The High Court has reserved judgement in the State's application to dismiss a damages claim brought by Peter Pringle. Pringle, an applicant, was originally sentenced to death for the murder of gardaí John Morley and Henry Byrne during a 1980 bank robbery in Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon. His sentence was later commuted to 40 years imprisonment, of which he served 14 years and ten months until his conviction was quashed by the Court of Criminal Appeal in 1995. He now alleges the State was negligent and breached his constitutional rights by failing to disclose crucial evidence before his trial. The State seeks dismissal of the claim, initiated in the mid-1990s, citing inordinate delay, while Pringle denies any delay on his part. Additionally, Pringle has brought a separate motion for the State to discover documents related to a 2002 DNA analysis by the Forensic Science Service in Birmingham. This analysis compared hair samples from the robbery vehicle with a voluntary blood sample provided by Pringle in 1994. The State informed Pringle's lawyers in 2003 that the results provided strong support for the hair originating from him. Pringle believes this report is intended to halt his damages claim and seeks the associated paperwork, which he claims has not been provided. The State denies these claims and opposes the discovery motion. Ms Justice Carmel Stewart reserved judgement on both applications following submissions from both parties.
Stephen Kinch, 29, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for an assault committed in 2004. Kinch, of Tallaght, pleaded guilty to assaulting Gary Byrne on March 17, 2004. The court heard that Kinch, who was 16 at the time, admitted to head-butting the victim but denied striking him with an iron bar, an allegation attributed to Mr. Byrne. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced Kinch to two and a half years in prison but suspended the sentence in full. She ordered him to complete 240 hours of community service. The judge noted that Kinch was a different man today, citing his full-time employment and voluntary work. Mr. Byrne, who was not present, expressed a wish for a non-custodial sentence and accepted €6,000 in compensation handed over in court. The judge described Mr. Byrne as generous and compassionate. Kinch had previously failed to appear for sentencing in 2006, resulting in a bench warrant. He has no previous convictions. The matter was concluded with the imposition of the suspended sentence and community service order.
The Central Criminal Court will hear the case of Paul Crosby, a Louth man, who is charged with attempting to murder Gerard Boyle twice in one day. On 10 November 2016, Crosby allegedly stabbed Boyle 28 times and then locked him in a car boot that was pushed into a canal. Boyle, aged 22, also suffered a second attempted murder at Boyne Canal. Boyle pleaded not guilty to all charges. Both prosecution and defence delivered closing speeches, and the jury will begin deliberations on Monday.
In the Special Criminal Court, judges ruled that key prosecution evidence identifying Patrick Hutch as the man dressed as a woman in a photo taken outside the Regency Hotel on the day of David Byrne's murder is admissible. The defence had objected, claiming the two detectives, Fergal O'Flaherty and Jonathan Brady, had not acted separately and that the identification process was tainted. Mr Justice Tony Hunt said there was no evidence the detectives were together when they made the identification, nor that the process was contaminated. Hutch, aged 25, pleaded not guilty to Byrne's murder and to possessing three AK‑47 rifles. The court noted that the detectives had viewed the photo two days after the shooting, with Sergeant Patrick O'Toole supervising and Garda Michael Ryan displaying the image. The trial was adjourned until Monday afternoon.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Donnavan Staddon, aged 39, received a suspended prison sentence after assaulting a 12‑year‑old girl in an H&M children's clothes shop. CCTV showed Staddon entering the shop behind two girls, following one into the children's section, and touching her bottom. He then approached a second girl, who was elsewhere in the shop, and asked her for directions to the cinema, claiming she was about 17. Staddon denied inviting her to the cinema and said he had been lost. He had previously pleaded guilty to an assault in 2014. Judge Terence O'Sullivan imposed a €500 fine and a one‑month suspended sentence, requiring Staddon to keep the peace for three months. The victim's mother expressed that she did not want Staddon to go to prison, and Staddon's wife stated she did not condone his behaviour. The court noted Staddon had no prior convictions and had worked as a security guard.
In a 2018 attempted‑murder trial, the State counsel, Patrick Gageby SC, argued that Paul Crosby of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, had a strong motive to eliminate Gerard Boyle, 22, after a prior incident in March when Crosby and another man allegedly broke into Boyle's home. Gageby highlighted that Boyle was stabbed 28 times in Knockcommon, then locked in a car that was submerged in the Boyne Canal. He claimed Boyle named Crosby as the assailant, citing a phone call to Crosby's house and a text from an unknown number. Defence counsel, Mr Bowman SC, countered that Boyle's statements were inconsistent, that no forensic evidence linked Crosby to the crime, and that Boyle's accusations were unreliable. The counsel urged the jury to acquit Crosby on all counts, citing flawed evidence and a deficient investigation. The case was set for jury deliberation by Judge Patrick McCarthy. Gerard Boyle pleaded not guilty.
