In the murder trial of Paul Wells Senior, the prosecution argued that Kenneth O'Brien was not merely killed but executed in a premeditated act. Wells, aged 50, admitted shooting O'Brien, a 33‑year‑old, and dismembering his body. He claimed O'Brien had brought a gun to his home to force him to murder O'Brien's partner so he could take their child to Australia. Wells said a scuffle over the gun led to him shooting O'Brien in the back of the head, after which he panicked and used a chainsaw to chop the body, placing the torso in a suitcase and dumping it in the Grand Canal. The prosecutor presented evidence of a contact entry wound and other forensic findings to support the claim of premeditation, urging a guilty verdict. The defence questioned the plausibility of the alleged plan and the involvement of Wells's family in the disposal of the remains.
A Dublin man has been sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment following his assault on a garda with a glass bottle. Christopher Reilly (28) pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Garda Daniel Sweeney, causing him harm, on Ratoath Road, Cabra, on 10 November 2015. During the incident, Reilly swung a glass bottle at the garda, causing a serious leg wound that required thirteen stitches and resulted in permanent sensory loss. The victim, in a statement read to the court, described losing considerable blood and being unable to walk for a month following the attack. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a three and a half year sentence with the final twelve months suspended, noting the assault fell within the upper range of seriousness. She ordered Reilly to complete any violent offender programme directed by the Probation Service and to address his drug use. Reilly has sixty-seven previous convictions.
Eoin Berkley, 25, was sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment for abducting a teenage Spanish student from Dublin city centre and raping her repeatedly over a 21‑hour period. The offences, committed between 15 and 16 July 2017 at the Irish Glass Bottle Company site, involved three separate rapes, false imprisonment, threats to kill and 19 incidents of violence or intimidation. The judge, Mr Justice Michael White, imposed concurrent 14‑year sentences for each rape, back‑dated to 31 July 2017, and added a three‑year post‑release supervision period. Berkley's history of mental health difficulties and prior convictions was noted, but the court emphasised the premeditated nature of the crimes and the severe degradation inflicted on the victim. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the assaults and the threat posed to the victim's life and safety.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Carlos Lawrence, aged 27, and his partner Catherine Dempsey, aged 26, were sentenced to a combined 12 years for a burglary and theft that took place on 13 December 2017 at Wainsfort Manor Grove, Terenure. Lawrence pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and theft of over €16,000, using a wedge hammer, and had 51 prior convictions. Dempsey pleaded guilty to stealing €15,000 in cash and burglary at the same time and place, with seven prior convictions. Lawrence received seven years, with 12 months suspended, while Dempsey received five years, with three years suspended. The judge noted Lawrence's remorse, drug addiction, and potential for productivity, and Dempsey's remorse, pressure, and low risk of re‑offending. The case involved a violent intrusion into the home of Alan Greene, who suffered significant distress and financial loss. The court recorded that both defendants had expressed remorse to the victim and to each other.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Paul Wells Senior, 50, of Barnamore Park, Finglas, heard evidence regarding a laptop seized from his home. Wells has admitted shooting dead Kenneth O'Brien and dismembering his body but pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of the 33-year-old at his home on 15th or 16th January 2016. Wells claims O'Brien brought a gun to his house to kill O'Brien's partner, leading to a scuffle where Wells allegedly shot O'Brien in the head before disposing of the remains in the Grand Canal. A cyber crime expert testified that the laptop, which had a user profile named 'Paul', was used to search for Irish Ferries timetables around 4pm on 15th January 2016. The searches included routes from Rosslare to Cherbourg and Dublin to Holyhead. Additionally, evidence indicated that the CCTV system in the home shared by O'Brien, his partner, and child stopped recording at 4.32am on 13th January, with only a brief recording on 14th January. The prosecution case is expected to close tomorrow morning, and the trial continues.
In a murder trial, Paul Wells Snr, aged 50, admitted shooting and dismembering Kenneth O'Brien, aged 33, at his home in Barnamore Park, Dublin, on 15 or 16 January 2016. Wells claimed a scuffle over a gun led to the shooting, after which he panicked and used a chainsaw to dismember the body. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis testified that the dismemberment was performed with a high‑speed mechanical saw, and that a bullet entered the back of O'Brien's head, causing catastrophic brain injury and instant death. The bullet's entry wound was described as a contact entry with the muzzle pressed against the head. Witnesses from O'Brien's family described his recent return from Australia and his private nature. The trial entered the legal argument stage and will continue before the jury tomorrow.
