Zoltan Almasi, 49, a Serbian truck driver, denies knowing he had committed a terrible act when he left the scene after striking 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne with a baseball bat. Almasi, who is in the witness box for a second day at the Central Criminal Court, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the death that occurred on 16 May 2014 at Harbour View. He testified that he had gone out with a bat to chase people who were harassing his van, without intending harm, and later returned home, showered, and went to his wife's house as arranged. Prosecutor Caroline Biggs cross‑examined him, showing CCTV of his departure and questioning his route choice and why he did not call the gardai earlier. The cross‑examination continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of seven men and four women.
During his murder trial, Zoltan Almasi, a 49‑year‑old Serbian truck driver, explained that he had chased a 20‑year‑old man away from his van and struck the man's head with a baseball bat. Almasi said he had been defending his vehicle after it was attacked by several people, but he did not intend to cause serious harm. He returned home, showered, and drove to his wife's house as planned. Almasi admitted that he had hit the victim, Joseph Dunne, who died after a single blow shattered his skull. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. Almasi expressed remorse, stating he did not want anyone to die, and that he had been in prison for seven years and had been seeing a psychologist for three years. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of seven men and four women.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Zoltan Almasi, 49, for the 2014 death of Joseph Dunne, heard expert testimony from retired pathologist Dr Michael Curtis. Almasi, a Serbian-born man from Naas, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The jury examined a wooden baseball bat, which Dr Curtis stated could have caused Dunne's fatal injury from a single blow wielded with severe force. Testifying regarding the post-mortem examination conducted seven years ago, Dr Curtis described a comminuted, depressed fracture on the upper back of Dunne's head, where the skull bone was shattered and driven inwards. He confirmed that the injuries resulted from one act of force, causing the brain's bridging veins to split and bleed, leading to rapid death from severe traumatic head injury. The court also heard that Dunne had struck Almasi's parked Mercedes van before Almasi emerged with the bat. The prosecution has now closed its case. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of seven men and four women. No verdict or sentence has been delivered, and the matter remains at the trial stage.
In the extended family abuse trial, the trial judge, Mr Justice Paul McDermott, directed that the case against the 57‑year‑old grandmother be withdrawn and that she be found not guilty by direction. She had been accused of three counts of sexually assaulting her granddaughter, allegations she denied. The child witness, during cross‑examination, could not recall any assault by the grandmother. The trial continues with the remaining six accused, who include parents, aunts and uncles of the complainants, all of whom deny the charges.
A retired member of a Catholic religious order, now in his eighties, has applied to the High Court for an order to halt his pending trial on four child sexual abuse charges dating from 1966 to 1969. The allegations, made by a secondary school student who was a minor at the time, claim that the accused assaulted her in an Abbey room, at a Convent while she was bringing communion, and once more near the convent, as well as a Christmas‑time incident where he allegedly pushed her against a wall. The accused denies all allegations and argues that the delay between the alleged offences and the charges—spanning more than 50 years—has deprived him of a fair trial. He also cites age‑related dementia and cognitive impairment that would impair his ability to defend himself. Represented by Hugh Hartnett SC, he has initiated judicial review proceedings against the Director of Public Prosecutions, alleging inordinate prosecutorial delay.
In the Central Criminal Court, a 49‑year‑old man, Zoltan Almasi, is on trial for the murder of 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne, who was killed with a baseball bat in 2014. Almasi pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. Prosecutor Caroline Biggs explained that Dunne had walked past Almasi's parked van, struck it, and Almasi then emerged with a bat. Detective Garda Christine Brady, the incident‑room coordinator, testified about her role in the investigation, including the creation of a "Jobs Book" that listed 143 tasks for officers. She searched 55,000 pages of records for any prior contact between Almasi and the Gardaí, finding one entry from April 2013. Brady also addressed a witness statement about a Renault Scenic being damaged that night, noting no damage reports and that no appeal was made for the owner to come forward.
A 40‑year‑old Romanian man, Feri Anghel, who has no fixed abode, will be tried in the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Ioan Artene Bob in Dublin on 13 April 2018. Anghel pleaded not guilty. Mr Justice Michael White has sworn in a jury of eight men and four women. The trial will start on Thursday and is expected to last five weeks.
The trial of a 16‑year‑old boy accused of producing a knife at a house party on Bandon Road in Cork, where 20‑year‑old Cameron Blair was murdered, has been paused for a second day. The accused, who was 14 at the time of the incident, pleaded not guilty to producing a knife capable of serious injury and to unlawfully intimidating another person. He pleaded guilty to violent disorder with two others, using or threatening unlawful violence, and to conduct that would cause a reasonable person present to fear for their safety. Judge David Keane informed the jury that legal issues needed to be addressed and asked them to return to Croke Park at midday. The trial, which began on 28 May, is scheduled to last three weeks. The judge said the trial would still finish within the original time estimate.
Paul Crosby and Gerard Cruise, both accused of murdering 17-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods, will stand trial at the non-jury Special Criminal Court. The Director of Public Prosecutions applied for the transfer, and Mr Justice Tony Hunt granted the request at the three-judge court. Neither accused entered a plea, and no findings or sentences were recorded at this procedural stage. The DPP alleged that Crosby, 25, of Rathmullan Park, Drogheda, and Cruise, 47, with addresses in Dublin 1 and Rathmullan Park, committed the murder at a house in Rathmullan Park between January 12 and 13, 2020. Crosby is currently in custody, while Cruise is on bail. Both men are required to attend court on June 18, though no specific trial date has been set. The matter was adjourned for that date and is not yet concluded. Background details indicate the victim was last seen alive in Drogheda on January 12, 2020. Subsequently, dismembered body parts were found in a sports bag in Coolock, Dublin, and further remains were discovered in a burning car in Drumcondra. The torso was located 14 months later in an overgrown ravine at Rathmullan Park during a search on March 11.
The Central Criminal Court is hearing a family abuse trial involving seven extended family members accused of sexually abusing three children. The accused, who cannot be named, include the parents, a grandmother, aunts, uncles and other relatives, aged 27 to 57, living in various parts of Munster. The father, aged 56, pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of rape, anal rape, oral rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation and wilfully neglecting a child, with alleged offences between 18 August 2014 and 28 April 2016. The mother, aged 34, pleaded not guilty to 25 counts of sexual assault, sexual exploitation and wilfully neglecting a child for the same period. She and the father also pleaded not guilty to wilfully neglecting two other boys. A 35‑year‑old sister of the mother pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual assault.
In a Cork city house‑party murder trial, a 20‑year‑old chemical engineering student, Cameron Blair, was stabbed in the neck and later died at Cork University Hospital. Witness testimony before the Central Criminal Court described two teenage boys, aged 14 and 16, who were present outside the house with knives. The 16‑year‑old, whose name is withheld because he is a minor, is charged with producing a knife at the Bandon Road house on 16 January 2020. He has pleaded not guilty to producing an article capable of inflicting serious injury. Two other boys in the group have pleaded guilty to murder and violent disorder, and the State alleges all three had knives that night. The trial, presided over by Justice David Keane, continues tomorrow with a jury of eight men and four women. The case focuses on whether the accused produced a knife capable of serious injury during the dispute that led to Blair's death.
During the second day of the Central Criminal Court trial, Darren O'Leary, the host of a pre‑drinks party on Bandon Road, testified that he saw the 16‑year‑old accused brandishing and waving a knife outside the house where 20‑year‑old Cameron Blair was murdered. O'Leary insisted he saw the knife "with my own eyes" and that the accused was the only boy in the group who held a knife. He described the accused as standing in shock at the front door after the incident and said he had identified the boy in a photograph. The defence argued that two other boys in the group had knives, but O'Leary maintained that only the accused was seen with a knife. The jury was told that the accused is charged with producing a knife capable of inflicting serious injury in a dispute. The trial continues before Mr Justice David Keane. The unnamed 16-year-old pleaded not guilty.
During a Central Criminal Court hearing, an 11‑year‑old boy testified that he was given pills by his parents to help him sleep, claiming this occurred "every second night" and that he felt "a bit strange" after taking them. He also alleged that his father, a 48‑year‑old man, and a 27‑year‑old man had all anally raped him when he was eight. The boy said his parents, grandmother, aunts, uncles and other relatives were accused of sexual abuse and wilfully neglecting children. The accused, aged 27 to 57, live in various parts of Munster. The father, aged 56, and mother, aged 34, have pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of rape, sexual assault, exploitation and neglect. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
A witness, Darren O'Leary, testified that he held his friend Cameron Blair as Blair bled from a fatal neck stab. O'Leary described applying pressure to the neck and calling for an ambulance, but the paramedics arrived only after ten minutes. He said Blair was intoxicated and unaware of the wound. O'Leary also recounted that Blair had invited three teenagers to a house party on Bandon Road, one of whom later stabbed Blair. The witness claimed Blair told him the teens were "sound or tome" and that he was unaware of the knife. O'Leary's testimony was given in the trial of a 16‑year‑old accused of producing a knife capable of serious injury. The accused, 14 at the time, pleaded not guilty to that charge. The case is before the Central Criminal Court. The witness also described the party's escalation and the presence of other weapons. The trial continues.
Two men charged with murder will proceed to trial at the Special Criminal Court following the rejection of a jurisdictional challenge this morning. Kenneth Donohoe, aged 42, and Darren Murphy, aged 50, both face allegations relating to the death of Eamon Kelly in December 2012. Defence counsel argued that the Special Criminal Court, established as an emergency measure in 1972, lacked statutory authority to operate on a permanent basis and that trying their clients without a jury breached human rights protections. Presiding judge Mr Justice Alexander Owens ruled that the court was validly established by statute and that the proclamation underpinning it remained in effect. This marks the second such jurisdictional application rejected by the court in two days. A similar challenge brought on behalf of four men accused of offences in County Cavan was dismissed on Tuesday. Both men are scheduled to appear for trial next week.
The Central Criminal Court trial of a 16-year-old accused, who was 14 at the time of the incident, continues before Mr Justice David Keane and a jury. The accused, who cannot be named due to his age, has pleaded not guilty to producing a knife at a house on Bandon Road in Cork city on January 16, 2020. He is alleged to have produced an article capable of inflicting serious injury in a manner likely to unlawfully intimidate another person. Last week, the accused pleaded guilty to committing violent disorder with two other persons present, using or threatening unlawful violence that would cause a person of reasonable firmness to fear for their safety. The trial concerns the murder of 20-year-old Cameron Blair, a chemical engineering student at Cork Institute of Technology, who died at Cork University Hospital after being stabbed in the neck at a student party. Another juvenile has already pleaded guilty to Blair's murder. Witness Marcel Szulhan testified that the accused, the youngest of three boys, threatened to "shank" a party-goer while looking for a phone charger. Szulhan stated he saw a knife being raised and heard someone scream that "they all have knives." He described Blair turning around, holding his neck, and saying he did not want to fight. The trial continues tomorrow.
In a trial before the Central Criminal Court, an eight‑year‑old boy testified that he was raped by three men, including his father, and that his mother and other relatives had also abused him. The boy, who was taken into care in April 2016, gave evidence in specialist Garda interviews conducted in August 2017. He described being touched by his father, his mother, a 48‑year‑old man who used a teaspoon, and a 27‑year‑old man, and that all three had anally raped him. He also recounted being forced to place his privates in another child's body while a man watched, and that photos of him naked were posted on Facebook. The trial continues with the accused, who range in age from 27 to 57, pleading not guilty to multiple counts of rape, sexual assault, exploitation and wilfully neglecting children. The court heard that the parents were also accused of wilfully neglecting two younger children.
During the Central Criminal Court hearing of Zoltan Almasi, a 49‑year‑old Serbian‑born man charged with the murder of Joseph 'Jo Jo' Dunne, witness Alannah Piercy testified that she saw a man strike Dunne twice with a baseball bat. Piercy described the first blow to the back‑left of Dunne's head and a second strike to the same spot while Dunne was prone. She claimed the bat was black with a blue top and that she could not identify the attacker. The defense counsel, Mr Barra McGrory QC, challenged Piercy's account, arguing that her statement to Gardaí on 18 May 2014 mentioned only one strike and that she had altered her testimony. Piercy maintained that her evidence was truthful, denying the allegation that the second blow was fabricated. The court took a brief recess before proceeding with the cross‑examination. The trial, which includes a jury of eleven, is scheduled to continue for four weeks. Zoltan Almasi pleaded not guilty.
During a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 12‑year‑old girl testified that she may have misidentified the 32‑year‑old accused woman as the one who touched her privates. She also admitted she might have made a similar mistake regarding her grandmother, saying she could not recall the grandmother doing anything. The girl had previously given evidence via recorded Garda interviews that her parents, grandmother, aunts, uncles and other relatives had sexually abused her. She stated that she had written a list of "all the things they did to me" between her first and second interviews and that she had been given cough medicine by her father. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, continues tomorrow with a jury. The accused, including the girl's parents, grandmother and other relatives, have pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of sexual assault, exploitation and wilfully neglecting children.
The Central Criminal Court trial of a 16-year-old accused, who cannot be named due to his age, continues before Mr Justice David Keane. The teenager, who was 14 at the time of the incident, has pleaded not guilty to producing a knife capable of inflicting serious injury in a manner likely to unlawfully intimidate another person. He has already pleaded guilty to committing violent disorder with two others at a house on Bandon Road in Cork city on January 16, 2020. The court heard evidence from Dave Sheehan, a friend of the deceased, Cameron Blair, a 20-year-old student at Cork Institute of Technology. Sheehan testified that he saw the accused holding a small knife in his left hand during an argument outside the house where Blair was subsequently stabbed in the neck. Sheehan stated he saw the knife "with my eyes" and described the accused as waving it while arguing with others. Another juvenile has already pleaded guilty to Blair's murder. The jury is tasked with determining whether the accused produced the knife in connection with the dispute. The trial is ongoing and was not adjourned or finalised during this session.
In a trial of seven people accused of sexually abusing three children between 2014 and 2016, a nine‑year‑old girl testified that her father, who is 56, had sent her a message warning her not to tell anyone about the touching or she would be in trouble. She also said he sent her a photo of himself and her mother naked and having sex, and asked her to send him a photo of her "bum", which she did. The girl, who was in foster care at the time, used a tablet to send messages on Facebook to her brother and father. The court heard that the father and mother, aged 56 and 33 respectively, pleaded not guilty to multiple counts including rape, sexual assault and wilfully neglecting children. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a nine‑year‑old girl described alleged sexual abuse by her parents, grandmother, and several aunts and uncles. The seven accused, aged 27 to 57, include the children's father (56), mother (33), a 48‑year‑old man, a 35‑year‑old woman, a 27‑year‑old man, a 32‑year‑old woman, and a 57‑year‑old maternal grandmother. All pleaded not guilty to various counts of rape, anal rape, oral rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, and wilfully neglecting children. The girl, interviewed in August 2017 after being placed in care in April 2016, recounted that her father, mother, grandmother, and the 48‑year‑old man touched her private parts with fingers, that her father and the 48‑year‑old man inserted their privates into hers, and that her brothers also engaged in sexual acts with her. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
During the murder trial of Zoltan Almasi, witness Michael 'Mikey' McDonagh testified that he placed his jacket under the head of his best friend, Joseph 'Jojo' Dunne, after Dunne was struck with a baseball bat. McDonagh described seeing the bat hit Dunne's back of the head once, though he believed Dunne had been struck twice. He recounted that Dunne was drunk, shouting, and had challenged a "big, tall hairy" man to a fight. The man, later identified as Almasi, allegedly struck Dunne with a bat, causing blood to come from Dunne's ears and mouth. McDonagh said people from a nearby restaurant performed CPR for 20 minutes before Gardaí arrived. The witness left the court during cross‑examination, later returning after a break. The trial continues under Mr Justice Michael White. Zoltan Almasi pleaded not guilty.
Three children, aged about 14, just under 13 and just under 12, were said to have been seriously neglected and sexually abused by their parents and relatives over a period from August 2014 to April 2016. The accused, seven adults aged 27 to 57, include the children's father and mother, the mother's sister and her partner, the mother's brother and his partner, and the maternal grandmother. All seven pleaded not guilty to various counts of rape, anal rape, oral rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation and wilfully neglecting a child. The allegations were investigated by Gardaí after the children were taken into care and are now living with foster parents. The case is before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury in the Central Criminal Court.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court must decide whether a 16‑year‑old produced a knife capable of serious injury during a dispute at a house party on 16 January 2020, the night 20‑year‑old Cameron Blair was stabbed in the neck and later died at Cork University Hospital. The teenager, whose name is withheld because he is a minor, has pleaded not guilty to the charge of producing the knife. He had previously pleaded guilty to violent disorder with two other juveniles, an offence that caused a person present at Bandon Road to fear for safety. The prosecution will present evidence that the accused was present at the party, that a knife was used by another juvenile who stabbed Blair, and that the accused allegedly produced a second knife during the confrontation at the front door.
In the Central Criminal Court, a jury heard CCTV footage of Zoltan Almasi, a 49‑year‑old Serbian‑born man, running after Joseph Dunne, a 20‑year‑old victim, with his hand raised above his head. The footage also shows Almasi leaving the scene carrying a baseball bat. The evidence was presented on the day of the trial, which is the third hearing in the case. Almasi has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. Inspector Dara Diffily described the footage as showing the incident shortly after 10.15 pm, with Dunne running away and Almasi chasing him. The footage also depicts Almasi holding a bat in his right hand. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Michael White, is expected to last four weeks.
A 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named due to his age, pleaded guilty to one count of violent disorder during a trial at the Central Criminal Court. The incident occurred on January 16, 2020, on Bandon Road in Cork city, and is connected to the murder of 20-year-old Cameron Blair, a second-year chemical engineering student at Cork Institute of Technology. Blair died at Cork University Hospital after being stabbed in the neck at a student party. The juvenile, who went on trial on two charges, admitted to committing violent disorder with two other persons, using or threatening unlawful violence that would cause a person of reasonable firmness to fear for their safety. However, he maintained his not guilty plea to the second charge of producing a knife, an article capable of inflicting serious injury, in a manner likely to unlawfully intimidate another person. Mr Justice Michael White noted the case would be treated as a juvenile court matter. Prosecution counsel John Fitzgerald SC began his opening speech to the jury, which is expected to last three weeks. Another juvenile has already pleaded guilty to Blair's murder. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice David Keane at Croke Park, with Blair's family in attendance.
A jury was sworn in on 27 May 2021 for the trial of seven relatives accused of sexually abusing three children in Munster. The accused, ranging in age from 27 to 57, include the children's parents, grandmother, and several aunts and uncles. All seven deny the allegations. The Central Criminal Court heard that the parents were also accused of wilfully neglecting two additional child complainants. The judge, Justice Paul McDermott, explained that the allegations stem from repeated sexual assault or abuse by close relations between 2014 and 2016. He noted the case would likely take more than eight weeks, advising the jury to budget for eight to ten weeks. The trial is scheduled to open in evidence before the jury at Croke Park on 31 May. The accused pleaded not guilty to a range of counts including rape, anal rape, oral rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation and wilfully neglecting children. The trial will determine the outcome of these charges.
The jury in the third trial of Zoltan Almasi, a 49‑year‑old Serbian‑born man, examined maps and aerial photographs of Naas and the surrounding area where the murder of 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne occurred. Almasi, who lives at Harbour View, Naas, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The case had already been tried twice. Judge Caroline Biggs SC opened the trial for a jury of seven men and four women, noting that Dunne lived in Athy with his family and was attending Fás. On the night of the incident, Dunne was with friends heading for a bus at about 10.30 pm when he had a brief altercation with another man. Almasi's parked Mercedes van was hit by Dunne as he passed. Almasi then emerged from his house, armed with a baseball bat, and pursued Dunne.
At the Central Criminal Court, four men admitted to offences related to the attempted murder of gangland figure Wayne Whelan at Griffeen Glen Park, Lucan, on September 4, 2019. Cailean Crawford (25), of Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty to conspiring to murder Whelan. His barrister, John Fitzgerald SC, applied for reporting restrictions citing a separate trial scheduled for June 2022. However, Mr Justice White rejected the application, ruling that Crawford could be named, stating he had great faith in the jury system. Wayne Ryan, of Longford, also pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Whelan. Darren Henderson (30), of Ballyfermot, and a fourth man, who remains unnamed, pleaded guilty to conspiring with Crawford to murder Whelan. All four defendants were originally charged with attempted murder and were due to stand trial together on June 21, a date vacated following their guilty pleas. Whelan, who survived the initial shooting, was later killed in a separate incident in November 2019. Mr Justice White remanded the four men in custody until July 12 for a sentence hearing.
The Central Criminal Court heard the third trial of Zoltan Almasi, a 49‑year‑old Serbian‑born man, charged with murdering 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne in County Kildare. Almasi pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The State argued that Almasi intended to kill or seriously injure Dunne, citing the post‑mortem finding of a comminuted, depressed skull fracture caused by a baseball bat. The prosecution described the incident: Dunne was on his way to a bus at 10.30 pm when he collided with Almasi's parked van, after which Almasi pursued him with a baseball bat and struck him on the head, causing death. The defence accepted that Almasi caused the death but disputed the intent. The jury, composed of seven men and four women, heard the case on Wednesday, with the trial set to continue before Mr Justice Michael White for an expected four‑week duration.
A 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named due to his age, has been arraigned at the Central Criminal Court and is set to go on trial for violent disorder and the production of a knife in connection with the murder of Cameron Blair. The defendant pleaded not guilty to both charges. He is accused of committing violent disorder with two named males on Bandon Road in Cork city on January 16, 2020, using or threatening unlawful violence that would cause a person of reasonable firmness to fear for their safety. He is also charged with producing a knife, an article capable of inflicting serious injury, in a manner likely to unlawfully intimidate another person during the same incident. Mr Justice Michael White addressed the jury panel, noting the accused is a juvenile and the case relates to a tragic situation where Blair, a second-year chemical engineering student at Cork Institute of Technology, died after being stabbed in the neck. The judge confirmed that another juvenile had already pleaded guilty to Blair's murder, violent disorder, and possession of a knife in accordance with that incident. A jury of eight men and four women was sworn in. The trial is scheduled to begin on Friday morning at Croke Park before Mr Justice David Keane and is expected to last three weeks. Witnesses and gardai are based in Cork city.
A 49‑year‑old Hungarian man, Zoltan Almasi, will be tried again for the murder of Joseph Dunne, a 20‑year‑old man, in Harbour View, Naas, on 16 May 2014. Almasi, who lives at Harbour View, was arraigned at the Central Criminal Court and pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The jury, composed of seven men and four women, has been informed that this is the third trial in the case. The trial is scheduled to last four weeks and will commence on Wednesday afternoon.
The Special Criminal Court served a Book of Evidence on Graham Whelan, a 38‑year‑old father of four, who faces ten non‑scheduled offences including drug trafficking and money laundering. Whelan was arrested in a penthouse at the South Dublin Intercontinental Hotel, where officers found €1,275 in cash he claimed came from "up his Swiss roll". He is charged with converting, transferring, handling, acquiring, possessing or using €1,275 and €2,140, a luxury watch, a tick list, a mobile phone, cocaine and cannabis, and with concealing the source of money used to refurbish property at Walkinstown Avenue between August 2018 and May 2019. He appeared on strict bail, wearing a grey suit, and did not speak at the hearing. A curfew was relaxed to 7 am‑9 pm to accommodate his children. The case was adjourned to 10 June, with trial expected by September.
In the Deirdre Morley case, the presiding judge, Mr Justice Paul Coffey, told the jury that the evidence was free of conflict and that no underlying facts required resolution. He explained that the case relied mainly on expert medical opinion, which was unanimous: both psychiatrists agreed Ms Morley was legally insane when she killed her children and could not understand the wrongness of her acts. The judge clarified that the special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity required the jury to be satisfied on the balance of probabilities that she was suffering from a mental disorder and was unable to refrain from her actions. He emphasized that the evidence was all one way and that the prosecution was not seeking a murder conviction. The jury was then sent back to deliberate on the verdicts.
A man from Sligo has been convicted of murder at the Central Criminal Court following the unlawful killing of his wife in April 2018. The court heard that Rafal Karaczyn, aged 35, of Crozon Park, Sligo, had secretly recorded his wife using a concealed camera in the bathroom of their shared home after she indicated she wished to end their relationship. Four videos recovered from electronic devices showed Karaczyn placing recording equipment in the bathroom before his wife entered, then retrieving it afterwards. The footage was dated between November 2017 and March 2018, a period when the couple were residing in separate rooms. The trial judge ruled the recordings inadmissible as evidence before the jury, determining they were not relevant to the central question of intent. Karaczyn was found guilty of the murder of Natalia Karaczyn on 29 April 2018.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court is continuing deliberations in the trial of a Sligo man charged with murder. Rafal Karaczyn, aged 35, of Crozon Park, Sligo, has admitted killing his wife Natalia but denies murder. He has pleaded guilty to manslaughter. The death occurred on 29 April 2018 at their home address. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon instructed the jury of twelve that they may return a verdict of guilty of murder, guilty of manslaughter, or not guilty of murder. She outlined the legal distinction between the offences and addressed the potential defence of provocation. The judge explained that provocation, where applicable, would reduce a murder conviction to manslaughter. She emphasised that the defence does not apply where an ordinary person in similar circumstances could exercise self-restraint. The jury had deliberated for more than two hours when the report was filed and were to resume their consideration the following day.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the jury heard that 44‑year‑old nurse Deirdre Morley attempted to poison her three children on 23 January 2021 and then suffocated them on 24 January 2021. She used thick brown tape and plastic bags to smother the children, two of whom were killed in a play tent. Morley's husband, Andrew McGinley, discovered the bodies: two upstairs in his bedroom and one downstairs in the play tent. Two notes left by Morley warned anyone entering the house not to go into the front room or upstairs and to call 911. Prosecutors said Morley was suffering from a mental disorder and pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murders of her sons Conor (9), Darragh (7) and daughter Carla (3). The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Coffey and a jury.
