Colin Foley, 45, avoided jail after swinging bolt cutters at a 73‑year‑old parking warden, Michael Griffiths, in Tallaght. Foley had already received a €120 speeding fine that day and found a parking ticket on his van. He drove to the main street, stopped, and confronted Griffiths, who was working for APCOA. Foley took bolt cutters from his van, approached the warden, and, after a brief exchange, swung the cutters, knocking a radio from Griffiths' hand. Foley then fled, later turning himself in after a drink. He pleaded guilty to production of a weapon and theft. The court, noting Foley's financial difficulties and prior convictions, imposed a one‑year suspended sentence and ordered him to pay over €1,000 to the victim within a year. No jail term was imposed.
Barry Gray, aged 30, was sentenced to 21 months' imprisonment for assault causing harm and robbery after he repeatedly stabbed his ex‑partner in the face with a fork while she was holding their infant child. The incident occurred on 10 February 2015 in the woman's home on Dominic Street. Gray threatened to kill the child and demanded €150, taking the money despite the victim's explanation that it was needed for the baby's food. He had 47 prior convictions, including assaults and breaches of safety orders. The judge noted the presence of the child and the victim's attempt to protect him. After the attack, the victim was treated for shallow stab wounds and later called an ambulance. Gray pleaded guilty and expressed remorse, having written an apology letter. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
A 24-year-old man from County Armagh has sought a High Court inquiry into the lawfulness of his detention following charges related to an ATM incident in Inniskeen, County Monaghan. The accused was remanded in custody to Cloverhill Prison after appearing before Monaghan District Court, where an application for bail was refused. He faces charges of criminal damage to an ATM and possession of stolen property. His legal representatives contended before the High Court that the District Court did not apply the correct legal criteria established by the Supreme Court when deciding to refuse bail. Mr Justice Richard Humphreys opened the Article 40 inquiry on Monday. Following discussions between counsel for the accused and the State, the inquiry was adjourned to Wednesday afternoon to allow the State additional time to respond to the claims raised.
Michael Doyle, aged 22 at the time of the offence, was sentenced by Judge Patricia Ryan to a three‑year term with the final year suspended, following a guilty plea to defilement of a child under 15. The offence occurred on 23 July 2012 when Doyle, after meeting a 14‑year‑old girl on a bus, bought alcohol for her and a friend, and later took the girl to his father's home where they had sex. Doyle had 31 prior convictions, including violence, criminal damage, arson and handling stolen property. The judge noted Doyle's remorse, low risk of re‑offending in sexual matters, and the seriousness of the charge and victim's age. Doyle was held in custody pending sentencing after failing to attend a previous hearing. The victim reported lasting psychological effects, including paranoia, school‑work disruption, flashbacks, loneliness and isolation.
In November 2015, Mariola Machura, a 42‑year‑old Polish woman from Sosnowiec, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a stolen BMW X5 that had been "cloned" with false registration plates. The vehicle was seized by undercover Gardaí at Airside Business Park, Swords, after they responded to a suspicious online advert. The car had been stolen three months earlier and had been fitted with the plates and electronic control unit of a scrapped BMW five‑seater. Machura was described by the judge as a follower rather than a leader in the scheme and was given an 18‑month sentence, which was suspended in full. She had no prior convictions. Her estranged husband, who had been arrested earlier, received a two‑year sentence for attempted theft. The case was prosecuted by James Dwyer BL, with Garda David Magee noting that Machura had acted under her husband's direction and was not a ring leader.
In a 2015 report, Garda Darren Rooney was commended for his investigation into the mugging of a Dublin nurse on Alderwood Drive, Tallaght, on 31 May 2014. The victim, a 43‑year‑old nurse, was attacked at 8:45 p.m. while returning from her shift at Tallaght hospital. Jamie O'Hara, aged 21, seized her arm, knocked her to the ground, and stole her handbag before fleeing in a vehicle. Rooney obtained a partial registration of a "gold coloured Golf" from the victim and later stopped a matching vehicle that evening. The driver claimed he had been in the car all day, but a call from "Ratface" at the time of the robbery linked the driver to O'Hara. The vehicle was seized, and O'Hara's fingerprints were found inside. The nurse identified O'Hara from mug shots, leading to his arrest. O'Hara pleaded guilty to robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and received a 14‑month sentence.
A 32-year-old man originally from Swinford, County Mayo pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Dublin GAA footballer Jonny Cooper in the early hours of September 20, 2014. Mark Lavelle, with an address at Basin Street, Dublin, inflicted nine stab wounds to the player's forehead, eyelid and neck area during an unprovoked attack on Dorset Street Upper. The court heard Lavelle was under the influence of crystal methamphetamine at the time and had also assaulted a taxi driver and hijacked his vehicle hours earlier in Palmerstown. Mr Cooper spent one night in hospital and subsequently suffered anxiety and facial scarring. Lavelle was arrested at a petrol station in Maynooth when gardaí spotted the stolen taxi. Blood analysis linked Mr Cooper's DNA to a knife and jacket recovered from Lavelle. The defendant has sixty-two prior convictions including assaults, drug possession and robbery. Judge Martin Nolan remanded Lavelle in custody pending sentencing.
Terrence Mulhall, 39, a crack cocaine addict, was remanded in custody pending sentencing in January after robbing five pharmacies near his home in Finglas, Dublin. He was already on bail for one robbery when he carried out the other four, stealing €2,135 from the tills by threatening staff with scissors, a screwdriver or a blade. Mulhall pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery of Hickey's Pharmacy on December 19, 2014, Llyods Pharmacy, and Hickey's Pharmacy on Main Street on March 11 and April 1, 2015. Two additional robbery charges were considered. He was first arrested after the first robbery when fingerprints from a perfume bottle and CCTV footage linked him to the crime; his home was searched and the clothes he wore during the robbery were found in his bedroom. Mulhall made full admissions and was released on bail, then committed the next four robberies within three weeks.
Gavin Walsh, 26, of Carnlough Road, Cabra, Dublin, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a stolen Ford Focus in County Dublin on 18 January 2014. The car had been stolen from the back of a tow truck in Santry on 15 January 2014 and was advertised for sale on Done Deal. Garda David Scanlon set up a sting operation after the advertisement; Walsh arrived driving the car and attempted to sell it to undercover gardai. The Focus, with cloned plates and discs, was recovered and returned to its owners. Gardai also linked Walsh to a second vehicle, an Audi A4, which had been bought from its true owner with a fake bank draft, fitted with cloned plates and advertised on Done Deal; that car was likewise recovered. Walsh, who has six previous convictions for minor road‑traffic and public‑order offences, was arrested and searched at his home.
Claire Lawlor, 26, of Abbeylea Drive, Swords, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery committed on 1 May 2012 in Swords. She had 55 prior convictions, including robbery, theft, burglary, assault, road‑traffic offences and making off without paying. Lawlor, a former heroin addict who had become drug‑free and pregnant with her second child, was said by her defence counsel to have been motivated by her pregnancy to seek rehabilitation. The robbery involved a taxi driver outside a Garda station; Lawlor and a male accomplice stole the driver's keys and phone, and the driver was held at gunpoint. Lawlor's wallet, containing her social welfare card, was found in the taxi. The judge, citing her rehabilitation and the seriousness of her previous convictions, imposed a suspended sentence of two and a half years, suspended in full, and noted that the sentence was given with great hesitancy after recognising her request for a last chance.
Michael Feeney, 18, was sentenced to four years in prison for a series of burglaries that included three break‑ins into the same crèche in Tallaght over six weeks, causing more than €17,000 in damage. The total damage from all six burglaries was €27,995, though only seven car keys, a navy blue scarf, a small amount of cash and a cash box were taken. Feeney pleaded guilty to six burglaries, criminal damage and handling stolen car keys between 5 December 2014 and 16 January 2015. He had 11 prior convictions for criminal damage. The judge suspended the last 18 months of the sentence on the condition that Feeney engages with the Probation Service for 18 months after release. The court noted the significant disruption to the crèche and the school, and that a marked improvement in behaviour had been observed while he was remanded. The sentence was imposed at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Albert Monahan, aged 73, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four counts of theft and one count of producing a false instrument. He had fraudulently collected his brother Peter's State pension for seven years, receiving 356 weekly payments of €219, totalling €77,964. Monahan had assumed his brother's identity, forging a signature to apply for the pension and collecting it at Berkeley Road Post Office. He claimed the money was used to install new bay windows, new floors and to stock his fridge with food. The judge, Melanie Greally, suspended a four‑year sentence in full, citing Monahan's poor health, including several heart attacks and triple bypass surgery. Monahan admitted the fraud immediately and expressed remorse, offering to repay the Department of Social Protection by deduction from his legitimate social welfare payments.
Karl Gurr, 28, of Gardiner Street, Dublin, was jailed for three and a half years after pleading guilty to robbery at Royal Canal Park on 10 January 2015. He had 64 prior convictions, including theft, criminal damage, possession of drugs, trespass and assault. The victim, a man walking in the park, tried to distract Gurr from mugging a woman by shouting at him. Gurr chased the victim, knocked him to the ground, and engaged in a violent struggle. He attempted to smash the victim's head off a brick flower bed, a lamppost and the ground, and continued to punch him while the victim defended himself by poking at Gurr's eyes and face. The victim was treated for cuts to his head and reported a profoundly negative effect on his well‑being. Judge Martin Nolan described the victim's conduct as courageous and chivalrous, and noted Gurr's serious record of convictions before sentencing.
Kenneth Cummins (28) and Sabrina Cummins (37), both of Ringsend Park, Dublin 4, are on trial at the Central Criminal Court, having pleaded not guilty to the murder of Thomas Horan (63) at Cambridge Court, Ringsend, on January 6th last year. During cross-examination of Detective Garda Brian Hunt, the court heard from statements given by Kenneth Cummins at Irishtown garda station in January 2014. The accused alleged that he and Sabrina Cummins intended to rob Mr Horan of €2,000. When asked if he was prepared to kill for the money, Cummins stated he was not, claiming his intention was simply to take the cash and leave. However, he admitted he was prepared to use violence to secure the funds. Cummins told gardai that he returned to the property a second time determined to get the money, stating, "you weren't leaving without it?" He confirmed his sole intention was to rob Mr Horan. When he could not find the money, Cummins said he became angry and asked if giving Mr Horan "a bit of a hiding" would reveal its location, to which he replied, "Yes." The trial continues.
Richard Daly, 55, was arrested at Huntsman's House in Clondalkin after a customs officer detected cannabis during a random spot check. Gardaí found an "Aladdin's cave" of drugs worth €522,952, including cannabis herb, resin, heroin, amphetamines and cocaine, as well as 93 rounds of ammunition, 129 stolen NCT certificates, 98 stolen FBD insurance certificates, a stolen Garda uniform with accessories, and camera equipment belonging to a filming company. Daly pleaded guilty to five counts: possession of drugs for sale or supply, unlawful possession of ammunition, possession of a stolen Garda uniform, and possession of other stolen goods. Judge Desmond Hogan imposed concurrent sentences totalling ten years, suspending the final five years. The five‑year term for the new offences will run consecutively to Daly's current four‑year term, which was reactivated after being fully suspended at the outset. Daly has 20 prior convictions and was described by his defence as having cooperated with authorities.
In October 2015, Hai Ping Li, a shopkeeper, held armed robber Daniel Garland (34) in his Spar shop on North Circular Road, Dublin, until Gardaí arrived. Li wrestled Garland to the ground, struck him with a wooden table leg, and later "jumped" him outside. Garland had previously robbed another Spar shop in Drumcondra, taking €460 after threatening staff with a knife. He pleaded guilty to both robberies at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 18 and 22 October 2014. Garland, who had six prior convictions for theft, drug offences and criminal damage, cooperated with Garda investigations and admitted the robberies were "out of stupidity" to obtain money for drugs. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to 21 months' imprisonment, noting his cooperation and efforts to address addiction. The case highlighted the shopkeeper's decisive action and the court's consideration of Garland's rehabilitation efforts.
Kenneth Cummins (28) and Sabrina Cummins (37) pleaded not guilty to the murder of Thomas Horan (63) at Cambridge Court, Ringsend, on 6 January. In court, Dr Alan McGee confirmed the Cummins were identified as suspects. Witness Jim Muldoon, Horan's brother‑in‑law, described Horan as mentally challenged and noted his past residence in Ranelagh. A social worker, Ms Sarah O'Carroll, confirmed that neither Sabrina nor her sister Breda were fostered by Horan. The prosecution read statements from Kenneth Cummins to Garda Brian Hunt, detailing the robbery of €2,000 and the subsequent violence: he struck Horan with a stick, stabbed him with a fork, strangled him with a belt, and forced him to drink white spirits, toilet cleaner and washing‑up liquid. Cummins also admitted that Sabrina kicked Horan's face and that they struck his head on a shelf. The trial is ongoing.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 27 October 2015, Niall Sheil, aged 37, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery at Dympna's Clairvoyant on 6 January 2015. The court noted that Sheil had turned his life around, was free of drugs, had cooperated with Gardaí, and had entered an early guilty plea. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a four‑year suspended sentence, citing the terrorisation of staff and customers and the discomfort caused. The robbery involved two staff members and two customers; Sheil entered with a steel bar, and the robbers took cash, purses and phones, escaping after a chase that led to their arrest. All items were recovered except €400 taken from reception. The four women victims declined to give victim impact statements. Sheil had 18 prior convictions, mainly for theft, road traffic and drug offences, but none for robbery or violence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, John Maughan (31) and Terrence Maughan (25) were sentenced to two years' imprisonment for assaulting their first cousin, Edward McDonagh, at a Clondalkin Post Office on 27 February 2013. The brothers attacked McDonagh with knives, slashing his face and repeatedly beating and kicking him. McDonagh, who was returning to the post office with documents, was left with blood‑covered wounds that required stitches and staples. The Maughans had a history of convictions – John with six, including theft and drug offences, and Terrence with eight, including public order incidents and thefts. Garda Sheila Kenny reported that the brothers' wives had removed the knives before police arrived. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted the attack was not pre‑meditated but deemed it a very serious crime, leading to the custodial sentences. John Maughan pleaded guilty. Terrence Maughan pleaded guilty.
Damien Carrig, 35, a cash‑in‑transit van driver, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment with two years suspended after pleading guilty to stealing €30,000 from Sonoma Valley Limited, a subsidiary of GSLS, on 24 December 2014. Carrig claimed he was under "severe pressure" from a gang and had been paid €2,500 for the theft. He is a father of four and had previously been convicted of two thefts (1998, 1999) and other offences. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that most of the stolen money went to third parties but imposed a custodial sentence because the crime was serious. Carrig's defence argued the offence was out of character and that he had no intention to participate. The stolen cash was never recovered, and the security company later refunded Dunnes Stores. Carrig had lost his job but had since found new employment.
Jason Campbell, 35, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four years in prison for offences committed on February 24, 2015. Campbell pleaded guilty to two charges of stealing by using force or putting someone in fear that force would be used, and one charge of attempted robbery. Judge Martin Nolan suspended the final 18 months of the sentence on strict conditions, requiring Campbell to co-operate with the Probation Service for that period. The court heard that Campbell, armed with a hatchet, raided Glenview Post Office in Tallaght, where he allegedly terrified customers into handing over €45, before robbing €2,200 from a doctor's surgery on Old Bawn Way. Garda Stephen Murray testified that Campbell was arrested after evading initial capture by hiding under a parked truck. The judge noted Campbell's long history of serious convictions, including a 13-year sentence for armed robbery in May 2005, from which he was released early after serving ten years. Despite defense counsel Sarah-Jane O'Callaghan's arguments that Campbell was a long-term addict motivated to change and had become drug-free, the judge refused bail for treatment due to his criminal record. The matter was finalized with this sentence.
Damien Carrig, 35, a father of four from Oakpark Drive, Santry, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing €30,000 from Sonoma Valley Limited, a subsidiary of GSLS, on 24 December 2014. He claimed he was under severe pressure from a gang and was paid €2,500 for the theft. Carrig had 10 prior convictions, including two thefts in 1998 and 1999, and various traffic and public‑order offences. Judge Martin Nolan remanded him on continuing bail for sentencing tomorrow. Detective Garda Jason Weir and defence solicitor Nicola Cox agreed the offence was out of character and that Carrig was under duress. Carrig had not recovered the cash, which was never found, and the security company later refunded Dunnes Stores. He had lost his job but had since secured new employment.
A 23‑year‑old Tipperary man was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for having sex with a 14‑year‑old babysitter while walking her home on 3 February 2013. He pleaded guilty to the sexual act but was acquitted of rape by the trial judge. The court noted he had 21 prior convictions, including burglary, theft, criminal damage and drug offences. The incident occurred around 11.30 pm, with the sexual intercourse taking place briefly in an alley before he escorted the girl home. The victim's impact statement described profound unhappiness and hatred, yet she reported progress in 2015 and a supportive family. The judge, considering the early guilty plea and remorse, imposed a four‑year term with the final 18 months suspended, ordered registration as a sex offender and required probation‑based treatment upon release.
Mark Egan, 36, a homeless Dublin drug addict, was jailed for four and a half years for aggravated burglary and robbery. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary on Kildare Road, Crumlin, on 24 May 2014, and robbery at Smock Alley Theatre on 16 June 2014. His prior convictions include six burglaries, drug offences, possession of knives, a blood‑filled syringe and robbery. The burglary involved a break‑in at Gerard Byrne's home, where Egan struck Byrne with a claw hammer and was dragged into the utility room until Gardaí arrived. Byrne suffered a head cut and wrist injury. At the theatre, Egan used a kitchen knife to take €200 and cards from a cash box, returned the phone, and left the scene. Garda testimony and CCTV footage supported the charges. The judge noted Egan's drug addiction, homelessness, and prior attempts at reform, and imposed the sentence back‑dated to August 2014.
Michael McHugh, convicted of the 1985 murder of Garda Sergeant Patrick Morrissey, has lost a High Court action seeking his immediate release from prison. McHugh, with an address in County Armagh, was sentenced to death for the killing, which occurred following an armed robbery at Ardee Labour Exchange in County Louth. His sentence was subsequently commuted to 40 years penal servitude. McHugh argued he was entitled to credit for five months spent in pre-trial custody between July and December 1985, contending this entitled him to release after 30 years served. Mr Justice Paul McDermott dismissed the action, finding the court had no function in compelling the Minister for Justice to grant further sentence remission or commutation. The judge stated the Minister retained discretion to consider McHugh's claim but was not obliged to do so, and was entitled to consider the gravity of the offence. McHugh has served his sentence at Portlaoise Prison and is due for release in December. A related action remains pending before the High Court.
Derek O'Keeffe, 39, of Derrypark, Crumlin, Dublin, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and one attempted robbery at three petrol stations over four days in November 2013. He stole cash from a Maxol Garage on Tymon Road, a Discount Fuels on Fortunestown Road, and a Topaz on Greenhills Road. During the incidents he threatened a security guard with a syringe and held a 23‑inch knife to a worker, forcing her to open tills. Anna Zajac, the victim at the Topaz, reported feeling emotionally destroyed and fearing for her unborn child after the robbery. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced O'Keeffe to six years' imprisonment with three years suspended, back‑dating the concurrent sentences to his November 2013 arrest. He is now a gym instructor at Cloverhill Prison and has reportedly addressed his addictions. The court noted his excellent behaviour and the circumstances that led to his actions.
Lee McDonnell (24), the appellant, appeared before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court during an appeal regarding his sentence for escaping from lawful custody on Tyrconnell Road, Inchicore on December 17, 2015. McDonnell admitted to the charge and pleaded guilty. The court heard that he had previously been serving a nine-year sentence for aggravated burglary, during which he broke into a house, assaulted a man with a replica gun, stole a car, and later robbed a petrol station using the stolen vehicle. His sentence was extended by two years earlier this year, pushing his release date to September 2021. During the appeal, Judge Martin Nolan imposed an additional ten-month sentence, extending his release date to 2022. The judge stated that the sentence must be consecutive to his current term and that there is no maximum sentence for escaping custody. McDonnell was not affected by any remission for good behaviour but was deprived of leisure activities, visits, and the right to wear his own clothes for 56 days. The matter was adjourned following the proceedings.
Stephen Freeman, 28, of Ballymun, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery at the Bank of Ireland in Kilkenny on 3 November 2009. He was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, by Judge Desmond Hogan on 28 July 2015. Freeman's appeal against the sentence was dismissed by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan on 15 October 2015. Sheehan described the robbery as "difficult to contemplate a more egregious form of attempted robbery" and noted that Freeman was not involved in planning the crime or attending the victim's house. Freeman's role was to move money between locations in Kilkenny. The judge applied proportionality and considered mitigating factors, including Freeman's gambling addiction, before dismissing the appeal. The decision was made by a panel including Judges John Edwards and Alan Mahon. The sentence was upheld as not excessive.
A 38‑year‑old Dublin man, Austin Byrne, was arrested after a garda saw him cycling the wrong way down Lombard Street while carrying a stolen payphone box under his jacket. The phone box, no longer in use, had been removed from an office building wall after Byrne entered through a door left ajar. Byrne was released on bail and two months later was caught again in Dublin 4 with a companion. The pair were found with an iPad hidden under Byrne's jacket and a laptop in his partner's possession; they could not provide the iPad login code. Gardaí traced the laptop to a house on Haddington Road, where Byrne admitted entering via a building site at the back and taking computers and a watch. Byrne pleaded guilty to burglary of a Pearse Street office block and possession of stolen property on 11 February 2015, and to burglary at Percy Lane on 11 April 2015.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Kenneth Cummins (28) and Sabrina Cummins (37) pleaded not guilty to the murder of Thomas Horan (63) on 6 January. Prosecutor Remy Farrell alleged the pair entered Horan's Ringsend home early that morning to rob him, then killed him to conceal the robbery. He described Horan as severely beaten, with a rope around his neck, a bag over his head, and an attempted poisoning with cleaning fluid. Evidence would show head, neck and chest injuries consistent with a savage beating. The Cumminses were arrested two days after Horan's body was discovered. A 999 call by Joanna, later identified as Sabrina Cummins, reported the body to authorities. Garda Ciaran Sweeney, on patrol at 5 am, met the accused and noted her claim that Horan was a "foster father" to her. Kenneth Cummins was absent from the trial by request, a decision the judge accepted without prejudice. The trial continues.
Kevin Coughlan, aged 33, was sentenced to eleven years' imprisonment with three years suspended for manslaughter after a murder conviction was quashed. The case involved the death of Francis Greene, who was forced by Coughlan to the River Shannon on 28–29 November 2009. A jury had found Coughlan guilty of murder in 2011, but the Court of Appeal overturned the conviction in June 2015, citing unsatisfactory evidence from the Deputy State Pathologist, Dr Khalid Jaber, who had not disclosed that Greene had been strangled before drowning. The appeal substituted a manslaughter verdict. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy imposed the sentence, crediting Coughlan for a guilty plea and for time already served, and noted his prior criminal record of robbery and burglary. The sentence will run from 10 June 2010, with the suspended portion effective after the term ends. Kevin Coughlan pleaded not guilty.
John McAuley, 21, was a passenger in a stolen taxi that crashed into a bridge on 5 August 2013, killing two of his friends. He was charged with allowing himself to be carried in a stolen vehicle and pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. McAuley is already serving a two‑year sentence for robbery and attempted robbery. Judge Martin Nolan found his culpability in the crash to be small, imposed an 18‑month sentence consecutive to his current term, and suspended it in full. McAuley was discharged from hospital the day after the crash and spoke to Gardaí voluntarily. The prosecution noted that McAuley and his friends had been heading to a party when the taxi was hijacked, and that the driver was forced to flee. The defence highlighted McAuley's lack of prior involvement with stolen vehicles, his genuine distress over the loss of his friends, and his ongoing educational and relapse‑prevention programmes while in custody.
Alison Wilkins, 48, of Balcurris Park West, Ballymun, received a three‑year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to nine theft charges for stealing over €30,000 from Rita Keogh, a 78‑year‑old widow with dementia. Wilkins had become Keogh's sole carer, gaining access to her debit card and PIN after earning the victim's trust. Between July 2013 and March 2014, Wilkins carried out 57 unauthorised transactions, leaving Keogh's bank balance reduced from €33,000 to €13,900. The court ordered Wilkins to return €1,500 already recovered and to repay €28,500 to Keogh's family over four years, to complete 240 hours of community voluntary work, to undergo 12 months of probation supervision and to finish any recommended drug‑treatment programme. She was also directed to hand over the money she had raised so far.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Shane O'Connor, aged 34, pleaded guilty to assaulting a prison officer while attempting to throw warm water at a fellow inmate. The incident occurred on 25 September 2013 at Mountjoy Prison when Officer Leon Maguire was refilling jugs of hot water for inmates. O'Connor rushed past Maguire, aiming to throw the water at prisoner Keith Hughes, with whom he had a prior disagreement. Maguire tried to restrain O'Connor and was struck on the forehead by the water jug, sustaining a laceration that required one stitch at Mater Hospital. O'Connor, who was serving a four‑year robbery sentence, had 29 prior convictions including assault, criminal damage, knife possession, robbery and theft. He was undergoing drug rehabilitation at Tiglin Centre and was complying with its conditions. The judge adjourned the case to January 2016 for a probation report.
Craig Boothman, 23, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a total of three years for a series of offences. He pleaded guilty to robbery at Shay's Pharmacy, a robbery of a Spar shop, criminal damage and burglary of an off‑license in Irishtown, and assault causing harm and criminal damage to a taxi. Each offence was committed while he was on bail for the previous one. Boothman had 27 prior convictions, including burglary, theft, assault and drug possession, dealt with at District Court level. The judge noted Boothman's violent behaviour when intoxicated but also his prospects if he remained clean. Boothman was arrested less than a week after the pharmacy robbery, where he used a knife to threaten a cashier and fled with the tills. He has been clean of drink and drugs since entering prison in March and has a job waiting for him in his grandfather's pub upon release.
Patrick Smith, aged 20, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for his role in a pre‑planned, savage attack on Ian McKenna outside the Central Bank on 9 September 2013. Smith and three other men dragged McKenna to the ground, kicked and punched him, and one of them stabbed him eight times, causing life‑threatening injuries. McKenna had a machete with him, which he claimed was for protection after a prior prison assault. Smith pleaded guilty to violent disorder at the Central Bank and to robbery at Ladbrokes on 13 January 2012, for which he was on bail. He has 80 previous convictions. The judge noted Smith's admissions and cooperation but also his long criminal history, and sentenced him to consecutive terms totalling two and a half years. The other three men are due for trial. The article does not report any further outcomes.
Patrick Moran, a 39‑year‑old former financial controller at Deutsche Bank, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment after pleading guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing €283,740 between November 2011 and January 2013. He used his company credit card without authorisation, falsified documents to raise the card limit, and diverted money via PayPal. He also altered bi‑annual reports submitted to the Company Registration Office. The bank recovered €15,000 but incurred €50,000 in legal costs, and the rest of the money is unlikely to be recovered. Moran admitted the theft, citing depression and medication, and acknowledged that he had let his wife and five‑year‑old son down. The judge accepted that he was unlikely to re‑offend and that he was now "unemployable" in his field. No prior convictions were recorded.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 25‑year‑old Scott Brady of Glenageary Avenue, Dun Laoghaire, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft for selling two supercharger air compressors online for USD$20,000 that he never possessed. Brady used an online forum to arrange the sale, sent the American buyer photos of the parts, and received $10,000 twice into his bank account before attempting to organise shipment. He repeatedly delayed delivery, claiming his mother had died, and was eventually identified by the Gardaí through Interpol after the buyer reported the theft. Brady had the full amount in a bank draft payable to the American. He had no relevant criminal record, had previously been convicted of two road traffic offences, and had sold his car and possessions to repay the victim. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, suspended in full on strict conditions.
Leonard Dumbrell, aged 26, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for leading Gardaí on a high‑speed chase through Dublin city centre in a stolen car. He stole the vehicle in Ballsbridge, drove it at speed and in the wrong direction, nearly knocking over pedestrians on O'Connell Bridge before crashing it at Temple Bar Square. The court noted he had 108 previous convictions, including car thefts, assaulting a Garda and violent disorder, and that he had previously been allowed out on bail for drug treatment but failed to appear. Judge Mary Ellen Ring imposed concurrent sentences totalling three years, ordered that time already spent in custody be taken into account, and disqualified him from driving for five years. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where the court considered the evidence of the chase and the subsequent crash. Leonard Dumbrell pleaded guilty.
In a Tallaght burglary, 18‑year‑old Lewis Smith and a 17‑year‑old boy stole a computer tablet, a mobile phone and a television from a profoundly deaf woman. Smith pleaded guilty to burglary at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 2 September 2014. He had prior convictions for criminal damage and car theft. Judge Martin Nolan, after hearing evidence, remanded Smith on continuing bail with conditions: live with his grandmother, observe a curfew, and sign on three times a week at Tallaght Garda Station. Smith later broke his curfew and was charged with public order offences. Judge Nolan ordered Smith to carry out 200 hours of community service within a year in lieu of a two‑year prison sentence, noting he was considered suitable for community service by the Probation Service. The 17‑year‑old co‑accused pleaded guilty and is due for sentencing later. The case remains ongoing.
Patrick O'Brien, 32, of Abbeyfeale, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment after he defrauded 81‑year‑old Sinclair Downey of €14,200 in 2013. O'Brien had a history of 29 convictions, 12 for theft, many involving elderly victims. He and an accomplice visited Downey three times, claiming to repair a roof. They first quoted €80, then raised the price to €1,700, and later demanded €4,800 for a flat roof that had not been agreed upon. Downey, fearing tax penalties, paid the amounts and signed no contract. O'Brien was caught on CCTV cashing the money at a bank. Garda investigations revealed the work cost far less than claimed. O'Brien pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court; Judge Martin Nolan described the men as "preying" on Downey and imposed the sentence. The case is pending a similar offence in Tralee Circuit Criminal Court later this year.
Clare Dooley, a 43‑year‑old Meath insurance broker, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to ten counts of making and using false declaration forms to create 38 fictitious policies at New Ireland Assurance plc between November 2010 and September 2011. The false policies were issued to obtain a commission totalling €109,000, which the insurer has since been repaid. Dooley, who later founded Moneybloom, was arrested after Gardaí discovered relevant documentation during searches of her home and business. She claimed she did not intend permanent theft and that she would ultimately not profit from the offences, arguing that she had to pay monthly premiums to keep the policies live and avoid a clawback. She was pregnant with her second child at the time and had been the sole breadwinner after her husband fell into depression. The case was adjourned to October 8 for sentencing. The article does not state the final sentence.
Stephen Nolan, 31, of Finglas, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to two offences. He admitted to assaulting Ryan Perkins, causing him harm at Cairn Court, Ballymun, on December 13, 2014, and robbing car keys at Poppintree Terrace, Ballymun, on January 1, 2015. The court heard that Nolan attacked the first victim with a glass bottle and later assaulted a second man to steal his vehicle keys. Judge Desmond Hogan imposed a two-year sentence for the assault to run consecutive to a three-year sentence for the robbery. The judge suspended the final two years of the total sentence, describing it as providing "light at the end of the tunnel." Nolan, who has 128 previous convictions, was noted to have cooperated with gardai and cited his father's recent death and substance issues as mitigating factors. The judge acknowledged Nolan's difficult life but emphasized the severity of attacking unarmed victims. The matter was finalized with this sentencing order.
James Byrne, 43, of Crumlin, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary of Drimnagh Castle Primary School, St Agnes Church, Assumption Church, and St Mark's Junior School between 3 and 13 October 2014, and to criminal damage at St Mark's Junior School. He was already serving a suspended sentence for earlier burglaries when these offences occurred. Judge Catherine Murphy imposed a one‑year jail term, suspending the final year of a two‑year sentence on the condition that Byrne keeps the peace and engages with drug‑addiction services. Byrne admitted stealing €56 from St Agnes Church, €200–€300 from Assumption Church, and causing €3,500 of damage at St Mark's Junior School, but claimed he took no items during the burglaries. He apologized for locking an 80‑year‑old man in the church. The court noted his 26 previous convictions, including five burglaries and three aggravated burglaries.
In the Central Criminal Court, retired defence forces member Jimmy Devaney, aged 67, pleaded not guilty to the murder of prostitute Marie Greene on 13 February 2011. The prosecution argued Devaney planned the killing, bringing a knife to Anagorta Bog where Greene was found. Defence counsel contended Greene regularly visited the bog and the knife might have been stolen from Devaney's jeep. Prosecutor Alex Owens highlighted Devaney's "cock and bull story" to Gardaí about the knife, suggesting an attempt to distance himself from the weapon. Owens urged the jury to consider whether Devaney's alleged provocation could have caused a sudden loss of self‑control, potentially leading to a manslaughter verdict. Defence lawyer Giollaiosa O'Lideadha denied any planning, emphasizing the seriousness of manslaughter and questioning the knife's role in the alleged plan. The jury, composed of six men and six women, was instructed to remain impartial and was later informed that one juror had been discharged.
Kevin O'Keeffe, aged 30, stole a priest's Toyota Avensis by entering the curate's home while it was being repainted, taking the keys and later smashing the window of an identical vehicle to steal a sat nav, tax, insurance and NCT discs. He fitted the stolen discs onto the priest's car and used fake registration plates that matched the stolen discs. O'Keeffe had been on bail for a false imprisonment offence when he committed these acts. He pleaded guilty to theft of car keys, unlawful possession of a vehicle, criminal damage and stealing property. With 86 prior convictions, Judge Martin Nolan imposed an 18‑month custodial sentence, to commence after the five‑year term for the false imprisonment case expires. The court noted O'Keeffe's cooperation and efforts to reform, but the sentence was deemed necessary due to his extensive criminal record.
Paul Ryan, a 50‑year‑old security guard with eight years of service and no prior convictions, pleaded guilty to robbery at Hodges Figgis on 23 March 2014. He tied up the day manager, Ciara Flanagan, in the cloak room with tape, took €22,145 from the shop's safes, and spent the money on alcohol and betting while living rough for a month. Ryan later turned himself in. The court considered a false imprisonment charge. Judge Catherine Murphy imposed a four‑year prison sentence back‑dated to 24 April 2014, but suspended the remaining term on the condition that Ryan keep the peace and address his gambling and alcohol addictions through Probation Services. The sentence was not read out in full, and the victim impact report was not presented. Ryan has been described as a model prisoner during custody.
Dean Furlong, 45, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to handling €12,000 of stolen cash from a cash‑in‑transit robbery on 12 April 2012 and €30,000 from a robbery on 16 August 2012, and to supplying prescription tablets without a prescription and possessing drugs for sale in Tallaght on 13 October 2011. He admitted possession of 178,000 Zopiclone tablets and 19,000 Dalmane tablets, valued at €430,000, found in his van in November 2011. Furlong also admitted taking responsibility for €11,885 of cash found in an orange bag in April 2012, which had been taken during a robbery of a cash‑in‑transit van in Terenure the week before. Judge Mary Ellen Ring, after noting his completion of a drug‑addiction treatment programme and enrolment in an addiction studies course, suspended a seven‑year sentence, wishing him good luck.
Mark Kelly, 36, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to two offences of assault causing harm at The Schoolhouse Hotel, Ballsbridge, on 24 February 2014. Judge Mary Ellen Ring imposed a two-and-a-half-year sentence for these assaults, ordered to run consecutively to a three-year sentence for a burglary at Kincora Road, Clontarf, on 23 February 2012. The burglary sentence was backdated to July 2013. Kelly also received a two-year sentence for admitting to taking part in a robbery of an iPhone and wallet on Harcourt Street on 23 July 2012. Additionally, a four-year jail sentence for aggravated burglary, originally suspended in 2012, was activated in October 2013. The court noted Kelly has 34 previous convictions, including burglary and robbery, and has spent over 13 of the last 15 years in custody. During sentencing, Kelly apologized and stated he was taking cocaine at the time of the burglary. His defense counsel highlighted his history of heroin addiction, noting he stopped abusing the drug in 2006. The matter was finalized with the imposition of these consecutive and concurrent sentences.
A Luas tram driver saw 35‑year‑old Darren Canning throw an object through a ground‑floor window of an empty Carrig Court apartment near a tram stop. She called Luas Control, which monitored the apartment on CCTV until Garda Ciaran Kilcoyne arrived. Kilcoyne entered through the broken window, found Canning in the bedroom with a mobile phone, a camera and two zip‑lock bags of jewellery, and arrested him after pepper‑spraying him. Canning, who has no fixed abode and 67 previous convictions including 18 burglaries, pleaded guilty to trespass with intent to commit theft and criminal damage to the window on 1 March 2015. He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the judge noting his resistance to arrest as an aggravating factor. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with prosecution by Dara Hayes BL and defence by Luigi Rea BL.