Yasmin Stephens, 23, of Albert College Avenue, Glasnevin, was charged with murdering her 33‑year‑old boyfriend, Kieran Farrelly, but the charge was dismissed under Section 4E of the Criminal Justice Act. She was then arraigned for robbing a homeless man, Hugh Gildea, on Mabbot Lane, where she stole a mobile phone, wrist watch and €520. CCTV footage showed the robbery lasted over 20 minutes. Stephens pleaded guilty. Judge Michael White sentenced her to four years in prison, but suspended the sentence for four years on a €100 bond, requiring her to keep the peace, maintain good behaviour, continue methadone treatment and provide urine analysis. The judge noted her new status as a mother as a key factor in the suspended sentence. The court considered the offence serious but weighed her parental responsibilities. The probation report was not negative. The unnamed 23-year-old pleaded not guilty.
The jury in the trial of former care worker Sabrina O'Connor, aged 37, will enter its third day of deliberations at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. O'Connor denies 13 theft counts and one deception count relating to alleged theft of over €43,000 from an elderly stroke victim between 2010 and 2011. The prosecution claims the largest sum stolen was €15,000, used to secure a house option, and that O'Connor also stole an €8,500 bank draft to purchase a Land Rover. Evidence shows she used 11 cheques, ranging from €1,000 to €2,500, totalling €20,100, to withdraw money from the victim's account for her own benefit. The victim, who suffered a stroke, said O'Connor had access to her account and that O'Connor had claimed gifts of €8,000, €10,000, and a €15,000 loan for a house deposit, which she has not repaid.
Joseph Walshe, a 50‑year‑old former general manager of Nevinar Cosmetics Ltd, was found guilty of ten counts of theft for stealing Clarins cosmetics worth over €700,000 retail from his employer between January 2010 and December 2011. He sold the goods to a UK wholesaler who believed he acted on behalf of Nevinar, receiving €204,122.38, while the loss to Nevinar was €181,582.00. A jury convicted him after a 12‑day trial and Judge Pauline Code sentenced him to two‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, suspending the final 12 months on the condition that he repay €181,000 within one year. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, finding no error in the sentencing judge's approach. The case was described as a serious, pre‑meditated fraud carried out over more than two years. Joseph Walshe pleaded not guilty.
The trial of Sabrina O'Connor, a former care worker, is in its final stage at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. She denies 13 theft counts and one deception charge relating to an elderly stroke victim between 2010 and 2011. On day six, the jury of twelve members had deliberated for just over an hour before Judge Karen O'Connor suspended the session for the evening, with deliberations to resume tomorrow.
A 35‑year‑old Waterford man was found guilty of raping his younger cousin at his home on 27 February 2013. The Central Criminal Court jury convicted him and he was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, by Mr Justice Robert Eagar on 18 April 2016. The man appealed against the severity of the sentence. The Court of Appeal, sitting with Mr Justice John Hedigan, Mr Justice Michael Peart and Mr Justice Alan Mahon, upheld the seven‑year jail term. Mr Justice Hedigan noted that the man and the victim had attended a pub gathering to mark the first anniversary of the man's mother's death, moved between pubs, and were intoxicated. The victim woke to find the man on top of her, undressed, and she told him to stop and leave. The man, a separated father of one, had seven prior convictions, including theft and drug supply. The unnamed 35-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Sabrina O'Connor, 37, pleaded not guilty to 13 theft charges and one deception charge in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. She admitted that while caring for a stroke‑victim client she sometimes withdrew money from the client's account, presented a cheque to the bank, and received cash in an envelope. She also claimed that the client gave her €8,000 as a gift to buy a car and later loaned €15,000 for a house deposit, which she said she had not yet repaid. O'Connor said she accepted the money to keep the client happy and was afraid of losing her job, so she did not inform her employers. The trial, presided over by Judge Karen O'Connor, is in its closing stages. The prosecution, led by Noel Devitt BL, questioned her about the nature of the cheques and her failure to report the transactions to the Gardaí.
Gerard Creighton, aged 49, was sentenced again in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for failing to notify Gardaí of his change of address. He had previously been jailed for three years in March 2015 for the same offence, as well as for an attempted robbery and possession of an imitation firearm. In the current case, Creighton pleaded guilty to not informing Gardaí of his address between 5 and 24 June 2016. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a one‑year prison term. The judge warned Creighton that he must comply with the Garda regime and that failure to do so could result in further imprisonment. Garda Niall Murray noted that Creighton was due for release in May 2016 and had been warned by a prison officer to notify the Gardaí of any address change. The court heard that Creighton had not returned to a Garda station after being told to do so.
Robert Day, a 47‑year‑old from Cabra, Dublin, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court for membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The sentence, back‑dated to the day he entered custody on 1 June, followed his conviction on 1 June for belonging to an unlawful organisation. Day had been a member of the IRA in Dublin since about age 18 or 19. In 2014 he participated in an attempt to purchase €20,000 of forged €50 bank notes for €2,200 in legitimate money, an operation that was foiled by Gardai. He was also convicted under the Theft Act for possession of the forged notes. In August 2015, members of the Belfast Brigade questioned Day and others at a house in Castleknock to identify the person responsible for the failed operation.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Bridget O'Neill, a professional carer, testified that she noticed an unusually high number of transactions on the bank statement of an elderly stroke victim she cared for. O'Neill, who worked for the same company as the defendant, described feeling uneasy after reviewing the statement, noting that the number of transactions exceeded what would normally be expected. She explained that the victim was physically disabled and dependent on her for daily care, including food, laundry, and even playing Lotto. O'Neill also revealed that the victim had gifted her €5,000 and €3,000 on separate occasions, and that the victim had loaned money to the accused. The trial, presided over by Judge Karen O'Connor, continues with a jury of twelve. The defendant, Sabrina O'Connor, has pleaded not guilty to 13 theft charges and one deception charge.
A former solicitor from Maynooth, County Kildare, has been granted bail on appeal at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following approval of a €100,000 independent surety. Michael Lynn, aged 49, faces allegations of stealing approximately €30 million from seven financial institutions. A family member provided the surety, which will remain frozen in her bank account throughout the trial, with the judge cautioning that the funds would be forfeited if bail conditions were breached. Mr Lynn's passports, along with those of his wife and four children, have been surrendered to gardaí. His bail conditions include daily sign-on at Leixlip Garda Station, residence at his Maynooth address, a 9pm to 6am curfew, prohibition from Irish ports and airports, and the requirement to carry a mobile phone accessible to gardaí. He was extradited from Brazil in March 2018, having been taken into custody there in August 2013. The trial is scheduled to commence in January 2020 and is expected to last six to eight weeks.
Daniel McDonnell, aged 23, was convicted of murdering 16‑year‑old Melanie McCarthy McNamara in Tallaght on 8 February 2012. The Central Criminal Court found that a shot from a stolen black Hyundai Santa Fe hit McCarthy in the head while she sat in a car with her boyfriend and a friend. McDonnell was arrested the following week and pleaded not guilty. He was found guilty by a jury after over four hours of deliberation and received a mandatory life sentence on 24 January 2014. McDonnell appealed in April, arguing the reliability of two letters he wrote while in custody. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, ruling the trial was fair and the jury's verdict safe, and upheld the conviction. The appeal also rejected arguments about the letters' admissibility and the lack of other evidence. The case remains at the appeal stage.
Sabrina O'Connor, 37, of The Green, Dunboyne Castle, Dunboyne, is on trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for 13 theft charges and one deception charge relating to an elderly stroke victim she cared for. The prosecution, led by Noel Devitt BL, alleges that O'Connor accessed the victim's bank account and stole €15,000 and €8,500 bank drafts, using them to secure a house option and purchase a Land Rover. She is also accused of taking money via cheques, spending it for her own benefit, and buying food and paying bills with the victim's bank cards. The victim, who had her cheque book in an unlocked drawer, claims she never authorized these withdrawals and has no recollection of them. The trial is set to continue on Thursday before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury of twelve. Sabrina O'Connor pleaded not guilty.
In a High Court ruling, Ms Justice Carmel Stewart declared €211,000 held in Irish bank accounts as proceeds of crime. The funds were deposited by an individual using the alias 'Darren H Barnett', who had obtained a UK passport number through identity theft and used it to secure a PPS number in Ireland. In 2012, Barnett opened several Dublin bank accounts and received international deposits, including US$269,000 from a Dubai entity described as "frozen Atlantic Salmon." The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) traced the money to a scheme involving the alias, a fraudulent company named Harglena Global, and false residential addresses. CAB presented evidence that the company was not legitimate and that the alleged home address was unrelated to Barnett. Despite CAB's attempts to serve documents, the alias could not be located. The court, following CAB's evidence, ordered the freezing of the monies under Section 3 of the 1996 Proceeds of Crime Act.
A 30‑year‑old Meath man, Martin Sherlock, was convicted of raping a woman he met on the dating app Badoo. The victim had told him they could not have sex without a condom and had repeatedly said "no" during the encounter. Sherlock admitted he had ejaculated inside her and had stolen her mobile phone. He pleaded not guilty but was found guilty after a four‑day trial. The court noted that Sherlock had lost his job and cancelled wedding plans. Gardaí arrested him following a sting operation in which they posed as buyers of a phone he was selling. He was remanded in custody until a sentencing hearing on 2 July. The case was presented as a clear instance of non‑consensual sex after the victim's explicit refusal to have sex without a condom.
Mareks Treinovskis, 32, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for repeatedly stealing electric toothbrushes and razors from the Grafton Street branch of Boots. He entered the store eight times between February and September 2017, taking items worth €4,323, none of which were recovered. Gardaí seized almost €400 worth of stolen Gillette razors after one theft. Treinovskis pleaded guilty to four counts of theft, with four additional counts considered. He had been arrested multiple times, first in April after CCTV captured him stealing Braun shavers and a toothbrush, and again in September and November. He has 56 prior convictions, mainly theft, criminal damage and traffic offences. The court noted his heroin addiction, his clean status at the time of sentencing, and his desire to improve contact with his young daughter. Judge Melanie Greally backdated the sentence to 11 November 2017.
John Downes, a 56‑year‑old Marks and Spencer employee, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended after pleading guilty to five counts of stealing cash from the Dundrum branch between April and July 2016. He stole a total of €24,650 over 54 separate occasions, taking the money from the till and transferring it to his pocket and later to his sock. Garda Michael Lynch reported that Downes had been working for the company since November 2014 and that he had been suspended on full pay pending investigation. During the investigation, €950 in cash was found in his bedroom, and Downes admitted the theft. He cited financial hardship caused by the breakdown of his marriage and the closure of his printing business. Downes expressed remorse, repaid the money to the store, and the judge noted his cooperation and lack of prior convictions as mitigating factors.
Graham Fitzgerald, 22, and his cousin Gary Fitzgerald, 21, appeared at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court regarding an arson at Green Hills Court Apartments in Tallaght on March 26, 2015. Graham Fitzgerald pleaded guilty to arson and an attempted robbery at Milanos in February 2016. Gary Fitzgerald also pleaded guilty to the arson charge. Judge Melanie Greally noted that Graham's case had been adjourned on successive occasions, most recently to encourage engagement with the Probation Service. She cited his young age, drug use, and antisocial peers at the time of the offences, alongside psychological vulnerabilities. The court accepted tangible evidence that Graham was now drug-free. Judge Greally imposed consecutive sentences totalling five years, suspended in full on strict conditions. Gary Fitzgerald, who had seven previous convictions, received a three-year sentence with the final six months suspended for the arson offence. The court heard that the fire caused €45,000 in damage to an unoccupied apartment in a Focus Ireland complex, forcing an evacuation. While Gardaí could not establish the exact cause of the fire, CCTV identified the defendants as intruders. Graham had four previous convictions, including criminal damage, and was on bail for the arson when he committed the attempted robbery.
Two teenage boys, aged 15 and 16 at the time of the offence, were given suspended sentences after they "thrashed" a metalwork room at Oberstown detention centre for three hours, using hammers to smash items and causing €14,290 of damage. The boys threatened their teacher and refused to leave the room when asked by staff and Gardaí, leading to the Public Order Unit's intervention. They pleaded guilty to criminal damage at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 14 June 2017. The older boy, now 17, has 36 prior convictions including criminal damage, arson, vehicle seizures, theft and public order offences; the younger boy, now 16, has 28 prior convictions including criminal damage, robbery, burglary, threat to kill and public order offences. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a two‑year sentence on the 16‑year‑old and a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence on the 17‑year‑old, both suspended on strict conditions including probation supervision.
In a 2018 incident, Gardaí used remote control of street cameras to track Shane Pollard (41) after he stole €500 from a shop. The cameras captured him taking money from the till, and Garda Patrick Fallon monitored his movements as he fled into a nearby café. Pollard was arrested there, breathing heavily and sweating, and all the stolen money was recovered. He later pleaded guilty to theft of €510 at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally noted no force or violence was used against staff, though Pollard had armed himself with a blade or scissors. She imposed a two‑year sentence, backdated to February to account for time already spent in custody. Pollard, who has 27 prior convictions including seven for robbery, had relapsed into cocaine use after a family bereavement. The defence highlighted his long history of drug use and his current health conditions. The court accepted his guilty plea and cooperation.
Former solicitor Michael Lynn, aged 49, was extradited from Brazil to face 21 charges of multimillion‑euro theft at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The charges allege he stole nearly €30 million from seven financial institutions, including €4.1 million from Irish Nationwide on 4 April 2007 and €3.6 million from Ulster Bank on 20 October 2006. He was denied bail by Justice Una Ni Raifeartaigh on 6 April. Lynn appealed the refusal in the Court of Appeal, where a decision was expected that afternoon. Trial is set for 13 January 2020.
