Daniel Wildes, aged 32, was found guilty of assault causing harm after attacking Natasha Cummins on 1 April 2018. He threatened to shave her head, kicked down a bathroom door, and choked her while she was locked in the bathroom. A jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict for assault causing harm and not guilty verdicts for threats to kill and false imprisonment. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced Wildes to four years' imprisonment, suspending the final year on the condition that he keep the peace and be of good behaviour for three years post‑release. The suspended year was also conditioned on Wildes staying away from Ms Cummins, her property and place of employment for 30 years, and on him not contacting her or having anyone contact her on his behalf. The sentence was back‑dated to 12 April 2018, when Wildes entered custody.
Graham McEvoy, a 20-year-old from Crumlin, has lost his appeal against his conviction for the murder of Paul Curran. McEvoy had admitted stabbing Curran at Seagull House on Crumlin Road in Dublin on July 16, 2016, but originally denied the charge of murder, claiming self-defence. He was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury in a majority 11-1 verdict and sentenced to a mandatory life term by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy on December 18, 2017. McEvoy appealed on the ground that the trial judge erred in allowing a Garda to explain a witness's use of the phrase "got a stripe," arguing this invited speculation about motive. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy with Mr Justice George Birmingham and Mr Justice John Edwards, dismissed the appeal. The court held the evidence was admissible and that the clarification merely explained the term's context without suggesting a revenge motive. The judges found no indication that the trial was unsatisfactory or the conviction unsafe, thereby upholding the original finding of guilt and the mandatory life sentence.
A 35‑year‑old man was sentenced to nine years in prison, with the final two years suspended, for raping his 14‑year‑old step‑daughter while he was babysitting her and her younger brother. He had given the girl alcohol and later admitted buying it. The court heard that the girl woke to find the man on top of her, that she resisted by scratching his face, and that he forced her to perform oral sex before raping her. He pleaded guilty to rape and oral rape. The judge noted the pre‑calculation and the man's "disgraceful behaviour" in procuring drink, and described the suffocating nature of the assault. The suspended portion of the sentence was conditioned on the man attending the Better Lives Programme, remaining alcohol‑free, and not living in a house with a child under 18 or having unsupervised contact with any child without prior approval.
Michael Cummins, aged 32, of Applewood Avenue, Swords, pleaded guilty to stealing an iPhone, making a threat to kill, burglary, false imprisonment and assault in Swords on 9 August 2017. He threatened to pour acid into a boy's eye and to blow up their house, actions that occurred during a drug‑induced paranoid episode. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced him to two years' imprisonment on 27 February 2018. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal added a two‑year suspended sentence, to be applied upon his release. Cummins' final net sentence is four years' imprisonment, with the last two years suspended. The case involved two teenage boys, aged 13 and 15, who were falsely imprisoned and threatened with violence. The Court noted Cummins' 230 prior convictions and the serious nature of the offence, including a racial element. The suspended sentence will be activated if he reoffends.
Gerard Manning, aged 38, of Limerick but originally from Belturbet in County Cavan, has had his murder conviction upheld following an appeal to the Court of Appeal. Manning was convicted in 2013 of murdering Martin Purcell, a 54-year-old father-of-two, at his home on Wickham Street in Limerick in September 2011. Mr Purcell sustained 41 wounds and died from a throat laceration that severed his jugular vein. Manning had pleaded not guilty and denied knowing the victim, but forensic evidence including his fingerprints found in the victim's blood proved decisive at trial. A jury returned a guilty verdict by majority, and Manning received the mandatory life sentence. The Court of Appeal dismissed grounds of appeal relating to the admission of evidence, including a knife found near Manning's flat, and alleged non-disclosure by gardaí. The court determined the trial was satisfactory and the conviction safe. Gardaí have stated no motive for the killing has been established.
Alan Ellis, 26, of Rathmines, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to threatening to kill or seriously harm a prison officer and to producing a blade during a dispute at Mountjoy Prison on 28 June 2016. He attempted to slice the officer's wrist with a blade moulded into a toothbrush handle while the officer was handing him toilet paper. Ellis claimed he had decided to "get" the officer because he was disrespectful and intended to slice his wrist, but later expressed guilt. He has 35 prior convictions, including assault on a peace officer, false imprisonment, burglary, theft, trespass and possession of knives. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, suspending the final year on the condition that he keep the peace and be of good behaviour for three years after release. The sentence was back‑dated to 21 July 2017, the date he entered custody for this matter.
A 21‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment for having sex with a 14‑year‑old neighbour. The offence occurred between 1 and 24 July 2014. The man pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He has 47 prior convictions for assault, drug offences, false imprisonment, criminal damage and road traffic matters. Judge Martina Baxter sentenced him to two and a half years, suspending the final six months on strict conditions. He must engage with the Probation Service for two years after release, keep the service informed of his address, and participate in any sex‑offender treatment programmes and addiction counselling recommended. The victim, aged 14, reported the incident to her school chaplain, who notified her family and Gardaí. She suffered depression, attempted suicide, and had to give up school, but her condition has improved with treatment.
In a south Dublin case, Kuwaiti‑born doctor Maha Al Adheem, aged 43, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of her three‑year‑old autistic son, Omar Omran. On 10 July 2017, Al Adheem stabbed Omar 20 times, mainly to the trunk, and also stabbed herself. The boy's body lay in the middle of a bed, surrounded by blood. Al Adheem admitted to the act, saying a "power" compelled her to take a knife from a drawer. Two consultant psychiatrists testified that she suffered from paranoid schizophrenia in July 2017 and could not appreciate the moral wrongness of her actions. The Central Criminal Court delivered a unanimous verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity after a 1 hour 46‑minute deliberation. The judge ordered her to be committed to the Central Mental Hospital and to appear again the next day for a psychiatric assessment.
In a 2016 incident at Concord Pub, three men—Joseph Crabbe (33), Dean McDonnell (29), and Thomas Smith (36)—were charged with violent disorder after a bar fight that involved throwing stools, snooker balls, and glasses. All pleaded guilty. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced each to two and a half years' imprisonment, suspending the full terms on the condition that they keep the peace and behave well for two years. Crabbe had 26 prior convictions, McDonnell nine, and Smith five. Garda Kevin Farrell presented CCTV footage showing each man's involvement: Crabbe lifting a table and throwing objects, McDonnell throwing a pint glass and a stool before using a pool cue, and Smith striking someone with a stool and tossing a snooker ball. The judge praised the bar manager for preventing the situation from worsening. No further police action has been taken against the men since the incident.
Brian Rattigan, a 38‑year‑old Dubliner who has spent most of his adult life in prison, pleaded guilty to manslaughter for the 2001 stabbing death of his former friend Declan Gavin, a 21‑year‑old. Gavin was killed outside an Abrakebabra on Crumlin Road when Rattigan stabbed him twice, one wound to the heart. Rattigan had been tried twice in 2009, the first jury being hung and the second convicting him; that conviction was later quashed by the Supreme Court in 2017. In October 2019, at arraignment, the Director of Public Prosecutions accepted a plea to manslaughter, citing the case's exceptional features and the complex litigation history. Rattigan had previously served sentences for assault, firearms, violent disorder and drug offences, the longest being 17 years for drug dealing while in jail. He had written a letter of apology to Gavin's widowed mother, which she declined to read.
In the Central Criminal Court, Michael O'Higgins SC defended Keith Connorton, 40, who pleaded not guilty to the murder of 32‑year‑old Graham McKeever on 18 February 2017. O'Higgins argued that Connorton was attacked by McKeever's partner, Claire McGrath, who had entered the home at 4 a.m. and threatened him with a knife. He claimed Connorton was forced to defend himself after McKeever "barrelled in" and inflicted a fractured eye socket on Connorton. O'Higgins questioned the reliability of McGrath's statements, noting inconsistencies and her drug‑related vulnerability. He urged the jury to consider Connorton's right to self‑defence under the suddenness and ferocity of the attack, and to assess whether the force used was proportionate. The prosecution maintained that McKeever had no knife and that Connorton's account was a "pack of lies," seeking a guilty verdict for murder. The case was set for jury deliberation the following day.
The jury at the Central Criminal Court has begun deliberations in the trial of Maha Al Adheem, 43, who is accused of murdering her three‑year‑old autistic son, Omar Omran, in their south Dublin home on 10 July 2017. Al Adheem admitted stabbing her son and claimed a "power" compelled her to take a knife from a drawer. The boy was stabbed 20 times, with wounds to the chest, abdomen, trunk and right thigh, including penetration of lungs and heart. She pleaded not guilty. Two psychiatrists testified that she suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and was not aware of the moral wrongness of her actions, supporting a potential not‑guilty‑by‑reason‑of‑insanity verdict. The judge explained that if the jury is satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt of unlawful killing, they must then consider the insanity defence, with possible verdicts of not guilty, guilty of murder or not guilty by reason of insanity.
In a High Court hearing on 20 December 2018, Mr Justice Tony O'Connor ruled that sections of Ireland's 2011 Communications (Retention of Data) Act contravene EU law and the European Convention on Human Rights. The judge found the Act creates an indiscriminate retention regime, violating Articles 7 and 8 of the EU Charter, and that the State's procedures for accessing retained telephone data lack sufficient judicial review. The ruling applies to the case of Graham Dwyer, who seeks to overturn his murder conviction for the death of childcare worker Elaine O'Hara. Dwyer argues that data from his work phone, used at his 2015 trial, was unlawfully obtained and breached his privacy rights. The State maintains that access to retained data is essential for serious crime investigations. The court will consider the State's submissions and adjourn the matter to January, while Dwyer's lawyers will reply in due course.
In the Central Criminal Court, Brendan Grehan SC argued that Keith Connorton's claim of a self‑defence struggle was false. Connorton, 40, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 32‑year‑old Graham McKeever on 18 February 2017 at Connorton's Tallaght home. Grehan said McKeever was a guest, not an intruder, and that Connorton's account of a knife‑wielding attack was a "pack of lies." The prosecution's case relied on Claire McGrath's statements that Connorton found her with McKeever, armed himself, threatened her, and stabbed McKeever, and on Deputy State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan's report of four stab wounds, one penetrating the heart. Grehan urged the jury to convict Connorton of murder, noting that a reasonable‑force defence would not absolve him if the evidence contradicted his story. The trial continued before Mr Justice Tony Hunt.
In a December 2018 trial, psychiatrists testified that Maha Al Adheem, a 43‑year‑old Kuwaiti doctor, suffered from paranoid schizophrenia at the time of the July 2017 murder of her three‑year‑old autistic son, Omar Omran. The witnesses agreed she could not appreciate that her actions were morally wrong and could not refrain from them. Al Adheem admitted stabbing her son 20 times, including wounds to his lungs, heart and a vital artery, and claimed a "power" compelled her to use a knife she had bought from Lidl. She had previously been admitted to St James's Hospital in March 2017 for suicidal thoughts and had a history of depression and psychosis. The court heard that Al Adheem met two of the criteria for a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity, and the trial was set to resume before a jury and Ms Justice Eileen Creedon.
The High Court has ruled that €17,000 in cash seized from the apartment of Jeremy Skerritt constitutes proceeds of crime. Ms Carmel Stewart appointed a receiver over the monies after Skerritt, who did not contest the Criminal Assets Bureau's application under the 1996 Proceeds of Crime Act, failed to claim ownership or provide an explanation for the funds. The cash was discovered wrapped in tinfoil under a mattress during an April 2016 search of his North Circular Road flat, part of Operation Thistle targeting the Kinahan organised crime gang. CAB argued the money derived from drug sales, noting Skerritt's lack of legitimate income and 22 previous convictions. The court heard Skerritt is described as a low to mid-ranking member of the Kinahan organisation and a childhood friend of Daniel Kinahan, who was a named party on Skerritt's motorbike insurance policy. That policy was found in the home of Skerritt's girlfriend, where keys to a Lower Baggot Street apartment were also recovered. A subsequent search of that address revealed Naoufal Fassi, cannabis, a false Belgian ID, cash, and documents linking the location to the Kinahan gang. Fassi was later extradited to the Netherlands, where he was jailed for 18 years for organised crime and attempted murder. The High Court's decision finalised the civil forfeiture of the seized cash.
Tony Walsh, aged 64, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to five years' imprisonment for indecently assaulting a teenage boy in 1983. The sentence was partially suspended: the final 18 months were suspended for two years on the condition that Walsh keep the peace, behave well and engage with probation services after release. Walsh, a former "Singing Priest" from North Circular Road, Dublin, has 14 prior sex‑related convictions from the mid‑1970s to the mid‑1980s, including a seven‑and‑a‑half‑year term for raping another boy three times in the 1980s. He pleaded guilty, and the judge noted aggravating factors such as the seriousness of the offence, the victim's age and the breach of trust, while mitigating factors included his guilty plea, age, apology and prior 13‑year imprisonment. The sentence was back‑dated to 17 July, the day Walsh entered his plea.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, 40‑year‑old Keith Connorton pleaded not guilty to the murder of 32‑year‑old Graham McKeever, who was stabbed to death at Connorton's home on 18 February 2017. Connorton told Gardaí that his dream of a happy family with his son and his partner had been ruined. He claimed he had met his partner, Claire McGrath, at a Luas stop, comforted her after a breakup, and described her as "beautiful" and "nice sweet young one". Connorton said he loved her "to bits" and that he wanted to be free of heroin and have a happy family. He had been on a methadone programme, reducing his daily dose from 115mls to 55mls. The trial, presided over by Justice Tony Hunt, continues with a jury of nine men and three women. The case involves a fight between Connorton and McKeever, during which McKeever received a fatal stab wound to the heart.
Two Dublin men, Stephen Tynan (41) and Raymond Fitzgerald (37), were sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Andrew Guerrine, Tynan's cousin, who was stabbed 20 times and left on a roadside in Rathcoole. The murder occurred between 22 and 23 May 2015. The defendants pleaded not guilty, but a jury found them guilty by majority verdict. At sentencing, the victim's sister, Edel Guerrine, delivered a victim impact statement describing the brutality of the crime and the profound grief it caused her family. Judge Michael White imposed a mandatory life sentence on both men, noting the severity of the offence and the lack of remorse shown by the defendants during the trial. The sentence was delivered in the Central Criminal Court, with no mention of any future release or parole. The case concluded with the men being led away to begin their sentences.
A Dublin man has been remanded in custody pending sentencing at the Central Criminal Court following his guilty plea to attempting to murder his ex-girlfriend in County Roscommon. Gerard Mooney, aged 39, admitted to the attempted murder of a woman on 12th February 2017 at Cartron, near Carrick-on-Shannon. He also pleaded guilty to charges including burglary, assault causing harm, possession of a shotgun, threats to kill, harassment, and criminal damage. Evidence heard at the court revealed that Mooney attended the victim's home in Cartron where he fired a shot through a glass door and confronted her with a sawn-off shotgun in the kitchen. He repeatedly pulled the trigger but the weapon repeatedly jammed. The victim provided a statement describing the ordeal and its ongoing psychological impact. Mooney, with previous addresses in Castlerea, was arrested later that evening. Justice Michael White remanded him in custody until 18th January for sentence.
Alice Byrne, 44, of Ashtown, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four years in prison for assault causing harm. She pleaded guilty to attacking Sandra Comer outside James Connolly Hospital on August 13, 2017. Judge Pauline Codd suspended the final 12 months of the sentence. Byrne also pleaded guilty to trespass and criminal damage at Clonshaugh Road, Coolock, on October 1, 2015, for which she received a nine-month prison sentence backdated to December. The court heard that Byrne directed her son, Josh Byrne, and two other men to smash windows and contents at the Halligan household in Coolock on the same date. Josh Byrne, 23, pleaded guilty to burglary and criminal damage. He received a two-year fully suspended sentence on the condition that he engage with the Probation Service. The victim, Ms. Comer, suffered nerve damage, facial disfigurement, and psychological trauma, describing the attacker as having "Incredible Hulk" strength. The court noted that Byrne had previously been involved in an argument with the Halligan family prior to the property damage incident.
Alan Kenny, 26, of Islandbridge, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to being in possession of €106,950 believed to be the proceeds of criminal conduct on January 12, 2017. Judge Melanie Greally ordered Kenny to carry out 240 hours of community service within 12 months in lieu of a four-year prison sentence. The court heard that Kenny, who has no previous convictions, claimed he was coerced into holding the cash after being threatened that he would be murdered like his cousin, James Kenny McDonagh, whose body was found in the Dublin Mountains in 2012. Prosecution evidence indicated that Gardaí found the cash, a weighing scale, and a taser-type firearm in Kenny's bedroom during a search. Defence counsel Matthias Kelly SC argued that Kenny was holding the money for another person and that the firearm belonged to his late cousin. Judge Greally noted a probation report stating Kenny had tackled his risk factors, addressed drug addictions, and secured stable employment and relationships. She described his circumstances as an "extremely significant turnaround," resulting in the suspended prison term being replaced by the community service order.
The Court of Appeal has adjourned the matter, reserving its judgment on an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) against the sentence imposed on Michael Cummins. Cummins, a 32-year-old man from Swords with 230 previous convictions, pleaded guilty to stealing an iPhone, making a threat to kill, burglary, false imprisonment, and assault in Swords on August 9, 2017. He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment by Judge Martin Nolan on February 27, 2018. The DPP is seeking a review of this sentence on the grounds that it was "unduly lenient." During the appeal hearing, counsel for the DPP, Maurice Coffey BL, highlighted the "bizarreness" of the incident and questioned how aggravating and mitigating factors were balanced, noting that the sentencing judge had not indicated a headline sentence. The three-judge panel, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham with Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, heard the arguments and reserved its judgment. Consequently, the matter was adjourned, and Cummins must wait to hear whether his two-year jail term will be increased.
Matthew Ellis, 38, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison, with the final 12 months suspended, after pleading guilty to threatening to kill a shop security guard. The incident occurred on 26 October 2017 at Spa Road, Inchicore, when Ellis, holding five bullets between his teeth, told the guard he would return after finishing his pizza to kill him. He also called the guard a "garda informer" and claimed ownership of Inchicore. Gardaí intervened, confiscated the bullets, and Ellis was taken into custody. He had 71 prior convictions, including assault, burglary, knife possession, drug dealing and robbery. Ellis's defence cited his intoxication, a perceived slight over shop entry, and his history of drug addiction. The judge noted his guilty plea, remorse, poor physical and fragile mental health, and previous drug‑treatment efforts, and accepted a €5,000 compensation from his family.
During a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Keith Connorton (40) pleaded not guilty to the February 18, 2017 stabbing death of 32‑year‑old Graham McKeever. Connorton told gardai that he had returned home, argued with his partner Claire McGrath, and that McKeever had come into the house with a knife. He claimed he grabbed the knife, cut his own hand, and then stabbed McKeever a few times. Connorton said he tried to keep McKeever alive, called 999, and that he did not intend to kill him. McGrath's statements to the jury and to gardai differed, and she admitted she was on painkillers and Xanax when she gave them. The trial is proceeding before Justice Tony Hunt with a jury of nine men and three women.
In a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, a doctor, Maha Al Adheem, admitted stabbing her three‑year‑old autistic son, Omar Omran, in their south Dublin home on 10 July 2017. She claimed a "power" compelled her to take a knife from a drawer and stab him. The boy was stabbed 20 times, mainly to the trunk, with four wounds penetrating his lungs and heart, severing a vital artery. The court heard that the child's death was caused by massive blood loss. Al Adheem also admitted stabbing herself and reported the incident to Gardaí at 6:40 pm. She was arrested after being discharged from St James's Hospital, where she had been treated for a psychiatric "adjustment reaction." The prosecution and defence psychiatrists agree she meets the criteria for not guilty by reason of insanity. The trial will continue before a jury.
In a December 2017 incident, Lithuanian man Arturas Bulksas (55) stabbed his housemate in the torso, neck and ear during a domestic dispute at his Santry home. Bulksas, who had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He admitted using a kitchen knife after drinking a bottle of vodka. The victim spent two days in hospital but declined a victim impact statement or medical report. Bulksas claimed he was leaving the country and wanted no further involvement. The court noted the injuries were not life‑threatening and that Bulksas had a good record and no family in Ireland. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to February next year, ordering community service and probation reports, and highlighted the case's peculiarities and the likelihood of a custodial sentence given the injuries.
Patrick Nevin, 37, will be sentenced in May for a series of sexual offences that occurred over eleven days after meeting victims on Tinder. He attacked three women, one of whom he raped in Bellewstown, Co. Meath, and another whom he sexually assaulted in an unknown location in Co. Meath. Nevin also received a five‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for the sexual assault of a Brazilian woman he met on Tinder in 2014. The court adjourned sentencing to May 13, pending a pre‑sentence probation report, a prison governor's report and a forensic psychiatric report. Nevin pleaded guilty to the rape and assault charges, citing remorse and apologising to the victims. He is remanded in custody awaiting the May hearing. The judge noted that the public may attend the sentencing hearing. The case is currently delayed until the required reports are obtained.
A 44‑year‑old man, Ciprian Grozavu, has been charged with the murder of 27‑year‑old Jonathan Duke, who was killed at Bridge House, Sean Hales Place, Bandon on 13 November 2011. He appeared before the Central Criminal Court to receive a trial date, which Judge Michael White set for 4 November 2019 in Dublin. The trial is expected to last two weeks.
Paul Wells Junior, aged 33, has been charged with impeding the apprehension or prosecution of his father, Paul Wells Senior, by disposing of the chainsaw used in the 2016 dismemberment of Kenneth O'Brien. Wells Senior was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2017. Wells Junior was brought before the Central Criminal Court on 17 December 2018, where a trial date was set for 4 November 2019. His barrister, Damien Colgan SC, noted that this would be the fourth attempt to set a trial date, with the case having been postponed on three previous occasions over a span of three years. The court acknowledged the ongoing pressure on Wells Junior and indicated that the case would remain on the docket until a suitable date could be secured, with the possibility of an additional judge in the new year. The proceedings remain at the impeding charge stage.
A 37‑year‑old man was sentenced by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury to four years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, for sexually assaulting his 15‑year‑old daughter while she was napping in a bed he shared with his partner. The court heard that the man had pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual assault at an address in Dublin on 26 July 2015, and that this was the second time the case had gone to trial. He had told Gardaí he was "groggy" when he went to bed with the two girls and had mistaken his daughter for his partner. The victim's impact report, read by Karl Finnegan BL, described how the girl had looked up to her father as a child, felt jealous of her friends' relationships with their fathers, and after the abuse felt dirty, could not sleep and found it hard to trust others. The unnamed 37-year-old was convicted.
Claire McGrath, aged 30, gave evidence in the Central Criminal Court trial of Keith Connorton, who is charged with the murder of Graham McKeever, 32, on 18 February 2017. McGrath said she had been in a relationship with Connorton for three years and that she had invited McKeever to stay at their home that night. She told the court that she had exchanged texts and Facebook messages with McKeever in the days before his death, in which she expressed love, insecurity and a desire for his affection. McGrath admitted that her drug use might have affected her memory and that she was not a reliable witness. She denied that she had lied to Gardaí or that Connorton had pressured her to do so, and she said she had told the truth about the events. She will continue her cross‑examination before Justice Tony Hunt and a jury. Keith Connorton pleaded not guilty.
A 43‑year‑old Kuwaiti woman, Maha Al Adheem, will be tried for the murder of her three‑year‑old son, Omar Omran, who died on 10 July 2017 at their south Dublin home. She was arraigned at the Central Criminal Court, where she pleaded not guilty. A jury of nine men and three women was sworn in, and the trial is scheduled to last three days before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon. Evidence will be presented by Gardaí from Crumlin, two civilian witnesses from the Kimmage apartment complex, and two forensic psychiatrists from the Central Mental Hospital.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Corrie Grimes, 22, was found to have threatened a female Garda with violence at Ferrymans Crossing on 28 February 2017. Grimes, who initially denied the threat, later pleaded guilty and apologized. The incident involved Grimes approaching a patrol car with a clenched fist, shouting that he would "slit her throat" and "smash her face." The Garda, who had been on duty with a colleague, was present with her grandmother, Anne Grimes. Grimes had previously been convicted 11 times, nine for drug offences, and was in recovery from addiction. The court noted his lack of contact with the Garda since the incident and ordered a probation report to assess his rehabilitation efforts. He is scheduled for sentencing on 12 March 2025.
An apprentice electrician from Donaghmede has received a non-custodial sentence after pleading guilty to causing serious harm to a schoolmate at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Adam Clarke (20) punched the victim at a nightclub on Francis Street, Dublin 8, on 3 July 2016, in an incident motivated by jealousy. The assault left the injured party permanently deaf in one ear and hospitalised for five days with a complex head fracture. Judge Melanie Greally imposed 240 hours of community service in lieu of a three-year prison term and ordered Clarke to pay €10,000 compensation. The judge noted the victim's hearing loss has significantly impacted his academic progress, sporting ability, and career prospects. Clarke, who initially showed no remorse during garda interview, later visited the victim in hospital and expressed contrition. The court considered his youth, early guilty plea, lack of prior convictions, and a probation report indicating low re-offending risk when determining the sentence.
Claire McGrath, 30, gave evidence in the murder trial of Keith Connorton, 40, at the Central Criminal Court. She admitted that parts of her original statements to the Gardaí after the February 18, 2017 stabbing of Graham McKeever, 32, were not true. McGrath said she had not remembered giving a second statement that the Gardaí recorded as taken that afternoon. She clarified that she had not described Connorton as cutting cannabis, nor had she said he was rolling a cigarette to avoid police suspicion. McGrath denied that she had said he grabbed her and pushed her onto the couch, that he threatened her with "I'll kill you", or that she had called him a "dirty tramp". She also denied that she had seen him stab McKeever three times or that he used the knife defensively. McGrath stated that she loves Connorton, that their relationship was on and off, and that she was trying to be fair in her testimony. Keith Connorton pleaded not guilty.
In a hearing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Alan Ellis, 26, pleaded guilty to threatening to kill a prison officer and producing a blade during a dispute at Mountjoy Prison on 28 June 2016. Ellis used a blade moulded into a toothbrush handle to strike the officer's wrist while the officer was delivering toilet paper. Ellis admitted he intended to slice the officer's wrist, saying "Fuck you, I'll chop you up," and later expressed guilt. The officer's victim impact statement described the assault as unnerving and left him shaken. Ellis has 35 prior convictions, including assault on a peace officer, false imprisonment, burglary, theft, trespass and possession of knives. He had been in solitary confinement for most of the last four years and was serving a sentence for false imprisonment at the time of the attack.
David Marcinkiewicz, a 34‑year‑old Polish man, was sentenced to six years in prison in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a hit‑and‑run that left former kick‑boxing champion Padraic O'Hennraich with a fractured skull, severe lacerations and a life‑changing injury. The incident occurred on 19 June 2007 on the N4 Palmerstown Bypass when Marcinkiewicz, after an unprovoked fight at a petrol station, drove his car into a group of three men, causing a metal fragment to act as a scalpel and inflict serious wounds. Marcinkiewicz pleaded guilty to assaulting O'Hennraich and to two counts of endangerment involving Eoin Walsh and Daniel Byrne. He had previously fled Ireland in 2008, changed his identity in Poland in 2016, and was later tracked down and arrested in July of the current year. The judge imposed concurrent sentences of six years for the endangerment charges and four years for the assault, noting the severity of the offences.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the partner of a father-of-six who was stabbed by a lifelong friend recounted the traumatic impact on her children, who witnessed their father lying in a garden covered in blood as emergency services attempted to save him. The partner, aged 50, described her life being shattered, her anxiety, panic attacks, and nightmares after the incident. She noted that her children, aged three to ten at the time, no longer feel the same bright, bubbly energy they had before, having seen their father's death. The court heard that the victim, Mark Richardson, was stabbed in the chest by Paul Keating, who was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. Keating was remanded in custody until his sentencing. The partner's testimony highlighted the profound emotional damage to her family and the loss of a male role model for her children.
Kevin Braney, 44, of Tallaght, was charged with murdering dissident republican Peter Butterly in March 2013. He pleaded not guilty to the murder and was also charged with possession of a 9mm Beretta pistol and seven rounds of ammunition. The Special Criminal Court, after the prosecution's case closed, refused a defence application for a direction to acquit on the firearm charges. The court directed an acquittal on those counts. Braney's defence argued that State witness David Cullen's evidence was unreliable and that no forensic or DNA links tied Braney to the crime. The court noted the absence of any evidence linking Braney to phones or the weapons. The case remains pending, with a judgment expected early next year. Braney was remanded in custody until 18 January.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Daniel Wildes, aged 32, was found guilty of assault causing harm after attacking former partner Natasha Cummins on 1 April 2018. The assault involved kicking down a bathroom door, grabbing Cummins' hair, throwing her around, kicking her back of the spine, and threatening to shave her head with an electric razor. Cummins suffered extensive bruising and reported possible concussion, flashbacks and nightmares. Wildes pleaded not guilty to additional charges of threats to kill and false imprisonment, and the jury returned not‑guilty verdicts on those charges. Wildes has 40 prior convictions, including two for assault causing harm. The judge adjourned the case to 20 December for finalisation. The court heard that Wildes had been babysitting their four children and had previously suggested Cummins get some sleep. The prosecution noted that Cummins found empty beer cans in her house after a night out.
In a Dublin murder trial, Deputy State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan testified that the deceased, Graham McKeever, 32, died from a single fatal stab wound to the heart, inflicted during a fight with his lover's boyfriend, Keith Connorton, 40. Dr Mulligan described the fatal wound as entering the left chest between the second and third ribs, penetrating both chambers of the right heart, causing severe bleeding into the lungs. She noted a second chest wound of four centimetres depth that did not pierce the ribs, a wound near the armpit, and a fourth to the back, none of which were fatal but could have contributed to blood loss. The pathologist also found about 40 scratches and bruises, and drug tests revealed benzodiazepines, methadone, alcohol and cocaine in the deceased's system. Connorton remains on trial at the Central Criminal Court, having pleaded not guilty. The case is set to continue before Justice Tony Hunt and a jury.
Two Dublin men wanted in Northern Ireland for the alleged attempted murder of a police officer have challenged their arrest and detention in Co Donegal through judicial review proceedings in the High Court. Ciaran Maguire, aged 29, and Sean Paul Farrell, aged 32, face charges of attempted murder and possession of explosives with intent to endanger life, offences carrying potential life sentences. A European Arrest Warrant relates to an improvised explosive device discovered beneath a serving PSNI officer's vehicle in Co Derry in June 2015. Their legal representatives sought disclosure of custody records, statements, and sample details from their detention at Letterkenny Garda Station in 2015, arguing such information was necessary to oppose their extradition. Counsel for the Minister for Justice contended the applications were speculative and that no duty existed to provide the requested material. Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly reserved judgment, adjourning proceedings to February 2019.
