In early May, a High Court hearing will consider the French request to extradite Ian Bailey to France, where he faces a 25‑year prison sentence for the murder of filmmaker Sophie Toscan du Plantier. The case is the third French attempt to secure Bailey's surrender. Bailey, 63, lives in Schull, Cork, and was convicted in absentia by a Paris court last year, receiving the 25‑year sentence. He denies any involvement, did not attend the French proceedings, and has described them as a "farce." Lawyers for the Irish Minister for Justice have received a voluminous affidavit from Bailey's solicitor, Frank Buttimer, and will need time to review it. Judge Donald Binchy set a provisional hearing date of 5 May, expected to last three days, and has remanded Bailey on continuing bail until then. The hearing will be mentioned on 30 March, but Bailey need not attend that day.
Michael Barry, aged 35, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for two violent assaults on shop assistants that caused them to leave their jobs. In the first incident at a Spar shop on Liffey Street, Barry hurled shopping baskets and beer cans at a staff member, fracturing the man's arm. CCTV footage showed Barry assaulting the victim while he lay on the ground. Two months later, Barry and an accomplice attempted to steal five coats from the Patagonia outlet on Exchequer Street. Their co‑accused pushed a shop assistant, who injured her wrist, and Barry threatened a colleague with a blade as they fled with five jackets. Barry pleaded guilty to assault and theft, had 37 prior convictions, and was given consecutive sentences totalling four years, with the final year suspended on strict conditions. The court noted the relentless nature of the violence and Barry's efforts to address his drug addiction.
During the Central Criminal Court trial of three Dublin teenagers, the complainant, aged 18 at the time of the alleged offences, testified that she was gang‑raped by the men at Dollymount Strand on 5 January 2016. She said she was left alone in a remote area after the assaults. The court heard that she had called for an ambulance to see a mental‑health doctor and that she may have asked for tablets and expressed a desire to die. She admitted that she became uncooperative and aggressive when taken to the sexual‑assault treatment unit at the Rotunda Hospital, and that she was later restrained by Gardaí. She also confirmed that she had previously alleged a gang‑rape in Dublin city centre in 2015 but did not pursue the complaint because she was scared. The defendants pleaded not guilty. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
Andrius Lipinskas, 41, was convicted of raping and violently assaulting a woman in her home in Dublin in August 2010. The conviction was based on DNA evidence from a partly‑smoked cigarette found in the house, which matched a sample taken from Lipinskas in Lithuania. He was extradited to Ireland, tried, and found guilty on all counts by a jury after three hours of deliberation. He received a 15‑year prison sentence, with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended. Lipinskas had previously served a 15‑year sentence in Lithuania for a 1995 murder. He appealed the conviction, arguing that the DNA sample and his recorded response were inadmissible, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, affirming the trial's fairness and the admissibility of the evidence. Andrius Lipinskas pleaded not guilty.
Lisa Geoghegan, aged 34, was found guilty by a jury of one count of assault causing harm to Aidan Kenna and one count of assaulting Garda Anthony Sugrue. She also pleaded guilty to one count of criminal damage to a prison cell wall at Blanchardstown Garda Station. The jury found her not guilty of five other counts, including producing a stanley knife in the course of an assault, two counts of assault causing harm to two gardaí, one count of damaging a garda ballistics vest and one count of intimidating a witness. The trial, held at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, described how Geoghegan assaulted Kenna's brother, stabbed him with a knife, bit his hand, and later kicked a garda in the groin during her arrest. After being detained, she wrote the word 'PIGS' on the cell wall using menstrual blood, an act that cost €150 to clean.
Jeffrey Crowley, aged 23, received a nine‑year and three‑month sentence, with the final 15 months suspended, for a series of violent offences. He pleaded guilty to crashing a stolen bicycle into 72‑year‑old English tourist Christine Booth at Smithfield Square on 2 August 2019, causing serious injuries, and to damaging a bike lock and stealing a phone on the same day. He also pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Jason Kidd at Merchants Quay on 24 October 2018, to stealing a phone at Queen Street on 24 July, and to damaging a phone at Georges Lane on 11 December 2016, during which he pushed a woman to the ground and kicked her. The judge noted the offences were a sequence of gratuitous violence and that Crowley had refused help from state bodies, including probation visits. He has 92 previous convictions and is currently serving a suspended sentence for a prior assault conviction.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Kieran Greene, 35, accused of murdering 61‑year‑old Patricia O'Connor, is set to begin jury deliberations on Monday. Greene has pleaded not guilty. The case involves the dismemberment of Mrs O'Connor's body into 15 parts found across nine sites in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains. Evidence includes blunt‑force trauma to the head and the discovery of tools such as hacksaws and a hatchet. Greene's defence has highlighted inconsistencies in his statements to Gardaí, citing a change in his account from June to December 2017 and alleged Garda follow‑up failures. The prosecution presents circumstantial evidence linking Greene to the murder. Three other defendants—Louise O'Connor, Stephanie O'Connor and Keith Johnston—are charged with impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Greene, each pleading not guilty. The jury will consider separate verdicts for the murder charge and the ancillary offences. The judge will finish charging the jury on Monday.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the father of suspect Mr Brady, aged 29, was described by retired detective inspector Pat Marry as "semi‑angry" when he arrived at a Garda station to inquire about the seizure of his car. Marry explained that the vehicle had been taken because it was seen driving at speed away from the scene after the fatal shooting of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, 41, on 25 January 2013 at Lordship Credit Union, Bellurgan, Co Louth. The car was seized in March 2013 by a Garda in Castlebellingham and later taken to Dundalk Garda Station. Mr Brady has pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Donohoe and to a robbery charge involving approximately €7,000 in cash and cheques. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Michael White, continues with a jury of eight men and seven women.
