A 47‑year‑old financial controller, Donna Magee, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for stealing more than €270,000 from her former employer, O'Mara Geraghty McCourt Solicitors, between late 2007 and June 2009. She transferred the money into her own account over several months, including a €101,000 payment that was meant for a UK client and a €55,000 transfer that was supposed to be a VAT payment to Revenue. The court found she abused her position of trust and, after a guilty plea, imposed a three‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended. The judge refused her request for a week's leave before incarceration, citing the seriousness of the offence. Magee has prior convictions, including forgery, and has been described by her defence as a vulnerable woman who was pressured by her ex‑husband's gambling debts. The case was brought to court nine years after her employment at the Dublin firm.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, a Bulmers pint‑glass labelled "prisoners' fund" was discovered in the converted shed of David Murray, a 56‑year‑old from Cappogue Cottages, Finglas, who is pleading not guilty to membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The shed, used as a bar, also contained a poster for the Irish Republican Prisoners' Welfare Association. Detective Garda Paul Mulcahy reported that a list of items found in Murray's bedroom included sulphur, potassium nitrate and charcoal – the ingredients of black powder – and other components such as alarm‑clocks, circuit‑boards and flash‑bulbs used in improvised explosive devices. Sergeant Kieran Regan found two black bags of military clothing and T‑shirts in another bedroom. Statements from the National Surveillance Unit noted that on 3 September 2014, Murray and Stephen Hendrick left Power City together; Hendrick, who lives in Ballymun, was sentenced last year to eleven years for firearms, ammunition and explosives.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 31 March 2017, the charge of false imprisonment against Mark Heffernan, aged 32, was dismissed. Heffernan had been accused of participating in a nail‑gun assault on Dan Quilligan, a 53‑year‑old resident of Rathkeale, who was beaten and had a nail driven into his left foot in a Limerick house. Heffernan denied imprisoning Quilligan at 6 Larch Court on 14 September 2015 and pleaded not guilty to the assault. Judge Tony Hunt ruled that any evidence of false imprisonment was integral to the assault and should be dealt with under the assault charge. He also excluded part of protected witness Tom Lillis's testimony, stating it did not meet the standard for a jury conviction. The case will resume on Monday with Judges John O'Hagan and Ann Ryan present.
Paul Moore, 51, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a woman on a DART train on 28 August 2014. The judge, Melanie Greally, suspended the final 18 months of a three‑year sentence, imposing strict conditions including a curfew from 10 pm to 8 am for ten years, supervision by Probation Services, mandatory reporting of any address or phone changes, and a requirement to remain alcohol‑free in public. Moore had previously been jailed six times for sexual offences over 25 years, including a 15‑month term in 2015 for two separate attacks in the city centre and earlier convictions for rape in 1995 and 2001. The court noted that Moore showed no remorse, resisted rehabilitation, and posed an indefinite danger to adult females, with alcohol cited as a major contributing factor. The sentence was imposed for the 2014 offence, not for past offences, and the judge highlighted the need for ongoing multi‑agency monitoring. Paul Moore pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Mark Brennan, aged 39, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for possessing €80,000 worth of cannabis herb and cocaine. Gardaí seized the drugs from Brennan's flat after a drug search, discovering €17,339 of cocaine and €63,600 of cannabis herb. Brennan claimed he held the drugs to repay an estimated €23,000 debt to third parties, stating he could not provide information about those parties. He pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis herb at his former Ranelagh Road address and possession for sale or supply of cocaine at Grand Parade, Dublin 6, on 25 March 2016. Brennan, who now resides in Drogheda, has one prior conviction. Judge Martin Nolan noted Brennan's addiction and the influence of "dangerous individuals," describing him as the "author of his own misfortune," and imposed the three‑year sentence. The court did not consider any subsequent rehabilitation or community work in determining the sentence.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has raised concerns that the constitutional process of trial by jury may be interfered with in the upcoming trial of water charge protesters. Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy (33), Dublin Councillor Kieran Mahon (39), Anti Austerity Alliance Councillor Michael Murphy (53), and four other men are due to stand trial next month on charges related to the alleged false imprisonment of then Tánaiste Joan Burton three years ago. The trial was discussed in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Sean Gillane SC, prosecuting, highlighted concerns regarding literature and a campaign surrounding the trial, which could potentially interfere with the jury process. The court heard that an event being billed as a national event was to be held in the capital this weekend, with activists and journalists expected to attend. Various lawyers for the defendants requested clarification from the DPP regarding any orders sought from the court. The matter was listed for further hearing tomorrow afternoon. The accused include Frank Donaghy (71), Ken Purcell (50), Michael Banks (46), and Scott Masterson (34), each facing charges arising from a water protest in Jobstown on November 15th, 2014. A second trial of six people accused of false imprisonment is scheduled for October 2, 2017, with a pre-trial date set for June 8, 2017. The final trial of five people accused of violent disorder is set for April 9, 2018, with a pre-trial date set for December 13, 2017.
