David O'Brien, aged 67, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four counts of indecent assault on three boys under 15 between January 1972 and December 1978, including incidents in Larch Hill, Roundwood, Co Wicklow, and an unknown location. He also pleaded guilty to three counts of indecent assault on two of the same boys in Powerscourt, Co Wicklow, and two unknown locations between January 1976 and December 1978, involving fondling of the boys' penises. O'Brien, who is currently in custody and appeared frail, was previously jailed for four-and-a-half years in October 2015 for sexually abusing six boys on camping trips in the late 1970s and 1980s. Reporting restrictions were lifted today by Judge Karen O'Connor. The case remains pending sentencing, with the judge adjourned the matter for a hearing on Thursday. The prosecution noted the sentence could take up to a day.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Erick Mukoko, aged 32, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for a violent forceful rape that occurred in May 2017 at a flat in Limerick. The victim, a woman who had been socialising with a friend, refused a kiss from Mukoko and was subsequently raped. Mukoko pleaded guilty, citing alcohol consumption and a possible misreading of signals as mitigating factors. The judge, Michael White, described the offence as very serious and noted the victim's devastating impact, including anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and a suicide attempt. Mukoko's guilty plea was taken into account, and no portion of the sentence was suspended. He was ordered to undergo two years of post‑release supervision if he remains in Ireland. The victim's impact statement detailed her ongoing psychological distress and her determination to regain control of her life. The case was supported by DNA evidence linking Mukoko to the assault.
A man from County Mayo has been sentenced to twelve years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the rape and sexual abuse of his stepdaughter over an eleven-year period. Thomas Mullarney, aged 61, of Cahir, Louisberg, pleaded guilty to sexual assaults at a Dublin residence between October 2003 and January 2005, and to rape at a Mayo address in November 2011 and September 2014. The abuse began when the victim was approximately six years old and continued into her teenage years. During sentencing, Mr Justice Michael White described the offences as falling at the upper end of serious sexual abuse, noting the victim's trust in Mullarney as a father figure and the systematic grooming involved. The judge acknowledged Mullarney's guilty plea as significant but stated that only the perpetrator bore responsibility for the harm caused. The court heard that Mullarney had experienced institutional abuse during his childhood, though the judge expressed difficulty understanding how such trauma could lead to victimising a child.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, a 35‑year‑old man was found guilty of sexually assaulting a seven‑year‑old boy who was the son of a friend. The man, whose name is withheld to protect the victim's anonymity, had pleaded not guilty to three sexual assault charges. The jury convicted him on the count involving the seven‑year‑old, but acquitted him on one of the other two charges and was directed to find him not guilty on the remaining charge. The boy, now 14, testified that the assault caused him ongoing sleep difficulties, fear, and other life problems. His mother also spoke about the impact, describing the family as victims of the man's cruel actions. The judge remanded the defendant in custody and set a finalisation date for November 29.
John McClean, 74, former rugby coach and teacher at Terenure College, faces trial for indecent assault on nine males between 1973 and 1989. He was sent forward from the District Court earlier this year. Judge Martin Nolan set a trial date of 2 November 2020, with a pre‑trial hearing on 29 July 2020.
In a Cork family home, John Murphy (45) abused his younger brother for a decade, from 1988 to 1997, when the victim was aged between ten and 20. The victim, now in his 40s, waived anonymity to identify his abuser. Murphy pleaded guilty in April to twelve counts, including three of oral rape. Mr Justice Micheal White set a headline sentence of 13 years, reduced to ten after Murphy's admissions and guilty pleas. The last two years were suspended on the condition that Murphy engage with psychological services, victim‑focused work, and a sex offender treatment programme while under Probation Service supervision. The victim's impact statement described the abuse as a devastating breach of trust, calling the brotherly relationship "cruelly violated" and expressing that he had become a survivor, free from the abuse. The judge noted that Murphy's sexual orientation was no excuse for his behaviour.
A nurse has described a female student as appearing upset and in a state of shock following alleged rapes by two men in Co Donegal in February 2015. Giving evidence on day seven of the trial at the Central Criminal Court, the witness said she was approached by two extremely distressed young women who were crying. She noted the complainant spoke more than her companion, who remained very quiet and seemed in complete shock. The nurse observed the complainant appeared intoxicated and contacted gardaí, who arrived promptly. A second witness, a Sexual Assault Treatment Unit examiner, identified five areas of bruising in the genital region but stated under cross-examination that bruising cannot be aged to determine when it occurred. The two defendants, aged 29 and 33 and both resident in Donegal, have pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape. The trial continues with legal argument, with the jury to resume hearing evidence on Monday.
