A 19‑year‑old, Graham McEvoy, was found guilty of murder by a Central Criminal Court jury after admitting he stabbed his 23‑year‑old best friend, Paul "Paulie" Curran, to death on 16 July 2016 at Seagull House, Crumlin Road, Dublin. McEvoy had pleaded guilty to manslaughter, but the plea was rejected and he faced a week‑long trial. The jury reached an 11‑to‑one verdict after more than eight hours of deliberation. McEvoy will receive a mandatory life sentence. The trial heard that Curran was stabbed at least six times, with a fatal wound entering under the left armpit and penetrating the upper lobe of the left lung, causing respiratory collapse and death. McEvoy claimed he acted in self‑defence after Curran tried to slash him during a drug‑deal dispute, but the prosecution argued the force used was excessive.
During a Special Criminal Court hearing, Declan Duffy (44) and Christopher Maguire (39) pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and assault. Duffy admitted assaulting security guard John Roche, who was injured and forced to leave his home in the Towers complex, while Maguire pleaded guilty to false imprisonment of Lisa Byrne. The court heard that Duffy and seven men forced Martin Byrne, a former security guard, to leave his apartment at the Towers on 9 June 2015, assaulting him and threatening his life. Roche was also assaulted and a garda was called after a witness reported the incident. Duffy has prior convictions for false imprisonment, IRA membership and a 2010 murder conviction in England. Maguire had no prior convictions. The court remanded Duffy in custody and ordered Maguire to remain on bail until sentencing on 29 January.
Paul Gill, a 37‑year‑old construction worker from Naas, pleaded guilty to assaulting Patrick "Patsy" Kelly, 58, and Martin Curtis on 22 August 2015. He admitted punching Kelly in the face, dragging him eight metres from Curtis's front door and kicking him once in the head, then attacking Curtis when he arrived. Emergency services performed CPR on Kelly, who later died. Post‑mortem found Kelly died of heart disease, with the assault's minor trauma contributing. Gill had previously pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and was acquitted after a six‑day trial. Judge Melanie Greally, noting aggravating factors such as Kelly's vulnerability and intoxication, imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year jail sentence for the assault on Kelly, taking the assault on Curtis into account. The sentence reflected Gill's guilty plea, admissions, remorse, and the impact on Kelly's family. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 36‑year‑old Ashley Lucas pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering for setting up a bank account at AIB Drogheda on 24 March 2015. The account was used to defraud foreign student Marlene Lienau, who transferred €1,040 for a room that did not exist. Lucas claimed he was instructed by a Nigerian man in the UK and denied knowing Lienau. Judge Karen O'Connor noted Lucas had paid €1,400 as redress, had no prior convictions, and had complied with bail conditions. She adjourned the case to February to assess suitability for community service, indicating a possible order of 240 hours in lieu of a three‑year prison term. Lienau suffered an economic loss of €1,346 and expressed distress at being scammed and the impact on her view of Ireland.
In a 2014 Christmas‑night incident, a 62‑year‑old Dublin man raped his 41‑year‑old niece while she slept in her own home. The victim reported the crime to Gardaí three months later after discovering a letter from the accused that included a lie‑detector test and claims of consensual sexual activity. The man denied the offence and claimed he had taken a lie‑detector test, but a jury found him guilty after a four‑day trial at the Central Criminal Court. At the sentencing hearing, the judge described the man's actions as "catastrophic misjudgments" and imposed a custodial sentence, noting the lack of any background relationship suggesting the offence. The victim, aged 44, expressed profound trauma and a sense of loss of safety in her own home. The accused was remanded in custody pending sentencing on 21 December.".
Mihail Coptu, a 46‑year‑old Moldovan, was jailed for one year after he attempted to choke a 70‑year‑old taxi driver with a seat belt while the taxi was moving onto a motorway slip road. Coptu, who had 23 prior convictions, was found drunk at the time of the offence. He pleaded guilty to endangerment and obstruction of a garda at the M1 motorway on 17 March 2016. The judge, citing the seriousness of the offence and Coptu's intoxication, imposed a custodial sentence, rejecting a non‑custodial alternative. Garda Gerard Mullarkey reported that the driver had freed himself by pulling the seat belt over his head, after which Coptu fled the moving vehicle. The court heard a victim impact statement noting the driver's three‑week loss of work and the cost of installing a screen in the taxi. Coptu later expressed remorse and claimed the incident was an aberration caused by alcohol.
