In a Tipperary case, a 14‑year‑old teenager with a mild intellectual disability pleaded guilty in the Central Criminal Court to sexually assaulting his eight‑year‑old half‑brother on 4 December 2015. The accused, who now resides in a state‑run residential boys' home and is due to sit his Junior Cert, had previously lived with several foster families. The mother of the boys reported the incident to Gardaí after noticing suspicious behaviour in the shared bedroom; she described the younger son bent over a bed with the older son standing behind him. A victim impact statement from the now ten‑year‑old victim expressed anger and sleeplessness. The court noted the accused had completed about two‑thirds of an 18‑month treatment programme for aberrant sexual behaviour. Judge Patrick McCarthy ordered a further report upon completion of the treatment course in May and adjourned sentencing to 25 June.
A jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found Slawomir Gierlowski, 33, guilty of six counts of sexual assault, assault and false imprisonment against two women in Clondalkin over a four‑year period. The convictions relate to attacks in 2011 and 2015, when Gierlowski dragged the women to the ground, used a leather belt or duct tape, and sexually assaulted them. A third attack on 16 May 2016 involved a hunting knife; the victim was pulled backwards, cut three fingers, and escaped. DNA evidence linked Gierlowski to all three incidents, matching blood, semen and other trace material from the scenes. The jury deliberated over three additional charges from the 2016 attack, which will be considered tomorrow. The case remains at the jury stage for those further charges. The unnamed woman pleaded not guilty.
Edward Doherty, 65, of Belgard Heights, Tallaght, was convicted of fraudulently claiming nearly €40,000 in illness benefit between 2010 and 2016 while he was self‑employed. He had previously claimed legitimate benefits for sciatica but continued to submit monthly sick certificates after becoming self‑employed, without notifying authorities. Doherty pleaded guilty and admitted making false declarations to obtain the benefit. He had entered a repayment plan of €150 per month and had repaid €2,100 over the past 14 months. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court noted his cooperation, lack of prior convictions, and his status as a family and community man, but found the pattern of misbehaviour too serious for a non‑custodial sentence. He was sentenced to 14 months imprisonment.
A 52‑year‑old Dublin man, Brian Manning, pleaded guilty on 15 March 2017 to possessing 37 images and one video of child pornography accessed via the Kik Messenger instant‑messaging app. The images mainly showed pre‑teen girls in explicit sexual activity with adults. Canadian authorities alerted Irish Gardaí in February 2017 that the username "biman4377" was distributing child pornography on Kik. Garda Ronan Swan confirmed that two images were sent from an IP address registered to Manning. Manning voluntarily appeared at Crumlin Garda Station, admitted the offence, and cooperated fully. His Samsung S5 phone was seized and a forensic examination found the 37 photos and video. Manning claimed he had used Kik for less than a year, no longer used it, and had not intentionally downloaded or stored the material. He expressed remorse, stating he was in a "bad place" and that he had no sexual attraction to children.
Matthew Horan, 26, was sentenced in January to nine‑and‑a‑half years for possession of child pornography and coercing girls to send sexual images. The final two‑and‑a‑half years were suspended. Judge Martin Nolan, after a probation report, ordered that Horan not enrol in a computer programming course and that he enter a bond of good behaviour for two years, undergo two years of post‑release supervision and access all available services. The court heard that Horan used Skype, Snapchat, Instagram and Kik to exchange child porn and to coerce girls, including a nine‑year‑old, into sending graphic material. He threatened to post an 11‑year‑old's nude images if she did not comply. Horan pleaded guilty to multiple counts of sexual exploitation and child‑pornography possession, with no prior convictions. The judge described his sexual interest as unhealthy, insidious and debased, noting that Horan understood the harm yet continued his actions.
Conor O'Hora, 40, of Heather Walk, Portmarnock, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to harassing RTÉ newsreader Sharon Ní Bheoláin between 27 March 2013 and 7 January 2014 without lawful authority or excuse. He also pleaded guilty to knowingly possessing child pornography on a hard drive on 18 February 2014. His defence counsel, Pieter Le Vert BL, argued the plea was based on recklessness and requested time for a therapeutic report before sentencing. Judge Martin Nolan set the sentencing hearing for 16 May 2018, when full facts will be considered.
