Abderrahmane El Aaour, 58, was sentenced to 21 months' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 20‑year‑old woman with special needs in November 2016. The victim was in her second year of a special‑needs training course when El Aaour approached her outside a church, asked for a cigarette and then a coffee. She later agreed to go for coffee, but after a short time in the café he forcibly kissed her and touched her breasts. He then asked her to go to a hotel, she shook her head, but he took her hand and followed her onto the DART. He forced her to stay, stole her phone, and later called her. The woman's mother reported him, and he was arrested. El Aaour pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
A 24-year-old man from Co Sligo is to be extradited to Scotland following a reassessment of his case by the High Court. The respondent faces charges in Glasgow Sheriff Court relating to an alleged firearms offence and assault that occurred in September 2021. He is accused of threatening another man with a firearm and causing serious injury through stamping, punching, kicking and eye-gouging. In June last year, Mr Justice Paul McDermott refused extradition on humanitarian grounds, citing concerns that Scottish prison conditions and mental health provision would constitute inhuman or degrading treatment. The prison was operating at 132 per cent capacity with inadequate recognition of neuro-developmental disorders. However, following fresh written assurances from Scottish authorities regarding tailored mental healthcare for conditions including ADHD, autism and depression, Ms Justice Melanie Greally today ordered surrender within twenty-five days. She found the new commitments amounted to material change in circumstances. Bail was granted on strict conditions, including daily signing at a Garda station and a €20,000 surety.
During the Special Criminal Court hearing, a Mountjoy prison officer discovered a hidden mobile phone inside a sock in a wall cavity of Dean Byrne's cell. The phone, a black Sony, contained a Facebook account named Dean Byrne that had communicated with a relative of Daniel 'Dano' Cahill, a key witness in Aaron Brady's murder trial. Garda Orla Madden retrieved Facebook conversation records showing Byrne's attempts to prevent Cahill from giving evidence, including voice messages urging Cahill not to share his statements and claims that Cahill's testimony was false. Byrne, aged 30, is charged with conspiring with Aaron Brady to pervert the course of justice by persuading Cahill not to testify. The trial continues before Judges Paul Burns, Elma Sheahan and Marie Keane. The article reports only the discovery of the phone and the related communications, without detailing any trial outcome.
Two men, Ainis Guzauskas and Eric Brils, are set to be tried in criminal court for allegedly flying drones too close to Dublin Airport. They have filed High Court challenges claiming that the 1975 Air Navigation and Transport Act's Section 6, which bars suspended sentences and probation, is disproportionate, draconian and unconstitutional. Guzauskas, a furniture mover, is charged under Section 3 for a July 2022 incident, while Brils, a company employee, faces a similar charge for a January 2023 flight. Both pleaded not guilty and are represented by Mark Lynam SC. Their judicial review seeks to prevent further prosecution under Section 3, declare Section 6 incompatible with the Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights, and obtain orders from the court. Justice Niamh Hyland granted permission for the actions, with the cases scheduled to return next month.
Robert Redmond (35), a convicted murderer currently serving a life sentence for the killing of Barry Wolverson, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to conspiring to murder Jordan Davis. The 22-year-old victim was shot dead in 2019 while pushing his infant son in a pram. Prosecution counsel Bernard Condon SC stated the plea was acceptable to the DPP, and a nolle prosequi will be entered on the original murder charge after sentencing. Mr Justice Paul McDermott remanded Redmond in custody until May 13 for a sentence hearing, where a victim impact report is expected. Redmond is the second person dealt with regarding this offence; in 2022, Wayne Cooney (33) was jailed for life for the murder after a jury found he fired eight shots at Davis. Separately, Redmond and co-accused Jamie Gray (27) previously pleaded guilty to possessing a RAK PM-63 submachine gun in 2020. Redmond was jailed for six years in 2023 for that offence. Bernard Fogarty (34) was also sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Wolverson in December 2022. The matter was adjourned for sentencing.
A former Circuit Court judge, Gerard O'Brien, aged 59, was told by the court that he is likely to receive a custodial sentence for attempted rape and sexual assault of six young men between 1991 and 1997. O'Brien, a former teacher and solicitor, was convicted in December 2023 of one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault. The victims, aged 17 to 24, were either his students or former students. The judge, Mr Justice Alexander Owens, said he would impose a custodial sentence when the case is finalised on 29 May 2024 and remanded O'Brien on continuing bail. O'Brien pleaded not guilty to all allegations. The court considered psychological reports, victim impact statements and O'Brien's personal circumstances, including his disability and history of depression, but did not yet decide the final sentence.