In a 2020 Court of Appeal decision, Mr Justice George Birmingham urged that judges should not shy away from starting at the maximum five‑year sentence for section 3 assault cases, especially when the offence is "high‑end". He cited three Waterford cases where the original sentences were deemed unduly lenient. Martina McGrath (27) received an extra two years for stabbing a pregnant woman; Dale Brazil (25) was given an additional year for attacking a man with a metal bar; and Mark Dolan (32) avoided a return to jail after a six‑month term for smashing a rugby player's face, having "completely turned his life around". Birmingham noted aggravating factors such as use of a weapon, multiple assailants, pre‑planning and significant injuries, and argued that the headline sentences in all three cases should have been five years before any reduction for mitigating circumstances.
The trial of Aaron Brady, accused of the capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe and robbing approximately €7,000 at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth, on January 25, 2013, continued before Mr Justice Michael White. Mr Brady, from Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, has pleaded not guilty to both charges. Detective Inspector Mark Phillips of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation testified regarding the investigation, noting that Mr Brady was deported from the US in 2017 after pleading guilty to criminal damage, unlawful taking of a car, and dangerous driving. The jury heard that police did not search a yard in Armagh where Mr Brady claimed to have been laundering diesel on the night of the shooting, a decision attributed to the Senior Investigating Officer. Mr Phillips stated that Mr Brady was initially a witness and that his alibi placing him at Lough Road was corroborated by three individuals. The prosecution highlighted the scale of the investigation, citing one million pages of materials, 40,000 hours of CCTV, and over 3,000 statements. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins questioned the timing of additional evidence notices. The trial is ongoing, with the matter adjourned.
In July 2016, Thomas Cassin, 49, entered an off‑licence in Killbarrack Shopping Centre wearing a ski mask and demanding money. He threatened staff with a knife, though none was seen, and the staff member initially thought it was a joke. Cassin was pursued by security guards who tried to restrain him until Gardaí arrived. A ten‑minute struggle ensued, part verbal and part physical; Cassin punched a guard, fracturing the guard's nose, and sustained a cut above his eye. Cassin left the store empty‑handed on a push bike. CCTV footage and DNA from blood on the guard's shirt identified him. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Sentencing was adjourned to May 5, 2020 to allow a probation report to be prepared.
In a 2020 trial, Judge Paul McDermott instructed the jury that self‑defence could be considered in the murder case of Kieran Greene, 35, accused of killing 61‑year‑old Patricia O'Connor, whose dismembered body was found across the Dublin and Wicklow mountains. Greene pleaded not guilty. The jury was told to focus on facts, not emotions, and to treat each accused's statements separately. The judge explained that Greene's defence hinged on whether he used only necessary force after being attacked with a hurley, which could reduce a murder charge to manslaughter. He also clarified that the separate offence of impeding the investigation, charged against Louise O'Connor, Stephanie O'Connor and Keith Johnston, had its own possible verdicts. The judge emphasized that the jury must decide on each charge independently, based on the evidence presented.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Aaron Brady, 29, from Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, continued before Justice White. Mr Brady has pleaded not guilty to the alleged capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe (41) and the alleged robbery of approximately €7,000 in cash and cheques at Lordship Credit Union, Bellurgan, Co Louth, on January 25, 2013. Detective Inspector Mark Phillips testified regarding text messages sent by Mr Brady to his then-girlfriend, Jessica King, on the day of the incident. Mr Brady allegedly stated he was "loading the lorry" at 19:54, approximately 90 minutes before the shooting. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC highlighted discrepancies between Mr Brady's account to gardai, who claimed he was in the yard for only 10 to 15 minutes, and the texts suggesting a longer duration. Mr O'Higgins also noted that the diesel laundering yard in south Armagh, where Mr Brady claimed to be working, was not searched by the PSNI. Inspector Phillips stated he did not recall suggesting a search and could not explain why it did not occur. The court adjourned the matter, with the jury instructed to return the following day.
