Martin Guerin, 68, brother of the late crime journalist Veronica Guerin, pleaded guilty on 17 September 2014 to knowingly possessing 901 images and 146 video files of child pornography at his Portmarnock home. He was arraigned at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned sentencing to October and remanded him on continuing bail. Prosecutor John Berry noted the hearing would last about 30 minutes. Guerin had earlier been charged under Section 6(1) of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998 and had been granted bail on a €100 bond with no conditions.
Micheal Geoghegan, 36, of Swords, pleaded guilty to three counts of robbery and production of a knife at Rathbeale Road, Swords, on August 18, 2018. He also admitted producing a large kitchen knife to intimidate and producing an iron drill bit and knife while resisting arrest. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the offences carry a potential maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Prosecution evidence detailed that Geoghegan robbed three women at knifepoint and subsequently threatened Detective Sergeant Alan Flaherty, who eventually disarmed him using a baton. Geoghegan has a previous conviction for robbery with an imitation firearm from 2005 and prior drug offences. Defence counsel Annette Kealy BL stated that Geoghegan is attempting to address his heroin addiction and had remained drug-free since the incidents. She also noted his past achievement as a best dog handler at Crufts. Geoghegan brought €2,500 to court as a token of remorse. After hearing the evidence, Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned the case to July 23 next for sentence.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Detective Chief Superintendent Anthony Howard testified that he believed Darren Weldon, a 47‑year‑old from Kilbarrack, was a member of the Irish Republican Army on 14 October 2014. Howard, head of the Special Detective Unit, said his belief was based on all material he had reviewed, not on any evidence discovered at Weldon's arrest. He claimed privilege over the material, citing protection of life and public security, and noted that revealing the details could hamper investigations into subversive crime. Howard acknowledged that the material was collated but maintained privilege regarding its timeframe and any association with Alan Ryan. He confirmed Weldon had no prior convictions. The case, with a not‑guilty plea, will continue before Justice Paul Coffey and two other judges. Darren Weldon pleaded not guilty.
In a case heard by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Joseph Heffernan, aged 43, admitted to staging a burglary at Body & Soul Salon in Rathmines on 25 July 2019 to conceal theft from two employees. Heffernan claimed the salon's owner, his former partner, was absent and that he was helping run the business. He told Gardaí that a front‑door incident had occurred, but omitted that €6,670 and £40 had been stolen from employee lockers. CCTV showed him entering the salon and leaving with a bag shortly after. He later confessed to taking money over months and stealing from employees to repay the salon. Heffernan also claimed he had dropped a laptop and recording box in a skip, only to find them missing later. He has a prior speeding conviction. The court ordered a probation report and assessment of his fitness for community service, with sentencing set for 25 October. Joseph Heffernan pleaded guilty.
A 70‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment for raping a child, aged about six or seven, on three occasions between 1978 and 1980. He pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape and one of indecent assault. A jury at the Central Criminal Court convicted him of all rape charges; he had previously been convicted of indecent assault in a separate trial in 2018 and had been in custody since then. Justice Carmel Stewart imposed a headline sentence of 12 years for each rape offence, suspended the last three years, and ordered all sentences to run concurrently, backdated to May 2018. The judge noted the defendant's lack of prior convictions and his status as a neighbour who abused a position of trust. The defendant continues to deny the allegations and does not accept the verdict.
A terminally ill woman whose sister was murdered fourteen years ago has called on the Director of Public Prosecutions to prosecute a third person in connection with the killing. Speaking outside the Central Criminal Court following the sentencing of Niall Power to life imprisonment, solicitor Kevin Winters said authorities possess sufficient evidence against the alleged mastermind. Power, with an address at Giles Quay, Riverstown, County Louth, pleaded guilty to the murder of Irene White at Ice House, Demesne Road, Dundalk, on 6 April 2005. He is the second person convicted; Anthony Lambe of Annadrumman, County Monaghan, received a life sentence in January after admitting the killing. Mr Winters stated that Anne Delcassian, the deceased's sister, was too unwell to attend court. He described the case as involving a murderous triumvirate and urged prosecutors to complete the investigation.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 25‑year‑old Scott Capper was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for two separate pub assaults. The first offence, committed on 8 August 2016 at the Morgan Hotel, involved Capper punching Jaroslaw Gaska in the face after Gaska touched Capper's girlfriend's hair. Gaska suffered a broken jaw, required 10 stitches, incurred €1,100 in medical costs and lost €2,000 in earnings. The second offence, on 2 October 2016 at Sin Nightclub, saw Capper striking Nevil Picton, who sustained a cut to the lip and dental damage costing €2,680. Capper pleaded guilty to both assault‑causing‑harm charges. He has 46 prior convictions, including a suspended two‑year sentence for a 2015 assault, and has a history of drug possession, violent disorder and public‑order offences.
