Patrick Carter, of Coombe Court, Dublin city, was sentenced at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his part in a violent 2009 knife attack on Patrick Fowler. Carter pleaded guilty to assault causing harm but had previously failed to appear on his sentence date, fleeing to the UK where he was later imprisoned for aggravated burglary before being extradited to Ireland. The court heard that on April 19, 2009, Carter and Gerard Howe assaulted Fowler in a restaurant on Dame Street. Fowler alleged that Howe slashed his face with a blade, causing severe injuries including exposed facial muscles and a permanent scar. Carter admitted his role in the assault, stating he intervened to help a friend. Judge Martin Nolan rejected defense arguments that Carter had changed, noting he should not benefit from evading justice. Carter received a two-year prison sentence, with the final nine months suspended on conditions of good behaviour and payment of €2,000 to the victim. The sentence was backdated to June 19 of the previous year. Gerard Howe, who was jailed in 2013 for the same offence, was not present for this sentencing.
Regina Keogh, aged 42, was convicted of colluding with her brother, Jonathan Keogh, to murder Gareth Hutch. She received a life sentence from the Special Criminal Court in 2018. Jonathan Keogh, aged 34, was also sentenced to life for the deliberate and callous murder of Hutch on 24 May 2016. Thomas Fox, 32, was convicted and sentenced to life alongside the Keoghs. Keogh has appealed her conviction to the Court of Appeal and has been granted a hearing date of 14 December, expected to last half a day.
Former INLA member Dessie O'Hare, known as 'The Border Fox', is appealing a seven‑year sentence imposed by the Special Criminal Court for falsely imprisoning a family in South Dublin. O'Hare, 63, was convicted of assaulting John Roche on 9 June 2015 and of falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne, his wife and son, on the same date. He received a three‑year term for the assault and a ten‑year term with three years suspended for the false imprisonment, the sentences running concurrently. The Court of Appeal has scheduled his hearing for 14 December. O'Hare's barrister, Mark Lynam BL, confirmed the client's intention to attend. He has prior convictions, including a 40‑year sentence in 1988 for false imprisonment and assault of a dentist, and firearm offences. The appeal concerns the length of the sentence, not the conviction itself. The case remains at the appeal stage. Dessie O'Hare pleaded guilty. Border Fox pleaded guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 19‑year‑old woman was heard to have been sexually abused by her older brothers from age six to ten. One brother, now 26, was jailed for four years for six counts of sexual assault and one count of anally raping the girl over a five‑year period between 2007 and 2011. He admitted to assaulting her about three times a week while she was aged six to ten. The anal rape was a single isolated incident. Three other brothers faced charges; one case was dropped. The remaining two, aged 33 and 29, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault and one count of sexual exploitation respectively. Sentences of three‑and‑a‑half years and two years were previously handed down but deferred to January next year. The judge noted the victim's courage and lack of parental support, and highlighted the family's dysfunctional sexual dynamics.
Six women and five men, aged 26 to 77, pleaded not guilty to 36 charges of sexual abuse, exploitation and neglect of four children in County Limerick. The indictment lists 300 charges, including rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, child cruelty and neglect under Section 246 of the Children Act 2001, and failure to report alleged crimes to Gardaí. The alleged victims are two boys and two girls, with offences alleged to have occurred between June 2014 and August 2017 at various locations in the Limerick region. All defendants are on bail and cannot be named to protect the children's identities. A provisional trial date is set for early next year in Dublin, with the court hearing that most lawyers seek separate trials. The case is scheduled for hearing on 16 November by Mr Justice Paul McDermott.
In July 2020, a 24‑year‑old father of three, Devon Hennessey, was charged after he punched a man outside Blanchardstown District Court, prompting a volatile scene that required the assistance of 20 Gardaí to restrain him. Hennessey had previously pleaded guilty to violent disorder in November 2017 and had five prior road‑traffic convictions. At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Melanie Greally acknowledged that Hennessey's role was limited and that some provocation had occurred. She sentenced him to 18 months' imprisonment, suspended in full on conditions including 12 months' engagement with the Probation Service. The case highlighted the Gardaí's intervention and the defendant's claim that a comment about his disabled son had sparked the incident. The court noted no further hostility between the parties.
