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2016-05-09 · Dublin
A man suspected of raping a woman in Belfast in 2003 was arrested in Dublin and brought before the High Court under a European Arrest Warrant issued by UK authorities. Detective Sergeant Jim Kirwan informed the court of the arrest. Justice Aileen Donnelly confirmed the identity of the man and remanded him in custody until May 27, when the case will be mentioned again.
2016-05-05 · Waterford
The trial of the foster parents heard a Garda report that a child, CF, who had been with the foster family from a very young age, was accused of sexual abuse against four children. Only one set of allegations was brought to court, where CF admitted abusing his foster mother's nephew. CF, now over 18, is awaiting sentencing and no longer lives in the foster home. The foster parents were minimally cooperative with the Garda investigation and the HSE. The alleged victim in the current trial was placed with the foster family after being removed from his parents' home at age eight in 2013. The parents face 82 charges of abuse between 2007 and 2011 in Waterford, but have pleaded not guilty to 16 counts each of sexual exploitation and one charge each of child cruelty. The trial continues before Mr Justice Robert Eagar and a jury.
2016-05-04 · Waterford
In the Central Criminal Court, the trial of a man and woman accused of sexually abusing and neglecting their son has entered its fifth week. The proceedings included brief testimony from a garda specialising in child cases, who interviewed the boy in 2011 after he was removed from the family home by social workers. She reported that the eight‑year‑old was distracted and struggled to focus during the interview, and that in a second interview he tried to hide and was very aware of the camera. The boy has previously alleged that his father raped him, sexually abused him with a hot poker, and forced him to have sex with his mother over several years from about age six. He also claims the father filmed some incidents, showed them to others, held a gun to his head, and locked him in a box. The parents face 82 abuse charges from 2007 to 2011 in Waterford. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
2016-05-03 · Waterford
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, a nine‑year‑old boy alleged that his father raped him with a hot poker, sexually abused him, forced him to have sex with his mother, filmed the incidents, held a gun to his head and locked him in a box. The boy, taken into care when about six, was medically examined by Dr Elizabeth Walsh, who found no bruises, lacerations or scars on his genitals or anus and negative tests for sexually transmitted diseases. Dr Walsh explained that the absence of visible injury does not rule out sexual abuse, noting that 80 % of children show no signs within seven days of abuse and 95 % after more than seven days. The unnamed boy pleaded not guilty.
2016-05-03 · Ireland
A 41‑year‑old man, whose identity is withheld to protect the victim, was convicted of 25 counts of sexual assault, one attempted buggery and one buggery against a boy in the midlands between February 1991 and February 1999. He was jailed for eight years by Judge Terence O'Sullivan on 8 May 2014. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal against conviction on all grounds. Justice Alan Mahon noted unusual features: the alleged victims were twin brothers, the offences occurred near their family home where the man worked as a labourer from the boy's age of seven, and only one brother was found guilty. The sexual activity did not involve threats or violence, and consensual activity occurred when the boy reached adulthood. Complaints were made 20 years after the assaults began and seven years after the consensual act in 2004. The court found the evidence sufficient for a jury verdict, and the appeal was dismissed. The unnamed 41-year-old pleaded not guilty.
2016-05-03 · Dublin
At the Central Criminal Court, an unnamed 48-year-old Waterford man was sentenced to eight concurrent life terms for offences committed between July 2 and July 5, 2015, in Dublin. The defendant pleaded guilty to the rape of two women in various ways, as well as false imprisonment, attempted rape, aggravated burglary, making threats to kill, and aggravated sexual assault. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy described the offences as "wholly exceptional" and among the most serious cases of their type he had encountered. The court heard that the accused had previously been jailed for three and a half years last December for kidnapping and seriously assaulting one of the victims. During the current proceedings, the judge extended legal aid should the defendant appeal the sentence or conviction. The sentencing followed a detailed account of the assaults, including the victim's daughter hearing the attack via a voicemail, which alerted Gardaí. The defendant's solicitor noted the client had insight into his offending and was awaiting psychological treatment in prison.
2016-04-29 · Waterford
During the trial, a foster mother of a 12‑year‑old boy who had been taken into care at eight and moved to her home in March 2012, explained that she had to seek counselling after the child left her home because of the "horrendous stuff" she had to listen to. She said the boy's sexualised behaviour had increased over time, leading to therapy in 2013. The boy had alleged that his father raped him, sexually abused him with a hot poker and forced him to have sex with his mother from about age six. The father is also alleged to have filmed some incidents, held a gun to the boy's head and locked him in a box. The parents face 82 abuse charges between 2007 and 2011, with both pleading not guilty to multiple counts of sexual exploitation, assault and child cruelty.