The State has applied to the High Court to dismiss a damages claim brought by Peter Pringle, alleging want of prosecution and inordinate delay. Pringle, who was wrongly convicted of the 1980 murders of gardai John Morley and Henry Byrne, served 14 years and 10 months in prison before his conviction was quashed in 1995. He claims the State was negligent and breached his constitutional rights by failing to disclose crucial evidence prior to his Special Criminal Court trial. The State argues that many witnesses from the 1980 Ballaghadreen incident are now deceased or unable to recall events accurately. Pringle opposes the dismissal, asserting that any delay was caused by the State. He has moved for the discovery of documents relating to a 2002 DNA analysis by the Forensic Science Service in Birmingham, which reportedly matched hair from the robbery vehicle to him. Pringle's legal team, including Declan McGovern SC, states these materials are essential to demonstrate his innocence and progress the claim. The State denies the allegations regarding the report and opposes the discovery motion. The hearing before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart continues on Friday.
In the Central Criminal Court, Paul Crosby of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, faced charges of attempting to murder, false imprisonment and serious harm against Gerard Boyle, aged 22, on 10 November 2016. The alleged attacks occurred first at Knockcommon, Beauparc, Slane, where Boyle was stabbed 28 times, and later at Boyne Canal, Drogheda, where he was reportedly locked into a car boot that was pushed into the canal. Crosby pleaded not guilty to all charges. Dr Asim Rafeeque treated Boyle in Drogheda hospital, describing a surgical emergency with severe shortness of breath, elevated heart rate, reduced oxygen and multiple sharp‑edge wounds, and performed immediate chest decompression. Garda Ronan Geraghty testified that Boyle had named a passenger who allegedly pulled him from the car and placed him in the boot; this person was not arrested and no other individuals were charged.
Priscilla Farrelly, a 33‑year‑old Dublin woman, was found in possession of drugs worth almost €24,000, including cannabis, Alprazolam tablets and PVP, after Gardaí observed her conducting street deals in Fairview. She pleaded guilty to the offences and admitted selling drugs to pay a €1,500 debt. Farrelly, who has a prior assault conviction from 2009, cooperated fully with police, showing them where the drugs were stored. Her defence lawyer argued that her upbringing and psychiatric problems made her vulnerable to pressure from third parties. The judge, recognising her vulnerability and lack of financial gain, imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence, with the entire term suspended for that period.
In the Central Criminal Court, a 22‑year‑old Louth man, Paul Crosby, faced charges of attempting to murder Gerard Boyle twice on 10 November 2016. The first attempt involved 28 stab wounds before Boyle was locked in a car boot and the vehicle was pushed into a canal. The second attempt occurred later that night at Boyne Canal, Drogheda. Dr Asim Rafiq treated Boyle in Drogheda hospital, noting severe shortness of breath, a marked heart rate increase, reduced oxygen levels and multiple sharp‑edge wounds. He performed emergency chest decompression and inserted two chest drains, describing the situation as a surgical emergency that could have resulted in death. Crosby pleaded not guilty to all charges. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy with a jury of five women and six men.
The Court of Appeal in Dublin has upheld murder convictions against two men in the death of a 23-year-old in June 2014. Leszek Sychulec, aged 35, from Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 36, had been found guilty of murdering Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone, County Roscommon. The victim was assaulted and left to drown in the Shannon outside Athlone while incapacitated from head injuries sustained during the attack. A Central Criminal Court jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts in 2016, and both men received mandatory life sentences. Delivering judgment, Mr Justice George Birmingham dismissed all grounds of appeal, finding the trials satisfactory and the verdicts safe. He noted CCTV evidence of exceptional quality from Collins Service Station on the Roscommon Road was central to the investigation, along with DNA and blood evidence recovered from the black BMW used in the abduction and from Sychulec's clothing and watch. Leszek Sychulec pleaded not guilty. Andrzej Gruchacz pleaded not guilty.
Michael Royal, aged 41, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to six and a half years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended. He pleaded guilty to assaulting Prison Officer Paul Hayes at Mountjoy Prison on 27 October 2012, to trespassing and theft of a BMW, an iPhone 5s and a TV on 2 December 2013, and to a burglary that led to a car theft. Royal had previously left Ireland after a trial date for the burglary but was returned to the country. The judge, citing Royal's history of 40 convictions for robbery, burglary, assault and drug offences, described him as a "menace to society." Royal was also ordered to undergo 18 months of post‑release probation supervision. The court noted that Officer Hayes suffered fractured bones and a jaw injury requiring surgery after the assault. The case highlighted Royal's long‑term drug addiction and the impact of his criminal behaviour on the community.
