During a routine traffic stop for not wearing a seat belt, Garda Alan Murray discovered that Joseph Smith, 27, was driving a black BMW without a seat belt. Smith initially denied the allegation but later provided his licence and insurance. The garda then found a hold‑all in the front passenger footwell containing a clear bag of cannabis and, upon Smith's return, seized the hold‑all, revealing three bags of cannabis and an electronic weighing scale. The drugs were estimated to be worth €4,760. Smith pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply on 23 March 2016. His counsel, Sarah Jane O'Callaghan, argued that Smith had been drug‑free and had turned his life around, citing a prior drug debt of €3,000 from a cocaine addiction. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Smith was unlikely to re‑offend in this manner and suspended a three‑year prison sentence on the condition of good behaviour for that period.
Paul Gill, 37, of Naas, pleaded guilty to assaulting Patrick "Patsy" Kelly and Martin Curtis on 22 August 2015. He had earlier pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and was acquitted after a six‑day trial. Judge Melanie Greally postponed his assault sentence because the Kelly family objected to the omission of parts of their victim impact statement. The prosecution argued that the Victims of Crime Act 2017 allows family members to be treated as direct victims, but the court was still operating under the 2010 Act. The family was deeply unhappy that elements of their statement were excluded, leading to an adjournment. Gill remains on bail and the sentencing hearing has been rescheduled for December. Eye witnesses described Gill grabbing Kelly by the collar, dragging him, punching and kicking him, while medical evidence indicated heart disease as the main cause of death, with alcohol and injuries as contributory factors.
In a hearing on 20 November 2017, the court considered a non‑custodial sentence for 36‑year‑old Brazilian meat‑factory worker Juraci Da Silva, who was convicted of manslaughter for the death of James 'Jay' Banville. Da Silva had been assaulted and racially abused by Banville and Conor Hogan before the fatal altercation. The victim's family, represented by his sister Marie Banville, expressed grief and demanded justice, while Da Silva's barrister, Colman Cody SC, argued that Da Silva had pleaded guilty, was a family provider, and had been provoked. Cody highlighted Da Silva's background, his early departure from school to support his family, and his isolation as a foreigner. The judge, Justice Michael White, adjourned sentencing to the following Monday, leaving the outcome pending. The case remains at the sentencing stage. Da Silva was acquitted.
Lino Simonetti, a 38-year-old Italian chef residing on Aungier Street, Dublin, appeared before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court at the sentencing stage. He pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and cannabis for sale or supply at his home on September 28, 2016. Prosecution evidence indicated that gardai, acting on a warrant, recovered cannabis valued at €29,600, cocaine valued at €3,080, and small amounts of MDMA and ketamine. Simonetti also directed officers to bagging and weighing scales. He admitted to having a drug habit and selling substances to fund his use. Defending counsel highlighted Simonetti's lack of previous convictions, his early guilty plea, and his cooperation with gardai. The court noted his prior work history in healthcare and education in Africa and Ireland. Judge Martin Nolan observed that Simonetti had rehabilitated himself regarding drug dealing and was unlikely to reoffend in this manner. The judge imposed a four-year sentence, which was suspended in full on strict conditions. Simonetti avoided immediate custody as a result of this disposal.
A Cavan man has been sentenced to five years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his guilty plea to offences against a 14-year-old boy. Michael Galligan, aged 40 and residing in Springfield, Cavan, pleaded guilty to three counts of defilement of a child under 15 years and two counts of sexual assault. The offences occurred in 2015 after the accused made contact with the complainant through a website. The court heard they met on three occasions that year. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a seven-year sentence with the final two years suspended on strict conditions. The judge noted Galligan should have recognised the boy's age after their first meeting. Galligan, who holds previous convictions including sexual assault and breach of sex offenders legislation, has been in custody since 2015. His defence counsel highlighted his early guilty plea and cooperation with psychiatric services while in prison.
Garry Carroll, a former legal executive who had worked for Connolly Sellors and Geraghty Solicitors from 1978 to 2009, was jailed for three years after admitting to theft, larceny and embezzlement over a ten‑year period. He stole about €260,000 from the firm, and the civil case in 2014 awarded the firm €323,000. In November 2017 the High Court approved an order appointing a receiver over Carroll's pension fund held by Irish Life Assurance, which was due to be paid to him on his 60th birthday in June 2019. The receiver will receive the pension proceeds, less tax and a €25,000 retention for Carroll. Carroll, aged 58, said his actions were driven by a gambling addiction. The court noted that the fraud was uncovered when a property developer complained about a missing mortgage payment, leading to Carroll's confession and subsequent counselling.
