A 17‑year‑old Dublin teenager pleaded guilty to a series of violent offences, including assaulting street magician Mark Beltran, stabbing Waterford resident Gavin Keoghan, and robbing a 16‑year‑old's phone. He also admitted to assaulting a homeless man, Martin Goth, and participating in violent disorder at Smithfield Square. The court heard that the attacks followed the theft of a stolen amp from Beltran's street performance. The teenager was sentenced to three years' detention by Judge Martin Nolan, who noted his early guilty plea, young age and rehabilitation efforts. The sentence was imposed despite the absence of victim impact statements in the cases involving Goth and Keoghan. The judge highlighted the teenager's lack of further offences since the convictions. The case involved co‑accused Luke Byrne, who received nine and a half years' imprisonment for a separate attack and robberies. The court also considered the teenager's drug use and subsequent counselling.
Modh Nordin Bin Modh Hassan, a 31‑year‑old Malaysian elevator technician, was sentenced to three years in prison for transporting 11 kg of cannabis worth €224,000 into Ireland. He admitted to the offence after claiming that threats against his wife had compelled him to act. Hassan told Gardaí that a friend he met in Spain had given him the drugs and instructed him to bring them to Ireland, and that he had not been in financial difficulty. He had no prior convictions and had only recently obtained a passport. The court accepted his early guilty plea, full cooperation, and the fact that he was a foreign national with no previous record. The sentence was back‑dated to the date he entered custody in September 2017. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court by Judge Martin Nolan, with Dominic McGinn SC defending Hassan and Tony McGillicuddy BL prosecuting.
Ibrahim Ahmed Gharib, 39, an illegal immigrant, was convicted of raping a 27‑year‑old foreign student in his Carlow home after following her from a shared bus. The victim, who had been sexually assaulted by Gharib on the bus, was taken to his house where he threatened to kill her if she did not remain silent. A jury found him guilty on all charges after a three‑week Central Criminal Court trial. Justice Isobel Kennedy sentenced him to ten years' imprisonment, reducing the initial twelve‑year recommendation due to his lack of relevant prior convictions and his non‑national status. Gharib denied all allegations, claiming the sex was consensual, and maintains his innocence. The victim expressed profound fear and loss of trust following the assault. No further legal actions were reported in the article.
Thomas O'Driscoll, 35, was arrested after a Garda saw him walking down a city centre street with a stolen mountain bike still locked to a railing. The bike was later identified as stolen property. O'Driscoll, who has 193 convictions, pleaded guilty to possessing the stolen bike, to stealing €1,300 worth of clothing from Urban Outfitters, to possessing a stolen ladies coat, and to trespassing and theft at a holiday apartment letting office in Temple Bar. He was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail, backdated to September of the previous year when he entered custody. The judge noted his prolific shoplifting record. Garda Carl Bolger reported CCTV footage of O'Driscoll taking clothes, and he was later found with a stolen coat from Marks and Spencer. O'Driscoll's defence highlighted his troubled background, drug addiction, and attempts at rehabilitation. The court also noted his father's murder when he was 11, his early school leaving, and his ongoing methadone programme in custody.
Kevin Malone, aged 32, was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment for his role in a violent disorder incident at Tallaght Hospital on 18 September 2016. The incident involved a dispute over a stolen phone, during which Malone and two other men attacked a victim who was found lying on the ground with blood seeping from his head. CCTV footage captured the attackers arriving in a BMW, removing a wooden pole from a track suit, and striking the victim. Malone was described by the judge as "the lesser of those involved" and was found to have punched the victim once and kicked him four times. The sentence was back‑dated to the date of his initial arrest in September 2016. The other two attackers were not present at sentencing; one was awaiting trial and the other was not named in the article. The victim did not provide a victim impact statement, and details of his injuries were not disclosed in court. Kevin Malone pleaded guilty.
A 29‑year‑old man, Eoghan O'Connell, was sentenced for attempting to murder a Wicklow man in front of his wife and children. On 8 April 2016, O'Connell tried to shoot the victim twice as he left the family home, but the shotgun misfired both times because the cartridges were damp. The victim and his family later sold their home and moved away. O'Connell, who had pleaded guilty to the attempted murder, was brought before the Central Criminal Court for sentencing. He had a history of 65 convictions, including rape and assault. The victim's wife gave a detailed impact statement describing the lasting fear, anxiety, and disruption to the family's life. Mr Justice McCarthy was set to deliver the sentence on 16 March, with O'Connell remanded in custody until then.
