The Regency Hotel murder trial heard evidence from a senior garda regarding four shootings linked to the Hutch-Kinahan feud. Detective Superintendent David Gallagher testified about the still open investigation into the shooting of Patrick Hutch Junior and the murder of Eddie 'Neddie' Hutch in 2016. The prosecution case against Gerard Hutch and his co-accused is expected to conclude on Thursday. Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch (59) denies the murder of Mr Byrne (33) during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016. His co-accused, Paul Murphy (61) and Jason Bonney (52), have pleaded not guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder of Mr Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. Patrick Dowdall (65) was jailed for two years before the Regency trial started after he admitted his part in booking the hotel room for the raiders. James Quinn (role: convicted_person) was convicted of facilitating Mr Byrne's murder and participating in activity intending to facilitate the commission of a serious offence by making a room available at the Regency Hotel on February 4, 2016. The court also ruled that CCTV footage concerning the movement of a silver Toyota Avensis taxi associated with Paul Murphy can be admitted as evidence against him. The procedural stage is sentence.
A Dublin taxi driver, Mark Byrne, 47, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to possessing about €100,000 worth of cannabis for sale or supply at Watermill Drive, Raheny, on 22 February 2021. He also admitted to possessing €3,500 in cash as proceeds of crime and a Nokia mobile phone used to facilitate a drug trafficking offence at Springdale Road, Raheny, on the same date. Byrne, who had no prior criminal record and had worked as a taxi driver for 20 years, was described by Judge Martin Nolan as having made a "huge misjudgement" and being "highly unlikely" to appear again in court. The judge noted Byrne's financial difficulties and the psychological report indicating he was easily manipulated and suffered from severe anxiety and depression. Byrne's taxi licence was revoked, and he was paid €3,500 as compensation or reward for transporting the drugs.
Bernard Fagan, a 57‑year‑old taxi driver from Dublin 17, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing €83,750 of suspected crime proceeds on the M1 motorway in Swords on 9 December 2021. He had a few minor convictions dating back to 1990 but no recent Garda attention or remorse. Judge Dara Hayes imposed a headline sentence of two and a half years but, citing Fagan's lack of relevant convictions and the crime's lower‑range nature, reduced the custodial term to 18 months and suspended it in full. The judge warned that Fagan had come close to imprisonment and urged him to use the opportunity. Fagan was arrested after Gardaí discovered the cash in a blue plastic bag in his vehicle's front passenger footwell. He had been promised €200 to transport the money, a proposition he accepted while struggling financially after the pandemic.
Craig Hanney, aged 26, pleaded guilty to robbery, production of an article and assault at Sillogue Garden and Sillogue Green, Ballymun, on 10 and 11 November 2021. He was found in custody after throwing a plant pot at a woman, causing serious facial injuries, including a fractured cheekbone and permanent scar. Hanney had previously produced a broken bottle while robbing a taxi, where he was intoxicated and abusive. The court, presided over by Judge Martina Baxter, imposed a four-and-a-half‑year sentence for the robbery, with the final six months suspended on strict conditions, a four‑year sentence for the assault, and a two‑year term for producing a broken bottle. All sentences run concurrently. The victim suffered anxiety, panic attacks and breathing difficulties, and her children were frightened by her injuries. Hanney's mother's letter highlighted his childhood mental health issues and his desire for treatment.
Trevor Keyes, a 49‑year‑old taxi driver from Drogheda, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a suspended three‑year prison term for possession of almost €100,000 of cannabis. The drugs were found in the boot of a red Toyota Avensis taxi he was driving on Harold's Cross Road. Keyes had previously helped apprehend a man who stabbed a 60‑year‑old woman in 2010 and had a brain aneurysm that left him unable to work, with surgery scheduled for February of the previous year. Judge Elma Sheahan, who had adjourned the case to allow the operation, noted Keyes' low risk of re‑offending, his remorse, and his positive character before offending. She accepted that he had not profited from the drugs and that he was not a serious drug trafficker. Trevor Keyes pleaded guilty.
Alex Campbell, 29, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after pleading guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing drugs for sale or supply at his former residence in Custom House Square, Dublin 1, on 14 May 2021. Gardaí discovered €835 in his hand and €150 in his pocket when they stopped him in a taxi after observing a suspected drug transaction. A paper bag he handed over contained 263 g of cannabis worth €5,274, and a small bag of 8.6 g worth €172 was found on him at Pearse Street Garda Station. Subsequent searches of his apartment revealed four bags of cannabis valued at €65,442, a bag worth €6,500, €7,055 in cash, weighing scales and bagging equipment. Campbell admitted he was holding the drugs to clear a debt.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 20‑year‑old Andrew Hillick and his co‑accused Michael Matthews were found guilty of assault causing harm and robbery after they broke a glass partition in a taxi, punched the driver in the head, kicked him in the ribs, and stole €60 and a mobile phone. The driver suffered a broken nose and other injuries. Both men had no prior convictions. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a two‑year suspended sentence on Hillick, ordering him to engage with the Probation Service for two years, attend all appointments, and undergo a full mental health review. Matthews had previously received a similar suspended sentence. The court noted the teenagers' intoxication and the driver's role as a "blameless member of society" who was simply doing his job. The sentencing reflected concerns about the youths' drug use and the need for rehabilitation rather than custodial punishment.
Kuong Lo Leong, 53, a taxi driver from Dublin, was jailed for six years after pleading guilty to possession of €500,842 worth of cannabis. The drugs were delivered in four separate packages to four different vehicles. Garda Stephen Gillespie said Lo Leong was caught after a surveillance operation set up following a tip‑off. The first haul was €117,762, the second €134,874, the third €231,634 and the final package was just over a kilogram worth €16,572. Lo Leong admitted he had been instructed by "Chinese people" to deliver the drugs and that he was motivated by debt, including a loan‑shark debt, and a promise of €200 per delivery. He had no prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan accepted the guilty plea, the defendant's cooperation and lack of criminal record, and imposed the six‑year sentence.
At the Special Criminal Court, garda witnesses detailed their investigation into the February 2016 murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in Dublin. Detective Sergeant Alan McGovern testified that Detective Sergeant Brian Hanley had informed him that Paul Murphy, a taxi driver from Swords, was suspected of transporting participants in the killing to Buckingham Village on the morning of the shooting and subsequently driving away from St Vincent's GAA grounds in Marino. CCTV footage showed Murphy's light green Toyota Avensis arriving at Buckingham Village at multiple times that morning and later joining a convoy including a silver Ford Transit van believed connected to the attack. Gardai found Murphy's phone switched off between 1.20pm and 3pm, described as unusual compared to his normal usage patterns. When officers arrived at Cherry Avenue, Swords, on 19 February to seize the vehicle, Murphy reportedly expressed relief and blessed himself upon learning they were gardai. Gerard Hutch, Paul Murphy, and Jason Bonney deny involvement in Mr Byrne's death. Gerard Hutch pleaded not guilty. Paul Murphy pleaded not guilty. Jason Bonney pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court heard evidence in the trial of Gerard Hutch, Paul Murphy, and Jason Bonney, all of whom pleaded not guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder of David Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. Prosecutors alleged that a silver Ford Transit van containing six people, including three in tactical garda clothing, escaped the Regency Hotel using parked vehicles. Detective Garda Alan Crummey testified that Murphy, a taxi driver, admitted to purchasing his Toyota Avensis from Eddie 'Neddie' Hutch and driving into Buckingham Village on the morning of the shooting. A swipe card found in Murphy's car was identified as one of four missing from a box, with its sequence number adjacent to a card recovered at Patsy Hutch Senior's home. Murphy told gardai his vehicle could have been 'cloned' and claimed he was at the location to collect money from Eddie Hutch. The court heard that Murphy identified himself and his taxi in CCTV footage from the Maxol Garage and The Beachcomber Pub. The matter remains at the trial stage, with no findings, sentences, or finalisations recorded.
James Walsh, 38, of Burnell Park Green, was found "out of it" on drugs and alcohol when he attacked taxi driver Ian Sweeney on September 29, 2018. Walsh used a silver bicycle chain, part of his Macbeth costume, to repeatedly strike Sweeney's car and then attempted to strike the driver. Sweeney, who was in his taxi, tried to move the vehicle and flagged gardaí. Walsh, who had been drinking heavily and taken Xanax, began to hallucinate and tried to strangle himself when arrested. He was taken to hospital where a CT scan showed brain abnormalities. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Walsh pleaded guilty to criminal damage. Judge Martin Nolan suspended a 20‑month prison term, ordering Walsh to pay €4,000 to the victim within six months, or to a local charity if the victim declined. The case was heard by Sinéad McMullan BL and defended by Karl Moran BL.
Daniel Kerins, 26, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply in St Ronan's Crescent, Clondalkin, on 25 November 2019. He had previously been convicted three times for drug possession. Gardaí, acting on confidential information, set up a surveillance operation in Donomore, Tallaght, on the day of the offence. Kerins was seen entering a taxi, travelling to St Ronan's Crescent, exiting with a package, and then entering another vehicle with a co‑accused. Both were arrested and the package contained €69,993 of cocaine. Kerins' role was to transport the drugs to pay a €7,500 drug debt; the co‑accused was to break down and sell them. The court heard Kerins was in the throes of drug addiction, had attended residential treatment, and had not reoffended since the offence. Judge Melanie Greally, satisfied that Kerins had been pressured to act as a courier, imposed a suspended three‑year sentence.
The Special Criminal Court heard ballistics evidence in the ongoing trial of Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, who denies the murder of David Byrne. Detective Garda David O'Leary testified that seven cartridge cases recovered from the Regency Hotel scene were discharged from three AK-47 variants seized from Shane Rowan in March 2016. Rowan was previously sentenced to seven and a half years for possession of the weapons and a concurrent four years for IRA membership. The court also examined CCTV footage regarding the movements of a taxi and a black BMW X5. The prosecution case alleges that co-accused Jason Bonney and Paul Murphy, both of whom have pleaded not guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016, facilitated the escape of the assailants. Bonney is specifically alleged to have driven the BMW X5. Defence counsel for Bonney indicated that the identification evidence would be challenged as a legal issue. The trial continues before Ms Justice Tara Burns, sitting with Judges Sarah Berkeley and Grainne Malone.
Lee McMullen, aged 22, pleaded guilty on 31 July 2019 to two counts of endangerment and two counts of dangerous driving after driving a car on the wrong side of a motorway at high speed with its lights off. The incident, which lasted eight to ten minutes, involved McMullen driving at speeds up to 160 km/h, crossing road dividers, and continuing onto the motorway in the outbound lane. Garda Michael Martin chased the vehicle, which eventually broke violently at the Leixlip junction and was abandoned. McMullen was apprehended nearby; passengers were later found in a taxi. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a sentence of 21 months for the endangerment count, with the remaining two years and three months suspended on strict conditions. The sentence reflects McMullen's eight prior convictions and the serious nature of the offence.
Donal Kelly, 60, was sentenced to 18 months in jail, with the final six months suspended, for possessing 120 videos and 303 images of child sexual abuse. The court heard that Kelly claimed the material showed a "loving interaction" between children and abusers, a claim met with disbelief by Judge Elma Sheahan. She noted the material's depravity, describing it as grotesque and offensive, and highlighted aggravating factors such as a video of an abused infant being force‑fed urine. Kelly admitted guilt, cooperated with Gardaí, and has begun therapy. He lost his taxi licence, will be placed on the sex offender register, and has no prior convictions. The sentencing reflected the seriousness of the offences and the court's view of Kelly's limited insight into his wrongdoing. Donal Kelly pleaded guilty.
A former schools rugby player, Buti Sashi, aged 26, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for a series of violent attacks on transgender sex workers in Dublin. On 26 May 2017 he entered the victim's city‑centre apartment armed with a large knife, struck her face and body, cut her, demanded sex, sexually assaulted her and stole her mobile phone and laptop. The victim suffered a fractured jaw and an eye socket injury. A month later, on 28 June, Sashi and another man broke into the flat of a second transgender sex worker, beat her, stole two mobile phones and attacked a house‑mate, breaking his jaw and cutting him twice, taking his phone, laptop and €300. Sashi pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery, two of assault causing harm, one of sexual assault and one of weapon production. He was found to have a history of violent offences, including a 2014 robbery of a taxi driver.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 11 October 2022, taxi driver Dermott Reynolds, aged 51, was sentenced to an 18‑month suspended term for deliberately colliding with a cyclist on North Strand Road on 20 September 2018. Reynolds admitted to one count of endangerment and had two prior minor traffic convictions. Video evidence showed him accelerating and veering into the cyclist's path twice, causing the cyclist to fall heavily. The cyclist, who was on his way to work just after 6 am, managed to brake and later confronted Reynolds, who claimed the incident was accidental. The judge, citing mitigating circumstances such as the driver's recent bereavement and caring responsibilities, imposed the suspended sentence and ordered Reynolds to pay €2,000 to the victim within six months, or to a charity if the victim declined the payment. No custodial term was imposed. The case remains at the sentencing stage. Dermott Reynolds pleaded guilty.
A 26-year-old man has been sentenced to four and a half years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a series of offences including dangerous driving, burglary, and criminal damage. Paul Darcy, with addresses in Dublin and Co Sligo, pleaded guilty to reversing a vehicle into an occupied garda patrol car on September 7, 2018, at Stockhole Lane, Santry, trapping two officers inside and injuring them. He also admitted three burglary charges relating to break-ins at properties in the Glasnevin area on September 2, 2018, unauthorised taking of a taxi from Palmerstown on October 11, 2018, and making off without payment for fuel at a service station two days later. Judge Nolan imposed consecutive sentences on the primary counts while suspending the final 18 months subject to strict conditions. He disqualified Darcy from driving for six years, noting the seriousness of deliberately reversing into an occupied vehicle. The court heard Darcy, who had been on bail at the time of the incident, has since engaged in mental health treatment and is drug-free.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Alexander Udrea, 33, was sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment for oral rape and sexual assault of a colleague. The offences occurred after a staff Christmas party when Udrea and the woman travelled together in a taxi to her home. While there, he forced oral sex and inserted fingers despite her refusal, causing bruising. He later attempted to insert fingers into her back passage. The court heard evidence of bruising and the victim's statement that the assaults stripped her of dignity and caused lasting anxiety. Udrea pleaded not guilty to five charges; the jury found him guilty of oral rape, sexual assault and attempted sexual assault. Justice Karen O'Connor imposed a six‑year term, suspended the final six months, and required him to engage with the Probation Service for a year. The sentence was back‑dated to March 23, when he was remanded after conviction.
Judge Pauline Codd, presiding over the sentencing of Michael Collins, 32, imposed an eight‑year prison term with the final year suspended on strict conditions for the knife‑point robbery of two taxi drivers in April and May 2021. Collins, who had been arrested on 13 May 2021 after a TV was found in a trolley and a stolen credit card recovered, pleaded guilty to robbery, four counts of theft, handling stolen property and criminal damage. He had 43 prior convictions, mainly for robbery and burglary. The judge highlighted the seriousness of the robberies, the aggravating factor of the knife, and the impact on the drivers, who suffered financial loss and ongoing psychological effects. Collins expressed remorse, citing family tragedies and substance abuse, and seeks assistance with reading and writing while serving his sentence.
Wayne Sullivan, 38, of Beauvale Park, Artane, Dublin, was convicted of robbing a Spar shop in Coolock on 12 January 2021. He travelled to the shop by taxi, asked the driver to make a U‑turn and wait, then entered the shop armed with a plastic gun. Sullivan took cash and scratch cards, including a winning €5,000 card, which he later cashed at the GPO. He had written his name and address on the back of the card. Gardaí traced the card via its barcode, searched Sullivan's home under warrant and recovered clothing and a facemask containing his DNA. The taxi driver and shop staff provided testimony. Sullivan pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two and a half years, with the final year suspended and the sentence back‑dated to 18 March, when he was already in custody for other matters. The €5,000 prize was not recovered.
Barry Fowler, aged 37, of Millbrook Lawns, Tallaght, Dublin, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for supplying drugs after he had recently finished serving a seven‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for possession of drugs and a submachine gun. On 24 May 2021, Garda surveillance in Tallaght led to Fowler and a co‑accused being monitored. The co‑accused was seen placing an item into a car boot before driving off in a taxi; Fowler was seen taking the car keys and attempting to discard them before being arrested. Gardaí searched the vehicle and found a bag containing €134 000 worth of cannabis. Fowler pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs. He had completed a conflict‑resolution course while in prison and had received letters of support from friends, family and his employer. His sister noted his ongoing battle with cocaine addiction and mental health issues.
Mark Fox, aged 29, was given a suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after a high‑speed chase on three tyres. On 9 May 2021, Fox, driving a Nissan Qashqai with a missing fourth wheel, pursued Gardaí through Dublin and two counties, ramming two patrol cars and a garda helicopter. He threw bags of white powder, suspected cocaine, from his open door, accelerated past red lights, and smashed a taxi driver's wing mirror. The chase lasted 30 minutes over 28 km. Fox was found to have almost three times the legal blood‑alcohol limit and was disqualified from driving at the time of the offence. He pleaded guilty to eight charges, including endangerment, dangerous driving, drink driving, driving without a licence and resisting arrest. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspended in full on the basis of Fox's mental‑health problems, and ordered a five‑year driving disqualification.
A 43‑year‑old taxi driver, Keith Banks of Castleknock, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing drugs for sale or supply and to having €19,000 in cash from criminal conduct. He admitted that he was pressured to transport almost €300,000 worth of drugs, including cannabis worth €135,000 and cocaine worth €158,000, and that he had a drug debt. Garda Thomas McDaniel secured a warrant to search a Clonsilla property where Banks was found standing at a kitchen counter and throwing a white powder onto the floor. The Gardaí found the drugs in various locations. Banks claimed he was taken advantage of and that he had only a small role in the deliveries. Judge Melanie Greally, after hearing the evidence and a psychological report, imposed concurrent sentences totalling seven and a half years, suspending the final two and a half years on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation supervision upon release.
Vincent Kelly, 37, a taxi driver from Kilmore, Dublin, was jailed for 18 months after being found with €112,000 of crime cash hidden in a secret compartment of his VW Passat. The money was not for his use; he acted as a courier. Kelly had previously pleaded guilty to money laundering in January 2021 and had four prior convictions for road traffic offences. Judge Melanie Greally, acknowledging his cooperation and remorse, suspended the final 18 months of a three‑year sentence, ordering the confiscation of his taxi and a Rolex watch. She noted his cocaine and gambling addictions as motivating factors. Kelly has been in full‑time employment since May and has received character references, including from Kilmore Football Club. Gardaí discovered the hidden compartment after a warrant‑driven search of his home and vehicle. The case was prosecuted by Diarmuid Collins BL, with defence counsel Ger Small BL.
Dylan Murphy, 26, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for offences committed while on bail. He pleaded guilty to the attempted robbery of a taxi driver at Dolphins Barn, Dublin city, on September 20, 2019, as well as robbery and attempted robbery at St Stephen's Green on August 2, 2021. During the latter incident, Murphy allegedly posed as a garda to rob two teenagers, resulting in injuries to the male victim. Judge Pauline Codd described both attacks as vicious assaults. Acknowledging Murphy's tragic background and entrenched drug addiction, the judge imposed a total operative sentence of eight years. However, she suspended the final year to incentivise rehabilitation, conditional on Murphy engaging with the Probation Service and drug addiction treatment. The sentence was backdated to last March, when Murphy pleaded guilty to the offences. This decision follows his admission of guilt to the charges, which included his 65 previous convictions for robbery, burglary, and assaults.
In a case heard by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Mohamed Saleh Zayed, a 72‑year‑old taxi driver from Dublin, was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment for fraudulently claiming over €345,000 in social welfare payments between March 2003 and November 2015. Zayed pleaded guilty to six counts of fraud and six counts of deception, using a second PPS number to obtain disability, rent and dietary allowance payments for which he was not entitled. He had been working as a taxi driver throughout the period and had no financial need to commit the offences. The judge noted that Zayed had repaid a substantial amount of the money and had an arrangement to reduce the State's loss to €159,118. He was ordered to exhibit good behaviour for 12 months after release and was placed in a low‑security prison at his request. The case was aided by facial‑recognition technology used by Gardaí.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Ross Hanway and Patrick Lawlor pleaded guilty to possessing €412,000 on May 26, 2020, which was alleged to be the proceeds of crime. Detective Garda Ronan Dillon testified that ledgers seized from an international crime gang showed the group generated over €12 million in 2019 and paid Hanway an average of €4,000 monthly to move cash. Gardaí arrested both men after observing Lawlor enter a taxi driven by Hanway; the rucksack contained the seized cash. Lawlor, who also faces a separate drug possession charge, is scheduled for sentencing on May 9. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned Hanway's sentencing to October 6 and ordered a probation report. Defence counsel highlighted Hanway's lack of prior convictions, his subsequent departure from the taxi trade, and his current drug-free status. The court noted that Hanway's involvement was limited to money-laundering, distinct from the gang's drug operations. The matter was adjourned, and no final sentence was imposed at this stage.
In the trial, the 17‑year‑old victim recounted a night of repeated sexual assault by six men. She was lured into a car after a taxi wait, where she was forced into the back seat and subjected to molestation and rape by Gabriel Gomes Da Rocha, Marcos Vinicius De Silva Umbelino, Conor Byrne, Ethan Nikolaou, Eduardo Dias Ferreira Filho, and a fifth unnamed man. The victim described being coerced into touching a man's genitals, forced oral sex, and being prevented from leaving the vehicle. She reported feeling shocked, paralyzed, and crying throughout the assaults. The court heard CCTV footage of her running to a friend's house after the final assault. The defendants were convicted of various sexual assault and rape charges, with one defendant pleading guilty before trial. The case highlighted the victim's lack of escape options and the men's coordinated abuse.
A 64‑year‑old taxi driver, Tajudeen Balogun, was sentenced to 14 months in jail for careless driving that caused serious harm to a German couple on Trinity Street, Dublin, on 6 September 2018. Balogun failed to look ahead before turning right from Dame Street onto Trinity Street, driving straight into the couple as they crossed. The driver's car struck Verena Schneider, who sustained minor bruising, and her husband Benjamin Schneider, who was thrown onto the road, sustaining multiple skull and spinal fractures and severe brain trauma. The court found no evidence of intoxication or speeding. Balogun pleaded guilty; the judge noted his good character and lack of prior convictions but imposed a custodial sentence. The sentence was 21 months, reduced to 14 months with six months suspended, and Balogun was disqualified from driving for four years.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a friend of a 17‑year‑old girl alleged to have been raped by four men testified that she did not think the girl was in a bad state when they separated. The friend said she and the girl, along with two other women, had gone to a bar at about 10 pm on Stephen's Day 2016, then to a nightclub around 12 am, and that the girl left the club around 2 am when her father arrived. She reported that the girl's phone fell into a toilet but she could not recall any problem with it afterwards. The friend also described a later phone call from the girl, which she could not answer, and a text from another number saying the girl had taken a shared taxi. The friend concluded that if the girl had been drunk she would not have left alone.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, the trial of taxi driver Sinead Roche (43) collapsed after Judge Elma Sheahan ruled that evidence was insufficient to convict her of careless driving causing serious bodily harm to 77‑year‑old Margaret Rooney. Roche had pleaded not guilty to the careless driving charge and three related offences – failing to offer assistance, failing to stay at the scene and failing to report to gardaí – after her car struck Rooney on Sundrive Road, Crumlin, on 4 December 2016. Rooney suffered serious head and ankle injuries, was hospitalised, and now has dementia, preventing her from giving evidence. Roche's lawyer argued that no evidence showed she was driving carelessly, that she had her eyes on the road, and that circumstances of the collision were unclear. Judge Sheahan found no evidence of carelessness, directed the jury to find Roche not guilty, and later declared the return for trial invalid, ending the case.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, John Hogan, aged 32, was found in possession of a small quantity of cannabis valued at €70 and a larger quantity of cannabis valued at almost €20,000. Garda Dean Foster observed Hogan acting agitated while entering a taxi on Fonthill Road, Clondalkin, on 9 October 2020. The taxi smelled strongly of cannabis, and an Iceland shopping bag containing two vacuum‑sealed bags of cannabis was discovered. Hogan admitted ownership of the small quantity but refused to identify the owner of the larger quantity, claiming he had been instructed to transport it. He was arrested, questioned, and pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply. Judge Martin Nolan, considering Hogan's early guilty plea and cooperation, sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, suspended in full on the condition of good behaviour and keeping the peace.
