A jury at the Central Criminal Court is to resume deliberations on Friday in the trial of John Tighe, aged 40, of Lavallyroe, Ballyhaunis, County Mayo. Mr Tighe has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his infant son on 1 June 2013. The prosecution alleges that the child choked on tissue deliberately placed in his throat, while the defence maintains the accused discovered the child choking after stepping away briefly. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy instructed the jury that three verdicts are available: guilty of murder, not guilty of murder, or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. The jury must reach a unanimous decision and has already deliberated for four hours and 25 minutes.
Patrick Hutch, aged 25, pleaded not guilty to the murder of David Byrne, 34, at the Regency Hotel on 5 February 2016, and denied possession of three AK47 assault rifles linked to the shooting. The Special Criminal Court adjourned the trial for a further three months to allow an enquiry into the death of Detective Superintendent Colm Fox, who had led the investigation into the fatal shooting. Senior prosecuting counsel Sean Gillane SC reported "considerable progress" in the enquiry, noting separate themes covering documentary material, electronic data and witness statements. Michael O'Higgins SC, representing Hutch, said the adjournment was inevitable and that the defence would apply for liberty if the matter did not proceed quickly enough. The court remanded Hutch in custody until 9 July, when the case will be listed for mention again.
Albert Redmond, 43, was sentenced to three years in prison for a series of thefts, including trespassing and stealing bank cards and cash. He admitted to entering a Dublin city centre office twice, taking a cheque worth almost €9,500, and depositing it into his own account before traveling to Blackpool. While on holiday, he claimed the money was stolen from him, which he said gave him some empathy for victims. Redmond also pleaded guilty to stealing €28 in cash at a Spar, €28 at a bank, and €9,479 at Permanent TSB, among other offences. He had 294 prior convictions, mainly for trespass, theft, and burglary. The judge, noting Redmond's lack of violence and his personal struggles, imposed a three‑year sentence, back‑dated to his June 2023 custody entry.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has heard closing arguments in the trial of a man accused of murdering his infant son in Co Mayo. John Tighe, aged 40, of Lavallyroe, Ballyhaunis, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his six-and-a-half-month-old son on 1 June 2013. The prosecution alleges the child choked on tissue deliberately placed in his throat. The defence maintained the boy choked on tissue he reached while unattended during nappy changing. Defence counsel Mícheál P O'Higgins SC stressed to jurors they must be certain of guilt beyond reasonable doubt and cannot convict on suspicion. He argued inconsistencies in the accused's account were inevitable given the distressed circumstances and questioned whether expert evidence supported an innocent explanation. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy outlined three possible verdicts: guilty of murder, guilty of manslaughter, or not guilty. The jury will begin deliberations following the judge's charge completion tomorrow.
A jury has begun deliberating in the trial of Slawomir Gierlowski, a 33‑year‑old man from Drimnagh, Dublin, who is accused of carrying out violent sexual attacks on women in Dublin. Gierlowski denies all nine charges, which include false imprisonment, sexual assault and assault. He denies attacking and sexually assaulting women on dates in 2011 and 2015 at locations around Clondalkin in south Dublin, and also denies attacking a woman with a knife in 2016. One woman testified that on 16 May 2016 a man armed with a hunting knife attacked her on Knockmeenagh Lane, and she grabbed the blade to stop the attack, causing the knife to cut tendons in three of her fingers. Another woman said that on 3 September 2015 a man put a leather belt around her neck, knocked her to the ground, wrapped duct tape around her face and hands and sexually assaulted her.
At the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy has begun his charge to the jury in the trial of a Ballyhaunis man accused of murdering his infant son. John Tighe, aged 40, of Lavallyroe, County Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of six-and-a-half-month-old Joshua Sussbier Tighe at his home on 1 June 2013. The judge instructed the jury that they may return an alternative verdict of manslaughter if they are satisfied the child was unlawfully killed but are not convinced beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Tighe intended to kill or cause serious injury. The prosecution alleges the infant choked on tissue deliberately placed in his throat. Mr Tighe maintains he was changing the child's nappy when the choking occurred. The judge's charge to the jury continues this afternoon.
During the trial of Slawomir Gierlowski, a 33‑year‑old man from Drimnagh, the prosecution presented DNA evidence as the central link between him and three violent sexual attacks on women in Clondalkin and Knockmeenagh Lane between 2011 and 2016. One victim recounted a 2016 assault where a man with a hunting knife threatened her throat and she cut his blade, leaving tendon injuries on her fingers. Another victim described a 2015 incident where a man wrapped a leather belt around her neck, knocked her to the ground, and used duct tape to restrain her before sexually assaulting her. The third victim reported a 2011 attack involving punches and sexual assault. The prosecution argued that DNA from Gierlowski's semen and blood was found at each scene, including on a jacket he owned and a Polish beer bottle near the 2016 site, and that cable ties linked to his van were found near the 2016 scene. Slawomir Gierlowski pleaded not guilty.
A 31‑year‑old man from Cork, David O'Loughlin, is set to stand trial on 30 April for the murder of 59‑year‑old Liam Manley, who was killed on 12 May 2013 at Garden City Apartments on North Main Street. The case is being heard by a Central Criminal Court judge and jury.
A 31‑year‑old man, who has 57 prior convictions but no previous sexual offences, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to eight charges of sexual assault against an 11‑year‑old boy in Cork between July 2011 and March 2012. The victim, now 18, was a child at risk who had previously attempted suicide and was in a care home when he confided in a friend. The man had become a friend of the boy's older brother, supplied the boy with alcohol, cigarettes and clothes, and eventually moved into the family home. Abuse involved mutual masturbation and the boy performing oral sex on the man. The boy reported that the man never threatened or used violence. The man was remanded in custody and sentencing is adjourned to 20 April. The victim's impact statement describes his confusion, vulnerability and gratitude for help received.
Rihards Lavickis, aged 25 and resident of Annaly Court in Longford, has been charged with the murder of Akadiusz Czajkowski on 1st November 2016 at Rue Noyal Chatillon, Townspark in Longford. At the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Michael White fixed the trial date for 11th March 2019. The trial will proceed before a judge and jury.
The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court will hear closing speeches in the trial of Slawomir Gierlowski, a 33‑year‑old man from Drimnagh, who is accused of violent sexual attacks on three women between 2011 and 2016. Gierlowski denies all nine charges, which include false imprisonment, sexual assault and assault. The prosecution, led by Roisin Lacey SC, has presented evidence from the three alleged victims. One victim recounted an attack on 16 May 2016 when Gierlowski, armed with a hunting knife, threatened her on Knockmeenagh Lane and she forced the knife to cut her fingers. Another victim described an assault on 3 September 2015 in Clondalkin, where Gierlowski used a leather belt and duct tape before sexually assaulting her. The third victim reported being punched and sexually assaulted on 11 September 2011 in Clondalkin. Judge Pauline Codd informed the jury that closing speeches would be delivered next Tuesday, followed by a charge on Wednesday and the start of deliberations.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 16 March 2018, Darren Rowe (22) and Eoin Greene (23) pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after punching, kicking and knocking down a female wheelchair user, Mandy Kennedy, outside her home on 21 November 2017. The judge, Karen O'Connor, described the attack as gratuitous violence against a vulnerable person and said the men acted out of a misplaced sense of loyalty to each other amid a dispute with Kennedy's son. Kennedy, who became a wheelchair user after a spinal injury, suffered a fractured eye socket and ongoing psychological distress. O'Connor noted both men's drug addictions and past convictions—Rowe 26, Greene 34—and sentenced Rowe to 3½ years with 12 months suspended, and Greene to 2½ years in prison. The judge urged them to choose rehabilitation over further prison time.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 16 March 2018, Eoghan O'Connell, a 29‑year‑old former cancer survivor from Dargle Heights, Bray, was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment for attempting to murder a man in his driveway on 8 April 2016. O'Connell fired a shotgun twice at the victim, a father of three in his late 30s, as the man left his home to go to work. Both shots misfired because the cartridges were damp, and the victim survived. The court noted that O'Connell had 65 prior convictions, including rape and assault, and that the victim had known him since childhood. The judge described the evidence as extremely strong, citing DNA and spent cartridges, and acknowledged the victim's family had moved away and suffered trauma. O'Connell's guilty plea led the judge to impose a 12‑year term, back‑dated to 2 May 2016.
John Tighe, 40, of Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court, where he has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of his six-month-old son, Joshua Sussbier Tighe. The prosecution alleges that on June 1, 2013, Tighe murdered the infant by placing a wad of tissue paper in the child's throat. Tighe maintains he was changing the baby's nappy and left the child to use the toilet, returning to find the infant choking. He stated he did not see the baby put the tissue in its mouth and suggested it must have been pushed further down by his attempts to remove it. During cross-examination, Detective Garda Ken Waldron testified that Tighe and the deceased's mother, Natasha Sussbier, had a second child, a baby girl, in October 2015, though they are no longer together. The jury heard transcripts of Tighe's interviews with gardai, in which he expressed love for his son and denied ever trying to hurt him. He explained that he had a medical condition causing severe pain during urination, which prompted him to leave the baby briefly. He also addressed the presence of blood on the baby's clothes, his pyjamas, and the home, attributing it to his efforts to clear the obstruction. The pathologist removed an egg-shaped tissue wad measuring 5.5cm by 3.5cm by 2.5cm from the infant's throat. The prosecution has completed its evidence, and the trial will continue on Tuesday before Justice Patrick McCarthy.
Daniel Kane, 29, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to assaulting John Roche on 9 June 2015, causing him harm, and to falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne on the same day. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Patricia Ryan and Ann Ryan, remanded Kane in custody until 18 April, when sentencing will occur.
Michael Taylor, 37, of Summerhill, Dublin, was convicted of murdering Paul Kelly, 26, at Winston Ville apartments on 6 April 2007. He was found guilty by a majority jury at the Central Criminal Court and sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment on 28 November 2011. Taylor's defence argued that the evidence was insufficient, describing it as "mere suspicion" and "short of proof." The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, dismissed the appeal, upholding the conviction. The prosecution's case rested on three circumstantial elements: DNA of Taylor on a glove found 80 m from the scene, phone activity linked to Taylor near the crime, and a family feud that could have provided motive. The court found these elements sufficiently significant to support the jury's verdict, despite acknowledging the case was "finely balanced." No further appeal was granted. Michael Taylor pleaded not guilty.
Raymond Stewart, 31, was sentenced to four years in prison by the Central Criminal Court for threatening to rape and kill a woman he met in a Galway nightclub. On 18 July 2016, Stewart followed the woman from his house, repeatedly kicking and pushing her, and in a laneway threw her to the ground while telling her he would rape and kill her. He also shouted that she was "not worth raping." The woman, who had been told friends would be at Stewart's house, fled the scene after a house‑mate intervened. Stewart pleaded guilty to the threat to kill and sexual assault. He had nine prior convictions and was already serving a two‑year sentence for a separate assault. The court imposed concurrent sentences totalling four years, giving credit for time already spent in custody. The victim's impact statement described lasting distress, nightmares, migraines and a withdrawal from social activities.
In a High Court hearing on 15 March 2018, the State argued that Graham Dwyer's constitutional right to privacy was not breached when Gardai accessed data from his mobile phone during the investigation of childcare worker Elaine O'Hara's murder. Sean Guerin SC, representing the State and the Garda Commissioner, explained that under the 2011 Communications (Retention of Data) Act, telecommunication data from Dwyer's personal phone was lawfully retained and accessed. The prosecution had presented this data at Dwyer's 2015 trial, showing his presence at certain locations. Guerin contended that the right of the Gardaí to investigate the relationship between Dwyer and O'Hara outweighed any privacy claim, as the data was relevant to the missing person case. He noted that Dwyer's challenge to the Act on constitutional grounds was ongoing, but the State maintained that the data retention and access did not infringe his privacy rights.
A 40-year-old man accused of murdering his six-month-old son told gardai "I did all I could" as the child died in his arms. The Central Criminal Court jury heard statements made by John Tighe of Lavallyroe, Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, during interviews at Claremorris Garda Station in 2013 and 2014. Mr Tighe has pleaded not guilty to murdering Joshua Sussbier Tighe on 1 June 2013. According to his account, the infant became unresponsive while being changed and appeared to be choking on a baby wipe or tissue. He called emergency services and attempted resuscitation following their instructions. A retired paediatric consultant told the court that a tissue would not naturally lodge in a young child's throat and would require deliberate force to reach that location. The trial before Justice Patrick McCarthy continues.
A 19‑year‑old from Louth, Lee Smyth, was sentenced to four years in prison for violently hijacking a taxi and assaulting its driver, Eric Byrne, on O'Connell Street in Dublin. Smyth, who admitted he was heavily intoxicated on tablets and could not fully recall the incident, said he only wanted to get home to Drogheda. He and a co‑accused seized the vehicle, attempted to take the keys, and then attacked Byrne, who fled and called the police. The car was later found burnt out in Drogheda. Smyth pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and unlawful seizure of a vehicle. He had 29 prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan suspended the final 18 months of the sentence on strict conditions, noting Smyth's cooperation and willingness to reform. The case was prosecuted by Elva Duffy BL and defended by Grainne O'Neill BL. The court acknowledged Smyth's efforts in prison to change his behaviour.
A forensic pathologist has testified at the Central Criminal Court that a tear inside a six-month-old child's throat would typically result from punches, blows, or severe struggle. Dr Roger Malcolmson described as "fanciful" the defence suggestion that the infant could have caused his own death by swallowing tissue. John Tighe, aged 40, from Lavallyroe, Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of six-month-old Joshua Sussbier Tighe on June 1, 2013, at his home. Dr Malcolmson reviewed pathology findings and told prosecution counsel Paul Murray SC that it was not credible a six-month-old could ingest the two pieces of tissue found in the child's throat. He stated the injury was "highly suspicious" of inflicted trauma. Under cross-examination by defence counsel Mícheál P O'Higgins, Dr Malcolmson agreed the injury could have resulted from efforts to remove a blockage. Paediatrician Dr Hilary Stokes earlier testified that choking is the leading accidental cause of death in infants under one year. The trial continues before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.
A 22‑year‑old Dublin man, Karl Proudfoot, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for a series of violent offences. He pleaded guilty to slashing a drug addict on the back of the head with a Stanley knife on Arran Street East on 16 June 2017, an act captured on CCTV that showed him striking the victim "out of the blue." Proudfoot also admitted to two phone‑robberies: one at Fingal Place on 17 June 2017, where he left the victim with a nasal fracture and facial bruising, and another at Phoenix Park on 24 June 2017, where he beat a Moldovan woman and stole her phone. The court noted the assaults were "extremely nasty and senseless" and that Proudfoot had never been in custody before. Judge Martin Nolan, after considering the young man's age, remorse and lack of prior convictions, imposed the sentence, warning it could have been longer without those mitigating factors.
During the trial of Slawomir Gierlowski, 33, the court heard that his fingerprints were found on duct tape left at a 2016 crime scene in Knockmeenagh Lane. Detective Garda Conor Kiely explained that he had developed three marks from the grey masking tape and matched two of them to Gierlowski's left forefinger and right ring finger using the national database. Gierlowski denies the charges of false imprisonment, sexual assault and assault of three women in 2011, 2015 and 2016. He has pleaded not guilty to nine charges. The trial also heard testimony from the three alleged victims: one was attacked with a hunting knife in May 2016, another was strangled and taped in September 2015, and the third was punched and assaulted in September 2011. The case is before Judge Pauline Codd and an eleven‑man jury.
A paediatrician has testified at the Central Criminal Court that choking represents the most frequent cause of accidental death in infants under one year old. Dr Hilary Stokes was cross-examined in the trial of John Tighe, aged 40, from Lavallyroe, Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his six-month-old son Joshua Sussbier Tighe on June 1st, 2013. The prosecution alleges tissue was placed in the child's throat. During examination-in-chief, Dr Stokes told the court she did not believe the infant could have formed, chewed or swallowed the tissue later recovered by a pathologist. Defence counsel drew agreement from the witness that accidental choking remained the leading cause of death in babies under twelve months. Justice Patrick McCarthy presided over proceedings, with the trial continuing before a jury of twelve.
A 20‑year‑old Dublin man, Martin Keenan, was found not guilty of murdering 33‑year‑old Wesley Mooney, who was stabbed with half a garden shears in Keenan's mobile home. The case was the first murder trial under the Defence and the Dwelling Act 2011. Keenan and his wife returned home to find two strangers in their bedroom. Keenan claimed the deceased attacked him and he struck him with the nearest object. The jury heard that the law allows homeowners to use reasonable force against intruders. Keenan's defence cited the 2011 Act and a Court of Criminal Appeal ruling that burglary is an act of aggression. The prosecution argued the force was unreasonable and that Keenan had fabricated his account. After 4 h 15 min of deliberation, the jury returned a majority verdict of not guilty. The judge discharged Keenan, who had been on bail.
In a High Court hearing, the court ruled that data generated by Graham Dwyer's mobile phone could be used as evidence against him in his Central Criminal Court murder trial. The State and Garda Commissioner argued that the data was lawfully retained and accessed under the 2011 Communications (Retention of Data) Act, which Ireland had adopted to comply with EU requirements. Dwyer's lawyers sought to exclude the data, citing a 2014 European Court of Justice decision that found the 2006 EU directive underpinning the Act invalid. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, rejected the exclusion and allowed the contested evidence to be presented to the jury. Dwyer maintains that the Act breached his privacy rights and is pursuing further legal action against the State and Garda Commissioner. The case remains ongoing.
David Radford, aged 21, was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to three and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 15 months suspended, for assaulting a 14‑year‑old girl on 5 and 6 September 2017. Radford had previously been jailed for two and a half years in November 2015 for sexually assaulting a teenage girl, and he has three earlier convictions for sexual assault of women dating back to 2010. The court found that Radford attacked the girl for no apparent reason, noting a "propensity towards violence". Radford pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing the girl harm at Washington Lane, Rathfarnham. He was described as effectively homeless at the time, with difficulties in literacy, numeracy and drug use. The sentencing followed the court's statement that Radford had no welcome in his family's home and had been involved in repeated violent incidents.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, on the tenth day of trial, the prosecution presented transcripts of Garda interviews with Slawomir Gierlowski, aged 33, who denies three alleged attacks on women in 2011, 2015 and 2016 around Clondalkin. The first interview, held on 1 June 2016, covered a May 2016 incident where a man with a hunting knife attacked a woman on Knockmeenagh Lane; Gierlowski claimed he was simply driving and had no knowledge of the event. He was questioned about a jacket found in his house that had victim DNA, and he could not explain its presence. Subsequent interviews addressed a 2015 assault involving a belt and duct tape, and a 2011 attack where a woman was punched and sexually assaulted; in each case Gierlowski denied any involvement, stating he would never assault a man or a woman. Slawomir Gierlowski pleaded not guilty.
A jury will resume deliberations tomorrow morning in the trial of Martin Keenan, a 20‑year‑old Dubliner from Finglas, who is charged with murdering 33‑year‑old Wesley Mooney. The alleged murder occurred at St Joseph's Park halting site on 5 June 2016, when Keenan stabbed Mooney with half a garden shears after claiming the deceased attacked him. Keenan pleaded not guilty. The Central Criminal Court jury was given the shears to examine and had spent four and a half hours considering their verdict before being sent home. They will resume deliberations on Wednesday morning.
Two Dublin men, Garry Gleeson, 34, of Ballyfermot, and Stephen Dunne, 38, of South Lucan, are charged with conspiring to murder Michael Frazer between 28 July and 7 August 2017. The State Solicitor, Michael O'Donovan, informed the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions had applied for an order to have the men tried before the Special Criminal Court. Judge Tony Hunt, with Judges Patricia Ryan and Ann Ryan, granted the order, allowing the case to proceed in the non‑jury Special Criminal Court.
Dessie O'Hare, aged 61 and resident of Slate Rock Road, Newtownhamilton, County Armagh, will be tried at the Special Criminal Court on 22 March 2018. He faces charges of assaulting John Roche, causing him harm, and committing violent disorder at The Towers, Garter Lane, Saggart, County Dublin, as well as threatening to use unlawful violence. O'Hare is also charged with three counts of false imprisonment involving Martin Byrne, Lisa Byrne and Brandon Byrne, and with threatening to kill or seriously harm Martin Byrne. All alleged offences date from 9 June 2015. He is currently on bail.
A jury has begun deliberating on the trial of Martin Keenan, a Traveller aged 20, who is charged with murdering 33‑year‑old Wesley Mooney in a mobile home in Dublin on 5 June 2016. Keenan claims Mooney attacked him after Keenan asked him to leave, and that he used a garden shears to stab Mooney. The Central Criminal Court jury was given the shears to examine. Judge Paul Butler explained that under the Criminal Law (Defence and the Dwelling) Act 2011, a person may use reasonable force if they believe a trespasser is threatening them, and that the force must be proportionate. He clarified that the accused is not required to retreat and that if the force is not disproportionate, the accused is not guilty of murder; if it is disproportionate, the accused is not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.
Michael Rooney Dignam, a 37‑year‑old Dublin resident, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for robbing three shops over four days in May 2017. He pleaded guilty to stealing €1,200 from Spar, €662 from a Londis shop, and €1,135 from Centra, each time entering with a blood‑filled syringe, threatening staff and demanding money from the tills. Gardaí identified him from CCTV footage. Rooney Dignam had 15 prior robbery convictions and a conviction for his brother's manslaughter in 1999. He has a long history of drug addiction, reportedly since age ten, and has spent much time in jail, described as "largely institutionalised." The court noted his early guilty pleas and the fact that he was on bail when committing the last two robberies, requiring consecutive sentences. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a six‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended, acknowledging his troubled upbringing and repeated re‑offending.
A 43‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to one year in jail for sexually assaulting a 12‑year‑old girl who was a friend of his stepdaughter during a sleepover at his home. The assault occurred on 14 February 2015 when the girl was asleep beside his daughter's bed. The man placed his hand under the girl's top while she slept and attempted to get under her sports bra. He was found guilty by a jury in a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial in November 2014. Judge Cormac Quinn noted the offence was a serious breach of trust and imposed a one‑year term, citing the maximum penalty of 14 years for child sexual assault. The sentence was not suspended. The victim, now 15, described the lasting impact on her life, including fear, loss of friends, and panic attacks, and expressed uncertainty about the man's motives.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, the trial of 33‑year‑old Slawomir Gierlowski, accused of attacking three women in 2011, 2015 and 2016, presented DNA evidence linking him to the victims. Dr David Casey of the Forensic Science Laboratory examined a blood‑stained jacket taken from Gierlowski's home, finding a DNA profile that matched the third victim. A DNA sample from a beer bottle found at the 2016 scene also matched Gierlowski. In the 2015 assault, DNA from a belt and the victim's underwear matched Gierlowski's profile. DNA from the underwear of a 2011 victim also matched his profile. Gierlowski denies the attacks and has pleaded not guilty to nine charges, including false imprisonment, sexual assault and assault. The trial continues before Judge Pauline Codd and an eleven‑man jury.
Paul Flaherty, aged 30, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a woman he met on Tinder. The assault occurred on 31 August 2015 at his parents' house in Tallaght, while they were in the next‑door bedroom. The victim had made it clear she was not interested in sexual contact, but Flaherty ignored her refusal. The judge described the behaviour as "disgusting" and noted the assault had a "very serious impact" on the victim's life. Flaherty's defence cited his immaturity, alcohol and gambling problems, but the court rejected any mitigation. The sentence was back‑dated to 7 March 2018, the day Flaherty entered custody. The victim's impact statement detailed lasting physical and mental harm, and she expressed that the event had profoundly altered her life. The judge refused to suspend any portion of the sentence. Paul Flaherty was found guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, the defence lawyer Séamus Clarke SC argued that Travellers can also be victims of burglaries, citing the Criminal Law (Defence and the Dwelling) Act 2011 and a 2011 judgement by Justice Adrian Hardiman. He presented the case of 20‑year‑old Martin Keenan, who pleaded not guilty to the murder of 33‑year‑old Wesley Mooney, who was stabbed with a garden shears at Keenan's mobile home in Dublin on 5 June 2016. Clarke said Keenan was not seeking trouble and that the intruder had chosen to invade his home, giving the homeowner latitude to defend himself. The prosecution, led by Garnet Orange SC, countered that the deceased was not attacking anyone, the force used was unreasonable, and that Keenan's claim of self‑defence was unsupported. The jury was instructed that it could find Keenan not guilty of murder or guilty of manslaughter, and the case would be charged on Monday.
Gary O'Brien, aged 20, was jailed for three years after pleading guilty to burglary and two counts of assault at a Dalkey home on 26 September 2017. He had been "out of his head" on tablets and Sambuca and was restrained by a 74‑year‑old man on the bathroom floor until Garda arrival. O'Brien, who has 49 prior convictions, suffered an acquired brain injury at 16 after being struck with a hammer, a fact noted by Judge Martin Nolan. The judge imposed a three‑year sentence, consecutive to a 22‑month district court term O'Brien is serving, citing the brain injury as a mitigating factor. The burglary caused €3,000 of damage, and the victim's daughter, aged 40, described feeling "battered" and anxious the following day. O'Brien claimed he had no memory of the events and had not intended to harm the occupants. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Robert Maguire, aged 35, was originally sentenced to two concurrent four‑year terms for assault causing harm and false imprisonment of his ex‑partner on 14 January 2012. The sentences were suspended for the final two years each. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient. A three‑judge court, led by Mr Justice Alan Mahon, reviewed the case and imposed a new three‑year jail term. The judge noted Maguire's history of 13 convictions, his minimisation of the assault, lack of insight, and high risk of reoffending. The court found the original net custodial sentence of two years too lenient and resentenced Maguire to four years imprisonment on both counts, to run concurrently with the final 12 months of each suspended for three years. He was required to enter a good behaviour bond for the suspended period. The court praised his progress while in prison and encouraged continued improvement. Robert Maguire pleaded guilty.
Faisal Ellahi, a Pakistani national, was convicted in 2016 of raping a young woman with Down syndrome in Dublin. He received a 13‑year prison sentence after a jury found him guilty of rape and sexual assault. Ellahi had pleaded not guilty and had lodged an appeal outside the 28‑day deadline. The Central Criminal Court scheduled a procedural hearing for July 17 to decide whether to grant him an extension of time to appeal. Ellahi was not present; the court heard that the victim was with her mother that day but had become separated. Testimony from 16 women described Ellahi's attempts to approach them, and Ellahi himself admitted to propositioning women and claiming consensual encounters, while denying penetrative sex with the victim. He also denied knowledge of her Down syndrome, stating he had never heard of it before his arrest.
Sean Thackaberry, aged 24, was sentenced to seven‑and‑a‑half years in 2013 for an aggravated sexual assault on Michelle Hennessey, who later took her own life. He was released in June 2017 but failed to attend 12 probation appointments, citing holidays and property viewings, and moved to an unapproved address near Hennessey's family, breaching the Sex Offenders Act. In December 2017 the suspended portion of his sentence was activated, adding three months for an assault committed in custody. Judge Patrick McCarthy noted Thackaberry's drug use and lack of community supervision, deeming further release unsafe. The court therefore imposed the suspended term, effectively extending his custodial period while allowing a chance for rehabilitation. The case highlights the court's decision to protect the community and enforce probation conditions. Sean Thackaberry pleaded guilty.
John Tighe, aged 40, of Lavallyroe, Ballyhaunis, County Mayo has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his six-month-old son Joshua Sussbier Tighe at his home on 1 June 2013. The Central Criminal Court heard that forensic examination revealed tissue paper from two different boxes lodged in the infant's throat during a post-mortem. Bridget Fleming of Forensic Science Ireland told the court that the three-ply tissue matched paper from a bedroom box, while two-ply tissue matched material from a sitting room box. The prosecution alleges Mr Tighe caused the child's death by asphyxiation. The defence maintains Mr Tighe was changing the baby's nappy when the child began choking. DNA evidence showed the child's blood on Mr Tighe's clothing, which defence counsel suggested could be consistent with Mr Tighe attempting to assist his choking son. The trial continues at the Central Criminal Court.
During a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, the accused, Slawomir Gierlowski, 33, denied attacking three women in 2011, 2015 and 2016 in the Clondalkin area. The court heard that DNA evidence linked the 2016 knife attack on a woman on Knockmeenagh lane to the 2011 and 2015 incidents, and that the DNA matched Gierlowski. Detective Superintendent Colm O'Malley explained that the DNA of an unknown male was identified as Gierlowski's in June 2016, leading to an extension of his detention. Gierlowski denied false imprisonment, sexual assault and assault in all three incidents, and denied possessing a hunting knife with intent to intimidate. He also denied being the driver of a white van seen near the 2016 attack scene, although CCTV footage of a white van was shown to him. The trial continues before Judge Pauline Codd and a jury of 11 men.
A forensic scientist has told the Central Criminal Court that blood found on pyjama bottoms belonging to a man accused of murder came from his six-month-old son. John Tighe, aged 40, of Lavallyroe, Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo has pleaded not guilty to murdering Joshua Sussbier Tighe at his home on 1 June 2013. The trial heard that DNA analysis of samples from the pyjamas matched the infant's blood profile. Further matching samples were recovered from a babygrow, sitting room floor and wall. The prosecution alleges Mr Tighe caused his son's death by asphyxiation. The defence suggested the presence of blood on the pyjamas could be explained by Mr Tighe holding the baby while attempting to assist him. The trial, before Justice Patrick McCarthy and jury, continues at the Central Criminal Court.
In the Central Criminal Court, Ciara Tynan, the girlfriend of the 33‑year‑old Wesley Mooney, testified that the accused, 20‑year‑old Martin Keenan, was a professional bare‑knuckle fighter and questioned why he did not use his fists when he stabbed Mooney on the decking outside Keenan's home. Tynan denied the defence's suggestion that Keenan was defending himself after discovering the couple burglarising his house. Prosecutor Garnet Orange SC re‑examined Tynan, asking her about the claim that Keenan moved toward the victim before being stabbed. The defence, represented by Séamus Clarke SC, questioned Detective Sergeant Alan Brady about the bare‑knuckle fighter allegation, to which Brady replied that he had not seen any videos of Keenan on YouTube. Brady also confirmed that the deceased had 59 prior convictions, including burglary, threatening to kill, and possession of an imitation firearm with criminal intent, but no assault convictions. Martin Keenan pleaded not guilty.
In March 2018 the Special Criminal Court granted bail to Martin Aylmer, 31, of Casino Park, Marino, Dublin 3, who faces charges related to the murder of Michael Barr at the Sunset House pub in Dublin 1 on 25 April 2016. Aylmer is charged with participating in or contributing to activity intended to facilitate the commission of the murder by a criminal organisation or its members, and with reckless participation or contribution that could facilitate the murder. The alleged offences occurred between 23 and 25 April 2016. While the court acknowledged concerns about Aylmer being a flight risk, it decided to grant bail, noting that he would remain in custody until the judges review the financial history of the independent surety. The case was adjourned to 13 March 2018.
The High Court heard evidence on the sixth day of an action brought by Graham Dwyer against the State and the Garda Commissioner, seeking to strike down provisions of Ireland's data retention laws. Dwyer, who denies killing childcare worker Elaine O'Hara, claims the 2011 Communications (Retention of Data) Act breached his privacy rights by allowing Gardai to access his mobile phone data during his 2015 trial. His appeal against that conviction remains pending before the Court of Appeal. Retired Detective Chief Superintendent Peter Kirwan, who headed the force's Security and Intelligence section, testified that over 8,000 requests for retained data were made by the Gardai since 2012. He stated such data is vital for detecting crime and locating missing persons, noting that any request, including one concerning O'Hara's murder, must be deemed proportional and necessary. Kirwan affirmed he operated independently of specific investigations and weighed competing interests, including privacy rights, before making formal requests. Dwyer argues the 2011 Act suffers from flaws identified by the European Court of Justice in its 2014 ruling invalidating the underlying EU directive. The application is opposed, and the hearing continues, with the matter expected to conclude next week.
Martin Keenan, aged 20, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Wesley Mooney, aged 33, at St Joseph's Park, Dunsink Lane, north Dublin, on 5 June 2016. He claimed that on arriving home at about 11.45 pm he found a 'junkie' in his bedroom, who attacked him. Keenan said he struck the man with a garden shears tool, hitting him twice, after which the man fell. He later showed the Gardaí the shears he used. The jury heard that Mooney suffered two stab wounds and a broken shin. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis reported a deep stab wound below the left armpit that pierced both lungs and major vessels, a second wound below the left knee, and a spiral fracture of the left shin. He found modest alcohol and drugs in Mooney's blood and urine, and identified the chest stab as the main cause of death.
A father accused of murdering his infant son urged a doctor to intervene at the scene, the Central Criminal Court heard on the second day of trial. John Tighe, aged 40, of Lavallyroe, Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his six-month-old son on 1 June 2013. Dr Diarmuid Murray told the court he arrived at the home shortly after 1pm and immediately formed the view the child was deceased. The doctor identified a tissue lodged in the baby's throat, positioned above the larynx in a manner that would cause asphyxiation. During cross-examination, Dr Murray confirmed the accused was distressed and repeatedly urged him to take action, though nothing could be done. Emergency call handlers also gave evidence, with one nurse expressing doubt that the accused was following her instructions to dislodge the obstruction. The trial, before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of nine women and three men, continues.
In March 2018, a Dublin man, Michael Doyle, 27, was jailed for six years after breaking into a neighbour's house, holding a knife to the homeowner's throat while heavily intoxicated on alcohol and prescription drugs. Garda Michael McGuinness reported that Doyle's intoxication made him "impossible to put down" when officers used pepper spray and batons. The pepper spray had no effect; Doyle fought and threatened five officers, resisted arrest, and threatened to kill the homeowner. He had previously pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and threats to kill in May 2017. Doyle had 45 prior convictions, including assaults and public order offences. He was found unfit for interview for six hours but later presented as a "different person" after sobering up. The court accepted that his extreme intoxication contributed to the incident and imposed a six‑year custodial sentence, back‑dated to his arrest in May 2017.