Claire Burke, a 30‑year‑old mother of two from Kilkenny, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm after stabbing a man in the arm with scissors on Temple Lane South, Dublin 2, on 12 November 2018. The incident followed an attempt to sell the man "grass" for €15, during which Burke stabbed him in the left wrist and attempted a second stab to his right leg. The man was later assisted by a third party who was arrested and the stolen bicycle recovered. Burke, who has 13 prior convictions and was living on the streets at the time, was released on bail pending sentencing. Judge Melanie Greally described the offence as "very nasty" and adjourned the case for finalisation on 13 October, noting the possibility of a custodial sentence and a probation report. The sentencing hearing was postponed due to the prosecuting Garda's self‑isolation. The case remains pending.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, an 18‑year‑old Dubliner pleaded guilty to intentionally causing serious harm to his uncle after a dispute over heroin. The nephew stabbed the uncle once in the chest with a kitchen knife on 27 August 2018 in Tallaght. The uncle survived, made a full recovery, forgave the nephew and declined to give a victim impact statement. During treatment for the stabbing, doctors discovered a tumour in the uncle's chest that required medical attention. The court noted the nephew's prior convictions for assault and knife possession, his troubled upbringing, and his expressed remorse. The judge was instructed to consider the nephew's age, remorse, and the uncle's recovery when determining the sentence, which was to be delivered on 27 April. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
Four men are to appear before the Special Criminal Court on Friday following their committal for trial over allegations relating to the assault and false imprisonment of a Quinn Industrial Holdings director in September 2019. Luke O'Reilly, aged 66, from Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, County Cavan, Darren Redmond, aged 25, from East Wall, Dublin, and Alan O'Brien, aged 39, also from East Wall, have been charged with false imprisonment and assault causing serious harm. The alleged incident occurred at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, County Cavan on September 17, 2019. A fourth accused cannot be identified for legal reasons. The three-judge court, presided over by Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin and Gerard Griffin, ordered that the accused appear before the court to receive formal notice of the charges. None of the four were present at the earlier legal formality.
The High Court heard that a 16‑year‑old boy was being used by older peers to fight other youngsters in an illegal fight club. The Child and Family Agency (CFA) sought orders to place the boy in a secure special care unit for his welfare and safety. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Mark Sanfey, extended the boy's placement for an additional three months. Counsel for the CFA, David Leahy BL, explained that the boy had previously been detained under a temporary order due to his "very disturbing behaviour." Investigations revealed that he had been found in the boot of a car, placed there by older peers, and had been involved in violent fights. The boy has also reported drug and alcohol use, and is accused of sexual assault, hijacking a car, assault, criminal damage, and arson. He has had several voluntary placements, including foster care, but these ended in homelessness.
Amy Cully, 26, a recovering drug addict, was arrested after punching Kathleen O'Neill on Usher's Quay on 26 July 2019 while under the influence of crack cocaine, heroin and alcohol. The punch left O'Neill with bruising to her nose, eye and cheek. Cully then grabbed O'Neill's bag and fled, but was caught by a garda a short time later. O'Neill's sister joined the struggle and Cully also attempted to take her bag. Local residents helped the women before Cully was arrested. Cully pleaded guilty to robbery and assault of O'Neill and to attempted robbery of Megan O'Neill. She has 80 previous convictions, including assault and thefts, and had a one‑year sentence for a 2019 theft. The court, after a psychological assessment, imposed a four‑year sentence, suspending the final two years on the condition that Cully comply with probation, drug treatment, mental health services and victim awareness programmes. The sentence reflects her remorse and progress in confronting her issues.
Micheal Bayly, 26, was denied bail by Judge Melanie Greally after he pleaded guilty to a street robbery on 29 March 2018. Bayly, a recovering drug addict, had failed to appear for his sentencing hearing in November, prompting a bench warrant. Gardaí arrested him on the warrant and a new sentencing date of 21 April was set. Bayly's defence, Keith Spencer BL, argued that his pregnant partner, who is self‑isolating with Covid‑19 symptoms, and their children were now cared for by extended family, and that Bayly was clean from drugs. Spencer requested bail on compassionate grounds, but Detective Garda Paul Geraghty opposed it, citing Bayly's history of missing court dates. Judge Greally noted Bayly's prior assurances to other judges and declined to grant bail. Bayly has 24 bench warrants, four related to the 2018 robbery.
Caolan Smyth, a 28‑year‑old prisoner remanded for attempted murder, has filed a High Court challenge against his confinement in the Midlands Prison's segregation unit. He alleges that since his transfer a few months ago he has been locked in his cell for 23 hours a day, denied regular exercise, educational and vocational opportunities, and limited to screened visits. Smyth argues that the prison authorities claim he is isolated for his own safety, but he disputes that his life is in danger from other inmates. He contends that the conditions amount to punishment without disciplinary hearings, breach his constitutional rights to bodily integrity and to prepare for trial, and prevent him from meeting his Dublin‑based lawyers after 5:30 pm on weekdays.
