The State has completed its case at the Central Criminal Court in the trial of two men accused of murdering a 23-year-old man in Athlone. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, from Warsaw, Poland, have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone, County Roscommon on 20 June 2014. The court heard that Mr Krupa drowned after sustaining a head injury during a violent assault. Both defendants also deny charges of falsely imprisoning Mr Krupa on the same date and location. Evidence presented included CCTV footage and a statement from a witness who spoke to Mr Sychulec on the night in question. The jury, comprising four women and eight men, was adjourned to allow legal matters to be discussed in their absence. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt.
In 2016 the Court of Appeal dismissed Brian Meehan's application to have his 1999 conviction for the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin declared a miscarriage of justice, ruling it an abuse of process. Meehan, 47, had sought to quash the conviction on the basis of alleged new evidence from the 2001 Special Criminal Court trial of John Gilligan, who was acquitted of Guerin's murder. The court found no new facts had emerged and that all material Meehan cited had been available since the Gilligan trial. It held that Meehan's attempt to revive arguments years later, without proper disclosure or new evidence, was unacceptable. The appeal was refused and Meehan remains serving a life sentence in Portlaoise prison. The decision was upheld by the panel of judges, including Justice George Birmingham. The family expressed relief at the outcome.
Patrick Keating, 51, who was jailed for life for the murder of Joe O'Brien in Waterford in 2013, has lodged an appeal against his conviction. Keating, who lived at Moyne House, Grattan Quay, Waterford, had pleaded not guilty to the 2012 murder at an apartment on William Street. The Central Criminal Court found him guilty and imposed a mandatory life sentence. In his appeal, Keating's counsel, Seán Guerin SC, argues that the trial judge effectively reversed the burden of proof by dismissing the prosecution's witness, Mr Anthony Marshall, whose testimony described Keating stomping and striking O'Brien's head with a dumbbell. Guerin contends that the judge's instructions undermined the defence's challenge to Marshall's evidence, which was not supported by medical findings. The Director of Public Prosecutions, John O'Kelly SC, maintains that the pathologist's evidence of severe head injuries and the absence of a skull fracture do not invalidate Marshall's testimony. The court will reserve judgment.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a jury of ten women and two men found taxi driver Lookman Kareem (48) not guilty of assaulting passenger Noelle Donohue, but could not reach a verdict on the alleged assault of passenger Darren O'Connor. The trial, held on 15 April 2016, heard that on 22 December 2013, O'Connor, Donohue and two of Donohue's sisters were in Kareem's taxi when they began laughing at his first name. Kareem allegedly shouted racial slurs, punched Donohue in the nose, hit her twice when the car stopped, and then got into a scuffle with O'Connor, allegedly biting off the top of O'Connor's thumb. O'Connor described excruciating pain and the loss of the thumb's tip. Kareem denied the assault, claiming the passengers were the aggressors and had racially abused him. The judge dismissed the jury after just under four hours of deliberation and adjourned the case to 28 April for a retrial.
Kenneth Wilson, 46, of Deansrath Road, Clondalkin, was sentenced by Judge Sarah Berkeley to four years' imprisonment for armed robbery at the Bawnogue Post Office in November 2012. Wilson entered the post office armed with an axe, while two other men carried a crowbar and an imitation handgun. They broke the security glass, took over €7,000 from the registers, and fled in a blue BMW. Wilson was later arrested, refused to admit guilt, and pleaded guilty to the robbery. The court noted Wilson's 18 previous convictions, including manslaughter and possession of firearms, and his earlier conviction for the 1992 killing of Patrick Joseph Craig. Judge Berkeley highlighted that Wilson had not re‑offended since the robbery and had been a law‑abiding citizen for the last four years. She imposed a four‑year term with the final 18 months suspended, leaving Wilson to serve two and a half years in custody.
The Central Criminal Court has heard DNA evidence linking a deceased man to items seized from one of two men on trial for his murder. Patryk Krupa, aged 23, drowned in the River Shannon on 20 June 2014 following an alleged violent assault in Athlone, County Roscommon. DNA profiler Dr Stephen Clifford testified that genetic material matching the deceased was recovered from a bloodstained watch and sock belonging to Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford. The scientist stated the probability of the DNA originating from another person was less than one in a billion for the watch sample and less than one in 11 million for the sock. DNA matching Mr Krupa was also found on a black BMW, the court heard. Sychulec and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, with an address in Warsaw, Poland, have each pleaded not guilty to murder and false imprisonment. The prosecution alleges both men forcibly removed Mr Krupa and left him incapacitated in the river. The trial continues.
Evidence has been heard at the Central Criminal Court in relation to a driving licence found in the name of a witness in a murder trial. Tomas Strugacz testified that his Polish driving licence went missing in Dublin in June 2013, which he reported to gardaí in Lucan before obtaining a replacement. An identification card bearing his name and address but a different photograph was produced in court during proceedings. The trial concerns Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, with an address in Warsaw, Poland. Both men have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patryk Krupa, aged 23, at Bogganfin, Athlone, County Roscommon on 20 June 2014. They also deny falsely imprisoning the deceased on the same date. The court has heard that Mr Krupa drowned following a violent assault. The trial before Mr Justice Tony Hunt continues.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, 48‑year‑old taxi driver Lookman Kareem was accused of biting off part of a passenger's thumb during an incident on 22 December 2013. The trial heard that the alleged assault followed a scuffle in which passengers laughed at his first name and allegedly racially abused him. Witnesses reported that Kareem was seen spitting something out of his mouth after the incident, with blood around his mouth, though he denied knowing what was spitted and denied biting the thumb. He claimed the victim was the aggressor and that he was dragged out of the taxi and beaten by three passengers. The case is in its closing stages, with jury deliberations scheduled to begin tomorrow under Judge Patricia Ryan. The trial has not yet reached a verdict. Lookman Kareem pleaded not guilty.
Michael Collins, aged 34, has lodged an appeal against his conviction for the murder of Packie Hogan, aged 42, which occurred on 10 February 2011. Collins, who lives in Upper Kilmona, Grenagh, Co Cork, had pleaded not guilty to the murder, to possession of a rifle and to possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life. A Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty on all counts and he was sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment by Mr Justice Paul Carney on 29 November 2012. Collins now argues that the trial judge's directions to the jury on manslaughter were defective. He maintains that the shooting was accidental, that the firearm was defective and that he had no intention to kill, only to scare the deceased. The appeal is pending, with the court reserving judgment. The article does not report any further developments.
The High Court has set aside a decision on whether to extradite a 43‑year‑old man to Scotland on sexual assault charges. The man, who is currently on bail, is alleged to have sexually assaulted four complainants aged five to 13 between 17 and 27 years ago. The Minister of Justice and Equality, Mr Tony McGillicuddy, told the court that the accused was arrested on a European arrest warrant on 2 January and that five offences of sexual assault are alleged between 1989 and 1998, each carrying a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Defence counsel, Mr John Ferry, argued that his client had lived peacefully in Ireland for many years, had no knowledge of the allegations until his arrest, and was under‑age at the time of the alleged offences. Mr Ferry highlighted a delay in reporting the offences to Scottish authorities and expressed concern about the timing of the case.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Giovanni Obaseki, aged 23, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for a savage robbery that left victim Francis Crossan with a broken leg and a protruding bone. Obaseki, a German national, pleaded guilty to the robbery on North King Street on 8 September 2012, after a series of earlier assaults. The court noted that Obaseki had previously attacked a 60‑year‑old man with a wine bottle and had punched a man at Smithfield Square, for which he also pleaded guilty. Judge Martin Nolan described the Crossan attack as the most serious, citing the victim's severe injuries and the repeated blows. The judge imposed a seven‑year sentence, suspended the last two years, and acknowledged Obaseki's efforts at rehabilitation, including completion of the Prison Service's Alternatives to Violence Programme. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the crime and the victim's ongoing physical trauma.
The Central Criminal Court trial of two men accused of murdering a 23-year-old at Bogganfin, Athlone has continued with legal argument in the absence of the jury. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, with an address in Warsaw, Poland, face charges of murdering Patryk Krupa on 20 June 2014. Both men have pleaded not guilty to murder and to a separate charge of false imprisonment. The prosecution alleges the accused removed Mr Krupa from Athlone, travelled to the Shannon riverbank, and assaulted him before he drowned while incapacitated. The trial before Mr Justice Tony Hunt began last week and entered its seventh day. Procedural matters were addressed before the jury this morning, with further evidence anticipated this afternoon.
Evan Smith, 18, was sentenced to two years in prison for robbing and assaulting a deaf and mute couple, Michael and Helen Rush, in Clondalkin on 10 November 2014. Smith followed the couple from a chipper into a laneway, knocked Helen to the ground and stole her handbag, while also cutting Michael above his eye. He pleaded guilty to robbery and assault at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Smith has six prior convictions, including robbery and burglary. The judge, Melanie Greally, described the offence as serious and nasty, noted the couple's injuries and their subsequent fear of going out at night, and highlighted Smith's previous prison time and his efforts to address addiction. The final 12 months of the sentence were suspended on strict conditions, and Smith will remain under Probation Service supervision for a year. The prosecution and defence both acknowledged Smith's lack of awareness of the couple's disabilities and his admission of shame for the attack.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, taxi driver Lookman Kareem was accused of biting off part of Darren O'Connor's thumb after passengers laughed at his name. O'Connor and his girlfriend Noelle Donohue were in a taxi to Rathmines with Donohue's sisters Stacey and Helena. Stacey giggled when she saw Kareem's first name on his taxi plate, prompting other passengers to join. Kareem allegedly shouted abusive remarks, punched Donohue in the nose, and struck her twice after the group left the vehicle. O'Connor claimed Kareem grabbed his leg, causing him to feel excruciating pain and lose the top of his thumb. O'Connor ran to a pub for ice, collapsed, and was taken to St James's Hospital for surgery. Defence barrister Conor McKenna denied the assault allegations, asserting the passengers were not laughing at Kareem's name. The case remains before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury.
A key prosecution witness in a Central Criminal Court murder trial conceded during cross-examination that he disclosed nothing to gardaí about the alleged killing until after his own arrest on suspicion of murder. Kuba Zmuda testified that he witnessed the assault on Patryk Krupa, aged 23, on the banks of the River Shannon near Athlone on 20 June 2014. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, of Warsaw, Poland, are charged with Mr Krupa's murder. Both men deny the allegations and also deny a separate charge of false imprisonment. The trial heard that Mr Krupa died from a head injury sustained during an assault. Under cross-examination by the defence barrister, Mr Zmuda acknowledged that he had made no statement to gardaí prior to his arrest, despite meeting Mr Krupa's sister and receiving a phone call from his girlfriend. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and jury. The unnamed 23-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Waldemar Solowiow, a 49‑year‑old Polish national, was convicted of murdering his 37‑year‑old girlfriend, Mary Ryan, in his Dublin bedsit on 18–19 May 2012. Ryan died from neck compression and head trauma after a physical altercation. Solowiow admitted killing her but denied murder, claiming provocation. He received a mandatory life sentence in October 2013. In 2015 he appealed, arguing the trial judge misdirected the jury on provocation. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, upholding the conviction. The judges found the judge's instructions on provocation adequate and noted that Solowiow had admitted the killing. They also rejected other grounds, including alleged false statements to Gardaí and the handling of expert evidence. Solowiow remains in custody to serve the remainder of his life sentence.
A witness has testified at the Central Criminal Court that he observed two men remove a 23-year-old from a vehicle, assault him for approximately 15 minutes, and subsequently drag him towards the River Shannon. Kuba Zmuda was providing evidence in the trial of Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, from Warsaw, Poland. Both men are charged with the murder of Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone, County Roscommon on 20 June 2014. Each defendant has entered a not guilty plea to the murder charge and to a separate count of false imprisonment. Mr Zmuda described being present when the accused men located Mr Krupa on Church Street in Athlone town centre and brought him to a location near the N6 bridge crossing the Shannon. He stated the men beat and kicked Mr Krupa, who was subsequently found drowned. The trial continues at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury.
At the Central Criminal Court, a jury heard evidence that a 23-year-old man drowned in the Shannon River following a violent assault that left him incapacitated. State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy described severe blunt force trauma to the deceased's head, including a fractured nose, facial swelling, and injuries consistent with kicks and punching. She found blood-tinged froth in the airways and river debris in the lungs, indicating drowning while unconscious. The brain trauma was sufficient to cause concussion or unconsciousness, rendering the victim unable to resist being pulled into the water, the pathologist concluded. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, from Warsaw, Poland, are charged with murdering Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, County Roscommon, on 20 June 2014. Both men have pleaded not guilty to murder and false imprisonment. The trial before Mr Justice Tony Hunt continues.
The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on whether to return Jordan O'Donovan, 21, to jail for a nightclub glass assault. O'Donovan pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm to another man in a Cork nightclub on 27 December 2013. He was sentenced at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to three years imprisonment, with the final two years suspended by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin on 28 October 2014. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) appealed, arguing the sentence was "unduly lenient". DPP counsel Donal O'Sullivan BL said O'Donovan struck a young man with a glass, causing severe facial injuries that required surgery, and that the Circuit Court judge erred in not stating the offence's severity on the scale. He claimed the custodial element was "significantly out of kilter" and that a starting point of four to seven years is required for mid‑range serious assaults.