Businessman Jim Mansfield Jnr was refused permission to vary his bail to travel to Spain for his mother's 75th birthday. Mr Justice Paul Coffey at the Special Criminal Court denied the application, noting that the celebration could have been held within the jurisdiction and criticizing the timing of the booking changes after Mansfield had surrendered his passport. Mansfield, of Saggart, Co Dublin, is charged with conspiring to falsely imprison Martin Byrne between January 1 and June 30, 2015, and attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy CCTV footage. His trial is scheduled for April 20. The court noted that Dessie O'Hare and Declan Duffy, who are alleged to have conspired with Mansfield, have already pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and assault charges related to the same incident. O'Hare was sentenced to ten years in prison, with three years suspended, for falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne and assaulting John Roche in Saggart on June 9, 2015. Duffy was jailed for six years after pleading guilty to falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne and assaulting John Roche at The Towers, Garter Lane, Saggart, on the same date. The judge emphasized the seriousness of the offences and the proximity of the trial date in refusing the bail variation.
The family of forestry worker Séamus Ludlow, murdered in 1976, has taken a new legal challenge to the State, seeking two commissions of inquiry into the Garda investigation of his killing. The request follows a 2006 Joint Oireachtas Committee recommendation that the State set up inquiries into the investigation, based on a report by retired High Court judge Henry Barron that described the murder as a "random, sectarian killing of a blameless Catholic civilian by loyalist extremists." No one has ever been charged, and the family argues the Garda failed to pursue key information from the RUC, citing a three‑week suspension of the investigation and alleged "orders from Dublin." The High Court, in a decision by Justice Mary Faherty, refused to order the commissions, stating the courts cannot compel the executive to establish them. Mr Thomas Fox, the nephew, has appealed to the Court of Appeal, where the judgment is reserved.
The trial of Kieran Greene, Louise O'Connor, Stephanie O'Connor, and Keith Johnston is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court. Greene, 35, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patricia O'Connor at her home in Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, on May 29, 2017. The other three accused have pleaded not guilty to charges of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Greene, specifically involving concealing the deceased's body. Louise O'Connor is accused of acquiescing in her daughter Stephanie disguising herself as the victim; Stephanie is accused of that disguise; and Keith Johnston is accused of assisting Greene in purchasing implements to conceal remains. Defence counsel Conor Devally SC argued in his closing statement that Greene, who has a developmental difficulty, was portrayed inconsistently as both a "moron" and a "Machiavelli" mastermind. He contended that Greene's initial June confession was coerced to protect his children and that his later December account, which implicated the deceased's husband Augustine 'Gus' O'Connor, contained the truth. Devally urged the jury to acquit Greene, noting that Gus O'Connor had previously pleaded guilty to falsely reporting his wife missing. The trial has heard evidence that the victim's body was dismembered and found across Dublin and Wicklow. Stephanie O'Connor's defence counsel is scheduled to deliver his closing speech tomorrow.
At the Central Criminal Court, a man accused of the capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe has claimed he was engaged in diesel laundering at the time of the fatal shooting. Aaron Brady, aged 29, from Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, denies the murder of Det Gda Donohoe, who was shot at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth on 25 January 2013. He also denies robbing approximately €7,000 in cash and cheques from the same location. An alibi notice submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions states that Brady was loading diesel waste at a yard on Concession Road in Cullaville, Co Armagh, for between 90 minutes and two hours around the time of the shooting. Brady told gardaí previously that he had initially provided an inaccurate account of his movements owing to concerns about incriminating himself in diesel laundering activities. The trial, before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury, continues. Aaron Brady pleaded not guilty. Adrian Donohoe pleaded not guilty.
A 62‑year‑old man was jailed for 18 months for indecent assault on his younger cousin between January 1978 and December 1980. He pleaded guilty to four charges and had no prior convictions. The victim, now 52, had first complained to Gardaí in December 2018 while visiting her family in Ireland. She had waited until the deaths of her mother and aunt before reporting the abuse, citing kindness to them. The court noted the unusual admission of guilt and the victim's extreme emotional suffering. Judge Melanie Greally imposed consecutive sentences totalling three years, then suspended the final 18 months, citing the man's guilty pleas, lack of convictions, remorse, age, time elapsed, employment and a psychological report. The case highlighted the long‑term impact on the victim, including alcohol difficulties and psychiatric help. The man remains a caretaker in the family home.
Craig McGrath, 26, of Rathfaddan Park, Waterford, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Damien O'Brien, 27, on 13 July 2018. McGrath had earlier been on bail for an assault. The incident occurred at the junction of John Street and Manor Street on 7 July 2018 when McGrath punched O'Brien twice to the head, causing a broken eye socket, nose and jaw. O'Brien was unconscious and later died from a fatal brain injury when his head struck the ground. CCTV showed McGrath shadow‑boxing after the attack. McGrath also pleaded guilty to assaulting Kiefer Dowling in 2017, for which he received five years and a consecutive 2½‑year sentence, the final two years suspended. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, and the Court of Appeal re‑sentenced McGrath to seven years for the manslaughter and a consecutive 2½‑year sentence for the Dowling assault, with the final two years suspended.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing in January 2020, a 70‑year‑old man was convicted of raping his niece in County Carlow in 1978. The victim, who was 16 at the time, described the perpetrator as a "wolf disguised as an uncle" and recounted being forced into her bedroom, raped while she pretended to be dead. She said the assault left her unable to sleep and caused her mother to "crumbled into dust" when she learned of the crime. The defendant pleaded not guilty, offered various motives for the alleged false claim, and was remanded in custody. He had no prior convictions. The case was adjourned to February 21 for sentencing. The court did not discuss any prior or subsequent legal actions.
The Central Criminal Court heard the prosecution's closing submissions in the trial of Kieran Greene, 35, who pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patricia O'Connor, 61, at her home in Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, on May 29, 2017. Three co-accused, Louise O'Connor, 41, Stephanie O'Connor, 22, and Keith Johnston, 43, all pleaded not guilty to charges of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Greene. The prosecution alleged that Stephanie O'Connor disguised herself as her grandmother to create a false CCTV record that Mrs O'Connor was alive, while Louise O'Connor acquiesced in this ruse. Additionally, the State contended that Keith Johnston assisted Greene in purchasing DIY tools, including hacksaws and axes, on June 9, 2017, which were allegedly used to dismember the body. Evidence presented indicated that Mrs O'Connor's body was found in 15 separate parts across Dublin and Wicklow between June 10 and 14, 2017, with the cause of death determined to be blunt force trauma to the head. The prosecution invited the jury to return guilty verdicts for all four defendants. The matter remains at the trial stage, with defence counsel scheduled to deliver closing arguments. No findings, sentences, or finalisations have been recorded.
Aaron Brady, a 29‑year‑old labourer from New Road, Crossmaglen, denied involvement in the capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, who was shot during an armed credit union robbery on 25 January 2013. Brady appeared at Dundalk Garda Station on 5 and 6 February 2013 to give a voluntary statement, describing his movements before and after the shooting. He admitted that he had previously lied to a Garda about his whereabouts on the evening of the shooting, claiming he did not think the Garda would investigate deeply. Brady said he first learned of the robbery from an RTE news report. He pleaded not guilty to both the capital murder charge and the charge of robbing approximately €7,000 in cash and cheques at Lordship Credit Union. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Michael White with a jury of eight men and seven women.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, two men, William Twomey (56) and Anthony Finglas (49), were charged with luring Edward McAndrew to a Louth farmhouse, assaulting him with iron bars, placing him in a car boot, and demanding £50,000. The alleged assault also involved contacting McAndrew's daughter and setting his home on fire. The men face robbery charges for taking McAndrew's phones and passport. The court considered bail applications, with the prosecution seeking financial information to assess flight risk. Twomey has been in custody since last week, while Finglas is awaiting a hearing. The court remanded both men in custody, with a further hearing scheduled for next Tuesday. The case remains at the bail stage, with no trial or sentencing yet.
A trial in the Central Criminal Court is ongoing regarding the murder of Patricia O'Connor (61) at her home in Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 on May 29, 2017. Kieran Greene (35), the accused, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Mrs O'Connor and has changed his account of the events six months later. The prosecution has stated that there was no evidence of a single defensive wound on Mrs O'Connor's body and that Greene bore an 'ill-will' and 'a particular animus or bad feeling' against her. The trial has heard that Mrs O'Connor's dismembered remains were found scattered in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains. Louise O'Connor (41), Stephanie O'Connor (22), and Keith Johnston (43) have also pleaded not guilty to charges related to impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Kieran Greene. The prosecution has presented evidence, including forensic findings and receipts from DIY shops, to support their case. The trial is in the closing stages, with the prosecution's case being presented by Ms Lacey, who has emphasized the lack of defensive injuries and the coherent narrative of the accused's actions. The trial is expected to continue with Ms Lacey's closing speech to the jury tomorrow.
At the Central Criminal Court, evidence emerged that Aaron Brady was subject to bail conditions and a curfew when Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was fatally shot on 25 January 2013 at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, County Louth. Mr Brady, aged 29 and from Crossmaglen, County Armagh, has pleaded not guilty to capital murder and to robbing approximately €7,000 in cash and cheques from the same location on the same date. Inspector Mark Phillips told the court that Mr Brady attended Dundalk Garda Station on 5 February 2013 to provide a voluntary statement. The accused outlined his background and movements in the days preceding the detective's death. A wildlife ranger also testified that he discovered a burned-out car on Cumsons Road in south Armagh on 26 January 2013, the day after the shooting. The trial before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury continues at the Central Criminal Court.