In October 2018, a Moldovan national, Andrei Negura, aged 36, was charged with assault and criminal damage after an incident at a neighbour's home in Drogheda. Negura allegedly attacked Bohuslav Kalias, who was working on a car with his brother, using a claw hammer. The assault left Kalias with a broken right arm that required a rod, screw, and 38 stitches, and caused him long‑term functional impairment. Negura also smashed the car, inflicting €1,900 worth of damage. He denied the assault but later pleaded guilty to the use of a claw hammer while assaulting Kalias and to criminal damage. The court dropped the assault charge after the guilty plea, and a trial date was set for January 2020, with Negura remanded on continuing bail pending a probation report on his alcohol use. The case highlighted the severity of the injuries and the property damage caused.
In a 2011 burglary at Botanic Avenue, a 22‑year‑old ringleader forced a student to be taken to an ATM, threatening the student's girlfriend with rape if the student did not comply. The offender, who pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, robbery and false imprisonment, was sentenced to six years' detention in 2012. In 2015 the Court of Appeal suspended the final 12 months of that sentence, but in 2018 the Court reactivated 10½ months of the suspended portion, extending the offender's custodial period. The decision was based on the offender's lack of cooperation with probation and the need for rehabilitation, as the Court noted the offender's youth and prior convictions. The reactivation was a response to the Probation Service's application and the Court's assessment of the offender's continued risk. The case remains a matter of ongoing custodial sentencing.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Paul Wells Senior, aged 50, admitted shooting and dismembering fellow Dubliner Kenneth O'Brien, 33, at O'Brien's Barnamore Park home on 15‑16 January 2016. Wells claimed he had been offered €20,000 by O'Brien to kill O'Brien's partner, Eimear Dunne, so he could take their child back to Australia. He said O'Brien had brought a gun to the house, which fell during a scuffle; Wells contended he grabbed the gun first and shot O'Brien in the back of the head. Wells also alleged that O'Brien had transferred more than €50,000 into his account while in Australia and that he had hidden the money for O'Brien. The trial heard Wells' statements and the evidence of the single bullet recovered from O'Brien's head. The case continues on Tuesday. The unnamed 50-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Joseph Anderson, 71, who worked for the 1990s anti‑drugs newsletter "The Shrew", had his 2016 conviction for 12 counts of sexual assault and one count of oral rape of a boy aged 12‑15 between August 1992 and May 1995 upheld by the Court of Appeal on 26 October 2018. Anderson, who had no prior convictions, was found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court and sentenced to six years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Paul Butler. He appealed the conviction and the sentence, arguing that the victim's repeated return to his house contradicted the abuse claim. The Court of Appeal, with Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, dismissed both appeals, stating the trial was satisfactory and the conviction safe. The court also rejected the Director of Public Prosecutions' request for a review of the sentence on grounds of undue leniency. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court has adjourned the delivery of its judgment in the trial of three Dubliners accused of murdering Gareth Hutch. Presiding Judge Tony Hunt, sitting with Judges Patricia Ryan and Michael Walsh, announced at 4.20pm that the verdicts would continue next Friday at 10.30am, as he had spent five hours reviewing evidence against Jonathan Keogh with approximately 40 pages remaining. The court had previously indicated the judgment would take four to five hours. The prosecution contends that Jonathan Keogh threatened to kill Mr Hutch the evening before the shooting, while Thomas Fox and Regina Keogh were instrumental in planning the murder. It is alleged that Mr Keogh and another man, identified as Mr AB, were the shooters. All three co-accused—Mr Fox, Ms Keogh, and Mr Keogh—have pleaded not guilty to the charge of murdering Mr Hutch. Additionally, Mr Fox has denied unlawfully possessing a Makarov 9mm handgun on May 23, 2016. The trial concerns the shooting death of Mr Hutch, who died from four gunshot injuries outside Avondale House flats on May 24, 2016. Prosecution counsel Paul Burns SC described the killing as a premeditated act involving considerable thought and preparation. The matter was adjourned and is not yet concluded.
Stephen Brophy, aged 27, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assault causing harm in Ashbury View, Roscrea, during a feud between the McCarthy/O'Donoghues and the Hutchinson/Marshalls. He had thrown a pitchfork that bounced and struck a woman, Sharon McCarthy, on the lips, causing a scar and requiring surgery. The original sentence of seven years, with two years suspended, was quashed on appeal. He was re‑sentenced to four years for violent disorder (two years suspended) and three years for the assault (12 months suspended), with both terms running concurrently. Brophy must remain in good behaviour for two years after release and may not approach a McCarthy family member unless invited or in a friendly manner. The appeal was granted by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, with the Court of Appeal hearing the case.