John Matthews, aged 38, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four and a half years imprisonment for 56 burglaries committed over a 16‑month period, 33 of which occurred while he was out on bail. The judge suspended an additional four and a half years on the condition that Matthews keep the peace for five years after release and attend drug treatment programmes. Matthews, from Desmond Avenue, Dun Laoghaire, had 124 previous convictions, 115 of them for burglary. Prosecutor Marie Torrens BL described how Matthews would knock on doors, check for occupants, then break in by smashing windows or door glass. Victims reported loss of jewellery, a wedding ring, Christmas presents, and €20 in loose change, and one elderly victim incurred €30 in window repair costs. Matthews pleaded guilty to sample counts of burglary between 19 January 2015 and 22 April 2016 at locations in south Dublin, including Rathfarnham and Dun Laoghaire.
Albert Redmond, 43, was sentenced to three years in prison for a series of thefts, including trespassing and stealing bank cards and cash. He admitted to entering a Dublin city centre office twice, taking a cheque worth almost €9,500, and depositing it into his own account before traveling to Blackpool. While on holiday, he claimed the money was stolen from him, which he said gave him some empathy for victims. Redmond also pleaded guilty to stealing €28 in cash at a Spar, €28 at a bank, and €9,479 at Permanent TSB, among other offences. He had 294 prior convictions, mainly for trespass, theft, and burglary. The judge, noting Redmond's lack of violence and his personal struggles, imposed a three‑year sentence, back‑dated to his June 2023 custody entry.
Noel Coleman, 36, a chronic heroin addict, was arrested after a CCTV‑recorded incident in which he waved two knives at Gardaí and threatened to stab them. He was approached by officers after a live bench warrant was issued for his arrest. When questioned, he became agitated, produced the knives, and shouted, "I'll fucking kill you." Garda Brian O'Reilly and a colleague sprayed pepper spray, but Coleman fled. Gardaí pursued him, and when he was told an armed unit was on the way, he replied, "They will have to fucking shoot me." He was eventually subdued by Tasers, threw the knives to the ground, and was taken into custody. Coleman had previously pleaded guilty to robbery on 17 May 2017 and to threatening to kill or cause serious harm to Garda O'Reilly on 20 May 2017. He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for these offences.
Sean Mooney, aged 26, was jailed for three and a half years after a prisoner pressured him into planning to fire a sawn‑off shotgun at a family home in Dublin. Two adults and four children, including a baby, were present when Mooney pointed the gun at the front door. CCTV footage showed him wearing black with his face covered; the weapon jammed and he walked away, later returning with the gun. A phone was thrown at the door, causing a bang, and Mooney fled. No shots were fired and no injuries occurred. Mooney claimed he was "casing" the area to find houses to burgle to pay a €5,000 gambling debt, but Garda Stephen Tierney said the footage contradicted this. Mooney had communicated with a prisoner in Mountjoy who instructed him to intimidate the occupants because of a grudge against a former resident. Sean Mooney pleaded guilty.
A jury has begun deliberating in the trial of Slawomir Gierlowski, a 33‑year‑old man from Drimnagh, Dublin, who is accused of carrying out violent sexual attacks on women in Dublin. Gierlowski denies all nine charges, which include false imprisonment, sexual assault and assault. He denies attacking and sexually assaulting women on dates in 2011 and 2015 at locations around Clondalkin in south Dublin, and also denies attacking a woman with a knife in 2016. One woman testified that on 16 May 2016 a man armed with a hunting knife attacked her on Knockmeenagh Lane, and she grabbed the blade to stop the attack, causing the knife to cut tendons in three of her fingers. Another woman said that on 3 September 2015 a man put a leather belt around her neck, knocked her to the ground, wrapped duct tape around her face and hands and sexually assaulted her.
Joseph Kiernan, aged 34, was deported from the Netherlands after serving a partially suspended three‑year robbery sentence. He was then jailed in Ireland for six years for a series of driving and drug offences. In November 2014 he pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a stolen Ford Mondeo and possession of €648 of cannabis near Dublin Airport. In January 2015 he pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a stolen BMW and dangerous driving around Gormanston, Meath. In May 2015 he pleaded guilty to possession of €3,566 of cannabis at a premises he shared with his partner on Gardiner Street, Dublin. The court imposed a four‑year sentence for the earlier drugs charge, consecutive to another four years for the later drugs offence, with the final two years suspended. Kiernan was banned from driving for 20 years. He had 55 prior convictions, including robbery, vehicle theft, burglaries and possession of stolen property.
