In a 2020 hearing, Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Garda Sean Lucey, 42, to a fully suspended one‑year prison term for assaulting RTÉ cameraman Colm Hand during anti‑racism protests in Dublin in February 2016. Lucey struck Hand's camera with his baton and then hit him in the groin, causing significant bruising and pain. Hand's victim impact statement described sleeplessness, worry and stress, noting the incident shattered his confidence. Judge Greally rejected Lucey's claim that the assault was an error of judgement, stating his regret fell short of an apology and that a donation to a charity was an unsuitable gesture of remorse. She cited Lucey's clean record and lack of prior offences, viewing the act as an aberration, and therefore suspended the sentence. The conviction was for assault causing harm; Lucey was acquitted of criminal damage. The case highlighted the need for restraint and self‑control in public order situations. Sean Lucey pleaded not guilty.
Eamon Harrison, a 22-year-old from Mayobridge, Co Down, has secured a date to appeal his pending extradition to the UK. The Court of Appeal fixed May 7 for the hearing of his legal challenge, which was granted on grounds that the case raised issues in law. Harrison is wanted to face 39 counts of manslaughter, conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration, and conspiracy to commit human trafficking. He is alleged to have delivered the refrigerated trailer in which 39 migrants were found dead in Essex on October 23, 2019. The High Court previously ordered his extradition in January, noting allegations that he was involved in transporting illegal migrants on two prior occasions in October 2019, using the same trailer for the fatal journey. The judge also cited allegations that Harrison was stopped in France in 2018 driving a trailer containing 18 Vietnamese migrants. While the source text mentions Maurice Robinson, a 25-year-old from Craigavon, Co Armagh, who was arrested at the scene and admitted conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and acquiring criminal property, the validated procedural stage for this report is the appeal concerning Harrison. Harrison was not present in court for the case management procedure. The matter remains at the appeal stage, with the hearing scheduled for May 7.
The trial of a 29‑year‑old man accused of 23 counts of sexual assault against four girls at a Leinster crèche is ongoing. On day 12 of the trial, the jury viewed a video interview with the fourth complainant, who was six at the time of the alleged incidents. She described the accused touching her outside and then inside her tights, feeling "happy" during the contact. She also reported seeing the accused touch another girl in the book corner and feeling "a bit afraid" during the Garda interview. The complainant's mother testified that her daughter had complained in 2015 about the accused twisting and pinching her, and that the accused had disappeared for a period. The mother also recalled a December 2016 Garda call about a staff member incident. The trial continues before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury. No parties are named to protect complainants' identities.
A man has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter following the death of his wife at their home in Crozon Park, Sligo, between 29 April and 1 May 2018. Rafal Karaczyn (34) denied to gardaí that he killed his wife because he was angry and jealous, the Central Criminal Court heard. The Acting State Pathologist gave evidence that the deceased, aged 30, died from asphyxia due to external pressure on the neck and that death was not instantaneous. Bruising on her left forearm may have been defensive injuries. The court heard that the accused initially denied involvement during his first four interviews with gardaí, later providing an account of discovering his wife in a distressed state and subsequently transporting and concealing her body. The trial continues.
Samantha Irwin, 36, was convicted of robbing a shop in Dublin on 20 September 2018, stealing €55 from a shop assistant while armed with a syringe. A bloodstained note found in her pocket, containing numbers for out‑of‑hours homeless accommodation, was identified by CCTV and matched to her DNA. She pleaded guilty to robbery and to possession of two shotgun cartridges found in her accommodation in April 2019. The court, hearing that she had no history of violence and was in a severe addiction episode, imposed a headline sentence of seven and a half years but reduced it to five and a half years with the final 18 months suspended. Conditions include residential drug treatment. She also received a nine‑month term for the cartridge offence, to run concurrently with the robbery sentence. The judge noted her remorse, drug‑free status, and steps taken in rehabilitation.
Daniel Wildes, 32, was convicted of assault after he violently attacked his former partner, Natasha Cummins, on 1 April 2018. The incident involved grabbing Cummins by the hair, throwing her around, kicking her, and threatening her with an electric razor. He was found guilty of assault but not guilty of false imprisonment or a threat to kill. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, suspending the final year on the condition that he keep the peace and be of good behaviour. The suspended year also required Wildes to stay away from Cummins and avoid any contact, directly or indirectly, for 30 years. Wildes' lawyers appealed, arguing that the 30‑year stay‑away period was unworkable and arbitrary, and that it did not consider the children's future needs. The Court of Appeal will decide whether to uphold or modify the stay‑away order. Wildes has 40 prior convictions, including assault and violent disorder.
