Clodagh Byrne, 32, of Castlederg, pleaded guilty to theft at Marks & Spencer in Dublin on 24 July. She admitted taking items worth €223.70, claiming she acted in a "moment of madness" after seeing images of suffering in Gaza. Byrne said she believed the store was funding genocide and supporting Zionists, and that her theft was a reaction to those scenes. Judge Anne Watkin rejected this as an abuse of people suffering, stating it was not a valid excuse for shoplifting. The judge suggested Byrne avoid the store if she felt that way and questioned her self‑employment as a therapist. Byrne was fined €500, with a six‑month payment period. The case was heard under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act. The court did not impose any custodial sentence.
Christopher Ryan, 33, pleaded guilty to rape, sexual assault, assault causing harm and criminal damage at the Central Criminal Court. He was sentenced to 11½ years for rape, five years for sexual assault, four years for assault causing harm and two years for criminal damage, all concurrent. A 12‑month portion of the total term was suspended on the condition that he engage with the Probation Service. He was ordered to have no contact with Kerrie Keane for the duration of his imprisonment and the suspended period. Keane, who was raped and assaulted by Ryan in her Galway home on 11 November 2023, moved into emergency accommodation with her daughter after the attack. She gave a victim impact statement describing ongoing fear, anxiety, nightmares and depression, and expressed gratitude for police support. Ryan's previous conviction was for theft. The case was prosecuted by Marc Thompson BL and heard by Justice Mary Ellen Ring.
Bradford Meehan, a 54-year-old serial offender with 116 previous convictions, had his five-month prison sentence suspended on appeal. Meehan was convicted in the District Court of burglary contrary to section 12(1b)(3) of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001, after allegedly causing €5,000 worth of damage to an apartment complex on Bonham Street, Dublin 8, in July. He was originally sentenced to five months consecutive to a 42-month sentence he is currently serving for a different matter. Meehan appealed against the severity of this sentence. Defence counsel Seosaimhín Ní Chathasaigh BL argued that Meehan's reoffending was driven by a chronic drug addiction and that he is now a model prisoner in Mountjoy Prison, free of illicit substances. Judge Christopher Callan acknowledged that seeking a suspended sentence was "a stretch" given Meehan was on release from prison when the alleged crime occurred and had succumbed to addiction again. However, the judge decided to suspend the five-month sentence for two years. The conditions require Meehan to keep the peace and come under the supervision of the probation service upon release. Additionally, the judge directed that Meehan remain on the enhanced privilege regime while in custody.
A man in his 30s was refused bail after a judge described the alleged incident as "very violent and serious behaviour". He is accused of holding a carving knife to a makeup‑artist escort's throat and robbing her of two iPhones, a black handbag and €1,340 in cash. The assault took place at his apartment in South Dublin on the early hours of Sunday, 27 July. The woman, who had travelled from England to earn extra money, was left with a deep laceration between thumb and forefinger and significant blood loss. CCTV footage shows the man dragging her while holding the knife. He is charged with robbery, production of an article and offences under the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act. He was remanded in custody and will appear via video link at Cloverhill District Court on 31 July.
William Kavanagh, 35, was convicted in the District Court for a series of thefts and criminal damage in Dublin between January and March 2024. He stole 15 pairs of socks worth €290, a wallet and €90 in cash, smashed a car window, and wrote his own blood on the walls of a Garda cell. He was found guilty of three counts of theft, three counts of criminal damage and one count of possessing stolen property. The District Court sentenced him to 14 months, with six months for the January 8 theft and eight months for the January 25 theft, consecutive to a term he was already serving. On appeal, Judge Christopher Callan reduced the sentence to seven months, suspended for two years, on the condition that Kavanagh remains peaceful and engages with Merchant's Quay Ireland for rehabilitation upon release.
Gary Herbert, 42, a serial offender with 157 prior convictions, was sentenced by Tallaght District Court to an additional nine‑month custodial term for theft and possession of stolen property. He pleaded guilty to one charge of possession of a grey Aovo Pro e‑scooter, which he admitted was not his, and was convicted on all counts after a hearing before Judge Patricia McNamara. Herbert denied the other three charges – theft of cash from two parked cars and possession of stolen AirPods and an iPod – but was found guilty on those as well. The court relied on CCTV footage and witness testimony to confirm his identity in both theft incidents. He is currently serving an eight‑month sentence imposed on 16 June 2025, with a release date in April 2026. Judge McNamara suspended six months of the new nine‑month term for two years, meaning Herbert will serve an additional three months unless he reoffends.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the brother of cancer‑survivor Jeffrey Jackson said the defendant, 39‑year‑old Ryan Kearney, showed no respect or remorse for the family when the verdict was read. Kearney, who had 152 prior convictions, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter after a jury rejected the prosecution's claim that he had intentionally stabbed Jackson from head to toe. Kearney claimed he acted in self‑defence during a "frenzied knife" attack that left Jackson with 16 stab wounds, two fatal chest wounds, and a death caused by alcohol‑related impairment. The court heard that Kearney had previously been convicted of drug possession, theft, and other offences, and that he had been on bail for several matters at the time of the incident. The sentencing hearing was scheduled for Thursday, with Kearney remanded in custody. The victim impact statements highlighted the family's grief and the brutality of the attack.
In a Carlow Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 48‑year‑old Charles Dunne of Ace Fencing Ltd pleaded not guilty to two alternative charges: handling a large assortment of stolen power tools and possessing stolen property, both alleged to have occurred on 13 January 2019. He also pleaded not guilty to 20 counts of providing false invoices to Gardaí between January and February 2019, and to attempting to pervert the course of justice by submitting false documents to obstruct a Garda criminal investigation. Gardaí had seized a large quantity of tools from Dunne's yard in Tullow, photographed them, and compiled an inventory. Dunne later supplied about 60 invoices to Gardaí, claiming ownership of the seized tools. Testimony from the auctioneers Ganly Craigie 2000 Ltd and Hennessy Auctioneers highlighted discrepancies between the invoices Dunne provided and the company records, with several invoices containing altered or illegible details. The trial continues before Judge Sinéad McMullan and a jury.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 25 July 2025, Mr. Osgur Breatnach, aged 75, sought a declaration that his 1978 conviction for the Sallins train robbery was a miscarriage of justice. The robbery, which occurred on 31 March 1976, involved the theft of an estimated £200,000 from a Cork‑to‑Dublin mail train near Sallins, County Kildare. Breatnach, one of five members of the Irish Republican Socialist Party, was initially found guilty and sentenced to 12 years by the Special Criminal Court. His conviction was later quashed in May 1980 after the Court of Criminal Appeal ruled that his confession had been obtained under "oppression." During the case‑management session, Mr. Breatnach's solicitor, Kevin Winters of KRW Law, presented an application under section 9 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1993, asserting that newly discovered facts indicate a miscarriage of justice.
A seventeen‑year‑old, who was fifteen when the offences occurred, pleaded guilty to false imprisonment, theft of a €1,300 iPhone, and threatening to kill the victim's family dog. The court heard that the teenager followed a nineteen‑year‑old bus passenger in Clonsilla, forced him to withdraw €50, and later took his phone and driver's licence. He then brought the victim to an apartment, produced knives, threatened to slice him, and demanded the victim remove his clothes. The teenager later entered the victim's home, stole a Nike tracksuit, an Under Armour top, Nike runners, a PlayStation, and a jacket worth €1,751, and forced the victim to transfer €500 from his Revolut account. No money or items were recovered. The defendant was on bail at the time of the offence and had ten prior convictions, including seven for theft. The case was adjourned for sentencing.
James Lynch, 44, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply in Galway on 29 August 2022. He had 86 prior convictions, including traffic offences, theft, fraud, drug possession, public order, criminal damage, assault, and weapons. The court noted that Lynch was dealing heroin, an aggressive approach to arrest, and threw the drugs into the River Corrib to evade capture. Judge Brian O'Callaghan set a headline sentence of six years, then imposed a custodial term of four years, suspending the final two years. Lynch was ordered to serve the sentence from the date he entered custody, and to be supervised by the Probation Service for one year after release. He was found with €614 on his person and a package of heroin worth about €6,500, which was recovered from the river. The court considered his addiction and lack of financial benefit from the offence, and noted his need for rehabilitation.
Clive McCowan, 45, a former PhD student in social studies, was sentenced to just over three‑and‑a‑half years in prison for possessing €285,000 worth of heroin. He pleaded guilty to three counts of possession of drugs for sale or supply at Millrace Park, Saggart, on 6 June 2024. Gardaí searched his residence at Rossfield Court, Tallaght, and found approximately 2 kg of heroin, 147 g of cannabis, and 8 g of cocaine, along with weighing scales and a boiler. McCowan admitted to receiving the drugs two weeks earlier, having been instructed to cut a section of diamorphine, and claimed he had a drug debt of €30,000. He had eight prior convictions, including robbery, and had previously completed a residential treatment programme. Judge Martin Nolan, noting the substantial mitigation and McCowan's cooperation, imposed a four‑year sentence, reduced by four months for his treatment. The court considered this his second incursion into drug‑dealing activity.
Marese Craig, 28, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to six and a half years' imprisonment for a series of thefts that included stealing a €27,000‑worth bag of cancer medication from an elderly American tourist and a handbag from a mother in a neonatal intensive care unit. The judge noted Craig's 191 prior convictions, including 18 burglaries, nine robberies, 102 thefts and 16 deception offences, and her drug addiction. Craig pleaded guilty to thefts, burglaries and possession of stolen bank cards between 2022 and 2024. She admitted the offences, expressed regret and was found to have been unaware of the contents of the bags she stole. Judge Orla Crowe imposed consecutive sentences totalling seven and a half years, suspended the final 12 months, and required Craig to engage with the Probation Service for 18 months after release. The court described her conduct as "deplorable" but allowed her a chance to re‑enter society constructively.
A mentally ill man, diagnosed with bipolar disorder and psychosis, had his four‑month jail sentence for breaching a safety order overturned on appeal. He had pleaded guilty in the District Court to breaching a safety order twice under section 33(1) of the Domestic Violence Act 2018 and to trespassing under section 3 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994. He also faced charges of making off without payment, theft and failure to appear in court. The appeal was lodged after the court heard that he had been arrested on 3 October 2024 at a woman's property where a safety order was in place, and again on 9 May 2024 at an Applegreen on Stillorgan Road where he poured petrol worth 60 cents into a bag and left without paying. He was also charged with failure to appear in court for that offence.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 17 July 2025, three men were found to have received sentences that were too lenient for a "targeted and pre‑meditated" arson that took place on 17 May 2022. The incident involved a stolen Toyota Avensis being rammed into the ground floor of the Tip Top Tanning Studio on Tullow Street, Carlow, and set alight with an accelerant. The blaze spread to the building's upper residential apartments, where families were sleeping. Keith McCormack Smith (24), Jason Ryle (26) and PJ Lyons (21) had all pleaded guilty to arson and related offences. Their original sentences—four, three‑and‑a‑half and three‑and‑a‑half years respectively—were increased to seven, six and four‑and‑a‑half years. The Court of Appeal quashed the original sentences and imposed new headline sentences of ten, nine‑and‑a‑half and nine years, each with a suspended portion, to reflect the seriousness of the offence.
Andrew Pender, 52, was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment for running a sophisticated drug‑distribution cell in Dublin. He pleaded guilty to possession of nearly €10 million worth of drugs, €1.15 million in cash, two vehicles fitted with hidden compartments, a stolen Garda uniform and a rented shipping container. The drugs included almost €4.5 million in cocaine, €2.5 million in ketamine, €1.3 million in cannabis and €700,000 in MDMA. Pender also admitted money‑laundering offences. Judge Orla Crowe noted his long‑standing cocaine addiction, medical issues and a letter of remorse, but emphasised that he was in "clear control" of the operation and had no higher‑level contacts. The sentence was back‑dated to his initial arrest and credit was given for time served on remand. The State was ordered to forfeit the seized drugs, cash, vehicles and container. No part of the sentence was suspended.
Casandra Lingurar, a 19‑year‑old Romanian‑born teenage mum living in Tallaght, was sentenced to seven months' imprisonment at Tallaght District Court for stealing groceries worth €577.07 from a Lidl store on Nutgrove Avenue, Rathfarnham, on 6 October 2024. She entered the store at 4.50 pm with an empty trolley, filled it with groceries, and was caught by store security and Gardaí around 5.03 pm while attempting to exit. Lingurar pleaded guilty to a theft charge under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001. The court noted she has nine prior convictions, seven of which are for theft, and that she had previously received a three‑month suspended sentence for stealing clothing and jewellery from The Square Shopping Centre. The judge accepted her early guilty plea but, given her extensive criminal record, imposed the seven‑month custodial sentence. The case was heard in Tallaght District Court.
Mark Kavanagh, aged 48, was sentenced by Judge Orla Crowe to a global term of six years and nine months, with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions. The sentence follows a high‑speed chase on 28 April 2024 in which Kavanagh attempted to ram a Garda patrol car, drove at speeds up to 120 km/h, and was later apprehended after the vehicle crashed. He pleaded guilty to endangerment, criminal damage, dangerous driving, driving without insurance, and failing to provide a blood or urine sample. Kavanagh also pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary and handling stolen property in 2024, including an intrusion into the home of an 85‑year‑old man on 10 June 2024, where a key was taken. He has 168 prior convictions, including burglary, trespass, firearms and drug offences, and is disqualified from driving until 2030.
Michael Ward, 33, and Melissa Collins, 26, pleaded guilty to theft in a south Dublin accommodation fraud case. Ward admitted stealing €1,800 from a bank account between 9 and 18 September 2022, while Collins admitted stealing €600 from a bank account on 27 July 2022. Both pleaded before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after reaching an agreement with the Director of Public Prosecutions. The case involves fraud against international students. A sentence hearing is scheduled for 24 November.
Callum Howell, 21, of Sandyford, Dublin 18, was sentenced at Tallaght District Court after pleading guilty to trespassing, theft, public order offences, road traffic matters, and failing to appear in court. The court heard that gardaí found Howell on a residential driveway in Stepaside in April 2025 in possession of stolen goods. He admitted to the charges, which included offences under the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act, the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, and the Road Traffic Act. The judge noted Howell's 26 previous convictions but accepted evidence of severe mental health issues, including anxiety, neurodivergence, and substance misuse. Judge Patricia McNamara convicted and sentenced him on the trespassing charge to eight months in prison. This sentence was suspended for 12 months on the condition that Howell does not reoffend, possesses no illicit or non-prescribed substances, attends all medical appointments, complies with prescribed medication, and engages fully with Cluain Mhuire once a place becomes available. The judge warned that failure to comply would result in the immediate activation of the eight-month sentence. All remaining matters were taken into consideration in the disposal.
A 42‑year‑old man was sentenced to 11 years and six months in prison, with the final six months suspended for one year on strict conditions, after being convicted of two counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault against his goddaughter, who was aged six to nine when the offences occurred between 2009 and 2012 in County Clare. The man, who was in his late twenties at the time, was also married to the victim's aunt and had acted as her godfather. He maintains his innocence. The victim, whose identity is protected, gave a victim impact statement describing the abuse as having stolen her childhood, left her with fear, pain, depression and anxiety, and said she may "never be able to be normal." The judge noted the seriousness of the offences, the victim's age and the multiple incidents, and reduced a headline sentence of 13 years to 11½ years after considering mitigating factors and testimonials about the.
Patrick Cawley, 35, pleaded guilty to assault, theft and robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He was convicted of four offences against three men, including a German tourist in his 60s. Cawley, described by the judge as an "endemic recidivist offender" with 127 prior convictions and a history of drug addiction, was sentenced to five years and three months, with the final 12 months suspended, leaving an effective term of four years and three months. The judge aimed to encourage treatment of his drug problem and reintegration into society. The German victim suffered anxiety, stress and a fear of crowds, and reported an economic loss of €1,100. Another victim sustained a broken jaw that required wiring. A third incident involved a mugging at a Luas stop, but no conviction was recorded for that event. The court noted Cawley's cooperation during the interview.
In a Tallaght District Court hearing on 9 July 2025, 36‑year‑old Danielle Kavanagh pleaded guilty to driving without insurance and a licence, and to the theft of makeup from Dunnes Stores. The court noted that on 25 August 2024 Garda Shane Whelan stopped Kavanagh on Cloonmore Drive while she was visibly distressed and engaged in a loud phone argument. Gardaí confirmed she had no valid licence or insurance and was already serving a four‑year disqualification imposed in October 2023. The vehicle was seized. Judge William Aylmer fined Kavanagh €100 for driving without insurance and an additional €50 for having no licence, and upheld the four‑year disqualification. The court also dealt with a June 13 incident in which Kavanagh stole makeup worth €331 from Dunnes Stores; she was found to have concealed the items in a buggy. The goods were recovered and suitable for resale.
Paul Kearney, 47, pleaded guilty at Tallaght District Court for stealing €300 worth of scratch cards from a SuperValu in Firhouse on 8 September 2024. The theft was described as an opportunistic, spur‑of‑the‑moment act captured on CCTV. Kearney admitted being in the footage but denied memory of the act. After a month he returned to the shop, where staff recognised him and alerted Gardaí, but the cards were no longer recoverable. The judge ordered him to complete a restorative justice programme and adjourned final sentencing to 10 October.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 4 July 2025, Stefano Gianluca Macari, 24, pleaded guilty to robbery and assault causing harm after he and two co‑accused attacked an American doctor in his 40s on 27 April 2023. Macari, a member of the Macari takeaway family, was caught by Gardaí with the victim's wallet and bank cards and had been in custody since June. He kicked the victim several times in the head while the trio stole cash and the wallet before fleeing. The victim suffered lacerations and bruising, declined hospital treatment, and was treated with temporary stitches. Macari's co‑accused received four‑ and five‑year sentences. The court noted Macari's 27 prior convictions and ordered a probation report, Governor's report and urine analysis for November, with the matter to be finalised then.
A man in his 30s, whose name was not disclosed, was denied bail by the Dún Laoghaire District Court after being charged with armed robbery and possession of an offensive weapon. The robbery took place on 30 June at Centra in Sandyford Hall, where the suspect entered the store at about 8.45 pm, demanded money from a 21‑year‑old cashier while holding a kitchen knife, and fled on a bicycle with roughly €500 in cash. CCTV footage shows him cycling past a pharmacy in a black tracksuit and Nike runners, with his face visible. The next day, Gardaí stopped him near the scene, found €490 in a satchel and a Stanley knife, and later recovered a medium‑sized kitchen knife from his partner's residence. The court cited the seriousness of the charges, the strength of the evidence, and the risk of further offences or non‑appearance as reasons for denying bail.
Bernard McDonagh, aged 30, of Gortnafolla, Turlough, Castlebar, has affirmed guilty pleas to five charges at Castlebar Circuit Court. The charges arise from incidents on November 11 last year at various locations in Castlebar. McDonagh admitted assaulting a garda and another man at Tesco, Knockacroghery. He also pleaded guilty to theft of a bottle of gin valued at €35 and clothing worth €420 from TK Maxx. A further charge concerned criminal damage to a vehicle wing mirror in an Aldi carpark. McDonagh, currently on an enhanced regime in custody, was remanded pending sentencing on July 22. Judge Eoin Garavan directed that probation and governor's reports be prepared for the hearing.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 30 June 2025, Cristian Topiter, aged 39, pleaded guilty to the theft of a mobile phone and a suitcase from a Ukrainian woman in Smithfield Square, two hours after he had set fire to St Michan's Church. The arson, for which he was jailed for six years in February, destroyed two mummified bodies, including an 800‑year‑old Crusader, and caused a financial crisis for the parish. The court heard that the stolen phone was never recovered, while the suitcase, found at Topiter's address, remained unopened. Topiter claimed no memory of the incident and offered apologies to the victim, who has since returned to Ukraine. Judge Pauline Codd, noting his trauma and progress in prison, imposed a one‑year term to run concurrently with his existing sentence for the arson, and declined to add any further time for the theft.
Wayne Judge, 33, a repeat offender with 123 prior convictions, had his five‑month custodial sentence for criminal damage on July 28 2023 replaced by a fully suspended ten‑month term on appeal. Judge had previously pleaded guilty in the District Court to five counts of criminal damage, one count of theft, one of trespassing and one of public intoxication. The offences involved smashing windows of an Audi, a Renault Kadjar, a Toyota and a second Toyota, and stealing a pair of Ray‑Ban sunglasses. The incidents occurred on Hampton Wood Court, Mayeston Rise and Hampton Wood Road in Finglas, and a taxi in Dubbercoss. Judge's sentence was made consecutive to a two‑year custodial term he is currently serving for another matter. The appeal court, after hearing the case, imposed a ten‑month suspended sentence to be supervised by the probation service for two years.
A 14‑year‑old boy was caught on CCTV taking part in a robbery of an off‑duty Garda on Camden Road, Dublin 8, on 22 January 2024. He kicked the victim repeatedly to the head while the 29‑year‑old co‑accused punched him to the ground. The pair then stole the Garda's phone, two passports, a Garda ID card and bank cards, and returned to re‑check the victim's pockets, kicking him again. The boy, who had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty to one count of robbery. He had been in special care as a baby due to maternal neglect and had been removed from care in recent years because of drug use, missing from care, and exploitation by criminals. Social workers had recommended emergency special care shortly before the attack, but no bed was available. The court heard that the boy was later placed in care and has not gone missing for several months.
Sean Carroll, 31, of Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, had his custodial sentence overturned on appeal in the District Court Appeals Court. Carroll, who pleaded guilty to theft under section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001, was originally sentenced to six months in prison. The court heard that on July 26, 2019, Carroll allegedly arranged a meeting on Henry Street, Dublin, where he received €550 from an injured party for Electric Picnic tickets that were subsequently found to be fake. The stolen money was never recovered. Carroll has 28 previous convictions, including for theft and attempted robbery. Defence counsel Róisín Burnside BL submitted that Carroll has undertaken treatment for drug addiction and is now free of drugs and alcohol. Judge Jonathan Dunphy noted the prevalence of ticket scams on Henry Street and questioned the impact on the victim. The judge increased the original sentence from six months to ten months but fully suspended it for two years. The suspension is conditional on Carroll keeping the peace and continuing his treatment. Judge Dunphy warned that if Carroll returns before the court, every second of the ten-month term will be activated.