In a High Court hearing on 21 March 2018, an Irish judge referred a case involving Artur Celmer to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) to determine whether mutual trust still exists between Poland and other EU Member States for extradition. Celmer, arrested in Ireland under a European Arrest Warrant, faces drug‑trafficking charges in Poland. The judge, Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly, cited recent Polish legislative changes that she said had "systematically damaged" the rule of law. A representative of the Polish Embassy in Dublin attended. Fair Trial Europe, an NGO, applied to join the proceedings as an amicus curiae to assist the CJEU with its questions, but counsel for the Minister for Justice argued the NGO's late application and lack of a unique perspective made its participation inappropriate. The judge promised to conclude all matters by the end of the week and to send the referral to the CJEU promptly.
During the trial of Slawomir Gierlowski, a 33‑year‑old man from Drimnagh, the prosecution presented DNA evidence as the central link between him and three violent sexual attacks on women in Clondalkin and Knockmeenagh Lane between 2011 and 2016. One victim recounted a 2016 assault where a man with a hunting knife threatened her throat and she cut his blade, leaving tendon injuries on her fingers. Another victim described a 2015 incident where a man wrapped a leather belt around her neck, knocked her to the ground, and used duct tape to restrain her before sexually assaulting her. The third victim reported a 2011 attack involving punches and sexual assault. The prosecution argued that DNA from Gierlowski's semen and blood was found at each scene, including on a jacket he owned and a Polish beer bottle near the 2016 site, and that cable ties linked to his van were found near the 2016 scene. Slawomir Gierlowski pleaded not guilty.
A 31‑year‑old man, who has 57 prior convictions but no previous sexual offences, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to eight charges of sexual assault against an 11‑year‑old boy in Cork between July 2011 and March 2012. The victim, now 18, was a child at risk who had previously attempted suicide and was in a care home when he confided in a friend. The man had become a friend of the boy's older brother, supplied the boy with alcohol, cigarettes and clothes, and eventually moved into the family home. Abuse involved mutual masturbation and the boy performing oral sex on the man. The boy reported that the man never threatened or used violence. The man was remanded in custody and sentencing is adjourned to 20 April. The victim's impact statement describes his confusion, vulnerability and gratitude for help received.
Stephen McCullagh, aged 38, fell through a skylight at a vehicle glass repair shop, sustaining arm injuries that nearly caused him to bleed to death. Blood trails led from the skylight to various offices and drawers he had rummaged through. Gardaí were alerted by Dublin Fire Brigade members, and medical staff forced shutters open and unlocked the building to reach him. McCullagh, who had previously been told he might have bled to death but survived due to air bubbles in his heart, pleaded guilty to criminal damage on 4 June 2017. He has 69 prior convictions, including burglaries, thefts, drug possession and traffic offences. In court, he showed scars and described numb fingers; counsel noted his physical punishment. Judge Martin Nolan accepted the near‑fatal incident, described McCullagh as a "sad case", and imposed a two‑year suspended sentence.
A man has been convicted of assaulting his brother and sister-in-law with a fire extinguisher during a family gathering in Dublin. David Fludgate (39) pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to causing them harm at a public house on Old Lucan Road, Palmerstown on 13 December 2015. The incident occurred during their father's 70th birthday party following a dispute about helium balloons. CCTV evidence showed Fludgate swinging the extinguisher twice at his brother, Noel Fludgate, and once at Tracy Fludgate, causing both to fall to the ground. Noel Fludgate sustained a head wound requiring seven staples, while his wife received treatment for injuries. Fludgate, who is currently residing at hostel accommodation on Longford Street Little, was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment. The judge noted the assaults were serious but reduced the headline sentence of four years due to his guilty plea and rehabilitation efforts.
Secora Kavanagh, 50, of North Great Charles Street, pleaded guilty to permitting the preparation of 178 g of heroin and 2 g of cocaine at her home on 11 March 2017. She had let her boyfriend's cousin stay at the flat while she was on holiday. The cousin had called her minutes before Gardaí arrived, telling her to move the drugs. Kavanagh told officers she had suspicions but had turned a blind eye. Garda Emmett Brannigan said the police obtained a search warrant after witnessing a drug transaction on the street. During the search officers found a bag of heroin and cocaine in a navy bag under the stairs, a tick list and other evidence. Kavanagh had no previous convictions. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a two‑year suspended sentence, suspended for two years.
