Keith Smithers and Peter White were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following a trial concerning the death of Brian Hogan on January 13, 2023, at Collins Place in Finglas. Both men had pleaded not guilty to the unlawful killing and robbery. Smithers was convicted of manslaughter and robbery, while White was acquitted of the killing but convicted of robbery. Judge Martin Nolan handed Smithers a global sentence of nine years, comprising nine years for manslaughter and a concurrent four and a half years for robbery. White was jailed for four and a half years for robbery. The judge noted there was little formal mitigation, citing extensive previous convictions for both defendants, though he acknowledged Smithers' remorse as a small level of mitigation. The court accepted that the robbery context was serious and that there was a common design. A victim impact statement from Lyndsey Doyle, Hogan's partner, described witnessing the killing as brutal and cruel. The judge directed that both men receive credit for time served and granted a defence application to extend legal aid for a potential appeal.
Tammy O'Connor, 29, of Craigie Court, Finglas, Dublin 11, pleaded guilty to criminal damage, arson and theft after she set her neighbour's taxi on fire. The victim, a taxi driver, discovered his car's front passenger window smashed and rear tyres slashed at 1.30 am on 4 July 2023, with €100 in a coin tray and a dash‑cam taken. On 28 July, he found the car's interior on fire after a fire alarm sounded. Gardaí obtained CCTV showing O'Connor smashing the window and throwing a homemade pipe bomb, which she had Googled after receiving an eviction notice. She admitted the act, citing stress, addiction and mental‑health difficulties. Judge Elva Duffy sentenced her to two and a half years, suspending the final 18 months on strict conditions, including 18 months of probation engagement. The sentence reflects the recklessness of the offence and the impact on the victim.
Stephen Wilson, a 49‑year‑old chronic offender with 95 prior convictions, appeared in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 23 May 2025. He had previously pleaded guilty to two attempted burglaries at commercial premises on Mount Street on 24 April 2020. During the hearing, Wilson refused to accept the bond and the 18‑month sentence imposed by Judge Orla Crowe, demanding a new trial date and a jury trial. The judge upheld the sentence of three years, with the final 18 months suspended for two years, and adjourned the imposition until 30 May. Wilson's case involved CCTV evidence of an attempted burglary using a plastic "glide" and a screwdriver with his DNA. The court noted his extensive criminal history, including burglary, possession of stolen property, and drug addiction, and placed him under probation supervision for one year after release. The sentence was back‑dated to the date he entered custody for the matter.
Alida Kuiken, 50, of Knockraha, Cork, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to allowing €16,997 of stolen money to be transferred through her bank account on 27‑28 September 2022. The money had been sent by a fraudster who posed as a U.S. marine and claimed to be her fiancé. Kuiken had met him online in February 2021 but never met him in person. She admitted she was "utterly naive" and had transferred the money to an account she believed belonged to the man, later sending it by Bitcoin. Gardaí seized her diary, which listed goals such as paying back the money and finding a husband. The judge accepted her plea on the basis of recklessness and imposed a one‑year suspended sentence, fully suspended, with no custodial term. No prior convictions were recorded.
John Power, 35, pleaded guilty to two robberies and an attempted robbery at Dublin city shops in March 2023. He has 106 prior convictions, 99 in District Court and seven in Circuit Court. Judge Martina Baxter sentenced him to two and a half years for the attempted robbery and four years for each robbery, all concurrent. She suspended the final 18 months of the 2½‑year term, backdated the sentence to October 2024, and ordered 18 months of post‑release supervision. Power's earlier guilty pleas, remorse, insight, and a drug‑free urine test were mitigating factors, while his addiction and past convictions were aggravating. The court noted that a shop worker resisted him during the attempted robbery, and CCTV footage identified him wearing a distinctive jacket. Power apologized to the judge and pledged never to use drugs again. The case was prosecuted by BL Miranda Egan‑Langley.
Conor Stewart, 31, of Kilcross Court, Sandyford, Dublin 18, was found in possession of €280 worth of cocaine during a car stop on the Dundrum Bypass on 9 April 2022. He pleaded guilty at Dún Laoghaire District Court to a Section 3 offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977, and was charged under Section 27(1) of the same Act, as amended by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1984. Garda Brian Gallagher reported that Stewart was a nervous passenger when the vehicle was stopped in the early hours, leading to a search that uncovered the drug. Stewart has 84 prior convictions, including 12 for drug offences, seven public order offences, theft and criminal damage. He is already serving a three‑year sentence, one year suspended, for other offences. Judge Anne Watkin added a one‑month term to run consecutively, raising his total sentence to three years and one month, with a €500 recognisance for appeal.
Two men, Viorel Doroscan (23) and Otniel Richardo Clejan (24), were found guilty of murdering 22‑year‑old Mahamud Ilyas after a dispute over a stolen bag of cannabis. The jury, after seven hours and 52 minutes of deliberation over four days, returned a unanimous verdict rejecting the defence's claim of self‑defence. The prosecution presented evidence that Doroscan and Clejan beat Ilyas to death, using a hammer and a fruit knife, and then disposed of his body in a wooded area on Belgree Lane, County Meath. Witnesses described Ilyas as bound, bleeding from the nose, and in pain while the accused shouted for the stolen drugs. The trial also considered the role of co‑accused Lorenzo Cantaragiu (21), who faced charges of impeding the prosecution and was found to have driven the accused and the deceased to the site. Viorel Doroscan pleaded not guilty. Otniel Richardo Clejan pleaded not guilty.
Raphael Gilmore, a 53‑year‑old solicitor from Dundela Haven, Sandycove, Dublin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of false instruments between August 2017 and November 2018 and to theft in July 2016, having stolen €28,000. An audit by the Law Society in 2017 revealed a deficit in a client account; Gilmore responded by forging an accountancy document and a bank statement, which the court found to be obvious forgeries. Four clients had given him money to pay stamp duty, but he retained the cash to cover the shortfall and never paid the duty. He claimed he was "in dire straits" and that his mismanagement and inability to run his practice led to the offences. The judge described the acts as "acts of desperation", noted Gilmore's lack of prior convictions and remorse, and imposed a two‑year suspended sentence on strict conditions, with no immediate custodial term.
In the Central Criminal Court, jurors are deliberating a murder case involving Viorel Doroscan (23) and Otniel Richardo Clejan (24), who deny killing 22‑year‑old Mahamud Ilyas on 9 December 2022. The State alleges the men sold drugs and beat Ilyas after a dispute over a stolen cannabis bag, while the accused claim self‑defence after Ilyas entered an apartment with a weapon. Ilyas's body, found at Belgree Lane, Co Meath, shows blunt‑force head trauma typical of hammer blows. The jury, consisting of seven men and five women, has spent five hours and 35 minutes over three days and will resume on Tuesday. The judge explained that a verdict of murder requires proof of a joint enterprise to cause serious harm, while manslaughter could result if the death was due to unlawful assault without intent. The case also involves co‑accused Lorenzo Cantaragiu, who faces charges of impeding the prosecution and has pleaded not guilty.
In May 2025 the Court of Appeal sentenced Susan McGovern, 44, to three years' imprisonment after quashing her fully suspended four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence from Waterford Circuit Criminal Court. McGovern had been convicted of robbery under the Criminal Justice Theft and Fraud Offences Act 2001 and a Section 3 assault for luring a man to her apartment and attacking him with a knife. The appeal judge, Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, found the earlier full suspension too lenient, citing McGovern's 19 prior convictions, including theft, knife possession and child abduction, and her history of drug addiction. The new sentence retained the four‑and‑a‑half‑year term with 18 months suspended, and the court noted that the knife caused facial injury to the victim, who required stitches. McGovern had previously been jailed for five years in 2001 for abducting a newborn from a Cork maternity hospital. Susan McGovern pleaded guilty.
Amy McAuley, 35, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to using a false instrument by submitting a false death notification form to Wexford County Council on January 19, 2023. She also admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice on January 23, 2023, and forging a medical report on November 23, 2022. The court heard that McAuley faked her death to avoid attending trial for prior theft and fraud offences. Judge Orla Crowe described the matter as complex and directed Probation Services to prepare a risk assessment report. The case was adjourned to October for finalisation. Defence counsel Rebecca Smith BL noted McAuley is now living in Dublin and successfully applied to change the Garda station where she must sign on twice weekly. Judge Crowe granted this application and remanded McAuley on continuing bail. The court also noted that the Director of Public Prosecutions had previously appealed a 2015 sentence of two years, suspended for ten years, for theft of nearly €111,000, citing undue leniency. The Court of Appeal declined to alter that sentence but extended the repayment period to seven-and-a-half years, with the balance still outstanding.
Connor Manning, 29, a repeat offender, had his eight‑month jail sentence replaced with a fully suspended term after an appeal. He had pleaded guilty to 15 offences, including robbery, theft, assault and public order. In August 2022 he assaulted a garda with a hurley, knocking her to the ground and lifting a nail from her nail bed, and later kicked a garda patrol vehicle's number plate before being arrested. In January 2023 he threatened to kill staff at a Circle K shop on Nassau Street if they pressed the panic alarm, stole alcohol and cigarettes on several occasions, and was also charged with punching a man in Temple Bar. In August 2024 he was racially abusive and threw a pack of cider at a worker in a Tesco store on Fleet Street.
A 46‑year‑old serial offender, Stepan Pavlov, who had 93 prior convictions, had a 15‑month jail sentence for burglary in three separate incidents at Dublin restaurants replaced by a fully suspended term on appeal. The District Court had found him guilty of burglary under the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001, for stealing more than €1,000 from staff lockers at Murray's Bar on O'Connell Street on 14 July 2023, a wallet and laptop worth over €1,600 from Chequer Lane on 10 March 2023, and a purse worth €200 from a restaurant on Molesworth Street on 10 October 2023. The appeal court, hearing on 14 July 2023, granted a two‑year suspended sentence on the condition that Pavlov keep the peace, provide monthly urine analysis and stay out of the city centre without just cause. The decision was based on his rehabilitation efforts for drug addiction, as presented by his defence counsel.
Seán Keogh, 34, of Emmet Crescent, Inchicore, pleaded guilty to burglary at Morehampton Road, Donnybrook, on 26 December 2023. The break‑in, which took place at about 3 pm, involved the theft of a PlayStation 5, a laptop and a phone, with a total value exceeding €5,000. Keogh was charged under Section 12(1)(b) and (3) of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001. Garda Conor McCarthy testified that he was stopped shortly after the incident. Keogh has 88 prior convictions, including burglary, theft, criminal damage, public order offences, violent behaviour in a Garda station, and 31 road‑traffic offences. He had a five‑month suspended sentence for a July 2024 driving‑without‑insurance offence. Judge Anne Watkin imposed a six‑month custodial sentence, recognising €500 in the event of an appeal, bringing his total convictions to 89.
In Tallaght District Court, Melissa O'Shea, 44, pleaded guilty to a series of thefts from Dublin retailers, including clothing, alcohol, cosmetics and household goods. She admitted to stealing €103 worth of clothing from Dunnes Stores, €150 worth of cosmetics, €41 worth of alcohol, vodka from Tesco, and €68 worth of goods, among other offences. O'Shea has 47 prior convictions, 38 for theft, and is currently serving a custodial sentence that will not end until June 2026. Judge Patricia McNamara imposed an additional 10‑month prison term to run consecutively with her existing sentence, with no portion suspended. The judge noted O'Shea's extensive offending history but also her positive engagement in prison, including drug‑free status and participation in support services. The court heard she had been remanded on bail in October 2024 before being committed to custody later that month.
Michael Lynn, a former solicitor aged 56, was sentenced to five‑and‑a‑half years in prison for stealing €18.1 million from six banks during the Celtic Tiger era. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, upheld the sentence but reduced the credit for time served in Ireland by three months, leaving a final term of five years and nine months to run concurrently from 20 December 2023. Edwards noted Lynn's crimes were "cynical, knowingly and intentionally" and that his professional status was abused. He found no evidence of sincere remorse or a guilty plea, and criticised Lynn for relocating to Brazil to avoid extradition. The appeal rejected arguments that mitigating factors, including PTSD and asset recovery, had been insufficiently considered. The sentence remains unchanged if the full three‑month credit is applied.
In Waterford Circuit Criminal Court, Susan McGovern, 44, pleaded guilty to robbery under the Criminal Justice Theft and Fraud Offences Act, 2001. She was sentenced by Judge Eugene O'Kelly to a four‑and‑a‑half‑year term, fully suspended, on 10 October 2024. The State, represented by Conor O'Doherty BL, argued that the suspended sentence was too lenient, citing the seriousness of the robbery, the use of a nine‑inch knife, the victim's injuries, and McGovern's 19 prior convictions, including a knife possession offence. The State also highlighted McGovern's false claims of self‑defence and sexual assault, which were later admitted as unfounded. McGovern's counsel, Gareth Hayden BL, maintained that the sentence was not unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal will reserve its judgment until later in the week.
On 27 March 2024, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Charlene Dwyer (35) of Corkagh Grange Avenue, Clondalkin, had hidden in a wardrobe to avoid detection by gardai who had found two stolen motorbikes in her house. She pleaded guilty to possession of stolen motorbikes. The bikes were a brand‑new model worth €11,000 and a second worth €2,000, both reported stolen. Dwyer was arrested, taken to a garda station and later sentenced by Judge Orla Crowe to one year and 11 months, with the final six months suspended.
Patrick Lynch, 50, of Rosemount Glade, Dundrum, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment by Judge Anne Watkin at Dun Laoghaire District Court for a series of burglaries. He pleaded guilty to multiple counts of burglary, theft and trespassing. On 9 January 2024 he unlawfully entered the Rosemount Resource Centre at Waldermere Terrace, stole five Samsung tablets worth €5,500 and was prosecuted under Section 4 of the Theft and Fraud Offences Act 2001. The next night, 10 January, he returned, stole additional Samsung devices and €450 in cash. Gardaí later recovered five of the stolen tablets. While on bail, he committed further offences on 29 and 30 April, including entering a property through an open window and stealing a phone and a laptop worth about €1,000. Lynch has 134 prior convictions, including 11 for theft under the 2001 Act, and a history of drug addiction and mental health difficulties.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice Tony Hunt explained that two men, Viorel Doroscan (23) and Otniel Richardo Clejan (24), could be found guilty of murder if they were part of a joint enterprise that intended to kill or cause serious harm, and if one of them used a weapon to fatally wound 22‑year‑old Muhamud Ilyas during a dispute over a stolen cannabis bag. The judge noted that if one participant exceeded the agreed plan, only that person would be guilty of murder. He also clarified that a verdict of manslaughter could be reached if the jury found no intent to kill, or if the death resulted from an unlawful assault without intent. The judge further addressed the case of Lorenzo Cantaragiu, who faced charges of impeding the arrest of Doroscan and Clejan, and explained the evidential requirements for conviction. Viorel Doroscan pleaded not guilty. Otniel Richardo Clejan pleaded not guilty.
Amy McAuley, 35, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of using a false instrument by submitting a false death notification form to Wexford County Council on January 19, 2023. She also admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice on January 23, 2023, and forging a medical report on November 23, 2022. Additionally, McAuley entered guilty pleas to five counts of theft and one count of possession of the proceeds of crime on separate dates between November 2015 and May 2023. The court heard that the Director of Public Prosecutions appealed her 2015 sentence of two years, suspended for 10 years, for stealing nearly €111,000 from a former employer, citing undue leniency. The Court of Appeal declined to alter the sentence but extended the repayment period to seven-and-a-half years. Judge Orla Crowe adjourned the case for finalisation next week.
Jim Connors, 30, pleaded guilty in the District Court to assault a Circle K worker with a wine bottle on Christmas Eve, 2021. The assault, described by the judge as "terrifying," occurred after Connors tried to steal three bottles of wine at a Circle K on Enniskerry Road, Kilternan. He was arrested after fleeing the scene. The case also included other 2021‑22 charges: theft, a public‑order offence and failure to produce a driving licence, for which he received a four‑year disqualification. Connors has 55 prior convictions, including traffic offences, burglary, public‑order violations and theft. On appeal, Judge Catherine White increased the original custody sentence from three to six months but suspended the jail term for 12 months, conditional on Connors staying away from the Kilternan Circle K. The defence counsel, Lydia Daly BL, argued only the severity of the sentence was appealed.
A 45‑year‑old woman from Tymon North Gardens, Tallaght, Dublin 24, is due to be sentenced next month after pleading guilty to a series of theft and deception offences that spanned from December 2022 to October 2024. She stole cosmetics, clothing and toiletries worth between €60 and €270 at several locations, including Penneys on O'Connell Street, Arnotts, Citywest Shopping Centre and a Spar outlet in the Village Green. In one incident she was stopped after taking two suitcases worth €90 from Penneys, and in another she stole €150 worth of cosmetics. All items were recovered in saleable condition. The most recent offence occurred on 10 October 2024 when Gardaí were called to Spar; she became abusive and was arrested for theft and deception under Section 4(3) of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001. An active bench warrant was executed during her court appearance that day.
A 22-year-old woman from Athlone with a history of 19 bench warrants has been refused bail at Tallaght District Court. Janelle Quinn, currently of no fixed abode, faces charges including theft, public order offences and criminal damage. She was arrested on foot of two active warrants and made no reply when cautioned. During the hearing, Judge Catherine Ghent expressed concern about the accused's presentation and condition, noting apparent withdrawal symptoms. Her barrister submitted that Ms Quinn was undergoing detoxification and willing to engage with the process, including daily signing at Athlone Garda Station. However, gardaí objected, citing her pattern of failing to appear. The judge stated serious reservations about whether Ms Quinn would return to court if released, despite acknowledging the charges were not of the most serious nature. She noted the accused required medical attention. Ms Quinn was remanded in custody for one week to reappear on 13 May. Legal aid was granted.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Lorenzo Cantaragiu, 21, was defended by Michael Lynn SC who argued that Cantaragiu was terrified when he drove alleged murderers Viorel Doroscan (23) and Otniel Richardo Clejan (24) from west Dublin to an isolated area where the victim, Muhamud Ilyas, was later found dead. Lynn said Cantaragiu believed he was at risk, had been threatened by the co‑accused, and had no way to escape. He claimed Cantaragiu told Gardaí he was shaking, had been beaten before, and feared for his family. Cantaragiu faces four charges of impeding prosecution or apprehension, having pleaded not guilty. The prosecution alleges the two men fatally assaulted Ilyas after a dispute over a stolen cannabis bag on 9 December 2022. Ilyas died from blunt‑force head trauma. The case is set for jury deliberation tomorrow.
