Thomas Jackson, aged 21 and a homeless man living in Focus Ireland managed accommodation, was sentenced to two years in prison for taking part in two "vicious" robberies on Mary's Lane and Cuckoo Lane in Dublin city centre on 1 May 2017. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge, Martin Nolan, described the attacks as very violent, with victims being kicked, punched and one losing consciousness. Jackson's sentence of four and a half years was reduced, with the last two and a half years suspended on the condition that he keep the peace and engage with Probation Services after release. The court heard that the robberies involved forced theft of phones, wallets and a key, and that victims suffered injuries such as broken teeth, a broken wrist and bruising. Jackson had two prior convictions for public order and theft offences.
In a robbery at Old Bawn Shopping Centre on 14 April 2017, 24‑year‑old Daragh Brown entered a Centra shop armed with a knife and demanded money from the tills. After failing to obtain cash, he fled with a quantity of John Player Blue cigarettes. Two bread delivery men, Will Murray and Joe Daniel, chased him. While running into the car park, Brown's trousers fell, revealing his colourful boxer shorts. He threatened the men, saying he would stab them if they approached, and warned of "ten lads" waiting in a nearby estate. The men stopped following him. Gardaí, alerted by witnesses, described Brown and arrested him at Allenton Avenue. Two cigarette packets and a knife were recovered from his person and the car park. Brown pleaded guilty to robbery and making threats to kill, and will be sentenced in July. He has 29 prior convictions and has been diagnosed with depression. The judge deferred sentencing until 31 July.
Darragh Newman, 23, received a two‑year suspended sentence for his role in a theft scam organised by a well‑known Dublin criminal group. He provided the gang with his bank account details, allowing them to defraud businessman Joe Carey of €7,995 after Carey responded to a fake online ad for a teleporter. Gardaí tracked Newman via Facebook and obtained CCTV footage of him withdrawing the money over two days. Newman, a former DIT student, had pleaded guilty to theft in 2016 and had four prior minor traffic convictions. The court found Newman knowingly acted dishonestly, but noted his remorse and potential for reform. Judge Martin Nolan suspended the sentence for two years and ordered the €7,000 to be handed over to the Gardaí for restitution to Carey. The case remains an ongoing investigation into the broader criminal enterprise.
Rainis Koovit, aged 21, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with one year suspended, for robbing a café in Dublin. On 27 February 2017 he brandished a syringe at a barista in Kaph Café, threatening to "stick it into her" if she tried to stop him. He attempted to take a tip jar, which was chained, and then stole about €20 worth of foreign currency before fleeing. Koovit pleaded guilty to robbery and to producing a syringe with intent to cause injury or intimidate. He had been on bail and was ordered to stay out of the Dublin 2 area, which the judge cited as an aggravating factor. The syringe was not believed to be infected with HIV. The court noted his history of drug use and prior convictions, and directed him to engage with probation services and address his addiction upon release.
In June 2016, 22‑year‑old Lee Murray robbed a business tourist on Hanover Street East, Dublin, threatening him with a bread knife and stealing his iPhone 7. The victim reported that the robber had a bandage on his hand. Gardaí located Murray a few hours later at Misery Hill, where he admitted the crime, led them to the hidden phone and apologized. Murray pleaded guilty to one count of robbery. On 13 February 2018, the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced him to 20 months' imprisonment. Judge Martin Nolan cited mitigating circumstances, including Murray's history of heroin addiction, his recent stab‑wound injury, and his status on the waiting list for residential treatment. The judge noted that Murray's behaviour on the day left him with "no choice" and that a custodial sentence was necessary. Murray has 24 prior convictions, including theft and knife offences, and is a father of a two‑year‑old child.
James O'Reilly, aged 21, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery of a tourist's wallet on 14 June 2015. The victim, Robert Robson, a UK national, was approached by a group of 16‑ to 18‑year‑old males near his hotel. CCTV showed five men and a woman surrounding him, taking his wallet and bank cards, and punching him to the ground. O'Reilly, identified on the footage, was the first to interact with Robson but did not punch him. The robbery involved €350 in cash and cards that were later cancelled. O'Reilly had 25 prior convictions. He entered a guilty plea after a legal dispute over the admissibility of Garda CCTV. Judge Patricia Ryan described the offence as "sneaky, horrible" and imposed a one‑year probation bond, keeping him under supervision until 8 February 2019. The court noted the victim's impact statement and O'Reilly's expression of remorse, including a letter to Robson.
Gary Culhane, a 40‑year‑old Limerick man, was sentenced to four years in prison for breaking into the parochial house of The Good Shepherd Church in Churchtown, Dublin, on 15 October 2016. He pleaded guilty to burglary and was found to have 102 previous convictions, including assault, robbery and theft, and had spent 20 years in prison. Judge Melanie Greally suspended the final year of the sentence, ordering Culhane to complete a residential drug rehabilitation course at Tiglin treatment centre and to follow all after‑care plans. The priest, who had been away saying mass, was "very shaken" when he returned to find €650 stolen from his house, including money, collections and the poor box. Garda Áine Bolton identified Culhane after the priest downloaded CCTV footage.
Two Dublin men, Martin Cully (35) and Eugene Traynor (40), were sentenced to seven‑year prison terms, partially suspended, for unlawfully seizing a vehicle and forcibly removing a woman from her car. The incident occurred on Old Connacht Avenue, Bray, on 15 June 2017. Cully, who had previously been disqualified from driving for 30 years, also pleaded guilty to two dangerous driving charges. Judge Patrick Quinn imposed a lifetime driving ban on Cully, suspended the final two years of his sentence and the final two and a half years of Traynor's sentence, and required both men to remain drug‑free and engage in treatment programmes. The court noted a high‑speed chase that ended with the car crashing into a pole. Cully had 67 prior convictions, including seven burglaries; Traynor had 20 prior convictions, including robbery and theft. The victim, who suffered nightmares and flashbacks, gave a victim impact statement describing her fear and helplessness during the attack.
David Marsh, 31, was sentenced to an additional 14 months in jail after he deceived a woman he met on a dating website by claiming he was anaemic and needed money for medication and a flight to the US to see a specialist. He also extracted €300 from a new girlfriend for a holiday that never occurred, and €800 from the same woman under various pretences. Marsh's criminal history includes six counts of deception, one theft from an Eir store, and possession of heroin while in prison. He had previously been jailed for two years in 2016 for fraud, including defrauding a Limerick couple of €76,000, stealing €740 from his employer, and scamming colleagues and rugby teammates out of nearly €8,000. He has 23 prior convictions, mainly for fraud. The court noted his "active fantasy life" and impulsive behaviour, but did not attribute any motive beyond his charm and confidence tactics. David Marsh pleaded guilty.
A 20‑year‑old Romanian teenager, Carmen Nicolae, was sentenced to a suspended two‑year imprisonment for stealing €10,000 worth of jewellery from an elderly couple in Artane on 2 October 2015. Nicolae pretended to be collecting for charity, claiming she was Spanish and collecting for the starving in Africa. She entered the couple's house, was allowed to use the bathroom, and then stole a collection of sentimental items including a diamond engagement ring, charm bracelet, gold chains, an eternity ring, earrings and cuff links. The stolen items were never recovered. A palm print from the jewellery box matched Nicolae's. She pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and had five prior convictions for theft and fraud. Judge Patricia Ryan described the offence as "mean and nasty" and imposed a suspended sentence, noting that if she returned to court she would be dealt with seriously.
A Dublin man has been sentenced to two years imprisonment for his role in an aggravated burglary at a home in Crumlin on 7 December 2013. Declan Maxwell, then aged 16, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the offence. The court heard that Maxwell and another man, now deceased, forced entry to the property and tied up the occupants with rope before threatening them with an imitation firearm whilst demanding money and bank details. A third person used stolen cards to withdraw €440 from an ATM. Electronics and other items valued at approximately €1,000 were taken from the home. Maxwell, originally from Achill in County Mayo, was apprehended the following day and confessed to gardaí. Judge Martin Nolan described the crime as reprehensible. The court imposed a five-year sentence with three years suspended, and ordered 18 months post-release probation supervision.
The trial of Mark Farrelly, Christopher Corcoran, David Byrne, and Niall Byrne is ongoing before Judge Melanie Greally at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. All four defendants have pleaded not guilty to the alleged false imprisonment of four members of the Richardson family at their home in Raheny, Dublin, on March 13 and 14, 2005, and to robbing Paul Richardson and Securicor of €2.28 million on March 14, 2005. Witness testimony revealed that Niall Byrne, then a Securicor employee, reported an injured back on the day of the alleged raid. A colleague stated Byrne later inquired about the robbery, while a Securicor assistant manager described Byrne as jovial after he saw a doctor. The manager also testified that he discovered the Richardson family were being held hostage around 9am on March 14, 2005, noting that the van's GPS indicated it was in County Westmeath despite crew member Sean Kelleher claiming it was in Tallaght. Another witness, Tony Coffey, stated his commercial jeep was stolen while unlocked and later found, with some items recovered at Dollymount Strand. The trial, expected to last three months, continues with an enlarged jury.
Daryl McKeon, 23, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his role in a violent raid on a newsagent in Finglas. He pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and assault causing serious harm to shopkeeper Kevin Tansey on March 18 last year. The court heard that McKeon and an accomplice, whose identity remains under investigation, entered the shop with covered faces. While McKeon blocked the door and restrained the victim, the other man struck Tansey three times on the head with a hammer. The attack left Tansey with extensive skull fractures, bleeding on the brain, and a comatose state. Judge Melanie Greally imposed an eight-and-a-half year sentence, with the final 18 months suspended. The jail term was backdated to March 2017, when McKeon entered custody. The judge noted that while McKeon did not wield the hammer, he participated wholeheartedly in the robbery. McKeon has 12 previous convictions and was on bail for district court offences at the time of the incident. The other raider is still under investigation.
The High Court has reserved judgement in the State's application to dismiss a damages claim brought by Peter Pringle. Pringle, an applicant, was originally sentenced to death for the murder of gardaí John Morley and Henry Byrne during a 1980 bank robbery in Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon. His sentence was later commuted to 40 years imprisonment, of which he served 14 years and ten months until his conviction was quashed by the Court of Criminal Appeal in 1995. He now alleges the State was negligent and breached his constitutional rights by failing to disclose crucial evidence before his trial. The State seeks dismissal of the claim, initiated in the mid-1990s, citing inordinate delay, while Pringle denies any delay on his part. Additionally, Pringle has brought a separate motion for the State to discover documents related to a 2002 DNA analysis by the Forensic Science Service in Birmingham. This analysis compared hair samples from the robbery vehicle with a voluntary blood sample provided by Pringle in 1994. The State informed Pringle's lawyers in 2003 that the results provided strong support for the hair originating from him. Pringle believes this report is intended to halt his damages claim and seeks the associated paperwork, which he claims has not been provided. The State denies these claims and opposes the discovery motion. Ms Justice Carmel Stewart reserved judgement on both applications following submissions from both parties.
During a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, CCTV footage showed two men entering a service station on the night of a €2.28 million cash‑in‑transit van robbery. Kevin Richardson, aged 13 at the time, testified that the men wore clothing similar to the raiders who later abducted the Richardson family. The accused—Mark Farrelly (46), Christopher Corcoran (70), David Byrne (45) and Niall Byrne (36)—have pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment of Paul Richardson, his wife Marie and their sons Ian (17) and Kevin (13) at their Ashcroft home on 13–14 March 2005, and to robbing Paul Richardson and Securicor. The trial, the fifth time the matter has been heard, includes testimony from the Richardson family, a former Securicor control‑room supervisor, and cross‑examination by defence counsel. The case is set to continue for three months before Judge Melanie Greally and an enlarged jury.
In a 2018 trial, a mother and her two teenage sons recounted being kidnapped near the Wicklow Mountains during a €2.28 million robbery that occurred almost 15 years earlier. Marie Richardson described how she and her sons were bundled into a jeep, taken to a secluded area, kept for hours, and bound with cable ties before being released. She recalled her husband, Paul Richardson, a cash‑in‑transit driver, being forced to deliver the money at a Dublin pub car park. The defendants—Mark Farrelly, Christopher Corcoran, David Byrne and Niall Byrne—pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and robbery. The jury heard the kidnapping, the captors' orders, and the family's eventual escape, with the trial continuing before Judge Melanie Greally and an enlarged jury.
Two homeless men, Stephen Talbot (42) and Trevor Murphy (38), were found guilty of a series of office burglaries in Dublin 2's business district. Over a month, they posed as maintenance workers, gaining entry with a simple "glide" device and stealing €1,167 in cash, mobile phones, and corporate tickets. Murphy pleaded guilty to 11 counts of trespass and theft between March 21 and April 19, and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment with the final year and a half suspended. Talbot admitted to five theft offences and received a three‑year sentence, back‑dated to April 21. Both men were identified through CCTV and apprehended on April 19 after being seen in Fitzwilliam Square South. The court noted their homelessness and drug difficulties, and highlighted Talbot's extensive criminal record of 67 prior convictions. The judge described the offences as "mannerly burglaries" but acknowledged the disruption caused to the businesses involved.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Dubliner Jason Kennedy, 45, to three years in prison for robbery and theft. Kennedy pleaded guilty to robbing Park Pharmacy in Cabinteely and stealing two USB keys from Shankill Garda station on August 18, 2016. Prosecution evidence indicated that Kennedy, armed with a hammer, threatened pharmacy staff before taking €500 and prescription drugs. He was later arrested after his vehicle was spotted in Rathfarnham. While being interviewed at the station, surveillance footage showed Kennedy pocketing two USB keys when the interviewing garda left the room; he later claimed it was a joke. Judge Karen O'Connor noted Kennedy's 43 previous convictions and his failure to complete a court-ordered residential drug treatment course, despite his history of addiction. The judge expressed sadness at his non-completion but acknowledged his desire for rehabilitation. Judge O'Connor imposed a three-year sentence, suspending the final 12 months on strict conditions. This means Kennedy will serve two years in custody before being released on probation for the suspended period.
Noel O'Connor, 36, was jailed for three years after smuggling almost €70,000 worth of cocaine from Brazil into Dublin Airport. Customs officers discovered 1.1 kilos of cocaine in two shampoo bottles during a random swab test. O'Connor fled the customs hall, ran into the arrivals area, and escaped in a taxi. He later returned to Ireland to face the court, pleading guilty to importation of controlled drugs. Judge Martin Nolan described him as "the ambassador of his own misfortune" but praised his clean record in custody and charity work with the Irish Red Cross. O'Connor had ten prior convictions, including theft and robbery, and had been a personal trainer. He had fled to Brazil after a breakup, accrued a drug debt, and was persuaded to smuggle drugs to repay it. The sentence was back‑dated to 23 June.
The State has applied to the High Court to dismiss a damages claim brought by Peter Pringle, alleging want of prosecution and inordinate delay. Pringle, who was wrongly convicted of the 1980 murders of gardai John Morley and Henry Byrne, served 14 years and 10 months in prison before his conviction was quashed in 1995. He claims the State was negligent and breached his constitutional rights by failing to disclose crucial evidence prior to his Special Criminal Court trial. The State argues that many witnesses from the 1980 Ballaghadreen incident are now deceased or unable to recall events accurately. Pringle opposes the dismissal, asserting that any delay was caused by the State. He has moved for the discovery of documents relating to a 2002 DNA analysis by the Forensic Science Service in Birmingham, which reportedly matched hair from the robbery vehicle to him. Pringle's legal team, including Declan McGovern SC, states these materials are essential to demonstrate his innocence and progress the claim. The State denies the allegations regarding the report and opposes the discovery motion. The hearing before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart continues on Friday.
During the second day of the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Paul Richardson, a Securicor cash‑in‑transit van driver, recounted how he collapsed on the road after learning that an armed gang had released his wife and sons. Richardson said the gang had burst into his home on the evening of 13 March 2005, taken his family, and instructed him to continue his work the next day while they monitored him by phone. He described receiving aggressive calls, being told to drive to the Anglers Rest pub to deposit €2.28 million, and being pressured to keep moving. After the gang announced the family's release, Richardson felt severe chest pains and fainted, falling from the van onto the road. He was later taken to Mullingar hospital by ambulance. The trial involves four men—Mark Farrelly, Christopher Corcoran, David Byrne, and Niall Byrne—who pleaded not guilty to kidnapping and robbery charges.
Paul Richardson, a cash‑in‑transit van driver for Securicor, gave evidence at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on the first day of a retrial for four men accused of kidnapping his family and robbing €2.28 million in March 2005. The accused – Mark Farrelly (46), Christopher Corcoran (70), David Byrne (45) and Niall Byrne (36) – pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and robbery. Richardson described how armed men in navy boiler suits and balaclavas entered his home on 13 March, forced him and his family into the living room, and threatened his 17‑year‑old son with a handgun while the son suffered a panic attack. The men demanded Richardson collect cash from his van and deliver it to a pub, threatening the family's release. The trial, expected to continue until mid‑April, focuses on proving the four men's involvement in the kidnapping and robbery.
Michael Royal, aged 41, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to six and a half years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended. He pleaded guilty to assaulting Prison Officer Paul Hayes at Mountjoy Prison on 27 October 2012, to trespassing and theft of a BMW, an iPhone 5s and a TV on 2 December 2013, and to a burglary that led to a car theft. Royal had previously left Ireland after a trial date for the burglary but was returned to the country. The judge, citing Royal's history of 40 convictions for robbery, burglary, assault and drug offences, described him as a "menace to society." Royal was also ordered to undergo 18 months of post‑release probation supervision. The court noted that Officer Hayes suffered fractured bones and a jaw injury requiring surgery after the assault. The case highlighted Royal's long‑term drug addiction and the impact of his criminal behaviour on the community.
John Downes, 56, worked for Marks and Spencer in Dundrum from November 2014. Between 26 April and 7 July 2016 he stole €24,650 in cash from 54 cash registers, carrying the money in his pockets and sock. Security footage caught him moving bills into his pocket and later into his sock. When confronted he denied theft until he produced €650 in notes. Downes admitted the thefts, citing debt from a failed printing business and a broken marriage. He was suspended on full pay pending investigation. Gardaí found he drove a leased BMW (registration 152) and had €950 in his bedroom that he admitted came from the store. He has two minor road‑traffic convictions. Downes is now employed by a packaging sales company, which has loaned him money to repay Marks and Spencer. He has apologized, expressed remorse, and is repaying his former employer from his salary. John Downes pleaded guilty.
Four men—Mark Farrelly (46), Christopher Corcoran (70), David Byrne (45) and Niall Byrne (36)—were tried in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a tiger kidnapping that took place on 13–14 March 2005. They were accused of abducting the Richardson family, the family of cash‑in‑transit van driver Paul Richardson, and of robbing €2.28 million from Securicor. The men allegedly burst into the Richardson home in March 2015, armed and wearing balaclavas, and forced the family to cooperate. They transported the family to the Wicklow mountains, held them overnight, and released them after the ransom was paid. The prosecution presented mobile‑phone evidence linking the accused to the robbery. All four pleaded not guilty. The trial was scheduled to continue until mid‑April 2018.
In January 2018, Paddy Harty, a 44‑year‑old convicted burglar, was sentenced to four years imprisonment for a sexual assault committed on 23 April 2015. Harty met the victim in a pub, they drank together, and he later drove her to a secluded area of The Curragh in County Kildare. While she was still wearing a dress, he forced her down, removed her leggings and underwear, and held her down by her arms. The victim escaped, hid in nearby bushes, and later called the gardai, who could not locate her. She testified that the memory of the attack haunted her daily. Harty pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court. The sentence is consecutive to a previous four‑year term for theft and fraud offences. He has 168 prior convictions, including 42 thefts, three burglaries and 12 breaches of domestic violence orders, but no prior sexual offences.
In July 2016, Derek Cooling, aged 29, and another man robbed the 'More For Less' shop in Bawnogue Shopping Centre, Dublin 22. They used an air gun to threaten a female employee, demanding the till be opened. Cooling pleaded guilty to robbery. During the robbery, the cashier handed over €2,200 in cash, and the men forced the shop manager to empty the safe. After the robbery, the men entered a nearby house and were found burning the €2,200 and clothing. Gardaí discovered a bloody trail and smoke from the house's chimney. Cooling was sentenced to five years, with the final two and a half years suspended under conditions including rehabilitation. The cashier could not return to work, and the manager suffered anxiety and paranoia. Cooling's father presented a letter to the court, and the judge agreed he would need supervision upon release.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Christopher Morgan, aged 33, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for a savage attack and robbery of homeless man Declan Foran, aged 45, on 23 September 2016. Morgan, who lived on Shangan Avenue, Ballymun, pleaded guilty to robbing Foran's HTC phone and using force. The court described the assault as merciless, noting that Foran was sleeping beside his brother when the attack began. A woman and a second man were also charged in connection with the offence. Morgan had 101 prior convictions, including violent and firearms offences, but had completed a 12‑week rehabilitation course and was engaged in parenting and education programmes. He wrote an apology letter and paid €300 to the court as a gesture of remorse. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged Morgan's attempts to reform and granted him legal aid, emphasising the court's dual role of punishment and rehabilitation.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, four men—Mark Farrelly (46), Christopher Corcoran (70), David Byrne (45) and Niall Byrne (36)—are accused of falsely imprisoning four members of the Richardson family at their Raheny home on 13–14 March 2005 and of robbing Paul Richardson and Securicor of €2.28 million on 14 March 2005. The defendants pleaded not guilty to both the false imprisonment and robbery charges. The judge, Melanie Greally, warned jurors that the case had been tried before and that they must not consult any prior media coverage or internet material. A larger than usual jury of 15 members is being empanelled due to the case's length, which is expected to last over three months, with evidence set to begin on Tuesday. The trial is scheduled to continue until mid‑April.
The Court of Appeal granted a "last chance" to a 22‑year‑old ringleader of a 2011 burglary in which a student was forced to withdraw money from an ATM while the student's girlfriend was threatened with rape. The offender had pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, robbery and false imprisonment and was sentenced to six years' detention in 2012. In 2015 the Court suspended the final 12 months of that sentence, citing the offender's youth and the need for rehabilitation. The appeal highlighted that the offender, who had 23 prior convictions, had re‑engaged with probation services and secured accommodation. The Court noted that the case involved a "spine‑chilling" threat of violence and that the offender's engagement with probation was deemed unsatisfactory, leading to the suspended period and a bond of €100 for good behaviour. The offender was returned to Wheatfield Prison to continue serving the remaining term.
Maria Redmond, a 61‑year‑old mother of four, was sentenced to ten months' imprisonment for fraudulently claiming about €100,000 in social welfare payments. She had been receiving an invalidity pension for 13 years while working part‑time as a cleaner at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin. Redmond pleaded guilty to 14 counts of stealing property from the Department of Social Protection between November 2002 and September 2015. The court found she had used the money to pay her mortgage, keep a roof over her head and look after her children. She was caught after officials discovered she held two PPS numbers under different names and that she had not informed the department of her change in circumstances when she began working. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Redmond was not wealthy, had no prior convictions, and was unlikely to re‑offend, but she had taken the criminal route and must serve her sentence.
Ryan Connolly, 25, of Ferryman's Crossing, Sheriff Street, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for assaulting a 21‑year‑old Afghan asylum seeker during a riot at Cloverhill Prison on 29 July 2015. CCTV showed Connolly either punching or stabbing the victim with an object taken from his pocket, causing distress and injuries that required hospital treatment. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, false imprisonment, violent disorder and criminal damage at the prison, as well as to several robberies in Dublin in 2017, including the theft of a 12‑year‑old girl's mobile phone and cash from shops. Connolly had 72 prior convictions, including robbery and firearms offences. The court imposed consecutive sentences, backdating the term to April 2017 when he entered custody. The judge noted Connolly's expressed desire for rehabilitation but remained unconvinced by his past record. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the prison assault and the related crimes.
Maria Redmond, aged 60, was found guilty of stealing nearly €140,000 in fraudulent social welfare payments. She had claimed an invalidity pension for 13 years while working as a cleaner at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children. Redmond used two PPS numbers under different names, including her maiden name Delaney, and registered the second number at her sister's address. She failed to inform the Department of Social Protection of her change in circumstances when she began working in 2002. Suspicious officials investigated, obtained her passport photograph, and arranged for her to have her Public Services Card photographed, confirming she was the same person. Redmond pleaded guilty to 14 counts of stealing property between November 2002 and September 2015. She admitted she only worked three hours a day and believed she was not doing anything wrong, but acknowledged the wrongdoing.
Luke Byrne, aged 18, received a partially suspended 14‑year sentence for a series of knife‑point robberies and an unprovoked assault that left magician Mark Beltran, aged 30, permanently blind in his right eye. Byrne smashed a glass bottle into Beltran's face during a confrontation over a stolen amplifier, causing a deep corneal wound and loss of vision. The court found Byrne had intended to cause serious harm, though he did not intend blindness. Judge Martin Nolan imposed nine years for the assault, consecutive to five years for the robberies, and suspended the last four and a half years on the condition of good behaviour for the remainder of the sentence. Byrne was ordered to comply with Probation Services for two years after release. The case highlighted Byrne's history of 16 convictions, his ADHD diagnosis, and his expressed remorse, but the court emphasised the lasting impact on Beltran's life and career. Luke Byrne pleaded guilty.
Michael Maughan, 22, of Ballymun, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for theft, assault, and making threats to kill. He pleaded guilty to offences committed on October 29, 2016, at Silloge Golf Club, where he allegedly stole a golf buggy and equipment from three men. Prosecution evidence indicated that after one victim chased him, Maughan struck the man in the chest and threatened to kill him. Later, as a third victim attempted to leave in his vehicle, Maughan allegedly blocked the car with a van and assaulted the occupant. He was arrested at the scene, and all stolen property was recovered. Although the victims did not wish to proceed, the Director of Public Prosecutions instructed that the case continue. Judge Martin Nolan described the conduct as "shameless and arrogant" and "fairly craven," noting the aggravating nature of the threats and return assault. While acknowledging Maughan's guilty plea entered on a trial date and his personal circumstances, including a young child, the judge imposed a sentence of two and a half years' imprisonment. Maughan was ordered to receive credit for time already spent in custody.
Joseph O'Shaughnessy, 30, pleaded guilty to three counts of theft and criminal damage after breaking into a Mr Price shop, a Westpark Fitness Gym and a Metro Café Bar in Tallaght on 4‑5 December 2015. He kicked the Mr Price door, threw a rock at the gym door and smashed the bar door, stealing €1,000 from the till. Blood samples and CCTV identified him at all scenes. O'Shaughnessy has a lifelong intellectual disability diagnosed after the offences, and two psychologists described him as a vulnerable adult with very low cognitive skills and a high susceptibility to influence. He has 20 prior convictions, mainly minor traffic offences, none resulting in jail. The court, considering his disability and a supportive regime, imposed a 12‑month sentence suspended in full for 18 months. He was ordered to complete offence‑focused work, victim‑awareness work, a structured educational programme, keep the peace and obey Probation Services for 18 months.
A store manager from Finglas has been sentenced to two years imprisonment, with the final twelve months suspended, following his conviction for theft at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Artur Szymkowiak, aged 38, pleaded guilty to stealing over €26,000 from Maxi Zoo at Clearwater Retail Park between February 2015 and June 2016. Judge Karen O'Connor acknowledged Szymkowiak's previously unblemished record and personal financial difficulties, but noted that debt alone does not justify breaching an employer's trust. The court heard that Szymkowiak, who worked as store manager, initially took money from lodgements to address rent arrears and unexpected expenses. What began as an attempt to borrow funds escalated as he made increasingly irregular lodgement payments. When confronted by gardaí in July 2016, Szymkowiak immediately confessed and cooperated fully. The stolen money has not been recovered. Szymkowiak has since lost his employment at the retailer.
Clodagh Forde, aged 19, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for her role in a violent robbery that left victim Kevin Carthy with a broken eye socket and other injuries. The robbery took place on 17 May 2016 at Palace Place, Dublin, when a group attacked Carthy in a lane‑way, kicking and punching him while he lay on the ground. Forde, who had previously served a suspended sentence, pleaded guilty to the robbery. She was described by Judge Melanie Greally as an intelligent person with potential but prone to extreme violence, and she had eight prior robbery convictions, most committed as a juvenile. The assault caused Carthy severe physical harm, including a fractured eye socket, bruising, swelling, and lasting back pain. He suffered a financial loss of about €14,000, and his victim impact statement expressed fear, humiliation, and a sense that the robbery was motivated by sport rather than desperation.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, judge Martin Nolan sentenced 23‑year‑old Eduard Boaca to seven years in prison for two separate offences. The first, committed on 18 December 2016, involved Boaca following a woman off a Nitelink bus, robbing her, threatening her with a knife and demanding oral sex. He was convicted of robbery and sexual assault and received a five‑year term. The second offence, on 4 May 2017, saw Boaca lock a woman in a McDonald's toilet cubicle, again threatening with a knife and demanding oral sex. He pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and was given a four‑year term, to run consecutively with the first. The judge suspended the final two years of the sentence, hoping for Boaca's rehabilitation. Boaca's prior convictions were for minor offences. The court heard that the victim's trust in men was severely affected, and she suffered financial loss and emotional distress following the attacks.
Kosmas Ompante, 29, was jailed for three and a half years after a drunken chase in a stolen Mercedes led to a multi‑vehicle collision at Cappagh Road, Finglas, on 3 August 2017. He admitted taking a litre of vodka, tablets, driving under the influence, without a licence or insurance, and causing three counts of criminal damage. Ompante had 17 prior convictions in the UK and one in Greece. The judge noted he was well over the drink‑driving limit and drove recklessly, endangering others. He was also disqualified from driving for six years. The incident caused injuries to the driver and passenger of the car he crashed into, including chipped teeth, a fractured shin and soft‑tissue injuries. Ompante expressed remorse and said he hoped he had not killed anyone. The case was prosecuted by Diarmuid Collins BL and defended by Luigi Rea BL. Kosmas Ompante pleaded guilty.
A 70-year-old man from Belfast has received a three-year suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his involvement in a nationwide credit card fraud scheme. Patrick Manning pleaded guilty to multiple counts of theft at various locations between October and December 2016. Gardaí established that fraudulent cards obtained through impersonation of Barclays Bank customers were used to purchase approximately €52,000 worth of goods, including laptops and foreign currency, across locations from Dublin to Donegal. Manning was identified through CCTV footage and apprehended in Drogheda in December 2016 whilst collecting an emergency card. He admitted acting as the "presentable face" of the operation for a daily wage of around €100, receiving between €1,500 and €2,000 in total. Manning declined to identify other participants. Judge Martin Nolan noted that gardaí did not believe Manning was the primary organiser. In imposing the suspended sentence, the judge considered Manning's age, poor health, and personal circumstances.
In a Dublin burglary case, 27‑year‑old Margaret Cawley, with a co‑accused and a child, entered the home of an 84‑year‑old dementia sufferer by pretending to be an acquaintance. The elderly woman's 75‑year‑old sister opened the door after a visit. Cawley and her accomplice entered the sitting room, spoke to the resident as if they knew her, and offered tea. While in the kitchen, Cawley stole the resident's handbag from her rollator walker; the co‑accused took the sister's bag. They fled in a Nissan Almera, later found by Garda Stephen Broderick, who recovered the bags, a walking stick, disabled parking discs, prescriptions, bank, social welfare and medical cards, and €100 cash. Cawley pleaded guilty to trespass and theft at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, was already serving a 22‑month district court sentence for a previous burglary, and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment.
A 23‑year‑old man, Daryl McKeon, was on bail when he participated in a raid on Tansey's newsagents in Finglas on 18 March. McKeon and a second raider entered the shop with their heads and faces covered. The victim, Kevin Tansey, tried to leave but McKeon blocked the door and held him. The second raider struck Tansey's head three times with a hammer, causing severe brain injury and fractures. CCTV footage showed Tansey collapsing and bleeding, while McKeon attempted to open the cash register. The raiders fled in a car. McKeon's fingerprints linked him to the assault; the other raider remains under investigation. Tansey suffered a seizure, entered a comatose state, and his condition later deteriorated, affecting his mood and behaviour. McKeon, who had 12 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and assault causing serious harm. He was remanded in custody pending sentencing on 5 February.
Four young men from Old Castle Park Green, Bawnogue, Clondalkin, Dublin, broke into a building site at Phoenix Park Racecourse Apartments, Navan Road, Dublin 7, on 7 October 2016 and stole €6,000 worth of power tools and equipment from Flynn and O'Flaherty Developers Ltd. The men – Martin Stokes (27), Joseph Stokes (19), Eddie Stokes (23) and Tom McDonagh (21) – were caught by Gardaí after an eye‑witness, a woman on a balcony, reported the crime as it unfolded. She saw a Hyundai people carrier arrive, the men exit, cut the gate bolt, break into steel containers, remove items and drive away. Gardaí later apprehended them on Navan Road and recovered all stolen goods, including drills, a lawnmower, a workbench and various accessories. All four pleaded guilty. Martin Stokes was sentenced to 21 months' imprisonment; the other three received 21‑month sentences suspended in full.
In October 2016, 24‑year‑old Charles Cleary murdered Leo Carolan, a 25‑year‑old student of creative music at IADT, after a robbery attempt at the South Circular Road flat. Cleary, who had no fixed abode but was from Rathfarnham, was motivated by the €14,000 that Swiss student Ludovic Thomas had withdrawn from a bank. Thomas had approached Carolan for an envelope for the money; when Carolan left the room, Cleary stabbed Thomas with a butterfly knife, allowing Thomas to escape. Cleary then returned and stabbed Carolan to death, inflicting 12 wounds that severed his jugular vein and pierced his heart and lungs. Thomas survived with multiple knife wounds, including a liver laceration. Cleary pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court and was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder and a concurrent 15‑year term for the attempted murder, with the robbery taken into account.
Annette McCluskey and Edward McCluskey pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to charges of stealing adult dependent allowance from the Department of Social and Family Affairs. Annette McCluskey admitted to three representative counts of stealing payments at Pearse Street Post Office between July 2004 and March 2013, and using a PPS number in the name of Jacqueline Hayden at SIPTU College on July 15, 2005. Edward McCluskey pleaded guilty to sample counts of stealing the same allowance between July 2004 and March 2012, and concealing that Annette McCluskey was employed at the Social Welfare Office on June 21, 2005. The prosecution alleged the couple collected €72,482 over 11 years while Annette McCluskey worked under an assumed name. Judge Karen O'Connor adjourned the matter to consider the significant amount of documents and testimonials handed up. The couple was remanded on continuing bail until next February. No sentence or final disposal was recorded at this procedural stage.
Eoin Hannigan, a 19‑year‑old from Oldcourt Farm, Firhouse, was found guilty of possessing seven stolen mountain bikes worth €11,000. He admitted possession on 23 February but claimed he did not know the bikes were stolen. The bikes were taken from a small rental company in Ticknock Forest on 22 February. A psychological report described Hannigan as having ADHD, being on the autism spectrum, and unable to control himself, leading the judge to view the case as "complicated." Judge Martin Nolan imposed a fully suspended two‑year sentence, ordering Hannigan to keep the peace, behave well, and be supervised by the Probation Service for 18 months. The sentence was granted after counsel argued that Hannigan urgently needed psychoactive medication and that his psychological conditions mitigated his responsibility. The court noted the theft of 12 bikes caused major losses for the owners, though only seven were recovered.
Michael Alexis, 53, appeared at Store Street Garda Station in a distressed state and admitted involvement in a burglary that occurred on 25 September 2015 at The Gasworks Apartments, Dublin 4. He was a lookout and claimed he had not known about the burglary in advance, that the individual he was with had a key, and that he had spent the €200 he received. Gardaí recovered stolen electrical equipment, including four laptops, a tablet and an iPad mini, and returned it to the owners. Alexis pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Karen O'Connor noted his mental health issues, alcohol difficulty and nine prior convictions. She imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence, ordered addiction treatment and offence‑focused work under probation supervision, and urged him to address his problems. The burglary took place between 9.30 am and 11 am while residents were away.
A 34‑year‑old Dubliner, Jason O'Driscoll, was denied bail by the Central Criminal Court after being charged with the double murder of 31‑year‑old Anthony Burnett and 25‑year‑old Joseph Redmond on 7 March 2012. The victims were found shot dead in a burnt‑out car in Ravensdale Forest Park that night, after having stolen the vehicle in Dublin earlier that morning. O'Driscoll's lawyer, Diana Stuart BL, applied for bail, offering his mother's life savings of €9,000 and the possibility of him living in her family home, and citing his brother's willingness to contribute €5,000 as evidence of his reliability. The State, represented by Detective Inspector Patrick Marry, opposed the application, arguing that O'Driscoll could breach conditions. Judge Patrick McCarthy, noting the trial was scheduled for 25 June, refused bail and remanded O'Driscoll in custody until the trial date.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 56‑year‑old Joseph Tyrell, who has 85 prior convictions, was found to have spent more time in prison than in the community. Since age 16, he has been in and out of custody, with the longest period outside prison in the last 40 years lasting only 15 months. His convictions include 27 for burglary, three for aggravated burglary and four for robbery. Tyrell pleaded guilty to a burglary at Lower Kimmage Road on 31 August 2016, where he entered through an open window, stole a wallet containing €600, and was identified by CCTV. The prosecution and defence agreed the offence was opportunistic. The judge adjourned sentencing to 2 March 2018 and ordered an updated probation report. The defendant, a father of three, expressed a desire to complete courses and provide drug‑free urine analysis before transfer to another prison. The court noted his improved health and commitment to bettering himself.