In a tribunal hearing on 12 July 2017, Kay McLoughlin, a social work team leader, denied that she was a "puppet of the gardaí" after a letter she wrote to whistle‑blower Sergeant Maurice McCabe in December 2015 contained false allegations of sexual abuse. The letter, which claimed McCabe had "digitally penetrated" Ms D and threatened her father, was sent to McCabe to arrange a meeting. McLoughlin explained that she had been aware of McCabe from media reports and that a Tusla file on him had been opened in 2013 following a counselling request by Ms D. An administrative error had inserted an unrelated allegation of "digital penetration" into the file, which McLoughlin admitted she had not fully reviewed. She accepted responsibility for sending the inappropriate letter and said she had no bias or grievance against McCabe or the Gardaí. The tribunal continued the next day.
The trial in the Central Criminal Court concerns a 44‑year‑old Dublin man who pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape, one count of oral rape and one count of anal rape of his then‑wife on Christmas Day 2003. The wife, who has not been named, denies that any sexual activity was consensual. She says she was on the couch after putting their children to bed, had about seven glasses of wine, fell asleep and was then forced upon her. She repeatedly told the husband "No", but he allegedly replied "It's OK" and "I've waited a long time for this" before forcing himself on her. She claims she pushed him away, went to bed, and the next morning confronted him, asking why. The defence counsel argued that there was no truth to the allegation of sexual assault, that the husband had only "consensual vaginal intercourse" and that the wife had not asked for oral sex.
In a Charleton tribunal hearing, Gerard Lowry, Tusla's Cavan‑Monaghan manager, denied any coordination or collusion with Gardaí in creating files that alleged sexual abuse against whistle‑blower Sergeant Maurice McCabe. Lowry stated there was no contact with Gardaí regarding the file. The tribunal is examining claims that such allegations were used to smear McCabe's reputation. The DPP had previously declined to press charges in 2007 due to lack of evidence. In January 2016, McCabe's solicitors wrote to Tusla after receiving a letter from social‑work team leader Kay McLoughlin containing false allegations of serious sexual abuse. Tusla responded in June 2016, withdrawing the false allegation and adding a new claim that McCabe had "humped" a girl during a game of hide and seek. McCabe denied ever playing hide and seek, citing his child's special needs.
CCC Nuacht, a court‑reporting agency, announced a settlement with Leo Sherlock, trading as The Liberal.ie, over four copyright infringements between June 2015 and November 2016. The infringements involved the publication of CCC Nuacht's reports on a Romanian fraud case, a babysitter's sexual abuse conviction, and a former Church of Ireland worker's rape and molestation conviction. Sherlock repeatedly ignored attempts to resolve the breaches. The settlement requires Sherlock to publish a full apology on The Liberal.ie's website by 13 July, keep it on the main page for at least 48 hours, and post a link to the apology on the site's Facebook and Twitter accounts for 24 hours. The apology will remain permanently online. Sherlock also agreed to pay damages. CCC Nuacht thanked solicitor Rossa McMahon for representing the agency and highlighted the importance of licensed court reporting for accurate journalism and justice administration.
During the Charleton tribunal, Gerard Lowry, Tusla's area manager for Cavan‑Monaghan, testified that the series of errors leading to false child‑abuse allegations against Garda whistle‑blower Maurice McCabe were "absolutely coincidences." Lowry admitted he did not remember McCabe attending child‑protection meetings, but tribunal barrister Pat Marrinan cited evidence that McCabe had been present at meetings in 2004 and on core teams. Lowry explained that an email in 2014 identified McCabe as "MMcC" and referred to allegations made to RIAN by Ms D in 2006; unrelated allegations from Ms Y were mistakenly added to McCabe's file. He acknowledged failing to correct records once the errors were discovered and not checking RIAN's false information about a rape offence. Marrinan highlighted that Tusla was aware of the errors yet did not resolve them promptly, and that a draft letter with false allegations was circulated in late 2015. The tribunal continued the next day.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a woman accused her husband of raping her on Christmas Day 2003. She described how, after the alleged assault, he attempted to reconcile, but she could not trust him and could not get over the incident. The accused, who cannot be named, pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape, one count of oral rape and one count of anal rape. The woman recounted the events of the day, including a Christmas dinner with relatives, her consumption of wine, and the alleged assault that began with her husband pulling her shoulder and forcing his penis into her mouth, then into her vagina and anus, despite her repeated refusals. She said he later backed off, she pushed him off, and no further contact occurred that night.
