In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Stacey Harcourt, 41, pleaded guilty to unlawful cultivation of cannabis at her home. The court found that she had grown the plant from seed, clipped the leaves, and used about five grams each evening for pain relief after her skin cancer diagnosis in 2010 and subsequent chemotherapy failure. Gardaí seized 448 grams of cannabis herb, valued at €8,966. Harcourt, who had eight neck operations and 15 malignant melanoma operations, claimed she never sold the plant. Judge Martina Baxter, after a Probation Service assessment, imposed 240 hours of community service in lieu of a two‑year prison term, citing Harcourt's remorse, rehabilitation efforts, and cancer‑free status. The sentence also noted her prior convictions for traffic offences and a 2005 incident involving a post officer raider. Harcourt expressed gratitude to the judge and stated she would try to reduce her use but could not stop entirely.
Garda Emma Brady, who was assaulted while trying to arrest Aiden McKevitt, a 40‑year‑old with 168 prior convictions, said the attack has left her with physical injuries and a loss of enthusiasm for her job. Brady suffered a fractured elbow and wrist, soft‑tissue injuries to her shoulder, neck and chest, a finger injury and a broken tooth. She described ongoing sleep difficulties, fear of further assault and a sense that her life has changed forever. Brady's victim impact statement, read during McKevitt's sentencing, highlighted her emotional distress and the impact on her sporting ambitions. McKevitt pleaded guilty to assaulting a peace officer and obstruction of a peace officer on 9 November 2022 and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, a sentence back‑dated to his initial custody in February. The court noted Brady's injuries and the effect on her career. The judge imposed a headline sentence of four years, reduced to three years after mitigating factors.
Monday Augustine, 52, admitted to using false documents to secure asylum and citizenship in Ireland. He first arrived in 2002 as a Nigerian, claiming to be Liberian and using the name John Augustine Sawyeer. He married an Irish citizen in 2004, obtained citizenship in 2008, and later used a falsified Liberian birth certificate to acquire an Irish passport in 2009 and again in 2019. In October 2019 he wrote to the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Services confessing the fraud and revealing his true name, Monday Augustine. He was arrested after a meeting with Gardaí and pleaded guilty. The court noted his long-term community involvement, employment, and religious devotion, and directed the Probation Service to assess him for a community service order in lieu of an 18‑month prison sentence, with a hearing scheduled for 25 October. No prior convictions were recorded.
A 53-year-old Slovakian man, who was found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of one count of rape and 12 counts of sexual assault, has been sentenced to ten years and six months for the rape charge and seven years and six months for the sexual assault charges. The sentences are to run concurrently and were backdated to July 18, 2021, when the man went into custody. The offending occurred between September 21, 2012, and September 6, 2013, when the victim was seven years old, at a house in Co Wexford. The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, does not accept the jury's verdict. The victim, now aged 17, told the court that the man had threatened her and used chocolate to groom her in a 'despicable way.' Ms Justice Karen O'Connor noted the aggravating features of the case, including the victim's young age and the age difference of 36 years between the defendant and the girl. The man has a previous conviction for a 'serious violent offence' in another jurisdiction and a 2001 murder conviction from an Eastern European jurisdiction, for which he received a prison sentence. The matter was adjourned following the sentencing hearing.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 16‑year‑old boy pleaded guilty to the oral rape of his sister, who was aged 9‑12 at the time of the offences. The boy, who has a low IQ and learning difficulties and no prior convictions, was sentenced to six years' detention, with the sentence deferred for one year and a suspended portion. The judge noted the boy's early guilty plea, remorse and family support as mitigating factors, while also highlighting his lack of appreciation of the harm caused. The court imposed conditions of probation, addiction counselling, safety supervision and employment. The victim, who has no counselling or psychiatric assessment, was praised for her bravery in reporting the abuse and was described as deeply affected and living in constant fear. The judge emphasised the need for professional support for the victim, which had been lacking.
In a victim impact statement read to the Central Criminal Court, Gaffar Giwa, father of 25‑year‑old Ademola "Dizzy" Giwa, expressed profound grief after his son was stabbed to death by John Titiloye, a former friend, during a dispute over a stolen scooter. Giwa said the loss of his son is indescribable and that the killer's attempts to tarnish his son's name were futile. Titiloye, aged 28, pleaded not guilty to murder but was found guilty of manslaughter by a jury in May. He admitted responsibility, expressed remorse, and said he would never forgive himself. The court heard that Titiloye had 23 prior convictions, mainly traffic offences, and that the altercation escalated over a small debt. The case was remanded for sentencing on July 24. The hearing focused on the facts of the killing and the defendant's admission of guilt, without any mention of future outcomes. John Titiloye was acquitted.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Jack Quirke, aged 24, was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for leading a gang that held a man in his own home for six hours, stabbed him multiple times, severed most of his right ear, and forced a phone charger cord down his throat. The court noted Quirke's 27 prior convictions, his guilty plea, and mitigating factors such as remorse and a recent serious road traffic accident. The judge highlighted the severity of the violence, the victim's disfigurement, and Quirke's youth at the time of the offence. Quirke was the ringleader, with another co‑accused receiving seven and a half years. The victim's impact statement was submitted but not read aloud. The case involved a mixed group of men and women who entered the victim's house after a call from his daughter.
A 53‑year‑old Galway farmer was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for indecent assault, sexual assault and oral rape of his nephew between 1989 and 1996. The nephew, now 39, was aged five to 13 during the offences and described the abuse as a "horrendous childhood" that left him with lasting pain, flashbacks and sleepless nights. He said the farmer, whom he trusted, took advantage of him while he helped on the farm, and that the abuse began with unwanted touching during "games" and progressed to masturbation and oral rape. The abuse stopped when the nephew entered secondary school. The farmer pleaded guilty, had no prior convictions, and was described by the court as a single man with health issues. The judge noted the plea as a mitigating factor and imposed a nine‑year sentence with the final year suspended on strict conditions.
A man has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment, with the final year suspended, following his conviction for rape at the Central Criminal Court. Shane Noonan, aged 28, of Castlehilll Park, Turlough Road, Castlebar, County Mayo, pleaded guilty to raping a woman at an address in Castlebar on 11 May 2013. Both were aged 18 at the time and worked together at a fast food restaurant. Justice Eileen Creedon described the offence as cold, predatory and premeditated, noting the victim's obvious vulnerability. She imposed conditions including assessment for a sex offender treatment programme. The victim told the court she had subsequently endured workplace abuse, including offensive songs referencing the assault, which delayed her reporting to gardaí until 2018. She described ongoing trauma, including flashbacks and anxiety. The court heard Noonan's guilty plea, lack of previous convictions and psychological assessment indicating low reoffending risk were mitigating factors.
Christopher Gaynor, 39, of Woodavens, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply after Gardaí seized 40 kg of cocaine worth €2.8 million and €21,100 in cash from his family home. The drugs were found in the attic of a house in Collinstown Grove, where Gardaí had observed suspicious activity and monitored the area following a tip‑off. Gaynor, who had accrued €70,000 in gambling‑related debt, admitted to being involved in the drug trade but not profiting from it. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced him to seven years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended for three years, and directed him to be supervised by the Probation Service for 18 months after release. The court noted the high value of the drugs, the social harm caused, and Gaynor's lack of prior convictions and early guilty plea. The sentence was back‑dated to 26 June.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 23‑year‑old man was sentenced to three and a half years for sexually assaulting his six‑year‑old cousin between 2013 and 2018. The accused, who was 13 at the time of the offences, had taken intimate videos and photographs of the child and threatened to post them on social media to coerce her compliance. He pleaded guilty on the trial date and had no prior convictions. The assaults involved sexual touching and were carried out at both the accused's and the complainant's homes over a five‑year period. The judge noted the abuse violated the child's bodily integrity and left her feeling helpless, powerless and alone. The final 12 months of the sentence were suspended on strict conditions, with the accused cooperating with Gardaí and meeting bail conditions. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the breach of trust and the impact on the victim and her family.
A man from Castlebar, County Mayo, has been sentenced to six years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for two unprovoked assaults committed in January 2023. Celyn Eadon (31) pleaded guilty to causing harm to two men during random attacks on Malahide Road, Artane. The first victim was struck multiple times while using an ATM, and the second was assaulted on a bus. The offences occurred ten days after Eadon's release from a suspended sentence. The court heard that Eadon previously killed his mother in 2014, a murder conviction later quashed, with a subsequent manslaughter plea resulting in a ten-year sentence. Following release in 2021, he assaulted a support worker. Defence counsel submitted that Eadon has an acquired brain injury from prolonged substance abuse, causing cognitive impairment and loss of behavioural restraint. Judge Martin Nolan noted the court faces an unusual challenge, as the likelihood of further offending remains high despite the permanent nature of Eadon's condition. The final two years of the sentence were suspended, conditional on Probation Service supervision.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Jordon Doyle, aged 23, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm against Nikita and Gareth Kenny at their Mountjoy Square apartment on 30 January 2023. Doyle, who had 16 prior District Court convictions including violent disorder and possession of explosives, entered the home armed with an iron bar. The assault on Mr Kenny resulted in nine stitches, while Ms Kenny sustained two lumps on her head after a struggle. Judge Pauline Codd, citing the iron bar as the most aggravating factor and Doyle's previous violent disorder conviction, imposed a headline sentence of four years for Mr Kenny's assault and three years for Ms Kenny's. After considering mitigating factors such as Doyle's early guilty plea and personal circumstances, the judge sentenced Doyle to three years for Mr Kenny's assault and two years for Ms Kenny's assault, with both sentences running concurrently and backdated to his earlier custody.
A 17‑year‑old was ordered to pay a €1,000 fine for assaulting another teenager, which left the victim in a nine‑day coma. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where the victim had asked for leniency for the defendant, who was deemed a low risk of reoffending. The defendant, who was 16 at the time of the incident, pleaded guilty to a single count of assault causing harm. He had a prior conviction for no car insurance. Judge Pauline Codd noted the seriousness of the charge and the severe injuries sustained, but also cited the victim's generosity and a very positive probation report. She considered a four‑year custodial sentence if the defendant were an adult, but ultimately imposed the fine, to be paid before October. The court heard that the victim has fully recovered and that the defendant has expressed remorse and is distancing himself from past anti‑social behaviour.
A 19‑year‑old Dublin man, Cameron Curtis, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for a series of violent assaults on his 20‑year‑old partner, Alannah Corrigan. Curtis pleaded guilty to seven counts of assault causing harm, one count of false imprisonment and a further assault on 19 July 2022 while they were staying overnight at the Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Laoghaire. He also admitted assaults on 12, 13, 14 and 16 August 2022 at Binary Hub, Bonham Street, Dublin 8. The court heard that Curtis repeatedly punched, kicked, slapped, dragged by the hair, spat in Corrigan's face, strangled her in a chokehold and threatened to kill her, including locking her in a bathroom and threatening to use scissors. He was sentenced to two years and six months, with 12 months suspended, and the sentence was back‑dated to 19 September 2022 to account for time already spent in custody.
Mark Casserly (49) of Rowlagh Park, Clondalkin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for giving a false account of the movement of a suspect. He pleaded guilty to providing gardai with a false alibi regarding his son, Anthony Casserly, during the investigation into the murder of Wayne Whelan in November 2019. Judge Pauline Codd handed him a five-year prison sentence suspended in full on strict conditions. The court noted that Casserly Sr. gave two statements claiming his son was at home, but CCTV footage contradicted this by showing Anthony leaving the property. Anthony Casserly (26), who was convicted of assisting in the murder, was sentenced in January 2022 to seven years in prison. The judge stated that while Casserly Sr. was motivated to assist his son, his actions perverted the course of justice. The matter was finalised with the imposition of the suspended sentence.
Amir Essalhi, 39, with 69 prior convictions, turned himself in after a three‑day spree of robberies in Dublin, claiming he had relapsed on crack cocaine. He admitted to stealing nearly €1,000 from a tanning shop, an off‑licence and a grocery store, and to an attempted robbery of a pharmacy. Essalhi apologized to Gardaí and to the victims, stating, "it's not me, it's the drugs." He was sentenced by Judge Orla Crowe, who noted the unusual nature of his voluntary surrender. The sentence, back‑dated to May 19, 2022, reflects his cooperation and current participation in prison training and addiction counselling. Essalhi's brother, Adil Essahli, was murdered in 2011, a fact mentioned in the court hearing. The court also noted Essalhi's ongoing work and rehabilitation efforts in custody. Amir Essalhi pleaded guilty.
Dillon Andrews, 26, was jailed for two and a half years as the getaway driver in an armed robbery at a Lidl supermarket in Coolock Retail Park on 13 November 2019. The robbery involved a co‑accused who entered the shop after 7 pm, fired a shotgun into the ceiling, demanded cash, and attempted to access the safe. The manager triggered the panic alarm, locking the robber inside; the robber was released, fled, and escaped with Andrews in a vehicle. Gardaí recovered €550 from the car, found drug paraphernalia, and detected gunshot residue on the co‑accused's hands. Andrews denied involvement but admitted being present; he pleaded guilty to the robbery. The judge noted the seriousness of the incident, the presence of children, and accepted Andrews' plea before sentencing. The manager did not submit a victim impact statement. The case was prosecuted by John Berry BL and defended by Luigi Rea BL.
