A Dublin man, Ray Kennedy, 39, was charged at an out‑of‑term sitting of the Special Criminal Court on Tuesday with an act intended to pervert the course of justice by destroying a mobile telephone SIM card. The SIM card was in his possession on 6 March 2013, the day Peter Butterly, a 35‑year‑old father of two, was shot dead outside The Huntsman Inn in Gormanston, Co. Meath. Kennedy had previously been charged in September 2017 with membership of an unlawful organisation, the Irish Republican Army, also known as Oglaigh Na hÉireann. He was warned of a warrant and given a copy of the charge sheet. Kennedy appeared before the three‑judge court wearing a black hoodie and jeans, stood as requested, and was served a book of evidence.
Oliver Callely, a 27‑year‑old man charged with assault causing harm for allegedly igniting a firework in the smoking area of Copper Face Jacks nightclub on 6 September 2015, appeared before Dublin District Court on 2 July. He has not yet indicated how he will plead. At a vacation sitting of Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martina Baxter temporarily relaxed his bail conditions to allow him to work in the UK. The conditions were eased between 26 August and 5 September and the requirement to sign daily at Malahide Garda Station was reduced to once a week. The court adjourned the application to return his passport, which would enable him to work as a driver for his brother‑in‑law, a car dealer, until 18 September. Callely is due to be arraigned on 30 October. The case remains at the bail‑relaxation stage.
A 34‑year‑old man named Dean Howe, accused of conspiring to murder Dubliner Gary Hanley, expressed frustration at the Special Criminal Court for setting his trial date for October 7, 2019, after claiming his solicitor was not present. Howe told the three‑judge panel that he had no legal representation and questioned the feasibility of a trial that could carry up to ten years. He was charged in May 2018 at Dublin District Court with conspiring to murder Mr Hanley between September 15 and November 6, 2017, an offence under Section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. The court, presided over by Judge Paul Coffey with Judges Gerard Griffin and Michael Walsh, set the trial date and noted it could last up to six weeks.
Slawomir Gierlowski, 34, already serving a long prison term for random attacks on women, has had his sentencing for an attempted rape adjourned to October 11. The case concerns an assault on a woman who was returning home at about 3 a.m. after a night out; Gierlowski attacked her in the courtyard of her apartment block and attempted to rape her. DNA evidence linked semen found on the victim's skirt to Gierlowski, matching profiles from earlier investigations in Clondalkin and the city centre. The Central Criminal Court heard that the victim declined to give a victim impact statement. Prosecutor Ann Rowland SC said the Director of Public Prosecutions seeks an adjournment until Gierlowski's other convictions are heard on appeal. Defending counsel Orla Crowe SC maintained his client's innocence and noted that his other convictions and sentences are under appeal. The hearing was adjourned by Mr Justice Micheal White to allow the application for the adjournment to be considered.
In August 2019 the Central Criminal Court sentenced a 49‑year‑old man to eight years' imprisonment for raping and repeatedly sexually assaulting his daughter. He pleaded guilty to oral rape and nine counts of sexual assault that occurred at his mother's home between 1 September 2014 and 2 March 2015. He also admitted exploiting the child by showing her pornographic DVDs. The offences took place in a county in Munster, a detail the court restricted from publication. The mother testified that the father had unsupervised access to the child at his mother's home, where he showed her pornographic film before orally raping her, grabbed her hair, forced her to masturbate with moisturiser and used digital penetration on several occasions. She described the impact on her family, noting that her 12‑year‑old daughter sometimes appeared angry or crying. The defendant, who had addiction problems, entered a guilty plea in April 2019.
Dubliner Annie Trieu (29) pleaded guilty to one count of laundering money at Tallaght district credit union between September 13 and September 31, 2017. The court heard that Trieu withdrew €34,587 from her account, as instructed by her former partner, and deposited part of the money into her credit union account in four separate lodgements. Her lawyer stated that Trieu was subjected to domestic violence by her former partner, including incidents where she presented to hospital battered and bruised. A detective described Trieu as a 'puppet' in the scam, noting she was not involved in the initial email scheme. The court heard that the email scam involved General Hardware Supplies Ltd in Co. Cavan and Ballytherm Ltd in Co. Limerick, with suspicions arising when Ballytherm confirmed they had not received payment. Gardaí traced the money to Trieu's account. Judge Pauline Codd noted Trieu was 'blinded by love' for her former partner. She was sentenced to eighteen months imprisonment, but the sentence was suspended in full, taking into account her guilty plea and the violent nature of her relationship with her former partner.
A 16‑year‑old boy pleaded guilty to attempting to murder 25‑year‑old Stephanie Ng on 23 December 2017 at Sea Front, Queen's Road, Dun Laoghaire. He met Ng on the Whisper app, where he pretended to be 19, and tried to kill her during their first face‑to‑face meeting. He grabbed her from behind, choked her to unconsciousness and then slashed her neck with a knife bought at Lidl. Gardai found a book of drawings in his bedroom, including a sketch of a person being cut up and the words 'serial killer'. The boy had unsupervised access to extreme pornography from age 11 or 12, had used Tor browsers, and had been on antidepressants since October 2015. A forensic psychiatrist reported that the boy had violent thoughts since 2015, had been bullied, and had a history of violent drawings and a scuffle with another boy.
Jeffrey Morrow and Paul O'Beirne were sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for facilitating a serious offence in connection with the murder of Vincent Ryan. Both men initially pleaded not guilty to murder, but following legal argument, the murder charge was dropped, and they pleaded guilty to facilitating a serious offence contrary to Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2006. The court found that they provided and destroyed a stolen Volkswagen Golf used by gunmen in the drive-by shooting that killed Mr Ryan outside his partner's home in 2016. Mr Justice Michael White noted that while not sentencing for murder, the proximity to the callous crime was a serious aggravating factor. He highlighted Morrow's extensive criminal history, including conspiracy to rob a cash-in-transit van, and O'Beirne's prior convictions. Considering their guilty pleas as a mitigating factor, the judge reduced headline sentences of 14 years for Morrow and 11 years for O'Beirne to final sentences of 11 years and nine years, respectively. Both sentences were backdated to reflect time already spent in custody. The judge formally struck out the murder charges. Outside court, Mr Ryan's partner, Kelly Smyth, expressed relief that the matter was concluded, stating she wished to move forward with her life.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Inga Ozolina, aged 48, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment with one year suspended, back‑dated to 29 May 2019, for the manslaughter of her boyfriend, Audrius Pukas, 40. Ozolina had previously obtained two safety orders against Pukas, which had lapsed before his death. She claimed that during a violent altercation she was assaulted, pulled her hair, pushed her to the floor and was bitten, and that she used a kitchen knife to defend herself. The judge noted that the killing was in self‑defence but that the defence was excessive, and that Ozolina had not accepted responsibility for Pukas's death. The sentence reflected mitigating factors such as her good character and the history of domestic violence, while the judge emphasised that the killing was not purely defensive. The case remained at the manslaughter level, with no murder conviction. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty and was acquitted.
A defamation action brought by London-based Nigerian businesswoman Rosala Uvbi Mku-Atu against Ester Esabod Aboderin was adjourned to October following a violent incident at the Four Courts. Ms Uvbi Mku-Atu alleges that Ms Aboderin, of Leixlip, Co Kildare, published defamatory and threatening social media posts regarding her businesses and reputation. During the hearing before Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds, counsel for the defendant stated that Ms Aboderin had been seriously assaulted by unknown parties outside the court, sustaining cuts and bruises, and that a complaint had been made to the Gardaí. Counsel for the plaintiff, who was not present, stated his client had no knowledge of the individuals involved and did not condone the violence. The judge noted that the Gardaí were investigating the incident and agreed to adjourn the case, with existing interim orders remaining in place until October. These orders, secured previously, require the defendant to remove the alleged comments and prohibit their reporting under Section 33 of the Defamation Act. The court heard that the defendant had removed the comments from platforms under her control, though steps were being taken to address posts on other platforms. The matter was adjourned and not concluded.
Gheorghe Goidan, a 46‑year‑old Romanian, was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment for raping two Czech women who were working as prostitutes in Ireland. The judge described the offences as "vicious and shocking" and noted that Goidan had targeted the women because he believed they would not be believed. He met each woman separately in hotel rooms, threatened them with a knife, and repeatedly assaulted and raped them. Goidan had pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault at a hotel in Portlaoise on 7 September 2017 and had also denied rape, oral rape and anal rape of a second woman at the Maldron Hotel in Galway on the same day. A jury found him guilty on all counts. The judge imposed ten‑year terms for each sexual offence and seven‑year terms for each robbery, with the sexual terms to run consecutively, resulting in a 20‑year jail term.
Karl McDonnell, 27, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at the Generator Hostel in Smithfield on 15 April 2018. The incident involved a tourist from Switzerland who claimed McDonnell followed him into a toilet cubicle with his penis exposed, punched him, and then was punched back. McDonnell denied this, saying he was provoked when the tourist commented on his manhood and tried to grab his penis. Gardaí had conflicting accounts from both parties. McDonnell had 19 prior convictions for minor offences. The court heard the tourist declined to give a victim impact statement. Judge Martin Nolan, finding McDonnell's version reasonably believable, sentenced him to two and a half years' imprisonment, suspended in full, on condition he hand over €1,000 in compensation and raise an additional €1,500 over 18 months.
Four young men – John (22) and Christopher (23) Connors, Paddy (22) Connors and James (19) Wall – were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for attacking a family home with stones and rocks on 23 December 2016. The assault, which took place at 2.45 am, left the occupants, including a newborn and a girl with special needs, homeless and forced them to spend Christmas in a hotel. The men pleaded guilty to criminal damage. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a 12‑month probation bond on John Connors, adjourned to 31 July 2020, and a two‑year suspended sentence on James Wall. Paddy Connors received a four‑year sentence with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions, while Christopher Connors was sentenced to four years with the final 18 months suspended. All sentences reflected the men's intoxication and the impact on the victim family.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal of Paul Flaherty, upholding his conviction for sexually assaulting a woman he met via Tinder. Flaherty, 31, was found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of sexually assaulting the complainant at his home in Tallaght, Dublin, on August 31, 2015. He was sentenced to five years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Michael White, who described Flaherty's behaviour as "disgusting" and noted that he ignored the victim's clear lack of interest in sexual contact. Flaherty, who denied the charge, alleged the encounter was consensual and that he was engaging in role-play at the victim's suggestion. His counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, argued the trial should have been halted due to investigative delays and issues regarding the complainant's credibility, and that the jury's verdict was perverse. However, President of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, sitting with Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, rejected these submissions. The court held that the trial judge was correct in refusing to stop the proceedings and that credibility assessments were matters for the jury. The panel found no evidence that the verdict was unsafe or that the trial was unsatisfactory, noting that differing outcomes on various counts did not indicate jury confusion. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed and the original conviction stands.
Adam Marlowe, a convicted person, appeared before the Court of Appeal regarding his conviction for aggravated burglary, robbery of €50, and assaulting Malachy Turley at a home in rural north Co Dublin on July 29, 2016. Marlowe had pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and sentenced to 12 years imprisonment. His legal team argued that the DNA evidence linking him to the crime was insufficient, claiming the jury speculated on the origin of a 93% DNA match found on a blue latex glove fingertip. Prosecutors countered that the evidence was overwhelming and the trial judge properly directed the jury. The court, comprising Mr Justice John Edwards, Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, and Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly, reserved its judgment. Consequently, the matter was adjourned, and Marlowe must wait to hear the outcome of his appeal. At the time of the offence, Marlowe was on bail for two district court offences and serving the suspended portion of a sentence for violent disorder. The victim, an 81-year-old farmer, suffered bruising and a deep cut requiring stitches, describing the incident as traumatic.
Juraci Da Silva, a 36‑year‑old Brazilian butcher, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for killing James 'Jay' Banville in Waterford on 8 October 2016. Da Silva had been assaulted twice that evening by Banville and a friend, the first assault accompanied by racial remarks and the second by sexual comments. After the second assault, Da Silva, armed with a knife, pursued the men and stabbed Banville in the heart. The Central Criminal Court sentenced him to eight years' imprisonment, citing his knowledge of knife dangers from his occupation. The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence, noting the substantial provocation and mitigating factors, and rejected Da Silva's appeal. The case concluded with Da Silva's eight‑year term confirmed.
In 2016 a 15‑year‑old attacked a young man with autism in St Stephen's Green, Dublin, leaving the victim blind in one eye. The assault was filmed by friends and used by Gardaí. The teenager pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm. Under the Children Act 2001 the case was adjourned for a year of probation supervision. Judge Martin Nolan, noting the boy's age, lack of convictions and family support, imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year detention order, deferred for one year. At the hearing the judge suspended the entire detention, giving the teenager a chance to comply with probation. The victim suffered permanent loss of vision and was treated at the Eye and Ear Hospital. The defendant had no prior convictions and expressed remorse.
In a 2019 hearing at the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Michael White granted Michael Corbett, 29, permission to leave his mother's home after a 2016 incident at the Hellfire Club where he attempted to murder a 17‑year‑old and later assaulted a psychiatric nurse. Corbett had been released from a nine‑year sentence after serving less than three years, with the final six years suspended due to his paranoid schizophrenia. He had pleaded guilty to attempted murder and to assaulting nurse Declan Curtin, for which Judge Melanie Greally imposed a five‑year sentence with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended for 15 years under strict conditions, including supervision by the Probation Service and residence at an approved address. Mr Justice White removed the requirement that Corbett live with his mother, provided he continues his medication and resides at a probation‑approved accommodation.
Slawomir Gierlowski, 34, was tried in the Central Criminal Court for a 2010 sexual assault on a fourth victim. The court heard that the victim was walking home at about 3 a.m. when Gierlowski attacked her in the courtyard of her apartment block, attempted to rape her, and ejaculated on her skirt. DNA from the semen matched a profile taken from Gierlowski in 2016, which had previously linked him to other attacks in 2015 and 2011. The jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on charges of sexual assault, attempted rape and assault causing harm after just under three hours of deliberation. Gierlowski maintains his innocence on all offences, and his earlier convictions and sentences are currently under appeal. The victim declined to give a victim impact statement. The case was adjourned for sentencing.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury trial, Daniel Dos Santos, 24, was found guilty of robbing a Spanish restaurant worker of a mobile phone and a bottle of wine. The jury returned an 11‑1 verdict. Dos Santos also pleaded guilty to burglary, criminal damage to a house in Churchtown, and unlawful carriage in a vehicle, for which he received suspended sentences. The robbery occurred on 10 May 2016 when Dos Santos, accompanied by a second man, grabbed a Spanish waitress on Bridge Street and struck her in an unprovoked, violent attack. The judge noted he was not the prime mover. The victim's impact statement described lasting fear and financial loss. Dos Santos was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for the robbery, with consecutive terms of two and a half years for burglary and one year for unlawful carriage, all suspended for three years upon release.
Tom O'Gorman's siblings, Paul and Catherine, have taken the case to the High Court after the coroner refused to hold an "enhanced" inquest into their brother's murder. Thomas O'Gorman was killed by his tenant, Saverio Bellante, in January 2014. Bellante was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity and is now in the Central Mental Hospital. The O'Gorman family argues that the trial did not provide a proper investigation and that Bellante's treatment by the HSE and his psychiatrist was flawed. They claim the coroner's refusal to conduct an enhanced inquest was unreasonable, irrational, void and without effect. The court granted permission to proceed ex‑parte and put a stay on the inquest until a November hearing. The coroner is expected to resume the inquest in late September, pending the outcome of the High Court action.
A 55‑year‑old Dublin man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of three counts of sexually assaulting his heavily‑pregnant partner in November 2014. The jury could not reach a verdict on two additional rape allegations from December 2014, but he was later found guilty of those charges at a retrial. He was sentenced to seven‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended for the sexual assaults. The judge described his conduct as "sneaky, underhand and clandestine" and noted the victim, a 40‑year‑old mother of their child, was eight months pregnant and felt "humiliated, embarrassed and degraded" when the assault videos were played in court. The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction and dismissed the appeal, finding the trial judge's interventions fair and justified. The appeal concerning the two rape counts remains pending.
Dubliner Christopher Dunne (34) has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison for his role in a series of robberies and attempted robberies across Dublin between October 24, 2017, and December 11, 2017. Dunne, who has no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to the charges at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Karen O'Connor imposed consecutive sentences of three years and four and a half years. A portion of the sentence was suspended for 24 months on the condition that Dunne keep the peace. The court heard that Dunne used weapons such as a knife, screwdriver, and claw hammer during the crimes. Garda Aoife O'Brien stated that Dunne robbed cash from Applegreen, Howth Road, Clontarf, on four occasions and committed further robberies in Killester, Artane, and Clontarf. Dunne was also involved in a robbery at a shop in Waterville, Blanchardstown, and acted as the getaway driver in another robbery on Oxmantown Road, Stoneybatter. Dunne has 89 previous convictions, including for robbery, burglary, theft, and drug possession. His defence acknowledged that he was a drug user who committed the crimes to fund his addiction. Judge O'Connor noted that the crimes caused fear and distress to victims and that Dunne is a chronic drug addict who pleaded guilty to the charges.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 29 July 2019, a 14‑year‑old juvenile and his 18‑year‑old accomplice, David O'Neill, pleaded guilty to four counts of robbery and a theft charge. The court heard the pair carried out three robberies in the early hours of one morning, punching victims and knocking them unconscious. CCTV footage showed the juvenile and O'Neill punching a medical student from Saudi Arabia, a second man leaving a nightclub, and a third man at Temple Bar. The juvenile also robbed a young man of his bank card and forced him to withdraw money from ATMs. The judge, citing the juvenile's age, remorse and cooperation, imposed a two‑year detention sentence. O'Neill received a four‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term with the final 18 months suspended. The court noted the victims suffered facial injuries and were taken to hospital.
