Samy Taib, aged 22, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended for two years, for a series of offences including assault, coercive control, endangerment and dangerous driving. The court noted that Taib's victim endured significant psychological and physical harm, including permanent damage to her foot. Taib pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm, one count of coercive control, and several traffic offences. He was found to have a history of mental health issues, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia after the offences, and was taking medication at sentencing. His defence argued that his undiagnosed mental state should have led to a greater reduction in the sentence. The Court of Appeal considered the mitigating factors but did not alter the imposed term, leaving the suspended portion and custodial period unchanged. The case remains at the appeal stage.
In a sentencing hearing, Judge Mary Ellen Ring imposed a six‑year jail term on Andrew Lacey, 35, for the fatal stabbing of Derek Reddin, 31, in Loughlinstown. The judge also suspended 18 months of the sentence, citing the impact on Lacey's children, who would be left fatherless during critical developmental years. Lacey had pleaded not guilty to murder but was found guilty of manslaughter by a jury. The Court of Appeal heard arguments from the DPP's counsel, who contended that the suspension constituted an error in principle, and from Lacey's counsel, who defended the judge's discretion. The appeal was adjourned to March 1, with the court reserving judgment on the suspension issue. The case highlights the judge's consideration of family circumstances in sentencing.
Christina Anderson, 41, of Brownsbarn Wood, Kingswood, Dublin 22, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for the murder of Gareth Kelly, 38, who she stabbed five times outside her home on 25 February 2020. She had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, but the Director of Public Prosecutions accepted a plea of guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility due to a bipolar affective disorder. The State also rejected cannabis intoxication as a defence. In the Court of Appeal, the appeal was dismissed. Justice Isobel Kennedy upheld the eight‑year sentence, noting that the original judge had reduced the headline manslaughter term from 20 to 13 years, then to 11 years with a three‑year suspended portion, and that the final sentence reflected Anderson's mental condition and mitigating factors. The appeal court found no error in the sentencing decision.
Joseph Hillen, 29, was taken back into custody following an appeal regarding the activation of his suspended sentence. Hillen was originally convicted by a ten-to-two majority jury of the manslaughter of Martin Mulligan in 2018. He was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment with the final year suspended. The State appealed this sentence as unduly lenient, and in November 2019, the Court of Appeal increased the term to nine years, with the final 12 months suspended. Hillen was released from Mountjoy prison on March 30, 2022, after serving five years and 11 months. Two weeks later, on April 14, 2023, he allegedly drove a car at his mother, assaulted her, and committed other offences. He pleaded guilty at Lisburn Magistrates Court to assaulting his mother, criminal damage, dangerous driving, assaulting a police officer, possession of cocaine, driving while unfit, aggravated theft, and driving without a licence or insurance. In July 2023, he received an eight-month fully suspended sentence. The State subsequently applied to activate the suspended portion of his manslaughter sentence under Section 99 of the Criminal Justice Act. On January 29, 2024, Ms Justice Creedon activated nine months of the 12-month suspended sentence, resulting in Hillen being taken back into custody.
In February 2021, former Terenure College rugby coach John McClean, aged 79, was convicted of sexually abusing 23 pupils and sentenced to four years. In February 2023, he was convicted of further abuse of 22 pupils and received an additional four‑year sentence, to run consecutively, making a total of 12 years. The State argued that a concurrent sentence would not reflect the suffering of the 22 new victims. McClean's sentences were imposed by Judge Pauline Codd and Judge Martin Nolan, respectively, with the second term set to begin after the first term ends in February 2027. McClean will be about 84 upon release. The case involved indecent assault and sexual assault between 1971 and 1993 while he was a teacher and rugby coach at Terenure College. The Court of Appeal was urged to consider whether the consecutive sentences were fair and just.
James Doyle, 37, of Walkinstown, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail for dangerous driving that caused serious bodily harm to Emily Doyle when he struck her on Cromwellsfort Road on 23 April 2020. Doyle had been driving at speeds up to 130 km/h in a 50 km/h residential zone and was travelling about 80–90 km/h at the moment of impact, breaking Doyle's back and both legs. He had 47 prior convictions, including two for dangerous driving and four for unauthorised vehicle taking. At the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham reduced the sentence by one year, citing mitigating factors such as Doyle's ADHD, addiction history, early plea, remorse and pro‑social life. The new sentence is two-and-a-half years with a six‑year driving ban, and the appeal was granted on the basis that the original sentence was excessive and disproportionate. James Doyle pleaded guilty.
Eugene Hanratty Snr (65), of Castleblayney Road, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, is appealing his conviction for assault causing harm at Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, on November 24, 2012. He pleaded not guilty but was convicted by a jury following a trial in October 2022 and sentenced to three years in prison. The matter was adjourned at the Court of Appeal, with Mr Justice George Birmingham reserving his decision. Defence counsel Sean Guerin SC argued the conviction should be overturned due to prosecution failings, including lost forensic evidence, a broken chain of custody regarding a jacket, and the failure to interview Hanratty Snr or his son, Eugene Jnr. The State, represented by Garret McCormack BL, countered that these issues did not warrant removing the case from the jury, noting the trial judge had properly considered the evidence. At sentencing, Judge Melanie Greally described the attack as unprovoked and premeditated, noting Hanratty Snr stamped on the victim's arm knowing he was a musician. The judge set a headline sentence of five years, reduced it by one year, and suspended the final year for 12 months, resulting in an effective custody period of two years. Hanratty Snr was also ordered to have no contact with the victims for 10 years. In a separate 2016 trial, Eugene Hanratty Jnr was acquitted of joint enterprise charges related to the same incident.
