Peter Byrne, 44, pleaded guilty to two robberies committed on 29 and 30 November 2014 at the School Supply Centre in Village Green, Tallaght, and the Abberley Hotel on Belgard Road, Tallaght. He used a scalpel to threaten an employee at the shop and a hotel front‑desk staff member, demanding cash. Byrne admitted the offences, apologized, and claimed he was homeless and needed money for a deposit. He had 91 prior convictions, including four robberies, burglary, theft and assault. Judge Martin Nolan, hearing the case at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, accepted Byrne's expressed desire to reform but questioned his capacity to comply. Nolan imposed a four‑year jail term, suspended the final 18 months, and ordered Byrne to serve the remaining two and a half years in custody. The court noted Byrne's age, his long prison history, and the impact on the hotel staff, who had begun self‑defence courses after the incident.
Anthony 'Tony' Kelly, aged 24, was found guilty at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court of assault causing serious harm, robbery and theft. He had attacked a 22‑year‑old man, slashing his face without provocation, and robbed two other men. The original sentence was four years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal, hearing the case on the basis that Kelly had "gone on a rampage" and chosen victims at random, imposed a new sentence of six years' imprisonment, again suspending the final two years. Kelly was required to post a €100 bond to keep the peace and maintain good behaviour during custody and the suspended period. The court noted the victim would bear a permanent scar for life. The appeal was upheld, and the sentence increased to six years with two years suspended.
James Kelly, a 25‑year‑old chronic heroin addict, was convicted at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court for false imprisonment, unlawful vehicle taking and robbery at Colbert Station on 4 May 2011. He pleaded guilty and was originally sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. Prosecutors appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient, and the Court of Appeal increased the term to eight years' imprisonment, again suspending the final two years. The appeal judge, Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, recounted the incident: a woman had disembarked from a train at Colbert Station, entered her car, and was confronted by Kelly. He threatened her with a knife, demanded money, and forced her to drive him to Moyross. After obtaining the money, he left the vehicle and the woman drove to a Garda station.
A 26‑year‑old Dublin man, Peter Harte, will be sentenced in October for a ten‑minute violent attack on a bus. He assaulted Pedro Mendez and Gabriella Leon after a seating dispute, using headbutts, kicks and punches. Harte pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. He has eleven prior convictions, mainly alcohol‑related public order offences, plus a robbery and a 2009 assault. The court adjourned sentencing to assess his suitability for unpaid community work or the Restorative Justice Programme. Garda Caroline Kelly reported the victims had been on the bus after social drinks and that Harte's attack began when they refused to let him sit beside them. The victims suffered injuries and are reluctant to remain in the area. Harte admitted the assault after CCTV footage was shown. The judge noted intoxication could be a mitigating factor but not a defence. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
Eoghan McGarry, aged 30, appeared in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court escorted by five security officers in riot gear. He had pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and possession of cannabis, both at Sundrive Road Garda Station on 2 September 2014. McGarry denied the two additional charges of possessing and handling stolen jewellery at his home. The Director of Public Prosecutions had required pleas to the additional charges and set a trial date in April 2016, pending the court's sentencing decision.
Andrew O'Toole, 22, was given a suspended sentence of three and a half years after pleading guilty to dangerous driving and reckless endangerment for leading Gardaí on a high‑speed chase on a stolen motorbike. The incident, which took place on May 26, 2013, involved O'Toole driving the wrong way down a dual carriageway, around several roundabouts, and failing to stop at red lights, ultimately crashing into a parked car. Garda Stephen Walsh described how the pursuit forced other motorists to take evasive action, including a bus that had to swerve into road works. O'Toole was arrested after a brief struggle that injured the Garda's hand. He has 12 prior convictions and became a father two days after the offence. Judge Martin Nolan remanded him in custody for over a month, warning that re‑offending would result in further custody. The court noted his recent period of good conduct but emphasised the danger he posed to himself and others.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 27‑year‑old Dean Moore pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and robbery of Conor Muldoon on 3 June 2013. The incident occurred at 4 a.m. on Pearse Street when Muldoon was walking home after a night out. Moore allegedly believed Muldoon was threatening a woman and attacked him out of a "misplaced sense of chivalry", striking him in the head, face, leg and chest until Muldoon surrendered his wallet and phone, worth €400. Garda Alan Roche arrested Moore at the scene after a struggle. Muldoon suffered a fractured jaw and broken nose, was treated at St James' Hospital, and later reported being unable to eat solid food for a week. Moore's defence described him as an affable young man from a difficult background, and the judge adjourned sentencing to October to allow engagement with Probation Services and a concrete expression of remorse.