Graham Dwyer, aged 45, has asked the High Court to strike down parts of the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011 that allowed Gardaí to obtain and use mobile phone data as evidence in his murder trial. He was convicted of the murder of childcare worker Elaine O'Hara and sentenced to life imprisonment in April 2015. Dwyer claims the Act breaches his constitutional rights, the European Convention on Human Rights and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, arguing that the 2011 Act implements the invalid 2006 EU Directive 2006/24/EC, which the European Court of Justice struck down in 2014 for violating privacy and data protection. He seeks declarations that the Act is incompatible with EU law, damages for breaches of his rights, and an order that his legal costs be paid by the respondents. The case is pending before Mr Justice Tony O'Connor and will affect his appeal against conviction.
In a late‑night incident in Dublin's Temple Bar, 23‑year‑old forklift driver Kamil Stawicki punched 38‑year‑old Fred Murray in the head, and the victim's leg was fractured in four places. Stawicki claimed he could not remember breaking the leg, but a taxi driver who witnessed the assault testified that Stawicki stomped on Murray's leg, wedging it between the kerb and cobbles, and that the leg was broken as if a stick were snapped for firewood. Murray suffered four fractures, metal plates and screws, and had to take four months off work. In a victim impact statement he expressed concern about future arthritis. Judge Patrick Quinn sentenced Stawicki to two years, suspended on the condition he keep the peace and pay €5,000 to Murray, which he paid in court. Stawicki had previously denied the assault charge, but a jury convicted him in September 2013.
In February 2018, Graham Dwyer, a convicted murderer, was set to begin a High Court challenge against the Garda Commissioner, the State, and other officials. The challenge concerned the use of his mobile phone records during his 2015 murder trial. Dwyer argued that the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011 violated his constitutional privacy rights, the European Convention on Human Rights, and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. He cited the 2015 European Court of Justice ruling that struck down the directive underpinning the Act, claiming that the data collected from his phone was therefore invalid. The case, expected to last about two weeks, was to be heard by Justice Tony O'Connor, with Dwyer absent. He sought declarations, possible damages, and a referral to the European Court of Justice. The Garda Commissioner, Director of Public Prosecutions, Ministers for Justice and Communications, the Attorney General, and the State opposed his claims.
Mark Dwyer, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of robbing Christine Pollard at Dolphin's Barn on October 1 last year. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Dwyer smashed the window of Ms Pollard's car, grabbed her handbag containing €920 in cash, and broke her ring finger during a struggle. A witness identified Dwyer, and his DNA matched blood found on the vehicle. The total value of stolen goods was €990, none of which were recovered. Ms Pollard, who required a splint for 16 weeks, stated she now feels vulnerable in her car. Dwyer, who has 106 previous convictions including a 2013 three-year jail term for firearm possession, has been in custody since the robbery. Defence counsel Michael Hourigan BL cited Dwyer's long-standing drug addiction and recent relapse following pneumonia as mitigating factors, noting he had been using his time in custody well. Judge Martina Baxter described the offence as serious and noted Dwyer's extensive criminal record. Although the validated procedural stage is listed as sentence, the court did not impose a penalty at this hearing. Instead, Judge Baxter ordered a number of reports and adjourned the matter for sentence on July 30.
A 21‑year‑old woman, Nikita Murtagh, pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing a loaded CZ model 70 semi‑automatic pistol at Dublin's Connolly train station on 19 July last year. She had handed a shoebox containing the gun to a man, Ciaran Ryan, who was about to board the Dublin‑to‑Belfast train. Ryan was later jailed for three years for possession of the firearm. Murtagh was arrested at a bus stop outside Dublin airport at 6 pm, carrying a handbag with a change of clothes and a passport. At the Special Criminal Court, she was sentenced to three years in jail, backdated to 17 July, with the balance of the sentence suspended. The judge noted her guilty plea, her role as a courier, her "misplaced sense of family loyalty", and her status as a mother of a three‑year‑old child as mitigating factors. She walked free after the suspension was granted.
A Carlow publican has received a two-year suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for stealing €8,589 from his former employer at The Porterhouse Central on Nassau Street, Dublin. Brian O'Kane, aged 45 and of Royal Oak, Bagenalstown, admitted to taking between €50 and €60 nightly over a seven-month period from January to July 2015 by voiding till transactions and pocketing customer cash. The court heard O'Kane had experienced three family bereavements and a marriage breakdown preceding his offending. He disclosed he stole to fund alcohol consumption during this difficult period. Garda evidence outlined how stock discrepancies led to an investigation identifying O'Kane as responsible. Judge Gerard Griffin imposed the suspended sentence on three years, crediting O'Kane's early guilty plea, demonstrated remorse, and absence of prior convictions. The defendant has since repaid the full amount and begun working in a public house in Carlow.