In March 2017, Richard O'Reilly, aged 32, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment after Gardaí seized a Glock semi‑automatic pistol and ammunition from his vehicle during a surveillance operation. O'Reilly, who had been grieving the death of his close friend David Byrne, pleaded guilty to possession of the weapon in suspicious circumstances. He claimed the loss of Byrne was the sole trigger for his possession of the gun, stating he had no financial motive and that the offence was not gang‑related. The judge noted O'Reilly's lack of prior convictions, good work record and cooperation with Gardaí as mitigating factors, but inferred from the evidence that he intended to use the weapon if the opportunity arose. The sentence was back‑dated to the date of his arrest. O'Reilly had previously been convicted of possession of stolen property and had been in custody since his arrest. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In 2017 the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced a 39‑year‑old father to a one‑year term that was fully suspended after he pleaded guilty to wilful assault of his two‑year‑old son in 2013 and to two further assault counts in 2014. The father, who had no prior convictions, had been the child's main carer and had undergone anger‑management and psychological therapy. Playgroup staff had reported the boy's aggressive behaviour and bruising to social services, who had been working with the family and had provided therapeutic services for the child, who is autistic. The father admitted biting the child to demonstrate pain and had struck him and swung him by the arm in a later incident. The judge praised the staff for their handling of the matter, noted the father was "at the end of his tether", and imposed the suspended sentence on the basis of good behaviour.
During a Special Criminal Court hearing, Detective Garda Colm Finnerty reported that a list of items seized from the bedroom of David Murray, a 56‑year‑old man accused of IRA membership, included shotgun cartridges, chemicals for explosives, six small alarm clocks, six large rocket‑type fireworks, six circuit boards, six tubes of solder, six flash bulbs, two steel 45‑gallon drums and face masks. The detective noted that the list was almost identical to one found in the van of Stephen Hendrick, who was sentenced to eleven years for firearms, ammunition and explosives. In addition to the list, documents seized included a transcript of a 2014 Special Criminal Court bail hearing for an IRA‑membership case, a handwritten note about a cigarette delivery van in Red Cow that might be an intelligence document, a photocopy of a Garda letterhead with Chief Superintendent Patrick Leahy's signature, a handwritten note on security companies, and a document noting minutes of a meeting.
The Central Criminal Court heard testimony from Bernard 'Barney' Malone in the ongoing trial of John Joseph Malone, who is accused of murdering 69-year-old Ann 'Nancy' Smyth on 11th September 1987 at her home on Wolfe Tone Street in Kilkenny. The accused, a 53-year-old man from Newpark, has pleaded not guilty to the charge of murdering the widowed pensioner, who was allegedly strangled before her house was set on fire. Barney Malone testified that his brother confessed to the killing approximately ten years ago, claiming it was motivated by a pigeon trophy. The witness stated that the accused later returned to his home and stabbed him, an incident for which the accused received a suspended sentence after Barney Malone requested leniency. The witness disclosed this confession to a garda superintendent for the first time during that legal process. In cross-examination, the accused agreed that he had previously served two sentences for separate rapes in Kilkenny. The trial is currently at the sentence stage regarding the witness's prior conviction, while the murder trial continues before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury. Cross-examination of the witness is scheduled to continue on Monday.
John Freer, 43, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to knowingly permitting the preparation of controlled drugs at his home on August 10, 2015. The court heard that drug dealers used the residence of the intellectually disabled man to stash approximately €108,110 worth of ecstasy tablets and €3,500 worth of Diazepam. Prosecution counsel Karl Finnegan BL stated that gardaí believed Freer was approached by others to store the drugs, noting he was not paid for his role. Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC described Freer's "diabolic personal circumstances," highlighting his isolation and lack of social services support until the raid. Judge Martin Nolan, presiding, described the situation as a "sad case is an understatement." He found that Freer was taken advantage of due to his incapacities, resulting in little or no moral culpability. The judge suspended an 18-month prison sentence on strict conditions. Freer, who has no previous convictions, has since been moved into a more appropriate residential setting where his needs are met.
John Connors, 36, of Dundrum, pleaded guilty to theft of €2,250 from an 82‑year‑old woman with early dementia in Carpenterstown on 19 February 2016. He had previously been convicted of assault and public order. Connors claimed to have performed roofing, patio and hedge work, but evidence showed only about ten minutes of roof work and no other repairs. He had cashed the cheque in his own account and was arrested in May. Connors repaid the victim in full. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, suspended in full on strict conditions, citing his remorse, repayment and lack of serious prior convictions. The court noted his role as sole breadwinner for a family of six, with his wife unable to work due to health issues. The case was prosecuted by Anne‑Marie Lawlor BL and defended by Kitty Perle BL.
