Lawrence Mubango, 31, was already serving a 10‑year prison term for a 2018 knife attack that left a victim severely injured. In 2017 he pleaded guilty to using a stolen credit‑card machine at Mary's Pub in Dublin. The court heard that on the day of the offence he had the machine for less than ten minutes, activated the refund function and entered €7,500, but the transaction was cancelled before any money was transferred, so the pub suffered no loss. CCTV captured him taking the machine from behind the bar. Judge Martin Nolan described the attempt to steal €7,500 as "absolutely asinine" and, considering it a minor matter compared with the earlier violent offence, sentenced Mubango to three months' imprisonment, to run consecutively with his existing sentence. The court noted that without his current sentence the penalty would have been considerably longer.
Tara Fay, 46, was sentenced to a fully suspended two‑year imprisonment for burgling St Michael's secondary school on Wellmount Road, Finglas, on 4 October 2016. She admitted trespassing and stealing jumpers, tracksuits, €250 in cash and a mobile phone. Fay told Gardaí she was stealing to pay for drugs. The judge, Patricia Ryan, noted the offence was aggravated by its consequences, though the amount stolen was small, and cited Fay's guilty plea, cooperation and rehabilitation efforts as mitigating factors. She was given a suspended sentence on the condition of keeping the peace and good behaviour for three years. The school's principal, John Barry, said the burglary contributed to a €10,000 rise in the school's insurance costs over two years, a figure insurers attributed to claims made by schools for theft and damage. Dean Kelly BL, Fay's defence lawyer, highlighted her abusive relationship and the murder of her partner.
In a 2019 burglary at a Dublin home, Laurence Connors (28) was caught driving a stolen Audi while four accomplices looted cash and jewellery. Garda Ronan Doyle and Garda Declan Crowley confronted Connors, who drove past the patrol car and then stopped to let the burglars board. Crowley attempted to stop him, but Connors accelerated, dragging Crowley 40 metres and crashing into a parked Fiat Punto. Crowley was injured, requiring stitches, while the Fiat owner was unharmed. Connors was arrested, pleaded guilty to trespass, possession of a stolen car, assaulting a garda and criminal damage, and was sentenced to 20 months in prison, to run consecutively with a 10‑year term for a prior burglary. He has 37 prior convictions and is due for release in 2025. The case highlighted the physical harm to the garda and the financial loss to the homeowner.
Karl Mullen, 49, was sentenced to three‑and‑a‑half years in prison for criminal damage, two counts of dangerous driving and driving without insurance after he drove a car into the front of a house in Clondalkin on 27 October 2018. He reversed his vehicle through the front gates, crashed into the front window and then drove off, leaving the back bumper in the front garden. Mullen gave no explanation for his actions, claiming he was "in a very bad way on drugs" at the time. He was arrested during a Garda pursuit that ended when his vehicle struck bollards and stopped. Mullen has 49 prior convictions, including 19 for road traffic offences and a four‑year robbery sentence he is currently serving. He was also disqualified from driving for four years. The judge noted his drug use and the fear caused to the homeowner. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Karl Mullen pleaded guilty.
Two brothers, Brian (21) and Martin Stokes (18), were sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison after they robbed a pizza delivery driver, Paul Wright, on November 21, 2019. The robbery took place on Wellmont Road, Finglas, where the brothers had been given a lift by Wright. While driving the brothers to an address, one of them forced Wright to hand over his money, leading to a physical assault that left Wright with a black eye, a swollen jaw and a severe headache. The brothers stole €150 in cash, a mobile phone, car keys and a wallet with bank cards. They were later stopped on Finglas Road, found in possession of the stolen cards, and resisted arrest. Both pleaded guilty to robbery, possession of stolen property and resisting arrest, and were sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan, who described the robbery as "particularly nasty.".
During the trial of Aaron Brady, accused of murdering Garda Adrian Donohoe, mobile phone analyst Edward McGoey testified that he was not informed of Brady's claim that he was laundering diesel on the night of the murder. McGoey explained that he was only given phone numbers and asked to analyse contacts at relevant times, without knowledge of any fuel‑laundering allegations. He also was unaware of links between five men known to Brady and diesel laundering. Brady, 29, pleaded not guilty to the murder and to a robbery of €7,000 from Pat Bellew on the same day. McGoey spent five days presenting phone‑contact evidence between Brady, two robbery suspects, and a brother of one suspect. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins used the evidence to illustrate the investigation's focus on phone contacts, noting that Brady had claimed to be at a diesel‑laundering site in south Armagh that evening.
Patrick Hand, aged 38, admitted to attempting a robbery at an Abbey Street Luas stop on 15 July 2017. He claimed he may have been hallucinating after taking cocaine and alcohol, believing the victim's bag was his. Hand had just been released from prison the day before the incident. Gardaí arrested him after Luas security restrained him. In court, Hand pleaded guilty to attempted robbery. Judge Melanie Greally accepted his admission of drug addiction and homelessness post‑release, noting his efforts to address these issues. She imposed a four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspending the final two and a half years on the condition that he remain peaceful, reside in County Meath, and engage with addiction services. The sentence was back‑dated to 19 December 2018 when Hand entered custody.
Stephen Keogh, a former Anglo Irish Bank employee, was sentenced to five-and-a-half years' imprisonment for stealing €611,139.35 from seven victims, mainly friends and family, between 2002 and 2010. He persuaded relatives and acquaintances to invest large sums in high‑interest accounts, but deposited the money into his own account and provided false documents to conceal the theft. Keogh also used his wife's credit card without her knowledge and took money from a brother‑in‑law and a best man to pay for cars that were never registered in their names. He fled to the United States in 2010, returned in 2011, and later worked for a company servicing U.S. military bases in Afghanistan and Iraq. He was arrested in November 2019 and, after a guilty plea, was found to have created a fiction of success and lived beyond his means, leading the judge to sentence him for the extensive financial harm caused to his victims.
Robert Kinlan, 33, of Ballygall Parade, Finglas, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for offences committed on October 20, 2018. Kinlan pleaded guilty to charges of attempted robbery and robbery at Cuffe Street, Dublin 2. Judge Melanie Greally noted that Kinlan had a "lamentable history" of previous convictions, including numerous robberies. The court heard that Kinlan was arrested the night before the incident for another robbery and was released on bail. During the daylight offence, he allegedly threatened a victim, pushing him against a gate and causing facial injuries, including a broken nose, while demanding his phone and wallet. Kinlan was subsequently arrested after a witness identified him on a Luas tram. Judge Greally imposed a prison sentence of four and a half years. However, she suspended the final two years of the term, resulting in an effective custody period of three and a half years. The suspension is conditional upon Kinlan keeping the peace and engaging with drug treatment during that period. The Judge acknowledged Kinlan's difficult start in life and his current engagement with Probation Services.
In May 2020 a burglar, Dominic Rogers, 21, was caught by a homeowner standing in a bush near the scene of a burglary in Lucan. Rogers had earlier pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a stolen car at an M1 toll plaza on 28 June 2019 and to burglary at Foxpark on 26 September 2019. He had five prior convictions, including drug possession and deception. Gardaí had CCTV showing him driving the stolen car and later found him in a bush holding a torch after a house in Lucan had been broken into. Rogers denied involvement in the burglary but later accepted responsibility. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to one year for the car offence and two years for the burglary, to run consecutively for a total of three years, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions.
A High Court hearing on 12 May 2020 reported that a Garda investigation file is being prepared against Conor Freeman, a 20‑year‑old Dublin man, who is wanted in the United States for alleged hacking theft of more than $2 million in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Freeman was arrested in May 2019 on a US warrant for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, four counts of aiding and abetting wire fraud and four counts of aiding and abetting aggravated identity theft. US authorities allege that Freeman, part of an online group called "The Community", participated in four attacks that stole $2,187,977 in cryptocurrency between February and May 2018. The US indictment, issued by a Grand Jury in Michigan, also cites a "SIM hijacking" technique used to steal identities and gain control of victims' mobile numbers and accounts.
Gerard O'Toole, 23, pleaded guilty to a violent robbery on December 3, 2018, at Fownes Street Upper, Dublin 2. In the early morning, he attacked a man who was walking home from a pub, grabbing him, pushing him to the ground, and punching him in the face. While the victim was on the ground, O'Toole told a woman to take his money and phone; she removed his wallet and phone, but only the victim's student card was recovered. The victim, a foreign national studying computer science in Ireland, left the country after the incident and has no plans to return. O'Toole, who has 36 prior convictions including robbery and drug offences, was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to three years' imprisonment. He has been receiving addiction counselling while in custody and has expressed willingness to return stolen items if their location is known. The sentence reflects the aggravated nature of the violence and the prolonged attack.
Dylan Brophy, 22, of Reuben Street, Rialto, Dublin, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for robbing Arch Cafe, Reuben Plaza, Dublin 8, on 25 June 2018. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Garda Kevin Cassidy described Brophy as approaching the counter with his face covered and hood up, holding a knife by his chest, demanding money and pressing the green button on the till. He took €650 and left. CCTV footage showed him sitting in the cafe an hour before the robbery and later changing clothes. Brophy is a regular customer and has 43 prior convictions, including robbery, assault causing harm and drug possession. He was cooperating with the investigation after arrest. Judge Martin Nolan noted the lack of violence and Brophy's admissions, and imposed the sentence starting from the day of sentencing.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Michael White warned the jury not to consult social media and to focus solely on the evidence presented in court. The case concerns Aaron Brady, 29, who has pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe and to the robbery of approximately €7,000 from Mr Pat Bellew on 25 January 2013 at Lordship Credit Union, Bellurgan, Co Louth. Prosecutors presented CCTV footage and mobile phone data linking Brady and two suspected accomplices. The data showed no outgoing calls from Brady's phone between 20:01 and 22:45 that evening, and a marked increase in call activity on 26 January. The trial continues with a jury of six men and seven women hearing the evidence presented by prosecution counsel Lorcan Staines SC.
A 19‑year‑old teenage burglar, Martin Connors of Cloonmore Park, Tallaght, was arrested again after Gardaí noticed a damp patch on the back of his trousers, indicating he had climbed over a wet wall at a house he had just broken into. Connors had previously pleaded guilty to burglary and possession of a chisel on 11 January 2019, and was already serving a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for a separate burglary and robbery in August 2018. Judge Martin Nolan, hearing the case in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, ordered Connors to serve an additional six months after his current sentence ends. The burglary in question involved an empty house, and no items were taken. Connors' defence lawyer, Sarah Jane O'Callaghan, highlighted his difficult upbringing, drug addiction, and the impact of his parents' prison sentences on his life. The owner of the home declined to give a victim impact statement. The other two burglars involved were not identified.
In a sentencing hearing at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, John Barry, principal of St Michael's secondary school in Finglas, explained that the school's insurance premiums had risen by €10,000 over two years due to claims from schools for theft and criminal damage. Barry cited the case of Tara Fay, a 46‑year‑old from Premier Square, who was convicted of burglary at the school in October 2016. Fay admitted stealing jumpers, tracksuits, €250 in cash and a mobile phone, and was caught on CCTV entering and leaving the building. Barry noted that while the items were small, the financial impact on the school was significant, and he would prefer the increased premiums to be used for teaching supplies. Fay, who has 39 prior theft convictions and 29 traffic offences, pleaded guilty, and her sentence was adjourned to May 19 by Judge Patricia Ryan.
In April 2019, a 17‑year‑old was convicted of robbery, assault and false imprisonment of three 15‑year‑old boys in St Aidan's Park, Marino. He was sentenced to four years' detention for the false imprisonment count by Judge Martin Nolan, with the other offences considered. Garda Kevin Murphy testified that the boy was part of a group that forced the boys to hand over phones and money, threatened them with a knife, and that the teenager later kicked and punched one boy. The defendant admitted participation after viewing CCTV and had 18 prior convictions. On 8 May 2020 he appealed the sentence, arguing the judge failed to incorporate rehabilitation and that a less severe sentence could have been imposed if he had been dealt with as an adult. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Justice George Birmingham, noted the case would be decided in about two weeks. The unnamed 15-year-old pleaded guilty.
In the trial of Aaron Brady, a 28‑year‑old from Crossmaglen, the Central Criminal Court heard that a BMW 5‑Series belonging to one of the suspects passed Lordship Credit Union less than eight hours before the robbery and fatal shooting of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. Detective Garda Gareth Kenna told counsel that the suspect's face was visible through the open front passenger window at 1.46 pm, and that seconds later the vehicle was seen on CCTV with the window closed. The robbery took place at about 9.30 pm on 25 January 2013, when Brady pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Donohoe, who was 41 and on active duty, and to the robbery of approximately €7,000 in cash and cheques.
At the Central Criminal Court, jurors have viewed CCTV footage documenting events preceding a fatal robbery at Lordship Credit Union in County Louth. Detective Garda Gareth Kenna testified regarding surveillance material from January 2013, depicting a BMW 5-Series at a service station near the border, with subsequent footage tracking a similar vehicle southward through County Louth locations including Monasterboice and Clogherhead. A Volkswagen Passat stolen from the Clogherhead area was later discovered burned out in Armagh. Aaron Brady, aged 28 from Crossmaglen, County Armagh, has pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe on 25 January 2013, and to robbery of approximately €7,000 and cheques from the credit union on the same date. The court also heard evidence concerning fuel laundering activity in the Armagh area, where a witness reported pursuing a white Transit van dumping diesel waste near Castleblayney in 2012. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury.
James O'Malley, aged 26, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery and the production of a syringe after threatening a cashier with a syringe and stealing a tray from a Costcutter shop on 13 April 2019. Gardaí CCTV footage showed O'Malley and a second man attempting to empty the till before taking the tray, then changing clothes in an abandoned yard. The shop suffered a €450 loss, and the tray was recovered after O'Malley's arrest. O'Malley admitted the offence, describing himself as "out of his head and strung out," and cited a history of 66 prior convictions, including robbery, assault, and drug offences. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to four‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, suspending the final 18 months on strict conditions, including mandatory residential drug treatment if directed by the Probation Service. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the syringe threat and O'Malley's need for comprehensive drug treatment.
The trial of Aaron Brady, who denies the capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, resumed after a nine‑week break. The jury, now six men and seven women, viewed CCTV footage of a car's movements three nights before the January 2013 robbery that killed Donohoe. Brady, 28, pleaded not guilty to the murder and to a charge of robbing about €7,000 in cash and cheques at the same location. The court addressed Covid‑19 precautions, allowing remote viewing and limiting courtroom numbers. Brendan Grehan SC outlined that evidence from May 18 will include witnesses in New York via live video. Edward McGoey, a civilian crime analyst, testified about phone records, while Detective Garda Gareth Kenna presented CCTV montages showing a dark‑toned saloon car near the crime scene. The trial continues under Mr Justice Michael White.
Rhys Moran, 24, of Cabra, Dublin, pleaded guilty to robbery on Charleville Road (10 May 2018), robbery on D'Olier Street (9 May 2018) and to perverting the course of justice and criminal damage at Bridewell Garda Station (10 May 2018). He had 18 prior convictions, including a juvenile robbery. At sentencing, Judge Melanie Greally described him as "clearly out of control" and noted his urination in his cell as a "self‑defeating act of defiance". She imposed a six‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspending the final two‑and‑a‑half years on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation supervision. The judge considered his guilty pleas, insight, extensive difficulties and youth. The case also involved a broken golf club that Moran ripped open during an interview, destroying evidence, and a €69.46 damage claim for cell cleaning.
Gareth Hamilton, aged 26, from Drumconnick, County Cavan, was sentenced to three years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his guilty plea to robbery at an Applegreen Service Station in Inchicore on 28 November 2018. Gardaí identified Hamilton after discovering his DNA and fingerprints on a juice box he consumed inside the premises during the incident. Hamilton entered the service station, requested cigarettes, then produced a box cutter and took €350 from the till before leaving with the money and cigarettes. The court heard Hamilton had previous convictions for attempted robbery, burglary, and possession of stolen property, all committed within a finite period in 2018 and 2019. He was on bail at the time of the offence. Judge Melanie Greally noted Hamilton had secured employment on his father's farm and expressed potential for rehabilitation should he address his drug dependency. The sentence is to run consecutively to a sentence already being served, ending 14 November next.
James Fagan, 27, of Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to a robbery at Merchants Quay on 14 July 2017. He was one of three men on the steps of a Franciscan church when a victim passed by with his partner. Fagan struck the victim first with a pen, then with a beer can that hit the victim's head, and later struck him in the face while the victim was held. The victim suffered a hairline fracture to the nose and bruising to the eye socket. The court noted Fagan's history of drug‑related convictions and his addiction's influence on his behaviour. Judge Melanie Greally considered his guilty plea, family circumstances, mental health issues and a remorseful letter. She sentenced him to five‑and‑a‑half years, suspending the final 18 months on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation after release.
David Allen, 35, was on bail for a robbery when he knocked 89‑year‑old Nina MacAuley to the ground outside a Dublin hairdresser, bashed her, and stole her handbag. MacAuley suffered head and arm injuries and later discovered her handbag missing. Allen, who has no fixed abode and a history of 25 convictions including robbery, burglary and theft, pleaded guilty to the robbery at Aungier Street on 1 July 2019 and to the armed robbery of a 73‑year‑old taxi driver on 5 February 2019. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to three years for the earlier robbery and five years for the MacAuley robbery, making a total of eight years imprisonment with the final two years suspended on strict conditions. The sentence was imposed with the two terms running consecutively. Allen's victim impact statement was read in court, and he admitted to being "strung out" on heroin during the incidents.
Damien Ionut, 34, was sentenced to three years in prison for a series of ATM attacks across eight European cities, including Dublin, Louth, Kildare, Wicklow, Meath, Westmeath, and Dublin. He and a group used a "transaction reversal fraud" technique, first withdrawing a small amount with a legitimate chip‑and‑pin card, then inserting a clip into the cash drawer to block the release of a larger withdrawal. They swapped the card for a dummy, causing the machine to think the customer had walked away, and then used a chisel to break into the drawer and take the cash. The attacks caused about €12,881 in damage and resulted in €5,980 in stolen cash. Ionut had 30 prior convictions for similar offences and was identified on CCTV footage. The court back‑dated the sentence to November 5, 2019. The case highlighted the vulnerability of ATMs to this type of fraud.
Derek Hearns, 35, was sentenced by Judge Patricia Ryan in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after a February trial on eight counts related to an attack on David O'Sullivan's home in Baldoyle in February 2016. He was found guilty of producing a knife, robbing €10 and stealing a mobile phone, while the jury could not agree on the remaining charges, which were struck out. Hearns maintains his innocence on all counts. The judge, noting the night‑time assault occurred when O'Sullivan's partner and child were present, imposed a three‑year sentence with the final year suspended under conditions. Hearns, a father of four with 46 prior convictions, is now confined under strict Covid‑19 prison rules, spending 22 hours and 40 minutes a day in his cell and unable to see his family. He had hoped to represent Ireland in bodybuilding before the pandemic and has recently completed drug rehabilitation. Derek Hearns was acquitted.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 30 April 2020, the judge refused bail for 21‑year‑old Dominic Rogers, who had been on bail since June 2019. Rogers had been caught with a stolen car and later broke into a home in Lucan. He has five prior convictions, all while on bail, including drug possession and traffic offences. He pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen car at M1 Toll Plaza on 28 June 2019 and to burglary at Foxpark on 26 September 2019. Rogers has taken nine bench warrants between May and July 2019 and failed to comply with bail conditions, notably signing on at Lucan Garda Station 83 times. The judge, citing the likelihood of a custodial sentence and concerns that Rogers might commit further offences, remanded him in custody and set sentencing for 13 May 2020.
A construction worker from Sligo has been sentenced to three years' imprisonment for his involvement in a tax fraud scheme at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Martin Stokes, aged 35, pleaded guilty in April 2016 to charges under the Theft and Fraud Offences Act, including forgery and deception, relating to offences committed in 2006, 2008 and 2011. He was one of five people who registered as contractors while falsely undertaking to remit tax payments on behalf of sub-contractors. Revenue issued approximately €107,000 in tax refunds and credits to bank accounts controlled by another individual, which were subsequently withdrawn via ATMs. Stokes failed to appear for sentencing in June 2016 and was arrested abroad before being returned to Ireland. Judge Martin Nolan described the scheme as relatively sophisticated and noted it exploited weaknesses in the contractor tax system. Stokes, who has previous convictions for dangerous driving, deception and counterfeiting, was credited with character references and community contributions, resulting in a reduction from an indicative sentence of five years.
William Nolan, 30, was sentenced to eight‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment for a spree of offences in Tallaght. He pleaded guilty to burglary, criminal damage and endangerment at several sites, including a petrol station, a supermarket, a residential home and a shop. The most serious offence was the crash of a stolen van into the front of a Maxol petrol station, which caused €68,000 in damage and endangered two Gardaí. Nolan also stole a van, a vape machine and other items, and had 127 previous convictions. He was on bail for an earlier burglary when the later offences occurred. The judge described the offences as a "tsunami of criminality" and imposed a sentence of eight years, with the final six months suspended on strict conditions. The one‑year sentence for the March burglary runs consecutively to the eight‑year term.
Sean Keenan, a 24‑year‑old homeless man, pleaded guilty to robbery at Red Cow Luas Stop on 4 November 2017. Garda Christopher Hogan described how Keenan and two other men followed Andrew O'Sullivan, who had just disembarked from a bus carrying a duty‑free bag with two bottles of spirits and 400 cigarettes. The men attacked O'Sullivan, with Keenan punching and kicking him, and the third man striking him in the head with a bottle. They threatened to kill him before leaving. Cigarettes taken from O'Sullivan were found in Keenan's possession and his clothes bore the victim's blood. Keenan had 99 prior convictions, including robbery, attempted robbery, criminal damage, burglary and car theft, and was highly intoxicated during the offence. He had no recollection of the attack. The judge noted the assault was "extremely violent and vicious" and sentenced Keenan to five years' imprisonment, suspending the final two years on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation after release.
Austin Byrne, aged 43, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years' imprisonment for a series of burglaries committed in April 2019. He pleaded guilty to breaking into three Dublin residences: Wintergarden on 10 April, Byrnes Lane on 17 April, and Fitzwilliam Street Lower on 19 April. The offences involved the theft of clothing, foreign currency, an Apple MacBook, an Apple Watch, earrings, chains, anti‑epileptic medicine, a wedding ring, and other jewellery. Byrne had 73 prior convictions, including burglary, aggravated burglary and robbery. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted that Byrne's primary motive appeared to be raising money for drugs, and that his previous convictions and the value of the stolen items aggravated the case. She gave credit for his guilty pleas and engagement with addiction services, and suspended the final 12 months of the sentence on strict conditions.
Anthony Rossitter, a 32‑year‑old drug addict from County Wexford, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three attempted robbery charges after threatening staff in three city‑centre shops on 15 May 2019 with a large pair of stainless‑steel scissors. He entered a Gala shop on Abbey Street, placed a plastic bag on the counter and demanded cash, threatening to cut a staff member if he did not comply. After leaving without money, he went to a Spar shop in Temple Bar and then to a Gala shop on Dorset Street, again demanding cash and showing the scissors, but left empty‑handed and was arrested shortly thereafter. Rossitter has 85 prior convictions, including 46 for traffic offences, and a history of assault and drug dealing. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to four‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, suspending the final 12 months on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation after release.
Martin Stokes of Woodford Heights, Clondalkin, was arrested during the Covid‑19 lockdown after failing to appear for a sentence hearing in 2016 for tax fraud offences under the Theft and Fraud Offences Act. He had pleaded guilty in April 2016 to charges relating to tax registration on dates in 2006, 2008 and 2011. The court had adjourned the case for a week when his lawyers claimed he was an employed father of three, but he did not appear a week later, leading the judge to issue a bench warrant. The warrant was executed last Monday, and Judge Melanie Greally refused bail, remanding Stokes into custody for sentencing. His defence lawyer, Keith Spencer BL, argued that Stokes could not attend court because he was in a 14‑day quarantine imposed by the Prison Service, and that a video‑link meeting had been booked but not attended.
Myles Byrne, 28, was sentenced to ten months' imprisonment after a shop robbery in Dublin's city centre. He entered a Tesco at about 9 am, attempted to purchase four cans of cider, and when staff refused to sell him alcohol he threatened a staff member with a syringe, saying "get away or I'll stab you" and that he was lucky he didn't rob the tills. Garda Aine Hogan reported that staff feared for their lives, and the deputy manager described Byrne as "out of it" and "swaying". Byrne pleaded guilty to robbery and to making a threat to kill or cause serious harm. He has 79 prior convictions, including assault, robbery and traffic offences, and was on bail when the offence occurred. His defence counsel, Rebecca Smith BL, noted his ongoing alcohol problems and lack of memory of the incident, and that he wished to address his addiction but was unable to access residential treatment due to pandemic restrictions.
James Cash Wall, a 27‑year‑old from Wicklow, was sentenced to 16 months in prison for burglary and trespassing after he gate‑crashed a 21st birthday party at Aine Kenny's home on Stillorgan Road, south Dublin. The homeowner confronted him on the stairs, and when he claimed to be "with Jason" she realised he was lying and called for security. Private security and Garda Patrick Collins were present. Wall tried to flee, tripped, and dropped stolen jewellery. A crowd at the party blocked his escape and demanded he empty his pockets. He was arrested, found very drunk and initially unfit for interview. Wall pleaded guilty to the December 30 offence. He has 79 prior convictions, including car theft, public order offences and nine burglaries. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted that Wall was drunk but still attempted to steal, and the sentence was back‑dated to December when he entered custody.
Mark Taylor, aged 30, was driving a stolen VW Golf at a fuel pump in Newcastle, Co. Dublin, on 22 February 2019 when Gardaí noticed he had not paid for fuel and was driving at high speed. He overtook two vehicles dangerously, then drove off without Gardaí being able to keep up. The next day he was again seen in the same car and, after a high‑speed chase, he reversed at speed, smashed into another car, mounted a traffic island, crossed the road, drove the wrong way down the carriageway, broke a red light, mounted a footpath and drove away at speed, losing Gardaí in pursuit. Later that day Gardaí in Naas were alerted to a VW Golf driving dangerously on the N7; the car pulled into a service station on the M7 where an armed unit arrived and approached Taylor. He became aggressive and abusive and was arrested. Mark Taylor pleaded guilty.
Gareth Levins, aged 33, was sentenced to two‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment for stealing €10,549 from a woman who lived in a care home and has since died. The thefts took place over a three‑week period in late January and early February 2017, when Levins used a bank card that had been obtained by a relative who had worked as a carer for the victim. None of the money was recovered. Levins pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, and the court noted that the victim's daughter had discovered suspicious transactions and alerted the bank. Levins had been on bail for an assault conviction that was due to expire in April 2021. Judge Martin Nolan described the offence as "pretty cunning" and sentenced Levins to two‑and‑a‑half years, suspending the final 14 months on strict conditions and ordering that the sentence run consecutively to the three‑year sentence Levins is currently serving.
In a remote hearing of the criminal side of the Court of Appeal, Judge John Edwards reduced the sentence of Romanian national Mihai Tache, 31, who had been jailed for four years for handling 67 stolen mobile phones worth just over €17,000. The original six‑year headline sentence was deemed excessive; the court set a headline of four‑and‑a‑half years, applied the one‑third mitigating discount, and imposed a net sentence of three years. The court declined to suspend any portion of the sentence, noting Tache's significant record and prior reoffending. The decision was made after submissions by Ms Kitty Perle BL on Tache's behalf and was delivered by the Court of Appeal President, Mr Justice George Birmingham, and Ms Justice Una Ni Raifeartaigh. The hearing was the first of its kind to involve the judges and lawyers via video link. Mihai Tache pleaded guilty.
Anthony Sweeney, 37, of St Marks Crescent, Clondalkin, was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to seven-and-a-half years imprisonment for multiple robberies, including two at McDonald's Liffey Valley on 5 August 2019 and 5 September 2019, a robbery of a nail salon on Collinstown Road, and a robbery of a pedestrian on the Liffey Valley footbridge on 27 May 2019. He pleaded guilty to all charges. The court noted his 35 prior convictions, his drug addiction, and his attempts to address it while in custody, though the school he attended closed due to coronavirus. The sentence was aggravated by the use of a knife, placing it near a victim's throat, and by the fact that the last offence was committed while he was on bail. Two years of the term were suspended on strict conditions, including probation supervision for six months before release and 12 months after release.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced 44‑year‑old Keith McCarthy to four years' imprisonment for a series of robberies carried out after a relapse into drug addiction. McCarthy, a former drug counsellor who had previously overcome his addiction, pleaded guilty to two robberies at Eddie Rocket's in Finglas, a robbery at BoyleSports in Donabate, an attempted robbery at Ladbrokes in Mulhuddart, and two driving‑without‑insurance offences. He admitted stealing almost €2,000 from Eddie Rocket's and €5,000 from BoyleSports, using an imitation firearm and a scarf to conceal his face. The judge noted McCarthy's history of 38 convictions, including 30 traffic offences, and his prior suspended robbery sentence in 2015. He highlighted McCarthy's remorse, cooperation with Gardaí, and his role as a caring father and son, while emphasising the need for him to overcome his addictive habits. McCarthy was also disqualified from driving for four years.
A trial date of 11 January 2021 has been set for former solicitor Michael Lynn, aged 51, who faces 21 charges of theft totalling almost €30 million from seven financial institutions. Sample counts include €4.1 million stolen from Irish Nationwide on 4 April 2007 and €3.6 million from Ulster Bank on 20 October 2006. Judge Martin Nolan of the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court scheduled the hearing. Lynn's defence, led by Karl Monahan BL, estimates the trial will last up to six months, while the prosecution, represented by John Berry BL, expects it to finish within 16 weeks.
After five trials and two appeals over an 11‑year period, the Court of Appeal upheld the convictions of Mark Farrelly (48), David Byrne (46) and Niall Byrne (37) for the tiger kidnapping of a Dublin family and the robbery of Securicor of €2.08 million. The appellate court, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham with Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, found no merit in the gang's grounds of appeal. The defendants had pleaded not guilty to the false imprisonment of Paul Richardson's family at their Ashcroft home in Raheny and to the cash‑in‑transit robbery on 14 March 2005. They had argued that the evidence gathered by Gardaí was unconstitutional and should be excluded under the 2015 Supreme Court ruling in 'JC', but the court rejected this claim. The convictions were therefore confirmed and the appeals dismissed. The decision was released electronically as part of Covid‑19 pandemic measures.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Joseph Behan, aged 45, was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment for shooting two men during an attempted robbery of Mizzoni's Pizza on 1 January 2019. He fired twice when the workers resisted, and a paramedic's early intervention likely saved one victim who sustained a serious gunshot wound to the lower abdomen. The other victim suffered a less serious injury. Behan's brother, Anthony Behan, 60, pleaded not guilty to impeding his brother's apprehension and was convicted and sentenced to two-and-a-half years' imprisonment. Both were remanded in custody by Judge Martin Nolan, who noted Behan's reprehensible conduct and the potential for greater harm. The court also considered the brothers' personal histories as presented by their counsel. The sentence was delivered on 3 April 2020.
Claire Burke, a 30‑year‑old mother of two from Kilkenny, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm after stabbing a man in the arm with scissors on Temple Lane South, Dublin 2, on 12 November 2018. The incident followed an attempt to sell the man "grass" for €15, during which Burke stabbed him in the left wrist and attempted a second stab to his right leg. The man was later assisted by a third party who was arrested and the stolen bicycle recovered. Burke, who has 13 prior convictions and was living on the streets at the time, was released on bail pending sentencing. Judge Melanie Greally described the offence as "very nasty" and adjourned the case for finalisation on 13 October, noting the possibility of a custodial sentence and a probation report. The sentencing hearing was postponed due to the prosecuting Garda's self‑isolation. The case remains pending.
A 34‑year‑old Dublin man, who has accumulated 33 bench warrants since 2004, was granted bail by Judge Melanie Greally in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge noted that the defendant had pleaded guilty to a theft offence and was due to stand trial in April on a separate, undisclosed offence. Two of the warrants were issued for failing to attend court dates on 2 March and a pre‑trial hearing on 12 March. Prosecutor Garda Shannon Breen had objected to bail on the basis of his warrant history, arguing he would not attend his next court date. Judge Greally, citing the "dire public health situation", decided that it was prudent to avoid adding to prison populations if possible. She set bail conditions requiring the defendant to remain contactable, live at an agreed address, and stay away from the Ballymun area.
Amy Cully, 26, a recovering drug addict, was arrested after punching Kathleen O'Neill on Usher's Quay on 26 July 2019 while under the influence of crack cocaine, heroin and alcohol. The punch left O'Neill with bruising to her nose, eye and cheek. Cully then grabbed O'Neill's bag and fled, but was caught by a garda a short time later. O'Neill's sister joined the struggle and Cully also attempted to take her bag. Local residents helped the women before Cully was arrested. Cully pleaded guilty to robbery and assault of O'Neill and to attempted robbery of Megan O'Neill. She has 80 previous convictions, including assault and thefts, and had a one‑year sentence for a 2019 theft. The court, after a psychological assessment, imposed a four‑year sentence, suspending the final two years on the condition that Cully comply with probation, drug treatment, mental health services and victim awareness programmes. The sentence reflects her remorse and progress in confronting her issues.
Micheal Bayly, 26, was denied bail by Judge Melanie Greally after he pleaded guilty to a street robbery on 29 March 2018. Bayly, a recovering drug addict, had failed to appear for his sentencing hearing in November, prompting a bench warrant. Gardaí arrested him on the warrant and a new sentencing date of 21 April was set. Bayly's defence, Keith Spencer BL, argued that his pregnant partner, who is self‑isolating with Covid‑19 symptoms, and their children were now cared for by extended family, and that Bayly was clean from drugs. Spencer requested bail on compassionate grounds, but Detective Garda Paul Geraghty opposed it, citing Bayly's history of missing court dates. Judge Greally noted Bayly's prior assurances to other judges and declined to grant bail. Bayly has 24 bench warrants, four related to the 2018 robbery.
April Reid, aged 34, was found guilty of robbery at an Ulster Bank ATM in Dublin on 23 March 2019. She targeted a woman who was withdrawing money, physically confronting her and causing a minor injury to the victim's left hand. The robbery resulted in €200 being stolen. Reid, who has a long history of drug addiction and was intoxicated with crack cocaine at the time, offered an apology after being identified on CCTV. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced her to four years' imprisonment, suspending the final two years on strict conditions, including compliance with the Probation Service for 12 months after release. She was also ordered to pay €250 in compensation to the victim. The case highlighted Reid's past theft‑related offences and her ongoing struggle with substance abuse.
Two men, Nathan Benson (22) and Harry Walsh (19), were sentenced to four years each in prison for a violent robbery that took place on Wellington Quay on 22 October 2017. The robbery involved the victim's Rolex watch, valued at €7,500, which the men seized after spotting the watch in a Dublin nightclub. During the assault, the victim was kicked, punched and left with physical injuries and lasting psychological impact. Judge Melanie Greally described the robbery as "extremely violent and vicious" and noted the defendants' histories of violent offending and drug addiction. Benson's case was influenced by his upbringing and mental health struggles, while Walsh's record included numerous prior convictions for extreme violence. Both men pleaded guilty and were given sentences with the final 12 months suspended. The court also considered their behaviour in custody and potential for rehabilitation. The sentencing highlighted the seriousness of the offence and the defendants' personal circumstances.