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2015-02-16 · Sligo
A 74‑year‑old Kerry man pleaded not guilty to eleven counts of indecent assault alleged to have occurred in County Kerry between January 1971 and December 1974. The Central Criminal Court will begin his trial on Thursday morning in Court Six before a different judge, with Mr Justice Paul Carney informing an eight‑man, four‑woman jury that the hearing will last three days.
2015-02-16 · Cavan
A Dublin man has been convicted of manslaughter but acquitted of murder following a five-day trial at the Central Criminal Court. Kevin Moran, aged 30, was charged with the murder of archaeologist Emmett Connolly, 32, at Lodgeview in Cootehill, Co Cavan on 29 September 2013. The jury returned a majority verdict of 10 to 2, finding Moran guilty of manslaughter and not guilty of murder after five hours and eleven minutes of deliberation. Evidence presented during the trial outlined that the deceased sustained 17 stab wounds following an alcohol-fuelled altercation. The court heard testimony regarding Moran's statements to gardaí, in which he described both panic and rage as motivations. Moran was remanded in custody pending sentencing on 9 March. Mr Justice Paul Carney directed the jury to consider provocation as a potential partial defence to the charge.
2015-02-13 · Cavan
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has been discharged for the weekend in the trial of a man accused of murdering archaeologist Emmett Connolly. Kevin Moran, aged 30, from Cootehill, County Cavan, is charged with the murder of Mr Connolly at Lodgeview, Cootehill on 29 September 2013. Mr Moran has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, a plea not accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Over five days of evidence, the jury of seven men and five women heard that the deceased was stabbed 17 times following a drink-fuelled argument on 28 September 2013. The court was told Mr Moran gave conflicting accounts to gardaí, initially stating he panicked during a fight before later claiming he acted in a rage. The jury began deliberations this morning and sat for four hours and 43 minutes before Mr Justice Paul Carney adjourned proceedings. Deliberations will resume Monday at 11am.
2015-02-13 · Waterford
In the trial of William Moran, a 20‑year‑old Waterford man, the court heard that the 22‑year‑old victim, Martin Brophy, died of blunt force trauma to the head. The forensic pathologist, Dr Khalid Jabbar, described extensive fractures to Brophy's skull, including temporal bone fractures and a hinge fracture across the base of the skull. He noted subarachnoid haemorrhage, brain swelling, and bruising to both sides of the brain and the base of the skull. Additional injuries included trauma to the eyelids, ears, nose, neck, shoulders, abdomen, back, chest, and all four limbs. Dr Jabbar stated that the head bore the brunt of the impact, which could have been caused by kicking, stamping or stomping, and that acute ethanol intoxication was a contributing factor. The jury heard that Brophy's death was rapid but not instantaneous. The trial, expected to last three weeks, continues before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of four women and eight men. William Moran pleaded not guilty.
2015-02-12 · Cavan
A murder trial at the Central Criminal Court heard that archaeologist Emmett Connolly sustained 17 stab wounds during an incident at a house in Cootehill, County Cavan on September 28, 2013. Kevin Moran, aged 30, of Lodgeview, Cootehill, is charged with Mr Connolly's murder. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, a plea the Director of Public Prosecutions did not accept. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis gave evidence describing the fatal injuries, predominantly to the deceased's left shoulder, arm and upper back. Several wounds penetrated deeply, with one reaching 12 centimetres and damaging the left lung. Dr Curtis stated the cause of death was multiple stab wounds. The court heard Mr Connolly, aged 32, an archaeologist who had recently returned from Australia, had high levels of alcohol in his system. The prosecution argued the evidence pointed to murder, while the defence submitted circumstances surrounding Mr Moran's personal loss were relevant to the case. The trial was continuing.
2015-02-12 · Wexford
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Sandra Doyle, aged 37, was found not guilty of stealing over €102,000 from the AIB bank account of retired chef Fergus Brugha, aged 62. Doyle had pleaded not guilty to 131 theft charges covering transactions between September 2008 and May 2010, including payments to Ticketmaster, a veterinary clinic, a beauty clinic, a Dundrum credit union, and mobile phone top‑ups. Judge Patrick McCartan directed the jury to acquit, stating the evidence was "entirely confused and inconclusive" and that there was insufficient proof to sustain the charges. Doyle denied all allegations, claiming she had not made any payments without permission and had not used Brugha's card. The judge noted Brugha's own uncertainty about some transactions and his admission that he may have authorized certain payments, leaving the jury to decide which, if any, were authorized. The case concluded with Doyle's acquittal.
2015-02-12 · Dublin
During the Graham Dwyer trial, evidence was presented that Elaine O'Hara had experienced persistent, obsessional thoughts and fantasies from the age of 12. She had sought psychiatric care from 2007 until her disappearance in August 2012, when she was discharged from a mental health hospital. Dr Matt Murphy testified that O'Hara had been treated for borderline personality disorder, with a history of self‑harm and masochistic behaviour, and that she had been on a reduced dose of medication and receiving cognitive‑behavioural therapy in 2012. He reported that she had no indication of suicidality at discharge and was planning to return to work. The trial also heard that O'Hara's skeletal remains were found at Killakee in September 2013, with the cause of death undetermined. The case remains in court before Mr Justice Tony Hunt. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
2015-02-11 · Dublin
The trial of Graham Dwyer at Dublin Central Criminal Court heard that on the night before Elaine O'Hara's murder, a nurse suggested she report a man who was repeatedly visiting her apartment. A friend warned O'Hara that she was "playing a dangerous game" by allowing an architect she met online to cut her. Witnesses gave evidence on the 15th day of the trial. Dwyer, 42, is charged with the murder of the 36‑year‑old childcare worker on 22 August 2012, hours after she was discharged from a mental‑health hospital. The court heard that O'Hara had been in a relationship with a man who liked to cut her, that she had not reported him to Gardaí because he had children, and that she had been physically hurt by him. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
2015-02-11 · Cavan
A man charged with murdering an archaeologist has been presented to the Central Criminal Court with evidence of his changing accounts to gardai following the death. Kevin Moran, aged 30, of Lodgeview in Cootehill, County Cavan, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The charge relates to the death of Emmett Connolly on 29 September 2013 at the same address. During the trial before Justice Paul Carney, the jury heard that Moran initially told gardai from Bailieborough station he had stabbed Mr Connolly in panic during a fight, but subsequently claimed he had acted in a rage. Prosecution counsel presented evidence of a seven-inch kitchen knife recovered at the scene and pathology findings indicating eighteen stab wounds primarily to the victim's back and left arm. Forensic evidence suggested the injuries were inflicted whilst the deceased was in a seated position on the floor. The trial continues.
2015-02-11 · Dublin
The trial of Sandra Doyle, aged 37, continues at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. She denies stealing money from the AIB bank account of retired chef Fergus Brugha, aged 62, over a three‑year period. Evidence shows disputed transactions to Ticketmaster, online motor tax, a veterinary clinic, a beauty clinic, a Dundrum credit union account and mobile phone top‑ups. Doyle, of McCabe's Villas, Booterstown, pleaded not guilty to 131 theft counts at AIB Bank, Morehampton Road, Donnybrook, covering September 2008 to May 2010. Judge Patrick McCartan told the jury to return tomorrow after the State finished its evidence.
2015-02-11 · Dublin
During the 14th day of Graham Dwyer's murder trial, Dr Matthew Corcoran, Elaine O'Hara's GP, testified that her depression had improved in the years before her death. He treated her mainly for asthma, noting she also had low Vitamin B12, mild diabetes and was on a cholesterol tablet. Corcoran confirmed he had not managed her depression but received discharge letters from her psychiatric hospital and sometimes renewed her prescriptions. He described her last visit on 10 July 2012, when she had sinusitis and mild respiratory symptoms, and prescribed antibiotics and steroids. Under cross‑examination, he acknowledged she had been admitted to hospital 14 times, some involving self‑harm, and that she had a history of depression and anxiety. He did not comment on the circumstances of her death, which remains undetermined. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury.
2015-02-11 · Cavan
At the Central Criminal Court, a jury heard that gardaí discovered the body of Patricia Kierans at her family home in Drumbannon, Bailieboro, County Cavan, on the evening of 5 September 2013. Garda Adrian O'Hanlon of Virginia Garda Station testified that he found Ms Kierans lying on the floor of a bedroom containing a cot. Oliver Kierans, aged 57, has pleaded not guilty to her murder on that date, and also to unlawful possession of a double-barrel shotgun and possession of the weapon with intent to endanger life. The court heard evidence that gardaí attended The Square bar in Bailieboro as part of a critical incident response, where the accused was later arrested at 3.20am. The trial, before Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly and a jury, addresses legal issues and will resume with evidence on Friday.
2015-02-10 · Waterford
The trial opened for 21‑year‑old William Moran, charged with the murder of 22‑year‑old Martin Brophy, who died from severe head injuries in Waterford in May 2012. Moran pleaded not guilty. The prosecution presented evidence that Moran had told a friend on Facebook that he had "beat" Brophy to death with a lock and had used a concrete block on his head. CCTV footage showed Moran and another man with two girls entering the old WIT building on 19 May 2012; the girls left around 9:50 pm, while the men remained. Witnesses testified that an argument arose between Moran and Brophy over a cousin, Ray Connelly, and that Moran subsequently assaulted Brophy, grabbing him, kicking his head, stamping on a metal locker, and throwing a concrete block at him. The prosecution described the injuries as forced trauma to the head, with alcohol intoxication as a contributing factor.
2015-02-10 · Dublin
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Fergus Brugha, aged 62, testified that he never authorised Sandra Doyle, aged 37, to withdraw €102,000 from his AIB bank account over a three‑year period. Doyle, who lives in Booterstown and previously in Gorey, pleaded not guilty to 131 theft counts covering the period from September 2008 to May 2010. The disputed transactions included payments to Ticketmaster, online motor tax, a veterinary clinic, a beauty clinic, a Dundrum credit union account and mobile phone top‑ups. Brugha explained that he had given Doyle money for a college course and a catering job, and that they had a non‑sexual, friendship‑based relationship. He noted that he had not regularly checked his statements and that he had been unaware of the withdrawals until he noticed money moving to a credit union account. The trial, presided over by Judge Patrick McCartan, is scheduled to continue until Friday.
2015-02-10 · Cavan
A barman has given evidence at the Central Criminal Court that the accused man aimed a sawn-off shotgun at a garda on the day his wife went missing. Oliver Kierans, aged 57, of Drumbannon in Bailieboro, County Cavan, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patricia Kierans on 5 September 2013 at their home address. He also denies unlawful possession of a 12-gauge double-barrel shotgun and possession of the weapon with intent to endanger life. The witness testified that after the accused and his wife had separated, he had abstained from alcohol, but resumed drinking in early September. On 5 September, the witness described the accused as heavily intoxicated and recalled him saying there would be significant news in the town the following day. The court heard that when a garda arrived at a public house, the accused raised the shotgun and directed it at the officer while asking him to leave. A delivery man also gave evidence of seeing the accused that day. The trial continues before Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly.
2015-02-10 · Dublin
The trial of Graham Dwyer at the Central Criminal Court heard testimony from two men who met Elaine O'Hara on the alternative‑sexuality website alt.com. Robert Cullen Jones, who met O'Hara in March 2011, described their meetings in Dundrum Shopping Centre and at her apartment in Stepaside, noting her interest in bondage and the presence of handcuffs and vibrators. He also recalled receiving texts from her and later deleting her number. Seán Guerin SC presented items recovered from Vartry Reservoir, including a butt plug, and questioned the witness about her sexual fantasies. Mark Guerin, another alt.com user, recounted meetings with O'Hara in Blackrock and Stepaside, describing her restraints and references to self‑harm. The jury heard that O'Hara was last seen on 22 August 2012, her remains found at Killakee on 13 September 2013, with no cause of death determined. The case remains before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury.
2015-02-09 · Dublin
In the 2015 trial of 42‑year‑old Graham Dwyer, the jury was shown video footage of him flying a model aeroplane at a family day on 19 August 2012, three days before the alleged murder of childcare worker Elaine O'Hara. The footage was presented by John Flynn, a member of the Roundwood Model Aeronautical Club, who confirmed Dwyer's participation in a 2011 competition and his flying of a blue and black Extra 300 electric plane on 24 June 2012. Flynn also verified that no club event occurred on 22 August 2012. Additional witnesses from the Shankill Radio Flying Club discussed a dead sheep found near the club and Dwyer's use of various cars. The trial also examined Dwyer's work records, confirming he worked a normal eight‑hour day on 22 August 2012, and noted that O'Hara's skeletal remains were found at Killakee on 13 September 2013.
2015-02-09 · Cavan
At the Central Criminal Court, a murder trial heard that a fifty-seven-year-old man from Bailieboro in Cavan appeared depressed in the days before his wife's death in September 2013. Oliver Kierans has pleaded not guilty to murdering Patricia Kierans on 5 September 2013 at their home in Drumbannon. He also denies unlawful possession of a shotgun and intent to endanger life with the weapon. A witness told the court that Mr Kierans seemed "down in the dumps" when they met on 31 August 2013, and spoke about harming himself. Another witness, a local dressmaker, said she had expected to meet Mrs Kierans on the day she died but received no answer when she rang. A manager at a local off-licence testified that Mr Kierans purchased two naggins of whiskey on the morning of 5 September. The trial continues before Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly and a jury.
2015-02-09 · Cavan
A Dublin man has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court charged with the murder of Emmett Connolly at a house in Cootehill, County Cavan on 29 September 2013. Kevin Moran, aged 30, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, a plea the Director of Public Prosecutions did not accept. The court heard that gardaí discovered Mr Connolly with stab wounds to his chest, shoulder and back at the property. The prosecution alleges Mr Moran used excessive force during an altercation between the two men, who had not previously known each other. Mr Moran's account suggests the confrontation arose over drugs and that he acted in self-defence with a kitchen knife. A witness who was present at the house stated the two men appeared to get on well before he retired to bed. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Carney and a jury.
2015-02-09 · Waterford
William Moran, aged 20, stands trial in the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Martin Brophy, which occurred at the old Waterford Institute of Technology building between 20 and 21 May 2012. Moran pleaded not guilty. Judge Patrick J McCarthy informed the jury that the trial is expected to last three weeks and will open tomorrow.
2015-02-09 · Dublin
The trial of Graham Dwyer, a 42‑year‑old architect, has heard that he worked a normal eight‑hour shift on the day he is alleged to have murdered childcare worker Elaine O'Hara. Testimony from Siobhán McKevitt, manager of the Baggot Street firm, confirmed that Dwyer's office records show he worked a standard 40‑hour week in the weeks ending 19 and 26 August 2012, and that he worked a normal eight‑hour day on 22 August 2012, the day of the alleged murder. No record indicated he left early that day. The jury also heard that O'Hara's skeletal remains were found at Killakee on 13 September 2013, with no cause of death determined, and that her glasses, keys, and other personal items were recovered from the Vartry Reservoir. The case is proceeding before Mr Justice Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men.
2015-02-06 · Dublin
The Special Criminal Court trial of eight men accused of membership of an illegal organisation styling itself as the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA on March 29, 2013, heard evidence regarding a Garda operation at a used car lot in Clondalkin. Kevin Braney, Des Christie, Eamon McNamee, Hubert Duffy, William Jackson, Declan Phelan, John Brock, and Darren Murphy have all pleaded not guilty to the alleged charges. Detective Sergeant John Holland testified that the primary purpose of the entry was the preservation of life, following reports of an immediate threat to the safety of the yard's owner by the IRA. The court heard that William Jackson, Darren Murphy, and John Brock were restrained and flexi-cuffed after being removed from a van. Detective Sergeant Donal Prenty stated that pepper spray, cable ties, balaclavas, gloves, and a Glock handgun were found on the premises. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Paul Butler, Judge Alison Lindsay, and Judge William Hamill.
2015-02-06 · Cavan
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has heard that Oliver Kierans, aged 57, of Drumbannon, Bailieboro in Cavan, was involved in a siege at a public house on the same day he is alleged to have shot his wife. Mr Kierans has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patricia Kierans on 5 September 2013 at their home address. He has also pleaded not guilty to unlawful possession of a 12-gauge double-barrel shotgun and to intent to endanger life with the same weapon. The prosecution opened the trial on Friday, telling the jury that the accused and Mrs Kierans had been married over 33 years but were living separately at the time. The court heard that following an incident at the family home, Mr Kierans subsequently attended The Square bar nearby, where he was later found armed. A standoff ensued before his eventual exit late that evening. The trial, before Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly and a jury, continues next week.
2015-02-06 · Dublin
During the 42‑day trial of 42‑year‑old Graham Dwyer at the Central Criminal Court, a detective presented a hand‑drawn map supplied by Dwyer's solicitor that led Gardaí to two knives in the basement of A&D Wejchert Architects. The map, titled 'Items of Interest', identified a shelf and two file boxes where the knives were found. One knife was a Buck Special 119, delivered to the office on 21 August 2012, and the other a flick knife. Dwyer is charged with the murder of 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara, who disappeared on 22 August 2012 after leaving a mental health hospital. The trial also heard evidence of a spade found near O'Hara's remains and other items linked to Dwyer, but no verdict has yet been reached.
2015-02-06 · Cavan
A Cavan man was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court on charges relating to the death of his wife in 2013. Oliver Kierans, aged 57, of Drumbannon, Bailieboro, pleaded not guilty to murdering Patricia Kierans on 5 September 2013 at their home address. He also entered not guilty pleas to unlawful possession of a 12-gauge double-barrel shotgun and to intent to endanger life with the same firearm. A jury of twelve was sworn in to hear the trial, which commenced before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and was expected to last approximately two weeks.
2015-02-05 · Dublin
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 5 February 2015, eight men were tried for alleged membership in the Irish Republican Army. The defendants – Kevin Braney, Des Christie, Eamon McNamee, Hubert Duffy, William Jackson, Declan Phelan, John Brock and Darren Murphy – all pleaded not guilty. The case centred on a Garda operation on 29 March 2013 at a used‑car lot in Clondalkin, where the men were arrested after a raid that followed an alleged extortion claim involving the owner of Crystal Cars, Jonathan McSharry. Detective Inspector Michael Gibbons testified that he had been informed that McSharry was being extorted by the IRA and that the men were "significant members" of the organisation. Gibbons described the arrest, the handling of McSharry, and the subsequent change in the Garda's perception of the situation. The trial was conducted before Mr Justice Paul Butler, Judge Alison Lindsay and Judge William Hamill in a non‑jury court. The proceedings remain ongoing.
2015-02-05 · Tipperary
The High Court has granted Independent TD Michael Lowry permission to challenge the proceedings of his trial on alleged tax offences before the Dublin Circuit Court. Judge Seamus Noonan, hearing the application, was satisfied that Lowry had an arguable case for a halt and ordered a stay pending further court orders. Lowry faces four charges of filing incorrect tax returns in 2003 and 2007, which he denies. He argues the prosecution is extraordinary because the alleged payments were declared and paid, and claims unfair selective treatment. Lowry also seeks prohibition orders on grounds of alleged prejudicial publicity and wrongful release of taxpayer information. He contends the transfer of the trial to Dublin breaches his rights and that media reports of a handwritten note to Taoiseach Enda Kenny prejudiced his case. The trial is scheduled for mention before the Dublin Circuit Court, but the court has indicated it may not be heard until late 2015 or early 2016.
2015-02-04 · Dublin
In the Graham Dwyer murder trial, the jury heard that a search of Dwyer's home and workplace on 17–18 October 2013 yielded 219 exhibits, including computers, hard drives, and financial documents. Among the seized items were letters from A&D Wejchert Architects informing Dwyer of pay cuts: a 10 % reduction from €87,350 to €78,615 in December 2010, and a further cut to €70,000 in June 2011. The prosecution argued the pay‑cut documents were relevant, while Dwyer's defence counsel noted no instruction to seek such documents. Other seized items included a jacket, a wetsuit, and a two‑drawer filing cabinet containing the pay‑cut letters. The trial also covered CCTV stills from Ms O'Hara's apartment block and the discovery of her skeletal remains at Killakee, but the focus of this hearing was the evidence of the pay cuts and the breadth of the search.
2015-02-04 · Dublin
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 4 February 2015, eight men—Kevin Braney, Des Christie, Eamon McNamee, Hubert Duffy, William Jackson, Declan Phelan, John Brock and Darren Murphy—pleaded not guilty to membership of an illegal organisation styled the Irish Republican Army. The court heard that on 29 March 2013, members of the Emergency Response Unit entered Crystal Cars, a used‑car lot in Clondalkin, and arrested five men in a portacabin. Garda Detective Sergeant John Kane described the officers' entry, the presence of five men, and the recovery of a lump hammer, balaclavas and cable ties. He said the operation was prompted by confidential information that a man at Crystal Cars was targeted for extortion by the IRA and his life was in danger. Garda Detective Sergeant Gerald Doherty confirmed that he secured the five men, who were identified as Braney, Phelan, Duffy, McNamee and Christie, and that the officers remained until the arrest team arrived.
2015-02-04 · Dublin
During the 42‑year‑old Graham Dwyer's trial, the Gardaí presented CCTV stills from Elaine O'Hara's apartment block to his son, Sennan McShea, to determine if he could identify anyone in the footage. The stills depicted a man the prosecution had already identified as the architect accused of O'Hara's murder. The trial, held in the Central Criminal Court, heard from Garda Paul Corcoran, who showed the stills to McShea on 18 October 2013, and from Garda Keith Gantly, who explained that only one camera was operational in the Shangannah area on the night of O'Hara's disappearance and that it was pointed in the wrong direction. The court also heard that O'Hara's skeletal remains were found at Killakee on 13 September 2013, with her glasses and keys recovered from a lake. The proceedings continue before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men. The unnamed 42-year-old pleaded not guilty.
2015-02-03 · Dublin
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a jury examined CCTV footage from Belarmine Plaza in Dublin that appears to show Graham Dwyer, aged 42, with Elaine O'Hara, aged 36, outside her home in the months before her murder. The footage, covering January to August 2012, includes several instances where Dwyer is seen entering and leaving the building, sometimes accompanied by O'Hara, and carrying a backpack that matches a bag recovered from Vartry Lake. The prosecution highlighted these clips to suggest a relationship between Dwyer and O'Hara. Dwyer is charged with O'Hara's murder, which occurred on 22 August 2012 after she was discharged from a psychiatric hospital. The trial also covered the discovery of her skeletal remains at Killakee and the subsequent search of Dwyer's home and workplace, where various items were seized. The case is proceeding before Mr Justice Tony Hunt with a jury of twelve.
2015-02-03 · Dublin
The trial of Graham Dwyer, a 42‑year‑old architect, is in its tenth day at the Central Criminal Court. He is charged with the murder of 36‑year‑old Elaine O'Hara, who was found dead in the Dublin Mountains at Killakee, Rathfarnham on 22 August 2012, shortly after she was discharged from a psychiatric hospital. Dwyer, a Cork‑born father of two, lives on Kerrymount Close in Foxrock, Dublin, and has pleaded not guilty. The jury heard that a dog walker discovered O'Hara's remains on 13 September 2013, and that glasses found in a Wicklow lake matched her prescription. Gardaí testified that they searched Dwyer's home and office on 17 October 2013, seizing an Audi, a Land Rover, and various computers from his workplace on Lower Baggot Street. The accused was arrested by Detective Sergeant Peter Woods when he answered the front door shortly after 7 a.m. on the day of the arrest.
2015-02-02 · Wexford
Two Wexford businessmen, Noel Hayes (61) and William O'Leary (51), were acquitted of forging the will of Matthew Hayes, dated between December 1998 and January 1999, at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The jury, composed of eight men and four women, returned a not‑guilty verdict after about two and a half hours of deliberation on the ninth day of the trial. The prosecution's key witness, Charlie O'Leary, had previously pleaded guilty to a related offence and received an 18‑month suspended sentence, and he testified that the will was signed a week after Matthew Hayes' death. He alleged that Noel Hayes sought to resolve an old land dispute and that the O'Leary brothers had a bitter business relationship that led to ongoing legal disputes, including a high‑court case where Charlie O'Leary was awarded around €3 million. William O'Leary pleaded not guilty. Noel Hayes pleaded not guilty.
2015-01-30 · Dublin
The Special Criminal Court has ruled against surveillance gardaí who claimed privilege over revealing the number of officers observing suspects. This occurred during the trial of eight men—Kevin Braney, Des Christie, Eamon McNamee, Hubert Duffy, William Jackson, Declan Phelan, John Brock, and Darren Murphy—all of whom pleaded not guilty to alleged membership of an illegal organisation styling itself as the Irish Republican Army on March 29, 2013. The prosecution alleges the men were observed by the National Surveillance Unit in Finglas and Clondalkin before being arrested at a used car lot in Clondalkin, where items including a Glock pistol, balaclavas, and cable ties were allegedly found. During cross-examination, a garda claimed privilege regarding the number of officers in his vehicle, arguing disclosure would compromise state security. The court partially upheld this claim but allowed questioning on whether others were present to take notes. The public was excluded during testimony to protect trade craft. The trial continues before Mr Justice Butler, Judge Alison Lindsay, and Judge William Hamill, with the prosecution relying on surveillance sightings, seized items, and interview responses.
2015-01-30 · Dublin
The Central Criminal Court adjourned the seventh day of evidence in the trial of 42‑year‑old architect Graham Dwyer, charged with the murder of Elaine O'Hara, because a juror could not attend. Justice Tony Hunt sent the remaining jurors home, noting that the parties had already scheduled a day of work in their absence for Monday, giving the absent juror an extra day. He also warned the jurors not to discuss the case over the long weekend. Dwyer is accused of killing the 36‑year‑old childcare worker in the Dublin Mountains at Killakee, Rathfarnham, on 22 August 2012, hours after she was discharged from hospital as a psychiatric patient.
2015-01-29 · Wicklow
The trial of 42‑year‑old architect Graham Dwyer, charged with the murder of 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara, has heard evidence that items recovered from a Wicklow lake in October 2013 matched O'Hara's personal belongings. Glasses found in the lake were shown to have the same prescription and frames as those prescribed to O'Hara, and a set of keys recovered from the water matched keys to her car and home. The items, which included bondage cuffs, a leather mask, a ball gag, a blindfold, a knife, a rope, a chain, a Nokia mobile phone, a white vibrator, a black anal plug, a red battery‑operated device, a red kidney‑shaped object, a ski mask, a gold bracelet, a Tesco Mobile SIM card, a metal band, a pair of sunglasses, a pair of glasses, a pair of shorts and a Real Madrid dressing gown, were presented to the jury.
2015-01-28 · Wexford
During a trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Noel Hayes, a 61‑year‑old vegetable wholesaler from Ramsgrange, Co. Wexford, pleaded not guilty to forging the will of Matthew Hayes, a bachelor farmer, alongside his brother William O'Leary, 51, from New Ross. The alleged forging is said to have occurred between December 1998 and January 1999. Noel Hayes claimed that the prosecution witness, Charles O'Leary, was "blinded with anger" against William, describing William as a "tormented man" during the period when their business relationship deteriorated. Charles O'Leary had previously pleaded guilty to forging the same will, receiving an 18‑month suspended sentence and a €30,000 payment to the next of kin. He was also awarded about €3 million in a High Court case against the company he ran with William. Noel Hayes testified that the will was drawn up and signed on 31 August 1998, and that Matthew died on Christmas Day that year.
2015-01-28 · Dublin
The Special Criminal Court has ordered the exclusion of the public during evidence from six Garda National Surveillance Unit (NSU) members in the ongoing trial of eight Dublin men. Presiding Judge Paul Butler ruled that the officers must not be named and that specific details regarding NSU tradecraft and methodology are subject to publication bans, citing risks to their safety. The defendants—Kevin Braney, Des Christie, Eamon McNamee, Hubert Duffy, William Jackson, Declan Phelan, John Brock, and Darren Murphy—each pleaded not guilty to the alleged charge of membership of an illegal organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA, on March 29, 2013. Prosecution counsel Tara Burns SC stated that the men were arrested at a used car sales lot in Clondalkin on Good Friday, 2013, following surveillance. Items allegedly found during subsequent searches included cable ties, balaclavas, a Glock pistol, a baseball bat, and pepper spray. The prosecution case relies on NSU sightings, the seized items, the defendants' responses to garda questioning, and opinion evidence from Detective Chief Superintendent Peter Kirwan. The trial is continuing.
2015-01-28 · Dublin
In the Central Criminal Court trial of 42‑year‑old architect Graham Dwyer, the jury was shown a photograph of a punctured, blood‑stained mattress found in Elaine O'Hara's apartment at Belarmine Plaza, Stepaside. The mattress, removed by Detective Garda Brian Barry, displayed multiple puncture cuts and blood staining. The trial also presented evidence that O'Hara's remains were discovered in a forest in the Dublin Mountains on 13 September 2013, where forensic anthropologist Laureen Buckley testified that the skeleton was largely recovered and that the body had decomposed for about a year. Dwyer is charged with O'Hara's murder on 22 August 2012, after she was discharged from hospital as a psychiatric patient. The case continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men.
2015-01-27 · Dublin
In the trial of 42‑year‑old architect Graham Dwyer, the jury heard that a document titled "The Gorean Lifestyle: A Woman's Right is Slave" and two large metal chains were found in Elaine O'Hara's home shortly after her disappearance in August 2012. The document, read by the prosecution, describes a "slave" lifestyle for women, detailing how a woman's identity is subsumed under a master and how refusal to obey can lead to punishment or death. Garda James Codd testified that he seized a black plastic bag containing a PVC dress, a lubricant bottle, a rope, a gas mask, and a printout of the document. He also reported finding bloodstains on the mattress when the bed was stripped. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, continues with a jury of five women and seven men. The case remains ongoing.
2015-01-27 · Meath
The jury has begun deliberating in the trial of Lateef Bello, a 42‑year‑old Dublin man from Clonee, who has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to attempted murder of Adejoke Opesusi, burglary, criminal damage, endangerment and assault causing harm. The prosecution, represented by Paul O'Higgins SC, presented evidence that Bello, a former taxi driver, believed his wife was having an affair and that he was hearing voices and experiencing religious delusions. He allegedly broke into Mr. Oroleye's house, smashed property, drove his car at Mr. Carrick, and then approached Mrs. Opesusi at Littleplace Close, stabbing and choking her. The defence, led by Michael Bowman SC, described Bello's behaviour on 19 February 2012 as terrifying and mentally unwell, citing a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia and a two‑month stay at Central Medical Hospital. Mr. Justice Paul McDermott instructed the jury of seven men and five women to return a unanimous decision.
2015-01-27 · Wexford
During the trial of William O'Leary and Noel Hayes for forging a will, a retired nurse, Marian Argue, testified that she had advised a caller that the elderly farmer Matthew Hayes might not have been medically capable of making a will. Argue, who worked on St Aidan's Ward at Wexford General Hospital in 1998, described Hayes as thin, emaciated, incontinent, and bruised on his right hip. She noted that he was receiving IV fluids and was nursed on alternative sides, and that he responded very little, making it difficult to understand him. Argue could not confirm whether Noel Hayes visited each day or was present at Matthew's death. The trial, held in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, continues with Judge Patricia Ryan presiding and a jury of eight men and four women. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty. Noel Hayes pleaded not guilty.
2015-01-27 · Galway
Mark Nash (42) pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to the murder of two women, Sylvia Shields and Mary Callanan, who died between 6 and 7 March 1997. The victims were residing in sheltered accommodation at a house attached to St Brendan's Psychiatric Hospital in Grangegorman. On 27 January 2015, three gardaí from Mill Street Station in Galway gave evidence about encountering Nash on the Tuam Road in Galway on 16 August 1997. Garda Caroline McKenna testified that when she approached Nash, he identified himself and warned her to stay away or he would kill her, then produced a hammer from his pocket. The court heard Nash subsequently threw a bicycle aside and fled. During his escape, he was struck by a van, used the hammer to damage the vehicle's window, and attempted to enter a nearby house before being restrained. Nash was arrested at 7.45pm that evening. The trial, which is expected to last six to eight weeks, was adjourned pending legal submissions.
2015-01-27 · Dublin
During the fourth day of the 42‑year‑old Graham Dwyer's trial at the Central Criminal Court, the jury was shown two large metal chains found in Elaine O'Hara's bedside locker shortly after her disappearance in August 2012. Retired Detective Garda Ultan Sherlock identified the chains from the witness box. Mr Dwyer, an architect, is charged with the murder of the 36‑year‑old childcare worker in the Dublin Mountains on 22 August 2012, hours after she was discharged from hospital as a psychiatric patient. The case involves the discovery of Ms O'Hara's skeletal remains at Killakee, Rathfarnham, on 13 September 2013, and the finding of her keys in an almost‑dry reservoir in Wicklow. The unnamed 42-year-old pleaded not guilty.