2016-04-28 · Waterford
During a trial at the Central Criminal Court, a foster mother of a 12‑year‑old boy who was alleged to have been raped by his father and forced to have sex with his mother, stated that she believes the child's accusations. She described the boy as a "total contradiction," noting that he sometimes behaved child‑like and at other times acted and spoke like an adult, including sexual behaviour. She said she found it hard to believe an eight‑ or nine‑year‑old could fabricate such claims, citing an incident when the boy collapsed crying and nearly couldn't breathe. The boy had previously alleged that his father raped him, sexually abused him with a hot poker, forced him to have sex with his mother, filmed some incidents, held a gun to his head, and locked him in a box. The unnamed 12 year old pleaded not guilty.
2016-04-27 · Louth
John Griffin, a 45‑year‑old from Dundalk, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for two counts of sexual assault committed at a Dublin homeless shelter between 23 March and 1 April 2015. Griffin admitted that he had forced his male room‑mate, who was not gay, to perform oral sex and then, after the victim refused, threatened him and forced him to bend over a bath and be anally penetrated without consent. Griffin later expressed remorse, stating he felt horrible about the act. He had previously received a five‑year sentence in 1991 for buggery and sexual assault. The judge, Martin Nolan, described the offence as odious and noted the victim's vulnerability and neurological issues. Griffin had cooperated with Gardaí, admitted the offences and expressed remorse before sentencing. John Griffin pleaded guilty.
2016-04-27 · Waterford
A foster mother testified that a young boy, who had been abused by his father and forced to have sex with his mother, left her foster home because she believed he required more specialist care for his sexualised behaviour. She said the boy had been raped by his father, sexually abused with a hot poker, forced to have sex with his mother, and that the father had filmed some incidents and shown them to others. The father and mother face 82 abuse charges between 2007 and 2011, and both have pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of sexual exploitation, child cruelty, sexual assault and anal rape. The foster mother described the boy's behaviour, including attempts to touch her and his fear of his father, and noted that he was never allowed to be alone with younger children again. The trial is before Mr Justice Robert Eagar and a jury.
2016-04-26 · Waterford
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, a child who had been sexually abused and neglected by his parents testified that his father defecated on him as part of the abuse. The child, who had a good relationship with his second foster mother, had previously alleged that his father raped him, sexually abused him with a hot poker, forced him to have sex with his mother, filmed some incidents, held a gun to his head, and locked him in a box. He also claimed his father threatened to kill him if he told anyone. The foster mother, who gave evidence on day eleven, described the child's fear of showers and his father's sexual abuse in the shower, and his fear of being hurt by telling her. She praised the child's bravery and said she loved him. The trial continues before Mr Justice Robert Eagar and a jury.
2016-04-26 · Cork
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 55‑year‑old Cork man was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for raping and sexually assaulting his niece between 1977 and 1985. The victim, aged eight to thirteen at the time, was the daughter of the accused's older sister. The man pleaded not guilty but was found guilty of two counts of rape and one count of indecent assault. Judge Isobel Kennedy imposed a ten‑year sentence for the rapes, six years suspended, and a six‑year sentence for the indecent assault, four years suspended; both sentences run concurrently. The court noted the accused's medical issues, including a leg amputation, and his lack of prior convictions, yet deemed custodial imprisonment necessary. The judge highlighted aggravating factors such as abuse of trust and threats, and mitigating factors including the man's ill health and age at the time of the offences. The sentence was delivered with the victim's impact report read with "great dignity.".
2016-04-25 · Ireland
The High Court dismissed a challenge by a convicted Irish sex offender to a refusal by the Minister for Justice to transfer him from the UK to an Irish prison. The offender, an Irish national who had lived in the UK for over 20 years, was convicted in 2009 of rape and other sexual offences against his daughter and step‑daughter, and received a life sentence with a minimum of eight years on one rape count and six years concurrently on the other counts. He applied for transfer in 2011, but the Minister denied it in December 2010, citing the offender's continued denial of the offences and the incompatibility of the English sentence with the Irish system. The judge found no arguable case that the Minister's decision was wrong and dismissed the application. The offender, aged in his forties, remains subject to a deportation order upon release.
