In a Dublin gaming convention, 28‑year‑old Keith Hearne tied up, raped and falsely imprisoned 25‑year‑old Dominique Meehan in a hotel meeting room. He bound her hands with a tie, used a prop knife to threaten her, and sexually assaulted her. Hearne pleaded guilty to two counts of rape, one count of oral rape and one count of false imprisonment. He was sentenced by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy to 12 years' imprisonment, with a five‑year post‑release supervision order. The judge noted Hearne's only mitigating factor was his guilty plea and that he was caught during the act, which reduced the mitigating factor. Hearne gave no reaction to the sentence. Meehan, who waived anonymity, said the sentence was a relief but still felt it was too light and that her life has changed dramatically since the assault.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, a Limerick man, Larry McCarthy, 37, pleaded not guilty to assaulting David Foran on 25 November 2014 at Cornmarket Villas. The prosecution alleged that McCarthy, along with two others, threatened to use "unlawful violence" and that McCarthy stabbed Foran in the leg while he was beaten. Foran, who had been knocked down by a motorcyclist earlier that month, had initially refused a €5,000 compensation offer from the motorcyclist but later agreed to meet at Cornmarket Villas. McCarthy allegedly challenged Foran over the money demand. Foran was wearing a bullet‑proof vest at the time of the assault. The trial is presided over by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy with Judges Gerard Griffin and Gerard Haughton. The case remains pending.
A 55‑year‑old man, Aivars Sondors, stands trial in the Central Criminal Court for three counts of assisting an offender by impeding the investigation of a homicide. The alleged offence involved the murder of 44‑year‑old Audrius Butkus, who died from a violent and bloody assault before his body was dumped on Mornington Beach. Sondors is accused of moving the body from a house on Marsh Road, cleaning the basement, and disposing of carpet, clothing, a nail brush, a bin bag, bottles and tins at Burke House. He pleaded not guilty, and his defence argues that he acted under duress. The jury, sworn in on 19 June 2017, will decide whether duress applies to the alleged acts. The trial is scheduled to last seven days under Mr Justice Paul Coffey. Audrius Butkus was convicted. Aivars Sondors was convicted.
In the Central Criminal Court, Christopher McDonald, 34, of East Wall, Dublin, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 36‑year‑old Keith Walker, who was killed at a pigeon racing club on Shelerin Road, Clonsilla, on 12 June 2015. The judge, Justice Patrick McCarthy, instructed a jury of six men and six women that the trial would last two weeks, possibly extending into a third, and asked them to appoint a foreman before the trial opened on Tuesday.
A 23‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for defilement after a trial at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He had pleaded not guilty to defilement of a child under 17, two counts of sexual assault and one of sexual exploitation of a child. The jury found him guilty of defilement, acquitted him of the sexual assault charges and could not reach a verdict on the exploitation charge. Judge Patricia Ryan noted a "great disparity in age" and that the accused knew the victim was 15, and that she was under the influence of alcohol at the time. She back‑dated the sentence to December 2016, ordered the man onto the sex offenders register for ten years, and recorded that he admitted to the act but claimed it was consensual. The man had three prior convictions for minor offences.
Jamie Kavanagh, a professional boxer, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting a doorman and engaging in threatening or abusive behaviour on Harcourt Street on September 23, 2014. Prosecutors alleged Kavanagh was part of a group that attacked staff at Copper Face Jacks nightclub, though his defence argued he played a minimal role and made no physical contact. Kavanagh's lawyers requested the court strike out the indictment to avoid a conviction that could jeopardise a significant three-year US contract. Judge Elma Sheahan adjourned the case to July 21 to allow the DPP to provide instructions on whether the Circuit Court has jurisdiction to strike out the charges, a power typically associated with the District Court. The judge also suggested Kavanagh provide 20 hours of coaching to a local amateur boxing club. Background persons Paul Rice and Mark Carlyle, identified as the instigators of the violence, were previously jailed after pleading guilty to violent disorder. Rice received a three-year sentence with the final year suspended, while Carlyle received five years with the final 18 months suspended. The matter remains adjourned pending further legal instructions.