At the Special Criminal Court, Gareth Brophy was sentenced for his role in the 2016 murder of David Douglas. Brophy, who pleaded guilty to helping facilitate the murder, was jailed for ten years by Mr Justice Paul Coffey. The sentence was backdated to November 18, 2018, when Brophy entered custody. The final six months of the term were suspended on the condition that Brophy enters a vocational course while in prison. Additionally, the court ordered Brophy to enter a peace bond of €100 for three years from his release. The judge noted Brophy played a critical role as the getaway driver, describing the killing as a gangland execution-style murder. In related proceedings, Frederick Thompson was found guilty of the murder in August 2018 and sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment. Nathan Foley, who pleaded guilty in November 2018 to helping a criminal organisation carry out the murder, was jailed for six years. The court expressed its deepest sympathies to the family of the deceased.
A man who disposed of the chainsaw used to dismember the body of Kenneth O'Brien and impeded the prosecution of his father, who carried out the murder and dumped the victim's body parts in the Grand Canal, has been jailed for 18 months. Paul Wells Junior (33), of Beatty Park, Celbrudge, Co Kildare, was found guilty last November of disposing of a blood-stained chainsaw used to dismember the body of Mr O'Brien. He had denied disposing of the chainsaw motor at a time unknown between January 19 and 20, 2016 in Co Kildare, and had also pleaded not guilty to disposing of a chainsaw blade and chain on January 20, 2016 in the same location. His father, Paul Wells Senior (51), of Barnamore Park, Finglas in Dublin 11, was jailed for life in 2018 having been found guilty of murdering Mr O'Brien at his home in Finglas on January 15 or 16, 2016. Wells Snr admitted to shooting Mr O'Brien in his back garden, dismembering his body, and dumping it in a suitcase in the Grand Canal. At his own trial, Wells Snr argued that he had acted in self defence when he shot Mr O'Brien. The court heard that Wells Jnr had a 'difficult history' with his father and a credible threat had been placed upon his life by his father. Wells Jnr was sentenced to three years in prison with the last 18 months suspended on condition he keep the peace for that period of time. The judge said she had given 'great consideration' to handing down a fully suspended sentence but said she did not think it would mark the gravity of the offence.
In the early hours of March 24 last year, 25‑year‑old Alfie Wood was standing in Temple Bar, Dublin, holding two beer bottles when Mark Canavan and his girlfriend passed by. Canavan warned Wood that Gardaí were nearby and that he might get in trouble for the bottles. Wood replied, "What did you say to me?" and then charged at Canavan, punching him in the face and knocking him to the ground. Wood pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm. He had no prior convictions. The court noted that Canavan had suffered a lacerated lip requiring five sutures and two rounds of dental treatment. Wood's early guilty plea, cooperation with Gardaí, and €2,000 token of remorse were considered mitigating factors. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Wood to two years, suspended in full. Wood admitted the assault was unjustified and that he had been out socialising, separated from friends, and that it was "a bit of a blur.".
Patrick Murphy, 43, of Cabra, Dublin, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to an assault on the Navan Road on June 23, 2016. The court heard that Murphy, who has longstanding mental health issues and 20 previous convictions including two for assault, grabbed a child he mistakenly believed was his kidnapped niece. Garda Jennifer Connolly testified that Murphy ran across the road with a "crazy look in his eyes," seized the child around the waist, and stated he thought someone had her for ransom. He released the child after her grandmother held on tightly. The court noted Murphy had been discharged from Connolly Hospital the day prior and was taken to the Mater Hospital psychiatric department by gardaí the morning of the incident, where he was discharged to attend a GP clinic. He was holding his hospital referral letter during the event. The family expressed concern for Murphy's mental health rather than seeking imprisonment. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a one-month sentence of imprisonment, which she deferred until May 15. She indicated she will strike out the sentence on that date, leaving Murphy without a conviction.
James Gallagher, aged 33, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm and recklessly discharging a firearm at Cullen's Yard, Greenhill Road, Walkinstown on 4 August 2018. He fired a single‑barrel shotgun at a man, John O'Connor, who was buying car parts at the scrapyard. O'Connor was not the intended target; he was struck by multiple pellet wounds, knocked to the ground, and later taken to Tallaght Hospital. Another man received minor injuries but did not require hospital treatment. The shotgun was never recovered. CCTV identified Gallagher, and a discarded tracksuit bottom linked to him was found. Gallagher has 42 prior convictions, including theft, criminal damage, drug possession for sale, and traffic offences. He has two children. The judge imposed a five‑year concurrent sentence, effective from 4 December 2018, after noting his efforts to overcome drug addiction.
