James Walsh, 33, pleaded guilty in the Special Criminal Court to possessing a cache of firearms, including ten revolvers, four pistols, a sub‑machine gun, an assault rifle and ammunition magazines, found on 24 January at Greenogue Business Park. He was remanded in custody until 11 January next year, when sentencing will occur. Co‑accused Jonathan Harding, 44, and Declan Brady, 51, were also remanded until 10 November, when their cases will be mentioned again. Both were charged with unlawful possession of five revolvers, twenty rounds of ammunition and a silencer, also discovered on 24 January at the same unit.
In a trial in Drogheda, a 46‑year‑old complainant testified that retired surgeon Michael Shine, aged 85, had indecently assaulted him in 1971 during a hospital treatment for a motorbike injury. The witness described Shine opening his trousers, touching his testicles, and the complainant reacting by leaving the room. He said he later told his girlfriend, now wife, about the assault. A second witness, aged 18 in 1976, recounted a similar incident after a traffic collision, where Shine touched his genitals while the witness was lying on a bed. A third witness, aged 15‑16 in 1975‑76, described being restrained on a bed, having a blanket and restraints applied, and Shine groping his genitals while a female assistant was present. All witnesses claimed they had no memory of Shine's presence in hospital records and denied any medical justification for the conduct. The trial has not yet reached a verdict.
Gary Flynn, aged 32, of Rossfield Drive, Tallaght, was convicted of murder for the killing of Seamus Shay O'Byrne at the victim's home on 13 March 2009. The trial lasted nine weeks, with the judge's summary lasting nine hours. The jury found Flynn guilty after one hour and forty minutes, and he received a mandatory life sentence on 16 March 2016. Flynn has now lodged an appeal on several grounds, including the admissibility of evidence and the judge's directions to the jury. His barrister, Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC, argued that the judge failed to give adequate directions regarding the legal test for key propositions, such as the possibility of innocent gunshot residue contamination and the prosecution's failure to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Flynn knew of a plan to kill or cause serious injury. The appeal is before Justices George Birmingham, Alan Mahon and John Hedigan. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
A man formerly of Bohea, County Mayo has appealed his conviction for sexual offences committed in the 1990s. John Gannon, aged 73, was found guilty at the Central Criminal Court of indecent assault, sexual assault, rape, and attempted rape following a jury trial. He was sentenced to thirteen years imprisonment, with the final five years suspended, in October 2015. Gannon's legal representatives argued before the Court of Appeal that the trial should have been restarted following an outburst by the complainant during cross-examination, during which the witness spat at the defendant. Counsel submitted the incident was calculated rather than merely emotional and that it constituted an attempt to influence the jury, warranting discharge and retrial. The prosecution contended the trial judge had appropriately cautioned the jury and that no factual basis existed for discharge on emotional grounds alone. The Court of Appeal, comprising three judges, reserved judgement on four grounds of appeal. John Gannon pleaded not guilty.
Szymon Flizikowski, aged 20, faces sentencing for possession of drugs worth over €150,000 and for two other offences committed in 2015. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery of 30 cans of beer, assault with a Stanley knife in a Londis supermarket, and a separate knife assault in Leixlip. Garda Eoin O'Flaherty reported that Flizikowski threatened a staff member with a knife and fled with the beer. He was later arrested and, during a search of his home, police found MDMA, cocaine and ecstasy. Flizikowski claimed he was holding the drugs for a debt and feared a "bullet" if he refused. He admitted to calling a man a racist slur and slashing him with a knife, apologising and presenting a victim impact statement. He is currently remanded for sentencing on December 21 and is due for release in 2020.
Wayne Dundon (39) and Nathan Killeen (27) had their convictions for the murder of Roy Collins (35) upheld by the Court of Appeal on 19 October 2017. Collins, a father of two engaged to be married, was shot at Coin Castle Amusements on 9 April 2009 and died in hospital. The Special Criminal Court had found Dundon had ordered the murder from prison and Killeen was the getaway driver for gunman James Dillon, giving both men mandatory life sentences. In the appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, joined by Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Edwards, dismissed the appeals, stating the trial court had been satisfied that it was legitimately open to convict Dundon on the evidence of Anthony "Noddy" McCarthy, a civilian witness who claimed to have heard Dundon order the killing. The court noted that the evidence of other witnesses was peripheral or uncorroborated. Wayne Dundon pleaded not guilty. Nathan Killeen pleaded not guilty.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, the defence argued that the deceased, James Banville, had provoked the accused, Juraci Da Silva, by assaulting and verbally abusing him. Da Silva, 36, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The defence presented CCTV footage showing two assaults on Da Silva by Banville and Conor Hogan, who were intoxicated and had previously been convicted of assault. The accused was described as smaller, highly intoxicated, and unsteady, and the assaults were characterised as cowardly, gratuitous and unprovoked. The defence claimed Da Silva acted in self‑defence, not with intent to kill, and therefore should be found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. The judge instructed the jury to consider the provocation and excessive self‑defence defences in light of the evidence presented.
David Radford, 21, was remanded in custody for one month after the court found he had breached bail conditions by refusing emergency accommodation and sleeping rough. Radford had been released in March after a 3½‑year sentence for sexual assault, with the final 12 months suspended on the condition of full compliance with the probation service. He has 15 prior convictions, including three for sexual assault of women. Probation Officer Rob Pickles reported that Radford had not followed directions, had begun using substances, and the situation was deemed unworkable. Radford's defence argued that he had been attacked and feared for his safety, but the judge said he would re‑activate the suspended sentence if he refused accommodation. Judge Martin Nolan remanded him for a month, stating it was Radford's decision where he wished to reside.
In a double‑murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 34‑year‑old Dublin man, Jason O'Driscoll, was charged with the 2012 killings of Anthony Burnett and Joseph Redmond, two Co. Louth criminals who were shot dead in a stolen Volkswagen Golf. O'Driscoll pleaded not guilty. Prosecutor Alexander Owens SC presented a circumstantial case, arguing that O'Driscoll was present at the scene and therefore a participant in the murders, without needing to prove he fired the fatal shots. Owens described the victims as "full‑time criminals" involved in car theft, noting they had stolen the Golf from a Sandymount home and later drove it north to a layby at Ravensdale Park, where they were shot in the head and the car was set on fire. The jury, composed of eight men and four women, was instructed to consider whether O'Driscoll's presence alone made him guilty.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution argued that Juraci Da Silva, 36, had taken the law into his own hands after being assaulted twice by James Banville and Conor Hogan. The prosecution presented CCTV footage and witness testimony showing Da Silva running to New Street with a knife after the attackers left, where he inflicted a fatal chest wound on Banville. They highlighted that Da Silva had previously been stabbed by Hogan and that the knife used had traces of Hogan's blood. The prosecution maintained that self‑defence was not applicable because Da Silva could have left the scene, and that any provocation would not justify murder. They urged the jury to find him guilty of murder, noting his anger and desire for revenge. The defence was scheduled to speak the following day. Juraci Da Silva pleaded not guilty.
Jerry O'Keefe, 69, of Oakhill, Youghal, Cork, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to three charges of rape, five of indecent assault and one of sexual assault. The nine sample charges represent a subset of 78 offences covering January 1980 to March 1987. The rape and indecent assault charges involved his eldest daughter, who was aged eight when the abuse began and twelve when it ended in 1985. The elder daughter was repeatedly asked to sit on O'Keefe's lap, sexually assaulted in the sitting room, then taken to his bedroom where he removed his clothes and raped her. The remaining charges concerned the younger daughter, abused at the family's new home on Catherine's Street. O'Keefe would enter her bedroom late at night after returning from the pub, climb into bed beside her and molest her.
The Court of Appeal ruled it would not interfere with a jury verdict that found a 46‑year‑old man guilty of raping and sexually assaulting his former partners' daughters between 1992 and 1997. The Central Criminal Court jury had convicted him of rape and multiple counts of sexual assault, most involving the youngest sister when she was aged 12‑14. He had denied the charges. He was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment on 28 July 2015. In his appeal, his barrister invoked the UK case Queen v Cooper, arguing that a "lurking doubt" could justify overturning the conviction. Judge John Hedigan rejected that test, stating that concepts such as "lurking doubt" or a "gut feeling" do not apply in Ireland. He found the complainants' evidence credible and dismissed the appeal, affirming the jury's verdict. The sisters had only learned of the abuse in 2010, and formal complaints were made in 2012.
Juraci Da Silva, 36, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the death of James Banville, 28, who was stabbed in the heart on New Street in Waterford on October 8, 2016. Da Silva has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, a plea the State has not accepted. He also pleads not guilty to assaulting Conor Hogan and producing a knife. The trial heard that Banville had eight previous convictions, including a four-month jail sentence in March 2009 at New Ross District Court for threatening to kill under section 5 of the Non-fatal Offences Against the Person Act. Other convictions included assault, carrying an offensive weapon, and criminal damage. Defence counsel noted that Banville and Hogan allegedly assaulted and racially abused Da Silva before the incident. Detective Garda Darren Colfer testified that Da Silva was interviewed on October 9, 2016, where he denied stabbing anyone despite witness identification. The prosecution has finished calling evidence. Mr Justice Michael White is currently dealing with matters in the jury's absence and has asked them to return tomorrow morning. The matter is therefore adjourned.
During a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, retired surgeon Dr Michael Shine, aged 85, faced eight charges of indecent assault against six teenage boys at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and his private clinic in Drogheda between 1964 and 1991. Shine denied each allegation, stating "I absolutely deny that allegation." The prosecution, led by Bernard Condon SC, presented testimony from six complainants. The first, now 65, claimed that in 1964, at age 13, he was examined for a chest cyst and that Shine touched his chest, stomach, and testicles, repeating "it all works together." Other witnesses alleged similar conduct: a finger injury case, a knee injury case, a broken ankle case, a 16‑year‑old case, and a hernia case where Shine allegedly massaged genitals to ejaculation. The trial, presided over by Judge Cormac Quinn, is expected to last two weeks.
Jason O'Driscoll, a 34‑year‑old Dublin resident, appeared at the Central Criminal Court on 17 October 2017 charged with the double murder of Anthony Burnett and Joseph Redmond in County Louth on 7 March 2012. He declared his innocence and pleaded not guilty to both charges. The prosecution, represented by Alexander Owens SC, noted that O'Driscoll was originally from Fairview and had lived in Newry, while the victims were from Ballybough, Dublin. A jury of eight men and four women was sworn in for a trial set to begin the following day and last three to four weeks.
In October 2017, a court was asked to make no order against Kieran Lynch, a 50‑year‑old Limerick man who had previously killed his partner, Catherine McEnery, aged 36. Lynch had been sentenced to life in prison in March 2007 after a Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty of murder. He successfully appealed the conviction in 2013, arguing issues with the trial judge's charge to the jury on provocation and the introduction of fresh evidence. The Court of Criminal Appeal quashed the conviction, and Lynch was re‑arraigned in May 2016, pleading not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. He was sentenced to 12 years, with the last four years suspended for two years post‑release. In July 2016, Lynch entered a bond to be of good behaviour for two years and comply with probation directions.
In a case heard by the Court of Appeal, Slovakian national Jakub Jesenak, aged 31, was found guilty of assault causing harm and threatening to kill his pregnant partner in front of their 20‑month‑old daughter. The original sentence of three years imprisonment, with the final year suspended, was imposed by Judge Pauline Codd on 5 May 2017. The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence, ruling that it was not too severe. The offence occurred on 12 June 2016 at the couple's former home in Dublin. Jesenak had been drinking and, after his partner returned from a baby market, he grabbed her arm, punched her face, pulled her hair, threatened to kill her, and attempted to strangle her. Gardaí were called, Jesenak was arrested, and he has had no contact with the victim since being granted High Court bail. The victim suffered bruising, cuts to her face and legs, but the baby was delivered healthy.
A teenager who pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of a fellow 17-year-old in Claremorris, County Mayo, will be sentenced next month at the Central Criminal Court. The accused, now 17, was convicted by jury in July following a trial at the court sitting in Castlebar. He cannot be named due to his age. The deceased, Dovydas Jenkas of Mount Street, Claremorris, died from a single stab wound in the early hours of 19 December 2015. Evidence presented during sentencing indicated both families had relocated from Lithuania to Claremorris and the boys knew each other through their secondary school and playing basketball together. The court heard the fatal stabbing occurred in a garden during an altercation that began when the accused discovered the deceased in his mother's bedroom with his younger sister. Justice Eileen Creedon adjourned sentencing. Medical evidence is scheduled for hearing on 7 November, with sentencing expected on 14 November.