Craig Buckley, 27, of Drimnagh, Dublin, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to possessing just under 3 kg of cocaine for sale or supply on Old Nangor Road, Clondalkin, on 11 June 2016. He had agreed to hold almost €210 000 worth of the drugs before transporting them. Gardaí stopped his car following a tip, finding the cocaine in four small packages and one larger package. Buckley claimed he had received the drugs two weeks earlier, was instructed to meet someone to hand them over, and had not been paid. He denied packaging or dividing the drugs, admitted to occasional social use, and said he was threatened and felt vulnerable. The judge noted his lack of prior convictions and his usefulness to society, but found him morally culpable for the misjudgement. The court imposed a three‑year custodial sentence.
In a 2011 murder case in Galway, a 31‑year‑old Latvian man, Andresj Krauze, was found guilty of strangling fellow Latvian Juris Buls, aged 30, after Buls had lodged a complaint with the Gardaí. The prosecution argued that Krauze strangled Buls when the victim refused to withdraw his complaint. The body was discovered in a drain two weeks later. A jury of twelve deliberated for just under five hours and returned a unanimous guilty verdict after a three‑week trial. Justice Margaret Heneghan announced that a mandatory life sentence would be imposed on 26 April, pending a statement from Buls's sister. Krauze pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. The case involved a search of Funshin Wood, where Garda Sergeant Shane Birmingham found a body in a drain, and subsequent extradition of Krauze from England to Latvia and back to Ireland.
A 53‑year‑old man was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for sexually abusing and orally raping his 10‑year‑old daughter on three separate occasions between February 1994 and September 1996. He denied the charges but later admitted the abuse in court and on social media, apologising to his daughter. The judge noted that the man had expressed sorrow and shame but still lacked full insight into the impact of his actions. He was found to pose a low risk of re‑offending and was ordered to have no contact with his daughter indefinitely unless she agreed. The court heard that the man had taken his daughter to his bed, forced her to perform oral sex, and left a £50 note after each incident. The daughter, now 32, had only come forward in 2014, after learning her father had a new partner with young daughters. The unnamed man was convicted.
Dylan Murray, 21, pleaded guilty to violent disorder for a May 23, 2015 attack on D'Olier Street where he and three friends assaulted two men with a hammer and iron bar. The court, after considering a withdrawn assault plea, imposed a nine‑month sentence suspended on the condition of 200 hours community service. Murray, who was 19 at the time of the offence, had prior minor convictions for traffic offences and vehicle seizure. The attack, captured on a bus driver's mobile phone, saw the victims, Lee Whelan and Dylan Campbell, injured and taken to hospital. Murray's defence described him as a peripheral participant who had no weapons and had a stable job and family life. The judge's decision reflected the court's view that community service was an appropriate sanction for his conduct.
John McMahon, 59, director of the Dublin advertising firm Rain Communications, was sentenced in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, for failing to pay between €57,000 and €58,000 in VAT to Revenue from 2006 to 2010. He pleaded guilty to five counts of failing to remit VAT and four counts of failing to file correct returns. McMahon had set up the company in 2005 with a co‑director, and the firm entered liquidation in 2012. During the period in question, McMahon's co‑director paid the VAT owed, while McMahon himself contributed €140,000 of personal capital to keep the company solvent. He had no prior convictions, was described as a hard‑working member of society, and had a wife and two adult children. The judge noted his financial pressure and the difficulty of detecting the fraud, but deemed an immediate custodial sentence necessary.
Richard Coghlan, a 37‑year‑old IT expert, was found to have downloaded 325 images of child pornography from the Darknet and other sites. After losing his job and spending nights on these sites, he voluntarily turned himself in and admitted the images were on his computers. Gardaí traced an IP address linked to Coghlan, seized his laptops, and after five years of forensic analysis he pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The images were classified into three seriousness categories, with 52 in the lowest, 175 in the second lowest, and 98 in the second highest. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Coghlan to two and a half years' imprisonment, which was fully suspended on strict conditions. The judge noted the relatively low number of images and Coghlan's lack of prior convictions, and highlighted that Coghlan had not re‑offended in the seven years since his arrest.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Gary Howard, a 29‑year‑old convicted double murderer serving two life sentences, to an additional four‑year term for stabbing a fellow inmate with a stainless steel spoon fashioned into a knife. The attack left the victim with neck stab wounds and a punctured lung. Howard's four‑year sentence will run concurrently with his life terms, so he will not serve extra time. Howard, who pleaded guilty to violent disorder in 2014, had previously been jailed for life in 2012 for the murders of Patrick Mooney and Brendan Molyneux. The court noted Howard's serious criminal record and described the assault as savage. The victim was taken to Tallaght Hospital and later to St James's Hospital for surgery. The case was prosecuted by Derek Cooney BL, with defence counsel Tony McGillicuddy BL representing Howard.
