In March 2019 the Central Criminal Court heard that a 42‑year‑old foreign national had sexually abused his step‑daughter in the family home while her mother was working. He admitted three counts of defilement of a child under seventeen between March and June 2017, and later pleaded guilty to those. He was convicted by a jury of further charges: one count of oral rape, twelve counts of rape and three counts of defilement between 2011 and 2017, and a count of sexual exploitation in July 2017. The victim, aged 11 to 16 at the time of the offences, gave a victim impact statement describing financial hardship, self‑esteem problems, sleep loss and school difficulties. She said she had broken down when she heard the verdict and does not want to see the accused again. Mr Justice Michael White adjourned the sentencing until the following month.
In a six‑day trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 43‑year‑old man was convicted of three counts of sexual assault and nine counts of anal rape against his daughter, who was aged between seven and thirteen at the time of the offences. The abuse occurred at the man's parents' home, his own home and at a wake, and began in the summer before the girl's communion when the father first pushed his penis against her anal area. He later progressed to anal rape. The daughter, who could not recall how many times she was abused, gave evidence describing the abuse as "distraught" and "heartbreaking". Judge Tara Burns imposed a 15‑year sentence, suspending the final two years, and urged the defendant to consider expressing remorse. The case highlighted the father's alcohol dependency and the daughter's ongoing emotional distress. The defendant's defence counsel noted his past tragedies and substance use.
Shane Craig, 21, was caught in 2015 carrying over €140,000 worth of cocaine in a rucksack while homeless. Gardaí searched his residence and found drug paraphernalia. He pleaded guilty to possession of €142,761 worth of drugs at Foxhill Park, Donaghmede. In 2019 Judge Melanie Greally suspended a five‑year prison term in full, imposing strict conditions: engagement with the Probation Service for five years and random drug testing. The judge noted six Probation Service reports and a prior one‑year probation bond. Craig's probation officer confirmed he no longer used drugs and had made "extremely positive changes." Both Craig and his mother were homeless at the time, and the judge highlighted his vulnerability, addiction, drug debt and mental health problems. The suspended sentence reflects the judge's view that Craig's circumstances placed the case in the narrow category of a fully suspended sentence.
Patrick Stokes, aged 38, was convicted of robbing Claire Coulter's handbag on a footpath in Grangegorman Lower, Dublin, on 2 October 2018. The robbery involved three men; Stokes was one of them. Coulter was walking home when the men approached, one of whom grabbed her handbag, which contained €450, a mobile phone and house keys. The strap broke during the struggle, and Coulter screamed and chased the assailant toward Stoneybatter. Witnesses followed him and helped apprehend him. Stokes claimed he was not the one who took the bag, saying another man had taken it, but he later pleaded guilty to the robbery. He had 49 prior convictions and was serving a suspended sentence for burglary at the time. The court sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, to run consecutively with his current custodial sentence. The victim's impact statement expressed that she no longer feels safe walking home.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 25 March 2019, a 15‑year‑old male was sentenced for attempting to murder a 25‑year‑old woman he met on the Whisper social media app. The accused had lured the victim to Dun Laoghaire's water's edge, where he choked her and slashed her neck with a knife. The victim suffered a 10‑cm midline neck laceration that penetrated her trachea, along with injuries to her thumb and arm. She was taken to St Vincent's Hospital, placed in a medically‑induced coma, and underwent emergency surgery. The court heard a victim impact statement in which the woman described the assault, her injuries, and the lasting psychological effects. The judge adjourned the case to 12 April for psychiatric reports. The accused was accompanied by his parents and had previously been in therapy for depression and suicidal thoughts. The case was brought by Paul Burns SC. The court did not disclose the final sentence. The unnamed 15-year-old pleaded guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Bridget Haugh, mother of Karl Haugh, delivered a victim impact statement after her son was stabbed in the back by Robbie Walsh. Haugh, who had previously lost her daughter Stacey in a car crash, described the emotional toll of losing her children and the memory of her son's life. The court had earlier found Walsh, 23, not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter of Karl Haugh, 25, on a unanimous verdict. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis testified that Haugh died from a single stab wound puncturing his lung. The hearing also covered Walsh's prior convictions, his remorse, and the judge's decision to remand him in custody until sentencing on April 8. The judge expressed sympathy for the Haugh family and noted the profound loss they endured. Robbie Walsh was acquitted.
