradictory and dates are mismatched, citing inconsistencies in complainants' statements and difficulties in recalling details. The defence urges the jury to acquit on all counts, noting the prosecution has not proven the case beyond a reasonable doubt. The trial proceeds under Justice Mary Ellen Ring. The unnamed 66-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 53‑year‑old Galway farmer pleaded guilty to sexual assault and oral rape of his nephew, aged five to thirteen, between 1989 and 1996. The nephew, now 39, described how the abuse, which began with unwanted touching during "games" and progressed to masturbation and oral rape, was carried out at the farm, in the yard, outbuildings or a caravan. He said he was told not to speak out, fearing his uncle would be in trouble, and that the abuse left him with lasting pain, flashbacks and sleepless nights. The farmer denied the offences at his arrest but later pleaded guilty. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon adjourned sentencing to July to allow reports to be finalised. The case was brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions, who viewed the offences as "more serious" with a headline sentence of 10 to 15 years imprisonment.
Niall Kennedy, a former soldier, was convicted in December 2021 on twelve counts of rape and additional charges of harassment and threats. He was sentenced to twelve years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended for five years on strict conditions. Kennedy, aged 32, denied the charges. His appeal argues that the trial judge failed to issue a corroboration warning to the jury about the uncorroborated evidence of the complainant, who admitted to lying about her relationship with Kennedy and about a male friend's drug use. The appeal also contends that the judge should have warned the jury about Kennedy's state of mind and the alleged consensual nature of the intercourse. The Court of Appeal will consider whether the absence of such a warning affected the jury's deliberations. The case remains at the appeal stage.
A 55‑year‑old man was convicted of sexually assaulting an asylum seeker who claimed she had never had sex before a Muslim ceremony. The conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal after new phone‑data showed the woman had searched for sexual information, suggesting she had prior sexual experience. The judge said this fresh material could have affected the jury's verdict and ordered a retrial. The man was remanded in custody until 7 June with bail. He had pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of rape, sexual assault and attempted rape. The original trial found him guilty of one count of sexual assault, sentencing him to six years with six months suspended and a four‑year post‑release supervision order. The appeal court will adjourn the case to the next legal term for DPP instructions. The man cried and asked, "Can I go home now?".
A trial is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court involving five defendants from an extended Traveller family, including a 66-year-old man, his three sons aged 38, 40, and 41, and the 63-year-old wife of the oldest son. The defendants face 126 counts of sexual abuse and assault allegedly committed against four children between 1999 and 2005. All five defendants deny the charges. The prosecution, led by Shane Costelloe SC, argued that the complainants were sexually abused by male relatives, describing the environment as one where children were "treated like dogs." Specifically, the first female complainant alleges she was repeatedly raped and sexually abused by three of her brothers. The second female complainant alleges rape by her grandfather, while a male complainant alleges repeated rape by his uncle. The defence, represented by Michael Bowman SC for the 66-year-old man, challenged the timeline and consistency of the evidence, particularly regarding the male complainant, arguing that care records contradicted the alleged dates of abuse. The defence also highlighted the significant time delay in bringing the case. The trial is currently at the closing speeches stage, with the jury instructed to decide based on the veracity of the complainants' evidence. The matter has not been concluded; the trial resumes on Monday before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring.