In a Dublin Central Criminal Court hearing, a 34‑year‑old man was accused of attempting to rape a woman on 18 December 2010. He pleaded not guilty to attempted rape, sexual assault and assault causing harm. Forensic scientist Dr Yvonne O'Dowd testified that semen stains were found on the complainant's skirt and that a DNA profile generated from those stains matched the accused's DNA. She noted the probability of a random match was less than one in a thousand million, but she could not determine when the semen was deposited. Garda Eoin Colbert provided photographs of the defendant in custody, and another Garda reported that the accused said "It's all lies" after his arrest. The trial was set to continue next week before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury.
A jury has begun deliberating in the trial of Inga Ozolina, 48, who is charged with murdering her boyfriend, Audrius Pukas, by stabbing him in the chest on 20 November 2016 at The Malthouse, Roscrea, Co Tipperary. Ozolina, originally from Latvia and residing at Old Court Church, Mountrath, Co Laois, pleaded not guilty and has requested an acquittal on several grounds, including self‑defence and the possibility that Pukas moved towards the knife she was holding during a fight in their Tipperary home. The Central Criminal Court heard that Pukas, 40, died at the scene from a stab wound to his chest. Caroline Biggs SC, defending Ozolina, urged the jury to consider whether there was a reasonable possibility that the fatal wound resulted from Pukas approaching the knife, that Ozolina was acting in justifiable self‑defence, or that she had no intention to kill or cause serious injury.
The Central Criminal Court has allowed the sentencing of a 16‑year‑old who attempted to murder a 25‑year‑old woman named Stephanie Ng on 23 December 2017 at Sea Front, Queen's Road, Dun Laoghaire. The boy, who met Ng on the Whisper app and pretended to be 19, tried to kill her during their first face‑to‑face meeting by choking her and slashing her neck with a knife. He pleaded guilty to the attempt. The court had previously ordered a forensic psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist to prepare reports on the boy to assess future risk. After a delay, a UK psychiatrist, Dr Richard Church, was sourced and agreed to produce the report, with access to the boy's Central Mental Hospital records. The judge adjourned the case to 20 June to monitor progress and remanded the boy in custody until then.
In the murder trial of Inga Ozolina, a 48‑year‑old Latvian‑born woman, the defence counsel, Caroline Biggs SC, urged the jury to acquit if there is a reasonable possibility that the fatal wound was caused by Mr Pukas moving toward the knife, or that Ozolina acted in justifiable self‑defence, or that she had no intent to kill. Ozolina, who lives in Mountrath, claimed she grabbed a nearby object to defend herself after Mr Pukas, a 40‑year‑old father of two, began hitting and biting her. The court heard evidence of domestic abuse, including injuries to Ozolina and witnesses describing Mr Pukas's aggression. The prosecution, represented by Paul Murray SC, argued that the knife wounds were not accidental and that Ozolina had the knife and was not in self‑defence. The jury, composed of seven men and five women, will deliberate on these points. The trial is ongoing. Inga Ozolina pleaded not guilty.
In the trial of Inga Ozolina, a 48‑year‑old mother of two, the defence presented evidence that she had arrived at a friend's house in a state of distress, with a bite on her nose, earlier in her relationship with the victim. Ozolina, originally from Latvia and residing in Old Court Church, Mountrath, claimed she was acting in self‑defence when she stabbed Audrius Pukas, a 40‑year‑old father of two, at The Malthouse, Roscrea, on 20 November 2016. The Central Criminal Court heard that Pukas died from a stab wound to his chest. Niamh Hyland, a friend of Ozolina for ten years, testified that Ozolina had visited her home twice in the early hours, both times with blood on her nose and, on the second visit, a swollen eye. Hyland described Pukas's interactions with Ozolina as often aggressive. Inga Ozolina pleaded not guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, a 14‑year‑old boy (Boy B) testified that he witnessed his co‑accused (Boy A) assaulting Ana Kriegel at an abandoned house. Boy B described seeing Boy A "flip" Ana, choke her, and strip her of her clothes while Ana repeatedly cried "No, no, don't do this." He claimed he fled the scene after seeing Boy A's actions. Boy B drew a picture of the incident and signed it for detectives. The boy, who was arrested in May 2018, gave a changing account of the events, stating he had initially followed the pair but left when Boy A told him it was fine. The testimony was presented to a jury of eight men and four women, with the trial proceeding before Mr Justice Paul McDermott. The accused boys, both 14, have pleaded not guilty to murder and to aggravated sexual assault. The case remains in progress.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, two 14‑year‑old boys accused of murdering 14‑year‑old Ana Kriegel gave conflicting statements to Gardaí. One boy, who denies the murder, said he left Ana at an abandoned house with the other boy, fearing that the other would handle the situation because he was "big, strong, tall." He claimed to have heard Ana scream, ran away, and later returned to the house, where he heard a strong scream that was muffled. The other boy denied that Ana's blood was found on the first boy's shoes and insisted he was not in the house where Ana's body was discovered. Both boys remain in court, pleading not guilty, and the trial continues before Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
During the murder trial of Inga Ozolina, a witness testified that she once saw Ozolina's neck appear blue while she was still in a relationship with the deceased, Audrius Pukas. Ozolina, a 48‑year‑old mother of two from Mountrath, claimed she acted in self‑defence after Pukas died from a stab wound inflicted by a knife she was holding. The trial, held at the Central Criminal Court, also heard from Ms. Karina Sulinezee, who recalled seeing Ozolina's neck turn blue after removing a scarf and noted that Ozolina's ear had been scratched. Sulinezee further recounted that Pukas had previously struck her partner at a birthday party, an incident she said led to the partner's bleeding. Prosecutor Paul Murray closed his case and will cross‑examine Ms. Sulinezee before the judge and jury. The case remains ongoing. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 22 May 2019, Eoin Comerford, aged 33, was found guilty of producing an article capable of inflicting serious harm after a series of incidents at two Dublin shops on 10 August 2018. The first incident occurred at the Gala shop on East Wall Road, where Comerford was caught tampering with sweets and, after being asked to stop, threatened the shopkeeper with a screwdriver and called her a "fucking prostitute." He spat at her and, when her husband tried to escort him out, he threatened to burn the shop down. In a second incident at a premises on Amiens Street, he threatened a security guard with the screwdriver, saying he would "stick this in your neck" if the guard tried to hold him again. The court noted that Comerford had 169 prior convictions, including burglary, robbery, drug dealing and assault, and that he had a history of heroin and crack cocaine addiction.
A man has been sentenced to nine years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for sexually abusing two teenage girls over an extended period. The 35-year-old defendant, who lived at various locations in County Mayo during the offences, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of defilement and assault. The abuse occurred between 2011 and 2013, when he was in his late twenties. He manipulated and controlled both victims, isolating them from family and friends, and introduced them to heroin. He also removed a contraceptive implant from one girl's arm using a Stanley knife. Justice Michael White described the case as particularly disturbing, noting the defendant was twice the victims' age. The judge imposed an eleven-year sentence with the final two years suspended, conditional on the defendant undergoing assessment for a sex offenders treatment programme. Both victims provided impact statements, describing the profound harm caused. The defendant was returned to Ireland on a European Arrest Warrant from the United Kingdom.
A 46‑year‑old former journalist from Sierra Leone, Mercy Peters, was found not guilty by reason of insanity after pleading guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of her 42‑year‑old flatmate, Tyrone McKenna, on 17 July 2014 in Marlay Court, Rathfarnham. The trial, held at the Central Criminal Court, noted that both Peters and McKenna had histories of mental health problems and had first met in a psychiatric ward in 2010. Peters claimed voices in her head compelled her to stab McKenna, and she was described as erratic and speaking of spirits during court appearances. Expert testimony from psychiatrists confirmed Peters suffered from schizophrenia and a severe episode at the time of the offence, meeting the criteria for a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Following a unanimous jury verdict, Mr Justice White committed Peters to the Central Mental Hospital for further assessment and treatment.
Anthony Goodman, 74, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to exposure at McGovern's Restaurant in Malahide on 13 August 2018 and to exposure on the 46a bus at Donnybrook Fair and sexual assault on Stillorgan Road on 20 August 2018. Garda Rosemary Gallagher described how Goodman sat near two women at the restaurant, squirmed and moved his hands on his crotch for 30‑40 minutes, leaving after leaving a wet stain on his t‑shirt. A week later, Garda Danielle Cassidy reported that on the 46a bus he masturbated while facing a woman, touched her knee, tickled her side, and later touched a woman's breast. Goodman has 201 previous convictions, including sexual assault, indecency, arson, threats to kill and firearms possession, and breached a sex offender order that prohibited bus travel without Gardaí notification. Judge Melanie Greally ordered a probation report and adjourned the case to 11 October.
During the Central Criminal Court hearing, Boy B, a 14‑year‑old accused of Ana Kriegel's murder, told Gardaí that he viewed Ana as a lonely, outcast girl and a "weirdo" he should not be around. He described Ana as different, mature, taller, with a goth style, and said she was not popular because she was anti‑social. Boy B recounted that Boy A had called him to arrange a meeting with Ana in a park, but Boy A did not attend, allegedly because he was shy or feared negative backlash. Boy B also explained that Ana had shown him a "scary photo" of herself strapped to a chair and that they had walked together discussing vaccines. The court noted that Boy B's statements could only be used as evidence in his own case, not in Boy A's. The trial continues before Mr Justice McDermott and a jury. The unnamed 14-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In the trial of 48‑year‑old Inga Ozolina, charged with murdering 40‑year‑old Audrius Pukas in Co. Tipperary, a neighbour testified that Pukas was always the aggressor in their arguments. He described a fatal fight on 20 November 2016, after which he met a garda and asked if Ozolina was OK, having heard a scream of pain from her. Photographs of bite marks and other injuries were shown to the court. Ozolina claimed self‑defence. Mark Fletcher, a neighbour, recounted frequent late‑night shouting, usually by Pukas, and that the fight ended abruptly. Garda Maureen Finnerty testified about the injuries found on Ozolina's body. The case is proceeding before a jury of seven men and five women. The unnamed 48-year-old pleaded not guilty.
An African man aged 54 was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment for raping and sexually abusing the intellectually disabled daughter of his former partner. The victim, aged 11 to 12 at the time of the offences, was raped and subjected to anal rape and sexual assault at the defendant's Dublin home between April 2015 and September 2016. The trial heard that the man had watched television with the child, pulled her trousers down, raped her and repeatedly told her "I love you". The mother of the child, who had been a reluctant witness, expressed a wish that the accused not go to prison and declined to submit a victim impact statement. The judge noted the defendant's lack of remorse, the vulnerability of the victim, the gross abuse of trust and the high risk of re‑offending. The unnamed 54-year-old was convicted.
A 65‑year‑old man accused of indecent assault on a younger female relative has applied to the High Court to halt his trial in the Circuit Criminal Court. He faces more than a dozen counts of indecent assault alleged to have occurred in the 1970s and 1980s when the complainant was a child relative. The man argues he cannot obtain a fair trial because his lawyers have not been provided with certain information he claims is essential to his defence. This information concerns allegations the complainant has made about other persons she says sexually abused her, but she has refused to name those persons or give details. He also cites the lengthy delay since the complainant's 2016 statement to the Gardai. The man denies the accusations, has no prior convictions, and claims the complainant suffers from psychiatric illnesses. In a judicial review action, he seeks an order preventing further prosecution.
Bernard Ward, 71, a former meditation teacher at the Transcendental Meditation Centre in Dublin, was jailed for three years for sexual assaults on a child during the 1970s. The victim, a ten‑year‑old who attended the centre on weekends, was abused in a shower room while Ward was teaching. Ward pleaded not guilty to three counts of indecent assault between 1 January 1974 and 31 December 1977, but was convicted by a majority verdict. He was acquitted of a separate indecent assault charge at another location in Dublin city centre. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed consecutive sentences totalling three and a half years, suspending the last six months, citing Ward's lack of remorse and the abuse of trust inherent in his teaching role. Ward has no prior convictions, is married with three adult children, and suffers from medical ailments. The victim's impact statement highlighted the lasting harm caused by the abuse. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Mansoor Uddin, a 41‑year‑old taxi driver from Castleway, Adamstown, Lucan, pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault committed in January and February 2016. He was sentenced by Judge Sinéad Ní Chulacháin to three years' imprisonment for each count, with the last two sentences running concurrently but consecutive to the first. The final year of the two later sentences was suspended for two years under strict conditions, giving an effective custodial term of six years with one year suspended. Uddin was credited for time already spent in custody. The court heard that he sexually assaulted three young women, all under 21, during two weeks, using his position as a taxi driver to exploit their vulnerability.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 48‑year‑old Inga Ozolina, originally from Latvia, pleaded not guilty to the murder of her 40‑year‑old boyfriend, Audrius Pukas, who died from a stab wound to the chest on 20 November 2016 at The Malthouse, Roscrea. Detective Garda Stuart Beatty testified that Ozolina claimed she had taken a knife to defend herself after Pukas began hitting and biting her, and that she had no intention of killing him. Beatty also reported that Ozolina was told the knife had penetrated Pukas' chest to 20 cm and his arm to 13 cm, and that she had washed the knife in a panic, claiming she did not think of removing DNA. The court heard that the knife was found in a kitchen drawer with three blood specks matching the deceased. Ozolina denied assaulting Pukas, stating she acted in self‑defence.
In the Central Criminal Court, a forensic scientist presented a mixed DNA profile from semen stains on a Penney's vest top found at the scene of Anastasia Kriegel's murder. The profile matched the DNA of one of the two 14‑year‑old boys accused of the killing, Ana's DNA, and an unidentified third person. The scientist argued it was a thousand million times more likely that the DNA came from Ana, Boy A and an unknown individual rather than from three unrelated people. The vest top was torn and could not be worn in its condition, and the scientist noted force was required to cause the damage. The court also heard Boy B's interview, in which he described his movements on the day of the disappearance, including a conversation with Boy A that led to him agreeing to call Ana's house. The hearing continued under Justice Paul McDermott. The unnamed 14-year-old pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court will continue the trial of a 34‑year‑old Dublin man accused of attempting to rape a woman on December 18, 2010. He has pleaded not guilty to attempted rape, sexual assault and assault causing harm. The case proceeds before Mr Justice Micheal White, with a jury of three women and nine men scheduled to hear evidence on Wednesday.
In a Central Criminal Court trial in Co. Tipperary, a 48‑year‑old woman, Inga Ozolina, pleaded not guilty to the murder of her 40‑year‑old boyfriend, Audrius Pukas, who died from a stab wound to the chest on 20 November 2016. The prosecution presented a 21‑cm knife seized from Ms Ozolina's kitchen drawer, showing three small specks of blood that, under magnification, matched the deceased's DNA. Ms Ozolina testified that she had grabbed the knife after Mr Pukas began hitting and biting her, and that he had tried to wrestle it away before retreating. She claimed she washed the knife in the sink without noticing the blood, saying she was concentrating on her hands. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens, continues with a jury of seven men and five women.
A Dublin man was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment for repeatedly sexually abusing his four‑year‑old niece between 1982 and 1988. The abuse involved the man dressing as the child's mother or pretending to be a baby, and he would assault the child while naked, using a doll or a baby's back. He also used a poker and a fire‑tongs in later attacks, and once raped the child in a shed. The victim, aged 11 when the abuse ended, suffered an eating disorder and attempted suicide at 15. The court noted the offender's increasing moral culpability as he aged. Judge Karen O'Connor imposed an 11‑year sentence, suspending the final year for two years on conditions including probation, sex‑offender treatment and addiction counselling. The offender was required to keep the peace and engage with the Probation Service. The victim's impact statement highlighted the lasting psychological harm and her determination to survive. The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
A Dublin man, now 52, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment after a jury convicted him of 56 charges of sexual assault against his cousin, a toddler aged two and a half to five, between January 1982 and August 1986. The assaults involved forcing his penis into the child's mouth while she was placed on a toilet seat, and the man was under 18 for most of the incidents. He denies the offences. The victim, who could not be named, gave a victim impact statement describing lifelong terror, a loss of the ability to love, and an attempt to kill herself at 15. She was shocked by the accused's denial at the trial. The judge, Patricia Ryan, considered the severity of the abuse, the age gap, the prolonged period of offending, and the victim's suffering, while noting the accused's prior good character, employment, voluntary work and family hardship, before imposing the ten‑year sentence.
During the Central Criminal Court hearing, forensic evidence showed that blood matching Ana Kriegel's DNA was found on a backpack, mask, gloves and knee pads seized from the home of one of the two 14‑year‑old boys accused of her murder. John Hoade of Forensic Science Ireland presented the mask to the jury, noting that DNA on its inside matched both Ana and the accused known as Boy A. He also reported that DNA matching Boy A was found on Ana's neck and on tape wrapped around her neck when her body was discovered. The DNA evidence was collected from items in Boy A's bedroom, including a mask described as a "half mask" with a jagged mouth and simulated blood, as well as gloves, knee pads and a snood. Blood on the mask's inside and outside matched Ana's DNA, and a mixed profile of Ana's and Boy A's DNA was found in the mouth area. The unnamed 14-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 34‑year‑old Dublin resident denied attempting to rape a woman on 18 December 2010 in Dublin city centre. The trial, before Mr Justice Micheal White and a jury of twelve, included evidence that CCTV footage from the area had been seized, downloaded and preserved by Garda witnesses. The accused pleaded not guilty to attempted rape, sexual assault and assault causing harm, and neither he nor the complainant were identified during the proceedings.
In a 2019 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Paul Evans, 36, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended, for an attempted robbery of taxi driver Frank Rowan on Marigold Avenue, Darndale, on 13 November 2016. Evans pointed a 6 mm BB gun at Rowan's head, demanding money and threatening to shoot. Rowan resisted, overpowered Evans, and seized the firearm, striking Evans on the head with the gun. A passer‑by called Gardaí, who later arrested Evans after he claimed the incident was a joke. Evans admitted to unlawful possession of a realistic imitation firearm and pleaded guilty. The judge noted Evans had no prior violent convictions, was heavily intoxicated, and described the offence as out of character, yet deemed the behaviour too serious for a suspended sentence, citing the broader issue of menacing behaviour faced by taxi drivers.
In a trial before the Central Criminal Court, two 14‑year‑old boys accused of murdering 14‑year‑old Anastasia Kriegel were examined. Data from Boy A's i‑Phone 6 was presented, showing a search for "abandoned places in Lucan" and a video titled "15 most gruesome torture methods in history." The court heard that Boy A claimed his co‑accused was lying after a statement from Boy B was read to him. Boy A also faces a charge of aggravated sexual assault involving serious violence. Both boys pleaded not guilty. The proceedings are being heard by Justice Paul McDermott with a jury of eight men and four women. The case remains ongoing.
A 32‑year‑old Dublin man, Gary Watson, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for assaulting Philip Woodcock and for producing a knife on 16 January 2010. Watson was acquitted of the murder of former soldier Warren O'Connor, who died from a stab wound that night. The Central Criminal Court heard that a noisy house party in Donaghmede led to a fight between two groups of men. Watson, who had a knife and was "prepared to use it", stabbed Woodcock in the shoulder after Woodcock had earlier punched him. The judge noted Watson had been subjected to "extreme provocation" and that Woodcock had acted "very badly". Watson's sentence of three years for each offence runs concurrently and was back‑dated to 18 December 2017. The court also directed compensation to Woodcock for the assault. The case was heard by Mr Justice Michael White. Gary Watson pleaded not guilty and was convicted.
In the Central Criminal Court, two 14‑year‑old boys are charged with the murder of 14‑year‑old Ana Kriegel. Boy A, who is also charged with aggravated sexual assault, was questioned by Garda officers after they told him Ana's blood was found on his boots. He replied, "are you joking me?" and asked if they were serious. The court heard that Garda officers had shown him CCTV footage, discussed the definition of murder, and explained the difference between truth and lies. Boy A denied being in the room where Ana was assaulted and said he was not with her in the lead‑up to her disappearance. He also denied that the male in the footage was him. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott with a jury of eight men and four women. The unnamed 14-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 34‑year‑old Dublin woman testified that on 18 December 2010 a man held her hands around her throat while attacking her outside her apartment block. She described arriving after a night out, opening the security gate, and being followed into the courtyard. The man grabbed her from behind, pushed her to the ground, and choked her. She tried to scream but he kept his hand around her throat, punched her repeatedly, and shouted "shut up." She reported pain on the side of her face from the punches and that he ripped her tights, pulled her underwear down, and touched her genital area. She claimed he attempted to rape her but could not, and that he masturbated and ejaculated on her skirt while still choking her. The accused pleaded not guilty to attempted rape, sexual assault and assault causing harm. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Micheal White and a jury.
Peter Ward, aged 33, was given a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis and threatening to assault a Garda while being transported to prison. Gardaí discovered €60 of cannabis in his Dublin home and found a warrant for his arrest because he had failed to pay a €500 fine. Detective Garda Michael Parry Jones offered Ward the choice of paying the fine or serving 15 days in Midlands Prison; Ward chose prison. While en route, he verbally abused the detective, threatened to leave the country, and lunged at him with his head in an attempt to head‑butt. The officer restrained Ward, who then fled to Blanchardstown Garda Station where he paid the fine. Judge Martin Nolan, describing Ward as a "menace to society," suspended the sentence on strict conditions, noting Ward's remorse, his willingness to donate €500 to a charity, and his progress in overcoming a crack cocaine addiction.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 48‑year‑old woman from Laois, Inga Ozolina, pleaded not guilty to the murder of her 40‑year‑old boyfriend, Mr Pukas, who died on 20 November 2016 from a stab wound to the chest. Ozolina told Gardaí that she had saved his number as "sadist" because of frequent fights. She claimed she took a kitchen knife to protect herself after he grabbed her by the hair, and that she only pointed the knife at him when he tried to take it away. Ozolina said she was afraid he might kill her and that she had not intended to kill him. She also stated that she had given him mouth‑to‑mouth after finding him on the ground. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury. The prosecution maintains that there is no question of self‑defence. The case is still at the trial stage.
A 34‑year‑old Dublin man was tried at the Central Criminal Court for attempting to rape a woman on the night of 18 December 2010. The alleged victim, a Polish native who had lived in Dublin for many years, was returning home after a night out and was opening the security gate to her apartment block when the accused approached from behind. He allegedly knocked her to the ground, choked her, punched her twice in the face, and told her to shut up. The prosecution claimed he sexually assaulted her, attempted rape, and masturbated, causing her skirt to become wet. DNA evidence from the victim's clothing matched a profile taken from the accused in 2016. The accused pleaded not guilty to attempted rape, sexual assault and assault causing harm. The trial proceeded before Mr Justice Micheal White and a jury of twelve.
The Court of Appeal has reduced the sentence of David Burke, who was found to have the greatest culpability in the fatal assault on Dale Creighton in Tallaght in 2014. Burke, along with four others, pleaded guilty to manslaughter after murder charges were dropped during trial. The original sentencing judge, Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy, imposed a ten-year term on Burke with the final two-and-a-half years suspended, citing his role in setting the agenda. However, President of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, sitting with Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, re-sentenced Burke to ten years imprisonment with the final three years and three months suspended. This results in a net jail term of six years and nine months, a reduction of nine months. The court determined that the original divergence from the next most culpable offender, Ross Callery, was excessive. Callery, who was also found to have high culpability, received a ten-year sentence with the final four years suspended, leaving a net term of six years. Other participants included Aisling Burke, jailed for one year for violent disorder; James Reid, given a wholly suspended two-year sentence for possession of a knife; Graham Palmer, sentenced to ten years with five suspended; Jason Beresford, sentenced to ten years with four suspended; and Gerard Stevens, sentenced to ten years with seven suspended. The appeal focused on parity and relativity among the multiple defendants.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 48‑year‑old woman from Mountrath, Co. Laois, pleaded not guilty to the murder of her 40‑year‑old boyfriend, Audrius Pukas, who died from a stab wound to the chest on 20 November 2016. The accused, Inga Ozolina, claimed that she had been repeatedly assaulted by Pukas, who had previously beaten her and had a history of violence. She said that a doctor had warned her that she might be killed if he attacked her again and advised her to keep a sharp object for self‑defence. Ozolina described her life as a "living hell," noting that she had a safety order against Pukas, had sought a second order, and had been in a women's shelter.
Patrick Nevin, 37, will be sentenced next month after a Probation report is completed. He attacked three women in eleven days after meeting them on Tinder. Nevin met the first victim at her home, drove to a secluded spot in north Dublin, and after kissing her, forced sex when she refused. He verbally abused her and threatened her. The second victim, raped in Bellewstown, Co Meath, described terror and fear of being killed. Nevin pleaded guilty in July 2018 to rape and sexual assault. He is already serving a five‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for a 2014 sexual assault of another Tinder‑met woman, which he denies. The court noted his guilty pleas and apologies, and he remains in custody awaiting final sentencing by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon on 24 June. The case highlights the pattern of Tinder‑based attacks and the court's consideration of mitigation based on his pleas.
In 1979, Dan Flynn, then 36, raped a six‑year‑old girl in his home in County Tipperary. The victim, now a married mother, described the assault as brutal, noting Flynn's forceful entry of his penis into her mouth and vagina, spitting into her face, and stepping over her as she lay on the ground. She recalled being terrified and feeling that Flynn treated her as nothing. Flynn pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court. Judge Michael White set a headline sentence of nine years, then imposed six years with four years suspended, citing Flynn's lack of prior convictions, his guilty plea, and his serious health problems, including Parkinson's disease. The sentence was adjourned until 19 June to allow prison authorities to assess a suitable facility for Flynn. The court praised the victim's courage for coming forward. The judge noted the cruelty of the offence and the difficulty of imagining the brutality involved.
In 2017, Keith Hearne, aged 30, was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment for raping Dominique Meehan at a gaming convention in Blanchardstown. He pleaded guilty to two counts of rape, one of oral rape and one of false imprisonment. Hearne's appeal argued that his psychiatric illnesses should have reduced the sentence, but the Court of Appeal found he had no active symptoms at the time of the offence and therefore his mental state did not affect culpability. The court upheld the 12‑year term, noting the severity of the violent, premeditated attack and the presence of weapons and sadomasochistic items in his rucksack. The appeal was dismissed, and Meehan expressed relief that the sentence was maintained, though she remains affected by the assault.
In the Central Criminal Court, the jury for Inga Ozolina's murder trial was shown bloodstained clothing and bedding from the room where Audrius Pukas's body was found. Ozolina, 48, denies murdering Pukas, 40, who died from a stab wound to the chest on 20 November 2016. The prosecution argues there is no self‑defence. Garda Larry Stapleton testified that he examined the scene, identifying a heavily bloodstained yellow t‑shirt, a green bathrobe with cuts and blood stains, two sheets and a pillowcase, all taken from the bedroom. He also noted a pink sheet beneath the white sheet and a blood‑stained pillowcase. Stapleton reported no blood elsewhere in the house, but seized a laptop, a paused film, a picture of Ozolina and Pukas, and broken picture frames from other rooms. The trial proceeds before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury of seven men and five women. Inga Ozolina pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, Inga Ozolina, 48, is charged with murdering her boyfriend Audrius Pukas, 40, in November 2016. The prosecution presented evidence that Ozolina had two bite marks on her arm and bruises on her upper thigh, breast, elbow, wrist, knee and leg. Garda David Donovan testified that he photographed the bite marks, measured them, and took DNA swabs, noting that the marks might have been made by another person. He also photographed bruising on Ozolina's left breast and other areas, measuring each with a ruler. Ozolina pleaded not guilty, and the trial continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury of seven men and five women. The case highlights the alleged lack of self‑defence in the murder of Pukas.
In March 2019, Joseph McGrane, a 59‑year‑old Dublin fruit and veg wholesaler, was convicted by a jury of 11 counts of indecent assault and seven counts of sexual assault against three boys and a young woman, committed between 1985 and 1993. The court, hearing that McGrane abused his employer position and used alcohol to facilitate the offences, sentenced him to 13 years in prison, with the final year suspended. Judge Elma Sheahan set headline sentences of eight and six years for the first two victims and four years each for the other complainants, citing the seriousness and intensity of the abuse. McGrane had no prior convictions, had worked as a productive member of society, and was now on the Sex Offenders' Register. The sentence was back‑dated to 22 March, the day he entered custody.
Michelle McCullough, 40, of Regina Coeli Hostel, was found guilty of assaulting a prison officer at Dóchas Centre on 25 July 2015. On that day she had received medication, then refused to return to her cell, claiming she had "heard her dead child in the walls." While walking through the prison yard, she became agitated; officers attempted to restrain her, and she pulled the hair of a female officer and kicked her in the stomach. The officer suffered breathing difficulties and was out of work for about eight weeks, later recovering fully. McCullough has 177 prior convictions, mainly for theft, and five for assault. She had spent 18 months in a psychiatric unit after her child's death and had a history of drug addiction, though she was reportedly heroin‑free. The court, noting the aggravated nature of the assault on a staff member and the victim's impact, sentenced her to four and a half months' imprisonment.
Gheorghe Goidan, 46, was convicted of raping two Czech women who were working as prostitutes in Ireland. He had contacted them through the website "escortsireland.ie" and met each separately in hotel rooms. In each encounter he pulled a knife, threatened the women, and then sexually assaulted and raped them. Goidan had previously pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault at a hotel in Portlaoise on 7 September 2017, and had denied rape, oral rape and anal rape of a second woman at the Maldron Hotel in Galway on the same day. A jury at the Central Criminal Court found him guilty on all counts, including robbery. The trial revealed that the women had not known one another and had booked themselves into the hotel rooms via the website. Goidan's actions were traced through CCTV footage and the vehicle he used was linked to him.
During the Central Criminal Court trial, two 14‑year‑old boys, Boy A and Boy B, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 14‑year‑old Anastasia Kriegel. Boy B told a garda that he arranged to meet Ana in a park because he "didn't want to be seen with her" and that Ana was wearing a "slutty top" when he brought her to the park to meet Boy A. Boy A, who is also charged with aggravated sexual assault, claimed he met Ana the previous Monday in a park and that after leaving her he was assaulted by two men. He described being knocked to the ground, kicked, and having his arms stomped on, and that Ana had "brushed him in the chest area." The trial will continue next week before Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of eight men and four women.
During a Central Criminal Court murder trial, a 14‑year‑old boy (Boy B) told a school counsellor that he had been "dragged into this mess" by his co‑accused (Boy A). He repeated this claim about ten times and insisted he was not the last person to see Ana Kriegel alive. Boy B also suggested that men who had allegedly attacked Boy A might have kidnapped Ana. The counsellor, Gerardine Small BL, noted that Boy B was calm, articulate and bright, and that he had spoken to Gardaí three times, describing the questioning as an "interrogation" and feeling pressure. Boy B said he had gone to the park with Ana on 14 May because Boy A had asked him to bring Ana, who fancied Boy A, and that Boy A had been injured later that day. He left Ana and Boy A in the park and did not consider Boy A a close friend. The unnamed 14-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Alan Hanley, the appellant, was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Alex Owens at the Central Criminal Court following a third trial. Hanley had pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape alleged to have occurred at a house in Limerick city on the night of May 4/5, 2012. He had previously admitted assaulting the victim causing her harm on the same occasion. A jury returned a majority verdict of guilty on one count of rape but failed to agree on the other two counts, on which the State entered nolle prosequi. This follows a successful appeal last year where the Court of Appeal quashed his previous 12-and-a-half-year sentence, imposed in 2015 by Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy, due to the trial judge's failure to provide a corroboration warning. The current sentence was backdated to May 5, 2012. Mr Justice Owens ordered that Hanley complete a sex offenders course if deemed suitable, be under Probation Service supervision for six years post-release, and make no attempt to contact the victim or her family. Hanley verbally refused to comply with the course order in court. The judge cited aggravating factors including home invasion, prolonged violence, and lack of remorse.
Three men—Patrick Roche (54), his son Philip Roche (25), and son‑in‑law Alan Freeman (38)—have lodged appeals against convictions for violent burglaries committed in rural County Limerick seven years ago. The convictions, obtained at the Limerick Circuit Criminal Court, stem from two separate incidents. In May 2012, the Roches broke into the isolated home of elderly siblings Willie, Nora, and Chrissie Creed near Pallasgreen, tied them up, assaulted them, and stole €5,000. Six weeks earlier, the trio had broken into the Garvey family home, tied up Mr and Mrs Garvey and their four children, threatened Mr Garvey with a gun, and fled with cash. Patrick Roche received a 17‑year sentence, Philip 15 years, and Freeman 14 years, each with a three‑year suspended portion. The appeals cite alleged errors in jury instructions, the legality of the arrests and detentions, and the admissibility of evidence. The case will be heard tomorrow by the Court of Appeal.
In a murder trial, the jury heard that a father‑of‑one, Audrius Pukas, 40, was stabbed to death at The Malthouse, Roscrea, on 20 November 2016. The accused, Inga Ozolina, 48, pleaded not guilty. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis testified that the fatal wound penetrated Pukas's left chest to a depth of 25.5 cm, cutting the rib cage, left lung, heart, aortic valve, left main coronary artery and aorta, and that a massive blood collection in the left chest cavity caused rapid death. Two additional superficial wounds were found on the left chest and right upper arm. Pukas had bruising on the right face and lower lip, and modest alcohol levels were noted. The jury was told the stabbing force was moderate and the victim's left arm had to be raised for the fatal wound to be inflicted. The trial proceeded before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a 12‑person jury.
Paul Maguire, aged 32, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of assault causing harm after an unprovoked attack on two tourists at the Generator Hostel on Smithfield Square on 1 June 2016. The victims, an English tourist and a Finnish woman, were struck with a pool cue, leaving deep scars on the English man's chin and the Finnish woman's forehead. Both were taken to Mater Hospital; the English man required stitches and suffered pain for days. Judge Melanie Greally condemned the assault as an "outrageous outburst of impatience and anger" and noted that neither victim accepted the €5,000 offered by Maguire as a gesture of remorse. She ordered the money to be paid to Temple Street Children's Hospital. After considering a probation report that highlighted Maguire's employment prospects and a pro‑social partner, the judge imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspending the final year on strict conditions.