Tom Humphries, 54, of Corr Castle, Sutton, Dublin, had his sentencing for sexual exploitation and defilement of a child adjourned to 3 October. He pleaded guilty in March to six sexual offences against a girl under 17, including two counts of defilement between 5 December 2010 and 19 February 2011 and four counts of inviting a child to participate in a sexually explicit act between January 2010 and March 2011. Three further charges were dropped last month. The judge, citing the need for a report, postponed the hearing to October.
A social worker has told the Charleton tribunal that administrative error led her to fail to identify that two distinct alleged abuse victims were listed within a single report file. The tribunal is examining claims that allegations of sexual abuse were deployed to undermine garda sergeant Maurice McCabe, a whistleblower. Laura Connolly, a duty social worker in Cavan town, gave evidence that separate incidents were combined into one document during 2014. She acknowledged that while reviewing materials, she did not notice that different surnames appeared in the report, attributing this to oversight and human error. Ms Connolly said she would have relied upon written professional records rather than telephone conversation notes. The Director of Public Prosecutions declined to prosecute in the matter in 2007 due to insufficient evidence. The tribunal heard that Ms Connolly only became aware of her involvement when contacted by a tribunal investigator, and that media coverage of Sergeant McCabe's whistleblowing role held no particular significance for her. Proceedings continued.
Francis Rafferty, aged 68, was convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of raping his young niece and sexually assaulting her older sister between 2005 and 2008. He pleaded guilty to the assault of the younger girl, aged nine to twelve, and was found guilty of two counts of rape of that victim and of assaulting the older sister. He was acquitted of two other rape charges he had denied. The court noted that Rafferty had no understanding of the hurt and trauma caused, and that he abused his family position, threatening the girls and giving their parents money to leave the house so he could attack them. He was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, ordered to undergo sex‑offender treatment, and placed under two years' post‑release supervision. The victims, now adults, gave permission for their uncle's name to be published.
A 44‑year‑old Dublin man was tried at the Central Criminal Court for raping his wife on Christmas Day 2003. He pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape, one of oral rape and one of anal rape. Prosecutor John O'Kelly SC told the jury that marriage does not exempt rape from criminal liability. He described the couple's typical Christmas Day, noting they had two young children and had visited family before returning home for dinner. The accused allegedly put the children to bed, and the wife fell asleep on the sofa. At about 8.30 pm she reportedly woke to find the husband forcing his penis into her mouth; she resisted and said "no," but he persisted. O'Kelly said the wife was also vaginally and anally raped and that she resisted until she could escape.
A 52-year-old man from Donegal has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the rape and sexual assault of his former partner's daughter over a five-year period. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed concurrent sentences of eight years for rape, seven years for each count of sexual assault, and seven years for producing child pornography. The man pleaded guilty on the scheduled trial date in April to one count of rape occurring in 2006 when the victim was four years old, six further counts of sexual assault between 2008 and 2011, and one count of child pornography production. A video recording discovered during a separate investigation provided evidence in the case. The now teenage victim provided a detailed account to gardaí detailing abuse that typically occurred during overnight weekend visits. The abuse came to light in 2014 following concerns raised by the victim's school principal. The man has been registered as a sex offender and is subject to five years post-release supervision with conditions prohibiting contact with the victim.
A 24‑year‑old Kildare man, whose name is withheld to protect the 11‑year‑old victim, was originally sentenced to four years' imprisonment for two counts of sexual assault and an oral rape committed when he was 15. The offences involved blindfold games in which he forced his penis into the girl's mouth. The judge suspended the final two years, giving an 18‑month custodial term with six months suspended. On appeal the Court of Appeal found the original sentence did not adequately discount his youth and lack of maturity, and re‑sentenced him to 18 months with the final six months suspended for twelve months. The man pleaded guilty, described his actions as "experimental", expressed remorse, and had no prior convictions. He had subsequently qualified as an engineer and was considered unlikely to reoffend. The case was reported to Gardaí in 2013 and involved no violence or threat of violence.