Joseph Parker, 32, of Crowfall, Bridge Road, Dublin 18, was convicted of sexual assault of a sleeping woman at a Dublin hotel on 9 September 2020. He pleaded guilty on the basis of recklessness, a plea that reduced the maximum ten‑year sentence. While on bail for a rape charge, he assaulted the woman, who had earlier told him she did not want intimacy. After she fell asleep, Parker entered her room, forced himself on her, and later tried to persuade her not to report the incident. The court, hearing the case at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, noted that Parker had cooperated with investigators and expressed remorse. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a headline sentence of four years, but, considering the guilty plea and cooperation, set a final sentence of two years imprisonment to be served consecutively to his existing term. The decision was made on 26 April 2024.
In a Limerick Central Criminal Court trial, a 58‑year‑old man was convicted of 14 offences, including rape, false imprisonment, 11 counts of sexual assault and a threat to kill. He had previously pleaded guilty to four assault‑causing‑harm charges. The victim, his 39‑year‑old niece, was held in his home for a week in late January and early February 2022. During that time she was unable to walk or move for several days, suffered bruising and a broken tooth, and was repeatedly sexually assaulted while she urinated using paper cups. The man also set fire to the bed and curtains, switched off the electricity, and threatened her with a glass‑covered floor. Judge Siobhan Lankford imposed a 13‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended, back‑dated to 14 February 2022, and directed the defendant to never approach the victim again.
A man has been sentenced to five and a half years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court following his conviction for the rape of a teenager in Roscommon. Nicolas Horvath, aged 28 and formerly of Stonecourt, Roscommon, pleaded guilty to one count of rape on 11 December 2020. The court heard that Horvath and an associate engaged the victim, then aged 16, while she socialised with friends in a park. He plied her with alcohol, made sexual remarks including the phrase "age is just a number," and subsequently brought her to a secluded area where the rape occurred. The victim resisted and a friend intervened. Horvath fled the jurisdiction to Slovakia in 2022 and was extradited to Ireland in December of that year. Ms Justice Melanie Greally imposed a sentence of six and a half years with the final year suspended, subject to conditions including that Horvath depart the jurisdiction within seven days of release and remain absent for fifteen years.
Patrick Honan, 69, was sentenced to 13 years' custody with 18 months suspended for 48 counts of rape and indecent assault against his daughter Noreen Honan, aged 3½ to 16, between 1977 and 1989 at their family home in Doonbeg, Co Clare. The judge, Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford, praised Ms Honan's dignified conduct and bravery, noting the prolonged abuse, breach of trust and age disparity. Honan had previously applied to keep his identity confidential, citing potential harm to his wider family, but the court rejected this. The sentence was back‑dated to the date of his custody entry. The judge also directed that Honan must not approach Ms Honan now or in the future. The unnamed accused was found guilty.
Martin Collins (42) and his brother Michael (33) were sentenced to three years in prison for a series of thefts carried out between March and August 2020. The brothers used modified people‑carrier cars, blackening windows and removing rear seats to conceal stolen tools from building sites. They were found guilty of possessing a vehicle with intent to commit theft at Barclay Court, Blackrock, on 23 March 2020, and of participating in organised crime. Martin admitted possession of plant equipment worth €5,080 stolen from Irish Rail on 19 August 2020, including a leaf‑blower, an Alpha mixer and an Atlas Trench Whacker. Judge Martin Nolan set a headline sentence of four and a half years, deducted 18 months, leaving an effective term of three years. The brothers had previously served 16‑month sentences for similar offences. The court noted their family background, mental health issues and efforts to disengage from crime.
Jonathan Cummins, 37, of Tubberclaire Meadows, Navan, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to producing two knives during a November 2021 attack on a new mother who had just returned from the hospital with her premature baby. The incident occurred at a West Dublin location where Cummins, dressed in black and wearing gloves, stood in the garden and pulled the knives from his trousers as the victim was being assaulted by Miranda McCabe, who also received a two‑year sentence with 15 months suspended. Cummins, who had 156 prior convictions including 16 for knife possession, was found with a cannabis joint and two kitchen knives in his car. He was already serving a 15‑month sentence for a separate offence and was released in January.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 25 April 2024, Jose Bejarano, aged 43, was handed a suspended 18‑month prison sentence for acting as a money mule in a scam that defrauded the Trinity College hardship fund of €6,800. The fund, which supports students in financial distress, had reported the fraud to the gardai in November 2021, and an investigation was ongoing. Bejarano provided his bank account details to a third party, and four payments totalling €6,800 were transferred to his account between April and May 2021. He withdrew the money and gave it to a third party, receiving €300–€400 in return. He had no prior convictions, cooperated with investigators, and claimed he acted in good faith, believing the security guard who requested the transfer was trustworthy. The judge noted the fund's loss and imposed the suspended sentence, taking his personal circumstances into account.
