In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 14‑year‑old girl recounted how a rape by two Limerick men in a field in County Clare on 22 April 2017 altered her life. The men, aged 22 and 21 at the time, denied the assault and claimed the victim was 16. The court heard that the girl was heavily intoxicated, had limited memory, and was left alone with the men after her friends dispersed. She described being raped by the 21‑year‑old, then by the 22‑year‑old while the first man masturbated. After the assaults, they walked with her to a residential area where her mother and others found her. The girl later tested negative for pregnancy, but her mother confronted her about the rape. She said rumours and vulgar remarks spread, leading her family to leave the area. The unnamed 14-year-old was convicted.
Peter O'Shea, aged 55, was found guilty by a jury in November 2021 of five counts of indecent assault on three children aged between seven and 13 in the early 1980s. He had pleaded not guilty to all charges. The court heard that O'Shea, who was between 14 and 19 at the time of the assaults, still denies the allegations and does not accept the verdict. Garda Niall Gibbs described the assaults, including repeated sexual contact and attempts to expose the victims' genitals. The victims, who were present at the hearing, had prepared impact statements. O'Shea's solicitor, Garnet Orange SC, reiterated his client's denial and lack of prior convictions. Justice Patricia Ryan adjourned sentencing to 1 March 2022.
A man has been convicted at the Central Criminal Court in Sligo of sexually abusing a child over a five-year period in Donegal. Liam Carr, aged 59 and with an address in Ballina, Falcarragh, County Donegal, was found guilty of 31 counts including sexual assault, anal rape and oral rape of the boy between September 1995 and September 2000. The jury could not agree on four further counts. The case reached trial four times after legal issues and previous jury disagreements. The victim, now aged 39, described the legal process in a statement read to the court as six years of "complete torture" since first approaching gardaí in October 2015. He stated he had given testimony on four separate occasions. Defence counsel indicated Carr does not accept the verdicts and intends to appeal his conviction. The case has been adjourned for sentencing on 17 January 2022.
A 25‑year‑old Latvian man, Valerijs Leitons, was found guilty of manslaughter with substantially diminished responsibility for stabbing a 34‑year‑old Latvian woman, Saidrite Valdgeima, over 50 times at the Binary Hub aparthotel in Dublin on 26 June 2019. Leitons, who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, claimed he believed Valdgeima was an enemy agent and that he was being monitored by the FBI, CIA and KGB. He had stopped taking his antipsychotic medication three months before the incident. The jury rejected his plea of not guilty by reason of insanity and returned a manslaughter verdict. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court, and sentencing was adjourned to 18 January 2022. The hearing included victim‑impact statements from Valdgeima's three daughters, describing profound grief and lasting trauma. The judge expressed condolences to the family and noted the case's unusual nature.
The Special Criminal Court has ruled that international witnesses in the trial of Lisa Smith, a former Defence Forces member, may give evidence by video-link. Presiding judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt granted the prosecution's application, citing the current public health climate and the logistical difficulties of travel from Australia and the US. Ms Smith, 39, from Dundalk, Co Louth, is charged with being a member of the unlawful terrorist group Islamic State (ISIS) between October 28, 2015, and December 1, 2019, and with financing terrorism by sending €800 to a named individual in May 2015. The defence, represented by Michael O'Higgins SC, objected to the application, referencing difficulties with video-link evidence in the trial of Aaron Brady, who was convicted of the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. Mr O'Higgins argued that the prosecution had not met the necessary criteria and that his client had the right to cross-examine witnesses in person. Despite these objections, Mr Justice Hunt was satisfied the conditions for the order were met. The trial is scheduled to begin on January 11, 2022, and is expected to last 12 weeks. Mr Justice Hunt adjourned the case to December 13 for an update on how matters were progressing.
Grace Miano, aged 53, was charged with the murder of Malawian man Limbani 'Robert' Mzoma, aged 27, at Tudor Lawns, Foxrock, Dublin, on 1 November 2018. She was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity by a unanimous jury verdict. On 11 October 2021, she appeared before Mr Justice Paul McDermott at the Central Criminal Court. Prosecutor Elva Duffy presented a report from a consultant psychiatrist at the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) recommending that Miano remain in the hospital for ongoing treatment. The psychiatrist diagnosed her with schizoaffective disorder and noted progress but a risk of relapse. Mr Justice McDermott committed Miano to the CMH under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006 to continue her treatment. Miano's defence counsel, Michael Bowman SC, described her delusions, including believing she was possessed by Princess Diana and that she killed Mzoma to protect Prince William and women.
In the murder trial of Mark Whelan, 48, the judge instructed the jury that an insanity verdict was not an option and that they must decide whether Whelan could form the intent to kill. The jury was told that the prosecution and defence had accepted that Whelan killed Noel Thomas Whelan, 22, on 30 March 2019. The judge explained that the evidence did not meet the threshold for diminished responsibility or not‑guilty by reason of insanity. He asked the jury to consider whether Whelan was capable of forming the intention to cause serious harm or to kill, and if he did so on the night. The court heard defence counsel Dr Francis Kelly argue that Whelan was intoxicated, psychotic and did not know the nature of his act, while the State's witness Prof Harry Kennedy found no mental disorder, attributing his behaviour to poly‑substance abuse. The judge reminded the jury that only a unanimous verdict was available. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty and was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Mark Whelan pleaded not guilty.
The jury in the Central Criminal Court case of Valerijs Leitons, a 25‑year‑old Latvian national, has paused its deliberations after four hours and ten minutes of discussion. Leitons, who pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, is charged with murdering his affair partner, Skaidrite Valdgeima, 34, on 26 June 2019 at the Binary Hub aparthotel. The trial established that the couple had a sexual relationship that began in May 2019. A pathologist reported Valdgeima suffered multiple penetrating wounds, including defence‑type injuries on both arms. Two forensic psychiatrists testified about Leitons' mental state: Dr Damien Smith, representing the prosecution, said he did not meet the criteria for a not‑guilty‑by‑reason‑of‑insanity verdict, while Dr Ronan Mullaney, for the defence, argued he did. The jury must decide between a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity or guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
A jury will decide whether Valerijs Leitons, a 25‑year‑old Latvian national, should be found not guilty by reason of insanity or guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility for the murder of Skaidrite Valdgeima, 34, on 26 June 2019. Leitons stabbed Valdgeima at the Binary Hub aparthotel after believing she was an undercover agent. The prosecution, led by Conor Devally SC, argued that Leitons' paranoid schizophrenia, diagnosed by Dr Ronan Mullaney, met all three criteria for an insanity verdict, while the defence, represented by Michael Bowman SC, contended that Dr Damien Smith's assessment showed Leitons did not meet those criteria. The judge explained that the jury could return four verdicts, but the parties were focused on the two options of not guilty by reason of insanity or guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. The jury will deliberate tomorrow.
In a Dublin murder trial, Dr Ronan Mullaney, a forensic psychiatrist, testified that Valerijs Leitons, a 25‑year‑old Latvian national, was suffering from acute paranoid schizophrenia at the time he stabbed Skaidrite Valdgeima, a 34‑year‑old married woman, to death on 26 June 2019. Mullaney argued that Leitons' delusions—believing Valdgeima was an undercover intelligence agent sent to poison him—made him not understand the nature or wrongness of his actions, thereby qualifying for a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act. He contrasted his view with that of Dr Damian Smith, who had previously stated that Leitons' condition did not meet the threshold for such a verdict. Leitons has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, and the jury will decide whether his mental disorder suffices for that defence or whether a manslaughter conviction with diminished responsibility is appropriate.
Grace Miano, 53, was charged with the murder of Malawian man Limbani 'Robert' Mzoma, 27, at Tudor Lawns in Foxrock, Co Dublin, on 1 November 2018. She claimed she was possessed by the spirit of Princess Diana and killed Mzoma to "protect Prince William", then cut off his genitals post‑mortem to "protect women". A jury found her not guilty by reason of insanity after less than two and a half hours of deliberation. The judge, Mr Justice Paul McDermott, explained that the verdict was based on psychiatric evidence that Miano did not know her actions were wrong and was unable to refrain from them, satisfying two of the three criteria under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006. The State applied for Miano to be examined at a designated centre for 14 days; the judge granted the application and remanded her to appear again on 11 October for a psychiatric report. The judge expressed condolences to Mzoma's family.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Grace Miano, aged 53, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of Malawian man Limbani 'Robert' Mzoma, aged 27, at Tudor Lawns, Foxrock, Co Dublin, on 1 November 2018. Miano, also known as Margaret Sloane, claimed she was inhabited by the spirit of Princess Diana and that Diana guided her to kill Mzoma to protect Prince William and other members of the royal family. She alleged that Mzoma had raped and beaten her since 1989 and that she had been threatened by a plot involving Kate Middleton. Psychiatrists Dr Paul O'Connell and Dr Brenda Wright diagnosed Miano with schizoaffective disorder, describing her as intensely psychotic with hallucinations and persecutory beliefs. Both doctors agreed that a not‑guilty verdict by reason of insanity was appropriate, and the prosecution accepted this conclusion. The case remains at the trial stage, with the jury to be instructed by Justice Paul McDermott.
A Central Criminal Court jury found five members of an extended family guilty of sexually abusing three children in Munster between 2014 and 2016. The accused – the children's parents, aunt, uncle and the aunt's husband – were convicted on 78 counts, with the 27‑year‑old uncle receiving a single not‑guilty verdict. The father was found guilty of 31 counts, including rape, sexual assault and neglect; the mother of 25 counts, including assault and neglect; the aunt of three counts of assault; the uncle of ten counts, including rape and assault; and the 27‑year‑old uncle of eight counts, including rape and exploitation. All five were remanded in custody pending sentencing, which will be set on 4 October. The trial highlighted the children's allegations, the accused's denials, and the prosecution's emphasis on neglect and abuse. No further outcomes are reported in the article. The unnamed 27-year-old was acquitted.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Philip Kavanagh, 34, was acquitted of assault causing harm to Garda Theresa Moore after a jury found no evidence that he had injured her. The jury, however, convicted him by a 10‑2 majority of common assault on Garda Conor Mohan, who had confronted him at his home following a disturbance. Kavanagh denied both offences. Garda Mohan described Kavanagh as drunk and aggressive, refusing entry and lashing out when restrained. Garda Moore reported that Kavanagh resisted restraint in a patrol car, causing her a blunt injury to the right hand, later confirmed as a fracture. Kavanagh claimed he was assaulted by Moore in the car, alleging a black eye and whiplash, but denied causing her injury. The case was adjourned for sentencing on 26 July.
In a 2021 criminal trial, Michael Murray, 50, was excluded from the courtroom after he claimed he had been offered the names and addresses of the jury. The judge, Karen O'Connor, confirmed that Murray had no access to the jury list. Murray had pleaded not guilty to charges of making death threats against barristers Dominic McGinn and Tony McGillicuddy, as well as to harassing Mr McGinn by advertising him online as a prostitute and similar allegations against his victim and former defence solicitor. The trial, which had reached its 14th day, involved the defence counsel Barry White SC delivering closing arguments in Murray's absence. The judge was to finish charging the jury before deliberations began. The case centred on the alleged threats and harassment, with no mention of any verdict or sentencing at the time of the article. Michael Murray was convicted.
During a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Michael Murray, 50, faced charges of threatening to kill two barristers, Dominic McGinn SC and Tony McGillicuddy BL, who had prosecuted him for rape in 2013. He also allegedly harassed them by advertising them as prostitutes online. Murray denied all allegations. McGillicuddy recounted a 43‑second call from a blocked number on 9 February 2015, claiming it threatened his life. He immediately called Gardaí and McGinn. Murray's former defence solicitor, who could not be named, testified that she received suspicious texts and discovered ads containing her name and number. Garda Sergeant Gary Farrell reported that forensic analysis of a seized Samsung Galaxy S3 phone, found in Murray's possession, revealed deleted call logs and 112 references to BackPage.com, where ads listed McGinn's phone number. The case will proceed tomorrow before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury. Michael Murray was convicted.
In the Central Criminal Court, a child abuse trial involving six extended family members is ongoing before Mr Justice McDermott and a jury. The accused, aged 27 to 57, include the parents, aunts, and uncles of three main child complainants. During the proceedings, the court heard evidence from foster parents describing the physical and emotional state of the children upon entering their care, including poor hygiene, missing teeth, and anxiety. A specialist garda interviewer testified regarding the interview process with a female complainant, acknowledging she was not present when the child wrote notes used during questioning. Defense counsel argued this impacted the reliability of the account. In a significant procedural development, the trial judge directed that the case against the children's grandmother, a 57-year-old woman accused of three counts of sexually assaulting her granddaughter, be withdrawn. Following legal argument, the judge ordered that she be found not guilty by direction. The remaining six accused face charges including sexual assault and wilful neglect. The trial continues with further evidence expected.
In a child‑abuse trial, a specialist Garda interviewer defended the time taken to interview children who were alleged to have been abused by parents, aunts, uncles and a grandmother. The interviewer's involvement began at the end of 2016, with meetings of the complainants in June and July 2017 and recorded interviews in August 2017. She explained that the best practice is to interview children as soon as possible, but that the timing must be guided by the child's medical and psychological background. She noted that the Gardaí liaised with Tusla for months and that Tusla reported the children were showing emotional and behavioural issues. The Garda said the welfare of the children was paramount and that the children were severely traumatised. She denied steering any child's answers and said she only responded to what the children told her. The case against the grandmother was withdrawn by the judge, who directed that she be found not guilty.
Paediatric nurse Deirdre Morley, aged 44, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murders of her three children—Conor (9), Darragh (7) and Carla (3)—in January 2023. A Central Criminal Court judge, Mr Justice Paul Coffey, ordered her commitment to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) in Dundrum for further inpatient care under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act. The order follows a jury verdict that accepted psychiatric evidence showing Morley was unable to appreciate the moral wrongness of her actions and could not refrain from them. The CMH will conduct a psychiatric assessment, and her condition will be reviewed every six months by the Mental Health Review Board. The case was adjourned to allow time for the psychiatric report, which was then considered by the court. The order effectively disposes of the case.
A hearing in the Deirdre Morley case was adjourned to 8 June to allow lawyers to review a psychiatric report. The court had been awaiting a report from a consultant forensic psychiatrist at the Central Mental Hospital. Mr Justice Paul Coffey, hearing via video link, said he had only received the report after 11 am and would consider it before the next hearing. Both defence and prosecution were to review the report. Ms Morley, 44, had been found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murders of her three children. The adjournment was to give time for the report to be prepared and for both sides to consider its contents before the next hearing. The case remains at the Central Criminal Court.
In the trial of Deirdre Morley, accused of murdering her three children, the jury was informed by Mr Justice Paul Coffey that they could deliver a majority verdict if ten of the twelve jurors agreed. The foreman noted they had further questions to raise later that day. The jury had spent over three hours deliberating since the previous day. They had earlier requested clarification on the special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Mr Justice Coffey explained that Ms Morley admitted to the acts that caused her children's deaths, but her defence argued she should not be held responsible due to insanity. He outlined the criteria for a special verdict: the jury must be satisfied on the balance of probabilities that Ms Morley was suffering from a mental disorder at the time, that she did not know the nature or wrongness of her acts, or was unable to refrain from them.
In the trial of Deirdre Morley, a 44‑year‑old paediatric nurse from Parson's Court, Newcastle, Co Dublin, the jury was instructed by Mr Justice Paul Coffey to consider a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Morley is accused of murdering her three children—sons Conor (9) and Darragh (7) and daughter Carla (3)—whose bodies were found at the family home on 24 January. The judge explained that the defence's psychiatric experts, Dr Brenda Wright and Dr Mary Davoren, had agreed that Morley was legally insane when she smothered her children, lacking knowledge of the nature or wrongness of her acts and unable to refrain from them. He noted that both prosecution and defence concurred on this conclusion and that the case was "unusually free from controversy." The jury was given time to deliberate, with the judge emphasising that the appropriate verdict on all counts was not guilty by reason of insanity.
Paediatric nurse Deirdre Morley, 44, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murders of her three children, aged 9, 7 and 3. Two forensic psychiatrists testified that she suffered a mental disorder at the time of the killings and could not appreciate the moral wrongness of her actions or refrain from them. The jury accepted the defence's claim that the case was a "tragedy of enormous proportions" and returned three verdicts of not guilty by reason of insanity. The court ordered Morley to be committed to the Central Mental Hospital for psychiatric assessment, with a hearing scheduled for 31 May. No other verdicts or sentencing details were given in the article.
In the Deirdre Morley trial, two psychiatrists testified that the accused, a 44‑year‑old nurse, suffered from a mental disorder at the time of the killings. Dr Brenda Wright, for the defence, described her as having bipolar affective disorder and believed she thought it morally right to kill her children, who were aged 9, 7 and 3. Dr Mary Davoren, for the prosecution, said she had a severe depressive disorder and, although she knew she was killing the children, her depression impaired her ability to appreciate the wrongness of her actions. The jury, after an hour and 28 minutes of deliberation, will return tomorrow to decide whether a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity applies. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Coffey.
In the Central Criminal Court, Dr Brenda Wright testified that 44‑year‑old Deirdre Morley, a renal‑specialist nurse, was suffering from bipolar affective disorder and believed it was morally right to smother her three children, whom she claimed had been irreparably damaged. She had attempted to drug them with morphine and codeine the night before the killings, but the children resisted. The next day she used tape, plastic bags and cushions to suffocate them, two of whom died in a play tent. Dr Wright said Morley did not know her actions were wrong due to her psychotic state and was unable to refrain from them, meeting the criteria for a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. The trial continues with the jury hearing evidence of her mental state on 24 January and her belief that ending their suffering was necessary.
A Dublin man, Keith Connorton, aged 42, appealed his murder conviction for stabbing Graham McKeever, 32, to death at his home on 18 February 2017. Connorton claimed self‑defence after McKeever allegedly punched him and attacked with a knife. The trial hinged on conflicting statements from Connorton's partner, Clare McGrath, who first blamed Connorton for the stabbing but later altered her testimony. Lawyers argued that the prosecution should not have admitted McGrath's 999 call and statements to Gardaí, citing potential fabrication after she was assaulted. The judge allowed the evidence, and the jury found Connorton guilty of murder by a 10‑to‑2 majority. The appeal focuses on the admissibility of McGrath's statements and the alleged risk of false testimony. The case remains at the appeal stage.
Lisa Geoghegan, aged 34, was convicted of assault causing harm to Aidan Kenna and assaulting Garda Anthony Sugrue in 2017. She pleaded guilty to criminal damage to a prison cell wall at Blanchardstown Garda Station. During her detention, she wrote the word "PIGS" in menstrual blood on the cell wall, an act that cost €150 to clean. The court heard she was extremely intoxicated and in a difficult relationship at the time. She was found not guilty of producing a knife, of assaulting two other gardaí, of damaging a garda ballistics vest, and of intimidating a witness. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced her for the biting only, suspending a one‑year prison term on the condition of two years' good behaviour and engagement with probation services for anger management and alcohol abuse. The judge noted her lack of prior convictions and the difficult period she was experiencing.
In a Dublin apartment on 17 July 2019, a 28‑year‑old Moroccan national, Ibrahim Elghynaoui, broke in and sexually assaulted a woman who had just awakened. The woman described being strangled, having his hand forced into her vagina, and fighting back by striking his eyes, groin and biting him. She escaped through a bedroom window, and Elghynaoui fled. He admitted burglary but denied assault. He was convicted of aggravated sexual assault and burglary, and has been in custody since 18 July 2019. Sentencing was adjourned to 1 March 2021 to allow a psychiatric report and to determine his EU status. The victim's impact statement detailed ongoing hyper‑vigilance, PTSD, and the lasting physical and emotional harm she endured. The trial highlighted the traumatic nature of the assault and the victim's struggle to recover. Ibrahim Elghynaoui pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 16‑year‑old boy was found guilty by a jury of one count of sexually assaulting a six‑year‑old neighbour in April 2019. The offence involved the older boy pulling down the younger child's trousers and repeatedly spanking his bare bottom in a local field near their homes. The accused, who was 14 at the time, denies the offence and has not shown remorse. He has no prior convictions. Mr Justice Paul Coffey noted the significant impact on the victim, describing the child as traumatised, vulnerable and intimidated, and observed that the families' previously cordial relationship has been damaged. The judge imposed a community sanction, ordering the boy to be supervised by the Probation Service until he turns 19 in November 2023, with conditions that he have no contact with the victim or other children and continue full‑time education.
A 45‑year‑old Irishman, Martin Jude Wall, is wanted in the United States after a conviction for attempting to entice a child for indecent purposes. He allegedly breached the conditions of his release by fleeing to Ireland, prompting the Chatham County Sheriff's office in Georgia to seek his extradition. Gardaí, working with the Garda Extradition Unit and U.S. authorities, arrested Wall in Ireland. He appeared before the High Court and was remanded in custody pending a hearing on 20 January 2021.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 52‑year‑old man was convicted by jury of coercive control, intimidation and multiple assault offences against his former partner. The jury found him guilty after a four‑week trial that detailed his controlling behaviour, threats to drown her, kill her family and circulate naked images if she withdrew her statements. He also pleaded guilty to a separate charge of intending to pervert the course of justice for telephone contact with the woman between March and July 2020, encouraging her to withdraw her statements. Judge Elma Sheahan remanded him in continuing custody until 12 January. The jury acquitted him of an assault‑causing‑harm charge and a single endangerment count. The court also upheld a publication ban on identifying details of the parties.
Liviu Biliuta, 55, a former resident of Botosani, Romania, was arrested in Dublin on 10 November 2020 and brought before the High Court. He had been wanted for over a decade and was charged under a European Arrest Warrant issued by the High Court in 2016. Biliuta was convicted in 2008 by a Botosani court of trafficking an adult female and a girl for prostitution, and was sentenced to seven years in prison for helping to bring the victims to the Netherlands in 2004‑05. He was cautioned after questioning and taken to Bridewell Garda Station. The case was adjourned to 19 November for a bail application ahead of an extradition hearing on 27 November. The arrest was described by Garda officials as a significant operation coordinated by detectives handling organised and serious crime.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, Philip Dunbar, aged 20, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Adam Muldoon, aged 23, who was stabbed 183 times in Tallaght in June 2018. His barrister, Giollaiosa O'Lideadha SC, argued that the prosecution failed to prove intent, citing a pathologist's view that the injuries could stem from a mental disorder. O'Lideadha highlighted that Dunbar had no memory of the act, had blacked out, and was intoxicated with cannabis and benzodiazepines at the time. The defence presented Dr. Brenda Wright, a forensic psychiatrist, who found no mental disorder and no diminished responsibility, but noted intoxication may have influenced behaviour. The prosecution's counsel, Pauline Walley SC, countered that intoxication did not negate intent, citing CCTV showing Dunbar's composed demeanor and a claim that he was not overcome by drugs. The jury was asked to weigh these conflicting accounts. Philip Dunbar was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
The High Court struck out defamation proceedings brought by Galway businessman Declan Ganley against RTÉ following a settlement. Mr Justice Bernard Barton vacated all previous orders, including pretrial orders, with the consent of the parties. RTÉ publicly apologised to Mr Ganley for a Prime Time special programme broadcast on November 27, 2008, which referenced the death of Kosta Tribecka and showed an image of his body. In its apology, read to the court by Paul O'Higgins SC, RTÉ accepted unreservedly that Mr Tribecka's death was wholly unrelated to Mr Ganley or any business related to him, and apologised for any hurt or distress caused. Declan Doyle SC, representing Mr Ganley, confirmed the matter had been settled, which included a financial agreement. Although Mr Ganley was not physically present, he observed the proceedings via video-link. His solicitors, Johnsons, stated that Mr Ganley was satisfied with the apology and the financial terms, noting he regretted having to initiate the action to vindicate his reputation. RTÉ stated it stands over the journalism of the programme, titled 'Citizen Ganley', and expressed relief that a mutually beneficial agreement was reached after a decade of legal argument. No further details of the settlement were disclosed in open court.
The High Court ordered the HSE to detain and admit a mentally ill man, aged in his fifties, to a hospital for medical treatment. The man, whose identity is withheld, has a history of psychiatric care and violent outbursts, and is considered a risk to family, women and vulnerable people. He has been diagnosed with emotional instability and Factitious Disorder, and reports hearing voices that urge him to harm others. After being released from a voluntary hospital placement, he lived in appalling squalor, covered in urine and feces, with his skin in a condition that could lead to sepsis. He refused cooperation with medical professionals, stating "If I die, I die." The HSE sought orders to detain him and make him a Ward of Court, while a guardian-at-litem and independent medical visitor were appointed to assess his capacity. The matter was adjourned to early next month. The unnamed man was convicted.
In a High Court hearing, a psychiatric nurse who had worked for nearly two decades was struck off the nursing register after it was found that between 2012 and 2014 she stole money from the bank accounts of four mental health service users. The nurse withdrew amounts ranging from about €100 to €900 without the patients' consent and kept the money for her own benefit. An investigation by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland's Fitness to Practice Committee concluded that she had committed professional misconduct and violated the Board's code of conduct. Although the nurse expressed insight, regret and remorse, repaid the money, and was not publicly named, the High Court President, Mr Justice Peter Kelly, cancelled her registration, citing a breach of the enormous trust placed in nursing professionals. The unnamed woman was found guilty.
The State's case against Keith Johnston, accused of assisting Kieran Greene in the purchase of items used in the concealment of the remains of Patricia O'Connor, has been described by defence counsel as 'clutching at straws' with no evidence of 'concealment, lies or secrecy'. The trial has heard that the body of Mrs O'Connor was dismembered into 15 parts found at nine different locations in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains between June 10 and 14, 2017. Keith Johnston has pleaded not guilty to assisting Kieran Greene in the purchase of various implements on June 9, 2017, which were to be used in the concealment of the remains of Mrs O'Connor. Louise O'Connor and Stephanie O'Connor have both pleaded not guilty to charges of disguising themselves as Mrs O'Connor and agreeing to or acquiescing in the disguise to conceal the fact that Patricia O'Connor was dead. Keith Johnston has been acquitted on some charges. The trial is ongoing with the jury to be charged by Mr Justice Paul McDermott tomorrow.
In a Dublin hotel room on 21 November 2013, 46‑year‑old Hoi Ping Yung raped a woman after a night of heavy drinking with a male friend. The victim, who slept alone in a single bed while Yung and the friend occupied the double bed, awoke to find Yung rubbing her arm and leg, then later being raped when her body was pulled down. She reported the assault, and Gardaí arrested Yung, who was later deemed too intoxicated for an interview. Yung denied the rape, claiming any sex was consensual, and had no prior convictions. During the trial, the victim's impact statement criticised the court's language, alleging victim‑shaming and emotional distress. Justice Tara Burns allowed the statement, noting the system's difficulty for complainants, and adjourned sentencing to 6 March, remanding Yung in custody. The Central Criminal Court had returned a guilty verdict in December. Hoi Ping Yung pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Jonathan Dargan, 49, was found guilty of manslaughter after he struck Patrick Mullally, 56, with a punch during an altercation on Harold's Cross Road on 6 March 2016. Mullally, who was celebrating his retirement from Guinness, was knocked to the ground, sustaining a shattered jaw and cheekbone that caused a subdural haemorrhage and brain trauma, leading to his death the following day. Dargan, a Taekwondo instructor and former nightclub doorman, claimed he acted in self‑defence after being surrounded by Mullally, Shane Cunningham and others. He denied unlawful killing and assault on Cunningham and on Mullally's niece. The jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict on manslaughter and a majority verdict on assaulting Cunningham. The case was adjourned for sentencing. The trial highlighted the profound impact on Mullally's family, who described the death as "brutal" and expressed deep grief and anger.
Ben O'Reilly, 21, was found guilty of assaulting Fernanda de Freitas after a dispute over payment for an escort service. The trial, held at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, concluded with a jury of ten women and two men convicting him of assault but acquitting him of robbery. O'Reilly had been charged with robbing de Freitas of cash and her iPhone. He was remanded on continuing bail until January 24 for sentencing. The case involved a series of messages on Grindr and WhatsApp, a meeting at de Freitas's apartment, and an alleged exchange over money. De Freitas testified that O'Reilly punched her multiple times, put his hands around her neck, and took her phone. She sustained cuts to her mouth and swollen eyes, requiring stitches. O'Reilly admitted to grabbing what he thought was his phone but later realised he had taken de Freitas's mobile. The trial ended with the assault conviction and the robbery charge dismissed. Ben O'Reilly pleaded not guilty.
In a Dundalk murder trial, Mohamed Morei, a 21‑year‑old asylum seeker, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for stabbing 24‑year‑old Yosuke Sasaki to death on 3 January 2018. The jury also returned not‑guilty verdicts for assaulting two men, criminal damage to a car and robbery by trespassing between 2 and 3 January. The case was heard over three days, with psychiatrists describing Morei as suffering from acute paranoid schizophrenia and lacking awareness of the wrongfulness of his actions. Morei was remanded to the Central Mental Hospital and will appear again on 20 December to discuss his ongoing treatment. The Sasaki family, including sister Shiori and father Akifusa, expressed profound grief and frustration at the circumstances surrounding the incident.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Detective Inspector Martin Beggy told the jury that Mohamed Morei, 21, had no terrorist links and that his claims of being an Isis member were "rambling" and "totally incoherent". Morei, who had applied for asylum in Britain and then in Ireland, was arrested in Northern Ireland and later travelled to Dundalk where he carried out a series of attacks on January 3 2018. He stabbed Yosuke Sasaki, 24, and assaulted two other men, all of whom were wearing headphones. Psychiatric experts Dr Brenda Wright and Dr Paul O'Connell diagnosed Morei with paranoid schizophrenia and a mild intellectual disability, stating that he believed he was justified in his actions and could not refrain from them. The defence has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity for all charges, and the trial is ongoing before Justice Carmel Stewart and a 12‑person jury.
Yasmin Stephens, aged 24, was convicted by a jury of robbing a woman on Lower Drumcondra Road on 12 October 2017. The robbery involved a knife threat and the victim was forced to hand over €100. Stephens, who has 13 prior convictions including robbery, does not accept the verdict. The court ordered a probation report and adjourned sentencing to 17 January 2020. Garda evidence included CCTV footage identifying Stephens and testimony that the victim was not physically harmed. Stephens claimed the money was given to her and that the victim had hugged her, but CCTV did not show this. The victim reported psychological distress and changes in her routine following the incident. The case highlights the court's focus on the robbery and the defendant's background of drug addiction and trauma.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a mother pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity for suffocating her three‑year‑old daughter with a pillow. Defence witnesses, including Dr Stephen Monks, described the woman as having severe depression with psychotic features, claiming she believed her child was profoundly disabled and had no future. She reportedly held a fixed, false, psychotic view of her daughter's autism, convinced of a severe form of the condition despite medical assessment. The prosecution's Dr Sally Linehan also testified that the defendant did not understand the wrongfulness of her act and was unable to refrain from it. Both expert witnesses agreed the defendant met the criteria for a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury was instructed to consider these findings before deliberating.
A 32-year-old man from Sligo has been found not guilty by reason of insanity of murdering his neighbour at Connolly Street in February 2018. Richard McLaughlin, with an address at The Laurels, Woodtown Lodge, was committed to the Central Mental Hospital following the Central Criminal Court hearing, which concluded on 26 July. The court heard that McLaughlin broke into the home of Jimmy James Loughlin and fatally assaulted him with a crowbar while experiencing delusions stemming from paranoid schizophrenia. Forensic evidence indicated the victim died from traumatic head injuries sustained during the attack. Two consultant psychiatrists testified that McLaughlin's mental illness prevented him from knowing his actions were wrong and rendered him unable to prevent himself from committing the killing. Justice Carmel Stewart ordered McLaughlin's commitment to the Central Mental Hospital for inpatient care, finding no doubt he was suffering from mental disorder.
In July 2019 the High Court upheld a District Court decision to strike out charges against Deidre Foley, Mark Redmond and OCS Operations Ltd. The charges, brought under the 1977‑2014 Protection of Employment Act, related to the June 2015 closure of Clerys department store, which caused 460 redundancies. Judge John Brennan had dismissed the charges in March 2018 because the prosecution failed to comply with an order for disclosure of computer records and statements from the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection. Brennan also warned that further adjournments would infringe the defendants' right to a fair and expeditious trial. The Minister's subsequent High Court challenge, seeking to quash Brennan's ruling, was rejected. Justice Charles Meenan ruled that Brennan's decision was within jurisdiction, based on a full hearing, and correctly applied legal principles, noting that the Minister had not established any grounds to overturn the strike‑out order. Mark Redmond had the case struck out.
Richard McLaughlin, 32, is accused of murdering Jimmy 'James' Loughlin (20) at Connolly Street, Sligo, on February 24, 2018. McLaughlin pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The Central Criminal Court heard evidence that McLaughlin admitted attacking the deceased with a crowbar, causing fatal traumatic head injuries. Gardaí testified that McLaughlin claimed he acted on delusions that Loughlin was raping someone known to him, despite no prior connection between the men. A consultant forensic psychiatrist, Dr. Anthony Kearns, testified that McLaughlin suffers from schizophrenia and was unable to appreciate the wrongfulness of his actions or refrain from committing them at the time. Dr. Kearns stated that McLaughlin fulfils the criteria for a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. The court noted McLaughlin's history of mental health issues, including previous admissions to St Columba's Hospital and poor medication compliance. The trial continues before Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury.
A 21‑year‑old man, Adam Nolan, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of his mother's partner, Bryan Cassidy, 52, on 7 February 2018. Nolan had been admitted to Tallaght Hospital after a visit to A&E where he said he had to kill the man. He was diagnosed with drug‑induced psychosis, sent home, and advised to seek treatment for drug misuse. Two weeks later he stabbed Cassidy to death. The Central Criminal Court heard that the original diagnosis was later replaced with schizophrenia, a condition for which Nolan had a genetic vulnerability. During the trial, forensic psychiatrists testified that Nolan was acutely psychotic at the time of the killing and that he had homicidal ideations. The jury, after 27 minutes of deliberation, returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity, and Nolan was committed to the Central Mental Hospital for treatment.
In a Dublin murder trial, Adam Nolan, aged 21, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity for stabbing Bryan Cassidy, 52, to death on 7 February 2018. The prosecution argued that Nolan, who had previously been taken to A&E after claiming he had to kill his stepfather, was diagnosed with drug‑induced psychosis and later schizophrenia. Nolan had a history of illicit drug use, including cannabis from age 15, and had been treated for drug misuse. He was found at the scene, covered in blood, and behaved erratically, claiming voices told him to kill the deceased. A forensic psychiatrist testified that Nolan was genetically vulnerable to schizophrenia and that his delusions prevented him from understanding the wrongfulness of his act. The case is before Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of twelve.
A 46‑year‑old former journalist from Sierra Leone, Mercy Peters, was found not guilty by reason of insanity after pleading guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of her 42‑year‑old flatmate, Tyrone McKenna, on 17 July 2014 in Marlay Court, Rathfarnham. The trial, held at the Central Criminal Court, noted that both Peters and McKenna had histories of mental health problems and had first met in a psychiatric ward in 2010. Peters claimed voices in her head compelled her to stab McKenna, and she was described as erratic and speaking of spirits during court appearances. Expert testimony from psychiatrists confirmed Peters suffered from schizophrenia and a severe episode at the time of the offence, meeting the criteria for a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Following a unanimous jury verdict, Mr Justice White committed Peters to the Central Mental Hospital for further assessment and treatment.