Hamza Ali, a 22‑year‑old Pakistani asylum seeker, was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to false imprisonment and assault causing harm to one woman on 14 June 2017, and sexual assault and false imprisonment of a second woman on 15 June 2017. The incidents occurred in Dublin early in the morning. In the first case, Ali approached a woman cycling home, used a tow hook to threaten her, and attempted to force her into his car, ultimately allowing her to escape after she threw the bar out of the vehicle. In the second case, he approached a woman cycling from work, threatened her with a knife, demanded sex, and attempted to slash her, but she fled and alerted Gardaí. Gardaí later recovered a car linked to Ali and evidence of unauthorized transactions on the victims' credit cards.
A 31‑year‑old Dublin man, Martin Aylmer of Casino Park, Marino, was charged at the Special Criminal Court with aiding or contributing to the murder of Michael Barr at the Sunset House pub on 25 April 2016. He faced charges of participating in or contributing to activity intended to facilitate the commission of the murder, and of reckless participation that could facilitate the murder. The alleged offences occurred between 23 and 25 April 2016. Garda David Chapman arrested Aylmer at his home, conveyed him to Bridewell Garda Station, and the court remanded him in custody pending a bail application.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Martin Keenan, who has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Wesley Mooney (33) at St Joseph's Park, Dunsink Lane, north Dublin on June 5, 2016, continued before Mr Justice Paul Butler and a jury. During cross-examination, the defence challenged the character of the deceased and the circumstances leading to the incident. Ciara Tynan, identified as the deceased's girlfriend, denied allegations that Mr Mooney was aggressive or that he moved towards the accused prior to being stabbed with garden shears. However, she acknowledged that CCTV footage played in court showed Mr Mooney raising his middle finger at staff at a Tesco Express around 9.50pm, though she maintained this gesture did not constitute aggression. She also rejected the defence suggestion that the couple was committing a burglary in the accused's home. The prosecution and defence are presenting evidence regarding the events outside the accused's home in Finglas. No verdict has been reached, and the trial is ongoing, with proceedings scheduled to continue this afternoon.
Professor Michael Clarke, a national security expert, testified in the High Court that broad data retention regimes are necessary for effective crime detection. Giving evidence on behalf of the State and the Garda Commissioner, he stated that restricting such regimes would create 'electronic spaces' where criminals could operate with impunity. He noted that retained data is used in 90% of serious crime investigations and 100% of terrorism cases in the UK. Prof. Clarke argued that targeted retention schemes are not operationally feasible and that general retention is required for effective evidence gathering. He acknowledged that accessing retained data raises privacy issues, though he maintained that retention itself does not constitute surveillance. This testimony was provided during the sixth day of an action brought by Graham Dywer against the State and the Garda Commissioner. Dywer claims the 2011 Communications (Retention of Data) Act breached his privacy rights, arguing it suffers from flaws identified by the European Court of Justice. The Act allowed Gardaí to obtain mobile phone data generated during his 2015 trial for the murder of childcare worker Elaine O'Hara. Dywer, who denies killing Ms. O'Hara, seeks declarations that his constitutional and human rights were violated. His appeal against his conviction is currently pending before the Court of Appeal. The State opposes Dywer's application. The hearing before Mr Justice Tony O'Connor continues.
The High Court has authorised proceedings for an additional sexual assault charge against a 78-year-old retired teacher currently in UK custody. The man, a UK citizen with a Donegal address, was extradited to the United Kingdom in July 2017 to face historical sexual assault charges and remains imprisoned awaiting trial. The High Court heard that he is now alleged to have sexually assaulted an underage student at a UK primary school between 1978 and 1980. As this charge was not included in the original European Arrest Warrant, UK authorities required High Court consent to proceed. Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly granted approval for the prosecution on the new matter today.
In the Central Criminal Court, Martin Keenan, aged 20, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Wesley Mooney, aged 33, which occurred on 5 June 2016 at St Joseph's Park, Dunsink Lane, Dublin. Ciara Tynan, the deceased's girlfriend, testified that she and Mooney had been traveling to a trailer owned by a man named Davy 'Good-looking' and had been invited to St Joseph's Park by a man in a car who claimed the front door was open. Tynan said they entered a bedroom, the owner returned shouting, and she claimed the accused stabbed Mooney after the owner left. She described herself as shouting for help, but the ambulance arrived an hour later. During cross‑examination, Tynan denied any burglary and said she had no convictions. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Butler and a jury of ten men and two women.
During the trial of Slawomir Gierlowski, a 33‑year‑old resident of Galtymore Road, Drimnagh, Garda Warren Farrell presented evidence that the police had analysed hundreds of hours of CCTV footage to trace the movements of a white van linked to the alleged attacker. The van, identified as a white VW Crafter with black trim and three orange lights and registration 08‑D‑20729, was shown on video travelling from New Road, Clondalkin at about 5 am towards the scene of an assault on a woman on 16 May 2016, then moving towards Naas Road at 6:50 am, passing the Marble Arch pub and Galtymore Road, and finally parking near Gierlowski's home. The jury was informed that a 29‑minute gap existed in the footage between 5:12 am and 5:41 am.
In a Dublin murder trial, the jury saw half of a garden shears alleged to have stabbed Wesley Mooney to death outside his home. Garda Conor Mallon identified the weapon during a search of St Joseph's Park after Mooney's death. He described it as a half shears with a yellow stem and black handle. A forensic scientist found blood on the rusted blade and on the accused's left runner, and DNA matched Mooney. The scientist also examined a watch but found no evidence. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Butler, continues with a jury of ten men and two women. Martin Keenan, 20, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mooney, 33, which occurred on 5 June 2016. The case remains in the Central Criminal Court.
A new jury of three men and nine women has been sworn in at the Central Criminal Court to hear the trial of John Tighe, aged 40, from Lavallyroe, Ballyhaunis, County Mayo. Mr Tighe pleads not guilty to the murder of his infant son Joshua Sussbier Tighe at his home on June 1, 2013. The original jury was discharged on the fourth day of the trial due to weather-related delays and a juror's prior commitment. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy cautioned the new panel to rely solely on courtroom evidence. The prosecution alleges the child died from asphyxiation caused by tissue lodged in his throat. Medical experts will testify that a six-and-a-half-month-old could not have formed or swallowed such material independently. The defence maintains the death was accidental, with Mr Tighe claiming the child choked on a baby wipe. The trial continues.
In a first‑time appearance before the Disclosures Tribunal, Sergeant Maurice McCabe alleged that former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan was "obsessed" with him and instructed former Garda press secretary Superintendent Dave Taylor to "bury" him. McCabe said Taylor, who was temporarily suspended in September 2016, claimed he had been ordered by Callinan to spread rumours that McCabe had been investigated for sexual assault. McCabe described an orchestrated campaign involving whispering, phone calls and texts, which Taylor allegedly forwarded to journalists and to Noirin O'Sullivan, who would approve the material. McCabe also recounted a meeting with Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness, during which Callinan allegedly warned McGuinness that McCabe was untrustworthy and had abused vulnerable children. Callinan and O'Sullivan denied the smear‑campaign allegations. McCabe's protected disclosure was made on 26 September 2016.
During the trial of Slawomir Gierlowski, a 33‑year‑old man from Drimnagh, Dublin, the court heard that a white van parked near the scene of a 2016 attack on a woman was linked to him. Residents near the Clondalkin attack site recalled seeing a large white van on 26 April 2016 and again on 15 May 2016, noting registration numbers beginning 07‑D and 08‑D. One resident, Michelle McCabe, described two men who approached her, one muscular, possibly Slavic, and later identified the van as a white VW Crafter with registration 08‑D‑20729, which was registered to Gierlowski. Gierlowski denies all allegations of false imprisonment, sexual assault and assault in the 2011, 2015 and 2016 incidents. The case is proceeding before Judge Pauline Codd and an 11‑man jury.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, Martin Keenan, aged 20, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Wesley Mooney, aged 33, at St Joseph's Park, Finglas, on 5 June 2016. Prosecutors alleged that Keenan, who was present at the scene early on 6 June, stabbed Mooney with a long‑handled garden shears, delivering two significant blows to Mooney's upper body, including a stab wound to the left side of the chest and a broken leg. Mooney was found face‑up on the decking outside a mobile home, and attempts to save his life failed. Keenan reportedly returned home to find lights on, saw cider bottles, and later entered the mobile home with the shears. He was arrested at Finglas Garda Station after the incident. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Butler, is expected to last six days.
A nurse who advised a father during an emergency call about his choking infant was uncertain whether her instructions were being followed, the Central Criminal Court heard today. Aine Watts, who worked with WestDoc medical service, took a call in 2013 from John Tighe of Lavallyroe, Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, after his baby began choking on tissue. Ms Watts told the court she instructed Mr Tighe to perform chest compressions and attempt to dislodge the obstruction, but was unsure if her guidance was being adhered to. Under cross-examination, she acknowledged prioritising airway clearance over CPR given the child's unresponsiveness. Mr Tighe, aged 40, has pleaded not guilty to murdering his son Joshua Sussbier Tighe on 1 June 2013. The prosecution alleges the tissue was deliberately placed in the child's throat; the defence maintains the six-and-a-half-month-old swallowed it independently. The trial before Justice Patrick McCarthy continues tomorrow.
Garda whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe gave evidence at the Charleton tribunal, describing the 2011 response to his complaints as "a kick in the teeth." Chief Superintendent Colm Rooney, now retired, admitted his 2011 circular letter congratulating Bailieboro station was inappropriate, stating his vindication of the station's standards was not warranted. McCabe testified that he felt forced out of his position as Sergeant in Charge in March 2008 and described a culture in An Garda Síochána that made it "extremely hard to speak out." He noted that his revelations regarding penalty points "really hit hard in the force." The tribunal also examined a 2006 allegation by Miss D against McCabe, where the DPP recommended against prosecution, finding no basis for an assault or sexual assault. McCabe stated he was exonerated and received support from colleagues. He also referenced a 2009 Facebook comment calling a puppet "Maurice the rat," which the O'Higgins commission later described as "vile and offensive." The proceedings are part of a trial-stage inquiry into whether unjustified grounds were used to discredit McCabe, including serious allegations against former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan. The matter remains ongoing as the tribunal continues to hear evidence.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Rihards Lavickis, 25, ended without a verdict after the jury failed to reach a decision on the death of Akadiusz 'Arek' Czajkowski. Lavickis, of Annaly Court, Longford, had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the stabbing at Rue Noyal Chatillon, Townspark, on November 1, 2016. The prosecution alleged Lavickis was a deliberate killer who lured the deceased with a knife, while the defense argued he acted in a 'tumult of emotion' after prior hostility. Following four hours of deliberation, the foreman reported the jury could not reach a unanimous or majority verdict. Justice Una Ni Raifeartaigh discharged the jury and noted that a retrial may be ordered at the discretion of the Director of Public Prosecutions. The matter was adjourned to the next list to fix a date for another trial.
At the Central Criminal Court in Dublin, Anna Marie Pezzillo, 34, and Rachel Comiskey, 35, both pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ian Quinn, 32, but guilty to manslaughter. The offence occurred in an apartment in Block B, Annally Grove, Ongar, Dublin 15, between 30 and 31 May 2014. The prosecution accepted their pleas. Justice Patrick McCarthy remanded Comiskey on bail and Pezzillo in custody until 16 April, when sentencing will take place.
A 20‑year‑old man, Martin Keenan, is on trial for the murder of Wesley Mooney, 33, who was killed at St Joseph's Park, Dunsink Lane, Finglas, Dublin 11 on 5 June 2016. Keenan pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. A jury of ten men and two women was sworn in, and the trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Butler, is set to last six days.
During the fourth day of his trial at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Slawomir Gierlowski, aged 33, denied attacking three women in 2011, 2015 and 2016. A woman, whose identity is withheld, testified that on 16 May 2016 she was attacked while walking to a Luas stop. She described being grabbed from behind by two arms, one holding a hunting knife and the other a dirty grey rag. The knife was pressed against her right cheek and moved down to her throat. She felt the blade cut through her fingers as she pulled it away, and she screamed before the attacker fled. She was taken to hospital where she was treated for severed tendons in three fingers and still cannot fully bend them. Gierlowski denies all allegations of false imprisonment, sexual assault and assault on the three women. The trial continues before Judge Pauline Codd and a jury of 11 men.
A jury in a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court has been instructed to resume deliberations on Wednesday morning despite indicating to the judge that they had reached an impasse. The jurors had spent three hours and thirty minutes considering their verdict in the case of Rihards Lavickis, who is charged with the murder of a man in Longford more than two years ago. Mr Lavickis has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. Justice Una Ní Raifeartaigh indicated she would provide a further direction to the jury on Wednesday morning before they continue their deliberations. The foreman had told the court that the jury believed reconvening would be futile, but the judge suggested additional guidance might assist their consideration of the case.
A man who received a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence for forcing a young friend to have sex with him when the boy was 15 was found guilty on appeal. The accused, now 23, abused the boy, who was 10 or 11, by threatening to keep him in the house and to set his dogs on him if he did not comply. He was convicted by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for defilement in his Dublin home between January and July 2011. He denied the charge. Judge Petria McDonnell described the assault as heinous. The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction, stating the trial was satisfactory and the verdict safe, while the appeal was dismissed by Justices Edwards, Birmingham and Mahon. The case was not withdrawn from the jury.
Two teenage cousins, aged 16 and 17, will be sentenced on March 22 for assault causing harm to a 14‑year‑old boy at Father Collins Park, Donaghmede, on 9 April 2016. The victim, who knew the attackers, had a falling out with the 14‑year‑old cousin shortly before the incident. While walking with a friend, the 14‑year‑old confronted the victim, accusing him of spreading rumours about wanting to kill him. The victim denied the claim and tried to walk away, but was punched in the cheek three times. The older cousin then punched him once in the mouth, causing him to fall. A group of about seven boys surrounded the victim, preventing escape. The victim left with four top teeth missing and required extensive medical care. Neither cousin has prior convictions, and their parents were notified and interviewed voluntarily. The unnamed 17-year-old pleaded guilty.
John Paul Mulready, aged 40, was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for stabbing and biting his upstairs neighbour, Dermot Byrne, after an alleged "incessant" recitation of poetry. Mulready entered Byrne's flat with a serrated knife, shouted about music, and after a brief standoff in which Byrne brandished a frying pan, Mulready tackled him to the ground, stabbed him in the leg and bit him on the face. Byrne, a poet, defended himself with a vodka bottle and was helped by another neighbour. Mulready pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary with a knife in 2015 and has 116 prior convictions, including drug offences, knife possession, assault and criminal damage. He admitted the attack was triggered by the upstairs poetry. The court noted his history of offending and his recent drug‑ and alcohol‑free status at a residential treatment centre, but deemed the crime too serious for a suspended sentence.
Michael Cummins, 32, was jailed for two years after a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found him guilty of falsely imprisoning and threatening two teenage boys during a drug‑induced paranoid episode in Swords in August 2017. Cummins, who had 230 prior convictions, approached a 13‑year‑old and a 15‑year‑old from across the street, demanding they look him in the eyes and threatening to pour what he claimed was acid into their eyes and to blow up their house. He struck the younger boy twice, forced the older boy to delete pictures from his phone, and entered the boys' home, where he also stole a wallet and an iPhone. Gardaí recovered the stolen items and the boys later reported increased fear and distress. Cummins pleaded guilty to theft, burglary, false imprisonment, assault and a threat to kill, and the court accepted his remorse, noting his drug‑induced paranoia but holding him fully liable for his actions.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has begun deliberating in the trial of a 25-year-old Longford man charged with murder. Rihards Lavickis, of Annaly Court, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Akadiusz Czajkowski at Rue Noyal Chatillon, Townspark, on November 1, 2016, but guilty to manslaughter. The court heard that Mr Lavickis admits to stabbing the 31-year-old. He claimed the deceased had previously demanded repayment of a drug debt and assaulted him, and that he armed himself with a knife intending only to frighten Mr Czajkowski after discovering his windows had been smashed. Mr Lavickis told the trial he experienced a loss of control upon seeing the deceased. Justice Una Ní Raifeartaigh directed the jury that provocation could reduce a murder conviction to manslaughter. Deliberations commenced this morning, with jurors having spent approximately one hour and 33 minutes considering the evidence by lunchtime.
At the Central Criminal Court, a murder trial commenced involving John Tighe, aged 40, from Lavallyroe, Ballyhaunis, County Mayo. Mr Tighe has pleaded not guilty to the charge of murdering his son, Joshua Sussbier Tighe, who died on June 1, 2013, at the family home. The prosecution alleges the infant, then six and a half months old, died from asphyxiation after tissue was placed in his throat. The defence contends the death was accidental, with Mr Tighe claiming the child grabbed and swallowed tissue whilst he was in the bathroom. Prosecution counsel told the jury that a baby of Joshua's age would be incapable of forming or swallowing such a bolus, suggesting Mr Tighe was the only person who could be responsible. A post-mortem examination identified two pieces of tissue in the throat, including an egg-shaped wad measuring five centimetres by three and a half centimetres. Expert evidence regarding the infant's developmental capabilities is expected during the trial, which continues before Justice Patrick McCarthy.
A 49‑year‑old Meath man was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury of four counts of raping and three counts of sexually assaulting his sister between 1983 and 1990, while he was found not guilty of one count of assault in their father's car in 1982. He pleaded not guilty to all charges. The trial lasted a week in January and the jury deliberated for six hours. At the sentencing hearing, the victim, aged 49, described how her brother repeatedly raped and assaulted her with a "smirk" on his face, despite her pleas to stop. She said the abuse began when she was about 14 and continued until she was 20, occurring in fields, a shed, the family house and the hall. She revealed the abuse only after her brother confronted her at a family meeting, and she had kept it secret for years.
During the trial of Slawomir Gierlowski, a 33‑year‑old man charged with multiple sexual assaults, Garda Niall Kenny testified that he and Garda Brian Campbell responded to a late‑night incident in Clondalkin on 3 September 2015. Kenny described arriving in a patrol car, hearing a muffled scream, and finding a woman bound with black duct tape. He observed a suspect who fled the scene, running in zig‑zag patterns to avoid street lighting, and shouted for help. The suspect was pursued but lost from view. Gierlowski is charged with false imprisonment, assault, and sexual assault against three women at different dates and locations, including a 2016 incident near Naas Road and a 2011 incident. Dr Killian Bates provided a forensic medical report detailing injuries to a 2015 victim, noting possible semen and the suspect's non‑Irish origin, which influenced the decision to prescribe anti‑HIV prophylaxis. The case remains at the trial stage.
A 43‑year‑old man, whose name is withheld for legal reasons, was found guilty of raping his wife in their home in May 2014, making him the third person convicted of marital rape since the offence was made illegal in 1990. The jury also found him guilty of threatening to kill his wife and cutting her face, charges he denied, and of assaulting her with a hammer. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy originally sentenced him to 12 years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended in June 2016. On appeal, the Court of Appeal agreed that a 10‑ or 11‑year sentence was "somewhat out of kilter" for a single instance of rape without premeditation or unusual violence. The man was re‑sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended. His appeal against conviction was dismissed, a decision he also rejects.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 23‑year‑old woman described how her 64‑year‑old uncle terrorised and brain‑washed her into hiding sexual abuse from her parents. She said she was frightened whenever the uncle visited and feared what he would do, especially on her Holy Communion Day. The uncle pleaded guilty to one count of rape, one count of attempted rape and three counts of sexual assault between December 1999 and May 2005. He had no prior convictions. The victim was aged five to ten at the time of the offences. The court heard the first assault occurred on New Year's Eve 1999 when the uncle forced her to touch his penis while she was alone. Subsequent incidents included rape in a shed, forced contact under blankets, and forced touching in her bedroom in 2004 and 2005. The last incident was when he held her down in her bedroom in 2005.
Noel Kelleher, 64, an auctioneer described as a man of some standing in his community, was found guilty by a jury of six counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault, three counts of oral rape and one count of attempted oral rape of a girl who was aged between 12 and 14 when the attacks took place. The offences occurred at various locations in County Clare between June 1991 and August 1992. Kelleher was also tried for 16 further counts of rape, indecent assault and sexual assault but was found not guilty on those charges. The victim, who waived her right to anonymity, said the abuse had a deep and lasting impact on her life. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy sentenced Kelleher to nine years, suspended the final 12 months, and ordered that he have no contact with the victim in perpetuity. Kelleher has not admitted guilt or expressed remorse. The case was heard in the Central Criminal Court.
A 35‑year‑old man, Stephen Penrose, is charged with murdering 24‑year‑old Philip Finnegan at Rahin Woods, Co. Kildare, on 10 August 2016. The Central Criminal Court has set his trial for 11 March 2019, with the case expected to last two weeks.
Paul Crosby, 22, of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, faces trial for attempting to murder Gerard Boyle, 22, at Knockcommon, Beauparc, Slane, Co. Meath, on 10 November 2016. He is also charged with false imprisonment and serious harm to Boyle on the same occasion. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy set the trial date for 11 February 2019 at the Central Criminal Court.
A trial date has been set for Joseph Hillen, a 23‑year‑old from Forkhill, County Armagh, who is charged with the murder of 53‑year‑old Martin Mulligan, a taxi driver from Dundalk. The killing took place at Carnmore, off the Armagh Road outside Dundalk, on 28 September 2015. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy of the Central Criminal Court fixed the trial for 2 October, with the case expected to last two weeks.
The High Court has heard arguments in a civil action brought by Graham Dwyer against the State and the Garda Commissioner. Dwyer claims that the 2011 Communications (Retention of Data) Act breached his privacy rights under the Irish Constitution, the European Convention on Human Rights, and the EU Charter. He alleges that the Act, used to obtain his mobile phone records during his 2015 trial for the murder of Elaine O'Hara, is invalid following a 2014 European Court of Justice ruling that struck down the underlying 2006 EU directive. Dwyer seeks declarations that his privacy rights were breached. The State, represented by Brian Murray SC, opposes the action, arguing that the general data retention scheme is vital for detecting, investigating, and preventing serious crime, including terrorism. Counsel stated that a more targeted regime would be unworkable and potentially discriminatory, noting that Dwyer had no prior criminal record and lived in an area not typically associated with serious crime. The State further argued that Dwyer was aware of the data acquisition in 2013, prior to the ECJ decision, and that his challenge was lodged around the time of his trial. Dwyer denies killing Ms. O'Hara, and his appeal against his conviction is currently pending before the Court of Appeal. The matter before Mr Justice Tony O'Connor was adjourned and continues next Tuesday.
A man has been sentenced to two years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following a burglary at Carndonagh Park, Donaghmede, Dublin, in June 2017. Mark O'Mahony (33) of St Donagh's Road, Donaghmede, pleaded guilty to burglary and to possessing property belonging to another person found at the scene. The court heard that the householder discovered O'Mahony asleep in his kitchen armchair in the early morning and retained him until gardaí arrived. O'Mahony, who was in an exceptionally intoxicated state, had also taken approximately €100 in cash from a bag in the kitchen. Judge Martin Nolan noted the non-violent nature of the offence and described the burglary as inept. The sentence was backdated to June of the previous year when O'Mahony entered custody. The defendant has eighty-six previous convictions.
During the trial of Slawomir Gierlowski, a 33‑year‑old man charged with nine offences including false imprisonment, assault and sexual assault, a woman testified that she believed she was about to die during one of the attacks. She described being forced to the ground by a belt‑like restraint around her neck, her hands taken behind her back, and her mouth and nose covered. She said the attacker, who she identified as having an Eastern European accent, threatened to kill her and then taped her head and face. She felt light‑headed and thought she might pass out, describing the experience as both brief and endless. The attack ended when police arrived after a witness called 999. The case is still before Judge Pauline Codd. Slawomir Gierlowski pleaded not guilty.
Anthony Buck, 41, of Garrymore, Clonmel, is serving a mandatory life sentence for the 1996 murder of David Nugent in Tipperary. He pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court and was convicted after a lengthy trial, with the sentence imposed by Mr Justice John Quirke on 2 February 1998. Buck's appeal to have his conviction declared a miscarriage of justice was dismissed by the Court of Appeal. The Director of Public Prosecutions successfully argued that the application was an abuse of process, and the court found no new or newly discovered facts to support the claim. Mr Justice John Hedigan noted Buck's skillful preparation and courteous conduct, but concluded that his arguments were based solely on existing trial records and therefore bound to fail. The application was dismissed before a full hearing.
A prosecution barrister has told jurors at the Central Criminal Court that there is no credible basis for a provocation defence in the trial of a man accused of murder in Longford. Rihards Lavickis, aged 25 of Annaly Court, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in relation to the death of Akadiusz Czajkowski on November 1st, 2016 at Townspark. The State rejected the manslaughter plea, and the case proceeded to trial. Patrick McGrath SC argued that the accused deliberately killed Mr Czajkowski with a knife and that the three-and-a-half hour gap between discovering his broken windows and the fatal stabbing demonstrated calculated behaviour rather than a sudden loss of control. The defence counsel contended that his client, who admits responsibility, was provoked by ongoing harassment and a assault by the deceased. Justice Una Ní Raifeartaigh will charge the jury on Tuesday.
Alice Connors, 46, of Kiltalown Path, Tallaght, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for burglary after she tricked her way into the home of an 84‑year‑old dementia sufferer in Newcastle, Co. Dublin, on 14 March 2017. Connors pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. She had 98 prior convictions, including 20 for burglary. The victim was visited by her 75‑year‑old sister when the two women, accompanied by a child, knocked on the door. Connors and co‑accused Margaret Cawley, 27, entered the house, brushed past the homeowner into the sitting room, and stole handbags. The stolen items were recovered from a maroon car that fled the scene. Connors was found remorseful; the judge noted no violence and described the offence as a "crime of stealth." She was given credit for time already spent in custody on this charge alone.
A 30‑year‑old man from Kilcarrig Green, Fettercairn, Tallaght, Glen Fitzpatrick, who had suffered severe domestic violence in childhood and used alcohol and drugs to black out, was jailed for one year after pleading guilty to three robberies and an attempted robbery. He admitted stealing €420 from a Centra shop on Thomas Street in November 2016, and later robbing a Dwarf Jar shop on Wellington Quay and attempting to rob a Centra on Wicklow Street in June 2017. He had 36 prior convictions, mainly for traffic offences. After a binge he found unexplained money in his pockets and voluntarily turned himself in to a Garda station in a distressed state. The judge, Martin Nolan, imposed consecutive sentences totalling two years, suspended the final year on conditions, and noted Fitzpatrick's remorse and drug‑free status since August 2017. The case highlighted his ongoing rehabilitation efforts at Coolmine and his willingness to cooperate with authorities.
A 33‑year‑old Dublin man, Slawomir Gierlowski, has gone on trial at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for nine charges covering three alleged attacks on women over five years. He is accused of false imprisonment, sexual assault and assault in each incident, and of unlawfully possessing a hunting knife with intent to intimidate in the 2016 case. Gierlowski pleaded not guilty to all charges. The prosecution, led by Roisin Lacey SC, presented evidence from three victims describing attacks in September 2011, September 2015 and September 2016. Witnesses recounted being choked, punched, and sexually assaulted, with injuries such as a broken nose and swollen eyes. DNA evidence allegedly linked Gierlowski to each crime scene, and a blood‑stained jacket and cable ties were found at his home and in a white van. A jury of 12 men has been empanelled for the trial.
The Regency Hotel shooting trial was adjourned for a month to allow an investigation into the death of Detective Superintendent Colm Fox, who had led the investigation into the fatal shooting at the hotel. Notes written by the late superintendent were handed to the Special Criminal Court and read by the three judges. The trial had previously been adjourned after the court heard that material in the case presented "unprecedented conundrums." The defence had requested copies of emails exchanged between four Gardaí involved. Patrick Hutch, aged 25, is pleading not guilty to the murder of David Byrne, aged 34, at the Regency Hotel on 5 February 2016, and denies possessing three AK‑47 assault rifles. Prosecuting counsel Sean Gillane SC asked the court to receive and read the notes, which were not opened to the court. He said the notes would provide context for an application he would make.
The High Court heard evidence on the second day of Graham Dwyer's challenge against the Garda Commissioner and the State, which seeks to strike down provisions of the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011. Dwyer, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2015 after a jury found him guilty of the murder of childcare worker Elaine O'Hara, claims the Act breaches his privacy rights under the European Charter, Irish Constitution, and the European Convention on Human Rights. He argues that evidence gathered under the Act should not have been used against him during his trial. Counsel for Dwyer cited a report by former Chief Justice John Murray, who stated the 2011 Act amounts to mass surveillance contrary to EU legislation. The respondents deny the claims, asserting Dwyer is not entitled to the declarations sought. Dwyer's appeal against his conviction remains pending before the Court of Appeal. The hearing continues.
A 36‑year‑old labourer, Aidan O'Hara, was sentenced to 27 months' imprisonment for assaulting his ex‑girlfriend, Jessica Ayodeji, in their car while driving around Dublin. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that O'Hara, of Hand Caravan Park, dragged Ms Ayodeji back into the vehicle after she tried to escape at traffic lights, and that he had also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and failing to remain at the scene of a collision on the same day. The court noted that O'Hara had 14 prior convictions, including assaults, drug offences, burglary and criminal damage, and that he had a history of violent conduct toward partners. He was also banned from driving for two years. The judge highlighted that O'Hara had cooperated with Gardaí, shown remorse, and completed an alternative to violence course while in custody. The sentence was back‑dated to the time he entered custody in July 2017.
A 17‑year‑old Dublin teenager pleaded guilty to a series of violent offences, including assaulting street magician Mark Beltran, stabbing Waterford resident Gavin Keoghan, and robbing a 16‑year‑old's phone. He also admitted to assaulting a homeless man, Martin Goth, and participating in violent disorder at Smithfield Square. The court heard that the attacks followed the theft of a stolen amp from Beltran's street performance. The teenager was sentenced to three years' detention by Judge Martin Nolan, who noted his early guilty plea, young age and rehabilitation efforts. The sentence was imposed despite the absence of victim impact statements in the cases involving Goth and Keoghan. The judge highlighted the teenager's lack of further offences since the convictions. The case involved co‑accused Luke Byrne, who received nine and a half years' imprisonment for a separate attack and robberies. The court also considered the teenager's drug use and subsequent counselling.
Ibrahim Ahmed Gharib, 39, an illegal immigrant, was convicted of raping a 27‑year‑old foreign student in his Carlow home after following her from a shared bus. The victim, who had been sexually assaulted by Gharib on the bus, was taken to his house where he threatened to kill her if she did not remain silent. A jury found him guilty on all charges after a three‑week Central Criminal Court trial. Justice Isobel Kennedy sentenced him to ten years' imprisonment, reducing the initial twelve‑year recommendation due to his lack of relevant prior convictions and his non‑national status. Gharib denied all allegations, claiming the sex was consensual, and maintains his innocence. The victim expressed profound fear and loss of trust following the assault. No further legal actions were reported in the article.
In a High Court hearing, lawyers for Graham Dwyer argued that the 2011 Communications Act gives State agencies—such as An Garda Siochana, the Defence Forces, the Competition Authority and the Revenue Commissioners—unrestricted power to request mobile phone data from service providers without any independent oversight. The counsel explained that the Act requires providers to comply with such requests and does not appoint a judge or other independent figure to limit the scope or safeguard privacy rights. Dwyer's claim is that this lack of oversight violates his privacy rights under the European Charter, the Irish Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights. He also contends that the Act, introduced to implement a 2006 EU directive later invalidated by the European Court of Justice, should not have been used as evidence against him in his 2015 murder trial. The case remains before the Court of Appeal.
Thomas O'Driscoll, 35, was arrested after a Garda saw him walking down a city centre street with a stolen mountain bike still locked to a railing. The bike was later identified as stolen property. O'Driscoll, who has 193 convictions, pleaded guilty to possessing the stolen bike, to stealing €1,300 worth of clothing from Urban Outfitters, to possessing a stolen ladies coat, and to trespassing and theft at a holiday apartment letting office in Temple Bar. He was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail, backdated to September of the previous year when he entered custody. The judge noted his prolific shoplifting record. Garda Carl Bolger reported CCTV footage of O'Driscoll taking clothes, and he was later found with a stolen coat from Marks and Spencer. O'Driscoll's defence highlighted his troubled background, drug addiction, and attempts at rehabilitation. The court also noted his father's murder when he was 11, his early school leaving, and his ongoing methadone programme in custody.
In 2013, David O'Loughlin (30) of Cork was convicted of murdering Liam Manley (59) after forcing him into a refuse chute at Garden City Apartments. The Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty and he received a mandatory life sentence on 31 March 2015. In February 2018, the Court of Appeal quashed the verdict, ruling that the jury's unsanctioned visit to the chute and a juror's experiment of throwing a stone there violated the Juries Act. The judge noted the experiment introduced new evidence and the jury should have been discharged. The appeal allowed a retrial, and O'Loughlin was remanded to appear before the Central Criminal Court. The case remains at the retrial stage, with no further outcome reported in the article. David O'Loughlin pleaded not guilty.
Peter Kenny, aged 35, was convicted of the murder of John Carroll, 33, who was shot in Grumpy Jack's pub in the Coombe on 18 February 2009. The Central Criminal Court jury found Kenny guilty and he received a mandatory life sentence on 19 July 2011. On appeal, the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction, stating it was not persuaded that the trial was unsatisfactory or the verdict unsafe. The prosecution alleged Kenny was the pillion passenger who entered the pub and fired the shots. Kenny's defence argued that the evidence of informant Joseph O'Brien was obtained through irregular and illegal means, citing scandalous handling by Gardaí. The Court of Appeal agreed that despite these irregularities, the trial was fair and dismissed the appeal, leaving the conviction and life sentence intact. Peter Kenny pleaded not guilty.