Rafal Karaczyn, 35, of Sligo, is currently on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the unlawful killing of his wife, Natalia Karaczyn, on April 29, 2018. Mr. Karaczyn has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder. The jury must determine whether he intended to kill his wife or was provoked to the extent that he temporarily lost self-control. Prosecution counsel Conor Devally SC argued that the victim's wish to end the marriage was not a provocative act, citing a Supreme Court decision that sexual jealousy or possessiveness cannot reduce murder to manslaughter. He described the alleged trigger—a slap and being pushed from a room—as "pathetically mild." Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC countered that Mr. Karaczyn was not a cold-blooded killer but a devoted father who lost control in the heat of the moment. He highlighted the absence of a weapon, a planned disposal site, or prior history of domestic violence. The trial has heard that Ms. Karaczyn returned home after having sex with another man, leading to a confrontation. The matter is at the trial stage, with the judge set to deliver her charge to the jury tomorrow.
Rafal Karaczyn, 35, of Crozon Park, Sligo, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the death of his wife, Ms Karaczyn, at their family home between April 29th and May 1st, 2018. He has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The trial heard that Mr Karaczyn demonstrated to gardai how he strangled his wife with both hands after she slapped him. He admitted to Detective Garda Pauline O'Neill that he unlawfully killed her and accepted he alone caused her death. Although he initially provided false accounts, including a claim of a gun threat, he later confessed to the truth after speaking with his sister-in-law. The defence called witness Piotr Korozan, who described the accused as mentally destroyed by marital difficulties. The prosecution noted the accused has no prior convictions or history of domestic violence. The matter was adjourned to continue on Monday before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
At the Central Criminal Court, a jury has heard evidence of exchanges between Natalia and Rafal Karaczyn in the months before her death. Text messages and Facebook communications were presented showing Ms Karaczyn repeatedly rejecting her husband's attempts at reconciliation, telling him to leave her life and forbidding him from entering their Crozon Park home in Ballymote, Sligo. Two days before her death, she stated he could "never set foot" in the house again. Detective Sergeant Oliver McHale testified about these communications. Rafal Karaczyn, aged 35, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. He admits unlawfully killing his wife by strangling her at their family home between 29 April and 1 May 2018. During garda interview at Ballymote station, he denied causing her death and described an alleged threat from unknown individuals. The trial before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon continues.
Rafal Karaczyn, 35, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court, having pleaded not guilty to the murder of his wife, Natalia Karaczyn, but guilty to her manslaughter. The alleged killing occurred at their family home in Crozon Park, Sligo, between April 29th and May 1st, 2018. Mr Karaczyn admits to unlawfully strangling his wife and accepting sole responsibility for her death. Chief State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan testified that Ms Karaczyn died from asphyxiation due to pressure applied to her neck. She noted bruises on the chin, eyes, scalp, and left arm, with the arm injury potentially defensive. Dr Mulligan stated death was not instantaneous but could not determine the duration of pressure. The jury heard text messages from December 2017 to March 2018, where Ms Karaczyn told her husband she wanted her own life and asked him to leave her alone, while he repeatedly pleaded for forgiveness. Det Garda Oliver McHale presented these messages, describing them as bickering. The trial is ongoing before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of eight women and four men. Det Garda McHale's evidence was adjourned to continue the following day.
A murder trial at the Central Criminal Court heard that the accused man described lying beside his wife's body for ten to fifteen minutes after strangling her with his bare hands. Magdalena McMorrow, the victim's sister, told the court that Rafal Karaczyn made this admission at Ballymote Garda Station four days after Natalia Karaczyn's death in May 2018. Ms McMorrow said the accused initially gave her false accounts, claiming not to know what had happened to his wife and later alleging involvement by a Traveller family. The witness described searching for her sister on the morning she went missing and the accused's anxious behaviour during that search. Karaczyn, aged thirty-five, of Crozon Park, Sligo, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The trial heard evidence that Natalia had been with another man the night before her death. The case continues before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and jury.
A murder trial opened at the Central Criminal Court on May 6th, 2021, concerning allegations that a Sligo man killed his wife following her return home from another man's house. The accused, aged 35 and resident at Crozon Park, Sligo, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The prosecution alleges the victim, aged 30, arrived home in the early morning hours after consensual sexual activity elsewhere, whereupon an argument ensued in the bedroom and she was strangled. The defence acknowledges the accused unlawfully killed his wife by strangulation and accepts sole responsibility for her death. The central issue for the jury concerns the accused's mental state at the time. The couple, originally from Poland, had lived together in Sligo with their three children despite an unhappy marriage, sleeping separately. The trial continues before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of twelve.
Fishmonger Edmundas Dauksa (51) is on trial in Dundalk, Co Louth, having pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the killing of Ingrida Maciokaite (31) on September 18, 2018. The prosecution, led by Conor Devally SC, argued that Dauksa possessed the necessary intent for murder, stating that repeatedly plunging a 15cm blade into the victim's body could only lead to serious harm or death. Devally contended that the accused's actions, which resulted in multiple stab wounds to the chest, back, face, and neck, demonstrated a clear intention to kill, despite the defence's claims of emotional turmoil. The defence, represented by Michael Bowman SC, submitted that Dauksa did not have murderous intent, attributing his state of mind to distress over a recent District Court order that placed his daughter in the custody of her mother. Bowman argued that while the accused felt wronged by the legal system, he was not consumed by vengeance and had not premeditated the attack. The jury, comprising seven men and five women, is set to begin deliberations after Justice Paul McDermott charges them. The matter remains at the trial stage, with no final verdict or sentence recorded in this report.
In a High Court hearing on 5 May 2021, Dromada Windfarm (ROI) Limited secured a temporary injunction preventing Mr Denis Cremins from digging up high‑voltage cables that run from its 19‑turbine wind farm at Clash South, Athea, to the national grid. The cables, laid over a decade ago along a public road adjacent to Mr Cremins' land at Keale, Athea, were said to pose serious or fatal injury risks if disturbed. Dromada, part of the SSE Group, argued that Mr Cremins had threatened to dig up the cables by 5 May, potentially causing daily losses of €5,000 and endangering health and safety. The court, hearing extensive prior engagement and recent correspondence, granted the injunction on an ex‑parte basis, restraining Mr Cremins from accessing or interfering with the cables and allowing either party to re‑present the case with 24‑hour notice. The order is temporary and returnable later in the month.
A jury of nine women and three men has been sworn in at the Central Criminal Court to hear the trial of a Sligo man charged with murder. Rafal Karaczyn, aged 35, of Crozon Park, Sligo, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter following the death of his wife at their family home in April 2018. The trial, which opened before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, is expected to continue for approximately two weeks. The accused denies the murder charge while admitting to the unlawful killing.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Asta Dauksiene, wife of Edmundas Dauksa, testified that her husband was deeply devoted to his daughter, describing him as "completely destroyed" after the court placed the child in the deceased's custody. Dauksiene recounted that the child had been in the family's care since infancy, with the mother, Ingrida Maciokaite, returning to work and allowing the child to stay with the family. She detailed the court's abnormal and accelerated decision to transfer custody days before the September 18, 2018, murder. Dauksiene also described Dauksa's emotional state, noting he was upset, crying, and later appeared to have a knife in his hand. The trial, with Dauksa pleading not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
A Dublin court heard that Rene Cifra (34) and his wife, Olga Cifrova (31), falsely claimed they had been injured in a car accident after Cifra reversed into a van driven by an off-duty garda on Griffith Avenue, Dublin, on May 27, 2019. Both pleaded guilty to making a false and misleading personal injuries claim on dates between August 2019 and January 2020. The couple, who are originally from Slovakia and reside in Watermint Court, Royal Canal Park, Ashtown, admitted to fabricating the claims, with Cifra initially admitting fault at the scene and later filing a false claim against the van owner's insurance company, Liberty Insurance. The matter was adjourned for sentencing on July 27 following Judge Karen O'Connor's order for a probation report into the couple. Neither Cifra nor Cifrova have previous convictions, and they are the parents of two young children. The court heard that Cifra has been living in Ireland since 2008 and that both have worked minimum wage jobs. The case was brought by the Personal Injuries Assessment Board and Four Courts, with the couple's false claims being discovered after the van owner informed his insurance company of the discrepancy.
In a murder trial, the jury heard that a mother‑of‑two, who was later stabbed to death by her former partner in front of their six‑year‑old daughter, had been granted custody of the child in an "abnormal and accelerated" District Court hearing days before the killing. The court order, issued on 14 September, was said to contain errors and irregularities, and the accused, Edmundas Dauksa, was unrepresented during the proceedings. Dauksa, aged 51, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the 2018 killing of Ingrida Maciokaite, who died from multiple stab wounds. The trial also covered the mother's attempts to secure custody, the solicitor's advice, and the Gardaí's involvement in the court order and child's transport to Drogheda Courthouse. The case continues before Mr Justice McDermott and a jury.