In March 2020 the Court of Appeal upheld a June 2019 decision that allowed the media to publish the name of Joseph Carey, 63, who was convicted of sexually assaulting a 13‑year‑old babysitter in August 2001. Carey, who lived in St Ronan's Green, Clondalkin, denied the assault and had previously apologized, but the apology was later denied. He was found guilty by a jury and sentenced to two‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with the final four months suspended. The appeal against the sentence was dismissed by a three‑judge panel, which found no error in principle. The court noted that the victim had lived near Carey for over a decade after the assault and that the offence involved a breach of trust, as the victim considered him an uncle and his home a safe place. The ruling also clarified that the victim's anonymity could not be protected by law, allowing his identity to be published.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, the parents of a seven‑year‑old girl alleged to have been sexually assaulted by a creche worker testified that they did not believe their daughter had been abused when she expressed discomfort with the worker's touch. The father recounted that the girl first told him on the August Bank holiday weekend of 2016 that the worker had put his hand on her groin area and that she felt it was inappropriate. He said he and his wife raised the matter with the creche manager, who agreed it was unsuitable for children to sit on a worker's knee and promised to inform staff. The parents reported the incident to the creche and monitored their daughter daily, noting a change in staff behaviour. The case involves a 29‑year‑old man accused of 23 counts of sexual assault against four girls between February 2015 and December 2016, which he denies.
Paula Farrell, 47, of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the unlawful killing of Wayne 'Quilly' McQuillan, 30, on New Year's Day 2014. The prosecution, represented by Gerard Clarke SC, described a drunken argument that led Farrell to stab McQuillan four times with a kitchen knife. Three wounds were not fatal; one struck at a 45‑degree angle through the left shoulder, cutting a vein and the left lung, causing massive internal and external bleeding. McQuillan was found bleeding to death in Farrell's home, and she allegedly told onlookers not to call an ambulance, saying he was fine. Gardaí found the knife in the sink and noted attempts to wipe up blood. McQuillan was taken to hospital, suffered cardiac arrest en route, was resuscitated, then died after a second arrest during a CT scan.
In a sexual assault trial, an eight‑year‑old girl testified that a 29‑year‑old creche care worker touched her privates and the privates of two other girls in the same manner. She said she first reported the incidents to her parents in August 2016, after which the worker stopped touching her and the other girls. The worker is charged with 23 counts of sexual assault against four girls between February 2015 and December 2016. He denies the charges. The child's interview, lasting about an hour, was conducted by Garda specialists who used conversational hooks to steer the child toward the allegations. The trial is proceeding before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury of twelve. No parties are named to protect the complainants' identities.
In 2011, two armed men robbed Lordship Credit Union in Co Louth, taking €22,500 in cash and €35,000 in cheques from a bag left by volunteer chairman John Kenwright. The robbers, who drove a car with yellow Northern Irish plates, used a sawn‑off shotgun and a firearm to threaten Kenwright and smash his car's passenger side window. They fled within 23 seconds. In 2013, Aaron Brady (29) pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe (41), who was to escort Kenwright to an AIB bank in Dundalk. Brady also pleaded not guilty to a robbery charge for the same day and location. The Central Criminal Court heard the details, noting that Donohoe was scheduled to escort Kenwright and that the robbery car was later found burnt out near the border. The case was presented to a jury of seven men and seven women, with legal matters to be addressed in the defendant's absence.
A man on trial for murder told gardaí at Ballymote Garda Station in County Sligo to search for CCTV footage of a six-foot man with red hair, whom he claimed had threatened him with a gun weeks before his wife disappeared. The Central Criminal Court heard evidence from four interviews conducted with the accused on April 30th and May 1st, 2018. Rafal Karaczyn, aged 34, of Crozon Park, Sligo, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of his wife Natalia, aged 30, at their family home between April 29th and May 1st, 2018. The jury previously heard that on May 2nd, 2018, the accused told his sister-in-law he had strangled his wife. CCTV footage showed him moving her silver Peugeot car early on April 29th and driving towards Holywell Road. A former employer described him as gentle and mild-mannered. The trial continues.
Eamonn Cumberton, a 32-year-old man from Mountjoy Street, Dublin 7, has had his appeal against a life sentence for the 2016 murder of Michael Barr adjourned. Cumberton was convicted by the Special Criminal Court of the deliberate and planned execution of Mr Barr at the Sunset House pub, where he was shot seven times by a masked gunman. The court found Cumberton's DNA on a baseball cap and rubber mask recovered from a getaway car, and relied on circumstantial evidence regarding his unusual travel attempts to Thailand and his failure to answer police questions. Although Cumberton denied the murder, he was jailed for life on January 29, 2018. In his current appeal, his counsel argued that the trial court erred in drawing inferences from his silence and mishandled DNA evidence, suggesting cross-contamination. The prosecution countered that the evidence strongly linked Cumberton to the crime scene and that his travel behavior indicated an intent to flee. The Court of Criminal Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice John Edwards with Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, reserved its judgment. Consequently, the matter was adjourned, and Cumberton must wait to hear the outcome of his appeal against his conviction.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Garda Ciara Holmes gave evidence about her interview of a six‑year‑old girl who was a victim of alleged sexual assault by a childcare worker. Holmes explained that the child declined a recorded interview on 22 December 2016 but was interviewed on 4 January 2017 after a visit to her home on 29 December. She said she met the child and her parents, reassured the child that she had done nothing wrong, and noted the child's body language. Holmes denied that the investigation was a "box‑ticking charade" and said she would have informed the parents if the child had expressed fear or reluctance to talk. She also rejected the defence's claim that the decision‑making log was merely a form‑filling exercise, stating that it reflected the child's willingness to speak. The trial continues before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury of twelve. The unnamed 29-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A garda has testified at the Central Criminal Court that he discovered the body of a woman in a forested area off the Holywell Road near Ballymote, County Sligo, after being directed there by the accused man. Garda James Kenneally told the court that on the afternoon of May 1st, 2018, he located the partially concealed remains in dense woodland following specific directions from the defendant. Rafal Karaczyn, aged 34, of Crozon Park, Sligo, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of his wife, Natalia Karaczyn, aged 30, at their home between April 29th and May 1st, 2018. The garda also described earlier observations at the family home, including a washing machine containing dark shoes and the defendant's apparent anxiety when asked to contact his wife. Upon arrest on suspicion of murder, Karaczyn replied to caution by questioning what proof existed. The trial at the Central Criminal Court continues.
Dean Howe, 34, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court for conspiring to murder Gary Hanley. Mr Justice Tony Hunt described Howe as occupying a supervisory role in the plot, acting as a conduit for orders from higher up the chain of command. Howe pleaded guilty in December to conspiring with others to murder Mr Hanley between September 15 and November 6, 2017. The judge noted that while Howe's active contribution ceased five hours before the intended attack, he remained part of the conspiracy until the end. The headline sentence was eight years and six months, reduced to six years and six months due to his early guilty plea and low-level previous convictions. The final six months were suspended contingent on his engagement in prison. The sentence was backdated to May 30, 2019. This follows previous sentences for Luke Wilson, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy and unlawful possession of a Beretta and was jailed for 11 years; Alan Wilson, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy and received six years; and Joseph Kelly, who admitted conspiracy and a weapons charge and was jailed for 12 years. Liam Brannigan, also convicted of conspiracy, is due to be sentenced on March 23.
A 55‑year‑old Munster man was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Paul McDermott at the Central Criminal Court. He pleaded guilty to eight counts of indecent assault and three counts of rape of his younger sister between 1978 and 1987, and was found guilty of 16 counts of anally raping his wife between 2003 and 2007. He denied the rape of his wife. The judge described the abuse of his sister as humiliating, degrading and brutal, and the abuse of his wife as calculated, cynical and vicious, noting the man's callous indifference to her emotional welfare. The sentence comprised seven years for the sister offences and six years for the wife offences, to run consecutively, with a three‑year post‑release supervision order and a prohibition on any contact with the victims.
A Dublin man, Anthony McNamara, aged 27, received a five‑and‑a‑half‑year prison sentence for taking part in an "animalistic" attack on a family home in Ardmore Park, Tallaght, on 9 October 2018. The gang, about ten men, most wearing balaclavas and hoods, broke a wooden fence and smashed the house's front window, with McNamara armed with a machete. He also threw a child's scooter at a female resident, who was struck on the head and later could not open her mouth for eight months. The court found McNamara guilty of violent disorder, possession of a machete during a dispute and criminal damage. Judge Pauline Codd noted the violence continued after the homeowners retreated, and she suspended the final six months of the sentence on the condition he keep the peace. The sentence runs concurrently with a three‑year term imposed in December 2018 for a separate assault, both back‑dated to October 2018.