April Reid, aged 34, was found guilty of robbery at an Ulster Bank ATM in Dublin on 23 March 2019. She targeted a woman who was withdrawing money, physically confronting her and causing a minor injury to the victim's left hand. The robbery resulted in €200 being stolen. Reid, who has a long history of drug addiction and was intoxicated with crack cocaine at the time, offered an apology after being identified on CCTV. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced her to four years' imprisonment, suspending the final two years on strict conditions, including compliance with the Probation Service for 12 months after release. She was also ordered to pay €250 in compensation to the victim. The case highlighted Reid's past theft‑related offences and her ongoing struggle with substance abuse.
Two men, Nathan Benson (22) and Harry Walsh (19), were sentenced to four years each in prison for a violent robbery that took place on Wellington Quay on 22 October 2017. The robbery involved the victim's Rolex watch, valued at €7,500, which the men seized after spotting the watch in a Dublin nightclub. During the assault, the victim was kicked, punched and left with physical injuries and lasting psychological impact. Judge Melanie Greally described the robbery as "extremely violent and vicious" and noted the defendants' histories of violent offending and drug addiction. Benson's case was influenced by his upbringing and mental health struggles, while Walsh's record included numerous prior convictions for extreme violence. Both men pleaded guilty and were given sentences with the final 12 months suspended. The court also considered their behaviour in custody and potential for rehabilitation. The sentencing highlighted the seriousness of the offence and the defendants' personal circumstances.
In a High Court hearing on 24 March 2020, Dean Thornton, aged 22 and from Moneymore, Drogheda, had his bail forfeited after evidence that he had packed his bags and sought a replacement passport, indicating an intention to leave the jurisdiction. Thornton, charged with false imprisonment and assault causing harm on 11 November 2018, had previously been granted bail on a €1,000 bond with €500 lodged under conditions, including surrendering his passport. In January he applied for a new passport, which was recovered from him in early February. Judge Paul Coffey described the application as "particularly egregious" and, citing the packed bags, ordered the forfeiture of the entire bail amount. The court left Thornton's independent surety of €4,000, with €2,000 lodged by his aunt, untouched, as no evidence linked her to the alleged actions. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel noted that forfeiture was not deemed harsh in this case.
Paula Dos Santos, an Italian national aged 22, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, with the final six months suspended, for escorting three illegal immigrants onto two flights from Italy to Dublin. She acted as an escort for an Albanian man and his fiancée, who had been issued with bogus Italian identity cards, and also for another Albanian man who arrived under similar circumstances three months earlier. Dos Santos pleaded guilty to three charges of knowingly facilitating the entry of persons she knew or had reasonable cause to believe were illegal immigrants or asylum seekers. She had no prior convictions and was on remand since her arrest at Dublin airport in August of the previous year. The judge acknowledged her cooperation and lack of previous convictions, and noted that she was motivated by financial strain, receiving €500 for her role. The sentence was back‑dated to August of the previous year.
Two men were jailed for nine years at the Central Criminal Court following their conviction for rape. Boakye Osei, aged 30, of Tooban, Burnfoot, and Kelvin Opoku, aged 33, of Letterkenny, County Donegal, had pleaded not guilty but were found guilty by unanimous jury verdict in late 2019 after a five-week trial. The offence occurred in February 2015 when the men invited a woman back to an apartment after encountering her while she was walking home from a nightclub. The court heard the woman was severely intoxicated and incapacitated. Evidence including video footage and forensic analysis demonstrated that both men engaged in sexual activity with her without consent. Justice Alex Owens noted that whilst he accepted the men had not predetermined the assault, they were fully aware of her incapacity and exploited it. He recommended Opoku's deportation upon sentence completion and ordered both men undergo four years post-release supervision. Opoku's defence argued his client held an incorrect understanding of consent, whilst Osei's defence emphasised his family circumstances.
Liam Brannigan, 37, of Bride Street, Dublin 8, had his sentencing adjourned at the Special Criminal Court due to the presiding judge's illness. Brannigan was found guilty of conspiracy to murder Gary Hanley in 2017. The court remanded him in custody and adjourned the sentence to April 24 at 2pm. Four co-accused—Joseph Kelly, Luke Wilson, Alan Wilson, and Dean Howe—previously pleaded guilty to the same charge. The prosecution alleged that Kelly and Wilson were intercepted near Hanley's home with a loaded semi-automatic pistol, silencer, and ammunition. Evidence included covert audio recordings, phone data, and CCTV footage showing Brannigan discarding an illuminated item, identified as the PB3 phone, before his arrest. The judge noted the overwhelming evidence connecting Brannigan to the conspiracy, including his central role in managing the plot via the PB3 phone. The matter was adjourned and not concluded.