A 29‑year‑old man named Graham Taylor, who had a 40‑year driving disqualification and 121 prior convictions, was heard in a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court about a high‑speed chase that began on 19 June 2016 in Tallaght. The court considered three counts of endangerment and three counts of dangerous driving. Taylor, who denies the charges, was stopped at a traffic light at 12.30 pm on the junction of Brookfield and Cheeverstown Roads when a Volkswagen Passat, driven by Taylor, turned onto Brookfield Road. Garda David Jennings moved his vehicle to block the Passat, but it accelerated, prompting a pursuit. The chase lasted about two minutes, involved driving at 120 km/h in a 50 km/h zone, wrong‑way driving around roundabouts, and forcing other motorists onto the pavement. No collisions or injuries were reported.
Stephen Finn, aged 32, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for a series of burglaries at Trinity College and other locations in 2017. He had 115 prior convictions, including 21 burglaries, and was known for stealing to fund a drug habit. The court heard that Finn stole laptops from outside lecture halls, causing a student to fail an exam due to the loss. CCTV identified Finn, who evaded detection during the thefts. He pleaded guilty to burglary at two Trinity departments, the Central Hotel, and a business on Pearse Street. The judge noted the severe consequences for victims, Finn's remorse, efforts to address drug addiction, and his role as a father. Finn's sentence reflects the seriousness of the offences and his established pattern of theft.
Ian O'Connor, 29, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to ten years' imprisonment for two arsons. He pleaded guilty to setting fire to Tyrone Place, Inchicore on 18 September 2017, where a seven‑year‑old's hearing aid melted, and to a later arson at Ailesbury Road on 15 October 2017. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a twelve‑year term for the first arson, suspending the final two years on the condition of peace‑keeping and probation engagement, and a six‑year term for the second arson, to run concurrently. All sentences were back‑dated to 9 March 2018. O'Connor admitted pouring petrol into a letterbox and front door, claiming debt‑related pressure and that he believed the house was empty. He had prior convictions for drunk driving and was unmarried with one child.
In a Munster case, a 16‑year‑old pleaded guilty to five counts of oral rape and 44 counts of sexual assault against his eight‑year‑old half‑sister between September 2016 and January 2017. The abuse was discovered when the boy's mother entered the living room in January 2017 and found him touching his daughter's genitals. He was arrested and admitted removing her clothes, masturbating, and penetrating her vagina with fingers and placing his penis in her mouth, while denying vaginal penetration. A psychologist reported that the boy had moved out of his mother's house after the discovery and was now living with his father, but that the environment was unsuitable for treatment. The court heard that the boy was motivated for help but needed an emotionally supportive caregiver for two years. The mother expressed shock, horror, and grief, noting her daughter's nightmares and her own anger toward the boy.
A 19-year-old man from Strokestown, County Longford, has been sentenced to four years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for violent offences committed during an escape from Oberstown Children's Detention Campus in Lusk, County Dublin, on 29 May 2017. Michael Ward pleaded guilty to criminal damage, assault causing harm, and assault while attempting to commit theft. During the incident, Ward struck the campus director with a metal bar, causing bleeding, and caused extensive damage to the facility estimated at €17,135. He and other detainees barricaded themselves in an office, armed themselves with metal fixtures, and used an angle grinder to breach the campus perimeter fence. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed concurrent sentences of four years for assault and five years for criminal damage, suspending the final 12 months of both terms. She considered Ward's early guilty plea, efforts at rehabilitation, youth, and apology. Ward is currently serving an earlier four-year sentence, with 12 months suspended, for separate criminal damage offences at Oberstown.
Alan Hutch, 36, was jailed after breaking into the Offices of the Revenue Commissioners on 7 March 2018, stealing a mobile phone and assaulting Karl Higgins, who tried to stop him. Hutch entered the building through an unlocked door, walked to Higgins' office, took a white box containing the phone, and when Higgins confronted him, a scuffle ensued. Hutch punched Higgins several times, grabbed a steel pole and struck him in the neck or chest area. Two colleagues subdued Hutch until Gardaí arrived. Hutch was arrested, pleaded guilty to burglary and assault, and was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally to four years' imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions. The sentence was back‑dated to the date of the offence. Hutch has 73 prior convictions and has been in custody since his arrest. No victim impact report was filed.
A man has been convicted of murder following a fatal stabbing in Longford town centre. Rihards Lavickis, aged 26, with an address at Annaly Court in Longford, was found guilty by unanimous verdict at the Central Criminal Court on a charge of murdering Akadiusz Czajkowski outside Longford Shopping Centre on 1st November 2016. The jury deliberated for just over three hours. Lavickis had initially pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. This was his second trial for the offence, as a previous jury had failed to reach a verdict. Evidence presented showed that Lavickis pursued the deceased with a knife and stabbed him three times. A post-mortem examination determined that a single stab wound to the heart proved fatal. The court heard that tensions between the men stemmed from a drug debt and a series of incidents involving threats and property damage. Mr Justice Michael White imposed the mandatory life sentence. The victim's mother provided an impact statement describing the psychological devastation caused by her son's death.