In a 2018 trial, a 22‑year‑old Louth man, Paul Crosby, was charged with attempting to murder Gerard Boyle twice on 10 November 2016. The first attempt occurred at Knockcommon, Beauparc, Slane, where Boyle was found on the ground near a stop sign, soaked in blood and water, with numerous stab wounds. A paramedic testified that Boyle had 28 puncture wounds, a collapsed lung, and required chest drains. The second attempt took place later that night at Boyne Canal, Drogheda, where Boyle was again stabbed and subsequently locked in a car boot that was pushed into the canal. Crosby pleaded not guilty to attempting to murder, false imprisonment and causing serious harm. The case was heard by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy with a jury of eleven. The trial continues.
Two Dublin men, Jonathan Harding (45) and James Walsh (33), were sentenced to ten years and nine years in prison respectively for possessing a lethal arsenal of weapons, including nine revolvers, four pistols, a sub‑machine gun, an assault rifle, and various ammunition magazines. The weapons were discovered on 24 January 2017 at a unit in Greenogue Business Park, Rathcoole, which was presented as a logistics company. The men had pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court, and the judge noted that without the guilty pleas they would have received twelve‑year sentences. Harding had a prior six‑year drug‑related sentence in 2004; he received a ten‑year term with one year suspended. Walsh, with previous public‑order convictions, received a nine‑year term with one year suspended. The judge described the arsenal as "enormous potential for death and destruction" and a "lethal arsenal stored for the purpose of organised and very serious crime.".
An independent review considered adding a 2006 sexual‑assault complaint by Miss D against whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe to the O'Higgins Commission's terms of reference but, after examining Garda investigation files, decided not to. The complaint had led the Director of Public Prosecutions to direct no prosecution because no evidence of a crime existed. The review, part of an Independent Review Mechanism set up after the 2014 Guerin Report, involved senior and junior counsel who examined the case documents. They concluded that including the Miss D allegation would have been problematic, potentially putting McCabe in a quasi‑defendant position and undermining the integrity of the investigation. Consequently, the terms of reference remained largely as recommended by Sean Guerin, with only minor technical differences, and the Miss D case was excluded from the Commission's remit.
The Court of Appeal has reduced the prison sentence of an unnamed 26-year-old man from the midlands, who pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault and seven counts of raping his niece between January 2007 and August 2014. At the time of the offences, the defendant was aged between 15 and 23, while the victim was aged seven to 14. The original sentencing judge, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, imposed a 10-year term, noting the defendant's full moral culpability and the serious nature of the abuse, which occurred in various locations including a relative's house and a treehouse. On appeal, the panel comprising Mr Justice Alan Mahon, Mr Justice George Birmingham, and Mr Justice John Edwards held that the headline sentence was excessive because the offending commenced when the defendant was a minor. Mr Justice Mahon stated that while the defendant bore high culpability for the abuse continuing into adulthood, the fact that it began at age 15 required a more lenient approach. The court determined that a 12-year headline sentence would have been appropriate, but after applying a significant discount for mitigating factors, including the defendant's remorse and engagement in therapy, the sentence was reduced to nine years. The court imposed concurrent nine-year sentences, with the final 12 months suspended to incentivise rehabilitation. The defendant had previously sought a transfer to Arbour Hill prison to access sex offender programs.
Two men were sentenced at the Special Criminal Court for their roles in a mob that intimidated a man and forced his family to leave their home. Declan Duffy, aged 44, was jailed for six years for false imprisonment of Martin Byrne in Rathcoole/Saggart on 9 June 2015, and for assaulting John Roche at the Towers, Garters Lane, Saggart, on the same date. Christopher Maguire, aged 39, received a three‑year suspended sentence for falsely imprisoning Lisa Byrne in the same incident. Both men pleaded guilty. The mob, recruited to intimidate Byrne, forced him to leave his apartment in the Towers complex, assaulted him, and threatened his life. Duffy had prior convictions for false imprisonment and IRA membership, while Maguire had no prior convictions. The judge noted Duffy did not lead the mob and was not armed, and that the mob's violence was intended to supplant the legal process. The sentencing was carried out by Mr Justice Tony Hunt.
In a Tipperary case, Christopher Mulready, aged 33, received a partially suspended ten‑and‑a‑half‑year prison sentence for a rape and savage assault of his former partner, who is now 28. The victim was attacked while sleeping on a couch on 28 April 2016, suffering a fractured eye socket and cheekbone. The next morning Mulready raped her. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm but denied the rape charge; a jury found him guilty of rape. Judge Michael Moriarty described the assault as cowardly and despicable, noting the victim's bruises and the lack of remorse shown by Mulready. The judge suspended the last nine months of the sentence, backdated it to April 2016, and ordered no contact with the victim, declaring Mulready a sex offender. The victim, who suffered PTSD, depression, and anxiety, has sought treatment and is rebuilding relationships with her family.
A 24‑year‑old Norwegian visitor, Nikolai Vinningland, was found guilty of assault causing harm to Dr. Robert Lee Greaves at Copper Face Jacks nightclub in Dublin on 16 April 2016. Vinningland struck Greaves with a glass that broke, inflicting serious facial and dental injuries. Greaves suffered a lacerated lip, a knocked‑out front tooth, a broken incisor, cuts to his chin, neck and face, and required plastic surgery and extensive dental work. He reported anxiety, embarrassment and financial loss of €7,500. Vinningland pleaded guilty, expressed remorse and provided an apology letter. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to a three‑year custodial term suspended in full on the condition that he pay Greaves €10,000 immediately and an additional €7,500 within 18 months, and to maintain good behaviour for three years. No custodial sentence was imposed. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a 12‑day trial at the Central Criminal Court, Judge Paul Butler directed a jury to acquit a 35‑year‑old man of all charges of rape, oral rape, sexual assault and false imprisonment against a 19‑year‑old woman. The judge cited the failure to swab the accused's neck for DNA as a serious risk of an unfair trial, and noted that the accused had claimed the complainant had kissed him on the neck, a claim the woman denied. The accused had pleaded not guilty. The prosecution had also dropped all charges against a 44‑year‑old co‑accused due to insufficient evidence. The judge's direction ended the trial, and the jury was excused from service for ten years. The case involved allegations that the woman was forced onto a tour bus after a Jason Derulo concert and was assaulted by two men, but the accused denied all allegations.
Paul Buckley, a 45‑year‑old Cork man, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment on 29 January 2018 for impersonating a Garda and threatening to arrest a schoolgirl. In November 2017, while drinking in Dublin city centre, Buckley approached a teenage girl in school uniform, claimed to be a Garda, and offered her a coffee. When she declined, he threatened to arrest her for truancy, rubbed her hand, and told her she was "sexy". The girl reported feeling uncomfortable and frightened. Buckley pleaded guilty to the impersonation offence. The judge, citing the seriousness of impersonating a Garda, imposed the six‑month term, noting that the court could not infer beyond reasonable doubt that Buckley intended sexual assault. Buckley's prior convictions include a 2005 rape and assault conviction. The sentence reflects the offence of impersonation, with no mention of any suspended portion or effective custody beyond the six‑month term.
A man from County Dublin has had his sentencing adjourned at the Special Criminal Court following a dispute over the facts of a firearms case. Eamon McNamee, aged 37, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence, namely assault causing harm, at Fairgreen in Saggart on 19 January 2013. The prosecution alleges McNamee shot and wounded a man during an operation targeting unlawful IRA activity in Dublin. Evidence presented included gunshot residue analysis and testimony from a detective sergeant. However, the defence has suggested multiple individuals were present at the scene, questioning whether McNamee was the person who fired the shot. The court indicated a Newton hearing may be necessary to resolve the factual disagreement between the prosecution and defence. McNamee was remanded on continuing bail until 5 February to allow the defence to confirm whether such a hearing is required.
In January 2018, Paddy Harty, a 44‑year‑old convicted burglar, was sentenced to four years imprisonment for a sexual assault committed on 23 April 2015. Harty met the victim in a pub, they drank together, and he later drove her to a secluded area of The Curragh in County Kildare. While she was still wearing a dress, he forced her down, removed her leggings and underwear, and held her down by her arms. The victim escaped, hid in nearby bushes, and later called the gardai, who could not locate her. She testified that the memory of the attack haunted her daily. Harty pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court. The sentence is consecutive to a previous four‑year term for theft and fraud offences. He has 168 prior convictions, including 42 thefts, three burglaries and 12 breaches of domestic violence orders, but no prior sexual offences.
Eamonn Cumberton, aged 30, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court for the murder of 35‑year‑old Michael Barr, the manager of the Sunset House pub in Dublin. On 25 April 2016, two men in "Freddy Kruger" masks entered the pub, shot Barr seven times—five to the head, one to the shoulder and one to the neck—and then fled in a grey Audi. The court found DNA belonging to Cumberton on a baseball cap and a rubber mask recovered from the vehicle, which was later found partially burnt on Walsh Road. Evidence also linked Cumberton to the getaway car and to a flight to Thailand taken shortly after the killing. The judge described the shooting as a deliberate and planned execution, and noted that Cumberton had 37 prior convictions. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, with no mention of a suspended portion or effective custody term. The court expressed sympathy for Barr's family.