Ionut Neagu, 29, of Rusheeny Avenue, Clonsilla, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after punching a mother‑of‑two repeatedly in the face and head on 6 June 2018 at Hartstown Park. The attack left the victim unconscious, with loss of taste and smell, and caused ongoing anxiety, panic attacks and flashbacks. Neagu was sentenced by Judge John O'Connor to two and a half years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, credit for his guilty plea and lack of serious prior convictions. The sentence was back‑dated to 14 June 2018. Neagu, originally from Romania and living in Ireland for ten years, gave conflicting accounts of the incident and expressed a desire to apologise to the victim. The court noted the significant impact on the victim's life and her fear for her daughters' safety.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Karim Haddouche, a 48‑year‑old chef from Rathgar, pleaded guilty to four counts of theft and deception involving Ulster Bank. He had drawn two cheques, one for €7,600 and another for €7,500, from his Permanent TSB account and deposited them into his Ulster Bank account, despite the TSB account lacking sufficient funds. Following the cheques, he withdrew and transferred a total of €15,105, which the bank later discovered was not covered by the original account. Haddouche admitted to a gambling problem and that he had expected a friend to cover the cheques. The judge, Martin Nolan, imposed a three‑year sentence, suspended in full, and ordered that the €11,000 he had in his solicitor's possession be handed over to Ulster Bank within two weeks. No prior convictions were recorded. The case was prosecuted by Grainne O'Neill BL and defended by David Staunton BL.
Noel Ryan, 42, of Charleville Mall, Dublin, was sentenced to four years in prison, with the final year suspended, after pleading guilty to handling a stolen Toyota Land Cruiser, deceiving a victim at Woodie's car park in Lucan on 27 June 2016, and unlawfully taking a Ford Fiesta from Northside Shopping Centre, Coolock on 24 March 2017. The judge noted that Ryan had committed similar offences before and that the victims suffered significant losses. Ryan admitted to selling the stolen Land Cruiser on DoneDeal for €11,600 after the buyer had paid cash, and later stealing a Ford Fiesta that had been advertised on the same site. He was also found in possession of the victim's driver's licence, which he had altered. Ryan has 16 prior convictions, including burglary and robbery, and has struggled with a crack cocaine addiction. He has been on bail during these offences.
A 40‑year‑old man was convicted of raping his wife's sister‑in‑law after a Christmas gathering. The victim woke in her own bedroom on Christmas night to find the accused raping her. She reported the rape to her husband, who confronted the man. He apologized, claiming he had entered the wrong bedroom and believed the victim was his wife. The Central Criminal Court sentenced him to seven years, with the final two years suspended on strict conditions. The judge noted the offence's violent nature and the victim's profound impact, citing her statements about fear, nightmares, and the breakdown of her marriage and family life. The judge also acknowledged the accused's remorse, lack of prior convictions, and good character, which mitigated the sentence. The case remains at the trial stage, with no further verdicts announced. The unnamed 40-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Ciaran Casey, 25, of Adare Park, Coolock, pleaded guilty to stealing about €8,000 from a Centra shop on New Cabra Road in Dublin on 18 January last year. He admitted that while working the cash register he voided high‑value items such as cigarettes and alcohol, pocketing the money. CCTV footage showed him voiding transactions and customers walking away with the items. Gardaí arrested him after an investigation and he made full admissions, saying he was taking the money to pay day‑to‑day debts and that he intended to repay it later. Judge John O'Connor, at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, found it disappointing that Casey had only offered to repay €1,000. He imposed a two‑year sentence, fully suspended for five years, and ordered Casey to undertake offence‑focused and victim‑focused work as directed by Probation Services. The judge noted Casey's past lack of cooperation with Probation Services.
A 47-year-old man from Riverstown, County Louth has been sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty to the murder of Irene White at the Central Criminal Court. Niall Power admitted his role in the killing of the mother-of-three at her home on Demesne Road, Dundalk on 6 April 2005. Power presented himself to gardaí following the conviction of accomplice Anthony Lambe, a historian from Castleblayney, County Monaghan, who had been sentenced to life in January 2018. During sentencing, the court heard that Power had acted as an intermediary, conveying a request from an unnamed individual to have Ms White killed. He subsequently introduced Lambe to this person and facilitated the commission of the offence. Ms White was found by her 79-year-old mother with 34 stab wounds and a cut throat. Victim impact statements were delivered by Ms White's sister, who is terminally ill, and her daughter, describing the lasting devastation caused to the family.