A 33‑year‑old man was jailed for four years after pleading guilty to raping his 20‑year‑old niece on 9 July 2016. The victim, who was close to her uncle and trusted him, described how the offence fractured her wider family and damaged her trust and studies. The court noted the man's apology letter, his immediate acknowledgement of guilt, and his severe mental health difficulties. The judge highlighted the breach of trust and the man's out‑of‑character behaviour, noting his history of depression, bipolar disorder and a childhood sexual assault. He imposed a six‑year sentence, suspending the final two years, and ordered the man to attend a prison or post‑prison education course on sexual violence under probation supervision. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court.
In April 2017, Ingrid Olivares, 28, threw a glass of alcohol at Mr Padraig Hennessy during a late‑night dispute over jackets at Flannery's pub, Camden Street, Dublin. The impact left Hennessy with a permanent scar requiring nine stitches. Olivares, a Mexican national studying for a master's in marketing at DIT, admitted she had consumed a considerable amount of alcohol and became irate when she witnessed a verbal altercation between her boyfriend and another man, each claiming a jacket on a stool. She pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Karen O'Connor, noting Olivares' full admissions, early guilty plea, lack of prior convictions, and letters describing her as law‑abiding, imposed a two‑year sentence. She was ordered to complete 200 hours of community service within 12 months, with the court recognising the benefit of community service over custodial time.
Anthony McDonnell (26) was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for two counts of robbery committed on May 1, 2017, in Mary's Lane and Cuckoo Lane. McDonnell pleaded guilty to the charges, which involved the violent attack of two victims who were kicked, punched, and robbed of their phones and wallets. Judge Martin Nolan handed down a four-and-a-half-year sentence, suspending the final 18 months on a number of conditions. The judge noted that McDonnell, who has 22 previous convictions, deserved a longer term than his co-accused due to his age and extensive criminal record. His co-accused, Thomas Jackson (21), a homeless man, was jailed for two years. Prosecution evidence detailed how the attackers blocked the victims' paths, used physical force to seize property, and left one victim with a broken wrist and another with broken teeth. Defence counsel Keith Spencer BL argued that McDonnell was remorseful and heavily intoxicated at the time, urging a sentence similar to Jackson's. The court accepted the guilty plea and imposed the custodial sentence with the specified suspended portion.
Thomas Jackson, aged 21 and a homeless man living in Focus Ireland managed accommodation, was sentenced to two years in prison for taking part in two "vicious" robberies on Mary's Lane and Cuckoo Lane in Dublin city centre on 1 May 2017. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge, Martin Nolan, described the attacks as very violent, with victims being kicked, punched and one losing consciousness. Jackson's sentence of four and a half years was reduced, with the last two and a half years suspended on the condition that he keep the peace and engage with Probation Services after release. The court heard that the robberies involved forced theft of phones, wallets and a key, and that victims suffered injuries such as broken teeth, a broken wrist and bruising. Jackson had two prior convictions for public order and theft offences.
In February 2018 the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court extended the prison term of 22‑year‑old Eric Harcourt by one year for a burglary at the home of two elderly sisters aged 78 and 80 in Ballybough on 22 October 2015. Harcourt, who had been in custody since age 13 and had previously been sentenced to six months for violent disorder in December 2015, pleaded guilty to the burglary. He had been out on High Court bail for two and a half weeks when he broke into the sisters' house, broke a lock, and removed items from a cupboard. Garda Mark Deasy described the break‑in as "random" and noted Harcourt had not known the occupants' ages. The sisters declined to give a victim impact statement.
In a robbery at Old Bawn Shopping Centre on 14 April 2017, 24‑year‑old Daragh Brown entered a Centra shop armed with a knife and demanded money from the tills. After failing to obtain cash, he fled with a quantity of John Player Blue cigarettes. Two bread delivery men, Will Murray and Joe Daniel, chased him. While running into the car park, Brown's trousers fell, revealing his colourful boxer shorts. He threatened the men, saying he would stab them if they approached, and warned of "ten lads" waiting in a nearby estate. The men stopped following him. Gardaí, alerted by witnesses, described Brown and arrested him at Allenton Avenue. Two cigarette packets and a knife were recovered from his person and the car park. Brown pleaded guilty to robbery and making threats to kill, and will be sentenced in July. He has 29 prior convictions and has been diagnosed with depression. The judge deferred sentencing until 31 July.
