Thomas O'Brien, 49, was jailed for four and a half years after Gardaí found him carrying a bag containing €57,435 worth of cocaine. He was discovered while responding to a call about a man banging on a window in Ballyfermot; O'Brien was intoxicated and acting erratically. Gardaí searched his Dunnes Stores bag and found blocks of cocaine, a knife, weighing scales, plastic bagging, spoons, scissors, gloves and a suspected drugs tick list. O'Brien pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Con Colbert Road, Dublin 8, on 1 May 2018. He claimed he had stolen the bag, but his defence argued he had opportunistically taken the drugs after an overdose the night before. Judge Martin Nolan noted O'Brien's remorse and prior convictions, including manslaughter, robbery, burglary and hijacking, and imposed a sentence of four and a half years, recognising the offence's seriousness but departing from the presumptive minimum of ten years.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, defence barrister Cathleen Noctor SC argued that Shauna Kavanagh, a transgender woman formerly known as Sean Kavanagh, is a vulnerable person who will find prison particularly difficult. Kavanagh pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm and two counts of assault on James Street, Dublin, on 9 December 2017. She assaulted Thomas Coogan, a family friend, by punching him when he tried to break up a fight outside the Malt House Bar. Coogan suffered a fractured skull and brain bleeding, later died of cancer. Kavanagh had been living in London as a woman before returning to Dublin, where she was suppressing her gender. A psychological report suggested her anger that night stemmed from frustration over her life and suppressed gender. No victim impact statements were presented. The judge adjourned the case to set a sentence date on Monday.
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence that a 58‑year‑old man from Munster recorded videos of himself orally raping his partner's six‑month‑old niece and produced explicit images of four other children aged five to twelve. The abuse occurred over seven months up to August 2019. An anonymous envelope containing a memory card and a handwritten note was delivered to a Garda station on 14 August 2019, alleging the card held a clip of an infant being sexually abused and urging arrest. Examination of the card revealed 20 three‑minute clips, including footage of the defendant masturbating on the infant and performing oral sex on her. The defendant had pleaded guilty to two counts of oral rape, one attempted rape, five counts of sexual assault of the infant, five counts of child‑pornography production, and four counts of possession of child pornography. He was remanded in custody until 26 February, when sentencing will occur.
Two men imprisoned by the High Court for interfering with KBC Bank's repossession of a farm at Falsk, Strokestown, County Roscommon will remain in custody after declining to purge their contempt of court. Michael Anthony McGann, the property owner, and Kevin Taylor, a retired garda from Dublin Road, Longford, were arrested in November alongside a third man following efforts by the bank's agents to secure the property after a 2018 eviction. While Colm Granahan from Ballina, Mayo purged his contempt in December and was released, McGann and Taylor have maintained their refusal to do so. At a High Court hearing on Thursday, Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds reviewed their cases remotely. McGann, now represented by solicitor, stated he would not purge contempt, as did Taylor. The judge remanded both men in custody until April, confirming they may apply to purge contempt at any time. The case arises from a €431,000 debt on the property.
A 32-year-old man from Castlefin, County Donegal, has been sentenced to four years imprisonment following his conviction for rape at the Central Criminal Court. The man pleaded guilty to entering an apartment through an unlocked door and sexually assaulting a sleeping woman in October 2016. The woman woke during the assault and the perpetrator fled after a struggle. DNA evidence linked him to the offence. Mr Justice Alex Owens noted the man's significant intellectual impairment in sentencing, reducing the headline sentence from ten years to four years. The judge rejected the defendant's claims that he believed the woman was engaged in sex work, describing such assertions as demonstrating lack of remorse. A post-release supervision period of four years was also imposed. The victim provided a statement describing lasting psychological impact and altered behaviour in her own home.
A 29‑year‑old Jehovah's Witness was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for sexually exploiting a 13‑year‑old girl. The court heard that in 2016 he and the girl exchanged Viber messages that included sexually explicit images of the child. He pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and to possession of child‑pornographic images. Judge Karen O'Connor noted the absence of prior convictions and the value of the guilty pleas, and suspended the final year of a two‑and‑a‑half‑year term on the condition of good behaviour and participation in a sex‑offender treatment programme. He was also ordered to have no unsupervised access to children. The offence was discovered when the girl's older sister saw the messages and alerted their mother. The man claimed he was "sexually naive in the extreme" due to his religious beliefs, but the court found the allegations and his admissions to be credible.