A man from Castleblaney, County Monaghan, has been sentenced to 18 years imprisonment following his conviction for sexually abusing six children and raping two of them over a period of nearly three decades. Peter Sharkey, aged 47, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to three counts of indecent assault dating from 1987 to 1990, six counts of sexual assault between 1997 and 2015, one count of rape with an object in 1998 or 1999, and one count of rape in 2014. The victims, aged between nine and sixteen at the time of the offences, reported the abuse to gardaí following a complaint made in April 2015. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy described Sharkey as "a paedophile of the dangerous kind" and imposed consecutive sentences to ensure appropriate punishment for the harm inflicted on each victim. The court heard victim impact statements describing lasting psychological damage. Sharkey was ordered to register as a sex offender and placed under probation supervision for five years following his release.
Nathan Coakley (24) has been sentenced to five years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his role in an armed robbery. Coakley, of Buckingham Street Upper, Dublin, pleaded guilty to possessing a kitchen knife during a hold-up at a Spar shop on Long Brook Quay on December 10, 2015. His accomplice carried an imitation firearm and assaulted a staff member when unable to access a time-locked safe. The raiders escaped with €6,114, which was never recovered. Judge Cormac Quinn imposed the five-year sentence with the final 18 months suspended, conditional on compliance with the Probation Services. The court noted that a victim, who has since relocated to Donegal, found the robbery traumatic. Coakley's previous convictions number 82, predominantly for road traffic offences, though Judge Quinn acknowledged his recent achievement in becoming drug-free and noted the absence of prior violent crime convictions.
Craig Smith, aged 20, was given an 18‑month suspended sentence for his role in a violent brawl on D'Olier Street in Dublin on 23 May 2016. Smith, who was armed with an iron bar, struck two male victims, Mr Dylan Campbell and Mr Lee Whelan, during an attempt to break up a fight between two women. CCTV footage showed Smith swinging the bar at the victims and making contact with Mr Campbell, while another man struck Mr Campbell with a hammer. Smith pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assault with an offensive weapon. The judge noted his lack of prior convictions and personal circumstances, imposing a suspended sentence with strict conditions, including two years of probation supervision. The case also involved Jordan McGuinness, who received a one‑year suspended sentence for his part in the incident. Both men withdrew their complaints after initial statements to Gardaí.
A 44‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to seven and a half years' imprisonment for sexually abusing his teenage nephew between 2004 and 2006. He pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual assault and four counts of buggery involving a male person under 17. The abuse began as oral sex when the nephew was 15 and progressed to intercourse when he turned 16. The judge described the conduct as "horrendous" and imposed a nine‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended, directing the offender to use rehabilitation and treatment facilities while in custody. Garda Dermot English testified that the nephew was frequently at the uncle's home, especially during school holidays, and that the uncle recorded the abuse on his mobile phone. The victim's impact report detailed suicidal thoughts, nightmares, depression and a sense of being "dirty" as a result of the abuse.
Edward McCarthy, aged 31, travelled to Italy in May 2016 using a passport belonging to Alan O'Reilly after discovering his own passport had expired. He returned to Dublin Airport where a passport officer noticed the photograph did not match his appearance and he was arrested. McCarthy pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful use of a passport. He claimed he had booked the holiday before learning his passport was out of date, and that a new passport application had been returned incorrectly, prompting him to use another person's passport to avoid missing the holiday. The passport owner reported it missing and had a new one issued. McCarthy has 35 prior convictions, mainly for traffic offences. The court accepted his explanation as probably true and imposed a 16‑month suspended sentence with conditions.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 14 December 2017, Donal Geoghegan, aged 37, pleaded not guilty to a charge of sexually assaulting a bar woman on the dance floor of a late‑night bar on 21 November 2015. The complainant, who cannot be named, testified that she felt a hand on the top of her thigh that moved to her vagina and remained there for what she described as hours. She said she saw Geoghegan staring at her and that he had deliberately reached for her private area. Geoghegan told Gardaí he was drunk after drinking beer, red wine, shots and spirits with colleagues, and claimed he had no memory of the incident beyond being in a holding area. Garda Sergeant Joanne McCormack gave evidence of his interviews, and CCTV footage was shown of an unknown man, "Mr X", behaving in a tactile manner towards several women.
James Clarke, aged 62, formerly of Devlis Cottage in Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, has had his sentence for child pornography offences increased by eighteen months at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Clarke was originally sentenced in 2013 to ten years imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, after admitting possession and distribution of child pornography. Further analysis of images and videos recovered during the same investigation, delayed due to a backlog at the Garda Cyber Crime Bureau, led to additional charges. Clarke pleaded guilty to possessing 785 images on devices at his Mayo address in 2012 and 1009 images plus three videos found at a former Drogheda address in 2010. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a consecutive three-and-a-half-year sentence with two years suspended, citing the need to punish additional wrongdoing while acknowledging Clarke's cooperation, prison conduct, and the systemic delay. Two years probation supervision was ordered.
David Aminu, a 42‑year‑old Nigerian national, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment by Judge Martin Nolan after pleading guilty to fraudulently claiming €136,449 in social welfare payments over seven years. Aminu used his cousin's name to obtain a PPS number and claim Family Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance, Supplementary Welfare Allowance, and other benefits from 2006 to 2013. In 2015 he wrote a letter to the Department of Social Welfare revealing his true identity and date of birth, an act that prompted the Gardaí to investigate and ultimately detect the fraud. The court noted that Aminu had no prior convictions, had cooperated fully, and had used the funds to support his family rather than for a lavish lifestyle. The judge emphasised the need for deterrence in such difficult‑to‑detect crimes, while acknowledging Aminu's remorse and good family background. The sentence may have long‑term consequences for Aminu, including potential deportation.
A 50‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment for sexually abusing his partner's two sons. He pleaded guilty to ten counts of sexual assault of the older boy, aged 13 to 19 at the time, and to sexual assault, attempted sexual assault and one count of sexual exploitation of the younger boy, who was about 15. The abuse began when the older boy was 13 and continued regularly until 2013, with the accused man masturbating and touching him at various locations, including the boy's home. The younger boy was abused in 2015, with two incidents confirmed and a third attempted. The accused offered the boys money and alcohol, and the older boy eventually overdosed on tablets before revealing the abuse. Judge Martin Nolan described the conduct as "reprehensible" and noted the victims' courage in coming forward. The court did not read victim impact statements in open court.
Craig Mooney, 20, and Sam Mooney, 22, of Broadford Walk, Ballinteer, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to criminal damage to a garda patrol car on January 17, 2016. The court heard that the brothers, described as highly intoxicated and blood-spattered, kicked, punched, and spat at the vehicle while threatening officers. Judge Karen O'Connor imposed a one-year suspended sentence on Craig, consecutive to his current two-and-a-half-year prison term for arson. The sentence was suspended for 18 months with probation supervision. Craig is currently serving his existing sentence and was due for release in October 2018. The judge adjourned Sam's sentencing until January 15, 2017, to assess his suitability for community service. Prosecution evidence detailed the brothers' abusive behavior and undressing in the street. Defense counsel highlighted Craig's ADHD, prosthetic eye, and productive custody regime, while noting Sam's intoxication, recent detoxification, and head injury from an assault. Both men have previous convictions, including affray and criminal damage. The matter regarding Sam remains pending further assessment.
A 21‑year‑old man named Lee Harris, who served as a lookout during an armed robbery of a G4S cash‑in‑transit van on 11 February 2016, was later apprehended by Gardaí for drink driving. While being stopped, officers discovered €2,850 in €50 bank notes on Harris that were stained with a blue‑green security ink, indicating they had been taken from a security cash box. Harris had pleaded guilty to robbery at La Touche Road, Bluebell, Dublin, and the court found his role was to watch for Gardaí. The robbery involved a handgun, a knife, and a getaway driver. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Harris to four years' imprisonment, suspending all but the final 16 months on the condition of cooperation with Probation Services. The case highlighted the use of security ink to trace stolen cash. The article does not mention any further legal proceedings or outcomes beyond this sentencing.
Derek Reville, 40, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to stealing a suitcase and its €250 worth of contents from the Arc Bar, Liffey Valley, on July 21, 2017. He also admitted to endangerment on the M50 and at a junction at Clonshaugh Road, dangerous driving at Bothar Na Life, Lucan, and having no insurance at Greencastle Road, Coolock, on the same date. Prosecution evidence detailed that Reville led gardai on a ten-minute chase, driving his Renault Laguna at speeds up to 180 kmph, weaving through traffic, and driving the wrong way down a dual carriageway. The chase ended when he crashed at Greencastle Road. Judge Martin Nolan described the actions as "reprehensible" and the driving as "deplorable." Reville, who had 17 previous convictions, was on bail for seven other offences and had a four-month suspended sentence at the time. The court imposed a three-and-a-half-year jail term, backdated to when he entered custody. He was also banned from driving for four years.
Christopher Keeley, aged 53, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his role in a car chop‑shop operation and drug offences. He pleaded guilty to possession of stolen cars and to possession for sale or supply of cannabis. Gardaí seized six stolen vehicles, €70,000 worth of cannabis, and additional drugs including cocaine, as well as fake bank drafts, from a series of searches at an industrial unit in Summerhill, Meath, Keeley's home in Rossfield Court, Tallaght, and a lock‑up in Blessington, Co. Wicklow. The court noted that the stolen cars had been taken during burglaries across the country. Judge Martin Nolan, taking into account Keeley's serious medical problems, accepted his remorse and imposed the sentence, stating Keeley would not appear again for similar offences. The sentence reflects the profit motive behind the drug dealing. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
A Sligo man has been convicted and sentenced to seven and a half years imprisonment following a trial at the Central Criminal Court. Clement Limen, aged 45, of North Court, Quayside, Sligo town, was found guilty of raping two women at his apartment on June 2, 2014, and one count of sexual assault. The offences occurred after he met the victims during a night out at a nightclub on the June bank holiday weekend. Mr Justice Paul Coffey imposed the sentence after hearing victim impact statements detailing the significant trauma caused by the crimes. The court noted the aggravating circumstances surrounding the attacks. Limen has indicated his intention to appeal his conviction and to mount a separate constitutional challenge regarding his detention terms. A concurrent sentence of four years was imposed on the sexual assault conviction.
Charles Schlaubitz, 45, was jailed for 18 months after producing an imitation firearm in the beer garden of the Pygmalion Public House and a second replica at a pharmacy on Berkeley Road. He pleaded guilty to possession of imitation firearms with intent to cause injury or intimidate. Schlaubitz, who is bipolar with manic depression, admitted to having a "bad run of things" and that he had gone too far. He was intoxicated and unfit to be interviewed after his arrest. Judge Melanie Greally noted that no major harm had been caused and that people could not circulate in public places producing what appeared to be a firearm. She handed down a three‑year sentence but suspended the final 18 months on a number of conditions. The article reports that Schlaubitz had 91 previous convictions, mainly for public order and theft offences. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Lisa Lynch, 33, a former director of AGL Logistics, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing €460,660 from Bibby Financial Services over a three‑month period in 2013. She created 93 false invoices in the names of eight of her companies, which Bibby treated as legitimate and advanced 80 % of the debt to AGL. The money was transferred to a personal account and partially repaid to Bibby, allowing AGL to maintain cash flow. Lynch admitted falsifying emails and invoices, claiming she acted to keep her company solvent and protect her employees. She was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, with the court noting her low risk of re‑offending and her cooperation with the Garda investigation. AGL Logistics has since dissolved, and Lynch's family home faces repossession. The sentence was adjourned until after Christmas to allow her to inform her children of the offence.
Craig May, aged 19, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Daniel Kelly on Balbriggan beach on 27 May. May, 17 at the time, was part of a group that kicked Kelly repeatedly to the head, breaking his wrist and causing significant psychological injury. The attack occurred while Kelly and his girlfriend were returning from a graduation celebration. Kelly's girlfriend identified May, who later gave a statement. Kelly suffered facial abrasions, a broken wrist that required eight weeks in a cast, and was forced to abandon his defence forces cadet training. May had seven prior convictions and was described as having a low risk of re‑offending. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to two‑and‑a‑half years, suspended on conditions, and awarded Kelly €1,000 as a token of remorse. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Melanie Greally adjourned Laura Pennick's sentence for another year, allowing her to continue paying €100 a week to repay Marie McNally the €41,000 stolen inheritance. Pennick, aged 30, pleaded guilty to thefts totalling €41,935 from McNally between January 2010 and December 2012. McNally, whose sons were shot dead and who was ill, had been living two doors away from Pennick in Finglas. Pennick acted as an unofficial carer, accessing McNally's pension, bank accounts and ATM cards, and withdrew money for home improvements, fashion, furnishings, appliances and holidays. McNally's son Alan was killed in 2012, and her older brother Graham had died earlier. Pennick has 29 prior convictions, including five thefts, and the judge warned that the adjournment does not preclude a custodial sentence. The case will return to court in December next year.
Lisa Smith, 36, of Harelawn Park, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cocaine, heroin, MDMA and ketamine for sale or supply at her home on 1 April 2016. Gardaí found €210,000 worth of drugs and a cocaine press under a kick board in her kitchen after a search warrant. Men reportedly came to her kitchen to bag the drugs, paying her €50 each time. Smith admitted responsibility for the items, though she claimed they were not hers. Judge Greally described the case as borderline for custodial sentencing, noting Smith's vulnerability, early plea, cooperation with gardaí, troubled background and lack of prior convictions. She received a five‑year sentence suspended on conditions including keeping the peace, good behaviour, and 12 months of probation. The judge warned that any lapse would activate the full sentence.
In a Dublin domestic‑violence case, 28‑year‑old Afghan national Muhammed Tajik pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his pregnant wife, Susan Walmsley, after a dispute over her new job. On 8 December 2015, Tajik grabbed Walmsley's neck, punched her until she passed out, and left her with a fractured jaw, eye socket injury, neck wound and swollen neck. He drove her to A&E, where she received treatment. Walmsley, a mother of two, described the assault as brutal, stating she feared she would die that night. The court noted her ongoing trauma, including panic attacks, PTSD and suicidal thoughts. Judge Patrick McCarthy sentenced Tajik to three years' imprisonment, citing the severity of the violence and the lack of provocation. Walmsley expressed shock at the sentence length and urged other abuse victims to seek help.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Paul Gill, a 37‑year‑old construction worker, pleaded guilty to assaulting Patrick "Patsy" Kelly, 58, and Martin Curtis on 22 August 2015. Gill admitted punching Kelly up to five times, dragging him to the road and kicking him once in the head, and then attacking Curtis when he arrived. Emergency services performed CPR on Kelly, who later died. A post‑mortem found Kelly died of heart disease, with the assault's minor trauma contributing. Gill had eight prior convictions, including a 2000 assault. He was acquitted of manslaughter after a six‑day trial. The judge remanded him on bail and warned that a custodial element was inevitable, with sentencing scheduled for 18 December. The case was transferred to Dublin due to Kelly's prominence in Naas. The hearing included victim impact statements and defence mitigation arguments. The court did not yet impose a sentence.
Paul Gill, a 37‑year‑old construction worker from Naas, Kildare, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Patrick "Patsy" Kelly, aged 58, and Martin Curtis on 22 August 2015. He had earlier pleaded not guilty to unlawfully killing Kelly and was acquitted of manslaughter after a six‑day trial. Witnesses said Gill confronted Kelly outside Curtis's house, punched him in the face, dragged him eight metres from the front door, and kicked him once in the head. Gill then attacked Curtis when he arrived. Emergency services performed CPR on Kelly, but he died. Post‑mortem showed heart disease as the cause of death, with the assault's minor trauma as a contributing factor. Gill has eight prior convictions, including a 2000 assault. The case is set for sentencing next Monday, with the judge warning of a likely custodial element.
Eamon McNamee, 37, pleaded guilty in the Special Criminal Court to possessing a firearm with intent to commit assault causing harm on 19 January 2013 at Fairgreen, Saggart. The court accepted the plea, and the prosecution noted that McNamee had been on bail for over two years. The judge ordered that his bail be varied so he must sign in at a Garda station daily. McNamee was remanded on continuing bail until 29 January next year, when sentencing will take place.
Mark O'Brien, 21, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for violent disorder committed on November 21, 2015. O'Brien pleaded guilty to the charge, which involved kicking a stranger in the rear at Central Bank Plaza in Dublin city centre. The incident occurred while the victim was walking with his girlfriend, their three-week-old baby, and his brother. O'Brien remained at the scene and was arrested after the victim identified him to gardai. Prosecution evidence indicated O'Brien was highly intoxicated and homeless at the time, with CCTV showing him swaying before striking the victim. Defence counsel highlighted an "amazing transformation" in O'Brien, who is now attending a residential treatment programme called Team Challenge in Scotland. Detective Garda Shane Moriarty noted that O'Brien appeared as a "completely different person" compared to his appearance during the arrest. Judge Karen O'Connor acknowledged that such "gratuitous aggressive behaviour" would normally result in a custodial sentence. However, considering O'Brien's turbulent early life, history of substance abuse, and current motivation to rehabilitate, she imposed an 18-month sentence. This sentence was suspended in full. The conditions of the suspension require O'Brien to remain at his course at Team Challenge, abstain from drugs and alcohol, and undergo 18 months of Probation Supervision.
Thomas McCann, 43, of Morristown Estate, Newbridge, Co Kildare, was sentenced by Judge Patricia Ryan in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a total of six years' imprisonment, with two years suspended. He has spent 22 years in custody and has 150 prior convictions, mainly for burglary and theft. McCann pleaded guilty to smashing a glass panel on a house on Strand Road, Sandymount, and was found guilty of burglary at a house on Maretimo Place, Blackrock, on 30 September 2011. He was acquitted of a second burglary attempt at comedian Mario Rosenstock's home. Judge Ryan sentenced him to four years for the Maretimo burglary, with one year suspended, and to two years for the 2016 criminal damage, with one year suspended, to be served after the first sentence. McCann, who has been drug‑free for 27 years, expressed remorse, thanked the court, and pledged to dedicate the rest of his life to his wife and child.
Aaron Murdiff, 20, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to three counts of robbery, three counts of attempted robbery, and one count relating to the production of a knife. The offences occurred at various locations in Shankill, Dublin, on October 21, 2015. Prosecution counsel Antonia Boyle BL detailed a three-hour crime spree during which victims were robbed of wallets, phones, and headphones, while others were threatened with knives or physical violence. Defence counsel Justin McQuaid BL highlighted that Murdiff, of Dargle Heights, Bray, Co Wicklow, had no previous convictions, was under the influence of drugs, and wished to enter the Aisling Centre for addiction treatment. Judge Patricia Ryan noted the serious nature of the charges but considered Murdiff's youth, his early guilty plea, his cooperation with gardaí, and his engagement with probation services, which assessed him as a low risk of re-offending. The judge also credited his desire to address substance abuse issues. Judge Ryan sentenced Murdiff to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years. She warned that if he came to garda attention during that period, she would not hesitate to jail him.
