The Special Criminal Court found Caolan Smyth guilty of attempted murder on Tuesday following the May 2017 shooting of James Gately at a filling station on the Clonshaugh Road in north Dublin. Mr Gately sustained injuries to his upper chest and neck but survived after being forewarned by gardaí and wearing a bullet-proof vest. The three-judge court determined beyond reasonable doubt that Smyth, aged 28 and from Cuileann Court, Donore, County Meath, was both the driver and gunman in the organised attack. Evidence included mobile phone location data, CCTV footage identifying Smyth by distinctive tattoos and clothing, and surveillance of Mr Gately's home the preceding day. Gary McAreavey, aged 52 and from Station Road, Castlebellingham, County Louth, was separately convicted of assisting in the destruction of the black Lexus getaway vehicle at Dromiskin, County Louth. The judge found McAreavey knew of the crime before providing assistance. Both men will return for sentencing on 25 January. Caolan Smyth pleaded not guilty. Gary McAreavey pleaded not guilty.
Aaron Brady was convicted of the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, who was shot during an armed robbery at Lordship Credit Union in County Louth on 25 January 2013. An investigation spanning several years culminated in Brady's trial, where the prosecution presented extensive circumstantial evidence linking him to the crime. This included CCTV footage connecting Brady to a stolen Volkswagen Passat used in the raid, phone records showing his movements, and witness testimony placing him in the vicinity. Brady's own statements to gardaí contained multiple falsehoods about his whereabouts that night. The investigation also revealed Brady had later made incriminating admissions whilst living abroad, boasting about shooting a police officer. The jury found Brady guilty of the murder. The case was handled by Dundalk District Court and involved cooperation between Irish and Northern Irish police services.
A 37‑year‑old man named Mohammed Hamad was found guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of ten counts of theft of various social welfare payments between May 2009 and October 2013, and two counts of using a false document. He had claimed more than €65,000 in rent allowance, job seekers allowance and basic supplementary allowance. The court noted that he had taken over a dry‑cleaning business lease in 2013, using a loan and savings, some of which came from the fraud, and that he had ceased claiming the welfare payments after his status changed. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a suspended custodial sentence of three and a half years, suspended in full on the condition that Hamad pays €30,000 to the State within three years. He has no prior convictions and is now employed, having opened eight branches of the shop and repaying €35,000 of the stolen money.
Darren Rowe, 35, of Monkstown, Dublin, was sentenced to seven and a half years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Jacqueline McGovern and failing to report being the driver of a vehicle involved in the injury of Audrey Behan on March 10, 2020. He also admitted to having no insurance and driving a dangerous defective vehicle. Judge Martin Nolan noted aggravating factors, including Rowe's reckless speed, use of a defective vehicle, and evidence of prior drinking, alongside his 32 previous convictions and disqualification from driving. In mitigation, the court considered Rowe's remorse and insight. Co-accused Edward Andrews, 26, of Stepaside, received a 39-month sentence in October. The incident occurred when Rowe, fleeing a robbery in Dalkey, lost control of the car, mounted a footpath, and struck the two women. Rowe fled the scene without offering assistance. Victim impact statements highlighted the profound loss and ongoing trauma suffered by the families. The court accepted Rowe's guilty plea and imposed the custodial sentence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Shaun Groome, 32, to 15 years' imprisonment for a brutal assault on Ciarán Murphy, 32, which involved 16 stab wounds and an arson attack that left Murphy with 96 % burns. Groome pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and criminal damage by arson. The judge described the offence as "exceptional" and noted Groome's "murderous intent" despite his guilty plea, reducing the headline 20‑year sentence to 15 years with no suspended portion. Groome claimed his actions were driven by misinformation that Murphy was a Garda informant and that he was influenced by drugs. The court considered his remorse, prior convictions, and potential for rehabilitation, but imposed the full custodial term. Murphy suffered severe injuries, lost his ears, and continues to endure pain. The case also involved co‑accused David Keena, 21, who received a five‑year sentence for his role.
Alan Cox, 31, of Ashwood Park, Clondalkin, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis and diamorphine on 22 July 2019. Garda Ciaran O'Neill reported that on 16 July 2019 he visited Cox's home, where the partner answered and claimed only a small amount of weed was present. A search of the property revealed cannabis, drug paraphernalia, and a Henry Hoover vacuum cleaner containing 817.17 g of diamorphine worth €114,478 and 69.984 g of cannabis worth €1,400, totalling €115,878. Additional items included plastic bags, a pink grinder, €900 in cash, a tick list, plastic cut‑offs, weighing scales and latex gloves. Cox's DNA matched the gloves. He has three prior convictions, including two for drug misuse and one for threatening or abusive behaviour. The court adjourned sentencing to 22 March next year to allow a probation report.
