In 2015, a 56‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to 165 counts of rape and sexual assault of his wife's two sons, aged under ten, over a decade. Mr Justice Tony Hunt sentenced him to 21 years' imprisonment, suspending the final five years. The victims, who had waived statutory anonymity in 2015, sought to have the man named publicly, but the judge stayed the waiver because related Wicklow Circuit trials involving the same victims and other defendants were pending. The judge assured that anonymity would be lifted after those trials. In July, the DPP applied to lift the order; the man had dismissed his former counsel and was seeking new representation, claiming the delay was a tactic to avoid disclosure. Mr Justice Hunt warned that if the man resisted, the court could grant the prosecution's request on the next hearing, set for 20 October.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Noel McCabe, aged 25, was found to have threatened his ex‑partner after being charged with assaulting her in March and April 2018. McCabe, who is already serving a six‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for multiple offences, allegedly called the victim and warned that if she did not leave the country within a week her entire family, including her daughter, would be shot. He also demanded she drop the assault charges, which she refused. The court noted that the victim had been in a relationship with McCabe for 18 months and described it as a "nightmare" in her impact statement. McCabe pleaded guilty to obstructing the course of justice by intimidating a witness in June 2018 and will be sentenced early next year, with the judge adjourned the sentence to February 1. The case highlights McCabe's history of 34 prior convictions, including assault, possession of ammunition and road traffic offences.
In the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Tony Hunt charged a jury on 5 October 2020 to decide the verdict in the murder trial of Sebastian Barczuk, aged 32, who is accused of stabbing his former flatmate, Michal Kurek, aged 33, 62 times and dumping the body in a country lane in north County Dublin between 3 and 4 August 2017. The jury, consisting of seven men and five women, had spent 1 hour 45 minutes deliberating before retiring for the evening. Mr Hunt outlined the principles of criminal law—presumption of innocence, burden of proof, and proof beyond a reasonable doubt—emphasising that the prosecution must eliminate all reasonable possibilities of innocence. He noted that no direct eyewitness evidence existed and that the case relied on circumstantial evidence, including DNA from a mixed profile on Kurek's Nokia phone that matched Barczuk's DNA, cell‑site data from both phones, and CCTV footage of a Fiat Punto linked to Barczuk. Sebastian Barczuk pleaded not guilty.
In the trial of Sebastian Barczuk, 32, accused of murdering his homeless friend Michal Kurek, 33, the defence counsel Dominic McGinn SC argued that the prosecution had presented "less than half a story." He highlighted that the state could not establish when, where, why or how Kurek was killed, nor could it prove a motive between the two men who were described as "like brothers." McGinn pointed out gaps in the evidence, such as the lack of analysis of the angles of the 62 stab wounds, the absence of a clear sequence of events, and the uncertainty over whether one or more attackers were involved. He questioned the reliability of the DNA and CCTV evidence linking Barczuk's car and phone to the scene, noting that the data could have been used by others. McGinn concluded that the prosecution's case relied on speculation and that a not‑guilty verdict was the correct outcome given the reasonable doubt. Sebastian Barczuk pleaded not guilty.
Mark Crawford (43) was sentenced to a mandatory life term for the murder of Patrick 'Pa' O'Connor (24) at Fitzgerald's Bar in Limerick City on July 7 or 8, 2018. Ms Justice Tara Burns described the killing as an act of "madness fuelled by drink and drugs," noting that Crawford stabbed the victim six times, with wounds to the heart and neck causing death. The court heard that the men had met less than 48 hours prior and were taking cocaine together when tensions rose over the drugs. Crawford's claim of self-defence was rejected by the jury, which convicted him unanimously last month. In mitigation, Crawford's barrister read a letter in which Crawford expressed regret and stated he "never meant to kill" the victim. The prosecution highlighted Crawford's previous convictions, including assault causing harm and a pending sentence for a Section 15A drugs offence involving €24,500 worth of heroin. The victim's sister, Deborah O'Connor, told the court that the sentence provides some comfort, describing her brother as a kind, fun-loving regular who was killed by a man he barely knew. The judge emphasized the societal issue of knife violence combined with alcohol and cocaine, stating that such a mixture results in far too many deaths.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, Sebastian Barczuk, aged 32, stands accused of murdering his former flatmate Michal Kurek, aged 33, by stabbing him 62 times in August 2017. The State's counsel, Lorcan Staines SC, described Barczuk as a "proven and admitted liar" and urged the jury to scrutinise his statements, noting inconsistencies in his accounts of the time and place of Kurek's death and his ownership of a Fiat Punto. Evidence presented included the discovery of Kurek's body with 62 stab wounds, a Nokia 105 phone still powered on, and DNA linking Barczuk to the victim's phone. The prosecution highlighted circumstantial evidence such as cell‑site data, limited phone activity, and Barczuk's repeated false statements to Gardaí. The case focuses solely on the murder charge, with no discussion of subsequent outcomes or appeals. The defence will present its closing argument the following day. Sebastian Barczuk pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin incident on 3 January 2017, Laura Kenna, a homeless woman aged 37, slit the throat of civil servant Fionnuala Bourke while walking home from work. Kenna was arrested the following day and later pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, citing a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder. She was convicted of attempted murder and assault causing harm, and in April 2019 the Central Criminal Court imposed a 15‑year prison term, of which five years were suspended. The Court of Appeal dismissed Kenna's appeal against both the conviction and the sentence. The appeal was rejected on the basis that the jury's verdict was supported by credible expert testimony, and the sentencing judge's decision was deemed proper for the gravity of the offence. Kenna must serve the 10‑year custodial term imposed by the court.