The High Court has confirmed that the hearing on the proposed extradition of Ian Bailey to France will take place on May 5, 2020, as a three‑day proceeding. The case concerns Bailey's alleged involvement in the 1996 murder of filmmaker Sophie Toscan du Plantier, for which he was convicted in absentia in Paris and sentenced to 25 years' imprisonment. Bailey, aged 63, denies any role in the death and has described the French proceedings as a "farce." He has not appeared in the French court and has no legal representation there. The Irish court has noted that Bailey's senior counsel will oppose the extradition on grounds of fundamental rights, citing previous extradition attempts that were dismissed as abuses of process. The hearing will be mentioned on April 20 to confirm whether it will proceed, following a general practice direction to limit court attendance amid the coronavirus outbreak.
John Bayly, 31, of Foxdene Gardens, Lucan, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of drugs for sale or supply at Foxdene Avenue on 2 June 2017 and at Clonburris, Clondalkin, on 27 September 2018. In June 2017, Bayly was observed by plain‑clothes Gardaí in the middle of a drug transaction; when approached he fled on his bike, leaving a plastic container that contained crack cocaine and heroin worth €2,283.12. In September 2018, Gardaí on plain‑clothes duty observed a group of drug addicts in Clonburris; Bayly arrived, asked several people what they wanted, including two Garda members, took orders, walked away and returned with a plastic bag containing heroin, crack cocaine and Alprazolam tablets worth €7,832. Bayly has 69 previous convictions, including drug possession and road traffic offences. He was sentenced to three‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with the final nine months suspended on strict conditions.
In March 2020 the Criminal Courts of Justice building was quieter than usual, with only four Dublin Circuit Criminal Court judges present. Judge Melanie Greally heard a short list of arraignment cases and adjourned all sentences involving defendants on bail to 15 June, as those defendants were not required to attend due to Covid‑19 restrictions. She finalised two cases involving defendants in custody and dealt with several other matters listed for mention. Five cases, including one alleging dangerous driving causing serious harm, were scheduled for trial and Judge Karen O'Connor adjourned them to 19 June. President Patricia Ryan directed that all non‑custody matters for the rest of the term, except ongoing trials, be adjourned to dates in June and July. Two judges remained at trial, and the Courts Service implemented special accommodations for juries, seating them spread out across the courtroom to maintain social distancing.
Kevin O'Keefe, 35, was released on bail pending sentencing for a series of thefts and burglaries committed on 15 August 2017 in Dublin. He pleaded guilty to three burglaries, two thefts, criminal damage, unlawful use of a car and dangerous driving. O'Keefe told the judge that he was tired of his life, had learned to read and write in prison, and wanted to become a proper father and give back to people. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the finalisation of his case to 14 October, released him on bail and imposed conditions including living with his sister, providing a mobile number, and observing a curfew from 10 pm to 7 am. She warned that any breach would bring the case back before the court. The judge expressed scepticism but offered him a chance to change. No victim impact statements were presented. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In October 2017, John Murdiff, aged 33, and an accomplice stole items from Andrew Stammers, a former heroin addict, in Adare Lane, Dublin. Stammers had overdosed that night, but it could not be determined whether he was dead when the theft occurred. Murdiff later returned to the lane, discovered Stammers was not breathing, and sought help. He was charged with theft and pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Murdiff had 50 prior convictions, including theft, public order, and assault causing harm. He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, consecutive to a three‑year term for assault, after a judge noted his remorse and the tragic circumstances surrounding Stammers' death. The case highlighted the difficulties in determining the exact time of Stammers' death and the impact on his family.
Patrick Harte, a retired Dublin school teacher aged 78, was found guilty of 11 counts of indecent assault against seven boys who attended Sancta Maria Christian Brothers on Synge Street between September 1968 and September 1970. The boys, then about ten years old, alleged that Harte had fondled them after calling them to the top of the class, placing his hand down their trousers and touching their genitals. One complainant, now in his 60s, also claimed Harte had physically assaulted him. Harte denied all allegations, arguing that the classroom was busy and that such actions would have been impossible. The jury, after more than six hours of deliberation, returned a guilty verdict on all counts, with two jurors dissenting. Judge Martin Nolan remanded Harte on continuing bail and scheduled a sentencing hearing for 27 April. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Diarmuid Keane, a Garda based in County Cork, has filed a High Court challenge against the Garda Commissioner's decision to dismiss him from the force over alleged "discreditable conduct". The conduct in question relates to events that allegedly occurred at Mallow on 15 April 2017. After an internal disciplinary process, Keane admitted to four counts of discreditable conduct contrary to Garda Disciplinary Regulations. A three‑person board of inquiry recommended a fine of a week's wages, but the Commissioner chose to impose a dismissal instead, citing the need to maintain public confidence and protect the Gardaí's reputation. Keane's counsel, Kieran Kelly SC, argued that the Commissioner's decision was not in line with the appeal board's recommendation of a reprimand and a nine‑week pay deduction, and that the dismissal violated natural and constitutional justice.
