In the Louth woman's trial at the Central Criminal Court, Dr Sally Linehan, a consultant forensic psychiatrist, testified for the prosecution. She reported that she had produced two reports on Paula Farrell, the 46‑year‑old accused of murdering her boyfriend Wayne McQuillan. In the 2015 report, Dr Linehan noted that Farrell had not experienced flashbacks or hearing voices at the time of the alleged offence, but she did meet the criteria for post‑traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In the 2019 report, Farrell admitted to intrusive dreams about childhood sexual abuse but did not recall memories of abuse at the time of the 2014 killing. Dr Linehan was not satisfied that Farrell had a dissociative reaction during the incident. She agreed with the defence psychiatrist that Farrell suffered from PTSD, alcohol dependence, hypersensitivity, hyper‑vigilance and emotional instability, and that she had a passive death wish but no plan to harm herself. The jury will hear closing speeches tomorrow. Paula Farrell pleaded not guilty.
In a 2019 trial at the Central Criminal Court, 46‑year‑old Paula Farrell of Drogheda pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for killing 30‑year‑old Wayne McQuillan on New Year's Day 2014. She admitted stabbing him four times and claimed he had tried to rape her, an allegation she said stemmed from childhood sexual abuse. A forensic psychiatrist testified that Farrell suffered from post‑traumatic stress disorder due to that abuse. Dr Kevin Lamb, a clinical psychologist, testified that Farrell's IQ was around 70, placing her in the lowest two percent of the population, and argued that this limited her ability to plan the killing. He also noted that Farrell's mental state, intoxication, childhood abuse and alleged sexual assault together contributed to the incident. The prosecution highlighted McQuillan's injuries and suggested he had fought back, while the defence maintained Farrell's narrative. The court heard these conflicting accounts during the trial's ninth day.
Jason Kane, aged 24 of St Attracta Road, Cabra, Dublin, has been sentenced to three years imprisonment following his guilty plea to assault causing harm and production of a knife at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The offences occurred on September 3, 2018, outside his residence. The court heard that Kane slashed a woman's face with a Stanley knife during an altercation, causing a six-centimetre wound to a cosmetically visible area that will leave a permanent scar. Kane claimed he initially believed the knife in his pocket was a lighter and intended only to stun the victim with its handle. The judge noted that application of a knife to the head or face constitutes serious offending. In mitigation, the court considered Kane's guilty plea, expression of genuine remorse, and work history as a chef. The sentence was backdated to September 5, 2018, when Kane first entered custody. Kane has previous convictions for assault and public order offences.
Patrick O'Driscoll, aged 21, was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury in Cork of raping a sleeping woman on 10 May 2016 while her boyfriend slept beside her. The victim, who remains anonymous, stated that the assault occurred from behind and that she tried to wake her boyfriend, leading to a confrontation. O'Driscoll denied the charge, claiming he had been invited to sleep in the bed, a claim refuted by the boyfriend. He was arrested for a public order offence before the full extent of the incident was known. O'Driscoll, who has 37 prior district‑court convictions, was sentenced to ten years, reduced to seven years by the judge to account for mitigating factors such as his young age and personal circumstances. He remains in custody. The court noted no restriction on publishing his identity but advised caution in reporting the location. The victim's impact statement described lasting emotional harm, nightmares, and feelings of shame and anger.
Two men, Paul O'Beirne (36) and Jeffrey Morrow (37), pleaded guilty to helping a criminal organisation murder 25‑year‑old Vinnie Ryan. They were charged with facilitating a serious offence under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. O'Beirne was also charged with providing and destroying a motor vehicle used in the murder, while Morrow's indictment did not mention the vehicle. The court accepted the pleas and remanded both men in custody until a sentence hearing on 26 July. Mr Justice Michael White said he would not pass sentence that day and would set a date for sentencing. The trial included evidence that Ryan was shot three times, one bullet passing through his head, and CCTV footage linking O'Beirne to the disposal of a seat cover from a car used in the murder. The prosecution also presented DNA evidence linking a dog's hair to the cover recovered from O'Beirne's garden.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 63‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to raping a woman who could not recall the incident the following morning. The offence occurred on 11 August 2015 in County Meath. The court sentenced him to five years' imprisonment and imposed a three‑year post‑release supervision period with strict conditions, including abstaining from alcohol. The judge noted that both the accused and the victim were alcoholics and had been drinking together that night, each consuming two bottles of wine. After the victim slept, the accused entered her room and had sex with her without consent, leaving a condom wrapper in the ensuite. The accused admitted keeping condoms in his wallet and flushing them after use. He had prior convictions for sexual assault in 2010 and 1994. The judge highlighted his limited intellectual ability, cognitive difficulties, impulsivity, and the victim's vulnerability.
