In a 2017 case, a 29‑year‑old woman from Tipperary testified that she was sexually assaulted by her uncle when she was seven, between December 1994 and July 1995. The uncle, a 56‑year‑old man who pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault, had been brought out of the house by the victim's grandmother to beg for money. While the girl was in a shed, the uncle followed her, undressed, and attempted to have sex with her. After the assault, the grandmother beat the girl with a stick, causing her to fear speaking out for years. The victim, who suffered depression, nightmares and anxiety, told the court she felt vindicated by the uncle's admission of guilt and does not wish to see him jailed. She said she can move on with her life. The uncle, who has 40 prior convictions, was remanded on bail while the court considers sentencing. The trial is scheduled for April 4.
Kevin McCarthy, aged 23, pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous driving causing the death of 21‑year‑old Thomas Carroll on the N81 near Brittas, Co Wicklow, on 29 May 2014. McCarthy, who had 73 prior convictions including 14 for failing to produce proof of insurance and 18 for failing to produce a licence, was driving at an estimated 100‑120 km/h, well above the 60 km/h speed limit signposted 300 metres before the crash. The vehicle, carrying McCarthy and Carroll, spun out, flipped twice and rolled about ten times before stopping on the wrong side of the road. Carroll, a father‑of‑one, suffered massive head injuries and died shortly after the crash. McCarthy has been sentenced on 28 March, wearing a necklace with a picture of Carroll to remind him of the loss.
At the Central Criminal Court, Michael McCarville, aged 49, from Longfield, Lisboduff, Cootehill, County Cavan, has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for the sexual abuse of seven siblings over an 18-year period beginning in 1982. McCarville pleaded guilty in December to 52 sample charges including rape and indecent assault, arising from a total of 187 counts. The offences occurred on a family farm where he worked as a labourer, with victims aged between seven and thirteen at the time of initial abuse. The attacks continued until 1999 and took place in various locations including farm buildings and the family home. During sentencing at the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy noted the seriousness of the crimes, describing them as a grave breach of trust, though he credited the guilty plea. Five of the seven adult victims presented impact statements to the court. McCarville has been ordered to complete five years post-release supervision following his sentence.
Colm Deely, aged 45, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for the manslaughter of 43‑year‑old Deirdre McCarthy. The case arose after McCarthy's body washed up on Fanore Beach, Co Clare, after Deely had dumped her in the sea. Deely had earlier been convicted of murder in 2013, but that conviction was quashed because the forensic work of Deputy State Pathologist Dr Khalid Jabbar had not been peer‑reviewed. In January 2017 Deely pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter at a hearing in the Central Criminal Court. The judge, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, noted that the offence was aggravated by Deely's callous disposal of the body and his return to work with McCarthy's brother shortly after the killing. The sentence was imposed in the absence of evidence that would have supported a murder charge, and the judge emphasised the substantial period of imprisonment required for the killing.
A 53-year-old Cork man has been sentenced to four-and-a-half years imprisonment for membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army. Martin McHale, with an address at Blackwater Grove, Togher, Cork, was convicted by the non-jury Special Criminal Court in February following trial. The court found McHale travelled to Monaghan in a van containing approximately 500 kilogrammes of agricultural fertiliser. He had initially denied knowledge of the contents, claiming to gardaí he had borrowed the van for a drinking session. However, forensic evidence recovered from a glove in the van established both fertiliser residue and McHale's DNA. The Special Criminal Court panel, presided over by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy alongside Judge Gerard Griffin and Judge Gerard Haughton, determined that McHale's statements to gardaí were false and misleading and that he was a trusted transporter of the material. McHale refused to identify the van's owner. Evidence from Assistant Commissioner Michael Finn indicated McHale was an IRA member.
Paul Cullen, 38, of Cashel Road, Crumlin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for robbery. He pleaded guilty to robbing a taxi driver at an unknown location on October 31, 2015. The court heard that Cullen threatened the victim, who noticed blood on Cullen's hand and a weapon in his waistband, before taking €25 in cash. The driver drove to Sundrive Road Garda Station, where Cullen was apprehended. A DNA match was later found on a receipt book in the vehicle. Cullen, who has previous convictions for robbery, attempted robbery, and assault, stated his drug addiction and debt motivated the offence. He expressed remorse and co-operated with the investigation. Judge Melanie Greally noted Cullen's history demonstrated a capacity for violence when under the influence of drugs. However, she acknowledged he had addressed his addiction in prison and desired residential treatment. Judge Greally imposed a four-year sentence, suspending the final 18 months on the condition that Cullen attends residential drug treatment upon release and remains there until the program is complete.
