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.
Karl Dalton, 32, was one of three men who violently robbed a businessman of high‑value phones outside the victim's home in Lucan, Dublin, in February 2019. The robbery involved a stabbing attempt and a wheel‑brace strike, and the victim was shouted "kill him" at the scene. Dalton's fingerprints were found on the victim's car, linking him to the crime. He pleaded guilty to robbery and was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally to six years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended and a 12‑month probation order. The phones, worth €11,000–€12,000, were not covered by insurance. Dalton appealed the sentence, arguing for greater mitigation, but Judge George Birmingham dismissed the appeal, upholding the original six‑year term and noting Dalton's extensive criminal history and the seriousness of the robbery.
A security guard has given evidence to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court regarding an alleged assault at a rural property in Roscommon on 16 December 2018. The witness, who owns a security company, described the moment a dog in his care was struck with a baseball bat during the incident. He told the court that a group of approximately 30 to 40 men arrived at the farmhouse in the early morning, some wearing balaclavas and high-visibility clothing, and that he feared for his life as the assault unfolded. Four men have pleaded not guilty to 53 charges in relation to the incident, including aggravated burglary, false imprisonment, assault causing harm, arson, violent disorder, robbery and animal cruelty. The defendants are Patrick Sweeney from Ramelton, County Donegal; Martin O'Toole from Claremorris, County Mayo; Paul Beirne from Boyle, County Roscommon; and David Lawlor from County Meath. The trial before Judge Martin Baxter continues.
A former detective garda told the Special Criminal Court how he feared for his life during an armed robbery at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, County Louth, on 25 January 2013, when a man pointed a shotgun at his face and threatened to shoot. The officer recounted discovering his colleague Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe fatally wounded by a gunshot to the head following the incident. A credit union volunteer also gave evidence, describing how a robber smashed her car window and demanded money while she heard gunshots outside. Brendan Treanor, aged 34, formerly of Dundalk, and James Flynn, aged 32, from South Armagh, have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burgle residential premises and to robbing seven thousand euro from the credit union. Aaron Brady, previously convicted of Detective Garda Donohoe's murder, is serving a life sentence with a forty-year minimum term and is appealing his conviction. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and two other judges.
In February 2021, 20‑year‑old Gavin Dooner stole a delivery cyclist's electric bike outside Lidl in East Wall, Dublin. He drove off on his moped with the bike over his shoulder, having previously been seen driving dangerously and smashing windows. Dooner confronted delivery drivers Guillherme Quieroz and George Gonzaga Bento over the theft. Teenager Josh Dunne (16) and friends were nearby, hoping to buy pizza. A confrontation erupted; Dunne was stabbed by Bento, who was later acquitted of murder and other offences. Dooner pleaded guilty to stealing the bike, assault causing harm to Quieroz, dangerous moped driving, driving without licence or insurance, and criminal damage. He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment and a four‑year driving disqualification. Tiernan Ryan, who joined the assault later, received nine months' imprisonment. The court noted Dooner's youth, guilty pleas and prior convictions in determining the sentence.
Carolyn Riguad, aged 63, was sentenced to one year in prison for stealing €87,000 from her employer over seven years, from 2009 to 2016. She pleaded guilty to sample counts of theft and producing a false instrument in a 270‑count indictment. Riguad, who ran the Irish arm of a UK business, diverted company funds into her own accounts, altering cheques and at one point attempting to cover her tracks by re‑diverting funds within the company. The fraud was uncovered when she went on sick leave in 2016, leading to the discovery of 258 cheques with discrepancies. Riguad denied involvement when interviewed by Gardaí, claiming a colleague was responsible. She has no prior convictions, suffers from medical difficulties and memory issues, and has an adult son with a medical condition. The court noted her competence and the breach of trust, and, considering her health, imposed a one‑year custodial sentence. The company has since revised its procedures.
The 17‑year‑old who murdered Urantsetseg Tserendorj at 14 has been sentenced to life with a review after 13 years. Judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt noted that current legislation offers no way to suspend part of a juvenile's sentence, leaving an "all or nothing" choice. He said the review will be conducted by a Central Criminal Court judge and that the defendant may apply for parole after 12 years. The review will occur when the boy is 28. He has received concurrent three‑ and two‑year sentences for five other offences committed on the same day, including robbery and theft of a bicycle, all back‑dated to his January 2021 arrest. The judge highlighted the boy's good behaviour in detention and the need for continued rehabilitation. The case was brought to court after the victim's husband and others expressed grief and urged support for the sentencing process. The unnamed 17-year-old pleaded guilty and was found guilty.
Brian Carroll, 38, was sentenced to four and a half years in jail for a series of pharmacy robberies that took place over three days in November 2022. He pleaded guilty to three counts of robbery, each involving a different pharmacy in the north Dublin area. Carroll entered the pharmacies armed with a knife, demanding medication to feed his drug addiction. In one incident he cornered three female workers with a knife, while in another he threatened a cashier and later engaged in a scuffle with a passer‑by. Victims described anxiety and trauma following the robberies. Carroll has a long criminal history, including prior convictions for robbery and attempted robbery, and has been in custody since his arrest. Judge Martin Nolan noted his addiction and the repeated nature of his offences, and imposed a five‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with the final year suspended on conditions.
Ross Donoghue, a 31‑year‑old former resident of Northway Estate in Finglas, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted robbery in the Malahide area on 28 June 2020. He tried to rob a 16‑year‑old girl and a 64‑year‑old man on the same morning. The girl was forced to remove her earphones when Donoghue demanded her phone and threatened to stab her; she escaped after Donoghue fell. The man, Robert Ennis, was tackled by Donoghue, who kicked him several times. Ennis suffered facial bruising and mild orbital swelling. Donoghue had a long record of convictions for assault, criminal damage, attempted robbery, drug possession and obstruction, and was on bail at the time of the offence. Judge Martin Nolan, after noting Donoghue's remorse and admissions, imposed a custodial sentence of 21 months, consecutive to his current term, citing his long‑standing addictions and prior convictions as aggravating factors. The sentence was delivered on 15 February 2023.
Hamid Zatout, 25, was jailed for six and a half years after pleading guilty to four robbery charges, one assault causing harm and one attempted robbery. The crimes, committed in July and August 2019, involved targeted muggings of expensive designer watches ranging from €5,000 to €47,000, including a €20,000 watch from an American tourist in Dublin's Temple Bar. Gardaí used over 57 CCTV clips to show Zatout and accomplices following victims before forcibly breaking watch straps to steal the timepieces. Zatout had lived in a Dundalk hotel at the time of arrest and had previously left Ireland via Belfast in September 2019, returning under a different name. He had no prior convictions in Ireland, and the court accepted his guilty pleas, noting his remorse before sentencing.
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.
The Special Criminal Court has heard testimony concerning a credit union robbery in County Louth in January 2013 during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was fatally shot. Staff from Lordship Credit Union and Cooley Credit Union in Bellurgan described a coordinated assault as they prepared to transport takings to a bank in Dundalk under Garda escort. The secretary at Lordship reported that three men blocked the exit and forced entry to his vehicle, stealing approximately €7,000 in cash and cheques before gunshots rang out. A colleague from Cooley Credit Union, who remained in her car during the incident, witnessed the attack and subsequently discovered the detective wounded nearby. Brendan Treanor and James Flynn face charges of robbery and conspiracy to commit creeper-style burglaries across four counties between September 2012 and January 2013. Both have pleaded not guilty. Aaron Brady, convicted of Detective Donohoe's murder and serving life with a forty-year minimum, is named as a co-conspirator. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and two other judges.
The Special Criminal Court heard evidence from victims of "creeper" burglaries in the ongoing trial of two men accused of conspiring to commit such break-ins across the border region. Brendan Treanor and James Flynn, both charged with conspiracy to steal car keys from residential properties between September 2012 and January 2013, have pleaded not guilty. They face additional charges relating to a seven-thousand-euro robbery at Lordship Credit Union in Co Louth on 25 January 2013. Detective Garda Neil Brady outlined gardaí investigations into overnight burglaries in Cavan, Monaghan, Louth and Westmeath where door locks were forced to access vehicles. Five witnesses gave accounts of thefts from their homes, including a vehicle stolen from Virginia, Co Cavan in October 2012 whose engine was later recovered on the M1 motorway. Other victims described vehicles taken from properties in Westmeath following forced entry during January 2013. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt.
The Special Criminal Court has ruled that burglary and robbery charges against two men will be heard together, rejecting an application to separate the trials. Brendan Treanor, aged 34, formerly of Dundalk, County Louth, and James Flynn, aged 32, from South Armagh, face conspiracy charges relating to house burglaries between September 2012 and January 2013, and robbery charges stemming from a credit union incident in Bellurgan, County Louth on 25 January 2013. Both have pleaded not guilty. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding over the three-judge court, exercised his discretion to combine the trials while confirming each charge will be considered separately. The court heard evidence from Virginia and Monaghan residents describing break-ins and car thefts during the relevant period. Detective Garda Laura Bolger provided maps charting distances between alleged theft locations and properties connected to the accused. Aaron Brady, previously convicted of murder and burglary in the same matter, is serving a life sentence with a forty-year minimum and is appealing his conviction.
In February 2023 a Dublin court heard that Graham Armstrong, 38, had broken into a woman's home armed with a knife and threatened to kill her. The victim had met Armstrong on Tinder the day before, and he had stayed for about an hour, appearing "nice and normal." After a brief outing, she returned to find a draught and a shadow, then was pushed and held by Armstrong who demanded money. He forced her to hand over her passport, €150, and other cards, and took her mobile phone. The victim later contacted a friend who advised her to call the police. Armstrong had previously mugged a 75‑year‑old woman in August 2020 and had been convicted of robbery and burglary in 2021. He pleaded guilty to both offences and was sentenced to two years for the robbery and a consecutive three‑year term for the burglary, with the judge noting the seriousness of the knife‑wielding intrusion.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, defence counsel Sean Guerin SC argued that the prosecution sought to introduce evidence of burglaries committed by Brendan Treanor and James Flynn to prejudice them in the Lordship Credit Union robbery case that resulted in the death of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. Guerin said the burglaries had no connection to the robbery and requested separate trials for each charge. Bernard Condon SC supported this position for Flynn. Prosecutor Brendan Grehan SC countered that the burglary and robbery charges were joined because of a continuum of facts, citing similarities in location, timing, method and mobile phone evidence. He argued the burglary evidence would show the accused were not in innocent association on the day of the robbery. The court would rule on the matter next Tuesday. Treanor (34) and Flynn (32) have pleaded not guilty to both the burglary and robbery charges.
Two men have been charged with conspiracy to commit a series of burglaries known as "creeper burglaries" across Ireland between September 2012 and January 2013. The Special Criminal Court heard that the offences involved late-night break-ins at residential properties, where car keys were stolen and vehicles removed. A Volkswagen Passat taken during a creeper burglary in Clogherhead, County Louth in January 2013 was subsequently used in a robbery at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan on 25 January 2013, during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was shot dead. Brendan Treanor, 34, formerly of Dundalk, and James Flynn, 32, from South Armagh are charged with conspiracy and with the credit union robbery. The prosecution indicated it would rely on circumstantial evidence including phone records, cell-site data, and CCTV footage. Aaron Brady, previously convicted of murdering Detective Garda Donohoe, is serving a 40-year sentence. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and two other judges.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Leon Thompson, aged 21, pleaded guilty to a robbery at a Londis shop in Clondalkin on 16 February 2019. He entered the shop at 8.20 pm armed with a hatchet, threatened two male employees, and stole €400 from the till. While fleeing, he fell over a display of KitKat bars. Thompson's claim that he had "scant memory" of the incident was noted, and he was not cooperative during the Garda interview, though he admitted to buying the distinctive runners that matched prints found at the scene. Judge Orla Crowe, recognising Thompson's juvenile status at the time, imposed a three‑year prison sentence, noting that a headline sentence for an adult would have been six years. The judge highlighted the hatchet use and the impact on staff as aggravating factors, while acknowledging Thompson's remorse and lack of prior convictions. The sentence was delivered today.
The Special Criminal Court will start a full‑day opening for the trial of Brendan Treanor and James Flynn, accused of a credit union robbery that led to the death of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. Treanor, 34, and Flynn, 32, are charged with conspiracy to steal a car key and robbery of €7,000 at Lordship Credit Union on 25 January 2013. Aaron Brady, 31, is already serving a 40‑year sentence for Donohoe's murder and the burglary. Treanor's counsel intends to sever the conspiracy and robbery charges, a move also supported by Flynn's counsel.
Dean Paget, 36, pleaded guilty to attempting to murder his former partner Lisa Ward, who was 32 weeks pregnant, and to intentionally ending the life of their unborn child. At the Central Criminal Court, CCTV footage showed Paget repeatedly kicking and punching Ward as they walked along Dame Street toward a tent on Montague Lane on 25 April 2021. He shouted, "I'll rip her out of you," and later called the unborn child a "bastard." Ward, aged 32, was taken to the Rotunda Hospital in a distraught state; medical tests found no fetal heartbeat and a placental abruption likely caused by the assault. Paget's 68 prior convictions include robbery, violent behaviour and drug offences. He expressed remorse during the hearing, apologised to Ward, and was remanded in custody pending sentencing on 7 February. Ward's statement described the lasting emotional pain and her loss of hope for a child.
Hyde Court Property Company Owners Management Company Ltd, which runs the Hyde Court apartment complex in Dublin 2, has obtained a temporary injunction from the High Court to prevent former director Michael Noonan from dealing with, reducing or transferring funds in an AIB bank account that the company claims were misappropriated by Noonan between July and August 2016. The company alleges that Noonan withdrew more than €115,000 for personal use and that the money was frozen by a 2021 court order following a Garda investigation and criminal prosecution. Noonan, who was removed as director in 2016, has pleaded guilty to theft and false accounting and is due to be sentenced by the Circuit Criminal Court next week. The injunction is intended to preserve the frozen funds until the criminal proceedings conclude, as the company fears the order will lapse once Noonan is sentenced.
Anne Butterly, a 66‑year‑old former manager of Rush Credit Union, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for stealing €875,405 from the organisation over a seven‑year period. The theft was carried out through four methods: obtaining authorised signatures on blank cheques, diverting funds from members' share accounts, making unauthorised transactions on deposit accounts, and purchasing a vehicle for her husband using credit union money. Butterly had previously pleaded guilty to stealing €34,496 and, on 24 January 2023, pleaded guilty to three further counts totalling €59,786, which were treated as representative of the broader period from 2009 to 2016. The judge noted her long service, the breach of trust, and her health problems, but concluded that custodial punishment was necessary for deterrence and to address the seriousness of stealing from an employer and community. The credit union's insurance company compensated the victims, and Butterly has since fully repaid the amounts.
David Wright, 36, of Tallaght, South Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to stealing cash and €700 worth of cigarettes from the Fitzwilliam Card Club in Dublin 2 on August 13, 2018. Judge Pauline Codd described Wright, a poker dealer, as an "inside man" who betrayed his employer by providing information to individuals who carried out the robbery. Although Wright was not charged with robbery, the Judge noted he allowed his employer to be "fed to the wolves." The court heard that Wright's vehicle was used to transport the raider to the scene, and he made cash lodgements following the incident. Judge Codd acknowledged Wright's guilty plea, remorse, and rehabilitation efforts, including becoming a father and having only minor previous convictions. She imposed a four-year prison sentence, suspended on strict conditions requiring him to keep the peace and be of good behaviour. The Judge also ordered Wright to pay €1,200 immediately and a further €1,800 within six months. Wright walked out of court following the sentencing.
Christopher Kearney, 36, of Isaacs Hostel, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to Anthony O'Toole at Aston Quay on 21 January 2022. The assault, captured on CCTV from a Dublin Bus, was described by Judge Martin Nolan as "particularly violent" and followed a dispute between the men. Garda Eric Downey reported that the pair had earlier attracted police attention during a disagreement, claiming they were friends, before walking toward Ha'penny Bridge. Later, Gardaí found O'Toole unconscious, bleeding from nose, mouth and head, with facial injuries; he was taken to hospital but discharged himself and did not cooperate with the investigation. Kearney received a 16‑month prison sentence, with no victim impact statement submitted. He has 77 prior convictions, including theft and violent behaviour, and is homeless, on a social housing waiting list, and engaged with drug‑difficulties services.
Karl McDermott, aged 26, was jailed for seven and a half years after a drug‑influenced spree in Finglas on 4 May 2022. He hijacked a push bike from a 14‑year‑old schoolboy, then attempted to rob a 15‑year‑old girl, a woman at a bank, and a man in a launderette, all within a 45‑minute window. McDermott used a knife described as a butcher's knife and was described by witnesses as drunk or on tablets. He pleaded guilty to two robberies, three attempted robberies and one bicycle hijacking. The court imposed a five‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for the May 2022 offences, to run consecutively with a three‑year term for a 2021 knife‑point robbery. The final year of the eight‑and‑a‑half‑year term was suspended on the condition he keep the peace and engage with the Probation Service for one year.
Vasile Muntean, 28, worked for the grocery‑shopping app Buymie and used his company debit card to shop at 23 supermarkets in Dublin and Kildare. Between 1 and 25 February 2021 he carried out 204 thefts, buying goods worth about €29,000, including €15,000 of One4All gift vouchers that he sold for cash to fund a drug habit. Buymie discovered the discrepancy when the card's spending did not match customer orders, and the company suffered a loss of €14,000. Muntean pleaded guilty to 32 counts of theft at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He was sentenced to a two‑year suspended term, with conditions that he hand over €6,000 to Buymie and save an additional €8,000 within two years. He has no prior convictions and has since undergone drug counselling and is working as a food‑delivery driver.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, retired bus driver David Stamper, aged 68, was sentenced to a year in jail for a series of frauds and thefts that cost the Citybus Employees Credit Union over €100,000. Stamper, who joined the Credit Union in 1994 and became chair of its board in 2013, began misappropriating funds in 2009. He pleaded guilty to 10 counts of forgery, 41 counts of theft and 31 counts of money laundering between August 2009 and September 2015. The court found that he issued false cheques totalling €351,642, profiting €107,730. The judge noted the devastating impact on the Credit Union's members and the loss of trust, and imposed a custodial sentence of one year, suspended for 18 months on conditions. The Credit Union closed in 2019 following the fraud. The case highlighted the serious breach of trust and the financial damage caused to the members.
Sven Spollen Behrens, aged 54, a former lobbyist and director of the Small Firms' Association, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of stealing €10,250 each from the Dun Laoghaire Business Improvement District and the Sandyford Business Improvement District in 2017. He used the stolen money to pay private school fees and also diverted an additional €48,500 from Sandyford to Dun Laoghaire to aid cash flow, intending to return it when possible. Behrens had no prior convictions, had cooperated with Gardaí, and repaid over €40,000. Judge Martin Nolan, noting his financial difficulties and the impact on future employment, imposed a two‑year suspended sentence, concluding that a custodial term was not warranted. The case highlighted the misuse of company funds for personal expenses and the legal consequences of such theft.
Mark Carty, 55, of The Mill Race, Chapelizod Village, pleaded guilty to several counts of theft and fraud involving €13,662 taken from various post offices and a Bank of Ireland ATM in January 2017. He also admitted fraudulently obtaining a Visa debit card in the name of Edward Glennon in April 2019 and using it to check Glennon's bank balance. The court heard that Glennon had been reimbursed for the €52,000 stolen, but the bank remained at a loss. Carty, who has 25 prior convictions, was arrested in August 2019 and denied knowledge of the thefts, claiming he was a recovering drug addict with a gambling problem. He was given a suspended two‑year sentence, with the judge citing his role as a caretaker for his terminally ill partner and their eight‑year‑old child. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
Jamie Walsh, 18, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for assault causing harm after he and a co‑accused attacked a man on Naas Road, Dublin, on 18 November 2021. The incident began when the victim and his partner were kissing on a Luas stop; a boy shouted "It's so gay" and the two teenagers then punched and kicked the victim, leaving him unconscious with bruises, a swollen lip and a broken eye. CCTV identified Walsh and he was arrested a month later. Walsh had 48 prior convictions, including theft, robbery and assault. The court noted his upbringing in state care and his parents' criminal history. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three‑year sentence, suspended the final 16 months, and ordered good behaviour and probation supervision for one year upon release. The victim's impact report was filed but not read aloud. The co‑accused, aged 14, had already been dealt with by the courts. The unnamed teenager pleaded guilty.
Shane Finn, 24, of Killinarden Estate, Tallaght, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for possessing €74,000 worth of cannabis at his home on 17 July 2021. Finn pleaded guilty to the offence of possession for sale or supply. He claimed he was coerced by masked men who threatened to kill him and to have his brother "cut up in prison" if he did not hold the drugs. The court heard that Finn was on bail for a previous drug offence when the cannabis was seized during a separate robbery investigation involving his brother, Jamie Finn. Finn admitted responsibility for the drugs, stating he had no knowledge of their quantity and had been forced to keep them. The judge noted the coercion but held Finn liable for breaking the law, and rejected a second suspended sentence, imposing a custodial term of two years.
During the sentencing hearing at the Central Criminal Court, the husband of the murdered Mongolian national Urantsetseg Tserendorj, aged 49, delivered a victim impact statement expressing the profound loss and mental anguish he and his children suffered after the murder. The court heard that the 16‑year‑old accused, who was 14 at the time of the offence, had 31 previous convictions, including robbery, violence and drug offences. He denied the murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter on 29 January 2021, a plea the State did not accept. The jury returned a guilty verdict after nearly nine hours of deliberation. The victim was stabbed in the neck on a walkway between George's Dock and Custom House Quay in the IFSC, Dublin, on 20 January 2021, and died the following evening due to lack of oxygen caused by the stab wound.
Claire Butterly, a housekeeping manager at Carechoice Ltd's nursing home in Trim, was dismissed after refusing to stop providing laundry and cleaning services to residents of a nearby private housing unit for the elderly. The company claimed she breached its policy by engaging in private work, falsifying records and acting dishonestly. Butterly argued she was helping vulnerable residents, charging them no fee and receiving only small payments from a man named Mr X. The Workplace Relations Commission found her dismissal disproportionate and the disciplinary process flawed. The tribunal awarded her €12,000 in compensation, noting that her actions, while improper, did not amount to fraud or theft. The case highlights the tension between employee support for residents and employer policy compliance.
A high‑ranking member of a West African organised crime gang, Junior Boboye, aged 28, was sentenced to six years in prison, with the final year suspended, for his role in an €800,000 money‑laundering and fraud operation. The operation involved the theft of €792,000 from eight businesses through invoice‑redirect fraud, of which €319,000 was recovered. Boboye pleaded guilty to multiple offences for the benefit of a criminal organisation between August 2017 and May 2018, and to 13 counts of money laundering and using false instruments. He was described by the judge as an active lieutenant and recruiting sergeant within the gang. The case also involved other defendants: Emmanuel Olanyian, who received a four‑year sentence with the final year suspended; Taiwo Ajike, who received a suspended one‑year sentence; and Onyebuchi Aduba, who was dealt with under the Probation Act and will not receive a conviction.
A man from County Cavan is appealing his conviction for a post office robbery in Dublin during which three women were tied up and abducted. Paschal Kelly, aged 56, was convicted in 2018 of robbery, false imprisonment, threatening to kill, and other offences relating to a €92,000 theft from Bayside Post Office in Sutton in September 2014. He was sentenced to 18 years. The Court of Appeal heard arguments on the strength of evidence against him. The State's counsel cited DNA evidence recovered from discarded clothing found at the scene and a bottle in the getaway vehicle, alongside CCTV footage and garda identifications of the driver. The defence challenged the quality of CCTV footage, arguing the jury should have been instructed not to make visual identifications themselves and questioned the reliability of mixed DNA profiles as evidence of guilt. The Court of Appeal reserved judgement.
Anne Butterly, 65, of Channel Road, Rush, admitted to stealing €34,496 from Rush Credit Union. She pleaded guilty and her defence counsel issued an unreserved apology to all concerned. Judge Martin Nolan adjourned the case to 23 January for sentencing and ordered victim impact statements for that date.
A jury found Dean Boland, 34, guilty of unlawful killing of kitchen porter Ohari Viera, who died after the house he lived in was set on fire. Boland pleaded not guilty to unlawful killing, arson, burglary and theft at Oaklands Terrace, Terenure, Dublin, on 21 August 2018. The prosecution alleged he broke into the house, stole a rucksack and set the property ablaze. Viera re‑entered the house before emergency services arrived and later died of cardiac arrest in hospital. Witnesses described a confrontation between Viera and Boland and a fire that began in the ground‑floor bedroom. Forensic evidence indicated the fire was a deliberate act, but no DNA or fingerprints linked Boland to the scene. The trial lasted eight days, with a verdict reached after six hours and one minute. Judge Elma Sheahan set a sentencing date of 10 March 2023.
The Court of Appeal upheld a 12‑year sentence for John Faulkner, a getaway driver in a burglary gang that targeted elderly homes during mass. Faulkner, aged 40, was convicted of burglary, dangerous driving and endangerment. The judge imposed 12 years for burglary, two years for endangerment and six months for dangerous driving, and disqualified him from driving for 20 years. The appeal argued the sentence was disproportionate compared to co‑accused sentences of nine years with two suspended, but the appellate court held the 12‑year term reflected the totality of offences. The case involved a robbery at a home in Freemont, Charleville, where Faulkner drove the getaway vehicle, pursued by Gardaí, before crashing into a Garda car. The appeal was dismissed. John Faulkner pleaded not guilty.
Chelsea Dooley, a 23‑year‑old childcare worker from Blanchardstown, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of the proceeds of criminal crime after her bank account was used to launder nearly €25,000 stolen from an AIB account. Gardaí were alerted on 5 January 2021 when a man reported money missing from his account. Between 21 December 2020 and 4 January 2021, nine transactions totalling €24,900 were taken, with €23,899 transferred to Dooley's account and €1 to another account. The theft was linked to a smishing fraud. Dooley was arrested, interviewed, and admitted she had lost her bank card; CCTV showed an unknown male using it. Her defence argued she did not profit and had no prior convictions. The court accepted her guilty plea, noted her good character, and ordered a probation report before sentencing on 31 March 2023.
The Irish Whiskey Museum was ordered to pay €22,540 to former general manager Nicola McDonnell after a Workplace Relations Commission hearing found she was subjected to "unacceptable" pressure when her marriage to co‑founder Keith McDonnell broke down. McDonnell alleged that from July 2020 she was harassed, bullied, excluded and denied access to the museum and her email, and that her husband threatened her with Gardaí and called her a "common thief" over alleged whiskey theft. She said she had no choice but to resign due to the hostile environment. McDonnell claimed constructive dismissal under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 and was not paid the €5,928 redundancy sum she sought. The commission upheld her complaint, noting the emails and warnings from McDonnell that she was no longer wanted as an employee, and ruled the pressure was unacceptable and that her resignation was reasonable. The museum must pay the compensation.
Brandon Carroll, aged 19, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for robbing seven mobile phones and an electric scooter from boys at several south Dublin DART stations between 8 and 15 January. The judge suspended the final two years of the sentence. Carroll pleaded guilty to seven counts of robbery and one of attempted robbery. He was accompanied by a juvenile companion who threatened to stab victims and chased a 15‑year‑old boy down a railway track. The court noted Carroll's remorse, shame, difficult background, and vulnerability, including a history of 33 convictions and a borderline intellectual level. The judge ordered Carroll to engage with probation, addiction, and anger‑management services for two years upon release. Victims reported fear and anxiety about using public transport after the incidents.
An 18‑year‑old who received a suspended five‑year prison sentence for orally raping a minor in 2018 is now under investigation for sexual assault of a teenage girl in a West of Ireland town. The court heard that since moving there three months ago he has had 12 interactions with gardai, including incidents involving vulnerable teenage girls. He was found with two girls who had been reported missing – a 16‑year‑old in September and a 13‑year‑old in October – and was again found with a 16‑year‑old who later alleged physical assault. He has also been arrested for public order offences, theft of alcohol and breach of the Sex Offenders Act for failing to notify gardai of a change of address. The judge adjourned the case to 31 January, stating he would require evidence of genuine engagement with probation and therapeutic services before considering the suspended sentence again. The unnamed 18-year-old pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court manslaughter trial, 34‑year‑old Dean Boland pleaded not guilty to the unlawful killing of Ohari Viera, arson, burglary and theft at Oaklands Terrace, Terenure, on 21 August 2018. Boland allegedly broke into Viera's house, stole a rucksack and set fire to the property. Viera re‑entered the house before emergency services arrived and later died of cardiac arrest in hospital. Defence counsel Garret Baker argued that the prosecution's case had a "massive gaping hole" because it could not show how Boland started the fire. He highlighted forensic evidence that the fire began in the bedroom of the ground‑floor apartment and that the window was opened during the blaze, implying the fire pre‑dated Boland's entry. Prosecutor Seamus Clarke maintained the case was based on circumstantial evidence, asserting that if the fire was the substantial cause of Viera's death, Boland would be guilty of manslaughter.
