Two teenagers, Jamie Agemoh (20) and Wayne Dennis (21), were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for intimidating a 51‑year‑old woman over her son's drug debt. Agemoh, who had previously been convicted of a firearms offence, pleaded guilty to demanding money with menaces and was given a two‑year, three‑month prison term, fully suspended for four years with conditions including one year of probation. Dennis, who had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty to a single count of demanding money with menaces and received a twelve‑month sentence, fully suspended. The court noted Agemoh's repeated demands between May and June 2020, which resulted in the woman paying over €2,500. Both men were described as having acted to intimidate the victim, with Agemoh's behaviour deemed "terrorising" and Dennis serving as a "body man.".
Anthony Goodman, a 78‑year‑old sex offender with no fixed abode, was jailed for 12 months after a Garda detective spotted him attempting to board a Luas tram at Smithfield. Goodman had a sex offender order issued in August 2017 that barred him from using public transport without prior Garda notice. The detective, Fergus Grant, approached Goodman, who admitted he had knowingly violated the order and had decided to "take a chance." Goodman had 213 prior convictions, including sexual assault, indecency, breaches of a sex offender order, burglary, arson and threats to kill, and was already serving a sentence for another offence. Judge Dara Hayes noted Goodman's age, frailty and cooperation, but imposed a 12‑month sentence, crediting him for time already served. The order had previously prevented him from riding a bus without informing Gardaí. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Anthony Goodman was found guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court sentencing hearing, Andrew 'Andy' Cash, aged 30, was found guilty of manslaughter for stabbing his brother‑in‑law, John 'Johnny' Cash, to death on 3 May 2022. Cash claimed he had been drinking and taking tablets when he "snapped" after a dispute with his wife, Elizabeth, who alleged that Cash believed his wife had been intimate with Johnny for years. The court heard that Cash had a knife in his car, which he used to stab Johnny twice, one wound penetrating the heart. A jury had earlier returned a 10‑2 majority verdict of not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, and not guilty of assault causing harm or production of a knife. Cash's defence argued that he suffered a sudden loss of self‑control, but the court accepted the manslaughter conviction. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon will pass sentence on 19 February.
Darren Martin, aged 48, of Bride Road, Dublin 8, has been sentenced to four and a half years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his guilty pleas to two robberies of elderly women in March 2022. The offences occurred in Dublin 8, where Martin targeted women in their 80s on consecutive days, snatching handbags and a walking stick. Judge Elma Sheahan noted that Martin had robbed the victims not only of property but of their peace of mind. Martin's previous convictions for robbery and other offences were cited as aggravating factors. The court heard evidence of the distress caused to both women. The defence noted Martin's struggles with drug addiction and mental health difficulties. Martin received credit for time already spent in custody.
Chantal Johnston, 37, of Clonard Road in Crumlin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm and dangerous driving. The charges relate to an incident at Domino's Pizza on the Crumlin Road in the early hours of July 9, 2022. Prosecutors alleged that Johnston racially abused a part-time delivery driver, calling him a "bloody foreigner" and a "little Paki," before pushing, punching, kicking, and biting him. She was further accused of driving her car toward the victim in a threatening manner and threatening to kill him. The victim, who described the attack as being like a "vicious animal," stated in a victim impact statement that the racially motivated incident caused him lasting physical pain, anxiety, and depression. Defense counsel Seoirse Ó Dúnlaing BL submitted that Johnston, a mother of two, had taken an excessive amount of anti-depressants and was under the influence. He offered a fulsome apology and noted she had no previous convictions. Judge Orla Crowe expressed disappointment with the apology, stating she was "utterly underwhelmed" given the personalized and racial nature of the attack. The judge agreed to defer the sentence and ordered a probation report, suggesting probation services might propose a form of restorative justice. The matter was adjourned for finalisation to March 11 next year.
A 49‑year‑old mother, Lynn Eagar, was sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty to murdering her two children, Thelma (5) and Michael (2), by setting fire to the car they were travelling in. The court heard that Eagar had sent text messages before the incident expressing that she believed the children would no longer suffer. She admitted to placing petrol in the rear footwell of a blue Lexus and igniting it, causing the vehicle to burst into flames. The children died; Eagar sustained minimal burns and was rescued by a passerby. She had no prior convictions and had been in custody since September 2022, later transferred to the Central Mental Hospital. The judge imposed a mandatory life sentence for each count of murder, expressing sympathy for the bereaved family. The summary is 140 words.
