The trial of four Dublin men accused of raping and sexually assaulting a woman at her home in December 2018 has collapsed at the Central Criminal Court. All charges against the accused were dropped via a nolle prosequi after the complainant, who is undergoing psychiatric treatment, was deemed unable to continue giving evidence. The State's application to allow her to testify via video link was unsuccessful. Mr Justice David Keane addressed the jury, noting the trial did not reach a natural conclusion after three weeks, and exempted them from jury service for 15 years. Reporting restrictions apply to all participants. The first accused, aged 25, had pleaded not guilty to oral rape and sexual assault. The second accused, also 25, pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault. The third accused, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape, one oral rape, and a sexual assault. The fourth accused, aged 24, pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape and sexual assault. The complainant alleged the men entered her home uninvited, forced her into sexual acts, and that one accused recorded the incidents on social media. She stated she was bleeding and sore when the men left. The matter was adjourned and concluded with the dropping of charges, not a conviction.
E W Technologies was fined €50,000 at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after its former managing director, David Ford, pleaded guilty to failing to provide adequate fall prevention measures. The charge related to a workplace accident on January 15, 2021, at a warehouse in Blanchardstown Corporate Park. The court heard that Ludovic Tanfin, a 58-year-old employee, fell over two metres from an improvised platform constructed on a forklift while attempting to repair a damaged shutter door. Judge Orla Crowe noted that Mr Tanfin suffered a fractured skull, inter-cranial bleeds, and multiple rib fractures, resulting in a year-long absence from work and ongoing cognitive difficulties. The judge described the incident as a one-off event, highlighting the company's impeccable safety record and lack of systemic failures. The company, which has since been sold to a US firm, was fined €50,000 to be paid forthwith. Prosecutors from the Health and Safety Authority stated that staff should have left the repair to experts, but their efforts to fix the door created the serious risk. Defence counsel noted the company's early plea and full cooperation with the investigation. Mr Tanfin is currently pursuing a separate personal injury case.
The first Garda to arrive at the scene where schoolteacher Ashling Murphy was found unresponsive in undergrowth by the Grand Canal spent ten minutes performing chest compressions. Garda Tom Dunne, who was in a patrol car, arrived shortly after a distressed call and found Ms Murphy face‑up in a ditch five or six feet down a steep slope. She was wearing a navy jacket, a pair of blue runners and a pink woolly hat, and had blood in her hair and on the surrounding briars. Dunne undid her jacket and began CPR, checking for a pulse that he described as "very faint". He alternated chest compressions with a colleague because only one officer could work at a time. When paramedics arrived they moved Ms Murphy to the walkway but, finding no signs of life, they stopped treatment. Jozef Puska, 33, has pleaded not guilty to her murder.
The jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has begun deliberations on the trial of a 40‑year‑old Irish celebrity accused of defiling a 16‑year‑old girl between August and December 2010. He has pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual acts with a child under 17, alleged to have occurred at his workplace and twice at his home. The State claims he inserted his penis into the complainant's mouth on each occasion. The judge, Pauline Codd, delivered her charge this morning, and the jurors retired at 11.05 am to consider the verdicts.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has continued deliberations in the trial of a Donegal woman accused of indecently assaulting a male student nearly four decades ago. Jacintha McSherry O'Connor, aged 63 and from The Mullins in Donegal Town, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecently assaulting a child between June and September 1985. The alleged offences occurred while Ms McSherry O'Connor worked as a student teacher at a Dublin school, with the incidents said to have taken place during home tuition sessions. The complainant was thirteen years old at the time. The court also heard evidence of alleged sexual contact between the accused and the boy during a family holiday to Spain prior to the period covered by the charges. Following more than four and a half hours of deliberation on the trial's fifth day, Judge Elma Sheahan directed jurors to adjourn for the evening. Deliberations are to resume the following day.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Katarzyna Wsiubiak, aged 34, was found not guilty by reason of insanity after she threw a cup of acid at workers in the One Asian Kitchen in Tallaght on 13 December 2020. The jury heard that Wsiubiak was paranoid and delusional when she entered the restaurant, and that she had known the main target, a woman who had previously provided translation services for her. The attack left the first victim with severe burns covering 16 % of her body, including her face, neck, chest and left upper arm, and caused permanent eye damage; the second victim suffered second‑degree burns to her neck, left arm and fingers while helping the injured colleague; the third victim sustained first‑degree burns to her ankle.
In a trial in Dublin, a 40‑year‑old Irish celebrity faced three counts of sexual activity with a 16‑year‑old girl between August and December 2010. The defence counsel, Morgan Shelley, urged jurors to focus on the girl's age claims, arguing she initially told the man she was 18 and later admitted she was 16. Shelley contended that no sexual acts occurred before her 17th birthday and that the prosecution relied on unavailable text messages and memory. He highlighted alleged alibis, such as the man's presence at a hotel in June 2012, and questioned the girl's recollection of visits to his house on 14 December 2010. Shelley asked the jury to find the man not guilty on all counts, stressing the importance of the legal age of consent and the need for impartial deliberation. The judge reminded jurors to consider only the evidence presented and to apply the law that a child under 17 cannot give valid consent.
At the ongoing inquest into the Stardust nightclub fire of February 1981, witnesses have testified that emergency exit doors were secured with chains and padlocks on the night of the blaze. A former employee stated that this practice of locking exits had been in place for up to two years prior to the fire, which occurred in the early hours of 14 February. He recalled hearing patrons cry out that doors were locked as the fire spread, and described how the crowd forced one door open to escape. Inside the premises, he heard sounds of people attempting to break through locked toilet windows without success. Another witness confirmed seeing a chain and lock wrapped around panic bars on an exit door that night. A third witness described the chaotic evacuation, recounting how she heard shouts that exits were locked as flames and thick smoke filled the venue. The inquest, taking place in Dublin District Coroner's Court, continues to examine the circumstances surrounding the disaster.
During a murder trial, the sister of Amadea McDermott, who died from a stab wound, testified that she punched the accused, Martin Hayes, after he smirked at her outside a hospital resuscitation room. She described arriving at the apartment, seeing Hayes sitting on a bed, and hearing her sister in cardiac arrest. She later saw paramedics working on Amadea and was told the victim had a puncture wound to the abdomen. The sister said she had given the accused's phones to Gardaí after the incident. Hayes, 34, pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott with a jury of eight men and four women. The case involves allegations of domestic abuse and a violent relationship. The court has heard that Hayes was a grave digger at the time of the death.
In the trial of Jozef Puska, accused of murdering 23‑year‑old teacher Ashling Murphy, defence counsel Michael Bowman SC argued that Puska was attempting to help Murphy stop bleeding when a jogger arrived. Witness Jenna Stack testified that she saw Puska "trying to assist" Murphy, but she disagreed, describing him as aggressive, shouting "get away" and holding the girl down while she kicked her legs. Stack said Murphy was distressed and moving only her legs. She also noted Puska's foreign accent, shaved head and dark eyebrows. Bowman suggested Puska's shout was pain from a cut leg, not aggression, and that Murphy had reached for Puska's forearms to stop bleeding. Stack maintained she saw no weapon and that Puska could have asked for help. The case continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury. Jozef Puska pleaded not guilty.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, the jury has begun deliberations in the trial of a teacher accused of indecently assaulting a male student nearly four decades ago. Jacintha McSherry O'Connor, aged 63, from Donegal Town, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecent assault on dates between June and September 1985, when she was a student teacher at a Dublin school and the boy was thirteen years old. The alleged incidents reportedly occurred during private tuition at the boy's home and on a family holiday to Spain. In closing speeches, the prosecution argued the evidence of the complainant, now in his fifties, was reliable and consistent, describing patterns of grooming behaviour. The defence contended there were significant inconsistencies in the complainant's account and that the prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. The jury will continue its deliberations the following day.
In a trial for defilement of a 16‑year‑old girl, the 40‑year‑old defendant pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual acts with a child under 17 at locations in Dublin between August and December 2010. Prosecuting counsel, Eilis Brennan SC, told the jury that the defendant's account was "unbelievable" and "riddled with inconsistencies". She contrasted the defendant's version with the complainant's, describing the latter as coherent and the former as lacking sense. Brennan highlighted specific discrepancies, such as a claimed lunch meeting in January 2011 that the complainant denied, and the defendant's assertion that he had shown her pictures of his home after discovering she lied about her age. She urged the jury to weigh the credibility of both parties, noting that the defendant had denied all wrongdoing and that consent was not a defence under the legislation. The defence's closing speech was scheduled for the following day.
During the Stardust inquest, a 17‑year‑old witness, Sharon O'Hanlon, recounted that she and friends were among the first to leave the club after a small fire appeared in a partitioned area. She described how a piece of ceiling fell onto their table minutes after the fire was first seen. O'Hanlon said the heat from the blaze caused the ceiling to collapse, though she could not recall if the material was burning or melted. She noted that the fire was near the back of the seating bank, not under the ceiling where they sat. She and her friends reacted quickly, gathering belongings and exiting through the front door. The doors were open when they left, and doormen later attempted to close them. The witness confirmed the incident occurred within three to six minutes of smelling smoke. The testimony was given to the Dublin District Coroner's Court.
During the opening of Martin Hayes' murder trial, the prosecution presented evidence that Hayes, a 34‑year‑old grave digger, called emergency services after Amadea McDermott, a 27‑year‑old mother of two, died at her Rathvale Drive home on 20 July 2017. Hayes claimed McDermott had stabbed herself, a claim the court heard from paramedic witnesses who described a woman lying on the floor with a stab wound to the right abdomen. A post‑mortem by Dr Marie Cassidy confirmed the fatal wound and identified a knife from the living area as the likely weapon, with DNA matching McDermott's blood on the blade. The prosecution also noted that Hayes had entered a new relationship after McDermott's death and that the new partner would testify about an argument on Christmas Eve 2018. The trial will continue before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury. Martin Hayes pleaded not guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, Jozef Puska, aged 33, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 23‑year‑old Ashling Murphy, who was stabbed 11 times on the right side of her neck near the Grand Canal in Tullamore on 12 January 2022. Prosecutor Anne‑Marie Lawlor SC presented evidence that Y‑STR DNA from under Murphy's fingernails matched Puska's DNA, that a bright green Falcon Storm mountain bike belonging to Puska was found beside the body, and that CCTV footage showed Puska cycling in the area hours before the killing. Puska was interviewed at St James's Hospital after being admitted with stab wounds he claimed were from an attack in Blanchardstown; he later admitted in the hospital to having murdered Murphy, saying "I did it, I murdered, I am the murderer." The jury will consider whether the evidence shows Puska intended to kill or cause serious injury. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt.
An Irish celebrity, aged 40, pleaded not guilty to three counts of engaging in sexual acts with a 16‑year‑old girl between August and December 2010. During cross‑examination on 16 October 2023, he agreed that the complainant, who is described as "someone who doesn't have a grudge," had been upset after a meeting at a Spanish festival in 2012. He said he had left his phone at the complainant's house and later sent an apology message. He denied that the alleged sexual acts occurred in the stairwell of his workplace, claiming he used a different staircase, and disputed the complainant's detailed description of the location. He also denied that the restaurant where they supposedly had lunch in January 2011 was open, but admitted they had eaten in the area. The trial is ongoing.
Jacintha McSherry O'Connor, a 63-year-old teacher from Donegal, is currently on trial at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. She has pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecently assaulting a child on dates between June 1 and September 1, 1985. The prosecution alleges that the accused, then aged 24 or 25, indecently assaulted the 13-year-old complainant on two occasions in his home while giving him grinds, and that further sexual contact occurred during a holiday in Spain. Ms McSherry O'Connor took the stand and denied having any sexual relations with the boy, stating she did not indecently assault him in his home or in Spain. She testified that the complainant followed her home to discover her address and that she was disappointed he knew where she lived. Prosecution counsel alleged she groomed the boy, a claim she rejected. She stated she has had no contact with the complainant since 1985 and suggested he may have been pushed into making the allegations. Defence witness Doreen Maher Ritchie, a teacher who holidayed in Spain with the accused, testified that they were together constantly and did not interact much with the boy's family. She expressed being appalled by the allegations and recalled no uncomfortable behaviour. The trial continues before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury.
In a Dublin rape trial, a 24‑year‑old woman denies that she invited four men upstairs to have sex with them. She says she invited the first accused to her home on the night of the alleged rape because her mother and sister were not home and she feared being alone. She met the first accused through a friend, had communicated with him before, and had met him previously. When he arrived, three other men were present. She says she asked what they were doing there, and they discussed "weed" and drinks. She moved to the upstairs area because it was warmer. She denies that she invited the men because she had agreed to sex, although she admits she dressed to impress the first accused. The four accused, aged 25, 25, 23 and 24, have all pleaded not guilty to various counts of rape and sexual assault.
During the 1981 Stardust fire, a 19‑year‑old patron named Kenneth Strong reported seeing a large, burning, melting‑plastic‑like material drip from the ceiling over a seat that was on fire. He described the falling substance as about twice the size of his fist and confirmed it was definitely on fire. Strong also noted that the material appeared to come from the ceiling and that he was the only person in his group who left the club immediately, citing the presence of chains on exit doors. He recalled seeing smoke drifting over a partitioned area and flames behind a shutter that closed off the left section of the hall. The inquest heard that the front door was initially locked and shutters were down, but a bouncer used a second set of keys to open the door and allow him to exit.
A 33‑year‑old man, Jozef Puska, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of 23‑year‑old school teacher Ashling Murphy, who was allegedly killed near the Grand Canal in Tullamore on 12 January 2022. The trial will be held at the Central Criminal Court and is expected to last up to five weeks. A jury of twelve, sworn this afternoon, will hear the case. Judge Tony Hunt warned potential jurors that they must not have engaged in commentary about the case online or on social media and that any prior knowledge of Puska's hospital stay at St James's Hospital in Dublin should be disclosed. The prosecution will present witnesses from the Tullamore area, the midlands, various Dublin Garda stations and forensic science laboratories, with medical personnel possibly called to give evidence. The defence will be represented by Michael Bowman SC. The trial is scheduled to open tomorrow.
A grave digger, Martin Hayes, 34, will be tried for the murder of his partner, Amadea McDermott, 27, who was found dead at her home in Rathvale Drive, Ayrfield, Coolock on or about 20 July 2017. Hayes was arraigned at the Central Criminal Court and pleaded not guilty. The prosecution, led by senior counsel Sean Gillane, will argue that the events leading to the murder began on 19 July and continued into the early hours of 20 July, with Hayes and McDermott in a relationship at the time. Witnesses will include McDermott's sisters and other parties, and Garda officers from Coolock and Malahide stations will testify. Hayes was employed as a grave digger at Mount Jerome cemetery in Harold's Cross when the alleged offence occurred. The trial, overseen by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, is scheduled to last up to four weeks.
The trial of Jacintha McSherry O'Connor, 63, is ongoing before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The accused, a former student teacher from Donegal Town, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecently assaulting a child between June 1 and September 1, 1985. Prosecutors allege the incidents occurred while she gave the then-13-year-old complainant grinds and during a holiday in Spain. In evidence, Ms McSherry O'Connor told gardaí that nothing untoward happened, describing the boy as having a crush on her and viewing him as a little brother. She denied performing oral sex or any sexual contact, suggesting the complainant may have fantasised about her. The complainant, now in his fifties, testified that he was infatuated with her but stated that the alleged abuse started eating away at him over time. He told the court he confided in his girlfriend at age 19 but did not report to gardaí until recently. Under cross-examination, he maintained that the sexual abuse was burnt on his mind, rejecting the defence suggestion that he was not telling the truth. The trial resumes on Monday.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 40‑year‑old Irish celebrity pleaded not guilty to three counts of engaging in sexual acts with a child under 17 between August and December 2010. During cross‑examination, he admitted giving his phone to a 17‑year‑old complainant at the 2010 Oxegen music festival, but denied kissing her or any sexual contact at the festival. He claimed the girl had lied about her age, stating she was 18 when they first met and later 16 before any alleged sexual activity. He said their contact from July 2010 to January 2011 was minimal and that any later sexual relationship occurred after the alleged offences. He also provided eight phones to Gardaí, asserting no overtly sexual messages were found. The trial remains ongoing.
A trial is ongoing before Mr Justice David Keane and a jury of six men and six women regarding allegations that four men raped and sexually assaulted a woman at her home in Dublin between December 8 and 9, 2018. Reporting restrictions apply to the identities of all participants. The complainant, now 24, testified that she was held down on her mother's bed while two men took turns raping her. She stated that neither man wore a condom and that she was subsequently dragged from the bathroom by her hair by the first accused. The court heard that she was examined at the Rotunda Sexual Assault Treatment Unit, where she reported vaginal, oral, and digital penetration. Defence counsel for the first accused, Dominic McGinn SC, argued that any sexual contact was consensual and denied that his client pulled the complainant's hair. The complainant denied these claims, stating she was not making up the events. The first accused, aged 25, has pleaded not guilty to oral rape and sexual assault. The second accused, also aged 25, has pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault. The third accused, aged 23, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape, one oral rape, and sexual assault. The fourth accused, aged 24, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape and sexual assault. The matter is currently at the trial stage and continues.
An unnamed 40‑year‑old Irish celebrity, who has pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual acts with a child under 17, took the stand at his own trial. He told the jury that the 16‑year‑old complainant was never in his home. The accused said he met her on 14 July 2010 at an Eminem concert during the Oxegen festival, that she had a plastic cup of alcohol, and that they later had lunch together. He claimed she had told him she was 18 by text before the lunch, but later she said she was 17. He denied arranging tickets for a Deadmau5 concert on 14 December 2010 and denied that she was at his house on that date or any other occasion. He also denied any sexual interaction with her on the lunch date or before, and denied using the fire‑escape stairs.
A former English teacher has gone on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court charged with indecently assaulting a pupil during the 1980s. Jacintha McSherry O'Connor, aged 63, of Donegal Town, Co Donegal, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecent assault on dates between June and September 1985. The prosecution alleges the offences occurred both during tutoring sessions at the complainant's home and whilst on holiday abroad with his family. The complainant, now 51, testified that he was a young teenager at the time and had not yet reached puberty. He described incidents occurring in a swimming pool and at the accused's apartment during the holiday, and further alleged assaults at his Dublin home following their return. The defence denies all allegations, with counsel suggesting the complainant developed an obsession with the accused and is mistaken about conversations he claims took place. The trial continues before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury.
During the inquest into the February 14, 1981 Stardust nightclub fire, witnesses testified that the main exit doors were locked and blocked. Peter Redmond, a patron, described seeing the doors locked ten minutes before the blaze, the carpet tiles on the walls catching fire, and a crowd trapped inside as lights failed and black smoke filled the hall. He recounted trying to re-enter for a friend but being stopped by a bouncer. Liam "Leo" Hennessy, aged 31, recounted seeing smoke and a fireball, being pushed through an exit, and learning the next day that his friend Dave Flood had died. Kathleen Deeney described being knocked to the floor, forced through a crowded corridor, and finding the main doors closed while other exits opened. David Bell confirmed that a Chubb lock was in place on the main door ten minutes before the fire began. The jury heard these accounts as part of the ongoing inquest held at the Rotunda Hospital.
In a rape trial, a 19‑year‑old woman testified that she invited a man she knew to her home, but he arrived with three unknown men. Over December 8‑9, 2018, all four men sexually assaulted her. The accused, aged 25, 25, 23 and 24, pleaded not guilty to various counts of rape, oral rape and sexual assault. The complainant described being forced into oral sex, having her clothing removed, and being assaulted by multiple men while she tried to seek help. She reported being in pain, bleeding, and eventually contacted Gardaí, receiving treatment at a Sexual Assault Treatment Unit. The case is before Mr Justice David Keane with a jury of six men and six women. Reporting restrictions apply to all participants.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 16‑year‑old complainant denied the defence's claim that she never visited the accused's home. The accused, 40, pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a child under 17 at locations in Dublin between August and December 2010. The complainant testified that she had told the accused her true age before the acts and that she had visited his home twice, where sexual acts occurred. She also stated she could not recall the exact address of the house. The defence argued she had never been to the accused's house and that no sexual activity took place there. The cross‑examination focused on the complainant's memory of dates, locations, and the alleged sexual acts, with the complainant maintaining that the incidents did occur at the accused's home and workplace.
During the inquest into the Stardust nightclub fire, a 17‑year‑old patron, Paula Toner, gave a highly emotional testimony describing the chaos that unfolded as people tried to escape. She recounted how the lights went out, people were crushed in the hallway, and the main doors were initially closed. Toner described how some patrons broke the toilet windows and shouted at those inside, urging them to put their heads down. She noted that the left side of the main entrance was initially open, then the other door was kicked out, allowing people to flee. The testimony ended with a sudden quiet as the shouting stopped and the "hands disappeared," indicating the situation inside had become fatal. The inquest will continue tomorrow in the Pillar Room of the Rotunda Hospital.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a 16‑year‑old woman testified that she had told a 40‑year‑old Irish celebrity she was 16 before any sexual activity. She first claimed she was 18, but the defendant's text "Sweet 16?" prompted her to admit her true age. The defendant, who cannot be named, pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual acts with a child under 17 at various Dublin locations between August and December 2010. The witness described meeting the defendant at the Oxegen Music Festival in July 2011, exchanging phone numbers, and later engaging in oral sex and masturbation at the defendant's workplace and home. She said the encounters were consensual and that their relationship ended when she entered college, though they remained in contact until 2020. The trial is ongoing before Judge Pauline Codd and a jury.
James Cumiskey, 18 at the time, gave emotional testimony at the Stardust inquest, describing how he heard screams from trapped patrons and tried to break toilet windows but found a steel plate blocking them. He recalled smelling smoke, seeing flames through shutters, and urging people to exit as the club's lights failed. Cumiskey described seeing a man hanging from a canopy, a man with a hammer near the toilets, and later a fire‑filled roof. He also noted that people were on fire as they emerged from exit four. The inquest heard his earlier Garda statement, which detailed his attempts to help and the obstacles he faced. The testimony was part of the new phase of the inquest, focusing on patrons' experiences during the February 13, 1981 blaze. Eileen Rock, a 22‑year‑old mother, also testified, describing the chaos, dense smoke, and attempts to open metal shutters.
In the Central Criminal Court, Pete Taylor, a well‑known coach, testified about the shooting that occurred on 5 June 2018 at Bray Boxing Club. He described arriving at the gym at 6.30 am, opening the club, and preparing an exercise class that began at 6.45 am. While setting up music, he heard loud bangs and saw a man in the doorway firing a gun. Taylor attempted to run toward the shooter, who was described as about 5′8″, wearing a hi‑vis vest and black clothing. During his attempt, Taylor dove over a bench, was shot in the left bicep and chest, and was taken to St Vincent's Hospital where he underwent surgery and later had a steel cage fitted to his arm. He stated he had not seen what happened to Robert 'Bobby' Messett during the shooting, and that he had not seen the shooter leave the scene. Pete Taylor pleaded not guilty.
A 40‑year‑old man, whose name is withheld for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of defilement under the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2006. The allegations, presented to a jury in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, claim that between August and December 2010 he engaged in sexual acts with a 16‑year‑old girl at three separate occasions. The first alleged act took place in a stairwell of the man's workplace, while the second and third were said to have occurred at his residence. The girl, who was in her fourth year of school, initially told the man she was 18 but later admitted she was 16. The prosecution argues that the man was aware of her age and that consent is not a defence, though a defence of honest belief that the child was 17 or older is available.
Witnesses at the Central Criminal Court described the June 5, 2018 shooting at Bray Boxing Club. Gerard Cervi pleaded not guilty to the murder of Robert 'Bobby' Messett and the attempted murders of Peter Taylor and Ian Britton. Witness Ian Britton recounted seeing a man in a yellow top and tracksuit, wearing a hard‑hat‑style headwear, who fired a gun that struck Messett in the head and later Taylor. He estimated about ten shots were fired over 30‑45 seconds. Alan Hunter testified that Taylor "made a charge" at the gunman before being shot, describing the gunman as calm and wearing a black visor and gloves. Stephen Kearns also saw Taylor running toward the gunman and falling, with the gunman eventually disappearing. The trial continues before Justice Karen O'Connor.
A jury was sworn in for the trial of an unnamed Irish celebrity in his 40s, charged with defiling a minor. He pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual acts with a child under 17, alleged to have occurred in Dublin between August and December 2010. The trial will begin the following day and is expected to last four to five days. Judge Patricia Ryan instructed jurors to keep the case confidential outside the jury room and to rely solely on evidence presented during the trial.
Four men are currently on trial at the Central Criminal Court, presided over by Mr Justice David Keane, accused of raping and sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman at her home in December 2018. Reporting restrictions apply to the identities of all participants. The first accused, aged 25, has pleaded not guilty to oral rape and sexual assault. The second accused, also 25, has pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault. The third accused, aged 23, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape, one oral rape, and a sexual assault. The fourth accused, aged 24, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape and a sexual assault. Prosecution counsel Anne Rowland SC outlined evidence alleging the men arrived at the victim's home after 11pm, where they allegedly subjected her to non-consensual acts, including forced oral sex and intercourse. DNA evidence was presented, linking the first accused to bedding, the second to the victim's swabs, and the fourth to the victim and a condom; no DNA from the third accused was located. The accused men provided varying accounts to gardai, initially denying presence or claiming consent. The trial is ongoing and will continue before the jury on Monday.
During the Stardust inquest, former manager Eamon Butterly testified that club management was not prepared for a fire and was "not fit for purpose." He admitted that the only plan for a blaze was to call the fire brigade and that management's response to minor issues involved locking doors while patrons were inside, an action he described as an "extreme reaction." Butterly denied knowing how to give fire instructions and said he was not qualified. He claimed that the fire brigade or an inspector would have provided guidance if it had been sought. Butterly also stated that the doors were reportedly open at 11:30 pm, and that the club's carpet tiles were chosen for their appearance rather than fire safety, although he acknowledged price influence. He maintained that he had no knowledge of the manufacturer's warnings about the tiles' fire rating.
A south Dublin car dealership, Soraghan Auto Retail Ltd trading as Sandyford Motor Centre, told the Workplace Relations Commission it dismissed teenage saleswoman Abbie Walsh on 8 May 2023 because she failed to meet a target of 20 cars a month. Walsh, who had worked there for only four months, claimed she was pregnant and that the company had no knowledge of her pregnancy when she was sacked. She said she had informed the sales manager the day after her first scan appointment on 4 April and a colleague on 6 or 7 April, but the manager left the next day and did not pass the information to senior management. The dealership argued the dismissal was purely for lack of performance, citing that Walsh had sold 24 cars by the time of dismissal, far below the 60‑car target set for all sales staff in the first quarter.
In the inquest into the 1981 Stardust fire, manager Eamon Butterly admitted that months before the blaze he was told "in no uncertain terms" that locks and chains on exit doors were unacceptable when patrons were present. He also confirmed that he had declined to quote for fire insurance because he considered the fire risk "pretty horrendous." Butterly stated he stands over the company's malicious damage claim regarding the fire, while denying involvement in alleged threats to witnesses at the original 1981 tribunal. He explained that he had instructed staff that locks and chains should never be on exit doors, though he could not recall telling them directly. Butterly also claimed he was unaware of any electrical overloading or sparks observed by witnesses before the fire, and that the company had a financial interest in proving the damage was malicious. His testimony continues tomorrow.
The State presented fingerprint and DNA evidence linking Gerard Cervi to a van used by the gunman in the Bray Boxing Club shootings of 2018. Cervi, 36, was charged with the murder of Bobby Messett and the attempted murders of coach Pete Taylor and Ian Britton. The prosecution described the shooting at 6:50 am, where nine shots were fired, killing Messett and injuring Taylor and Britton. CCTV footage showed a grey Volkswagen Caddy van with a yellow plate leaving the club, traveling through Cabinteely and Poolbeg to Ringsend. Gardaí seized the van, finding white spirit bottles with Cervi's fingerprints and DNA from the passenger seat and handbrake. Additional footage depicted Cervi traveling to the van on a distinctive bike and returning later that day. The trial was adjourned overnight. Gerard Cervi pleaded not guilty.
During a hearing in the Dublin District Coroner's Court on 4 October 2023, Stardust manager Eamon Butterly denied that the fire on 14 February 1981 killed half of the victims because three exit doors were locked. He said the nightclub was "one of the best wired premises around" and that no fire had started at the premises. Butterly also denied that any fire could have started at the club, describing it as safe. He was questioned by Des Fahy KC, who represented ten families of the 48 people who died. Fahy presented a body map showing 24 bodies found near exits three, four and five, and suggested those locked doors caused the deaths. Butterly replied that the doors were locked only on disco nights, that the lights went out, and that the smoke and panic prevented escape. He admitted the policy was unsafe but said the doorman Tom Kennan controlled the doors.
A 36‑year‑old man, Gerard Cervi, is accused of murdering Robert 'Bobby' Messett and of attempting to murder coach Pete Taylor and Ian Britton on 5 June 2018 at Bray Boxing Club. He pleaded not guilty to all charges. The Central Criminal Court will hear the case, with a jury of six men and six women sworn in. Judge Paul McDermott warned jurors about media influence and advised them to rely solely on court testimony. The trial is expected to last about six weeks and will begin on Wednesday.
The Central Criminal Court will hear the murder trial of 32‑year‑old Jozef Puska, accused of killing 23‑year‑old schoolteacher Ashling Murphy on 12 January 2022 in Cappincur, Tullamore. Puska, who lives at Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Co Offaly, is represented by Michael Bowman SC. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, will preside. Once the jury is empaneled, the trial is expected to last about four weeks. Murphy, a recent graduate of Mary Immaculate College, was jogging beside the Grand Canal when she was allegedly fatally assaulted.