A Co Wexford man, identified as Arthur O'Neill of Marshallstown, Enniscorthy, faces potential imprisonment for alleged contempt of a High Court order. The matter, currently at the sentence stage, involves a claim by receiver Ken Fennell that O'Neill breached an injunction granted by Mr Justice Senan Allen last March. The order restrained O'Neill from entering or interfering with a property in receivership at Askinvillar Upper, Kiltealy, Enniscorthy. Fennell alleges O'Neill has advertised the property for rent on various websites, re-entered the premises after agents secured it, and maintained control with supporters, including Yellow Vest movement members. It is claimed O'Neill wrote to Fennell refusing to hand over possession and posted a video acknowledging the breach. Although O'Neill has appealed the injunction, no stay was granted. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds granted permission on an ex-parte basis for a motion seeking O'Neill's attachment and committal. The court heard that Fennell's agents have been unable to regain possession and have faced threatening comments online. The matter was adjourned, with the judge making it returnable to next week.
A 46‑year‑old father of three was given a three‑year suspended sentence for spray‑painting the words "rapist out" on a camper van in north Dublin on 19 April 2023. He pleaded guilty to criminal damage at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and admitted making a threat to kill a child while speaking with a social worker on 12 April 2018, saying he would "douse (the child) in petrol and set him alight." He had previously reported that his son had been raped by a 13‑year‑old in the van. The court ordered him to pay €6,000 to the van owner within 18 months, with the possibility of the court disposing of the money if the owner declined. The judge warned that no one should take the law into their own hands and noted the defendant's mental‑health issues and previous drug convictions.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Joyce Conlon, 35, was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment for an unprovoked assault on an eight‑week‑pregnant woman. Conlon, who suffers from paranoia and psychosis, kicked the victim in the stomach with her shoe, causing bleeding that led to a Caesarean delivery at 30 weeks. The judge described the attack as "reprehensible" and inferred a racial motive, noting the victim's Somali background and Conlon's remark about "black" something. Conlon pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and to an attempted robbery at Boyle's Sports, for which she received a separate sentence of three and a half years with the final 12 months suspended, to run concurrently with the assault sentence. The court acknowledged Conlon's mental condition and drug use but accepted her remorse and potential for rehabilitation.
Two Limerick men, John O'Donoghue (29) and Paul Whelan (25), were convicted by the Special Criminal Court of possessing a 9mm Colt semi‑automatic pistol with intent to endanger life after a Garda stop on 30 July 2018. The car, an Alfa Romeo, contained the loaded handgun, eight rounds in the magazine, a round in the breach, a petrol canister, latex gloves, clothes and cocaine. The judge, Ms Justice Tara Burns, noted that the firearm was primed and ready to fire, and that no fingerprints were found on it. Both men pleaded not guilty to the intent charge but guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition in suspicious circumstances. They were remanded until sentencing on 29 July. The court emphasised that the only inference was that the firearm was intended to be used to endanger life.
Paul Barry, 37, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assaulting his former partner, Kim Fox, causing her harm at her home in Loughlinstown on December 9, 2018. Barry pleaded guilty to the charge. Judge Martin Nolan described the incident as a serious, unprovoked assault, noting that Barry had been under the voluntary influence of alcohol and cocaine. Ms Fox sustained significant injuries, including a fractured eye socket, three fractured ribs, and two missing teeth, and reported ongoing mental trauma. The court heard that Barry initially told gardai the injuries resulted from a fall, a claim the prosecution rejected as untrue. Judge Nolan cited Barry's 17 previous convictions, including a robbery, and his callous attitude toward the victim as aggravating factors. Mitigation included his early guilty plea, good work record, and expression of remorse. The judge imposed a 32-month prison sentence, backdated to when Barry first went into custody. The maximum penalty for the offence is five years. Barry's counsel apologized on his behalf, stating he was regretful and had not contacted Ms Fox since the incident.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 52‑year‑old Christopher Lovett, a businessman from Kilnamanagh, pleaded guilty to theft of money at the Bank of Ireland after using a cheque‑kiting scheme to keep his cleaning company afloat. He had drawn three cheques totaling almost €19,000 on a closed account, which were credited to him before the bank's clearance process. The cheques were later returned unpaid, leaving the bank at a loss. Lovett withdrew the funds in card, debit and cash transactions before the cheques cleared. He had no prior convictions and was described by the defence as a family man who had lost a major contract and was trying to repay the money. Judge Martin Nolan, noting the mitigating circumstances, imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence and required Lovett to repay €2,500 to the bank, with the bank retaining its own recourse for the remaining amount.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Miguel Pintos, 38, was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment for endangering two pedestrians after losing control of his motorbike on Shangan Road, Ballymun, on 6 May 2018. He was found guilty of endangering a pedestrian and of endangering a second woman, who suffered a fractured ankle. The court imposed a two‑year sentence, suspending the final nine months on strict conditions. The first victim, who sustained broken legs and required 20 stitches to her head and further surgery for plates in her legs, was described as having suffered lasting pain and a fear of motorcycles. The second victim suffered a fractured ankle and became nervous around motorcycles. Pintos had 29 prior convictions, including drug offences, drunk driving and other road traffic offences, but no alcohol or drugs were involved in this incident. He pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and had taken steps to improve his literacy and engage in voluntary work.
