In a murder trial, Paula Farrell, 47, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the unlawful killing of Wayne 'Quilly' McQuillan, 30, who was stabbed at her Drogheda home on New Year's Day 2014. Dr Michael Curtis, former Deputy State Pathologist, described four stab wounds, including a fatal one to the left subclavian vein and lung. He noted the wounds were close and parallel, suggesting rapid, successive strikes, and said the injuries could have been survivable with prompt medical intervention. Dr Maria Murillo testified that Farrell was intoxicated and unfit for questioning at 7 am on New Year's Day, having been drinking since 3 pm the previous evening. The court heard that Farrell had been treated for schizophrenia and had been drinking daily. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott.
The trial of a 29‑year‑old man accused of 23 counts of sexual assault against four girls at a Leinster crèche is ongoing. On day 12 of the trial, the jury viewed a video interview with the fourth complainant, who was six at the time of the alleged incidents. She described the accused touching her outside and then inside her tights, feeling "happy" during the contact. She also reported seeing the accused touch another girl in the book corner and feeling "a bit afraid" during the Garda interview. The complainant's mother testified that her daughter had complained in 2015 about the accused twisting and pinching her, and that the accused had disappeared for a period. The mother also recalled a December 2016 Garda call about a staff member incident. The trial continues before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury. No parties are named to protect complainants' identities.
A man has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter following the death of his wife at their home in Crozon Park, Sligo, between 29 April and 1 May 2018. Rafal Karaczyn (34) denied to gardaí that he killed his wife because he was angry and jealous, the Central Criminal Court heard. The Acting State Pathologist gave evidence that the deceased, aged 30, died from asphyxia due to external pressure on the neck and that death was not instantaneous. Bruising on her left forearm may have been defensive injuries. The court heard that the accused initially denied involvement during his first four interviews with gardaí, later providing an account of discovering his wife in a distressed state and subsequently transporting and concealing her body. The trial continues.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, the parents of a seven‑year‑old girl alleged to have been sexually assaulted by a creche worker testified that they did not believe their daughter had been abused when she expressed discomfort with the worker's touch. The father recounted that the girl first told him on the August Bank holiday weekend of 2016 that the worker had put his hand on her groin area and that she felt it was inappropriate. He said he and his wife raised the matter with the creche manager, who agreed it was unsuitable for children to sit on a worker's knee and promised to inform staff. The parents reported the incident to the creche and monitored their daughter daily, noting a change in staff behaviour. The case involves a 29‑year‑old man accused of 23 counts of sexual assault against four girls between February 2015 and December 2016, which he denies.
Paula Farrell, 47, of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the unlawful killing of Wayne 'Quilly' McQuillan, 30, on New Year's Day 2014. The prosecution, represented by Gerard Clarke SC, described a drunken argument that led Farrell to stab McQuillan four times with a kitchen knife. Three wounds were not fatal; one struck at a 45‑degree angle through the left shoulder, cutting a vein and the left lung, causing massive internal and external bleeding. McQuillan was found bleeding to death in Farrell's home, and she allegedly told onlookers not to call an ambulance, saying he was fine. Gardaí found the knife in the sink and noted attempts to wipe up blood. McQuillan was taken to hospital, suffered cardiac arrest en route, was resuscitated, then died after a second arrest during a CT scan.
In a sexual assault trial, an eight‑year‑old girl testified that a 29‑year‑old creche care worker touched her privates and the privates of two other girls in the same manner. She said she first reported the incidents to her parents in August 2016, after which the worker stopped touching her and the other girls. The worker is charged with 23 counts of sexual assault against four girls between February 2015 and December 2016. He denies the charges. The child's interview, lasting about an hour, was conducted by Garda specialists who used conversational hooks to steer the child toward the allegations. The trial is proceeding before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury of twelve. No parties are named to protect the complainants' identities.
In a Dublin rape trial, a woman who was allegedly raped by three teenagers on January 5, 2016, denied that she asked one of the accused for his phone number after the incident. The accused, now in their early 20s and unnamed for legal reasons, pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. During cross‑examination, the woman refuted a suggestion by Patrick McGrath SC that she had asked a male teenager for his number. She said the number was given before any such request. She also denied having consensual sex in the car, stating she was terrified and could not speak. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens, continues with evidence before a jury. The case remains at the evidence stage.
In 2011, two armed men robbed Lordship Credit Union in Co Louth, taking €22,500 in cash and €35,000 in cheques from a bag left by volunteer chairman John Kenwright. The robbers, who drove a car with yellow Northern Irish plates, used a sawn‑off shotgun and a firearm to threaten Kenwright and smash his car's passenger side window. They fled within 23 seconds. In 2013, Aaron Brady (29) pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe (41), who was to escort Kenwright to an AIB bank in Dundalk. Brady also pleaded not guilty to a robbery charge for the same day and location. The Central Criminal Court heard the details, noting that Donohoe was scheduled to escort Kenwright and that the robbery car was later found burnt out near the border. The case was presented to a jury of seven men and seven women, with legal matters to be addressed in the defendant's absence.
A man on trial for murder told gardaí at Ballymote Garda Station in County Sligo to search for CCTV footage of a six-foot man with red hair, whom he claimed had threatened him with a gun weeks before his wife disappeared. The Central Criminal Court heard evidence from four interviews conducted with the accused on April 30th and May 1st, 2018. Rafal Karaczyn, aged 34, of Crozon Park, Sligo, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of his wife Natalia, aged 30, at their family home between April 29th and May 1st, 2018. The jury previously heard that on May 2nd, 2018, the accused told his sister-in-law he had strangled his wife. CCTV footage showed him moving her silver Peugeot car early on April 29th and driving towards Holywell Road. A former employer described him as gentle and mild-mannered. The trial continues.
The complainant, an 18‑year‑old woman at the time of the alleged offence, denies that she confused consensual sex with rape. She says she was driven to Dollymount Strand on 5 January 2016, raped by three teenage men, and left alone. During cross‑examination she recalled a 2011 incident when she was about 12 or 13, living in a care home. She texted an older teenager on 22 April 2011, saying "right, if you want your hole, you'll have to wait, not my fault, the staff see you out", implying that sex would be allowed after a wait. She claims the man raped her that night and that she did not report the rape to another girl in the home because she feared retaliation. She insists she was raped, not that she consented, and the trial continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury. The unnamed woman pleaded not guilty.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Garda Ciara Holmes gave evidence about her interview of a six‑year‑old girl who was a victim of alleged sexual assault by a childcare worker. Holmes explained that the child declined a recorded interview on 22 December 2016 but was interviewed on 4 January 2017 after a visit to her home on 29 December. She said she met the child and her parents, reassured the child that she had done nothing wrong, and noted the child's body language. Holmes denied that the investigation was a "box‑ticking charade" and said she would have informed the parents if the child had expressed fear or reluctance to talk. She also rejected the defence's claim that the decision‑making log was merely a form‑filling exercise, stating that it reflected the child's willingness to speak. The trial continues before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury of twelve. The unnamed 29-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Thomas McGuinness, aged 33, appeared before the Special Criminal Court charged with four non‑scheduled offences relating to an incident at a Louth farmhouse on 2 December 2017. He is accused of falsely imprisoning Edward McAndrew by detaining him without consent at One Ferry Hill, Cornamucklagh, Omeath, and of assaulting McAndrew, causing him harm, at the same location and date. McGuinness is also charged with robbing McAndrew of car keys, a travel bag, a wallet, a briefcase, two mobile phones and an Irish passport, and with demanding £50,000 from McAndrew with menaces. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Gerard Griffin and Dermot Dempsey, remanded McGuinness on bail subject to conditions until 9 March. Two other men, William Twomey (56) and Anthony Finglas (49), are also charged with the same offences; Twomey was granted bail, Finglas' application was denied.
A garda has testified at the Central Criminal Court that he discovered the body of a woman in a forested area off the Holywell Road near Ballymote, County Sligo, after being directed there by the accused man. Garda James Kenneally told the court that on the afternoon of May 1st, 2018, he located the partially concealed remains in dense woodland following specific directions from the defendant. Rafal Karaczyn, aged 34, of Crozon Park, Sligo, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of his wife, Natalia Karaczyn, aged 30, at their home between April 29th and May 1st, 2018. The garda also described earlier observations at the family home, including a washing machine containing dark shoes and the defendant's apparent anxiety when asked to contact his wife. Upon arrest on suspicion of murder, Karaczyn replied to caution by questioning what proof existed. The trial at the Central Criminal Court continues.
A Dublin man, Anthony McNamara, aged 27, received a five‑and‑a‑half‑year prison sentence for taking part in an "animalistic" attack on a family home in Ardmore Park, Tallaght, on 9 October 2018. The gang, about ten men, most wearing balaclavas and hoods, broke a wooden fence and smashed the house's front window, with McNamara armed with a machete. He also threw a child's scooter at a female resident, who was struck on the head and later could not open her mouth for eight months. The court found McNamara guilty of violent disorder, possession of a machete during a dispute and criminal damage. Judge Pauline Codd noted the violence continued after the homeowners retreated, and she suspended the final six months of the sentence on the condition he keep the peace. The sentence runs concurrently with a three‑year term imposed in December 2018 for a separate assault, both back‑dated to October 2018.
At the Central Criminal Court in Dublin, a jury heard evidence regarding the movements of a woman on the morning she died. CCTV footage showed the 30-year-old returning to her home in Crozon Park, Sligo at 6.23am on 29 April 2018 following a night out. Nearly two hours later, her husband sent a text to her phone asking "where are you?", the court heard. Garda evidence placed the defendant in a silver Peugeot at the time of the message, with footage tracking his movements that morning, including driving up the side of the house and later towards Holywell Road before returning home. Rafal Karaczyn, aged 34, of Crozon Park, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. A witness told the court she observed the defendant's wife and another individual kissing at a bar shortly before 3am that night. The trial before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon continues.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Garda Ciara Holmes admitted she failed to instruct two child interviewees to tell the truth during January 2017 interviews, describing it as an oversight. Holmes, 29, faces 23 counts of sexual assault against four girls at a Leinster creche between February 2015 and December 2016. The trial presented video footage of the first two complainants' specialist interviews. The first girl reported the accused touched her privates in the creche and on the creche bus, while the second alleged he licked her privates in the bathroom and classroom. Garda Louise Curtin testified that the second girl, then six, had not been told she could refuse to speak and expressed fear during the interview. The case proceeds before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury of twelve. The unnamed 29-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Gardai responded to a 999 call at 4.38 am on 21 January 2013, reporting a suspicious male at a house linked to Aaron Brady, the man accused of murdering Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. The occupants of the house, belonging to Brady's best friend's parents, claimed three men in black were in the yard. Gardai found no intruders, no footprints on wet grass, no damage to a lorry container lock, and no vehicles nearby. The report was made four days before Donohoe's shooting. Brady (29) from Crossmaglen has pleaded not guilty to Donohoe's capital murder and to a robbery of about €7,000 on the same date and location. The trial is before Mr Justice Michael White with a 14‑person jury.
Stephen Little, 46, of Kilbarron Avenue, Dublin 5, and Edward McDonnell, 55, of Waterside Apartments, New Ross, Co. Wexford, are accused of unlawful possession of a semi‑automatic pistol and of having the weapon with intent to endanger life at Lein Park, Harmonstown, Dublin 5 on 14 September 2019. The State solicitor, Michael O'Donovan, requested that the two men be tried in the Special Criminal Court, a non‑jury court. Mr Justice Tony Hunt granted the order, and the accused did not appear in court.
At the Central Criminal Court in Dublin, a trial heard evidence on Monday concerning the movements of a 30-year-old woman in the hours before her death. A man gave testimony that he accompanied the woman to his home in Sligo in the early morning of April 29th, 2018, and walked her partway home after approximately two hours. A garda told the court that CCTV footage showed the woman entering her family home at 6.23am that morning. Rafal Karaczyn, aged 34, of Crozon Park in Sligo, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of his wife between April 29th and May 1st, 2018. The trial, before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury, continues to hear evidence regarding the circumstances surrounding her death.
Natalia Karaczyn's sister has given evidence at the Central Criminal Court regarding CCTV footage she viewed in the hours following her sibling's disappearance in April 2018. Magdalena McMorrow told the jury she saw her sister walking towards her home in Crozon Park, Sligo, on footage recorded from a property situated 170 metres away. Mrs McMorrow said she had received a text from Natalia's husband, Rafal Karaczyn, on the morning of Sunday, 29 April, stating that Natalia had not returned home following a night out. After locating the CCTV footage later that day, Mrs McMorrow conducted a search of the family home with Mr Karaczyn. Natalia's body was subsequently identified on the evening of Tuesday, 1 May. Rafal Karaczyn, aged 34, of Crozon Park, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The trial before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon continues.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, a 10‑year‑old girl, the second complainant, testified that she may have fabricated parts of her story about a 29‑year‑old childcare worker accused of sexually assaulting four girls. The girl, who was six at the time of the alleged incidents, had previously given a video interview in January 2017, describing the worker as pulling her pants down, holding her against a wall, and licking her privates. During cross‑examination, the defence counsel suggested she might have told untrue stories to amuse friends. The girl admitted uncertainty about some details, such as the worker placing his "willy" in her hand, and said she might have been scared to repeat false stories. She agreed that she had not been told she could refuse to talk to the Gardaí. The accused has pleaded not guilty to 23 counts of sexual assault spanning February 2015 to December 2016.
In summer 2017, a family picnic in the Dublin mountains led to the discovery of dismembered remains of retired grandmother Patricia O'Connor. The body was found in 15 separate parts across nine sites within a 30km radius, including Military Road, Glenmacnass Waterfall, and other locations. Initial bone measurements suggested a male, but DNA and dental records confirmed a female. Post‑mortem examinations by Dr Michael Curtis revealed blunt force trauma to the head, with multiple scalp lacerations and bruising, indicating a violent death. The remains were likely dismembered with a power tool, with hands and wrists sawn off by hand‑held saws. Kieran Greene testified that he had buried the body in Wexford, later exhumed it, cut it up, and scattered the parts across the Dublin mountains, disposing of them in black bags at various points. The evidence presented detailed the locations and conditions of each body part, confirming the identity of Mrs O'Connor and the circumstances of her death.
In the Central Criminal Court, Aaron Brady, aged 29, denies the capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. He allegedly told his girlfriend, Jessica King, to "tell the truth" after she initially withheld his whereabouts on the night of the shooting. King said Brady had been on bail and under curfew, and she feared implicating him. Brady reportedly instructed her to correct the times he had spent at her home. King described Brady as "messy" and "cheeky," noting he was "smiling and joking." She recounted that Brady had been at her house around 11 pm and left around 2:30 am, and that he had told her to change the recorded times. Brady has pleaded not guilty to the capital murder and to a related robbery charge. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael White with a jury of fourteen.
A jury of six men and five women returned to the Central Criminal Court to continue deliberating the verdict in the trial of Keith Johnston, a 43‑year‑old accused of impeding the investigation into the death of his former partner's mother, Patricia O'Connor, who was 61 when she died on 29 May 2017. The forewoman confirmed to the registrar at 4 pm that no further verdict had been reached on the count against Johnston. The jury had spent 11 hours and 17 minutes on the case before retiring for the evening and was instructed by Mr Justice Paul McDermott to return tomorrow at 10.30 am, with no regard to newspaper articles. The trial had also seen Louise O'Connor, aged 41, found guilty of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Kieran Greene, 35, who was found guilty of murdering Patricia O'Connor and inflicting catastrophic injuries. Keith Johnston pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 29‑year‑old accused of sexually assaulting four girls aged five to eight at a Leinster creche pleaded not guilty to 23 counts. The trial has heard evidence from one complainant, now 11, who was interviewed by Garda Louise Curtin in January 2017. The child described the accused touching her privates in various creche locations and said it hurt. Curtin, a specialist interviewer, admitted she did not follow all "Good Practice" guidelines, including not establishing the importance of truth, discussing fantasy versus reality, or assessing suggestibility and alliance among children. She also omitted a question about honesty. The jury viewed a video of the interview, and the case continues before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury of twelve.
A fresh jury was sworn in at the Central Criminal Court on Thursday following the discharge of a previous panel in the trial of a man accused of murdering his wife. Rafal Karaczyn, aged 34 and from Crozon Park in Sligo, faces a charge of murder in relation to the death of his wife at their family home between 29 April and 1 May 2018. The original jury of seven women and five men heard evidence over two days before being discharged by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, who cited unspecified reasons preventing the trial's continuation. The jurors were excused from future jury service for five years. Mr Karaczyn subsequently indicated a plea of not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. A replacement jury of identical composition was empanelled by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, with the trial expected to last approximately two weeks.
A Central Criminal Court jury convicted Louise O'Connor, 41, of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Kieran Greene, 35, for the murder of her mother Patricia O'Connor, 61, on 29 May 2017. The State alleged that Louise agreed to a ruse in which her daughter Stephanie, 22, disguised herself as her grandmother to create CCTV footage showing the grandmother leaving the house at 9.34 pm, thereby concealing the murder. The jury found Louise an integral part of the charade, having supported Stephanie's actions and given misleading statements to Gardaí. Stephanie was also found guilty of dressing as her grandmother and pretending to leave the house. The trial lasted seven weeks; the jury deliberated 10 hours and 25 minutes before reaching a unanimous verdict in Louise's case. No verdict was reached on the remaining count against Louise's ex‑boyfriend Keith Johnston, 43. The trial concluded with the jury suspended for lunch and scheduled to resume later. Louise O'Connor pleaded not guilty. Keith Johnston pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a woman who was allegedly raped by three Dublin teenagers on January 5, 2016, at Dollymount Strand, stated she had withdrawn a separate rape complaint made in September 2015. She explained that she did not want to manage two trials simultaneously, so she retracted the earlier allegation. The 18‑year‑old woman described being taken to Dollymount Strand, raped by the three men, and left alone. She also recounted an incident in a Dundalk hotel where a man attempted sexual acts; she claimed she resisted, reported the incident to Gardaí, and later withdrew that statement. The court heard that the retraction was made in September 2016, before the men were charged in October 2017. The trial continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury. The unnamed woman pleaded not guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court, the sister of a thirty-year-old woman whose body was discovered near Ballymote in May 2018 gave evidence regarding her brother-in-law's alleged confession. Rafal Karaczyn, aged thirty-four, of Crozon Park, Sligo, has pleaded not guilty to murder. The deceased's sister testified that she was present at Ballymote Garda Station when the accused told her he had killed his wife, describing how he allegedly strangled her during an argument in their home on the morning of 29 April 2018. The witness stated she responded by telling him "we forgive you," observing he was distressed throughout the conversation. Two friends of the deceased also gave evidence, recounting her activities on the evening before her disappearance and describing subsequent contact with the accused in which he expressed concern for his wife's whereabouts. The trial before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon continues.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a father of an 11‑year‑old girl testified that he could not imagine a sexual assault occurring in a busy creche. The accused, a 29‑year‑old child‑care worker, faces 23 counts of sexually assaulting four girls aged five to eight between February 2015 and December 2016. The father recounted that when his daughter, then eight, told him the carer had "touched her privates," he sought an innocent explanation. He visited the creche the next day, where the noise and activity made him uneasy, and later learned the manager had informed him of an allegation involving his daughter. He told the court that his daughter claimed another girl had kissed the accused's privates, and that she later felt sick. The trial continues before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury of seven men and five women. The unnamed 29-year-old pleaded not guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court, a jury convicted Stephanie O'Connor of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Kieran Greene, who was found guilty of murdering Patricia O'Connor on May 29, 2017. The jury accepted the State's case that O'Connor disguised herself as her grandmother to conceal the death, creating a false CCTV record that Mrs O'Connor had left the house. The jury took eight hours and 36 minutes to reach this unanimous verdict. However, they did not reach verdicts on the remaining counts against Louise O'Connor and Keith Johnston. Mr Justice Paul McDermott adjourned the matter, directing the jury to resume deliberations on these two counts tomorrow morning at 10.30am. Louise O'Connor, who pleaded not guilty to agreeing to or acquiescing in the disguise, and Keith Johnston, who pleaded not guilty to assisting Greene in purchasing implements for concealment, remain awaiting verdicts. The trial heard that Greene changed his account of the killing, initially claiming self-defense before alleging that Johnston and others were involved. The court has not yet finalized the proceedings for the remaining accused.
In a creche sexual assault trial, a 29‑year‑old accused pleaded not guilty to 23 counts of assaulting four girls aged five to eight between February 2015 and December 2016. The trial has heard evidence from one complainant, now 11, who was interviewed at eight by a specialist Garda in January 2017. She described the accused touching her privates in several creche locations, including a book corner, a bus, a toilet cubicle and a windowsill, often with his hand and phone. She said the contact hurt her and that the accused asked if she liked it, to which she replied no. The accused's father testified that his daughter told him the man had touched her privates and that the father had told the child that the matter was serious, that police would be involved if it was deliberate, and that he had not told her mother to avoid a reaction.
In a five‑day Central Criminal Court trial, a 16‑year‑old defendant was acquitted of raping an 18‑year‑old woman in a Dublin city park in February 2017. The court heard that the parties met in October 2016, began a consensual relationship in November, and had sex from December 2016 to January 2017. The woman testified that after a quarrel the defendant grabbed her, dragged her around a bench, and raped her. She also claimed the defendant texted a friend, offering money to keep her from reporting the incident. The defence argued the woman had fallen out with the defendant and sought reconciliation, and that the alleged rape was untrue. After two hours of deliberation, the jury returned a unanimous not‑guilty verdict. The trial included medical testimony, text‑message evidence, and cross‑examination of the complainant and her friends. The case concluded with the defendant's acquittal.
A witness in the trial of Aaron Brady at the Central Criminal Court has testified that she initially provided false information to police about the accused's whereabouts on the night of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe's fatal shooting. Jade Fitzpatrick told the court she was pressured into claiming Mr Brady, from Crossmaglen, County Armagh, had left a house in Armagh by 21:30 on 25 January 2013, when he had actually remained there until approximately 3am. Ms Fitzpatrick said she corrected her statement the following day because she wished to help Mr Brady comply with curfew conditions imposed as part of his bail. Under cross-examination, she confirmed Mr Brady appeared relaxed and exhibited no unusual behaviour during his time at the residence. Mr Brady, aged 29, denies capital murder in relation to Detective Garda Donohoe's death at Lordship Credit Union, County Louth, shortly before 9:30pm that evening. He also denies robbery of approximately €7,000 in cash and cheques from the same location and date. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael White. Aaron Brady pleaded not guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court, the sister of Natalia Karaczyn gave evidence regarding her brother-in-law's account of events surrounding the 30-year-old's death. Rafal Karaczyn, aged 34, of Crozon Park in Sligo, has pleaded not guilty to her murder, which allegedly occurred at their family home between 29 April and 1 May 2018. The witness testified that the couple had been separated for a year prior, living in separate bedrooms, and that Mr Karaczyn was unwilling to move out. She described receiving a message from him on 30 April indicating his wife was missing, and subsequently alerting gardaí. The witness recounted that Mr Karaczyn later told her Natalia had become involved with dangerous individuals who threatened violence unless he allowed them access to their home. However, whilst alone with him at Ballymote Garda Station, he allegedly confessed to strangling his wife during an argument in a bedroom. The trial before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon continues.
Valentine Kelleher, acting as applicant for his children Laura, David, and Jack, reached a €225,000 settlement with Green Energy Supply Ltd and director Michael Murnane regarding High Court damages claims. The siblings alleged that noise, vibrations, and shadow flicker from the Knockduff Wind Farm in Co Cork caused illnesses, forcing the family to abandon their home in Donoughmore in late 2016. The defendants denied all allegations of negligence or nuisance, maintaining the wind farm was operated lawfully. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds approved the settlement, which was reached via mediation without admission of liability. The medical evidence supporting the claim was fully contested. Laura received €125,000, while David and Jack each received €50,000. The judge described the offer as good given the disputed medical reports. Other separate but related claims brought by family members for alleged nuisance remain outstanding. Those cases were adjourned to a date in March.
The trial of three unnamed men, now in their early 20s, is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury. The defendants have pleaded not guilty to raping a woman at Bull Island, Dollymount, Dublin, on January 5, 2016. The complainant, who was 18 at the time, testified that she entered the vehicle after explicitly stating she did not intend to have sex. Under cross-examination by Caroline Biggs SC, who is defending one of the accused, the woman denied suggestions that she lacked a child lock on her car door or that she had prior knowledge of Dollymount. She rejected counsel's assertion that she initiated sexual contact or agreed to sex, maintaining that she did not know her location when left. The trial has heard allegations that the complainant was driven to Dollymount Strand and assaulted by the three men in turn. The matter remains at the trial stage, with the proceedings continuing.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a 29‑year‑old childcare worker faced 23 counts of sexual assault against four girls aged five to eight between February 2015 and December 2016. The 11‑year‑old girl, the first to give evidence, denied that her allegations were fabricated. She testified that the accused touched her privates, sometimes under her clothes and sometimes over them, and pressed a buzzing mobile phone against her. The incidents reportedly occurred in the after‑school room's book corner, on a creche bus seat belt, a window sill, and a toilet cubicle. She said the worker also assaulted her best friend and another girl, and that he sometimes offered sweets before touching. The defence cross‑examined her via videolink, and she maintained she was not making the allegations up. The trial focused on the alleged assaults and the defendant's plea of not guilty.
A man accused of murdering his wife in Sligo told gardai that he lay down with her for approximately ten minutes after killing her, the Central Criminal Court has heard. Rafal Karaczyn, aged 34, of Crozon Park, Sligo, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his wife Natalia, aged 30, at their family home between April 29th and May 1st, 2018. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury, commenced on this date and is expected to last three weeks. The prosecution outlined that Mr Karaczyn initially denied responsibility but later admitted to gardai that he strangled his wife. Gardai discovered her body in a remote location on May 1st after Mr Karaczyn directed them to it. The court will hear evidence from the deputy State pathologist confirming asphyxia as the cause of death, alongside CCTV footage and Garda interviews. The trial continues tomorrow.
Kieran Greene, 35, was found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of murdering Patricia O'Connor, 61, at her Rathfarnham home on May 29, 2017. The jury unanimously rejected Greene's self-defence claim, accepting the prosecution's case that he inflicted catastrophic blunt force trauma to her head with a hurley. Greene had pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. The trial also involved three co-accused: Louise O'Connor, 41; Stephanie O'Connor, 22; and Keith Johnston, 43. All three pleaded not guilty to charges of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Greene, knowing or believing he had committed an arrestable offence. Specifically, Louise O'Connor was charged with acquiescing in her daughter Stephanie disguising herself as the deceased to conceal her death, while Stephanie was charged with the act of disguising herself. Johnston was charged with assisting Greene in purchasing implements for concealing the remains. The jury was directed to continue deliberations on these three defendants, meaning the matter regarding them was adjourned and not concluded. Augustine 'Gus' O'Connor, the deceased's husband, had previously pleaded guilty to reporting his wife as missing while knowing she was dead. The court will resume at 10.30am to hear verdicts on the remaining accused.
The jury in the trial of a 35‑year‑old man accused of murdering a 61‑year‑old grandmother has requested an easel and flip‑chart to aid their deliberations. The defendant, Kieran Greene, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patricia O'Connor at her home in Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, on 29 May 2017. The body was dismembered into 15 parts found at nine sites across the Dublin and Wicklow mountains. The trial also involves three co‑accused – Louise O'Connor (41), Stephanie O'Connor (22) and Keith Johnston (43) – charged with impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Greene, knowing or believing he committed an arrestable offence. The jury can return up to four verdicts: for Greene on murder, for Greene on manslaughter, and for each co‑accused on the impeding charge. The judge has instructed the jury to consider Greene first, then the co‑accused, and to record any verdicts in the box on the issue paper.
Rafal Karaczyn, a 33-year-old man from Crozon Park, Sligo, has gone on trial accused of murdering his 30-year-old wife, Natalia Karaczyn. The defendant, who is also from Poland, has pleaded not guilty to the charge of killing his wife at their family home in Crozon Park between April 29th and May 1st, 2018. A jury of seven women and five men was sworn in by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, who advised the panel to expect the proceedings to last approximately three weeks. The trial is currently underway before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon. As the matter is at the trial stage, no findings, sentences, or final disposals have been recorded. The allegations remain contested, and the court process is ongoing.
The trial at the Central Criminal Court heard that an 18‑year‑old woman was allegedly raped by three Dublin teenagers on 5 January 2016 at Dollymount Strand. The men, now in their early 20s, pleaded not guilty. The woman denied that she had said she would have no problem "doing three of them" and insisted she had said she did not want to have sex. She admitted taking cannabis and cocaine in the month before the incident but denied taking any other drugs on the day. She also denied saying she wanted to stay with the men after the alleged assault, stating she had planned to stay in a hostel or on the street. The case remains before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
In the capital murder trial of Aaron Brady, the court heard that about ten text messages were deleted from his girlfriend Jessica King's phone in the hours surrounding the fatal shooting of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe on 25 January 2013. One deleted message, sent the afternoon after the shooting, read, "Please Jess, I just want to get away til this blows over." Brady, 29, pleaded not guilty to the murder and to a robbery charge involving roughly €7,000. Sergeant Karen Coughlan presented 156 relevant pieces of evidence extracted from King's phone using Cellebrite, including exchanges with a contact named AaronX and another called Brades2. The messages revealed a heated argument the night before the shooting, Brady's attempts to contact King after the incident, and a series of deleted texts that were later recovered. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of eight men and seven women.
A 29‑year‑old childcare worker, Sean Guerin, is on trial for 23 counts of sexually assaulting four girls aged five to eight between February 2015 and December 2016. The alleged assaults took place in various locations within a Leinster creche, including an after‑school room, a bathroom and a creche bus. One complainant is charged with eight counts of Guerin licking her vagina, allegedly in an upstairs toilet and a bathroom area outside cubicles that was covered by CCTV except for a glass‑paneled door. Guerin claimed he was uncomfortable with children sitting on his knees, saying it made him vulnerable to complaints; a written policy was issued in April 2015 advising workers not to allow children to sit on their knees. The unnamed 29-year-old pleaded not guilty.
During the Central Criminal Court trial of three Dublin teenagers, the complainant, aged 18 at the time of the alleged offences, testified that she was gang‑raped by the men at Dollymount Strand on 5 January 2016. She said she was left alone in a remote area after the assaults. The court heard that she had called for an ambulance to see a mental‑health doctor and that she may have asked for tablets and expressed a desire to die. She admitted that she became uncooperative and aggressive when taken to the sexual‑assault treatment unit at the Rotunda Hospital, and that she was later restrained by Gardaí. She also confirmed that she had previously alleged a gang‑rape in Dublin city centre in 2015 but did not pursue the complaint because she was scared. The defendants pleaded not guilty. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, a 29‑year‑old childcare worker, whose name is withheld, pleaded not guilty to 23 counts of sexually assaulting four girls aged 5‑8 at a Leinster creche between February 2015 and December 2016. The alleged assaults occurred in a bathroom, an after‑school room and on the creche's bus. The creche owner reported the allegations to parents in December 2016, after a child had confided in another. Parents notified Gardaí, and an investigation began. CCTV footage from the creche and interviews with the girls, conducted in January 2017, will be presented. The worker, who began working in 2013 and was due to be dismissed in 2016 for incomplete childcare training, was suspended pending the investigation. The trial is expected to last three weeks. The jury will hear the worker's denials and the presumption of innocence. The case is ongoing.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Kieran Greene, 35, accused of murdering 61‑year‑old Patricia O'Connor, is set to begin jury deliberations on Monday. Greene has pleaded not guilty. The case involves the dismemberment of Mrs O'Connor's body into 15 parts found across nine sites in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains. Evidence includes blunt‑force trauma to the head and the discovery of tools such as hacksaws and a hatchet. Greene's defence has highlighted inconsistencies in his statements to Gardaí, citing a change in his account from June to December 2017 and alleged Garda follow‑up failures. The prosecution presents circumstantial evidence linking Greene to the murder. Three other defendants—Louise O'Connor, Stephanie O'Connor and Keith Johnston—are charged with impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Greene, each pleading not guilty. The jury will consider separate verdicts for the murder charge and the ancillary offences. The judge will finish charging the jury on Monday.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the father of suspect Mr Brady, aged 29, was described by retired detective inspector Pat Marry as "semi‑angry" when he arrived at a Garda station to inquire about the seizure of his car. Marry explained that the vehicle had been taken because it was seen driving at speed away from the scene after the fatal shooting of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, 41, on 25 January 2013 at Lordship Credit Union, Bellurgan, Co Louth. The car was seized in March 2013 by a Garda in Castlebellingham and later taken to Dundalk Garda Station. Mr Brady has pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Donohoe and to a robbery charge involving approximately €7,000 in cash and cheques. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Michael White, continues with a jury of eight men and seven women.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, an 18‑year‑old woman testified that she was raped by three Dublin teenagers aged 17 to 18 on 5 January 2016 at Bull Island, Dollymount. She said the men met her in an internet café, then drove her to Dollymount Strand where each man raped her in turn. She described being forced to lie in a car, having her trousers pulled down, and being penetrated by each man, one of whom she claimed was recording the act. She reported feeling horrified and disgusted, and that the men left her stranded in a remote area. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens, continues with a jury that was empanelled earlier this month. The accused have pleaded not guilty. The case remains in progress.