Kevin McCarthy, aged 23, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of 21‑year‑old Thomas Carroll on the N81 near Brittas on 29 May 2014. The sentencing hearing was delayed because the court may not have received a complete record of McCarthy's 73 prior convictions, including 14 for failing to produce insurance proof and 18 for failing to produce a licence. Prosecutor Diarmuid Collins requested time to obtain a full record, citing possible incomplete or inaccurate information. McCarthy, who was 20 at the time of the crash, drove the vehicle at an estimated 100‑120 km/h, although the speed limit was 60 km/h. The crash involved the car flipping twice and spinning about ten times before stopping on the wrong side of the road. McCarthy expressed remorse, stating he had no intention to harm anyone and that Thomas was a best friend.
In a cold‑case murder trial in Kilkenny, 53‑year‑old John Joseph Malone is accused of strangling 69‑year‑old Ann 'Nancy' Smyth on 11 September 1987 and setting fire to her Wolfe Tone Street home. Malone pleaded not guilty. Witness Jude Curran, a long‑time friend and church member, testified that Malone confessed to him that he had killed Smyth, arguing that forensic evidence of strangulation conflicted with his account. Curran described several conversations in which Malone claimed he had pushed Smyth, that she fell, and that he had set the house on fire. Curran also recounted that Malone had told him he could not sleep over the case and that he had considered confessing to a police officer. The trial continues with Malone's defence counsel cross‑examining Curran on the alleged confessions and the evidence presented. The court heard no further evidence of a verdict or sentencing.
During a Special Criminal Court hearing on 28 March 2017, the prosecution presented evidence that a shopping‑list of chemicals used for explosives was found in the home of David Murray, 56, of Cappogue Cottages, Finglas, Dublin. Murray is pleading not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation styled the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The prosecution, represented by Gareth Baker SC, said Chief Superintendent Michael O'Sullivan would testify that he believed Murray was an IRA member on the day in question, and that supporting evidence would include various documents and items seized from Murray's house. The list, which Baker said bore a striking similarity to a list found in the van of Stephen Hendrick, a former IRA member convicted in 2014 of firearms and explosives offences, was presented as a shopping‑list of items commonly used in producing explosives.
Michael Boyle, a 68‑year‑old inmate at Dublin's Wheatfield Prison, has filed a High Court action seeking his release. Boyle was convicted in 1997 in London of attempted murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, receiving three life sentences. The offence involved an attempt on the life of Mr Tony Brindle, who survived after Boyle fired several shots. Boyle was shot by police during the incident, sustaining injuries that now keep him largely bedridden. He was repatriated to Ireland to serve his sentence and, in December 2015, the Parole Board recommended a release plan within nine months. Boyle argues that, despite this recommendation, he remains in prison without justification, claiming a breach of his constitutional rights and the European Convention on Human Rights. He seeks an order directing the Minister for Justice to release him and a declaration that his continued detention is unlawful.
John Gavin, aged 29, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for raping a woman in Handel's Hotel on Fishamble Street in 2012. At the time of the offence he had 103 prior convictions and was on bail for seven separate charges. Gavin denied the rape, claiming the victim was a "lying bastard" and a "dirty mare" and that she had "jumped" on him. The court heard that the victim had met Gavin at a city centre venue, drank and took drugs together, and later agreed to help him find a hotel room after the hotel refused to accommodate him. They went to Jury's Hotel, were refused, and were directed to Handel's, where Gavin took a room and raped the victim. The judge, Mr Justice Paul Coffey, backdated the six‑year sentence to July 2016 and ordered Gavin to be registered as a sex offender. John Gavin pleaded not guilty.
Farid Kantoui, 33, a stateless asylum seeker from Western Sahara, was found guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of seven thefts and one attempted theft between 3 and 17 April 2016, plus possession of a false passport on 24 April 2016. He admitted watching victims enter their PINs while buying drinks at city‑centre bars, a practice known as "shoulder surfing," and then using the stolen cards to withdraw €1,360 from ATMs or attempt a purchase from Argos. Garda evidence included CCTV from the bars and ATMs, and a seized passport that was later confirmed fake. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to three years, suspending the final 18 months, back‑dating the term to his April 2016 arrest. The €425 compensation offered was to be divided pro‑rata between the victims and any financial institutions that suffered losses.
