Darren McDonnell, 38, was caught at a rehabilitation centre after attempting to bring a stolen shotgun concealed in his trousers. He had been at the centre for two days before disappearing from the grounds and burglarising a home in Curraheenduff, Thurles, on 4 November 2020. An employee noticed the shotgun when he returned, and McDonnell admitted the burglary and surrendered the weapon, its cartridges and a stolen tablet. He was later arrested in Dublin for a knife‑point robbery at a Spar shop in Coolock on 9 November 2020, where he stole €280 before being apprehended. McDonnell has over 40 prior convictions, including robbery and unauthorised vehicle taking. He was remanded in continuing custody, with the case scheduled for finalisation on 14 June. The court heard that he was declared unfit for interview due to drug use and that his rehabilitation stay had been largely unsuccessful. The matter remains pending. Darren McDonnell pleaded guilty.
Aaron Carey, aged 30, was sentenced to seven‑and‑a‑half years in prison for a series of offences committed during the Christmas period of 2019 and early 2020. The court heard that he attempted burglary at a nursing home on 23 December 2019, robbed a Spar shop and attempted robbery of a service station on 24 December 2019, and damaged a patrol car and two other cars on 7 February 2020. He also pleaded guilty to robbery of a Pizza Hut, attempted burglary of a family home, and other offences. Carey's defence cited psychiatric difficulties, including a recent diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, ADHD and other conditions, and drug addiction. The judge noted the lack of violence but the high risk of reoffending, and suspended the final 18 months of the sentence on strict conditions. No residential treatment facilities were available, so the sentence was imposed with a probationary period thereafter.
Gerry O'Brien, 41, was sentenced to five years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to two counts of stealing by deception. He admitted to stealing €107,286 in cash and cheques from a 77-year-old Dublin woman between July 2017 and November 2018, and €27,254 from a 73-year-old Dublin woman between August and November 2018. Judge Pauline Codd described the offences as despicable, noting O'Brien's psychological manipulation of the elderly victims. His wife, Joanne O'Brien, 39, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft from the first complainant, totalling €900. She was given a suspended nine-month sentence on conditions. The court heard that Gerry O'Brien used fabricated sob stories and a fake solicitor to convince the women he would repay them from a fictitious insurance payout. He has 68 previous convictions, while Joanne O'Brien has 28, mostly for road traffic offences. Defence counsel for Gerry O'Brien highlighted his remorse, though the judge noted his letter focused on his own woes rather than the victims. Joanne O'Brien's defence noted she had repaid the stolen money. The matter was finalised with these sentences handed down.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Jaroslav Nowakowski, a 36‑year‑old resident of Kildare, pleaded guilty to assaulting Noel Conway on Moore Street in Dublin on 3 November 2019. Nowakowski claimed he had mistaken Conway for a bike thief, believing he was stealing his bicycle. The court found Conway to be completely blameless and merely going about his business when the attack occurred. Nowakowski's defence, represented by Gerardine Small BL, argued that his reaction was a split‑second decision and that he had remained at the scene, showing genuine concern for the victim. The court accepted that the incident was isolated and that Nowakowski was unlikely to reoffend. Judge Karen O'Connor imposed an 18‑month suspended sentence, noting the defendant's remorse and his willingness to offer €1,000 to the victim, who had agreed to accept the payment. The sentence was suspended on a number of conditions.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Derek Moore, 48, admitted stealing just over €92,700 from his employer, Energy Saver Insulations Ltd, over a period from February to November 2018. He also pleaded guilty to falsifying company accounts on 15 February 2018. Moore claimed he collaborated with three customers who paid cash for discounted materials, which he deposited into his personal account. He said the theft was to fund his child's scoliosis operation, citing a US cost of €30,000 and travel expenses, though the child was ultimately treated in Ireland. He has repaid €33,000 and used some of the proceeds for medical costs. No charges were brought against the customers, though civil cases remain pending. The judge adjourned the case to 26 July for finalisation.
Joseph Behan, 45, of Edenmore Park, Raheny, was convicted in February 2020 of robbery, attempted robbery, assault causing serious harm, assault causing harm, possession of a firearm and reckless discharging of the firearm after he shot two workers at Mizzoni's Pizza on New Year's Day 2019. He was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment for assault causing harm. Behan now appeals his conviction, arguing that the search warrant for his house was not lawfully obtained and that a glove found with firearms residue was unconstitutionally seized. His barrister, Ronan Munro SC, contends that the warrant was issued by Detective Superintendent Paul Scott, who was involved in the investigation, and therefore was not independent. The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgement. The appeal focuses solely on the alleged unlawful search and seizure, not on the trial findings or sentencing.
Patrick (27) and Anthony (29) Boyle were charged with possession of three stolen aluminium coils valued at €9,000. They had received €2,386 in cheques, which they cashed in a shop, and later repaid the shopkeeper after the cheques were cancelled. The brothers were not alleged to have been involved in the original theft of the coils. They pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 24 March 2018. Judge Martin Nolan noted that the original owner had recovered the metal and that no loss had been suffered. He acknowledged the boys' remorse and the fact that they had brought €2,000 to court. The judge imposed a two‑year sentence on each, suspended in full, and the brothers avoided jail.
Peter Little, 42, of Drumcairn Parade, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to criminal damage after he splattered a launderette at Alexander House with his own blood during a failed attempt to steal cash for drugs. The incident occurred overnight on 24 and 25 September 2020 at an automated laundromat. Garda Andrew Gibbons reported that a cleaner found smashed glass, damaged photo booth and payment machines, and blood throughout the area. Cleaning and repairs cost €730.52. Little, who has 24 previous convictions including ten for theft, was arrested after blood analysis linked him to the scene. He was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to one year imprisonment, with a prior concurrent three‑year sentence having a suspended final year. Wicklow District Court will consider reactivating the suspended portion on 18 May 2024.
Calin Scintei, aged 28, was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his role in a €1.5 million money‑laundering scheme run by a Romanian organised‑crime gang. He pleaded guilty to 25 charges covering the period August 2018 to January 2020, including participation in organised crime, fraud, criminal damage, theft and possession of the proceeds of crime. Scintei helped defraud Tesco of €12,400 through a gift‑card scam and caused €18,000 of damage to AIB ATMs while stealing €7,690 in cash. He also set up 27 bank accounts with false documents and five fake companies, laundering about €780,000. The court noted he was paid a modest reward and was not a master criminal, but a busy participant in the gang's operations. The judge, Martin Nolan, considered mitigating factors before imposing the sentence. The case involved 12 prior convictions for theft and fraud.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Xolani Mdakani, aged 21, was sentenced to three years and nine months imprisonment for assaulting a woman in a city centre laneway on 9 February 2018. Mdakani, who has 36 prior convictions including assault, theft, burglary and trespass, pleaded guilty. He had previously lived in Finglas and had a history of violent offences as a child. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted his youth and the possibility that repatriation to South Africa might help him address his difficulties. The final nine months of the sentence were suspended on strict conditions. Mdakani was identified by CCTV footage, admitted the assault, and expressed remorse. He intends to seek assistance from the International Organisation for Migration to return to South Africa after his sentence. The victim did not submit a victim impact statement.
Titus Williams, a businessman from Springfield, Missouri, claims that 33.7 Bitcoin he purchased in February 2021 were stolen from his personal blockchain wallet a few days later. He alleges that 2.89 of those Bitcoin, worth over US$160,000, were transferred to an unknown account and to an account held by Coinbase Europe Ltd, an Irish‑registered subsidiary of Coinbase Global. Williams has filed complaints with the FBI and local police and engaged a cryptographic tracing firm. He applied to the High Court in Dublin for a Norwich‑Pharmacal order directing Coinbase Europe to disclose all information that would identify the unknown account holder, and to provide that information within a week. The court, hearing that Coinbase Europe had agreed to comply, granted the order, allowing Williams to pursue further legal action once the identity of the account holder is known.
Elvis Chiriac, 35, pleaded guilty to 15 counts of theft after stealing over €8,500 by tampering with 22 ATMs in Dublin between 8 and 10 January 2020. He used a "Transaction Reversal Fraud" technique, inserting a card, withdrawing a small amount, then using a metal or plastic clip to prevent the ATM door from closing, allowing him to remove cash while the machine recorded no withdrawal. AIB identified the cards, including those from Macedonia, Abu Dhabi, and a Revolut card linked to Chiriac's niece. CCTV from a Centra shop and GPS from a rented GoCar traced his movements. The theft caused damage to the machines and the total loss to AIB was €8,520. None of the stolen funds have been recovered. Judge Melanie Greally remanded Chiriac on continuing bail, with a mitigation hearing scheduled for 8 June.
Jason Finlay, 49, was sentenced to 10 months' imprisonment after pleading guilty to theft at Lifestyle Sports on 4 May 2020. He had stolen €13,020 worth of sports clothing, but when a Garda public‑order van approached he "ditched" the items on a street, where €770 worth were later recovered in saleable condition. The remaining goods were never found. Finlay, who has 54 prior convictions, was arrested at Peter McVerry Hostel after Gardaí received an anonymous tip and CCTV footage linked him to the robbery. He was intoxicated at the time of the offence and has expressed a desire to leave drug use. The judge noted his opportunistic offence and his ambition to reform, sentencing him to 10 months' custody as the best possible outcome.
In a case that unfolded in Dublin, a mother‑of‑four named Julie McMahon, aged 47, was apprehended by Garda Darrgh Frewen after the officer noticed suspiciously inexpensive clothing being advertised online. The Garda traced the adverts to McMahon's account and obtained a warrant to search her residence at O'Brien Hall, Gardiner Street. The search uncovered a large quantity of stolen apparel from retailers such as Zara, River Island and H&M, some still bearing their security tags. McMahon could not produce receipts, and store managers confirmed the items had been stolen. She pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of stolen property valued between €1,142 and €2,000. The court remanded her on continuing bail, with the case adjourned to May 7 to address a pending District Court offence. During the proceedings, McMahon admitted to the offence, and a small amount of cash and cannabis were also seized.
Alice Connors, 27, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to two robberies and one attempted robbery committed in Dublin City centre on October 2 and 3, 2020. She also admitted to two counts of criminal damage at Kevin Street Garda Station on October 7, 2020. Prosecution evidence alleged that Connors and a co-accused used a knife and a broken bottle during the offences, which included dragging victims to the ground. Connors, who was residing at Times Hostel, College Street, Dublin 2, had previous convictions for theft and road traffic offences. Defence counsel highlighted her homelessness, drug abuse, and mental health difficulties, including auditory hallucinations. Judge Martin Nolan noted that Connors was equally culpable as her co-accused, who had previously received an effective five-year sentence with two-and-a-half years suspended. Judge Nolan sentenced Connors to five years imprisonment, suspending the final two-and-a-half years on strict conditions. The matter was finalised at the sentencing stage.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Jackson Sije, a 31‑year‑old business graduate, received a fully suspended two‑year imprisonment sentence for money‑laundering after allowing his bank account to be used to move €21,538.30 stolen in a phishing scam. Sije claimed he was helping a fellow student receive money for tuition and living expenses, but evidence showed the funds were the proceeds of a scam uncovered by an Irish company. Gardaí found a laptop and a Nigerian passport in his rented accommodation, and Sije admitted to withdrawing the money in Dublin and transferring it to an account in Germany. He pleaded guilty to possession of the proceeds of criminal conduct. The court noted he could not repay the defrauded business and that his actions were reckless. The suspended sentence requires him to keep the peace and exhibit good behaviour for two years.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Edward Maguire and Suzanne Maguire pleaded guilty to attempting to induce Axa Insurance to pay out on a false claim dated September 22, 2017. The defendants alleged an elderly motorist reversed into their vehicle, causing damage and spilling hot coffee, but CCTV footage proved no impact occurred and Edward Maguire was not in the car. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced Edward Maguire to two years in prison, suspended in full on strict conditions requiring him to engage with the Probation Service for two years. She described the conduct as a nasty offence against an elderly man, noting he followed through on the claim despite the plan's flaws. Suzanne Maguire's case was adjourned to October 11 to allow her time to complete a drug rehabilitation course, with the court accepting she is making progress with her addiction. She was remanded on continuing bail until that date. The judge stated she was giving Suzanne an opportunity to address her addiction but made no guarantees. Both defendants have extensive prior convictions, including theft and public order offences, though neither had previous Circuit Court convictions. Defence counsel highlighted their difficult upbringings and recent efforts to address addiction and maintain stability.
In a Circuit Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan criticised young people for using their bank accounts to launder stolen money, citing the case of 19‑year‑old Zach Phelan. Phelan had received just over €36,000 of stolen funds in his account and spent nearly €9,000 on luxury goods, including a €5,000 spree at Brown Thomas and €4,000 at electronic stores. He had only a few cents in his account when the transfer occurred, and attempts to move further amounts to offshore accounts failed. Garda Fionnuala Lawlor explained that the money was mistakenly sent to Phelan's account after a hacked email between a business and its client. Phelan pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering on 15 November 2019, when he was 18, and had no prior convictions. The court recovered €14,775 of the stolen money and adjourned sentencing to 30 April.
Kevin Brosnan, aged 40, was sentenced to four‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment for a knife‑point robbery at Centra, Old Bawn Shopping Centre, Tallaght, on 2 April 2020. During the robbery he removed his mask, shouted "Coronavirus" at a security guard, threatened to kill the guard and used a racial slur. He demanded the till be opened, claiming to be HIV positive, and threatened the guard again as he fled. Brosnan was found with €630, which was returned to the shop. He pleaded guilty to the robbery and had 82 prior convictions, including burglary, theft, possession of knives and affray. The judge, citing his difficult background, chronic addiction and homelessness, suspended the final 18 months of the sentence on strict conditions, including participation in a programme on racist behaviour. Brosnan had previously pleaded guilty to a robbery at Mace, Killinarden Way, Tallaght, in October 2019, where he and an accomplice threatened a shop assistant with a knife.
In a high‑speed pursuit on the M11, 21‑year‑old Jordan Carroll, of Lindisfarne Vale, Clondalkin, threw a leaf blower, hedge clippers and drills out of the front passenger window of a stolen Toyota Land Cruiser. The vehicle, driven by Carroll and co‑accused Joseph Bonass (18) of Lindisfarne Park, Clondalkin, was later driven into two Garda patrol cars after attempting to exit the N7. Both patrol cars sustained damage, as did a third Garda car that ran over a leaf blower, and the stolen car was written off. Carroll pleaded guilty to endangering traffic, criminal damage and allowing himself to be carried in a stolen vehicle on 16 and 17 June 2020, and was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions.
The Special Criminal Court heard the prosecution's closing arguments against Trevor Byrne, 41, of Finglas West, who is charged with the 2010 armed robbery of BoyleSports in Swords and the hijacking of a woman's car at gunpoint. The State presented "overwhelming" evidence, including CCTV footage that identified Byrne and a second man, both wearing masks and brandishing handguns, who entered the bookies and robbed the tills. Byrne allegedly dropped his phone at the scene, which was later found to contain a contact for 'Ma', a number linked to his mother Maureen Byrne. The prosecution argued that the phone and its contents tied Byrne to the robbery. Byrne denied all charges. The case was adjourned to May 20 for judgment.
In 2021 the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction of a 71‑year‑old father who had repeatedly raped his 12‑year‑old son. The father was found guilty of anally raping the child on nine occasions and of child cruelty for locking the boy in a box; he was acquitted of a separate charge of raping the boy with a poker. The appeal was dismissed after the court considered the lengthy nine‑day testimony of the victim, the use of video‑link evidence, and the admission of evidence of the father's prior convictions for theft and drink‑driving. The judge imposed a 15‑year sentence, suspended the final year, and ordered a four‑year supervision period upon release. The decision was made after the court noted the impact of the trial on the child, who had been removed from the family home in 2011 and had suffered severe emotional distress.
Samuel Pop, aged 27, from Charnwood Court, Clonsilla, Dublin, has been sentenced to four years imprisonment following a conviction for false imprisonment and robbery at the Clayton Hotel, Dublin 4, on 6 November 2019. Pop pleaded guilty to his involvement in an attack on an escort in her hotel room, during which he and a co-accused, who has since died in custody, restrained and robbed the victim of cash, a phone and passport. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Pop's co-accused was the primary aggressor in the incident. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a sentence of five-and-a-half years with the final 18 months suspended, subject to strict conditions including payment of €5,000 compensation to the victim. Pop has previous convictions relating to a similar incident in Roscommon in October 2019.
Simon Gold, a 54-year-old man from Aughavas, County Leitrim, received an additional one-year sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today following guilty pleas to possession of false instruments. Gold admitted having three fraudulent UK driving licences at an address in Delvin, County Westmeath, in October 2012, and four sheets containing 360 counterfeit AIB holograms at the same location in February 2014. He is currently serving a seven-and-a-half-year sentence imposed in 2019 after conviction on money laundering, theft, deception and control of false instruments charges. Judge Martin Nolan determined the offences were connected to the earlier convictions and declined to extend Gold's imprisonment, instead imposing the sentence to run concurrently from today. Gold, who has 46 previous convictions, is due for release in 2024.
In April 2020, two Spar staff members, Dean Bheemal (33) and Victor Carvalho (23), punched a man who they believed was attempting to steal after CCTV showed him spitting in the shop. The men pleaded guilty to assaulting the victim, who was hit many times and later received stitches. Judge Martin Nolan found the assault grossly disproportionate, noting it involved only punches and no weapons. He imposed a two‑year suspended sentence on each, ordered the men to pay €3,000 to the victim and to each provide an additional €1,000 within 18 months, and expressed that imprisonment would be unjust at this point. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with the men cooperating and returning the stolen phone to the victim. The judge highlighted the men's guilty pleas and cooperation as mitigating factors. The incident occurred during the first Covid lockdown, a context mentioned by the defence. The men were not sentenced to prison.
Ms Helen Leigh gave evidence in the Special Criminal Court that on 19 March 2010 she was hijacked at gunpoint near Applewood Village, Swords. Two masked men forced her into a car, demanded proof of her address, threatened to kill her if she reported the incident, and asked if she had children. Leigh described the men as wearing dark clothing and a balaclava, one holding a small silver gun. They took a business letter containing her address, tore it, and left her with a phone that had 15 missed calls. The ordeal lasted about 20–25 minutes. The testimony is part of the trial of Trevor Byrne, 41, charged with armed robbery, possession of a firearm, vehicle seizure, false imprisonment, and threatening to kill Leigh. Byrne denies all charges. The trial is ongoing in the non‑jury court.
