In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 16 February 2023, Meraj Ahmed, a 27‑year‑old pizza chef from Lucan, was sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment for a knife attack on a housemate. The incident occurred on 18 February 2018 when Gardaí were called to a Lucan property where Ahmed was found with severe hand injuries. Ahmed pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. The court noted that he had attacked the victim with punches and attempted to stab him in the stomach, while the victim defended himself and sustained serious hand injuries. Judge Martin Nolan highlighted Ahmed's guilty plea, lack of prior convictions, work history and cooperation as mitigating factors, but ruled a custodial sentence was unavoidable. The sentence was imposed from the date of the hearing. The case involved a history of conflict between the two men and the victim's injuries were treated at Blanchardstown Hospital. The court did not consider any future appearance of Ahmed.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 16 February 2023, construction worker Josh Keating, aged 22, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for possession of cocaine for sale or supply and possession of the proceeds of crime amounting to €23,950. Keating, who had no prior convictions, admitted to selling cocaine for the previous 18 months and was found with €4,200 worth of cocaine and €23,950 in cash during a Garda search of his home in Lucan. He cooperated fully with investigators, provided his mobile phone and PIN, and claimed he had been drug‑free since rehabilitation. The judge, citing Keating's lack of prior offences and good work history, imposed the custodial term, noting the mitigation was excellent but the offence warranted imprisonment. The sentence reflects the court's assessment of culpability and the profit made from the drug trade. Josh Keating pleaded guilty.
Ross Donoghue, a 31‑year‑old former resident of Northway Estate in Finglas, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted robbery in the Malahide area on 28 June 2020. He tried to rob a 16‑year‑old girl and a 64‑year‑old man on the same morning. The girl was forced to remove her earphones when Donoghue demanded her phone and threatened to stab her; she escaped after Donoghue fell. The man, Robert Ennis, was tackled by Donoghue, who kicked him several times. Ennis suffered facial bruising and mild orbital swelling. Donoghue had a long record of convictions for assault, criminal damage, attempted robbery, drug possession and obstruction, and was on bail at the time of the offence. Judge Martin Nolan, after noting Donoghue's remorse and admissions, imposed a custodial sentence of 21 months, consecutive to his current term, citing his long‑standing addictions and prior convictions as aggravating factors. The sentence was delivered on 15 February 2023.
Martin Cunningham, 28, of Mulhuddart, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for a sustained campaign of harassment against his former partner while he was in Mountjoy Prison. Between 1 January and 30 March 2021, he made 3,800 calls, many from a private or blocked number, and left voicemails threatening to kill or cause serious harm. The court found the calls were made from prison, where he should not have had a phone, and that they were part of a callous, calculating, cruel and sustained course of harassment. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, back‑dated to 10 August 2021, and suspended the final six months for two years on strict conditions, including probation supervision for one year after release. The sentence also directed Cunningham to avoid any contact with the victim while in custody and during the suspended period. Martin Cunningham pleaded guilty.
Hamid Zatout, 25, was jailed for six and a half years after pleading guilty to four robbery charges, one assault causing harm and one attempted robbery. The crimes, committed in July and August 2019, involved targeted muggings of expensive designer watches ranging from €5,000 to €47,000, including a €20,000 watch from an American tourist in Dublin's Temple Bar. Gardaí used over 57 CCTV clips to show Zatout and accomplices following victims before forcibly breaking watch straps to steal the timepieces. Zatout had lived in a Dundalk hotel at the time of arrest and had previously left Ireland via Belfast in September 2019, returning under a different name. He had no prior convictions in Ireland, and the court accepted his guilty pleas, noting his remorse before sentencing.
Robert Ashmore, 54, was jailed for 16 months after an online vigilante group staged a sting operation, posing as a 13‑year‑old in WhatsApp chats. The groups, 'Child Protection Awareness' and 'Justice Reborn', supplied Gardaí with over 2,000 exchanges that were explicit and led to Ashmore's guilty plea at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for attempting to facilitate the sexual exploitation of a child between 3 March and 23 April 2018. He also admitted possession of 71 cartoon images of children aged eight to ten in sexual acts. Ashmore claimed he believed he was talking to scammers and had no notion of engaging with a minor. He was found to have no prior convictions, was deeply regretful, and is now on the sex offender register. The judge accepted his cooperation and the absence of witness statements from the groups, sentencing him to 16 months' custody.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 14 February 2023, Daniel Keane, a 36‑year‑old Irish Army NCO, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, production of an article and making off without paying for a taxi. The incident occurred on 7 December 2019 when Keane and his partner, both intoxicated, had a verbal dispute with a taxi driver at St Anthony's Crescent, Crumlin. Keane left the vehicle, entered the driver's house, and used a 2‑ft black fire poker to strike the driver on the hip and face, causing injuries that required hospital treatment. He also stole €100 from the driver's wallet, later returned it, and took the driver's phone. The court imposed an 18‑month prison sentence, suspended in full for two years on strict conditions, and ordered Keane to pay the driver the €20.80 fare.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 62‑year‑old man from County Kilkenny was sentenced to ten years and ten months in prison, with four and a half years suspended, for indecent assault and rape of his sisters between 1973 and 1979. The younger sister, aged five‑half to twelve at the time of abuse, was assaulted and raped, while the older sister, aged twelve to fifteen, was assaulted and raped in 1978‑79. The defendant admitted indecent assault of both sisters but denied rape of the younger sister. He had prior convictions for sexual assault in the mid‑1990s, receiving a two‑year suspended sentence in 2005. The judge imposed consecutive sentences, citing the family's poverty, dysfunction and the victim impact statements. The defendant was ordered to have no contact with the sisters. The case highlighted the sisters' survival and the defendant's alleged history of abuse and bipolar disorder. The unnamed accused pleaded guilty.
The Central Criminal Court heard that a 40‑year‑old woman and her 52‑year‑old partner abused their five‑year‑old daughter and three‑year‑old son. The abuse included repeated rape, forced oral sex, and the girl being glued to a chair. The children later disclosed that the mother forced the girl to perform oral sex on the partner and that the boy was made to perform oral sex on the man. The mother and partner were tried last year and convicted of multiple counts of rape, oral rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, false imprisonment and reckless endangerment. The mother was convicted of four counts of sexual assault, four of sexual exploitation, four of oral rape, one of false imprisonment and one of reckless endangerment. The partner was convicted of one count of rape, six of oral rape, one of false imprisonment, one of anal rape and one of sexual assault of the boy.
Talia Pavia De Souse, a 24‑year‑old Brazilian student nurse and mother of two, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for possession of 330 g of cocaine, worth €23,000, which she swallowed before travelling to Ireland. The court heard that she had taken a €2,700 loan for family expenses in Brazil and was threatened by loan‑shark creditors, which she said forced her to ingest the drugs. She was detained at Beaumont Hospital for three days and was under suspicion after arriving on a newly‑issued Brazilian passport. De Souse pleaded guilty and had no prior convictions. The judge, citing her guilty plea, cooperation, lack of record and the lower amount of drugs, imposed a 21‑month term back‑dated to June 2022 when she entered custody. The sentence reflects her role as a drug mule under financial pressure and coercion.
Paul O'Brien, 38, pleaded guilty to three counts of copyright infringement for selling android 'dodgy boxes' that enabled cheap access to about 4,000 TV channels. He sold the boxes to 150 customers, charging €12 a month for activation codes, generating roughly €1,800 monthly. Gardaí traced him after a Sky investigator purchased a box from his website, IPTV Wizard, and seized evidence including a black Tower PC, flyers, business cards and bank details. O'Brien's bank account held €34,410, about 60 % from illegal sales. Judge Martin Nolan, noting the offence's "sneaky" nature, imposed 240 hours of community service instead of a custodial sentence, ordered forfeiture of €20,410 and destruction of seized equipment, and adjourned the case for finalisation on 27 April. The judge highlighted the potential earnings and the impact on O'Brien's personal life, including his partner's cervical cancer diagnosis and their 14‑year‑old son. The case remains at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
At the Special Criminal Court on 10 February 2023, Paul Crosby of Rathmullan Park, Drogheda, was sentenced to ten years imprisonment with the final six months suspended for two years, following his guilty plea to facilitating the murder of seventeen-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods. His co-accused Gerard Cruise, with addresses in Drogheda and Dublin, received seven-and-a-half years with the final six months suspended. Both men pleaded guilty to charges under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 of assisting a criminal organisation in the killing, which occurred in January 2020. Mr Justice Tony Hunt described the treatment of the teenager's remains as "disgraceful and inhuman". Evidence established that Crosby arranged to meet the victim and travelled with Cruise to Rathmullan Park where the murder took place. The judge found Crosby held a higher level of involvement in the criminal organisation than Cruise. The court heard the chief suspect, Robert Lawlor, was subsequently shot dead in Belfast. The victim's mother provided a detailed impact statement to the court.
Two Waterford men, Peter Cawley (42) and Richard Nolan (35), will be sentenced next year for transporting drugs. Gardaí on a mobile patrol stopped a van on 19 March 2020, found cannabis, heroin worth €9,683, cocaine worth €289, and tablets worth €80. Cawley drove the van; Nolan lay in the back and placed a hand‑held item in a bucket. Both were searched; Nolan had drugs in his underwear and a white wrap he swallowed, later claiming it was crack cocaine. They were arrested, the van seized, and the drugs confiscated. Cawley pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for sale or supply; Nolan pleaded guilty to three counts of having drugs for sale or supply. Both men entered guilty pleas, admitted full responsibility, and were described by Garda Conor Dooley as cooperating. Judge Patricia Ryan will place them on a one‑year probation bond, finalising the matter in February 2024.
Two men, Thomas Harvey (42) and Daniel Kavanagh (29), were sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to 18 months in prison, suspended in full, for stealing 60 kilos of meat from Captain Americas on Grafton Street. Harvey climbed a fire‑escape ladder to the storeroom, stole the meat worth €2,000, and passed it to Kavanagh, who tried to sell it in a taxi to a hotel but failed. The meat was later sold to a mother of eight for €100. Both pleaded guilty to trespass and theft. The judge noted their drug use at the time but that they are now drug‑free, and remarked that their burglary was not the most insidious. Kavanagh apologized to Gardaí, saying he acted to survive, and both men had numerous prior convictions. The court heard that none of the meat was recovered.
In a traffic stop on Lombard Street, Gardaí observed Barry Blackmore, 32, playing on his phone and acting nervously. He was found to be concealing an electric key fob in his underwear, which opened a hidden compartment behind the air vent on his car's dashboard. The compartment contained €250,030 in cash, identified as criminal proceeds. Blackmore was arrested on suspicion of money‑laundering. He pleaded guilty and cooperated with the investigation, citing fear for his life and that of his family. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three and a half years' imprisonment, reduced from a headline six‑year sentence due to his cooperation and guilty plea. The court ordered the €250,000 forfeited to the State and the vehicle forfeited and destroyed. Blackmore's background includes 32 prior convictions, 17 for traffic offences, and he is a landscaper and father of five.
Two sisters, Hala Salman Alaabsali (39) and Raghad Salaman Alaabsali (29), were sentenced at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for fraudulently claiming Direct Provision payments totalling just over €10,000. Both pleaded guilty to making false statements to obtain weekly payments of about €38, accommodation and meals, which they were not entitled to as EU citizens. Each received a suspended 16‑month sentence and a 16‑month good‑behaviour order. Judge Martin Nolan described the case as an unusual form of criminal behaviour but noted the sisters had no prior convictions and were unlikely to reoffend. The court heard that the sisters had repaid the money to the State, were working, and had contributed to community groups. Their Iraqi and Spanish citizenships were highlighted, and they had been granted Spanish nationality in 2012 and 2014 before moving to Ireland in 2017.
George Radford, a 33‑year‑old former army soldier, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing drugs for sale or supply at his home on 2 October 2021. He admitted he had held just under two kilograms of cocaine, valued at €137,690, in a safe found in a shed on his property after a Garda search. Radford said he had brought the drugs in to help his younger brother, who was in debt over drugs, and that no one else knew about the drugs. He had resigned from the army when the matter came to light. Judge Martin Nolan described the case as "exceptional", noting that the problems were created by Radford's brother, and imposed a four‑year suspended sentence with a period of good behaviour, stating Radford was unlikely to appear again before the courts.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 19‑year‑old Josh Conlon received a fully suspended three‑year sentence for his involvement in a two‑hour assault on Ms Lyndsey Byrne in November 2021. Conlon pleaded guilty to assault causing harm but was deemed not the "prime mover" of the attack, which was led by Paul Clarke. Judge Martin Nolan noted Conlon's lesser role, early guilty plea, youth and lack of prior convictions, and ordered him to maintain good behaviour under Probation Services supervision for one year. Clarke, aged 29, was sentenced to four years and three months for the assault, while Craig Kelly, 38, received a five‑month sentence for simple assault. The court highlighted the brutality of the attack, including the use of a broom handle and boiling water, and the severe injuries sustained by Byrne. The sentences were back‑dated to the November 2021 incident.
The Central Criminal Court adjourned sentencing of a 17‑year‑old convicted of murdering Urantsetseg Tserendorj to allow the Oireachtas to consider legislative reform for juvenile serious offenders. Judge Tony Hunt noted the Children Act 2001 lacks provisions for suspended sentences or post‑release conditions, making a 13‑year review unsuitable. He preferred a life detention with review but, due to the law's gaps, would have to impose a life sentence without review. The defendant, 14 at the time of the offence, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was found guilty of murder. The judge highlighted the victim's background, the violent nature of the stabbing, the defendant's prior convictions, and mitigating factors such as family support and rehabilitation signs. The sentencing was postponed to 22 February pending legislative response.
