Chad Redmond, aged 29, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for assault causing harm and criminal damage after a February 2020 incident in which he threatened to throw his ex‑partner off her balcony. The assault took place at her apartment on Hampton Wood Drive, Finglas, after Redmond forced entry, shouted at her friends, struck her on the head, and threatened to push her off the balcony. He had previously been convicted of burglary at the same home, where he also assaulted her. Redmond was intoxicated, having taken cocaine, and had a history of drug addiction. The victim withdrew her statement to Gardaí and did not give a victim impact statement. Judge Martin Nolan reduced the headline sentence of three and a half years to 20 months, citing mitigating factors such as the victim's cooperation and Redmond's intoxication. Chad Redmond pleaded guilty.
Patrick Fahey, aged 47, was sentenced to six and a half years in prison by Judge Martin Nolan at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a series of robberies and attempted robberies committed between August 2019 and October 2021. The offences included a €400 theft from a Soho adult shop, a €30 theft from a vintage clothes shop where he left with only fruit and a chocolate bar, a €350 theft from Londis, a €700 theft and €500 damage at a café, and a €200‑€300 theft from a Spar shop. Fahey pleaded guilty to seven counts and had 18 prior convictions. He had been remanded since October 2021 and had admitted his involvement, expressed remorse, and apologized for his actions. The judge noted the lack of violence but the fear caused to victims, and highlighted Fahey's previous attempts at reform. The sentence was back‑dated to 3 October 2021.
Patrick Bell, aged 55, was sentenced to six and a half years in prison for unlawful possession of heroin for sale or supply. Bell, a mid‑to‑high level member of a large‑scale drug operation, was arrested in September 2019 after Garda surveillance uncovered heroin, cutting agents and large amounts of empty kilo packaging at a garage in Thomas Court Bawn, Dublin 8. The operation had been rented since 2010 under a false name linked to Bell, and phones seized from his home indicated he was involved in supplying drugs under direction from unknown people. Bell pleaded guilty and had only a few minor traffic convictions. The judge noted Bell's role was integral but not at the top of the operation, and accepted his guilty plea as a mitigating factor, allowing a departure from the mandatory ten‑year sentence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Melanie Greally sentenced 37‑year‑old Waqas Ahmed to four months in prison for a trespass with intent offence, which was the plea accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions after an initial sexual nature charge. Ahmed entered his neighbour's apartment on 14 December 2018, claiming he needed water, and while her children played on the floor, exposed his penis to the woman. The judge described the incident as "somewhat concerning" and noted the victim's profound impact, including ongoing fear and mental distress. Ahmed was deemed a moderate risk of reoffending, with no prior convictions. The sentence was suspended in full on strict conditions: engagement with the Probation Service for 12 months, adherence to all directions, and a 10‑year prohibition on any contact with the victim or her family. The judge also ordered Ahmed to remain away from the victim's apartment building. The case remains on record as a trespass offence. Waqas Ahmed pleaded guilty.
Daniel Kinahan has until October to decide whether to challenge the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) in its attempt to seize a south Dublin property linked to him and jailed businessman Jim Mansfield Junior. The High Court was informed that attempts have been made to serve papers at addresses linked to Kinahan in Dubai, but confirmation of receipt is pending. If Kinahan does not respond, Mr Justice Michael MacGrath will hold a hearing on October 3 to consider the CAB's request for the property to be seized. Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh, an associate of Kinahan, has already been served papers while in prison in the UK. Mansfield and his brother Patrick Joseph Mansfield have waived any claim over the property. It is alleged that Kinahan and Kavanagh provided Mansfield Jnr with €4.5 million in suitcases, which was to be invested in property for the cartel. The deal collapsed during the economic downturn, but it is alleged that Mansfield Jnr later repaid them by giving them a house in Saggart. The CAB proceedings were initiated to seize property in Dublin linked to Kinahan and Mansfield Jnr. Last February, the Special Criminal Court jailed Mansfield Jnr in an unrelated case for 18 months for ordering the destruction of CCTV footage showing him with a former employee on the morning the employee was kidnapped by republican terrorists. The court noted that Mansfield Jnr 'stood and watched' as his former security guard was taken by the kidnappers and 'placed in great danger'. Presiding judge Mr Justice Alexander Owens stated that Mansfield Jnr's actions fell into the category of 'foolish and selfish criminality' and that he sought to distance himself from involvement with the kidnappers.
Lee Swift, 28, was jailed for three and a half years after raiding a convenience store on Kimmage Road Lower in Terenure three times in one week. The third raid saw Swift in the shop when staff called the Gardaí; he threatened officers Brendan Stynes and Jason O'Carroll with a knife, forcing them to retreat. Additional Gardaí were called, and Swift was arrested after a brief pursuit. He pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and one count of attempted robbery between 4 and 8 August 2021. The court found €455 in cash and over €2,400 in cigarettes and tobacco were stolen. Swift has 258 prior convictions, mainly traffic offences, but also criminal damage and theft. He has a history of chronic drug abuse and a heart attack at 18. The judge noted his long offending history and handed down a five‑year sentence, suspending the final 18 months on conditions.
Piotr Konieczny, 45, was sentenced to eight and a half months in prison for assault causing harm after he attacked his partner in his mother's home. He dragged her off a couch, pressed a foot on her arm and struck her face. The court heard that the victim had made two withdrawn statements and that the couple had reconciled and were living together. Konieczny had pleaded guilty to the assault and had a prior drink‑driving conviction. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a suspended four‑month term, requiring him to keep the peace and exhibit good behaviour for 12 months after release, and to remain under probation supervision for that period. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the domestic violence incident and the court's consideration of future risk.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 61‑year‑old man was convicted of seven counts of rape and six counts of indecent assault against his younger cousin, who was ten when the abuse began in 1991. The court heard that the victim was raped as many as 50 times a year, with oral and anal rapes, until 1997 when the victim asked the man to stop. The abuse was described as "relentless and constant" and was carried out while the victim lived with the defendant, with a three‑year break when the victim lived elsewhere. The victim's parents were alcoholics and the family environment was described as neglectful, with several siblings placed in care. The defendant denies the allegations and has no remorse. He is already serving a seven‑year sentence for other sexual assaults on girls. Sentencing was adjourned to 24 October 2024.".
Salaiman Sultan Alghurayr, 28, was sentenced to six months in prison for stealing nearly €5,000 from his 75‑year‑old landlady after she lent him her credit card in February 2020. He used the card to withdraw €4,558 in cash and attempted further thefts of €4,400 that failed. Alghurayr pleaded guilty to three theft counts in Dublin. The landlady, a hospital worker who rents rooms to supplement her income, said the repeated borrowing left her in financial difficulty and that Alghurayr abused her trust. He has no prior convictions. The court noted he is a college student from Saudi Arabia with a gambling addiction and plans to continue his studies. The judge imposed a two‑year sentence, suspended 18 months, and required Alghurayr to raise €4,500 for the victim.
In a 2022 Central Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice David Keane refused to accept character references for a defendant who, in his thirties, raped a child and sexually abused two others between 1983 and 1993. The judge ruled that only references from individuals present in court could be considered, allowing cross‑examination. The defendant, now in his late sixties, was found guilty of one count of anal rape, 13 counts of indecent assault and three counts of sexual assault. He denied the allegations, calling them "lies" and "a load of crap." Two victims gave impact statements describing lasting trauma. The judge noted the defendant's lack of prior convictions, cooperation with Gardaí and low re‑offending risk, but also his lack of remorse. He sentenced the man to 11 years' imprisonment, with a three‑year probation supervision period after release.
Celyn Eadon, aged 30, was sentenced to 16 months in prison for assaulting a support worker after his release from prison. The assault occurred on 14 January 2023 at his home in Annaly Grove, Ongar, Dublin, when Eadon punched the support worker several times in the face during a discussion about films. Eadon had previously been convicted of murdering his mother, Noreen Kelly, in 2014, a conviction later quashed by the Supreme Court, and he pleaded guilty to manslaughter. He had served 14 years for that offence, back‑dated to 2011, and had eight prior assault convictions while in prison. The judge, citing Eadon's guilty plea, cooperation, and remorse, imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with 14 months suspended, back‑dated to the date of the assault. The support worker declined to give a victim impact statement. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Daryl McCarthy, 29, was sentenced to ten years in prison for raping a 19‑year‑old woman twice after breaking into her home and threatening her with a crowbar. He pleaded guilty to rape, oral rape and aggravated burglary on 2 December 2019. The Central Criminal Court heard that the victim remains deeply affected, having moved from her home to feel safe. Justice Tara Burn, hearing the case via video link, noted McCarthy's intoxication and lack of recall but described the offences as "absolutely and utterly dreadful." She set a headline sentence of 14 years, reduced to 12 years for his guilty plea and remorse, and suspended an additional two years on the condition that he comply with probation recommendations and avoid contact with the victim. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the sexual acts and the burglary with a crowbar. The victim's impact statement detailed ongoing trauma, including flashbacks, nightmares and PTSD.
Stephen Wilson, 46, of Brehon Grove, Kingston, Dublin 16, pleaded guilty to three counts of burglary committed on the early hours of 24 April 2020 at Leeson Street Lower. The offences involved a building with two top‑floor apartments and offices on the first and ground floors, occupied by The Agency and Sea Spray. Garda Kevin Cassidy received a call from a resident who heard loud banging and later found Wilson attempting to force entry into an apartment. Gardaí entered the building, found Wilson on the top floor, restrained him and arrested him. Wilson has 89 prior convictions, including burglary, trespassing with a weapon, criminal damage and public order offences. He represented himself via video link and claimed he was let into the building by three others.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Judge Tara Burns praised a 13‑year‑old victim for promptly reporting a rape and sexual assault. The defendant, now 22, pleaded guilty to one count of oral rape and one count of sexual assault. The judge imposed an eight‑year sentence for the oral rape, with the final 12 months suspended under strict conditions, and a five‑year sentence for the sexual assault; both sentences run concurrently. The judge highlighted the seriousness of the offences, the violence involved, and the breach of trust, while noting mitigating factors such as the defendant's heavy drinking that night and distressing news. She commended the victim's bravery and urged other young women to report assaults. The sentencing reflected the judge's assessment of the case's aggravating and mitigating circumstances.
Thomas Kelly, a 35‑year‑old Dublin City Council worker, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of money laundering for transporting €10,000 in crime cash to settle a €700 drug debt. On 19 October 2019, Garda Sean Kelly of Finglas Garda Station stopped a silver car driven by Kelly, who appeared nervous. A search uncovered €250 in a white envelope and a package marked 'H2O' beneath the driver's seat, which contained the €10,000. Kelly admitted he had agreed to deliver the cash to Liffey Valley to reduce his drug debt and also mentioned a gambling debt. He has 14 prior convictions, mainly district court offences, and had previously repaid part of his debts from wages, leaving a final balance of €700. No one has claimed the money, which the Gardaí consider proceeds of crime.
Daniel Belling, a 49‑year‑old German national living in Dublin, was sentenced in his absence in Italy to a three‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended term for one count of dishonestly inducing the Bank of Ireland to grant a €112,500 mortgage on 13 March 2014. He used falsified documents—including a German ID card with an incorrect birth date, overstated payslips, altered bank statements and a P60—to apply for loans between 1 July 2013 and 27 January 2015. The court described the offence as a "classic white‑collar crime" and noted Belling's wife, missing since 2017, was alleged to have driven the scheme. Belling pleaded guilty, exercised his right to silence in 2018, and has no prior convictions. He is a primary carer for his two sons, aged nine and ten, and has been unemployed since 2017. The judge fully suspended the sentence, deciding not to imprison him.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Francis Kelly, aged 33, was sentenced to a suspended 32‑month term for possessing cocaine and cannabis for sale. Kelly, who had a near‑death experience after an overdose in 2020, has since stopped using drugs and has undergone a profound personality change, according to a clinical psychologist. He now studies computer programming and intends to pursue third‑level education. The drugs, valued at €8,400, were seized in a Saggart carpark after a Garda report. Kelly pleaded guilty to two counts of possession for supply on 4 May 2018 and has 35 prior convictions, mainly for traffic offences. The judge noted his educational progress and the absence of further Garda attention, and imposed the suspended sentence on a number of conditions.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Lateef Lawal, aged 24, was sentenced to three and a half years for assault and false imprisonment of Karl Duggan at the Peter McVerry Trust homeless shelter on 1 July 2021. The court heard that Lawal beat Duggan for over an hour and a half, stripped him of his clothing, held him captive, and posted a ten‑second Snapchat video of the assault. Lawal also stole Duggan's mobile phone, gym bag and six grams of cannabis, for which he accepted responsibility. The judge noted the seriousness of the assault and false imprisonment, describing the conduct as "totally unacceptable behaviour." Lawal's prior convictions for drug possession and sale were considered, but the sentencing focused on the assault and false imprisonment. The victim's impact statement was not read in court. The case highlighted the use of social media evidence in criminal proceedings. Lateef Lawal pleaded guilty.
The High Court has heard arguments in a judicial review application by Tracey Tully, mother of murdered Irish Champion boxer Kevin Sheehy, challenging the Minister for Justice's decision to transfer convicted murderer Logan Jackson to a UK prison. Ms. Tully alleges the transfer breaches her rights under the 2017 Victim of Crime Act and the 2019 Parole Act, claiming it abdicating the State's responsibility for parole decisions and extinguishing her right to be consulted. She seeks a declaration that the decision is unconstitutional and an order quashing the transfer. The Minister's counsel argued that the legal threshold for leave was not met, asserting that Jackson's sentence was finalised and that UK systems allow victim input on parole. Jackson, who was convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court and sentenced to life imprisonment for Mr. Sheehy's murder, supported the Minister's position. Ms. Justice Siobhan Phelan reserved her decision on the leave application, indicating she intends to deliver her judgment before the current legal term concludes at the end of July. Jackson's proposed transfer remains on hold pending the outcome of this action.
James Carpenter, 31, of Ardee, Co. Louth, was sentenced in Dublin for fraud involving €500 Electric Picnic tickets and rental deposits. He promised tickets to a woman who paid via bank transfer after seeing a Gumtree advert; the tickets never arrived and Carpenter ignored her emails. He also scammed multiple tenants, taking deposits and first‑month rent for rooms advertised online, claiming false reasons for delays such as a supposed death of his mother or inheritance of the property. Gardaí recovered no money. Carpenter had previously been at large until April 2021, when he was arrested under a European arrest warrant and extradited after serving a six‑month sentence in Scotland for similar offences. He has 21 prior convictions, 10 in Scotland. He pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and was sentenced to six months for the ticket fraud and two years for the accommodation scams, with both terms running concurrently and back‑dated for time already served.
Judge Pauline Codd, presiding over the sentencing of Michael Collins, 32, imposed an eight‑year prison term with the final year suspended on strict conditions for the knife‑point robbery of two taxi drivers in April and May 2021. Collins, who had been arrested on 13 May 2021 after a TV was found in a trolley and a stolen credit card recovered, pleaded guilty to robbery, four counts of theft, handling stolen property and criminal damage. He had 43 prior convictions, mainly for robbery and burglary. The judge highlighted the seriousness of the robberies, the aggravating factor of the knife, and the impact on the drivers, who suffered financial loss and ongoing psychological effects. Collins expressed remorse, citing family tragedies and substance abuse, and seeks assistance with reading and writing while serving his sentence.
Gerard Hughes, 25, was sentenced to one year in prison for criminal damage after smashing 21 doors at Citywest Hotel, Saggart, Dublin, in September 2018, causing over €7,000 in damage. He received an additional 18‑month consecutive sentence for possessing cannabis for sale, found at his home in March 2021. Witnesses, including security officer Conor Flynn, reported Hughes breaking hotel doors and attempting to smash a safe with a fire extinguisher. The hotel paid €7,717 for repairs, and an office was broken into with keys later found on Hughes. Hughes admitted the acts, expressed remorse, and cited the murder of his brother a year earlier as a distressing factor. He has 81 prior convictions, including drug offences, and was on bail for the criminal damage charge at the time of sentencing. The judge back‑dated the sentences to May 21, when Hughes entered custody for a separate robbery and endangerment matter. Gerard Hughes pleaded guilty.
A 17-year-old accused admitted to one count of oral rape and one count of attempted oral rape of his younger cousin on a date unknown. The Central Criminal Court heard the offences occurred when the accused was aged between 12 and 14 and the victim was between eight and ten. The accused pleaded guilty, stating he was experimenting, though his narrative changed during a second interview in December 2021. A probation report indicated he was at low risk of reoffending but should not have unsupervised access to pre-pubescent children. Mr Justice McGrath, who had previously adjourned sentencing to allow the accused to prepare for his Leaving Certificate exams, stated that a period of detention was necessary. He sentenced the accused to two years in detention on each count, to run concurrently. However, the judge deferred the sentence for one year to allow the accused to engage with probation and other services. The accused must not offend during this period and must comply with directed services. Mr Justice McGrath noted that if the accused remains of good character and complies with the services, there is a likelihood that the detention period will be suspended. Conversely, failure to comply could result in detention of up to two years. The accused is currently awaiting his Leaving Certificate results.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 14 July 2022, CAB officers seized an Audi Q7, more than €74,000 in cash and luxury goods from the home of Anthony McKeever (39) and his partner Adrienne Shepard (36). The couple had admitted to multiple counts of laundering crime cash. €40,000 was found hidden in a kitchen extractor fan, with additional cash concealed in a pillow, bedroom cabinet, wardrobe and other locations. McKeever was sentenced to three and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to five counts of possessing the proceeds of crime between 21 March 2004 and 26 July 2020. Shepard received a suspended one‑year sentence after admitting possession of the proceeds on several dates in 2020, with the sentence suspended on the condition of good behaviour for a year.
Robert Duffy, a 50‑year‑old former IRA member, was jailed for life in Northern Ireland for the 1993 murder of John Gibson, a building contractor director. He was released on licence under the Good Friday Agreement in July 2000, but in 2008 he was convicted in the Republic of Ireland for attempting to murder Colin O'Neill at the Emerald Bar in Dundalk. Duffy pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life imprisonment after firing a shotgun at O'Neill, who survived but was injured. Following his conviction, his release licence was suspended by the Northern Ireland Secretary of State and a warrant was issued under the EU‑UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement to return him to Northern Ireland to serve the remainder of his sentence for Gibson's murder.
Stephen Hearns, a former nightclub doorman, was found in possession of a video showing a girl of about 13 years old fully naked and engaging in explicit sexual behaviour. The video was sent to him in a 2015 WhatsApp group chat that also included other participants. Garda Stephen Kinneavy testified that Hearns had expressed liking the video and requested more. The footage surfaced during a global child‑abuse investigation that led to a search of a property in Swords, Co. Dublin, and the seizure of several mobile phones and computers. The operation ultimately resulted in the 2018 conviction of the primary suspect, Maddy Grant. Hearns admitted to joining the group but denied any physical contact with children. He was given a fully suspended one‑year prison sentence, and his security licence was revoked.
Wayne Sullivan, 38, of Beauvale Park, Artane, Dublin, was convicted of robbing a Spar shop in Coolock on 12 January 2021. He travelled to the shop by taxi, asked the driver to make a U‑turn and wait, then entered the shop armed with a plastic gun. Sullivan took cash and scratch cards, including a winning €5,000 card, which he later cashed at the GPO. He had written his name and address on the back of the card. Gardaí traced the card via its barcode, searched Sullivan's home under warrant and recovered clothing and a facemask containing his DNA. The taxi driver and shop staff provided testimony. Sullivan pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two and a half years, with the final year suspended and the sentence back‑dated to 18 March, when he was already in custody for other matters. The €5,000 prize was not recovered.
Ndricim Qema, 27, an asylum seeker who had arrived from Albania in 2018 and lived in Direct Provision, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for his role in a people‑smuggling operation that illegally brought 12 Albanian nationals into Ireland. Qema pleaded guilty to three counts of people smuggling at Dublin airport in 2019, and to one count each of money laundering, possessing a false instrument and using a false instrument at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He had been in custody since April 2021 and had 29 prior convictions, mainly for alcohol theft. Gardaí recovered a phone containing 30 photos of false IDs and messages linking Qema to his father, a senior smuggler, and to others seeking to enter Ireland. The judge described Qema as an "integral part" of the operation in Ireland, noting that the leaders were based in Albania. The sentence was back‑dated to the time of his arrest.
Marius Cristea, 56, was sentenced to 20 months in jail for fraudulently claiming €84,099 in jobseeker's allowance over seven years. He worked at a golf club under a false identity while claiming benefits under his own name from 2013 to 2020. Cristea pleaded guilty to eight counts of social welfare fraud at Dodsboro post office between December 2013 and March 2020 and one count of producing a false instrument at Naas Golf Club on 14 January 2019. Garda Anna Masterson explained that after his business failed during the recession, he assumed the identity of a former employee to work at the club and continued to claim benefits. He received cash in hand and claimed an additional €11,000 until March 2020. He has repaid €3,482 to date. Cristea has no prior convictions in Ireland but has historic convictions in Romania.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Simon Dominican Byrne, 40, received a two‑year suspended sentence for two counts of deception after he falsely presented insurance certificates to Mary Ring, who had engaged him to build an extension on her home. Byrne claimed to be insured, but the certificates were fabricated, and he was uninsured when he began work. Ring said the deception caused her and her husband to lose their savings and forced them to live in a home without heating. Byrne admitted the mistake, citing debt and mental health issues, and the judge noted his personal stress and family responsibilities. The judge imposed concurrent two‑year sentences, suspended in full, with strict conditions including probation and therapy. The case remains subject to ongoing civil proceedings regarding the loss suffered by the homeowners.
At a sentence hearing on 11 July 2022, Judge Martin Nolan imposed a suspended sentence of two and a half years on 34‑year‑old Valentin Radu for money laundering involving €1,500 withdrawn from an AIB account in November 2020. Radu had withdrawn the money for a friend who did not have a face mask, claiming he was not involved in a criminal organisation and that he had been taken advantage of. The judge noted that the State and the court had suspicions but was confined by the plea entered. Radu had a prior road‑traffic conviction. Gardaí believed he was in control of an account that had received a fraudulent transfer of €743,000, but all but €2,100 of that sum was recovered. Radu denied knowledge of the fraudulent emails and said he had no online access to the account. The judge emphasised that the plea limited the court's ability to impose a harsher sentence. Valentin Radu pleaded guilty.
Gerard Russell, a 55‑year‑old former purchasing and procurement manager at St Vincent's University Hospital, pleaded guilty to six counts of theft and deception for fraudulently using a company credit card to purchase items worth €22,353 between August 2014 and June 2015. An audit triggered by domestic‑and‑personal purchases revealed the misuse, and items were delivered to the hospital and recovered from Russell's home. He had no prior convictions and no victim impact statement. Judge Martin Nolan, considering Russell's cooperation, guilty pleas, lack of criminal record, letters from acquaintances, and a psychological report, imposed a three‑year suspended sentence and ordered the €22,353 to be paid back to the hospital within one week. Russell's wife and other family members provided letters describing his struggles with alcoholism, depression, and bipolar disorder, and his efforts to recover. The court noted Russell's job loss and public humiliation as part of the case context.
Two brothers, Gavin Quinn (28) and Lee Quinn (27), were sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for attacking Garda Alan Murphy in Inchicore, Dublin, on 30 March 2020. Gavin pinned Murphy to the ground while Lee attempted to stab the officer in the eye with a six‑inch kitchen knife and later slashed him across the head. Both pleaded guilty to lesser charges: Gavin to assaulting a peace officer and Lee to attempting to cause serious harm. Gavin received a four‑year sentence with one year suspended, back‑dated to 5 June 2020, and Lee received seven years with one year suspended, back‑dated to 20 March 2020. The judge noted the brothers' aggressive conduct, prior convictions, and the impact on Murphy, who described the incident as a daily memory of confusion and danger. The sentences reflect the seriousness of the assault and the brothers' guilty pleas.
Lawyers for Lisa Smith, a 40‑year‑old former soldier from Dundalk, have asked the Special Criminal Court to consider her young child and the harsh conditions she endured in Syrian camps before sentencing her for membership of the Islamic State. Michael O'Higgins SC cited four psychological reports describing her as "damaged" and "vulnerable," and a study by Dr Anne Speckhard that found she was not likely to reoffend and had sincerely denounced Isis. He noted that Smith had already spent about four years in custody, including time in Al‑Hawl and Ain Issa camps and under a 13‑hour daily curfew since 2019. O'Higgins urged a fully suspended sentence, arguing that the maximum eight‑year term for terrorist membership would be disproportionate given her circumstances. The court adjourned sentencing to 22 July, allowing Smith to remain on bail but warning against false comfort. The case remains a novel one for the court. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty.
A woman who met a man on a dating website was subjected to coercive control, choking, repeated rape and threats of death by the man, Dean Ward, aged 36. He sprayed Mace in her face, tied her up, removed her contraceptive device, moved money in her accounts and sent hundreds of messages daily, including pretending to be her on Facebook. He also blocked and deleted many of her friends and demanded photographs to prove she was at work. The abuse lasted six weeks from May to July 2019, during which Ward threatened to kill her and forced her to have sex. He was arrested by armed Gardaí when he tried to flee. The woman testified that the ordeal left her with lasting fear, anxiety and paranoia. Ward, who has nine prior convictions, maintains his innocence and has not accepted the jury verdict.
Paul Boyle, 45, was arrested after an off‑duty Garda spotted him taking intimate photographs of a Luas passenger. A search of his phone revealed 40,000 images of women and girls, including up‑skirt shots of schoolgirls. A subsequent warrant uncovered over half a million images on a flash drive, with 275,800 depicting women's groins and buttocks, taken between June 2018 and January 2020. The same drive also contained a disturbing child‑pornography video showing an eight‑year‑old child bound and raped, a material first reported to Irish authorities in 2002. Boyle had prior convictions in Scotland. He pleaded guilty to harassment and possession of child pornography. The court sentenced him to three years for harassment and five years for possession, suspending the final two and a half years, and imposed two years of post‑release supervision and a ban on contact with victims.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 8 July 2022, Catherine Kirwan, aged 57, testified that her older brother, Paul Brothwood, 63, had repeatedly sexually assaulted her between 1973 and 1975 when she was aged nine to eleven and he was fourteen to sixteen. Kirwan described a life of fear, dread, and mental health difficulties, citing the abuse's impact on her relationships, marriage, and career prospects. She read a victim impact statement in which she said, "You, Paul, took my courage from me all those years ago. Today I take it back." Brothwood pleaded guilty to four counts of indecent assault and was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment, the maximum penalty at the time being two years. The judge noted his remorse and cooperation, and the court added him to the Sex Offenders' Register. Kirwan's statement highlighted the long‑term trauma she endured, including severe depression, anxiety, and an attempted overdose.
Three Spanish men – Jonay Saiz Gallo (25), Luis Garcia Diaz (30) and Francisco Jose Jiminez Espinosa (27) – pleaded guilty to criminal damage after spray‑painting four Dart carriages at Fairview Dart Depot on 10 October 2021. The vandalism caused €12,193 in damage to the carriages and €6,494 in lost revenue for Irish Rail, totalling over €18,700. Garda evidence showed the men were caught on CCTV, with Gallo recording the others on his phone. All three were apprehended by Gardaí, while a fourth escaped. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced each man to a suspended term – Gallo two and a half years, Diaz two years, Espinosa two years – and ordered them to pay €1,200, €2,500 and €1,700 respectively to Irish Rail within 12 months. The court noted the men had no prior convictions and had pleaded guilty early, expressing remorse and offering compensation. The sentences were suspended on the condition that each man keeps the peace.
William O'Donnell, 24, of Ashbourne, Co Meath, was sentenced to five years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to falsely imprisoning and threatening to kill his former wife, Brigid Reilly, on September 20, 2021. Judge Martin Nolan described the offence as very serious, noting that O'Donnell forced Ms Reilly into his car against her will and deprived her of her liberty for 24 hours. The court heard that O'Donnell drove Ms Reilly from Naas, Co Kildare, to Enniskillen, threatening to kill them both and ruin her reputation within the Travelling community. He recorded a video taunting her father and claimed police could not reach him once he crossed into the North. Ms Reilly, who was terrified, eventually escaped briefly but was forced back into the vehicle. O'Donnell was arrested at a garda checkpoint after driving back into the jurisdiction. He has 66 previous convictions and was on bail for other offences at the time. His defence counsel described the act as immature and attributed it to impulse control issues. O'Donnell has been in custody since last September and is on an enhanced prisoner régime. The matter was finalised with the imposition of the custodial sentence.
John Fitzpatrick, 39, of The Gardens, Carrickmines Manor, Dublin, pleaded guilty to driving away from a car accident involving an injury, careless driving and driving without insurance after he ran over a drunk man who had been lying in the road on September 6, 2019. The victim, intoxicated after leaving a pub on Cork Street, was walking into oncoming traffic when a bus swerved away and Fitzpatrick, driving behind the bus, did not see him and struck him. Fitzpatrick's daughter screamed after the collision. He was uninsured and had 45 prior convictions, including 11 for road traffic offences and five for lack of insurance. He voluntarily returned to the scene the next day and admitted guilt. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to two years and four months' imprisonment, suspended in full for three years, and disqualified him from driving for 12 years.
Glen Guildea, 28, of Balbriggan, was jailed for two and a half years after a court hearing in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He pleaded guilty to possessing more than €87,000 worth of cannabis, cocaine and ketamine for sale or supply. The offence was discovered when Gardaí observed him handing a plastic bag of 910 g of cannabis, valued at €18,218, to a driver of a white Volkswagen Polo while he was walking with his partner and five‑month‑old son. The bag was taken to the car boot, and a bin lorry helped the police catch him. A warrant search of his home found additional cannabis, ketamine and cocaine, weighing scales and two mobile phones. Guildea claimed he had a drug debt and was coerced into moving drugs, stating he had been threatened and that he had previously done this twice. He had two earlier convictions for criminal damage dating back to 2009.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 19‑year‑old Trinity College student recounted a violent late‑night mugging that occurred early on 13 September 2018. While socialising near Londis on Westmoreland Street, a woman stole the student's wallet. The victim pursued her to Aston Place, where he was confronted by Anthony Dennis (37) of Ballyfermot and two other men. Dennis punched the student, who fell to the ground, and then, with the others, searched his pockets and took his phone. The student suffered a head injury and jaw pain, and he reported the crime the following day. Dennis, who had 330 prior convictions and was on bail, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to five years' imprisonment, suspending the final year on the condition of good behaviour for one year after release, and backdated the sentence for time already served. The student, now 21, expressed forgiveness for Dennis in his victim impact statement.
Barry Fowler, aged 37, of Millbrook Lawns, Tallaght, Dublin, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for supplying drugs after he had recently finished serving a seven‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for possession of drugs and a submachine gun. On 24 May 2021, Garda surveillance in Tallaght led to Fowler and a co‑accused being monitored. The co‑accused was seen placing an item into a car boot before driving off in a taxi; Fowler was seen taking the car keys and attempting to discard them before being arrested. Gardaí searched the vehicle and found a bag containing €134 000 worth of cannabis. Fowler pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs. He had completed a conflict‑resolution course while in prison and had received letters of support from friends, family and his employer. His sister noted his ongoing battle with cocaine addiction and mental health issues.
On 6 July 2019, Daniel Prenderville, aged 34, attacked his partner Hayley Flood in her Walkinstown flat, knocking her to the floor and repeatedly kicking her face. She lost consciousness and fled the house, fearing for her safety. Prenderville also damaged the front door, which cost about €3,700 to repair. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and criminal damage at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. His defence cited drug use that night as a root cause. Judge Martin Nolan, after considering mitigating factors such as guilty pleas and steps toward reform, imposed a headline sentence of four years, equating to a 33‑month prison term. Taking into account 20 months already served and a good‑behaviour discount, the effective custodial term was 27 months, with a six‑month sentence for the assault to run from the hearing date.
Glen Stankard, 26, was jailed for two and a half years after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply. He drove a van that contained 25 packages of cannabis weighing 24.8 kg, valued at €496,384, and €6,000 in cash. Garda Detective Peter Ronan testified that Stankard moved the drugs from one van to another during a surveillance operation, wearing the insignia of a courier company he had previously worked for. Stankard admitted he had been asked to move the drugs to reduce a debt and was aware that something illegal was being moved, but did not know the contents. The judge imposed a headline sentence of ten years, reduced to six years with the final three and a half years suspended, and directed Stankard to follow Probation Services for two years after release. The court noted his low‑level role, his rehabilitation efforts, and the high value of the drugs as aggravating factors.
The recent rise in Covid‑19 infections has caused a series of adjournments in criminal proceedings at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin over the past fortnight. Three courts have been unable to sit because parties involved in cases have had to isolate. A murder trial at the Special Criminal Court has been delayed since last week after a judge had to isolate following a "falling foul" of the virus. On Monday, a violent domestic assault sentence hearing at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court could not proceed because the judge was absent; the same judge is also hearing a trial of three men accused of indecent assault. A sentence hearing for a convicted rapist in a 2011 random street attack could not take place as some parties are isolating. Another sentence hearing at the Central Criminal Court will not go ahead later this week because the judge is also isolating.
William Scully, 49, of Donabate, pleaded guilty to possession of the proceeds of criminal activity after admitting he received €1,000 to allow his bank account to be used for a scheme that cost a victim €5,000. He also admitted possession of nine cannabis plants at his home. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a two‑year suspended sentence for the proceeds charge, taking the cannabis charge into account, and required Scully to behave well and enter a bond to keep the peace. The court found it unlikely that Scully was the author of the scheme. The cannabis plants were ordered destroyed. No victim impact statement was made, and the court noted Scully's personal difficulties and prior convictions. The sentence was suspended on the condition of good behaviour.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 5 July 2022, Carl Reilly, aged 33, was sentenced to one year in prison for endangerment, dangerous driving, driving without a licence and driving without insurance. Reilly, who had been disqualified from driving due to earlier road‑traffic offences, rented a van to work during the Covid lockdown. In May 2020 he drove the van through a garda checkpoint in Rathfarnham, forcing a Garda to jump out of the way. He then accelerated to 100 km/h in a 50 km/h zone, broke a red light and was later arrested. The court noted that the Garda who had to evade the van suffered flashbacks and sleeplessness. Reilly pleaded guilty and was given a one‑year custodial sentence.
In July 2022, a 42‑year‑old Dublin man was jailed for 18 months after Gardaí discovered thousands of child abuse images and videos in his bedroom, including 150 colour prints and baby nappies on the floor. The man had also possessed hundreds of DVDs containing child abuse material, which he pointed out to officers. During the investigation, his internet search history revealed queries about "venipuncture" or taking blood from infants. He had been caught in September 2017 with 3,257 explicit images and 347 videos, and an additional 18,500 images of pre‑pubescent children were found, though these were not illegal. He pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography and a further count of distributing it, involving an online conversation with a person he believed to be an eight‑year‑old. He denies the sexual assault charge pending trial later this year.
Wayne Cooney, aged 31, was found guilty of murdering drug dealer Jordan Davis, 22, by shooting him three times with a 9mm pistol while Davis was pushing his four‑month‑old son in a pram. The jury, after just over three hours, concluded that Cooney had circled Davis for three days before firing eight shots, killing him instantly. Cooney was remanded in custody pending a hearing where the victim's family will speak before a life sentence is imposed. The prosecution presented CCTV footage, DNA on a glove, and mobile phone records linking Cooney to the scene and to a drug dealer named CD, who had warned Davis of impending violence. Cooney denied being the shooter and argued that the evidence had "large holes." The case remains subject to appeal. Wayne Cooney pleaded not guilty.