A 55-year-old mechanic from Castleblayney, County Monaghan, has been convicted of IRA membership by the Special Criminal Court. James Joseph Cassidy of Tullycollive was found guilty of membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army on September 21, 2016. The three-judge court heard evidence that gardaí discovered a metal tube with drilled holes during a search of his property and adjoining lands. Detective Inspector William Hanrahan identified the item as a booster tube used in explosive devices, similar to one previously seized at Kilcurry. The prosecution argued that Cassidy's false denials to gardaí concerning the tube, combined with evidence of mobile phones and a USB key, demonstrated a pattern of behaviour consistent with IRA membership. Mr Justice Tony Hunt rejected the defendant's claim that others had access to the remote shed, stating the likelihood of someone else placing the device was "so remote and fanciful" as to be dismissed. Cassidy was remanded in custody pending sentencing on April 29.
Amir Essalhi (34), of Millbrook Avenue, Dublin 13, was sentenced in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to two car thefts committed in 2017. During the sentencing, Essalhi told Judge Melanie Greally that he turned to heroin to cope with the 2011 murder of his brother, Adil Essalhi, who was stabbed and burnt in west Dublin. Wayne Kinsella (46), formerly of the Plaza, Tyrellstown, was previously convicted of murdering Adil Essalhi and jailed for life. Essalhi stated that his addiction led to job loss and criminal activity, including a 2017 partially suspended sentence for six counts of robbery in Clondalkin, which was conditional on seeking drug treatment. His defence counsel, Gerardine Small BL, noted that Essalhi sought treatment but relapsed while awaiting placement. The court acknowledged the disturbing impact of his brother's murder and Essalhi's remorse. Judge Greally imposed concurrent sentences of 12 months and 21 months, to run from December when he went into custody.
Bernardus Jozef Scherrenberg, aged 47 and a cancer survivor, was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possession of cocaine for sale or supply. He was found transporting 49 kg of cocaine concealed in sand-filled tubs at the B&Q car park in Clondalkin on 6 December. Gardaí had followed a Peugeot to the site, intercepted the tubs, and discovered additional ones in Scherrenberg's Jeep. He attempted to flee, discarding his mobile phone, but was apprehended. The seized drugs were valued at €3,435,859. Scherrenberg had pleaded guilty, citing a €2,000 payment and his medical condition—stage 4 non‑Hodgkin's lymphoma remission after a stem‑cell transplant—as mitigating factors. Judge Patricia Ryan, noting his lack of prior convictions and foreign status, imposed the seven‑year term, backdated to his initial custody date. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the offence and the mitigating circumstances presented.
Nermana Gojak, 44, worked as a carer and housekeeper for a 90‑year‑old retired GP for ten years. She stole €41,380 from the GP's sale proceeds by withdrawing cash, using the victim's laser card and transferring money to the victim's current account. Gojak pleaded guilty to theft at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The victim, who had raised the money from a lifetime of hard work, gave a victim impact statement describing betrayal and financial insecurity. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Gojak to three years' imprisonment, suspending the final 12 months on strict conditions, including 12 months' engagement with the Probation Service. The sentence reflected Gojak's lack of prior convictions, cooperation, remorse and the fact that the money had not been repaid. The case was reported to Gardaí, who arrested Gojak in January 2018 after her admissions.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, John Gibson, aged 72, was found guilty of two indecent assault charges against a 12‑year‑old girl in 1983 and a 12‑year‑old boy in 1985 at a Christian Brothers' School in Co. Wexford. The trial, lasting five days, included testimony from the victims who described how Gibson molested them while washing them after manual work and later during showering or painting tasks. Gibson denied the charges but was convicted by a jury. The victims recounted the lasting impact of the abuse, including the man's loss of interest in sport, binge‑drinking, and eventual school dropout, and the woman's withdrawal, fear, and difficulty with intimacy. Gibson, now retired, lives under a structured community safety plan and is on the Sex Offenders' Register. The sentencing hearing was adjourned to 1 April for finalisation.
In a High Court hearing on 19 March 2019, Judge Senan Allen warned Martina Harty and Dermot Calvert that they faced imprisonment if they failed to vacate a semi‑detached house on Mossgrove Avenue, Caherdavin Heights, Limerick within two weeks. The property, in receivership, had been ordered by the court in April 2018 to be vacated, and a motion for committal to prison was brought by Gearoid Costelloe, the receiver appointed by IBRC. The judge noted that the couple had previously been given several deadlines to comply and that the house had been occupied by persons without the receiver's consent. Harty and Calvert, who represented themselves, gave sworn undertakings to leave the premises within the next fortnight. Judge Allen cautioned them that non‑compliance could result in contempt of court and possible imprisonment. The case was scheduled to return in early April.
