During the murder trial of law professor and farmer Michael Phelan, witness Alexandra Fernandes testified that she was "frozen to the spot" and afraid when she saw two intruders walking toward Phelan on the farm. She described seeing a rainbow and telling co‑workers to make a wish, and that one said, "I just want to stay alive for today," which astonished her. Fernandes said she had seen the intruders, described as determined, walking up the field and that Phelan fired a third shot at the same time the intruders were turning to leave. She reported hearing a noise like a firecracker and that the shots were fired quickly, with no time between them. Fernandes also stated she had not seen the first intruder reach for his pockets. The testimony was given in direct evidence on Tuesday and was cross‑examined by the defence. The trial continues before a jury.
In the murder trial of law professor and farmer Mr Phelan, French farmhand Alexandra Fernandes, aged 48, testified that on 22 February 2022 she was working on his farm when two unarmed trespassers approached. She claimed she heard Mr Phelan fire three shots from his revolver while the men were turning away. Fernandes described seeing the first man turn back as the third shot was fired, and that blood appeared on his head. She said Mr Phelan had then approached the injured man, offered first‑aid, and left in a buggy. The prosecution alleges the third shot killed Keith Conlon, 36, who died two days later. The case is being heard by Justice Siobhan Lankford with a jury of nine men and three women. The trial continues tomorrow. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court trial of Thomas 'Nicky' McConnell, who denies murdering Gareth Hutch, resumed after a more than one‑year adjournment. McConnell, aged 38, is accused of shooting Hutch, 36, outside his home in 2016. The trial had been paused in June 2023 when a judge could not continue, and was further delayed by a year while awaiting a Supreme Court ruling on the admissibility of mobile‑phone data. On resumption, Judge Alex Owens rejected arguments that McConnell's arrest was unlawful and that the Gardaí had exceeded their authority in seizing mobile phones found beside his bed. McConnell has pleaded not guilty. The prosecution alleges he and Jonathan Keogh used an apartment opposite Hutch's home as a lookout, followed Hutch from his front door, and shot him dead. The final evidence will be heard tomorrow before the court's closing speech. The case follows earlier convictions of Regina Keogh, Jonathan Keogh and Thomas Fox for the same murder.
The trial of Diarmuid Phelan, a 56‑year‑old barrister and farmer, for the murder of Keith Conlon, a 36‑year‑old trespasser, is ongoing. Judge Siobhan Lankford informed the jury that a translation issue arose concerning a French‑speaking witness, Pierre Godreu, who described Phelan as "really p***ed off" before the shooting. The judge clarified that the French word "énervé" was translated as "pissed off" but is not a vulgar term and lacks the intensifier "really." The judge explained the nuances of translation and the range of meanings of "énervé." The trial resumed with evidence from a Garda mapping expert, Detective Padraig Coone, who described the terrain of Hazelgrove Farm and the trajectory of the fatal shot. The prosecution's case, presented by Roisin Lacey, alleges that Phelan fired a third shot at Conlon's head, intending to kill or cause serious injury. Diarmuid Phelan pleaded not guilty.
The trial of former Ireland rugby international Brendan Mullin and McCann Fitzgerald litigation partner Roddy Bourke continues at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury. Both men, who have pleaded not guilty to all charges, face 15 counts each, including stealing over €570,000 from Bank of Ireland Private Bank, one count of deception, and five counts of false accounting. The prosecution alleges that Mullin, who was managing director of the bank at the time, authorised payments for personal legal and accounting work. Evidence presented includes emails and invoices where Mullin allegedly instructed that bills should not be sent to the office but to him personally. The court heard details regarding the manipulation of invoices for litigation costs, including handwritten alterations to change billing addresses and descriptions to facilitate payment by the bank. The matter is currently at the trial stage, with no findings, sentences, or finalisations recorded. The trial continues.
Heineken Ireland Ltd was ordered by the Workplace Relations Commission to pay €29,000 to former employee Keith Hackett after a tribunal found that the company's human resources team had failed to consider the "rough‑and‑tumble" culture of its brewhouse when concluding that Hackett had bullied and harassed two colleagues. Hackett had originally sought €90,000 for loss of earnings after being dismissed in October 2022, but the tribunal reduced the figure to €18,000, citing a lack of evidence that he had been offered alternative work or a performance bonus. The tribunal noted that the disciplinary investigations were limited by the terms of reference given by Heineken, which prevented a conclusive finding of bullying or harassment. It also found that a second investigation into alleged mishandling of confidential documents was similarly limited and did not result in findings against Hackett.