Two drug dealers, Viorel Doroscan (23) and Otniel Richardo Clejan (24), were sentenced to life imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of 22‑year‑old footballer Mahamud Ilyas. The court heard that the pair beat Ilyas in an apartment in Blanchardstown, stamped on him, kicked him, and struck his head with a hammer. They tied his hands and feet, wrapped him in a duvet and drove him to a wooded area at Belgree Lane, Co. Meath, where they left him to die. The judge described the killers' conduct as "massive loss of control" and "callous". Ilyas's mother, Muna Ali, spoke of her son's promise and the pain of his death. The sentencing followed a unanimous jury conviction of murder. The case also involved co‑accused Robert Burns and Lorenzo Cantaragiu, who pleaded guilty to impeding the arrest or prosecution of the killers.
Patrick Berry, 40, of Ballyfermot, Dublin, was sentenced at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for theft. He pleaded guilty to stealing 12 electric scooters, valued at €7,780, from a storage unit at a business park in Ballymount on November 16, 2020. The scooters have not been recovered. Judge Orla Crowe described the offence as "opportunistic," noting it occurred during the pandemic when the area was quiet. The judge highlighted that the theft nearly caused the collapse of the victim's new business, causing significant stress. Aggravating factors included Berry's 30 previous convictions, eight for theft, and the value of the goods. Mitigation included his addiction issues, which he is addressing, and a €3,200 payment offered by his parents as a token of remorse. Judge Crowe imposed a sentence of two years and six months, which was suspended for four years on strict conditions, including remaining drug-free. The court directed that the €3,200 be paid to the injured party's company. The judge stated the court wished to "give this man a chance."
Mary Higgins, 63, a former bursar at Mount Sackville Secondary School, was sentenced to one year in prison for stealing €500,000 from the school between 2012 and 2017 to fund a gambling addiction. She had full control over the school's cash flow, was the main signatory on bank accounts, and directed how money was allocated. Higgins sold her home and pension to repay the school and has repaid €470,949.62. She has no prior convictions and has since pursued addiction treatment, counselling studies, and voluntary work. The court noted her remorse, the lack of oversight that enabled the theft, and her long service to the school. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a custodial sentence, suspended two years on a €100 bond, and acknowledged her cooperation with Gardaí and forensic accountants. The case highlights the breach of trust and the impact of gambling on her life. Mary Higgins pleaded guilty.
In Tallaght District Court, 45‑year‑old Norman Purfield pleaded guilty to simple possession of heroin under Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act after a police stop on Old Bawn Road. He was found with 6.8 g of heroin, worth about €952, and claimed it was for personal use, bought in bulk to avoid theft. Judge Patricia McNamara dismissed the original charge of possession for sale or supply, citing insufficient proof beyond reasonable doubt, and convicted him of simple possession. She imposed a three‑month sentence, suspended for 12 months, conditional on Purfield attending a drug treatment programme in Deonach, Tallaght. Purfield, who has 42 previous convictions including three drug‑related offences, was warned that failure to attend treatment could lead to the sentence being imposed. The judge noted the lack of weighing scales, paraphernalia, or evidence of supply, and accepted Purfield's explanation and willingness to engage with treatment.
William Morrison, 60, of Tallaght, was sentenced by Judge John O'Leary to three months in prison for failing to appear in court on four separate occasions, a breach of Section 13(1) of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. Morrison, who pleaded guilty on one count, has 305 prior convictions, including theft, criminal damage, public order offences and previous failures to attend court. The judge described the case as "depressing" and said Morrison was "on a path to self‑destruction." Defence solicitor Kevin Tunney noted Morrison's long‑standing alcohol addiction and his place on a waiting list for treatment. Morrison was remanded in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on 13 June for further matters, with no bail application made and legal aid assigned.
Aaron Finn, 28, of Tallaght, was charged in Tallaght District Court with 12 offences after breaking into a commercial van in an underground carpark of a Dublin apartment complex on the night of 8 June. CCTV footage showed him smashing a window of a Scania van and stealing three mobile phones, a black sledgehammer, an air pump, a valve and several bags of tools. He was arrested shortly after the incident. Finn faces ten counts of possession of stolen property under Section 18 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, one count of criminal damage and one count of handling stolen property. The court refused bail, citing the seriousness of the alleged offences, the strength of the evidence and the use of a wrench to gain entry. Finn was remanded in custody to appear via video link at Cloverhill District Court on 13 June for DPP directions, and legal aid was granted.
Thomas Greene, 33, of Sarsfield Street, Sallynoggin, Co Dublin, was sentenced to three months' imprisonment by Judge Conor Fottrell at Dún Laoghaire District Court after pleading guilty to 14 charges covering theft, public intoxication, abusive behaviour in a public place and repeated failures to appear in court. The offences, committed between March 2021 and March 2023, included stealing €10 worth of petrol from Applegreen, shoplifting four Kindle products and a €25 scarf, stealing €140 worth of Bulmers cider, and pushing a buggy while heavily intoxicated. Greene, who has 107 prior convictions including robbery, assault, drug and firearms offences, was already in custody since June 2 on multiple bench warrants. The court noted his history of drug use, a drug‑induced coma, seizures and fractures, and his current treatment at St Michael's Unit, Beaumont Hospital. Judge Fottrell back‑dated the custodial sentence to June 2 and rejected a cash recognisance in favour of an independent surety.
Brian Early, a 54‑year‑old from Newbridge, pleaded guilty to theft, possession of stolen property and possession of certain articles in two incidents in February 2024. He stole 17 bottles of spirits worth about €700 from Dunnes Stores, removing security tags with wire cutters and making a small purchase to appear legitimate. Two bottles of Bombay Sapphire gin were recovered. Early admitted the theft was to repay a drug debt, citing a serious crack cocaine addiction that worsened after a five‑year cancer battle and his father's death. He has been clean for 10 months, has not attended a formal drug programme but has sought support from Pieta House following a mental‑health crisis, and receives a disability allowance. Judge Conor Fottrell, considering the guilty plea, personal circumstances and support engagement, imposed a 12‑month probation bond requiring Early to keep the peace and continue engaging with Pieta House and any further counselling.
Richard Satchwell, a 59‑year‑old British national, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court in Dublin for the murder of his 45‑year‑old wife, Tina Satchwell, who was found buried under the stairs of their Youghal home. The jury, after nine hours and 28 minutes of deliberation over four days, unanimously rejected Satchwell's defence that he acted in self‑defence during a struggle with a chisel. Witnesses, including Tina's sister Lorraine Howard and niece Sarah Howard, testified that Satchwell had hidden Tina's body in a chest freezer before burying her, and that he had offered the freezer to Sarah. Satchwell's 14 prior convictions include larceny and theft. He intends to appeal the conviction. The sentence was back‑dated to 12 October 2023, the day he entered custody. Tina Satchwell pleaded not guilty.
James Fuery, 32, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply after customs officers at Dublin Airport seized €404,520 of cannabis in a suitcase he had brought from Ibiza. The drugs, weighing just under 22.5 kg, were found in 45 vacuum‑sealed packets. Fuery claimed he was under pressure from a €15,000 drug debt and that this was his first time bringing drugs into the country. He described difficulties with cocaine and cannabis, a relapse into addiction, and previous homelessness due to addiction. He has eight prior convictions for road traffic, theft and public order offences but none for drug offences. The court accepted his early guilty plea, noted his cooperation and lack of wealth, and remanded him in custody while ordering a urine analysis. The case was adjourned for finalisation on 7 July.
Linda Byrne, 45, of Tymon North Gardens, Tallaght, was sentenced to three months in prison at Tallaght District Court for a two‑year shop‑lifting spree that took place between December 2022 and April 2024. The final month of the sentence was suspended for 24 months, and the whole term was back‑dated to 3 April 2024, the day she was first taken into custody. Byrne pleaded guilty and the judge noted a "significant shift" in her behaviour while remanded at the Dóchas Centre, where she is now receiving addiction treatment and education. The thefts involved goods worth €60 to €270 from stores such as Dunnes, Penneys and Spar; all items were recovered in saleable condition. A serious incident on 10 October 2024 at Spar in Tallaght led to Byrne's arrest under Sections 4 and 3 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001.
Cassandra Lingurar, 19, a Romanian national living in Tallaght, pleaded guilty to theft at New Look and Carraig Donn in The Square Shopping Centre. She removed €310 of clothing and €188 of jewellery without paying. With six prior convictions, including three thefts, she was sentenced by Judge Michael Connellan to a three‑month suspended sentence under Section 99 of the Criminal Justice Act. The judge noted her age and personal circumstances but described her conduct as totally unacceptable.
Robert Ward, 30, of Walker Grove, Parkside, Clongriffin, Dublin 13, appeared before Tallaght District Court after a drunken outburst on 6 October 2024. The incident occurred near the N81 in Tallaght, shortly after a League of Ireland match at Tallaght Stadium. Ward, who had been filming a bus that had stalled with passengers inside, shouted a profanity at Gardaí and ran into oncoming traffic. He was heavily intoxicated, threw three cans of Bulmers on the ground, and was arrested. Ward pleaded guilty to two public order offences – threatening behaviour and intoxication in a public place. He has 122 prior convictions, including traffic, theft and drug offences, and two bench warrants. At the time of the incident he was serving a five‑month suspended sentence for trespassing. Ward has two bench warrants outstanding and a history of convictions for traffic, theft, and drug offences. He has a suspended sentence for a trespassing conviction.
Sergiu Lupo, 39, pleaded guilty to 43 counts of theft, attempted theft and criminal damage for a three‑day spree of targeted ATM thefts in Dublin from 3 to 6 June 2019. He stole €7,260 and caused €7,147 in damage across 24 incidents at AIB ATMs in locations such as Artane, Stillorgan, Dundrum, Crumlin, Tallaght, Clondalkin, Rathfarnham, Finglas, Swords and Portmarnock. Lupo also assisted in a separate incident at Sutton Cross, where he watched two men withdraw cash and then drove them away. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced him to two years and six months' imprisonment, back‑dated to 15 November 2024, for the deliberate, organised nature of the offences and the significant financial loss and inconvenience caused to AIB and the public. The sentence reflects the aggravating factors of the scale of theft and damage, and the fact that Lupo fled and was extradited back to Ireland. He has no prior convictions in Ireland or elsewhere.
A man in his thirties was jailed for one month after breaching a protection order by confronting and bullying his former partner in public while on bail for an earlier breach. He pleaded guilty to a phone call and message made just days after the order was granted on 17 January 2024, and was convicted of a second breach on 1 September 2024 during a custody handover. The court heard he shouted abusive remarks, demanded the woman speak to him, and tried to control her in front of their children. He had 12 prior convictions, including theft and assault, and was on bail at the time of the September incident. Judge Anne Watkin imposed the prison term, a 12‑month peace bond with strict conditions, a €500 recognisance, and an independent surety of €500 for appeal. The woman had left the family home due to abuse and feared for her safety. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
Daniel Buckley, 32, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply after Gardaí raided his cabin on 21 April 2024. He was found throwing a gym bag over a wall; the bag contained €46,358 worth of cannabis and cocaine, plus €1,710 in cash. Buckley admitted he knew the bag held drugs but did not know their value, citing a €10,000 drug debt. He had held the drugs for two weeks, expecting others to take portions. He has prior convictions for theft and drug offences. The court sentenced him to three years, with the final six months suspended on strict conditions. He will be supervised by the Probation Service for 12 months after release to aid rehabilitation and vocational reintegration.
Vladislovas Jurevicius, a 39‑year‑old chef, was arrested in February 2024 after Gardaí discovered he had cloned fuel cards from a trucking logistics company and used them to steal an estimated €25,000 worth of diesel between August 2023 and February 2024. He pleaded guilty to possession of a card with intent to commit theft and five counts of stealing diesel at an Applegreen service station in Ballymount, as well as one count of cultivating juvenile cannabis plants at his home in Greenfield Heights, Rathwire, Co. Westmeath. Gardaí found 35 cannabis plants, two empty 200‑litre fuel barrels, and photographs of the cloned cards on Jurevicius's phone. He has no prior convictions and was described by his employer as a valuable staff member. The court ordered a probation report and adjourned the case to October 6, allowing Jurevicius to provide additional restitution to the affected company.
Amy Mongan, 25, of Kilbarrack, Dublin 5, pleaded guilty at Tallaght District Court to stealing €1,387 worth of cosmetics from Boots in Tallaght on September 21, 2023. The court heard that Mongan committed the offence while on bail and has 28 previous convictions, including 24 for theft. She is currently on a 12-month probation bond and had previously received a suspended sentence in December 2024. Defence counsel Lauren Flanagan BL, instructed by Padraig O'Donovan, stated that Mongan struggled with addictions and is no longer using drugs. Counsel noted that Mongan is caring for her unwell mother, her own child, and her sister's children. Judge Catherine Ghent described the offence as serious given Mongan's record but ordered a community service report to assess her suitability. The matter was adjourned to July 18, and Mongan was remanded on bail. The judge told Mongan, "Too many people are depending on you now for you not to be available to them."
Mary Higgins, 62, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing €500,000 from Mount Sackville Secondary School between 2012 and 2017. She had been a bursar for 24 years and controlled the school's cash flow, using the money for gambling. Higgins sold her home and signed over her pension to repay the school, having already repaid €470,949.62. She has no prior convictions and has since engaged in addiction treatment, voluntary counselling, and studies in addiction and psychotherapy. The court noted her remorse and the lack of oversight that enabled the theft. She now lives with her 93‑year‑old mother and receives a weekly carer's allowance. Judge Orla Crowe will decide on June 19.