Ryan O'Driscoll, aged 20, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving after he stole a motorbike and drove it through Dublin city streets on 6 March 2015. The bike, with incorrect plates, was pursued by Garda patrol cars that eventually boxed it in. O'Driscoll was arrested and later sentenced by Judge Patricia Ryan to three and a half years' imprisonment, backdated to 20 February, with the balance suspended and a four‑year driving disqualification. He had previously been convicted 84 times, 64 for road traffic offences, and was serving a six‑month sentence for minor traffic offences at the time of sentencing. The court noted his history of drug use and prior sentences at Oberstown, and his stated intention to become a mechanic after release.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced 30‑year‑old Joseph Moore to 240 hours of community service, provided he is deemed suitable by the Probation Service, instead of a three‑year prison term. Moore was found in possession of nearly €10,000 worth of cannabis and cocaine at his father's home. The drugs included cocaine estimated at €7,735 and cannabis herb valued at €2,142. Moore admitted the drugs were for his own use, but later pleaded guilty to drug dealing. He claimed he was a "moron" and that he had been approached by others to hold drugs for them. Moore's father, a retired civil servant now taxi driver, expressed disgust and mortification. The judge noted Moore's stable family background and work history, and said he had made a serious mistake. The case was adjourned to obtain a community services report.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, Shane Fitzgerald, 26, pleaded guilty to burglary and sexual assault after breaking into a vulnerable woman's flat in a Kerry town in September 2016. Fitzgerald, who has 56 prior convictions, admitted to entering the flat, pulling down his pants, exposing his penis and forcing the woman to perform oral sex. He demanded money, took a sum, and fled. The victim, a woman in her fifties, was awakened at 3.30 am, was terrified, and later received assistance from a neighbour. Fitzgerald was arrested a few days later and has been in custody since October 2016. He has expressed remorse, written a letter to the court, and is undertaking anger‑management and psychological counselling. No other charges were brought against the other men involved. The case was adjourned to next Monday for finalisation.
Daniel Sweeney, 28, of Croftwood Gardens, Cherry Orchard, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to threatening to kill a Garda, intoxication in a public place and producing a meat cleaver after fleeing from Gardaí on 5 June 2016. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to two‑and‑a‑half years for producing the meat cleaver and 18 months for threatening to kill the Garda, but suspended the entirety of both sentences, which were to run concurrently. The incident began when Garda Peter Smith received a call about a disturbance; Sweeney attempted to flee on a bike, fell, and was seized by Gardaí. He swung the cleaver at Smith, missed, and then shouted threats at Garda Cronin while being transported back to the station. Sweeney, who has two children and a history of alcohol abuse, has 26 previous convictions, including criminal damage, public order offences and 17 road traffic offences.
Adrianne Bradley, 53, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing €68,154 worth of cannabis for sale or supply at her home on 11 August 2015. She admitted to smoking cannabis occasionally but denied any drink or drug problem. Garda Alan Flaherty testified that Bradley was vulnerable and used by others, not linked to criminal conduct or drug sales. Bradley, a grandmother and mother of four, was on social welfare and had been assaulted in 2013 when her home was invaded and destroyed, which impacted her mental health. She claimed she had been given the drugs about two weeks before the arrest and had no fingerprints on them. Judge Karen O'Connor remanded her on continuing bail, adjourned sentencing to 20 October, and ordered a probation report. The case is set for sentencing next October.
Andrew Roche, aged 28, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to one count of orally raping a 12‑year‑old boy and one count of anally raping him between 25 December 2008 and 17 March 2009. The victim, who came forward in 2014, said Roche lured him to a lane, told him "I want to show you something", forced himself on him and warned him not to tell anyone. Roche, who was 20 at the time, was initially relaxed when questioned but denied knowledge of the events once he was told the victim was a boy. Roche has 41 previous convictions and has been in custody since February 2016. He will be sentenced next Monday, 24 July, after being remanded by Mr Justice Paul Coffey. The victim expressed relief at not having to give evidence but disappointment at not being able to describe the assault.
The parents of Natalie McGuinness, a 23-year-old Sligo woman who was strangled to death by her boyfriend in 2015, told the Central Criminal Court they will never recover from her loss. Oisin Conroy (34), who was previously found not guilty of murdering Natalie McGuinness by reason of insanity, was committed to the Central Mental Hospital following the trial. During the trial, it was heard that Conroy believed he was in the Matrix and strangled Natalie McGuinness to save her. He also caused serious lacerations to his own head with a knife and told a doctor he had tried to 'skin himself alive'. Conroy was charged with murdering Natalie McGuinness at The Mews, Mail Coach Road in Sligo on October 28, 2015, and pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms McGuinness by reason of insanity. On July 7, after deliberating for 24 minutes, a jury returned a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. The court heard victim impact statements from Natalie's mother, Catherine McGuinness, and her sister, Jodie McGuinness, who described the profound emotional impact of Natalie's death on their family. Prosecution counsel Ms Tara Burns SC read the victim impact statement on behalf of the McGuinness family. The court also heard evidence from Dr Damien Mohan, a consultant forensic psychiatrist, who stated that Conroy suffers from chronic paranoid schizophrenia and requires ongoing treatment. Mr Justice Tony Hunt committed Conroy to the Central Mental Hospital for inpatient care, noting that he needed close supervision for the foreseeable future.
A Ballinrobe man pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary at a Castlebar takeaway in May 2015. Yasir Ali, aged 29, admitted stealing commercial kitchen equipment valued at €11,484.50 from Thomas Street Takeaway. The stolen items included freezers, deep fat fryers, a burger fryer, microwave, blender, stainless steel tables and bowls, and food preparation equipment. Judge Karen O'Connor ordered a probation report and adjourned sentencing to November 2, 2017, when the full facts of the case will be heard before the court.
Alan Foley, a 46‑year‑old bouncer at Colossus Casino in Dublin, was convicted of assault causing harm after he kicked Robert O'Donnell, a casino member, during a verbal altercation. CCTV showed Foley flicking his leg at O'Donnell, who had been denied entry for his friends. Foley pleaded guilty to the assault on 16 December 2015. The judge, Karen O'Connor, deemed the offence a reckless act and imposed a one‑year sentence, which was suspended in full. Foley was ordered to pay €3,000 to O'Donnell, who suffered a ruptured left testicle and was hospitalized for pain but later recovered. Foley, who has no prior convictions and 20 years of security experience, expressed remorse and accepted the apology and payment as a token of contrition. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
A 28-year-old man from Tallaght has pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to his involvement in the theft of five iPhones from mobile phone stores across the country between November 2015. Viorel Rostas admitted to taking part in robberies at outlets in Navan, Cavan, Letterkenny, Tralee, and Killarney over a five-day period, with the stolen handsets valued at over €3,500. During each incident, Rostas acted as a distraction or obstructed attempts to prevent the thefts while accomplices removed the phones. The robberies occurred during business hours and were recorded on store CCTV; none of the phones were recovered. Detective Garda evidence indicated Rostas was part of a group of four involved in the thefts. The defence outlined that Rostas took a €10,000 loan to finance his mother's funeral in Romania following her death in July 2015, subsequently agreeing to participate in the robberies due to pressure from the lender. Rostas, who has lived in Ireland over twenty years, has seventy-one previous convictions. Judge John Aylmer adjourned the case for sentencing on 24 July.
Dean Joyce, aged 24, was convicted in February after a second trial of 11 charges, including endangering Gardaí by driving his car into a Garda van, four counts of dangerous driving, possession of stolen property, driving without a licence, driving without insurance, possession of a boxcutter used in a burglary, criminal damage of a Garda van and failing to stop for Gardaí. The jury in his first trial was discharged after a juror fell asleep 15 minutes into the trial. Judge Karen O'Connor found him not guilty of the offence of endangerment but convicted him of all other counts. She imposed a total of three years imprisonment, suspended the final six months on strict conditions, and disqualified him from driving for ten years. Joyce was arrested after a high‑speed pursuit in which he drove through red lights, on the wrong side of the road and collided with a Garda van, causing €1,500 worth of damage.
A 15-year-old boy pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of robbery committed on April 6, 2017. The prosecution alleged that the defendant, along with others, assaulted a 17-year-old victim in a churchyard, striking him with a wooden post and stealing his €350 bicycle. The boy is currently serving an eight-month detention sentence at Oberstown Children's Detention Campus for prior charges of assault, theft, and making a threat to kill. He has 24 previous convictions and spent 12 months in custody last year. Defence counsel Pieter Le Vert BL urged Judge John Aylmer to consider a suspended sentence, arguing the boy is at a "real risk of institutionalisation" and that the damage from ongoing custody outweighs the need for punishment. Le Vert highlighted the defendant's challenging home situation, history of care, and mild learning disability. The court heard the boy expressed remorse and had been aggressive during his Garda interview. The matter is at the sentencing stage, with Judge Aylmer scheduled to hand down the sentence on July 24. The boy is due for release from his current custody term in November.