Milad Khalili Ghanbari, 35, a former movie‑set caterer who had worked on the Star Wars franchise, was arrested after robbing phones from five people on St Patrick's Day 2021. He had recently split with his girlfriend and was described by counsel as having a "mental breakdown." Ghanbari gave Gardaí a false name and his neighbour's apartment number as his address. When officers entered that apartment they detected a strong cannabis smell and found 11 cannabis plants with a full grow‑out system. He pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and one count of cultivating cannabis in Dublin city centre. He has eight prior convictions, including a failure to stop after an accident. He has been in custody since the offence. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to six years' imprisonment, suspending the final year and back‑dating the term to the date he entered custody. The court noted his remorse and guilty pleas as mitigating factors.
Two 17‑year‑old boys were sentenced to three years' detention suspended on strict conditions for attempting to force a 14‑year‑old girl to perform oral sex, stealing her phone and assaulting her. Both pleaded guilty to attempted oral rape, four counts of sexual assault and, for the first boy, an additional count of assault causing harm. The judge, Mr Justice McDermott, described the offences as very serious, noting the boys' attempts to trap the victim, threaten her phone and use violence when her refusal was not accepted. He highlighted the boys' guilty pleas, expressions of remorse and young age as mitigating factors. The suspended sentence requires each boy to engage with the Probation Service, cooperate with suitable programmes and have no contact with the victim. The court emphasised that custody is a last resort and that the boys must comply with the conditions to avoid future custodial sentences.
Sean Doherty, 29, of Rory O'Connor House, Dublin, pleaded guilty to robbery on 7 July 2017 after claiming he was in the IRA. He had 25 prior convictions, including burglary, aggravated burglary, assault, and drug offences. The victim had gone out for drinks, and after a night of drinking, Doherty entered the victim's apartment, threatened him with a knife, and said "I'm in the IRA." He struck the victim twice on the head with an empty vodka bottle, stole his mobile phone, and the victim fled to the balcony. The victim was taken to St James Hospital and received stitches. Doherty was on bail at the time of the offence and was already serving a five‑year sentence. Judge James McCourt, after considering Doherty's guilty plea, mental health issues, apology, remorse, drug dependency and troubled background, sentenced him to four years in prison to run consecutively to his existing sentence.
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.
Scott Knight, 48, was sentenced to a fully suspended three‑year prison term for forging documents to obtain a fake passport to visit his UK girlfriend. The court noted his earlier 1996 murder conviction, later reduced to accessory to murder, and his five‑year sentence. Knight also has convictions for weapons smuggling in France, narcotics possession linked to a Belgian illegal organisation, drug dealing, and possession of drugs. He admitted to providing false documents for a passport application in 2015, using a stolen identity and false birth certificate and student ID. The offence was discovered when Knight applied to renew his own passport in 2019, where facial recognition matched his photo to the fraudulent application. Judge Pauline Codd imposed the suspended sentence, ordered two years of probation supervision, and required attendance at all appointments. Knight has cooperated with Gardaí and has engaged in drug‑free treatment for 16 months. The unnamed accused pleaded guilty.
Pierce McComiskey, aged 44, was jailed for three years and three months for an armed robbery at Rocks Jewellers on Grafton Street on 16 February 2022. He entered the shop with a knife, demanded diamonds from a female employee, and instead took envelopes of jewellery from a deposit drawer. He returned to his hostel in Dublin City Centre, where Gardaí found an orange backpack, a knife and the jewellery, including 31 rings that he had hidden internally. All the items were recovered and returned to their owners. McComiskey, who has 26 previous convictions and was already serving a sentence for another offence, admitted the robbery and stated he was addicted to crack cocaine. He was taken to hospital after the arrest and is now receiving drug counselling and methadone treatment. Judge Orla Crowe noted the robbery was pre‑planned, involved a knife, and caused fear for the shop employees.
Joyce Sulambi, aged 24, pleaded guilty on 15 April 2019 to handling €49,724 of stolen cash after an invoice of almost €50,000 was diverted into his own AIB account. The fraud involved a fake email from ENTS Transport Ltd, leading Reynolds Logistics to pay the invoice into Sulambi's account. Gardaí traced the money to transfers to accounts in Germany and the UK, and a warrant was obtained to search his house in June 2020, finding no electronic devices typically used in money‑laundering. Sulambi admitted the role, describing it as a "bank job, invoice fraud," and claimed he was paid about €3,000. He was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a two‑year suspended term. He must pay an additional €2,500 to Reynolds Logistics within a few months.