The jury in the Central Criminal Court case against Vesel Jahiri, aged 35 and originally from Kosovo, will resume deliberations tomorrow after spending four hours and 41 minutes on the verdict. Jahiri has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his former partner, Anna Finnegan, aged 25, who was killed at Allendale Glen, Clonsilla, Dublin 15 on 21 September 2012, and to assaulting Karl Finnegan on the same day. The judge, Mr Justice Paul Coffey, explained the possible verdicts: not guilty of murder if the killing was accidental or justified, guilty of manslaughter if a single knife was used accidentally, or guilty of murder if the stabbing was deliberate. Ms Joan Broe testified that she heard Finnegan screaming and saw Jahiri chase and assault her, then called emergency services.
In the Central Criminal Court trial of John Joseph Malone, a 53‑year‑old from Newpark, Kilkenny, a Garda inspector, Colin Furlong, testified that investigators did not deliberately seek witnesses to implicate Malone in the 1987 murder of 69‑year‑old Ann 'Nancy' Smyth. Furlong said witnesses came forward of their own volition and that the Gardaí's aim was to gather any evidence relating to the crime, not to obtain confessions. He denied that the Gardaí had tried to make a charge stick or that they had coerced witnesses. Furlong acknowledged that some Gardaí had contacted witnesses but maintained that the statements were voluntary. He also confirmed that the Gardaí had investigated Barney Malone, John's brother, and found no evidence linking him to the killing. The prosecution case has now finished, with the trial set to continue tomorrow before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of seven men and five women.
In a murder trial, Judge Paul Coffey instructed the jury to disregard the incident where accused Vesel Jahiri punched prosecuting barrister Patrick Marrinan SC in the face during the closing stages of the hearing. Jahiri, 35, originally from Kosovo, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Anna Finnegan, 25, and to assaulting Karl Finnegan on 21 September 2012 at Allendale Glen, Clonsilla. The judge emphasized that the prosecution's case hinged on Karl Finnegan's testimony and the evidence of security officer Korill Allen, who claimed he was lifting Finnegan when she pointed at Jahiri. Coffey urged the jury to focus on determining who was the aggressor and how many knives were present, noting that the jury must be unanimous on both the murder and assault charges.
Anthony Fitzgerald, a 32‑year‑old former professional boxer from Gloucester Place, Dublin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to bus driver Toufik Slali on North Circular Road on 18 November 2014. The incident began when a Mini pulled out in front of Slali's bus without signalling, forcing the driver to brake hard and honk. Fitzgerald jumped out of the car, shouted that his children were in the vehicle, and then entered the bus. He allegedly head‑butted Slali's nose, causing a fracture that required surgery, and punched him. Fitzgerald denied head‑butting and claimed he struck with an open hand. Judge Melanie Greally, noting his boxing background, imposed a suspended three‑year prison sentence on the condition he keep the peace. He has 31 prior convictions, including assault, criminal damage and firearms offences, and has been disqualified from driving for ten years.
Patrick Connors, 46, was sentenced to two and a half years in jail at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for dangerous driving after a high‑speed chase. He drove over 160 km/h on the wrong side of a busy road, performed a U‑turn at speed, exceeded 100 km/h on a 50 km/h road, ran a red light and collided with a taxi at a junction. Connors pleaded guilty to endangerment creating a substantial risk of death or serious harm to another on Swords Road on 19 September. He also admitted possession of stolen laptops, jewellery, a screwdriver and a "jemmy" bar, which were found in his car when the chase ended. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with the final year suspended, citing the seriousness of the charges and Connors' 89 prior convictions, including dangerous driving, burglary, theft, assault and 56 summary road traffic offences.
During the cold‑case trial of John Joseph Malone, the accused told the Central Criminal Court that he had argued with the widowed pensioner, Ann 'Nancy' Smyth, over a pigeon hours before she was found strangled. Malone, 53, was charged with murdering the 69‑year‑old on 11 September 1987 at her Wolfe Tone Street home in Kilkenny City. He had initially denied approaching Mrs Smyth early that morning, but later interviews admitted he had met her outside her house at about 12.40 a.m., arguing about a pigeon that he claimed was in her loft. He said the dispute lasted about 30 minutes, that he did not touch her, and that he then went home. The trial continues on Monday.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 7 April 2017, Mark Heffernan, a 32‑year‑old Limerick resident, was acquitted of alleged involvement in a 2015 assault that left a 53‑year‑old victim, Dan Quilligan, with a nail embedded in his left foot. Heffernan denied assaulting Quilligan on 14 September 2015 at 6 Larch Court. The court found the evidence insufficient to convict him. The prosecution had presented a tracking device indicating an Audi parked outside the Larch Court house, with Heffernan as the driver, and CCTV footage showing him with Gerard Mackin, a 33‑year‑old Northern Irishman, and Patrick Hayes, a 52‑year‑old Limerick resident, both of whom admitted to the assault. The judge noted that while Heffernan's association with the other men was evident, the indictment was too narrow to secure a conviction. Consequently, the court acquitted Heffernan of all charges.
The coroner investigating Tom O'Gorman's death, who was found to have been eaten by his lodger, has been granted a copy of the trial transcript. In July 2015, a jury acquitted Saverio Bellante of murder by reason of insanity after he killed O'Gorman, 39, in January 2014 at their shared home in Beech Park Avenue, Castlenock, Dublin. Justice Margaret Heneghan approved the request, noting the coroner's promise not to disclose the transcript and her willingness to cover costs. The decision was described as a standalone ruling, not setting a precedent.
Peter Jackson, aged 42, was convicted of murdering David Hamilton, aged 31, during a heroin injection dispute on 4 May 2012. The Central Criminal Court found Jackson guilty and imposed a mandatory life sentence on 23 November 2015. Jackson, a former heroin addict, and Hamilton were both users who had bought two bags of heroin earlier that day. An argument erupted after Jackson struggled to inject Hamilton, leading to a fight that culminated in Jackson striking Hamilton with a knife. Jackson appealed his conviction, arguing a lack of evidence for the mental element of murder and that the judge failed to address rebuttable presumptions. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice Birmingham, rejected the appeal, affirming the conviction and the life sentence. The appeal was dismissed. Peter Jackson pleaded not guilty.
Stephen "Rossi" Walsh, a 69‑year‑old former Belgrave Road resident, was denied an extension of time to appeal his rape and child‑defilement convictions. In February 2010 he received a 10‑year sentence for raping a nine‑year‑old girl. Judge Patrick McCartan added a consecutive three‑year term in November 2010 for indecent assault of a seven‑year‑old girl, and a further consecutive 12‑year term in December 2011 for sexual assault and defilement in 2008 and 2009. Walsh's recent motions to the Court of Appeal were rejected; he may only appeal on his original grounds.
Two Dublin men, Edward McGrath (35) and Sharif Kelly (47), were sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of dissident republican Peter Butterly (35), who was shot dead on 6 March 2013 outside The Huntsman Inn in Gormanston, Co. Meath. The Special Criminal Court described the killing as "premeditated slaughter". McGrath was also convicted of firearms offences related to the same incident and received an additional seven‑year sentence for each offence. Kelly's role involved dropping a co‑accused, David Cullen, outside Gormanston College to dispose of the gun and then driving McGrath and the gunman away. The court noted that neither McGrath nor Kelly had prior convictions and highlighted the shock of their involvement in a planned, callous murder. Mrs. Eithne Butterly, the victim's wife, delivered a victim impact statement describing her husband's love for his children and the lasting pain of his death. Mr. Justice Tony Hunt imposed the life sentences on both men.
In the Central Criminal Court on 7 April 2017, Vesel Jahiri, aged 35, was accused of murdering Anna Finnegan, 25, and assaulting Karl Finnegan on 21 September 2012. He pleaded not guilty to both charges and was representing himself after dismissing his legal team. During the hearing, Jahiri shouted that the judge was refusing to call witnesses and that the trial was not proceeding. He then punched prosecuting barrister Patrick Marrinan in the face, causing blood to appear from Marrinan's nose. Jahiri leapt across the benches and was wrestled to the ground by five prison officers who handcuffed him and removed him from the courtroom. The trial was adjourned for twenty minutes before resuming in the jury's absence, with Judge Paul Coffey proceeding to charge the jury on Monday. The article reports only the chaotic incident and the judge's instructions, without any outcome of the trial.
Jordan McGuinness, aged 19, and Craig Smith, aged 20, together with two other men, attacked two students while attempting to break up a fight between two women in Dublin's city centre on 23 May 2016. McGuinness punched Lee Whelan, knocking him to the ground, and struck Dylan Campbell with a hammer. Smith used an iron bar and a hammer against Campbell. CCTV footage showed the assaults. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced McGuinness to a one‑year prison term, suspended for 18 months, and ordered one year of probation supervision. Smith's sentencing was adjourned to December, with the judge noting his use of a weapon. Both men offered €500 each to the victims as a token of remorse. The court heard that McGuinness and Smith pleaded guilty to violent disorder and that the men had no prior convictions. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Thomas Roberts, 23, of Carrow Road, Drimnagh, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a series of violent offences committed between November 2012 and April 2013. Roberts pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm, two counts of robbery, one count of attempted robbery, and one count of possessing cannabis. Judge Karen O'Connor imposed a total of six years in consecutive sentences. She suspended the final three years on strict conditions and backdated the sentence to February, when Roberts entered custody on these bills. The court heard that Roberts, who was 19 at the time of the offences, was involved in attacks on two Italian men, Francisco Brescia and Andrea Pelle, as well as the robbery of a woman. Prosecution evidence detailed that Roberts smashed a glass bottle over Mr. Brescia's head during an attack on O'Connell Street, while he placed Mr. Pelle in a headlock on Westmoreland Street. Victim impact statements highlighted the lasting trauma, with one victim stating he no longer felt safe in Ireland and another leaving the country. Defence counsel Fiona Murphy, BL, noted Roberts' remorse, his history of homelessness, and his dysfunctional childhood. The court also noted Roberts had 20 previous convictions and was on bail during some of the offences. The matter was finalised with the imposition of the custodial sentence.
Robert Jones, 27, of Glenview Park, Tallaght, was convicted in 2016 of assault causing harm to medical student Brian Murphy after striking him with a pint glass at Palace Nightclub on 20 July 2014. The original 18‑month sentence was wholly suspended. In 2017 the Court of Appeal reviewed the sentence, finding it unduly lenient, but did not impose jail time because the review was delayed and Jones had no prior convictions, was employed, married and had a child. The judge noted that the glass hit Murphy's left eye, causing permanent blindness, scarring and psychological trauma, and that Murphy had resumed medical studies. Jones admitted the assault, expressed remorse and claimed he was unaware he was holding a glass. The appeal was dismissed, leaving the suspended sentence in place. Robert Jones pleaded guilty.
During a cold‑case murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, an 81‑year‑old woman named Eileen Kelly testified that the accused, John Joseph Malone, had confessed to her that he had killed a widowed pensioner, Ann 'Nancy' Smyth, in 1987. Kelly, who lived near Smyth, said she had known Malone and that he had called into her home a few months after the murder. According to Kelly, Malone told her that the killing was an accident and that he had gone to Smyth's house over a pigeon or pigeon trophy that her husband had won. She recounted that Malone had claimed he had shoved Smyth into a door and strangled her before setting fire to her house. Malone, 53, pleaded not guilty. The trial is ongoing.
In a murder trial, Vesel Jahiri, 35, denies stabbing his former partner Anna Finnegan, 25, at Allendale Glen, Clonsilla, Dublin 15 on 21 September 2012. He claims Anna was stabbed by her brother Karl Finnegan, whom he says attacked him with a chair and knives. Jahiri says he struck back, stabbing Karl multiple times, but did not see Anna stabbed. Prosecutor Patrick Marrinan accuses Jahiri of fabricating a story and spreading "fake news," citing a 999 call where Jahiri allegedly mentioned only one knife. Jahiri disputes the call's transcript, claims he was forced out of his cell, and alleges Gardaí fabricated evidence and forced witnesses to lie. He also denies any safety plan involving Karl. The judge, Justice Paul Coffey, rebuked Jahiri's statements and instructed him to answer questions, with the jury scheduled to return the next day. Vesel Jahiri pleaded not guilty.
Craig Maloney, aged 21, and an accomplice stole bikes from two barmen at the George Bernard Shaw pub in Dublin. When confronted, Maloney kicked one barman in the eye and fled back to the bar, where they smashed glass bottles and he attacked a barman with a barstool. He pleaded guilty to theft and assault causing harm to Kevin Mangan in 2011. The court noted his prior convictions for minor offences, his epilepsy‑related withdrawal from football, and his involvement in drug and alcohol problems. Maloney also pleaded guilty to a robbery at Spar on Clogher Road, where he and an accomplice stole €358 and were confronted by Gardaí who used pepper spray. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to 18 months for the assault and 2½ years for the robbery, suspending both terms on the condition that he remain out of trouble and maintain good behaviour. She highlighted his charity work and cooperation with probation services.
A 17‑year‑old was sentenced to five years' detention, three of which were suspended, after a drunken rampage on 10 July 2016 in Dublin. He had consumed half a litre of vodka at home and spent €90 on vodka and mixers at a local pub. CCTV showed him assaulting three women who had returned from a Beyoncé concert, pushing one to the ground, kicking her, and throwing another to the pavement. He also smashed a chipper's glass window and door and damaged a nearby car's windscreen. The boy pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to four people and criminal damage. The judge described the incident as "terror and violence" and ordered him to engage fully with Probation Services to address his anger and alcohol issues. The women reported acute psychological distress. The boy's family were described as well regarded in the area. The judge noted that the boy's problems were partly due to alcohol and an overburdened mother.
The Court of Appeal has reserved judgement on the appeals of Wayne Dundon (39) and Nathan Killeen (27) against their convictions for the murder of businessman Roy Collins (35) in Limerick. The Special Criminal Court had found Dundon had ordered the killing from prison and Killeen was the getaway driver for gunman James Dillon, giving both mandatory life sentences. Dundon's counsel, Remy Farrell SC, argued the trial court failed to analyse controversies, inconsistencies in witness accounts and factual issues. Killeen's counsel, Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha, sought quashing on grounds of fairness, gunshot residue evidence, a general warrant, and the reliability of Lisa Collins' testimony. The Court of Appeal, with Justices Birmingham, Mahon and Edwards, noted the many issues raised and will reserve judgement. The case remains at the appeal stage. Wayne Dundon pleaded not guilty. Nathan Killeen pleaded not guilty.
During his trial, Vesel Jahiri, aged 35 and originally from Kosovo, denied murdering his former partner Anna Finnegan, aged 25, who was killed on 21 September 2012 at Allendale Glen, Clonsilla, Dublin 15. He also denied assaulting Karl Finnegan on the same day. Jahiri claimed that a letter found in Anna's handbag, which the Gardaí said described her being threatened and beaten, was fabricated and that the evidence had been tampered with. He described his relationship with Anna as having normal arguments but no violence, and said her family had forced her to seek refuge. Jahiri alleged mistreatment while in custody, including being denied breakfast and proper medication for a toothache. The prosecution's cross‑examination focused on his absence at the end of his first trial, his alleged threats to shoot Anna and her sister, and whether witnesses had lied. The cross‑examination will continue tomorrow before Justice Paul Coffey and a jury of eight men and two women. Vesel Jahiri pleaded not guilty.
The article reports that Nathan Killeen, the getaway driver in the 2009 murder of businessman Roy Collins, has filed an appeal against his conviction. Killeen, aged 27, was found guilty by a Special Criminal Court after a 29‑day trial, alongside co‑accused Wayne Dundon, who was 39. The court had given both men mandatory life sentences. Killeen's barrister, Giollaiosa O Lideadhda SC, argues that the trial judge failed to provide reasons, to analyse forensic evidence, and to address collusion issues, particularly concerning witness Lisa Collins. He also contends that the court did not adequately assess the reliability of prosecution witnesses or the disclosure of evidence. The appeal will be heard by a panel of judges, including Justice George Birmingham, Justice Alan Mahon and Justice John Edwards, on the following day. The article focuses solely on the appeal filing and the arguments presented by Killeen's counsel. Nathan Killeen pleaded not guilty. Wayne Dundon pleaded not guilty.
During his Central Criminal Court trial, Vesel Jahiri, aged 35, denied murdering his former partner Anna Finnegan, 25, and assaulting Karl Finnegan on 21 September 2012. He claimed that Gardaí had instructed witnesses to lie and had withheld CCTV and forensic evidence supporting his account. Jahiri recounted that he had spoken to Finnegan by phone earlier that day, then entered her home where Karl shouted. He said he was struck by a chair, then a struggle ensued involving knives. Jahiri alleged that he stabbed Finnegan twice or three times after being cut, but stopped when he saw blood. He then drove Finnegan to hospital, where she later died. Jahiri also complained of inadequate medical treatment while in custody at Midlands Prison. The jury was reduced to six men and four women after one juror was discharged. Vesel Jahiri pleaded not guilty.
Jim Smyth, a 43-year-old man from County Monaghan, is scheduled to face trial at the Special Criminal Court on May 15th. He is charged with membership of an unlawful organization, styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA, on November 25th, 2015. The allegations stem from his arrest in Carrickmacross by the Special Detective Unit in November 2015, which was part of ongoing investigations into dissident republican activity. During these operations, gardai discovered a cache of firearms, including AK47 assault rifles, mortars, detonators, and other IED components. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding at the three-judge court, fixed the trial date, which is expected to last two weeks. The matter was not concluded; instead, Mr Smyth was remanded on continuing bail until the start of his trial. No plea, finding, or sentence has been recorded at this procedural stage, as the case remains at the pre-trial phase with the trial date set for next month.
A 26-year-old man from Roscommon has pleaded guilty to his role in a violent robbery on Arran Quay in Dublin in June 2014. Patrick Conroy, with 156 previous convictions, was one of four men who approached a pedestrian and subjected him to robbery whilst using a growling Alsatian dog to intimidate the victim. The victim was threatened with physical violence, including being kneed and choked, before being robbed of his mobile phone, wallet and house keys. He sustained injuries to his lower back, neck and throat, and subsequently suffered psychological effects from the incident. CCTV footage placed Conroy in the vicinity at the time. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Conroy had been released on bail only days before the robbery occurred. Judge Pauline Codd remanded him on continuing bail pending a probation report and consideration of his admission to a residential drug treatment centre. Sentencing is scheduled for May 8th.
During the Central Criminal Court hearing on 4 April 2017, Ann Walsh, former sister‑in‑law of John Joseph Malone, testified that she had reported Malone's alleged confession to Gardaí about twenty years earlier. Walsh, who had been married to Malone's brother Bernard, said she had heard Malone admit to killing 69‑year‑old Ann 'Nancy' Smyth on three separate occasions. The first confession was in a pub in 1991, where Malone allegedly said he had killed Smyth; Walsh's husband told him to leave. The second confession occurred in 1996 while Malone was walking Walsh home from a pub; he threatened to burn her house and harm her children, and Walsh reported this to Sergeant Eddie Geraghty. Walsh confirmed she had told the Sergeant everything Malone said that night. The court also heard statements from two lodgers who had stayed with Smyth in 1987, but the focus of the testimony was Walsh's reports of Malone's confessions and threats. John Joseph Malone pleaded not guilty.
An Egyptian man, Mohamed Ahmed, aged 31, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one year in prison for sexually assaulting a young woman in her Dublin home on 19 September 2016. Ahmed had been living in Ireland illegally since 2014. He pleaded guilty after the victim, who asked to remain unnamed, described how he pinned her to the ground, removed his trousers, and digitally penetrated her. The victim had been receiving counselling since the incident and could not walk home alone at night. The court noted the distress caused by the assault and Ahmed's lack of prior convictions. He was sentenced to 18 months with the final six months suspended and was required to register as a sex offender. The sentence was imposed by Judge Melanie Greally.
Frederick "Freddie" Thompson, aged 36, will be tried at the Special Criminal Court for the alleged murder of David Douglas, aged 55, who was shot dead on 1 July last year. Thompson was charged at Cloverhill District Court and is currently in custody. The Director of Public Prosecutions has applied for a non‑jury trial, arguing that ordinary courts are inadequate for effective administration of justice. The order was made by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, with Judges John O'Hagan and Ann Ryan presiding.
During the Central Criminal Court hearing on 3 April 2017, the former sister‑in‑law of John Joseph Malone, a 53‑year‑old man charged with the 1987 murder of 69‑year‑old Ann 'Nancy' Smyth, testified that Malone had confessed to her that he had killed Smyth. Ms. Malone, who had been married to Malone's brother Bernard 'Barney' Malone, recounted that she and Barney had been walking home from Pat Carroll's pub when Malone allegedly threatened to kill her and burn her house, mirroring the earlier murder. She said he repeated the confession at her home in Newpark Close and claimed he had "gotten away with it." The prosecution asked her to detail what he had said, and she confirmed the confession. The defence will cross‑examine her tomorrow, while her ex‑husband was cross‑examined today, confirming that his brother had made a similar confession to him. The trial proceeds before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury. John Joseph Malone pleaded not guilty.
A military court heard on 3 April 2017 that Sergeant Martin Dougan was accused of assaulting Corporal Niall McShane on 9 March 2014 while both were serving with the Irish Defence Forces in Lebanon. The alleged assault involved Dougan striking McShane on the face. Dougan is also alleged to have been under the influence of an intoxicant on that day. Dougan pleaded not guilty. McShane recounted that the incident occurred after a night out in Naqoura where he and colleagues had been granted overnight leave. He described a confrontation with Dougan that escalated to an arm‑wrestling contest, after which Dougan allegedly struck him in the left eye. McShane was taken to an ambulance and later treated in hospitals in Naqoura and Beirut. Sergeant Bernard O'Reilly also gave evidence, describing McShane's condition upon arrival. The court martial is being heard before a board of officers and is scheduled to last all week.
Wayne Dundon, aged 39, has lodged an appeal against his conviction for the murder of businessman Roy Collins, 35, who was shot at Coin Castle Amusements, Roxboro, on 9 April 2009. Dundon, a Limerick criminal, pleaded not guilty at the Special Criminal Court, which found him had ordered the murder from prison and that Nathan Killeen, 27, was the getaway driver for gunman James Dillon. The court, presided over by Ms Justice Iseult O'Malley, delivered a verdict after a 29‑day trial, sentencing Dundon and Killeen to mandatory life imprisonment. Dundon's barrister, Remy Farrell SC, argues the court failed to address controversies, inconsistencies in witness accounts, and specific factual issues, particularly the testimony of 'Noddy' McCarthy and other witnesses. He contends the court's reliance on uncorroborated testimony and its treatment of prosecution witnesses as non‑accomplices were defective, and he seeks a quashing of the conviction. The appeal will be heard by the Court of Appeal tomorrow.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the 35‑year‑old Vesel Jahiri, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his former partner Anna Finnegan (aged 25) and the assault of her brother Karl, was found to have recorded a conversation with social worker Karen Byrne on the day of the alleged attack. The prosecution presented a transcript of the audio, noting that Jahiri had a recording device in his pocket and had captured the entire meeting, yet Byrne claimed the tape was doctored and omitted her statement that Jahiri had threatened to kill Finnegan. Byrne had been present at a meeting with Finnegan and Jahiri on 21 September 2012, after a referral from the Bray Women's Refuge, and had made a statement to the Gardaí attributing certain comments to Jahiri. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Coffey, continues with a jury of nine men and two women.
A 39‑year‑old Meath man was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for raping and sexually assaulting his fiancée's three daughters, aged 15 to 17, in their home in 2009 and 2010. The jury found him guilty of one count of rape and twelve counts of sexual assault. He denies the verdict. The judge noted the victims, now in their early twenties, suffered severe psychological harm and praised their resilience. The man, who had no prior convictions, acted as a stepfather during the abuse. The mother, who stood by him, destroyed evidence and later withdrew a police report after the man claimed a daughter had touched him first. The children were removed from the home, and the man was forced to leave. The case highlighted the lasting impact on the victims, including depression, addiction, anxiety, and self‑harm attempts.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 3 April 2017, Daniel McAnaspie's sister Nikita McAnaspie spoke on behalf of the family, expressing that the murder of their 17‑year‑old son had left their lives meaningless and that they wished the killers "rot in hell." The court had earlier convicted Richard Dekker (30) of murder and Trevor Noone (28) of manslaughter in Daniel's death. Dekker was sentenced to life imprisonment, the mandatory term for murder, with credit for time already served. Noone's guilty plea was noted, and the judge adjourned his sentencing to 24 April, allowing for consideration of his remorse. The hearing highlighted the family's grief, the brutal nature of the crime, and the defendants' prior convictions, but did not disclose any further procedural developments beyond the sentencing decisions.
The Special Criminal Court is scheduled to deliver a verdict this Friday in the trial of Mark Heffernan, a Limerick man accused of involvement in a serious assault. Heffernan (32), of Swallow Drive, John Carey Park, Limerick, pleaded not guilty to the charge of assaulting Dan Quilligan, causing him harm at Larch Court on September 14, 2015. During the trial, the court heard evidence that Quilligan was beaten and his left foot was nailed to the kitchen floor with a nail gun. Prosecution counsel Tara Burns SC argued that the evidence, including a tracking device on a hired white Audi and CCTV footage, established that Heffernan was the driver of the vehicle and part of a planned assault. She noted that the Audi was parked outside the house at the time of the alleged incident and later visited the home of co-accused Gerard Mackin. Mackin (33) and Patrick Hayes (52), both of Limerick, previously admitted to the assault and were each jailed for three years. Defence counsel Ronan Munro SC contended there were significant inconsistencies in the prosecution timeline, specifically regarding the arrival of the Audi relative to eyewitness accounts of men in white suits. The case is being heard by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, sitting with Judge John O'Hagan and Judge Ann Ryan, who will deliver the verdict on Friday.
Marta Herda, a 29‑year‑old woman from Arklow, drove a 31‑year‑old Hungarian man, Csaba Orsos, into a deep harbour where he drowned. The incident occurred on 26 March 2013 when Herda drove her Volkswagen Passat through the crash barriers at South Quay, Arklow, before 6 a.m. The Polish waitress, who was with Orsos, escaped through the driver's window, but Orsos's body was found on a nearby beach later that day. A post‑mortem found he died from drowning, not from injuries related to the crash. Herda pleaded not guilty, but a jury at the Central Criminal Court found her guilty of murder and she received a mandatory life sentence on 28 July 2016. She has lodged an appeal and a hearing is scheduled for 18–19 July 2024, with the expectation that the appeal will take two days of hearing. The case management hearing was held without Herda present.
Peter Jackson, aged 42, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of David Hamilton, aged 31, during a drug‑related dispute on 4 May 2012 at a house on Kerryhall Road, Fairhill, Co. Cork. The Central Criminal Court found Jackson guilty after a jury trial, and Justice Isobel Kennedy imposed the mandatory life sentence on 23 November 2015. The case involved both men being heroin users who had purchased two bags of heroin earlier that day, each worth €50, and had attempted to inject themselves. Pamela McHale, a 26‑year‑old friend of Jackson, testified that an argument erupted when Jackson struggled to find a vein for Hamilton, leading to a physical altercation in which Jackson struck Hamilton with an object from the table. Jackson has now lodged an appeal against his conviction, represented by barristers Dominic McGinn SC and James Burke BL, with the Court of Appeal reserving judgment. Peter Jackson pleaded not guilty.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 31 March 2017, the charge of false imprisonment against Mark Heffernan, aged 32, was dismissed. Heffernan had been accused of participating in a nail‑gun assault on Dan Quilligan, a 53‑year‑old resident of Rathkeale, who was beaten and had a nail driven into his left foot in a Limerick house. Heffernan denied imprisoning Quilligan at 6 Larch Court on 14 September 2015 and pleaded not guilty to the assault. Judge Tony Hunt ruled that any evidence of false imprisonment was integral to the assault and should be dealt with under the assault charge. He also excluded part of protected witness Tom Lillis's testimony, stating it did not meet the standard for a jury conviction. The case will resume on Monday with Judges John O'Hagan and Ann Ryan present.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Judge Paul Coffey reluctantly excluded 35‑year‑old Vesel Jahiri from his own trial after he chose to represent himself. Jahiri, originally from Kosovo, had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Anna Finnegan, 25, and to assaulting Karl Finnegan on 21 September 2012 at Allendale Glen, Clonsilla. During the trial, Jahiri was accused of abusing his position while cross‑examining witnesses and of "throwing out allegations like confetti." Prosecution counsel called Garda Patricia Davey, who presented CCTV footage from the James Connolly Memorial Hospital Accident and Emergency Department. The footage showed Jahiri arriving in a white car, driving to the hospital, and moving a person from the car to the ground. The judge explained that while a defendant has a right to be present, it is not absolute and must comply with procedure. Consequently, the jury was asked to leave, and the trial will proceed without Jahiri's presence.
Wayne Dundon, 39, of Limerick, failed to secure a different panel of judges for his appeal against a murder conviction. Dundon and Nathan Killeen, 27, were found guilty of the 2009 murder of Roy Collins, a 35‑year‑old businessman, at Coin Castle Amusements. The Special Criminal Court held that Dundon ordered the killing from prison and Killeen acted as getaway driver for gunman James Dillon. Both men received mandatory life sentences on 15 July 2014. Dundon's lawyers applied to the Court of Appeal for a new court composition, citing alleged overlap of factual matters with a prior threats‑to‑kill case involving the Collins family. Justice George Birmingham dismissed the application, stating no objective basis existed for recusal and that the Court of Appeal must hear the case as assigned. Dundon and Killeen remain scheduled to appeal their convictions on Monday. Wayne Dundon pleaded not guilty. Nathan Killeen pleaded not guilty.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has raised concerns that the constitutional process of trial by jury may be interfered with in the upcoming trial of water charge protesters. Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy (33), Dublin Councillor Kieran Mahon (39), Anti Austerity Alliance Councillor Michael Murphy (53), and four other men are due to stand trial next month on charges related to the alleged false imprisonment of then Tánaiste Joan Burton three years ago. The trial was discussed in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Sean Gillane SC, prosecuting, highlighted concerns regarding literature and a campaign surrounding the trial, which could potentially interfere with the jury process. The court heard that an event being billed as a national event was to be held in the capital this weekend, with activists and journalists expected to attend. Various lawyers for the defendants requested clarification from the DPP regarding any orders sought from the court. The matter was listed for further hearing tomorrow afternoon. The accused include Frank Donaghy (71), Ken Purcell (50), Michael Banks (46), and Scott Masterson (34), each facing charges arising from a water protest in Jobstown on November 15th, 2014. A second trial of six people accused of false imprisonment is scheduled for October 2, 2017, with a pre-trial date set for June 8, 2017. The final trial of five people accused of violent disorder is set for April 9, 2018, with a pre-trial date set for December 13, 2017.
In 2017 the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced a 39‑year‑old father to a one‑year term that was fully suspended after he pleaded guilty to wilful assault of his two‑year‑old son in 2013 and to two further assault counts in 2014. The father, who had no prior convictions, had been the child's main carer and had undergone anger‑management and psychological therapy. Playgroup staff had reported the boy's aggressive behaviour and bruising to social services, who had been working with the family and had provided therapeutic services for the child, who is autistic. The father admitted biting the child to demonstrate pain and had struck him and swung him by the arm in a later incident. The judge praised the staff for their handling of the matter, noted the father was "at the end of his tether", and imposed the suspended sentence on the basis of good behaviour.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Vesel Jahiri, 35, representing himself, faces charges of murdering his former partner Anna Finnegan, 25, and assaulting her brother Karl on 21 September 2012. The judge, Mr Justice Paul Coffey, criticised Jahiri for making unfounded accusations against witnesses, describing his remarks as "throwing out allegations like confetti." During cross‑examination, Jahiri questioned Sergeant Patrick Traynor about wiping fingerprints from a blood‑stained knife and alleged that the knife bore Finnegan's blood, claims the sergeant denied. He also asked Detective Garda Tom Cooney about criminal records, to which Cooney replied no. Jahiri further accused the witness of IRA membership. The judge deemed these questions irrelevant and terminated the cross‑examination of Detective Garda Bernard Connaughton. Jahiri has stated he will seek a solicitor, but the judge said it was too late to change his unrepresented status. Vesel Jahiri pleaded not guilty.
Michael Lynch, aged 25, was found guilty of assault causing harm to his pregnant girlfriend Tara Byrd, aged 25, after pouring boiling sugar‑water over her left leg on 27 July 2015. The assault resulted in third‑degree burns, a ten‑day hospital stay and skin graft surgery, leaving severe scarring. Lynch had previously pleaded not guilty and was sentenced to two‑and‑a‑half years by Judge David Riordan on 7 June 2016. He lost an appeal against the conviction, but the Director of Public Prosecutions successfully appealed the sentence, arguing it was unduly lenient. In the Court of Appeal, Justice Alan Mahon increased the sentence to five years, suspending the final twelve months on the condition of a good‑behaviour bond. The court noted the pre‑meditated, callous nature of the assault and the added gravity of sugar in the boiling water. The decision was made by Justices Mahon, Birmingham and Edwards.
The Central Criminal Court heard testimony from Bernard 'Barney' Malone in the ongoing trial of John Joseph Malone, who is accused of murdering 69-year-old Ann 'Nancy' Smyth on 11th September 1987 at her home on Wolfe Tone Street in Kilkenny. The accused, a 53-year-old man from Newpark, has pleaded not guilty to the charge of murdering the widowed pensioner, who was allegedly strangled before her house was set on fire. Barney Malone testified that his brother confessed to the killing approximately ten years ago, claiming it was motivated by a pigeon trophy. The witness stated that the accused later returned to his home and stabbed him, an incident for which the accused received a suspended sentence after Barney Malone requested leniency. The witness disclosed this confession to a garda superintendent for the first time during that legal process. In cross-examination, the accused agreed that he had previously served two sentences for separate rapes in Kilkenny. The trial is currently at the sentence stage regarding the witness's prior conviction, while the murder trial continues before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury. Cross-examination of the witness is scheduled to continue on Monday.
Anna Finnegan sent text messages to her former partner, Vesel Jahiri, who is accused of murdering her, saying she did not want to see him again and wanted to feel "safe without some animal beating and bullying" her. The Central Criminal Court jury heard that the texts were sent between 8 and 14 September 2012, with Finnegan describing Jahiri as a "control freak" and a "fucking drug dealer" and stating she had "had enough" and would change her number and the locks on their home. Jahiri denied sending the texts and claimed they were from Finnegan's sister and cousin. The jury also heard that a letter written by Finnegan, found in a handbag in the kitchen of Allendale Glen, alleged that Jahiri had beaten her and almost killed her. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Coffey and a jury of nine men and two women. Anna Finnegan pleaded not guilty.
In the Special Criminal Court, Mark Heffernan (32) faced charges of assault and false imprisonment of Dan Quilligan on 14 September 2015. Heffernan pleaded not guilty. His counsel, Ronan Prendergast BL, argued that the prosecution's case was weakened by a lack of evidence linking Heffernan to the assault. He cited Quilligan's testimony that a man in the house warned "Leave the man alone, you're going to kill him," and claimed no evidence proved Heffernan was that man. Prendergast also urged the court to consider Tom Lillis's testimony that he saw Heffernan in the house that day, questioning its admissibility. The court adjourned the hearing to Friday for a decision on these legal submissions. The trial remains at the joint enterprise stage, with no verdict yet reached.
John Connors, 36, of Dundrum, pleaded guilty to theft of €2,250 from an 82‑year‑old woman with early dementia in Carpenterstown on 19 February 2016. He had previously been convicted of assault and public order. Connors claimed to have performed roofing, patio and hedge work, but evidence showed only about ten minutes of roof work and no other repairs. He had cashed the cheque in his own account and was arrested in May. Connors repaid the victim in full. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, suspended in full on strict conditions, citing his remorse, repayment and lack of serious prior convictions. The court noted his role as sole breadwinner for a family of six, with his wife unable to work due to health issues. The case was prosecuted by Anne‑Marie Lawlor BL and defended by Kitty Perle BL.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, evangelist Billy Patterson testified that he had known John Joseph Malone, a 53‑year‑old accused of murdering 69‑year‑old Ann 'Nancy' Smyth in 1987, for over 25 years. Patterson, who worked as an evangelist for Kilkenny's Presbyterian Church, said he had run bible studies in private homes that Malone sometimes attended. After the killing, Patterson invited Malone for a conversation in his van, during which Malone allegedly confessed to the murder. Patterson claimed he advised Malone to contact the Gardai, but he later said he had not reported the confession immediately because he felt loyalty to Malone and feared betraying him. Patterson admitted that he had made statements to the Gardai in 2012 and 2012‑13, but he had omitted details of the confession in those statements. The court was informed that Malone had also confessed to two teenagers during a church trip to Tramore in the late 1980s. The trial continues. John Joseph Malone pleaded not guilty.
Patrick Joyce, a 23‑year‑old from Greenpark Meadows, Mullingar, was charged with violent disorder and assault against Michael and Annemarie Nevin on 13 October 2016. The High Court heard his bail application on 29 March 2017. The State objected to bail under Section 2 of the Bail Act, which allows refusal if the court believes the person may commit a serious offence while on bail. Garda Bobby Feery, representing the State, agreed with the objection. During cross‑examination, Joyce's counsel suggested that offering an alternative address might reduce concerns. Judge Tony Hunt noted that the evidence might be "a bit short of it" for a serious offence. Consequently, the court granted bail on Joyce's own bond of €300 and an independent surety of €4,000, with €2,000 to be lodged in court.