In a Waterford murder case, Brazilian man Juraci Da Silva, aged 36, admitted stabbing 28‑year‑old James Banville to death on 8 October 2016. He denies owning or carrying a knife, claiming he had never carried knives and was drunk. Da Silva pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, a plea rejected by the State, and is now on trial at the Central Criminal Court. He also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Conor Hogan, who sustained a wound under his arm, and to producing a knife on the same night. Garda Kevin Nolan recounted interviewing Da Silva on 8 and 9 October, noting that both Banville and Hogan had previously assaulted him. Da Silva said he followed the men after a second assault but did not see them again, and that he had no knife. The trial continues before Justice Michael Kelly with a jury of twelve.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 13 October 2017, Danny Keena, a 55‑year‑old farmer from Empor, Ballynacargy, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his partner, Brigid Maguire, who was 43 and the mother of their two teenage children. Keena had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, claiming provocation after Maguire accused him of being a bad father to their 12‑year‑old son. A jury convicted him of murder on 14 November 2015, the day of the killing. During the sentencing, Jade Maguire, Maguire's daughter, delivered a victim impact statement describing the loss, anger, and grief endured by the family. Judge Patrick McCarthy imposed a mandatory life sentence, back‑dated to 17 November 2015, when Keena entered custody. Keena remained emotionless as he was escorted to prison. Jade Maguire thanked the Gardaí and urged domestic‑abuse victims to seek help promptly.
Daniel O'Connell, a 33‑year‑old autistic man from Kilkenny, was found not guilty by reason of insanity after attempting to murder his pregnant sister, Olivia O'Connell, in Dublin. The Central Criminal Court heard that Daniel had developed homicidal feelings toward his sister when she moved to Dublin, fearing she would raise a child there. He had a history of an "unnatural dislike of Dublin" stemming from a school trip incident. He admitted to stabbing Olivia three to four times in her home on 25 April 2016, motivated by a belief that she was carrying a Dublin baby and his own suicidal thoughts. Both prosecution and defence psychiatrists agreed that his autism constituted a mental disorder that negated his intent. The jury, after two hours and six minutes, returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.
The jury has begun deliberating in the trial of Daniel O'Connell, a 33‑year‑old autistic man from Kilkenny, who is charged with attempting to murder his pregnant sister, Olivia O'Connell, in Dublin. O'Connell pleaded not guilty. He admitted during Garda interviews that on 25 April 2016 he stabbed Olivia several times in her home at Scholarstown Park, Knocklyon, Dublin, claiming he wanted to prevent her from raising her child in Dublin. The Central Criminal Court heard closing speeches from the prosecution and defence. Prosecutor Michael Bowman SC argued that the facts admitted by O'Connell made the defendant's state of mind the key issue, and that both sides' doctors agreed he suffered a mental disorder, supporting a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Defence counsel Vincent Heneghan SC agreed and urged the same verdict. Judge Paul Butler expressed sympathy for the victim and told the jury that a unanimous verdict should be achievable.
Juraci Da Silva, 36, is on trial for murder of 28‑year‑old James Banville, who died after a stabbing on 8 October 2016. Da Silva pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, and also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Conor Hogan and to producing a knife on the same day and place. He was interviewed by Garda Kevin Nolan at Waterford Garda Station on the day of the fatal assault. Da Silva, who was intoxicated when first arrested, said he could not remember the events. He claimed he was attacked by two men, that he did not assault anyone, and that he had no knife. CCTV footage showed him walking after the attackers, but he denied retaliation. The trial is at the Central Criminal Court, with the jury to hear further evidence before 20 October.
Marta Herda, a 30‑year‑old Polish waitress, was convicted of murder after she drove a Volkswagen Passat into the harbour at Arklow on 26 March 2013, causing the drowning of 31‑year‑old Hungarian passenger Csaba Orsos. The Central Criminal Court found her guilty and imposed a mandatory life sentence on 28 July 2016. Herda had pleaded not guilty, arguing that the drive into the water was accidental and that she had no intent to kill. She appealed on 17 grounds, including recklessness, the nature of the driving, assault manslaughter, alleged confessions and the judge's charge to the jury. The Court of Appeal dismissed all grounds, ruling that the trial judge's instructions were clear and that the evidence supported a finding of murder. Herda was described as a Polish national who had lived in Ireland since age 19 and had a limited command of English.
In the Central Criminal Court, Daniel O'Connell, 33, pleaded not guilty to an attempted murder charge after stabbing his pregnant sister, Olivia O'Connell, in Dublin on 25 April 2016. O'Connell, an autistic man from Kilkenny, admitted to planning the attack and having intended to kill himself 12 days later. The prosecution presented evidence of his computer searches for terms such as 'murder suicide' and 'not guilty by reason of insanity' and testimony from Garda Niall Russell. Defence counsel Vincent Heneghan SC called Dr Paul O'Connell, a consultant psychiatrist, who argued that O'Connell's autism constituted a mental disorder under the Insanity Act and that his impaired judgment negated intent. Dr Anthony Kearns, also a forensic psychiatrist, concurred that the special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity was appropriate. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Paul Butler and a jury of twelve. Daniel O'Connell was acquitted.
Daniel O'Connell, 33, an autistic man, is charged with attempting to murder his pregnant sister, Olivia O'Connell. He pleaded not guilty and the jury may find him 'not guilty by reason of insanity'. O'Connell admitted during Garda interviews that he stabbed Olivia on 25 April 2016 in her Dublin home, claiming he wanted her to avoid raising her child in Dublin. Garda Niall Russell informed the Central Criminal Court that O'Connell's computer was searched during the investigation. Russell reported 17 searches for 'murder suicide' between January and 13 April 2016, a February 29 search for a case where a man was found not guilty by reason of insanity, 12 searches for general killings between 9 January and April, and searches for 'jugular vein' and 'wrist' three days before the incident. The prosecution has closed its case; the defence has called a consultant psychiatrist. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Butler and a jury of six men and six women.
During a murder trial, Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis revealed that James Banville, who was stabbed to death on 8 October 2016 in Waterford, had alcohol, cocaine, methadone and valium in his system. He died from a single stab wound to the heart and was otherwise healthy. Juraci Da Silva, aged 36 and resident of Park Lane Apartments, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of Banville, a plea not accepted by the State, and is on trial at the Central Criminal Court. Da Silva also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Conor Hogan and to producing a knife on the same date and place. Dr Curtis explained that cocaine is a strong stimulant that can lead to erratic or violent behaviour, and that combining it with alcohol can enhance the effect. He noted that methadone is often prescribed to people who are addicted to opioids such as heroin.
Gary Gleeson, 34, of Ballyfermot, was denied bail by the High Court on 11 October 2017. He faces charges of conspiracy to murder Michael Frazer between 28 July and 7 August, possession of a 9mm Luger pistol and 10 rounds of 9mm ammunition, and intent to endanger life on Naas Road, Crumlin, on 7 August. Gleeson applied for bail on 2 October, but the State objected. Garda Val Russell and Chief Superintendent Tony Howard argued the seriousness of the charges under Section 2A of the Bail Act, leading Judge Paul Butler to reject the application and remand Gleeson in custody.
Daniel O'Connell, 33, is standing trial at the Central Criminal Court, where he has pleaded not guilty to the alleged attempted murder of his sister, Olivia O'Connell. Prosecutors allege that on April 25, 2016, O'Connell stabbed Ms. O'Connell, who was 26 and a half weeks pregnant and suffering from chemotherapy effects, three to four times in the back at her home in Knocklyon, Dublin. The prosecution contends the attack was premeditated, driven by O'Connell's alleged pathological dislike of Dublin and his desire to prevent her from raising a child there. Evidence presented includes O'Connell's admission to Gardaí that he intended to kill her, describing the incident as a "failed murder suicide." He allegedly carried a hammer and duct tape to subdue her and was found wearing latex gloves to hide fingerprints. Ms. O'Connell escaped to a neighbor's house, where she was treated for her injuries; the child was later born healthy. The jury has been informed that not guilty by reason of insanity is an available verdict, with expert psychiatric evidence expected from both sides. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Paul Butler.
Ann Byrne, aged 34, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and attempted robbery after attacking a female colleague on Burlington Road on 25 August 2015. Byrne kicked the victim in the head, stood on her mouth when she screamed, and left a footprint on the victim's head. Garda John Cahill reported finding the victim in a distressed state with blood on her face and a swollen lip, cheekbone and eye. Byrne initially denied the assault, gave a false name, and claimed she was tipsy, but later admitted the offence. She has 17 prior convictions, including theft and traffic offences. The court heard she has a young child and wishes to improve her future. Judge Karen O'Connor imposed an 18‑month suspended sentence, noting the assault was violent and unprovoked, and that the victim's medical report showed serious impact. The sentence was suspended on conditions intended to encourage Byrne to build a better future.
An Estonian man, Imre Arakas, aged 58, was charged in April at Dublin District Court with conspiring to murder James Gately in Northern Ireland between 3 and 4 April. The offence falls under Section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. At a brief hearing today, State solicitor Michael O'Donovan requested that Arakas be charged and tried before the non‑jury Special Criminal Court. Judge Tony Hunt granted the order, allowing the DPP to direct the trial to that court if ordinary courts are deemed inadequate for effective administration of justice.
Jason Keating, 26, of Lower Main Street, Rush, Co Dublin, is accused of murdering Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan, 62, outside Kirwan's house on St Ronan's Drive, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, on 22 December 2016. The case is being heard in the non‑jury Special Criminal Court. Mr Justice Tony Hunt set the trial date for 1 October 2017, and Keating has been remanded in custody until that date.
During a murder trial, witness Georgina Roche testified that blood poured from the deceased 28‑year‑old James Banville "like water from a hose" after he was stabbed. Roche had tried to keep Banville awake, but he did not respond and his eyes rolled back. The accused, Juraci Da Silva, 36, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, and also pleaded not guilty to assault and to producing a knife. The trial is at the Central Criminal Court. Witness Keith Wall described a fight involving a black man in a red jacket and two Irish men, noting aggressive behaviour and racial slurs. Dr John Power examined Da Silva the day after the stabbing, noting dizziness and bruising but no significant head injury, and passed him as fit for interview. The jury will hear further evidence tomorrow before Justice Michael White.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, Egyptian national Mohamed Okda, aged 30, was found guilty of raping a woman he met in February 2014 after she became lost and upset during a night out in Dublin. The woman, a married mother, had been visiting Dublin with two female friends, became drunk and tired, and lost contact with them. Okda approached her, offered help, and after she returned to his flat, he raped her. The jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault after a seven‑day trial. Okda's defence, led by Ciaran O'Loughlin SC, requested an adjournment of the sentencing hearing to obtain a psychological report, citing concerns that two other men were present in the flat and had not been interviewed by Gardaí. The judge agreed to adjourn the sentencing to 23 October, and the victim was not present at the hearing. Mohamed Okda pleaded not guilty.
Martin Stokes, aged 37, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, false imprisonment and assault with intent to commit an indictable offence after violently breaking into the home of his estranged partner Geraldine Cummins and her son. He entered the house at 2.40am, grabbed Cummins by the neck, pressed a sharp object into her throat and threatened to kill her and her unborn child unless she returned to him. Cummins, who was five months pregnant, was dragged into the kitchen and held with a knife. The mother, aunt and two children escaped and called for help; two men wrestled Stokes to the ground. Cummins' victim impact statement described lasting trauma, especially for her young son. Stokes was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment, with the final 15 months suspended after the Court of Appeal considered his progress toward rehabilitation while in custody. The suspended period requires a good‑behaviour bond for three years post‑release.
Danny Keena, a 55‑year‑old farmer from Empor, Ballynacargy, was found guilty of murder by a jury at the Central Criminal Court after he strangled his former partner, 43‑year‑old Brigid Maguire, on 14 November 2015. Maguire and their two children had left Keena in September 2015. Keena pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, claiming provocation after Maguire accused him of being a bad father. The court heard that Keena had previously strangled Maguire to the point of dizziness, but the jury did not hear the witness statement that described a prior strangulation that stopped her breathing. The jury returned a verdict of guilty of murder, 11 to 1, after 4 hours and 55 minutes of deliberation. Keena will receive a mandatory life sentence, with remand pending sentencing.
During the trial of Juraci Da Silva, a 36‑year‑old Brazilian resident of Park Lane Apartments, a witness named Melanie Byrne testified that on the night of 8 October 2016, Da Silva was racially abused and assaulted by two Irish men, Conor Hogan and James Banville, who were also the alleged perpetrators of the murder of 28‑year‑old James Banville on New Street. Byrne described seeing the men shout racial slurs, punch Da Silva for no reason, and later threaten him with the words "Go back to your own country." She also recalled seeing the men earlier that evening in Sinnott's nightclub, appearing aggressive and "on something," and later witnessing them taking drugs in an alley before the assault. Additional witnesses, including Emily Keogh, Susan Foley, Emma Balfe, and Evan Russell, corroborated that Da Silva was attacked by the two Irish men, who were later identified as the murder suspects. Juraci Da Silva pleaded not guilty.
The jury has resumed deliberations in the Central Criminal Court trial of Danny Keena, a 55‑year‑old farmer from Empor, Ballynacargy, who is charged with murdering his former partner, 43‑year‑old Brigid Maguire, by strangulation on 14 November 2015. Keena pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. He had previously strangled Maguire to the point of dizziness, and she and their two children left him only two months before her death. The defence seeks a manslaughter verdict on the grounds of provocation, citing that Maguire accused him of being a bad father. The prosecution argues that provocation is inappropriate, noting his prior strangulation and threats to kill her. Judge Patrick McCarthy reminded the jury that the only options were guilty of murder or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, and that the accused's remorse was irrelevant.
A 33‑year‑old man from Kilkenny, Daniel O'Connell, was arraigned in the Central Criminal Court on 9 October 2017 for attempting to murder his sister, Olivia O'Connell, in Dublin on 25 April 2016. He pleaded not guilty. Justice Patrick McCarthy swore a jury of six men and six women, and the trial was scheduled to start the following day and last two days.
A Dublin man convicted of IRA membership will be sentenced later this month at the Special Criminal Court. Vincent Banks, aged 49, of Smithfield Gate Apartments in Dublin 7, was found guilty in July of membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army. The conviction relates to his role in purchasing a Toyota Camry that was subsequently used in the fatal shooting of Northern Ireland prison officer David Black in November 2012. During sentencing proceedings, detectives outlined how Banks had acquired the vehicle under a false name and how forensic evidence, including fingerprints on a car registration certificate and an ordnance survey map of County Leitrim, connected him to the car. The map had a page displaying County Leitrim torn out. Banks' fingerprints were also found on the document. The court heard Banks has no significant previous convictions. He was remanded in custody pending sentencing on 23rd October.
Michael Power, aged 21, was convicted of two counts of assault, one count of causing serious harm and two counts of possession of a knife after stabbing Thomas Hanrahan and later slicing his face. Hanrahan suffered life‑threatening injuries, including a removed spleen and permanent facial scar, and will require lifelong medication. Power, who has 33 prior convictions, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment with 18 months suspended, back‑dated to July 2015. The judge imposed the suspended portion to encourage rehabilitation and barred Power from contacting Hanrahan for five years after release. Power has completed various courses in custody, including the alternative to violence programme, and is now a facilitator. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 27 June 2015 and the sentence was delivered by Judge Elma Sheahan. The trial was conducted by a jury.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 21‑year‑old Dean Sutcliffe of Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, was found guilty of assault causing serious harm after striking 17‑year‑old Keith Fennelly on the head with a golf club on 3 November 2013. The incident followed an argument between the victim, his brother and Sutcliffe, who was sitting on a wall outside his home. Sutcliffe struck Fennelly from behind with such force that the club's head detached. Fennelly suffered a fractured skull, internal bleeding and required intensive care for several days. Sutcliffe had no prior convictions and was not known to the Gardaí. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, and directed him to engage with Probation Services and undergo anger‑management treatment upon release. The judge noted Sutcliffe's youth, impending fatherhood and lack of previous offences as mitigating factors.
The Court of Appeal will review video recordings of a complainant's full evidence in a sexual assault case following an appeal by the convicted man. Fergus Carson, aged 55, of Main Street in Convoy, County Donegal, was convicted by jury in the Central Criminal Court last year of six counts of sexual assault of a girl at a relative's residence between May and September 2012. He received a five-year sentence with the final fifteen months suspended in March 2016. Carson's barrister argued on appeal that fairness and the right to confront the accuser were at issue, contending the complainant became unresponsive during cross-examination when questioned on inconsistencies in her account. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel submitted the cross-examination had been conducted professionally and the jury was fully aware of the witness's demeanour throughout. A three-judge panel comprising Mr Justice George Birmingham, Mr Justice Alan Mahon, and Mr Justice John Edwards reserved judgement pending review of the evidence recordings.
Michael McDonagh, 29, of Carna Road, Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty to robbing an Applegreen filling station in Ballyfermot on 25 July 2014 while on temporary release from prison. He was sentenced by Judge Patricia Ryan on 29 April 2016 to five years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended and the final six months suspended, making a consecutive term of three years. McDonagh, who was 26 at the time of the robbery and had 126 previous convictions, was described by the court as having a very bad record and a long‑standing alcohol and drug problem. The robbery involved an accomplice who threatened a staff member with a knife and a knife was used by the accomplice. The pair stole €1,050. McDonagh appealed to the Court of Appeal, arguing the sentence was excessive and that the judge had not adequately considered his background and drug debt.
In 2012, Declan Tynan, 27, was convicted of violent disorder after a violent attack on a customer at a Ladbrokes bookmakers in Tallaght. The prosecution's case relied on a single witness and CCTV footage that identified Tynan. He was found guilty by a jury and sentenced to four years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended. In July 2017 the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction. Tynan's lawyers argued that a new witness had come forward, claiming a close resemblance to the attacker, and sought a bail application. The court rejected the appeal, stating that the lack of contemporaneous notes on the CCTV viewing did not create a statutory obligation to exclude the evidence. The case was remitted for one week, but no further action was taken. The appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal. Declan Tynan pleaded not guilty.
The jury will resume deliberations on Monday in the Central Criminal Court trial of Danny Keena, a 55‑year‑old farmer from Empor, Ballynacargy, Co. Westmeath, who is charged with murdering his 43‑year‑old mother‑in‑law, Brigid Maguire, by strangulation on 14 November 2015. Keena pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter at her home on Main Street, Ballynacargy. He had previously strangled her to the point of dizziness, and she and her two children had left him only two months before her death. The defence seeks a manslaughter verdict on the basis of provocation, citing an alleged remark by Ms Maguire that he was a bad father to their son. The prosecution argues that the case is not suitable for a provocation defence, noting testimony that Keena had previously strangled her and threatened to kill her.
During a murder trial, witness Conor Hogan denied that he and the deceased, 28‑year‑old James Banville, provoked the fatal knife attack on a Waterford street. Hogan, from Taghmon, said the accused, 36‑year‑old Brazilian meat‑factory worker Juraci Da Silva, "started it" when he approached them in an alley and wouldn't leave. He also said he could not remember racially abusing Da Silva or calling him a "pervert" or "paedophile." Da Silva has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, and is also charged with assaulting Hogan and producing a knife. Hogan testified that he and Banville had not provoked Da Silva, and that the first two assaults occurred when Da Silva approached them. The trial continues before Justice Michael White and a jury.
The Special Criminal Court has scheduled a trial for May 30, 2018, for three men accused of murdering 35‑year‑old Gareth Hutch, nephew of Gerry "the Monk" Hutch. Hutch was shot as he entered his car outside Avondale House flats on North Cumberland Street, Dublin, on May 24, 2017. The accused are Regina Keogh, 39, of Kings Inn Street; Jonathan Keogh, 31, of north inner city Dublin; and Thomas Fox, 30, of Rutland Court, Dublin 1. All three were remanded in custody and the case was listed for mention again on December 12, 2017.
Frederick "Freddie" Thompson, aged 36, and Nathan Foley, aged 18, are charged with the murder of David Douglas, 55, who was shot dead on 1 July 2016 at Bridgefoot Street, Dublin. Foley is also charged with damaging a car on 4 July 2016 at Strand Road, Dublin. Both men are remanded in custody. The non‑jury Special Criminal Court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, has set a trial date for 30 April next year, with the trial expected to last two weeks. The case was listed for mention again on 21 December.
Danny Keena, 55, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in the death of 43‑year‑old Brigid Maguire, who was strangled on November 14, 2015, at her home on Main Street, Ballynacargy. During his closing speech in the Central Criminal Court, Keena, through his barrister, requested a verdict of manslaughter on the grounds of provocation, citing Maguire's remark that he was a bad father. Prosecutor Remy Farrell argued that the case did not meet the provocation defence, noting Keena's prior threats to kill his partner and his description of the strangulation method. Defence counsel Colm Smyth highlighted the couple's separation, Keena's financial support for the family, and Maguire's hostile communication, arguing that these circumstances triggered Keena's reaction. The court heard both sides' closing arguments before the jury considered the verdict.