2016-04-25 · Waterford
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 12‑year‑old boy who claimed he was raped by his father and forced to have sex with his mother testified via video‑link about abuse he alleged occurred in Waterford between 2007 and 2011. He described being raped with a hot poker and having a gun held to his head. The parents face 82 abuse charges; both pleaded not guilty to 16 counts of sexual exploitation and one child cruelty charge each. The mother also denied 16 sexual assault counts, while the father denied 16 anal rape and 16 sexual assault with a poker counts. During re‑examination, the boy said he still liked his father, citing "happy times" such as holidays. A teacher testified that the boy had behavioural problems, including biting, spitting, inappropriate touching, and talking about death, and that he was taken into care in 2011 after a school visit.
2016-04-25 · Tipperary
A 47‑year‑old Latvian man was jailed for seven years after pleading guilty to raping and sexually assaulting a 42‑year‑old woman in her Tipperary flat on 17 November 2014. He forced himself into her bedroom, beat her, dislocated her wrist, and performed anal, oral and vaginal rape while she was restrained. He also forced her to kiss him and threatened to act as a doctor. The victim, who had been living in poor accommodation, suffered nightmares and deteriorating mental health, and later returned to her native country. The court noted the offender's heavy alcohol intoxication and lack of prior convictions. The sentence, imposed by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, was back‑dated to the date of the offence and reflects the offender's guilty plea and foreign nationality. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court.
2016-04-20 · Ireland
An 87‑year‑old Meath man, charged with raping and indecent assault of his daughters between 1973 and 1975, was found unfit to be tried because he suffers from dementia. Justice Margaret Heneghan, after hearing medical evidence, applied Section 4 5b of the Mental Health Act, ruling that the man could not be remanded to the Central Mental Hospital as there is no treatment likely to improve his condition. He is automatically released from remand in Cloverhill and no longer faces bail or custody. The judge adjourned the case to 25 July to monitor his progress and recommended admission to Dr Michael O Cuill's unit for as long as necessary, with future transfer to a nursing home if appropriate. The court noted that the man will remain under Garda supervision until transport to the unit is arranged.
2016-04-19 · Waterford
In a Waterford case, a 12‑year‑old boy is testifying at the Central Criminal Court about alleged abuse by his parents. He claims his father raped him, sexually abused him with a hot poker, and forced him to have sex with his mother over several years from about age six. The father is accused of filming some incidents and showing them to others, holding a gun to the boy's head, and locking him in a wooden box and later a larger metal‑barred box. The boy said he had forgotten to mention the second box to Gardaí and in last week's evidence. He described escaping by retrieving a key from a desk with a stick. The parents face 82 abuse charges and have pleaded not guilty to 16 counts each of sexual exploitation and one child cruelty charge. The trial continues before Mr Justice Robert Eagar and a jury.
2016-04-19 · Dublin
A 53‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment on 12 January 2015 for the continued sexual abuse of his seven‑year‑old sister between 1983 and 1987. He pleaded not guilty to 16 counts of indecent assault at the family home. The conviction was obtained by a jury at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. On 19 April 2016 he lodged an appeal against the conviction. His barrister, Tara Burns SC, argued that the trial judge should have given a corroboration warning to the jury regarding the victim's evidence, claiming the judge's refusal was based on a "policy" of not giving such warnings in sexual cases. Burns cited discrepancies in the victim's evidence. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Roisín Lacey BL, defended the judge's practice as consistent with court dicta and said the lack of corroboration and discrepancies were matters for the jury.
2016-04-18 · Waterford
During a trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 12‑year‑old boy, who was removed from his family home after alleging that his father raped him and forced him to have sex with his mother, testified that he was sexually abused while in foster care. He said the first foster family was almost as bad as his parents, with constant shouting but no hitting or rape. He also claimed that a relative of his foster mother sexually abused him, describing an older boy who wanted to have sex with him. The boy denied that his father had a gun to his head or that the father owned 50 guns and 50 bullets, insisting the allegations were true. The trial continues with the boy's evidence before Mr Justice Robert Eagar and a jury. The unnamed 12-year-old pleaded not guilty.
2016-04-18 · Ireland
In 2016 a 39‑year‑old man was jailed for 14 years, with the final year suspended, for raping a woman four times at his Laois home in July 2012. He was convicted of two counts of rape, two counts of anal rape and assault. The judge also imposed a three and a half year assault sentence, with six months suspended, all running concurrently. The victim, who was invited to help with painting, described being assaulted, threatened, forced into a shower, raped vaginally and anally, and then forced to wash herself before being taken to a friend's house. She reported the attack nine days later. The man denied the allegations in a garda interview and was later arrested on a European Arrest Warrant. The victim's impact statement detailed ongoing trauma, nightmares and a loss of self‑esteem, but she expressed hope for the future. The unnamed 39-year-old pleaded not guilty.
2016-04-15 · Waterford
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 12‑year‑old boy testified that his father raped him and forced him to have sex with his mother in their Waterford home over several years, beginning when he was about six. He said the father filmed some incidents and showed them to others, held a gun to his head, and locked him in a box. The boy also described being forced to use a hot poker. He recounted that his parents bought him toys, including a motorised bike, and that he enjoyed riding it up and down the driveway. He described picnics, day trips to the beach, and holidays elsewhere. The parents face 82 abuse charges from 2007 to 2011; both plead not guilty to 16 counts of sexual exploitation and one child cruelty charge each. The trial continues with further cross‑examination before Mr Justice Robert Eagar and a jury.
2016-04-14 · Ireland
The High Court has set aside a decision on whether to extradite a 43‑year‑old man to Scotland on sexual assault charges. The man, who is currently on bail, is alleged to have sexually assaulted four complainants aged five to 13 between 17 and 27 years ago. The Minister of Justice and Equality, Mr Tony McGillicuddy, told the court that the accused was arrested on a European arrest warrant on 2 January and that five offences of sexual assault are alleged between 1989 and 1998, each carrying a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Defence counsel, Mr John Ferry, argued that his client had lived peacefully in Ireland for many years, had no knowledge of the allegations until his arrest, and was under‑age at the time of the alleged offences. Mr Ferry highlighted a delay in reporting the offences to Scottish authorities and expressed concern about the timing of the case.
2016-04-13 · Waterford
In a Waterford case, a 12‑year‑old boy gave evidence to a social worker that the allegations of rape by his father and forced sexual acts with his mother were not real. He later told the trial that the abuse did occur, but he had said it was false to avoid court. The boy, who was taken into care at eight, said he was forced by his father to have sex with his mother, sometimes while the father watched football, and that it happened weekly for 45 minutes to an hour. He claimed his father held a gun to his head and used a hot poker. The parents face 82 abuse charges and have pleaded not guilty to 16 counts each of sexual exploitation and one child cruelty charge. The trial continues tomorrow before Mr Justice Robert Eagar and a jury.
2016-04-11 · Donegal
A man from County Donegal has been sentenced to three years imprisonment for the rape of a 14-year-old girl at a youth disco in December 2010, when he was aged 15. The Central Criminal Court heard that he pushed the girl into the ladies toilets and raped her in a cubicle. The victim testified that she repeatedly refused his advances during the disco and that he forced her into the toilet against her will. The defence contended the encounter was consensual and had escalated beyond their intentions, but the woman denied this account. A jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on charges of rape and sexual assault after two hours of deliberation in January this year. Justice Margaret Heneghan imposed a five-year sentence but suspended the final two years. The judge considered his age at the time of the offence, his cooperation with gardaí, and absence of previous convictions as mitigating factors, though she noted a lack of remorse. He was also ordered not to contact the victim and to undertake two years of post-release supervision. The unnamed 14-year-old pleaded not guilty.
2016-04-11 · Dublin
A 21‑year‑old man was given a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence for forcing a boy, who was 10 or 11 at the time, to have sex with him when the man was 15. The offence, committed in the man's Dublin home between January and July 2011, was found by a jury to be defilement. The man denied the charge. Judge Petria McDonnell described the act as a heinous assault on a much younger boy and noted the continuing impact on the victim, as confirmed by evidence and a victim impact statement. The judge suspended the entire sentence for two years. At the sentencing hearing in January, the accused had written to the judge that his sentence began the day he was accused of the crime, expressing fear of prison and suicidal thoughts. He also mentioned that he had to leave the country after being charged because neighbours had called him a paedo and rapist. The unnamed 21-year-old was convicted.
2016-04-08 · Dublin
Damien Farrell, 40, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for sexually assaulting his niece. The defendant pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault committed in Dublin between April 1 and September 1, 1992, when the victim was eight years old. Prosecutors stated the assaults occurred while the victim was being babysat at her grandmother's house, where Farrell lived. The first two incidents involved physical contact of a sexual nature while both parties were fully clothed, while the third involved the accused and victim being unclothed. Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan imposed a two-year sentence suspended for three years. In passing sentence, the judge considered the devastating effects on the victim and her family, Farrell's guilty pleas, his letter of apology, and his current family circumstances. The judge noted the victim's statement that she is no longer a victim. Farrell, who has relocated to Sligo, wept as the sentence was read. He has been registered as a sex offender. Defence counsel highlighted that Farrell had disclosed the offences to his wife before marriage and had attended therapy following the incidents in 1992. The court accepted his plea of guilty to sexual assault on the third count.
2016-04-05 · Waterford
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a Waterford couple faced 82 charges of sexual abuse and exploitation of their son, aged between five and nine, and the father was also accused of raping him with a poker over a four‑year period. The parents denied all allegations, claiming the boy was a "difficult child" with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and behavioural problems. They pleaded not guilty to 16 counts each of sexual exploitation and one charge each of child cruelty, while the mother also denied 16 counts of sexual assault and the father denied 16 counts of anal rape and 16 counts of sexual assault with a poker. The prosecution presented a medical examination that found no physical trauma but did not rule out sexual abuse. The boy, now 12, was to testify in the ongoing trial before Mr Justice Robert Eagar.
2016-04-04 · Louth
In a High Court judicial review, eight of the 33 indecent assault charges against retired consultant surgeon Dr Michael Shine (83) were dropped. The charges, originally filed at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, span from 1964 to 1990 and involve 22 alleged victims. Prosecutor Kathleen Noctor BL informed Judge Melanie Greally that the Director of Public Prosecutions was withdrawing these eight counts, with the intention to re‑enter them later. Dr Shine remains scheduled to stand trial next year on the remaining 25 charges. The court discharged him from the indictment for the eight counts as counsel indicated.
2016-03-18 · Dublin
In March 2016 the Dublin Central Criminal Court sentenced a 23‑year‑old Laois barman to five years' imprisonment for raping a sleeping woman in January 2013. The accused, who could not be named to protect the victim's identity, admitted the offence but claimed he was so drunk that he was unsure whether he had committed rape. He had been drinking with others at a house in the early hours, sat beside the woman and repeatedly placed his hand on her leg. When she tried to push him away and said "stop" he ignored her and continued. After the assault he said "thank you" and left. The court imposed a seven‑year sentence with the final two years suspended, a two‑year post‑release supervision order and required the man to register as a sex offender. The case was prosecuted by Remy Farrell SC. The unnamed 23-year-old pleaded guilty.
2016-03-15 · Limerick
In a Central Criminal Court case, a jury acquitted a man of raping a woman in the back office of a Limerick pub on 10 November 2012. The woman testified that she had been on a date with another man when the accused brought her into the back office to show her the CCTV system, which she described as "fascinating." She alleged that she was "brutally, brutally raped" there, and she held up her wrist to show bruises from being held against a wall. During cross‑examination she suggested the accused might have destroyed CCTV footage and said her children were now afraid to go to certain places because of the incident. The jury deliberated for 36 minutes on day five and returned a verdict of not guilty. The judge thanked the jurors and allowed the accused to leave with his family.
2016-03-15 · Dublin
A 33‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment for raping his younger sister with a screwdriver and other sexual offences between 2000 and 2005. He pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court but was convicted by a jury on 48 counts, including rape, oral rape, rape with a screwdriver, rape with a vibrator and sexual assault at two Dublin locations. The victim, who was 10 when the abuse began, gave a moving impact statement describing a life filled with fear and terror, anxiety, depression and ill health. She said her family had changed forever and that her parents were "shadows" of themselves. The judge, Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, imposed the 11‑year term after the case had been adjourned last week to consider the evidence. The defendant had no prior convictions and had worked hard all his life, a point raised by his defence counsel.
2016-03-15 · Ireland
Magnus Meyer Hustveit, 26, was re‑sentenced by the Court of Appeal to 15 months imprisonment after a wholly suspended seven‑year sentence for raping his 28‑year‑old girlfriend between 2011 and 2012 was deemed "unduly lenient". The appeal was brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The judge noted that the victim had awoken to find herself covered in sperm and later penetrated, with no knowledge of the acts. Hustveit had cooperated, voluntarily returned to Ireland to face charges, and had a good character record. The judge said the original seven‑year sentence would remain, with all but 15 months suspended. Hustveit was required to enter a seven‑year good‑behaviour bond and was placed on the sex offenders register. The victim, Niamh Ní Domhnaill, was present with supporters. The court did not allow new evidence to be heard, relying on transcripts and documents. The decision was read without Hustveit's reaction. Magnus Meyer Hustveit pleaded guilty.