John McClean, aged 76, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for sexually abusing 23 boys at Terenure College between 1973 and 1990. The offences involved repeated indecent assaults, including groping, fondling and sexual touching, often under the guise of costume fittings, teaching duties or disciplinary meetings. McClean denied the allegations during Gardaí interviews, but pleaded guilty in November 2020. He had no prior convictions. The court noted the prolonged duration and scale of the abuse, the psychological manipulation of the victims, and the impact on their adult lives. Judge Pauline Codd imposed an 11‑year sentence, suspending the final three years on the condition of good behaviour for two years after release. McClean had previously worked as a rugby coach at UCD after leaving the school in 1996. The sentencing highlighted the severity of the repeated sexual offences and the court's decision to impose a suspended portion rather than consecutive sentences.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Michael Joyce, aged 23, was found guilty of assault causing harm to his then partner Katelyn Stevenson, criminal damage to her iPhone, and theft of two mobile phones. The incident occurred on 24 May 2020 in the bedroom of Joyce's sister Elizabeth's home. Joyce, who was under the influence of cocaine, became enraged when Stevenson questioned his fidelity. He seized her phone, smashed it, pushed and slapped her, and later punched her sister twice. The sister's daughter, present in the room, pleaded with her mother not to be hit. Joyce also struck the sister a third time before leaving. He was sentenced to an 18‑month prison term, suspended for three years, with a condition of good behaviour. The court noted his prior record of 27 convictions, including criminal damage and violence, and his remorse expressed to Gardaí.
Craig Courtney and Kane Duffy, both of Tallaght, were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for offences committed on April 6, 2017, at Centra, Old Bawn Shopping Centre. Courtney pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Roberta Rodriguez Brasil and violent disorder, while Duffy pleaded guilty to violent disorder. Both defendants admitted to committing these offences after being released from custody. Judge Patricia Ryan noted that in a "perfect world," Courtney would have been sentenced for this offence concurrently with his money laundering conviction. The court heard that Courtney accidentally struck Ms Brasil with a hurley stick while she was used as a human shield during an incident described as "extreme lawlessness." Courtney later returned to the shop with flowers, chocolates, and an apology. Judge Ryan sentenced both men to two-and-a-half years imprisonment, but suspended both sentences in their entirety on strict conditions. The judge ordered that €4,000 in compensation, comprising €3,000 from Courtney and €1,000 from Duffy, be handed over to the garda to be forwarded to the injured party.
James Fagan, aged 28, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm and three counts of making threats to kill or cause serious harm after an incident at Red Cow Luas Stop on 28 July 2019. He had punched a security guard who had tried to restrain him following reports of passenger abuse on a tram. While restrained, Fagan threatened to kill the guard and a colleague, claiming affiliation with a "well‑known crime group." He was found intoxicated, having taken ecstasy and cocaine, and had used a tin can as a weapon. Fagan's prior conviction for assault causing harm is currently serving a five‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended. The court adjourned the case for finalisation to 12 May, ordering a Probation Service report. The defence described Fagan as a young man attempting to change his ways, noting his violent tendencies and personal background.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Simon Quilligan, aged 38, was found not guilty of attempting to murder John McDonagh and of discharging a firearm that posed a substantial risk of death or serious harm. He was, however, found guilty of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life, making threats to Melissa Cowman, Sandra O'Brien and Victoria Doherty, and damaging a caravan window. Quilligan had fled to the UK after the 2018 incident at a halting site in Tullamore, where he fired a weapon at the McDonagh family and threatened others. He was extradited back to Ireland, arrested in Athlone, and has been in custody since December 2019. The court noted his 38 prior convictions and the feud between the Quilligan and McDonagh families, which the defendant claims is now over. The judge remanded him in custody until March 9 for sentencing.
In a High Court judgment, Ms Justice Miriam O'Regan adjourned for one year a Section 160 application brought by Jim Ferry against John Caulderbank (trading as D&M Services) and D&M Environmental Services Ltd (trading as DM Waste). The action, filed under the 2000 Planning and Development Act and the 1996 Waste Management Act, alleged that the respondents' waste facility at Labbadish, Manorcunningham, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, was operating without proper planning permission. The judge found the development currently unauthorised but noted the respondents had been attempting to regularise their status since 2018, following enforcement notices from Donegal County Council. The court adjourned the matter to allow the respondents to pursue substitute consent from An Bord Pleanala and future planning permission from the council. The judge described Mr Ferry, who was jailed for nine weeks in 2019 for failing to comply with High Court orders regarding his former company Ferry Refuse Collection, as a "notorious environmental polluter." She stated his motives were "at best" highly suspicious and potentially driven by personal grievance. The respondents alleged the action was a campaign of retribution, which Mr Ferry denied. The judge noted that closing the respondents' business would adversely affect Co Donegal.
