The 20‑year‑old ringleader of an attack in which a student was forced to withdraw money from an ATM and threatened that his girlfriend would be raped by two accomplices has won an appeal against his sentence. He had pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, robbery and false imprisonment at Botanic Avenue, Dublin 9 on 27 April 2011 and was sentenced to six years' detention by Judge Martin Nolan on 29 March 2012. The Court of Appeal heard that the offender, who was 15 at the time of sentencing, held a knife to the student's throat, demanded €40 and later €600, and threatened to harm the student's girlfriend if the PIN was not supplied. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, found that the judge had not given sufficient regard to the Children's Act and that rehabilitation should have been considered.
Michael Murray, who was found guilty in 2013 of rape, child abduction, and other serious offences and sentenced to 15 years by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, has brought a High Court action against the State. Murray claims prison authorities unlawfully recorded confidential phone calls between him and his solicitors while he was incarcerated at Midlands Prison. He seeks injunctions, a declaration that the authorities acted outside their powers, damages for breach of constitutional rights, and an independent review. The matter is currently at the pre-hearing stage before High Court President Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns. Murray, representing himself, requested an order compelling the State to provide all documents and records of communications with his legal advisors and the return of a computer seized by An Garda Síochána. Counsel for the State, Colm Smyth SC, stated that recordings were made inadvertently because Murray did not use designated confidential lines, and that the computer was seized as part of a Garda investigation. Mr Justice Kearns ruled that Murray is entitled to discovery of recordings of calls made to his legal advisers between May and July 2013. The judge determined that the issue regarding the computer is a matter for the full hearing. The case is due before the court later this year and will be opposed by the State. Murray's appeal to the Court of Appeal remains on hold until this High Court action is determined.
Anthony Ryan, aged 33, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and sexual assault of an 18‑year‑old woman in a Dublin suburb on 13 July 2012. He was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, by Ms Justice Carmel Stewart on 4 February 2014. Ryan had voluntarily paid €1,000 in compensation. On 12 June 2015, Mr Justice George Birmingham dismissed Ryan's appeal against the sentence, ruling that the four‑year custodial term was not unduly severe. The case involved Ryan following a group of women from a nightclub in Coolock, driving them to a suburb, and then assaulting the victim after she had been knocked out. Ryan was later arrested by Gardaí and found unfit for interview due to intoxication. The appeal was heard with Mr Justice John Edwards and Mr Justice Alan Mahon.
The trial of two Dublin men accused of raping a homeless woman in a hotel room collapsed after a legal issue. A 27‑year‑old man is alleged to have raped the woman in the George Frederic Handel Hotel on 27 March 2012, while a 40‑year‑old co‑accused allegedly watched and threatened her about reporting the crime. Both pleaded not guilty. Judge Margaret Heneghan dismissed the jury, citing the legal problem, and remanded the men to appear later in the month for a new trial date.
David Nevin, 40, of Terryglass, Nenagh, was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a suspended three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for harassing former girlfriend Patricia Dardis from August 2012 to February 2013. Nevin sent repeated text messages, emails, faxes, handwritten notes, and appeared at Dardis's home and workplace, even attempting to contact the CEO of her firm. He pleaded guilty and was remanded in custody in early May to reflect on his conduct. The judge noted Dardis suffered significant emotional trauma and warned Nevin that a repeat offence would lead to a long prison term. Nevin was ordered to remain of good behaviour for three‑and‑a‑half years, to avoid any contact with Dardis, and to pay €1,000 to court within one week, which would be given to the Rape Crisis Centre if not accepted by Dardis. The sentence was suspended in full.
During a rape trial, a hotel receptionist testified that a homeless woman, allegedly raped by a 27‑year‑old Dublin man in a hotel room on 27 March 2012, was on the verge of crying when she emerged from the room. The receptionist, Emmet O'Shaughnessy, said he had checked the accused and the victim into a room at about 1.40 a.m. and that the woman appeared upset and near tears when she came down to the lobby after two o'clock. She reportedly told him, "you've got two filthy scumbags up there," and later went outside, where he watched her walk down the street. He also described how the accused men interacted, with the younger man allegedly threatening the older man and both signing each other's names when signing out. The trial, presided over by Justice Margaret Heneghan, continues with a jury of eight men and four women. The unnamed 27-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Samir Mansour, a 49‑year‑old Tunisian chef, was convicted of raping a woman who had been invited back to his apartment after he claimed he was gay. The conviction was reached at the Central Criminal Court on 14 July 2014, following a fourth trial after earlier convictions were quashed or acquitted. Mansour was found guilty of rape and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal, ruling that there was no unfairness or prejudice in the trial. The appeal focused on whether the jury had been improperly exposed to evidence of a threat to kill or cause serious harm, which Mansour had been acquitted of in a prior trial. The Court held that the evidence was relevant to the rape charge and that the jury's decision was valid. The appeal was therefore rejected. Samir Mansour pleaded not guilty.
During the third day of a rape trial, Defence barrister Feargal Kavanagh SC apologized to the alleged victim after questioning her about her "promiscuity." The 27‑year‑old accused, a Dublin man, is alleged to have raped the woman in a hotel room on 27 March 2012, while a 40‑year‑old co‑accused allegedly watched and threatened her. Both men plead not guilty. Kavanagh asked the victim about her early sexual history and about decorating her private parts with glitter stickers, then apologized for using the word "promiscuity." The victim testified that she had helped the men secure a hotel room after meeting them in a pub, that she did not intend to stay or have sex, and that the first man raped her while the second laughed. She denied that any consensual sex occurred and denied learning the accused was married. The trial continues before Justice Margaret Heneghan and a jury of eight men and four women.
A 51-year-old man has been remanded on continuing bail ahead of trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court next month on charges relating to alleged sexual offences against two young girls. The defendant faces 50 counts in total, including 40 counts of child exploitation involving alleged production of child sexual abuse material, three counts of sexual assault, and seven counts of defilement of a child under 17. The alleged offences are said to have occurred between 2007 and 2011 at locations in Dublin and Donegal. At a pre-trial hearing, the defence indicated the case would be ready to proceed as scheduled. Trial commencement is set for 13 July, with proceedings expected to last approximately two weeks.
A trial is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court involving two Dublin men, aged 27 and 40, who have pleaded not guilty to raping a woman in a room at the George Frederic Handel Hotel, Fishamble Street, in the early hours of March 27, 2012. The complainant, a homeless woman who was 22 at the time, testified that one accused physically raped her while the other looked on, laughing and smirking. She alleged the second man threatened to throw her out of a window if she reported the incident to gardaí. Prosecuting counsel Pauline Walley SC argued that the second accused was as much a perpetrator as the man who physically penetrated her. The complainant described how she met the men in a pub, helped them find a hotel room, and was subsequently pushed onto a bed and held down. Under cross-examination by Feargal Kavanagh SC, she acknowledged a history of substance use, including benzodiazepam, and admitted to hugging one accused in CCTV footage while searching for accommodation. The court heard that the first accused told gardaí the woman had consented, a claim she denied. The matter is currently before Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan and a jury of eight men and four women, with the trial continuing.
A 21‑year‑old Dublin man, whose identity is protected, was given a suspended three‑year prison sentence for sexually assaulting his five‑year‑old niece. The victim, who had been a child rape victim herself, was forced into the man's bed at night because she feared ghosts and the dark. The man had previously been abused as a child and had pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault between April and November 2011. He had received counselling for his own abuse and was ordered to continue therapy and to live in a home for children from dysfunctional backgrounds. The court noted his early admission, guilty plea and cooperation as mitigating factors, and the sentence was suspended on the condition of ongoing treatment and residence in the specified home.
The State has withdrawn all charges against a 66‑year‑old Offaly man who had been accused of sexually abusing his daughter on the day her mother died. He is already serving a 14‑year sentence imposed in 2013 for raping and sexually abusing four of his children, convictions that included four counts of oral rape, forty counts of sexual assault and two counts of indecent assault. He denied all allegations, claiming the victims were lying and that the accusations were a conspiracy. Last week he was set to stand trial at the Central Criminal Court on 21 additional counts of indecent assault against one of his daughters at three locations in Offaly between 1979 and 1987. He denied those charges as well. The trial opened but collapsed before any evidence was heard after a letter from a prison doctor stated the accused was too ill to attend. Mr Justice Paul Butler discharged the jury and adjourned the case.
A man from County Mayo was sentenced to three years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his guilty pleas to sexual assault and oral rape charges. The offences, committed between 2009 and 2010 against a child he knew well, were reported to gardaí in 2014 when the victim disclosed the abuse to his father. The court heard the man was twenty-five years old at the time of the offences. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy described the sentence as one of due leniency, citing exceptional mitigating circumstances. These included the man's own history of childhood sexual abuse, his demonstrated remorse, engagement with therapeutic intervention, and assessment as presenting low risk of reoffending. The victim's impact statement outlined significant psychological harm caused by the abuse. The man was placed on the sex offenders register. His family indicated they would support him upon release from custody.
In a Dublin family home, a 50‑year‑old Tipperary man was sentenced to 17 years' imprisonment for sexually abusing and raping his daughters over an 18‑year period. He pleaded not guilty to 44 charges, including 37 counts of raping his eldest daughter, one count of anal rape of that girl, one count of oral rape of her younger sister, and a threat to kill his youngest daughters. The court found him guilty on 75 charges, with a jury verdict of not guilty on three. The judge described the offences as pre‑meditated, violent and exploitative, noting the victims' courage and the man's lack of remorse. The eldest daughter was first abused at nine, raped from eleven, and escaped to England at seventeen. The second daughter was abused from ten to just before fourteen, and the third from eleven to thirteen.
Patrick Barry, an 81‑year‑old former primary school principal from Kilkee, was convicted of indecent assault on 11 female pupils between 1964 and 1985. He was found guilty on 59 of 67 charges and sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment, with five years suspended. On appeal, the Court of Appeal reduced the sentence to two years, suspending the final three years of the five‑year portion. Barry must post a €1,000 bond and keep the peace during the suspended period. His release date is set for 20 May 2019. The appeal was based on the trial judge's error in setting the initial sentence and on Barry's advanced age, health problems and community contribution. The appeal against conviction was dismissed. The case involved allegations of indecent touching and forced positions in the classroom, with most incidents occurring in front of other pupils. The court noted that the offences were committed in a small community where everyone knew each other. Patrick Barry pleaded not guilty.
John Murphy, 31, of New Ross, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to theft at an address in Foxrock, Dublin, on October 28, 2014. The court heard that Murphy, posing as a journalist named "Andrew," allegedly extorted €1,000 from 82-year-old Patrick Brendan Tiernan by threatening to publish his photograph alongside sex offender Larry Murphy. Tiernan, who previously pleaded guilty to 14 charges of indecent assault and gross indecency involving nine victims, was targeted in what the judge described as a sophisticated operation involving surveillance. Judge Desmond Hogan characterized the conduct as a "particularly mean offence" and noted that Murphy acted as the frontman for the scheme. Although the judge did not rule out a prison term, he agreed to adjourn the matter to July 17. This delay allows the Probation Service to assess Murphy's suitability for the Restorative Justice Programme. The judge remarked that while Murphy was able to demand money, he should now demonstrate the ability to apologize. Defense counsel requested that no immediate jail term be imposed so Murphy could be present for the birth of his first child, noting that €3,000 was available in court as compensation. The matter was adjourned, not concluded.
Michael Riordan, aged 49, was convicted of 21 counts of sexual assault against his step‑daughter between September 2007 and November 2012. A jury found him guilty on nine counts and acquitted him on the rest by direction. He received a sentence of two‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment on 4 July 2014. Riordan appealed, arguing that facts disclosed in the victim's impact statement – such as the accused allegedly breaking the shower on purpose and his alleged dislike of the victim until she was 13 – contradicted her evidence and should have led to the withdrawal of the remaining counts. The Court of Appeal rejected the appeal, stating the new facts were minor and did not affect the fairness of the trial or the cross‑examination. Riordan was ordered to serve the remainder of his sentence in prison. The victim had waived anonymity, allowing the court to publish his identity. Michael Riordan pleaded not guilty.
In a 2015 case, a 74‑year‑old Kerry man was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for sexually abusing his sister‑in‑law during the 1970s. The judge, Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan, noted that under the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1935 the maximum term for a first offence was two years, and that a fully suspended sentence was rejected. The sentence included a six‑month suspension and six months of post‑release supervision, with a prohibition on unsupervised contact with children. The man pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of indecent assault between 1971 and 1974, was found guilty by a jury, and the judge considered his age, health and the defence's claim that the offences were "not necessarily the most serious." The victim, now 53, reported the abuse in 1986 but only filed a police complaint in 2007. She described repeated sexual assaults, the emotional impact, and her feelings of isolation and depression.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Liam McGran, 49, was given a suspended sentence for attempting to rob and threatening to rape an escort at gunpoint. McGran had booked an appointment with the woman, who works as an escort, and entered her apartment on 7 October 2013. He produced what appeared to be a black handgun, demanded money, and threatened rape. The victim, who held a firearms licence, recognised the pistol as a fake and fought him off, sustaining scratches, bruises and having some hair pulled. McGran fled, was later arrested in Lucan, and pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and possession of an imitation firearm. Judge Mary Ellen Ring noted it was his first offence, deviated from the five‑year mandatory minimum for firearms, and imposed a three‑year sentence suspended in full for three years. The court acknowledged the serious impact on the victim but also McGran's cooperation and early guilty plea.
A 57-year-old man with a history of paramilitary activity has had his prison sentence reduced on appeal following his conviction for sexually abusing two young girls in Donegal. The Court of Appeal in Dublin reduced his sentence from fifteen years to thirteen years imprisonment, with the final three years suspended. The man pleaded guilty in 2012 at the Central Criminal Court to sixteen counts of rape and indecent assault against two girls between November 2008 and May 2009. The offences occurred across four locations over a nine-month period. The court heard the man had fled the jurisdiction after detection but was subsequently returned on foot of an extradition warrant. The three-judge panel, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, determined the original sentence was excessive as a starting point. Conditions of release include a €1,000 bond, eighteen months post-release supervision, and a permanent prohibition on contact with the victims.
In a Westmeath case, a 28‑year‑old man was jailed for twelve years for aggravated sexual assault and attempted rape of his sister. He had been serving a suspended portion of a four‑year sentence for an attempted armed robbery and was released in January 2014. After pleading guilty to the assault, the Circuit Court reactivated 18 months of that robbery sentence, making the new sentence consecutive to the remaining term. The victim, a woman in her 20s, testified that the attack left her depressed, in pain and unable to forgive her brother. She described the assault as a violent, threatening act that involved forced sexual contact and threats to kill. The judge noted the seriousness of the case and imposed the twelve‑year term, with the robbery sentence running consecutively. The defendant has a history of 21 prior convictions, including robbery and drug offences, and is placed on the sex offenders' register.
In 2015, a 54‑year‑old Dublin man was convicted of 60 counts of sexual assault against six daughters of his former partner, for acts that occurred between 1994 and 2005 while he lived in their family home. A jury found him guilty on all counts and he was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended by Judge Desmond Hogan on 31 May 2013. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal against conviction, ruling that although the trial judge erred in its corroboration warning, the error worked in the defendant's favour. The appeal was rejected by Justice Garrett Sheehan, with Justices Seán Ryan and John Edwards. The DPP's application for a review of the sentence will be heard on 19 May. The case remains at the conviction stage, with no further outcome reported. The unnamed 54-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 74‑year‑old man was found guilty of 11 counts of indecent assault on a 53‑year‑old woman between 1971 and 1974. The woman, who was 10 when the abuse began, described repeated sexual assaults at the man's Kerry home, including incidents where he would pull her bed sheets off while she slept. She reported the abuse to her family in 1986 but only to Gardaí in 2007. The man denied the allegations when questioned in 2008. The jury agreed on eight of the eleven counts, with disagreement on the final three. The sentencing is scheduled for May 8. The case highlights the long‑term impact on the victim, who suffered depression, anxiety and flashbacks, and the court's consideration of the defendant's age and lack of prior convictions. The unnamed 74-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 50‑year‑old Tipperary man was found guilty of 75 charges of sexually abusing and raping his four daughters between 1994 and 2012. He pleaded not guilty to 44 charges, including 37 counts of raping his eldest daughter, one count of anal rape of that daughter, one count of oral rape of her younger sister, and one charge of threatening to kill his youngest daughters. The judge directed a not‑guilty verdict on three charges. The eldest daughter, now 29, said she was first abused at nine, raped at eleven, and anally raped at fourteen before escaping to England at seventeen. The second daughter, now 27, was abused from ten to just before fourteen and claimed forced oral sex. The third daughter, now 24, was assaulted from eleven to thirteen and reported a threat to kill her sisters. The youngest, 15, was abused four times in summer 2012.
During his final sitting at the Four Courts on 24 April 2015, Mr Justice Paul Carney retired after more than five decades of service as Ireland's most senior criminal judge. He was called to the Bar in 1966 and appointed to the High Court in 1991, presiding over hundreds of civil and criminal cases, including high‑profile rape, murder and manslaughter trials such as those of Wayne O'Donoghue, Michael Bambrick and the Mulhall sisters. Carney also sat on the three‑judge High Court that heard the Marie Fleming assisted‑suicide case and was involved in the 1986 Kenny appeal that introduced the exclusionary rule. He was known for his strict adherence to tradition, wearing a horsehair wig, and for being a "tough but fair" judge who insisted on high standards and the rights of victims.
An 81‑year‑old former primary school principal, Patrick Barry of Kilkee, has appealed his 11‑year prison sentence for indecent assault of 11 female pupils at Moyasta National School between 1964 and 1985. He pleaded not guilty to 67 charges but was found guilty on 59 counts by a jury; the trial judge, Gerald Keyes, directed not guilty on eight counts. Barry's sentence, imposed at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court on 19 November 2014, was 11 years with the final five suspended. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal against conviction, ruling it could not hold on any of his 12 grounds of appeal. Barry's appeal against sentence was reserved, with a decision expected on 15 May. The case involved allegations of indecent touching and forced positions in the classroom, with victims present. The court noted the seriousness of the offences and Barry's position of trust. The appeal was heard by Justices Garrett Sheehan, Alan Mahon and George Birmingham.
A 28‑year‑old man from the Midlands, whose identity is withheld to protect his sister, admitted to the Central Criminal Court that he sexually assaulted and attempted to rape his 26‑year‑old sister on the night of 16 June last year at his home. He pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault, attempted rape, threatening to kill and false imprisonment. The court heard that the sister had come to his house to remove alcohol and help clean up, and that he violently attacked her, threatening to stab her and threatening to cut her vaginal area. She described the assault as devastating, leading to depression, an overdose attempt and loss of contact with her children. The judge adjourned sentencing to May, noting the man is already serving a suspended sentence for a previous offence. The case highlights the severe impact on the victim and the defendant's history of drug addiction and prior convictions.
A 21‑year‑old man was jailed for two years at the Central Criminal Court after pleading guilty to one count of defilement of a child. The offence occurred on 4 August 2012 when he had sex with a 15‑year‑old girl at an 18th‑birthday party in County Meath. The girl had slept at 2.30 am and the man entered her room at 6 am, having sex with her without a condom. She reported the incident to the gardai that day, leading to his arrest. He pleaded guilty in January 2015 and has been in custody since. Mr Justice Paul Carney sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, and imposed a €1,000 bond and a lifelong prohibition from approaching the victim. The court noted the man's guilty plea, his work ethic, and the serious impact on the victim.
James Kelly, 25, a chronic heroin addict, was convicted at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court for false imprisonment, unlawful vehicle taking and robbery at Colbert Station on 4 May 2011. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended for seven years. The Director of Public Prosecution appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal, hearing the appeal on 23 April 2015, found the sentence too lenient and remanded Kelly in custody until 4 June 2015 for a new sentence. Kelly's defence counsel noted he was no longer on heroin and had completed the custodial part of his sentence, having been released for less than a week before being returned to custody. The appeal focused on the seriousness of the offence, the use of a knife, the victim's false imprisonment, forced driving, ATM theft, and the threat of rape and indignities. James Kelly pleaded guilty.
James Donoghue, aged 51, was sentenced to five years in prison for attempting to sexually assault a woman on 6 January 2014. He followed the woman home from work, lunged at her, covered her eyes and mouth, and threatened to kill or seriously harm her if she did not turn off her mobile phone. The victim, who had moved to Ireland in 2011, sustained facial cuts and was hospitalized. Donoghue was stopped by Gardaí shortly after the attack; evidence included bite marks on his hand, the victim's DNA on a ring on his finger, and blood stains on his jacket. He had 13 prior convictions for serious assault and had stopped taking medication that suppressed his sexual urges, which he claimed contributed to the incident. Judge Martin Nolan suspended the last two years of a seven‑year sentence, citing Donoghue's inability to change his behaviour. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. James Donoghue pleaded guilty.
Trevor Andre, a 27‑year‑old student from Pembroke Woods, Passage West, was convicted at the Central Criminal Court of attempted rape and sexual assault after he entered a woman's house on 8 June 2013, climbed into her bed while she slept, and attempted to insert his penis into her mouth. The victim, who is in her twenties, reported that she woke to find Andre straddling her and that he had tried to molest her breasts and mouth. She punched and squeezed his testicles and shouted for him to leave. Andre pleaded not guilty, but a jury of four women and eight men found him guilty. Mr Justice Tony Hunt sentenced him to six years' imprisonment, suspending the last two years on the condition that he remain under Probation Services supervision for two years after release.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, a 29‑year‑old fisherman pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault of a 58‑year‑old woman with mild intellectual disabilities and schizophrenia. The assault, which took place at the victim's home in Kerry on 29 July 2011, involved physical violence, forced sexual intercourse, and the victim's throat being held. The attacker forced his way into the house after a brief encounter at a pub, punched the victim, and used a cigarette to burn her face. DNA and a fingerprint matched the accused, and the victim's DNA was found on a memoriam card. The victim suffered bruising, abrasions, carpet burns, and difficulty swallowing. She has since lost her independence and her role in the community centre, and she feels frightened and guilty about the incident. The court remanded the accused in continuing custody for sentencing in July, after a guilty plea was entered and a victim impact report was presented.
A 21‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to one count of defilement of a child after having sex with a 15‑year‑old girl at an 18th birthday party in County Meath. The girl was staying at a friend's house when the man, who had previously met her at a hotel, entered her room at 6 am and had sex with her without a condom. She reported the incident to the Gardaí that day, leading to the man's arrest and subsequent guilty plea in January 2015. He has been in custody since then and will be sentenced on 23 April. In a victim impact statement read by Caroline Biggs SC, the girl, now 18, described the lasting emotional harm and the support she received. Derek Kenneally SC defended the man, noting his remorse, drinking problem, unemployment, and engagement with Alcoholics Anonymous and educational courses while in custody. The court will consider these factors when sentencing.
Patrick Barry, 80, former principal of Moyasta National School in west Clare, was convicted of indecent assault on 11 female pupils between 1964 and 1985. He pleaded not guilty to 67 charges but was found guilty on 59 counts by a jury, with the remaining eight dismissed by Judge Gerald Keyes. Barry received an 11‑year prison sentence, of which the final five years were suspended. On 20 April 2015, the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal against conviction. Justice Garrett Sheehan, sitting with Justices George Birmingham and Alan Mahon, ruled that Barry's 12 grounds of appeal were unsubstantiated. The appeal was rejected, leaving the original conviction and sentence in place. The case highlighted allegations that Barry had physically abused pupils in class, including touching them indecently and forcing them to touch his genital area.
Christopher Ward, aged 52, was convicted of raping his 74‑year‑old aunt Kathleen Ward in Dundalk on 13 March 2011. After an eight‑day trial, a Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty and Mr Justice George Birmingham sentenced him to 14 years' imprisonment on 19 May 2014. Ward had pleaded not guilty and was due to appeal his conviction and sentence in the Court of Appeal before 18 April 2015. However, his barrister, Michael O'Higgins SC, informed the Court that Ward suffered a heart attack on Friday and died, so the appeal will not proceed.
In 2015 a masseur accused of sexually assaulting a customer during a massage in August 2011 sought to halt his prosecution, arguing he could not receive a fair trial. He claimed prejudice because the complainant had not identified two other men she said had sexually assaulted and raped her many years earlier. The accused denied the assault and said his lawyers needed the names of the alleged perpetrators to test the complainant's credibility. The lawyers argued that without those names they could not pursue a potential line of inquiry, especially since the allegation was uncorroborated. The accused filed judicial review proceedings against the Director of Public Prosecution, seeking an order to stop his trial. The DPP opposed the application, stating that the undisclosed names were irrelevant and that all prosecution material had been shared with the defence. The case remains pending.
In a 2015 Central Criminal Court hearing, Henry Crowe, aged 57, was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment for repeatedly raping his partner's daughter, Majella Cahill, between 1988 and 1992. The offences were pleaded guilty and involved five separate rapes when Cahill was aged 11 to 15. Judge Paul Carney declared Crowe a sex offender, citing the gross breach of trust, the victim's age and the multiplicity of offences. The sentence was back‑dated to March 2013, with the final two years suspended due to Crowe's early guilty plea, remorse and good character. Crowe was ordered to undergo 18 months of post‑release supervision and to stay away from Cahill upon release. The hearing included Cahill's victim impact statement, detailing her childhood neglect, abuse by her grandfather, and the abuse she suffered from Crowe, which she described as daily and horrific. The court noted that Crowe had no prior convictions.
A 29‑year‑old man was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for having sex with a 16‑year‑old girl he met on Facebook. He pleaded guilty to two counts of defilement of a child in January and February 2013 at two Dublin locations. The judge, after hearing evidence and a probation report, noted the man had no insight into the impact on the victim and that the girl was underage. The sentence included a 12‑month suspended period, conditional on cooperation with the Probation Service and victim‑awareness work. The court also ordered the man to undergo sexual‑offending and alcohol‑awareness programmes and to be registered as a sex offender. The man had nine prior convictions, all for road‑traffic offences, and a low risk of reoffending was assessed. The victim's parents had not been in contact with her and she had "gone off the radar.".
A 55‑year‑old convicted sex offender was sentenced to six years in prison, with the final year suspended, for sexually assaulting and falsely imprisoning his sister‑in‑law in County Kerry and County Limerick. He pleaded not guilty to six counts, including two of rape, assault causing harm, sexual assault and false imprisonment. A jury found him guilty of the two counts of sexual assault and false imprisonment, but not guilty of the rape charges due to insufficient evidence. The judge noted the victim, a woman in her sixties, was isolated and suffered serious consequences, including fear of living alone and physical injuries such as bruising on her face and breasts. The offender has 42 prior convictions, including a sexual offence involving a child under 16, and the judge emphasised the need to protect society while allowing a chance for rehabilitation.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 35‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to raping a 28‑year‑old woman in Limerick on 28 August 2012. The assault occurred in a small gathering at a friend's house, where the accused was unknown to the victim. The victim had asked her friend for permission to share a room, was assured the man would not harm her, and was later woken at 5.30 am by the man having sex with her. She resisted, but he continued. The victim texted her friend, the man apologized, left, and the matter was reported to Gardaí. The accused admitted groping her while she slept. He had four prior convictions, no partner or children. The judge imposed a seven‑year sentence, suspended two years and three months, citing the early guilty plea and remorse, while noting the victim's lasting psychological harm.
Clive Dwyer, aged 32, was convicted in 2013 of four counts of sexual assault, three counts of oral rape and one count of anal rape against a seven‑year‑old boy, and sentenced to nine years' imprisonment. In 2015 he appealed, arguing that during the trial the prosecution played a VHS tape of his Garda interviews at an inappropriate time. The tape was stopped prematurely, replayed, and seven words – "I wasn't around kids. I haven't been…" – were heard by the jury. Dwyer's counsel claimed the words were prejudicial, appearing without context and contradicting the memorandums of interview that had been agreed upon by both sides. The prosecution admitted an error but said it did not prejudice the case. The Court of Appeal noted the mistake and reserved its decision for a future hearing. The appeal concerns only the alleged prejudice of the tape, not the conviction itself. Clive Dwyer pleaded not guilty.
In March 2015 the Court of Appeal overturned a wholly suspended seven‑year sentence that had been handed to a 53‑year‑old man for raping and indecently assaulting his wife's younger sister in the mid‑1980s. The man had pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault committed between 1985 and 1986. A jury found him guilty on all counts and the original judge, Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, had suspended the entire seven‑year term in 2013, citing the need to support the man's family, who had two autistic sons requiring 24‑hour care. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient. On 24 March 2015 Mr Justice Seán Ryan, President of the Court of Appeal, imposed a new three‑year prison term, stating the court's aim was "just punishment".
A 32‑year‑old man was given a suspended three‑year sentence for sexually assaulting a woman who was asleep at a party. He admitted to entering the bedroom after she had gone to bed, kissing and touching her in the hope she would think he was her partner. He also admitted to digitally penetrating her. Judge Catherine Murphy suspended the sentence in full, imposing conditions that he address his alcohol problems and engage with offence and victim awareness services. He was previously declared a sex offender. The judge suggested he consider living alcohol‑free and urged him to make the most of the chance. The man pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He offered €2,000 as a token of remorse, but the prosecution requested it be paid to the Rape Crisis Centre, which the judge directed his solicitor to do.
In March 2015 a Dublin court heard that a 68‑year‑old bus driver at a care facility for people with severe disabilities had been absolved of wrongdoing by the facility and cleared to return to work before he was convicted of sexually abusing a woman with the mental age of three. The driver was caught molesting the victim and forcing her to touch him. He denied the charge, claiming he was merely "gesticulating" during conversation. He was later sentenced to four years in prison, with the final two and a half years suspended on strict conditions, including no further contact with the victim. The facility and the man's identity remain anonymous to protect the victim's anonymity. The driver had been on paid leave at the time of the incident and declined the offer to return to work, eventually retiring at 65.
The High Court has reserved its decision in a challenge brought by an unnamed convicted rapist against the constitutionality of the 2001 Sex Offenders Act. The man, who was 13 when he raped his nephew and later convicted after turning 18, was placed on a special course for young sex offenders but failed to complete it. He was charged in 2012 under Section 12 of the Act for allegedly failing to notify the Gardaí of a change of address within seven days. He argues that Section 12 is vague, that the concept of a reasonable excuse is undefined, and that other provisions of the Act are disproportionate and breach his constitutional rights. The State, the DPP and the Irish Human Rights Commission oppose the application. After the third day of hearing, Mr Justice Donald Binchy reserved his decision.
A Roscommon man has been sentenced to six months imprisonment by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for sexually assaulting his daughter between 2004 and 2006. The man, aged 59, pleaded guilty to sexual assault of the child at the family home. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a two-year sentence with all but six months suspended, having considered the guilty plea, remorse expressed, and the defendant's serious medical condition. The court heard the child was subjected to abuse by multiple family members. Her mother is currently serving a 14-year sentence, with four and a half years suspended, for sexual assault and child cruelty, while a neighbour received 14 years for rape and related sexual offences. Judge Nolan noted the girl is now receiving support from foster carers and declared the man a sex offender. He determined post-release supervision was not necessary.
A man, whose identity is protected by court order, has brought a High Court action challenging the constitutionality of the 2001 Sex Offenders Act provisions that require sex offenders to notify the Gardaí of any change of address. The defendant, who was 13 when he raped his nephew and later served a 30‑month prison term, was classified as a sex offender and placed on a special course for young offenders. He failed to complete the course and was later convicted of rape after turning 18. In 2012 he was charged under Section 12 of the Act for allegedly failing to report a change of address. He argues that the offence is a strict liability, that "reasonable excuse" is undefined, and that the notification period is unfairly applied to those who were under 18 at the time of the offence but over 18 at sentencing.
A man aged 59 from Roscommon has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting his daughter between July 2004 and July 2006 at the family home. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard the offences occurred when the child was between five and seven years old. The girl was also abused by her mother, who is currently serving a 14-year sentence with four and a half years suspended for sexual assault, sexual exploitation and child cruelty. A neighbour in a relationship with the mother received a 14-year sentence for rape and other sexual offences against the child. During garda interviews, the defendant initially denied the allegations before suggesting any contact with the child's genitals was accidental. The child told specialist interviewers the abuse occurred multiple times when she was aged five or six. Judge Martin Nolan remanded the man on continuing bail pending sentencing on Monday. Defence counsel submitted his client was not responsible for the more serious abuse orchestrated by the mother and was himself operating within a chaotic family environment.
A jury has begun deliberating in the trial of Wicklow Detective Garda Catherine McGowan, aged 48, who is charged with forging a letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions. McGowan pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of forgery relating to an incident on 15 January 2009 at Bray Garda Station, and to two counts of using a false instrument concerning events on 21 and 22 June 2011 at Bray and Harcourt Street Garda Stations. The alleged forged letter, dated 14 January 2009, purportedly instructed that no prosecution should proceed in a clerical child‑abuse case, citing the complainant's allegation of rape as conjecture. The investigation was triggered by the Murphy Report, which examined the response of church and state authorities to clerical sexual abuse in Dublin. Judge Mary Ellen Ring addressed the jury of six men and six women before sending them out to deliberate, with a return scheduled for the next day.
In the 33rd day of the murder trial of Graham Dwyer, the jury was shown a series of videos and text messages that the prosecution claims demonstrate the defendant's violent intent. The videos, seized from Dwyer's hard drives, include clips of a man stabbing himself, speaking about chloroform, and a scene where a man appears to stab a bound woman during sex. The prosecution also presented over 2,600 text messages recovered from various devices, many of which contain Dwyer's admissions of an "urge to rape, stab and kill" and discussions with Elaine O'Hara about potential violence. Dwyer, 42, is charged with murdering the 36‑year‑old childcare worker on 22 August 2012. He has pleaded not guilty. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men. The State maintains that Dwyer's actions were driven by sexual gratification. The case continues.