Micheal Corbett, aged 30, had the six‑year suspended portion of his nine‑year sentence for attempted murder of a 17‑year‑old at the Hellfire Club on Montpelier Hill activated by Mr Justice Michael White on 29 July 2020. The activation follows a psychiatric report indicating Corbett is at risk of future violence and a series of violent incidents while in custody, including assaulting other prisoners and attacking a nurse with a sock. Corbett had previously pleaded guilty to the attempted murder committed on 27 June 2016, which left the victim with a four‑inch stab wound to the chest and a head injury from a piece of timber. The court's decision means Corbett will serve the full nine years from the date of his initial arrest for the attempted murder. The judge noted that the risks identified in the psychiatric report made it impossible to rely on the suspended sentence to manage Corbett's psychosis.
In 2016, a 37‑year‑old Dublin man was tried at the Central Criminal Court for raping and abusing his younger sister over several years while she was a child. He pleaded not guilty to 48 counts, including rape, oral rape, rape with a screwdriver, rape with a vibrator and sexual assault at two Dublin locations between 2000 and 2005. The jury found him guilty. The victim, who is unnamed to protect her identity, described how the abuse began when she was ten, describing the experience as a "black hole of uncertainty, fear and terror." She said her family changed forever and that her parents became "shadows" of themselves after the court proceedings. Justice Isobel Kennedy sentenced him to 11 years' imprisonment. He has now appealed his conviction to the Court of Appeal, arguing that the trial judge erred by not warning the jury about the dangers of convicting on uncorroborated evidence.
In July 2020 a 26‑year‑old man, previously convicted of sexual assault, was brought before the Central Criminal Court after he had been on the run for 18 months. He had been found guilty in his absence in December 2018 of 14 counts of sexually assaulting his cousin between 2008 and 2011, and a seven‑year sentence had been imposed. In November 2019 he was arrested for robbing a 62‑year‑old woman on Fitzgibbon Street, where he punched her and stole her handbag. He pleaded guilty to the robbery. Judge Sarah Berkeley imposed a consecutive four‑year term, with the final year suspended, after hearing the victim's impact statement and noting the defendant's drug and alcohol influence. The man is due for release from Midlands Prison on 8 February 2025. The victim suffered minor head injuries and psychological distress, and now feels nervous walking to work. The unnamed 26-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a 2020 Court of Appeal decision, a 17‑year‑old boy who attempted to murder a 25‑year‑old woman after meeting her on an internet dating app was ordered to serve a further two years of detention before his 11‑year sentence could be reviewed. The appeal was brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions, who argued that the original five‑year review period was too early and that the sentence was unduly lenient. The Court found that the planning and pre‑meditation of the offence placed it at the high end of the spectrum, but also noted mitigating factors such as the boy's youth, lack of prior convictions, early guilty plea and mental health difficulties. Consequently, the Court extended the review date to seven years, maintaining the 11‑year sentence but allowing a review after January 1, 2025.
A man, who was a teenager in the 1980s, has challenged the High Court to stop his prosecution for 18 counts of indecent assault. The alleged offences involved a girl under four years old, who said the assaults took place at the accused's home while she was being minded by his mother. She made a statement to the Gardai in 2016. The accused was questioned, arrested and charged last year, and was sent forward for trial before the Circuit Criminal Court in 2021. He argues that a decision not to prosecute was made in the mid‑1980s and that a delay has breached his constitutional right to an expeditious trial. He also claims that the matter was investigated by the Health Board, the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit and the Gardai, and that no prosecution was brought in the mid‑1990s.
A 21‑year‑old man, Shane Chubb, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual intercourse with a 16‑year‑old boy he met on Tinder, knowing the boy was underage, and to one count of assault on the boy at Chubb's home. The boy, whose name is withheld, had joined Tinder in 2016, was removed for being under 18, then re‑joined with a false birth date. He told Chubb he was 16 but "mature". They met at Chubb's house, where they had sex and the boy later described it as his first sexual experience. Chubb also bit the boy, causing pain, and later apologized. The boy did not attend the sentencing hearing and declined to give a victim impact statement. The case was adjourned for sentencing on 28 October.
In a 2020 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, a 48‑year‑old paedophile was convicted of 25 counts of sexual assault against his nieces, who were six or seven when the abuse began. He abused one sister during overnight stays at his home from about age six to twelve, and the other sister when she stayed with him. Judge Martina Baxter sentenced him to eight years, suspending the final year. The defendant, a father of two, appealed the sentence's severity, arguing that the judge had not credited the time he had already spent in custody. The Court of Appeal, presiding with Justices George Birmingham, Patrick McCarthy and Isobel Kennedy, found that the judge had not explained her discretion. Consequently, the court back‑dated the sentence to the date the defendant entered custody, five months before his sentencing, thereby reducing the effective custodial period. The case remains at the appellate stage, with no further verdict announced.
Rebecca Coates, aged 45, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to arson at Avondale Park, Mulhuddart, on 10 March 2019. She set fire to her sister's camper van after a verbal disagreement at a hen party in the city centre. Coates used an empty bottle of Prosecco and nail polish remover as an accelerant, intending to frighten her sister. The fire was discovered by her nephew, who extinguished it, and the damage amounted to €800. Judge Pauline Codd noted Coates' mental health decline following her daughter's suicide in 2017 and her history of domestic violence. She sentenced Coates to four years' imprisonment, suspended in full, with strict conditions including compliance with the Probation Service for two years and payment of €800 to the prosecuting Garda within six months. The injured party may nominate a charity to receive the money.
In the Central Criminal Court, Aaron Brady, 29, pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe and to a robbery charge. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC told the jury that Brady did not shoot Donohoe and was not involved in the robbery. He argued that if the jury believes Brady was the gunman, they should consider that a warning shot could constitute manslaughter rather than murder. O'Higgins highlighted inconsistencies in witness testimony, questioned the reliability of CCTV evidence, and criticised the Garda investigation for not following up on diesel‑laundering allegations. He urged jurors to assess whether the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, noting that a manslaughter verdict was possible but unusual. The judge acknowledged the possibility of a manslaughter verdict but left the decision to the jury. The case remains at the jury's deliberation stage.
A 50-year-old Dublin man has been sentenced to six years and nine months imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for sexually abusing his step-daughter and secretly recording her in the bathroom. The man pleaded guilty to sexual assault, producing child pornography, and distributing child pornography between 2014 and 2016. A search of his home uncovered 96 videos and 82 images of child abuse material across two devices. The recordings were sent to another man in Donegal. Judge Elma Sheahan noted the deliberate nature of the concealed camera, hidden inside a clock, and described it as a continuation of the abuse itself. The victim, who was aged 12 or 13 at the time of the assault, delivered an impact statement describing lasting psychological harm. The final nine months of the sentence have been suspended on condition of two years' probation supervision following release.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 28 July 2020, the father of a 17‑year‑old who attempted to murder Stephanie Ng apologised to the victim, stating there was no excuse for his son's actions. He expressed regret over not hospitalising his son earlier and over giving him high doses of antidepressants, which he believed may have induced a manic episode that led to the attack. The teenager, who was sentenced to 11 years' detention with a review after five years, had been in custody since December 2017. The appeal argued the sentence was unduly lenient, citing the planning and premeditation of the offence. The Court of Appeal noted the seriousness of the crime and indicated a decision would be made the following day. The hearing was held in person, with the boy present alongside his parents. The father reiterated that his son was guilty and that he fully regretted the trauma inflicted on Ms Ng.
In the Special Criminal Court, defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC argued that Daniel Cahill, the key witness in Aaron Brady's murder trial, may have had motives to fabricate his testimony. O'Higgins highlighted Cahill's claims of hearing Brady admit to killing Garda Adrian Donohoe, Cahill's alleged encounters with Homeland Security, and the lack of any subsequent police action against Cahill despite drug findings. He questioned the credibility of Cahill's statements, noting inconsistencies and the absence of corroborating evidence from Garda investigations. O'Higgins also criticized the Garda investigation for allegedly overlooking evidence of diesel laundering linked to Brady, citing text messages and phone contacts. The counsel urged the jury to scrutinise Cahill's testimony and the prosecution's evidence before drawing conclusions. The trial remains ongoing. Aaron Brady pleaded not guilty.
In a High Court hearing, a 55‑year‑old convicted child rapist told Judge Tony Hunt that publishing his identity would endanger him. He had pleaded guilty in 2015 to repeated rape and sexual assault of his wife's two sons, aged under ten, over a decade from 1993. In March 2016, Judge Hunt sentenced him to 21 years' imprisonment, suspending the final five years. The victims had requested to waive their statutory anonymity so the defendant could be named publicly, but Judge Hunt stayed the waiver because related cases involving the same victims and two other accused were pending in Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court. He noted that publicity of the 2015 convictions would hinder jury selection for those trials. The judge assured the DPP that anonymity could be lifted after the Wicklow trials concluded. The defendant, who has since changed legal representation, expressed fear that a waiver would put him in danger and is currently in therapy.
Boy B, a 15‑year‑old, was found guilty of murdering 14‑year‑old Ana Kriegel in 2018 and sentenced to 15 years' detention, review after eight years. He is appealing only the conviction, not the sentence. His defence argues that a clinical psychologist, Dr Colm Humphreys, had evidence that Boy B suffered post‑traumatic stress disorder after witnessing the assault and that his lies to Gardaí did not prove guilt. The trial judge ruled that evidence inadmissible, claiming it would make the psychologist a 13th juror. Boy B's counsel, James Dwyer, has made an unusual application to exceed legal aid limits to engage a UK psychologist to review the Gardaí interview videos. The Court of Appeal is considering whether an expert can be involved post‑conviction and has allowed the application to be renewed later. Boy B remains in Oberstown Children Detention Campus, with earliest release in June 2027.
Eddie Kiely, aged 29, attacked a resident who had let him into a flat complex, punching and kicking the victim before locking himself in the victim's apartment. Gardaí forced entry and found him highly intoxicated on the couch. Kiely pleaded guilty to burglary and assault at Coultry Terrace, Ballymun, on 7 June 2019. He was already serving a two‑year sentence for robbery and a consecutive three‑year sentence for criminal damage. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a six‑year sentence, with the final 18 months suspended, making it consecutive to the two‑year sentence and concurrent to the three‑year sentence, effectively extending his time in prison by 18 months. The victim, who was asleep at 4 am, was assaulted, suffered bruising and a laceration, and underwent a CT scan. Kiely's defence highlighted his intoxication, past drug misuse, and efforts at rehabilitation, but the judge noted the severity of the assault and his long‑standing alcohol issues.
Michael Talbot, aged 33, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment with the final year suspended after pleading guilty to assaulting two Gardaí on New Year's Eve 2018. He bit Garda Greg Barron's thigh and later smeared blood on his jail cell walls. The court noted his history of violent conduct towards Gardaí, including prior convictions for violence in a Garda station, abusive behaviour and obstruction of Gardaí. Talbot's attack was described as "particularly nasty" and "appalling treatment of members of An Garda Siochana." He was found to have serious anger issues and hostility to authority figures. Talbot apologized, claiming he would not have acted if he had not been drinking and taking drugs that night. The judge accepted his statement that he hoped to rehabilitate after his sentence. The sentence was handed down by Judge Karen O'Connor at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Ciaran O'Brien, 37, was sentenced to three‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment for armed robbery and a threat to kill Garda PJ Cummins. He robbed the Applegreen Service Station at Celbridge on 27 November 2019, armed with a hammer and a small machete, and took €360 in cash before fleeing. O'Brien then drove a car straight at Cummins, who was off‑duty and had to jump out of the way to avoid being run over. The judge, Karen O'Connor, noted that O'Brien was homeless at the time and had 27 previous convictions but was not known to be violent. The final 18 months of the sentence were suspended on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Ciaran O'Brien pleaded guilty.
Derek Devoy, 37, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to 17 years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, for a series of violent offences committed on 11 March 2019. He admitted possession of a 9mm Makarov PM63 RAK submachine gun with intent to endanger life and of a Yugoslavian M75 hand grenade with intent to endanger life or cause serious injury. Devoy discharged the gun twice in public and again while being restrained by Gardaí in a bathroom, narrowly missing a garda's head. A hand grenade was found on the floor without its safety mechanism; it was later detonated in a controlled explosion, rendering the house uninhabitable. The court noted Devoy's 27 previous convictions, including two firearm offences, and his personal history of family tragedy. He pleaded guilty to all charges, which led to a 15 % discount on the headline sentence of 20 years, resulting in the 17‑year term.
In the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution argued that Aaron Brady, 29, used the murder of Garda Adrian Donohoe as a badge of honour after moving to America, believing he was beyond the law. They described Brady as a skilled liar who repeatedly told false statements to Gardaí and the jury, claiming he was a victim of a Garda campaign. Brady's defence was that he was under financial pressure and that the robbery at Lordship Credit Union was a base criminal motive. The prosecution presented circumstantial evidence, including CCTV of a stolen Volkswagen Passat and alleged phone inactivity, to link Brady to the crime. They also highlighted Brady's alleged statements to witnesses and his alibi. The case centred on proving that Brady shot Donohoe knowing he was a Garda, with the prosecution presenting forensic and witness testimony to support this claim. Aaron Brady pleaded not guilty.
An alleged rape victim, aged 33, testified at the Central Criminal Court that she did not seek help from the accused's mother and sister because she did not believe they would assist her. The victim, who was 33, was staying at a friend's house after a New Year's Eve party at a GAA clubhouse. She agreed to return to the accused's home to sleep, but the accused allegedly attacked and raped her minutes after arrival. She claimed she fell asleep on the couch, woke to find the accused still awake, and heard the accused's mother and sister speaking in a room. She said she repeatedly pleaded for a ride home, and the accused promised to drive her after the family left. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury. The accused, a 33‑year‑old Westmeath man, denies the rape. The victim's medical evidence showed bruising consistent with a forced assault. The case remains in trial.
In July 2020, a 37‑year‑old woman named Laura Kenna, who had no fixed abode and was later diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, was convicted of attempted murder after she slit the throat of civil servant Fionnuala Bourke on Lower Drumcondra Road on 3 January 2017. Kenna, who had been suffering from a significant mental health condition for up to six years, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The trial revealed that Kenna attacked Bourke while she was walking home from work, stabbing her multiple times and threatening her with a handbag. Bourke required surgery and intensive care. Justice Tara Burns described the attack as vicious and random. The judge imposed a 15‑year prison term, suspending the last five years. Kenna's barrister appealed both the conviction and sentence to the Court of Appeal, arguing that the psychiatric evidence was flawed and that the sentence was excessive. The Court of Appeal reserved judgment.
In July 2019 a 75‑year‑old man was seriously injured when Dean Quigley, aged 23, twice broke into his apartment. The first incident involved Quigley kicking and hitting the door after being refused entry, then entering the flat, taking a knife, and assaulting the victim. The second assault, in October 2019, saw Quigley punch the man in the head, stomach and back, hold him in a headlock and threaten to kill him if he told anyone. The victim, who remained in fear for five days, was found by his daughter and taken to hospital where he suffered a brain bleed, ligature marks on his neck and severe bruising to his chest. Quigley pleaded guilty to trespassing, criminal damage and assault, was remanded in custody and sentencing was adjourned to October 2020 for a probation report.
Thomas Cassin, aged 49, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for assault causing harm at Killbarrack Shopping Centre on 3 July 2016. The judge suspended the final 12 months of the sentence on strict conditions, including compliance with the Probation Service for 12 months after release. Cassin had attempted to rob an off‑licence in Killbarrack, demanding money while wearing a ski mask and threatening staff. He was pursued by security guards, who restrained him until Gardaí arrived. A ten‑minute struggle ensued; Cassin punched a guard, fracturing the guard's nose, and sustained a cut above his eye. Cassin left on a bicycle. CCTV footage and a DNA sample from the guard's shirt identified him. He had 27 prior convictions and was described as a serious alcoholic and heroin user. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The sentence was passed by Judge Melanie Greally.
In the trial of Aaron Brady, accused of murdering Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, the jury will hear the prosecution's closing speech on Friday, almost six months after the trial began. Judge Michael White informed the six men and seven women that the case is entering its final phase, where they will decide the facts. He thanked the jurors for their "exceptional patience and tolerance" and explained that they will hear from the prosecution and defence counsel, after which the judge will explain the law and summarise the evidence. Brady, 29, pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Donohoe and to a charge of robbing about €7,000 in cash and cheques on the same day. During the final day of evidence, prosecution counsel Brendan Grehan SC called Inspector John Moroney to respond to Brady's claim that Moroney had acted out of malice or was mistaken.
In a case heard at the Court of Appeal, a 31‑year‑old Dublin man, David Murphy, had his original prison term increased after the State appealed a suspended sentence. Murphy had pleaded guilty to assault causing harm for striking a taxi driver with a beer bottle on Slade Road, Saggart, on 21 March 2015. The original sentence, handed down by Judge Pauline Codd, was three and a half years, with the final two years and nine months suspended. The Director of Public Prosecutions argued that the suspended portion was excessive, noting that Murphy would serve only six months and three weeks if remission applied. The Court of Appeal agreed, quashing the original sentence and re‑sentencing Murphy to three and a half years, suspending only the final two years. The case remains at the criminal sentencing stage, with no further outcome reported.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, David Hunter, 41, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael Barr, 35, at a Dublin pub on 25 April 2016. Hunter claimed he first arrived in Ireland on 8 February 2016, had a history of car theft in the UK, and was invited to a botched car robbery where he left a ski‑mask in a car. The mask, recovered from a burning Audi on Walsh Road, was DNA‑matched to Hunter, with 61% of the mixed profile attributed to him. Hunter's voluntary statement, sent to the DPP on 4 June, detailed his travel, drug use, and the events leading up to the robbery. The court heard that the prosecution would finish its evidence on Tuesday, with the trial concluding the following Thursday. The case remains at the trial stage.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Vasile Plesca, aged 41, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for assault causing harm after he beat his wife with a rolling pin in what he described as a jealous rage. The incident, which lasted seven hours, involved Plesca and another man preventing the woman from leaving their flat. He struck her over the head, forced her to remove blood‑stained clothing and shower, and inflicted bruising on her arm, elbow and neck. Video evidence, recorded by the victim on a mobile phone, showed her screaming and pleading for help. Plesca denied strangling her and claimed he avoided hospital care to prevent the authorities from taking his children. The judge, citing the severity of the offence, imposed a four‑year sentence with the final year suspended, and required Plesca to pay €5,000 to his wife as a token of remorse. Vasile Plesca pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Matthew Grogan, aged 22, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and to unauthorised use of a motor‑propelled vehicle. The assault occurred on 25 October 2019 at Applewood Square, Swords, when Grogan, who later admitted he recognised the victim as a former schoolmate, attacked delivery driver Nikita Olijniks. Olijniks was on a delivery, had just stepped out of a car with his girlfriend, when Grogan, seated in the driver's seat, punched him twice or three times in the face after a confrontation. Olijniks was also struck in the back of the head by another individual and fell to the ground. The court also heard that on 4 November 2019 Grogan was driving a stolen car belonging to Jennifer Kilbride, which had been reported missing.
The trial of Aaron Brady, 29, from Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, continued before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury. Mr Brady has pleaded not guilty to the alleged capital murder of Det Gda Adrian Donohoe, who was on active duty, and the alleged robbery of approximately €7,000 in cash and cheques, both occurring on January 25, 2013, at Lordship Credit Union, Bellurgan, Co Louth. US immigration expert Kerry Bretz testified that it is "very unusual" for Homeland Security to take no action against a visa overstayer. He stated that while Homeland Security has discretion, it is "highly unlikely" they would release a detained overstayer to file an application later, a practice he has never encountered in nearly 30 years. The expert noted that officers often use immigration violations as "leverage" to secure cooperation from vulnerable individuals. Prosecution counsel Brendan Grehan SC suggested that Homeland Security's assistance to An Garda Síochána in the murder investigation provided ample reason for such discretion. Mr Bretz acknowledged this was possible. The defence evidence continues tomorrow.
During the Special Criminal Court hearing on 21 July 2020, the prosecution presented DNA evidence linking the murder suspect, 41‑year‑old David Hunter of White City, London, to a mask recovered from the Audi A6 involved in the 2016 shooting of Michael Barr. Dr Edward Connolly testified that a major DNA contributor on a ski‑mask matched 61 % of a mixed profile previously identified as 'unnamed male 2'. This profile was cross‑referenced with DNA from an apple core and a cigarette butt discarded by Hunter during his extradition from the UK, and the odds of the profile being unrelated to Hunter were described as "a thousand‑million to one". Additional mixed DNA was found on a rubber mask, with one major and three minor contributors, and the samples could not be excluded from Hunter's profile. The court also accepted phone evidence from the prosecution, despite defence objections.
A 33‑year‑old Westmeath man is accused of anally raping a woman in his home after they met at a GAA club on New Year's Eve 2016. The alleged assault took place on 1 January 2017. The man pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. Prosecutor Orla Crowe SC told the jury that the woman and a friend attended the club, met the accused, and were taken to his house where the alleged rape occurred. The woman reportedly asked him to stop, struggled, and was left on a couch. She stayed in the house that night, was taken to her friend's house the next morning, and reported the incident to Gardaí the following day. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Paul McDermott with a jury of five women and seven men.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Stephen Little, 47, and Edward McDonnell, 56, were charged with unlawful possession of a Grand Power G9 semi‑automatic pistol and intent to endanger life. The case stemmed from a gun seizure on a Dublin estate on 14 September 2019. Gardaí recovered a loaded handgun under the passenger seat of an Audi, along with a red petrol can, a long‑handled lighter, two balaclavas, two baseball caps, and two pairs of gloves. Little's son, Sean, 22, had been shot dead in May 2019, an event that prompted Little to make a statement to police that "had you given me another hour I would have killed the bastard that killed him." McDonnell denied knowledge of the firearm. Both men were remanded in custody pending sentencing on 31 August. The court noted that Little had one prior traffic offence and McDonnell had 47 prior convictions, including robbery, sexual assault and assault causing harm. Stephen Little pleaded guilty. Edward McDonnell pleaded guilty.
Imre Arakas, 62, jailed by the Special Criminal Court for six years in December 2018 after admitting to conspiring with others to murder James Gately in Northern Ireland in April 2017, is currently serving his sentence in a segregated block in Portlaoise Prison. He faces an extradition request from Lithuania, where he is wanted for the murder of a pop star's lover, as well as charges of murder, firearms, conspiracy and criminal damage. Arakas was arrested in Dublin in February 2018 under a European Arrest Warrant issued by Lithuanian authorities. His extradition hearing has been adjourned pending the outcome of an appeal in the separate extradition case of Liam Campbell. The court has vacated Arakas' hearing date for October 9, when his case is next listed for mention. The adjournment is intended to avoid premature application for second counsel until the Campbell case is resolved.
In the Central Criminal Court, Aaron Brady, 29, accused of capital murder and robbery, waived solicitor‑client privilege and gave a voluntary statement. His former solicitor, Daniel McNamee, testified that Brady had been advised not to testify if he had any involvement in the robbery and fatal shooting. McNamee explained that a witness statement does not carry the same legal protection as a suspect. Brady had previously told McNamee that he was loading diesel waste at a yard in Cullaville on the evening of the murder, but later claimed the forklift started and he spent 90 minutes to two hours loading diesel. Brady's statements to Gardaí on 5 and 6 February 2013 were voluntary. The trial, before Mr Justice Michael White and a 13‑person jury, continues with Brady pleading not guilty to both the capital murder of Garda Adrian Donohoe and the robbery of €7,000 in cash and cheques.
Two men, David Duffy, 33, and Douglas Glynn, 35, were charged at the Special Criminal Court for their involvement in the attempted murder of James 'Mago' Gately, a target of the Kinahan cartel. Gately was shot multiple times on May 10, 2017, while seated in his car at the Topaz filling station on Clonashaugh Road, Dublin 17. The charges, under Section 72(1) of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, allege that between December 7, 2016, and April 6, 2017, both men, aware of a criminal organisation's existence and intending to aid its members, participated in or contributed to activities connected with the murder. Duffy was arrested at his home on July 16 and taken to Irishtown Garda Station, while Glynn was arrested at Alfie Byrne House and also taken to Irishtown. Both were remanded in custody and will reappear on July 31, with bail and free legal aid applications to be made.
In July 2020, Mr Justice Michael White ordered that Michael Corbett, 30, be brought before the Central Criminal Court to decide whether he should remain in prison to serve the portion of his nine‑year sentence for attempted murder that was initially suspended. Corbett had been released in July 2018 after serving less than three years, on the condition that he live with his mother, with the final six years suspended because he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia at the time of the 2016 attack. He had previously attacked other prisoners in Mountjoy Prison and had pleaded guilty to assaulting a nurse in 2016, for which he received a five‑year sentence with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended. The court has received a psychiatric report that raises serious concerns about his impending release, and Mr Justice White has asked the State to decide whether the remainder of his sentence should be imposed.
Aaron Brady, 29, accused of murdering Garda Adrian Donohoe, rejected the prosecution's suggestion that he is a psychopath. During his final day of evidence, Brady denied the claim, stating that the alleged psychopath was Daniel Cahill, who he said had assaulted him and threatened to cut off his toes. Brady maintained that he had never threatened anyone or entered a room to threaten a person. He pleaded not guilty to the capital murder and to a robbery charge of about €7,000 at Lordship Credit Union. Brady also discussed his alibi submissions, his interactions with Gardaí in February 2018, and his statements about diesel laundering. He denied any admission of murder or other wrongdoing, and the trial was set to continue before Mr Justice Michael White with a jury of thirteen.
Sandro Teixeira, aged 30, was sentenced to three‑and‑a‑half years in prison for a violent, unprovoked attack on Ismail Mustafa on Parkgate Street on 22 January 2018. Teixeira, who lives on North Circular Road, Phibsborough, used a knife to slash Mustafa's face, creating a 10‑centimetre wound that required plastic surgery, and partially severed his ear lobe. The assault occurred after the pair had chatted on the Luas and walked together to the Aisling Hotel. Teixeira had previously been charged with assault causing serious harm but pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on the first day of his trial. He has six prior convictions in the UK, including a 2009 four‑year sentence for grievous bodily harm. The court, hearing that Mustafa suffered lasting pain, sleeplessness and permanent disfigurement, imposed a four‑year sentence with the final six months suspended under conditions. The judge noted the maximum penalty for assault causing harm is five years.
In a High Court hearing, the State's counsel argued that Ireland has become a "safe haven" for Ian Bailey, who faces a 25‑year prison sentence in France for the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier. The counsel said the court had a prima facie obligation to surrender Bailey, citing a strong public interest and the risk of losing sight of the case. Bailey, 63, was convicted in absentia by a Paris court in May 2019 and denied any involvement. He was arrested in December 2019 under a European Arrest Warrant and remanded on bail. The judge, Mr Justice Paul Burns, reserved judgment, to be delivered on 12 October, and Bailey remains on continuing bail until that date. The hearing highlighted the procedural status of the extradition request and the State's obligation to comply with the warrant.
Gerard Lennon, aged 76, was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment for indecent assault on a 12‑year‑old boy at St Patrick's National School, Drumcondra, in 1978. Lennon had previously been convicted of indecent assault on four boys between 1969 and 1980 and had served a four‑year sentence in 1999. In the 1978 incident, the victim was lured into a storage room, had his trousers removed, and Lennon masturbated while repeatedly asking the boy if it felt good. The victim's impact statement, read by Garda Anita Brannigan, described the assault as having derailed his life and left him feeling as though he had let himself and his family down. Judge Melanie Greally noted the breach of trust, the victim's youth and innocence, and the profound effect on the boy, and imposed a 15‑month term, the maximum for the offence at the time.
During his Central Criminal Court trial, Aaron Brady, aged 29, denied being able to identify the accents of the robbers from an audio recording taken at the scene of the fatal robbery that killed Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. Brady listened to the dashcam audio, which included a shout of "Give me the fucking bag, give me the fucking money," but he said he could not recognise the accents and described the recording as "very blurry." He also denied stealing a car that the prosecution alleged was used in the robbery and rejected a suggestion that a suspect's car had driven by Lordship Credit Union earlier that day as part of a "drive‑by" in advance of the robbery. Brady, who has pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Donohoe and to the robbery charge, was questioned about his movements on the day of the robbery, his mobile phone activity, and his interactions with other suspects.
The 38‑year‑old father of three has appealed his rape conviction after being sentenced to eight years' imprisonment, with 18 months suspended, for raping a woman on a Dublin beach. The victim, who met the defendant online, was unaware of his partner and children until the trial. He pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault on 29 October 2015; a jury found him guilty of rape but not sexual assault. Justice Tara Burns highlighted that every woman can withdraw consent at any stage and that the defendant's alleged consensual acts before the rape did not support his defence. The appeal, led by Michael Bowman SC, focuses on alleged errors in the judge's directions on consent, arguing the jury was not properly instructed on the defendant's subjective perception. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment, with a decision expected in the coming weeks.
During an Irish High Court extradition hearing, Mr Justice Paul Burns expressed condolences to the family of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, whose body was found outside her holiday home in Schull 24 years ago. The judge noted that extradition proceedings can feel "dry" but should not suggest the tragedy has been forgotten. Mr Ian Bailey, 63, is wanted in France for a 25‑year prison sentence for the murder of Ms du Plantier. He was convicted in absentia by a Paris court in May 2019, after French authorities had sought his surrender in 2010 and 2017, the latter being dismissed as an abuse of process. Bailey denies involvement, describing the proceedings as a "farce," and has been living openly in Ireland since his arrest under a European Arrest Warrant in December 2019. The hearing, the third attempt by France, continues to address the legal and procedural aspects of his extradition.
A man pleaded guilty to assault causing harm following an incident at a nightclub in Swords, Dublin in December 2017. The victim, then aged 19, sustained serious injury to his left eye when struck with a glass during an altercation in the toilets at Wrights Cafe Bar. Medical treatment included surgery for a severe perforation and prolapse, resulting in permanent corneal scarring, though satisfactory vision was later restored. The accused, aged 22 at the time of the assault, initially denied involvement but subsequently entered a guilty plea in November 2019. The Director of Public Prosecutions entered a nolle prosequi on the more serious charge of assault causing serious harm. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, the victim read a statement describing the lasting impact on his life, including abandonment of his ambition to play senior Gaelic football for Dublin and subsequent mental health difficulties. The court adjourned sentencing to July 30, 2020, with the accused remanded on continuing bail.
During his second day of cross‑examination at the Central Criminal Court, Aaron Brady, aged 29, denied any involvement in the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe or the robbery of €7,000 at Lordship Credit Union. He argued that a wealthy suspect, referred to as Suspect A, who owns a house since age 18 and earns a six‑figure income in America, would have no motive to commit armed robbery. Brady denied that he, Suspect A, or a friend stole a Volkswagen Passat in 2013, and said he could not recall a conversation with former girlfriend Jessica King about a car theft. He admitted lying to Gardaí about his movements on the night of the robbery to conceal his diesel‑laundering activities, but insisted he had not provided an alibi for Suspect A. Brady pleaded not guilty to the capital murder and the robbery charge. The trial will continue before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury.
Michael Power, aged 25, was serving an eight‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for a serious assault when he escaped from St James's Hospital on 20 March 2019. While escorted by three prison officers for treatment of an abscess on his jaw, he slipped his handcuffs, ran, and jumped a wall of a nearby housing estate. He was not located until the following July. Power pleaded guilty to escaping lawful custody. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, his barrister argued that morphine given for pain had impaired his judgment, but Judge Martin Nolan noted that Power had shown "admirable speed, dexterity and agility" while on morphine and had taken advantage of the officers' kind behaviour. The judge sentenced him to an additional six months in prison, consecutive to his existing term.
In a High Court hearing on 15 July 2020, Mr Ian Bailey, aged 63, defended his right not to be extradited to France for a third time over the 1996 murder of filmmaker Sophie Toscan du Plantier. His counsel, Ronan Munro SC, argued that the 2012 Supreme Court decision in Minister for Justice v Tobin, applying section 44 of the European Arrest Warrant Act 2003, gave Bailey an "ironclad right" against surrender because the offence was committed outside France and Irish law did not allow prosecution for it abroad. Munro contended that the 2019 Criminal Law (Extraterritorial Jurisdiction) Act did not materially alter this right and that the repeated extradition attempts constituted an abuse of process. The case, which had previously seen a 2017 extradition request dismissed as an abuse of process, was set to continue for three days in the Irish High Court. Ian Bailey was convicted.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 14 July 2020, Sandro Teixeira, aged 30, was found guilty of assault causing harm after he slashed the face of Ismail Mustafa on the Luas on 22 January 2018. Teixeira, who lives on North Circular Road, was initially charged with assault causing serious harm but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge. The attack left Mustafa with a 10‑centimetre wound and a severed ear lobe, requiring plastic surgery and three days in hospital. Mustafa's victim impact statement described ongoing pain, sleeplessness and permanent disfigurement, and his fear of showing his face to family in Sudan. Gardaí identified Teixeira from Luas CCTV footage and he was arrested. Teixeira has six prior convictions in the UK, including a 2009 four‑year sentence for grievous bodily harm. He has no convictions in Ireland. The judge adjourned the case to Friday for sentencing and to determine whether Mustafa would accept a monetary settlement offered by Teixeira.
Gary Simpson, aged 32, pleaded guilty to robbery at Dublin's Jury's Inn on 25 March 2020. The hotel was closed due to the Covid‑19 epidemic and contained no money in its tills. Simpson entered the hotel, walked behind the reception counter holding a broken glass bottle, demanded the tills be opened and took a phone from a desk, returning it when asked. He left the premises voluntarily. Gardaí identified him quickly, aided by a description from hotel staff and the low footfall in the city at the time. Simpson had 155 prior convictions, including robbery, burglary and theft. The court described the offence as a "particularly pointless attempt at robbery" and noted the lack of violence and material gain. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to 21 months' imprisonment.
Aaron Brady, aged 29, pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe and to a robbery charge. During his trial he claimed he was a victim of media and Garda scrutiny, saying he was "ganged up" on after lying to Gardaí about his movements. Brady denied any role in the robbery that led to Donohoe's death, insisting his lies were only to conceal involvement in illegal diesel laundering. He admitted the first time the Director of Public Prosecutions learned of his alibi was in December of the previous year. Brady also disputed testimony from witnesses Molly Staunton and Daniel Cahill, calling Cahill a "psychopathic, pathological liar," and accused Sergeant John Moroney of lying. He maintained he was not involved in the shooting and that his statements were truthful under oath. The cross‑examination continued before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of six men and seven women.