The Special Criminal Court will deliver a judgement in the New Year in the trial of property magnate Jim Mansfield Jnr, who denies setting up one of his employees to be kidnapped by a criminal gang. Mr Mansfield pleaded not guilty before the three‑judge, non‑jury court in October last year but due to a number of lengthy adjournments, the trial continued until last month. Mr Justice Alex Owens, presiding, had indicated that a judgement might be delivered today. At a brief hearing this morning Mr Justice Owens said that the court has not concluded its consideration of the evidence and judgement will be delivered on January 17 next. Mr Mansfield Jnr (54), of Tasaggart House, Garters Lane, Saggart, Co Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to conspiring with one or more persons to falsely imprison Martin Byrne on a date unknown between January 1, 2015 and June 30, 2015.
Stephen Penrose, aged 38, was found guilty by a jury of murdering his friend Philip Finnegan, aged 24, who was missing for three weeks before his decapitated remains were discovered in a shallow grave in Rahin Woods, Kildare. The jury rejected Penrose's defence that he had last seen Finnegan being stabbed by a group of men in a forest and that he had attempted to conceal the body's location. Evidence included a DNA match from a bloodied glove found near the remains, a forensic scientist's report linking Penrose's DNA to the glove, and testimony that Finnegan's body had suffered multiple stab wounds, including fatal ones to the liver and aorta. Penrose had previously been convicted of manslaughter in 2010. The trial, held at the Central Criminal Court, concluded with a unanimous verdict after five hours and 46 minutes of deliberation over two days.
Harry O'Brien, 22, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the importation of cannabis and possession of cannabis and Ketamine for sale or supply at Trinity Halls, Rathmines, on March 13, 2019. The court heard that O'Brien imported cannabis valued at €4,426 from the United States via the dark web, while gardaí also found Ketamine worth €1,000 and additional cannabis at his address. Although O'Brien admitted to ordering drugs online, he denied being a dealer, stating he intended to consume the substances. Defence counsel highlighted O'Brien's improved mental health, his first-class honours, and his role in founding a national disabled students' advocacy group. Judge Melanie Greally acknowledged the seriousness of the misconduct but expressed openness to a Section 100 disposal, which allows for a fine and deferred imprisonment. The matter was adjourned to November 25 to allow for the canvassing of charitable organisations. The judge indicated a view to adjourning the matter again on that date under Section 100 provisions, rather than finalising the sentence immediately.
Bagrat Kudzievi, a 28‑year‑old Georgian national who had been living in Ireland under a false Polish identity, was convicted in October 2021 of two counts of sexual assault against Rachel McElroy. The assaults occurred on the night of 19 October 2019 in Cork city centre after the pair had gone to a nightclub together. CCTV footage showed McElroy falling inside the club and later struggling to walk outside. Kudzievi met her in the smoking area, then took her to an alcove where he sexually assaulted her. He later lifted her and carried her across a bridge to a secluded location while people recorded them on mobile phones. McElroy, who was drinking with friends, gave a victim impact statement describing her confusion, emotional distress and the effect on her studies. The court adjourned sentencing to 22 November 2021. The case was heard by the Central Criminal Court.
The Special Criminal Court has adjourned the trial of Douglas Glynn (37) until Tuesday for the production of additional photographs, following a disclosure issue. Glynn, of Dublin 1, pleaded not guilty to placing a tracker device on James "Mago" Gately's car in Belfast in April 2017. The prosecution alleges this was part of an ongoing plan by a criminal organisation to target Gately. Presiding Judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt, sitting with Ms Justice Sarah Berkeley and Mr Justice Cormac Dunne, refused a Garda application to ban media from court during covert evidence, ruling that media presence was acceptable provided National Surveillance Unit officers were not identified. The judge warned that the failure to disclose all relevant photos "cannot happen again." In related convictions, Imre Arakas (63) was jailed for six years in December 2018 after admitting to conspiring to murder Gately. Additionally, Peter Keating (40) was jailed for 11 years after pleading guilty to directing a criminal organisation's activities relating to the targeting of Gately between December 2016 and April 2017.
John Saul, aged 37 and also known as John Keegan, was found in possession of a bag of heroin while attempting to deliver it. He was stopped by Gardaí, who discovered the drugs in his underwear and seized them. Saul pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for sale or supply at a location within Dublin on 8 November 2020. He has 15 prior convictions, the most recent dating back to 2010, including drug offences, assault, burglary and theft. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted that Saul's involvement in the offence was a "very serious error" and that it coincided with financial hardship caused by pandemic pressures on his family. She acknowledged that he had made some progress in his life and therefore suspended an 18‑month prison sentence in its entirety, imposing strict conditions.
Lorcan Merriman, 25, pleaded guilty to disposing of the firearm used to kill Dublin man Thomas Farnan, 37, on 28 October 2016. The murder trial jury was discharged after Merriman's guilty plea to a Section 7 charge of impeding apprehension by disposing of the gun. The court will hold a sentence hearing on 24 January next year, and the State intends to enter a nolle prosequi, officially dropping the murder charge, on that day. Merriman is remanded in custody until the hearing. Farnan was shot at his front door at Kilcronan Close, Clondankin, on 25 April 2016, dying almost immediately after being shot at least five times, with a single bullet through his right arm, chest and heart causing death. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Court, where Mr Justice David Keane presided. Thomas Farnan pleaded not guilty.
Gardai questioned Stephen Penrose, accused of murdering 24‑year‑old Philip Finnegan, about the location of the attack that led to Finnegan's death in Rahin Woods, Kildare. Penrose gave multiple, conflicting accounts of where he and Finnegan were attacked by a group of men on 10 August 2016, initially saying it occurred on the outskirts of Kilcock, then near Clonuff, then near Edenderry, and finally near a caravan beside a woods. He claimed they were there to collect firearms, but later denied any knowledge of the attack. Penrose admitted to lying about the location out of fear for his life. Evidence presented included a blood‑stained glove matching Penrose's DNA found near Finnegan's remains, a garden fork, shovel, and knife blade, and a fire‑damaged glove. The trial continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury, with Penrose remaining in custody and refusing to attend. Stephen Penrose pleaded not guilty. Philip Finnegan pleaded not guilty.
Anita Gallagher, 54, worked as a receptionist at Dr John Peters' practice in Clonee from 2001 until her resignation in September 2019. In 2019 the doctor noticed irregularities in the practice's income and 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 admitted the thefts, resigned, and apologized, but requested that her family remain unaware of the matter. She was arrested in June 2020 after the doctor reported the thefts. She pleaded guilty to eight counts of stealing from the clinic. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the sentencing to 17 November, remanded her on continuing bail, and noted that Gallagher was under no financial pressure and that the crime was one of opportunism over a sustained period. The case remains pending.
Mark Hyde, 42, of Finglas, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession for sale or supply of cannabis at his home on February 4, 2020. Prosecutors stated that gardaí executed a search warrant and discovered 15 seed trays, plants in two tents, and four tubs of cannabis leaf estimated at just under €7,000. Hyde alleged he grew the plants to pay bills due to financial hardship and intended to sell the leaf to friends. The court noted his previous conviction in 2012 for cultivation of cannabis, for which he received a suspended three-year prison sentence, and a 2014 order for community service for forgery. Defence counsel argued Hyde was not running a wholesale operation but supplying a small circle to cover expenses, noting his involvement in Community Employment and receipt of rent allowance. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to February next. She ordered Hyde to engage with the Probation Service to develop skills to avoid drug cultivation during financial difficulties. The matter was adjourned and not concluded.
Ian Coughlan, 45, of Newcastle Manor Close, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four charges of possessing €159,250, believing or being reckless about whether it was the proceeds of crime, in relation to Allied Irish Bank and Bank of Ireland accounts used in an international invoice redirection fraud between June and October 2016. Gardaí investigated a fraudulent payment of €39,251 received into his AIB account from a Turkish aviation company that had been instructed to change supplier bank details; the money was never received. A warrant was obtained and Coughlan was arrested on 17 May 2017. Further evidence showed a French plastics company transferred €120,000 into his Bank of Ireland account after being directed to amend supplier details. Coughlan claimed he was approached by Nigerian men offering a 10% share of the cash, but he never received this cut.
In a 2021 court hearing, Damien Byrne, 44, was found guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm after brandishing an imitation pistol in Finches pub, Clondalkin, on 18 September 2016. Byrne, who was suffering from severe cocaine and alcohol dependence at the time, had pulled the weapon during a violent altercation with an associate and pointed it at security staff before waving it around the pub, causing patrons to flee for cover. He was arrested after leaving the pub with another man. Byrne pleaded guilty and his defence counsel highlighted his ongoing rehabilitation, noting he has been drug and alcohol free since 2020 and has established two successful businesses. Judge Melanie Greally, considering his progress and lack of prior convictions, suspended a four‑year prison term on the condition that he keep the peace for that period, thereby avoiding a custodial sentence. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
Eugene Farrell, 42, was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for transporting firearms in a gym bag to settle his son's drug debt, after the family endured intimidation and attacks. He admitted to moving the bag, which contained a revolver, a Harrington and Richardson sawn‑off shotgun, a Mossberg sawn‑off shotgun, two Beretta shotguns and ammunition, some of which had been stolen in earlier burglaries. Farrell had 21 prior convictions, mainly traffic offences, and had previously transported drugs for the same people. Judge Elma Sheahan noted the family's terror but accepted that Farrell acted under duress, had no personal benefit, and had shown remorse. She imposed a four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspending the final nine months, with strict conditions including probation engagement for nine months after release. The weapons were seized during a Garda drug search of a Peugeot in Tallaght. Farrell's son's debt has since been paid. Eugene Farrell pleaded guilty.
Derek Whelan, 37, of Glin Grove, Coolock, was found guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of making an unwarranted demand with menace and intent to profit when he demanded €500 from a Grindr date, threatening that his brothers would "slit" the man's throat if they discovered he was gay. Whelan had previously threatened the victim with his brothers' violence and sent persistent messages demanding the remaining €400 after the victim had paid €100. The judge noted Whelan's struggle with his sexual orientation and chronic depression as major triggers for the offence, and that his family was hostile. He was sentenced to 240 hours of community service to avoid a three‑year prison term. The sentence reflects the court's view that the offence was out of character and that Whelan is now in a stable relationship and has expressed remorse.
In November 2021, the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Xiangfu Zheng, 42, to 18 months' imprisonment for assisting in the management of a brothel at Jasmine Massage Parlour, Dorset Street Lower, between 29 January 2016 and 19 July 2017. Zheng pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by a jury. He denied knowledge of sexual acts occurring in the parlour, though he admitted to hiring staff and advertising the establishment. His wife, Qiuping Chen, 36, had pleaded guilty to the same offence and received a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence in December 2020, fully suspended. Judge Pauline Codd noted the operation was relatively small and that Zheng had no prior convictions. The court suspended 16 months of the sentence on strict conditions, leaving 2 months of custodial time. Zheng entered a bond to keep the peace and was reminded that prostitution is illegal in Ireland.
The trial of Douglas Glynn (37) opened at the Special Criminal Court, where he pleaded not guilty to assisting in a plot to murder James Gately by placing a tracker device on his car. Prosecutors allege Glynn participated in directing the activities of a criminal organisation between December 7, 2016, and April 6, 2017, to target Gately. The State's case relies on circumstantial evidence, including CCTV, mobile phone data, and tracking devices. It is alleged that Glynn travelled to Belfast with Peter Keating and David Duffy on March 30, 2017, to place the device on Gately's vehicle. Keating (40) previously pleaded guilty to directing the activities of a criminal organisation relating to the targeting of Gately and was jailed for 11 years. Imre Arakas (63) was jailed for six years in December 2018 after admitting to conspiring to murder Gately in Northern Ireland between April 3 and 4, 2017. Stephen Fowler (62) and David Duffy (33) have also been jailed for providing logistical support to the plot. The trial, presided over by a three-judge panel, is expected to last three weeks.
Ahemd Yagoub, 57, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to two counts of sexual assault, two counts of exposure, and one count of assault. The offences occurred over a two-week period in June and July 2020 in a Dublin park, where he allegedly followed and assaulted teenage girls. Judge Melanie Greally described his conduct as predatory. She imposed a prison term of two years and nine months for the most serious sexual assault. Concurrent sentences of one year were imposed for three other offences. The sentence on the fifth offence was adjourned to next February to allow the Probation Service to compile a risk assessment report. The court noted Yagoub's lack of previous convictions, his documented history of bipolar disorder and depression, and favourable testimonials from his current residence. While he made useful admissions to gardai, he denied the underlying offences during interview. Defence counsel highlighted his mental health history and expressed remorse. The matter was not fully concluded due to the adjournment of the final sentencing component.
Jake Kelly, a 31‑year‑old former League of Ireland footballer, was found with €14,000 of cannabis in his car during a Garda surveillance operation in Carrickmines Green on 11 September 2019. He pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply. The court heard that Kelly's involvement in the drug offence stemmed from a gambling‑related debt, not a drug addiction. He had two prior convictions for minor road traffic offences. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to three years' imprisonment but suspended the entire sentence on strict conditions, noting that Kelly had addressed his gambling problems and was considered low risk of reoffending. The judge described him as a "cog" in drug distribution but acknowledged his vulnerability and the influence of gambling on his decisions. No charges were brought against Kelly for the cocaine found in a car driven by another man during the same operation.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Raymond Valentine, aged 60, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for sexual exploitation of a 16‑year‑old girl between June 2012 and June 2013. The victim, who was in care and described as extremely vulnerable, was abused by Valentine who gave her alcohol, assaulted her and attempted penetrative sex. Valentine continued the relationship despite a court order and the victim's attempts to leave care. The court noted that Valentine had been attacked by the victim's then partner in August 2015, resulting in life‑threatening injuries after repeated kicks to the head. The partner and the victim later pleaded guilty to assault and received suspended sentences. Valentine's guilty plea was entered before his trial, and he admitted the wrongdoing and expressed remorse. The victim's impact statement described the lasting damage to her self‑confidence. The case also highlighted Valentine's prior convictions for theft and drunk driving.
Three men have been convicted of falsely imprisoning, beating and mutilating Kevin Lunney, director of Quinn Industrial Holdings, at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin. A fourth man was acquitted. Mr Justice Tony Hunt found Alan O'Brien and Darren Redmond, both from East Wall in Dublin, and a man identified as YZ guilty of the offences committed at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, County Cavan on 17 September 2019. Luke O'Reilly, from Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, County Cavan, was found not guilty. Mr Lunney was abducted near his home, held in a container, beaten with a wooden bat, doused in bleach, and had letters carved into his chest with a Stanley knife. The judge accepted Mr Lunney's evidence as reliable and described him as a most impressive witness. CCTV footage, DNA evidence and phone records established the involvement of the three convicted men. The judge found the offences were organised by Cyril McGuinness, now deceased. Sentencing is scheduled for 22 October.
In County Laois, Robert Wojtanowicz, aged 41, was found with 25 large boxes of stolen industrial workwear from his former employer, K and S Industrial Supplies. He claimed he had permission to take the stock because it was damaged and unfit for sale, but the company's statement confirmed the items were in perfect condition. Wojtanowicz pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to recklessly possessing the goods, valued at €19,847, on 22 August 2017. He also faced a European arrest warrant for four minor road‑traffic offences dating back to 2012. Garda Shane Barry executed the warrant, discovered the boxes, and returned the goods to the company. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced Wojtanowicz to a two‑year prison term, which she suspended on strict conditions, citing his cooperation and lack of prior convictions as mitigating factors. The case highlighted the Gardaí's role in recovering the stolen stock.
A 34‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his nine‑year‑old daughter between 8 and 11 July 2016. He admitted slapping her but denied using a broom handle or other sticks to beat her. The daughter described being forced to hold a stick from the kitchen and having her hands and knees against a wall, with the father striking her if she moved. Gardaí seized a broom handle wrapped in toilet paper and a thin blue plastic stick from his home. He has 17 prior convictions, including two common assaults and one on a Garda. The case was adjourned for a year and the man entered a guilty plea in May 2023. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to 240 hours of community service in lieu of an 18‑month prison term, warning that repeat offences would lead to imprisonment. The daughter remains on a counselling waiting list.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, a 36‑year‑old mother and her 38‑year‑old partner were found guilty of wilful neglect after failing to obtain medical care for their 14‑month‑old daughter, who suffered extensive bruising at a derelict house. The mother claimed the baby had fallen from a mattress, but doctors determined the injuries were non‑accidental. The couple had previously taken the children from their grandmother's home, where they were cared for, to the derelict property. The judge noted the couple's chaotic lifestyle, homelessness and addiction issues, and that they had tried to conceal the injuries. Both were sentenced to suspended terms: the partner received a two‑year sentence suspended in full, and the mother a three‑year sentence suspended in full. The child remains in care, and the parents are now drug‑free and living in permanent accommodation. The case was reported under restrictions to protect the child's identity. The unnamed girl pleaded not guilty.
Stephen Penrose, 38, of Coolock, Dublin, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Philip Finnegan, 24, who was found decapitated in a shallow grave in Rahin Woods, Kildare, on 2 September 2016. Penrose testified that he witnessed Finnegan being stabbed in the back by a group of men on 10 August 2016. He claimed he had no involvement in Finnegan's death and that he had been attacked in a black car, sustaining a stab wound to his left arm. Penrose's DNA was found on a left‑handed gardening glove near the grave, and a bloodied glove was recovered from the site. He has repeatedly denied any role in the murder, stating he was not in the woods and that he only witnessed the attack. The trial is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court.
Nadine Stolk, a swim instructor living in the UK, was given a one‑year suspended sentence for her role in child benefit fraud. She discovered that her husband, Leendert Stolk, had been defrauding the State of child benefit payments from 2017 to 2018, and she did nothing to stop it. Stolk pleaded guilty on the first day of her trial to two counts of social welfare fraud relating to child benefit payments between 31 July 2017 and 31 June 2018, resulting in a total loss to the State of €1,540. She has no prior convictions and a good work history. The judge noted her employment as a swim instructor and that one of their sons competes internationally. The sentence was suspended on a number of conditions.
A 65‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to one year in prison for engaging in an online sexual fantasy with a stranger about raping his two granddaughters, aged seven and two. The man, whose name is withheld to protect the children, had a Skype conversation with a Canadian user named 'Bill' in which they discussed paedophilic inclinations and described the rape of the grandchildren. Gardaí found the conversation and two copies of a child‑abuse image on the man's laptop, and he pleaded guilty to knowingly possessing and distributing child pornography in October 2017. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a headline sentence of three years, but after considering psychological and probation reports, she set a final sentence of two years with the third year suspended, subject to 12 months probation and victim‑focused work. The man has no prior convictions and expressed remorse, with a low risk of reoffending assessed.
The Special Criminal Court has found a 40-year-old man, identified only as YZ, guilty of the false imprisonment and intentional serious harm of Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney. The three-judge panel, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges David McHugh and Gerard Griffin, determined that the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that YZ was one of three men who abducted Mr Lunney near his home on September 17, 2019. Mr Lunney alleged he was driven to a yard in Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan, where he was threatened to resign his directorship and cease litigation. He claimed his attackers stripped him, doused him in bleach, broke his shin with a wooden bat, cut his face, and carved the letters QIH into his chest. YZ had pleaded not guilty to the charges. He was tried alongside co-accused Darren Redmond (27), Alan O'Brien (40), and Luke O'Reilly (68), all of whom also pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and intentionally causing serious harm. While YZ's guilt has been established, the court is currently delivering its judgement regarding the other three defendants. The matter concerning Redmond, O'Brien, and O'Reilly remains pending as the judges continue to articulate their findings and proposed disposals for these co-accused.
Ciaran Aspin, 36, was sentenced to a fully suspended three‑year term for possession of €55,000 worth of cannabis and cocaine. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 27 October 2018. Aspin attempted to flee on a bicycle when stopped by Gardaí, sliding on a garda car's bonnet before being searched. Gardaí found cannabis in a bag he carried and, after searching his home, discovered additional cannabis in the back garden and cocaine in a bedroom, totalling €57,642.14. Aspin claimed he was threatened that he would be "whacked" and denied being a dealer, stating he was merely holding the drugs. He has four prior convictions, including drink driving, and was employed as a delivery driver during the Covid emergency. Judge Elma Sheahan, after hearing a Probation Service report, suspended the sentence on strict conditions, including two years of engagement with the service.
Judgment commenced at the Special Criminal Court on November 8th in the trial of four men charged with falsely imprisoning and assaulting businessman Kevin Lunney. Mr Justice Tony Hunt began delivering his ruling after a 40-day trial, reserving verdicts pending continuation following lunch. The judge described Mr Lunney, who was abducted near his Cavan home in September 2019, as a most impressive witness and confirmed the court accepts his account in full. Justice Hunt indicated satisfaction that Mr Lunney was assaulted in a blue horse box located in Drumbrade, and that the treatment he endured constituted false imprisonment and assault causing serious harm. Medical evidence clearly met the threshold for serious harm, the judge stated. Three men have pleaded not guilty: Alan O'Brien of East Wall, Dublin; Darren Redmond, also of East Wall; and Luke O'Reilly of Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, County Cavan.
A blood‑stained glove found near the skeletonised remains of Philip Finnegan in Rahin Woods matched DNA from Stephen Penrose, a forensic scientist who is on trial for Finnegan's murder. The glove, heavily charred and bearing blood on five internal sites, was recovered by Gardaí on 8 September 2016 and later analysed by Dr Alan McGee of Forensic Science Ireland. McGee compared the glove's DNA with a buccal swab taken from Penrose on 16 November 2016 and reported a match, estimating the probability of a different source as less than one in a billion. Penrose, 38, pleaded not guilty to the murder of the 24‑year‑old, who was found buried in a shallow grave after being missing for just over three weeks.
A 48‑year‑old man was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, for sexually assaulting his 15‑year‑old daughter in December 2018. He pleaded guilty to the assault that took place at his Dublin home. The victim, who was 15 at the time, described feeling a "constant fear" and that her "soul has been ripped out" in her impact statement read by the prosecuting garda. She said she no longer feels safe in her bedroom or house and experiences nightmares of her father smiling in court. The judge noted the psychological and emotional damage, including isolation, loss of trust, insecurity and emptiness, and stated the family unit had been irreparably damaged. The man had no prior convictions and had been in mental health care between 15 and 24 December 2018. The sentence was delivered by Judge Melanie Greally.
Kieran Creaven, a 59-year-old former RTÉ producer, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to 10 counts of offences committed in Ireland, the UK, and the Philippines between 2014 and 2017. The charges included four counts of child exploitation, two counts of sexually assaulting a child, and four counts of possessing child pornography. The court heard that Creaven videoed himself sexually abusing a girl aged 10 to 12 in the Philippines in 2014, while also engaging in sexual conversations with children on Facebook and Skype in 2017. He had previously been arrested in the UK in 2017 following a sting operation and served a sentence there. In mitigation, his counsel highlighted his remorse, therapy, and the loss of his career and marriage. Creaven submitted a letter of apology, stating his arrest pulled him back from a "dark and disturbing spiral." The judge noted he has been in custody since October 2020. This report reflects the final sentencing stage, where the court imposed the 18-month prison term for the admitted offences.
Mark O'Shea, aged 41, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for burglary and harassment. The burglary occurred on 19 December 2018 at a Dublin City centre location, when O'Shea, accompanied by two other knife‑wielding men, entered the ex‑partner's home after using a woman as a decoy. All three men wore black balaclavas and gloves and were armed with knives. O'Shea had previously pleaded guilty to burglary and to harassment between 19 October 2018 and 31 December 2018. The court described the offence as pre‑meditated, conducted with assistance, involving physicality and intimidation. O'Shea had 44 prior convictions, including burglary, trespass, criminal damage, handling stolen property, possession of drugs, public order and road traffic offences. The judge noted that O'Shea had been in a residential treatment programme for a short period before the hearing. The sentence requires O'Shea to comply with all Probation Service directions for 12 months after release.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Dylan Meagher, aged 22, pleaded guilty to possession of a machete after an incident at Energie Fitness in Drimnagh on 26 September 2020. The incident began when Meagher, lacking his access fob, demanded entry through a gym gate and, after being ignored, approached the other customer and later returned to the gym's exterior with a machete while riding a small e‑bike. Garda Aisling McDonald reported that Meagher had threatened the other customer and was seen wielding the knife in a threatening manner. Judge Melanie Greally described the offence as an "outrageous outburst of anger" and noted Meagher's otherwise pro‑social character and early guilty plea. She imposed an 18‑month sentence, suspended in full, with conditions of 12 months probation supervision, offence‑focused work and drug screening. No weapon was recovered and no victim impact statement was made.
Conor Emerson, 20, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis for sale or supply after a search of his Cabra garden shed revealed almost €20,000 worth of cannabis and €888 of cocaine. He had 15 prior convictions, including drug possession and assault, and was 18 at the time of the offence. Judge Melanie Greally noted his severe dependence on cannabis and cocaine, his early guilty plea, and his efforts to change his life, such as distancing from a negative peer group and addressing his addiction. Although a presumptive mandatory minimum of ten years existed, the judge considered the circumstances exceptional and imposed a suspended sentence of two and a half years, with 12 months of intense probation supervision. The sentence aimed to allow Emerson to continue rehabilitation and seek employment. The court did not impose any custodial term.
Hazel Fitzpatrick (25) of Easton Green, Easton Road, Leixlip, Co Kildare, pleaded guilty to posting a picture on her Facebook account which includes a picture of Boy A in contravention of the Children's Act 2001 within the State on or about June 19, 2019. Fitzpatrick admitted to the charge and stated she had heard about the judge's order and that people could be brought to court and fined. She described the offence as 'the biggest mistake she has ever made in her life'. The court heard that Fitzpatrick posted the image out of 'pure anger' and that she had become 'almost reliant and addicted to social media'. The matter was adjourned for finalisation to November 18, next, with Fitzpatrick remanded on continuing bail. The court heard that Fitzpatrick had no previous convictions and that she had taken the image down shortly after posting it. The case was initially directed for summary disposal in the District Court, but jurisdiction was later refused by another judge. The defence submitted that Fitzpatrick was not part of a greater conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and that her actions were spontaneous and misguided. The court was informed that Fitzpatrick was suffering from post-natal depression and anxiety at the time of the offence and that she was at a low-risk of reoffending. The matter was adjourned and never described as concluded or finalised.
A 46-year-old man from Crossmolina, County Mayo, has appealed an extradition order to the United States at the High Court. Martin Jude Wall was arrested in Ireland last December following his identification in a 2012 US police operation targeting online child exploitation. Wall had engaged in online contact with a profile he believed to be a 13-year-old girl, sending explicit messages and images before travelling to meet her. The profile was operated by US detectives, who apprehended him at the meeting location. In 2012, Wall pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a child for indecent purposes and received a custodial sentence followed by a 15-year probation bond. He absconded from the United States in 2014 and returned to Ireland. US authorities located him in Mayo in 2019, and his arrest warrant was executed in November of that year. Wall now faces extradition to Georgia to address allegations of breaching his probation conditions. At the High Court last month, Mr Justice Paul Burns ordered his surrender.
A man from Claremorris in County Mayo has been sentenced to eighteen months imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, after pleading guilty to distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material. Brian Payne, aged 39, sent explicit images of minors to a contact in Manchester via messaging application between January 2016 and January 2017. Gardaí discovered five such images following a search of his Dublin residence in February 2017. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Elma Sheahan imposed the sentence while acknowledging Payne's cognitive limitations and directing that he undertake therapeutic intervention. The judge emphasised that such offending creates demand for child exploitation and is not victimless. Payne was ordered to comply with two years post-release supervision as a condition of the suspended portion of his sentence.
In a Dublin street incident on 10 October 2017, 28‑year‑old Roberto Arinella, a Brazilian resident of Mask Green, Artane, struck Laura Masterson, who had intervened in a dispute, causing her nose to break. Arinella pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Masterson suffered significant injuries, including a broken nose that required cosmetic surgery, and was taken to St James' Hospital. Arinella claimed he acted in self‑defence after a verbal altercation and alleged false accusations by the first woman involved. The court, noting Arinella's lack of prior convictions and good employment record, imposed a one‑year imprisonment sentence, fully suspended on strict conditions, and required him to raise an additional €1,000 in compensation for Masterson within 12 months. The case was prosecuted by Michael Hourigan BL and defended by Emmet Nolan BL. Judge Martin Nolan delivered the judgment.
Ciaran Brennan, 42, of Celtic Park Avenue, Beaumont, Dublin 9, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court by Judge Martin Nolan to a fully suspended two‑year imprisonment for possession of €6,200 worth of cannabis resin and other drugs. Brennan pleaded guilty in October to possessing half a kilo of cannabis and other drugs at his home on 4 February 2020. Gardaí found four packs of cannabis resin, weighing scales, additional cannabis, two ecstasy tablets, magic mushrooms and €505 in a Liverpool FC bag at his address, following a warrant to search the premises. Brennan admitted responsibility, cooperated with Garda Michael Byrne, and explained that €300 of the money was for rent and the rest was won on a horse. He has no prior convictions, is a father of one, and runs a carpentry business.
Avril O'Brien, 51, was convicted of stealing €80,000 from the Loreto playgroup in Tallaght, Dublin, between October 2013 and March 2016. The playgroup, which helps single mothers return to work, suffered financial hardship when O'Brien, then office manager, transferred money to her personal accounts under fictitious names such as 'wages'. Gardaí discovered the theft in February 2017 after O'Brien falsely claimed she had permission from the director, Sister Teresa McCullagh. O'Brien's diaries revealed extravagant spending on home renovations, a mobile home in Wexford and family holidays to Florida. She pleaded guilty to 11 counts of theft, and the court agreed that €80,000 had been stolen, though €119,000 was later deposited into her accounts. On 3 November 2021, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced her to three years' imprisonment, suspending the final 18 months on strict conditions, including a €12,000 payment to the playgroup within a month.
In a Dublin case, Derek Malone, aged 59, pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography images and videos at his Ballyfermot home on 27 January 2016. Garda Martin O'Gara reported that authorities discovered the activity on a Twitter account in September 2015, identifying 19 images that could be child pornography. A search warrant led to the seizure of a black mobile phone, from which eight images and three videos of naked prepubescent girls engaging in sexual acts with other children were found. Malone admitted to viewing pornography for some time and acknowledged that some material was illegal, expressing regret. The prosecution noted his alcohol use and his wife's health issues as contextual factors. Judge Melanie Greally, considering his remorse and the offence's timing, imposed a nine‑month prison sentence suspended in full, conditional on Malone's participation in the Probation Service to address his alcohol abuse. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the offence while allowing for rehabilitation.
Patrick Doyle, aged 36, was jailed for five-and-a-half years after hijacking a retired doctor, 72, by forcing her to hand over her handbag and attempting to drive away in her car. The incident, captured on CCTV, showed Doyle dragging the woman along the front of the vehicle while she clutched her bag. He was convicted of seizing a vehicle by force or threat and robbery of a handbag and its contents. Doyle pleaded guilty and had 104 prior convictions, including one Circuit Court robbery. Judge Melanie Greally highlighted the serious threat to the victim's safety, noting Doyle's heroin and crack cocaine addiction as the motive. She sentenced him to seven years, suspending the final 18 months on strict conditions, and praised his remorse and efforts to reduce drug use in custody.
Rebecca Mukoko, a 21‑year‑old nursing student from Whitechurch Heights, Ballyboden, Dublin, pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering for acting as a money mule in a fraud that cost an international energy company €6,541. She supplied her bank card, PIN and online banking details to a "friend of a friend," who used her account to defraud the company. Mukoko received no financial reward and said she was pressured into the act. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that she made a bad judgment error and, recognising her good future prospects, ordered a €400 fine and a one‑year period of good behaviour. If she remains out of trouble for that year, the judge will discharge her from the indictment, avoiding a criminal conviction. The court noted that other young people in similar cases may face custodial sentences. The case involved a Kuwaiti energy company that unknowingly transferred the money to Mukoko's account after a hacked email exchange.
