Raymond Shorten, a 50‑year‑old Dublin taxi driver, was convicted in May 2024 of two counts of rape and one of sexual assault against a seven‑year‑old girl in 2012. The victim, now 20, requested anonymity. Shorten was also convicted in June of two counts of rape and one of anal rape against two other young women who had ridden in his taxi after a night out in Dublin in 2022. He is due to be sentenced next Monday by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, after Mr Justice Naidoo's unavailability.
Raymond Shorten, a 50‑year‑old Dublin taxi driver, was convicted in May of two counts of rape and one of sexual assault against a seven‑year‑old girl. The offences occurred after the child's mother's funeral, in a bathroom at her family home where Shorten covered her mouth, and later on a bed and in a car. The girl, now 20, had left a handwritten note in 2020 alleging abuse and was interviewed by specialist gardai in early 2021. Shorten denied all allegations during voluntary interviews in 2020 and 2021, calling them "110% lies" and a "wind‑up." He was found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court and is due to be sentenced later this month. The case is part of a broader pattern of sexual offences by Shorten, who has eight prior convictions, including five for road traffic offences. Raymond Shorten pleaded not guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, two young women testified that they were raped by Dublin taxi driver Raymond Shorten, who had previously been convicted of serious sexual offences. Both victims had taken taxis after nights out, believing it was the safest option, but were assaulted by Shorten. One victim, who had been drinking five pints of cider, was taken to the back seat where he raped her anally and vaginally, leaving her with a sore, disorienting experience. The second victim fell asleep in the taxi and was raped upon waking, after which Shorten demanded a €70 fare. Shorten denied the assaults, claiming the encounters were consensual. DNA evidence linked him to both incidents. The court adjourned the case to July 22 for finalisation. The victims described lasting impacts on their confidence, intimate life, and mental health, including anxiety, flashbacks, and nightmares. The case highlighted the vulnerability of taxi passengers and the alleged breach of trust by a licensed driver. Raymond Shorten pleaded not guilty.
David Weir, 49, of Eastham Park, Bettystown, was found guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of possession of cannabis for sale or supply in his home and in Raheny on 22 February 2021. He admitted possession of an air rifle and had seven prior convictions, including drug and traffic offences. Weir was arrested after handing a large black bag of cannabis to taxi driver Mark Byrne, the target of a Garda surveillance operation. Gardaí seized 5 kg of cannabis at Byrne's home and 2.7 kg at Weir's Bettystown home, along with an air rifle, weighing scales and a vacuum packaging machine. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced Weir to seven years, suspended the final two and a half years on the condition of good behaviour, and imposed a five‑year custodial term. The judge noted Weir's advanced lung disease and mental health history, and considered these factors in the sentencing. The case highlights the role of a "gillie" in drug distribution.
Kenneth Walsh, a visually‑impaired man, was denied boarding a Bus Éireann coach with his guide dog on 26 June 2023, forcing him to take a taxi to a medical appointment. The driver, who had mistaken the coach for a double‑decker, claimed no space for the dog and told Walsh that it was not his problem. Walsh's bus was almost empty, and he had to leave the vehicle after the driver refused to accommodate him. The taxi lacked card facilities, so Walsh had to withdraw cash from an ATM, giving his PIN to the driver, which he described as extremely stressful. The Workplace Relations Commission found the driver's conduct unreasonable and discriminatory. Bus Éireann apologized, offered reimbursement, and the tribunal awarded Walsh €4,000 in compensation for the distress and inconvenience caused.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, Raymond Shorten, 50, of Clondalkin, was found guilty by a unanimous jury of two counts of rape and one of anal rape against two young female passengers. The jury deliberated for 76 minutes after hearing evidence that the women, aged 19 and 20, had been in Shorten's taxi following nights out in Dublin city centre in June and August 2022. Both women testified that they were raped in the back of the taxi, describing loss of memory, shock and physical injury. Shorten denied the allegations, claiming the encounters were consensual, and provided written statements supporting this view. The prosecution presented CCTV footage, forensic DNA evidence, and testimony from other women who said they had consensual sex with Shorten in his taxi. The judge thanked the jury, excused them from service for five years, remanded Shorten in custody for sentencing on 1 July, and ordered victim impact statements. Raymond Shorten pleaded not guilty.
In a June 12 trial, a 50‑year‑old taxi driver faced rape and anal rape charges for alleged assaults in June and August 2022. Prosecutor Gerardine Small argued the accused targeted vulnerable, intoxicated women, citing CCTV and the complainants' accounts of lack of consent. She highlighted the improbability of two similar accusations within weeks and urged jurors to view the men's statements to Gardaí as ludicrous. The defense, led by Lorcan Staines, acknowledged the driver's unpleasant conduct but stressed the case was not proven beyond a reasonable doubt, noting the driver's professional obligations and the absence of explicit refusals by the complainants. Three other women testified that they had consensual sex with the driver on separate occasions, which the prosecution suggested was irrelevant to the rape allegations. The trial remained at the evidentiary stage, with no verdict announced. The unnamed 50-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 11 June 2024, a 50‑year‑old taxi driver accused of raping two young women denied the allegations. He claimed the 20‑year‑old woman was smiling and kissing him while they had consensual sex and that she asked, "was this off the bill?" He said he replied jokingly that it was not. The driver said he had been working that night, the woman had asked to be taken home, and that they engaged in consensual sex after she kissed him. He stated he had no reason to doubt her willingness. The court heard CCTV footage, location data and DNA evidence linking the driver to the woman, and a forensic examiner described bruises and an internal vaginal injury, but the trial remains ongoing. The unnamed 20-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 21‑year‑old woman testified at the Central Criminal Court that a taxi driver raped her after she fell asleep in his vehicle. She said she had been drinking, had gone home at about 4 a.m., and then entered the taxi to get a phone charger. The driver allegedly forced sexual contact, which she denied consent to, and after the act he asked her to pay the fare. She claimed her phone had died, her parents gave the driver cash, and she was later taken to a sexual assault treatment unit. The accused, in his fifties, pleaded not guilty to the rape and to an alleged anal rape of another woman. He denies all allegations, asserting any sexual activity was consensual and initiated by the women. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
A taxi driver in his early fifties, who is legally entitled to anonymity during the trial, has pleaded not guilty to rape and anal rape charges involving two young women. He claims that any sexual interaction with the first complainant was consensual, stating that the woman entered his taxi, directed him, and that they engaged in consensual sexual activity after he kissed her. He denies any rape or anal sex. The State alleges that both women were raped after a night out in Dublin city centre. Evidence presented includes CCTV footage of the first complainant entering the taxi, forensic DNA linking the driver to the victim's clothing, and GPS data showing the taxi's movements. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
In a rape trial, a young woman who claims she was raped by a taxi driver in his vehicle denies any suggestion that the sexual activity was consensual. The accused, in his early fifties, has pleaded not guilty to rape and anal rape of this woman and denies a charge of rape involving a second woman. The complainant testified that after finishing work on 25 June 2022 she drank heavily, left a bar, and later found herself in a taxi where she was allegedly forced into sexual acts. She described being dazed, having no memory of the events, and being forced into anal rape. She stated she did not consent to any sexual interaction and was unaware of the driver's identity. The defense counsel argued that the complainant had voluntarily entered the taxi and that any sexual activity was consensual, claims the complainant rejects. The trial continues.
A taxi driver in his fifties has gone on trial in Dublin for the rape of two young women in separate incidents in 2022 and 2023. He pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape and one of anal rape. Prosecutor Gerardine Small said each woman had been socialising in the city centre, met friends for drinks, and later found themselves in a taxi where they alleged they were raped. The driver denies the allegations, claiming any sexual contact was consensual. The trial is before Justice Paul McDermott and a jury at the Central Criminal Court.
In a 2016 hijacking, 29‑year‑old Ryan Cannon stabbed a taxi driver seven times, leaving the victim severely injured and bleeding on a road. The driver, who had parked outside a McDonald's in Airside Retail Park, was attacked after two men entered his cab. Cannon forced the driver to drive, then stabbed him while the driver tried to escape. The cab was later found burnt out in Balbriggan. Cannon, who had previously been convicted of drug and public‑order offences, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and unlawful seizure of a vehicle. The court, noting the victim's extensive injuries and the use of a knife, imposed a four‑year prison sentence on Cannon, with no part of the sentence suspended. The judge highlighted the seriousness of the offence and the victim's forgiveness, but did not reduce the custodial term. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Anthony Walker, a 54-year-old taxi driver, was sentenced at the Special Criminal Court to concurrent terms of five years' imprisonment on two charges of possessing a firearm and five rounds of ammunition. Walker pleaded guilty to possessing a .38″ special calibre Smith & Wesson revolver and ammunition on November 23, 2021. Mr Justice Paul Burns suspended the final 18 months of each sentence for three years, during which Walker must engage with probation services. The judge described Walker as a "psychologically vulnerable" man who acted in a "moment of madness" while transporting the weapon for Ryan Kelly. Kelly, who pleaded guilty to possessing the same firearm and ammunition, was jailed for six years in January for his role in a "sophisticated enterprise." Walker was intercepted by armed gardaí after receiving the gun from Kelly, who was arrested separately with three other men. The court noted Walker's history of abuse, mental health issues, and remorse, deeming him a good candidate for rehabilitation despite his involvement in a larger plan. Walker's counsel highlighted his lack of prior serious convictions and his fear for his family if he named others involved.
Le Wang, a 42‑year‑old taxi driver from Dundrum, was found guilty of harassing a Chinese student who had rented a room in his house between December 2022 and March 2023. He secretly filmed her twice in the shower and attempted a third time, hiding his phone in a laundry basket. When she discovered the phone, he threatened to ruin her reputation and harassed her for three months, sending threatening texts and attempting contact via social media. Gardaí seized his phone and found the videos, which were deleted and then restored. Wang pleaded guilty and was given a 16‑month suspended sentence, with a ten‑year prohibition on any communication with the victim. He was remanded in custody for two weeks before the verdict and was released thereafter. No prior convictions were recorded.
Matthew Grogan, 26, of Applewood Village, Swords, was jailed for three years and nine months after pleading guilty to possession of stolen property, trespassing, criminal damage, driving without insurance and two counts of dangerous driving. The offences occurred between 22 and 23 September 2021 in County Louth and County Dublin. Grogan had stolen a taxi, reported it to the gardai, and then drove the vehicle at speeds up to 170 km/h, running red lights, weaving through lanes, passing a toll plaza and nearly colliding with an unmarked garda car. The pursuit involved armed gardai from the Armed Support Unit, Louth and Dublin. He was arrested in the Swords area, was intoxicated at the time of arrest, and later described the night as a "blur". Grogan has 64 prior convictions, including burglary and assault, and will be released in June 2026. The court noted his addiction issues and that he has two children.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, 53‑year‑old Anthony Walker, a taxi driver, admitted possessing a loaded .38 calibre Smith & Wesson revolver and five rounds of ammunition on 23 November 2021. He claimed he was unaware the item was a gun, saying he had only realised during the trip that it was a firearm. Walker said he had been instructed by 25‑year‑old Ryan Kelly, who had been jailed for a sophisticated enterprise, to deliver the weapon. Walker's contact with Kelly had lasted 18 months, and he had exchanged texts such as "I'll be there" and "send me the number, nearly there." Walker has eight prior convictions, mainly traffic offences, and is described by counsel as a vulnerable individual with Tourette's, ADHD and OCD. The court adjourned sentencing to 29 May and remanded Walker in custody. The prosecution will decide whether to charge him with participation in a criminal organisation. Ryan Kelly pleaded guilty.
Le Wang, 42, a taxi driver from Dundrum, was found guilty of harassing a Chinese student who had rented a room in his house. Between December 2022 and March 2023, Wang secretly filmed the student twice while she showered and attempted a third time when she discovered his phone hidden in a laundry basket. He threatened her with retaliation if she exposed the videos, sent harassing texts demanding she leave, and repeatedly tried to contact her via social media, culminating in 18 attempts before the harassment ceased on 11 March 2023. Gardaí seized his phone, uncovering the two videos and related screenshots. Wang had no prior convictions, cooperated with investigators, and was described as introverted with a low risk of reoffending. He was remanded in custody for two weeks pending sentencing on 16 May, where the judge will consider the case further.
Ryan Kelly, 25, was sentenced to six years in prison by the Special Criminal Court for his role in a sophisticated enterprise involving a loaded .38 calibre Smith & Wesson revolver and stolen cars. Kelly, who was 22 at the time of the offence, pleaded guilty to possession of the revolver and five rounds of ammunition, with evidence that the weapon was found in a taxi and in a Volvo car where he was a passenger. He was seen handing the gun to a taxi driver and later dropping it into the vehicle's window. The court noted that Kelly acted in concert with others, including Anthony Walker, and that the weapon was fully loaded, indicating it was not for lawful use. The judge set a headline sentence of ten years, reduced to seven years with the last year suspended for three years on condition of probation. Kelly had nine prior convictions, mainly for public order and traffic offences.
Leon Byrne, 27, was convicted of robbing an empty cash‑in‑transit box at a Brinks‑guarded Maxol garage in Dublin on 17 February 2022. He brandished a kitchen knife, forced the guard to hand over the box, and fled to his mother's flat across the road. Gardaí followed a trail of green dye from the scene to the flat, where the dye was found on clothing and in the apartment. Byrne had previously been jailed for hijacking a taxi with a sawn‑off shotgun. He pleaded guilty to the robbery, which was valued at €3,000, and was sentenced to four years, with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended. He will serve an additional 18 months on top of the sentence he is already serving, having been in custody since March 2022. The court noted Byrne's difficult upbringing and urged him to seek psychological support while in custody.
Ryan Kelly (25), of Crumlin, Dublin 12, pleaded guilty in the Special Criminal Court to possessing a .38 special calibre Smith & Wesson revolver and five rounds of ammunition on November 23, 2021. He was observed handing the loaded firearm to co-accused Anthony Walker (52), of Marrowbone Lane, Dublin 8, who was driving a taxi. Walker also pleaded guilty to possessing the revolver at Tallaght Road, Templeogue, on the same date. The prosecution stated that a nolle prosequi will be entered regarding a separate charge against Kelly concerning participation in a criminal organisation. Walker's ammunition charge remains live, and he faces a further charge of facilitating a serious offence by a criminal organisation. Mr Justice Paul Burns, presiding with Ms Justice Sarah Berkeley and Ms Justice Marie Keane, remanded Kelly in custody until April 22, when he will be sentenced. Walker's sentence hearing was adjourned today until May 7. The court heard that Kelly has nine previous convictions, mostly for public order and road traffic offences, and has never received a custodial sentence. Defence counsel described Kelly as deeply ashamed and noted he had been on strict bail conditions for three years.
Two men, Zhenmin Lin, 38, and Ervins Sermulis, 45, were convicted in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possessing and transporting €620,000 worth of cannabis. They pleaded guilty to having the drugs for sale or supply and to having cash they believed to be or being reckless about whether it was proceeds of crime. The drugs were found in a taxi and a vehicle transporter in Balrothery, Balbriggan, after a Garda surveillance operation. Lin admitted involvement due to gambling debt, while Sermulis said he had been paid to transport the drugs from the UK and had a prior cocaine problem. Both men were sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment. The judge noted their good mitigation, work history, and unlikely re‑offending, but said they had committed misjudgements because of personal needs. The sentence reflects their equal roles in the transport chain.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 19 February 2024, taxi driver Neville Griffin, aged 49, pleaded guilty to endangerment after a 2021 incident in which he drove off while an inter‑county playing Garda was pursuing a suspect. Griffin, who had five prior convictions, was described by the judge as having acted in a "spur of the moment" decision, a "total misjudgement" that was "extremely dangerous." He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, but the sentence was fully suspended on strict conditions, including a €3,500 payment to the injured Garda within 12 months. Griffin brought €1,500 to court as a token of remorse. The Garda, who was injured and out of work for seven weeks, received medical treatment and was unable to resume county training. The court noted Griffin's good character and the lack of serious harm caused, but upheld the suspended sentence for the offence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 16 February 2024, the court considered the case of Neville Griffin, 49, who pleaded guilty to endangerment after a taxi he was driving was pursued by an inter‑county Garda. The Garda, who was injured in a separate incident and had been out of work for seven weeks, had grabbed the passenger and the taxi door in an attempt to stop a fleeing suspect. Griffin stopped the vehicle within seconds, but the Garda fell to the road and was injured. Griffin's lawyers described the offence as reckless and momentary, noting no serious harm was caused. The judge adjourned sentencing to Monday, remanding Griffin on bail. The case highlighted the Garda's injury and the brief nature of the incident, with no further legal action reported in the article.
Brandon Crosbie, aged 25, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for violent disorder in Mountjoy Prison on 18 December 2018, when he and five others attacked a prisoner, stamping on his head and leaving him unconscious. He also pleaded guilty to several charges for a high‑speed car chase on 22 May 2022, including endangerment, unlawful use of a vehicle, reckless conduct creating a substantial risk of death, criminal damage, driving without insurance and without a licence. The chase involved breaking red lights, driving on the wrong side of a roundabout, forcing a taxi to swerve, and driving at up to 160 km/h, culminating in a tyre deflating after a stinger was fired. Crosbie was arrested when he exited the vehicle. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to six years for the violent disorder and four years for the endangerment, with both sentences running concurrently, and disqualified him from driving for five years.
Michael Kelly, 34, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting a female taxi driver after they refused to pay her fare. The incident occurred on 19 December 2022 when Kelly and his partner left a taxi without paying, walked into their home, and the driver pursued them to the front door. Kelly pulled the driver by her jumper and punched her several times, causing bruising and tenderness to her face. CCTV contradicted his claim of self‑defence. He has seven prior minor traffic convictions. The judge, Martin Nolan, imposed a suspended two‑year jail sentence and ordered Kelly to pay the driver €3,000 within nine months, or donate the amount to charity if she declines. The sentence was suspended on conditions, and no custodial time was imposed at this stage. The driver suffered nausea and dizziness and was treated at hospital the next day.
Yong Yue Wang, a former Dublin Bus driver, was dismissed in September 2022 after the company found he had used a mobile phone while driving twice in under a year, breaching its zero‑tolerance policy. The Workplace Relations Commission heard Wang's claim under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977, seeking reinstatement. Wang had previously received a final written warning and a three‑day unpaid suspension for an earlier incident in November 2021. In July 2022, a chief inspector reported seeing Wang holding a phone while driving a 15B bus on Townsend Street; Wang maintained the phone was in his pocket or had fallen off the dashboard. The tribunal noted procedural concerns, including language barriers and the lack of CCTV evidence, and the adjudicator said a decision would be issued in weeks. Wang has since obtained a taxi licence and is earning about €700 a week.
In December 2021 a 56‑year‑old woman, Helen Jones, was convicted of murdering her 52‑year‑old brother Paul Jones in Cork. The jury found that on 4 September 2019 Jones and her partner Keith O'Hara had taken a taxi to Paul's house on Bandon Road, where an altercation at the front door led to Paul being found inside the house wearing only underwear and covered in blood. A post‑mortem revealed 25 stab wounds and a chop wound to the head. Jones was sentenced to life imprisonment by Mr Justice Michael MacGrath. In December 2023 Jones appealed, arguing that the search warrant issued on 10 September 2019 by a district court judge was not valid because the detective's oath was not properly recorded. The Court of Appeal heard arguments from both sides, with the DPP maintaining the warrant was lawful and the appeal pending.
Craig Mooney, 28, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of possession of a controlled drug for sale or supply. Garda Kevin Kehoe recounted that on 25 January, a taxi driver reported an intoxicated, "obstreperous" passenger who could not be awakened. Gardaí removed Mooney from the taxi; he became abusive and was arrested. A search of the taxi revealed €725 worth of cocaine and 12 benzodiazepine tablets. A subsequent search of Mooney's residence on 2 February uncovered 2.3 g of cocaine (valued at €149) and 145 g of cannabis (valued at €2,914). Mooney has 32 prior convictions, including arson, road traffic offences and criminal damage. He has been in custody since February. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Mooney's intoxication and lack of wealth, imposed an 18‑month sentence back‑dated to February, taking mitigating factors into account.
Dermott Brett, 56, was found guilty of raping a 20‑year‑old university student in a Dublin hotel on 11 January 2019. The victim, described as vulnerable and intoxicated, was taken from a pub to Brett's hotel room where she was raped and offered cocaine. CCTV footage showed Brett's arrival, the victim's drunken state, and the taxi incidents. Brett pleaded not guilty but was convicted in May 2023 and maintains his innocence. He has one prior traffic conviction. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon sentenced him to nine years' imprisonment, suspending the final year on strict conditions, including probation and a sex‑offender treatment programme. He was placed on the sex‑offender register. The victim suffered PTSD and academic disruption, and her impact statement highlighted profound loss of independence and trust.
Liviu Tenea, 40, pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated sexual assault after posing as a taxi driver and violently assaulting a woman who had entered his car. The court heard he had previously been sentenced to 20 years in Spain in 2006 for a similar assault, was repatriated to Romania in 2010 and released in 2015. He was arrested in March 2022 and has been in custody since. Justice Mary Ellen Ring imposed a 19‑year sentence, back‑dated to his March 29, 2022 arrest, and ordered 10 years of post‑release supervision. The victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, described being taken to a secluded location, forced onto the bonnet, and subjected to vaginal and anal penetration. The court noted Tenea's prior conviction, his guilty plea, and his willingness to engage in treatment programmes as mitigating factors. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the crime and the victim's impact statement.
A 39‑year‑old man from North Circular Road, Dublin, was sentenced to seven years in prison after being caught handing over €417,000 worth of heroin outside the Lamplighter pub in Dublin 8 on 12 April 2022. Gregory Dunne pleaded guilty to possessing 2.9 kg of heroin. Judge Elma Sheahan noted his previous serious drug conviction as an aggravating factor and imposed an eight‑year sentence with the final year suspended on a number of conditions. Gardaí had surveillance footage of Dunne placing a green Aldi bag into a beach bag belonging to a woman, Sharon Hickey (45), who later took a taxi and was intercepted on Tyrconnell Road. The court also heard that Dunne had 19 prior convictions, including a 2012 conviction for a kilo of heroin that resulted in a three‑year sentence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 20 June 2023, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced 44‑year‑old taxi driver Richard Askin to a three‑year suspended prison term for possession of cocaine for sale or supply. Askin had pleaded guilty to the offence, which stemmed from a May 2021 Garda search of his home that uncovered 97.3 g of cocaine, a Nokia phone and weighing scales. Garda surveillance had recorded Askin handing a package to a cyclist on 29 April 2021 and to a known cocaine user two days later. Askin, who has seven prior traffic convictions, denied any trouble with Gardaí and claimed he was a low‑level dealer for another individual to service a drug debt. Defence counsel highlighted his addiction and lack of prior similar convictions. Judge Nolan warned that a repeat offence would result in custodial imprisonment and urged Askin to take the "considerable chance" he had been given.
Gerard Hutch, who was acquitted last month by the Special Criminal Court of murdering Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne at the Regency Hotel, has applied to recover his legal costs from the State. The State has indicated it will oppose the application, which is scheduled to be heard on Friday. The hearing will occur alongside the sentencing of Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, both convicted of acting as getaway drivers during the February 2016 hotel attack. Murphy, a taxi driver from Swords, and Bonney, a builder from Portmarnock, were each found guilty of participating in or contributing to Byrne's murder by providing access to motor vehicles. During sentencing submissions at the Special Criminal Court, defence counsel emphasised Murphy's long involvement in the taxi business and advanced age, and highlighted Bonney's previously unblemished record, community contributions, and voluntary work with boxing clubs. Ms Justice Tara Burns, presiding with two other judges, adjourned sentencing to Friday at ten o'clock.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Christopher Fox, a 33‑year‑old with no prior convictions, pleaded guilty to robbery and criminal damage for a 2018 incident in which he and an accomplice attacked a taxi driver in Ballybrack. Fox forced a door at an angle and punched a window, causing considerable damage, while the other man took €150 from the vehicle. The court adjourned sentencing for six months, ordered Fox to pay €3,000 to the victim, and required ongoing urine analysis. Fox, who had been heavily using cocaine at the time, has since turned his life around, moved in with his aunt, and is now working and engaged. The case is set for a hearing on 6 November 2023. The prosecution described the robbery as "thuggish" and "cowardly" violence. Fox maintains he did not grab the driver from behind. The defence highlighted his drug‑free period and low risk of reoffending.
Ioan Lingurar, 36, who posed as a taxi driver, was convicted of raping two women in Dublin three years apart and of false imprisonment. The first victim was attacked in February 2016 after she had hailed what she thought was a taxi; she escaped after a struggle and later reported the assault. The second victim was assaulted in February 2019 after she had entered a vehicle she believed to be a taxi; she fought back and escaped. DNA evidence linked both attacks to Lingurar, who had previously been convicted of a sexual assault in France. At the Central Criminal Court, the judge imposed a total of seventeen‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with the 2016 and 2019 sentences running consecutively. Lingurar appealed, arguing the headline sentences were too high, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, finding no error in the sentencing. Ioan Lingurar pleaded not guilty.
A 42‑year‑old taxi driver was given a suspended six‑month sentence after pleading guilty to assaulting his 11‑year‑old son 20 times with a metal umbrella. The incident occurred on 16 February 2020 when the son was locked out of the father's house after an access visit. The son, who had been told by his father that he would be "thrown in the hell fire by God" if he told his mother, was left outside for over an hour, cold and wet, before being brought back to the father's home. There, the father beat him in the sitting room, repeatedly asking "Will you run away again?" The son suffered bruises and a cut to his knee. The father denied ever physically punishing his children and has no prior convictions. He has since taken parenting and conflict‑resolution courses. The judge noted the seriousness of the breach of trust and the boy's continued fear and distress.
Alan Swan, 52, of Drimnagh, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to eight counts of the unauthorised use of trademarks, including Adidas, Nike, Ugg, and Hugo Boss, arising from incidents at Liberty Market on December 21, 2015, and December 19, 2017. Judge Orla Crowe described the matter as an "unusual case" and directed the Probation Service to prepare a report assessing Swan's suitability for community service. The court is "minded" to impose a community service order, subject to this assessment. Evidence indicated that gardai seized counterfeit goods with an estimated street value of over €36,000 during operations at the market. Swan, who has 13 previous convictions for similar offences, admitted to renting the stalls but claimed he did not know the items were counterfeit. Defence counsel John Gallagher BL highlighted Swan's cooperation, his care for grandchildren, and his application for a taxi licence, requesting leniency. The judge noted the value of the guilty pleas to the prosecution. The matter was adjourned to July 7 for finalisation.
Two men have been found guilty at the Special Criminal Court of providing getaway vehicles during the 2016 Regency Hotel attack in Dublin, in which Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne was killed. Paul Murphy, aged 61, of Swords, County Dublin, and Jason Bonney, aged 52, of Portmarnock, Dublin 13, were convicted of participating in or contributing to the murder by making their vehicles available to the Hutch Criminal Organisation on February 5, 2016. Justice Tara Burns delivered judgment, finding that Murphy's Toyota Avensis taxi and Bonney's black BMW X5 were part of a six-vehicle convoy that collected gunmen from St Vincent's GAA club following the shooting. The court rejected defence claims that Bonney's deceased father had driven the jeep, finding he remained at home that afternoon. Both men will be sentenced on May 8.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Bernard Fogarty, 35, pleaded guilty to attempting to murder Mark Ivers on 6 September 2019. Witnesses, including a taxi driver and a woman, reported seeing Fogarty in a balaclava with a large black gun approach Ivers' house on Streamville Road. The woman warned others before shots were fired. Ivers was shot twice in the femur and lower abdomen, sustaining a liver laceration, and was taken to hospital. CCTV and forensic evidence linked Fogarty to the scene, including a Nissan Almera that was later set alight. Fogarty was arrested on 22 October 2020 and has 54 prior convictions, including a life sentence for murder. He was remanded in custody pending sentencing on 19 May.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, William Eagers, aged 62, pleaded guilty to the murder of his wife, Jean Eagers, aged 57, who died from wounds sustained in a samurai sword attack on 21 June 2020 at their Willow Wood Grove home in Clonsilla, north Dublin. Eagers, a former export operations manager and part‑time taxi driver, was charged with murder and the production of a samurai sword during the incident. The court set a sentencing date for 24 March to allow preparation of a victim impact statement, with the mandatory life sentence for murder pending.
In an attempted‑murder trial, a Garda officer recounted being called to a Dublin street where a 17‑year‑old boy was shot multiple times. The incident occurred on Eugene Street, Dublin 8, on 24 February 2021, around 10.55 pm. The teenager was shot in the neck, cheek and leg after boarding a taxi outside an address on the street. He was taken to St James' Hospital, where scans revealed bullets had passed through his body, but no bullets remained inside him. Two men, Stephen Mulvey (31) and Jamie Berry (27), are charged with attempted murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Berry is also charged with criminal damage after a bullet fired by him allegedly passed through a front door, an internal wall and shattered an oven's glass. Both men plead not guilty. The trial is before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon at the Central Criminal Court.).
Three men – Glen Keegan (41), Karl Keegan (31) and Thomas McAllister (48) – pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm at Killinarden Heights, Tallaght, on 25 April 2017. The attack involved a balaclava‑clad armed group that struck an orange car carrying two children, damaged two motorists' vehicles, and caused a taxi driver to lose his car. The men had a combined 78 prior convictions. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced Karl Keegan and McAllister to four years' imprisonment, suspended in full on strict conditions, and Glen Keegan to a three‑and‑a‑half‑year term, also suspended. The judge noted the men's remorse, their progress in rehabilitation, and the family's forgiveness. No jail time was imposed, and the men were required to pay €6,000 as a token of remorse. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 6 March 2023.
In a 2023 decision, the Workplace Relations Commission awarded €7,500 to taxi driver Daniel Asari for discrimination after he was denied diesel and called the n‑word by an attendant at Sweeney Oil on Galway's Headford Road. The tribunal found a pattern of humiliating treatment over two nights in March and April, and that the company's failure to investigate or respond to Asari's complaints reflected an "attitude of inherent racism." The attendant, identified only as Mr P, allegedly refused to unlock the pump, filmed Asari, and used racial slurs. The company's manager, Liam Killeen, claimed no altercation over a sandwich order, but the tribunal noted Asari's active dispute. The ruling required the company to amend policies, establish a complaints procedure, and train staff on discrimination. The decision was made under the Equal Status Act 2000.
Killian Kinsella, a former footballer, was sentenced to nine months in jail for stealing mobile phones from a post office where he worked, three months after receiving a suspended two‑year prison sentence for possessing €10,000 worth of cannabis. In July 2021, Judge Melanie Greally had imposed the suspended sentence following a guilty plea. Kinsella, who had no prior convictions, was found by Gardaí in a taxi with a cardboard box containing cannabis. He later pleaded guilty to eight counts of interfering with the post and one count of possession of stolen property. The court noted his loss of employment at An Post and his potential for reform, but concluded that his criminal conduct within the suspension period warranted imprisonment. The nine‑month term is part of the suspended two‑year sentence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 14 February 2023, Daniel Keane, a 36‑year‑old Irish Army NCO, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, production of an article and making off without paying for a taxi. The incident occurred on 7 December 2019 when Keane and his partner, both intoxicated, had a verbal dispute with a taxi driver at St Anthony's Crescent, Crumlin. Keane left the vehicle, entered the driver's house, and used a 2‑ft black fire poker to strike the driver on the hip and face, causing injuries that required hospital treatment. He also stole €100 from the driver's wallet, later returned it, and took the driver's phone. The court imposed an 18‑month prison sentence, suspended in full for two years on strict conditions, and ordered Keane to pay the driver the €20.80 fare.
Two men, Thomas Harvey (42) and Daniel Kavanagh (29), were sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to 18 months in prison, suspended in full, for stealing 60 kilos of meat from Captain Americas on Grafton Street. Harvey climbed a fire‑escape ladder to the storeroom, stole the meat worth €2,000, and passed it to Kavanagh, who tried to sell it in a taxi to a hotel but failed. The meat was later sold to a mother of eight for €100. Both pleaded guilty to trespass and theft. The judge noted their drug use at the time but that they are now drug‑free, and remarked that their burglary was not the most insidious. Kavanagh apologized to Gardaí, saying he acted to survive, and both men had numerous prior convictions. The court heard that none of the meat was recovered.
Daniel Asari, a taxi driver, complained to the Workplace Relations Commission that a service‑station attendant at Sweeney Oil on Headford Road in Galway City refused to unlock a diesel pump for him twice, once on 31 March and again two nights later. Asari said the attendant called him the n‑word and threatened to take him to court. He claimed the attendant filmed him on his phone and used other racial slurs. The attendant denied using any racial slur, and the station's manager said the incident may have stemmed from a dispute over a BLT sandwich. The manager also noted that the attendant had left the company after a verbal warning. The hearing was closed pending a written decision by the adjudicating officer.
The Special Criminal Court trial of Gerard Hutch, Paul Murphy, and Jason Bonney, all accused of participating in the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in February 2016, continues before Ms Justice Tara Burns. All three defendants have pleaded not guilty to charges including providing access to motor vehicles and facilitating the offence. Today, defence counsel for Mr Bonney stated it is their case that his father, not Mr Bonney, drove the BMW X5 alleged to have been used in the attack. Prosecution evidence from Garda Michele Purcell and Senior Intelligence Analyst Sarah Skedd detailed vehicle movements, including a Toyota Avensis taxi driven by Mr Murphy and the BMW X5, which allegedly transported a man in a flat cap from the scene. The court also heard evidence regarding Jonathan Dowdall, a former co-accused who turned State's witness. Mr Dowdall, a former Sinn Fein councillor, previously pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder by making a hotel room available and was sentenced to four years' imprisonment. His father, Patrick Dowdall, also pleaded guilty to the same facilitation charge and was jailed for two years. The trial will continue tomorrow with further evidence from Ms Skedd.
The trial of Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, who denies the murder of David Byrne, heard evidence regarding a YouTube video showing the victim dead after the Regency Hotel attack. Co-accused Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, both pleading not guilty to facilitating the murder by providing vehicles, face charges of participating in criminal activity. The court heard from Detective Garda Paul Darley about the clip, which captured voices discussing the scene and a van exiting the premises. The prosecution also presented evidence from taxi driver Paul Brady, who rented a plate to Murphy, and Detective Alan Crummey, who took statements from Murphy regarding a potential vehicle clone. The trial continues before Ms Justice Tara Burns. Separately, former co-accused Patrick Dowdall (65) was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for facilitating the murder by booking a hotel room. His son, Jonathan Dowdall, pleaded guilty to the same facilitation charge and was jailed for four years by the Special Criminal Court. A nolle prosequi was entered on Jonathan Dowdall's murder charge following his guilty plea. The validated procedural stage for the current defendants is sentence, though the trial is ongoing.