Darragh Newman, 23, received a two‑year suspended sentence for his role in a theft scam organised by a well‑known Dublin criminal group. He provided the gang with his bank account details, allowing them to defraud businessman Joe Carey of €7,995 after Carey responded to a fake online ad for a teleporter. Gardaí tracked Newman via Facebook and obtained CCTV footage of him withdrawing the money over two days. Newman, a former DIT student, had pleaded guilty to theft in 2016 and had four prior minor traffic convictions. The court found Newman knowingly acted dishonestly, but noted his remorse and potential for reform. Judge Martin Nolan suspended the sentence for two years and ordered the €7,000 to be handed over to the Gardaí for restitution to Carey. The case remains an ongoing investigation into the broader criminal enterprise.
Dorota Samulak, 47, was sentenced to three and a half years in jail for stabbing her ex‑partner during a drunken argument. The incident occurred on 16 March 2017 at their shared flat in Buckingham Village, Dublin. The victim suffered a collapsed lung and spent three days in hospital. Samulak pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and producing a knife. She had two prior convictions for a bench warrant and a public order offence. Judge Martin Nolan noted the severity of the knife wound and, despite acknowledging her remorse and cooperation, imposed a custodial sentence. Two and a half years of the term were suspended. The court recorded that the assault was committed in a drunken state and had a domestic background. No further court matters were pending against her.
Herton Diansambu, 21, was jailed for two and a half years after a series of violent robberies. He first stole a €700 phone from a mother with her baby and teenage son on 7 July 2016, then on 21 August 2016 robbed a Gourmet Pizza delivery man at The Boulevard, Mount Garrett, taking €130 worth of food, €50 cash and a phone. Diansambu admitted the crimes and claimed the robberies were motivated by hunger. He was found guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and had no prior convictions. The court noted his cooperation, full admissions and a drug problem, and imposed a four‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended due to his young age and good record. The sentence was to be served consecutively, with the suspended portion not to be enforced. The case was prosecuted by Lisa Dempsey BL and defended by Kenneth Kerins BL.
Rainis Koovit, aged 21, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with one year suspended, for robbing a café in Dublin. On 27 February 2017 he brandished a syringe at a barista in Kaph Café, threatening to "stick it into her" if she tried to stop him. He attempted to take a tip jar, which was chained, and then stole about €20 worth of foreign currency before fleeing. Koovit pleaded guilty to robbery and to producing a syringe with intent to cause injury or intimidate. He had been on bail and was ordered to stay out of the Dublin 2 area, which the judge cited as an aggravating factor. The syringe was not believed to be infected with HIV. The court noted his history of drug use and prior convictions, and directed him to engage with probation services and address his addiction upon release.
In June 2016, 22‑year‑old Lee Murray robbed a business tourist on Hanover Street East, Dublin, threatening him with a bread knife and stealing his iPhone 7. The victim reported that the robber had a bandage on his hand. Gardaí located Murray a few hours later at Misery Hill, where he admitted the crime, led them to the hidden phone and apologized. Murray pleaded guilty to one count of robbery. On 13 February 2018, the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced him to 20 months' imprisonment. Judge Martin Nolan cited mitigating circumstances, including Murray's history of heroin addiction, his recent stab‑wound injury, and his status on the waiting list for residential treatment. The judge noted that Murray's behaviour on the day left him with "no choice" and that a custodial sentence was necessary. Murray has 24 prior convictions, including theft and knife offences, and is a father of a two‑year‑old child.
In February 2018, a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Jason Burke, 34, to a one‑year suspended sentence after he assaulted his two sisters with a hurley and pulled one by the hair following a dispute over a family holiday. The court heard that the sisters were traumatised when Gardaí arrived, but that they had since reconciled and booked the holiday. Burke pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and criminal damage at the Fettercairn premises in Tallaght on 26 April 2016. He had previously been convicted of assaults and public order offences. Garda Stephen Gillespie reported that the sisters observed Burke was under the influence when he entered the house, smashed a glass table and a mobile phone, and threatened both women. The court noted that one sister managed to call the Gardaí using a second phone.
A trial at the Central Criminal Court heard evidence that a 34-year-old woman accused of impeding the prosecution of her partner in connection with a death would have had limited capacity to resist his control due to childhood trauma. A consultant forensic psychiatrist testified that the woman, charged with obstructing the apprehension or prosecution of a man in connection with the death of a housemate at The Old Post, Main Street, Kilnaleck, Co Cavan in June 2014, had been a victim of violent crime as a child. The psychiatrist said this early traumatic experience left her vulnerable to abusive relationships and with impaired ability to recognise danger in others. The woman has pleaded not guilty to the charge but accepts that her housemate's death was not suicide and does not dispute that her former partner caused it. She told gardaí she acted under his orders while in fear for her life. The defence has closed its case, and the trial continues before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.