Two Vietnamese men, Ngog Toan Vu (54) and Thang Nguen Van (46), were smuggled into Ireland and pleaded guilty to cultivating cannabis without a licence at a warehouse in Ballymount Drive, Dublin 12, on 10 May. The court heard that the warehouse contained six grow rooms with 1,469 cannabis plants, a 31‑kg vat of harvested cannabis, and a small living area. Gardaí seized €1.795 million worth of drugs. Vu travelled in a shipping container, paid a Chinese man for the trip, and was told he would work on a farm; he spent $40,000 of his savings and lived in the warehouse for seven weeks. Van, who had lived illegally in the UK and had convictions there, thought he would work as a chef and was coughing in the grow house. Both men were remanded and their sentences adjourned to 9 April 2025 to allow investigations into whether they were victims of human trafficking.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 37‑year‑old Larry Connors was sentenced to two years and three months' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended. Connors, a father of six, pleaded guilty to assaulting his estranged wife, Margaret Connors, on 31 March 2016, after a two‑day period of violent conduct that included pulling a knife, threatening to kill her, slashing her car tyres and stealing her phone. He also breached two Safety Orders and damaged her property. Connors denied all charges but admitted the assault. The judge, citing the seriousness of the breaches and Connors' remorse, noted his completion of a 12‑week rehabilitation programme at Cuan Mhuire and his involvement in his children's lives. The sentence was back‑dated to 8 July 2017, and Connors was ordered to keep the peace and exhibit good behaviour for two years after release. The court refused to defer the sentence until after Christmas, despite Margaret's request.
Seamus McGrane, 63, of Dromiskin, County Louth, was sentenced to eleven and a half years in prison for directing the activities of a terrorist organisation and six and a half years for IRA membership. The Special Criminal Court convicted him in October of directing the IRA between April 19 and May 13, 2015, and membership from January 18, 2010, to May 13, 2015. McGrane, who denied both charges, was found to have plotted an explosion during Prince Charles's State visit, targeting the Cross of Sacrifice in Glasnevin. The sentences run concurrently. His ally, Donal O'Coisdealbha, pleaded guilty to IRA membership on May 13, 2015, and was jailed for five and a half years. The court noted McGrane's previous convictions, including a 2001 sentence for firearms training, as aggravating factors. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy dismissed a letter from Eamon O'Cuiv TD as unconvincing. The judge highlighted that significant explosive materials, including Semtex and detonators, were found at locations linked to McGrane and O'Coisdealbha. This marks the second conviction for directing terrorism in the State, following Michael McKevitt's 2003 sentence.
A 47-year-old man from County Longford has been sentenced to 11 years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court following his conviction on charges relating to the sexual abuse of his teenage nephew. The jury found him guilty of 11 counts of rape, 10 counts of defilement, five counts of sexual assault, and one count of sexual exploitation of a child. The offences occurred between 2007 and 2014, spanning a period of seven years when the victim was aged 13 to 20. During trial, the accused claimed the relationship was consensual, a claim rejected by the court. Mr Justice Paul McDermott noted the defendant's use of substances and money to secure the victim's silence, describing his conduct as a grave breach of trust. The judge acknowledged the defendant's employment history and community involvement but highlighted his complete absence of remorse and failure to enter a guilty plea. The man has been directed to register as a sex offender and will be subject to five years of probation supervision following release.
A Mayo man convicted of assaulting a garda sergeant has maintained his innocence, claiming he was "set up" and "framed" by gardaí. Joseph Doocey, aged 51, from Knoxbarret in Ballina, was found guilty by jury verdict in October of eleven counts including assault causing harm to Sergeant Declan Casey, dangerous driving, and criminal damage following a hit-and-run incident on June 8, 2015 near Font Cross, Ballina. The incident involved Doocey's vehicle striking Sergeant Casey at a checkpoint, subsequently reversing over him, and driving dangerously before being abandoned near Killala. Doocey testified that gardaí had conducted a prolonged campaign against him and alleged witnesses were planted and evidence tampered with. His legal representative described him as fundamentally honest, though acknowledging his strong opinions. Sentence finalisation was adjourned at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court pending Doocey's agreement to cease any hostile conduct towards Sergeant Casey and his family. Doocey remained remanded in custody.
Denise O'Brien, 38, of Cedar House, Marlborough Street, Dublin, was sentenced to 16 months in jail for stealing €1,494 worth of No 7 and L'Oréal products from a Boots store in the Ilac Centre on 23 July 2017. She pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. CCTV footage captured O'Brien and an unknown male entering the store; she placed a large amount of cosmetics in a bag held by the male before they left without paying. O'Brien has 126 previous convictions, 87 of which are for theft. The prosecution, represented by Diane Stuart BL, described her as a "persistent shoplifter" whose life had been destroyed by long‑term drug abuse. Defence counsel, Luigi Rea BL, noted that O'Brien began using cannabis at 12, later used other drugs, completed a FÁS course after leaving school, and was working on film locations before her addiction made her unemployable.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Dayle Devoy, aged 22, was sentenced to 16 months in custody for possessing 84 rounds of firearm ammunition at his family home. Devoy claimed he had discovered the stash while walking in a park. Detective Garda David Charles reported that he and colleagues found the ammunition during a search of Devoy's home, uncovering 14 rounds of 9mm Luger, .38 Special Short and .22 long rifle ammunition. Devoy pleaded guilty on 18 February 2016 and has 12 prior convictions, all at district court level, for offences including drugs and arson. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Devoy was holding the ammunition for third parties and that he was aware of its intended use in killing, injuring or threatening people. The judge imposed a three‑year sentence with the final 20 months suspended, ordering 20 months of post‑release supervision. The case was prosecuted by Antonia Boyle BL and defended by Bernard Condon SC.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Francis Leahy, aged 58, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for robbing a Spar shop in Ringsend on 18 February 2017. He pleaded guilty to one count of robbery, stealing €360 in cash, and one count of possessing a firearm with 10 rounds of ammunition. Leahy entered the shop masked, pointed the gun at a shop worker, demanded money, and fled with the cash. Gardaí found him with the gun loaded with two rounds, eight additional rounds, and cash. He claimed he had gambling debts and had received threatening bullet cartridges in his letter box. Judge Karen O'Connor described the offence as very serious, imposed the sentence, and suspended the final 18 months on strict conditions, including drug treatment and a victim awareness programme. The victim's impact statement noted fear for his life during the robbery.
Alan Horan, 49, was jailed for one year after taking a SuperValu delivery van and driving it in a high‑speed five‑minute chase through Clondalkin. He had lifted the van keys from a counter while the delivery driver was on his rounds. Horan pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to dishonestly appropriating keys, endangerment, dangerous driving and driving without insurance. The chase took place around Moorefield Parade and Cappaghmore, where children were playing. Garda Vincent Daly described Horan's driving as reckless, noting he drove at 80 km/h in a 15 km/h zone and over 100 km/h at a roundabout. Horan was arrested after the chase and smelled strongly of alcohol. The judge, Martin Nolan, called the offence "very stupid, opportunistic" and imposed a one‑year sentence, disqualifying Horan from driving for five years. The court noted Horan's 84 previous convictions, including a hit‑and‑run, and his drug and alcohol dependency.
Dean Byrne, aged 25, was serving an 18‑year sentence for a 2013 aggravated burglary when he climbed onto the roof of Cloverhill Prison during a riot on 29 May 2015. He remained on the roof for 13 hours, during which he threw a pole down at inmates below. Byrne pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting violent disorder. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court added six months to his sentence, to be served after the existing term, citing his actions on the roof as a nuisance during the riot. The court noted that Byrne had 122 prior convictions and that he had been in institutions for half his life. The judge refused to reduce the extension, imposing the additional six months as a separate penalty.
Darren Gleeson, 35, of Corduff Green, Blanchardstown, pleaded guilty to membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) at the Special Criminal Court. He had ordered two grenades via the Dark Net, paying with Bitcoin under the alias "guilleoteen." The package was intercepted and delivered to his girlfriend's address on 18 May 2017. Gleeson signed the DHL receipt as "Darren Kinsella" and accepted the inert grenades, carrying a Stanley knife. Gardaí arrested him that day and he was later taken to Finglas Garda Station. He had a history of four burglaries and two robberies but no prior unlawful‑organisation convictions. The court, presided over by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, Judge Sinead Ni Chúlacháin and Judge Cormac Dunne, sentenced him to three years and six months' imprisonment, back‑dated to 18 May 2017. The sentence reflected the potential harm of the explosives and his guilty plea, with mitigating factors including cooperation and family circumstances. The maximum penalty was eight years.
A 22‑year‑old university student, Hakim Mansour, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after striking a stranger with a bottle at Krystle nightclub on 21 February 2016. The victim suffered facial lacerations and nerve damage to his hand. Mansour, who had no prior convictions, was identified by the victim through Facebook photos. Judge Martin Nolan, noting the lack of provocation and Mansour's cooperation, imposed a two‑year custodial sentence suspended in full on the condition of good behaviour and payment of €12,500 to the victim within two years. The court considered Mansour's background, education, and employment prospects, and the financial penalty was intended to punish and compensate. Mansour's defence highlighted his early guilty plea and low risk of re‑offending, while the prosecution maintained the assault was a serious, unprovoked act. The case concluded with a suspended sentence and a financial penalty.
Gregory Kearns, 44, a grandfather who dresses as Santa to visit sick children, was sentenced to two‑and‑a‑half years in jail after a police raid uncovered equipment capable of producing fake driving licences, motor tax discs and car registration plates. Gardaí found false bank statements, a counterfeit €50 note, a fake drivers licence and a counterfeit motor tax disc in the attic of his home. Kearns pleaded guilty to 14 counts of illegally possessing false instruments and items that could be used to make false instruments. He also admitted to possessing a counterfeit €50 note, though it was not made by him. The judge, Karen O'Connor, noted his seven previous convictions, including handling stolen property, and his financial pressures. He was sentenced to four years with the final eighteen months suspended, meaning he will serve two and a half years in custody.
Jacqueline Walsh, a 33‑year‑old former civil servant, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four counts of stealing €6,736 from the Department of Social Protection between October 2011 and May 2012. The theft involved fake Jobseekers allowance claims made under her brother William Walsh's PPS number. Walsh accessed her brother's details and used the department's system to submit the claims, which were discovered when William attempted a Revenue claim. She had no prior convictions except minor traffic offences. The court, after considering her difficult upbringing, family responsibilities, and the premeditated nature of the offence, imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence. She was ordered to serve 18 months of probation supervision and complete victim‑focused work. No money was recovered, and the case highlighted security lapses in the Tallaght office where computers were often left unlocked.
Derek Shevlin, 24, was jailed for two years after a violent attack on his ex‑girlfriend Ciara McGrath's family home. He entered the house on 11 September 2015, brandishing a hurley stick and an imitation handgun, demanding €400 for an iPhone he had bought for her. Shevlin smashed the front door, windows, and a Dublin City Council van, then pointed the gun at David McGrath, her father, and threatened to shoot him. He pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill David McGrath and to damaging property. The court noted the attack was the culmination of his failure to cope with the breakup and that McGrath suffered anxiety and sleep disruption. Judge Karen O'Connor, acknowledging his early guilty plea and substance abuse, sentenced him to three and a half years with eighteen months suspended, resulting in a two‑year custodial term.
David McDonagh, 42, of St Margaret's Halting Site, Ballymun, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to handling stolen property on 6 April 2015 and possession of stolen property on 16 April 2015. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to two and a half years imprisonment, suspended for the same period on the condition of keeping the peace and good behaviour. He was ordered to pay €4,200 compensation to the victim and to engage with the probation service for 12 months. The judge also suspended his driving licence for two years because he had used a vehicle without insurance and failed to produce insurance. McDonagh was identified as the "front man" in a stolen car operation that involved Volkswagen Passat and Golf vehicles advertised on the Done Deal website, with false number plates, NCT and tax discs. He has 81 previous convictions, 59 of which are road traffic offences, and one theft conviction.
Jason Whelan, 28, of Woodhazel Terrace, Ballymun, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to trespass and theft offences at Clifton Court Hotel and The Gresham Hotel in 2017. He admitted stealing a receptionist's phone and seven bottles of spirits worth €225, and burglary of €257 worth of spirits at Clifton Court. Garda Michelle Fitzpatrick reported that Whelan also took €43 worth of spirits from The Grand Central pub after leaving ten bottles in a bag behind a function room door. Whelan has 28 prior burglary convictions, ten theft convictions and other handling‑stolen‑property offences. Judge Martin Nolan remarked that Whelan "cannot stop himself from committing burglaries" and sentenced him to two and a half years' imprisonment, crediting time already served. His brother, Stephen Whelan, 34, pleaded guilty to the same offences and received a 16‑month sentence. No violence was reported in any incident.
Steven Hennessy, 38, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a seriously drunk, almost unconscious woman at a Dublin festival in September 2016. The victim, who remains anonymous, only realised what had happened after waking in a medical hut and learning a man had been arrested. Hennessy, who was also severely intoxicated, was observed by a group of friends putting his hand inside the woman's trousers and digitally penetrating her. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and had no prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan noted Hennessy's cooperation, admissions, guilty plea and expression of remorse, as well as his good work record and loss of employment. The judge imposed a custodial sentence but suspended the final 14 months on strict conditions, citing mitigation. No compensation or financial penalty was imposed, leaving that matter to civil courts. The victim did not submit a victim impact statement. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.