In February 2014, Mohamed Okda, a 30‑year‑old Egyptian national, was convicted by a jury of raping a woman who had become lost during a night out in Dublin. The woman, who was drunk and disoriented, had been staying with friends and had lost contact with them. Okda approached her, offered help, and invited her to his flat. While she was unconscious, he allegedly forced sexual acts upon her, including rape. She later testified that he had taken her glasses and phone, coerced her into oral sex, and threatened her. After the incident, she fled the flat, was found by a taxi driver, and reported the assault to Gardaí. Okda was remanded into custody for sentencing on 28 July. The trial lasted seven days, and the jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on all counts within just under three hours. The court rejected a bail application, citing flight risk concerns. Mohamed Okda pleaded not guilty.
The Charleton tribunal, chaired by Mr Justice Peter Charleton, examined whether a social worker, Keara McGlone, was unfairly expected to follow up on a query she sent to Superintendent Noel Cunningham regarding allegations of sexual abuse against Sergeant Maurice McCabe. McGlone had written to Cunningham in August 2013, after receiving allegations from Ms D that were similar to those investigated in 2007, and had provided three phone numbers for contact. Cunningham, who had been on holiday and whose father had died that autumn, did not reply. McGlone, who had 230 other cases and was not aware of McCabe's whistle‑blowing role, had moved to another position by January 2014. Mr Justice Charleton expressed that he was "not impressed with the notion" that the onus was on a social worker to pursue a response that was never received. The tribunal continued its hearing later that afternoon.
The Charleton Tribunal, examining allegations that sexual abuse claims were weaponised against garda whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe, heard evidence on the handling of a false allegation originating from Bailieboro Garda Station in County Cavan in 2013. Justice Peter Charleton stated he required information about how gardaí discovered the allegation was erroneous and how it subsequently reached senior officers in Sligo and Dublin. The tribunal also examined a 2015 letter from Tusla to Sergeant McCabe regarding his children. Counsel for the Garda Commissioner indicated that while Superintendent Leo McGinn initially believed the report warranted external investigation, it was rapidly established as a repeat of a 2006 matter requiring no further action. A director of counselling with RIAN testified about incorrect records sent by HSE Child & Family Services in error, confirming the information stemmed from a cut-and-paste error. The witness acknowledged the gravity of the mistake for Sergeant McCabe's reputation but stated the agency had not contacted him about the allegations.
In a Dublin court, a 30‑year‑old Laois man is on trial for two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, alleged to have occurred in February 2014 at a flat in the city centre. The defendant, who was staying in a friend's flat, met a married woman who had become lost and upset during a night out. He claims the encounter was consensual, stating the woman initiated contact and that he did not do anything she did not want. The woman testified that she was drunk, exhausted, and had blacked out after lying on a sofa bed. She said the defendant forced her to perform oral sex, was aggressive, and ultimately raped her. She attempted to leave, was disoriented, and later told a taxi driver she had been raped. The unnamed 30-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In July 2017, the Charleton Tribunal heard that HSE psychologist Laura Brophy had mistakenly included severe sexual abuse allegations in a 2013 report about Sgt Maurice McCabe, a garda whistle‑blower. The erroneous report mixed details from an unrelated investigation involving another garda's daughter, Ms D, and a woman named Ms Y, leading to allegations of "digital penetration" that were not applicable to McCabe. Brophy admitted the error, stating she had corrected it and changed her work practices to prevent recurrence. She also denied ever considering deliberate defamation of McCabe, describing such an act as catastrophic. The tribunal noted that while the incorrect allegations were amended, some erroneous claims, including a threat to kill Ms D's father, remained on garda records. The hearing also discussed procedural changes to child‑abuse reporting to avoid future mistakes. The tribunal resumed the next day.
A clinical psychologist testified at the Disclosures Tribunal on Tuesday that she experienced considerable distress upon discovering she had inadvertently included more serious sexual abuse allegations in a 2013 counselling report concerning Garda Sergeant Maurice McCabe. Laura Brophy, employed by RIAN, a HSE-funded counselling service, told the tribunal that whilst meeting with a client in July 2013, she accurately recorded initial allegations of inappropriate touching. However, when preparing a formal written report following a subsequent session, allegations from an unrelated case involving another client were erroneously included in the document. Ms Brophy stated the error was identified in May 2014 when the original client contacted her. She said she immediately notified her supervisor and relevant authorities, including gardaí at Bailieborough station and the HSE, to request retrieval and correction of the inaccurate report. The tribunal, examining an alleged smear campaign against Sergeant McCabe, is investigating whether State agency files were improperly used by senior gardaí. Ms Brophy's evidence continues.