Patrick McNamee, 42, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for stealing €200 from a 69‑year‑old wheelchair user in Cork. McNamee, who has 190 prior convictions, pretended to be a home carer, entered the victim's home uninvited, forced him into a wheelchair, and took him to a local Spar shop to collect his pension. He later returned to the house, found the pension withdrawn, and took the cash from the victim's armchair. The victim did not file a victim impact statement. McNamee admitted the theft, apologized, and claimed drug addiction had influenced his actions. The judge, after considering his personal circumstances and prison conduct, reduced a headline sentence of six years to the current term, backdated to June 26.
Leeanda Farrelly, aged 49, admitted on 29 November 2023 that she posted a Facebook photo on 19 June 2019 of 'Boy A', one of the two 13‑year‑old boys who murdered 14‑year‑old Ana Kriégel in May 2018. The photo was likely to lead to his identification, contravening the Children Act's prohibition on publishing images that could identify child offenders. Farrelly will be sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 22 February next year. The case remains at the sentencing stage, with no further judicial outcome reported in the article. Leeanda Farrelly pleaded guilty.
Antoinette Geoghegan, 37, of Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a controlled drug for sale and supply on 15 February 2022, and to possession of €2,180 as proceeds of crime. A Garda raid on her home uncovered a schoolbag near the front door containing 11 large bags and 24 smaller packets of heroin, totalling 341 g and valued at €47,782. The bag also held 41 g of crack cocaine, valued at €2,887, €2,180 in cash, weighing scales and two mobile phones. Geoghegan admitted she was holding the heroin for others and that she intended to sell the crack cocaine. She has two prior convictions, including assault causing harm in 2005. The court adjourned the case to 22 March 2024 for finalisation, with a probation report to be prepared.
Keith McDonnell, aged 34, was sentenced to three years in prison for exposing himself to a female Garda and making threats to kill or seriously harm two Garda officers during an arrest in a Garda van. McDonnell pleaded guilty to two counts of making threats to kill or cause serious harm. The judge noted his history of homelessness from age eight, early substance use, and ongoing addiction, citing a letter from his partner about the impact on their family. McDonnell's behaviour was described as misogynistic, vile, and appalling, with threats that were real, credible and nasty. The judge considered mitigating factors, including his guilty plea, and imposed a three‑year sentence, reduced from a headline four‑year sentence. The case involved a Garda operation at La Touche Drive, where McDonnell had been verbally aggressive, physically threatened officers, and was ultimately arrested and transported to the station in a Garda van.
A 35‑year‑old Dublin man, Eoin Prizeman, was sentenced to a fully suspended 12‑month term for possessing child pornography after a Facebook account he managed posted a video of an adult raping a boy aged nine or ten. Gardaí discovered 276 videos of child abuse on his Samsung phone, including a disturbing clip of a six‑ to 12‑month‑old infant tied to a makeshift bed and bound. Prizeman pleaded guilty and expressed remorse, noting he had not deleted the videos because he wanted to keep contact with the sender. He had no prior convictions and was found to be at low risk of reoffending. Judge Orla Crowe accepted the mitigating factors and imposed a 12‑month sentence suspended for three years, subject to strict conditions such as keeping the peace, good behaviour and engaging with the Probation Service. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Court.
A 23‑year‑old Dublin man, Josh Reidy, pleaded guilty to possessing more than €19,000 as proceeds of crime in two smishing frauds that occurred in August 2021 and July 2022. Smishing involves sending text messages with fake links that redirect money to other accounts. Bank of Ireland recovered all but €900 of the first €19,421 withdrawal and €18,973 of the second €19,877 withdrawal, leaving victims with losses of €900 and €904 respectively. Gardaí traced the beneficiary accounts to Reidy, who was living on Sundrive Road and later at Landsdowne Gate apartments. He claimed a €3,000 drug debt and said he had been forced to provide his passport and mobile details to pay it off. The court accepted his cooperation and the threat he faced, and imposed an 18‑month suspended sentence with strict conditions, including continued drug rehabilitation.
A mechanic, Xhevair Ibraj, aged 42, was caught by Gardaí during a routine patrol in West Dublin when he was receiving a Lidl bag from a co‑accused. The bag, later found to contain cocaine, was discovered in the footwell of his car. Gardaí also seized another package of cocaine, bringing the combined street value of the drugs to €139,132. Ibraj pleaded guilty to one count of possessing drugs for sale or supply on 17 March 2020. He had no prior convictions. His co‑accused, who pleaded guilty to a more serious drugs charge, had previously served a four‑year sentence. Ibraj was described by defence counsel as a hardworking family man with no signs of wealth. The court sentenced him to two years' imprisonment for his role in the drug handover.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 71‑year‑old man was found guilty of 28 counts of rape, oral rape, anal rape and 19 counts of sexual assault against his granddaughter between 2008 and 2012. The abuse began shortly before the girl's First Holy Communion when the man, while renovating a shed, forced her to perform oral sex on him; she was aged seven or eight. Over the next four years he repeatedly took her to a shed, a car and a mobile home to force her to masturbate, orally rape and attempt penetrative sex. He gave her money after each incident. The abuse ended when a friend informed her mother on New Year's Eve 2012, and the case was reported to the gardai in January 2013. The victim, now grown, gave a victim impact statement describing the daily abuse and the lasting trauma. The court adjourned the case for finalisation on 5 December 2023.
Amadea McDermott, aged 27, was killed by her partner Martin Hayes, aged 34, who was sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison for manslaughter. The judge, Mr Justice Paul McDermott, described the killing as a clear case of domestic violence, noting that Hayes had tracked Amadea's movements with a secret app, made menacing videos accusing her of incest, and had a history of aggressive behaviour. Amadea suffered a single stab wound to the abdomen, causing substantial blood loss, and had recent bruises on her limbs and face, evidence of physical abuse. Hayes pleaded not guilty to murder but was found guilty of manslaughter by a majority verdict. The sentence was back‑dated to the date of his first custody in 2022. The McDermott family, led by Amadea's sister Eucharia, called for stricter laws on coercive control and domestic abuse, condemning Hayes as a violent, deranged monster and urging the nation to protect women from such abuse. Martin Hayes was acquitted.
A 57‑year‑old man from Cork pleaded guilty in the Central Criminal Court to indecently and sexually assaulting his step‑sister over three months in 1991, when he was 14 and she was 12. The court heard that he fondled her breasts and vagina while 'wrestling' with her and, on one occasion, digitally penetrated her vagina. He had no blood relation to her. The victim described feeling repulsed, disgusted, low self‑esteem and burdened by the secret knowledge of the assaults, noting a terrible impact on her life. She said she could forgive the accused but not his actions. The judge acknowledged her bravery and, noting the defendant's rehabilitation and lack of prior convictions, sentenced him to four months' imprisonment for indecent assault and 16 months for each of the four sexual assault counts, all to run concurrently. The sentence was suspended for two years on strict conditions.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 39‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to raping a young woman after a Dublin party in June 2022. The woman, who was heavily intoxicated, was carried into a room where she awoke with the accused in bed and realized she had been raped. She described being shamed by her community, with people blaming her and claiming she was at fault. The accused denied taking advantage of her, insisting she was in a state to consent, but the garda and defence agreed she had no recollection and could not consent. The accused expressed remorse, acknowledging responsibility and promising to carry the shame of his actions. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon adjourned sentencing to February to allow further consideration of the case. The court heard CCTV footage and testimonies supporting the victim's account. The accused has no prior convictions and is assessed as low risk of reoffending.
Vicky Hehir (30), also known as Victoria O'Halloran, of Bruach na Sionna, Castleconnell, Co Limerick and her husband Warren Hehir (33) of the same address appeared before the three-judge court for their sentence hearing today. Both pleaded guilty to one charge of money laundering in relation to the €59,000 for the works carried out at Kilmurry Court. The court heard that Warren Hehir didn't engage with gardai during his detention other than to answer one question in relation to renovations at Kilmurry Court, in which he said "I got the work done." Mr Justice Michael MacGrath, sitting with Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge James Faughnan, remanded Warren Hehir in custody and Vicky Hehir on continuing bail until January 22 2024, when they will be sentenced. "The court takes a serious view of the offending of both defendants," added Mr Justice MacGrath. Sandra Hehir (54), with an address at Assumpta Park, Island road, Limerick City, pleaded guilty last month before the Special Criminal Court to laundering over one hundred thousand euro in crime cash at her home. The court heard that the property at Kilmurry Court was being purchased on behalf of Warren and Vicky Hehir. An order to freeze the couple's financial accounts in various institutions was sought on foot of the search and other items were found. The court heard that Warren Hehir has 54 previous convictions which include money laundering in the context of drug dealing, robbery, criminal damage and the possession of a firearm and ammunition. The matter was adjourned until January 22 2024.
Dermott Brett, 56, was found guilty of raping a 20‑year‑old university student in a Dublin hotel on 11 January 2019. The victim, described as vulnerable and intoxicated, was taken from a pub to Brett's hotel room where she was raped and offered cocaine. CCTV footage showed Brett's arrival, the victim's drunken state, and the taxi incidents. Brett pleaded not guilty but was convicted in May 2023 and maintains his innocence. He has one prior traffic conviction. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon sentenced him to nine years' imprisonment, suspending the final year on strict conditions, including probation and a sex‑offender treatment programme. He was placed on the sex‑offender register. The victim suffered PTSD and academic disruption, and her impact statement highlighted profound loss of independence and trust.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Craig O'Brien, aged 28, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to social media influencer Charleen Murphy on 10 February at the Grafton Capital Hotel. O'Brien, who has ten prior convictions including two for assault, struck Murphy from behind, delivering a blow to the back of her head that caused facial injuries and a forehead wound. CCTV footage was described by Judge Orla Crowe as "absolutely shocking". The judge noted no prior animosity between the parties and highlighted the unprovoked nature of the attack. O'Brien was sentenced to two years and three months, with nine months suspended for 18 months, and ordered to remain under probation supervision for 18 months. He must also refrain from any contact with Murphy and keep a 50‑metre distance for five years after release. The court recorded Murphy's victim impact statement, detailing ongoing nightmares, panic attacks and a sense of being "a shell of herself.".
Five family members were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after gardaí uncovered a drug-dealing operation during raids on a Finglas home. Judge Orla Crowe handed Anthony Robinson an effective global sentence of two years for all offences, with the final six months suspended, taking into account his age and health difficulties. He had admitted possessing cocaine and heroin for sale or supply, allowing his premises to be used for drug dealing, and obstructing the work of gardaí. His son, Christopher Robinson, pleaded guilty to possessing €8,680 worth of heroin for sale or supply and obstructing a drug search. He received an effective sentence of 18 months and was ordered to be of good behaviour for three years. Caroline Robinson, who pleaded guilty to allowing her premises to be used for drug dealing, was given a two-year fully suspended sentence and ordered to keep the peace for four years. Paul Archibold, who admitted to possessing cannabis, received a 12-month suspended sentence. Kyle Cooney, who admitted to possessing drugs and obstructing gardaí, was handed a 12-month suspended sentence and ordered to keep the peace for three years. The court noted that all defendants had taken responsibility for their actions, with some citing debt clearance as a motive.
Charlie Darcy (35), of John's Lane West, Dublin 8, appeared before Judge Orla Crowe in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court at the sentencing stage. He pleaded guilty to counts of taking a vehicle without consent and possession of stolen property on separate occasions between December 14 and 16, 2021. The court heard that Darcy was on bail for the burglary of the Marble Arch pub in Drimnagh, for which he previously pleaded guilty, as well as for possession of a firearm at Longs Place, Dublin 8, on December 18, 2021. Darcy and his accomplice in the pub break-in, Jason Paget (35), were both jailed for four and a half years for those earlier offences. For the current charges, Judge Crowe imposed a consecutive two-year sentence. The court noted that Darcy is currently in custody serving the sentence for the Marble Arch burglary and will begin the new two-year term upon its conclusion early next year. Defense counsel Keith Spencer BL stated that Darcy was under pressure to repay a debt and struggling with addiction, but noted he has tried to better himself in custody. The judge acknowledged Darcy's good conduct and academic achievements while imposing the sentence.
David Mantle, 45, a drug addict with 111 prior convictions, was sentenced by Judge Elma Sheahan in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to six years and three months' imprisonment, with the last six months suspended for 12 months. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on 21 October 2021, when he attacked a man on St Agnes Road, Crumlin with a dog chain, and to robbery on 26 November 2022, when he and another man robbed a pharmacy in Ranelagh with a screwdriver, stealing €470 in cash, medication, headsets and a mobile phone. Garda evidence showed the assault victim had blood on his face and cuts to his forehead and back of his head, requiring stitches at St James's Hospital. The court noted Mantle's long‑standing drug problems and his attempts to detox, but also his 111 previous convictions, including assault, robbery and drug possession.
Soufiane Mountassir, 39, was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a violent assault on his former partner that left her with severe injuries and lasting trauma. The court heard that Mountassir, who claimed to be Moroccan, had been drinking, taking Dalmane, cocaine and cannabis during the incident. He forced the woman into a car boot, repeatedly punched and smashed her face against the vehicle's interior, and drove the car onto the footpath, damaging the wheel. Witnesses described the attack as a "blind rage" and reported blood on the car's interior and the victim's clothing. Mountassir pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and assault causing harm. He is also wanted in Germany for an arson offence and is due before the European Arrest Warrant court on Monday. The case will be finalised on 21 December 2023.
A man convicted of murder has sought a stay on extradition proceedings pending the outcome of his application to transfer his prison sentence from Northern Ireland to the Republic. James Meehan (54), with addresses in Derry City and Kells, Co Meath, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2009 for the murder of Jim McFadden in May 2007 following an incident in Donegal. Meehan left Northern Ireland in October 2022 whilst on release conditions and later moved to Kells. He was arrested by arrangement in May this year on foot of extradition warrants. At the High Court hearing, his counsel argued that the punitive element of his sentence had been served and that determination of his sentence-transfer application, pending since 2017, should precede any extradition decision. The State's counsel contended he was unlawfully at large from temporary release and that court could not delay proceedings whilst a live prosecution existed in the North. Ms Justice Melanie Greally adjourned judgment to Friday, 8 December.
A 45‑year‑old man was sentenced to five years and six months' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, for orally raping his partner's 17‑year‑old daughter on 17 July 2019. He pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court a week before the trial. The offence occurred at the girl's home while she was returning from work; the man watched from the window, removed her top, kissed her breasts, touched her vagina, and forced her to give him oral sex. The victim, shocked and confused, later told her mother and the man was made to leave. He had a history of mental health difficulties and had not been in contact with Gardaí since. The judge noted the lack of a victim impact statement but confirmed the girl was harmed. The sentence was reduced from a headline of seven years to five years and six months, with the suspended portion conditional on probation and treatment engagement.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 21 November 2023, the family of Amadea McDermott, aged 27, presented victim impact statements after her murder on 20 July 2017. The sisters, Olivia, Euphrasia, Eucharia and brother Zack, accused Martin Hayes, 34, of coercive control, physical abuse and a hidden phone tracker. They described the fatal stab wound to Amadea's abdomen and the extensive bruising found at the scene. Hayes had pleaded not guilty to murder but was found guilty of manslaughter by a majority verdict. The court heard that Hayes admitted using violence and had accessed Amadea's phone via a hidden app. He had also claimed Amadea had self‑harmed, a claim the prosecution rejected. The sentencing hearing was scheduled for 28 November 2023, with Hayes remanded in custody. The family urged the court to consider the abuse and the impact on their lives. The case remains in the Central Criminal Court. Martin Hayes was acquitted.
A 33-year-old woman has pleaded not guilty to the murder of a 36-year-old man at a house in Ballyconnell, County Cavan on February 10, 2022. The Central Criminal Court heard that Nicola Brennan is alleged to have stabbed her housemate in the chest after her partner asked the deceased for a cigarette. The prosecution opened its case by outlining that a knife was recovered from the scene with the deceased's DNA on its tip, and that blood matching the victim was found on the accused's clothing. False nails allegedly linked to the defendant were discovered in both her room and the victim's room. The accused was arrested and subsequently released from detention before being rearrested. A jury of eight men and four women has been sworn in. The trial is expected to last a maximum of three weeks.
Matthew Coward, a former Swim Ireland coach aged 32, was sentenced to three years in prison for sexual exploitation and producing child abuse material. He secretly filmed three girls while they changed into swimming skins in his office, demanding they be completely naked. The court heard that the girls had "worshipped" him and that one girl's father reported her being recorded, leading to a Garda investigation and the discovery of nearly 80 videos on Coward's devices. Two videos were classified as child abuse material and seven as inappropriate. Coward pleaded guilty to six counts—three of sexual exploitation and three of producing child pornography—between September 2021 and February 2022. He received concurrent sentences of four and three years, with the final 12 months of the four‑year term suspended on strict conditions, including good behaviour for two years after release. Coward's plea of guilty and expression of remorse were taken into account by Judge Orla Crowe.
Andy Cash, aged 30, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for stabbing his brother‑in‑law, John Cash, 40, to death on 3 May 2022 in Kilkenny. The Central Criminal Court heard that Cash was intoxicated and unfit for interview for six hours after arrest. He admitted striking John Cash but denied stabbing him, claiming John had ducked. A post‑mortem showed two stab wounds, one penetrating the heart. Cash was also charged with assault causing harm to his sister Elizabeth and with producing a knife during a dispute; both charges were acquitted. The jury returned a 10‑2 majority verdict on all charges. The case was adjourned to 1 December for sentencing, with victim impact statements to be prepared. The Cash family issued a statement thanking the court, Gardaí and witnesses for their support. Andy Cash was found guilty.
Karl Scully, 34, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for careless driving causing the death of Devin Shepherd, 7, at St Joseph's Way, Ballymun, on September 1, 2019. Scully pleaded guilty to the charge. Judge Pauline Codd imposed an 18-month prison sentence and disqualified him from driving for 10 years. During sentencing, Scully interjected to request a lifetime driving ban. The court noted that Scully, a road sweeper, failed to check his rear-view camera while reversing, striking the child. This conviction follows a prior six-month suspended sentence imposed in June 2023 for careless driving causing the death of Anthony Hanney, 61, in December 2018. In that earlier case, Scully entered a bus lane prematurely, leading to the fatal collision. The judge considered Scully's guilty plea, remorse, and personal circumstances in mitigation, while noting his prior conviction for causing death by careless driving as an aggravating factor. Victim impact statements from Devin's family highlighted their ongoing grief. Scully has 15 previous District Court convictions, including two for failing to display tax. The court emphasized the driver's duty of care in the presence of children.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 20 November 2023, a 68‑year‑old man was sentenced to an additional four years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 10‑year‑old girl, the aunt of a previous victim, between 2003 and 2005. The man, who was a distant cousin and lived with the family, had already been serving a seven‑year‑three‑month sentence for the anal rape of the same girl in 2021. He pleaded guilty to the earlier assault, admitting he had laid on top of the child and digitally penetrated her with his fingers. The court noted that the victim had kept the incident to herself until she learned the man was being investigated for raping her niece. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, cited the victim's youth and the man's abuse of his trusted family position as aggravating factors, and imposed the consecutive sentence while acknowledging the defendant's poor health and remorse.
A 26‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for raping a 16‑year‑old girl in the grounds of a GAA club. The conviction followed a trial at the Central Criminal Court in July, where the man had pleaded not guilty to the single count of rape. He was first taken into custody on 17 July 2023, and the sentence was back‑dated to that date. The victim, who was 16 at the time of the offence, was a friend of the man's sibling and had been texting him about cigarettes. After meeting at the club grounds, the man attempted to kiss her, pushed her, and then raped her. He later smoked cannabis before leaving. The court noted the man's age difference, lack of apology, and his prior good character as mitigating factors, while recognising the aggravating factor of the age gap. The victim's impact statement highlighted her long‑term distress and lack of support.
A 25‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to two charges of rape and was sentenced to 11½ years in prison, with five years of post‑release supervision and a prohibition on contacting his former partner. The court considered four additional rape incidents between January and February 2021, all involving the man raping the woman while she was in bed or doing laundry, and the man filming the assaults and sending the videos to friends. The judge noted the man's history of 34 convictions, 11 of which involved the same woman, including assault and coercive control. The victim's impact statement described the attacks as brutal, the woman as vulnerable, and the lasting emotional harm she suffered. The sentence was reduced from a headline 17‑year term due to the man's guilty plea and expression of remorse. The court also ordered the man to remain in prison for any previous Circuit Court offences against the woman.
In a courtroom in Dublin, Ryan Casey, the boyfriend of the 23‑year‑old teacher Ashling Murphy, delivered a tearful statement after the jury convicted Jozef Puska of murder. Casey described his love for Murphy, their plans to marry and start a family, and the loss he feels. He accused Puska of showing no remorse and called him "the lowest of the low." The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, imposed a mandatory life sentence, noting the seriousness of the crime and the possibility of a whole‑life order. Puska, 33, was found guilty of stabbing Murphy eleven times and slashing her once before leaving her to die near a canal in Tullamore. He will be eligible for parole after 12 years. Casey's statement focused on the personal grief and the impact of Murphy's death on his life.
Jozef Puska, 33, of Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Co Offaly, has been sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment for the murder of 23-year-old school teacher Ashling Murphy. The sentence was handed down by Mr Justice Tony Hunt following a jury conviction. Puska had pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Murphy at Cappincur, Tullamore, Co Offaly, on January 12, 2022. The jury found him guilty after rejecting his claim that he was attacked by a masked man. Evidence placed him at the scene via his bicycle, CCTV footage, and DNA found on the bike and under Ms Murphy's fingernails. Mr Justice Hunt stated that the sentence was "richly deserved" and lamented his lack of power to impose a minimum term, noting that a whole life term would have been considered if he had such authority. He emphasized that the motive remains unknown. During the hearing, victim impact statements were read from Ms Murphy's sister, mother, and boyfriend, Ryan Casey, who described Puska as showing zero remorse. The court noted that no connection existed between the defendant and the victim, despite online rumors. Puska was led away by prison officers after the sentencing.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 16 November 2023, a 33‑year‑old man was sentenced to an additional 13 years for raping his sister and sexually assaulting his niece, offences committed in June 2020. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, described the case as "particularly sad" and noted a probation report indicating a "very worrying disposition" towards women. The man had previously been convicted of possession of child pornography and was serving a seven‑year sentence for false imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. Mr Justice Hunt imposed a headline sentence of 13 years for the rape, reduced by one year to avoid a "crushing length" of total imprisonment, and a concurrent five‑year sentence for the sexual assault. The sentences run consecutively to the existing term, with the final two years of the rape sentence suspended on strict conditions. The unnamed 33-year-old pleaded guilty.
A 17‑year‑old, Ogaga Ogheneyoma, was fined €500 and ordered to be of good behaviour in lieu of a 12‑month sentence for allowing his AIB bank account to hold €31,842 of laundered money in an invoice redirect fraud. He pleaded guilty on the day of his trial at Dublin Circuit Court on 19 November 2018. Ogheneyoma, now 22, is a fourth‑year accounting and finance student at TU Dublin, lives with his parents in Lucan, and has worked part‑time throughout college. The court noted he had no previous convictions, no evidence of involvement in the fraud, and had a pro‑social life since the offence. Judge Orla Crowe invoked Section 100 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, imposed the fine, and deferred the sentence, ordering him to pay the fine before a mention in May 2024, after which he will be discharged.
Keith Redmond, 45, of Finglas, pleaded guilty to attempting to send sexually explicit material to a child between 30 August and 3 December 2022. He used the social media platform Kick, presenting himself as a 44‑year‑old Irishman, and was contacted by a UK‑based predator‑exposure group's decoy, 'Amber', a 14‑year‑old girl. Over three months, Redmond and the decoy exchanged 83 typed messages, initially ordinary but later sexually explicit. He sent four photographs of his penis and discussed meeting 'Amber' for sexual activity, offering to buy her a phone and to live together. The UK group located him in Dublin, and he was taken into Garda protection. Redmond, a married barman with one child, had no prior convictions. The case was adjourned for a final hearing on 26 February next year, with a request for a probation report.
Boris Barcanec, 35, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three years and nine months in prison, with the final 12 months suspended, for drug‑dealing offences. He had pleaded guilty to possessing €66,000 worth of cannabis, ecstasy tablets and amphetamines for sale or supply at his home in Whitechurch Road, Dublin 14, on 5 July 2021. Gardaí seized multiple plastic bags of cannabis (estimated street value €62,248), amphetamines (€2,527) and 156 MDMA tablets (€1,560) from his garage and living room, along with drug paraphernalia. Barcanec admitted buying around €20,000 of cannabis and about 300 MDMA tablets for €1,000, claiming the drugs were for personal use and for friends at a party. He stated he had been in Ireland for five years, was working as a garden landscaper earning €460 per week, and had no prior convictions.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Colin Bale, 37, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after a daytime attack at Donabate Shopping Centre on 2 February 2020. The incident began when Bale's former partner's honour was allegedly impugned, leading Bale to confront a shopper who had taken his bike. Bale punched the victim twice, causing cuts to the head and ear and a fractured finger. Garda evidence, including CCTV, identified Bale and he was arrested. Bale's defence claimed self‑defence and an apology, noting a prior minor conviction in 2013. Judge Orla Crowe, citing the victim's injuries and the aggravating nature of the assault, imposed a fully suspended 18‑month sentence for three years, hoping the suspended sentence would encourage behavioural change. No custodial term was imposed. The victim, who has facial scars and mental health concerns, was represented by a victim impact statement. No further contact between the parties has occurred since the incident.
Alanna Quinn Idris, blinded in one eye after a gang of four youths attacked her on Ballyfermot Road on 30 December 2021, was described by her defence counsel as a "courageous young woman" who tried to defend a friend during the assault. The attackers, including 19‑year‑old Josh Cummins, pleaded guilty to causing serious harm to Ms Quinn Idris, violent disorder, assault on Louis O'Sullivan and the use of a hurl. Cummins also pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to O'Sullivan. Darragh Lyons, 19, was sentenced to four and a half years for assault causing serious harm to Ms Quinn Idris and similar charges against O'Sullivan. The case was heard on the principle of joint enterprise, with the four males carrying out an organised and violent attack in a residential area.
A man in his mid‑seventies was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, for sexually assaulting his 10‑year‑old granddaughter in a Dublin house on 27 December 2016. He pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault. The court noted the offence was aggravated by a significant breach of trust and the age disparity. The judge, Sarah Berkeley, set a headline sentence of two years before reducing it for mitigating factors such as an early guilty plea and remorse. The victim's mother provided a victim impact statement describing the devastating effects on her daughter. The man had no prior convictions and had lost his family and social life. The case was prosecuted by Aoife McNickle, BL, and investigated by Detective Garda David Egan. The accused was arrested in November 2017 and denied the allegations. The court found the offence fell at the lower end of the spectrum for child sexual abuse.
Adam Roche, aged 27, was sentenced to ten and a half years in prison, with an 18‑month suspended portion, for a series of sexual offences committed between August 2015 and January 2018. He used 125,000 messages to pose as victims of online blackmail, threatening a young woman with harm to her pet or the release of intimate images unless she performed non‑consensual sexual acts with him. Roche also threatened to disseminate her photographs and coerced her into sending video proof of sexual acts. He pleaded guilty to rape, anal rape, oral rape, aggravated sexual assault and possession of child pornography. The judge noted the manipulation, the victim's trust in Roche, and the profound impact on her life, and imposed a sentence that reflected the seriousness and repetition of the offences while taking into account his guilty plea and remorse. The woman was ordered to be kept away from Roche and his associates permanently.
The 66‑year‑old patriarch of a Traveller family was sentenced to life imprisonment for a campaign of rape that included the sexual abuse of his granddaughter and nephew, with 24 charges found guilty. He also had a 16‑year sentence for abusing his daughter, who became pregnant with his child at 17. His three sons received sentences of 11 to 16½ years for related offences. The patriarch's 64‑year‑old wife was jailed for two years for assisting a son in an anally raping her granddaughter and for assaulting the same child. The court noted the victims were children at the time of the abuse, which occurred between 1999 and 2005 across various locations. The judge described the man as a "deviant father figure" who ruled his family with an iron fist and showed no remorse. The sentencing was carried out despite the man being admitted to hospital, and he made no reaction to the life sentence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Chang Teng Wang, 58, of Finglas, was sentenced to six and a half years' imprisonment for the unlawful killing of his 10‑month‑old grandson, Seán Wang, who died after Wang violently shook him in an attempt to calm him. The judge, Martina Baxter, imposed a 12‑month suspended period, citing aggravating factors such as Seán's healthy condition and the vulnerability of infants. Wang pleaded guilty, which the court noted as a mitigating factor, and he cooperated with Gardaí. The case involved a hospital admission where Seán was in cardiac arrest and later pronounced dead 66 hours after arrival. Wang's defence highlighted his lack of prior convictions, foreign status, and willingness to leave the country. No victim impact statement was presented. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the offence and the court's view of Wang's responsibility.
Martin Hayes, a grave digger, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter after a Central Criminal Court jury returned a majority verdict of 11‑1. Hayes admitted to using violence against Amadea McDermott, 27, and to having accessed her phone via a hidden app. He claimed she stabbed herself, a claim the jury rejected. The prosecution argued that Hayes inflicted a single stab wound to McDermott's abdomen without the intent to kill, and that evidence such as the absence of DNA on the knife, toxicology reports, and McDermott's text messages indicating fear of Hayes supported this view. The jury spent 13 hours and 22 minutes over four days deliberating. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for 21 November, with Hayes remanded in custody until then. The McDermott family will be allowed to speak at that hearing.
In a Special Criminal Court sentencing hearing on 13 November 2023, Judge Tony Hunt declined to exclude Aaron Brady's father, Tony Brady, from the public gallery. The decision followed an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions, who argued that an exclusion order would not prevent Brady from "propagating nonsense." Brady had previously been excluded during the trial of James Flynn, who was convicted of conspiracy to steal a car used in the Lordship Credit Union robbery that resulted in the murder of Garda Adrian Donohoe by Aaron Brady. Brady had published an online video accusing a Garda of perjury and contempt of court. The judge noted that such remarks do not affect the court's proceedings and allowed Brady to remain present. The hearing also covered the sentencing of James Flynn, who was acquitted of participation in the robbery but convicted of conspiracy to steal a Volkswagen Passat.
William Duffy, 40, of Dundalk, pleaded guilty in July to discharging a firearm recklessly at 11pm on 28 May 2019 in Marian Park, Dundalk, where he fired twice at Keith Shields, who was walking home. Duffy was seen on CCTV leaving a hospital four hours earlier and later arriving at the park. The Central Criminal Court judge, Ms Justice Caroline Biggs, sentenced Duffy to three years and six months' imprisonment, with nine months suspended, for causing "abject terror" to Mr Shields. The judge noted Duffy's 42 prior convictions, including affray, burglary and assault, and his history of substance abuse, but also his remorse, boxing coaching and positive prison governor's report. The sentence was based on a pre‑mitigation term of four years and eight months, reduced by a 25% mitigating discount. The attempted murder charge was withdrawn by the State.
A 57‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to nine and a half years in prison after a Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty of five counts of rape of his wife, committed in their family home and a holiday home in 2006 and 2018. He was acquitted of three other rape counts and a ninth count was not agreed upon. The judge described the offences as a fundamental breach of trust and bodily integrity, noting that the rapes occurred while their children were present, sometimes with a baby in the bedroom. The victim, whose identity is protected, said the husband abused her under the "guise of Catholic entitlements," controlling her and denying any wrongdoing. She testified that she had been isolated and felt worthless, and that the abuse escalated when she prioritized their children's needs.