In a Limerick murder trial, Desmond Coyle, 60, was acquitted of murder but found guilty of manslaughter after stabbing Calo Carpaci, 58, at his home on 24 May 2017. Coyle claimed he had gone to stop Carpaci from demanding money and had brought a knife, though he could not recall the day or why he had the knife. CCTV showed Coyle entering Carpaci's house, a brief scuffle outside, and passersby restraining him. The jury, after less than four hours, concluded that Coyle had no intent to kill or cause serious injury, and that the death resulted from a single stab wound that pierced the heart. The judge explained the possible verdicts and the nature of manslaughter, and remanded Coyle for sentencing on 21 January. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court. The unnamed 60-year-old pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court refused to exclude the testimony of former murder accused David Cullen, who has become a State witness, from the trial of Kevin Braney, accused of murdering Peter Butterly. The defence argued Cullen was a 'parody of a witness' and his evidence was riddled with inconsistencies, but the court found the circumstantial evidence supporting his testimony—such as CCTV footage, the recovered firearm and ammunition, and surveillance of Braney's car—sufficient to establish a prima facie case. The court also rejected two other defence applications: one to acquit Braney on related firearms charges and another to discharge the judges. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Coffey with Judges Martin Nolan and James Faughnan, continues with Cullen's evidence admitted. Braney, aged 44, has pleaded not guilty to the murder and to possession of a 9mm Beretta pistol and ammunition. The prosecution closed its case on Monday.
An Estonian hitman, Imre Arakas, aged 60, was convicted by the Special Criminal Court for conspiring to murder James Gately in Northern Ireland between 3 and 4 April last year. The court found that Arakas had agreed to pull the trigger and had supplied details on how the murder would be carried out, including the use of a silencer. He had been recruited from abroad and had travelled to Ireland for the purpose of the hit. Gardaí prevented the execution of the murder. Arakas pleaded guilty, and the judge noted his cooperation, health difficulties and lack of support in Ireland as mitigating factors. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, back‑dated to 4 April 2017, with a combined discount of three years for the mitigating factors. The sentence was imposed by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, with Judges Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin and Cormac Dunne presiding. The conviction was part of a broader effort to disrupt organised crime conspiracies.
Jason Keating, 27, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court for facilitating a criminal organisation in the execution‑style murder of Noel "Duck Egg" Kirwan, 62, who was shot six times in his Ford Mondeo on 22 December 2016. Keating admitted in October 2018 to participating in or contributing to the commission of the murder, a serious offence under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, and pleaded guilty to facilitating a criminal organisation in committing murder. The court entered a nolle prosequi on the original murder charge. Keating's role included monitoring a tracking device (Gotek7) placed on Kirwan's car, providing the information to the gunman, and transporting the gunman to and from the scene. He was sentenced to ten years, back‑dated to 2 May 2017, after a mitigating discount of three and a half years for his guilty plea and other factors.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Michael White explained to the jury that Desmond Coyle, 60, could be found not guilty of murder if the jury believed he acted in self‑defence, or guilty of manslaughter if they thought the force used was excessive or the death accidental. Coyle, charged with murdering 58‑year‑old Calo Carpaci on 24 May 2017, had pleaded not guilty. He claimed he entered Carpaci's house with a knife to stop the Romanian man from demanding money, and that the killing was unintended. The prosecutor urged conviction, stating Coyle stabbed Carpaci in the chest. The judge outlined the types of manslaughter, including involuntary and gross‑negligence manslaughter, and noted that self‑defence could be a complete or partial defence. The jury was instructed to reach a unanimous verdict before deliberating further. The case remains at the deliberation stage.
In December 2018, a 35‑year‑old man was jailed for four years after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting his partner while she slept. The assault occurred on 14 April 2016 at a Dublin house, following earlier admissions of rape and attempted anal rape in 2010 and 2011. The victim, who has a nine‑year‑old child with the man, reported that the man had tried to initiate sex when she was unwell, but she resisted and later discovered her leggings had been pulled down and she was being assaulted. She had previously been raped by the same man and had learned that the safest response was "nothing." The court noted her vulnerability and past abusive relationships. The judge imposed a four‑year sentence, with the final 18 months suspended on conditions including probation, a sex‑offender treatment programme, and addressing alcohol and addiction issues. The victim is receiving treatment for post‑traumatic stress and social reclusion.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, defence counsel for Kevin Braney, aged 44, argued that evidence from former murder suspect David Cullen should be excluded because Cullen's testimony was a "parody" and riddled with inconsistencies. Braney, charged with the 2013 murder of Peter Butterly, denied the murder and possession of a 9mm Beretta pistol and ammunition. Cullen, who had originally been charged with Butterly's murder, later became a State witness after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of a pistol. Braney's defence sought to exclude Cullen's evidence, withdraw it from the jury, and have the court discharge itself from the prosecution's opening address. The prosecution countered that independent evidence supported Braney's guilt and that opening speeches are not evidence. The court will rule on the applications tomorrow. Kevin Braney pleaded not guilty.