In a Dublin city centre brawl on 23 May 2016, 19‑year‑old Jordan McGuinness and 20‑year‑old Craig Smith, along with two other men, attacked two students who were walking by. McGuinness punched Lee Whelan, knocking him to the ground, while Smith and another man struck Dylan Campbell with an iron bar and a hammer. CCTV footage showed the assaults and the use of the weapons. Both McGuinness and Smith pleaded guilty to violent disorder at D'Olier Street and were scheduled for sentencing in April 2017. They were also charged with assault causing harm to the victims and, for Smith, production of an offensive weapon. The court noted their remorse and the offers of compensation, but the final sentencing was pending at the time of the report.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Gary Kearney, aged 25, admitted to robbing a man on Millennium Bridge in the early hours of 11 September 2016. Kearney, who has 160 prior convictions including assault, robbery, theft, burglary, criminal damage and public order offences, claimed to be an undercover Garda before handcuffing and robbing the victim. He and an accomplice used handcuffs and quoted sections of law to intimidate the man, who feared being pushed into the Liffey. They removed his phone, travel and bank cards, returned the cards after the victim demanded them back, but re‑handcuffed him when he asked for his phone. Kearney pleaded guilty to robbery, false imprisonment and theft. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to May to allow Kearney to attend a 12‑week residential treatment programme at Cuan Mhuire. The accomplice fled and has not been charged.
Michelle Butterworth, 56, of Stanley Street, Rochdale, faces jail after pleading guilty to 13 credit card fraud offences committed over three weekends in September and October 2016. The offences occurred in Galway, Kildare and Dublin, where she and a gang used high‑quality fake credit cards to purchase €8,875 worth of goods, including Sony Playstations, Gucci watches, Samsung and Apple smartphones and a Claddagh ring. The gang targeted Field's Jewellers, Argos and Gamestop, exploiting a loyalty scheme and manual card entry to bypass security checks. Garda James Codd reported that the gang was apprehended after staff became suspicious and a surveillance operation led to arrests at a petrol station. Butterworth admitted her role, identified accomplices and claimed the fraud was to repay a loan taken to bury her husband, who died in 2013. Judge Karen O'Connor remanded her in continuing custody on 10 March, when a sentence will be imposed.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 2 March 2017, Mario White, aged 20, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after he threw a glass bottle into the smoking area outside La Fayette bar on 28 March 2015. The bottle struck Warren McKeown, who sustained tendon damage to his left thumb and forearm, impairing his plumbing work and requiring surgery. Judge Gerard Griffin described White's conduct as reckless and gratuitously violent, but, citing his early guilty plea and remorse, suspended an 18‑month prison sentence for two years. White was ordered to pay €2,500 to McKeown. The court noted that White had been on bail for a robbery offence committed on 25 November 2013, when he was still a juvenile. Security staff had restrained White until Gardaí arrived, and McKeown received eight stitches in hospital. The judge warned that any future offence would result in imprisonment.
Munir Ghariani, 26, of Dun Laoghaire, pleaded guilty to the robbery of a Chinese national on Granville Road, Cabinteely, on March 21, 2016. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Ghariani, who has 34 previous convictions including sexual assault, indecency, burglary, and theft, was registered as a sex offender. He was on bail for a similar offence at the time of the incident. During the sentencing stage, Ghariani asked Judge Melanie Greally if there was any chance of a suspended sentence, promising to stay home and take medication. The court noted he admitted to the theft but denied biting the victim, claiming her thumb hit his teeth, while stating he acted "for the thrill." Defence counsel described the act as a spontaneous attempt and highlighted Ghariani's complex mental health issues and personal background. Judge Greally rejected a defence application for temporary bail. The matter was adjourned to later this month to hear evidence from medical professionals treating Ghariani for his complex mental health problems.
A former office manager from Carrigallen, County Leitrim, has received a suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for stealing €10,350 from her employer over five years. Antoinette Connolly, aged 53, pleaded guilty to four sample counts of theft from Killester College on Collins Avenue East, Dublin, between October 2006 and October 2011. The thefts included €4,250 in cheques and postal orders. Connolly withdrew approximately €100 monthly, which she used to pay household bills and mortgage arrears. The offences came to light in 2011 after she took sick leave. The court heard she faced significant financial hardship while supporting her family, as her husband had been unable to work since 2007. Judge James O'Donoghue suspended a two-year prison sentence on condition she keep the peace for that period, noting she had already lost her employment and repaid the full amount stolen. A Probation Service report indicated no risk of reoffending.
In March 2017, Gail O'Rourke, who had been acquitted in 2015 of an attempt to assist a friend's suicide, appeared in court to support taxi driver Stephen Murphy, who faces a mandatory ten‑year minimum sentence for drug dealing. O'Rourke, who recently published a book about her experiences, and her husband Barry wrote a letter to Judge Melanie Greally stating that Murphy had "lost so much of his life" because of the offence and that his son suffers from Crohn's disease. Murphy, 44, was caught with €273,859 worth of drugs—including ketamine, ecstasy tablets and cannabis—in the boot of his taxi after a Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau surveillance operation. He pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply on North Road, Finglas, on 13 May 2015 and is scheduled to be sentenced on 10 March. The Garda investigation began after a tip‑off that drugs were being moved in the Finglas area.
Ian Sheridan, 32, of Bray, was given a suspended three‑year sentence after a judge found that a custodial sentence was not necessary. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on 21 February 2015 after beating his girlfriend, Patricia Rodriguez, for over an hour and biting her face twice. The assault took place in their home after an argument; Sheridan had been drinking and had a history of drug and alcohol problems. He had previously been convicted of theft, public order and road traffic offences. Sheridan offered Rodriguez €1,600 as a token of remorse, which she declined, and the money was directed to a women's refuge. The judge required Sheridan to keep the peace and participate in a restorative justice programme as conditions of the suspended sentence. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Jonathan Turley, 35, of Clandeboye Drive, Belfast, surrendered to Northern Ireland authorities after being wanted for kidnapping and assaulting his ex‑partner. He was arrested in May last year under a European Arrest Warrant and appeared briefly at the High Court in Dublin. Turley admitted awareness of the allegations, including kidnapping, assault, and a dangerous driving charge. The judge confirmed his voluntary surrender, noted his legal advice, and ordered his extradition within twenty days, following an eight‑month prison sentence backdated to April.
Ian Quinn, a 35‑year‑old chronic crack cocaine and heroin addict, was sentenced to five years in prison for robbing Paddy Powers Bookmakers in Castletymon, Tallaght, on 29 September 2015. He smashed the security glass with a stool, stole €980, and was caught after staff ran to the back office and triggered a panic alarm. Quinn pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and had 44 previous convictions, including robbery and possession of an imitation firearm. He is currently serving a sentence for those offences and is due for release in 2021. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted Quinn's dire health and chronic addiction, suspended the final 12 months of the sentence on strict conditions, and required him to engage with the Probation Service for two years after release. The case highlighted Quinn's repeated relapses and the impact on staff who suffered anxiety and lost work time.
David Marsh, a 30‑year‑old former IT worker, was sentenced to four‑and‑a‑half months in jail for stealing €1,200 from a colleague in Stepaside, Dublin, by promising her All‑Ireland football final tickets. The offence, committed on 17 September 2015, was added to a two‑year sentence he is already serving for earlier scams. Marsh had previously defrauded a Limerick couple out of €76,000 by promising a cheap house, and had scammed colleagues and tag‑rugby teammates out of nearly €8,000 by claiming he could secure tickets to a Conor McGregor UFC fight. He pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where the judge noted the similarity of this offence to his earlier conduct. Marsh admitted the fraud, apologized, and a psychological report indicated depression and suicidal ideation. The judge imposed the new sentence to run consecutively with the existing two‑year term.
A 71‑year‑old Dublin man, whose name is withheld for legal reasons, was found guilty by a jury of five counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual assault against his nephew, aged 15 to 17, between 1989 and 1991. The nephew, now 42 and a father of two, testified that the uncle used his high family status and education to "silence and belittle" him during the trial, claiming the allegations were fabricated. The uncle had previously been convicted of 42 offences, including rape and indecent assault, and was serving a 10‑year sentence for similar crimes. The nephew described the abuse as traumatic, noting that the uncle's respected position in the family prevented him from speaking out for years. The case was heard in the Central Criminal Court, with sentencing scheduled for March 6 by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy. The unnamed 71-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Cork case, a 27‑year‑old man with significant intellectual difficulties was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for raping his seven‑year‑old nephew on three occasions between 2009 and 2011. The trial, lasting eight days, found the defendant guilty of three counts of rape. Judge Paul Coffey noted the age gap and the betrayal of trust, as the nephew's mother had allowed the man to stay in the family home. He acknowledged the defendant's disability but held him morally culpable, stating he knew his actions were wrong. The judge suspended the final six months of the term on the condition that the defendant participate in a sex‑offender treatment programme while in custody. He also imposed seven years of post‑release supervision, citing a high risk of re‑offending. The mother's victim impact statement expressed shock at the betrayal and a desire for justice. The unnamed 27-year-old pleaded not guilty and was convicted.
In a house on Tailteann Road in Navan, Josh Turner (24) was found guilty of murdering 27‑year‑old Christopher Nevin during a dispute over a pedigree chihuahua. Turner was sentenced to life imprisonment, the mandatory sentence for murder, at the Central Criminal Court. Wayne Cluskey (25), who was also present, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for his part in Nevin's death. Cluskey will be sentenced next Monday. The trial, lasting eight days, relied heavily on CCTV footage and testimony from close friends, including Wayne Casserly, who described the confrontation as savage. Nevin was struck with a hatchet and an axe, leading to his death. Both accused voluntarily admitted their roles four days after the incident. The court heard statements from Nevin's mother and wife, who expressed deep grief and described Turner as a monster. Cluskey's defence highlighted his lack of intent to kill and his claim of defending Turner.
Paul Moore, 51, who has received six jail sentences for rape and sexual assault over the last 25 years, was again released on bail pending sentence for sexually assaulting a woman on the DART. The case was adjourned to allow his case manager to give evidence on how he can safely live in the community. Judge Melanie Greally remanded him on continuing bail until 16 March 2017, stating the court should be alerted if any concerns arise. Moore assaulted an au pair in 2014, was not recognised on CCTV until two years later, and had previously sexually assaulted two women in the city centre in 2015, for which he received 15 months' imprisonment. Earlier convictions include raping a musician in 2001 (ten years) and another woman in 1995 (seven years). He pleaded guilty to the DART assault and his defence counsel highlighted conflicting psychiatric reports and his isolated life.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Stephen Rooney, 37, was sentenced to one year in jail for forging an NCT certificate and accepting a €100 inducement. He collapsed in the dock, prompting an ambulance call. Judge Gerard Griffin had originally imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspending the final two‑and‑a‑half years due to Rooney's cooperation and remorse. The court also set sentencing dates for co‑accused Alan Richardson, 28, and Vincent Brunton, 34, who had each pleaded guilty to forgery and corruption for passing two un‑roadworthy Toyota Carinas. Both men were to receive suspended sentences after full cooperation. A fourth man, Darren Meehan, 40, had already received a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence for producing a false NCT certificate. All three men were remanded on continuing bail pending the March 6 sentencing. The case stemmed from a 2011 RTÉ Prime Time documentary and a Garda investigation.
Raymond O'Hara, 50, received an 18‑month prison sentence for stealing seven bottles of spirits from the Clifton Court Hotel in August 2015. He has 231 prior convictions, including 144 theft and fraud offences and 46 road traffic offences, and was released from custody four weeks before the offence. The judge, Pauline Codd, noted the burglary had caused nervousness among staff and imposed the sentence with the final eight months suspended, conditional on one year of probation, remaining drug‑ and alcohol‑free, and attending residential drug treatment if directed. O'Hara intends to use his time in prison as a "health farm," attending the gym, Narcotics Anonymous, and studying computers, claiming he will address his drug and alcohol issues and improve his health. The court accepted his plea of guilty and the conditions of the suspended portion.
In February 2017, Richard Dekker, aged 30, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 17‑year‑old Daniel McAnaspie, who was stabbed to death at Tolka Valley Park on 26 February 2010. Dekker was among the last people to see Daniel. On 7 March 2010, he gave a statement under caution. He described spending the evening with friends, including Trevor Noone, and meeting Daniel and two girls. Dekker said Daniel was talking about fights in Finglas and that Noone punched Daniel after a confrontation. Dekker claimed he later told his mother that Noone had punched Daniel, and that Daniel had stayed with them for a few minutes before walking away. The prosecution alleges Dekker and Noone lured Daniel to a secluded area by the Tolka River and stabbed him with a garden shears. Dekker's lawyer accepted the legality of his arrest and the preservation of the crime scene.
Cornelius Price, 35, of Meath, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for endangering a Garda at Balbriggan Garda Station on 22 January 2014. He drove a Ford van at high speed, forcing Garda Gary Dillane to jump out of the van's path to avoid serious injury. The offence was aggravated by the fact that it was committed against a Garda in the execution of duty. Judge Patricia Ryan noted the impact on the Garda and considered mitigating factors such as Price's educational achievements and voluntary work while in custody. She backdated the sentence to the conviction date of 17 February. Price had previously spent ten and a half months in custody on a separate charge of threatening to damage Garda property, from which he was later acquitted. The court also heard that the incident had caused Garda Dillane to consider resigning, though he ultimately decided to remain in the force. Cornelius Price pleaded not guilty.
In a 2015 raid on Alan Norman's flat in Drumcondra, Gardaí seized about 1,500 tablets of Xanax and Valium. Norman, who was on a methadone programme, claimed the drugs were for a dealer and that the raid was at the wrong address. He later told his landlord that the Gardaí had entered the wrong door, prompting a damages claim. In court, Norman pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply. His lawyer argued he was merely storing drugs for a dealer, and there was no evidence of wealth. Judge Gerard Griffin adjourned sentencing to July, ordered drug testing and cooperation with the Probation Service, and noted a possible suspended sentence if a favourable report was received. The case highlighted the Gardaí's efforts to defend the claim and the procedural steps pending sentencing.
Derek Corr, 31, was convicted in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for orchestrating a passport fraud scheme that involved persuading his GP, Dr Lewis Regan, to sign a false identity certificate. The court found Corr was the main person behind an attempt to obtain a passport for an unknown individual, though the intended recipient remains unidentified. Corr received a five‑year sentence, with four years suspended, to run concurrently with a one‑year term he is already serving for a knife attack on a neighbour. Judge Pauline Codd described the offence as "at the higher end of the mid range." Corr pleaded guilty to providing false information in a passport application in January 2015. The case also involved a third defendant who was still at large, and Dr Regan had previously been sentenced under the Probation Act for filling out the false form, with no conviction recorded.
Damien Murphy, 40, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for a series of pharmacy robberies that took place between December 2015 and February 2016. He admitted to four robberies, one attempted robbery and the production of a knife, and was armed with a knife or scissors during each incident. The robberies were carried out in Dublin city centre, including at Byrnes Pharmacy, Mangans Pharmacy, Blackhall Pharmacy and Janet Dillon Pharmacy. In one robbery a four‑year‑old child was present. Murphy had previously kept his drug addiction under control but relapsed after a financial crisis. He pleaded guilty and made full admissions. The judge imposed concurrent sentences totalling six years, suspended the final 18 months, and imposed 12 months of probation supervision.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 25‑year‑old Roberts Augstkalms pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after a drunken altercation with a taxi driver over a €6.40 fare. Augstkalms, who had been waiting for a Hailo fare that failed to materialise, refused to pay and verbally abused the driver, calling him a "robber." He then left the vehicle, pulled the driver out, and punched him in the face, breaking the driver's nose and cutting his eye. The driver was frightened and screamed, and bystanders intervened. Augstkalms later admitted to the assault and expressed remorse, paying €2,000 as a token of apology. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted his cooperation with the Probation Service and lack of prior convictions, and ordered 240 hours of community service within 12 months in lieu of a one‑year jail sentence.
Three men – Stephen Rooney (37), Alan Richardson (28) and Vincent Brunton (34) – were arrested after a Garda investigation into a 2011 RTÉ Prime Time documentary that exposed a scheme to pass unroadworthy vehicles at a Dublin NCT centre. Richardson, then an NCT inspector, was approached by Rooney to pass two Toyota Carinas that had previously failed the test. The men were to receive €100, but no money was exchanged. Richardson then asked Brunton to issue a false NCT certificate for one vehicle, while a fourth man, Darren Meehan (40), was approached to pass the second vehicle and received a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence for producing a false certificate. Rooney pleaded guilty to forgery and corruption for accepting €100 as inducement; Richardson pleaded guilty to the same forgery and corruption for accepting cash from Rooney; Brunton pleaded guilty to forgery for creating a false certificate. All three men fully cooperated with the Garda investigation and expressed remorse.
A Cork man has been convicted of membership of the Irish Republican Army at the Special Criminal Court following a trial centred on the discovery of half-a-tonne of fertiliser in a van he was driving in Monaghan. Martin McHale, aged 53, had pleaded not guilty to the charge. The court heard that McHale told gardaí he had travelled to Monaghan for a social visit and was unaware of the ammonium nitrate-based fertiliser bags found in the borrowed vehicle. Detective gardaí became suspicious after observing two men in a van at a filling station in Monaghan town on the night in question, and subsequent searches revealed ten 50kg bags of fertiliser. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy found McHale guilty, stating the three-judge court was satisfied the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. The judge determined McHale's account lacked credibility and noted his failure to answer material questions during garda interviews. McHale was remanded on continuing bail pending sentencing on March 6th.
Paul Moore, 51, who has received six jail sentences for rape and sexual assault over the last 25 years, will remain on bail pending sentencing for sexually assaulting an au pair on the southside DART on 28 August 2014. Gardaí examined CCTV footage of the incident but Moore was not recognised until 2016, when he was arrested. In 2014, Moore approached the victim on the DART, made small talk, then touched her breasts and pulled at her trousers before another passenger intervened. He had a toy turtle in his hand and claimed he was looking for a child to give it to. In 2015 he was jailed for 15 months for two separate street assaults where he stopped women for a cigarette and sexually assaulted them. His other convictions include rape of a musician in 2001 (10 years) and rape of another woman in 1995 (7 years). The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
A 30‑year‑old Cork man was found guilty of raping his former partner on 8 September 2013. He pleaded not guilty to the rape but pleaded guilty to forcing her to give him oral sex and to assault causing harm on 10 July 2013. The jury returned a guilty verdict on the rape after nearly four‑and‑a‑half hours of deliberation. The man has 16 previous convictions, including rape and aggravated sexual assault, and is serving a 12‑year sentence. He will be sentenced on 8 May. The victim, aged 26, described how the man grabbed her by the hair, forced her head between his legs, shouted "Suck my cock bitch," and forced her to perform oral sex. She escaped to the bathroom, then was assaulted again while her 15‑month‑old son cried. She later reported the incident to gardaí and sought help from the Rape Crisis Centre.
In a 2014 incident at Balbriggan Garda Station, Cornelius Price, a 35‑year‑old van driver, was found guilty of endangering a Garda. On the night of 22 January, two vehicles – a Hyundai and a Ford van – were driving at high speed in the station's car park. Garda Gary Dillane, in full uniform, stopped the van and shouted "stop," but Price continued to drive straight at him. Dillane jumped out of the van's path, injuring his leg; he later said he could have been seriously injured or killed. Price was pursued by Dillane and Garda Sean Caffrey but escaped. The van driver was arrested, and Price denied seeing the Garda. He had previously spent 11½ months in custody on a separate charge, which was later acquitted. The case was set for sentencing on 24 February, with the court hearing a victim impact statement from Dillane, who described the event as terrifying and considered resigning from the force. Cornelius Price pleaded not guilty.
Thomas Stokes, 23, of Clondalkin, Dublin, was sentenced to six years in prison at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to six sample charges, including robbery and possession of an imitation firearm, committed between July 15 and July 25, 2016. Judge Melanie Greally suspended the final 18 months of the sentence on strict conditions. Prosecution evidence detailed a ten-day crime spree during which Stokes allegedly robbed a total of €1,157 and a mobile phone, threatening victims with a toy gun and a steel bollard. He admitted to gardaí that he committed the offences to pay a €2,200 drug debt after his family's trailer was threatened. The final victim, a 66-year-old shop owner, closed his family-run business days later due to fear of further attacks. Stokes was identified via CCTV footage showing a distinct tattoo. Judge Greally noted the escalating seriousness of the crimes and the lingering menace felt by the victim, while accepting that the offences were motivated by Stokes's drug addiction and family pressures. She acknowledged his genuine remorse and that the actions were out of character for a man from a law-abiding family. Stokes has also been sentenced in the District Court for an earlier theft that preceded the robberies. No injuries were reported during the incidents.
An autistic 17‑year‑old who raped a 13‑year‑old boy and sexually assaulted another was convicted of one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault. The Central Criminal Court, hearing the case in a midlands town, imposed a three‑year sentence but deferred its imposition until January 2018, hoping a multi‑agency care plan would be in place. Judge Paul Coffey noted the boy's moderate risk of re‑offending if support services were not urgently intervened and directed a new report on the accused. He said he could suspend all or part of the prison term depending on the boy's progress and the services available. The boy will remain under Probation Services supervision while awaiting the final decision. The case involved allegations of abuse against the accused, one of which remains under investigation. The unnamed 13 year old pleaded not guilty.
A Dublin man, who was 16 when he began sexually abusing his eight‑year‑old nephew, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court. The court heard that the abuse, which began in 1988 and continued until 1991, involved indecent assault, anal rape and sexual assault. The victim described the uncle's behaviour as "disgusting" and said he was forced to speak about it in front of women. He also reported that the uncle had a "deeply inappropriate" sexual relationship with an adult in the household. The judge, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, noted the "appalling regularity" of the abuse and the vulnerability of the child, and imposed concurrent sentences totalling ten years, with a three‑year post‑release supervision order. The accused had been living with the victim's family and had denied the allegations when interviewed by Gardaí. The unnamed accused was convicted.
An alcoholic 42‑year‑old from Limerick was sentenced to six years for sexually assaulting a 28‑year‑old woman in a Kerry town on 27 May 2013. The victim, who had been drinking with the accused in his apartment, fell asleep and was awakened by the man standing over her, punching her and repeatedly demanding oral sex. She was naked and unaware of how she had become undressed. The accused pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court. Judge Patrick McCarthy, after hearing a probation report, imposed a six‑year term with the final two years suspended, conditional on compliance with probation directions, including offence‑focused counselling, alcohol treatment, and training, employment and educational services. The sentence aimed to protect the community and facilitate the accused's reintegration while recognising the gravity of the offence.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 24‑year‑old woman described the lasting impact of sexual abuse by her stepfather, who had assaulted and raped her for over seven years. She said she would never live a normal life because the man, who was meant to protect her, had stolen her childhood. The court heard that the 44‑year‑old Kildare man began sexually assaulting her when she was 12, started raping her regularly at 15, and continued until 2011. He was found guilty of 17 counts of sexual assault and 16 counts of rape. During the trial he denied the allegations, claiming they were fabricated. The victim's statement detailed severe depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and self‑harm, and she said she could not pursue a career or form lasting relationships. The case was scheduled for sentencing on March 6. The man had prior convictions for assault and larceny and had worked as a builder.
Shane Murphy, 25, of Swords, was sentenced to one year in prison for assault causing harm to Aidan Mullen on 10 July 2011. The offence occurred after a dispute over a stolen green bin. Mullen, who had a heart attack in March, was attacked by Murphy who shouted, "I don't give a fuck about you or your heart attack." Murphy struck Mullen on the face, causing fractures to his skull and cheekbone, and inflicted pain that led to medical bills of €1,500 and lost income of €4,200. Murphy pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and had 19 prior convictions, including assault and intoxication offences. He had previously been sentenced to three years with the final two years suspended, but the judge imposed a one‑year term for this offence. The court noted his history of drug addiction and that he had since completed residential treatment.
In February 2017, Scott Hallion, aged 25, was sentenced to four years in prison for his role in a riot at Cloverhill Prison that caused over €30,000 in damage. Hallion was captured on CCTV holding a shaved piece of perspex and a 21‑year‑old Afghan inmate in a hostage situation. He pleaded guilty to violent disorder, assault causing harm, false imprisonment and criminal damage. The court found he was not a ringleader but was swept up in the mayhem. Judge Melanie Greally described the incident as "disturbing" and "extreme violence", suspended the last 12 months of the sentence on strict conditions, and required the term to run consecutively with a sentence Hallion was already serving. Hallion had 52 prior convictions and was already serving a sentence that was due for release in February 2019.
At the Central Criminal Court, December Connors (42) was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the last two suspended, for the manslaughter of Peter Conroy (25) during a brawl at Palmerstown Lodge B&B in Dublin 20 on June 9, 2015. Connors was also sentenced to two months' jail for assaulting Elaine Blunt during the same incident, though this sentence was fully suspended. The case was at the sentence stage, with Connors having pleaded guilty to manslaughter and not guilty to murder. The jury found Connors guilty of manslaughter but not guilty of murder. The victim's parents, Frank and Marion Conroy, expressed their anger and frustration with the sentence, calling the justice system a 'joke'. Connors had previously been charged with murder but was convicted of manslaughter after a one-week trial. The judge noted that Connors had returned to the scene of the brawl with a knife and had made a downwards motion towards the deceased on CCTV, but ruled that the killing lacked the intention required for a murder conviction. Connors expressed remorse during the trial and in court, and the judge acknowledged his background and expressed remorse. The sentence was backdated to October 1, 2015. The court had to adjourn the hearing due to emotional outbursts from the victim's family and others present.
Norma Phillips, aged 47 and originally from Zimbabwe, was convicted of manslaughter for the killing of 36‑year‑old Romanian national Stefan Neanu on 12 April 2015 at her home on Phibsboro Road. A jury found her guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter after she was initially charged with murder. At the Central Criminal Court, Justice Margaret Heneghan sentenced Phillips to three and a half years' imprisonment with a further two years suspended, back‑dating the sentence to account for the nine months she had already spent in custody. The judge noted Phillips' previous good character, genuine remorse, early guilty plea and engagement with rehabilitation services, but also cited aggravating factors such as her initial false statements to emergency services and the Gardaí. Phillips' defence was that she acted in self‑defence after Neanu had pulled a knife, but the force used was deemed not reasonable.
During the trial of former Anglo Irish Bank chairman Sean FitzPatrick, it was revealed that auditor Kieran Kelly, a partner at EY, did not remind the Anglo board of the criminal risk of providing misleading information to auditors. Kelly admitted that guidelines allow auditors to warn directors about the offence, but he believed the board, being experienced, did not need such a reminder and that the warning was already included in other documentation. He also noted that the board had submitted letters of representation between 2002 and 2007 detailing loan amounts to directors. Kelly acknowledged that the 2002 letter contained a contradictory declaration and was poorly worded, yet he felt it provided sufficient information. Sean FitzPatrick pleaded not guilty.