In November 2021, a 24‑year‑old man named Leon Travers was sentenced to 150 hours of community service, subject to suitability, for threatening to kill a Garda and assaulting Garda officers in October 2018. Travers was arrested for an alleged public order offence and, while being taken to hospital for a broken nose, he behaved aggressively, kicking a trolley, attempting to free his handcuffs, and threatening a female Garda with a bullet. He also bit a Garda's hand when they tried to calm him. He pleaded guilty to one count of threatening to kill a Garda at James Connolly Memorial Hospital and one count of assaulting a Garda at Blanchardstown Garda Station. He had no prior convictions. The judge, considering his remorse and lack of previous offences, imposed the community service sentence in lieu of a six‑month prison term, with the case to return to court in February 2022 for suitability confirmation.
Patrick Duff, a 69‑year‑old pensioner, was caught selling zopiclone and alprazolam tablets while walking his dog along the Royal Canal in Dublin 3. Gardaí observed him talking to two people who fled when officers arrived, and later found Duff rummaging in bushes for his stash, which he kept in two black socks. A search of his flat revealed more tablets. The drugs seized had a street value of €5,200. Duff pleaded guilty to four counts of possessing drugs for sale or supply at the canal and at his home on 21 January 2020. He had a prior conviction for a similar offence in May 2020. In June, a judge imposed a suspended two‑year sentence for the second offence, with the value of drugs then just under €10,000. Duff has no other convictions and now stays at home, no longer walking his dog.
The High Court will deliver a ruling this week on whether Roscommon County Council has breached a court order relating to a proposed flood relief scheme. The Friends of the Irish Environment brought the contempt allegation following High Court proceedings resolved in August concerning a three-kilometre pipeline designed to transfer water from Lough Funshinagh to Lough Ree. The council had accepted it had not fulfilled certain obligations regarding the flood relief works and agreed to carry out remediation. FIE subsequently claimed the council failed to comply with the remediation order and sought enforcement action against the council's chief executive. The council denies any breach and states the remediation plan is being implemented to address severe flooding affecting local residents. During submissions, Mr Justice Garrett Simons indicated he would not impose a custodial sentence if contempt were found, but rather a monetary fine. The council gave an undertaking to cease pipeline works whilst continuing remediation efforts. The judge's determination is expected next Thursday.
An unnamed 55‑year‑old man was sentenced to four years' imprisonment, with one year suspended, for 22 counts of sexual assault against his four nieces between 1991 and 2003. The offences occurred in the family home while the victims were between nine and nineteen years old. He pleaded guilty and received six months for the first victim, four months for the second, twelve months for the third and two‑and‑a‑half years for the fourth, with the latter two sentences consecutive. The judge noted the persistent, opportunistic nature of the conduct, the victims' ages, the emotional distress endured, and the offender's lack of prior convictions. Mitigating factors cited included the guilty plea, good character, solid work history and character references. The suspended year is conditional on no contact with the victims or unsupervised access to children. The court also heard victim impact statements describing fear, humiliation, and long‑term pain.
The Special Criminal Court has rejected a defence application to adjourn the verdict in the trial of four men accused of false imprisonment and assault causing serious harm to Kevin Lunney. The defence sought a delay until a Court of Justice of the European Union opinion is issued in the case of Graham Dwyer, who is challenging the use of mobile phone data evidence in his 2015 murder conviction for the killing of Elaine O'Hara. Dwyer's legal team argues that Ireland's handling of such data violated EU fundamental rights. In the current trial, Luke O'Reilly, Darren Redmond, Alan O'Brien, and an unnamed fourth accused, referred to as 'YZ', all pleaded not guilty to the charges relating to the September 2019 incident in Co Cavan. The trial, which sat for 40 days, relied on phone evidence similar to that in the Dwyer case. Despite the defence argument that a potential conviction could be complicated by the pending European ruling, the court refused the adjournment. The three-judge panel, led by Mr Justice Hunt, fixed Monday, November 8, as the date to deliver verdicts in all four cases.
Mark Aspland, 59, of Westbourne Lodge, Templeogue, pleaded guilty to failing to submit a VAT return and to failing to remit VAT between July 2010 and August 2016. He had not registered as a sole trader and used the VAT number of a company that had ceased to be registered in 2008. The court found that he owed €121,897.27 in VAT and €91,697.42 in interest. He had paid more than €25,000 since the offence. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to two years imprisonment, suspended in its entirety for three years on strict conditions, including monthly payments of €800 and the payment of a pension fund valued at about €37,000 to Revenue by the end of April next year. The judge noted his limited awareness of the impact of his actions and assessed him as low‑risk of reoffending. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.