Andrew Dunne, 33, was sentenced to four years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possessing almost €110,000 worth of heroin, cocaine, and cannabis at his Drimnagh home on July 7, 2016. He also admitted to two counts of endangering gardaí on August 7, 2016, during a high-speed chase that involved ramming a patrol vehicle and dragging a sergeant. Judge Martin Nolan described Dunne as a good family man and father who was unlikely to re-offend, noting he was a "mature man who had got himself into difficulties." The judge stated it was not necessary to include a suspended period in the sentence. Dunne was also disqualified from driving for six years. Prosecution evidence indicated Dunne was intoxicated and under threat from a drug debt, while defense counsel argued he was in a state of intense fear and paranoia. The court heard Dunne had rehabilitated himself and is now drug-free.
A 25‑year‑old Dublin man is set to be sentenced for the online sexual exploitation of a 13‑year‑old girl. The offence took place between December 2011 and May 2012. At 19, the man met the girl and they communicated regularly via Skype, Facebook and text. He exposed himself, masturbated on camera, and invited the girl to masturbate or penetrate herself. In person, he asked her to masturbate him and performed sexual acts. The girl's mother reported concerning messages, leading to Garda involvement. The man pleaded guilty to one count of defilement and three counts of sexual exploitation. He has no prior convictions. The victim's impact statement described her vulnerability, anger, and a desire to move on. The defence highlighted the man's youth, personal difficulties, and an apology letter. The case was adjourned to March 5, 2013 for judgment.
In February 2018, a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court fined Felix O'Hare Contractors €25,000 plus costs for breaching health and safety standards at a construction site on Harbour Road, Skerries, Co Dublin. The company had failed to erect appropriate barriers, allowing amateur photographer Harvey Wolfe (54) to enter the site. Wolfe was caught between a hoarding and an excavator moving stones, sustaining crush injuries that proved fatal. The court heard Wolfe's mother, Patricia Wolfe, who expressed that her son would not want his death to harm his "comrades" on the site. Judge Martin Nolan noted the company's good record but stressed that Wolfe should not have been allowed on site that day and that stronger preventive measures were required. The Health and Safety Authority inspector highlighted the lack of interlocking plastic fencing and traffic control. The company has since increased its health and safety officers from one to three. Felix O'Hare Contractors pleaded guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 64‑year‑old auctioneer, Noel Kelleher, was found guilty of six counts of rape, three of sexual assault, three of oral rape and one of attempted oral rape against a victim aged 12 to 14 between June 1991 and August 1992. The jury acquitted him of 16 other counts of rape, indecent assault and sexual assault. The victim, who waived anonymity, described the abuse as beginning when she was 12, involving rape, sexual assault and forced oral sex in two office locations, and ending shortly before her 14th birthday. She recounted attempts to kill herself, post‑natal depression, psychiatric care and repeated suicide attempts. In her victim impact statement she said the shame should be Kelleher's, not hers, and that the abuse had ruined her education, relationships and mental health.
A 39‑year‑old Egyptian man, who is an illegal immigrant, was found guilty by a jury of one count of rape, two counts of sexual assault and one count of threatening to kill a 27‑year‑old foreign student. The victim was travelling from Carlow to Dublin on a bus, where the accused groped her and later followed her home. He entered her house, masturbated in front of her, threatened her, and raped her in the hall. The victim, who was living and working in Ireland in 2016, described the assault as terrifying and said she wished she were dead at the time. She declined to have the perpetrator named to avoid destroying his life. The court has imposed reporting restrictions and will consider sentencing next week. The accused has a prior conviction for public masturbation and is appealing a deportation order. The case was heard in the Central Criminal Court.
The Special Criminal Court will deliver a verdict on March 2 in the case of Sean Walsh, 51, of Co Cork, who is accused of membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army on December 14, 2016. Walsh pleaded not guilty to the charge. The prosecution alleged that Walsh was present at a house on Old Commons Road where a bag containing firearms and ammunition was found, and that his DNA matched a woolly hat recovered from the scene. It further alleged that Walsh met co-accused Joseph Walsh and Michael Gilmartin at a petrol station before they entered a house at Chestnut Drive, Cobh, where a sawn-off shotgun, a 9mm pistol, and ammunition were seized. Joseph Walsh, 36, and Michael Gilmartin, 47, both pleaded guilty to possession of the firearms and ammunition at Chestnut Drive on December 14, 2016. Last week, Joseph Walsh was sentenced to five years and six months for possession of firearms and two years for possession of ammunition. Gilmartin was jailed for five years for possession of firearms and two years for possession of ammunition. Their sentences are to run concurrently and were backdated to December 14, 2016. The matter regarding Sean Walsh remains pending judgment.