Owen Kavanagh, aged 53, was given a suspended three‑year prison sentence and a four‑year driving disqualification after he hijacked a car on 4 January 2021. He admitted to having drunk two bottles of whiskey, a bottle of gin and prescribed medication before confronting a woman at Campus Oil, East Wall Road, Dublin, demanding her car keys. CCTV showed him threatening the woman with a kitchen knife and two men attempting to stop him. During the subsequent Garda pursuit, Kavanagh broke red lights, drove on the wrong side of the road, drove at excessive speed, collided with a patrol car, and drove around a traffic island. Gardaí used a stinger device to stop his vehicle, deflating its tyres and causing a collision. The court found him guilty of seizing a car by threat or force, criminal damage to a patrol car, three dangerous driving offences and driving without insurance.
Kyle Boland, 27, of Ringsend, Dublin, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment after pleading guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing over five kilograms of cannabis for sale or supply, valued at €117,762. Garda Stephen Gillespie reported that Boland's van was stopped on Rathfarnham Road following a tip, where a holdall containing a kilogram of cannabis was found beside the sliding door and a cardboard box with the remainder of the drugs was discovered after the vehicle was seized and taken to a Garda station. A phone and a tick list were also found in the van's front. Boland's 99 prior convictions were mainly for road traffic offences, including possession of a flick knife. He had been staying in a hotel at the time and claimed he was transporting the drugs for €500 to reduce a drug debt, suggesting he was acting on someone else's instructions.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Paul Clarke (29) was sentenced to four years and three months' imprisonment for assault causing harm to Lyndsey Byrne, who was tied up, struck with a stick and repeatedly scalded with boiling water during two attacks in November 2021. Clarke, described as the "main man", was accompanied by Josh Conlon (19) on the first day and Craig Kelly (38) on the second. Conlon pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, while Kelly pleaded guilty to simple assault. Clarke's sentence was back‑dated to the date of his arrest. The court noted Clarke's 79 prior convictions and the severity of the assault, while Kelly received a five‑month sentence and Conlon's sentence was to be decided the following day. The proceedings focused on the assault and the guilty pleas, without reference to any subsequent developments.
In February 2023 a Dublin court heard that Graham Armstrong, 38, had broken into a woman's home armed with a knife and threatened to kill her. The victim had met Armstrong on Tinder the day before, and he had stayed for about an hour, appearing "nice and normal." After a brief outing, she returned to find a draught and a shadow, then was pushed and held by Armstrong who demanded money. He forced her to hand over her passport, €150, and other cards, and took her mobile phone. The victim later contacted a friend who advised her to call the police. Armstrong had previously mugged a 75‑year‑old woman in August 2020 and had been convicted of robbery and burglary in 2021. He pleaded guilty to both offences and was sentenced to two years for the robbery and a consecutive three‑year term for the burglary, with the judge noting the seriousness of the knife‑wielding intrusion.
In February 2023, William O'Riordan, a 48‑year‑old farm labourer from Banteer, Cork, was sentenced to one year in prison for sexually abusing his niece on three occasions between September 2001 and March 2006. He pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual abuse at a location in County Cork. The judge, Mr Justice Paul McDermott, noted O'Riordan's reduced cognitive function but also that he understood his actions were wrong and showed no remorse. The sentence was suspended for two years, with conditions that he keep the peace and behave well for three years. The victim, who was nine to ten at the time, described the abuse as devastating, stating she no longer wanted to stay at her grandmother's home and feared future harm to her children. O'Riordan's mother, an elderly woman in her 80s, has been affected by the case, delaying her surgery and relying on O'Riordan for care.
Dean Paget, 34, pleaded guilty to attempting to murder his former partner Lisa Ward and to intentionally ending the life of their unborn child. At a Central Criminal Court sentencing hearing, Judge Paul McDermott imposed a 14‑year sentence, with the final 12 months suspended for two years on the condition that Paget work with probation services and continue treatment for drug and alcohol addiction. The court considered Paget's violent assault on Ward on 25 April 2021, during which he punched, kicked, choked and threatened her, and threatened to "rip" their unborn daughter, Ruby Rose, out of her. CCTV evidence showed a series of vicious assaults and appalling threats. Paget's guilty plea and admission of remorse were noted as mitigating factors, but the judge emphasised the severe and terrifying nature of the violence and the lasting impact on Ward. The suspended portion of the sentence was tied to addressing violence and addiction issues.
Ciaran Heneghan, 38, pleaded guilty to cashing two cheques totalling €6,500 in his name at Ulster Bank in Dublin Airport between July and December 2019. His wife, Tracey Heneghan, also 38, admitted cashing three cheques totalling €13,000 in her name at the same location between January and March 2020. The court heard the cheques were proceeds of crime from a bogus roofing company that fraudulently obtained over €44,000 from an elderly woman in Dun Laoghaire. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Ciaran Heneghan to a two-year suspended sentence, ordered him to be of good behaviour for two years, and directed him to repay €6,000 to the victim. This includes €2,000 to be paid within two months and a further €4,000 within 15 months, or to a charity of the victim's choice if she declines. Regarding Tracey Heneghan, the judge noted her peripheral role and ordered her to be of good behaviour under Section 100 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. The matter was adjourned until June 8, with the judge stating he would discharge any sentence against her a fortnight later if she abides by the condition. A third accused is due in court separately.
Michael Campbell, 31, was jailed for three and a half years after being caught driving a Ford van that contained €600,000 worth of cannabis. He had been pressed by third parties to transport the drugs after accruing a drug debt of €1,000 to €2,000. Campbell pleaded guilty to possessing almost 30 kilos of cannabis for sale or supply when stopped at the Ballymun exit of the M50 on 22 June. He claimed he was the "lowest of the low" in the operation and had no knowledge of the quantity of drugs he was asked to transport. Gardaí found six black plastic bags of cannabis in the van's back. Campbell had no prior convictions, had voluntarily relinquished bail in September, and was described as having an excellent work record and a good family background. The sentence was back‑dated to 12 September 2022.
Brendan Martin, 55, pleaded guilty to a single count of indecent assault on his seven‑year‑old nephew in 1982. The victim, Joseph Martin, waived anonymity and gave a video statement from Spain, describing the abuse as "unquantifiable" and its far‑reaching, destructive impact. He said the assault destroyed his relationship with his father, caused bed‑wetting until age 14, and left him with lasting emotional difficulties. Judge Martin Nolan noted the offender was a child at the time, aged 15, and suspended a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, ordering Martin to register as a sex offender. The court heard that Martin had been babysitting the nephew for months, that the abuse involved fondling and forced kissing, and that the victim's mother had stopped allowing him to babysit. Martin had previously been convicted of sexual assault in 2003‑2004 and was fined. He is now homeless and lives in his car.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, defence counsel Sean Guerin SC argued that the prosecution sought to introduce evidence of burglaries committed by Brendan Treanor and James Flynn to prejudice them in the Lordship Credit Union robbery case that resulted in the death of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. Guerin said the burglaries had no connection to the robbery and requested separate trials for each charge. Bernard Condon SC supported this position for Flynn. Prosecutor Brendan Grehan SC countered that the burglary and robbery charges were joined because of a continuum of facts, citing similarities in location, timing, method and mobile phone evidence. He argued the burglary evidence would show the accused were not in innocent association on the day of the robbery. The court would rule on the matter next Tuesday. Treanor (34) and Flynn (32) have pleaded not guilty to both the burglary and robbery charges.
Alan Kiernan, 58, pleaded guilty to affray after a street brawl outside a women's refuge on St Patrick's Day. Gardaí saw him with blood on his head and a wheel brace. He was struck about 20 times by the co‑accused, who later received a 15‑month suspended sentence. Kiernan had previously been arrested in January 2020 and exercised his right to silence. He had 12 prior convictions, including sexual offences. In court he offered €1,000 as a token of remorse and a letter from an employment service. Judge Orla Crowe, noting the CCTV evidence and Kiernan's guilty plea, imposed an 18‑month prison sentence suspended for four years on strict conditions, directing the €1,000 to be donated to the refuge.
Stacey Harcourt, 41, pleaded guilty to unlawful cultivation of cannabis at her north Dublin home after a Garda search in October 2021 uncovered 448 g of the herb. Harcourt, a cancer sufferer diagnosed with skin cancer in 2010 and treated with eight neck operations and 15 melanoma‑related procedures, said she grew the plant from seed and used about five grams each evening for pain relief, claiming it was the only effective treatment after chemotherapy failed. She denied ever selling the cannabis. Her lawyer, Olan Callanan, argued that the drug was used solely for her own medical comfort. Judge Martina Baxter acknowledged Harcourt's situation but reiterated that each use constituted an offence. The court adjourned sentencing to 21 April, pending a Probation Service assessment and urine drug analysis.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Leon Thompson, aged 21, pleaded guilty to a robbery at a Londis shop in Clondalkin on 16 February 2019. He entered the shop at 8.20 pm armed with a hatchet, threatened two male employees, and stole €400 from the till. While fleeing, he fell over a display of KitKat bars. Thompson's claim that he had "scant memory" of the incident was noted, and he was not cooperative during the Garda interview, though he admitted to buying the distinctive runners that matched prints found at the scene. Judge Orla Crowe, recognising Thompson's juvenile status at the time, imposed a three‑year prison sentence, noting that a headline sentence for an adult would have been six years. The judge highlighted the hatchet use and the impact on staff as aggravating factors, while acknowledging Thompson's remorse and lack of prior convictions. The sentence was delivered today.
In January 2023, Liam Byrne, aged 41, was sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment after threatening to stab Gardaí and assaulting them with a wooden pole and knife at his mother's home in Dublin. Byrne had previously been barred from the house but was allowed back after promising to stay clean. The incident followed a June 2022 court case where he pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill a Garda and producing a knife. Byrne's lawyer linked his violent escalation to the traumatic discovery of his father's murder in 2000, which led to severe drug addiction. He had reportedly rehabilitated a year earlier, worked in construction, and assisted at a vaccination centre, but relapsed and was intoxicated during the offence. He is now awaiting assessment for residential treatment.
The Central Criminal Court heard that an 18‑year‑old teenage rapist, who has had 12 Garda interactions in a West of Ireland town since moving there four months ago, is now facing a trial for sexual assault. The court was told by a Tusla official that all State services are working together to assist with his rehousing. The defendant, who was previously sentenced in May 2022 to a five‑year prison term suspended for three years on strict conditions, was remanded in custody for the new charge. He is also before the District Court for failing to notify Garda of his address under the Sex Offenders Act. A Probation Service official explained that the main issue is suitable accommodation, and that Waterford County Council is willing to conduct a housing assessment pending his release.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 31 January 2023, 46‑year‑old Zbigniew Zadecki was sentenced to 27 months' imprisonment for assault causing harm. The offence occurred on 23 April 2020 in Phoenix Park's Fountain Road, where Zadecki, a qualified carpenter with 22 prior convictions, attacked a victim who was stamped on, punched, kicked and suffered a ruptured eye. Video evidence from Zadecki's phone showed the attackers laughing and the victim bleeding heavily. Zadecki pleaded guilty, admitting he believed the victim and a friend were Gardaí and that they were thieves. The judge, Martin Nolan, described the assault as savage and merciless, noting that any provocation was minor and did not justify the violence. Zadecki's accomplice is yet to stand trial for his role in the attack. No victim impact statement was presented. The court highlighted Zadecki's homelessness and alcohol addiction as contributing factors.
The Special Criminal Court will start a full‑day opening for the trial of Brendan Treanor and James Flynn, accused of a credit union robbery that led to the death of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. Treanor, 34, and Flynn, 32, are charged with conspiracy to steal a car key and robbery of €7,000 at Lordship Credit Union on 25 January 2013. Aaron Brady, 31, is already serving a 40‑year sentence for Donohoe's murder and the burglary. Treanor's counsel intends to sever the conspiracy and robbery charges, a move also supported by Flynn's counsel.
Mark Boyd, 34, of Finglas, was sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment after pleading guilty to assault causing harm at his former partner's home on 23 September 2018. On that day he was intoxicated, kicked in the door, entered the house, and violently attacked the woman, pulling her to the ground, striking her face and head, and causing a burst lip, bruising under her eyes and on the bridge of her nose. She escaped to a bedroom, then to the street, while Boyd also assaulted a man across the road, leaving him with minor injuries. The judge noted Boyd's nine prior convictions, his guilty plea, and mitigating factors such as the time elapsed since the offence and attempts at rehabilitation. The court imposed a 16‑month jail term, refusing a defence request for non‑imprisonment. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Dean Paget, 36, pleaded guilty to attempting to murder his former partner Lisa Ward, who was 32 weeks pregnant, and to intentionally ending the life of their unborn child. At the Central Criminal Court, CCTV footage showed Paget repeatedly kicking and punching Ward as they walked along Dame Street toward a tent on Montague Lane on 25 April 2021. He shouted, "I'll rip her out of you," and later called the unborn child a "bastard." Ward, aged 32, was taken to the Rotunda Hospital in a distraught state; medical tests found no fetal heartbeat and a placental abruption likely caused by the assault. Paget's 68 prior convictions include robbery, violent behaviour and drug offences. He expressed remorse during the hearing, apologised to Ward, and was remanded in custody pending sentencing on 7 February. Ward's statement described the lasting emotional pain and her loss of hope for a child.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Gavin Deering, 24, was jailed for one year after a hotel room bust at the Maldron Hotel in Tallaght. Gardaí had been surveilling Deering, who was seen entering and leaving the hotel while dealing drugs. He pleaded guilty to possessing €15,000 worth of cannabis for sale or supply and to having a controlled drug, cocaine, in his possession on 4 July 2021. Deering had 28 prior convictions, all traffic offences. Judge Martin Nolan noted that a clean record might have allowed a suspended sentence, but given Deering's history, he imposed a three‑year sentence, suspending the final two years on conditions of good behaviour for two years after release. The court seized a large wrapped package of cannabis, weighing €15,568, and a small amount of cocaine, valued at €106.
