Jordan Grimes, 27, had a three‑month jail term for dangerous driving and driving without insurance overturned on appeal, replaced by a suspended six‑month sentence. He remains under a four‑year driving disqualification and a six‑year, three‑month prison term for driving without insurance, which now runs concurrently with the suspended sentence. Grimes was caught joy‑riding an e‑scrambler bike on the Royal Canal Greenway on 5 January 2024, driving at speed toward Garda Gerard Hanahoe and a colleague. The Garda reported that Grimes narrowly avoided hitting them and that he claimed to be travelling only 70 km/h. He was already serving a 20‑year driving ban at the time of the incident. The court required Grimes to enter probation supervision and comply with drug counselling, while his driving disqualification remains in force. Jordan Grimes was convicted.
Aaron Barwell, 30, of Coldcut Park, Dublin, pleaded guilty to one count of oral rape, one of rape and one of attempted rape against three escort victims between January and August 2021. He lured each victim to his home, used violence and threats, and in the first case forced oral sex and used a hammer. In the second case he threatened with a screwdriver and forced oral, vaginal and anal sex. In the third case he threatened to kill her and used a screwdriver, but the victim resisted and escaped. Gardaí seized a knife, cable ties and a silver hammer during a search of his apartment. Barwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with the final two years suspended. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal, upholding the 20‑year term and the suspended portion. The case remains at the appellate stage.
A Ukrainian lawyer, Oleksii Oleksiyovych Lytvynenko, 42, who fled Ukraine and sought refuge in Ireland, lost his appeal against a High Court order to extradite him to the United States. He faces charges of conspiracy to commit computer‑related fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, linked to a ransomware campaign that targeted a government entity and two businesses in Tennessee between 2020 and 2022. Two victims paid a combined $634,000 in cryptocurrency. Lytvynenko had been in custody for two years and had applied for temporary protection in Ireland in September 2022. He argued that the extradition breached his right to a fair trial and his human rights, citing loss of access to evidence and the lack of equivalent protection in the US. The Court of Appeal, led by Ms Justice Tara Burns, dismissed the appeal, upholding the extradition order. The court granted Lytvynenko a week to consider the judgment before implementation.
In October 2025 the State appealed a four‑year jail sentence for Gerard Nevin, who pleaded guilty to 22 counts of sexual assault against his stepdaughters, Catalina and Alexa Grancea, between 2012 and 2020. Nevin, aged 42, was sentenced by Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin to a global term of six years, with the final two years suspended. The victims, aged between seven and sixteen during the offences, waived anonymity. The appeal, presented by Caroline Latham BL for the Director of Public Prosecutions, argued the sentence was inadequate, disproportionate and unduly lenient, citing the systematic and frequent nature of the abuse, the victims' ages, and the lack of evidential basis for the suspended portion. Nevin's counsel, Tim O'Leary SC, countered that the judge had correctly applied mitigating factors, including Nevin's guilty plea, lack of prior convictions, and expressed remorse. The court has reserved judgment on the appeal.
Stephen Penrose, a 42‑year‑old serving a life sentence for the murder of Philip Finnegan, dismissed his legal team before his scheduled appeal hearing. Penrose had represented himself in the 2021 trial after earlier dropping two legal teams. The jury found him guilty of murdering Finnegan, 24, at Rahin Woods on 10 August 2016, after CCTV and forensic evidence linked him to the crime. Penrose had previously been found not guilty of murder in a 2010 trial for a different killing. Ahead of the appeal, Penrose notified the court of his decision to dismiss his solicitors and counsel, a move confirmed in a video consultation. The Court of Appeal, noting the lack of communication from the former team, adjourned the hearing to 24 October to verify the dismissal and allow a new solicitor to appear. The case remains pending.
A married couple, originally from a French-speaking region of Africa, are seeking to have their overturned convictions for female genital mutilation (FGM) declared a miscarriage of justice, a court has been told. The couple was initially convicted in 2020 of FGM and child cruelty on their one-year-old daughter, but their convictions were quashed on appeal due to issues with the translation of their testimony. A retrial in 2023 resulted in a jury being unable to reach a verdict. The charges were subsequently dropped by the Director of Public Prosecutions, who entered a nolle prosequi in July 2024. The 43-year-old man and 33-year-old woman, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the child, pleaded not guilty to one count of FGM and one count of child cruelty on September 16, 2016. Hugh Hartnett SC, representing the man, stated the matter is not an appeal but an application for a miscarriage of justice certificate, citing that the evidence given was incorrect. Counsel for the woman, Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC, noted complex medical and procedural issues, including an expert report from December 2023 that found no FGM. The matter was listed for hearing on January 22 and 23 next. FGM has been illegal in Ireland since 2012, with a maximum sentence of 14 years imprisonment.
A man convicted of breaching a safety order under section 33(1) of the Domestic Violence Act 2018 has requested that the District Court of Appeals extend his custodial sentence to allow him to complete prison courses. He was originally sentenced to ten months in custody, the maximum for the offence being twelve months, and has appealed that sentence. The defendant, whose name cannot be disclosed, has 56 prior convictions, including assault and criminal damage. His solicitor, Paddy McGarry, described the request as an "unusual application" and said the client feels prison is a safer environment and wants to "keep his head down" while rehabilitating. Judge Fiona O'Sullivan acknowledged the appeal, noted the mitigating circumstance of an early guilty plea, and postponed a final decision until a psychological report is available, setting a new deadline of 1 December.
An unnamed father, acting as the appellant, appeared before the High Court to seek orders compelling the State to assist in the return of his three-year-old daughter from Poland. The man alleged that his wife took the child to her homeland without his consent, despite a Polish court order for her return. He accused the Irish government of abandoning his rights and failing to act, describing the situation as one of "direct incompetency." The case is currently at the appeal stage, with the Polish children's ombudsman appealing the return order. The father stated he has been separated from his daughter for 586 days and has made 11 attempts to locate her. He brought the action against the Taoiseach, the Minister for Justice, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Ms Justice Mary Rose Gearty described the matter as "extremely sensitive" and an "appalling situation." Counsel for the State, Clare O'Shea BL, noted the Departments of Justice and Foreign Affairs had been involved in various engagements. The court did not conclude the matter; instead, Ms Justice Gearty adjourned the case, fixing October 21 for a full hearing.
Andy Donohue, a 19‑year‑old from Tallaght, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment with one year suspended for throwing petrol bombs at St John's House, a building earmarked for asylum seekers, causing €28,000 in damage. He pleaded guilty to one count of arson on 24 May 2024. At the appeal, his senior counsel argued the headline sentence was excessive and that more of the term should have been suspended. The Court of Appeal, led by Justice Nuala Bulter, found the original judge had erred in suspending only one year and had not fully considered rehabilitation for a very young first‑time offender. The court quashed the original sentence and imposed a new term of six years with two years suspended, keeping the same conditions and adding a requirement for Donohue to attend schooling while in prison.
In a Dublin case, Dean Boland, 37, had his manslaughter conviction quashed by the Court of Appeal after he was found guilty in 2022 of unlawfully killing Ohari Viera, 37, during a 2018 arson following a break‑in. The Court held that while Boland started the fire, Viera's voluntary return to the burning building was an independent act that broke the causal chain. Justice Tara Burns ruled that the fire was not the legal cause of Viera's death, and that the trial judge erred by not withdrawing the manslaughter charge from the jury. Boland remains in custody awaiting a hearing on the other charges. The decision was based solely on the facts presented in the appeal, with no reference to later outcomes or additional evidence. Dean Boland pleaded not guilty.
Terry Maughan, 47, of Balbriggan, Dublin, had a seven‑month jail term for stealing nearly €9,000 of electrical cable and a six‑month concurrent sentence for burglary at Skerries Sailing Club overturned on appeal. The District Court Appeals Court replaced both sentences with a fully suspended sentence for 12 months, conditional on compliance with probation. Maughan was identified on CCTV stealing €8,982 worth of cable from an industrial estate in Santry and later admitted the theft, selling the cable for €535. He was also caught on CCTV removing a €300 barbecue from a concrete shed at the sailing club, which he returned. He has 133 prior convictions, including 15 thefts, and was described by Garda Jake Digney as "massively cooperative" and "deeply sorry.".
A 61‑year‑old Limerick man failed to overturn a conviction for sexually abusing his partner's daughter over a two‑year period when she was 12 to 14. The Court of Appeal rejected his appeal, upholding the jury's finding of guilt on 31 counts of sexual assault, oral rape, attempted rape and attempted anal rape at various Limerick locations between 1994 and 1997. The man had pleaded not guilty but was found guilty after a one‑week trial in the Central Criminal Court in November 2022, and was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Paul McDermott in February 2023. His appeal argued that a statement by the victim's mother, in which he allegedly said "I'm sorry for what I did to the kids", was inadmissible and that a change of dress after remand had prejudiced the jury.
Sara Lucanich has failed in her appeal against her District Court convictions for drink driving and refusing to provide a breath sample. The appellant, aged 30, was originally convicted of driving while intoxicated on Ballymun Road in April 2024 and fined €350, with a three-year driving disqualification. She was also convicted of refusing to provide a sample and fined €200. During the appeal, Garda Doireann Byrne testified that Lucanich was observed swerving and failing to respond to police signals, and that she exhibited signs of intoxication. Garda Kevin Nolan stated that Lucanich successfully provided a breath sample, which returned a result of 94mg per 100ml, but subsequently refused to sign the required statements despite explanations. Lucanich argued she did not understand the legal requirements and was rushed by gardai. Judge Jonathan Dunphy rejected these claims, finding Garda Nolan's evidence meticulous and accepting that Lucanich completed the breath test without difficulty. The judge affirmed the District Court's convictions and sentences. However, he agreed to defer the driving disqualification for a period of six months from the date of the appeal hearing.
David Fagan, 40, with 131 prior convictions, was convicted in the District Court for stealing €1,300 from the same shop on three occasions. He pleaded guilty to three counts of theft under the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001, and received two concurrent six‑month sentences plus a concurrent ten‑month term. On appeal, Judge Jonathan Dunphy upheld the two six‑month sentences but suspended the ten‑month term for the €700 theft on 7 May 2024 for a full two years. The suspension is conditional on Fagan being supervised by the probation services upon release, attending all meetings and referrals, and keeping away from the service station in Portmarnock. The court noted that the other offences were non‑violent and that Fagan had shown remorse and had no disciplinary record while in custody. The appeal was based on the claim that the original sentences were manifestly excessive.
In a St Patrick's Day assault case, Mark Kelly (39) of Palmerstown, Dublin, had his two five‑month jail sentences for assault on Garda Linda Crennan and Garda Mark O'Neill replaced on appeal with community service and a peace bond. The District Court Appeals Court found that Kelly, under the influence, had attempted to engage in "banter" with the gardai, which was not well received, leading to a struggle in which he punched and slapped the officers. Garda Crennan suffered a cracked cheekbone and shoulder surgery, and was out of work for 18 months. Kelly pleaded not guilty to two assault counts and a threatening behaviour count; he was convicted and originally sentenced to five months for each assault and a two‑month sentence for threatening behaviour, suspended for two years.
Sean Lennon, 30, of Fairview, Dublin 3, was sentenced to 17 months in jail for carrying a large fishing knife at Tallaght Hospital and threatening gift shop staff with a knuckle duster. On appeal, Judge Jonathan Dunphy suspended the entire sentence for two years, ordering Lennon to keep the peace and be supervised by probation services. Lennon had pleaded guilty in the District Court to multiple offences, including possession of knives contrary to the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990, and production of an article capable of inflicting serious injury. Garda Brian Kane reported Lennon's discovery of the knife at the hospital on 1 November 2022, leading to a six‑month jail term. Sergeant Stephen Walsh described a 30 November 2023 incident in a gift shop where Lennon threatened staff with a knuckle duster, resulting in a nine‑month sentence.
In a District Court case, 38‑year‑old Natasha Tynan was convicted for possessing nail scissors, a prohibited item under Section 9(1)(7) of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990, and sentenced to three months in custody. The conviction followed a stop and search by Garda David Byrne on 8 October 2024, when he found the scissors in her handbag. Tynan, who has 37 prior convictions, pleaded guilty and later appealed the custodial sentence. On appeal, Judge Jonathan Dunphy replaced the three‑month custodial term with a 12‑month peace bond, citing Tynan's lack of intent to harm, her drug‑related history, and her active participation in counselling and a horticulture employment scheme. The peace bond requires her to keep the peace and continue her treatment and counselling efforts for the year.
Srdan Keteles, 34, of Waterford, appealed a conviction for careless driving after a "horrific" crash on Oscar Traynor Road, Coolock, Dublin, on 25 September 2019. He claimed he had no memory of the incident, only that he left home on his motorbike and later woke in hospital with serious spinal, neck and pelvic injuries. The District Court found him guilty of driving without due care, including overtaking in a bus lane, and fined him €200 with a six‑month payment period. Keteles' appeal was dismissed by the District Court Appeals Court, which upheld the conviction. The court noted that a forensic accident analysis was not conducted at the scene, and that a witness testified the motorbike overtook him at speed in the bus lane. The judge affirmed the original order, stating the evidence supported a finding of careless driving. The appeal was rejected. Srdan Keteles pleaded not guilty.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by Conor McGregor against a jury finding that he was civilly liable for the rape of Nikita Hand in 2018. The original High Court jury awarded Ms Hand €248,000 in damages and ordered McGregor to pay both parties' legal costs, totaling €1.3 million. Co-appellant James Lawrence, who was found not civilly liable for rape, received no costs order because the jury did not accept his evidence and McGregor paid his legal fees. Both men denied the allegations. The appeal court rejected all grounds raised by McGregor, including arguments regarding the admission of his "no comment" responses to gardaí and the wording of the issue paper. Justice Brian O'Moore stated it was "simply unreal" that jurors could have been confused by the term "assault" when the trial judge clarified it referred to rape. Claims of "new evidence" regarding bruising on Ms Hand, based on affidavits from Samantha O'Reilly and Steven Cummins, were withdrawn on the first day of the appeal. The court awarded costs to Ms Hand for both appeals and made no costs order for Lawrence. Ms Hand stated the process re-traumatised her and urged survivors to seek justice.
James Varian, 32, was jailed for three years after the Court of Appeal overturned his original fully suspended sentence for sending 2,500 sexually explicit messages to a 15‑year‑old boy and for possessing 7,781 child pornography images, most of which were of prepubescent children under 12. The original judge had imposed four years fully suspended for facilitating the sexual exploitation of a child and two years fully suspended for possession of child pornography. The DPP appealed, arguing the sentence was too lenient, citing the volume of messages, the age gap, Varian's attempt to delete chats, and his risk of reoffending. James Varian pleaded guilty.
Bradford Meehan, a 54-year-old serial offender with 116 previous convictions, had his five-month prison sentence suspended on appeal. Meehan was convicted in the District Court of burglary contrary to section 12(1b)(3) of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001, after allegedly causing €5,000 worth of damage to an apartment complex on Bonham Street, Dublin 8, in July. He was originally sentenced to five months consecutive to a 42-month sentence he is currently serving for a different matter. Meehan appealed against the severity of this sentence. Defence counsel Seosaimhín Ní Chathasaigh BL argued that Meehan's reoffending was driven by a chronic drug addiction and that he is now a model prisoner in Mountjoy Prison, free of illicit substances. Judge Christopher Callan acknowledged that seeking a suspended sentence was "a stretch" given Meehan was on release from prison when the alleged crime occurred and had succumbed to addiction again. However, the judge decided to suspend the five-month sentence for two years. The conditions require Meehan to keep the peace and come under the supervision of the probation service upon release. Additionally, the judge directed that Meehan remain on the enhanced privilege regime while in custody.
The Court of Appeal rejected Paul Bourke's appeal against his ten‑year prison sentence for drug offences. Bourke, aged 57, pleaded guilty to eight counts including possession of €1.7 million worth of cocaine, €18,100 in cash, and three Glock 17 pistols. The offences occurred at his Kilkenny home, a Ballygall Parade address, and locations in Tallaght and Ashbourne. The sentencing judge had reduced the headline 15‑year sentence by one‑third to ten years, citing Bourke's personal circumstances. Bourke's defence argued that incarceration would be too difficult due to psychological issues, but the court found no formal diagnosis and noted the presence of firearms and large drug quantities. The appeal was dismissed, and the ten‑year sentence stands. The court emphasised the gravity of the offence and the extent of Bourke's involvement in the drug supply chain.
The Court of Appeal has granted bail to Brendan O'Mara, a former Ryanair pilot, after overturning a High Court decision that had denied him release. O'Mara, 62, is charged with possessing cannabis for sale or supply at his home address in Meelick, Co Clare, on May 7 this year. Gardaí and Customs officers allegedly discovered pallets containing 502kg of cannabis, with an estimated street value exceeding €10 million. In the High Court, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon refused bail, citing concerns that O'Mara was a flight risk due to his commercial pilot status and access to airfields. Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC argued this evidential basis was lacking, noting O'Mara does not hold membership at any airfield. He offered an independent surety of €150,000 from O'Mara's sister and proposed that O'Mara surrender his pilot's licence and all documentation. Counsel for the State, Roisin Lacey SC, countered that O'Mara had significant industry contacts and had recently arranged to emigrate to the United States. Mr Justice John Edwards acknowledged the charge was very serious, carrying a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, and noted the theoretical possibility of O'Mara procuring an aircraft to avoid justice. However, the court concluded that while flight risk concerns existed, they were not sufficient to deny bail absolutely. As a condition of his release, O'Mara must surrender his pilot's licence.
Michael Murray, 54, was convicted in 2021 of making death threats against two barristers and of harassing his rape victim by advertising her online as a prostitute. He had previously been sentenced to 19 years for rape in 2013, a sentence later increased to 19 years by the Court of Appeal. In July 2021, Judge Karen O'Connor imposed a nine‑year sentence for the threat to Dominic McGinn and a seven‑year sentence for the threat to Tony McGillicuddy, to be served consecutively, giving an effective 16‑year term for these offences. The judge also imposed four years for harassment of McGinn and the female defence solicitor and five years for possession of a mobile phone in prison. Murray's barrister, Barry White SC, argued that the totality principle was not applied and that the combined 35‑year sentence was wrong, while the Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel maintained that the consecutive sentences were appropriate and proportionate. Michael Murray pleaded not guilty.
William Kavanagh, 35, was convicted in the District Court for a series of thefts and criminal damage in Dublin between January and March 2024. He stole 15 pairs of socks worth €290, a wallet and €90 in cash, smashed a car window, and wrote his own blood on the walls of a Garda cell. He was found guilty of three counts of theft, three counts of criminal damage and one count of possessing stolen property. The District Court sentenced him to 14 months, with six months for the January 8 theft and eight months for the January 25 theft, consecutive to a term he was already serving. On appeal, Judge Christopher Callan reduced the sentence to seven months, suspended for two years, on the condition that Kavanagh remains peaceful and engages with Merchant's Quay Ireland for rehabilitation upon release.
In a Court of Appeal decision on 29 July 2025, Judge Brian O'Moore upheld a fully suspended sentence for Mohamed Adeagbo, a 24‑year‑old from Highfield, Ballincollig, who pleaded guilty to possessing €114,000 worth of cocaine for sale and to a money‑laundering offence involving €1,530 in cash. Adeagbo had been paid €500 per week for his role in drug supply. The Court found the three‑and‑a‑half‑year drug sentence, fully suspended, and a concurrent one‑year money‑laundering sentence, also fully suspended, to be appropriate. The Director of Public Prosecutions had appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient, citing the quantity of drugs, cash, and an iPhone with offending messages. The Court rejected the appeal, noting Adeagbo's compliance with probation, his drug‑free status at sentencing, and his efforts to reform, and stated that the suspended sentence did not represent a substantial departure from an appropriate penalty.".
Alan Harte, aged 43, is serving a 30-year sentence imposed by the Special Criminal Court for the kidnapping and torture of Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney at a yard in Ballinagh, County Cavan in September 2019. At the Court of Appeal, Harte's legal team argued that his conviction by the non-jury court was unconstitutional on two grounds: whether the Special Criminal Court can deliver a majority verdict, and whether it may withhold disclosure of whether a verdict was unanimous or split. Counsel submitted that transparency regarding verdict unanimity is essential when restricting liberty, and that judges sitting on the Special Criminal Court exercise the same function as jurors. The State's counsel countered that the Special Criminal Court comprises judges rather than a representative cross-section of society, rendering it fundamentally different from a jury trial. The Court of Appeal reserved judgement.
A man convicted of raping a guest at his bed-and-breakfast in County Sligo has failed in an appeal against his conviction at the Court of Appeal. Thomas Wymbs, aged 68, was proprietor of Atlantic Haven B&B near Mount Temple when the offence occurred between 22 and 23 February 2020. He maintained the encounter was consensual. A jury found him guilty following trial at the Central Criminal Court in February 2024. Justice Mary Ellen Ring sentenced him to seven and a half years imprisonment, with the final eighteen months suspended, in July 2024. Wymbs' legal team argued the trial judge erred in refusing two defence requests regarding prosecution closing remarks and expert evidence on alcohol's effects. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, delivering the Court of Appeal's judgment, found no deficiency in the trial charge and rejected both grounds of appeal, stating the jury faithfully applied the law.
A 41‑year‑old man, Andrew Leigh, was convicted of historic sexual assaults on three girls and sentenced to four years in prison by Mr Justice David Keane on 18 December 2023. Leigh now appeals to the Court of Appeal, arguing that the trial should have separated the charges. His counsel, Michael Bowman SC, contended that two of the counts were only linked by occurring in a car, one involving touching a girl's genital area and the other involving self‑touch and inserting fingers into a girl's mouth. Bowman also challenged the prosecution's claim that Leigh knew his actions were "gravely wrong", noting no evidence of deliberate creation of an environment or isolation of the girls. Mr Justice John Edwards instructed the court to reserve judgment on the appeal. The case remains at the appeal stage. The unnamed 41-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Denis Cupcea, 21, pleaded guilty in the District Court to using threatening and abusive language and failing to comply with a Garda's direction under the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994. He was convicted and sentenced to two months' custody for the section 8 charge, with the other charge considered. Cupcea appealed the severity of the sentence. The appeal court heard that on 18 May 2024, Garda Robert Ruddy was on mobile patrol when Cupcea shouted at him and the people he was dealing with, calling the Garda a "rat" and threatening to file a claim for a false arrest. Ruddy cautioned Cupcea, who was later arrested and cautioned. Cupcea's defence counsel said he entered a guilty plea, was remorseful, and had drug dependence. Judge Dara Hayes ordered a report to assess whether Cupcea could complete community service.
An unnamed man, who pleaded guilty to breaching a safety order, had his conviction removed on appeal. In March 2025, he received a one-month suspended sentence for sending a woman videos of a Bruce Springsteen concert and a YouTube link between February and June 2024, contrary to section 33(1) of the Domestic Violence Act 2018. The appellant lodged an appeal against the severity of that term. Judge Christopher Callan, presiding over the District Court Appeals Court, noted that Springsteen "would not be too happy" to see his music used in this manner. While acknowledging the victim impact statement detailed the fear caused by the communications, the judge accepted defence counsel Seosaimhín Ní Chathasaigh's submission that the man showed sincere remorse and that a conviction would have life-altering effects on his employment and travel. The judge decided to remove the criminal conviction on the condition that the man pays a donation of €1,000 to Women's Aid. The existing safety order, which has been extended with the client's consent, remains in place until 2030.
Lee Canavan, 36, has appealed his conviction for the murder of David 'Daithí' Douglas, who was shot at Shoestown in Dublin 1 on July 1, 2016. Canavan, who pleaded not guilty, was convicted by the Special Criminal Court on June 3, 2021, and sentenced to life imprisonment. He was also jailed for five years for criminal damage to a getaway vehicle. His counsel argued the trial court erred by relying on 'general association' with co-accused to infer guilt, noting the prosecution initially alleged he was the shooter. The State countered that the case was always based on joint enterprise. The Court of Appeal reserved its judgment. Canavan is the fourth person jailed for the killing. Frederick 'Fat Freddie' Thompson was jailed for life in 2018. Nathan Foley pleaded guilty to assisting a criminal organisation and received six years in 2019. Gareth Brophy was jailed for ten years in 2020 for acting as a getaway driver.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 25 July 2025, Mr. Osgur Breatnach, aged 75, sought a declaration that his 1978 conviction for the Sallins train robbery was a miscarriage of justice. The robbery, which occurred on 31 March 1976, involved the theft of an estimated £200,000 from a Cork‑to‑Dublin mail train near Sallins, County Kildare. Breatnach, one of five members of the Irish Republican Socialist Party, was initially found guilty and sentenced to 12 years by the Special Criminal Court. His conviction was later quashed in May 1980 after the Court of Criminal Appeal ruled that his confession had been obtained under "oppression." During the case‑management session, Mr. Breatnach's solicitor, Kevin Winters of KRW Law, presented an application under section 9 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1993, asserting that newly discovered facts indicate a miscarriage of justice.
An appeal has been launched by two men, Dion Genockey (26) and Daryl Rooney (27), who were convicted of the gang rape of a vulnerable teenager who had recently left State care. The appeal, heard at the Court of Appeal, argues that issues of consent were relevant during their trial. Counsel for Genockey argued that the trial judge should have advised the jury that the appellant may have had reasons for not mentioning to gardaí that he believed the victim had given her consent. Counsel for Rooney argued that the appellant was not aware that the woman had not given her consent. Genockey, of Clarion Quay Apartments, and Rooney, of Railway Street, Dublin City Centre, were convicted of raping the woman at Bull Island, Dollymount, Dublin, on January 5, 2016, following a second trial at the Central Criminal Court in March 2022. The jury in the first trial, held in 2020, was unable to reach a verdict. Genockey was sentenced to nine years by Mr Justice David Keane while Rooney was sentenced to ten years. A third accused, Troy Ryan of Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin City Centre, was also convicted and sentenced to nine and a half years. The appeal is ongoing, with the court reserving judgment.
Martin Hayes, aged 36, was convicted of manslaughter for the death of Amadea McDermott, aged 27, in a home in Coolock on 20 July 2017. He was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter by a majority verdict in the Central Criminal Court in November 2023. Hayes had pleaded not guilty to murder and claimed that McDermott had stabbed herself, a claim the court rejected. He admitted using violence against her. Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced him to 12 years and six months, citing domestic violence and a history of aggressive behaviour. Hayes appealed, arguing the judge over‑weighted aggravating factors and under‑weighted mitigating ones. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy dismissed the appeal, affirming the 12‑year‑six‑month sentence and noting limited mitigating factors and significant aggravating domestic violence evidence. The appeal was rejected on the basis that the judge's factual findings were correct and the sentence was appropriate.
Gerry Cash, 33, was convicted of trespassing on a vulnerable 88‑year‑old pensioner's home in County Kildare. The original sentence was nine months' custody with the final six months suspended. Cash appealed only the severity of the sentence, not the conviction. The appeal court, hearing evidence from Garda Padraig Murphy and a victim impact statement, found the original sentence too lenient. Judge Dara Hayes increased the effective custodial term from three to six months, suspending only the final three months for a twelve‑month period on the condition that Cash does not contact the victim or his family again. The appeal did not alter the conviction or the suspended portion; it merely doubled the effective custody from three to six months. The case remains at the appeal stage, with no further outcome reported.
A mentally ill man, diagnosed with bipolar disorder and psychosis, had his four‑month jail sentence for breaching a safety order overturned on appeal. He had pleaded guilty in the District Court to breaching a safety order twice under section 33(1) of the Domestic Violence Act 2018 and to trespassing under section 3 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994. He also faced charges of making off without payment, theft and failure to appear in court. The appeal was lodged after the court heard that he had been arrested on 3 October 2024 at a woman's property where a safety order was in place, and again on 9 May 2024 at an Applegreen on Stillorgan Road where he poured petrol worth 60 cents into a bag and left without paying. He was also charged with failure to appear in court for that offence.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal of an unnamed 34-year-old man, who was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury in February 2023 of raping a 15-year-old girl in a midlands town in January 2019. The appellant, who does not accept the verdict, argued that the trial judge erred in refusing to allow his legal team to cross-examine the victim regarding a contraceptive bar she was using at the time. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, delivering the judgment for the three-judge court, ruled that the trial judge did not fall into error in exercising his discretion. The court found that evidence of the victim's contraception was irrelevant to the issue of whether she had consented or engaged in sexual intercourse with the accused, noting it was material that should not be introduced under applicable legislation. The man was sentenced by Mr Justice Paul Burns to ten years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended for three years under probation supervision. The sentencing judge noted the man opportunistically took advantage of being alone with the girl, was aware of her approximate age, and used verbal abuse during the attack. The court also acknowledged the physical injuries the victim sustained. The man had denied sexual contact with the girl, claiming she had not reported the incident immediately, though she later disclosed the events to gardai after seeking hospital treatment for injuries.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 17 July 2025, three men were found to have received sentences that were too lenient for a "targeted and pre‑meditated" arson that took place on 17 May 2022. The incident involved a stolen Toyota Avensis being rammed into the ground floor of the Tip Top Tanning Studio on Tullow Street, Carlow, and set alight with an accelerant. The blaze spread to the building's upper residential apartments, where families were sleeping. Keith McCormack Smith (24), Jason Ryle (26) and PJ Lyons (21) had all pleaded guilty to arson and related offences. Their original sentences—four, three‑and‑a‑half and three‑and‑a‑half years respectively—were increased to seven, six and four‑and‑a‑half years. The Court of Appeal quashed the original sentences and imposed new headline sentences of ten, nine‑and‑a‑half and nine years, each with a suspended portion, to reflect the seriousness of the offence.
