In a court hearing on 3 December 2021, Damien Singleton, aged 31 and without a fixed abode, addressed the family of Peter Donnelly, who was murdered on 11 June 2019. Singleton apologized, saying he could not ask for forgiveness because he could never forgive himself, and expressed regret for subjecting the family to the trial. He acknowledged that he had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, and that he had been found guilty of murder by an 11‑member jury after CCTV footage and a threatening voicemail were presented. The trial focused on whether Singleton, intoxicated with drugs and alcohol, had formed the intent to kill. The jury rejected the defence's claim of incapacity, resulting in a mandatory life sentence. The hearing also included victim impact statements from Donnelly's mother, aunt, and a child's mother, all expressing grief and the loss of a loved one.
A 32‑year‑old man was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of repeatedly beating, raping and abusing his 12‑year‑old step‑daughter. He had previously served a ten‑year sentence in Eastern Europe for killing a former girlfriend. The jury found him guilty on one assault‑causing‑harm charge, six child‑cruelty charges, three sexual‑assault charges and two rape charges covering incidents from September 2019 to May 2020. Justice Deirdre Murphy imposed a 15‑year sentence, suspending the final two years on the condition that the defendant engage in anger‑management therapy, avoid all contact with the victim, comply with probation directions and maintain good behaviour. The court noted the defendant's willingness to undertake these conditions and that breach would constitute contempt of court. The suspended period is contingent on the defendant's adherence to the therapeutic and protective orders set by the court.
Kieran Creaven, a former RTÉ producer, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for a range of child‑sexual‑abuse offences committed in Ireland, the UK and the Philippines between 2014 and 2017. He pleaded guilty to ten counts, including four of child exploitation, two of sexual assault of a child and four of child pornography. The offences involved children aged from under one to 16, with one victim in the Philippines never identified. Creaven travelled to the Philippines to sexually assault a girl aged 10‑12, recording the abuse for three years. He also used Facebook, Skype and PayPal to contact and exploit children in Ireland. He has expressed remorse, engaged in psychotherapy and will be on the sex‑offender register for life. The judge adjourned the case to 16 December to consider post‑release supervision. The sentence was handed down via video link from prison. The court heard no victim impact statements.
Martin Sands, aged 29, was found guilty of possession of cannabis for sale or supply at his Dublin City address on 11 October 2019. He had no prior drug convictions. Sands had accrued a drug debt from his own cocaine use and agreed to hold about €11,000 worth of cannabis for another person, a role described by the judge as a "very important function for the drug trade generally" but not for his own financial gain. The judge noted his responsibilities as a carer for his father and brother, his stable employment, partner and two children, and his efforts to address risk factors. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, fully suspended on strict conditions, and imposed no custodial term. The sentence was passed in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 2 December 2021, Lorna Palmer (35) pleaded guilty to possession of the proceeds of criminal conduct after gardaí seized nearly €100,000 in cash from her home. The cash, found in two envelopes and a money box, was linked to drug‑related offences that were ongoing at the time of the search. Palmer admitted she did not know the amount or the owners of the money and claimed ignorance of why money was being posted through the door. Her partner, who was in custody for a drug possession offence, was also present at the time of the seizure. Palmer had no prior convictions. The judge, Melanie Greally, described her behaviour as "extremely misguided or misjudged" and warned that a custodial sentence was a likely outcome, ordering a probation report and adjournment to 29 March 2022.
In December 2018, Owen Glynn, aged 34, was charged with possession of child pornography after authorities discovered 1,886 images depicting children aged 12 to 17 with exposed genitalia in his Dublin home. Glynn admitted to accessing pornography from about age 11, initially adult and later child material. He pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 7 February 2011. The judge, after considering Glynn's admissions, lack of prior convictions, and the images' classification as the lowest seriousness category, imposed a headline sentence of 15 months. This was reduced to a nine‑month suspended sentence for one year, conditional on Glynn keeping the peace and exhibiting good behaviour for 12 months. No further convictions or charges were mentioned in the article.
Kellie Walton, a 40‑year‑old payroll administrator from Kilfenora Road, Kimmage, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing €70,614 in 2019 and €34,961 in 2009 from Virgin Media Television, plus one charge of false accounting between 2009 and 2019. She admitted that the money was transferred to two bank accounts she controlled, with the largest single theft over €120,000 and a total of €872,437. Walton's barrister explained that she did not use the proceeds for a lavish lifestyle but to "soften the edges of family life," citing financial stress and her partner's ill health. Judge Melanie Greally noted the amounts exceeded mere softening and remanded Walton on bail pending sentence, allowing her to spend Christmas with her four children. The case was adjourned to 19 January 2024. The court considered reports, letters and testimonials before deciding on the next steps.
A 28‑year‑old European karate champion, Bagrat Kudzievi, was sentenced to six years in prison for two counts of sexual assault against 18‑year‑old Rachel McElroy on the night of 19 October 2019 in Cork city centre. The assaults took place outside a nightclub on a busy street. McElroy, who had consumed a small amount of alcohol, was taken by Kudzievi to a secluded location where he lifted and carried her across a bridge. CCTV footage captured the incident, and security staff intervened, arresting him. Kudzievi denied the charges and later claimed the activity was consensual. McElroy's victim impact statement described the attacks as degrading and left her feeling empty, disgusted and lacking confidence. The judge, Justice Tara Burns, noted the aggravating factors of the assault's public nature, the victim's intoxication and the degrading behaviour. Bagrat Kudzievi was convicted.
Michael McGuinness, a 61‑year‑old former army driver, was found guilty of indecent assault on three boys aged seven to thirteen between 1979 and 1990. The victims, who waived anonymity, described how McGuinness used his trusted military reputation to lure them, often disguising himself as a friend and forcing them to masturbate him in his car or home. The abuse was revealed when one victim reported McGuinness to Gardaí after meeting him through work. McGuinness pleaded guilty to five counts of indecent assault, admitted his actions as a "dark dirty secret," and expressed remorse. He had no prior convictions. The court noted the repeated nature of the offences and the lasting impact on the victims, ordering reports and remand pending sentencing on March 15 next year. The maximum sentence for each count is two years, except the final count, which carries a maximum of ten years.
Two women, Caitriona Miller (41) and Abbie Mangan (29), were sentenced in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after a scheme involving the delivery of what they believed were car parts turned out to be imitation firearms. The firearms were part of a controlled delivery operation by Gardaí following the interception of real firearms in the United States. Miller, who had previously been convicted of speeding, pleaded guilty to possession of an imitation firearm and to allowing a person to possess cocaine and cannabis at her address on 12 October 2018. Mangan, with no prior convictions, pleaded guilty to knowingly permitting possession of cocaine and cannabis at her address on the same date. Both were given fully suspended sentences of two‑and‑a‑half years for Miller and three‑and‑a‑half years for Mangan, each suspended in its entirety on strict conditions.
A 77‑year‑old pensioner was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended, for a decade of sexual abuse of his partner's daughter. The court heard that the victim, who was aged eight or nine when the abuse began, was repeatedly raped, orally raped, anal raped and assaulted while the perpetrator was in a relationship with her mother. The trial judge directed not‑guilty verdicts on three counts of anal rape. The judge imposed a headline sentence of 15 years for each rape offence, but reduced the sentence to ten years, citing the man's age, lack of prior convictions, and his otherwise blameless life as mitigating factors. The suspended portion was imposed on strict conditions, including no contact with the victim and no unsupervised access to children. The victim's impact statement described lasting trauma and loss of trust in her childhood and family. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
In January 2021 Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced 24‑year‑old Liam Vickers to a two‑year suspended term for assault causing harm in a Dublin apartment on 30 September 2017. He had earlier convictions for driving while holding a mobile phone and failure to appear. The court heard that Vickers had threatened the victim's roommate and ordered the victim to delete his phone number and texts. Vickers was later found to have followed a 21‑year‑old woman while she was running near her family home on 3 February, pushed her against park railings, and sexually assaulted her. He admitted the act was sexually motivated. The court adjourned the case to 6 December, with CCTV footage presented and a victim impact statement noting eight weeks of work absence and ongoing safety concerns. The case remains pending. Liam Vickers pleaded guilty.
Alan Wilson, a member of the Kinahan criminal gang, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to conspiracy to murder and an offence under the Firearms Act. He admitted to possessing a .38 calibre Smith & Wesson revolver and a .32 calibre Zastava semi-automatic pistol between July 24 and July 26, 2010, in circumstances giving rise to the reasonable inference that he possessed them for an unlawful purpose. The prosecution alleged he provided firearms and getaway cars for the attempted murders of Brian Masterson, Wayne Barrett, and Austin Purcell at The Player's Lounge in Dublin 3 on July 26, 2010. Wilson claimed he was acting on instructions from dissident republicans. The Director of Public Prosecutions agreed to drop three attempted murder charges against him. Wilson also pleaded guilty in 2019 to conspiring to murder Gary Hanley between September 15 and November 6, 2017, for which he was jailed for six years and is due for release in May next year. The court noted his diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. The matter is at the sentencing stage. Ms Justice Tara Burns, presiding with Judge James Faughnan and Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin, will hear pleas in mitigation from Wilson's senior barrister Padraig Dwyer before passing sentence on December 15.
In a Dublin court, a 19‑year‑old woman, who was 15 when the incident occurred, testified that a 41‑year‑old man raped and sexually assaulted her in his apartment on 21 August 2017. She described the assault as having "killed" her, saying she had not been alive since that night and was now "the walking dead." The man, who was found guilty of one count of rape and one count of sexual assault, was acquitted of a separate count of false imprisonment. The victim's impact statement highlighted her loss of motivation, trust in men, and sense of ruined life. The court noted the man's prior drug‑dealing conviction and that he had been in custody since his conviction. The sentencing hearing was adjourned to 8 December for a final sentence.
High Court proceedings alleging that Garda Commissioner Drew Harris was in contempt of a court order regarding the assessment of Detective Garda Aidan Bracken's mental health injuries have been struck out as part of a settlement. The matter was resolved before Mr Justice Charles Meenan, who welcomed the agreement. As part of the settlement, it was agreed that the court can make an order stating that Detective Bracken be classified as having sustained his injuries while carrying out his duties, commencing from July 2015. Various costs orders were also made in the detective's favour. The contempt action arose after the Commissioner's lawyers opposed a motion claiming failure to comply with a previous order requiring a fair assessment by the Chief Medical Officer. Detective Bracken, who worked in the Co Kildare Division, claims his work resulted in several gang members being convicted and jailed, leading to serious threats to his life and a diagnosis of PTSD. He had previously brought four sets of proceedings against the Commissioner, all resolved in his favour. In a related action resolved last August, the court quashed a decision classifying his injuries as an ordinary illness and ordered a fresh assessment. Represented by John Kennedy SC, Rory Kennedy BL, and solicitor Eoin Powderly, the detective expressed thanks to the court. Aillil O'Reilly SC, for the Commissioner, confirmed the orders could be made on consent, including striking out the contempt proceedings.
Philip Wesley, 57, suffering from advanced COPD, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to allowing his home to be used for drug preparation in July 2019 to raise money for his funeral expenses. Garda Conor Garland reported that officers entered the house by force, finding Wesley and two other men inside; the co‑accused attempted to flee into the back garden but were apprehended. Gardaí seized heroin worth €6,900, bagging material and other paraphernalia. Wesley had 25 prior road‑traffic convictions. His defence counsel, Keith Spencer, argued that Wesley was a sick man who feared his children would bear funeral costs and had no alternative. Judge Elma Sheahan, after considering evidence of Wesley's severe health and low culpability, imposed a one‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspended in full. No custodial term was imposed.
A 19‑year‑old teenage car thief, Ross Crea, was jailed for three and a half years after a high‑speed chase across Dublin. He stole a car from a house on Kilmacud Road, drove through a patrol block, and then drove onto the M50, weaving through traffic, breaking red lights, and making a U‑turn. He crashed into a barrier near Harolds Cross and later into a petrol station kerb. Gardaí were not injured, and the incident lasted about 45 minutes. Crea pleaded guilty to three counts of reckless endangerment, three of dangerous driving and one of unlawful taking of a car. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to five years for endangering the gardai, suspended the final 18 months on condition of keeping the peace for five years, and banned him from driving for four years. He also received a two‑year concurrent prison term for a separate assault that occurred four weeks before the car chase.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 35‑year‑old oil rig engineer Graham Foran pleaded guilty to assaulting a taxi driver and a Garda on 22 May 2015. Foran, who had previously been convicted of a road traffic offence, was found to have punched the Garda several times in the face, fell on top of him during a struggle, and continued to punch him while they were on the ground. The Garda sustained torn ligaments in his ankle, requiring surgery and possibly further surgery, and also suffered wrist injury. Judge Martin Nolan described Foran's conduct as "disgraceful" and noted the Garda's dreams and ambitions had been thwarted. Foran was sentenced to two‑and‑a‑half years imprisonment, the sentence being fully suspended on strict conditions, including a €5,000 payment to the Garda within one year. The court heard that Foran had already paid €10,000 in compensation to the Garda and €500 to the taxi driver.
David Rodgers, a 47-year-old English teacher, appeared before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court where he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of cannabis for sale or supply at his then home. The court heard that gardaí discovered just under €25,000 worth of cannabis, including a makeshift grow-house, during a search of his Dublin residence following an incident on Henry Street in October 2018. Rodgers admitted to selling cannabis but maintained during his interview that the substance was a natural herb. He has 12 previous convictions, primarily for theft and public order offences dating back to the 1980s. Defence counsel highlighted Rodgers' unusual profile, noting his academic achievements, multilingual abilities, and a severe brain injury sustained in an assault by his brother, which left him with short-term memory difficulties. Judge Karen O'Connor noted that Rodgers has had no further garda attention since the offence and is still recovering from his injury. Determining that incarceration would offer no benefit to society, the Judge fully suspended a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence. The suspension is conditional upon Rodgers keeping the peace and engaging with drug addiction treatment.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has dropped three charges of attempted murder against Alan Wilson, a Kinahan Cartel member, following his guilty plea to conspiracy to murder at the Special Criminal Court. Wilson, who was secretly recorded by gardai discussing the murder plot, had been on trial since November 1, accused of attempting to murder Brian Masterson, Wayne Barrett, and Austin Purcell at The Player's Lounge Public House in Dublin 3 on July 26, 2010. He also admitted to possessing a .38 calibre Smith & Wesson revolver and a .32 calibre Zastava semi-automatic pistol between July 24 and July 26, 2010, in circumstances suggesting an unlawful purpose. Wilson previously admitted to conspiring to murder Gary Hanley in 2017 and was jailed for six years. The DPP's Ronan Kennedy SC stated the plea was acceptable, and the attempted murder charges will be dropped during a sentencing hearing on Monday. The matter was adjourned by Ms Justice Tara Burns, with Judge James Faughnan and Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin, until then.
Paul Murray, 41, struck Josh Byrne, 29, with an iron bar in the head while Byrne was being led away by Gardaí after Byrne's arrest for criminal damage. The incident occurred after Byrne had turned on all the taps in the apartment above Murray's, causing water damage to Murray's unit. Murray pleaded guilty to producing a metal bar in the course of a dispute on 2 February 2021. He has 30 prior convictions, including robbery and traffic offences. Byrne, who has no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal damage at the same location and received a two‑year fully suspended sentence. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Murray to two years imprisonment, suspended in its entirety on strict conditions, citing a high degree of antagonism and Murray's loss of control. Byrne sustained a laceration to his head but declined to make a complaint. Murray apologized and acknowledged his wrongdoing.
John Kavanagh, 55, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after a "vicious" attack on November 4, 2020, in which he kicked the victim in the head while the victim lay on the ground. The assault, lasting over 30 minutes, involved weapons used by other participants but not by Kavanagh. The victim, who was hospitalised with head injuries, died by suicide one week later. Kavanagh, who has no fixed abode and lives in Dublin 2, had no prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally described the incident as "particularly vicious and violent" and noted the victim's ordeal was "very frightening and distressing." She sentenced Kavanagh to two‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, fully suspended on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation. The court accepted that Kavanagh's remorse was genuine and that he had a lesser role than the other two assailants. The case was prosecuted by Fiona Crawford BL, with Garda Jordan Kennedy providing evidence of the assault and Kavanagh's arrest.
A homeless man, Damien Singleton, 31, was found guilty of murder by a unanimous jury at the Central Criminal Court after stabbing his friend Peter Donnelly, 39, on Dublin's O'Connell Street on 11 June 2019. Singleton had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The prosecution argued that Singleton, who was under the influence of a cocktail of drugs and alcohol, was capable of forming the intent to kill. The jury rejected the intoxication defence, concluding that Singleton could understand his actions and their consequences. The case was the second trial for Singleton; the first collapsed after a juror claimed to have overheard Gardaí discussing witness statements. The judge adjourned the case for a mandatory life sentence to be imposed on 3 December, when a victim impact statement will be heard. The trial highlighted the presence of alcohol, morphine, benzodiazepine and cocaine in Singleton's system and the prosecution's insistence that intoxication does not excuse intent.
In a High Court hearing on 24 November 2021, Detective Garda Aidan Bracken, who has been on sick leave since 2015, was granted permission to bring a contempt of court motion against Garda Commissioner Drew Harris. Bracken, who claims psychiatric injuries from investigating criminal gangs, alleges the Commissioner failed to comply with a court order issued in August that required a fair assessment of his injuries by the Garda's Chief Medical Officer. The order followed Bracken's successful judicial review, which overturned a decision classifying his injuries as an ordinary illness and awarded temporary rehabilitation remuneration. Harris's counsel argued the motion was premature, noting progress had been made and a forensic psychiatric report was pending. Judge Charles Meenan approved the motion, noting Bracken's prior success in four judicial reviews, and adjourned the case for two weeks. The motion seeks only compliance with the assessment order, not punitive measures against the Commissioner.
Norense Okungbowa, a 46-year-old bus driver from Lucan, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting a 17-year-old girl in the car park of Finnstown Hotel on September 1, 2018. The court heard that the defendant and the victim had met while she was travelling on his bus. Sergeant Shay Leonard stated that a dispute arose during their meeting, leading the defendant to punch the victim in the back and side while demanding money he alleged she had taken. The victim's impact statement described a loss of security and increased paranoia. Defending counsel, Fiona Murphy SC, highlighted the defendant's lack of prior convictions, his employment with Dublin Bus since 2008, and his expression of remorse. She requested a discharge from indictment under Section 100 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. Judge Martin Nolan adjourned the matter under Section 100 until May 4. The defendant is required to keep the peace, be of good behaviour, pay a €100 fine, and collect €2,000 for potential transfer to the victim. Judge Nolan stated that if these conditions are not complied with, the appropriate sentence is two months imprisonment. The decision was based on the guilty plea, cooperation with gardaí, and the defendant's rehabilitative potential.
A 25‑year‑old man was jailed for four years and six months, with the final six months suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to raping a 22‑year‑old friend in her bed. The victim, who had known the defendant since their early teens, reported that he had come to her house drunk, followed her to her bedroom, and began kissing her and removing her top. She resisted and he stopped, but later she woke to find him thrusting in and out of her. He later texted her apologising and blaming alcohol. The judge accepted the guilty plea on the basis of recklessness, noting significant risk that consent was absent, and highlighted the breach of trust and impact on the victim's mental health. The sentence included strict conditions and engagement with the Probation Service. The case was returned for trial in March 2018 and a trial set for March 2019 did not proceed.
Stephen Bradley, aged 28, was sentenced to four years and four months in prison, with the final 16 months suspended, for assault causing harm, threatening to kill and false imprisonment of his girlfriend on 17 February 2020. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The court heard that Bradley strangled the woman, dragging her by the hair and holding her neck until she played dead to escape. He threatened to kill her, used a knife, punched her, and kept her in the bathroom while she hyperventilated. The victim escaped after two and a half hours, called her mother, and was later taken home by her mother and sister. Bradley had no prior convictions, was diagnosed with ADHD at age seven, and had taken constructive steps to rehabilitate. The judge ordered him to engage with the Probation Service for 18 months after release and prohibited any contact with the victim.
An apprentice electrician, Mohammad Jelan, aged 23, pleaded guilty to money laundering at a location within the state on 24 April 2018. He had allowed his bank account to be used by a third‑party who sent the details to a construction company that claimed to be a subcontractor whose email had been hacked. The company transferred €28,290 into Jelan's account, but he never accessed the money and was promised €500 for the use of his account, which he did not receive. Jelan had two prior convictions for road traffic offences. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to 12 months imprisonment, fully suspended on strict conditions, and noted he was at the very bottom rung of culpability and had made a foolish mistake. The court heard that Jelan had not been in contact with Gardaí since the offence and had answered all questions in detail. The case was prosecuted by Diana Stuart BL and defended by David O'Brien BL.
A 62‑year‑old man was sentenced to 10½ years in prison for raping and violently sexually assaulting his daughter over a 16‑year period. He began molesting her when she was seven and continued to repeatedly rape and assault her until she was 18. The court heard that the offences included rape, oral rape, indecent assault, sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault, the latter involving an electric sander and a phone cable. The judge set headline sentences of 16 years for rape, seven years for sexual assault and ten years for aggravated sexual assault, then reduced them to 12 years, five and a half years and eight years respectively, citing guilty pleas and the defendant's otherwise offence‑free life. The last 18 months of the sentence were suspended on the condition that the defendant engage in victim‑focused programmes, have no unsupervised access to children and have no contact with the victim.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Andrew Byrne, 35, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for assault causing harm and theft after he punched a homeless man in the back of the head at Temple Bar on 11 September last year. Byrne struck the victim, who was unconscious, causing facial fractures, a broken jaw, broken teeth and a split tongue. The victim, a homeless man living in a hostel, suffered ongoing memory loss, fear and anxiety, and has stopped going out alone. Byrne, who has 93 prior convictions including assault and public order offences, was arrested after CCTV footage captured the incident. He pleaded guilty, admitted the assault, and expressed deep regret. The judge noted Byrne's high culpability and backdated the sentence to his custody in January. The woman who accompanied Byrne remains before the courts.
A High Court judicial review has been granted to a young woman challenging her exclusion from the State compensation scheme for victims of violent crime. The applicant, who was sexually assaulted as a 12-year-old in 2015, claims the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal unlawfully refused her application due to time limits. She argues that the Tribunal's April 2021 introduction of an absolute two-year limit retrospectively interfered with her rights and breached fair procedures. Mr Justice Charles Meenan granted permission to bring the challenge, making the matter returnable next month to be heard alongside a similar action. The underlying offences involved two male minors who forced the victim to perform oral sex on separate dates in August 2015. The older male, now in his early twenties, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and was sentenced to four years' imprisonment plus two years' post-release supervision. The younger male, who claimed he was coerced by the older male, pleaded guilty to engaging in a sexual act with a child and was sentenced to 180 hours of community service. Both defendants apologized to the victim, who continues to suffer from PTSD.
Sean William O'Rourke, a 21‑year‑old apprentice electrician, pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering after he answered a Snapchat advert that promised a few thousand euros for handing over his bank card. The advert was part of a scheme that led to a fraudulent €52,186 payment being sent to the wrong account. Gardaí traced the money to O'Rourke's account, which was frozen, and he was found to have used his phone's tap function to access the account. He did not profit from the operation, and the €50,000 was returned to the company. In Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martin Nolan imposed 100 hours of community service in lieu of a 20‑month jail sentence, pending suitability assessment by the Probation Service. The case was adjourned to March 1 to confirm the sentence. The court noted the prevalence of similar cases involving young people with no prior convictions.
A 61‑year‑old man from County Kerry was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for raping his wife's niece on multiple occasions between 1990 and 1994. The victim, now 41, reported the abuse in 2019, describing how the man would force her to lie on her side, hold her hips tightly and rape her each morning. He pleaded guilty to four of the 13 charges. The judge noted the man's mild intellectual disability, lack of remorse and sexual interest in teenage girls, and imposed strict conditions including no unsupervised contact with children and three years of post‑release supervision. The sentence reflects the judge's view that the repeated, gross breach of trust caused significant harm and psychological symptoms to the victim. The man was arrested in May 2019 after a confrontation with the victim's parents. The victim's impact statement detailed ongoing anxiety, nightmares, and the lasting effect on her life and children.
At the Special Criminal Court in Dublin, businessman Kevin Lunney delivered a victim impact statement describing the lasting trauma inflicted on himself and his family by his abduction and assault in September 2019. Mr Lunney, a director of Quinn Industrial Holdings, stated that the anguish experienced by his family caused him greater torment than the physical injuries he sustained. He was kidnapped from outside his home in Cavan, driven to an isolated location in Ballinagh and subjected to severe violence including beatings and torture. Three men, Alan O'Brien, Darren Redmond and a third man referred to as YZ, were previously convicted of false imprisonment and intentionally causing harm. The Director of Public Prosecutions sought a pre-mitigation sentence of between fifteen years and life imprisonment. Mr Justice Tony Hunt reserved sentencing to December 20th, allowing defence counsel to present mitigation pleas. Mr Lunney's statement reflected on the broader campaign of intimidation affecting his company while acknowledging community support.
Adrian Shanley, acting as solicitor for a male applicant, brought a civil action against the State following his release from prison after a rape charge was dropped. The applicant, an EU national, was imprisoned for over a year after being charged with raping a woman in 2009. He was remanded in custody after being refused bail in the District Court due to flight risk concerns. Although granted High Court bail with conditions including a €10,000 surety and daily Garda sign-ons, he remained in custody until June 2011 as he could not meet the terms. Shortly before his trial, the applicant's legal team discovered that the complainant had previously admitted to fabricating a similar rape allegation against another man in 2007. Following this disclosure, the Director of Public Prosecutions entered a nolle prosequi, ending the prosecution and releasing the applicant. The applicant now seeks damages for malicious prosecution, false imprisonment, negligence, and breach of constitutional rights, alleging that his relationship broke down and he lost his job. The defendants, including the Garda Commissioner and DPP, deny the claims, stating they acted within their public duties. The matter came before Ms Justice Niamh Hyland, who was asked to rule on a preliminary issue regarding the applicant's request for formal replies to interrogatories from the State. The State opposed the application, arguing it would prejudice adjudication. In her judgment, Ms Justice Hyland adjourned the plaintiff's motion. The matter was not concluded; the judge noted the motion could be re-entered if the plaintiff wishes to proceed, provided his lawyers submit a sworn statement identifying the persons to whom each interrogatory is directed.
A 19‑year‑old schoolgirl, Merveille Ngombo, was found guilty of two counts of possessing cash believed to be proceeds of crime after she attempted to withdraw €3,000 in cash from a Bank of Ireland branch while wearing her school uniform. Ngombo had previously been involved in a deposit‑scam that deprived a man of €13,000 intended for a house deposit; the money was transferred to an account linked to Ngombo, who then sent €10,000 to a teenage boy she knew at school. She tried to withdraw the remaining €3,000, claiming the money came from her aunt in Germany, but the bank refused. Ngombo denied providing her bank details to the boy, saying she might have dropped them.
In November 2021 a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Hazel Fitzpatrick, 25, for contravening a court order that prohibited the publication of identifying material about the juveniles convicted of murdering Ana Kriégel. Fitzpatrick had posted a screenshot of a photo that identified one of the boys, Boy A, on her Facebook page the day after the convictions in June 2019. The judge noted that Fitzpatrick acted out of "pure anger", was aware of the order, and that her behaviour was a "mistake" she regretted. She pleaded guilty and was described as a person of good character who was suffering from anxiety and depression at the time. The judge imposed a headline sentence of 12 months imprisonment, reduced to eight months, which was suspended on the condition that Fitzpatrick keep the peace for that period. No other convictions or charges were mentioned.
Sean Rausch, 24, was convicted of assault causing harm and false imprisonment after he forcibly entered a Dublin home, took a phone, and violently attacked the woman's four‑year‑old child's mother. The woman was dragged into her bedroom, where Rausch grabbed her by the throat, punched her, and left her unconscious. She later reported a broken nose, fractured spine and collarbone, though the court found no independent evidence for the latter injuries. Rausch had previously served a four‑year sentence with the final year suspended for robberies and false imprisonment. Judge Martin Nolan imposed an additional 20‑month term, consecutive to the existing sentence, for the assault. Rausch pleaded guilty and expressed remorse, citing a chaotic upbringing and drug use. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 17 June 2020.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan addressed the case of Dylan Culloty, a 21‑year‑old from Clondalkin, who pleaded guilty to two counts of money laundering involving over €40,000 obtained through a 2019 "smishing" scam. Culloty's account was used to transfer stolen funds, which he withdrew by visiting post offices and purchasing foreign currency. The court noted that the scam enticed victims to provide banking details via a fraudulent website, resulting in €43,800 being taken from two bank accounts and moved to Culloty's account. The Bank of Ireland's financial crime unit reported the unauthorized transactions, and the bank refunded the victims, but the money was never recovered. Judge Nolan, citing the prevalence of such cases, decided not to imprison Culloty but to impose 200 hours of community service, pending Probation Service assessment.
A 54‑year‑old man who sexually assaulted a 16‑year‑old girl in his Dublin home was sentenced in December. After the assault he sent explicit texts to the victim, claiming he had touched her breast and apologising. He threatened suicide at a pier, but Gardaí and RNLI persuaded him to return. He pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault and a charge of sending an explicit message to a child. The judge adjourned the case to 15 December to complete a psychological report, revoked his bail and remanded him in custody, noting that Cloverhill Prison could not accept new inmates due to a Covid outbreak. The victim's mother read a victim impact statement describing the assault's lasting effect on her daughter's identity and mental health. The man described himself as a functioning alcoholic and expressed remorse. The case remains at the criminal court stage.
Anita Gallagher, 54, worked as a receptionist for Dr John Peters' practice in Clonee, Dublin 15, from 2001 until September 2019. In 2019 Dr Peters noticed irregularities and, after an internal investigation, discovered that Gallagher had been diverting the €60 fee paid by private patients into her own pocket. Between 2013 and 2019 she had taken an average of €8,000 a year, totalling over €55,000. Gallagher resigned after admitting the thefts, pleaded guilty to eight charges, and was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally to 15 months' imprisonment, suspended on the condition of keeping the peace for that period. She was ordered to engage with the Probation Service, attend a mental‑health review, and receive therapeutic and budgeting support. Gallagher's father later repaid the full amount stolen. The case was remanded on continuing bail for further consideration.
Douglas Glynn (37) of Fitzgibbon Court, Dublin 1, changed his plea to guilty at the Special Criminal Court, admitting to participating in the activities of a criminal organisation between December 7, 2016, and April 6, 2017. The charge alleged he placed a tracker device on James Gately's car in Belfast to facilitate a murder plot. Glynn had previously pleaded not guilty. Presiding judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt adjourned the case to January 14, 2022, for a sentence hearing; the matter was adjourned and not concluded. Glynn is the fifth person convicted in cases relating to the failed bid to murder Gately. Peter Keating (40) was jailed for 11 years after pleading guilty to directing a criminal organisation targeting Gately. Stephen Fowler (62) and David Duffy (33) were jailed for providing logistical support. Imre Arakas (63) was jailed for six years in December 2018 after admitting to conspiring to murder Gately. Caolan Smyth (30) was sentenced to 20 years for the attempted murder of Gately and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Gary McAreavey (53) pleaded not guilty to impeding a prosecution and received a four-year jail term with the final year suspended.
Derek Byrne, aged 38, was arrested in December 2019 with a loaded semi‑automatic pistol, ammunition, gloves, a balaclava and a burner phone, items he claimed were for intimidation. The firearm and ammunition were incompatible, so they could not inflict injury on that occasion. Byrne and co‑accused Phillip McBride, aged 43, were both wearing two sets of clothing when apprehended. Byrne pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition and has 78 prior convictions, including drug possession, public order and traffic offences. He was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison, with 18 months suspended, after the judge considered mitigating factors such as progress in custody for drug addiction. McBride will be sentenced on 14 January next year. The case involved a surveillance operation that led to Byrne leaving his home with a bag, driving a BMW with McBride, and a subsequent chase that ended on a grass verge where the gun was found.
Derek Stanley, 35, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for assault causing harm after biting a Garda who had taken him to Mater Hospital's A&E. The court heard that Stanley, previously jailed for sex offences, had feigned illness after breaking into a restaurant on Dorset Street. He was brought to the hospital by Gardaí, resisted restraint, and during a struggle bit a Garda's finger, breaking the skin, and attempted to bite others. The judge, Pauline Codd, noted the offence was aggravated by the victim's status as a Garda and Stanley's feigned medical condition. The sentence was suspended for 12 months, to run consecutively with the 2½‑year sentence he is currently serving. The Garda who was bitten sustained no permanent injury and missed no work. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Derek Stanley pleaded guilty.