A new jury of six men and six women was sworn in to hear the trial of 33‑year‑old Seán Ducque, who is charged with murdering Kieran Farrelly on 26 October 2014 at Killarney Street. Ducque, who has no fixed abode, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment. The trial, now in the legal argument stage, will open before the jury on Wednesday and is expected to last two weeks. Prosecutor Dominic McGinn SC also indicated that evidence may be presented regarding a taxi robbery and a separate incident involving Hugh Gildea.
John McDermott, 24, of Swords, Co Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assault causing harm. He pleaded guilty to the offence, which occurred on July 10, 2014, at Talbot Street, on the understanding that he did not slash the victim's face. The court heard that Russ Hogan, described by Judge Cormac Quinn as a "good Samaritan," was attacked by McDermott and a 16-year-old friend. Prosecutors alleged that while the teenager slashed Mr Hogan's face, McDermott approached the victim with an improvised weapon made from a jagged beer can and assisted in punching and kicking him. Mr Hogan sustained two moderately deep wounds to his right cheek and other cuts. McDermott, who has 103 previous convictions, was under the influence of alcohol and tablets at the time. He is currently serving a sentence for two robberies committed last year. Defence counsel noted that McDermott had apologised to Mr Hogan, who accepted the apology, and highlighted his chronic addiction issues. Judge Quinn sentenced McDermott to 18 months in prison, with the final six months suspended.
In a High Court action filed in 2015, convicted murderer Graham Dwyer seeks to challenge the use of his mobile phone records in his 2015 murder trial. Dwyer, charged in October 2013 with the killing of Elaine O'Hara and convicted in March 2015, argues that the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011 violated his constitutional privacy rights, the European Convention on Human Rights and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. He cites the 2015 European Court of Justice ruling that struck down the directive underpinning the Act, claiming that Irish legislation implementing the directive was illegal and that data collected on his phone was therefore invalid. The State's request for disclosure of phone records was granted by service providers and the data was admitted as evidence, despite Dwyer's lawyers' objections.
The Disclosures Tribunal, chaired by Mr Justice Peter Charleton, was established to investigate an alleged smear campaign against Garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe. The tribunal will examine whether false allegations made against McCabe were used to discredit him and whether the current and former Garda commissioners, Nóirín O'Sullivan and Martin Callinan, abused their positions of trust. Counsel Mr Diarmaid McGuinness SC outlined that the tribunal's inquiries would focus on the transformation of the original allegations into claims of serious sexual abuse, the persistence of these false allegations in Garda records despite attempts by social workers to correct them, and the 2007 determination by the Director of Public Prosecutions that the allegations did not constitute sexual assault or assault. The tribunal also heard complaints from Garda Keith Harrison, who noted similarities between his own experience with the Child & Family Agency and the treatment of McCabe, suggesting a possible pattern of misconduct.
In June 2017, Eric Eoin Marques, a 30‑year‑old Irishman living in Dublin, faced a legal battle to stop his extradition to the United States. The FBI had described him as the world's largest facilitator of child pornography, alleging he owned and ran the anonymous hosting site Freedom Hosting. U.S. authorities charged him with conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography, specifically involving extremely violent images of pre‑pubescent children. Marques had been in custody since his 2013 arrest, and a 2015 High Court order for his surrender was upheld by the Court of Appeal. He had also challenged the Director of Public Prosecutions' decision not to prosecute him for the offences tied to the surrender, but both the High Court and Court of Appeal dismissed his actions. In May, the Supreme Court rejected his appeal on that matter, and an application to the European Court of Human Rights was also denied.
The jury in the trial of Darren Murphy, who admitted killing his girlfriend Olivia Dunlea, could not reach a verdict on whether he was guilty of murder or manslaughter. After 7 hours and 13 minutes of deliberation, the five women and seven men were unable to overcome their disagreement. Murphy, 40, of Dan Desmond Villas in Passage West, pleaded not guilty to murder and guilty to manslaughter, but the plea was rejected. He has been on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the past two‑and‑a‑half weeks. Justice Patrick McCarthy thanked the jury and remanded Murphy until 26 June, when a new trial date may be set. The trial heard that Murphy and Dunlea had been in a relationship for about four months. In interviews with gardai, Murphy admitted stabbing her during an argument, saying he "lost it" and "snapped" after she told him to leave because another man was calling over. Darren Murphy was convicted. Olivia Dunlea was convicted.
John Morley, aged 31, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting a Romanian refuse collector at Virginia Park, Finglas, on 5 August 2015. The incident followed a dispute over a bin that had been "black‑listed" for non‑payment. Morley, one of three men involved, was drunk and had 20 prior convictions. He was arrested after a Garda was attacked and the victim was injured. Co‑accused John McCann (32) and Craig Redmond (21) received three‑year sentences in February for their roles, with McCann's final 18 months suspended and Redmond's final year suspended. Morley's sentencing is scheduled for 28 July, pending a probation report. The case highlights the assault on the bin man and the subsequent Garda involvement.
A man from County Mayo has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, following his conviction for rape at the Central Criminal Court. The 27-year-old pleaded guilty to raping a woman on 16 May 2015 in a Mayo town. The court heard that the man threw his victim across a laneway to avoid detection by a CCTV camera before sexually assaulting her. He threatened the woman with a blade and made threats of violence afterwards. The victim sustained facial bruising and whiplash injuries. She reported the incident to gardaí shortly after the attack. In her victim impact statement, the woman expressed her fear for her life during the assault. The defendant was ordered to have no contact with the victim and must remain at least 100 metres away from her.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has requested to view footage of Darren Murphy, 40, demonstrating to Gardaí how he stabbed his girlfriend, Olivia Dunlea, who lay face down on her bed. Murphy, who lives in Passage West, Co. Cork, pleaded not guilty to murder but had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter, admitting he stabbed Ms. Dunlea in the neck and set fire to her home. His plea was not accepted, and the jury is now considering a verdict. During Garda interviews, Murphy showed how the assault occurred; the interviews were recorded. After more than two hours of deliberation, the jury asked to see the footage again and requested Justice Patrick McCarthy repeat the definition of provocation. McCarthy explained that provocation must be a sudden, unforeseen onset of passion that deprives the accused of self‑control.
A 47-year-old woman from Ballybrack has been sentenced to five years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the manslaughter of her two-year-old son in October 2014. Hazel Waters pleaded guilty to killing Muhammad Hassan Khan between 15 and 16 October 2014. Justice Patrick McCarthy imposed the sentence, noting that Ms Waters's personality disorder diminished her responsibility for the killing, though he expressed concern about her limited engagement with mental health professionals regarding the circumstances. The judge indicated an appropriate sentence would have been eight to ten years but reduced it to seven years with two years suspended in light of her guilty plea. The sentence was backdated to October 2014 when Ms Waters entered custody. Evidence presented at sentencing indicated Ms Waters was suffering from acute psychotic symptoms at the time. A post-mortem examination found the child died from scissor wounds to the neck. Following her release, Ms Waters must comply with a four-year bond requiring continued medical treatment and residence as determined by probation services.
A 73‑year‑old retired priest, Tadhg O'Dalaigh, whose conviction for indecently assaulting a schoolboy in the 1970s was quashed, has been awarded legal costs for his successful appeal. The Catholic Church had funded his legal representation, a fact that the Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel argued should preclude a costs award because O'Dalaigh was not out of pocket. The Court of Appeal quashed the conviction after the trial judge failed to warn the jury about the dangers of convicting without corroboration. The three‑judge court also refused a retrial, citing the defendant's full sentence, the case's antiquity and his age. Justice Alan Mahon ruled that awarding costs was appropriate, noting that O'Dalaigh had not benefited from state‑funded legal aid and that no blame could be attributed to him for the alleged offence. The decision was made without any application to recover the costs of the original Circuit Court trial. Tadhg O'Dalaigh pleaded guilty.
A jury has begun deliberating a case in which a 36‑year‑old Dublin man is accused of raping a university student on their first date after meeting on Tinder. The alleged rape took place in the defendant's car after a drive up the Dublin Mountains on 11 September 2014. The defendant pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. Judge Paul Butler told the jury that the evidence is largely uncorroborated and that conviction would rely on the complainant's word alone, urging caution. He noted that the complainant's distressed state could be explained by other factors. The jury started deliberations at 2.50 pm and will resume tomorrow. The defence argued that the complainant's subsequent Tinder activity and the deletion of texts undermined her credibility, and that her visit to a GP rather than a Sexual Assault Treatment Unit suggested a different motive. The judge emphasised that any conviction must be based on the strongest evidence available.