Sean Dowdall, aged 23, was sentenced to 13 months in prison for stealing a taxi driver's car after a drug and alcohol binge. He claimed a woman, with whom he was not closely acquainted, had told him she was pregnant and that he was the father. Dowdall denied this later, stating he was not the father. He had stolen two cars over two days, the first being a taxi that crashed into a lamp post after he drove off while intoxicated. He had previously pleaded guilty to stealing a car from a petrol station on Tir Chonaill Road on 12 February 2016, and had 57 prior convictions, including assault, theft and car theft. The court noted he had 57 previous convictions and that the stolen car was written off due to damage. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the 13‑month sentence. The prosecution, represented by Pieter LeVert BL, described the circumstances of the theft and the subsequent crash.
Maggie Nugent, 61, a Dublin grandmother, pleaded guilty to holding €23,000 worth of untaxed cigarettes at her home on Marewood Crescent, Poppintree, Ballymun, on 26 November 2014. She was approached by a man who asked her to keep 46,600 cigarettes of the brands MG and Goal. When Gardaí arrived with a search warrant, Nugent confessed and cooperated fully. The offence caused a loss of €18,000 to the Exchequer. Nugent, who is being treated for cervical cancer and has other significant health difficulties, was described by the court as "mortified" and "guilt‑laden" and was deemed very unlikely to re‑offend. Judge Terence O'Sullivan, noting her good character, lack of prior convictions, and the family duress involved, imposed a two‑month suspended sentence, fully suspended for three months, and ordered the destruction of the cigarettes. The court also noted a probation report showing a very low risk of re‑offending.
John Power, 28, pleaded guilty to burglary and unlawful taking of a car at Baggot Court, Dublin, on 22 June 2017. The victim used a "locator app" on his stolen mobile phone to pinpoint Power's location in a laneway off Parnell Street. Garda Enda Dowling reported that the occupiers woke to find their home burgled and car stolen while they slept. Power was found sleeping rough in the laneway, and the victim later discovered him with a Nike bag that matched his own. Gardaí recovered the stolen mobile phone, laptop, tablet and other items from the bag. CCTV showed Power opening the victim's car with the key fob, driving off, and later returning on a bike. Power, who has 75 previous convictions, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended on strict conditions. The judge noted the burglary was non‑violent and a crime of opportunity, and that Power had expressed a desire to rehabilitate.
Sean Kerins, a 26-year-old Limerick man with 105 previous convictions, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for offences committed in Clondalkin on October 9, 2016. Kerins pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a vehicle, criminal damage to an unmarked patrol car, and two counts of dangerous driving. The court heard that Kerins, who was disqualified from driving at the time, drove a stolen Honda Civic at speeds exceeding 160 km/h during a police pursuit. He failed to stop, drove through red lights, and subsequently reversed at speed into a patrol vehicle, causing damage. Defence counsel Carol Doherty BL highlighted Kerins' difficult background, lack of parental support, and drug use, describing him as heavily institutionalised and genuinely apologetic. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged Kerins' challenging life circumstances but characterised him as a "menace to society" who endangered the public. The judge imposed a three and a half year sentence, suspending the final year on strict conditions. The matter was finalised with this sentencing order.
John Behan, aged 53, was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment for harassing Patricia Buckley, the manager of a Paddy Powers Bookmakers branch in Edenmore, Dublin, from September 2014 to March 2016. The court heard that Behan subjected Buckley to "almost daily terror," threatening her, abusing her in the store and on the street, and forcing her to be escorted to her car. He had previously been convicted of assaulting Buckley by throwing a bottle, for which he received a five‑month sentence in May 2017. Behan pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and said he now understood the harm he caused. Judge Martin Nolan described the harassment as persistent, serious and insidious, imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with the final year suspended, and ordered Behan to avoid Buckley's home and workplace for 15 years. The court also noted that Buckley had suffered panic attacks, sleep deprivation and heart palpitations as a result of the harassment.
In November 2017, two brothers, Dylan Fogarty (24) and Dean Fogarty (21), were sentenced in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a self‑confessed "nasty and unprovoked attack" on Garda Denise Larkin and Garda Peter Ryan on 5 August 2016. The brothers punched the officers several times to the head, causing concussions and scarring. CCTV footage showed them smiling and high‑fiving after the assault. Dylan received a two‑year sentence, with six months suspended, while Dean received a one‑year‑nine‑month sentence, with nine months suspended. Both were also convicted of two counts of theft of bikes. The court noted their prior convictions and the officers' injuries, and the judge emphasised the seriousness of the assault. The sentencing reflected the brothers' admissions and the impact on the Gardaí. Dylan Fogarty pleaded guilty. Dean Fogarty pleaded guilty.
