James Holland, aged 52, was convicted of possessing €900,000 worth of cannabis resin for sale or supply. He was arrested in 2009, fled to the UK where he lived homeless for several years, and returned to Ireland in April 2024 to surrender to Gardaí. The offence involved moving the drugs from a truck to an industrial unit in Donabate and then transporting them in a van that was stopped in Dunboyne, where 150 kilos of resin were seized. Holland pleaded guilty to the single charge. He has a prior minor conviction from 2004. The court heard he had been a community worker and minibus driver until his relationships and employment collapsed, leading to debt and involvement with drug traffickers. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to five and a half years in prison, noting his difficult circumstances and low likelihood of re‑offending.
Michael Corbett, aged 30, was released in July 2018 after serving less than three years of a nine‑year sentence for an attempted murder of a 17‑year‑old at the Hellfire Club on Dublin's Montpelier Hill. The final six years of his sentence were suspended because he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia at the time of the attack. In October 2016, while an in‑patient at the Central Mental Hospital, Corbett tried to strangle nurse Declan Curtin with a sock; he pleaded guilty to assaulting Curtin and was sentenced to five years, with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended for 15 years on strict conditions, including supervision by the Probation Service and residence at an approved address. Corbett remains in custody in relation to the Dublin Circuit Court matter and is due for release in August.
Mark Skelly, aged 19, was found in possession of a rare Mac‑10 machine pistol, ammunition and a silencer at his father's home in Ballyfermot on 21 May 2019. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of the firearm. The weapon, capable of firing 1,140 rounds per minute, was discovered in a wheelie bin. Skelly claimed he had a "level of knowledge" about firearms from playing the computer game Call of Duty, and admitted having discharged the gun previously, though he did not provide details. He had no prior convictions, left school at 15, and had begun abusing cocaine and cannabis. The court remanded him in custody pending sentencing on 21 July, revoking his bail. The case was adjourned for sentencing, with the prosecution noting the high‑velocity nature of the weapon and the defendant's drug‑related debt as key factors in the prosecution's case.
Thomas Green (20), of Bluebell, Dublin 8, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to arson at Oberstown Children Detention Campus on August 29, 2016. He also admitted two charges of unlawful use of a vehicle and one count of robbery involving two mobiles and cash. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a total of five years imprisonment, suspending the final year. The court noted Green had 93 previous convictions and a drug problem. Prosecution evidence described Green as playing an active role in the incident, which caused €3 million in damage to the unit. In related matters, co-accused Shane Farrelly (20) was previously jailed for two years after pleading guilty to public disorder and damaging property at the centre. Three other youths who pleaded guilty to arson were jailed for five years, with the final two years suspended. Green was not charged with stealing the vehicles he drove, nor with damage to a convenience store or a jewellery shop, though he admitted shattering a window in the latter. The judge acknowledged Green's apology and potential for rehabilitation.
Daragh Hart, 27, of Dublin 12, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to three counts of criminal damage to railings and two vehicles at Harold's Cross on October 17, 2019. He also admitted to failing to provide an oral sample and driving without insurance or a licence. The court heard that Hart was driving at high speed, causing his car to become "semi-airborne" before colliding with a Ford Ranger and a Skoda, resulting in approximately €6,000 in damage to the railings and both vehicles being written off. Garda DJ O'Connor testified that Hart had trouble standing and was visually impaired post-crash. Judge Pauline Codd noted that Hart's actions turned the car into a "deadly weapon." Hart is currently serving a lengthy prison sentence for false imprisonment convicted at Wexford Circuit Court. Judge Codd banned him from driving for eight years and suspended the final 18 months of a six-year sentence, conditional on his engagement with Probation Services.
A 60‑year‑old Galway man was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for two counts of indecent assault and two counts of rape of his cousin, who was aged seven to nine at the time, between 1982 and 1984. The victim, who was also the man's goddaughter, was a child when the offences occurred. The judge described the conduct as a serious abuse of trust and imposed a ten‑year term, suspending the final year on conditions. The man, now married with adult children, denies the verdicts and maintains his innocence. The victim gave a dignified impact statement, describing the abuse, her fear, and the relief of revealing the truth in 2016. The case was heard in the Central Criminal Court, with the judge thanking the victim for her statement and the jury for their verdicts. The man has no prior convictions and has been in custody since February. The court noted the pandemic has made prison conditions more difficult. The unnamed 60-year-old was found guilty.