Mei Hui Chen, 37, was convicted by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury of assaulting his brother, Michael Chen, on 8 June 2016. Chen stabbed his brother five times in the back and thighs after a brief encounter outside a pub on Westmoreland Street. The jury found him guilty of assault causing serious harm and assault causing harm. He was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended, and the sentence backdated to the date of the offence. Chen was arrested shortly after the attack and has remained in custody. The court noted that Michael Chen suffered a punctured kidney, spent 14 days in hospital, and had to sell his restaurant and faced marital difficulties as a result of the incident. Chen had no fixed address at the time of the assault and had recently come to Dublin to seek work. The judge ordered him to stay away from his brother and his family upon release. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
A 67‑year‑old Carlow man was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment for sexually abusing four nephews aged between six and 16 between 1983 and 1996. He was convicted of oral rape, indecent assault and sexual assault of the eldest nephew, and pleaded guilty to seven indecent assaults on a second nephew, five indecent assaults and six sexual assaults on a third nephew, and one sexual assault on a fourth nephew. The trial, held in the Central Criminal Court, found no prior convictions. Justice Isobel Kennedy noted the defendant's lack of remorse regarding the eldest victim and imposed a two‑year post‑release supervision order. The sentence reflects the severity of the repeated abuse, which the victims described as having devastating, lifelong impacts. The defendant's residence near the nephews' grandparents' home was mentioned by Gardaí as a factor in the case.
A jury will begin deliberations tomorrow on the case of Darren Murphy, 40, who has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in the death of Olivia Dunlea. The trial is at the Central Criminal Court. Justice Patrick McCarthy instructed the jury to consider Murphy's state of mind and whether he was provoked by Ms Dunlea's actions, which could lead to a manslaughter verdict if the prosecution fails to prove lack of provocation. The jury will return tomorrow to consider a verdict.
Keith Murphy, aged 41, was sentenced by the Central Criminal Court to 12 years for 64 counts of rape, with the final two years suspended. He also received seven‑year sentences for 26 counts of sexual assault and two attempted rapes, all running concurrently from his conviction date. The offences occurred between May 2008 and November 2015, mainly in the family home when the victim, now 18, was aged nine to fifteen. Murphy denied all charges. The victim, who waived anonymity, described the abuse as devastating, affecting every part of her life and leaving her nervous around men. The court noted the abuse spanned seven years, making him a repeat offender. The judge imposed the sentences accordingly, with the suspended portion reducing the custodial term to ten years. The case was prosecuted by Marjorie Farrelly SC.
James Lynch, aged 23, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for assaulting taxi driver Edward Gallagher after Gallagher refused to take Lynch's wounded friend to hospital. The incident occurred on 14 February 2015 when Gallagher was driving through Dublin's city centre. Lynch and two other men demanded a hospital transfer; Gallagher declined, citing the risk of blood in his vehicle. A verbal altercation escalated into physical violence: Gallagher was struck, fell, and was kicked and kicked by the men. Passers‑by intervened and the assailants fled. Lynch was later charged with robbery on 24 January 2016 and possession of a knife on 12 July 2016. He pleaded guilty to all three offences. Judge Melanie Greally described the assault as "very vicious" and noted it caused Gallagher to leave his taxi‑driving job. The sentence was back‑dated to July 2016.
In a Central Criminal Court case, a 36‑year‑old Dublin man is accused of raping a university student he met on Tinder. The prosecution, led by Alex Owens SC, argued that the victim's decision to use Tinder and to get into a car with an unknown man was irrelevant to the alleged crime, emphasizing that the law protects those who take risks from predators. Owens highlighted alleged "nasty streak" behaviour and suggested the accused could act badly if crossed. The defence, represented by Michael Bowman SC, countered that Owens' remarks implied prejudice, likening the accused to a "controlling" predator and suggesting the victim's attire justified the alleged assault. Garda evidence showed the accused claimed consensual sex, citing a series of texts and sexting, and alleged the victim's complaints stemmed from a disagreement over condom use. The case remains pending jury deliberation. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
During a murder trial, prosecution barrister Thomas Creed SC argued that Darren Murphy, 40, stabbed his girlfriend Olivia Dunlea to death because he did not want anyone else to have her. Creed said Murphy had been cheated on once before and was determined not to be cheated on again, leading him to kill Dunlea on 17 February 2013. Murphy denies the murder charge but pleaded guilty to manslaughter, a plea that was not accepted. Creed described the events: after a night of drinking, a dispute over a taxi driver led Murphy to stab Dunlea, who died from a knife wound that penetrated her spinal canal and five other stab wounds to the neck. Murphy then set her house on fire, drove her car to the inn, threw her keys into a river, and returned to the burning house pretending ignorance.