The Special Criminal Court trial of Dubliner Trevor Byrne, 41, of Finglas West, continues before a three-judge panel. Mr Byrne, who has denied all charges, faces five offences alleged to have occurred in 2010 and charged in 2011. He is accused of robbing BoyleSports in Swords of €1,490 at gunpoint, possessing a firearm with intent to commit robbery, seizing a vehicle by threat of force, falsely imprisoning a woman, and threatening to kill her. Prosecution evidence presented by Mr Shane Costelloe SC included testimony from manager James Robertson, who stated he believed he was going to die when a gun was pointed at his head. Deputy manager Emma O'Reilly and cashier David Coleman also testified that they were threatened with firearms. The State's case alleges that Mr Byrne and an accomplice hid in the shop's bathroom for 35 minutes before emerging with guns. They allegedly fled to Thornleigh Avenue, where they seized a vehicle driven by Helen Leigh, threatening her before abandoning her. The trial, transferred from the Circuit Criminal Court last September, is expected to last up to two weeks. Mr Byrne is represented by Mr John D Fitzgerald SC. The matter is currently ongoing and has not been finalised.
A 36‑year‑old Dublin man is on trial for ten counts of oral rape and seven counts of assault with a baton or other weapons, all alleged to have occurred at a family home between 2001 and 2006. The complainant, who was 11 to 15 during the incidents, says he was repeatedly beaten with baseball bats, a nail‑laden baton, and darts, and that the accused forced him to perform sexual acts, including oral rape, on two occasions. He also claims the accused placed a loaded shotgun barrel in his mouth and threatened him with robbery. The accused pleaded not guilty to all charges. The trial is proceeding before Justice Michael White and a jury of five women and seven men, with the prosecution presenting the allegations as occurring while the brothers lived together after their parents separated and their father left the home.
Karl Vogelaar, a 29-year-old from Oulster Lane, Drogheda, Co Louth, has had his appeal against his conviction dismissed by the Court of Appeal. Vogelaar was found guilty by a jury at Dundalk Circuit Court of two counts of robbery contrary to section 14 of the Criminal Justice Act 2001. The allegations state that on November 4, 2016, three men robbed Tully's bookmakers in Wheaton Hall, Drogheda, at 8:45 pm, where one held a gun to the employee's face, a shot was fired, and €1,600 was taken. Ten minutes later, the group allegedly robbed Tully's bookmakers in Ballsgrove, taking €1,735. Gardai recovered the getaway car shortly after, finding black leggings inside that contained a DNA profile matching Vogelaar's. He was convicted on July 9, 2019, and sentenced to four years' imprisonment. At the appeal stage, Vogelaar's lawyers argued the DNA evidence did not directly link him to the crimes and that the trial judge should have withdrawn the case from the jury. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, delivering the judgment of the three-judge court, dismissed the appeal. She stated that the DNA match on the leggings, alongside other items linked to the robbery, significantly strengthened the connection between Vogelaar and the offences. The court concluded there was sufficient evidence that, if accepted by the jury, could lead to a conviction.
Paul Rooney, 30, who suffered an acquired brain injury in 2003 after a hit‑and‑run, pleaded guilty to assaulting Garda Patrick Barker on 19 January 2019. The incident occurred when Rooney was caught dragging a bike still attached to a rack down a busy Dublin city centre street. Rooney had 37 prior convictions, including criminal damage, theft and handling stolen property. Judge Martin Nolan, who had previously adjourned the case and ordered immediate return to court if Rooney committed further offences, sentenced him to two‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment but suspended the entire term on strict conditions, citing Rooney's medical history. The judge noted Rooney's behaviour had improved since the previous hearing and that he had been extremely apologetic after the assault, when his medication had taken effect. Rooney's mother and brothers were present at the scene and attempted to calm him.
A High Court dispute regarding the upkeep of art works, including pieces by Jack B Yeats, has been adjourned to a date after the Easter holidays. The action was brought by solicitor Brian Baily, an executor of the late Hugh James Tunney, and Tunney' Estates, the beneficial owner of the items. The defendants, Ms Caroline Devine, who claims she was Mr Tunney's partner, denies any wrongdoing. The plaintiffs seek injunctions for the possession of valuable paintings and orders preventing Ms Devine from carrying out works at the property where the items are kept without consent. They also seek possession of the property itself. The plaintiffs allege that the items are at risk due to the damp condition of the property and potential theft, and claim Ms Devine has obstructed their access. The case, which commenced last month, was heard before Mr Justice Senan Allen. The judge was informed that the parties have agreed to proceed to mediation, scheduled for early next month. With the consent of both parties, the court adjourned the case to a date after the Easter holidays. The High Court had previously granted the applicants permission to serve short notice of the injunction proceedings. The matter was adjourned after lawyers representing Ms Devine gave certain undertakings to the court.