Patrick Byrnes, 78, of Castletroy, Limerick, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court after being convicted by a jury last July of 58 charges of indecent assault and two counts of rape. The offences, which occurred between 1975 and 1985, involved the sexual abuse of his two daughters when they were approximately seven years old. Byrnes denied all charges and maintains his innocence. Mr Justice Paul McDermott noted the victims lived in abject fear and were left broken by the decade-long abuse, which included instances where Byrnes encouraged a family dog to participate in sexual acts. The judge acknowledged Byrnes' health conditions, including heart disease and osteoarthritis, but stated these could be managed in prison. Citing a lack of remorse and refusal to admit responsibility, the judge identified Byrnes' age as the only mitigating factor. He set a headline sentence of nine years for rape and six years for sexual assault, reducing both by one year due to age. All sentences run concurrently. The judge suspended the final two years of the sentence on the condition that Byrnes is not in the company of any woman under the age of 18 unless accompanied by another adult. The complainants waived anonymity to ensure Byrnes was named, stating they will never forgive him.
During a murder trial, witness Graham Egan testified that he saw a dark‑coloured SUV parked at a field entrance on Steelstown Lane just before the body of Andrew Guerrine was discovered. Egan, who left his home at 11.10 pm on 22 May to drive a friend to Wicklow, passed the gateway at about 12.20 am and saw the vehicle with its lights off, noting only a brief glimpse and no movement. He confirmed the car was not there when he left at 11.10 pm. The trial concerns Stephen Tynan (41) and Raymond Fitzgerald (37), both pleading not guilty to Guerrine's murder, which occurred between 22 and 23 May 2015. The body, found early on 23 May, had 20 stab wounds, including two that penetrated the skull and cervical spine.
In a Dublin city‑centre pub, taxi driver Lawrence Doyle (51) bit off part of Christopher Darcy's ear during a violent altercation that began after the two men met at a bar. Garda Fergus Grant reported that Doyle struck Darcy with a blow to the side of the head, then bit the ear, causing a 3 cm loss of tissue that could not be stitched. Darcy was also struck dozens of times in the chest and attempted to defend himself, but was ultimately taken to Mater Hospital where he received a tetanus shot and antibiotics. Doyle pleaded guilty to assaulting Darcy at Mulletts Bar on Amiens Street on 15 May 2017. He has no prior convictions. The case was adjourned to 21 February 2024, with Judge Melanie Greally ordering a probation report and noting Doyle's €500 restitution offer. The judge described the assault as vicious, violent and out of character for Doyle. The court will hear the case next month.
In the murder trial of Paul Wells Sr., the Central Criminal Court heard evidence about his shooting and dismemberment of Kenneth O'Brien. Wells, 50, admitted shooting O'Brien dead and dismembering his body but pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. He claimed he had no desire to hurt O'Brien and that the act was forced by pressure. During a six‑hour Garda interview, Wells denied involvement in earlier interviews and stated he had no plan to harm anyone. He also asked to speak with O'Brien's partner or her sister so he could tell them "the truth." The court heard a DVD of the interview, and the trial was scheduled to continue the following afternoon. The proceedings focused on the circumstances of the shooting and Wells' statements to the police.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Stephen Tynan (41) and Raymond Fitzgerald (37) continues before Mr Justice Michael White. Both defendants, from Tallaght, Dublin 24, have pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Andrew Guerrine (37) at an unknown location between May 22 and May 23, 2015. The matter is currently at the trial stage, with no findings, sentences, or finalisations recorded. Witness Shane Traynor testified that he discovered Mr Guerrine's body in a gateway on Steelstown Lane, Rathcoole, in the early hours of May 23, initially mistaking the scene for a hit-and-run. Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster reported that Mr Guerrine died from hemorrhage and shock caused by multiple stab wounds. She identified 20 stab wounds, including injuries to the skull, cervical spine, and a major blood vessel in the chest, indicating substantial force was used. Toxicology revealed cocaine, sedatives, diazepam, and methadone in the deceased's blood. The court heard that all wounds could have been inflicted by a single knife, though a second weapon could not be ruled out. The trial continues tomorrow.
In a Dublin trial, 35‑year‑old Laura Kenna was charged with attempted murder and assault for slitting the throat of civil servant Fionnuala Bourke on Lower Drumcondra Road on 3 January 2017. Kenna pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury heard conflicting psychiatric reports: one psychiatrist said Kenna was in a psychotic state and could not control her actions, while the other argued she knew what she was doing and was motivated by robbery. The jury deliberated for about four hours and forty minutes but could not reach a verdict. Judge Robert Eagar discharged the jury after a disagreement was recorded, and the case was remitted for a possible retrial in November. Kenna made no reaction to the announcement of the jury's failure to decide.
Kieran Greene, 32, of Mountain View Park, Rathfarnham, is charged with the murder of 61‑year‑old Patricia O'Connor, whose remains were found scattered in the Wicklow mountains between 29 and 30 May 2017. The Central Criminal Court has adjourned his trial, which was scheduled for 3 December, and has applied to vacate the date. Four co‑accused have been charged with impeding the Garda investigation, and the State is seeking a joint trial. Mr Justice Michael White remanded Greene in custody until the new trial date is fixed on 28 January 2019.
Aaron Brady, 27, from New Road, Crossmaglen, is accused of murdering Garda Adrian Donohoe during a shooting on 25 January 2013 at Lordship Credit Union, Bellurgan, Co. Louth. Brady was charged earlier this year with the murder of a Garda in the course of duty. Brendan Grehan SC, for the prosecution, estimates the trial will last six to eight weeks. Mr Justice Michael White set the trial to begin on 8 October 2019 at the Central Criminal Court, with Michael O'Higgins SC defending Brady. At a prior hearing, Donohoe was served a four‑volume book of evidence.
In an assault case, Judge Karen O'Connor recused herself from the sentencing hearing after stating that the proceedings had become an attempt to undermine the defendant's guilty plea. John Brennan, 44, had pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his then‑girlfriend on 31 August 2014. The court heard that Brennan had shouted anti‑British slogans, threatened to shoot the victim's son, and physically assaulted her, including slapping, punching, pulling her by the hair and dragging her back into his house. The victim sustained a black eye, bruises, nail marks on her neck, a broken nose and a broken cheekbone that required a plate. Brennan had a prior drink‑driving conviction. The defense argued that Brennan had acted to prevent the victim from driving off intoxicated, but Judge O'Connor halted that line of questioning, citing the guilty plea. She warned the defense counsel that questioning the victim's impact statement would be unfair.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, James Jack, aged 20, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Markus Thomas during an incident on 6 February 2016 at Custom House Quay. The assault occurred when three men, attending a beer festival, tried to stop young men from vandalising public rental bikes. Jack, who had been 17 at the time, joined the assault after receiving a phone call that his friends were being attacked. CCTV footage shows Jack throwing punches and kicks. Thomas suffered a fractured left eye socket and a tear to his right shoulder, resulting in a €700 loss. Jack had no prior convictions and was not the main aggressor. He was given a sentence that was adjourned to 21 December to allow him to raise additional compensation beyond the €500 he had in court.
In the Central Criminal Court, a prosecution barrister told the court that the case against Stephen Tynan (41) and Raymond Fitzgerald (37) centred on who killed 37‑year‑old Andrew Guerrine, not whether he was murdered. The State's case relied on circumstantial evidence, including CCTV of a black Peugeot 307, DNA linking a child's jacket to the car, and the presence of a child's coat under Guerrine's foot at the discovery site. The prosecution argued the car was driven by Tynan with Fitzgerald as passenger, and that the vehicle was used to transport Guerrine to the location where his body was found on Steelstown Lane. The jury was to hear that Guerrine died from multiple stab wounds, including to the skull, cervical spine, heart and throat, and that the accused were responsible for his death. Stephen Tynan pleaded not guilty. Raymond Fitzgerald pleaded not guilty.
The murder trial of Paul Well Snr, accused of killing and dismembering Kenneth O'Brien, was adjourned after jurors received a suspected scam call from a number claiming to be the Courts Service. The 50‑year‑old, who had admitted shooting O'Brien but pleaded not guilty to the murder, had been hearing evidence of his own interviews. The call, which included a distorted voicemail mentioning the Courts Service, was investigated by Sergeant Gerard Moore and deemed a scam unrelated to the case. Judge Paul McDermott ordered the trial to resume the next day once the investigation was complete, and the jurors were sent home to await further instructions. The case continues with the next portion of interviews to be played on DVD.
In the trial of Laura Kenna, a 35‑year‑old woman with no fixed abode, the jury paused its deliberations for the night. Kenna is charged with attempted murder and assault of civil servant Fionnuala Bourke, who was walking home from work on Lower Drumcondra Road on 3 January 2017. Bourke was attacked with a knife, her throat slit and she suffered severe facial scarring. Kenna pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to both charges. The court heard conflicting opinions from two Central Mental Hospital consultant psychiatrists regarding Kenna's state of mind. Mr Justice Robert Eagar explained that if the jury, on the balance of probabilities, found Kenna suffering from a mental disorder, the special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity would be appropriate. If not, the jury must consider the prosecution's case beyond a reasonable doubt.