In a Central Criminal Court case, a 28‑year‑old Westmeath man was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, for false imprisonment of his former partner. The conviction followed a November 2015 trial where the jury found him guilty of false imprisonment after he forcibly removed the woman from her sister's house and held her against her will. He had also admitted assaulting her on three occasions while she was pregnant between 2011 and 2015. The court noted the woman's victim impact statement, describing physical and mental torture, a post‑traumatic stress diagnosis, and the loss of custody of their children. The judge imposed strict conditions, including no contact with the woman unless through an authorised third party, and acknowledged the man's guilty pleas and rehabilitation efforts. The case highlighted the violent nature of the relationship and the woman's ongoing recovery process. The unnamed 28-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 27-year-old man from County Mayo pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to raping a woman on 16 May 2015 in a Mayo town. The court heard that the man threw his victim across a laneway to prevent a CCTV camera from capturing the assault. He forced the woman down steps in an aggressive manner before threatening her with a blade and compelling her to engage in sexual acts. Following the incident, he threatened to kill her if she reported the matter. The victim sustained bruising, whiplash injuries, and a bite mark to her lip. She subsequently reported the rape to gardaí. In her victim impact statement, the woman described her fear during the incident and said she would never forgive or forget what occurred. The defence noted the man's early guilty plea and admissions to gardaí. Mr Justice Paul Butler adjourned sentencing to 1 June.
A former basketball coach has appealed against the decision to proceed with his trial for alleged indecent assault on a male more than 40 years ago. The appellant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, is facing four charges of indecent assault, which are alleged to have occurred outside Dublin during the early 1970s. The matter is currently in the appeal stage. The appellant claims that the passage of time has rendered several potential witnesses unavailable, as they are no longer living in Ireland or have died. He also argues that the building where the alleged assaults occurred has been demolished, preventing him from obtaining an engineer's inspection to corroborate the complainant's allegations. Additionally, the appellant asserts that his health issues and memory loss would hinder his ability to mount an effective defense. Permission to bring the appeal was granted by Mr Justice Seamus Noonan on an ex-parte basis, and the matter has been returned for a hearing in July. A stay has been placed on the prosecution until the appeal is resolved.
Keith Aherne, 23, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, with one year suspended, for aiding and abetting the rape of a woman in a Cork city park on 28 June 2013. He held the victim down while another 22‑year‑old man raped her. Aherne denied the charge but was found liable as a principal offender. The court noted his young age, history of addiction and 41 prior convictions, but also considered his refusal to have sex with the victim as a mitigating factor. The victim, who lost confidence and suffered depression and hair‑pulling after the assault, testified that Aherne held her down and that the other man had invited him to rape her. The sentence was imposed on condition of no contact with the victim and keeping the peace. The other man died before his sentence hearing.
In 2017, Declan Duffy, aged 43 and resident of Hannover Street West, Dublin, was arrested in the Republic on suspicion of false imprisonment and violent disorder. He faces three counts of false imprisonment at The Towers, Garters Lane in Saggart, and a charge of violent disorder, all to be tried in the Special Criminal Court in October. Duffy had previously served a life sentence for the 1992 murder of Sergeant Michael Newman in Derby City and was released on license in March 2013. He was re‑arrested on 5 December 2015, and in June 2016 his license was revoked and he was recalled to prison. A European Arrest Warrant issued by Northern Irish authorities was endorsed by the High Court. Duffy's counsel, Dean Kelly, informed Justice Aileen Donnelly that he would apply for bail on 19 June, and he remains remanded in custody pending that application.
A trial date has been set for a teenager charged with murder in County Mayo. The 17-year-old accused, who cannot be named due to his age, faces a charge of murdering 17-year-old Dovydas Jenkus on 19 December 2015 at Claremount Manor in Claremorris. The defendant, with an address in County Mayo, will stand trial at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Castlebar on 11 July. The alleged incident occurred approximately eighteen months before the court proceedings were scheduled.
Gary Kearney, 25, a serial offender with 160 prior convictions, was found guilty of robbery, false imprisonment and theft after he and an accomplice posed as undercover Gardaí, quoting sections of law, and handcuffed a man on Millennium Bridge in Dublin. The victim feared being pushed into the Liffey while handcuffed. Kearney's history includes assault, animal cruelty, robbery, theft, burglary, criminal damage and public order offences. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally, after hearing evidence, noted Kearney's "appalling record of offending" and his need to address addiction issues. She suspended a four‑year sentence on strict conditions, including attendance at AA meetings, and ordered two years of probation supervision. The accomplice fled and was not charged. The victim accepted Kearney's apology and expressed no desire to see him in custody.
A 42‑year‑old man was convicted at Naas Circuit Criminal Court of defilement of a child and sexual assault against a 14‑year‑old schoolgirl who was staying for a sleepover at her friend's house. He pleaded guilty to five counts in January and February 2014. Judge Michael O'Shea imposed an effective eight‑year sentence on 4 December 2015. On appeal, the Court of Appeal suspended the final twelve months of that term, citing the early guilty plea as a mitigating factor that should have been specifically addressed in the original sentence. The appeal judge, Mr Justice George Birmingham, noted the victim's Asberger's Syndrome and the severe impact of the offence, but upheld the eight‑year term with a suspended year, leaving a three‑year post‑release supervision period in place. The case involved a significant age gap and grooming elements, with the offender's partner being the victim's friend's mother.
The family of Sonia Blount urged social media users to exercise caution after the man who murdered her was sentenced to life imprisonment. The warning followed the sentencing of Eric Locke, who had used a fake Facebook profile to lure Blount to a Dublin hotel room where she was killed. Family friend Liz Gaffney spoke outside court, thanking the legal team, Gardaí, and Blount's friends and colleagues at Henkel Locktite for their support. She warned that false profiles are easy to set up and that Blount's "error of judgment" cost her life. Gaffney thanked Justice Michael Moriarty and the jury for their unanimous decision and for identifying Locke as a "lying, manipulative person." She noted that the verdict would never bring Blount back, describing her as an innocent, beautiful, kind, caring mother who is deeply missed.
In a Dublin court, Eric Locke was sentenced to a mandatory life term for the murder of 31‑year‑old Sonia Blount, who was killed in a hotel in Tallaght on 16 February 2014. Locke had lured Blount to the hotel using a fake Facebook profile after she had cut contact with him. He strangled her with his hands and a phone‑charger cable, then suffocated her by forcing her t‑shirt into her mouth, dislodging her teeth. He pleaded not guilty but admitted causing her death. A jury found him guilty of murder after 1 hour 33 minutes of deliberation. The judge pronounced a life sentence, noting the tragedy for Blount's three‑year‑old son, Jake, and the impact on her family. The sentencing hearing was attended by Blount's relatives, who delivered victim impact statements. The court concluded with Locke being led away to begin his life sentence.
A hearing to decide whether Ian Bailey should be extradited to France to face a voluntary homicide charge over the death of Sophie Toscan du Plantier will take place next Wednesday. Bailey's legal team has finished their submissions and is ready to proceed. The hearing follows a European Arrest Warrant issued by French authorities. Bailey, 60, denies any involvement in the 1996 murder of Ms du Plantier, who was found beaten to death outside her holiday home in Schull, west Cork. French officials have already served him with an indictment and may try him in absentia.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 25 May 2017, 31‑year‑old landscape gardener Jason Wall pleaded guilty to assaulting Kieran Nelson on 27 April 2016. Wall, who had 14 prior convictions, attacked Nelson with a glass after insulting him for being from Northern Ireland. The assault left Nelson with cuts to his forehead and lip, requiring stitches, and caused him a visible scar, embarrassment and an economic loss of €900. Wall had paid €1,000 in redress and submitted a letter of apology. Judge Karen O'Connor described the attack as "violent and gratuitous", noted Wall's good work record and lack of recent Garda attention, and sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, suspending the final year. The case was identified through CCTV and the incident occurred around the Easter 1916 commemorations. The court accepted the victim's impact report and the defendant's remorse.
In a 2017 court hearing, Detective Garda James Nagle denied allegations that he had refused to allow murder suspect Darren Murphy to see a solicitor and that he had instructed Murphy on what to say during his interview about his girlfriend's death. Nagle said he had followed standard procedure, asking suspects if they were ready to proceed before questioning, but admitted he did not ask that question at the start of Murphy's final interview. He denied knowing Murphy was unwilling to proceed and insisted that if Murphy had requested a solicitor he would have been granted access. Nagle also denied that Sergeant Anthony Harrington had told Murphy what to say or that he had been told there was no time to see a solicitor. The judge postponed the case to May 30 to resolve an evidence issue. Darren Murphy pleaded not guilty.
A 53‑year‑old man, whose name is withheld to protect the victim, was convicted of two counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault against his then heavily pregnant partner. The Central Criminal Court found that the woman gave birth to their second child three days after the first rape. The man had pleaded not guilty to the rape charges, but the jury convicted him after a three‑week trial. In December 2016 he was convicted of the sexual assault offences, which were recorded as having been filmed with a torch and his mobile phone. The court imposed a ten‑year prison sentence, suspending the final six months unconditionally and two years on the condition that he engage in a sex‑offender treatment programme in custody. The victim's impact statement described her shock, mental breakdown and belief that the accused should never be released from prison.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Darren Murphy, 40, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Olivia Dunlea but pleaded guilty to manslaughter. He admitted stabbing her twice in the neck after an argument that began at the Rochestown Inn and continued at her home. Murphy said Dunlea asked, "What about my kids?" before he stabbed her. He claimed he did not intend to kill her, describing the act as a snap. Garda interviews revealed he was aware of the wounds and that a post‑mortem found six stab wounds, which he admitted he must have inflicted. He denied setting the house on fire to destroy evidence and said he only wanted to prevent children from discovering the body. The trial proceeds before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.
In a murder trial, a 36‑year‑old woman found dead in her burning home may have died from a stab wound to her neck or from inhaling fire fumes. The court heard that the victim, Olivia Dunlea, was discovered face‑down on her bed in Passage West on 17 February 2013. State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy testified that she saw two deep stab wounds behind the victim's right ear, one penetrating the upper cervical spinal canal, and four shallow wounds on the front of the neck. She also found soot in the lungs and a high carbon monoxide level, indicating inhalation of toxic smoke. Cassidy concluded the cause of death was a neck stab wound combined with inhalation of fire fumes, noting that the spinal injury could have caused paralysis and rapid collapse. The accused, Darren Murphy, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter and is on trial at the Central Criminal Court.
A woman has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of her two-year-old son at the Central Criminal Court. Hazel Waters, aged 47, admitted responsibility for the death of Muhammad Hassan Khan between 15 and 16 October 2014 at their home in Ballybrack. Evidence heard during sentencing submissions indicated that Ms Waters was suffering from a personality disorder and an acute transient psychotic disorder at the time. Psychiatrists told the court that her mental condition substantially diminished her culpability. The child was found dead in the family bedroom with multiple neck wounds inflicted by scissors. At the time of the incident, social workers had been attempting to contact Ms Waters. Family members described the boy as a happy and loved child. Justice Patrick McCarthy adjourned the case to 1 June for sentencing.
A 27‑year‑old man was jailed for ten years after he entered his neighbour's home, raped her at knife point, threatened to kill her and her family, and forced her to drive to a park where he alternated between threats and suicidal talk. He later drove her to a Garda station, where she reported the assault. The man pleaded guilty to rape, oral rape and false imprisonment. The judge described the attack as shocking and violent, noting the victim's severe anxiety and social withdrawal. He imposed a 12‑year sentence, suspending the final two years on strict conditions, and ordered five years of post‑release supervision. The victim's impact statement highlighted her shattered peace of mind, constant fear, and the lasting effect on her health and sense of safety. The defence argued the offence was out of character and urged consideration of the man's remorse and guilty plea. The court accepted the plea and the psychological evidence presented.
Thomas Kavanagh, a 66‑year‑old former taxi driver, was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment for sexually abusing three girls over a period from 1979 to 1992. He began molesting a girl aged five to seven, later raping her until she was 17, and similarly abused two other girls from ages eight and seven. The court heard that Kavanagh manipulated and controlled the victims, describing the abuse as "normal" and providing money for abortions. Victims testified that they felt isolated, confused, and feared disbelief. Kavanagh pleaded guilty to 57 counts, and a jury convicted him of 26 rapes, seven indecent assaults and one sexual assault. He has no prior convictions and accepted the verdict, with no intention to appeal. The sentence was back‑dated to February, when he was taken into custody.
In a Central Criminal Court case, a 44‑year‑old Kildare man was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting and raping his step‑daughter over a period of more than seven years. The victim, a 24‑year‑old woman, testified that the abuse began when she was 12 and escalated to regular rape from age 15. She described the man as a former husband of her mother, who had married her mother after meeting her. The jury found him guilty on 17 counts of sexual assault between 2004 and 2007 and 16 counts of rape between 2008 and 2011. During the trial the defendant denied the allegations, claiming the victim fabricated the claims. Judge Deirdre Murphy imposed concurrent sentences totalling 12 years, suspended the final two years, and noted the profound impact on the victim's life, including severe depression, anxiety, and ongoing nightmares.
In a Dublin murder case, Eric Locke, aged 35, was found guilty of strangling his ex‑girlfriend Sonia Blount, aged 31, at the Plaza Hotel in Tallaght on 16 February 2014. Locke lured Blount to the hotel using a fake Facebook profile and, after a confrontation, strangled her with his hands and the cable of her phone charger, forcing her t‑shirt into her mouth and breaking her teeth. He had previously pleaded not guilty but admitted causing her death. The Central Criminal Court jury deliberated for 1 hour 33 minutes before delivering a unanimous guilty verdict. Locke was remanded in custody for sentencing, where a mandatory life sentence will be imposed.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, 39‑year‑old nurse Greta Dudko was convicted of murder after killing her 55‑year‑old mother, Anna Butautiene, on Christmas Eve 2010. Dudko admitted striking her mother's head against a wall and then hitting her twice with a glass bottle, resulting in blunt‑force trauma. She had an alcohol problem and was on several medications at the time. The trial also revealed that Dudko had been suspended from her nursing job for intoxication and that she and her mother had moved out of the shared home weeks before the murder. Dudko's defence argued lack of intent due to intoxication and a partial defence of provocation. The jury found her guilty of murder by a 11‑1 majority. She will appeal her conviction on 10 November, as set by the Court of Appeal.".
In May 2014, a 43‑year‑old man raped and assaulted his wife in their home, threatening to cut her face and to kill her the next day over the phone. He also pleaded guilty to attempting serious harm to her and assaulting her mother during a hammer attack outside the mother's Dublin home on 7 August 2014. A jury of eleven men and one woman convicted him of rape and the threats, but could not reach a verdict on other assault counts. In July 2015, the Central Criminal Court sentenced him to 12 years for rape, suspending the final two years, and imposed lesser concurrent sentences for the other counts. On 22 May 2017, the Court of Appeal set 31 October 2017 as the date for his appeal against conviction, with the defendant absent from the procedural hearing.
The jury has begun deliberating in the Central Criminal Court trial of 35‑year‑old Eric Locke, who is charged with murdering his ex‑girlfriend, Sonia Blount, in a room at the Plaza Hotel in Tallaght on 16 February 2014. Locke, who lives in St John's Park East, Clondalkin, pleaded not guilty but admitted causing Blount's death. He strangled her with his hands and the cable of her phone charger, and pushed her t‑shirt into the back of her mouth. Locke claims he was suffering from a mental disorder at the time, a defence that could reduce the charge from murder to manslaughter if successful. Judge Michael Moriarty explained that a successful diminished‑responsibility defence would not give a full acquittal but would lower the offence. The judge also noted that Locke had dressed Blount after killing her, a fact that may be relevant to the jury.
A 58‑year‑old man from County Carlow was sentenced to six and a half years' imprisonment for two counts of indecent assault on his nine‑year‑old nephew between October 1985 and March 1986. The nephew, now 40, said the abuse began with unwanted touching and kissing and escalated to mutual masturbation, oral and anal rape while his grandmother was hospitalised. He reported the abuse to the Gardaí after a suicide attempt, and later told his partner and family what had happened. The court noted the severe impact on the victim's life, the 31‑year gap since the offences, and the accused's deteriorating health. The judge imposed concurrent sentences and ordered two years of post‑release supervision. The accused was acquitted of eight further counts of indecent assault. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court.