In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Laura Johnston, now in her twenties, gave an emotional victim impact statement about sexual abuse by her stepfather, George Crombie, who was 47. Johnston, aged 10 to 13 during the abuse, described how Crombie put a dog lead around her neck and used a knife while assaulting her. He also threatened her that if she told her mother, "there would be murder in this flat." The abuse occurred over a three‑year period, mainly on Thursday and Saturday nights, when Crombie was drinking. Johnston said she had once believed Crombie was her real father until her mother revealed he was her stepfather. Crombie pleaded guilty to eight counts of sexual assault. The case was adjourned for sentencing next Monday.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution argued that former British Army soldier Donal Colgan, aged 65, was in control of his actions when he stabbed David Sheridan, aged 45, to death outside Luigi's chip shop on North Strand Road on 17/18 August 2014. Paul Burns SC presented evidence that Colgan left the scene after a fight, returned nine minutes later armed with a knife, and stabbed Sheridan, stating that Colgan had time to cool off on the walk home and back. The defence contended that if Colgan had lost control due to Sheridan's provocation, he should be found guilty of manslaughter, not murder, and that self‑defence was not applicable. The defence also highlighted alleged false testimony by witness Gary Kinlan and suggested Colgan's background of depression and panic attacks might explain his behaviour. Donal Colgan pleaded not guilty.
John Hannigan, aged 48, was convicted of murder and assault causing harm after killing his friend Anthony Fallon on 18 January 2012 in Clonmel. The Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty on both counts and he received a mandatory life sentence on 28 February 2014. The trial revealed that Hannigan had called an ambulance at 7 a.m. and that a post‑mortem found 31 rib fractures, plus fractures to the collar and breast bones, with blunt force trauma to the head and trunk as the major cause of death. Hannigan claimed he had lost his temper because Fallon would not stop talking and had punched him "hard and fast" like Bruce Lee, but he later told the Gardaí he was panicking. He had also claimed to have a black belt in karate, which he later admitted he did not have. John Hannigan pleaded not guilty.
Simon McGinley, aged 32 from Connaughton Road Car Park in Sligo, has had his appeals against conviction and sentence dismissed by the Court of Appeal. McGinley was convicted of the murder of Eugene Gillespie, a 67-year-old retired telecoms broker, who died following an assault at his home on Old Market Street on 19 September 2012. McGinley had admitted killing Mr Gillespie but denied the charge was murder. A jury found him guilty of murder in April 2014, and he received a mandatory life sentence along with concurrent sentences for false imprisonment and burglary. The three-judge court, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, found no grounds of substance in McGinley's appeals. The court noted the seriousness of the offences and McGinley's significant criminal history of 21 previous convictions. McGinley was returned to prison to continue serving his sentences.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 16‑year‑old, who could not be named because of his age, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the death of 21‑year‑old Lorcan O'Reilly. The incident occurred at the Oliver Bond flats in Dublin on the night of 1 November 2015, during a Halloween bonfire. The boy, aged 14 at the time, had been involved in a fight and was seen on CCTV with a hurley. He later returned to the scene, stabbed O'Reilly twice, the second wound puncturing the heart. O'Reilly was taken to St James's Hospital, suffered cardiac arrest and died at 4.05 am. The court noted the boy had no prior convictions and that 19 arrests were made in the investigation. Sentencing was adjourned to 6 February 2017, with the accused remanded on bail.
A man from County Antrim has been imprisoned following a successful appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions against an unduly lenient sentence. Edmund Stewart, aged 33, of Ardgate Place, Newtownabbey, had pleaded guilty at Cavan Circuit Criminal Court to sexually assaulting a woman at the Farnham Arms Hotel in County Cavan on 24 June 2012. The woman was unconscious at the time of the assault. Stewart was originally given a wholly suspended three-year sentence by Judge John O'Hagan in March 2016. The Court of Appeal found this sentence insufficiently severe, with Mr Justice John Edwards stating that a custodial term should have been imposed. Stewart was re-sentenced to three years imprisonment with all but nine months suspended. He is now serving the nine-month custodial element of that sentence.
In Waterford, a 47‑year‑old man was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment for sexually abusing his nephew in the 1980s and raping the nephew's sister a decade later. The victims were aged four to five when the abuse began. The abuse was reported after the youngest victim approached Gardaí in 2012, followed by her brother's complaint. The brother explained that he had wanted to come forward sooner but could not find the words, and that the abuse remained secret until his sister spoke out. The sister, who was four when the abuse started, described the lasting impact, including thoughts of suicide, drug and alcohol misuse, and the difficulty of describing the trauma. She said no sentence could restore her childhood. The accused pleaded guilty to rape, oral rape, sexual assault and indecent assault between 1988 and 2003. He has a mild intellectual disability, and a doctor noted concerns about his ability to cope alone in prison.
A 16‑year‑old, who cannot be named, admitted stabbing 21‑year‑old Lorcan O'Reilly to death after a Halloween bonfire. At an arraignment in the Central Criminal Court, the accused pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The plea was accepted by the prosecution. The boy was 14 when the killing occurred.
Carol Sanders, aged 50, was given an 18‑month suspended sentence for holding a knife to her mother's throat during an attack on 24 November 2015. The incident occurred after Sanders learned her sister, a successful businesswoman, was returning from Canada, which triggered jealousy and anger. Sanders, an alcoholic with a personality disorder, pleaded guilty to producing a weapon in a manner likely to intimidate her mother, Mary Sanders, and to assault. She threw a dinner plate, called her mother "you have to die", kicked her mother several times, attempted to choke her, and used a carving knife to threaten her. Mary escaped and alerted Gardaí, later obtaining a barring order. The judge described the charge as very serious and imposed the suspended sentence on strict conditions. Sanders spent two months in custody, is now in supervised accommodation, and has increased medication and abstained from alcohol. She also submitted a letter of apology to the court.
Donal Colgan, 65, pleaded not guilty to the murder of David Sheridan, 45, outside Luigi's chip shop on August 17, 2014. He told the jury he had been attacked first by Sheridan and Gary Kinlan, and that he only wanted to frighten them. Colgan said he had a difficult childhood, left Ireland at 15, served in the British Army, and later suffered depression and panic attacks. On the day of the incident he had drunk heavily, went to the chip shop, and after a confrontation with Sheridan and Kinlan he claimed to have been punched and kicked. He then grabbed a knife he found and stabbed Sheridan four times, saying he had no intention to kill but to scare. He admitted lying to Gardaí and that CCTV showed Sheridan backing away before the knife attack. The trial continues before Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury.
In a 2016 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 17‑year‑old gang member received a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for assault causing harm after a man was stabbed 21 times and pushed into the Royal Canal on 18 May 2015. The court heard that the accused claimed to have helped the victim out of the water, but CCTV footage was too indistinct to identify who stabbed the victim. The boy, who pleaded guilty, had 18 prior convictions, including eight for robbery, and was already serving a sentence for assault causing serious harm. Judge Melanie Greally described the attack as "extremely vicious and violent" and noted the accused's "enormous capacity for violent acts." She emphasised rehabilitation for the minor, balancing the seriousness of the offence with his youth, negative peer group and chaotic lifestyle, and imposed the three‑and‑a‑half‑year detention.
Petrica Lucaci, a 25‑year‑old Romanian, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for a series of offences committed on 7 October 2014, including unlawful seizure of a vehicle, assault, assault of a peace officer, dangerous driving and two counts of endangerment. The original sentence, imposed by Judge Terence O'Sullivan on 11 May 2016, suspended the final year. On appeal the Court of Appeal found that the "out of character" nature of the conduct, Lucaci's guilty plea and his offer of substantial compensation warranted a longer suspended period. Consequently, Judge Alan Mahon re‑sentenced him to five years with the final two‑and‑a‑half years suspended, requiring a good‑behaviour bond for that period. Lucaci had no prior convictions in Ireland or Romania and had been living in Ireland for three months as a gardener when the incident occurred.
A man from Longford has been committed to the Central Mental Hospital following a finding of not guilty by reason of insanity at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. David Egan, aged 35, faced charges of assault causing harm to two women in separate incidents in Dublin city centre on 14 April 2015. The court heard that Mr Egan has paranoid schizophrenia and was not taking prescribed medication at the time of the alleged assaults. He believed he was being hypnotised and sexually assaulted, and that the women were mocking him. A jury returned the special verdict under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006 after hearing from consultant forensic psychiatrists for both the prosecution and defence, who agreed Mr Egan did not understand the wrongfulness of his actions and was unable to control his conduct. Judge Martin Nolan ordered his detention at the Central Mental Hospital, where his treatment will be assessed and managed. The judge noted that release would be determined by the hospital's practitioners when appropriate.
Thomas Kinsella, 37, a homeless man, was convicted of manslaughter by reason of self‑defence for the fatal stabbing of 23‑year‑old John Murdoch on 27 August 2011 in Tallaght. A Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty in December 2012 and he received a 14‑year prison sentence, five of which were suspended, on 31 January 2013. Kinsella's barrister Brendan Grehan SC has now withdrawn an appeal against conviction and is pursuing only a sentence appeal. Grehan argues the headline 14‑year term is unjustified and the five‑year suspended period is excessively long, especially given Kinsella's drug addiction and the circumstances of the incident. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Dominic McGinn SC, contended that Kinsella's habitual knife carrying aggravated the offence and justified the suspended period. The Court of Appeal will consider the appeal. Thomas Kinsella pleaded not guilty.
In the murder trial of Donal Colgan, 65, the accused claimed self‑defence after being attacked by two men. Colgan was arrested early on 19 August 2014 and, while in a Garda car, told Sgt Chris Cahill that he was defending himself. Garda Eoin Treacy and witness Gary Kinlan confirmed that Colgan used a knife to stab 45‑year‑old David Sheridan outside Luigi's chip shop on North Strand Road on 17/18 August 2014. Colgan denied knowing Sheridan or being at Luigi's that night, and said he had been advised by his solicitor not to speak. Teresa Marsella, a Luigi's employee, observed a fight between Colgan and Sheridan, then saw Colgan return with a knife and stab Sheridan. Detective Sergeant Mark Watters found blood‑stained clothing and a block of knives at Colgan's home; forensic analysis matched the blood to Sheridan. The case is set to continue before Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury. Donal Colgan pleaded not guilty.
A 53‑year‑old Wexford man was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a 41‑year‑old Latvian man, Gints Intembergs, who was found dead on the floor of a kitchen in Co Carlow on 16 September 2014. The Central Criminal Court heard that the victim had beaten the accused in an arm‑wrestling match and that the accused, Liam Power, had stamped on the victim's head and testicles, kicked him repeatedly, and attempted to set fire to his hair and privates with a lighter. Power claimed he was intoxicated, having drunk about 16 cans of cider and smoked crack cocaine before the killing. Forensic evidence showed blunt‑force trauma to the head and neck, with blood patterns matching the accused's shoes. Power pleaded not guilty to murder but was found guilty and given a mandatory life sentence, back‑dated to 18 September 2014.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 16 November 2016, Adam McCarthy, a 24‑year‑old college student, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Niall McHale outside Tamango's Nightclub in Portmarnock on 27 December 2014. McCarthy had joined a group that cut in line for a taxi, and when McHale protested that the taxi was not theirs, McCarthy punched him above the right eye, causing McHale to fall and lose consciousness. McHale was then kicked in the head, sustaining bruising, lacerations and seven stitches. McCarthy was restrained by nightclub bouncers before Gardaí arrived. McHale, who had been housebound for most of the Christmas holidays, was taken to Beaumont Hospital. McCarthy, who has no prior convictions, apologized in a letter and offered €5,000 to McHale's family, to be donated to a charity of their choice. Judge Melanie Greally noted the seriousness of a head kick, considered the possibility of community service, and adjourned sentencing to 8 February 2017.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 16 November 2016, Patrick O'Rourke, aged 63, pleaded guilty to attempting to murder his former partner Donna Foster after a violent attack on 11 August 2015. He admitted repeatedly stabbing Foster, exposing her airway and causing severe abdominal injuries that required a four‑hour operation. Foster's injuries were described as life‑threatening, and she was discharged from hospital two weeks later. O'Rourke also pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to a minor present at the scene. He apologized to Foster and the minors, wishing her health and success, and expressed remorse for the harm caused. O'Rourke was remanded in custody pending a sentence hearing on 25 November 2016. The court noted that a jury was not required due to his guilty plea. The unnamed 63-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 45‑year‑old man named David Sheridan died from multiple stab wounds inflicted outside a Dublin chip shop on 17/18 August 2014. Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis testified that he examined Sheridan's body on 18 August and identified four stab wounds: one to the abdomen severing blood vessels from the intestine to the liver, another to the left lung, and two to the arm and hand, indicating attempts to defend himself. Curtis concluded Sheridan died from the wounds. He also identified a knife from Donal Colgan's home as the most likely instrument. Colgan, aged 65, pleaded not guilty to the murder. Witness Gary Kinlan, a friend of Sheridan, claimed Colgan attacked him and then stabbed Sheridan, but was cross‑examined and admitted lying to Gardaí. The trial proceeded with a jury of nine men and three women, hearing further evidence tomorrow.
Liam Power, a 53-year-old Wexford man, was found not guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of assault causing harm to Aigar Sildars. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, heard allegations that Power assaulted Sildars and Gints Intembergs at a home in Graigowen, Tullow, Co Carlow, in September 2014. Power, who is of no fixed abode, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Intembergs and the assault on Sildars. His co-accused, Dzintars Sacklausks, initially pleaded not guilty to both murder and assault but had the murder charge dropped by the State two weeks into the trial. Sacklausks subsequently pleaded guilty to the assault charge and is awaiting sentencing. The jury, comprising five men and seven women, deliberated for two days before unanimously acquitting Power of the assault count. The court noted the absence of corroboration for the assault and the unreliability of admissions. The jury will resume deliberations on the murder charge on Wednesday morning. The matter regarding the murder charge remains ongoing and has not been finalised.
In 2012, Andrew Gibney (24) of Mulhuddart was part of a group that stabbed Gerard Burnett (28) outside his girlfriend's house, resulting in Burnett's death after 30 stab wounds. Gibney pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court and was convicted of murder by a 10‑2 jury verdict, receiving a mandatory life sentence on 28 January 2014. He appealed, arguing a miscarriage of justice, citing a UK Supreme Court ruling on joint enterprise that clarified that a person who participates in an attack but does not intend serious harm may be guilty of manslaughter rather than murder. The Court of Appeal, led by Justice Garrett Sheehan, found that the trial judge failed to direct the jury on this partial defence and allowed the appeal. Gibney was remanded in custody for a retrial at the Central Criminal Court.
Richard Sweeney, aged 27 of Railway Lough, Belturbet, Co Cavan, has had his prison sentence doubled by the Court of Appeal following a prosecution challenge that his original term was unduly lenient. Sweeney had pleaded guilty at Cavan Circuit Criminal Court to violent disorder in the home of a vulnerable man in Belturbet on 24 February 2014. He was initially sentenced to two years imprisonment with six months suspended in March 2015. The Court of Appeal found the sentence fell considerably short of reflecting the gravity of the offence, in which Sweeney was one of four masked men who forced entry to the victim's home, threatened to kill him, and subjected him to a severe assault involving weapons. Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, delivering judgment, noted aggravating factors including the planned nature of the attack, the victim's vulnerability, and violation of his home. Sweeney was re-sentenced to four years imprisonment with the final year suspended.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Kelvin Lynch, aged 24, received a suspended sentence after assaulting Barry Fitzgerald in Copperface Jack's nightclub on Harcourt Street. Lynch had ordered drinks and, believing Fitzgerald had taken his change, grabbed him by the hand and head‑butted him, causing a broken nose and front tooth. The incident occurred on 19 April 2015, when Fitzgerald was in the city centre watching a Dublin match and had visited two pubs before arriving at the nightclub around 2 a.m. Lynch pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted the violence was "characteristic of a culture of people feeling they can engage in very significant violence for very little reason." She imposed a three‑year sentence, suspended for three years, and ordered Lynch to pay €5,000 to Fitzgerald as a token of remorse. Lynch has no prior convictions and works in human resources.
In an appeal-stage procedural context, the Central Criminal Court addressed the sentencing of a 23-year-old Kildare man who pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault and two counts of oral rape committed against an 11-year-old victim between 2008 and 2009. The defendant, who was 15 at the time of the offences, admitted the charges in July 2016, with pleas accepted on the basis that the abuse occurred more frequently than the four listed incidents. Defence counsel Hugh Hartnett SC argued that under the 2001 Children's Act, detention must be a last resort for juveniles, urging a non-custodial sentence given the offender's age, remorse, and lack of prior convictions. Prosecution counsel Mary Rose Gearty SC highlighted the victim's testimony that the abuse destroyed her childhood and self-confidence. Mr Justice Tony Hunt acknowledged the case was "finely balanced" and distinct from typical rape sentencing, noting the Court of Appeal had recently overturned a suspended sentence for Norwegian Magnus Meyer Hustveit, who pleaded guilty to repeatedly raping his partner while she slept. Mr Justice Hunt adjourned the case to November 28 for sentence, remanding the defendant on continuing bail while explicitly stating that this bail decision was not an indication of the eventual sentence.
In the Central Criminal Court, Donal Colgan, aged 65, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 39‑year‑old David Sheridan outside Luigi's chip shop on North Strand Road on 17/18 August 2014. Prosecutor Paul Burns SC presented evidence that Colgan had left the chip shop after an altercation, returned minutes later armed with a knife, and stabbed Sheridan multiple times, leading to Sheridan's death the following day. CCTV footage from the Sunset House pub, Luigi's chip shop and a nearby Centra was shown to the jury. The footage showed Colgan drinking heavily at the pub, arriving at the chip shop, engaging with other customers, leaving the shop, walking back to his home, and then returning to the shop with a knife. He was seen walking away from the scene carrying the knife, without attempting to conceal it. The trial continued the next day before Justice Carmel Stewart and the jury.
Brian Butler, aged 31, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for sexually abusing his younger sister, Leanne Butler, between 2000 and 2002. Butler began the abuse at age 14 and continued until he was 17, when his sister was between nine and twelve. The court heard that Butler committed a series of offences, including sexual assault and oral rape, at their family home. Leanne testified that the abuse devastated her childhood, describing the home as a war zone and expressing feelings of fear, confusion and pain. She noted that her family was torn apart and that she had once considered death but chose to live. Butler pleaded guilty, acknowledged his wrongdoing, and had participated in therapeutic services. The judge imposed the six‑year sentence and four years of post‑release supervision, including offence‑focused work and a victim awareness programme.
In a 2016 Offaly case, Thomas Moran, aged 52, was convicted of 13 counts of indecent assault on his sister Roisin between 1981 and 1984, when she was eight. He also pleaded guilty to seven counts against sister Dolores between 1980 and 1983, when she was 12 to 15. Both sisters waived anonymity and testified. The judge, Justice Robert Eager, sentenced Moran to three years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, citing his juvenile status during much of the offending and his unlikely re‑offending. He praised the sisters' determination and bravery for reporting the abuse, which began after their father's death when Moran assumed the "man of the house" role. The sisters endured family upheaval and guilt, and only after a nervous breakdown in 2000 did Roisin report the abuse to Gardaí in 2012, following the Jimmy Saville case.
Donal Colgan, a 64-year-old man from Killarney Street, Dublin 1, pleaded not guilty to the murder of David Sheridan, a 45-year-old father of three. The alleged killing took place at North Strand Road, Dublin 1, on August 17 or 18, 2014. Colgan is accused of murdering Sheridan outside a Dublin chip shop. Following the plea, Justice Patrick McCarthy directed the jury to select a foreman and return to the Central Criminal Court the following day. The trial is scheduled to begin tomorrow. This report reflects the procedural stage of the trial, where the defendant has entered a not guilty plea to the contested charge of murder. No findings, sentences, or final dispositions have been recorded at this stage. The matter is proceeding to trial as indicated by the court's instructions for the jury's return.
Patrick O'Rourke, 63, of Cooline Drive, Ballyvoloon, Cobh, Co Cork, pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of his partner, Donna Foster, at their home on 11 August 2015. A jury was sworn in at the Central Criminal Court today to hear his trial, with Justice Patrick McCarthy asking the panel to select a foreman and return on Wednesday.
A Chinese national, Zhen Dong Zhao, 39, pleaded guilty to manslaughter for the killing of Noel Fegan outside his internet cafe on Wellington Quay on 20 May 2011. The plea was accepted by the State and a sentencing hearing is set for 5 December. Zhao had previously pleaded not guilty to murder but was convicted in 2012 and sentenced to life imprisonment; that conviction was later quashed after a retrial was ordered by the Court of Criminal Appeal for errors in the trial judge's explanation of provocation. Justice Patrick McCarthy granted continuing bail until the sentencing date.
The family of Maria O'Brien, a 55‑year‑old patient at St Otteran's Hospital, expressed shock at her death after she was stabbed more than 100 times by Paul Cuddihy, a 38‑year‑old man with paranoid schizophrenia. Cuddihy, who had been found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of O'Brien on 5 September 2014, was committed to the Central Mental Hospital for ongoing treatment. O'Brien's son, Patrick Halley, described her as a bubbly, kind‑hearted person who loved her children and whose last words to Cuddihy were "remember the children." O'Brien's brother, Joe O'Mahony, spoke of the trauma of learning she had cried out for help and pleaded with her killer to stop. Dr Damian Mohan, a forensic psychiatrist, confirmed that Cuddihy remains ill, shows little remorse, and has not accepted his need for help. Justice Patrick McCarthy committed Cuddihy to the Central Mental Hospital under Section 5(2) of the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act.
In a High Court decision on 14 November 2016, Judge Ms Aileen Donnelly ordered the extradition of James Anthony Oliver Albert Corry, a 47‑year‑old Belfast native, to Germany. Corry was arrested in Killorglin, Co Kerry in October 2015 under a European Arrest Warrant issued by German authorities in 2004. He is suspected of taking part in a 1996 Provisional IRA mortar attack on a British army barracks in Osnabruck, during which three mortar shells were fired. The judge noted that the public interest in prosecuting Corry for an alleged attempted murder with explosives was not diminished by the delay in seeking his surrender. She emphasized that any trial and sentence he would face in Germany could amount to life imprisonment, and that surrender would not constitute disproportionate interference with his rights. Corry was remanded in custody until 21 November 2016, with bail consent.
Patrick Hutch Jnr, 24, faces trial at the Special Criminal Court in January 2018 for the murder of David Byrne, 34, who was shot dead during a boxing weigh‑in at the Regency Hotel in Dublin on 5 February. Hutch was charged in May with Byrne's murder and later with possession of three AK47 assault rifles under the Firearms Act, alleging unlawful possession and intent to endanger life at the hotel. At a brief hearing, Hutch's counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, requested a January 2018 trial date, which Judge Tony Hunt, with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne, set for 11 January 2018. The court noted it would not consider backlog criticisms and that the date was not linked to the court's schedule. The trial is expected to last three to four weeks, and Hutch remains remanded in custody until the trial date.
In Portarlington, Deivydas Zigelis, a 39‑year‑old Lithuanian, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter of Alexander Karpovs, a 26‑year‑old Latvian, after a drunken dispute over food. Karpovs died on 15 February 2014 from a single stab wound to the heart. Zigelis was sentenced to seven years at the Central Criminal Court, with the final two years suspended, giving an effective custodial term of five years. The judge noted the killing was not premeditated, describing the scene as a "hovel" and Zigelis as a "functioning alcoholic" who has vowed never to drink again and shown genuine remorse. The court heard a victim impact statement from Karpovs' mother in Latvia, who said her son's death had left her "stressed out all the time" and unable to sleep. The case involved a house filled with broken crockery, drink cans and cigarette boxes, and a third man who was also heavily intoxicated.
The jury has begun deliberations in the Central Criminal Court trial of 53‑year‑old Liam Power, who is charged with murdering a 41‑year‑old Latvian man, Gints Intembergs, found dead on the kitchen floor of his home on 16 September 2014. Power has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge but has pleaded guilty to manslaughter at Intembergs' home in Graigowen, Tullow, Co. Carlow. He also pleaded not guilty to an assault‑causing‑harm charge against another man, Aigar Sildars, on the same occasion. Power told Gardaí that he punched Intembergs and stamped on him many times, and that he tried to set fire to the victim; he claimed he did about half as much to Sildars.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Melanie Greally ruled that a prison sentence was inevitable for Jonathan McSherry (34) after he pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on Jessica Bowes on 20 December 2015. Footage showed McSherry repeatedly punching and kicking Bowes, leaving her unconscious twice and causing fractures to her skull, eye sockets and cheekbone, as well as permanent scarring and nerve damage. Bowes, a mother of three, described the attack as merciless and said she feared she would die. She reported ongoing anxiety, nightmares and physical impairments, including difficulty closing her lips and memory loss. McSherry was remanded on continuing bail until 21 December to allow him to attend the Coolmine residential drug treatment programme. The court noted a prior barring order and that McSherry had two children with Bowes. The judge emphasised the severity of the assault and the injuries when stating that jail was inevitable.
In November 2016, William Beresford, a 45‑year‑old former casino employee, was sentenced to four years in jail for robbing the Station's Sport Club on 20 August 2015. Beresford used a pellet gun to threaten colleagues and forced a staff member to open a safe, taking €4,400 that was never recovered. He had previously been convicted of manslaughter in 1999 for killing his brother and had 28 other minor convictions. Beresford surrendered to Gardaí four days after the robbery and expressed remorse, citing drug addiction as a motive. Judge Melanie Greally noted his progress in overcoming addiction but deemed the offence serious, describing the pellet gun as effectively a firearm. The final 18 months of the sentence were suspended on conditions including two years of probation. The case highlighted Beresford's troubled personal history, including a prior family tragedy and ongoing drug abuse.
In a judgment on 11 November 2016, Mr Justice Alan Mahon dismissed an appeal against the 14‑year prison sentence imposed on a 53‑year‑old man for multiple sexual offences. The man had pleaded guilty to one count of rape and six counts of sexual assault of his sister, aged five to nine, between 1978 and 1981, and to five counts of defilement of a child, one count of oral rape and three counts of sexual assault of his niece, aged 14, between 2005 and 2007. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy had originally imposed consecutive sentences of seven years each, suspending the final two years, on 6 July 2015. The appeal argued that the judge had misjudged the gravity of the offences and ignored mitigating factors; the Court of Appeal upheld the original sentence as "reasonable and appropriate".
The Central Criminal Court has reached the sentencing stage for Dzintars Sackalausks, a 33-year-old man from Graiguecullen, Co Carlow. Sackalausks, who initially pleaded not guilty to murdering Gints Intembergs and assaulting Aigar Sildars, had the murder charge dropped by the State. He subsequently entered a guilty plea to the charge of assault causing harm against Mr Sildars on the same occasion. The court report indicates that Sackalausks will be sentenced at a later date, meaning the matter regarding his disposal is not yet finalised. This sentencing follows the concurrent trial of Liam Power, a 53-year-old Wexford man, who pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the death of Mr Intembergs in Tullow, Co Carlow. Power also pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm against Mr Sildars. During the trial, the jury was charged by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy to deliberate on Power's verdicts. While the source text details the closing arguments and the jury's retirement to consider Power's case, the specific validated procedural stage for Sackalausks is sentencing. No effective custody, suspended portions, or specific conditions have been recorded for Sackalausks in this report, as his sentence is pending. The report attributes the allegations of murder and assault to the defendants, noting that Sackalausks has admitted to the assault charge while the murder charge was withdrawn.
At the Central Criminal Court, Liam Power, a 53-year-old Wexford man, is on trial for the murder of Gints Intembergs in Co Carlow. Power has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. He also faces a charge of assault causing harm against Aigar Sildars, to which he has pleaded not guilty. Defence counsel Michael Delaney SC urged the jury to keep feelings of revulsion in check, arguing Power lacked the intent for murder and was provoked. The prosecution, led by Paul Greene SC, countered that Power's actions were sadistic and self-serving, urging a murder conviction. In a related development, co-accused Dzintars Sackalausks, of Co Carlow, had initially pleaded not guilty to both the murder of Mr Intembergs and the assault on Mr Sildars. The State dropped the murder charge against Sackalausks. He subsequently entered a guilty plea to the charge of assaulting Mr Sildars, causing him harm on the same occasion. Sackalausks will be sentenced at a later date. The trial for Power continues, with the judge set to charge the jury.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 27‑year‑old Irish international footballer Anthony Stokes pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Anthony Bradley at Buck Whaleys nightclub on Leeson Street on 8 June 2013. The case, originally scheduled for trial on 22 November, was postponed at the prosecutor's request. Judge Melanie Greally set a sentencing date for 20 December and remanded Stokes on continuing bail.
Patrick O'Brien, a former lay worker with the Church of Ireland, was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment for raping and molesting 14 boys over a 40‑year period. He pleaded guilty to 48 counts of indecent assault and three counts of sexual assault, with offences ranging from kissing to forceful anal penetration. The abuse occurred between 1974 and 2013 at locations including Kildare, Westmeath, a boat in Loughrea, and St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin. O'Brien had previously received a one‑year suspended sentence in 1989 for assaulting a ten‑year‑old boy. The sentencing hearing, held over two days, included victim impact statements from 14 men aged 7 to 16, who described the abuse as predatory and pervasive.
The State has dropped the murder charge against a 33‑year‑old man, who told Gardaí that his co‑accused had stamped on the deceased man's head and testicles numerous times. Both men have been on trial at the Central Criminal Court for almost two weeks. The court heard that Latvian man Gints Intembergs was found dead on his kitchen floor in Co Carlow on the morning of 16 September 2014. Liam Power (53) of no fixed abode and Dzintars Sackalausks (33) of Barrowvale, Graiguecullen, Co Carlow were charged with murdering him on that or the previous day. Mr Sackalausks pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. Each accused also pleaded not guilty to assaulting another man, Aigar Sildars, causing him harm on the same occasion. The prosecution, represented by Paul Greene SC, addressed Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy after the jury arrived in court.
Warren Brennan, 25, of Pearse Street, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery at Alderwood Park, Tallaght, on October 27, 2015. He also pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary at a bookmakers on Lombard Street and resisting a police officer on the same occasion. Judge Catherine Murphy described the Tallaght robbery, in which Brennan attacked a 71-year-old victim with a hammer, as "particularly nasty" and involving "gratuitous violence." The judge noted Brennan's 54 previous convictions, including a 2011 three-year jail term for an attempted armed robbery. Although Brennan was on bail for the Lombard Street burglary when he committed the Tallaght robbery, he is currently in custody for other offences. The judge remanded Brennan on continuing bail until January 16 for sentence, stating she needed time to consider various reports. Defense counsel Sean Gillane SC highlighted Brennan's difficult childhood, addiction issues, and a psychiatric report indicating a risk of developing schizophrenia, urging the court not to discard him entirely. Prosecution counsel detailed how Brennan was identified after giving a false name and how he attempted to stab gardai during the Lombard Street incident. The matter was adjourned for sentencing.
Paul Mason, 28, of Ballygarra Park, Garristown, pleaded guilty this morning in the Special Criminal Court to assault causing harm to Keith Lynch on 16 February 2014 at The Saltings, Annagassan, Co Louth, contrary to the Non‑Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997. Justice Tony Hunt, with Judges Martin Nolan and Cormac Dunne, adjourned sentencing to 25 November pending a victim impact report. Mason remains in custody and was remanded by Justice Hunt until the sentencing hearing.
A 31‑year‑old Dublin man, who was a teenager when he sexually abused his younger sister, will be sentenced later this month. The victim, aged nine to twelve at the time, said the abuse began after a football computer game and involved inappropriate touching, finger penetration, forced masturbation and oral rape. The incidents occurred at the family home between 2000 and 2002. The girl first reported the abuse to a school friend, leading to family and social services involvement. The accused pleaded guilty to sexual assault and oral rape at the Central Criminal Court. He had attended therapeutic services and a formal complaint was not made to Gardaí until 2013. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy remanded him in custody for finalisation of the sentence later this month. The victim, now 26, described the impact as devastating, noting that her family was torn apart and she felt blamed for what happened.
Brian Veale, 31, was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Graham Johnson in the kitchen of Cork Prison on 16 May 2015. Veale stabbed Johnson through the heart with a carving knife after an argument over television channels. The jury found him guilty after deliberating for 1 hour 56 minutes. Victim impact statements were read by Johnson's sister, Vivienne, and his 13‑year‑old daughter, describing the loss and emotional toll. Veale, originally from Dungarvan, had 105 prior convictions and was already in custody on a robbery charge when the murder occurred. The judge imposed the mandatory life sentence, consecutive to a previous offence imposed on 28 February 2015. The court heard that the knife used was available to kitchen staff and that the incident followed a brief confrontation over a horse‑racing channel. The case concluded with the judge's sentencing and no further legal proceedings reported. Brian Veale pleaded not guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court, Ross Callery and Gerard Stevens were remanded in custody to await sentencing for their part in the killing of Dale Creighton. The seven accused, originally charged with murder and violent disorder, had their pleas changed on the 15th day of the trial. Callery and Stevens pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Jason Beresford pleaded guilty to manslaughter and violent disorder. James Reid pleaded guilty to possession of a knife. Aisling Burke pleaded guilty to violent disorder. Graham Palmer and David Burke pleaded not guilty to manslaughter. All murder charges were dropped. The court granted Aisling Burke bail until sentencing. Callery and Stevens, who had been on bail, were remanded in custody after answering their bail. The other accused, including Palmer, Beresford, Reid, and David Burke, were remanded in custody for sentencing on December 19th. The court noted a medical report might assist regarding Stevens. The incident occurred on New Year's Morning 2014 at a footbridge in Tallaght, where Creighton was assaulted and died the following day from blunt force injuries.
A 35-year-old Dublin man has been found not guilty by reason of insanity of assaulting two women in Dublin city centre on 14 April 2015. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, the defendant pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to two counts of assault causing harm. The court heard he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and had discontinued his anti-psychotic medication prior to the offences. Both prosecution and defence counsel submitted that he met the criteria under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006, as he did not know his actions were wrong and was unable to control himself. Forensic psychiatrists for both sides concurred on these grounds. The jury returned the special verdict within minutes. Judge Martin Nolan ordered that the defendant be brought to the Central Mental Hospital for assessment of his treatment needs. The case was adjourned to 17 November.
In a 2016 Central Criminal Court hearing, 52‑year‑old Liam Power, a man of no fixed abode, told Gardaí that he had repeatedly kicked a 41‑year‑old Latvian man, Gints Intembergs, before removing his clothes and attempting to burn him. Power claimed he had been "frightened" and "like an animal" during the incident, which took place on the night of 15 September 2014, with Intembergs found dead on the kitchen floor the next morning. Power admitted drinking about 16 cans of beer and smoking crack cocaine in the hours before the alleged murder. He also said he had used a lighter to try to set fire to the victim's privates, with co‑accused Dzintars Sackalausks (33) assisting. Power pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, while Sackalausks pleaded not guilty to murder. The trial continued on Monday before Justice Isobel Kennedy and a jury.