At the Central Criminal Court in Dublin, a jury heard evidence regarding the movements of a woman on the morning she died. CCTV footage showed the 30-year-old returning to her home in Crozon Park, Sligo at 6.23am on 29 April 2018 following a night out. Nearly two hours later, her husband sent a text to her phone asking "where are you?", the court heard. Garda evidence placed the defendant in a silver Peugeot at the time of the message, with footage tracking his movements that morning, including driving up the side of the house and later towards Holywell Road before returning home. Rafal Karaczyn, aged 34, of Crozon Park, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. A witness told the court she observed the defendant's wife and another individual kissing at a bar shortly before 3am that night. The trial before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon continues.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Garda Ciara Holmes admitted she failed to instruct two child interviewees to tell the truth during January 2017 interviews, describing it as an oversight. Holmes, 29, faces 23 counts of sexual assault against four girls at a Leinster creche between February 2015 and December 2016. The trial presented video footage of the first two complainants' specialist interviews. The first girl reported the accused touched her privates in the creche and on the creche bus, while the second alleged he licked her privates in the bathroom and classroom. Garda Louise Curtin testified that the second girl, then six, had not been told she could refuse to speak and expressed fear during the interview. The case proceeds before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury of twelve. The unnamed 29-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Gardai responded to a 999 call at 4.38 am on 21 January 2013, reporting a suspicious male at a house linked to Aaron Brady, the man accused of murdering Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. The occupants of the house, belonging to Brady's best friend's parents, claimed three men in black were in the yard. Gardai found no intruders, no footprints on wet grass, no damage to a lorry container lock, and no vehicles nearby. The report was made four days before Donohoe's shooting. Brady (29) from Crossmaglen has pleaded not guilty to Donohoe's capital murder and to a robbery of about €7,000 on the same date and location. The trial is before Mr Justice Michael White with a 14‑person jury.
Michael Dineen, aged 28, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for the manslaughter of Patrick 'Ginty' O'Donnell, aged 36, who died after a pub fight on 1 June 2018. Dineen had consumed 20 pints that day and repeatedly punched O'Donnell in the head and face for about a minute, delivering kicks to his body. He had previously been on bail for breaking another man's jaw. The judge noted the attack was one‑sided and unequal, with O'Donnell suffering severe injuries including loss of teeth, fractured nose and internal bleeding. Dineen pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The sentence was reduced from a headline of 12 years to nine years due to mitigating factors such as remorse, apology and psychiatric history. The suspended year will be lifted if Dineen abstains from alcohol and remains under probation supervision.
At the Central Criminal Court in Dublin, a trial heard evidence on Monday concerning the movements of a 30-year-old woman in the hours before her death. A man gave testimony that he accompanied the woman to his home in Sligo in the early morning of April 29th, 2018, and walked her partway home after approximately two hours. A garda told the court that CCTV footage showed the woman entering her family home at 6.23am that morning. Rafal Karaczyn, aged 34, of Crozon Park in Sligo, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of his wife between April 29th and May 1st, 2018. The trial, before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury, continues to hear evidence regarding the circumstances surrounding her death.
The Court of Appeal has increased the prison sentences of four men convicted of robbing the Cleaboy Post Office in Waterford on May 3, 2018. Alan Wall, Michael Tynan, Conor O'Connor, and Barry Walsh each pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of a sawn-off shotgun. The original sentences, deemed unduly lenient by the Director of Public Prosecutions, were five years for Wall and Tynan (with 18 months suspended) and six years for Walsh and O'Connor (with 12 months suspended). The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice John Edwards, re-sentenced the defendants to longer terms: Wall to seven years, Tynan to seven years and three months, Walsh to seven-and-a-half years, and O'Connor to eight years. Additionally, concurrent five-year sentences were imposed for the firearms offences. The court found the initial headline sentences too low and noted that too much credit was given for mitigating factors. The robbery involved the use of a firearm and hammers, resulting in the theft of approximately €45,000. The appeal was successful, leading to these increased custodial terms.
Alexander Whelan, aged 19, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for the manslaughter of Bruno Rolandi, 56, who was a former partner of Whelan's mother and a heroin user. The killing occurred during a domestic dispute at the Whelan family home on Green Road, Edenderry, on 19 November 2017. Whelan introduced a knife into the argument and used substantial force, inflicting three wounds, one of which penetrated 23 centimetres, damaged the heart and caused fatal bleeding. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter at the Central Criminal Court. The judge, Mr Justice Michael White, noted that the introduction of a deadly weapon and the violence of the blows were aggravating factors, but also considered Whelan's previously excellent character, lack of prior convictions, and the circumstances of defending his mother and brother. The sentence was reduced from an initial six‑year recommendation to two years, with no part suspended, as Whelan was not a drug user and had no history of violence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Garda Sean Lucey, aged 42, was set to be sentenced for assaulting RTÉ cameraman Mr Colm Hand during street protests on 6 February 2016. Lucey, a public order officer stationed at Crumlin Village and Sundrive Road, struck Hand in the groin with a baton while Hand was filming. Hand suffered bruising and pain and later described sleeplessness, worry and stress in his victim impact statement, claiming the incident shattered his confidence. Lucey pleaded not guilty to one count of assault causing harm and to damaging Hand's camera. He was convicted of assault after a five‑day trial in December and acquitted of the criminal damage charge. The judge adjourned finalisation of the case until the following Friday, remanding Lucey on continuing bail while considering a deferred sentence under Section 100 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006.