Patricia Ducie, 50, of Gardiner Street Lower, Mountjoy, Dublin 1, had pleaded guilty in the District Court to 22 charges, including 12 thefts, four possession of stolen property, five failures to appear after bail, and one possession of an article intended for theft. The District Court, on 18 March 2025, imposed an 18‑month sentence with two months suspended. On appeal, the court noted Ducie's 182 previous convictions and the specific incidents: a €1,100 theft of liquor from a Tesco in Celbridge on 27 January, arrests with a man in a bush, and two separate thefts of €132 and €100 worth of chocolates from Butlers Chocolates Cafes. Other thefts involved Evoke, Marks & Spencer and Tribe stores. The appeals court, hearing arguments from defence counsel Seosaimhin Ni Chathasaigh BL, suspended 12 months of the 18‑month term, leaving Ducie with a 6‑month custodial sentence.
Anthony Macken, a 21‑year‑old from Oakpark Avenue, Santry, appeared before Judge Michael Connellan at Tallaght District Court after admitting he had handled a stolen motorbike and was later convicted of dangerous driving. The incident occurred on 28 October 2023 on the M50 northbound at Ballymount, Dublin 24, when Garda Aaron Wogan found a damaged motorbike that had been stolen. Macken pleaded guilty to handling stolen property under Section 18 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 and was convicted of dangerous driving under Section 53(1) of the Road Traffic Act 1961, as amended by the Road Traffic (No. 2) Act 2011. He was fined €200 for handling the stolen motorbike and €50 for dangerous driving, each with a six‑month payment period, and was disqualified from driving for two years. The court heard that a probation report assessed Macken as posing a moderate risk of re‑offending.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Viorel Doroscan and Otniel Ricardo Clejan, both accused of the murder of Mahamud Ilyas on December 9, 2022, continued before Mr Justice Tony Hunt. Both men have pleaded not guilty to the charge. The jury heard evidence that Mr Ilyas died from blunt force trauma to the head, with pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster describing depressed fractures typical of hammer blows. The State alleges the accused beat Mr Ilyas to death following a dispute over a stolen bag of cannabis. In contrast, the accused told gardaí they acted in self-defense after Mr Ilyas entered an apartment armed with a crowbar and threatening to kill them. Doroscan claimed Clejan struck Mr Ilyas with a hammer, while Clejan stated he only pushed Mr Ilyas away. Co-accused Lorenzo Cantaragiu, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of impeding the prosecution, told gardaí he drove the men to a field in Hollystown where he left Mr Ilyas alive in a ditch. The trial continues tomorrow.
Evan Clarke, 33, borrowed a friend's car and drove it the wrong way into a Circle K car wash on 10 November 2019, causing damage worth €57,408 and writing the facility off. He drove without a licence or insurance, with three passengers in the vehicle. Clarke pleaded guilty to one count of criminal damage, one count of driving without insurance and one count of driving without a licence. He has 41 prior convictions, including assault, theft and drug offences. CCTV footage identified him, and a matching fingerprint was found on the car's bonnet. His defence cited significant drug and alcohol addiction, early cannabis use, mental health issues, ADHD and ASD, and supportive parents. The case was adjourned to 21 July for updated reports.
A man accused of conspiring to steal vehicles with garda killer Aaron Brady has been refused bail ahead of his retrial at the Special Criminal Court. James Flynn, aged 43, with an address in Newry, County Down, faced objections from gardaí who contended he poses a flight risk. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, presiding over the three-judge, non-jury court, noted that Mr Flynn holds citizenship of the United Kingdom and the United States and has established businesses in both jurisdictions. The judge cited evidence of his financial capacity to evade justice and rejected submissions that his ties to the Republic of Ireland are sufficiently substantial. Proposed bail conditions, including residence with his mother-in-law in Monaghan, did not allay the court's concerns regarding the seriousness of the charges and the probable sentence upon conviction. The Court of Appeal previously quashed Mr Flynn's conviction on the conspiracy charge and ordered a retrial, finding the Special Criminal Court had breached his constitutional right to natural justice by amending the indictment without consulting legal representatives.
The DPP has appealed against the sentences imposed on Keith McCormack Smith, Jason Ryle, and PJ Lyons following their guilty pleas for arson and other offences in May 2022. The prosecution argues the sentences were unduly lenient for a targeted, pre-meditated attack where a stolen Toyota was rammed into Tip Top Tanning Studio in Carlow, causing over €250,000 in damage while residents slept above. McCormack Smith, who had 24 previous convictions, was sentenced to six years with the final two suspended. Ryle and Lyons, who had 29 and 17 previous convictions respectively, each received five and a half years with the final two suspended. The DPP contends the headline sentence of eight years was too low, citing aggravating factors including the use of accelerant and the defendants being on bail. Defence counsel argued the sentences were appropriate, noting the men were acting on instructions to clear a drug debt and had made full admissions. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, viewed video footage of the incident and reserved its judgment to be delivered at a later date.