Prince Joseph Ncube, aged 24, worked for a financial services firm when he discovered a glitch in Bank of Ireland's online banking system in April 2017. He opened four deposit accounts and used a sequencing and timing anomaly to create notional credits, transferring €48 between accounts to generate a credit that did not exist. Repeating the process, he built a notional balance exceeding €24,500, withdrawing €14,500 in cash before the bank froze the account. A senior fraud investigator recovered €10,000, and the bank provided documentation that led to Ncube's arrest. He pleaded guilty to theft at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three years, suspended in full, with a condition to pay €14,500 to the Gardaí for onward transmission to the bank within six months. Ncube's defence highlighted his youth, family background, and ongoing studies, while the prosecution noted the sophisticated nature of the fraud.
In a robbery of a bookies on South Circular Road, Rialto, Dublin, a 66‑year‑old pensioner was attacked by one of the two men who forced a teller to hand over cash. The attacker grabbed her by the neck, pushed her against the glass and held her until the money was given. The victim, who has epilepsy and a heart murmur, was shaken and suffered soft‑tissue damage. CCTV footage identified the raiders, who were later arrested at Carmens Hostel/Hall on Francis Street. David O'Brien, 43, pleaded guilty to robbery; he was not the man who held the woman but was part of the pair. O'Brien, who has prior convictions for theft, drug and public‑order offences, was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended to encourage rehabilitation. The victim, unable to return to the bookies, now plans to leave the neighbourhood where she has lived her whole life.
In a cash‑box robbery at Aldi in Clonee on 6 January 2020, Graham Doyle, 34, served as the getaway driver. He drove a Toyota Auris that later contained a "tool kit" with hacksaws, a hammer, a chisel, bleach bottles, rags and gloves, all designed to breach the security box and destroy evidence. Doyle pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the robbery of €27,800. He received a four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended under strict conditions. The court noted Doyle's 23 prior convictions, including theft, public‑order and traffic offences. His co‑accused, James Tracey, 32, was already serving a seven‑year term with the last two years suspended. The robbery involved an imitation firearm aimed at security guard Nicholas Murphy, who was forced to drop the cash box, which Tracey then seized before fleeing.
Sean Marsh, aged 20, and a juvenile accomplice carried out a series of car thefts and attempted hijackings in Dublin during June and July 2019 and again in July 2020. They tried to take a woman's car as she left her driveway in Malahide, forced a second woman to swerve and threw a bottle that smashed the rear window of her vehicle, and entered a third woman's house before being told to leave. Marsh pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to take a car without permission, one count of damaging a car window, one count of trespass likely to cause fear, three counts of using a car without consent, and one count of stealing diesel from an Applegreen service station. He has 23 prior convictions. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced him to four years, suspended the final year and backdated it to his custody start, and adjourned the case to April 13 for victim impact statements.
In December 2019, a 13‑year‑old boy attacked a couple on the Luas in Dublin. He spat a sweet at the woman, made racist remarks, stole the man's rucksack and repeatedly struck him with an 18‑cm iron bar, causing severe bruising and a hospital visit. The boy, now 15, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and to producing an article at St James's Luas stop; a theft charge was considered. He has seven prior convictions. Judge Karen O'Connor, noting the couple had fled Iraq for safety, imposed a deferred 18‑month detention, to be suspended for six months pending review. She set strict conditions, including a nightly curfew, and highlighted the boy's family support. The case will return to court on 8 October. The incident was captured on CCTV and the boy was arrested the following month. The court emphasized the racial element of the attack.
Michael Cawley, 16 at the time of the offence, was sentenced to three‑and‑a‑half years for an attempted burglary on Brewery Road, Stillorgan, in February 2014. The Court of Appeal, after the Director of Public Prosecutions argued that the sentence was too lenient, increased it to four‑and‑a‑half years. Cawley had tried to jimmy the door with a screwdriver while the homeowner held it shut, and after failing to enter the house he later broke into a home on Wilson Road, Mount Merrion, stealing €5,000 worth of property and a BMW. He had previously fled to the UK, where he committed another burglary in 2016, and had 29 prior convictions. The Court of Appeal noted the aggravating factors, including the planning, the late‑night timing and the confrontation with a homeowner, and imposed the increased sentence with no portion suspended.
In November 2019, Sarah Dunne, a 29‑year‑old homeless woman, attacked a man outside a shop on North Portland Street, Dublin. She demanded a cigarette, threw her bike, and when the man declined, she punched him twice in the rear end. She then stabbed him with a suspected syringe, leaving a puncture mark. The victim, who was with his girlfriend, was taken to Mountjoy Garda Station and hospital, where doctors confirmed the syringe injury and prescribed treatments for hepatitis and HIV prevention. Dunne pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. She was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment, backdated to May 2020, after the court noted the victim's fear and the use of a sharp object. The case also involved her earlier convictions for trespass and theft. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the assault and the potential health risks to the victim.
A Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that 26‑year‑old Eoram Dobnam De Lima, a university student, stole €6,936 in cash from his employer, a Centra newsagent in Charlemont Street, between 1 November 2019 and 15 January 2020. He regularly voided transactions while working the till, then totalling the voided amounts at the end of his shift and taking the money in cash. CCTV footage and a till security system revealed the irregularities, and the store owner, Robert O'Leary, investigated the times of the voids and matched them with the footage. De Lima admitted the theft when confronted, also admitting a prior incident in September 2019 for which no evidence existed. He pleaded guilty to three counts of stealing property. Defending counsel said he used the money to pay for his Masters in Dispute Resolution and expressed remorse, wishing to repay the loss.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 16 March 2021, Mr Justice Seamus Woulfe delivered his first judgment as an appeal court judge. The case concerned Keith O'Donoghue, a 32‑year‑old former drug addict from Limerick, who had pleaded guilty in 2020 to robbery and unlawful car taking on 21 October 2016. O'Donoghue had been involved in an addiction recovery programme, had begun a stable relationship, moved out of Limerick, worked as a volunteer, and taken part in education, training, health and fitness courses, and counselling. He had also paid €1,000 in compensation and had a positive probation report. The original Circuit Criminal Court judge had imposed a four‑year custodial sentence, with the final two years suspended.
Gareth White, 33, was jailed for three years after a series of fraud offences. He advertised on Gumtree for a €5,500 loan, claiming he would repay €8,000 in four months, and posed as a Tusla social worker. He provided forged documents and a phone bill to a victim who had saved for his daughter's college fund. White also set up a fake taxi company account, claiming to be a homeless charity contact, and sent invoices for rides that were never paid, costing the company €11,221. In February 2020 he created a bogus mobile phone company account, ordering 115 phones and broadband devices worth €36,729, which were delivered but never paid for. White pleaded guilty to theft and deception offences between March 2017 and April 2020, had 13 prior convictions, and was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to a four‑year consecutive term with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions.
In a 2021 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Myles Connors, aged 24, was sentenced for a 2020 false imprisonment and assault of Edward Babos, and a 2018 robbery. Connors and another man entered Babos's friend's home, partially stripped him, and used scissors to cut his hair while threatening him. They forced Babos into a car, drove at dangerous speeds, and attempted to extract money from an ATM. The assault lasted about an hour and involved threats to jam scissors in Babos's eyes. Connors also pleaded guilty to robbing a phone and €150 cash from a victim in 2018, where he pointed a knife at the victim's stomach. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a four‑year sentence for the false imprisonment and assault, a three‑year sentence for the robbery, to run consecutively, with the final two years suspended on conditions. The sentence was back‑dated to May 2020 when Connors first entered custody.
Jason Collins, aged 19, was sentenced to 16 months in prison for attempting to rob a taxi driver when he was 16. The offence, committed on Bluebell Avenue, Dublin, on 15 May 2018, involved Collins and two teenage girls who flagged down a taxi on Cork Street at about 4 a.m. Collins brandished a flick knife, threatened the driver, and then punched and kicked him after the driver fled. The driver suffered facial cuts and a broken tooth and was taken to hospital. Collins, who had blood on his clothes, was also hospitalized for a hand injury. He had previously been convicted of a similar attack with his brother. The court, noting his juvenile status and personal hardships, imposed a two‑year, four‑month sentence with the final 12 months suspended under conditions. The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
Dubliner Ross Crea (18) has been sentenced to two years imprisonment, with the final 14 months suspended on strict conditions, for assault causing harm at Cope Street, Dublin 2 on April 18, 2019. Crea, who was aged 16 at the time of the incident, pleaded guilty to the charge at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The incident occurred in the early hours of the morning when the accused, along with another person, approached the victim and asked for a cigarette. When the victim refused, Crea stabbed him in the shoulder with a screwdriver before fleeing the scene. The victim sustained a puncture wound to his shoulder, which did not require inpatient hospital treatment. Crea was extremely intoxicated upon his arrest and was unable to get to his feet in a garda station. His previous convictions include robbery, attempted robbery, and criminal damage. The court heard that Crea had been living with his grandmother prior to moving back to the city centre to live with his mother and step-father after a period of homelessness. Counsel for Crea stated that her client has little recollection of the offence but accepts full responsibility and is remorseful. Judge Martin Nolan noted that the injury was not serious and that the custodial sentence was lessened on the basis of Crea's youth and the hope for rehabilitation.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Dubliner Derek Ennis to four and a half years imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to attempted robbery at Paddy Power, Seafort Avenue, Sandymount, south Dublin, on February 26, 2020. Judge Martin Nolan noted that the firearm used was likely an imitation due to the "sheer incompetence" of the crime, stating it seemed unlikely a man behaving in such a manner could acquire a real firearm. Prosecution evidence indicated Ennis entered the bookmakers with his hood up but removed it when asked by an employee, making him easily identifiable on CCTV. He pointed a gun at the employee, who fled and activated a panic button; Ennis left without stealing any money. Ennis, of Strandmill Road, Portmarnock, has six previous convictions for robbery, along with other offenses including theft, assault, and drug possession. Defense counsel Emmet Nolan BL described the incident as a "completely incompetent act" and highlighted Ennis's lifelong drug addiction, which he claimed drove the crime. The judge accepted that the enterprise was poorly executed but imposed the custodial sentence. The matter was finalized with this sentence.