The Special Criminal Court has sentenced a man to twenty years imprisonment for his role in an attempted murder conspiracy linked to organised crime. Caolan Smyth, aged twenty-nine, of County Meath, was found guilty in January of attempted murder and firearm offences following an attack on James Gately at a filling station in north Dublin on tenth May two thousand seventeen. The victim was shot five times but survived. Presiding Judge Tony Hunt noted that others were equally or more culpable than Smyth, describing him as ruthless and dangerous. A second defendant, Gary McAreavey, aged fifty-three, of County Louth, received four years imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for his role in burning out the getaway vehicle. The court heard evidence of surveillance, mobile phone tracking, and CCTV footage establishing the conspiracy's organised nature. Judge Hunt acknowledged that fortuitous circumstances alone had spared the victim's life. Gary McAreavey pleaded not guilty. Caolan Smyth pleaded not guilty.
John Gossan, 40, of Castlegrange Hill, Swords, pleaded guilty to sexual assault at Wright's Cafe Bar, Malahide Road, Swords, on 22 February 2019. The court found he was in a drunken state when he grabbed a young woman's breasts and nether area over her clothes. Judge Martin Nolan described the act as shameful and frightening, noting it was a short encounter with no aggravating factors. Gossan received a fully suspended sentence of one year imprisonment, with strict conditions to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for one year. He was ordered to hand over €2,000 to the prosecuting Garda, which may be given to charity if the victim declines. Gossan has a prior 2010 drug‑dealing conviction for which he served four years. The sentencing took place at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Ahmad Majeed, 26, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and possession of weapons at a 2019 brawl outside Love Lane nightclub. He admitted bringing a hatchet, hammer, wheel brace, and a towing eye from a Brown Thomas shopping bag, and a rucksack containing two petrol bombs. CCTV showed him gathering with about 20 men on Clarendon Street, passing the bag to another, then retrieving it before heading to the club. He also moved a traffic cone to reveal the rucksack. The mob, about 30 masked men, attempted to force entry, injuring a doorman who was punched and kicked. Majeed denied involvement in the assaults and claimed ignorance of the bombs, stating he would have stayed home if he had known. The court adjourned sentencing to March 12 and remanded him on bail.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Jordan Murray, aged 23, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years imprisonment for possession of a firearm and ammunition. The case stemmed from a police search of a taxi that stopped at Neilstown Road, Clondalkin, on 31 July 2020. Gardaí discovered a Glock 9mm handgun, 12 rounds of 9mm ammunition, and a small amount of cannabis in the vehicle. The handgun's serial number had been filed off, and Murray offered no explanation for its presence. He had previously pleaded guilty to the firearm offences and had nine prior convictions for public order offences and theft. The judge noted that the detective's suggestion that Murray had obtained the gun for revenge after a prior assault could not be relied upon, and he emphasized that the gun could have been used to threaten, injure, or kill. Murray's record was considered, but the judge highlighted his apparent willingness to reform while in custody.
Dylan King, 27, of Longdale Terrace, Ballymun, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after a road‑rage incident on 5 March 2019. King performed a u‑turn to follow victim Gary O'Donovan, opened the victim's car door, and punched him once in the face, breaking his nose and fracturing the area above his right eye socket. O'Donovan required surgery. King had previously been convicted of road‑traffic offences. In court, King admitted the assault and explained that a dispute with his mother over debts owed to the city council had triggered his "road‑rage" reaction. He was described as remorseful and was said to be attending local mental‑health services. Judge Melanie Greally noted King's chaotic upbringing, the recent violent death of his father, and his potential for rehabilitation. She imposed a two‑year prison sentence, fully suspended on strict conditions, with no custodial time imposed. The sentence was delivered at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Donal Gannon, 58, a former bomb maker convicted in London in 1997 of conspiracy to cause explosions, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 240 hours of community service within 18 months for providing false documents in a passport application. He also received a three‑year prison sentence for using a false instrument, which was suspended in full on strict conditions. Gannon had attempted to renew an Irish passport in the name of David O'Brien, a man who died in 1986, claiming he needed it to climb a mountain in the US. Gardaí found CCTV footage, photographs, and a passport bearing Gannon's name, and he denied making the application, alleging the photos were planted. The court noted his release under the Good Friday Agreement in 2000 and his subsequent "exemplary life.". Donal Gannon pleaded guilty.
A 31‑year‑old man was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, for raping his brother and sexually abusing his sister while he was a teenager. He pleaded guilty to anal and oral rape of his brother between January 2007 and January 2008, and to five counts of sexual assault and one attempted assault of his sister between April 2004 and January 2007. The offences occurred in the family home and were revealed in 2018 when the brother disclosed the abuse and the sister followed suit. The judge noted the serious, long‑lasting effects on both victims and considered the man's young age, lack of appreciation of harm, and difficult upbringing as mitigating factors. He also recognised the man's remorse, admissions, and guilty pleas, and ordered three years of post‑release supervision. The victims' statements detailed psychological damage, relationship difficulties, post‑traumatic stress, and suicidal thoughts.
Joseph Cahill, aged 42, was sentenced to five years in prison for robbery after he and an accomplice attacked Eileen Hughes and her husband in a Tallaght car park on 25 March 2018. Cahill, armed with a knife, and the gunman forced Hughes to hand over two rings she had advertised on the "Done Deal" website, worth €12,000. The robbery lasted about two minutes. Hughes' three children, aged 4, 6 and 9, were present. Cahill had pleaded not guilty to the single count but was convicted by a jury. The judge suspended the final twelve months of the sentence on the condition that he keep the peace. Cahill has over 100 prior convictions, including burglary, theft and offences involving stolen cars. He admitted that his life had spiralled due to crack cocaine and heroin addiction, and that custody had saved him.
A 40‑year‑old Lithuanian named Renaldas Gruska was sentenced to three years' imprisonment in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for smuggling 422,860 cigarettes into Ireland. Gruska, who runs an import/export business with his wife, admitted that he was paid €700 to transport the cigarettes, concealed in a furnace, on a trailer that was first x‑rayed and then searched by customs officials at New Customs House, Dublin Port, on 5 November 2020. The cigarettes were identified as Minsk Capital brand. Revenue Officer Paddy Gibney informed the court that the state had been notified of the trailer's arrival and that customs officials discovered the hidden cigarettes during the search. The total tax loss, including excise duty and VAT, amounted to €231,727. Gruska pleaded guilty to evasion of excise duty. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the three‑year sentence. The case was prosecuted by Fiona McGowan BL and defended by Luigi Rea BL.
A 38‑year‑old man was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment for repeatedly raping his daughters after re‑entering their lives following a long absence. He pleaded guilty to 14 counts of raping his younger daughter between May 2017 and May 2019 and to one count of sexually assaulting his older daughter in April or May 2019. The court heard the father and mother were regularly drunk, neglecting the children, and that the abuse began when the younger girl was 12. The father threatened suicide if the abuse was disclosed and had previously been physically and sexually abused as a child. He was found to be an alcoholic and drug addict for many years. The judge imposed 12 years' imprisonment, suspended the final two years on strict conditions, and ordered seven years of post‑release supervision.
John McClean, aged 76, a former teacher and rugby coach at Dublin's Terenure College, pleaded guilty to 27 charges of indecent assault against 23 male students committed between 1973 and 1990. The allegations surfaced in 1996 when a victim's father informed Father Robert Kelly, the then Provincial of the Carmelite Order, about the abuse. McClean admitted the allegations during a meeting with Fr Kelly, who later claimed he had no recollection but accepted the notes as true. McClean had left Terenure College in 1996, taking a rugby coaching role at UCD. The court heard that victims were sometimes excluded from the school rugby team as punishment for confronting McClean. McClean denied the offences during Gardaí interviews, but ultimately pleaded guilty in November 2020. Judge Pauline Codd remanded him on bail, with the case to be finalized on 18 February. The hearing focused on the admission of abuse, the victims' impact statements, and the procedural history of the case.
In a Central Criminal Court case in Cork, a 27‑year‑old man was convicted of raping a 17‑year‑old girl who was described as "semi‑comatose" after a night out. The court heard that the accused had searched the internet for information on rape before Gardaí arrived. He was found guilty by a jury on 27 August 2017 and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with a four‑year post‑release supervision order. The judge noted the victim's condition, the accused's attempts to conceal the act, and the substantial harm caused. The victim's impact statement described feelings of vulnerability, shame and family disruption. The accused's defence highlighted his prior good character and work history, while the prosecution emphasised the lack of consent and the victim's intoxication level. The case concluded with the judge's sentencing decision.
Bernard Browne, aged 62, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for repeatedly sexually abusing boys at the CBS school on Richmond Street and later at his flat on Belvedere Place between 1983 and 1990. He pleaded guilty to nine counts of indecent assault, part of a larger indictment of 44 charges. Browne lured boys with promises of pocket money, claiming he was collecting sperm to donate to childless couples. Victims, aged 11 to 17, described weekly molestation, forced exposure, and intimidation. The judge noted severe emotional distress, long‑term psychological damage, and the impact on the victims' education. Browne's position of trust, the duration of the abuse, and his planning were aggravating factors; his guilty pleas, remorse, age and ill health were mitigating. The final year of the sentence was suspended on the condition of completing treatment programmes while in custody.
In 2002 a 30‑year‑old former care worker pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 10‑year‑old neighbour in west Dublin. He failed to attend his sentencing hearing and fled to the UK, remaining at large for 17 years. He was located in 2019, extradited to Ireland, and in 2021 was sentenced by Mr Justice Michael White to three years' imprisonment, back‑dated to 19 April 2019. The court noted the assault occurred on St Patrick's Day 2000 when the victim, who had come to borrow Sellotape, was pushed off a couch, had her clothing removed, and was allegedly penetrated for five minutes. The defendant admitted sexual contact but denied penetration; the judge found the act to be "much more serious than touching" and imposed the custodial term accordingly. The sentence was based on the guilty plea, admissions and limited remorse shown. The victim's identity was protected.
John McClean, a former rugby coach and teacher at Terenure College, was found guilty of 27 charges of indecent assault against 23 boys between 1973 and 1990. The court heard that McClean abused boys during costume fittings for school plays, in his office after class, and while coaching rugby. Victims ranged from 12 to 17 years old. McClean's abuse included physical assault, fondling, and sexual touching, often while he was in a position of authority. He left the school in 1996 after allegations surfaced and later worked as a rugby coach at UCD. The sentencing hearing considered evidence of 15 of the 23 victims, with further charges under consideration. The hearing will continue tomorrow before Judge Pauline Codd.
Maura Thornton, 38, of Inverin, Connemara, was originally sentenced in 2013 to ten years imprisonment for the manslaughter of her former partner Kevin Joyce, 59, outside her Salthill apartment on 3 July 2011. Three years of that sentence were suspended. In February 2018 she was granted early release, but she breached the conditions of her partly suspended sentence by drinking alcohol. In October 2022 a bench warrant was issued after she failed to appear in court. At a hearing on 9 February 2021, Mr Justice Paul McDermott found that Thornton had not engaged with probation services and had attempted to negotiate with the court. He therefore sent her back to prison for 16 months, activating 22 months of the suspended term and leaving the remaining three years suspended. The court noted that Thornton had been in custody since 8 October 2020 and that her compliance with treatment and probation had been inadequate. Maura Thornton was found guilty.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Dubliner Dean McAuley to two years' imprisonment for assault causing harm, with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions. McAuley, 28, pleaded guilty to fracturing the nose of his then-partner, Rachel Williams, at Kingswood LUAS Stop in Tallaght on September 13, 2019. Prosecution evidence alleged that after an argument over a broken wine bottle, McAuley punched Williams in the face, struck her with his knee while she was on the ground, and punched her again, leaving her bleeding heavily. Although McAuley initially denied the assault to gardaí, he later apologized to the victim. Judge Martin Nolan noted McAuley's five previous convictions, including violent behavior in a garda station, and described the incident as a serious offense driven by alcohol. However, the judge acknowledged McAuley's potential for reform and his current homelessness. The effective custody period is six months, as the remaining 18 months are suspended. Judge Nolan stated that a more substantial criminal record would have resulted in a lesser deduction from the sentence. The matter was finalized with this sentencing.
A 21‑year‑old man, Shane Chubb, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual intercourse with a 16‑year‑old boy he met on Tinder and to one count of assault. The boy, a virgin, met Chubb at the latter's home, where they had sex. The next day the boy returned, and Chubb assaulted him, biting him and causing pain. The boy later reported the incident to Gardaí and did not attend the sentencing hearing. Judge Karen O'Connor, noting Chubb's background and guilty plea, imposed a two‑year prison term, suspended the second year, and required Chubb to cease using Tinder and engage with Probation Services. The sentence was one year of custody, with conditions aimed at preventing future offences. The case highlights the seriousness of sexual offences involving minors.
In a 2021 sentencing, a 63‑year‑old man was jailed for 16 years for repeatedly raping and abusing his daughters over a 16‑year period. The younger daughter, now 34, was raped from age seven until 18, and became pregnant by her father at 17. The older daughter was raped from age nine until 16, and was also raped while pregnant. The court heard that social welfare was notified in 2004 but only intervened after the younger daughter reported to Gardaí in 2015. The judge noted missed opportunities by state agencies and described the abuse as violent, neglectful and cruel. The father pleaded guilty to 105 charges, including rape, oral rape and sexual assault. The sentence was reduced from a headline life term to 16 years due to guilty pleas and remorse. The daughters' victim impact statements highlighted ongoing trauma and the lack of basic rights during their upbringing.
Przemyslaw Goska, 33, a Polish national, was sentenced to six years in prison for possession of MDMA worth €506,000 and cocaine worth €68,300. The drugs were found in his rented Kildare home and in a car he was driving. Goska admitted to transporting the drugs from "point A to point B" and claimed he was promised money for holding them. He said he had no intention of bringing the cocaine into the house, only to pick up clothes. Gardaí interviewed him ten times; he cooperated but was too afraid to give further information. He had no prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally took into account his cooperation, guilty pleas, and family hardship, and imposed a seven‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended on the condition of good behaviour and leaving Ireland within 14 days of release.
Paul Heaney, aged 37, and Gareth Mallon, aged 39, carried out a robbery near the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin on 21 October 2019. Mallon, who held a realistic imitation firearm, approached an Italian student, pointed the gun at his legs, and demanded money. Heaney, unarmed and wearing a tissue over his face, joined the assault. The student handed over €60, after which Mallon pointed the gun at a teacher who screamed. A second teacher intervened and the two robbers fled. Heaney voluntarily presented himself at a Garda station a few days later and pleaded guilty to robbery and attempted robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He has 51 prior convictions. Mallon was sentenced to four years' imprisonment in December. Heaney's sentencing is scheduled for next month, with the court noting his remorse and desire for rehabilitation. The case was highlighted on the Joe Duffy radio show and the Liveline programme.
James Tracey, 32, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for pointing a realistic imitation firearm at a cash‑in‑transit van driver during a robbery on 6 January 2020. The incident occurred near an Aldi branch in Clonee, Co. Meath, where Tracey forced the driver to drop a cash box containing €27,000. Tracey pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to commit robbery and robbery of a cash box. He fled the scene, was apprehended by Garda Emergency Response Unit members, and the cash was recovered in full. The court noted the victim's severe shock and ongoing anxiety. Tracey's defence cited financial hardship and alleged drug debt, but the judge found no evidence of a drug problem. The judge accepted Tracey's remorse, assessed him as moderately likely to reoffend, and suspended the final two years of a seven‑year sentence on the condition of post‑release supervision for two years.
Celyn Eadon, 29, appeared at the Central Criminal Court for a sentencing hearing regarding the manslaughter of his mother, Noreen Kelly. Eadon admitted to her killing and pleaded guilty to manslaughter, a plea accepted by the DPP after the Supreme Court overturned his previous murder conviction. Defence counsel Patrick Gageby SC argued that gross intoxication deprived Eadon of the intent to kill, noting he suffered a brain injury from juvenile drug use. The DPP, represented by Seamus Clarke SC, assessed the case as high culpability but warned that Eadon would face homelessness if released, as probation services could not currently provide suitable accommodation. Mr Justice Michael White remanded Eadon in custody until February 22, when he will be sentenced. The judge indicated the sentence would include a suspended element of community supervision with strict conditions. Eadon has 13 other convictions, mostly for assaults, committed since his initial life sentence for the 2011 killing in Castlebar, Co Mayo.
In February 2020, a mother‑of‑one, Tanya Breen, 30, and a Dublin bus driver, Laurence Keane, 42, were arrested after Gardaí discovered bundles of cash in a Kia Sportage and at Breen's home. The pair were charged with possession of €59,710 in proceeds of crime, linked to drug trafficking. Both pleaded guilty. Breen's lawyer argued she was a single mother struggling with bills and that the money was offered by community members. Keane's counsel highlighted his long employment with Dublin Bus and family responsibilities. Judge Elma Sheahan found no threat or compulsion, deeming the offence a "lifestyle choice" with high culpability. She sentenced Breen to 3½ years, suspending the final six months on a 12‑month good‑behaviour condition, and Keane to 2½ years, similarly suspended. The case was prosecuted under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act, 2010.
Darragh O'Sullivan, 29, was sentenced to three years in prison for an armed burglary that took place on 3 April 2016 in Ballybrack. He entered a family home with a knife, threatened a former partner of the homeowner, and warned the resident that she would "get a bullet." Five children were present, and two testified. O'Sullivan, who had 43 prior convictions, pleaded not guilty to aggravated burglary and a threat to kill or cause serious harm. During sentencing, he claimed he had tried to rebuild his life in the UK, returned to work, and had become religious while in custody. Judge Karen O'Connor noted his chaotic upbringing but also his efforts to reform, and imposed a sentence of four and a half years, suspending the final 18 months for two years on strict conditions, backdating it by 179 days to account for time already served.
Dean Masterson, 34, a father of three with a history of serious convictions, was sentenced to one year in prison for attempting to defraud a bank by submitting false documents in a mortgage application. He sought a €220,000 loan to buy a family home, but bank staff detected the falsities and no money was disbursed. Masterson pleaded guilty to deception and five counts of using false instruments, having provided a fake salary certificate, payslip, P60 and two bank statements. The court noted his prior convictions for robbery, attempted robbery and theft between 2004 and 2012, and that he had not been convicted since 2016. Judge Pauline Codd highlighted the premeditation and deliberation involved, describing the offence as "fairly sophisticated" and imposing a four‑year sentence, with the final three years suspended on strict conditions.
Desmond McGrath, aged 50, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for his role in a violent forced eviction that took place on 9 June 2015 at The Towers, Garter Lane, Saggart. McGrath, who claimed he was attending a job interview for security work, was part of a gang of seven men that included convicted murderer Declan Duffy and INLA kidnapper Dessie O'Hare. The gang falsely imprisoned the Byrne family, assaulted security guard John Roche, and inflicted injuries on Martin Byrne, who sustained fractures to his forearm and nasal bone. McGrath pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and false imprisonment, and his sentence was suspended for 12 months on strict conditions. The court noted his guilty plea, remorse, and efforts to rehabilitate from drug and alcohol addiction as mitigating factors. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with the judge distinguishing McGrath's conduct from that of the ringleaders. The Byrne family remains in the Witness Protection Programme.
Two Romanian‑origin gang members were sentenced in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for creating and using fake credit cards. Daniel Almajanu, 35, fabricated 65 counterfeit cards with a card reader/writer machine and supplied them to Albert Gimy Linul, 29, who used the cards to purchase and resell cartons of cigarettes in Dublin shops. The fraud stemmed from a "deep insert skimmer" operation in the UK that captured HSBC customer details. Linul pleaded guilty to 60 fraudulent cards, eight card‑use offences, ten thefts and two attempted thefts, while Almajanu pleaded guilty to 53 cards, 65 card‑making offences and possession of a specialised laptop. Linul received a three‑year term and Almajanu a four‑year, four‑month term, both back‑dated to their custody dates. The judge described the case as an offshoot of a sophisticated international fraud scheme.
Jordan Ward, 23, pleaded guilty to possession of €35,000 worth of cannabis for sale or supply. He had 20 prior convictions and faced a presumptive mandatory minimum of ten years under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Judge Pauline Codd, after hearing evidence, departed from the minimum and sentenced him to four years in prison, fully suspended on strict conditions. Ward must remain under Probation Service supervision for two years and comply with all terms or face the four‑year custodial sentence. The judge noted Ward was a low‑level drug mule, had not profited, and had shown insight and transformation. He accepted responsibility, wrote an apology letter, and presented evidence of personal change and support from family. The court emphasised the opportunity for rehabilitation and the potential threat if the suspension terms are breached.
Terry Meegan Jr, 27, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to an operating sentence of four years and three months imprisonment. He pleaded guilty to robbery at a Centra shop in Dalkey on March 10, 2020, as well as trespass, criminal damage, and assault committed in December 2019. Judge Martin Nolan imposed two years and three months for the robbery and two years for the earlier offences, ordered to run consecutively. The robbery involved Edward Andrews, 26, who received a separate sentence of three years and three months in December 2020. The getaway car was driven by Darren Rowe, 35, who was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years for dangerous driving causing death. During the escape, the vehicle struck two pedestrians, resulting in the death of Jacqueline McGovern, 54, and injuries to Audrey Began. Meegan was on bail for the 2019 assault at the time of the robbery. The court acknowledged mitigation including his guilty plea, remorse, and completion of residential drug treatment, but prioritized punishment over rehabilitation given the severity of the crimes.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the 28‑year‑old defendant pleaded guilty to murdering an 11‑year‑old boy in the south‑west on 3 November 2019. The boy was struck with a hammer and stabbed 27 times in the torso, arms and neck. The court heard that the boy's mother believed the uncle was "obsessed" with her son and that the uncle had been "trapped" by voices that told him to kill. The mother called on the Minister for Justice to change Section 252 of the Children Act so that child murder victims could be identified in court. Mr Justice Michael White described the crime as a "horrific breach of trust" and an "unspeakably violent crime" before sentencing the defendant to the mandatory term of life imprisonment.
Leo Fitzpatrick, 21, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for his role as the getaway driver in an attempted armed robbery of Paddocks Pub in Clonee on 11 June 2018. He pleaded guilty to the offence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and admitted driving the vehicle used to flee the scene, though he claimed he was unaware that his accomplice, Robert Cullen, possessed a sawn‑off shotgun. Cullen, 29, had already been sentenced to seven and a half years for the robbery, possession of the firearm and discharging it. Fitzpatrick's sentence was imposed by Judge Pauline Codd, who noted his apparent fright at the shots fired but found it difficult to believe he did not know about the weapon. The sentence was five years, with the final three and a half years suspended on strict conditions.
