In a Munster child‑abuse trial at Croke Park, the prosecution has closed its case against six relatives—parents, aunts, uncles—who are accused of abusing three children between 2014 and 2016. The accused, aged 27 to 56, live in various Munster locations. They are charged with a range of offences, including rape, anal rape, oral rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation and wilfully neglecting children. All defendants have pleaded not guilty. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, continues with legal arguments until Thursday. Reporting restrictions protect the children's welfare and identities. The case remains in the courtroom, with no verdict yet announced. The prosecution's case is now complete, leaving the defendants to face the court's forthcoming decisions.
Noel McKeon, a former security guard, appealed to the Court of Appeal against his 14-year effective jail term for the rape and violent assault of two sex workers. The Central Criminal Court previously heard that McKeon contacted the victims via an escorts website, leading to attacks in June 2016 and February 2018. In the first incident, he assaulted the victim, who escaped by jumping from a window, and then raped her. In the second, he assaulted and raped another woman after she refused condomless sex. McKeon pleaded guilty to sexual assault, assault, robbery, and rape of both women, as well as false imprisonment of the first victim. Justice Tony Hunt imposed consecutive headline sentences of ten years for each victim, applying a four-year discount for the guilty pleas to result in a 16-year term. He suspended the final two years on condition that McKeon engage in sex offender treatment and anger management, specifically regarding violence towards women. McKeon's counsel, Barry White SC, argued that a "crushing sentence" had been imposed and that the totality principle was insufficiently applied. The DPP, represented by John Fitzgerald SC, countered that the effective 14-year sentence was within the margin of appreciation and incentivised rehabilitation. The Court of Appeal, comprising Justices Birmingham, Edwards, and Donnelly, reserved judgment on the appeal.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Diego Andrade, a 24‑year‑old Bolivian national, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, for sexually assaulting a four‑year‑old boy who was asleep in bed with his mother at a party. Andrade was on bail for a separate adult sexual assault conviction and had previously served nine months for that offence. He was identified by a photograph taken by the boy's mother and was found to have child sexual abuse material on his phone. The judge noted the boy's extreme anxiety and the family's suffering, and imposed conditions requiring Andrade to leave Ireland within 14 days of release, to be supervised by the Probation Service, and to avoid unsupervised contact with children for 20 years. The sentence is to run consecutively with his existing custodial term. Diego Andrade pleaded guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 34‑year‑old mother accused of abusing her children denied that her admissions were "dangerously unreliable." The mother, who pleaded not guilty to 25 charges including sexual assault and wilful neglect, was interviewed six times over two days in 2018, after her children had been taken into care. The detective who conducted the interviews said she was aware of the mother's mild intellectual disability and adapted the questioning accordingly, ensuring the mother understood that her statements could be used as evidence. The detective confirmed that a solicitor was present at each interview and that the mother had no complaints about her treatment. The trial continues with the mother and other family members still pleading not guilty to various charges.
A man has been sentenced to eight years and nine months imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court following his conviction for the rape of his then partner's teenage sister. Stephen Lynch, with an address in Offaly, was found guilty in May 2021 of rape committed at a property in Athlone, County Roscommon, in October 2015. He was also convicted of sexual assault and assault causing harm arising from an incident in December 2015 at the same address. The court heard that Lynch had drugged and raped the first victim, then subjected a second woman to sexual assault while also attacking her friend who attempted to intervene. Justice David Keane imposed concurrent sentences, noting the offences were aggravated by the victim's age and the use of drugs. Lynch pleaded not guilty throughout. The sentences were backdated to May 2021 when he first entered custody following conviction.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 34‑year‑old mother admitted to gardaí that she had abused three of her children between 2014 and 2016, describing the incidents as occurring "maybe once a week or two times a week." She said the abuse began in 2015, that she felt "disgusting" and "ashamed," and that she had been "encouraged" to carry out part of it. The mother also claimed she had witnessed her own mother abusing her daughter once, and that she had told one son not to disclose the abuse. She apologized to the gardaí, saying she had been truthful. The case involves six family members, including parents, aunts and uncles, all of whom have pleaded not guilty to various charges of sexual assault, exploitation and wilful neglect. The trial continues, with the court noting that statements made about co‑accused persons in gardaí interviews cannot be used as evidence against those persons.
During a Garda interview, a 35‑year‑old woman accused of abusing her niece and nephew said she was being blamed for things she did not do. The trial involves six extended family members, all unnamed for legal reasons, who are accused of abusing three children between 2014 and 2016. The accused include the children's parents, aunts and uncles, aged 27 to 56, and live in various parts of Munster. All defendants have denied the charges. The woman, who pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual assault, claimed she had no knowledge of any inappropriate behaviour in her home and that the children's parents had laughed at her when she raised concerns. She stated she could not accept allegations she had not witnessed or committed. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
Jambasambuu Ekhtur, 25, was convicted of sexual assault and assault causing harm after attacking two women in Dublin City centre on separate nights in 2019. In July, he grabbed a woman on Mount Street, dragged her into a laneway, bit her shoulder and attempted to open her jeans. She escaped, was taken to St Vincent's Hospital, and later testified. In October, he attacked another woman on Talbot Street, grabbing her privates and biting her shoulder. CCTV and DNA evidence linked him to both incidents. He pleaded guilty to both charges. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, with the two sentences running concurrently, citing the seriousness of the assaults and his lack of prior convictions. The court noted his language difficulties and potential deportation to Mongolia. The victims gave impact statements describing lasting psychological harm and changes to their daily lives.
Tony Walsh, aged 67, a former trainee priest, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two years' imprisonment for six counts of indecent assault committed between 1973 and 1977. The court heard that Walsh had previously been convicted of 39 offences, 34 of which were indecent assault, and that he had been sentenced in 2018 to five years with 18 months suspended. In the 2021 trial, the victim, aged between nine and thirteen, described how Walsh repeatedly abused him in a church, groping his genitals and forcing him to masturbate. The victim's impact statement highlighted long‑term emotional and relational damage. Judge Melanie Greally imposed 12 months' imprisonment on each count, with the first five sentences concurrent and the final one consecutive, for an effective two‑year term. The sentence reflected the seriousness of the breach of trust and the victim's suffering. The court noted Walsh's prior good conduct and the delay in the case's presentation. Tony Walsh pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 65‑year‑old man was found to have engaged in an online sexual fantasy with a Canadian stranger named 'Bill' about raping his two granddaughters, aged seven and two. The conversation, discovered on the man's laptop after Gardaí searched his home for child abuse material, included the man describing the rape in detail and sending photographs of his granddaughters to 'Bill'. Two copies of a child abuse image were also recovered from the laptop; the image was a Category 2 depiction of sexual activity between an adult man and a boy. The man pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly possessing child pornography and one count of knowingly distributing child pornography, both dated to October 2017. He had no prior convictions. The case was adjourned to 11 November for finalisation.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 56‑year‑old Dublin man was found to have sexually abused his daughter for seven years, beginning in 2007, and then, after the daughter reported the abuse in 2014, defiled three under‑age girls. He had sexual encounters with two teenage girls and entered a sexual relationship with a third who lived with him for a time. He is currently serving a seven‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for the defilement offences. The court noted he had 17 prior convictions, including child defilement and child pornography offences. He pleaded guilty to six offences against his daughter between 2007 and 2014, including oral rape, sexual assault and incest, and to 25 further counts, including 14 incest and one child‑pornography possession. The judge praised the daughter's courage and composure, and the court will keep reporting restrictions until the sentencing on 22 July.
Michael Murray, 50, was found guilty of making death threats to barristers Dominic McGinn SC and Tony McGillicuddy BL, and of harassing the rape victim and the barristers by posting her name and phone number in an online ad. The trial, lasting 15 days at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, concluded with a jury of eight men and four women reaching unanimous verdicts on all five counts. Murray claimed he intended to use the threats to bring attention to alleged procedural errors in his 2013 trial, but the court found no lawful excuse. He was remanded in custody pending sentencing on 29 July. The case highlighted the use of threats and harassment as a tactic to influence legal proceedings, but the jury found no justification for his actions. The trial ended with guilty verdicts and no appeal was considered at that stage. Michael Murray pleaded not guilty.
In a trial of six extended family members accused of abusing three children between 2014 and 2016, the 49‑year‑old uncle repeatedly denied all allegations. He told Gardaí he was "not guilty" and that he only looked after and fed the children. He claimed he had not spoken to the children's parents since 2017 and that he was "happy in one way" that the children were removed from their parents. When questioned about discipline he said he would ground them and might "tip them a little bit." He denied any abuse of his daughter or eldest son, stating "never happened, all lies." The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury, with the uncle pleading not guilty to ten counts including rape, oral rape, anal rape, sexual assault and sexual exploitation. The case also involves other family members who have pleaded not guilty to various counts of sexual assault, exploitation and wilfully neglecting children.
In a trial in Dublin, 50‑year‑old Michael Murray, a convicted rapist, faces five charges: threatening to kill two barristers who prosecuted him for rape, and harassing his victim and former defence solicitor by advertising her as a prostitute online. He pleaded not guilty but admitted owning the phone used for the calls and ads. The prosecution argued that Murray's claim of a "lawful excuse" for the threats was baseless, stating he intended to damage the barristers' privacy and cause distress. The defence, led by Barry White SC, highlighted that Murray had exhausted appeals and that the phone data could be unreliable, noting that the device's logs were set to a default date. The case continues before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury.
In July 2019 a 73‑year‑old man was convicted by a Circuit Criminal Court jury of eight counts of indecent assault on his sister‑in‑law, who was six at the time. He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment. The man appealed, arguing that background evidence presented at trial – an incident at an outhouse two years before the abuse began, in which he allegedly masturbated in front of the victim – was irrelevant and that the jury should have been discharged. The Court of Appeal rejected the appeal. It held that the evidence was relevant to show grooming and the man's intent toward the child, and that the trial judge's instructions to the jury were correct. The court therefore upheld the conviction and the original sentence. The appeal was dismissed in an electronic judgment delivered on 1 July 2021. The decision confirms the trial court's findings and the three‑year custodial term. The case remains at the appellate stage. The unnamed 73-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 77‑year‑old man was sentenced to five years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to indecent assault and sexual assault against his foster daughter. The abuse began when she was 13 and continued until she left the home at 18, with two further incidents after she moved out. The court heard that the victim, who entered care at four after her mother's death, was afraid to speak out for fear of being sent away. She described feeling ashamed, dirty, and living in fear, blaming herself for the abuse. The man admitted the acts were "a mutual thing" and expressed remorse, claiming no malice. Judge Melanie Greally described the breach of trust as "extreme and absolutely appalling" and noted the catastrophic effect on the victim's life. The man had no prior convictions and was otherwise considered a conventional father to other children in his care.
Michael Murray, a convicted rapist, is currently on trial for alleged threats to kill and harassment. He has pleaded not guilty to making death threats against Dominic McGinn SC and Tony McGillicuddy BL in late 2014 and early 2015, as well as harassing Mr. McGinn, his former solicitor, and his rape victim by advertising them online as prostitutes. During his testimony on day 11 of the trial, Murray claimed he had a "lawful excuse" for these actions, stating he intended to use the threats as a mechanism to force witnesses from his original trial into court to elicit evidence for a potential appeal. He alleged that the conduct of his previous trial, where his sentence was increased from 15 to 19 years by the Court of Appeal, justified his behavior. Under cross-examination, Murray admitted to devising six ads on BackPage.com that listed the personal phone numbers of the victims and intended to cause them distress. He acknowledged his intention to alarm the barristers and harass the complainant and his former solicitor. Despite these admissions, he maintained his defense was based on a lawful excuse related to the prior proceedings. The trial continues before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Amanda Hamilton, aged 29, addressed her father, Paul Hamilton, 55, after he pleaded guilty to two counts of oral rape and four counts of sexual assault. Hamilton first abused Amanda when she was eight, orally raping her after showing her a magazine and telling her it was normal. The abuse continued for about two years, ending in 2002 when Amanda informed her mother, who then forced Hamilton to leave the family home. The case was investigated in 2019 after Amanda, now an adult, made a complaint. Justice Michael White sentenced Hamilton to eight years' imprisonment, suspending the final year on strict conditions. Amanda's victim impact statement described lifelong guilt, health problems, and her father's lack of remorse, while the court noted Hamilton's cooperation and lack of prior convictions as mitigating factors.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, a 49‑year‑old man was convicted of sexually assaulting a six‑year‑old girl who was visiting his daughter. The conviction followed three separate trials, during which the child gave evidence twice. The judge, Elma Sheahan, noted the offence as a significant breach of trust, describing the victim's impact statement as "very sad reading." She acknowledged the girl's resilience throughout the process. The man, who had pleaded not guilty, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment. He is already serving a longer sentence for a more serious offence and is expected to be released in 2023. The investigation revealed that the man had been in the sitting room with the victim and her friend, and that he had placed his hand under the victim's skirt and touched her vagina outside her underwear. The victim's mother reported the incident to Gardaí, leading to the man's arrest and interview. He denied the allegation.
A retired senior Garda detective, Kevin Dolan, denied that his team was "waiting for more calls" before arresting Michael Murray, a convicted rapist, for questioning. Murray, aged 50, is on trial at Dublin Circuit Court for making death threats in late 2014 and early 2015 against the barristers who prosecuted him for rape, Dominic McGinn SC and Tony McGillicuddy BL, and for harassing the woman he raped by advertising her online as a prostitute in early 2015, as well as harassing his defence solicitor and Mr McGinn. He denies these charges but pleaded guilty to possessing a mobile phone that fell out of his rectum during a strip‑search on 11 February 2015. Dolan said he applied to Portlaoise District Court for an arrest warrant in May 2015 after learning of the threat on Mr McGinn in mid‑November 2014.
A 24‑year‑old man, who was 20 when the offence occurred, was found guilty of defilement of a 15‑year‑old girl in a library bathroom in Dublin between 1 November and 31 December 2017. The court heard that the defendant had impaired development and a history of foster care, foetal alcohol syndrome and ADHD, and that he and the girl had become friends through a mutual friend and later helped each other with homework. The girl, a fourth‑year secondary student, had turned 15 at the time of the incident and had suffered stress and panic attacks while in the library. She testified that the sexual act left her feeling unsafe, blamed herself and struggled to concentrate on schoolwork. The judge, citing the defendant's personal circumstances and the lack of a predatory motive, imposed a fully suspended three‑year sentence, with the entire term suspended on the condition of good behaviour.
A 38‑year‑old man from Cork was sentenced to four years' imprisonment after being convicted of raping his younger sister when she was aged between eight and ten and of sexually assaulting her again when she was 16. The offences took place in the family home, the first between 25 November 1995 and 17 January 1998, the second between 19 March 2004 and 23 November 2004. He pleaded not guilty to both charges. The victim, who was asleep on a couch when the second assault occurred, testified that her brother removed her clothes and assaulted her, and that her older sister intervened and took her to another house. In her impact statement she described the trauma and shame she felt, and how coming forward has relieved her of the burden. The court noted the breach of trust and the victim's youth as aggravating factors, and the defendant's age at the time of the offences as mitigating.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a man was sentenced to 18 months in prison for a single charge of sexual assault against a 14‑year‑old girl in 2017. The victim, who was ill and in bed, described how the accused entered her room, rubbed her head, pulled her blanket off, and exposed her breast. She later told her family and gave a statement to Gardaí. The judge, Elma Sheahan, noted the breach of trust and the disparity in ages, and suspended the final 15 months of a two‑year‑nine‑month term on strict conditions. The teenager, now 18, gave a victim impact statement detailing anxiety, shame, nightmares, and a loss of trust. The accused, who has four prior convictions for minor offences, has not accepted the verdict and intends to appeal. The case was prosecuted by Sinead McMullan BL. The unnamed 14-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a 2021 trial, Michael Murray, 50, faces charges of harassment and death threats from prison. The accused, formerly of Seafield Road, Killiney, is alleged to have advertised a woman as a prostitute online in 2015 and to have threatened Dominic McGinn SC and his co‑counsel during a 2013 rape trial. He denies the harassment claims but admits to possessing an unauthorised mobile phone while incarcerated. The woman, whose name is withheld, testified that she received numerous unknown male‑voiced phone calls and texts beginning in January 2015, describing the experience as terrifying. She could not recall the exact number of calls but confirmed that her contact number had been used. Her husband also reported receiving a threatening call from a withheld number on 9 February 2015, claiming knowledge of the woman's location and warning of future trouble. The trial, presided over by Judge Karen O'Connor, continues with a jury hearing the evidence. Michael Murray pleaded guilty.
In a Munster abuse trial, a GP reported that the youngest child in a family of five was at the 0.4th percentile for weight, suggesting inadequate food intake. Over a year, the boy's weight percentile rose to the 10th before falling back to the 0.4th, and his height moved from the 2nd to the 9th percentile. The doctor noted the boy was the most underweight and that his height was also below average, attributing height to genetics. The trial also heard from a pharmacist who said the family collected melatonin at half the expected frequency, implying possible over‑ or under‑medication. A family support worker described the mother as defensive and unwilling to engage with children, and the father as lacking warmth. The case involves six accused family members, all pleading not guilty to multiple counts of sexual assault, exploitation and neglect, with the trial set to continue next week.
During a trial, a former prison officer, David McDonald, testified that Michael Murray, a 50‑year‑old former Killiney resident, had claimed he possessed a phone that he would only hand over to Gardaí. McDonald recounted a lengthy conversation with Murray on 11 May 2015, in which Murray said he had a phone in his anus that had been given to him by his solicitor. Murray was upset over money he alleged had disappeared from a German bank account and admitted using the phone to contact the barristers who had prosecuted him for rape in 2013. McDonald noted that Murray was adamant he would not surrender the phone to prison officers, fearing the evidence would be wiped, and that he would only give it to Gardaí or under a Section 42 warrant. The trial, presided over by Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury, continues tomorrow. Michael Murray pleaded not guilty.
During a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Michael Murray, 50, faced charges of threatening to kill two barristers, Dominic McGinn SC and Tony McGillicuddy BL, who had prosecuted him for rape in 2013. He also allegedly harassed them by advertising them as prostitutes online. Murray denied all allegations. McGillicuddy recounted a 43‑second call from a blocked number on 9 February 2015, claiming it threatened his life. He immediately called Gardaí and McGinn. Murray's former defence solicitor, who could not be named, testified that she received suspicious texts and discovered ads containing her name and number. Garda Sergeant Gary Farrell reported that forensic analysis of a seized Samsung Galaxy S3 phone, found in Murray's possession, revealed deleted call logs and 112 references to BackPage.com, where ads listed McGinn's phone number. The case will proceed tomorrow before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury. Michael Murray was convicted.
Michael Murray, 50, a convicted rapist, faces trial for threatening to kill senior counsel Dominic McGinn and barrister Tony McGillicuddy. He is also accused of creating online ads in 2014‑2015 that advertised McGinn, the woman he raped, and his former solicitor as prostitutes. Murray denies the allegations. In a Garda interview, he admitted wanting to kill McGinn because McGinn secured his 2013 rape conviction, and claimed he had planned a hit that night but cancelled it to "do it myself." He also said he had arranged for his former defence solicitor to be abducted by a "foreign gang," a plan he also cancelled. Murray has pleaded guilty to possessing a Samsung phone seized in 2015. The judge announced that he has engaged a new legal team, and the trial will resume on Wednesday morning.
A 56-year-old travelling salesman has appealed his conviction for rape at the Court of Appeal. The appellant, who maintains his innocence, was sentenced to five years in prison in October 2018 by Mr Justice Paul McDermott after a jury at the Central Criminal Court found him guilty by a majority verdict of raping a 24-year-old mother of one in a camper van in Co Cork on August 2, 2015. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on a separate rape charge from the same date. At the time of the offence, the man was serving a suspended two-year sentence for sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman in 2011. Counsel for the appellant, Michael Bowman SC, argued that text messages of a sexual nature between the appellant, the victim, and another employee should not have been admitted as evidence. He contended the texts were irrelevant or inadmissible hearsay and that the conviction was perverse given the jury's failure to convict on the other count. Bowman also claimed the trial judge's charge to the jury was inadequate and imbalanced. Opposing the appeal, DPP counsel Alice Fawsitt SC stated the texts were necessary to provide context and noted the appellant had effectively admitted initiating sex while the victim was asleep. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham with Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, reserved their ruling. The matter was adjourned.
In a 2021 appeal, a 73‑year‑old man who was convicted in 2019 of indecent assault on his sister‑in‑law, then six, seeks to overturn his three‑year sentence. He argues that background evidence of a 1973 incident, described as "grooming," was improperly introduced at trial. The evidence involved an alleged incident at a christening where the victim, then four, was observed by the defendant and his sister‑in‑law, who allegedly called her a "dirty girl." The appellant's counsel contended that this incident was unrelated to the later indecent assaults, which involved digital penetration, and that it was not a crime at the time. The State maintained that the incident was relevant to the defendant's intent and the victim's perception of the abuse. The Court of Appeal will consider the appeal. The unnamed 73-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Munster abuse trial, foster parents testified about children who arrived in their care with severe neglect and behavioural issues. One foster mother described a boy who became "hysterical" when she tried to bathe him, noting his yellow, small teeth, shyness, and lack of knowledge of hugging or kissing. Another foster parent reported a child with very little hair, thin, extremely dirty, and a wound on his leg that appeared to have been gouged. The foster parents also described difficulties with food, hidden food, and the children's unsettled behaviour after access visits. Gardaí who had interacted with the family before the children were taken into care made referrals to TUSLA. The trial involves six accused parents, aunts, and uncles, with the father and mother of the three main complainants pleading not guilty to multiple counts of sexual assault, exploitation, and wilfully neglecting a child. The case remains under reporting restrictions.
Michael Murray, 50, is on trial at the Circuit Court in Dublin for threatening to kill senior counsel Dominic McGinn and barrister Tony McGillicuddy, who prosecuted him for rape in 2013, and for harassing McGinn by advertising him online as a prostitute, as well as harassing his former defence solicitor and the woman he was convicted of raping. He pleaded not guilty to the threats and harassment charges. Murray admitted owning the phone used for the calls, which his defence said was given to him by another solicitor. During a May 8, 2015 interview, Murray told detectives that he had instructed his former solicitor to call 24 defence witnesses, but she did not comply, and that he believed his legal calls were being intercepted. He also claimed he had planned to have his solicitor abducted by a "foreign gang," a plan he later cancelled.
Shafik Qadri, a 51‑year‑old Pakistani national, was sentenced to six years in prison in October 2018 for raping a woman he invited to dinner in January 2016. He appealed at the Court of Appeal, arguing that Gardaí failed to take two witness statements. The statements in question were from a work colleague of the victim and the colleague's girlfriend, who had been told by the victim about the incident before reporting it the following day. Qadri's counsel, Michael Bowman SC, claimed that the omission compromised the fairness of the trial. The DPP's counsel, Shane Costelloe SC, dismissed the appeal as speculative, noting no issue was raised during the trial and that the Gardaí had not disclosed any information to the defence. The judge reserved judgment on the appeal.
Stephen 'Rossi' Walsh, a 74-year-old former resident of Rathgar, Dublin, appealed his 2010 conviction for two counts of indecent assault at the Court of Appeal. Walsh, who represented himself at the original Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, argued that adverse media coverage published the day before his trial impaired his right to a fair trial. Counsel Paul Carroll SC submitted that Judge Patrick McCartan failed to apply fair procedure by not adjourning the proceedings to allow a "fade factor" for juror memory, despite Walsh's complaint about newspaper articles referencing his prior convictions. Walsh also alleged judicial bias, claiming Judge McCartan was familiar with him through the Prisoners' Rights Organisation. The State, represented by Dean Kelly SC, countered that the trial judge was fair and that Walsh himself raised his criminal history. The appeal concerns the October 21, 2010, conviction where Walsh was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, a term made consecutive to a prior 10-year sentence for rape. Presiding Judge John Edwards reserved judgment, noting that a decision would not be issued in the next short weeks. The matter remains adjourned pending the court's final determination on whether the pre-trial media coverage compromised the trial's fairness.
In the Central Criminal Court, a child abuse trial involving six extended family members is ongoing before Mr Justice McDermott and a jury. The accused, aged 27 to 57, include the parents, aunts, and uncles of three main child complainants. During the proceedings, the court heard evidence from foster parents describing the physical and emotional state of the children upon entering their care, including poor hygiene, missing teeth, and anxiety. A specialist garda interviewer testified regarding the interview process with a female complainant, acknowledging she was not present when the child wrote notes used during questioning. Defense counsel argued this impacted the reliability of the account. In a significant procedural development, the trial judge directed that the case against the children's grandmother, a 57-year-old woman accused of three counts of sexually assaulting her granddaughter, be withdrawn. Following legal argument, the judge ordered that she be found not guilty by direction. The remaining six accused face charges including sexual assault and wilful neglect. The trial continues with further evidence expected.
A retired member of a Catholic religious order, now in his eighties, has applied to the High Court for an order to halt his pending trial on four child sexual abuse charges dating from 1966 to 1969. The allegations, made by a secondary school student who was a minor at the time, claim that the accused assaulted her in an Abbey room, at a Convent while she was bringing communion, and once more near the convent, as well as a Christmas‑time incident where he allegedly pushed her against a wall. The accused denies all allegations and argues that the delay between the alleged offences and the charges—spanning more than 50 years—has deprived him of a fair trial. He also cites age‑related dementia and cognitive impairment that would impair his ability to defend himself. Represented by Hugh Hartnett SC, he has initiated judicial review proceedings against the Director of Public Prosecutions, alleging inordinate prosecutorial delay.
Oliver Kane, 41, who was homeless and had mental health issues, walked into a Garda station on 14 June 2021 to inform officers that he had just attempted to rape a 21‑year‑old woman in Ardee on 16 November 2020. He admitted that he had approached the woman with the intention of forcing her into a side area, but she fought him off and escaped. Kane pleaded guilty to attempted rape at the Central Criminal Court. Mr Justice Paul Coffey sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, and imposed a three‑year post‑release supervision order. The judge required Kane to engage with local mental health services for three years upon release and to register as a sex offender. The sentence reflected the judge's view that Kane's actions were opportunistic and that the victim suffered ongoing mental‑health effects. The court noted Kane's single prior public‑order conviction and his minor intellectual disability.
A 19‑year‑old man was remanded in custody after pleading guilty to defiling a 13‑year‑old girl at a house party when he was 16. The offence, which occurred in June 2018, was charged as defilement of a child aged 15 to 17 because the accused believed the girl was 15. The court heard the party was organised by older teenagers and that the girl was alone with the accused in a bedroom where they had sexual intercourse. The girl later informed a relative, leading to the Gardaí's involvement. The accused admitted the act and his belief about the girl's age. He has prior convictions for theft, drugs and public order offences. The judge, citing the seriousness of the offence and the need for reflection, ordered his remand pending sentencing and further reports. The judge warned that his conduct while remanded would influence the eventual custodial term.
In 2021 a 37‑year‑old serial sex attacker appealed his 18‑and‑a‑half‑year jail term for three premeditated attacks on women in a Dublin suburb. The attacks, carried out in 2011, 2015 and 2016, involved a hunting knife, sexual assault and false imprisonment. He pleaded not guilty to nine charges. DNA evidence linked him to the victims and Gardaí found duct tape and cable ties in his van. A jury found him guilty on all counts. Judge Pauline Codd imposed consecutive sentences of eight years, nine and a half years and five years, suspending the final four years on the condition of completing sex‑offender programmes. He will serve nine years of supervision and a curfew after release. He appealed the sentence, arguing the headline sentence for false imprisonment was unduly severe, but the appeal was not yet decided.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 30‑year‑old Jonas Mercado pleaded guilty to a single charge of sexual assault after an incident on Middle Abbey Street on 15 July 2017. According to Garda Colm McCloskey, Mercado approached a woman speaking on her mobile phone, placed a hand on her leg, grabbed her underwear and tried to tear them off. Passersby heard shouts, restrained Mercado and he fled. The victim, who felt "extremely vulnerable and frightened," gave a victim impact statement urging the court to protect other women, noting she still feels uneasy when going out. After the assault she reported the incident to Gardaí at Ballymun Station, where she initially thought the act was a joke. Mercado had previously left Ireland for Australia, where he was convicted of a breaking and entering offence; he returned to Ireland last year and was arrested.
In 2018, a 54‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to 21 charges of rape, attempted rape, anal rape and sexual assault against his daughter, aged between five and 17, over a 12‑year period. He also pleaded guilty to three counts of assault causing harm. Sentenced to 18 years in prison with the final three years suspended, the judge described the offences as "at the very apex of seriousness" and noted a profound breach of trust. The daughter's victim impact statement described the father's manipulation and abuse. The man appealed, arguing the life sentence headline was excessive, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, upholding the 18‑year sentence and the judge's assessment of the aggravating factors. The case involved repeated daily attacks, including rape, assault and intimidation, with the father claiming a "partner by night" relationship. The appeal was rejected, confirming the original sentence.
The Central Criminal Court is hearing a family abuse trial involving seven extended family members accused of sexually abusing three children. The accused, who cannot be named, include the parents, a grandmother, aunts, uncles and other relatives, aged 27 to 57, living in various parts of Munster. The father, aged 56, pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of rape, anal rape, oral rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation and wilfully neglecting a child, with alleged offences between 18 August 2014 and 28 April 2016. The mother, aged 34, pleaded not guilty to 25 counts of sexual assault, sexual exploitation and wilfully neglecting a child for the same period. She and the father also pleaded not guilty to wilfully neglecting two other boys. A 35‑year‑old sister of the mother pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual assault.
Frederick Hunt, a 75‑year‑old former Irish Times employee, was sentenced to two years in prison after an FBI investigation led Gardaí to uncover his production, distribution and possession of child abuse material. Hunt admitted to receiving and sending hundreds of graphic images and videos of child sexual abuse, including real and animated content, between 2010 and 2011. Gardaí seized mobile phones and computers at his Ballinteer home and linked him to illegal activity on his work computer. He pleaded guilty to seven counts out of 101 charges under the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, 1998. Judge Karen O'Connor imposed a custodial sentence of three years, suspended the final year, and imposed one year of probation, a sex offenders programme and victim‑focused work. The judge noted Hunt's age, health and role as a carer for his bedridden wife, but emphasised the need for deterrence and rehabilitation.
During a Central Criminal Court hearing, an 11‑year‑old boy testified that he was given pills by his parents to help him sleep, claiming this occurred "every second night" and that he felt "a bit strange" after taking them. He also alleged that his father, a 48‑year‑old man, and a 27‑year‑old man had all anally raped him when he was eight. The boy said his parents, grandmother, aunts, uncles and other relatives were accused of sexual abuse and wilfully neglecting children. The accused, aged 27 to 57, live in various parts of Munster. The father, aged 56, and mother, aged 34, have pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of rape, sexual assault, exploitation and neglect. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
In a trial before the Central Criminal Court, an eight‑year‑old boy testified that he was raped by three men, including his father, and that his mother and other relatives had also abused him. The boy, who was taken into care in April 2016, gave evidence in specialist Garda interviews conducted in August 2017. He described being touched by his father, his mother, a 48‑year‑old man who used a teaspoon, and a 27‑year‑old man, and that all three had anally raped him. He also recounted being forced to place his privates in another child's body while a man watched, and that photos of him naked were posted on Facebook. The trial continues with the accused, who range in age from 27 to 57, pleading not guilty to multiple counts of rape, sexual assault, exploitation and wilfully neglecting children. The court heard that the parents were also accused of wilfully neglecting two younger children.
During a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 12‑year‑old girl testified that she may have misidentified the 32‑year‑old accused woman as the one who touched her privates. She also admitted she might have made a similar mistake regarding her grandmother, saying she could not recall the grandmother doing anything. The girl had previously given evidence via recorded Garda interviews that her parents, grandmother, aunts, uncles and other relatives had sexually abused her. She stated that she had written a list of "all the things they did to me" between her first and second interviews and that she had been given cough medicine by her father. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, continues tomorrow with a jury. The accused, including the girl's parents, grandmother and other relatives, have pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of sexual assault, exploitation and wilfully neglecting children.
In a trial of seven people accused of sexually abusing three children between 2014 and 2016, a nine‑year‑old girl testified that her father, who is 56, had sent her a message warning her not to tell anyone about the touching or she would be in trouble. She also said he sent her a photo of himself and her mother naked and having sex, and asked her to send him a photo of her "bum", which she did. The girl, who was in foster care at the time, used a tablet to send messages on Facebook to her brother and father. The court heard that the father and mother, aged 56 and 33 respectively, pleaded not guilty to multiple counts including rape, sexual assault and wilfully neglecting children. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a nine‑year‑old girl described alleged sexual abuse by her parents, grandmother, and several aunts and uncles. The seven accused, aged 27 to 57, include the children's father (56), mother (33), a 48‑year‑old man, a 35‑year‑old woman, a 27‑year‑old man, a 32‑year‑old woman, and a 57‑year‑old maternal grandmother. All pleaded not guilty to various counts of rape, anal rape, oral rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, and wilfully neglecting children. The girl, interviewed in August 2017 after being placed in care in April 2016, recounted that her father, mother, grandmother, and the 48‑year‑old man touched her private parts with fingers, that her father and the 48‑year‑old man inserted their privates into hers, and that her brothers also engaged in sexual acts with her. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
Three children, aged about 14, just under 13 and just under 12, were said to have been seriously neglected and sexually abused by their parents and relatives over a period from August 2014 to April 2016. The accused, seven adults aged 27 to 57, include the children's father and mother, the mother's sister and her partner, the mother's brother and his partner, and the maternal grandmother. All seven pleaded not guilty to various counts of rape, anal rape, oral rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation and wilfully neglecting a child. The allegations were investigated by Gardaí after the children were taken into care and are now living with foster parents. The case is before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury in the Central Criminal Court.
A jury was sworn in on 27 May 2021 for the trial of seven relatives accused of sexually abusing three children in Munster. The accused, ranging in age from 27 to 57, include the children's parents, grandmother, and several aunts and uncles. All seven deny the allegations. The Central Criminal Court heard that the parents were also accused of wilfully neglecting two additional child complainants. The judge, Justice Paul McDermott, explained that the allegations stem from repeated sexual assault or abuse by close relations between 2014 and 2016. He noted the case would likely take more than eight weeks, advising the jury to budget for eight to ten weeks. The trial is scheduled to open in evidence before the jury at Croke Park on 31 May. The accused pleaded not guilty to a range of counts including rape, anal rape, oral rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation and wilfully neglecting children. The trial will determine the outcome of these charges.