The Special Criminal Court heard evidence in the ongoing trial of Michael Brady, 54, who has pleaded not guilty to all nine counts on the indictment. He is charged with possessing €1.5 million worth of cocaine, €1.26 million worth of heroin, an assault rifle, and more than 180 rounds of ammunition at a property in Sallins, Co Kildare, on January 24, 2017. Prosecution counsel stated that forensic evidence links the accused to the items and the address. During interviews, Brady told gardai that he and his brother, Declan Brady, lived separate lives and were like "chalk and cheese." Brady denied possessing the ammunition found in the house and stated he did not know about firearms found at a separate location. His brother, Declan Brady, 52, previously pleaded guilty to possessing 15 firearms and more than 4,000 rounds of ammunition at the same address on the day in question. Declan Brady is currently awaiting sentence. The court heard that gardai conducted a search of the property, finding drugs and a firearm under a bed. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Coffey, sitting with Judge Gerard Griffin and Judge David McHugh.
The Special Criminal Court heard evidence regarding a search at Sallins Bridge, Sallins, Co Kildare, on January 24, 2017. Michael Brady, 54, of Blackrock, Co Dublin, pleaded not guilty to nine counts, including alleged possession of €1.5 million worth of cocaine, €1.26 million worth of heroin, an assault rifle, and ammunition. Prosecution counsel Fiona Murphy SC alleged that gardaí failed to find these items during the initial search, which she described as a "very fast-moving operation." She stated that the property owner later discovered drugs and a firearm under a bed. The State's case is that forensic evidence links Mr Brady to the items. Earlier, the court ruled that Mr Brady's arrest and detention were lawful. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Coffey, sitting with Judges Gerard Griffin and David McHugh. Separately, Declan Brady, 52, of Celbridge, Co Kildare, pleaded guilty to possessing 15 firearms and over 4,000 rounds of ammunition at Greenogue Business Park on the same day. He is awaiting sentence. Jonathan Harding and James Walsh were previously sentenced to ten and nine years' imprisonment, respectively, for possessing a "lethal arsenal" of weapons at the same location.
A 38‑year‑old former general manager of the Dublin pub Four Dame Lane, Donna McGarry, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft for stealing almost €12,000 between 4 October and 6 November 2017. The court heard that McGarry was under severe financial pressure, had suffered a miscarriage, and was facing a potential repossession of her apartment. She admitted the thefts, transferred the €11,900 stolen to the victim's bank account, and promised to repay the money. McGarry had no prior convictions and was currently employed full‑time in hospitality. Judge Melanie Greally indicated an intention to impose a suspended sentence, citing exceptional circumstances and mitigating factors, and adjourned sentencing to 29 March to allow the transfer to complete. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
A 43‑year‑old man was convicted by a jury after a six‑day trial of three counts of sexual assault and nine counts of anal rape against his daughter, who was aged between seven and thirteen at the time of the offences. The abuse took place at the man's parents' home, his own home and at a wake. The victim said she could not remember how many times she was abused because it happened so often. She reported that the father would push his penis against her anal area and later progressed to anal rape, telling her he "loved" her and treating her as a favourite by buying her things her siblings did not receive. She complained to Gardaí in 2015, but the father denied the allegations, claiming she was lying and blaming him for a family issue. The court adjourned sentencing to 25 March to allow the judge to consider the matter.
In March 2019, Gamiya Muftau, aged 24, was sentenced to two years in prison for his role in a €360,000 money‑laundering scheme that stole funds from Maynooth University. The fraud began in summer 2015 when university staff paid a contractor, Rhatigans, into a fraudulent account after a phone call from someone claiming to be from the firm. The money was then transferred through 15 transactions to several accounts, one belonging to Muftau. He pleaded guilty to possessing €18,100 as proceeds of crime and was arrested in December 2016. Judge Melanie Greally accepted his guilty plea and cooperation, noting his poor judgment and low‑level involvement. She imposed a two‑year sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered 12 months of post‑release supervision focused on accommodation and education. Muftau has been in custody since November 2018.
In a Dublin incident, 18‑year‑old Dylan Lynch assaulted a teenage girl by repeatedly slamming a door into her head and setting her hair on fire. He filmed the attack and posted it on Snapchat. Lynch also attacked a passerby, a former Tallaght Hospital lab technician, with a broken vodka bottle, causing serious injuries. The technician received stitches, staples, and ear glue. Lynch, who lives in Avonbeg Gardens, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to both assaults at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Gardaí received complaints from the girl and her mother the next day. The court heard that the attacks influenced the technician's decision to move abroad. Judge Melanie Greally remanded Lynch in custody and postponed sentencing to a later hearing.