Sean Banks, a 19‑year‑old from Tallaght, was found in possession of a 12‑gauge double‑barrel shotgun, cannabis, cocaine and a stolen BMW motorbike at his home. Gardaí raided the house after a tip that drugs were stored there. Banks initially denied the presence of drugs but later admitted responsibility for €725 worth of cannabis and cocaine. The shotgun, stolen in a burglary in Kildare, was discovered under a bed with one cartridge. The motorbike, stolen two months earlier in Stepaside, had no ignition or registration plate. Banks pleaded guilty to possession of the gun, drugs and the stolen motorbike. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Banks' youth, prior minor convictions and cooperation, imposed a three‑year sentence, suspended in full on strict conditions. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with the judge emphasising the seriousness of the firearm possession but also recognising the defendant's potential for reform.
Associated News (Ireland) Ltd, owners of the Daily Mail, pleaded guilty to contempt of court regarding a headline published on May 3 during the Ana Kriegel murder trial. The headline, "CCTV shows Ana being lured to her death," was deemed by Mr Justice Paul McDermott as calculated to incite public outrage. The company accepted responsibility, with CEO Paul Henderson apologising and stating the error occurred because changes were made to journalist Helen Bruce's copy without her consultation. The DPP's counsel, Brendan Grehan, described the publication as an error and noted the company offered to pay costs. Defence counsel Eoin McCullough SC argued for a nominal penalty, citing the company's clean record and the fact that the trial was not aborted. Regarding Daily Mail Editor Mr Sebastian Hamilton, counsel argued he should not face a criminal conviction as he had left the office before the copy was altered and had established a consultation system that was not followed. Mr Grehan countered that editorial responsibility must rest with the editor. Mr Justice McDermott reserved his decision on the sentence for Monday, meaning the matter was adjourned and not yet finalised.
James Mansfield, a 52-year-old businessman from Saggart, Co. Dublin, appeared before the Special Criminal Court to face charges of conspiracy to commit false imprisonment and attempting to pervert the course of justice. He is alleged to have conspired with one or more persons to falsely imprison Martin Byrne on a date unknown between January 1 and June 30, 2015. Additionally, he is charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing another man to destroy recorded CCTV footage related to the alleged false imprisonment of Mr. Byrne between June 9 and June 12, 2015, at Finnstown House Hotel in Lucan, Co. Dublin. These allegations remain contested. The matter was heard by a three-judge panel comprising Ms. Justice Tara Burns, Judge Gerard Griffin, and Judge Michael Walsh. Mr. Mansfield was admitted to bail on an independent surety of €10,000, subject to conditions requiring him to sign on weekly at Lucan Garda Station and not to leave the country. A book of the evidence was served on the accused. The court remanded Mr. Mansfield until July 29, when he will next appear before the three-judge court. The matter was adjourned and is not yet concluded.
Pawel Buc, 24, was caught with €19,000 worth of cannabis and handed a four‑year suspended sentence. Gardaí found just under a kilogram of cannabis in his apartment, along with weighing scales, mobile phones, a tick list and €645 in cash. Buc had previously pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis for sale or supply in 2017 and had one speeding conviction. He claimed financial hardship and that he was merely transporting the drugs for €200. The court, after considering his cooperation and lack of prior serious offences, deemed his culpability low and imposed a suspended four‑year term, with no custodial time to be served. The sentence was fully suspended, meaning no immediate imprisonment was required. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Aaron Colton, 24, of Mount Olive Grove, Kilbarrack, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to demanding money with menace for an alleged drug debt at a teenager's home on November 23, 2017. Judge Martin Nolan jailed Colton for five years. The court heard that Colton threatened the 16-year-old victim, stating he would break him and kill him if he did not pay. Colton, who has 40 previous convictions, had been on remand since January this year after a warrant was issued for his failure to appear at a prior hearing. This sentence follows the May 2018 sentencing of co-accused Alan Long, 28, of Briarfield, Kilbarrack, who was also jailed for five years after pleading guilty to trespass, theft, assault, and demanding money with menaces at the victim's home in October 2017. Long had allegedly inflated a small drug debt to €8,000, stolen household items, and assaulted the teenager. The judge noted a pattern of abuse against the family, including threats to the victim's mother, and accepted that Colton's threats were convincing and believed to be carried out. Defense counsel John Moher BL argued Colton's behavior was a radical departure from his previous minor offenses, which the judge acknowledged.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Darren Weldon, 47, from Kilbarrack, Dublin, pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation called the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Prosecuting counsel Paul Greene was presented with evidence that Weldon's mobile phone contained three images, including two pictures of the late Real IRA leader Alan Ryan with the caption "heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done regardless of the consequences." Detective Sergeant Eileen Keogh, who extracted the images, acknowledged that they could have been sent to Weldon by someone else and that deleted WhatsApp conversations can leave saved images on a phone. Witnesses including Detective Inspector William Hanrahan, Garda Jude Ainsworth and Garda James Flaherty recounted encounters with Alan Ryan and Weldon in 2011 and 2012, but did not provide further evidence of wrongdoing. The trial is set to continue tomorrow before Mr Justice Paul Coffey, Judge Gerard Griffin and Judge Michael Walsh.