In 2019, a 58‑year‑old man who had been released from prison in January after serving the non‑suspended part of a ten‑year sentence was jailed for 18 months for breaching the conditions of his suspended sentence. The man had originally been convicted of raping his ex‑partner on 9 August 2013, an offence that involved a hatchet, threats of death and cutting the victim's hair. He had been required to participate in the "Better Lives" sex‑offender treatment programme while in custody, but his assessors found he had not achieved the necessary level of participation or insight into his crime. The Central Criminal Court, presided over by Justice Paul McDermott, revoked part of the three‑year suspended sentence and imposed a substitute 18‑month term, with the final 18 months suspended on the offender's own bond to keep the peace. The judge noted the man's high degree of violence and the need for a proportionate response. The unnamed 58-year-old pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Tumenbayer Dashnamjil, aged 48, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after attacking his then partner on 17 March 2018. The incident began after Dashnamjil had consumed a bottle of Jack Daniels around midnight, during which he threw objects and later punched his partner on the right cheek. He then followed her to the bathroom, choked her, and threatened that he would "kill everyone." The victim reported feeling in fear for her life and that Dashnamjil had repeatedly said he was not afraid of the Gardaí and would kill her if she called them. Dashnamjil, who has 13 prior convictions including assault, theft and public order offences, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions. The judge noted a disturbing background of alcohol‑related behaviour and previous convictions. The sentence was imposed in the presence of the victim's testimony and Dashnamjil's admission of guilt.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 36‑year‑old Cork man was convicted of raping his neighbour on 17 April 2017 after she asked him to leave her home. The jury found him guilty of the single rape charge. Judge Tony Hunt noted that the victim's hospitality was abused and that the man claimed a relationship that the victim denied. He highlighted that the offence was aggravated by the location and the use of force beyond what would be required for non‑consensual activity. The sentence was eight and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions, including compliance with Probation Service directions for 12 months after release. The man had 43 prior convictions, including assault, theft and traffic offences. The victim's impact statement described lasting fear and distress following the assault. The court did not consider any subsequent actions or appeals.
In July 2018, a 33‑year‑old Dublin man pleaded guilty to six charges of sexual assault against four of his young female cousins, with offences occurring between 2000 and 2006. The victims, now in their twenties, were aged four to eight at the time of the assaults. They testified that the family, once close, was torn apart by the revelations. The man, who had no prior convictions, admitted the acts after police first met the women. Judge Sinead Ní Chúlacháin imposed a four‑year suspended sentence, with jail terms ranging from one to four years for each charge, but suspended all of them. She noted his moderate risk of re‑offending and his limited understanding of the impact on his victims. The sentence was accompanied by a psychological report highlighting his weaknesses in reasoning and empathy. The judge emphasised that no penalty could restore the victims' lost innocence, trust or sense of security.
In a Central Criminal Court case, 46‑year‑old Paula Farrell of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, was tried for the murder of her 30‑year‑old boyfriend, Wayne McQuillan, who was killed on 1 January 2014. Farrell pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, admitting she stabbed McQuillan four times. She claimed the deceased had tried to rape and strangle her, and that her childhood sexual abuse influenced her actions. The prosecution argued she fabricated the rape claim, while the defence denied this. A forensic psychiatrist diagnosed Farrell with post‑traumatic stress disorder from child abuse. The trial noted delays in ambulance response and that McQuillan was transported in a Garda car. After more than four hours of deliberation, the jury could not reach a verdict, and the judge remanded Farrell in custody until 21 October for further court dates.
In a Dublin case, a 38‑year‑old man was convicted of raping and sexually assaulting his wife at their home on 30 August 2015. He denied the charges but accepted the jury's verdict and apologized to his wife in court. The wife, who had lived in fear of her husband's violence, later wrote a letter to the sentencing judge forgiving him and expressing regret for bringing the case against him. Judge Paul Coffey sentenced the man to five years' imprisonment, suspending the final two years on account of the wife's plea for clemency. The Director of Public Prosecutions is seeking a review of the three‑year jail term, arguing it is unduly lenient, and the man is appealing the severity of his sentence on the basis that the case is exceptional. The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgement on both proceedings.
Dean Howe, 34, of Oakfield Place, Dublin 8, was returned for trial to the Special Criminal Court on a charge of conspiring to murder Gary Hanley. The DPP applied for the transfer, arguing ordinary courts were inadequate, and the order was granted by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, sitting with Judges Martin Nolan and Ann Ryan. Howe is the fifth person charged in the alleged plot. At the same hearing, Alan Wilson, 40, of New Street Gardens, Dublin 8, was sentenced to six years after admitting to conspiring with Luke Wilson and others to murder Mr Hanley between September 15 and November 6, 2017. Joseph Kelly, 39, of Kilworth Road, Drimnagh, Dublin 12, was also jailed for six years for admitting to the same conspiracy. Kelly received a concurrent 12-year sentence for pleading guilty to possessing a 9mm Beretta semi-automatic pistol with intent to endanger life at Philipsburgh Avenue, Marino, Dublin 3, on November 6, 2017. Previously, Luke Wilson, 23, of Cremona Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, was sentenced to 11 years for unlawful possession of a Beretta handgun with intent to endanger life at Philipsburgh Avenue, Fairview, Dublin 3, on the same date. Wilson also received a concurrent six-year sentence for admitting to conspiring to murder Mr Hanley. All sentences for Kelly and Wilson were ordered to run concurrently.
A book of evidence was served at the Special Criminal Court on Alan Wilson, a 40‑year‑old Dublin resident, who faces three attempted‑murder charges for an incident at The Players Lounge pub on 26 July 2010. Wilson is accused of attempting to kill Brian Masterson, Wayne Barrett and Austin Purcell, and of possessing a .38 Special Smith & Wesson revolver, a .32 Auto Zastava pistol and corresponding ammunition with intent to endanger life. During the brief hearing, the court remanded Wilson in custody until 7 October, when his case will be mentioned again.
Michael Brady, aged 54, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to eight years and six months' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, for possession of €1.25 million worth of heroin found in the base of a bed at an apartment in Sallins Bridge, Naas, on 24 January 2017. The judge noted that Brady was trusted by a criminal gang to look after the heroin, but was not involved in buying, selling or planning criminal activity. Brady was found not guilty of possessing cocaine, cannabis, an assault rifle and ammunition, and the charge of possessing three ammunition magazines was withdrawn. Brady denied all charges and claimed he only looked after dogs belonging to his brother, Declan Brady, who was jailed for 10 ½ years for supervising a firearms arsenal. The sentence was back‑dated to 12 April 2017, the date of Brady's initial custody. Michael Brady was found guilty.
Three men – Gary Thompson (34), his brother Glen Thompson (24) and Afghan war veteran Robert Browne (35) – were sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to a combined 36.5 years for planning to murder Patrick "Patsy" Hutch. The court heard that the men were intercepted by Gardaí just 250 metres from Hutch's home in Dublin's north inner city, having been caught "red‑handed" during a Garda operation that involved audio surveillance and the seizure of several loaded firearms. Each brother received 12 years and six months, while Browne was sentenced to 11 years and six months. The sentences were back‑dated to 10 March 2018, the day the men were taken into custody. The judge noted the seriousness of the offence, the extensive preparation, and the men's guilty pleas, which led to a 25 % reduction in the headline 18‑year sentences. The operation was praised for its intelligence and effectiveness.
Alan Wilson, aged 40, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to six years' imprisonment, back‑dated to 6 November 2017, for conspiring to murder Gary Hanley. Wilson's role involved planning the attack, instructing co‑accused Joseph Kelly and Luke Wilson on routes, vehicle destruction and the method of killing. Wilson also received a six‑year concurrent sentence for conspiracy to murder and a 12‑year sentence for possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, the latter suspended for three years. Joseph Kelly, aged 39, received a six‑year concurrent sentence for conspiracy to murder and a 12‑year sentence for firearm possession, with 18 months suspended for a period of three years. The sentences were imposed concurrently and back‑dated to the date of Kelly's initial custody. The court noted Wilson's early guilty plea and lack of prior convictions as mitigating factors. The judge highlighted the Gardaí's intervention as preventing the planned murder.
Joseph Hussey, 41, pleaded guilty to assaulting Garda Gemma Twohig on 13 October 2018 and threatening to kill a woman in his home on 19 January 2019. He has three prior convictions. The court described him as a "Jekyll and Hyde character" who is calm when sober but violent when drunk. Judge Martin Nolan remanded him overnight and later sentenced him to 18 months imprisonment, fully suspended on the condition of good behaviour for 18 months. The judge noted the abuse of Gardaí friendships and the animal cruelty offence. Hussey had previously threatened Gardaí, feigned unconsciousness, and was handcuffed after becoming abusive to ambulance and medical staff. The victim impact report detailed Garda Twohig's injuries and emotional distress. No further legal outcomes were mentioned.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 25‑year‑old Liam O'Neill pleaded guilty to robbing 58‑year‑old Paul Mullarkey on Grattan Parade, Drumcondra, on 29 November. O'Neill had consumed heroin, cocaine and alcohol that day. CCTV showed him jostling Mullarkey, thrusting a sharp piece of a small tree branch into his stomach and throat, threatening to stab him, kicking and punching him, then biting parts of his ear and nose. The attack lasted about six minutes, during which O'Neill stamped on Mullarkey's head and torso and stole €50. Mullarkey suffered cuts, scratches and bite injuries, requiring treatment at the Mater. O'Neill was arrested that evening after erratic behaviour outside Mater Hospital; DNA on his clothing matched Mullarkey's. O'Neill had 82 prior convictions, including violent offences, and had served a four‑year term for a previous robbery. Judge Martin Nolan described the robbery as "serious" and the assault as "visceral and barbaric".
The Central Criminal Court jury has begun deliberations on the murder trial of Paula Farrell, a 46‑year‑old from Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, who is charged with killing her 30‑year‑old boyfriend, Wayne McQuillan, on New Year's morning 2014. Farrell pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, admitting she stabbed McQuillan four times. She claims she was sexually abused as a child and that McQuillan had sexually assaulted and attempted to strangle her, provoking her. The prosecution argues she fabricated a rape claim to justify the killing, while the defence maintains no such excuse. A forensic psychiatrist testified that Farrell suffered post‑traumatic stress disorder from alleged child abuse, influencing her actions. The jury, consisting of eight women and four men, retired to deliberate and will resume on Monday morning. The case remains at the jury deliberation stage.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 67‑year‑old man from Mervue pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the killing of 38‑year‑old Christopher McGrath in Galway city. The body was discovered at the defendant's home on 12 March 2017, with a neck wound. The Director of Public Prosecutions accepted the plea. Judge Michael White adjourned sentencing to November and remanded the defendant on continuing bail.
At the Central Criminal Court, two men have pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder of Vinnie Ryan, whose shooting in Dublin on 19 February 2016 left his five-week-old daughter without a father. Paul O'Beirne of Ballyfermot and Jeffrey Morrow of Coolock admitted providing and destroying a stolen silver Volkswagen Golf used in the fatal attack, which involved at least thirteen shots fired at Mr Ryan's vehicle. Gardaí established the connection through CCTV footage, mobile phone evidence, and forensic analysis linking the men to the vehicle's movements before and after the killing. O'Beirne, with twenty-five previous convictions for road traffic offences, and Morrow, carrying one hundred and twenty prior convictions including conspiracy to rob cash-in-transit vans, both sought leniency from Mr Justice Michael White. The judge commended the gardaí investigation and expressed sympathy for the victim's family and partner. Sentencing is scheduled for 31 July 2019, with a maximum penalty of fifteen years for the offence under the Criminal Justice Act 2006.
Oliver Callely, 27, of St Lawrences Road, Clontarf, Dublin, faces trial for an alleged assault causing harm to a man at the Copper Face Jacks nightclub on Harcourt Street on 6 September 2015. He appeared before Dublin District Court on 2 July and was present on bail. On a new mention before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, his lawyers requested an arraignment date, which Judge Martin Nolan set for 30 October. The court also granted a variation of his bail, with the DPP consenting.
Jason O'Connor, 41, was sentenced to three years in prison for assaulting a man at The Paddocks pub in Clonee on 3 November 2018, and for making threats to kill or seriously harm Detective Sergeant Shane McCartan and Detective Inspector Joseph McLoughlin during a search of his home on 5 November 2018. The threats were recorded by a documentary film crew and played in court. O'Connor pleaded guilty to both the assault and the threats. He has 64 previous convictions, mainly traffic offences, but also knives, burglary and a mobile phone in prison. The judge, Martin Nolan, imposed a concurrent one‑year sentence for the threats, back‑dated to reflect time already spent in custody. The court noted that O'Connor had been in his boxer shorts when the Emergency Response Unit breached his door, and that he had a history of mental health issues and substance misuse.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Paula Farrell, 46, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for killing her 30‑year‑old boyfriend, Wayne McQuillan, on New Year's morning 2014. The prosecution argued that Farrell had fabricated a rape claim to justify the killing, citing her statements to Gardaí 15 months after the death and her description of the relationship as "brilliant." They highlighted forensic psychiatric evidence of post‑traumatic stress disorder from childhood abuse and noted that Farrell had been intoxicated with about six litres of cider that night. The defence countered that Farrell's PTSD and childhood sexual abuse shaped her state of mind, and that the alleged rape was a false narrative. The jury was instructed to consider whether provocation could reduce the charge to manslaughter, while the prosecution maintained that the evidence supported a murder verdict.
A father‑of‑three, Alan Lyons, aged 12 to 17 during the offences, was jailed for five years for the sexual abuse of a 12‑year‑old boy by Dirk Jager, a 57‑year‑old former prisoner serving a life sentence for murder. Jager pleaded guilty to six charges – three of sexual assault and three of gross indecency – committed between December 1992 and December 1997. The abuse began when Jager, then 31, convinced the child that a relationship was desired, escalating to full penetrative sex. Jager admitted the abuse in January 2017 and expressed remorse in a letter to the victim. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a headline sentence of five years, reduced to three and a half years, and a total of six years with the final year suspended for five years on condition that Jager engage with the Probation Service. Alan Lyons was convicted.
Kessy Ferraz, 31, pleaded guilty to sexual assault at Rochestown Lodge on 14 May 2018. The court sentenced him to 18 months imprisonment, fully suspended on the condition he keep the peace and be of good behaviour for 18 months. He was also ordered to raise €2,000 in compensation, which may be handed to the victim if she agrees. The incident occurred when Ferraz sought toilet rolls and followed a woman into a ladies' bathroom cubicle, where he kissed her neck, grabbed her hand and attempted to pull it down to his genitals. The victim resisted and escaped. Ferraz had no prior convictions, had been an unaccompanied minor from Angola, and had recently taken steps to find his family. The judge noted his guilty plea, cooperation, remorse, lack of record and difficult life path as mitigating factors. The sentence was deemed unlikely to result in re‑offending.
In the appeal of Michael McDonald, a 56‑year‑old alcoholic who murdered his ex‑girlfriend Breda Cummins in 2010, the Court of Appeal was presented with an argument that alcohol dependence could diminish responsibility for murder. McDonald admitted stabbing Cummins six times but denied murder, and the defence claimed his responsibility was reduced by schizoaffective disorder. The jury rejected this and convicted him of murder, sentencing him to mandatory life imprisonment. On appeal, barrister Michael Lynn SC argued that both prosecution and defence psychiatric experts agreed McDonald suffered from alcoholism or alcohol dependence syndrome, yet the condition was excluded from the Criminal Justice (Insanity) Act 2006. Lynn contended this exclusion deprived McDonald of a significant defence and caused a fundamental injustice. Director of Public Prosecutions counsel Orla Crowe SC countered that the experts agreed the condition did not fall within the statute and that no evidence linked alcoholism to the murder.
A 39-year-old man has been sentenced to nine years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the manslaughter of his housemate in Ballyjamesduff, County Cavan on New Year's Day 2018. Tomasz Paszkiewicz was convicted by jury of fatally stabbing Marek Swider, aged 40, with a boning knife following a dispute over money lost in a poker game. The defendant was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter. Justice Tara Burns noted Paszkiewicz's expertise with the blade from his employment at a meat factory and identified the killing as falling within the serious category of such offences. She imposed a headline sentence of thirteen years, reducing it to nine years in consideration of his guilty plea, remorse, cooperation with gardaí, and personal circumstances. Paszkiewicz expressed sincere apology to the deceased's family and his own. The victim died from two stab wounds to the chest and abdomen. The unnamed 39-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Aaron Wilson, aged 30, was jailed for eight and a half years after he attacked Aaron Kiely, aged 32, and his girlfriend when Wilson saw the couple interfering with a window on Wilson's partner's car. Wilson pursued the couple and struck Kiely on three separate occasions, punching, kicking, stamping and using a chair to beat him. Kiely suffered deafness in his left ear, lost hearing in his right ear, fractures to both sides of his skull and a blood clot on his brain, leaving him unable to live independently and requiring 24‑hour care. Wilson pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm in January 2014. He had 14 prior minor traffic convictions and had failed to appear for a 2016 trial, resulting in a bench warrant. The judge, Martin Nolan, described the attacks as "particularly violent" and noted that Wilson's remorse and the severity of Kiely's injuries justified the sentence. The court did not read the victim impact reports.
In March 2017, 20‑year‑old Lee Fetherson punched and kicked a 15‑year‑old pupil in a St Vincent's CBS corridor, briefly knocking him unconscious. The victim suffered a broken nose, concussion and ongoing breathing difficulties. Fetherson, who had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to 18 months imprisonment, suspended in full for 24 months on strict conditions. He paid €2,500 to court, which the judge ordered to be handed to the Gardaí for the victim's medical costs. The incident was captured on CCTV and presented to the judge. Fetherson had initially intended to break up a dispute but reacted violently after being shoved. He expressed remorse, offered compensation, and had no drug or alcohol issues. The victim's mother accepted the funds to aid his recovery. The case highlighted the seriousness of the offence and the mitigating factors of Fetherson's youth, good character and cooperation.
Maximilian Lang-Orsini, 24, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to sexual assault at Hanover Lane, Dublin, on November 16, 2013. The prosecution alleged that Lang-Orsini exposed himself and masturbated in front of an injured 64-year-old woman, standing over her while she lay on the ground. Judge Martin Nolan accepted the submission that the charge was based on the victim's apprehension of imminent sexual assault, noting a reasonable basis for the charge while acknowledging Lang-Orsini did not intend to physically injure or sexually assault her. The judge described the behavior as shameful and stated that the only reason Lang-Orsini avoided immediate custody was his lack of prior convictions. He sentenced Lang-Orsini to two years in prison, which was suspended in full for two years. Additionally, the court ordered Lang-Orsini to raise €10,000 to be handed over to Garda O'Brien within 18 months, a sum the judge described as a punishment intended to deter future offenses. If the victim does not accept the money, the court will dispose of it. Judge Nolan emphasized that he would have imposed a custodial sentence if he believed Lang-Orsini deserved one. The defense noted Lang-Orsini had no previous convictions, was intoxicated on MDMA at the time, and had apologized unreservedly.