During the Stardust inquest, manager Eamon Butterly, 78, testified that if he had acted differently, he would never have converted the factory into a nightclub. He denied lying about the exit‑door policy, though he admitted his statements to the 1981 tribunal were contradictory to those given to the coroner's court. Butterly said the policy of draping chains over exit doors was initiated by head doorman Tom Kennan and that he could not claim full ownership. He maintained that the doors were open at the time of the fire, citing Kennan's confirmation, and that he had no role in post‑fire insurance claims. Butterly also explained that carpet tiles on the walls were approved by Dublin Corporation, and that he had consulted an expert, Harold Gardner, regarding their use. The inquest heard evidence that the tiles were Class 4, contributing to the fire's spread. The jury noted the conflicting accounts and the lack of a written policy.
During the Stardust inquest, manager Eamon Butterly testified that the policy of locking and unlocking exit doors was a joint decision with the doormen, initiated by the head doorman Tom Kennan. Butterly admitted that his evidence to the inquest contradicted statements he had given to the 1981 tribunal, where he claimed he had no role in the decision to lock doors. He said the practice of draping chains over panic bars—creating a "mock‑locked" appearance—had been in place for a long time, while the actual locking of certain doors began only about three weeks before the fire. Butterly maintained that he had not personally operated a door with a padlock and chain, and that responsibility for checking door status lay with the head doorman. He also stated that he had no knowledge of any arrangement to stall inspectors, and that he had not concealed any information from authorities.
During the inquest into the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire, manager Eamon Butterly testified that three of the club's exits could be considered failures. He explained that chains had been wrapped around panic bars on exit doors to give the impression they were locked, a practice he said was initiated by the doormen and only in place for two to three weeks before the blaze. Butterly admitted that the doors were not effectively opened during the fire, citing witnesses who described doors that would not open without force, were blocked by chains or padlocks, and that some exits were locked or only partially opened. He agreed with the coroner that exits two, three, four and five exhibited chaotic or obstructed conditions, while he did not consider exit five a failure.
During the first day of evidence at the Stardust inquest, manager Eamon Butterly testified that the nightclub's staff received no fire‑safety training. He said that responsibility for training lay with head doorman Tom Kennan, who would hire experienced doormen, and that general manager Brian Peel was ultimately responsible for staff training. Butterly denied having a role in hiring and claimed he was unaware of any policy requiring fire‑safety instruction. He recounted that on the night of the February 14, 1981 fire, the doormen were told the exits were unlocked and that they had men stationed at each exit. Butterly also stated that he had no recollection of any exit doors being locked or of any obstructions to exits, and that he had not been told of any incidents involving sparks or smoke prior to the fire. His testimony was read into the record and will continue tomorrow in the Pillar Room of the Rotunda Hospital.
In early summer 2023, Noel Long received a call from Detective Inspector Eamonn Brady about new evidence in the 1981 murder of Nora Sheehan. Long declined to meet with Gardaí or discuss the evidence, stating he wanted no involvement. The article recounts the 1981 discovery of Sheehan's body in Shippool Woods, describing the scene, the victim's injuries, and the forensic work that linked fibres and paint from Long's 1981 Opel Kadett to the victim. It details the 2008 DNA review that produced a partial male profile from a semen sample, later matched to DNA on a beanie hat taken from Long in 2021. The article also notes the defence's challenge to the reliability of the Low Copy Number DNA method and the State Pathologist's statement that Sheehan's cause of death was unascertained.
A jury of eleven returned to the Central Criminal Court to continue deliberating a cold‑case murder trial involving Noel Long, 74, of Passage West, Cork. Long is charged with the murder of 54‑year‑old Nora Sheehan, whose body was found in Shippool Woods in 1981. The jury had spent 4 hours 44 minutes on their first day of deliberations and was instructed by Judge Paul McDermott to resume at 10.30 am the next day. The prosecution's case, presented by Brendan Grehan SC, relied on forensic evidence, including a partial DNA profile from semen on Sheehan's body that matched DNA on clothing taken from Long in 2021, fibres from the victim's carpet that matched those from Long's car, and paint fragments that matched the same vehicle. The defence, led by Michael Delaney SC, argued that the evidence was solely forensic and did not establish intent, suggesting a possible manslaughter verdict. Noel Long pleaded not guilty.