Paula Farrell, convicted of the murder of Wayne McQuillan, is currently at the appeal stage of her legal proceedings. The Central Criminal Court trial heard that Farrell stabbed McQuillan four times on New Year's Day 2014 in Drogheda. McQuillan, who was six times over the drink-driving limit, suffered a fatal cardiac arrest after a 30-minute ambulance delay. Farrell, who had no previous convictions, claimed she acted in self-defense after McQuillan allegedly attempted to sexually assault and strangle her. She testified that she stabbed him to stop the abuse, though she admitted to washing her hands and leaving the knife in the sink. Defense experts attributed her actions to PTSD stemming from childhood sexual abuse and alcohol dependency, while prosecution experts argued her behavior was primarily driven by intoxication. Farrell was found guilty of murder, rejecting the defense argument for a manslaughter conviction based on provocation. The current procedural stage is an appeal against this conviction.
The High Court heard that a 16‑year‑old boy was being used by older peers to fight other youngsters in an illegal fight club. The Child and Family Agency (CFA) sought orders to place the boy in a secure special care unit for his welfare and safety. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Mark Sanfey, extended the boy's placement for an additional three months. Counsel for the CFA, David Leahy BL, explained that the boy had previously been detained under a temporary order due to his "very disturbing behaviour." Investigations revealed that he had been found in the boot of a car, placed there by older peers, and had been involved in violent fights. The boy has also reported drug and alcohol use, and is accused of sexual assault, hijacking a car, assault, criminal damage, and arson. He has had several voluntary placements, including foster care, but these ended in homelessness.
The jury in the trial of Paula Farrell, 47, accused of murdering her boyfriend Wayne McQuillan, 30, at her Drogheda home on New Year's Day 2014, has paused deliberations for the weekend and will return to the Central Criminal Court on Monday. The jury spent 2 hours 39 minutes considering a verdict when Judge Paul McDermott instructed them to suspend deliberations. The prosecution has called the sexual assault allegation an "outrageous lie" and maintains that Farrell intended to cause serious injury by stabbing McQuillan four times with a knife. Farrell pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. She testified that McQuillan had tried to have sex with her and had strangled her before she stabbed him, claiming she only remembered two of the four stabs.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, the jury must decide whether 47‑year‑old Paula Farrell was provoked when she stabbed her partner, Wayne 'Quilly' McQuillan, to death on New Year's Day 2014. Mr Justice Paul McDermott explained that provocation is a partial defence that can reduce a murder charge to manslaughter if the accused lost self‑control in a sudden, temporary way. He said the alleged sexual assault by McQuillan on a sofa in Farrell's home could be the provoking act, but the jury must assess whether the evidence of that assault is credible. Farrell, who pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, admitted stabbing McQuillan four times, remembering only two. The judge also noted her high alcohol level that night and her statements to Gardaí that she intended to hurt, not kill, him. The jury will consider all these facts before delivering a verdict.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, prosecution counsel Gerard Clarke SC argued that Paula Farrell, 47, intended to cause serious injury when she stabbed her partner Wayne McQuillan, 30, four times with the largest knife from a block. Clarke said the prosecution need not prove intent to kill, only to cause serious injury, and that Farrell's claim of a sexual assault that night was an "outrageous lie." He noted Farrell's history of childhood sexual abuse, PTSD, and alcohol dependence, but said these were used to create sympathy rather than explain the killing. Defence counsel Caroline Biggs SC contended that Farrell, classified as borderline intellectually disabled, may have been provoked and therefore guilty of manslaughter. The jury was instructed to consider provocation and Farrell's mental state when deciding between murder and manslaughter. The case remains at the jury stage. Paula Farrell pleaded not guilty.
A jury in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court could not reach verdicts on 18 of the 23 sexual assault counts against a 29‑year‑old childcare worker accused of assaulting four girls aged five to eight between August 2014 and December 2016. The jury delivered five not‑guilty verdicts on two of the four complainants, acquitted the man on three charges relating to the first girl, and acquitted him on both charges relating to the fourth girl. After 21 hours and 41 minutes of deliberation, the jury asked Judge Elma Sheahan for more time to consider the remaining counts. Judge Sheahan thanked the jury, remanded the man on continuing bail, and adjourned the case to 16 June. The trial continued during the coronavirus outbreak with social‑distance measures for jurors. The unnamed 29-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In the Louth murder trial, Dr Sally Linehan testified for the prosecution that Paula Farrell's behaviour on New Year's Day 2014 was influenced by intoxication rather than a dissociative reaction. She explained that Farrell, aged 47, had PTSD and alcohol dependence, and that she had not experienced a flashback or psychotic symptoms that night. Linehan reviewed two reports she prepared in 2015 and 2019, noting Farrell's long history of heavy drinking and childhood sexual abuse. She agreed with defence counsel that Farrell's PTSD could have played some role but concluded that intoxication was the primary influence. The testimony was part of the prosecution's case against Farrell, who pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the killing of Wayne McQuillan, aged 30, at her home. The jury heard closing speeches the following day.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, three men in their early twenties were accused of raping an 18‑year‑old woman at Dollymount Strand on 5 January 2016. The defendants pleaded not guilty and claimed the woman had consented to all sexual activity. The woman testified that she met the men in an internet café, was taken to a remote location, and was raped by the men in succession. She described feeling shocked and trapped, noting that she could not exit the car. The trial lasted 29 days; on day 29 the jury could not reach a verdict on any count after deliberating five and a half hours. Judge Alexander Owens granted the jury a 15‑year exemption from future service, remanded the men on bail, and adjourned the case to 15 June. The trial ended without a verdict.
In the Central Criminal Court, a 47‑year‑old woman, Paula Farrell, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the 2014 killing of Wayne McQuillan, aged 30. A psychiatrist for the defence, Dr Brenda Wright, testified that Farrell had post‑traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and an alcohol‑dependency disorder at the time of the stabbing. She described Farrell's history of sexual abuse between ages seven and fourteen and noted that Farrell began heavy drinking at 20. Dr Wright said Farrell's PTSD was severe and manifested mainly through alcohol use, affecting her relationships. The defence argued the PTSD did not play a significant role in the killing, a view echoed by the prosecution's counsel. The jury heard that Farrell stabbed McQuillan four times, recalling two, and that forensic evidence confirmed four wounds. The trial proceeded under Mr Justice Paul McDermott with a jury of seven men and four women.
The jury has begun deliberating in a trial at the Central Criminal Court involving three young men, all teenagers at the time of the alleged offences, who are charged with raping an 18‑year‑old woman on Bull Island, Dollymount, Dublin, on 5 January 2016. The accused, now in their early 20s and unnamed for legal reasons, pleaded not guilty. Their lawyers argued that the woman had initiated sex and consented. Mr Justice Alexander Owens finished his charge, and the jury is deliberating in an empty courtroom, with proceedings to resume tomorrow.
Two men were jailed for nine years at the Central Criminal Court following their conviction for rape. Boakye Osei, aged 30, of Tooban, Burnfoot, and Kelvin Opoku, aged 33, of Letterkenny, County Donegal, had pleaded not guilty but were found guilty by unanimous jury verdict in late 2019 after a five-week trial. The offence occurred in February 2015 when the men invited a woman back to an apartment after encountering her while she was walking home from a nightclub. The court heard the woman was severely intoxicated and incapacitated. Evidence including video footage and forensic analysis demonstrated that both men engaged in sexual activity with her without consent. Justice Alex Owens noted that whilst he accepted the men had not predetermined the assault, they were fully aware of her incapacity and exploited it. He recommended Opoku's deportation upon sentence completion and ordered both men undergo four years post-release supervision. Opoku's defence argued his client held an incorrect understanding of consent, whilst Osei's defence emphasised his family circumstances.
In the Louth murder trial, 47‑year‑old Paula Farrell pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for killing 30‑year‑old Wayne 'Quilly' McQuillan on New Year's Day 2014. She claimed he had tried to have sex with her and strangled her before she stabbed him four times, remembering only two. Psychologist Dr Kevin Lambe testified that Farrell had an IQ of 70, indicating borderline mild intellectual disability, and suffered from PTSD due to childhood sexual abuse. He argued that her low cognitive resources and PTSD influenced her actions that night, though he clarified low IQ does not cause murder. Dr Brenda Wright also reported Farrell's history of abuse, heavy drinking from age 20, and use of Olanzapine for mood disorder. Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis confirmed four stab wounds on McQuillan, noting potential survival with prompt medical care. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, three young men in their early 20s are charged with raping a woman at Bull Island, Dollymount, Dublin, on 5 January 2016. The accused, all teenagers at the time, pleaded not guilty. The prosecution alleged the 18‑year‑old woman was driven to Dollymount Strand, raped by the men in succession, and then abandoned in a remote area. The defense argued the woman had initiated sex and consented. The judge, Mr Justice Alexander Owens, will finish charging the jury on Monday, after which deliberations will begin.