Arnis Labunskis, a 57-year-old Latvian national from Limerick City, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his flatmate, Dainius Burba. The Central Criminal Court heard that Labunskis pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder, alleging he acted in self-defence after Burba allegedly attacked him with a table leg. However, the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict following just over two hours of deliberation. Forensic evidence indicated Burba suffered approximately 19 blows to the head and face, resulting in a fractured skull and severe brain injury, with the cause of death determined as blunt force trauma. Labunskis had initially told gardaí an intruder was responsible but later claimed self-defence in court. He was found attempting to hide evidence after walking across the city to a relative's home. Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy sentenced Labunskis to life imprisonment, noting the exemplary conduct of the investigating gardaí. The court accepted the jury's finding of guilt, rejecting the self-defence plea. The sentence was pronounced immediately, with Labunskis led away to begin his custody. The judge expressed hope that the verdict would provide closure to Burba's family, who presented a victim impact statement highlighting his role as a father and brother.
Janet Morrissey, 35, a single mother with drug addiction and heavy debts, was found by Gardaí with €117,800 in cash in her home and on her person. She pleaded guilty to possession of the proceeds of crime. Garda Jerome Twomey explained that a search warrant led to the discovery of cash in her coat pocket and bedroom wardrobe, and a ledger described as a "book" that recorded the money. Morrissey said she had been given a phone by a man and collected money from various people when she received texts from a person she called 'Boss'. She sorted the cash into bundles of €5,000 and €10,000 and was paid €600 a week for handling it. She claimed she did not know the money was the proceeds of crime and had never asked questions. She has no previous convictions.
James Cash, 59, was given a three‑year suspended sentence after he knocked on Pamela Creighton's granny flat in Blanchardstown, Dublin, while under the influence of alcohol and tablets. He attempted to attack her with a samurai sword and a kitchen knife. Bernard Creighton, the husband, wrested the weapons from Cash's hands and chased him into the garden, after which Gardaí were called. Cash pleaded guilty to two counts of producing a weapon at Corduff Avenue on 30 November 2015. He has 17 previous convictions, including theft, burglary, drink‑driving and criminal damage. Defence counsel Mark Lynam BL highlighted Cash's severe heart disease and lack of circulation in his legs, noting that further surgery might require amputation. Judge Melanie Greally, noting the offence occurred amid inter‑familial tension and Cash's intoxication, imposed a three‑year sentence suspended in full on the condition that Cash engage with the Probation Service and abstain from alcohol.
A man from Letterkenny, Co Donegal, has been jailed for 12 months following conviction on a charge of sexually exploiting a child. Donnchadh McGinley, then aged 34, met a 15-year-old girl through a youth mental health messaging application in late 2014. The pair subsequently met on several occasions before McGinley invited the teenager to an apartment in Dublin in January 2015. During that visit, they watched a film together before engaging in sexual activity in the bedroom. McGinley attempted sexual intercourse but the girl was unable to proceed due to fear and physical discomfort. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, McGinley, now 36, pleaded guilty to one count of sexually exploiting a child between January 3 and 4, 2015, with a second count of meeting a child for exploitation purposes taken into account. Judge Melanie Greally imposed the 12-month custodial sentence, noting the activity was age-inappropriate but that no evidence suggested predatory intent. She considered McGinley's guilty plea, remorse, personal difficulties at the time, and absence of previous convictions.
At the Special Criminal Court in Dublin, closing arguments concluded in the trial of a Cork man charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the IRA. Martin McHale, aged 53, of Blackwater Grove, Togher, Cork, has pleaded not guilty to the charge relating to 2 November 2013. Prosecution counsel Anne-Marie Lawlor contended that Mr McHale's account to gardaí—that he travelled to Monaghan for a social occasion unaware of ten bags of nitrogen fertiliser in the van—was false and deliberately misleading. She highlighted inconsistencies in his statements, his refusal to identify the van's owner, and DNA evidence on gloves recovered from the vehicle. The defence argued Mr McHale cooperated fully with gardaí and may have been unknowingly used by others. The three-judge court, presiding Justice Isobel Kennedy alongside Judge Gerard Griffin and Judge Gerard Haughton, will deliver judgment on 22 February.
James Molloy, 34, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to handling a stolen Volkswagen Jetta and possessing a forged tax disk. He had taken a €2,000 loan from a money lender and left Ireland without repaying it. Upon his return, he claimed he was pressured by "loan sharks" to sell the stolen vehicle to settle the debt. Garda investigation found the car parked outside his home with false plates and a fake tax disk. Molloy admitted knowing the car was stolen and that the plates had been changed. Judge Melanie Greally noted his alcohol addiction and expressed that he had addressed it, imposing a three‑year sentence suspended in full for three years. Molloy had no prior convictions and had been sober since April of the previous year. The case highlighted the alleged coercion he faced from the lenders.
