In a Dublin City Centre incident on 23 July 2020, Peter Burns, a 50‑year‑old truck driver from Tallaght, caused a cyclist to be crushed between his vehicle and another after failing to check his mirrors. CCTV showed the cyclist's backpack caught in the wheels, spinning her body so her lower limbs were trapped rather than her head. The cyclist was taken to hospital in critical condition, suffered multiple fractures and crush injuries, and has undergone at least six surgeries with ongoing rehabilitation. Burns pleaded guilty to careless driving causing serious injury. Judge Martin Nolan, hearing the case at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, imposed an eight‑month suspended sentence and did not impose a driving ban, citing Burns' lack of prior convictions and the absence of aggravating factors. The judge noted Burns' responsibility to observe all road users and his failure to give the cyclist a wider berth.
During the trial, the jury examined CCTV footage that the prosecution claims shows Rachel Redmond checking Wayne Cooney into the Clayton Hotel near Dublin Airport on the night of May 22, 2019, the same night Jordan Davis was shot dead in Darndale. The footage shows a Ford Focus arriving at the hotel at 00:03, Redmond booking a room with her name and credit card, and Cooney leaving the car to stay the night. Later footage shows Cooney exiting the hotel at 11:39, taking a taxi to the AUL Sports Centre, and returning to the same Ford Focus at 11:49. The prosecution also presented evidence of Cooney's tattoos, including a series of €50 bank notes and the Ha'penny Bridge on his right hand, a crown with "RR" on his left hand, and other markings on his legs. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
Craig Maples, 29, of Green Briar, Dublin, is serving a seven‑year sentence for violent disorder and assault causing serious harm to Austin Doherty in 2022. In December 2023 he pleaded guilty to a 2020 assault on a housemate in Huntstown, Dublin 15, where he and two men attacked the victim, who was sleeping in his rented room. The victim suffered head wounds and a fractured elbow, required surgery, and later emigrated to Croatia after becoming homeless and unable to work. Maples was sentenced to two years and three months for the 2020 assault, back‑dated to his guilty plea, meaning he will not serve additional time beyond his existing sentence. The court noted the victim's life was severely disrupted by the attack. The other two men were never identified. The sentence was imposed by Judge Orla Crowe.
In March 2025, 18‑year‑old Josh Kenny of Tallaght was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for assault causing serious harm after he threatened and then slashed a security guard's face with a 13‑cm wound. The incident began when Kenny, riding an e‑scooter, confronted a guard in a car park. A verbal altercation escalated, and after a brief departure, Kenny returned and, while the guard was on camera, struck him in the face before fleeing. The guard was hospitalized and required stitches. Kenny pleaded guilty to the charge on 25 April 2024. He had no prior convictions at the time, but later accrued seven offences. The judge noted Kenny's age and personal circumstances as mitigating, yet described the crime as "nasty" and "vicious vengeance." The sentence was back‑dated to the day he entered custody.
Badruzzaman Masum, a 47-year-old taxi driver from Swords, Co Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for the sexual assault of an 18-year-old passenger. Masum pleaded guilty to the charge, which relates to an incident on November 27, 2024. Prosecution evidence presented by Garda Ciara Ryan alleged that Masum touched the victim's thigh, made crude sexual comments, and roughly groped her breast as she exited the vehicle. The victim had ordered the taxi via an app, and Masum was identified through CCTV and app analysis. Although Masum made no admissions during his interview, he has expressed remorse and has not worked as a taxi driver since entering his plea. Judge Patricia Ryan noted the significant breach of trust and the victim's young age as aggravating factors, while acknowledging Masum's lack of previous convictions. The court imposed a two-year custodial sentence. Additionally, Masum was ordered to be placed on the sex offender's register. The matter was finalised with this sentence.
In a north Dublin incident on 24 January 2023, 63‑year‑old John McDonagh struck a 95‑year‑old woman who mistakenly believed she had a green pedestrian light while crossing the road at Drumcondra Road Lower and Botanic Road. McDonagh was turning right when the filter lane's light turned green, but he did not see the woman and collided with her. The court heard that the traffic lights' sequencing did not indicate a green pedestrian signal, and that the investigating Garda agreed the victim may have assumed a green man. The elderly victim suffered fractures and other injuries, requiring a mobility walker after a 13‑week hospital stay. McDonagh pleaded guilty to careless driving, had no prior convictions, and was fined €1,000 with a six‑month payment period. The judge described the incident as unfortunate and noted McDonagh's low culpability due to his slow speed and lack of expectation of the victim's presence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Harry Smyth, 26, pleaded guilty to careless driving causing serious bodily harm after failing to see a stop sign on a rural road near Nevitt, Balbriggan. While driving a Ford Fiesta, he collided with a black Toyota Yaris whose driver suffered severe back and neck injuries, requiring surgery, while the passenger daughter was unharmed. Smyth admitted he had mistakenly gone through the stop sign, which he only noticed after the crash. He remained at the scene, cooperated with Gardaí, and later apologized to the victim, who described the accident as life‑changing and devastating to his family. The court noted no aggravating factors such as speed or intoxication and imposed a nine‑month prison sentence suspended on strict conditions, with no driving disqualification requested by the defence. The case also involves a civil claim.