In the Special Criminal Court, the prosecution presented evidence from Garda interviews with Mark Heffernan, accused of assaulting and falsely imprisoning Dan Quilligan. Heffernan, 32, denies any involvement, stating he was not part of the alleged assault or false imprisonment. Garda Patrick Whelan interviewed him on 24 May, noting a tracking device on a white Audi that allegedly moved between Kennedy Park and Larch Court, where the incident occurred. Heffernan refuted this, claiming no connection to the car or the assault. The prosecution also read a statement from Richard McInerney, who was present in the house on the day of the alleged assault. McInerney described a confrontation over owed money, a bag thrown into the sitting‑room containing two white painter's suits, and his decision to leave. The prosecution closed its case, and the trial was adjourned to Wednesday for the defence to submit before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, Judge John O'Hagan, and Judge Ann Ryan. Mark Heffernan pleaded not guilty.
Alan Ellis, 24, was sentenced to three years in prison with the final year suspended for assault causing harm at Mountjoy Prison on 23 October 2014. He stabbed his treating psychiatrist, Dr Ronan Mullaney, with a makeshift weapon described as a paint roller with one metal end filed to a sharp point. Ellis claimed a "demon" had entered his head and compelled him to act, stating he had no control over the demon. He shouted threats during the attack and attempted to push the weapon into Dr Mullaney's neck, puncturing the area beside the Adam's apple. Prison officers restrained him, and the doctor was treated for a small puncture wound. Ellis had previously pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and assault causing harm to a 14‑year‑old in 2012, for which he was serving a nine‑year sentence with three years suspended.
Helen Hourigan, aged 34, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for stealing a Mercedes‑Benz and causing criminal damage to Ross Kelly's Volkswagen Beetle. On 9 January 2015, she stole the Mercedes when its owner left it unlocked and drove it at speed into Mr Kelly's vehicle, then reversed it into the smoking area of the Dropping Well Pub in Milltown, Dublin. She smashed a glass partition and pinned Mr Kelly against a wall before driving off. Mr Kelly was injured and taken to hospital. Hourigan pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan suspended the final year of her sentence, citing her dangerous driving and the injuries sustained by Mr Kelly and his wife, and noted that she had taken steps to address her addiction. She is due for release in August.
Pierce Hilliard, a 32‑year‑old former resident of Ballyogan Green, Carrickmines, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for possessing 1.48 kg of heroin in Sandyford Road, Dublin, on 24 May 2016. He admitted that he had agreed to transport more than €200,000 worth of heroin to raise a deposit for a new flat, describing the act as one of desperation. Hilliard's daughter was in care and he claimed he was trying to secure a home to better look after her. He had 84 prior convictions, mainly for traffic offences, but no previous drug convictions or links to the drug trade. Gardaí had set up a surveillance operation that caught him placing the drugs in a shopping bag in a car park. He pleaded guilty, took full responsibility, and the court accepted his explanation that he had agreed to transport the drugs for monetary gain.
A 42‑year‑old man was sentenced to three‑and‑a‑half years in jail, with the final year suspended, for sexually assaulting a girl who was aged between ten and fourteen when the offences occurred between 2004 and 2007. The Central Criminal Court found the man had betrayed the trust of a family friend and that the age disparity was an aggravating factor. The judge noted the man's good work history and clean record as mitigating factors. He was convicted on four counts of sexual assault after a trial in December 2016. The victim, who was a daughter of a family friend, described how the abuse forced her to leave home early, accelerated her maturity, damaged her relationships with her father and siblings, and caused ongoing headaches and fear of intimacy. The judge required the man to participate in a sex‑offender treatment programme while in prison.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall, aged 38, and his father Patrick Dowdall, aged 59, pleaded guilty to falsely imprisoning and threatening to kill Alexander Hurley. The alleged offences occurred on 15 January 2015 at Navan Road, Dublin 7, where the Dowdalls detained Hurley without consent and threatened his life. Judge Isobel Kennedy remanded both men in custody until 28 April, when sentencing will take place. Jonathan Dowdall's counsel will prepare a psychological report, while the State will seek a victim impact statement.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Joseph Hillen, aged 23, received a suspended sentence of two and a half years for handling stolen property. Hillen admitted to transporting a €9,000 Atlas compressor, stolen from an Irish Rail depot near the border, from Northern Ireland to Dublin. He claimed he was paid €100 to drive the machine and that he feared for his safety, so he did not name the individuals he met. The compressor was found in a white van at a Topaz petrol station in Clondalkin on 29 April 2016, where Hillen and another man were arrested. Hillen, who has 12 prior convictions, pleaded guilty and acknowledged his wrongdoing. The judge noted his cooperation and early guilty plea, and the court imposed the suspended sentence. The co‑accused is expected to stand trial later. The compressor belonged to Laois Hire, which had rented it to Irish Rail a few weeks earlier.