David O'Loughlin, aged 33, has lodged a second appeal against his conviction for the murder of Liam Manley, 59, a homeless man who died after being thrown into a 40‑ft rubbish chute at Garden City Apartments in Cork. The appeal was filed on Wednesday, with counsel Michael O'Higgins arguing that O'Loughlin intended a "soft landing" in a bin cushioned by rubbish bags, but the chute was blocked and became a death trap. O'Higgins contended the bags broke the chain of causation and that the act was not designed to inflict injury, though it contained humiliation. He also claimed the trial judge erred by not properly charging the jury on the reliability of witness David O'Mahony and by allowing O'Loughlin's post‑incident statements to Gardaí as evidence. The DPP's counsel, Patrick McGrath, countered that O'Loughlin was fully aware of the chute's danger and that no third‑party act could absolve him.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, the prosecution concluded its evidence against Sebastian Barczuk, 32, who denies murdering his former flatmate Michal Kurek, 33, a homeless man with addiction difficulties. Kurek was found on 4 August 2017 in Ballyboughal, face down in a country lane, with 62 stab wounds, including 25 to his back, and evidence of blunt‑force trauma to head and chest. A Nokia 105 phone, still powered on, was recovered from Kurek's jeans and connected to a cell site near Ballybuddal at 00.52, while Barczuk's phone connected at 00.53. DNA from the phone and from a blood‑stained hoodie showed a minor contributor that could not be definitively linked to Barczuk. The jury was instructed to consider circumstantial evidence to determine who committed the murder. The trial resumed the following day with Mr Justice Hunt presiding. Sebastian Barczuk pleaded not guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, Sebastian Barczuk, aged 32, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his homeless friend Michael Kurek, aged 33, who was found with 62 stab wounds in Ballyboughal on 4 August 2017. The jury heard that Barczuk's phone connected to a Ballyboughal cell site at 00:53, one minute after Kurek's phone did so at 00:52. DNA from a Nokia 105 phone recovered from Kurek's jeans matched Barczuk's profile in a mixed sample, with a lower amount of DNA belonging to Barczuk. Barczuk denied travelling to Ballyboughal, stabbing Kurek, or being present at the scene, stating "I haven't been there" and "I'm innocent." Gardaí presented CCTV of a blue Fiat Punto, allegedly owned by Barczuk, moving through the area, and testimony that the vehicle was sold to him by Ms Ewa Raczka two days before the body was found. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, continues with a jury of twelve.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 32‑year‑old Sebastian Barczuk pleaded not guilty to the murder of his former flatmate, 33‑year‑old Michal Kurek, who was found dead with 62 stab wounds in Ballyboughal on 4 August 2017. Barczuk, who described Kurek as a close friend and "like a brother," claimed he was shocked by the death and denied any involvement. He said he had known Kurek since 2010, that they lived together for two years, and that Kurek was homeless at the time of his death. Barczuk was arrested on 4 April 2018 after Gardaí interviewed him in Duleek and Balbriggan. The trial is ongoing, with the jury hearing evidence of Barczuk's statements, phone activity, and a possible connection to a Fiat Punto sold to him on 2 August 2017. The case remains at the investigative stage, with no verdict yet reached.
Eddie Farnan, 38, pleaded guilty to assault, threatening to kill and criminal damage after a violent domestic incident on 2 June 2017. He was given a 33‑month suspended sentence by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in October 2019. The DPP appealed, arguing the sentence was too lenient, but the Court of Appeal rejected the appeal. The court noted Farnan's extensive rehabilitation efforts, including a residential programme for addiction and engagement with services, and considered these mitigating factors. The judges acknowledged the brutality of the offence but concluded that a custodial sentence would undermine Farnan's progress. Consequently, the suspended sentence was upheld, with no custodial term imposed. The decision highlighted the balance between punishment for domestic violence and the potential benefits of rehabilitation outside prison.
During a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, a witness testified that Philip Dunbar, aged 20, had always felt a desire to kill. The witness, who cannot be named, said that after stabbing Adam 'Floater' Muldoon, a 23‑year‑old homeless man, Dunbar called to his house and declared, "Now I know what it's like to be a murderer." The witness had given two statements to the Gardaí in 2018, one recorded on DVD, in which he described Dunbar's admission and his own observation that Dunbar had "always had the feeling to kill someone." The witness confirmed these statements to prosecution counsel Pauline Whalley SC. Dunbar has pleaded not guilty to the murder, which occurred in Butler Park, Jobstown Park, Tallaght, Dublin 24 on 22 or 23 June 2018, when Muldoon's body was found stabbed 183 times.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 45‑year‑old Pierce Byrne of Hazelwood Crescent, Hartstown, pleaded guilty to theft after stealing a packet of 20 cigarettes from a Spar shop on 19 August 2019. Byrne entered the shop, requested the cigarettes, and after receiving them asked the shopkeeper if he could pay later. The shopkeeper refused, and Byrne left with the cigarettes, refusing to return them when pursued outside. CCTV footage identified Byrne, and he admitted the offence during an interview. He has 46 prior convictions, including manslaughter, robbery, burglary, theft and assault. Byrne's defence highlighted his addiction history and that he had stopped taking bipolar medication around the time of the offence. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to 10 months' imprisonment, back‑dating the term to 1 December 2019 when he first entered custody.
A man from Tuam, County Rosemmon, must serve eighteen months in prison following a Court of Appeal decision that his original suspended sentence was unduly lenient. Stephen Connor, aged 43, pleaded guilty in July 2019 to assault causing harm, false imprisonment, and producing a knife during an incident at a house in Letterkenny, County Donegal, on 5 May 2018. The sentencing judge had imposed a two-and-a-half-year sentence but suspended it in full. The Director of Public Prosecutions successfully appealed, arguing the sentence failed to reflect society's condemnation of domestic violence or incorporate adequate deterrence. The Court of Appeal found Connor's case contained no exceptional circumstances warranting full suspension. Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh, sitting with two colleagues, ruled that while the two-and-a-half-year custodial sentence remained appropriate, the final year would be suspended as a matter of appellate practice.
In the Central Criminal Court, the jury heard mobile‑phone cell‑site analysis linking the accused, Sebastian Barczuk, and the deceased, Michal Kurek, on the days surrounding the murder. The accused's phone connected to a cell site near Ballyboughal at 00.53 on 4 August 2017, the same time the deceased's phone used a Ballyboughal site at 00.52. Barczuk's phone made a data connection at a Ballyboughal site at 00.55, and the last activity on his phone was at 1.53 am in Dunboyne. The jury also viewed CCTV footage of a blue Fiat Punto travelling from Clonsilla Inn on 3 August to Ballyboughal on 4 August, and heard testimony that the vehicle was sold to Barczuk on 2 August. The prosecution presented the phone‑call timeline, showing multiple calls and texts between the two men on 3 August, and the defence argued that cell‑site analysis is not an exact science. Sebastian Barczuk pleaded not guilty.
The Court of Appeal has ordered Sidney Sutton, an accountant and father of two, to return to prison for a further 16 months after ruling his original sentence unduly lenient. Sutton, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, was convicted in 2019 at Trim Circuit Criminal Court on four counts of assault, one count of assault causing harm, and one count of producing a knife capable of inflicting serious injury. He had previously served a one-year jail term after being sentenced to two years, with the final 12 months suspended. The offences, alleged to have occurred in February 2016, involved Sutton allegedly assaulting his then-partner, Edele Aherne, and stabbing her in the leg and shoulder. Sutton had accused Ms Aherne of assaulting him and inflicting her own injuries through self-harm. Mr Justice Edwards, presiding with Ms Justice Donnelly and Mr Justice McCarthy, allowed the DPP's appeal on grounds of undue leniency. The court determined the appropriate headline sentence was four years, reduced by 20 months to account for Sutton's lack of previous convictions and good work record. The judges rejected arguments that alcohol consumption reduced culpability, describing the incident as extreme domestic violence. Sutton was ordered to present himself at Ballymun Garda station on October 16. The court also refused an application to adjourn the hearing pending Sutton's separate appeal against his conviction, citing exceptional circumstances and concerns about the abuse of court processes.
During a murder trial, a witness—whose name is protected by court order—described the accused, Philip Dunbar, as a "scummy bastard" and insisted he had not lied in his testimony to the jury. The witness claimed that Dunbar told him he had "put the deceased out of his misery" and "slaughtered him" after stabbing 23‑year‑old Adam Muldoon, a homeless man with cerebral palsy, on 22 or 23 June 2018. He said Dunbar visited his home shortly after the stabbing with a bloody knife and boasted about the act. The witness also stated that Dunbar was at Sean Walsh Park the next morning when the knife was disposed of. Dunbar, represented by barrister Giollaiosa O'Lideadha SC, has pleaded not guilty and admits he must have stabbed Muldoon but claims no memory of it.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 20‑year‑old accused, Philip Dunbar, was said to have boasted about stabbing Adam 'Floater' Muldoon, a homeless man with cerebral palsy, to death. The accused allegedly told a drug‑dealer witness that he had "put him out of his misery" and that he "knew what it's like to be a killer." The witness, who could not be named, described seeing Dunbar with a blood‑stained Swiss army knife and hearing him claim he had cut Muldoon's throat while the victim begged for his life. Dunbar's barrister admitted the accused must have carried out the stabbing but said he had no memory of the act. The accused has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Muldoon, which occurred in Jobstown Park, Tallaght, on 22 or 23 June 2018. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, continues tomorrow before a jury of six men and six women.
In a murder case, 32‑year‑old Sebastian Barczuk pleaded not guilty to the stabbing death of 33‑year‑old Polish national Michal Kurek. Kurek was found in a country lane in Ballyboughal with 62 stab wounds and blunt‑force trauma to the head and chest. Barczuk, who had lived with Kurek in the past, told Gardaí that he did not know who killed Kurek and suggested it was "probably some psychopath". He described their friendship, Kurek's drug use and the last time he saw him in August 2017. Gardaí collected call data and cell‑site analysis of the two men's phones on the night of the murder. The trial, heard by a jury, remains ongoing with no verdict yet.
The trial of Philip Dunbar, 20, who has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Adam Muldoon, 23, at Butler Park in Jobstown Park, Tallaght, on June 22 or 23, 2018, continued before the Central Criminal Court. Witness Paul Duggan testified that he never observed any conflict between the accused and the deceased, describing Mr Muldoon as a well-liked, homeless man with cerebral palsy who was treated with respect by the local community. Mr Duggan stated that on the evening in question, he left the accused and the deceased together on a wall, later finding only the deceased's Zimmer frame remaining. He described the accused as friendly and caring towards Mr Muldoon, comparable to how he treated a disabled family member. Another witness, Sinead Duggan, reported that the accused appeared unusually quiet and shocked when the community gathered the following day. A statement from Deborah Fitzgerald was read, indicating she saw the two walking together near a football field shortly after midnight, with the deceased appearing uninjured and willing. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of six men and six women.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 49‑year‑old Mark Morgan was found not guilty of slitting the throat of 22‑year‑old Dean Purdue on 20 January 2017. The alleged assault took place outside Purdue's family home on Belcamp Lane, Priorswood, where Purdue was seated in his girlfriend's parked car. Purdue described a sudden attack, a jagged four‑centimetre cut, and a subsequent run‑off by the assailant. He identified Morgan as the attacker, but no independent witnesses, CCTV or forensic evidence were presented. Morgan denied the charge, claiming he did not know Purdue personally. After a two‑hour, ten‑minute deliberation, the jury returned a not‑guilty verdict. Judge Pauline Codd thanked the jury for their duty during this difficult time.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, 49‑year‑old Mark Morgan pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm after allegedly cutting the throat of 22‑year‑old Dean Purdue outside Purdue's family home on 20 January 2017. The jury deliberated after a two‑day hearing before Judge Pauline Codd. Purdue testified that he was seated in his girlfriend's parked car, watching a video, when he felt a nudge and a sudden coldness, then a heat along his neck. He claimed a man, whom he identified as Morgan, shouted at him and fled. Purdue described a four‑centimetre jagged laceration, blood spurt, and subsequent surgery. Morgan denied the attack, stating he did not know Purdue personally and refused to disclose his whereabouts. The prosecution argued the case hinged on Purdue's recognition of Morgan, while the defence highlighted the absence of independent witnesses, CCTV, or forensic evidence. The jury was instructed to consider these points before returning a verdict.
An unnamed 71-year-old man has appealed his conviction and sentence at the Court of Appeal. He was convicted in March 2019 by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of 72 counts of indecent assault, allegedly committed against his step-daughter between 1973 and 1979. The appellant, who denied the charges, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment. Counsel Mr Paul Greene SC argued the appeal on five grounds, including a 42-year delay in prosecution, the trial judge's refusal to remove certain counts, and inadequate jury warnings regarding delay and corroboration. He further claimed the trial was unfair due to late-emerging evidence not in the Book of Evidence and issues concerning the victim's mother's whereabouts. The State, represented by Mr Diarmuid Collins BL, countered that no new witnesses could provide detail on the intimate nature of the abuse and that the appellant was not prejudiced by the delay. The three-judge panel, presided over by Mr Justice John Edwards, reserved its decision for a maximum of two weeks before an electronic judgment is released. The matter remains pending and has not been finalised.
In a Dublin murder trial, the prosecution presented evidence that Philip Dunbar, aged 20, stabbed Adam 'Floater' Muldoon, a 23‑year‑old homeless man with cerebral palsy, 183 times in Butler Park, Jobstown Park, Tallaght, on 22 or 23 June 2018. The prosecution argued that the wounds, though many were superficial, severed three major neck vessels, penetrated the liver and lungs, and caused immediate death. After the stabbing, Dunbar allegedly admitted the act to a friend's house. The jury was instructed to remain impartial and consider the facts without sympathy. The case is being heard by Mr Justice Paul McDermott before a jury of twelve. The trial continues. Philip Dunbar pleaded not guilty.
A jury in Dublin acquitted a 62‑year‑old man of seven charges of abusing his two nieces in the 1970s. The defendant denied molesting an older niece from age eight to twelve and a younger niece from five to seven. He had pleaded not guilty to ten counts of indecent assault on the older niece at his former address and other Dublin locations between 4 January 1972 and 3 January 1979, and to two counts of indecent assault on the younger niece at his former address and in a car between 6 November 1975 and 5 November 1977. After deliberating for five hours and 32 minutes, the jury returned not‑guilty verdicts on the seven counts. They could not reach verdicts on three counts relating to alleged assaults on the older niece; Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin had directed a not‑guilty verdict on two of those.
A man from Claremorris in County Mayo has had his prison sentence reduced following a successful appeal against its severity. Mark Walsh, now aged 32, was originally sentenced to five years imprisonment, with the final year suspended, at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court in October 2019 after pleading guilty to six counts of sexual assault against a young girl committed between 2006 and 2010. The Court of Appeal today reduced his sentence to four years imprisonment with the final year suspended. The three-judge panel found that the sentencing judge had failed to adequately consider Walsh's age at the time of the offences, when he was between 17 and 18 years old. The court also determined that the headline sentence of six years had been set too high and that significant mitigating factors had not been properly weighed. Walsh's sentence is now to be suspended for a period of three years.
Patrick Quirke, a 50‑year‑old farmer from Breanshamore, Co. Tipperary, is appealing his conviction for the murder of Bobby 'Mr Moonlight' Ryan, a 52‑year‑old part‑time DJ who vanished on 3 June 2011. The body was found in an underground run‑off tank on Ms Lowry's farm, leased by Quirke, in April 2013. Quirke denies the murder, arguing the prosecution failed to prove guilt beyond suspicion and that Mary Lowry, the alleged witness, is unreliable. The Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty by a 10‑2 majority after 13 weeks of trial, and he received a mandatory life sentence. The Court of Appeal will hear his appeal remotely on 13 October, with both sides submitting over 100 pages of legal material. The hearing is expected to last less than four days, though the exact duration remains to be confirmed by the court. The case remains at the appeal stage, with no further outcome announced.
The Court of Appeal has increased the prison sentence of Oliver Berry, a 63-year-old father from Mullingar, Co Westmeath, from ten to 13 years for the rape and sexual assault of his daughter, Jennifer Berry. In November 2018, a jury at the Central Criminal Court convicted Berry of 105 counts of raping and sexually assaulting his daughter between December 1982 and December 1994, when she was aged seven to 19. Berry, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, maintains his innocence and has a separate application before the Court of Appeal against his conviction. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed the original ten-year term, arguing it was too lenient given the severity of the offences, which included rape during the victim's pregnancy. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, found that the sentencing judge had erred by giving undue weight to mitigating factors such as Berry's age and lack of previous convictions. The court ruled that the original reduction from a headline sentence of 15 years was disproportionate. Consequently, the actual custodial sentence was increased to 13 years. Jennifer Berry waived her right to anonymity to allow her father to be publicly named in the proceedings.
The Court of Appeal in Dublin has quashed a fully suspended sentence imposed on a man convicted of assault causing serious harm to a Defence Forces member. Cian Cox, aged 26 and originally from Breaffy, County Mayo, pleaded guilty to the attack on David McCormack outside the Electric Garden nightclub on Abbeygate Street, Galway on 5 May 2017. Mr McCormack sustained life-threatening injuries including a twelve-day coma and required four operations. The Director of Public Prosecutions successfully appealed the original four-year suspended sentence on grounds of undue leniency. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, retained the four-year term but suspended only the final two and a half years, meaning Cox must serve eighteen months in custody. The court found that the seriousness of the offence and the victim's permanent physical and psychological injuries warranted a custodial element, notwithstanding Cox's guilty plea, remorse, compensation payment of €13,000, and clean record.
In a Dublin court, a 17‑year‑old was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for the death of 18‑year‑old Azzam Raguragui during a melee in Finsbury Park on 10 May 2019. The teenager had pleaded guilty to manslaughter at the start of the trial, but the Director of Public Prosecutions rejected the plea. The jury, after more than 13 hours of deliberation, returned a majority verdict of ten to two. The victim died from five stab wounds, one of which severed the subclavian artery, causing massive blood loss. The defendant was taken to Oberstown Detention Centre pending a sentence hearing on 12 October. The trial heard conflicting accounts of the fight, with the defence arguing the accused acted in self‑defence during a "terrifying brawl.".
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, a 62‑year‑old man accused of abusing his two nieces appeared at the stand and denied the allegations. He denied molesting the older niece from age eight to twelve and the younger niece from five to seven, and denied any sexual assault in a hay barn, car, motorbike or woodland area. He pleaded not guilty to ten counts of indecent assault against the older niece at his former address and other Dublin locations between 4 January 1972 and 3 January 1979, and to two counts against the younger niece at his former address and in a car between 6 November 1975 and 5 November 1977. He said he first learned of the allegations when Gardaí contacted him in 2016, and denied saying "it is time to put this to bed." The trial continues before Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin and a jury.
In a Central Criminal Court murder trial, a homeless man, Michal Kurek, aged 33, died in August 2017 after suffering 62 stab injuries, including 25 to his back, and blunt‑force trauma to his head and chest. Dr Michael Curtis, the Deputy State Pathologist, testified that the overwhelming cause of death was the stab wounds and blunt‑force injuries. Kurek's body was found on a grass verge in Ballyboughal, wearing a black hooded top and jeans pulled down to the upper thigh, clutching blades of grass. The wounds were consistent with a single‑blade knife, with 25 on the back and multiple on the chest, arms and legs. Toxicology showed cannabis and amphetamine metabolites, neither contributory to death. Sebastian Barczuk, 32, a Polish national and former housemate, pleaded not guilty to Kurek's murder. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, is a technical case relying on forensic evidence and is expected to last up to four weeks.
A 20‑year‑old from Tallaght, Philip Dunbar, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of 23‑year‑old Adam Muldoon, who was killed in Butler Park, Jobstown, on 22 or 23 June 2018. He will be tried at the Central Criminal Court. A jury of twelve has been sworn in and the trial, expected to last six weeks, will open tomorrow under Mr Justice Paul McDermott.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 62‑year‑old man accused of abusing his two nieces denied molesting either sister. He pleaded not guilty to ten counts of indecent assault against the older niece and two counts against the younger. The younger sister testified that, when she was five or six, the accused had taken her to a wooded area under the pretense of showing her kittens, after which she was forced to lie on the ground with her underwear pulled down. She claimed the man was above her with an erection and told her she could touch it, but she refused. She later told her mother that no kittens were present. The sister also recounted an incident in a car where the accused allegedly wiped her legs with a tissue, claiming it was bird spit but later realizing it was sperm.
A 62‑year‑old Dublin man has gone on trial at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for alleged indecent assault of his two nieces during the 1970s. He denies molesting the older niece when she was eight to twelve years old and the younger niece when she was about five. The prosecution, led by Philip Rahn BL, claims the abuse began in 1972 when the accused was a teenager and living with his mother at a Dublin address. He faces ten counts of indecent assault of the older niece at that address and other Dublin locations between 4 January 1972 and 3 January 1979, and two counts of indecent assault of the younger niece at the same address and in a car between 6 November 1975 and 5 November 1977. The unnamed 62-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Paul McDermott instructed a jury of six men and six women to decide whether a 17‑year‑old accused of killing 18‑year‑old Azzam Raguragui in a Dublin park on 10 May 2019 was guilty of murder or manslaughter. The accused, who has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, claims he acted in self‑defence during a melee that erupted over a stolen bike. The judge explained that the key question is whether the accused honestly believed the force he used was necessary. If he truly believed he was defending himself but used more force than a reasonable person would consider necessary, the verdict should be manslaughter. If the prosecution can exclude that belief, the verdict should be murder. The jury will return tomorrow to continue deliberations.
In a murder trial, the State presented a circumstantial case against Sebastian Barczuk, 32, for the death of Polish national Michal Kurek, 33, found on 4 August 2017 in Ballyboughal, north County Dublin. Kurek's body lay face‑down in a country lane with over 60 stab wounds and blunt‑force trauma to the head. The prosecution argued that the victim was murdered and that Barczuk was the perpetrator, citing their long‑standing friendship and shared addresses. Evidence included mobile‑phone records showing limited contact between the men on the day of the murder, a Nokia phone found in Kurek's pocket, and witness testimony from a cyclist who first spotted the body. The case relied on technical and circumstantial evidence, with no CCTV footage or recovered weapon, and the trial was set to continue before a jury and Mr Justice Tony Hunt. Sebastian Barczuk pleaded not guilty.
Patrick Quirke, a 50‑year‑old farmer from Breanshamore, Co. Tipperary, is appealing his conviction for the murder of Bobby Ryan, a 52‑year‑old part‑time DJ known as 'Mr Moonlight'. The Court of Appeal heard that the appeal could last up to four days, though the President, Mr Justice George Birmingham, hoped for a shorter hearing. Quirke denies murdering Ryan, who disappeared on 3 June 2011 after leaving his girlfriend Mary Lowry's house. Ryan's body was found in an underground run‑off tank on Lowry's farm, leased by Quirke, in April 2013. The prosecution argued Quirke killed Ryan to rekindle a relationship with Lowry and staged the body's discovery after Lowry sought to terminate the lease. Quirke's lawyers claim the evidence is inconsistent and unreliable, particularly Lowry's testimony.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 17‑year‑old accused of murdering 18‑year‑old Azzam Raguragui was defended by Michael Bowman SC, who argued the boy acted in fear during a chaotic brawl. Bowman claimed the accused believed he was in self‑defence and should be found guilty of manslaughter, not murder. He described the fight as spiralling out of control due to youthful posturing, fear, adrenaline, immaturity and lack of judgement, with the accused armed with a knife and assembling a group to confront Raguragui and his friends. James Dwyer SC for the prosecution maintained that the accused had a clear intent to kill or cause serious harm, citing the stabbing of Raguragui's chest and back and the accused's prior statements to Gardaí. The prosecution argued that intent to kill or cause serious injury is required for murder, and that the natural and probable consequences of the stabbing were serious harm.
Charlotte Mulhall, aged 21 at the time of the 2005 murder of her mother's boyfriend, has filed a High Court challenge to reverse her transfer from Limerick Prison to the Dochas Centre in Dublin. She argues that the move, made on 24 December 2018, was unjustified and that she was never given a chance to explain the alleged incident involving a prison officer. Mulhall claims the transfer has caused her severe emotional distress, citing a lack of family visits and the loss of her dog from a canine programme. She seeks orders directing the Irish Prison Service, the Governor of Limerick Prison, the Minister for Justice & Equality, and the Attorney General to return her to Dublin and to annul the transfer decision. The case is set to be heard by Mr Justice Charles Meenan next month. Mulhall's sister, Linda, was convicted of manslaughter in the same 2005 case and released in 2018.
A 32‑year‑old Polish national, Sebastian Barczuk, will go on trial for the murder of 33‑year‑old Polish national Michal Kurek, a homeless man, who was found dead in Ballyboughal, north County Dublin, on 4 August 2017. Barczuk pleaded not guilty at his arraignment before the Central Criminal Court. Prosecutor Lorcan Staines told the jury that the victim was a homeless Polish national and that Barczuk was also a Polish national living in Ireland at the time. The trial, to be heard by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, is expected to last three to four weeks.
The Court of Appeal reduced a 69‑year‑old man's eight‑year jail sentence for five counts of indecent assault on his daughter, who was aged nine to ten when the offences occurred between 1985 and 1986. The original nine‑year sentence, with the last 12 months suspended, was imposed by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after the man pleaded guilty to touching and penetrating his daughter's vagina and forcing her to touch his penis. The appeal argued that the sentencing judge had erred by not hearing mitigating factors such as the man's poor health, alcohol addiction, lack of prior convictions, low risk of re‑offending and his own childhood abuse. The Court of Appeal agreed that the sentence was "disproportionate to a limited extent" and reduced it to eight years, keeping the final 12 months suspended. The case remains at the appellate stage.
Three men appeared before the Special Criminal Court, where they were served with Books of Evidence in connection with the alleged attempted murder of Christy Keane. The prosecution alleges that the Limerick-based McCarthy-Dundon criminal organisation shot Mr Keane multiple times as he parked his car on the University of Limerick grounds at approximately 6.35am on June 29, 2015. Noel Price, 42, of Kileely Road, Limerick City, is charged with having knowledge of the existence of the McCarthy-Dundon criminal organisation and assisting in making a vehicle available to that organisation with the intention of facilitating the attempted murder, or being reckless as to the same, between June 27 and 29, 2015. Co-accused John Costello, 39, of Hennessy Avenue, Kileely, is charged with knowledge of the existence of the criminal organisation and providing transport to persons with the intention of facilitating the commission of the attempted murder on June 29, 2015. Larry McCarthy, 42, of Tower Lodge, Old Cork Road, Limerick City, is charged with making a vehicle available to the McCarthy-Dundon criminal organisation in the attempted murder between June 27 and 29, 2015. The alleged offences fall under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, carrying a maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment. Presiding Judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt remanded all three men in custody to appear again before the non-jury court on November 2.
Four men were served with a Book of Evidence at the Special Criminal Court on 14 September 2020. The case concerns the attempted murder of James 'Mago' Gately, who was shot multiple times in his car at a filling station on Clonshaugh Road, Dublin 17, on 10 May 2017. Peter 'Peadar' Keating (39) of Rowlagh Green, Clondalkin, and Stephen Fowler (61) of Blakestown Cottages, Clonsilla, appeared at the non‑jury court charged under Section 72(1A) of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. The charge alleges that between 7 December 2016 and 6 April 2017, they, knowing of a criminal organisation, acted to enhance that organisation's ability to commit the murder of Gately. David Duffy (33) of Greenfort Lawns, Clondalkin, and Douglas Glynn (35) of Fitzgibbon Court, Dublin 1, were also charged with the same offence under Section 72(1).
During a trial in the Central Criminal Court, a 17‑year‑old accused of murder explained to the Gardaí that he was panicking and attempting to break up a fight when he stabbed 18‑year‑old Azzam Raguragui in a Dublin park. He claimed he had no intention of using a knife, which he had carried for no reason, and that he struck Raguragui only to scare him off after the victim ran at him. The accused said he had never used a knife before and that he was terrified of being beaten. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, continues with a jury of twelve. The case is still at the trial stage.
David Hunter, a 41‑year‑old car thief from Liverpool, was convicted by the Special Criminal Court of murdering 35‑year‑old Michael Barr, manager of the Sunset House pub in Dublin, on 25 April 2016. The court found Hunter to be one of two gunmen who entered the pub, shot Barr seven times, and fled in an Audi A6 that was later set on fire. DNA evidence from a ski‑mask recovered from the car matched Hunter's profile, and the court rejected his explanations for his presence in Dublin and the mask's whereabouts as implausible. Hunter denied the murder, claiming he had been in Dublin for a concert and had no involvement. The judge ruled that Hunter could not have been the getaway driver and that he was seated in the rear passenger seat while the other accused, Eamonn Cumberton, was the driver. Hunter will receive a mandatory life sentence and remain in custody until sentencing.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard evidence in the trial of Dubliner Brian Farrell, who has pleaded not guilty to possession of a claw-hammer and knuckleduster and assaulting two gardai on Sallynoggin Road on October 16, 2016. Garda Garvan Allen testified that he saw the accused emerge from a house holding a pit bull terrier aloft in one hand and a claw hammer in the other. The garda alleged that as officers attempted to arrest him, Farrell shouted instructions to the dog, including "Get them Buster, bite them Buster." Farrell denies any dogs were present that evening. Allen described a melee during which Farrell violently resisted arrest, kicking and scratching officers, resulting in one garda drawing blood. A black metal knuckleduster was found in Farrell's pocket, and a claw-hammer was seized. In cross-examination, defense counsel Eoghan Cole BL presented Farrell's account that he was recording the scene with a phone and torch when tackled by three gardai, claiming he was struck and punched. Allen disputed this, maintaining all violence originated from Farrell. Allen acknowledged that only Farrell had medical evidence of injuries. The trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
In a Dublin park melee on 10 May 2019, 18‑year‑old Azzam Raguragui was stabbed to death. Acting State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan testified that four stab wounds were inflicted, one to the chest severing the subclavian artery below the shoulder blade. The arterial injury caused massive blood loss and death shortly thereafter. The other wounds—on the chest, upper back, right arm and right thigh—were minor but contributed to his death. No defensive wounds were found on his hands or arms, and no head or neck injuries were noted. The 17‑year‑old accused, a minor, pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder; the plea was rejected by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The trial, before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury, continues tomorrow.
In a Central Criminal Court case, a 43‑year‑old man was found guilty of murder after stabbing a friend six times in a Limerick bar during a dispute over cocaine payment. The jury rejected the defendant's claim of self‑defence, concluding he intended serious injury and that the force used was excessive. The prosecution argued that the knife wounds to the heart, jugular vein, neck and arm inevitably caused death. The judge announced a mandatory life sentence and remanded the defendant in custody. The trial included testimony from witnesses who observed the altercation, a barman who saw the stabbing, and the defendant's wife who described his fear and subsequent actions. The case highlighted the severity of the assault and the court's determination of intent and culpability. The unnamed 43-year-old pleaded not guilty.