The High Court has ruled that Michelle Keane, an unsuccessful Independent Dáil candidate in Kerry, is out of time to challenge the November 2024 General Election result. Ms Keane, of Talbot Bridge, Knocknagoshel, claimed she witnessed ballots being torn from boxes at the Toureencahill polling station. She sought an order to release the marked register of electors and halt the destruction of election documents, naming the Clerk of the Dáil, the Irish Government, and Returning Officer Padraig Burke as respondents. Mr Justice Garrett Simons refused leave to present the election petition, noting that the 14-day limit under the Electoral Act 1992 had expired. The election was declared on November 30, 2024, but Ms Keane's application was not moved until March 7. The judge stated that Ms Keane was aware of her complaint on the night of the poll and that this was not a case of concealed fraud. He described her as "entirely unsuccessful" in the proceedings. Separately, last December, Ms Keane was jailed at Listowel Circuit Civil Court for refusing to comply with an injunction order prohibiting her from posting online about Listowel Garda Sergeant Melanie Walsh. She was released by Killarney Circuit Civil Court on December 13 after signing an undertaking to desist from such postings.
Georgina Tuohey, mother of three children who were raped and sexually abused by Brendan Cornally, spoke from the court during his sentencing at the Central Criminal Court. Cornally was sentenced to a total of 17½ years for the rape and sexual assault of her two sons and the sexual assault of her daughter. He had previously served 10 years for the rape of a boy aged 10‑14 and 21 months for the assault of a sister aged 13‑15. The judge imposed a headline sentence of 20 years, with the final two and a half years suspended on strict conditions for five years. Tuohey expressed that the sentence was lenient and that the justice system would let people like her down, while the judge noted the impact of Cornally's actions on her son, who suffered a severe decline in health and became catatonic. The sentencing was consecutive to his existing 11‑year‑nine‑month term. Brendan Cornally pleaded guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a woman who was gang‑raped by three men in a Dublin nightclub on 31 August 2019 gave a victim impact statement. She described how the men – Anthony Hickey (39), Fabio Vicente (42) and Matin Zolfaghari (34) – watched her movements, used her body as an object and raped her in a car and in a house. The statement detailed her fear, anxiety, flashbacks and nightmares, and her anger at the men's videos of the assault that were shared for a laugh. She said the criminal process was long and daunting, and that the men had taken away her freedom, her body and her love for life. The court noted the men were remanded in custody and the case was adjourned for sentencing on 27 March. The statement was given in plain Irish‑English prose, with no additional claims or inferences beyond the facts presented in the article. Anthony Hickey pleaded not guilty and was convicted. Fabio Vicente pleaded not guilty and was found guilty. Matin Zolfaghari pleaded not guilty and was convicted.
Nathan Ndaba, 26, of Coolmine, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to money laundering €8,500 on August 15, 2019. The court heard that an injured party fell victim to a phishing scam, resulting in an unauthorised transfer to Ndaba's account. Garda Darragh Cash testified that Ndaba was approached by a man known as "Black John" to use his account, though another individual later attempted to withdraw the funds. Under cross-examination, the garda acknowledged Ndaba's peripheral role, his early plea, and that the full amount was recovered. Judge Nolan noted Ndaba's 29 previous convictions for road traffic offences and failing to appear, but accepted his defence counsel's mitigation that these were not of a similar nature. The judge stated that the appropriate sentence was 20 months, which he suspended in full on strict conditions. Additionally, Ndaba was ordered to pay €1,000 to gardai for application to a charity within three months. The judge remarked that providing one's bank account to others indicates wrongdoing, and the fine was intended to remind Ndaba not to re-offend.
During the Central Criminal Court trial of Daniel Blanaru, a 37‑year‑old accused of murdering his partner Larisa Serban, Detective Sergeant Mark Looby rejected the defence's claim that the interview was tainted by the accused's tiredness. Looby told the jury that Blanaru had changed his account three times and that the detective did not accept that the accused's statements about being tired raised any concern. The detective noted that Blanaru had admitted to being drunk and unable to remember everything, but he insisted that the interview was conducted properly. Looby also stated that the accused had not introduced the word "knife" into his narrative and that any mention of a knife was a new account given during the interview. The trial continues tomorrow before Justice Eileen Creedon and an enlarged jury. The unnamed 37-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Mark Davis, 35, with 207 prior convictions, was sentenced in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for stealing a DPD delivery van on 4 December 2023. Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin imposed a headline sentence of three years, reduced to two, but suspended the entire term. Conditions include engagement with the Probation Service, drug treatment, employment or education, and victim‑focused work. Davis was also disqualified from driving for five years. He pleaded guilty to the van theft, stealing 66 packages worth €901, and driving without a licence. The judge noted his lack of insight into the seriousness of the offence but acknowledged pro‑social support from family. Davis had previously been under a 20‑year driving ban and had a history of hit‑and‑runs, burglary, theft and other offences. The court remanded him on bail pending the sentencing hearing.
A 28‑year‑old man, John Glynn, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court for six counts of sexual assault against a girl aged between eight and thirteen who was being minded by his mother at his family home in Co. Kildare. The victim, who chose to waive anonymity, described ongoing fear, trust issues and psychological distress in her impact statement. Glynn pleaded guilty to the assaults, which occurred between 2013 and 2018, and was also charged with possession of child sexual abuse material, a charge pending sentencing in May. The judge noted Glynn's high risk of re‑offending, his admission of shame, and his ongoing cannabis use, and imposed a two‑year post‑release supervision order and a requirement to engage in a sex‑offender treatment programme. The sentence was reduced from a potential seven years to five years and six months, reflecting that Glynn was a juvenile for part of the offending period.
A 59-year-old man from Dunfanaghy, County Donegal has been sentenced to 11 years imprisonment following his conviction for the sexual abuse of two teenage girls over two decades ago. Andrew Robert John McElhinney was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury on seven of nine counts following trial in Monaghan last July. He was convicted of three counts of sexual assault and three sample counts of rape relating to the first complainant, and one count of sexual assault against the second. The offences occurred between May 1998 and September 2000 and took place predominantly in McElhinney's home. At the time, the victims were approximately 14 and 16 years old, while McElhinney was 19 years their senior. Justice Patrick McGrath imposed the sentence having regard to the serious and lasting impact on the victims, the breach of trust involved, the age disparity, and the repeated nature of the abuse. The judge noted McElhinney's lack of cooperation with probation services and his continued assertion of innocence despite the jury verdict.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Lucas Da Silva Cruz, a 30‑year‑old Brazilian, was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 23‑year‑old flatmate on 4 July 2019. The assault occurred while the victim was sleeping on a sofa in a three‑bedroom house shared with 12 others. Da Silva Cruz claimed the act was consensual, but the victim's impact statement described ongoing anxiety, sleepless nights, nightmares, anger, sadness and vulnerability, and her need for regular therapy. She also noted her pregnancy and gratitude for justice. Da Silva Cruz had no prior convictions, had resigned from his IT job after conviction, and was supporting his elderly mother in São Paulo. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, back‑dated to 17 January, and placed him on the sex offenders register. The sentence was reduced from a headline four‑year term. The case highlighted the breach of trust and the victim's lasting psychological harm.
Two Brazilian drug mules, Felipe Oliviera Gaspar, 30, and Valter Soares, 26, were apprehended at Dublin Airport in separate incidents within weeks of each other, each carrying a kilogram of cocaine in their bodies. Gaspar swallowed 67 pellets and inserted three larger ones rectally; Soares swallowed 120 pellets. The cocaine recovered from Gaspar was valued at just under €70,000, while Soares' was worth €71,000. Gaspar pleaded guilty to possession for sale or supply and to drug importation, had no prior convictions, and was arrested by customs, taken to hospital for eight days of treatment, and later sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to two years and nine months in prison, backdated to his custody date. Soares pleaded guilty to drug importation, had no prior convictions, and was sentenced to two years and three months, also backdated to his custody date. Both men cited debt to loan sharks and fear of criminal gangs as motives for smuggling the drugs.
Michelle Keane, an unsuccessful Independent candidate in the Kerry General Election, appeared before the High Court to seek the setting aside of the election result. She alleged that she witnessed ballot papers being torn from boxes at a polling station on November 29, 2024, and requested access to the marked register of electors under the Electoral Act 1992. Mr Justice Garret Simons noted that any petition against an election should have been initiated within 28 days of polling day, which had passed. He reserved his judgment until Tuesday. Separately, regarding a distinct matter, Ms Keane was jailed at Listowel Circuit Civil Court on December 11 for refusing to comply with an injunction order prohibiting her from posting online about Listowel Garda Sergeant Melanie Walsh. This followed a July order from Ennis Circuit Civil Court requiring the removal of such posts. Although Ms Keane submitted an affidavit claiming she was not in breach, the court found otherwise. She was subsequently released by Killarney Circuit Civil Court on December 13 after signing an undertaking to desist from making further online statements about the sergeant.
Mark McAnaw, 52, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the harassment of Nicola Tallant, Amanda Brunker, and Deirdre Reynolds on various dates in August 2023. The court heard that McAnaw, who has previous convictions including rape and kidnapping, sent explicit and threatening emails to the three women, who are journalists. He also turned up at the Sunday World's office and contacted Ms. Brunker via social media. McAnaw is currently detained in the Central Mental Hospital. The court noted that at the time of the offending, he was not taking his medication. Judge Pauline Codd adjourned the case until June 5 to prepare a probation report and obtain an up-to-date psychiatric report. The matter was adjourned and not concluded. McAnaw previously received an eight-year, four-month sentence for an attack in 2018, with the final 16 months suspended for 16 years, and was placed under Probation Services supervision. The victims described living in fear due to the threats.
Colm Bergin, aged 26 and a qualified dog trainer, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for two robberies in Artane on 17 November 2023. In the first incident, he approached a commuter around 8:30 am, demanded his mobile phone and threatened to have his Pit‑bull bite him, then stole €25 and left on a bicycle with the dog on a lead. In the second, he confronted another commuter at a bus stop, demanded all his belongings, and when the man refused, set his dog on him. The dog bit the victim's leg twice or three times, causing bleeding. Bergin also stole the victim's backpack, which contained a laptop and wallet, and used the victim's card to make purchases. The victim suffered lasting physical and psychological harm, reporting difficulty walking for six months, back pain, anxiety and nightmares.
Brian Jackson (63) of Cherrywood Road, Cabinteely, Co Dublin, was convicted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of careless driving causing serious bodily harm. The case was at the sentence stage. Jackson initially faced a charge of dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm, but the jury returned a guilty verdict on the lesser charge, which carries a penalty of two years imprisonment or a fine of up to €10,000. The court heard that Jackson collided with a motorcyclist on Cromwellsfort Road, Walkinstown, on December 9, 2019, leaving the motorcyclist with serious internal injuries and a five-week coma. The victim described the injuries as a 'life sentence' due to their permanent impact on his ability to live. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a fine of €3,000 and a two-year driving disqualification from April 2025. The judge noted the victim's ongoing injuries as an aggravating factor but took into account Jackson's personal circumstances, including his work record, absence of previous convictions, and that he has not come to other negative garda attention. The matter was not adjourned and was finalised at the sentence stage.
Shane Flanagan, 39, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to impersonating a woman online, inciting two men to rape her, and possessing child abuse material. He admitted to two counts of inciting rape between November and December 2020, six counts of endangerment for impersonating the woman on Facebook and fetlife.com and inviting violence between 2018 and 2020, and one count of possession of four images of child sexual abuse material on 7 January 2021. The victim wishes to remain anonymous. The judge ordered Flanagan to remain on bail until June pending sentencing.
Alan Vial and Nikita Burns were convicted of the murder of Robin Wilkin, 66, at the Central Criminal Court on Thursday following a two-month trial. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed the mandatory life sentence on each defendant yesterday. Vial, aged 39, from Drumanoo Head, Killybegs, and Burns, aged 23, of Carrick, County Donegal, had both pleaded not guilty to the charge. A jury returned guilty verdicts by majority, ten to two. The court heard that Mr Wilkin suffered severe head injuries after being struck multiple times with a rock near Killybegs on June 25, 2023. His body was subsequently disposed of from Sliabh Liag cliffs. At sentencing, Mr Wilkin's sister Irene McAleer delivered a victim-impact statement, stating the family was overwhelmed by the defendants' absence of remorse and distressed by the manner in which the body was discarded. Vial's sentence was backdated to July 14, 2023, and Burns' to August 29, 2023.
David O'Callaghan, 41, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to ramming a rear gate of Leinster House on 2 August. Judge Martin Nolan set a sentence date of 10 April and remanded O'Callaghan on continuing bail until that date. The court noted that he may be required to enter pleas to further counts on the sentencing date.
Oisin Peavoy, 39, of Granby Row, Dublin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of production of a weapon at Parnell Square and Gardiner Street Upper on 28 May 2024. He was found to have wielded a knife in front of two separate busloads of school children, one near a creche and the other en route to Dublin Zoo. Peavoy, who has no prior convictions and is diagnosed with schizophrenia, was arrested at 10:00 am and remanded before being transferred to the Central Mental Hospital. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, suspending the final two years for two years, and imposed 18 months of post‑release supervision by Probation Services. The sentence was back‑dated to 28 May 2024. The court noted Peavoy's mental health difficulties and his non‑compliance with medication at the time of the incidents. The victim impact statement from the creche worker was not read out.
A Moldovan national has been sentenced to six and a half years in prison following his conviction for drug trafficking at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Stefan Copiimulti, aged 42 and residing in Dublin 15, pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine worth €1.12 million with intent to supply on 19 June 2023. Gardaí stopped a Hyundai vehicle at The Ward, Finglas, after conducting surveillance based on confidential information. Officers discovered the cocaine concealed within a hidden compartment located near the vehicle's radio console, operated by electronic fobs. Copiimulti provided false accounts regarding how he came to be driving the car, which CCTV footage and subsequent investigation contradicted. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged mitigating factors including the defendant's early guilty plea, full cooperation with gardaí, absence of prior convictions, and work history. The judge departed from the mandatory ten-year minimum sentence on these grounds. The sentence was backdated to June 2023.
Colin Brady, a 35-year-old man from Kilcloon, Co Meath, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography, one count of exposure in a public area, and recording videos of another without their knowledge or consent. The offences occurred between May 2021 and September 2022 at various locations in Dublin, including pubs, shopping centres, petrol stations, and his workplace. Detective Garda Kevin Bold stated that Brady was detained after being observed suspiciously in a Tallaght pub toilet, leading to the seizure of two mobile phones and other digital media. Analysis revealed 1,355 videos on SD cards, including footage of men using urinals and 25 videos depicting children. The court heard that seven men were identified in the recordings, one of whom was an off-duty garda. Defence counsel Geraldine Small SC highlighted Brady's early guilty plea, lack of previous convictions, and engagement with counselling. Judge Martin Nolan described the case as unusual and noted the prolonged and repeated nature of the behaviour. While the judge inferred the intent was to video men and children were recorded by accident, he noted Brady did not delete the footage. Having considered the mitigation and Brady's personal circumstances, the judge imposed a two-year prison sentence.
Alan Vial and Nikita Burns have been found guilty of murdering 66-year-old Robert Wilkin at the Central Criminal Court. The jury returned majority verdicts of ten to two against each accused. Wilkin's body was discovered in the sea below Sliabh Liag cliffs in County Donegal on June 25, 2023, eight days after his death. The trial heard that Wilkin suffered at least two depressed fractures to the head before being thrown from the cliff. DNA evidence linked blood and hair found on a rock at the cliff top to the victim. Both accused blamed the other for the assault, but the prosecution argued they acted in joint enterprise to cause serious harm. Vial, aged 39 from Killybegs, and Burns, aged 23 from Carrick, had pleaded not guilty. Both will receive the mandatory life sentence at a sentencing hearing, where the victim's family will make statements to the court.
A jury in the Central Criminal Court found Christopher O'Grady, 33, guilty of raping a 19‑year‑old Spanish tourist on New Year's Eve 2019 in Dublin's Castle area. The victim, who was intoxicated and unable to consent, was led by O'Grady to a car‑park area where the assault occurred. She described the assault as forceful and non‑consensual, noting a lack of memory and physical pain. O'Grady was homeless at the time and remains in custody. The trial also considered a separate sexual encounter the victim had with another man that night, but the jury's verdict focused solely on the charge against O'Grady. The case is scheduled for sentencing on 19 June. The court heard CCTV footage of the assault and the victim's subsequent medical examination. The prosecution highlighted the victim's honest account and urged a guilty verdict. The defense questioned the similarity of the two encounters and the victim's capacity to consent.
Alan Vial and Nikita Burns were convicted of murder by a jury at the Central Criminal Court. The court found that the pair killed 66-year-old Robert Wilkin and disposed of his body by throwing it off Sliabh Liag, Ireland's tallest cliffs. Following their convictions, Vial and Burns face the mandatory term of life imprisonment for murder. The prosecution alleged that the defendants struck Wilkin with a rock, stole his cash and personal items, and fabricated a story claiming he had sexually assaulted Burns. Vial testified in his own defence, alleging Wilkin attacked him first, but the jury rejected his account. The State Pathologist testified that the blows to Wilkin's head would not have caused instant death, contradicting Vial's claims. The court noted Vial's history of offending and his attempts to destroy evidence, including washing blood from his hands at Teelin Pier. The matter was finalised with the mandatory life sentences imposed on both defendants.
An electrical engineering company, John Fletcher Ltd, was fined €400,000 after a father of four, Alan Mulhall, died when a 760‑kg low‑voltage switchgear fell on his head during a manual move at St Patrick's Hospital. The company pleaded guilty to failing to discharge employer duties under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, and to failing to take organisational measures to avoid manual handling. The incident occurred on 23 November 2017 when the switchgear was transported from a trailer to the hospital plant room over uneven ground and manually lifted into a 2‑m high door. The switchgear tipped and struck Mulhall, causing fatal head injuries. The court found the plan to move the equipment "totally misconceived" and imposed the fine on the company and a €5,000 fine on director David Fletcher. The company had no prior convictions.
Philip Crowley, 33, of Lein Park, Raheny, was sentenced to three years in prison with the final 16 months suspended on strict conditions after pleading guilty to assault causing harm for stabbing a man twice in the back of his head. The incident occurred on 22 October 2021 when the victim was walking his seven‑month‑old baby and encountered Crowley, who had just exited a taxi. A tussle ensued, and after the victim left the house, Crowley pursued him, striking him with a knife. The victim required stitches for two wounds and was taken to hospital by ambulance. Crowley had previously been convicted 12 times for drug possession and traffic offences. He offered apologies to the victim and the Gardaí, wrote a letter of apology, and paid €5,000 to the victim. The court accepted his remorse and noted his supportive family and former sporting background.
A 38‑year‑old man named Lucky Enogheghase, who lives at Frenchville Lane, Galway, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for conspiracy to commit human trafficking. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, and the court considered two additional counts when determining the sentence. Enogheghase helped three Nigerian women travel from Nigeria to Ireland, where they were forced into prostitution by third parties already dealt with by the courts. He assisted with travel, accommodation and onward movement, but the investigation could not establish his exact role within the trafficking organisation or any reward he might have received. Enogheghase was arrested in November 2022, had no prior convictions, and was found to be cooperative during the investigation. The judge, citing recklessness for not knowing the women's fate, imposed the sentence and backdated it to his arrest.
A 45‑year‑old man, who was 40 when he first began sexual activity with a 16‑year‑old girl, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment. The court heard that the offences took place between April and June 2020, during the Covid‑19 lockdown, and that the man had repeatedly defiled the girl, who believed they were in a genuine relationship. He pleaded guilty to three counts of defilement. The court noted the man had no prior convictions and that the pandemic created unusual circumstances. The judge described the repeated nature of the offending as aggravating and imposed a custodial term, concluding the man deserved imprisonment. The sentence was not suspended, and no further custodial period was specified beyond the two‑year term. The case ended with the man's guilty plea and acceptance of wrongdoing.
Vasile Manole, 46, and Daniella Voroneanu, 42, were sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for a savage knife attack on an innocent man sleeping in a tent on Tara Street, Dublin, in April 2024. Manole, a convicted rapist with prior violent offences, pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm. Judge Martin Nolan described the unprovoked attack as "extremely savage" and "reprehensible," noting the victim lost sight in one eye and required 190 stitches. Manole was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment. Voroneanu, who initially faced a charge of assault causing serious harm, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of assault causing harm after discussions between her defence and the prosecution. The court accepted she likely did not expect the viciousness of the assault but had encouraged Manole to act. She was sentenced to three years. Both defendants were intoxicated at arrest, suspending their detention periods for six hours. The judge backdated both sentences to the date they went into custody. The matter was finalised with these sentences imposed.
Dylan Deegan (26) and Evan Campbell (26) were jailed for 33 months after pleading guilty to importing €80,000 worth of cannabis into Ireland at Dublin Port on 26 November 2022. Deegan, from Oldtown Avenue, Santry, had 65 prior convictions, mainly minor offences and a previous drug offence, and said he transported the drugs to reduce a €7,000–€12,000 debt caused by his addiction. Campbell, from Beauvale Park, Artane, had 35 prior convictions, including drug‑dealing, and claimed a €5,000 debt would be cleared by the transport. Judge Martin Nolan noted that both men were "authors of their own misfortune" and had been exploited by third parties who took advantage of their vulnerable situations. The men were caught "red‑handed" at Dublin Port after disembarking from a ferry from Holyhead, where eight vacuum‑packed bags of cannabis were found hidden in the car doors.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a woman and her husband were forced to sell their house and relocate after a drugs offender, Graham Potts, harassed them for a supposed cocaine debt owed by their son. Potts, who had a drug debt himself, repeatedly called the couple's home, demanded €3,000, then €6,000, and later €7,000, threatening property damage and claiming the debt was for cocaine. He visited the house, demanded payment, and threatened to call the son's workplace if the son did not comply. The woman reported the harassment to Gardaí, who confirmed no money was extracted and that Potts had no concealed identity or gang links. Potts, with 41 prior convictions, was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment, with no backdating of the sentence. The victim impact report noted the family's sale of their home and move away from South Dublin.
A 41‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for coercive control and assault against his partner. He had forced her to keep a doorbell camera on her at all times, monitored her movements, isolated her from family, and restricted her access to a phone and welfare payments. He also installed a house alarm but withheld the code, locked doors, and used a Ring doorbell to demand she answer instantly and show her hands. The victim's impact statement described daily beatings, injuries sustained in Dublin, Co Clare, Scotland, and Spain, and a fractured finger when she tried to protect herself. She had two children with him, a miscarriage, and a fourth pregnancy during which he assaulted her. The court noted the man's drug use and that he was now drug‑free. Judge Martin Nolan set a headline sentence of eight years, reduced to five years, citing repeated physical and verbal violence, control, and humiliation. The unnamed 41-year-old pleaded guilty.
Cian Smullen, 30, was sentenced to four years in prison, with the final year suspended, at the Central Criminal Court for coercive control, false imprisonment, burglary, criminal damage and threats to cause criminal damage. He had repeatedly attacked his former partner, threatened to plant drugs in her home to have Tusla take her child, and tried to break into her house with an axe and screwdriver. The victim described ongoing abuse, bruises, a black eye, and fear of losing her daughter. Smullen pleaded guilty in November and admitted to a long history of cocaine and alcohol use. The judge noted his high risk of re‑offending, limited remorse, and the need for post‑release intervention, while acknowledging his claim of turning his life around. The sentence was back‑dated to November for time already spent in custody.
A Jordanian man, Saif Waleed Al Hindawi, was jailed for three and a half years after a violent sexual assault on a woman in South Dublin. The victim was bitten on the mouth and forced to the ground, suffering injuries that required hospital treatment and ongoing medical care. Al Hindawi, who had no fixed abode, falsely claimed to be a Syrian asylum seeker and denied any sexual conduct. He also refused a disease test, delaying the victim's knowledge of potential infection. The court heard the victim's impact statement, detailing PTSD, loss of confidence, and ongoing medication. Al Hindawi pleaded guilty to sexual assault on 23 May 2024. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three and a half years, noting possible deportation after release. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Peter Doyle, aged 68, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for indecent assault and rape of two girls aged six to nine between 1977 and 1991. The victims, who wish to remain anonymous, recounted how they were ignored when they tried to alert adults, with one told the abuser was "just experimenting." Doyle pleaded guilty to all charges. The judge, Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo, set a headline sentence of 15 years but, citing mitigating factors such as Doyle's guilty plea, lack of prior convictions, good work history and remorse, imposed consecutive sentences totalling eight years. The court noted the deep and lasting harm suffered by the victims and the breach of trust involved. The case was classified as "more serious" by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Joseph Collins, 27, of Avila Park, Finglas, pleaded guilty to robbery at Boyles Sports on 27 November 2023. He held a Stanley blade near the cashier's face, demanded €280, and left before closing. CCTV identified him; he was arrested and charged. Collins has ten prior convictions and a history of alcohol and drug abuse, having completed residential rehabilitation at Coolmine Treatment Centre. He expressed deep shame and a willingness to work, supported by family and Probation Services. Judge Orla Crowe acknowledged the seriousness of the offence and the victim's frightening experience, but noted Collins' rehabilitation efforts. She imposed a custodial sentence of three years, suspended the final 18 months, and ordered structured release with strict conditions, including two years of Probation Service engagement. The court considered Collins' lack of violence history and his commitment to rehabilitation.
A 50-year-old woman, November Phelan, was sentenced to six years imprisonment with the final year suspended for a period of three years, on the condition that she remain under the supervision of the probation services and engage with counselling and addiction services. The sentence was passed by Mr Justice Paul Burns at the Central Criminal Court following a validated procedural stage of sentence. Phelan had pleaded guilty to manslaughter when she was arraigned before the court. The court heard that Phelan had been in a relationship with the deceased, David Ennis, and that both had significant problems involving long-term substance abuse. Mr Justice Burns noted that Phelan had acted in self-defence in response to an anticipated attack from Ennis. The judge acknowledged Phelan's guilty plea, her expression of remorse, and her long-term struggle with drug addiction and depression. The matter was not adjourned and was finalised with the sentence being backdated to October 27, 2023, when Phelan went into custody.
Gardai hacked into the phone of Stephen Mooney (52), who had been accused of stabbing his wife, Anna Mooney (46), to death on 15 June 2023 at their home on Kilbarrack Road, Kilbarrack, Dublin 5. The Central Criminal Court heard that the phone, seized at the crime scene, was initially inaccessible due to a missing pin code or password. However, an update to the Cellebrite software used by Gardai allowed the phone to be unlocked without a password. Once unlocked, the phone contained video and audio footage of the minutes leading up to the fatal incident and the incident itself. The new evidence prompted the prosecution to inform the court of a "significant development." Mooney pleaded guilty to the single charge of murder, faces a mandatory life sentence, and remains in custody while a sentencing date is set for 18 June. The court adjourned sentencing to allow the victim's family to make statements.
A 47‑year‑old man was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for sexual assault and exploitation of a teenage girl in foster care. He pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault, five counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and three counts of using technology to facilitate the sexual exploitation of a child. The offences took place between November 2021 and April 2023, when the victim was aged 14 to 16. The court heard that the man was in a relationship with the daughter of the girl's foster mother and that the abuse was discovered after the foster mother found sexual messages. The girl described repeated incidents of the man masturbating in front of her, giving her vapes and cannabis, and touching her breasts. She also reported that the man sent explicit voice messages in exchange for vapes.
Oluwasegun Azeez, 31, was sentenced to six and a half years in prison after the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found him guilty of participating in a Ghanaian criminal organisation that carried out PUP fraud, money laundering, social welfare theft, business email compromise and loan fraud between 2020 and 2022. Azeez recruited money mules, opened bank accounts, sent false documents to secure loans, and directed others to move money. Garda investigations revealed he used staff details to claim €49,500 in Pandemic Unemployment Payments, fraudulently purchased a suit from Louis Copeland, and entered a hire‑purchase agreement for an Audi Q3 jeep. He also attempted to recruit others for phishing and smishing scams. The court noted his early guilty plea and personal circumstances, but imposed the six‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence.
Four men – Adam Baker (25), Clayton Lieghio (23), Glen Lieghio (28) and Jamie Boyd (25) – were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for an affray that took place on 24 October 2021 at Priorswood Inn, Priorswood. The incident was discovered when Garda Alan Roche reviewed CCTV footage as part of a separate investigation. The court heard that a verbal disagreement escalated into a 60‑second brawl involving a large group, with each man throwing objects or striking others. All four pleaded guilty. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a 12‑month sentence on Clayton Lieghio, back‑dated to February 2024, an 18‑month suspended sentence on Jamie Boyd, a 10‑month sentence on Adam Baker, and an 18‑month suspended sentence on Glen Lieghio. The court noted each defendant's prior convictions, personal circumstances and mitigating factors presented by their counsel, but no victim impact statements were provided.
David McGrath, 31, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to five years' imprisonment for possession of child pornography. The court heard that a laptop seized from his home contained 1,730 images, including 708 in Category 1 depicting children aged one to eight in sexual activities, and 1,022 in Category 2 showing exposed genital or anal areas. Additional searches in December 2020 uncovered 445 illegal images on a laptop and over 2,200 on a smartphone, with 695 Category 1 images of children under five. McGrath had prior convictions in 2017 and 2018, for which he received suspended sentences and was on the sex offenders register. The judge imposed consecutive sentences totalling eight and a half years, suspended the final three years for six years, and set strict conditions involving the Probation Service, device disclosure, and Garda supervision. The court noted McGrath's acceptance of responsibility and his ongoing therapy and family support. David McGrath pleaded guilty.
A man has been convicted and sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for serious sexual offences against his sister. Kyle Jinks, aged 31, of Slievemore, Ballytivnan, County Sligo, was found guilty on 21 sample counts of rape and four sample counts of sexual assault committed between 2008 and 2014. The offences occurred at the family home in County Sligo when the victim was aged between 11 and 17 years old and the defendant was between 14 and 20. Mr Justice David Keane imposed sentence on 28 February 2025, noting the severe breach of familial trust, the victim's vulnerability, and the persistent pattern of offending over seven years. The judge observed that the family home became a place of fear rather than safety. Jinks maintains his innocence and intends to appeal the verdicts. He has 25 previous convictions. The court heard he is assessed as very high risk of re-offending. Two years' post-release supervision has been directed.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Jake Walsh, aged 28, was sentenced to 27 months' imprisonment for dangerous driving that caused serious harm. The incident occurred on 30 October 2021 at the junction of Naas Road and Long Mile Road, where Walsh was estimated to be travelling at 129 km/h in a 60 km/h zone. He struck a motorist from the UK who had inadvertently passed three red lights at a confusing gyratory junction. The collision left the victim with a traumatic brain injury, liver laceration, fractures and the need to relearn how to walk. Walsh, who had previous convictions for road offences, pleaded guilty and was also disqualified from driving for five years. The court noted his remorse and good work history, but highlighted the excessive speed as an aggravating factor in the sentencing.