Two Dublin men are to be extradited to Northern Ireland to face charges of attempted murder of a Police Service of Northern Ireland officer and possession of explosive substances with intent to endanger life. Ciaran Maguire, aged 29, and Sean Paul Farrell, aged 32, were arrested in County Donegal in June following the discovery of an improvised explosive device at a PSNI officer's home. Mr Justice Donald Binchy of the High Court ruled that arguments against their extradition should be rejected. The judge declined to summarise his detailed judgement. The defence had raised concerns regarding interviews conducted at Milford and Letterkenny Garda Stations, but the Northern Irish authorities confirmed they would not seek adverse inferences at trial. Extradition orders were held pending a further court mention scheduled for 26 February.
A youth convicted of manslaughter in connection with the death of a teenager in Claremorris, County Mayo, will be sentenced on 20 March following a brief hearing at the Central Criminal Court. The defendant was found guilty in July 2017 of the manslaughter of Dovydas Jenkas, aged seventeen, who died from a stab wound in the early hours of 19 December 2015. He had been charged with murder but acquitted of that charge. Justice Eileen Creedon indicated the offender should expect a custodial sentence and directed him to prepare accordingly. The sentencing hearing had been delayed pending the defendant's recovery from brain surgery. The judge noted that the victim's family requires finality in the matter.
A 57-year-old man from County Donegal has been convicted of sexually assaulting a boy in his care between 2003 and 2004. The defendant, whose identity is protected to safeguard the victim, faced trial at the Central Criminal Court on seven counts of oral rape, to which he pleaded not guilty. A jury acquitted him of these charges but convicted him of the alternative lesser offence of sexual assault involving molestation of the child's genitals when the victim was aged between 13 and 15 years. Ms Justice Carmel Stewart imposed a two-year sentence, suspending the final six months on strict conditions. The victim, now in his twenties, delivered an impact statement describing how the abuse had destroyed his childhood and caused ongoing trauma. During sentencing, the court noted the defendant had offered to plead guilty to sexual assault prior to trial, an offer rejected by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
In the Central Criminal Court, Aaron Brady, 28, pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, 41, and to a robbery charge. Brady admitted that the first account he gave to Gardaí after the shooting was untrue, claiming he did not think they would investigate it thoroughly. He explained that he had been with a BMW driver the day after the incident, traveling around the area, eating at a local restaurant, and staying at his girlfriend's house until 3 a.m. Brady said he was unaware of the shooting until that morning. Inspector John Moroney noted inconsistencies between Brady's statements and those of the driver, and that Brady's initial account was contradicted by the driver's version. The jury heard testimony from Garda Finbar Gurhy and Garda David Byrne about the BMW's movements, and the trial proceeded before Mr Justice Michael White and a 15‑person jury.
In a Dublin hotel room on 21 November 2013, 46‑year‑old Hoi Ping Yung raped a woman after a night of heavy drinking with a male friend. The victim, who slept alone in a single bed while Yung and the friend occupied the double bed, awoke to find Yung rubbing her arm and leg, then later being raped when her body was pulled down. She reported the assault, and Gardaí arrested Yung, who was later deemed too intoxicated for an interview. Yung denied the rape, claiming any sex was consensual, and had no prior convictions. During the trial, the victim's impact statement criticised the court's language, alleging victim‑shaming and emotional distress. Justice Tara Burns allowed the statement, noting the system's difficulty for complainants, and adjourned sentencing to 6 March, remanding Yung in custody. The Central Criminal Court had returned a guilty verdict in December. Hoi Ping Yung pleaded not guilty.
John Keady, 45, who pleaded guilty to a sexual assault at the Heritage Hotel Killenard in December 2018, was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment, suspended in its entirety, and ordered to be placed on the sex‑offenders register for five years. He brought €5,000 to court as a token of remorse. Keady has now filed a High Court challenge, arguing that the notification requirements of the 2001 Sex Offenders Act do not apply because his sentence was wholly suspended and his victim was neither mentally impaired nor under 17. He claims the District Court lacked jurisdiction to order his inclusion on the register and seeks an order quashing that directive. The High Court granted permission ex‑parte, with the matter to be returned in April.
During a Central Criminal Court hearing, Dr Edward Connolly reported that forensic tests on numerous items from the scene of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe's fatal shooting found no DNA linking Aaron Brady, the accused, to the crime. Samples examined included swabs from cars, a hammer, cigarette butts, a handbag, car keys, chewing gum, gloves, a €2 coin, a shotgun cartridge, CDs, a plastic wallet, a Tayto crisp packet, a cable tie, a Starburst wrapper and a popcorn packet. Three unknown male DNA profiles were generated but matched no individuals in the national database; other profiles matched Garda or witnesses present. Brady, 28, pleaded not guilty to the capital murder and to a robbery charge at the same location and time. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of 15.