In July 2014, Bogdan Hainal (28), a Romanian national, participated in a violent robbery at the home of Paul and Patrick Kenny, both in their sixties, in Prosperous, Co Kildare. The raiders arrived in a black BMW, entered Patrick's bedsit, tied him with neckties, threatened him, and demanded money. They beat him, stabbed his hand and arm, and tied him to a sink with a rubber inner tube while covering his eyes with a woolly hat. The ordeal lasted one hour and six minutes. Hainal pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary on 8 July 2014. Judge Patricia Ryan set a headline sentence of 11 years, suspending the final two years on the condition that Hainal stay away from the victims for 30 years and engage with Probation Services. The victims described fear for their lives, and Paul Kenny was hospitalised for six weeks, while Patrick Kenny has suffered high blood pressure and will require lifelong medication.
Derek Murphy, 49, of Coolock, pleaded guilty to threatening a doctor with a gun gesture after she reduced his methadone dosage. The threat was made on 30 October 2013 while he was at a drug treatment centre. Murphy had been on bail for a 12‑year robbery and firearms conviction from 2015 and had 42 prior convictions, including manslaughter, robbery and a tiger kidnapping. In 2018 he was convicted of robbery again and received a nine‑year sentence, with a release date of 13 June 2025. The court found it "unjust" to extend his custody and sentenced him to one year imprisonment to run concurrently with his existing nine‑year term. No additional time was imposed. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
John Gallagher, aged 19, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two knifepoint robberies in Tallaght, one on 22 May 2018 at Springfield Medicare Pharmacy and another on 19 October 2018 in a taxi at Greenhills. In the taxi incident, he produced a knife to the driver's throat, demanded €130, and fled after receiving the cash. Gallagher claimed he was intoxicated, on drugs, owed money, and had been threatened that he would be shot in front of his children if he did not repay. He has two children and prior road‑traffic convictions. The court, after hearing the prosecution and defence, rejected a request for an adjournment and a probation report. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three‑year custodial sentence for each robbery, to run concurrently, noting the seriousness of the knife offence and the potential for reform.
Peter Bradshaw, 55, of Glin Court, Coolock, Dublin, pleaded guilty to arson at his apartment on 24 January 2018. The fire spread to neighbouring flats, causing €782,027 in damage and forcing residents into emergency accommodation. He was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to 11 years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended on strict conditions. After the fire, Bradshaw went to Clontarf Garda Station and confessed to a fictitious murder, claiming he had assaulted a man, set a mattress on fire, and attempted to fake his own death. He later admitted he had not murdered anyone. Bradshaw has 40 prior convictions, including arson, burglary and theft, and had a five‑year sentence for arson in 2009. The judge noted his propensity for setting fires and the danger he posed to society.
David Robinson, 22, was jailed for four years after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis, cocaine, heroin and prescribed medication found on waste ground behind his house in July 2017. Gardaí had forced entry into his home in December 2017, following confidential information, and found street‑deal drugs in his bedroom. Robinson admitted the sale or supply of drugs at his home on 22 December 2017 and earlier at Barry Avenue on 18 July 2017. He had 15 previous convictions for road traffic and public order offences. During the hearing, Robinson claimed he was under threat and that he was holding the drugs on the behest of someone else. The judge noted the seriousness of the drugs and Robinson's youth and level of involvement before sentencing him to four years in custody.
Two men have been jailed for six years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following their admission of involvement in transporting cocaine valued at €350,000. Arvydas Steponkus, aged 45, of Clondalkin, Dublin and Thomas O'Boyle, aged 33, of Sligo pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs for sale or supply on Cruiserath Road, Blanchardstown on 24 February 2018. Steponkus handed over €280,000 worth of cocaine to O'Boyle, with a further €70,000 discovered in a hidden compartment of the Ford Mondeo Steponkus was operating. Gardaí intervened following surveillance after a tip-off revealed the exchange. Judge Martin Nolan noted both men transported the drugs for payment and were aware of their involvement, acknowledging their co-operation and useful admissions to investigating gardaí. O'Boyle has 29 previous convictions including a 2008 drug offence, whilst Steponkus has no prior convictions.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 1 July 2019, Mr Justice Paul McDermott considered whether mental health professionals could interview the parents of the two boys convicted of murdering 14‑year‑old Ana Kriegel. The boys, referred to as Boy A and Boy B, were found guilty of the murder and, in Boy A's case, of aggravated sexual assault. Mr Justice McDermott had ordered probation and psychiatric reports from child forensic psychiatrists. Brendan Grehan SC, representing the Director of Public Prosecutions, presented Professor Harry Kennedy's suggestions, which included joint assessments by consultant child and forensic psychiatrists, assessments by clinical psychologists, and interviews with the boys' parents to access prior reports. Patrick Gageby SC, for Boy A, noted uncertainty about the availability of a specialist child forensic psychiatrist in Ireland, while Damien Colgan SC, for Boy B, expressed no objection to the proposals.
In a Central Criminal Court ruling, Mr Justice Paul McDermott fined journalist Niall O'Connor €2,500 after he inadvertently named one of the boys convicted of Ana Kriegel's murder during a live Red FM interview. The station was fined €10,000. O'Connor, who was a guest on the Neil Prendeville show the morning after the convictions, apologized unreservedly, stating the slip was a mistake and not intentional. The DPP's Brendan Grehan noted that the boys, aged 14, could not be identified, and the court had taken care to refer to them as Boy A and Boy B. The judge imposed the fine or a three‑month prison term if unpaid, and the broadcaster was ordered to pay within three months. The case highlighted the court's protection of minors and the broadcaster's subsequent implementation of a seven‑second delay to prevent future incidents.
In a 2019 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Jack Hall Ellis, 21, pleaded guilty to unlawfully killing his friend Luke O'Reilly, 20, in a drunken "one punch" assault on Halloween night 2017. Ellis admitted he was acting in drunkenness and anger, having consumed seven to ten double shots of Captain Morgan rum, and punched O'Reilly from behind as they left a pub. O'Reilly fell, hit his head, suffered traumatic brain injuries and died in hospital two weeks later. Ellis was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. The judge noted the unprovoked nature of the assault, Ellis's early guilty plea, lack of prior violent convictions, remorse, and supportive family as mitigating factors, while emphasizing the seriousness of one‑punch attacks and the need for deterrence. The sentence reflected the low‑middle range of offending for the offence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Karl McDonnell, 27, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after an incident at the Generator Hostel's toilet on 15 April 2018. The accused claimed the Swiss tourist had made advances, while the tourist alleged McDonnell followed him into a cubicle with his penis exposed and then punched him. Gardaí interviewed the tourist, who had bruises and two black eyes, and CCTV showed McDonnell leaving the toilet and looking at his fist. McDonnell denied the claim, saying he only reacted when the tourist "commented on his manhood" and tried to grab his penis. He expressed remorse but maintained the tourist had "made advances." The court noted McDonnell's 19 prior convictions and adjourned sentencing to 18 July to allow the prosecution to decide if the tourist would testify from Switzerland.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Pauline Codd sentenced 30‑year‑old Romanian national Constantin Bodgan Chirila to three and a half years' imprisonment for burglary, theft and possession of stolen property committed shortly after his arrival in Ireland in July 2016. The judge noted that Chirila had been involved in several offences within the first few months of his stay, including a burglary of an apartment at Clonmore Villas, Ballybough on 7 August 2016, for which he pleaded guilty. The sentence was back‑dated to 23 November 2017, when he was first placed in custody for another offence, and the final nine months were suspended. Chirila admitted breaking the front door lock and stealing €80 in cash, but denied taking a €400 laptop. He had seven prior convictions, most between August and October 2016, and had been in custody since November 2017.
In a High Court case, Mr Justice Michael White announced he would issue a written judgment on July 11 regarding a rape victim's request to waive her anonymity. The case involves a 41‑year‑old Wicklow man who was convicted last month of repeated sexual attacks on a child who was about nine at the time. He pleaded not guilty to four counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault between 1987 and 1989. Mr Justice White had imposed a seven‑year sentence and, at the trial, ordered that the identities of both parties remain unpublished at the DPP's request. The DPP now seeks to lift that order so the victim's name can be disclosed, while the defence argues there is no legal basis to remove the anonymity. The judge noted the seriousness of the issue and the need for a written decision, though he may be delayed by a busy docket.