A German farmhand, Ms Hannah Felgner, testified at a murder trial that she witnessed Barrister Diarmuid Phelan shoot a man in the back on Phelan's Hazelgrove Farm in Tallaght. Felgner, who had arrived in Ireland to learn English and work on farms, described the incident as occurring on her third day. She said that after a verbal confrontation with two intruders, Phelan fired a shot into the air, after which the intruders turned and ran. A few seconds later Phelan fired a fatal shot into the back of one intruder, Keith Conlon, who fell and later died. Felgner expressed that she felt terror and was overwhelmed by the sudden gunfire. The trial is hearing Phelan's defence of self‑defence and the circumstances of the shooting. The case remains ongoing. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, former McCann Fitzgerald solicitor Rosie Freeman testified that she received a couriered invoice from Bank of Ireland Private Bank in March 2013 with handwritten amendments. Freeman, who was a PA to partner Roddy Bourke, described the invoice as unusually altered: the original home address of former rugby star Brendan Mullin was crossed out and replaced with the bank's address, the description of the work was changed to "Quantum Investment Strategies," and amounts were reduced to €18,792.65. Freeman said she was alarmed by the markings and could not comply because a partner's signature was required. She also recounted a voicemail from Mullin and a handwritten note instructing her to amend and issue the invoice. The testimony is part of the prosecution's case that Mullin authorised payments to McCann Fitzgerald, Grant Thornton and Beechwood Partners for work carried out for his company or personally. Brendan Mullin pleaded not guilty.
In the murder trial of law professor Keith Conlon, the jury heard three 999 calls made on 22 February 2022. The first, by accused Mr Phelan, described intruders on his farm and a "violent situation" before the fatal shooting. The second, by Hannah Felgner, reported a man shot on the farm and provided first‑aid instructions. The third, by Robin Duggan, a trespasser, claimed a farmer had shot him. The prosecution argued that Phelan fired a gun at trespassers who had "exploded" from the woods, and that a third shot killed Conlon in the back of the head. The defence contended that Phelan acted in self‑defence, firing in the air and that the fatal bullet was accidental. The case is heard by Justice Siobhan Lankford with a jury of nine men and three women.
An ex‑Ireland rugby international, Brendan Mullin, 60, is accused of stealing more than €570,000 from the Bank of Ireland Private Bank between July 2011 and March 2013. He denies all 15 charges, which include theft, deception and false accounting. The prosecution alleges he authorised payments to solicitors McCann Fitzgerald, accounting firm Grant Thornton and accountants Beechwood Partners for work carried out for his company, Quantum Investment Strategies, or for himself. Evidence shows that a former BOI business assurance head, Schira Donnelly, testified that Mullin suggested his PA may have "swept" an invoice into a bundle of paperwork. The trial, presided over by Judge Martin Nolan, continues with the prosecution presenting bank records, invoices and internal emails to support the allegations. Mullin has pleaded not guilty to each count. The case remains in court.
During the opening of Mr Diarmuid Phelan's murder trial, an eyewitness, farmhand Pierre Godreu, described the events on the Tallaght farm on 22 February 2022. Godreu said Phelan, who was 56, drew a pistol from his pocket and fired two shots into the air before discharging a third shot "towards" an unarmed trespasser, Keith Conlon, who was 36. Conlon was seriously injured and died two days later. Godreu testified that the trespassers were advancing and that Phelan had been "really pissed off" after a dog ran onto his land. He also said Phelan had told the trespassers to leave and that the third shot was fired in quick succession. The prosecution argues the third shot was aimed at Conlon, while the defence contends it was an accidental act of self‑defence. The trial is set to continue before Justice Siobhan Lankford and a jury. Diarmuid Phelan pleaded not guilty.
Eddie Rockets Ireland Ltd admitted a discrimination complaint by former Paralympian Nadine Lattimore, who was told to sit near the door with her guide dog Pilot after a staff supervisor directed her to a booth. Lattimore, blind and a guide‑dog user, claimed the booth was unsafe and unsuitable for her dog, and that she was spoken over and treated as a difficult customer. The restaurant's lawyer acknowledged the mistake and said it was corrected by the head chef. Eddie Rockets has since provided anti‑discrimination training, dog bowls, a donation to Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind and offered Lattimore €5,000. The Workplace Relations Commission hearing, presided over by adjudicator Marie Flynn, concluded that the discrimination had occurred and will issue a written decision later. The tribunal also heard from Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind chairman Patrick Burke, who noted widespread complaints of discrimination against guide‑dog users.
A woman who has filed a damages claim for alleged assault against mixed‑martial‑arts star Conor McGregor has been granted permission by Ms Justice Denise Brett to subpoena witnesses, including potentially Gardaí, for the case that will be heard by a High Court jury next month. The brief hearing took place at the High Court today, where Ms Justice Brett noted a small amount of overlap in witnesses but allowed the solicitor, David Coleman of Coleman Legal Partners, to issue subpoenas on behalf of the plaintiff. The costs of the proceedings will be dealt with when the case is heard next month. Mr Justice Alexander Owens had previously set the hearing for 5 November, after the plaintiff's application to adjourn was opposed. The claim, brought in 2021, alleges events in 2018 in Dublin and is one of two actions against McGregor.
The trial of Brendan Mullin, a former Bank of Ireland senior executive and ex‑Ireland rugby international, is ongoing. Mullin, aged 60, denies 15 charges of theft, deception and false accounting alleged to have occurred between July 2011 and March 2013. Prosecutors claim he authorised payments to solicitors and accounting firms for work by his company Quantum Investment Strategies or for himself, and that he stole €500,000 from the bank during a miscommunication about a payout to life‑assurance customers. They also allege he authorised a payment of €500,000 to Spice Holdings, a company registered in the British Virgin Islands, and that the money was later repaid to the bank in July 2015. Mullin pleaded not guilty to one count of stealing €500,000 and eight other counts totalling about €73,000, plus one count of deception and five counts of false accounting. The case is before Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The trial continues.
Diarmuid Phelan, a 56‑year‑old law professor and farmer, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Keith Conlon, 36, who was shot in the back of the head on 22 February 2022 at Hazelgrove Farm, Tallaght. Phelan told the Gardaí that he was terrified and "scared sh**less" when he fired a Winchester rifle at a loose dog and then, after three men emerged from the woods, he fired a Smith & Wesson revolver in the air. He claimed the third shot struck Conlon accidentally while he was turning away. The prosecution, represented by Senior Counsel Roisin Lacey, argued that the gun was pointed at Conlon when the fatal shot was fired, implying intent to kill or cause serious injury. The trial, held at the Central Criminal Court, will examine the circumstances of the shooting, the witnesses' accounts, and the forensic evidence regarding the bullet and the revolver's ammunition.
The Central Criminal Court has heard evidence during the murder trial of Dean Caffrey, aged 38, of Beaucourt, Achill Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 9. Mr Caffrey has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Sean McCarthy between August 2 and 7, 2022. Garda Brian Davis confirmed to the defence that the deceased was known to gardaí as a drug dealer in the Ballymun area. According to the prosecution, Mr Caffrey presented himself at Ashbourne Garda Station two days after Mr McCarthy was reported missing and disclosed the location of a body in his apartment wardrobe. The accused has stated that Mr McCarthy was fatally shot during a struggle over a firearm after demanding €5,000. State Pathologist Dr SallyAnne Collis confirmed death resulted from a gunshot wound to the head. CCTV evidence charting the deceased's movements on August 2, 2022, was presented to the jury. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott.
Ms S, a care worker who disclosed she was HIV‑positive, was taken off the roster at Abbot Close Nursing Home after her medical history was known. She began work experience in summer 2023, signed a contract within a fortnight, but was not rostered after a month. She sought occupational health reports and a medical clearance, but the employer demanded a referral and offered no support. When she returned in uniform, the assistant director of nursing asked her to leave and refused to let her finish her experience. Ms S's barrister showed that a consultant doctor later wrote to the employer with no concerns about her fitness to work. The WRC adjudicator found the employer's actions amounted to constructive dismissal and discriminatory treatment, awarding Ms S €22,500 in compensation for dismissal and failure to provide reasonable accommodation under the Employment Equality Act.
The trial of Brendan Mullin, a former Ireland rugby international and former managing director of Bank of Ireland Private Bank, began in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Mullin, aged 60, denies all 15 charges, which cover alleged theft, deception and false accounting between July 2011 and March 2013. He is accused of stealing €500,000 from the bank on 16 December 2011, along with eight other theft counts involving various sums, and of false accounting and deception. Prosecutor Dominic McGinn outlined that the alleged thefts involved payments to McCann Fitzgerald Solicitors and Beechwood Partners, where invoices were altered to be paid by the bank instead of Mullin or his companies. A further three theft charges relate to invoices from Grant Thornton for work by Mullin's company Quantum. The prosecution also alleges a €500,000 transfer to Spice Holdings, a British Virgin Islands entity, which was later repaid through Quantum.
The trial of Diarmuid Phelan, a senior counsel and law professor at Trinity College, for the murder of Keith Conlon, a father of four, will begin tomorrow after a delay caused by the removal of two jurors from the original panel. Phelan, aged 56, pleaded not guilty to the fatal shooting that occurred on 22 February 2022 at Hazelgrove Farm, Kiltalown Lane, Tallaght. Conlon, aged 36, was seriously injured in the incident and died two days later at Tallaght University Hospital. Justice Siobhan Lankford sworn in a new jury of twelve, consisting of nine men and three women, after the original eight‑man, four‑woman panel was altered. The prosecution, led by John Byrne and Roisin Lacey, will present its case, while Michael Bowman and Sean Guerin will defend Phelan. The trial is expected to last six weeks. The case was adjourned until tomorrow morning.
At the Central Criminal Court, the State Pathologist has given evidence in the murder trial of Dean Caffrey, aged 38, of Beaucort, Achill Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 9. Dr SallyAnne Collis examined the remains of Sean McCarthy, aged 28, discovered in a suitcase within a wardrobe at the accused's home. The body had been wrapped in bubble wrap and plastic bags secured with tape. Dr Collis identified a gunshot wound to the head as the cause of death, with a bullet lodged in the back of the skull and an entry wound above the left eyebrow. She noted the body was significantly decomposed, consistent with a four-day interval before discovery. The pathologist also observed facial fractures and bruising. Under cross-examination, Dr Collis acknowledged she could not determine the distance from which the firearm was discharged or confirm the bullet's trajectory beyond its entry and exit points. Mr Caffrey has pleaded not guilty to murder allegedly committed between 2 and 7 August 2022. The prosecution alleges the shooting occurred during a confrontation over a drug debt.
Diarmuid Phelan, a 56‑year‑old senior counsel and associate professor of law at Trinity College, was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court on 14 October 2024 for the murder of Keith Conlon, a 36‑year‑old father of four, at Hazelgrove Farm in Tallaght on 24 February 2022. Conlon was seriously injured on 22 February and died two days later at Tallaght University Hospital. Phelan pleaded not guilty. He will stand trial before a 12‑person jury and Justice Siobhan Lankford, with the prosecution led by John Byrne and Roisin Lacey and the defence by Michael Bowman and Sean Guerin. The trial is scheduled to begin on 15 October and is expected to last about six weeks. Justice Lankford instructed potential jurors to avoid any pre‑trial research or social‑media activity related to the case and to notify her if they had engaged with such content.
The jury for Brendan Mullin's trial, where he faces 15 charges including stealing over €500,000 from Bank of Ireland Private Bank and related deception and false invoicing claims, was discharged after a juror disclosed a familial connection to Mullin. Mullin, 60, has pleaded not guilty to all counts. Judge Martin Nolan adjourned the case until a new jury is empanelled tomorrow morning. The trial was scheduled to open in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on the day of the discharge.
A former solicitor, Herbert Kilcline, 62, and two other men, Matthew Murphy, 52, and Philip Marley, 53, are on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for alleged fraudulent procurement of two Dublin City properties. Kilcline pleaded not guilty to eight counts, including failing to apply required measures as a designated person, using a false instrument and fraudulent procurement of entry to the land registry between September 2016 and June 2018. Murphy pleaded not guilty to four counts, including money laundering, theft and failing to keep records between April 2017 and April 2018. Marley pleaded not guilty to ten counts, including procuring the registration of a false deed, fraudulent procurement of an entry into the land registry and theft. The charges relate to a building on Phibsborough Road and a second property on St Mary's Road. The trial, opened before Ms Justice Sinead Ni Chulachain, is expected to last five weeks.
The High Court has fixed a trial date of November 19 for a defamation action brought by Cllr Jimmy Guerin against Gemma O'Doherty. Mr Guerin, an independent Fingal County Councillor and brother of the late journalist Veronica Guerin, alleges that Ms O'Doherty defamed him through social media posts and a website video by implying he was a convicted paedophile. Ms O'Doherty, a former Irish Independent journalist, maintains she was referring to her brother, Martin Guerin. In 2019, Martin Guerin pleaded guilty to possession of hundreds of child sexual abuse images and 146 movie files of child pornography, for which he received a two-and-a-half-year suspended prison sentence. During the procedural hearing before Mr Justice Alexander Owens, Ms O'Doherty described the litigation as part of a six-year campaign of harassment. The judge stated he was doing his best to accommodate her schedule but could not create time that did not exist. Ronan Lupton SC, representing Mr Guerin, confirmed the case was ready to proceed. The matter was adjourned to the fixed trial date, where a judge and jury are expected to hear evidence for up to five days.
A man accused of murder appeared at the Central Criminal Court on October 10th after voluntarily presenting himself to gardaí with information about a body. Dean Caffrey, aged 38, of Beaucort, Achill Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 9, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Sean McCarthy, aged 28, between August 2nd and 7th, 2022. The prosecution outlined that Mr Caffrey attended Ashbourne Garda Station two days after Mr McCarthy was reported missing, stating the deceased was located in his apartment wardrobe. During subsequent interviews, the accused alleged Mr McCarthy had arrived at his home armed and demanding €5,000 over a heroin-related debt, and that a struggle over the firearm resulted in a fatal shot. A pistol was recovered from the Tolka River near Mr Caffrey's residence. The trial before Mr Justice Paul McDermott continues with a jury of seven men and five women.
A woman who filed a damages claim against mixed‑martial‑arts star Conor McGregor in 2021 is set to have her case heard by a High Court jury on 5 November. The claim alleges an assault that allegedly occurred in 2018 in Dublin and seeks compensation for personal injury. The High Court hearing was postponed twice after McGregor obtained adjournments to allow him to participate in a UFC comeback bout and later a boxing match, both of which were cancelled. The plaintiff's counsel, John Gordan SC, expressed frustration at the repeated delays, while McGregor's counsel, Remy Farrell SC, argued that the trial could not proceed during the fight period. The case will be heard by a judge and a jury during the civil jury sessions in November, with no details of the claim having been disclosed in open court. The allegations are fully denied by the defendant.
Edco denies discrimination after Mary Tracy, a sales rep with lupus SLE, was told she could not stay in her role because medical advice limited her to lifting no more than 3 kg. Tracy claims the company's sales model required her to carry multiple textbooks—some up to 2.7 kg—into schools, causing flare‑ups. She alleges the employer failed to disclose the manual handling demands during her interview and that she was "managed out" after management adopted the 3 kg restriction. Edco argues the restriction made the job impossible and that any workaround, such as a trolley, would disadvantage the company. The WRC heard evidence from both sides, including a proposed role change that Tracy rejected, and noted her dismissal on 22 August 2023. The tribunal will conclude the hearing on Thursday.
A former Irish rugby international, Brendan Mullin, aged 60, appeared before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 8 October 2024. He pleaded not guilty to 15 charges, including one count of stealing €500,000 from Bank of Ireland Private Bank on 16 December 2011 and eight other counts of theft of various amounts between July 2011 and March 2013. Mullin also pleaded not guilty to one count of deception and five counts of furnishing false or misleading information to the bank to authorise payment of invoices. The alleged offences all took place at the bank's Mespil Road premises. Judge Patricia Ryan empanelled the jury, instructing that no one connected with the bank should serve and warning against independent investigations. The trial, to be presided over by Judge Martin Nolan, is scheduled to last four to five weeks, with the jury being sent home until Friday at the earliest to allow other matters to be dealt with.
A 33-year-old woman convicted of manslaughter appeared before the Central Criminal Court on Monday seeking to demonstrate her capacity for rehabilitation following her guilty plea to killing a former partner. The defendant, from Ballyconnell, County Cavan, fatally stabbed the 36-year-old man at a shared residence in February 2022. Her barrister submitted that she has achieved qualifications and engaged in prison programmes since her conviction, and expressed genuine remorse to the victim's family. The prosecution contended the offence warranted a headline sentence of ten to fifteen years, noting the use of a knife as a significant aggravating factor. The court heard the incident occurred during a period marked by heavy alcohol use among household members. The defendant carries 49 prior convictions, predominantly traffic-related, with no history of violent offences. Mr Justice Paul McDermott adjourned sentencing to the following Monday to allow further consideration of the matter.
A one‑week pre‑trial hearing has started before Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. The hearing concerns senior barrister Diarmuid Phelan, 55, of Kiltalown Lane, Tallaght, who is accused of murdering 36‑year‑old Keith Conlon in a fatal shooting at Hazelgrove Farm on 22 February 2022. Conlon was seriously injured and died two days later at Tallaght University Hospital. The prosecution is led by John Byrne and Roisin Lacey, while Michael Bowman and Sean Guerin head the defence. The case will proceed to trial before a jury once the pre‑trial hearing concludes.
Dean Caffrey, a 38-year-old man from Drumcondra, Dublin 9, has been arraigned at the Central Criminal Court and is set to stand trial on Thursday. He has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Sean McCarthy, aged 28, which is said to have occurred on a date unknown between August 2 and 7, 2022, in the State. The victim's body was reportedly found in Drumcondra two years ago. Justice Caroline Biggs swore in a jury of seven men and five women to hear the case. The trial is scheduled to begin before Justice Paul McDermott and is expected to last six weeks. As the matter is at the trial stage, no findings, sentences, or final disposals have been recorded. The defendant's plea remains not guilty, and the allegations are contested. No adjournments, suspended portions, or effective custody periods have been reported in this procedural update.
A farm worker in County Cavan has been awarded nearly €14,000 by the Workplace Relations Commission following a ruling that his former employer failed to provide statutory annual leave entitlements over a six-year period. The complainant, employed at a piggery from December 2017 to November 2023, received only 18 days' paid holiday despite being entitled to four weeks annually under law. The adjudicator upheld complaints under the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, Terms of Employment (Information) Act 1994, and Payment of Wages Act 1991. The company director conceded certain wage deductions and public holiday pay shortfalls but argued historic annual leave claims were time-barred. The adjudicator found the employer failed to demonstrate due diligence in ensuring leave was taken and ruled the working time complaint well-founded. Drumlolan Pork Ltd was ordered to pay €11,520.65 for unpaid annual leave, €2,245 for failure to provide written terms, and €127.01 for wage and public holiday deductions.
Tom O'Riordan, a former Aer Lingus captain, has filed a claim with the Workplace Relations Commission alleging whistleblower penalisation and breaches of employment rights. He claims that on a flight from London Heathrow to Dublin three years ago he was exposed to "toxic fumes" that caused chronic fatigue syndrome and brain damage. O'Riordan says he made protected disclosures about fumes and falsification of reports to Aer Lingus management, the Health and Safety Authority, the Minister for Transport, the Air Accident Investigation Unit, the Oireachtas and on social media. He argues that the reduction of his sick pay to 75 % of his salary in January 2024, the withdrawal of sick pay in April, and the disciplinary proceedings that led to his dismissal last month constitute whistleblower penalisation. Aer Lingus, represented by Tom Mallon BL, denies any safety risk and claims O'Riordan defamed the airline, leading to his dismissal.
Poliane Fernandes Lima, a fashion buyer, was dismissed by Elland Distributors Ltd (trading as Born Clothing) on 25 January 2024 after her work visa had expired two days earlier. She had a renewal appointment scheduled for 28 January and had informed the payroll administrator a month earlier that her visa renewal would be delayed. The company's manager, Marty Murphy, issued a termination letter without any investigation or discussion about her visa status. The Workplace Relations Commission found that the dismissal was unfair, citing the absence of any procedural safeguards and reliance on incorrect information. The adjudicator noted that Lima had applied for a visa renewal well before it expired, meeting the Department of Justice's grace period criteria. Consequently, the tribunal ordered Elland Distributors Ltd to pay Lima €25,000 in compensation for the unfair dismissal.
Alan Ecock, a banker who had worked part‑time as a barman at Kavanagh's Pub in Stoneybatter, was dismissed by Allied Irish Banks (AIB) in December 2023 after a senior manager read a news report about his earlier unfair dismissal from the pub. The WRC found that the pub dismissal was "heartless" and "completely unlawful." Ecock has now lodged further complaints under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 and the Redundancy Payments Act 1967. AIB lawyers argued that Ecock had denied working at the pub when questioned, but later recanted when confronted with evidence. Ecock's solicitor said he had been honest about his pub work, which had not breached his banking contract. The tribunal heard that Ecock's dismissal followed an internal investigation that found he had provided false information about his pub involvement and bank‑system access. The case was adjourned for further testimony.
A man charged in connection with the disposal of body parts of murdered teenager Keane Mulready-Woods has been granted legal aid by the Special Criminal Court. Stephen Carberry, 46, of Sandymount Avenue, Dublin 4, appeared before the court on Friday to receive formal notice that he will be tried before the three-judge, non-jury tribunal. He faces three charges relating to the death of the 17-year-old, who was killed in a house in Drogheda, County Louth, in January 2020. The charges allege that Mr Carberry transported and disposed of body parts between January 13 and 15, 2020, potentially to benefit a criminal organisation. He is further accused of obstructing the apprehension or prosecution of the teenager's murderer and of setting fire to a vehicle. Remains were subsequently discovered at various locations, including Rathmullan Park in Drogheda. Mr Carberry will return to court in October.
Nathan McDonnell, 44, a garden centre owner, has been granted legal aid by the Special Criminal Court for charges related to the largest ever crystal meth haul in the State. He appeared briefly to receive formal notice of trial before a three‑judge, non‑jury court, and the matter was adjourned to 14 October. His co‑accused, James Leen, 41, also appeared and was formally served notice of trial before the Special Criminal Court, with his custody remanded until 14 October. Leen faces five charges, including directing a criminal organisation's activities, importing crystal meth at Cork Port, and possessing the drug at Ballyseedy Garden Centre. McDonnell faces five charges, including possession of crystal meth at Cork Port and Ballyseedy Garden Centre, and an alleged participation in activities that could facilitate the importation, sale and supply of a controlled drug by a criminal organisation, contrary to the Criminal Justice Act 2006.
