In 2018, Darragh Meehan, then 19, was sentenced to six‑and‑a‑half years for online sexual exploitation and defilement of a 13‑year‑old girl. He met her via Skype, Facebook and text, exposed himself, urged her to masturbate and performed sexual acts when they met. The victim's mother reported the messages to Gardaí. Meehan pleaded guilty to one count of defilement and three counts of sexual exploitation between December 2011 and May 2012, with no prior convictions. On appeal, the Court of Appeal found the original nine‑year headline sentence too high, reducing it to seven‑and‑a‑half years, then to five years imprisonment, taking into account Meehan's good character and lack of prior Garda attention. The final year was suspended, conditional on Meehan's submission to Probation Service supervision for one year after release.
In 2017, Keith Hearne, aged 30, was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment for raping Dominique Meehan at a gaming convention in Blanchardstown. He pleaded guilty to two counts of rape, one of oral rape and one of false imprisonment. Hearne's appeal argued that his psychiatric illnesses should have reduced the sentence, but the Court of Appeal found he had no active symptoms at the time of the offence and therefore his mental state did not affect culpability. The court upheld the 12‑year term, noting the severity of the violent, premeditated attack and the presence of weapons and sadomasochistic items in his rucksack. The appeal was dismissed, and Meehan expressed relief that the sentence was maintained, though she remains affected by the assault.
A former school principal from Ballybofey, County Donegal, has been sent to prison following a Court of Appeal ruling that his original suspended sentence was unduly lenient. Finbarr Boyle, aged 39, pleaded guilty to five counts of theft and two counts of forgery relating to his time as principal at Kilnaleck National School in County Cavan between 2007 and 2012. He had originally received a wholly suspended two-year sentence in March 2018 on condition he repay €25,000. The Court of Appeal, on application by the Director of Public Prosecutions, found this sentence insufficient given the seriousness of the offending. Boyle misappropriated approximately €204,000 through various means, including unauthorised use of the school's visa card for personal expenses, improper cheque drawings, and fraudulent claims submitted to the Department of Social Protection. The Court of Appeal resentenced him to 15 months imprisonment, with immediate custody ordered.
Alan Hanley, the appellant, was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Alex Owens at the Central Criminal Court following a third trial. Hanley had pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape alleged to have occurred at a house in Limerick city on the night of May 4/5, 2012. He had previously admitted assaulting the victim causing her harm on the same occasion. A jury returned a majority verdict of guilty on one count of rape but failed to agree on the other two counts, on which the State entered nolle prosequi. This follows a successful appeal last year where the Court of Appeal quashed his previous 12-and-a-half-year sentence, imposed in 2015 by Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy, due to the trial judge's failure to provide a corroboration warning. The current sentence was backdated to May 5, 2012. Mr Justice Owens ordered that Hanley complete a sex offenders course if deemed suitable, be under Probation Service supervision for six years post-release, and make no attempt to contact the victim or her family. Hanley verbally refused to comply with the course order in court. The judge cited aggravating factors including home invasion, prolonged violence, and lack of remorse.
Three men—Patrick Roche (54), his son Philip Roche (25), and son‑in‑law Alan Freeman (38)—have lodged appeals against convictions for violent burglaries committed in rural County Limerick seven years ago. The convictions, obtained at the Limerick Circuit Criminal Court, stem from two separate incidents. In May 2012, the Roches broke into the isolated home of elderly siblings Willie, Nora, and Chrissie Creed near Pallasgreen, tied them up, assaulted them, and stole €5,000. Six weeks earlier, the trio had broken into the Garvey family home, tied up Mr and Mrs Garvey and their four children, threatened Mr Garvey with a gun, and fled with cash. Patrick Roche received a 17‑year sentence, Philip 15 years, and Freeman 14 years, each with a three‑year suspended portion. The appeals cite alleged errors in jury instructions, the legality of the arrests and detentions, and the admissibility of evidence. The case will be heard tomorrow by the Court of Appeal.
In 2019 the Court of Appeal quashed the burglary and criminal damage conviction of Robert Kane, 41, who had been found guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and sentenced to three years' imprisonment with the final six months suspended. Kane had claimed he was homeless and was looking for a place to sleep when he was arrested at Patrick Morrissey and Co Solicitors in Dun Laoghaire on 3 February 2017. The appeal was based on the trial judge's instructions to the jury, which the Court of Appeal said failed to adequately explain Kane's defence and may have misled the jury. The judge had not mentioned key elements of the defence, such as the possibility of another intruder and the lack of any items taken. The Court of Appeal allowed the appeal and referred the case back for the Director of Public Prosecutions to decide whether to seek a retrial.
