The trial of Aaron Brady for perverting the course of justice has been postponed for a third day after the Director of Public Prosecutions and Brady's lawyers held discussions. Brady's counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, said he had received an instruction from Brady that prompted the matter to be presented to the DPP. Prosecutor Lorcan Staines SC indicated he would consult with the DPP before proceeding and expects to have his instructions by the next day. The trial, originally scheduled for this week, was adjourned to give the defence time to review additional evidence served recently. Brady, aged 33, and co‑accused Dean Byrne, aged 30, are charged with conspiring to persuade State witness Daniel Cahill not to testify in Brady's murder trial of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, which took place during a robbery at Lordship Credit Union in Jenkinstown, County Louth, on 25 January 2013.
Ayasha Littlejohn, 22, was jailed for three and a half years after transporting 22.6 kg of cannabis worth €453,640 from New York to Dublin, destined for the UK. She was stopped at Dublin Airport in October 2023 when customs officers noticed her luggage. Littlejohn pleaded guilty to possessing drugs for sale or supply. Judge Martin Nolan described her as naive and said she had been pressured by third parties. She had no prior convictions and was pregnant, expected to give birth in June at the Dóchas Centre. Littlejohn cooperated with Gardaí, claimed she was manipulated by a man she met in London, and expressed remorse, hoping to become a good mother. The sentence was back‑dated to her October 26, 2023 arrest.
Shannon Haddock, 28, of Redgap, Rathcoole, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a 12‑month suspended term for assisting her partner in a burglary at a house in South Dublin. She pleaded guilty to assisting an offender and dangerous driving. The burglary occurred on 1 March 2023 when the co‑accused, previously jailed for 27 months for a burglary in Sallynoggin, drove a red Audi away from the scene, then switched places with Haddock. Both fled on foot, but Haddock was arrested shortly after. The court noted her lack of prior convictions, her efforts at rehabilitation, and her difficulties with addiction and mental health. She was disqualified from driving for two years and the suspended sentence will be enforced on strict conditions for two years. The judge highlighted her active participation and driving as aggravating factors, while recognising her mitigating circumstances.
During a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Alan Dunne, aged 48, testified that he was abused by 74‑year‑old Bernard Swaine between 1983 and 1986. Dunne, who was between seven and ten at the time, described Swaine's repeated indecent assaults, including a first incident where Swaine penetrated him while they shared a bed. Over the next three years, Swaine allegedly touched Dunne's genitals while he masturbated, a pattern that continued for about three years. Dunne's victim impact statement highlighted the lasting psychological damage, citing depression, anxiety and self‑loathing. Judge Orla Crowe, acknowledging the severity of the abuse, sentenced Swaine to six years' imprisonment, with concurrent terms for the remaining counts. The sentence reflected Swaine's mitigating circumstances, including his age and health, and the court's assessment of the long‑term harm to Dunne. The case underscored the profound effect of childhood sexual abuse on a survivor's life. Bernard Swaine pleaded not guilty and was convicted.
Activist Gemma O'Doherty appeared before the High Court on Wednesday regarding an application for alleged contempt of court. The matter was adjourned to later this week to allow O'Doherty to obtain legal instructions and review relevant documents. She was released from Garda custody following the hearing. The application stems from an injunction granted to Edel Campbell, which restrains O'Doherty from harassing Campbell or publishing confidential information about her and her late son, Diego Gilsenan. Campbell alleges O'Doherty breached these orders through video posts and statements. O'Doherty, appearing without legal representation, rejected the allegations, stating she never harassed Campbell and that any attempt to jail her would be outrageous. She claimed the injunction was unlawful and that Campbell's actions violated champerty laws. Counsel for Campbell, David Kennedy SC, stated his client sought only compliance with the injunction and that O'Doherty's refusal left them no option but to bring the contempt motion. The court did not reach a final determination on the merits, as the hearing was suspended to facilitate proper legal representation.
Leon Byrne, 27, was convicted of robbing an empty cash‑in‑transit box at a Brinks‑guarded Maxol garage in Dublin on 17 February 2022. He brandished a kitchen knife, forced the guard to hand over the box, and fled to his mother's flat across the road. Gardaí followed a trail of green dye from the scene to the flat, where the dye was found on clothing and in the apartment. Byrne had previously been jailed for hijacking a taxi with a sawn‑off shotgun. He pleaded guilty to the robbery, which was valued at €3,000, and was sentenced to four years, with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended. He will serve an additional 18 months on top of the sentence he is already serving, having been in custody since March 2022. The court noted Byrne's difficult upbringing and urged him to seek psychological support while in custody.
A 32‑year‑old man pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to false imprisonment, threat to kill, assault causing harm, sexual assault and false imprisonment for an incident on 1 August 2021. He had previously been convicted of an assault offence. The court heard that the man and his girlfriend had broken up in November 2020 but rekindled their relationship the following summer. On 1 August the man confronted the woman at his home, threatened her with a knife, held it to her throat, and later sexually assaulted her after removing her shorts. He repeatedly restrained her, blocked the door, and dragged her by the arm and shoulder. The woman escaped several times before being taken home and the man was arrested a few days later. The judge imposed a four‑year concurrent sentence, suspended the final two years on condition of probation and treatment programmes, and noted the man's medium risk of re‑offending.
In April 2024, the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that James Foley, aged 53, had carried out two robberies in Dublin City Centre in April 2023. The first robbery occurred on 15 April at Eurogiant on Abbey Street, where Foley, wearing a facemask, threatened a cashier with a knife and stole €250. The second robbery took place on 20 April at Blackhall Pharmacy on Ellis Quay, where Foley again threatened staff with a knife and stole €200. Gardaí used CCTV footage from both businesses and surrounding areas to track Foley's movements until he removed his facemask, allowing them to identify him. Foley was arrested from a hostel, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery, and was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment by Judge Martin Nolan. The court noted Foley's long history of drug addiction and his participation in a residential treatment programme, but deemed the offences too serious to avoid custodial time.
A 61‑year‑old man with a long history of child‑sex offences pleaded guilty to nine counts out of 69 charges covering March 2021 to November 2022. He admitted five counts of sexually exploiting a child, three of producing child pornography and one of possessing child pornography. The victim was a girl aged between three and a half and five years at the time of the abuse. The defendant had been the child's caretaker when her father was away for short periods. He admitted pulling down her underwear, touching her, licking her vagina, and videotaping the acts on his phone. Gardaí seized his Samsung phone and tablet, finding 113 images of the girl and 755 other child‑exploitation images, plus three videos involving the girl. The court imposed a nine‑year sentence, with concurrent four‑and‑a‑half‑year terms for the remaining offences, after noting the defendant's guilty pleas and mitigating factors. The unnamed 61-year-old was convicted.
Wesley Williams, 46, of Foxlodge Manor, Ratoath, was already serving a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for receiving €1.4 million from European investors in a money‑laundering scheme. On 9 April 2024 a judge declined to extend his sentence after Williams pleaded guilty to stealing a watch worth over €15 000. He received a 20‑month concurrent sentence for the theft, which occurred between February and June 2012. Gardaí searched his property in 2013, finding a safe that could not be opened; a locksmith later opened it and discovered the watch. Williams claimed he was unaware the watch was in the safe and was embarrassed that he could not open it. The court noted he had no prior convictions and, after considering mitigating factors, imposed the 20‑month term. The earlier money‑laundering conviction remains unchanged. The case also involved co‑accused Silvio Rabbitte, who received a two‑year suspended sentence for impeding Williams' apprehension.
Dean Smith, 30, of Killinarden Heights, Tallaght, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison after pleading guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of 19 kg of cannabis herb, worth €359,000, found in his home on 11 November 2021. The drugs were discovered under his child's bed and in a drawer in the same room during a Garda search. Smith confirmed he had placed the drugs there and that his son slept in the room. He had a prior conviction for a separate drug offence. Smith cooperated fully with the investigation and had no evidence of benefiting from drug sales. His defence argued that his drug debt stemmed from cocaine addiction and that he had no control over the quantity supplied. Judge Martin Nolan accepted the mitigating factors, including Smith's cooperation, early guilty plea, family responsibilities and rehabilitation efforts, and imposed the sentence.
Lisa Lee, 41, was convicted in 2022 of discarding a knife used by Noel Lennon to stab Isaac Horgan, who died from a leg wound. Lee, who has no fixed abode and a history of 17 convictions, was sentenced by Mr Justice Tony Hunt to four years in prison, with the final two years suspended on the condition of good behaviour and engagement with probation services. After her release in December, she was charged with offences under the Public Order Act and Misuse of Drugs Act, including possession of stolen mobile phones. Mr Justice Hunt offered her a choice: enter a detox programme followed by intensive residential care or return to prison. Lee declined the treatment programme, citing panic at the prospect of residential care, and opted to have the suspended portion of her sentence reactivated. She was remanded in custody and will appear again on April 19.
Mr Justice Paul McDermott criticised the lack of a legislative power to suspend sentences for juvenile offenders while sentencing a 17‑year‑old boy who pleaded guilty to the oral and anal rape of a younger boy aged six to nine between July 2019 and October 2021. He noted that the law requires detention to be a last resort for those under 18 and that offenders should be allowed to continue education and family relationships, but in this case that was not possible. The judge said the appropriate sentence was three years' detention, but without the power to suspend the final 20 months he imposed 16 months for the first count and adjourned sentencing on the second count until the defendant turned 18, after which a further 20‑month sentence would be suspended for three years on strict conditions, including continued schooling and compliance with the Probation Service.
