A 49‑year‑old man was sentenced to seven and a half years' imprisonment for raping a 12‑year‑old boy, who had been lured to the man's home by a third party who had also sexually abused him. The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of anal rape and two counts of sexual assault committed between 1994 and 1995 at an address in County Dublin. He had five prior convictions, including for child pornography offences. The victim, whose name is withheld, described the emotional and psychological damage, noting he was terrified to speak, lost contact with family and friends, and later sought therapy and addiction treatment. The judge, Justice David Keane, noted the defendant's early guilty plea, cooperation and mitigating circumstances, and imposed a global sentence of seven and a half years, suspending the final 12 months for two years and ordering two years of post‑release supervision.
Marius Lacatus, 32, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman on her way to work early on 19 August 2024. He followed her, attacked her from behind, dragged her to a park, threatened her with death, and sexually assaulted her. Gardaí found him hiding under a bridge; he was intoxicated and initially could not be interviewed. He pleaded guilty to sexual assault and making threats to kill or cause serious harm. The court noted the sudden, violent nature of the attack and the victim's right to fear. The judge considered mitigating factors such as his guilty plea, remorse, and background, and imposed a sentence of five and a half years, citing intoxication as no excuse. The incident lasted about two minutes, and the victim received medical treatment. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
A 63-year-old former Defence Forces member has been sentenced to ten years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for five counts of sexual assault committed against a child in Cavan between September 2007 and June 2010. Mr Justice David Keane remarked that the defendant was "extremely fortunate" the Director of Public Prosecutions accepted guilty pleas to sexual assault, as the offences could have been prosecuted as rape, which carries a maximum life sentence. The judge noted significant aggravating factors including the substantial age disparity and severe impact on the victim. Evidence detailed a pattern of calculated abuse involving grooming and isolation. The victim, aged eleven to fourteen at the time, experienced lasting psychological harm, including damaged relationships and suicidal ideation. The defendant denied responsibility during interview and demonstrated no empathy during probation assessment. A two-year post-release supervision order was imposed. The sentence was backdated to October of the previous year.
A woman who was tortured and falsely imprisoned in a Dublin flat over a false accusation about missing drugs has told a court she will never forgive the 'sick human beings' for what they did to her. During a three-hour period in September 2024, the woman was subjected to unimaginable trauma, including being beaten with metal poles, burned with a makeshift blow torch, cut with a knife, and threatened with rape. The assault ended when gardaí entered the flat with a search warrant. Mark Keogh (33), Mark McMahon (55), Braxton Rice (21), Sean Conroy (21), and Kian Walshe (22) all pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and assault causing harm to the woman at Henrietta House on September 26, 2024. Each of the men has a number of previous convictions. The case was adjourned by Judge Codd to next Wednesday, when defence counsel will give their pleas of mitigation. The woman, who suffered multiple injuries including a broken eye socket, broken cheekbone, and burns, described the men as 'animals' and said she was 'completely helpless' and outnumbered by the eight men present. The court heard that the men had taken running jumps at her during the assault and threatened to make her drink ammonia and rape her teenage daughter. The woman's victim impact statement highlighted the lasting psychological effects of the incident, including flashbacks and constant headaches. The maximum sentences for false imprisonment and assault causing harm are life and 10 years respectively.
Lee Canavan, 36, has appealed his conviction for the murder of David 'Daithí' Douglas, who was shot at Shoestown in Dublin 1 on July 1, 2016. Canavan, who pleaded not guilty, was convicted by the Special Criminal Court on June 3, 2021, and sentenced to life imprisonment. He was also jailed for five years for criminal damage to a getaway vehicle. His counsel argued the trial court erred by relying on 'general association' with co-accused to infer guilt, noting the prosecution initially alleged he was the shooter. The State countered that the case was always based on joint enterprise. The Court of Appeal reserved its judgment. Canavan is the fourth person jailed for the killing. Frederick 'Fat Freddie' Thompson was jailed for life in 2018. Nathan Foley pleaded guilty to assisting a criminal organisation and received six years in 2019. Gareth Brophy was jailed for ten years in 2020 for acting as a getaway driver.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 24 July 2025, Judge Mary Ellen Ring sentenced tattoo artist Henrique Pereira, 34, to a headline term of three years and six months for sexual assault committed on 19 October 2016. The judge noted that Pereira had no prior convictions and was a small‑business owner with family responsibilities, and therefore imposed a suspended sentence of two and a half years, with full suspension for that period. He was also placed under Probation Services supervision for 18 months and ordered to comply with all probation officer directions. The victim, who suffered vivid flashbacks and described the assault as making her feel unsafe, was told the judge hoped the outcome would bring her closure. Pereira apologized, acknowledged the impact of his actions, and expressed willingness to undertake any required courses. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court, with the judge emphasising that a woman is entitled to change her mind. Henrique Pereira was found guilty.