Ionel Saisuc, aged 37, was sentenced to nine months in jail for stealing €6,000 in cash from his friend Georgina Valcu, who had let him stay in her Dublin home after his girlfriend had kicked him out. The theft occurred on 12 October 2015 when Valcu withdrew the money from her account to open a new one. Saisuc failed to return to work and Valcu discovered the money missing when she returned home. He later apologized and promised repayment, but never did. Judge Martin Nolan described the crime as "particularly underhand" and imposed a two‑year sentence, suspending the final 15 months on conditions including repayment. Saisuc had nine prior convictions, including theft and aggravated theft. He had €400 in court to offer to Valcu, but the judge refused to adjourn the sentencing. The case was prosecuted by Grainne O'Neill BL, with defence counsel Keith Spencer BL representing Saisuc. Ionel Saisuc pleaded guilty.
Roy Webster, aged 40 of Ashbree, Ashford, County Wicklow, was found guilty of murder by unanimous jury verdict at the Central Criminal Court on 24 March 2017. The victim, Anne Shortall, aged 47, died from injuries sustained at The Murrough near Wicklow Town on 3 April 2015. Justice Patrick McCarthy imposed a life sentence, backdated to 7 April 2015. The court heard that Webster struck Ms Shortall repeatedly with a hammer after she threatened to disclose a previous encounter to his wife. He subsequently restrained her with duct tape before transporting her body in his van. Webster initially provided a false account to gardaí, claiming he had released Ms Shortall at The Murrough. He later confessed to his wife in the presence of Detective Sergeant Fergus O'Brien, revealing the body's location in his workshop. The defence argued provocation as mitigation, which would reduce the charge to manslaughter. The jury rejected this, finding Webster acted with knowledge and intent to kill or cause serious injury.
Michael O'Brien, aged 24, was jailed for three years after pleading guilty to four counts of deception for scamming an exceptionally vulnerable woman out of €90,000. The victim, who was receiving psychiatric treatment and caring for her 95‑year‑old mother, was left with only €93 after repeatedly handing over €5,000 installments to O'Brien. He claimed to work for a "boss man" and that he had collected the money to repay a debt of €4,000, but he received only €600. The court accepted his guilty pleas on the basis that his culpability was limited to €20,000, but imposed a custodial term without suspension, citing the aggravated nature of the deception and the severe impact on the victim. No other parties were investigated. O'Brien had no prior convictions and earned a living through odd jobs.
Paul Molloy, 44, a father of six, was found holding 56,000 tablets of the restricted drug Zopliclone, valued at €112,000, in a garden shed at his home in Hillcrest Park, Glasnevin, Dublin. He had previously been sentenced in 2014 to seven years for possession of over €30,000 of cannabis and was on bail for that offence when the tablets were discovered. Molloy pleaded guilty to possession of Zopliclone without a prescription on 5 November 2014. His defence counsel argued that he owed €8,000 in debt from the earlier cannabis seizure and that the tablets were intended to reduce that debt by €500. The court, considering his family status, late onset of crime, and prior convictions, imposed a 16‑month sentence consecutive to his existing seven‑year term. The judge applied the totality principle and noted the sentence would be consecutive to the current sentence. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Patrick Clarke, aged 31, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for making two menacing phone calls to Paul Gilmartin, demanding €60,000. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found Clarke guilty of making an unwarranted demand with menace on 10 May 2012 and again on a later date. The judge, Gerard Griffin, suspended the final 18 months of the sentence for two years on strict conditions. Clarke was arrested after a call was traced to an anonymous SIM card he had bought. He denied that he intended to harm Gilmartin, claiming he had no intention of violence and received no payment for the calls. Gilmartin had been subjected to sustained nuisance calls and threatening texts before and after Clarke's calls. Clarke's defence argued that Gilmartin was an innocent victim of the abuse.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Thomas O'Connor, 29, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of John O'Brien, 22, who was bludgeoned to death with a rock on 4 June 2010. O'Connor had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The victim impact statement, read by Detective Sergeant Eamon O'Neill, described how O'Brien's fiancée, Alice O'Brien, had to replace her wedding bouquet with a wreath after the fatal attack. The statement also recounted the couple's wedding plans, the couple's drinking together before the incident, and O'Connor's attempts to destroy evidence by scrubbing his hands and burning his hoodie. O'Connor's counsel, Feargal Kavanagh SC, acknowledged his client's remorse. The sentence was back‑dated to 5 June 2010. The hearing highlighted the personal loss suffered by O'Brien's family and the impact of the crime on the community. Thomas O'Connor was convicted.