A 31‑year‑old, Anthony Walsh, was found guilty of murdering 54‑year‑old Dermot Byrne in Swords on 16 July 2017 after a drunken altercation over a cigarette. The jury, after deliberating 2 hours 41 minutes, returned a unanimous verdict. Shawna Byrne, the victim's daughter, gave an emotional statement describing the loss of her father's life and dignity, noting that the family's world stopped that day. Walsh was sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment for the murder and an additional seven years for theft of the victim's bank card, Zippo lighter and keys. The court also noted Walsh's prior convictions for public order, burglary, criminal damage and drug misuse. The trial concluded with the judge expressing sympathy for the Byrne family and confirming the life sentence.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal of Wayne Kinsella, upholding his conviction for the murder of Adil Essalhi. Kinsella, who pleaded not guilty, was unanimously found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury and sentenced to life by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan on May 21, 2012. The prosecution alleged that Essalhi, whose body was found in Tyrrelstown in 2011, was assaulted with a machete and knife after the Kinsellas believed he was involved in the death of Wayne's brother, an allegation the court noted was false. While Michael Kinsella was jailed for 15 years for manslaughter in 2016, Wayne Kinsella's appeal argued that the trial judge erred regarding witness credibility and the identity of a confidential informant. President Mr Justice George Birmingham, sitting with Mr Justice John Edwards and Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, rejected these grounds. The court highlighted the "very considerable" probative value of CCTV footage showing the Kinsellas leaving with Essalhi and returning without him. The judges concluded that the trial judge adequately addressed witness creditworthiness and that the prosecution case was "particularly strong." Consequently, the appeal was dismissed, and the mandatory life sentence remains in effect.
Paul Well Snr, a 50‑year‑old father of five from Barnamore Park, Finglas, has admitted shooting and dismembering 33‑year‑old Kenneth O'Brien at his home on 15 or 16 January 2016. He pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. In his first Garda interviews he denied any involvement and could not explain why O'Brien had transferred more than €50,000 into his account. Well claimed that O'Brien had wanted him to murder O'Brien's partner so he could take their child back to Australia, where he had previously lived. Garda Sergeant Martin Long noted that Well had been receiving €320 a week in Jobseeker's Benefit and that the €14,500 he withdrew in January was not in his possession. He also acknowledged that €52,925 had been transferred into his account over 18 months. The trial continues this afternoon.
In the trial of Anthony Walsh, who admitted beating Dermot Byrne to death during a drunken altercation, the jury asked the judge to clarify the legal definitions of murder and provocation. Walsh, 31, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, theft of a bank card, keys and a Zippo lighter from Byrne on 16 July 2017. The jury spent about 90 minutes deliberating before requesting Justice Eileen Creedon to explain that murder requires intent to kill or cause serious injury and that provocation could negate that intent, potentially leading to a manslaughter verdict.
A 24‑year‑old construction worker, Lukasz Drozdziel, was sentenced to three years in prison for assaulting his former partner in an "episode of extreme rage" that left her with serious injuries. The incident occurred on 5 August 2017 at her home in Marino, Dublin, when Drozdziel, intoxicated, beat her in the hall, broke through the front door, and inflicted cuts to her abdomen and head. He also damaged the front door. Drozdziel pleaded guilty to assault and property damage at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and had four prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally described the assault as extreme, noting the physical and psychological harm, and imposed a three‑year sentence with nine months suspended, ordering 18 months of post‑release supervision and completion of a domestic violence perpetrator programme. Drozdziel has been alcohol‑free for five months and has expressed remorse. The victim's impact statement was not read in court.
Paul Well Sr, a 50‑year‑old former butcher, was arrested for shooting and dismembering his friend Kenneth O'Brien, a 33‑year‑old truck driver. Well told Gardaí he had not seen O'Brien for several days before the victim went missing. He was charged with murder at O'Brien's home in Barnamore Park on 15 or 16 January 2016. Well pleaded not guilty, claiming O'Brien had wanted him to murder O'Brien's partner so he could take their child to Australia. Garda Declan O'Brien testified that Well had met O'Brien in 2007 and that O'Brien had been involved in an affair. O'Brien's partner had been betrayed, and O'Brien was described as reckless and devious. Well said he had worked as a butcher about 30 years earlier, leaving after cutting his finger. The trial is being heard in the Central Criminal Court.