Adam Winters, aged 32, met a 14‑year‑old girl on an online dating site in 2012 and groomed her by sending her brutal and extreme pornography. He instructed her to watch the material and then asked her to carry out acts such as bondage, pain, urination and blood‑letting. The relationship lasted until 2018, during which Winters met her twice in person and forced her to give him oral sex. He pleaded guilty to two counts of sexually defiling her, one in Cork between April 2013 and April 2014 and another in Waterford. The first count involved a child under 15, the second a child under 17. Mr Justice David Keane sentenced him to six years for the first count and two years for the second, both to run concurrently, and suspended the final two years, placing him under probation supervision for two years.
Brian Wildman, 41, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing €293,313 in cocaine and cannabis for sale and €19,130 in cash proceeds, after gardaí raided his Clonsilla home on 1 August 2020. He was caught attempting to flush a bag of cocaine down the toilet; authorities seized drugs worth €158,047 and cannabis resin worth €135,266. Wildman's co‑accused, Keith Banks, 45, had been jailed for five years in June 2022 for the same offences. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Wildman to three years' imprisonment, a lesser term than Banks, after hearing extensive evidence of Wildman's medical difficulties. He has neurosarcoidosis, chronic seizures, and requires chemotherapy and immunosuppressants; medical reports described him as "fragile" and not medically fit for prison. The court ordered all medical reports to be forwarded to the prison service and urged Wildman to inform prison authorities of his condition.
Jailed teacher Enoch Burke has filed a High Court defamation claim against Mediahuis Ireland, the publisher of the Sunday Independent, over a 2022 article that was published while he was imprisoned for contempt of court. Burke, who was dismissed from Wilson's Hospital School for alleged gross misconduct, argues that the school's injunction to stay away from the school conflicted with his Christian beliefs, specifically a directive to refer to a student by a different name and use the pronoun 'they'. He has also appealed his dismissal, a separate matter that remains pending. The defamation action will be heard by a single judge, Mr Justice David Nolan, who has set a hearing date for next week. Burke's pre‑trial application sought to exclude certain material he deemed prejudicial; the judge agreed that some of that material should not be presented until the day of the hearing.
Thomas Cullen, 60, of Carrick on Shannon, Co Leitrim, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of making a gain by deception. Judge Martin Nolan set a headline sentence of five years but reduced it, noting Cullen was unlikely to reoffend and was likely the "face" of a larger scheme rather than the organiser. Cullen agreed leasing arrangements with Capital Flow Finance and Finance Ireland in March 2017, using false documents including a forged driving licence to secure over €160,000 for Hitachi excavators that were never located. Both companies remain at a loss. Cullen admitted the documents were false and stated he was paid €5,000 for his role. He has 35 previous convictions. This follows the sentencing of Charles Mavitty, 66, of Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, who was jailed for two and a half years last month for defrauding financing companies of over €240,000 to buy two Hitachi excavators. Both cases are part of a major cross-border probe into scams involving the leasing of heavy plant machinery.
Saira Mooneeswamy, 53, of Blessington Street, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty to stealing €13,360 from Hyde and Seek Childcare, Shaw Street, Dublin 2, between 1 April 2018 and 15 July 2019. The money was handed to her by parents who wanted to stop paying monthly fees by direct debit while applying for a mortgage. Mooneeswamy, who was the crèche manager at the time, never transferred the funds to the crèche's bank account. She has since repaid the full amount and cooperated with Gardaí. At a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, she was given a fully‑suspended sentence of one year. The court noted her lack of prior convictions, her long employment history, and her quick repayment of the money. The judge described her as unlikely to reoffend and having "succumbed to temptation" over a persistent pattern of behaviour. The case arose after an RTÉ Prime Time investigation into breaches of regulations at several Dublin childcare facilities.
Stephen Leech, 40, was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to possessing over €680,000 worth of cannabis for sale or supply at Kincade, Sutton, on 5 May 2023. He also admitted to possessing €3,500 in cash as proceeds of crime. Gardaí and customs officers intercepted a consignment of almonds from Bilbao that contained more than 31 kg of cannabis, valued at €682,400, along with over €4,000 worth of heroin, small amounts of cocaine and 30 alprazolam tablets. Leech was caught attempting to flee the premises and was found with 50 deals of heroin on his person. The court noted his early plea, cooperation, work history and family background as mitigating factors, and highlighted his past drug addiction and current clean status. Judge Martin Nolan described Leech as a "holder, receiver and transporter" but said his culpability was low, as he was imposed upon by third parties.
A pensioner in his early seventies was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for indecent assault and sexual assault against his daughter and niece in the early 1990s. The court found him guilty of four counts of indecent assault and 21 counts of sexual assault against his daughter, and four counts of indecent assault and eight counts of sexual assault against his niece. The abuse occurred in a Leinster house when the daughter was aged six to twelve and the niece aged eleven to twelve. The defendant maintains his innocence and had no prior convictions. Victim impact statements described lasting psychological harm, loss of self‑worth, anxiety, depression, nightmares and flashbacks. The judge imposed consecutive sentences of three and a half years for each victim, back‑dating the first to February 28, and noted the defendant's age, health and lack of prior convictions as mitigating factors. The total custodial term is seven years.
Laura Rice, daughter of Alan Rice, who died after being struck by a car in Skerries, Co Dublin, has called on drivers to be more cautious on the roads, stating that 'accidents don't happen, they are caused'. Alan Rice died on April 13, 2021, after Terry Gaff (56) veered onto the wrong side of the road while navigating a bend on the R127. Gaff pleaded guilty to careless driving causing death and was handed a six-month suspended sentence, along with a €1,000 fine. Judge Martin Nolan noted that Gaff had no previous convictions and that there were no aggravating factors, such as speeding, alcohol, or drug use. The judge acknowledged the devastating impact of the collision on Mr Rice's family and expressed condolences. Victim impact statements from Mr Rice's family highlighted the profound loss they have experienced, describing Alan Rice as a loving, supportive, and adventurous father, husband, and friend.
A 57‑year‑old Dublin mother was given a suspended sentence of two and a half years for child neglect after her 15‑year‑old daughter was hospitalised twice for a severe head lice infestation. The court heard the girl's hair was "rock solid" with lice and eggs, with a head lice expert finding between 900 and 1,000 lice. The mother had left the daughter alone in the summer of 2018, taking €100 for food and travelling to the UK, while the daughter was left without shower facilities and with a matted, lice‑laden head. The mother pleaded guilty to one count of child neglect covering 2013‑2018. Judge Martin Nolan described the neglect as "cruelty by omission" and suspended the sentence in full, noting the daughter's condition had improved since the incident.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Thomas Lawrence, 62, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his niece after a nightmare. The incident occurred on 29 August 2020 when Lawrence entered his niece's house, shouted abuse, then chased her to a café, grabbed her by the hair, punched her head and repeatedly struck her against a metal counter. The assault left her with superficial injuries. Lawrence also pleaded guilty to an attempted theft of three wine bottles from Spar in 2014, a case delayed by Covid. He was arrested shortly after the assault. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Lawrence's health problems—pancreatitis, epilepsy, chronic depression, alcoholism—sentenced him to 20 months, suspended in full, rather than imprisonment. No further court actions were described in the article.
Peter Gill, aged 64, served as secretary for Drumcondra Football Club and was found to have stolen €7,500 in cash between 2012 and 2015. The theft was discovered when the club's chairman, preparing to leave his role, closed the club's bank account and noticed an ATM card issued to Gill had been used for several transactions. Gardaí investigation revealed that some transactions were legitimate, but the total amount stolen was €7,500. Gill admitted the theft and pleaded guilty to one count of theft. He had no prior convictions. The court noted his gambling addiction at the time of the offence and his health issues. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to 20 months, which was suspended in full, thereby avoiding imprisonment.
At the Special Criminal Court, Ms Justice Caroline Biggs adjourned the sentence hearing for Michael Crotty to May 13. Crotty, 42, of Co Tipperary, pleaded not guilty to facilitating the murder of Noel Kirwan before entering a guilty plea in February to participating in a criminal organisation's activity. The State alleged Crotty facilitated the killing by purchasing €20 in mobile credit for Sean McGovern, described in evidence as a leading Kinahan cartel figure. Detective Sergeant Sean Cosgrove presented evidence linking a tracking device on Mr Kirwan's car to unregistered numbers used by Crotty and others, suggesting awareness of the unlawful purpose. Victim impact statements were read, including from Donna Kirwan, who expressed hope that the facilitator would "never see the light of day again." Defence counsel Padraig Dwyer SC noted Crotty's early guilty plea and submitted references. Separately, the report notes that Jason Keating, 32, was previously jailed for 10 years for his role in the "execution-style murder" of Mr Kirwan, having admitted to facilitating the offence. The matter regarding Crotty remains adjourned and is not concluded.
A 45‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to ten and a half years in prison for six counts of rape and anal rape of his former partner between January 2019 and September 2020. The victim, who was not named to protect her anonymity, was repeatedly forced into sexual acts at her home while she repeatedly said no and asked him to stop. The court noted that the man used humiliating and degrading language, pulled her hair, pushed her onto a bathroom floor and a bed, and that the violence exceeded the inherent violence of rape. He was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury and does not accept the verdict or express remorse. Ms Justice Caroline Biggs imposed the sentence and ordered him to remain under Probation Service supervision for three years after release.
An unnamed 39‑year‑old man was sentenced to four years in prison for nine counts of sexual assault against three girls aged between seven and 17, committed when he was 12 to 17 years old between 1996 and 2022. The court heard that the defendant, who had no prior convictions, carried out a "Nerves" game in which he touched the girls' legs and vaginas, made animal noises, and pinched their vaginas. He also gave a 12‑year‑old girl alcohol and later found her naked in a wooded area, and he touched the breasts and mouth of a 17‑year‑old girl in a carpark. The three survivors gave victim impact statements describing lasting psychological harm, insomnia, anxiety, and loss of trust. Judge David Keane noted the aggravating factors of the victims' ages and alcohol use, and the mitigating factors of the defendant's lack of convictions and cooperation. The unnamed 39-year-old was found guilty.
Lisa Lee, 41, who had previously discarded a knife used in the killing of Isaac Horgan, was in custody for breaching the terms of her suspended sentence. She had been sentenced to four years, with the final two suspended on the condition of good behaviour and engagement with probation services. After spending ten days in custody, Lee's barrister, Ronan Munro SC, informed Judge Tony Hunt that she had changed her mind about the judge's offer to enter a drug treatment programme. Lee now agreed to attend rapid detox and residential care for her addiction issues, accepting the court's conditions. The judge acknowledged her limited engagement with probation services and noted that the suspended portion of her sentence had been activated by new charges. He emphasised that compliance with the treatment terms was essential and that failure to do so would result in a return to prison. Lisa Lee was convicted.
Brandon Highfield, a 23‑year‑old British man from Wolverhampton, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four and a half years in prison for importing almost 27 kilos of cannabis valued at €538,760. He was caught at Dublin Airport when sniffer dogs detected drugs in his luggage while he was in transit from New York to Manchester. Highfield pleaded guilty to possession for sale or supply on 11 November 2023. The judge accepted that he had been transporting the drugs for third parties and that some level of coercion had been applied, describing him as slightly vulnerable with no prior convictions and unlikely to reoffend. The sentence was back‑dated to the November arrest. Highfield is a foreign national who will receive little or no visits while in custody.
John Murray, 43, of Kimmage, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to ten counts of possessing the proceeds of crime. The charges stemmed from his wife, Kellie Walton, 42, who as a payroll administrator at Virgin Media siphoned €872,470 into Murray's Bank of Ireland account over a decade. The money was largely spent on foreign holidays, premium TV subscriptions and phone services. Walton had previously received a four‑year sentence in 2023, with the final two years suspended, and is now working part‑time. Murray denied the allegations initially but pleaded guilty on the day of his trial. The court noted that the couple had squandered all the funds, leaving them with nothing, and that Murray had no prior convictions. He was deemed unlikely to reoffend.
A 54‑year‑old man, Dainius Sakevicius, pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm on 26 December 2022 after drinking for five days. He assaulted his partner, punching her multiple times, causing bruising, swelling, a loose tooth and arm soreness. The victim was treated at St Vincent's and St James's Hospitals. Gardaí found Sakevicius intoxicated at his Bray home and later charged him. The woman withdrew her statement and declined a victim impact statement. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a suspended sentence of 1 year 9 months, suspended in full on strict conditions, including 18 months of Probation Service engagement, participation in Men Overcoming Violence and alcohol treatment programmes. The court noted Sakevicius had no prior convictions, had paid over €4,000 for the victim's medical costs, and had no previous Garda attention. The sentence was given on the day of the hearing.
Anthony Gaffney, aged 54, pleaded guilty to robbing the Topaz service station in Dublin on 22 June 2016. He was first charged, then failed to attend his sentence hearing and lived "under the radar" for eight years. He was arrested later, re‑arrested earlier this year, and has been in custody since. Gaffney has 84 prior convictions, most before 2012, and has not re‑offended since 2016. He was sentenced today to 18 months' imprisonment. The court noted his serious health issues, including COPD, and that his criminal activity is likely to be curtailed by his condition. The sentence was imposed after the court heard that an off‑duty Garda, who was with his family, had confronted Gaffney and a second robber, seized the getaway car keys, and that Gaffney had used a knife in the scuffle. The judge praised the Garda's courage and described the incident as frightening for the Garda, his wife and children.