Rafal Winter, 37, admitted stealing more than €10,000 worth of lottery scratch cards from Spar, The Crescent and Mulhuddart shops between July and September 2017. He claimed jealousy after friends discussed pay rises prompted him to take up to 30 books of cards, win between €2,000 and €3,000, and cash the winnings at various shops. Winter voluntarily presented himself to Gardaí, stating he took two to four books a week and scratched them himself. He offered to resign and repay the shop, but the loss remains €10,567. He has no prior convictions in Ireland or Poland. The court noted his remorse, lack of wealth, and that he was the sole earner for his family. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to October to allow time for potential repayment arrangements. Rafal Winter pleaded guilty.
The murder trial of Rihards Lavickis, 26, continued at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Michael White. Lavickis, originally from Latvia, is charged with the murder of Akadiusz 'Arik' Czajkowski on 1st November 2016 at Rue Noyal Chatillon, Townspark, Longford. He has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. On the fourth day of the trial, the jury viewed CCTV footage showing the accused chasing the deceased while grasping a knife. Detective Sergeant Eric Godfrey testified that the footage depicted Lavickis running across the street with his right arm raised, holding an implement believed to be a knife. The jury also heard evidence regarding the previous convictions of both men; Lavickis had prior convictions for knife possession, dangerous driving, and drug supply, and had previously been sentenced to periods of imprisonment. Retired State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy testified that Czajkowski died from a single stab wound to the chest that penetrated his rib cage into his heart, causing fatal blood loss. She noted that both drugs and alcohol were present in the deceased's system. The trial continues.
Breda Cahill, owner of three convenience stores, gave a victim impact statement describing a "reign of terror" after her shops were robbed six times. She said she had to spend every minute in the shops to support staff and keep them safe. The statement was prepared for the sentencing of Brendan Payne, 36, who robbed one of her shops and was prevented from raiding another by Gardaí. Payne pleaded guilty to possession of a knife with intent to intimidate and to robbery. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a nine‑year prison sentence, suspending the last three years on the condition that Payne keep the peace, engage with Probation Services for 18 months, attend prison drug services and take up residential drug treatment. The sentence includes both offences and runs consecutively. Payne admitted he was tired of offending and had used drugs since age 12, citing his mother's alcoholism as a trigger.
Sam Maughan, 24, of Mount Brown, Dublin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing a Stanley blade with intent to incapacitate a person at the Criminal Courts of Justice on 15 August 2018. He was arrested after security staff at the entrance detected a suspicious item in his bag, which he later discarded into a bin. A garda alerted to the knife's presence approached Maughan in the foyer and asked him to leave, suspecting a breach of peace. Maughan admitted he had brought the knife to attack a man seeking bail, who had been arrested for assaulting his sister's friend. He has 77 prior convictions, including knife possession, assault, drug and public order offences. Judge Melanie Greally accepted his guilty plea, noted the effectiveness of the screening machines, and acknowledged his difficult upbringing and ongoing efforts to address addiction and risk factors. He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment.
Kevin Coughlan, aged 23, was sentenced to five years in prison for burglarising 17 occupied homes and stealing 13 cars, engagement rings, passports and other items between May 2016 and September 2017. He admitted stealing baby clothes, a baby's birth certificate and a marriage certificate during one burglary. Victims reported severe emotional distress, including sleeplessness and financial hardship, with a total economic loss exceeding €130,000. Judge Melanie Greally suspended the final two and a half years of the sentence on strict conditions, requiring Coughlan to engage with the Probation Service for 18 months and attend addiction counselling. He pleaded guilty, citing hunger, rent and a drug debt as motives, and expressed remorse in a letter to the court. The case was largely based on his admissions, with no violence reported during the burglaries. The judge noted his homelessness and drug addiction at the time of the offences.
The Special Criminal Court has heard that Michael Brady, 54, is the brother of Declan Brady, who was previously caught with 15 firearms and over 4,000 rounds of ammunition. Michael Brady, of Blackrock, Co Dublin, is currently on trial for allegedly possessing €1.5 million worth of cocaine, €1.26 million worth of heroin, an assault rifle, and more than 180 rounds of ammunition at a property in Sallins, Co Kildare, on January 24, 2017. He has pleaded not guilty to all nine counts on the indictment, including charges under Section 15A of the Misuse of Drugs Act and unlawful possession of a 7.62 x 39mm VZ 58 assault rifle and various ammunition. Prosecutors stated the Sallins property was under surveillance as part of a wider operation targeting Greenogue Business Park, where Declan Brady, Jonathan Harding, and James Walsh were arrested earlier that morning. Declan Brady pleaded guilty to possessing the firearms and ammunition at Greenogue and is awaiting sentence. Harding and Walsh were sentenced in January to ten and nine years' imprisonment, respectively, for possessing a "lethal arsenal." The trial has entered legal argument regarding the lawfulness of Michael Brady's arrest in Naas, where he allegedly provided a false name. The court is expected to rule on these issues on Friday before resuming the case.
Gregory Kelleher, 44, of Clondalkin, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of €1,675,000 worth of cannabis with intent to sell or supply. The drugs were found in a white van at the car park of Bottom of the Hill public house, Finglas, on 23 June 2015. Customs officials, acting on confidential information, had discovered a pallet of 83.7 kg of cannabis at a Finglas shipping company on 22 June 2015, which had been misdeclared as second‑hand clothes. Kelleher drove the van to the shipping company, loaded the drugs, and later abandoned the vehicle in Poppintree where Gardaí seized it. His fingerprints were found on a plastic bag containing duck tape, a knife, gloves and bin bags. He had eleven prior convictions, including criminal damage and intoxication in public. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to six years' imprisonment, back‑dating the term to 26 February 2015, the day he first entered custody.
In a High Court decision on 12 March 2019, Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly refused Declan "Whacker" Duffy's application to appeal his extradition to Northern Ireland, ruling that the issue of a "no‑deal Brexit" does not constitute a point of law of exceptional public importance. Duffy, aged 44, had been serving a life sentence for the 1992 murder of Sergeant Michael Newman and had been released on licence in March 2013. He was re‑arrested in December 2015 and sentenced in 2016 to six years for false imprisonment. The court found no evidence supporting the defence's claims that Brexit or the Good Friday Agreement posed a risk to the legal system. Consequently, the judge declined to grant an appeal, affirming the extradition order. The decision emphasised that the extradition case remained a routine legal matter rather than one of exceptional public significance.
Stephen Weafer, 32, was sentenced in April for assaulting two women in 2016. He head‑butted Rebecca Burke while queuing outside Greyhound Pub, Blanchardstown, and later kicked Rachel Burke in the face during a melee. CCTV captured the head‑butt; no footage showed the kick. Rebecca broke a finger after falling; Rachel's nose was broken and remains permanently damaged. Weafer pleaded guilty to assaulting both women. He had 49 prior convictions for traffic offences and was taking epilepsy medication, which his defence cited as a factor. He offered €3,000 as a token of remorse and wrote a letter apologising. Judge Karen O'Connor remanded him on bail until April 30 for sentencing. The case was prosecuted by John Berry BL.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 22‑year‑old Eoin McKinley pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after a confrontation at Weatherspoon's, Westend Retail Park, Blanchardstown, on 30 May 2016. McKinley, who was 19 at the time, had been drinking with a friend when he overheard a group of men criticizing the loudness of his friends. He threw a glass at the group's table, which shattered on a fence, and then struck the victim's face with another glass. The victim suffered a broken nose and a scar on his left eyebrow. He claimed a €1,000 financial loss from medical bills and lost wages. McKinley had no prior convictions and was intoxicated during the incident. The judge described the assault as a "very serious glassing" and ordered a community service report, with the matter adjourned to 25 June.
Warren Farrell, a 33‑year‑old Garda in Ballyfermot, was driving a marked patrol car when he struck 75‑year‑old Elizabeth Core on Fonthill Road South, Dublin, on 28 August 2014. He pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving causing death, but was convicted on an alternative charge of careless driving causing death. The jury found him guilty by majority verdict. Judge Cormac Quinn noted Farrell's speed was between 50 and 56 km/h, slightly above the 50 km/h limit, and that he failed to slow after seeing Core cross the road. Farrell claimed he expected her to stop, applied brakes, and tried to avoid her by moving onto the footpath, but a tyre burst prevented this. The judge deferred a nine‑month prison sentence under section 100 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, requiring Farrell to pay a €2,000 fine and €5,000 to the Irish Road Victims Association within four months.
The Special Criminal Court has adjourned the sentencing of Frank Murphy and Michael McDermott to April 1, remanding both men in custody. Murphy, 58, pleaded guilty in November 2018 to committing an act to impede the apprehension or prosecution of David Cullen, whom he allegedly believed was guilty of possessing a firearm. McDermott, 60, pleaded guilty to helping an unlawful organisation, identified as the IRA, murder Peter Butterly. The court heard evidence that Butterly was shot dead in a Meath car park in March 2013. David Cullen, who was originally charged with murder, pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of a semi-automatic pistol. His plea was accepted by the DPP, resulting in a nolle prosequi on the murder count. Cullen turned State's witness and was sentenced to seven years in prison, with three and a half years suspended, for the firearm possession. The court noted that four other men have already received life sentences for Butterly's murder. Neither Murphy nor McDermott has previous convictions. The judges, presiding over the non-jury court, indicated they will deliver their sentences on April 1.