Two Limerick men, Gerard Mackin (33) and Patrick Hayes (52), pleaded guilty to a "depraved and barbaric" assault on 53‑year‑old Dan Quilligan on 14 September 2015 at 6 Larch Court. Quilligan was nailed to the kitchen floor with a nail‑gun, causing lasting pain and trauma. The Special Criminal Court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, described the assault as "most grievous". Both men were sentenced to three years' imprisonment. A separate charge of falsely imprisoning Quilligan was dropped by the State. The case was presented as a pre‑planned joint enterprise, with CCTV evidence linking Mackin's car to the scene. Quilligan's victim impact statement highlighted the lasting physical and emotional damage, stating the incident had "shattered my life". The trial of co‑accused Mark Heffernan, who pleaded not guilty, will resume on Monday.
Paul Moore, 51, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to sexually assaulting a woman on the southside DART on August 28, 2014. Judge Melanie Greally indicated she would impose a three-year sentence, with the final 18 months suspended, but remanded Moore in custody until March 30th to finalize post-release conditions. The judge sought to determine if a special request could be made for urine analysis as part of Probation Service supervision. Evidence from Moore's case manager and probation officer confirmed he had been compliant with supervision terms following his release in April 2016. They advised he should remain sober in public and suggested a night-time curfew. Moore, of Mountjoy Square, Dublin, has a history of six prior jailings for sexual offences over 25 years, including a 15-month sentence in 2015 for assaulting two women. Judge Greally expressed concern over Moore's inability to desist from offending and stated any sentence must maximize the ability of services to supervise him. The matter was adjourned to allow the court to fine-tune the conditions of the partly suspended sentence.
Dillon Campbell, 31, of Trim Road, Coolock, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the robbery of cash from Dylan Stagno at the Esso service station on Malahide Road, Artane, on September 12, 2016. Prosecution evidence stated that Campbell entered the shop, initially appearing to joke with the victim before pulling out a black imitation firearm. He then became aggressive, demanding money and coins, and fled with approximately €230 in cash. The weapon was later identified as a 6mm air pistol. Campbell had previous convictions, including for possession of drugs for sale or supply, and was on bail for criminal damage and trespass at the time of the offence. Defence counsel attributed the crime to a chronic drug addiction and a significant debt. Judge Melanie Greally described the incident as serious due to the aggression and the realistic appearance of the firearm. While noting Campbell's efforts to address his drug and alcohol abuse and his supportive family, the Judge highlighted a high risk of re-offending if these issues were not resolved. She sentenced Campbell to five years in prison but suspended the final two and a half years on the condition that he complies with Probation Services after his release.
Anthony Connors, 41, was sentenced to a cumulative 144 years in prison for a career of burglaries that mainly targeted pensioners. In a 2016 incident, he broke into the flat of 81‑year‑old artist Noel Lewis and his partner Dympna O'Halloran, 56, holding them hostage and demanding cash. Connors threatened to stab Lewis with a broom handle and to set the apartment on fire. Lewis managed to "belt" Connors with a heavy battery pack, stunning him. Connors stole €170 from the couple, a tablet containing O'Halloran's artwork, and a distinctive shirt. The victim impact reports described fear, nightmares, and loss of confidence for Lewis and disorientation and memory loss for O'Halloran. Connors was remanded in custody pending sentencing of his final burglary. The judge noted the need to protect the public and consider rehabilitation. Anthony Connors pleaded guilty.
Pat McCann, a 70-year-old convicted garda murderer, appeared before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court at the sentencing stage for criminal damage. He pleaded guilty to throwing a keg against the window of John Brereton Jewellers on Grafton Street on July 23, 2015, causing over €8,300 in damage. McCann was originally sentenced to death in 1980 for the capital murder of Garda Henry Byrne and Detective Garda John Morley during an armed robbery near Loughglynn, Co Roscommon. His sentence was commuted to 40 years, and he was released in 2013. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the matter until April 7 to allow for a probation report, noting McCann's extensive custody history and consistent criminal conduct since release. The prosecution highlighted 12 previous convictions, including arson and burglary, and stated McCann was intoxicated during the offence. Defence counsel Diarmaid McGuinness SC cited McCann's mental health history, his remorse, and his willingness to repay damages using pension funds. The court heard McCann has been in custody since December and hopes to secure accommodation with an adult child upon release. The matter was adjourned, not concluded.
Thomas Knox, 64, was found guilty of assault causing harm to Garda Shane Buckley and criminal damage after a dispute with his neighbour over a back‑garden wall. The incident began when Knox, highly intoxicated, pulled down part of the neighbour's fence and then verbally abused the Garda. When the Garda attempted to leave the scene, Knox grabbed his arm and tried to pull him over a wall, causing the Garda's shoulder to pop. The Garda was later treated for a cartilage tear and required surgery. Knox, who has three prior drink‑driving convictions, was sentenced to a suspended three‑year term on the condition that he address his alcohol problems and participate in a victim awareness programme. The court noted Knox's long‑standing grievance with the neighbour and his ill‑health background, including rheumatoid arthritis and depression. The sentence was suspended pending his compliance with probation and alcohol‑treatment requirements.