Graham Daly, aged 40, was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for repeatedly raping and sexually abusing his younger brother between January 1998 and December 2002. The offences were tried in the Central Criminal Court in December 2021, where a jury found him guilty on seven counts. Daly pleaded not guilty and has maintained his innocence, arguing that the sentence was too severe. He appealed to the Court of Appeal, claiming the judge erred in assessing the severity and in balancing aggravating and mitigating factors, and that the sentence was disproportionate. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, stating that the gravity of the repeated, escalating offences justified a headline sentence range of 10 to 15 years, and that the judge's decision to place the sentence within that range was correct. The court found no error in the judge's approach and upheld the eight‑and‑a‑half‑year term.
In a landmark ruling, the Court of Appeal held that CCTV footage can be used as evidence in criminal trials, rejecting arguments that its use breaches constitutional and EU rights. Mr Justice John Edwards, in the case of Philip Dunbar, who murdered a homeless man with a disability by stabbing him 183 times, said that where such evidence exists, it would be a dereliction of duty if Gardaí did not access and use it. He noted that data protection laws allow CCTV processing when necessary and proportionate for preventing, detecting, investigating or prosecuting crime. The judge described the footage as highly relevant, obtained from private homes, businesses and public places such as footpaths, roads, a public park, a bus and a shopping centre. He dismissed the appeal, stating that the arguments were "lacking in reality" and that no rights were breached.
Philip Dunbar, aged 23, was found guilty of murder after stabbing Adam 'Floater' Muldoon 183 times in an unprovoked attack in Tallaght in 2018. He appealed his conviction, arguing a mental disorder caused by chronic drug use and that CCTV evidence infringed his privacy. The Court of Appeal, hearing via video-link, dismissed all grounds. Justice John Edwards noted the appeal was "bordering on un-statable" and that privacy claims were "misconceived". He emphasised that without an expert opinion proving a mental disorder at the time of the murder, the defence could not rely on that defence. The court also rejected arguments about the admissibility of admissions and a key witness's evidence. Dunbar remains imprisoned, with no changes to his sentence announced. The case highlights the court's stance on mental disorder defenses and CCTV use in criminal trials.
Michael King, 53, of Warren View, Boyle, Co Roscommon, appealed to the Court of Appeal against his five-and-a-half-year sentence for 12 counts of sexual assault. In May 2023, Judge Kenneth Connolly at Roscommon Circuit Court jailed King after a jury unanimously convicted him on all counts, despite his not guilty pleas. The offences, committed over nine months ending in September 2005, involved the sexual abuse of a 16-year-old babysitter. King was sentenced to five-and-a-half years on two consecutive counts of sexual assault, with the other ten charges taken into account. The trial judge reduced a headline sentence of two-and-a-half years on one count to 18 months, suspending the final 12 months, and reduced an eight-year headline on another count to five years. Counsel for King argued the sentence was excessive and that consecutive sentencing was inappropriate. Counsel for the State contended the sentence reflected the gravity of the escalating abuse and breach of trust. The Court of Appeal, comprising Mr Justice Edwards, Mr Justice Birmingham, and Mr Justice McCarthy, noted the lack of guilty pleas and the significant age disparity. The court reserved its judgement in the matter.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 49‑year‑old man was convicted of raping and sexually assaulting his partner's seven‑year‑old son between 1 May and 30 September 2016. The boy was in the shower when the man entered, claiming his mother had asked him to shower with him, and the man then sexually assaulted and raped the child. The conviction was upheld in a Court of Appeal hearing where the appellant argued that the trial was unfair because the boy had been given erroneous information that the accused had previously been in custody for raping a girl. The appellant's counsel claimed this information, presented on a DVD, could have influenced the boy's initial complaint and interview. The court reserved judgment on the appeal. The original sentencing, imposed by Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring, was eight years' imprisonment for rape and three years and six months for sexual assault, to run concurrently.
Debbie Paget, 56, of Knowth Court, Ballymun, Dublin, was convicted in May 2024 for dishonestly inducing James Byrne to give her €10,000 by claiming his deceased father had instructed her to receive the money, and for a lesser charge of inducing Maria Byrne to give €200. The jury found her guilty on the first count and not guilty on the second. She was jailed for one year by Judge Pauline Codd on 10 July. In the appeal, counsel argued that the trial judge erred by not directing a not‑guilty verdict at the close of the prosecution case, citing alleged inconsistencies in witness statements. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, affirming the jury's findings and the conviction. The case remains at the sentencing stage, with no further outcome reported in the article.
The Supreme Court declined to hear former FAI chief executive John Delaney's appeal against a decision that allowed the Corporate Enforcement Authority (CEA) to access over 1,100 documents seized from the FAI in 2020. Delaney argued that the documents were protected by Legal Professional Privilege (LPP) because they contained legal advice he received during his tenure. The High Court had found the documents were not privileged, a ruling upheld by the Court of Appeal. Delaney's appeal to the Supreme Court was rejected on the basis that it would merely repeat arguments already fully considered in the High Court and Court of Appeal. The Supreme Court therefore concluded that it was not in the interests of justice to allow a further appeal, ending the case at the appellate level. The CEA remains free to use the seized material in its ongoing criminal investigation of the FAI.
Trevor Byrne, the appellant, has appealed his 2021 convictions at the Court of Appeal regarding the 2010 armed robbery of Boylesports in Swords, Co Dublin. Byrne, who pleaded not guilty, was convicted by the Special Criminal Court of robbery, possession of a firearm, false imprisonment, threatening to kill, and unlawfully seizing a vehicle. Mr Justice Michael MacGrath sentenced him to eight-and-a-half years for the robbery and false imprisonment, six-and-a-half years for the threat to kill, and seven-and-a-half years each for the firearm possession and vehicle seizure. These sentences run concurrently with each other but consecutively to a separate nine-year sentence for a 2019 firearms offence, resulting in a total of 17.5 years. Byrne's counsel argued the convictions were unsafe due to procedural defects in the CCTV identification process, specifically the lack of contemporaneous notes by Detective Garda Patrick McDonagh. The State contended the evidence was admissible and supported by other circumstantial evidence, including a phone dropped at the scene linked to Byrne. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice John Edwards, reserved its judgment, meaning the matter was adjourned and not concluded.
Garret Smith, 35, was sentenced to 13½ years in prison after a jury found him guilty of manslaughter for stamping Edward 'Liam' O'Sullivan to death in Kilkenny in 2020. The jury had deemed Smith too intoxicated to intend murder, leading to a manslaughter verdict. Smith denied the murder charge and accepted the verdict, though he argued the sentence was too severe. He was also convicted of violent disorder at the same location. In the Court of Appeal, his counsel contended that the trial judge had misclassified the offence as the worst category and had not adequately considered mitigating factors such as lack of premeditation and Smith's personal circumstances. The State maintained that the sentence was fair, citing the brutality of the assault and the victim's severe injuries. The appeal was still pending at the time of the report.
A 28‑year‑old man was convicted of raping a woman he described as his best friend. He pleaded not guilty to a single count of rape relating to an incident on 7 November 2018. The jury found him guilty in November 2021 and he was sentenced to seven years, with the final three and a half years suspended, by Justice Deirdre Murphy in May 2022. He appealed, arguing that the trial judge's comments to the jury about the right to silence during Gardaí interviews unfairly prejudiced him. The Court of Appeal, led by Justice George Birmingham, agreed that the judge's remarks had impacted the man's right to silence and quashed the conviction. The case was adjourned to 16 February for further submissions on a possible retrial. The article does not state any subsequent outcome.
James Doyle, a 37-year-old from Walkinstown, appeared at the Court of Appeal to challenge his three-and-a-half-year prison sentence for dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm. In January of last year, Doyle pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to striking pedestrian Emily Doyle on Cromwellsfort Road in Walkinstown on April 23, 2020. The prosecution alleged he was travelling at speeds up to 130km/h in a 50km/h zone, causing spinal and leg fractures. Judge Martin Nolan originally sentenced Doyle, noting the victim's significant physical and emotional trauma. Doyle's counsel, Paul Carroll SC, argued the sentence was excessive and disproportionate, contending the trial judge placed too much weight on speed and failed to account for the absence of other aggravating factors. Carroll submitted the sentence should have included a suspended element to encourage rehabilitation. The State, represented by Jane McCudden BL, countered that the sentence was appropriate given the grave harm and Doyle's disregard for public safety, noting he had already received a 50% mitigation reduction. Mr Justice George Birmingham described the case as one of real seriousness and reserved his judgment until February 1. Consequently, the matter was adjourned and remains pending final determination.
In a landmark Court of Appeal judgement, the court ruled that Section 93 of the Children Act applies only to a child, defined as a person under 18. The decision means that a child who turns 18 during proceedings or before an appeal can no longer be protected by anonymity. The case concerned a 21‑year‑old who was 17 when he pleaded guilty to the murder of Cameron Blair. The court held that reporting restrictions do not extend to those who age out before proceedings conclude. Justice Isobel Kennedy emphasised that the Act's language is clear and that extending anonymity would require rewriting the legislation. Mr Justice George Birmingham announced a stay on lifting reporting restrictions to allow a potential appeal to the Supreme Court. The ruling will affect child defendants who turn 18 before their trial or sentence is completed.