A judge warned a 15‑year‑old that breaching his Christmas curfew could lead to a court appearance at short notice if the Gardaí sought to revoke his bail. The teenager appeared before Judge Karen O'Connor at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on the last day of the legal term after the Gardaí applied to revoke his bail. He faces sentencing for an assault at St James Luas stop in Dublin 8 on 30 December 2018, when he was 12. The court heard that he had repeatedly breached bail conditions, including failing to sign on at a local Garda station and associating with certain people. He also breached a curfew that required him to be inside his aunt's home by 9.30 pm each evening. Judge O'Connor said this was the most serious breach and that the curfew was a very important condition for a juvenile. She said it keeps him off the streets and away from the public.
Thomas Griffin, 26, of Croftwood Park, Ballyfermot, Dublin, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for his role in a high‑speed Garda chase that exposed multiple cars and a pedestrian to "very considerable danger." He pleaded guilty to two charges of endangerment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 17 June 2018. The judge, Melanie Greally, described the driving as "very extreme in nature" and noted that Griffin was intoxicated with drugs and alcohol during the incident. Griffin had 46 prior convictions, including assault, road traffic and public order offences. The judge suspended the final 12 months of a three‑and‑a‑half‑year term, citing his demonstrated potential and confrontation of his demons while on remand. The chase involved speeding over 140 km/h in a 100 km/h zone, running red lights, driving on the hard shoulder, and forcing other traffic to take evasive action.
A jury acquitted a 21‑year‑old defendant of raping a 14‑year‑old girl in a derelict building in County Kildare on 14 May 2016. The defendant, who was 17 at the time of the alleged assault, pleaded not guilty to counts of sexual assault, anal rape and defilement of a child. The complainant testified that they played truth or dare, during which the defendant allegedly dared her to touch his penis and later to let him hug her, during which he reportedly rubbed his penis through her clothes and inserted it into her anus. She reported pain and later sought medical treatment, where a doctor noted lacerations consistent with forced anal penetration. The jury returned not‑guilty verdicts on all three counts, with majority verdicts on sexual assault and anal rape and a unanimous verdict on defilement.
Trevor Byrne, aged 40, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to nine years' imprisonment for possessing a loaded 9mm Luger‑caliber Radom 35 handgun in a cabin at his Woodford Grove house on 15 November 2019. He also pleaded guilty to possession of ammunition and €3,050 in cash, which he claimed were proceeds of crime. Byrne had 40 prior convictions, including a 2005 robbery where he pointed a gun at Gardaí and held a taxi driver's head to a gun. He had previously been convicted of possession of a loaded double‑barrel shotgun, unlawful vehicle seizure and robbery, receiving sentences ranging from two to eight years, and was released in November 2009. The court noted that this was his second offence involving a firearm, with a maximum sentence of 14 years. The judge applied a 10 per cent reduction for the guilty plea, back‑dating the sentence to November 2019.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Bernard Fogarty, 32, was sentenced to five years and three months imprisonment for possession of a RAK PM‑63 submachine gun. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, noted the weapon was not in immediate use but was intended for future use, and that Fogarty's conduct was linked to organised crime. Fogarty pleaded guilty, which led to a 25 % reduction from the headline seven‑year sentence, resulting in the final term of five years and three months, with the last three months suspended and backdated to his time in custody. He must keep the peace, be of good behaviour and undergo one year of probation supervision after release. The case was based on DNA evidence linking Fogarty to the gun recovered from a vehicle in the Shankill area. The judge emphasised that the damage caused by gun crime cannot be ignored.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Limerick resident Pat Sheedy, 51, faced a new fraud charge after admitting he scammed a Westmeath publican, Con Gilsenan, out of €548 by promising four "premium" rugby match tickets that never arrived. Sheedy had previously pleaded guilty to the theft in January 2019 and had a history of 59 fraud convictions, many involving deception. He has a chronic gambling addiction and has engaged in treatment since custody. Judge Karen O'Connor, after hearing the victim's distress, granted Sheedy a "one last chance" by suspending a two‑year prison term for four years, conditional on maintaining peace and continuing gambling‑addiction treatment. Sheedy remains in custody for other offences, with a release date in January 2023. The court noted he had already repaid the stolen money. The hearing highlighted his ongoing struggle with gambling and the court's willingness to offer a conditional reprieve.
Paul O'Shea, 34, of Owensilla, Ballymun, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three and a half years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended on the condition of good behaviour, particularly regarding drugs. He pleaded guilty to assaulting his former partner on 17 May, during which he threw chairs, punched her in the head, kicked her, dragged her to the front garden, and called her names. He also smashed a front door window, an upstairs window, a brick at her bedroom window, and a photo of her children and parents. The victim, who had a protection order against him, described him as "on a mad one" and was terrified, having marks on her left side from kicks and on her face from blows. Gardaí were alerted at 4 am by the partner, and O'Shea fled the scene, later being arrested after attempting to escape from his parents' house.
In December 2017, Christopher Warburton, 26, drove a red quad bike in a dangerous chase through Dublin city traffic, repeatedly ignoring police signals and driving on the wrong side of the road. He accelerated toward Donard Estate, forced an oncoming vehicle to brake, and continued on Nephin Road, overtaking a van and two cars, causing one to brake suddenly. At the Cabra gate of Phoenix Park, the quad bike lost power; Warburton jumped off and struggled with an unmarked Garda car. He then attempted to jump over a wall, kicked a Garda, and entered the grounds of Áras an Uachtaráin, where a mounted police officer apprehended him. A month later, he punched an elderly, intoxicated man from behind, an act recorded on video. Warburton pleaded guilty to endangerment and assault causing harm, was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison, with nine months suspended on condition of rehabilitation, and was banned from driving for three years.
In a Dublin city‑centre nightclub incident on 7 July 2019, a masked mob armed with a hatchet and a petrol bomb—made from a Hennessy brandy bottle—attempted to force entry into Lost Lane nightclub on Grafton Street. Moses Lulendo, aged 19, joined the group, some members wearing face coverings. The mob sought revenge against those they believed were inside the club and linked to a prior attack on a relative of Lulendo's, following an earlier car attack involving Lulendo and another man. Detective Garda Sarah Barry reported that the mob's intent was retaliation. Lulendo pleaded guilty to violent disorder and to two earlier iPhone robberies. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to 18 months' imprisonment for the disorder charge and 26 months for the robberies, suspending eight months on condition of probation for 12 months. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The High Court heard the State's apology to Joanne Hayes and her family regarding the Kerry Babies case, concluding a settlement of damages actions. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds described the events as a "travesty" and a "dark chapter" in Irish history. The damages actions against the Garda Commissioner, the Minister for Justice, Ireland, and the Attorney General were struck out, while proceedings against the DPP were discontinued. The court issued declarations that all tribunal findings of wrongdoing against the family were unfounded and incorrect. It further declared that the family's questioning, arrest, charge, and prosecution between April and October 1984 were unfounded and breached their constitutional rights. A separate damages claim by Yvonne McGuckin was also settled and struck out. The court noted that the family's arrest, interrogation, detention, and charge were improper after a May 1984 blood test confirmed Ms Hayes was not the mother of baby John. The State expressed deep regret for the hurt caused, reiterating a 2018 apology. The declarations will be permanently attached to the tribunal report in the Oireachtas Library to ensure the accuracy of the public record. The family stated the resolution vindicates their good names after more than 35 years.
Dean Quigley, aged 23, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for a series of violent offences. In July 2018 he attacked a 17‑year‑old woman on the N11, punching her, pulling her hair and continuing to strike her while she lay on the ground. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. In July 2019 he broke into a 75‑year‑old neighbour's apartment, causing the victim severe injuries and threatening to kill him if he reported the incident. He pleaded guilty to trespassing and criminal damage. In October 2019 he again entered the neighbour's home, assaulting him and threatening further violence. The court imposed concurrent two‑year sentences for the assault on the woman and the July burglary, and a consecutive six‑year sentence for the October burglary, suspending the final two years on the condition of alcohol‑addiction treatment. The judge noted the seriousness of the attacks and the impact on the victims' safety and mental health.
During a trial in the Central Criminal Court, a 21‑year‑old defendant, who cannot be named, pleaded not guilty to sexual assault, anal rape and defilement of a 14‑year‑old girl. He was alleged to have assaulted the girl in a derelict building in County Kildare on 14 May 2016, when he was 17. In a Garda interview, the defendant initially denied the allegations, but after his father spoke to him in another language, he said that everything the girl had said was true. He later claimed he had hugged the girl and removed his trousers, but denied that his penis entered her. A second interview saw him deny knowing her age, claiming she was 15 or 16. A doctor examined the girl 21–23 hours after the incident and noted lacerations on her anal margin and canal, which were consistent with forced anal penetration but could have other explanations.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Robert Traynor, 54, pleaded guilty to possessing 1,938 images and 183 videos of child pornography, and to producing 1,650 computer‑generated images that contravened the 1998 child trafficking pornography act. Traynor claimed the material depicted adults posing as children, a statement rejected by the court. Gardaí linked his home to a peer‑to‑peer network through his internet provider, and seized an external drive containing 65 video files and hundreds of images of girls aged six to twelve, as well as encrypted computer‑generated images of young girls with sex toys or beside naked males. The judge, after hearing Traynor's defence that the images were "skirting the boundaries", found the material to be clearly child pornography. With no prior convictions, the judge ordered a probation report and adjourned sentencing to March 12 of the following year.
Anthony White, aged 25, received a five‑year custodial sentence with the final two years suspended on strict conditions, after pleading guilty to possession of a submachine gun, 50 rounds of ammunition, and €100 worth of cocaine. White admitted that a drug debt of €4,500 and a fear of violence forced him to hold the weapon, which he claimed he only discovered the next day. He had four prior traffic convictions. Judge Melanie Greally noted the firearm's lethal potential and the substantial ammunition, but also considered White's remorse, cooperation, limited offending history, supportive family, stable relationship, and successful rehabilitation efforts. The court accepted that the incident was a finite episode linked to a severe cocaine addiction. The suspended portion of the sentence is subject to probation supervision and other strict conditions. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Cameron Malcomson, 21, received a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to possession of drugs for supply. Gardaí found €17,332 worth of cannabis hidden in a washing machine at his Tallaght flat. Malcomson claimed he was holding the drugs for someone else but did not disclose the person, citing fear for his life. He had no prior convictions at the time of the charge, but had since accumulated three convictions for possession of drugs and knives. The court considered his traumatic childhood, including his mother's alcohol addiction and his father's suicide when he was 11. Judge Pauline Codd, noting his young age and early guilty plea, imposed a suspended sentence of four and a half years under strict conditions. The sentence includes a three‑year term for the drug offence and an 18‑month term for an attempted car‑jacking on 27 October 2019, for which he had been out on bail.
In December 2020, a 17‑year‑old pleaded guilty to the murder of 20‑year‑old Glen 'Ossie' Osborne at Ballybough House, Dublin. Osborne's partner, Lauren Cray, had just given birth to their first child two months after his death. The teenager was sentenced to detention for life with a review after ten years. He will remain at Oberstown Detention Centre until his 18th birthday, when he will be transferred to an adult prison. Mr Justice Paul McDermott ordered health reports on the boy's 18th birthday and every two years thereafter, to be reviewed in 2030. The judge cited the use of a knife and the victim's unarmed status as aggravating factors, while the guilty plea and expressions of remorse were mitigating. The sentence reflects the boy's lack of judgment, chaotic background, and drug problems, but not a pre‑planned, malicious act. The review will consider the boy's progress and reports before deciding on continued imprisonment.
The Special Criminal Court adjourned the trial of Jim Mansfield Jnr until June 2, 2021, following a second delay caused by newly disclosed CCTV footage. Mansfield, 53, of Saggart, pleaded not guilty to conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne and attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing the destruction of CCTV footage. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens with Judges Ni Chulachain and Faughnan, granted the defence time to review 12 days of previously undisclosed footage. While the trial is adjourned, related proceedings concluded with Christopher Maguire, 41, of Lusk, receiving a three-year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to falsely imprisoning Martin and Lisa Byrne in Rathcoole/Saggart on June 9, 2015. Maguire's sentence was suspended, with no effective custody imposed. In a separate 2007 matter, James O'Gorman was convicted of defrauding a company director of €54,000. The current trial remains ongoing, with the next mention scheduled for January 2021.
Martin Jude Wall, 45, appeared by video-link at the High Court where Mr Justice Paul Burns granted him bail with strict conditions, fixing an extradition hearing for January 20, 2021. Wall, who pleaded guilty in 2012 to attempting to entice a child for indecent purposes in Georgia, is wanted by US authorities for breaching his 15-year probation by fleeing to Ireland. If found guilty of the breach in America, he faces a possible 15 years imprisonment. The court noted he was an "undoubted flight risk" and "determined not to make himself amenable," yet "reluctantly" granted bail due to self-harm risks. Conditions include two independent cash sureties of €5,000 each, a €1,000 cash bond, residing at a Clontarf address, obeying a curfew, surrendering his passport, being of good behaviour, and signing daily at a garda station. Wall was remanded in custody with consent to bail. Detective Garda Robert Comerford objected to bail, citing Wall's history of absconding and homelessness in the US. Mr Remy SC argued the conviction was a state matter and Wall had lived openly in Crossmolina, Co Mayo, since 2015. Gardaí arrested Wall on December 8, 2020, executing a US arrest warrant from November 2019.
Maura Thornton, 38, of Inverin, Connemara, was sentenced in 2013 to ten years' imprisonment for the manslaughter of her former partner Kevin Joyce, 59, who was stabbed 18 times outside her Salthill apartment on 31 July 2011. Three years of the sentence were suspended. In February 2018 she was granted early release but breached the conditions by drinking alcohol, violating the suspended portion. In a hearing on 16 December 2020, Thornton appeared via video link from the Dochas Women's Centre at Mountjoy prison. She did not speak, but her barrister, Blaise O'Carroll SC, reported that she has been attending regular meetings with health professionals who describe her as open, insightful and realistic, and that she is engaging with prison services. Justice Paul McDermott expressed concerns and refused to release her for Christmas, requesting a structured treatment plan and adjourned the case until 9 February to allow that plan to be developed.
A woman from Kiltoom, County Roscommon, has pleaded guilty to theft and forgery offences at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Nicola Henry, aged 32, admitted forging colleagues' signatures on 37 cheques while serving as secretary of a Johnson & Johnson social club, obtaining €17,326 which she spent on luxury holidays to Australia, Sri Lanka and Dubai, along with restaurants, shopping and beauty treatments. A further €3,233 was spent using a company credit card after the initial thefts came to light in August 2015. Ten cheques totalling €35,340 were unsuccessful. Henry pleaded guilty to three counts of theft and two counts of attempted theft, along with two counts of making a false instrument. A total of 65 additional counts were taken into consideration. The court heard she failed to appear at several earlier hearings, resulting in her arrest. Judge Pauline Codd ordered psychological and probation reports and remanded Henry in custody pending sentencing on 8 March 2021.
In the Special Criminal Court, the three‑judge panel rejected the defence's request to discharge the judges and order a retrial of Jim Mansfield Junior. Mansfield, 53, is accused of conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne and of attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Byrne to destroy CCTV footage. The defence, led by Bernard Condon SC, sought to exclude a significant portion of newly disclosed CCTV footage and to adjourn the trial until the defence could review the material. The judges denied both the discharge and the exclusion, stating that the defence would still have an opportunity to question Byrne. The trial, which had been adjourned on 19 November due to the late disclosure of CCTV, was scheduled to resume on 15 December, but further adjournments are expected because of delays in serving the defence with the footage. The case remains in progress. Martin Byrne pleaded not guilty.
A man has been jailed for one year at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his guilty plea to indecently assaulting a child in Dublin in the 1980s. Thomas Deegan, aged 55 and with an address in Finglas, Dublin, committed the offence against an eight-year-old boy between May 1982 and October 1985. The victim, now 45, made a formal complaint to gardaí in 2015, leading to Deegan's arrest and charging in 2017. Deegan initially failed to appear for trial in November 2019 and was subsequently located in Donegal. He entered his guilty plea on the first day of trial this month. In sentencing, Judge Elma Sheahan noted the seriousness of the offence and the age disparity, but acknowledged Deegan's lack of previous convictions and clean record since the incident. She suspended the final twelve months of the sentence on strict conditions. The victim provided an impact statement describing lasting effects including low self-esteem and anxiety.
The Special Criminal Court sentenced Jonathan Harding to five years and three months' imprisonment for laundering over €342,000 for a serious criminal organisation. Harding, 48, pleaded guilty to five offences under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act 2010. Mr Justice Tony Hunt imposed a headline sentence of six years and nine months, suspending the final 18 months on all charges, with all sentences running concurrently. Harding signed a bond to be of good behaviour for three years post-release. The judge noted Harding's prior conviction for possessing nine revolvers, four pistols, a sub-machine gun, an assault rifle, and ammunition, for which he received a ten-year sentence in January 2018. Co-accused Carol Davis, 45, pleaded guilty to three offences under the same Act, admitting she was reckless in allowing Harding access to her accounts but denying involvement in underlying criminality. She received a three-year suspended sentence on all offences, signing a bond to be of good behaviour for that duration. The court found that accounts linked to both were used as a travel service for the organisation. Separately, Declan Brady, 54, was previously sentenced to 11-and-a-half years' imprisonment in July 2019 after pleading guilty to possessing the same weapons cache, having been tasked by senior criminal figures to supervise it.
A 38-year-old Romanian man has been sentenced to five and a half years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his role in an aggravated burglary targeting two women working as escorts. Ioan Galben of Blanchardstown pleaded guilty to the offence at a premises on Parnell Street, Dublin 1, on 12 November 2019. Judge Pauline Codd found the crime was aggravated by involvement in gang racketeering aimed at exploiting vulnerable women. The court heard Galben facilitated entry for two armed accomplices who brandished a knife and blade, threatening to cut one woman's throat whilst demanding cash, phones and cigarettes. Gardaí established the women were not acting under duress. Galben admitted his involvement during interview and expressed remorse. Judge Codd suspended the final six months of the sentence on condition he leaves the jurisdiction upon release. Galben is currently serving a concurrent five-year sentence for a similar offence in Roscommon.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court adjourned the sentencing of Gerard Gunnery Snr, a 60-year-old taxi driver, to January 29 due to medical reasons. Gunnery Snr, of Whitehall, Dublin, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman in Dublin city on December 23, 2017. The defendant, who was remanded in custody pending sentencing, was not produced to the court by the prison service for his scheduled hearing last Friday. Defence counsel stated they believed he may have had a hospital appointment. Judge Karen O'Connor adjourned the matter for finalisation, citing previously outlined medical issues. The court heard that since the offence was published, Gunnery Snr's son has faced threats and car vandalism; the Judge requested media distinguish between the father and son. The victim, who suffered bruising to her elbows, kneecaps, and jaw, told the court she woke to find the driver assaulting her before he threw her from the vehicle. She described enduring guilt and flashbacks. Defence counsel Dominic McGinn SC argued the actions were out of character for a hard-working man, while the Judge affirmed to the victim that the incident was not her fault.