Gary Culhane, a 40‑year‑old Limerick man, was sentenced to four years in prison for breaking into the parochial house of The Good Shepherd Church in Churchtown, Dublin, on 15 October 2016. He pleaded guilty to burglary and was found to have 102 previous convictions, including assault, robbery and theft, and had spent 20 years in prison. Judge Melanie Greally suspended the final year of the sentence, ordering Culhane to complete a residential drug rehabilitation course at Tiglin treatment centre and to follow all after‑care plans. The priest, who had been away saying mass, was "very shaken" when he returned to find €650 stolen from his house, including money, collections and the poor box. Garda Áine Bolton identified Culhane after the priest downloaded CCTV footage.
Two Dublin men, Martin Cully (35) and Eugene Traynor (40), were sentenced to seven‑year prison terms, partially suspended, for unlawfully seizing a vehicle and forcibly removing a woman from her car. The incident occurred on Old Connacht Avenue, Bray, on 15 June 2017. Cully, who had previously been disqualified from driving for 30 years, also pleaded guilty to two dangerous driving charges. Judge Patrick Quinn imposed a lifetime driving ban on Cully, suspended the final two years of his sentence and the final two and a half years of Traynor's sentence, and required both men to remain drug‑free and engage in treatment programmes. The court noted a high‑speed chase that ended with the car crashing into a pole. Cully had 67 prior convictions, including seven burglaries; Traynor had 20 prior convictions, including robbery and theft. The victim, who suffered nightmares and flashbacks, gave a victim impact statement describing her fear and helplessness during the attack.
Steven McDonnell, 52, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to possessing over €13,000 worth of cocaine for sale or supply at his Blessington Street address. The court also considered counts of possession of cannabis, cannabis resin and ketamine. A search warrant, executed after days of surveillance, uncovered a large slab of cocaine, cannabis, cannabis resin and a chocolate Kinder Egg containing ketamine, with the total drug value at €94,166. McDonnell admitted he had accrued about €5,000 in gambling debts and was coerced into holding the drugs, receiving €500 each time he delivered them to a dealer. He also admitted smoking about €50 of cannabis every few days. McDonnell had no prior convictions. The judge noted he had been coerced but ultimately chose to accept the drugs, describing him as a "pitiful" and isolated man who had suffered severe depression and attempted suicide. The sentence was imposed by Judge Martin Nolan.
In 2009 and 2010, a 40‑year‑old man from Meath sexually abused his fiancée's three daughters, who were in their early to mid‑teens at the time. He was convicted by a jury of one count of rape and 12 counts of sexual assault, and sentenced to ten years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Paul Coffey. The judge praised the resilience of the victims, now in their early twenties, and noted the profound psychological harm inflicted. The man, whose name is withheld to protect the victims, had no prior convictions. He has now filed an appeal, arguing that the trial judge should have warned the jury about the lack of corroboration for all three complainants. Mr Justice George Birmingham, along with two other judges, has reserved judgment on the appeal.
David Marsh, 31, was sentenced to an additional 14 months in jail after he deceived a woman he met on a dating website by claiming he was anaemic and needed money for medication and a flight to the US to see a specialist. He also extracted €300 from a new girlfriend for a holiday that never occurred, and €800 from the same woman under various pretences. Marsh's criminal history includes six counts of deception, one theft from an Eir store, and possession of heroin while in prison. He had previously been jailed for two years in 2016 for fraud, including defrauding a Limerick couple of €76,000, stealing €740 from his employer, and scamming colleagues and rugby teammates out of nearly €8,000. He has 23 prior convictions, mainly for fraud. The court noted his "active fantasy life" and impulsive behaviour, but did not attribute any motive beyond his charm and confidence tactics. David Marsh pleaded guilty.
A 20‑year‑old Romanian teenager, Carmen Nicolae, was sentenced to a suspended two‑year imprisonment for stealing €10,000 worth of jewellery from an elderly couple in Artane on 2 October 2015. Nicolae pretended to be collecting for charity, claiming she was Spanish and collecting for the starving in Africa. She entered the couple's house, was allowed to use the bathroom, and then stole a collection of sentimental items including a diamond engagement ring, charm bracelet, gold chains, an eternity ring, earrings and cuff links. The stolen items were never recovered. A palm print from the jewellery box matched Nicolae's. She pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and had five prior convictions for theft and fraud. Judge Patricia Ryan described the offence as "mean and nasty" and imposed a suspended sentence, noting that if she returned to court she would be dealt with seriously.
