The jury has begun deliberating in the trial of architect Graham Dwyer, charged with murdering 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara in 2012. Dwyer, 42, is accused of taking O'Hara to Killakee, Rathfarnham, and stabbing her to death between 6 pm and 9 pm on 22 August 2012, hours after she was discharged from a mental‑health hospital. The State's case relies on circumstantial evidence, including text messages, a Buck Special knife found in Dwyer's office, and a bag recovered from Vartry Reservoir. Dwyer has pleaded not guilty. Mr Justice Tony Hunt has instructed the jury to consider the evidence of phones, texts, and the knife, and to weigh the possibility of suicide or other causes of death. The jury will resume deliberations on Wednesday morning. The trial has heard that O'Hara's skeletal remains were discovered at Killakee on 13 September 2013.
During the murder trial of Craig O'Halloran, the jury heard that Garda Lynn Johnson examined a "trail of blood" outside Ruby Finnegan's pub, where the victim, Kevin Kenny, had been drinking before his death. The report, read by prosecuting counsel, described evidence bags along the footpath and a concentrated blood stain in the carpark. Johnson also recovered a SIM card at the scene. The jury saw the shirt worn by Kenny on the day of the fatal stabbing. A medical report from Dr. Nigel Salter, read by counsel, stated that Kenny arrived at St James' Hospital's Accident and Emergency at 21:25 with a lower chest wound, was unresponsive, and was resuscitated for 45 minutes without success before being pronounced dead. The trial, held at the Central Criminal Court, continues before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of five men and seven women. Craig O'Halloran pleaded not guilty.
Roza Komorova (46), of Brehon Grove, Ballinteer, Co. Dublin, was acquitted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of stealing paintings valued at €28,595 from her former employer, artist Louise Mansfield. The jury returned a not guilty verdict following a six-day trial and two and a half hours of deliberation. Ms Komorova had pleaded not guilty to the theft, which allegedly occurred on September 5, 2011, at Ms Mansfield's home in Cabinteely. Prosecution evidence included testimony from Detective Garda Michael Grogan, who stated he observed Ms Komorova, a house cleaner, remove signed paintings into her van before she was stopped by waiting gardai. Twenty-one paintings were recovered. Ms Komorova initially claimed the artworks were hers or that she was moving them at Ms Mansfield's request. She also alleged an eight-year affair with Ms Mansfield's husband, Theo Hanley, a claim both he and Ms Mansfield denied. Mr Hanley dismissed her assertions of financial support and a 2013 meeting as "Walter Mitty affair stuff." The court accepted the jury's finding of not guilty, concluding the trial without any sentence or further procedural adjournment.
In the Graham Dwyer murder trial, Judge Tony Hunt instructed the jury on March 24, 2015, to exercise caution with circumstantial evidence, using the spade found near Elaine O'Hara's remains as an example. He reminded jurors that the presumption of innocence required them to consider the spade unrelated to Dwyer unless proven otherwise. The judge referenced testimony from Dwyer's wife, Gemma, who claimed the spade was missing from their garden and identified it by its label and paint. He also cited forensic evidence that the paint on the spade did not match the paint on the family's fence, urging jurors to be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt before linking the spade to Dwyer. The judge noted that the spade could be irrelevant or significant, emphasizing the need for careful evaluation of circumstantial evidence. The trial continued with the jury expected to deliberate later that day.
In a 2015 Central Criminal Court hearing, David Henry, 28, was convicted of assault causing harm after he beat his ex‑girlfriend, Evangeline O'Neill, in a school car park in Tralee on 17 June 2012. O'Neill, aged 22 at the time, described being straddled, punched and slapped, suffering black eyes and jaw soreness. Henry pleaded not guilty; a jury found him guilty by a 10‑to‑1 majority. Judge Patrick McCarthy imposed a three‑year sentence, suspended the last 18 months on condition of peace, and back‑dated it to 28 January when Henry entered custody. The deputy principal of St. Oliver's Community College, Una Kirk, testified as a character witness, noting Henry's professional conduct as a substitute PE teacher. O'Neill's victim impact statement highlighted lasting trauma, and Garda Aidan Carey recounted the abusive texts and events leading to the assault. Henry admitted using excessive force and expressed contrition, which the judge acknowledged in his sentencing remarks.