A 65‑year‑old woman, Lynda Goldsmith, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, with 14 months suspended, after pleading guilty to four counts of stealing cash and one of theft of an ATM card from a 90‑year‑old friend while the victim was in hospital. Goldsmith had taken more than €2,700 from the victim's bank account over three months, using the victim's debit card and a stolen ATM card, and had also taken an unquantified amount from the victim's purse. The judge noted that the thefts were aggravated by the victim's illness and that Goldsmith had memorised the victim's PIN. Goldsmith's guilty plea, admissions, ill health and remorse were considered in mitigation. She will serve 14 months of probation and is prohibited from unsupervised volunteer care work. The victim's son gave a victim impact statement describing the thefts as a profound loss of security and trust. The case was prosecuted by the Gardaí.
Bernard Fogarty, 32, known to Gardaí as heavily involved in organised crime, will be sentenced at the Special Criminal Court for possession of a RAK PM‑63 submachine gun. The weapon was found in the passenger footwell of a white Nissan Pulsar that was intercepted in the Shankill area of County Dublin. Fogarty was a passenger in a second vehicle, a silver Hyundai jeep, and was not involved in the hand‑over of the gun. DNA from Fogarty matched DNA on the gun, and a red baseball cap he wore on 7 March was recovered at his Donaghmede address. The gun was not loaded, was in poor condition, and had been heavily gummed. Fogarty pleaded guilty at a non‑jury court and has 40 prior convictions, including criminal damage, assault and burglary. He has been remanded in custody until his sentencing next Monday. The court will consider mitigating factors such as his drug difficulties and cooperation with the investigation.
Thomas Griffin, 47, a regular patron of BoyleSports in Dublin, pleaded guilty to robbery on 15 July 2018. He entered the bookmakers after closing, followed a staff member through a staff door, and demanded money from a woman behind the till. Using a toilet brush handle he had taken from a toilet in the premises, he threatened the staff but no one was injured. Griffin was identified on CCTV and received €500 in notes and coins before leaving. He had eight prior convictions, including drug possession. In court, he explained the robbery was a spur‑of‑the‑moment act driven by gambling problems. Judge Elma Sheahan, noting his familiarity with the victims and his efforts to stop gambling, imposed a two‑year prison sentence fully suspended for three years, with strict probation conditions for 18 months.
Chad Redmond, 27, of Belclare Park, Ballymun, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault and criminal damage for an incident on 24 February 2019 at an apartment in Finglas, north Dublin. He entered the apartment of his ex‑girlfriend, shouted, kicked the door down and grabbed her by the throat. Redmond dragged her to the bedroom, threatened to kill her and burn the place down, and attempted to take their three‑year‑old daughter from her mother. He twisted the victim's right hand and fled, later trying to re‑enter. Redmond was on bail at the time and was arrested the following day. He had been under the influence of cocaine. The court noted his prior convictions for burglary, criminal damage, public order and road traffic offences. Judge Elma Sheahan described the case as "disturbing" and sentenced Redmond to three and a half years, suspending the final nine months.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Pauline Codd praised Garda Fergus Holly's bravery after he was dragged and run over by a car driven by Clive Sweeney, 37, who was attempting to flee from Dundrum Town Centre. Sweeney, who had 85 prior convictions and was on bail, pleaded guilty to endangerment and failing to stop. Holly sustained bruising and a permanent finger injury. The judge noted Sweeney's reckless driving, his guilty plea, remorse, and personal circumstances, including drug addiction. She imposed a four‑year sentence, suspending the final year on the condition of one year of probation supervision, and a ten‑year driving ban. The incident involved a blue Fiat Bravo that had been used in a theft at Snow and Rock earlier that month. The judge commended Holly for his courage and acknowledged the aggravating factor that Sweeney knew Holly was a garda.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 28‑year‑old man was found guilty of sexual assault on an 11‑year‑old girl who was staying at his sister's house. The victim was trying to retrieve a spare key when the accused grabbed her and forced her onto a couch, then touched her chest and groin. She screamed and shouted a boy's name, who ran downstairs and jumped on the man's back, allowing her to escape. The court noted the man's prior conviction for a 2007 sexual assault on a 15‑year‑old boy and his current sentence for a 2011 offence. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a three‑year prison term, suspending the final 18 months on strict conditions, including probation supervision for 18 months after release. The case highlighted the seriousness of the offence, the victim's youth, and the man's remorse and isolation from family and community.
Michael Geoghegan, 36, a former Crufts best dog handler, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three knife‑point muggings on Rathbeale Road, Swords, on 18 August last year. He also admitted producing a large kitchen knife to intimidate victims and an iron drill bit and knife while resisting arrest. The court heard he threatened a garda who chased him, and that he had a history of drug addiction and 52 prior convictions, including robbery with an imitation firearm in 2005. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, suspending the final year on strict conditions, including six months of probation after release. Geoghegan had handed €2,500 to the victims as a gesture of remorse. The case involved three random women who were robbed at knife‑point in the morning, with Geoghegan demanding cash and threatening to stab them. The garda was disarmed with a baton after Geoghegan lunged at him.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 10 December 2020, Tomasz Surowiak, a 27‑year‑old Polish national, pleaded guilty to possessing an airgun without a certificate. The court heard that Surowiak was not involved in an earlier incident in which a handgun was allegedly pointed out of a car window. Garda Matthew Kennedy described how police intercepted a VW Golf in Tyrone Place, Inchicore, and arrested Surowiak, who was driving the vehicle. A firearm, described as a gas‑powered training gun used for indoor target practice, was found on the passenger seat and confiscated. Surowiak claimed he bought the gun in Drogheda the previous May, had no knowledge that a licence was required in Ireland, and had not loaded the weapon.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 23‑year‑old man, Dean Quigley, pleaded guilty to assaulting a 17‑year‑old woman on the N11 in July 2018, where he punched her face, pulled her hair and continued striking her while she lay on the ground. He also pleaded guilty to trespassing and assaulting a 75‑year‑old neighbour in July and October 2019, threatening to kill him if he reported the incidents. The elderly victim's daughter found Quigley five days after the second assault, and he was hospitalized for a brain bleed, neck ligature marks and severe chest bruising. Quigley's court record includes 12 prior convictions and two recent convictions for knife possession and a threat to kill. The judge adjourned sentencing to 17 December 2020, while the court heard the victim's impact statements and Quigley's expressions of remorse and progress in custody.
Dubliner William Morrison (56) appeared at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for sentence after pleading guilty to the robbery of An Post on St Andrew Street, Dublin, on April 16. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a sentence of five and a half years on Morrison, of Kilmartin Drive, Fettercairn, Tallaght. The court heard that a 64-year-old post office worker discovered Morrison behind the counter stuffing cash into his pockets. During a struggle, Morrison allegedly grabbed a large pair of scissors, but the worker disarmed him and forced him to the floor. Defending counsel Stephen Montgomery BL told the court that Morrison, a recovering drug addict, turned to hard drugs at 35 after suffering systematic sexual and emotional abuse at a reformatory school in the 1970s. He described the incident as an opportunistic crime committed to feed a drug habit, noting Morrison's 286 previous convictions, including 64 for theft. Judge Greally acknowledged Morrison's difficult childhood and his current engagement with psychiatric services through the National Drugs Treatment Centre. She suspended the final 18 months of the sentence to motivate Morrison to continue addressing his addiction issues. The matter was finalised with this custodial order.
Elmir Habibovic, 31, of Woodvale Avenue, Hartstown, Dublin 15, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing €25,500 worth of cocaine for sale or supply on 19 April 2018. He admitted holding the drugs for about five days to clear a €15,000 gambling debt, claiming he was "messing with money" and trying to make money from gambling. The cocaine was found in a drawer on a dining table, along with almost €6,000 in three envelopes in his bedroom. Habibovic and a second man were arrested, but he took full responsibility for the drugs. He has 11 prior convictions for public order and road traffic offences, all dealt with in the District Court, and has not offended since July 2009. Judge Elma Sheahan remanded him on continuing bail pending sentence, adjourned the case to January, and noted he is a self‑employed personal trainer who will need time to get his affairs in order.
Patrick O'Grady, 37, of Carrickmount Drive, Rathfarnham, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a knife‑point robbery at Daybreak, Beaumont Avenue, Churchtown, on 20 June 2020. He had 29 prior convictions, including burglary, theft and drug possession. Garda Declan O'Connor described how O'Grady entered the shop with a hood and black scarf, walked behind the counter, drew a knife and demanded both tills be opened. The shopkeepers complied and he stole about €750 before leaving. CCTV footage identified him and showed him waiting outside before the robbery. O'Grady, who began using drugs at 12 and is now clean while in custody, was on temporary release during the offence. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to two‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, suspending the final 18 months on strict conditions and ordering the sentence to run consecutively with the one he is currently serving. The sentence is set to run until March 2021.
David Canning, a homeless 28‑year‑old, set fire to a bag of clothes outside a St Vincent de Paul charity shop in Coolock Village Centre on 4 September 2017. The blaze spread to four commercial premises, causing €159,590 in damage and €318,000 in economic loss, and forced the evacuation of nearby apartments, though no injuries were reported. Canning admitted guilt to arson, citing family difficulties and the influence of benzodiazepines he referred to as "Up Johns." He had previous convictions but none for arson. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to six and a half years, suspending the final 18 months. The sentence reflected the significant risk and economic impact on the businesses, including the loss of jobs at The Discount Store and the prolonged closure of the charity shop. The case was prosecuted by John Byrne BL and defended by Luigi Rea BL. The incident was captured on CCTV, and Canning was arrested the same day. David Canning pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 7 December 2020, 18‑year‑old Josh Henney was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment, with the last six months suspended, for a violent disorder offence committed on 11 November 2018. Henney, who was 16 at the time, was the ringleader of a group of teenagers who attacked 20‑year‑old Christopher Palmer after Palmer tried to steal a greeting card from a newsagent. CCTV footage showed Henney pushing Palmer into the shop with the front wheel of his bike, repeatedly punching him, dragging him outside and kicking him while he lay on the ground. The court noted Palmer was helpless and unprovoked, and that Henney returned to the scene to inflict further assaults. Palmer died five days later from a drug overdose, a death not linked to the assault. Josh Henney pleaded guilty.
Ian Morton, 31, was sentenced to a suspended three‑year term for setting fire to a doorway on Harold's Cross Road, Dublin, on 6 October 2019. He had been drinking heavily in a pub in Harold's Cross the previous night, was asked to leave for intoxication, then drove to a nearby garage where he bought €5 of petrol. He returned and lit the fire, which was quickly extinguished by barmen. CCTV captured the purchase and his car registration led to his arrest the next day. Morton suffered burns on his arms, hands and face and was treated in hospital. He pleaded guilty to one count of arson, has two prior drink‑driving convictions, and suffers from bipolar disorder. The judge noted his alcohol abuse and drug use contributed to the offence, and that he is now drug‑ and alcohol‑free, receiving counselling and medication. The suspended sentence is conditional on support measures.
Four men accused of falsing imprisoning and assaulting Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney have had a pre-trial application to adjourn their case rejected at the Special Criminal Court. Mr Justice Tony Hunt dismissed all four grounds of the defence application on December 7th, clearing the way for the trial to commence on January 11th as scheduled. The trial, expected to last twelve weeks, concerns allegations relating to an incident at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, County Cavan on September 17th, 2019. Luke O'Reilly, aged 66, from Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, County Cavan; Darren Redmond, aged 25, from East Wall, Dublin; and Alan O'Brien, aged 39, also from East Wall, Dublin, are named accused. A fourth defendant cannot be named for legal reasons. The court rejected arguments concerning mobile phone data retention law, High Court jurisdictional challenges, disclosure volume, and concerns regarding DNA evidence recovered from a van that subsequently caught fire while in gardai custody.
Jonathan Grimes, aged 33, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for burglary offences. He pleaded guilty to stealing a €300 tablet from the Irish Whiskey Museum on 8 February 2019, and to two burglaries at Bewley's café on 23 February and 6 March 2019. In the first café burglary he entered a women's changing room and stole a cash belt; in the second, with a companion, he stole a bottle of gin and a laptop valued at about €1,500. He had 161 prior convictions, including burglary, robbery and theft. The court noted he was on bail for the first burglary when the later offences occurred. He was sentenced to four years for the museum burglary and three and four years for the café burglaries, to run consecutively, giving an eight‑year term with the final two years suspended on strict conditions. No stolen property was recovered.
James Maughan, 35, was arrested after a 30‑minute high‑speed pursuit in Dublin during which he drove while disqualified, intoxicated, and dangerously. He was found to have 13 stolen power tools worth €6,500 in his vehicle and tested positive for cannabis and cocaine. Maughan claimed he was heading to his child's birthday party. He pleaded guilty to possessing stolen goods, driving while intoxicated, driving without insurance, and two counts of dangerous driving. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced him to 18 months' imprisonment and a 15‑year driving disqualification. The judge cited his 160‑previous convictions, including dangerous driving, as an aggravating factor. Maughan's defence noted his severe psychotic disorder and ongoing treatment with the HSE. The stolen tools were largely returned to their owners.
In a laneway near St Stephen's Green, Dublin, on 4 June 2020, 25‑year‑old Keith Devine, who has no fixed abode, assaulted an unconscious homeless man. Devine first exchanged words with the victim, then attempted a head‑butt and punched him eight times. The victim was knocked unconscious and fell to the ground. Devine stamped on the victim's head five times, dislodging the victim's false teeth. He then moved the victim off the road and searched his pockets, but did not steal anything. Witnesses called the Gardaí, who arrested Devine. The victim was taken to hospital for a head wound and later discharged. Devine pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The case is set for finalisation on 17 February 2024, with a report from the Probation Service ordered by Judge Melanie Greally.