Maura Thornton, 38, from Inverin, Connemara, was sentenced in 2013 to ten years' imprisonment for the manslaughter of her former partner Kevin Joyce, 59, who was stabbed 18 times outside her Salthill apartment on 3 July 2011. Three years of her sentence were suspended on the condition that she address her alcohol problems. In 2020 the Central Criminal Court heard that Thornton had breached this condition by returning to drinking, a relapse she attributed in part to isolation during the Covid‑19 pandemic. She was admitted to hospital on 10 June for detoxification and had been sober for 19 days, taking alcohol deterrent medication, anti‑depressants and other drugs. Her probation officer had urged her to attend a residential treatment centre, which she agreed to, and the case was adjourned to 7 October for a progress update. The court noted that Thornton had recognised her problem and was taking steps to address it.
Ricardo De Freitas Correia, a 34-year-old Portuguese national with an address in Dublin 15, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to deception and theft offences. The charges related to incidents in May 2019 at retail locations in Blanchardstown, Clondalkin, Swords and Tallaght. Gardaí established that Correia had exploited a debit card processing vulnerability, removing cards when machines prompted him to do so, then swiping them again to complete purchases without entering PINs. He acquired approximately €400 worth of goods including a watch, video games, perfume and an electric toothbrush through this method. All property was recovered. The court heard Correia was acting under direction from another person. Judge Elma Sheahan described the offending as organised and noted Correia's considerable knowledge of circumventing security measures. She imposed a two-and-a-half-year sentence, fully suspended on condition of Probation Service supervision following completion of a sentence he was already serving.
Edwards Wall, 46, was sentenced to 16 months in prison for two burglaries at The Well pub in Dublin. He had 177 prior convictions, including 68 for burglary. On January 8, 2020, CCTV captured him entering a restricted area of the pub and stealing six bottles of Jameson whiskey worth €360. Two days later he returned and stole another six bottles. No items were recovered. Wall pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He was arrested on January 11, 2020, and has been in custody since. The judge noted his extensive criminal record, drug addiction, and that the thefts were discovered by "happenstance." He described Wall as "not a very accomplished burglar" and highlighted the seriousness of burglary, imposing the sentence backdated to account for time already spent in custody. The sentence was imposed during the Covid‑19 pandemic, limiting family visits. The court did not mention any future appeals or additional charges.
Aaron Byrne, 20, of Knowth Court, Poppintree, Dublin, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment after Gardaí seized nearly €100,000 worth of cannabis from him on 28 September 2019. Byrne, who has prior convictions for drug dealing, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession for sale or supply. Garda Kevin Brennan reported that Byrne and another man were seen at a waste ground called "Seven Pitches" near an IKEA store, placing cannabis into clear plastic bags. Byrne fled but was apprehended; the other man was injured in a motorbike crash. Byrne's mother wrote that he had turned to drugs after his sister's death seven years earlier. Judge Martin Nolan noted Byrne's previous record and the seriousness of the drug amount, but also acknowledged his potential for reform, before back‑dating the sentence to the date of arrest.
Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced four individuals at the Central Criminal Court for their roles in the murder and concealment of Patricia O'Connor. Augustine 'Gus' O'Connor, who pleaded guilty to reporting his wife as missing while knowing she was dead, was sentenced to 18 months in prison. The judge described his actions as a betrayal of his wife and son. Louise O'Connor, found guilty of acquiescing in her daughter Stephanie disguising herself as the deceased to conceal the murder, received a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence. Stephanie O'Connor, found guilty of disguising herself as her grandmother, was jailed for one-and-a-half years. Keith Johnston, found guilty of assisting Kieran Greene in purchasing implements used to conceal the remains, was sentenced to three years. Mr Justice McDermott noted that Greene, who was separately sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder, had changed his account of the killing. The judge emphasized that the defendants' efforts to conceal the crime were elaborate and callous, noting that no attempt was made to seek emergency assistance. The sentences reflect the distinct culpability of each defendant, with the judge highlighting Louise O'Connor's dominant role in the household and Keith Johnston's intent to ensure the remains were never found.
The family of Patricia O'Connor, described as a kind and loving grandmother, gathered outside the Criminal Courts of Justice on 26 June 2020 to react to the sentencing of those involved in her murder and its cover‑up. Her son Richard O'Connor thanked the Gardaí, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the jury, the defence and all who secured guilty verdicts. He also thanked those who found his mother's remains in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains and reported them. Richard said his mother had many years left to live, cruelly taken from her, and that the sentences given were not enough, but no length of time could fully compensate for the crimes. He asked for privacy as the family seeks to heal. His father Augustine 'Gus' O'Connor (76), sister Louise O'Connor (41) and niece Stephanie O'Connor (22) were each jailed for their part in the cover‑up.
Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced three individuals for their roles in covering up the murder of Patricia O'Connor. The court found Stephanie O'Connor (22) guilty of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Kieran Greene. She was sentenced to two years in prison, with the final six months suspended. Her mother, Louise O'Connor (41), was also found guilty of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Greene and sentenced to three years in prison, with the final six months suspended. Family friend Keith Johnston (43) of Tallaght, Dublin 24, was found guilty of the same charge and sentenced to three years in prison. The judge described the victim as a person whose life and future were ended by Kieran Greene. Earlier this week, Kieran Greene (35) was sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering the retired grandmother in her Rathfarnham home on May 29, 2017. Additionally, the deceased's husband, Augustine 'Gus' O'Connor, was sentenced to 18 months for reporting his wife as a missing person when he knew she was already dead. The sentences for the three cover-up participants total seven years.
Augustine 'Gus' O'Connor, 76, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for pleading guilty to impeding the apprehension or prosecution of his wife's murderer. He had reported his wife, Patricia O'Connor, as missing after learning she had been killed by Kieran Greene, 35, in their home. Mr Justice Paul McDermott at the Central Criminal Court described his conduct as "appalling" and noted that O'Connor had expressed remorse and had no prior convictions. The judge reduced the headline sentence of three years to 18 months.
Jamie McMahon, 19, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and to making threats to kill or cause serious harm on 23 October 2018. The attacks occurred at Snugboro Road Extension and West Way View, where he repeatedly punched and bit his foster mother, Anne Hogan, and threatened to kill her. McMahon had been in Hogan's care since infancy and had no prior convictions. The court, hearing Hogan's letter urging the court not to incarcerate him, imposed a fully suspended three‑year sentence on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation and limited, mediated contact with the victim. He remains in a residential care centre following the offence. The judge described the assault as very serious and noted Hogan's long‑term care of McMahon.
Jagpal Alsingh, a 50‑year‑old from Glasgow, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for attempting to lodge a counterfeit €568,100 bank draft. The court heard that Alsingh had created a Bank of Ireland account in February 2019 using a forged utility bill to supply an address. On 2 September 2019 he was arrested at the Bank of Ireland on O'Connell Street after a teller noticed the draft was not genuine – it lacked a hologram and used incorrect ink and colour. He had also tried to lodge a similar draft at Dublin Airport on 14 May 2019, which was flagged and retained by the bank, causing no loss. Alsingh pleaded guilty, admitted setting up the account with false documents, and claimed he was unaware the drafts were fake.
The trial of Aaron Brady, 28, from Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury. Brady has pleaded not guilty to the alleged capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, who was on active duty, and the alleged robbery of approximately €7,000 in cash and cheques. Both incidents are alleged to have occurred on January 25, 2013, at Lordship Credit Union, Bellurgan, Co Louth. Witness Daniel Cahill, 28, testified from New York, stating he provided evidence to seek justice for Donohoe's family. Cahill denied fears of US detention and alleged that Homeland Security agents searched his home previously while looking for Dean Evans, who was later jailed for life for the murder of Peter Butterly in Co Meath. During cross-examination, Cahill denied assaulting Brady or stealing his telephone in 2015. The prosecution and defence continue to examine the witness's credibility and recollections. The matter remains at the trial stage, with no final verdict or sentence recorded in this report.
Ibrahim Azeez, 28, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to handling two stolen laptops, a phone and a camera that had been bought through a fake PayPal account. The items, worth €2,875, were sent by registered post to a man in Lucan who never paid. A post office worker, suspicious of fake ID, reported the incident; CCTV and a utility bill linked the man's car registration to Azeez, leading to his arrest. Azeez denied wrongdoing and claimed he would raise money to reimburse the owners. The court described the offence as a devious crime but, finding it unfair to imprison him, Judge Martin Nolan imposed a suspended sentence of two and a half years. Azeez must pay €3,000 within a month and an additional €2,000 within 12 months to the victims, with the full sentence suspended on that condition.
Graeme Burke, aged 34, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment after he was found storing over €1.3 million worth of cocaine in a rented storage unit. He had leased the unit in his own name and used his personal documents to secure the lease. Two encrypted mobile phones were discovered in his possession; Garda Redmond O'Leary explained that such devices are costly to run and are typically used by organised crime gangs, making the information on them inaccessible to law enforcement. Burke pleaded guilty to possession of 19 kg of cocaine, valued at €1.336 million, at a storage facility on the N2 in Ashbourne. He had three prior convictions, including a four‑year suspended sentence for robbery in 2005. The judge noted that Burke's role involved storing, transporting and distributing the drugs and that he had been equipped with the encrypted phones. He was jailed for eight years.
Patrick Byrne, 23, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and assault with a knife in Clondalkin on 9 October 2018. Byrne approached David Cleary, 41, who was visiting his mother, and demanded money. When Cleary refused, Byrne attacked him with a knife, kicking him to the ground and inflicting cuts to his back, index finger and eye. Cleary sustained significant visual impairment from the eye injury. Byrne, who has 21 prior convictions including robbery and assault, was sentenced to six‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions. The sentence will run concurrently with the five‑year term he is currently serving for other offences, including possession of drugs. The judge noted Byrne's history of addiction and the victim's status as a vulnerable person. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a Howth burglary on 13 December 2013, Declan Murphy (53) and two accomplices forced entry into a mother's home, tying the woman and her eight‑year‑old daughter with cable ties and ransacking the house. They stole €27,000 in cash and over €30,000 in jewellery, then fled in the victim's 4×4, which was later abandoned with a flat tyre. CCTV and DNA linked the crime to a white van owned by the late Eamon Brennan (35) and to Murphy. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Murphy initially pleaded not guilty but later pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and two false imprisonment charges. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a 12‑year prison term, suspended the final year, and noted Murphy's drug‑addiction history and prior 157 convictions, including 38 for burglary. The sentence was suspended for three years on condition of good behaviour and engagement with Probation Services.
Shane Halpin, 25, of Lusk, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Garda Derek Dalton, causing him harm, at his address on September 2, 2018. Judge Melanie Greally desisted from imposing a sentence and discharged Halpin from the indictment forthwith. The judge previously imposed an indicative sentence of two years imprisonment, deferred until April 1, contingent on Halpin complying with a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour. The case was automatically referred to the current date due to the pandemic. Judge Greally invoked an exceptional provision to minimise the effect of the conviction, describing the incident as a complete aberration for a defendant with no previous convictions. Prosecution evidence stated that Garda Dalton had driven the intoxicated Halpin home after finding him unconscious on the road. Halpin allegedly became aggressive, grappling with the garda, ripping his radio and torch, and biting him on the hand and knee. Garda Dalton suffered a fractured hand bone, bites, and a groin injury, preventing him from returning to duty for six months. The judge directed Halpin to hand over €3,000 to Little Blue Heroes, a charity nominated by Garda Dalton.
Brandon Giltrap, 21, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession for sale or supply of cocaine (estimated €16,000 street value) and heroin (worth €1,633), and to possession of €8,039 proceeds of crime under the Money Laundering Act 2010. The charges followed a Garda search of his family home in Clondalkin on 8 November 2018, where investigators found the drugs, €19,000 in cash, weighing scales, mixing agents and bagging material. Giltrap had no prior convictions. In court, his defence counsel, Anne Rowland SC, explained that the death of his mother when he was 12 had left him with a drug debt that his father later cleared. Judge Pauline Codd set a headline sentence of six years, then suspended a prison term of four and a half years on the condition that Giltrap engage with Probation Services for that period.
Derek Carrick, aged 43, was sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to aggravated burglary in Ballyfermot on 11 February 2019 and unlawfully seizing a car on 10 October 2019. Carrick, a nephew of three brothers in their 50s and 60s, entered their home armed with knives and wearing a balaclava. Two brothers were held at knife‑point downstairs while Carrick took a third victim upstairs and stole €12,000 from an envelope and €80 from a bag. He also jumped into a 68‑year‑old woman's car, which he started without a key, and drove away. The car was later recovered with Carrick asleep inside. Carrick had 44 prior convictions, made full admissions, and apologized to the woman. Judge Martin Nolan described the burglary as "despicable" and noted the crime was frightening, though not violently extreme. He imposed the sentence after noting Carrick's remorse and the disappointment felt by the victims.
In a Dublin court on 23 June 2020, Mario Snajder (32) and Miso Filjak (30) received suspended prison sentences for a drunken assault on a 20‑year‑old student on Harcourt Street in November 2018. Snajder punched the victim, Karl Canning, repeatedly, then kicked him twice after he fell. Filjak punched the victim once before he fell. Both men fled the scene. Canning suffered fractures, black eyes, loose teeth and nightmares, and his exam results were affected. The men pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. Judge Pauline Codd suspended a three‑and‑a‑half‑year term for Snajder, conditioned on peace‑keeping and abstaining from alcohol, and ordered him to pay €1 300 immediately and €1 000 within a year. Filjak received an 18‑month suspended term and was ordered to pay €1 450 to the victim. Both men had no prior convictions and had expressed remorse.
Mark Adams, 40, of Castleheath, Malahide, was stopped at Belfast International Airport on 9 May 2018 with €180,000 in two brown envelopes. Northern Irish authorities seek his extradition on money‑laundering charges, alleging he concealed the money in his hand luggage and attempted to remove it from Northern Ireland, knowing or suspecting it to be proceeds of crime. He also faces charges for arranging the removal of criminal property between 13 May 2013 and 10 May 2018. The High Court heard an application for an extradition order and postponement. Counsel Paul Comiskey O'Keeffe argued that extradition could infringe Adams' right to a fair trial under the UK‑EU withdrawal agreement, as a future trial in Northern Ireland might occur outside the EU. The State's counsel, Aoife Carroll, applied for surrender and postponement, stating the warrant was valid and Brexit did not affect the case. Mark Adams was convicted.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 34‑year‑old Eoin Connolly of Oak Lawn, Portlaoise, was sentenced to six and a half years' imprisonment for possession of drugs for sale or supply. Connolly, who had 27 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to the offence committed on 16 March 2019 at Outer Ring Road, Clondalkin, where Gardaí seized 8.1 kg of cocaine and other drugs, totalling €580,210 in value. He claimed he was acting under duress, saying he had been threatened and was paying off a drug debt, but the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau's Detective Garda Brian Foran told Judge Martin Nolan that this claim was not accepted. The judge placed Connolly in the "middle to lower" range of involvement, noting he was unlikely to be the owner or main beneficiary of the drugs and that he had transported them for reward.
In a Central Criminal Court sentencing hearing on 22 June 2020, Kieran Greene was given a mandatory life sentence for the murder of 61‑year‑old Patricia O'Connor, who was bludgeoned to death with a hurley in her Rathfarnham home on 29 May 2017. The sentence was back‑dated to the date of her death. Four other defendants – Louise O'Connor (41), Stephanie O'Connor (22), Keith Johnston (43) and Augustine 'Gus' O'Connor (76) – were remanded on continuing bail pending their own sentencing. The court heard victim impact statements from Patricia's son Richard and sister Collette Barry, who expressed disbelief at the brutality of the murder and the alleged cover‑up by family members. The hearing also included evidence that Patricia's body was dismembered into 15 parts found at nine sites across the Dublin and Wicklow mountains. Louise O'Connor pleaded guilty and was found guilty. Gus' O'Connor pleaded guilty. Kieran Greene pleaded not guilty and was found guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 22 June 2020, Ross Maher, aged 22, was charged with possessing a large carving knife during a dispute. On 23 May, he was found topless and covered in blood on Ross Street near Christchurch Cathedral, wielding a 12‑inch knife with a seven‑inch blade. Gardaí were called after reports of a drunken, topless man brandishing a knife. Maher repeatedly refused to drop the weapon despite commands from Sergeant Niall Godfrey and the use of pepper spray, until his father intervened and persuaded him to surrender the knife. He was arrested, taken to St James's Hospital, and later pleaded guilty. Maher had no prior convictions, had been drinking and taking pills that day, and had recently fought with his brother. The judge, Karen O'Connor, deferred sentencing under the Probation Act, ordered good behaviour, and scheduled a final hearing for 9 November. The case remains pending.
The Special Criminal Court heard the case of Derek Devoy, 37, who was arrested for possessing a Makarov submachine gun and a Yugoslavian M75 hand grenade with intent to endanger life. Devoy also pleaded guilty to assaulting a garda and a garda sergeant, and to possessing an explosive substance. The incident began when three unarmed gardaí on patrol received a 999 call about Devoy in Doon Court. A chase led to a family house on Crannogue Road where Devoy was found sitting on a toilet with the gun. The firearm discharged, narrowly missing Sergeant Andrew O'Connor and Garda Niall Minnock, and a grenade lay on the floor. Gardaí restrained Devoy, who was later taken to Ballymun Garda Station and then hospital for a perforated ulcer. CCTV footage of Devoy with the gun and grenade was shown to the court. The case was adjourned to 23 July for sentencing.
Jamie Nulty, aged 22, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary at Castaheany, Clonee on 15 July 2017, when he was 19. He broke into the home of Sarah Kearney while she was in bed, armed with a screwdriver that he had entered through a downstairs window. Nulty demanded money, took her bank card and PIN, and searched the house while holding the screwdriver. He attempted to take a computer and later tried to stop Kearney from calling 999, grabbing her arm and throwing her onto the bed. The ordeal ended when he left, putting a tea towel on his head and riding a bike. Kearney suffered post‑traumatic stress disorder and claimed €1,000 in losses. Nulty also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving on 17 February 2017; he was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on 29 July. The court heard he had 23 previous convictions and was on bail for the earlier offence.
Deborah Malcolmson, 43, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after stabbing former partner Brian Kelly, 56, with a kitchen knife during a domestic dispute in Rathfarnham on 29 July 2019. The attack left Kelly seriously injured, requiring intensive care and a colostomy bag. Malcolmson also pleaded guilty to threatening Kelly's son and assaulting Kelly in St James Hospital on 11 September 2019, where she swung a punch at him. The court noted both parties had serious alcohol problems and periods of homelessness, and that their relationship had been described as "dysfunctional" and "combustible." Judge Martin Nolan, after considering mitigating factors and the absence of a medical report, set a starting point of five years but indicated a three‑year imprisonment sentence would be imposed on the next hearing. The sentencing was adjourned to 19 July to allow Kelly to give victim impact evidence if he wished.
Ali Adnan Duran, 52, was sentenced to nine years in prison after a court in Dublin found him in possession of nearly €1 million worth of heroin. The drugs were discovered in a suitcase in his room at a bed‑and‑breakfast on Mill Road, Rathcoole, following a Garda surveillance operation in August 2019. Duran had previously been convicted in Turkey in 2016 for trafficking 59 kg of heroin and had a bench warrant pending for another offence. He pleaded guilty to possession for sale or supply of heroin. The judge, noting Duran's cooperation with the investigation and his admissions, set a nine‑year term, back‑dated to August 2019, departing from the mandatory ten‑year minimum for the offence. The sentence reflects the court's discretion under the statutory framework for drug‑related offences.
Jonathan Fagan, 24, was jailed after a burglary at a JD Sports shop on Henry Street, Dublin. He and an accomplice broke the shop's window, entered, and stole over €1,300 worth of clothing. CCTV footage showed them entering and exiting the shop. Garda Aisling Gralton found Fagan on Wolfe Tone Street, lying on the stolen clothes, bleeding and intoxicated. He pleaded guilty to burglary on 31 October 2019. With 167 prior convictions, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to 20 months' imprisonment, back‑dated to the arrest date, and noted his drug‑addiction background.
A 38‑year‑old man was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for raping a sleeping woman in her friend's house in Co. Kildare on 12 March 2017. He pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by a jury in February 2020. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, noted the offence was aggravated by the victim's sleep and the great harm caused. The sentence was suspended for 18 months on strict conditions, including keeping the peace, good behaviour for five years and no contact with the victim. The victim, who remains unnamed, gave a victim impact statement describing her life as "hell" and that she will never be able to move on. She does not accept the accused's apology. The accused has one prior assault conviction. The trial was held in the Central Criminal Court.
The Special Criminal Court heard testimony in the trial of David Hunter, a 41-year-old Liverpool native accused of the murder of Michael Barr at the Sunset House pub in Dublin's north inner city on 25 April 2016. An unnamed witness described crawling on the floor to bless Mr Barr's body after two masked men entered the bar and shot him seven times. She recounted that a mirror smashed during the incident and that she saw the shooters wearing Halloween-style masks. Defending barrister Ms Roisín Lacey SC questioned the witness regarding whether it was common knowledge that Mr Barr was scheduled for sentencing that week, to which the witness replied Mr Barr had mentioned going on holiday. Another witness, Stephen Clifford, stated he heard three shots and saw Mr Barr fall with blood from his neck. Nepalese barman Keshav Paudel testified that he hid behind the bar and called 999. Detective Garda David Kildea informed the court that the pub's CCTV hard drive had been seized days earlier for a separate matter. The trial, presided over by Justice Alexander Owens, is expected to last four weeks.
Noel Tobin, a 46‑year‑old businessman from Dublin, pleaded guilty in December 2016 to cultivating cannabis at his home and to possession of cannabis for sale or supply. He explained that he grew the plant to manage pain after breaking his wrist twice and to avoid dependence on painkillers. Tobin purchased seeds and equipment legally from head shops. At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Pauline Codd suspended a four‑year prison term, stating she did not condone his behaviour but accepted his reasons for using cannabis. The court noted that no drug‑dealing paraphernalia were found, only nine plants worth €7,200 and two jars of herb worth €4,800. Tobin's prior conviction for drug possession and his charitable work were considered. The sentence was suspended on the condition that he keep the peace and not be charged again with drugs offences.
Jordan Ward, 23, of Clondalkin, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis for sale or supply on December 4, 2017. The case is at the sentencing stage, where Ward faces a presumptive mandatory minimum sentence of ten years under section 15a of the Misuse of Drugs Act. Prosecution evidence stated that gardai found a suitcase containing cannabis valued at €35,604 at his residence. Ward admitted to holding the drugs to settle a debt. Defence counsel, Giollaiosa O Lideadha SC, argued that Ward's role was minor, describing him as being at the bottom of the ladder, and submitted that a wholly suspended sentence was up for consideration if exceptional circumstances were found. The defence highlighted Ward's cooperation, reduced drug use, and efforts to assist his family. Judge Pauline Codd adjourned the matter until November 2 to allow Ward the chance to deal with his drug use. The judge stated she was not giving any indications but wanted to observe how well Ward could stay off drugs before proceeding.
Daniel Murphy, aged 21, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for two offences. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on 6 September 2018 and to aggravated burglary on 4 January 2020. The assault involved a Latvian man whose stolen bike was unlocked by another man; Murphy and a third man punched and kicked the victim, who required stitches and suffered a black eye. While on bail for the assault, Murphy and another man broke into a flat on James' Street. The resident confronted them, and Murphy jabbed a screwdriver at her. They attempted to steal her TV and phone, smashing a window in the process. The court noted 53 prior convictions, many from juvenile years. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a one‑year term for the assault and a three‑and‑a‑half‑year term for the burglary, running consecutively, with the final 18 months suspended for an effective custodial term of three years.
Warrants were issued for the arrest of Josh Boylan (21) of Moneymore, Drogheda, Co Louth, and Keith Boylan (25) of Park Heath, Drogheda, Co Meath, who are facing serious charges including false imprisonment. The cases were transferred from Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Prosecutor Garnet Orange SC informed Judge Martin Nolan that the defendants had "gone off the radar" and were believed to be the subject of a threat to their lives, a threat that could be taken seriously. Orange applied for bench warrants to be issued for both men, arguing that they were outside the jurisdiction and that bench warrants were required to commence extradition proceedings. Lily Buckley BL, defending Josh Boylan, acknowledged a genuine threat to his life and stated that his absence from court was due to that threat. Counsel for Keith Boylan also noted that his client had effectively gone into hiding because of the threat.
Padraig Tangney Junior, aged 39, received a suspended two‑year prison sentence for three counts of sexual assault of a child committed when he was 16. The offences occurred in 1995 and 1996 against his 13‑year‑old cousin at their family home in Tralee, Co. Kerry. Tangney pleaded guilty, and Justice Tara Burns noted his remorse and the fact that he was a child at the time of the offences, citing these as mitigating factors. The court accepted that the victim was extremely fragile and that Tangney's guilty pleas were valuable. He was found to be a low risk of reoffending, and the sentence was suspended on the condition he attends counselling for depression and stress management. Tangney is automatically registered as a sex offender, and the maximum sentence available is five years. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin.
A fundraiser for the wives of IRA prisoners was held in an inner‑city Dublin pub when the bar manager, Michael Barr, 35, was shot dead. Two men wearing full rubber Hallowe'en masks entered the Sunset House pub after 9 pm and fired seven shots at Barr, killing him at the scene. The Special Criminal Court heard the case after former judge Paul Coffey recused himself; it is now before Justice Alexander Owens. Liverpool native David Hunter, 41, is accused of the murder. Hunter pleaded not guilty and his barrister formally objected to the court's jurisdiction. The trial, with 168 witnesses, is expected to last four to five weeks. The hearing included testimony about the shooting, the discovery of weapons in a silver Audi A6, and the extradition of Hunter from the UK. The case remains at the trial stage.
A 16‑year‑old boy was caught holding €35,000 worth of cannabis in schoolbags that were stashed in two cars. Gardaí executed a search warrant at his Dublin home on 20 May, finding the bags in the cars. The boy, who was present with his grandmother, admitted he had been holding the drugs for someone and said he had been "forced" into the role. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of allowing two vehicles under his control to be used for the sale and supply of drugs. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that the boy was young and placed him on a two‑year probation bond, requiring full cooperation with the Probation Service and warning that any further offence could lead to sentencing. The boy has no prior convictions and is now 17 years old.
In a Dublin junction at Swords Road and Collins Avenue, truck driver Prince Aibangbe (51) was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with a two‑year suspended portion, after he broke a red light and fatally struck 21‑year‑old Gerard Whyte. Aibangbe had stopped past the white stop lines and, believing he had a green filter light, pulled off to the left. Witnesses and CCTV confirmed he moved through a red light. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death. The judge noted his guilty plea, remorse, and cooperation, and disqualified him from driving for six years. Aibangbe had nine prior convictions, including four for traffic offences, and had previously been fined for driving without insurance and failing to display an NCT. The sentence was intended as a deterrent for large‑vehicle drivers at junctions.
The Central Criminal Court sentenced a 22-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect the victim's identity, for defilement of a child. The defendant pleaded guilty to four sample counts of defilement of a child in Co Westmeath and Co Clare, committed between July and December 2016. Mr Justice Paul McDermott noted that the defendant, who was a teenager at the time, met the victim online after lying about his age. The judge acknowledged that the victim was not physically assaulted or coerced, but stated the offences were aggravated by the age disparity, the deception employed, and the defendant's disregard for the victim. Substantial mitigation was accepted, including the defendant's youth at the time of initial contact, his guilty plea, expression of remorse, and lack of previous convictions. Mr Justice McDermott sentenced the defendant to two-and-a-half years imprisonment. However, considering the probation report and testimonials, the judge suspended the sentence in full on strict conditions. These conditions require the defendant to follow all directions of the Probation Service for three years and to refrain from directly or indirectly contacting the victim, her friends, or her family. The matter was finalised with this suspended sentence.
Michael Mahon, aged 29, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for a savage, prolonged, drink‑fuelled assault on his then‑girlfriend Catherine Brennan, aged 36. On 12 December 2019, in her home in Ongar, Dublin 15, Mahon, who was extremely drunk, repeatedly punched, kicked and threatened Brennan, saying he would "put a lump of lead into your head" and that he would "cut yiz all in two" and "chop the head off you". Video taken by Brennan on her mobile phone showed Mahon wielding a butcher's knife and a pair of scissors, attempting to cut off her toes and threatening to stab her. Brennan suffered bruising to her face, stomach and legs, and she was in fear for her life. Mahon pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and threatening to kill, and the judge accepted his remorse and cooperation with authorities, back‑dating the term to 14 December 2019.
A man from Castlebar, County Mayo, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for sexually exploiting children online. Mark Keogh pleaded guilty to 14 charges of child sexual exploitation and possession of child pornography. Between November 2013 and May 2014, he created a fake Facebook profile posing as a teenage girl named Nicole Doyle and contacted 14 boys aged 13 to 16, requesting naked photographs. Gardaí discovered over 700 sexually explicit images of children on his laptop during a search in February 2016, approximately 400 of which depicted the 12 victims. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a five-year sentence but suspended the final three and a half years. The judge noted Keogh's severe autism, psychiatric difficulties, and genuine need for specialist care, whilst acknowledging the seriousness of the offending and impact on the victims. Keogh has no previous convictions.
Jason Hodgkins, 31, was at the Beatyard music festival in Dun Laoghaire on 4 August 2018 when he was caught with a drug tablet. Garda Desmond Molloy confronted him, and after Hodgkins was taken outside for a search he became agitated and argued with the officer. A scuffle followed, during which Hodgkins punched the garda six times in the head and tried to bite him. The officer was pepper‑sprayed and Hodgkins was subdued. He pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm to a garda and to three counts of possession of small amounts of drugs, including cannabis and a 2CB tablet. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to 240 hours of community service within 12 months, replacing an 18‑month prison term, and imposed two suspended two‑month prison sentences for the drug offences. He had earlier paid €1,500 as a token of remorse, which was donated to Down Syndrome Ireland.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, William Dollard, a 30‑year‑old homeless man, was convicted of sexual assault and attempted anal rape of a 61‑year‑old homeless man on 30 May 2017 in County Cork. The incident, lasting 11 minutes, was captured on CCTV and involved Dollard assaulting the victim while he lay on blankets on the street. Dollard pleaded not guilty and maintains his innocence. The court noted his 26 prior convictions, mainly for drink‑related offences, and his alcohol abuse. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed a headline sentence of six years for the attempted rape, but, after mitigation, sentenced Dollard to five years and six months with the final 18 months suspended for two years. A concurrent two‑year sentence was imposed for the sexual assault. Conditions include not approaching or contacting the victim. The court heard the victim suffered flashbacks and expressed a desire to move on with his life.
David Rodgers, a 47‑year‑old language teacher, was arrested on 30 October 2018 for selling cannabis on Henry Street, Dublin. Gardaí found nearly €25,000 worth of cannabis in his home, including glass jars and a makeshift grow‑house. He initially claimed the plants were natural herbs but later admitted to selling cannabis. Rodgers pleaded guilty to one count of possession of cannabis for sale or supply. He has 12 prior convictions, mainly for theft and public order offences. His defence lawyer described him as having an unusual profile: he left school at 15, later returned to complete his Junior and Leaving Cert exams, and became an English teacher for foreign students. He has lived abroad and speaks Spanish, German and Arabic. Rodgers suffered a brain injury after being assaulted by his brother, leading to memory and learning difficulties. He had been studying for a languages degree at DCU but had to abandon it.