During a murder trial, a detective testified that he entered the home of 71‑year‑old Ann Butler on Maudlin Street, Kilkenny, on 20 March 2020 and found her body on a two‑seater couch. The body had lacerations to the left side of the neck, an injury to the head and the left ear appeared to be missing. The detective also reported a strong, unpleasant odour, a metal crowbar, a Swiss army knife and a piece of an earlobe on the couch. The accused, Trevor Rowe, 29, was arrested at the scene and, while in a patrol car, repeatedly stated that he had "slit her throat and stabbed her in the head" and that he had "just wanted her to be found". He also claimed to have committed five other murders and to have worked for the Kinahan Cartel. The trial heard that Rowe pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ann Butler.
In the Special Criminal Court, counsel for the State, Sean Gillane SC, defended the use of Facebook messages as admissible evidence in the trial of Lisa Smith, a 40‑year‑old from Dundalk charged with membership in the Islamic State and financing terrorism. Gillane argued that the Data Protection Act does not render privacy rights absolute and that Gardaí acted lawfully when they obtained a warrant to seize Facebook messages exchanged between Smith and known Islamist terrorists in Australia and Syria. He noted that the messages were initially provided by U.S. authorities investigating John Georgelas, a Smith associate, and later seized from Facebook's Dublin headquarters under an Irish warrant. Gillane maintained that the evidence was gathered on a police‑to‑police basis, that Facebook's retention of data was not directed by the State, and that the right to privacy must be weighed against the context of the investigation. The court will decide the application on Tuesday. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty.
In a Kilkenny murder trial, Trevor Rowe, 29, pleaded not guilty to killing 71‑year‑old Ann Butler on 20 March 2020. During the hearing, Rowe admitted to the killing, describing how he slit Butler's throat and stabbed her head, and claimed he had committed five other murders, worked for the Kinahan Cartel, and received €5,500 for a murder. Garda Detective Martin Power recounted how Rowe collapsed in tears at the station, confessed to the crime, and later led officers to a house on Maudlin Street where a body was found. Rowe was arrested at 7.38 pm that evening. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, continues with a jury of twelve. The case remains at the evidence‑gathering stage.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, lawyers for Lisa Smith, aged 40 from Dundalk, argue that Facebook's indefinite storage of private messages constitutes a wholesale breach of privacy rights. Michael O'Higgins SC objects to the admissibility of messages exchanged between Smith and known Islamist terrorists in Australia and Syria dating back to 2012. He contends that the court must protect individuals' rights against a corporation that records every utterance. The case involves messages initially seized by Gardaí from American authorities investigating John Georgelas, a known associate of Smith who was wanted in the US for terrorism charges and is presumed dead in Syria. Gardaí later obtained a warrant to access the same messages from Facebook's Dublin head office. Smith has pleaded not guilty to membership in the Islamic State between 28 October 2015 and 1 December 2019, and to financing terrorism by sending €800 via Western Union on 6 May 2015.
During the trial, Garda Kevin Seymour testified that he received a call on 25 March 2020 from the control centre about a man claiming to be God who said he had murdered someone the previous Friday. Seymour and other officers visited Trevor Rowe's home on Abbey Street, where Rowe, who appeared intoxicated, shouted that he had "slit her throat, buried a knife in her head" and that this was his "fifth one". He also said, "I murdered her, I done her head in and slit her throat. I could tell you about five more too". Rowe then fell to his knees and cried. The officers took him to Maudlin Street, where they found a body on a couch in a nearby house. The trial continues before Justice Karen O'Connor and a jury. Trevor Rowe pleaded not guilty.
During the first pandemic lockdown, Jessica Bowes claimed she was denied entry to a Dunnes Stores in Clondalkin because she was a single mother. She alleged a security guard told a manager, "I have a single mother here, can I let her in?" and that she was stopped from entering the shop. Bowes said she had been in a fast‑track queue for essential workers, was told to wait in a yellow social‑distancing circle, and that the guard's remarks made her feel "physically sick, degraded." Dunnes Stores argued the incident was a misunderstanding, noting the guard had no knowledge of her family status and that the manager had not stopped her. The adjudicating officer found Bowes had not established a prima facie case of discrimination and upheld the store's defence, rejecting her claim. The hearing concluded with the officer stating no prohibited conduct had occurred.