A man from Castleblayney, County Monaghan has been sentenced to life imprisonment following his guilty plea to murder at the Central Criminal Court. Anthony Lambe (34) admitted killing a 43-year-old mother of three in her kitchen on Demesne Road, Dundalk on 6 April 2005. The victim's body was discovered by her mother that morning, bearing 34 stab wounds. The investigation lay dormant for years before a television appeal in 2012 prompted an anonymous call from a woman in Australia, who reported that Lambe had confessed to her. Lambe was arrested in January 2017 and subsequently told gardaí he had been paid to carry out the killing by an individual acting on behalf of another party. He was studying for a doctoral degree in history at the time of his arrest. Justice Patrick McCarthy imposed the mandatory life sentence following Lambe's guilty plea.
Paul Buckley, 45, pleaded guilty to impersonating a garda at Aston Quay, Dublin, on November 11, 2017. The court heard that Buckley, a registered sex offender, approached a teenage girl in school uniform, displayed a business card with a garda logo, and threatened to arrest her for skipping school. He allegedly rubbed her hand, called her sexy, and told her she could not leave. Buckley was identified via CCTV and arrested. He admitted to gardai that he struggled with alcohol abuse. Prosecutors stated Buckley revealed to the Probation Service that the offence was sexually motivated, while his defense counsel argued his motive was to seek human interaction due to loneliness and depression. Buckley was previously convicted of rape and assault causing harm in October 2005, for which he was jailed for four years at the Central Criminal Court. He was released in autumn 2009. Judge Martin Nolan remanded Buckley in custody and stated he would sentence him on Monday. The matter was adjourned for sentencing.
A senior barrister who cross-examined garda whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe at the 2015 O'Higgins Commission of Investigation has told the Charleton tribunal that his conscience remains clear. Colm Smyth SC represented former Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan and senior officers during proceedings into complaints about garda conduct in the Cavan Monaghan division. Under examination by Michael McDowell SC on behalf of Sgt McCabe, Mr Smyth stated he had fulfilled his duty to defend his clients' interests and would act identically if required again. He characterised his questioning of the sergeant as probing rather than assault, and said he had put the case instructed by the former commissioner to test the veracity of allegations. Mr Smyth acknowledged not having reviewed certain documentation before a May 2015 letter was drafted, resulting in an inaccurate account of an August 2008 meeting. He denied causing upset through his questioning and said he observed no ill-will towards Sgt McCabe among his instructing clients.
In 2016, Bill Kenneally, aged 67, was sentenced to 14 years and two months imprisonment for indecent assault on ten teenage boys in Waterford during the 1980s. The sentence was imposed by Judge Eugene O'Kelly, who applied consecutive 17‑month terms for each victim. Kenneally pleaded guilty to ten counts, though originally charged with 70. His appeal to the Court of Appeal concerns the severity of the sentence, arguing the judge's approach was "vengeful" and overly emotive, focusing on victim impact reports rather than legal principles. Kenneally's counsel, Michael Counihan SC, contended that the judge failed to adequately consider mitigating factors such as a guilty plea, psychological issues, and the absence of a prior investigation. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on the appeal. The case remains at the appellate stage, with no further outcome reported.
A 22‑year‑old Louth man, Paul Crosby, stands trial for attempting to murder Gerard Boyle twice. On 10 November 2016, Crosby stabbed Boyle 28 times in the back of the neck, head and torso, puncturing his lung and causing nerve damage to his right leg. After the stabbing, Crosby forced Boyle into the boot of a car and drove it into Boyne Canal. Boyle escaped the boot, swam to shore and was hospitalized for about two weeks. Crosby pleaded not guilty to attempting to murder, false imprisonment and causing serious harm. The trial is held in the Central Criminal Court, with prosecution led by Patrick Gageby SC and defence by Michael Bowman SC. The case is currently before a jury of twelve.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Christopher Morgan, aged 33, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for a savage attack and robbery of homeless man Declan Foran, aged 45, on 23 September 2016. Morgan, who lived on Shangan Avenue, Ballymun, pleaded guilty to robbing Foran's HTC phone and using force. The court described the assault as merciless, noting that Foran was sleeping beside his brother when the attack began. A woman and a second man were also charged in connection with the offence. Morgan had 101 prior convictions, including violent and firearms offences, but had completed a 12‑week rehabilitation course and was engaged in parenting and education programmes. He wrote an apology letter and paid €300 to the court as a gesture of remorse. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged Morgan's attempts to reform and granted him legal aid, emphasising the court's dual role of punishment and rehabilitation.
The Court of Appeal granted a "last chance" to a 22‑year‑old ringleader of a 2011 burglary in which a student was forced to withdraw money from an ATM while the student's girlfriend was threatened with rape. The offender had pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, robbery and false imprisonment and was sentenced to six years' detention in 2012. In 2015 the Court suspended the final 12 months of that sentence, citing the offender's youth and the need for rehabilitation. The appeal highlighted that the offender, who had 23 prior convictions, had re‑engaged with probation services and secured accommodation. The Court noted that the case involved a "spine‑chilling" threat of violence and that the offender's engagement with probation was deemed unsatisfactory, leading to the suspended period and a bond of €100 for good behaviour. The offender was returned to Wheatfield Prison to continue serving the remaining term.
A 35‑year‑old man accused of raping a 19‑year‑old woman after a Jason Derulo concert in Cork told Gardaí that there were no closed doors on the tour bus where the alleged incident occurred. In a video interview shown to the jury, he claimed he was never alone with the complainant and that other people witnessed him having sex with her in the bus's hallway. He described the encounter as lasting about 15 minutes, including consensual oral sex, and said he removed the condom and returned downstairs. He denied any force, questioned the complainant's account, and said he had only a glass or two of champagne. He pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, sexual assault and false imprisonment. The trial continues before Mr Justice Butler and a jury of ten men and two women.
Stephen Bennett, 45, of Pearse Green, Sallynoggin, was convicted in the District Court for a 20‑second sit‑down protest that obstructed the Israeli Ambassador's car and an unmarked Garda vehicle outside the Israeli Embassy in Dublin. The protest, which occurred after the July 2014 Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, was described as generally peaceful and without any threat of violence. Bennett and another protester lay on the road, causing a brief obstruction that was ended by Garda intervention. Bennett argued that the prosecution had not proved he had obstructed traffic without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, but the District Judge found safety, security, and sensitivity concerns made the obstruction unlawful. He was given a five‑month suspended sentence. The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction, noting that the protest could not be justified under the Public Order Act because no lawful authority or reasonable excuse existed in this case.
During the trial of a 35‑year‑old man accused of raping a 19‑year‑old woman after a Jason Derulo concert, the complainant testified that the accused, referred to as "cap guy," blocked her from leaving the tour bus and forced her onto a bunk bed where he raped her orally and vaginally. She also alleged that a 44‑year‑old co‑accused, the "larger man," joined and raped her. The complainant claimed she escaped after a third man threatened her. Prosecutor Timothy O'Leary informed the jury that the Director of Public Prosecutions had dropped all charges against the 44‑year‑old due to insufficient evidence, following a ruling by Mr Justice Paul Butler. The accused denies all charges, which include rape, oral rape, sexual assault and false imprisonment, alleged to have occurred in a vehicle in Cork on 27 June 2014. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Butler and a jury of ten men and two women.
Ryan Connolly, 25, of Ferryman's Crossing, Sheriff Street, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for assaulting a 21‑year‑old Afghan asylum seeker during a riot at Cloverhill Prison on 29 July 2015. CCTV showed Connolly either punching or stabbing the victim with an object taken from his pocket, causing distress and injuries that required hospital treatment. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, false imprisonment, violent disorder and criminal damage at the prison, as well as to several robberies in Dublin in 2017, including the theft of a 12‑year‑old girl's mobile phone and cash from shops. Connolly had 72 prior convictions, including robbery and firearms offences. The court imposed consecutive sentences, backdating the term to April 2017 when he entered custody. The judge noted Connolly's expressed desire for rehabilitation but remained unconvinced by his past record. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the prison assault and the related crimes.
A Ballina man has received a three and a half year suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his guilty plea to assaulting his brother in May 2016. Gordon Rodgers attacked David Rodgers at Dunard Road, Blackhorse Avenue, Cabra, Dublin 7, causing a fractured skull, broken ribs and elbow, and internal bleeding. The victim spent time in a coma and took considerable time to recover. Garda evidence indicated Rodgers had been self-medicating with alcohol and cannabis at the time and was subsequently hospitalised for severe mental health difficulties. Judge Martin Nolan described the assault as vicious and prolonged, but noted Rodgers was mentally unstable when the incident occurred. The judge acknowledged Rodgers' engagement with psychiatric services, his medication compliance, and that his brother had forgiven him. No evidence suggested he would repeat such behaviour.
In a case involving allegations of rape following a Jason Derulo concert, a judge in the Central Criminal Court dismissed charges against one of the accused men due to insufficient evidence. The complainant, a 19‑year‑old woman, claimed that a 35‑year‑old defendant, referred to as the "cap guy," prevented her from leaving the tour bus, brought her upstairs, and raped her both orally and vaginally while she was partially on a bunk bed. She also alleged that a 44‑year‑old defendant, the "larger man," later joined and raped her. The 35‑year‑old pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, sexual assault and false imprisonment, while the 44‑year‑old pleaded not guilty to anal rape and false imprisonment. The court found the evidence against the 44‑year‑old insufficient and the prosecution entered a nolle prosequi, allowing him to leave.
A 22‑year‑old Louth man, Paul Crosby of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, is set to appear before the Central Criminal Court on Thursday. He faces charges of attempting to murder Gerard Boyle twice on 10 November 2016, once at Knockcommon, Beauparc, Slane, Co. Meath, and again at Boyne Canal, Drogheda. Crosby also stands accused of causing serious harm to Boyle and of false imprisonment on the same day. He pleaded not guilty to all three charges. The trial, overseen by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, will involve a jury of twelve and is expected to last over a week.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 23 January 2018, the prosecution of Patrick Hutch for the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel was examined. The court considered whether evidence that two detectives identified Hutch in a photo would be admissible. The defence argued the identification was tainted, citing the detectives' prior interactions with Hutch and the lack of certainty among other Gardaí. Hutch, aged 25, pleaded not guilty and denied possession of assault rifles. The prosecution maintained that Hutch was the man in a woman's dress in the photo and part of a shared intent to commit the offence. Judge Tony Hunt announced a ruling would be made the following week, with the trial adjourned until 2 February 2018.
In January 2018, Mr Justice Peter Kelly ordered the discharge of an intellectually disabled young man who had been detained in a hospital since November. The detention had been imposed after an emergency application by the hospital, citing the man's serious health risks from not taking medication, his underweight condition, incontinence and potential sepsis. The court found he lacked capacity to manage his health and that continued detention was not justified. His father and an HSE disability services manager appealed, arguing the man was not psychiatrically ill and that confinement in a small room was restrictive and contributed to his challenging behaviour, including an assault on a nurse. The judge noted that the man had improved physically under hospital care but that the restrictive environment worsened his behaviour.
In a Court of Appeal hearing, William Moran's lawyers argued that Facebook messages alleged to be from his account were not sufficiently proven to have come from him. Moran, 23, was convicted of murdering Martin Brophy, 22, at the Waterford Institute of Technology in 2012 and received a mandatory life sentence in 2015. The prosecution's key evidence was a Facebook post sent after the murder but before the body was found, claiming the victim was dead. Moran's counsel, Colman Cody SC, contended that the evidence's provenance was unclear, that the State had sought a Mutual Assistance request in January 2014, and that no witnesses from Facebook had been produced to confirm the message's authenticity. He highlighted that Facebook evidence requires human input and authoritative proof, unlike CCTV or photographs. The court noted it would reserve judgment on the matter. William Moran pleaded not guilty.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 23 January 2018, a barrister for Patrick Hutch, aged 25, denied that two detectives had gone to Ballymun Garda Station to identify him as the man dressed as a woman in a photo taken two days after the Regency Hotel shooting. Hutch is pleading not guilty to the murder of David Byrne, 34, and to possession of three AK‑47 rifles. The prosecution maintains that Hutch was the woman in the photo and that he shared intent to commit the offence, though he did not fire the shots. The barrister argued that the detectives had prior interactions with Hutch and that the identification was not a deliberate search for him. He also claimed the procedure was unfair and that 99.6% of officers who viewed the photo did not recognise Hutch. The court heard these submissions and the case continues.
A 70-year-old man convicted of sexually assaulting an autistic child in Co Mayo had his prison sentence reduced on appeal at the Court of Appeal on 22 January 2018. The UK citizen pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault against an 11-year-old boy in April 2015. He was originally sentenced to six years imprisonment in February 2017. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice Alan Mahon, reduced the final 15 months of the sentence to a suspended term, conditional on participation in a sex offender programme and good behaviour. The court acknowledged the man's extensive prior history of sexual offences committed in the UK over several decades, describing him as dangerous. However, it noted he had maintained a clean record in Ireland for approximately 22 years prior to this offence and was serving as primary carer for his significantly disabled wife. The suspended element was imposed to incentivise rehabilitation.
In the Special Criminal Court, Patrick Hutch, aged 25, pleads not guilty to the murder of Mr Byrne, aged 34, at the Regency Hotel on 5 February 2016. Hutch also denies possession of three AK‑47 assault rifles linked to the shooting. The prosecution alleges Hutch was the man dressed as a woman in a photo taken outside the hotel, and that he was part of a shared intention to commit the offence, though he did not fire the gun. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC argues that the identification of Hutch by detectives Fergal O'Flaherty and Jonathan Brady was "sullied and tainted", based on flawed evidence and unfair procedure. He requests exclusion of the identification, citing lack of reliable records, ambiguity in the detectives' statements, and the absence of a clear, documented identification process. The court will hear further submissions tomorrow before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, Judge Patricia Ryan and Judge Ann Ryan.
A 49‑year‑old man from Meath was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury of four counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault against his teenage sister between 1983 and 1990. He was acquitted of one count of sexual assault that occurred in their father's car in 1982. The jury delivered a unanimous verdict after six hours of deliberation following a week‑long trial. The sister, who was aged between about 14 and 20 during the offences, described the abuse as beginning with touching and tickling, progressing to rape, and occurring in fields, wooded areas, a shed and the family home. She said the brother always ejaculated on her stomach and claimed a local priest had advised him to do so to prevent pregnancy. The trial was emotionally taxing for the sister, who took several breaks and was supported by Justice Deirdre Murphy. The man was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing on 19 February. The unnamed 49-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Sean Thackaberry, aged 24, was released from Midlands Prison in June 2017 after serving a seven‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for aggravated sexual assault, with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended. He has failed to attend 12 scheduled meetings with his probation officer, Dermot Lavin, citing excuses such as holidaying in France, viewing rental properties, being in Dublin, and unverified appendicitis surgery. Thackaberry also moved to an unapproved address near the victim's family, breaching the Sex Offenders Act. The victim, Michelle Hennessy, 26, was assaulted on 30 January 2011 and later took her own life. Thackaberry was recently jailed for three months for an assault committed in custody and remains in custody pending a decision on whether to impose the suspended portion of his sentence. The court noted his non‑attendance as a significant issue and considered reactivating only part of the suspended term.
Patrick Kennedy, aged 69, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for unlawful possession of a .455 Colt "New Service" revolver and a .455 Webley Mark 6 revolver with serial number 324736. He pleaded guilty in October at the Special Criminal Court. The offence occurred on 14 September 2013 when Kennedy, acting as a courier, was observed by Gardaí in Dublin's James Street. He had received a beige canvas bag from co‑accused Gary Yeung, who had travelled from Limerick that day. Gardaí followed Kennedy into a pub, searched the bag and found the two firearms. A ballistics examination revealed one gun was rusted but functional and the other was non‑working. Kennedy had three prior convictions, the most recent being an assault in 1978.
A garda informed the Special Criminal Court that Patrick Hutch, 25, accused of murdering David Byrne, 34, at the Regency Hotel on 5 February 2016, was not on his radar. The garda, who had previously interacted with Hutch when he was shot in 2015, could not identify the man dressed as a woman in a photo taken outside the Regency as Hutch. Hutch pleads not guilty to Byrne's murder and denies owning three AK47 assault rifles linked to the shooting. The prosecution alleges Hutch was the woman‑dressed man and part of a "shared intention" to commit the offence. The shooting occurred during a boxing weigh‑in when the woman‑dressed man, a flat‑cap wearer with handguns, and three people in tactical garda uniforms with assault rifles raided the venue. The defence objects to evidence that two detectives identified Hutch as the woman‑dressed man after viewing the photo.
Luke Byrne, aged 18, received a partially suspended 14‑year sentence for a series of knife‑point robberies and an unprovoked assault that left magician Mark Beltran, aged 30, permanently blind in his right eye. Byrne smashed a glass bottle into Beltran's face during a confrontation over a stolen amplifier, causing a deep corneal wound and loss of vision. The court found Byrne had intended to cause serious harm, though he did not intend blindness. Judge Martin Nolan imposed nine years for the assault, consecutive to five years for the robberies, and suspended the last four and a half years on the condition of good behaviour for the remainder of the sentence. Byrne was ordered to comply with Probation Services for two years after release. The case highlighted Byrne's history of 16 convictions, his ADHD diagnosis, and his expressed remorse, but the court emphasised the lasting impact on Beltran's life and career. Luke Byrne pleaded guilty.
A 66-year-old man imprisoned for sexual offences against a family member has appealed his conviction at the Court of Appeal in Dublin, arguing the jury's verdict was perverse and unsupported by evidence. The man was convicted in May 2017 of three counts of sexual assault and two counts of rape committed between November 1992 and December 1994 in Donegal and Dublin. He received a seven-year sentence from Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan. His counsel raised concerns about inconsistencies in the complainant's testimony, including uncertainties regarding locations and details, and highlighted the absence of corroboration. The Director of Public Prosecutions contended that substantial evidence supported the jury's verdict and that assessing credibility and weight remained within the jury's province. Mr Justice George Birmingham, sitting with colleagues, indicated the court would reserve judgement on the appeal. The unnamed 66-year-old pleaded not guilty.