A 41‑year‑old man was ordered to serve a full three‑year, four‑month prison term after the Court of Appeal rejected his appeal against the severity of the sentence for sexually assaulting his nine‑year‑old daughter. The Court of Appeal found that the trial judge had not erred in sentencing. The offence occurred between 1 January 2017 and 30 April 2017 at the family home, when the father touched the girl's private parts while she was asleep. The appellant pleaded not guilty. He was first convicted in May 2021 after a second trial, had that conviction quashed in May 2022, and was convicted again in November 2022, receiving the three‑year, four‑month sentence. The appeal argued the sentence was too harsh, citing a comparable case with a four‑year headline. The Court of Appeal upheld the original sentence, noting the breach of trust and the lack of a guilty plea.
Cameron Curtis, aged 20, received an 18‑month jail term for a series of violent assaults, false imprisonment and threats against his partner, Alannah Corrigan. The Court of Appeal found the sentence unduly lenient, noting that the original headline sentence was 3 years 4 months, reduced to 2 years 6 months after mitigation, with the last year suspended for two years. Curtis's attacks spanned four dates, involving punches, kicks, strangulation, a chokehold, and threats with a knife and scissors. He repeatedly locked Corrigan in a bathroom for 45 minutes and prevented her from leaving a kitchen. The Court highlighted the aggravating factor of their intimate relationship and the prolonged nature of the assaults. Curtis has now served his sentence, having spent about 14 months in prison, and the Court has called for an updated probation report before finalising matters. The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
A 44‑year‑old social worker who brought a 16‑year‑old boy in State care to her home and sexually defiled him was convicted and jailed for four years, with the final two years suspended, by a jury after an 11‑day trial. She appealed, arguing that Facebook messages exchanged with the boy should not have been admitted because the State's request for the messages was made under the wrong section of a 2008 treaty on mutual legal assistance between Ireland and the United States. The appeal was dismissed by Justice Tara Burns, who held that the treaty required the transmission of the request by the Department of Justice, not the drafting, and that the material, though extending beyond the original timeframe, was still admissible. The conviction remains in force, and the social worker will serve the remaining two years of her sentence. The unnamed 44-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a 2024 Court of Appeal hearing, the court considered the appropriate penalty for Dutch skipper Klass Dirk Meijvogel, aged 43, who was convicted in 2015 of a single technical fishing offence for operating the factory trawler Wiron 5 in Irish waters. The offence involved the use of equipment capable of grading fish and returning low‑grade pelagic fish to the sea, contrary to EU regulations effective 1 January 2015. The original 2015 judgment had confiscated the vessel's entire catch (€344,960) and gear (€55,000), a penalty later deemed potentially disproportionate. Meijvogel's counsel argued that the confiscation was mandatory and that no evidence showed fish were returned to the sea, and that the penalty had no monetary benefit to the skipper. State counsel countered that the forfeiture was justified by the presence of illegal grading facilities and that the penalty should remain dissuasive. Klass Dirk Meijvogel pleaded not guilty.
The Court of Appeal heard an appeal involving members of the Burke family, including Enoch Burke, who is currently in Mountjoy Prison. Enoch Burke, along with his parents, sister Ammi, and brother Isaac, protested outside the Criminal Courts of Justice building after being excluded from the hearing due to their failure to provide undertakings not to interrupt proceedings. Enoch Burke was only allowed to participate via video-link after failing to make an undertaking to accept court rulings and not to be argumentative. He denied that he or his family had ever disrupted proceedings, stating they are law-abiding and respect the law. Enoch Burke is a respondent in an application by the Garda Ombudsman Commission (Gsoc) for access to digital audio recordings of a previous court hearing involving him on March 7th last year. During that hearing, a 'melee' occurred when members of the Burke family began shouting and were forcibly removed by gardai. Simeon Burke (24), Enoch's brother, was arrested and later convicted under the Public Order Act for engaging in threatening, insulting, and abusive behavior. Both Simeon and Ammi Burke have made complaints to Gsoc regarding their treatment by gardai on that occasion. Eoin Lawlor BL, representing Gsoc, applied for the release of recordings made after the court had risen, arguing that the evidence may be probative of innocence or guilt. Enoch Burke, representing himself, objected to the application, stating that 'proceedings' refers to the period when the court is in session and that the ambient recording system is only a backup. Mr Justice Edwards, sitting with Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Tara Burns, thanked all parties for their 'excellent submissions' and reserved judgment, saying the court had a 'lot to think about'.
Edward Wall, 32, of Newtown Park, Tallaght, was sentenced to five‑and‑a‑half years in November 2022 for the burglary of an unoccupied residence belonging to an Asian restaurant owner in Carlow Town. The burglary, committed with three others in December 2019, was part of a gang that targeted Asian businesspeople. Wall was on bail for burglary, trespass and handling stolen goods at the time of the offence and had 33 prior convictions. Judge Eugene O'Kelly imposed a six‑year term, suspending the final six months, and also sentenced two older co‑defendants to six years with 18‑month suspensions and a younger co‑defendant to a fully suspended three‑and‑a‑half year term. Wall's appeal to reduce his sentence was dismissed by the Court of Appeal, with the judge affirming that the sentencing reflected appropriate parity and mitigation considerations.". Edward Wall pleaded guilty.
