In December 2013, Johanna Kelly, aged 42, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Patrick O'Brien, a 60‑year‑old man, and was sentenced to a term with two years suspended on the condition that she engage with addiction rehabilitation and educational courses. In December 2015, the Central Criminal Court heard that since her release earlier that year, Ms Kelly had missed appointments with probation services and failed to attend the rehabilitation programme at Cluain Mhuire Addiction Treatment Centre. Probation officer Catherine Lambert reported that Ms Kelly missed a September appointment because she could not get out of bed after drinking too much, and that she had seen other people drinking at her home in Gorey. She also noted that Ms Kelly had not attended a hairdressing course arranged by social services.
A 22‑year‑old named Raymond Walsh of Cabra, Dublin 7, was charged with the murder of 41‑year‑old engineer Kevin Molloy, who was found dead on Glendhu Road, Navan Road, Cabra between 23 January and 1 February 2015. The Central Criminal Court set his trial for 11 January 2017.
In June 2017, three defendants – Laura Dempsey, 25, Sean Ducque, 22, and Yasmin Stephens, 21 – will stand trial together at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Kieran Farrelly, 33, who was killed on 26 October 2014 at Killarney Court, Killarney Street, near Portland Row. All three are charged with the murder and have no fixed address. The provisional trial date is 14 June 2017.
A 75‑year‑old Kerry man, Jimmy Flannery, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for raping his sister‑in‑law in the early 1970s. Flannery began molesting the child at age eleven and later raped her in a car near Conor Pass in Dingle and in his bedroom at Ballydavid on the Dingle peninsula. He denied ten counts of indecent assault at various locations in Dingle between April 1969 and April 1974 and pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape between January 1971 and April 1975. After a five‑day trial at the Central Criminal Court, a jury convicted him of all charges. The victim, who waived anonymity, described the lasting psychological harm and expressed gratitude that the truth had been heard. Justice Margaret Heneghan, noting Flannery's age and lack of prior convictions, imposed a ten‑year sentence, citing the rape offences as meriting a 13‑year term but reducing it for mitigating factors.
Jonathan Douglas, aged 30, was convicted of murder after shooting Aidan Bryne, 31, 10 times in Dublin on 20 February 2010. The jury found him guilty after an 11‑day trial and he received a mandatory life sentence on 23 July 2012. Douglas had been hired to kill Bryne, who was a front‑seat passenger in a Toyota Corolla driven by another man. Douglas waited for the car, walked up to it and fired 10 bullets into the passenger window, killing Bryne. The prosecution alleged Douglas had left a pub shortly before the shooting. In October the Court of Appeal heard Douglas's appeal, which centred on the admissibility of statements made by his step‑niece Stacey Douglas and her boyfriend Andrew Sheridan. The Court of Appeal, led by Justice Alan Mahon, dismissed all grounds of appeal, ruling that the judge had correctly admitted the evidence and that the jury had been properly directed. Jonathan Douglas pleaded not guilty.
Trevor Corr, 39, was found guilty of murdering 32‑year‑old James Humphries in Tallaght on 22 September 2013. Corr had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter; the plea was rejected. A Central Criminal Court jury, after 2 h 40 min deliberation, returned a unanimous verdict of murder. Judge Patrick McCarthy sentenced Corr to life imprisonment, back‑dating the term to 1 August 2015. Corr had been on bail after spending just over four and a half months in custody. Victim impact statements were read by Garda Sarah Bolger, including testimony from Humphries' mother, Ellen Radford, describing the pain and loss caused by the killing. Evidence presented included eyewitness accounts, a post‑mortem confirming a single fatal stab wound below the right collarbone, and DNA linking a knife found in Corr's bedroom to both victim and perpetrator. The case concluded with Corr's life sentence and a ten‑year exemption for the jury.
In the murder trial of Trevor Corr, a 39‑year‑old Dublin man, a juror was discharged after two hours of deliberation. Corr had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of James Humphries, 32, at Kiltalown Way in Tallaght on 22 September 2013. The State did not accept the manslaughter plea. The jury began deliberating at 2.30 pm, but a juror was unavailable for Monday. Justice Patrick McCarthy decided to proceed with eleven jurors on Monday morning, discharging the absent juror and resuming the trial at 9.45 am.
James Butler, a 38‑year‑old former marathon runner and nurse, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to his partner on 14 December 2014. He put his hands on her neck, choked her, and struck her head against a wardrobe, causing her to pass out. The victim, who has a toddler with Butler, later received medical treatment, including four stitches to her cheek and a CAT scan at St Vincent's Hospital. Butler's lawyer, Fiona Pekaar, noted the couple's volatile relationship and Butler's regret, while the prosecution highlighted an earlier argument at a Christmas market that escalated into the assault. Judge Catherine Murphy adjourned sentencing, ordered Butler to pay €1,155 in medical costs within three months, and decided he would not be jailed due to no prior convictions and his prompt responsibility for medical care. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
Faisal Ellahi, 34, was found guilty by a jury of raping a woman with Down syndrome after luring her to his Dublin home. The trial, lasting five weeks, included DVDs of the victim's interview, where she recounted being separated from her mother on the street and then taken by Ellahi to his house. He admitted to approaching many women but denied penetrative sex with the victim, claiming she appeared "normal" and that he was unaware of her mental impairment. The jury deliberated for two and a half hours and returned a verdict of rape and sexual assault. Judge Tony Hunt described the case as one of the most difficult he had handled, stating the victim's lack of consent was "absolutely ludicrous." The sentencing date was set for 18 January 2016, with the judge hoping for Ellahi's deportation after his sentence. The article does not report any subsequent legal developments. Faisal Ellahi pleaded not guilty.
Tony Walsh, a former priest and serial child abuser, was sentenced to a maximum of two years for the indecent assault of a girl aged between seven and ten in the early 1970s. The offence occurred while he was a seminarian and involved locking the child in a room, forcing himself on her, and assaulting her private parts. Walsh had previously been convicted in 2010 of raping and abusing three schoolboys, receiving a 16‑year sentence, and in 2013 an additional 18‑month term was added for further child‑abuse offences from 1979, later run concurrently with the 16‑year term. The court noted that the maximum penalty for the 1970s offence was two years, and Judge Catherine Murphy adjourned the case for sentencing next month. The victim, now 50, was a child who had been rewarded with sweets for helping nuns at a parish hall where the assault took place. Tony Walsh pleaded not guilty.
The jury has begun deliberations in the trial of a man accused of raping a woman with Down syndrome after luring her to his Dublin home on 12 June 2013. The accused pleaded not guilty to rape, sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person. He admits some sexual contact but says it was consensual and that he was unaware of her mental impairment. Six men and six women spent about 20 minutes considering a verdict, then listened to a transcript of his cross‑examination before resuming tomorrow.
The trial of Trevor Corr (39) continues at the Central Criminal Court, where he faces a charge of murder. Corr pleaded not guilty to the murder of James Humphries (32) at Kiltalown Way in Tallaght on September 22, 2013, but admitted to manslaughter, a plea the State did not accept. Prosecution counsel Denis Vaughan Buckley SC argued there was ample evidence of guilt, citing a 999 call and interview memos where the accused stated he found someone in his bed and stabbed him. Forensic evidence confirmed DNA from Humphries on the blade tip and Corr's on the handle. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC contended there was a "complete mystery" regarding how Humphries entered the house, asserting Corr did not know the deceased. Grehan highlighted Corr's muscular condition, depression, and recent robberies to contextualize his state of mind, noting the shallow two-inch penetration suggested a lack of intent to cause serious injury. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy charged the jury to reach a unanimous verdict. The matter was adjourned to 2pm tomorrow for jury deliberations.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Shane Murphy, 24, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Aidan Mullen on 10 July 2011 over a stolen green bin. The court heard that Mullen, who was in bed at about ten that night, was awakened by two men taking a wheelie bin from in front of their home. Mullen went outside to see the bin on fire and attempted to stop it when Murphy confronted him. Murphy struck Mullen from behind, knocking him to the ground, then knelt on his chest and struck him again in the face. Mullen suffered fractures to his skull and cheekbone, extreme pain, and incurred €1,500 in medical bills and €4,200 in lost income. Murphy admitted the assault, apologized, and claimed he would have said sorry if Mullen were present. The judge adjourned sentencing to read the victim impact and psychological reports.
James Connors, 29, of Rosemount, Drinagh, Co. Wexford, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Jason Ryan, 27, at Hollyville Heights on 25 January 2012. Connors had been serving a sentence for assault and was unlawfully absent from prison when he killed Ryan. The jury, after 11 hours and 21 minutes of deliberation, found him guilty of murder by a 10‑to‑2 majority. The court heard that Connors had approached Ryan's apartment at midnight, exchanged insults, and then stabbed Ryan five times with a kitchen knife. Evidence included CCTV footage, DNA on the knife, and testimony from Ryan's mother, Catherine Ryan, who described the loss and anger caused by the killing. Connors' prior convictions, including a five‑year assault sentence, were also presented. Justice Margaret Heneghan imposed a mandatory life sentence, back‑dating it by two years and three months to account for time already served before bail was granted. James Connors pleaded not guilty.
Thomas Mooney, aged 74, was sentenced by the Appeal Court to 14 months' imprisonment, with 11 months suspended, for indecently assaulting a boy between 1983 and 1985. The court found that the maximum sentence for indecent assault at the time was two years, not ten as previously thought. Mooney had pleaded not guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where he was found guilty after an eight‑day trial and originally sentenced to four years, two of which were suspended. He had been granted bail pending appeal. The judge noted that the victim was paid to visit Mooney's flat for sexual acts, which ceased when the victim entered an industrial school. Mooney had no prior convictions, was a bachelor with limited intellectual capacity, and his health was deteriorating, factors the court considered in reducing the custodial term. The appeal was heard by Mr Justice Alan Mahon, Mr Justice George Birmingham and Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan.
In a murder trial, forensic scientist John Hoade testified that DNA from the tip of a knife found in Trevor Corr's bedroom matched the deceased, James Humphries, while blood on the handle matched Corr. Hoade, an expert in blood pattern analysis, examined the scene at Kiltalown Way, Tallaght, on 23 and 24 September 2013, and also analyzed Corr's tracksuit bottoms, finding heavy blood staining and a DNA profile matching Humphries. He estimated the probability of such a match from an unrelated person to be less than one in a thousand million. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan asked if the evidence suggested Humphries was stabbed in the bed by Corr and that the knife used was likely the one found in the bedroom locker; Hoade agreed it would be consistent with that description. The prosecution's case ended, and the defence would not call further evidence. The jury was told they would hear closing speeches the next morning. Trevor Corr pleaded not guilty.
Sean Kenny, 24, was remanded in custody pending sentence after pleading guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Raphael Momoh, 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, which will require a corneal transplant. Momoh was hit on the back of the head while walking toward Heuston Station, then punched in the face, stomach and chest before a passer‑by pulled Kenny off him. Gardaí used CCTV, witness statements and identification to name Kenny as the suspect. Kenny has 49 prior convictions and is currently serving a sentence for drug dealing and violent disorder. The case was adjourned to 15 January 2016.
An Irishman, Eric Eoin Marques, 30, was ordered by the High Court to be extradited to the United States after the State sought to surrender him for charges of conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography. Marques, who lives in Dublin, is alleged to own and administer the anonymous hosting site Freedom Hosting, which hosts over a hundred sites with violent child‑pornographic images. The extradition was delayed for at least 15 days to allow Marques to appeal the decision not to prosecute him in Ireland. Justice Aileen Donnelly rejected a judicial review application that argued Marques should be tried in Ireland, stating the Director of Public Prosecutions has no duty to give reasons for its decisions. Marques has both Irish and U.S. citizenship and is diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a fact raised by his counsel as a potential risk if extradited. The U.S. authorities claim they can provide appropriate care for him if he is extradited.
The Court of Appeal adjourned all matters concerning the appeals of Wayne and John Dundon against their convictions for threats and witness intimidation. Prosecutors, represented by Shane Costelloe SC, argued that the DPP was being "drip fed" information by the defendants and their lawyers regarding applications to add additional grounds of appeal. Mr Costelloe described the situation as "grossly unsatisfactory," noting that while appeals were lodged within time, proceedings had stalled due to the applicants' desire to introduce further grounds. The court had set a deadline of December 1 for Wayne Dundon to file a notice of motion, which he met, but his lawyers subsequently indicated that further submissions were forthcoming. The three-judge panel, including Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, removed the appeals from the list for the scheduled hearing on December 17. The court also adjourned the matter of providing reasons for its June decision to uphold Wayne Dundon's six-year sentence, despite prosecutors' arguments that it was "unduly lenient." Wayne Dundon is currently serving a mandatory life sentence for the 2009 murder of Roy Collins, a charge to which he and co-accused Nathan Killeen pleaded not guilty before being found guilty by the Special Criminal Court. The court noted that difficulties were compounded by an intervening trial relevant to the appeal.
In the Central Criminal Court, jurors were instructed by Mr Justice Tony Hunt to set aside any feelings about the accused's Pakistani nationality or Islamic faith while deliberating a rape case involving a woman with Down syndrome. The 34‑year‑old accused, who pleaded not guilty to rape, sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person, admitted some sexual contact but claimed it was consensual and that he was unaware of her disability. He stated he had never heard of Down syndrome until his arrest and explained that in his country people with mental disabilities were kept at home or in hospitals and wore name badges. Mr Justice Hunt emphasized that jurors must approach the case without prejudice or sympathy, focusing on the charge of rape and, if not proven, an alternative of attempted rape.
In a murder trial, the State Pathologist, Professor Marie Cassidy, testified that James Humphries, aged 32, died from a single stab wound to his upper chest, located 1.5 cm below the collarbone. The wound was 2 cm wide, 0.8 cm gaping, and 5 cm deep, puncturing the right subclavian artery and vein but not entering the chest cavity or organs. Humphries had high alcohol levels and therapeutic levels of heroin, methadone, and diazepam, which did not contribute to his death. Cassidy described the knife as having a fairly narrow blade with a short tip, and the injury was deemed a fatal knife assault. Trevor Corr, 39, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter; the State did not accept the plea. The trial continues.
Joseph French, 24, of Neilstown Park, Clondalkin, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to seven and a half years for endangerment of a Garda and dangerous driving. He pleaded guilty to endangerment on the Ninth Lock Road, dangerous driving on Cherry Orchard Avenue, and driving without insurance. French also admitted to two robberies and an attempted robbery between 30 July and 9 August 2014 at Centra on La Touche Road, Bluebell, and Mace on Manor Road. His prior convictions include robbery, theft, burglary, possession of knives, and drug offences. Judge Martin Nolan imposed consecutive terms of seven and a half years, suspending the final two years on strict conditions. French was disqualified from driving for five years. The sentence reflects the violent nature of the robberies, which were committed to fund a drug habit, and the serious risk posed to Garda Fiona Ruddy during the high‑speed chase and reversal of his Volkswagen Passat.
Paul Brannigan, aged 24, was convicted by a jury of assaulting Jason Saunders by head‑butting and striking him with a golf club outside Saunders' home on March 18, 2014. Saunders died shortly after the attack. Brannigan was also charged with manslaughter, but the jury could not reach a verdict on that charge. He pleaded not guilty to the assault, production of an article and manslaughter charges. The trial lasted six days with almost five hours of deliberation. CCTV footage showed Brannigan head‑butting Saunders and later swinging a golf club, which he broke into three pieces and discarded. The judge imposed a three‑year sentence for the golf‑club assault, concurrent with a two‑year sentence for the head‑butt, and noted that the manslaughter charge remained unresolved. The case was scheduled for mention again next month.
Darren Murphy, 38, of Passage West, Cork, was convicted of murdering Olivia Dunlea, a mother of three, in her Pembroke Crescent home on 17 February 2013, and of arson. He had pleaded not guilty to the murder but admitted killing her and setting the house on fire, claiming he did not want the children to find her. The Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty after four hours of deliberation and he received a mandatory life sentence on 29 May 2014. Murphy appealed on the basis that the trial judge's definition of provocation was incorrectly directed to the jury. The Court of Appeal allowed the appeal, remanded him in custody, and ordered a retrial. The Director of Public Prosecutions will seek a new trial. The case involved allegations that Dunlea had provoked Murphy by suggesting a former intimate would call, which he claimed enraged him.
During a trial in the Central Criminal Court, a 34‑year‑old Pakistani man was accused of raping a woman with Down syndrome at his Dublin home on 12 June 2013. He pleaded not guilty to rape, sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person. Defence psychologist Dr Rioghnach O'Leary testified that the accused ranks in the bottom three percent of the population in cognitive functioning, with an overall IQ of 73, and that he would have difficulty adapting to social norms. She described him as having an elevated sexual preoccupation and a singular focus on women as potential sexual partners. The accused admitted some sexual contact but claimed it was consensual and that he was unaware of the victim's Down syndrome. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Tony Hunt with a jury of twelve.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Trevor Corr, 39, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of James Humphries, 32, at Kiltalown Way, Tallaght, on 22 September 2013. The State's counsel, Mr John Byrne BL, called neighbour Ms Christine Kelly to testify. Ms Kelly, who lived a few doors away, observed Corr and three others outside his garden. She recalled Corr greeting her, claiming he had been "on drink and drugs for the past eight days" and appeared "happy drunk" and unaggressive. Under cross‑examination, Ms Kelly confirmed Corr's statement that he was not hostile. Garda Ivor Wilkinson, who arrived at 18.35, reported Corr standing at the front door, looking intoxicated and unsteady. Wilkinson noted a trail of blood leading to a bedroom where Corr allegedly stabbed Humphries. Corr was arrested at 18.52 and later became highly agitated on the way back to Tallaght Garda Station. The trial continues.
A 39‑year‑old man from the Ivory Coast was sentenced to six years in prison in Limerick for raping his former partner on 8 July 2013. He pleaded not guilty to rape and oral rape. The victim, aged in her 40s, described being terrified and believing she would die during the assault. The judge noted the accused had shown no remorse and that the victim had previously shown charity by helping him with food and cooking. The court heard that the man had moved into a new house, had a history of heavy drinking, and had threatened the victim with a knife and violence. After the assault the man claimed the sex was consensual, but witnesses confirmed the relationship had ended. The victim reported ongoing nightmares and lasting trauma. The judge imposed the six‑year sentence, taking into account the accused's foreign nationality. The man remains denied of the rape. The unnamed 39-year-old was convicted.
A 44‑year‑old man who was abused by his older brother faces a maximum two‑year prison sentence for each of the 56 counts of indecent assault committed between 1980 and 1985. The abuse began when the victim was nine and continued until he was fourteen, when he finally told his brother to stop. The brother, aged 53, was convicted earlier this year and is currently serving a nine‑year sentence for sexual abuse of his sister. The judge has adjourned sentencing to April to consider an appeal of the existing sentence and to obtain an updated medical report after the defendant suffered a stroke in custody. The victim gave a victim impact statement describing the abuse as a "nightmare" that left him with a 20‑year stammer and a sense of shame. The defendant denied all allegations and claimed the accusations were lies. The case is pending sentencing.
A 58‑year‑old Dublin man, who had spent three days in jail for indecently assaulting his 11‑year‑old niece in 1977, had his two‑year sentence suspended on appeal. He pleaded guilty to four counts of indecent assault at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The original sentence, imposed by Judge Patricia Ryan on 29 July 2013, was two years with the final 12 months suspended. After a successful appeal, the Court of Appeal left the two‑year term unchanged but suspended it. The judge noted the offender was 17 at the time of the offence, that the abuse occurred in the family home, and that the victim had reported the abuse to Gardaí between 1991 and 1993, though no formal complaint was made. The offender had admitted the wrongdoing, apologized in 2000, and had made full admissions at a Garda station. He was required to enter a €100 bond and remain of good behaviour for two years.
Pat Healy, 66, of Norwood Park, Garryowen, Limerick, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to indecent assault of his daughter aged 13‑16 between 1981 and 1984. He had no prior convictions. The victim, now 46, waived anonymity so her father could be named. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy described the offence as high seriousness, noting long‑term effects on the victim and that the father accepted moral responsibility. He imposed a seven‑year imprisonment term. The victim recalled being forced to touch Healy's penis, to be touched in return, and to perform oral sex, including incidents in a car and during a Sunday lunch outing. She left home at 16, later entered care, and filed a complaint in 2013; Healy was arrested February 2014. The court recorded the victim's statement that the abuse destroyed her life and that she hoped to move on.
In the Central Criminal Court, the jury heard the case of James Connors, 29, accused of murdering his ex‑girlfriend's partner, Jason Ryan, 27, at Hollyville Heights on 25 January 2012. Connors pleaded not guilty. After five hours of deliberation, Justice Margaret Heneghan informed the jury that they could return a majority verdict of ten to two or eleven to one. She explained that the verdict could be not guilty, not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, or guilty of murder. The jury finished deliberations at 4 pm Monday and will resume on Tuesday morning.
In a Dublin murder trial, Trevor Corr (39) pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of James Humphries (32) at Kiltalown Way, Tallaght, on 22 September 2013. The jury heard that Corr claimed he stabbed Humphries while the victim lay in his bed. Gardaí arrived at 6.35 pm, questioned Corr who identified himself and admitted stabbing the man in his bedroom. Forensic evidence included bloodstained tracksuit bottoms and a knife with blood from both men, found in the bedroom. The State presented testimony from paramedic Brian Murphy, forensic scientists, Chief State Pathologist Marie Cassidy, and witnesses including Jason Hart, a delivery man at a nearby Chinese take‑away. The trial continued at 2 pm on Monday.
Paul Grace, 36, of Beaumont Park, Artane, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting retired youth worker Patrick Malone on 29 March 2013 at Killarney Street, Dublin 1. Grace had previously struggled with drug addiction, had been homeless, and had completed a certificate in drug counselling while studying psychotherapy. He had 22 prior convictions for non‑violent offences such as theft and criminal damage. Malone, a professional who had helped people rehabilitate from drug addiction, had once given Grace money for hostels and had arranged for him to detox in Malone's apartment. During a stay Grace attempted to buy drugs, was told the detox would not work, left, returned in an incoherent state, and later pushed a knife at Malone, who sustained injuries to his arm and hand and required surgery. Malone's victim impact statement requested that no custodial sentence be imposed. The case was adjourned for sentencing on 19 February next year.
The trial of a 34‑year‑old man accused of raping a woman with Down syndrome will resume evidence on Monday. He admits some sexual contact but says it was consensual and that he was unaware of her mental impairment. He has pleaded not guilty to rape, sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person at his Dublin home on 12 June 2013. The defence was to call witnesses after the accused finished giving evidence on Thursday, but Justice Tony Hunt postponed further evidence until Monday.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a judge described a brutal robbery of Zimbabwean man Charles Goromonzi as "depressing." Goromonzi, 57, was attacked by two 18‑year‑old teenagers, Aaron Eccles and Niall Brooks, who punched him 18 times, kicked him 13 times, knelt on his head three times, stamped on him seven times and stabbed him four times before stealing his Nokia Lumina 625 phone. CCTV footage showed the assault at 9.30 pm on 29 July 2014. Both defendants pleaded guilty to robbery. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced each to five and a half years, suspending 18 months for Eccles and 3 years 9 months for Brooks, and ordered 18 months of post‑release supervision. Eccles had 29 prior convictions; Brooks had none. Both denied stabbing the victim and claimed intoxication and ADHD as mitigating factors. Goromonzi suffered head, wrist and knee injuries and later required hospital treatment.
Ionut Potop, a 26‑year‑old Romanian, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Pakistani shop employee Tariq Mohammed on 4 June 2014. Potop head‑butted and bit Mohammed, shouting "F**k off, you Paki bastard" twice. The victim suffered nose, torso and wrist injuries, requiring hospital treatment. Judge Patrick McCartan warned Potop that failure to pay €3,000 within six months would result in prison. Potop, remanded on continuing bail, later paid the amount and was dismissed under the Probation of Offenders Act. The court noted Potop's lack of prior convictions and his remorse, and the judge exercised leniency. The case involved a single assault charge, with no further convictions reported. The incident occurred at a Londis shop on Westmoreland Street, Dublin.
The Central Criminal Court jury has begun deliberations on the case of James Connors, 29, who is accused of murdering Jason Ryan, 27, on 25 January 2012. Connors pleaded not guilty. Justice Margaret Heneghan explained that the jury may return a verdict of not guilty, not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, or guilty of murder, depending on whether they find Connors acted in self‑defence with reasonable or unreasonable force, or intended to kill. The jury spent two hours and 40 minutes deliberating and will report on Monday.
Bryan Ryan, aged 31, originally from Blanchardstown but with an address in Louisburgh, County Mayo, is serving a life sentence for the murder of Ian Tobin in May 2007. Ryan was convicted by majority verdict at the Central Criminal Court in 2013 after initially being convicted in 2008, a conviction later quashed. He pleaded not guilty to the charge. At the Court of Appeal on Thursday, Ryan's counsel argued that gardaí pursued an agenda to secure a confession by improper means, including misrepresenting the law on manslaughter and overstating evidence. Counsel submitted the confession was unreliable, particularly as Ryan confessed to burning motorcycle parts and clothing that forensic evidence did not support. The defence further contended that alleged constitutional breaches during interviews could not be remedied by a brief conversation with his solicitor. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel maintained the core evidence came from a protected witness and that the confession was properly obtained. The Court of Appeal reserved judgment.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 10 December 2015, a 34‑year‑old Pakistani national was tried for rape, sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person. He denied all charges, claiming the alleged victim, a woman with Down syndrome, lied about the events. He said they had consensual sexual activity but no penetrative sex, and that she had returned to his house willingly after meeting him on the street. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, expressed frustration at the accused's repeated refusal to answer questions. The prosecution maintained that the man lured the woman from the street, brought her to his home and raped her on 12 June 2013. Evidence was presented that the woman was mentally disabled under the Sexual Offences Act 1993. The trial continued with a jury of six men and six women.
A Dublin man has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Adil Essalhi following a five-day trial at the Central Criminal Court. Michael Kinsella, aged 22, with addresses in Tallaght and Ardkeen, Cavan, had initially pleaded not guilty to murder. The State's case alleged that Mr Essalhi, aged 29, was killed at Tyrellstown, Dublin on 6 January 2011 by two people acting together. The prosecution accepted a plea to the lesser charge of unlawful killing on condition that Kinsella admitted assaulting the deceased with a weapon. Medical evidence heard during trial indicated Mr Essalhi sustained in excess of fifty stabbing and chopping wounds, predominantly to the head and neck. His body was subsequently burnt. Kinsella's uncle, Wayne Kinsella, was previously convicted of Mr Essalhi's murder in 2012. Justice Deirdre Murphy adjourned sentencing to a later date.
Daniel Ennis, aged 20, was sentenced to six years in prison after a series of violent incidents in Ballyfermot, Dublin. In January 2014 he threatened to kill or seriously harm Garda Ryan and Garda Doyle when they searched his back garden for a stolen postbag and bike. He also threatened to kill or seriously harm Linda Carrie and Lena Tims, to damage property, and was found in possession of a firearm on 8 May 2015. Ennis threw a small dog, a paving slab and a bike at four Gardaí, threatened to ram a patrol car, and shouted from an upstairs window that he was armed with a knife. Over a year later, while on bail, he fired shots at a house on Oranmore Road, where a woman was sleeping after being released from hospital, after threatening to blow the occupants' heads off and to burn the house down. Daniel Ennis pleaded guilty.
The Central Criminal Court will open a murder trial tomorrow. Trevor Corr, 39, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of James Humphries, 32, who was killed on Kiltalown Way, Tallaght, on 22 September 2013. Justice Isobel Kennedy told the jury that the trial was not ready to start and asked them to return tomorrow at 2 pm.
In a Dublin court on 9 December 2015, a 34‑year‑old Pakistani man accused of raping a woman with Down syndrome pleaded not guilty to rape, sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person. He testified that in his home country mentally disabled people are kept at home or in hospitals and that he was unaware the woman was mentally impaired. He claimed the alleged victim enjoyed the sexual activity, describing how they met on the street, went to his house, kissed, undressed and engaged in sexual acts for about twenty minutes before she left. He said he had no limit to the number of women he approached and that he had "success" with many. The jury heard from 16 women who said the accused approached them on the street. The trial will continue tomorrow before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of six men and six women.
At the Central Criminal Court, a resident of an apartment complex in Tyrellstown, Dublin 15 has given evidence in the trial of Michael Kinsella (22), who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Adil Essalhi (29) on January 6, 2011. The witness told the jury she was approached by a man at the building on January 7, 2011 and asked if she had a saw. The prosecution contends that the killing was carried out by two people. Kinsella, with addresses in Tallaght and Ardkeen, County Cavan, has maintained his not guilty plea. His uncle, Wayne Kinsella, was convicted of the same killing in 2012. Evidence from another witness, the former partner of Wayne Kinsella, was also heard. The cross-examination continued before the jury, with one member becoming unwell. Proceedings are ongoing.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 9 December 2015, forensic scientist Dr Stephen Clifford presented evidence that a knife allegedly used to murder 27‑year‑old Jason Ryan on 25 January 2012 contained DNA matching Ryan but not that of accused James Connors, 29, of Rosemount, Drinagh, Co. Wexford. The knife and a baton found at the scene were examined; the baton's handle and middle yielded blood matching Ryan's DNA, possibly from his wounds, while two other incomplete DNA profiles were found but could not be identified. No DNA from Connors was detected on either item. Connors had pleaded not guilty. Justice Margaret Heneghan informed the jury that no further evidence would be presented and the prosecution would commence its summary the following day.
Paul Brannigan, 24, pleaded not guilty to manslaughter of Jason Saunders, who died after a rare cardiac arrest called commotio cordis. A six‑day trial and almost five hours of deliberation ended with a hung jury on the manslaughter charge. The jury found Brannigan guilty of two counts of assault by head‑butting and striking with a golf club, and of producing an article capable of serious injury. Brannigan denied all offences. Judge Patrick McCartan remanded him in custody for sentencing on 15 December. Chief State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy testified that Saunders died from a blow to the chest within a 30‑millisecond window, while defence pathologist Dr Declan Gilsenan disputed this, suggesting drug use and a testosterone spike caused the arrest. Brannigan admitted head‑butting and swinging a golf club but denied striking the victim. He later expressed remorse to the family. The case concluded with Brannigan taken to prison.
James Connors, aged 29, was accused of murdering Jason Ryan, 27, in Wexford on 25 January 2012. He pleaded not guilty. In the Central Criminal Court, Connors admitted to setting fire to a blood‑stained hoodie he had worn during the fatal fight, claiming he had forgotten to wash it and burned it with a lighter and a stick. He also said he called Ryan's girlfriend, Samantha Hore, at 2.12 am to check on Ryan's condition, but she hung up. Connors denied luring Ryan away from security cameras or intending to kill him. Garda interviews revealed that Connors had called Ryan's home, tried to persuade him to forget their feud, and later claimed he was attacked by Ryan with a baton and a knife. The trial was scheduled to continue before Justice Margaret Heneghan the following day.
At the Central Criminal Court, a jury heard evidence on Tuesday in the trial of Michael Kinsella (22), of Swiftbrook Close, Tallaght and Ardkeen, Cavan, who has pleaded not guilty to murdering Adil Essalhi (29) on January 6, 2011. The prosecution alleges the killing was committed by two people. Gardaí located Mr Essalhi's body partially submerged in a ditch near Tyrellstown, Dublin 15, on January 13, 2011 during an investigation into a missing person. A knife was recovered from the ditch the following day. Evidence was heard from gardaí who conducted the search and from a witness who was present when the deceased left a party with both Michael Kinsella and his uncle Wayne Kinsella, who was convicted of the murder in 2012. The trial continues.
In 2015, Breffni O'Rourke, a 67‑year‑old music teacher, appealed a 2012 conviction for indecent assault of a nine‑year‑old girl in 1987. He had been found guilty by a jury and sentenced to two years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended. O'Rourke's barrister, Colman Cody SC, argued that the jury should have been discharged because of prejudicial evidence from the complainant's twin sister. She claimed O'Rourke was 'friendly' and had a 'habit of tickling us', and that he would put his hands under clothes and feel skin. Cody said this testimony was not probative and was highly prejudicial, and that it went beyond mere tickling. He also contended that the defence was denied access to notes from an English teacher that might have clarified the complainant's earlier statements. The Director of Public Prosecutions maintained that the witness's remarks were not prejudicial, and the Court of Appeal would reserve judgment. Breffni O'Rourke pleaded not guilty.
A GAA player from Castlebar, County Mayo, has been released from prison following a successful appeal against his sentence for assault. Michael Prendergast pleaded guilty to causing harm to an opponent during a football match between Bohola Moy Davitt's and Davitt's GAA Club at Ballindine in September 2013. He was originally sentenced to two years imprisonment, with the final twelve months suspended. The Court of Appeal found that the sentencing judge had erred in principle by relying primarily on the injured party's account rather than the referee's match report when determining the context of the assault. The appeal court quashed the original sentence and imposed twelve months imprisonment instead, with the balance suspended on condition of one hundred hours community service. The court noted mitigating factors and character references submitted on Prendergast's behalf.