Noel McKeon, a former hospital security guard, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for the rape and violent assault of two sex workers. McKeon pleaded guilty to sexual assault, assault, robbery, and rape of the two women, as well as false imprisonment of the first victim. The attacks occurred in 2016 and 2018 after McKeon contacted the women via an escorts website. In the 2016 incident, he allegedly assaulted the victim, forced her into sexual acts, and attempted to stab her as she escaped from a window. In the 2018 incident, he allegedly punched the victim, pulled her hair, and raped her vaginally and anally. Mr Justice Tony Hunt described the conduct as degrading and humiliating. He imposed consecutive headline sentences of ten years for each victim. Taking into account McKeon's guilty pleas, the judge applied a four-year discount, resulting in a total term of 16 years. The court suspended the final two years of this sentence on the condition that McKeon engages in sex offender treatment, addiction treatment, and anger management specifically addressing violence towards women. McKeon's defense counsel highlighted his history of drug abuse and suicide attempts, noting he wished to express remorse. The victims provided impact statements describing their fear and humiliation.
A man from Co. Westmeath was sentenced to two-and-a-half years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a woman who was asleep in her own bed. The Central Criminal Court heard that the victim was wearing a tampon at the time of the assault, which was later removed in the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit. The accused, aged 24, had no prior knowledge of the victim, though they shared mutual friends. He testified that he had engaged in consensual sexual activity with her, including digital penetration, but the jury found him guilty of sexual assault. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, noted the victim's right to privacy and the man's lack of business in her bedroom, describing the act as a catastrophic error of judgement. The sentence was deemed lenient in length, but the judge expressed concern that the man would find custody difficult. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
On 16 March 2020, Judge Melanie Greally of Dublin Circuit Criminal Court informed lawyers that those scheduled to attend court that morning had been advised not to attend due to the Covid‑19 outbreak. She announced that all cases would be adjourned to an unspecified date after 10 June, with investigating Gardaí and the courts service coordinating to inform defendants and practitioners of the new dates. Defendants in custody could either be adjourned or observe proceedings via video link. One man, Mark McCabe, 26, a homeless remand prisoner, was sentenced to four years with the final two years suspended after pleading guilty to robbery at Spar on Malahide Road on 25 October 2019; no cash was taken and no weapon was used. Judge Greally adjourned several cases, including a plea of guilty with a July sentencing date subject to review.
A 48‑year‑old man, Mark Tims, was jailed for seven years after he kicked and stamped his 74‑year‑old father, Anthony 'Tony' Tims, to death in their shared kitchen. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, noted that the father had been drunk and that the son had been provoked by verbal abuse, but the father's words were not considered a physical provocation. The father had a pre‑existing heart condition and died from injuries sustained when Mark struck him with a mug, then stamped and kicked him repeatedly. Mark had pleaded guilty to manslaughter and not guilty to murder; the jury acquitted him of murder and found him guilty of manslaughter. The sentence was reduced from ten to seven years and six months, with the final six months suspended for two years on the condition of good behaviour and probation cooperation. The case was heard in January 2020 following a two‑week trial.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Mark Byrne, a 35‑year‑old homeless man, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and production of a knife after stabbing a stranger in a random street disagreement on Winetavern Street on 16 July 2016. Byrne's defence counsel argued the incident was a one‑off event between two street‑dwelling strangers with no prior animosity, and that Byrne had carried a knife for self‑defence after a threat earlier that summer. The judge noted the victim suffered a bowel perforation and was hospitalised for weeks, and that Byrne had regained equilibrium and remained drug‑free recently. The judge imposed a five‑year sentence, suspending the final year on conditions including drug treatment and mental health services. Byrne expressed remorse, describing his actions as "disgraceful and appalling.".