Ronaldo Otto, a 63‑year‑old who is transitioning to female and identifies as Samantha Otto, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to an additional six months in custody for breaching the terms of a three‑year suspended sentence. The suspended sentence originally applied to an assault in which Otto threw a cup of boiling water over a casino customer's face in 2019. Otto had previously been convicted of a sexual assault on an 18‑year‑old male student in October 2022, while the suspended portion of the casino assault sentence was still active. A jury found Otto guilty of the sexual assault in May. Judge Pauline Codd reactivated six months of the suspended sentence, suspended the remaining two and a half years, and directed that the new term run consecutively with the three‑year sentence for the sexual assault.
Lorcan Murphy, a 32‑year‑old Garda of Pearse Street Station, was found guilty of two counts of assault causing harm under the Non‑Fatal Offences Act after assaulting a 17‑year‑old on 1 June 2021. The attacks occurred on Essex Street and at Pearse Street Station. The victim, who suffered a fractured skull, testified that he was intoxicated, had no memory of the incident, and was later treated at Mater, Beaumont and James' Hospitals. CCTV footage showed Murphy approaching the victim, placing handcuffs, and performing a leg sweep that caused the victim's head to strike the ground. The jury, after 4 hours 20 minutes of deliberation, returned unanimous guilty verdicts. Judge Pauline Codd adjourned sentencing to 3 November, remanded Murphy on continuing bail, and ordered a probation report and victim impact statement. No sentencing details were provided in the article. Lorcan Murphy pleaded not guilty.
Ms Justice Tara Burns reduced the prison sentences of brothers Colin Murphy (36) and Glen Murphy (33) from ten years to eight years each following an appeal against their convictions for a Christmas Day crime spree in Co. Carlow. The original sentencing judge, Judge Cormac Quinn, had imposed consecutive sentences for offences including criminal damage to an MPV and Eir poles, assault causing harm, and a serious assault leaving a man unconscious. Ms Justice Burns ruled that consecutive sentencing was inappropriate given the closely connected nature of the offending within the same criminal transaction. She quashed the original sentences and resentenced both appellants. For Glen Murphy, who was convicted of criminal damage to an MPV, criminal damage to Eir poles, assault causing harm, and assault on a man left unconscious, the total sentence was set at nine and a half years, with the final 18 months suspended for 18 months. Similarly, Colin Murphy received a total sentence of nine and a half years, with the final 18 months suspended for 18 months. The court acknowledged the extreme seriousness of the assault, which caused traumatic brain injury, but determined that the aggregate sentence must reflect the single criminal transaction rather than cumulative consecutive terms.
The Special Criminal Court will hear the trials of five men charged with false imprisonment, assault and the production of weapons used in the assault of a man in Dublin on 12 February 2025. The accused are Jason Hennessy Jr (28), Brandon Hennessy (22) and Devon Hennessy (29) from Blanchardstown, and Kenneth Fitzsimons (45) and his 26‑year‑old son Dean Fitzsimons from Mulhuddart. All five are charged with assaulting the victim to aid a criminal organisation, causing serious harm, and false imprisonment. Jason Hennessy Jr is additionally charged with threatening property damage and producing a branding stamp to intimidate. Brandon Hennessy is charged with producing a steel breaker bar. Devon Hennessy is charged with producing a metal branding stamp. Dean Fitzsimons is charged with threatening to kill or cause serious harm, producing a metal branding stamp and a steel breaker bar. Kenneth Fitzsimons is charged with producing a steel breaker bar and an axe.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 23 July 2025, Mr Justice Paul McDermott criticised the delay in preparing a psychiatric assessment for Ahmed Abdirahman, a 31‑year‑old Somalian national accused of murdering his former partner Mary Ward in Belfast on 25 September 2024. The judge urged both the prosecution and defence to set a timeframe for resolving the issue, noting that the Central Mental Hospital's resource constraints could not justify the continued impasse. Counsel for the State, Antonia Boyle BL, explained that the book of evidence had not yet been served on the accused because of mental health concerns. The defence team reported that Mr Abdirahman is awaiting admission to the Central Mental Hospital and has not engaged with a psychiatrist who attempted to see him. They also raised a jurisdictional issue, arguing that the alleged offence occurred in Northern Ireland and therefore the accused should be given the option to be tried there.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 23 July 2025, Mr Justice Paul McDermott urged that additional resources be allocated to the case of Riad Bouchaker, 51, who is charged with assaulting a care worker and attempting to murder three children on Parnell Square. The prosecution noted that the defence had supplied a psychiatric report on Bouchaker, while the prosecution is preparing its own report due by mid‑October. The judge highlighted "serious difficulties" caused by delays, including the need for further neuropsychological work, delays in accessing the defendant in prison, and interpreter availability. He set the next hearing for 22 October and called on all parties—lawyers, psychiatrists, and other professionals—to expedite the case once the psychiatric issues are resolved. The court reiterated its commitment to fast‑track trials involving children, aiming to complete the process within one year where possible.