In March 2015, Judge Tony Hunt addressed the jury in the Graham Dwyer murder trial, emphasizing that the jury must decide only whether Dwyer is guilty of murder, not any other wrongdoing. He explained that the charge requires proof that Dwyer stabbed Elaine O'Hara in pursuit of sexual or other gratification, and that the evidence is largely indirect. The judge instructed jurors to consider the act and intent separately, to be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt of both, and to weigh circumstantial evidence such as text messages, mobile phone data, and videos of Dwyer's alleged violent acts. He warned against letting personal feelings influence the verdict and reminded the jury of the presumption of innocence. The trial continued with the jury expected to deliberate the next day.
In a Dublin murder trial, 21‑year‑old Craig O'Halloran is charged with killing 32‑year‑old Kevin Kenny on 31 July 2011. The prosecution presented forensic evidence that Kenny suffered six stab wounds, including a fatal wound to the left side of the chest that penetrated the heart. Professor Jack Crane described the wounds as being caused by a knife, noting the fatal wound was 9 cm deep and reached the left ventricle, while the other wounds were on the back and left hand. The court heard that O'Halloran was seen with a red flick knife by witness Sara Burke, who also testified that he had "marked" someone with a knife. Burke was previously arrested for delivering tools to Robert Ellis. The trial is set to continue before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury. Craig O'Halloran pleaded not guilty.
Roza Komorova, 46, from Ballinteer, pleaded not guilty to stealing paintings worth over €28,000 from artist Louise Mansfield's home in Cabinteely on 5 September 2011. In court she said she did not understand Gardaí questions and claimed the paintings were hers, to be hung on her wall, and that Mansfield had asked her to move them. She also alleged an affair with Mansfield's husband, Theo Hanley, who denied any infidelity. Mansfield denied ordering Komorova to take the paintings and said Komorova only helped move them under her supervision. The trial continues before Judge Mary Ellen Ring.
At the High Court, a matter concerning Jim McConnon and the Official Assignee was adjourned to a date after the Easter holidays. Mr McConnon, a Co Monaghan shopkeeper adjudicated bankrupt in July last year following a €32m judgement by Zurich Bank (now Dunbar Assets Ireland), seeks permission to sue real estate company CBRE. He alleges CBRE negligently valued two sites near Castleblayney at €30m in 2007, a figure he claims was 940% of the true market value, which an independent valuer recently assessed at €3m. Relying on these reports, Mr McConnon borrowed €32m to develop a shopping centre but failed to repay the loans. He also alleges personal injury and defamation against CBRE. As an undischarged bankrupt, Mr McConnon requires the Official Assignee's permission to proceed under Section 44 of the Bankruptcy Act. The Official Assignee, Mr Chris Lehane, stated his office requires a surety before allowing the action to continue, citing potential cost implications for the taxpayer if the claim fails. Mr McConnon's counsel, Vincent P Martin, argued that his client has a constitutional right to proceed even without providing a surety. The judge adjourned the matter to a date after the Easter holidays.
In the Graham Dwyer murder trial, Judge Tony Hunt reminded the jury that the case concerns only whether Dwyer is guilty of murder, not any other misconduct. He noted that Dwyer, a 42‑year‑old architect, is charged with killing 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara in Killakee, Rathfarnham, on 22 August 2012, shortly after she left a mental health hospital. Dwyer, a father of three from Cork, pleaded not guilty. The judge discussed videos the jury saw of Dwyer stabbing O'Hara and two other women during separate sexual encounters, stressing that the footage was shown to allow assessment of the relationship, not to vilify the accused. He emphasized that the prosecution must prove all elements beyond a reasonable doubt and outlined the timeline of events, including a text message sent on the day of the murder and the discovery of O'Hara's skeletal remains in September 2013.
In the 41st day of the Central Criminal Court murder trial of Graham Dwyer, defence counsel Remy Farrell SC urged jurors to apply the presumption of innocence despite the prosecution's portrayal of Dwyer as a sadistic pervert. Farrell read excerpts from a document titled "Killing Darci" found on Dwyer's hard drive, describing fantasies of murder, and argued that the prosecution's evidence was largely speculative and emotionally charged. He highlighted the lack of forensic evidence linking Dwyer to the stabbing of 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara, noting the pathologist's finding of no bony injuries. Farrell warned that jurors might feel pressured to convict and urged them to focus on the factual evidence presented. The prosecution, led by Seán Guerin SC, maintained that text messages and other documents constituted a plan to murder O'Hara, but the defence contested the reliability of these sources. The trial continued with the judge instructing the jury on their duties.
In a 2015 murder trial, forensic scientist Dr. Linda Williams testified that a 2013 contamination incident at Forensic Science Ireland prompted a change in procedure: the outside of exhibit bags began to be wiped down. Williams explained that DNA profiles matching Sylvia Shields and Mary Callanan were derived from threads on the accused Mark Nash's jacket and a small particle in a seam of a black velvet jacket, respectively. She could not specify the exact source of the DNA or the particle. The court heard that in 2013, two unrelated cases were processed on the same surface, leading to contamination. Dr. Geraldine O'Donnell, former quality manager and now Director of DNA, described the lab's quality system, the introduction of bench logs in 2011, and the formal logging of contamination events, noting 14 in 2011, 22 in 2012, and 31 in 2013. The prosecution's case was concluded, and the judge postponed the jury's return to Tuesday. Mark Nash pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, prosecutor Seán Guerin SC described Graham Dwyer, 42, as a sadistic and brutal pervert who planned the murder of 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara. Guerin highlighted text messages from Dwyer that outlined a plan to kill O'Hara, including choosing an isolated location on private land, using a hunting knife, and staging the scene to look like suicide. He noted Dwyer's delivery of a hunting knife to his office the day before the murder and the alleged use of untraceable phones. Guerin urged the jury to accept the texts as evidence of intent, arguing they showed Dwyer's desire to kill. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, continues with a jury of five women and seven men. The case remains at the 41st day of the hearing.
During the trial of Craig O'Halloran, a 21‑year‑old from Portlaoise, a witness, Stephen Kenny, testified that he saw his brother Kevin Kenny, aged 32, stabbed four times by O'Halloran on 31 July 2011 at the Sarsfield Road in Ballyfermot. Kenny described a confrontation that began in the Old Dubliner pub, involving a man named Robert Ellis who allegedly threatened to use a shotgun. Kenny claimed that O'Halloran, armed with a knife about six to seven inches long, approached and stabbed Kevin in the upper left area of the body, an act that lasted five to ten seconds. Kenny said he attempted to help Kevin, who collapsed and was later taken to hospital. CCTV footage was shown to the jury, and the trial continues before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy. Craig O'Halloran pleaded not guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court on 19 March 2015, the prosecution closing address in the murder trial of Graham Dwyer outlined its case against the 42-year-old architect. Dwyer, from Foxrock in Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to the charge of murdering Elaine O'Hara, a 36-year-old childcare worker, at Killakee, Rathfarnham on 22 August 2012. Prosecution Counsel Seán Guerin SC told the jury that the relationship was predatory in nature, with Dwyer deliberately selecting a vulnerable victim. The prosecution's case rested on telephone evidence linking disputed phones recovered from a reservoir to Dwyer, text message analysis reflecting his known movements and activities, and documentary evidence of violent sexual fantasies. Mr Guerin submitted that Dwyer intended to murder Ms O'Hara for sexual gratification hours after her discharge from psychiatric care, and that he had deliberately arranged circumstances to suggest suicide. The trial continued at the Central Criminal Court.
In a 2015 trial, DNA from two women killed in Grangegorman in 1997 was found on a jacket belonging to Mark Nash, who is 42 and lives in Dublin. The women, Sylvia Shields (60) and Mary Callanan (61), were living in sheltered accommodation attached to St Brendan's Hospital at the time of their deaths. Forensic scientist Dr Linda Williams explained that she received three sealed plastic bags containing thread and buttons from the right cuff of Nash's black pin‑striped velvet jacket in September 2009. She extracted DNA from the threads and a particle found inside the seam of the right sleeve, and matched the profiles to Shields and Callanan respectively. The court heard that the match from the threads was a full profile with minor elements, and that the particle match was also full. The prosecution had nearly finished giving evidence, and the trial continued. Mark Nash pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 46‑year‑old house cleaner Roza Komorova pleaded not guilty to stealing paintings worth over €28,000 from artist Louise Mansfield's home on Brennanstown Road, Cabinteely, on 5 September 2011. A video of Komorova's garda interview was shown to the jury, in which she claimed the paintings belonged to her and that she intended to hang them on her wall, but she refused to explain how she obtained them. Prosecutor Ms Elva Duffy read transcripts of two further garda interviews. In one, Komorova was shown CCTV footage of Mansfield's house and admitted that she had removed the paintings, placed them in her van and driven away. Police later found 21 signed paintings in the back of her vehicle. The trial, presided over by Judge Mary Ellen Ring, continues with a jury.
The Central Criminal Court in Dublin is hearing a trial in which Craig O'Halloran, aged 21, is accused of murdering Kevin Kenny, aged 32, on 31 July 2011 at the Sarsfield Road in Ballyfermot. O'Halloran pleaded not guilty and is currently on trial. Prosecutor Paul Greene SC presented the State's case that O'Halloran stabbed Kenny following a "fracas" outside Ruby Finnegans pub on First Avenue in Inchicore. The prosecution described two groups arriving at the pub, with Kenny in one group, and a subsequent altercation that spilled onto a grassy area outside the pub where CCTV did not cover. Witnesses alleged that O'Halloran repeatedly stabbed Kenny on that grassy area, causing fatal injuries. Kenny fell, was seriously injured, and was taken to hospital. The trial, presided over by Justice Patrick McCarthy, is expected to conclude next week with a jury of five men and seven women.
In a 2015 murder trial, the jury heard that forensic exhibits examined at Forensic Science Ireland contained DNA profiles of laboratory staff who had never handled the items. Mark Nash, 42, pleaded not guilty to the murders of Sylvia Shields, 60, and Mary Callanan, 61, committed in March 1997. Dr Maureen Smith, a retired forensic scientist with 35 years of experience, explained that contamination events have been recorded since 2011, when the lab began keeping logs. She noted that DNA from staff could appear on exhibits through skin cells, hair, or other transfer, even when protective clothing was worn. The court discussed cleaning protocols, the use of sealed bags, glove changes, and the recommendation to avoid using the same room for victim and suspect items. The trial continues.
The trial of Roza Komorova, 46, a housecleaner from Brehon Grove, Balinteer, continues in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. She is accused of stealing paintings worth over €28,000 from artist Louise Mansfield's home on Brennanstown Road, Cabinteely, on 5 September 2011. Komorova pleaded not guilty. Mansfield denied instructing Komorova to take the paintings, stating that Komorova only moved them under her supervision. The case is before Judge Mary Ellen Ring and a jury, with proceedings set to continue tomorrow.
A jury of seven men and three women continues deliberations in the trial of William Moran, 20, charged with the 2012 murder of Martin Brophy, 22, at the old Waterford Institute of Technology building. Moran pleaded not guilty and is on trial at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. The jury has spent five hours and 13 minutes deliberating and has been asked to return tomorrow to reach a unanimous verdict.
The Special Criminal Court adjourned the trial of Kevin Power, a 38‑year‑old from Passage West, charged with membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Power had been granted bail in May 2013 and was due to stand trial on 18 March 2015. The State, represented by Vincent Heneghan BL, applied for an adjournment, a request that Paul Coffey SC, Power's counsel, acknowledged and consented to. Judge Paul Butler set the next hearing for 14 April and noted the court would address a principle raised by the State regarding the adjournment.
The defence closed its case on the 39th day of Graham Dwyer's murder trial. Dwyer, 42, is charged with killing 36‑year‑old childcare worker Ms O'Hara on 22 August 2012, hours after she left a mental health hospital. He is a Cork‑born architect and father of three, living in Foxrock. The defence presented three witnesses. Mary Crosbie recalled seeing a woman crying in Shanganagh Cemetery on the evening of 22 August, describing the woman's appearance and clothing. She said she later reported the sight to the Gardaí after reading a newspaper article. Sheep farmer Richard O'Connor and John Donohue testified about their farms near Shankill and Roundwood Flying Clubs, noting Gardaí inquiries about dead sheep in 2011. The trial heard a text from Dwyer to Ms O'Hara in 2011 describing a dead sheep and a desire to stab it.
During the murder trial of Mark Nash, a 42‑year‑old defendant, the jury heard that in 1997 the forensic laboratory at Forensic Science Ireland had no written cleaning procedures. Dr Maureen Smith, a retired forensic scientist with 35 years of experience, confirmed that while the lab was cleaned, the protocols were not documented. She explained that earlier labs relied more on training and oral instruction, whereas modern labs have extensive written guidelines. Mr Hugh Hartnett highlighted that since 2003 there have been six versions of a "Guidelines on prevention of contamination" document, stressing the need to consider contamination from receipt to analysis. The court noted that in 1997 items were not sealed when moved, and that the same room was used to examine both suspect and victim clothing, with a six‑week gap between examinations. The trial continues. Mark Nash pleaded not guilty.
The jury has begun deliberating in the trial of William Moran, 20, charged with the 2012 murder of Martin Brophy, 22, at the old Waterford Institute of Technology building. Moran pleaded not guilty and is on trial at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. The jury, composed of seven men and three women, spent 58 minutes deliberating today and was instructed by Justice Patrick McCarthy to resume deliberations on Wednesday.
Roza Komorova, a 46‑year‑old Dublin artist, pleaded not guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to theft of paintings worth €28,595 from Louise Mansfield's home on Brennanstown Road, Cabinteely, on 5 September 2011. In court, Mr John Berry, the defence counsel, suggested that Mansfield's husband, Theo Hanley, had been having an affair with Komorova between 2003 and 2011 and that Hanley had paid money into a credit card account in Komorova's name and given her two cars. Mansfield denied any knowledge of such payments or gifts, describing the allegations as ludicrous. She said she had never seen the credit card statement and that her relationship with Komorova had been cash‑only. Mansfield claimed she had called Gardaí after her favourite painting disappeared in summer 2011, and that a detective had observed Komorova arriving in a white van and later carrying items to the van. The trial is ongoing before Judge Mary Ellen Ring.
In the 37th day of the murder trial of architect Graham Dwyer, the prosecution closed its case at the Central Criminal Court. Detective Sergeant Peter Woods, a State witness, testified that he had never encountered a case with such extensive media leaks. He explained that he had not given Dwyer's solicitor additional information at the time of the arrest in October 2013, and that any extra details were provided only after subsequent interviews. Woods described the media presence at the Foxrock search and noted that the information released to the press had come from Gardaí, including updates from the Irish Times and the Independent. He also recounted that Chief Superintendent Diarmuid O'Sullivan and another detective sergeant had visited Dwyer's bins in the early hours of late September to collect a sample for DNA comparison. The trial concluded with the jury instructed to return on Wednesday morning.
The trial of Mark Nash, 42, accused of murdering Sylvia Shields (60) and Mary Callanan (61) in March 1997, is ongoing. He pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. A legal issue halted proceedings, delaying the case until the following Wednesday. The State's counsel, Brendan Grehan SC, questioned forensic evidence, including a black pin‑striped velvet jacket linked to Nash. Dr Maureen Smith, a retired forensic scientist, explained that DNA profiling techniques were limited in the 1990s and that the jacket's DNA was only successfully profiled in 2009. The court heard that the jacket was examined by several scientists, with no blood found, and that DNA from the victims was later detected. Chief Superintendent Padraic Kennedy reported that Nash was formally charged on 10 October 2009 and remanded to appear at Cloverhill District Court on 16 October 2009. The trial will resume with evidence next Wednesday.
Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy is continuing his charge to a jury of seven men and three women in the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. The jury is hearing the case of William Moran, aged 20, who is accused of murdering Martin Brophy, aged 22, at the old Waterford Institute of Technology building between 19 and 21 May 2012. Moran has pleaded not guilty.
Seven men from Dublin were acquitted of IRA membership by the Special Criminal Court after the prosecution's case collapsed. The court ruled that belief evidence from Chief Superintendent Peter Kirwan, who claimed confidential information that the men were IRA members, was inadmissible because it had not been disclosed to the defence and was based on human sources and telephone intercepts. The men—Kevin Braney, Des Christie, Hubert Duffy, William Jackson, Declan Phelan, John Brock and Darren Murphy—had pleaded not guilty to membership of an illegal organisation. The prosecution had alleged they were part of an IRA operation to extort money from a used‑car dealer in Clondalkin and that they had travelled to the dealership for that purpose. The court found no evidence to support the claim and directed the men to be acquitted.
Graham Dwyer, a 42-year-old architect from Foxrock, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Elaine O'Hara at Killakee, Rathfarnham on 22nd August 2012. During his trial at the Central Criminal Court, Detective Sergeant Peter Woods gave evidence on the 36th day of proceedings, describing police interviews conducted after Mr Dwyer's arrest in October 2013. Mr Dwyer admitted to gardai that he had a relationship with Ms O'Hara, a 36-year-old childcare worker, and acknowledged watching erotic horror material the night before his arrest. He denied killing anyone. The court heard evidence of video footage showing Ms O'Hara becoming unresponsive after a plastic bag was placed over her head. Mr Dwyer was charged with murder hours after Ms O'Hara's discharge from a mental health hospital. The State contends the killing occurred during a sexual act. Ms O'Hara's remains were discovered at Killakee in September 2013, though the cause of death could not be determined.