In a trial held in Kilkenny, Trevor Rowe, aged 29, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 71‑year‑old Ann Butler, who was found dead in her home on Maudlin Street on 20 March 2020. The prosecution presented evidence that Rowe made three anonymous 999 calls on 25 March 2020, each claiming he had killed a woman and that the body was behind Langtons Hotel. In the first call, the caller demanded to be called "God" and threatened further murder if the Gardaí did not take him seriously. The second call repeated the claim that he had stabbed and sliced a woman's throat, and the third call was made from a different number. Garda officers, including control‑room operator Padraic McInerney, recorded the calls and traced the numbers to a mobile phone owned by Noel Pierce, who lived at Cathedral Square. The Gardaí subsequently visited Rowe's home, where he had briefly used Pierce's phone.
During the 13th day of Michael Lynn's trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, former Irish Nationwide auditor Killian McMahon testified that he had no knowledge of any alleged secret deal between the accused and former bank boss Michael Fingleton. McMahon, who worked as an internal auditor for the society between 2003 and 2006, denied awareness of any files or secret profit arrangements involving Fingleton and high‑net‑worth individuals. He stated that he had no reason to believe such files existed and that there were no secret loan deals. McMahon also said that any meeting between Fingleton and Lynn over coffee was unlikely to have been documented. The defence counsel, Feargal Kavanagh, used the testimony to argue that Irish Nationwide's lending practices were reckless and that the bank had been misled by false information supplied by Lynn. The judge, Martin Nolan, cautioned the counsel against making unsubstantiated comments. Michael Lynn pleaded not guilty.
Two brothers, Gavin Quinn, 27, and Lee Quinn, 26, are set to stand trial at the Central Criminal Court for attempting to murder Garda Alan Murphy on 30 March 2020. Gavin Quinn pleaded not guilty to both the attempted murder and to assaulting the Garda, claiming he was reckless under Section 185 of the Criminal Justice Act 2000. Lee Quinn entered a special plea of not guilty to the attempted murder but pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to the Garda on the same date. He also pleaded not guilty to a Section 185 assault charge and to possession of an offensive weapon – a knife – intended to unlawfully injure, under Section 9(5) of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990. The jury, sworn today, will hear the case, which is expected to last five days, with the Director of Public Prosecutions opening the case on 3 March.
Lawyers for Lisa Smith, a former Irish soldier aged 40 from Dundalk, Co. Louth, are contesting evidence of Facebook messages that prosecutors claim link her to Islamic State and a convicted terrorist. Smith denies membership in the unlawful terrorist group between 28 October 2015 and 1 December 2019 and denies financing terrorism by sending €800 via Western Union to a named man on 6 May 2015. During a hearing before a three‑judge Special Criminal Court, Detective Sergeant Carrie O'Connor informed counsel that a warrant issued in December 2019 allowed access to Facebook messages dating back to 2013. The messages allegedly show contact with John Georgelas, an American convert to Islam wanted in the United States for supporting a terrorist organisation, and with Robert Edward Cerantonio, an Australian who pleaded guilty in 2016 to preparing an incursion into the Philippines. Mr. Michael O'Higgins SC will file objections to the Facebook evidence tomorrow, while Mr. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the State's barrister, John O'Kelly SC, presented evidence that Trevor Rowe (29) of Abbey Street, Kilkenny, had made three anonymous 999 calls claiming he had killed 71‑year‑old Anne Butler at her Maudlin Street home. The calls were traced to phones owned by others, leading Gardaí to Rowe's house where he admitted the calls and the location of the victim. Gardaí then directed Rowe to Butler's house, where they found her body in a state of decomposition on the couch, with injuries of asphyxia, blunt force trauma, an incised neck wound and multiple stab wounds. Forensic links included Rowe's DNA on a cider can, a pair of gloves with Butler's blood, and a crucifix fragment. CCTV footage showed Butler's last appearance at 9.30 pm on 20 March, followed by Rowe's arrival and departure from the house. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, is expected to last ten days. Trevor Rowe pleaded not guilty.
The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard evidence that Michael Lynn, a former solicitor aged 53, applied for mortgages on ten residential investment properties between September and December 2006. The applications involved four properties with a combined loan of €945,000, three with just over €1 million, and three with €1.4 million. The properties were one‑, two‑ and three‑bed apartments in East Wall, Parnell Square, Bolton Street and Gardiner Street. Lynn faces 21 theft charges for allegedly stealing about €27 million from seven financial institutions, but he denies all charges. Prosecutor Patrick McGrath presented cheques showing the loan amounts drawn and credited to Lynn's account, with the last repayment in October 2007. An internal memo from Irish Nationwide Building Society urged that Lynn's applications be prioritised because he was "under pressure to close". The case is before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
A 29‑year‑old man, Trevor Rowe of Abbey Street, Kilkenny, pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to the murder of 71‑year‑old pensioner Anne Butler at her home on Maudlin Street on 20 March 2020. A jury of five women and seven men was sworn in by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, who announced the trial would begin the next day and is expected to last ten days.
A senior High Court judge has granted former Stardust manager Eamon Butterly permission to bring a judicial review challenge aimed at preventing a new inquest into the 1981 Stardust fire from considering an unlawful‑killing verdict. Butterly, who owned the nightclub with his family, claims that the new hearing could wrongly target him for such a verdict. The families of the 48 victims, who have opposed his application, argue that the challenge is premature, especially as it is launched weeks before the inquest is set to begin. The judge, who is not yet ruling on the merits, noted that time is of the essence and that the proceedings should be heard as soon as possible. The challenge seeks an order to prohibit the coroner from considering an unlawful‑killing verdict, to quash the coroner's refusal to rule it out, and to declare that such a verdict cannot be lawfully returned under the Coroners Acts.
The Special Criminal Court resumed Lisa Smith's trial after a seven‑day break caused by a medical issue that kept the three judges away. The court, which had previously heard transcripts of Smith's Garda interviews, now focuses on legal arguments about mutual assistance requests to American and Australian authorities. Smith, 39, denies membership in the Islamic State from 28 October 2015 to 1 December 2019 and denies financing terrorism by sending €800 in 2015. The case is before Justice Tony Hunt, Judge Gerard Griffin and Judge Cormac Dunne. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty.
Former solicitor Michael Lynn, aged 53, is on trial for 21 theft charges alleging he stole about €27 million from seven financial institutions. The case focuses on a €3.6 million loan he obtained from a bank in September 2006 for 11 Dublin investment properties, with 85 % financing requested. The prosecution claims Lynn breached the agreement in October 2007, leading the bank to demand full repayment. Evidence presented by Sam Beamish, a former Ulster Bank director, details the loan application, signed offer letter, and letters of undertaking supposedly authorising solicitor Fiona McAleenan. The prosecution alleges these letters were forged by an employee of Lynn's firm. Lynn denies all charges. The trial, before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury, continues next week. The involved banks are Bank of Ireland Mortgages, Danske Bank, Irish Life and Permanent, Ulster Bank, ACC Bank, Bank of Scotland Ireland, and Irish Nationwide Building Society.
The trial heard that National Irish Bank lost the full €1.3 million loan it advanced to former solicitor Michael Lynn, who is 53 and faces 21 theft charges for alleged €27 million theft from seven banks. Lynn denies all charges. The prosecution alleges Lynn obtained multiple mortgages on the same properties while banks were unaware of other lenders. Noel McCole, a former business banking manager, testified that in December 2006 Lynn's assistant emailed the bank for information, and in February 2007 the bank offered to fund 80 % of four Dublin apartments. Lynn signed and returned the offer. A solicitor named Fiona McAleenan sent documents claiming irrevocable authority, but the prosecution says the undertakings were forged by an employee of Lynn. The €1,338,160 loan was drawn in March 2007, repaid monthly until October 2007, after which repayments stopped. The bank could not secure the properties and suffered a total loss.
In the trial of Michael Lynn, a 53‑year‑old former solicitor accused of stealing about €27 million from seven banks, a witness named Jim Madden denied claiming that "all of the banks felt collectively they had no choice but to move against him." Madden, a former senior business manager at Bank of Ireland, explained that his role involved meeting prospective clients but that loan approval rested with the bank's group credit section. He recalled meeting Lynn in 2005 and 2006 regarding mortgages for eight investment properties, noting that Lynn signed a loan offer and accepted its terms. Madden also stated he had met Lynn at least twice, once in a non‑working setting, and could not remember any conversation about banks' collective stance. The court heard that Lynn has pleaded not guilty to 21 theft charges covering October 2006 to April 2007, and the trial is ongoing.
The Special Criminal Court adjourned Lisa Smith's non‑jury trial to next Friday after medical difficulties prevented the three judges from attending. Smith, 39, from Dundalk, Co. Louth, denies membership of the Islamic State between 28 October 2015 and 1 December 2019 and denies financing terrorism by sending €800 via Western Union to a named man on 6 May 2015. She was not required to attend the adjourned hearing and will resume the trial on Friday. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty.
A man in his fifties, whose identity is withheld for legal reasons, has filed a High Court application to stop a pending trial for indecent assault against his nephew. He denies the charge and argues that the prosecution has been delayed for over 33 years, citing the deaths of potential witnesses who could exonerate him as a reason for an unfair trial. The alleged assault took place at the nephew's home sometime between early 1987 and late 1988, when the accused was in his late teens and the complainant was a primary‑school student. The case was charged last year after the accused had attended a voluntary interview with the Gardai. In his judicial review, the accused seeks orders preventing the trial, declarations that the prosecution breaches his constitutional and European Convention rights, and that it is oppressive and infringes his private life. Mr Justice Charles Meenan granted the lawyers permission to proceed and the matter was adjourned to April.
The trial heard that Michael Lynn, aged 53, faces 21 theft charges for allegedly stealing about €27 million from seven banks. He denies all allegations. Prosecutor Arthur King presented evidence that Lynn applied for eight mortgages in September 2006, requesting 85 % of the properties' value (€2,742,000). He signed a loan offer, received a cheque for the full amount, and paid instalments in 2007 until payments stopped in September. Subsequent inquiries revealed Lynn had taken additional mortgages on the same properties from other institutions. Lynn was never registered as the owner, breaching two loan conditions: no legal charge on the properties and his lack of ownership. King argued that if the bank had known of false or misleading documents, the loan would not have been approved. John Kinsella, a partner at Kinsella Mitchell & Associates, testified that documents presented as statements of affairs were not produced by his firm and contained inconsistencies. Michael Lynn pleaded not guilty.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court acquitted a 60‑year‑old retired Garda of raping his wife in their family home in Leinster in July 2018. The trial lasted five days and the jury, composed of eight men and four women, returned a unanimous not‑guilty verdict after a little over two hours of deliberation. The defendant had been remanded on bail throughout the proceedings. Prosecutor Patrick Gageby SC presented evidence that the couple had married in 2007, that their marriage had become acrimonious and was effectively broken by 2018, with the wife seeking a divorce. The wife alleged that she was subjected to emotional and psychological abuse, while the defendant denied this and claimed he was the victim of abuse. She testified that on the morning of the alleged rape she was lying in bed when the defendant, naked from the waist down, entered the room, claimed to be "furiously horny" and forced himself on her. The unnamed 60-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 60‑year‑old retired Garda appeared in the Central Criminal Court on 21 February 2022 to deny a rape charge against his wife. He said he had sought a court safety order against her in September 2018, claiming it was to protect himself and his children, and that the alleged rape in July 2018 was a fabrication. He denied any emotional or psychological abuse, stating he was the one abused, and denied using abusive language. He recounted an incident on 2 September 2018 where his wife struck him with a phone, after which he reported the assault to Gardaí and later obtained a protection order. He denied planning any events after the order and said he feared a rape complaint. The trial is ongoing before Ms Justice Karen O'Connor and a jury. The unnamed 60-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard evidence that documents purporting to bear the signature and stamp of accountancy firm Kinsella Mitchell & Associates were not produced by that firm. Michael Lynn, aged 53, faces 21 charges relating to the alleged theft of approximately €27 million from seven financial institutions between October 2006 and April 2007. He denies all charges. The prosecution alleges that Lynn obtained multiple mortgages on the same properties without banks' knowledge of other financing arrangements, and submitted false financial documentation. A partner at Kinsella Mitchell & Associates testified that statements of affairs dated April 2007 and November 2006, both purporting to bear his firm's credentials, were not genuine documents prepared by his practice. A former fraud officer for ACC Bank gave evidence regarding a mortgage application for Glenlion House in Howth, County Dublin, approved for €3.78 million in 2007. The trial, before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury, continues.
A 41‑year‑old Romanian national, Feri Anghel, was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court on 21 February 2022. He faces a charge of murdering another Romanian, Ioan Artene Bob, at a Dublin location on 13 April 2018. Anghel pleaded not guilty. Judge Paul McDermott swore in a jury of seven men and five women, who will hear the trial before Judge Paul Burns. The trial is scheduled to begin on Wednesday and is expected to last about six weeks, with the judge noting that the jury may be asked to leave for a period if legal issues arise.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 60‑year‑old retired Garda pleaded not guilty to a rape charge against his wife, claiming the allegation was a complete fabrication. The trial, conducted by Patrick Gageby SC, presented the defendant's cautioned interview from December 2018, where he alleged constant assault by his wife, including a broken tooth, kicks, spitting, and water thrown at him. He maintained he had never touched her and that she never made a rape claim. He described keeping a packed bag and staying in a box room for the children's sake, asserting he would return if he left. The prosecution's evidence included a family‑law solicitor's notes indicating the wife had discussed emotional abuse and a rape claim in July 2018, and that she sought to use the allegation in family‑law proceedings. The case remains before Ms Justice Karen O'Connor and a jury.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, the wife of a 60‑year‑old retired Garda testified that their marriage had become toxic, with frequent fighting and separate sleeping arrangements since 2012. She said they had consensual sex last in April 2018, but the alleged rape occurred in July 2018 when she was lying in bed and the husband, naked from the waist down, forced himself on her. She resisted, told him to leave, and that he threatened her afterward. She claimed the marriage had irreparably broken down by 2018 and that she had sought a divorce. The court heard that weeks later Gardaí served her with a safety order after the husband alleged she had "smacked" him with a phone while drunk. The trial is ongoing before Justice Karen O'Connor and a jury. The unnamed 60-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a 2022 High Court decision, Mr Justice Charles Meenan ruled that a judge's participation in the 2021 Judicial Council vote on new personal injury guidelines does not bar them from hearing the lead challenge to those guidelines. The case, brought by Ms Bridget Delaney of Co Waterford, seeks to quash the Personal Injuries Assessment Board's (PIAB) assessment of her claim and the Council's adoption of the guidelines. Ms Delaney alleges her €3,000 award was insufficient and that the guidelines were adopted in a manner that infringed her constitutional rights. The judge dismissed the motion to recuse, stating that voting on the guidelines does not interfere with a judge's duty to be fair and impartial. The decision affirms that judges, like all citizens, must follow the law and that the Council's actions were within constitutional bounds. The case remains a test challenge against the State and PIAB.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 20‑year‑old defendant, Dean Kerrie, claimed he acted in self‑defence when a 25‑year‑old fisherman, Jack Power, entered his home. Kerrie said Power smashed the front window, kicked in the door and attacked his family. He alleged that Power fell onto a knife he had taken from his brother's bed, resulting in a single stab wound to Power's chest that penetrated his heart. Kerrie's defence argued that he had no intention to kill and was merely protecting his home. The prosecution contended that Kerrie deliberately stabbed Power and used excessive force. After nearly seven hours of deliberation, the jury could not reach a verdict and declared a disagreement. Kerrie was remanded on bail pending the next court date. The case remains unresolved. Dean Kerrie pleaded not guilty.
A 60‑year‑old retired Garda was brought to trial on a single charge of raping his wife in their Leinster family home in July 2018. He pleaded not guilty. The jury, composed of eight men and four women, was empanelled on Monday, but the trial began only after a delay caused by legal matters. The case is before Justice Karen O'Connor and is expected to last about five days. Patrick Gageby SC opened the prosecution case, noting that the defendant had retired from the Gardaí some years ago, married the complainant in 2007, and that the couple had two children. Gageby described the marriage as volatile, with the couple sleeping in separate bedrooms by summer 2018 and the complainant's solicitor urging a divorce.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, a jury of eleven deliberated over the case of 20‑year‑old Dean Kerrie, accused of killing 25‑year‑old Jack Power in 2018. Kerrie claimed he was defending his home when Power, a drunk fisherman, entered as a trespasser. The jury asked the judge whether Kerrie's age—he was 17 at the time—merited special consideration, but the judge said no. They also examined two knives found at Kerrie's house, one with no blood and another with Power's DNA. The prosecution argued Kerrie acted unlawfully, while the defence maintained he acted in self‑defence. The jury was instructed to reach a unanimous verdict of guilty of murder, guilty of manslaughter, or not guilty, and was released to return the next day for further deliberation.
A jury of seven men and four women returned to the Central Criminal Court on 15 February 2022 to consider the verdict in the murder trial of 20‑year‑old Dean Kerrie. Kerrie, who lives in St Brigid's Square, Portarlington, claimed he acted in self‑defence after a drunken fisherman, Jack Power, 25, entered his home at Shanakiel, Dunmore East, on 26 July 2018. Power was stabbed once in the chest, a wound that pierced his heart. Kerrie pleaded not guilty. Defence counsel Ciaran O'Loughlin SC argued that Kerrie had no intention other than to protect his home and had acted in self‑defence. Prosecution counsel Michael Delaney SC contended that Kerrie had taken the law into his own hands, using excessive force. Justice Eileen Creedon explained that the burden of proof lies with the prosecution and outlined the three possible verdicts: guilty of murder, guilty of manslaughter, or not guilty.