A 59‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment for raping and sexually abusing his grandniece, aged eight to ten, between 2019 and 2022. He recorded the abuse on his phone and forced the child to record it, producing 19 videos and 1,191 images, of which 377 were unique. The abuse began when the family experienced homelessness and the man became a father‑figure, collecting the girl from school and giving her money. He initially told Gardaí that the girl had "come onto" him and that he was trying to stop her from doing it with someone else. He pleaded guilty to 11 sample counts, including vaginal rape, oral rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation of a child, possession and production of child pornography, and invitation of a child to sexual touching. The judge, Mr Justice Paul McDermott, described the offending as "appalling" and the recordings as "shocking".
Ryan Kelly (25), of Crumlin, Dublin 12, pleaded guilty in the Special Criminal Court to possessing a .38 special calibre Smith & Wesson revolver and five rounds of ammunition on November 23, 2021. He was observed handing the loaded firearm to co-accused Anthony Walker (52), of Marrowbone Lane, Dublin 8, who was driving a taxi. Walker also pleaded guilty to possessing the revolver at Tallaght Road, Templeogue, on the same date. The prosecution stated that a nolle prosequi will be entered regarding a separate charge against Kelly concerning participation in a criminal organisation. Walker's ammunition charge remains live, and he faces a further charge of facilitating a serious offence by a criminal organisation. Mr Justice Paul Burns, presiding with Ms Justice Sarah Berkeley and Ms Justice Marie Keane, remanded Kelly in custody until April 22, when he will be sentenced. Walker's sentence hearing was adjourned today until May 7. The court heard that Kelly has nine previous convictions, mostly for public order and road traffic offences, and has never received a custodial sentence. Defence counsel described Kelly as deeply ashamed and noted he had been on strict bail conditions for three years.
A 59-year-old man has been sentenced to twelve years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the rape and sexual abuse of two girls during the 1990s and 2000s. The man pleaded guilty to twelve counts relating to sexual offences against the victims when they were young teenagers. The first victim, aged between twelve and seventeen, was abused from 1992 to 1997 by a trusted family employee. The second victim, aged between eleven and seventeen, was abused between 2000 and 2006 by her sister's then-partner. The offences occurred primarily in Dublin and Kildare, with one incident occurring on the road between Sligo and Dublin. Mr Justice Tony Hunt imposed nine-and-a-half years for offences against the first complainant and four consecutive years for the second, suspending the final eighteen months on condition of no contact with either victim and probation supervision.
A 46‑year‑old man was jailed for 12 months for assault causing harm and a two‑year sentence for witness intimidation, with 12 months suspended on strict conditions. He was convicted after a trial at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in February. The case involved his wife withdrawing an earlier assault complaint at a Garda station in October 2020, then later re‑affirming her withdrawal in April 2021. She had initially claimed the husband had spat, hit and insulted her, showing bruises, but later said she was afraid of him. The jury heard her first statement and a medical report, but the judge noted she had not given a victim impact statement. The judge emphasised the seriousness of witness intimidation in a domestic setting and imposed the concurrent sentences, hoping the conditions would deter further incidents. The defendant did not accept the verdict and did not express remorse, though he acknowledged causing some injuries. The unnamed 46-year-old was acquitted.
A 67‑year‑old woman, Bernadette Murphy of Greenore Court, Dublin 2, pleaded guilty to one count of criminal damage after striking a man's car with a hammer during a dispute over flower pots with another senior citizen group member. The incident, which took place in Dublin city centre on 24 May 2023, caused nearly €10,000 in damage to the car's roof, bonnet and sides. Video showed Murphy, who used a walker, repeatedly raising the hammer and striking the vehicle. The man was the father of the other woman and tried to intervene. Murphy, who was undergoing a divorce and had no prior convictions, cooperated with Gardaí and surrendered the hammer. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced her to 18 months suspended in full, ordered her to pay the injured party over €600, and directed the payment to a charity if the victim declined it. The remaining damage cost of over €9,000 was covered by the victim's insurance.
Sean Power, a 32‑year‑old Dublin City Council driver, was fined €1,000 for careless driving after striking a pedestrian in a white Ford Transit van on a narrow, poorly lit T‑junction near Cherry Orchard Industrial Estate. The victim, in his 50s, suffered a catastrophic brain bleed and a broken leg, requiring three weeks in hospital and ongoing rehabilitation. Power, who had been employed with An Post before the accident, cooperated with Gardaí, offered first aid, and later wrote an apology letter. The court noted Power's lack of intent to cause injury, his cooperation, and mitigating personal circumstances, including being the sole breadwinner for three children. No driving disqualification was imposed, and the case remains civilly actionable. The incident occurred on 14 January 2020, and Power's van and phone were seized. The court imposed the fine within six months.
Patrick Joyce, 43, of Rossfield, Tallaght, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three and a half years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, after pleading guilty to two counts of endangerment and two counts of dangerous driving. The offence involved a 35‑minute high‑speed pursuit around Dublin, during which Joyce's gold Skoda Octavia ran red lights, crossed roundabouts, and drove through residential estates on the M50. He was disqualified from driving at the time and was arrested at the scene; CCTV footage from Garda Air Support was shown to the court. The court heard that Joyce's breath smelled of intoxicants and that he had drug and alcohol addictions. The judge noted his guilty plea, remorse, addiction issues, and a tragic family loss as mitigating factors, while citing the seriousness of the offence and his disqualification as aggravating factors.
Daryl Wade, 18, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, robbery and attempted robbery after stabbing an Italian student in the leg in May 2022 and a 17‑year‑old boy in the stomach in February 2023. The court described the offences as "exceptionally serious" and noted Wade's violent propensity. He was identified by CCTV and an audio recording of his admission. Wade's guilty plea and expressions of shame were considered mitigating factors, but the judge deemed a custodial period necessary for rehabilitation. Wade's partner and employer provided supporting letters, and he is no longer living in the area. The sentence was imposed as an adult, with the suspended portion to be served after the 18th birthday.
Declan Service, 63, was convicted of insider trading for selling shares in Open Orphan before the company's discounted share offering was publicly announced. He used confidential information from a Zoom briefing on 18 May 2020 to instruct his broker to sell his 3.89 million shares, then bought back a smaller amount at the discounted price on 22 May 2020, making a profit of about £11,500. Service pleaded guilty and was fined £60,000. Judge Elma Sheahan, after considering mitigating factors such as his cooperation, lack of prior convictions, and mental health issues, suspended the 18‑month custodial sentence in full. The case was brought by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau following a report from Goodbody stockbrokers and the Central Bank. Service is a former multinational employee now working as a carer and has a history of charitable work.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, John McDonagh (36) was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for endangerment after he drove his van over his father‑in‑law, Daniel O'Reilly (58), following a row at a family christening party. The incident began when McDonagh, his wife and a third man left the house, only to return when the third man fired two shots from a starter pistol. McDonagh, claiming he was in "absolute terror and fear," reversed his van, striking O'Reilly, who was behind the vehicle, and then drove over him again while he lay on the ground. O'Reilly suffered cardiac arrest and died from traumatic injuries. McDonagh had six prior minor convictions and pleaded guilty to one count of endangerment, a charge carrying a maximum of seven years. The judge, noting McDonagh's state of terror, reduced the headline sentence of six years to three, citing mitigating factors. The sentencing elicited protests from O'Reilly's family.
Mark Dolan, 49, received a fully suspended two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for masturbating in front of four children aged six to nine in Dublin on 6 May 2023. The court considered mitigating factors such as Dolan's lack of prior convictions and his admission of the act as a form of exhibitionism. The sentence was suspended on conditions including a ban on visiting the area where the offence occurred. Dolan was arrested two days after the incident, initially claiming an insect bite, and later admitted the behaviour but denied masturbating. Victim impact statements highlighted the children's ongoing nightmares and loss of safety. Dolan has no previous convictions, spent nine days in custody, and has begun therapy and medication. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with CCTV footage presented and statements from the children's mothers and a prosecuting Garda. Mark Dolan pleaded guilty.
A man from Donegal has failed in his appeal against conviction for the repeated rape of a teenage girl in July 2016. The Court of Appeal dismissed all grounds of appeal on 22 March 2024. The man, now aged 29, was sentenced to seven years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court in January 2020 after a jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on four counts of rape at two locations in the county. During sentencing, Justice Tara Burns described his conduct as vile and despicable. The victim, now in her twenties, provided a victim impact statement detailing how the attacks had transformed her from a confident young person into someone struggling with trauma and panic attacks. The appellant's legal team challenged the trial judge's handling of prosecution counsel's closing speech, questioned whether the word "stop" had been shouted during the assault, and objected to the admission of Facebook messages. The three-judge panel, led by Justice George Birmingham, found no merit in any of these contentions and upheld the conviction in full.
During a trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Abdul Rahman Mohammed, a 35‑year‑old security guard, was found guilty of sexual assault, false imprisonment and demanding money with menace. The case concerned a 15‑year‑old girl who had shoplifted a makeup brush and peel‑off mask from Penneys, Dundrum Shopping Centre. Mohammed allegedly forced her into a room, made her strip to her underwear, touched her thigh, and demanded she pay €250 for the items. He also interfered with the CCTV camera a week before the incident to blur footage. The girl, who was with two friends, was later told that shoplifters did not have to pay security. Mohammed denied the allegations and claimed the girl and her friends had followed him. The court adjourned the matter until 13 May for finalisation.
A 40‑year‑old man was sentenced to 21 months in prison for a prolonged, vicious assault on his then‑fiancée in December 2022. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. The court heard that the couple were engaged and in a long‑term relationship. The attack began after an argument about social media, when the man entered the bathroom, accused her of cheating, and became physically aggressive. He choked her, used his knee against her neck, and repeatedly verbally abused her, calling her a "slut" and threatening to "smash her face in." The assault lasted several hours, during which the victim was held down, knocked to the ground, and forced to lie in bed. She later fled to her mother's house and reported the incident to Gardaí. The man admitted violence, expressed remorse, and cited mental health difficulties.
At a sentencing hearing in the Central Criminal Court on 22 March 2024, Mary Coughlan, mother of 32‑year‑old Gearoid Coughlan, spoke about the assault she endured when her son, diagnosed with schizophrenia, tried to murder her on 4 June 2021. She described the violent attack, which left her with a 25‑cm neck wound, multiple facial wounds, a traumatic brain injury and ongoing speech and language therapy. Coughlan criticised the mental health system for failing to monitor her son's risk and medication adherence, arguing that people with paranoid schizophrenia are allowed to live in the community without adequate care. She said she would not let the assault define her life and has returned to singing, walking and spending time with grandchildren. Gearoid was arrested, sent to the Central Mental Hospital and is awaiting a psychiatric report before sentencing on 12 April. Gearoid Coughlan pleaded guilty and was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
Enoch Burke, Issac Burke, and Ammi Burke appeared before the High Court regarding Enoch Burke's ongoing imprisonment for failing to comply with an injunction to stay away from Wilson's Hospital School. The judge offered Enoch Burke temporary release during school holidays to reflect on his position, a proposal the school did not object to. However, Enoch Burke refused the offer, alleging the school made false statements regarding security arrangements. The hearing became heated, resulting in Enoch Burke, his brother Issac Burke, and his sister Ammi Burke being removed from the courtroom for interrupting the judge or refusing directions. The judge noted that despite this being Enoch Burke's fourth appearance, the situation had not altered. Counsel for the school stated there was no alternative to Enoch Burke's imprisonment, though they did not object to the judge's proposal for a period of release. The judge adjourned the matter for further review to a date in June. Enoch Burke remains in Mountjoy Prison, having spent over 300 days incarcerated for his failure to comply with the court order. The judge remarked that Enoch Burke was behaving in a way that suggested he wished to remain in prison, despite efforts to provide an alternative.
Charles Mavitty, 66, of Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of inducing others by deception to approve lease agreements on April 3 and 5, 2017. Judge Martin Nolan described Mavitty as the "front man" and a "vital cog" in a fraud involving the leasing of heavy plant machinery, noting that he signed paperwork and engaged financial companies using false documents, including fake utility bills, bank statements, and tax clearance certificates. The prosecution alleged that two Dublin-based financing companies, Bluestone Asset Finance and Finance Ireland, suffered a combined loss of over €240,000 after lending money to purchase two Hitachi excavators that have never been located. Mavitty provided a false address in Galway and made excuses regarding the machines' whereabouts. Defence counsel argued that Mavitty was a "pawn" and a "fall guy" in a larger scheme, stating he was pressurised by others and did not benefit financially. Judge Nolan set a headline sentence of five years but reduced it by half due to mitigating factors, including Mavitty's lack of previous convictions, his status as a family man, and his cooperation with authorities. The judge inferred that Mavitty knew what he was doing and never intended to use the machines. The matter was finalised with the imposition of the custodial sentence.
Dominik Golebiowski, a 30‑year‑old Polish chef from Krakow, pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis for sale after a detector dog found the drugs at a logistics warehouse in Co Dublin. The drugs were concealed in insulation pallets, cut into ten sheets, and were discovered when customs officers searched a warehouse at Dachser Ireland. Golebiowski travelled to the warehouse to collect the pallets, signed for the consignment with a false Polish ID, and attempted to transport the goods in a rented white Tuscon hatchback. He managed to fit four insulation sheets into the car, but Gardaí intercepted him at Dublin Port, where they seized two iPhones and 14 packages of cannabis worth about €200,000. The remaining €300,000 of drugs were found in the warehouse, bringing the total seized to over 25 kg valued at €505,340.
A 75‑year‑old pensioner pleaded guilty to one count of indecent assault on his sister‑in‑law, who was aged eight or nine at the time. The incident, which occurred between 1975 and 1976, involved the victim being left alone in a house, the assailant approaching her while she was asleep, and the assault lasting a few minutes. The victim later reported the abuse to Gardaí in 2019. The court heard that the defendant, who was 27 or 28 when the assault took place, sent a text to his daughter expressing remorse and claiming he could not remember the act. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to ten months' imprisonment, citing the defendant's guilty plea, remorse, work history and lack of recent convictions as mitigating factors. The sentence was out of a potential maximum of two years.
Iollan Tynan Kelleher, aged 22, was sentenced to six years in prison for raping a 15‑year‑old friend and sexually assaulting a second victim. He pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault before trial. The rape occurred in July 2017 when he was 16, and the assault on the second victim happened in August 2017. The court noted the victim's trauma, including depression, suicidal thoughts, flashbacks and anxiety. Kelleher was found guilty of one rape and two sexual assault charges. He received three years and nine months for the rape, 11 months for the assault of the first victim (concurrent), and two years and three months for the assault of the second victim (consecutive). The final 12 months of the sentence were suspended for one year, and he will be supervised by probation for three years and placed on the sex offenders register for five years.
James Maloney, 44, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and attempted theft at an 80‑year‑old woman's home in Santry on 1 February 2023. He has 38 prior convictions. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, presided by Judge Elma Sheahan, found the private dwelling and victim's age aggravating, but noted Maloney's guilty plea, duress to pay a drug debt, remorse and apology as mitigating. He was sentenced to four years for the attempted burglary and two years and four months for the assault, both to run concurrently. The judge suspended the final six months of the sentence for six months. Maloney had been homeless and a drug user at the time, had admitted the offence, expressed remorse, and was engaged in a methadone programme. The victim suffered head, arm and hand injuries and had to wait over 12 hours in A&E. The court heard a victim impact statement and a letter of apology from Maloney.
Brendan Colley, a 55-year-old defendant from Drimnagh, Dublin 12, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to a charge of possession of the proceeds of crime. Gardaí discovered €102,720 in cash hidden in socks and gloves beneath the stairwell of his home during a search on March 9, 2023. Colley admitted to holding the money to reduce a drugs debt, stating he was forced to store it and intended to hand it over to the owner. He has ten previous convictions, including offences for drugs, robbery, and possession of knives. Defence counsel John Berry BL highlighted Colley's vulnerabilities, including a recent tumour diagnosis and ongoing addiction issues, and requested a suspended sentence. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged Colley's mitigating circumstances and low risk of re-offending but noted that laundering such a significant sum is a serious matter. The Judge stated that a more robust offender might have received three to four years. Consequently, Judge Nolan imposed a two-year prison sentence, ruling that an offender cannot launder that amount of money without suffering for it. The matter was finalised with this custodial sentence.
A 40‑year‑old man was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting his partner's friend while she slept on a bunk bed, with two children sleeping below. The assault occurred on 7 September 2018 and was found guilty in a trial last November. The victim, who could not be named, described feeling a hand in her vagina and hearing the assailant's voice, and later texted her partner and the accused. The accused denied the allegations but admitted to being out of bed at the time. He had ten prior convictions for drug misuse and traffic offences. Judge Patricia Ryan noted the assaults happened twice, with children present, and ordered the man onto the sex offenders register. The sentence reflected the aggravating factors and the victim's impact statement.
Conti Birali (28) was sentenced to nine years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to assault causing serious harm and violent disorder. The offences occurred on July 31, 2022, at the Old Navan Road, Dublin 7. Birali admitted to instigating an unprovoked attack on victim Austin Doherty, who suffered severe head injuries and brain trauma, leaving him a wheelchair user with lifelong disabilities. Birali, of Parlickstown Drive, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15, had previously left the jurisdiction but returned and was arrested in November 2022. He expressed remorse, describing his actions as a "stupid alcoholic decision" and accepting global responsibility for the joint enterprise. Judge Martin Nolan noted Birali was the "author of the entire incident" and categorized the offence in the higher range of seriousness. The court also heard that co-accused Craig Maples (28), of Green Briar, Verdemont, Blanchardstown, Dublin, was jailed for seven years last month after pleading guilty to violent disorder and assault causing serious harm on the same occasion. Maples was identified as one of the three men who participated in the assault. The judge accepted Birali's expression of remorse and assessed a low risk of reoffending, but emphasized the severe, permanent impact on the victim, who can no longer work or care for his children.
An 86‑year‑old driver, Phillip Smith, was fined €1,500 and banned from driving for one year after he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious harm. On 4 August 2021, while travelling at 34 km/h on Gardiner Street, he struck a 95‑year‑old pedestrian who had crossed the street without looking left. The collision left the woman with a spinal fracture and 31 facial stitches. CCTV showed the woman had crossed the road and Smith hit her; he had 1.5 seconds to react and did so in 0.8 seconds. Smith had no prior convictions and had never received a parking ticket. The court noted the seriousness of the injuries but also Smith's unblemished record and early guilty plea, and therefore imposed a fine and a one‑year driving disqualification rather than custodial imprisonment. The woman has since made a full physical recovery.
Peter 'Peadar' Keating, a senior Kinahan cartel member jailed for 11 years in September 2021 for directing a criminal organisation to target James 'Mago' Gately, is awaiting a High Court decision on his extradition to the UK. Keating faces nine alleged offences, including perverting the course of justice and conspiracy to possess firearms, stemming from a botched plot to amass an arsenal to help Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh reduce his sentence. Kavanagh, who pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and was jailed for 21 years in England in March 2022, is alleged to have directed the scheme. The UK warrant alleges Keating, using the handle 'short-texture', procured weapons from the Netherlands between January and June 2020. While Keating's counsel argued he was serving a sentence in Ireland and thus outside the UK's jurisdiction, the State's counsel rejected this, stating the warrant clearly indicates the conspiracy occurred while Keating was in the UK. The court will deliver its judgment on the surrender application by April 25. Separately, Imre Arakas was jailed for six years in December 2018 after admitting to conspiring to murder Gately in Northern Ireland in 2017.
In March 2024, the Central Criminal Court activated the suspended one‑year portion of Robbie Walsh's eight‑year manslaughter sentence after he attacked Martin Burke and threatened to kill him on 25 July 2023, just months after his release from prison. Walsh, 28, had been found not guilty of murder but guilty of the manslaughter of Karl "Gobbo" Haugh, 25, in 2019. He had served five years and eight months of his sentence and was released on 23 March 2023. On 28 February 2024, Walsh was sentenced to 15 months for assault, a threat to kill and criminal damage. The judge, citing Walsh's history of serious offending and the violence involved, imposed the full 12‑month suspended term to commence after the expiry of the 15‑month sentence. The court noted that the offences occurred within months of his release.
The 33‑year‑old man, whose name is withheld, was arraigned at the Central Criminal Court on 21 March 2024. He pleaded guilty to four charges that occurred in the southwest of the country in March 2021. He admitted that he reported his four‑year‑old son's fatal injuries as an accidental fall to a garda station on 24 March 2021, with the intent to impede the apprehension or prosecution of the person he believed had murdered the child. He also pleaded guilty to endangering the child on 13 March 2021 by placing him in a situation that posed a substantial risk of serious harm while he had authority over the child. Additionally, he pleaded guilty to wilfully causing or allowing the child to be assaulted between 6 and 12 March 2021, and to wilfully neglecting the child on 13 March 2021 by failing to provide adequate medical aid.
Leeanda Farrelly (49) was found guilty of publishing a report likely to lead to the identification of a child involved in criminal proceedings after she reposted a photo of 'Boy A', one of the boys who murdered 14‑year‑old Ana Kriégel, in a closed Facebook group on 19 June 2019. The image was posted with text encouraging others to share it. Farrelly removed the post after about 20 minutes but had already attracted police attention. She pleaded guilty in November 2023. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a fully suspended nine‑month sentence, noting that Farrelly's actions were a "self‑appointed judge, jury and executioner" and that she had little regard for the law. The court highlighted that the children were protected under the Children's Act and that the orders prohibiting their identification were in place to safeguard the judicial process.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, the mother of a six‑year‑old girl whose innocence was taken by Mark Dolan, 49, demanded a clear message that such behaviour would not be tolerated. Dolan, who had initially denied the offence, pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual activity in front of a child on 6 May 2023. CCTV footage showed him parking beside a school, walking past a group of girls aged six to eight, undressing and masturbating for over five minutes while checking for witnesses. The four girls suffered nightmares and lost a sense of safety. Dolan had no prior convictions, was arrested two days after the incident, and had admitted to exhibitionist behaviour. He spent nine days in custody, began therapy and is on medication. The case was adjourned for sentencing.
The High Court has heard arguments regarding the extradition of Peter 'Peadar' Keating to the UK, where he faces charges including perverting the course of justice and conspiracy to possess firearms. Keating, a senior Kinahan cartel member, was jailed for 11 years in Ireland in September 2021 after pleading guilty to directing a criminal organisation involved in the targeting of James 'Mago' Gately. The UK warrant alleges Keating conspired to source weapons from the Netherlands to assist Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh in reducing his sentence. Kavanagh, who pleaded guilty to drug trafficking, was jailed for 21 years in England in March 2022. Counsel for Keating argued that the alleged conspiracy occurred outside the jurisdiction of England and Wales, noting Keating was serving a sentence in Ireland during the relevant period. The court also considered arguments regarding prison conditions in the UK. The hearing before Mr Justice Patrick McGrath was adjourned and continues tomorrow. Separately, Imre Arakas was jailed for six years in December 2018 after admitting to conspiring to murder Gately in Northern Ireland. Stephen Fowler and David Duffy were also jailed for providing logistical support to the plot against Gately.
A 59‑year‑old man who sexually abused his cousin between 1979 and 1982 was arrested when he returned to Ireland after living abroad. He pleaded guilty to three counts of indecent assault at his cousin's Dublin home. The court noted he had serious lung disease requiring regular operations and a reduced life span, and therefore suspended the entire headline sentence of four to five years, giving him a three‑year suspended sentence. He had no prior convictions, a long work history and many references. The victim, aged six to nine at the time of the abuse, reported the incidents to Gardaí in 2023 and did not attend the sentencing hearing. The judge highlighted the seriousness of the offences and the fear they caused, but deemed imprisonment unfair due to the defendant's medical condition. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 23‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to defilement for an incident that occurred in June 2019 when he was 18 and the victim was a 15‑year‑old girl. The court imposed a fully suspended sentence, citing the defendant's young age and mitigating circumstances. The victim, now 19, gave a victim impact statement describing severe emotional distress, self‑harm, depression, an eating disorder, PTSD, and ongoing nightmares. She also noted the disruption to her education, work, and family life. Judge Martin Nolan described the offence as serious and a "terrible misjudgement" but decided against custodial imprisonment, stating the defendant's age and mitigation warranted a suspended sentence. The conviction will place the defendant on the sex offenders' register, which the court considered a punishment in itself. The case was originally reported by a local detective following a complaint by the victim's mother in December 2019.
Patrick McInerney, 40, of Kilkishen, Co Clare, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with an 18‑month suspended term, for using information technology to facilitate the sexual exploitation of a child. He had believed he was communicating with 14‑year‑old girls through decoy Facebook profiles set up by a UK group. McInerney sent friend requests, forwarded a photograph of his erect penis, and conducted three video calls in which he masturbated, two via Facebook and one via WhatsApp. The videos were recorded and handed to Gardaí. He also sent a similar image to a woman selling puppies, who blocked him. Gardaí seized and analysed his phone, revealing the offending material. McInerney made full admissions, provided passwords and nicknames, and no longer uses Facebook or a smartphone. The judge noted the obscene nature of the conduct and the possibility of rehabilitation, but affirmed that he deserved prison. The suspended portion is to be served under strict conditions. Patrick McInerney pleaded guilty.
Martin Roche, 62, was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to theft and aiding and abetting money laundering linked to a Brazilian real‑estate scam. In 2012 he became director of a company that promoted a fictitious social housing scheme in Brazil, later struck off in 2014. Roche's bank accounts in Spain were used to launder €271,958, and he admitted stealing €69,000 from investors. Two men invested €183,444.54 and €5,000 plus $6,900, expecting returns that never materialised. Victims received cold calls promising 15% and 30% returns, but the promised development never existed. Roche denied stealing any money from investors but admitted to taking the €69,000. He claimed he was used as a front by another individual and that he had a severe gambling addiction. Judge Martin Nolan described his conduct as "serious criminal behaviour" and imposed the custodial term. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In March 2024, Shannon Valley Plant Hire Ltd was fined €600,000 after the death of Christopher Miley, a 31‑year‑old worker who was knocked down by a digger at Behan Quarry in Rathcoole on 28 October 2021. Miley was refuelling vehicles for the company in wet, dark, windy conditions, with no lighting, traffic marshal or designated refuelling area. The court found that Shannon Valley failed to ensure the health, safety and welfare of individuals on the site, and that Behan Aggregates and Recycling Ltd, the quarry operator, failed to maintain suitable operating procedures. The fine for Shannon Valley was the maximum allowed in such cases, while Behan Aggregates received a €50,000 fine. The judge highlighted a "certain level of complacency" on site and the lack of adequate safety measures. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with the families of the deceased present for the sentencing. The companies had no prior health and safety breaches. The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 27‑year‑old woman testified that she is "living in fear" after her ex‑partner, who was jailed for 18 months, slammed her to the ground, fracturing three vertebrae in her back and subjecting her to misogynistic abuse. The incident occurred on 13 November 2021 after a dispute over a third party. The man, who has 22 prior convictions, was found guilty of assault causing harm. He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, with six months suspended on strict conditions, back‑dated to September when he entered custody. The court noted the victim's ongoing pain, financial hardship, and mental health issues, and praised her for coming forward. The defendant accepted the verdict, apologized, and expressed a desire to co‑parent their child while avoiding contact with the victim. The judge highlighted the aggravating factor of the verbal abuse and the defendant's drug‑related history. The sentence was imposed on 19 March 2024.