A man has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years for manslaughter following the death of his uncle in a house fire at Derrylurgan, Ballyjamesduff, County Cavan in August 2018. Daniel Murray (40) pleaded guilty to manslaughter and arson intending to endanger life, having initially faced a murder charge. At the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed a headline sentence of twelve years, suspended eighteen months of the final term. The court heard Murray set fire to sheets with a lighter in an act of revenge against his uncle Patrick Oliver Murray, who died from smoke inhalation. The judge noted Murray's prior history of arson convictions, his indifference to his uncle's welfare following the blaze, and a pattern of setting fires to neighbouring properties. In mitigation, the court considered Murray's guilty plea, expressed remorse, and engagement with addiction services. The sentence was backdated to August 2021 when Murray entered custody.
Padraig Shortt, 42, of Templeogue, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of child pornography on 17 March 2016. He was found with 4,072 images and 200 videos, including 22 videos of sexual abuse and 178 images of exposed genitals. Shortt had no prior convictions. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to three years imprisonment, fully suspended, with strict conditions including compliance with Probation Service directions for two years. The judge noted his memory disturbance, isolated social life after a road‑traffic collision, and that he had begun psychotherapy. Shortt expressed genuine remorse and was described as psychologically vulnerable. Gardaí had seized computers, phones and hard drives during a search of his home, and Shortt admitted accessing the material but denied knowingly distributing it. The case was prosecuted by Fiona McGowan BL.
Peter McCormack, 59, of Ballinakill, Moate, pleaded guilty to harassing Mary Farrell, a woman he met on Plenty of Fish, between March and September 2020. He made threats to kill her, left voicemails, sent flowers, and placed a €1,000 cheque in her letterbox. He also damaged a Garda cell by smearing blood on the walls. The court heard that his harassment decreased during early pandemic restrictions but resumed in August 2020, culminating in his arrest on 9 September 2020. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a concurrent sentence of two years and eight months, suspended in full for five years and six months, with conditions that McCormack must not contact Farrell, must continue psychiatric treatment, and must allow his doctors to notify Gardaí if he fails to comply. The sentence was suspended to protect the victim. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Lihlumelo Kanuka, 21, pleaded guilty to money laundering at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for using her bank details in an invoice‑redirection fraud that transferred €51,399 into her AIB account and then to other accounts. She claimed she was in a short‑lived coercive relationship with the third party who pressured her to continue the scheme after she discovered its nature. Kanuka attempted to cancel her bank cards but feared the man, who allegedly screamed at her. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted her vulnerability, the recklessness of her actions, and her remorse, and imposed a two‑year suspended sentence. Kanuka had no prior convictions and was assessed as low risk of reoffending. The case highlighted the impact of coercive relationships on young people's legal outcomes.
John Greene, 24, was sentenced to two years in prison for dangerous driving during a high‑speed Garda chase on June 5, 2019, near the old Naas road. He pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous driving, criminal damage to a road sign, resisting a police officer, driving without insurance and without a licence. Greene drove over 90 km/h in a 50 km/h zone on wet roads, repeatedly used handbrake turns, skidded across traffic lanes and Luas lines, and at one point spun 180 degrees before colliding head‑on with a patrol car in pursuit. He later crashed into an electronic road sign, after which Garda officers used an ASP baton to break his window, removed his keys, and restrained him, with pepper spray deployed. A warrant was found for his arrest; his real address was in Bluebell, Dublin. John Greene was convicted.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, Graham Daly, aged 37, was convicted by a jury of seven counts of raping and sexually abusing his younger brother Thomas over a four‑year period from 1998 to 2002. The abuse, which began when Thomas was 10, included inappropriate touching, oral and anal rape, and largely took place in their family home in Limerick. Daly, a teacher from Clonree, Newport, Co. Tipperary, denied the charges and claimed his brother was lying out of jealousy and a desire to destroy his life, citing his brother's sexuality. Thomas, who waived anonymity, testified about the long‑term impact on his life and family, describing the abuse as a secret kept for 18 years. Justice Karen O'Connor sentenced Daly to eight and a half years, treating him as a juvenile because the offences ended when he turned 18, and back‑dated the term to his recent custody.
In March 2021, Dean McCarthy, 32, shot Sinead Connolly three times in front of her daughter at Bernard Curtis House, Bluebell, Dublin, leaving her paralysed below the chest. At the Central Criminal Court, McCarthy pleaded guilty to attempted murder and to possession of a Grand Power semi‑automatic handgun with intent to endanger life. His case was adjourned to 8 April for a sentencing hearing, with a victim impact statement and probation report to be prepared. The registrar recorded his plea as "guilty.".
In January 2022, a 49‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to four‑and‑a‑half years in prison for sexually exploiting four teenage girls, including his step‑daughter, between 2010 and 2013. He posed online as a teenage boy, tricking the girls into sending sexual images and videos. He secretly installed hidden cameras and remote‑control software in his step‑daughter's home, producing videos of her in various states of nudity and capturing her in semi‑nude poses. The offence was discovered when a UK mother reported her daughter's sexualised images, leading police to trace the fake account to the defendant's Dublin home. He pleaded guilty to possession and production of child pornography under the Child Pornography Act 1998, and to sexual exploitation of a UK victim. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to five‑and‑a‑half years for the child‑pornography offence, suspending the final year on conditions including probation and sex‑offender treatment.
Two men have been jailed at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following their conviction for transporting a sawn-off shotgun in the Balbriggan area on 25 September 2020. Thomas McDonagh, aged 36, of Oldcastle Drive, Clondalkin, and William Ward, aged 25, of Owendoher Haven, Ballyboden, both pleaded guilty to possession of the firearm. The men attempted to flee at high speed after gardaí signalled them to stop, prompting a pursuit during which two children were forced to take evasive action. Armed gardaí ultimately apprehended both defendants following a foot chase. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a sentence of three-and-a-half years imprisonment on McDonagh, noting he was conveyed the firearm by a relative. Ward received two-and-a-half years imprisonment, with the judge taking account of his age and mental health difficulties. Both men's early guilty pleas allowed the judge to depart from the mandatory minimum sentence of five years. The court heard there was no evidence the defendants intended to use the weapon.
A former Revenue employee received a fully suspended eighteen-month sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for her role in generating fraudulent tax refunds. Linda Kinsella, aged 38, pleaded guilty to two counts of dishonestly inducing a gain by deception and one count of using a false instrument at Revenue offices on Belgard Road, Dublin 24, between December 2013 and June 2015. She created false tax returns totalling over €8,000 for her ex-boyfriend Eric Maher and his twin brother Brian Maher. Both men also received suspended eighteen-month sentences after pleading guilty to stealing from the Revenue Commission. Eric Maher obtained €1,921.95 while Brian Maher, with an address in Charlestown Shopping Centre, Finglas, obtained €6,121.45. Judge Martin Nolan noted Kinsella was the "vital cog" in the scheme, though the brothers had imposed upon her to some degree. All three accused have since repaid the money in full. Kinsella lost her job following the investigation.
Albino Sabino Dos Santos Filho, 30, was sentenced to a fully suspended one‑year imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 16‑year‑old boy in Dublin in August 2019. The assault occurred on a public street after the victim asked to borrow the defendant's phone. Dos Santos Filho, who was intoxicated and had limited English, claimed he misunderstood the interaction. Garda Alma McGovern described the victim's fear and the physical struggle that followed. The defendant pleaded guilty, and the judge, citing mitigating factors and the defendant's lack of prior convictions, imposed a suspended sentence with strict conditions, including a €1,000 compensation payment to the victim. The court noted the defendant's remorse, his compliance with the sex offenders register, and his desire to remain in Ireland. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The Central Criminal Court adjourned the sentencing of a 31‑year‑old man convicted of 14 counts of rape, one count of harassment and three counts of threatening to kill or cause serious harm. The defendant, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, could not be named to protect the victim's anonymity. The offences occurred in August 2017 and on Christmas Eve 2016. Defending counsel Desmond Hayes BL informed Judge Paul Burns that the defendant had tested positive for Covid‑19 and was therefore absent. Judge Burns, initially concerned that the defendant might be "playing ducks and drakes," accepted the medical reason and allowed the defendant to remain on bail until February 2 for sentencing. He instructed the Garda to monitor the defendant's compliance with bail conditions, which include no contact with the victim, surrender of his passport, sobriety, and a daily curfew. Antonia Boyle BL, the prosecutor, expressed the complainant's desire for a swift resolution.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Aleksander Janik, aged 23, pleaded guilty to engaging in offensive conduct of a sexual nature at Dundrum Town Centre on 10 August 2019. Janik had placed his phone under a public toilet cubicle to capture images of a male occupant. The incident occurred after a man used the toilet at 6 pm, discovered a live phone in the cubicle, and confronted Janik, who then locked himself in the disabled toilet. Gardaí were called, and Janik was arrested. A subsequent garda interview and a search of his phone revealed images of shoes, legs and a toilet. Justice Karen O'Connor described the offence as a significant invasion of privacy, noted Janik's cooperation and mental health counselling, and suspended a one‑year prison term on the condition that he engage with the Probation Service for nine months and comply with all directions.
Kellie Walton, a payroll administrator at Virgin Media Television, stole €872,437 over ten years, beginning in 2009. She pleaded guilty to multiple thefts and false accounting, with the largest single theft exceeding €120,000. Walton's role gave her exclusive access to the payroll system, enabling her to make unauthorised payments to former employees and transfer the money to two bank accounts she controlled. She was arrested in January 2020 and, after a series of interviews, pleaded guilty to sample charges. In December 2021, Judge Melanie Greally considered her circumstances, including her husband's unemployment and her family's financial stress, and imposed a four‑year sentence, suspending the final two years on strict conditions. The court noted Walton's lack of prior convictions and her efforts to mitigate the impact on her children. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The High Court has lifted a naming ban on Alan Harte, allowing the media to identify him following his sentencing. Harte, 40, pleaded not guilty to charges of false imprisonment and intentionally causing serious harm to Kevin Lunney at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan, on September 17, 2019. On December 20, Mr Justice Tony Hunt sentenced Harte to 30 years' imprisonment for torturing and falsely imprisoning Mr Lunney. The judge described Harte as the ringleader who inflicted most of the serious injuries, including knife wounds to the face and torso, and rejected mitigation based on Harte's childhood trauma, noting he had previously used the same narrative to mitigate his sentence for helping dispose of Peter Gunn's body. Harte was previously convicted of impeding the garda investigation in the Gunn case, receiving a six-year sentence with the final three years suspended. Kastriot Boza, 48, also pleaded guilty to impeding the garda investigation in that matter. The naming ban had been in place due to Harte's pending trial for the murder of Anthony Rogers, a charge the DPP dropped after the judge ruled key CCTV identification evidence inadmissible. Harte's lawyers had argued the ban should remain to protect his right to a fair trial in other unrelated proceedings, but the court lifted the restriction.
Kevin Lappin, 37, and his partner Jemma Dinnigan, 35, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of drugs for sale or supply on 9 January 2019. They claimed they had €28,000 worth of cannabis to make cannabis oil for Lappin's mother, who had cancer in 2018 and later died. Garda Paul Nolan stopped Dinnigan's car after detecting a strong cannabis smell; she was found over the driving limit and later searched, revealing €28,360 of cannabis in the house and €224 in the car. Lappin was arrested the following month and admitted ownership of the cannabis. Judge Pauline Codd noted the unusual aspect of attempting to produce cannabis oil for personal use, accepted their early guilty pleas, and, citing low reoffending risk, imposed a three‑year suspended sentence on both, with conditions.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced a Munster family to a combined 24 years for sexual abuse, exploitation and wilful neglect of their children. The 57‑year‑old father received 15 years for 31 offences, including rape of his three eldest children, sexual assault, exploitation and child cruelty. The 34‑year‑old mother was jailed for nine years for 25 offences, including sexual assault, exploitation and neglect. The children's 49‑year‑old uncle was sentenced to 15 years for 10 counts of rape, assault and exploitation. His 35‑year‑old wife received three years for sexually assaulting two children. The 27‑year‑old maternal uncle was jailed for 15 years for eight of nine charges, including rape and exploitation. The judge noted the children suffered enormous pain and that the offenders showed no remorse. The unnamed 49-year-old was found guilty.
Ken Costello, 49, pleaded guilty to copyright infringement and dishonest computer operation for a 'dodgy box' scheme that streamed premium TV via altered set‑top boxes. He acted as a "customer service" agent on social media, offering support to users of the illegal service. The court found he provided unauthorised access to Sky Sports and Sky Cinema between March and September 2018, and that money from sales was funneled through a PayPal account belonging to his wife and then to his bank. Costello had no prior convictions. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a 15‑month prison term, fully suspended on strict conditions, after noting his cooperation and the confiscation of €22,000 he had received. The case highlighted the operation's use of social media advertising and the role of a secondary player in the enterprise. The sentence was delivered in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
A 25‑year‑old Latvian man, Valerijs Leitons, was sentenced to 13 years in prison with the final year suspended for five years, after a jury found him guilty of manslaughter with substantially diminished responsibility for the stabbing death of 34‑year‑old Latvian translator Valdgeima at the Binary Hub aparthotel in Dublin on 26 June 2019. Leitons, who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and had stopped taking his medication, told investigators that he and Valdgeima were "playing a sexual game" and that he believed she was an enemy agent. He stabbed her more than 50 times, killing her. The judge noted that the mental disorder could diminish but not eliminate his culpability, and set a headline sentence of 15 years, reduced to 13 years with a suspended year. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court, with witnesses describing the attack as brutal and pre‑meditated, and the victim's family delivering impact statements. The unnamed 25-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Ethan Zeitman and Levani Shavgulidze to two years' imprisonment each after both pleaded guilty to charges related to an immigration fraud organisation. Zeitman, 46, admitted to money laundering, possession of fraudulent documentation, and organising or facilitating the entry of illegal immigrants or asylum seekers between 2017 and 2019. Shavgulidze, 24, pleaded guilty to stealing €5,950 in pandemic unemployment payments, money laundering, possession of fraudulent documentation, and facilitating illegal entry between 2018 and 2020. Judge Martin Nolan described the men as "gofers" at the bottom of a hierarchy that caused a surge in Georgian nationals arriving in Ireland. The judge noted Zeitman's involvement ended over a year before his arrest when he became drug-free, while Shavgulidze had no previous convictions. Both men have been in custody since late 2020. The court heard the investigation began in 2018 following international referrals, with the accused distributing false documents via post or courier. Defence counsel highlighted Zeitman's addiction-driven involvement and Shavgulidze's lack of profit, but the judge imposed the two-year sentences, considering their foreign national status and roles in the organisation.
A Chinese national who lived under an assumed identity for eight years has received a fully suspended four-year sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Wenzi Wang, aged 39, of Blanchardstown, Dublin, obtained a legitimate Northern Irish birth certificate belonging to another person in 2009 and used it to secure an Irish passport under the name Sau Kee Lee. He subsequently acquired a driving licence, taxi licence, Public Service Card and mortgage using the false identity. Wang pleaded guilty to providing a false birth certificate in connection with a passport application at a Garda station in County Donegal in May 2009, and to six counts of deception between October 2010 and April 2017. He also pleaded guilty to two counts of providing false information to a registrar and to possessing an air rifle and garda-style apparel. Judge Pauline Codd noted Wang had paid taxes and committed no offences whilst using the false name. His wife remained unaware of his true identity until 2017. The judge imposed strict conditions on the suspended sentence.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 17 January 2022, a 37‑year‑old man from County Limerick, whose brother is unnamed to protect anonymity, told the court that his parents would rather believe he was lying than accept that their eldest son was a paedophile rapist. He had been sexually abused by his older brother, aged 14 to 18, between 1998 and 2002, including at the family home. The victim had kept the abuse secret for 18 years, sharing it with his father in 2015 and with Gardaí in early 2016, but his parents only supported him if he kept the matter private. He said the family blamed him, sided with his brother, and forced him out of the home. He described ongoing mental health struggles, including depression, insomnia, PTSD and suicidal thoughts, and stated that no sentence would change his loss of 18 years of life. The unnamed man was found guilty.
In January 2022, Judge Paul McDermott re‑activated 18 months of the five‑year suspended portion of Jason Paget's 15‑year sentence for aggravated burglary and sexual assault committed in 2003. Paget, 34, had been released in 2018 after serving ten years and had returned to the UK. He had failed to comply with Probation Service requirements, citing lack of a UK system and COVID‑related issues. The judge noted Paget's earlier remorse, good behaviour and limited contact with victims, and decided not to re‑activate the full suspended term. The case remains at the stage of a suspended sentence adjustment, with the court acknowledging Paget's partial compliance and the absence of a UK probation arrangement. No further convictions or outcomes are reported in the article. Probation Service pleaded guilty.
A 23‑year‑old Stephen Butler was jailed for four years after he killed his 48‑year‑old father John Butler during a fist‑fight that erupted moments after the pair left a pub in Portlaw, Co. Waterford. Butler told gardai he did not intend to kill his father and claimed the fight was simply a row. He pleaded not guilty to murder but admitted manslaughter. After an eight‑day trial in October 2021, the jury accepted his defence and he was remanded for sentencing. At the hearing, Mr Justice Paul Burns noted the lack of premeditation, no weapon, and Butler's remorse. The judge sentenced Butler to five years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended for five years, citing his lack of prior convictions, early guilty plea, cooperation with investigators and genuine remorse. The case highlighted the tragic impact on Butler's sister Katilyn, who lost her father and now struggles to forgive her brother.
The Special Criminal Court has sentenced Darren Murphy to life in prison for the murder of Eamon Kelly. Mr Justice Owens, sitting with Judges Ní Chúlacháin and Dempsey, imposed the mandatory life sentence, backdating it to November 1, 2021, for time already served. Murphy, who pleaded not guilty, was convicted of acting as a "spotter" in the December 4, 2012, shooting of the 65-year-old victim on Furry Park Road, Killester. The court found he participated in the common design of the murder gang, meeting the gunman and getaway driver and facilitating their escape. He was acquitted of possessing a Glock pistol due to insufficient evidence. Co-accused Kenneth Donohoe, who also pleaded not guilty, was found not to have been the getaway driver or possessed a handgun, with the court citing insufficient evidence of his direct role. In 2015, Sean Connolly was jailed for life for the same murder. The judge stated the evidence admitted no other credible explanation for Murphy's activities, noting he was as guilty as the shooter. Murphy has six previous convictions for public order and road traffic matters. The court accepted victim impact statements from Kelly's daughter, Alison, who described the killing as a "cowardly and senseless act."
Jim Mansfield Jnr was remanded in custody by the Special Criminal Court after being found guilty of perverting the course of justice. The 54-year-old pleaded not guilty to two charges: conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne and directing Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage. The court acquitted Mansfield on the conspiracy charge, finding insufficient evidence that he knew Dessie O'Hare and Declan Duffy planned to kidnap Byrne. However, he was convicted of perverting the course of justice for ordering the destruction of footage showing him with Byrne on the morning of the kidnapping. Mr Justice Alex Owens stated that while Mansfield knowingly involved O'Hare and Duffy in asset recovery efforts, the court could not exclude the possibility that he was misled regarding the kidnapping plot. O'Hare was jailed for seven years in 2019 and Duffy for six years in 2018 for falsely imprisoning Byrne. Following the verdict, the court refused Mansfield's request to remain on bail and remanded him in custody. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 7.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 49‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment for sexually abusing his younger sister from 1984 to 1991. The abuse, which began when the sister was about seven or eight and continued until she was 14, included indecent assault, sexual assault, rape, oral rape and anal rape, often occurring in the family home when parents were absent. The victim, now 45, described her brother as a "monster" who threatened to destroy the family if she disclosed the abuse. She said the abuse caused profound loss of confidence, dignity and autonomy, and led to depression, anxiety and PTSD. The judge noted the offender's age at the time of the offences (13‑19) and imposed a nine‑year sentence without suspension, citing his lack of rehabilitation efforts. The victim's husband supported her throughout the proceedings. The offender had no prior convictions and was employed as a painter, decorator and bus driver. The unnamed 49-year-old pleaded guilty.
Alexander Cribbin, 21, of Woodford Downs, Clondalkin, was discharged from an indictment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after abiding by the conditions of a deferred sentence. Cribbin pleaded guilty to possession of the proceeds of criminal conduct within the state on November 1, 2019. The court heard that a doctor narrowly avoided losing €18,000 in pension funds in an email misdirection scam. The doctor mistakenly believed he was replying to his pension broker but was actually communicating with a third party who provided Cribbin's bank details. Cribbin had lent his bank account to a friend for "trading" but became suspicious when the large lodgement arrived. He did not use the funds, allowing the bank to successfully recall the money and return it to the victim. Judge Martin Nolan previously noted that Cribbin's actions meant the money "could never have been taken from the account" and granted him leniency. The judge imposed a deferred sentence, requiring Cribbin to be of good behaviour for six months, with a proposed disposal of six months' imprisonment if he failed to abide by that condition. At the final hearing, the court confirmed Cribbin had met these conditions, and Judge Nolan discharged him from the indictment.
Douglas Glynn (37) of Fitzgibbon Court, Dublin 1, was re-arraigned on November 17 and pleaded guilty to participating in activities of a criminal organisation, contrary to Section 72 (1) (A) of the Criminal Justice Act. The charge relates to his involvement between December 7, 2016, and April 6, 2017, in activities connected with the targeting of James 'Mago' Gately. Glynn had previously pleaded not guilty at his first arraignment on November 9. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding at the non-jury court, remanded Glynn in custody until February 11, when he will be sentenced. In a related case, Caolan Smyth (30) of Cuileann Court, Donore, Co Meath, was sentenced to 20 years at the Special Criminal Court for the attempted murder of Gately and for possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Smyth had denied both charges. Gary McAreavey (53) of Gort Nua, Station Road, Castlebellingham, Co Louth, pleaded not guilty to acting to impede an apprehension or prosecution by purchasing petrol and assisting in the burning out of the vehicle, a black Lexus, used in the attempted murder at Newrath, Dromiskin, Co Louth on the same day. He received a four-year jail term with the final year suspended. Estonian hitman Imre Arakas (63) was jailed by the Special Criminal Court for six years in December 2018, after he admitted to conspiring with others to murder Gately in Northern Ireland between April 3 and 4, 2017. Stephen Fowler (62), of Blakestown Cottages in Clonsilla, Dublin 15, has already been jailed for providing logistical support to the plot to murder Gately. The court heard that Gately had been warned by gardaí of a threat to his life from criminals who believed him to be involved in the Regency Hotel murder of Kinahan Cartel associate David Byrne in February 2016. The court has heard in previous related cases that there was 'ongoing targeting' of Gately in the context of a feud between the Hutch and Kinahan crime groups.
Thomas Rooney (52), of Betaghstown, Co Meath, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court for his role in an international criminal organisation. Rooney pleaded guilty to possessing €254,840 in a black holdall and €7,650 at North Road, Drogheda, on May 11, 2020. He also admitted to possessing crime cash at his home, where gardaí found €32,330 and £441. Mr Justice Tony Hunt described Rooney as a mid-to-high level member trusted to transport large sums, including a Nike bag containing €289,770. The six-year sentence is backdated to December 6, 2021, when Rooney first went into custody. The court ordered the seized money be forfeited to the State. A separate application to forfeit a Mercedes used by Rooney is contested and will be heard on January 31. In a related matter, Jason Reed (40) of Dunshaughlin pleaded guilty to possessing the cash in the blue Nike bag and additional crime cash found at his home. Previously, Rooney's then-partner, Catherine Dawson (45), received a fully suspended sentence for her role in moving the gang's money.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Wayne Whelan, a 42‑year‑old gangster, was shot at least three times in the head and found in a burning car on 18 November 2019. His sister Hazel Grainger testified that Whelan trusted Anthony Casserly, who lured him to his death under the pretense of watching a soccer match. Casserly, 25, pleaded guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder, while Christopher Moran, 52, pleaded guilty as the getaway driver. The court heard that Whelan's body was in the passenger seat of a Toyota Corolla that was set on fire, and DNA analysis was required to identify him. The hearing focused on the relationship between Whelan and Casserly, the events leading to the murder, and the evidence presented by the prosecution and defence. Casserly is scheduled for sentencing on 31 January. The case remains at the sentencing stage, with no verdict yet.
Patrick O'Brien, a 69‑year‑old father of seven from Oakwood Grove, Clondalkin, was arrested in June 2020 after Gardaí received information from the online child exploitation unit that he had downloaded child pornography onto a mobile phone linked to his address. Gardaí entered his Dublin home, where his wife and two adult children were gathered, and asked them to wait while O'Brien was located. When he returned, he admitted the wrongdoing, saying there was no point in covering up and that it was his fault. He handed over the phone, which was later found to contain about 200 images of children in sexually explicit poses, 55 images of naked children, and 75 images showing children as young as three being sexually abused by adults. O'Brien pleaded guilty on 6 June 2020 to possession of child‑abuse images under the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, 1998.
Michael McDonagh, aged 30, crashed his partner's car into a tree during a high‑speed Garda pursuit, then fled the scene. His partner reported the vehicle stolen and filed an insurance claim. Gardaí seized McDonagh's and his partner's phones, uncovering messages that McDonagh had driven the car and had asked his partner to falsely state it was stolen. McDonagh pleaded guilty to knowingly making a false statement at Tallaght Garda Station on 3 April 2020 and to attempting to deceive RSA insurance between 3 April and 5 May 2020. He also had a prior drink‑driving conviction that resulted in a four‑year driving ban. At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, fully suspended on strict conditions. The court noted the tree replacement cost was just over €2,000 and that the insurance claim for €7,000 was never paid.
Daniel Joyce, a 29‑year‑old former League of Ireland footballer, was arrested after Gardaí stopped him for erratic driving on the M50. A search of his car revealed over €27,000 worth of cocaine in the boot and about €5,400 in cash. Joyce, who had a history of drug use after his playing career ended, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply. He also admitted to a drug debt of a few hundred euros and a loan of €5,000. The court found he had used his address for cutting up and distributing cannabis. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, noting Joyce's mature status but gross error of judgment. The sentence reflects the drug offence and the associated financial debts.
In February 2020, a man was convicted of seven counts of indecent assault against his girlfriend's nephews, aged four to nine, who were abused between 1985 and 1989 at their grandparents' home. The man, who was in his late teens when the abuse began, denied all charges. During the trial, the victims' father described the man as a "big uncle" who would play with the boys in their bedroom, often playing table football. A jury found him guilty and Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, with 18 months suspended. The man's lawyers appealed, arguing procedural errors and that the trial judge had erred by allowing alternative counts for the same alleged offence over three years. Judge Patrick McCarthy acknowledged procedural errors but found they did not undermine overall fairness.
In January 2022, a 32‑year‑old man was sentenced to 30 months in prison for defiling his 16‑year‑old cousin on a church grounds in Galway in May 2018. He pleaded guilty to a sexual act with a child under 17, an offence that carries a maximum penalty of five years. At the time of the offence he was 29. The victim, who was intoxicated and unable to keep her eyes open, described how the man kissed and groped her after she refused to go to the bushes. He denied any wrongdoing during questioning. The court noted his 140 prior convictions, including assault, robbery, burglary, knife possession, theft, public order offences and four Covid‑related convictions. The judge, citing the victim's vulnerability and the lack of grooming or violence, set a headline sentence of three and a half years, reduced by one year for mitigating factors, and imposed a two‑year post‑release supervision period.
A 26-year-old man from Cavan has been sentenced to four and a half years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court following his guilty pleas to sexually abusing two young children in their home during summer 2014. The defendant, who cannot be named to protect the victims' anonymity, was their uncle and had been left in their care while babysitting. He pleaded guilty to the sexual exploitation of a four-year-old girl and the rape of her older brother. The abuse came to light in 2014 when the younger child disclosed the assault to her mother, but prosecution was delayed after the defendant relocated to the United Kingdom. He returned to Ireland in March 2020 and was subsequently arrested. Mr Justice Paul McDermott noted the breach of trust and imposed conditions including a suspended final year, a prohibition on unsupervised contact with children, and mandatory engagement with sex offender treatment programmes. The children's mother described the abuse as "a parent's worst nightmare.
Eoram Dobnam De Lima, a 26‑year‑old university student, pleaded guilty to three counts of stealing €6,936 from his employer, Centra, in Charlemont Street between 1 November 2019 and 15 January 2020. He regularly voided transactions on the till and, at the end of his shift, took the cash. De Lima had no prior convictions. He was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 120 hours of community service in lieu of 18 months imprisonment. The judge noted he had made full restitution to the injured party, Robert O'Leary, and had engaged in restorative justice. De Lima is studying for a Master's in Dispute Resolution and was on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. The sentence was adjusted to avoid undue interference with his studies and work commitments.
A man has been sentenced to ten years imprisonment following his conviction at the Central Criminal Court in Sligo on 31 counts of sexual assault and rape offences against a teenage boy in County Donegal between 1995 and 2000. The 59-year-old, with an address in Ballina, Falcarragh, was found guilty by jury after a trial that represented the fourth legal proceeding in the case. Earlier trials had been discharged for legal reasons or resulted in hung juries. The complainant, now aged 39, described enduring six years of "complete torture" through the protracted court process since first reporting the matter to gardaí in October 2015. He testified four times during proceedings. Mr Justice David Keane imposed a headline sentence of thirteen years, reduced to ten years to account for mitigating factors including the defendant's lack of prior convictions. A three-year post-release supervision order was also imposed. The defendant intends to appeal his conviction, and has been registered as a sex offender.
Two young men, Joel Kialunda, 20, and Emmanuel Esuku, 23, were sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to fully suspended one‑year imprisonment for laundering money defrauded from a Swedish trade union. The fraud involved fraudulent emails claiming that three ventilators would be purchased for donation to a hospital for Covid‑19 treatment. The union transferred €27,594.63 into an account provided in the email, which was later found to belong to Kialunda. Over €23,000 was withdrawn or transferred elsewhere, including €3,000 sent to a Revolut account belonging to Esuku. Both men pleaded guilty to money laundering on 22 and 23 April 2020, respectively. Judge Martin Nolan, citing their age and mitigation, suspended the sentences in their entirety on strict conditions. The court noted that neither accused had been involved in the initial defrauding of the union and that the money had been recovered and returned to the union.
In a victim impact statement for the Central Criminal Court sentencing hearing, the eldest boy in the Munster sexual abuse case, now a teenager, said he believes his parents and other family members who abused him should go to jail for a long time. He described how the abuse at home changed his life, that he had never known a normal life until joining a foster family, and that he is now clean, happy, never hungry and not afraid to sleep. He added that the abusers should not be near children again. The statement was read in court alongside other victim impact statements. The five children's parents and three other family members were found guilty on all but one of the 78 counts against them after a 10‑week trial. The defendants denied all charges. The children were taken into care in 2016 and are protected by reporting restrictions. The court adjourned the matter for finalisation on 18 January.
Ali El Taweel, 24, received a four‑year suspended sentence after a series of car crashes during an episode of psychosis linked to an abrupt withdrawal from cannabis. He left a car park without paying, drove against traffic, hit a motorcyclist, collided with two cars, a patrol car, a truck and a taxi, causing injuries to the taxi driver and passenger. He pleaded guilty to two counts of endangerment, driving without insurance, criminal damage and refusing to provide a urine or blood sample. The court noted psychiatric reports and a letter from his father detailing his cannabis dependency and sudden withdrawal. Judge Melanie Greally highlighted his subsequent engagement with mental‑health services, marriage, fatherhood, a law degree and a low risk of re‑offending, and imposed the suspended term on strict conditions, including continued medication compliance and a five‑year driving disqualification.
A 15‑year‑old boy was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for stabbing his friend twice during an arranged fight called a "straightener" after a dispute over their girlfriends. The boy, who pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, had no prior convictions. He had lit toilet paper on fire and placed it on the victim's car to lure him outside, then used a knife in a two‑minute fight. Facebook messages showed they had agreed no weapons would be used, but the boy still stabbed the victim. He claimed he was "stoned" and that the fire was not intentional. The judge, noting his remorse, the support of his family, and his progress while remanded, set a two‑year, three‑month detention period, deferred to July 29, on strict conditions to keep the peace and comply with the Probation Service.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Gheorghe Morar, aged 36, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, back‑dated to 15 May 2020, for sexual assault of an 18‑year‑old woman he met in a nightclub. Morar admitted that he and the woman were touching each other's genitals and kissing, and that he believed she was consenting, though he acknowledged it was a possibility she was not. He claimed he was not more sober than her and that she was heavily intoxicated. The court noted that the woman could not give full consent due to her drunken state. Morar had previously denied the offence but pleaded guilty on the basis of recklessness. He had no prior convictions in Ireland except a minor public order matter in Spain. The judge reduced the headline sentence to two years, citing sincere remorse and lack of prior offending.
Two brothers from Monaghan have entered guilty pleas at the Special Criminal Court in relation to a cross-border gang investigation involving ATM thefts. Gerard Duffy, aged 30, admitted to the attempted theft of an ATM at the Riverfront Hotel in Virginia, Co Cavan, on 14 August 2019. His brother Ciaran Duffy, aged 27, pleaded guilty to three offences, including participating in criminal activities in Co Meath and attempting to steal the same ATM. Their elder brother Stephen Duffy, aged 35, previously admitted possessing cash at Tullypole, Co Meath, in August 2019. The pleas relate to a garda investigation into ATM thefts across Cavan and Monaghan between September 2018 and August 2019. A fourth man, Niall Finnegan, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years, with 18 months suspended, for possessing €103,000 in proceeds. Sentencing hearings for both Gerard and Ciaran Duffy have been scheduled for 1 February. Both remain on bail.
Jonathan Reid, 27, of Newhall, Naas, pleaded guilty in the Central Criminal Court to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Greg Shiels on 6 March 2020 at New Hall, contrary to Section 4 of the Non‑Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997. The State will later enter a nolle prosequi on the attempted murder charge. Mr Justice Paul McDermott fixed a sentence hearing for 21 March 2022, remanded Reid to remain in custody until that date, and ordered the preparation of a victim impact statement, a governor's report and a probation report.
A man from Coventry, England, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Kevin Sheehy, a five-times Irish boxing champion, at the Central Criminal Court. Logan Jackson, aged 31, was found guilty by unanimous jury verdict of murdering the 20-year-old at Hyde Road in Limerick city on 1 July 2019. Jackson had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The jury rejected his defence of provocation. Evidence presented at trial established that Jackson repeatedly ran over Mr Sheehy with a Mitsubishi Shogun jeep following a brief altercation outside a house party. A concurrent sentence of seven years was imposed on a second conviction for endangerment involving dangerous driving. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon backdated the sentence to 1 July 2019, when Jackson entered custody. Victim impact statements were read to the court by Mr Sheehy's family members.
Matthew Curry, aged 30, pleaded guilty to two robberies at Off Beat Donuts and Marks Models in Dublin 2 on 28 May 2021. He claimed during the incidents that members of his family had been kidnapped or were in danger from drug dealers, and that drug dealers would kill his brother. He also claimed his mother had been kidnapped earlier that day. The court heard that Curry had been battling drug addiction since his early teens and that the robberies were committed to obtain money to support his addiction. Judge Melanie Greally noted no weapons were used and the robberies were poorly planned. She imposed consecutive sentences totalling four years, suspending the final 15 months, and considered his genuine efforts to address his addiction and desire to become a productive member of the community.
Mahissat Anastacia Correia Djaura, a 24‑year‑old UK care worker, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 18 months in prison for evading excise duty on €40,000 worth of cigarettes found in her luggage at Dublin Airport. The court noted she was not the mastermind of the offence and had no prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally imposed the sentence with the final 15 months suspended on strict conditions, crediting time already served. Djaura pleaded guilty and expressed remorse, citing financial pressure and a difficult prison experience. She had travelled from Lagos, where she purchased the cigarettes for cash, and arranged for a person to collect them for £1,000. The prosecution highlighted her cooperation during the interview, while the defence emphasised her lack of addiction and previous clean record. Djaura must leave the country upon release.
A delivery driver has been jailed at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his conviction for a violent assault on another van driver. Aiman Khalel, aged 40, of Rathmines, Dublin, was found guilty after trial of assault causing harm and production of a wheel lock during an incident on Clanbrassil Street Upper on 12 September 2018. The assault arose from a dispute over overtaking between the two drivers. Khalel struck the victim three times around the head and hand with a steering wheel lock he had removed from the victim's vehicle. The victim, who was hospitalised for approximately four days and subsequently required multiple surgeries, was bleeding from head and chin wounds. Judge Sarah Berkeley described the broad daylight attack as "shocking and vicious" and noted the victim's ongoing medical needs. Khalel, who has lived in Ireland for 17 years and has no previous convictions for violence, received a three-year custodial sentence with the final year suspended, conditional on engagement with the Probation Service. Aiman Khalel pleaded not guilty.