Maura Keogh, 55, pleaded guilty to 42 counts of theft from CS Construction Spares Ltd, stealing €23,366.55 between January and September 2016, and to three counts of producing false accounting documents. She was the accounts manager at the Clondalkin machinery firm until the theft was uncovered. Garda Linda Ryan reported that a discrepancy was found when a colleague noticed that cash and cheques recorded did not match the actual lodgements. A sting operation revealed that the cash had not been deposited. Keogh admitted the theft at a meeting on 16 September 2016, was dismissed four days later, and a Garda investigation commenced. The owner, Joseph O'Reilly, said the breach shattered trust and caused a ripple effect, leading to the closure of the Dublin premises and restructuring that resulted in several colleagues losing their jobs.
The Special Criminal Court heard submissions on the admissibility of mobile phone evidence in the trial of four men accused of falsely imprisoning and causing serious harm to Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC argued against the use of mobile phone data, following two days of garda testimony regarding how officers compiled records from numbers allegedly associated with three of the accused. The men charged are a 40-year-old who cannot be named by court order, Alan O'Brien, aged 40, of East Wall in Dublin, Darren Redmond, aged 27, also of East Wall, and Luke O'Reilly, aged 67, of Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, County Cavan. All have pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and intentionally causing serious harm to Mr Lunney at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, County Cavan on 17 September 2019. The court previously heard evidence of the attack Mr Lunney sustained during the incident.
Kusika Kudia, a 55‑year‑old taxi driver from Whitechurch Lawn, Ballyboden, was found guilty of sexually assaulting a passenger on 13 February 2020. The victim, who was collecting her bag from the car, described how Kudia wrapped his arms around her, kissed her without consent, and forced his tongue into her mouth. She said she went into "survival mode" and escaped to her home. Kudia admitted to kissing her but denied using his tongue. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Karen O'Connor, citing his lack of prior convictions and early guilty plea, imposed a nine‑month sentence suspended on conditions including 12 months under Probation Service supervision. Kudia remains employed as a taxi driver. The court did not read the victim impact statement. The case was prosecuted by Elva Duffy BL and defended by Keith Spencer BL.
Thomas McDonnell, aged 43, was convicted of hijacking a car on 4 January 2019 at Belgard Square, Tallaght. While in a drug‑induced psychosis, he threw himself over the bonnet of a vehicle whose driver had just dropped his daughter at a creche, demanded the driver exit or he would kill him, and then fled after the car could only travel a short distance. The driver, who had the key, was forced to stop and was later unharmed, though his wife, who was pregnant, was physically ill during the incident. McDonnell had been released from Tallaght Hospital the night before for mental health issues and had recently had a dispute with his girlfriend. He had six prior drug‑related convictions. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to four years, suspending the final 18 months under conditions, after noting the incident was short‑lived and the car was returned undamaged. Thomas McDonnell pleaded guilty.
Jennifer Ithere, a 24‑year‑old expectant mother from Lucan, Dublin, was given a two‑year suspended sentence for money‑laundering after her bank account was used in a banking scam. In 2019 she pleaded guilty to the offence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The scam involved a fraudster who sent her a text message pretending to be from Bank of Ireland, asking her to provide her bank details. The fraudster transferred €8,500 into Ithere's account, which she later admitted she had allowed to be used. The bank froze the account and reimbursed the victim. Garda Derek Brereton noted that Ithere had been pressured with a threat that private photographs would be released if she did not comply. Judge Melanie Greally, hearing the case, imposed a suspended sentence, citing the need for general deterrence and recognising Ithere's young age, full‑time education and pregnancy. The sentence is suspended for two years under strict conditions.
Trevor Robinson, 30, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assisting an offender and two charges of burglary arising from incidents on April 9, 2018. The court heard that Robinson was in a vehicle with Christina Joyce when she accelerated away while Garda Thomas Gallagher was attempting to seize the car. An eyewitness alleged that Robinson shouted at Joyce to wipe down the vehicle to remove fingerprints as they fled. The pair subsequently broke into the home of a 77-year-old woman and a second apartment to escape Gardaí, with Robinson allegedly kicking down the back door. Robinson, of Ballyfermot, admitted the charges. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to October 13, stating that a custodial sentence was unavoidable. She ordered a Probation Service report to assess rehabilitation options. This follows the 2018 sentencing of Joyce, who was jailed for four and a half years by Judge Martin Nolan for endangering and assaulting Garda Gallagher. The garda sustained a dislocated knee and shoulder injuries during the incident. Robinson has previous convictions in Ireland and the UK, mostly for minor offences.
The Special Criminal Court heard a challenge to the admissibility of mobile phone evidence in the trial of Alan O'Brien, Darren Redmond, and Luke O'Reilly. The three defendants, who have pleaded not guilty, are accused of falsely imprisoning and intentionally causing serious harm to Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan, on September 17, 2019. Lunney alleged he was abducted, threatened, and severely assaulted, including being cut with a knife and having his leg broken. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC questioned the legality of the data collection, noting that Gardaí obtained phone records via Section 10 warrants rather than through Security and Intelligence. Detective Garda Sharon Walsh explained this shift followed the Graham Dwyer judgment, where Dwyer, convicted of the 2012 murder of Elaine O'Hara, challenged the previous method. Walsh admitted using "formalised wording" in her statement, which she attributed to a document in the Garda incident room. Sergeant Lisa Murray acknowledged an "oversight" where a warrant incorrectly listed Redmond's phone as unregistered, despite it being registered to him. Presiding Judge Tony Hunt inquired if the specific wording was material to the case, to which defence counsel replied it might be. The matter remains at the procedural stage of challenging evidence admissibility.
The High Court has varied a freezing order against retired businessman Peter Conlon, former head of collapsed charities platform Pembroke Dynamic, to permit the payment of just over €40,000 in legal fees. Mr Justice Senan Allen granted the limited variation, allowing funds held in a solicitor's client account to be released for legal expenses. The funds originate from a pension Conlon receives from Enterprise Ireland/IDA, which had been lodged in a relative's bank account before being frozen under the 2018 injunction. Conlon, who resides in France and Germany, stated his only assets are co-owned properties in Dublin that are in negative equity, and his income consists of pensions totaling €428 per week. He faces proceedings brought by liquidator Myles Kirby, who alleges that approximately €3.8m in charity donations was misappropriated by Pembroke Dynamic and related entities. Kirby seeks orders making Conlon personally liable for the company's debts. While Kirby's counsel did not oppose the motion to pay legal fees, they retained questions regarding Conlon's means. The main proceedings, in which Conlon intends to contest the liquidator's application, are listed for hearing later this month. The case has been adjourned on several occasions, with the freezing orders remaining in place. Separately, Conlon was jailed in Switzerland in 2018 after pleading guilty to embezzlement for using almost €4m intended for charities to fund his technology company. He received a four-year sentence with three years suspended and was released in 2019 after serving one year.
Kelly Noble, 36, pleaded guilty to two violent robberies on South Great George's Street, Dublin, on the night of 24 September 2017. She first robbed a woman's handbag and €20 from a friend after midnight, then, 30 minutes later, attacked a man, punching him and stealing his wallet, which forced the victim to be taken to St James's Hospital. Noble had previously served six years for manslaughter and had 20 other convictions. She appeared in court on a bench warrant for failing to attend a prior sentencing date. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted her avoidance of proceedings and ordered a probation report, a prison governor's report and statements from the services she uses before finalising the sentence on 30 July. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
Frederick Hunt, a 75‑year‑old former Irish Times employee, was sentenced to two years in prison after an FBI investigation led Gardaí to uncover his production, distribution and possession of child abuse material. Hunt admitted to receiving and sending hundreds of graphic images and videos of child sexual abuse, including real and animated content, between 2010 and 2011. Gardaí seized mobile phones and computers at his Ballinteer home and linked him to illegal activity on his work computer. He pleaded guilty to seven counts out of 101 charges under the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, 1998. Judge Karen O'Connor imposed a custodial sentence of three years, suspended the final year, and imposed one year of probation, a sex offenders programme and victim‑focused work. The judge noted Hunt's age, health and role as a carer for his bedridden wife, but emphasised the need for deterrence and rehabilitation.
Kevin Lacey, 31, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after head‑butting Trevor Howard, a 70‑year‑old man celebrating his mother's birthday, at the Magpie Inn in Dalkey on 15 September 2019. The assault left Howard with a nose injury, blood on his face and swollen eyes, and he was taken to hospital. Lacey had a prior conviction for affray in 2009. Garda Ciaran Russell reported that Lacey and Howard had not known each other before the incident and that the altercation occurred shortly after midnight. The court heard that the victim and his family felt the birthday celebrations were "tarnished" by the assault. Lacey was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment, fully suspended, with strict conditions including payment of €3,000 to the victim within one year. The judge described the incident as unfortunate and noted the victim's reasonable recovery.
The High Court has struck down a 15-year prison sentence imposed on Sean McManus, finding that Section 27(3F) of the 1977 Misuse of Drugs Act is unconstitutional. Mr Justice Michael Twomey ruled that the provision, which mandates minimum sentences for repeat drug trafficking offenders, impermissibly interferes with the judiciary's constitutional power to determine individual sentences. McManus, 39, from Baldoyle, Dublin, pleaded guilty in 2018 to possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Seascape, Dromleigh, Bantry, Co Cork, where the street value exceeded €13,000. He was previously convicted of drug trafficking in 2009. While his 2018 conviction stands, the judge ordered the sentence to be remitted to the Circuit Criminal Court for reconsideration. McManus's co-accused, Molly Sloyan, 28, from Kinsale, Co Cork, was jailed for ten years with the final three suspended. William Gilsenan and Dean Gilsenan received sentences of seven years with two suspended and ten years with three suspended, respectively. The court noted the defendants were involved in running a "cocaine factory" using solvents to extract cocaine from fabric. The State respondents opposed the action, arguing McManus lacked standing, but the High Court was bound by the Supreme Court's 2019 decision in the Wayne Ellis case, which declared similar mandatory sentencing provisions in the 1964 Firearms Act unconstitutional. The matter will be mentioned before the court at a later date for final orders.