Keith Tiswell, 39, of Woodavens, Clondalkin, was sentenced to eight years in prison for possessing €3.3 million worth of cannabis. On 8 September last year, he was caught transporting the drugs at an industrial estate in Dublin 12. Gardaí had been surveilling two vans; after intercepting one, Tiswell handed over the keys to the other, which was searched and found with 168 kg of vacuum‑packed cannabis. He admitted to the offence, citing debts from a long‑standing drug and gambling addiction and claiming he was under pressure to keep the drugs. He had 75 prior convictions, including drug possession. The judge acknowledged the coercion but imposed the sentence, back‑dating it for time already served. The case was heard by Judge Martin Nolan, with prosecution by David Staunton BL and defence by Anne‑Marie Lawlor SC.
A 37‑year‑old man was jailed for nine years after pleading guilty to multiple counts of rape and sexual assault against a brother and sister who were in foster care with him. The accused, aged 14‑17 at the time of the offences, abused the siblings, aged 9‑13, between 2002 and 2004 while they were in the same foster home. He also pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of both victims. The abuse ended when he turned 18 and left the home. He had 21 prior convictions. The judge set a headline sentence of 13 years, reduced to ten years with a one‑year suspension for three years on strict conditions, and ordered five years of post‑release supervision. The siblings did not wish their impact statements to be read in open court. The accused expressed regret and hopes the victims can move on. The case was prosecuted by John Fitzgerald SC and defended by Ronan Munro SC.
A 77-year-old man was sentenced to two and a half years in prison by Judge Sarah Berkeley at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for eight counts of indecent assault against his teenage daughter. The defendant, who pleaded not guilty, was convicted by a jury following a trial in February. The offences occurred on unknown dates between 1985 and 1987 at a location in Leinster. The court heard that the victim, who made a statement to gardai in December 2020, disclosed that she was digitally penetrated and touched by her father while a teenager. The judge described the acts as "vile" and a heinous crime, noting the victim's ongoing suffering from panic attacks and depression. Although the defendant denied the allegations, claiming he never touched her, the jury found him guilty. In mitigation, defence counsel highlighted the defendant's lack of previous convictions, his lifelong work history, and his serious cardiac health issues, which require specific care and medication in prison. Judge Berkeley set a headline sentence of five years but reduced it to two and a half years, taking into account the defendant's poor health and the fact that he supported his family. The judge acknowledged the victim's closure and return to education, stating that while the defendant is now sentenced, his daughter will live with the consequences of his actions for the rest of her life.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Robert Fennell, then 50, was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment for raping a 16‑year‑old girl who had approached him for advice. The victim had been led to Fennell by a person she believed to be a 17‑year‑old boy, who provided Fennell's contact details. Fennell, who lives in Woodview Cottages, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, gave the girl alcohol and raped her at his home on 11 June 2018. He pleaded guilty, a plea entered late in the process. The judge noted the victim's vulnerability and the breach of trust. The sentence was reduced from 12 to 11 years, with the final year suspended for two years on strict conditions, including offence‑focused work, addiction treatment, drug monitoring and no unsupervised access to children. Fennell was also ordered to undergo assessment for offence‑focused work, addiction treatment and drug monitoring.
Emma Burgess, 38, of Parkview, Rathborne, Dublin 15, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment after pleading guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing €280,000 worth of cocaine for sale or supply at her home on 5 May 2023. Garda Shane Cunningham reported that Burgess admitted to gardaí that she had been supplying a small amount of cocaine, had run up a drug debt of about €15,000, and had agreed to keep the drugs at her home to repay part of that debt. A warrant secured a search of her home, where four kilograms of cocaine were found on top of a wardrobe in a bedroom. Burgess admitted responsibility for the drugs but could not identify the person who had given them to her. She said she had arranged to pick them up from the carpark at Crumlin's Children's Hospital, met an unknown person there, and was handed a heavy black bin.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 39‑year‑old woman testified that her uncle, aged 58, raped and imprisoned her for a week after violently assaulting her, leaving her unable to walk. She described being locked in a room, forced to use paper cups for toileting while the uncle repeatedly sexually assaulted her, including inserting fingers during urination about six or seven times a day from 2 February. He also set fire to the bed and curtains, switched off electricity, and threatened to kill or cause serious harm. The court heard the uncle had pleaded guilty to four assault counts and was found guilty of 14 counts, including rape, false imprisonment, 11 sexual assault counts and one threat count. The case was adjourned to 26 April for sentencing. The woman, who sustained bruises and a tooth injury, said she would never forgive him and that her life had been destroyed by his actions.