During a Disclosures Tribunal hearing on 15 February 2022, solicitor John Hennessy criticised a disciplinary inquiry against retired Garda Sergeant John Hughes, whom he said was victimised for raising concerns about systems failures before the murder of Baiba Saulite. Hennessy described the inquiry as "ridiculous" and a "trumped‑up internal quasi‑manslaughter charge," arguing it was a knee‑jerk reaction to media pressure and a distortion of the facts. He noted that Hughes had been disciplined over a draft Victim Impact Statement that Hennessy had given to the Garda shortly before Saulite's death. Hennessy also criticised a 2008 Star newspaper article that he said unfairly linked Hughes' actions to Saulite's murder. The tribunal heard that Hughes had previously worked with Hennessy on the abduction case that returned Saulite's children to her. The Garda Síochána denied all allegations against Hughes. The tribunal was scheduled to continue the following day.
In February 2022 the Special Criminal Court heard that Garda James Kilgannon had concerns for Lisa Smith's safety after comments on local media suggested she should not return to Ireland. Kilgannon explained that part of his duty was to ensure her safety when she began living with her mother in Dundalk. He noted that Smith had reintegrated reasonably well, was accepted by the community, and had complied with all bail conditions, including a curfew and daily sign‑ins at a Garda station. Smith's family were described as decent people who had cooperated with Gardaí. Kilgannon also revealed that Smith's family had alerted him to three voice messages and texts she had sent while in the Ain Issa camp in Syria, indicating she was in "tough and dangerous conditions" and that her husband had likely been killed. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court murder trial, 20‑year‑old Dean Kerrie pleaded not guilty to the killing of 25‑year‑old Jack Power, who entered Kerrie's Portarlington home as a trespasser. Kerrie's defence counsel, Ciaran O'Loughlin SC, argued that Kerrie acted in self‑defence, claiming he was attacked and feared for his life. He said Kerrie brandished a knife but did not stab Power, who allegedly fell onto the blade. O'Loughlin highlighted the 999 call where Kerrie expressed fear and stated he stabbed Power "by accident." The prosecution, led by Michael Delaney SC, contended that Kerrie's account was implausible, citing inconsistencies with witnesses, the placement of the knife, and the lack of defensive injuries on Power. Delaney urged the jury to consider whether Kerrie used excessive force and whether a threat justified the stabbing. The case remains at the jury's deliberation stage.
Lisa Smith, a former Irish soldier aged 39 from Dundalk, denies membership in Islamic State. She claims she saw a single atrocity – a dead man hanging on a cross with his eyes gouged out – while living in Syria, but says she did not witness public executions or other atrocities. Smith says she was there to "build the Islamic State" and that she had no involvement in terrorist activities. She denies funding terrorism, stating she sent €800 to a man named John Georgelas in 2015 for personal use, not to support the organisation. Smith says her husband kept her confined and prevented her from leaving until after Raqqa fell in 2017. The Special Criminal Court is hearing her not‑guilty pleas for membership of an unlawful terrorist group and for financing terrorism. The trial is before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, Judge Gerard Griffin and Judge Cormac Dunne. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty.
Brendan Treanor, 33, of Dundalk, faces charges for a 2013 robbery at Lordship Credit Union where Garda Adrian Donohoe was murdered. He is also charged with conspiracy to burgle but not murder. Treanor has been denied bail and is remanded in Portlaoise Prison. He has filed a judicial review against the DPP, the Minister for Justice, and the Attorney General, challenging the decision to try him before the Special Criminal Court (SCC). His lawyers argue the DPP failed to give detailed reasons for the SCC trial, citing that the murder suspect, Aaron Brady, was tried in a jury court. Treanor claims the SCC's permanent status breaches constitutional rights and seeks an order preventing prosecution before the SCC, declarations of breach of equality, and a requirement for detailed reasons. The case was heard by Mr Justice Charles Meenan, with a hearing scheduled for March.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 45‑year‑old man was discharged from charges of sexually assaulting a 16‑year‑old schoolgirl after Judge Pauline Codd ruled that an informal identification by the victim at a Luas stop was unfair. The man had pleaded not guilty. The judge found that the identification process lacked safeguards: no foils were used, no notes were taken, and the Gardaí present were not neutral. She noted that the victim's detailed description had been given to the Gardaí, but the identification was conducted eight days after the alleged assault, with the Gardaí already aware of the suspect's identity. Consequently, the judge excluded the identification evidence and dismissed the case, stating no prosecution would proceed. The jury was thanked for their service. The case remains closed with no further charges.
The trial of former solicitor Michael Lynn, aged 53, was adjourned for one week after a juror tested positive for Covid‑19. Lynn faces 21 theft charges, alleging he stole about €27 million from seven financial institutions between October 2006 and April 2007. He denies all charges. Judge Martin Nolan informed the jury that the infected juror would need to isolate for seven days. The case is being heard by an extended panel of 15 jurors, as the trial is expected to last up to 14 weeks. Judge Nolan said he would adjourn the trial for one week and resume on the following Monday. Lynn has pleaded not guilty to the 21 counts of theft. The trial opened last Wednesday and will resume next week. The financial institutions involved are Bank of Ireland Mortgages Bank Ltd, Danske Bank, Irish Life and Permanent, Ulster Bank, ACC Bank PLC, Bank of Scotland Ireland Ltd, and Irish Nationwide Building Society.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, former solicitor Michael Lynn, aged 53, faces 21 theft charges for allegedly siphoning about €27 million from seven financial institutions between October 2006 and April 2007. Lynn denies all allegations. Building society officials testified that they would not have approved a €4.1 million mortgage to Lynn if they had known a second mortgage existed on Glenlion House, Howth. Lynn and his wife Bríd Murphy secured the property, valued at €5.5 million, through multiple lenders: Irish Nationwide Building Society, Bank of Scotland Ireland, ACC Bank, and others. The court heard that Lynn's assets were valued at over €45 million and that he maintained an "immaculate repayment record." The trial, expected to last up to 14 weeks, resumed on Monday before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury. The proceedings focus on the alleged dual mortgages and the resulting financial loss to the banks. Michael Lynn pleaded not guilty.
In a murder trial, 20‑year‑old Dean Kerrie, who was 17 at the time of the incident, testified that Jack Power, 25, entered his home in Portarlington by kicking the front door. Kerrie claimed Power threatened his mother and that Power's attempt to remove a knife from Kerrie's hand led to an accidental stabbing. Kerrie described being choked, thrown to the floor, and later seeing Power's knife on his brother's bed. He said he tried to move out of the way of a kick and that Power's loss of footing caused the stab. Prosecutor Michael Delaney argued the stabbing was deliberate, not accidental, and that Kerrie's statements were false. The case remains in court, with the jury hearing Kerrie's account and the prosecution's counter‑arguments. The trial continues before Justice Eileen Creedon. Dean Kerrie pleaded not guilty.
During the Special Criminal Court trial, an FBI agent testified that it was "beyond suspicion" that former Irish soldier Lisa Smith had joined ISIS while in Syria. The agent, who cannot be named, was in Syria in 2019 when Smith was held in the Ain Issa camp. He confirmed that Smith had been a member of the Irish army and could have been recruited to train women in the Khatibah, an all‑female ISIS battalion. Another FBI witness, Agent C, provided admissible evidence that Smith met the ISIS propagandist John Georgelas (Abu Hassan) in 2012 via Facebook, travelled to Turkey in 2013, and crossed into Syria with him. Smith returned to Ireland in 2014, went back to the Middle East in 2015, and by June 2016 was living in Syria, married, and residing in Raqqa. She later moved to refugee camps Al‑Hawl and Ain Issa.
Gerry "The Monk" Hutch (58) and former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall (44) lost their High Court actions that sought to stop them from being tried before the Special Criminal Court (SCC) on murder charges linked to the 2016 Regency Hotel attack. Mr Justice Anthony Barr dismissed the men's requests for declarations that an SCC trial would be unlawful, unconstitutional, or outside the powers of the 1939 Offences Against the State Act. The judge held that the SCC's existence is not limited by a sunset clause and that the Director of Public Prosecutions may certify that offences can be tried before the SCC when ordinary courts are deemed inadequate. He rejected the claim that the SCC's temporary legislation had become permanent and that the court's jurisdiction should be limited to subversive offences. The court found no legal basis to refuse the trials or to declare the SCC unlawful.
In a murder trial, a fisherman, aged 25, was found dead in a teenage boy's home after sustaining a single stab wound to the front of his chest that penetrated his heart. The jury heard from retired Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis that the wound was 13 cm deep, 4.5 cm long, and the force used was moderate. Dr Curtis noted the victim's intoxication with alcohol and cocaine, and that he was over three times the legal driving limit. The victim, a fisherman who worked on his father's boat, had no defensive injuries. The accused, 20‑year‑old Dean Kerrie, pleaded not guilty to the murder of the fisherman, who was found dead on 26 July 2018 in Waterford. The trial continues before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
In a theft trial, Irish Nationwide Building Society admitted it wrote off a €4 million mortgage taken by former solicitor Michael Lynn, aged 53, ten months after the loan was issued. Prosecutor Patrick McGrath presented the State's case that Lynn secured multiple mortgages on the same properties from different lenders, unaware of each other's applications. Killian McMahon, former internal auditor for INBS, testified that he had no personal dealings with Lynn but reviewed bank records. He described a loan application by Lynn and his wife Brid Murphy for a Howth home, amounting to €4 125 000, signed on 2 April 2007. McMahon noted a solicitor's undertaking dated 16 January 2007, signed by Fiona McAleenan, which assured the bank there were no other mortgages on the property. He also presented evidence of a cheque issued by Irish Nationwide for €4 125 000 on 4 April 2007 and the account statement showing the debit and subsequent bounced direct‑debit payments.