Mercie Wambui, 32, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two years' imprisonment with 15 months suspended for fraudulently claiming €88,877 in Social Welfare payments between August 2010 and September 2016. She had arrived in Ireland from Kenya in 2006 as an asylum seeker and was only entitled to a Direct Provision weekly payment of €19, later rising to €28, and to a One Parent Allowance after her son's birth in 2011. In 2008 she obtained false identity papers and secured a job with the Daughters of the Cross, earning €650 a week, which she did not declare. She also claimed maternity benefit for six months under the false name. Wambui pleaded guilty, admitted financial pressure, and has already paid €7,000 to the State and is repaying €25 per week. The judge acknowledged her remorse, low re‑offending risk, nursing work history, and role as a mother, and back‑dated the sentence to 29 December 2017.
Daniel Doyle, aged 31, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment by Judge Terence O'Sullivan after pleading guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at his home on 12 November 2014. Gardaí had obtained a warrant to search the house following reliable information about cocaine dealing at the address. Doyle answered the door and handed over €985 from his pocket, a bag of 446 MDMA tablets (ecstasy) and a money bag of about €600 from his underpants. In his bedroom a safe contained syringes, weighing scales, €340 in cash and €2,800 elsewhere. Doyle claimed the cash came from a recent car sale, but the Garda said this was not accepted. He has 35 previous convictions, including three for drug dealing, unlawful possession of firearms and two for threatening to kill or cause serious harm.
John Doherty, aged 55, was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment for sexually assaulting his stepdaughter between January 1996 and April 1998 when she was 12 and 13. The court heard that Doherty pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault and that the case had been delayed for years due to police incompetence. The victim, now 35, waived anonymity and described the abuse as a "huge breach of trust" that ruined her childhood, education and family relationships. She detailed repeated sexual advances, forced contact and the impact on her mental health. Doherty had undertaken therapy and expressed remorse, but the judge noted the seriousness of the offence. He was registered as a sex offender following the conviction. The sentence reflected the maximum penalty of five years at the time of the offence.
Ross Thompson, a 19‑year‑old father from Ballymun, was sentenced to five years in jail for possessing heroin worth €128,000 and €2,000 in cash. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, presided over by Judge Martin Nolan, suspended the final two and a half years of the sentence, citing Thompson's youth and the court's hope for reform. Thompson admitted to holding the drugs because of a €12,500 debt and had a history of 43 prior convictions, all dealt with by the Children's Court. Gardaí seized over 900 g of heroin and the cash during a search of Thompson's home a year earlier. Thompson claimed he did not know the contents of the bags or the owner of the cash. He is required to maintain good behaviour, undergo psychological counselling, and be supervised by Probation Services for 18 months after release. Ross Thompson pleaded guilty.
John Doherty, 55, of Stillorgan, Dublin, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexually assaulting his step‑daughter between January 1996 and April 1998 when she was 12 and 13. The victim, now 39, gave a victim impact statement describing the abuse as having ruined her childhood, family and education, and said she would never again call him "Dad." She said the abuse led to a breakdown of her relationship with her mother, forced her out of the house, and caused her to leave school in the fifth year. She also described drinking alcohol with Doherty from about age 10, watching adult films with him, and being touched inappropriately on several occasions. Doherty has no prior convictions, has taken responsibility for his actions, and is on the Sex Offenders' Register. The court heard that the original Garda handling the case had gone on sick leave, retired and died, and that the case was not reassigned until recent years.
Bianca Francisco, a 21-year-old Brazilian national and rickshaw driver, appeared before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court where she pleaded guilty to unlawful possession for sale or supply of a controlled substance at her home in May 2017. Gardaí seized MDMA, primarily ecstasy tablets with an estimated street value of €4,570, along with lesser amounts of cocaine and other controlled drugs, weighing scales, and €1,060 in cash during a search of her flat. Francisco admitted to holding the drugs for another person without payment. Judge Patrick Quinn suspended a 12-month prison sentence on the condition that Francisco leave Ireland within three months. The judge noted that while her involvement likely stemmed from economic necessity, it was not an excuse, and he determined it was in her best interests to return to her family in Brazil. The court ordered the destruction of the seized drugs and the confiscation of the cash. This sentencing followed a previous finalisation in April 2017, where Francisco pleaded guilty to possession for sale or supply of cannabis, cocaine, and MDMA. For that earlier offence, involving drugs with an estimated street value of €1,555, a Dublin District Court judge had ordered 180 hours of community service in lieu of a six-month prison sentence.
Brandon Crosbie, 19, was sentenced to three and a half years in jail after a high‑speed chase that saw him crash into five vehicles during rush hour. He pleaded guilty to three counts of endangerment, one of dangerous driving and one of driving without insurance at locations in Ballymun and Finglas on 24 April 2017. Garda Carl McSweeney described how Crosbie drove a Hyundai at very high speed toward a patrol vehicle on Longdale Terrace, forcing the garda to take evasive action. Crosbie then drove through traffic, colliding head‑on with a car, then weaving between lanes and hitting a stopped vehicle at a red light, and finally rear‑ended a taxi on St Margaret's Road, pushing it forward. He has 47 prior convictions, all at District Court level, for offences including assault, criminal damage and dangerous driving.
A Dublin man has been sentenced to two years imprisonment for his role in an aggravated burglary at a home in Crumlin on 7 December 2013. Declan Maxwell, then aged 16, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the offence. The court heard that Maxwell and another man, now deceased, forced entry to the property and tied up the occupants with rope before threatening them with an imitation firearm whilst demanding money and bank details. A third person used stolen cards to withdraw €440 from an ATM. Electronics and other items valued at approximately €1,000 were taken from the home. Maxwell, originally from Achill in County Mayo, was apprehended the following day and confessed to gardaí. Judge Martin Nolan described the crime as reprehensible. The court imposed a five-year sentence with three years suspended, and ordered 18 months post-release probation supervision.
Patrick McArdle, a 48‑year‑old former mechanic and casual truck driver from Co. Armagh, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to careless driving causing the death of Slawomir Korytowski, a married father‑of‑two who was travelling with four other motorcyclists to catch a ferry to Scotland. The fatal incident occurred on 3 July 2015 at North Wall Quay when McArdle, who had been disqualified for drink‑driving for six years a year earlier and for further driving offences last year, pulled out of a loading bay and briefly crossed onto the wrong side of the road. Korytowski, panicking at the oncoming lorry, applied the brakes, was thrown from his bike and struck under the wheel of another lorry, dying at the scene. The judge, citing McArdle's misjudgment and the aggravating factor that he was not legally permitted to drive, sentenced him to ten months' imprisonment and a six‑year driving ban.
A 33‑year‑old Waterford courier, Conor Freeman, was jailed for four years after transporting €119,000 worth of ketamine through Dublin Airport to settle a drug debt. Freeman, who had a €5,750 cocaine debt from a period living in the UK, had moved to Waterford for a "clean break." Customs officers stopped him on his return from Eindhoven, discovering £12,000 in cash and three containers of white rock‑like crystals labelled "bath salts." The drugs were later identified as ketamine. Freeman pleaded guilty to possession of 2 kg of ketamine at the airport on 9 April 2017. He had no prior convictions. The court accepted that he was motivated by fear rather than profit, noted his unlikely re‑offending, and ordered the confiscation of the seized money. The sentence was imposed by Judge Martin Nolan.
In February 2018, a Dublin father, Robert Reynolds, aged 35, was sentenced to three years in jail for preparing over €286,000 worth of heroin for street sale as a favour to a friend, Edward Maher, aged 31, whom he met at football. Garda Shona Moran noted that Reynolds could be described as "easily led" and that he had pleaded guilty to possessing just over 2 kg of heroin at his home on 19 December 2016. The investigation, triggered by surveillance of Maher, led to Reynolds' address where the two men were found mixing heroin in a garden shed. Gardaí discovered large quantities of brown powder, mixing agents, a weighing scale, a blender and gloves. Reynolds denied being a heroin addict, admitted smoking cannabis, and claimed he was asked to help as a favour. The court accepted his early guilty plea and noted his lack of insight and prior minor traffic convictions.
Alan Mahon of Tolka Estate, Glasnevin, Dublin, pleaded guilty to possession for sale or supply of cocaine worth over €60,000 found in his home on 21 March 2017, and to possession of a 9mm semi‑automatic pistol. He admitted he was storing the drugs and gun for others but could not name them, claiming fear for his life. Garda Siobhan Toland and defence counsel Michael O'Higgins argued he was a vulnerable drug addict from a respectable family. Judge Martin Nolan accepted these arguments, noted the pistol's condition, and imposed a five‑year prison sentence.
Frederick Cham, a 63‑year‑old Aer Lingus ground handler from Railway Cottages, Hazelhatch, Celbridge, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for facilitating the illegal entry of five people into Ireland between 13 December 2016 and 22 January 2017. He pleaded guilty to five charges of assisting illegal immigrants or asylum seekers at Dublin Airport and to two charges of handling money he knew to be proceeds of crime. Cham admitted that he and another Aer Lingus employee used staff swipe cards to access an employee gate, bypassing passport control, and that they transported foreign nationals from the air‑side to the land‑side via a catering truck and a staff turnstile gate. The court noted that Cham's role was "invaluable" to the smuggling operation, which involved cash transfers from China totalling about €6,000 and payments of €2,000–€3,000 per smuggling run.