At the Special Criminal Court, Det Inspector Mark Phillips raised concerns about potential witness intimidation if James Flynn (34) is released on bail. He detailed incidents during Aaron Brady's trial for the murder of Det Gda Adrian Donohoe in 2020, including alleged attempts by James Flynn's father, Eugene Flynn Snr, to intimidate witnesses and jurors. Det Insp Phillips also highlighted alleged intimidation by Tony Brady, Aaron Brady's father, and an associate who sent a Snapchat message to a witness. Aaron Brady has pleaded guilty to conspiring with another man to dissuade a vital prosecution witness from giving evidence at his trial. The court heard that James Flynn was extradited from the UK in 2022 and has access to significant funds. He was originally charged with conspiracy to steal cars and participation in the robbery of the Lordship Credit Union, where Aaron Brady killed Det Gda Donohoe. The Special Criminal Court acquitted Flynn of the robbery charge but found him guilty of conspiring to steal a Volkswagen Passat used as a getaway car. The Court of Appeal previously ruled that the amendment of the indictment against Flynn was a breach of his right to natural justice. Defence counsel Bernard Condon argued that there is no evidence linking Flynn to witness interference or flight risk and that Flynn has no connection to Tony Brady. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor adjourned the decision to tomorrow morning.
Joseph Rafferty, 45, was remanded in custody after appearing in Tallaght District Court on charges related to a car hijacking in Dublin and two robberies in Wicklow over the weekend. He was arrested at 6.15pm on Sunday at Tallaght Garda Station and formally charged by Sergeant Michael Martin. Rafferty was cautioned and made no reply to the charges. The incidents occurred on Saturday, 26 April. At about 7.45pm, a woman was allegedly threatened and forced out of her black Nissan Qashqai at a commercial premises on St Peter's Road in Walkinstown, Dublin 12; Rafferty is charged with hijacking under Section 10 of the Criminal Law Act 1997 and unlawful use of a vehicle under Section 112 of the Road Traffic Act 1961. Later that evening, he allegedly attempted to rob a store on the Dublin Road in Bray, threatening cashiers as he left, and is charged with attempted robbery.
A 32‑year‑old man, Clinton Martin, was fined €250 for stealing a €15 bottle of Jameson from a Centra shop in Tallaght on 15 March 2022. CCTV captured him removing the bottle and leaving without paying. Gardaí identified him the next day, and he pleaded guilty, admitting the theft and apologising. The case was heard at Tallaght District Court where Judge Deirdre Gearty noted the theft occurred over three years ago, remarking that the whiskey was likely long gone. The judge recorded a conviction and imposed the fine, giving Martin five months to pay.
A 44‑year‑old man, James O'Callaghan, pleaded guilty to a Section 4 theft offence for his role in the theft of a handbag from an unlocked Mercedes parked outside Bridge Jewellers on Shelbourne Road, Ballsbridge, on 21 October 2020. He was identified by CCTV and later arrested, but did not physically remove the bag. O'Callaghan cooperated with Gardaí, helped recover the stolen items and was described by his solicitor as remorseful and fully aware of the wrongdoing. The court noted his previous convictions, mainly traffic‑related, and his current unemployment and social welfare status. Judge Catherine Ghent emphasised that the act was a choice, not a mistake, and that no apology had been offered to the victim. Taking into account his cooperation, the judge imposed a €400 fine, to be paid within eight months, and warned him that he was "far too old for that.".
Diarmuid Molloy, a 45‑year‑old Dubliner, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for a series of robberies in Dublin city shops. He pleaded guilty to three robberies and the possession of a knife to intimidate customers. The incidents included an attempted robbery at Tesco on 21 June 2022, a robbery and false imprisonment at Brady's Pharmacy on 22 June 2022, and a robbery at Thomas Street Pharmacy on 23 June 2022. During the Brady's Pharmacy robbery, Molloy put a 78‑year‑old sales assistant in a chokehold and repeatedly threatened to "slit" her throat. At Thomas Street Pharmacy he held a customer in a chokehold, produced a six‑inch knife and threatened to stab her. He was also in possession of a knife at the pharmacy on 24 June 2022. The court noted that CCTV footage was central to the investigation of the Thomas Street Pharmacy robbery.
Michael Keane, a former professional footballer aged 42, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for sexually assaulting a 20‑year‑old college student while driving her in his taxi to Bull Island. The victim was forced to pay a €77.77 fare after the assault. Keane had previously been convicted in the UK for theft and assault causing actual bodily harm. He pleaded guilty in November 2023, after initially denying the allegation. The court noted the victim's fear, shock and ongoing trauma, and that Keane had lost his taxi licence and was now on social welfare. Keane's lawyers presented testimonials from former club associates and family, arguing the offence was out of character and a one‑off incident. The judge imposed the custodial term without a suspended portion, citing the aggravating circumstances of the victim's vulnerability and Keane's role as a taxi driver.