Anthony Goodman, 72, a convicted sex offender with a history of sacrilege and buggery of an animal, breached a court order by travelling on public transport without notifying Gardaí. In 2012, a Cork Circuit Criminal Court order prohibited him from attending certain locations and from using public transport except one local bus route unless he gave two hours' notice. In 2015, Goodman failed to give notice before boarding buses on Westmoreland Street and to Enniskerry, leading to his arrest on 3 September 2015. He has remained in custody since. Judge Elma Sheahan backdated a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence to September 2015, suspended the final eight months, and structured the sentence so the suspended portion benefits him. Goodman has over 200 prior convictions, including sexual assault, electrical diversion, animal buggery, sacrilege, and previous transport violations. He was removed from the sex offenders register on 29 June after five years on it. Anthony Goodman pleaded guilty.
In July 2017, a Tribunal Judge, Justice Peter Charleton, noted that allegations of child sexual abuse against Garda whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe "came out of the blue" when they were presented to him nine years after the initial claim. Social worker Rhona Murphy testified that a Garda colleague named McCabe as the alleged abuser of his daughter, Ms D. The allegations surfaced after Ms D was referred to social workers for a separate issue in September 2005, and a statement was made to Gardai in December 2006. McCabe was not interviewed by social workers, and a meeting in April 2007 recorded that he should be offered a risk assessment. The DPP decided against prosecution, Ms D disengaged, and the child sexual abuse team closed the case in October 2007. Ms Murphy noted that McCabe had never been met by a social worker regarding the allegations.
A 21-year-old man from Sligo has been sentenced to two years imprisonment, with the final year suspended, following his conviction for assault at the Central Criminal Court. The man was acquitted of rape but found guilty of assault causing harm related to an incident at a house party in Sligo on 26 June 2014. He pleaded not guilty to both charges. The court heard evidence that the victim was bitten during the assault. In sentencing, Mr Justice Paul Butler noted the victim's impact statement describing significant psychological harm. The judge acknowledged the man's explanation that he was heavily intoxicated and observed he has abstained from alcohol since the incident, though he carries seven previous convictions including violent disorder and public order offences. The suspended portion of the sentence is conditional on specified undertakings.
A Kildare man, now 24, is appealing against a custodial sentence imposed for offences committed when he was 15. The appellant pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault in a shed at his home in Co. Kildare in October and December 2008, as well as oral rape at his home in April 2009 and in a woodland near his home in May 2009. On November 28, 2016, Mr Justice Tony Hunt sentenced him to four years imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. Counsel Hugh Hartnett SC argued that the appellant should have been spared jail, citing his age at the time and characterizing the acts as reckless experimentation. He submitted that under the 2001 Children's Act, detention for a legal juvenile must be a last resort. The appeal was heard by Mr Justice George Birmingham, sitting with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Hedigan. The court reserved judgment on the appeal against the severity of the sentence, with the decision scheduled to be delivered on Friday next. The matter remains adjourned pending this ruling.
A 57‑year‑old Dublin man was convicted by a jury of 41 counts of indecent assault against a young relative who was between six and nine years old when abused between 1983 and 1986. The man, aged 24 to 26 at the time, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, by Judge Gerard O'Brien on 8 February 2016. He appealed both his conviction and the severity of the sentence, but the Court of Appeal dismissed both appeals. In the appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, sitting with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Hedigan, confirmed that the man had no prior convictions and that the sentence was a severe one, reflecting the prolonged, systemic nature of the abuse and the psychological harm inflicted on the victim, who is a second cousin of the accused. The Court of Appeal upheld the original eight‑year sentence with one year suspended.
The Court of Appeal upheld a 13‑year jail term for a 40‑year‑old man convicted of raping a woman four times in a single incident at his Laois home. The man had been sentenced to 14 years with the final year suspended, but the appeal against the severity of the sentence was dismissed. The judge noted the prolonged, violent nature of the attacks, the humiliation inflicted, and credible threats to kill the victim and her mother. The defendant's defence claimed no sexual contact and that injuries were due to force used to reject advances. The appeal also addressed the defendant's request to introduce sexually explicit images, which the trial judge deemed irrelevant. The Court of Appeal found no grounds to alter the conviction or sentence, confirming the 13‑year term as appropriate for the seriousness of the offence. The unnamed 40-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 51‑year‑old Limerick man, who called Gardaí to report that he had tried to kill his 66‑year‑old neighbour, will be sentenced next week for attacking and sexually assaulting her. He entered the woman's Cork home just after nine that evening, asking her to share wine. He then became violent, putting a cushion over her face, pulling down her pyjamas and sexually assaulting her. The woman was taken to hospital where bruises were found on her jaw, neck, knee, thigh, upper inner thigh near her genital area and a cut to her vagina. She gave evidence to the jury but the man pleaded guilty to sexual assault and not guilty to rape. He has four prior convictions for assault and theft. He was remanded in custody pending sentencing. The woman's life has been profoundly affected, and she now relies on medication and precautions to feel safe.