Aaron Gilsenan, 38, a crack cocaine addict, was jailed for four years after a spree of robberies and attempted robberies in Dublin between December 2017 and March 2018. He used a knife to threaten staff at five convenience stores and filling stations, robbed a taxi driver of €40, and stole a total of €760. Gilsenan was identified on CCTV and used his own car to escape each time. He pleaded guilty to four robberies and two attempted robberies, admitting the crimes were driven by his addiction and the death of his daughter. He had 87 prior convictions, including 51 for road traffic offences. The court noted he was drug‑free at sentencing and had expressed genuine regret. The sentence was imposed by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with a suspended portion of 18 months, and he was also due for sentencing in Trim and Naas Circuit Courts for other pending cases.
Brian Walton, a 31‑year‑old Dublin musician, was found in possession of €21,423 worth of cannabis and cannabis resin at his home on 24 April 2017. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the offence of possessing cannabis. Garda Peter Lyons obtained a warrant to search Walton's address based on confidential information and seized three phones containing text messages advertising drug sales. Walton admitted selling cannabis to clear debts. He had no prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally, after considering his early guilty plea, cooperation, personal circumstances and lack of previous convictions, imposed a four‑year suspended sentence. The suspension is in full, with strict conditions including a nine‑month period of probation supervision. No custodial term was imposed. The case was adjourned to allow a probation report to be prepared. The court noted Walton's insight into the wider implications of his activities and his efforts to overcome a cannabis addiction.
Wendy Whitty, a businesswoman, was released from custody after apologising to the High Court and agreeing not to interfere with the receivership of eight properties owned by her and her husband, Scott Dyer, in County Wexford and County Cork. Whitty had previously been jailed for contempt of court after refusing to comply with orders to stop interfering with or collecting rent from the properties. She had given undertakings to the judge but later sent a letter challenging the court's jurisdiction and claiming the undertakings were made under duress, which the judge deemed a further contempt. After legal advice, Whitty apologized, promised cooperation with the receiver, and agreed to inform tenants that rent should be paid to the receiver. The judge accepted her undertaking and released her, warning that any further interference would have serious consequences. The receiver's actions against the couple will return to court next week.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Liam Black, aged 46, received a three‑year suspended sentence for trespass and theft after a 2015 incident where he shouted obscenities, smashed windows and brandished a golf club at his ex‑partner's home. The judge noted a significant change in his behaviour since his 2015 release from prison, where he had served five years for aiding cash van raiders and for possessing €70,000 of cocaine. Black had pleaded guilty to the 2015 trespass and theft, and had not attracted Garda attention since then. He had previously been sentenced to seven years for cocaine possession, with the final two years suspended, and had addressed his drug addiction and cared for his son and niece. The court deemed it not in the community's interest to return him to prison.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on March 8, 2019, Michael Donohue, aged 20, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm for an attack on his ex‑girlfriend on November 11, 2017. Donohue was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended on the condition that he keep the peace, behave well and engage with Probation Services for 12 months after release. The court described how Donohue ran toward the woman while she was walking with her sister, grabbed her around the head and neck, struck her head against a wall, kicked her in the stomach and head, dragged her by the hair, and pushed her sister to the ground when she tried to intervene. The victim's impact statement noted cuts to her legs, a lump on her head, ongoing panic attacks and reluctance to leave her house. Donohue had no prior convictions and had accepted responsibility for his "monstrous" actions, presenting himself to Gardaí.
A man convicted of assaulting his former partner on two occasions has been sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following a breach of a protection order. John Paul Gantley, aged 35 and residing in Dublin, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm committed in May 2017. He received a three-year custodial sentence, with the final twelve months suspended. Upon his release from prison in November, Gantley contacted his former partner by telephone and text message, threatening violence and demanding to see their daughter, contrary to a court-ordered contact prohibition. He later appeared at her workplace in an intoxicated state and made further threats. In February, he was sentenced to six months' imprisonment for breaching the protection order. At a subsequent hearing, the judge declined to activate the suspended portion of the original sentence, instead extending the suspension for a further two years with a renewed direction that Gantley have no contact with the injured party during that period.