Natalia Karaczyn's sister has given evidence at the Central Criminal Court regarding CCTV footage she viewed in the hours following her sibling's disappearance in April 2018. Magdalena McMorrow told the jury she saw her sister walking towards her home in Crozon Park, Sligo, on footage recorded from a property situated 170 metres away. Mrs McMorrow said she had received a text from Natalia's husband, Rafal Karaczyn, on the morning of Sunday, 29 April, stating that Natalia had not returned home following a night out. After locating the CCTV footage later that day, Mrs McMorrow conducted a search of the family home with Mr Karaczyn. Natalia's body was subsequently identified on the evening of Tuesday, 1 May. Rafal Karaczyn, aged 34, of Crozon Park, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The trial before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon continues.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, a 10‑year‑old girl, the second complainant, testified that she may have fabricated parts of her story about a 29‑year‑old childcare worker accused of sexually assaulting four girls. The girl, who was six at the time of the alleged incidents, had previously given a video interview in January 2017, describing the worker as pulling her pants down, holding her against a wall, and licking her privates. During cross‑examination, the defence counsel suggested she might have told untrue stories to amuse friends. The girl admitted uncertainty about some details, such as the worker placing his "willy" in her hand, and said she might have been scared to repeat false stories. She agreed that she had not been told she could refuse to talk to the Gardaí. The accused has pleaded not guilty to 23 counts of sexual assault spanning February 2015 to December 2016.
In summer 2017, a family picnic in the Dublin mountains led to the discovery of dismembered remains of retired grandmother Patricia O'Connor. The body was found in 15 separate parts across nine sites within a 30km radius, including Military Road, Glenmacnass Waterfall, and other locations. Initial bone measurements suggested a male, but DNA and dental records confirmed a female. Post‑mortem examinations by Dr Michael Curtis revealed blunt force trauma to the head, with multiple scalp lacerations and bruising, indicating a violent death. The remains were likely dismembered with a power tool, with hands and wrists sawn off by hand‑held saws. Kieran Greene testified that he had buried the body in Wexford, later exhumed it, cut it up, and scattered the parts across the Dublin mountains, disposing of them in black bags at various points. The evidence presented detailed the locations and conditions of each body part, confirming the identity of Mrs O'Connor and the circumstances of her death.
Keith Johnston, 43, was found guilty of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Kieran Greene, knowing or believing Greene had murdered Patricia O'Connor on May 29, 2017. The jury accepted that Johnston, a handyman and ex-partner of the victim's daughter Louise O'Connor, assisted Greene in purchasing DIY tools intended for the dismemberment of Mrs O'Connor's remains. Louise O'Connor, 41, and Stephanie O'Connor, 22, were also found guilty of impeding justice. Augustine 'Gus' O'Connor, the victim's husband, pleaded guilty to reporting his wife as missing while knowing she was dead. Mr Justice Paul McDermott remanded Johnston on continuing bail until April 20, when he will be sentenced alongside the other convicted defendants. Greene, who was found guilty of murder, will receive a mandatory life sentence on that date. The court noted that Greene had altered his account of the killing, initially claiming self-defense and later alleging Gus O'Connor was responsible. The matter was adjourned for sentencing on April 20.
In the Central Criminal Court, Aaron Brady, aged 29, denies the capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. He allegedly told his girlfriend, Jessica King, to "tell the truth" after she initially withheld his whereabouts on the night of the shooting. King said Brady had been on bail and under curfew, and she feared implicating him. Brady reportedly instructed her to correct the times he had spent at her home. King described Brady as "messy" and "cheeky," noting he was "smiling and joking." She recounted that Brady had been at her house around 11 pm and left around 2:30 am, and that he had told her to change the recorded times. Brady has pleaded not guilty to the capital murder and to a related robbery charge. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael White with a jury of fourteen.
A fresh jury was sworn in at the Central Criminal Court on Thursday following the discharge of a previous panel in the trial of a man accused of murdering his wife. Rafal Karaczyn, aged 34 and from Crozon Park in Sligo, faces a charge of murder in relation to the death of his wife at their family home between 29 April and 1 May 2018. The original jury of seven women and five men heard evidence over two days before being discharged by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, who cited unspecified reasons preventing the trial's continuation. The jurors were excused from future jury service for five years. Mr Karaczyn subsequently indicated a plea of not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. A replacement jury of identical composition was empanelled by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, with the trial expected to last approximately two weeks.
A Central Criminal Court jury convicted Louise O'Connor, 41, of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Kieran Greene, 35, for the murder of her mother Patricia O'Connor, 61, on 29 May 2017. The State alleged that Louise agreed to a ruse in which her daughter Stephanie, 22, disguised herself as her grandmother to create CCTV footage showing the grandmother leaving the house at 9.34 pm, thereby concealing the murder. The jury found Louise an integral part of the charade, having supported Stephanie's actions and given misleading statements to Gardaí. Stephanie was also found guilty of dressing as her grandmother and pretending to leave the house. The trial lasted seven weeks; the jury deliberated 10 hours and 25 minutes before reaching a unanimous verdict in Louise's case. No verdict was reached on the remaining count against Louise's ex‑boyfriend Keith Johnston, 43. The trial concluded with the jury suspended for lunch and scheduled to resume later. Louise O'Connor pleaded not guilty. Keith Johnston pleaded not guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court, the sister of a thirty-year-old woman whose body was discovered near Ballymote in May 2018 gave evidence regarding her brother-in-law's alleged confession. Rafal Karaczyn, aged thirty-four, of Crozon Park, Sligo, has pleaded not guilty to murder. The deceased's sister testified that she was present at Ballymote Garda Station when the accused told her he had killed his wife, describing how he allegedly strangled her during an argument in their home on the morning of 29 April 2018. The witness stated she responded by telling him "we forgive you," observing he was distressed throughout the conversation. Two friends of the deceased also gave evidence, recounting her activities on the evening before her disappearance and describing subsequent contact with the accused in which he expressed concern for his wife's whereabouts. The trial before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon continues.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a father of an 11‑year‑old girl testified that he could not imagine a sexual assault occurring in a busy creche. The accused, a 29‑year‑old child‑care worker, faces 23 counts of sexually assaulting four girls aged five to eight between February 2015 and December 2016. The father recounted that when his daughter, then eight, told him the carer had "touched her privates," he sought an innocent explanation. He visited the creche the next day, where the noise and activity made him uneasy, and later learned the manager had informed him of an allegation involving his daughter. He told the court that his daughter claimed another girl had kissed the accused's privates, and that she later felt sick. The trial continues before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury of seven men and five women. The unnamed 29-year-old pleaded not guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court, a jury convicted Stephanie O'Connor of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Kieran Greene, who was found guilty of murdering Patricia O'Connor on May 29, 2017. The jury accepted the State's case that O'Connor disguised herself as her grandmother to conceal the death, creating a false CCTV record that Mrs O'Connor had left the house. The jury took eight hours and 36 minutes to reach this unanimous verdict. However, they did not reach verdicts on the remaining counts against Louise O'Connor and Keith Johnston. Mr Justice Paul McDermott adjourned the matter, directing the jury to resume deliberations on these two counts tomorrow morning at 10.30am. Louise O'Connor, who pleaded not guilty to agreeing to or acquiescing in the disguise, and Keith Johnston, who pleaded not guilty to assisting Greene in purchasing implements for concealment, remain awaiting verdicts. The trial heard that Greene changed his account of the killing, initially claiming self-defense before alleging that Johnston and others were involved. The court has not yet finalized the proceedings for the remaining accused.
In a creche sexual assault trial, a 29‑year‑old accused pleaded not guilty to 23 counts of assaulting four girls aged five to eight between February 2015 and December 2016. The trial has heard evidence from one complainant, now 11, who was interviewed at eight by a specialist Garda in January 2017. She described the accused touching her privates in several creche locations, including a book corner, a bus, a toilet cubicle and a windowsill, often with his hand and phone. She said the contact hurt her and that the accused asked if she liked it, to which she replied no. The accused's father testified that his daughter told him the man had touched her privates and that the father had told the child that the matter was serious, that police would be involved if it was deliberate, and that he had not told her mother to avoid a reaction.
A witness in the trial of Aaron Brady at the Central Criminal Court has testified that she initially provided false information to police about the accused's whereabouts on the night of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe's fatal shooting. Jade Fitzpatrick told the court she was pressured into claiming Mr Brady, from Crossmaglen, County Armagh, had left a house in Armagh by 21:30 on 25 January 2013, when he had actually remained there until approximately 3am. Ms Fitzpatrick said she corrected her statement the following day because she wished to help Mr Brady comply with curfew conditions imposed as part of his bail. Under cross-examination, she confirmed Mr Brady appeared relaxed and exhibited no unusual behaviour during his time at the residence. Mr Brady, aged 29, denies capital murder in relation to Detective Garda Donohoe's death at Lordship Credit Union, County Louth, shortly before 9:30pm that evening. He also denies robbery of approximately €7,000 in cash and cheques from the same location and date. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael White. Aaron Brady pleaded not guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court, the sister of Natalia Karaczyn gave evidence regarding her brother-in-law's account of events surrounding the 30-year-old's death. Rafal Karaczyn, aged 34, of Crozon Park in Sligo, has pleaded not guilty to her murder, which allegedly occurred at their family home between 29 April and 1 May 2018. The witness testified that the couple had been separated for a year prior, living in separate bedrooms, and that Mr Karaczyn was unwilling to move out. She described receiving a message from him on 30 April indicating his wife was missing, and subsequently alerting gardaí. The witness recounted that Mr Karaczyn later told her Natalia had become involved with dangerous individuals who threatened violence unless he allowed them access to their home. However, whilst alone with him at Ballymote Garda Station, he allegedly confessed to strangling his wife during an argument in a bedroom. The trial before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon continues.
A man accused of involvement in a violent extortion has been granted bail at the Special Criminal Court, despite garda objections. William Twomey, aged 56, from Warrenpoint, County Down, faces charges relating to the alleged attack and false imprisonment of Edward McAndrew at a farmhouse in Omeath, County Louth on 2 December 2017. He is also charged with robbery and making an unwarranted demand for €50,000 with menaces. A second defendant, Anthony Finglas, aged 49, also from Warrenpoint, had his bail application refused on the grounds that he posed a risk of committing further offences and interfering with witnesses. Twomey was released on condition that he provide a €14,000 surety, sign on daily at Ballinasloe Garda Station between 8am and 8pm, avoid interfering with witnesses, and remain outside County Mayo. Both men have been remanded in custody since their separate arrests on 11 February.
Marius Gaizutis, aged 55, is appealing a life sentence for the axe murder of Audrius Butkus, aged 44, who was found dead on a Meath beach. Gaizutis admitted killing Butkus at his home on 9 or 10 September 2013 but denied murder, claiming provocation after threats from the victim. The prosecution argued Butkus died from multiple axe blows to the back of his head; the defence alleged Gaizutis was attacked with a bottle. Gaizutis' account changed over two interviews, first claiming no recollection, then stating the victim insulted him and struck him with a bottle. A jury, after 2 hours 40 minutes, found him guilty of murder and sentenced him to mandatory life by Justice Margaret Heneghan on 20 May 2015. He now appeals, arguing insufficient evidence for murder and that the trial judge should have directed acquittal on that charge, allowing only manslaughter to be considered.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a 29‑year‑old childcare worker faced 23 counts of sexual assault against four girls aged five to eight between February 2015 and December 2016. The 11‑year‑old girl, the first to give evidence, denied that her allegations were fabricated. She testified that the accused touched her privates, sometimes under her clothes and sometimes over them, and pressed a buzzing mobile phone against her. The incidents reportedly occurred in the after‑school room's book corner, on a creche bus seat belt, a window sill, and a toilet cubicle. She said the worker also assaulted her best friend and another girl, and that he sometimes offered sweets before touching. The defence cross‑examined her via videolink, and she maintained she was not making the allegations up. The trial focused on the alleged assaults and the defendant's plea of not guilty.
A man accused of murdering his wife in Sligo told gardai that he lay down with her for approximately ten minutes after killing her, the Central Criminal Court has heard. Rafal Karaczyn, aged 34, of Crozon Park, Sligo, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his wife Natalia, aged 30, at their family home between April 29th and May 1st, 2018. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury, commenced on this date and is expected to last three weeks. The prosecution outlined that Mr Karaczyn initially denied responsibility but later admitted to gardai that he strangled his wife. Gardai discovered her body in a remote location on May 1st after Mr Karaczyn directed them to it. The court will hear evidence from the deputy State pathologist confirming asphyxia as the cause of death, alongside CCTV footage and Garda interviews. The trial continues tomorrow.
Kieran Greene, 35, was found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of murdering Patricia O'Connor, 61, at her Rathfarnham home on May 29, 2017. The jury unanimously rejected Greene's self-defence claim, accepting the prosecution's case that he inflicted catastrophic blunt force trauma to her head with a hurley. Greene had pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. The trial also involved three co-accused: Louise O'Connor, 41; Stephanie O'Connor, 22; and Keith Johnston, 43. All three pleaded not guilty to charges of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Greene, knowing or believing he had committed an arrestable offence. Specifically, Louise O'Connor was charged with acquiescing in her daughter Stephanie disguising herself as the deceased to conceal her death, while Stephanie was charged with the act of disguising herself. Johnston was charged with assisting Greene in purchasing implements for concealing the remains. The jury was directed to continue deliberations on these three defendants, meaning the matter regarding them was adjourned and not concluded. Augustine 'Gus' O'Connor, the deceased's husband, had previously pleaded guilty to reporting his wife as missing while knowing she was dead. The court will resume at 10.30am to hear verdicts on the remaining accused.
The jury in the trial of a 35‑year‑old man accused of murdering a 61‑year‑old grandmother has requested an easel and flip‑chart to aid their deliberations. The defendant, Kieran Greene, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patricia O'Connor at her home in Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, on 29 May 2017. The body was dismembered into 15 parts found at nine sites across the Dublin and Wicklow mountains. The trial also involves three co‑accused – Louise O'Connor (41), Stephanie O'Connor (22) and Keith Johnston (43) – charged with impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Greene, knowing or believing he committed an arrestable offence. The jury can return up to four verdicts: for Greene on murder, for Greene on manslaughter, and for each co‑accused on the impeding charge. The judge has instructed the jury to consider Greene first, then the co‑accused, and to record any verdicts in the box on the issue paper.
The trial at the Central Criminal Court heard that an 18‑year‑old woman was allegedly raped by three Dublin teenagers on 5 January 2016 at Dollymount Strand. The men, now in their early 20s, pleaded not guilty. The woman denied that she had said she would have no problem "doing three of them" and insisted she had said she did not want to have sex. She admitted taking cannabis and cocaine in the month before the incident but denied taking any other drugs on the day. She also denied saying she wanted to stay with the men after the alleged assault, stating she had planned to stay in a hostel or on the street. The case remains before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
In the capital murder trial of Aaron Brady, the court heard that about ten text messages were deleted from his girlfriend Jessica King's phone in the hours surrounding the fatal shooting of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe on 25 January 2013. One deleted message, sent the afternoon after the shooting, read, "Please Jess, I just want to get away til this blows over." Brady, 29, pleaded not guilty to the murder and to a robbery charge involving roughly €7,000. Sergeant Karen Coughlan presented 156 relevant pieces of evidence extracted from King's phone using Cellebrite, including exchanges with a contact named AaronX and another called Brades2. The messages revealed a heated argument the night before the shooting, Brady's attempts to contact King after the incident, and a series of deleted texts that were later recovered. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of eight men and seven women.
In a 2020 Central Criminal Court hearing, a 32‑year‑old man was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment for a series of violent offences against his former partner and their three‑year‑old child. He pleaded guilty to assault, false imprisonment, threatening to kill and to burn the house, and to producing knives. A separate trial found him guilty of rape. The court described the incident as of "utmost seriousness" and noted the aggravating factors of the victim's status as the mother of his child and the continued harassment for six weeks after the assault. The judge highlighted the victim's testimony of enduring "horrific" false imprisonment and sexual assault, her ongoing trauma, and her fear of the offender's release. The sentencing reflected the severity of the violence and the victim's impact statement, with no mention of any mitigating factors beyond the offender's troubled childhood. The sentence was imposed by Mr Justice White.
Mark Tims, 46, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court following a jury verdict that found him not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for the killing of his father, Anthony 'Tony' Tims, at their home in Clondalkin, Dublin 22, on July 13, 2018. Tims had pleaded guilty to manslaughter and not guilty to murder, a plea initially rejected by the DPP before the trial. During the sentencing hearing, Mr Justice Tony Hunt questioned the validity of the provocation defence, which the jury accepted based on the deceased's verbal abuse, noting that Tims recovered his composure quickly and acted callously by purchasing alcohol and removing his SIM card. The judge highlighted that Tims was free to leave the shared residence. Prosecution counsel Michael Delaney SC argued the offence fell in the medium range of culpability, while defence counsel Vincent Heneghan SC agreed with this assessment, citing a comparable seven-year sentence in another case. The court heard evidence of Tims's remorse, low intelligence, and previous minor convictions, including a 2009 assault fine. Impact statements from the deceased's sister and partner were read. Mr Justice Hunt reserved his decision, and the matter was adjourned until March 16 for the imposition of sentence.
Liam Brannigan, 37, was convicted by the Special Criminal Court of conspiring to murder Gary Hanley between September 15 and November 6, 2017. Although Brannigan pleaded not guilty, the court found the evidence overwhelming, including covert audio recordings and phone data. His sentencing is scheduled for March 23. In related proceedings, four co-accused pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy charge. Luke Wilson, who also admitted unlawful possession of a Beretta, was jailed for 11 years. Alan Wilson received a six-year sentence. Joseph Kelly, who also admitted a weapons charge, was jailed for 12 years. Dean Howe, who also pleaded guilty to conspiring to murder Mr Hanley, is scheduled to be sentenced on March 3. The court noted Brannigan has 28 previous convictions, primarily for road traffic matters, and has been in custody since November 2017. Defense counsel argued for a non-custodial outcome, citing his lack of prior custodial sentences and his active role as a father. The judge emphasized the cogency of the evidence linking Brannigan to the operation, which involved armed gardai intercepting a van near Hanley's home where two men were found with a loaded pistol.