In a High Court ruling, Smullen Logistic Solutions Ltd lost its application for an injunction against Goldstein Property ICAV regarding a disputed right of access to its Newhall, Co Kildare site. Mr Justice David Nolan refused the request, stating that damages would be an adequate remedy for the neighbourly dispute, which must be resolved at a full hearing. The judge characterised the application as tactical, noting it followed cease-and-desist letters sent by the defendant. Costs were awarded against the plaintiff, with no stay on the order. The court noted the decision may be appealed to the Court of Appeal. Smullen alleged that Goldstein locked a gate essential for its 250 trucks and containers, causing ongoing losses, while claiming exclusive use of the roadway until November 27. Goldstein denied wrongdoing, arguing no such roadway existed and presenting Ordnance Survey maps to support its position. The defendant contended the action was launched after Smullen began bulldozing works on disputed land and that alternative access routes were available. The matter remains subject to potential appeal, with the underlying ownership dispute pending a full hearing.
In December 2021 a 56‑year‑old woman, Helen Jones, was convicted of murdering her 52‑year‑old brother Paul Jones in Cork. The jury found that on 4 September 2019 Jones and her partner Keith O'Hara had taken a taxi to Paul's house on Bandon Road, where an altercation at the front door led to Paul being found inside the house wearing only underwear and covered in blood. A post‑mortem revealed 25 stab wounds and a chop wound to the head. Jones was sentenced to life imprisonment by Mr Justice Michael MacGrath. In December 2023 Jones appealed, arguing that the search warrant issued on 10 September 2019 by a district court judge was not valid because the detective's oath was not properly recorded. The Court of Appeal heard arguments from both sides, with the DPP maintaining the warrant was lawful and the appeal pending.
George Finglas, who lived on the North Circular Road, Dublin 7, was sentenced to nine years in prison for transporting more than 128 kg of cannabis, worth an estimated €2.56 million, to reduce a gambling debt. He pleaded guilty last year and appealed the sentence as excessive. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Ms Justice Tara Burns, rejected all grounds of appeal, stating the sentencing judge had made no error and the sentence was not disproportionate. In February 2021, Revenue officials discovered two pallets of cannabis at Dublin Port, and Gardaí from the National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau conducted a surveillance operation that led to Finglas's arrest at a commercial premises in Lusk, Co Dublin. Finglas admitted moving the drugs under direction, citing a €25,000 gambling debt and fear of debtors. He had no prior convictions and entered an early guilty plea.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal of Darren Murphy, who was convicted of the 2012 murder of Eamon Kelly. Murphy, of George's Place, Dublin 1, was found guilty by the Special Criminal Court in November 2021 for acting as a "spotter" in the gang's common design to ambush Kelly. He was sentenced to life in January 2022. The court also found Murphy not guilty of possessing a Glock pistol with intent to endanger life due to insufficient evidence. Murphy's legal team argued that the CCTV identification process was flawed and that Garda witnesses lacked credibility, claiming officers had prior knowledge of the case. Ms Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh rejected these submissions, stating the identification process was excellent and that the trial court's findings on witness credibility were not perverse. The appellate court agreed with the trial judge that the evidence demonstrated careful planning and advance surveillance, confirming Murphy's involvement in the joint enterprise. Separately, Sean Connolly, of Bernard Curtis House, Bluebell, Dublin, was jailed for life by the Special Criminal Court in 2015 for the same murder. The appeal hearing concluded with the dismissal of Murphy's bid to overturn his conviction.
In a December 2018 Christmas arson spree, 34‑year‑old Graham Shannon set fire to three cars and an auto‑body garage in Wexford, destroying the owner's livelihood. He pleaded guilty to four counts of criminal damage. The State appealed the original cumulative sentence of three and a half years, arguing it was unduly lenient and that the four arsons should carry consecutive sentences. The Court of Appeal, led by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, quashed the original sentence and imposed a new nine‑year term: four years for each of the first three vehicle arsons (concurrent) and six years for the garage arson (consecutive), with the final year suspended. The decision was based on the financial loss to the garage owner, the "revenge" element, and Shannon's extensive criminal history, including 82 prior convictions and multiple serious offences. The suspended year was back‑dated to April 7, 2022.
The 17‑year‑old serving a life sentence for the murder of Urantsetseg Tserendorj shouted "f**k off, get me out of this court" when the Court of Appeal refused to reduce his term. He also shouted insults at staff as they escorted him to the cell. The appeal was dismissed by Ms Justice Tara Burns, who upheld the life sentence with a 13‑year review, citing the pre‑meditated knife attack on a defenseless woman. The appeal had argued the sentence was disproportionate for a 14‑year‑old at the time of the offence and that mitigating factors such as drug addiction had not been adequately considered. The court noted the defendant's intent to rob and the use of a knife, and rejected the claim that the sentence was too harsh. The judge said the defendant must work toward rehabilitation by the review date. Urantsetseg Tserendorj pleaded guilty and was found guilty.
Joe Dunne, 82, a former priest, was given a fully suspended four‑year sentence in March 2023 for five counts of indecent assault on a young woman who was already vulnerable. The victim, who had been abused previously, described the abuse as violent and terrifying, noting that Dunne exploited his chaplaincy role and repeatedly assaulted her in remote locations. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, overturned the suspended sentence, citing the gravity of the offences and the impact on the victim. Edwards imposed a headline six‑year custodial sentence, discounted two years for guilty pleas and personal circumstances, and suspended an additional two years, leaving Dunne with a two‑year jail term. The decision was made after the court considered Dunne's age, health, and the dependency of his 94‑year‑old sister, whom he solely cares for. The case was originally uncovered in 2019 when Gardaí found letters from the victim to her bishop.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 15 December 2023, the State argued that a man acquitted of attempted murder in February 2021 was the shooter. State counsel Eilis Brennan SC presented evidence that gloves seized from the accused less than 30 minutes after the shooting contained 19 particles of firearm residue matching those found at the scene. She cited three hours of CCTV tracking two cars before, during and after the incident, including a black Hyundai hatchback that left the scene at 10.55pm and a BMW that was later stopped on the M50. Brennan claimed the CCTV and forensic evidence strongly linked the younger man, aged 28, to the shooting. The appeal court, led by Mr Justice Birmingham, was instructed to review the CCTV footage and transcripts and reserve judgment. The defense argued that the trial judge had erred by directing acquittals, but the appellate judges were to determine whether the evidence was sufficient for a jury. The unnamed respondent pleaded not guilty.
In a 2023 Central Criminal Court case, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon directed a jury to acquit two men of attempted murder of a 17‑year‑old Dublin teenager, after the defence applied to drop the charges. The accused, aged 32 and 28, were alleged to have attempted to kill the teenager on 24 February 2021 at Eugene Street, Dublin 8, and to have possessed a Beretta pistol. The trial judge found the evidence—CCTV, witness testimony, forensics—insufficient to prove guilt, noting no direct link between the gun found in a burned‑out Hyundai and either defendant, and no DNA, phone or motive evidence. The State has now applied to the Court of Appeal to overturn the acquittal, arguing the judge erred by considering evidence "in isolation" rather than "globally." The appeal will be heard by a three‑judge panel tomorrow. The case remains a circumstantial one with no direct evidence of the defendants' involvement.
The Court of Appeal upheld the Minister for Justice's refusal to allow an Indian woman, who married an EU national in 2012, to remain in Ireland. The Court found the Minister's decision lawful, noting that in a 2018 interview the woman admitted the couple had never lived together and had married because she needed a visa. She also said the man's girlfriend became pregnant while they were married. The lawyers later denied that the marriage was solely for a visa, citing family disapproval and the man's infidelity, which led to a child in 2013. The couple had sought to renew the woman's residence card in 2017, but the Minister refused in 2018. The High Court dismissed the appeal in 2022, and the Court of Appeal rejected the appeal in 2023, finding no error of law and confirming the Minister's decision. The woman was not entitled to an oral hearing before the refusal.
Teacher Enoch Burke, the applicant, was ordered to remain in Mountjoy prison for the festive period after refusing to provide an undertaking to comply with a High Court order to stay away from Wilson's Hospital School. During a fraught appeal-stage hearing, Mr Justice Mark Sanfey directed Mr Burke and his family to leave the courtroom for interrupting proceedings. Mr Burke alleged that his imprisonment resulted from judicial decisions and claimed the school was covering up evidence, while criticizing several judges, including Mr Justice George Birmingham, Ms Justice Marie Whelan, and Mr Justice Brian O'Moore. Counsel for the school board, Rosemary Mallon BL, stated the board was reluctantly seeking to maintain the status quo. The judge ruled that Mr Burke must remain incarcerated until he purges his contempt, noting he could secure release by providing undertakings at any time. The judge described the conduct as an orchestrated campaign to disrupt proceedings and a flagrant breach of court orders. The matter was adjourned to a date in February for a further review. Mr Burke was previously jailed in September for deliberately failing to comply with a permanent injunction granted by Mr Justice Owens in July, which restrained him from attending the school. The school board alleges his presence caused severe disruption, a claim he denies. He is separately appealing his dismissal from his post as a German and History teacher.
The Supreme Court will hear Graham Dwyer's appeal against his 2015 conviction for the murder of Elaine O'Hara on January 16. The one-day hearing centres on whether call data records used at trial should lead to a retrial, following declarations that retaining mobile phone data breached rights under the European Charter. Dwyer's lawyers argue the data retention constituted mass surveillance, while the DPP opposes the application. The Supreme Court agreed to hear the case, citing significant issues of general public importance regarding the admissibility of evidence obtained under a 2011 law later struck down by the Court of Justice of the European Union. In a preliminary hearing before Mr Justice Maurice Collins, the judge confirmed a timetable for legal submissions and asked the DPP and Dwyer's team to inquire if the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission wishes to participate. Dwyer, who denies murdering O'Hara, was originally convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court. Mr Justice Tony Hunt sentenced him to the mandatory term of life imprisonment, describing the killing as a chilling and premeditated murder following a protracted campaign of manipulation and abuse. Although the Court of Appeal dismissed his conviction appeal last March, finding the call data evidence did not cause a miscarriage of justice, the Supreme Court is now reviewing the legal characterisation of the data's illegality and the scope of legislation governing conviction appeals.
At the Central Criminal Court, Matthew Cummins appeared on appeal regarding the reactivation of his suspended sentence. The State sought to activate the two-year suspended portion of his nine-year term, which was imposed in September 2021 for impeding the apprehension of an offender. This followed Cummins' guilty plea and sentencing on December 5 last year at Tullamore Circuit Criminal Court, where he received two-and-a-half years' imprisonment for criminal damage, with the final year suspended. Cummins, who has 69 previous convictions, had previously admitted to helping Sean Davy, a convicted murderer, by attempting to burn the victim's body to destroy evidence. James Davy, Cummins' co-accused in the original 2014 incident, also had his murder conviction overturned in 2021 and was re-sentenced to nine years with two suspended. Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford revoked the two-year suspension but substituted it with a one-year jail term, backdated to December 5 last, with no portion suspended. She noted Cummins' good behaviour and course completion in prison, granting him a further chance despite his high risk of reoffending. Sean Davy remains serving a life sentence for murder.
Paul Boyle, a 46‑year‑old Scottish man, was caught by an off‑duty Garda taking "up‑skirt" pictures on the Luas in December 2019. A Garda search of his Dublin home uncovered hundreds of thousands of similar images, including 20,000 of women and girls' legs, groins and buttocks, and an "extremely explicit" child‑abuse video. Boyle pleaded guilty to harassment and possession of child pornography. Judge Martin Nolan originally sentenced him to five years for harassment and three years for child‑pornography, with the final two and a half years of the latter suspended. On appeal, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy reduced the overall custodial term to five years and six months, suspending the last 16 months. The Court of Appeal found the original sentence excessive, noting no violence or threat of violence and no contact with victims. Boyle remains subject to post‑release supervision and a ban on contact with the victims.
During a Court of Appeal hearing on 9 December 2023, Enoch Burke's mother Martina Burke and sister Ammi were ejected by Gardaí after they entered the courtroom and shouted at barrister Eoin Lawlor BL and the presiding judge. The family had come to protest that the court was "making a fool" of Enoch Burke and that Lawlor's presence was corrupt, while Burke was denied in‑person attendance. The court was considering a Gsoc application for access to recordings of a prior "melee" involving Burke, and had previously granted Gsoc and the Director of Public Prosecutions access to recordings from sessions but not to those taken after the court rose. Judge John Edwards adjourned the matter to 15 January, when a panel of three judges will hear submissions on the recordings issue.
Oliver Doran, aged 24, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the axe murder of 76‑year‑old Kwok Ping Cheng in Dublin's Robinson's Court. Doran initially pleaded not guilty but later changed to guilty and was sentenced on 8 May 2023. The Central Criminal Court, presided over by Mr Justice David Keane, described the killing as "senseless" and imposed the maximum life sentence. The sentence was backdated to 17 January 2023, the date of Doran's guilty plea, and the Court of Appeal later further backdated it to 6 May 2021, the day Doran was first taken into custody. This adjustment allows Doran to apply for parole in 2033 instead of 2035. The case involved CCTV footage of Doran entering Cheng's apartment, forensic evidence of axe wounds, and Doran's prior 98 convictions. The appeal court upheld the backdating, noting that guilty pleas in murder cases are rare and that backdating is standard practice.
Two men from Longford have failed in their conviction appeals at the Court of Appeal following their trial for rape and sexual assault during the Galway Races in August 2017. Karl Reilly of Carrickboy and Patrick McLoughlin of Moydow were convicted and sentenced to seven and five years' imprisonment respectively, with 18 months suspended in each case. The appellants, who had pleaded not guilty, argued that an erroneous time-stamp on phone evidence discovered during trial prejudiced their defence preparation and that their trials should have been separated. Presiding judge Mr Justice George Birmingham dismissed both grounds of appeal. The court found that the phone timing discrepancy, whilst unfortunate, did not cause irreparable damage to the trial and could have been addressed through further cross-examination or closing speeches. On the severance issue, the judge noted that the differences between the men's accounts to gardaí were minor and that joint trials routinely proceed where potential defence difficulties are far greater. Both conviction appeals were dismissed in their entirety.
In July 2022, a 31‑year‑old Dublin mother was sentenced to five years in prison for recklessly endangering her two children, aged two and three, by failing to seek medical care when they were physically abused. She pleaded guilty to two counts of reckless endangerment and five counts of child cruelty, including punching her son. The court noted that the children were taken into care and would suffer lifelong trauma. Her appeal, arguing that rehabilitation had not been considered and that part of the sentence should have been suspended, was dismissed by the Court of Appeal. The judge had already applied a generous discount for mitigating factors and imposed concurrent jail terms of five and three years, deeming the custodial sentence necessary due to the grave nature of the offences.
A 14‑year‑old who raped a 15‑year‑old after drinking alcohol for the first time was convicted by a majority jury at the Central Criminal Court in May 2024. He was sentenced to 106 days of detention, fully suspended, which the State appealed as too lenient. The Court of Appeal found the original sentence unduly lenient, noting that a comparable adult offence would have attracted a headline sentence of seven years. The appeal court quashed the 106‑day suspended term and re‑sentenced the teenager, applying a discount of three‑and‑a‑half years for his age and maturity and an additional 18‑month discount for mitigating factors such as his admissions and good record. The court suspended the two‑year jail term entirely, requiring compliance with probation services and good behaviour for two years, and ruled that sending him to an adult prison would serve no useful purpose. The unnamed 18-year-old pleaded not guilty.
The Court of Appeal heard that a 17‑year‑old who murdered Urantsetseg Tserendorj was sentenced to life imprisonment with a review after 13 years, a decision his barrister Mark Lynam SC described as disproportionate. Lynam argued that the teenager, who had 31 prior convictions, should have received a determinate sentence or an earlier review, citing international pressure to move away from life sentences for minors. He contended that the offender's intent was to cause serious harm rather than to kill, and that his age and lack of maturity warranted a different approach. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Sean Guerin SC, maintained that the judge's discretion was justified, noting the defendant's armed robbery intent and the victim's vulnerability. The case remains pending a judgment set for December 19, 2023. The unnamed accused pleaded guilty and was found guilty.
In December 2023, a Court of Appeal hearing considered the appeal of Paul Boyle, a 46‑year‑old Scottish man, who had been sentenced to five‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment for harassment and possession of child pornography. Boyle was caught by an off‑duty Garda on the Luas in December 2019 taking "up‑skirt" photographs of women and schoolgirls. A subsequent search of his Dublin home uncovered 275,800 images of women's groins, thighs and buttocks taken between June 2018 and January 2020, and a 2002 child‑pornography video described as "extremely explicit and disturbing." Boyle pleaded guilty in March 2022 to the harassment and possession charges. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a five‑year term for harassment and a three‑year term for child‑pornography, with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended and back‑dated to March 2021.
Christina Anderson, 41, of Dublin 22, appealed her sentence at the Court of Appeal regarding the killing of Gareth Kelly, 38. Anderson was sentenced earlier this year to 11 years in prison, with the final three years suspended for four years. She was initially charged with murder and pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. However, the Director of Public Prosecutions accepted a plea of guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility due to a mental disorder. The State accepted Anderson was experiencing a psychotic episode due to bipolar affective disorder but did not qualify for a full insanity defence. Counsel for Anderson argued the sentencing judge failed to correctly assess her moral culpability, citing a psychiatrist's report that she was highly dominated by her condition with no insight. The DPP countered that moral culpability was not extinguished, pointing to ongoing aggravation and the fact that Anderson stabbed the victim, walked away, and returned to stab him again. The DPP also noted the suspended portion was necessary for public protection given the lack of a suitable environment to police her mental health. Anderson is currently an enhanced prisoner at Dochas women's prison, where her medication has been reduced and she is participating in various classes. The matter remains under appeal.
The State argues that child offenders who become adults before their appeal is heard should not retain anonymity. The Court of Appeal will decide whether the 21‑year‑old who murdered student Cameron Blair can be publicly identified after appealing his sentence post‑turning 18. Mr Justice George Birmingham requested submissions from the Director of Public Prosecutions and the defendant's counsel. The defendant, aged 17 when the murder occurred, pleaded guilty and was sentenced just before his 18th birthday. The Children Act prohibits publishing anything likely to identify a child in court proceedings. Karl Finnegan SC contended that naming the young offender on appeal would violate the Act's spirit, while Anne Rowland SC argued that the Act's literal wording does not extend anonymity beyond 18. Mr Justice Birmingham noted a subsection of the Act that applies to appeal proceedings, questioning its purpose if anonymity is not preserved. The court will rule later.
In a 2023 Court of Appeal decision, a 17‑year‑old who stabbed 20‑year‑old Cameron Blair to death was denied a review to reduce his life sentence after 13 years. The court found the trial judge had properly considered the defendant's lack of maturity, set a proportionate sentence and taken mitigating factors into account. The appeal also rejected the claim that the 13‑year review deprived the defendant of the right to apply for parole after 12 years, noting the parole board would still consider eligibility. The judge highlighted the defendant's deliberate and callous conduct, including displaying a knife and tapping it on his leg before the fatal blow, and described the offence as "shocking and deliberate." The Court of Appeal will later decide on the anonymity of the accused, who is now 21 and no longer a minor. Cameron Blair pleaded guilty.
Jordan Lee, 25, was sentenced to two years in prison in April 2023 for a violent robbery that left two teenagers, aged 18 and 19, unconscious after they refused to buy drugs in Dublin city centre. Lee, who was on bail at the time, struck one teen on the head and repeatedly stamped on his head, while a co‑accused struck the other teen. Both men then stole the teens' pockets and fled. The State appealed the sentence, arguing it was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal, after viewing disturbing CCTV footage, found the original two‑year term too low and increased the pre‑mitigation headline sentence to seven years. The judge set a post‑mitigation headline sentence of five years, suspended six months, and back‑dated the custodial term to start after the expiry of a separate 11‑month sentence on 6 June. Jordan Lee pleaded guilty.