A 40‑year‑old Dublin prisoner, whose name is withheld for legal reasons, has been denied bail while awaiting trial for a sexual assault charge. He is accused of assaulting his former partner on 17 March 2019, an allegation he denies. The trial was scheduled for Monday but could not proceed. The prisoner was present via video link rather than in court. Garda Donal Tully relayed the victim's claims that the man beat her, grabbed her neck, and forced his fingers into her vagina while asserting he knew what she wanted and that she liked it. In an interview with Gardaí, the prisoner admitted assault but denied sexual assault. Barry White SC, the defence solicitor, noted the prisoner has been in custody since March 2018, suffered pneumonia, and has a compromised immune system, raising health concerns. Judge Karen O'Connor refused bail, citing reasons that cannot be disclosed, and adjourned the case to 12 June for mention.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, three men in their early twenties were accused of raping an 18‑year‑old woman on January 5, 2016, at Bull Island, Dollymount, Dublin. The defendants, all teenagers at the time, pleaded not guilty. They claim the sexual acts were consensual, with one defendant testifying that he and his "gentleman friends" treated the complainant with respect. During the trial, Paul Greene SC defended the third accused, arguing that the defendants believed they had consent and that the presence of a condom and lubricant suggested no intent to rape. Judge Alex Owens instructed the jury not to make moral judgments or engage in victim‑blaming, emphasizing that consent must be proven and that lack of resistance does not equate to consent. The judge's charge to the jury was to be completed the following day, after which deliberations would begin.
The High Court has relaxed the requirement for people on bail to sign‑on at Garda stations amid the coronavirus outbreak. While the usual practice of daily or weekly visits to a local Garda station is being eased, other conditions such as keeping a mobile phone number active remain in force. Failure to answer the phone can lead to forfeiture of bail money. Det. Sgt. Jim Kirwan explained that bail‑holders may now avoid signing‑on provided they supply a contactable phone number. Mr Justice Donal Binchy confirmed that all other bail terms still apply and that the court is handling urgent matters only, postponing many extradition cases until travel restrictions ease. He noted that extradition orders are "almost unimplementable" under current conditions and will not issue surrender orders until the situation improves. The court has set a hearing for 24 April for a case involving a man wanted in the UK for rape, attempted rape and indecent assault.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, three early‑20s men pleaded not guilty to raping an 18‑year‑old woman on Bull Island, Dollymount, Dublin, on 5 January 2016. The defence counsel described the alleged victim as a "fantasist" and a person who "does not value the truth," while the prosecution highlighted her history of care, drug addiction and homelessness, suggesting she was a target. The prosecution argued that the woman did not know Dollymount and spent time on the phone to the Dublin Fire Brigade asking for directions. The defence countered that the woman was under the influence of drugs, could not reliably identify her location, and that the accused were angry and wrongly accused. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens, continues with a jury hearing the evidence and arguments.
Patrick Harte, a retired Dublin school teacher aged 78, was found guilty of 11 counts of indecent assault against seven boys who attended Sancta Maria Christian Brothers on Synge Street between September 1968 and September 1970. The boys, then about ten years old, alleged that Harte had fondled them after calling them to the top of the class, placing his hand down their trousers and touching their genitals. One complainant, now in his 60s, also claimed Harte had physically assaulted him. Harte denied all allegations, arguing that the classroom was busy and that such actions would have been impossible. The jury, after more than six hours of deliberation, returned a guilty verdict on all counts, with two jurors dissenting. Judge Martin Nolan remanded Harte on continuing bail and scheduled a sentencing hearing for 27 April. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Noel McKeon, a former hospital security guard, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for the rape and violent assault of two sex workers. McKeon pleaded guilty to sexual assault, assault, robbery, and rape of the two women, as well as false imprisonment of the first victim. The attacks occurred in 2016 and 2018 after McKeon contacted the women via an escorts website. In the 2016 incident, he allegedly assaulted the victim, forced her into sexual acts, and attempted to stab her as she escaped from a window. In the 2018 incident, he allegedly punched the victim, pulled her hair, and raped her vaginally and anally. Mr Justice Tony Hunt described the conduct as degrading and humiliating. He imposed consecutive headline sentences of ten years for each victim. Taking into account McKeon's guilty pleas, the judge applied a four-year discount, resulting in a total term of 16 years. The court suspended the final two years of this sentence on the condition that McKeon engages in sex offender treatment, addiction treatment, and anger management specifically addressing violence towards women. McKeon's defense counsel highlighted his history of drug abuse and suicide attempts, noting he wished to express remorse. The victims provided impact statements describing their fear and humiliation.
A man from Co. Westmeath was sentenced to two-and-a-half years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a woman who was asleep in her own bed. The Central Criminal Court heard that the victim was wearing a tampon at the time of the assault, which was later removed in the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit. The accused, aged 24, had no prior knowledge of the victim, though they shared mutual friends. He testified that he had engaged in consensual sexual activity with her, including digital penetration, but the jury found him guilty of sexual assault. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, noted the victim's right to privacy and the man's lack of business in her bedroom, describing the act as a catastrophic error of judgement. The sentence was deemed lenient in length, but the judge expressed concern that the man would find custody difficult. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
The jury has retired from the trial of Patrick Harte, a 78‑year‑old retired Dublin school teacher, who is accused of fondling school boys at the Sancta Maria Christian Brothers on Synge Street between September 1968 and September 1970. Harte faces 11 counts of indecent assault involving seven complainants, all of whom were around ten years old at the time. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. The prosecution, led by Anne Rowland SC, presented testimony that Harte allegedly called boys to the top of the class and then fondled them, including placing his hand down a boy's trousers while sitting on his knee. A complainant, now in his 60s, recounted a similar incident and noted prior physical assault by Harte. Harte denied the allegations, arguing that the classroom's busy environment and the presence of other teachers and inspectors would have made such actions unlikely.
Ms Paula Farrell, 47, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the unlawful killing of Wayne 'Quilly' McQuillan, 30, on New Year's Day 2014. She told the Central Criminal Court jury that she began drinking heavily in her teens to "block out" problems, later describing a history of sexual abuse by a named man from age seven to fourteen. She said the abuse began at thirteen and continued daily, and that she confronted the abuser at age 28 or 29, after which she stopped counselling. Farrell also admitted using alcohol, cocaine, speed and a white powder called "wildcat." She met McQuillan on the night of her 40th birthday in 2013; he was ten years younger.
During a Central Criminal Court trial, one of three young men accused of raping an 18‑year‑old woman at Dollymount Strand on 5 January 2016 claimed he and his two "gentlemen friends" treated the alleged victim with "nothing but respect." The accused, in his early 20s, pleaded not guilty and stated he had never met the woman before the alleged incidents. He described the woman as enthusiastic and confident, and denied that she was raped, arguing that her claims of being "addicted to sex" did not preclude rape. He said he would never mistreat a woman and that the complainant was "trying to ruin his life." The accused also mentioned a phone call from an acquaintance after the alleged events, refusing to name the person for fear of threat to his life. The trial continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
The jury in the trial of a 29‑year‑old childcare worker accused of sexually assaulting four girls in a Leinster crèche has been urged by Judge Elma Sheahan to continue with the case despite the coronavirus outbreak. She informed the jury that no new criminal trials will start for two weeks, but ongoing trials will proceed to conclusion. She acknowledged the stress the jurors may be experiencing and asked them to remain focused for the next week. She noted that court attendance would be much lower from Monday, with fewer crowds, and offered assistance if needed. The trial, which has run for five weeks, is set to finish next week with closing speeches on Monday. No evidence was heard today. The accused denies the 23 counts of sexual assault against girls aged five to eight between February 2015 and December 2016.
The Court of Appeal has listed an appeal against the conviction of an unnamed 15-year-old, referred to as Boy B, who was unanimously found guilty of murdering 14-year-old Ana Kriegel in May 2018. Boy B, who was 13 at the time, lured the victim from her home to a derelict house in Lucan where he was attacked by his friend, Boy A. Boy B was sentenced to 15 years detention, reviewable after eight years, with an earliest possible release date in June 2027. His co-accused, Boy A, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a review after 12 years for murder, plus eight years for aggravated sexual assault; no appeal has been lodged on Boy A's behalf. Boy B is appealing his conviction only, not the sentence. DPP counsel Brendan Grehan SC stated that three grounds of appeal were submitted, with the hearing scheduled for April 24. The President of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, confirmed that media will be present, but strict anonymity rules regarding the boys' identities, families, and schools remain in force. Boy B is currently detained at Oberstown Children Detention Campus, and arrangements for his transfer to court are being finalized. The matter is at the appeal stage, with the hearing set for a future date.
In the Central Criminal Court, a 17‑year‑old accused of rape, who is one of three young men, told the judge that the alleged victim was lying and trying to ruin his life. He said he had never met the woman before the incident, which took place on 5 January 2016 at Dollymount Strand, Dublin. According to him, the woman entered a car with the accused men, suggested they go to Dollymount, and asked who wanted to have sex first. He claimed he left the car with one co‑accused and stood at a nearby hut, while the other men returned later. He denied having sex with the woman and said she asked for his phone number, which he refused to give. He also said he did not inform Gardaí of the events, citing his father's advice and his solicitors' counsel. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
A 54‑year‑old Tipperary man was convicted of 75 counts of sexual abuse and rape of his daughters and sentenced to 17 years' imprisonment. The conviction, upheld on appeal, covered 44 charges of sexual abuse, 37 counts of raping his eldest daughter, one count of anal rape of that daughter, one count of oral rape of his younger sister, and one count of threatening to kill his youngest daughters between October 1994 and July 2012. He pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. The Court of Appeal rejected all grounds of appeal, finding the evidence sufficient for the jury to convict on each count and dismissing the argument that the judge should have allowed further questioning of a victim about her conduct in a previous trial. The appeal judges confirmed the 17‑year sentence imposed by Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan on 18 May 2015.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Garda Sergeant Diarmuid O'Donovan explained that the four children who had alleged sexual assault by a 29‑year‑old child‑care worker were not re‑interviewed after initial interviews conducted within five weeks of the allegations being reported on 12 December 2016. The children, aged six to eight at the time of the first interviews in January 2017, were interviewed by child‑specialist interviewers and their recordings were used as evidence. O'Donovan said the decision not to re‑interview was taken on welfare grounds, citing the traumatic nature of the process for the children and their families. He noted that while the investigation team considered re‑interviews, the final decision was that it would not be in the children's best interest, and that efforts were made to corroborate the complaints through other means. The unnamed 29-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin court, three men in their early twenties, who cannot be named, pleaded not guilty to raping an 18‑year‑old woman on Bull Island, Dollymount, on 5 January 2016. The prosecution alleged the woman was driven to Dollymount Strand, raped by the men in succession, and then abandoned in a remote area. During the trial, a jury viewed CCTV footage showing the woman and the three men leaving an internet café in Dublin city centre and boarding a car. The hearing continues before Mr Justice Owens and a jury.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions seeking to increase the sentence of Eoin Vickers, a 36-year-old man from Co Mayo. Vickers pleaded guilty to two counts of defilement of a girl under 15, three sample counts of defilement of a child under 17, and one count of defilement of a child under 17 regarding a friend, alongside an assault charge. These offences, alleged to have occurred between June 2011 and August 2013, involved an abusive relationship with two teenage girls, including the introduction of heroin and the removal of a contraceptive implant. On May 22, 2019, Mr Justice Michael White sentenced Vickers to 11 years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. The DPP argued this sentence was unduly lenient. President Mr Justice George Birmingham, sitting with Justices McGovern and Collins, acknowledged the case was exceptionally serious and that the Court of Appeal would have imposed a higher sentence, rejecting the discount given for the guilty plea. However, the court held that the original sentence, while very lenient, did not warrant intervention due to the singular nature of the facts and the wide margin of discretion afforded to the sentencing judge. Consequently, Vickers' original sentence remains unchanged.
The cross‑examination of a woman who was alleged to have been raped by three Dublin teenagers ended after eight days of questioning. The men, all in their early twenties and unnamed for legal reasons, pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to raping a woman at Bull Island, Dollymount, Dublin, on 5 January 2016. The trial has heard that the 18‑year‑old woman was allegedly driven to Dollymount Strand, raped by the three men in turn, and then left in the middle of nowhere. The cross‑examination began after lunch each afternoon and lasted about two hours a day. During the session the woman agreed with defence counsel that she had planned to stay overnight in an internet café because no hostels were available. She said she had enough money to pay the one‑euro‑per‑hour rate and that homeless people could stay there.
At the Central Criminal Court, a jury has convicted two men of the rape of a woman in County Donegal in February 2015. Boakye Osei, aged 29, of Twoban, Burnfoot, and Kelvin Opoku, aged 33, of Cill Graine, Letterkenny, had both pleaded not guilty. Following a five-week trial in late 2019, the jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts after deliberating for just over two hours. The complainant delivered a victim impact statement describing the profound effect the assault and subsequent criminal proceedings had on her life over the previous five years. She detailed the trauma of forensic examination, precautionary medical treatment, and the emotional toll of three separate trial preparations. Justice Alex Owens remanded both men in custody pending sentencing submissions scheduled for 16 March 2020.
During a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, a former colleague of a man accused of sexually assaulting four girls in a Leinster crèche described him as "devastated" after the allegations surfaced. She recalled that he had become very upset and noticeably thinner since she last saw him. The colleague, who had worked closely with him, said she had sent him a text after the allegations emerged, to which he replied, "I'm devastated." She described him as generous with the children and inventive with activities, noting that he was well-liked by staff and parents. She denied ever suspecting him of wrongdoing and stated that the four complainants would have had limited interaction with him, especially the younger ones. The trial, which continues before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury, focuses on the 23 counts of sexual assault alleged to have occurred between February 2015 and December 2016. The accused denies the charges. The complainants' identities remain protected.
In March 2020 the Central Criminal Court suspended the remainder of a jail term for Stephen Kane, 29, who in August 2014 violently assaulted two women after sexually assaulting one of them. The attacks occurred in a Dublin apartment block where Kane and Daryl Ralph had earlier sexually assaulted a woman. Kane punched the victim in the mouth, struck her friend twice in the mouth and nose, and bit her arm. He pleaded guilty to sexual assault and two counts of assault causing harm. The judge imposed concurrent sentences of two years and two and a half years, backdated to November 2018, and suspended the balance for two years on the condition of psychological counselling. Kane had previously fled to New Zealand and later to Australia, where he established a new life and was later extradited back to Ireland. The court noted his remorse and the support of his fiancée's family.
Hoi Ping Yung, 47, a UK businessman, was convicted of raping a woman in a Dublin hotel room on 21 November 2013. The victim, who slept in a single bed, woke to find Yung in the double bed, rubbing her arm and leg, and later being raped. Yung claimed he had no memory of the incident and denied non‑consensual sex, arguing any contact was consensual. He had no prior convictions. The judge noted Yung's good character and lack of previous offences but also the severe violation of the victim's body. A headline sentence of seven and a half years was reduced to four and a half years, taking into account mitigating factors. The court also heard the victim's detailed impact statement, describing shame, guilt, fear, panic, flashbacks and anxiety attacks. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. Hoi Ping Yung pleaded not guilty.
The trial of a 29‑year‑old man accused of 23 counts of sexual assault against four girls at a Leinster crèche is ongoing. On day 12 of the trial, the jury viewed a video interview with the fourth complainant, who was six at the time of the alleged incidents. She described the accused touching her outside and then inside her tights, feeling "happy" during the contact. She also reported seeing the accused touch another girl in the book corner and feeling "a bit afraid" during the Garda interview. The complainant's mother testified that her daughter had complained in 2015 about the accused twisting and pinching her, and that the accused had disappeared for a period. The mother also recalled a December 2016 Garda call about a staff member incident. The trial continues before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury. No parties are named to protect complainants' identities.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, the parents of a seven‑year‑old girl alleged to have been sexually assaulted by a creche worker testified that they did not believe their daughter had been abused when she expressed discomfort with the worker's touch. The father recounted that the girl first told him on the August Bank holiday weekend of 2016 that the worker had put his hand on her groin area and that she felt it was inappropriate. He said he and his wife raised the matter with the creche manager, who agreed it was unsuitable for children to sit on a worker's knee and promised to inform staff. The parents reported the incident to the creche and monitored their daughter daily, noting a change in staff behaviour. The case involves a 29‑year‑old man accused of 23 counts of sexual assault against four girls between February 2015 and December 2016, which he denies.
In a sexual assault trial, an eight‑year‑old girl testified that a 29‑year‑old creche care worker touched her privates and the privates of two other girls in the same manner. She said she first reported the incidents to her parents in August 2016, after which the worker stopped touching her and the other girls. The worker is charged with 23 counts of sexual assault against four girls between February 2015 and December 2016. He denies the charges. The child's interview, lasting about an hour, was conducted by Garda specialists who used conversational hooks to steer the child toward the allegations. The trial is proceeding before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury of twelve. No parties are named to protect the complainants' identities.
In a Dublin rape trial, a woman who was allegedly raped by three teenagers on January 5, 2016, denied that she asked one of the accused for his phone number after the incident. The accused, now in their early 20s and unnamed for legal reasons, pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. During cross‑examination, the woman refuted a suggestion by Patrick McGrath SC that she had asked a male teenager for his number. She said the number was given before any such request. She also denied having consensual sex in the car, stating she was terrified and could not speak. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens, continues with evidence before a jury. The case remains at the evidence stage.
The complainant, an 18‑year‑old woman at the time of the alleged offence, denies that she confused consensual sex with rape. She says she was driven to Dollymount Strand on 5 January 2016, raped by three teenage men, and left alone. During cross‑examination she recalled a 2011 incident when she was about 12 or 13, living in a care home. She texted an older teenager on 22 April 2011, saying "right, if you want your hole, you'll have to wait, not my fault, the staff see you out", implying that sex would be allowed after a wait. She claims the man raped her that night and that she did not report the rape to another girl in the home because she feared retaliation. She insists she was raped, not that she consented, and the trial continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury. The unnamed woman pleaded not guilty.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Garda Ciara Holmes gave evidence about her interview of a six‑year‑old girl who was a victim of alleged sexual assault by a childcare worker. Holmes explained that the child declined a recorded interview on 22 December 2016 but was interviewed on 4 January 2017 after a visit to her home on 29 December. She said she met the child and her parents, reassured the child that she had done nothing wrong, and noted the child's body language. Holmes denied that the investigation was a "box‑ticking charade" and said she would have informed the parents if the child had expressed fear or reluctance to talk. She also rejected the defence's claim that the decision‑making log was merely a form‑filling exercise, stating that it reflected the child's willingness to speak. The trial continues before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury of twelve. The unnamed 29-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 55‑year‑old Munster man was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Paul McDermott at the Central Criminal Court. He pleaded guilty to eight counts of indecent assault and three counts of rape of his younger sister between 1978 and 1987, and was found guilty of 16 counts of anally raping his wife between 2003 and 2007. He denied the rape of his wife. The judge described the abuse of his sister as humiliating, degrading and brutal, and the abuse of his wife as calculated, cynical and vicious, noting the man's callous indifference to her emotional welfare. The sentence comprised seven years for the sister offences and six years for the wife offences, to run consecutively, with a three‑year post‑release supervision order and a prohibition on any contact with the victims.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Garda Ciara Holmes admitted she failed to instruct two child interviewees to tell the truth during January 2017 interviews, describing it as an oversight. Holmes, 29, faces 23 counts of sexual assault against four girls at a Leinster creche between February 2015 and December 2016. The trial presented video footage of the first two complainants' specialist interviews. The first girl reported the accused touched her privates in the creche and on the creche bus, while the second alleged he licked her privates in the bathroom and classroom. Garda Louise Curtin testified that the second girl, then six, had not been told she could refuse to speak and expressed fear during the interview. The case proceeds before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury of twelve. The unnamed 29-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A man from Donegal has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court following his conviction for multiple counts of rape. The 25-year-old was found guilty on unanimous jury verdicts of two counts of anal rape and two counts of vaginal rape committed in July 2016. The offences occurred in a field and at a residential address in the county. Justice Tara Burns heard evidence that the victim, a teenager at the time, was unable to consent due to intoxication. The judge noted the man exploited the victim's vulnerability and her initial willingness to spend time with him. In mitigation, the court considered his late acknowledgement of guilt, previous good character, and role as father figure to young children. The judge reduced an indicated headline sentence of nine years, citing these factors. The victim provided a statement describing the lasting psychological impact of the attacks.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, a 10‑year‑old girl, the second complainant, testified that she may have fabricated parts of her story about a 29‑year‑old childcare worker accused of sexually assaulting four girls. The girl, who was six at the time of the alleged incidents, had previously given a video interview in January 2017, describing the worker as pulling her pants down, holding her against a wall, and licking her privates. During cross‑examination, the defence counsel suggested she might have told untrue stories to amuse friends. The girl admitted uncertainty about some details, such as the worker placing his "willy" in her hand, and said she might have been scared to repeat false stories. She agreed that she had not been told she could refuse to talk to the Gardaí. The accused has pleaded not guilty to 23 counts of sexual assault spanning February 2015 to December 2016.
Brian Shaughnessy, a 53‑year‑old former Galway hotel owner, was convicted of raping an employee in the Loughrea Hotel and Spa's Presidential Suite after buying her drinks and asking to confide in her. The Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty on 26 July 2010, and he received a six‑year sentence with the final year suspended by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan on 10 June 2013. Shaughnessy has now lodged an appeal, arguing that his previous legal team failed to prepare or conduct his defence adequately. His new barrister, Hugh Hartnett SC, claims new evidence was omitted from the transcript and that the trial judge mis‑informed the jury about the victim's demeanour. The Court of Appeal will consider these arguments, with counsel for the former team and the Director of Public Prosecutions presenting counter‑arguments, and the court has reserved its judgement. Brian Shaughnessy pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a woman who was allegedly raped by three Dublin teenagers on January 5, 2016, at Dollymount Strand, stated she had withdrawn a separate rape complaint made in September 2015. She explained that she did not want to manage two trials simultaneously, so she retracted the earlier allegation. The 18‑year‑old woman described being taken to Dollymount Strand, raped by the three men, and left alone. She also recounted an incident in a Dundalk hotel where a man attempted sexual acts; she claimed she resisted, reported the incident to Gardaí, and later withdrew that statement. The court heard that the retraction was made in September 2016, before the men were charged in October 2017. The trial continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury. The unnamed woman pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a father of an 11‑year‑old girl testified that he could not imagine a sexual assault occurring in a busy creche. The accused, a 29‑year‑old child‑care worker, faces 23 counts of sexually assaulting four girls aged five to eight between February 2015 and December 2016. The father recounted that when his daughter, then eight, told him the carer had "touched her privates," he sought an innocent explanation. He visited the creche the next day, where the noise and activity made him uneasy, and later learned the manager had informed him of an allegation involving his daughter. He told the court that his daughter claimed another girl had kissed the accused's privates, and that she later felt sick. The trial continues before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury of seven men and five women. The unnamed 29-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a creche sexual assault trial, a 29‑year‑old accused pleaded not guilty to 23 counts of assaulting four girls aged five to eight between February 2015 and December 2016. The trial has heard evidence from one complainant, now 11, who was interviewed at eight by a specialist Garda in January 2017. She described the accused touching her privates in several creche locations, including a book corner, a bus, a toilet cubicle and a windowsill, often with his hand and phone. She said the contact hurt her and that the accused asked if she liked it, to which she replied no. The accused's father testified that his daughter told him the man had touched her privates and that the father had told the child that the matter was serious, that police would be involved if it was deliberate, and that he had not told her mother to avoid a reaction.
In a five‑day Central Criminal Court trial, a 16‑year‑old defendant was acquitted of raping an 18‑year‑old woman in a Dublin city park in February 2017. The court heard that the parties met in October 2016, began a consensual relationship in November, and had sex from December 2016 to January 2017. The woman testified that after a quarrel the defendant grabbed her, dragged her around a bench, and raped her. She also claimed the defendant texted a friend, offering money to keep her from reporting the incident. The defence argued the woman had fallen out with the defendant and sought reconciliation, and that the alleged rape was untrue. After two hours of deliberation, the jury returned a unanimous not‑guilty verdict. The trial included medical testimony, text‑message evidence, and cross‑examination of the complainant and her friends. The case concluded with the defendant's acquittal.