Abdur Rashid, a 51‑year‑old Bangladeshi religious teacher living in Dublin, was found guilty of molesting a six‑year‑old girl during a mosque lesson in December 2015. He was originally sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment, with the last four months suspended, by Judge Pauline Codd in November 2018. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was too lenient. The Court of Appeal, in a three‑judge panel, increased the term to four‑and‑a‑half years. The court held that Rashid's conduct—kissing the child in an adult manner, placing his hands under her clothing and touching her genital area—was of considerable gravity. It noted the victim's trauma, including nightmares and anxiety, and the impact on her family. The appeal court found the original judge had erred in setting a two‑year pre‑mitigation headline sentence, and set a five‑and‑a‑half‑year starting point, with a one‑year discount for mitigating factors. Abdur Rashid pleaded not guilty.
Darragh O'Hare, 27, was sentenced to 28 months in prison for stealing a €150 bicycle and a burglary that occurred in Balbriggan in May 2017. He had 91 prior convictions, 73 of which were committed while on bail for other offences. The Director of Public Prosecutions sought a review of the sentence as "unduly lenient", but the Court of Appeal upheld the judge's decision, noting the sentence was within the discretionary range, though at its outer limits. O'Hare had previously been on bail for dangerous driving and unauthorised vehicle use when the theft and burglary took place. He pleaded guilty on his first appearance in the Circuit Court, and the judge considered his past drug difficulties and a letter from Fr Peter McVerry stating he was now drug‑free. The appeal was dismissed, leaving the 28‑month sentence in place.
In a Court of Appeal hearing, letters sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on behalf of struck‑off solicitor Michael Lynn (50) alleged that the State was trying to "nail" him, calling him an "innocent man" and accusing the DPP of "robust bloodlust." Lynn, who has been extradited from Brazil after spending four‑and‑a‑half years in a Brazilian prison, faces 21 counts of theft totalling almost €30 million from seven financial institutions, including €4.1 million from Irish Nationwide and €3.6 million from Ulster Bank. His lawyers challenged assurances that time served in Brazil would be deducted from any Irish sentence, arguing the DPP's statements could impinge on the separation of powers. The Court of Appeal reserved judgment, noting the letters were "intemperate" and that the case was "moot" or "un‑stateable" according to the DPP's counsel. The appeal may affect Lynn's upcoming trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
David Healy, 48, of Passage West, Cork, was found guilty of arson after he set fire to his own commercial premises, Munster Air Compressors, on 16 December 2014, causing damage over €200,000. He pleaded not guilty to the arson but later pleaded guilty to a second charge of attempted deception on 8 January 2015. On 15 May 2018, Judge Gerard O'Brien sentenced him to a 10‑year suspended term and a €33,000 fine. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, and the Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, ruled the original sentence was "unduly lenient." Healy was re‑sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the final five years suspended for the arson, credit for ten weeks already spent in custody, and a wholly suspended three‑year sentence for the attempted deception. He will begin serving a net jail term of two years on 13 May.
A former garda has failed in his appeal against a two-year prison sentence for sexually assaulting a sleeping woman at a Mayo hotel in July 2015. The 37-year-old man pleaded guilty to the offence at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court after initially maintaining his innocence. He was subsequently dismissed from An Garda Síochána following his guilty plea. The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence today, with Ms Justice Marie Baker finding the sentencing judge's approach sound. The original sentence was based on a four-year headline term with a 50 per cent reduction applied for mitigating factors including the man's prior good character and expressions of remorse. Ms Justice Baker stated the discount was appropriate and potentially "generous". She noted the gravity of the offence and the late guilty plea justified a custodial sentence without suspension. The three-judge court found no error in principle and dismissed the appeal. The unnamed 37-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A man found guilty of shooting his wife dead in an act of gross negligence has lost an appeal against his conviction and sentence. Oliver Kierans (60) of Drumbannon, Bailieborough in Cavan, had pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to murdering Patricia Kierans (54), his wife of 33 years, at his home address on September 5th, 2013. He was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter by a majority jury verdict following fifteen hours of deliberations. Kierans was also found guilty of possessing a double barrel sawn-off shotgun and possessing the weapon with intent to endanger life. Patricia Kierans died from a shotgun wound to the chest after being shot at a range of about 1.2 metres or 4 feet, in the close confines of a bedroom in Kierans' home. Kierans contended that he had picked up the firearm with the intention of taking his own life but the shotgun discharged in the direction of his wife. After the shooting, Kierans went to The Square bar in Bailieborough where a 'siege' took place. Garda Thomas Fay, who had known Kierans for almost 30 years, went into the bar to talk to him. However, CCTV footage from inside the pub showed Kierans pointing the shotgun at the garda. Kierans pulled the trigger, but the gun did not go off. CCTV showed him looking at the gun quizzically afterwards. The situation came to an end when Kierans eventually left the pub with Garda Fay. Kierans was sentenced to nine years imprisonment for his wife's manslaughter, eight years for possession of the shotgun and 12 years for pointing the gun at Garda Fay by Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly on April 20, 2015. All sentences were to run concurrently. Upholding his conviction and sentence today, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy said Kierans had picked up the shotgun to show his wife he would kill himself. However, the gun discharged due to 'unexpected movement'. Mr Justice McCarthy said the trial judge correctly instructed the jury with regards to intent and the particular circumstances of the case. He said the court rejected Kierans' appeal against conviction. In relation to sentence, Kierans' barrister, Paul Greene SC, submitted that the Central Criminal Court judge ought to have afforded more credit for Kierans' personal circumstances. However, Mr Justice McCarthy said the judge expressly took account of Kierans' family situation and his previous good character. He said the aggravating factors were significant. Kierans reloaded the shotgun after the homicide and went to a public place. Mr Justice McCarthy said Ireland had the 'privilege of having an unarmed police force' and Kierans put Garda Fay 'in fear of his life'. Mr Justice McCarthy, who sat with President of the Court of Appeal Mr Justice George Birmingham and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, said the sentences were within range and the appeal was accordingly dismissed.