An IT worker, Declan Costello, 40, was arrested after organisers of a family fun day reported him filming people suspiciously. Gardaí found non‑pornographic images on his phone and later discovered 176 images and three videos of child sexual abuse in his home. The material included children as young as three or four being abused and a child performing oral sex while a knife was held to their forehead. Costello pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography for a period between January 2013 and August 2014. He had no prior convictions and did not produce or share the material. Judge Martin Nolan, after reviewing forensic reports and noting Costello's cooperation, imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence suspended on conditions including two years' probation. The court highlighted that the offence was not a victimless crime and that the material was produced without aggravating circumstances. The sentence was therefore non‑custodial.
Emil Wyrebiak, aged 26 and resident in Ballinagh, Co Cavan, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis discovered in a vehicle at Ballyogan Avenue, Carrickmines on April 23, 2018. Gardaí stopped a blue BMW after noticing an expired tax disk and, on detecting a cannabis odour, recovered four plastic bags of the drug from the boot along with two bags of yellow pills, valued at approximately €36,000. A subsequent search of his former residence yielded tablets worth a further €7,500. The court heard that Wyrebiak had agreed to transport drugs following an altercation with a "connected man" at a Dublin nightclub, presenting him with limited options to resolve the matter. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a four-year sentence, suspended in full, having regard to mitigating factors including Wyrebiak's full cooperation with gardaí, admissions, and absence of previous convictions.
In December 2018, Bernard Kelly, aged 38, led Gardaí on a high‑speed chase that ended with his vehicle colliding with cars waiting to collect children from a school. Kelly, who was driving with his partner and their three‑month‑old child, claimed he continued driving to protect the infant and feared Gardaí would ram his car. He broke red lights, drove on the wrong side of the road, and entered a one‑way road. The chase was halted once he approached the school, but he was later arrested. Kelly pleaded guilty to endangerment and criminal damage to seven vehicles, including a car that was written off and a driver who suffered minor whiplash. He received a five‑and‑a‑half‑year jail sentence, with a four‑and‑a‑half‑year term for endangerment and a one‑year term for possession of stolen property, to be served consecutively. The court noted his 141 prior convictions and struggles with heroin addiction.
A man convicted of manslaughter in connection with a 2013 killing has been found guilty of criminal damage and production of a weapon at the Central Criminal Court. Quentin Monaghan, aged 25 and from Tullamoy, Stradbally, County Laois, received an eight-year sentence in 2015 with two years suspended for his role in the death of Jamie Lindsay, who was fatally shot during an altercation over drugs in Athy, County Kildare. The court heard uncertainty regarding the duration of the suspension period. Prosecutors sought clarification by requesting trial transcripts from the original sentencing. Monaghan faces a potential two-year custodial term if the offences occurred within the suspended sentence period. He is scheduled for sentencing at Limerick Circuit Court later in the year. The trial judge previously accepted Monaghan did not intend death or serious injury but characterised his conduct as reckless.
Ciaran Staunton, 29, of Auburn Park, Castleknock, pleaded guilty to handling proceeds of criminal conduct on 25 April 2017. Gardaí, acting on confidential information, obtained a warrant and searched his home. Staunton arrived in a Jeep and claimed a key to a VW Passat was in a third car, which he would present the next day. Gardaí found a key on his keyring that opened a utilities box outside the apartments, revealing a key to the Passat. The Passat was seized and a forensic search uncovered a hidden compartment where €70,500 in cash bundles were stored. A mobile phone was also found but could not be decrypted. Staunton said he had borrowed the money from an older man he described as "criminally inclined" and kept it to repay a debt. He claimed safety concerns for himself and his family.
A 20‑year‑old Wicklow man, Aiden Hargreaves, was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to consecutive terms of three years and two years for two separate knifepoint robbery offences. The first offence was an attempted robbery at Harbour Court, Dublin on 31 October 2018, and the second was a robbery at Carlingford Parade, Dublin on 29 January 2019. Hargreaves pleaded guilty to both. The final 15 months of the sentence were suspended on strict conditions. The court heard that in October 2018 Hargreaves approached a man who was rolling a cigarette, produced a knife, and the man fled after smashing a bottle. In January 2019, while on bail for the earlier offence, Hargreaves approached a Spanish national, produced a knife, and demanded the man's wallet and phone, which the man handed over. Hargreaves has 33 previous convictions, including burglary, theft, drug possession and failure to comply with a Garda direction.