2016-03-14 · Dublin
In 2013, Michael Murray, aged 44, was sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Central Criminal Court for a series of offences committed on 12 and 13 February 2010. The charges included rape, attempted rape, oral rape, aggravated sexual assault, child abduction, threats to kill or cause serious harm, false imprisonment and theft. The jury heard that Murray lured his victim into an apartment by claiming an elderly woman was dying, tied her up, assaulted her, and then abducted her son, abandoning him in a city centre square late at night. He later returned to the flat, drugged and raped the victim. Murray denied all charges but was found guilty on all counts by a unanimous jury. In March 2016, the DPP announced it would argue in July that the 15‑year sentence was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal scheduled the DPP's appeal for 7 July, while Murray is also due to appeal his conviction.
2016-03-14 · Dublin
An elderly man, aged 75, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to sexually assaulting his intellectually disabled adult daughter, who was 34 at the time of the offence in 1999. The court heard that the man had called to her flat while drunk and, according to the victim, forced himself upon her, causing her physical and emotional trauma. He has a prior conviction for forgery in 1989. Defence counsel argued the incident was a single alcohol‑induced act and that the man was remorseful. Judge Melanie Greally granted the defendant time to arrange medication before sentencing, then imposed a three‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended, to be finalised on Friday. The victim's impact statement described her fear, shame and ongoing psychological distress following the assault.
2016-03-14 · Limerick
The Central Criminal Court trial of a man accused of raping a woman in a Limerick pub's back office has entered its closing stages. The woman, who was on a date with another man, says the accused brought her into the office to show her CCTV, where she was "brutally brutally raped." She pleaded not guilty. Evidence has finished; the jury will deliberate tomorrow after counsel's closing speeches.
2016-03-14 · Dublin
Faisal Ellahi, 34, from Haripur, Pakistan, was sentenced by Judge Tony Hunt to 13 years' imprisonment for raping a young woman with Down syndrome on 12 June 2013 at his Dublin home. The jury convicted him of rape and sexual assault; the judge declined to suspend any part of the sentence, noting the offence severely undermined the victim's independence. Ellahi had previously pleaded not guilty to rape, sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person. He admitted propositioning women and claiming consensual contact, but denied penetrative sex with the victim, stating he was unaware of her condition. The court heard that the victim was locked inside a house, feared for her life, and that Ellahi had used his DNA to match the crime scene. The judge back‑dated the term to the date of his arrest. The case highlighted the victim's severe mental impairment and the impact of the assault on her life.
2016-03-11 · Donegal
A 54-year-old man from Convoy, County Donegal, has been sentenced to five years imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court following his conviction on six counts of sexual assault. Fergus Carson, of The Green, Main Street, was found guilty by jury of assaulting a 14-year-old girl he had known throughout her life at a relative's house between May and September 2012. Mr Justice Tony Hunt noted that Carson had abused his access to the premises and exploited his knowledge of when the girl's family would be absent. The judge imposed the five-year sentence with the final fifteen months suspended for two years, and ordered twelve months post-release supervision. Carson, who has no previous convictions, does not accept the verdict. The defence submitted concerns regarding victim impact evidence, which the judge addressed in his remarks before sentencing, acknowledging the serious effects of the offending on the young complainant during a critical developmental period.
2016-03-11 · Limerick
In a 2016 rape trial, a witness testified that he was in "extreme shock" after a woman he had arranged to meet in a bar told him his friend of twenty years had "forced himself on her" that evening. The alleged victim said she was on a date with another man when the accused brought her to the back office to show her the CCTV system, where she claimed she was "brutally raped." The accused pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to raping the woman in a Limerick pub on 10 November 2012. The witness described meeting the complainant in the bar's smoking area a week before the alleged rape, arranging a meeting, and spending most of the night together. He said they kissed "on and off," later went to a disabled toilet where they kissed passionately for about 15 minutes, and then returned to the bar.
2016-03-09 · Limerick
In a Central Criminal Court case, a woman accused of rape by a man in a Limerick pub's back office on 10 November 2012 presented her testimony. She claimed she was on a date with another man that night, that the accused had shown her the CCTV system, and that she was then raped. She alleged the accused may have destroyed CCTV footage and that her children now fear certain places. During cross‑examination, she said she had been told by the other man not to go to Gardaí. Defence counsel Sean Gillane SC criticised her conduct, calling it "pouring poison and prejudice into the case." The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, was set to continue on Friday. The accused pleaded not guilty. The case remains at the trial stage.
2016-03-08 · Limerick
In a 2016 Limerick rape trial, the complainant testified that she had been celibate for 18 years and had no interest in sex. She described being violently attacked in a pub office on 10 November 2012, held against a wall, bruised, and threatened with violence. She said the accused, who had been drunk after a match, later apologized to her and her daughter. The complainant reported the incident to Gardaí two days later but did not file a formal complaint. She returned in December, stating the accused had locked the door and raped her. She denied any flirtation with the accused, insisted she was older and uninterested in sex, and rejected a defence claim that another man was present. The case proceeded before Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan and a jury. The unnamed woman pleaded not guilty.
2016-03-07 · Waterford
A 47‑year‑old Waterford man, previously jailed for raping his daughter, was released on bail for kidnapping and assaulting his girlfriend. He later raped his girlfriend and, days later, her 60‑year‑old mother after breaking into the mother's house and threatening her with a knife. The mother was saved when her daughter heard the assault in a voicemail left by the attacker. The man pleaded guilty to rape of both women, false imprisonment, attempted rape, aggravated burglary, threats to kill and aggravated sexual assault. He was sentenced to three and a half years for the kidnapping and faces a strong possibility of life imprisonment for the latest attacks. His defence counsel requested a determinate sentence so he could work toward a target date, but the judge adjourned finalisation until May 3. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court.
2016-03-07 · Ireland
In May, a 37‑year‑old Meath man will be sentenced for sexual assault and anal rape of a girl aged 12‑14 who stayed at his family home between 1999 and 2001. He was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury in January. The victim, who cannot be named, said the man took away her innocence and normal childhood. She had not spoken to anyone until becoming a mother, when she decided to protect her child and others. The court adjourned sentencing to allow a probation report and will hear a plea in mitigation on the next date. The man, with no prior convictions, denied the allegations. The victim's mother had alcohol problems and sometimes stayed at the house. The assaults began with the man touching the girl's leg, rubbing her vagina, and later forcing her to masturbate him. A few months later he inserted his penis into her anus, causing pain and the only time she cried.
2016-03-04 · Cork
Reginald Arnold, 58, of Cork, was convicted of sexual assault, attempted rape and restricting a child's liberty for abusing his step‑daughter between April 2008 and August 2010. A jury found him guilty and he received an 11‑year sentence, with the final two years suspended, imposed by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy on 19 June 2014. Arnold appealed his conviction and sentence, but the Court of Appeal dismissed both appeals. Mr Justice George Birmingham, sitting with Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan and Mr Justice Alan Mahon, upheld the conviction, noting that the trial judge had exercised discretion appropriately and that no corroboration warning was required. He also rejected the sentence appeal, stating that the 11‑year term, with two years suspended, fell within the range of sentences the trial judge could impose. The step‑daughter, who waived anonymity, testified of repeated touching, masturbation, being tied to a bed and attempted rape, beginning when she was 12. Reginald Arnold pleaded not guilty.
2016-03-04 · Dublin
Michael Murray, aged 44, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2013 for rape, attempted rape, oral rape, aggravated sexual assault, child abduction, threats to kill or cause serious harm, false imprisonment and theft. In March 2016 he appealed against the State after it was revealed that his solicitor's calls had been recorded in prison. The High Court dismissed his application in July, ruling the recordings were inappropriate but not accessed, and that no prejudice had occurred. The appeal was dismissed by a three‑judge court, which agreed with the earlier decision, finding the application "without substance" and the appeal "without merit." Costs were awarded against Murray, who had insulted the judges. The case highlighted that prison inmates must list up to 12 contact numbers on an "Application for Phone Calls" form, with the first number required to be the solicitor, and that all calls except those to the solicitor and Samaritans are monitored and recorded. Michael Murray was found guilty.
2016-03-03 · Dublin
Kevin Muldoon, a trainee Montessori teacher, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to sexual assault and the production of child pornography. The court heard that on May 8, 2014, Muldoon sexually assaulted a four-year-old special needs girl in his care and took pornographic images of her. He further pleaded guilty to possessing 688 images of child pornography discovered during a raid on his premises, family home, and the playschool on May 15, 2014. Judge Melanie Greally described the offences as a gross breach of trust, noting the victim's extreme youth as the single greatest aggravating factor. The judge accepted that Muldoon expressed remorse, had social and educational difficulties, and had not shared or paid for the material. Muldoon, who has no previous convictions, was sentenced to five years in prison. The court ordered that he engage in treatment while in custody. Additionally, the judge imposed five years of post-release supervision and prohibited Muldoon from taking any position that would bring him into contact with children. The victim's parents stated in a statement that the abuse had caused lasting trauma, including night terrors and social struggles. Defence counsel highlighted that the plea spared the child cross-examination and noted Muldoon's vulnerability and lack of friends since the incident.
2016-03-03 · Dublin
Patrick O'Brien, 76, a former Church of Ireland lay worker, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to indecently assaulting a male in a boat moored in a Midlands town between 1 April 1984 and 30 September 1984. Prosecutor Anne Rowland said the State required further pleas before sentencing but accepted this one to keep the case moving. The court adjourned to 8 April for all evidence, while Judge Melanie Greally remanded O'Brien on bail. Judge Cormac Dunne had earlier ruled that media could not publish the accused's name or identify victims.
2016-03-01 · Sligo
In March 2015, Mr Justice Paul Carney ruled that a 40‑year‑old man with intellectual disabilities was unfit to stand trial for rape. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) appealed this finding in the Court of Appeal on 1 March 2016. Counsel Marjorie Farrelly argued that one psychiatrist had shown the man had untreated depression, but a third psychiatrist had found no evidence of depression on the day of assessment. Justice George Birmingham said the appeal should be dismissed, noting it challenged a factual finding of the Central Criminal Court. Farrelly also raised a second ground, questioning whether the judge had sent the man to inpatient or outpatient care after ruling him unfit. Justice John Edwards noted the DPP's interest in revisiting the man's fitness, and the court would reserve judgment on this second ground. The Court of Appeal will give reasons later.
2016-03-01 · Dublin
Michael Murray, aged 44, was jailed for 15 years in 2013 for rape, attempted rape, oral rape, aggravated sexual assault, child abduction, threats, false imprisonment and theft. He had brought an unsuccessful High Court action against the Irish Prison Service and the Minister for Justice, seeking injunctions to stop the interception of his calls, declarations and damages. The court dismissed the application, ruling that the recording of his telephone calls was inappropriate but that the calls had not been accessed and were made inadvertently. Murray's legal team, led by Colman Fitzgerald SC, appealed the decision to the Court of Appeal. The appeal will be heard by a three‑judge panel, with a judgment expected on Friday, March 4. The case concerns the recording of prison phone calls and the alleged infringement of Murray's rights. The court found no ongoing or threatened infringement and awarded costs against Murray. Michael Murray was found guilty. Prison Service was found guilty.
2016-03-01 · Dublin
In March 2016, a 75‑year‑old man was set to be sentenced for sexually assaulting his intellectually disabled daughter, who was 34 at the time of the offence in 1999. The man pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He had a prior conviction for forgery in 1989. The daughter, now 51, described the assault in detail, stating that her father entered her flat drunk, held her too tightly, touched her breasts, and then performed sexual acts while she tried to push him off. She reported feeling "manky and dirty" and feared pregnancy, later clarifying that her father only rubbed his genitals against her leg. She expressed deep emotional distress, nightmares, and a sense of loss of control. The court adjourned the case to Monday to allow for a medical report on the accused's recent illness. The daughter's victim impact statement was read, and she expressed hope for justice and a better future.
2016-02-29 · Ireland
A 59‑year‑old Laois man was sentenced to seven and a half years' imprisonment for anally raping a 34‑year‑old pregnant woman at her home on 10 October 2010. The Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty after a five‑day trial in December 2010. The victim, who was 16 weeks pregnant, reported that the assault left her devastated, with ongoing flashbacks, anxiety, depression and nightmares. She had been treated in a sexual assault unit and had made a complaint to Gardaí. The judge, Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy, noted the victim's pregnancy had been "blighted" by the assault and imposed the sentence back‑dated to the man's December 2010 arrest. The defendant, who has no prior convictions, has not accepted the verdict.