Gavin Blanchfield, 40, was sentenced to a six‑year suspended term after pleading guilty to eight counts of possessing ammunition, bullet heads, cartridges, gunpowder and primers without the correct firearm certification. The judge noted that Blanchfield had no sinister intent and had no prior convictions, which helped avoid imprisonment. He was found to have an "ammunition factory" at his Tallaght home, with 9.99 kg of gunpowder and equipment seized, and firearms that he legally owned but lacked the required licence for the ammunition. Garda investigations traced his activity on a public forum where he advertised and discussed ammunition. The court ordered forfeiture and destruction of all seized items, and Blanchfield's licence was revoked, effectively ending his gun‑owning hobby. The judge described the decision to spare him prison as a "close run thing.".
Keith Riggs, aged 38, set fire to the Depaul Hostel in Dublin 7 on 26 March 2022, causing €2.8 million in damage and leaving 22‑year‑old Shauna O'Brien permanently blind, unable to speak and suffering chronic nerve damage. Riggs pleaded guilty to two counts of arson and one of endangerment. Judge Dara Hayes sentenced him to 11 years' imprisonment, with 18 months suspended, back‑dated to 27 March 2022. The suspended period is subject to strict conditions, including supervision by the Probation Service and engagement with community mental health services. The sentence reflects the serious injuries to O'Brien, the impact on her two children and family, and the cost to Dublin City Council of repairing the hostel and rehousing residents. Riggs' history of mental health issues and expressions of remorse were considered mitigating factors. The court noted that the fire caused four hospitalisations and significant damage to the hostel's infrastructure.
At the Central Criminal Court, Noel Lennon, 49, of Dundrum, Dublin, appeared regarding the alleged murder of Isaac Horgan, who died after being stabbed in the leg at his home in Markievicz House, Townsend Street, Dublin 2, on March 29, 2021. Lennon pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, a plea accepted by the State. He is also charged with impeding his own apprehension at Spring Garden Lane, Dublin 2, on the same date. Counsel for Lennon stated that a psychiatric report was pending, preventing the case from proceeding. Mr Justice Hunt noted it was "rather sad" that no family members were present to make a victim impact statement, though he confirmed the opportunity remained. Lennon was remanded in custody until April 17. Co-accused Lisa Lee, 41, of Little Britain Street, Dublin 7, is charged with impeding Lennon's apprehension. Her counsel noted she had missed a probation service call. Mr Justice Hunt directed Lee to continue signing on and contact the probation service, warning she could face a custodial sentence. He granted her bail, describing it as a "last chance saloon," and emphasized that any misconduct or failure to sign on would result in severe consequences. The matter was adjourned to April 17.
Hyde Court Property Company Owners Management Company Ltd, which runs the Hyde Court apartment complex in Dublin 2, has obtained a temporary injunction from the High Court to prevent former director Michael Noonan from dealing with, reducing or transferring funds in an AIB bank account that the company claims were misappropriated by Noonan between July and August 2016. The company alleges that Noonan withdrew more than €115,000 for personal use and that the money was frozen by a 2021 court order following a Garda investigation and criminal prosecution. Noonan, who was removed as director in 2016, has pleaded guilty to theft and false accounting and is due to be sentenced by the Circuit Criminal Court next week. The injunction is intended to preserve the frozen funds until the criminal proceedings conclude, as the company fears the order will lapse once Noonan is sentenced.
Peter Monks, 32, of Balbriggan, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his then-partner on 30 November 2019 after returning home intoxicated from a night out. He punched, kicked, bit and pulled her hair, causing serious stress and bruises. The victim fled to a neighbour's house, later returned to find Monks sleeping, then was attacked again with a shoe. Gardaí recorded the injuries and arrested Monks. Monks admitted drinking heavily and could not recall details. He had 20 prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan, after hearing counsel's request not to imprison him, imposed a custodial sentence of two years with the final 16 months suspended. The court noted the victim's recovery and Monks' mental health concerns, including a suicide attempt and a letter from his sister. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
Two 27‑year‑old semi‑professional footballers from Scotland, Liam Callaghan and Craig Johnston, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and obstruction after a "shameful attack" on a 52‑year‑old man in Dublin on 8 December 2019. The victim's eye socket was fractured and his head was struck by a box, causing him to bounce off the ground. The court heard that the men had no prior interaction with the victim and that an earlier altercation at a bar had no relevance to the attack. Both men brought €6 000 to court as a token of remorse, which the victim accepted. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a two‑year prison sentence on each, suspended in full on the condition of keeping the peace for two years, and directed the men to hand over the gesture of remorse to the victim.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced 27‑year‑old Silmara Onofre to two years' imprisonment for possessing €66,297 worth of cocaine. Onofre, who had an address in Brazil, swallowed 78 pellets weighing 0.949 kg to smuggle the drug into Ireland. She was stopped by customs at Dublin Airport on a flight from Portugal, arrested, and taken to Beaumont Hospital where she passed the pellets under medical supervision. Onofre pleaded guilty and claimed she was manipulated, exploited and financially desperate. The judge described her as a "disposable" drug mule who took a "considerable risk" and noted that some people in Ireland have an "unending appetite for cocaine." The sentence was back‑dated to the day she was taken into custody, 17 April last.
A man from Buncrana, County Donegal has been sentenced to five years imprisonment, with the final two years suspended for two years, following his conviction for rape. Francis Bourne, aged 47, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to raping a woman at her home in Donegal in November 2016. The woman was asleep when the offence occurred. During sentencing, the court heard that the complainant has since experienced nightmares, depression and suicidal ideation. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed strict conditions including a prohibition on any contact with the woman. In mitigation, the court considered Bourne's guilty plea, expression of remorse, lack of previous convictions and voluntary work in his community. A psychological assessment indicated medium risk of reoffending. The investigation began after the woman reported the matter to gardaí in June 2017, and subsequent evidence included admissions made by Bourne via text message.
Ruzmond Muwaniri, 34, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assaulting three people in the St Stephen's Green area on 1 and 2 February. He admitted punching a woman, causing a broken nose, and striking two men in the face. The judge noted Muwaniri's history of mental illness, including schizophrenia, and his previous conviction for assaulting his girlfriend. He had spent two years in the Central Mental Hospital and was homeless upon release. Muwaniri denied recollection of the attacks but admitted the incidents when shown CCTV footage. He has 80 prior convictions, 16 for assault causing harm. The court ordered him to keep the peace for one year after release and comply with Probation Services. The sentence was back‑dated to 2 February 2022. Ruzmond Muwaniri pleaded guilty.
Two peace activists, retired soldier Edward Horgan (78) and civil servant Dan Dowling (39), were found guilty of trespassing on a taxiway at Shannon Airport. They had previously been acquitted of criminal damage for marking an American naval plane. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, after a ten‑day trial, returned guilty verdicts on the summary trespass charges. Judge Martina Baxter, who praised their conduct, imposed no custodial sentence but ordered each to pay €5,000 to the Clare Haven Refuge for women within 12 months. She also required them to maintain good behaviour and keep the peace for a year. The judge highlighted their lack of prior convictions and good work histories, and noted their intention to protest peacefully. The men accepted the verdict. No further penalties were imposed.
In the Special Criminal Court, Gerard Hutch, Paul Murphy, and Jason Bonney face charges related to the murder of David Byrne during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016. All three defendants have pleaded not guilty. Mr. Hutch is accused of the murder, while Mr. Murphy and Mr. Bonney are charged with participating in or contributing to the murder by providing access to motor vehicles. The matter is currently at the sentencing stage, although the source text details the defense counsel's closing speech, arguing that the prosecution's case relies heavily on the testimony of Jonathan Dowdall, whom they described as a proven liar and perjurer. Counsel Brendan Grehan SC contended that the audio recordings presented by the prosecution did not contain unambiguous admissions of guilt by Mr. Hutch. He argued that the recordings suggested Mr. Hutch was involved in post-incident mediation rather than the attack itself. The defense emphasized that Mr. Hutch is not charged with firearms offenses and that the prosecution's case stands or falls on the credibility of Mr. Dowdall. The court has not yet delivered a verdict or sentence in this report.