A trial at the Central Criminal Court has heard evidence concerning allegations of rape against two men from County Donegal in February 2015. The complainant, a college student at the time, has alleged she was raped by the defendants following a night out. Both men, now aged 29 and 33, have pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape. During the trial, a friend of the complainant gave evidence describing events in an apartment after the group accepted a lift from the defendants. The witness told the jury she recalled the complainant making certain utterances during sexual activity and described her own experience of unwanted physical contact from one of the men. The complainant previously testified she was too intoxicated to consent. Defence counsel questioned the complainant's account of her level of intoxication, citing her detailed recollection of her route home and suggesting inconsistencies in her statements to gardaí regarding her awareness of events. Garda witnesses also gave evidence during the proceedings.
Anthony Goodman, aged 74, was convicted of indecent exposure at a Malahide restaurant on 13 August 2018 and on a bus on 20 August 2018, and of sexual assault on 20 August 2018. He pleaded guilty to all three offences. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to nine months imprisonment for each indecent exposure, to run consecutively, and to two and a half years imprisonment for the sexual assault, also to run consecutively, giving a total of four years. The final 18 months of the sentence were suspended for five years on conditions of good behaviour, engagement with Probation Services, and restriction to public transport only with Garda permission. The sentence was back‑dated to 23 August 2018, the day he first entered custody. Goodman has 201 previous convictions, including sexual assault, indecency, arson, threats to kill and firearms possession, and had breached a sex‑offender order that prohibited him from riding a bus without Garda notification.
Steven McGivern, 42, of Belfast, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for possessing 9,595 images and 178 videos of child pornography. The material, found in his apartment after a search warrant issued following Canadian police information, showed preteen boys and girls with exposed genitals, engaging in sexual activity with each other and with adult males. McGivern admitted downloading the content for sexual gratification and acknowledged the illegality of his actions. He also provided a credit card used to pay for some of the videos. Judge Sinéad Ní Chúalacháin noted his three prior convictions for indecent assault and attempts to take indecent photos of children, and cited the volume of material, the duration of the offence, and the ages of the children involved as aggravating factors. The judge highlighted that the offence was not a victimless crime, as real children were exploited, and that financial gain was involved. Steven McGivern pleaded guilty.
A woman has given evidence at the Central Criminal Court in a rape trial concerning an incident in County Donegal in February 2015. The complainant told the jury she was severely intoxicated when she alleges two men had sexual intercourse with her without her consent. She described drinking multiple alcoholic beverages during a student night at a local pub and nightclub before being driven to an apartment she did not recognise. The woman stated she was so intoxicated she could barely walk and explicitly told the court she did not consent to any sexual contact. Video evidence taken by her friend was presented to the jury. The two defendants, now aged 29 and 33 and resident in Donegal, have pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape. The defence maintains any sexual activity was consensual. The trial before Mr Justice Alex Owens continues with the jury.
In October 2019 the Court of Appeal upheld a 15‑year prison sentence that had been imposed on Joseph Hogan, a 66‑year‑old resident of Rose Court, Keyes Park, Limerick city, for the rape and sexual assault of his niece. Hogan had been convicted in 2015 on three counts of rape and one count of attempted rape, with an additional ten‑year term for three counts of sexual assault, all of which were to run concurrently. The offences occurred between 1984 and 1988 when the victim, Ms Sonya Stokes, was aged between seven and eleven. Hogan had pleaded not guilty to all counts. The appeal court found no error in the original sentencing and confirmed that the 15‑year term was within the appropriate range for the seriousness of the offences, given the victim's age and the breach of trust involved.
In 2015 a 38‑year‑old man raped his wife at their Dublin home. He was convicted at the Central Criminal Court and originally sentenced to five years' imprisonment with two years suspended. The Court of Appeal found the sentence too lenient and increased it to seven‑and‑a‑half years with two years suspended. The judge noted the offence was aggravated by a breach of trust and the victim's fear and humiliation. The wife had pleaded for clemency, arguing that imprisonment would add to her suffering, but the Court of Appeal considered the crime an attack on society and set the headline sentence at seven‑and‑a‑half years, suspending the final two years as before. The decision was delivered by Justice Isobel Kennedy, Justice George Birmingham and Justice John Edwards.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 19‑year‑old woman confronted her 41‑year‑old foster father, who had raped her on 16 July 2016 after giving her alcohol. She told the court she had seen him as a father figure and that his abuse had taken her family, her sense of self and her future. The court heard that the victim was alone with him that night, was forced to give oral sex, then raped. She had attempted suicide, suffered anxiety and PTSD, and could not sit her Leaving Cert. The jury had found him guilty of rape, oral rape and sexual assault, but not of anal rape. He will be sentenced on 13 November. The woman said facing him made her feel empowered and urged him to make a positive impact on others. The unnamed 41-year-old was acquitted.
A man was sentenced to eight years in prison for repeatedly raping his niece between 1 November 2018 and 15 January 2019. He pleaded guilty to counts of rape, oral rape, sexual assault and sexual exploitation of a child. The judge, Mr Justice Michael White, described the case as a "huge tragedy" and noted the aggravating factors of grooming, exploitation and breach of trust. He imposed a ten‑year term for each count of rape and oral rape, to run concurrently, and considered the sexual assault and exploitation counts. Two years of the sentence were suspended on the condition that the defendant engage with the Probation Service and therapeutic services. The victim, an eight‑year‑old, was the niece of the accused and the abuse largely occurred in the accused's home while he and his wife cared for her and her siblings. The defendant had no prior convictions and expressed remorse, apologising unreservedly in court.
Slawomir Gierlowski, 34, of Drimnagh, Dublin, has a partially suspended 22.5‑year prison term for random attacks on women in Clondalkin between 2015 and 2011. He is appealing those convictions and the severity of the sentence. In May 2018 he was convicted of sexual assault, attempted rape and assault causing harm for a 2010 attack in the city centre. At a July hearing, Judge Micheal White noted that the appeal was still pending and that any sentence for the 2010 attack would be consecutive to the term he is currently serving, subject to the principle of totality. The court adjourned finalising the 2010 sentence to March 2 next year, pending the outcome of the appeal. The 2010 case involved a woman who was assaulted and attempted to be raped in the courtyard of her apartment block at 3 am. DNA evidence linked Gierlowski to the attack.
A 69‑year‑old man was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of indecently assaulting and raping his grandson from 2004 to 2015, when the boy was aged between four and fifteen. He also pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting three of his daughters, attempting to rape one and raping another between 1981 and 1987, when the girls were aged nine to fourteen. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy sentenced him to a total of 20 years in prison, with some consecutive sentences, describing the offences as a "grim catalogue" of abuse across two generations. The man has moved to appeal the sentence in the Court of Appeal, where judgment is reserved.
Anthony Cassidy, 34, was convicted of raping and seriously assaulting a woman in her 50s in Carlow on 25 June 2017. CCTV captured his movements to and from the site where the victim was found unconscious 12 hours later, but did not record the assault itself, which is said to have lasted about 30 minutes. Cassidy pleaded guilty to rape and assault causing serious harm, and had 34 prior convictions, including soliciting sex in the UK and two assaults in Ireland. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy sentenced him to 18 years' imprisonment, noting that a life sentence would have been imposed had Cassidy not pleaded guilty and shown "genuine remorse". The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence, with Mr Justice Michael Peart affirming that the offence was of the most serious type and that the judge's decision to reduce a potential life sentence to 18 years was correct. The appeal was dismissed.
James Leddy, 55, of Blanchardstown, was convicted in December 2019 of three counts of indecent assault on 13‑year‑old Colm Bracken, aged 51, at Leddy's former home in Artane between May and September 1981. Leddy pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by majority verdict. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to eight months' imprisonment, suspending the final five months on strict conditions, including engagement with the Probation Service. The sentence was the maximum of two years allowed for offences committed in 1981. Leddy admitted guilt, expressed remorse, and has since led a pro‑social life, never re‑offending. He is now on the Sex Offenders' Register. The case highlighted the long‑lasting impact on Bracken, who described the abuse as a living nightmare and reported suicidal thoughts and hospitalisation. The trial was conducted at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge noted Leddy's lack of recollection but acceptance of the verdict and his mental health history.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, an unnamed man pleaded guilty to rape, oral rape, sexual assault and sexual exploitation of a child, offences committed between 1 November 2018 and 15 January 2019. The victim, an eight‑year‑old niece, was abused mainly at the accused's home while his wife and she were present. Gardaí reports detail the child's testimony that the uncle performed sexual acts on her, describing them as "gross" and "sore," and that he claimed she had "nice white skin." The accused admitted to having sexual feelings toward her and stated he "only likes children with white skin." He apologized in court, placing himself "at the mercy of this court" and praying for forgiveness. The victim's father declined a victim impact statement, citing the family's desire not to relive the events. Mr Justice Michael White remanded the accused in custody and adjourned sentencing to 14 October 2020.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a Slovakian woman, aged 68, testified via video link that she was raped by a Polish man she had met while struggling financially in Galway. The man, introduced as a "good guy" who could help her, offered her accommodation and her two daughters, with the understanding she would work as a cleaner. He demanded sex, raped her after a New Year's Eve party, and later raped her again in an abandoned farmhouse. He also forced her to perform oral sex on him on four occasions while she worked for him. The woman's partner, who was also threatened by the man, reported the abuse to Gardaí. The man was convicted on two counts of rape and four counts of oral rape between 2012 and 2016, and was remanded in custody until 25 October.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 1 August 2019, lawyers for a man acquitted of rape last year argued that Google search results for his name breach his right to anonymity. Micheal O'Higgins SC told Justice Micheal White that when his client's name is entered into Google, the results display links to court reports of the client's 2018 trial and to two other rape trials in which he is not named. He claimed this juxtaposition violates the 1981 (Rape) Act, which prohibits publishing material that could identify an accused unless convicted. The client seeks a temporary block on all Google searches of his name, citing employment difficulties. Rossa Fanning SC for Google Ireland Ltd said the company had removed most offending links and offered to delete any that appear alongside the name. Justice White ordered the applicant to file a summons and statement of claim by the next day and set a deadline of 12 August for Google's affidavit.
