Nicola Henry, 32, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to three counts of theft, two counts of attempted theft, and two counts of making a false instrument. The offences, committed between April 2014 and September 2015, involved Henry, then secretary of the Johnson & Johnson social club, forging colleagues' signatures to write 37 cheques to herself. She cashed 27 of these, receiving €17,326, which she spent on luxury holidays, shopping, and beauty treatments. Additionally, she spent €3,233 on a company credit card after it was blocked. Judge Pauline Codd accepted that Henry's actions were driven by depression and noted a psychological report indicating low re-offending risk. The judge handed down a two-year sentence but suspended the final 18 months on conditions. The sentence was backdated to November last year, when Henry was placed in custody following her arrest. Henry, of Co Roscommon, has no previous convictions. A further 65 counts were taken into consideration. The court heard she was suspended from her role when the thefts were discovered in August 2015. Defence counsel highlighted her remorse and family history, while the prosecution detailed the specific luxury expenditures. The matter was finalised with this suspended sentence and effective custody period.
In 2021 the Court of Appeal increased the sentence of 51‑year‑old Stephen Joyce, a father of seven from Tallaght, for a 2019 mugging. Joyce had approached a woman alone at a bus stop, asked for a cigarette, then grabbed her bag and threatened her with a knife. A security guard heard the incident, confronted Joyce and called the gardai, who found him still in possession of the victim's items. CCTV identified him and he pleaded guilty to robbery at the Circuit Criminal Court, receiving a 21‑month sentence on 18 June 2020. The Court of Appeal, after hearing from the Director of Public Prosecutions, agreed the sentence was too lenient and raised it to four years, suspending the final six months for two years. The decision was made by Justice Patrick McCarthy, with Justice Aileen Donnelly and Justice Isobel Kennedy present.
The High Court is hearing a dispute over the care of artworks owned by the late businessman Hugh James Tunney. The estate, represented by solicitor and executor Brian Baily, claims that the valuable paintings – including works by Jack B Yeats, John Lavery, Roderick O'Connor and August Von Heckel – are at risk because the property where they are stored is damp and potentially vulnerable to theft. The estate also alleges that Ms Caroline Devine, who was a partner of Mr Tunney and has been granted certain rights to his estate, has obstructed their access to the items. The applicants seek injunctions to obtain possession of the paintings and the property, and to prevent Ms Devine from carrying out work at the site without consent. The case was adjourned after Ms Devine's lawyers offered undertakings, and the judge encouraged mediation before the next hearing.
Paul Bradley, 40, entered Liberties Careplus pharmacy, brandishing a 20‑cm knife and demanding Valium tablets and €250 in cash. He fled with the drugs and money, then was pursued by the pharmacist to a nearby apartment complex where Gardaí were alerted. Police found Bradley still holding the knife, the cash, and the tablet bag. He pleaded guilty to robbing the pharmacy on 13 April 2021 and to a prior burglary of a business premises on 15 April 2018. The 2018 burglary involved breaking into an office via a fire escape, damaging a window and leaving DNA evidence. Bradley has 22 prior burglary convictions. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to one year for the office burglary and three years for the pharmacy robbery, with both terms to run consecutively. The judge noted Bradley's repeated failures in crime.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Mohammad Bah, a 21‑year‑old college student, avoided jail for stealing five phones from a UPS sorting facility. He pleaded guilty to two counts of theft on 2 August 2019. The judge, after a restorative justice programme, imposed a €100 fine and deferred imprisonment under Section 100 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, citing Bah's youth and potential for rehabilitation. Bah admitted to being part of a "gang" of employees who stole phones, initially acting as a lookout before profiting from the thefts. He claimed the operation was led by a senior employee and that he earned up to €900 from the stolen phones. The case highlights the court's emphasis on restorative measures for first‑time offenders.
The Special Criminal Court heard evidence in the ongoing trial of Lee Canavan (31), who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of David Douglas (55) at Shoestown, Bridgefoot Street, Dublin 1, on July 1, 2016. Former State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy testified via video-link that Mr Douglas died from six gunshot injuries sustained while standing in his shop doorway. She detailed that five bullets exited the body, while one remained in his trunk, causing extensive damage to his jaw and neck. The prosecution alleges this was a meticulously planned assassination, with Canavan identified as the shooter. They further claim a stolen Mercedes-Benz, linked to Canavan via fingerprints and DNA, was used as the getaway vehicle before being set alight. Canavan also denies a separate charge of criminal damage to a Suzuki Swift. This is the fourth prosecution related to the killing; previously, Frederick 'Fat Freddie' Thompson was jailed for life for the murder, Gareth Brophy received a ten-year sentence for acting as a getaway driver, and Nathan Foley pleaded guilty to assisting a criminal organisation, receiving a six-year sentence. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath and colleagues.
Paul Crosby, 25, of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, faced a five‑year prison sentence with six months suspended for arson after he and two others jump‑started a stolen Volkswagen Polo, drove it to a field in the Yellowbatter area, and set it on fire. The car, stolen from Dublin and fitted with stolen plates, tax and insurance discs, was valued at €10,000 and was a write‑off. A judge at the Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court reduced the headline seven‑year sentence to five years after taking into account Crosby's early guilty plea. Crosby has 40 prior convictions, including 31 for road traffic offences, four for theft, three for drug‑related offences and two for criminal damage. He was acquitted of an attempted murder charge in February 2019. The Court of Appeal heard that the arson was described as "mysterious" and that the fire was set in a field away from houses and people.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Nathan Harold, 26, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years' imprisonment for robbery and assault. The offence occurred on 22 November 2019 at Camden Place, Dublin city centre, when Harold, then on bail, approached an intoxicated man, Cathal Doyle, who had been refused entry to a nightclub. Harold punched Doyle repeatedly, knocked him to the ground, and stamped on him as he was leaving. Doyle's phone and wallet were taken. Harold had no fixed address, previously lived on Ratoath Avenue, Finglas, and had 55 prior convictions, including theft, drug possession and public order offences. He pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and was described by the judge as having seized an opportunity to prey on Doyle. The court imposed the sentence accordingly.
Carlos Mason, a 32‑year‑old UK national, was surrendered to the UK under a European Arrest Warrant for alleged leadership of an organised crime group that sold internet users' bank details on the dark web. The warrant accuses him of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation between March 2017 and June 2019 and possession of criminal property. Mason had previously been jailed for one year in Dublin in May 2020 after pleading guilty to two counts of dishonestly inducing two luxury Dublin hotels to accept fraudulent credit card payments between 29 December 2019 and 19 January 2020. He used a stolen American Express card to check into the Shelbourne hotel on 29 December 2019, accruing a €3,735 bill, and later stayed at the Westbury Hotel until 19 January, accruing a €4,700 bill. In total, he spent €8,435 in both hotels, enjoying "wining and dining" without paying.
David Dwyer, 37, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment after a drunken domestic incident on 22 February 2018. While intoxicated, he held a knife to his then partner's neck and threatened to stab two Gardaí who had entered the house. He refused to drop the knife, drew a second blade and threw both knives at the officers. The Garda used pepper spray and a baton before handcuffing him. Dwyer pleaded guilty to the offence of producing an article in the course of a dispute. His prior convictions include arson, robbery, assault and possession of knives. The judge noted his bad temper and advised him to abstain from alcohol, expressing hope for his reform. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Jason Freeman, 26, was sentenced to seven years in prison after firing a handgun to "cause terror" in Ballymun. On 28 June 2020, Freeman pointed the gun at a man's head in a driveway, then moved it and discharged two shots that passed through the front door of a neighbouring house. One bullet grazed the head of the woman inside, who had children and a grandchild. She sustained a one‑inch wound requiring eight staples. Freeman pleaded guilty to possession of a 9mm handgun in suspicious circumstances and to recklessly discharging a firearm. He had 48 prior convictions, including robbery and assault. The court noted his intent was to instill fear, not to kill, and imposed the custodial sentence accordingly. The firearm was not recovered. The sentence was back‑dated to 30 June 2020.
A 48‑year‑old serial burglar, Bernard Foran, was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that he used a stolen master key to break into a dozen rooms at the Dean Hotel on 17 October 2020 while he was on bail for earlier burglary offences. Foran, who lives on Cloonlara Road, Finglas, had already pleaded guilty to two further burglaries on 18 October 2020 at Cedar Tree Restaurant and The Globe Bar, both in Dublin city centre. He admitted to forcing entry into a storage area, acquiring the master key, and then using it to enter 12 hotel rooms, stealing cash, jewellery and an Apple watch. The next night he was caught by a staff member at The Globe Bar, where he was found with a silver knife he claimed was for protection but had been stolen from Cedar Tree Restaurant.
John Corr, 55, owner of a pharmacy chain, pleaded guilty before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 20 counts of deception under the Theft and Fraud Act 2001 for fraudulently obtaining payments from the HSE's Primary Care Reimbursement Service. He admitted to inducing the scheme to reimburse €769.14 for services at Corr's pharmacy in Mell, Drogheda, on 28 July 2016. The offence involved various sums ranging from €7 to €220 at his Dublin and Drogheda locations. The DPP had previously directed trial on indictment, and Corr was remanded on continuing bail until 19 April for sentencing.
Tomas Mikalajunas, 41, a Lithuanian national, was sentenced by the Court of Appeal to two years and nine months in prison for two burglaries and one criminal damage charge. He had originally received a suspended five‑year, six‑month sentence after a 2016 incident in which a Garda's accidental gun discharge left him with life‑changing injuries, including difficulty speaking and eating. The burglaries involved a pharmacy in Kinsale (January 2015) where €60,000 of high‑end perfumes were stolen, and a boutique in Adare (2016) where €80,000 of clothing was taken. The Court of Appeal found the original sentence unduly lenient and imposed the new term, with no portion suspended, while also imposing a concurrent two‑year sentence for criminal damage. Mikalajunas was present via video link from Lithuania. Tomas Mikalajunas pleaded guilty.
A 39-year-old man facing trial on charges of deception and theft had a bail surety of €100,000 incorrectly refunded in full instead of the reduced amount of €50,000, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Friday. The defendant, from Limerick, had the money distributed amongst family members who had contributed to the surety. His legal team told the court he is currently reliant on Covid-19 welfare payments following redundancy. During an application to vary bail conditions, Judge Melanie Greally expressed concern about evidence that the accused had been travelling in a newly acquired van with power tools, questioning how this aligned with his stated financial circumstances. A detective garda objected to any variation, citing flight risk concerns and the seriousness of potential penalties if convicted. The matter was adjourned to March 5th to allow gardaí to establish whether the defendant's stated need to travel to Wexford for care duties was necessary. The accused faces 18 theft counts involving over €85,000 in County Mayo.
Thomas O'Brien, 49, was jailed for four and a half years after Gardaí found him carrying a bag containing €57,435 worth of cocaine. He was discovered while responding to a call about a man banging on a window in Ballyfermot; O'Brien was intoxicated and acting erratically. Gardaí searched his Dunnes Stores bag and found blocks of cocaine, a knife, weighing scales, plastic bagging, spoons, scissors, gloves and a suspected drugs tick list. O'Brien pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Con Colbert Road, Dublin 8, on 1 May 2018. He claimed he had stolen the bag, but his defence argued he had opportunistically taken the drugs after an overdose the night before. Judge Martin Nolan noted O'Brien's remorse and prior convictions, including manslaughter, robbery, burglary and hijacking, and imposed a sentence of four and a half years, recognising the offence's seriousness but departing from the presumptive minimum of ten years.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Michael Joyce, aged 23, was found guilty of assault causing harm to his then partner Katelyn Stevenson, criminal damage to her iPhone, and theft of two mobile phones. The incident occurred on 24 May 2020 in the bedroom of Joyce's sister Elizabeth's home. Joyce, who was under the influence of cocaine, became enraged when Stevenson questioned his fidelity. He seized her phone, smashed it, pushed and slapped her, and later punched her sister twice. The sister's daughter, present in the room, pleaded with her mother not to be hit. Joyce also struck the sister a third time before leaving. He was sentenced to an 18‑month prison term, suspended for three years, with a condition of good behaviour. The court noted his prior record of 27 convictions, including criminal damage and violence, and his remorse expressed to Gardaí.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Jordan Murray, aged 23, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years imprisonment for possession of a firearm and ammunition. The case stemmed from a police search of a taxi that stopped at Neilstown Road, Clondalkin, on 31 July 2020. Gardaí discovered a Glock 9mm handgun, 12 rounds of 9mm ammunition, and a small amount of cannabis in the vehicle. The handgun's serial number had been filed off, and Murray offered no explanation for its presence. He had previously pleaded guilty to the firearm offences and had nine prior convictions for public order offences and theft. The judge noted that the detective's suggestion that Murray had obtained the gun for revenge after a prior assault could not be relied upon, and he emphasized that the gun could have been used to threaten, injure, or kill. Murray's record was considered, but the judge highlighted his apparent willingness to reform while in custody.
Joseph Cahill, aged 42, was sentenced to five years in prison for robbery after he and an accomplice attacked Eileen Hughes and her husband in a Tallaght car park on 25 March 2018. Cahill, armed with a knife, and the gunman forced Hughes to hand over two rings she had advertised on the "Done Deal" website, worth €12,000. The robbery lasted about two minutes. Hughes' three children, aged 4, 6 and 9, were present. Cahill had pleaded not guilty to the single count but was convicted by a jury. The judge suspended the final twelve months of the sentence on the condition that he keep the peace. Cahill has over 100 prior convictions, including burglary, theft and offences involving stolen cars. He admitted that his life had spiralled due to crack cocaine and heroin addiction, and that custody had saved him.
Michael Small, a 54‑year‑old former solicitor from Renville, Oranmore, Co. Galway, faces a trial set for 9 January 2023 in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He is charged with multiple counts of theft, deception, failure to keep accounting records and the use of false accounting documents, alleged to have occurred over a two‑year period while he was practising in Limerick. Earlier, in 2008 and 2009, he appeared before the Dublin District Court on similar charges. The case involves allegations of €1.2 million in fraud, and free legal aid was granted for the circuit court proceedings.
Paul Heaney, aged 37, and Gareth Mallon, aged 39, carried out a robbery near the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin on 21 October 2019. Mallon, who held a realistic imitation firearm, approached an Italian student, pointed the gun at his legs, and demanded money. Heaney, unarmed and wearing a tissue over his face, joined the assault. The student handed over €60, after which Mallon pointed the gun at a teacher who screamed. A second teacher intervened and the two robbers fled. Heaney voluntarily presented himself at a Garda station a few days later and pleaded guilty to robbery and attempted robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He has 51 prior convictions. Mallon was sentenced to four years' imprisonment in December. Heaney's sentencing is scheduled for next month, with the court noting his remorse and desire for rehabilitation. The case was highlighted on the Joe Duffy radio show and the Liveline programme.
Kevin Brosnan, 40, pleaded guilty to a robbery at Centra, Old Bawn Shopping Centre, Tallaght, on 2 April 2020. He entered the shop armed with a knife, removed his mask and shouted "Coronavirus" at a security guard, using a racial slur and threatening to kill the guard. He demanded the till be opened, claiming to be HIV positive, and repeatedly threatened the guard as the guard tried to block him. A public witness reported the incident, leading to Brosnan's arrest. He was found with €630, which was returned to the shop. Brosnan had 82 prior convictions, including burglary, theft, knife possession and affray. The court ordered a Probation Service report and adjourned the matter for finalisation on 23 March. The judge noted Brosnan's remorse and the contrast between his sober demeanor and his actions during the offence.
James Tracey, 32, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for pointing a realistic imitation firearm at a cash‑in‑transit van driver during a robbery on 6 January 2020. The incident occurred near an Aldi branch in Clonee, Co. Meath, where Tracey forced the driver to drop a cash box containing €27,000. Tracey pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to commit robbery and robbery of a cash box. He fled the scene, was apprehended by Garda Emergency Response Unit members, and the cash was recovered in full. The court noted the victim's severe shock and ongoing anxiety. Tracey's defence cited financial hardship and alleged drug debt, but the judge found no evidence of a drug problem. The judge accepted Tracey's remorse, assessed him as moderately likely to reoffend, and suspended the final two years of a seven‑year sentence on the condition of post‑release supervision for two years.
Derek Lennon, aged 34, of Neagh Road, Terenure, Dublin 6, had his prison sentence increased by 18 months by the Court of Appeal after a violent assault on State witness Niall Fitzgerald. Lennon had 72 prior convictions, including robbery, arson, assault and assault causing harm. In March 2016 he was convicted of dangerous driving for a motorbike crash, banned from driving for six years and sentenced to 90 hours community service. In 2018, after Fitzgerald was called to testify again, Lennon intimidated him, threatened to kill him, and attacked him with a plank of wood, leaving a permanent scar and dental damage. Lennon pleaded guilty to two counts of intimidation, criminal damage to CCTV cameras, assault causing harm, production of a length of wood and threatening to kill. Judge Martin Nolan originally sentenced him to four and a half years.
In 2019, John McDonagh, aged 31, was jailed for a violent assault on Saurjan Syergaz in Dublin. McDonagh, who had over 80 convictions, punched and kicked Syergaz after the victim had intervened in a dispute between McDonagh and his partner, Donna Dineen. McDonagh walked away before Dineen slashed Syergaz with a knife and stole his wallet. The Court of Appeal reduced McDonagh's original three‑year sentence to two years and six months, suspending the final three months. The judges noted that McDonagh was not responsible for the stabbing, had only engaged in punching and kicking, and had retreated when the assault escalated. They also cited evidence of his rehabilitation efforts and a positive letter from a priest. Dineen, who had also been convicted, was jailed for four years for assault and robbery. The case highlights the court's consideration of culpability and rehabilitation in sentencing.
Dean Masterson, 34, a father of three with a history of serious convictions, was sentenced to one year in prison for attempting to defraud a bank by submitting false documents in a mortgage application. He sought a €220,000 loan to buy a family home, but bank staff detected the falsities and no money was disbursed. Masterson pleaded guilty to deception and five counts of using false instruments, having provided a fake salary certificate, payslip, P60 and two bank statements. The court noted his prior convictions for robbery, attempted robbery and theft between 2004 and 2012, and that he had not been convicted since 2016. Judge Pauline Codd highlighted the premeditation and deliberation involved, describing the offence as "fairly sophisticated" and imposing a four‑year sentence, with the final three years suspended on strict conditions.