Three Romanian nationals – Marius Crisan (29), Codrin Manoli (26) and Calin Scintei (32) – pleaded guilty to a range of offences involving cash‑trapping devices used to steal money from AIB ATMs. Crisan was convicted of two counts of criminal damage, two counts of stealing cash, four counts of possessing cash‑trapping devices with intent to use them, and one count of participation in a criminal organisation. Manoli faced similar charges, with four counts of damage, four of stealing cash, two of possessing devices and one of organisational participation. Scintei was convicted of one count of damage, one of stealing cash and three of possessing devices. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced Scintei to three years' imprisonment back‑dated to July 2024, Manoli to three years with the final six months suspended for two years, and Crisan to a fully suspended three‑year sentence.
During a seven‑week trial with a 15‑juror panel, Daniel Blanaru, 37, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his 26‑year‑old partner, Larisa Serban, on 12 August 2022. Serban was found early in the morning on the floor between her bedroom and hallway, having died from a 12‑cm stab wound to the chest that punctured her heart, lung and aorta. The prosecution alleged that Blanaru, described as "controlling and jealous", killed Serban in cold blood after a sustained brutal attack. Blanaru pleaded not guilty but admitted guilt during custody interviews. He has six prior Irish convictions for road traffic offences and four theft offences in France. The sentencing judge, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, imposed a mandatory life sentence, noting the crime involved needless and horrific violence. The victim's family, including Serban's mother, eldest son and siblings, delivered impact statements expressing grief and condemning the killer's actions.
The Court of Appeal has ordered a retrial for James Flynn, 34, who successfully appealed his conviction for conspiring to steal the getaway car used in a 2013 credit union robbery in which Aaron Brady shot and killed Det Gda Adrian Donohoe. Ms Justice Tara Burns rejected Flynn's argument that a retrial would be unfair given his custody since July 2021, noting he had not fully served his original eight-year sentence. The court quashed his conviction because the Special Criminal Court unlawfully amended the indictment after his trial concluded, breaching his right to natural justice. Although Flynn was acquitted of the robbery charge, the DPP sought a retrial on the original conspiracy count. The court dismissed arguments regarding witness memory and prosecution delay, citing the public interest in a valid final verdict. Flynn, who was in custody pending extradition from the UK, was remanded by Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo for a bail hearing scheduled for April 28th. The matter is adjourned for this bail application, and the retrial has been ordered on the original charges.
A 22‑year‑old man, Mahamud Ilyas, was found dead in a field on 10 December 2022 after a fight over a stolen bag of cannabis. Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster testified that Ilyas sustained depressed skull fractures typical of hammer blows, along with multiple lacerations, bruises and scratches consistent with blunt‑force trauma. She noted extensive bruising to the face and body, and that the body was likely dragged after death. No evidence of sharp injuries or intoxication was found. The cause of death was blunt‑force trauma to the head. The accused, Viorel Doroscan (23) and Otniel Richardo Clejan (24), plead not guilty to the murder charge. The trial, held in the Central Criminal Court, continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury. Lorenzo Cantaragiu (21) faces separate charges and also pleads not guilty.
Jason Wosser, also known as Jason Bonney, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a number of charges including robbery, attempted robbery, and threats to kill or cause serious harm. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a 10-year sentence but suspended the final year on strict conditions. Prosecution counsel Fiona Pekaar BL alleged that Wosser robbed two taxi drivers on separate occasions, threatening one with a knife and punching another in the face. He was also accused of kicking a man in Smithfield Square and robbing a student of his phone in Merchant's Arch. Wosser has 96 previous convictions. Defence counsel Ian Woodland BL described the defendant as deeply apologetic, citing a drug addiction that began at age 12 following his brother's death in a house fire, as well as ADHD and dyslexia. Judge Sheahan noted that two prior robberies involved vulnerable young men and gratuitous violence. She identified aggravating factors, including the seriousness and repeated nature of the offending, the fact that Wosser was on bail, and the harm caused to the injured parties. The judge acknowledged the value of the early plea to the victims and noted the defendant's desire to seek employment upon release, though she had no discretion over his place of imprisonment.
Jonathan Leonard, 48, was brought before Dún Laoghaire District Court on Wednesday for an alleged armed robbery at Ballybrack Medical Hall on 8 April. He is accused of entering the pharmacy at about 5:30 pm, wearing dark clothing, a black snood, gloves and a black puffer jacket, and of demanding money from staff with a flick knife. CCTV footage shows him leaving the pharmacy, walking through Ballybrack village and into Daleview Park, where he was seen removing the snood, and later returning to a nearby hostel. Gardaí recovered a black puffer jacket but the gloves, snood and knife remain missing. They also found €420 in cash, three bags of crack cocaine and a crack pipe on Leonard. He faces robbery charges under Section 14 of the Criminal Justice Act and drug offences under Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act.
Levi McCarthy, 33, was sentenced to six and a half years in prison for a campaign of violence against his partner, Victoria Keogh, between July 2021 and July 2023. The court found him guilty of coercive control, assault causing harm, making threats to kill or cause serious harm, perverting the course of justice and robbery. McCarthy had previously been convicted of burglary of Keogh's parents' home and other offences, including a French conviction for threatening a former partner. During the period of coercive control, he repeatedly beat Keogh, threatened to knife her dead, and put a bullet in her head. He also sent intimidating letters to Keogh and her parents while on remand. The judge imposed a headline sentence of nine years, a four‑year term for coercive control, and a consecutive two‑and‑a‑half‑year term for assault, and ordered a 15‑year prohibition on contact with Keogh and her family.
Tom Colton, 49, of Celbridge, was given a suspended nine‑month sentence after pleading guilty to acting as director of Grá agus Solas ULC, a spiritual wedding and funeral business, between August 2016 and May 2018. He had been automatically disqualified from company directorship on 5 December 2014 following a 2014 theft conviction that carried a four‑year prison term with 18 months suspended for the theft of €322,000. Colton used his Irish name, Tomás Mac Cultan, to file company documents and was unaware of his disqualification until 2018, when he resigned. The court noted no system informs defendants of automatic disqualifications. He also had a prior Companies Act conviction for acting as a statutory auditor without approval. The judge imposed a 10‑year disqualification under the Companies Registration Act and suspended the nine‑month sentence in full.
Thomasz Pysz, 46, of Clonee, Dublin, was found guilty of four counts of theft from the Department of Social Welfare between 2019 and 2021. He used the PPS number of a relative who had left Ireland in 2016 to claim benefits while working under a different PPS number. Pysz received €9,235.50 in Disability Allowance and €16,303 in Pandemic Unemployment Payments through this scheme. Garda Stephen Byrne reported that the relative's bank account was used for wages and that the relative was not charged with any offence. Pysz repaid part of the money and has an outstanding debt of €21,814. He pleaded guilty, citing mental health issues and marital breakdown. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a 20‑month suspended sentence, requiring the freezing and transfer of €10,917 from Pysz's account to the Department of Social Welfare and noting a separate payment agreement with the Department.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Noel Ryan, 48, pleaded guilty to hijacking a car and abducting a child. He took a vehicle in Mountjoy Square on 23 September 2024, leaving a five‑month‑old baby alone for almost three hours while the mother struggled to stop him. CCTV showed the mother holding the door as Ryan drove away, and the baby's tears were captured. Ryan used the mother's credit card 12 minutes after the theft. He was arrested the next day and admitted he did not know a child was in the car. The court heard victim impact statements from the mother and father, describing terror and lasting trauma. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Ryan's addiction and early guilty plea, imposed a headline sentence of nine and a half years, reduced to seven years in prison, back‑dated to his custody date.
Nathan Robinson, 30, of Dublin 7, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of stolen property after selling a Live U600 electronic transmission device, valued at €25,000, for €50. The device had been stolen from an RTE cameraman's car and was tracked via an Apple AirTag to an electronic hardware store where Robinson was seen on CCTV entering, opening a rucksack, and taking the equipment. Garda Conor Flynn obtained a search warrant for Robinson's home, seizing clothing matching the footage. Robinson, who has prior burglary convictions and a history of handling stolen property, admitted possession and was cooperative. No victim impact statement was presented. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Robinson's drug addiction and cooperation, sentenced him to a fully suspended 20‑month prison term, with the sentence suspended in full.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Natalie Brennan, a 33‑year‑old junior finance administrator at the College of Anaesthesiologists of Ireland, pleaded guilty to three counts of theft for taking €22,857 between September 2022 and January 2023. Brennan had been hired in 2014 and was regarded as exemplary until behavioural changes were noted in 2019 after a new relationship. She had previously received wage advances to pay her boyfriend's debt, which were repaid. In December 2022 she took leave and returned in January 2023, when discrepancies were found in the accounting system. Brennan admitted the theft, apologized, and resigned. Garda Sergeant Fionnuala Lawlor testified that the stolen money was transferred to accounts in Brennan's name. The court, noting her cooperation, remorse, and lack of prior convictions, imposed a fully suspended sentence of two and a half years, citing domestic financial pressure as a contributing factor. The judge highlighted the breach of trust but deemed imprisonment unjust.
Conor Stevenson, 26, of Abbot Court, Cualanor, Dun Laoghaire, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for a violent robbery that took place on 30 March 2021 in Glenageary, Co Dublin. Stevenson pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The incident involved a 15‑year‑old boy who refused to hand over his backpack. Two men approached the teenager and his friend, demanding the bag. The boy resisted, grabbing his backpack and telling the men to "fuck off." Stevenson grabbed the boy's neck, pushed him to the ground, and dragged him into nearby bushes where he continued to assault him. The teenager eventually yielded, saying "fine – you can take the bag," and the robbers fled. The boy reported the mugging immediately. Gardaí analysed CCTV footage, identified Stevenson as a suspect, and arrested him. During the trial, the prosecution described the robbery as "impulsive" and not pre‑meditated.