Slawomir Gierlowski, 34, already serving a long prison term for random attacks on women, has had his sentencing for an attempted rape adjourned to October 11. The case concerns an assault on a woman who was returning home at about 3 a.m. after a night out; Gierlowski attacked her in the courtyard of her apartment block and attempted to rape her. DNA evidence linked semen found on the victim's skirt to Gierlowski, matching profiles from earlier investigations in Clondalkin and the city centre. The Central Criminal Court heard that the victim declined to give a victim impact statement. Prosecutor Ann Rowland SC said the Director of Public Prosecutions seeks an adjournment until Gierlowski's other convictions are heard on appeal. Defending counsel Orla Crowe SC maintained his client's innocence and noted that his other convictions and sentences are under appeal. The hearing was adjourned by Mr Justice Micheal White to allow the application for the adjournment to be considered.
In August 2019 the Central Criminal Court sentenced a 49‑year‑old man to eight years' imprisonment for raping and repeatedly sexually assaulting his daughter. He pleaded guilty to oral rape and nine counts of sexual assault that occurred at his mother's home between 1 September 2014 and 2 March 2015. He also admitted exploiting the child by showing her pornographic DVDs. The offences took place in a county in Munster, a detail the court restricted from publication. The mother testified that the father had unsupervised access to the child at his mother's home, where he showed her pornographic film before orally raping her, grabbed her hair, forced her to masturbate with moisturiser and used digital penetration on several occasions. She described the impact on her family, noting that her 12‑year‑old daughter sometimes appeared angry or crying. The defendant, who had addiction problems, entered a guilty plea in April 2019.
Gheorghe Goidan, a 46‑year‑old Romanian, was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment for raping two Czech women who were working as prostitutes in Ireland. The judge described the offences as "vicious and shocking" and noted that Goidan had targeted the women because he believed they would not be believed. He met each woman separately in hotel rooms, threatened them with a knife, and repeatedly assaulted and raped them. Goidan had pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault at a hotel in Portlaoise on 7 September 2017 and had also denied rape, oral rape and anal rape of a second woman at the Maldron Hotel in Galway on the same day. A jury found him guilty on all counts. The judge imposed ten‑year terms for each sexual offence and seven‑year terms for each robbery, with the sexual terms to run consecutively, resulting in a 20‑year jail term.
Martin Sherlock, a 31-year-old man from Navan, Co Meath, has lost his appeal against a rape conviction. The Court of Appeal dismissed his argument that judges are mandatorily required to warn juries about an accused's 'previous good character.' Sherlock had pleaded not guilty to raping a woman at her Dublin home on August 14, 2015, claiming the sex was consensual, though he admitted hearing 'no.' He pleaded guilty to stealing her mobile phone. A Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty of rape, and he was sentenced to five years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy in July 2018. In the appeal, President of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, stated there is no empirical evidence that a person without previous convictions is more likely to tell the truth. He noted that while defence counsel can argue enhanced credibility or lack of propensity to offend, this does not necessitate a mandatory judicial warning. The court highlighted that Sherlock admitted lying to the victim and stealing her phone, actions inconsistent with 'good character.' The panel, including Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy and Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly, concluded that adopting such a mandatory requirement would create difficulties and is not supported by Irish legal authority. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed, and the original conviction and sentence stand.