2015-01-26 · Dublin
The Central Criminal Court trial of Graham Dwyer, a 42-year-old architect accused of murdering Elaine O'Hara in August 2012, continued with testimony from family members. Dwyer, who has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of the 36-year-old childcare worker at Killakee, Rathfarnham, faces charges related to her death hours after her discharge from a psychiatric hospital. Her brother, John O'Hara, testified that he found printouts of hunting knives and a notebook containing the URL for the fetish lifestyle website FetLife in her apartment. He reported finding a profile named 'Chained Brunette' on the site. Sheila Hawkins, the deceased's father's partner, described recoiling from oily latex found in the home and clarified that her knowledge of O'Hara's BDSM interests came from conversations with her father. Ann Charles, O'Hara's sister, described her as naive and trusting, noting a miscarriage in 2011. Conor Gilfoyle, the last person to see O'Hara alive, testified to giving her directions near Shanganagh Cemetery. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, is ongoing and expected to last up to eight weeks.
2015-01-26 · Meath
Lateef Bello, 42, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to attempted murder of Adejoke Opesusi and related offences. Bello, originally from Africa and a taxi driver, claimed he believed his wife was being poisoned by a neighbour and that a separate neighbour had influenced her. On 18‑19 February 2012, he used a fire extinguisher to break car windshields, smashed a house front window, and entered Opesusi's home with two knives. He stabbed her, choked her, and also stabbed her daughter. He fled through a bedroom window when police approached but was apprehended. Prior to the incident, Bello had threatened self‑harm and accused his wife of infidelity. Garda investigation and a psychiatric assessment diagnosed him with schizophrenia. The trial is set before Mr Justice Paul McDermott with a jury of twelve.
2015-01-26 · Dublin
Injuries to women found dead in Grangegorman 'outside' pathologist's experience, jury hear. At the trial of Mark Nash (42), who has last addresses at Prussia Street and Clonliffe Road in Dublin, the jury heard that retired State Pathologist John Harbison described the serious injuries to Sylvia Shields (60) and Mary Callanan (61), found dead in sheltered accommodation in Grangegorman in March 1997, as 'outside' his experience in 26 years. Mark Nash has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Sylvia Shields and Mary Callanan between March 6 and March 7, 1997. Former State Pathologist Professor John Harbison's lengthy reports were read to the court by Mr Brendan Grehan SC, acting for the State, detailing the post-mortems. The reports indicated that Ms Callanan had died from a stab wound to her left lung, the cutting of her throat, and three superficial stab wounds to her heart, with an attempt made to amputate her left breast. Ms Shields had died from bleeding into her chest, described as a 'quick death' due to massive bleeding from the aorta. Detective Garda Eugene Gilligan, who was attached to the Garda Technical Bureau at the time, testified about the discovery of the bodies and the knives found at the scene. The trial continues.
2015-01-26 · Dublin
During the Central Criminal Court trial of 42‑year‑old Graham Dwyer, the partner of Elaine O'Hara's father, Sheila Hawkins, testified that she "recoiled" when she found oily latex in O'Hara's apartment on August 24, 2012. Hawkins, a psychologist, described how she and O'Hara's father were searching for a passport and that she had put her hand into a straw basket on a shelving unit, feeling an oily rubber substance that she identified as black latex. She did not inform O'Hara's father at the time because he was "very distressed." Hawkins also discussed her knowledge of O'Hara's interest in BDSM, which she said came from a conversation with O'Hara's father, and her recollection of O'Hara confiding that she had had sex for the first time in 2011. The trial, which is scheduled to last up to eight weeks, continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men. Graham Dwyer pleaded not guilty.
2015-01-23 · Dublin
The 55‑day Special Criminal Court trial of Dean Evans (24), Edward McGrath (33) and Sharif Kelly (44) for the murder of 35‑year‑old Peter Butterly collapsed after a failure in evidence disclosure. Judge Deirdre Murphy ruled the court must discharge itself as a jury and order a retrial. The collapse followed the revelation that privileged material from witness David Cullen's 2013 statement had been inadequately disclosed. Cullen, who had testified that he was part of the murder plan and had turned State's witness, had been given a partially redacted statement to the defence, breaching cross‑examination rights. The judge cited the unexplained failure of disclosure as undermining the integrity of the process, leading to the decision to remand Evans and McGrath in custody and Kelly on bail pending a new trial. The original case involved the shooting of Butterly in the car park of the Huntsman Inn, Gormanston, on 6 March 2013. Sharif Kelly pleaded not guilty. Dean Evans pleaded not guilty. Edward McGrath pleaded not guilty.
2015-01-23 · Dublin
The trial of Mark Nash, aged 42, accused of murdering Sylvia Shields (60) and Mary Callanan (61) in Grangegorman in March 1997, continues in legal argument. Nash pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. Evidence was heard from Garda Michael McGrath and undertaker Ronan Stafford. Mr Justice Carroll Moran sent the jury home on Friday and instructed them to return Monday at 11 a.m. The trial is expected to last six to eight weeks.