Cathal Gartland, 42, of Dundalk, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for assaulting and threatening to kill his daughter while in possession of a Magnum hand‑gun. The Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Michael O'Shea, imposed the sentence on 20 May 2015, with lesser sentences running concurrently. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the sentence was "unduly lenient", but the Court of Appeal dismissed the application, stating the sentence lay within the margin available to the sentencing judge. Judge Garrett Sheehan explained that Gartland had assaulted his youngest daughter after learning she was intoxicated and behaving inappropriately. He slapped her, used a .357 calibre Magnum Smith and Wesson, threatened to drown, kill and kneecap her, and forced her into a taxi. The daughter sustained multiple injuries, required crutches for four months, and later was taken to hospital. Gartland had prior convictions for firearms possession and assault. Cathal Gartland pleaded guilty.
A man from County Donegal has been sentenced to three years imprisonment for the rape of a 14-year-old girl at a youth disco in December 2010, when he was aged 15. The Central Criminal Court heard that he pushed the girl into the ladies toilets and raped her in a cubicle. The victim testified that she repeatedly refused his advances during the disco and that he forced her into the toilet against her will. The defence contended the encounter was consensual and had escalated beyond their intentions, but the woman denied this account. A jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on charges of rape and sexual assault after two hours of deliberation in January this year. Justice Margaret Heneghan imposed a five-year sentence but suspended the final two years. The judge considered his age at the time of the offence, his cooperation with gardaí, and absence of previous convictions as mitigating factors, though she noted a lack of remorse. He was also ordered not to contact the victim and to undertake two years of post-release supervision. The unnamed 14-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 21‑year‑old man was given a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence for forcing a boy, who was 10 or 11 at the time, to have sex with him when the man was 15. The offence, committed in the man's Dublin home between January and July 2011, was found by a jury to be defilement. The man denied the charge. Judge Petria McDonnell described the act as a heinous assault on a much younger boy and noted the continuing impact on the victim, as confirmed by evidence and a victim impact statement. The judge suspended the entire sentence for two years. At the sentencing hearing in January, the accused had written to the judge that his sentence began the day he was accused of the crime, expressing fear of prison and suicidal thoughts. He also mentioned that he had to leave the country after being charged because neighbours had called him a paedo and rapist. The unnamed 21-year-old was convicted.
At the Central Criminal Court, Michael Kinsella, aged 24, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of 29‑year‑old Adil Essalhi, who was stabbed on 6 January 2011. Essalhi suffered 50 stab and chop wounds before his killers attempted to set his body on fire and then dumped it in a ditch in Tyrrelstown. Kinsella's mother, Geraldine, spoke of the devastation to her family, describing her son as kind, loving and full of promise. Detective Sergeant Dan Callaghan revealed that Kinsella's uncle, Wayne, was convicted of murder for his part in Essalhi's death. Kinsella had been in detention since age 14, had 30 prior convictions, and claimed he was coerced by his uncle. Justice Deirdre Murphy adjourned the sentencing to 25 April. The hearing focused on the circumstances of the killing and the defendant's background.
A murder trial at the Central Criminal Court has heard evidence concerning the death of a 23-year-old man recovered from the Shannon in June 2014. The deceased's mother described viewing her son's body at Roscommon mortuary, noting severe bruising and swelling to his face and head. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, with an address in Warsaw, Poland, are charged with murdering Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, County Roscommon on 20 June 2014. Both men have pleaded not guilty to murder and to a second charge of false imprisonment. The prosecution alleges the accused subjected the victim to a severe beating before placing him in the river. A witness testified to observing two men wearing blood-stained clothing at a fuel station later that evening. The trial before Mr Justice Tony Hunt continues with a jury of twelve.
In 2016, Andrew Gibney, aged 23, appealed his murder conviction for the 2012 stabbing of Gerard Burnett, aged 28, in Mulhuddart. Gibney had pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by a jury 10‑2 and sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment. His counsel, Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC, argued that a miscarriage of justice occurred, citing the UK Supreme Court's Jogee decision that clarified joint enterprise law. Ó Lideadha contended that Gibney's intent was to harm, not kill, and that the jury was denied the opportunity to consider a partial defence. He also challenged the admissibility of a witness statement that alleged Gibney said he would "kill" Burnett. The appeal was adjourned for a later hearing.
Val Mannion, 40, pleaded guilty to pointing a knife at his flatmate Brian Kelly on 27 June 2015. The incident occurred while Mannion, his girlfriend and Kelly were conversing in their Dublin flat. Mannion began screaming and brandished a knife, but did not assault Kelly. Mannion's girlfriend then poured boiling water over Kelly's head, causing significant injuries and scarring. Mannion claimed he had no knowledge of the attack and was not involved. He expressed remorse, stating he would have removed the kettle if he had known. Mannion has 25 prior convictions, mainly drug‑related, and no history of violence. Judge Terence O'Sullivan accepted his remorse and imposed a six‑month suspended sentence, requiring good behaviour and a €100 bond. His girlfriend will be sentenced for the assault in May.
Thomas Coleman, 62, was convicted by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of disorderly conduct and trespass after he was caught defecating in the communal garden of an apartment block on Clyde Road, Ballsbridge. The incident occurred on 29 April 2014 when a resident, alerted by noise at about 5.30 am, removed Coleman's bicycle from the garden and took it onto Clyde Road. Coleman shouted violently at the resident and used "colourful language" in a threatening manner before Garda John Cahill arrived. The resident had called the Gardaí, who removed Coleman from the scene and later found his bicycle missing. Coleman was acquitted of assault causing harm. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a one‑month suspended sentence for one year, ordered him to stay away from the apartment block and its residents, and noted the loss of his bicycle as a serious consequence.
Paul Rice, 25, of Tallaght, was jailed for two years after taking part in a violent assault on a bouncer at Copper Face Jacks nightclub on 23 September 2014. He pleaded guilty to violent disorder. The incident began when a group of six men, including Rice, were refused entry to the club. They returned with four other men and, after being denied entry again, Rice and another man dragged a bouncer across the street and punched him 17 times, delivering nine punches. The bouncer suffered a cut ear and facial bruising. Rice was identified on CCTV footage and arrested. He had 11 prior convictions, including public order offences. The judge, Terence O'Sullivan, noted the attack was pre‑meditated and extremely violent, and sentenced Rice to three years' imprisonment with the final year suspended. The sentence effectively amounts to a two‑year custodial term.
Damien Farrell, 40, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for sexually assaulting his niece. The defendant pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault committed in Dublin between April 1 and September 1, 1992, when the victim was eight years old. Prosecutors stated the assaults occurred while the victim was being babysat at her grandmother's house, where Farrell lived. The first two incidents involved physical contact of a sexual nature while both parties were fully clothed, while the third involved the accused and victim being unclothed. Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan imposed a two-year sentence suspended for three years. In passing sentence, the judge considered the devastating effects on the victim and her family, Farrell's guilty pleas, his letter of apology, and his current family circumstances. The judge noted the victim's statement that she is no longer a victim. Farrell, who has relocated to Sligo, wept as the sentence was read. He has been registered as a sex offender. Defence counsel highlighted that Farrell had disclosed the offences to his wife before marriage and had attended therapy following the incidents in 1992. The court accepted his plea of guilty to sexual assault on the third count.
Shahzad Hussain, aged 35, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the manslaughter of Muhammad Arif, 32, whom he believed was having an affair with his wife. Hussain had previously been jailed for life for the murder of his wife's cousin and for a life sentence for the murder of a distant relative. He also received a seven‑year sentence for serious injury to his wife, Rashida Bibi Haider, 44, and a two‑year sentence for assaulting her in January 2011. In July 2014 the Court of Criminal Appeal quashed his murder conviction, citing a "very real risk of injustice" in the jury's understanding of provocation. A retrial was ordered, and at the retrial Hussain pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter.
Larry McCarthy, 37, of Limerick, was denied bail by the Special Criminal Court on 8 April 2016. He faces charges of threatening to kill Noel Moore and threatening to damage Moore's house on 28 July 2015. The State objected to his bail application, citing the seriousness of the offence and the maximum ten‑year sentence. Chief Superintendent David Sheehan argued that Section 2A of the Bail Act required bail to be refused to prevent a serious offence. Judge Paul Butler, with Judges Alison Lindsay and Flann Brennan, accepted the objection and refused bail under Section 2A. McCarthy also faces separate charges of threatening unlawful violence and assaulting David Foran on 25 November 2014. He was remanded in custody until 11 May, when his case was listed for mention again.
An inmate, Eoghan McGarry, 30, was brought to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 8 April 2016, flanked by five prison officers in riot gear. He had assaulted three officers at Mountjoy Prison on 23 April 2015, using a homemade weapon made from razor blades melted into a toothbrush. The officers were delivering breakfast trays when McGarry lunged at them, causing injuries: one sustained wounds to face and torso, another a wound under the chin, and the third was struck on the head. The incident was captured on CCTV. McGarry pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. He is currently serving a four‑year sentence for aggravated burglary, with the final year suspended, and has 38 prior convictions. The court adjourned sentencing to 21 April to consider reports, including victim impact statements and reports from the prosecution and defence. The officers suffered significant psychological distress and anxiety as a result of the attacks. The case is pending further proceedings.
A woman described finding her boyfriend's body in the Shannon River while pregnant, giving evidence at the Central Criminal Court in the trial of two men charged with his murder. Malwina Kurowski testified that she had been unable to contact Patryk Krupa after he finished work in Athlone on 20 June 2014. She said her brother told her Mr Krupa had been taken by unknown men. Ms Kurowski collected her brother and a friend, and they drove to Bogganfin near the N6 bridge where they discovered Mr Krupa's belongings and found him in the water. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, from Warsaw, Poland, are each charged with murdering the 23-year-old man by beating him unconscious and leaving him to drown. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to murder and to a second charge of false imprisonment. The trial before Mr Justice Tony Hunt is expected to last over three weeks.
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence in the ongoing trial of Matthew Gralton and Ross Allen, who are accused of the murder of Christy Daly. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charge. State pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy testified that Mr Daly, whose body was found in a drain at Bog Lane, Clara, Co Offaly, likely suffered significant blunt force trauma before being shot. She detailed injuries including knocked-out teeth, a fractured nose, and facial lacerations, concluding that these impacts occurred prior to the gunshot wounds which finally incapacitated him. The cause of death was determined to be gunshot wounds and blunt force trauma, with hypothermia and coronary artery disease as contributing factors. Detective Sergeant Pat Cleary testified that he received an anonymous text message on December 30, 2013, alerting him to someone badly hurt on Curragh Road, Clara. This tip-off was linked to Mr Daly, who had been missing since December 29 and whose caravan had been burnt out. The body was located on January 7, 2014. The trial is proceeding before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury. One juror was discharged after informing the court she was overwhelmed by the proceedings following a recent bereavement. The matter was adjourned to continue tomorrow.
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence from CCTV footage during the trial of two men charged with murder in County Roscommon. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan in Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, from Warsaw, Poland, are accused of murdering Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone on 20 June 2014. The prosecution alleges the victim was beaten unconscious and left to drown in the Shannon. Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and to a second charge each of false imprisonment on the same date and location. A jury of twelve was empanelled to hear the case. Video footage captured at Collins Service Station in Athlone on the evening in question was presented to the jury, along with still photographs extracted from the footage. The jury was subsequently excused pending discussion of legal matters.
At the Central Criminal Court, the son of a deceased man gave evidence regarding his final hours with his father on December 29, 2013. Matthew Gralton, aged 22, from Mt Prospect in County Roscommon, and Ross Allen, aged 25, with addresses in Carrickmines, County Dublin and Clara, County Offaly, have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Christy Daly at Bog Lane, Kilbride, Clara. The prosecution alleges that Mr Daly discovered drugs valued at €30,000 concealed on the remote laneway where he resided, and that individuals connected to the drugs subsequently arranged his killing. The State contends that whilst neither accused was the gunman, both had a role in the death. The witness testified that he spent the day with his father and planned to meet him later that evening, but received no response when he attempted to contact him approximately 90 minutes after they parted. Mr Daly's body was discovered in a drain on January 7, 2014.
Two men appeared before the Central Criminal Court in April 2016 charged with the murder of a 23-year-old man in County Roscommon nearly two years earlier. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, with an address in Warsaw, Poland, pleaded not guilty to murdering Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone on 20 June 2014. Both men also denied a charge of false imprisonment on the same date and location. The prosecution outlined that the victim had been subjected to severe violence and subsequently drowned in the Shannon River. Evidence was expected to show that witnesses identified the accused men leaving a black BMW vehicle at the riverside location. A pathologist was anticipated to give evidence regarding injuries consistent with footwear marks and that the victim was unconscious when entering the water. The trial, heard before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, was expected to continue for more than three weeks.
In 2012 the Special Criminal Court convicted Wayne Dundon (37) of threatening to kill Alice Collins' sons and of intimidating potential witnesses, sentencing him to six years' imprisonment. His brother John (33) was convicted of threatening to kill April Collins and received five‑and‑a‑half years. Both appealed. The Court of Appeal reserved judgment but rejected preliminary motions to add evidence and to broaden Wayne's grounds of appeal. The court said the threshold for materiality had not been met. Wayne's counsel argued the prosecution failed to disclose material from a later murder trial, including telephone calls with Alice Collins and evidence of April Collins' driving offences. The appeal also addressed alleged inconsistencies in witness statements and the court's handling of evidence. The Court of Appeal will give reasons later. No outcome of the appeals is reported in the article.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a Waterford couple faced 82 charges of sexual abuse and exploitation of their son, aged between five and nine, and the father was also accused of raping him with a poker over a four‑year period. The parents denied all allegations, claiming the boy was a "difficult child" with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and behavioural problems. They pleaded not guilty to 16 counts each of sexual exploitation and one charge each of child cruelty, while the mother also denied 16 counts of sexual assault and the father denied 16 counts of anal rape and 16 counts of sexual assault with a poker. The prosecution presented a medical examination that found no physical trauma but did not rule out sexual abuse. The boy, now 12, was to testify in the ongoing trial before Mr Justice Robert Eagar.
A witness told the Central Criminal Court that Christy Daly, aged 47, expressed concern about men in dark clothing loitering near his home on the day he went missing. Gary Gonoude gave evidence at the trial of Matthew Gralton, aged 22, from Co Roscommon, and Ross Allen, aged 25, from Co Dublin and Offaly, who have pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Daly at Bog Lane, Kilbride, Clara, Co Offaly between December 29, 2013 and January 7, 2014. Mr Gonoude told prosecuting counsel that when towing a car to Mr Daly's residence on December 29, 2013, they encountered several hooded figures in the laneway. Mr Daly questioned their presence. Defence counsel for Mr Gralton challenged inconsistencies in Mr Gonoude's accounts to gardaí and in court testimony regarding the number and appearance of those present. Mr Daly's brother confirmed they last met that day. The trial continues before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.
In 2016 the Special Criminal Court upheld the convictions of Wayne Dundon and Nathan Killeen for the 2009 murder of Roy Collins. Dundon, aged 37, ordered the killing from prison, while Killeen, aged 26, drove the getaway vehicle. Both pleaded not guilty but were found guilty after a 29‑day trial and sentenced to life imprisonment on 15 July 2014. Their defence sought further disclosure of taped telephone calls made by prosecution witnesses during the three‑and‑a‑half years before the trial. Judge George Birmingham refused the motion, stating that any questions about disclosure would be addressed in the full appeal hearing. The court noted that the Special Criminal Court had already limited disclosure to calls relevant to specific events and that the recordings contained "explosive material". The defence argued the calls undermined witness credibility and could lead to a quashing of the convictions, but the court declined to order additional disclosure at this stage.
At the Central Criminal Court, a prosecution barrister opened the trial of two men accused of murdering a 47-year-old man in Co Offaly in late 2013. The court heard that the alleged killing occurred at Bog Lane, Kilbride, Clara, between late December 2013 and early January 2014. Matthew Gralton, aged 22 and from Mt Prospect, Co Roscommon, and Ross Allen, aged 25 with addresses in Dublin and Offaly, have each pleaded not guilty to murder. The prosecution alleges both men admitted involvement in the killing during interviews with gardaí in February 2014, though neither claims to have fired the fatal shots. The court was told the victim discovered a €30,000 drugs stash on the laneway where he lived. The prosecution contends this triggered his death at the hands of individuals sent from Dublin. The victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds and blunt force trauma, and his remains were discovered in a drain in January 2014. The trial continues before Justice Patrick McCarthy.
Shahzad Hussain, 35, of Woodland Avenue, Mosney, Co Meath, pleaded guilty to killing a man he suspected of having an affair with his wife. He had previously been jailed for life for murdering his wife's cousin and a distant relative, Muhammad Arif, 32, and had received sentences of seven years for seriously injuring his wife, Rashida Bibi Haider, 44, and two years for assaulting her. In July 2014 the Court of Criminal Appeal quashed his murder conviction and ordered a retrial, after a three‑judge panel found a "very real risk of injustice" in the trial judge's explanation of provocation to the jury. The retrial led to a plea of not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of Mr Arif. Hussain remains in custody awaiting sentencing, which will be set on Friday morning at 11 am.
Thomas Plunkett, 44, of Markievicz House, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for offences committed on Easter Monday, April 21, 2014. He pleaded guilty to burglary at St Patrick's Credit Union, Herbert Place, attempted burglary at Merrion Square, and the assault of Garda Paul Carroll at Pearse Street Garda Station. Judge Sarah Berkeley imposed a four-year sentence, suspending the final year on strict conditions, resulting in three years of effective custody. Plunkett, who has 64 previous convictions, was apprehended with stolen credit union property after a householder spotted him on a roof near her window. Garda Barry Moran testified that Plunkett initially cooperated by showing officers the smashed credit union window but became aggressive when his phone was confiscated. At the station, Plunkett was carried in by his hands and feet and allegedly spat at Garda Carroll's eye. Defense counsel Oisin Clarke BL noted Plunkett's intoxication and history of heroin addiction following bereavements, while highlighting his previous work delivering medication to the elderly. The court accepted the guilty pleas and imposed the custodial sentence with the specified suspension.
In a High Court judicial review, eight of the 33 indecent assault charges against retired consultant surgeon Dr Michael Shine (83) were dropped. The charges, originally filed at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, span from 1964 to 1990 and involve 22 alleged victims. Prosecutor Kathleen Noctor BL informed Judge Melanie Greally that the Director of Public Prosecutions was withdrawing these eight counts, with the intention to re‑enter them later. Dr Shine remains scheduled to stand trial next year on the remaining 25 charges. The court discharged him from the indictment for the eight counts as counsel indicated.
Derek McCann, 51, pleaded guilty to assaulting Glen Riordan, 35, at Edenmore House, Coolock, on 10 September 2011. McCann, an unemployed plumber, had moved from Millbrook Road to a caravan park in Bettystown, which delayed the case. Garda Eoin Cowap described the incident: McCann ran at Riordan, swung his hand, and struck him, after breaking a glass at the counter and using it to attack. Riordan fell, received ten stitches for a facial wound, and suffered a 2‑cm hairline scar. McCann had been drinking heavily and had no memory of the assault. The court, after a Probation Service report, suspended a three‑year prison sentence and ordered McCann to complete 240 hours of community service within 12 months. The judge noted McCann's loss of employment, stress medication, and cancer diagnosis, and a character reference described him as honest and trustworthy.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case of Paul Murphy and 18 co-accused to May 3 for mention. The defendants face charges including false imprisonment of acting Tánaiste Joan Burton and Karen O'Connell, violent disorder, and criminal damage, arising from a protest in Jobstown in November 2014. Defence counsel requested the adjournment to review recent State correspondence regarding separate trials. The prosecution indicated it had sent written instructions and an indictment later than anticipated. Thomas Kelly (33) of Cushlawn Dale, Tallaght, was remanded in his absence after failing to attend court due to starting a new job as a commis chef. Judge Greally noted he had "seriously underestimated" his attendance obligations but granted leniency given the prosecution's generous attitude, remanding him to the same date as his co-accused. Antoinette Kane (23) of Cloonmore Park, Jobstown, was also remanded in her absence; her counsel stated he could not take instruction from her, who is due a baby in two weeks. A warrant was issued for Dylan Collins (20) of Bawnlea Green, Tallaght, who failed to answer his bail. Other accused include Keith Preston (36), Kieran Mahon (38), and Michael Murphy (50). The matter was adjourned, not concluded.
The High Court has reserved its judgment in a deportation challenge brought by an unidentified man alleged to be involved with Islamic State (ISIL) extremists. The respondent, who has resided in Ireland since 2000, denies State claims that he consulted with senior violent extremist leaders, poses a national security threat, or recruited for ISIL. He argues that deportation to Jordan would breach Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights due to a risk of torture, citing past abuse in the 1990s. The State, represented by Conor Power SC, opposed the action, asserting that the Minister properly considered all evidence before issuing the deportation order. Power highlighted inconsistencies in the man's asylum applications, noting he did not mention torture in his 2000 application and had subsequently sought consular assistance from Jordan. The man's counsel, David Leonard BL, argued that Jordan's treatment of suspected extremists and the interrogation of the man's family members demonstrated a credible risk. Following a four-day hearing, Mr Justice Richard Humphreys reserved his decision on Friday. The judge indicated he hopes to deliver the judgment soon, and the matter is scheduled to be mentioned before him in April.
In March 2016 the Dublin Central Criminal Court sentenced a 23‑year‑old Laois barman to five years' imprisonment for raping a sleeping woman in January 2013. The accused, who could not be named to protect the victim's identity, admitted the offence but claimed he was so drunk that he was unsure whether he had committed rape. He had been drinking with others at a house in the early hours, sat beside the woman and repeatedly placed his hand on her leg. When she tried to push him away and said "stop" he ignored her and continued. After the assault he said "thank you" and left. The court imposed a seven‑year sentence with the final two years suspended, a two‑year post‑release supervision order and required the man to register as a sex offender. The case was prosecuted by Remy Farrell SC. The unnamed 23-year-old pleaded guilty.
Anthony Dwyer, 24, was sentenced to three years in prison for a violent attempted handbag snatch on Kilbarrack Road on 30 May 2013. He punched Rose Kim repeatedly in the head and grabbed her throat after she refused to give up her bag. Dwyer also admitted two offences of criminal damage at Howth Junction DART station on the same day. Judge Melanie Greally described the attack as "disgraceful" and imposed a consecutive two‑year sentence for the criminal damage, which she suspended on the condition that Dwyer keep the peace for three years and comply with Probation Services treatment for drugs and alcohol. Dwyer's history includes 47 prior convictions, including assault, robbery and 20 for criminal damage. He began abusing Ecstasy and petrol at age six, was taken into foster care at three, and later into residential care. He had stopped abusing tablets and was in a stable relationship with a young child at the time of sentencing. Anthony Dwyer pleaded guilty.