A 17‑year‑old boy pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to sexual exploitation of two cousins and the anal rape of one in 2015‑2016. The judge, Mr Justice Michael White, deferred a five‑year custodial sentence for one year, keeping the boy under Probation Services supervision. He noted the boy's behaviour was "disgraceful" and "shocked" him, and that the boy had blackmailed his cousin with pornographic material to continue sexual contact. The boy had been exposed to pornography from a very young age and had engaged in non‑penetrative sexual contact with his cousin from about age nine until 2016. He also admitted to anal rape of a male cousin, who was four months younger, claiming it was consensual. The court adjourned the next hearing to July 27 next year. The boy's smartphone will be monitored but not banned. The case was described as a serious concern involving young offenders exposed to porn on smart phones.
Slawomir Gierlowski, 34, was tried in the Central Criminal Court for a 2010 sexual assault on a fourth victim. The court heard that the victim was walking home at about 3 a.m. when Gierlowski attacked her in the courtyard of her apartment block, attempted to rape her, and ejaculated on her skirt. DNA from the semen matched a profile taken from Gierlowski in 2016, which had previously linked him to other attacks in 2015 and 2011. The jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on charges of sexual assault, attempted rape and assault causing harm after just under three hours of deliberation. Gierlowski maintains his innocence on all offences, and his earlier convictions and sentences are currently under appeal. The victim declined to give a victim impact statement. The case was adjourned for sentencing.
A 40-year-old man from County Mayo has had his conviction for rape upheld following an appeal to the Court of Appeal. He was originally sentenced to nine years imprisonment after being convicted on two counts of anal rape against his wife at their home on 18 December 2015. The jury had acquitted him on four other counts relating to earlier dates in 2015. During the trial at the Central Criminal Court, the woman gave evidence describing how her husband arrived home intoxicated and subsequently assaulted her twice that night. The man had maintained all sexual contact was consensual. On appeal, the defence challenged the trial's conduct and the safety of the conviction, particularly regarding corroboration warnings given to the jury. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, found the jury's verdicts well-justified and determined the trial was conducted fairly. The court dismissed the appeal, finding no grounds to consider the conviction unsafe.
A 55‑year‑old Dublin man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of three counts of sexually assaulting his heavily‑pregnant partner in November 2014. The jury could not reach a verdict on two additional rape allegations from December 2014, but he was later found guilty of those charges at a retrial. He was sentenced to seven‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended for the sexual assaults. The judge described his conduct as "sneaky, underhand and clandestine" and noted the victim, a 40‑year‑old mother of their child, was eight months pregnant and felt "humiliated, embarrassed and degraded" when the assault videos were played in court. The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction and dismissed the appeal, finding the trial judge's interventions fair and justified. The appeal concerning the two rape counts remains pending.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 36‑year‑old Cork man was convicted of raping his neighbour on 17 April 2017 after she asked him to leave her home. The jury found him guilty of the single rape charge. Judge Tony Hunt noted that the victim's hospitality was abused and that the man claimed a relationship that the victim denied. He highlighted that the offence was aggravated by the location and the use of force beyond what would be required for non‑consensual activity. The sentence was eight and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions, including compliance with Probation Service directions for 12 months after release. The man had 43 prior convictions, including assault, theft and traffic offences. The victim's impact statement described lasting fear and distress following the assault. The court did not consider any subsequent actions or appeals.
In July 2018, a 33‑year‑old Dublin man pleaded guilty to six charges of sexual assault against four of his young female cousins, with offences occurring between 2000 and 2006. The victims, now in their twenties, were aged four to eight at the time of the assaults. They testified that the family, once close, was torn apart by the revelations. The man, who had no prior convictions, admitted the acts after police first met the women. Judge Sinead Ní Chúlacháin imposed a four‑year suspended sentence, with jail terms ranging from one to four years for each charge, but suspended all of them. She noted his moderate risk of re‑offending and his limited understanding of the impact on his victims. The sentence was accompanied by a psychological report highlighting his weaknesses in reasoning and empathy. The judge emphasised that no penalty could restore the victims' lost innocence, trust or sense of security.
In a Central Criminal Court case, 46‑year‑old Paula Farrell of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, was tried for the murder of her 30‑year‑old boyfriend, Wayne McQuillan, who was killed on 1 January 2014. Farrell pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, admitting she stabbed McQuillan four times. She claimed the deceased had tried to rape and strangle her, and that her childhood sexual abuse influenced her actions. The prosecution argued she fabricated the rape claim, while the defence denied this. A forensic psychiatrist diagnosed Farrell with post‑traumatic stress disorder from child abuse. The trial noted delays in ambulance response and that McQuillan was transported in a Garda car. After more than four hours of deliberation, the jury could not reach a verdict, and the judge remanded Farrell in custody until 21 October for further court dates.
In a Dublin case, a 38‑year‑old man was convicted of raping and sexually assaulting his wife at their home on 30 August 2015. He denied the charges but accepted the jury's verdict and apologized to his wife in court. The wife, who had lived in fear of her husband's violence, later wrote a letter to the sentencing judge forgiving him and expressing regret for bringing the case against him. Judge Paul Coffey sentenced the man to five years' imprisonment, suspending the final two years on account of the wife's plea for clemency. The Director of Public Prosecutions is seeking a review of the three‑year jail term, arguing it is unduly lenient, and the man is appealing the severity of his sentence on the basis that the case is exceptional. The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgement on both proceedings.
The Court of Appeal has increased the effective custody period for Roger Ryan, a defendant with over 90 previous convictions, including a prior rape conviction. Ryan was originally sentenced in Clonmel Circuit Criminal Court to seven years' imprisonment for three offences, with the final two years suspended. Additionally, Limerick Circuit Criminal Court imposed a wholly suspended three-year sentence for a robbery at Fine Wines, which was ordered to be consecutive as the crime occurred while he was on bail. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed the Limerick sentence as unduly lenient, while Ryan's legal team challenged the severity of the Clonmel sentence. President Mr Justice Birmingham, sitting with Ms Justice Donnelly and Mr Justice McCarthy, found the Clonmel sentence overly severe given Ryan's history and the reality of the suspended portion. Conversely, the court determined the Limerick judge erred by suspending that sentence entirely. The court re-sentenced Ryan to six years' imprisonment for the Clonmel offences, with the final two years suspended. For the Limerick robbery, he received a consecutive three-year sentence with the final 18 months suspended. This intervention resulted in an additional six months of effective custody. Ryan was required to enter a good behaviour bond for the suspended periods. The court noted his adverse background and institutionalisation but acknowledged his positive conduct in custody.
The Central Criminal Court jury has begun deliberations on the murder trial of Paula Farrell, a 46‑year‑old from Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, who is charged with killing her 30‑year‑old boyfriend, Wayne McQuillan, on New Year's morning 2014. Farrell pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, admitting she stabbed McQuillan four times. She claims she was sexually abused as a child and that McQuillan had sexually assaulted and attempted to strangle her, provoking her. The prosecution argues she fabricated a rape claim to justify the killing, while the defence maintains no such excuse. A forensic psychiatrist testified that Farrell suffered post‑traumatic stress disorder from alleged child abuse, influencing her actions. The jury, consisting of eight women and four men, retired to deliberate and will resume on Monday morning. The case remains at the jury deliberation stage.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Paula Farrell, 46, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for killing her 30‑year‑old boyfriend, Wayne McQuillan, on New Year's morning 2014. The prosecution argued that Farrell had fabricated a rape claim to justify the killing, citing her statements to Gardaí 15 months after the death and her description of the relationship as "brilliant." They highlighted forensic psychiatric evidence of post‑traumatic stress disorder from childhood abuse and noted that Farrell had been intoxicated with about six litres of cider that night. The defence countered that Farrell's PTSD and childhood sexual abuse shaped her state of mind, and that the alleged rape was a false narrative. The jury was instructed to consider whether provocation could reduce the charge to manslaughter, while the prosecution maintained that the evidence supported a murder verdict.
A father‑of‑three, Alan Lyons, aged 12 to 17 during the offences, was jailed for five years for the sexual abuse of a 12‑year‑old boy by Dirk Jager, a 57‑year‑old former prisoner serving a life sentence for murder. Jager pleaded guilty to six charges – three of sexual assault and three of gross indecency – committed between December 1992 and December 1997. The abuse began when Jager, then 31, convinced the child that a relationship was desired, escalating to full penetrative sex. Jager admitted the abuse in January 2017 and expressed remorse in a letter to the victim. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a headline sentence of five years, reduced to three and a half years, and a total of six years with the final year suspended for five years on condition that Jager engage with the Probation Service. Alan Lyons was convicted.
Kessy Ferraz, 31, pleaded guilty to sexual assault at Rochestown Lodge on 14 May 2018. The court sentenced him to 18 months imprisonment, fully suspended on the condition he keep the peace and be of good behaviour for 18 months. He was also ordered to raise €2,000 in compensation, which may be handed to the victim if she agrees. The incident occurred when Ferraz sought toilet rolls and followed a woman into a ladies' bathroom cubicle, where he kissed her neck, grabbed her hand and attempted to pull it down to his genitals. The victim resisted and escaped. Ferraz had no prior convictions, had been an unaccompanied minor from Angola, and had recently taken steps to find his family. The judge noted his guilty plea, cooperation, remorse, lack of record and difficult life path as mitigating factors. The sentence was deemed unlikely to result in re‑offending.
A 15‑year‑old boy was given a deferred sentence after pleading guilty to repeated oral and anal rape of his eight‑year‑old nephew between June and September 2017. The abuse was discovered when the nephew's mother, after learning of the acts, took the boy to Gardaí. The boy initially denied the allegations but later admitted to repeated abuse over three months. He was found to have been exposed to heterosexual pornography on his smartphone, contributing to social isolation and difficulty forming age‑appropriate relationships. His mother has confiscated the phone, and he is now allowed only supervised use. A psychiatric report recommends supervision of his internet access. Probation Services assessed his risk of re‑offending as low. The court deferred a three‑year detention, ordered probation supervision, and set a review for July 14 next year. The judge praised the mother's courage in reporting the abuse.
Maximilian Lang-Orsini, 24, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to sexual assault at Hanover Lane, Dublin, on November 16, 2013. The prosecution alleged that Lang-Orsini exposed himself and masturbated in front of an injured 64-year-old woman, standing over her while she lay on the ground. Judge Martin Nolan accepted the submission that the charge was based on the victim's apprehension of imminent sexual assault, noting a reasonable basis for the charge while acknowledging Lang-Orsini did not intend to physically injure or sexually assault her. The judge described the behavior as shameful and stated that the only reason Lang-Orsini avoided immediate custody was his lack of prior convictions. He sentenced Lang-Orsini to two years in prison, which was suspended in full for two years. Additionally, the court ordered Lang-Orsini to raise €10,000 to be handed over to Garda O'Brien within 18 months, a sum the judge described as a punishment intended to deter future offenses. If the victim does not accept the money, the court will dispose of it. Judge Nolan emphasized that he would have imposed a custodial sentence if he believed Lang-Orsini deserved one. The defense noted Lang-Orsini had no previous convictions, was intoxicated on MDMA at the time, and had apologized unreservedly.
In the Louth woman's trial at the Central Criminal Court, Dr Sally Linehan, a consultant forensic psychiatrist, testified for the prosecution. She reported that she had produced two reports on Paula Farrell, the 46‑year‑old accused of murdering her boyfriend Wayne McQuillan. In the 2015 report, Dr Linehan noted that Farrell had not experienced flashbacks or hearing voices at the time of the alleged offence, but she did meet the criteria for post‑traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In the 2019 report, Farrell admitted to intrusive dreams about childhood sexual abuse but did not recall memories of abuse at the time of the 2014 killing. Dr Linehan was not satisfied that Farrell had a dissociative reaction during the incident. She agreed with the defence psychiatrist that Farrell suffered from PTSD, alcohol dependence, hypersensitivity, hyper‑vigilance and emotional instability, and that she had a passive death wish but no plan to harm herself. The jury will hear closing speeches tomorrow. Paula Farrell pleaded not guilty.
In a 2019 trial at the Central Criminal Court, 46‑year‑old Paula Farrell of Drogheda pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for killing 30‑year‑old Wayne McQuillan on New Year's Day 2014. She admitted stabbing him four times and claimed he had tried to rape her, an allegation she said stemmed from childhood sexual abuse. A forensic psychiatrist testified that Farrell suffered from post‑traumatic stress disorder due to that abuse. Dr Kevin Lamb, a clinical psychologist, testified that Farrell's IQ was around 70, placing her in the lowest two percent of the population, and argued that this limited her ability to plan the killing. He also noted that Farrell's mental state, intoxication, childhood abuse and alleged sexual assault together contributed to the incident. The prosecution highlighted McQuillan's injuries and suggested he had fought back, while the defence maintained Farrell's narrative. The court heard these conflicting accounts during the trial's ninth day.
Patrick O'Driscoll, aged 21, was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury in Cork of raping a sleeping woman on 10 May 2016 while her boyfriend slept beside her. The victim, who remains anonymous, stated that the assault occurred from behind and that she tried to wake her boyfriend, leading to a confrontation. O'Driscoll denied the charge, claiming he had been invited to sleep in the bed, a claim refuted by the boyfriend. He was arrested for a public order offence before the full extent of the incident was known. O'Driscoll, who has 37 prior district‑court convictions, was sentenced to ten years, reduced to seven years by the judge to account for mitigating factors such as his young age and personal circumstances. He remains in custody. The court noted no restriction on publishing his identity but advised caution in reporting the location. The victim's impact statement described lasting emotional harm, nightmares, and feelings of shame and anger.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 63‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to raping a woman who could not recall the incident the following morning. The offence occurred on 11 August 2015 in County Meath. The court sentenced him to five years' imprisonment and imposed a three‑year post‑release supervision period with strict conditions, including abstaining from alcohol. The judge noted that both the accused and the victim were alcoholics and had been drinking together that night, each consuming two bottles of wine. After the victim slept, the accused entered her room and had sex with her without consent, leaving a condom wrapper in the ensuite. The accused admitted keeping condoms in his wallet and flushing them after use. He had prior convictions for sexual assault in 2010 and 1994. The judge highlighted his limited intellectual ability, cognitive difficulties, impulsivity, and the victim's vulnerability.
In a 2019 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 74‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to indecent assault of his nephew, a boy aged about 13 or 14, committed between 1980 and 1983. The judge, citing the offence's maximum sentence of two years, imposed 16 months imprisonment, noting the defendant's age, remorse, guilty plea and mitigation. The court heard that the victim had been watching an Elvis Presley film when the uncle entered, forced the boy onto the couch, removed his clothes, and performed an anal rape. The uncle threatened the boy with death and family breakup if he disclosed the abuse. The defendant had 30 prior convictions, including firearms, drug possession and indecent assault. Gardaí had received an admission in 1989 that the defendant had done something "wrong" to the victim but did not investigate or inform the victim.
A 37‑year‑old man from County Clare was sentenced to more than nine years in prison for raping a 13‑year‑old girl in 2011 after chasing her on church grounds. He denied the rape but was convicted of defilement after DNA proved he was the father of the girl's child, born when she was 16. The court described him as a "dangerous sexual predator" with a long history of sexual offences, noting he will be released while still young. He will undergo seven years of post‑release supervision, must not contact anyone under 18 and must avoid loitering near places where children gather. The victim, now 20, said the assault ruined her life, causing ongoing anxiety and affecting her relationships. The man had previously been convicted of 17 sexual offences, including the defilement charge, and had 37 convictions in total. The unnamed 13-year-old pleaded guilty.
A 75‑year‑old man, Christopher Redmond of Finglas, had his 2018 conviction for raping his granddaughter quashed after a new medical report found he suffered from a severe form of dementia with no prospect of recovery. The Court of Appeal considered that the earlier report, which had only noted a mild cognitive impairment, did not raise any doubt about his fitness to stand trial at the time of the original trial. Redmond had pleaded not guilty to four counts of rape and five counts of sexual assault between 2002 and 2004. He was sentenced to five years' imprisonment by Ms Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh, who had reduced the headline sentence because of his progressive cognitive impairments. The appeal was allowed, and no further order was made. The victim, Leanne Murphy, aged seven to nine when abused, expressed her shock and disappointment with the outcome.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice Paul McDermott granted the legal teams of two 14‑year‑old boys convicted of murdering 14‑year‑old Ana Kriegel access to parts of each other's probation reports that relate to the murder and sexual assault. The request was made by Gerardine Small BL for the Director of Public Prosecutions, and both defendants' counsel, Patrick Gageby SC and Damien Colgan SC, objected neither to the disclosure nor to a garda inspector's access. The judge emphasised that the documents must be handled with the strictest confidence and warned that any breach would be contempt of court. He also limited media presence to no more than five reporters at the boys' sentencing in October, citing the need for an appropriate environment. The boys, referred to as Boy A and Boy B, were convicted by unanimous jury verdicts last month for Ana's murder and aggravated sexual assault.
In the Louth murder trial, 46‑year‑old Paula Farrell pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for killing 30‑year‑old Wayne McQuillan on New Year's Day 2014. She admitted stabbing him four times after he allegedly tried to have sex with her and began strangling her. Farrell testified that she had been abused as a child between ages seven and fourteen, and that she had reported the abuse to an adult who ensured her safety. She also disclosed that she had told a Rape Crisis Centre counsellor in 2016 that she felt "helpless like a child" when McQuillan tried to rape her. A forensic psychiatrist, Dr. Brenda Wright, testified that Farrell had long‑standing alcohol dependence, post‑traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), hypersensitivity, hyper‑vigilance and emotional instability, and that her childhood abuse had significantly increased her risk of these mental health difficulties. The trial continues with the prosecution cross‑examining the witness.