A 43‑year‑old taxi driver, Sinead Roche, denies careless driving after her car struck an elderly woman on December 4, 2016, at Sundrive Road, Crumlin. She is charged with careless driving causing serious bodily harm, failing to offer assistance, failing to remain at the scene and failing to report to Gardaí. Roche pleaded not guilty to all four counts. The trial heard that at about 7.15 am she was carrying a passenger when a bang was heard; she claimed to have slowed, looked in the rear‑view mirror and saw nothing. She continued to the passenger's destination, then returned to the scene, where she found a woman lying on the road and other people nearby. Roche later approached Gardaí, stating she panicked and did not know what had happened. The prosecution argued she drove without due care and failed to stop after causing injury.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, two 19‑year‑old teenagers, Andrew Hillick and Michael Matthews, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and robbery after attacking a 31‑year‑old taxi driver outside a Garda station on 17 November 2020. The court heard that the teenagers broke the taxi's glass partition, punched and kicked the driver, and stole €60 in cash and his mobile phone. The driver sustained a broken nose, blood on his shirt, and damage to his glasses. Both accused were arrested shortly after the incident; Matthews was found with a broken bottle. The judge noted their lack of prior convictions and significant adversity in their lives, and remanded them on continuing bail until 10 February. The case remains at the pleading stage, with no sentencing yet announced.
Trevor Keyes, 48, was sentenced for transporting almost €100,000 of cannabis, but the sentencing was adjourned to allow him to undergo brain surgery. Keyes had borrowed money from a group and tried to repay it, only to be told the group wanted him to do a job instead. He had previously helped apprehend a man who stabbed a 60‑year‑old woman in 2010, an act for which he was commended by the Circuit Court judge. Keyes suffered a brain aneurysm that has left him unable to work, and he is scheduled for surgery in February. The court heard that the drugs were hidden in the boot of a red Toyota Avensis taxi on Harold's Cross Road, where 10 vacuum‑packed bags of cannabis worth €99,200 were found. The judge ordered a report from the Probation Service and remanded Keyes on continuing bail until 27 July. Trevor Keyes pleaded guilty.
A Chinese national who lived under an assumed identity for eight years has received a fully suspended four-year sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Wenzi Wang, aged 39, of Blanchardstown, Dublin, obtained a legitimate Northern Irish birth certificate belonging to another person in 2009 and used it to secure an Irish passport under the name Sau Kee Lee. He subsequently acquired a driving licence, taxi licence, Public Service Card and mortgage using the false identity. Wang pleaded guilty to providing a false birth certificate in connection with a passport application at a Garda station in County Donegal in May 2009, and to six counts of deception between October 2010 and April 2017. He also pleaded guilty to two counts of providing false information to a registrar and to possessing an air rifle and garda-style apparel. Judge Pauline Codd noted Wang had paid taxes and committed no offences whilst using the false name. His wife remained unaware of his true identity until 2017. The judge imposed strict conditions on the suspended sentence.
Ali El Taweel, 24, received a four‑year suspended sentence after a series of car crashes during an episode of psychosis linked to an abrupt withdrawal from cannabis. He left a car park without paying, drove against traffic, hit a motorcyclist, collided with two cars, a patrol car, a truck and a taxi, causing injuries to the taxi driver and passenger. He pleaded guilty to two counts of endangerment, driving without insurance, criminal damage and refusing to provide a urine or blood sample. The court noted psychiatric reports and a letter from his father detailing his cannabis dependency and sudden withdrawal. Judge Melanie Greally highlighted his subsequent engagement with mental‑health services, marriage, fatherhood, a law degree and a low risk of re‑offending, and imposed the suspended term on strict conditions, including continued medication compliance and a five‑year driving disqualification.
Nikkita Brogan, 24, of Letterkenny, Co Donegal, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for her role in a violent taxi hijacking. The validated procedural stage for this report is an appeal, as the case was previously sent to the Court of Appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions to clarify a procedural matter regarding the service of books of evidence. Brogan pleaded guilty to the unlawful seizure of a vehicle at Rutland Grove, Crumlin, on May 6, 2019. She admitted to unbuckling the taxi driver's seatbelt and assisting in reattaching the gearstick knob while two men assaulted the driver. Judge Melanie Greally handed down a 32-month sentence, suspending the final 12 months on conditions. Brogan has been in custody since January. The court noted her remorse and rehabilitation efforts. The two male accomplices, Peter and Jason Collins, were sentenced in December 2019 for robbery, assault causing harm, and unlawful seizure of a car. Peter Collins received four and a half years' imprisonment, while Jason Collins received three and a half years, with the final 12 months suspended. Brogan has 76 previous convictions, mainly for shoplifting, and was on bail for theft offences at the time of the incident.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 35‑year‑old oil rig engineer Graham Foran pleaded guilty to assaulting a taxi driver and a Garda on 22 May 2015. Foran, who had previously been convicted of a road traffic offence, was found to have punched the Garda several times in the face, fell on top of him during a struggle, and continued to punch him while they were on the ground. The Garda sustained torn ligaments in his ankle, requiring surgery and possibly further surgery, and also suffered wrist injury. Judge Martin Nolan described Foran's conduct as "disgraceful" and noted the Garda's dreams and ambitions had been thwarted. Foran was sentenced to two‑and‑a‑half years imprisonment, the sentence being fully suspended on strict conditions, including a €5,000 payment to the Garda within one year. The court heard that Foran had already paid €10,000 in compensation to the Garda and €500 to the taxi driver.
An MMA fighter, Dylan Tuke, 25, was charged with assault causing harm after he punched a taxi driver in December 2018, breaking the driver's front teeth. The incident occurred when Tuke entered a taxi without asking if it was available, demanded payment upfront, and then assaulted the driver. Dash‑cam footage identified him, and he pleaded guilty to one count of assault. Judge Pauline Codd noted the aggravating factors of Tuke's threatening demeanour, pursuit of the victim, and the victim's public service role. She considered his cooperation, age, remorse, and the fact that alcohol contributed to his out‑of‑character behaviour. The judge set an 18‑month imprisonment sentence, deferred it to April 4, and imposed a €200 fine. She also ordered that €3,000 Tuke had in court be given to the victim or a charity.
Cornel Onofrei, 38, a security guard, was jailed for nine months after sexually assaulting a woman in Phoenix Park. The victim, who believed him to be a taxi driver, was heavily intoxicated and was taken to a remote dark location in the park where Onofrei kissed her. She pushed him off and got out of the car, later asking him to drive her home, which he did. Onofrei pleaded guilty to the assault on 17 December 2018. He has 28 prior convictions, including 14 road traffic offences. Judge Melanie Greally described his conduct as "sinister and predatory" and noted his lack of appreciation for the seriousness of his actions. He was sentenced to 13 months, with the final four months suspended, and must comply with strict probation conditions for 12 months.
John Walker, a taxi driver described by his adopted daughter Jennifer Kelly as an "evil and dangerous man", was convicted in December 2019 of 40 counts of indecently and sexually assaulting her over a ten‑year period from 1990 to 2000. Kelly, who was aged between eight and 18 during the offences, waived her right to anonymity and testified that Walker abused her at his home and at a former residence in Kilmashogue Grove, Greenpark, Dublin 12. Walker pleaded not guilty and later appealed, arguing that missing evidence from two witnesses and procedural errors by the trial judge had denied him a fair trial. His counsel claimed the judge failed to give the jury a directed acquittal, a delay warning, a re‑charge, and a corroboration warning. The Court of Appeal, in a judgment by Mr Justice John Edwards, dismissed all grounds of appeal, stating the trial was satisfactory and the verdict safe.
Nikkita Brogan, a 24-year-old woman from Letterkenny, Co Donegal, appeared at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court regarding her role in a taxi hijacking. She pleaded guilty to the unlawful seizure of a vehicle at Rutland Grove, Crumlin, on May 6, 2019. Prosecution evidence, including dashcam footage, alleged that Brogan, seated in the back, released the driver's seatbelt to allow two men to drag the 60-year-old driver from the vehicle and assisted in reattaching the gearstick knob. The men, who have already been sentenced for robbery and assault, allegedly choked and punched the driver. Brogan admitted to unclicking the seatbelt but denied threatening the victim. Her defense counsel, Paul O'Carroll SC, noted that the case had been delayed by a procedural matter referred to the Court of Appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions to clarify the service of books of evidence. He also highlighted Brogan's 76 previous convictions, primarily for shoplifting, and her current three-month term for theft. Judge Melanie Greally observed that past leniency had not improved Brogan's conduct. The matter was adjourned until November 12 to allow a probation report to be prepared, with the balance of the plea in mitigation to be heard on that date.
Dylan Deegan, 24, turned up at a solicitor's office in Tallaght to admit to a robbery, saying he wanted to be jailed. He had been on bail for two earlier robberies when he raided the Insomnia Café in February 2021, demanding money from the till. Gardaí tracked him via CCTV to a taxi and then to the solicitor's office, where he confessed. Deegan had previously pleaded guilty to robberies at the Back Lane Hostel (April 2020), Cash for Clothes (July 2020) and Insomnia (February 2021). He was remanded in custody since February. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to three and a half years for the April 2020 mugging of a homeless man, noting the victim's injuries and psychological impact. The sentencing of the Insomnia robbery was adjourned to October 2021. Deegan's defence highlighted his difficult childhood and drug addiction. The prosecution described the assaults and the victim's injuries.
An 85‑year‑old taxi driver, John Walker, was convicted in 2019 of 40 counts of indecently and sexually assaulting his adopted daughter, Jennifer Kelly, over a decade from 1990 to 2000. The jury found him guilty on all counts and he received a three‑and‑a‑half‑year jail sentence. Kelly, who was aged eight to eighteen during the abuse, gave a victim impact statement describing Walker as "an evil man, a dangerous man" who abused her for personal gratification. Walker maintains his innocence and has appealed the conviction, arguing that missing evidence from two witnesses—his deceased mother and a teacher—undermined the fairness of the trial. He claims the judge failed to warn the jury about the absence of corroborating evidence and the delay between the offences and the trial. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on the appeal. The unnamed 85-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Kusika Kudia, a 55‑year‑old taxi driver from Whitechurch Lawn, Ballyboden, was found guilty of sexually assaulting a passenger on 13 February 2020. The victim, who was collecting her bag from the car, described how Kudia wrapped his arms around her, kissed her without consent, and forced his tongue into her mouth. She said she went into "survival mode" and escaped to her home. Kudia admitted to kissing her but denied using his tongue. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Karen O'Connor, citing his lack of prior convictions and early guilty plea, imposed a nine‑month sentence suspended on conditions including 12 months under Probation Service supervision. Kudia remains employed as a taxi driver. The court did not read the victim impact statement. The case was prosecuted by Elva Duffy BL and defended by Keith Spencer BL.
James Devereux, 34, was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two years in prison, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions, and a four‑year driving disqualification. The sentence followed a January 27, 2020 incident on Kyle Road, Ballyfermot, where Devereux rear‑ended a taxi driven by Patrick Gill, ran over Gill's feet while fleeing, drove on the wrong side of the road, and ran a red light. Gill sustained cuts, bruises, and an arm fracture, but has since fully recovered. Devereux pleaded guilty to endangerment, claimed he was distracted by a man linked to a prior dispute involving his sister, and alleged a possible set‑up. Gardaí and the probation officer found no evidence supporting this claim, describing the act as a simple case of road rage. The court noted Devereux's progress in addressing cocaine and alcohol addiction, though he had continued substance use until March 2021.
The Court of Appeal reduced a four‑year jail sentence to two years for 75‑year‑old taxi driver Denis McSweeney, who fled the scene of a fatal collision that killed 49‑year‑old psychiatrist Dr Martin Lawlor on 15 December 2018. McSweeney pleaded guilty to four hit‑and‑run offences: failing to stop, failing to remain at the scene, failing to report the incident and failing to give information to gardaí. The original sentencing hearing at Cork Circuit Criminal Court in February had imposed five years, with the final year suspended, and a 20‑year driving disqualification. The Court of Appeal found the sentence excessive, citing McSweeney's age, lack of prior convictions, remorse and the absence of aggravating factors, and substituted a two‑year term. The decision was made after McSweeney's defence argued mitigating circumstances and the prosecution acknowledged limited case law on such matters.
Patrick McCarthy, 56, a taxi driver from Dublin, pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing drugs for sale at his home and taxi. Gardaí seized €23,000 worth of cocaine, including €8,000 in the taxi, €4,550 in the vehicle, and €15,000 in a safe in his bedroom. McCarthy admitted transporting drugs in his taxi to pay off debts from his own addiction, and that he had used the proceeds to buy more cocaine. He had no prior convictions and had led a blameless life before the arrest. Judge Martin Nolan, citing McCarthy's cooperation and the absence of a custodial sentence, imposed a three‑year suspended sentence. The court noted McCarthy's past industrial school detention and his recent engagement in drug treatment, concluding he would not re‑appear in court.