A 45-year-old man was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for sexual assault committed at a boy's home in May 2013. The defendant, who met the victim's mother through a dating website, initially denied the charge but pleaded guilty the day before his trial. Judge Melanie Greally, who had previously adjourned the case in February 2019 while placing the man on a 12-month probation bond, imposed a 12-month prison sentence today. This sentence was suspended in full on the condition that he keep the peace and be of good behaviour for 12 months. Additionally, the judge imposed a 10-year condition prohibiting unsupervised contact with children and barring him from the immediate vicinity of creches, schools, playgrounds, or other areas where children congregate. The judge warned that breaching either condition would result in the man being jailed for a year. The court heard that the man had two previous convictions for theft and had attended 44 psychotherapy sessions. While acknowledging the offence was in the lower range of sexual offending, the judge noted the serious impact on the victim, who is now 16, and his mother. The defence highlighted the defendant's remorse, history of depression and anxiety, and low risk of re-offending.
Aaron Brady, 29, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe and to a robbery of about €7,000 on 25 January 2013 at Lordship Credit Union, Co. Louth. In his first court appearance he denied killing the Garda, denied participation in the robbery, and denied ever admitting to killing the Garda. Brady said he was at a diesel‑laundering yard on Concession Road, Co. Armagh, at the time of the shooting and that he had lied to Gardaí about his movements to avoid implicating himself in diesel laundering. He described a prosecution witness, Daniel Cahill, as a "lying psychopath" and claimed Cahill had assaulted him on St. Patrick's Day 2015. Brady also said he had no involvement in stealing a Volkswagen Passat used in the robbery and that he was not at Lordship Credit Union that night. He admitted to lying to Gardaí after the shooting and again ten days later.
Sean Paul Farrell, a 32‑year‑old from Dublin, was wanted in Northern Ireland for an alleged attempted murder of a PSNI officer and possession of explosives at Eglinton, Co Derry, on 18 June 2015. He fled to the UK to avoid extradition, travelling to Scotland where he was arrested in May. A High Court hearing on 10 July 2020 addressed his extradition application. Mr Justice Paul Burns noted that a family member had posted a €25,000 bail surety and an additional €5,000, both forfeited after Farrell failed to appear for a court date. A bench warrant was issued on 2 March when he did not attend the High Court, leading to forfeiture of the bond and surety. Mr Justice Burns confirmed that Farrell is now in custody in Northern Ireland under a bench warrant for the attempted murder charge and will face trial in a Belfast court.
Conor McCormack, a 30‑year‑old apprentice carpenter, was severely brain‑injured after being punched in the jaw by Raul Pop, 25, during a night out on Dublin's O'Connell Street. Pop, along with Cosmin Sandor, 24, and Vladut Bindea, 21, were involved in a brawl that began after the trio had been drinking vodka at a nightclub. CCTV footage showed the attackers assaulting a homeless man and then following McCormack and his friends. Pop struck McCormack, who was knocked unconscious and hit the ground head‑first. McCormack suffered a life‑threatening brain injury, required surgery, spent 11 days in a coma, and now has lasting hearing loss, speech difficulties and physical weakness. In court, Pop pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm; Sandor and Bindea pleaded guilty to violent disorder. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Pop to five years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended, Sandor to two years, and Bindea to a suspended two‑year sentence.
A man has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison following a series of attempted car thefts in a Dublin housing estate while under the influence of crack cocaine. Thomas Cahill Donohue, aged 35, pleaded guilty to twelve charges including burglary, attempted robbery, criminal damage, unlawful use of a vehicle, threatening behaviour and assault on gardaí at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. On 25 October 2019, Donohue approached multiple residents in the Whitethorn Walk estate in Lusk, making threats and attempting to take their vehicles while holding his pet chihuahua. Residents reported that he made violent threats towards them. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the sentence on Thursday, noting that whilst Donohue expressed a desire to reform and seek drug treatment, the seriousness of his conduct and the trauma caused to civilians and gardaí necessitated custodial punishment. The judge stated that substance abuse was no defence. The sentence was backdated to 1 January last.
Patrick Harte, aged 78, was convicted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of 11 counts of indecent assault on seven pupils at Sancta Maria Christian Brothers primary school between September 1968 and September 1970. The trial heard that Harte repeatedly molested boys while subjecting them to severe corporal punishment and verbal abuse. Victims testified that he would call them to his desk for praise or correction, warn the class to keep their heads down, and fondle their genital areas. Harte denied the allegations, claiming the State had validated his teaching and that the prosecution was sectarian. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to a total of three years' imprisonment: two years for the first count, one year for the second, and one year for each of the remaining nine counts, all running concurrently. The sentence was imposed after Harte's repeated failure to attend earlier hearings and his subsequent hospitalization. Patrick Harte pleaded not guilty.
Patrick Harte, 78, former principal of Sancta Maria Christian Brothers primary school, was convicted in March 2020 of 11 counts of indecent assault on seven boys between 1968 and 1970. At his sentencing hearing, Harte denied the allegations, claiming the victims had a "vendetta" against him and that the state had "validated" his teaching. He said he would appeal to the High Court if the sentence was sectarian. The court heard that Harte repeatedly molested pupils in a class environment marked by severe corporal punishment and verbal abuse. Victims testified that he would call them to his desk for praise or correction, warn the class to look at their books, and fondle their genital areas. Harte's lawyers argued that the prosecution had not brought charges of child cruelty or physical abuse. The judge remanded Harte in custody and adjourned sentencing to the next day. Patrick Harte pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a judge praised a survivor of child sexual abuse for her courage in coming forward. Ms Jennifer Lydon McElwaine, who was aged six to eleven when abused, waived anonymity to name her father, Raymond McElwaine, who pleaded guilty to eight counts of indecent assault and sexual assault between 1988 and 1994. She described the lasting impact of the abuse, noting how her father's control and manipulation affected her and her mother, and how she felt unheard as a child. Ms Lydon McElwaine highlighted her father's lack of remorse and his attempts to manipulate her into silence. The judge acknowledged her early bravery and her ongoing concern for other children, and adjourned sentencing to allow a probation report while remanding her in custody until October 8, 2020. The hearing also covered the father's admissions during Garda interviews and the court's assessment of his low risk of re‑offending.
The prosecution concluded its evidence in the trial of Aaron Brady, who denies murdering Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe during a raid on a rural credit union. The trial, which began in January, was delayed by Covid‑19 lockdowns and resumed in May with social‑distancing measures and a reduced jury of 13. Brady, aged 28, pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Donohoe, who was on active duty on 25 January 2013 at Lordship Credit Union, Bellurgan, Co. Louth, and also pleaded not guilty to a charge of robbing approximately €7,000 in cash and cheques at the same location. On the final day of evidence, Detective Inspector Mark Phillips disclosed a report from the Yonkers Police Department concerning witness Daniel Cahill, who had testified that Brady had told him he shot a Garda on three occasions.
Stephen Fowler, 61, of Blakestown Cottages, Clonsilla, Dublin 15, was charged with involvement in the attempted murder of James 'Mago' Gately, a target of the Kinahan cartel. The offence, under Section 72(1A) of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, alleges that between 7 December 2016 and 6 April 2017, Fowler, knowing of a criminal organisation, participated in activities that would enable the murder of Gately. Gately was shot multiple times on 10 May 2017 at the Topaz filling station on Clonashaugh Road, Dublin 17. Fowler was arrested on 1 July 2020 at Blanchardstown Garda Station on a warrant. Despite objections from Garda Suzanne Lyons, Mr Justice Alexander Owens granted bail under Section 2 of the Bail Act, ordering a €20,000 bond, residence at his daughter's address, daily reporting to Blanchardstown Garda Station, and restrictions on travel and contact with co‑accused Peter Keating.
Barry McArdle, 34, of Drimnagh, was arrested in Galway on 1 July under a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) after a High Court decision earlier that year found a previous EAW invalid. McArdle had been sentenced in absentia by the Amsterdam Court of Appeal to 12 years and three months imprisonment for manslaughter in the death of Keith Ennis, 29, in 2017. He had previously served a two‑year sentence for disposing of Ennis's body and was acquitted of the stabbing in Rotterdam in 2009, though that acquittal was later overturned. At the bail hearing, Garda Detective Eoin Kane presented evidence that McArdle had 19 prior convictions, including possession of €1 million of diamorphine, and had previously failed to attend bail and court appointments. Mr Justice Paul Burns found McArdle a flight risk, rejected his bail application, and remanded him in custody until the full extradition hearing on 20 July.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Daryl Coyle, aged 30, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, for an unprovoked assault on Magdi Mustafa Rashid on South Richmond Street on 5 May 2015. Coyle, who had been intoxicated, used a broken pint glass to head‑butt Rashid, causing a broken nose and subsequent nasal problems. Rashid, aged 54, had been visiting a friend and was approached by Coyle and two other men who shouted at him before the attack. The court noted Rashid's ability to identify the attackers from a distance and the delayed Garda arrival. Coyle pleaded guilty after a trial date; he had 37 prior convictions, including two for assault. The judge emphasised that the sentence reflected Coyle's conduct, not his housing situation. The suspended portion is conditional on good behaviour for two years.
In the Central Criminal Court, Aaron Brady, aged 28, pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe and to the robbery of approximately €7,000 at Lordship Credit Union on 25 January 2013. Brady had earlier submitted an alibi notice claiming he was working at a diesel‑laundering yard on Concession Road, south Armagh, during the robbery. The court heard that Brady had called a known fuel launderer at 19:55 on the night of the robbery, a call that passed through a mast in Northern Ireland, and that Garda investigations found no CCTV evidence of the BMW he claimed to have used. Brady's alibi was not questioned because he is also a suspect in the robbery. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael White with a jury of thirteen.
During the trial of Aaron Brady for the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, Judge Michael White warned the jury to treat with caution the testimony of witness Molly Staunton, who gave evidence from her New York apartment via video link. The judge explained that the court had originally intended for her to travel to Dublin, but pandemic restrictions led to the decision to allow remote testimony. He noted that Staunton was not independently supervised and that a basic risk assessment was not carried out. The interruption of her testimony by a friend or boyfriend was described by the judge as "improper and regrettable," and he apologized for the incident. The judge said he would issue a warning to the jury to exercise caution when evaluating Staunton's evidence. Aaron Brady pleaded not guilty. Adrian Donohoe pleaded not guilty.
The Court of Appeal has ruled that the 17‑year‑old who attempted to murder Stephanie Ng must be re‑sentenced before his 18th birthday to avoid unknown legal implications. The Central Criminal Court had originally sentenced him to 11 years' detention with a review after five years, but the State appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal agreed, noting the premeditated nature of the offence and the high end of the spectrum for attempted murder. The case was adjourned to the end of the month to allow an up‑to‑date psychiatric report. Justice George Birmingham granted the boy a physical hearing on 28 July, stating it was highly desirable to proceed before he turns 18. The boy, who met Ng on the Whisper app and pretended to be 19, lured her to an isolated area, choked her, and slashed her neck with a knife.
Patrick Harte, 78, a former school teacher, was due to be sentenced in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for indecent assault of seven primary school boys at Synge Street between 1968 and 1970. He had been convicted in March of the previous year on eleven counts. Harte, who is on bail, did not attend the sentencing hearing; his defence lawyer, Patrick Gageby SC, submitted medical documents on his behalf, citing diabetes, chronic heart disease and the risk of COVID‑19 for someone over 70. Gageby requested a two‑month adjournment, arguing that Harte should not be compelled to attend court during the pandemic. Prosecutor Anne Rowland SC opposed the application, noting that five victims were present and that the case required finality. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged Harte's health but ruled that the sentence must proceed, adjourned the hearing to the next day and scheduled it for 4 pm, when the court building would be relatively empty. Harte denied the allegations.
The Central Criminal Court will resume jury trials from the end of August across multiple venues in an effort to address the significant backlog of cases suspended during coronavirus lockdown restrictions. Mr Justice Paul McDermott announced that trials will be listed in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, and Castlebar, with Dublin and Cork hosting proceedings for five weeks from August 31st, while the other locations will accommodate trials for shorter periods. Two pilot trials are scheduled to commence in Dublin on July 20th to test safety protocols and social distancing measures. Justice McDermott acknowledged that although resumption of trials represents progress, the capacity will address only approximately 25 per cent of adjourned cases. He noted the impact on complainants, families, and bereaved persons, as well as the continued custody status of numerous accused persons awaiting trial. Courts were adapted with screens and safety measures to facilitate jury proceedings while maintaining public health requirements.
Alan O'Brien, aged 39, with an address at Shelmalier Road, East Wall, Dublin 3, appeared before the Special Criminal Court on July 6th, 2020 to seek dismissal of charges relating to the false imprisonment and assault of Kevin Lunney. Mr Lunney was allegedly abducted near his home in County Fermanagh on September 17th, 2019, and subjected to serious harm during an ordeal lasting approximately two and a half hours before being left on a roadside in County Cavan. Mr O'Brien's application under Section 4E of the Criminal Justice Act 1999 was adjourned, with the hearing scheduled for July 29th. He was remanded in custody pending that date. Three co-accused face identical charges. Luke O'Reilly and Darren Redmond, who were granted High Court bail in April, had their case also mentioned. Trial of all four defendants was set for January 11th, 2021.
The Court of Appeal quashed a man's conviction for sexual assault and ordered a retrial after discovering that one of the jurors who found him guilty was related to the victim in a separate defilement case. The man had previously pleaded guilty to defiling a child and was serving that sentence when he was tried for sexual assault at a circuit criminal court. The jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict. After the trial, relatives of the defendant informed his legal team that a juror was a relative of the child‑defilement victim. The judge instructed the Gardaí to investigate, and they confirmed the relationship. The defendant's legal team appealed, arguing that the conviction was unsafe and that he was entitled to an unbiased jury. The State did not oppose the appeal.
A retired detective inspector giving evidence at the Central Criminal Court rejected claims that the garda investigation into the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was compromised by inadequate follow-up on key leads. The officer, who oversaw part of the inquiry, disputed suggestions of tunnel vision in the investigation. Aaron Brady, aged 28, from New Road, Crossmaglen, County Armagh, has pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Detective Garda Donohoe on 25 January 2013 at Lordship Credit Union, Bellurgan, County Louth, and to robbery of approximately €7,000 in cash and cheques on the same date and location. During cross-examination, the defence counsel questioned why gardai had not pursued certain lines of inquiry relating to alleged fuel laundering activities and phone records showing contact between Mr Brady and known diesel launderers on the day of the shooting. The retired inspector maintained that the murder investigation took precedence and that gardai had properly investigated the capital crime for which Mr Brady stands charged. The trial continues.
The Court of Appeal has increased the sentence of a 39-year-old man who pleaded guilty to multiple counts of rape, sexual assault, and sexual exploitation of his eight-year-old niece. The offences, which occurred between November 2018 and January 2019, involved grooming and were described by the court as heinous, cold, and premeditated. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed against the original eight-year effective custodial term, arguing it was unduly lenient for abuse of the most depraved kind. The man's counsel argued that his surrender to gardai at Dublin Airport and lack of physical violence warranted the original discretion. Justice Kennedy, sitting with Justices Birmingham and McCarthy, found that the sentencing judge had erred. The court quashed the previous sentence, determining that the appropriate starting point was 15 years. However, considering mitigation factors including his guilty plea, remorse, and previous good character, the court reduced the total sentence to 10 years. Unlike the previous ruling, no portion of this sentence was suspended. The court also ordered five years of post-release supervision. The matter was concluded with this finalised appellate decision.
James McDonagh, aged 33, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to two counts of attempted robbery and one count of assault causing harm. On 15 March 2020, while intoxicated, he approached two women returning from IKEA, claiming his girlfriend had coronavirus, and attempted to steal handbags, kicking and punching when they resisted. A third woman intervened, leading McDonagh to target her handbag; both women fell and the incident was recorded. Later that day he assaulted Patrick Sylvester, punching him and throwing a traffic cone. McDonagh admitted drinking that day and cited prior alcohol problems. He has 55 previous convictions, including assault and public order offences, and has two children. Judge Martin Nolan emphasised that McDonagh should stop drinking if he wishes to reform. The court imposed the two-and-a-half year custodial sentence.
Deborah Malcolmson, 43, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for stabbing her former partner, Brian Kelly, 56, in their home on 29 July 2019, an act that left him seriously injured and requiring a colostomy bag. The court heard that the couple had a "dysfunctional" and "combustible" relationship, with both experiencing alcohol problems and periods of homelessness. Malcolmson also pleaded guilty to threatening Kelly's son and assaulting Kelly in St James Hospital on 11 September 2019, when she swung a punch at him while he was receiving treatment. The judge noted her long‑term alcohol difficulties and her early guilty plea, but imposed the sentence without a medical report that might have elevated the charge. She has 52 prior convictions and was living without a fixed abode at the time of sentencing. The court considered her history of violence and alcohol issues but did not alter the three‑year term.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 2 July 2020, retired Detective Inspector Pat Marry testified that Aaron Brady's account of his whereabouts on the night of 25 January 2013 was false. Marry said he did not believe Brady was at a diesel‑laundering yard on Concession Road, Co. Armagh, but that he was at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co. Louth, where Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was shot. Brady, aged 28, had pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Donohoe and to a robbery of about €7,000 at the same location. Marry described the extensive CCTV analysis, phone‑traffic checks and witness statements that led him to conclude Brady's story was "bunkum and lies." The cross‑examination was set to continue before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury.
A County Mayo man has failed in his appeal against a seven-year prison sentence imposed for the sexual abuse of three sisters over an eighteen-year period. The 65-year-old, whose identity is protected to safeguard the victims' anonymity, was convicted in October 2017 by jury at Mayo Circuit Criminal Court on nineteen counts of indecent assault against one sister and one count each against her two siblings. The abuse began in 1976 when the victims were aged between nine and twelve years old, with the final incident occurring in 1994. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Justice John Edwards, had previously upheld the conviction. In today's ruling on the sentence appeal, the court found the seven-year concurrent sentence was both just and appropriate, adequately reflecting the gravity of the offending. The judges expressed satisfaction that no error had been made in sentencing and dismissed the appeal.
In a Court of Appeal hearing, the sentence of 11 years' detention imposed on a 15‑year‑old who attempted to murder a 25‑year‑old woman was found to be too lenient. The teenager, who met the victim on the Whisper app and pretended to be 19, lured her to an isolated spot on the Sea Front, Queen's Road, Dun Laoghaire, where he choked her and slashed her neck with a knife. He was convicted in November 2019 and has been in custody since December 2017, with a review set for 1 January 2023. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed on the grounds of 'unduly leniency', arguing that the five‑year review did not reflect the gravity of the offence. The Court of Appeal concluded that the sentence was inadequate and that the offence, with its planning and premeditation, should be seen at the high end of the attempted‑murder spectrum.
Two men, Peter Keating, 39, of Rowlagh Green, Clondalkin, and Stephen Fowler, 61, of Blakestown Cottages, Clonsilla, were charged at the Special Criminal Court on 1 July 2020 with involvement in the attempted murder of James 'Mago' Gately, a target of the Kinahan cartel. Gately was shot multiple times while seated in his car at the Topaz filling station on Clonashaugh Road, Dublin 17, on 10 May 2017. The charges, under Section 72(1A) of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, allege that between 7 December 2016 and 6 April 2017, both men, knowing of a criminal organisation, participated in or contributed to activities connected with the murder of Gately, thereby enhancing the organisation's ability to commit serious offences. Keating is also charged under Section 71 of the Act with directing the activities of a criminal organisation between 7 December 2016 and 4 April 2017, both within and outside the State.
In July 2020, Gerard Griffin, aged 63, was remanded in custody after a series of violent incidents involving chef Bilal Ahmed at the Chicken Hut on Clanbrassil Street. Griffin had previously damaged the restaurant in 2017 with a hockey stick, smashing glass counters, displays, and CCTV cameras, and had assaulted Ahmed. In February 2020, while Ahmed was waiting outside the restaurant, Griffin stabbed him in the right hand with a kitchen knife. Griffin also inflicted a superficial wound on his own throat with a Stanley blade during a confrontation with Gardaí, who described a "siege" in his apartment where he threatened to pour boiling water and use booby traps. He pleaded guilty to assault, criminal damage, and threats of serious harm. The court remanded him pending sentencing, with a judge noting his history of 30 prior convictions and alleged mental collapse. The chef remains injured, suffering stiffness and pain in his right arm.
Larry McCarthy Jr., 43, of Tower Lodge, Old Cork Road, Limerick, was denied bail by the Special Criminal Court on 1 July 2020. He is charged with providing a vehicle to the McCarthy‑Dundon gang for the attempted murder of Christy Keane at the University of Limerick car park on 29 June 2015. The court heard that the State, represented by State barrister Ms Anne‑Marie Lawlor SC, objected to bail on the grounds that McCarthy could commit a serious offence while on bail, was a flight risk, and might interfere with witnesses. Garda evidence from Detective Garda Donnacha Coakley and Chief Superintendent Gerard Roche cited Sections 2 and 2(A) of the Bail Act. Judge Mr Justice Alexander Owens refused bail and remanded McCarthy in custody until 14 September. Two co‑accused, Noel Price, 42, and John Costello, 39, were also remanded to the same date.
In the Special Criminal Court, David Hunter, 41, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael Barr, 35, at the Sunset House pub in Dublin on 25 April 2016. Hunter, who was in Dublin with his ex‑girlfriend Jordanna Kiely and a friend, Stacy Franey, claimed he met the two women at a Travelodge in Swords at 9 pm. Kiely testified that the trio had spent the week drinking and taking drugs, and that on the day of the shooting they went shopping and later went to Temple Bar. Franey said the night was "blurry" and that the group was "hostile" during the shopping trip. The court heard that two men in rubber masks entered the pub around 9 pm and shot Barr seven times. The case is ongoing and is expected to last four to five weeks.
In September 2015 a low‑level drug dealer, Ciarán Murphy (29), was stabbed 16 times and set on fire at his home in Coolcor, Offaly, after his ex‑girlfriend spread a false rumour that he was a Garda informant. Murphy suffered 96 % burns from the neck down, multiple stab wounds including to the heart cavity, and lost both ears. He was treated at Tullamore Regional Hospital and later St James's Hospital, Dublin, undergoing several emergency surgeries and skin grafts. David Keena (21) was remanded in custody after admitting he was present when Shaun Groome (31) stabbed Murphy and poured petrol over him. Keena pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and criminal damage by arson. Groome had been charged with assault causing serious harm in November 2015, but no prosecution has yet taken place. The case was adjourned to 28 July 2020 for sentencing.
Michael Corbett, aged 30, was released in July 2018 after serving less than three years of a nine‑year sentence for an attempted murder of a 17‑year‑old at the Hellfire Club on Dublin's Montpelier Hill. The final six years of his sentence were suspended because he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia at the time of the attack. In October 2016, while an in‑patient at the Central Mental Hospital, Corbett tried to strangle nurse Declan Curtin with a sock; he pleaded guilty to assaulting Curtin and was sentenced to five years, with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended for 15 years on strict conditions, including supervision by the Probation Service and residence at an approved address. Corbett remains in custody in relation to the Dublin Circuit Court matter and is due for release in August.
Aaron Brady, aged 28, was arrested in February 2018 on suspicion of the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, who was killed on 25 January 2013 at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co. Louth. The Central Criminal Court heard that Brady denied any confession to the murder, even after a statement by Molly Staunton was played to him. In interviews at Dundalk Garda Station, Brady repeatedly denied involvement and any voluntary confession. He also denied a charge of robbing approximately €7,000 in cash and cheques on the same date and location. The prosecution, led by Dean Kelly BL, is expected to finish its case this Friday, with the trial entering its final stages. The case is before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of six men and seven women.
A 60‑year‑old Galway man was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for two counts of indecent assault and two counts of rape of his cousin, who was aged seven to nine at the time, between 1982 and 1984. The victim, who was also the man's goddaughter, was a child when the offences occurred. The judge described the conduct as a serious abuse of trust and imposed a ten‑year term, suspending the final year on conditions. The man, now married with adult children, denies the verdicts and maintains his innocence. The victim gave a dignified impact statement, describing the abuse, her fear, and the relief of revealing the truth in 2016. The case was heard in the Central Criminal Court, with the judge thanking the victim for her statement and the jury for their verdicts. The man has no prior convictions and has been in custody since February. The court noted the pandemic has made prison conditions more difficult. The unnamed 60-year-old was found guilty.
Maura Thornton, 38, from Inverin, Connemara, was sentenced in 2013 to ten years' imprisonment for the manslaughter of her former partner Kevin Joyce, 59, who was stabbed 18 times outside her Salthill apartment on 3 July 2011. Three years of her sentence were suspended on the condition that she address her alcohol problems. In 2020 the Central Criminal Court heard that Thornton had breached this condition by returning to drinking, a relapse she attributed in part to isolation during the Covid‑19 pandemic. She was admitted to hospital on 10 June for detoxification and had been sober for 19 days, taking alcohol deterrent medication, anti‑depressants and other drugs. Her probation officer had urged her to attend a residential treatment centre, which she agreed to, and the case was adjourned to 7 October for a progress update. The court noted that Thornton had recognised her problem and was taking steps to address it.
The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal of a 46‑year‑old man who had been jailed for defilement, sexual exploitation of a child and three counts of sexual assault against his partner's 13‑year‑old daughter. He had pleaded guilty to the offences, which occurred between September 2014 and August 2015, and had six prior convictions, including a 1993 sexual assault. The Central Criminal Court had heard that he was in a relationship with the girl's mother at the time of the abuse. The girl, who was not named to protect her identity, testified that she had initially seen the man as a father figure but that he began kissing her, sending sexualised text messages and escalating the abuse. She described feeling love and trust, then sadness and isolation, and ultimately declared herself a survivor.
Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced four individuals at the Central Criminal Court for their roles in the murder and concealment of Patricia O'Connor. Augustine 'Gus' O'Connor, who pleaded guilty to reporting his wife as missing while knowing she was dead, was sentenced to 18 months in prison. The judge described his actions as a betrayal of his wife and son. Louise O'Connor, found guilty of acquiescing in her daughter Stephanie disguising herself as the deceased to conceal the murder, received a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence. Stephanie O'Connor, found guilty of disguising herself as her grandmother, was jailed for one-and-a-half years. Keith Johnston, found guilty of assisting Kieran Greene in purchasing implements used to conceal the remains, was sentenced to three years. Mr Justice McDermott noted that Greene, who was separately sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder, had changed his account of the killing. The judge emphasized that the defendants' efforts to conceal the crime were elaborate and callous, noting that no attempt was made to seek emergency assistance. The sentences reflect the distinct culpability of each defendant, with the judge highlighting Louise O'Connor's dominant role in the household and Keith Johnston's intent to ensure the remains were never found.
The family of Patricia O'Connor, described as a kind and loving grandmother, gathered outside the Criminal Courts of Justice on 26 June 2020 to react to the sentencing of those involved in her murder and its cover‑up. Her son Richard O'Connor thanked the Gardaí, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the jury, the defence and all who secured guilty verdicts. He also thanked those who found his mother's remains in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains and reported them. Richard said his mother had many years left to live, cruelly taken from her, and that the sentences given were not enough, but no length of time could fully compensate for the crimes. He asked for privacy as the family seeks to heal. His father Augustine 'Gus' O'Connor (76), sister Louise O'Connor (41) and niece Stephanie O'Connor (22) were each jailed for their part in the cover‑up.
Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced three individuals for their roles in covering up the murder of Patricia O'Connor. The court found Stephanie O'Connor (22) guilty of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Kieran Greene. She was sentenced to two years in prison, with the final six months suspended. Her mother, Louise O'Connor (41), was also found guilty of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Greene and sentenced to three years in prison, with the final six months suspended. Family friend Keith Johnston (43) of Tallaght, Dublin 24, was found guilty of the same charge and sentenced to three years in prison. The judge described the victim as a person whose life and future were ended by Kieran Greene. Earlier this week, Kieran Greene (35) was sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering the retired grandmother in her Rathfarnham home on May 29, 2017. Additionally, the deceased's husband, Augustine 'Gus' O'Connor, was sentenced to 18 months for reporting his wife as a missing person when he knew she was already dead. The sentences for the three cover-up participants total seven years.
In a drunken brawl on 24 April 2018, Natalie Mulligan (33), Mark Connolly (25) and Stephen McNamee (25) pleaded guilty to three assault‑causing‑harm charges after a derogatory remark about Mulligan's weight triggered a fight. The incident began when Paul O'Kelly, a graphic designer, was denied entry to a pub in Rathmines. O'Kelly approached Mulligan, who was eating a kebab, and made a comment about her weight. A confrontation ensued, involving members of a local GAA club. The trio then attacked O'Kelly in the car park of Rathmines Garda Station, punching and kicking him while he lay on the ground. CCTV footage showed the assault, leading to the defendants' remorse and acceptance of responsibility. O'Kelly suffered nerve damage to his thumb, required surgery, and has undergone counselling. Sentencing was adjourned to October, with the court awaiting the victim's wishes regarding restitution. The defendants had no prior convictions and expressed genuine remorse. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
Jamie McMahon, 19, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and to making threats to kill or cause serious harm on 23 October 2018. The attacks occurred at Snugboro Road Extension and West Way View, where he repeatedly punched and bit his foster mother, Anne Hogan, and threatened to kill her. McMahon had been in Hogan's care since infancy and had no prior convictions. The court, hearing Hogan's letter urging the court not to incarcerate him, imposed a fully suspended three‑year sentence on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation and limited, mediated contact with the victim. He remains in a residential care centre following the offence. The judge described the assault as very serious and noted Hogan's long‑term care of McMahon.
An alleged IRA member, Seamus Marley, aged 46, was convicted of raping two teenage boys in County Louth in the early 1990s. A Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty on six counts of sexual assault and two counts of rape after a six‑day trial in May 2019, and he was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Paul McDermott. Marley has now applied to the Court of Appeal for an extension of time to lodge an appeal, arguing that he was unaware of the 28‑day deadline and had misunderstood the need to appeal both the conviction and the sentence. He was held in 23‑hour lock‑up during his initial custody due to severe verbal abuse from other prisoners, who targeted him because of his alleged IRA membership and his conviction as a child rapist. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on the application.
The trial of Aaron Brady, 28, from Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury. Brady has pleaded not guilty to the alleged capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, who was on active duty, and the alleged robbery of approximately €7,000 in cash and cheques. Both incidents are alleged to have occurred on January 25, 2013, at Lordship Credit Union, Bellurgan, Co Louth. Witness Daniel Cahill, 28, testified from New York, stating he provided evidence to seek justice for Donohoe's family. Cahill denied fears of US detention and alleged that Homeland Security agents searched his home previously while looking for Dean Evans, who was later jailed for life for the murder of Peter Butterly in Co Meath. During cross-examination, Cahill denied assaulting Brady or stealing his telephone in 2015. The prosecution and defence continue to examine the witness's credibility and recollections. The matter remains at the trial stage, with no final verdict or sentence recorded in this report.
A 53‑year‑old man lost his appeal against convictions for indecent assault on his younger sisters in the 1980s, but secured a reduction of his prison term by one year. He had pleaded not guilty to five counts against one sister, aged 11 or 12, when he was 14 or 15, and denied one count against his other sister, aged 12 or 13, when he was 18 or 19. The trial before the Circuit Criminal Court in Tipperary resulted in a guilty verdict and a sentence of five and a half years, with the final two years suspended. In the appeal, his barrister argued that the judge erred by admitting the appellant's 'no comment' answers to Gardaí, claiming this violated his right to silence and created an impression of evasiveness. The State countered that the interview had been edited to exclude such answers before the jury. The unnamed 53-year-old was found guilty.