In 2017, Keith Hearne, aged 30, was sentenced to 12 years for raping Dominique Meehan at the ArcadeCon gaming convention. Hearne pleaded guilty to two counts of rape, one count of oral rape and one count of false imprisonment. The sentencing judge, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, noted the seriousness of the offence and the evidence of sadomasochistic items found at the scene. Hearne's defence argued that his psychiatric history – Asperger's syndrome, ADHD, dyslexia and bipolar disorder – and lack of prior convictions should have been considered as mitigating factors. The Court of Appeal heard that only one mitigating circumstance had been considered. The DPP maintained the sentence was proper and proportionate to the heinous nature of the crime. Meehan, 27, expressed relief at the sentence but said it was too light and that her life had changed dramatically since the assault.
In 2016, Stefan Saunders (41), Francis Murphy (39) and Damien Noonan (32) conspired to rob a cash‑in‑transit van in Co. Meath, planning the heist over more than two months. They pleaded guilty to conspiracy, possession of a semi‑automatic pistol and possession of a stolen BMW used as a getaway vehicle. Each received a 10‑year sentence, with 2½ years suspended, imposed by Judge Michael O'Shea in 2018. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentences were unduly lenient, citing the robbery's scale, the firearm's readiness and the gang's professional conduct. The Court of Appeal, led by Justice George Birmingham, rejected the appeal, holding the sentences were at the outer limits of the judge's discretion and therefore appropriate. No further action was taken.
An appeal has led to an increased prison sentence for Donal O'Hara, who was involved in a violent attack led by Dessie O'Hare. O'Hara, 27, of Glin Park, Coolock, pleaded guilty to assaulting John Roche, causing him harm, and falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne on June 9, 2015. He was initially sentenced to three years imprisonment with the final year suspended on July 31, 2018. However, the Court of Appeal found the sentence 'unduly lenient' and re-sentenced O'Hara to four years imprisonment with the final year suspended, increasing his jail term by 12 months. Dessie O'Hare, 62, of Slate Rock Road, Newtownhamilton, County Armagh, also pleaded guilty to the same offences and was jailed for seven years. Daniel Kane, 29, of Hollycourt, Ballybrack, County Dublin, pleaded guilty to the same offences and was sentenced to five years imprisonment with the final year suspended on April 27, 2018. Hannover Street West, also pleaded guilty to the same offences and was sentenced to six years imprisonment on January 29, 2018. The appeal was brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions, who argued that the original sentence was too lenient given the severity of the offences and the context of the attack.
A 79‑year‑old dual US‑Irish citizen, Daniel Mullan, is wanted by the FBI for alleged child‑pornography offences and the sexual exploitation of a minor. He is currently in custody at Midlands Prison, Portlaoise, and faces extradition to New York. In December, the High Court ordered his extradition, a decision upheld by the Court of Appeal on 12 April 2019. Mullan's lawyers challenged the order, arguing that his serious health problems—including sight loss, inability to walk, morbid obesity, atrial fibrillation, chronic cardiac failure, anxiety and cellulitis—made extradition disproportionate and not in the public interest. The Court of Appeal dismissed the challenge, stating that the evidence of his health was scant and that the Irish prison system had handled his custody well. The judge noted that the seriousness of the alleged offences and Ireland's international agreement with the United States supported the extradition.
Kenneth Cooke, 56, of Limekiln Green, Walkinstown, Dublin, lost an appeal against a 14‑year jail term imposed for sexually assaulting two boys. He pleaded guilty to 21 counts of assaulting a boy aged 11‑13 between January 2000 and July 2003, and pleaded not guilty to 56 counts of assaulting another boy between December 1980 and December 1985. Judge Patricia Ryan gave a nine‑year sentence with four years suspended for the first victim and an eleven‑year sentence with two years suspended for the second victim, making the sentences consecutive. The Court of Appeal upheld the 14‑year net sentence, finding no error in the judge's decision or in the application of mitigation. Cooke was led away to begin serving the sentence in November 2016. The appeal was dismissed. Kenneth Cooke was convicted.