Ethan Emmett, aged 24, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm for an incident that occurred on 31 March 2011 in Finglas. The assault took place at a chipper where Emmett, then 18, had been denied a phone charger and returned with beer bottles. He threw the bottles at the owner, threatened to kill him, and used a small knife before fleeing the premises. The owner suffered injuries and the restaurant incurred an estimated €2,000 in damage. Emmett was arrested three days later and released on bail. While on bail he fled to Australia, where he served a five‑year, eleven‑month sentence for a separate stabbing offence in 2012. He returned to Ireland in March after completing his Australian sentence and was arrested at the airport. He has 30 prior convictions, mainly for assault, criminal damage and public order offences. Judge Karen O'Connor adjourned the sentencing to 28 July.
Roman Vladislav, a 35‑year‑old Moldovan, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, for setting fire to the front door of his former housemate's home in Swords, Co. Dublin. The arson occurred on 9 May 2016 after a dispute over a missing mobile phone, during which Vladislav, who was intoxicated, had made drunken threats and had previously threatened to kill the occupants. He had also grabbed a resident's arm and put a knife to her throat, threatening to kill her and her sons. Gardaí were called to a commotion at the house; Vladislav fled before they arrived. The fire brigade extinguished the blaze, which had not entered the interior. Vladislav had 13 prior convictions and had cooperated with the investigation. The judge noted his use of custody time productively and a moderate risk of re‑offending, but accepted the pre‑meditated nature of the offence. Roman Vladislav pleaded guilty.
Kassem Hamdam, 30, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment with the final nine months suspended for assault causing harm and production of a weapon after he repeatedly stabbed his ex‑wife in front of their four‑year‑old daughter. The incident occurred on Blessington Street, Dublin 7, on 23 August 2015. Hamdam pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He claimed he had wanted the woman to be left with a permanent scar and said he could not leave his child "with this bitch". He told Gardaí that the woman had "fucked my life" and that the relationship had ended because she was jealous and did not like him drinking. The court noted that Hamdam had been brought to a Lebanese refugee camp as a six‑year‑old, witnessed daily shootings and detonations, and had been diagnosed with post‑traumatic stress disorder after arriving in Ireland in 2006 to seek asylum.
Carol Clarke, a 57‑year‑old mother of five, pleaded guilty to stealing €104,431 from the Department of Social Welfare between 1994 and 2011 by pretending to be her sister. The theft was uncovered in 2012 when gardaí found claims made under her sister's name. Clarke was arrested, denied the allegations, but later admitted guilt after handwriting and fingerprint tests. She had a prior conviction for handling stolen property in 1999. At the sentence hearing, Judge Karen O'Connor imposed a two‑year prison term, which she suspended in full, citing the "heartbreak and tragedy" in Clarke's family, including the deaths of two sons and her husband's Huntington's disease. The judge also noted Clarke's role as full‑time caregiver for her ill daughter and grandchildren, and she was not required to compensate the State due to limited financial means. Clarke is paying back the debt in €50 instalments. The court heard that the offence was premeditated and of some duration.
George Simpson, 30, was sentenced later in July after a post office raid in Rush on 28 November 2016. He attempted robbery, possessed an imitation firearm, produced a weapon, threatened to kill or cause serious harm, and caused criminal damage. Simpson entered the post office armed with an air pistol and a hatchet, threatened a female staff member that he would chop off a customer's head if she did not hand over cash, and smashed a glass panel in front of the tills. He shouted "fuck this" and fled. Garda Ross Rowan reported that the staff member hid in the back office, pressed the panic alarm, and did not return until a customer informed gardaí that Simpson had left. Simpson was remanded in custody pending sentencing on 21 July and chose to go to prison. He apologized to staff and customers, admitted the threat, and acknowledged that he would face further punishment. George Simpson pleaded guilty.
Eve Doherty, a garda based in Dublin, has gone on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court accused of harassing State solicitor Elizabeth Howlin and making false statements. The accused, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges, is alleged to have sent a series of letters and emails between September 2011 and March 2013. These communications purported to describe Ms Howlin as politically corrupt and claimed she attempted to pervert the course of justice. Specifically, the charges include harassment and making false statements on March 1, 2012, and March 31, 2012. Prosecutors stated that the material contained abusive language and false allegations that Ms Howlin, who worked in the Director of Public Prosecutions office, interfered with prosecutions. Ms Howlin testified that the claims were untrue and caused her significant anxiety. The defense, represented by Michael O'Higgins SC, maintains that Ms Doherty denies authoring the letters and emails. Regarding specific allegations concerning a diving company, Ms Howlin clarified that while her brother and ex-husband were directors, the company was prosecuted under health and safety laws and fined following an accident, contradicting claims of murder. The trial is currently ongoing before Judge Melanie Greally and a jury.
CCC Nuacht, a court‑reporting agency, announced a settlement with Leo Sherlock, trading as The Liberal.ie, over four copyright infringements between June 2015 and November 2016. The infringements involved the publication of CCC Nuacht's reports on a Romanian fraud case, a babysitter's sexual abuse conviction, and a former Church of Ireland worker's rape and molestation conviction. Sherlock repeatedly ignored attempts to resolve the breaches. The settlement requires Sherlock to publish a full apology on The Liberal.ie's website by 13 July, keep it on the main page for at least 48 hours, and post a link to the apology on the site's Facebook and Twitter accounts for 24 hours. The apology will remain permanently online. Sherlock also agreed to pay damages. CCC Nuacht thanked solicitor Rossa McMahon for representing the agency and highlighted the importance of licensed court reporting for accurate journalism and justice administration.
Shamaine McNulty, 23, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to one count of using a false instrument to open a bank account in Drogheda on March 23, 2015, and one count of handling stolen property between March 23 and October 10, 2015. The court heard that McNulty allegedly used a fake electricity bill to open an AIB account for a man known as 'Frank', who is accused of scamming two international students out of over €2,000 through false rental advertisements. McNulty made two withdrawals totaling €8,000 for the man. Judge Karen O'Connor noted that while a three-year custodial sentence would have been appropriate, she considered McNulty's significant assistance to gardaí, which led to the man's arrest. He is due to be sentenced later this year. Judge O'Connor handed down a suspended 18-month sentence. McNulty, who has no previous convictions, was warned not to return to court. The judge acknowledged the distress caused to the victims and the loss of reputation for the country. McNulty's defence highlighted her status as a primary carer for two children and her current homelessness following a house fire. A €100 token of remorse was accepted by the court.
Michelle O'Leary, 33, of St Patrick's Court, Phibsborough, was sentenced to one year in prison for attempting to rob a woman's handbag while she was cycling home with groceries on 6 February 2016. O'Leary pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and admitted she had been pressured by her then boyfriend, who had "clattered" her in the face, to carry out the offence. She had 39 prior convictions and a serious drug addiction. Judge Karen O'Connor had previously adjourned sentencing to check for a residential drug treatment bed, but none was available. The judge imposed a three‑year sentence, suspending the last two years on conditions, recognising O'Leary's remorse and efforts to reduce her methadone intake. The court was briefly disrupted by a supporter who shouted abuse at the judge before the proceedings resumed.
Seán Ducque, 33, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Kieran Farrelly. Ducque, who pleaded not guilty, was convicted by a jury after a trial. The court imposed the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment for the murder, which occurred on 26th October 2014 at Killarney Court, Dublin. Ducque had previously pleaded guilty to robbing taxi driver David Wyer of a mobile phone, car keys, and approximately €150 in cash, and possessing a firearm with intent to commit robbery at Terrace Place on the same date. For these offences, the judge sentenced Ducque to 12 years for the robbery and seven years for the firearm possession. Additionally, Ducque admitted to robbing Hugh Gildea of a mobile phone, wristwatch, and approximately €520 in cash on 27th October 2014 at Mabbot Lane, for which he received a three-year sentence. All sentences were backdated to 5th May 2016, when Ducque entered custody for another armed robbery. The judge described the murder as cold and calculated, and noted the profound impact on the victims, including Wyer, who surrendered his PSV licence and can no longer drive a taxi.
Gary Walsh, 35, was sentenced to eight years in prison for the manslaughter of 62‑year‑old former rugby captain Cathal Sweeney, who was beaten to death in a flat in Ashdale Gardens, Terenure. Walsh pleaded guilty, and the court reduced the original ten‑year sentence to eight, suspending the last three years on the condition of good behaviour and supervision by probation services. The killing followed a drinking session in which Walsh repeatedly punched Sweeney after an alleged accusation of sexual impropriety, which the court found unsupported by evidence. A post‑mortem revealed blunt‑force injuries to Sweeney's face and head, leading to brain injury and death. Sweeney's son, David, testified that his father was an alcoholic but a good, generous man, and that the violent death had profoundly affected the family's lives.
Tom Humphries, 54, of Corr Castle, Sutton, Dublin, had his sentencing for sexual exploitation and defilement of a child adjourned to 3 October. He pleaded guilty in March to six sexual offences against a girl under 17, including two counts of defilement between 5 December 2010 and 19 February 2011 and four counts of inviting a child to participate in a sexually explicit act between January 2010 and March 2011. Three further charges were dropped last month. The judge, citing the need for a report, postponed the hearing to October.
A Luth man has been sentenced to three years in prison following his conviction for membership of an unlawful organisation. Michael Connolly, aged 45, of Dundalk, was found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of membership of the IRA. The three-judge, non-jury court heard evidence that Connolly had travelled in convoy with another individual in the Ardee area on December 16th, 2014. The second man was subsequently stopped and found in possession of two improvised explosive devices. Telephone contact between the two men was also established. During sentencing, the presiding judge described the operation as "very well-planned" and noted the sophisticated nature of the devices recovered. The court considered Connolly's employment history and family circumstances as mitigating factors, whilst treating the apparent purpose behind his involvement as an aggravating consideration. Connolly had previously denied the charge.
A 34‑year‑old Dublin man, Christopher McDonald, was found guilty of murdering 36‑year‑old Keith Walker in a car park at the Blanchardstown Pigeon Racing Club on 12 June 2015. The jury, after a little over two hours of deliberation, returned a unanimous verdict. McDonald had pleaded not guilty. He was described as having been dressed in women's clothing, carrying a handbag, a black wig and a transparent latex glove, and had been seen by witnesses in the area. CCTV footage showed a man in a handbag entering the car park at 6.01 pm, pulling a 9 mm Makarov sub‑machine gun from the handbag and firing 18 shots before escaping. The gun, found a kilometre away, bore McDonald's DNA on the wig and glove. Justice Patrick McCarthy sentenced McDonald to life imprisonment. The court heard the victim's wife and sister describe the devastating impact of the murder on their family.
Francis Rafferty, aged 68, was convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of raping his young niece and sexually assaulting her older sister between 2005 and 2008. He pleaded guilty to the assault of the younger girl, aged nine to twelve, and was found guilty of two counts of rape of that victim and of assaulting the older sister. He was acquitted of two other rape charges he had denied. The court noted that Rafferty had no understanding of the hurt and trauma caused, and that he abused his family position, threatening the girls and giving their parents money to leave the house so he could attack them. He was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, ordered to undergo sex‑offender treatment, and placed under two years' post‑release supervision. The victims, now adults, gave permission for their uncle's name to be published.
Noel Dempsey (61), of Stannaway Road, Dublin 12, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for violent disorder. The incident occurred on February 5, 2011, at Purrrfect Pets, Longmile Road, following a dispute over a parking space. Dempsey initially denied charges of assault causing harm and violent disorder but pleaded guilty to violent disorder on the second day of his trial before a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury. Judge John Aylmer described the attack on victim Mark Eagers as savage and unprovoked, noting that Dempsey entered the store with calm determination to assist his son. The court heard that Eagers suffered a broken nose and a key lodged in his thumb. In related proceedings, Vicky Dempsey (36) received a two-year suspended sentence in February 2015 after pleading guilty to violent disorder. The court noted she allegedly dragged a woman by the hair during the attack. Her brother, Karl Dempsey (38), was jailed for 20 months in May 2015 after also pleading guilty to violent disorder. The judge acknowledged Karl was the initial aggressor but stated he summoned his father and sister to seek revenge. Noel Dempsey, who has 103 previous convictions, was defended by Keith Spencer BL, who cited his client's ill-health, including heart stents and cancer remission, and argued he entered the store only to prevent his daughter from losing her temper.
A 52-year-old man from Donegal has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the rape and sexual assault of his former partner's daughter over a five-year period. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed concurrent sentences of eight years for rape, seven years for each count of sexual assault, and seven years for producing child pornography. The man pleaded guilty on the scheduled trial date in April to one count of rape occurring in 2006 when the victim was four years old, six further counts of sexual assault between 2008 and 2011, and one count of child pornography production. A video recording discovered during a separate investigation provided evidence in the case. The now teenage victim provided a detailed account to gardaí detailing abuse that typically occurred during overnight weekend visits. The abuse came to light in 2014 following concerns raised by the victim's school principal. The man has been registered as a sex offender and is subject to five years post-release supervision with conditions prohibiting contact with the victim.
Ryan O'Driscoll, aged 18 at the time of the incident, was found guilty of dangerous driving after he operated a stolen motorbike on Dublin city streets. The motorbike, which had been stolen the previous month and bore incorrect plates, was pursued by Garda patrol cars after it was spotted on Malahide Road. O'Driscoll drove at high speed, overtaking stationary cars, weaving through traffic on Fairview Strand, and even using a footpath. He managed to escape onto Clontarf Road, collided with a second patrol car, and was eventually boxed in by the Garda. He was arrested and later pleaded guilty to the charge. O'Driscoll has 84 prior convictions, 64 of which are for road traffic offences, and is currently serving a six‑month sentence for minor road traffic offences. The court heard that he is now 20, wishes to train as a mechanic, and has expressed a desire to avoid future criminal activity.
A jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court acquitted Republic of Ireland footballer Jeff Hendrick of violent disorder after a four‑day trial. The case stemmed from a 2013 incident at Krystal nightclub where Darren McDermott alleged Hendrick pulled him from a taxi and was later chased into a laneway, where McDermott claimed he was assaulted and suffered multiple jaw fractures. Hendrick's lawyers argued he could not have run due to a leg injury and that McDermott had a civil case against him. Hendrick (25) and co‑accused Jonathan Doran (26) pleaded not guilty. The jury found Hendrick not guilty but convicted Doran of violent disorder, while Judge Martin Nolan withdrew an assault charge against Doran. Hendrick remains free pending further proceedings.
In February 2014, Mohamed Okda, a 30‑year‑old Egyptian national, was convicted by a jury of raping a woman who had become lost during a night out in Dublin. The woman, who was drunk and disoriented, had been staying with friends and had lost contact with them. Okda approached her, offered help, and invited her to his flat. While she was unconscious, he allegedly forced sexual acts upon her, including rape. She later testified that he had taken her glasses and phone, coerced her into oral sex, and threatened her. After the incident, she fled the flat, was found by a taxi driver, and reported the assault to Gardaí. Okda was remanded into custody for sentencing on 28 July. The trial lasted seven days, and the jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on all counts within just under three hours. The court rejected a bail application, citing flight risk concerns. Mohamed Okda pleaded not guilty.
Stephen O'Shaughnessy, aged 27, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for setting fire to an empty house being refurbished for the charity Prosper Fingal. The fire, which occurred on 14 June 2016, caused smoke, fire and water damage to a building that was two weeks from completion and cost the contractor €170,000 to gut and refit. O'Shaughnessy, who was intoxicated when he set fire to cardboard inside the house, was arrested at 2.50 a.m. after a member of the public identified him. He pleaded guilty to damaging by fire a house at Prosper Fingal, Drogheda Street, Balbriggan. The judge noted that 17 people were due to use the facility and that the charity had to rethink its security strategy following the incident.
The Charleton Tribunal, examining allegations that sexual abuse claims were weaponised against garda whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe, heard evidence on the handling of a false allegation originating from Bailieboro Garda Station in County Cavan in 2013. Justice Peter Charleton stated he required information about how gardaí discovered the allegation was erroneous and how it subsequently reached senior officers in Sligo and Dublin. The tribunal also examined a 2015 letter from Tusla to Sergeant McCabe regarding his children. Counsel for the Garda Commissioner indicated that while Superintendent Leo McGinn initially believed the report warranted external investigation, it was rapidly established as a repeat of a 2006 matter requiring no further action. A director of counselling with RIAN testified about incorrect records sent by HSE Child & Family Services in error, confirming the information stemmed from a cut-and-paste error. The witness acknowledged the gravity of the mistake for Sergeant McCabe's reputation but stated the agency had not contacted him about the allegations.
In a Dublin court, 34‑year‑old Robert Maguire was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for assault causing harm and false imprisonment of his 30‑year‑old ex‑girlfriend on 14 January 2012. The victim, who was asleep in bed, was spied by Maguire, who spat on her, threatened to kill her, kicked her in the genitals, and beat her into unconsciousness while her children screamed. He locked the bedroom door, prevented her from reaching her baby, and kicked her until she lost consciousness. Gardaí were called but Maguire fled before they arrived. The court imposed a four‑year sentence for each offence to run concurrently, suspended the last two years on condition of peace, and ordered no contact with the victim. The sentence was delivered by Mr Justice Paul Butler. The case was heard in March 2017. Robert Maguire pleaded guilty.
Stefan Boyle, 28, was arrested after a knife‑wounding burglary at Ali Hussain House in Milltown Bridge, Dundrum, on 2 November 2016. He was caught when a caretaker, Ali Yassine, saw him hiding under a mosque table and later confronted him. Boyle admitted the burglary and pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He has 110 prior convictions, 63 of which are burglary. Judge Karen O'Connor, after assessing Boyle as suitable for residential drug treatment, adjourned sentencing to January to allow him to enter a program at Coolmine Therapeutic Centre. The court noted Boyle's willingness to apologise, his homelessness, and his desire to recover stolen phones, and gave him a final chance to present himself favourably before sentencing. The case remains pending until the sentencing hearing.
Daniel Weldon, a 31‑year‑old heroin addict, was jailed for four years after pleading guilty to two attempted robberies in Swords on 1 July 2016 and a successful robbery on the same day in a second pharmacy on Main Street, where he stole €230. He also pleaded guilty to a robbery at a Spar shop on Upper O'Connell Street on 7 April 2015, during which he threatened staff with a blood‑filled syringe, stole €80, and left the syringe and blood‑stained notes behind. The judge imposed consecutive sentences totalling five and a half years, suspending the final 18 months on strict conditions, backdating the sentence to July 2016 and ordering 18 months of post‑release supervision. Weldon had 52 prior convictions and had written apology letters to the victims. He had been drug‑free for a year and had completed several courses while in custody, hoping to work in health and fitness after release.
In July 2017, the Charleton Tribunal heard that HSE psychologist Laura Brophy had mistakenly included severe sexual abuse allegations in a 2013 report about Sgt Maurice McCabe, a garda whistle‑blower. The erroneous report mixed details from an unrelated investigation involving another garda's daughter, Ms D, and a woman named Ms Y, leading to allegations of "digital penetration" that were not applicable to McCabe. Brophy admitted the error, stating she had corrected it and changed her work practices to prevent recurrence. She also denied ever considering deliberate defamation of McCabe, describing such an act as catastrophic. The tribunal noted that while the incorrect allegations were amended, some erroneous claims, including a threat to kill Ms D's father, remained on garda records. The hearing also discussed procedural changes to child‑abuse reporting to avoid future mistakes. The tribunal resumed the next day.
Jonathan Duggan, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of theft at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He entered Tom Stanley's Newsagents in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre to buy a drink, saw €6,500 in notes on the counter, grabbed them and fled. The shop assistant chased him, alerted security, and he was apprehended and returned to the centre. Duggan later handed the money back. He claimed he had seen the cash and "took a chance", and said he had not threatened anyone. He was living in Cork, visiting his partner and their young daughter in Dublin. Duggan has a long history of heroin addiction, having started at 15, and 91 prior convictions, many linked to his drug use. His partner, a former heroin user, has been clean for four years. The court noted his remorse and the support he has. Judge Gerard Griffin sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, backdated to 9 February 2017.
Anthony Goodman, 72, a convicted sex offender with a history of sacrilege and buggery of an animal, breached a court order by travelling on public transport without notifying Gardaí. In 2012, a Cork Circuit Criminal Court order prohibited him from attending certain locations and from using public transport except one local bus route unless he gave two hours' notice. In 2015, Goodman failed to give notice before boarding buses on Westmoreland Street and to Enniskerry, leading to his arrest on 3 September 2015. He has remained in custody since. Judge Elma Sheahan backdated a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence to September 2015, suspended the final eight months, and structured the sentence so the suspended portion benefits him. Goodman has over 200 prior convictions, including sexual assault, electrical diversion, animal buggery, sacrilege, and previous transport violations. He was removed from the sex offenders register on 29 June after five years on it. Anthony Goodman pleaded guilty.
Jonathan Dunne, a 27‑year‑old father of four, was convicted of stealing two bicycles and three wheels from a locked bike shed at Gasworks Apartments in Ringsend. CCTV footage showed him carrying bolt cutters and cutting a large hole in the wire cage that secured the shed. The stolen bikes were worth €3,450 and the damage to the shed €1,608. Dunne pleaded guilty to two charges of theft and criminal damage on 28 July 2016. He had 76 prior convictions, including burglary and handling stolen property. Judge Karen O'Connor, noting his pre‑meditated plan and drug addiction, sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, taking into account his cooperation and guilty plea. The case was prosecuted by Elva Duffy BL and defended by Karl Monahan BL. The incident occurred on the night of 28 July 2016.
In December 2015, Joseph McKeon, aged 41, entered Partners at Law Solicitors in Dublin and, after being denied a refund cheque, became angry, kicked a door, damaged a security lock and threatened a female staff member that he would break her jaw and blow her head off. He also shouted about money he claimed belonged to him. McKeon was arrested and has since been in custody. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to making a threat to kill or cause serious harm and damaging a door. He has eight prior convictions. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to three and a half years, suspended the final year on strict conditions, and ordered that he be given credit for time already spent in custody. The judge also ordered that he stay away from the victim and the firm's offices. The case was prosecuted by Lorcan Staines BL and defended by Brian Storan BL.
A 21-year-old man from Sligo has been sentenced to two years imprisonment, with the final year suspended, following his conviction for assault at the Central Criminal Court. The man was acquitted of rape but found guilty of assault causing harm related to an incident at a house party in Sligo on 26 June 2014. He pleaded not guilty to both charges. The court heard evidence that the victim was bitten during the assault. In sentencing, Mr Justice Paul Butler noted the victim's impact statement describing significant psychological harm. The judge acknowledged the man's explanation that he was heavily intoxicated and observed he has abstained from alcohol since the incident, though he carries seven previous convictions including violent disorder and public order offences. The suspended portion of the sentence is conditional on specified undertakings.
Carol Cullen, a 47‑year‑old nursing home care assistant, was jailed after stealing €19,900 from the bank account of an 86‑year‑old resident. Cullen had received two cheques from the resident, forged additional cheques, and used the money for household expenses. She pleaded guilty to four counts of theft and four counts of forgery between August 2014 and 2015. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court noted Cullen had no prior convictions, had cooperated with Gardaí, and expressed remorse. Judge Karen O'Connor highlighted the breach of trust and personal gain, and considered Cullen's young family and lack of a lavish lifestyle. She imposed a two‑year custodial sentence, suspended the final 15 months on strict conditions, and ordered 12 months of probation supervision upon release. The sentence was given without reference to any future outcomes.
Patrick McClean, a 72‑year‑old retired seaman, sent six threatening "poison pen" letters to Garda Claire McGuigan after she issued him a fixed fine notice for a driving offence. The letters, described by the judge as "obscene, vile and rambling," were sent to Raheny Garda Station between 4 August and 29 September 2016. McClean pleaded guilty to harassing the garda and admitted he was unlikely to re‑offend. In a victim impact statement, McGuigan expressed confusion and fear, noting the letters had affected her work and personal life. Judge Martin Nolan, recognising McClean's age and lack of prior convictions, imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspended in full, thereby avoiding a jail term. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
David Sweeney, son of the 62‑year‑old victim, gave a victim impact statement at the Central Criminal Court during the sentencing hearing of Gary Walsh, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Sweeney described his father as an alcoholic but the only father he and his siblings had, and said the killing had affected every aspect of their lives, including marriages, careers and social relationships. He recounted how his father was beaten to death by Walsh, a man half his age, and how the event left him haunted by thoughts of his father drowning in his own blood. Sweeney also spoke of the emotional impact on his family, noting that the death has made it difficult for them to mourn and to explain the circumstances to their grandchildren. The court adjourned sentencing until the following Monday and remanded Walsh in custody. The unnamed 62-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 37‑year‑old Limerick man, Larry McCarthy, was found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of assaulting 33‑year‑old David Foran on 25 November 2014 at Cornmarket Villas. McCarthy had pleaded not guilty to both the assault and to threatening to use "unlawful violence" with two others at the same place and date, but the court found him guilty of both offences. The trial recounted that Foran had been knocked down by a motorcyclist on 14 November 2014, who later offered him €5,000 and directed him to meet McCarthy in Limerick town. Foran testified that McCarthy struck him with a baseball bat, beat him, stabbed his leg with a knife and tried to remove his vest. The judge remanded McCarthy in custody until 24 July, when sentencing will occur.
In July 2016, Derek Cooling, 29, and another man robbed a More For Less shop in Bawnogue Shopping Centre, Dublin 22, using an air gun. They threatened a female employee, forced her to open the till, and then entered a rear office where the shop manager was watching on CCTV. The manager was struck on the head with the air gun and ordered to empty the safe into a bag. Both employees feared for their lives. Garda Barry O'Shea followed a blood trail left by one of the raiders, discovered smoke from a nearby house's chimney, and entered the house to find Cooling and the other man burning clothing and money. Cooling pleaded guilty to robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The case was adjourned until October, with a psychiatric report ordered by Judge Patricia Ryan. The cashier could not return to work and suffered ongoing fear and medication use, while the manager experienced paranoia and anxiety after the incident.
Patricia Sweeney, 60, a cleaner at a primary school, was found to have defrauded the State of €31,700.70 by claiming job‑seeker's allowance while working 12 hours a week on a casual basis, and by forging "declaration of unemployment" forms signed with the principal's name and the school stamp. She had been employed at the school for 19 years and had always received a weekly wage of €112. Sweeney admitted to using the stamp without permission and to signing the principal's name on the dockets. She pleaded guilty to 21 counts of theft and forgery between February 2011 and February 2015. The court imposed 240 hours of community service in lieu of a 12‑month prison sentence on the first count and two‑year suspended sentences on the remaining counts. She remains on job‑seeker's allowance, with weekly deductions of €27.90 until the debt is cleared.
A man from County Mayo pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two robberies committed in the greater Dublin area in 2015. Craig Dempsey, now residing in Achill, admitted robbing Apache Pizza in Tallaght Shopping Centre on 6 September 2015 in company with an accomplice who carried an electric chainsaw. The court heard that approximately €2,535 was taken. Dempsey also pleaded guilty to robbing a Spar store in Ballycullen on 20 July 2015, during which he produced a broken bottle. The court was informed Dempsey committed the offences to settle a drug debt and that he had since relocated to Mayo away from negative influences. Following a positive probation report, Judge Melanie Greally imposed a probation bond for one year with strict conditions and adjourned finalisation until July 2018.