James Lynch, 44, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply in Galway on 29 August 2022. He had 86 prior convictions, including traffic offences, theft, fraud, drug possession, public order, criminal damage, assault, and weapons. The court noted that Lynch was dealing heroin, an aggressive approach to arrest, and threw the drugs into the River Corrib to evade capture. Judge Brian O'Callaghan set a headline sentence of six years, then imposed a custodial term of four years, suspending the final two years. Lynch was ordered to serve the sentence from the date he entered custody, and to be supervised by the Probation Service for one year after release. He was found with €614 on his person and a package of heroin worth about €6,500, which was recovered from the river. The court considered his addiction and lack of financial benefit from the offence, and noted his need for rehabilitation.
In a Dublin trial, Lorcan Murphy, a 32‑year‑old Garda, pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault causing harm after allegedly fracturing a 17‑year‑old's skull on June 1 2021. The jury, hearing closing speeches and the judge's charge, was urged to consider the Garda's perspective and the possibility that criminalising force might deter officers. Defence counsel Justin McQuade argued that Murphy acted under an honest belief in the necessity of force, even if mistaken, and that the initial use of force during the arrest was not excessive. He highlighted the split‑second decisions required of uniformed officers and suggested that the force used—a leg sweep—was an unfortunate secondary impact. Prosecutor John Gallagher contended that the sweep and subsequent head impact constituted disproportionate force, causing a fractured skull and brain bleed, and questioned whether the level of force was reasonable. The trial continues.
Martin Hayes, aged 36, was convicted of manslaughter for the death of Amadea McDermott, aged 27, in a home in Coolock on 20 July 2017. He was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter by a majority verdict in the Central Criminal Court in November 2023. Hayes had pleaded not guilty to murder and claimed that McDermott had stabbed herself, a claim the court rejected. He admitted using violence against her. Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced him to 12 years and six months, citing domestic violence and a history of aggressive behaviour. Hayes appealed, arguing the judge over‑weighted aggravating factors and under‑weighted mitigating ones. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy dismissed the appeal, affirming the 12‑year‑six‑month sentence and noting limited mitigating factors and significant aggravating domestic violence evidence. The appeal was rejected on the basis that the judge's factual findings were correct and the sentence was appropriate.
A 24‑year‑old Moldovan national, Valeriu Melnic, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter by a Central Criminal Court jury after he stabbed his sister's partner, Ion Daghi, to death with a kitchen knife on 12 May 2024. Melnic told Gardaí he was "so drunk" that he could not remember the stabbing, and he had earlier said "I will kill you" to Daghi. The jury rejected the prosecution's murder case, accepting the defence of intoxication and provocation. The judge, Mr Justice David Keane, noted the graphic evidence and the jury's service, and remanded Melnic in custody until a sentencing hearing on 3 November. The Daghi family will be able to give a statement at that hearing. The case was listed for mention on 20 October. The trial detailed the night's events, including multiple bottles of whiskey, a dispute, and the fatal stab wound to Daghi's chest.
Samantha Otto, a 63-year-old applicant, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after being found guilty by a jury of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old male in a Rathmines laneway on October 26, 2022. The court heard that Otto, who identifies as female but is biologically male and has not received a gender recognition certificate, has one previous conviction for assault causing harm dated April 27, 2019, for which a suspended sentence was imposed on October 20, 2020. Judge Pauline Codd noted the difficulty in sentencing individuals whose gender identity does not align with their biological sex, particularly given the lack of a formal model for housing transgender prisoners. The judge highlighted that the victim, who was 18 at the time, described the incident as a gross violation of his bodily integrity. In mitigation, counsel cited Otto's difficult background and acceptance of the jury's verdict, though the judge noted the absence of a guilty plea and the egregious nature of the accused's attempt to blame the victim. The court imposed a three-year jail term, noting that Otto was on a suspended sentence at the time of the offence. Additionally, the judge ordered that Otto be placed on the Sexual Offenders' Register.
The trial of Lorcan Murphy, a 32‑year‑old Garda from Pearse Street Station, for assaulting a teenager in 2021 has entered its closing phase at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Murphy pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault causing harm under the 1997 Act. The prosecution has finished calling witnesses; the defence will not present evidence. Judge Pauline Codd will hear closing speeches tomorrow.
James O'Reilly, aged 63, was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of oral rape, five counts of sexual assault and three counts of sexual exploitation of his daughter Bridget, who was between six and ten years old when the abuse occurred. The offences took place at the family home in Waterford between 2010 and 2014. O'Reilly was found guilty on all nine charges in the fourth trial after earlier trials were aborted or inconclusive. He received a headline sentence of 13 years, with the final year suspended for 12 months on strict conditions, including probation supervision after release. The judge described the conduct as an egregious breach of trust, noting violence, threats and a lack of remorse. O'Reilly's son Thomas gave a character reference, and the daughter waived anonymity to name her father. No prior sexual convictions were recorded, though he had three unrelated convictions.
A jury of eight men and four women is set to return to the Central Criminal Court to continue deliberating the verdict in the murder trial of Moldovan national Valeriu Melnic, aged 24, who is accused of fatally stabbing Ion Daghi, aged 39, with a kitchen knife on 12 May 2024. Melnic pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The jury has spent five hours and 52 minutes over two days considering the case and has not yet reached a unanimous verdict. Judge David Keane has advised that they may seek a majority verdict, requiring at least ten jurors to agree, and has asked them to return tomorrow for further guidance on the defence of provocation. The jury is also instructed to consider whether intoxication could negate intent, and whether provocation could reduce the charge to manslaughter. The case remains at the deliberation stage, with no verdict yet announced.
Stephen Mooney, aged 53, was sentenced to a mandatory life term at the Central Criminal Court for murdering his 43‑year‑old wife, Anna Mooney. He admitted to stabbing her after discovering evidence of an affair on her phone. Mooney recorded the act and later called emergency services at 1.09 am on 15 June 2023, stating he had killed her. Gardaí accessed his phone, finding a 90‑minute video and audio of the murder and the events leading up to it. The pathologist reported a 13.3 cm stab wound that pierced the heart, diaphragm and abdominal cavity, with additional wounds to her back, arm and hand. Mooney apologized to the family and children, and the judge imposed the mandatory life sentence, noting the severe harm caused. The case remains under the jurisdiction of a parole board. Stephen Mooney pleaded guilty.
During a sentencing hearing on 21 July 2025, the court considered the case of Richard Treacy, 36, who had previously been convicted of manslaughter, dangerous driving, violent disorder and other offences. Treacy pleaded guilty to a money‑laundering offence under the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010, admitting that between 1 January 2014 and 12 January 2021 he concealed the true source of funds used to pay for renovations at his family home in Limerick. The court heard that €100,000 had been spent on the property, which had been purchased by another party in 2014, and that the renovations were carried out over several years. Garda Ronan O'Reilly presented evidence that cash, including £3,900 and €4,000, was found in the house, and that Treacy had no employment record.
Three armed forces members – Jordan Kavanagh (24), his brother Jerome (23) and friend Jason Keating (24) – attacked a young man in a late‑night bar after a drink was spilled. The trio pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and violent disorder. The victim, a man in his 20s, suffered a concussion, broken teeth and facial scarring. All three resigned from the army before court. They expressed remorse and submitted apology letters. The judge, Sinéad McMullan, noted their potential and the impact on the victim, ordered a Probation Report and considered restorative justice. The case was adjourned for sentencing on 3 November, with the men remanded on continuing bail. No prior convictions were recorded for any of the defendants.
Darren Dowling, 48, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court following a July 2024 trial in which he was found guilty of eight counts of oral rape and three counts of indecent assault. The offences, which occurred at a Clondalkin address between 1990 and 1993, were committed against his cousin, Alan Murphy, who was aged between three and six at the time. Dowling, who was a juvenile during the offending period, had previously served a nine-month sentence in Jersey for a separate offence involving an undercover officer. Justice Paul Burns imposed concurrent sentences of five years and three years, reducing headline sentences of 13 years and eight years respectively due to Dowling's age at the time of the crimes. The final 12 months of the five-year term were suspended on strict conditions, requiring Dowling to engage with Probation Supervision upon release. The court noted the severe impact on the victim, who suffered behavioural problems and substance abuse issues as a teenager. Although the sentencing was completed, the matter was adjourned for mention to allow for the hearing of a Supreme Court case regarding the naming of juvenile accused persons who reach adulthood. Consequently, the report could not be published until now. Dowling waived his anonymity, and the victim has also waived his anonymity to have Dowling named.
Sean Cullen, aged 22, of Hope Avenue, East Wall, Dublin 3, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of criminal damage and one count of common assault. The charges related to incidents at the Fairview DART Depot on 25 September 2021, where he pepper-sprayed an Irish Rail employee during a confrontation, and to graffiti damage caused to train carriages at multiple locations between February 2020 and November 2021. The total damage caused amounted to €60,914, with Irish Rail estimating additional costs of €40,000. The injured employee sustained a swollen face and back injury but has since made a full recovery. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a four-year sentence, fully suspended, on condition that Cullen does not reoffend. The judge noted Cullen's remorse, his current employment as an apprentice electrician, and the €2,000 restitution offered to the victim. No further offences have been recorded since his arrest.
The jury heard that the 24‑year‑old Moldovan national Valeriu Melnic, who stabbed Ion Daghi to death with a kitchen knife, was heavily intoxicated after drinking three bottles of "firewater." Melnic pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The defence argued that intoxication and provocation should reduce the charge to manslaughter, citing Melnic's memory loss and the alleged assault by Daghi. The prosecution countered that Melnic's statement "I will kill you" and the circumstances of the struggle showed intent to kill, making murder the appropriate verdict. Judge Keane explained that intoxication is not a full defence to murder and that provocation must be a sudden, complete loss of self‑control. The jury was instructed to decide between guilty of murder or guilty of manslaughter. Valeriu Melnic was acquitted.
A mentally ill man, diagnosed with bipolar disorder and psychosis, had his four‑month jail sentence for breaching a safety order overturned on appeal. He had pleaded guilty in the District Court to breaching a safety order twice under section 33(1) of the Domestic Violence Act 2018 and to trespassing under section 3 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994. He also faced charges of making off without payment, theft and failure to appear in court. The appeal was lodged after the court heard that he had been arrested on 3 October 2024 at a woman's property where a safety order was in place, and again on 9 May 2024 at an Applegreen on Stillorgan Road where he poured petrol worth 60 cents into a bag and left without paying. He was also charged with failure to appear in court for that offence.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, Jineesh John, aged 43, was found not guilty by reason of insanity on all counts of attempted murder, false imprisonment, and related offences. The case centred on an incident on 21 May 2023 when John, holding a hammer, drove a former colleague to a car, applied chilli powder to her face, and threatened to kill her, claiming she had infected him with HIV through kissing. No physical contact had occurred, yet John maintained a delusional belief of infection. Forensic psychiatrists for both sides agreed he met the criteria for the special verdict under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006, citing delusional disorder and depression. Mr Justice Paul McDermott remanded John to the Central Mental Hospital until a psychiatric report is delivered on 28 July. The victim was praised for her courage in calming John and for her testimony. The trial lasted two days, with the jury reaching the verdict in about 40 minutes.
In a Tallaght District Court hearing, a woman in her 40s, whose name is withheld for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to breaching a protection order on 19 July 2024, violating Section 33(1) of the Domestic Violence Act 2018. The court heard that she had made a threatening phone call and sent abusive text messages to her former partner, who was left in fear. The texts included insults such as "junkie bastard" and accusations that he was not the father of their child, and a phone call in which she threatened that he would never see their daughter again. The judge, Patricia McNamara, noted this was the woman's second conviction for breaching a protection order. She was sentenced to seven months' imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, on strict conditions that she not reoffend, take prescribed medication and pay €200 within five months. If she breaches any of these conditions, she will face the seven‑month term.
The case concerns a 17‑year‑old youth with 44 prior convictions who has accused Garda Lorcan Murphy of fracturing his skull. The youth, who has pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault causing harm, admitted that ten days after the alleged assault by the Garda, he kicked and beat a person at an ATM on O'Connell Street and then stole from their pockets. He also carried out a further assault on a staff member two weeks later. During cross‑examination, the youth claimed he had no recollection of the incidents, attributing memory loss to head injury, alcohol and cannabis. He denied lying in a GSOC interview and stated he had not drunk. Medical evidence showed a skull fracture and brain contusion, and the youth had left hospital against medical advice twice. The trial is ongoing before Judge Pauline Codd.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 17 July 2025, the prosecution presented evidence that Jineesh John, 43, was suffering from a delusional disorder when he allegedly falsely imprisoned a former work colleague in his car, sealed the door handles with tape, threw hot chilli powder into her eyes, and threatened to kill her. John also threatened her with a hammer and demanded she record on a mobile phone that she had given him a sexually transmitted disease in 2021, despite no sexual contact. The defence sought a not‑guilty by reason of insanity verdict under the Criminal Law Insanity Act 2006. Two consultant psychiatrists, one for each side, agreed that John was mentally ill at the time of the offence. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, is set to continue tomorrow. Jineesh John pleaded not guilty and was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
The Court of Appeal heard arguments regarding the conviction of Wayne Cooney for the murder of Jordan Davis (22) in Darndale, Dublin, on May 22, 2019. Cooney, who pleaded not guilty to murder and possessing a 9mm semi-automatic pistol and ammunition, was convicted by a jury in July 2022. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC argued that the trial judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, effectively closed down the defence case by delivering an argumentative charge that favoured the prosecution. The prosecution alleged Davis owed €70,000 to Robert Redmond, Cooney's then-girlfriend's brother. Robert Redmond pleaded guilty in April 2024 to conspiring with Cooney to murder Davis and received a seven-year prison sentence. Rachel Redmond, Cooney's ex-girlfriend, was convicted earlier this year of impeding Cooney's apprehension. During the appeal, O'Higgins contended the judge's comments were strident and denied the defence a fair airing. In response, DPP counsel Bernard Condon SC stated the judge correctly advised the jury to avoid evidential wastelands and that the conviction was supported by CCTV and DNA evidence linking Cooney to the scene. The court has adjourned the matter to deliver its judgement at a later date.
A 37‑year‑old man was sentenced to seven years in prison at the Central Criminal Court for raping a woman while she slept and then raping her again after she escaped the first assault. He pleaded guilty to two rape charges on 29 September 2019. The victim, whose identity is protected, described feeling like a "rag doll" during the attacks and suffering anxiety, PTSD, panic attacks and a loss of time with her children. She said she now locks herself in her bedroom and feels like a prisoner. The judge, Mr Justice Paul Burns, imposed an eight‑year sentence with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions for three years, directed the defendant to be supervised by the Probation Service for three years post‑release, and gave credit for time served. The court praised the victim's courage and hoped she would continue to recover with support from family and friends.
A man has pleaded guilty to the unlawful killing of Tom Niland at the Central Criminal Court, five days into his trial. John Irving, aged 31, of Shanwar, Foxford, County Mayo, changed his plea on the morning of July 17th. He is the third person to admit to manslaughter in connection with the death of the 73-year-old, who was assaulted at his home near Skreen, County Sligo on January 18th, 2022. Mr Niland suffered serious injuries including brain bleeding, facial fractures and multiple broken ribs during the attack. He was placed on life support but died from complications of his injuries twenty months later. Francis Harman and John Clarke had previously pleaded guilty to the same offence. The Director of Public Prosecutions indicated the guilty plea to manslaughter satisfied the prosecution's case. Justice Eileen Creedon discharged the jury and adjourned sentencing to October 13th, pending victim impact statements and psychological reports.
Lorcan Murphy, a 32‑year‑old serving Garda from Pearse Street Garda Station, is on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for two counts of assault causing harm under the Non‑Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997. The alleged assaults occurred on 1 June 2021 at Essex Street, Dublin 2 and Pearse Street Garda Station, when the complainant, a 17‑year‑old, was reportedly brought to the ground, handcuffed, and then lifted onto his head, resulting in a fractured skull. The complainant spent five days in Beaumont Hospital and later testified that he could not recall the events, was drinking and smoking at the time, and had been taken to hospital after the incident. Mr. Murphy pleaded not guilty; the trial will continue tomorrow before a jury of eight men and four women, presided over by Judge Pauline Codd.
A man who breached a safety order by posting a video of his ex‑wife on Facebook, with abusive rap music over four images, had his four‑month jail sentence replaced with a suspended term on appeal. He pleaded guilty in the District Court to breaching a safety order under section 33(1) of the Domestic Violence Act 2018 on 13 June 2024. The video looped four pictures: the ex‑wife in a swimsuit on a beach, her new partner, a vehicle she had owned, and another picture of her, all with digitally distorted faces. The rap music contained abusive lyrics. Defence counsel acknowledged the mistake and said the client now understands the order and apologised. Judge Christopher Callan suspended the four‑month sentence for 12 months, requiring the defendant to keep the peace and obey the safety order, including no contact with the injured party by any means.
During the trial, 24‑year‑old Moldovan national Valeriu Melnic pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in the death of Ion Daghi, 39, who was stabbed with a kitchen knife at The Close, Sallins Park, on 12 May 2024. Melnic, who was heavily intoxicated, told Gardaí that he could not remember the stabbing but later said that "all the evidence pointed" to him being "the only one responsible." He described a drunken argument with Daghi, a brief moment of choking, and a fight that escalated to the use of a knife. Melnic admitted he had caused the fatal wound but could not recall holding or stabbing the knife. The jury heard his statements, the prosecution's case that he armed himself with a kitchen knife, and the defence's claim of intoxication and lack of memory. The trial is set to continue before Mr Justice David Keane and a jury of eight men and four women.
A 22-year-old man has pleaded guilty to criminal damage and assault following incidents at Irish Rail facilities in Dublin. Sean Cullen, of East Wall, Dublin 3, admitted two counts of criminal damage and one count of common assault under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The court heard that Cullen caused over €60,000 in damage through graffiti on train carriages, with Irish Rail indicating an additional €40,000 in costs. During a September 2021 incident at Fairview DART Depot, an Irish Rail employee was pepper-sprayed and sustained injuries including facial swelling and back pain whilst confronting Cullen and another man acting suspiciously. The employee subsequently recovered fully. Cullen was identified through CCTV and forensic fingerprint analysis linking him to further incidents at Docklands and Connolly stations. Judge Martin Nolan remanded Cullen in custody pending sentencing on 18 July, noting the defendant "deserves a salutary lesson". The defence noted Cullen's previous good work history as an apprentice electrician and requested a probation report and community service assessment.
The sister of Valeriu Melnic, accused of murdering Ion Daghi, testified that her evidence to the jury last week was the opposite of what she had said in her Garda statement. In the statement, she described her brother as the aggressor who had a knife and threatened to kill her husband. In court, she denied that she was trying to protect him and said she had not seen the earlier part of the fight. She admitted that she had described her husband as the one armed and that her brother had wanted to leave the house. She also said she had only seen the leg of a chair in his hand and did not see them fighting. The trial continues tomorrow before Mr Justice David Keane and a jury of eight men and four women. Valeriu Melnic pleaded not guilty.
Clayton McKeever, aged 21, was convicted in the District Court for assault and violent disorder after a June 12, 2023 incident in a Drimnagh garden. He pleaded guilty and received a six‑month custodial sentence suspended for two years on the violent disorder charge, and a nine‑month sentence with six months suspended on the assault charge, leaving an effective three‑month jail term. On appeal, the District Court Appeals Court replaced the custodial sentence with a suspended term. The court noted CCTV evidence of McKeever punching and kicking the victim's head three times over 50 seconds, and that the victim was hospitalized. McKeever's defence argued he intervened to protect his mother, and that he had expressed remorse. The judge, Christopher Callan, accepted that the assault was serious but considered McKeever's conduct out of character and at low risk of reoffending, and therefore suspended the sentence for two years on the condition of good behaviour.
A 41‑year‑old man who sexually abused his eight‑year‑old cousin while babysitting her in the summer of 1999 has not had his one‑year jail term reduced on appeal. He pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault at an address in Co Kildare. The court noted that at the time of the offence he was 15 and the victim was eight. Four incidents occurred in the family home where he was staying. The victim's impact statement said the abuse changed her life, leaving her with shame and guilt, and that she was celebrated by others who knew of the abuse. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three years, with the final two years suspended on strict conditions. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, affirming the sentence as proportionate and noting the aggravating factors of repeated offending, breach of trust, and the victim's secondary traumatisation.
A 39‑year‑old man who raped his pregnant partner in their bed six years ago was still employed by a local authority until he was taken into custody earlier this month. The partner, who was five months pregnant, recorded the assault and could be heard saying she was not consenting. She testified at the trial in Tullamore, where the man pleaded guilty to one count of rape on 13 October 2019. He was sentenced to eight years in prison, with the final year suspended, and is now in custody. The judge described the recording as "distressing" and praised the victim's courage. The man has one prior drug‑related conviction and was granted visitation rights to his child, which the victim says has caused her ongoing anxiety and nightmares. The case was delayed twice before the hearing. The man's defence cited heavy alcohol consumption and lack of memory of the incident.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has viewed CCTV footage documenting movements in County Sligo and Mayo on January 18, 2022, the date of an alleged assault on 73-year-old Tom Niland at his home near Skreen. A garda detective presented a montage compiled from multiple camera systems showing a white Vauxhall Vivaro van travelling through Dromore West and Ballina that morning and afternoon, marked by distinctive features including a yellow number plate and a green roof stain. The prosecution alleges that John Irving, aged 31 of Shanwar, Foxford, County Mayo, Francis Harman, aged 58 of Ballina, and John Clarke, aged 37 of Ballina, broke into Mr Niland's home and assaulted him, causing injuries from which he died twenty months later in September 2023. The court heard that Mr Niland was discovered by neighbours crossing the N59 with severe injuries, including brain bleeding and multiple rib fractures. Mr Irving has pleaded not guilty to charges of unlawful killing, trespass causing serious harm, intentional or reckless serious harm, and false imprisonment.
Richard Brennan, 64, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court after pleading guilty to 24 counts of sexual abuse against his three sisters. He admitted to 18 counts of indecent assault and six counts of rape. The charges included four indecent assaults and four rapes against Paula Faye (aged 13-17) between 1978 and 1981; 13 indecent assaults and two rapes against Catherine Wrightstone (aged 9-14) between 1980 and 1984; and indecent assaults against Yvonne Crist (aged 20) between 1979 and 1980. Mr Justice David Keane imposed a global sentence of nine years, backdated to March 18. The judge suspended the final 12 months of the term on condition that Brennan engages with the Probation Service for one year upon release. No post-release supervision order was imposed. Earlier this month, his brother Bernard Brennan, 67, was jailed for four and a half years after admitting to 11 counts of indecent assault against Yvonne Crist and Paula Faye between 1972 and 1975. Bernard's global sentence of nine years was also backdated to March 18. Both men have no previous convictions.
Patrick Ward, 36, was jailed for 10 years after pleading guilty to raping his partner, Patricia McLaughlin, 41, in her apartment between 28 April and 4 May 2024. Gardaí arrested him on 21 May 2024 when he was found strangling her. McLaughlin, who wishes to remain unnamed, had previously reported fear of Ward and had lost her home and job due to the abuse. Ward, a registered sex offender with 98 prior convictions, had failed to notify authorities of his address change and had recently been released from prison. The judge reduced the headline sentence to 11½ years, suspended 18 months, and imposed strict conditions, including no contact with McLaughlin or her family for 40 years. Ward's plea of remorse and a positive prison report were considered mitigating factors. The case highlights the severity of intimate partner violence and the court's focus on rehabilitation and protection of the victim.
A 38‑year‑old man was sentenced to two‑and‑a‑half years in prison, with the final six months suspended, for defiling his employer's 15‑year‑old daughter in Co. Westmeath in October 2017. He was convicted of one count of defilement; he was acquitted of alleged rape and a separate count of sexual assault against the girl's sister. The court heard that he had made repeated phone calls and text exchanges with the girl, and that he entered her home through a side window and had sex with her in her bedroom before leaving. The judge noted the significant age difference, the groom‑ing and abuse of a position of trust, and the profound impact on the girl's mental and physical health. The sentence was back‑dated to the man's entry into custody in January 2018. The man has prior convictions for assault and two traffic offences.
A 37‑year‑old man was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended on strict conditions, for sexually assaulting a friend while she slept. The assault took place in September 2019 at an address in Co. Dublin. The victim was socialising and drinking with friends the night before, and the next morning she slept on a sofa while the man slept on another. She woke to find him kneeling beside her and assaulting her. He had unbuttoned her jeans without waking her and asked, "did you want me to fuck you?" She replied, "Get away from me." He then re‑buttoned her jeans and left. The man pleaded guilty, had no prior convictions, and cooperated with investigators. He expressed remorse, apologised, and said he had studied consent. The judge noted the seriousness of the offence, the victim's sleep, and the man's personal circumstances, and imposed the custodial sentence with a suspended portion.
A 78‑year‑old man was sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment for sexually abusing two siblings between 1976 and 1980. He pleaded guilty to an attempted rape of a girl aged about five or six and to an indecent assault of a boy aged between six and eleven. The abuse took place in a shed and on a metal drum, with the boy's clothing bit down onto his shoulder. The court heard that there were three or four further incidents. The defendant had a prior conviction for assaulting a five‑year‑old grand‑niece, for which he received a two‑year fully suspended sentence. He expressed remorse, acknowledged his wrongdoing, and was found to have limited intellectual ability, chronic medical conditions, diabetes and a formal diagnosis of dementia. The judge, taking these mitigating factors into account, set a headline sentence of seven years, reduced to five and a half years.
Keith Macken, aged 44, was sentenced to nine years in prison for assaulting Lisa Lynch, a grandmother, with a wheel brace outside Dublin Airport. The attack left Lynch choking on her own blood, requiring emergency surgery to remove a ruptured spleen and resulting in serious injuries including a fractured rib, lacerated liver and spleen. Lynch suffered flashbacks and panic attacks, describing a changed relationship with men and a withdrawal from socialising. Macken had previously pleaded guilty to a burglary in Swords, for which he received an 18‑month sentence. The court imposed a total of 10½ years, nine years for the assault and 18 months for the burglary, to run consecutively. The case highlighted the severity of the assault and the impact on the victim's health and wellbeing. Keith Macken pleaded not guilty.
A pensioner was so severely beaten during an alleged home invasion that neighbours did not recognise him as he walked along the road covered in blood with swollen eyes, the Central Criminal Court has heard. Witnesses described the victim as "crying blood" with multiple traumatic injuries following the incident at Doonflynn, Skreen, County Sligo on 18 January 2022. A surgeon from Sligo University Hospital testified that the injuries were serious and life-threatening, requiring the patient to be placed on life support. John Irving, aged 31, of Shanwar, Foxford, County Mayo faces four charges including unlawful killing, assault causing serious harm, intentional or reckless harm, and false imprisonment. The prosecution alleges Mr Irving, along with two other men, broke into the property and assaulted the occupant, who died more than 20 months later on 30 September 2023. Mr Irving has pleaded not guilty to all charges. The trial before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon continues.