Ross Outram, aged 28, was found guilty of murdering 90‑year‑old retired farmer Paddy Lyons, who was discovered dead in his own home. A jury of eight men and four women rejected Outram's claim that he struck Lyons in self‑defence after the pensioner, who had osteoporosis and only one arm, allegedly attacked him with a stick. The trial heard that Lyons' body lay slumped in his armchair, with blood smeared on his face and his penis exposed through his underpants. Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster testified that Lyons suffered multiple blows to his head and neck from a blunt weapon, with fractures of his hip joint, jawbone and ribs. Outram, who has 25 previous convictions including burglary and assault, was sentenced to life imprisonment, the mandatory term for murder, with the sentence back‑dated to the date he entered custody. The court noted that the jury had taken three hours and 29 minutes to reach a unanimous verdict. The unnamed 28-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Susan McNeill, 33, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing €1,352,798 worth of cannabis and cocaine in her apartment. She admitted allowing the drugs to be stored there and cooperating with Gardaí, who found almost 60,000 g of cannabis and over 2,100 g of cocaine. McNeill claimed she was pressured by a neighbour, who had a key to her flat, and that the drugs were kept in a place inaccessible to her 14‑year‑old son. She said she had received €3,000 and €2,000 in cash for the operation and expected a one‑off payment of €500‑1,000. McNeill also provided the code for an encrypted phone. The court adjourned sentencing to June 4 pending a probation report, with Judge Pauline Codd remanding her on continuing bail. The case highlights the alleged involvement of an unnamed man in the drug movement.
Damien O'Reilly, 38, pleaded guilty to burglary at Locks Restaurant and I Monelli in October 2017. While seeking work, he entered Locks, looked through staff lockers, and stole a phone and €20. A staff member caught him and he later surrendered the phone. At I Monelli he tried to book a family dinner but went behind the counter, was photographed by staff and arrested the next day. O'Reilly, a long‑time drug addict who had relapsed after a relationship ended, expressed remorse and regret. Judge Melanie Greally noted the similarity of the offences, his addiction history and lack of lasting victim harm, but also the confrontation with staff. She sentenced him to two‑and‑a‑half years, suspending the final 15 months for 18 months on strict conditions, including drug‑addiction treatment before release.
In March 2019, Kayleigh Byrne, a 26‑year‑old mother of two from Clondalkin, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for transporting nearly €200,000 worth of cannabis herb. She was arrested after a tip that a vehicle would be used to move drugs; 22 wrapped packages were found in the boot of the car on the M50. Byrne pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing the drugs for sale or supply on 3 September 2018. She had two prior convictions for minor road traffic offences. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted Byrne's fear of threats linked to a drug debt owed by her former partner, her role as a good mother, and her early guilty plea. The court suspended the final two and a half years of the sentence, backdating it to the time of her initial custody following the September arrest.
The High Court jailed businesswoman Wendy Whitty for contempt after she refused to comply with an injunction that barred her and her husband Scott Dyer from interfering with the receivership of several properties in Wexford and Cork. Whitty had previously undertaken not to impede the bank‑appointed receivers from collecting rents, not to present herself as the rent‑collector, not to communicate with tenants or enter the properties. She later rescinded these undertakings, claiming duress and intimidation, and the court found her to have clearly resiled from them. The judge committed her to Mountjoy prison until she purges her contempt. Dyer was unable to attend court due to illness, and the judge ordered a detailed medical report. The case was adjourned to the following week.
Charlie Magaharan, 25, of Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to Lorcan Travers, Peter Hardy, and Marcus Thomas at Custom House Quay on February 6, 2016. The incident occurred after the victims approached Magaharan and an accomplice, who were allegedly damaging a rental bike. CCTV footage played in court captured the assaults, during which the victims sustained injuries including a fractured cheekbone, dislocated shoulder, and fractured eye socket. Magaharan, who has 19 previous convictions, including a two-year suspended sentence for criminal damage in July 2013, accepted that a fight occurred and expressed remorse. The prosecution noted that the victims accepted a letter of apology and €1,000 compensation. Judge Melanie Greally placed Magaharan on a 12-month probation bond, ordering him to engage with Probation Services and undertake recommended courses. The matter was adjourned for a year.
Nicholas Keane, 41, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to ten counts of handling stolen vehicles and two charges of inducing another to purchase a stolen vehicle between 11 July 2016 and 25 October 2016. He admitted selling ten stolen cars on the "Donedeal" website for €88,795, receiving about €500 for each sale. Keane, who used the alias David O'Brien, met buyers in public areas around Dublin, handed over registration details and accepted cash payments. He claimed he was motivated by financial hardship and wanted to provide for his eight children. Keane apologized to victims, expressing guilt and offering to repay them if he won the lottery. Judge Melanie Greally ordered a probation report, remanded him in custody, and adjourned the case for finalisation on 28 May. The article reports that Keane's role was limited to selling the cars, not stealing them, and that he was not responsible for placing the adverts on the website.