At the Special Criminal Court in Dublin, gardaí gave evidence in the trial of four men charged in connection with the abduction and assault of Kevin Lunney in County Cavan in September 2019. An unnamed 40-year-old man, Alan O'Brien, Darren Redmond, and Luke O'Reilly, aged 67, all deny false imprisonment and intentionally causing serious harm. Detective Sergeant Michael Kearney testified that when gardaí arrived at O'Reilly's home with a search warrant three days after the incident, the accused immediately stated he knew why they were present, referencing the purchase of bleach. O'Reilly subsequently declined legal advice and provided a cautioned voluntary statement. Shop worker Megan McClean recalled selling bleach to a man matching O'Reilly's description on the evening of the alleged offence, describing their interaction as relaxed and open. The trial, heard before three judges, continues. Alan O'Brien pleaded not guilty. Darren Redmond pleaded not guilty. Luke O'Reilly pleaded not guilty.
Francesco Lampasi, 43, of Belarmine Plaza, Stepaside, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to engaging in offensive conduct of a sexual nature on the southbound Green Line tram on 2 August 2019. A passenger, Mr Martin Smith, observed Lampasi holding his phone down his side while beside a woman and saw a colour on the screen matching the woman's skirt and skin. Smith demanded to see the gallery app; Lampasi complied and was later arrested, with his phone seized. Analysis of the phone revealed extra close‑up photos of women's buttocks and genitals, including images taken the previous day. Lampasi admitted taking the photos was inappropriate and that he had taken advantage of the girl. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a nine‑month suspended sentence, ordering Lampasi to remain of good behaviour and to donate €2,000 to a charity in the Dundrum area. The woman left the tram and has not been traced.
William Fagan, a 29‑year‑old Dublin father, was sentenced to four years in prison for possessing cannabis for sale, a 9mm semi‑automatic pistol with ammunition, and untaxed tobacco. He admitted ownership of the drugs, valued at €35,805, and other illegal substances, and claimed he held them to pay gambling debts. Gardaí found the items at his home on 16 April 2020, recovered tobacco products with a €8,509 loss to the exchequer, and a firearm in good working order with a loaded magazine. DNA evidence linked Fagan to the gun and drugs. He had four prior minor convictions. His defence highlighted his carpentry work, recent fatherhood, stable relationship, and full cooperation. Judge Melanie Greally noted the quantity of contraband and the evidence of active distribution, but also his early plea and compliance, and imposed a five‑year sentence with the final 12 months suspended. William Fagan pleaded guilty.
James Devereux, 34, was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two years in prison, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions, and a four‑year driving disqualification. The sentence followed a January 27, 2020 incident on Kyle Road, Ballyfermot, where Devereux rear‑ended a taxi driven by Patrick Gill, ran over Gill's feet while fleeing, drove on the wrong side of the road, and ran a red light. Gill sustained cuts, bruises, and an arm fracture, but has since fully recovered. Devereux pleaded guilty to endangerment, claimed he was distracted by a man linked to a prior dispute involving his sister, and alleged a possible set‑up. Gardaí and the probation officer found no evidence supporting this claim, describing the act as a simple case of road rage. The court noted Devereux's progress in addressing cocaine and alcohol addiction, though he had continued substance use until March 2021.
A director of Quinn Industrial Holdings told the Special Criminal Court how he dragged himself along a dark country road after being subjected to serious violence, fearing he would not receive help. Kevin Lunney, giving evidence in the trial of four men accused of falsely imprisoning him and causing him serious harm, described being struck with a wooden implement, subjected to bleach application, and having his body marked with a knife blade. The alleged offences occurred on 17 September 2019 near Ballinagh in County Cavan. An unnamed man, Alan O'Brien, Darren Redmond, and Luke O'Reilly, with an address at Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, County Cavan, have all pleaded not guilty to the charges. Mr Lunney told the court he dragged himself using only his left arm and leg towards a light in the distance before eventually being stopped by a tractor driver. The trial is ongoing at the Special Criminal Court.
The Special Criminal Court has sentenced Lee Canavan to life imprisonment for his role in the murder of David 'Daithí' Douglas, who was shot at Shoestown in Dublin 1 on July 1, 2016. Canavan, who pleaded not guilty, was found guilty of murder based on his active participation in a shared intention to kill, though the court did not find sufficient evidence to conclude he was the triggerman. He was concurrently sentenced to five years for criminal damage to a stolen Suzuki Swift used as a getaway vehicle. Both sentences were backdated to May 2020, when Canavan was taken into custody following a European Arrest Warrant. The court noted that Canavan's prior drug possession convictions were not aggravating factors. This conviction marks the fourth individual jailed in connection with the killing. Previously, Frederick 'Fat Freddie' Thompson was jailed for life in 2018; Nathan Foley pleaded guilty and received six years in 2019; and Gareth Brophy was jailed for ten years in 2020 for acting as a getaway driver. The judge extended free legal aid to cover any potential appeal.
Remigivsu Piotrowski, a 44‑year‑old Polish national, was given a two‑year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to assaulting his partner, Beata Iwaska, and her friend, Monika Wilt, on 5 October 2019. The attacks occurred at his Walkinstown Park home after he returned drunk from a work function. Piotrowski pushed Iwaska onto a couch, punched her, and pulled her hair; he also punched Wilt in the head after she intervened. Gardaí arrested him at the scene, and he later head‑butted a garda van while being transported to the station. He had no prior convictions. Judge Karen O'Connor accepted that he had lost control that night, noted his remorse, and ordered him to pay €5,000 to Iwaska and the remainder to Wilt. The sentence is suspended on strict conditions, including staying away from both women, engaging with the Probation Service for two years, and completing anger‑management and victim‑focused work as recommended.
Franck Lamour, 53, of Bird Avenue, Clonskeagh, pleaded guilty on 7 April 2020 to producing a knife and threatening to kill or seriously harm his partner, Cecille Doussinault, during an incident that lasted several hours. The court found the offence serious, citing the use of a knife, threat of death, physical violence, controlling language and jealousy. Lamour, diagnosed with bipolar depression 15 years earlier, had been unable to obtain his medication during the COVID‑19 lockdown and had been drinking heavily. Judge Pauline Codd, taking into account his guilty plea, clean record and mental‑health history, imposed a headline sentence of eight years but ultimately sentenced him to five years' imprisonment, fully suspended on condition he keep the peace, engage with the Probation Service for two years and attend psychiatric appointments while residing in Ireland. The court described the incident as an isolated aberration stemming from his mental disorder and pandemic‑related restrictions.
The Special Criminal Court has heard the opening of the trial of Luke O'Reilly, Darren Redmond, Alan O'Brien, and a fourth unnamed accused, all of whom pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and intentionally causing serious harm to Kevin Lunney. The prosecution alleges that on September 17, 2019, Lunney was abducted from Co Fermanagh, driven to a site in Co Cavan, and assaulted by men acting on behalf of others. Lunney was allegedly threatened with death, forced to resign from Quinn Industrial Holdings, had his leg broken, and had his chest scored with a blade. The State contends that O'Brien, Redmond, and the unnamed accused directly participated in the offences, while O'Reilly provided material assistance by purchasing bleach to conceal evidence. Prosecution counsel Sean Guerin SC stated that the court will examine CCTV, DNA, and phone data linking the accused to a Renault Kangoo van containing Lunney's blood and Redmond's DNA. The trial, expected to last four months, will also address the admissibility of digital evidence. The matter is currently at the sentence stage, with the court proceeding to hear evidence from approximately 250 witnesses.
The Special Criminal Court has rejected jurisdictional arguments regarding the trial of four men accused of false imprisonment and causing serious harm to Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney. Counsel for the accused argued the court had become a permanent structure not permitted by its founding legislation, contending the DPP's role in selecting cases bypassed the Oireachtas. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding with Judges Gerard Griffin and David McHugh, dismissed these claims, stating the court's jurisdiction is established by legislation and the DPP's documentation was in order. He noted that arguments concerning the Oireachtas's failure to revisit the 1972 proclamation were political matters outside the court's remit. The trial is scheduled to proceed. The accused are Luke O'Reilly (67), Darren Redmond (27), Alan O'Brien (40), and an unnamed man aged 40, who cannot be named due to unrelated pending trials. They are charged with false imprisonment and causing serious harm to Mr Lunney on September 17, 2019, at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan. Allegations state Mr Lunney was abducted, his leg broken, doused in bleach, and had letters carved into his chest before being dumped in Co Cavan. The court confirmed the matter will continue in the ordinary way.
The Special Criminal Court has adjourned proceedings in the trial of four men charged with the false imprisonment of Quinn Industrial Holdings executive Kevin Lunney. A jurisdictional application is to be heard tomorrow on behalf of one of the accused. Sean Guerin SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, indicated the argument would require approximately one day. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judge Gerard Griffin and Judge David McHugh, has previously rejected several applications to postpone the trial. Luke O'Reilly, aged 67, of Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, County Cavan; Darren Redmond, aged 27, of East Wall, Dublin; and Alan O'Brien, aged 40, also of East Wall, Dublin, along with a fourth accused man aged 40, are charged with false imprisonment and causing serious harm to Mr Lunney at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, County Cavan on 17 September 2019. The four men have not yet been arraigned.
Two men have pleaded not guilty at the Special Criminal Court to charges of falsely imprisoning a Mayo businessman at a location in County Louth in December 2017. Thomas McGuinness, aged 34, of Chestnut Court, Johnstown, Navan, County Meath, and William Twomey, aged 57, of Havelock Place, Warrenpoint, County Down, are accused of detaining the businessman without consent and demanding £50,000 with menaces. The prosecution alleges the victim was lured to Cornamucklagh under false pretences and attacked by a group of men. In closing submissions, defence counsel for Mr McGuinness argued the victim's identification evidence was unreliable, citing memory difficulties following the alleged assault and inadequate viewing conditions during the identification parade. A separate defendant, Anthony Finglas, aged 50, was previously jailed for four years and nine months after pleading guilty to demanding money with menaces in the same incident. Justice Tony Hunt adjourned the trial to 31 August and remanded both accused on bail.