During the murder trial of Mark Nash, the jury heard that a black pin‑striped velvet jacket belonging to Nash and heavily blood‑stained clothing and bedding found at the Grangegorman scene were examined in the same laboratory room six weeks apart. Nash, aged 42, pleaded not guilty to the murders of Sylvia Shields (60) and Mary Callanan (61) committed between 6 and 7 March 1997. Dr Louise McKenna, a forensic biologist, explained that the jacket was worn by Nash on the night of 6 March while attending a charity quiz at the GPO. DNA from the two victims was later found on the jacket. McKenna described the lab protocols, noting that the jacket and the bedding were not always sealed in bags and that the risk of contamination was considered low due to the time gap. She also stated that the items were stored separately and that the laboratory had been cleaned before each examination.
In the murder trial of William Moran, a 20‑year‑old Waterford man charged with the 2012 killing of Martin Brophy, the jury was instructed that if they are satisfied that Moran assaulted Brophy in the manner described by Facebook messages, he is guilty of murder. Moran pleaded not guilty and is on trial at the Central Criminal Court. Prosecutor Michael Delaney highlighted Moran's admission of being at the scene and his alleged attempts to conceal evidence, noting swollen knuckles and Facebook messages sent on May 20 that could constitute admissions to murder. He also mentioned Gavin Walsh, who was present at the scene but is not on trial. Defence counsel Colman Cody argued that Facebook is a vulnerable medium, that evidence could be accessed by others, and urged a not‑guilty verdict. The judge began his charge to the jury.
Anthony Handley, 63, of Whitethorn Grove, Artane, is charged with dangerous driving causing the death of 31‑year‑old primary school teacher Olivia Dunne and serious bodily harm to her five‑month‑old baby Aoibhe. The incident occurred on Dublin Road, Balbriggan, on 17 January. Dunne died after pushing her buggy away from an oncoming vehicle, saving her baby's life. Handley appeared at Balbriggan District Court, was sent forward to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, and remains on bail with a €300 bond. Judge Dermot Dempsey gave him an alibi caution and allowed two senior counsel for defence.
Graham Dwyer, 42, charged with the murder of 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara, was interviewed by Gardaí after his arrest. He repeatedly denied any involvement, stating he was "not a killer; I'm not a saint" and expressed confusion over why he was being questioned. During the first interview at Blackrock Garda Station, he asked how he was connected to the case and questioned the relevance of forensic evidence. In a second interview, when shown a photograph of O'Hara, he reiterated his innocence and expressed fear of being portrayed in the media. Gardaí explained that the case would be tried by a judge and jury and urged him to consult his solicitor. The matter was scheduled for trial before Mr Justice Tony Hunt with a jury of five women and seven men.
Detective Garda Catherine McGowan, aged 48 and based at Bray Garda Station, was acquitted of forging a letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and of using a false instrument. The case concerned an investigation into a priest accused of sexually abusing a teenage girl, a matter highlighted by the Murphy Report. McGowan had pleaded not guilty to one count of forgery and two counts of using a false instrument in 2009 and 2011. After a 14‑day trial, a jury of twelve deliberated for just over three hours and returned unanimous not‑guilty verdicts on all three counts. The State alleged McGowan had forged the letter to conceal her failure to complete the investigation, but the jury found no evidence of wrongdoing. The trial concluded with Judge Mary Ellen Ring thanking the jury for their service.
During a murder trial, a forensic scientist reported that a button on a black pin‑striped velvet jacket belonging to accused Mark Nash had a bloodstain, but the stain was too small for testing. Nash, 42, pleaded not guilty to the murders of Sylvia Shields, 60, and Mary Callanan, 61, which occurred between 6 and 7 March 1997 at a sheltered accommodation in Grangegorman. The jacket was worn by Nash on the night of 6 March 1997 while attending a charity quiz at the GPO. The scientist examined the jacket visually and with a low‑powered microscope, noting a bloodstain on the lowest button near a stitch hole. No other blood or hair matching Nash was found on the jacket, and no trace evidence linked the jacket to the crime scene. The trial continues.