A 52-year-old man from Longford has been sentenced to nine years imprisonment following his conviction on 52 counts of sexual assault at the Central Criminal Court. The offences occurred between 2004 and 2006, when the victim was aged between 10 and 12 years old. The man, who was known to the victim's family and regularly babysat her, engaged in a pattern of sexual assaults that included inappropriate touching and exposure to pornographic material. During sentencing, Mr Justice David Keane identified aggravating factors including the breach of trust inherent in the babysitting relationship, the vulnerable age of the victim, and the fact that the abuse occurred within her home. The victim provided an impact statement describing the profound and lasting effects of the offences, stating that the trial process itself had been deeply traumatic. The judge noted the man has not accepted the jury's verdict and has demonstrated no remorse. A period of two-year post-release supervision has been imposed, with no portion of the sentence suspended.
During a Special Criminal Court hearing, Detective Inspector Mark Phillips reported that witnesses who had spoken to Gardaí about Aaron Brady's admission of killing Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe feared retaliation if they testified. Phillips cited ten witnesses who did not attend Brady's 2020 murder trial, citing threats or intimidation from Brady's associates. One witness, Ronan Flynn, recorded a video interview in New York where he claimed to have heard Brady admit the murder on multiple occasions, and he expressed concern for his safety and his family's safety after receiving a warning that he would be "dealt with" if he returned to Ireland. Other witnesses, including Colin Hoey and Daniel Cahill, also reported intimidation or fear of harm. The court heard that Dean Byrne, charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice, had attempted to influence Cahill's testimony. The hearing focused on the intimidation allegations and the witnesses' reluctance to testify, without addressing any verdicts or sentencing. Dean Byrne pleaded not guilty.
A man from Strokestown, County Roscommon, has been sentenced to eleven and a half years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court following his conviction on twenty-six counts of sexually abusing his daughter between 2011 and 2016. Cyril Mullane, aged 51, was found guilty of eleven counts of oral rape, fourteen counts of sexual assault, and one count of attempted rape committed at properties in County Sligo and Norfolk in the United Kingdom. The victim, who waived her anonymity, was between six and twelve years old during the offences. Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo imposed a thirteen-year sentence with the final eighteen months suspended. The judge noted that the complainant's childhood had been "poisoned" by sustained abuse constituting a serious breach of paternal trust over a five-year period. Mullane had denied all charges and was not afforded mitigation for guilty pleas.
Adrian Stralynski, 22, pleaded guilty to laundering €13,100 in a smishing scam that cost a victim €16,000. He has 13 prior convictions for drug possession, assault, public order and road traffic offences. The court heard that the victim, Aidan Hall, received a fraudulent text claiming a Bank of Ireland login and was tricked into entering a verification code, after which €13,100 was transferred through accounts linked to Stralynski. Stralynski admitted he was high and was persuaded by a friend to facilitate the fraud, but denied sending the text. Judge Orla Crowe noted his early guilty plea, lack of recent Garda attention, and remorse, and sentenced him to 18 months in prison suspended in full for two years. The co‑accused has taken a trial date. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
John Joseph Devaney, aged 65, was convicted of rape and indecent assault against a 24‑year‑old deaf woman in 1985. The offence occurred in a rural caravan between September and November 1985. Devaney, a paramedic, denies the verdict and maintains his innocence. The victim, who wished to remain anonymous, described feeling scared, sick, dirty, confused, embarrassed and sad. The court, presided over by Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, imposed a sentence of eight years and six months for rape and six years for indecent assault, with both sentences running concurrently and back‑dated to his entry into custody in January. Devaney's work history and lack of prior sexual convictions were noted as mitigating factors, but no guilty plea was entered. The victim's impact statement highlighted the severe impact on her independence and psychological well‑being. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court in December 2023 and the sentence was announced on 12 April 2024.
A 32‑year‑old man was remanded in custody after sitting opposite his younger half‑sister on the train to court. He pleaded guilty to nine counts of raping his younger sister and three counts of anally and orally raping his little brother between 2001 and 2010. The court heard the offences occurred when the siblings were aged between six and fourteen, with the brother aged between seven and twelve. The man was on bail awaiting a psychology report, but the judge found it "disturbing" that he had sat opposite his victim on the train. He was remanded and the sentence hearing was adjourned to 22 July for a plea of mitigation. The case was heard in the Central Criminal Court. The man has a prior drink‑driving conviction and has children with his partner. The victim impact statements described lasting trauma for both siblings.
Dylan Reddington, 28, of Cherry Orchard Grove, Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving offences that included high‑speed pursuits on December 15, 2020 and October 7, 2021. He drove at high speed, failed to stop for Gardaí, overtook cars dangerously, ran red lights, drove the wrong way around roundabouts, and drove on the wrong side of the road. The first pursuit ended when he collided with a concrete marker in a residential estate; he was arrested on foot. The second pursuit began on October 7, 2021, when he drove a red Ford Focus at speed up Cloverhill Road, again driving the wrong way and overtaking oncoming traffic, before being arrested in a house in Cherry Orchard. Reddington had 65 prior convictions, including dangerous driving and endangerment. He had completed 16 months of residential treatment before sentencing.
Patrick Maughan, 39, was sentenced by Judge Pauline Codd to two years in prison, with the final six months suspended on strict conditions, for stealing €9,250 worth of tools from a construction worker's van at the National Rehabilitation Hospital. Maughan broke a van window, used a false registration plate, and fled with the equipment. He had 75 previous convictions, including theft and possession of stolen property. The tools were recovered after Gardaí spotted a silver van with a different plate. Maughan pleaded guilty to the theft charge. The court noted the offence's deterrence value for workers in the building trade and considered Maughan's guilty plea and personal circumstances in sentencing. No victim impact statements were submitted by the injured parties. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Sinead Byrne, 46, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply and to knowingly permitting her home to be used for the sale, supply or distribution of a controlled drug, as well as possession of cocaine, all on 19 December 2021. A Garda search found 1.5 kg of cannabis in an ensuite, 10 kg in the attic, a metal safe with €248 of cocaine, a digital scale and €1,200 cash. Byrne was not present during the search; she later contacted Gardaí, was arrested by appointment, and admitted knowledge of the cannabis in the ensuite but denied knowledge of the attic stash. She claimed the money was to pay rent and was under pressure from a drug debt. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a three‑year prison sentence, fully suspended on strict conditions, including 18 months of probation supervision.
Two young men, injured when a drink‑driving driver crashed into them on a Dublin footpath, told the court that the incident has left a "trail of devastation" in their lives. One victim, unable to work for five months, now struggles with mortgage, childcare and medical bills, and suffers chronic back pain, nightmares and panic attacks. The other, suffering multiple fractures and ongoing excruciating pain, reports severe mood swings and existential dread. The driver, Sean Creighton, 38, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment and a four‑year driving disqualification. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious harm, dangerous driving at speed and drink‑driving. Creighton, a public servant and community volunteer, expressed remorse and offered €3,000 to the victims. The court noted the victims' long‑term physical and emotional sequelae. The sentencing judge highlighted Creighton's good character and community work as mitigating factors.
A 61‑year‑old Libyan man, Tareq Elkudir, was arrested after disembarking from a Ryanair flight from Manchester to Dublin. He was highly intoxicated, drinking from a litre bottle of whiskey during the 45‑minute flight, and was accused of sexually assaulting a 16‑year‑old girl. The victim described being repeatedly grabbed, hit on the arm, kissed, and having his hand rubbed near her breast area. She also reported being punched twice on the shoulder. Elkudir pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan, after hearing the case, imposed a fully suspended 18‑month sentence, noting the victim had not filed an impact statement and was ready to move on. The judge also allowed the victim to accept or redirect a €3,000 apology payment. Elkudir has no further criminal record since the offence and is married with three children. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
During Aaron Brady's 2020 murder trial, a man named Dean Byrne offered to "do damage" to State witness Daniel Cahill, who later testified that Brady admitted shooting Garda Adrian Donohoe. Byrne, who was sharing a landing with Brady, allegedly sent messages to Cahill and to another acquaintance, urging them not to testify and threatening to harm Cahill. The Director of Public Prosecutions charged Byrne with conspiring to prevent Cahill's evidence, a charge that was opened by prosecution counsel Lorcan Staines SC. Byrne, aged 30, pleaded not guilty and his trial continues. The court heard that Byrne's messages referred to Cahill as a "rat" and that he claimed to have knowledge of Cahill's scheduled testimony, information not publicly available. The prosecution argues that Byrne acted as Brady's agent to pervert the course of justice. The trial is before Mr Justice Paul Burns, Judge Elma Sheehan and Judge Marie Keane. The unnamed accused was acquitted.