The 65‑year‑old former Roman Catholic priest, who had been defrocked and was already serving a seven‑year sentence for sexually abusing a boy, was given an eight‑year consecutive sentence by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy on 15 May 2017 for six counts of oral rape, defilement and sexual assault of a boy aged 10‑11 at his home between 2005 and 2006. The abuse began shortly after the priest's earlier offence ended in 2006. On appeal, the Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, found an error in the sentencing judge's remarks that had led to a 15‑year total sentence. The court reduced the eight‑year term to six years, leaving a total of 13 years in prison. The priest had initially made inappropriate remarks about the victim's puberty, encouraged him to look up sexual subjects online, and progressed to fondling, oral rape and sexual assault in his house, the presbytery and a car. The unnamed 65-year-old was found guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, William Deans, 57, was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison, with 18 months suspended, for a violent break‑in at the home of a 73‑year‑old retired fire officer, Michael Hempenstall, on 8 January 2016. Deans, who has 111 prior convictions, entered the house, threatened to infect Hempenstall with AIDS, and assaulted him and a neighbour, causing physical injury and a six‑week hospital stay for Hempenstall. Deans pleaded guilty to trespass, theft, assault, and damaging a door. The court noted the severity of the assault, the victim's vulnerability, and Deans' attempts at rehabilitation while in custody. The sentence was back‑dated to May of the same year to credit the five months he had already served. The case highlighted the impact of the offence on Hempenstall, who had to relocate from his 21‑year home to be closer to his daughter.
In the trial of Laura Kenna, a 35‑year‑old woman of no fixed abode, a jury will resume deliberations tomorrow morning. Kenna has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the attempted murder of civil servant Fionnuala Bourke, who was walking home from work on Lower Drumcondra Road in Dublin on 3 January 2017. The prosecution alleges that Kenna attacked Bourke with a knife, slitting her throat and causing severe facial scarring. The central issue is Kenna's state of mind at the time. Two Central Mental Hospital consultant psychiatrists gave conflicting opinions. Prosecutor Anthony Sammon SC emphasized that the prosecution must prove that Kenna acted with a knowing mind, citing statements she made after the attack.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, 31‑year‑old Anthony Walsh pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter and theft of a bank card, keys and a Zippo lighter from Dermot Byrne on 16 July 2017. The prosecution, led by Vincent Heneghan SC, described Byrne's death as "savagery," urging a murder conviction. Defence counsel Remy Farrell SC argued that Walsh was provoked by Byrne, who had earlier attacked him and attempted to take a cigarette. Farrell presented CCTV from the Harp Bar showing a confrontation and highlighted Byrne's aggressive behaviour, including a prior incident at an Applegreen garage. He urged the jury to consider Walsh's lack of aggression and the injuries inflicted on Byrne, suggesting a manslaughter verdict. The jury was set to deliberate tomorrow.
Two men, Stephen Tynan, 41, and Raymond Fitzgerald, 37, are set to stand trial at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Andrew Guerrine, 37, which occurred between 22 and 23 May 2015. Both pleaded not guilty. Mr Justice Michael White has sworn in a jury of eight men and four women, and the trial is expected to last up to four weeks.
An 86-year-old man from Arva, County Cavan, has received an eight-year suspended sentence at the Central Criminal Court for the sexual abuse of two siblings spanning the period 1958 to 1963. John Joe Kiernan pleaded guilty to eleven sample counts of indecent assault and one count of rape. The offences occurred on or near the victims' family farmland where Kiernan worked as a farm labourer. Mr Justice Michael White imposed sentences totalling eight years for rape and seven years for indecent assaults, suspending all sentences entirely on condition that Kiernan keep the peace. The judge cited Kiernan's advanced age and serious ill-health as factors against imposing custody. The court heard the victims, now in their sixties, came forward in 2017. Kiernan had previously served a five-year sentence in 2005 for separate sexual offences committed between 1963 and 1973.
Brian Rattigan, the appellant, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Declan Gavin in a matter currently at the appeal stage. The State accepted the plea, and Rattigan remains in custody while awaiting a sentence hearing scheduled for December 20. During that hearing, Mr. Gavin's family will have the opportunity to address the court regarding the impact of the death. The incident occurred on August 25, 2001, when Mr. Gavin was stabbed outside an Abrakebabra on Crumlin Road. Rattigan had previously been convicted of murder in 2009, but that conviction was successfully appealed last year. Upon being arraigned on the same murder charge, Rattigan stated he was not guilty to murder but guilty of manslaughter. Counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions confirmed the plea was acceptable. Rattigan's legal representative conveyed that his client expressed sorrow to the Gavin family and anyone else hurt by his actions. The court has not yet finalized the sentence, as the matter is adjourned to the December 20 hearing for sentencing.
