Mark Nash is to appeal one of his murder convictions in the Court of Appeal. Nash was convicted in 2015 of murdering two women whose bodies were discovered in sheltered accommodation in Dublin in 1997. The 44-year-old had pleaded not guilty to the charges at the Central Criminal Court but was found unanimously guilty and received a mandatory life sentence in April 2015. Nash is already serving a life sentence imposed in October 1998 for a separate double murder committed in Ballintober, County Roscommon, and for seriously injuring a woman in August 1997. The Court of Appeal fixed 7 November as the date for the appeal hearing, which is expected to last three days.
David Mahon, aged 46, will appeal the seven‑year sentence imposed for the manslaughter of Dean Fitzpatrick, 23, his partner's son. The incident occurred on 26 May 2013 when Mahon stabbed Fitzpatrick in the abdomen outside the apartment shared with Fitzpatrick's mother, Audrey, on Burnell Square, Northern Cross, Malahide Road, Dublin. The trial, held over two weeks, found Mahon not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, with the State arguing he was drunk, angry and intent on killing. Mahon claimed the death was accidental or a possible suicide, asserting Fitzpatrick had walked into the knife during an argument. Justice Margaret Heneghan sentenced him on 13 June 2016. In the Court of Appeal, Justice George Birmingham set 23 October as the date for Mahon's appeal against the sentence. Mahon was represented by Tony Collier Solicitors and two trial counsel, and had been granted legal aid for the appeal. David Mahon was found guilty.
At a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 19 May 2017, Superintendent Daniel Flavin denied allegations that he was part of a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice in relation to the 2014 anti‑water‑charges protest in Tallaght. The case concerns the alleged false imprisonment of TD Joan Burton and her adviser Karen O'Connell by six men, including TD Paul Murphy, who were charged with restricting the women's liberty on Fortunestown Road. Flavin rejected claims that he had given a false or incomplete statement, and insisted he had only reported what he observed, including the crowd's violence and the actions of Paul Murphy. He stated that his priority was to secure the safety of the two women and all present. The trial, presided over by Judge Melanie Greally, continues with a jury of twelve.
Mark McCarthy, aged 32, was sentenced to nine years in prison for his role in the 2011 tiger kidnapping of An Post employee Warren Nawn, his wife Jean Marie, and their ten‑week‑old baby. McCarthy admitted that he was acting under duress and that he had no financial gain from the crime, claiming he was motivated by a drug debt. The court heard that the family was held hostage in their home and then taken to a rural location where they were kept overnight, threatened repeatedly, and subjected to intimidation, including threats of rape and murder. The kidnappers forced Mr Nawn to deliver €661,125 from the Drogheda Post Office, which he complied with and later handed over to the gang. McCarthy's sentence was back‑dated to November 2013, when he was first taken into custody. Mark McCarthy pleaded guilty.
Declan Tynan, a convicted person, appeared in the Court of Appeal regarding his conviction for violent disorder at Ladbrokes bookmakers in Killinarden, Tallaght, on December 13, 2012. Tynan had previously pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where he was found guilty by a jury and sentenced to four years imprisonment, with the final year suspended, by Judge Patricia Ryan on January 13, 2017. The appeal challenged the admissibility of evidence, specifically arguing that a Garda officer's identification of Tynan from CCTV footage was unreliable. Counsel for Tynan, Michael O'Higgins SC, submitted that the officer was not a direct witness to the crime and that the lack of recorded procedures for the video identification rendered the testimony unfair. He argued that no log or history of how the footage was viewed was kept, preventing objective testing of the recognition. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel, Maurice Coffey BL, countered that recognition evidence is distinct from identification evidence and that the defense was imposing an aspirational standard. The three-judge court, comprising Mr Justice George Birmingham, Mr Justice Alan Mahon, and Mr Justice John Hedigan, reserved judgment. Consequently, the matter was adjourned, and Tynan must wait to hear the outcome of the appeal against his conviction.
Munir Ghariani, 26, pleaded guilty to robbery of a Chinese woman on Granville Road, Cabinteely, on 21 March 2016. He followed the victim, demanded her phone, pushed her to the ground, bit her finger and tried to flee. A passer‑by tackled him until Gardaí arrived. Ghariani has 34 prior convictions, including sexual assault, indecency, burglary and theft, and was a registered sex offender. He was on bail for a similar offence at the time of the robbery. His defence counsel reported that he became an involuntary patient at St John of God's hospital on 3 April 2024 and has remained a voluntary patient since 20 April, taking anti‑psychotic medication. Probation officer Michelle Richardson described him as high‑risk, non‑compliant with medication, and now homeless, with local authorities providing accommodation. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a four‑year sentence, back‑dating it to 19 May 2016, and suspended the balance.
A 30‑year‑old Cork man was sentenced to ten years in prison for raping his former partner, a sentence to be served consecutively to a term he is already serving for a separate rape. The Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty of one count of oral rape and assault causing harm after he raped the woman at their home on 8 September 2013. He had pleaded guilty to the offences. The victim, who could not be named, gave a lengthy impact statement describing the fear she lived in for three years after the rape and the ways the man tried to regain control over her while she was under a barring order. She recounted how he moved close to her, called Gardaí falsely, and made her feel trapped. The court noted the profound effect of the offences on her life.
A 66-year-old man from Donegal has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court following his conviction for sexual offences against his grand-niece committed between 1992 and 1994. The man was found guilty after jury trial of three counts of sexual assault and two counts of rape that occurred at locations in Donegal and Dublin when the victim was a child. Justice Margaret Heneghan described the offences as an "enormous and gross breach of trust", noting the defendant had exerted significant control over a young, vulnerable victim. The judge observed he had demonstrated no remorse. The woman's victim impact statement detailed lasting psychological harm including panic attacks, anxiety and depression, with effects extending to her family relationships and ability to work. The defence had submitted testimonials regarding the defendant's previously unblemished character and referenced his wife's health difficulties and dependence upon him. The unnamed 66-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution argued that Eric Locke, 35, who strangled his ex‑girlfriend Sonia Blount in a Tallaght hotel room on 16 February 2014, was fully aware of the wrongness of his actions and could control himself, rejecting any claim of diminished responsibility. The defence presented three psychiatrists, including Dr Seán Ó Domhnaill, who diagnosed Locke with Pervasive Developmental Disorder, asserting a mental disorder underpinned the case. The prosecution dismissed Dr Ó Domhnaill's testimony as unreliable and questioned his competence, while the defence highlighted Locke's history of mental health issues, suicide attempts, and treatment at Pieta House. The jury was instructed to consider whether the alleged disorder substantially reduced Locke's responsibility for the murder. The judge would charge the jury on Monday. The unnamed 35-year-old pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court adjourned the sentencing of Jonathan Dowdall and his father, Patrick Dowdall, until May 30th. Both men, of Navan Road, Dublin 7, had previously pleaded guilty to falsely imprisoning and threatening to kill Alexander Hurley on January 15th, 2015. The court heard that the defendants believed Hurley was attempting to defraud them of bank details after he contacted them via donedeal.ie regarding a motorbike sale. During the incident, which lasted three hours, Hurley was detained in a garage, bound to a chair, and subjected to waterboarding and threats of violence. Jonathan Dowdall's counsel, Mr Michael O'Higgins SC, submitted that the court should consider new issues before passing sentence. He disputed allegations that his client was a leading IRA member or a friend of Sinn Fein TDs Mary Lou McDonald and Gerry Adams, stating these claims were not accepted by the defendant. Counsel also noted that Hurley had previous convictions for dishonesty. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy agreed to adjourn the matter to allow the court to take these submissions into account. The report notes that neither defendant has previous convictions, and both expressed apologies for the violence inflicted on the injured party.
Michael Lyons, aged 55, of Currin, Glencolmcille, County Donegal, has had his prison sentence reduced on appeal at the Court of Appeal. Lyons pleaded guilty at Letterkenny Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing serious harm following an incident at Quiggs bar, Carrick, on 12 October 2013. He was originally sentenced to four years imprisonment in June 2016. The Court of Appeal has now reduced his sentence to two years and three months. Mr Justice John Hedigan found that the sentencing judge had erred in law by assessing the offence as falling within the lower end of the middle range but then imposing a sentence equivalent to six years. The court agreed the offence fell within the lower middle range, equivalent to four years. The victim sustained a serious and permanent traumatic brain injury as a result. Mitigating factors included Lyons' guilty plea, remorse, lack of previous convictions, cooperation with gardaí, and his immediate assistance to the injured party.
Darren Murphy, aged 36, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Olivia Dunlea, 36, in Passage West, Cork, on 17 February 2013. He admitted to stabbing her in the back of the neck after a heated argument, but his plea of guilty to manslaughter was not accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Gardaí interviewed him the day after the body was found in her burning home. He claimed he had been drinking with Ms Dunlea at the Rochestown Inn, that a dispute arose when she mentioned another man, and that he "snapped" and stabbed her. He also said he set the house on fire to prevent her children from finding her body. The trial was scheduled to continue before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of seven men and five women.
In the Central Criminal Court, Dr Richard Bunn, a forensic psychiatrist, testified that Eric Locke, 35, had planned the murder of his ex‑girlfriend Sonia Blount, 31, in a Tallaght hotel room on 16 February 2014. Bunn agreed with the State that Locke had engaged in a great degree of planning, that the strangulation was intentional, and that Locke had lied to protect himself. He also noted that Locke's responsibility was diminished by his mental state, citing an adjustment disorder, borderline personality traits, pervasive developmental disorder and ADHD. Locke had been confined in a padded cell wearing a poncho after being moved from solitary to group housing, where he reacted badly to the change. The trial will continue with the jury hearing the prosecution's rebuttal witness tomorrow morning.
In the Central Criminal Court, Darren Murphy, 40, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Olivia Dunlea, 36, but admitted to killing her. The prosecution, represented by senior counsel Thomas Creed, argued that Murphy was Dunlea's boyfriend and that he wanted to be with her "24 hours a day", describing the relationship as suffocating. Ann Power, Dunlea's sister, testified that she felt Murphy wanted her sister all to himself and that he was "besotted" with her. Power recounted a night‑time call from Dunlea that she could not answer, and that Murphy told her the house was on fire and shouted at her to "fuck off". Witnesses described a tense taxi ride from the Rochestown Inn to Dunlea's home, where Murphy appeared upset. Garda John Forde reported that Dunlea's body lay face down in a double bed, with two separate fires at the house that were unrelated.
During a trial in the Central Criminal Court, Darren Murphy, aged 40, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Olivia Dunlea, aged 36, but admitted to killing her. The prosecution, represented by senior counsel Thomas Creed, outlined that on 16 February 2013, Murphy and Dunlea had been drinking at the Rochestown Inn before taking a taxi home. Taxi driver Michael Ahern testified that Murphy entered the cab, appeared upset, and that Dunlea was in a cheerful mood. Ahern described Murphy as "boiling up inside" and noted tension in the vehicle. He also mentioned that Dunlea had spoken about another driver supposedly picking them up. The trial proceeded with a jury of seven men and five women under Judge Patrick McCarthy. The Director of Public Prosecutions had not accepted Murphy's guilty plea to manslaughter.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Darren Murphy, aged 40, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Olivia Dunlea, aged 36, but admitted killing her. The prosecution, represented by senior counsel Thomas Creed, outlined that on 16 February 2013, Murphy and Dunlea had been drinking at the Rochestown Inn, then returned to her home where a fight reportedly occurred. Murphy allegedly left Dunlea at her front door and later returned, claiming he had "snapped." He allegedly grabbed a knife from a bed and stabbed Dunlea multiple times. Firefighters found a body with six stab wounds; the State Pathologist concluded Dunlea died from a neck wound or inhalation of toxic fumes. Murphy's clothing at the scene did not match his statement, and he was arrested on suspicion of murder. The trial continues before a jury of 12.
During a murder trial in Pallasgreen, Co. Limerick, a jury was informed by Judge Patrick McCarthy that they could convict the accused, Ger Hogan (34) and Dylan Hayes (22), of manslaughter if they did not intend to kill or cause serious injury. The defendants had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Shane Murphy, who died with 23 stab wounds, including one that pierced his heart, on 30 April 2015. The prosecution argued that the men acted together with intent to kill or seriously injure. The jury, after more than two hours of deliberation, asked whether a lesser verdict than manslaughter existed and whether the pathologist's report could be examined. The judge clarified that the only available verdicts were murder, manslaughter, or not guilty, and that manslaughter could be applied if the accused intended only to cause injury. The jury paused its deliberations at 4:23 pm and will resume tomorrow morning.
In the Central Criminal Court trial of Eric Locke, Dr Seán Ó Domhnaill, a psychiatrist, confirmed that Locke had used a fake Facebook profile to arrange a meeting with his ex‑girlfriend, Sonia Blount, at the Plaza Hotel in Tallaght. He agreed that Locke sent several messages to Blount asking her to leave a keycard for the room at reception, an action he said was intended to prevent her from seeing through the peephole. Dr Ó Domhnaill testified that this constituted an element of planning. He also diagnosed Locke with Pervasive Developmental Disorder, noting signs of ADHD, autism and Asperger's Syndrome, and argued that Locke's mental state gave him diminished responsibility for the killing. Locke, 35, is charged with Blount's murder, which occurred on 16 February 2014, and has pleaded not guilty. The prosecution's cross‑examination focused on the significance of the keycard messages and the planning they implied.
In a Limerick murder trial, a jury has begun deliberating on the case of Ger Hogan, 34, and Dylan Hayes, 22, who are accused of killing Shane Murphy at a house party on 30 April 2015. The defendants pleaded not guilty. The prosecution alleges they acted together with intent to kill or seriously injure. Justice Patrick McCarthy explained that each accused could be found guilty of murder, guilty of manslaughter, or not guilty. After more than two hours of discussion, the jury of five women and seven men will return with their verdicts this afternoon.
Denis Nolan, a former priest aged 64, was sentenced to eight years in prison for six counts of oral rape, defilement and sexual assault of a boy aged 10‑11 between 2005 and 2006. He had previously been convicted of sexually abusing another child in 2006 and was defrocked. The court found Nolan had groomed the victim by offering garden work and paying him €10‑€15, later increasing the amount after abuse began. He made inappropriate remarks about puberty, encouraged online sexual content, and progressed to fondling, oral rape and assault in his home, the presbytery and a car. The final rape in the presbytery caused injury requiring surgery. The victim, now 24, suffered PTSD, anxiety, depression and ongoing health problems. Nolan will serve his sentence concurrently with a four‑year post‑release supervision order. The case was prosecuted by Conor Devally SC and defended by Conor McKenna BL. The sentence was imposed by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy.
In a Central Criminal Court case, Keith Aherne, aged 23, was found guilty of raping a woman in a Cork city park on 28 June 2013. The victim, who had been drinking with friends, fell asleep and was later held down by Aherne while another man raped her. Aherne denied the charge. The court heard that the other man, aged 22, had pleaded guilty but had died before sentencing. Aherne, who has 41 prior convictions including robbery, assault and drug possession, was remanded in custody and the case was adjourned to 29 May. The victim's impact statement, read by Garda Sergeant Katrine Tansley, described her post‑rape depression, hair‑pulling condition, loss of confidence and the distress caused by Aherne's actions. The court noted that Aherne attempted to comfort the victim after the assault, but the victim remained in tears. The case is set for sentencing later this month.
A 41‑year‑old Cork man was convicted by a jury of 26 counts of sexual assault, two counts of attempted rape and 64 counts of raping his step‑daughter between May 2008 and November 2015. The offences, almost all committed in the family home while the girl was aged nine to fifteen, included forced masturbation, an attempted rape during a holiday and repeated rapes at the house. The abuse ended when the girl left the home after a November 2015 rape, disclosed the events to her aunt, and a semen swab taken from her body tested positive for the man's DNA. The court adjourned finalisation until 29 May to allow the judge to consider an appropriate sentence. The victim's impact statement described the abuse as devastating, profoundly affecting her confidence, self‑esteem and daily life. The defendant denied the allegations and claimed his semen could have come from a bed where he had sex with the victim's mother.
A jury will start deliberating on Tuesday over the murder trial of Ger Hogan, 34, and Dylan Hayes, 22, who are accused of killing Shane Murphy at his girlfriend's home in Pallasgreen, Co. Limerick, on 30 April 2015. The prosecution alleges the two men acted together with intent to kill or seriously injure Mr. Murphy, who died after receiving 23 stab wounds, including one that pierced his heart. Justice Patrick McCarthy explained that the jury must consider each accused separately, with three possible verdicts for each: guilty if intent is proven beyond reasonable doubt; manslaughter if provocation is accepted; or not guilty if intent is not established. He advised the jury to assess provocation based on the individual's personality and circumstances, noting that alcohol is not a defence but may be a factor in state of mind. The judge has finished his charge to the jury.
An 83‑year‑old father from Clare was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of three counts of indecent assault on his son at the family home between 1977 and 1979. The man, whose name is withheld to protect the victim's identity, had previously been convicted of sexual abuse of other family members, including a seven‑year sentence for rape and indecent assault of a niece and a four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for indecent assault of his daughters. In his victim impact statement he accused his father of stealing his childhood, education and life, saying he had never felt truly safe. Justice Deirdre Murphy, after reflecting on the case, imposed consecutive sentences totalling four years, noting that the maximum penalty available at the time of the offences was only two years and was not commensurate with the crime.
In the Central Criminal Court, the trial of 35‑year‑old Eric Locke, charged with the murder of 31‑year‑old Sonia Blount, has revealed that Locke had a history of ADHD, autism and Asperger's Syndrome. He also suffered a birth defect involving his urethra, which had been unsuccessfully corrected surgically and led to scarring. According to psychiatrist Dr Sean O'Domhnaill, Locke's early life was marked by autistic behaviours such as hand‑flapping and high‑pitched shrieks, and he had held more than 20 jobs in a decade, a pattern typical of ADHD. O'Domhnaill also noted that Locke had developed a mistrust of women after being taunted by several females about his birth defect. The prosecution's case was closed, while Locke pleaded not guilty and admitted to strangling Blount after meeting her via a fake Facebook profile at the Plaza Hotel in Tallaght on 16 February 2014.
A jury was sworn in for the trial of Darren Murphy, 40, of Passage West, who is charged with murdering Olivia Dunlea, 36, at her home in Pembroke Crescent, Passage West, on 17 February 2013. Murphy was arraigned at the Central Criminal Court and pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Tom Creed SC, rejected the plea. Judge Patrick McCarthy directed the jury to return to the Central Criminal Court in Dublin for a two‑week trial expected to begin tomorrow.
A Dublin man, Gary Walsh, 32, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of former rugby club captain Cathal Sweeney, who died after a row at a Terenure flat on 8 February 2014. Walsh had previously faced two jury trials that ended in hung juries. At a brief hearing, he pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. He has spent 22 months in custody, is now on bail, and has complied with all bail conditions. The court adjourned sentencing to 3 July to allow Walsh to complete a bus‑driving course and to hear the victim's family statement.
A 70-year-old man has been sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment, with the balance suspended from June, at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for criminal damage. The defendant pleaded guilty to throwing a beer keg through the window of a jewellery store on Grafton Street in July 2015, causing over €8,300 in damage. Judge Melanie Greally noted the case was not routine, given the defendant's extensive custodial history. He had previously been convicted of the capital murder of Garda Henry Byrne near Loughglynn, County Roscommon in 1980 and served over 30 years in prison before his release in 2013 following a Supreme Court judgement on remission. The court heard he has twelve prior convictions and was intoxicated at the time of the offence. His barrister submitted that he had experienced mental health difficulties and expressed remorse, offering to compensate the jeweller from his pension.
In 2013, a 30‑year‑old man raped his former partner in their Cork home. He was found guilty in February 2014 and later jailed for raping another woman. The victim, who remains unnamed, described living in fear for three years after the assault, during which the man tried to regain control without breaching a barring order. She recounted moving to a new apartment, the man working nearby, and repeatedly crossing a bridge at the same time as her for six weeks. He also called Gardaí with false claims, causing alarm at her family home. The victim endured physical injury, emotional trauma, and a sense of imprisonment in her own home. She sought counselling and support after the incident. The court considered whether to impose a consecutive sentence to his existing term, with counsel arguing for or against it based on his prior convictions and background.
Charles Hutchinson, aged 34, was convicted of unlawfully killing Lawrence 'Michael' McGeown, aged 60, after striking him with a single punch to the side of the head on 28 February 2014. The death occurred three days later. Hutchinson was found guilty by a jury at Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court and originally sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended. On appeal, the Court of Appeal held that the inclusion of Hutchinson's 2010 section 3 assault conviction had improperly increased the headline sentence. The appeal judge re‑sentenced him to five years' imprisonment, again with the final year suspended. Hutchinson's prior convictions included assault, public order offences, criminal damage, dangerous driving, unauthorised taking and interference, and he had a history of alcohol addiction and poor employment. The appeal judge noted that the single punch was not of particular force and that the deceased had health issues, but that there was no provocation or justification for the assault. Charles Hutchinson pleaded not guilty.
A pig farmer from County Longford has been imprisoned following the dismissal of his appeal against conviction at the Court of Appeal. Donal Connaughton, aged 58, from Newtowncashel, was found guilty by jury at Longford Circuit Criminal Court in 2013 of false imprisonment, threatening to cause serious harm, assault causing harm, and criminal damage. The offences occurred on 29 April 2010 at his piggery when two repossession employees arrived to recover items on behalf of a finance company. During the incident, Connaughton made aggressive threats towards the men and ordered them to undress and enter a pen with an agitated boar. An audio recording captured by the repossession men corroborated their accounts of the incident. Connaughton was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment by Mr Justice Tony Hunt in November 2013. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, found no grounds to question the safety of the verdict and dismissed the appeal, describing the recorded evidence as crystal clear. Donal Connaughton pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Ger Hogan (34) and Dylan Hayes (22) stabbed Shane Murphy (26) 23 times at his girlfriend's house in Pallasgreen on 30 April 2015. Witnesses, including Sharon Kelly, the deceased's partner, testified that both men attacked Murphy, with Hogan striking him with an ash tray and the pair later stabbing him again while Kelly tried to protect her boyfriend. Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan described 23 stab wounds and numerous bruises, indicating a frenzied assault. Prosecutor Paul Burns argued the evidence proved guilt, while defense counsel for Hayes, Mark Nicholas, claimed he admitted the killing but should be found guilty of manslaughter due to loss of self‑control, citing provocation and Hayes's background. Defense counsel for Hogan, Michael Bowman, challenged the reliability of Kelly's testimony and the scientific evidence linking Hogan to the wounds, urging an acquittal. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin murder trial, 35‑year‑old Eric Locke is charged with killing 31‑year‑old Sonia Blount in a Plaza Hotel room on 16 February 2014. The court heard that Locke had tried to hack Blount's Facebook and email accounts a week before the murder, and that she had described him as a "whack job" to a friend. Locke pleaded not guilty but admitted causing Blount's death, which was found strangled and suffocated. He had threatened suicide when their relationship ended in January 2014 and exchanged messages with Blount about his health. The jury heard that Locke had created a fake identity to meet Blount, arranged a meeting for sex, and that he left the hotel around 5.40 am before her body was discovered. The trial is before Mr Justice Michael Moriarty with a jury of eight men and four women.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 11 May 2017, Jeffrey Crowley, aged 21, pleaded guilty to assaulting prison officer Lorraine McCarthy at Wheatfield prison on 23 February 2014. Crowley threw a battery at the narrow observation window of his cell, smashing the glass and sending shards into McCarthy's eye. The court accepted that he did not intend to harm her, describing the act as reckless. McCarthy suffered no permanent eye injury but reported post‑traumatic stress. Crowley's prior convictions include theft, robbery, criminal damage and drug dealing. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to two and a half years, back‑dating the term to 26 August 2017, the date of his scheduled release after a ten‑month sentence. Twenty‑two months of the term were suspended on the condition that he fully cooperate with prison staff and attend a residential drug programme upon release.
A man convicted of sexually exploiting a child online has had his sentence reduced on appeal at the Court of Appeal. The defendant, aged 23, with an address in County Cork, had pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to five counts of child exploitation occurring in April 2012. He was originally sentenced to seven years imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, in February 2016. Following his appeal, Mr Justice Alan Mahon reduced the sentence to five-and-a-half years, with the final two years suspended. The court heard the defendant was nearly 19 when he engaged in online sexual contact with a 12-year-old victim via video conversation. He accepted continuing contact after learning the victim's true age and requiring her to remove clothing and engage in sexual acts. The judge noted the defendant had previous convictions for sexual assault of an adult woman, describing him as "a significant threat to women" at a young age.
In a 2017 Court of Appeal decision, a 40‑year‑old rapist lost an appeal against his conviction for two rapes, two anal rapes and assault. The Central Criminal Court had sentenced him to 14 years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended. The appeal centred on the defendant's attempt to introduce sexually explicit images from the victim's phone as evidence. The trial judge had ruled the images irrelevant and refused to admit them. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, found no basis for the images to meet the statutory relevance requirement, reaffirming the victim's right to privacy. The court dismissed all grounds of appeal and upheld the conviction and sentence. No further procedural steps were indicated in the article. The unnamed 40-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Irish international footballer Anthony Stokes was found to have not paid the €30,000 "practical expression of remorse" he had pledged to Anthony Bradley, the victim of a head‑butt at Buck Whaleys nightclub in 2013. Stokes, who had pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, received a two‑year suspended sentence in February 2017. The judge, Patricia Ryan, clarified that the payment was not a condition of the sentence and that compensation matters fall under civil courts. The prosecution, represented by Diarmuid Collins, requested the court to revisit the sentence because the payment had not been made. Judge Ryan made no order, noting that the suspended sentence remained in place and that the case could be re‑entered if payment issues arose. The hearing reiterated that Stokes had expressed remorse and that the victim, Anthony Bradley, had suffered significant physical and psychological harm, including extensive dental work and chronic neck pain.
A 49-year-old man from Longford has been sentenced to 13 years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court following his guilty pleas to seven charges of sexual abuse against four of his nieces. The charges included three counts of anal rape and one of sexual assault committed between 2001 and 2010, when the victims were aged seven, nine and 16 years old. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy imposed consecutive sentences and ordered five years post-release supervision. The court heard that the earliest abuse occurred around the time of one victim's First Holy Communion, which the judge described as particularly poignant given its associations with innocence. The judge noted the offences represented a grave breach of trust by the accused as their uncle. Victim impact statements detailed lasting trauma, including panic attacks, sleep disturbance and psychological damage. The defence outlined the accused man's significant cognitive limitations and poor educational background.
In the Limerick murder trial, a jury will hear closing speeches tomorrow after Justice Patrick McCarthy announced a legal matter to be considered overnight. He explained that the evidence phase for Ger Hogan (34) and Dylan Hayes (22) is complete, and the next step is the defence and prosecution to present their closing arguments. The men have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Shane Murphy, who was stabbed 23 times, including a heart wound, at The Grove, Pallasgreen, on 30 April 2015. The trial is held at the Central Criminal Court.
In the Central Criminal Court trial of 35‑year‑old Eric Locke, the jury heard that DNA matching Locke was found under the fingernails of his ex‑girlfriend, Sonia Blount, who was strangled and suffocated in a room at the Plaza Hotel in Tallaght on 16 February 2014. Locke, who pleaded not guilty, is charged with her murder. The prosecution presented evidence that a man matching Locke's description left the scene with facial scrapes and that Locke had sent text messages to Blount after their breakup, pleading for a second chance while she asked to be left alone. Forensic scientist Marce Lee Gorman confirmed a DNA profile matching Blount on Locke's bloodstained jeans and on her fingernails. The trial, which continues on Thursday, remains at the jury stage with eight men and four women.
The murder trial of Ger Hogan and Dylan Hayes, who are accused of killing Shane Murphy at The Grove, Pallasgreen, Co Limerick on April 30, 2015, continues at the Central Criminal Court. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charge. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan testified that Murphy died from a knife wound to the heart during a "violent and frenzied" attack, which also caused 22 other stab wounds and injuries to his lungs, throat, and liver. She noted that 22 wounds were caused by a single-edged knife, while one was likely caused by a knife or screwdriver tip. The court heard that gardai found a blood-stained screwdriver at the scene containing the blood of both the deceased and Hogan. In interviews, Hayes allegedly admitted to stabbing Murphy after a dispute, while Hogan claimed he tried to break up a fight and received a cut on his hand while pulling a knife from someone. The trial is ongoing before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.
The trial of Dylan Hayes and Ger Hogan, who are accused of the murder of Shane Murphy at The Grove, Pallasgreen, Co Limerick, on April 30, 2015, continued at the Central Criminal Court. Both defendants, aged 22 and 34 respectively, have pleaded not guilty to the charge. Detective Garda John O'Connell testified that Mr Hayes was interviewed eight times at Henry Street Garda Station. During the seventh interview, Mr Hayes allegedly stated that he stabbed Mr Murphy in the chest and stomach after a dispute in which Mr Murphy allegedly called him a "junkie" and accused him of "goofing off." Mr Hayes indicated to gardai where he claimed to have stabbed the deceased, stating, "I stabbed him there and there," while later asserting, "I didn't kill him." The court heard these allegations as part of the ongoing proceedings. The matter is currently before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of five women and seven men. The trial continues this afternoon.
The trial of eight men accused of falsely imprisoning TD Joan Burton and her advisor Karen O'Connell on November 15, 2014, continued at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The defendants, including Solidarity TD Paul Murphy, Dublin Councillors Michael Murphy and Kieran Mahon, and Frank Donaghy, Ken Purcell, Michael Banks, and Scott Masterson, have all pleaded not guilty to restricting the women's liberty without consent at Fortunestown Road, Jobstown, Tallaght. Katherine Zappone TD, who was an independent Senator at the time, testified that she felt Ms Burton was in "great danger" during the water charges protest. She described protesters closing in on the Tanaiste and reported the incident to gardaí after seeing the car surrounded and moved. During cross-examination, Ms Zappone acknowledged her opposition to water charges but maintained that the detention was menacing and intimidating. The court heard she did not agree with the violent nature of the protest, despite previous public statements. The trial is ongoing before Judge Melanie Greally and a jury, with no findings, sentences, or finalisations recorded at this stage.
During a Central Criminal Court hearing on 9 May 2017, Dylan Hayes, aged 22, admitted to stabbing Shane Murphy but denied killing him. Hayes, from The Crescent, Kilteragh, Dooradoyle, Co. Limerick, and co‑accused Ger Hogan, 34, of Raheen Square, Ballinacurra Weston, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Murphy at The Grove, Pallasgreen, on 30 April 2015. Hayes first denied any role in the fight that led to Murphy's death, but in a third interview he said, "I stabbed him lads. I'm sorry. Everything I told you is lies." He claimed to have stabbed Murphy three times—twice in the arm and once in the upper leg—before being stopped by Jodie Byrnes. Hayes said Murphy was still alive when he left, that Murphy had hit him back, and that he feared a life sentence for an act he did not commit.
A 22‑year‑old Roma man pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault against a 16‑year‑old girl in Cork. The victim was told to drink alcohol or he would kill her, then he attempted to have sex with her and left her unconscious and undressed on a footpath. He was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, by Judge Gerard O'Brien on 7 July 2016. On appeal the Court of Appeal reduced the jail term by one year, citing the judge's failure to mention the victim's €10,000 compensation payment, a token of the man's remorse. The Court of Appeal left the seven‑year sentence in place but suspended the final two years, and ordered 12 months of post‑release supervision. The man had 29 prior convictions, including theft, burglary and public order offences. The case was heard by Mr Justice George Birmingham, Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Hedigan.
During a 2017 trial, evidence was presented that a violent struggle occurred in a Dublin hotel room where 35‑year‑old Eric Locke allegedly strangled and suffocated 31‑year‑old Sonia Blount. The jury saw CCTV footage of Locke leaving the hotel hours before Blount's body was found on the floor, with an imitation firearm, cable ties, duct tape, and a blood‑stained top stuffed into her mouth. Garda testimony described ligature marks around her neck, a gag that damaged her teeth, and a black duct tape and phone charger near the body. The State Pathologist testified that death was caused by asphyxia from neck compression and suffocation due to the gag, noting bruising and scratches indicating a struggle. Locke pleaded not guilty, and the trial continued with a jury of eight men and four women.
A 58‑year‑old man from Co. Carlow was convicted by a jury of two counts of indecent assault on his nine‑year‑old nephew between October 1985 and March 1986. The nephew, now 40, told the court that the abuse began with inappropriate touching and unwanted kissing when they were alone, and escalated after the uncle appeared to comfort him during his grandmother's illness. The nephew later lived with another relative and did not report the abuse for years. The accused denied the allegations when interviewed by Gardaí. He was acquitted of eight further counts of indecent assault. The court adjourned sentencing to 22 May. The nephew described the abuse as a source of pain that led him to drink, use drugs, and attempt suicide, but he has since sought counselling and is working to heal. The accused, now a grandfather, was described as in relatively poor health and having left school early.
In 2017, a 41‑year‑old Dublin man received a suspended sentence of two years and three months for sexually assaulting his six‑year‑old niece while babysitting her between February and September 1992. He pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault. The court noted that the victim's family had not filed a formal complaint with the Gardaí, instead seeking sex‑offender treatment for the man when he was 16 and counselling for the victim. The niece, who delayed reporting until after her grandmother's death, gave a victim impact statement describing long‑term emotional damage, self‑esteem issues, anorexia and self‑harm. Judge Karen O'Connor commended the niece for coming forward, acknowledged the man's remorse and treatment, and deemed a non‑custodial sentence appropriate given his age at the time of the offence. The case was prosecuted by Garrett McCormack BL, with defence counsel Gerard Charlton BL arguing the offence stemmed from curiosity and the defendant's immaturity.
A 64‑year‑old former priest, who has been defrocked, is set to be sentenced for raping and sexually assaulting a boy he paid to work in his garden in County Wicklow between January 2005 and September 2006. The boy, who was about 13 at the time, was paid €10–€15 for gardening work, a sum that rose after the abuse began. The priest first made inappropriate remarks about the boy's puberty, then fondled him, and later carried out oral rape and sexual assault in the priest's bedroom, a presbytery, and a car. The final rape in a presbytery caused injury that required surgery and left the boy with ongoing health problems. The boy, now 24, has suffered post‑traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and panic, and has expressed feeling "almost impossible" to live. He reports difficulty holding a job, avoiding social events, and feeling he does not fit in. The unnamed 64-year-old was found guilty.
During a Central Criminal Court hearing, forensic scientist Sandra McGrath presented DNA evidence linking the deceased, Shane Murphy, and one of the accused, Ger Hogan, to a screwdriver found at the murder scene. The screwdriver, a standard Phillips head with a black and yellow handle, bore blood stains on its tip, along its length, and on the handle. McGrath's DNA profiles matched both Hogan and Murphy, with a one‑in‑a‑billion chance of the samples originating from an unknown person. Additional blood stains from a serrated steak knife and from Dylan Hayes's coat and trousers also matched Murphy's DNA. CCTV footage showed Hogan visiting a local Centra on the day before the murder, purchasing alcohol, and returning the next day. The trial, with a jury of five women and seven men, continued under Justice Patrick McCarthy. Ger Hogan pleaded not guilty. Dylan Hayes pleaded not guilty.