A retired 86‑year‑old doctor lost an appeal against his conviction for abusing two 15‑year‑old teenage patients in the mid‑1970s. He had pleaded not guilty to eight charges of indecent assault, but a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found him guilty of indecently assaulting the two boys. The trial judge directed a not guilty verdict for one complainant and acquitted him on the remaining counts. He received two consecutive 10‑month sentences, totalling 20 months imprisonment, under Judge Cormac Quinn. The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction, noting that both victims were 15 when the doctor groped them during medical examinations. One victim described being tied to a bed, restrained with rubber bungee, and having his testicles massaged under a blanket. The second victim testified that the doctor massaged the base of his penis during follow‑up examinations for undescended testes, and the victim forced himself to ejaculate to end the assault.
In a Carlow farm case, James Kavanagh, aged 48, pleaded guilty to 30 counts of animal cruelty at his Raheenleigh property in April 2015. He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, ordered to pay €35,000 toward ISPCA costs, and disqualified for life from any involvement with dogs or horses. His wife, Jennifer, received a wholly suspended 12‑month sentence for 30 counts of allowing animal cruelty. The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence, noting that 340 dogs and 11 horses were removed over 11 days, with 20 dogs and four horses euthanised. The premises were described as "strewn with skeletal remains" and "truly shocking," with evidence of severe neglect, cannibalism, and health problems among the animals. The appeal was dismissed, confirming the severity of the original sentence.
Paddy Harty, 45, of Ennis, was on the run when he sexually assaulted a 53‑year‑old woman he met in a pub in Kildare on 23 April 2015. He pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court and was sentenced to four years imprisonment, consecutive to a four‑year sentence for theft and fraud that he had received two months earlier. Harty's appeal against the severity of the sentence was dismissed by the Court of Appeal, which found the total sentence "appropriate". The Court noted that Harty had met the woman in a bar, they had drinks, kissed, and then he drove her to a secluded area known as 'Braveheart Hill'. There he removed her bottom clothing and forcibly held her by the arms. She fled, hid in a thorny bush and called the Gardaí. Harty was identified from CCTV footage and initially denied having met the woman.
In 2016, Juraci Da Silva, a 36‑year‑old Brazilian, killed James 'Jay' Banville after being assaulted and racially abused by Banville and Conor Hogan. Da Silva admitted the killing but denied murder, and was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter and of producing a knife during an altercation. He was also found not guilty of assault causing harm to Hogan. Banville died from a single stab wound to the heart. Da Silva was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment in November 2017. He had no prior convictions, had come to Ireland a month earlier to work in a meat plant, and had three young children in Brazil. In April 2019, Da Silva's barrister, Colman Cody SC, applied to appeal the sentence, arguing it was too high given the context of the assaults and his circumstances. The Court of Appeal reserved judgment.
Michael Rae, 39, was convicted of arson and criminal damage after petrol bombing a family home and vehicle at Knockmore Park, Tallaght, on 26 May 2017. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced on 14 June 2018 to five years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, by Judge Melanie Greally. The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence. The appeal judge, Mr Justice George Birmingham, noted that the victim saw Rae near the driveway that night, that CCTV captured him filling a plastic bottle with petrol, setting it alight and throwing it at the house, and that the attack caused damage to the vehicle, a wall and a window. Rae had 29 prior convictions, including two for non‑arson criminal damage and 15 for traffic offences, and was intoxicated on the night of the attack. The appeal was dismissed.
A 38‑year‑old Limerick man was sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment for a series of violent rapes that took place on the night of 10 September 2016. He broke into his ex‑partner's home and, over a seven‑and‑a‑half‑hour period, threatened the woman with a knife, assaulted her, and raped her and her 16‑year‑old foster daughter. The man pleaded guilty ten days before the trial and expressed remorse through his counsel. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy imposed a headline sentence of life imprisonment but reduced it to 18 years because of the guilty plea, the man's remorse, and his rehabilitation efforts. The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence as proportionate. The case involved two victims, one of whom was a minor, and the man had a prior conviction for breach of a barring order.
A 67-year-old man from County Donegal has been granted a date to appeal his extradition to Northern Ireland over charges relating to a 1972 bombing in Enniskillen. John Downey was arrested in November 2018 at his home in Creeslough following a European Arrest Warrant. He faces charges of murdering two British Army soldiers, Lance Corporal Alfred Johnston and Private James Eames, who were killed when an explosive device detonated in a vehicle on the Irvinestown Road, Cherrymount, on 25 August 1972. The High Court in Dublin ordered his extradition in March 2019 despite objections based on delay and a "comfort letter" issued by the British government to alleged republican paramilitaries during the conflict. The Court of Appeal has scheduled a hearing for 27 May 2019. Mr Downey's legal team cited his health concerns and questioned whether evidence allegedly linking him to the bombing still exists.
Oliver Kierans, aged 60, of Drumbannon, Bailieborough in Cavan, has lodged an appeal against his conviction and sentence at the Court of Appeal. Kierans was found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of his wife, Patricia Kierans, at their home on 5 September 2013. He was also convicted of possessing a sawn-off shotgun and of pointing the weapon at a member of An Garda Síochána in a public house in Bailieborough. He had pleaded not guilty to murder. Justice Aileen Donnelly sentenced him to nine years imprisonment for manslaughter, with additional concurrent sentences imposed for the firearms offences in April 2015. During proceedings at the Court of Appeal, counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions submitted that Kierans's moral culpability was significant, particularly regarding the incident involving the garda. The court, presided over by President Mr Justice George Birmingham, reserved judgement. Oliver Kierans was acquitted.
Sean Jackson, 27, of Doon Court, Ballymun, was jailed for biting a large portion of another man's ear off in the smoking area of Ardlea Inn, Dublin 5, after a very minor altercation on 23 August 2014. He had no memory of the incident due to intoxication and pleaded not guilty to assault causing serious harm. A jury found him guilty and Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to five years imprisonment on 4 December 2017. Jackson had 24 prior convictions, including drug possession and public order offences. In the Court of Appeal, Justice Isobel Kennedy upheld the sentence, noting the violent and unprovoked nature of the attack and that intoxication was not a mitigating factor. The appeal was dismissed with no error found. The case remains at the five‑year imprisonment stage.
A 32‑year‑old man was convicted of raping a woman who had told him she would not have sex without a condom. The offence occurred at her Dublin apartment on 23 November 2014 after the pair had begun dating two weeks earlier. During the encounter the man repeatedly tried to have sex without a condom, was rebuffed, and ultimately penetrated her after she told him he was raping her. He was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with 18 months suspended. The man appealed the conviction, arguing that the jury should have been discharged when the victim repeatedly referred to matters she was not allowed to discuss. The appeal was dismissed by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, who found the victim's cross‑examination replies were careful and did not prejudice the jury. The case remains at the conviction stage, with no further outcome reported in the article.
The Court of Appeal has adjourned the appeal of Christopher Redmond, a 75-year-old man convicted of raping and sexually assaulting his granddaughter. Redmond, of Finglas, pleaded not guilty to four counts of rape and five counts of sexual assault committed between January 2002 and May 2004 at the Tolka Valley pitch and putt club. He was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury in early 2018 and sentenced to five years' imprisonment by Ms Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh on April 27, 2018. His defence counsel, Andrew Sexton SC, argued that a post-conviction forensic psychiatric report, which identified significant cognitive impairment, raised doubts about his fitness to plead under Section 4 of the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006. The report noted his condition likely predated the trial but did not explicitly address fitness to plead as the conviction had already occurred. President of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, stated the court required specific expert opinions on his fitness to be tried. The State indicated its intention to have Redmond assessed by a Central Mental Hospital expert. The matter was adjourned for mention on June 21 to allow for these further assessments. Redmond is currently detained in Midlands Prison.
A man convicted of murdering two elderly brothers in Castlebar has been granted an appeal hearing date of 21 June. Alan Cawley, aged 31, of Ballina, Co Mayo, was sentenced to life imprisonment in July 2017 after a jury unanimously found him guilty of killing Thomas Blaine, aged 69, and John Blaine, aged 76, at New Antrim Street on 10 July 2013. Cawley had admitted the killings but denied murder, arguing diminished responsibility on grounds of mental health conditions. The Central Criminal Court rejected this defence. The Court of Appeal fixed the hearing date during a procedural mention. The coroner for Mayo has indicated the inquest into the deaths cannot proceed until the appeal concludes, a matter which has caused concern to the deceased's family. Legal submissions from both parties have now been filed ahead of the June hearing.
A man from Knockloughlin in County Longford has withdrawn an appeal against his sentence for distributing child sexual abuse material, following advice from his legal team. Sylvio Rose, aged 51, a German national resident in Ireland since 2006, had pleaded guilty at Longford Circuit Criminal Court to possession and distribution of child pornography involving approximately 35,000 images and 1,700 videos. He was sentenced to five years imprisonment with the final two years suspended in May 2018. Rose's application to withdraw his appeal was heard at the Court of Appeal, where the President, Mr Justice George Birmingham, noted that he had been "well advised" to do so. The court acknowledged the gravity of the offences involved. Mr Justice Birmingham sat with Mr Justice Brian McGovern and Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy in permitting the late withdrawal.
Liam Concannon, 25, of Killorglin, was convicted of assault causing serious harm after striking Darren Moriarty, 22, with a pool cue on St Patrick's Day 2014. The attack, described as vicious and unprovoked, left Moriarty with a fractured skull, lacerations, a subdural haematoma, severe headaches, contusions, ongoing migraines, distorted vision and night terrors. Concannon was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, by Judge Thomas O'Donnell on 29 May 2018. The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence, finding it fair and proportionate to the seriousness of the assault. Concannon had previously been convicted of assault, was extradited from the UK, and had claimed self‑defence, a claim rejected by the court. The appeal was dismissed by the three‑judge panel. Liam Concannon pleaded guilty.
In a case heard in Naas Circuit Criminal Court, Laurence Carthy, aged 43, was convicted of assault causing harm to his ex‑wife Joanne Carthy. The conviction was based largely on the victim's testimony that she recognised Carthy's voice during the assault. She identified him by the phrase "it's just because I miss you so much" and noted his breathing and grunting. No forced entry occurred, Carthy retained a key, and the family dog did not bark. A jury found him guilty and Judge Brian O'Callaghan sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, with 18 months suspended. Carthy appealed, arguing the voice‑recognition evidence was weak and that no other supporting evidence existed. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, accepting the witness's familiarity with Carthy's voice as sufficient for conviction and rejecting further procedural objections. The appeal was dismissed by Justice Isobel Kennedy, Justice George Birmingham and Justice Patrick McCarthy. Laurence Carthy pleaded not guilty.
In 2016, a trio of men—Stefan Saunders (40), Francis Murphy (39) and Damien Noonan (32)—conspired to rob a cash‑in‑transit van carrying over €2 million in County Meath. They were caught after Gardaí arrived, but the men had already prepared the scene: they broke into a disused bank, disabled the alarm, sprayed bleach, and waited with a stolen BMW X5. Saunders carried a semi‑automatic pistol with eight blank rounds, Murphy had a crowbar, and Noonan possessed the stolen vehicle. All three pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery, possession of a firearm, and possession of a stolen vehicle. On 12 June 2018 they were each sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment, with a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended portion. The Director of Public Prosecutions has applied for a review, arguing the sentences were unduly lenient, while the Court of Appeal has reserved its judgment. The case remains at the appeal stage.
Darragh Meehan, aged 26, was sentenced to six‑and‑a‑half years in March 2018 for defiling and sexually exploiting a 13‑year‑old girl when he was 19. The victim met Meehan in December 2011, after which they communicated regularly via Skype, Facebook and text. Meehan exposed himself, masturbated on camera, and urged the girl to masturbate or penetrate herself. In March 2012 they met in a park, where Meehan asked the girl to masturbate him, kissed her, and inserted his hand into her clothes, causing her discomfort. He also requested oral sex, which she initially refused but eventually complied with briefly. The girl's mother discovered concerning messages and alerted Gardaí, leading to Meehan's identification and subsequent guilty plea to one count of defilement and three counts of sexual exploitation. He has now appealed the severity of his sentence in the Court of Appeal, arguing the headline sentence of nine years is too high.
The Court of Appeal heard an appeal by Englishman Martin Wanden regarding his 30-year sentence for his role in a €440 million cocaine haul that went awry at Dunlough Bay, West Cork, on July 2, 2007. Wanden, who pleaded not guilty, was found guilty by a jury at Cork Circuit Criminal Court and sentenced by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin on July 23, 2008. His counsel argued he was a "bungling stevedore" rather than a "lieutenant," requesting a reduced sentence to facilitate rehabilitation. The DPP countered that Wanden was a fully committed member of the gang, noting he traveled from South Africa with the RIB and held multiple passports. The court also heard that co-accused Perry Wharrie's sentence remained at 17-and-a-half years after the Supreme Court overturned a previous reduction, while Joe Daly received 25 years. A fourth man, Gerard Hagan, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply and was sentenced to 10 years. The panel, comprising Mr Justice John Edwards, Ms Justice Marie Baker, and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, reserved its judgment on Wanden's appeal.
In 2018, a 25‑year‑old man was convicted of raping a 17‑year‑old girl in Dublin. He pleaded not guilty to two counts, claiming both were consensual. A jury acquitted him of the first count but found him guilty of the second after a trial that had collapsed twice due to the victim's panic attacks. The trial was conducted via video link for the third hearing. Judge Paul Butler sentenced him to six years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, and later remarked that rape trials should provide complainants with legal advice. The defendant appealed, arguing that the judge's definition of recklessness was inadequate. The Court of Appeal noted that the judge used a 2018 Law Reform Commission definition instead of the 2016 Supreme Court definition, and the appeal was reserved for further consideration. The case remains pending.
Paul Carew, a 42‑year‑old Dublin resident, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for laundering €660,000 linked to the Kinahan crime gang. He pleaded guilty to three counts of money laundering for activities between 2014 and 2016. In August 2016, Gardaí seized €191,160 from a concealed compartment in a van he drove at Liffey Valley Shopping Centre; in June 2016, they found €350,000 in a box he placed in a van at Dublin Auto Prestige Car Wash. Carew had previously received a suspended sentence in 2014 for possessing nearly €68,000 of criminal proceeds. Judge Martin Nolan described the offence as "very serious" and noted that most of the money came from drug dealing. Carew's appeal against the sentence was dismissed by the Court of Appeal, which upheld the eight‑year term as appropriate for the offences committed.
A former army officer, Timothy O'Sullivan, 67, was denied an extension of time to appeal his 11‑year sentence for raping two teenage boys between 1991 and 1996. The Central Criminal Court found that O'Sullivan, then in his forties, abused the boys, aged 13 to 16, threatening to shoot or bury them. He was sentenced to five years and six years consecutively. The judge praised the victims' bravery and noted their "courageous" statements. O'Sullivan's lawyers highlighted his military service and remorse. He lodged an appeal 13 weeks late, but the Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, refused the application, citing the lack of prospect for success and the need for finality in sexual offence cases. The decision was upheld by the panel of judges. Timothy O'Sullivan pleaded guilty.
Andrew Shannon, 54, was convicted on 31 January 2014 of handling a stolen Frederick Goodall oil painting, a 1892 desert scene taken from Bantry House in Cork in March 2006. Gardaí discovered the painting, valued at about €5,000, during a 2014 search of his home on unrelated grounds. A jury found him guilty after a two‑day trial, and Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to two years' imprisonment in November 2014. He was due to appeal the conviction today but had dismissed his solicitor and intended to represent himself. Judge George Birmingham warned him that the Court of Appeal, a three‑judge panel, was unconvinced he could do justice alone and urged him to secure counsel. The case was scheduled for hearing on 16 May. Shannon has 51 prior convictions, including theft, burglary and handling stolen property, and was previously jailed for damaging a Monet painting at the National Gallery of Ireland in 2012.
In a 2019 case, lawyers for a man charged with assault argued that the prosecution must prove the alleged victim did not consent to the incident. The defence cited a Supreme Court decision involving a prisoner who claimed another prisoner asked to be assaulted to secure transfer to an open prison. The defendant, Gerard Brown, alleged that former Garda Stephen Cooper instructed him to feign an attack, saying "Don't hold back" and "Just make sure there is blood," and promised €1,000 and sensitive information. After the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal against conviction, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a further appeal, focusing on whether the offence of section 3 assault requires proof of absence of consent. The Court of Appeal had ruled that consent could not be a defence on public policy grounds. The Supreme Court disagreed, stating that absence of consent is not a necessary ingredient in a section 3 assault.
In a case heard by the Central Criminal Court, Latvian national Andrejs Krauze, aged 33, was convicted of murdering fellow Latvian Juris Buls, aged 30, in County Galway on 7 or 8 July 2011. Buls had failed to report for a night shift at Titan Plastics and was later found dead in Funshion Woods. Witnesses testified that Krauze had entered Buls' home in February, confronted him over a car dispute, and after Buls filed a garda complaint of assault, Krauze strangled him and moved the body to the woods. Krauze pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by a jury and sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment on 29 March 2017. The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction, rejecting all grounds of appeal and confirming the fairness of the trial and the validity of the evidence presented. The appeal was dismissed by a three‑judge panel led by Mr Justice George Birmingham.
The Supreme Court, by a unanimous vote of five judges, dismissed Eric Eoin Marques's appeal and lifted the stay on his extradition to the United States. Marques, an Irish citizen in his early thirties, has been in custody since August 2013 after refusing bail. He faces U.S. charges of conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography and of advertising and distributing child pornography, with the FBI alleging he owned and ran the anonymous hosting site Freedom Hosting. His appeal argued that the Minister for Justice had no obligation to obtain reasons from the Director of Public Prosecutions for not prosecuting him in Ireland, and that the Minister's reasons for extradition were adequate. The court held that under the 1965 Extradition Act the Minister may refuse extradition without seeking such reasons, and therefore dismissed the appeal. The decision ends Marques's long legal battle and allows his surrender to U.S. authorities.
James Kavanagh, 48, pleaded guilty to 30 counts of animal cruelty at his Myshall property, where 63 animals were involved. Gardaí and animal welfare officers found dead dogs and horses, and dogs feeding on horse carcasses. The court removed 340 dogs and 11 horses; 4 horses and 20 dogs were euthanised. Kavanagh received a three‑year prison sentence and was ordered to pay €35,000 to the ISPCA. His wife, Jennifer, received a wholly suspended 12‑month sentence for 30 counts of allowing cruelty. Kavanagh's barrister, Colman Cody, appealed, arguing the case was one of neglect rather than overt cruelty, noting no physical abuse was proven. The appeal focuses on the severity of the sentence, the alleged mischaracterisation of his premises, and the impact of legislative changes on his business. The court has reserved its judgment.
Michael Shine, aged 86, is awaiting the outcome of an appeal against his conviction for abusing two teenage boys in the mid‑1970s. He had pleaded not guilty to eight charges of indecent assault at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and his private clinic in Drogheda between 1964 and 1991. In October 2017, a jury found him guilty of indecent assault on two 15‑year‑old patients; the judge directed a not‑guilty verdict for one complainant and acquitted him on the remaining counts. He received two consecutive 10‑month sentences, totalling 20 months imprisonment, below the then‑maximum two‑year sentence. Counsel Hugh Hartnett SC argues the complaints were unusually orchestrated via media campaigns, all complainants used the same solicitor and psychiatrist, and the trial judge failed to address this. He also contends the judge improperly admitted evidence of civil settlements (€70k) to rebut claims of financial motivation, calling it prejudicial and lacking probative value.
James Kavanagh, aged 48, pleaded guilty to 30 counts of animal cruelty at his property in Raheenleigh, Myshall, Carlow, where 63 animals were involved. Gardaí and animal welfare officers found dead dogs and horses, and dogs feeding on horse carcasses. After inspection, 340 dogs and 11 horses were removed; four horses and 20 dogs were euthanised. Kavanagh received a straight three‑year prison sentence and was ordered to pay €35,000 to the ISPCA. His wife, Jennifer Kavanagh, received a wholly suspended 12‑month sentence for 30 counts of allowing cruelty. Kavanagh's lawyers sought bail pending an appeal on the severity of the sentence, but were granted an early hearing date of 19 March. The appeal focuses on mitigating circumstances, including the death of the couple's teenage son, the family's medical and psychological distress, and the lack of a suspended portion in the original sentence.
The High Court has finalised the legal basis on which John Downey may appeal his extradition to Northern Ireland. Mr Justice Aileen Donnelly, the presiding extradition judge, rejected multiple objections to his surrender before granting leave to appeal on Wednesday. The judge determined that questions of exceptional public importance arise regarding assurances given by the UK Government to republican paramilitaries and whether these may have been used to gather evidence against them. Mr Downey, aged 67, was arrested in November 2018 at his home in Creeslough, County Donegal, following a European Arrest Warrant issued in relation to a 1972 car bombing in Enniskillen that killed two British soldiers. He had argued extradition would constitute abuse of process, citing a 2007 comfort letter from Northern Irish authorities. Ms Justice Donnelly rejected all objections and found the comfort letter did not constitute amnesty. Mr Downey remains on continuing bail pending the Court of Appeal hearing.
In 2019, a motorist was acquitted of dangerous driving causing the death of an oncoming driver after a trial judge found insufficient evidence. The case involved the accused's car crossing 1.7 metres into the opposing lane on the N20, colliding with a deceased driver. The accused had not been drinking, speeding, or using his phone for more than half an hour before the incident, and no medical, vehicle, environmental, or loss‑of‑control factors were found. The trial judge directed an acquittal, and no alternative charge such as careless driving was considered. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed the acquittal on a point of law under Section 23 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2010. The Court of Appeal quashed the acquittal, stating the judge had performed a personal analysis and that the jury should have assessed whether the 1.7‑metre drift constituted a dangerous act. The Court ordered a retrial.
In Waterford Circuit Criminal Court, a man was found guilty of sexually assaulting his daughter on 30‑31 January 2015 and sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended. The conviction was based on the prosecution's reliance on the complainant's uncorroborated evidence, including statements from her mother and step‑father that the father had touched her in the private parts. The man's barrister, in her closing speech, mistakenly reported that the mother's evidence was that the father had merely tried to touch her, whereas the mother's actual testimony was that he had touched her. The trial judge deemed the error serious and significant, refused to allow the barrister to correct it, and the Court of Appeal quashed the conviction, holding that the judge should have permitted the correction. The Court will consider whether a retrial is appropriate later. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
In a case heard at Tullamore Circuit Criminal Court, Polish national Dariusz Alchimionek, aged 44, was found guilty of manslaughter and assault causing harm after a vehicle he drove collided with the Gorman brothers' car. The incident occurred on 29 December 2015 near Ballycrystal, Offaly. Alchimionek had claimed he believed the Islamic State would invade Europe and trigger a world war. Both prosecution and defence psychiatrists, employed at the Central Mental Hospital, agreed he met the criteria for not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury, after 2 hours 50 minutes, returned a 11‑1 guilty verdict on both counts. He was sentenced to nine years, with three years suspended. The Court of Appeal later quashed the verdict, describing it as "perverse" and ordered Alchimionek's commitment to the Central Mental Hospital as an inpatient. The decision was based on a recent assessment by Dr Paul O'Connell, who confirmed Alchimionek's continued need for detention.
A High Court judge has granted leave to appeal in the case of a 67-year-old man arrested in Co Donegal and wanted by UK authorities in connection with the 1972 Enniskillen bombing. The man is accused of involvement in an incident on 25 August 1972 in which two British Army personnel were killed. The High Court previously ordered his extradition, but the judge has found the case raises questions of exceptional public importance regarding whether assurances given to republicans under the "on-the-run" scheme may have been used to gather evidence against them, potentially amounting to an abuse of process. The judge has referred the matter to a higher court for determination. The appellant remains on continuing bail and is required to appear before the Court of Appeal. The case raises significant issues concerning the operation of the controversial scheme introduced during earlier peace efforts.