A 32‑year‑old Dublin man pleaded guilty in July 2018 to six counts of sexual assault against four of his young female cousins, one of whom was four years old at the time. The offences, which occurred between 2000 and 2006 at various Dublin addresses, were brought to light after a sleepover in December 2014 when the cousins reported the abuse to their parents. Gardaí then investigated further allegations from other cousins. The victims, now aged 26, 21 and 20, gave victim impact statements describing how the family was once close but has since been torn apart. The man, who has no prior convictions, was remanded on bail for sentencing on 31 October, with the court noting his psychological vulnerability and willingness to participate in rehabilitation programmes.
During the murder trial of 31‑year‑old Anthony Walsh, Deputy State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster described the severe injuries to 54‑year‑old Dermot Byrne's face. She said the bones were broken into little fragments and that his brain had "swirled around" his skull after he was punched and kicked. Glass fragments were found in his face and neck. The body lay in blood at the top of seven steps leading to Fingal Community College. Dr Bolster noted multiple fractures to the jaw, nasal bones, ribs and lacerations to the scalp. Toxicology revealed 350 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood, indicating heavy intoxication. She concluded the cause of death was traumatic brain injury from blunt force trauma to the head, neck and chest, with fractured ribs and high alcohol levels complicating the condition. The jury heard this evidence before the trial proceeded to the next phase. Deputy State Pathologist Dr pleaded guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, a jury heard closing arguments in the trial of 35‑year‑old Laura Kenna, who pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the attempted murder of civil servant Fionnuala Bourke. Kenna allegedly attacked Bourke on Lower Drumcondra Road on 3 January 2017, slitting her throat and causing severe facial scarring. The prosecution, led by Anthony Sammon SC, argued that Kenna's mental state was a key issue and that she had a knowing mind when she acted, citing her own statements about using a knife to rob someone. The defence, represented by Barry White SC, urged the jury to consider whether Kenna was legally insane, relying on conflicting psychiatric opinions. Judge Robert Eagar outlined possible verdicts, noting that a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity would be appropriate if the jury found Kenna suffered from a mental disorder on the balance of probabilities.
Tony Ward, 40, of Castlecurragh Park, Mulhuddart, Dublin, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to endangerment, dangerous driving, assault causing harm and unlawful seizure of a vehicle. On 29 August 2017, he and another man hijacked a taxi at 2:45 am, demanding a ride to Ballymun. Ward, wearing blue rubber gloves, forced the driver to stop, then re‑entered the taxi, unbuckled the seatbelt, and threatened the driver with a four‑inch knife. He ordered the driver out, threatened to stab him, and after the driver escaped, Ward slashed the driver's finger. The taxi then drove off at high speed, pursued by Garda Keith Spackman. At Mellowes Crescent, the taxi rammed two Garda cars and struck a Garda, who was knocked down, sustaining a large laceration to his left arm that required 30 stitches. Ward, who had been drinking and had taken cocaine that evening, is aware the incident could have ended differently.
Derek Whelan, aged 22, was jailed for three years after taking part in a violent assault on David Gaynor at the Neilstown shopping centre in Clondalkin, Dublin. Gaynor was knocked to the ground, beaten, kicked and struck with a golf club, causing a broken cheekbone, a broken eye socket and cuts to his mouth that required stitches. Whelan pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on 30 November 2015. At the time of the offence he was serving a suspended sentence for a theft offence imposed in May 2015 and had no prior convictions for violent crime. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to four and a half years, suspended the last 18 months on the condition of anger‑management and victim‑awareness programmes, and noted his cocaine abuse, stable relationship and upcoming child. Whelan offered compensation, which the court declined. He expressed remorse and has taken steps to address his addiction.
James Cronin, a 36‑year‑old rapist serving a burglary sentence, was given an additional two‑year term for threatening to burn down a prison officer's house at Arbour Hill Prison. He told the officer he knew where she lived and would set her home alight if she refused to serve him tobacco at the prison tuck shop. The court noted that prisoners have scheduled times to use the tuck shop and that Cronin had lied about being unable to attend his slot a day later. Garda Redmond O'Leary said this was the first time the officer felt compelled to report the threat, despite 17 years of similar incidents. Judge Melanie Greally described the threat as "sufficiently menacing and convincing" and imposed a two‑year sentence with nine months suspended, citing Cronin's history of mental health issues and prior convictions for false imprisonment, rape, attempted rape, sexual assault and burglary.".
During a Central Criminal Court hearing, Anthony Walsh, 31, admitted killing but denied murdering 54‑year‑old Dermot Byrne. He told a friend via Facebook Messenger that he had killed someone and that Byrne "kept coming at me" after three warnings. Walsh also sent messages to a woman who had recently added him on Facebook, describing her as "fit" and claiming he was "too much of a bad boy for you." He sent photos of Byrne's bank card and a newspaper article about Byrne's death. Walsh pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, and also pleaded guilty to stealing a bank card, keys and a Zippo lighter from Byrne on the same day and location. The trial is before Justice Eileen Creedon with a jury of twelve.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 35‑year‑old Laura Kenna, who has no fixed abode, faced charges of attempted murder and assault with intent to cause serious harm after stabbing civil servant Fionnuala Bourke on Lower Drumcondra Road on 3 January 2017. Kenna pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Prosecutor Anthony Sammon SC presented evidence that Bourke's throat was slit and she suffered severe facial scarring, and that Kenna admitted guilt to Gardaí the following day. Defence psychiatrist Dr Stephen Monks testified that Kenna, diagnosed with schizophrenic affective disorder, did not understand her actions and was influenced by hallucinations and delusions. Professor Harry Kennedy countered, arguing Kenna knew her actions were wrong and had a motive to rob Bourke's handbag. Kenna had previously stabbed a woman at a Luas stop two weeks earlier, an incident that had led to a prior verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.
In a case that unfolded over several years, Tadhg Butler, aged 37, pleaded guilty in July 2018 to unlawfully killing his nephew's friend, Michael O'Dwyer, who was 25 when he died on 10 January 2014. Butler's admission came after a series of trials that began in April 2015, where a jury was discharged, a second jury found him guilty of murder and imposed a mandatory life sentence, and a third trial ended with a hung jury. The Court of Appeal overturned the life sentence, and the State accepted a plea of guilty to manslaughter. Mr Justice Michael White, hearing the case in October 2018, set a headline sentence of 12 to 14 years, taking into account aggravating factors such as the violent and tragic circumstances of O'Dwyer's death and Butler's criminal history, and mitigating factors including Butler's remorse and lack of intent to cause serious injury. The judge backdated the sentence to the date Butler entered custody.
The trial of 50‑year‑old Paul Wells Senior, charged with the murder of 33‑year‑old Kenneth O'Brien, was adjourned after a juror became ill. Wells, of Barnamore Park, Finglas, admitted shooting O'Brien and dismembering his body but pleaded not guilty to the murder. The case, heard before Mr Justice Paul McDermott, had begun last week with a jury of twelve. One juror was discharged after recognizing a person mentioned in evidence, and the judge deemed it unrealistic for her to return the next day, so the court was adjourned to Monday.
Jason Keating (27), of Rush, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty in the Special Criminal Court to facilitating a criminal organisation in the murder of Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan. Keating had previously pleaded not guilty to the murder charge, which has been the subject of a trial since October 2. The State Solicitor informed the court that the DPP directed a new charge under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, which Keating admitted. Prosecutors requested a nolle prosequi be entered on the original murder count at the sentencing stage. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding with Judges Sinead Ni Chualachain and Cormac Dunne, remanded Keating in custody until November 22 for sentencing. The judge noted the court would require details on Keating's assistance and state of mind. He referenced the recent sentencing of Martin Aylmer (31) to three years and nine months for a similar offence involving the murder of Michael Barr. Mr Justice Hunt described the new charge as useful for providing sentencing flexibility in cases where defendants do not directly commit the act. The matter was adjourned until November 22.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Matthew Ellis, aged 38, admitted to threatening a shop security guard, Patrick Collins, that he would return to kill him after finishing a pizza. Ellis claimed he knew the guard's shift end time and would come back once he had eaten. He had previously threatened the guard earlier that day and returned around 9 pm holding five bullets between his teeth, which he displayed to the guard. He called the guard a "garda informer" and shouted, "You finish at ten o'clock. I own Inchicore. I'm gonna kill you." Gardaí were called, stopped Ellis, and the bullets fell from him. Ellis pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill or cause serious harm. He has been in custody since the incident and has 71 prior convictions, including assault, burglary, possession of knives, drug dealing and robbery.