Ruzmond Muwaniri, a 27‑year‑old Zimbabwean man with schizophrenia, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for two separate assaults in March and May 2015. The first involved punching a 67‑year‑old pensioner off his bicycle on Cheeverstown Road, Tallaght, causing the victim to lose consciousness and suffer a broken eye socket, cuts and bruises. The second assault was a punch to the face of a man named Aidan Green, breaking his top front teeth; Muwaniri claimed he believed Green was racially abusing him. Muwaniri had missed several medication appointments before the incidents. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a total sentence of 42 months, suspending the final 18 months on strict conditions, including regular psychiatric treatment and adherence to prescribed medication. He has 60 prior convictions, including a 2013 two‑year sentence for assaulting his partner. The court noted his history of missed medication appointments and the need for multidisciplinary support upon release. Ruzmond Muwaniri pleaded guilty.
The High Court has dismissed a challenge by an unnamed man in his 50s against the State's bid to deport him, clearing the way for his removal. The defendant, who pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining travel documentation and is currently serving a six-month prison sentence in Ireland, argued that deportation would breach EU law and Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights due to a risk of torture. Mr Justice Richard Humphreys dismissed all grounds, ruling the Minister's decision lawful. The judge noted the man was convicted of terrorism offences in his native country during the 1990s, receiving three life sentences and two death sentences, and was separately convicted and jailed for eight years in France for membership of a criminal organisation preparing acts of terrorism. The court found the man's credibility seriously impaired by multiple identities and fraudulent asylum claims, including false statements about family members being killed or arrested. The judge determined there were no substantial grounds to apprehend a real risk of inhuman treatment, noting general improvements in the country of origin and that a brother convicted of similar offences is not being ill-treated. A stay preventing deportation was granted in the event the man's lawyers apply for permission to appeal. The matter was adjourned and will return before the court in a week's time.
A 16‑year‑old boy, who was 14 when he joined a gang attack on May 18, 2015, was sentenced to three years in juvenile detention with the final 18 months suspended. The assault involved a man, Jack Serole, who was stabbed 20 times and pushed into the Royal Canal. Serole, originally from Botswana, suffered 20 stab wounds, hypothermia and broken front teeth. The court heard that the boy confessed, expressed remorse, and had 19 prior convictions. He was removed from his mother's care at age 10, lived in various care homes and a homeless hostel, and had learning difficulties and psychological issues. Judge Melanie Greally suspended the final 18 months hoping the boy would turn his life around, imposing conditions including probation supervision for two years after release. The boy was 16 at sentencing. The unnamed 16-year-old pleaded guilty.
Michael O'Brien, aged 24, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four counts of deception for taking €90,000 from a vulnerable woman who was a psychiatric ward outpatient and a carer for her 95‑year‑old mother. The woman, who had only €93 left in her bank account, was persuaded by O'Brien to pay for driveway re‑paving (€7,500) and house painting (€1,500) that were never completed. He then posed as an accountant and convinced her to pay €5,000 instalments for a promised €76,000 cheque. She withdrew €5,000 from two accounts on several occasions, leaving her with €93. Gardaí arrested O'Brien when he met the woman in St James's Hospital carpark. He claimed he was working for a "bossman" and owed €4,000 to him, but the prosecution accepted his plea as representing ten counts with a culpability of €20,000.
A 42‑year‑old foreign national was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of four counts of sexual assault against a girl who was aged between ten and fourteen at the time of the offences, which occurred between 2004 and 2007. The assaults took place at the victim's home while the accused was visiting. The first incident involved the accused telling the ten‑year‑old that she was pretty and touching her breasts for about two minutes. Similar incidents occurred in 2005 and 2006, involving touching the girls' breasts and vaginal area outside her clothes. When she was about fourteen, the accused put his fingers in her vagina. The accused was arrested and interviewed in 2013 when the offences came to light and denied the incidents had occurred. He has a number of minor previous convictions.
Peter Halligan, 23, of Kilcohan Park, Waterford, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for rape and oral rape committed at a riverbank in Waterford City on July 24, 2014. Halligan pleaded not guilty to both charges but was convicted by a jury after four hours of deliberation. The court heard that the accused, who had just left his girlfriend's house, covered his face and grabbed the 16-year-old victim from behind as she walked home. He threatened to throw her into the river and assaulted her in a quiet laneway. Although Halligan initially denied the attack, claiming another man was responsible or that the victim approached him, DNA evidence matched him to the scene. Mr Justice Paul Butler noted Halligan had no previous convictions, is a father to a six-year-old son, and had completed prison courses. The judge described the eight-year sentence as being in the middle of the scale but suspended two years, resulting in an effective six-year jail term. The judge stated Halligan was thought unlikely to re-offend. The victim, who was not present, submitted a report detailing trauma, flashbacks, and vulnerability. The matter was finalised with this sentence.
A 40‑year‑old Cork man was found guilty of all 92 counts of sexual assault, attempted rape and rape of his stepdaughter, who was aged nine to 16 between May 2008 and November 2015. The offences were largely committed in the family home. The jury, consisting of seven men and five women, returned the verdicts after just under four hours. The trial revealed that the abuse began when the victim was about eight or nine, starting with tickling and progressing to forced masturbation and repeated rape, often in the man's bedroom. The victim, who turned 18 during the trial, gave extensive video‑link testimony. The abuse ended in November 2015 when she fled to her aunt's house, confided in her mother and they reported the matter to Gardaí. DNA evidence from semen swabs matched the accused, with a probability of less than one in 1000 million of being unrelated. The unnamed 40-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Jonathan McSherry, 35, a former soldier, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for threatening to kill Nicola Nugent and her partner Barry Horan. He had already been serving a term for a sustained assault on Nugent, which left her with fractures to her eyes, face and skull. On 19 March 2013, McSherry confronted Nugent and Horan in the car park of The Belgard Inn, Tallaght, where he ran at their car, punched and kicked it, and shouted threats, including "I'm going to kill you." He was found guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge suspended the last two years of the sentence on the condition that he keep the peace, attend anger‑management and addiction treatment, and refrain from contact with the victim. McSherry's prior convictions and his engagement in treatment were noted in the sentencing. The court also referenced his earlier 2015 assault, for which he had received a suspended sentence.
Michael Fagan (25) of Sperrin Road, Drimnagh, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two years' imprisonment for handling stolen property. Judge Elma Sheahan reduced a recommended three-year term to two years following mitigation. Fagan pleaded guilty to possessing a safe stolen from the Co. Meath home of Mark Guildea on May 5, 2014. Detective Garda Brian McCarthy testified that Fagan dropped the safe from a third-floor balcony at Rathmines flats complex on the night of the burglary, scattering items including shotgun cartridges. Fagan, who has 51 previous convictions, was not charged with the burglary itself. Separately, Dean Fagan (28) of Kildare Park, Crumlin, Dublin, and Daryl Smith (25) of Shancastle Lawns, Clondalkin, Dublin, were jailed at Trim Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to carrying out the aggravated burglary at Irishtown, Ashbourne, on the same date. The court noted that the original burglary involved the victim's wife and child being tied up. Michael Fagan's defence counsel highlighted his desire to live a sober life, while the judge acknowledged his mitigation.
The High Court has asked the US for detailed information about the medical and family‑contact conditions that would apply to an Irish woman, currently on suicide watch in an Irish jail, if she were extradited to face charges of steroid distribution and related offences. The woman, whose name is withheld, is alleged to have joined a criminal organisation and faces up to 20 years' imprisonment in the US. High Court Judge Aileen Donnelly cited US Department of Justice reports that federal prisons operate at 83% medical staffing levels and that mental‑health services are inconsistent, as well as a Human Rights Watch report on deficiencies. She requested guarantees that the woman's medical information would be shared with US authorities, that she would receive minimum treatment and family contact in US facilities, and that transport conditions be specified. The case is set for hearing on May 8, with a decision expected on May 30.
A 34‑year‑old university student, Deividas Sevcenko, was caught by Gardaí while walking with a friend and found to be in possession of two metal implements used for retrieving bank cards from ATMs. He pleaded guilty to one count of possessing equipment with the intention of using it in a theft that was planned for Howth Road, Raheny, on 1 March of the previous year. Sevcenko, who lives in Holywell Dene, Swords, and is a married father of two, has five prior convictions for road traffic offences and failing to appear in court. He was highly intoxicated at the time of the stop, and a doctor recommended delaying his interview by four hours because of his drunkenness. He has expressed remorse and is willing to comply with any court‑ordered conditions to remain in the community with his wife and children. The case is adjourned for probation and community service reports, with sentencing scheduled for 18 May.
Michelle Butterworth, 56, was sentenced to one year in prison for her role in a credit‑card fraud gang that operated over three weekends in September and October 2016. The gang travelled to Ireland from the UK, using fake credit cards to purchase high‑value goods worth €8,875, including Sony Playstations, Gucci watches, Samsung and Apple smartphones, and a Claddagh ring. Butterworth admitted her involvement and identified her accomplices after one of them nearly ran her over while fleeing from Gardaí. She had 31 prior convictions for similar fraud and theft offences in the UK, plus a conviction for running a brothel. Her defence counsel argued that she committed the offences to repay a loan taken to bury her husband, who died in 2013. Judge Karen O'Connor noted her early plea and imposed a one‑year sentence back‑dated to October 2016. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Michelle Butterworth pleaded guilty.
Stephen Murphy, a 45‑year‑old taxi driver from Tallaght, was found in possession of €273,859 worth of illegal drugs, including ketamine, ecstasy tablets and cannabis, after a Garda surveillance operation. He pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply on North Road, Finglas, and was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally to four‑and‑a‑half years in prison. The judge cited mitigating factors such as Murphy's previous good character, his guilty plea and remorse, his limited role in the offence and his respectable background, allowing a departure from the ten‑year mandatory minimum. Murphy's case was supported by a letter from Gail O'Rorke, who had been acquitted in 2015 of assisting a suicide, and her husband Barry, who highlighted his friendship with Murphy and his son's Crohn's disease.
In a 2017 court hearing, Gardaí captured live CCTV footage of a shooting at a house on Oranmore Road, Ballyfermot. The footage showed Terence Murphy, aged 35, standing near the house while his co‑accused, Daniel Ennis, 22, fired two shots. Murphy was arrested minutes later and pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in suspicious circumstances. He has 20 prior convictions. Ennis received a four‑year sentence for his role. The judge adjourned sentencing to May 22 to allow a probation report. Inspector David Harrington explained that an earlier altercation involving two men and two women had occurred before the shots were fired, and that the women had contacted Gardaí. Murphy was not present during the initial threats. He had been released on bail 13 months earlier and was on a methadone maintenance program.
A 63‑year‑old former priest was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of six counts of oral rape, defilement and sexual assault committed in his home between 2005 and 2006. The victim, aged between ten and eleven at the time, was a boy from the priest's parish. The priest had previously denied the charges. The trial showed that the priest befriended the boy, gradually invaded his personal space and made sexual comments. He encouraged the child to look up "gay porn" on the family computer, a search that was later discovered by the boy's father. The priest told the boy that sexual acts were natural and that everything they did was private. He asked the boy to touch him sexually and to perform oral sex on him, and at one point instructed the boy to suck his penis.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 18‑year‑old Leah Fay was assaulted by 24‑year‑old Sean Flood during a chaotic night of rolling fights in the city centre. Fay intervened to protect a friend, but Flood pushed her to the ground and punched her, breaking her jaw in two places and requiring steel plates. The incident occurred on D'Olier Street on 16 May 2015, amid a melee that followed a local football match. Flood, who has prior assault and public‑order convictions, pleaded guilty. Judge Gerard Griffin remanded him into custody until the following Tuesday, when he will decide on sentencing. Fay, now dealing with pain, depression and social anxiety, presented a victim impact statement. Flood apologized in open court, offering €4,000 to Fay as a token of remorse, and his lawyer highlighted his efforts to address alcohol abuse since 2015. The case remains pending sentencing.
Thomas Murray, aged 34, was sentenced to six years in prison for a series of robberies in Dublin between December 2015 and February 2016. He used a knife to threaten victims and cut the straps of handbags, and he also used stolen bank cards for small "tap" purchases. The court noted that he had 37 prior convictions and that his most recent offences were committed while on bail. Murray was apprehended after being "rugby tackled" by two Dublin Bus drivers who pursued him following a robbery at a bus stop. He pleaded guilty to eight robberies, one attempted robbery and one threat to kill, and he admitted that his crimes were driven by a heroin addiction and the need to fund his drug habit and provide for his children. The judge imposed a consecutive sentence of eight years, with the final two years suspended, and ordered 18 months of post‑release supervision.
Two Dublin men, Edward McGrath (35) and Sharif Kelly (47), were found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of the callous, brutal and pre‑meditated murder of dissident republican Peter Butterly (35) on 6 March 2013 outside The Huntsman Inn, Gormanston. The court described the killing as an ambush carried out in the carpark, with Butterly shot by a handgun held by Dean Evans (24), who was absent from the trial. McGrath was also convicted of firearms offences from the same incident. The trial, lasting 31 days, relied on forensic evidence from a stolen Toyota Corolla, a green Opel Zafira, and a bag seized from the Corolla, which contained a black semiautomatic pistol. DNA and residue tests linked the men to the shooting. The court remanded McGrath and Kelly in custody pending sentencing. The case did not involve any subsequent verdicts or appeals.
Slawomir Gierlowski, 32, of Galtymore Road, Drimnagh, was denied bail by Judge Melanie Greally at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He faces charges of false imprisonment and sexual assault of a woman in September 2016 in Clondalkin, assault causing harm and false imprisonment of another woman in May 2016 near Naas Road, and false imprisonment and assault causing harm to a third woman in September 2011. Gierlowski has not entered a plea. He remains in custody until March 20, when a sentencing date will be set. The court has not released further details of the hearing.
Patrick Clarke, 31, was convicted by a jury in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of making two menacing phone calls to Paul Gilmartin, demanding €60,000. Clarke admitted to the calls but denied that he threatened money. The court heard that the calls were made while Gilmartin was already receiving sustained threatening calls and texts. Clarke claimed he was instructed by an unknown man to buy a SIM card and call Gilmartin, and that he had no intention to harm the victim. He also stated he received no payment for the calls. The jury found him guilty of the unwarranted demand with menace on 10 May 2012 and again on a later date. Judge Gerard Griffin remanded Clarke on continuing bail pending sentencing next week. The case involved no other convictions or outcomes.
Patrick Connors, aged 46, was found guilty of endangerment for driving at speeds exceeding 160 km/h, including a high‑speed chase on Swords Road, Dublin. He drove on the wrong side of the road, wrong‑way around a roundabout, performed a u‑turn at speed, and exceeded the 50 km/h limit, even running a red light and colliding with a taxi. Connors also admitted possession of stolen laptops, jewellery, a screwdriver, and a "jemmy" bar, items recovered from his vehicle after the chase. He was charged with dangerous driving but did not plead to those charges. With 89 prior convictions, including dangerous driving, burglary, and theft, Connors was remanded in custody for sentencing in April, and a Probation Service report was ordered.
Thomas O'Connor, aged 29, was found guilty of murder after he struck John O'Brien, aged 22, with a 1.6‑kilogram rock on 4 June 2010. O'Connor claimed he acted in self‑defence, saying he hit O'Brien "two or three times" after O'Brien attacked him. A post‑mortem showed O'Brien died from catastrophic blunt‑force injuries to the head. The jury, after less than four hours of deliberation, returned a guilty verdict and O'Connor was remanded for sentencing, facing a mandatory life sentence. The trial highlighted O'Connor's admission of striking O'Brien, his subsequent attempts to clean his hands and burn his hoodie, and the prosecution's assertion of overwhelming evidence of murder. The case had previously been overturned in 2014, leading to this retrial. The court noted O'Connor's prior conviction for O'Brien's manslaughter in 2010. The verdict was delivered by Justice Margaret Heneghan.
Richard Dekker, aged 30, was found guilty of murdering 17‑year‑old Daniel McAnaspie, who was in the care of the HSE when he was killed. The boy's body was discovered on 13 May 2010 in a drainage ditch in Rathfeigh, Co Meath, after a search that began when he was reported missing. Dekker was convicted by a unanimous jury verdict at the Central Criminal Court on 26 February 2010, following a week‑long trial and more than eight hours of deliberation. The conviction was the first under the Criminal Justice Procedure Act 2010, which allowed the State to retry Dekker after his 2013 acquittal. He faces a mandatory life sentence. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for 3 April 2016. The case involved allegations that Dekker lured Daniel to Tolka Valley Park, where Trevor Noone stabbed him with garden shears. Noone pleaded guilty to manslaughter last month.
Dean Joyce, 24, of Clondalkin, Dublin, has been remanded on continuing bail until May next for sentencing after being convicted of 10 charges. Joyce, who has 190 previous convictions, pleaded not guilty to 11 charges arising from a high-speed chase on March 3, 2015. These included endangering gardaí by driving into a garda van, four counts of dangerous driving, possession of stolen property, driving without a licence or insurance, possession of a boxcutter used in a burglary, criminal damage to a garda van, and failing to stop for gardaí. Judge Karen O'Connor directed a not guilty verdict on the endangerment charge, but the jury convicted Joyce of all other counts. During the trial, Garda Sergeant Ronan McDermott testified that Joyce led officers on a pursuit through red lights and the wrong side of the road before colliding with a garda van in Ballyfermot, causing €1,500 in damage. Stolen property, including laptops and an iPad, was found in the vehicle. Defence counsel Pieter LeVert highlighted Joyce's personal history and recent imprisonment for other offences, stating it has been "the making of him." Judge O'Connor ordered a Probation Services report and warned Joyce of the "jeopardy he is in." The matter was adjourned to May for sentence.
Maria Muntean, 28, a mother of four who is expecting a fifth child, pleaded guilty to the theft of two iPhone 6s mobile phones from Three Ireland Phone Stores in Tralee and Killarney on 7 November 2015. CCTV footage showed her with two men: one removed the phones from the display case, the other watched staff while Muntean blocked the view with a brochure, which she then placed over the cradle. The phones, each valued at €699, were not recovered. Muntean had 54 previous convictions under two identities, including 17 thefts, one robbery, casual trading and road traffic offences. She was arrested but made no admissions during the Garda interview. The court, noting she was the least culpable of those arrested and had engaged with the Probation Service, imposed a two‑year sentence, which was suspended in full on strict conditions. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Patrick Clarke, a 37‑year‑old from Silverlawns, Navan, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possession of a stolen BMW. He had agreed to move the vehicle from one location to another in exchange for €100, describing the offer as "too good to be true." Clarke, who has struggled with alcohol since age 14 and has eight prior convictions, was arrested after Garda surveillance linked him to the theft. He was found in the stolen car with its keys and a mobile phone. The car was returned to its owner. Clarke pleaded guilty and was noted by the judge to have detoxed and intended to remain alcohol‑free. Judge Patricia Ryan, considering his early guilty plea and cooperation, imposed a two‑year sentence, which she suspended in full for two years.
A 33‑year‑old Wexford man was convicted of orally raping the seven‑year‑old son of his former partner. The offence occurred at the man's rented home between 1 March and 30 September 2013. The boy, now 11, was interviewed by specialist Gardaí in March 2014 and described how the man had called him over, pulled down his pants and forced him to suck his "carrot". He also said the man threatened to leave him in the rain if he did not comply. The boy's aunt learned of the abuse in December 2013 after the boy told her, and the mother reported the incident to the prosecution in December 2013. The jury deliberated for just over four hours on day six of the trial, returned a guilty verdict, and the judge revoked the man's bail and remanded him in custody for sentencing on 3 April. The case was heard in the Central Criminal Court. The unnamed 33-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Stephen McKeever, an 18‑year‑old teenager, called the local Garda station from a public phone box on Tyrconnell Road, claiming a bomb had been planted at his friend's house on Thomas Davis Street, Inchicore. The call was made out of curiosity about the phone boxes and a mischief motive, not malice. Garda Shane Cahill dispatched eight officers to investigate; after a thorough search, the house was cleared as a hoax. McKeever pleaded guilty to knowingly making a false report on 13 December 2015. He has 14 prior convictions for assault, theft and handling stolen property, all dealt with in the District Court. Judge Melanie Greally, noting his status as a father to a three‑month‑old baby and his lack of recent offences, sentenced him to two‑and‑a‑half years in prison, suspended in full on strict conditions, including 12 months of engagement with the Probation Service.
Stephen Rooney (37), Alan Richardson (28) and Vincent Brunton (34) were jailed for their roles in an NCT scam that involved passing cars that had previously failed roadworthiness tests. The men were arrested after a Garda investigation prompted by an RTÉ Prime Time documentary in 2011. Judge Gerard Griffin sentenced Rooney and Richardson to three years with two‑and‑a‑half years suspended, and suspended the entire three‑year term for Brunton. Rooney pleaded guilty to forgery of an NCT certificate and corruption for accepting €100 as inducement; Richardson pleaded guilty to the same forgery and corruption for accepting a cash gift; Brunton pleaded guilty to forging an NCT certificate. The court noted the cars passed were unroadworthy and unsafe, and that the men's actions undermined public trust in the NCT system. The case was adjourned after the evidence was heard.
A 20‑year‑old woman pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after inviting a 54‑year‑old man she had been in a sexual relationship with to her apartment so her boyfriend could beat him. The assault took place on 11 August 2015 at her Dublin home. The victim, a father of six, was punched, kicked, stabbed, and suffered broken bones and a wired jaw. The woman was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, which was fully suspended. She was not the ringleader but was prosecuted under joint enterprise for facilitating the attack. The court noted that the garda had given sympathetic evidence, citing her difficult past. The case is separate from a defilement case the Director of Public Prosecutions is considering against the victim. The woman has no prior convictions. The co‑accused in the assault is unnamed and will stand trial on similar charges. The victim's name is withheld for legal reasons.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 34‑year‑old man, Robert Maguire, was found to have falsely imprisoned and violently assaulted his 30‑year‑old ex‑girlfriend after learning she had a new partner. The court heard that the woman woke to find Maguire standing over her, spitting and threatening to kill her, before he kicked her in the genitals and beat her until she became unconscious. She and her nine‑year‑old son were left severely traumatised, and she expressed a need for safety and trust in the law. Maguire pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and false imprisonment on 14 January 2012. The judge, Mr Justice Paul Butler, ordered the Probation Service to assess whether Maguire is suitable for community service, noting the false imprisonment was at the lower end of the scale. He remanded Maguire on continuing bail until 22 May, when a sentence will be imposed.
A 71‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to six years in prison for indecent and sexual assault of his nephew between 1989 and 1991, when the boy was aged 15 to 17. The Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty on five counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual assault. He is already serving an eight‑year sentence for similar offences against another boy during the same period and has 42 prior convictions, including rape and indecent assault. The judge, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, noted that the uncle's high family standing and grooming—showing pornography and attempting anal intercourse—made the conduct exceptionally obnoxious. The sentence was reduced to eight years with the final two years suspended, a decision influenced by the defendant's advanced age. The nephew, now 42, described the abuse as traumatic and the uncle's attempts to silence him during the trial. The unnamed 71-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 53-year-old Cork man has been remanded in custody pending sentencing following his conviction for membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army. Martin McHale, with an address in Togher, Cork, was convicted by the Special Criminal Court last month after denying the charge. He had claimed to gardaí that he travelled to Monaghan for a social visit and was unaware of approximately 500 kilogrammes of agricultural fertiliser found in a van he was driving. Detective gardaí observed McHale and another man acting suspiciously at a filling station in the Monaghan area, which was under surveillance for dissident activity. Following a search, the fertiliser was discovered in the vehicle. Forensic analysis later identified McHale's DNA and fertiliser traces on a glove found in the van. The court found his account false and misleading. Assistant Commissioner Michael Finn gave evidence that he believed McHale to be an IRA member based on reliable information. McHale will be sentenced on 16 March.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 6 March 2017, Justice Patrick McCarthy sentenced Cluskey, aged 25, to nine years' imprisonment for manslaughter after he killed Christopher Nevin with an axe outside a house on Tailteann Road, Navan, on 19 November 2015. Cluskey had been found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. The judge reduced the recommended 12‑year term to nine years, citing Cluskey's early guilty plea and his claim of reasonable self‑defence. The sentence was back‑dated to 23 November 2015, the date Cluskey entered custody. Lisa Nevin, Nevin's wife, was removed from the courtroom after becoming emotional and shouting that she would never see her husband's face again. The case also involved co‑accused Josh Turner, who was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. The judge noted the confrontation between Turner and Nevin, the use of an axe, and the impact statements from Nevin's family.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Dean McCarthy, aged 26, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for possessing €1.674 million worth of cannabis hidden in a consignment of vintage clothing. The drugs were discovered by a customs officer at Highland Shipping in Finglas, who found 115 packets weighing nearly 84 kg. Gardaí re‑packaged the clothes and allowed the owner to collect them. On 26 June 2015, McCarthy drove a transit van to the business park, collected the pallet under undercover Garda surveillance, and later handed the keys to another man. The van was seized by Gardaí, prompting the driver to flee. McCarthy was arrested that night, denied knowledge of the contents, and pleaded guilty. The court noted his 12 prior minor convictions, his early guilty plea, and mitigating personal circumstances, including a difficult upbringing and family support, before sentencing him to six years in jail.
Michael Fagan (25) of Sperrin Rd, Drimnagh, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of stolen property. The offence involved a safe stolen from the Co. Meath home of Mark Guildea on May 5, 2014, which Fagan dropped from a third-floor balcony at Rathmines flats complex on the same night. Detective Garda Brian McCarthy testified that items, including shotgun cartridges, scattered after the drop. Fagan, who has 51 previous convictions, was jailed for the handling offence. Separately, at Trim Circuit Criminal Court, Dean Fagan (28) of Kildare Park, Crumlin, Dublin, and Daryl Smith (25) of Shancastle Lawns, Clondalkin, Dublin, were jailed after pleading guilty to carrying out the aggravated burglary at Irishtown, Ashbourne, on May 5, 2014. The court heard that the victims, including Guildea's wife and child, were tied up during the incident. Michael Fagan was not charged with the burglary itself. Judge Elma Sheehan presided over the sentencing in Dublin, while the Trim court handed down the sentences for Dean Fagan and Smith. All three individuals received custodial sentences for their respective convictions.
The 66‑year‑old man, who had previously been convicted of sexual assault, was sentenced by Judge Patricia Ryan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after admitting he had breached a Section 16 sex‑offender order by attempting to talk to children while intoxicated. The order, issued by Judge Martin Nolan in February 2015, prohibited any interaction with children for five years and required the offender to remain unidentified. The man pleaded guilty to the breach on 11 August 2016 and has been in custody since. Judge Ryan imposed an 18‑month sentence, back‑dated to the offence, and suspended the balance on the condition that he complies with all directions of the Probation Service and remains abstinent from non‑prescription intoxicants. He will access a multidisciplinary treatment programme in the community rather than in custody, as outlined in a probation and welfare report presented to the court.
Donal O'Hara, 51, of Glin Park, Coolock, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to cultivating cannabis and possessing a sawn‑off shotgun. In February 2015 Gardaí discovered 72 cannabis plants in his master bedroom; O'Hara claimed they were for personal use. In June 2016 a search revealed a 12‑gauge single‑barrel shotgun and cartridges in a bag in a trailer at the rear of his house. O'Hara said he had the firearm for self‑defence after shots were fired at his home days earlier. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a four‑year sentence for the drug offence, with one year suspended, and a seven‑year sentence for the firearms offence, with the final four years suspended, giving a total custodial term of six years. O'Hara had 29 prior convictions, including drugs, public order and road traffic offences. The court noted unusual circumstances, including threats to his family and a gun pointed at a son.