Michael Murray, 44, formerly of Killiney, Dublin, is appealing an unsuccessful High Court action against the Irish Prison Service and the Minister for Justice regarding the recording of his privileged solicitor calls. Murray was found guilty by a unanimous jury in 2013 and sentenced to 15 years for rape, attempted rape, oral rape, aggravated sexual assault, child abduction, threats to kill, false imprisonment, and theft. In the High Court, Mr Justice Seamus Noonan dismissed Murray's application for injunctions and damages, finding the recording inappropriate but inadvertent, with no evidence of access or prejudice. The Court of Appeal heard today that Murray is now legally represented and appealing that dismissal, with the hearing listed for March 1. Concurrently, the Director of Public Prosecutions is seeking a review of Murray's 15-year sentence as unduly lenient. Mr Justice Edwards adjourned both the appeal and the DPP's sentence review proceedings to March 4 to allow for progress indications. The matter remains at the appeal stage and has not been finalised.
Grace Tormey, 22, is on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for aggravated burglary and assault at Rollins Villas, Sallynoggin, on 16 November 2012. She pleaded not guilty. According to the trial, Lisa Lee, a partially paralysed woman who had suffered a stroke, was asleep in a downstairs bedroom when she heard banging on the front door at about four a.m. Lee and her partner Jason Kelly barricaded themselves in an upstairs bedroom. Lee reported that voices shouted threats and that men entered the house. Lee said a man and a woman, who identified themselves as Grace Tormey and an unnamed male, attacked her by kicking and punching. Lee claimed the attacker used a knife and smashed a wine bottle over her head, and that Tormey pulled lumps out of her hair. Lee was bleeding with facial injuries when Garda Garvin Alan arrived.
Gary Flynn, aged 31, was arrested in a silver Nissan Primera shortly after the March 13, 2009 shooting that killed Seamus 'Shay' O'Byrne at Tymon Park North, Tallaght. Detective Garda Mary Moore, of the NBCI, stopped the car in Kimmage, noting it matched the description of a vehicle the Gardaí were seeking. She reported that Flynn was seated in the front passenger seat and that three people were inside the vehicle. Flynn was handcuffed and evidence bags were placed over his hands to preserve any firearm residue. Garda Alan Curry examined the car, noting it lacked a tax disk, had an out‑of‑date NCT, and contained a mobile phone and McDonald's wrappers. Additional evidence was seized from a Ford Transit van, including a mismatched chassis number and fingerprints. The case is pending before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury. Gary Flynn pleaded not guilty.
Shahzad Hussain, aged 35, pleaded guilty to manslaughter after a retrial was ordered by the Court of Criminal Appeal in July 2014. The appeal had quashed his earlier murder conviction for killing his wife's cousin, Muhammad Arif, due to a "very real risk of injustice" in how provocation was explained to the jury. Hussain had previously been sentenced to life for murdering his wife's cousin and to seven years for seriously injuring his wife, Rashida Bibi Haider, and two years for assaulting her. In the current proceedings, he pleaded not guilty to the murder charge but guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Arif. The court noted that Hussain remains in custody for the other two convictions, which were not overturned, and that he has spent the last five years in four different prisons. The case was prosecuted by Mr Shane Costelloe SC and defended by Mr Dominic McGinn SC.
The sentencing of a 72‑year‑old bus driver who sexually abused a 30‑year‑old special‑needs passenger is adjourned. The driver, who pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault on the bus, had previously denied ten other charges. The court postponed the sentence to allow a full medical diagnosis after the driver's GP expressed grave concerns about his health. The victim, who has cerebral palsy and functions at a six‑ or seven‑year‑old level, disclosed the abuse after receiving a birthday card from the driver. She reported that he touched her breasts and private parts while driving her home, and she struck him when he refused to stop. The court noted the victim's mother was present and that the case causes distress to the family. The judge will sentence the driver once the medical report is available.
A 71‑year‑old man was sentenced to six years in prison for indecent assault on his three sons, aged between six and 15, at various locations in Dublin, mainly the family home, between 1974 and 1986. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury found him guilty of repeatedly abusing the children over a long period. Judge Catherine Murphy described the offences as particularly heinous, noting the father's lack of regret or remorse and the vulnerability of the victims. She back‑dated the sentence to account for time already spent in custody. The judge highlighted the courage of the three men in giving clear, convincing evidence and the profound suffering they endured. The case involved no prior sexual convictions for the accused, though he had other convictions. The prosecution, led by Garnet Orange SC, detailed how the abuse began when the children entered the father's bedroom looking for money, with the mother eventually moving the family away.
The family of Shane Rogers, a 32‑year‑old man charged with the murder of GAA player James Hughes, settled a High Court damages action for €50,000. Rogers was found unconscious in a holding cell beneath Cloverhill Courthouse on 20 December 2011, after being transferred from Cloverhill Prison for a scheduled hearing. He was taken to hospital and died shortly thereafter. The family alleged that the Governor of Cloverhill Prison, the Minister for Justice, Ireland and the Attorney General were negligent and breached duty and the European Convention of Human Rights. They claimed the prison failed to search Rogers for a ligature, did not provide adequate psychological assessment or treatment, and failed to monitor him in solitary confinement or holding cells. The judge, Ms Justice Deidre Murphy, approved the settlement and acknowledged a report by Judge Michael Reily that identified failures in record‑keeping, communication and governance within the prison system.
The High Court in Ireland has ordered the surrender of an unnamed man to the United Kingdom for extradition under a European Arrest Warrant. The man was arrested last year on the warrant, which was issued by British authorities. He faces charges of sexual assault by penetration, sexual assault and assault causing harm to a woman, alleged to have occurred at a house in Swindon, Wiltshire, during the night of December 20th and early morning of December 21st, 2013. If convicted, he could face a life sentence. Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly, hearing the case, found no valid objection to the extradition and made the order, which will take effect after fifteen days. The man, who was on bail, applied for continued bail until the order takes effect. He is a native of Ireland who had lived in England for twelve years at the time of the alleged offences.
Alan McNamara, 48, of Mountfune, Murroe, Co Limerick, faces trial for the murder of Andrew O'Donoghue on 20 June 2015 at the Road Tramps motorcycle club. His stepson, Robert Cusack, 26, of Abington, Murroe, Co Limerick, is charged with impeding the Garda investigation. Both were sent to trial by Justice Patrick McCarthy for 10 July 2017.
Faisal Ellahi, who pleaded not guilty to rape, sexual assault, and having sex with a mentally impaired person, was convicted last December after luring a woman with Down Syndrome to his Dublin apartment. At today's sentencing hearing, Mr Justice Tony Hunt described the victim's life as "upended in the most radical way," noting that her family's efforts to build her independence were destroyed. Ellahi, originally from Pakistan, maintained his innocence and claimed he did not know the victim had Down syndrome. The judge identified Ellahi's false assertions of consent as an aggravating factor. Defense counsel Padraig Dwyer SC sought a psychiatric report regarding Ellahi's IQ and argued for a sentence within the median range of five to seven years. The judge stated that any prospect of a partially suspended sentence was contingent on Ellahi agreeing to be deported to Pakistan upon release. Ellahi expressed willingness to enter a bond to leave the country. Consequently, the matter was adjourned to February 2 to allow time for the requested psychiatric report to be prepared.
Two men, Niall Carey (28) of Hyde Road, Ballinacurra Weston, and Daniel Martin (30) of Brookview Gardens, Tallaght Dublin, are to be sentenced for their roles in an attack at Wheatfield Prison on January 21, 2013. Both pleaded guilty to violent disorder at the prison and Carey also pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Noel Murray during the same incident. The charges were admitted, and both men have pleaded guilty. A third man, Stephen Seery (34) of Ballyogan Vale, Carrickmines, Dublin, was last year sentenced to six months imprisonment for violent disorder at the prison during the same incident. The case is at the sentence stage. Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned both men's cases until March and ordered probation reports. Carey has 40 previous convictions and is due for release in June. Martin has 47 convictions and was released last August. The matter was adjourned and no sentence has been imposed yet.
Ajibola Ajala, 22, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after an unprovoked attack on Gary Doran at the Wright Venue nightclub in Swords on 17 December 2011. Doran suffered head injuries and a fractured jaw, with nine staples inserted into his skull. Ajala, who had never been in trouble before and had come to Ireland from Nigeria at age 15, was found by Judge Patrick McCartan to have no reason for the assault. The judge, citing that everyone is entitled to one mistake, suspended a two‑year jail term on the condition that Ajala pay €5,000 to Doran within six months. Failure to pay or any further trouble within two years could result in imprisonment. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with counsel for both parties present. The judge emphasised the lack of evidence that Ajala was involved in any groping or that a drink had been thrown at him.
Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy, 32, of Ballinteer, appeared at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court alongside 18 co-accused, including Alliance Councillor Michael Murphy, 50, of Ballyboden, and Dublin Councillor Kieran Mahon, 38, of Tallaght. The group faces allegations of falsely imprisoning Tánaiste Joan Burton and violent disorder during a water charges protest in Jobstown on November 15, 2014. Prosecution counsel Tony McGillicuddy BL requested that all accused be remanded to appear for arraignment on March 7, noting that some defendants seek trial dates while others require further disclosure. Judge Melanie Greally granted senior counsel to all accused except Cllr Mahon, who has not yet been assigned legal aid. The court remanded Mr Murphy and all co-accused on continuing bail to appear on Monday, March 7, for arraignment. The defence indicated they are anxious for further disclosure but intend to seek a trial date at the next occasion. The matter was adjourned.
Anthony Locke, 38, of Ballyfermot, was found guilty of impeding the investigation into the murder of Christopher Jackson, 53, who was killed in Jackson's flat on Prussia Street in September 2012. The jury, after 6 hours 47 minutes, returned a majority verdict of not guilty of murder but guilty of impeding apprehension of a person believed to be guilty of murder. Locke's brother, Bernard Locke, had been convicted of Jackson's murder and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2014. In 1998, Anthony Locke received a 10‑year prison sentence for arson that caused the deaths of Gerard Kavanagh, 30, and his pregnant girlfriend Mary Core, 29, in a Ballyfermot flat in 1995; the last three years of that sentence were suspended. The court considered a partial suspension of the custodial sentence, with a probation report to be awaited, and set a sentencing date of 18 April.
Keith Hall, aged 26, was sentenced to 20 years for the manslaughter of 16‑year‑old Melanie McCarthy McNamara, who was shot in a car in Tallaght on 8 February 2012. Hall pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, and the Director of Public Prosecutions accepted the plea. On appeal, the Court of Appeal quashed the original sentence, re‑imposed 20 years as the headline figure and suspended the final two‑and‑a‑half years. The appeal argued that the sentencing judge had not adequately considered mitigating factors such as Hall's drug addiction, dysfunctional background, remorse, family support and prospects for rehabilitation. The Court of Appeal found the judge's failure to specify the extent of any discount a departure from best practice, and ordered Hall to enter a bond to keep the peace during the suspended period. Hall was not directly involved in the shooting but assisted in events before and after the incident.
The trial of Gary Flynn, 31, of Rossfield Drive in Tallaght, continued at the Central Criminal Court. Flynn has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Seamus 'Shay' O'Byrne at Tymon Park North in Tallaght on March 13, 2009. Sharon Rattigan, a co-defendant in the case, testified that she was shot in the leg while grappling with a gunman who allegedly killed her partner. She described the suspect as a stocky man in dark clothing who fired at Mr O'Byrne before turning on her. Rattigan stated she disarmed the man, and they both fell over a wall before he fled. She kept the weapon and placed it in her car. Prosecution counsel Alex Owens SC presented CCTV footage showing a car and van entering the estate, followed by four shots within 12 seconds, and a vehicle speeding away. Neighbours Elizabeth and Anthony Caffola corroborated hearing the shots and seeing the victims. Garda John O'Connell detailed the audio and visual evidence, while Garda Adrian King and Eddie Fallon described securing a Red Bull can and mobile phone found near the scene. The jury, comprising nine men and three women, was sent home for two days for legal arguments before Justice Patrick McCarthy. The matter is adjourned, with the jury scheduled to return on Friday.
Patrick Healy, 31, of Buttercup Park, Darndale, was sentenced to 15 years in jail, with the final five years suspended, for a series of violent and dangerous driving offences committed between 2011 and 2013. He pleaded guilty to assaulting a man on the North Circular Road, where the victim's arm was almost severed by a meat cleaver, burglary and theft at Upper Kilmacud Road, unlawful vehicle taking and dangerous driving on the M50, and to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm on Oscar Traynor Road, unlawful vehicle taking and driving under the influence. The judge, Pat McCartan, imposed consecutive terms of three years for the assault, four years for the burglary and theft, and eight years for the dangerous driving, suspending the last five years. Healy's appeal to reduce the sentence was dismissed by the Court of Appeal, where Justice Alan Mahon upheld the sentence as appropriate given the repeated and severe nature of the offences.
At the Central Criminal Court on 19 January 2016, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy warned a head‑lice removal company that failing to pay an employee during her jury service was a criminal offence, exposing the firm to unlimited fines and prison. The employee, sworn to serve on a three‑day sexual‑assault trial, said her employers would not pay her and feared replacement. She was one of only two people able to operate a specific machine. The judge offered her the option to excuse herself if she was very concerned, but she chose to serve.
Seamus Morgan, 49, of Athy, Co Kildare, was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Laurence Keane, 56. A jury of three men and nine women returned a unanimous guilty verdict after deliberating for three hours and six minutes. Mr Justice Robert Eagar imposed the life sentence, backdating it to April 23, 2014, the date Morgan entered custody. Morgan had previously pleaded not guilty to the charge. The court heard that Keane was beaten in a lane-way in Athy on July 18, 2013, suffering severe blunt force trauma to the head, and died the following day. Evidence included witness testimony of a scuffle and forensic analysis of blood stains on the accused's runners, which matched Keane's DNA profile. Morgan has eight previous convictions, including a 2005 manslaughter conviction for the stabbing death of James Hand outside a Dublin pub, for which he received an eight-year sentence. The victim's family read a statement describing Keane as a disabled man and expressing the lasting impact of his death. The judge exempted the jury from service for four years.
A Central Criminal Court jury found 49‑year‑old Seamus Morgan, of The Hollands, Athy, guilty of murdering 56‑year‑old Laurence Keane in Athy on 19 July 2013. Morgan had pleaded not guilty. The jury, consisting of three men and nine women, deliberated for three hours and six minutes before delivering a unanimous verdict. Judge Robert Eagar thanked the jury for their concentration and thought, then exempted them from service for four years.
During a sentencing hearing in the Central Criminal Court, the mother of a young woman with Down syndrome described how her daughter's independence—her job, travel and errands—was destroyed when Faisal Ellahi raped her. The mother, speaking via video link, recounted the victim's post‑rape symptoms: sleeping in her mother's bed, night terrors, seizures that later subsided but returned before the trial. She also read a victim impact statement expressing fear, confusion, anger and flashbacks, and lamented the loss of her daughter's future. Ellahi, 34, was convicted in December 2015 of rape, sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person. He denied the charges, claiming ignorance of the victim's Down syndrome, and had no prior convictions in Ireland. The judge adjourned the case to consider mitigation and a possible partially suspended sentence contingent on deportation to Pakistan. The hearing focused on the impact of the crime, not on future outcomes.
A man from Kingscourt, County Meath, has had his prison sentence substantially increased by the Court of Appeal following a successful appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Adrian Magennis, aged 49, pleaded guilty at Monaghan Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting his ex-partner at her home on January 4, 2014. He was originally sentenced to twelve months imprisonment in June 2015, which the appellate court deemed unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, imposed a four-year sentence with the final sixteen months suspended. The court heard that Magennis caused serious injuries including a shattered leg requiring surgical intervention. Evidence indicated he subsequently brought the victim to a garda station to withdraw her complaint, though she later stated she had been intimidated. Mr Justice Sheehan noted the assault occurred within a domestic context involving significant physical violence. Magennis was ordered to enter into his own bond of one hundred euro to keep the peace during the suspension period.
In the Central Criminal Court, State lawyers argued that Gary Flynn, 31, of Rossfield Drive, Tallaght, was a member of a "murder gang" that planned and carried out the killing of Seamus 'Shay' O'Byrne at Tymon Park North on 13 March 2009. Prosecutor Alex Owens SC told the jury that the gang met at Moran's Hotel on Naas Road, travelled to Tallaght in three vehicles—a Nissan Primera, a Volkswagen Golf and a Mercedes Van—and left around 7.30 pm. At about 8.15 pm, a gang member shot O'Byrne, was tackled by Sharon Rattigan who was waiting outside, and the shooter fell over a wall, separating from the rest of the gang. Rattigan was wounded in the leg. Owens said the shooter returned alone to Moran's Hotel, and that Flynn's membership and involvement in the common design to murder O'Byrne were central to the State's case. Flynn pleaded not guilty.
A Dublin man's prison sentence for violent disorder has been increased by the Court of Appeal. John Doyle, aged 26 and residing in County Meath, had pleaded guilty at Cavan Circuit Criminal Court to violent disorder committed in Belturbet, County Cavan on 24 February 2014. He was originally sentenced to two years imprisonment in June 2015. The Director of Public Prosecutions successfully appealed on grounds of undue leniency. The Court of Appeal increased the sentence to five years, with the final two years suspended for a period of five years. Mr Justice John Edwards stated that Doyle was one of four men who broke into the home of a vulnerable resident. The victim sustained serious injuries including a stab wound and scalp laceration during the incident. The court considered it a serious case warranting the increased custodial term. Doyle was required to enter into a bond of one hundred euro to keep the peace during the suspension period.
An unemployed plumber, Derek McCann, 51, pleaded guilty to assaulting Glen Riordan, 35, in a pub on 10 September 2011. McCann, who had moved from Millbrook Road to a caravan park, struck Riordan with a broken glass and then with his fists, causing a facial wound that required ten stitches and a 2‑cm hairline scar. Riordan said the attack strained his relationship with McCann's ex‑wife and made him lose confidence, staying home more. McCann, who had been drinking heavily that night and had no memory of the assault, had lost his plumbing job and was taking medication for stress after his marriage ended in 2008. He offered to sell his car to cover Riordan's €900 financial loss. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to next April to allow Probation Services to assess suitability for community service.
The family of Seamus Ludlow, a 47‑year‑old forester from Co. Louth who was shot dead on 1 May 1976, has filed a High Court action demanding that the State set up a commission of investigation into his murder. Ludlow's body was found near his home in Culfore, Dundalk, and no one has ever been charged. The family says the Gardaí investigation was suspended after three weeks, that the police failed to follow up on information from the RUC about loyalist suspects, and that the Gardaí allegedly spread a smear campaign blaming the IRA. They allege possible involvement of British Army or UK state agents, citing the kidnapping of Ludlow's brother‑in‑law and questioning by a SAS officer. An Oireachtas committee in 2006 recommended a formal inquiry; the family argues the State's refusal to establish a commission breaches their constitutional rights and the European Convention on Human Rights.
The jury in the Kildare murder trial of Seamus Morgan, 49, will resume deliberations tomorrow after a brief pause. Morgan, who lives at The Hollands, Athy, is charged with the murder of Laurence Keane, 56, on 19 July 2013. He pleaded not guilty last week at the Central Criminal Court. The jury began deliberating at 11:52 am this morning and had been discussing the case for two hours and 16 minutes when Justice Robert Eagar instructed them to suspend and reconvene at 11 am tomorrow, prohibiting any discussion with outsiders.
The High Court has provisionally fixed March 1st as the hearing date for proceedings brought by an unnamed man, who is allegedly involved with Islamic extremists, aimed at preventing his deportation from Ireland. The man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, challenges a decision taken last March not to renew his residency permit. The State claims the man has consulted with senior violent extremist leaders outside Ireland and made travel arrangements for, and is involved in, recruiting members for Islamic extremist group Isil. He denies acting on behalf of Isil or representing a threat to national security. The man, who has lived in Ireland since 2000, secured residency based on the birth of his Irish citizen son, now aged 15. His permit was not renewed because his son has been living overseas. Authorities intend to deport him to a Middle East Country, where he fears torture due to his political activism. The matter was briefly mentioned before the High Court registrar, where the State sought an accelerated hearing. Michael Lynn SC, for the man, agreed to priority. The case is expected to take two days. It was agreed the State's opposition would be provided within three weeks. Previously, the man obtained a temporary injunction in December, which was set aside on December 28th after the State claimed he posed a national security risk. That decision was appealed to the Court of Appeal. Plans to deport him were put on hold following an intervention by the European Court of Human Rights, which asked the State not to deport him until his legal proceedings are concluded. The central issue is whether Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights imposes an absolute ban on removal. The State argues exceptions exist allowing deportation before the case is heard. As a result of the European Court's request, the man is expected to remain in Ireland until his proceedings are dealt with.
The Central Criminal Court began the sentencing hearing for Faisal Ellahi, 34, who was convicted by a jury in December of rape and sexual assault of a woman with Down's syndrome. The jury had seen DVDs of the victim's interview, where she described being separated from her mother on the street and then taken to Ellahi's house, where the assault occurred. Ellahi pleaded not guilty to the charges. The court will consider an impact statement from the victim's mother while the victim watches via video link. The sentencing could impose up to life imprisonment.
In a Kildare town, Seamus Morgan (49) is charged with murdering Laurence Keane (56) on 19 July 2013. At the Central Criminal Court, Morgan pleaded not guilty. Prosecution counsel Orla Crowe BL delivered a closing speech, asserting that the evidence—witness statements, post‑mortem findings of blunt‑force trauma, and accounts of a scuffle—would allow the jury to be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt of Morgan's guilt. She highlighted admissions from Morgan, observations by witnesses Nathan Robinson and Ricky Moriarty, and the post‑mortem report of ten significant blows to Keane's head. Defence counsel Sean Gillane urged the jury to scrutinise the credibility of witnesses and to consider the possibility of false testimony. The trial was scheduled to continue with the judge's instructions on Monday.
Sean Kenny, aged 24, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Raphael Momoh, aged 21, on Parkgate Street on 29 January 2013. Kenny struck Momoh in the eye with a broken glass bottle, cutting the cornea and leaving scarring on the eyelids. Momoh required a corneal transplant to restore vision. The assault left Momoh legally blind in the left eye. Kenny has 49 prior convictions and is currently serving a sentence for drug dealing and violent disorder. The case was adjourned after evidence was heard in December to allow the Director of Public Prosecutions to advise on the appropriate sentencing range. The maximum sentence for the offence is life imprisonment, with the DPP indicating a "most serious" range of seven and a half to twelve and a half years. The court ordered a probation report and adjourned sentencing to 16 March.
In a 2014 Luas incident, Aoife Molloy (24) and Martin O'Connor (25) assaulted Noel O'Rourke, a 46‑year‑old passenger, after a slip on the tram. Molloy kicked and pushed O'Rourke, then struck him three times on the head with a Budweiser bottle, which broke, and jabbed his lip. O'Connor hit O'Rourke twice with the bottle and punched him several times. O'Rourke suffered a fractured eye socket, scalp and lip wounds, and lasting scarring. Both defendants pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, violent disorder and possession of a bottle. Judge James O'Donohue sentenced each to four years, suspending two years for O'Connor and 18 months for Molloy, who must pay over €3,000 to the victim. The court noted their intoxication, remorse and lack of prior violent history. The case was identified through CCTV and DNA evidence. The defendants are no longer in a relationship. The sentence was imposed at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
A man from County Donegal has been found guilty of raping a 14-year-old girl during a youth disco in December 2010, when he was aged 15. The 20-year-old defendant, whose identity is protected to safeguard the victim's anonymity, was convicted at the Central Criminal Court following a jury trial. The jury unanimously found him guilty of rape and sexual assault at a nightclub in a Donegal town. During proceedings, Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan instructed the jury that a person under 15 cannot legally consent to sexual activity. The defendant had pleaded not guilty and his defence contended the encounter was consensual and escalated unintentionally. The victim gave evidence that the accused pushed her into a toilet cubicle without consent. The defendant has been remanded in custody pending sentencing in March, when the court will receive a victim impact report and a probation assessment.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has begun deliberating in a rape trial involving two teenagers at a nightclub in County Donegal on 23 December 2010. The accused, now 20 years old, pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl. Justice Margaret Heneghan instructed the jury that a person under 15 cannot legally consent to sexual activity, regardless of apparent willingness. The complainant testified she was pushed into a toilet cubicle where the accused restrained her against a wall and raped her. She stated she did not consent and asked him to stop and release her. The defence suggested consensual contact that escalated, which the complainant denied. The accused told gardaí he had no recollection of being in the female toilet. The jury of seven men and five women commenced deliberations following the judge's charge.
In a late‑night Luas incident on 11 December 2014, 24‑year‑old Aoife Molloy and 25‑year‑old Martin O'Connor, from South Circular Road and Elmdale Park respectively, assaulted Noel O'Rourke, a 46‑year‑old passenger. The pair claimed they "snapped" after O'Rourke retaliated when Molloy kicked him as he tried to stand after slipping. Molloy and O'Connor struck O'Rourke with a Budweiser bottle, smashing it and striking him three times on the head and once on the lip. O'Rourke suffered a fractured eye socket, scalp and lip wounds, and lasting scarring to the back of his head. CCTV and DNA from the bottles identified the attackers. Both pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, violent disorder and production of a bottle. They have expressed remorse and requested community service or probation. The case was adjourned for sentencing.
An Egyptian engineer, Mina Fanous, 35, who says he came to Ireland after his wife and child were killed in a bomb attack in Alexandria, has pleaded guilty to assaulting his ex‑flatmate, Jiagua Chen, on 20 April 2015. Fanous struck Chen with a belt, stole her Samsung phone and caused damage to her laptop. He also had a prior minor theft conviction. The incident occurred at a rented apartment on Time Place, Corrig Road, Sandyford, Dublin, where Chen had expected a friend to call over. After the assault, Chen fled but returned with a friend to find Fanous on the sofa; she later discovered her phone missing and her laptop had been thrown out the window. Garda Paul Newport reported that Fanous had lost his job at Dell months before the incident and had moved out of the flat due to rent problems. He claimed the assault was self‑defence.
In a 2016 murder trial, forensic evidence showed that blood stains on a pair of runners owned by Seamus Morgan (49) matched the DNA profile of the deceased, Laurence Keane (56). The DNA match was derived from stains on the toe and tongue areas of the runners, with a probability of less than one in a thousand million that the profile came from anyone other than Keane. Morgan was charged with Keane's murder on 19 July 2013, pleaded not guilty, and was re‑arrested on 23 April 2014 after new evidence emerged. The prosecution presented witness statements from Keane's niece and others who observed Morgan and Keane together in the days before the murder. The trial was ongoing, with the judge scheduled to address the jury the following day.
During a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, evidence was presented that CCTV footage from Athy on 18 July 2013 showed Seamus Morgan (49) and the deceased, Laurence Keane (56), walking together in the town centre. Garda Declan O'Dwyer supplied 23 clips, with the first showing Keane entering an off‑licence at 18:50 wearing a hat, a t‑shirt and a stick. Subsequent clips placed the two men on Leinster Street, Barrow Bridge, and St John's Lane between 20:57 and 23:33, with Morgan identified as the man closer to the road and Keane as the one holding a stick. The prosecution argued the fatal attack occurred shortly before midnight on 18 July, between 23:30 and 23:45, and that Morgan was seen entering Marcari's chip shop at 23:33. The trial was scheduled to continue the following day. Seamus Morgan pleaded not guilty.
A man from County Donegal has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court charged with rape and sexual assault. He is accused of attacking a younger girl in a nightclub toilet in Donegal Town on December 23, 2010, when he was aged 15. The complainant was 14 at the time. The defendant, who is entitled to anonymity, has pleaded not guilty to both charges. During evidence, the woman testified that the accused pushed her into the female toilets and assaulted her in a cubicle without consent. She told the court she reported the matter to gardaí seven months later, and that her life was significantly affected afterwards, including leaving school and self-harm. The defence contested her account, suggesting the encounter was consensual and escalated beyond the pair's intentions. The accused told gardaí he had no recollection of being in the toilet. The trial, before Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan and a jury, continues.
In a murder trial in Athy, a witness, Nathan Robinson, testified that he saw the accused, Seamus Morgan, swing an object about 12 inches long at the victim, Laurence Keane, three times on the night of the killing. Robinson, who was cycling with friends around 10 pm on 18 July 2013, described a scuffle at the top of the hill on St John's Lane where Morgan and Keane were fighting. He claimed to have seen Morgan swinging the object and heard the victim being struck on the head. The defense argued that Robinson could not have seen the act because he had not reached the corner of the lane. A second witness, Ricky Moriarty, also on his bike that night, reported hearing noises and seeing Keane struck by a bar. The trial is ongoing. Seamus Morgan pleaded not guilty.
Tony Walsh, a former priest known as the "Singing Priest," was sentenced to one year in prison for the sexual assault of a child in the early 1970s. At the time of the offence he was a seminarian. The assault, which occurred between 17 April 1973 and 9 September 1976, involved Walsh locking a girl aged between seven and ten into a room and forcing himself on her until he climaxed. After the assault he told her it was only a game. Walsh, aged 61, was convicted in December 2015 at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He is currently serving a 16‑year sentence imposed in 2010 for the rape and abuse of three schoolboys. Judge Catherine Murphy imposed the one‑year sentence, suspended the final year on condition of good behaviour, and ordered it to run consecutively to the termination of his current sentence in October 2020. Tony Walsh pleaded not guilty.
The murder trial of Gary Flynn (31) was adjourned because 12 jurors could not be found to sit for the estimated seven weeks of evidence. After a lengthy selection process, 12 jurors were chosen, but two were exempted by their employers who could not be absent from work for that period. Justice Patrick McCarthy then called a new panel to replace them, but most candidates had prior commitments or were too old. No new jurors were added, so the jury was dismissed and the trial was adjourned to Monday, January 18. Gary Flynn pleaded not guilty.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Seamus Morgan (49) of Athy, Co. Kildare, pleaded not guilty to the killing of Laurence Keane (56) on 19 July 2013. The prosecution presented evidence from Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis, who examined Keane's body at Nass General Hospital. Curtis reported that Keane suffered ten significant blows to the head, with full‑thickness lacerations on the right scalp and fractures on the left side of the skull. He described severe blunt‑force trauma as the cause of death, noting extensive bruising of brain tissue. Witnesses, including Jamie Flynn Quinn, Garda Seamus Muldowney, and Garda Alan Kavanagh, recounted seeing Keane on Barrow Bridge and later in a lane‑way near St John's Lane, where blood was found and a 999 call was made. The case remains in progress.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Seamus Morgan (49) pleaded not guilty to the killing of Laurence Keane (56) on 19 July 2013. The prosecution argued that Keane was badly battered in the head with an iron bar in a lane‑way near St John's Lane, Athy, between 11.30 and 11.45 pm on 18 July 2013, and died the next morning at Naas General Hospital. A post‑mortem found blunt‑force trauma and four skull fractures. Witnesses, including young men on bicycles, testified they saw Morgan assault Keane. DNA evidence linked blood on a pair of Adidas runners found at Morgan's home to Keane's post‑mortem sample. CCTV and other evidence showed Morgan and Keane together that night, and a motive of long‑standing ill‑will was presented. Morgan was arrested on 25 July 2013, rearrested in April 2014, and the trial continues.
A 72‑year‑old bus driver, whose identity is withheld to protect a 30‑year‑old victim with cerebral palsy, will be sentenced on 27 January for two counts of sexual assault on the bus. He had previously pleaded not guilty to ten counts of assault, including incidents at a private residence when the victim was 13. The prosecution, led by Roisin Lacey BL, presented evidence that the driver touched the victim's breasts and private parts while driving her home, and that she had complained after receiving a birthday card. The driver, who has prior road‑traffic convictions, denied the allegations but later pleaded guilty to the bus assaults. He is currently in a care home, dependent on a state pension, and has medical concerns that were highlighted by his GP. The judge noted his health prognosis as a significant factor before finalising the sentence.
The Central Criminal Court will hear the trial of Gary Flynn, 31, of Rossfield Drive, Tallaght, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Seamus 'Shay' O'Byrne at Tymon Park North on 13 March 2009. Justice Patrick McCarthy informed the newly sworn jury that the case is expected to last about seven weeks. Prosecutor Alex Owens SC said the allegation concerns the 2009 shooting of O'Byrne, and witnesses from Tallaght, Bray and Crumlin will be called to testify. The trial opens on Tuesday before Justice McCarthy.
A jury was sworn in at the Central Criminal Court for the trial of Seamus Morgan, 49, who is accused of murdering Laurence Keane, 56, on 19 July 2013 in Athy. Mr Morgan pleaded not guilty. Judge Patrick McCarthy informed the jury of three men and nine women that the trial would last about two weeks and would begin at 2 pm before Judge Robert Eager.
A 51‑year‑old Wicklow man is to be sentenced next year for raping and sexually assaulting two boys hundreds of times and for making them commit incest with each other. He pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to 165 counts of rape and sexual assault against one boy and 40 similar offences against his brother between 1993 and 2003. The victims described repeated molestation, including the use of a homemade "penis pump" and forced sexual acts. One victim said the abuse began when he was nine, with the man masturbating him and later raping him anally and orally. The other victim was abused from age seven, starting with masturbation and progressing to rape. Both boys reported severe psychological trauma, including anxiety, panic attacks, and a sense of living "hell on earth." The court has kept anonymity orders in place for the time being.
Joe Heffernan, a 35‑year‑old farmer from Cappagh Beg, Barefield, Ennis, was convicted of murdering 21‑year‑old student Eoin Ryan in 2011 and sentenced to life imprisonment by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy on 3 July 2013. The murder was discovered when Ryan's body was found in a barrel on Heffernan's farm on 7 June 2011. During the trial, two 999 calls were played to the jury, with transcripts provided. Heffernan had pleaded not guilty and later appealed, arguing that the prosecution should have proved he was not suffering from a mental disorder and did not have diminished responsibility. Mr Justice John Edwards, sitting with Mr Justice Seán Ryan and Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, dismissed the appeal, holding that the burden of proof for the partial defence of diminished responsibility lies with the defence and is the same as for the insanity defence, i.e., proof on the balance of probabilities.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Ivan Seredych, a 42‑year‑old taxi driver from Clonee, was convicted of sexually assaulting a 24‑year‑old woman in Dublin city centre on 10 June 2012. The victim, who had become separated from friends during a night out, was invited into Seredych's taxi, where he repeatedly touched her in a sexual manner, including placing his hand under her underwear and exposing himself. She managed to record his name and badge number on her phone and fled to a Garda station immediately after the assault. Seredych, who has five prior traffic convictions and arrived in Ireland from Ukraine in 2001, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment. He does not accept the jury's verdict. The judge noted the victim's vulnerability and the seriousness of the offence, imposing the three‑year term. The case highlights the victim's ongoing emotional distress and the court's consideration of the defendant's foreign status.