Elaine O'Hara, a 36‑year‑old childcare worker, was last seen alive on 22 August 2012 after being discharged from a mental health hospital. The State alleges that Graham Dwyer, 42, texted her from a "Master" phone to the "Slave" phone, threatening to stab her and demanding she assist in a murder. The trial heard over 2,600 text messages recovered from two Nokia phones found in a reservoir and from O'Hara's iPhone. The messages depict Dwyer's intimidation, claims of sexual coercion, and instructions for a planned stabbing. O'Hara's remains were found at Killakee on 13 September 2013, and the cause of death could not be determined. The case is being heard at the Central Criminal Court, with the jury instructed on the content of the texts and the alleged murder.
A jury has begun deliberating in the trial of Wicklow Detective Garda Catherine McGowan, aged 48, who is charged with forging a letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions. McGowan pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of forgery relating to an incident on 15 January 2009 at Bray Garda Station, and to two counts of using a false instrument concerning events on 21 and 22 June 2011 at Bray and Harcourt Street Garda Stations. The alleged forged letter, dated 14 January 2009, purportedly instructed that no prosecution should proceed in a clerical child‑abuse case, citing the complainant's allegation of rape as conjecture. The investigation was triggered by the Murphy Report, which examined the response of church and state authorities to clerical sexual abuse in Dublin. Judge Mary Ellen Ring addressed the jury of six men and six women before sending them out to deliberate, with a return scheduled for the next day.
During the 35th day of Graham Dwyer's murder trial, evidence was presented showing that Dwyer, aged 42, had threatened Elaine O'Hara with violence and claimed he could make her pregnant if she helped him stab someone. O'Hara, a 36‑year‑old childcare worker, had asked Dwyer to stop stabbing her, fearing he might kill her. Dwyer's texts, recovered by Crime and Policing Analyst Sarah Skedd, included threats of stabbing, claims that no one had ever been caught for similar murders, and offers of a child if she cooperated. He also discussed using untraceable phones and a house in Willow Park. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, continues with a jury of five women and seven men. The case remains at the trial stage, with no verdict yet reached.
In the 2015 trial of William Moran, a 20‑year‑old Waterford man charged with the 2012 murder of Martin Brophy, the jury heard that Garda investigators were given a clip from the film "American History X". The clip shows a character forcing an intruder to bite a kerb and then striking him in the head, leading to death. Detective Garda Kevin Nolan confirmed that he received a disk titled "American History X" in the weeks after May 2012. Witness Davina Wrafter, 18, testified that she learned of Brophy's death from Gavin Walsh, who claimed Moran had struck Brophy with a brick and delivered three kicks to the head, stating he thought Brophy was already dead. Wrafter, then 15, was terrified and eventually reported the incident to Gardaí after seeing Walsh's Facebook post. The trial, held at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin, continued under Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy with a jury of four women and seven men. William Moran pleaded not guilty.
During the 33rd day of Graham Dwyer's murder trial, the Central Criminal Court heard over a thousand text messages that the State claims were sent by Dwyer to Elaine O'Hara in 2011. The messages, recovered from various devices, include threats of killing O'Hara in the woods, requests for her to find a victim, and detailed instructions on how to stab and kill. Dwyer, 42, is charged with murdering the 36‑year‑old childcare worker on 22 August 2012, hours after she was discharged from a mental health hospital. The prosecution, led by Seán Guerin SC, presented the texts as evidence of Dwyer's intent to kill for sexual gratification. The trial is before Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men. The case remains at the hearing stage.
In a 2015 murder trial, forensic scientist John McCullough testified that a 2‑cm square mark on lino in a Grangegorman house, where Sylvia Shields and Mary Callanan were killed in 1997, was likely made by a Caterpillar boot. He compared the imprint with black Caterpillar boots belonging to accused Mark Nash, noting the boots were heavily worn and had mechanical damage. McCullough argued the imprint matched the boot's sole pattern but the boot's wear was inconsistent with a new boot, suggesting a newer Caterpillar boot could have produced the mark. Dr Fiona Thornton examined Nash's jacket and boots in 1997, finding no blood stains. Michael Norton examined glass fragments from a duvet cover and a sheet, matching them to the kitchen window at Orchard View, but found no glass in Nash's jacket pockets. The court heard these findings on the day of the hearing. Mark Nash pleaded not guilty.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin, William Moran, aged 20, is charged with the 2012 murder of Martin Brophy, aged 22, at the old Waterford Institute of Technology building. Moran pleaded not guilty and is on trial. The court heard that Moran, in a voluntary statement on 29 May 2012, admitted kicking Brophy in the head ten times. In a Garda interview on 2 July 2012, he confirmed the admission, saying "I remember" and "I pushed and kicked him". He also stated that he had lost his phone on the night of 19 May 2012 and that the SIM card and phone were not together. Moran denied that the kicks caused Brophy's death, saying "he was still alive when I left". He also claimed he did not murder Brophy. The trial continues tomorrow before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of four women and seven men.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Detective Garda Catherine McGowan, aged 48, pleaded not guilty to forging a letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and to using a false instrument in 2009 and 2011. The alleged forged letter, dated 14 January 2009, claimed no prosecution would be brought in a clerical child‑abuse case. McGowan's actions were investigated after the Murphy Report examined church and state responses to clerical abuse. The State's counsel argued that McGowan had fabricated the forgery to mislead investigators, citing her repeated lies to solicitors and alleged victims. Defence counsel maintained that McGowan had acted diligently and refused to admit wrongdoing when confronted with evidence of forgery. The trial concluded with the State and defence delivering closing speeches; Judge Mary Ellen Ring will now direct the jury to deliberate.
The Special Criminal Court ruled that the opinion evidence of Garda Chief Superintendent Peter Kirwan, who claimed that seven Dublin men were IRA members, was inadmissible because the defence was not informed beforehand that telephone intercepts underpinned his opinion. Kirwan had previously told the court that he believed, based on confidential information, that all seven accused were IRA members, and he claimed privilege over the sources. During cross‑examination he admitted the evidence was based on human sources and telephone intercepts. Justice Paul Butler declared a basic unfairness of procedure and ordered the belief evidence to be excluded. The trial was adjourned to Friday while the prosecution awaited instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions. The seven men—Kevin Braney, Des Christie, Hubert Duffy, William Jackson, Declan Phelan, John Brock and Darren Murphy—had pleaded not guilty to membership of an illegal organisation, the IRA, on 29 March 2013.
In the 33rd day of the murder trial of Graham Dwyer, the jury was shown a series of videos and text messages that the prosecution claims demonstrate the defendant's violent intent. The videos, seized from Dwyer's hard drives, include clips of a man stabbing himself, speaking about chloroform, and a scene where a man appears to stab a bound woman during sex. The prosecution also presented over 2,600 text messages recovered from various devices, many of which contain Dwyer's admissions of an "urge to rape, stab and kill" and discussions with Elaine O'Hara about potential violence. Dwyer, 42, is charged with murdering the 36‑year‑old childcare worker on 22 August 2012. He has pleaded not guilty. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men. The State maintains that Dwyer's actions were driven by sexual gratification. The case continues.
In the Waterford murder trial, a jury heard that a Facebook account linked to William Moran, a 20‑year‑old accused of killing 22‑year‑old Martin Brophy, sent messages to a friend. The account replied "I didn't do nothing" and later "I didn't do it kid" when asked by Darren Walsh. In another conversation, Moran's account said "I dunno his proper name – I don't even know where he lives" about Skip, and "I gave him some hiding" when asked what he did to him. The court also learned that a black Samsung Galaxy phone, seized from Gavin Walsh, had been used by Moran in a phone swap. No IP address linking the account to email activity was obtained for May. The trial continues before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of four women and seven men. William Moran pleaded not guilty.
The trial of Mark Nash at the Central Criminal Court resumed following legal argument on this date. Nash, aged 42, has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering two women in sheltered accommodation at Grangegorman in March 1997. The alleged victims, both residents of the facility attached to St Brendan's Psychiatric Hospital, died between March 6 and 7 that year. Forensic Science Laboratory staff gave evidence regarding DNA and blood analysis conducted on samples collected from the scene. A laboratory member stated that whilst DNA was extracted from timber bearing blood marks, the quantity proved insufficient for detailed profiling due to contamination. A second witness, now employed as an IT lecturer, presented findings from blood samples examined in 1997. Mr Justice Carroll Moran directed the jury to return at 11am the following morning for evidence to resume.
The trial of Wicklow Detective Garda Catherine McGowan, aged 48, was adjourned for a day because a jury member fell ill. McGowan pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of forgery for an alleged forged letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions dated 14 January 2009, and to two counts of using a false instrument relating to a clerical abuse case in 2011. The case was prompted by the Murphy Report on clerical sexual abuse. The trial will resume tomorrow before Judge Mary Ellen Ring with a 12‑person jury.