In a Dublin pub, Anthony Burns, 43, attempted a robbery on 12 December 2017 using a toy gun. Customers jeered, calling his plastic weapon ineffective, and one struck him with a bottle, causing head cuts. Burns, a crack cocaine addict, took €520 from barman Shay Donnelly. Donnelly, unharmed, expressed relief and sympathy for Burns. Burns pleaded guilty to robbery of the pub, a Subway restaurant, an attempted robbery of Rapeedos, and robbery of a bookmakers shop. Victims included Donnelly, Stacey Ryle, and Katarzyna Filipiak, who feared stabbing and felt threatened. Judge Melanie Greally suspended the last two years of a five‑year sentence, citing Burns' past crime‑free period and the amateurish, desperate nature of the offences. Burns' history includes false imprisonment, robbery, and unlawful car seizure in 2000.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Joseph Rafferty, aged 38, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment for a cocaine‑fuelled rampage that lasted eight hours and covered 45 km. Rafferty seized multiple vehicles at gunpoint, pursued Gardaí in a high‑speed chase, and committed false imprisonment, aggravated burglary, threats with a sub‑machine gun and reckless endangerment. He pleaded guilty to burglary at Watergate Estate, assault of a homeowner, criminal damage, two carjacking counts, three counts of possessing a sub‑machine gun, unlawful possession of 9 mm Luger ammunition and reckless endangerment. He also admitted stealing a vehicle from Carroll and Roche Subaru. The judge noted his 34 prior convictions and reduced a potential 14‑year sentence to nine years, citing guilty pleas and remorse. No serious injuries were reported, though a man sustained a head laceration during a break‑in. The case highlighted the extensive police response, including 50 Gardaí, air support and the Garda Dog Unit.
Two teenage boys, aged 15 and 16 at the time, used hammers to "thrash" a metalwork room at Oberstown detention centre for three hours, causing €14,290 of damage. They threatened their teacher and smashed items, threw objects, and used fire extinguishers, resulting in extensive damage. The boys were removed by the Public Order Unit after staff and Gardaí were alerted. Both pleaded guilty to criminal damage at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 14 June 2017. The older boy, now 17, has 36 prior convictions including criminal damage, arson, vehicle seizures, theft and public order offences; the younger boy, now 16, has 28 prior convictions including criminal damage, robbery, burglary, threat to kill and public order offences. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to review reports and structure a suitable sentence. The boys admitted their roles, and Gardaí noted no injuries occurred.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Adam Marlowe, aged 23, was found guilty of aggravated burglary, assault, and robbery of 81‑year‑old farmer Malachy Turley in July 2016. The jury, after one hour of deliberation, returned unanimous verdicts on all counts. Evidence included DNA from blue latex material, described as a fingertip of a latex glove, found in Turley's bedroom. Marlowe was remanded in custody for sentencing on July 6th. Adam Marlowe pleaded not guilty.
Jonathan Chubb, 38, of Drimnagh, Dublin, was sentenced to seven‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, after pleading guilty to 34 thefts, two false reference offences, four deception counts, six forged licence offences and one money‑laundering count committed between March 2013 and July 2015. The court described his conduct as extremely pre‑meditated and disturbing, noting that he stole deposits from 11 people who believed he was the landlord of an apartment at Oblate View, Tyrconnell Road, and that many victims had young children. Chubb also stole four iPhone 5s from Three Ireland in 2017 and used forged standing‑order mandates to defraud bank customers while working for Wisefx. He had 27 prior convictions, including 12 theft and fraud offences. The judge highlighted that all injured parties were fully reimbursed and praised his guilty pleas for avoiding lengthy trials.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Melanie Greally recorded a jury disagreement on kidnapping charges against Niall Byrne, Mark Farrelly, Christopher Corcoran, and David Byrne. The jury convicted all four men of conspiracy to robbery and five counts of robbery and false imprisonment related to the March 2005 seizure of €2.08 million from Securicor and the Richardson family. All defendants had pleaded not guilty. The State alleged Niall Byrne, a former Securicor employee, acted as the "inside man." This was the fifth trial for the case; previous proceedings resulted in hung juries, acquittals, or overturned convictions due to constitutional issues with search warrants. Farrelly, Corcoran, and Jason Kavanagh were previously jailed in 2009 but released in 2012 after their convictions were quashed. The jury deliberated for nearly 18 hours before reaching its verdict. Judge Greally remanded all four men into custody to appear before the court on June 5th for sentencing. The matter was adjourned and is not yet concluded.
Three men – Mark Farrelly (47), Christopher Corcoran (70) and David Byrne (45) – were found guilty by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of kidnapping the Richardson family and robbing a Securicor cash‑in‑transit van of €2.28 million on 13 March 2005. The jury, after nearly 16 hours of deliberation, returned a majority verdict. The defendants had pleaded not guilty to the robbery and the false imprisonment of the Richardson family at their home in Ashcroft, Raheny. The trial, which began in January before a specially enlarged jury of 15, involved testimony that armed men burst into the Richardson home, forced the family to cooperate, and transported them to the Wicklow mountains where they were held overnight. The case also included evidence of mobile‑phone activity linking the defendants to the gang's operations. The jury will continue deliberations on a fourth defendant, Niall Byrne (36).
Pawel Wisniewski, aged 43, was sentenced to an additional 33 months in jail for possessing cannabis and a stolen Ford Mondeo after being caught at a Dublin grow‑house. He had previously received a four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for diesel theft and possession of cannabis and a firearm. The new sentence runs consecutively to a two‑and‑a‑half‑year term for earlier cannabis and firearm offences, and to a two‑year term for diesel theft. Wisniewski, who has 34 prior convictions, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 12 October 2017. Judge Martin Nolan noted his mechanical and electrical skills and his cooperation, but highlighted that he was on bail for other offences at the time of the arrest. The court emphasised that he must avoid further criminal conduct. The case involved the seizure of 35 cannabis plants worth up to €28,000 and a stolen car found at Collinstown Cross Industrial Estate.
The jury in the trial of four men accused of a €2.28 million cash‑in‑transit robbery and tiger kidnapping will continue deliberations tomorrow. Mark Farrelly (47), Christopher Corcoran (70), Niall Byrne (36) and David Byrne (45) all pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the false imprisonment of Securicor driver Paul Richardson and his family at their home at Ashcroft, Raheny, Dublin, on 13 and 14 March 2005. They also pleaded not guilty to robbing Mr Richardson and Securicor of €2.28 million on 14 March 2005. The trial began last January before a specially enlarged jury of 15. Three jurors were discharged due to personal commitments and 12 jurors are now deliberating on the evidence. After six and a half hours of deliberations on Wednesday afternoon, Judge Melanie Greally told the jurors to suspend deliberations and sent them home for the night.
A burglar, Matthew Ahern, 53, was jailed for 17 months after a CCTV video captured him having a haircut in a barbershop next to the house he broke into. He pleaded guilty to burglary at Collins Avenue East, Killester, on 17 February 2016. The home was occupied by a mother and her twins who were napping when the crime occurred. Ahern entered the house, stole an iPad, a laptop, and two mobile phones, and left without any weapons. He had 48 prior convictions, including seven for burglary, dating back to 1982. Judge Karen O'Connor, noting the seriousness of violating a family home, sentenced him to three years' imprisonment with the final 19 months suspended, citing his guilty plea and efforts to change his lifestyle. The suspended portion was intended to keep him out of trouble while in custody. The sentence reflects the judge's concern for the victim's safety and the property stolen.
Anthony McDonnell, 26, pleaded guilty to arson after the Supreme Court overturned his 2014 acquittal. He set fire to a car in the car park of an apartment block, causing about €77,000 in building damage and destroying two cars. The original trial judge, Sarah Berkeley, had acquitted him because CCTV footage was deemed inadmissible and alleged admissions during Garda interviews were excluded. The Supreme Court ruled that CCTV footage is real evidence and that Gardaí could question McDonnell, ordering a retrial. McDonnell pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He later committed a robbery in May 2017 and was sentenced to four years and six months in February 2018. The court adjourned the case to July and ordered a report from the prison governor. The case is referred to as the AMcD case.
A jury has begun deliberations in a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court involving four men—Mark Farrelly (47), Christopher Corcoran (70), Niall Byrne (36) and David Byrne (45)—who are accused of a €2.28 million cash‑in‑transit robbery and tiger kidnapping. The defendants pleaded not guilty to the false imprisonment of Securicor driver Paul Richardson and his family at their Ashcroft home in Raheny on 13 and 14 March 2005, as well as to the robbery of Richardson and Securicor on 14 March 2005. The trial started last January before a specially enlarged jury of 15, but three jurors were discharged, leaving 12 to deliberate. Judge Melanie Greally spent over two days explaining the law and summarising the evidence before sending the jury out to deliberate for just under three hours, after which they were sent home for the night.