Kevin Harty, a former national swimmer and lifeguard, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possession of child pornography. The defendant pleaded guilty to possessing 1,299 video files involving children aged between one and 15 years old at his address in Ballinteer, Dublin, on September 7, 2018. Judge Elma Sheahan described the offence as serious, noting that children were cruelly exploited, though the volume of files was not at the highest level. Harty, who has no previous convictions, has been engaging with therapeutic services since November 2018. Citing concrete evidence that rehabilitation is underway, the Judge sentenced Harty to two years imprisonment but suspended the entirety of the sentence on strict conditions. These conditions require him to continue engaging with therapeutic services. The court heard that Harty was arrested at his workplace after an investigation involving UK authorities identified his laptop as the source of the downloads. Prosecutors noted that while most files were category two, one depicting a baby was category one. Defence counsel highlighted Harty's cooperation, his admission of possession without distribution, and his personal difficulties following the end of a long relationship. Harty has lost his job since his arrest.
A 29‑year‑old man, Thomas Power, was sentenced to seven‑and‑a‑half years in prison for stabbing a stranger, Eoin Casey, in the head on 20 August 2018. The knife entered Casey's left temple, travelled across his brain and left the tip inside the skull. Casey spent two weeks on a ventilator and five months in a rehabilitation centre, and now suffers lifelong disability, epilepsy, speech dyspraxia and impaired reading and writing. Power pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and assault causing harm, and was also found guilty of assaulting Aaron Grant, who sustained superficial injuries. Power's sentence, back‑dated to 20 January 2021, runs concurrently with the two convictions and includes an 18‑month suspended portion for the serious‑harm charge.
Sandra Warren, 45, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a fully suspended 30‑month imprisonment for robbing a foreign student on O'Curry Avenue, Dublin 8, on 23 May 2016. The student, who had been in Ireland for four days, was led by Warren down a laneway, where Warren seized her bag containing a wallet, bank cards and phone. Warren, who was using drugs and under pressure from a man to obtain money, pleaded guilty. The judge noted Warren's abusive relationship had ended and that she was now in stable accommodation and on methadone. The sentence was suspended for three years on strict conditions, including continued participation in a drug treatment programme. Warren had eight prior convictions for robbery, burglary and theft. The victim was left traumatised, with whiplash injuries, and unable to access funds or contact anyone. The court emphasised the seriousness of the offence against a guest in the country.
In July 2018 a homeless drug addict, Vaidas Pilibaitis, 46, entered the stockroom of a Louis Copeland menswear shop on Pembroke Street, Dublin, and accidentally set fire to a cardboard box of shirts while smoking. The blaze spread, causing nearly €400,000 in damage, and Pilibaitis suffered smoke inhalation and a badly injured arm after breaking a window to escape. He was caught by CCTV, left his rucksack and mobile at the scene, and later claimed no memory of the event. Pilibaitis pleaded guilty to one count of criminal damage. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that the fire was not intentional but reckless, sentencing him to two and a half years' imprisonment, noting a double sentence would have applied if the damage had been intentional. The case also involved a separate violent disorder charge pending sentencing. The store suffered extensive smoke damage, required repainting and replacement of props, and was closed for about a week.
Adam Dempsey, aged 23, was sentenced to two years in prison after stabbing Defence Forces member Ross Hayden seven times, including five times in the back, while attempting to protect Hayden's girlfriend. The incident occurred on 16 June 2018 at Ardlee Inn, Artane, when Dempsey, who was not involved in the initial pub altercation, approached the group and repeatedly made comments. Hayden's girlfriend asked him to "cop on," leading to a confrontation. Dempsey stabbed Hayden, left, then returned 20–30 seconds later to stab him again. Dempsey pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and had 15 prior traffic convictions. He was found intoxicated with alcohol and cocaine. The judge suspended the final 12 months of a three‑year sentence, requiring Dempsey to pay €5,000 in compensation to Hayden or a chosen charity. Dempsey is currently serving in the Defence Forces in Kosovo.
In a case heard by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a 40‑year‑old man was given a fully suspended two‑year sentence for wilful neglect of his seven‑year‑old autistic son. The incident occurred on 2 June 2017 at Customs House Harbour, where the boy was found alone in a buggy about 15 feet from the water, not wearing a coat. The father claimed he had left the party with his son, went to a pub to use the toilet, and, in a "bad state" after taking tablets and alcohol, did not see the child again, mistakenly believing his partner had taken them home. Both children have since been taken into care and separated; the younger is in foster care and the older in residential care. The father, who has 13 prior convictions including theft and drug possession, pleaded guilty and expressed deep remorse.