A Northern Irish man, Eamon Ronald Harrison, 23, has been granted leave to challenge his extradition to the UK, where he faces 39 counts of manslaughter, conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and conspiracy to commit human trafficking under the UK's Modern Slavery Act. The case stems from the discovery of 39 Vietnamese nationals dead in a refrigerated trailer in Essex in October 2019. Evidence shows the trailer's refrigeration unit was not powered, leading to oxygen starvation deaths, and bloody handprints were found inside. Harrison allegedly delivered the trailer to a Belgian port before its onward journey to Britain. The High Court, presided over by Mr Justice Donald Binchy, has ordered a stay on the extradition pending appeal. Harrison's legal team has requested an appeal, arguing the matter is of exceptional public importance, while the Minister for Justice contends the extradition should proceed without delay.
In the Central Criminal Court, a ballistics expert testified that the fatal shot that killed Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was fired from a distance of six to seven feet. The expert, Detective Garda Seamus O'Donnell, demonstrated a semi‑automatic Beretta A301 12‑gauge shotgun similar to the weapon used, and compared impact patterns on targets with the wound on Donohoe's right eye. He measured a 60‑mm diameter impact at the same range, concluding the shooter was within six to seven feet of the muzzle. The cartridge found at the scene was a 12‑gauge round from a Spanish manufacturer, containing about 250 lead pellets, with 90 pellets recovered from Donohoe's body. The testimony was presented to a jury of seven women and eight men, with the trial proceeding before Mr Justice Michael White. The accused, Aaron Brady, 28, pleaded not guilty to the capital murder and robbery charges.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Kieran Greene, Louise O'Connor, Stephanie O'Connor, and Keith Johnston is ongoing. Greene, 35, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patricia O'Connor, 61, at her home in Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, on May 29, 2017. The other three accused have pleaded not guilty to charges of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of an offender. The jury was told that Augustine 'Gus' O'Connor, 75, originally part of the trial, pleaded guilty on the first hearing date to reporting his wife missing on June 1, 2017, while knowing she was dead. Evidence presented includes Detective Inspector Brian O'Keeffe's testimony regarding Greene's initial statements and subsequent retraction, where Greene alleged he was set up. The prosecution closed its case, and defence counsel made applications in the jury's absence. The court heard that Mrs O'Connor's remains were found dismembered in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains. Mr Justice Paul McDermott adjourned the proceedings, instructing the jury to return the following morning at 12pm.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Kieran Greene, Louise O'Connor, Stephanie O'Connor, and Keith Johnston continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott. All four accused have pleaded not guilty to charges relating to the alleged murder of Patricia O'Connor (61) at her Rathfarnham home on May 29, 2017. Greene is charged with murdering Mrs O'Connor, while the other three face charges of impeding apprehension, including disguising the deceased and assisting in the purchase of implements to conceal remains. Evidence presented includes testimony from Dr Michael Curtis, who stated blunt force trauma to the head caused death, and Garda Roisin Rowley Burke, who detailed CCTV footage showing Mrs O'Connor's last appearance at 3.08pm on the day of the alleged murder. Irish Prison Service manager Walter Burke confirmed that Louise O'Connor visited Greene at Cloverhill Prison on June 17, 2017, where she was recorded as his girlfriend. Keith Johnston visited on September 2, 2017, and both visited together on October 14 and November 16, 2017. The court also heard that Greene initially told gardai he dismembered the body alone, but later claimed he was set up. The trial is ongoing and has not been finalised.
In February 2020 a High Court case was filed by an elderly former priest and teacher, aged in his eighties, who is charged with gross indecency and indecent assault against a male pupil at a private fee‑paying school in the mid‑1970s. He claims he cannot receive a fair trial because of age‑related dementia and cognitive impairment, which would prevent him from properly defending himself. The alleged abuse is said to have taken place after the complainant was called to the accused's office on three separate occasions. The priest was first complained to Gardai in late 2016, but was not required to attend a Garda station until April 2018. He has brought judicial review proceedings against the Director of Public Prosecutions, seeking orders and declarations, including an order preventing his trial from proceeding.
David Murphy, 29, of Belfry Green, Tallaght, was sentenced to nine months in jail after pleading guilty to assault causing harm at Slade Road, Saggart, on 21 March 2015. The incident involved Murphy breaking a beer bottle over a taxi driver's head and threatening the driver with a knife. Murphy had previously been convicted 41 times, including assault, violent disorder and criminal damage. He failed to attend a victim awareness course and is considered a medium risk of re‑offending. The judge, Pauline Codd, imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspending the final two years and nine months, leaving Murphy with a nine‑month custodial term. The assault left the taxi driver cautious and caused him to lose about €800 in earnings. The court noted Murphy's plea of guilty and his personal circumstances, including a history of homelessness, sobriety, drug‑free status and employment.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 56‑year‑old man was sentenced to eight and a half years for 55 counts of sexual assault of his daughter between 1995 and 2001. The victim, who first disclosed the abuse at age nine, was beaten and isolated in a bedroom for days, and later forced to write a letter withdrawing her allegations. She testified that the abuse continued regularly until she was 15, describing physical abuse, threats, and isolation. The judge, bound by the then‑maximum penalty of five years per offence, imposed four and a half years for the first fifty counts and a consecutive four‑year sentence for the final five counts, citing aggravating factors such as breach of trust, the victim's young age, and the lasting impact. The man denied all charges and was later registered as a sex offender. The court noted his cooperation and prison work as mitigating factors. The unnamed 15-year-old was convicted.