In a 2019 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 74‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to indecent assault of his nephew, a boy aged about 13 or 14, committed between 1980 and 1983. The judge, citing the offence's maximum sentence of two years, imposed 16 months imprisonment, noting the defendant's age, remorse, guilty plea and mitigation. The court heard that the victim had been watching an Elvis Presley film when the uncle entered, forced the boy onto the couch, removed his clothes, and performed an anal rape. The uncle threatened the boy with death and family breakup if he disclosed the abuse. The defendant had 30 prior convictions, including firearms, drug possession and indecent assault. Gardaí had received an admission in 1989 that the defendant had done something "wrong" to the victim but did not investigate or inform the victim.
In a manslaughter sentencing hearing on 22 July 2019, the lawyer for Inga Ozolina argued that her client, a 48‑year‑old mother of two, killed her boyfriend, Audrius Pukas, in self‑defence after a history of domestic violence. The barrister claimed that Pukas had attacked Ozolina with a knife and that she had used her hands and fists in response. Ozolina had previously been found guilty of manslaughter, not murder, by a jury in May. The lawyer highlighted evidence of prior injuries to Ozolina and two safety orders that had lapsed. She requested that the judge place the offence in the lower culpability range, citing the alleged deadly attack. The judge adjourned sentencing to 31 July and remanded Ozolina in custody until then. The hearing did not address any further legal outcomes. Inga Ozolina pleaded not guilty.
A 37‑year‑old man from County Clare was sentenced to more than nine years in prison for raping a 13‑year‑old girl in 2011 after chasing her on church grounds. He denied the rape but was convicted of defilement after DNA proved he was the father of the girl's child, born when she was 16. The court described him as a "dangerous sexual predator" with a long history of sexual offences, noting he will be released while still young. He will undergo seven years of post‑release supervision, must not contact anyone under 18 and must avoid loitering near places where children gather. The victim, now 20, said the assault ruined her life, causing ongoing anxiety and affecting her relationships. The man had previously been convicted of 17 sexual offences, including the defilement charge, and had 37 convictions in total. The unnamed 13-year-old pleaded guilty.
A 75‑year‑old man, Christopher Redmond of Finglas, had his 2018 conviction for raping his granddaughter quashed after a new medical report found he suffered from a severe form of dementia with no prospect of recovery. The Court of Appeal considered that the earlier report, which had only noted a mild cognitive impairment, did not raise any doubt about his fitness to stand trial at the time of the original trial. Redmond had pleaded not guilty to four counts of rape and five counts of sexual assault between 2002 and 2004. He was sentenced to five years' imprisonment by Ms Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh, who had reduced the headline sentence because of his progressive cognitive impairments. The appeal was allowed, and no further order was made. The victim, Leanne Murphy, aged seven to nine when abused, expressed her shock and disappointment with the outcome.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice Paul McDermott granted the legal teams of two 14‑year‑old boys convicted of murdering 14‑year‑old Ana Kriegel access to parts of each other's probation reports that relate to the murder and sexual assault. The request was made by Gerardine Small BL for the Director of Public Prosecutions, and both defendants' counsel, Patrick Gageby SC and Damien Colgan SC, objected neither to the disclosure nor to a garda inspector's access. The judge emphasised that the documents must be handled with the strictest confidence and warned that any breach would be contempt of court. He also limited media presence to no more than five reporters at the boys' sentencing in October, citing the need for an appropriate environment. The boys, referred to as Boy A and Boy B, were convicted by unanimous jury verdicts last month for Ana's murder and aggravated sexual assault.
Patrick McMorrow, aged 51, of Caltragh Crescent, Sligo, has failed in his appeal against a ten-year sentence imposed for a knife attack at the Crozon Inn in October 2016. McMorrow pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm to two victims following an altercation at a post-funeral gathering. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, upheld the sentence handed down by Judge Keenan Johnson in June 2018, with the final two years suspended. One victim was stabbed five times and required intensive care treatment, whilst the second suffered a collapsed lung. The appeal court rejected submissions that the sentencing judge had placed excessive emphasis on deterrence when referencing local knife crime prevalence. Mr Justice Birmingham stated there was nothing improper in the trial judge's remarks concerning the frequency of such offences or the expectation of severe penalties.
In the Louth murder trial, 46‑year‑old Paula Farrell pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for killing 30‑year‑old Wayne McQuillan on New Year's Day 2014. She admitted stabbing him four times after he allegedly tried to have sex with her and began strangling her. Farrell testified that she had been abused as a child between ages seven and fourteen, and that she had reported the abuse to an adult who ensured her safety. She also disclosed that she had told a Rape Crisis Centre counsellor in 2016 that she felt "helpless like a child" when McQuillan tried to rape her. A forensic psychiatrist, Dr. Brenda Wright, testified that Farrell had long‑standing alcohol dependence, post‑traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), hypersensitivity, hyper‑vigilance and emotional instability, and that her childhood abuse had significantly increased her risk of these mental health difficulties. The trial continues with the prosecution cross‑examining the witness.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 19 July 2019, Judge Michael White ordered separate trials for Paul O'Beirne, 36, and Jeffrey Morrow, 37, who had pleaded not guilty to the murder of 25‑year‑old Vincent Ryan. Ryan was shot dead on 29 February 2016 while parked outside his partner's home on McKee Road, Finglas. The judge directed a separate trial for Morrow and announced that O'Beirne's trial would continue before a jury next Tuesday, with the case still expected to conclude on 8 August. Acting State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan had previously stated that Ryan died after being shot three times, one bullet passing through his head. Vincent's partner, Kelly Smyth, testified that she and their five‑week‑old daughter were in the car when the shooting occurred, and that Ryan was found seriously injured and bleeding in the driver's side of the vehicle before being pronounced dead later that day. The trial remains ongoing.
Lee Murray, 24, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to two separate assaults. In November 2016, he attacked Sam Hess on a Luas tram, using a screwdriver and attempting to rob him, causing Hess to suffer injuries and seek medical attention. In July 2017, he assaulted shopkeeper Brian O'Carroll on Drumcondra Road after a dispute over stolen alcohol, knocking O'Carroll unconscious. The court imposed a four‑year term for the Luas assault and a consecutive two‑year term for the shop assault, suspending the final 18 months on the condition that Murray keep the peace. Murray's history of 34 prior convictions, drug addiction, and homelessness were considered in sentencing, and he expressed remorse and has entered a rehabilitation programme. The judge noted the seriousness of the assaults and the use of a screwdriver as aggravating factors.
Tomasz Paszkiewicz, 39, was remanded in custody at the Central Criminal Court following a trial where he was found not guilty of murder but guilty of the manslaughter of Marek Swider. The jury reached a majority verdict after nearly five hours of deliberation. Paszkiewicz had pleaded not guilty to murder and guilty to manslaughter regarding the death of his housemate, who died of two stab wounds inflicted with a boning knife on January 1, 2018, in Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan. Prosecutors argued the case involved high culpability, citing the use of a lethal weapon, lack of provocation, and the accused's failure to assist the victim. Defence counsel urged the court to view it as a medium-culpability case, highlighting Paszkiewicz's remorse, lack of prior convictions, and cooperation with gardai. Paszkiewicz testified that he was ashamed and that human life is priceless. Ms Justice Tara Burns adjourned the matter, stating she will pass sentence on Thursday next.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Zak Dunne, aged 22, was found guilty of assault causing harm after stabbing a man in the stomach during a celebration of his Leaving Cert. The incident occurred on 18 July 2015 at McDonald's, Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, where Dunne, then 18, perceived the victim's brother as aggressive. A confrontation ensued, and Dunne stabbed the victim in the left lower abdomen. The victim was hospitalized, receiving 13 staples, and was immobile for a week, missing two weeks of work. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced Dunne to two and a half years' imprisonment, fully suspending the term on strict conditions, including attendance at an anger management course. The court noted the seriousness of the attack, the unprovoked nature of the assault, and the use of a knife, while also citing mitigating factors such as Dunne's youth, good character, strong work ethic, desire for rehabilitation, and family support. Zak Dunne pleaded not guilty.
A 41‑year‑old man was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for three counts of sexual assault against a 14‑year‑old girl who was invited to his home for sleepovers in October 2016. The judge suspended the final six months on condition of probation supervision. The victim, now 16, described feeling "dirty, depressed and angry," having self‑harmled and experiencing suicidal thoughts, and said her parents had been deeply affected, with her father unable to work for three months. The man had denied the charges but was found guilty by a jury. He had no prior convictions, had represented Ireland in sport, and was described by his defence as an "aberration" in his life. He will be registered as a sex offender and subject to post‑release supervision. The sentence was back‑dated to the date he entered custody.
In 2017, Egyptian national Mohamed Okda, aged 33, was convicted of two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault after a 2014 incident in Dublin. He received an 11‑year sentence with the final year suspended. The Court of Appeal quashed the conviction on 18 July 2019, ordering a retrial because the trial judge failed to instruct the jury on the presumption of innocence. Justice John Edwards noted that the omission was a fatal flaw rendering the trial unsatisfactory. Okda was remanded in custody pending the retrial. The victim, a married mother visiting Dublin with friends, was found drunk and lost, and after Okda offered help she was taken to his flat where the assault occurred. She fled the flat, was rescued by a taxi driver, and reported the incident to Gardaí. The case remains pending retrial. Mohamed Okda pleaded not guilty.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Paula Farrell, 46, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the death of 30‑year‑old Wayne McQuillan on New Year's morning 2014. She admitted stabbing him four times with a large chef's knife. During cross‑examination, she acknowledged that she knew the knife would do more than merely hurt him, yet claimed she did not intend to kill him, only to scare him. She stated that McQuillan had tried to have sex with her and had begun strangling her before she went to the kitchen. Farrell also admitted that she had told investigators she was angry and that she lashes out at people she loves. The prosecution continued questioning on Friday.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Paula Farrell, 46, denied that she lied to the jury about an alleged rape attempt by her boyfriend, Wayne McQuillan, whom she stabbed to death in 2014. She had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. During cross‑examination, Farrell said she and McQuillan were likely arguing over a trivial matter and that she was not letting him dominate her when she stabbed him. She also claimed he had tried to have sex with her and had begun strangling her before she went to the kitchen for a knife. Farrell admitted she had not made these statements in earlier Garda interviews or in consultations with female doctors, and that the State first learned of the allegation in May of the following year. The prosecution, led by Gerard Clarke SC, will continue cross‑examining her tomorrow.
In a Drogheda murder trial, 46‑year‑old Paula Farrell pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for stabbing partner Wayne McQuillan, 30, four times on New Year's morning 2014. She told the jury she did not intend to kill him, only to hurt him as he had hurt her, and expressed remorse, saying she missed him "so much". Farrell recounted a history of sexual abuse from age seven to fourteen, heavy drinking from age nineteen, and ongoing depression and anxiety. She described the night's events: an argument, McQuillan's alleged sexual advances, her strangulation attempt, and her subsequent stabbing of him twice at the kitchen door, with a fourth stab to the side. She claimed she was "numb" and "blank" when stabbing, and that she had not intended to kill him. The trial proceeded before Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury of four men and eight women.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Cormac Quinn ruled that a man, whose name is withheld for legal reasons, is unfit to stand trial for an alleged sexual assault on a child due to a mental disorder. The judge, after consulting with forensic psychiatrist Dr. Anthony Kearns, found that the defendant's social and intellectual abilities were significantly impaired, preventing him from following trial proceedings or mounting a proper defence. The court noted that the man denied wrongdoing and claimed any sexual activity was consensual. Judge Quinn highlighted the need for community disability services and ordered the local disability manager to act, citing past failures of local services. The case was adjourned to July 16 next year for a review of the defendant's fitness to plead and to stand trial. Fiona McGowan BL reported that psychiatric evidence was uncontested.
A 32-year-old man, Richard McLaughlin, who was found not guilty by reason of insanity of the murder of Jimmy 'James' Loughlin (20) in Sligo on February 24, 2018, has been committed to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) following an appeal. The court heard that McLaughlin broke into Loughlin's home and beat him to death with a crowbar while suffering from delusions caused by paranoid schizophrenia. Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan confirmed that Loughlin died from traumatic head injuries. During the trial, it was revealed that McLaughlin had a history of mental health issues, including previous admissions to St Columba's Hospital in Sligo and concerns raised by psychiatrists about his risk of violence. Dr Sally Linehan, a consultant forensic psychiatrist at the CMH, testified that McLaughlin has been compliant with his treatment plan and has begun to develop insight into his illness. She recommended his commitment to the CMH for inpatient care. Dr Conor O'Neill, also a consultant forensic psychiatrist, confirmed that McLaughlin suffered from schizophrenia and did not understand that his actions were wrong at the time of the attack. The court, having heard evidence from two consultant psychiatrists, concluded that McLaughlin met the criteria for the special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. The matter was adjourned for the Mental Health Review Board to review his condition every six months.
The Special Criminal Court heard sentencing submissions for Alan Wilson and Joseph Kelly, who are accused of conspiring to murder Gary Hanley and possessing a 9mm Beretta pistol with intent to endanger life. Both men pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge, while Kelly also admitted to the firearm possession. The court heard evidence of secret recordings where Wilson instructed Kelly to kill Hanley, and surveillance of reconnaissance trips to plan the attack. Wilson, who has no prior convictions, expressed remorse in a letter to the court, while Kelly, who has 64 previous convictions, cited drug addiction and a difficult background as mitigating factors. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding with Judges Martin Nolan and Ann Ryan, remanded both defendants in custody until July 29, when they will be sentenced. The matter was adjourned and is not yet concluded. Luke Wilson, Alan Wilson's nephew, was previously sentenced to 11 years for the same firearm charge and a concurrent six years for the conspiracy.
In a Drogheda home, Paula Farrell, 46, stabbed her boyfriend Wayne McQuillan, 30, to death. She told Garda Yvonne Geraghty that the fight was likely over a trivial matter and that she was not letting him get the better of her when she stabbed him. Farrell described McQuillan as a lovely, good person and herself as "good craic." She admitted that they had argued and that he had knocked her, causing her to fall. She then went to her kitchen, took a knife from her block, and stabbed him four times. Farrell said she did not intend to kill him and that she had apologized to him after the incident. She is on trial at the Central Criminal Court, pleading not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The case is currently at the trial stage.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 15 July 2019, the court was informed that a three‑man hit‑for‑hire team, including an Afghan war veteran, had planned to murder Patrick "Patsy" Hutch at his Champion's Avenue home. The team—Gary Thompson (34), his brother Glen Thompson (24), and Robert Browne (35)—were intercepted by Gardaí just 250 metres from the target's residence. They possessed four firearms: a 9mm Rak sub‑machine gun, a .38 Special Rossi revolver, a 9mm Beretta 92 pistol and a 9mm Makarov pistol. Garda surveillance revealed a detailed plan involving a van parked at Belmont Hall Apartments, a getaway vehicle at Stoney Road, and a "looker" to signal the target's departure. On 10 March 2018, Gardaí conducted an armed intervention, arresting the men and seizing weapons, a fob, gloves, a wig, mobile phones, and other items. The defendants were remanded in custody pending sentencing on 29 July.
James Leddy, 55, was convicted of three counts of indecent assault on 13‑year‑old Colm Bracken between May and September 1981. The sentencing hearing was adjourned to October because the judge, Pauline Codd, could not determine whether Leddy accepted his guilt. Leddy had pleaded not guilty but accepted the jury verdict, while a prior probation report stated he "adamantly denies" his guilt. Leddy, a former scout leader and father of five, had no prior convictions. Bracken, 51, gave a victim impact statement describing the abuse, his subsequent mental health struggles, and the lasting trauma. The court noted Leddy's participation in counselling and his status on the Sex Offenders' Register. No sentence was imposed at the time of the article.
A Dublin man, Michael Brady (54), will be sentenced at the Special Criminal Court later this month for possessing €1.25 million worth of heroin. Brady was found guilty in June of possessing the drugs at an apartment in Sallins Bridge, Sallins, Naas, Co Kildare, on January 24, 2017. The trial heard that heroin, cocaine, and cannabis were found at the premises, along with a 7.62 x 39mm calibre VZ 58 assault rifle and various ammunition. Brady was found not guilty of possessing the cocaine and cannabis, and had earlier been found not guilty of possessing the assault rifle by direction of the court. Another charge accusing him of possessing three ammunition magazines was withdrawn by the State. Brady had denied all charges. At a sentence hearing, Brady's barrister, Dominic McGinn SC, said his client was not significantly involved in 'this criminal organisation' and his involvement in looking after the consignment of drugs was at the 'lowest end'. Brady was remanded in custody until the sentencing date of July 29. Declan Brady (53), Michael Brady's brother, was jailed for 10-and-a-half years today for minding an 'arsenal' of firearms and ammunition at Unit 52, Block 503, Grants Drive, Greenogue Business Park, Rathcoole, Co Dublin. The court found that Declan Brady was tasked by senior criminal figures abroad to supervise the arsenal, which was assembled to 'support and sustain organised crime of the most serious nature'.
A Dublin man has been convicted of armed robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following a trial spanning ten days. Keith Murtagh, aged 34, was found guilty on all three charges relating to a post office raid on Farmhill Road, Goatstown on January 5, 2016. The jury returned unanimous verdicts after deliberating for just under four hours. Murtagh had pleaded not guilty to the robbery of €3,174.54, possession of a shotgun, and possession of a shotgun cartridge. Evidence presented included DNA found on a shotgun cartridge recovered from an abandoned vehicle 400 metres from the post office. Forensic analysis also identified glass fragments matching material from the post office counter on clothing discovered in a separate vehicle. The court heard the raid involved two armed men who discharged a shot during the incident. Sentencing has been scheduled for October 18, with Murtagh remanded in custody pending that date.
Declan Brady, 53, of Celbridge, Co Kildare, was sentenced to 11-and-a-half years imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court for possessing an arsenal of firearms and ammunition in suspicious circumstances. Brady, known as 'Mr Nobody', pleaded guilty to possessing nine revolvers, four semi-automatic pistols, a sub-machine gun, an assault rifle, and 1,355 rounds of ammunition at a fake business premises in Rathcoole, Co Dublin. The court found he was in overall charge of the cache, which was assembled to support organised crime. His headline sentence of 14 years was reduced due to his timely guilty plea, lack of relevant previous convictions, and good behaviour in custody. The final year of his sentence was suspended on condition he enters a good behaviour bond. The sentence was backdated to January 24, 2017. Two co-accused, Jonathan Harding, 45, of Sallins, Co Kildare, and James Walsh, 33, of Clondalkin, Dublin 22, were previously sentenced to 10 years and nine years imprisonment respectively, with the final year of each sentence suspended. The court noted that Brady received instructions from senior criminal figures abroad to maintain the weapons, which were found ready for imminent use during a surveillance operation.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 15 July 2019, Mr Justice Paul McDermott adjourned sentencing for two 14‑year‑old boys convicted of murdering 14‑year‑old schoolgirl Anastasia Kriegel and of assaulting her in a violent manner. The boys, referred to as Boy A and Boy B, were found guilty on 18 June of the murder and the aggravated sexual assault. The judge explained that he would not proceed with a sentence hearing until psychiatric reports are completed. Two teams of psychiatrists, one adult forensic and one child psychiatrist, will prepare reports for each boy, with a possible psychologist involved. The reports are expected to take time and are unlikely to be ready before the end of term. Sentencing has been postponed to 29 October, with all reports required to be available to the legal teams by 21 October.
A man accused of armed robbery at a Dublin post office in January 2016 has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Keith Murtagh, aged 34, is charged with robbing €3,174.54 from Roebuck post office on Farmhill Road, Goatstown, along with possession of a shotgun and shotgun cartridge. The prosecution alleges that two armed men arrived in a blue Subaru Impreza and demanded money and safe access, with one discharging a shotgun at the counter. The State's case relies partly on forensic evidence: tracksuit trousers found in a Renault Scenic vehicle, in which Mr Murtagh was a passenger days later, contained glass fragments matching those from the post office counter. A shotgun cartridge recovered from the abandoned getaway vehicle bore the defendant's DNA. The defence argues the evidence is circumstantial and suggests confirmation bias in the investigation. The trial before Judge Melanie Greally continues.
A 37‑year‑old Pakistani national was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for rape, with the final 18 months suspended on condition of complying with Probation Service directions for 18 months after release. He was found guilty of rape but not guilty of sexual assault. The victim, who met the defendant on an online dating site, was raped in the back of his car on a beach in Dublin on 29 October 2015. She described feeling worthless, dropping out of college, and refusing food after the assault. The defendant had three young children and a partner who was unaware of the offence until the trial. He had prior convictions for speeding and deception, the latter resulting in a suspended three‑year sentence. The judge noted the seriousness of the rape, the breach of trust, and the defendant's deceptive character as aggravating factors, while his father role and good work attendance were mitigating factors.
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence in the ongoing trial of Paula Farrell, 46, who is charged with murdering her boyfriend, Wayne McQuillan, in their Drogheda home on January 1, 2014. Farrell has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis testified that McQuillan died from a fatal stab wound to the left shoulder that severed the subclavian vein and punctured the lung. He noted that while the injury was severe, there would have been a reasonable expectation of survival had prompt medical attention been received. Curtis also identified high levels of alcohol in the deceased's system, describing it as gross intoxication. Witnesses reported seeing McQuillan covered in blood, initially mistaking it for a red Liverpool jersey, and noted that an ambulance delay resulted in him being transported to hospital in a Garda car. The trial continues before Justice Carmel Stewart.
In a Drogheda trial, 46‑year‑old Paula Farrell pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter after stabbing 30‑year‑old Wayne McQuillan four times on 1 January 2014. She claimed he had attacked her, citing injuries including a bite mark on her cheek, bruises, and a large bruise on her neck, all described as fresh by Dr Marlien Mienie. Farrell said she had schizophrenia and depression, last taking medication on 30 December. Witnesses reported McQuillan's trousers were down at his ankles after the stabbing, and that Farrell told Gardaí she was attacked and did not mean to kill him. The case is heard before Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, the jury heard that 46‑year‑old Paula Farrell of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, allegedly told teenagers not to call an ambulance after her boyfriend, 30‑year‑old Wayne McQuillan, asked them to do so. Farrell, who pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, is charged with killing McQuillan on New Year's Day 2014. The prosecution described a drunken argument in the house, during which Farrell allegedly took a kitchen knife and stabbed McQuillan four times, one of which penetrated the left lung and caused massive internal bleeding. McQuillan was taken to hospital by Gardaí, suffered cardiac arrest, was revived, then died after a second arrest. The trial continues the following day before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury of eight women and four men.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Christopher Gannon, aged 35, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after attacking his former partner at Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin, on 6 October 2018. The victim was with their son, who required treatment, when Gannon arrived with his brother in an "irate state". He burst into the room, repeatedly punched the woman's head while the son lay on a hospital bed, was restrained by staff, escaped, and continued punching the victim. The assault left her with a fractured nose and temporary double vision. Gannon, who has three prior convictions for assault and public intoxication, claimed he lost control after learning his son had been hurt. He offered a "genuine" apology. The judge ordered a probation report and adjourned sentencing to 18 October.
A 70‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment for raping a child, aged about six or seven, on three occasions between 1978 and 1980. He pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape and one of indecent assault. A jury at the Central Criminal Court convicted him of all rape charges; he had previously been convicted of indecent assault in a separate trial in 2018 and had been in custody since then. Justice Carmel Stewart imposed a headline sentence of 12 years for each rape offence, suspended the last three years, and ordered all sentences to run concurrently, backdated to May 2018. The judge noted the defendant's lack of prior convictions and his status as a neighbour who abused a position of trust. The defendant continues to deny the allegations and does not accept the verdict.
In an appeal-stage procedural development, the Central Criminal Court directed Dr Sally Lenihan to prepare a report on the ongoing treatment of Richard McLaughlin, with the court scheduled to hear the matter on July 16. This follows a jury verdict finding McLaughlin not guilty by reason of insanity of the murder of Jimmy Loughlin in Sligo in 2018. The court heard that McLaughlin, who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, broke into the victim's home and attacked him with a crowbar. Two forensic psychiatrists agreed that McLaughlin did not understand his actions were wrong and was unable to refrain from the act due to his mental disorder. The victim's parents, Paula and Michael Loughlin, stated it was unacceptable that a man known to mental health services lived nearby. They expressed hope that questions regarding mental health services would be addressed at a coroner's inquest. McLaughlin's mother, Mairead McLaughlin, expressed her deepest sorrow to the Loughlin family. Ms Justice Carmel Stewart noted the palpable grief of the family and extended sympathy to McLaughlin's mother. The matter is currently adjourned pending the submission of the treatment report, and no final disposal or sentence has been concluded.
A terminally ill woman whose sister was murdered fourteen years ago has called on the Director of Public Prosecutions to prosecute a third person in connection with the killing. Speaking outside the Central Criminal Court following the sentencing of Niall Power to life imprisonment, solicitor Kevin Winters said authorities possess sufficient evidence against the alleged mastermind. Power, with an address at Giles Quay, Riverstown, County Louth, pleaded guilty to the murder of Irene White at Ice House, Demesne Road, Dundalk, on 6 April 2005. He is the second person convicted; Anthony Lambe of Annadrumman, County Monaghan, received a life sentence in January after admitting the killing. Mr Winters stated that Anne Delcassian, the deceased's sister, was too unwell to attend court. He described the case as involving a murderous triumvirate and urged prosecutors to complete the investigation.
Ms Paula Farrell, 45, admitted killing 30‑year‑old Wayne McQuillan in her Drogheda home on New Year's Day 2014. She denied murder, pleading not guilty to that charge but guilty to manslaughter. The plea was rejected, and Mr Justice Michael White called a jury of eight women and four men to hear her trial, which will last about 12 days and begin before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart on Tuesday afternoon.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 25‑year‑old Scott Capper was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for two separate pub assaults. The first offence, committed on 8 August 2016 at the Morgan Hotel, involved Capper punching Jaroslaw Gaska in the face after Gaska touched Capper's girlfriend's hair. Gaska suffered a broken jaw, required 10 stitches, incurred €1,100 in medical costs and lost €2,000 in earnings. The second offence, on 2 October 2016 at Sin Nightclub, saw Capper striking Nevil Picton, who sustained a cut to the lip and dental damage costing €2,680. Capper pleaded guilty to both assault‑causing‑harm charges. He has 46 prior convictions, including a suspended two‑year sentence for a 2015 assault, and has a history of drug possession, violent disorder and public‑order offences.
Ionut Neagu, 29, of Rusheeny Avenue, Clonsilla, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after punching a mother‑of‑two repeatedly in the face and head on 6 June 2018 at Hartstown Park. The attack left the victim unconscious, with loss of taste and smell, and caused ongoing anxiety, panic attacks and flashbacks. Neagu was sentenced by Judge John O'Connor to two and a half years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, credit for his guilty plea and lack of serious prior convictions. The sentence was back‑dated to 14 June 2018. Neagu, originally from Romania and living in Ireland for ten years, gave conflicting accounts of the incident and expressed a desire to apologise to the victim. The court noted the significant impact on the victim's life and her fear for her daughters' safety.
Barry McArdle, 33, of Drimnagh, was released from Dublin custody after the High Court declared a European Arrest Warrant issued by the Dutch Public Prosecutor invalid. McArdle had previously been sentenced to two years in the Netherlands for disposing of the body of Keith Ennis, 29, and had served that sentence while on remand. He was also convicted of manslaughter by the Amsterdam Court of Appeal in 2018, receiving a 13‑year sentence. The warrant, issued in January, led to his arrest on 3 May and remand. The High Court refused bail and, citing EU law, ruled the warrant invalid because it was issued by an authority not recognised as a judicial body. Justice Tara Burns ordered McArdle's immediate release, and he walked free from court. The Court of Appeal later upheld the High Court's refusal of bail, noting the warrant remained valid until the High Court's ruling. The case remains pending before the Dutch Supreme Court.
A 40‑year‑old man was convicted of raping his wife's sister‑in‑law after a Christmas gathering. The victim woke in her own bedroom on Christmas night to find the accused raping her. She reported the rape to her husband, who confronted the man. He apologized, claiming he had entered the wrong bedroom and believed the victim was his wife. The Central Criminal Court sentenced him to seven years, with the final two years suspended on strict conditions. The judge noted the offence's violent nature and the victim's profound impact, citing her statements about fear, nightmares, and the breakdown of her marriage and family life. The judge also acknowledged the accused's remorse, lack of prior convictions, and good character, which mitigated the sentence. The case remains at the trial stage, with no further verdicts announced. The unnamed 40-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Richard McLaughlin, 32, is standing trial at the Central Criminal Court for the alleged murder of Jimmy 'James' Loughlin, 20, at Connolly Street, Sligo, on February 24, 2018. McLaughlin pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity when arraigned before a jury. The prosecution, led by Fiona Murphy SC, stated that the accused admitted to attacking the deceased with a crowbar in a "vicious manner" which resulted in his death. The sole issue for the jury is whether McLaughlin possessed the necessary mental element to commit the murder. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC admitted that McLaughlin committed the acts causing Mr Loughlin's death and that the deceased was entirely innocent. Grehan further stated that any thoughts McLaughlin had about the victim were "delusions coming from his mind" with "no truth whatsoever." The prosecution indicated that two consultant psychiatrists and a garda will provide evidence regarding the accused's mental state and the circumstances of the incident. The trial is presided over by Ms Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury of eight men and four women. The matter is ongoing, with the trial expected to last up to two days.
A 47-year-old man from Riverstown, County Louth has been sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty to the murder of Irene White at the Central Criminal Court. Niall Power admitted his role in the killing of the mother-of-three at her home on Demesne Road, Dundalk on 6 April 2005. Power presented himself to gardaí following the conviction of accomplice Anthony Lambe, a historian from Castleblayney, County Monaghan, who had been sentenced to life in January 2018. During sentencing, the court heard that Power had acted as an intermediary, conveying a request from an unnamed individual to have Ms White killed. He subsequently introduced Lambe to this person and facilitated the commission of the offence. Ms White was found by her 79-year-old mother with 34 stab wounds and a cut throat. Victim impact statements were delivered by Ms White's sister, who is terminally ill, and her daughter, describing the lasting devastation caused to the family.
The Court of Appeal has quashed the sexual assault conviction of an unnamed 25-year-old man, originally from Azerbaijan, while leaving his burglary conviction intact. The appellant had pleaded guilty to burglary but not guilty to sexually assaulting a woman in her south Dublin home on June 15, 2014. He was initially found guilty of sexual assault by a jury and sentenced to three-and-a-half years' imprisonment by Judge Martin Nolan on June 15, 2018. The appeal succeeded on the grounds that the trial judge erred in his instructions to the jury regarding the ingredients of the offence. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, sitting with Mr Justice George Birmingham and Ms Justice Máire Whelan, determined that the judge's instructions amounted to an error in principle, specifically by erroneously indicating that the complainant's state of mind was relevant rather than the accused's. The court noted the victim was alone and sleeping when she discovered the man in her bedroom, leading to the alleged assault. The quashing of the sexual assault conviction does not affect the burglary conviction, for which the man remains in custody serving his sentence. The matter regarding whether a retrial will take place has not been concluded and will be decided at a later date.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Joyce Conlon, 35, was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment for an unprovoked assault on an eight‑week‑pregnant woman. Conlon, who suffers from paranoia and psychosis, kicked the victim in the stomach with her shoe, causing bleeding that led to a Caesarean delivery at 30 weeks. The judge described the attack as "reprehensible" and inferred a racial motive, noting the victim's Somali background and Conlon's remark about "black" something. Conlon pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and to an attempted robbery at Boyle's Sports, for which she received a separate sentence of three and a half years with the final 12 months suspended, to run concurrently with the assault sentence. The court acknowledged Conlon's mental condition and drug use but accepted her remorse and potential for rehabilitation.