Former solicitor Michael Lynn, aged 50, appeared in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 5 July 2019 as part of pre‑trial preparations for his January 2020 trial. Lynn faces 21 charges alleging the theft of nearly €30 million from seven financial institutions, including €4.1 million from Irish Nationwide (4 April 2007) and €3.6 million from Ulster Bank (20 October 2006). He was extradited from Brazil in March 2018 after being detained there in August 2013, and was granted bail on a €100,000 surety in June 2019. The prosecution, represented by John Berry BL, informed the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions had completed 56 categories of disclosure requested by the defence. Defence counsel Padraig Dwyer SC noted that additional work was underway "behind the scenes" and requested a one‑hour hearing to address remaining matters. The pre‑trial hearing was scheduled for 28 November 2019.
A High Court judge has requested an update from An Garda Síochána regarding efforts to locate a financial advisor accused of misappropriating investor funds and breaching court orders. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds made the request on Friday concerning James Doherty, believed to be in the United Kingdom but thought to return to Ireland intermittently. The court has previously issued orders freezing Mr Doherty's assets and those of two related companies over an alleged failure to return €159,000 advanced as an investment. Judgement for that sum was granted in favour of Jamie Murphy, who claims Mr Doherty, trading as Demvera Capital Partners, used the money for personal purposes rather than the intended investment in a care company. Mr Doherty has not attended court proceedings nor complied with orders to disclose his assets. A related company is registered at Burnfoot Business Park in County Donegal. The case was adjourned for two weeks, with the judge indicating gardaí may provide their update either in person or by sworn statement.
The family of James Clancy, a 80‑year‑old Co Offaly man killed in a hit‑and‑run on Patrick Street, Tullamore on 1 December 1987, has filed a High Court damages action against the State. No one was ever charged in the incident. Joseph Clancy, acting as personal representative of his father's estate, sued the Garda Commissioner, the Minister for Justice and the Attorney General. The claim was lodged earlier this week. A retired District Court Judge, Mary Collins, investigated the original Garda inquiry and found that the investigation into an unsubstantiated allegation that Garda members were involved was reasonable and adequate, but criticised the Garda for an unacceptable lack of communication with the family. The family has endured unanswered questions and distress for 30 years. Mr Clancy's son seeks a declaration that the defendants breached James Clancy's constitutional and European Convention rights, and damages for alleged negligence, breach of duty and misfeasance in public office.
A 36‑year‑old man named Brian Bridgeman admitted stealing the mummified head of an 800‑year‑old 'Crusader' and a second skull from St Michan's Church in Dublin. The theft occurred between 23 and 24 February when Bridgeman entered the vaults as a trespasser. Gardaí recovered both skulls on 5 March. Bridgeman was arraigned at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, pleaded guilty to trespassing and theft, and was remanded in custody. The case was adjourned for sentencing on 24 July, with a victim impact report due at the next hearing.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, prosecutors argued that two Limerick men, John O'Donoghue (29) and Paul Whelan (25), were in possession of a 9mm Colt semi‑automatic pistol that was cocked, loaded and ready to fire, indicating intent to endanger life. The case was built on evidence from an Alfa Romeo seized by Gardaí, which contained the loaded handgun, eight rounds in the magazine, a round in the breach, two petrol canisters (one containing petrol), a pair of latex gloves, clothing and cocaine. The prosecution claimed the men had taken "serious precautions" to avoid leaving forensic traces and suggested a plan to destroy evidence by burning the car. Defence counsel countered that the presence of ammunition in the breach was not proof of a cocked gun and that the items could have been used for other criminal purposes, such as robbery. John O'Donoghue pleaded not guilty. Paul Whelan pleaded not guilty.
The sentencing of a 16‑year‑old who attempted to murder a 25‑year‑old woman he met on the Whisper app has been postponed because he has not yet met the forensic psychiatrist required to produce a court‑ordered report. The Central Criminal Court had ordered that a consultant psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist prepare reports on the boy, who pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Stephanie Ng on 23 December 2017 at Sea Front, Queen's Road, Dun Laoghaire. He had tried to kill her during their first face‑to‑face meeting by choking and slashing her neck with a knife. Gardai found a book of drawings in his bedroom, including a sketch of a person being cut up and the words "serial killer." Mr Justice Michael White directed Professor Kennedy of the Central Mental Hospital to assign a consultant psychiatrist and clinical psychologist to assess the boy's future risk.