During the capital murder trial of Aaron Brady, witness Frances Malone testified that she recognised a speeding car on the night of the Lordship Credit Union robbery. She was driving home with her husband after 9 pm on 25 January 2013 when she saw two cars approaching her very fast near the Ballymascanlon roundabout. Both had their headlights on and she could not identify their make or licence plates. About five minutes later she saw another car, also very fast, belonging to a man she knows in his 60s; the car's personalised number plate was familiar to her. Malone said the owner was "in an awful hurry" and wondered if the cars she saw were connected to the shooting of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury. Aaron Brady pleaded not guilty.
The High Court has been informed that lawyers for the Minister for Justice need time to consider Ian Bailey's objections to extradition to France for the murder of filmmaker Sophie Toscan du Plantier. This is the third attempt by French authorities to secure Bailey's surrender. The 62‑year‑old Englishman, who lives in Schull, Cork, was convicted in absentia by a Paris court last summer and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Bailey, who denies any involvement, was arrested under a European Arrest Warrant in December and has described the French proceedings as a "farce". His counsel, Ronan Munro SC, has submitted an affidavit raising factual matters, particularly concerning Bailey's health, which the Justice Minister's lawyers must review. Bailey remains on bail until February 24, when a hearing date is expected to be set.
Six men were brought before the Special Criminal Court on charges of conspiring to murder Patrick "Patsy" Hutch. The court served each defendant with books of evidence and remanded them in custody for a further hearing on 9 March. The defendants – Michael Burns (43), Ciaran O'Driscoll (24), Patrick Curtis (38), Stephen Curtis (32), Mohammed Smew (27) and Mark Capper (21) – were charged with conspiring to commit the murder of Hutch between 1 February and 10 March 2018, and also with facilitating the commission of a serious offence by a criminal organisation. Additional charges included conspiracy to murder an unknown person on the same dates, and for Burns, possession of a firearm silencer and five rounds of 9 mm ammunition. The prosecution, represented by State solicitor Ciara Vibien, stated that disclosure to the defence was at an advanced stage. Each defendant appeared in court either alone or in groups, with Capper appearing alone again later.
In October 2020, the Special Criminal Court will hear the case of Caolan Smyth, 28, who was arrested in October 2019 for attempted murder after a shooting at a Topaz garage in Clonshaugh, north Dublin, on 10 May 2017. Smyth, who was charged at Coolock Garda station, was found guilty of attempted murder and the DPP requested a trial in the Special Criminal Court, a request that was granted. The court also heard the case of Gary McAreavy, 52, of Castlebellingham, who faces a connected charge of impeding a prosecution for the same incident. McAreavy was ordered to sign daily at Dundalk Garda Station, obey a 9 pm‑7 am curfew, and was granted legal aid. Judge Tony Hunt set the trial date for 5 October 2020 and remanded McAreavy on continuing bail to appear again on 28 May 2021. The proceedings remain at the trial stage, with no verdict or sentencing announced.
The trial of a 26‑year‑old Dublin man accused of two counts of rape and one of sexual assault ended with a hung jury after nearly six hours of deliberation. The accused pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. The complainant, a woman in her 20s, testified that she and friends had been drinking in a city centre bar, that the accused had repeatedly asked her out and she had declined. She said she and a male friend went to the accused's home, brought drinks, and she slept in a bed. She woke to find the accused touching her buttocks and raping her. During cross‑examination, the accused claimed he was sleeping between the complainant and another man, felt the woman moving into his pelvis area, and believed the sex was consensual. The judge discharged the jury and adjourned the case for a new trial date on 24 February.
In the Central Criminal Court, the case of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe's murder was heard. Inspector Darren Kirwan testified that he discovered Donohoe had been shot at 21.45 on 25 January 2013 and immediately went to the deceased's home to inform his wife, Caroline Donohoe, who identified his body in the credit union car park at 11pm. Aaron Brady, aged 28, pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Donohoe and to the robbery of about €7,000 at Lordship Credit Union, Bellurgan, Co Louth. Dr Khalid Jaber performed a post‑mortem, finding extensive brain and skull damage and a penetrating shotgun wound to the face as the cause of death. Witnesses, including Leona White, Christina Birch, and Garda Rachel Copperthwaite, described hearing gunshots, seeing a robbery, and finding Donohoe's body. The trial continued on Monday before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury.