In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 25‑year‑old Roberts Augstkalms pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after a drunken altercation with a taxi driver over a €6.40 fare. Augstkalms, who had been waiting for a Hailo fare that failed to materialise, refused to pay and verbally abused the driver, calling him a "robber." He then left the vehicle, pulled the driver out, and punched him in the face, breaking the driver's nose and cutting his eye. The driver was frightened and screamed, and bystanders intervened. Augstkalms later admitted to the assault and expressed remorse, paying €2,000 as a token of apology. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted his cooperation with the Probation Service and lack of prior convictions, and ordered 240 hours of community service within 12 months in lieu of a one‑year jail sentence.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, forensic evidence was presented that strongly supports the view that Dean Evans, a 24‑year‑old Dublin man, was the gunman who shot Peter Butterly, a 35‑year‑old dissident republican, outside The Huntsman Inn in Gormanston on 6 March 2013. Dr John O'Shaughnessy, a forensic scientist, examined a grey knitted sweater seized from Evans and found firearm discharge residue on the cuffs and sleeves, indicating that Evans had fired a weapon. Residue was also found on a jacket taken from co‑accused Edward McGrath, suggesting that the jacket wearer was near the discharge. Evans has not appeared for trial and remains unlocated. The court is proceeding with the trial of co‑accused Edward McGrath (35) and Sharif Kelly (47), both of whom pleaded not guilty to the murder and, in McGrath's case, to firearms offences. The hearing was presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges John O'Hagan and Ann Ryan.
In the Central Criminal Court, Tina Roche, the ex‑girlfriend of Thomas O'Connor, testified about the night of John O'Brien's murder. Roche said O'Connor, who was 29, called her shortly before midnight on 4 June 2010 and arrived a few minutes later, looking worried and panting. He sat on her sofa with his hands clenched and covered in dry blood. Roche asked what had happened; he claimed he had been attacked and that the blood was from a cut he did not see. He asked for a cloth, a pot scourer, bleach and firelighters, which Roche gave him. She remembered placing the firelighters on his jumper and asking their purpose, to which he replied "Obviously." The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan, continues with a jury of twelve. Thomas O'Connor pleaded not guilty.
A 28‑year‑old man from Blanchardstown pleaded guilty to manslaughter for the 2010 killing of 17‑year‑old Daniel McAnaspie at Tolka Valley Park. At the Central Criminal Court, his defence counsel said the client wished to make a fresh plea before the jury. When asked, Noone answered "not guilty to murder, guilty to manslaughter." The State accepted the plea as an unequivocal acceptance of responsibility, and Justice Patrick McCarthy granted bail until 1 March to allow him to get his affairs in order.
During an eight‑day trial at the Central Criminal Court, a jury of twelve found Monika Matracka, aged 35, not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter by a majority verdict of 11‑to‑1. The case concerned the death of Michal Rejmer, aged 38, who disappeared on 30 December 2015 and was found dead on 8 January 2016. Evidence presented that Rejmer had lent Matracka money in 2009 and demanded repayment on 30 December, threatening her life. Matracka claimed she stabbed Rejmer in self‑defence, stating "I killed Michal." The body remained in their shared house for at least three days before she moved it to the back garden, wrapped in plastic. The jury heard forensic pathology indicating death from bleeding due to stab wounds to the arms. Mr Justice Paul Butler remanded Matracka in custody until the case was mentioned on 6 March. The trial concluded with no victim impact statement.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Thomas O'Connor, 29, admitted on the first day of proceedings that he killed his best friend, 22‑year‑old John O'Brien, with a rock more than four years earlier. O'Connor pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for an incident at Farrankelly Road, Delgany. The State's case, presented by Denis Vaughan Buckley SC, described the night of 4 June 2010: the pair were drinking in a supermarket carpark, had a quarrel, and O'Brien was struck repeatedly on the head by O'Connor. Witnesses, including a former girlfriend, were expected to testify about O'Connor's blood‑stained hands and claims of being attacked. The trial proceeded before Justice Margaret Heneghan and a jury of twelve. The article reports only the admission and the procedural details of the hearing.
A man convicted of robbing a 90-year-old pensioner in Castlerea, Co Roscommon has had his prison sentence upheld by the Court of Appeal. Mark Sweeney, aged 33, of Cloonkeen, Castlerea, pleaded guilty at Roscommon Circuit Criminal Court to robbery at The Demesne on 24 August 2015. He received eight years imprisonment with the final two-and-a-half years suspended by Judge Keenan Johnson in June 2016. The Court of Appeal dismissed Sweeney's appeal against sentence today, with the three-judge court finding the sentence appropriate and proportionate. Mr Justice John Edwards outlined that the victim, then aged 90, was approached in the town park where Sweeney demanded money, then assaulted him with an umbrella after seizing it, stealing €450. The victim sustained a fractured lumbar vertebra and ongoing pain. The incident prompted an angry public demonstration in Castlerea. Sweeney admitted the offence immediately. The court noted he has mental health difficulties and a prior manslaughter conviction.
Paul Moore, 51, who has received six jail sentences for rape and sexual assault over the last 25 years, will remain on bail pending sentencing for sexually assaulting an au pair on the southside DART on 28 August 2014. Gardaí examined CCTV footage of the incident but Moore was not recognised until 2016, when he was arrested. In 2014, Moore approached the victim on the DART, made small talk, then touched her breasts and pulled at her trousers before another passenger intervened. He had a toy turtle in his hand and claimed he was looking for a child to give it to. In 2015 he was jailed for 15 months for two separate street assaults where he stopped women for a cigarette and sexually assaulted them. His other convictions include rape of a musician in 2001 (10 years) and rape of another woman in 1995 (7 years). The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
A 30‑year‑old Cork man was found guilty of raping his former partner on 8 September 2013. He pleaded not guilty to the rape but pleaded guilty to forcing her to give him oral sex and to assault causing harm on 10 July 2013. The jury returned a guilty verdict on the rape after nearly four‑and‑a‑half hours of deliberation. The man has 16 previous convictions, including rape and aggravated sexual assault, and is serving a 12‑year sentence. He will be sentenced on 8 May. The victim, aged 26, described how the man grabbed her by the hair, forced her head between his legs, shouted "Suck my cock bitch," and forced her to perform oral sex. She escaped to the bathroom, then was assaulted again while her 15‑month‑old son cried. She later reported the incident to gardaí and sought help from the Rape Crisis Centre.
The jury in the Central Criminal Court is still deliberating the murder trial of 35‑year‑old Monika Matracka, who is charged with killing her housemate and former partner, Michal Rejmer, 38, at The Pines, Briarfield, Castletroy, Limerick. The alleged killing occurred sometime between 8 pm on 30 December and midnight on 31 December 2015. The jury has requested to view a 20 cm knife recovered from a public bin outside The Hurler's Bar on the Dublin Road and to re‑hear testimony from Chief State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy, who stated that Rejmer died from bleeding caused by stab wounds to his arms. Judge Paul Butler has offered the jury the option of a majority verdict if unanimity cannot be reached, but has emphasised the desirability of a unanimous decision. The jury has spent over three and a half hours considering its verdict and will resume deliberations later that day. Monika Matracka pleaded not guilty.
A jury was sworn in at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin for the trial of Vesel Jahiri, 35, who is accused of murdering his former partner, Anna Finnegan, 25, at Allendale Glen, Clonsilla, on 21 September 2012. Jahiri pleaded not guilty to the murder and to assaulting Karl Finnegan at the same location and date. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Coffey, is expected to last five weeks.
An autistic 17‑year‑old who raped a 13‑year‑old boy and sexually assaulted another was convicted of one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault. The Central Criminal Court, hearing the case in a midlands town, imposed a three‑year sentence but deferred its imposition until January 2018, hoping a multi‑agency care plan would be in place. Judge Paul Coffey noted the boy's moderate risk of re‑offending if support services were not urgently intervened and directed a new report on the accused. He said he could suspend all or part of the prison term depending on the boy's progress and the services available. The boy will remain under Probation Services supervision while awaiting the final decision. The case involved allegations of abuse against the accused, one of which remains under investigation. The unnamed 13 year old pleaded not guilty.
The jury in the trial of Monika Matracka, 35, charged with murdering her housemate and former partner Michal Rejmer, 38, will resume deliberations at the Central Criminal Court tomorrow. The alleged murder occurred at The Pines, Briarfield, Castletroy, Limerick, sometime between 8 pm on 30 December and midnight on 31 December 2015. The jury has spent three hours and 36 minutes considering its verdict and has been given the option of a majority verdict by Mr Justice Paul Butler, who stated that a unanimous verdict is preferable but a verdict agreed by at least ten jurors would be accepted. Mr Carroll SC opened the prosecution case, noting that Ms Matracka claimed she stabbed Mr Rejmer in self‑defence. Mr Rejmer was reported missing on 6 January 2016 after failing to attend work, and his body was found on 8 January under plastic sheeting at the rear of his house. Monika Matracka pleaded not guilty.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 20 February 2017, a defence barrister argued that the court had been misled regarding the evidence of a protected witness in the Peter Butterly murder case. Butterly, aged 35, was shot dead outside The Huntsman Inn in Gormanston on 6 March 2013. David Cullen, originally accused, turned State witness over a year later and gave evidence implicating his former co‑accused. Edward McGrath (35) and Sharif Kelly (47) pleaded not guilty to the murder; McGrath also pleaded not guilty to firearms offences. Dean Evans (24) failed to attend and was not located. The court proceeded with McGrath and Kelly in Evans's absence. Cullen testified for over four days in a voir‑dire, and his evidence will be reviewed by the judges. Defence counsel Giollaíosa Ó'Lideadha SC contended that omissions in police note‑taking deprived the court of essential material, alleging a deliberate policy of not recording conversations.
A Dublin man, who was 16 when he began sexually abusing his eight‑year‑old nephew, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court. The court heard that the abuse, which began in 1988 and continued until 1991, involved indecent assault, anal rape and sexual assault. The victim described the uncle's behaviour as "disgusting" and said he was forced to speak about it in front of women. He also reported that the uncle had a "deeply inappropriate" sexual relationship with an adult in the household. The judge, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, noted the "appalling regularity" of the abuse and the vulnerability of the child, and imposed concurrent sentences totalling ten years, with a three‑year post‑release supervision order. The accused had been living with the victim's family and had denied the allegations when interviewed by Gardaí. The unnamed accused was convicted.
An alcoholic 42‑year‑old from Limerick was sentenced to six years for sexually assaulting a 28‑year‑old woman in a Kerry town on 27 May 2013. The victim, who had been drinking with the accused in his apartment, fell asleep and was awakened by the man standing over her, punching her and repeatedly demanding oral sex. She was naked and unaware of how she had become undressed. The accused pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court. Judge Patrick McCarthy, after hearing a probation report, imposed a six‑year term with the final two years suspended, conditional on compliance with probation directions, including offence‑focused counselling, alcohol treatment, and training, employment and educational services. The sentence aimed to protect the community and facilitate the accused's reintegration while recognising the gravity of the offence.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 24‑year‑old woman described the lasting impact of sexual abuse by her stepfather, who had assaulted and raped her for over seven years. She said she would never live a normal life because the man, who was meant to protect her, had stolen her childhood. The court heard that the 44‑year‑old Kildare man began sexually assaulting her when she was 12, started raping her regularly at 15, and continued until 2011. He was found guilty of 17 counts of sexual assault and 16 counts of rape. During the trial he denied the allegations, claiming they were fabricated. The victim's statement detailed severe depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and self‑harm, and she said she could not pursue a career or form lasting relationships. The case was scheduled for sentencing on March 6. The man had prior convictions for assault and larceny and had worked as a builder.
Shane Murphy, 25, of Swords, was sentenced to one year in prison for assault causing harm to Aidan Mullen on 10 July 2011. The offence occurred after a dispute over a stolen green bin. Mullen, who had a heart attack in March, was attacked by Murphy who shouted, "I don't give a fuck about you or your heart attack." Murphy struck Mullen on the face, causing fractures to his skull and cheekbone, and inflicted pain that led to medical bills of €1,500 and lost income of €4,200. Murphy pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and had 19 prior convictions, including assault and intoxication offences. He had previously been sentenced to three years with the final two years suspended, but the judge imposed a one‑year term for this offence. The court noted his history of drug addiction and that he had since completed residential treatment.
In February 2017, Scott Hallion, aged 25, was sentenced to four years in prison for his role in a riot at Cloverhill Prison that caused over €30,000 in damage. Hallion was captured on CCTV holding a shaved piece of perspex and a 21‑year‑old Afghan inmate in a hostage situation. He pleaded guilty to violent disorder, assault causing harm, false imprisonment and criminal damage. The court found he was not a ringleader but was swept up in the mayhem. Judge Melanie Greally described the incident as "disturbing" and "extreme violence", suspended the last 12 months of the sentence on strict conditions, and required the term to run consecutively with a sentence Hallion was already serving. Hallion had 52 prior convictions and was already serving a sentence that was due for release in February 2019.
Folajimmy Awode, 32, of Ballinteer House, Tyrellstown, Dublin, was convicted of sexually assaulting a female patient at Mater Private Hospital in November 2013. He pleaded not guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, but a jury found him guilty. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, suspending the final six months. Awode appealed, arguing that the trial judge had failed to instruct the jury on the nature and purpose of complaint evidence and had not adequately presented the defence's case. His counsel, Kevin White BL, claimed the defence's argument was that the complainant was mistaken or dreaming and that Awode was entitled to be on the ward. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel, Elva Duffy BL, countered that the evidence was used to attack the complainant's credibility. The appeal was dismissed by Mr Justice John Edwards, who noted that the lack of jury instruction on complaint evidence did not render the conviction unsafe.
At the Central Criminal Court, December Connors (42) was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the last two suspended, for the manslaughter of Peter Conroy (25) during a brawl at Palmerstown Lodge B&B in Dublin 20 on June 9, 2015. Connors was also sentenced to two months' jail for assaulting Elaine Blunt during the same incident, though this sentence was fully suspended. The case was at the sentence stage, with Connors having pleaded guilty to manslaughter and not guilty to murder. The jury found Connors guilty of manslaughter but not guilty of murder. The victim's parents, Frank and Marion Conroy, expressed their anger and frustration with the sentence, calling the justice system a 'joke'. Connors had previously been charged with murder but was convicted of manslaughter after a one-week trial. The judge noted that Connors had returned to the scene of the brawl with a knife and had made a downwards motion towards the deceased on CCTV, but ruled that the killing lacked the intention required for a murder conviction. Connors expressed remorse during the trial and in court, and the judge acknowledged his background and expressed remorse. The sentence was backdated to October 1, 2015. The court had to adjourn the hearing due to emotional outbursts from the victim's family and others present.
Thomas O'Connor, 29, of Burnaby Court, Greystones, admitted killing John O'Brien, 22, in Wicklow in 2010 but denied murder, pleading guilty to manslaughter at Farrankelly Road. He was arraigned and the State rejected his plea. A jury of six men and six women was sworn in; the trial will start tomorrow and is expected to last about two weeks. Thomas O'Connor pleaded not guilty.
Norma Phillips, aged 47 and originally from Zimbabwe, was convicted of manslaughter for the killing of 36‑year‑old Romanian national Stefan Neanu on 12 April 2015 at her home on Phibsboro Road. A jury found her guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter after she was initially charged with murder. At the Central Criminal Court, Justice Margaret Heneghan sentenced Phillips to three and a half years' imprisonment with a further two years suspended, back‑dating the sentence to account for the nine months she had already spent in custody. The judge noted Phillips' previous good character, genuine remorse, early guilty plea and engagement with rehabilitation services, but also cited aggravating factors such as her initial false statements to emergency services and the Gardaí. Phillips' defence was that she acted in self‑defence after Neanu had pulled a knife, but the force used was deemed not reasonable.
The jury at the Central Criminal Court began deliberations on the case of Monika Matracka, 35, who is charged with the murder of her housemate and former partner, Michal Rejmer, 38. The alleged killing took place at The Pines, Briarfield, Castletroy, Limerick, sometime between 8 pm on 30 December and midnight on 31 December 2015. Matracka pleaded not guilty, claiming she stabbed Rejmer in self‑defence. Mr Rejmer was reported missing on 6 January 2016 after failing to attend work at MacDonald's in Castletroy; his body was found on 8 January under plastic sheeting at the rear of his house. State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy testified that Rejmer died from bleeding caused by stab wounds to his arms. Mr Justice Paul Butler explained that the jury could return one of three verdicts: guilty of murder, not guilty of murder, or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.
Arnis Labunskis, a 57-year-old Latvian national from Limerick City, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his flatmate, Dainius Burba. The Central Criminal Court heard that Labunskis pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder, alleging he acted in self-defence after Burba allegedly attacked him with a table leg. However, the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict following just over two hours of deliberation. Forensic evidence indicated Burba suffered approximately 19 blows to the head and face, resulting in a fractured skull and severe brain injury, with the cause of death determined as blunt force trauma. Labunskis had initially told gardaí an intruder was responsible but later claimed self-defence in court. He was found attempting to hide evidence after walking across the city to a relative's home. Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy sentenced Labunskis to life imprisonment, noting the exemplary conduct of the investigating gardaí. The court accepted the jury's finding of guilt, rejecting the self-defence plea. The sentence was pronounced immediately, with Labunskis led away to begin his custody. The judge expressed hope that the verdict would provide closure to Burba's family, who presented a victim impact statement highlighting his role as a father and brother.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, Wayne Cluskey, aged 25, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for the death of Christopher Nevin, who was killed with an axe during a dispute over a pedigree chihuahua. Josh Turner, aged 24, was convicted of murder for the same incident. The jury, composed of nine men and three women, reached both verdicts by a 10‑to‑2 majority after more than two days of deliberation. Cluskey and Turner were remanded in custody until a sentencing hearing on 27 February. The trial included CCTV footage of the assault, testimony from Wayne Casserly about the dog dispute, and accounts of how Cluskey and Turner entered the scene, used an axe, and struck Nevin, leading to his death. The families of the deceased and the accused were kept inside the court by Gardaí during the proceedings.
The Special Criminal Court heard a second day of arguments about whether the evidence of a protected witness, David Cullen, could be admitted in the murder trial of Peter Butterly. Butterly, 35, was shot dead outside The Huntsman Inn in Gormanston on 6 March 2013. Cullen, who had been accused of the murder, turned State's witness after more than a year and has implicated his former co‑accused, Edward McGrath (35) and Sharif Kelly (47). Both men pleaded not guilty to the murder, and McGrath also pleaded not guilty to firearms offences. A third accused, Dean Evans (24), failed to appear and has not been located. The court is considering Cullen's testimony as part of a voir‑dire, and the counsel for Kelly argued that admitting it would amount to the court turning a blind eye to numerous failures to convey the truth. The prosecution countered that Cullen's statements were well‑documented and uncontroversial.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, the defence counsel, Mr Mark Nicholas SC, argued that telling lies does not automatically make a person guilty. He represented 35‑year‑old Monika Matracka, charged with murdering her housemate and former partner Michal Rejmer, 38, at The Pines, Briarfield, Castletroy, Limerick. The alleged murder occurred sometime between 8 pm on 30 December and midnight on 31 December 2015. Mr Nicholas highlighted that Ms Matracka concealed the body, disposed of evidence, and lied to Gardaí, but he maintained that these actions alone did not prove guilt. He urged the jury to consider Dr Marie Cassidy's forensic testimony, which suggested Rejmer's death resulted from bleeding from stab wounds to his arms, complicated by a head injury. Mr Nicholas contended that the force used by Ms Matracka could be seen as reasonable self‑defence, potentially reducing the charge to manslaughter. Monika Matracka pleaded not guilty.
In the murder trial of Arnis Labunskis, the Central Criminal Court jury was instructed by Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy that a unanimous verdict was required. The jury could decide on one of three outcomes: guilty; acquittal; or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. Labunskis, a 57‑year‑old Latvian living on Wolfe Tone Street, Limerick, is charged with the killing of 39‑year‑old Dainius Burba on 21 or 22 April 2015. He claims he acted in self‑defence after striking Burba with a coffee‑table leg. Burba's father testified that Burba had brought him into a dark bedroom and repeatedly swung a table leg, forcing him to disarm him. The jury was sent out to deliberate and will resume discussions this afternoon. The case remains at the deliberation stage.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court, hearing murder charges against Wayne Cluskey (25) and Josh Turner (24) for the 2015 killing of Christopher Nevin, was informed that a unanimous verdict was no longer required. Justice Patrick McCarthy announced that a majority of ten votes would suffice for either or both counts, and the jury was scheduled to return at 2 pm. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
Linda Wall, 37, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery at a Luas stop in June 2015 after a drug dealer urged her to steal a mobile phone to pay part of a debt. The court heard she was hopelessly addicted to "snow blow" and had 16 prior convictions. Judge Melanie Greally noted a positive probation report but said Wall had not fully dealt with her addiction, adjourned the case to October to monitor progress, and urged her to continue improving. Garda Denise Bowes reported the victim, a Chinese woman, was speaking on her phone when Wall tried to take it, resulting in a physical assault that caused swelling but no hospital treatment. Wall denied intending to injure the victim and claimed the dealer's instructions. Marie Torrens, defending, highlighted Wall's nursing aspirations, her daughter's death, and her recent positive changes, hoping she will resume her nursing career.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, the prosecution argued that Monika Matracka (35) could not claim self‑defence for the murder of her housemate and former partner, Michal Rejmer (38), who died from stab wounds to the arms between 8 pm on 30 December and midnight on 31 December 2015. Prosecutor Paul Carroll said that the use of a knife as described would naturally intend to kill or cause serious injury, and that any excess force beyond what was reasonably necessary would amount to unlawful killing, i.e. manslaughter. He highlighted inconsistencies in Matracka's statements, her failure to report the incident to friends or Gardaí, and her attempts to conceal the body by placing it under plastic and logs. The prosecution also noted that Matracka had no prior convictions and that she had exchanged New Year texts with Rejmer after his disappearance. Monika Matracka pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court trial of Edward McGrath and Sharif Kelly, who are accused of murdering dissident republican Peter Butterly in 2013, is currently at the procedural stage of a voir dire. Both men have pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder, with McGrath additionally pleading not guilty to firearms offences on the same occasion. A third accused, Dean Evans, failed to appear and has not been located by gardai, leading the non-jury court to proceed with the remaining two defendants. The central issue involves the admissibility of evidence from David Cullen, a former co-accused who became a State witness. Defence counsel for Kelly, Giollaíosa Ó'Lideadha SC, submitted that Cullen's testimony should be excluded because the court cannot properly assess the process by which he turned witness. Citing a Supreme Court judgment, the barrister argued that omissions in gardai note-taking mean the court lacks essential material to verify if Kelly's right to a fair trial is upheld. He contended that Cullen's access to the book of evidence created particular dangers regarding the integrity of his statements. The legal submissions regarding the exclusion of this protected witness evidence continue before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, Judge John O'Hagan, and Judge Anne Ryan.
The jury in the trial of Wayne Cluskey (25) and Josh Turner (24) of Mooretown, Ratoath, Co Meath, who are accused of murdering Christopher Nevin on 19 November 2015, will return tomorrow to continue deliberations. Both men pleaded not guilty. The jury has been instructed that for Cluskey there are three possible verdicts: not guilty if he was defending Turner and used reasonable force; manslaughter if he was defending Turner but used unreasonable force; or murder if the prosecution proved he was not defending Turner and intended to kill or seriously injure Nevin. For Turner there are two possible verdicts: manslaughter if he was provoked to the point of losing self‑control or if he acted in self‑defence but used unreasonable force; or murder if the prosecution proved he intended to kill or seriously injure Nevin. The case arose from a dispute over a male chihuahua loaned to Nevin for breeding, which led to a fight. Josh Turner was acquitted.
The Central Criminal Court jury has begun deliberations on the case of Arnis Labunskis, a 57‑year‑old Latvian, who is accused of murdering his 39‑year‑old flatmate, Dainius Burba, in Limerick on 21 or 22 April 2015. Labunskis, who lives on Wolfe Tone Street, claims he acted in self‑defence after Burba allegedly entered his darkened bedroom and began attacking him. He says he disarmed Burba and then struck him with a wooden table leg until Burba shouted "stop." Labunskis has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. Justice Deirdre Murphy explained to the jury that they could reach three verdicts: guilty, not guilty, or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. She outlined the law of self‑defence, noting that a verdict of manslaughter would require that Labunskis believed he was using reasonable and necessary force, while a verdict of murder would result if he used unreasonable and unnecessary force.
A 29‑year‑old man, Thomas Fox, will be tried at the Special Criminal Court for the murder of Gareth Hutch, 35, nephew of Gerry "the Monk" Hutch. Hutch was shot dead on the morning of 24 May outside Avondale House flats on North Cumberland Street, Dublin. Fox was charged in January at Cloverhill District Court. At a brief hearing, State solicitor Michael O'Donovan presented an application for Fox to be charged and tried before the Special Criminal Court. Judge Tony Hunt, with Judges John O'Hagan and Anne Ryan, gave the order.
Ruzmond Muwaniri, 27, a Zimbabwean man with schizophrenia, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to two men in separate incidents on 9 March 2015 and 21 May 2015. He had missed several medication appointments around the time of the assaults. In the first incident, he punched a 67‑year‑old pensioner on Cheeverstown Road, Tallaght, knocking him off his bicycle and causing a broken eye socket and other injuries. In the second, he punched a man named Mr Aidan Green in the mouth, breaking his top front teeth. Muwaniri claimed he believed the victims were racially abusing him. He has 60 prior convictions, including a 2013 two‑year sentence for domestic violence. The case was adjourned to seek guidance on a care package for Muwaniri before sentencing next month.
In a non‑jury trial for the 2013 murder of Peter Butterly, the court heard that Garda Joe Doyle, a PSV examiner, inspected a green Opel Zafira on 6 March 2013, six days after the shooting. Doyle reported that the vehicle showed "no faults" at the time of his examination, although the car's Engine Control Unit had recorded three historic faults previously. The car had reportedly "conked out" on the day of the shooting, but Doyle found no faults that would have forced it to stall or prevent it from starting. The trial involves two accused men, Sharif Kelly (47) and Edward McGrath (35), who both pleaded not guilty to the murder and, in McGrath's case, to firearms offences. A third accused, Dean Evans (24), failed to appear and has not been located. The court also heard legal arguments regarding the admissibility of forensic samples taken from the accused after their detention.
In a murder trial, 38‑year‑old Michal Rejmer died from haemorrhaging caused by stab wounds to his arms. The post‑mortem, conducted by Chief State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy on 9 January 2016, found a large gaping wound on his upper right arm and a 20‑cm track wound on his left arm, both inflicted by a 20‑cm knife. Cassidy noted additional puncture wounds to his back and thigh, defensive injuries on his left hand, and a grazing injury to the left side of his face with internal skull bleeding. No drugs or alcohol were detected. She concluded that the death resulted from bleeding, though the injuries alone would not have caused rapid death; survival for minutes to an hour was possible. The accused, 35‑year‑old Monika Matracka, pleaded not guilty, claiming self‑defence, and the case is before a jury.
In a trial held in Navan, a jury of nine men and three women has begun deliberations over the murder of Christopher Nevin, who was killed on 19 November 2015. The accused are Wayne Cluskey, aged 25, and Josh Turner, aged 24, both from Mooretown, Ratoath, Co. Meath. Both men pleaded not guilty. Cluskey's counsel, Shane Costelloe SC, argues that Cluskey acted in defence of Turner when he "barrelled into" Nevin and grappled with him on the ground, claiming that Nevin was holding a hatchet and threatening Turner. The jury was instructed to consider whether Cluskey's force was reasonable; if it was, he should be found not guilty, if it was not, he could be guilty of manslaughter, and if he intended to kill, he could be guilty of murder.
An elderly Dublin man, aged 64, was sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment for indecent assault on his nine‑year‑old niece on 26 December 1980. The jury convicted him of one count of indecent assault. The victim, who was asleep with three young cousins, awoke to the man kneeling on her, rubbing her genitals. She screamed, but he continued, then left the room, returned with his trousers around his hips, masturbating while looking at the girls. One cousin covered the youngest girl's eyes to hide the man. The victim only disclosed the assault to her mother at 18 and filed a complaint in 2014. The accused denied the charge and claimed good behaviour since 1980. The judge noted the victim's statement that the assault caused irreversible damage, mental torture, and loss of trust, and that it had taken away her childhood and innocence. The maximum sentence at the time was two years, but the current maximum is 14 years.
During a murder trial, a witness testified that Facebook messages sent to the deceased, Michal Rejmer, were delivered and opened days after his last sighting. The witness, Leszek Pajak, who had known Rejmer from McDonald's, maintained contact via text and Facebook Messenger while in Poland. He received a message from Rejmer at 1.43 am on 31 December stating he would work until 8 pm that night, and all subsequent messages were confirmed as delivered and opened until 6 January. Pajak also sent New Year's greetings and later messages questioning Rejmer's existence. On 6 January, Monika Matracka, the accused, sent a message asking if Rejmer had been in contact. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Butler, continues with a jury of twelve. The case centers on whether self‑defence applies to the alleged murder of Rejmer at Matracka's Limerick home. Monika Matracka pleaded not guilty.
In the Central Criminal Court, Judge Deirdre Murphy began charging the jury on 15 February 2017 in the murder trial of Arnis Labunskis, a 57‑year‑old Latvian resident of Wolfe Tone Street, Limerick. Labunskis is accused of killing 39‑year‑old Dainius Burba, a Lithuanian father of one and former colleague, in their Limerick home on 21 or 22 April 2015. Labunskis pleaded not guilty, claiming self‑defence. He initially told Gardaí he had returned to find Burba badly injured, but later admitted responsibility. Burba's father testified that Burba had entered his darkened bedroom at night, swung a wooden table leg at him, and continued to attack with fists until the victim shouted "stop." The prosecution dismissed Labunskis's self‑defence claim as an insult to the jury's intelligence, while the defence highlighted that Burba had previously approached Labunskis with an iron bar.
Kevin Loughnan, 28, avoided a prison term after assaulting his girlfriend, who suffered two broken teeth and facial swelling. The incident occurred on 4 October 2015 when Loughnan, after a night out, returned home to find his girlfriend pouring Sprite over him to wake him. He then pulled her by the hair, punched her, poured more Sprite on her, and covered her mouth, causing her to bleed. She was taken to hospital and later sought help from Loughnan's parents. Loughnan pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. Judge Melanie Greally, describing the act as a "brief alcohol‑fuelled incident of great seriousness," imposed a three‑year sentence suspended for three years on the condition he remains alcohol‑free. He was ordered to pay €10,000 in compensation, to be paid in instalments. The court noted the violence was an aberrational incident, not a pattern of abuse. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
During a murder trial, a forensic scientist testified that blood from the deceased, Michal Rejmer, was found throughout the house at The Pines, Briarfield, Castletroy, and that a clean‑up had taken place. The forensic evidence included DNA profiles from blood on the wall of the stairs, the bedroom, the banister, the hallway and the kitchen, all matching Rejmer, and a profile from a sample on the wall of the stairs matching the accused, Monika Matracka. The scientist noted that the blood‑staining pattern suggested Rejmer had bled upstairs and then moved downstairs. She also examined a knife, finding no blood or DNA on the blade, and reported no drag marks in the house. The prosecution presented the case to a jury, with the defence claiming self‑defence. The trial is before Mr Justice Paul Butler and a twelve‑person jury. Monika Matracka pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court is currently hearing a voir dire to determine the admissibility of evidence from David Cullen, a former accused who turned State's witness in the trial of Edward McGrath and Sharif Kelly. Both men, who have pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Peter Butterly and, in McGrath's case, firearms offences, are contesting Cullen's testimony. During cross-examination, Cullen admitted his motivation to provide evidence was to "save" himself. He acknowledged lying in a bail affidavit to deny knowing McGrath and admitted reviewing the book of evidence before making his statement. The court also heard from DPP officer David Gormley, who confirmed the DPP agreed to Cullen's offer to plead guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for a statement, with an understanding that his words would not be used against him, though no immunity was granted. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, continues with the judges assessing the reliability of the witness's account.
In a 2017 trial, 35‑year‑old Monika Matracka pleaded not guilty to the murder of her former partner, Michal Rejmer, aged 38, who was found dead at her Limerick home between 8 pm on 30 December and midnight on 31 December 2015. Matracka told Gardaí she killed Rejmer in self‑defence, describing herself as the victim. She admitted placing his body in a duvet cover and covering his feet with a pillowcase to avoid looking at him, and that she had been cleaning the house to "forget about everything." She denied striking him on the head, claiming only a knife was used, and said she had no idea how he sustained injuries to his arm and head. She also admitted burning towels and plastic bags used to move the body, and that hair strands found on Rejmer's hands matched hers. The case was heard before Mr Justice Paul Butler and a jury of twelve.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, the State counsel Anthony Sammon criticised the accused, Arnis Labunskis, for presenting a 'tale of self‑defence' that he deemed an insult to the jury's intelligence. Labunskis, 57, is charged with killing 39‑year‑old Dainius Burba, a Lithuanian father of one, in their Limerick home on 21 or 22 April 2015. Labunskis pleaded not guilty and claimed he had returned home to find Burba seriously injured, but Burba's son later testified that Labunskis had inflicted the injuries. Labunskis alleged that Burba had dragged him into a dark bedroom, swung a wooden table leg at him, and that he had defended himself by disarming Burba and striking back until Burba shouted stop. Sammon argued that this new version of events was fabricated, a falsehood, and that Labunskis had lied to Gardaí to avoid criminal liability.
In the Central Criminal Court, Patrick Marrinan SC argued that Wayne Cluskey (25) and Josh Turner (24) should be found guilty of manslaughter rather than murder for the death of Christopher Nevin on 19 November 2015. The case centred on a dispute over a chihuahua loaned to Nevin, which led to a confrontation at Nevin's home. Marrinan highlighted CCTV footage and testimony from Nevin's friend, Wayne Casserly, who revealed Nevin was armed with a hatchet when he answered the door. He contended that Nevin's threat and the presence of a hatchet provoked the accused, who reacted in self‑defence. Marrinan urged the jury to consider that the accused lost control under provocation, making manslaughter the appropriate verdict. Shane Costelloe SC for Cluskey also argued for a not‑guilty verdict, noting no evidence of a joint enterprise. The judge will address the jury tomorrow. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty. Wayne Cluskey pleaded not guilty. Josh Turner pleaded not guilty.
In a 2017 murder trial, Monika Matracka, 35, pleaded not guilty to the killing of her former partner Michal Rejmer, 38, who disappeared on 30 December 2015. Garda interviews revealed that Matracka claimed she stabbed Rejmer in self‑defence after a confrontation over money he had lent her in 2009. She admitted that Rejmer's body remained in the house for at least three days before she moved it to the back garden, where she covered it with turf and plastic. She also said she tried to burn the knife used in the attack and later disposed of it in a public bin. The prosecution presented evidence of the timeline, the alleged self‑defence claim, and the handling of the body, while the defence argued the circumstances of the alleged self‑defence. The case was heard by Mr Justice Paul Butler with a jury of twelve.