A 17‑year‑old boy, whose name is withheld because he is a minor, pleaded guilty to the murder of 20‑year‑old Cameron Blair, a second‑year chemical engineering student at Cork Institute of Technology. The killing occurred on 16 January 2020 on Bandon Road, Cork, when Blair was stabbed in the neck at a student party. The boy was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court on 13 March 2020, wearing a grey shirt and black trousers. Brendan Grehan SC defended him, noting the boy was present in court with his father and two aunts. Anne Rowland SC for the Director of Public Prosecutions requested that the accused be remanded in custody at Oberstown Children Detention Centre for 28 days and that a probation report be prepared.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, a 59‑year‑old man was convicted in January of two charges of sexually assaulting a four‑year‑old girl at his home between July 2016 and July 2017. The trial lasted nine days and included testimony from the child, who described being touched and licked in her genital area, and from her mother, who reported the child's distress and subsequent night terrors and school changes. Forensic evidence showed DNA from the man on the child's underwear, with a 1 in 6,700 chance of a coincidental match. The man denied the allegations, claiming the DNA was due to the child's play. His defence argued that a Facebook post naming him and his address, allegedly encouraging violence against his family, should be considered as extra‑judicial punishment. The prosecution said the post was under Garda investigation and should not influence sentencing.
Jamie Mullen, 23, of Rowlagh Avenue, Clondalkin, Dublin, was found guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of hiding a large quantity of ammunition in his family home on 20 September 2017. Gardaí recovered the ammunition from two sites – a hot‑press and beneath a wardrobe in Mullen's bedroom – during a search. The cache included 30 shotgun cartridges, a .22 Winchester magnum rimfire cartridge and a .9 mm blank cartridge, all of which ballistics tests confirmed were in good condition and suitable for discharge from firearms. Mullen pleaded guilty, citing his right to silence during the Garda interview, and expressed a desire to apologise and "put things right." He had 24 prior convictions and had left school at 15. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted the seriousness of the seizure, Mullen's youth and lack of prior firearm offences, and sentenced him to four years' imprisonment with the final 12 months suspended.
Janice Brady appeared before the Central Criminal Court on Wednesday for a hearing regarding an alleged breach of conditions attached to her suspended sentence. In November 2017, Brady pleaded guilty to impeding the apprehension or prosecution of her brother, Keith Brady, who was found guilty of the murder of musician Martin Kivlehan in Sligo in 2015. Following a December hearing, the court suspended the balance of Brady's four-year prison term, conditional on her residing with her father in Ballyshannon, Co Donegal. Probation officer Michelle McShane reported difficulties locating Brady, who was understood to be living in temporary accommodation in Dublin but had not notified the Probation Service of her change of address. Detective Sergeant Martin McHale testified that Brady had not been involved in any trouble since the suspension of her sentence. Mr Justice White, who had issued a warrant for her arrest earlier that day due to her failure to appear at the start of the sitting, warned Brady that she would return to jail if she failed to keep in contact with the Probation Service regarding her residence. The matter was adjourned.
Eduards Babinjans, 32, manager at Gourmet Burger Kitchen in Liffey Valley, Dublin, was jailed for eight months after failing to deposit €920 into the company safe at the end of his shift. He had signed a form confirming the cash was dropped, but Garda Emily Beddingfield noted the safe was checked weekly and the money was not found. The chef, who witnessed Babinjans counting the cash that night, later stated he saw Babinjans place the cash in a bag, seal it, and hand it back to him, but did not see it put in the safe. Babinjans was arrested, interviewed without admission, and suggested the bag might have been stuck in the safe. The money was never recovered. He pleaded guilty to theft on 24 May 2018, has five prior convictions, and is due for release in September.
A homeless couple, Keelin Doyle (29) and Liam Dowds (38), stole €7,595 worth of clothing from River Island on Dublin's Grafton Street over four weeks in 2019. They carried out eight separate shop‑lifting incidents, walking into the store, lifting merchandise and leaving without paying, without disguising themselves or threatening staff. Doyle faced seven charges and Dowds faced eight, all from August and September 2019. Both pleaded guilty. Doyle was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally to 18 months' imprisonment with the final six months suspended; Dowds received 15 months' imprisonment with the final six months suspended. The court noted the couple's drug addiction as a motivating factor and highlighted the significant loss to the retailer. Both were remanded in custody since their arrest and have shown improvement while in custody.
