In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, professional mixed‑martial‑arts fighter Dylan Tuke, aged 24, pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm after he repeatedly punched a taxi driver on 16 December 2018. Tuke had entered the cab without asking if it was available, called the driver a "sap" and a "fool", and after the driver demanded payment upfront, Tuke struck him in the head and face, breaking the driver's front teeth. The assault was captured on dash‑cam footage, which was circulated to Gardaí and led to Tuke's identification. The driver, who now feels defenseless and suffers from headaches and a facial scar, gave a victim impact statement. Tuke, who has no prior convictions, expressed remorse, citing his upbringing and the potential career impact of a conviction. Judge Pauline Codd adjourned the sentencing to 11 October to allow Tuke to raise further compensation.
Jonathan Collopy, 34, of St Mary's Park, Limerick, is wanted in Bulgaria to serve an 18‑month sentence for drink driving committed in his absence. He has a prior conviction for serious drug offences in 2004. Collopy's barrister, Katherine McGillicuddy BL, told Mr Justice Paul Burns that she requires two weeks to prepare submissions challenging Bulgarian authorities' claim that prisons are not overcrowded. The court adjourned the matter to March 25. The case follows Collopy's arrest on 5 November after a European Arrest Warrant was issued by Bulgaria.
In a 2021 case, Simon Quilligan, aged 38, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended after a court hearing in the Central Criminal Court. The sentence followed a trial where Quilligan was found guilty of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life, making threats to kill or cause serious harm to two individuals, and causing criminal damage by breaking a caravan window. The offence occurred at a halting site in Tullamore, Co Offaly, where Quilligan discharged a firearm at a group that included children aged ten months to six years. He had threatened the occupants, saying he would kill them all and blow their brains out. The judge noted the presence of children taking cover under a caravan and the terror inflicted on the families present. Quilligan had previously been convicted of 38 offences in Ireland and four in other jurisdictions, including burglary and illegal weapon transport. Simon Quilligan was acquitted.
Stephen Boylan, a 51‑year‑old taxi driver from Newtown, Kill, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply. He had stored €245,388 worth of cocaine and a small amount of cannabis in a wooden cabin at the rear of a house where he lived for five years. Gardaí, acting on confidential information, conducted a surveillance operation and seized the drugs, bagging materials and a mobile phone with the Wickr app. Boylan claimed financial pressure and that he had been pressured by others to store the drugs, but he did not pack them. He had no prior convictions and was described by the judge as a good family man unlikely to reoffend. The court reduced the presumptive minimum of ten years to the imposed term of four and a half years.
Two men, Robert Malole (43) and Gheorghe Cocos (44), were jailed after they followed an 87‑year‑old woman who had just withdrawn €2,000 from a bank. They watched her at the bank, followed her to a shop, pharmacy and then to her car. Cocos asked her to point out a location on a map, obscuring her view of her handbag while the money was stolen. Gardaí traced the pair through CCTV and by following their rental car, which they had obtained using their real passports. The men repaid the victim in full. They pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to theft at Brackenstown Road, Swords on 20 October 2020. Malole, who has nine previous convictions, was given an eight‑month sentence consecutive to his current term, while Cocos, who has three previous convictions and is serving a two‑year sentence with the final eight months suspended, received a 20‑month sentence.
Farah Damji, 53, a well‑known con‑woman and daughter of a property tycoon, was convicted in her absence by Southwark Crown Court of two breaches of a restraining order in 2018. She was brought to Ireland in February 2020 and her lawyers argued that she would not receive the long‑term psychodynamic psychotherapy she needs if extradited to the UK, citing a psychologist's report that the UK lacks specialists for her serious condition. The High Court heard that the UK authorities would refer her to a GP and specialists upon arrival, but the lawyers contended this would breach Article 3 of the European Human Rights Act. Mr Justice Burns adjourned the case to 26 March. Damji also faces a sentence for absconding from her trial, having fled after three days of proceedings. She was arrested in Dublin under a European Arrest Warrant. The case remains pending.
Paul Heaney, 37, was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment for robbery and attempted robbery at Long's Place on 21 October 2019, with the final nine months suspended on strict conditions. He was part of a joint enterprise with Gareth Mallon, 39, who received a four‑year sentence in December. The offence involved a realistic imitation firearm and the robbery of an Italian student who handed over €60, followed by an attempted robbery of his teacher. Heaney was not armed during the offence and had previously pleaded guilty to 51 convictions, including robbery and attempted robbery. He attended a garda station voluntarily a few days after the crime. The court noted Heaney's troubled upbringing, his efforts at rehabilitation, and his current drug‑free status. The case attracted media attention and was featured on RTE's Liveline. The sentencing was carried out by Judge Elma Sheahan at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
An 18‑year‑old, Jason Finnegan, was remanded on bail pending sentence after he recorded his 30‑year‑old accomplice, Mark Pidgeon, stabbing Kenneth Osbourne on Snapchat. The recording captured the initial conversation and the stabbing, during which Finnegan shouted encouragements such as "lash him, lash him out of it" and called Osbourne a "rat." The incident lasted about 90 seconds before the pair left the scene. Osbourne suffered multiple stab wounds, including an arm injury that required surgery. Finnegan pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at Basin Street Flats on 15 March 2020. Pidgeon was sentenced to three years in prison in January after pleading guilty to the same offence. Judge Karen O'Connor adjourned Finnegan's case to 4 June, ordering a probation report, and noted his progress with community agencies. The court heard that Osbourne did not wish to give a victim impact statement and that the Snapchat footage, along with CCTV, identified the attackers.
Nicola Henry, 32, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to three counts of theft, two counts of attempted theft, and two counts of making a false instrument. The offences, committed between April 2014 and September 2015, involved Henry, then secretary of the Johnson & Johnson social club, forging colleagues' signatures to write 37 cheques to herself. She cashed 27 of these, receiving €17,326, which she spent on luxury holidays, shopping, and beauty treatments. Additionally, she spent €3,233 on a company credit card after it was blocked. Judge Pauline Codd accepted that Henry's actions were driven by depression and noted a psychological report indicating low re-offending risk. The judge handed down a two-year sentence but suspended the final 18 months on conditions. The sentence was backdated to November last year, when Henry was placed in custody following her arrest. Henry, of Co Roscommon, has no previous convictions. A further 65 counts were taken into consideration. The court heard she was suspended from her role when the thefts were discovered in August 2015. Defence counsel highlighted her remorse and family history, while the prosecution detailed the specific luxury expenditures. The matter was finalised with this suspended sentence and effective custody period.
During a 999 call about an abduction in the Drogheda feud, armed gardai breached a house in the Moneymore Estate and found Aaron Rochford, 22, crouched in a bathtub, unclothed and covered in blood with a broken jaw and slash wounds to his torso and head. Rochford had been moved between two houses and was later found in shock. Dean Thornton, 23, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Rochford on 11 November 2018. He was described as not a ring leader. The court noted Thornton's guilty plea, remorse and cooperation, and imposed a three‑year sentence, crediting time already spent in custody. The case highlighted heightened tensions during the feud and the gardai's response to the emergency call. The victim's grandmother described him as a "lovable rogue" and expressed deep distress at his injuries. The court also considered Thornton's prior convictions and his future plans to remain drug‑free. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Paul Bradley, 40, entered Liberties Careplus pharmacy, brandishing a 20‑cm knife and demanding Valium tablets and €250 in cash. He fled with the drugs and money, then was pursued by the pharmacist to a nearby apartment complex where Gardaí were alerted. Police found Bradley still holding the knife, the cash, and the tablet bag. He pleaded guilty to robbing the pharmacy on 13 April 2021 and to a prior burglary of a business premises on 15 April 2018. The 2018 burglary involved breaking into an office via a fire escape, damaging a window and leaving DNA evidence. Bradley has 22 prior burglary convictions. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to one year for the office burglary and three years for the pharmacy robbery, with both terms to run consecutively. The judge noted Bradley's repeated failures in crime.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Mohammad Bah, a 21‑year‑old college student, avoided jail for stealing five phones from a UPS sorting facility. He pleaded guilty to two counts of theft on 2 August 2019. The judge, after a restorative justice programme, imposed a €100 fine and deferred imprisonment under Section 100 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, citing Bah's youth and potential for rehabilitation. Bah admitted to being part of a "gang" of employees who stole phones, initially acting as a lookout before profiting from the thefts. He claimed the operation was led by a senior employee and that he earned up to €900 from the stolen phones. The case highlights the court's emphasis on restorative measures for first‑time offenders.
A 33‑year‑old Polish man, Tomasz Krzysztof Piotrowski, was found fit to stand trial by Mr Justice Michael White at the Central Criminal Court after two consultant psychiatrists disagreed on his fitness. The judge was satisfied that Piotrowski could navigate a plea, follow evidence and make a proper defence. He was charged with decapitating his 57‑year‑old mother, Elzbieta Piotrowska, on 8 January 2019 at her home in Clonmore, Ardee. The body was discovered that morning with multiple stab wounds and an axe and Stanley knives nearby. Piotrowski was arrested the same day and had previously been deemed unfit to be tried by psychiatrists at the Central Mental Hospital. Dr Mary Davoren, after a November consultation, concluded he was now fit, citing his understanding of plea options and good concentration. Dr Conor O'Neill disagreed, asserting ongoing delusional beliefs and a history of substance misuse.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Matthew Johnstone, 31, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. Gardaí seized a laptop from his Brabazon House apartment, uncovering 22 images and 13 videos depicting children aged 1 to 12 years in sexual and physical abuse. The images showed girls aged 4 to 12 being abused, with eight digitally altered to include a horse's genitalia. The videos featured girls aged 1 to 10, including four of an 18‑month‑old baby abused by an adult woman, and a "trailer" video. Judge Pauline Codd described the material as "stomach churning" and adjourned the case for finalisation on March 24. Johnstone had no prior convictions, had worked as a bar manager, and claimed remorse, stating he had attended two counsellors and was seeking rehabilitation. The court considered a non‑custodial sentence.
The Special Criminal Court heard evidence in the ongoing trial of Lee Canavan (31), who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of David Douglas (55) at Shoestown, Bridgefoot Street, Dublin 1, on July 1, 2016. Former State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy testified via video-link that Mr Douglas died from six gunshot injuries sustained while standing in his shop doorway. She detailed that five bullets exited the body, while one remained in his trunk, causing extensive damage to his jaw and neck. The prosecution alleges this was a meticulously planned assassination, with Canavan identified as the shooter. They further claim a stolen Mercedes-Benz, linked to Canavan via fingerprints and DNA, was used as the getaway vehicle before being set alight. Canavan also denies a separate charge of criminal damage to a Suzuki Swift. This is the fourth prosecution related to the killing; previously, Frederick 'Fat Freddie' Thompson was jailed for life for the murder, Gareth Brophy received a ten-year sentence for acting as a getaway driver, and Nathan Foley pleaded guilty to assisting a criminal organisation, receiving a six-year sentence. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath and colleagues.
The Special Criminal Court heard eyewitness testimony in the ongoing trial of Lee Canavan, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of shoe shop manager David Douglas (55) in Dublin 1 on July 1, 2016. Mr. Douglas was shot six times, sustaining injuries to his chest, neck, back, torso, elbow, and jaw. Canavan also denies a second charge of criminal damage to a Suzuki Swift on July 4, 2016. Prosecution counsel described the incident as a meticulously planned assassination, alleging Canavan was the shooter. Witness Shane Egan testified that he saw a man enter the shop, heard shots, and observed the suspect walk away while smirking. Medical evidence confirmed Mr. Douglas died at 4:55 pm. A loaded semi-automatic pistol was recovered at the scene. Evidence also linked Canavan to a Mitsubishi involved in the alleged arson of the Suzuki Swift, where he was arrested with €1,065 in cash and petrol on his clothing. The court noted that Nathan Foley (22) was jailed for six years in 2019 after pleading guilty to assisting a criminal organisation by driving one of four cars and buying mobile phones. Additionally, Frederick 'Fat Freddie' Thompson (41) was jailed for life in 2018 for the murder, and Gareth Brophy (26) received a ten-year sentence in February 2020 for acting as a getaway driver. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath.
A man was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for assaulting his infant child and his ex‑partner in two separate incidents. In September 2019 he struck the woman repeatedly around the head while she held their three‑month‑old baby, pushed her against a wall, and knocked the child's head against the wall. He later took the child away, but the woman recovered the baby. In June 2020, while arguing over milk for the baby in his home in Rush, the man hit the woman with closed fists, dragged her back when she tried to leave, and threatened a nearby technician with a metal bar. He held the child up to a window and later to the back of a door when Gardaí attempted to intervene. He pleaded guilty to child cruelty and assault causing harm to both the woman and the child.
In March 2021, a 20‑year‑old Dublin man, Calvin Brophy, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for his role in a violent escape from the Oberstown youth detention centre in May 2017. At that time he was 17 and, together with two other youths, used metal bars and other implements to damage the centre, smash a CCTV camera, and break into a tool shed. They stole an angle grinder and a sledgehammer, which they used to cut through a perimeter fence and escape. Brophy admitted his involvement after walking into a Garda station two months later, but he failed to appear for trial, leading to a warrant and arrest in November. He pleaded guilty to criminal damage and was found guilty of the offences.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Adetola Jimoh, aged 53, was sentenced to 240 hours of community service over 18 months instead of prison for his role in a €362,810 invoice redirect scam. Jimoh admitted to accepting €10,000 that had been transferred to his account as part of the fraud, claiming he believed the money was for buying a car for a friend. He pleaded guilty to one charge of money laundering on 25 August 2015 and had no prior convictions. The court noted that the €10,000 was withdrawn through ATMs and point‑of‑sale transactions. Judge Melanie Greally accepted his plea as based on recklessness, acknowledged the Garda evidence, and ordered the community service sentence. The case involved a fraudulent payment to a construction firm, Rhatigans, by Maynooth University, which was never received. The university was the victim of an invoice redirect fraud originating from a server in America.