Caroline Tiernan Kanza, 43, of Myrtle House, Baldoyle, was found guilty of forging invoices and stealing €30,519 from the National Shared Services Office while employed in a position of trust. She pleaded guilty to five counts of forgery and theft in two periods of offending, March–July 2018 and June–November 2019. The court noted her self‑defeating personality disorder, financial pressure, debt, mortgage arrears, and alleged domestic violence. She had repaid the full amount and cooperated fully with probation services, showing low risk of reoffending and attending counselling. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a headline sentence of four years but, considering mitigating factors, set a two‑year sentence suspended in full on the condition she pays €1,000 within six months and another €1,000 to charity in the following six months. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 15 November 2021.
At the Central Criminal Court, a sentencing hearing was held for Mark Whelan, 48, who was found guilty of murdering Noel 'Noelie' Whelan, 22, on 30 March 2019. Whelan was described as being high on drugs when he stabbed Noel 18 times, severing a carotid artery and penetrating a lung. The jury rejected a defence of intoxication and found him guilty of murder. The court heard that Noel was pregnant with his first child and that his partner, Shannon Whelan, expressed that her life had been "ruined" by the murder. Shannon, who suffered panic attacks and PTSD, could not attend the hearing but wrote that she feels she "died that day" and is trying to stay alive for her daughter. The judge announced that a mandatory life sentence would be imposed when Mark Whelan appears in court on 17 December.
Convicted murderer Freddie Thompson, also known as 'Fat Freddie', brought a High Court action against the Governors of Limerick and Portlaoise Prisons, the Irish Prison Service, and the Minister for Justice. Thompson, who received a life sentence in 2018 after being found guilty of the 2016 murder of David Douglas, alleges that prison authorities failed to respond to his solicitors' questions regarding his detention conditions. He claims his transfer to Limerick Prison, where he was reportedly confined to a padded cell without clothing, constitutes a punishment without a disciplinary hearing or formal sanction paperwork. Thompson further alleges that previous complaints about mistreatment in Portlaoise, including sleep deprivation and excessive searches, were upheld but the investigator's report was never provided to him. His legal team argues that the failure to update him on complaint statuses and answer queries regarding his detention is contrary to law, the Prison Rules, and natural justice. They seek an order compelling the respondents to reply to their questions and declarations that the authorities have a legal duty to respond to concerns about a prisoner's detention. The matter came before Mr Justice Anthony Barr, who granted Thompson permission to bring the action on an ex-parte basis. The matter was adjourned and will be mentioned before the court in late December.
An MMA fighter, Dylan Tuke, 25, was charged with assault causing harm after he punched a taxi driver in December 2018, breaking the driver's front teeth. The incident occurred when Tuke entered a taxi without asking if it was available, demanded payment upfront, and then assaulted the driver. Dash‑cam footage identified him, and he pleaded guilty to one count of assault. Judge Pauline Codd noted the aggravating factors of Tuke's threatening demeanour, pursuit of the victim, and the victim's public service role. She considered his cooperation, age, remorse, and the fact that alcohol contributed to his out‑of‑character behaviour. The judge set an 18‑month imprisonment sentence, deferred it to April 4, and imposed a €200 fine. She also ordered that €3,000 Tuke had in court be given to the victim or a charity.
Derek Moore, 49, a bookkeeper who had worked for Energy Saver Insulations Ltd for 22 years, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended. He pleaded guilty to five counts of stealing just over €92,700 from the company between February and November 2018 and to one count of falsifying accounts. Moore admitted colluding with three customers who paid cash for discounted materials, which he deposited into his own account. He claimed the money was to fund his child's scoliosis operation, but the judge noted evidence of substantial spending on eating out and an off‑licence. He has repaid €33,000 and will transfer an additional €7,000 to the victims. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Kenneth Donohoe was found not guilty of murdering Eamon Kelly, while his co‑accused Darren Murphy was convicted. The judge said there was insufficient evidence to prove Donohoe was the driver of the getaway Lexus, that he possessed a Glock handgun, or that he had a direct role in the gang. Evidence was deemed insufficient to establish Donohoe's involvement beyond reasonable doubt. Murphy, aged 51, was found guilty of the murder after evidence showed he acted as a spotter and assisted the gunman, Sean Connolly, and the getaway driver. Murphy was also found not guilty of the second charge of possession of a Glock pistol with intent to endanger life. The court will impose a mandatory life sentence on Murphy and remand him until the sentencing date. The case involved CCTV footage, fingerprints, vehicle links, DNA and firearm residue as circumstantial evidence. The court granted Donohoe a discharge from the indictment.