Seamus Marley, 45, pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to charges of sexual assault and anally raping two teenage boys in County Louth in the early 1990s. After a six‑day trial, the jury found him guilty on six counts of sexual assault and two counts of rape. The case centred on a large home owned by a "dedicated republican" that was used as a "safe house" for IRA volunteers. Marley was described by a character reference from his pastor as an "excellent Christian" with a "charitable spirit". The older victim reported being groped and anally raped by Marley, who warned him not to speak of the abuse. The younger victim described repeated groping, forced masturbation and an anally rape in a tent near the house. Marley had no prior convictions. The judge remanded him in custody and adjourned sentencing for the following Thursday.
A 42‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for child pornography offences and for sexually abusing a young boy. He pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault, sexual exploitation and producing child pornography between 2011 and 2013, and to possession of child pornography for distribution in 2006 and possession of child porn images, videos, texts and documents in 2013. Gardaí seized over 55,000 images, more than 6,000 videos and almost 4,500 text files from the man's computer, external hard drive and mobile phone. The court heard that some 13,000 images depicted children, mostly pre‑teenagers, in sexual activity with adults, and that 19 videos showed extreme child abuse, including victims as young as five months. The man had previously been convicted in 2006 of sexual assault of a child and received a suspended sentence.
In 2017, Keith Hearne, aged 30, was sentenced to 12 years for raping Dominique Meehan at the ArcadeCon gaming convention. Hearne pleaded guilty to two counts of rape, one count of oral rape and one count of false imprisonment. The sentencing judge, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, noted the seriousness of the offence and the evidence of sadomasochistic items found at the scene. Hearne's defence argued that his psychiatric history – Asperger's syndrome, ADHD, dyslexia and bipolar disorder – and lack of prior convictions should have been considered as mitigating factors. The Court of Appeal heard that only one mitigating circumstance had been considered. The DPP maintained the sentence was proper and proportionate to the heinous nature of the crime. Meehan, 27, expressed relief at the sentence but said it was too light and that her life had changed dramatically since the assault.
Marius Purcil, 39, of Woodbrook Hall, was sentenced to six years in prison for sexual assault and assault causing harm at a holistic treatment centre in Dublin on 21 January 2017. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan imposed five years for sexual assault and three years for assault causing harm, to run consecutively, and suspended the final two years on strict conditions. Purcil entered the premises, requested a massage from a receptionist who was absent, offered money for sex, and when she refused, he became aggressive, struck her, held a knife to her throat, and forced her to undress. He cut her leggings and underwear and inflicted lacerations to her genitals, as well as injuries to her face, head and neck. The victim, who was unconscious, later described the assault in a victim impact statement, expressing fear and a desire not to hate the attacker.
A 43-year-old man from Donegal has been convicted of sexually abusing his sister during their childhood. The Central Criminal Court jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on all charges following a trial in March, finding him guilty of four counts of anal rape, one of oral rape, and one of sexual assault at the family home between May 1991 and June 1993. Evidence presented included a secret audio recording in which the woman confronted her brother about the abuse during a family meeting. The man, who cannot be identified to protect the complainant's privacy, had pleaded not guilty to all charges. He has no previous convictions. During sentencing submissions, defence counsel noted his client's long employment history and community involvement, requesting leniency. Justice Tara Burns remanded him on continuing bail until May for sentencing, allowing him time to arrange his affairs.
Frank Kamara, 29, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 17 January 2018. He had sent a video of a boy aged one or two being raped to his supervisor, who watched it for two seconds before deleting it. Kamara claimed he sent the video to warn his supervisor about child sexual exploitation. The video, 4 minutes 59 seconds long, was the only child‑pornographic material found on his phone. Kamara had no prior convictions, was a cleaner at the time of the offence, and had a history of charitable work. Judge Elma Sheahan accepted the case as a one‑off offence, noted mitigating factors such as his guilty plea and remorse, and imposed a 12‑month imprisonment sentence suspended on the condition of good behaviour for 12 months.
A retired 86‑year‑old doctor lost an appeal against his conviction for abusing two 15‑year‑old teenage patients in the mid‑1970s. He had pleaded not guilty to eight charges of indecent assault, but a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found him guilty of indecently assaulting the two boys. The trial judge directed a not guilty verdict for one complainant and acquitted him on the remaining counts. He received two consecutive 10‑month sentences, totalling 20 months imprisonment, under Judge Cormac Quinn. The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction, noting that both victims were 15 when the doctor groped them during medical examinations. One victim described being tied to a bed, restrained with rubber bungee, and having his testicles massaged under a blanket. The second victim testified that the doctor massaged the base of his penis during follow‑up examinations for undescended testes, and the victim forced himself to ejaculate to end the assault.
Mansoor Uddin, 41, a taxi driver from Castleway, Adamstown, pleaded guilty to three sexual assault offences committed between January and February 2016. He sexually assaulted an 18‑year‑old German national, a 20‑year‑old woman, and an 18‑year‑old schoolgirl within two weeks. The first victim was forced to stay in the car, was touched and verbally abused, and later reported Uddin. The second victim was also touched and coerced, then left the vehicle. The third victim was touched and an attempt was made to touch her underwear; she resisted and tried to photograph Uddin. Gardaí used CCTV, a database of registered public service vehicles, a computer‑generated likeness, and GPS data from the HALO app to identify Uddin. The case was adjourned to May 8 for sentencing, and Uddin remains on continuing bail. Victim impact statements describe fear, isolation, and loss of trust in taxi services.
A man in his late thirties has filed a High Court application to stop the prosecution of four charges of rape and sexual assault against his younger siblings, alleged to have occurred in the late 1990s when he was aged 13 to 15. He argues that the law at the time made children aged 7 to 14 incapable of committing a criminal offence, and that the dates of the alleged offences are unclear, leaving open the possibility he was under 14. He seeks an order to prohibit further prosecution, declarations that the delay has prejudiced him, that a trial would be unfair and unjust, and that proceeding would breach his rights under the Irish Constitution and the European Convention of Human Rights. Mr Justice Seamus Noonan granted permission ex‑parte, put a stay on the prosecution, and adjourned the matter to June. The case is pending before the Central Criminal Court.
A 42‑year‑old foreign national was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court for repeatedly raping and sexually abusing his step‑daughter while her mother was working. He had pleaded guilty to three counts of defilement of a child under 17 between March and June 2017, and had also pleaded not guilty to one count of oral rape, 12 counts of rape and three counts of defilement between 2011 and 2017, and denied a further count of sexual exploitation in July 2017. The jury convicted him of all these charges. The victim, aged 11 to almost 16 at the time of the offences, gave a victim impact statement describing financial hardship, loss of sleep, school difficulties and emotional distress. The judge noted the abuse was a serious breach of trust, continued over several years, and imposed concurrent sentences totalling 12 years. The defendant does not accept the jury verdicts on the other counts.
A 38‑year‑old Limerick man was sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment for a series of violent rapes that took place on the night of 10 September 2016. He broke into his ex‑partner's home and, over a seven‑and‑a‑half‑hour period, threatened the woman with a knife, assaulted her, and raped her and her 16‑year‑old foster daughter. The man pleaded guilty ten days before the trial and expressed remorse through his counsel. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy imposed a headline sentence of life imprisonment but reduced it to 18 years because of the guilty plea, the man's remorse, and his rehabilitation efforts. The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence as proportionate. The case involved two victims, one of whom was a minor, and the man had a prior conviction for breach of a barring order.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 4 April 2019, John Gavin, 31, pleaded guilty to threatening Garda Sergeant Amanda Flood at the Four Courts on 29 May 2015. Gavin, who was already serving a six‑year sentence for rape, followed the sergeant around the courtroom, shouting that the law was corrupt and that she would "get run over by a bus." He also threatened to "smash this court up" and said "I hope you die roaring," until additional Gardaí arrived. The court heard that Gavin had 108 prior convictions, including assault and violent disorder, and that he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and was taking anti‑psychotic medication. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to 20 months imprisonment, to run consecutively to his existing sentence. The victim impact statement noted that the incident was the most distressing of Sergeant Flood's 15‑year career, prompting her to return home for a few weeks.
The Court of Appeal has adjourned the appeal of Christopher Redmond, a 75-year-old man convicted of raping and sexually assaulting his granddaughter. Redmond, of Finglas, pleaded not guilty to four counts of rape and five counts of sexual assault committed between January 2002 and May 2004 at the Tolka Valley pitch and putt club. He was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury in early 2018 and sentenced to five years' imprisonment by Ms Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh on April 27, 2018. His defence counsel, Andrew Sexton SC, argued that a post-conviction forensic psychiatric report, which identified significant cognitive impairment, raised doubts about his fitness to plead under Section 4 of the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006. The report noted his condition likely predated the trial but did not explicitly address fitness to plead as the conviction had already occurred. President of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, stated the court required specific expert opinions on his fitness to be tried. The State indicated its intention to have Redmond assessed by a Central Mental Hospital expert. The matter was adjourned for mention on June 21 to allow for these further assessments. Redmond is currently detained in Midlands Prison.
A man in his late sixties, whose identity is withheld for legal reasons, has filed a High Court challenge to stop his trial for a series of alleged indecent assaults that he claims occurred more than 30 years ago. He argues that a fair trial is impossible because many witnesses to the alleged events have died, his memory is incomplete and fading, and evidence has been lost over the intervening years. He also alleges that the Gardai's delay in prosecuting him is inordinate, culpable and unfair, and that proceeding with the prosecution would breach his rights to an expeditious and fair trial under the Irish Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights. Mr Justice Seamus Noonan granted permission for the challenge, placed a stay on the prosecution pending the judicial review, and the case is set to return to court in May.
A man from Knockloughlin in County Longford has withdrawn an appeal against his sentence for distributing child sexual abuse material, following advice from his legal team. Sylvio Rose, aged 51, a German national resident in Ireland since 2006, had pleaded guilty at Longford Circuit Criminal Court to possession and distribution of child pornography involving approximately 35,000 images and 1,700 videos. He was sentenced to five years imprisonment with the final two years suspended in May 2018. Rose's application to withdraw his appeal was heard at the Court of Appeal, where the President, Mr Justice George Birmingham, noted that he had been "well advised" to do so. The court acknowledged the gravity of the offences involved. Mr Justice Birmingham sat with Mr Justice Brian McGovern and Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy in permitting the late withdrawal.
A 16‑year‑old boy was sentenced by Mr Justice Michael White at the Central Criminal Court to a five‑year detention that was fully suspended for five years, provided he follows Probation Service directions, keeps the peace and behaves well. The court also ordered that he live away from his parents for a period recommended by NIAP, an inter‑agency project dealing with adolescents who sexually abuse, and that this condition remain in force when he turns 18. He must also participate in a treatment programme to educate him on the consequences of his offending behaviour. The boy pleaded guilty to five counts of oral rape and 44 counts of sexual assault against his eight‑year‑old half‑sister, committed between September 2016 and January 2017. The abuse was discovered when the boy's mother found him inappropriately touching his sister's genitals in January 2017.
A judge denied the State's request to bar the media from naming John Gibson, a former Christian Brother teacher, after he was convicted of indecent assault on two children in the 1980s. Gibson, aged 72, was jailed for two years for sexual assaults on a 12‑year‑old girl in 1983 and a 12‑year‑old boy in 1985. The Director of Public Prosecutions sought an order to prevent reporting on the case, citing potential prejudice in future trials. Publishers of the Irish Times, Irish Independent and Irish Daily Mirror applied to lift the restrictions, and the court found no compelling reason to impose them. Judge Elma Sheahan ruled that no reporting restrictions were necessary and that a future warning would suffice. Gibson was subsequently named in press coverage of his trial and sentencing.
Graham Doyle, aged 31, was convicted in Dublin of four counts of sexual assault and one count of oral rape against a 13‑year‑old girl he met on a social networking site while claiming to be a teenager. He had previously been convicted of defilement of a child under 15 in 2011. Doyle pleaded guilty to the offences committed between 1 August 2004 and 31 March 2005. Mr Justice Michael White sentenced him to five years' imprisonment, suspending the final three and a half years on the condition of good behaviour and probation. The judge noted Doyle's prior convictions, the seriousness of the offences, the victim's age and the psychological coercion used. Doyle was 16 at the time of the offences. The victim gave a victim impact statement describing the abuse and its lasting effects. The judge emphasised that the victim was innocent and should not feel responsibility for the abuse. The sentence was imposed in 2019.
Darragh Meehan, aged 26, was sentenced to six‑and‑a‑half years in March 2018 for defiling and sexually exploiting a 13‑year‑old girl when he was 19. The victim met Meehan in December 2011, after which they communicated regularly via Skype, Facebook and text. Meehan exposed himself, masturbated on camera, and urged the girl to masturbate or penetrate herself. In March 2012 they met in a park, where Meehan asked the girl to masturbate him, kissed her, and inserted his hand into her clothes, causing her discomfort. He also requested oral sex, which she initially refused but eventually complied with briefly. The girl's mother discovered concerning messages and alerted Gardaí, leading to Meehan's identification and subsequent guilty plea to one count of defilement and three counts of sexual exploitation. He has now appealed the severity of his sentence in the Court of Appeal, arguing the headline sentence of nine years is too high.
A jury has found an alleged IRA member guilty of sexually assaulting and anally raping two teenage boys at a 'republican safe house' in Co. Louth in the early 1990s and in 2001. The defendant (45) had pleaded not guilty to the charges. The jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on six counts of sexual assault and two counts of anal rape relating to the two complainants. However, the jury also returned not guilty verdicts on one count of sexual assault and one count of anal rape relating to one of the complainants, alleged to have occurred in 2001 when the complainant was in his 20s. The matter was adjourned for sentence to April 29, with the accused remanded in custody. The defendant denied the allegations, stating he had only stayed at the house a few times in the early 1990s while working a casual job and had no involvement in paramilitary organisations. The case is now adjourned for sentence.
In 2018, a 25‑year‑old man was convicted of raping a 17‑year‑old girl in Dublin. He pleaded not guilty to two counts, claiming both were consensual. A jury acquitted him of the first count but found him guilty of the second after a trial that had collapsed twice due to the victim's panic attacks. The trial was conducted via video link for the third hearing. Judge Paul Butler sentenced him to six years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, and later remarked that rape trials should provide complainants with legal advice. The defendant appealed, arguing that the judge's definition of recklessness was inadequate. The Court of Appeal noted that the judge used a 2018 Law Reform Commission definition instead of the 2016 Supreme Court definition, and the appeal was reserved for further consideration. The case remains pending.
A jury has begun deliberating in the trial of an alleged IRA member accused of raping two teenage boys at a "republican safe house" in County Louth in the early 1990s and again in 2001. The accused has pleaded not guilty to charges of sexual assault and anally raping the boys. Mr Justice Paul McDermott instructed the jury to start deliberations and sent them home for the night, to resume tomorrow morning. Prosecutor Patrick Gageby SC told the jury that the boys lived in a large home owned by a "dedicated republican" that was used as a safe house for IRA volunteers. The first complainant, who was 13 or 14 at the time, said the accused first stayed there around 1991 or 1992 and later abused him, describing incidents of the accused masturbating and sucking his penis. He also claimed the accused groped him in 2001, an act he denies.
In March 2019 the Central Criminal Court heard that a 42‑year‑old foreign national had sexually abused his step‑daughter in the family home while her mother was working. He admitted three counts of defilement of a child under seventeen between March and June 2017, and later pleaded guilty to those. He was convicted by a jury of further charges: one count of oral rape, twelve counts of rape and three counts of defilement between 2011 and 2017, and a count of sexual exploitation in July 2017. The victim, aged 11 to 16 at the time of the offences, gave a victim impact statement describing financial hardship, self‑esteem problems, sleep loss and school difficulties. She said she had broken down when she heard the verdict and does not want to see the accused again. Mr Justice Michael White adjourned the sentencing until the following month.
In a six‑day trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 43‑year‑old man was convicted of three counts of sexual assault and nine counts of anal rape against his daughter, who was aged between seven and thirteen at the time of the offences. The abuse occurred at the man's parents' home, his own home and at a wake, and began in the summer before the girl's communion when the father first pushed his penis against her anal area. He later progressed to anal rape. The daughter, who could not recall how many times she was abused, gave evidence describing the abuse as "distraught" and "heartbreaking". Judge Tara Burns imposed a 15‑year sentence, suspending the final two years, and urged the defendant to consider expressing remorse. The case highlighted the father's alcohol dependency and the daughter's ongoing emotional distress. The defendant's defence counsel noted his past tragedies and substance use.
An alleged IRA member, 45, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for charges of sexual assaulting and anally raping two teenage boys in Co. Louth in the early 1990s and in 2001. The accused told the court he had consensual sex with one of the complainants years after the alleged incidents. He stated he had stayed at the boys' home about 'half a dozen' times in the early 1990s while working a casual job and denied sexually abusing them. The accused claimed he had a consensual sexual relationship with one of the complainants over a few months after they met by chance years later. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The accused said he noticed the complainant with whom he had a sexual relationship seemed 'distressed' during their final meeting and that the complainant had told another person he had been sexually abused by him. The accused denied anally raping either boy or sleeping in a bed with them. The trial has reached closing stages before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
In a Munster case, a 16‑year‑old pleaded guilty to five counts of oral rape and 44 counts of sexual assault against his eight‑year‑old half‑sister between September 2016 and January 2017. The abuse was discovered when the boy's mother entered the living room in January 2017 and found him touching his daughter's genitals. He was arrested and admitted removing her clothes, masturbating, and penetrating her vagina with fingers and placing his penis in her mouth, while denying vaginal penetration. A psychologist reported that the boy had moved out of his mother's house after the discovery and was now living with his father, but that the environment was unsuitable for treatment. The court heard that the boy was motivated for help but needed an emotionally supportive caregiver for two years. The mother expressed shock, horror, and grief, noting her daughter's nightmares and her own anger toward the boy.
A former army officer, Timothy O'Sullivan, 67, was denied an extension of time to appeal his 11‑year sentence for raping two teenage boys between 1991 and 1996. The Central Criminal Court found that O'Sullivan, then in his forties, abused the boys, aged 13 to 16, threatening to shoot or bury them. He was sentenced to five years and six years consecutively. The judge praised the victims' bravery and noted their "courageous" statements. O'Sullivan's lawyers highlighted his military service and remorse. He lodged an appeal 13 weeks late, but the Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, refused the application, citing the lack of prospect for success and the need for finality in sexual offence cases. The decision was upheld by the panel of judges. Timothy O'Sullivan pleaded guilty.
An alleged IRA member, 45, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for alleged sexual assault and anal rape of two teenage boys in Co Louth during the early 1990s and in 2001. The accused has pleaded not guilty to the charges. During the second day of the trial, the second complainant testified that the accused told him he would be 'found on a border road' if he informed anyone of the alleged rape. The complainant stated that he was 17 when the accused groped him and later sexually assaulted him. He claimed the accused threatened him after the incident. The complainant also mentioned that he had a conversation with the other complainant in 2002 about the alleged incidents. The first complainant rejected claims by the defence that he had a consensual relationship with the accused in 2001. He stated that the accused was a sexual predator who used alcohol to manipulate him. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, John Gibson, aged 72, was found guilty of two indecent assault charges against a 12‑year‑old girl in 1983 and a 12‑year‑old boy in 1985 at a Christian Brothers' School in Co. Wexford. The trial, lasting five days, included testimony from the victims who described how Gibson molested them while washing them after manual work and later during showering or painting tasks. Gibson denied the charges but was convicted by a jury. The victims recounted the lasting impact of the abuse, including the man's loss of interest in sport, binge‑drinking, and eventual school dropout, and the woman's withdrawal, fear, and difficulty with intimacy. Gibson, now retired, lives under a structured community safety plan and is on the Sex Offenders' Register. The sentencing hearing was adjourned to 1 April for finalisation.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 45‑year‑old man accused of being an IRA member pleaded not guilty to charges of sexual assault and anal rape of two teenage boys in a republican safe house in County Louth during the early 1990s and again in 2001. The prosecution, led by Patrick Gageby SC, presented testimony that the complainants lived in a large home owned by a "dedicated republican" which was used as a safe house for IRA volunteers. One complainant, aged 13 or 14 at the time, alleged that the accused began abusing him after he joined the household around 1991 or 1992, describing repeated incidents of the accused masturbating and performing anal and oral sex on him. He claimed the accused demanded secrecy and later apologized for past actions. A second incident in 2001, when the complainant was living independently, involved the accused again performing anal and oral sex while the complainant was intoxicated.
A 43‑year‑old man was convicted by a jury after a six‑day trial of three counts of sexual assault and nine counts of anal rape against his daughter, who was aged between seven and thirteen at the time of the offences. The abuse took place at the man's parents' home, his own home and at a wake. The victim said she could not remember how many times she was abused because it happened so often. She reported that the father would push his penis against her anal area and later progressed to anal rape, telling her he "loved" her and treating her as a favourite by buying her things her siblings did not receive. She complained to Gardaí in 2015, but the father denied the allegations, claiming she was lying and blaming him for a family issue. The court adjourned sentencing to 25 March to allow the judge to consider the matter.
A 65‑year‑old man pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to six counts of sexual assault against a girl who was 10 years old in 2013. The court heard that the man had abused the girl on several occasions, including when she was sleeping in a camper van, during walks in Wicklow, and while she was on his knee in a shed. He claimed some of the touching was accidental and that he had memory problems. He also hinted that he had killed a former partner to keep the girl silent. The girl, now a teenager, reported ongoing fear, nightmares, and difficulty trusting people. The case was adjourned pending a psychological report, and the man remains on bail until sentencing in May.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 31‑year‑old Graham Doyle pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual assault and one count of rape of a 13‑year‑old girl between August 2004 and March 2005. Doyle, who had previously been convicted of defiling a child in 2011, met the victim on a social networking site while claiming to be a teenager. He convinced her to keep their relationship secret, invited her to his home, and engaged her in sexualised truth‑or‑dare games. The abuse escalated to forced oral sex and two instances of sexual intercourse. The victim, who came forward in 2013, described being psychologically coerced and expressed deep trauma. The court adjourned sentencing for March 29, 2019, and Judge White emphasized that the victim was innocent and should not be blamed for the abuse.
Michael Shine, aged 86, is awaiting the outcome of an appeal against his conviction for abusing two teenage boys in the mid‑1970s. He had pleaded not guilty to eight charges of indecent assault at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and his private clinic in Drogheda between 1964 and 1991. In October 2017, a jury found him guilty of indecent assault on two 15‑year‑old patients; the judge directed a not‑guilty verdict for one complainant and acquitted him on the remaining counts. He received two consecutive 10‑month sentences, totalling 20 months imprisonment, below the then‑maximum two‑year sentence. Counsel Hugh Hartnett SC argues the complaints were unusually orchestrated via media campaigns, all complainants used the same solicitor and psychiatrist, and the trial judge failed to address this. He also contends the judge improperly admitted evidence of civil settlements (€70k) to rebut claims of financial motivation, calling it prejudicial and lacking probative value.
Chico Makamda, 36, of Viking House, Waterford, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to sexual assault, false imprisonment and robbery committed on April 16, 2018, in Adare Lane, Dublin. He attacked a woman in her early fifties who was relieving herself behind bins, punching her three times, attempting to pull her jeans down, and masturbating in front of her. The victim fell, hit her head, and later discovered her wallet and phone missing. Makamda fled when another man arrived. He was sentenced to seven and a half years for false imprisonment and robbery, with the final two and a half years suspended for two and a half years on the condition he leave the country within 14 days of release. He received a concurrent four‑year sentence for sexual assault, backdated to the day of his first custody. The judge noted the victim's severe trauma and the aggravated nature of the offences.
In March 2019, a 65‑year‑old man from Westmeath was sentenced to eight years in prison by the Central Criminal Court for a series of sexual offences against his niece. The woman, now 40, reported that the abuse began when she was eight and continued until she was 14, including repeated indecent assault, sexual assault and a rape that she estimated occurred when she was 12. She described the uncle's behaviour as controlling and grooming, noting that he would often touch her, masturbate in her presence and force oral sex. The court heard her victim impact report, in which she spoke of lasting trauma, depression and suicidal thoughts. Mr Justice Paul McDermott highlighted the aggravating factor of her age and the abuse's dominance over her childhood. The sentence included three years of post‑release supervision and a prohibition on any contact with the woman or her family. The unnamed 12 year-old pleaded guilty.
The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal of a 20‑year‑old man who, as a 16‑year‑old, boasted about raping a 15‑year‑old girl at a house party in Co. Wexford. He had pleaded not guilty to rape on 24 July 2014 and was tried as an adult after a two‑year delay. A jury found him guilty and he was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. The appeal was brought by the defendant and the Director of Public Prosecutions, who argued the sentence was too severe and too lenient respectively. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, found significant aggravating factors, including the victim's vulnerable, drunken state and the defendant's planning and persistence. The court upheld the sentence and dismissed both appeals, noting the defendant's age and the seriousness of the offence. The decision was made on 23 October 2017.
The State has dropped the sexual assault charges against Cork GP Kevin Mulcahy, 61, after a jury failed to reach a verdict in a trial earlier this month. Mulcahy had pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of sexual assault – one alleged in his Mallow surgery in February 1995 and a second between 8 May and 31 December 1996. Prosecutor Maddie Grant BL informed Judge Melanie Greally that the State would not pursue a third trial and requested a nolle prosequi. The judge granted the request, discharging Mulcahy from the indictment.
Michael Shine, an 86‑year‑old retired surgeon, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four years' imprisonment for one count of indecent assault and 18 months for the remaining 11 counts, all to run concurrently. The charges cover 12 indecent assault offences and one sexual assault committed during medical examinations at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and two private clinics in Drogheda between 1971 and 1992. A jury found him guilty after just over six hours of deliberation. Judge Martin Nolan noted the seriousness of the pattern of misbehaviour, the victims' vulnerability and Shine's position of trust as aggravating factors, while his age and health were mitigating. Shine denied any improper conduct and claimed no memory of the incidents. The sentence reflects the court's decision to impose the headline term of four years, with the remaining terms running concurrently. The case remains under appeal for previous convictions. Michael Shine pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, retired surgeon Michael Shine, aged 86, was found guilty of 12 indecent assault charges and one sexual assault charge committed during medical examinations between 1971 and 1992. The jury, after just over six hours of deliberation, returned guilty verdicts. Victim Patrick Cusack, who waived anonymity, described the abuse as a "life sentence of pain, hurt, anguish and shame," noting he had not slept properly for 45 years until the verdict. Two other victims also testified that Shine showed no understanding of his actions and that the abuse had eroded their trust in people. The court adjourned sentencing to the following Monday, with Shine remanded on continuing bail. No sentencing outcome was provided in the article.
Garrett Phillips, a former Ros na Rún actor, has been granted legal aid for an appeal against his conviction. Phillips, 47, of Galway, was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury of raping a 20-year-old woman in November 2015. He had pleaded not guilty to the charge and had no previous convictions. The Court of Appeal President, Mr Justice George Birmingham, approved legal aid for two counsel after Phillips' lawyer, Ange Bolly BL, demonstrated the appellant had no income or assets. Phillips is appealing his conviction, which has not yet been dated for hearing. He was originally sentenced to six years' imprisonment by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, who described the act as a "callous rape" with a "predatory element." The court heard that Phillips offered the victim a lift home after she was upset in a park, but allegedly raped her in his van. Phillips claimed the encounter was consensual, stating it felt "chemical," while the victim reported waking to find him standing over her. She escaped, memorised the vehicle registration, and sought help. Phillips, a father of two who had been acting in London, was not present for this procedural hearing. The matter remains at the appeal stage, with the legal aid application now resolved to facilitate the upcoming Court of Appeal proceedings.
A 20‑year‑old man, who was 16 when he raped a 15‑year‑old girl at a house party in Co. Wexford, is awaiting the outcome of two appeals on his three‑year jail term. He was tried as an adult after a two‑year delay between interview and charge. A jury found him guilty and he was sentenced to five years, with the final two suspended, by Mr Justice Paul McDermott on 23 October 2017. In the appeal, his barrister, Paddy McCarthy SC, argued the sentence was too long, citing the defendant's youth and the need to minimise interference with his future education and career. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Pauline Walley SC, welcomed the withdrawal of the defendant's appeal against conviction and argued the sentence was too lenient, noting the seriousness of the offence and the victim's vulnerability. The Court of Appeal will reserve judgement. The unnamed 15-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 31-year-old man from County Sligo has been sentenced at the Central Criminal Court to three years imprisonment, with the final year suspended for twelve months, following his guilty plea to the defilement of a child under 15. The offence occurred at an apartment in September 2012. The court heard that the girl, aged 14 at the time, was met by the man by chance and subsequently assaulted sexually against her will. She had informed him of her age and falsely claimed pregnancy in an attempt to discourage him. The man denied knowledge of her age, claiming he believed her to be approximately 18. Justice Tara Burns identified the significant age disparity and the victim's vulnerability as aggravating factors, whilst acknowledging the defendant's guilty plea and admissions to gardaí as mitigation. The suspended portion is conditional on the man maintaining the peace, remaining substance-free, and avoiding contact with minors. He is currently serving a separate sentence for assault causing harm.
A former Christian Brothers teacher, John Gibson (71) of Dun Laoghaire, Dublin, has been found guilty of indecent assault against a 12-year-old girl at a Christian Brother's School in Co. Wexford, between May and September 1983. Gibson pleaded not guilty to the charges, but a jury returned majority guilty verdicts on all three charges after deliberating for just over four hours. The trial, which lasted five days, heard testimony from two complainants who alleged that Gibson molested them while washing them after they had carried out manual work around the school. Judge Elma Sheahan thanked the jurors for their care and attention to the case. She remanded Gibson on continuing bail until his sentence hearing on March 19th, next. She further ordered victim impact reports for that date. Gibson was also ordered to sign on at Dun Laoghaire Garda Station once a week, surrender his passport, and notify authorities of any change in his address. The matter was adjourned and will be finalised at the sentence hearing on March 19th.
In a Court of Appeal decision on 13 February 2019, a 45‑year‑old man was upheld as having received a six‑year jail term for sexual abuse of a primary school pupil over a period of about six years. The man pleaded guilty to sexual assault, indecent assault and one count of oral rape of his nephew at two locations in Limerick between 1989 and 1996. The Central Criminal Court had found that the victim, aged six to 12, suffered repeated abuse while the uncle was aged 16 to 23. The victim's impact statement described the abuse as having haunted him, torn his family apart and left him feeling shunned. The original sentence of eight years, with the final two years suspended, was imposed by Justice Isobel Kennedy on 27 October 2015 and was upheld by the Court of Appeal.
A jury could not reach a verdict in the trial of Dr Kevin Mulcahy, 61, of Creggane, Lombardstown, Mallow, Co Cork, who was accused of sexually assaulting a teenage patient in his surgery in Mallow in February 1995 and again in 1996. Mulcahy pleaded not guilty to both counts. The complainant's brother had taken her to the doctor in early 1995, where the doctor allegedly touched her breasts and the incident "didn't feel right". In the summer of 1996 the complainant returned to the doctor, who allegedly exposed his penis and placed her hand on it. The jury deliberated for over five hours but failed to reach a verdict. Judge Pauline Codd thanked the jurors for their care and attention and adjourned the case for mention on 26 February.
A 25‑year‑old UK resident was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with the last six months suspended, for repeatedly travelling to Dublin to have sex with a 16‑year‑old girl he claimed to love. The court found the relationship was exploitative and pre‑meditated, with the defendant controlling, possessive and manipulative. He pleaded guilty to eleven counts of serial defilement of a minor, two counts of travelling with the purpose of exploitation of a child and one count of production of child pornography. The judge noted the defendant's youth, lack of prior convictions and remorse, and imposed a three‑year post‑release supervision order. The sentence was back‑dated to 15 July 2017. The court also ordered the destruction of the defendant's mobile phone, which had been used to record child‑pornographic material. The victim's impact statement described the defendant as persuasive and demanding, and she expressed difficulty trusting others after the abuse.
The jury has begun deliberations in the trial of Dr Kevin Mulcahy, 61, of Creggane, Lombardstown, Mallow, Co Cork, who has pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault. The first alleged assault occurred in February 1995 when the complainant's brother brought her to Mulcahy's surgery; the complainant says Mulcahy touched her breasts and it "didn't feel right." The second alleged assault took place between 8 May 1996 and 31 December 1996, when the complainant says Mulcahy exposed his penis and placed her hand on it. Judge Pauline Codd sent the jury home at 4 pm to resume deliberations the next day. In closing speeches, the prosecution's counsel, Maddie Grant BL, urged jurors to assess the complainant's truthfulness and reliability, noting her bipolar disorder and that she has never relented from her allegations since 2005.
The trial of Dr Kevin Mulcahy, 61, at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court involves his plea of not guilty to two counts of sexual assault against a teenage patient in Mallow, Co Cork, in 1995 and 1996. On the third day of the hearing, Dr Bobby Burns, an adult psychiatrist at St Stephen's Hospital, testified that he first met the complainant in August 2005 when she was transferred from the UK with acute delusional psychotic disorder. Burns said the woman later alleged assault by Mulcahy and that he advised her to discuss the allegations with another team member. Burns continued to treat her, diagnosing bipolar disorder and noting that her condition is now managed with medication. Burns stated that her illness did not influence her allegations, and under cross‑examination, the defendant acknowledged that the complainant once had delusions of being the mother of the baby Jesus, which disappeared when she became well.
A 21‑year‑old man who endured repeated rape and sexual assault by his half‑brother, who was ten years older, was praised by Mr Justice Michael White at a Central Criminal Court sentencing hearing. The victim was first abused at age seven or eight and was assaulted weekly for seven years until he moved at age eleven. The half‑brother, aged 31, pleaded guilty to 18 counts covering 63 offences of rape and sexual assault between September 2005 and September 2012, and to one count of possessing child pornography. The judge imposed a nine‑year sentence, suspending the last two years, and ordered the defendant to attend sex‑offender treatment programmes. The judge expressed hope that the court's words would comfort the victim, who had only recently attended his first counselling session at the Rape Crisis Centre. The case was brought to light when a work colleague reported the defendant's viewing of child pornography on a work computer.