Derek Heavey, aged 32, of Moeran Road, Walkinstown, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm and criminal damage following an incident on Ballyfermot Road on May 23, 2018. An off-duty garda sounded his horn at Heavey, who was operating a horse-drawn sulky on the wrong side of the road. Heavey subsequently attacked the garda, striking him through the car window, damaging the vehicle's wing mirror, and punching him in the face, resulting in a chipped tooth. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a two-year custodial sentence, fully suspended on condition Heavey maintain the peace and good behaviour for two years. The court ordered Heavey to pay €1,000 in compensation immediately and raise a further €1,000 within twelve months. The judge characterised the incident as "a gross act of petulance.
A 22-year-old man from Dublin's North Strand has received a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to drug offences at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Daryl Conroy was stopped by gardaí in Drumcondra on 9 December 2015, when officers discovered a quantity of cannabis and cocaine with an estimated street value of €10,628, along with drug paraphernalia and multiple mobile phones. A subsequent search of his home yielded €10,580 in cash. The court heard that Conroy was 19 at the time of the offence and had no previous convictions. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a four-year prison sentence but suspended it in full, conditional on Conroy keeping the peace for that period. The judge noted Conroy's employment history and role as a father, and considered a positive reference from Crumlin Youth Project submitted to the court.
Michael Corbett, 29, pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of a 17‑year‑old camper at the Hellfire Club on 27 June 2016. He had attacked several campers with a knife and struck one teenager with a piece of timber. While awaiting sentencing, Corbett assaulted psychiatric nurse Declan Curtin at the Central Mental Hospital on 6 October 2016. During an exercise session, he tried to strangle the nurse with a sock; Curtin escaped unharmed but now suffers flashbacks and heightened anxiety. Corbett pleaded guilty to assaulting Curtin. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a five‑year sentence, suspending the final two and a half years, and ordered 15 years of supervision under strict conditions, including residence approval, pre‑release planning, medication adherence, appointment attendance, and abstinence from illicit substances. The sentence was back‑dated to September 2018. Corbett's mental health, including paranoid schizophrenia and prior non‑compliance with medication, was noted by the court.
The High Court has adjourned a will dispute involving Fr Michael O'Leary and his siblings, Nora Harpur, Barry O'Leary, Tadgh O'Leary, Marie O'Leary, and John O'Leary. The plaintiffs seek to set aside the 2009 will of their late mother, alleging she was not of sound mind and was subject to undue influence. Fr O'Leary, who is on bail in New York facing alleged criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell and two counts of criminal use of drug paraphernalia, has not entered a plea. His American lawyer advised that the criminal charges are adjourned until early July and unlikely to be disposed of until October. While his bail does not currently prevent travel to Ireland, he could face a custodial sentence if convicted, which would bar him from travelling until served. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds adjourned the matter to inquire if a judge could be available in July before the summer vacation. The court noted that Fr O'Leary completed a rehabilitation programme and contacted his Irish lawyers. The plaintiffs expressed concern regarding his availability to give evidence, asking if video link testimony was possible. The claims against the defendants are denied.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Denis Kaczor Niecko, aged 30, was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment for handling stolen vehicles. He admitted to dealing with a stolen Audi A3 in Balscadden, Co. Dublin, between 9 and 22 February 2017, and a stolen Nissan Juke in Poppintree, Dublin 11, between 19 April and 11 May 2017. The judge, Melanie Greally, suspended the final 12 months of the sentence on strict conditions, citing a probation report that showed a willingness to cooperate. Niecko had raised €2,000 in compensation for the owners of the vehicles, but both owners refused the money; it was directed to the McVerry Trust. He was also found to have been involved in a jet‑ski sale to an undercover Garda, during which he fled in a van and crashed 200 metres up the road. The court noted his prior 23 convictions, his mental‑health difficulties, and his expressed remorse. Denis Kaczor Niecko pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Michael Reilly Senior (49) and his son Michael Reilly Junior (22) were sentenced for an assault on Martin Maughan. The incident, part of a feud, involved the Reillys attacking Maughan with a hammer and pick handle while his wife and five‑year‑old granddaughter witnessed. Reilly Senior also bit Maughan's ear and repeatedly rammed his jeep with his van. Both pleaded guilty to assault causing harm; Reilly Senior also pleaded guilty to endangerment. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a headline sentence of five and a half years for Reilly Senior on the endangerment charge and a three‑year sentence for Reilly Junior on assault. Mitigating factors cited included guilty pleas, remorse, and the defendants' tragic backgrounds. Maughan suffered bruising and soft‑tissue injuries; the child was uninjured but distressed. The court noted prior convictions and mental‑health issues for both defendants.