At the Special Criminal Court, closing arguments concluded in the trial of two men charged with offences arising from an assault on a Mayo businessman in County Louth in December 2017. Thomas McGuinness and William Twomey deny falsely imprisoning, assaulting, and robbing the victim, as well as demanding money with menaces. The prosecution alleged the businessman was lured to a remote location under false pretences and attacked with iron bars by men demanding £50,000. The defence submitted that Mr McGuinness should be acquitted, arguing the prosecution lacked core evidence and that Mr Twomey had withdrawn from the scheme before the assault occurred. The defence contended Mr Twomey had expressed concerns about the plan's escalation and warned gardaí of potential danger to the victim. A third man, Anthony Finglas, was previously convicted and sentenced to four years and nine months for demanding money with menaces. Closing arguments for the second defendant are to follow.
Jason Reed, 40, of Maelduin, Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to possessing nearly €400,000 in crime cash. He admitted to money‑laundering offences after €32,330 and £390 (€441) were found at his home, and after €289,770 in euro and £62,025 (€70,207) were discovered in a blue Nike bag at a Donore Road car park. The case was adjourned to 28 June for sentencing. Reed answered only "guilty" to both charges. Catherine Dawson, 44, a co‑accused, received a fully suspended sentence for transporting €600,000 of crime proceeds.
A 17‑year‑old, who cannot be named because he is a minor, was sentenced by the Central Criminal Court to life detention with a review after eight years for the murder of 39‑year‑old Romanian national Claudio Robu. The boy, who was 16 at the time of the offence, pleaded guilty and was found to have used "extreme violence" by repeatedly kicking Robu to death in a laneway off Madison Road, South Circular Road, Dublin 8 on 14 September 2020. The sentencing judge, Mr Justice Paul McDermott, noted the offender's high moral culpability, his knowledge of the act, and the disturbing fact that he returned hours later to continue the fatal attack. He also highlighted the youth's volatile nature, lack of empathy, and history of neglect and abuse, while acknowledging mitigating factors such as his age, guilty plea, and demonstrated remorse.
Edmundas Dauksa, 51, was sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment for the murder of Ingrida Maciokaite at the Central Criminal Court. The sentence was backdated to September 18, 2018, when he entered custody. Dauksa had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter; however, a jury unanimously convicted him of murder. The court heard a victim impact statement from the foster carer of the couple's two children, who described the scene as "unspeakably horrific" for the six-year-old daughter who witnessed the attack. The statement noted the child's ongoing trauma and that the son would never remember his mother. Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC stated that Dauksa expressed remorse and deep regret. Mr Justice Paul McDermott delivered the sentence following the conviction. The trial established that Dauksa stabbed Maciokaite 19 times in front of their daughter days after a District Court order placed the child in the mother's custody. The jury rejected the defence that Dauksa lacked murderous intent, accepting the State's case that he intended serious harm or death. No adjournments or suspended portions were recorded in the finalisation.
At a sentence hearing in the Central Criminal Court, the court heard that David Fortune, 33, of Rutland Grove in Crumlin, was jailed for eight years in 2006 for manslaughter after he fatally stabbed 31-year-old Michael Murphy outside the 'Buddha Bar' in Dublin west. The court also heard that Fortune was re-arraigned following legal discussions and pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in the killing of his father, Gerry Fortune, 62, on August 19, 2018. The Director of Public Prosecutions accepted the plea. Sean Gillane SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, told Ms Justice Eileen Creedon that the killing of Gerry Fortune in 2018 falls in the upper end of seriousness for manslaughter and the defendant should be jailed for up to 15 years. Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC said his client had a 'very close bond and friendship' with his father and had 'no animus whatsoever' towards him. He asked the court to place the offence in the mid-range and to consider suspending a portion of the sentence to allow Fortune to continue his education and rehabilitation. Leona Lambe, David Fortune's half-sister and daughter of the deceased, told the court that there are 'no winners' regardless of the sentence imposed. She added that David will have to live with what he did for the rest of his life, knowing he took the life of a man who only ever showed him love, and that is worse than ten life sentences. Ms Justice Creedon adjourned sentencing until June 28.
Patrick Shiels, aged 64, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court for sexually assaulting and orally raping his daughter, Marlene Prakash‑Shiels, who was between four and eight years old during the offences. Shiels pleaded not guilty to all charges, including four counts of sexual assault, oral rape, child cruelty, forced alcohol consumption and forced viewing of pornography. He had no prior convictions. The trial, held in Croke Park, included a victim impact statement in which Ms Prakash‑Shiels described the lasting trauma and lack of remorse from her father. Justice David Keane noted aggravating factors such as abuse of trust, age disparity and the pattern of assault, and imposed a ten‑year sentence with no credit for a guilty plea. He also ordered three years of post‑release supervision by the Probation Service. The court heard that the victim was in foster care during the period of the offences.
Nathan Duffy, 20, of Ballymun, was jailed after a drug bust in which he attempted to escape on a scrambler bike. Gardaí had observed him and a companion moving cannabis between a box and a bag in a field on St Margarets Road on 28 September 2019. Duffy was caught with €99,226 worth of cannabis herb, pleaded guilty to possession for sale or supply, and was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to three years and 11 months in custody. He had spent three weeks in custody before sentencing. The prosecution's psychological report highlighted Duffy's remorse, his past as a talented footballer whose career ended in his teens, his subsequent drug use, family bereavements, and his current drug‑free status, employment, and fatherhood. The judge noted his low risk of re‑offending and his rehabilitation efforts, concluding a lengthy custodial sentence would not benefit him.
Four men stand charged with the false imprisonment and assault of Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney at Ballinagh, County Cavan on 17 September 2019. The trial at the Special Criminal Court is now scheduled to commence on 31 May following repeated postponements since January. Luke O'Reilly, Darren Redmond, and Alan O'Brien are named defendants. A fourth man cannot be identified for legal reasons. The court heard the 12-week trial will proceed consecutively until the court recess in late July, with potential resumption in September. Justice Tony Hunt dismissed several defence applications seeking adjournment, including challenges relating to data retention legislation and the circumstances of a vehicle fire. Over 50,000 documents require digital processing. The allegations include assault causing serious harm.
In March 2020, 18‑year‑old Alan Clarke of Kilcross Lawn, Sandyford, punched a 19‑year‑old victim, James Coady, on the chin in Dublin city centre, causing Coady to fall and hit his head on the pavement. Clarke, who had taken cocaine and Xanax that day, had no prior acquaintance with the victim. CCTV showed Clarke also aimed a kick at Coady's stomach before punching him. The assault resulted in a skull fracture and brain bleed for Coady, who later suffered two epileptic seizures and was diagnosed with epilepsy secondary to a traumatic brain injury. Clarke pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at O'Connell Street and was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to three years' imprisonment. Clarke had seven previous convictions, including robbery and aggravated burglary. The court noted the attack was "cowardly, unprovoked and sudden.".
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, David Keenan, aged 40, pleaded guilty to possession of four images of child pornography—three on a computer and one on a phone—after German authorities alerted Irish police to an Irish IP address linked to such imagery. Garda Seamus Palmer reported that the authorities passed information to the gardai, who seized Keenan's devices and analysed them. Keenan admitted downloading files from the internet, noting that sometimes unwanted items were downloaded alongside. He accepted the four images were child pornography, described them as "disgusting," and apologized, claiming the files were not his intention. The court considered the low volume of images, absence of prior convictions, and Keenan's cooperation. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a nine‑month sentence, suspended in full, and ordered the destruction of the images.
A 31‑year‑old Gerard Lynch of Pallaskenry, Co. Limerick, pleaded guilty to the murder of his brother Willie Lynch on 30 December 2017 at Main Street, Pallaskenry. Lynch, wearing a black t‑shirt and black tracksuit bottoms, was represented by barrister Mark Nicholas SC, who described the case as a "tragic case" involving a family. The mandatory penalty for murder is life imprisonment, but Mr Nicholas indicated he would present certain matters to the court that might be considered in a different forum in the future. A sentence hearing is scheduled for Monday, 11 October.
Gavin Byrne, 47, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after throwing an empty pint glass at a man in Tallaght on 3 February 2019. The glass struck Fiona Norman, 30, who was attending a surprise birthday party, causing her chin to be injured and requiring 12 stitches. Byrne, who had no prior convictions, admitted he had been drinking heavily and felt physically ill when the incident was described. He expressed regret and brought a €10,000 bank draft to court as a symbol of remorse, which the victim accepted. Judge Karen O'Connor, noting the offence's significant impact on Norman's anxiety and sense of safety, ordered Byrne to complete 150 hours of community service within 12 months in lieu of a two‑year prison sentence and to hand over the bank draft within seven days.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 45‑year‑old Jacqueline McElhatton was sentenced for a series of violent offences committed in April and August 2020. In April, she pleaded guilty to assaulting Garda Rachel Corcoran at the Criminal Courts of Justice, assaulting a pharmacy employee at Rathmines Pharmacy, attempting robbery on O'Connell Street, and obstructing a peace officer at College Green. In August, she pleaded guilty to assaulting a Brazilian man on O'Connell Street and to assaulting Garda Tara Brennan at Trinity College. McElhatton had 125 prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a 15‑month sentence for the April offences and a four‑year sentence for the August offences, to run consecutively. The final two years of the latter sentence were suspended on strict conditions, leaving an effective custodial term of five years and three months. The court noted that McElhatton was on bail for the April offences at the time of the August incidents.
Sandra Kavanagh, aged 40, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with the final 20 months suspended, for receiving €27,079 in rent‑supplement payments from September 2015 to June 2018 after she had vacated the address. She pleaded guilty to four counts of making a gain by deception. The court noted that she had collected 130 payments while no longer residing at the property, and that she had 67 prior convictions, including robbery, theft, knife production, public‑order and traffic offences. The judge highlighted the prolonged duration of the offence and the repeated dishonest acts as aggravating factors, but also considered her difficult personal circumstances, significant medical and mental‑health problems, and the impact of a 2008 accident that left her with serious injuries. The suspended portion of the sentence is subject to strict conditions, including 20 months of supervision by the Probation Service after release.
Trevor Byrne, 41, of Finglas West, Dublin 11, was found guilty by the Special Criminal Court on all five charges arising from the armed robbery of BoyleSports in Swords, Co Dublin, on March 19, 2010. The charges included robbery, possession of a firearm, false imprisonment, threatening to kill, and unlawfully seizing a vehicle. Byrne had pleaded not guilty to all allegations. The court accepted evidence that a mobile phone dropped at the scene belonged to Byrne, noting that texts to a contact saved as 'Ma' matched numbers on his other devices. CCTV footage identified Byrne entering the premises before two masked men emerged brandishing guns. The court also accepted testimony from Miss Helen Leigh, whose car was hijacked during the getaway, and staff who were threatened. Mr Justice Michael MacGrath stated that Byrne's claim that the phone was stolen from him did not bear scrutiny. The judge found Byrne guilty on all five charges and adjourned the case to July 19 for sentencing. Byrne has 41 previous convictions, including a nine-year sentence imposed in December last year for stashing a loaded handgun. The matter was adjourned and is not yet concluded.
Two brothers, Karl (27) and Cian (30) Hughes, were sentenced to a combined six and a half years in prison for harassing the Kennedy family in Rathfarnham, Dublin, between April and September 2019. The harassment stemmed from a debt the brothers claimed the family's son, Cormac, owed. The brothers repeatedly visited the Kennedy home, threatened the family, and in some instances physically banged on the door. CCTV footage of the incidents was presented at the hearing. The court found Karl to be the leader and Cian a follower. Judge Martin Nolan imposed four years for Karl and two and a half years for Cian, ordering that neither brother may contact the Kennedy family again. The case highlighted the severe emotional distress caused to the family, who ultimately sold their home and sought increased security measures.
A 17‑year‑old boy, who was 16 when the incident occurred, was remanded in juvenile detention for two years after he struck and killed a 28‑year‑old Deliveroo rider, Thiago Cortes, by driving through a red light at an estimated 79 km/h on North Wall Quay, Dublin. The boy fled the scene, abandoned his car and left with other young passengers. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and to failing to report the incident. The court found no evidence of alcohol in the vehicle. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a two‑year juvenile detention sentence, crediting time already served, and disqualified the boy from driving for five years. The victim's fiancée, Teresa Dantas Oliveira, expressed profound grief and loss in her impact statement, describing the death as an irreversible loss of her future and dreams. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 31 August 2020.
The Special Criminal Court has found Lee Canavan guilty of the murder of David 'Daithí' Douglas, who was shot at Shoestown, Bridgefoot Street, Dublin 1, on July 1, 2016. Canavan, 31, had pleaded not guilty to the charge, alleging he was part of a joint enterprise to murder Mr. Douglas, who died from injuries to his chest, neck, back, torso, elbow, and jaw. The court ruled that while it could not be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Canavan was the gunman, he was guilty due to his active participation in the shared intention to kill. He was also found guilty of criminal damage to a Suzuki Swift on July 4, 2016, an act intended to destroy evidence. The prosecution, led by Sean Gillane SC, argued the murder was meticulously planned and that Canavan's actions were inextricably linked to those of co-defendants. Frederick 'Fat Freddie' Thompson was previously jailed for life for the murder. Nathan Foley pleaded guilty to assisting a criminal organisation and was jailed for six years. Gareth Brophy was jailed for ten years for his role as a getaway driver. The court emphasized the coordinated use of four vehicles and the removal of the pistol's serial number. Canavan's conviction completes the prosecution of the entire group involved in the killing.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 25‑year‑old Alegranto Kongolo was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment for assault causing harm, endangerment, driving without insurance and driving without a licence. The incident occurred on 23 October 2019 at Citywest Shopping Centre, Tallaght, when Kongolo drove at a man in a car‑park, pinning him between two cars and breaking his left leg. The two men had been engaged in "verbals" after a falling out over an ex‑girlfriend and Snapchat. The victim was able to escape the initial collision but was again caught between the cars when Kongolo drove at him again. The victim sustained a broken leg and was taken to hospital. Kongolo pleaded guilty, was found to have 12 prior convictions, and was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to three years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended and a three‑year driving disqualification.
Michael Talbot, 34, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment after a violent incident on 21 May 2020. He stabbed a woman in her cousin's apartment on Parnell Street, cutting her chest, side, arms and legs with a kitchen knife, then kicked her in the head and stomach. The victim, who had refused to kiss him, was left with eight open wounds and was taken to hospital. Talbot, who was on bail, later damaged vehicles in the underground car‑park, slashing tyres and puncturing a motorbike's airbox. He was arrested, taken to Mountjoy Garda Station, where he threatened to rape and kill officers. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, possession of a knife and three counts of criminal damage. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Talbot's 82‑count record and intoxication, imposed the maximum five‑year term for the assault causing harm charge. The sentence was delivered on 19 May 2021.
Owen Shannon, 53, a former security guard and long‑time caregiver for his mother and father, was found with 3,437 images and 56 videos of children as young as five being sexually abused by adult men. He pleaded guilty in December 2020 to one count of possessing child pornography. Judge Melanie Greally imposed an 18‑month sentence, with 12 months suspended, and ordered Shannon to engage with the Probation Service for a year, to be assessed for a sexual offenders treatment programme, and to complete it constructively if suitable. The material was seized after a tip from Russian authorities and analysed the following year. Shannon admitted the content showed girls as young as five, with some as young as three, and expressed remorse, noting his solitary life and caregiving responsibilities. The court deferred the final sentencing until his father was vaccinated against Covid‑19.
A man has been sentenced to nine years in prison by the Central Criminal Court for the rape of a woman in her Donegal home on August 9, 2017. The 38-year-old pleaded guilty to oral rape during an attack lasting approximately ninety minutes. Additional charges of attempted rape, two counts of sexual assault and criminal damage were taken into consideration. Mr Justice Michael White described the offence as falling into the most serious category, citing the breach of trust between long-standing friends, the level of violence employed and the extended duration of the assault. The court noted a second man was present during the incident. The woman provided a victim impact statement detailing the psychological harm she has sustained. The defendant was also imposed a one-year post-release supervision order.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan warned that he would begin jailing young people who facilitate money laundering for criminal gangs. He delivered a suspended two‑year sentence to Reece Radford, a 20‑year‑old from Dromcarra Grove, Jobstown, Dublin, who pleaded guilty on 26 October 2018 to possessing the proceeds of crime. Radford had laundered €58,401 that had been transferred to his bank account after a hacking incident involving a car parts supply company. He had been pressured by a local drug dealer, owing €800, to provide his bank details. Radford did not cooperate with Gardaí and was described by his defence counsel as a vulnerable person who had suffered depression and lost friends and family. Judge Nolan told Radford he was "a lucky man" and ordered him to engage with the Probation Service for one year.
A man from Sligo has been found guilty of murdering his wife at the Central Criminal Court. Rafal Karaczyn, aged thirty-five, of Crozon Park in Sligo, pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder for the unlawful killing of his wife Natalia on 29 April 2018. A jury of eleven members returned a guilty verdict for murder following a two-day deliberation, with ten jurors in agreement. The trial heard that Natalia had sought to leave her husband and have him removed from their home. When she returned to the family residence in the early hours of a Sunday morning, Karaczyn demanded to know where she had been. He subsequently strangled her. Karaczyn claimed provocation, asserting that his wife's slap and refusal to disclose her whereabouts caused him to lose self-control. The jury rejected this defence. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon imposed the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment. Following sentencing, Superintendent Mandy Gaynor commended the garda investigation and thanked the community in Sligo for their cooperation.
Conor Dreelan, also known as Conor Dignam, pleaded guilty at the Central Court to two counts of causing serious harm to his parents, David Dignam and Phyllis Dreelan, at Snowdrop Walk, Darndale, Dublin 17, on June 13, 2020. The accused, a father of one, had originally been charged with the attempted murder of both parents and the production of a knife as a weapon. Following his guilty plea to the serious harm charges, Michael Bowman SC, representing the Director of Public Prosecutions, informed the court that a nolle prosequi would be entered, meaning the attempted murder and weapon charges would not proceed. Mr Justice Michael White presided over the hearing and set July 26 as the date for the sentence hearing. The judge ordered the submission of victim impact statements from Mr Dignam and Ms Dreelan. Additionally, Mr Justice White directed that a report be provided by the governor of Wheatfield prison, where Mr Dreelan is currently on remand. The court did not impose a final sentence during this procedural stage, focusing instead on scheduling the upcoming sentencing and gathering necessary reports and statements.
Robert Coughlan, 45, was sentenced to eight years in prison for setting fire to his neighbour's top‑floor apartment on 8 August 2020. He poured petrol onto the floor outside the flat, igniting a blaze that caused about €20,000 in damage to a Georgian house containing seven flats. Coughlan, who suffered from mental illness, alcohol addiction and was on anti‑depressants, claimed he had no knowledge that anyone was inside when he lit the fire. He was taken to hospital after burning his hands. The court noted a history of disputes with neighbours, some of whom had tried to help him when sober. Judge Martin Nolan, considering his impaired judgment, imposed an eight‑year sentence with the final four years suspended, citing reduced moral culpability. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Robert Coughlan pleaded guilty.