Terry Meegan Jr, 27, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to an operating sentence of four years and three months imprisonment. He pleaded guilty to robbery at a Centra shop in Dalkey on March 10, 2020, as well as trespass, criminal damage, and assault committed in December 2019. Judge Martin Nolan imposed two years and three months for the robbery and two years for the earlier offences, ordered to run consecutively. The robbery involved Edward Andrews, 26, who received a separate sentence of three years and three months in December 2020. The getaway car was driven by Darren Rowe, 35, who was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years for dangerous driving causing death. During the escape, the vehicle struck two pedestrians, resulting in the death of Jacqueline McGovern, 54, and injuries to Audrey Began. Meegan was on bail for the 2019 assault at the time of the robbery. The court acknowledged mitigation including his guilty plea, remorse, and completion of residential drug treatment, but prioritized punishment over rehabilitation given the severity of the crimes.
Leo Fitzpatrick, 21, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for his role as the getaway driver in an attempted armed robbery of Paddocks Pub in Clonee on 11 June 2018. He pleaded guilty to the offence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and admitted driving the vehicle used to flee the scene, though he claimed he was unaware that his accomplice, Robert Cullen, possessed a sawn‑off shotgun. Cullen, 29, had already been sentenced to seven and a half years for the robbery, possession of the firearm and discharging it. Fitzpatrick's sentence was imposed by Judge Pauline Codd, who noted his apparent fright at the shots fired but found it difficult to believe he did not know about the weapon. The sentence was five years, with the final three and a half years suspended on strict conditions.
Sandra Warren, 45, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a fully suspended 30‑month imprisonment for robbing a foreign student on O'Curry Avenue, Dublin 8, on 23 May 2016. The student, who had been in Ireland for four days, was led by Warren down a laneway, where Warren seized her bag containing a wallet, bank cards and phone. Warren, who was using drugs and under pressure from a man to obtain money, pleaded guilty. The judge noted Warren's abusive relationship had ended and that she was now in stable accommodation and on methadone. The sentence was suspended for three years on strict conditions, including continued participation in a drug treatment programme. Warren had eight prior convictions for robbery, burglary and theft. The victim was left traumatised, with whiplash injuries, and unable to access funds or contact anyone. The court emphasised the seriousness of the offence against a guest in the country.
In a case heard by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a 40‑year‑old man was given a fully suspended two‑year sentence for wilful neglect of his seven‑year‑old autistic son. The incident occurred on 2 June 2017 at Customs House Harbour, where the boy was found alone in a buggy about 15 feet from the water, not wearing a coat. The father claimed he had left the party with his son, went to a pub to use the toilet, and, in a "bad state" after taking tablets and alcohol, did not see the child again, mistakenly believing his partner had taken them home. Both children have since been taken into care and separated; the younger is in foster care and the older in residential care. The father, who has 13 prior convictions including theft and drug possession, pleaded guilty and expressed deep remorse.
Darren King, 34, of Cole Park Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin, was convicted of possessing cannabis and cocaine for sale or supply on Ballyfermot Road, Cole Park Road and at his home on 23 April 2019. He was found with a drug stash worth over €700,000, including cannabis valued at nearly €600,000 and cocaine worth €15,000, and cash of €800. King admitted possession for the purpose of sale or supply. He had a prior robbery conviction and was on sick leave at the time of arrest, with mortgage arrears. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to seven years' imprisonment, noting his moderate risk of reoffending and the high value of the drugs. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the offence and the amount of drugs involved. The case was prosecuted by Eoghan Cole BL and defended by Seamus Clarke SC. Darren King pleaded guilty.
Sylvia O'Mahoney, a South Dublin resident, brought High Court proceedings against Facebook Ireland Ltd, alleging that a hacker accessed her account and breached her constitutional privacy and GDPR rights. Ms O'Mahoney claimed she was locked out after discovering unauthorized messages, including invitations to a decking company, and that her profile name had been changed to 'Luo Yihan'. She reported the issue via Facebook's automated system but received only automated responses in Chinese. In her sworn statement, she sought mandatory injunctions to prevent the unknown user from accessing her account, the return of stolen data, and full activity logs from January 1st. Facebook accepted the account was hacked but denied culpability, stating it restored access within two business days and provided all requested information. Counsel for Facebook, Rossa Fanning SC, argued there was no evidence of Facebook's fault, while Ms O'Mahoney's counsel, Jack Fitzgerald, noted the matter had become more urgent due to the account being linked to unrelated entities. Ms Justice Reynolds adjourned the matter to a date in early February to allow the parties to exchange documents.
Cillian Cullen, 24, received a fully suspended five‑year prison sentence after pleading guilty to impeding the apprehension of a person in a failed gun‑point robbery that took place on 11 June 2018. Cullen joined his older brother Robert Cullen, 29, after the robbery, was present when the getaway car was set on fire, and then left with his brother in a car he had left nearby the night before. The court heard that Cullen's family had been threatened with violence and that they were under pressure due to Robert Cullen's drug debts. Judge Pauline Codd suspended the entire sentence on the basis of Cullen's lack of prior convictions, the exceptional pressures that led him to assist the perpetrators, and his low risk of reoffending as assessed by the Probation Service. The sentence was suspended on the condition that Cullen keep the peace and be of good behaviour for five years.
In a robbery at the Kilbarrack post office, Keith Deegan (33) was left behind by his two accomplices when they fled. Deegan had armed himself with a tow bar wrapped in a towel and entered the shop with two others. The masked men smashed the security glass and separated staff from customers to access the cash. Witnesses described the chaos, with staff scrambling across broken glass to escape. Deegan was found holding €6,463, while the other men took just under €6,000, which remains unrecovered. He pleaded guilty to robbery, false imprisonment, criminal damage to the security glass, and allowing himself to be carried in the stolen car used to reach the post office. With 42 prior convictions, including robbery and drug offences, Deegan was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended on the condition of residential drug treatment. The case remains under investigation by the DPP.
Llyod Pennant, a 60‑year‑old man from Dundalk diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2000, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to importing cannabis and to possession of cannabis for sale or supply on 4 June 2019. He had been stopped by customs after disembarking from a ferry, where the cannabis was found in his hand luggage in two bags, valued at €19,800. Pennant claimed he had collected the drugs in the UK for his own use to relieve pain, as he cannot take MS injections when his blood pressure falls. He has 16 prior convictions, including deception and possession of stolen property. Judge Martin Nolan, describing the case as "exceptional", imposed a four‑year prison sentence but suspended the entire term on strict conditions, citing Pennant's medical needs and the difficulty of imprisonment for someone with MS. The sentence was fully suspended, with no custodial time imposed.
Patrick Maughan, 21, of Kimmage, was sentenced to three years in prison for a knife‑point robbery of a Domino's pizza delivery driver on 13 February 2018. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge, Melanie Greally, described the incident as a "frightening threat" and noted that Maughan had claimed it was "just a joke" in an interview with Gardaí. He had previously been convicted of four road traffic offences. The judge suspended the final two years of a five‑year sentence on the condition that he engage with Probation Services and a domestic violence programme. Maughan's family were described as "disgusted" by his actions. The delivery driver was not harmed and the pizza was eventually paid for by a woman who entered the house. The case was prosecuted by Derek Cooney BL.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Gerard Carey, aged 43, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for possessing stolen North Face clothing and a Mini Cooper. The case stemmed from a break‑in at the North Face Ireland storage depot on 30 May 2019, during which €45,000 of merchandise was stolen. Gardaí searched Carey's Tallaght home on 3 June 2019 and found €12,000 worth of North Face items, some removed from packing boxes and others still on the bed with tags. The court noted that none of the remaining merchandise had been recovered. Carey pleaded guilty to knowingly or recklessly being in possession of stolen property. He had 70 prior convictions, including a partially suspended eight‑year term for armed robbery in 2013. The judge, citing the value of the stolen goods and Carey's addiction history, imposed a three‑year term, suspended the final year on condition of engagement with Probation Services.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Dean Fitzpatrick, aged 28, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after punching David Curran on Grafton Street on 15 February 2017. Curran suffered a broken nose, three jaw fractures and a fracture above his eye, requiring surgery and extensive stitches. The assault left him with lasting nerve damage, forced him to drop out of college and lose his degree, and caused a significant increase in his anxiety and depression. Fitzpatrick was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended on the condition that he engage with Probation Services and addiction treatment for 12 months. The judge also noted Fitzpatrick's 70 prior convictions, including assault, theft, public order and road traffic offences. The case highlighted the severe physical and psychological impact of the assault on the victim.
Wayne Fitzgerald, 47, was given a suspended sentence after using his ill father to withdraw more than €9,000 from a deceased man's bank account. Fitzgerald learned of the account when the deceased's bank statements were mistakenly sent to his father, who shared the same name as the account holder. The account holder had lived in the same building a decade earlier, and their names differed only by the initial of their middle name. Sergeant Brian Hunt explained that Fitzgerald's father, suffering from dementia, brought him to the bank to withdraw the funds, which Fitzgerald then transferred to his own account. Fitzgerald pleaded guilty to eight charges of handling stolen property, totalling €9,250, for transactions in Dublin between June and November 2016. He had no prior convictions. The bank refunded the withdrawn amount. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Fitzgerald had seen an opportunity and, "to his shame," took it.
The High Court heard that the United States has formally withdrawn its extradition request for Conor Freeman, a 21-year-old from Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin. Freeman, who appeared by video-link from Mountjoy Prison, is no longer facing a maximum potential sentence of 108 years in the US. The Attorney General's counsel informed Mr Justice Paul Burns that the US diplomatic note confirmed the withdrawal because Freeman had already been convicted and sentenced in Ireland for the same offences, with no appeals lodged. Freeman had previously pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing the proceeds of crime, specifically 142.75682712 Bitcoin. He also admitted to stealing cryptocurrency from Darran Marble, Seth Sharpiro, and Micheal Templeman between May 15 and May 18, 2018, and to three counts of dishonestly operating a computer to make a gain. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Freeman to three years' imprisonment, reduced to two years and 11 months to account for time already served. The judge noted the crime involved guile and deception but acknowledged almost perfect mitigation, including Freeman's guilty plea, cooperation, youth, and lack of prior convictions. US authorities had alleged Freeman participated in attacks by a group called 'The Community' using SIM swapping techniques to steal over $2 million in cryptocurrency.
Catherine Gaffney, 53, is in custody at Dochas Centre, Mountjoy Prison, after convictions at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. She is wanted in Northern Ireland for alleged theft of six designer handbags and an obstruction offence. Gaffney applied for bail in the High Court, arguing that the European Arrest Warrant should not preclude bail. The High Court refused, citing section 27 of the European Arrest Warrant Act 2003, which states that a person in her situation "shall not be remanded on bail or otherwise released from custody." Gaffney appealed to the Court of Appeal, but the three‑judge panel, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, dismissed the appeal. The Court confirmed that she must be surrendered to UK authorities upon release. The alleged offences involve Mulberry handbags stolen in July, August, November and December 2016, and an attempt to steal a seventh handbag and a purse on 10 December 2016, as well as obstructing a constable on that day.
James Preston, a 40‑year‑old father of four, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply. He had transported more than €190,000 of cannabis, which Gardaí found in a white VW van he owned, after being stopped on 1 May 2020. The drugs were discovered under a blanket in the van's back, comprising ten vacuum‑packed bags of cannabis resin. Preston admitted he had agreed to move the drugs as a favour for a friend and was not paid. He had 92 prior convictions, including robbery offences, and had been released from custody in May 2018. Garda Margaret Reilly and the prosecution noted that building sites had closed during the Covid pandemic, leading Preston to relapse into drug use and become a courier. The judge described the offence as an isolated incident and noted Preston's efforts to support his family after release. The sentence was four years' imprisonment.
Two members of a Romanian organised crime gang, Daniel Almajanu (35) and Albert Gimy Linul (29), were found to have made and used fake credit cards in Dublin following a "deep" skimming operation in the UK. Almajanu used a card reader/writer machine to create 65 fake cards, which he handed to Linul. Linul used these cards to purchase cartons of cigarettes from several newsagents in Dublin, which were then sold for profit. Garda Ciaran Ronan reported that Linul stole £1,185 from the UK bank. Linul pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing 60 fraudulent bank cards, eight counts of using a fake HSBC card, ten counts of theft and two counts of attempted theft from HSBC between November 2019 and February 2020. Almajanu pleaded guilty to two counts of custody of 53 fake cards and one count of making 65 fake cards, plus possession of a laptop designed for card fabrication.
Dillon Harris, 24, a recovering drug addict, was sentenced to a fully suspended prison term after a series of violent incidents in Dublin. On 21 November 2017, he spat blood, phlegm and saliva at Garda Gerard Whelan, Garda Peter Byrne and Dublin Fire Brigade Sub Officer Peter Fitzgerald, claiming he had AIDS. He also pleaded guilty to driving a stolen Volkswagen Estate without the owner's consent and to reckless endangerment. Harris crashed the stolen car into a wall, causing €3,456 in damage to an Opel Corsa and forcing a pedestrian to jump out of the way. He had no prior convictions. The judge imposed concurrent prison terms of 22 months and two years, suspended for five years on the condition of sobriety, participation in a restorative justice programme and victim‑focused work. The sentence was split between the victims and a charity of their choice.
The Court of Appeal has criticised the six-day cross-examination of a 12-year-old boy in an appeal against his father's 2016 conviction. The father, a 70-year-old UK national, was convicted of nine counts of raping his son from age six and one count of child cruelty for locking the boy in a box. He received a 15-year sentence, with the final year suspended, and a four-year supervision order. His partner, also from the UK, was convicted of child cruelty but acquitted of sexual assault allegations. The appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, is ongoing. Counsel for the appellant argued that evidence of a video showing consensual sexual acts was prejudicial and irrelevant, while the DPP contended it was probative. The court also addressed the admissibility of the father's previous theft convictions. The boy, who was removed from the family home in 2011, provided a victim impact statement expressing severe trauma. The matter was adjourned and continues tomorrow.
Lorraine Ralston, 47, a former IKEA customer‑service manager, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to theft of €85,214 from the St. Margarets Road store between October 2011 and October 2012. She created fictitious customers and issued refunds that she kept. The prosecution, represented by Garrett McCormack BL, noted that the thefts were uncovered after a security manager flagged suspicious transactions, leading to an internal investigation that identified 56 fraudulent entries. Gardaí recovered €3,000 from Ralston's accommodation, leaving €82,000 outstanding. Ralston had no prior convictions and was described as vulnerable, under family pressure, and exploited by third parties. Judge Martin Nolan, after hearing mitigating evidence of her cooperation, admissions, and difficult background, imposed a three‑year sentence suspended in full, refusing a custodial term. The court recorded that Ralston had spent the stolen money on alcohol and drugs and that she had been living in shared rental accommodation at the time of the offences.
Aaron Brady was convicted of the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, who was shot during an armed robbery at Lordship Credit Union in County Louth on 25 January 2013. An investigation spanning several years culminated in Brady's trial, where the prosecution presented extensive circumstantial evidence linking him to the crime. This included CCTV footage connecting Brady to a stolen Volkswagen Passat used in the raid, phone records showing his movements, and witness testimony placing him in the vicinity. Brady's own statements to gardaí contained multiple falsehoods about his whereabouts that night. The investigation also revealed Brady had later made incriminating admissions whilst living abroad, boasting about shooting a police officer. The jury found Brady guilty of the murder. The case was handled by Dundalk District Court and involved cooperation between Irish and Northern Irish police services.
A 37‑year‑old man named Mohammed Hamad was found guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of ten counts of theft of various social welfare payments between May 2009 and October 2013, and two counts of using a false document. He had claimed more than €65,000 in rent allowance, job seekers allowance and basic supplementary allowance. The court noted that he had taken over a dry‑cleaning business lease in 2013, using a loan and savings, some of which came from the fraud, and that he had ceased claiming the welfare payments after his status changed. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a suspended custodial sentence of three and a half years, suspended in full on the condition that Hamad pays €30,000 to the State within three years. He has no prior convictions and is now employed, having opened eight branches of the shop and repaying €35,000 of the stolen money.
Darren Rowe, 35, of Monkstown, Dublin, was sentenced to seven and a half years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Jacqueline McGovern and failing to report being the driver of a vehicle involved in the injury of Audrey Behan on March 10, 2020. He also admitted to having no insurance and driving a dangerous defective vehicle. Judge Martin Nolan noted aggravating factors, including Rowe's reckless speed, use of a defective vehicle, and evidence of prior drinking, alongside his 32 previous convictions and disqualification from driving. In mitigation, the court considered Rowe's remorse and insight. Co-accused Edward Andrews, 26, of Stepaside, received a 39-month sentence in October. The incident occurred when Rowe, fleeing a robbery in Dalkey, lost control of the car, mounted a footpath, and struck the two women. Rowe fled the scene without offering assistance. Victim impact statements highlighted the profound loss and ongoing trauma suffered by the families. The court accepted Rowe's guilty plea and imposed the custodial sentence.
Trevor Byrne, aged 40, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to nine years' imprisonment for possessing a loaded 9mm Luger‑caliber Radom 35 handgun in a cabin at his Woodford Grove house on 15 November 2019. He also pleaded guilty to possession of ammunition and €3,050 in cash, which he claimed were proceeds of crime. Byrne had 40 prior convictions, including a 2005 robbery where he pointed a gun at Gardaí and held a taxi driver's head to a gun. He had previously been convicted of possession of a loaded double‑barrel shotgun, unlawful vehicle seizure and robbery, receiving sentences ranging from two to eight years, and was released in November 2009. The court noted that this was his second offence involving a firearm, with a maximum sentence of 14 years. The judge applied a 10 per cent reduction for the guilty plea, back‑dating the sentence to November 2019.