Ruzmond Muwaniri, 27, a Zimbabwean man with schizophrenia, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to two men in separate incidents on 9 March 2015 and 21 May 2015. He had missed several medication appointments around the time of the assaults. In the first incident, he punched a 67‑year‑old pensioner on Cheeverstown Road, Tallaght, knocking him off his bicycle and causing a broken eye socket and other injuries. In the second, he punched a man named Mr Aidan Green in the mouth, breaking his top front teeth. Muwaniri claimed he believed the victims were racially abusing him. He has 60 prior convictions, including a 2013 two‑year sentence for domestic violence. The case was adjourned to seek guidance on a care package for Muwaniri before sentencing next month.
James Preston, 36, was caught attempting to rob the Seabank House pub in East Wall, Dublin, after a Garda surveillance operation. He approached the manager armed with a wheel brace and a Stanley knife while the manager was carrying the pub's takings. Garda officers intervened, ordering him to drop his weapons, and he was arrested. Preston had previously pleaded guilty to attempted robbery in 2014 and to dangerous driving and unlawful use of a car in 2015. He was sentenced by Judge John Aylmer to three years, with the final 18 months suspended, citing his efforts to reform while in prison. The judge noted that the robbery could have been completed without Garda intervention and that Preston's 2015 driving endangered adults and children. The case highlighted the role of Garda surveillance in preventing the robbery.
The Special Criminal Court trial of Martin McHale, 53, of Cork, continues before Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy and two other judges. McHale has pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation, styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA, on November 2nd, 2013. The prosecution alleges he was involved in nefarious activities associated with IRA membership. Assistant Garda Commissioner Michael Finn testified that he "100%" believed McHale was an IRA member, based on material he claimed privilege over for State security reasons. Finn stated his opinion was formed through "common sense" and 35 years of police work, noting that disclosing the underlying intelligence would risk lives and ongoing operations. Detective Inspector Bill Hanrahan provided evidence that McHale had attended court in 2005 during the prosecution of Don Bullman, who was subsequently convicted of IRA membership and jailed for four years. Hanrahan also noted that three individuals, including Paul Walsh, visited Monaghan Garda station the day after McHale's arrest seeking to speak with him. Forensic Science Ireland's Dr Edward Connolly testified that a DNA profile matching McHale was found on green gardening gloves removed from the van, while DNA on the fertiliser bags came from an unknown male source. The trial was adjourned and continues tomorrow.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Aisling Clarke, 44, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs and a stun gun in her family home. The court noted that Clarke had been "preyed on" by a higher‑ranking drug dealer and was holding the items for that person. She had no prior convictions and had been clean from heroin for several years. The judge, Melanie Greally, imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspended in full on the condition that Clarke engage with the Probation Service for counselling, accommodation and training. Garda Ivor Scully reported 1,480 MDMA tablets, a taser stun gun and cannabis grinders were found in the house. Clarke faces eviction proceedings brought by the county council, with a hearing scheduled for the following month. The court considered the eviction a likely consequence and a significant punishment. The case highlights Clarke's history of drug use, rehabilitation attempts and her role as a mother.
An elderly Dublin man, aged 64, was sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment for indecent assault on his nine‑year‑old niece on 26 December 1980. The jury convicted him of one count of indecent assault. The victim, who was asleep with three young cousins, awoke to the man kneeling on her, rubbing her genitals. She screamed, but he continued, then left the room, returned with his trousers around his hips, masturbating while looking at the girls. One cousin covered the youngest girl's eyes to hide the man. The victim only disclosed the assault to her mother at 18 and filed a complaint in 2014. The accused denied the charge and claimed good behaviour since 1980. The judge noted the victim's statement that the assault caused irreversible damage, mental torture, and loss of trust, and that it had taken away her childhood and innocence. The maximum sentence at the time was two years, but the current maximum is 14 years.
David Clancy, a 25‑year‑old father from Clondalkin, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to possession of nearly €500,000 worth of heroin, cocaine and PVP for sale or supply. The court noted it was his first offence and that he had no prior convictions. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a five‑year term with the final two years suspended, citing his low‑level role as a delivery person and his involvement in moving heroin into deprived areas. She highlighted that Clancy carried out the crime to pay a €1,000 drug debt and was now substance free. The judge expressed sympathy for his family, noting the impact on his young son, and acknowledged that Clancy had a solid family background and had attended a drug awareness course. The sentencing reflected the court's view that he was at the bottom rung of the drug‑trade ladder.