Lee Canavan (31) pleaded not guilty to the murder of David Douglas (55) and criminal damage to a Suzuki Swift at the Special Criminal Court. The prosecution alleges Mr. Canavan shot Mr. Douglas six times at Shoestown, Bridgefoot Street, Dublin 1, on July 1, 2016, describing the incident as a meticulously planned assassination. Witness John Shaw, a worker at the adjacent 'Busy Bees' service, testified to hearing gunshots and finding Mr. Douglas on the floor with blood everywhere. Other witnesses described a man in black clothing fleeing into a dark grey Mercedes. Mr. Canavan denies the charges, while the state links him to two vehicles via fingerprint and DNA evidence. This is the fourth person charged in connection with the killing. Previously, Frederick 'Fat Freddie' Thompson (41) was jailed for life for the murder. Nathan Foley (22) pleaded guilty to assisting a criminal organisation by driving one of four cars and buying mobile phones, receiving a six-year sentence. Gareth Brophy (26) was jailed for ten years in February 2020 for his role as getaway driver. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Michael MacGrath, Ms Justice Sinead Ní Chúlacháin, and Mr Justice Dermot Dempsey, is expected to last four weeks and continues tomorrow.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Melanie Greally announced her intention to sentence former security guard Owen Shannon, aged 53, to imprisonment after he admitted downloading approximately 3,500 images and videos of child sexual abuse. The material, seized from two laptops, a computer and a hard drive, included children as young as five and some as young as three, with many classified as Category 1. Shannon, who had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty in December 2016 to possessing child pornography. The judge deferred sentencing until after Shannon's father, who is in his 80s, is vaccinated against Covid‑19, and will impose a partly suspended sentence with an 18‑month custodial period. Shannon has lived a solitary life, caring for his ill mother and father, and has expressed remorse for his actions. The case highlights the seriousness of child sexual exploitation offenses.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Nathan Harold, 26, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years' imprisonment for robbery and assault. The offence occurred on 22 November 2019 at Camden Place, Dublin city centre, when Harold, then on bail, approached an intoxicated man, Cathal Doyle, who had been refused entry to a nightclub. Harold punched Doyle repeatedly, knocked him to the ground, and stamped on him as he was leaving. Doyle's phone and wallet were taken. Harold had no fixed address, previously lived on Ratoath Avenue, Finglas, and had 55 prior convictions, including theft, drug possession and public order offences. He pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and was described by the judge as having seized an opportunity to prey on Doyle. The court imposed the sentence accordingly.
Ciaran McIntyre, 24, was sentenced to two‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment for defiling a 15‑year‑old girl he met on Snapchat. He invited her to a party, then drove her to a caravan where he forced her to sit on his bed, removed her clothing and performed anal penetration. The victim refused to engage in oral sex earlier in a car‑park. McIntyre denied meeting her but admitted Snapchat contact; his DNA was found on her t‑shirt. He pleaded guilty, and the court noted his lack of insight into the offence, the exploitative nature of the act, the age gap, and the victim's voluntary presence. Mitigating factors included the guilty plea, his youth, good character, and a letter of remorse. He was ordered to undergo 18 months of post‑release supervision. The sentencing took place in the Central Criminal Court.
A 64-year-old man from County Mayo has been sentenced to two years imprisonment, with the final nine months suspended, following his conviction for aggravated sexual assault at the Central Criminal Court. The man pleaded guilty to attacking his then partner at their home on 14 December 2018 after returning drunk from a nearby hotel. The assault involved physical violence and sexual contact without consent. The victim sustained abrasions, bruises, and hair loss during the incident. In a victim impact statement read to the court, the woman stated the assault resulted from alcohol abuse and expressed forgiveness towards the accused. Justice Michael White acknowledged the victim as exceptionally compassionate and described the accused as a "kind, clever and good man" who had been "destroyed" by alcohol. The judge cited the guilty plea, full admissions to gardaí, and expressions of remorse as mitigating factors in determining the sentence. The accused has two previous convictions for drink driving.
In March 2021, Noel McCabe, aged 25, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for obstructing justice after he threatened his ex‑partner, claiming her family, including her young daughter, would be shot if she did not drop assault charges. McCabe, already serving a six‑and‑a‑half‑year term for assault and violent disorder, pleaded guilty to intimidation in June 2018. The court noted the victim's 18‑month relationship with McCabe and her "nightmare" description of it. Judge Melanie Greally suspended the final year of a five‑year sentence on the condition of two years' peace and Probation Service engagement, and ordered no contact with the victim or her family. McCabe also admitted unlawful possession of five shotgun cartridges, receiving a similar concurrent sentence. The sentences run concurrently with his current term, ending after its completion. The judge cited mitigating factors such as remorse and personal hardship.
In a Dublin burglary, Ibrahim Elghynaoui (28) broke into a sleeping woman's bedroom through a window and sexually assaulted her while she fought back. The victim described being strangled, forced into sexual contact, and physically attacked before escaping. Elghynaoui denied the assault but admitted burglary. He was convicted of aggravated sexual assault and burglary. The judge imposed a ten‑year sentence for the sexual assault and seven and a half years for the burglary, with all sentences running concurrently. The victim, who suffered lasting physical and psychological harm, testified that the crime left her in a state of hyper‑vigilance and ongoing trauma. The case highlighted the severe impact of the assault on her life and relationships. The judge noted the defendant's high culpability and the lack of remorse. The sentencing reflected the seriousness of the offenses and the victim's suffering. Ibrahim Elghynaoui pleaded not guilty.
Shauna Kavanagh, aged 33, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of assault causing harm and two counts of assault on James Street, Dublin, on 9 December 2017. The assaults involved punching Thomas Coogan, a family friend, to the face when he tried to break up a fight outside the Malt House Bar, causing Coogan a fractured skull and brain bleeding. Coogan later died of cancer. Kavanagh also punched bar man Ian Byrne and threw a bottle at event manager Denis Heatly during a karaoke session. She was found to have a history of two minor convictions for public order and failing to produce a specimen. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced Kavanagh to two years' imprisonment, suspending the final 12 months, and directed that she serve the term in a women's prison, noting her psychological vulnerability and the fact that she had been living as a woman in London prior to the incident.
Ray Kennedy, aged 40, has pleaded not guilty at the Special Criminal Court to a charge of perverting the course of justice. The prosecution alleges that Kennedy deliberately destroyed a mobile phone SIM card on 6 March 2013, the day dissident republican Peter Butterly was shot dead in the carpark of the Huntsman Inn at Gormanston, County Meath. Kennedy had arranged to meet Butterly that afternoon and arrived at the scene shortly after the shooting. The State contends that Kennedy's phone had been in contact with a burner phone connected to the killing, and that destroying the SIM card was intended to hamper the garda investigation. Kennedy, attending his trial remotely, is accused of deliberately destroying evidence of significant value. Four men have already received life sentences for Butterly's murder, and two others have been imprisoned for their roles in the killing. The trial, before three judges, is expected to last four to five weeks.
Carlos Mason, a 32‑year‑old UK national, was surrendered to the UK under a European Arrest Warrant for alleged leadership of an organised crime group that sold internet users' bank details on the dark web. The warrant accuses him of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation between March 2017 and June 2019 and possession of criminal property. Mason had previously been jailed for one year in Dublin in May 2020 after pleading guilty to two counts of dishonestly inducing two luxury Dublin hotels to accept fraudulent credit card payments between 29 December 2019 and 19 January 2020. He used a stolen American Express card to check into the Shelbourne hotel on 29 December 2019, accruing a €3,735 bill, and later stayed at the Westbury Hotel until 19 January, accruing a €4,700 bill. In total, he spent €8,435 in both hotels, enjoying "wining and dining" without paying.
In a case heard by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Jamiee Griffin, aged 26, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after punching another man in the entrance to a District Court on 10 November 2017. The victim sustained a cut to his lip, an injury observed by a nearby Garda and captured on security footage. Griffin, who has 30 prior convictions including assault, affray, violent disorder, obstruction of a peace officer, public order and road traffic offences, was found to have no victim impact statement or complaint filed. Judge Melanie Greally, noting his history and recent efforts at rehabilitation, imposed a 12‑month sentence and suspended it in full for 12 months. The court recorded that Griffin had taken positive steps, was not abusing drugs, and had not attracted significant Garda attention since 2017. The case concluded with the judge's decision to suspend the sentence, reflecting his apparent maturity and change of behaviour.
David Dwyer, 37, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment after a drunken domestic incident on 22 February 2018. While intoxicated, he held a knife to his then partner's neck and threatened to stab two Gardaí who had entered the house. He refused to drop the knife, drew a second blade and threw both knives at the officers. The Garda used pepper spray and a baton before handcuffing him. Dwyer pleaded guilty to the offence of producing an article in the course of a dispute. His prior convictions include arson, robbery, assault and possession of knives. The judge noted his bad temper and advised him to abstain from alcohol, expressing hope for his reform. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Jason Freeman, 26, was sentenced to seven years in prison after firing a handgun to "cause terror" in Ballymun. On 28 June 2020, Freeman pointed the gun at a man's head in a driveway, then moved it and discharged two shots that passed through the front door of a neighbouring house. One bullet grazed the head of the woman inside, who had children and a grandchild. She sustained a one‑inch wound requiring eight staples. Freeman pleaded guilty to possession of a 9mm handgun in suspicious circumstances and to recklessly discharging a firearm. He had 48 prior convictions, including robbery and assault. The court noted his intent was to instill fear, not to kill, and imposed the custodial sentence accordingly. The firearm was not recovered. The sentence was back‑dated to 30 June 2020.
During a sentence hearing in the Central Criminal Court, the court heard that Alan Graham (49) was the getaway driver in a gang‑planned attempted murder of Lee Boylan (26) on 6 March 2019. Boylan was shot three times in the shoulder and neck while seated in his van in a busy area of Mulhuddart, Dublin. He survived because the gunshot wounds created an arteriovenous fistula that stopped the bleeding. Boylan suffered life‑changing injuries, including a severe neurological injury, and remained in hospital and rehabilitation until 30 August 2019. The three bullets remain in his body. Graham pleaded guilty to knowledge of the criminal organisation and participation in the attempted murder, but the State will not prosecute the first count of attempted murder after sentencing.
A 59‑year‑old man from Tipperary was sentenced to 18 years in prison for a series of sexual offences against children, including the rape of a six‑month‑old infant and the sexual abuse of four older girls. The offences, which occurred over seven months up to August 2019, involved the man secretly recording the children while they used a bathroom and filming the infant while he performed oral sex on her. He pleaded guilty to two counts of oral rape, one count of attempted oral rape, five counts of sexual assault of the infant, five counts of child pornography production involving the infant and the older children, and four counts of possession of child pornography. The judge imposed a suspended two‑year portion of the sentence, ordered six years of post‑release supervision, and required the defendant to complete sex‑offender treatment programmes and to keep children under 18 out of his care.
David Fortune, 33, of Crumlin, was re‑arraigned on the fifth day of his trial for the murder of his father, Gerry Fortune, 62, on 19 August 2018. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The trial judge, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, adjourned the sentence hearing to allow a psychiatric and forensic psychological assessment, as recommended by probation services. The hearing is scheduled for 26 April. During the trial, witnesses described a day of drinking and drug use in a granny flat, a confrontation with half‑brother Gerard Lambe, and the alleged administration of black‑market diazepam tablets to Fortune. Fortune stabbed his father in the neck with a knife after a quarrel, then fled, hijacked a car, and was arrested after receiving Valium in hospital. The post‑mortem found an 8‑cm stab wound that severed the carotid artery and jugular vein, causing haemorrhage and shock.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced 28‑year‑old Francis Lynch to a four‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term for possession of drugs for sale or supply, after he pleaded guilty. Lynch had moved about two kilos of cocaine in a specially modified Ford Kuga, which had a concealed compartment accessed by a hydraulic false floor. Gardaí observed Lynch and co‑accused Alan O'Flaherty (37) transfer the drugs from the Kuga to O'Flaherty's car at De Selby Park, Tallaght, before both vehicles were stopped and searched. The drugs were found to be worth roughly €139,000. Lynch claimed he acted under duress because of a "drug debt," but the judge found these submissions uncredible, citing evidence that he had no debt and that he was motivated by financial need. The judge accepted his guilty plea, remorse, support for his family and a history of depression as mitigating factors, but did not find duress.
John Corr, 55, owner of a pharmacy chain, pleaded guilty before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 20 counts of deception under the Theft and Fraud Act 2001 for fraudulently obtaining payments from the HSE's Primary Care Reimbursement Service. He admitted to inducing the scheme to reimburse €769.14 for services at Corr's pharmacy in Mell, Drogheda, on 28 July 2016. The offence involved various sums ranging from €7 to €220 at his Dublin and Drogheda locations. The DPP had previously directed trial on indictment, and Corr was remanded on continuing bail until 19 April for sentencing.
Philip Murphy, 40, was scheduled for sentencing for two sexual assaults in Dublin in February 2016, but the hearing was adjourned to 16 April because Midlands Prison is in lockdown after Covid‑positive cases. Murphy had previously served a 10‑year sentence for false imprisonment and was extradited from the UK in 2020. He pleaded guilty to assaulting two women on Jervis Lane and O'Rahilly Parade, describing threats of death and sexual violence. CCTV and witness accounts detail the incidents, including a first victim who was chased by a passer‑by and a second who was pushed into a street and threatened. Murphy denied the offences during a Garda interview, claiming he had received psychological treatment and was no longer attracted to women. The judge noted a lengthy probation period would be required for any sentence. Victim impact statements highlighted lasting psychological harm and loss of confidence.
Shane Ward, 24, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for dangerous driving that caused serious harm to a foreign student, Radhika Lausin, 28, at Drimnagh LUAS Stop on 30 January 2020. Ward, riding an uninsured scrambler motorbike, struck Lausin from behind while she had just disembarked from the LUAS. The collision sent the bike into a nearby canal; Ward escaped the scene on a friend's bike. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving without insurance and leaving the scene. Lausin suffered head injury, jaw and wrist fractures, and a thigh injury, requiring two operations. The court noted Ward's prior insurance offence and his remorse, including a €10,000 payment. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the custodial sentence and a six‑year driving disqualification. Ward's case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Milo Stuart, 26, pleaded guilty to criminal damage, assault causing harm and production of an article after breaking into his ex‑girlfriend's Dublin apartment on 6 November 2018. He had psychiatric issues at the time, had refused admission to a psychiatric hospital two days before the incident, and had not contacted the victim since. The court heard that Stuart had no prior convictions and that the victim had worked for a catering company run by Stuart's mother, with whom she had a turbulent relationship. During the incident Stuart broke the victim's door, took her phone, held a knife to her stomach, and forced her into a bathroom where she was injured. Gardaí arrested him after the scene. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Stuart's psychiatric state and guilty plea, ordered 150 hours of community service in lieu of a one‑year prison term.
The Central Criminal Court and Special Criminal Court have adjourned multiple trials due to the pandemic backlog. Inita Romanovska, 34, of Ennis, Co Clare, is charged with the alleged attempted murder of a man she met on Tinder during an incident in Limerick in March 2020. Her trial, previously scheduled for 2021, was adjourned to March 6, 2023. Mr Justice Michael White noted that jury trials will not resume until late March or April 2022, pending safety assessments. Meanwhile, at the Special Criminal Court, the trial of four men accused of abducting and assaulting Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney was adjourned from March 1 to May 31, 2022. The accused are Luke O'Reilly, 66, of Co Cavan; Darren Redmond, 25, of Dublin 3; and Alan O'Brien, 38, of Dublin 1. They face charges of false imprisonment and assault causing serious harm to Mr Lunney in September 2019. Mr Justice Tony Hunt stated that the five-party trial could not proceed in March due to public health restrictions and would run for 12 weeks starting in late May. A fifth unnamed male is also charged with the same offences. All matters remain at the procedural stage of fixing trial dates, with no pleas entered or findings made.
In a sentencing hearing on 24 February 2021, Judge Melanie Greally imposed a four‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term on 65‑year‑old burglar Patrick McCann, with the final 12 months suspended. McCann, who had 73 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to breaking into a family home on South Circular Road on 21 May 2020. The homeowners, who lost heirlooms and personal items, testified that their sense of security had been severely damaged, describing an "acute sense of violation" and a heightened vulnerability. McCann, a heavy drug user, had been unable to attend a drug‑services clinic due to Covid‑19 restrictions and admitted taking a large number of tablets on the day of the burglary, claiming limited recollection. The judge accepted a letter of apology from McCann and noted his engagement with prison education and art. The suspended period is conditional on probation engagement for 18 months and good behaviour for two years.
Raynessa De Sousa, a 27-year-old Brazilian woman, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to having drugs for sale or supply at Dublin Airport on September 20, 2020. The court accepted that she swallowed 88 pellets of cocaine, weighing 792 grammes with an estimated street value of €55,447, while travelling from Sao Paulo to Dublin. Prosecution evidence indicated that De Sousa was refused entry due to a lack of a visa and subsequently identified the drugs in her stomach. She stated she was promised €1,200 for the transport but claimed she was threatened into ingesting the pellets after attempting to back out. Defence counsel highlighted her lack of prior convictions, her mental health struggles, and the threats faced by her family in Brazil. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged that De Sousa was desperate for money and accepted that she wanted to withdraw from the scheme but was prevented by threats. The judge noted it was unlikely she would re-offend. De Sousa was jailed for two years.
Liam Stoneham, a 24‑year‑old master's student, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to recklessly causing serious harm to Adam Ward after punching him in a pub. The assault, described by Judge Martin Nolan as a "one punch assault", left Ward with a fractured skull, traumatic brain injury, loss of smell and ongoing effects. Stoneham was given a four‑year suspended sentence, with the full term suspended on the condition he pays €10,000 to Ward and raises an additional €10,000 within two years if Ward wishes. The court noted Stoneham had no prior convictions, had shown remorse, and was a good student. CCTV evidence showed Stoneham's punch after a dispute in the bar, and the court considered the injury serious but borderline in severity. Stoneham's family supported him, and he had brought the initial €10,000 to court.
Stephen Berrigan, a 44‑year‑old father of two from St Mark's Crescent, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and cannabis for sale or supply at his address on 25 August 2019. He agreed to store over €178,000 worth of drugs in two vans in his driveway after his father's funeral bill of €7,000 left him in financial distress. The drugs were seized by Gardaí, who found two bricks of heroin and three packs of cannabis in the vans, with no drugs in Berrigan's home. He had no prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally, hearing the case at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, sentenced him to five years imprisonment, fully suspended on strict conditions, citing his intense grief and the "act of desperation" that led him to criminality. The sentence was imposed while acknowledging the value of the drugs and the likelihood of no reoffending. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
In a High Court hearing, Mr Justice Michael White described a young girl, aged eight or nine when assaulted, as an exceptional child who endured a traumatic rape by her teenage cousin yet still loved him. The judge praised her humanity and expressed hope for her healing. The defendant, now 16, pleaded guilty to raping and sexually assaulting his cousin between December 2017 and May 2019, when he was 13 and 14. He also pleaded guilty to forcing a child to watch sexual activity. Justice White noted aggravating factors such as the use of pornography to groom the victim and the breach of trust, but also mitigating factors including the defendant's engagement with a national treatment programme and parental support.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 24‑year‑old Muslim woman testified that she was sexually assaulted by Mujahed Omer, a 57‑year‑old father of four who was highly regarded in his community. The victim described how Omer lured her into a bathroom under the pretext of removing fittings, then used a toothbrush, acid, and cream to assault her. She reported the incident to Gardaí, her family, and later to a Sexual Assault Treatment Unit. Judge Pauline Codd praised the victim's courage and stated that any blame or shame lay solely with the perpetrator. Omer, who had no prior convictions, was convicted by a jury and sentenced to four years' imprisonment. The judge noted his continued denial of guilt and lack of remorse. The case highlighted the victim's loss of trust in her community and her avoidance of her local mosque. Mujahed Omer pleaded not guilty.
A beauty therapist from Dublin has received a suspended prison sentence following an assault on her ex-partner's mother. Edel Lovett, aged 33, of Raphoe Road, Crumlin, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at Wainsford Manor Crescent, Terenure on 14 August 2019. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Lovett attended the victim's home intending to confront her former partner but encountered the man's 65-year-old mother instead. The assault resulted in the victim being pulled to the ground, struck, kicked and having hair pulled from her head. The victim reported suffering profound effects from the attack and was unable to leave her home for four months thereafter. Judge Elma Sheahan suspended a 14-month prison sentence conditional on Lovett engaging with the Probation Service's mental health and anger management programme. The judge noted mitigating factors including Lovett's psychiatric ill health at the time and her guilty plea. Lovett was ordered to pay €3,000 immediately and a further €5,000 within twelve months, with any remainder after the victim's medical costs to be donated to charity.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Galin Genov, a 54‑year‑old nightclub bouncer, was jailed for a second assault on a drunken customer, Sean McEvoy, during a chaotic night at Dicey Reillys bar. The incident followed a previous assault in September 2015, for which Genov had been convicted in 2018. On the night in question, a third doorman was glassed, and Genov, believing McEvoy had pushed the assailant, punched him three times in the head and face. McEvoy sustained a chipped tooth, facial tissue damage and eye cuts, and later received €30,000 in a civil claim. Genov had continued working as a security officer until the March 2020 lockdown. Judge Elma Sheahan, acknowledging the difficult nature of the job, imposed a 20‑month prison term, suspending the final eight months on the condition of good behaviour. The court noted Genov's prior record and the aggravating factor that the assault occurred in the course of his duties. Galin Genov pleaded guilty.
A 29-year-old man from Castlebar, County Mayo, has been sentenced to fourteen years' imprisonment for the manslaughter of his mother at their home in Derrycrieve, Islandeady, in March 2011. The Central Criminal Court heard that the defendant killed his 46-year-old mother in a frenzied knife attack whilst under the influence of drugs. His original murder conviction was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2019, which found the trial judge's instruction to the jury on intoxication as a partial defence to be inadequate. The Director of Public Prosecutions subsequently accepted a plea to manslaughter on the basis of intoxication. Mr Justice Michael White imposed the sentence on condition that the final two years remain suspended, subject to strict conditions including supervision by the probation service and residence in high-support accommodation upon release. The judge noted the defendant's violent temperament and eight assault convictions against prison staff, emphasising the need for structured community supervision. The unnamed 29-year-old pleaded guilty.