In a Waterford case, the Workplace Relations Commission found that a bar worker, Claire O'Neill, was dismissed by text after she raised concerns about sexual harassment by two patrons. The commission held that the pub owners failed to protect her from overt and hostile sexual harassment and that her dismissal was linked to her complaints. The adjudicating officer, Patsy Doyle, concluded that gender discrimination played a role and ordered the owners to pay €30,000 – €25,000 for discrimination and €5,000 for discriminatory dismissal. The case highlighted the lack of robust employment policies at the pub and the owners' failure to investigate the harassment allegations. The ruling emphasized that the owners' decision to terminate O'Neill's employment was careless and callous, and that the workers' conduct was not a mitigating factor in the decision. The decision was based on the evidence presented at the hearing and the commission's assessment of the circumstances. The ruling was made on 25 May.
In a murder trial, the jury heard a 999 call from 17‑year‑old Dean Kerrie, who said he stabbed fisherman Jack Power "by accident" after Power entered his home. Kerrie claimed he feared for his life and that Power had come in the front door. The call, recorded at 3.44 am, included Kerrie's description of the incident, the knife used, and his statement that he did not intend to kill. The prosecution also played a call from Kerrie's mother, Ann Fitzgerald, reporting broken windows. Evidence presented included forensic findings of blood on a wooden chair leg, a rock on a couch, and a black knife with a palm mark. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, continues with a jury of eight men and four women. The case remains at the hearing stage. Dean Kerrie pleaded not guilty.
Former solicitor Michael Lynn, aged 53, faces 21 theft charges for allegedly stealing about €27 million from seven banks. Prosecutors say he obtained multiple mortgages on the same properties, misled lenders, and used forged documents. Lynn applied for mortgages from at least two, often several, institutions, each unaware of the others' loans. He presented false statements of affairs and forged letters of undertaking, claiming they were signed by a solicitor and partner at his firm. The prosecution alleges he used these tactics to secure over €11 million for a family home in County Dublin and additional funds for investment properties. Lynn denies all charges. The trial, heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, is before a 15‑member jury and is expected to last up to 14 weeks, with over 70 witnesses scheduled. The case involves Ulster Bank, Bank of Ireland Mortgages, Bank of Scotland Ireland, Danske Bank, ACC, Irish Life and Permanent, and Irish Nationwide Building Society.
In a murder trial heard on 8 February 2022, a 20‑year‑old teenage boy, Dean Kerrie, pleaded not guilty to the killing of 25‑year‑old fisherman Jack Power in Shanakiel, Dunmore East, Waterford, on 26 July 2018. Kerrie told Gardaí that he had been asleep when a man broke into his home in Portarlington, attacked his mother, and that he stabbed the intruder with a knife. He was arrested on suspicion of assault causing harm and cautioned. Garda evidence described a broken front window, a broken chair, a kitchen knife on the floor, bloodstains on clothing and a black‑and‑white handled knife found at the scene. The prosecution noted a single stab wound to Power's chest and that Power was declared dead at the scene. The trial continued before Justice Eileen Creedon with a jury of eight men and four women. The case remains at the trial stage.
Lisa Smith, a 39‑year‑old former Irish soldier from Dundalk, denies membership in Islamic State. She was arrested at Dublin Airport after flying from Syria, where she had travelled to join the caliphate about four years earlier. In the Special Criminal Court she pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful terrorist group between 28 October 2015 and 1 December 2019, and to financing terrorism by sending €800 via Western Union to a named man on 6 May 2015. During the hearing, Smith admitted she had watched a video of men being drowned in a cage by ISIS and posted a WhatsApp message saying she now understood why they were drowned, though she said she did not agree with the killings. She described the killings as "barbaric" and "savage" and said the video made her feel "disgusted." The trial is before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, with Judges Gerard Griffin and Cormac Dunne presiding in the non‑jury court.