David Radford, 21, was released from prison in March after a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for sexual assault. The final 12 months of his sentence were suspended on the condition that he complied with the probation service. He had 15 previous convictions, including three for sexual assault. At an October hearing Judge Martin Nolan found that Radford had breached bail conditions by refusing emergency accommodation and sleeping rough. He had also begun using substances. The judge said Radford's refusal to live in the accommodation provided by the probation service meant the suspended portion of his sentence had to be re‑activated. Radford was remanded in custody for one month, and the judge noted that the decision was not without difficulty, as Radford had been ordered to cooperate fully with the probation service. The court also heard that Radford had been attacked on several occasions and was concerned for his safety in a hostel.
Linda Wall, 37, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery at a Luas stop in June 2015 after being directed by a drug dealer to seize a mobile phone to pay part of a debt. She had 16 prior convictions and was addicted to "snow blow." The victim, a Chinese woman, was punched, kicked, and had her hair pulled before being rescued by another passenger. Wall denied intending to injure the victim. The court accepted her remorse and the steps she had taken to address risk factors. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a four‑year suspended sentence, directed 12 months of probation supervision, and urged Wall to use this opportunity to rebuild her life. The hearing noted her history of nursing studies and the loss of her daughter last year. The sentence was suspended for four years, with no immediate custodial term.
A Polish documentary filmmaker, Robert Socha, applied to Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy at the Central Criminal Court for an audio recording of the trial of Marta Herda, a 30‑year‑old former waitress convicted of murdering 31‑year‑old Hungarian man Csaba Orsos. Herda had driven her Volkswagen Passat into a harbour, causing Orsos to drown. She had pleaded not guilty, but a jury found her guilty and she was sentenced to a mandatory life term on 28 July 2016. Herda's appeal was dismissed in March 2013. The judge explained that the courts normally do not release audio recordings or transcripts to the press, citing policy reasons. Socha said his aim was to "get to the bottom of the case" for a documentary, but the request was refused.
John Paul Sheehan, a 38‑year‑old homeless man from Cork, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after a burglary at the Dublin Visitors Centre on Grafton Street. He stole more than €26,000 in cash and cheques, plus a €100 Panasonic Lumix camera. Sheehan was arrested the same day for a drug offence and was found with €9,475 of the stolen cash. He pleaded guilty to trespass and theft. The court noted he had 100 prior convictions, mainly for burglaries, and that he had used the stolen money for food, clothing and to support his drug habit. The judge, taking his guilty plea into account, imposed the sentence without a suspended element, citing a lack of evidence of rehabilitation. The camera was never recovered. The case highlighted the challenges faced by homeless and drug‑addicted individuals who may be compelled to steal to survive.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Darren Gleeson, 35, pleaded guilty to membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 18 May 2017. The court heard that the Special Detective Unit had investigated attempts to import explosives into Dublin. Two parties were identified on the Dark Net, one using the alias "guilleoteen" who sought two grenades and paid with Bitcoin. The grenades were intercepted and a controlled delivery was arranged to Gleeson's address, where he accepted the package. Gleeson was arrested for IRA membership and has prior convictions for knife possession, burglary and robbery. He pleaded guilty early, and the court remanded him in custody until 7 December when sentencing will occur. The case remains at the membership charge stage.
Gareth Joyce, 35, a recovering heroin addict with a long criminal record, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of stolen items worth over €11,000. He was caught on 16 October 2016 with a hedge trimmer, a Black & Decker drill and a gas cooker, each valued at €288, and on 6 October 2016 with a laptop, phones, foreign currency, a pearl necklace and other jewellery totalling €11,000. Forensic evidence linked his thumbprints to the stolen laptop. Joyce initially claimed the property was not his, saying it had been left at his brother's house by a party guest. He has 93 prior convictions, including burglary, handling stolen property, theft, criminal damage and trespass. The judge, citing his extensive criminal history and drug addiction, sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, suspended for five years, and imposed strict rehabilitation conditions. The sentence will be re‑activated if he fails to comply.
Father‑of‑three Declan Garnett (46) of Finglas admitted to possessing 198 grammes of cocaine worth €13,923 after claiming he found almost €14,000 of the drug in a shopping bag near his apartment complex bins. He said he brought the drugs home and hid them in his wife's jacket, keeping them for up to three days before deciding what to do with them. Garnett pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 6 December 2016. Garda Cathal Connolly reported that the police raided his home on a warrant, finding no wealth, paraphernalia, tick lists or cash. The defence highlighted Garnett's lack of secondary education and his lifelong hard work, submitting employment testimonials and family letters, including one from his wife describing him as "an ordinary man".