Dubliner Kevin Murphy (30) was sentenced to four years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for robbery at Aston Place, Temple Bar, Dublin city centre, on June 29, 2020. Murphy pleaded guilty to the charge. The incident involved Murphy attacking a man, punching and kicking him while he was on the ground. The victim was found bleeding, surrounded by people, and his phone was missing. A security guard from a nearby restaurant observed the incident and saw Murphy beating the victim. Murphy fled the scene and was apprehended by an off-duty garda who recovered the victim's stolen phone from his hand. Murphy had previous convictions for possession of drugs for sale or supply, possession of stolen property, and violent behaviour in a garda station. Defence counsel, Carol Doherty BL, stated that Murphy was heavily intoxicated at the time of apprehension and had a history of drug use, including crack and heroin, since the age of 28. She noted that Murphy is homeless and has two children, and asked the court to give him the opportunity to prove he can remain intoxicant free and be a family man. Judge Martin Nolan described the robbery as 'nasty enough' and noted that the property was recovered and that Murphy wants to reform. The matter was finalised at the sentence stage.
Gerry O'Brien and Joanne O'Brien appeared before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where both pleaded guilty to theft charges. Gerry O'Brien admitted to one count of stealing €107,286 in cash and cheques by deception from Beryl Tilson, then aged 77, at a Sandyford address between July 2017 and November 2018. He also pleaded guilty to one count of stealing €27,254 in cash and cheques by deception from Rosemary Fitzgerald, then aged 73, at a Blackrock address between August and November 2018. Joanne O'Brien pleaded guilty to two counts of theft from Ms Tilson on December 23, 2017, and July 12, 2018. The prosecution alleged the defendants used fabricated sob stories and a fake solicitor to deceive the victims. Judge Pauline Codd adjourned the matter to May 17 for sentencing. The court noted Gerry O'Brien has 68 previous convictions, while Joanne O'Brien has 28, mostly for road traffic offences. Defence counsel stated Gerry O'Brien was remorseful, though the judge noted his letter focused on his own woes rather than the victims. It was also noted that Joanne O'Brien had repaid the €900 stolen from Ms Tilson. The matter was adjourned and not concluded.
Bernard Norton, 49, from Newrath View, Kells, Co Meath, was sentenced at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a fully suspended two‑year imprisonment for fraudulently claiming €15,854.70 in Jobseekers Allowance in his own name and in his brother Robert's name between 2013 and 2015. He also pleaded guilty to six counts of theft at Killinard Post Office and deception at the same address. The fraud was uncovered when a photograph taken during a Public Services Card application matched a photo of Robert Norton, who had been working in the UK the whole time. Norton had previously been convicted of stealing over €200,000 from a financial institution in 2001‑2002 and of stealing about €35,000 from another employer in 2016, for which he received a two‑year custodial sentence.
Two men, Robert Malole (43) and Gheorghe Cocos (44), were jailed after they followed an 87‑year‑old woman who had just withdrawn €2,000 from a bank. They watched her at the bank, followed her to a shop, pharmacy and then to her car. Cocos asked her to point out a location on a map, obscuring her view of her handbag while the money was stolen. Gardaí traced the pair through CCTV and by following their rental car, which they had obtained using their real passports. The men repaid the victim in full. They pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to theft at Brackenstown Road, Swords on 20 October 2020. Malole, who has nine previous convictions, was given an eight‑month sentence consecutive to his current term, while Cocos, who has three previous convictions and is serving a two‑year sentence with the final eight months suspended, received a 20‑month sentence.
Paul Heaney, 37, was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment for robbery and attempted robbery at Long's Place on 21 October 2019, with the final nine months suspended on strict conditions. He was part of a joint enterprise with Gareth Mallon, 39, who received a four‑year sentence in December. The offence involved a realistic imitation firearm and the robbery of an Italian student who handed over €60, followed by an attempted robbery of his teacher. Heaney was not armed during the offence and had previously pleaded guilty to 51 convictions, including robbery and attempted robbery. He attended a garda station voluntarily a few days after the crime. The court noted Heaney's troubled upbringing, his efforts at rehabilitation, and his current drug‑free status. The case attracted media attention and was featured on RTE's Liveline. The sentencing was carried out by Judge Elma Sheahan at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.