The Court of Appeal heard arguments regarding the conviction of Wayne Cooney for the murder of Jordan Davis (22) in Darndale, Dublin, on May 22, 2019. Cooney, who pleaded not guilty to murder and possessing a 9mm semi-automatic pistol and ammunition, was convicted by a jury in July 2022. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC argued that the trial judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, effectively closed down the defence case by delivering an argumentative charge that favoured the prosecution. The prosecution alleged Davis owed €70,000 to Robert Redmond, Cooney's then-girlfriend's brother. Robert Redmond pleaded guilty in April 2024 to conspiring with Cooney to murder Davis and received a seven-year prison sentence. Rachel Redmond, Cooney's ex-girlfriend, was convicted earlier this year of impeding Cooney's apprehension. During the appeal, O'Higgins contended the judge's comments were strident and denied the defence a fair airing. In response, DPP counsel Bernard Condon SC stated the judge correctly advised the jury to avoid evidential wastelands and that the conviction was supported by CCTV and DNA evidence linking Cooney to the scene. The court has adjourned the matter to deliver its judgement at a later date.
A man who breached a safety order by posting a video of his ex‑wife on Facebook, with abusive rap music over four images, had his four‑month jail sentence replaced with a suspended term on appeal. He pleaded guilty in the District Court to breaching a safety order under section 33(1) of the Domestic Violence Act 2018 on 13 June 2024. The video looped four pictures: the ex‑wife in a swimsuit on a beach, her new partner, a vehicle she had owned, and another picture of her, all with digitally distorted faces. The rap music contained abusive lyrics. Defence counsel acknowledged the mistake and said the client now understands the order and apologised. Judge Christopher Callan suspended the four‑month sentence for 12 months, requiring the defendant to keep the peace and obey the safety order, including no contact with the injured party by any means.
A 41‑year‑old man who sexually abused his eight‑year‑old cousin while babysitting her in the summer of 1999 has not had his one‑year jail term reduced on appeal. He pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault at an address in Co Kildare. The court noted that at the time of the offence he was 15 and the victim was eight. Four incidents occurred in the family home where he was staying. The victim's impact statement said the abuse changed her life, leaving her with shame and guilt, and that she was celebrated by others who knew of the abuse. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three years, with the final two years suspended on strict conditions. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, affirming the sentence as proportionate and noting the aggravating factors of repeated offending, breach of trust, and the victim's secondary traumatisation.
Marcus Duggan, aged 53, appealed his conviction for two indecent assaults and one rape committed between 1983 and 1991 against his younger sister, Yvonne Ratcliffe, aged 52. He argued that evidence of alleged prior sexual misconduct, including pornographic videos viewed in the family home and claims that he had sex with his sister at about eight or nine, should not have been admitted to the jury. His counsel contended that such evidence was prejudicial and irrelevant, and that a hearsay statement from Ratcliffe's father that "Marcus was sorry for what he did" was improperly admitted. The Director of Public Prosecutions defended the admissibility of the background evidence and the father's statement, stating it was not an admission of guilt. The appeal was lodged at the Court of Appeal, with the court reserving judgment. The original trial resulted in a five‑year sentence, with the final year suspended on strict conditions. The case remains at the appeal stage. Marcus Duggan pleaded not guilty.
In a 2025 Court of Appeal ruling, Mr Justice Brian O'Moore granted a 54‑year‑old woman an appeal against her conviction for sexually assaulting her three disabled sons and for child neglect. The judge said the only evidence against her were inculpatory statements she made to a psychologist and polygrapher retained by Tusla under extreme power imbalance. He noted that the Director of Public Prosecutions did not oppose the appeal and a retrial would not be sought. The woman had pleaded not guilty but was convicted by a jury in a retrial in July 2024 of four counts of sexual assault between 2005 and 2015 and one count of child neglect between 2008 and 2015. She was sentenced to eight years, with the final two years suspended. Mr Justice O'Moore ruled that the admissions should have been excluded, and that she should have been acquitted of all charges.