Gerard Creighton, aged 50, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for false imprisonment and robbery. He held a female shop worker at the Healthy Hut on Bolton Street for a few minutes before stealing €285 from the till. Two days earlier, he forced another female worker back into a shop she was closing, armed with a knife, and robbed €150. Creighton pleaded guilty to one count of false imprisonment and one count of robbery at the Healthy Hut, and to one count of robbery at the Old World New shop on Leinster Street. He has 22 prior convictions, including a nine‑year sentence in 1999 for rape and false imprisonment, and a three‑year sentence in 2015 for attempted robbery of a bookmaker. The judge noted his desire to reform and suspended the final two years of the sentence on conditions.
Stephen Doherty, 50, was jailed for two-and-a-half years after robbing an Applegreen petrol station in Baldoyle, Dublin, while high on heroin. He used a meat thermometer, which he initially claimed was an ice pick, to threaten a cashier and force the release of €200. Doherty also attempted to rob a woman outside the station, who escaped. He pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and one count of attempted robbery on 31 October last year. Doherty, who has 62 prior convictions including theft, burglary and drug misuse, told the court he committed the robbery to raise money for his mother's funeral, the only family member who could not contribute. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to two-and-a-half years, backdated to the time of his first arrest in October. The sentence was imposed in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The case highlights the intersection of drug addiction and criminal activity.
A 30‑year‑old man accused of raping a woman he met on the dating app Badoo was interviewed by Gardaí after the complainant alleged he entered her Dublin home on 14 August 2015, raped her, and stole her phone. In his first interview he claimed he had stolen the phone to sell it for money, but later admitted he had taken it in a moment of panic because his contact details were on it. He denied the rape, stating the woman was aware he had no condom and that they had sex after she asked for one. He said he ejaculated quickly, told her she might become pregnant, and that he had no money for the morning‑after pill. Garda Rossa Smith presented evidence that the accused's WhatsApp contact matched the seller's number on DoneDeal.ie and that CCTV showed him entering the house at 3.15 am and leaving at 3.38 am. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
Stephen Bollard, 27, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for six robberies in north Dublin and possession of €270 worth of cocaine. The court heard that Bollard used an imitation firearm, knives and a wheel‑brace to "terrify" victims. He was identified by CCTV in most of the incidents and had previously been on bail for the first offence. After being arrested, a plastic bag containing cocaine was found in his possession. Bollard had left Ireland for Scotland in late 2014, served a robbery sentence in Edinburgh, and was returned to Ireland on a European Arrest Warrant in February 2018. The judge, Martin Nolan, took into account Bollard's guilty plea, cooperation, psychological report and attempts at rehabilitation, and imposed consecutive sentences back‑dated to January. The court noted that Bollard's drug addiction was a factor in the offences. The sentence was imposed in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Stephen Keenan, aged 31, was sentenced to six‑and‑a‑half years in prison for four counts of unlawful possession of two handguns and bullets, and for stealing a car on 24 October last year. The firearms were found in a rucksack on Casement Drive, Finglas, and were in working order, capable of firing lethal ammunition. Keenan admitted he had agreed to hold the guns for "dangerous people" to whom he owed a €50,000 drug debt, and that he still owed €5,000. He claimed the debt pressured him into the crimes, though he had previously served a suspended sentence for a similar offence in 2015. The judge noted Keenan's drug addiction and his attempts at rehabilitation, but imposed the statutory mandatory minimum of five years, back‑dating the sentence to October 2017. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Stephen Keenan pleaded guilty.
Alan Long, aged 27, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for terrorising a 16‑year‑old boy and his mother over a drug debt. He pleaded guilty to trespass and theft, assault and demanding money with menaces at the victim's Kilbarrack home on 18 and 19 October. Long repeatedly visited the house, demanding €8,000, then €4,000, and took items including a flat‑screen TV, a suitcase of clothes and a Nintendo system. He assaulted the boy in the kitchen and threatened the mother with a headstone if she did not pay. The mother, who had been too afraid to contact Gardaí, made a formal statement after the incidents. Long had 10 prior convictions and had been in custody since his November arrest. The victim impact statement described ongoing fear, stress, anxiety and depression. The court noted Long's remorse and traumatic background. The sentence was imposed by Judge Martin Nolan.
The trial of four men accused of the 2005 tiger kidnap and robbery of Securicor driver Paul Richardson and his family in Raheny, Dublin, is ongoing at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Niall Byrne, Christopher Corcoran, Mark Farrelly, and David Byrne have all pleaded not guilty to the false imprisonment of Mr. Richardson and his family on March 13 and 14, 2005, and the robbery of €2.28 million on March 14, 2005. This is the fifth time the matter has come to trial. In his closing address, defence counsel Feargal Kavanagh SC argued that Niall Byrne is an innocent family man with no previous convictions, rather than a hardened criminal. He contended that phone evidence linking Byrne to previously convicted accomplice Jason Kavanagh does not prove involvement, suggesting the calls were unrelated or that Byrne was unaware of the crime. The defence asserted that Byrne had no need to be an "inside man" given Securicor's large workforce and established security procedures. Judge Melanie Greally is scheduled to charge the jury in the law tomorrow. The matter remains at the trial stage, with no verdict or sentence yet delivered.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Anthony Sammon SC defended 45‑year‑old David Byrne, arguing that the prosecution's case hinged on a single, unreliable witness, Alan Drumgoole. Sammon highlighted Drumgoole's admissions of lying to Gardaí and his contradictory statements about phone contacts, including a "Mousey" number that he claimed belonged to Byrne. He urged the jury to disregard Drumgoole's testimony, asserting that without trust in the witness, the prosecution's case collapsed. Byrne, along with Christopher Corcoran (70), Mark Farrelly (47), and Niall Byrne (36), had pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and robbery of Securicor driver Paul Richardson and his family on 13–14 March 2005, a case that had reached trial for the fifth time. The defence also challenged circumstantial evidence linking Corcoran to the operation, noting discrepancies in phone data and travel routes. The trial proceeded with closing arguments before Judge Melanie Greally and a 14‑member jury.
In 2018, Martin Maughan, aged 21, was sentenced to 18 months in jail for an unprovoked assault on Simon Cornish on Dublin's Henry Street in 2016. Maughan struck Cornish, a probation officer, causing a fractured facial bone and a detached retina, leading to surgery and permanent implants. Maughan pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm. He had 15 prior convictions, including robbery and criminal damage. The judge, Martin Nolan, imposed a three‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended, citing the long‑term consequences for Cornish and the lack of provocation. Mitigating factors included Maughan's cessation of alcohol and drugs, his involvement with Focus Ireland, and his impending fatherhood. Maughan paid €2,000 to Cornish and presented a letter of apology. The court noted the emotional impact on both parties, with family members crying during sentencing. The case remains at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court stage.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Patrick Quinn sentenced Kevin Fay, 42, for fraud committed in 2014, after a four‑year delay that the judge described as "terribly unfair." Fay, a former agent for Provident Personal Credit, had submitted false loan applications and stole €4,300. He pleaded guilty to three counts of theft. Initially, Quinn imposed a three‑month jail term to deter trust‑based employees from stealing. After defence lawyer Luigi Rea requested a brief reprieve, Fay presented €1,100 in compensation. The judge suspended the entire one‑year prison sentence, requiring Fay to repay the remaining €3,200 within two years. Fay, now a roofer earning €580 a week, had no prior convictions. The judge noted the delay and the lack of earlier restitution efforts as factors in the sentencing decision.
The trial of Freddie Thompson, 37, for the alleged murder of David Douglas on July 1, 2016, continued before the Special Criminal Court. Mr Thompson, of Maryland, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to the killing of the 55-year-old shoe shop manager on Bridgefoot Street. Prosecutors allege that four vehicles operated in concert during the incident, which resulted in Mr Douglas being shot six times. While the prosecution does not argue that Mr Thompson physically fired the weapon, they seek to infer he was one of the 'many fingers on the trigger.' On the third day of the trial, witnesses Deivydas Kukanavza and Iveta Sutkote testified regarding a separate incident on Strand Road on July 4, 2016. They described a Mitsubishi repeatedly crashing into a parked silver Suzuki Swift before an occupant poured petrol over the vehicle and set it alight. Ms Sutkote identified the Mitsubishi's registration number, which was later provided to gardai. The court heard that the Mitsubishi was subsequently stopped by police, with a smell of petrol detected inside. Mr Thompson's fingerprints were found within the vehicle. The prosecution characterised the silver Suzuki as the 'ultimate getaway car,' noting it had been stolen from Greystones. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, Judge Flannan Brennan, and Judge Gerard Griffin, with proceedings scheduled to continue on Tuesday.
Jonathan Chubb, a former property investor, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 34 counts of theft, two counts of providing a false reference, four counts of deception, six counts of possession of a forged driving licence, and one count of money laundering between March 2013 and July 2015. Prosecutors alleged he stole apartment deposits from 11 victims, including a woman and her child who were left homeless, and defrauded businesses of over €23,000. Chubb also admitted to 11 charges of stealing rent money totalling €8,660 in 2012, for which he previously received 200 hours of community service in lieu of two and a half years imprisonment. Defending counsel noted Chubb had brought €9,000 to court for injured parties and promised further compensation. Judge Karen O'Connor described the crimes as disturbing, noting the impact on vulnerable families. The matter was adjourned until May 30, 2018, for sentencing.
The trial of Mark Farrelly, Christopher Corcoran, Niall Byrne, and David Byrne is ongoing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The four defendants, who have all pleaded not guilty, are accused of the false imprisonment of Securicor driver Paul Richardson and his family at their Raheny home on March 13 and 14, 2005, and the subsequent robbery of €2.28 million from Mr Richardson and Securicor on March 14, 2005. Prosecutors allege the gang operated with an organised command structure, with Mr Farrelly identified as the alleged mastermind. During closing speeches, defence counsel Ciaran O'Loughlin SC challenged the prosecution's theory that a fluorescent jacket found in Mr Farrelly's wardrobe was a souvenir from the crime, describing the suggestion as "daft" and an insult to the jury's intelligence. He further criticised the investigation's reliance on phone network analysis, specifically regarding a number referred to as 'the grey phone', arguing that the evidence was shoehorned into a pre-determined prejudice. The defence contended that the investigation was not thorough and that there is no evidence linking Mr Farrelly to all members of the alleged gang. The trial, which began last January, will resume on Tuesday with continuing speeches.
John Luong, 42, was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to eight counts of theft from Icon Plc between November 2013 and November 2014. He stole a total of €156,497 by altering invoices and substituting his own IBAN details, diverting payments meant for the company into his personal account. The amounts ranged from €3,000 to €35,000 per incident. Luong, an accounts administrator, admitted a gambling addiction that drove the theft, estimating he had taken about €70,000. He had been suspended and later dismissed after an audit revealed the diversions. The judge described the theft as a "huge error of judgement" and a breach of trust, noting that none of the stolen money has been recovered. Luong has seven prior convictions for road traffic offences. The court acknowledged his personal suffering but emphasized the seriousness of the financial loss.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a jury heard all evidence in the trial of four men—Niall Byrne (36), Mark Farrelly (47), Christopher Corcoran (70) and David Byrne (45)—who are accused of a €2.28 million cash‑in‑transit robbery and the false imprisonment of Securicor driver Paul Richardson and his family at their Ashcroft, Raheny, home on 13 and 14 March 2005. All four pleaded not guilty to both the robbery and the false imprisonment. Judge Melanie Greally instructed the enlarged jury of fourteen members to consider the evidence before delivering their speeches and cautioned them against drawing conclusions prematurely. The case, now in its fifth trial, had previously involved a telecommunications expert who confirmed that calls from a third number to the Byrne couple's phones in the week before the robbery did not match their usual pattern.
John O'Donoghue, a 38‑year‑old former cashier at the Motor Tax Office in Dublin, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended for stealing €14,293 from his employer between March and August 2017. He pleaded guilty to representative counts of theft and false accounting. The thefts were uncovered when a customer's payment for motor tax arrears was found missing, prompting a review of CCTV and paperwork that revealed O'Donoghue had pocketed the money and falsified cashier summaries. He admitted to heavy drinking, spending €50–€100 daily on alcohol, and had used the stolen funds for that purpose. O'Donoghue had previously admitted to child‑pornography offences but had not yet been charged at the time of the thefts, and he had lost his job in September 2017. The judge noted his stress, cooperation, and lack of enrichment in determining the sentence.
During the trial of a €2.28 million Securicor robbery, Dr Kevin John O'Flynn testified that the accused, Niall Byrne (36), appeared stressed when he visited the doctor's practice on the day of the incident, complaining of back pain. The doctor noted Byrne's stress and referred him for a chest x‑ray due to concerns about a collapsed lung. Byrne was prescribed anti‑inflammatory medication and later returned with persistent back pain, attributing it to lifting heavy boxes at work. Byrne, along with Mark Farrelly (47), Christopher Corcoran (70) and David Byrne (45), pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and robbery of Securicor cash‑in‑transit driver Paul Richardson and his family at their home in Ashcroft, Raheny, on 13–14 March 2005. The trial is proceeding before Judge Melanie Greally with an enlarged jury of fourteen.
Pawel Wisniewski, 43, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison for stealing thousands of litres of diesel from an Applegreen service station in Balbriggan over three days in August 2019. He also received a two-and-a-half year sentence for possession of cannabis for sale or supply and a firearm at a grow‑house in Tallaght, and a two‑year sentence for the diesel offence, all to run consecutively. Wisniewski, a qualified electrician and former Polish army serviceman, used a cloned Applegreen card to pump diesel into his van, stealing €5,220 worth of fuel. He was also convicted of driving without insurance. His girlfriend received a suspended one‑year sentence. Wisniewski was disqualified from driving for three years and his sentence was back‑dated to October 2019. The court noted this was the first case involving large‑scale diesel theft of this nature. Pawel Wisniewski pleaded guilty.