Tom Humphries, a 54‑year‑old former Irish Times journalist from Corr Castle, Sutton, Dublin, is set to be sentenced next month for sexual exploitation and defilement of a child. In March he pleaded guilty to six sexual offences against a girl under 17, including two counts of defilement between December 2010 and February 2011 and four counts of inviting a child to participate in a sexually explicit, obscene or indecent act between January 2010 and March 2011. The Director of Public Prosecutions has dropped three further charges involving a separate girl, a nolle prosequi. Humphries was present at the short hearing in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Prosecuting counsel Shane Costelloe SC informed Judge Karen O'Connor that the State was not proceeding with those charges. Defending counsel Hugh Harnett SC requested more time to prepare for the sentencing hearing, which Judge O'Connor scheduled for July 26th, though she could not guarantee that date.
A 68‑year‑old Dublin man pleaded guilty to sexually molesting his young niece and was convicted by a jury of two counts of raping that victim and of sexually assaulting her older sister. He was acquitted of two other rape counts. The court heard he began molesting the younger girl when she visited him in her First Communion dress and later raped her in a bedroom at her family home. He allegedly used alcohol and money to influence the parents, giving him opportunities to assault the children, and threatened them that they would be taken away if they reported the abuse. The older sister testified that the abuse changed her from "playing with dolls to planning her death," describing a cold, dark room and a sense of helplessness. The younger sister said the abuse stole her childhood. The defendant denied the rape charges but admitted molestation, describing it as harmless.
A 78-year-old American resident has had his prison sentence reduced following a successful appeal at the Court of Appeal in Dublin. The man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to sexual assault, possession of child pornography, and attempted buggery of a minor between 2000 and 2005. He was originally sentenced to eight-and-a-half years imprisonment in June 2016. The Court of Appeal reduced his sentence to five years, finding that the sentencing judge had insufficiently considered his age and serious medical conditions, which render him largely wheelchair dependent. Mr Justice Alan Mahon stated that while the offences were very serious and involved grooming and abuse of a teenager, courts must give appropriate consideration to the health difficulties of elderly offenders. The three-judge court determined that without these mitigating factors, a sentence of approximately eight years would have been imposed.
In a Dublin gaming convention, 28‑year‑old Keith Hearne tied up, raped and falsely imprisoned 25‑year‑old Dominique Meehan in a hotel meeting room. He bound her hands with a tie, used a prop knife to threaten her, and sexually assaulted her. Hearne pleaded guilty to two counts of rape, one count of oral rape and one count of false imprisonment. He was sentenced by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy to 12 years' imprisonment, with a five‑year post‑release supervision order. The judge noted Hearne's only mitigating factor was his guilty plea and that he was caught during the act, which reduced the mitigating factor. Hearne gave no reaction to the sentence. Meehan, who waived anonymity, said the sentence was a relief but still felt it was too light and that her life has changed dramatically since the assault.
A 23‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for defilement after a trial at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He had pleaded not guilty to defilement of a child under 17, two counts of sexual assault and one of sexual exploitation of a child. The jury found him guilty of defilement, acquitted him of the sexual assault charges and could not reach a verdict on the exploitation charge. Judge Patricia Ryan noted a "great disparity in age" and that the accused knew the victim was 15, and that she was under the influence of alcohol at the time. She back‑dated the sentence to December 2016, ordered the man onto the sex offenders register for ten years, and recorded that he admitted to the act but claimed it was consensual. The man had three prior convictions for minor offences.
John Gavin, 29, had his prison term extended by one year after he was found in possession of €1,454 in coins taken from a cash‑in‑transit robbery and after threatening Gardaí while on bail awaiting a rape trial. He was convicted of possession of stolen property and of making threats to Garda Karen Caswell and Sergeant Noel Smith, and of assaulting Smith, who was injured when Gavin punched him. Gavin, who has 103 previous convictions and was already serving a six‑year sentence for a 2012 rape, was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to a consecutive one‑year term for the new offences. The judge noted Gavin's mental difficulties and that he had been surprised by the Gardaí, but confirmed he understood his actions were wrong. The sentence was imposed as consecutive to his existing term. John Gavin pleaded guilty.
The Charleton Tribunal has been told that former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan allegedly described whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe as a "kiddie fiddler" and said McCabe was "not credible" and had sexual abuse allegations against him. The allegations were made by former Garda press officer Sergeant David Taylor, who claimed Callinan instructed him to brief against McCabe and that Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan was aware of these instructions. Taylor said he was to present McCabe as motivated by revenge and that he briefed journalists negatively. The tribunal, chaired by Justice Peter Charleton, is investigating a smear campaign against McCabe and will consider whether the false allegations were used to discredit him and whether Callinan and O'Sullivan abused their positions of trust. The tribunal will sit again on 3 July.
The Disclosures Tribunal, chaired by Mr Justice Peter Charleton, was established to investigate an alleged smear campaign against Garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe. The tribunal will examine whether false allegations made against McCabe were used to discredit him and whether the current and former Garda commissioners, Nóirín O'Sullivan and Martin Callinan, abused their positions of trust. Counsel Mr Diarmaid McGuinness SC outlined that the tribunal's inquiries would focus on the transformation of the original allegations into claims of serious sexual abuse, the persistence of these false allegations in Garda records despite attempts by social workers to correct them, and the 2007 determination by the Director of Public Prosecutions that the allegations did not constitute sexual assault or assault. The tribunal also heard complaints from Garda Keith Harrison, who noted similarities between his own experience with the Child & Family Agency and the treatment of McCabe, suggesting a possible pattern of misconduct.
A Central Criminal Court jury acquitted a 35‑year‑old Dublin man of rape after a trial that lasted just over four hours. The man had been charged with raping a university student on a first date after they met on Tinder and were driven to an unlit country road in the Dublin Mountains. He pleaded not guilty. The jury, composed of six men and six women, returned a not‑guilty verdict. The defendant expressed gratitude, while the complainant and a juror cried. The judge, Mr Justice Paul Butler, released the man from custody on this matter, noting he was in custody for other offences. The case ended with the defendant being escorted away by prison officers. No further legal actions were described in the article.
The jury in the trial of a 36‑year‑old Dublin man accused of raping a university student after meeting on Tinder will continue deliberations tomorrow. The defendant, charged with rape at Kilmashogue Lane, Rathfarnham, on 11 September 2014, pleaded not guilty. The complainant says they drove to an unlit country road and were raped in the car; the defendant claims consensual sex. The jury began deliberating at 2.50 pm on Wednesday, has deliberated for just over an hour, and will resume tomorrow morning before Mr Justice Paul Butler.
A man from County Mayo has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, following his conviction for rape at the Central Criminal Court. The 27-year-old pleaded guilty to raping a woman on 16 May 2015 in a Mayo town. The court heard that the man threw his victim across a laneway to avoid detection by a CCTV camera before sexually assaulting her. He threatened the woman with a blade and made threats of violence afterwards. The victim sustained facial bruising and whiplash injuries. She reported the incident to gardaí shortly after the attack. In her victim impact statement, the woman expressed her fear for her life during the assault. The defendant was ordered to have no contact with the victim and must remain at least 100 metres away from her.
A 73‑year‑old retired priest, Tadhg O'Dalaigh, whose conviction for indecently assaulting a schoolboy in the 1970s was quashed, has been awarded legal costs for his successful appeal. The Catholic Church had funded his legal representation, a fact that the Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel argued should preclude a costs award because O'Dalaigh was not out of pocket. The Court of Appeal quashed the conviction after the trial judge failed to warn the jury about the dangers of convicting without corroboration. The three‑judge court also refused a retrial, citing the defendant's full sentence, the case's antiquity and his age. Justice Alan Mahon ruled that awarding costs was appropriate, noting that O'Dalaigh had not benefited from state‑funded legal aid and that no blame could be attributed to him for the alleged offence. The decision was made without any application to recover the costs of the original Circuit Court trial. Tadhg O'Dalaigh pleaded guilty.
A jury has begun deliberating a case in which a 36‑year‑old Dublin man is accused of raping a university student on their first date after meeting on Tinder. The alleged rape took place in the defendant's car after a drive up the Dublin Mountains on 11 September 2014. The defendant pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. Judge Paul Butler told the jury that the evidence is largely uncorroborated and that conviction would rely on the complainant's word alone, urging caution. He noted that the complainant's distressed state could be explained by other factors. The jury started deliberations at 2.50 pm and will resume tomorrow. The defence argued that the complainant's subsequent Tinder activity and the deletion of texts undermined her credibility, and that her visit to a GP rather than a Sexual Assault Treatment Unit suggested a different motive. The judge emphasised that any conviction must be based on the strongest evidence available.
A 67‑year‑old Carlow man was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment for sexually abusing four nephews aged between six and 16 between 1983 and 1996. He was convicted of oral rape, indecent assault and sexual assault of the eldest nephew, and pleaded guilty to seven indecent assaults on a second nephew, five indecent assaults and six sexual assaults on a third nephew, and one sexual assault on a fourth nephew. The trial, held in the Central Criminal Court, found no prior convictions. Justice Isobel Kennedy noted the defendant's lack of remorse regarding the eldest victim and imposed a two‑year post‑release supervision order. The sentence reflects the severity of the repeated abuse, which the victims described as having devastating, lifelong impacts. The defendant's residence near the nephews' grandparents' home was mentioned by Gardaí as a factor in the case.
Keith Murphy, aged 41, was sentenced by the Central Criminal Court to 12 years for 64 counts of rape, with the final two years suspended. He also received seven‑year sentences for 26 counts of sexual assault and two attempted rapes, all running concurrently from his conviction date. The offences occurred between May 2008 and November 2015, mainly in the family home when the victim, now 18, was aged nine to fifteen. Murphy denied all charges. The victim, who waived anonymity, described the abuse as devastating, affecting every part of her life and leaving her nervous around men. The court noted the abuse spanned seven years, making him a repeat offender. The judge imposed the sentences accordingly, with the suspended portion reducing the custodial term to ten years. The case was prosecuted by Marjorie Farrelly SC.
In a Central Criminal Court case, a 36‑year‑old Dublin man is accused of raping a university student he met on Tinder. The prosecution, led by Alex Owens SC, argued that the victim's decision to use Tinder and to get into a car with an unknown man was irrelevant to the alleged crime, emphasizing that the law protects those who take risks from predators. Owens highlighted alleged "nasty streak" behaviour and suggested the accused could act badly if crossed. The defence, represented by Michael Bowman SC, countered that Owens' remarks implied prejudice, likening the accused to a "controlling" predator and suggesting the victim's attire justified the alleged assault. Garda evidence showed the accused claimed consensual sex, citing a series of texts and sexting, and alleged the victim's complaints stemmed from a disagreement over condom use. The case remains pending jury deliberation. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
A 27-year-old man from County Mayo pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to raping a woman on 16 May 2015 in a Mayo town. The court heard that the man threw his victim across a laneway to prevent a CCTV camera from capturing the assault. He forced the woman down steps in an aggressive manner before threatening her with a blade and compelling her to engage in sexual acts. Following the incident, he threatened to kill her if she reported the matter. The victim sustained bruising, whiplash injuries, and a bite mark to her lip. She subsequently reported the rape to gardaí. In her victim impact statement, the woman described her fear during the incident and said she would never forgive or forget what occurred. The defence noted the man's early guilty plea and admissions to gardaí. Mr Justice Paul Butler adjourned sentencing to 1 June.
A former basketball coach has appealed against the decision to proceed with his trial for alleged indecent assault on a male more than 40 years ago. The appellant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, is facing four charges of indecent assault, which are alleged to have occurred outside Dublin during the early 1970s. The matter is currently in the appeal stage. The appellant claims that the passage of time has rendered several potential witnesses unavailable, as they are no longer living in Ireland or have died. He also argues that the building where the alleged assaults occurred has been demolished, preventing him from obtaining an engineer's inspection to corroborate the complainant's allegations. Additionally, the appellant asserts that his health issues and memory loss would hinder his ability to mount an effective defense. Permission to bring the appeal was granted by Mr Justice Seamus Noonan on an ex-parte basis, and the matter has been returned for a hearing in July. A stay has been placed on the prosecution until the appeal is resolved.
A 36‑year‑old Louth man accused of raping a university student he met on Tinder was heard in the Central Criminal Court on 11 September 2014. He pleaded not guilty and told Gardaí that the sex was "fully consensual". The prosecution alleged he raped the woman in his car after a drive up the Dublin Mountains following a McDonald's visit. The alleged victim was tested for STIs and given the morning‑after pill the next day; all tests returned negative. The case is pending before Mr Justice Paul Butler and a jury, with both parties anonymous.
Keith Aherne, 23, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, with one year suspended, for aiding and abetting the rape of a woman in a Cork city park on 28 June 2013. He held the victim down while another 22‑year‑old man raped her. Aherne denied the charge but was found liable as a principal offender. The court noted his young age, history of addiction and 41 prior convictions, but also considered his refusal to have sex with the victim as a mitigating factor. The victim, who lost confidence and suffered depression and hair‑pulling after the assault, testified that Aherne held her down and that the other man had invited him to rape her. The sentence was imposed on condition of no contact with the victim and keeping the peace. The other man died before his sentence hearing.
A 42‑year‑old man was convicted at Naas Circuit Criminal Court of defilement of a child and sexual assault against a 14‑year‑old schoolgirl who was staying for a sleepover at her friend's house. He pleaded guilty to five counts in January and February 2014. Judge Michael O'Shea imposed an effective eight‑year sentence on 4 December 2015. On appeal, the Court of Appeal suspended the final twelve months of that term, citing the early guilty plea as a mitigating factor that should have been specifically addressed in the original sentence. The appeal judge, Mr Justice George Birmingham, noted the victim's Asberger's Syndrome and the severe impact of the offence, but upheld the eight‑year term with a suspended year, leaving a three‑year post‑release supervision period in place. The case involved a significant age gap and grooming elements, with the offender's partner being the victim's friend's mother.
A 36‑year‑old man from Louth pleaded not guilty to rape at Kilmashogue Lane on 11 September 2014. The alleged victim, a 31‑year‑old university student, said she met the accused on Tinder, exchanged WhatsApp messages, and arranged a date. She claimed the man drove her to a rural road, forced her into his car, and after a brief kissing session, forced her to lie down, removed her clothes, and raped her. She said she resisted, but the accused allegedly stopped her resistance and raped her. After the incident, he sent her a WhatsApp with a smiley face, which she deleted. During cross‑examination, the defence argued the encounter was consensual, but the victim rejected this. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Paul Butler and a jury.
A man from Louth has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the rape of a university student he met on Tinder. The prosecution, led by Alexander Owens SC, told the jury that the victim downloaded the dating app in September 2014 and began messaging the accused. Three days later they arranged a date, during which the accused took the victim to a McDonald's for ice‑cream and coffee. Owens said the accused became "extremely angry" when the woman rebuffed his sexual advances, and he angrily ordered her out of the car after 10 pm. He then drove her back to her home, told her to get back into the car, and allegedly drove her further up Kilmashogue Lane, Rathfarnham, where the rape took place. The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge of rape on 11 September 2014. The trial is expected to last one week, with the alleged victim scheduled to give evidence tomorrow.
A 53‑year‑old man, whose name is withheld to protect the victim, was convicted of two counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault against his then heavily pregnant partner. The Central Criminal Court found that the woman gave birth to their second child three days after the first rape. The man had pleaded not guilty to the rape charges, but the jury convicted him after a three‑week trial. In December 2016 he was convicted of the sexual assault offences, which were recorded as having been filmed with a torch and his mobile phone. The court imposed a ten‑year prison sentence, suspending the final six months unconditionally and two years on the condition that he engage in a sex‑offender treatment programme in custody. The victim's impact statement described her shock, mental breakdown and belief that the accused should never be released from prison.
A 27‑year‑old man was jailed for ten years after he entered his neighbour's home, raped her at knife point, threatened to kill her and her family, and forced her to drive to a park where he alternated between threats and suicidal talk. He later drove her to a Garda station, where she reported the assault. The man pleaded guilty to rape, oral rape and false imprisonment. The judge described the attack as shocking and violent, noting the victim's severe anxiety and social withdrawal. He imposed a 12‑year sentence, suspending the final two years on strict conditions, and ordered five years of post‑release supervision. The victim's impact statement highlighted her shattered peace of mind, constant fear, and the lasting effect on her health and sense of safety. The defence argued the offence was out of character and urged consideration of the man's remorse and guilty plea. The court accepted the plea and the psychological evidence presented.