Thomas Garvan, aged 64, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for sexually abusing an 11‑ to 14‑year‑old boy between December 1996 and October 1999. Garvan, a trusted family friend, regularly stayed overnight at the boy's home and was described by the victim as a "monster". He pleaded guilty to seven charges of sexual abuse at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The victim, now 32, reported severe emotional damage, claiming the abuse ruined his life and destroyed his prospects for work and relationships. Garvan had previously received a two‑year suspended sentence for a different sexual offence, which was partly re‑activated after he failed to cooperate with the Probation Service. Judge Martin Nolan noted the maximum sentence was five years but gave credit for Garvan's guilty plea, reducing the term to four and a half years. The court also heard the victim's impact statement, describing the abuse as traumatic and life‑altering.
In the Special Criminal Court, a protected witness named Tom Lillis testified that he saw Dan Quilligan, a Rathkeale resident, in the house where the alleged assault and false imprisonment occurred. The prosecution alleges that three men, including Mark Heffernan, 32, of Swallow Drive, John Carew Park, Limerick, participated in a joint enterprise that led to Quilligan being beaten and having his left foot nailed to the kitchen floor of a Limerick house on 14 September 2015. Heffernan has pleaded not guilty to assaulting Quilligan and to falsely imprisoning him at the same address on the same date. During cross‑examination, Heffernan's counsel, Ronan Munro SC, questioned Lillis about whether he knew Heffernan prior to the alleged offences. Lillis replied that he had seen Heffernan once or twice but could not confirm personal acquaintance.
Kevin Healion, aged 48 and formerly of Cappincur, Tullamore, Offaly, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for possession of child pornography. He had previously been jailed for ten years in 2004 for abducting and sexually assaulting two young girls. In 2015 Gardaí searched his Dublin apartment and seized a laptop, memory cards, a memory stick and a printed booklet of child pornographic stories. He initially denied ownership but later admitted full possession. He pleaded guilty to possession and production of child pornography. The court found 127 images of naked children under 17 and 29 animated images depicting sexual acts. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a custodial sentence, suspending the final year on strict conditions. The case highlighted Healion's prior convictions and his low IQ, with counsel noting a moderate to high risk of re‑offending.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 22 March 2017, Judge Martin Nolan imposed a suspended five‑year sentence on 31‑year‑old Brian O'Grady, who pleaded guilty to possessing 20 kg of cannabis resin worth €122,000. O'Grady had delivered the drugs to two men travelling from Cork to Dublin in order to help his step‑brother pay a €2,000 drug debt. The judge noted O'Grady's "huge error of judgment" and low moral culpability, describing his motive as misguided. O'Grady's father, who had been abandoned as a baby and later reunited with him, broke down in tears. The judge said the suspended sentence was an "unusual step" and he would be unlikely to repeat it. The case highlighted the pressure drug dealers place on family members to carry out illicit acts. The other two men involved received seven‑year and two‑year sentences. The court found O'Grady a low risk of re‑offending.
Donncha O'Cearbhaill, 24, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of criminal damage to data on thesun.co.uk, a website owned by News International. The defendant admitted to inserting a "Trojan horse" into the site in July 2011, which redirected visitors to a hoax article alleging media mogul Rupert Murdoch had died, and later to the Lulzsec Twitter feed. Judge Martin Nolan handed down a nine-month sentence, which was suspended on a number of conditions. The court heard that the hacks caused the servers to be shut down for two hours and required a three-week rebuild. O'Cearbhaill stated he acted in retaliation for the phone hacking scandal and expressed regret for his reckless actions. Defense counsel Giollaíosa O'Lideadha SC requested disposal under the Probation Act to avoid a criminal record, highlighting the defendant's youth at the time of the offense and his current role as an online security advisor. A letter from Web Summit founder Paddy Cosgrave described O'Cearbhaill as possessing rare intelligence. The judge noted the defendant knowingly committed the damaging acts but accepted his young age. No incoming IP addresses were captured due to the use of the Tor browser, though forensic analysis of a Dell laptop and Samsung notebook found a saved image matching the hoax site. O'Cearbhaill was arrested in September 2011 and cooperated with gardaí, admitting to using the username "Palladium" in chat logs.
Colin Joyce, 36, an autistic medical‑school drop‑out, appeared before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 21 March 2017. He pleaded guilty to three counts of providing false information about bomb threats made between February and April 2015, and to reckless damage to the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) on 1 July 2015. The threats were directed at the Criminal Courts of Justice, St Patrick's Psychiatric Hospital and the Civic Offices at Wood Quay. Joyce had previously been given a three‑year suspended sentence in February 2015 for sending harassing letters to former supervisors at RCSI. Judge Martin Nolan, hearing the case, suspended a new three‑year sentence on strict conditions: Joyce must be supervised by the Probation Service, attend medical appointments, take prescribed medication, and abstain from alcohol. The court noted that Joyce had caused €2,861 of damage to RCSI when he threw paint over the front door and smashed several windows in July 2015.
Robert O'Neill, 26, of Thorndale Avenue, Artane, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to handling stolen property and to having no insurance for a stolen VW Passat that was listed on the Done Deal website. The car, whose registration had been cloned, was sold by O'Neill at a price below market value. Garda Detective Mark O'Regan, who had been monitoring suspicious ads, arranged a meeting with O'Neill, arrested him and the vehicle was returned to its rightful owner. O'Neill had 25 prior convictions, mainly for traffic offences, and admitted a gambling and cocaine addiction that had led to a €10,000 debt. He offered €1,000 in compensation. Judge Gerard Griffin, praising the Garda's work, imposed a two‑year suspended sentence and a seven‑year driving disqualification.
The Special Criminal Court heard a protected witness who said a Limerick man accused of assaulting and falsely imprisoning a 53‑year‑old was present at the house where the alleged attack took place. The prosecution claims that three men were involved in a joint enterprise during which Dan Quilligan, a resident of Rathkeale, was beaten and his left foot was nailed to the kitchen floor of a house in Limerick. Mark Heffernan (32) pleaded not guilty to assaulting Mr Quilligan and to falsely imprisoning him at the same address on 14 September 2015. Two other men, Gerard Mackin (33) and Patrick Hayes (52), pleaded guilty and were sentenced to three years in prison by the non‑jury court. Tom Lillis, a witness, testified that he was living at the house in Larch Court with two other men, including Patrick Hayes, on the morning of the assault.
Damien Klasinski, 29, of The Oaks, Newbridge, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to dangerous driving that caused the death of Kildare councillor Willie Crowley, 56, on 15 December 2015. Crowley died a few days later at Naas Hospital. Klasinski was remanded in continuing custody until 3 May, when a summary of the evidence will be heard. Judge Martin Nolan ordered a victim impact report to be prepared by Crowley's widow.
Warren Nolan, 21, of Rowlagh Park, Clondalkin, was sentenced to five years imprisonment for pointing an unloaded shotgun at a garda from two feet away on 8 June 2015. He also pleaded guilty to drug possession and dangerous driving offences on 4 June 2015. The original sentence, imposed on 25 July 2016, carried an 18‑month suspension. Prosecutors appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient. The three‑judge court, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, reviewed the case and re‑sentenced Nolan to five years, citing the seriousness of pointing a firearm at two gardaí and the lack of mitigating factors. The new sentence remains the same length as the original, with no change to the suspended portion. The court noted Nolan's age and guilty plea but found no exceptional circumstances to reduce the minimum.
Andrew Begley, a 25‑year‑old former Leinster champion boxer from Dublin, was sentenced to 16 months in prison after pleading guilty to possession of 581 g of cocaine found at his home on 10 April 2015. He also admitted to possessing €62 worth of cannabis. The court accepted that he was holding the drugs for someone else to settle a debt of about €5 000, but noted he was aware of his actions and had associations with drug‑trade contacts. Judge Martin Nolan suspended the final 32 months of a four‑year sentence, imposing strict conditions. Begley had eight prior convictions for minor traffic offences. Gardaí searched his house following a tip, discovering a large quantity of cocaine, a tick list and a mixing agent in a wardrobe and bedside locker. Begley claimed he had been instructed to hand over the drugs, but the police were not fully satisfied with his explanation.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Dubliner Patrick Anderson, a former Ireland ice hockey player, to two years' imprisonment for assaulting his cousins, Graham Dunne and Paul Dunne. Anderson pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at the Wright Venue nightclub in Swords on February 15, 2015. The court heard that Anderson punched and kicked both victims inside the venue and continued the assault outside after security ejected them. Graham Dunne suffered a broken kneecap, which affected his equestrian career and left him at risk of arthritis, while Paul Dunne sustained a broken jaw and psychological trauma. Judge Melanie Greally noted Anderson was a first-time offender with an excellent employment record and sporting history. However, she emphasized the seriousness of the two offences committed in one night and the lasting effects on Graham Dunne. The judge imposed a three-year sentence but suspended the final year on conditions, resulting in an effective custody period of two years. Prosecution counsel Maurice Coffey BL presented evidence that Anderson initiated the violence by punching Graham Dunne after a perceived bump. Defense counsel Ray Boland BL highlighted Anderson's intoxication and lack of prior convictions. An offer of compensation by Anderson was reportedly refused by the victims.