A Dublin man is to stand trial before the Special Criminal Court in connection with the death of teenager Keane Mulready Woods. Stephen Carberry, aged 46 and residing on Sandymount Avenue, Dublin 4, faces three charges arising from the case. He is accused of transporting and disposing of body parts between January 13 and 15, 2020 at Trinity Terrace, Ballybough, Dublin 3, with the intention or recklessness of potentially enhancing a criminal organisation's ability to commit serious offences. He is also charged with obstructing the apprehension or prosecution of the teenager's murderer and with setting fire to a vehicle for the benefit of a criminal organisation. Keane Mulready Woods, aged 17, was last seen alive in Drogheda on January 12, 2020. His remains were subsequently discovered at multiple locations across Dublin and Drogheda throughout January and March 2020. Carberry will appear before the Special Criminal Court later this week.
Two men, Nathan McDonnell, 44, and James Leen, 41, are charged with offences related to the largest crystal meth haul in Irish history. Their trials will be heard at the Special Criminal Court, a three‑judge, non‑jury court, following an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Mr Leen faces five charges, including directing a criminal organisation's activities between 7 February 2023 and 16 February 2024, importing crystal meth into Cork Port on 16 October 2023, and possessing the drug at Ballyseedy Garden Centre, Tralee, from 27 October 2023 to 12 February 2024, in breach of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977. Mr McDonnell also faces five charges, including possession of crystal meth at Cork Port and Ballyseedy Garden Centre, and an alleged participation in activities that could facilitate the importation, sale and supply of a controlled drug by a criminal organisation, contrary to the Criminal Justice Act 2006. The court will hear the case later this week.
Two former Cleandata Limited employees, Anoushka Anilkumar Parmar and Tushar Joshi, won over €45,000 after a Workplace Relations Commission hearing in December 2023. They had quit in June 2022 after receiving only €2,000 in wages between January and June 2022, far below the €2,500 monthly salary they were entitled to. Parmar was owed €10,500 and Joshi €14,500 in back wages. Both claimed constructive dismissal, having handed in notice on 3 June 2022 and waiting more than six months to lodge claims because the former CEO promised re‑employment and relocation to France. The WRC found Cleandata breached the Payment of Wages Act 1991 and the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. Parmar received €2,500 in compensation for four weeks' wages, while Joshi was awarded €18,288 for loss of earnings. The total awarded against Cleandata was €45,788. Further Employment Equality Act complaints were not pursued.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Brian Ibe, aged 23, collapsed after the judge ruled that the defence could not call additional witnesses who were not classified as experts. Ibe, who had no fixed abode and was formerly of Moore Park, Newbridge, was accused of murdering retired Peter Kennedy, 65, who had offered him and his mother a place to stay. Ibe denied murder but admitted causing Kennedy's death, and pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. He also faced a separate assault charge against Garda Brendan O'Donnell. The judge explained that the court could not accommodate the defence's request for non‑expert witnesses and that it would be unfair to keep the jury empanelled for an extended period. Consequently, the jury was excused for five years and the case was postponed. The trial, which had been scheduled to last up to two weeks, was therefore abandoned.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, witnesses described Peter Kennedy, aged 65, as a kind, "absolute gentleman" who had taken in Brian Ibe's mother and offered his home to the homeless. Ibe, 23, denied murdering Kennedy but admitted causing his death. He claimed Kennedy demanded money from him and threatened to kill him. Ibe's mother, Martha, testified that her son had threatened Kennedy, used a knife, and stabbed him in the back of the neck. Garda Shane Lehane found Kennedy flat on his back, saturated in blood, and the victim was taken to Naas and Beaumont hospitals before dying on 12 May 2020. A pathology report cited multiple contusions, fractures, and brain injury as the cause of death. The trial will determine whether Ibe's defence of not guilty by reason of insanity applies.
In a murder trial, the jury heard that Brian Ibe, aged 23, allegedly killed Peter Kennedy in Newbridge between 28 April and 12 May 2020. Ibe, who had previously lived in Moore Park, Newbridge, and was associated with the Peter McVerry Trust, Dublin 12, had allowed Kennedy to stay in his home and also permitted Kennedy's mother to stay there until they found other accommodation. The State argued that Kennedy had become unhappy with Ibe's behaviour, leading to verbal disputes that prompted Gardaí to visit the house in December 2019. On the night of the killing, Ibe allegedly travelled from Dublin, smashed a window to enter the house, and attacked Kennedy, who sustained serious head injuries and died at Beaumont Hospital. Ibe has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder and to an assault charge against Garda Brendan O'Donnell. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Burns, is expected to last up to two weeks.
At the Central Criminal Court, two toxicologists have given evidence that it is "highly unlikely" a man accused of murdering his wife was intoxicated from cannabis at the time of the alleged killing. James Kilroy, aged 51, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of his wife at their home in Kilbree Lower, Westport, County Mayo, between 13th and 14th June 2019. Dr Johann Grundlingh, called by the defence, based his assessment on blood and urine tests taken after Mr Kilroy's arrest, both of which were negative for THC. He noted the symptoms described by Mr Kilroy—including hallucinations and delusions—were inconsistent with cannabis intoxication or withdrawal. Dr Atholl Johnston, called by the prosecution, concurred with these findings. The trial has heard conflicting psychiatric evidence regarding Mr Kilroy's mental state at the time. Mr Justice Tony Hunt adjourned proceedings, describing the expert evidence as complex, before the jury returns to hear closing speeches on Thursday.
A jury was sworn in for the trial of Brian Ibe, 23, who pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of 65‑year‑old Peter Kennedy in Newbridge, County Kildare, between 28 April and 12 May 2020. Ibe also pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to an assault charge against Garda Brendan O'Donnell at Newbridge Garda Station on 29 April 2020. The trial, expected to last up to two weeks, will commence tomorrow before Mr Justice Paul Burns with a jury of seven women and five men.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, Abdullah Aljaber, a former general operative at Dawn Meats in Waterford, was awarded €15,000 for discrimination under the Employment Equality Act 1998. Aljaber claimed the company dismissed him because of a back injury and failed to provide reasonable accommodation for his disability. He alleged that during the winter of 2020, Covid‑19 pressure led to neglected hygiene and safety procedures, including the handling of burgers that fell to the floor and were allegedly put back on the line. Dawn Meats representatives, including a former health and safety manager, refuted these claims, stating that fallen patties were placed in red trays for disposal and that no such practice occurred. The tribunal accepted evidence that Aljaber's dismissal in July 2021 was linked to his back injury and that the company had not examined reasonable accommodations, leading to the compensation award.
A former clinical director of the Central Mental Hospital has told the Central Criminal Court that drug-induced psychosis does not constitute a mental disorder qualifying for an insanity verdict. Professor Harry Kennedy gave expert evidence in the trial of James Kilroy, aged 51, from Kilbree Lower, Westport, County Mayo, who has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of his wife, Valerie French Kilroy, in June 2019. The accused accepts responsibility for the killing but claims diminished responsibility due to mental illness. The defence called Dr Ronan Mullaney, who suggested the accused suffered cannabis-induced psychosis at the time. Professor Kennedy disputed this diagnosis, stating that cannabis-induced psychosis results directly from drug use and therefore constitutes intoxication rather than a qualifying mental disorder under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act. He told the jury that the accused understood the nature of his actions and knew they were wrongful.
Patrick Dooley, aged 36, was found guilty of murdering his older brother Thomas 'Tom' Dooley, aged 42, during a funeral at Rath Cemetery, Rathass, Tralee, Co Kerry on 5 October 2022. The jury rejected his defence that he was not a "Cainite" and had tried to intervene. He was convicted of murder, and the court also found his cousin and brother‑in‑law Thomas Dooley Senior, aged 43, and Thomas Dooley Junior, aged 21, guilty of the same offence. Thomas Dooley Junior was additionally found guilty of assault causing harm to Siobhán Dooley, the widow, who sustained a wound requiring 45 stitches and 30 staples. All defendants pleaded not guilty. The verdicts were unanimous and were reached after 12 hours and 26 minutes of deliberation over three days. The jury will return to decide on the remaining two defendants, Michael Dooley, aged 29, and Daniel Dooley, aged 42, who also pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 19 July 2024, the court heard that Andrei Dobra, aged 36, strangled his fiancée Ioana Mihaela Pacala to death on 12 November 2023. The court found Dobra not guilty by reason of insanity and committed him to the Central Mental Hospital in Portrane. Dobra had been in a loving relationship with Pacala and had been seen holding hands with her on CCTV less than 24 hours before the murder. Two consultant psychiatrists diagnosed Dobra with schizo‑affective disorder, describing psychotic delusions that led him to believe Pacala was a threat. Pacala's father, Gheorghe Gratian Pacala, expressed deep devastation and described his daughter as gentle and respectful, noting that the couple had planned a wedding for 10 June 2023 and had bought a house together. The judge ordered Dobra to remain at the CMH for continuous treatment and assessment. The hearing was conducted via videolink as Dobra was not physically present.
A 61‑year‑old Dublin soccer coach was charged with 30 counts of sexual assault, four counts of defilement, one count of rape and one count of anal rape, all alleged to have occurred between September 2007 and February 2010. The complainant was aged 15 to 18 at the time of the alleged offences, while the accused was aged 45 to 47. The coach, who worked as a team coach at the complainant's school, pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. In court, the coach claimed he had a sexual relationship with the complainant when she was 18, stating that the relationship began after she turned 18 and lasted six months. He denied any anal sex and denied having been in a hotel with her. The trial is ongoing before a jury presided by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon.