In a case heard in Dublin, three men aged 24—Dion Genockey, Troy Ryan and Daryl Rooney—were convicted of gang‑raping an 18‑year‑old woman at Dollymount Strand in 2016. The men were 17 and 18 at the time of the offence. Rooney had 225 prior convictions, including violent disorder and drug offences, while Genockey and Ryan had no convictions at the time of the rape. The court heard that after the initial assault, the victim was taken to a second car where two other men raped her before she was left on the beach. Defence counsel argued the men should be treated as minors, citing their ages, Rooney's ADHD and mild intellectual disability, and the men's claims of lack of intent. The judge was urged to consider the defendants' youth in sentencing, with the court scheduled to deliver a sentence on 4 November.
A 40‑year‑old man was convicted of 48 counts of rape and sexual assault of his younger sister between 1999 and 2005. The offences included penetration with a screwdriver and a vibrator. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison, reduced from an initial 14‑year headline. The man appealed, arguing the judge had misapplied sentencing principles, misjudged the gravity of the offences and failed to suspend part of the sentence. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, noting that the majority of the offences were committed after the appellant reached majority and that the judge's assessment of gravity was correct. The court also found no evidence of remorse or acceptance of responsibility, and therefore no basis for reducing the sentence or suspending any portion. The appeal was dismissed, upholding the 11‑year term.
A 48‑year‑old man was sentenced to eight years in prison for raping his partner's seven‑year‑old son in the shower between 1 May and 30 September 2016. The court found him guilty of one count of rape and one count of sexual assault. The boy was showering when the man entered, claiming his mother had told him to shower with him, and then sexually assaulted and raped him. The man had been in a relationship with the boy's mother and sometimes stayed overnight. The offence was discovered when the boy, then ten, told his teacher he had been abused; the teacher and school leadership were praised for listening. The judge noted the man's position of trust and the boy's vulnerability, and imposed the eight‑year sentence for rape and a concurrent three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for assault. The judge also ordered two years of post‑release supervision and prohibited contact with the victim.
A man has gone on trial in Dublin accused of raping and sexually assaulting his wife over nine years by inserting various objects into her vagina while she was unconscious. He pleaded not guilty to 15 charges, including the use of a knife, cheese grater, bottle, carrot, banana, cucumber, tulip, wooden spatula, decanter stopper, part of a shoe, bicycle pump, deodorant bottle and his finger, between 1 January 2005 and 5 September 2014. The charges also cover anal rape and penetration of the woman's anus with his thumb. A forensic expert recovered 712 thumbnail images from the accused's laptop, showing female genitals and objects such as a high‑heel shoe, large kitchen knife, cheese grater, beer bottle, wine bottle, cucumber, carrot, banana and pencil. The prosecution argued the wife was unconscious and could not consent, citing video evidence found on the family computer. The trial continues before a jury of six men and six women.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the second appeal by an unnamed 59-year-old Tipperary man against his 11-year prison sentence. The appellant was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of five sexual offences, including rape and sexual assault, committed against his special needs daughter between 2003 and 2011. He had initially pleaded not guilty to 32 counts, with the jury acquitting him on 27 counts after the judge directed not-guilty verdicts on 17. In February 2020, he was sentenced to 12 years, with the final year suspended, resulting in an effective 11-year term. Counsel for the appellant, Colman Coady SC, argued the sentence was excessive and unduly severe for the higher sentencing category. The State, represented by Fiona Murphy SC, contended the sentence was correct given the aggravating factors, including the offences occurring in the family home and coercive efforts to withdraw charges. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, delivering the judgment, noted the victim's acute intellectual disability and the betrayal of trust as significant aggravating factors. She affirmed that the sentencing judge's decision to impose a headline sentence on the outer scale was within her discretion and that the appellant had already received a generous deduction. The court rejected the argument that the sentence lacked features common to more serious cases, upholding the original disposal.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a man was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for raping his ex‑partner after threatening to cut her fingers with garden secateurs. The victim, a Cork woman, had endured an 18‑year toxic relationship for her children's sake. On 2 August 2019, the man showed her the secateurs, threatened to sever her fingers, forced her into the bedroom, and demanded oral and vaginal sex. He raped her again until a child returned home. The woman fled, staying in hotels and with friends before securing rental accommodation. The man later returned, brandishing a modified nail file he claimed was a knife, and threatened her again. The judge noted the crime's severity, imposed a headline sentence of ten years for the rape, and added concurrent sentences totalling nine years for related offences, with a consecutive three‑year term and a two‑year suspension for interference with a witness. The unnamed accused pleaded guilty.
Donal Kelly, 60, was sentenced to 18 months in jail, with the final six months suspended, for possessing 120 videos and 303 images of child sexual abuse. The court heard that Kelly claimed the material showed a "loving interaction" between children and abusers, a claim met with disbelief by Judge Elma Sheahan. She noted the material's depravity, describing it as grotesque and offensive, and highlighted aggravating factors such as a video of an abused infant being force‑fed urine. Kelly admitted guilt, cooperated with Gardaí, and has begun therapy. He lost his taxi licence, will be placed on the sex offender register, and has no prior convictions. The sentencing reflected the seriousness of the offences and the court's view of Kelly's limited insight into his wrongdoing. Donal Kelly pleaded guilty.
A former schools rugby player, Buti Sashi, aged 26, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for a series of violent attacks on transgender sex workers in Dublin. On 26 May 2017 he entered the victim's city‑centre apartment armed with a large knife, struck her face and body, cut her, demanded sex, sexually assaulted her and stole her mobile phone and laptop. The victim suffered a fractured jaw and an eye socket injury. A month later, on 28 June, Sashi and another man broke into the flat of a second transgender sex worker, beat her, stole two mobile phones and attacked a house‑mate, breaking his jaw and cutting him twice, taking his phone, laptop and €300. Sashi pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery, two of assault causing harm, one of sexual assault and one of weapon production. He was found to have a history of violent offences, including a 2014 robbery of a taxi driver.
A 30-year-old man from Donegal has been sentenced to five years imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, for the rape and sexual abuse of his niece when he was a teenager. The man pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to two counts of oral rape and five counts of sexual assault of a child between January 2005 and January 2009. He was aged between 12 and 16 when committing the offences. Justice Karen O'Connor found the abuse had a considerable and continuous impact on the victim and noted the defendant's attempts to normalise the conduct by describing it as a boyfriend and girlfriend relationship. In mitigation, the judge considered that he was a minor at the time, had fully accepted the victim's account, and demonstrated remorse. The suspended portion is conditional on supervision by the Probation Service for two years post-release and participation in sex offender programmes. The victim, now in her twenties and living abroad, did not attend sentencing.
An elderly St John Of God Brother, Aidan Clohessy, aged 82, former principal of St Augustine's School for boys with learning disabilities, faces nine charges of indecent assault against four boys. The alleged offences occurred between 31 August 1968 and 17 August 1986. Clohessy appeared at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Judge Martin Nolan set a trial date for 18 November 2024 and remanded him on continuing bail. Earlier, Judge Nolan lifted reporting restrictions that had prevented the media from naming the defendant, following an application by several news organisations.
In 2022 the Court of Appeal increased a 66‑year‑old man's sentence from 12 years with 18 months suspended to 17 years for a 16‑year period of rape, molestation and aggravated sexual assault of his daughter. The man had begun abusing her when she was six or seven and continued until her 20s, committing 54 charges, of which nine were pleaded. The offences included repeated rape, oral rape, indecent assault, sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault involving an electric sander. The appeal was brought by the State, who argued the original headline sentence of 16 years for rape was too lenient given the "depth of cruelty" and the victim's prolonged degradation. The Court of Appeal agreed, quashing the original sentence and imposing a headline of 17 years with no suspended portion, and ordered the offender to register as a sex offender and attend probation for five years. The unnamed 66-year-old pleaded guilty.
Donal Carroll, aged 43, was convicted of possessing and distributing extreme child abuse material. He was found with nearly 1,500 images and videos, including a disturbing video that appeared to show a mother and child being raped and murdered, though the exact content of that video was not confirmed. Carroll pleaded guilty to one count of possession and two counts of distribution. He had no prior convictions. The material was discovered after a 2016 online activity alert by Norwegian authorities, leading to a search of his home and seizure of his laptop, which was analyzed in 2019. Carroll shared 11 images with a Norwegian contact. He has admitted to mental health issues and past suicide attempts. Judge Martin Nolan, considering the delayed seizure and distribution, imposed a one‑year custodial sentence.
A 22‑year‑old man was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for repeatedly raping a young cousin and sexually assaulting another when he was a teenager. He pleaded guilty to three counts of rape of a boy aged six to nine and one count of sexual assault of a boy aged ten to twelve. The offences occurred between 2014 and 2019 while the defendant was aged 12 to 16. The court heard that the man, who had no prior convictions, had been a babysitter and had repeatedly forced the victims to remove clothing and to be in positions that allowed anal penetration, claiming it would help the victims' asthma. He was found to have abused the trust of the children and to have used deceit. The judge imposed a six‑year sentence with two years suspended, citing his remorse, early guilty pleas and young age at the time of the offences.
A 41‑year‑old convicted sex offender was sentenced to 13½ years' imprisonment, with the last two years suspended, for raping his former partner twice in August 2016 at his apartment in Co. Laois. The court found a significant breach of trust, noting the victim was pregnant and had recently given birth. The offender had previously been on the sex offenders register for a 2007 sexual assault of a 17‑year‑old girl and a 2016 assault of his partner. He was also convicted of a 2016 assault of his partner by head‑butting her face. The sentence was based on the rape and anal rape counts, with a headline of 10 years for rape and 13½ years for anal rape. The offender had no guilty plea, no remorse, but did cooperate with Gardaí. The court suspended the final two years of the custodial term, back‑dating the suspension to 28 March 2022. The unnamed 41-year-old pleaded not guilty and was acquitted.
Thomas Sheehan, aged 37, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for orally raping and sexually assaulting his half‑sister, Edel Sheehan, between 2000 and 2002 when they were teenagers. Sheehan, who had no fixed abode in Tipperary, pleaded guilty to one count of oral rape and five counts of sexual assault. He had previously written letters to Gardaí confessing the abuse, which led to the case. The court noted the siblings grew up in extreme neglect, poverty and violence, and that Sheehan's confession and apology were mitigating factors. The judge reduced the headline six‑year sentence to four years, adding concurrent two‑year sentences for the remaining offences and a one‑year post‑release supervision order. The case highlighted the long‑lasting impact on Edel, who waived anonymity to name her abuser. The sentencing reflected the seriousness of the repeated sexual offences and the vulnerability of the victim.
Predatory serial sex offender Slawomir Gierlowski has had his prison sentence further extended for an attempted attack on a woman in 2011. Gierlowski (38) was previously sentenced in 2018 to 22 and a half years with four years suspended for random outdoor attacks on three other women between 2011 and 2016. After a Central Criminal Court trial in May 2019, Gierlowski was convicted of attempted rape, sexual assault and assault causing harm of a fourth victim on the night of December 18, 2010. Sentencing for those offences was adjourned while Gierlowski appealed his 2018 convictions and the severity of that sentence. The Court of Appeal dismissed these appeals and in July 2021, he was sentenced for this offence to a further ten years consecutive to the earlier sentence, giving a total prison sentence of 28 and a half years. The matter was adjourned during the appeal process. In July 2022, Judge Elma Sheahan extended Gierlowski's time in custody by a further six years, imposing concurrent sentences totalling six years consecutive to his Central Criminal Court sentence. The court heard that Gierlowski's DNA and fingerprints were taken as part of an investigation in 2016 into a separate assault and matched samples that were recovered from a flex and a cigarette box in this case. The victim described how the man, later identified as Gierlowski, had jumped at her in broad daylight, pushed her to the ground, straddled her and failed to get a flex around her neck before putting his hands on her neck and squeezing with his thumbs. He tried to pull down her pants. She resisted and fought back at the man, who punched her many times with a closed fist before he ran off. The woman continues to suffer adverse effects from the offence ten years later. Judge Sheahan noted Gierlowski had similar serious offending pre and post this offence. She said his offending had been previously described as 'dangerous predatory behaviour', which even at this stage he refuses to acknowledge despite going through three trials. She noted he has been in custody since 2016 but said she could not take into account any insight gained or remorse as he does not accept the verdict and there is no guilty plea. She said the court would take into account that he is already serving a significant sentence. Previously Mr Justice Michael White said that in the absence of Gierlowski acknowledging his predatory behaviour, he remained a serious threat to the safety of women. Judge Sheahan said the protection of society was an important consideration for the court. She imposed concurrent sentences totalling six years consecutive to his Central Criminal Court sentence. She noted the need to have regard to rehabilitation but said there was no evidential basis for suspending part of the sentence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 7 October 2022, a 20‑year‑old man was given a one‑year suspended sentence for the defilement of a 13‑year‑old girl when he was 16. The court heard that in June 2018 the girl's mother reported that her daughter had been sexually assaulted at a house party. The girl and her older sister were staying at a house and invited friends for a party. The accused arrived with a group of males. The girl was in a bedroom when the group entered, asked her age, and the accused, after learning she was 13, performed oral sex on her for about two minutes. He then commanded her to "get on her knees" and she again performed oral sex. A second male, also 16, entered and the girl performed oral sex on him and had sexual intercourse. The unnamed 20-year-old pleaded guilty.
Martin Begley, aged 55, was found guilty by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury of nine counts of sexual assault and 12 counts of invitation to sexual touching of a seven‑year‑old boy in two Dublin locations between December 2019 and April 2020. The verdicts followed a six‑day trial in June. Begley, who lived in Larkfield Grove, Kimmage, denied the convictions and intends to appeal. He had been employed by the boy's parents after they advertised on an Irish childminding website; he claimed garda vetting and supplied references, though he never showed evidence. Begley began minding the children in December 2019, moving to his own house during the March 2020 Covid lockdown. In April 2020 the boy's mother discovered a video of a boy being spanked with a belt, leading to immediate termination. The following month the boy's mother learned Begley had shown him how to engage in sexualised behaviour.
The Court of Appeal refused to consider an "implied consent" argument raised by the defence of ex‑RTE journalist Mícheál Ó Leidhin, who was convicted of sexual assault. The defence had argued that the victim had discussed possible sexual activity the following morning before falling asleep, and that this should have been considered by the jury. The court held that a sleeping person cannot give consent and that the jury's charge did not mention implied consent. The appeal also challenged the 18‑month sentence with three months suspended, but the court reserved judgment on that ground. Ó Leidhin, aged 38, was convicted in April 2022 after a trial in which the victim described being groped while asleep. The court noted that the victim's testimony was compelling and that Ó Leidhin had no prior convictions. The appeal remains pending.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Paul Farrell, aged 65, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for a single count of sexual assault and to eighteen months' imprisonment for each of ten sample counts of sexual assault, all of which will run concurrently. The offences, committed between 1992 and 1993, involved Farrell assaulting his niece, Anita Byrne, when she was aged 12 to 13. The first assault occurred on the day of her grandfather's funeral, when Farrell asked Byrne to retrieve an item from a cupboard, then placed his hands under her clothes and touched her breasts, almost reaching her genital area before she fled the room. Byrne later returned to find Farrell waiting and told her not to disclose the incident. The court noted the large age gap, the victim's age, the aggravating factor of Farrell's threat to silence Byrne, and the mitigating factor of his medical condition. Paul Farrell was found guilty.
A young woman who had recently left State care was gang‑raped on Dollymount Strand by three teenagers, Dion Genocky (23), Troy Ryan (24) and Daryl Rooney (24). The men, aged 17–18 at the time, drove her to the beach, where they took turns raping her. After the first assault, she was forced into a second car that arrived at the scene, where two more men from that vehicle raped her before leaving her on the beach. The case went to trial twice: the first in 2020, where the jury could not reach a verdict, and a second at the Central Criminal Court this year, where the men were convicted. The woman gave a victim‑impact statement via video‑link, describing the trauma, drug addiction and ongoing struggle for justice. She expressed hope that the men will pay for the pain and loss they caused. The court adjourned the case to 21 October for mitigation pleas.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a Cork woman recounted a 18‑year‑old toxic relationship with her ex‑partner, who raped her on 2 August 2019 after threatening to cut her fingers with garden secateurs. He forced her to perform oral and vaginal sex, then raped her again until a child returned home. The woman fled, stayed in hotels and with friends before securing rental accommodation. The ex‑partner later broke into the property, brandishing a modified nail file and claiming he had paid €10,000 to a hired killer. In his victim impact statement, the woman described ongoing terror and nightmares. He pleaded guilty to interfering with a witness, trespass, assault causing harm, criminal damage and a threat to kill. The case was adjourned to 17 October for finalisation. The court heard the woman's testimony of the assault and her fear of further harm. The hearing focused on the charges and the plea, not on any subsequent outcome. The unnamed woman was convicted.
In a 2022 trial, a man was convicted on 61 counts of sexual offences, including raping his partner twice and sexually assaulting her and her son. The court heard that the offences occurred between 2013 and 2015, with the partner's son aged nine to eleven at the time of the rape. The defendant was found guilty of four counts of assaulting the boy and one count of rape, as well as two counts of cruelty towards the children. He denied the charges and intends to appeal. Mr Justice Michael McGrath imposed a 12‑year sentence, reduced from an initial 14 years, with all sentences running concurrently. The judge noted the defendant's lack of remorse and the impact on the victim and her children, and he imposed a 12‑month post‑release supervision order. The case highlighted the hidden nature of domestic violence.
Richard Morrissey (45) was convicted by a jury of six counts of sexual assault against a girl who was aged seven to fourteen when the abuse occurred between 1996 and 2003 in Louth. The jury could not agree on all counts, so a second trial was held earlier this year, where he was found guilty of one additional count of sexual assault and one count of oral rape. The abuse began with grooming, touching, kissing and culminated in forced oral sex when the girl was fourteen. Morrissey, who was aged 18 to 25 at the time of the offences, maintains his innocence. He has been in custody since the first trial in November last year. Justice Karen O'Connor sentenced him to ten and a half years, suspending the final year on conditions.
The Court of Appeal has refused an application by Boy B to introduce fresh evidence in his appeal against the murder conviction of 14-year-old Ana Kriegel. Mr Justice George Birmingham, delivering the ruling of the three-judge court, stated that the application did not meet the threshold for admitting new evidence. He described the move as an attempt to "set at naught" the trial process and run an entirely different case more than three years after the original proceedings. Boy B's lawyers sought to introduce reports from psychologists claiming he was subjected to manipulation and pressure during garda interviews, arguing his mind was "substantially overborne." The court noted it was unusual to challenge the admissibility of interviews at this stage when no such challenge was raised during the trial. The judge highlighted that Boy B's final account to gardai, which admitted he witnessed Boy A assaulting Ana, was consistent with a statement he gave to a friend in June 2018. The court rejected the argument that his legal representation was inadequate. Boy B and Boy A were convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury in June 2019 of murdering Ana at a derelict house in Lucan in May 2018. Boy B was sentenced to 15 years' detention, to be reviewed after eight years. Boy A was sentenced to life imprisonment with a review after 12 years, and eight years imprisonment for aggravated sexual assault. The full appeal hearing is scheduled for October 5.
A 17‑year‑old boy was found not guilty of rape but guilty of sexual assault after a trial at the Central Criminal Court. He sexually assaulted his eight‑year‑old cousin while she was staying at his family home on 20 July 2019. The victim was told to keep the incident secret, was forced to lie on the floor, and the boy attempted to insert his penis into her bottom. He pulled down her underwear and asked if he could do it, claiming he needed to see something. The victim's bottom was sore, and she later changed her underwear, believing it would reduce soreness. Evidence of bruising was found after a specialist examination, and a specialist interview was conducted by gardai in August 2019. The victim's mother reported the incident to gardai, who searched the house and retrieved the victim's underwear.
A man convicted of rape, assault and coercive control has been sentenced to 17 years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court. Dean Ward targeted the woman through an online dating site in May 2019, moving into her home in Killybegs, County Donegal, where he subjected her to a six-week campaign of violence and psychological control. Justice Kerida Naidoo imposed an 18-year sentence for the most serious rape offence, suspending the final year, and a concurrent four-year term for coercive control. Ward, formerly of Wexford, was convicted in 2022 of twelve offences including three counts of rape, assaults, false imprisonment and making threats to kill. The judge found the victim's consent to sexual intercourse was secured through fear and force. Following his arrest by armed gardaí in July 2019, Ward maintained his innocence. Outside court, the victim spoke of receiving support from An Garda Síochána and encouraged others in abusive relationships to seek help. Ward has previous convictions for assault and false imprisonment dating to 2016.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Alexander Udrea, 33, was sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment for oral rape and sexual assault of a colleague. The offences occurred after a staff Christmas party when Udrea and the woman travelled together in a taxi to her home. While there, he forced oral sex and inserted fingers despite her refusal, causing bruising. He later attempted to insert fingers into her back passage. The court heard evidence of bruising and the victim's statement that the assaults stripped her of dignity and caused lasting anxiety. Udrea pleaded not guilty to five charges; the jury found him guilty of oral rape, sexual assault and attempted sexual assault. Justice Karen O'Connor imposed a six‑year term, suspended the final six months, and required him to engage with the Probation Service for a year. The sentence was back‑dated to March 23, when he was remanded after conviction.
Brian Shaughnessy, a former hotelier aged 55, was convicted in March 2013 of raping a 17‑year‑old employee at his Loughrea Hotel and Spa. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment with one year suspended. Shaughnessy appealed, claiming his defence counsel had not adequately presented his version of events, particularly a two‑hour period he alleged the victim spent in the room after the assault. He argued that key card and phone records, which he supplied to his lawyers, were not examined by the jury. His appeal was rejected in April 2020, but he successfully applied to the Supreme Court, which sent the case back to the Court of Appeal in March 2023. At the Court of Appeal, Shaughnessy reiterated that his defence was not put to the jury and that the two‑hour claim had been raised repeatedly with his legal team, yet was not pursued during the trial.
A 29‑year‑old Dublin woman was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for recklessly endangering her two children, one of whom was believed to have been raped by her partner when she was a toddler. The court heard that the mother knew her two‑year‑old daughter had been sexually assaulted by the partner, who is not the father, but did nothing to protect her or seek medical care. She pleaded guilty to two counts of reckless endangerment between April and November 2018 and was also considered for five counts of child cruelty, including punching her son. The children, aged two and three at the time, suffered injuries such as a fractured wrist, bite marks and bruising. The judge noted the children would endure lifelong trauma and imposed the custodial sentence accordingly. The partner is wanted and has fled the jurisdiction. The mother expressed remorse and hopes to be reunited with her children.
Mícheál Ó Leidhin, 38, a former RTÉ journalist, was convicted of sexual assault for an incident that occurred on the night of 13 May 2018. The assault took place at his former home in south Dublin after the victim, who remains anonymous, had been drinking with a friend. According to the court, the victim fell asleep and later woke to find Ó Leidhin on top of her, groping her breasts. He stopped after she told him to, but the victim reported the incident to Gardaí in April 2019. In April 2022, a jury found him guilty. On 26 July 2022, Justice Karen O'Connor sentenced him to 18 months' imprisonment, suspending the final three months on conditions. The judge noted the victim's traumatic impact and that Ó Leidhin had accepted the verdict but not its import. The sentence was to take effect on 1 August 2022 when he was to appear at Mountjoy Prison.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 38‑year‑old man was sentenced to 30 months' imprisonment for sexual assault. The court heard that the victim, a woman who had locked her bedroom door, believed the accused entered her apartment by climbing through an open window onto a balcony. The man had taken a photograph of the sleeping woman and sent it to her the next day, claiming he had performed a sexual act on her. He pleaded guilty to the assault, which occurred on either 1 or 2 June 2018, and had four prior convictions, including drink driving. Judge Melanie Greally noted the victim's traumatic experience and the man's substance‑use problems, and imposed a 39‑month sentence with nine months suspended for 12 months, requiring participation in drug and alcohol assessments. The judge emphasised the need for rehabilitation to prevent recurrence.
Chico Makamda, 39, was returned to jail for two years after failing to leave Ireland as required by his 2019 sentence. He had been sentenced to seven and a half years, with the final two and a half years suspended on the condition that he leave the country within 14 days of release. Makamda was released in January 2022 but did not depart, and he accrued two convictions for failing to notify the Gardaí of his address under the Sex Offenders Act. He was re‑arrested in June and has been in custody since. The court reactivated the suspended portion of his sentence, noting he had made no genuine effort to comply with the condition. The hearing reaffirmed his willingness to leave, but the judge found he had intentionally refused to comply. The case also referenced his earlier conviction for sexual assault, false imprisonment and robbery in 2018. Chico Makamda pleaded guilty.
Costel Pirvu, 39, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, with the final three and a half years suspended, for raping a 19‑year‑old woman with a mild intellectual disability. The offence began on the night of 4 February 2018 when Pirvu, who had previously been convicted of robbery and attempted rape, accosted the victim on a street in the west of Ireland, forced her into a black jeep, and raped her. He then took her to his apartment, where she was raped twice more under threat. Pirvu was arrested the same evening, and DNA evidence linked him to the victim. He maintains his innocence, claiming the sex was consensual, but the court found no evidence of prior acquaintance or knowledge of the victim's vulnerability. The sentence was back‑dated to his August 2018 arrest. The victim, who suffered physical injuries and ongoing PTSD, described feeling unsafe and depressed after the attacks.
The Disclosures Tribunal, chaired by Mr Justice Sean Ryan, concluded oral hearings today at Dublin Castle regarding the claims of retired Garda Sergeant Paul Barry. Mr Barry alleges he was targeted by superiors after making a protected disclosure in October 2012 concerning the handling of an alleged child sexual assault in Co Cork. He claims Superintendent Michael Comyns prevented a proper investigation and subsequently bullied and harassed him. Supt Comyns denies these allegations, describing the complaints as unfounded and vexatious. The tribunal also heard that the DPP directed no prosecution for the original child abuse allegation in 2015, citing a lack of evidence, and similarly directed no prosecution for Mr Barry's claim that Supt Comyns perverted the course of justice. Counsel for Mr Barry, Shane Costelloe SC, argued that senior gardaí showed flagrant disregard for his medical certification and victimised him through attempted transfers. Conversely, John Fitzgerald SC for the Commissioner stated that superiors engaged highly with Mr Barry and that belief alone is not evidence of targeting. Mark Harty SC for Supt Comyns argued that the alleged detriment began before the disclosure, undermining the protected disclosure claim. Mr Justice Ryan praised the professional conduct of all parties and stated he hopes to issue the tribunal's report before the end of the year. The matter is adjourned pending the written decision.
Patrick Shiels, 66, was sentenced to 10 years in prison at the Central Criminal Court following a retrial. He was found guilty of oral rape and four counts of sexual assault committed against his daughter, Marlene Prakash-Shiels, between September 2000 and December 2004 at his address in Togher, Portlaoise, Co Laois. Shiels was also found guilty of two charges of child cruelty. Although convicted and jailed in a previous trial, he was released in July 2021 after the Court of Appeal ordered a re-trial. Mr Justice Tony Hunt imposed a headline sentence of 12 years for the oral rape count, reducing it to 10 years after considering minor mitigating factors, including Shiels' age and lack of prior convictions. Sentences of four years for the remaining counts were imposed to run concurrently, with credit for time served. The judge noted limited scope for mitigation as Shiels does not accept the verdict and has expressed no remorse. The victim, who waived anonymity, described the lasting trauma in her impact statement. The court highlighted that the case fell within the more serious category of sexual offences.
Tony Walsh, aged 72, was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to four years in prison for indecent assault of schoolboys in the 1980s. Walsh, a former curate in Ballyfermot and chaplain at De La Salle school, abused boys between 1978 and 1986. He pleaded guilty to indecent assault of a child in a lane in Ballyfermot and at De La Salle school, as well as to indecent assault of a ten‑year‑old boy in 1982. The court heard victim impact statements describing how Walsh's actions caused lasting emotional and psychological harm. Walsh has previously served 20 years in prison since 1995, when he was first convicted of indecent assault, and has been convicted of 28 counts of indecent assault, five of sexual assault and five of buggery. The sentence reflects the cumulative nature of his offences and the harm inflicted on the victims.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 61‑year‑old man was convicted of seven counts of rape and six counts of indecent assault against his younger cousin, who was ten when the abuse began in 1991. The court heard that the victim was raped as many as 50 times a year, with oral and anal rapes, until 1997 when the victim asked the man to stop. The abuse was described as "relentless and constant" and was carried out while the victim lived with the defendant, with a three‑year break when the victim lived elsewhere. The victim's parents were alcoholics and the family environment was described as neglectful, with several siblings placed in care. The defendant denies the allegations and has no remorse. He is already serving a seven‑year sentence for other sexual assaults on girls. Sentencing was adjourned to 24 October 2024.".
In a 2022 Central Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice David Keane refused to accept character references for a defendant who, in his thirties, raped a child and sexually abused two others between 1983 and 1993. The judge ruled that only references from individuals present in court could be considered, allowing cross‑examination. The defendant, now in his late sixties, was found guilty of one count of anal rape, 13 counts of indecent assault and three counts of sexual assault. He denied the allegations, calling them "lies" and "a load of crap." Two victims gave impact statements describing lasting trauma. The judge noted the defendant's lack of prior convictions, cooperation with Gardaí and low re‑offending risk, but also his lack of remorse. He sentenced the man to 11 years' imprisonment, with a three‑year probation supervision period after release.
Daryl McCarthy, 29, was sentenced to ten years in prison for raping a 19‑year‑old woman twice after breaking into her home and threatening her with a crowbar. He pleaded guilty to rape, oral rape and aggravated burglary on 2 December 2019. The Central Criminal Court heard that the victim remains deeply affected, having moved from her home to feel safe. Justice Tara Burn, hearing the case via video link, noted McCarthy's intoxication and lack of recall but described the offences as "absolutely and utterly dreadful." She set a headline sentence of 14 years, reduced to 12 years for his guilty plea and remorse, and suspended an additional two years on the condition that he comply with probation recommendations and avoid contact with the victim. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the sexual acts and the burglary with a crowbar. The victim's impact statement detailed ongoing trauma, including flashbacks, nightmares and PTSD.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Judge Tara Burns praised a 13‑year‑old victim for promptly reporting a rape and sexual assault. The defendant, now 22, pleaded guilty to one count of oral rape and one count of sexual assault. The judge imposed an eight‑year sentence for the oral rape, with the final 12 months suspended under strict conditions, and a five‑year sentence for the sexual assault; both sentences run concurrently. The judge highlighted the seriousness of the offences, the violence involved, and the breach of trust, while noting mitigating factors such as the defendant's heavy drinking that night and distressing news. She commended the victim's bravery and urged other young women to report assaults. The sentencing reflected the judge's assessment of the case's aggravating and mitigating circumstances.
A 17-year-old accused admitted to one count of oral rape and one count of attempted oral rape of his younger cousin on a date unknown. The Central Criminal Court heard the offences occurred when the accused was aged between 12 and 14 and the victim was between eight and ten. The accused pleaded guilty, stating he was experimenting, though his narrative changed during a second interview in December 2021. A probation report indicated he was at low risk of reoffending but should not have unsupervised access to pre-pubescent children. Mr Justice McGrath, who had previously adjourned sentencing to allow the accused to prepare for his Leaving Certificate exams, stated that a period of detention was necessary. He sentenced the accused to two years in detention on each count, to run concurrently. However, the judge deferred the sentence for one year to allow the accused to engage with probation and other services. The accused must not offend during this period and must comply with directed services. Mr Justice McGrath noted that if the accused remains of good character and complies with the services, there is a likelihood that the detention period will be suspended. Conversely, failure to comply could result in detention of up to two years. The accused is currently awaiting his Leaving Certificate results.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeals against conviction and sentence lodged by Gheorghe Goidan, a 49-year-old Romanian national. Goidan was convicted at the Central Criminal Court of rape and sexual assault committed against two sex workers in separate hotels in Portlaoise and Galway on September 7, 2017. He had pleaded not guilty to these charges but admitted to robbing the victims. The trial judge, Ms Justice Tara Burns, sentenced him to two consecutive terms of 10 years, describing the offences as ultra-violent and premeditated. In his appeal, Goidan's counsel argued that the trial judge erred regarding the admissibility of videolink evidence and the refusal to sever the indictment, and that the sentence was disproportionate. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, rejected these grounds, stating the trial judge exercised her discretion correctly. The court further dismissed the appeal against sentence, noting that the discount applied to the consecutive terms was entirely appropriate. The judges affirmed that the sentence reflected the severe violence and humiliation experienced by the victims, who were targeted due to their vulnerability. The 20-year effective custody term is therefore upheld.
Patrick Shiels, 66, was found guilty of oral rape and four counts of sexual assault against his daughter, Marlene Prakash-Shiels, who was aged between four and eight at the time. The offences occurred between September 2000 and December 2004 at his address in Togher, Portlaoise, Co Laois. Shiels was also found guilty of two charges of child cruelty for forcing the victim to drink alcohol and watch pornography. This verdict followed a retrial earlier this year; Shiels had previously been convicted and jailed but was released in July 2021 after the Court of Appeal ordered a re-trial. The victim, who waived her anonymity, stated that Shiels caused "so much destruction" and showed no remorse. Prosecutors noted that the victim was placed in foster care in 2001 and that alcohol was a consistent feature of her visits to her father. Defence counsel highlighted Shiels' anxiety, depression, and alcoholism, noting he has no previous convictions. However, Mr Justice Tony Hunt stated there was little room for mitigation because Shiels does not accept the jury's verdict. The matter was adjourned to July 22 for sentencing.
In a Court of Appeal hearing, Patrick Gageby SC argued that Judge Tara Burns erred by refusing the defendant, Gheorghe Goidan, the right to cross‑examine one victim on her sexual history and by failing to discharge the jury after prejudicial material was presented. Goidan, 49, had been convicted in 2019 of two rapes and robberies of Czech sex workers, receiving 20 years' imprisonment (10 years for each rape, 7 years for robbery, concurrent). He appealed both conviction and sentence, claiming the judge's headline 17‑year sexual‑offence term was disproportionate and that his lack of prior convictions should have been weighted more heavily. The Director of Public Prosecutions upheld the conviction and sentence, citing the premeditated, ultra‑violent nature of the attacks and the victims' vulnerability. The appeal judgment remains reserved. Gheorghe Goidan pleaded not guilty.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the conviction appeal of an unnamed 59-year-old man, upholding his July 2019 Central Criminal Court jury verdict. He was convicted of two counts of rape under Section 2, one count of rape under Section 4, and two counts of sexual assault under Section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) Act 1990. The offences, involving his special needs daughter, occurred between January 2003 and December 2004, and in January 2011. The appellant argued that the trial judge, Ms Justice Creedon, failed to provide an adequate corroboration warning regarding evidence from the complainant's mother. In a judgment delivered by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, sitting with Mr Justice George Birmingham and Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, the court found no error in the trial judge's approach to the potentially corroborative evidence. Consequently, the conviction stands. Following the judgment, defence counsel Colman Cody SC informed the court that the man intends to appeal against the length of his sentence. He was originally sentenced on February 3, 2020, to 12 years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended on strict conditions, resulting in an effective custody period of 11 years. He was also registered as a sex offender. The matter regarding the sentence remains pending as the appeal against the conviction has been concluded.
A woman who met a man on a dating website was subjected to coercive control, choking, repeated rape and threats of death by the man, Dean Ward, aged 36. He sprayed Mace in her face, tied her up, removed her contraceptive device, moved money in her accounts and sent hundreds of messages daily, including pretending to be her on Facebook. He also blocked and deleted many of her friends and demanded photographs to prove she was at work. The abuse lasted six weeks from May to July 2019, during which Ward threatened to kill her and forced her to have sex. He was arrested by armed Gardaí when he tried to flee. The woman testified that the ordeal left her with lasting fear, anxiety and paranoia. Ward, who has nine prior convictions, maintains his innocence and has not accepted the jury verdict.
Paul Boyle, 45, was arrested after an off‑duty Garda spotted him taking intimate photographs of a Luas passenger. A search of his phone revealed 40,000 images of women and girls, including up‑skirt shots of schoolgirls. A subsequent warrant uncovered over half a million images on a flash drive, with 275,800 depicting women's groins and buttocks, taken between June 2018 and January 2020. The same drive also contained a disturbing child‑pornography video showing an eight‑year‑old child bound and raped, a material first reported to Irish authorities in 2002. Boyle had prior convictions in Scotland. He pleaded guilty to harassment and possession of child pornography. The court sentenced him to three years for harassment and five years for possession, suspending the final two and a half years, and imposed two years of post‑release supervision and a ban on contact with victims.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 8 July 2022, Catherine Kirwan, aged 57, testified that her older brother, Paul Brothwood, 63, had repeatedly sexually assaulted her between 1973 and 1975 when she was aged nine to eleven and he was fourteen to sixteen. Kirwan described a life of fear, dread, and mental health difficulties, citing the abuse's impact on her relationships, marriage, and career prospects. She read a victim impact statement in which she said, "You, Paul, took my courage from me all those years ago. Today I take it back." Brothwood pleaded guilty to four counts of indecent assault and was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment, the maximum penalty at the time being two years. The judge noted his remorse and cooperation, and the court added him to the Sex Offenders' Register. Kirwan's statement highlighted the long‑term trauma she endured, including severe depression, anxiety, and an attempted overdose.
A High Court jury could not reach a verdict after a six‑day trial and over six hours of deliberation in a damages action brought by a man in his early 70s who alleges he was sexually and physically abused by a former teacher and a Roman Catholic religious order in the 1950s. The plaintiff claimed the teacher had orally raped him on two occasions, once in a classroom and once in the cloakroom, and had physically assaulted him for various reasons. He also alleged that the religious order failed to protect him. The teacher, now in his 90s, denied all allegations, calling them "rubbish" and insisting the abuse never happened. The religious order also denied the claims. The judge discharged the jury, exempted them from duty for ten years, and said the case would be heard by another jury at a future date, with priority given to scheduling a hearing.