The trial of Kieran Greene, aged 61, centred on the murder of his partner's mother, Patricia O'Connor, who was found dead in a shallow grave in Wexford. Greene admitted to a physical altercation in the house, claiming he struck her with a hurley and she struck him back. He said she became unresponsive, that he carried her upstairs, placed her in the boot of a Toyota Corolla, drove to Wexford, dug a shallow grave, buried her, and later dismembered her body with a hacksaw. Greene told Gardaí he had acted alone, that he had no accomplices, and that he had handed himself in because he could not live with the guilt. He also claimed the murder was self‑defence. The prosecution presented CCTV footage, forensic evidence of hair and body parts, and statements from family members to show Greene's involvement. The jury heard that Greene's December interview was unreliable and that he had changed his account.
At the trial of Kieran Greene, Louise O'Connor, and Stephanie O'Connor, the jury heard evidence regarding the murder of Patricia O'Connor and a subsequent cover-up. The prosecution alleged that Greene murdered O'Connor on May 29, 2017, and that Louise and Stephanie conspired to disguise Stephanie as the deceased to create a false CCTV record of her leaving the house alive. The State argued this ruse was designed to mislead anyone reporting her missing. Evidence included CCTV footage showing a figure in a hooded jacket leaving the property at 9:34pm, which the jury was invited to identify as Stephanie. Prosecutors presented testimony that Greene gave conflicting accounts of the death, first claiming self-defence and later blaming Augustine O'Connor, while forensic experts noted a lack of blood evidence despite Greene's claims of a struggle and cleaning. The trial also examined Greene's movements, including fueling a car in Templeogue and purchasing tools with Keith Johnston, who was seen performing repairs at the house. The prosecution maintained that the defendants acted in concert to conceal the body, which was later found dismembered in the Wicklow mountains. The report details the procedural stage as a trial, with the jury hearing closing speeches and evidence regarding the alleged conspiracy and the disposal of the victim.
A Special Criminal Court hearing set a trial date for Jason Reed, 39, of Maelduin, Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, on 23 June 2021. Reed faces a money‑laundering charge tied to €32,330 and £390 (≈€441) allegedly found at his home. The court also scheduled arraignment for two co‑accused, Thomas Rooney, 41, and Catherine Dawson, 44, on 20 January. Rooney and Dawson were arrested on suspicion of aiding an organised crime gang and are charged with money laundering and possession of the proceeds of crime. They allegedly possessed €289,770 in euros and £62,025 (≈€70,207) in cash in a blue Nike bag, and separately had €245,840 in cash in a bag on the same date. All three were present at the brief hearing. The trial is expected to last two to three weeks.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Olga Maslakova, 33, was fined €400 for driving without reasonable consideration after her car struck a young woman, Ms Jodie Regazzoli, on the R132, Swords, on 17 April 2018. The collision occurred on a dual carriageway with a hedge median, where pedestrians often cut across the road instead of using the footbridge. Maslakova admitted she should not have been in the bus lane and was travelling about 58 km/h, below the 80 km/h limit. Witnesses said her view was blocked by cars to her right, and the pedestrian was struck by the front right of the car, suffering serious life‑altering injuries, including a traumatic brain injury and an eight‑week coma. The State entered a nolle prosequi on the charge of careless driving causing serious bodily harm. Olga Maslakova pleaded guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 21‑year‑old defendant, who was 17 when the alleged offence occurred, pleaded not guilty to sexual assault, anal rape and defilement of a 14‑year‑old girl. The incident took place in a derelict building in Co. Kildare on 14 May 2016 during a game of truth or dare. The mother of the accused testified that two girls had repeatedly asked her son to play with them, describing them as "adamant" and claiming they had "bad intentions" and "bitterness" in their hearts. She said she had reluctantly allowed her son to go because the girls were insistent. The prosecution presented a doctor's findings of recent lacerations to the complainant's anus, while the defence argued the accused was unaware of the girl's age and that the allegations were false. The trial was set to continue before Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
In a trial for a 21‑year‑old accused of raping a 14‑year‑old girl in a derelict building during a game of truth or dare, the complainant denied any suggestion that she sought the accused out or encouraged further sexual activity. She stated she was shocked when the accused allegedly pulled down his trousers and exposed his penis, and she rejected claims that she had taken her own trousers down or that she had agreed to further acts. The complainant also denied any promise to keep the incident secret and denied being terrified of her father or mother discovering the assault. A friend testified that the girl had been with her on the day of the incident and later described the assault, while a Garda confirmed that no semen was found on swabs or clothing and that the medical examination occurred about 22 hours after the alleged event. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
A 21‑year‑old man, who cannot be named, is on trial in the Central Criminal Court for anally raping and sexually assaulting a 14‑year‑old girl in a derelict building in Co. Kildare on 14 May 2016. He pleaded not guilty to one count each of sexual assault, anal rape and defilement of a child. The complainant, now 18, said she and a friend were roller‑skating when they called the accused's house. She had previously shown the boys a derelict site. During a game of truth or dare, the accused asked her uncomfortable questions, dared her to touch his penis, and later dared her to let him hug her. He allegedly forced her to hug from behind, pulled her clothes, and inserted his penis into her anus. She reported severe pain, bleeding, and shock, and later told her mother and went to a Garda station. The trial continues tomorrow before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
A jury found a 36‑year‑old mother and her 38‑year‑old partner guilty of wilful neglect of a 14‑month‑old baby. The child suffered bruising to her head, face and body after the family stayed overnight in a derelict house with no electricity or water. Doctors said the injuries were inconsistent with a fall from a mattress, as the mother claimed. The mother pleaded not guilty to wilful neglect and allowing her child to be harmed; the partner pleaded not guilty to wilful assault, wilful neglect and assault causing harm. Judge Martina Baxter directed not‑guilty verdicts on the assault charges and on the mother's charge of allowing harm, but directed guilty verdicts on the remaining neglect counts. The couple remain on bail pending sentencing in March. The child is now in foster care. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge exempted the jury from duty for three years.
At the Special Criminal Court, books of evidence were served on five men accused of ATM thefts and related offences in Cavan and Monaghan. The accused are Daniel O'Callaghan, Ciaran Duffy, Gerard Duffy, Niall Finnegan, and Stephen Duffy. O'Callaghan, a former Crossmaglen footballer, is charged with the attempted theft of an ATM at the Riverfront Hotel in Virginia, Co Cavan, on August 14, 2019, allegedly for the benefit of a criminal organisation. He also faces charges of theft and criminal damage involving an ATM in Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, in April 2019. Additionally, he is accused of possessing €298,000, a petrol can, a stolen Toyota Landcruiser, a stolen 14-tonne digger, bolt-cutters, and a stolen flatbed trailer. Ciaran and Gerard Duffy are charged with participating in the movement and possession of cash to facilitate a criminal organisation, as well as the attempted ATM thefts in Virginia and Castleblayney. They are also accused of possessing the stolen digger, trailer, Landcruiser, bolt-cutters, and petrol can, and handling sums of €280,900, €103,930, and €22,000. Niall Finnegan and Stephen Duffy are accused of participating in the movement of and handling €103,930. All charges are alleged or contested. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, sitting with Judges Sarah Berkeley and Michael Walsh, remanded all five men on continuing bail until February 1, when their cases are listed for mention again.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court found a 17‑year‑old boy not guilty of raping a 15‑year‑old girl in a public park. The boy claimed that after meeting the girl at a shopping centre, they kissed and she suggested they go to a nearby park where she proposed sex. He said he was physically unable to have penetrative sex but claimed the girl masturbated him. The girl, aged 16, testified that she was happy to kiss the boy but did not want to do anything else, and that he led her into bushes and forced her to have sex with him while she was too drunk to stop him. The trial lasted eight days and the jury deliberated for just under four hours before returning not‑guilty verdicts on both rape and sexual assault charges. The jury had to accept a majority verdict after the foreman noted they could not reach unanimity.
A jury has begun deliberations in the trial of a 17‑year‑old boy accused of raping a 15‑year‑old girl in a public park in south Dublin on 13 April 2019. The defendant pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and not guilty to one count of sexual assault. The trial is being held at the Central Criminal Court. On the seventh day of the trial, Justice Eileen Creedon instructed the jury to suspend deliberations for the evening and return on Thursday morning. In the prosecution's closing speech, Garnet Orange SC described the defendant as an "accomplished repeated liar," citing three interviews with Gardaí conducted ten days after the alleged rape. He urged jurors to treat the defendant's final interview with extreme caution.
The Special Criminal Court will hear the trials of Jason Reed (39), Thomas Rooney (41) and Catherine Dawson (44) following the seizure of €550,000 in cash during searches of cars and a house in Drogheda and elsewhere in the north‑east. The DPP applied under Section 40 of the Criminal Justice Act for a non‑jury trial, and Mr Justice Tony Hunt, Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Michael Walsh granted the application. None of the accused were present at the hearing, but they are required to appear on 21 December when a trial date will be set. All three are charged with money laundering and possession of the proceeds of crime. Reed is accused of laundering €32,330 and £390 (≈€441) found at his home; Rooney and Dawson are charged with possession of €245,840 in cash in a bag on the same date; all three were previously granted bail by a District Court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, the Doyle Shipping Group Unlimited was fined €850,000 for failing to manage the dismantling of a steel hopper at the McKearns Yard, which led to the instant death of welder James Byrne on 6 June 2018. Byrne, who had been using a blow torch to separate a six‑metre column from a larger metal structure, was killed when the column fell on him. The Health and Safety Authority investigation found that the company had not planned the task, had not used appropriate equipment, and had relied on a single employee to assess risks. Judge Pauline Codd noted the fatality, the obvious and significant risk, and the lack of mitigation, but accepted mitigating factors such as the guilty plea, cooperation, good safety record, and remedial spending. The fine was set at €850,000, with the company continuing to pay Byrne's salary and overtime to his partner.
In a rape trial at the Central Criminal Court, lawyers for a 17‑year‑old accused of raping a 15‑year‑old girl in a public park argue that the complainant's testimony cannot be relied upon. The defense counsel, Michael Bowman SC, contends that teenagers may lie to avoid trouble and that the defendant, a 16‑year‑old with no prior convictions, was frightened and reluctant to speak. He highlights inconsistencies in the girl's statements, including a claim that she was with a friend when her mother called, and a photograph sent to her mother that shows her with a friend. Bowman also points to CCTV footage suggesting the girl was in control after leaving the bushes, countering the prosecution's portrayal of her as incapacitated. The prosecution, led by Garnet Orange SC, maintains the defendant is a "repeated liar" based on his police interviews. The jury of nine women and three men will deliberate tomorrow. The unnamed 15-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 17‑year‑old was accused of raping a 15‑year‑old girl in a south Dublin park. He pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and one count of sexual assault. During the trial, the jury heard three interviews with the defendant. In the first interview he claimed he was at home at 7 pm, had not kissed any girls that evening, and denied any sexual activity. In the second interview, after viewing CCTV, he admitted being with the complainant at a Tesco but insisted he had not raped her, describing the encounter as a kiss. In the third interview, after DNA evidence linked his semen to the complainant, he admitted that she had asked him for a blowjob and for sex, but he said he was physically unable to perform penetrative sex.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 13 April 2019, a 17‑year‑old boy was tried for raping a 15‑year‑old girl in a south Dublin park. The defendant pleaded not guilty to both the rape and a separate sexual assault charge. The girl's mother testified that she saw her daughter, who was dishevelled and barely able to walk, after the alleged incident. She described how she tried to get her daughter into a car, wrestled with her, and later found her in a state of distress. The mother also recounted a prior incident in 2018 where the girl claimed a boy had forced sexual activity, which the mother denied. The trial was proceeding before Ms Eileen Justice Creedon with a jury present.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 17‑year‑old girl denied that she ever suggested a previous consensual encounter with a boy in 2018 was against her will. She testified that she was 14 at the time and that she had no knowledge of the boy. The defendant, who is 17, pleaded not guilty to raping a 15‑year‑old girl and to sexually assaulting her in a south Dublin park on 13 April 2019. The girl, now 17, appeared via video‑link and confirmed that she had told Gardaí in 2018 that she had engaged in consensual sexual activity with a boy in a park. She also stated that she had not implied that the boy had forced her. During cross‑examination she was upset, describing herself as stressed and her head "all over the place." The court was disrupted by frequent public‑service announcements about social distancing, which the judge found highly disruptive.
A Central Criminal Court jury found Darren Houlden not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter after he admitted stabbing Stephen "Apples" Kavanagh 40 times. Houlden, 44, arrived at Arklow Garda Station in blood‑stained clothes with a knife, claiming he had lost control and was provoked by Kavanagh's threat that "gangsters" would come to shoot him over missing cocaine. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan argued a partial defence of provocation, citing Kavanagh's anger and threats. The jury rejected the State's claim that Houlden had weighed his options and reasoned before attacking. The verdict was reached after 3 hours 16 minutes of deliberation. Sentencing was adjourned to February 1, with Houlden remanded in custody pending a victim impact statement. The judge thanked the jury and exempted them from service for five years. The case was heard in the early hours of May 6, 2019.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, a 17‑year‑old girl alleged that she was raped in a public park by a 17‑year‑old boy on 13 April 2019. She told Gardaí she was "really drunk" and "wasn't really aware of what was happening." The defendant pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and one count of sexual assault. The girl, now 17, was interviewed by a child specialist three days after the alleged assault. She recounted that she and a friend had been drinking vodka and gin, then went to a Tesco where a group of boys met them. One boy asked her to kiss him for more drinks, then led her to a park, kissed her, and allegedly forced sexual contact while she was intoxicated. She later attempted self‑harm and was rescued by her step‑father. The trial is proceeding before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, defence counsel Brendan Grehan argued that Darren Houlden, aged 44, lost control and snapped when he stabbed Stephen "Apples" Kavanagh, 37, over 40 times after a dispute over missing cocaine. Grehan claimed fear of personal harm and threats to Houlden's parents drove the accused to act in a "hot‑blooded" frenzied attack, and urged the jury to find him guilty of manslaughter rather than murder. Prosecution counsel John Fitzgerald countered that Houlden was not provoked, had weighed his options, and intended to kill Kavanagh, rejecting the loss‑of‑control defence. The case centred on a May 6, 2019 incident at Meadowvale, Arklow, where Houlden claimed he stabbed Kavanagh to prevent a second phone call that threatened his family. The jury was to deliberate on the appropriate verdict. Darren Houlden pleaded not guilty.
During the trial of a 17‑year‑old boy accused of raping a teenage girl in a South Dublin park, the jury heard from a doctor who treated the girl in a sexual assault treatment unit. The girl, who cannot be named, pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and not guilty to one count of sexual assault. The doctor explained that the girl was accompanied by her mother and a Garda when she presented to the SATU on 13 April 2019. He took a history of the alleged attack, noting that the girl described the assailant as a stranger and that she was drunk and not thinking straight. She reported that a boy asked her to kiss him, then asked if she wanted to do "this", and she said no. She described the boy asking for oral sex, pulling down her leggings, and attempting anal sex.
During the second week of Darren Houlden's murder trial, the defence cross‑examined Rory "Tar" Kavanagh, a friend of the 37‑year‑old Stephen "Apples" Kavanagh, who was stabbed over 40 times on 6 May 2019. Kavanagh denied that the victim had asked him to help with missing cocaine or that he had sold drugs. He said the victim called him at 10:30 pm on 5 May for a normal conversation and that the victim had asked him to come to Houlden's house in Meadowvale that night, but Kavanagh refused. Kavanagh also denied that the victim had threatened to "get bodies down" to Houlden's house. The trial heard that Houlden, who pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, claimed he had taken a blood‑stained knife to stop the victim from making a second phone call. The case remains in court before Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury.
A 17‑year‑old boy has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court on a charge of raping and sexually assaulting a 17‑year‑old girl in a south Dublin park on 13 April 2019. He pleaded not guilty to both counts. The prosecution, represented by Garnet Orange SC, presented evidence that the girl and the boy, who were of similar age and had not previously known each other, met after a night of drinking with friends. They allegedly went to a wooded area of the park where the boy allegedly forced his penis into the girl's vagina and engaged in other sexual contact. The boy denied any contact, but forensic DNA evidence linked him to the girl. The case is being heard by Justice Eileen Creedon.
During the Central Criminal Court hearing, Darren Houlden, aged 44, admitted to a violent confrontation with Stephen "Apples" Kavanagh, 37, on the morning of 6 May 2019. Houlden told detectives that he had been threatened by Kavanagh over missing cocaine and that he feared retaliation from others. He claimed he had a knife and an axe for protection and that he stabbed Kavanagh after a scuffle, stating he did not intend to kill him but was forced to stop. Houlden described himself as a "functioning addict" with a history of drug use and treatment. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, a plea rejected by the DPP. The trial continues before Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury.
Trevor Byrne, 40, of Cappagh Road, Finglas, Dublin 11, was arrested during a 2019 raid on a Dublin house. Armed gardai found him seated on a couch where a loaded semi‑automatic firearm was later discovered. Garda Sean White, who served as the jailer at Clondalkin Garda Station, reported that Byrne did not engage with him or answer questions about his health or rights while in custody. White was unable to complete required medical forms because Byrne remained silent, though he noted obvious signs of a medical condition when Byrne's clothes were taken for forensic examination. Sergeant Nuala Bruce later observed that Byrne eventually understood the reason for his arrest and requested a solicitor. Byrne has pleaded not guilty to possession of a 9mm Luger‑calibre Radom 35, six rounds of 9mm ammunition, two additional rounds, and €3,050 in cash alleged to be proceeds of criminal conduct.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 44‑year‑old Darren Houlden pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in the death of 37‑year‑old Stephen "Apples" Kavanagh. Houlden told detectives he stabbed Kavanagh after the victim threatened him that "gangsters" would shoot him over missing cocaine. He claimed the devil "took him over" and that he was a "lunatic" when he attacked. Houlden drove to Arklow Garda Station at 12.35 am on 6 May, handed a blood‑stained knife to a guard and admitted responsibility. He said he had taken a knife from his kitchen, stabbed Kavanagh in the neck, face, head and back at least seven times, and that he had "went for" the victim's brain. The trial continues before Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury.
In a Central Criminal Court murder trial, Darren Houlden (44) was described by Garda Patrick Phelan as arriving at Arklow Garda Station around 12.35 am on 6 May 2019, covered in blood and holding a 10.5 cm knife. Houlden told the officer that he had attacked Stephen "Apples" Kavanagh (37) over a dispute about missing drugs, admitting "It's my fault. I attacked him." He claimed to have smoked cocaine that morning and had a sip of beer. CCTV footage showed Houlden entering the public area with the knife, after which he was cautioned and taken away. Dr Michael Curtis testified that Kavanagh died from a multiplicity of about 40 stab and slash wounds to the head, neck and face, including severed jugular and thyroid vessels. The trial continued the next day before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury. The case remains ongoing. Darren Houlden pleaded not guilty.
Two men remain in custody at Mountjoy Prison after refusing to give undertakings to vacate a farm at Falsk, Strokestown, County Roscommon. Michael Anthony McGann, who owns the property, and retired Garda Kevin Taylor of Longford were remanded in continuing custody by Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds at the High Court on Thursday. Both men declined to provide sworn undertakings to comply with court orders made in favour of KBC Bank requiring them to leave the premises. The bank obtained an order for possession in 2018 following a substantial debt on the property. Mr McGann disputed the proceedings, claiming perjury and fraud, whilst Mr Taylor stated he would remain in prison rather than comply. Ms Justice Reynolds said her function was solely to ensure compliance with court orders and that she would not engage with conspiracy theories. The matter will be reviewed the following week, with both men entitled to apply to purge their contempt at any time.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Trevor Byrne, aged 40, was charged with possessing a semi‑automatic weapon, ammunition and cash. On 15 November 2019, armed Gardaí from the Emergency Response Unit raided an unlocked back‑garden granny flat at Woodford Grove, Clondalkin. Byrne was found seated on a couch with another male. A detective reported that Byrne pointed a weapon at the officer, shouted "armed gardaí, armed police," and did not respond to repeated warnings. He was eventually handcuffed after the officer removed him from the couch and placed him face‑down. Byrne's weapon, a 9mm Luger‑calibre Radom 35, was found under the couch with five bullets in the magazine and one in the chamber. Gardaí also recovered €3,050 from his pocket. Byrne pleaded not guilty to possession of the firearm, six rounds of 9mm ammunition, two additional rounds, and the cash, all contrary to the Firearms Act.
In a murder trial, Rachel Kearney testified that Darren Houlden, 44, stabbed her boyfriend Stephen "Apples" Kavanagh, 37, to death on 6 May 2019 at Houlden's home. Kearney described seeing Houlden "slaughtering" Kavanagh, with Houlden's knees on Kavanagh's back as he stabbed him. She recounted that Kavanagh had been upset over missing crack cocaine, that Houlden had become aggressive, and that Kavanagh pleaded for help before being stabbed. Kearney said she tried to stop Houlden, who calmly replied, "Ok, I will." The final wounds were to Kavanagh's neck and head. Houlden pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter; the plea was rejected by the DPP and he is on trial at the Central Criminal Court. The trial is set to continue before a jury.
Darren Houlden, 44, walked into an Arklow Garda station wearing blood‑stained clothes and carrying a knife, admitting to stabbing Stephen 'Apples' Kavanagh, 37, to death. The Central Criminal Court jury will hear that Houlden, who pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, claimed he went into a rage after Kavanagh allegedly threatened to call about missing drugs. Prosecutor John D Fitzgerald SC will argue that the act of killing is clear but the jury must decide Houlden's intent and mental state. The case will cover the night of March 6, 2019, when Houlden and Kavanagh, along with Kavanagh's girlfriend, smoked and drank at Houlden's home, leading to a confrontation over missing drugs. Kavanagh suffered stab wounds to the head and neck and was pronounced dead at St Vincent's Hospital. Houlden admitted the stabbing to Gardaí and handed over the knife.
A 44‑year‑old man named Darren Houlden, who lives in Arklow, Co Wicklow, has been charged with murdering 37‑year‑old Stephen Kavanagh at the same address. Houlden pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter on 6 May 2019; the plea was rejected by the DPP. Mr Justice Michael White has sworn a jury of eight men and four women to hear the case. The trial, to be heard by Ms Justice Carmel Stewart, will begin at 11.30 am tomorrow and is expected to last two weeks.
A Co Down man has pleaded guilty to demanding money with menaces from a Mayo businessman in Omeath, Co Louth, in December 2017. Anthony Finglas, aged 49, appeared before the Special Criminal Court on charges arising from an incident in which the businessman was attacked by multiple assailants armed with iron bars and a knuckle-duster. The court heard that the victim was forced into a car boot and threatened with death unless he paid £50,000. Following the assault, the businessman reported receiving threatening phone calls and messages demanding payment. A victim impact statement indicated the man suffered severe psychological trauma, including suicidal ideation. Finglas's defence counsel argued his client played a minor role in the attack and showed restraint by urging the assailants to cease the violence. The defendant entered an early guilty plea and cooperated with gardaí. The Special Criminal Court adjourned sentencing to December 15th, with the maximum penalty for the offence being fourteen years imprisonment.
In the trial of 33‑year‑old David Fortune, the court heard that after his father Gerard was stabbed in the neck on 19 August 2018, Fortune allegedly hijacked a car on Rutland Grove, drove across Dublin, and fled into James Connolly Memorial Hospital with one shoe on. Witnesses described him as "out of it" with black eyes, and he was seen running frightened through the hospital, claiming he was being followed and that his father was trying to kill him. He was later given Valium in the emergency department and was arrested by Gardaí for murder after learning his father had died. The trial continues on Monday. David Fortune pleaded not guilty.
During the Central Criminal Court hearing on 19 November 2020, a witness, Eddie Byrne, testified that he saw Gerard Lambe place a large blue tablet into the mouth of David Fortune, the accused in the murder of his father, on the day before the alleged stabbing. Byrne said Lambe offered the tablet to calm Fortune, who did not ask for it and was unaware of its contents. Byrne also reported seeing Lambe give a different tablet an hour before the incident, though he did not witness the act. The testimony was cross‑examined by the defence counsel, who confirmed the act. The trial also included a post‑mortem report by Dr Margot Bolster, describing the fatal neck wound and its cause as haemorrhage and shock. The case remains in progress. David Fortune pleaded not guilty.
During the second day of the trial at the Central Criminal Court, Gerard Lambe, the brother of David Fortune, denied that he had put black‑market diazepam tablets into his half‑brother's mouth earlier that day. Gerard was cross‑examined by the defence counsel. The case concerns the murder of David's father, Gerard Fortune, who was stabbed in the neck on 19 August 2018 after watching the All‑Ireland final. David Fortune, aged 33, has pleaded not guilty to the murder. The court heard that David had been taking a number of tablets, cocaine and beer, and that he was experiencing hallucinations and paranoia. Gerard stated that he had no prescription for the tablets and that they were not genuine diazepam. He also said he had not forced David to take the tablets or any other drugs. The trial continues.
In the Central Criminal Court, Laura Lambe, sister of David Fortune, testified that her brother was hallucinating and "possessed" after taking many tablets before stabbing their father, Gerard Fortune, on 19 August 2018. Lambe described the morning as a chaotic scene in the house's shed, where David, his friend, and her brother Gerard drank beer and cocaine while David took tablets. She recalled David becoming paranoid, arguing, and claiming he would kill someone, though no one was behind the television. When their father tried to calm him, David shouted, "Da, I'm going to die," and then swung a knife. Lambe stood between David and their father, saw the father fall, and heard him scream. The father was rushed to hospital and died shortly after. The trial continues. David Fortune pleaded not guilty.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, David Fortune, aged 33, is charged with the murder of his father, Gerard (Gerry) Fortune, who was 63 when he died. The incident occurred on 19 August 2018, the day of the All‑Ireland final, in the family home on Rutland Grove, Crumlin. According to the prosecution, the house was crowded with relatives and friends who were drinking and using drugs. On that day, the accused allegedly behaved erratically, shouting threats and eventually brandishing a knife. He swung the knife at his father, who fell and was stabbed in the neck. The victim was taken to hospital but died from haemorrhage and shock. The accused has pleaded not guilty and the trial is set to continue for three weeks before Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
In a 2018 incident on Finglas Road, 20‑year‑old Ryan Thompson, armed with a golf club shaft, attacked two men he believed were harassing teenage girls outside a supermarket. The men were known to Gardaí. During the confrontation, one target pulled a Stanley knife and cut Thompson's throat under his chin, a wound only millimetres from being life‑threatening. Thompson was taken to hospital and later admitted his role in the attack but expressed fear of the two men, one of whom is awaiting trial. He pleaded guilty to violent disorder. The court, noting his youth and lack of prior convictions, discharged him under the Probation Act, requiring him to keep the peace for two years, rather than imposing a prison term. The judge highlighted the extreme fright caused by the injury and Thompson's good character and family support.
David Fortune, a Dubliner from Rutland Grove, Crumlin, faces trial for the murder of his father, Gerard Fortune, at their home on 19 August 2018. He pleaded not guilty to the murder charge but admitted guilt to unlawful vehicle seizure on the same day, using force to remove driver Geraldine Brady from the car. The Central Criminal Court arraigned him today, and a jury of seven women and five men will hear the case, which is scheduled to last three weeks, beginning tomorrow morning before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon.
A 49‑year‑old man named Anthony Finglas pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to demanding €50,000 from businessman Edward McAndrew in a Co Louth farmhouse on or about 2 December 2017. Finglas admitted making the unwarranted demand and was also charged with falsely imprisoning McAndrew, assaulting him, and robbing him of keys, cash, two mobile phones and an Irish passport at the same location and date. The judge remanded Finglas in custody until the matter is listed for mention next Monday.
In the first trial under the 2018 Domestic Violence Act, a 52‑year‑old Dublin man was convicted of coercive control, intimidation and multiple assaults against his former partner. He pleaded not guilty to one count of controlling behaviour and 13 counts of assault, endangerment and intimidation. The jury found him guilty of coercive control, intimidation, assault and 12 counts of assault causing harm, but acquitted him on one count of assault causing harm involving a stair incident and one count of endangerment involving a bridge. The trial lasted just under 15 hours. The woman, aged 43, gave evidence via video‑link, describing a pattern of physical and psychological abuse, including threats of drowning, forced nudity, and repeated violence. The judge remanded the man in custody pending sentencing. The case highlighted the application of the new domestic violence legislation.
The jury in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial of a 52‑year‑old man accused of coercive control and assaulting his former partner will continue deliberating into next week. He faces charges of coercive control, intimidation, endangerment and multiple assaults. He pleaded not guilty to one count of coercive control covering January to September 2019, and to 13 assault counts, one endangerment count and one intimidation count covering May 2018 to January 2020. The endangerment charge involves an alleged incident on a Dublin bridge where he pushed the woman toward the railings. The trial resumes next Tuesday.
A 34‑year‑old man with an acquired brain injury was found unfit to stand trial for several alleged assaults. He faced charges for assaulting a nurse manager at a hospital A&E in November 2015 and for unprovoked attacks on pedestrians in Dublin city centre, where he allegedly struck a man in February 2017 and a woman in March 2017. Judge Karen O'Connor, after hearing medical reports from two consultant psychiatrists, declared the defendant unfit to plead. The judge imposed an interim order preventing publication of his identity until his status as a ward of the court was clarified, to be reviewed in four weeks. The court noted the defendant's memory loss, lack of understanding of court proceedings, and the need for long‑term assessment and support. The prosecution acknowledged the complainants' awareness of the proceedings and their appreciation of the defendant's position.
A jury has begun deliberations in a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court involving a 52‑year‑old man accused of coercively controlling and assaulting his former partner. The defendant is charged with coercive control, intimidation, endangerment and multiple assaults. He pleaded not guilty to one count of controlling behaviour at various locations between 1 January 2019 and 22 September 2019, and to 13 counts of assault, one count of endangerment and one count of intimidation between May 2018 and January 2020. The endangerment charge concerns an incident at a Dublin bridge where the man allegedly pushed the woman toward the railings, creating a substantial risk of death or harm. The assault allegations include burning her foot with a cigarette, pushing her down stairs, head‑butting, punching, standing on her head, stamping on her arm and strangling her.
In June 2018, James Byrne, an experienced welder, was killed when a six‑metre steel column fell on him while he was using a blow torch to dismantle a steel hopper at the Doyle Shipping Group's Ocean Pier yard. The Health and Safety Authority investigated and charged the company for failing to manage the work safely, specifically the dismantling of the hopper. Byrne had been working on the hopper since April 2018 and had previously dismantled a similar hopper in Drogheda. On the day before the accident he had removed two 6‑metre uprights from a 10‑metre lattice; the next day he was cutting a third upright when the column fell. Co‑workers could not lift the bar, and Byrne suffered catastrophic internal injuries, including heart damage. The company pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, and the case was adjourned for finalisation.
In a coercive control trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a 52‑year‑old accused faces charges of coercive control, intimidation, endangerment and multiple assaults against his former partner. He pleaded not guilty to one count of controlling behaviour between 1 January and 22 September 2019, and to 13 assault counts, one endangerment and one intimidation between May 2018 and January 2020. The endangerment charge involves an incident at a Dublin bridge where the accused allegedly pushed the woman toward the railings, creating a serious risk of death or injury. Assault allegations include burning her foot with a cigarette, pushing her down stairs, head‑butting, punching, standing on her head, stamping on her arm and strangling her. Prosecutor Kerida Naidoo argued that the evidence shows a clear picture of ongoing violence and persistent abuse, while defence counsel Seamus Clarke described the relationship as toxic and dysfunctional, arguing for not guilty verdicts.
The State has told the Special Criminal Court that Caolan Smyth was the man who "pulled the trigger" in the attempted murder of James Gately at a filling station on the Clonshaugh Road in north Dublin on 10 May 2017. Mr Gately was shot five times whilst sitting in his car and sustained injuries to his upper chest and neck. Mr Smyth, aged 28, from Cuileann Court, Donore, County Meath, has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and to possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life. His co-accused, Gary McAreavey, aged 52, from Castlebellingham, County Louth, has pleaded not guilty to obstructing justice by assisting in the destruction of the vehicle used in the shooting. Prosecution counsel submitted that CCTV evidence, mobile phone data, and witness identification linked Mr Smyth to a black Lexus used in a stake-out of Mr Gately's home and the subsequent shooting.
Five men, including a former All-Ireland club footballer, have been charged with a combined 38 new offences at the Special Criminal Court relating to alleged ATM thefts across Cavan and Monaghan. Daniel O'Callaghan, aged 30, a former Crossmaglen player, faces charges concerning an attempted ATM theft in Virginia in August 2019 and a criminal damage and theft matter in Castleblayney in April 2019, both allegedly connected to organised crime. He is also charged with possession of cash and stolen vehicles, including a digger and flatbed trailer. Three brothers—Ciaran Duffy, aged 26, Gerard Duffy, aged 29, and Stephen Duffy, aged 34—alongside Niall Finnegan, aged 38, have been charged with related offences including handling money, possession of stolen property, and facilitating organised crime. All five accused have been released on bail pending further proceedings.
Mr Noel Hickey, aged in his mid‑thirties, brought High Court judicial review proceedings against the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal, the Department of Justice, Ireland and the Attorney General after a 44‑month backlog delayed his claim for compensation following a 2014 assault that left him with life‑changing injuries. The assault, in which he was punched and kicked with steel‑capped boots, caused brain bleeding, facial deformation, a broken eye socket, nose, jaw and chin, and left him in a coma for four weeks. He now suffers memory loss, anosmia, ageusia and requires ongoing surgeries. His counsel, Thomas Creed SC, argued that no interim payment had been made and that the Tribunal was understaffed. The court heard that, at the current rate, Mr Hickey would not receive any compensation until 2023 or 2024 at the earliest.