David Dowling, 49, of Sorrell Heath, Clonsilla, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for laundering €169,000 of drug proceeds for a criminal gang. He pleaded guilty in July to two charges of handling the proceeds of crime at Westend Retail Business Park and at Sorrell Heath. Gardaí seized €69,610 in a van and an additional €99,020 in Dowling's home, along with a vacuum‑packing machine used to conceal cash. The court described Dowling as a "good family man" who was an "essential cog" in the drug‑dealing enterprise, moving money to where it was needed. Judge Martin Nolan noted Dowling's 17 prior convictions but did not consider them in sentencing. The driver of the other vehicle received 240 hours of community service. No further appeals or outcomes were mentioned in the article.
Seamus McGrane, 63, of Dromiskin, County Louth, was remanded in custody until December 7 for sentencing at the Special Criminal Court. He was convicted last month of directing the activities of an unlawful organisation, styling itself the IRA, between April 19 and May 13, 2015, and of IRA membership between January 18, 2010, and May 13, 2015. McGrane denied both charges. The court found he discussed an operation involving explosives in the run-up to Prince Charles's State visit. Detective Chief Superintendent Tom Maguire outlined evidence from audio recordings at The Coachman's Inn in Swords, where McGrane allegedly directed Donal O'Coisdealbha regarding explosives and a specific operation. McGrane is the second person convicted of directing terrorism in the State, following Michael McKevitt, who was jailed for 20 years in 2003. Defense counsel Michael O' Higgins SC argued the case is distinct from McKevitt's, noting McGrane's group was a splinter organisation with no fatalities. He highlighted that co-accused O'Coisdealbha received a five-and-a-half-year sentence for membership. Ms Justice Kennedy, sitting with Judges Sinead Ni Chulachain and Cormac Dunne, adjourned the matter, remanding McGrane in custody until December 7 when he will be sentenced.
In November 2017 a 65‑year‑old man was sentenced to 11½ years for raping and sexually assaulting his nine‑year‑old daughter between August 1991 and August 1993. He brought a shotgun into her bedroom, threatened to shoot her mother if she reported the abuse, and raped her on a subsequent occasion before assaulting her four or five more times. The abuse ceased abruptly, and the daughter only disclosed it to a relative in 2006, with no action taken. The offences came to light in December 2012 after a family gathering, leading to a Garda investigation. The man denied all charges, claimed he did not accept the verdict, and intends to appeal. The judge, citing the man's age and health, imposed concurrent sentences, suspended the final 15 months, and back‑dated the term to July when he first entered custody. The unnamed man was convicted.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Jason Halpin, 45, was sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment for attempting to rob Lloyds Pharmacy in Castleknock on 9 March 2016. The offence was thwarted by an off‑duty Garda armed with pepper spray, who entered the shop at 7.30 pm after receiving a call about suspicious activity. Halpin, wearing a hoodie and a face mask, entered the pharmacy, pushed a female customer toward the till and shouted, "Give me the money." He was immediately pushed to the ground and subdued with pepper spray, which also affected two staff members and a customer, all of whom later described the incident as terrifying. No money was taken and Halpin did not produce or threaten to use a knife that was reportedly hidden in his tracksuit. He had 25 prior convictions, including robbery and drug misuse, and was on bail for another offence at the time of the robbery. Jason Halpin pleaded guilty.
Peter Jennings, a 49‑year‑old music teacher, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography after a five‑year investigation revealed 1,300 unique image files and 11 unique movie files on his computers. The Gardaí found 935 images of child nudity and the rest depicting erotic posing or sexual activity. Jennings had no prior convictions and had not offended since the files were discovered. He had been living at his family home in Dunsink but left it after the offence became public. He worked as a music teacher at Ballyfermot Ceoil, giving after‑school lessons to children aged seven to twelve. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a suspended prison sentence of two and a half years, conditioned on Jennings keeping the peace for that period and engaging with Probation Services. The court noted Jennings' remorse and the absence of distribution or payment for the material.
In a June 2016 incident at Cafe En Seine in Dublin, 42‑year‑old Oleksander Zavhorodniy punched French bar‑goer Guillaune Demarest repeatedly, striking him in the head and throat. The assault fractured Demarest's oesophagus and required eight stitches for a forehead wound, leading doctors to place him in a medically‑induced coma for 16 days. Zavhorodniy pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He brought €4,000 in compensation, which Demarest accepted. Judge Patricia Ryan, noting Zavhorodniy's remorse, lack of prior convictions, and his staying at the bar until Gardaí arrived, sentenced him to two years' imprisonment. The sentence was suspended for two years under conditions, with the judge urging good behaviour and caution against attracting Gardaí attention during the suspension period.
John O'Donoghue, a former teacher and table tennis coach aged 58, was sentenced to a two‑year prison term with the final year suspended for possessing thousands of child pornography images. The offence occurred on 27 March 2012 at his former home in Weaver's Hall, Stepaside, Dublin. Gardaí seized 2,500 images and 13 movie files, of which 496 showed explicit sexual activity involving children and 2,048 displayed a child's genital region exposed; the films included two with explicit activity and 11 with exposed genitalia. O'Donoghue had previously been convicted of indecent assaulting a young boy in 2013, receiving a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with 18 months suspended. He pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and completed a Safer Lives rehabilitation programme. The judge noted systemic delays in bringing the case to court and acknowledged his rehabilitation progress. O'Donoghue will remain on the Child Sex Offenders list indefinitely.
Ronan McCormack, a 75-year-old former GAA coach and farmer from Cloonloo, Co Sligo, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for indecent assaults committed in the 1970s. McCormack had pleaded not guilty to 26 counts of indecent assault of one boy between June 1972 and March 1975, as well as three counts regarding a second boy. A jury convicted him of 14 counts of indecently assaulting two boys aged seven to 13, while acquitting him of 15 other counts. Judge Martin Nolan imposed consecutive sentences of two years and one year on five specific counts, resulting in a total prison sentence of seven years. The judge noted that the maximum penalty for indecent assault of a male in the 1970s was two years, increasing to five years for a second conviction. McCormack was sentenced globally, with all remaining counts taken into consideration. This follows a 2014 conviction where he received a seven-year and ten-month sentence for abusing schoolboys in the 1980s. Victim impact statements described long-term psychological effects, including depression and distrust, with one victim noting McCormack showed no remorse.
Derek Hutch, a first cousin of the late Gary Hutch, was sentenced by Judge Patricia Ryan to a four‑year term for possession of an imitation firearm and robbery of a Spar shop on Styles Road, Clontarf, on 11 June 2015. The sentence was suspended on a number of conditions after the court noted that Hutch had made "trojan efforts" in rehabilitating himself, remained drug‑free, and had received a favourable probation report. Hutch, aged 27, had nine previous convictions, including three for theft, but no prior firearm offences. The robbery involved Hutch and accomplice Christopher Coakley holding a shop manager at gunpoint with an imitation firearm, demanding the alarm code, and escaping with about €1,215. Gardaí later recovered approximately €700. Hutch has not been in contact with the Gardaí since the offence and is now focused on his family. The court emphasised his progress in drug treatment and his current drug‑free status.
Jonathan Harding, 44, pleaded guilty in the Special Criminal Court to possessing a cache of firearms at Greenogue Business Park, Rathcoole. The cache included ten revolvers, four pistols, a sub‑machine gun, an assault rifle and various ammunition magazines. Harding was remanded in custody until 11 January next year, when he and co‑accused James Walsh, 33, will be sentenced. Declan Brady, 51, was also remanded until 8 December for unlawful possession of five revolvers, twenty rounds of ammunition and a silencer found on 24 January at the same unit.
Stephen "Hoppy" Kinch, aged 29, will be sentenced in early 2018 for an assault committed when he was 16 in 2004. The incident occurred on 17 March 2004 in Tallaght, where Kinch allegedly struck Gary Byrne in the face with an iron bar and was also involved in head‑butting Byrne during the attack. Byrne suffered a broken nose, broken finger, damaged teeth, swollen jaw and a cut lip. Kinch pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, admitted to head‑butting but denied using the iron bar. He has no prior convictions and was living in Tallaght at the time of the hearing. The judge, Karen O'Connor, noted his current employment, voluntary work and family responsibilities, and adjourned the case to February to allow him to pay an additional €4,000. She also indicated a potential probation report and assessment of suitability for community service, though she did not commit to imposing community service.
Patrick Murphy and Gavrila Puscas were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to illegally dumping two skip-loads of mixed waste at a vacant site in Santry on the night of May 14/15, 2015. Judge Petria McDonnell described the act as "odious" and a "blight on the landscape." She sentenced Murphy to nine months suspended and Puscas to six months suspended, both for a period of 12 months, with conditions to keep the peace and be of good behaviour. The judge indicated she would have imposed tougher sentences had she not been constrained by the one-year suspended sentence previously imposed on their employer, Wayne O'Hare, in April. O'Hare, the former director of W K Waste Ltd, was sentenced by Judge Patricia Ryan. The court heard that Murphy, on a JobBridge scheme, and Puscas, a new driver, were directed by O'Hare to dump the waste. Gardaí arrested the men after surveillance by a Dublin City Council officer tracked the truck. Both defendants have no previous convictions. Defending counsel highlighted Murphy's intention to impress his boss and Puscas's limited industry knowledge. The illegally dumped waste was removed six weeks later. W K Waste Ltd has since gone into liquidation.
During a Garda search for drugs in February 2016, a 23‑year‑old man named Glen Synott was found with a black sock containing four 9mm Makarov rounds hidden beneath decking in his back garden. Synott admitted hiding the sock but claimed the bullets were not his, saying he had been asked to hold them for a €200 drug debt. He also stated he was out of breath and sweating because he had been "having a wank", an explanation the Garda found "flippant" and did not accept. Synott was arrested and later pleaded guilty to possession of firearms ammunition under suspicious circumstances. The court imposed a five‑year custodial sentence, suspended for five years on strict conditions, including remaining drug‑free, engaging with addiction services, random urine tests and probation appointments. He had three prior convictions, two for public order offences and one for not wearing a crash helmet on a motorbike.
Dillon Campbell, aged 22, was sentenced to two years for a robbery at Topaz filing station on Beaumont Road, Dublin, where he used half a garden shears as a weapon. He had already been serving a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for a similar robbery two months earlier, and the new sentence will not extend his time in custody. Campbell pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He demanded the shop assistant open the till, threatened with the shears, and stole €200 before discarding the weapon. He has ten prior convictions, including a five‑year robbery sentence with the final two and a half years suspended in March 2017. The court noted his history of mental health issues and drug debt, and the judge imposed a three‑year sentence concurrent with his current term, suspending the final year on strict conditions. The judge urged him to use the resources available to improve his life.
Alan Judge, 43, of Shangan Park, Ballymun, Dublin, pleaded guilty to burglary and criminal damage at Sutton Dry Cleaners and trespass at Sutton Rugby Club on 6 May 2016. He entered the dry cleaners with a hammer, smashed a safe, and left coins and a smashed vodka bottle but stole nothing. Garda Marie Geraghty spotted him on a roof and later arrested him at the rugby club after he entered the dressing rooms. Judge was already on bail for other burglary charges. He was convicted on 15 December 2016 and sentenced to four years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended. Judge also received a two‑year suspended sentence, to run consecutively to the four‑year term, and will begin serving it from his scheduled release in August. He apologized, cited drug‑free status, and requested placement in a drug treatment centre after custodial time.
A former British Army soldier, Donal Colgan, aged 66, was found guilty of murder after stabbing 44‑year‑old David Sheridan to death outside Luigi's takeaway on Dublin's North Strand Road on 17 August 2014. Colgan had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. He claimed he lost self‑control after Sheridan struck him on the head with a bag of cans, and that the prosecution's claim of an earlier altercation was false. The jury, after five days of evidence and 6 hours 44 minutes of deliberation, returned a unanimous guilty verdict for murder. Justice Tony Hunt thanked the jury, excused them from further service for ten years, and sentenced Colgan to life imprisonment. The case was the second trial for the murder; the first collapsed due to a gap in CCTV footage.
In a 2016 daylight robbery on Essex Quay, Dublin, 39‑year‑old Charlene Curran of Kells, Co. Meath, attacked 25‑year‑old Rebecca Kelly. Curran tried to snatch Kelly's iPhone, flung her across the road, pulled her hair, punched her face and attempted to take the phone. Kelly, holding onto her bag, released the phone to keep her bag, and Curran fled with it. Garda Ian Lawlor arrived, found Kelly upset and injured, and used a phone‑tracking app on his own phone to locate Curran. The app led them to Heuston Station where Kelly identified the attacker. Judge Karen O'Connor described the assault as vicious and unprovoked, sentencing Curran to two and a half years' imprisonment, suspending the last 18 months on the condition of cooperation with Probation Services. The court noted Curran's two prior minor non‑violent convictions and her drug use at the time. Charlene Curran pleaded guilty.
A Dublin man, Robert Hedderman, aged 33, pleaded guilty to two burglaries. The first was at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel on Bachelor's Walk, Dublin 1, on 7 October 2016. He smashed a glass security panel to enter and was later confronted by a church volunteer who took him to the parish priest and called the police. Garda Michael O'Donnell found a screwdriver, scissors and many keys on him. While on bail, he committed a second burglary at the Irish Whiskey Museum on Grafton Street on 9 December 2016. CCTV showed him smashing two windows and stealing €300 in cash, merchandise and a laptop, causing the museum a €5,273 loss. He has 40 prior convictions, eight for burglary. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to two years for the chapel burglary and 18 months for the museum burglary, with the final year suspended, giving a total of two and a half years in prison.
A 21‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in a sexual act with a 14‑year‑old girl at an address in Dublin on 17 July 2015. The girl was taken from a teenage disco in Donnybrook, where she had drunk vodka and felt ill. She asked the man, a Facebook acquaintance, to pick her up because she was too afraid to call her mother. He drove her, she fell asleep, and he forced oral sex and later had her masturbate him. After driving to McDonald's, he dropped her home. The girl was found crying on her stairs, and her parents were informed. The man was arrested a few days later, admitted the offence, and apologized via text. He has no prior convictions, has intellectual difficulties and a borderline learning disability, and has attempted suicide after the offence. He is receiving counselling and anti‑depressants.
Ian McCluskey, aged 20, pleaded guilty to a knifepoint robbery at the Seventh Lock on the Royal Canal, Dublin, on 31 July 2016. While Fiach McHale was cycling, McCluskey approached, demanded the time, and when McHale produced his mobile phone, McCluskey brandished a Stanley "box‑cutter" knife, ordering him to dismount and run. McCluskey then stole the victim's mobile phone and a second phone in the bike's panniers, and later was arrested by gardaí. He admitted the theft, expressed remorse, and the victim's impact statement noted the threat and the victim's fear. Sentencing is scheduled for 19 December.
Rainis Koovit, aged 21, was found guilty of robbing a tip jar at Kaph Cafe in Dublin and of brandishing a syringe to threaten a barista. He claimed the syringe was HIV‑infected, though the court heard it was not. Koovit had previously used the alias Stephen McCormack and had ten earlier convictions under that name, including theft, criminal damage and drug possession, plus one theft conviction under his own name. He entered the cafe earlier that day, obtained a syringe from Merchants Quay, returned to the coffee shop, attempted to seize the chained tip jar, threatened the barista with the syringe, then grabbed foreign bank notes worth about €20 and fled. The barista and a male worker pursued him but did not catch him. Koovit was arrested about a month later, pleaded guilty, and was remanded in custody with a sentence hearing scheduled for December 21.
Alan Behan, 26, pleaded guilty to robbing 87‑year‑old Robert Lynch of €2,500 outside a Bank of Ireland ATM in Walkinstown on 26 August 2016. Behan, who had a manic episode and was not of sound mind, grabbed Lynch as he walked back to his car, demanding the cash. Lynch struggled, fell, and was left with a small arm cut. Behan was identified on CCTV, arrested a few months later, and has 17 prior convictions. He apologized face‑to‑face to Lynch, who accepted the apology with graciousness, and Behan has paid €600 in compensation, vowing to repay the full amount. He has lived in temporary accommodation with his partner and three children for 21 months, suffers from anxiety and bipolar disorder, and was under the influence of cannabis and other drugs at the time of the offence. The sentence hearing is scheduled for 19 December, with an updated psychiatric and probation report to be considered.
Jerry O'Keeffe, a 69-year-old retired soldier from Youghal, Co Cork, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court to ten years in prison for sexually abusing his two daughters. He pleaded guilty to three charges of rape, five of indecent assault, and one of sexual assault. These nine sample charges represented a total of 78 offences committed between January 1980 and March 1987. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy imposed a seven-year sentence for the rape offences and a three-year term for the sexual assaults, ordered to run consecutively. The judge noted that the crimes destroyed the victims' childhoods and that O'Keeffe's guilty plea, entered late in proceedings, provided limited mitigation. He also rejected age as a mitigating factor. O'Keeffe was ordered to be added to the sex offenders register and must liaise with probation services for three years post-release. The victims, Amy Barrett and Melissa O'Keeffe, waived their anonymity and expressed satisfaction with the sentence, describing it as a necessary step for closure and protection of other children. The court heard detailed victim impact statements describing the long-term trauma inflicted by the abuse, which occurred at family homes in Youghal. The sisters reported the abuse to gardaí in 2014 after initial reports in 1999 were withdrawn under family pressure.
John O'Donoghue, a 58‑year‑old former teacher and table tennis coach, pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography on March 27, 2012, at his former home in Weaver's Hall, Stepaside, Dublin 18. Gardaí searched the premises in 2008, retrieving 2,500 images and 13 movie files across a computer, laptop, memory stick and two external hard drives. Of the images, 496 were Category 1 (explicit sexual activity) and 2,048 were Category 2 (genital exposure). Two of the movie files contained explicit sexual activity, while 11 showed genital exposure. O'Donoghue had four prior convictions for indecent assault of a young boy in 2013, for which he received a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended. He has since pleaded guilty, served a sentence, completed a Safer Lives programme, and undergone individual and group therapy. The court will sentence him on November 10, 2017, and he will remain on the list of child sex offenders indefinitely.
Anthony Connors, 42, pleaded guilty to burglary at Linenhall St, Dublin, on 20 June 2016. He entered a house by convincing the homeowner, Michael Tonra, that he was looking for a long‑lost friend. Tonra offered to write down Connors' contact details, but Connors stopped him and demanded his jacket. Connors' behaviour changed from normal to intimidating, and he pushed Tonra, forcing him to the ground. Tonra resisted, pinned Connors, and tried to reason with him. Connors threatened to return with other men, struck him, and pushed him toward the front door. After leaving, Connors shouted and demanded his jacket. Gardaí found bail bonds and other documents in Connors' jacket, and CCTV footage confirmed his presence. Connors has 60 prior convictions, including burglary, aggravated burglary, false imprisonment, robbery and impersonating a Garda. Judge Karen O'Connor adjourned sentencing to 19 December and remanded Connors in custody.
Karl Jess, 28, of Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty on 6 January 2016 to possession for sale or supply of cocaine and to possessing the mixing agent benzocaine for drug trafficking. He was found with nearly €40,000 worth of cocaine, benzocaine, lignocaine, caffeine and a presser at his home. The court heard he had three previous convictions, including a drug offence, and that he has a three‑year‑old daughter. He was remanded on continuing bail until the sentencing hearing on 19 December, when a probation report will be considered. Jess's defence lawyer said he regrets the offence, has turned his life around, works well, and has a job offer upon release. The court will impose a custodial sentence, with the judge considering a significant suspension of part of the term.
In a 2016 robbery at a Topaz service station on Naas Road, Rathcoole, Robert Patchell (37) acted as the getaway driver while two co‑accused entered the store armed with knives. Two off‑duty Gardaí, who were using the petrol station at the time, observed the robbery and restrained the robbers. Patchell remained in the driver's seat, while one robber was restrained in the passenger seat and a third escaped. The Gardaí were threatened with knives and one officer, Garda Stephen Byrne, sustained a forearm wound. Patchell pleaded guilty to robbery of cash and a till. At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Melanie Greally, after noting Patchell's positive steps and a clean recent drug test, imposed a three‑year suspended sentence, with the offence considered very serious. The sentence was suspended, and no custodial time was imposed. The case was heard in the criminal court in Dublin.
Paul Heaney, aged 33, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for two robberies at Paddy Power Bookmakers on 3 January and 28 October 2016. In the first offence he threatened a staff member with a large kitchen knife and stole €1,200. In the second he pointed an imitation firearm at the same staff member and stole €250. He pleaded guilty to both robberies and to possession of a realistic imitation firearm. He claimed he was under the influence of drugs and feared for his life due to debt. He wrote an apology letter and expressed remorse. Judge Karen O'Connor accepted his apology and his desire to change, imposing consecutive sentences totalling five and a half years, suspending the final 21 months on strict conditions. No money was recovered from either robbery.
Wayne Gilligan, 22, was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four years in prison for stealing two family cars from a house in Swords on 3 January 2016 and for possessing €28,600 worth of cannabis at his home on 9 January 2016. The judge suspended the last 18 months of the sentence, citing Gilligan's serious drug addiction, debts, death threats and the impact on the car owners. She credited his early guilty pleas, young age and cooperation with Gardaí, and directed him to seek treatment at Coolmine Residential Centre.
John McGovern, 25, set fire to the Station Hill apartment complex in Clongriffin, Dublin, causing €1.25 million in damage and leaving 25 people temporarily homeless. He pleaded guilty to one count of arson and one count of assault on his partner, Gráinne O'Brien, on 1 November last year. The court found the arson a very serious offence because it placed residents' lives at risk. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced McGovern to six and a half years' imprisonment, suspended the last 12 months, and imposed a two‑year period of good behaviour and supervision by Probation Services. McGovern had 26 prior convictions, including theft and public order offences, and had been in custody since the incident. The fire was extinguished after four‑and‑a‑half hours, with no injuries, but six homes were destroyed and many residents suffered financial and emotional hardship. The judge noted McGovern was making good use of his time in custody and seeking rehabilitation.
A 29-year-old man pleaded guilty to burglary at a takeaway in Castlebar, County Mayo on 18 May 2015. Yasir Ali of Lighthouse Apartments, East Wall, Dublin removed equipment valued at €11,484.50 from Thomas Street Takeaway, including commercial freezers, deep fat fryers, and stainless steel fixtures. Ali had been operating the premises after subletting it without the owner's consent. He was arrested shortly after the theft and subsequently apprehended at Dublin Airport attempting to leave the country with false documentation. Following his arrest, Ali cooperated with gardaí and led them to a farmhouse at Hollymount, County Mayo, where the stolen equipment was recovered. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, the judge noted Ali's cooperation and adherence to bail conditions. He received a three-month suspended sentence for the false documentation offence. Sentencing on the burglary charge has been adjourned to 18 December to allow submission of medical reports. Ali has no previous convictions.