Brian Cummins, a 27-year-old from Tuam, Co Galway, had his prison sentence for money laundering halved on appeal. At the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice Michael MacGrath quashed the original sentence of seven years, with the final two years suspended, imposed by Judge Brian O'Callaghan at Galway Circuit Court on July 19, 2024. The appellate judge found the original headline sentence disproportionate, noting it erred in principle. Cummins, who pleaded guilty to money laundering contrary to the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010, was resentenced to three years, with the final six months suspended. The court considered his high culpability, the €1,000 amount involved, his guilty plea, age, and drug dependency history. The case stemmed from an investigation into Barry Young, the 'Scourge of Sligo,' whose seized phone revealed Cummins as a contact known as 'Tuam.' Messages indicated a €1,000 transfer linked to criminal damage. Young, who pleaded guilty to directing a criminal organisation at the Special Criminal Court in July 2023, was jailed for 11 years. Cummins' appeal, argued by Philip Sheahan SC, successfully challenged the proportionality of the original sentence.
The Court of Appeal heard the State's appeal against the fully suspended sentence imposed on Mohamed Adeagbo, a 24‑year‑old from Highfield, Ballincollig, who was caught with 1.6 kg of cocaine worth €114,000, cannabis and €1,530 in cash. Adeagbo pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine for sale and to a money‑laundering charge. Judge Helen Boyle sentenced him to three years and six months on the drugs charge, fully suspended, and one year on the money‑laundering charge, also fully suspended. The DPP argued that no wholly exceptional circumstances justified a fully suspended sentence, citing Adeagbo's active role in drug supply, weekly earnings of €500, and possession of an iPhone with incriminating messages. The respondent's counsel highlighted his youth, lack of wealth, and cooperation with probation. The Court will decide on July 29.
A Donegal man has lost his appeal against conviction for raping and sexually assaulting his daughter during her childhood. The Court of Appeal dismissed the challenge on 14 July, with Mr Justice Michael MacGrath ruling that evidence of the victim's disclosure to her aunt was properly admissible at trial. The appellant, Michael Carter (57) of Kinnego, Ballymagan, Buncrana, was convicted in June 2023 of one count of rape and 25 sample counts of sexual assault occurring between 2010 and 2014, when his daughter was aged nine to twelve. He was sentenced to ten and a half years imprisonment. The defence had contested the admissibility of the aunt's evidence, arguing the complaint was elicited through questioning rather than offered voluntarily. The court found the disclosure was consistent with the victim's trial testimony and properly admitted, identifying no error warranting reversal of the conviction.
Daniel Keelan, 47, of Ashbourne, appealed a drunk‑driving conviction that had been handed down in the District Court for an incident on 21 August 2022. The original conviction carried a two‑year driving disqualification and a €200 fine. The appeal was heard in the District Court Appeals Court in Trim. Garda Saoirse Horan testified that she had pursued a black BMW on Frederick Street, observed Keelan in the driver's seat, and arrested him after he refused to exit the vehicle. She claimed he was argumentative, smelled of alcohol, and had a breath alcohol level of 59 mg per 100 ml, well above the legal limit of 22 mg. Keelan's counsel argued that the garda had not explained the arrest, that Keelan was not speeding due to road works, and that the licence information was inconsistent. Daniel Keelan pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court has adjourned the sentencing of four family members convicted in connection with the murder of Ashling Murphy to October 7. Ms Justice Caroline Biggs set the date after hearing that the defendants accept the jury's verdict and will not appeal their convictions. Lubomir Puska Jnr and Marek Puska, who pleaded not guilty, were found guilty of withholding crucial information from gardai. Their wives, Viera Gaziova and Jozefina Grundzova, also pleaded not guilty and were convicted of burning bloodstained clothes to impede the prosecution. Lucia Istokova, Jozef Puska's wife, pleaded guilty to withholding information. Counsel for the appellants confirmed their clients now accept the verdicts and have engaged with Probation Services. Ms Justice Biggs extended legal aid to facilitate the preparation of psychological reports, noting she could handle sentencing in one stage or two. She opted for a single date to ensure all probation and psychological reports are available. The matter was adjourned to October 7 for sentence, where the court hopes to have all necessary reports in hand. Jozef Puska, who murdered Ms Murphy in January 2022, is serving a life sentence. The four family members were living with him and their children in Co Offaly at the time of the offences.
The Court of Appeal has decided to refer the matter to the Director of Public Prosecutions after Conor McGregor withdrew a motion to introduce alleged new evidence in his appeal against a civil jury's finding that he raped Nikita Hand. The withdrawal came after McGregor's lawyers cited difficulties with the admissibility of a report from a former Northern Ireland pathologist. Ms Hand's counsel argued that the motion was intended to undermine her client's reputation and that the new evidence was "all lies." The court will notify the parties of the documentation it intends to provide to the DPP. The decision comes while the court is also reserving judgment on McGregor's substantive appeal and a costs appeal involving James Lawrence, who was found not liable for assaulting Hand. The case remains at the appeal stage, with no verdict or sentencing yet announced.