Alison Wilkins, 48, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to nine sample charges of theft committed between July 2013 and March 2014. The accused, a carer for Rita Keogh, a vulnerable widow suffering from dementia, allegedly stole over €30,000 from Keogh's bank account. Gardaí evidence indicated Wilkins carried out 57 unauthorised transactions, including ATM withdrawals and debit card payments, after gaining access to Keogh's card and PIN. Keogh's balance dropped from €33,000 to €13,900 during the period. Wilkins, who has no previous convictions, admitted the offences. Defence counsel Kerida Naidoo BL highlighted Wilkins' prior decent life, her drug habit, and her remorse, submitting that her admissions were useful to the State. Judge Desmond Hogan adjourned the case to October for sentencing. He ordered a probation report to assess Wilkins' suitability for community service, noting he was not ruling out that disposal but emphasizing Keogh's vulnerability. The judge also advised defence counsel to explore the possibility of gathering funds to compensate Keogh. Wilkins was remanded on continuing bail. The matter was adjourned and not concluded.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, software used by the Department of Social Protection to analyse profile pictures and signatures helped uncover the theft of €16,000 in welfare benefits by a Ukrainian man. Dmytro Kedrych, 40, of Santry, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft at the social welfare office in The Square, Tallaght, and was jailed for 18 months. Kedrych had entered Ireland in 2006 on a fake Latvian passport bought in Poland, worked under a false name, and after losing his job in 2011 began claiming jobseeker's benefit and rent allowance, which he was not entitled to as a Ukrainian citizen. In 2013 he married an Irish citizen, became eligible for welfare benefits, and then claimed more benefits under his own name, providing a photograph and digital signature.
An expectant mother, Shineen Mulhall, 31, was remanded on bail pending sentencing after pleading guilty to stealing €16,885 from Oaklee Housing Trust on 4 February 2013 and €5,564 from the Irish College of General Practitioners on 3 March 2013. Gardaí said she was a pawn in a scheme where two cheques totalling over €21,500 were lodged into her account and later withdrawn under instructions from a man named "Kai". Mulhall had 19 prior road‑traffic convictions. The judge adjourned sentencing to November, noting she is due her fourth child in July, and ordered a probation report for that date. Garda Mark Bennett explained that the €5,564 cheque was originally made out for €500 to a doctor, later altered and cashed. Mulhall admitted lodging the €16,885 cheque after receiving it from "Kai". No other person has been charged.
Vincent McNally, aged 32, was sentenced by Judge Patrick McCartan to an eight‑year prison term for three burglaries committed in the Shankill area in February 2014, plus possession of burglary gloves on 28 April 2014. The judge suspended the final five years of the sentence for five years on strict conditions, leaving McNally to serve three years in custody. McNally pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He has 54 prior convictions, including 24 for burglary, one robbery, one aggravated burglary, one theft and one for handling stolen property. The burglaries involved forced entry into homes, theft of €5,000 worth of property in the first raid, and removal of electronics and jewellery in the second and third raids. McNally's defence counsel had earlier suggested a different judge handle the case, and the judge had previously joked about being burgled himself. The court noted that McNally had been jailed for almost every offence he committed.
Kamel Mahiou, 45, of Rathgar, Dublin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a false driving licence, making a false statement to Social Protection and stealing €62,000 in social welfare payments. He fraudulently claimed job seekers allowance, job seeker's benefit and rent allowance between March 2009 and August 2014 using a fake French identity. Mahiou obtained a French passport and driving licence in the UK, applied for a PPS number with his Algerian passport and a tenant's letter, and used the same phone number across all applications. French authorities confirmed the documents were fake and the person did not exist. He was arrested, admitted the fraud, and expressed remorse. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, noting his illegal entry into Ireland and the seriousness of defrauding the State.
Ciara O'Donnell, 41, of York Street, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a two‑year suspended prison term for fraudulently claiming €10,340 in disability allowance after her partner, Kevin O'Carroll, died. O'Donnell failed to inform Social Welfare of O'Carroll's death, which was reported missing in February 2013 and found in a canal on 19 March 2013. She pleaded guilty to theft from the Department of Social Protection at An Post in Windy Arbour and Nutgrove Shopping Centre between May 2013 and May 2014, and to forging a letter in May 2014 that appeared to be from O'Carroll. The letter was a reply to Social Welfare's enquiry about why O'Carroll had not collected payments for two months; O'Donnell signed it in his name and claimed he would continue to receive payments.
Philip Connolly, 39, pleaded guilty to the violent robbery of 67‑year‑old farmer David Feeney on Railway Street, Dublin, on 14 May 2013. Judge Mary Ellen Ring, after reviewing evidence including a photograph of Feeney's injuries, imposed a suspended sentence of two and a half years, with 18 months suspended on condition Connolly keeps the peace. Connolly is currently in a rehabilitation programme working on a farm, while Feeney, who can no longer work his land, has physically recovered but suffers ongoing consequences. Connolly's co‑accused, Leigh O'Connell, 28, had 100 previous convictions and was sentenced to four years, with the final two and a half years suspended on condition he continues addressing his drug problems. The robbery involved a head‑lock, assault, and theft of money, a phone and a driver's licence, and was captured on CCTV. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Paula Reid, a 51‑year‑old mother of two from Drogheda, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 12 counts of theft between June 2010 and September 2012, having taken €4,790.97 from her former employer, Hugh Burrows & Sons Ltd. She had worked for the company for 30 years and was recently in charge of accounts and payroll. Reid had paid herself a double weekly wage on 12 occasions, a practice described by the Garda as "double‑dip payments." She was suspended from her job in January 2013 and subsequently dismissed. The court, hearing that she had paid back the money by bank draft, sentenced her to 200 hours of community service for six counts and imposed a two‑year suspended sentence in full for the remaining six counts. The judge noted her distressing personal circumstances, including a divorce and her son's serious injury, as mitigating factors.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Eric Wansboro, 27, was sentenced to eight and a half years in jail for dangerous driving that caused the death of 43‑year‑old Sinead Maguire and serious bodily harm to Liam McDonagh. Wansboro pleaded guilty to the offence committed on 29 May 2014 when he was driving a Toyota Avensis at high speed, pursued by a Garda patrol. The collision, which occurred at a junction with a 50 kph limit, left the car heavily damaged and all occupants unconscious. Maguire died from severe neck and spinal injuries; McDonagh suffered a fractured jaw and lost five teeth. Wansboro had a suspended three‑year sentence for a 2011 stolen‑car offence and a ten‑year driving disqualification. The judge imposed a five‑and‑a‑half‑year term for the dangerous driving, back‑dated to the date he entered custody, and added the suspended sentence, bringing the total to eight and a half years.
William O'Neill, aged 27, was sentenced to four years in prison for robbing Goldsmiths' Jewellers in Balbriggan on 10 May 2013. He admitted to smashing display cases with a sledgehammer, stealing jewellery worth €15,357 and causing €2,800 in damage. O'Neill also pleaded guilty to an attempted robbery at Rush Newsagents in Drimnagh on 10 November 2013 and to possession of a Taser gun in Crumlin on 30 March 2014. He claimed the weapons were for smashing glass, not for harming anyone, and that the gang intended to split the loot. O'Neill had previously served a sentence at Mountjoy, where he witnessed the killing of inmate Gary Douch, and had a criminal record of 68 convictions. The court noted his history of drug offences, assaults, public order and criminal damage charges. The judge imposed the four‑year term, with no mention of a suspended portion or effective custody details.
Lee McDonnell, 23, of Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of an imitation firearm with intent to commit robbery at Sarsfield Service Station on 21 January 2012, and to robbery of cigarettes, a sunglass case and the shop assistant on the same occasion. He was originally sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with three years suspended by Judge Martin Nolan on 19 November 2012. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed the three‑year suspended term, arguing it was unduly lenient. The appeal was scheduled for the Court of Appeal in December but McDonnell was absent. Counsel Michael Bowman SC argued that the judge erred in suspending 50 % of the sentence, citing McDonnell's 88 prior convictions and a previous four‑year hijacking sentence. Judge Michael Peart, with Justices Alan Mahon and Garrett Sheehan, agreed the sentence was unduly lenient and that the firearm offence had been treated merely as part of the overall offence.
Derek O'Brien, aged 33, was jailed for four years after a robbery at a shop on Fortfield Park, Terenure, on 26 May 2014. He threatened the shop owner with a knife, jumped over the counter and stole €600. O'Brien pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He had previous convictions for assault, theft, burglary and drug offences and had been released from prison a few months earlier. He had a five‑year sentence for three robberies in July 2012, with the final two and a half years suspended. Judge Martin Nolan re‑activated two years of that suspended sentence and added a consecutive two‑year term for the Terenure robbery, giving a total of four years. Garda Keith Morrissey and other officers identified O'Brien through CCTV and a distinctive shoe print left on the counter. O'Brien was later arrested on Aston Quay with €460 in his bag, but no further charges were brought.
During a drug search at Ross Whelan's Ballymun home, Gardaí found a pipe bomb under floorboards and over €2,000 worth of heroin in a bedside locker. Whelan, 23, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for sale or supply and possession of an explosive substance on 16 July 2014. He had 14 prior convictions, including theft, handling stolen property, drug possession, public order offences and an 18‑month assault sentence. Judge Martin Nolan accepted Whelan's claim that he kept the bomb for personal protection, describing it as an unusual protective measure, and noted the significant heroin amount. The court sentenced Whelan to four years' imprisonment. Garda Liam Mangan explained the bomb was a pipe packed with explosive powder, lacking a detonator but confirmed explosive by forensic testing. Whelan admitted owning 13.3 grams of heroin, claimed the bomb had been buried and dug up two weeks before the search, and apologized to Gardaí, neighbours and family for the disruption.
Breifne O'Brien, a 54‑year‑old former businessman, was granted an extension of time to appeal his seven‑year prison sentence. He had pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 14 counts of deception that caused a loss of about €8.5 million between 2003 and 2004, after inducing people to advance money for bogus property deals. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed the sentence on 8 October 2014. In the Court of Appeal, counsel Patrick McCullough BL applied for the extension, noting that O'Brien had been outside the 28‑day period for filing an appeal and had not been present in court. The judge, Mr Justice George Birmingham, agreed to grant legal aid on the same terms as the Circuit Court and to extend the time to file the notice of appeal, giving O'Brien two weeks if he had not yet filed it. No legal aid application had been made to the Circuit Court judge for the appeal.
In July 2013, Natasha Gleeson, a 38‑year‑old mother of two from Blanchardstown, stabbed 37‑year‑old John Redmond in the stomach with a kitchen knife during a verbal altercation on Aston Quay. The 5‑cm wound caused his small bowel to protrude and tore his colon. Gleeson pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced her to three years' imprisonment, citing her guilty plea and remorse as mitigating factors, though he noted the potential for death and the severity of the attack. Gleeson had no prior violent history but had earlier convictions for theft, property damage and abusive behaviour. The incident followed a dispute involving Redmond's girlfriend and her sister, with Gleeson intervening and then attacking Redmond. She later admitted to throwing the knife into the Liffey. The case highlighted her previous drug‑addiction struggles and her role as a mother.
Daryl Bolger, aged 23, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for endangerment, five counts of dangerous driving and driving without insurance after a high‑speed pursuit in January 2015. He had taken 20 tranquiliser tablets and, while a passenger, moved to the driver's seat and fled the Garda's questioning. The chase, lasting 20 minutes around Tallaght, saw the toddler in the back seat unrestrained, causing school children to flee the road and motorists to swerve. Bolger's vehicle broke red lights, lifted off the road and, at one point, performed a handbrake turn that nearly collided with a patrol car. He was arrested at his home after hiding under a bed, with the child still in the car. The court noted his 91 prior convictions, including hijacking, theft and burglary, and his unlawful release from Mountjoy Prison for drug treatment. Daryl Bolger pleaded guilty.
John Murphy, 31, of New Ross, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to theft at an address in Foxrock, Dublin, on October 28, 2014. The court heard that Murphy, posing as a journalist named "Andrew," allegedly extorted €1,000 from 82-year-old Patrick Brendan Tiernan by threatening to publish his photograph alongside sex offender Larry Murphy. Tiernan, who previously pleaded guilty to 14 charges of indecent assault and gross indecency involving nine victims, was targeted in what the judge described as a sophisticated operation involving surveillance. Judge Desmond Hogan characterized the conduct as a "particularly mean offence" and noted that Murphy acted as the frontman for the scheme. Although the judge did not rule out a prison term, he agreed to adjourn the matter to July 17. This delay allows the Probation Service to assess Murphy's suitability for the Restorative Justice Programme. The judge remarked that while Murphy was able to demand money, he should now demonstrate the ability to apologize. Defense counsel requested that no immediate jail term be imposed so Murphy could be present for the birth of his first child, noting that €3,000 was available in court as compensation. The matter was adjourned, not concluded.
Richard Comerford, aged 55 and without a fixed address, had pleaded guilty in 2009 to robbery and possession of an imitation firearm at Boylesports bookmakers on Capel Street, Dublin. He was originally sentenced in February 2014 to five years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, by Judge Mary Ellen Ring. The Director of Public Prosecutions had previously argued that the sentence was unduly lenient, citing that Comerford was arrested shortly after the robbery while sitting in a pub on Capel Street with his co‑accused, drinking pints. On appeal, the three‑judge Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, found the sentence too lenient in light of his 66 prior convictions. The court therefore increased his sentence by two years, setting aside the original term and imposing a new five‑year imprisonment from the original start date, with the same suspended portion.
Eugene Cullen, 30, from Sundale Villas, Tallaght, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a firearm and arson on 4 August 2008. He and Adam Griffiths, 27, were seen leaving a hedge in Palmerstown Green after driving a stolen Honda Civic from Cherry Orchard. Cullen leaned into the car and flames soon erupted. Gardaí stopped a vehicle driven by a third man shortly thereafter. An inspection of the charred car revealed a 9‑mm pistol in the passenger side glove box, confirming the vehicle had been reported stolen. Neither man was charged with the theft. Griffiths pleaded guilty to driving without the owner's consent. He received a two‑year suspended sentence. Cullen, already serving a life sentence for murder, was given a six‑year custodial term, with no credit for time already served on the firearm charge. The court noted that Cullen had no knowledge that the gun was in the car.
Patrick Anderson, a 47‑year‑old former drug addict, received a suspended five‑year jail sentence for a series of robberies committed in 2009. He was first on bail for an armed robbery at a Spar shop when he threatened hairdresser staff, then robbed €1,817 from a hairdressers in Coolock on the last Saturday before Christmas. CCTV identified him and Gardaí questioned him three days later. The next day he hijacked a car, threatening the owner with a screwdriver, drove dangerously and crashed into a tree, leading to his arrest. In 2011 Anderson pleaded guilty to robbery of €300 cash and €399.60 in cigarettes from a Spar shop in Raheny, robbery of the hairdressers, and taking a Nissan car by force from Joe Ennis in Portmarnock. He had prior convictions for robbery and drink driving.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Garda Karen Duffy was injured when a stolen Nissan Micra, driven by 19‑year‑old Eoin Murphy, struck her patrol car's passenger door. The impact broke Duffy's nose and left a six‑centimetre scar on her forehead after 30 stitches. Murphy, who had 30 prior convictions including three for car theft, pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment and unlawful use of a car. He claimed he was "stoned" on tablets that night. Duffy suffered severe bruising, a cut to the back of her head, a broken nose, and post‑traumatic stress disorder. The judge adjourned the case to the next month and requested a Probation Services report. The court noted that Duffy would be compensated under the Garda Compensation Scheme. The case remains at the pleading stage.
Patrick Browne, aged 26, was sentenced to six years in prison for a series of violent offences. He stabbed Constantine Consier seven times over a cigarette lighter, leaving Consier with a punctured lung, and also robbed a newsagent twice on Christmas Eve 2013, once dressed as a ghost and once as a skeleton. Browne pleaded guilty to assault and robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan described him as a danger to society, ordered psychiatric assessment and services, and suspended the final two years of the sentence, replacing them with two years of probation supervision upon release. The judge noted Browne's early guilty plea, admissions to Gardaí, personal problems, and serious mental health issues, including epilepsy. The sentence aims to protect the public while providing access to mental health care in prison.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Liam McGran, 49, was given a suspended sentence for attempting to rob and threatening to rape an escort at gunpoint. McGran had booked an appointment with the woman, who works as an escort, and entered her apartment on 7 October 2013. He produced what appeared to be a black handgun, demanded money, and threatened rape. The victim, who held a firearms licence, recognised the pistol as a fake and fought him off, sustaining scratches, bruises and having some hair pulled. McGran fled, was later arrested in Lucan, and pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and possession of an imitation firearm. Judge Mary Ellen Ring noted it was his first offence, deviated from the five‑year mandatory minimum for firearms, and imposed a three‑year sentence suspended in full for three years. The court acknowledged the serious impact on the victim but also McGran's cooperation and early guilty plea.
Thomas Nicholson, a 24‑year‑old father of two, hired a mini‑digger worth just over €17,000 using his own passport and bank statement. The machine, originally bought for €32,000, was never returned to the hire company. Nicholson pleaded guilty to theft on 6 March 2014 at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Garda Thomas Tighe traced Nicholson through the documentation he left with the hire company, leading to his arrest. Nicholson claimed he had taken the digger on behalf of someone else and did not know its whereabouts. He also admitted to a drug debt from cocaine addiction, which he said would harm his health. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to a three‑year suspended term, requiring him to keep the peace for three years and pay €3,000 in two years, while he remains in custody pending the adjourned case. The court noted Nicholson's good record and lack of prior convictions.
Robert Hedderman, aged 30, was jailed for three years for burglary, criminal damage and unlawfully producing a firework that threatened a Garda. On 6 May 2014 he broke into a flat on North Great Georges Street, used a hacksaw to cut the window bars, and was discovered by a neighbour who called the Gardaí. When the Gardaí arrived, Hedderman told them to leave or he would kill them and burn the flat. He brandished a large kitchen knife, held a lighter and attempted to ignite fireworks, causing small explosions. Gardaí called for armed backup and the Dublin Fire Brigade arrived. Hedderman barricaded himself inside, but after three warnings he dropped the knife and was arrested. The damage to the door cost €500. Hedderman has 25 prior convictions, including robbery and burglary, and was previously jailed for robbery. Robert Hedderman pleaded guilty.
John McDonald, aged 57, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 18 months imprisonment for stealing nearly €10,000 from the life savings of his 74‑year‑old friend, Matthew Murphy, while Murphy was hospitalized. McDonald had befriended Murphy, who was 80 at the time of the theft, and had helped him with shopping. When Murphy was admitted to hospital, McDonald used Murphy's ATM card to make 29 withdrawals totalling €9,843. After Murphy's discharge, he discovered his savings account held only €15 and reported the theft to the Gardaí. McDonald was arrested in 2011, fled to Northern Ireland on bail, and was re‑arrested in Dublin in 2015. He pleaded guilty to nine counts of theft between December 2009 and February 2010. Judge Martin Nolan described the offence as "a low crime" and imposed a three‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended, conditional on McDonald paying €12,000 to Murphy within one month.
Martin Cash, aged 20, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three and a half years in prison for theft and dangerous driving. He stole jewellery worth €1,830 from a house on Howth Road, Raheny, and was caught after a police chase. Cash also admitted to endangering traffic by cutting across a six-lane junction, driving in bus lanes, and mounting footpaths, forcing cars and buses to swerve. He drove dangerously at a green area where children were playing and at junctions on Collins Avenue. He pleaded guilty to trespassing at a house on Furry Park Road, Killester. Judge Mary‑Ellen Ring suspended the final 12 months of his sentence on the condition of good behaviour for a year, ordered probation supervision, and disqualified him from driving for five years. Cash has 37 prior convictions, including assault, criminal damage, drug misuse and possession of stolen goods. He was drug‑free at the time of sentencing.
In a Westmeath case, a 28‑year‑old man was jailed for twelve years for aggravated sexual assault and attempted rape of his sister. He had been serving a suspended portion of a four‑year sentence for an attempted armed robbery and was released in January 2014. After pleading guilty to the assault, the Circuit Court reactivated 18 months of that robbery sentence, making the new sentence consecutive to the remaining term. The victim, a woman in her 20s, testified that the attack left her depressed, in pain and unable to forgive her brother. She described the assault as a violent, threatening act that involved forced sexual contact and threats to kill. The judge noted the seriousness of the case and imposed the twelve‑year term, with the robbery sentence running consecutively. The defendant has a history of 21 prior convictions, including robbery and drug offences, and is placed on the sex offenders' register.
Paul Ryan, a 50‑year‑old security guard with no prior convictions, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbing Hodges Figgis Book Shop on 23 March 2014. He took €22,145 from the shop's safes after deciding to "take a notion" to rob the place. Ryan bound manager Ciara Flanagan in the cloakroom with tape, preventing her from raising an alarm. He later left Dublin, slept rough, spent the stolen money on drink and betting, and returned to hand himself in at Pearse Street Station. The court heard that Ryan was stressed by family life and had been drinking at the time of the offence. He was also charged with false imprisonment, which will be considered at sentencing. Judge Catherine Murphy adjourned sentencing to July, noting the incomplete Probation Report and the fact that this is his first conviction at age 50.
Loyal Sequeria, 28, of Cypress Garth, Templeogue, Dublin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to unlawful possession of a blank‑firing EKOL Firat Magnum 9mm gun and 93 rounds of ammunition, which he had bought over the Internet for protection after a burglary. He also pleaded guilty to stealing an unfinished Irish passport from his workplace, intending to give it to someone for falsification. Garda Enda Dowling found the passport in a camera bag in Sequeria's child's bedroom and the gun and ammunition in the child's wardrobe. Sequeria had one prior road‑traffic conviction. He claimed he was unaware a licence was required for the blank‑firing gun. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to two and a half years, suspended for two years, and noted it was unlikely he would appear again in court.
Thomas Nicholson, a 24‑year‑old father of two from Larchhill Apartments, Santry, Dublin, hired a mini‑digger worth just over €17,000 using his own passport and bank statement. The machine was never returned, and the Gardaí were contacted when it was missing. Nicholson pleaded guilty to theft on 6 March 2014 at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He claimed in a Garda interview that he had taken the digger on behalf of someone else and did not know its whereabouts. The digger, originally purchased for €32,000, remains unreturned. Garda Thomas Tighe traced Nicholson through the documentation he left with the hire company. Nicholson had a drug debt from cocaine addiction, which he said would not be good for his health. Vincent Heneghan BL noted that Nicholson had used his own documents to hire the digger, making it clear he could not escape the theft.
Duane Brady, 36, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of assault causing harm to his former partner on the number 39 Dublin Bus and on a public street near Blanchardstown Shopping Centre on 13 May 2011. The victim fled the bus, was punched by Brady, lost consciousness and suffered a fractured hand, swelling, bruising and rib abrasion. Brady had 43 previous convictions, including robbery and assault, and a long history of drug and alcohol addiction. On 10 March 2014, Justice Carmel Stewart imposed a wholly suspended two‑year sentence, which the Director of Public Prosecutions described as "unduly lenient." The DPP appealed, arguing the judge erred in imposing a non‑custodial sentence and that the suspension should have been longer. The Court of Appeal, led by Justice George Birmingham, dismissed the appeal, stating that the suspended sentence was appropriate and that incarceration was not warranted at this stage. The case remains at the appellate decision stage.
Robert Lawlor, a 31‑year‑old Dublin father of three, was sentenced to 16 months in jail for possessing a stolen Ford C‑Max. He had previously been disqualified from driving and was caught driving the vehicle by a Garda at Airside Retail Shopping Centre, Swords. The Garda followed him to Bewleys Hotel on Clonshaugh Road, where CCTV captured him driving the car into the carpark while wearing blue latex gloves. DNA evidence linked Lawlor to the same gloves found when the stolen car was recovered two weeks later at another location. Lawlor pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing the stolen vehicle, which had been taken from a premises on Griffith Avenue in March 2012 and had registration plates from a vehicle stored in a County Clare garage. His 124 prior convictions include dangerous driving, public order offences and a five‑year sentence for drug possession.
In a Dublin supermarket raid on the Grange Road, Michael Coleman (34), Michael Sweeney (32) and Waymon Sweeney (33) used an axe, a large knife and a gun while wearing balaclavas. They threatened staff and the manager, forced customers to lie on the floor, and stole €24,556 from the safe. After the robbery, the men fled in a getaway car, pursued by gardaí, and later abandoned and burned a second vehicle. Coleman was arrested at the scene; Michael Sweeney was detained after a McDonald's visit and DNA evidence linked him to the second car. Waymon Sweeney failed to return from lunch recess, leading to a warrant for his arrest. All three pleaded guilty to robbery and were sentenced to five years' imprisonment. The court described the crime as a well‑planned, ambitious robbery. The case highlighted the men's drug‑related problems and personal losses.
Aaron Brophy, aged 24 and without a fixed abode, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for robbing Patrick Birmingham, a man with cerebral palsy, outside a Dublin post office on Ormond Quay Upper. Brophy followed Birmingham, put his arm around his neck, kicked him to the back of the knee, knocked him to the ground, called him a paedophile and then stole his wallet containing €20 and various cards. He pleaded guilty to robbery on 9 January 2014 and has 48 prior convictions, including robbery, assault, violent disorder, theft, burglary and criminal damage. Birmingham, who works in the Four Courts and usually takes lunch breaks at nearby Civic Offices, described the attack as a low point in Brophy's criminal career and said it has left him mentally and physically affected, making him wary of people on the street.
Sashi Buti, a 19‑year‑old former Blackrock college rugby player, was sentenced in June for robbing a taxi driver on 23 August 2014. He and another man forced the driver to take them to St Michael's Estate, where Buti assaulted the driver, robbed his iPhone, SatNav and €220, and left his passport, mobile phone and a necklace in the taxi. After the assault he reported the passport as lost at a Garda station. The driver suffered tenderness and swelling, and the stolen items were never recovered. Buti pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge described his reporting of the passport as a "clever ploy" and noted that he had no prior convictions. The case was adjourned to 13 June, with a report from Probation Services required.
James Kelly, 25, a chronic heroin addict, was convicted at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court for false imprisonment, unlawful vehicle taking and robbery at Colbert Station on 4 May 2011. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended for seven years. The Director of Public Prosecution appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal, hearing the appeal on 23 April 2015, found the sentence too lenient and remanded Kelly in custody until 4 June 2015 for a new sentence. Kelly's defence counsel noted he was no longer on heroin and had completed the custodial part of his sentence, having been released for less than a week before being returned to custody. The appeal focused on the seriousness of the offence, the use of a knife, the victim's false imprisonment, forced driving, ATM theft, and the threat of rape and indignities. James Kelly pleaded guilty.
Dylan Smith, 23, of Crumlin, pleaded guilty to producing an imitation firearm, unlawful seizure of a vehicle, and arson. On 26 March 2014, he threatened a taxi driver, John Lang, with a fake gun, forced him out of the vehicle, and drove off. Smith then set fire to Bernard Curtis Apartments in Bluebell. Garda Gary Keelan and others apprehended him near Jamestown Industrial Estate. Smith, with 69 prior convictions, was already serving sentences for robbery, false imprisonment and unlawful seizure of a vehicle. At sentencing, Judge Gerard Hogan imposed a four‑year jail term, with the final two years suspended, meaning Smith will serve an effective one‑year term. He is scheduled for release in 2020. The court noted his violent background, substance issues, and that he had become a father on the day of the incident. The case was prosecuted by Gareth Baker BL and defended by Pieter Le Vert BL.
Andrew O'Toole, 22, was remanded in custody after a high‑speed chase in which he drove a stolen motorbike the wrong way down a dual carriageway, around roundabouts, and through red lights, ultimately crashing into a parked car. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and reckless endangerment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. O'Toole had 12 prior convictions and became a father two days after the offence. During the pursuit, motorists were forced to take evasive action, including a bus that swerved into road works. Garda Stephen Walsh chased O'Toole, who eventually crashed on Woodhazel Terrace in Ballymun. O'Toole was arrested after a struggle that injured the Garda's hand. He later said he "blanked" when questioned. Judge Martin Nolan revoked his bail, remanded him until 21 May for sentencing, and urged him to reflect on the danger he posed to himself, the public and the Gardaí.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 21 April 2015, Ulster Bank presented evidence that several individuals had withdrawn money fraudulently during a software failure that allowed ATM withdrawals even when accounts were empty. The court heard that Titilayo Kilanko, aged 38, had pleaded guilty to ten counts of theft for making 115 fraudulent withdrawals totalling €57,708 from Ulster Bank ATMs in Dublin between June 2012 and the time of her arrest. Kilanko claimed the money was used to pay for her father's kidney transplant in Nigeria, where she had flown with the cash and converted it to naira. She had repaid €4,600 and was continuing to pay €100 a week, with a plan to increase to €200. The judge adjourned sentencing to allow the defence to obtain medical records from Nigeria. The case highlighted the bank's decision to prosecute other offenders who failed to repay the withdrawn sums.
Ali Charaf Damache, a 50‑year‑old Algerian‑born Irish citizen, has been remanded until 21 May while his extradition case is heard in the High Court. Judge Aileen Donnelly said she hoped to deliver a judgement next month, though this may not happen. Damache faces US charges of conspiracy to provide material support for terrorists and attempted identity theft to facilitate international terrorism. He previously won a Supreme Court appeal allowing judicial review of the Director of Public Prosecutions' refusal to prosecute him in Ireland. If convicted in the US, he could face up to 45 years in jail.
Alan Freeman, aged 34, pleaded guilty to theft in a 2009 robbery of over 40 firearms at Carrick on Suir, Tipperary. He was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by Judge Gerrard Griffin on 1 April 2014. In a Court of Appeal hearing on 20 April 2015, Freeman's counsel, Dominic McGinn SC, applied to appeal the conviction on the single ground that the prosecution bore the burden of proving Freeman was not induced into pleading guilty. McGinn argued that Freeman had extensive contact with a senior investigating Garda, a detective superintendent, up to the evening before the plea, including phone calls and face‑to‑face meetings, and that this contact was not disclosed to Freeman's legal team. He claimed Freeman effectively told his counsel he would plead guilty regardless of advice. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel, Patrick McCarthy SC, countered that Freeman's plea was freely made and that no illegal conduct had occurred.
David Byrne, 42, of Swords, Co Dublin, faces trial in 2017 for allegedly taking part in a €2.28 million robbery and false imprisonment of Paul Richardson, his wife Marie and their two sons Ian and Kevin on March 13–14, 2005. Byrne is accused of holding the family at Ashcroft, Raheny, and of stealing cash from Richardson and Securicor Security Services Ireland Ltd. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with prosecutor Seamus Clarke BL, noted that new Supreme Court exclusion‑evidence rules might affect the case. The trial is scheduled for 16 January 2017 and will last 12 weeks.