Gareth Duffy, 44, of Stella Gardens, Irishtown, Dublin 4, was found guilty of assault causing harm after he stomped on a friend's head and repeatedly kicked him while the victim lay unconscious on a packed Luas tram on 6 July 2019. CCTV footage showed Duffy leaving the tram, returning twice, and continuing to strike the victim's head. He had 144 prior convictions, including assault, public order and violence in a Garda station. Duffy pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The victim did not cooperate with the Garda investigation or give a victim impact statement, and no medical report was presented. Judge Pauline Codd described the violence as appalling, noted Duffy's rehabilitation efforts, and imposed a four‑year sentence, suspending the final three years on strict conditions. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 43‑year‑old Darren Sweeney pleaded guilty to one count of attempted robbery after he put a knife to a victim's neck on a bus at the Darndale Roundabout on 22 March 2022. The victim, who was waiting for a bus at Clarehall Shopping Centre, fought back, cutting his fingers and punching Sweeney before the attacker fled. Sweeney was identified by CCTV, searched, and arrested. He has 42 prior convictions, including assault, theft and traffic offences, and had recently been fined €200 for theft. The victim's impact statement described the incident as turning familiar streets into places "filled with shadow", causing anxiety, nightmares and hypervigilance. Sweeney, who has a serious drug problem, has been in methadone treatment and has expressed remorse. The judge adjourned the case to 6 November to prepare a probation report. The case remains at the attempted robbery stage.
A 54‑year‑old man from Boyerstown, Navan, was jailed for 18 months after a sting operation by an online vigilante group exposed his attempts to sexually exploit a child. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of attempting to communicate with a child via electronic means to facilitate sexual exploitation between 3 March and 6 May 2019, and a second charge of attempting to meet a child for sexual exploitation on 6 May 2019 at St Stephen's Green. Judge Martin Nolan found his actions "very wrong", noting that the man believed he was speaking to an 11‑ or 12‑year‑old child, but was actually communicating with members of the Child Protection Awareness Group posing as a child. He received a sentence of three and a half years, with the final two years suspended on strict conditions, and was ordered to be supervised by the Probation Service for two years after release.
An on‑bail criminal, 34, with 97 prior convictions, was sentenced to two years and six months in prison for threatening to kill his former partner during a family court hearing. He pleaded guilty to one count of making a threat to kill, admitting he wanted the victim to believe the threat would be carried out. The threat was made in the courtroom when he said, "I'm going to fucking kill you." He denied the threat when questioned by the judge, but the victim recounted the words. He also said, "You want to watch yourself," and claimed he would have choked her if he had had the chance. He apologized to Gardaí, said he was angry, and admitted he intended only to frighten the victim, not to act on the threat. The judge noted his extensive criminal record, his bail status, and the victim's former‑partner status as aggravating factors. The sentence was back‑dated to 7 June.
Patrick Killally, aged 46, was jailed for 11 years after a jury convicted him of three counts of sexual assault of a boy aged six to nine between 1992 and 1996, and 40 counts of sexual assault, attempted anal rape, oral rape and anal rape of another boy aged 12 to 14 between 2005 and 2007. He had no prior convictions. Mr Justice Paul Burns, hearing the case in the Central Criminal Court, praised the two survivors for coming forward as adults to protect children and urged them not to blame themselves for not speaking earlier. He noted the abuse had severely impacted their lives, citing their victim‑impact statements. Mr Justice Burns imposed concurrent sentences totalling 12 years, suspended the final year on strict conditions to encourage rehabilitation, and commended the men's courage. The judge also acknowledged Killally's claims of innocence and his lack of previous convictions. The sentencing aimed to balance punishment with the possibility of rehabilitation.
A 55‑year‑old man was found guilty by a jury of two counts of oral rape of his six‑year‑old daughter and one count of inviting a child to sexual touching. The offences occurred at his home between June 2020 and January 2021. He denied all charges and does not accept the verdict. Mr Justice David Keane imposed a ten‑year sentence for the two rape counts and a seven‑year sentence for the invitation to sexual touching, all to run concurrently and backdated to March 24. He noted the victim's young age, the breach of trust, and the profound harm caused. The defendant is a low‑to‑moderate risk of re‑offending, will be a registered sex offender, and must undergo three years of post‑release supervision. No portion of the sentence was suspended because the defendant does not accept the jury's verdict. The case was heard in the Central Criminal Court in Tullamore.
In a Central Criminal Court case, a 33‑year‑old man was sentenced to ten years for raping a 15‑year‑old girl in Westmeath on 20 January 2019. The jury found him guilty of a single count of rape. The defendant, who was 29 at the time, denied the conviction. Mr Justice Paul Burns noted that the victim was left alone with the accused, that the defendant verbally abused her and inflicted physical injuries. He also considered a forensic psychological report detailing the defendant's anxiety, depression, drug and alcohol misuse, and low intellectual functioning. The judge imposed a ten‑year sentence, suspending the final year for three years under probation supervision. The victim did not give a victim impact statement. The defendant had prior convictions for assault, violent disorder, public order and road traffic offences but no prior sexual convictions.
Richard Meredith, 71, of Windmill Park, Crumlin, was convicted by a jury at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for four counts of indecent assault against his 11‑year‑old niece between 24 November 1976 and 31 May 1978. The assaults occurred at the niece's grandparents' home, with the first three taking place in the kitchen and the final one in the bathroom. Meredith forced the victim to kiss him, touched her chest, and attempted to have her touch his penis, which she refused. The victim, who remains unnamed, reported the abuse to Gardaí in 2017 and later made a formal complaint. Meredith denied the allegations and gave an interview to Gardaí. He had no prior convictions. The court sentenced him to 15 months' imprisonment, noting the seriousness of the breach of trust and the lasting impact on the victim's life. The judge highlighted the victim's bravery and the need for protection of children.
Paul Hendrick, aged 75, pleaded guilty to 11 counts of indecent assault on Kenneth Grace between 1980 and 1984 while serving as second‑in‑command and later principal at CBS Westland Row. The abuse began when Grace was 13 and involved repeated physical and sexual misconduct in various school locations, including the furnace room, reception room, and during school trips. Grace was isolated, subjected to verbal abuse, and forced to perform chores. He reported the abuse in 2018, describing lifelong trauma, PTSD, and loss of self‑esteem. Judge Pauline Codd, hearing the case in May, praised Grace's courage and granted a four‑year sentence to Hendrick, suspending the final six months on the condition of continued treatment under probation supervision. Hendrick will be placed on the sex offenders register. The case highlights the enduring impact of historical sexual abuse on survivors.
Debbie Paget, 55, of Knowth Court, Ballymun, was convicted by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury in May 2023 of dishonestly inducing by deception James Byrne to give her €10,000 after claiming his deceased father told her to ask for the money and that the devil would take his soul if he did not. She was also charged with inducing Byrne's sister, Maria, to give her €200, but the jury returned a not guilty verdict on that count. Paget pleaded not guilty to both charges. The judge described her as an "old‑fashioned confidence trickster" and sentenced her to 18 months' imprisonment, suspending the final six months on strict conditions. The case was heard in Dublin, with the judge noting that Byrne was a vulnerable person who believed the supernatural threat. No evidence was presented as to where the money was spent.
Two men pleaded guilty in the Special Criminal Court to unlawful possession of a RAK PM-63 submachine gun recovered during a garda operation on the N11 in Shankill, Dublin on 7 March 2020. Robert Redmond, aged 35, and Jamie Gray, aged 27, were charged under the Firearms Act 1964. Evidence revealed that Redmond and co-accused Bernard Fogarty transferred the firearm to a driver in Clondalkin, with Gray directing operations via text messages from a separate location in Bray where he had met with the others. The weapon, deliberately reactivated after prior deactivation, bore no serial number. Redmond is serving a life sentence for murder; Fogarty was previously sentenced to life for the same offence and five years for separate firearm possession. Gray has 91 previous convictions, mostly traffic offences. In mitigation, his counsel noted his long-standing gambling addiction, recent employment, and rehabilitation efforts at Coolmine Therapeutic Lodge. The Director of Public Prosecutions assessed the matter at mid-range seriousness. Mr Justice Paul Burns remanded both men in custody pending sentencing on 24 July.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 7 July 2023, Andrew Byrne, 37, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after he attacked a man who had been shouting at his partner outside the GPO on 26 January 2021. The victim, who suffered a brain bleed and was hospitalised for six weeks, was struck by Byrne during a confrontation that began when Byrne shouted "you bitch" and "you slut" at the victim's partner. Byrne claimed he acted in self‑defence and that he may have thrown the first punch, but the court could not conclusively determine who initiated the violence. Byrne, who had previous convictions and was on bail, was sentenced to four years with the final six months suspended on strict conditions. The judge noted the victim's long‑term injuries and Byrne's remorse, and back‑dated the sentence to 19 May 2023, when his earlier three‑year term ended.
A 33‑year‑old man, Conor Dolan, pleaded guilty to murdering his 36‑year‑old friend Neil Fitzgerald on 5 June 2016. The killing took place on Hills Lane, Crooksling, Tallaght, where Fitzgerald was found riddled with six bullets. Dolan had originally pleaded not guilty on 4 July, but after a second jury was discharged due to prison officers standing too close to him, a new jury of twelve was empanelled. Evidence included a burning rubber glove and a mobile phone recovered from Dolan's home, and cuts on his hand and blood on his tracksuit after the murder. Dolan was re‑arraigned on the murder count and pleaded guilty in the presence of the jury. He was remanded in custody until 9 October, when he will be sentenced to life imprisonment by Justice Eileen Creedon. The trial highlighted the alleged luring of Fitzgerald by Dolan, who was considered a trusted friend.
David Cooney, 44, of St Anthony's Road, Rialto, Dublin 8, pleaded guilty to trespassing with intent to commit theft at a house on the South Circular Road on 6 April 2022. He was found with a large shopping bag containing a Samsung tablet, perfume bottles and jewellery, items that matched those reported missing by the house's owner. Garda Fergal Burke, on mobile patrol, spotted Cooney in the Lotts Lane area at 9.15 pm, and after he hid behind a car and dropped the bag, the officers searched it and discovered the stolen items. Cooney was arrested and later sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to eight months in prison, the maximum allowed under the law. He has 95 previous convictions and a history of addiction and mental‑health problems. The court heard that the offence was "very frightening" for the victims, who had found their dogs in the back garden and the house's interior disturbed.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 7 July 2023, a 30‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and burglary at his former partner's home on 3 June 2020. The court heard that the man punched his former partner and her toddler son, who is on the autistic spectrum, during a prolonged attack that lasted several hours. He also stamped on the victim's face, broke a TV, smashed windows, and threatened to stab himself. The victim sustained facial swelling and bruising; the child was diagnosed with PTSD. The judge, Martina Baxter, described the offence as "reprehensible", expressed concern about the defendant's attitude toward women, and adjourned the case to 27 October, remanding the man on bail and ordering a probation report. The defendant's mother attended the hearing and the defendant accepted responsibility for his actions. The case remains at the pre‑sentencing stage.
Alan Swan, 52, pleaded guilty to eight counts of unauthorised use of trademarks for counterfeit luxury goods worth over €36,000. He had 13 prior convictions for similar offences. Judge Orla Crowe ordered him to complete 240 hours of community service within two years in lieu of an 18‑month prison sentence. The court heard that Gardaí conducted operations at Liberty Market, seizing counterfeit Ugg, Adidas, Nike, Hugo Boss and Under Armour items with a street market value of €36,300. Swan denied knowing the goods were counterfeit, claiming he bought them online or from other shops. He admitted to selling them after being interviewed under caution in 2018. The court accepted a positive suitability report from the Probation Service and granted the community‑service sentence. The case was heard at the District Court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 38‑year‑old Irene Cullen testified that her step‑father, Noel Foran, sexually abused her about ten times between 1991 and 1998, mostly while she slept. Cullen recalled a specific incident on New Year's Eve 1996 when she was 11, describing how Foran forced himself on her in her bedroom. She said the abuse caused PTSD, self‑harm with razor blades, and long‑term sleep disturbances. Foran pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with his name placed on the Sex Offenders' Register. The judge praised Cullen's courage in reporting the abuse and noted Foran's lack of prior convictions and remorse. Cullen's statement highlighted the lasting impact of the abuse on her life and her protective stance toward her own children.
An 18‑year‑old, Josh Cummins, admitted to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Alanna Quinn Idris, who was blinded in one eye during an organised attack by a gang of four youths on Ballyfermot Road on 30 December 2021. Ms Quinn Idris, now 18, was struck in the face with the saddle of an electric scooter, resulting in unconsciousness, a shattered tooth, a broken cheekbone, a ruptured eyeball and permanent loss of vision in her right eye after multiple reconstructive surgeries. Cummins pleaded guilty before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and will be sentenced on 14 November. In March, his co‑accused Darragh Lyons was sentenced to four and a half years for assault causing serious harm to Ms Quinn Idris, and for assault causing harm to Louis O'Sullivan and violent disorder in the same incident. Two other accused have also been charged.
Enoch Burke, a former teacher at Wilson's Hospital secondary school, secured a temporary High Court injunction halting the hearing of his dismissal appeal. The matter was adjourned until the following Tuesday. Burke, who represented himself, argued that ASTI General Secretary Kieran Christie, a member of the three-person appeal panel, should recuse himself due to alleged bias regarding transgender issues. He also claimed the panel failed to obtain a WhatsApp video clip from the school board, which he argued was crucial evidence. The other panel members are Sean Ó Longáin, the chair, and Jack Cleary, the Management Body representative. Justice Eileen Roberts granted the ex-parte application, ruling that Burke had raised fair issues but making no findings of fact on his claims. Burke had previously been jailed for 108 days in Mountjoy Prison for contempt of court after refusing to comply with an order restraining him from attending the school. He was later fined €700 daily for continued breaches. The school board had dismissed Burke for gross misconduct, a decision he denies, claiming his dismissal stems from his objection to using specific pronouns for a student.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 27‑year‑old Wexford man pleaded guilty to three sexual assault charges after repeatedly assaulting a 24‑year‑old woman at his Dublin home on 7 May 2018. The victim, who had previously had consensual sex with him, fell asleep and was digitally penetrated while she pretended to be asleep. She later fled to a hotel where staff and Gardaí assisted her. The court heard her victim impact statement, describing the assault as turning her world upside down and leaving her with lasting trauma. The man had sent apologetic messages and a letter, and had begun counselling. The judge adjourned the case to 28 July for sentencing, remanding the defendant on continuing bail. The hearing focused on the assault, the victim's statement, and the defendant's remorse and rehabilitation efforts.
On 7 March 2022 a double‑decker bus driven by 60‑year‑old aircraft maintenance engineer Francis Leonard crashed into a rail bridge on Moyne Road, Baldoyle, shearing off the top of the vehicle while 15 school children were aboard. No passengers were injured and the bridge sustained only minor chipping. Leonard, who had been asked to drive a double‑decker on short notice, had intended to take a different route but was forced to change course due to roadworks. He stopped the bus to allow a car to pass and was travelling at low speed when the collision occurred. He pleaded guilty to one count of driving a vehicle over the bridge's height limit. At a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing Judge Orla Crowe discharged him from the indictment after he had complied with a €500 fine, kept the peace and met other conditions imposed earlier. No further charges were brought.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 25‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to one count of coercive control for a series of violent and threatening incidents against his partner between December 2019 and August 2020. The court heard that the man repeatedly struck, verbally abused, and threatened the woman, including calling her names, threatening to kill her and her family, and forcing her to urinate in a glass. He also threatened the woman's mother, calling her a "scumbag" and "rat" and saying he would shoot her and her family. The woman denied that coercive control had occurred, and no victim impact statements were submitted. The judge noted the woman remained in the relationship and that the man had 48 prior convictions. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced the man to two years, giving credit for time already served, and considered the threat to the mother a serious aggravating factor.
A man granted refugee status in Ireland despite a prior UK sexual assault conviction has been sentenced to ten years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the rape of one woman and the attempted abduction of another in County Sligo. Tayyab Salah Uddin pleaded guilty to raping a woman on 15 September 2018 and to falsely imprisoning a second woman the following day. The court heard that both victims were intoxicated and alone when Uddin approached them in a town centre. After raping the first woman, he returned the next evening and attempted to force a second woman into his car before gardaí intervened following surveillance footage. The court noted Uddin's predatory behaviour in targeting vulnerable, isolated women and his lack of remorse. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed consecutive sentences with three years post-release supervision, having assessed Uddin as presenting a high risk of reoffending. Uddin, a Pakistani national with ocular albinism, arrived in Ireland in 2018 and was granted refugee status.
Ross Maher, 26, of Poolbeg Quay, Ringsend, Dublin 4, was given a suspended 12‑month sentence after pleading guilty to making threats to kill or cause serious harm to a man who owed him €2,200 for cocaine supplied on credit. Maher had initially sold the victim €200 worth of cocaine, later increasing the debt to €2,200 by providing drugs on a "tick" basis. The victim received repeated threatening messages, including a statement that he was "a dead man," and was also subjected to aggressive phone calls. Maher admitted to supplying the drugs and to the debt, claiming the messages were made in the heat of the moment. The victim's impact statement described the situation as extremely stressful. Judge Pauline Codd, noting the aggravating factor of drug‑related activity, imposed a 12‑month sentence suspended in full on strict conditions.
A Leaving Certificate student, aged 18, was jailed for one year after being convicted by a jury of five counts of sexual assault against his half‑sister, who was aged between eight and eleven at the time of the offences. The assaults occurred between July 2016 and August 2018 at the victim's home in Dublin and on 2 November 2019 at a restaurant. The jury found him not guilty of one count of rape and one count of sexual assault. He denied any wrongdoing. A sentencing hearing in February allowed him to sit his Leaving Certificate exams. Justice Mary Ellen Ring imposed a two‑year sentence, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions, including probation supervision for two years post‑release. The sentence was reduced because of his young age and cooperation with Gardaí. The victim's father was informed after she handed him a note in tears describing the abuse.
Three men have been convicted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of offences arising from an armed attack on a repossessed farmhouse at Falsk, Strokestown, County Roscommon on 16 December 2018. Martin O'Toole, a 58-year-old farmer of Stripe, Irishtown, Claremorris, County Mayo; PJ Sweeney, a 44-year-old builder of High Cairn, Ramelton, County Donegal; and Paul Beirne, a 56-year-old cattle farmer of Croghan, Boyle, were found guilty of 15 charges including aggravated burglary, violent disorder, criminal damage, false imprisonment and assault causing harm. All three were also convicted of three counts of arson relating to vehicles and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. A fourth defendant, David Lawlor, was acquitted. The court heard approximately 30 armed men breached the property following its repossession by KBC Bank. Four security personnel sustained injuries during the incident. Judge Martina Baxter adjourned sentencing to 28 July.
An 87‑year‑old former Christian Brother from County Waterford was found guilty by a jury of 30 counts of indecent assault on five boys at a County Kilkenny school between August 1975 and June 1976. He was acquitted of one count involving a sixth boy. The maximum sentence for the offences is two years, but Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to three years and two months, with no suspended portion, citing his lack of remorse and continued denial. The judge ordered that he receive appropriate medical treatment while in custody, noting his age and health issues. The five complainants, now men in their 50s, gave victim impact statements describing how the abuse ruined their education, caused depression, anxiety and, for some, alcohol problems. They also said they were let down by the school and the Christian Brothers. The judge praised their bravery for coming to court and urged them not to feel shame.
Damien Graham, a 53-year-old firearms dealer from Co Carlow, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to four firearm offences. The court heard that Graham arrived at Dublin Airport on November 28, 2021, with 15 firearm components in his suitcase following a trip to a Florida gun show. He admitted to possessing and importing a prohibited machine gun bolt, as well as possessing and importing an assault rifle conversion kit without the required certificate. Prosecution evidence indicated Graham concealed the items in bubble wrap and duct tape, initially claiming they were tools before acknowledging they were firearm parts. Judge Martin Nolan accepted there was no sinister motive, describing Graham as an enthusiast whose enthusiasm got the better of him. However, the judge noted that machine gun parts have been illegal in Ireland for generations and criticized the reckless nature of surreptitiously bringing such components into the country. Graham has one previous conviction for a road traffic offence. The judge determined that Graham did not deserve a custodial sentence and handed down a six-month term, which was suspended on a number of conditions.
A 26‑year‑old convicted sex offender was sentenced to eight years and three months in prison, with nine months suspended, for raping a 17‑year‑old girl at a house party. The Central Criminal Court heard that the victim was intoxicated and vulnerable, and that the defendant had taken advantage of her in a predatory manner. The judge noted the defendant's prior convictions, including a 2019 District Court sexual assault conviction, and that he had never served time before. The sentence was back‑dated to 29 May 2023. The defendant does not accept the jury's verdict. The victim's impact statement described her feelings of guilt, loss of self‑esteem and the effect on her studies and family. The judge encouraged her to resume her studies and praised her resilience. The defendant will be a registered sex offender and subject to three years of post‑release supervision. The unnamed 17-year-old pleaded guilty.
An 18‑year‑old filmed himself raping a ten‑year‑old boy and later sought to trade child‑abuse material. Gardaí seized an Apple laptop, iPad and iPhone from a rural Munster address, where a video of the anal rape was found. The accused, with no prior convictions, was arrested in September 2019 and pleaded guilty to one count of anal rape, five counts of sexual assault and one count of producing child pornography between January 2014 and February 2015. Additional explicit material involving boys aged 5‑14 and 18,000 instant‑message conversations were discovered. A victim impact statement described the boy's trauma and the accused's grooming. The defendant admitted guilt, apologized and acknowledged the harm caused. Sentencing is adjourned to 28 July for consideration of all facts.
A 41‑year‑old Dublin man was jailed for six years after pleading guilty to three counts of defiling a 14‑year‑old girl between September and October 2016. The girl, who had been friends with the man's teenage nephews and was once a girlfriend of one of them, was given alcohol and offered cocaine by the defendant. On the first occasion he met her in a park, gave her alcohol, attempted to kiss her, then forced her into the bushes, pulled down her clothes and had sex with her. Two further incidents occurred at an apartment building where he engaged in sexual activity and sent pornographic material. The girl's mother noticed a message from an older man and the girl confided in a guidance counsellor. The girl had ADHD, depression, self‑harm and hospital treatment at the time of the offences.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 17‑year‑old girl testified that her father had stopped visiting him after she was raped by his housemate, a 53‑year‑old Slovakian man convicted of one rape and 12 sexual assaults between September 2012 and September 2013. The girl, who was seven when the abuse began, had reported the abuse to her mother in 2019 and later to a guidance counsellor. She was interviewed by specialist Gardaí in December 2020, when she was 15, and described repeated inappropriate touching, the giving of chocolate Kinder Eggs, and a single rape after the man lured her into his room. She said the abuse ruined her childhood, caused anxiety, depression and self‑harm, and left her fearful of men. The court heard that the defendant denies wrongdoing, has a prior murder conviction from 2001, and has been in custody since July 2021.