The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court will hear closing speeches in the trial of Slawomir Gierlowski, a 33‑year‑old man from Drimnagh, who is accused of violent sexual attacks on three women between 2011 and 2016. Gierlowski denies all nine charges, which include false imprisonment, sexual assault and assault. The prosecution, led by Roisin Lacey SC, has presented evidence from the three alleged victims. One victim recounted an attack on 16 May 2016 when Gierlowski, armed with a hunting knife, threatened her on Knockmeenagh Lane and she forced the knife to cut her fingers. Another victim described an assault on 3 September 2015 in Clondalkin, where Gierlowski used a leather belt and duct tape before sexually assaulting her. The third victim reported being punched and sexually assaulted on 11 September 2011 in Clondalkin. Judge Pauline Codd informed the jury that closing speeches would be delivered next Tuesday, followed by a charge on Wednesday and the start of deliberations.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 16 March 2018, Darren Rowe (22) and Eoin Greene (23) pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after punching, kicking and knocking down a female wheelchair user, Mandy Kennedy, outside her home on 21 November 2017. The judge, Karen O'Connor, described the attack as gratuitous violence against a vulnerable person and said the men acted out of a misplaced sense of loyalty to each other amid a dispute with Kennedy's son. Kennedy, who became a wheelchair user after a spinal injury, suffered a fractured eye socket and ongoing psychological distress. O'Connor noted both men's drug addictions and past convictions—Rowe 26, Greene 34—and sentenced Rowe to 3½ years with 12 months suspended, and Greene to 2½ years in prison. The judge urged them to choose rehabilitation over further prison time.
James Farrell, 35, of Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbing a Spar shop in Chapelizod on 24 March 2017, to unlawful possession of a knife during that robbery, and to the unauthorised taking of a car. He had 67 prior convictions, including robbery and burglary. Farrell brandished a silver steak knife, held it to a shop assistant's throat, demanded the till be opened, and received €175 before leaving. Gardaí identified him from CCTV, and the car he used was later found abandoned and previously stolen. He was arrested that same day. Judge Patrick Quinn sentenced Farrell to three years' imprisonment, suspending the final two years on condition of attending probation appointments, completing a drug programme, and refraining from illicit drugs. The sentence was back‑dated to 27 March of the previous year.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 16 March 2018, Eoghan O'Connell, a 29‑year‑old former cancer survivor from Dargle Heights, Bray, was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment for attempting to murder a man in his driveway on 8 April 2016. O'Connell fired a shotgun twice at the victim, a father of three in his late 30s, as the man left his home to go to work. Both shots misfired because the cartridges were damp, and the victim survived. The court noted that O'Connell had 65 prior convictions, including rape and assault, and that the victim had known him since childhood. The judge described the evidence as extremely strong, citing DNA and spent cartridges, and acknowledged the victim's family had moved away and suffered trauma. O'Connell's guilty plea led the judge to impose a 12‑year term, back‑dated to 2 May 2016.
A 26‑year‑old man from North Strand Road, Dublin, was sentenced to one year in prison for his part in a taxi hijacking that took place on 28 August 2017 in Cabra. Daniel Barry pleaded guilty to unlawful seizure of a vehicle at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He was not considered the "prime mover" of the offence, having been cooperative after arrest and making admissions. Barry was involved in the hijacking after a co‑accused threatened the taxi driver with a knife and forced the driver to drive away. Barry entered the hijacked taxi as the accomplice drove off and tried to evade Gardaí. He was arrested after being chased to Aylward Green. The judge imposed a three‑year sentence, suspending the final two years, and noted Barry's good behaviour and steps toward reform while in custody. The taxi driver did not give a victim impact statement.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Besnik Vucaj, a 49‑year‑old former Albanian refugee, pleaded guilty to five counts of deception for inducing the Department of Social Protection to pay rent supplements and three counts for inducing it to pay carer's allowance. He had purchased two Italian identity cards from a resident at his former address and used them while working for a Dublin construction firm. Between June 2012 and March 2016, Vucaj claimed over €51,000 in rent supplements and carer's allowance under false identities. Garda Thomas Burke explained that Vucaj would need more than 31 years to repay the debt if he set aside €30 a week from his wages. He had repaid €1,680 to date and offered to repay €100 a week. Judge Pauline Codd adjourned sentencing to gather evidence of his financial pressures and current earnings, ordering probation and community service reports and returning the case for finalisation in May.
Sean Walsh, 51, of St John's Well, Fair Hill, Co Cork, was found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of membership in the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and sentenced to three and a half years in prison, backdated to his arrest on 14 December 2016. The court heard that in November and December 2016 Walsh met with three other men at a house on Old Commons Road, Blackrock, where a fourth man was shot dead on 7 December. Gardaí searched the house's attic and found a bag containing two firearms, 14 rounds of ammunition, latex gloves and a black woolly hat that matched Walsh's DNA. Later that evening, Walsh was found in a house in Cobh with two other men, carrying a sawn‑off shotgun, a Walther pistol and loose ammunition.
Daniel Kane, 29, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to assaulting John Roche on 9 June 2015, causing him harm, and to falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne on the same day. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Patricia Ryan and Ann Ryan, remanded Kane in custody until 18 April, when sentencing will occur.
Steven McGinty, a 46‑year‑old former nurse from Cherry Garth, Swords, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of 260 images and four video files of child pornography and to distributing such material within the State between August 2006 and October 2013. Gardaí found the material on his laptop, which had been stored at his home on 24 October 2013. McGinty voluntarily provided his computer passwords and directed officers to the storage location. Judge Karen O'Connor noted the relatively small volume of material, the absence of commercial activity, and McGinty's cooperation, including his attempts to seek rehabilitation. She also cited the long period over which the offences were committed and the impact on vulnerable children as aggravating factors. The judge imposed a four‑year jail sentence, fully suspended, with the sentence effectively suspended for the period of the sentence.
Raymond Stewart, 31, was sentenced to four years in prison by the Central Criminal Court for threatening to rape and kill a woman he met in a Galway nightclub. On 18 July 2016, Stewart followed the woman from his house, repeatedly kicking and pushing her, and in a laneway threw her to the ground while telling her he would rape and kill her. He also shouted that she was "not worth raping." The woman, who had been told friends would be at Stewart's house, fled the scene after a house‑mate intervened. Stewart pleaded guilty to the threat to kill and sexual assault. He had nine prior convictions and was already serving a two‑year sentence for a separate assault. The court imposed concurrent sentences totalling four years, giving credit for time already spent in custody. The victim's impact statement described lasting distress, nightmares, migraines and a withdrawal from social activities.
Paul Callaghan, aged 32, was sentenced to four months' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 20‑year‑old student on Dublin Bus No. 75 between Dun Laoghaire and Nutgrove on 16 December 2016. The victim witnessed Callaghan masturbating and then, after sitting beside her, stroking her thigh. He shouted "Don't be scared" and later claimed to be "eight" when asked his age. Callaghan, who has 18 prior convictions including 14 public‑order offences, pleaded guilty. Judge Martin Nolan described the offence as a "shocking experience" and imposed a two‑year custodial sentence, suspending the final 20 months and ordering 12 months' post‑release probation. The court noted Callaghan's schizophrenia, his intoxication at the time of the offence, and his previous arrests under the Mental Health Act. The bus driver had called Gardaí, leading to Callaghan's arrest shortly after he disembarked. The prosecution and defence both highlighted his medication regime and family background.
Paul Carew, a 41‑year‑old Dublin man, was sentenced to eight years in prison for three money‑laundering offences involving over €600,000. On 27 August 2016 he was caught transporting €191,160 of criminal proceeds in a van at Liffey Valley Shopping Centre; two months earlier, on 24 June 2016, he was arrested at Dublin Auto Prestige Car Wash after placing a €350,000 cash box into a van. Carew had previously received a suspended sentence in 2014 for possessing almost €68,000 of criminal proceeds. He pleaded guilty to all three charges. Judge Martin Nolan, hearing the case at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, noted Carew's "blameless life" before his first offence and his willingness to reform, and set the sentence at eight years, back‑dated to 24 June 2017. The court heard that the money largely came from drug dealing and that Carew was described by Gardaí as a "trusted" courier within an organised crime cartel.
William Brennan, aged 34, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two and a half years' imprisonment for laundering €250,000 for criminals via Western Union. Brennan first used his own passport to transfer cash to Pakistan, but later received fake identification to continue the transactions. He pleaded guilty to five counts of possessing property that was the proceeds of criminal conduct at various north Dublin locations between September 2013 and December 2014, and to possessing a false driving licence on 31 October 2014. Brennan had no prior convictions. Gardaí began investigating 87 Western Union transactions after confidential information was received; CCTV footage showed Brennan using his own ID and later false documents. The court noted that Brennan was pressured to continue after receiving fake IDs and that he was unlikely to appear again in court.
Prince Ajibola, a 50‑year‑old father of four from Castlegate Place, Adamstown, Lucan, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing a child‑pornography clip that showed a child under five being raped. The clip, sent to his phone via WhatsApp on 20 July 2016, was discovered when his two mobile phones were seized after his arrest at Dublin Airport on 1 September 2016. Ajibola admitted he had only viewed the clip once, then shut it down, and claimed he had forgotten it was on his phone. He denied forwarding it to anyone. The judge, citing his early guilty plea, remorse and cooperation, imposed a one‑year suspended sentence and ordered that he be entered on the sex offenders register. The sender of the clip has pleaded guilty to distribution and will be sentenced next month.
A 20‑year‑old bioscience student, Dayo Awosanya, received a three‑year suspended sentence after his mother discovered nearly €19,000 worth of cannabis in his wardrobe. She called Garda Alan Barry, who had never seen a drug bust in such circumstances. Awosanya pleaded guilty to possession on 12 June 2017 and had no prior convictions. He claimed he was holding the drugs for a friend and was to be paid, and that he had underestimated the value, thinking it was worth about €1,000. He admitted spending €50 a week on cannabis for personal use and said he had started using it recreationally to cope with his mother's cancer diagnosis. Garda Barry and the prosecution agreed he had cooperated fully and expressed remorse. Judge Martin Nolan praised his mother's courage, noted Awosanya's clean record, early guilty plea, cooperation, and good career prospects, and therefore suspended the sentence for three years.
A 19‑year‑old from Louth, Lee Smyth, was sentenced to four years in prison for violently hijacking a taxi and assaulting its driver, Eric Byrne, on O'Connell Street in Dublin. Smyth, who admitted he was heavily intoxicated on tablets and could not fully recall the incident, said he only wanted to get home to Drogheda. He and a co‑accused seized the vehicle, attempted to take the keys, and then attacked Byrne, who fled and called the police. The car was later found burnt out in Drogheda. Smyth pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and unlawful seizure of a vehicle. He had 29 prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan suspended the final 18 months of the sentence on strict conditions, noting Smyth's cooperation and willingness to reform. The case was prosecuted by Elva Duffy BL and defended by Grainne O'Neill BL. The court acknowledged Smyth's efforts in prison to change his behaviour.
A 22‑year‑old Dublin man, Karl Proudfoot, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for a series of violent offences. He pleaded guilty to slashing a drug addict on the back of the head with a Stanley knife on Arran Street East on 16 June 2017, an act captured on CCTV that showed him striking the victim "out of the blue." Proudfoot also admitted to two phone‑robberies: one at Fingal Place on 17 June 2017, where he left the victim with a nasal fracture and facial bruising, and another at Phoenix Park on 24 June 2017, where he beat a Moldovan woman and stole her phone. The court noted the assaults were "extremely nasty and senseless" and that Proudfoot had never been in custody before. Judge Martin Nolan, after considering the young man's age, remorse and lack of prior convictions, imposed the sentence, warning it could have been longer without those mitigating factors.
Dylan O'Flanagan, 23, was jailed for 16 months after he threw a burning pint glass of petrol into a neighbour's garden during a barbecue. He had arrived drunk, complained about food, and left the event feeling offended. Returning home, he poured a bottle and can of alcohol over the fence and threatened to beat people. He later returned to the neighbour's house with a pint glass filled to the brim and a box of matches, striking a match to ignite the petrol. The fire damaged the wooden decking. O'Flanagan suffered burns that required four days in hospital. He pleaded guilty to damaging by fire. The judge described his conduct as petulant and aggressive, imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with 14 months suspended, and ordered probation supervision. The neighbour's partner was terrified when the decking caught fire, as an 11‑month‑old child slept upstairs. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Nicholas Smyth, aged 37, worked as a payroll clerk for Fairline Fashion until his resignation in October 2015. During his tenure, he diverted over €27,000 by depositing the wages of former staff members into his personal bank account. An annual audit later revealed that the company continued to pay two women after they had left, and their wages, along with Smyth's, were all lodged into the same account. Garda William Kavanagh confirmed the theft was easily detected and Smyth was arrested. He pleaded guilty to nine charges of theft covering October 2014 to September 2015. In Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three‑year suspended sentence, noting Smyth's prior convictions and the unsophisticated nature of the offence. Smyth admitted the money was used to support his family, who were in financial hardship, and expressed genuine remorse. The company was compensated through insurance. Smyth has since lost his job and is seeking new employment.
A Dublin man, Pat Gillespie, aged 48, was sentenced to 18 months in jail for holding over £100,000 for criminals to settle an old drug debt. Gillespie admitted to a €5,000 debt from his own cocaine use, which had risen from an initial €2,000. Gardaí searched his home after a tip, expecting drugs, but found £104,815 vacuum‑packed in a suit carrier. They examined his phone and accepted his explanation that he did not own the cash. Gillespie pleaded guilty to possession of the proceeds of crime at his Cherry Orchard Crescent home on 28 October 2016. He has ten prior convictions, mainly traffic offences. The judge, Martin Nolan, imposed the custodial sentence, noting the seriousness of the offence and the potential impact on his family. Gillespie is a full‑time carer for his son and expressed remorse, claiming the arrangement was a way to escape his debt.
During the trial of Slawomir Gierlowski, 33, the court heard that his fingerprints were found on duct tape left at a 2016 crime scene in Knockmeenagh Lane. Detective Garda Conor Kiely explained that he had developed three marks from the grey masking tape and matched two of them to Gierlowski's left forefinger and right ring finger using the national database. Gierlowski denies the charges of false imprisonment, sexual assault and assault of three women in 2011, 2015 and 2016. He has pleaded not guilty to nine charges. The trial also heard testimony from the three alleged victims: one was attacked with a hunting knife in May 2016, another was strangled and taped in September 2015, and the third was punched and assaulted in September 2011. The case is before Judge Pauline Codd and an eleven‑man jury.
David Radford, aged 21, was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to three and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 15 months suspended, for assaulting a 14‑year‑old girl on 5 and 6 September 2017. Radford had previously been jailed for two and a half years in November 2015 for sexually assaulting a teenage girl, and he has three earlier convictions for sexual assault of women dating back to 2010. The court found that Radford attacked the girl for no apparent reason, noting a "propensity towards violence". Radford pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing the girl harm at Washington Lane, Rathfarnham. He was described as effectively homeless at the time, with difficulties in literacy, numeracy and drug use. The sentencing followed the court's statement that Radford had no welcome in his family's home and had been involved in repeated violent incidents.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, on the tenth day of trial, the prosecution presented transcripts of Garda interviews with Slawomir Gierlowski, aged 33, who denies three alleged attacks on women in 2011, 2015 and 2016 around Clondalkin. The first interview, held on 1 June 2016, covered a May 2016 incident where a man with a hunting knife attacked a woman on Knockmeenagh Lane; Gierlowski claimed he was simply driving and had no knowledge of the event. He was questioned about a jacket found in his house that had victim DNA, and he could not explain its presence. Subsequent interviews addressed a 2015 assault involving a belt and duct tape, and a 2011 attack where a woman was punched and sexually assaulted; in each case Gierlowski denied any involvement, stating he would never assault a man or a woman. Slawomir Gierlowski pleaded not guilty.
Gavin O'Reilly, 36, was given a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence after he drove a jeep in front of John and Amanda Martin's car, stopped, took an axe from the vehicle and swung it over the Martins' heads, threatening to kill them. O'Reilly had previously been in a relationship with the Martins' daughter and had two children with her. He pleaded guilty to threatening to kill Mr. Martin in Deansgrange on 13 February 2017. He had one prior conviction for possession of drugs. The court heard that the Martins were left traumatised, with their wife losing confidence in going out alone and their daughter experiencing anxiety at school. O'Reilly's actions were described as reprehensible and unjustified, and the judge suspended the custodial term on the condition that he does not contact the Martins.
Robert Bayly, a former Leeds United and Republic of Ireland youth team footballer, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after he was caught transporting almost €200,000 worth of cannabis. Bayly, aged 30, admitted to possessing the drugs for sale or supply at Cherry Orchard Drive, Ballyfermot, on 12 May 2017. Gardaí stopped his Nissan Almera and found a strong smell of cannabis; Bayly confirmed there was "weed in the boot" before officers discovered ten small packages with an estimated street value of €194,284. He claimed he agreed to transport the drugs to reduce a €6,500 gambling debt, citing fear for his life, his daughter and girlfriend. The court noted Bayly had no prior convictions and was described by his barrister as a "child prodigy" who fell into gambling after moving to Leeds at 14. Robert Bayly pleaded guilty.
Dessie O'Hare, aged 61 and resident of Slate Rock Road, Newtownhamilton, County Armagh, will be tried at the Special Criminal Court on 22 March 2018. He faces charges of assaulting John Roche, causing him harm, and committing violent disorder at The Towers, Garter Lane, Saggart, County Dublin, as well as threatening to use unlawful violence. O'Hare is also charged with three counts of false imprisonment involving Martin Byrne, Lisa Byrne and Brandon Byrne, and with threatening to kill or seriously harm Martin Byrne. All alleged offences date from 9 June 2015. He is currently on bail.
A 31‑year‑old man was jailed for three and a half years for raping a woman he was dating. The Central Criminal Court heard that the woman had told him she was not interested in sex without a condom, but he penetrated her after she told him he was raping her. In her victim impact statement she said the rape had "destroyed her spirit" and that she slept with a knife under her pillow for a time afterwards, describing the event as having "effected every branch of my life in a profound way". The man, whose identity is withheld to protect the woman, was convicted by a jury of raping her at her Dublin apartment on 23 November 2014. Mr Justice Paul Butler, who has dealt with rape cases for 18 years, said the case fell into one of the lowest categories he had seen, noting that the only clear rule was no unprotected sex, which was ignored.
Michael Kelly, 55, a regular customer of Rush Post Office, attempted to rob the shop on 24 September 2016. After asking for a bag and offering to pay, he returned minutes later with a note threatening the cashier and demanding money in the bag or death. He also told the staff not to alert the Gardaí. The cashier refused, threatened to press the panic alarm, and Kelly left without taking anything. The incident was captured on CCTV and Kelly was arrested about five months later. He pleaded guilty to attempted robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He has seven prior minor convictions and had not been in Garda attention since 2004. He claimed the act was a "moment of madness" and was drunk, though he had been sober for ten years before relapsing. The judge, recognising his long history of alcohol abuse but also his rehabilitation efforts, imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence.
A 55‑year‑old Galway man was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for two counts of rape and anal rape of his daughter between 2000 and 2002, and for sexually assaulting her from 1995 to 2002 when she was aged 11 to 18. The judge, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, said the sentences would run concurrently and that the man would be registered as a sex offender and supervised by the Probation Service for five years after release. The 32‑year‑old victim read a victim impact statement describing the father's abusive behaviour, his alcohol use, and the emotional and physical harm she endured. The defendant pleaded guilty, claimed remorse, and was noted to have a prior minor traffic offence. The judge described the crimes as "despicable" and a gross breach of his paternal role.
Michael Rooney Dignam, a 37‑year‑old Dublin resident, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for robbing three shops over four days in May 2017. He pleaded guilty to stealing €1,200 from Spar, €662 from a Londis shop, and €1,135 from Centra, each time entering with a blood‑filled syringe, threatening staff and demanding money from the tills. Gardaí identified him from CCTV footage. Rooney Dignam had 15 prior robbery convictions and a conviction for his brother's manslaughter in 1999. He has a long history of drug addiction, reportedly since age ten, and has spent much time in jail, described as "largely institutionalised." The court noted his early guilty pleas and the fact that he was on bail when committing the last two robberies, requiring consecutive sentences. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a six‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended, acknowledging his troubled upbringing and repeated re‑offending.
A 43‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to one year in jail for sexually assaulting a 12‑year‑old girl who was a friend of his stepdaughter during a sleepover at his home. The assault occurred on 14 February 2015 when the girl was asleep beside his daughter's bed. The man placed his hand under the girl's top while she slept and attempted to get under her sports bra. He was found guilty by a jury in a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial in November 2014. Judge Cormac Quinn noted the offence was a serious breach of trust and imposed a one‑year term, citing the maximum penalty of 14 years for child sexual assault. The sentence was not suspended. The victim, now 15, described the lasting impact on her life, including fear, loss of friends, and panic attacks, and expressed uncertainty about the man's motives.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, the trial of 33‑year‑old Slawomir Gierlowski, accused of attacking three women in 2011, 2015 and 2016, presented DNA evidence linking him to the victims. Dr David Casey of the Forensic Science Laboratory examined a blood‑stained jacket taken from Gierlowski's home, finding a DNA profile that matched the third victim. A DNA sample from a beer bottle found at the 2016 scene also matched Gierlowski. In the 2015 assault, DNA from a belt and the victim's underwear matched Gierlowski's profile. DNA from the underwear of a 2011 victim also matched his profile. Gierlowski denies the attacks and has pleaded not guilty to nine charges, including false imprisonment, sexual assault and assault. The trial continues before Judge Pauline Codd and an eleven‑man jury.