A 50‑year‑old Kenyan woman, Grace Miano, was committed to the Central Mental Hospital after a Central Criminal Court judge ruled she was unfit to stand trial for the murder of 27‑year‑old Malawian national Limbani "Robert" Mzoma on 1 November 2018. Miano, who lives at Tudor Lawns in Foxrock, claimed she had been poisoned at the time of the alleged offence and that she was not responsible because she had consumed a cigarette containing intoxicants. She denied having a major mental illness, although she occasionally suffered panic attacks. A forensic psychiatrist, Dr Ronan Mullaney, examined her and concluded she had schizo‑affective disorder, was receiving antipsychotic injections, and still held entrenched religious and persecutory delusions. Under the Criminal Law Insanity Act, the judge ordered her unfit to be tried, adjourned proceedings, and committed her to the CMH, where she has remained an inpatient since November 2018.
A 19‑year‑old man named Mohamed Morei, who has been in custody at the Central Mental Hospital since early 2018, was found fit to plead by Mr Justice Alex Owens at the Central Criminal Court on 19 June 2019. The judge was informed by Sean Gillane SC, representing the Director of Public Prosecutions, that doctors had observed progress in Morei's mental condition and that he now understands the nature of the charge, the evidence and the pleading procedure. Psychiatrists had suggested special arrangements for his trial, which Mr Gillane said are still improving. Morei attended the hearing with an Arabic interpreter.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Shane McDonnell, 29, pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a car, three counts of dangerous driving, driving without insurance or a licence, and possession of a stolen laptop and PlayStation. McDonnell, who has 25 prior convictions and a 10‑year driving disqualification, drove a stolen VW Passat at high speed around Dublin's city centre on 17 April 2017, running red lights, overtaking on the wrong side of the road and causing other drivers to swerve. He was arrested after a foot chase. McDonnell later told Gardaí he had been paid €300 to move the stolen car for someone. He also admitted he had been asked to pick up stolen items from a Terenure burglary for €50. The court noted he had used his time in custody well, describing a transformation, and sentencing was adjourned to 12 July 2019.
A 50‑year‑old woman, Grace Miano, was found unfit to stand trial for the murder of 27‑year‑old Limbani "Robert" Mzoma, a Malawian national, who was killed on 1 November 2018 at Miano's home in Foxrock, Dublin. Miano, originally from Kenya, has schizophrenia and was admitted to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) on 15 November 2018 after earlier treatment at Tallaght Hospital in July 2017. Two forensic psychiatrists, Dr Ronan Mullaney and Dr Paul O'Connell, examined her and reported that she suffers from schizoaffective disorder and paranoid schizophrenia, with persistent auditory hallucinations, delusional beliefs and poor insight. They concluded she could not plead, instruct counsel or form a proper defence. Judge Eileen Creedon therefore committed Miano to the CMH until 20 June, ordering a further psychiatric assessment by an approved medical officer.
During sentencing at the Central Criminal Court, 23‑year‑old Dylan Higgins read a victim impact statement after Anthony Moynihan pleaded guilty to two counts of anal rape and two counts of sexual assault. Higgins, who was 11 and 12 at the time, described how Moynihan lured him to his home, offered cigarettes, and raped him twice between 2006 and 2008. He recounted the first assault, the disposal of his blood‑stained underwear, and the second assault where Moynihan pretended to apply cream before raping him. Higgins urged other abuse victims to come forward, saying it may save lives, and expressed relief that Moynihan had pleaded guilty. The judge remanded Moynihan on continuing bail and adjourned sentencing to June 21, noting his medical reports on cancer treatment for consideration before any custodial decision.
A 35‑year‑old electrician, Sean Nolan, was arrested on 22 October 2018 after the discovery of his partner, 32‑year‑old Amanda Carroll, dead at her home in Cabra, Dublin. He was charged with her murder and remanded in custody following his appearance at Dublin District Court on 23 October. In the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Michael White set 13 July 2020 as the trial date, expecting a two‑week hearing. Nolan did not attend the court session that morning and was remanded in custody until the trial.
The Central Criminal Court has allowed the sentencing of a 16‑year‑old who attempted to murder a 25‑year‑old woman named Stephanie Ng on 23 December 2017 at Sea Front, Queen's Road, Dun Laoghaire. The boy, who met Ng on the Whisper app and pretended to be 19, tried to kill her during their first face‑to‑face meeting by choking her and slashing her neck with a knife. He pleaded guilty to the attempt. The court had previously ordered a forensic psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist to prepare reports on the boy to assess future risk. After a delay, a UK psychiatrist, Dr Richard Church, was sourced and agreed to produce the report, with access to the boy's Central Mental Hospital records. The judge adjourned the case to 20 June to monitor progress and remanded the boy in custody until then.
Anthony Goodman, 74, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to exposure at McGovern's Restaurant in Malahide on 13 August 2018 and to exposure on the 46a bus at Donnybrook Fair and sexual assault on Stillorgan Road on 20 August 2018. Garda Rosemary Gallagher described how Goodman sat near two women at the restaurant, squirmed and moved his hands on his crotch for 30‑40 minutes, leaving after leaving a wet stain on his t‑shirt. A week later, Garda Danielle Cassidy reported that on the 46a bus he masturbated while facing a woman, touched her knee, tickled her side, and later touched a woman's breast. Goodman has 201 previous convictions, including sexual assault, indecency, arson, threats to kill and firearms possession, and breached a sex offender order that prohibited bus travel without Gardaí notification. Judge Melanie Greally ordered a probation report and adjourned the case to 11 October.
A 65‑year‑old man accused of indecent assault on a younger female relative has applied to the High Court to halt his trial in the Circuit Criminal Court. He faces more than a dozen counts of indecent assault alleged to have occurred in the 1970s and 1980s when the complainant was a child relative. The man argues he cannot obtain a fair trial because his lawyers have not been provided with certain information he claims is essential to his defence. This information concerns allegations the complainant has made about other persons she says sexually abused her, but she has refused to name those persons or give details. He also cites the lengthy delay since the complainant's 2016 statement to the Gardai. The man denies the accusations, has no prior convictions, and claims the complainant suffers from psychiatric illnesses. In a judicial review action, he seeks an order preventing further prosecution.
David Fox, 51, of Croftwood Crescent, Ballyfermot, Dublin, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis and cocaine for sale or supply at his address on 5 November 2016. Gardaí searched the premises on a warrant and found a large cardboard box beside Fox's bed containing 6.92 kg of cannabis and 2.59 kg of cocaine, with a combined value of €320,313. Fox initially claimed one of his three daughters was responsible, but later accepted sole responsibility. He said he was short of money and agreed to hold the drugs for one night in exchange for €50, claiming he owed no drug debt and had no prior convictions. The court adjourned the case pending a psychological assessment, to be completed on 17 July. The judge noted the peculiarity of engaging in criminal activity for such a small payment.
During a Central Criminal Court murder trial, a 14‑year‑old boy (Boy B) told a school counsellor that he had been "dragged into this mess" by his co‑accused (Boy A). He repeated this claim about ten times and insisted he was not the last person to see Ana Kriegel alive. Boy B also suggested that men who had allegedly attacked Boy A might have kidnapped Ana. The counsellor, Gerardine Small BL, noted that Boy B was calm, articulate and bright, and that he had spoken to Gardaí three times, describing the questioning as an "interrogation" and feeling pressure. Boy B said he had gone to the park with Ana on 14 May because Boy A had asked him to bring Ana, who fancied Boy A, and that Boy A had been injured later that day. He left Ana and Boy A in the park and did not consider Boy A a close friend. The unnamed 14-year-old pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court has scheduled a trial for June 10, 2020, in the case of Richard Burke, who faces a charge of murder in connection with the death of Jasmine McMonagle. Ms McMonagle, aged 28, was discovered deceased at her residence in Forest Park, Killygordon, County Donegal, on January 4. Burke, also aged 27 and from the same address, was brought before Sligo District Court on January 5 and charged with murder contrary to common law. At a hearing before Mr Justice Michael White in Dublin, the court was informed the trial is expected to extend over three weeks. Burke remains remanded in custody pending trial.
A man in his late thirties has filed a High Court application to stop the prosecution of four charges of rape and sexual assault against his younger siblings, alleged to have occurred in the late 1990s when he was aged 13 to 15. He argues that the law at the time made children aged 7 to 14 incapable of committing a criminal offence, and that the dates of the alleged offences are unclear, leaving open the possibility he was under 14. He seeks an order to prohibit further prosecution, declarations that the delay has prejudiced him, that a trial would be unfair and unjust, and that proceeding would breach his rights under the Irish Constitution and the European Convention of Human Rights. Mr Justice Seamus Noonan granted permission ex‑parte, put a stay on the prosecution, and adjourned the matter to June. The case is pending before the Central Criminal Court.
A High Court challenge has been filed by a secondary school student, represented through his mother, against a decision by a three‑person Section 29 Committee to uphold his expulsion for bringing a knife to school. The student, a second‑year pupil from a south‑of‑country secondary school, was expelled late last year. He appealed to the Department of Education, which appointed the committee. The committee upheld the expulsion. In the High Court, counsel Derek Shortall BL argued that the student was denied fair procedures, citing that a committee member was a former pupil of the school, creating a perceived conflict of interest. The advocate was dismissed by the committee member, who allegedly treated the mother and advocate disrespectfully and allowed the school to present its case before the mother finished. The student seeks to quash the decision, declare the committee's bias, and have his appeal remitted for fresh consideration.
A 31‑year‑old man pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to sexually assaulting and exploiting his niece over a three‑year period from 9 June 2013 to 16 July 2016. The abuse began when the niece was six and involved the uncle taking her on walks, coaxing her into sexual acts, entering her bedroom, shining a light in her eyes, offering to insert his penis into her mouth, and showing her pornographic videos. He promised sweets and money and warned her not to disclose the abuse. The victim disclosed the abuse to a cousin, who then told her mother. A local garda testified that the defendant has shown no remorse. The victim's mother delivered a victim impact statement describing the child's destroyed childhood, nightmares, constant fear of the uncle, and family breakdown. The defendant, described as having low cognitive ability and being psychologically vulnerable, was remanded on continuing bail with sentencing set for 29 April.
In March 2019, Midnight Entertainment Limited, operator of the 4 Aces Club in Galway, secured a court order quashing Judge Mary Fahy's refusal to recuse herself from a prosecution alleging the casino sold alcoholic beverages without a licence on 28 November 2015. The casino, which claims to be a private members club and therefore not required to hold a liquor licence, argued that Judge Fahy had previously made remarks in a 2015 case involving a company director, where she found the director guilty, imposed a six‑month suspended sentence, and stated that a "genuine casino" must have a licence. The casino contended that these remarks created a reasonable apprehension of bias, warranting the judge's recusal.
Frank Kamara, 29, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. On 17 January 2018, while employed as a cleaner at a Dublin shopping centre, he emailed a video to his supervisor. The supervisor watched the four‑minute, 59‑second clip for two seconds, was shocked, and deleted it. Kamara claimed he sent the video to warn his supervisor about the dangers of child sexual exploitation and to advise him not to leave his own children with untrustworthy people. He said the video was sent to him by a woman in Nigeria and that he had deleted it after forwarding it. The prosecution, represented by Garda Joanne Grogan, described the footage as a male adult raping a boy about one or two years old.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 20 March 2019, the landlord of a house at Sallins Bridge, Sallins, Co Kildare, testified that his nephew discovered an assault rifle, more than 180 rounds of ammunition, and large amounts of cocaine and heroin in the base of a bed while "clearing out" the property. The landlord, who entered a tenancy agreement with Declan Brady in February 2015, said he had no key to the house and had gained access through a neighbour. He described how the nephew found a cardboard box containing the rifle, magazines, and drug packets wrapped in brown tape. The landlord also reported that Gardaí had searched the premises on 28 January 2017. Michael Brady, 54, is charged with nine counts of possession of firearms, ammunition and drugs, and has pleaded not guilty. The court heard evidence to determine the lawfulness of the Gardaí search. The judge will rule tomorrow.
Two Dublin men pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to charges relating to a fraudulent forestry investment scheme. Between January 2014 and mid-2016, Garret Hevey and David Peile induced approximately 143 foreign investors to deposit roughly €5.5 million into Arden Forestry Management. Detective Inspector Catharina Gunne told the court the investments would have required around 858 acres of land, but the company owned only 30.2 acres. Investors were promised returns based on government grants and forest harvesting, though the company was ineligible for grants as its trees exceeded the twenty-year age limit. One investor visited a forest site in Frenchpark, County Roscommon, but was prevented from accessing the land registry to verify ownership. Hevey, of Shankill, Dublin, and Peile, of Ballyguile, Wicklow, both pleaded guilty to dishonestly inducing investment and deception charges. Approximately €1.98 million remained in the company account when gardaí froze it, with €1.5 million having been transferred to a Dubai account. Judge Melanie Greally remanded both men on bail pending sentencing submissions.
A 65‑year‑old man pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to six counts of sexual assault against a girl who was 10 years old in 2013. The court heard that the man had abused the girl on several occasions, including when she was sleeping in a camper van, during walks in Wicklow, and while she was on his knee in a shed. He claimed some of the touching was accidental and that he had memory problems. He also hinted that he had killed a former partner to keep the girl silent. The girl, now a teenager, reported ongoing fear, nightmares, and difficulty trusting people. The case was adjourned pending a psychological report, and the man remains on bail until sentencing in May.
John Doyle, 38, was arrested after looting a Centra shop in Tallaght during Storm Emma. He entered the shop for only one minute and 30 seconds before Gardaí arrived, carrying three packets of cigarettes. Doyle pleaded guilty to trespassing with intent to commit theft. While Gardaí pursued him, he threw trolleys to obstruct them and was found crouched in a store room. Two other men were present, one with a sledgehammer. Doyle has 111 prior convictions, including robbery, burglary, possession of stolen property, road traffic offences and criminal damage. A co‑accused, David Berney, already received an 18‑month suspended sentence. The court adjourned sentencing to July to allow a probation report. The incident involved a mechanical saw breach of the shop's front shutter and Gardaí arriving by jeep and on foot. Doyle's defence highlighted his panic, shame and claim of being lured into the chaos. The case remains at the pleading stage.
Aidan "The Beast" O'Driscoll, a senior Real IRA member, was shot four times on Old Commons Road, Blackpool, Cork, on 7 December 2016. The Special Criminal Court heard that the killing was part of an internal dispute between the Real IRA and the New IRA. Colin Casey (32) and Daniel Hegarty (24) pleaded guilty to four counts of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of O'Driscoll's killers, while Eoin Morrissey (19) pleaded guilty to two such counts. Casey collected the alleged gunmen from Redemption Road, drove them in a white Vauxhall Astra van that he later burned, and was involved in the disposal of the Nissan Almera used by the killers. Hegarty buried a bag used by the killers and set fire to a Honda motorbike and a red Opel Astra. Morrissey supplied a firelighter and followed Hegarty to the site where the Opel Astra was burned.
A High Court judge remanded businesswoman Wendy Whitty overnight after she failed to comply with an order not to interfere with the receivership of several investment properties owned by her and her husband, Mr Scot Dyer, in County Wexford and Cork. The judge had previously ordered Whitty to seek legal advice to understand the seriousness of the situation. Whitty had given an undertaking not to interfere, but the judge found she had not complied, citing ongoing interference, especially with tenants in Wexford. Whitty, who was not represented by counsel, had sent a letter to the court claiming the undertaking was made under duress and that "duress voids all contracts." The judge remanded her to Mountjoy Prison for the night, with a review scheduled for Friday morning. Whitty denied breaching the court's orders and said she had not approached the properties since giving the undertaking.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Ian O'Connor (29) pleaded guilty to arson at Tyrone Place, Inchicore on 18 September 2017 and at Ailesbury Road, Dublin on 15 October 2017. He admitted starting the fires by pouring petrol into the letterbox and front door, claiming he was under pressure from debtors who had told him no one would be home. O'Connor also admitted throwing a pipe bomb at another family home in October 2017, saying he had been offered €2,000 for a petrol bomb but was not paid. Margaret Green, mother of three, gave a victim impact statement describing how she and her children were trapped when the fire broke out, how she covered her youngest children with wet towels, and how her eldest son escaped via a balcony with a neighbour's ladder. Green said her seven‑year‑old daughter's hearing aid melted, leaving a permanent scar. The court heard that all four family members sustained injuries.
Ben Merriman, aged 20, pleaded guilty to assault, trespass and criminal damage after helping a friend break into a house in Balbriggan on 27 March 2018. The pair searched for the couple's daughter, Chloe, shouting "Where's Chloe? We're going to kill her". They struck the front door with a metal bar, smashed a living‑room window and kicked the door down. They confronted the parents, demanded the daughter's location, and when she was not found, Merriman spat in the mother's face. The other man threatened to slice her from ear to ear, struck the father on the head with the metal bar and continued to hit him while Merriman kicked him. The court accepted that the other man was the main aggressor and that Merriman acted out of "blind loyalty" and fear. Merriman had no prior convictions and had cut off all contact with the other man.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Janice Brady, a 29-year-old woman from Sligo, following a finding that she breached her bail conditions. Brady was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court in November 2017 and pleaded guilty to impeding the apprehension or prosecution of a man between August 2 and August 3, 2015, at an address in Sligo, knowing or believing he was guilty of a killing. Although the State objected to her release, Mr Justice Michael White granted her bail on February 1, imposing strict conditions including residing in sheltered accommodation provided by the Peter McVerry Trust, remaining drug and alcohol free, signing on with gardai three times a week, and observing a curfew. The Director of Prosecutions, Paul Murray SC, told Mr Justice Paul McDermott that the State alleged Brady had breached these terms by testing positive for drugs and failing to sign on with gardai since February 15. Inspector Tom Colsch stated that gardai have "no idea where she is" and that she has not been seen in Sligo. Mr Justice McDermott was satisfied that a breach of bail conditions had occurred and consequently issued an arrest warrant for Brady to revoke her bail. The matter remains at the pretrial stage, with the court action focused on enforcing the warrant rather than finalizing a sentence for the admitted charge.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Michal Wojciak, 36, admitted possession of over 4,000 child pornography images and videos, all discovered during a forensic analysis in August 2016. The material, seized from his Swords apartment in 2012, included 681 videos and 3,873 images depicting preteen and teenage girls in sexual activities, some with adults, and a 24‑minute video of a preteen masturbating. Wojciak denied actively searching for such material but acknowledged possession. He had no prior convictions and had lost his job in 2018. The court ordered him to remain on bail until 31 May, with the preparation of forensic psychological and probation reports requested by counsel. The case highlighted Gardaí's use of peer‑to‑peer monitoring and the delay in forensic analysis due to resource constraints. The hearing focused on the admission of guilt and the procedural steps pending before any sentencing. Michal Wojciak pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 45‑year‑old man was found to have abducted his children and kept them abroad for four years, separating them from their mother. The court heard that the man had taken the children out of Ireland without consent on 8 November 2014 at Dublin Airport, and that he had pleaded guilty to four charges of taking them abroad. The children, now aged eight to 15, were returned to their mother in October 2018 after the mother contacted the court. The man had no prior convictions and had no contact with the children since their return, except a single phone call with his son on a birthday. The maximum penalty for each charge is seven years. Judge Cormac Quinn ordered a Probation Service report, remanded the man on continuing bail, and adjourned the case to 29 May for a plea in mitigation. The mother and children declined to give victim impact statements.
A 46‑year‑old man, Yusuf Ali Abdi of Charleville Road, Phibsboro, Dublin 7, has been charged with murdering his 20‑month‑old son, Nathan Baraka Andrew Ali, who was killed at The Elms, College Road, Clane, Co Kildare on 17 April 2001. Mr Justice Michael White set the trial for 27 May 2019, with the case expected to last one week.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Damien Reilly, 36, pleaded guilty to two robberies in Stoneybatter on 24 February 2017 and 7 April 2017. During the April incident, a nurse was robbed at an ATM when Reilly seized her and threatened to stab her with a needle, saying "Don't fucking move, don't fucking scream, I have a needle in my hand" and "stick" her with it. The woman screamed, tried to escape, was caught in a headlock and fell to the ground. A passer‑by struck Reilly with a bottle, after which he fled over a wall and was later found "cowering" by Gardaí. The victim reported €200 stolen and the loss of a phone with "precious images" of her daughter. In a separate robbery weeks earlier, Reilly grabbed a woman's bag strap, knocked her to the ground and she banged her head on a wall; she claimed €575 was stolen.
In December 2016, 31‑year‑old Scott Grant armed with a wooden branch threatened staff at a Costcutters shop on Hampton Street, Balbriggan, demanding money. He fled when the shop manager confronted him with a wooden sweeping brush. Later that month he damaged a parking meter to obtain coins for his drug habit. A witness described him wearing black clothes and pink gloves; a Garda arrested a man matching that description, and Grant was found with a hammer in his pants. He was released on bail and, in September 2017, he again robbed a local shop armed with a tree branch, taking €100 worth of scratch cards. He was identified when he tried to cash the cards at a newsagent and was arrested. Grant pleaded guilty to attempted robbery in December 2016 and robbery in September 2017, and admitted a further attempted robbery on 17 April 2018.
The High Court has granted a judgement of €159,000 against a financial advisor in relation to alleged misappropriation of investor funds. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds made the order in favour of Mr Jamie Murphy, who alleges that Mr James Doherty, trading as Demvera Capital Partners, failed to return money advanced as an investment in 2017. Mr Murphy claims the funds were intended for investment in a care company but were used for personal purposes instead. Freezing orders against Mr Doherty and related entities, with addresses in Dublin and Burnfoot, Co Donegal, were secured in December. The judge also ruled that Mr Doherty, who is understood to be in the United Kingdom, be attached by An Garda Síochána and brought before the High Court to address allegations of contempt of court. Mr Doherty had not complied with court orders to provide asset details and did not attend proceedings or retain legal representation. He is to be brought back before the court within one week.
Ellavita Flynn, aged 24, admitted to stealing more than €6,500 worth of designer goods from Brown Thomas on Grafton Street between 19 December 2017 and 2 January 2018. She took a Michael Kors watch (€395), a Prada handbag (€2,400), a Gucci handbag (€1,490) and a Louis Vuitton handbag (€2,280) without paying, four times over two weeks. The Louis Vuitton handbag was recovered; the other items were sold on the street for "relatively small money". Flynn pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. She has three prior theft convictions dealt with at District Court level. The court heard she had no fixed abode and had addiction issues, having begun abusing substances at 18 after being in care as a teenager. The judge adjourned the case for six months to allow Flynn to demonstrate she is addressing her drug problems and gaining employment training, and remanded her on continuing bail until July.
Garda Keith Harrison secured a High Court order to halt an internal Garda investigation into alleged breaches of discipline by him. The investigation had been initiated following comments made by the Disclosures Tribunal chairman, Mr Justice Peter Charleton, in an interim report. Harrison, who denied the alleged misconduct, argued that the tribunal's comments had no legal effect and could not be used by the Garda Commissioner to discipline him. His lawyers presented the case to Mr Justice Seamus Noonan, who agreed that the court could quash the decision to appoint an officer to investigate the alleged breaches. The court also considered a potential costs order in Harrison's favour. The tribunal had previously rejected Harrison's allegations and those of his partner Marissa Simms, stating they were "entirely without any validity." The High Court struck out the legal proceedings that had been brought to challenge the investigation.
Mr Baljit Singh Bhandal, a British businessman, has taken legal action in the Irish High Court against the Irish Banking Resolution Corporation Ltd (IBRC) in special liquidation. Bhandal claims that IBRC refused to recognise a £113 million judgment he secured against it in the English High Court in March 2013, which arose from a sale of his property Updown Court in Surrey. He argues that IBRC's special liquidators rejected his claim on the basis that it was not "true and bona fide," citing a 2015 judgment that found him involved in money laundering and that the property was acquired through proceeds of crime. Bhandal maintains he was never charged or convicted of those offences and seeks to have the 2013 judgment admitted as an unsecured liability in the special liquidation, and to review the liquidators' exercise of powers. The case was heard before Mr Justice Tony O'Connor and is expected to continue for several days.
A Catholic priest in his seventies, whose identity is withheld for legal reasons, has filed a High Court application to halt his pending criminal trial for an alleged indecent assault that allegedly occurred in the mid‑1970s. The priest denies the single charge that he touched a ten‑year‑old girl while she was seated on his knee during a film shown on a projector, a scene that was witnessed by the girl's family and other people. He claims that the complainant's delayed complaint to the Gardai in 2015, and earlier complaints to a bishop in 2004 and to the girl's parents in the 1980s, have prejudiced his case. The priest argues that many witnesses who were present have died, preventing them from providing evidence that could aid his defence, and that this creates a real risk of an unfair trial.
A Sligo woman who pleaded guilty to impeding the apprehension of a man for a killing in the town has been granted bail by the High Court pending sentencing. Janice Brady, aged 29, of Maryville Hostel in Finisklin, Sligo, admitted the charge relating to events in August 2015. The State had opposed her release, arguing she posed a risk of reoffending and returning to drug use. However, Mr Justice Michael White noted her clear urine tests, engagement with addiction counselling, and substantial rehabilitation progress during her two years and six weeks in custody. The judge was also reassured by an offer of sheltered accommodation from the Peter McVerry Trust in Drumcondra for six months. Ms Brady's bail conditions include a personal bond, residence in the approved accommodation, abstinence from drugs and alcohol, three weekly garda check-ins, a daytime curfew, and a prohibition on visiting Sligo except to see her son.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 33‑year‑old Eric Hogan pleaded guilty to criminal damage after crashing a grey Peugeot into the outer gates of the British Embassy in Ballsbridge on 9 June 2018. Garda Declan Dunne, who was on duty outside the embassy that night, observed Hogan's vehicle collide with the gates, which were knocked off their rails. Hogan was shouting but his speech was incoherent, leading the Garda to suspect intoxication. However, the defence counsel, Pieter Le Vert, argued that Hogan was "off his medication" and dealing with psychiatric issues, and that he had no knowledge of drinking. Hogan had five prior convictions for public order offences and is the sole carer of his eight‑year‑old son. The judge, Pauline Codd, ordered a psychiatric report and adjourned sentencing to 12 April 2019. The repair cost for the gates was €33,500 plus VAT.
Patrick Quirke writes a letter to a woman named Patricia, confessing that he has made a mess of his life and needs help moving forward. He explains that four years ago his best friend, who was also his wife's cousin, died, leaving a wife and young children. Quirke says he tried to support the friend's family and became involved in the friend's business, which led to an affair with the friend's wife. He claims the affair lasted three years and ended abruptly when he discovered she was seeing someone else. Quirke says she told him she had fallen out of love and was waiting for an opportunity to end "us." He says she has moved on, introduced a new lover to the family, and that he is left broken‑hearted and angry. He says he has been diagnosed with depression and that his wife is supportive but he is not in love with her.
A man with serious psychological issues has agreed to High Court orders that prohibit him from harassing, watching, pestering or communicating with a woman who alleges he stalked her online for almost a decade. The woman, who feared for her safety because of frightening online messages, brought the case after the unwanted communications—emails and social media messages—began when they were both students at the same Third Level College. She says she only had one personal interaction with the man, during a group presentation. After she asked him to stop, he continued to contact her, causing her anxiety and sleep difficulties. She has complained to Gardai and the college. The court granted the orders, noting the woman had pursued the action as a last resort due to the Gardai's handling of the matter. The man's lawyers confirmed his serious psychological issues.
A man arrested on a European Arrest Warrant faces extradition proceedings in the High Court over allegations connected to a 1972 bombing in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh. John Downey, aged 67, is wanted by Northern Irish authorities to stand trial for the murder of two British Army soldiers and aiding and abetting an explosion on 25 August 1972 on the Irvinestown Road. The device killed Lance Corporal Alfred Johnston and Private James Eames. Mr Downey was arrested at his home in Creeslough, County Donegal, in November. His counsel argued that extradition would be unfair, citing concerns about the integrity of evidence, the death of key prosecution witnesses, and a previous direction against prosecution issued in 1985. The defence also referenced controversies surrounding Mr Downey's involvement in an earlier case regarding the 1982 Hyde Park bombing. The Minister for Justice's counsel countered that fairness could be remedied through proper legal process. Justice Aileen Donnelly reserved judgment.
A woman told the High Court that she fears for her safety after receiving frightening online messages from a male "stalker" who had been a fellow student at the same Third Level College almost a decade ago. She says she only had one personal interaction with him during college and that the unwanted e‑mails and social media messages began then and continued for several years, intensifying in recent weeks. The man has claimed he has "very strong feelings" for her, that he is entitled to further contact, and that he loves her. He has threatened her, accused her of ignoring his feelings, and called her a monster. The woman has asked the court for an injunction to prevent the man from intimidating, harassing, watching, besetting and communicating with her. The judge has directed that the Gardai and members of the defendant's family be made aware of the proceedings and adjourned the matter for a week.
A 66-year-old man arrested in County Donegal in November on a European Arrest Warrant has had his bail conditions relaxed by the High Court. John Downey is sought by Northern Irish authorities in connection with charges relating to the deaths of two soldiers in Enniskillen on August 25, 1972. The High Court judge, Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly, reduced his signing-on requirements from daily attendance at Letterkenny Garda Station to three times weekly, noting that bail conditions should not be punitive. The judge indicated a legal aid recommendation would be made at the conclusion of proceedings. Mr Downey's legal team has signalled they will contest his extradition, citing an immunity claim under European Arrest Warrant legislation and allegations of abuse of process. A full extradition hearing is scheduled for January 28, 2019.
Otis Reynolds, 21, of Crumlin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Andrew Cummins causing him harm at Raphoe Road, Crumlin, on March 9, 2017. The court heard that Cummins had punched Reynolds during a fight 15 months prior. On the day of the incident, Cummins approached Reynolds' Ford Focus to apologise. Garda John Griffin testified that Cummins was struck by the vehicle, thrown into the air, and landed heavily on his right side, resulting in numbness in his left leg and soreness in his back. Reynolds, who has 16 previous convictions for theft, drugs, and traffic offences, was on bail for another charge at the time. He claimed he panicked and did not intend to hit Cummins, though he later retracted a claim that Cummins was about to strike him. Judge Martina Baxter suspended a two-year prison term on the condition that Reynolds keep the peace for two years. She also ordered him to complete 200 hours of community service over that period. Reynolds had raised €1,000 from his wages for Cummins as an expression of remorse. Defence counsel highlighted Reynolds' young age, his admissions, and his current plumbing apprenticeship.