A 24‑year‑old father of three, Devon Hennessey, punched a man outside Blanchardstown District Court on 9 November 2017, an act that required the intervention of 20 Gardaí to calm the volatile scene. Garda Richard Finan, who was standing at the main entrance, saw Hennessey approach the victim and strike him in the face without warning. Finan attempted to restrain Hennessey, who resisted and shouted threats at both the victim and the Garda. Additional officers were needed to continue the restraint, and other bystanders tried to intervene. Hennessey pleaded guilty to violent disorder and has five prior road‑traffic convictions. His defence lawyer, Oisin Clarke, argued that a comment about Hennessey's disabled son triggered the incident, and that Hennessey was acting in the heat of the moment. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to 5 May and ordered a Probation Service report to assess suitability for community service. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds has directed gardai to arrest three siblings at the centre of a protracted property dispute in Co Roscommon and bring them before the High Court. Michael Anthony, David and Geraldine McGann face allegations of contempt of court arising from their alleged failure to vacate their family home at Falsk, near Strokestown, following a KBC bank possession order. The judge indicated she was satisfied the McGanns were fully aware of the bank's application and the potential consequences of non-compliance. An injunction granted last October required the family to leave by noon on 12 November, an order the judge noted had not been obeyed. The McGanns, absent from proceedings and unrepresented, had previously been advised of the bank's application. Ms Justice Reynolds adjourned the matter to April. The case stems from a December 2018 eviction that attracted national attention when the property was retaken by masked individuals. The McGanns have remained on the property since.
The High Court adjourned a motion that could see developer and businessman Sean Dunne jailed for alleged contempt of court. The Official Assignee, Mr Chris Lehane, claims Dunne has failed to comply with a 2018 order by Ms Justice Caroline Costello to pay €7,000 a month from 25 September 2018 to 25 May 2021 to increase assets for creditors. Mr Lehane has asked the court to compel Dunne to appear and answer the allegation of contempt. The matter was briefly heard before Ms Justice Teresa Pilkington. Mr Edward Farrelly SC, acting for the OA, said the OA intends to press ahead with an attachment and committal application. The judge allowed OBH Partners, Dunne's former legal representatives, to withdraw and provide Dunne's contact details to the OA. The case was adjourned for two weeks to see whether Dunne will secure new counsel or contest the proceedings himself.
John Connolly, 38, the former general manager of IMC Cinema in Dublin, was sentenced to one year and three months in prison after admitting to stealing €217,203 from the cinema between April 2016 and July 2018. Connolly claimed he was heavily drinking and suffering mental health issues at the time and believed he could return the money. He had access to the cinema's safe after a security change in 2016, and the thefts were uncovered when a shortfall was noticed in May 2018. Connolly's main expenditure of the stolen funds was gambling, mainly on the lotto, and he was one number away from a €250,000 win. The judge, taking into account his difficult upbringing and addiction, imposed a sentence of two years and three months with the final 12 months suspended, subject to strict conditions and 18 months of probation supervision. No money was recovered and Connolly had no prior convictions.
David Clail, aged 28, pleaded guilty to armed burglary, criminal damage and threatening to kill Sharon Murphy after breaking into her Kinsealy home on 20 September 2016. He entered the house, smashed furniture, tore out a TV, smashed a mirror, and threatened to kill Murphy, her family and her dog. He also threatened to kill her grandmother and called his relatives. Murphy called 999, hid her phone, and tried to calm him. Gardaí found Clail with a flick‑knife and blood on his hands. He admitted he had no reason for the attack, saying he had woken up in a "black mood" and "blanked out". The court noted his poly‑substance abuse and mental health issues. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to five years and seven months in prison, with a headline sentence of seven and a half years, after a delay and an early guilty plea.
In March 2020 the Central Criminal Court suspended the remainder of a jail term for Stephen Kane, 29, who in August 2014 violently assaulted two women after sexually assaulting one of them. The attacks occurred in a Dublin apartment block where Kane and Daryl Ralph had earlier sexually assaulted a woman. Kane punched the victim in the mouth, struck her friend twice in the mouth and nose, and bit her arm. He pleaded guilty to sexual assault and two counts of assault causing harm. The judge imposed concurrent sentences of two years and two and a half years, backdated to November 2018, and suspended the balance for two years on the condition of psychological counselling. Kane had previously fled to New Zealand and later to Australia, where he established a new life and was later extradited back to Ireland. The court noted his remorse and the support of his fiancée's family.
Hoi Ping Yung, 47, a UK businessman, was convicted of raping a woman in a Dublin hotel room on 21 November 2013. The victim, who slept in a single bed, woke to find Yung in the double bed, rubbing her arm and leg, and later being raped. Yung claimed he had no memory of the incident and denied non‑consensual sex, arguing any contact was consensual. He had no prior convictions. The judge noted Yung's good character and lack of previous offences but also the severe violation of the victim's body. A headline sentence of seven and a half years was reduced to four and a half years, taking into account mitigating factors. The court also heard the victim's detailed impact statement, describing shame, guilt, fear, panic, flashbacks and anxiety attacks. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. Hoi Ping Yung pleaded not guilty.
In a 2020 hearing, Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Garda Sean Lucey, 42, to a fully suspended one‑year prison term for assaulting RTÉ cameraman Colm Hand during anti‑racism protests in Dublin in February 2016. Lucey struck Hand's camera with his baton and then hit him in the groin, causing significant bruising and pain. Hand's victim impact statement described sleeplessness, worry and stress, noting the incident shattered his confidence. Judge Greally rejected Lucey's claim that the assault was an error of judgement, stating his regret fell short of an apology and that a donation to a charity was an unsuitable gesture of remorse. She cited Lucey's clean record and lack of prior offences, viewing the act as an aberration, and therefore suspended the sentence. The conviction was for assault causing harm; Lucey was acquitted of criminal damage. The case highlighted the need for restraint and self‑control in public order situations. Sean Lucey pleaded not guilty.
John Heaphy, a 64‑year‑old from Kerryhall Road, Fairhill, Cork, died in February after a prolonged illness while serving a 10‑year prison sentence for the sale or supply of heroin worth €37,000. The sentence, imposed in October 2015 by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin, was described by the judge as "tragic" that a man of Heaphy's age and health had to be dealt with in this way, yet the judge noted that Heaphy had "given his life to drug sale and supply and this is the harvest he will do." Heaphy had previously been convicted of drug offences with a street value exceeding €13,000, for which he served six years and was released less than a year before the second conviction. The unnamed 64-year-old pleaded guilty.
Ryan Johnston, a 36‑year‑old truck driver from Cedar Grove, Magherafelt, was found carrying €166,720 in cash in a blue canvas bag in the cab of his tractor unit. He was arrested after a Garda surveillance operation and pleaded guilty to possession of the cash and the proceeds of criminal conduct on 3 June 2016. Johnston had six prior convictions in Northern Ireland, mainly for road traffic offences, and made no admissions during his interview. His defence lawyer, Justin McQuade, argued that Johnston was a valued member of his business, was embarrassed and ashamed, and that the offence was a one‑off transgression committed recklessly. Judge Melanie Greally, noting Johnston's respectable family background, good work record and character references, imposed a three and a half year sentence, suspending the final 18 months, and jailed him for two years. The sentence reflected the seriousness of money laundering and the need for deterrence in the haulage trade.
Samantha Irwin, 36, was convicted of robbing a shop in Dublin on 20 September 2018, stealing €55 from a shop assistant while armed with a syringe. A bloodstained note found in her pocket, containing numbers for out‑of‑hours homeless accommodation, was identified by CCTV and matched to her DNA. She pleaded guilty to robbery and to possession of two shotgun cartridges found in her accommodation in April 2019. The court, hearing that she had no history of violence and was in a severe addiction episode, imposed a headline sentence of seven and a half years but reduced it to five and a half years with the final 18 months suspended. Conditions include residential drug treatment. She also received a nine‑month term for the cartridge offence, to run concurrently with the robbery sentence. The judge noted her remorse, drug‑free status, and steps taken in rehabilitation.
Peter Maguire, 41, a father of four from Tallaght, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to cultivating cannabis at his home on 2 October 2017. He had set up a grow house in the attic to produce cannabis oil for pain relief from Barrett's disease, a chronic heartburn condition that can increase cancer risk. Maguire, a former heroin addict who had become reliant on painkillers, said he chose cannabis oil to avoid relapse. He admitted to learning how to grow and extract the oil online and provided Garda Robert Whitty with detailed information about the process. Judge Melanie Greally noted his full admissions, his past efforts to reduce re‑offending risk, and the positive steps he had taken. She suspended a two‑year jail term on strict conditions, deciding it was not in the community's interest to return him to custody.
Eamonn Cumberton, a 32-year-old man from Mountjoy Street, Dublin 7, has had his appeal against a life sentence for the 2016 murder of Michael Barr adjourned. Cumberton was convicted by the Special Criminal Court of the deliberate and planned execution of Mr Barr at the Sunset House pub, where he was shot seven times by a masked gunman. The court found Cumberton's DNA on a baseball cap and rubber mask recovered from a getaway car, and relied on circumstantial evidence regarding his unusual travel attempts to Thailand and his failure to answer police questions. Although Cumberton denied the murder, he was jailed for life on January 29, 2018. In his current appeal, his counsel argued that the trial court erred in drawing inferences from his silence and mishandled DNA evidence, suggesting cross-contamination. The prosecution countered that the evidence strongly linked Cumberton to the crime scene and that his travel behavior indicated an intent to flee. The Court of Criminal Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice John Edwards with Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, reserved its judgment. Consequently, the matter was adjourned, and Cumberton must wait to hear the outcome of his appeal against his conviction.
Bronwyn O'Dea (54) and Paul De Brit (56), directors of a Dublin timber import business, were convicted of fraud and deception after they promised customers that payments would be taken only after timber delivery but failed to deliver. They used customer money to fund the company, which was in financial distress, and stole €19,124 from Mr Peter Andrews of The Wood Floor Store, Lancashire, England. The total loss to complainants between December 2006 and May 2008 was about €200,000. Both pleaded guilty. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced O'Dea to a three‑year prison term, suspended, and De Brit to four years, three of which were suspended. The court noted that all customers lost money and received no timber, and that the directors did not benefit from the fraud. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Owen Cummins, 41, of Cabra, Dublin 7, was sentenced to nine years and six months imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court for possessing a Beretta 92s handgun and silencer in suspicious circumstances. The offence occurred on September 6, 2017, in Inchicore, Dublin 8, during a confrontation with armed gardai. Cummins pleaded guilty to the charge. The court heard that Cummins drove a jeep towards Garda Stephen Gillespie, who was restraining co-accused Andrew O'Keeffe on the ground. Fearing for his life, the garda discharged his firearm, causing Cummins to swerve and collide with a parked vehicle. Mr Justice Hunt, sitting with Judges Griffin and Dempsey, reduced the headline sentence from 12 years to nine years and six months, citing mitigating factors including Cummins' guilty plea and the recent death of his 19-year-old child. A further 18 months of the sentence was suspended to encourage rehabilitation. The sentence was backdated to May 27, 2019. Cummins has 68 previous convictions. Separately, co-accused Andrew O'Keeffe, 30, of Cabra West, pleaded guilty in June 2018 to possessing a 9mm Beretta handgun and silencer in suspicious circumstances on the same date. He was sentenced in August 2018 to nine years imprisonment with one year suspended.
Dean Howe, 34, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court for conspiring to murder Gary Hanley. Mr Justice Tony Hunt described Howe as occupying a supervisory role in the plot, acting as a conduit for orders from higher up the chain of command. Howe pleaded guilty in December to conspiring with others to murder Mr Hanley between September 15 and November 6, 2017. The judge noted that while Howe's active contribution ceased five hours before the intended attack, he remained part of the conspiracy until the end. The headline sentence was eight years and six months, reduced to six years and six months due to his early guilty plea and low-level previous convictions. The final six months were suspended contingent on his engagement in prison. The sentence was backdated to May 30, 2019. This follows previous sentences for Luke Wilson, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy and unlawful possession of a Beretta and was jailed for 11 years; Alan Wilson, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy and received six years; and Joseph Kelly, who admitted conspiracy and a weapons charge and was jailed for 12 years. Liam Brannigan, also convicted of conspiracy, is due to be sentenced on March 23.
A 55‑year‑old Munster man was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Paul McDermott at the Central Criminal Court. He pleaded guilty to eight counts of indecent assault and three counts of rape of his younger sister between 1978 and 1987, and was found guilty of 16 counts of anally raping his wife between 2003 and 2007. He denied the rape of his wife. The judge described the abuse of his sister as humiliating, degrading and brutal, and the abuse of his wife as calculated, cynical and vicious, noting the man's callous indifference to her emotional welfare. The sentence comprised seven years for the sister offences and six years for the wife offences, to run consecutively, with a three‑year post‑release supervision order and a prohibition on any contact with the victims.
Michael Dineen, aged 28, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for the manslaughter of Patrick 'Ginty' O'Donnell, aged 36, who died after a pub fight on 1 June 2018. Dineen had consumed 20 pints that day and repeatedly punched O'Donnell in the head and face for about a minute, delivering kicks to his body. He had previously been on bail for breaking another man's jaw. The judge noted the attack was one‑sided and unequal, with O'Donnell suffering severe injuries including loss of teeth, fractured nose and internal bleeding. Dineen pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The sentence was reduced from a headline of 12 years to nine years due to mitigating factors such as remorse, apology and psychiatric history. The suspended year will be lifted if Dineen abstains from alcohol and remains under probation supervision.
Alexander Whelan, aged 19, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for the manslaughter of Bruno Rolandi, 56, who was a former partner of Whelan's mother and a heroin user. The killing occurred during a domestic dispute at the Whelan family home on Green Road, Edenderry, on 19 November 2017. Whelan introduced a knife into the argument and used substantial force, inflicting three wounds, one of which penetrated 23 centimetres, damaged the heart and caused fatal bleeding. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter at the Central Criminal Court. The judge, Mr Justice Michael White, noted that the introduction of a deadly weapon and the violence of the blows were aggravating factors, but also considered Whelan's previously excellent character, lack of prior convictions, and the circumstances of defending his mother and brother. The sentence was reduced from an initial six‑year recommendation to two years, with no part suspended, as Whelan was not a drug user and had no history of violence.