In a 2015 armed robbery at a Spar on Stiles Road, Dublin, Christopher Coakley (24) and an accomplice forced the manager to give them the shop keys, dragging her along the aisles while an imitation gun was held to her head. The robbery involved the alarm being triggered and the victim being held by the neck and pulled to deactivate it. Coakley pleaded guilty to robbery, possession of an imitation firearm and criminal damage, and received a six‑year sentence. He also admitted to assaulting Gardaí, threatening a woman named Anne Walsh, and threatening to damage her property, for which he was sentenced to two and a half years and three and a half years, concurrent with the robbery term. The court noted the victim's ongoing distress and the €4,500 damage to the shop shutters. Coakley has 94 prior convictions and is currently serving a separate sentence for hijacking, due for release in July 2017.
Jim Smyth, a 43-year-old man from County Monaghan, was released on bail at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin following a trial-stage hearing. He is charged with membership of an unlawful organization, styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA, on November 25th, 2015. The charge remains alleged and contested. Smyth was arrested in Carrickmacross by the Special Detective Unit during investigations into dissident republican activity that uncovered a cache of firearms, including AK47 assault rifles, mortars, and IED components. Detective Inspector William Hanrahan and Detective Chief Superintendent John McMahon objected to bail, citing the seriousness of the charge and the need to prevent serious offences under Section 2 of the Bail Act. However, Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding with Judges John O'Hagan and Ann Ryan, granted bail, noting Smyth had no previous convictions and strong community roots. Conditions include signing daily at Monaghan Garda station, observing a curfew from 12pm to 7am, providing a mobile number, surrendering travel documents, not leaving the jurisdiction, and not associating with anyone charged with a scheduled offence. Smyth was released on his own bond of €20,000.
A prosecution witness told the Central Criminal Court that she wrote to the late Mr Justice Paul Carney claiming a convicted killer had pressured her into making false allegations against the accused, the jury heard. Michael Kinsella, aged 22, with addresses in Tallaght and Cavan, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Adil Essalhi on 6 January 2011. His uncle Wayne Kinsella was convicted of the killing in 2012. The prosecution contends that two people carried out the murder. The witness said Michael Kinsella was present with Wayne Kinsella when the latter returned to their shared Tyrrellstown apartment on 7 January carrying petrol. Under cross-examination, the defence highlighted that the witness had previously written to the judge stating Wayne Kinsella had forced residents to provide false evidence against Michael Kinsella as revenge. The defence suggested this indicated she would not fabricate testimony against the accused. The trial continues at the Central Criminal Court.
Rebecca Cunningham, 34, was given an 18‑month suspended sentence after she tried to abduct a three‑year‑old girl from a South Dublin crèche, believing the child to be her own daughter. Cunningham was in a drug‑induced psychosis and was searching for her child when she entered the crèche's back garden. The child, who was confused but not distressed, walked out with Cunningham until the manager noticed and intervened. The manager calmly asked Cunningham to return the child, but Cunningham refused to let go of the girl's hand, though she was not violent. The child was ultimately returned to staff. Cunningham pleaded guilty to abduction on 22 September 2015. The court noted her mental illness, lack of prior convictions, and her cooperation with bail conditions. Judge Martin Nolan suspended the sentence on strict conditions, including staying away from crèches, schools and other child‑congregating areas, and engaging with the Probation Service.
The jury in the trial of James Connors, 29, accused of murdering his ex‑girlfriend's partner, was sent home while the court considered legal arguments. Connors pleaded not guilty to the murder of 27‑year‑old Jason Ryan at Hollyville Heights on 25 January 2012. No evidence was heard; Justice Margaret Heneghan noted a juror's illness and the trial will resume tomorrow.
A 23‑year‑old man was remanded in custody after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a woman in her bed at a Dublin house in June 2013. The assault occurred after a party when the woman had gone to sleep around 1.30 am and woke to find the man's fingers in her vagina and attempting to kiss her. She screamed and fled the bed; her sister found no one in the room. The accused later claimed he had tripped and landed on the girl, but the victim's impact statement described a life forever changed. The judge, Martin Nolan, adjourned sentencing to 8 January, noting the man's "totally reprehensible" conduct and that he was under the influence of alcohol. He accepted the man's early guilty plea, his remorse, and the €2,000 he brought to court as a token of remorse, and said the man could be released to the victim if she wished.
In a 2015 trial, a 34‑year‑old man accused of raping a woman with Down Syndrome was observed by Garda Fiona Morrison two days after the alleged offence. The man had allegedly lured the woman to his home and raped her after she separated from her mother. He admits some sexual contact but claims it was consensual and that he was unaware of her mental impairment. He pleaded not guilty to rape, sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person at his Dublin home on 12 June 2013. On day 14 of the trial, Morrison, on plain‑clothes duty, saw the accused leave his house and later encounter two 15‑year‑old girls. She positioned herself between the girls and the accused, noting the accused approached them. She heard a scream, saw the girls sprint away, and later took their statements.
Trevor Corr, 39, of Killinarden Estate, Tallaght, was arraigned in the Central Criminal Court on 7 December 2015. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in the death of James Humphries, 32, at Kiltalown Way on 22 September 2013. The prosecution did not accept the plea. A jury of seven men and five women was sworn in by Justice Patrick McCarthy for a trial expected to last one week.
In December 2015, Wayne Kennedy, aged 34, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for manslaughter after a Christmas‑day altercation at Rathsallagh Park, Dublin. Kennedy was charged with murdering David Spain, aged 26, on 26 December 2013, and with intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Sean Turner on the same day. A jury found Kennedy not guilty of the second charge and guilty of manslaughter, after deliberating for four hours and 48 minutes. The court heard that Kennedy and Spain had a "duel" that night, during which Spain was stabbed six times, with two wounds deemed potentially fatal. Kennedy was also accused of assaulting Turner, who was armed with a stone; the jury acquitted him of that charge. The judge noted Kennedy's cooperation and good behaviour in custody, and imposed the eight‑year sentence.
In December 2015, Magnus Meyer Hustveit, a 25‑year‑old Norwegian, pleaded guilty to rape and sexual assault of his 28‑year‑old girlfriend between 2011 and 2012. The Central Criminal Court sentenced him to a wholly suspended seven‑year term on 13 July 2015. The Director of Public Prosecutions has requested a review, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal set 4 February for a hearing on the appeal, though Hustveit was not present for the procedural matter.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court manslaughter trial, retired pathologist Dr Declan Gilsenan opposed Chief State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy's conclusion that Jason Saunders died from commotio cordis, a rare cardiac arrest caused by a chest blow. Gilsenan argued Saunders' death resulted from a combination of an argument with Paul Brannigan and a cocktail of illegal drugs, noting that cocaine can disturb heart rhythm regardless of dose. He cited the absence of commotio cordis deaths in Ireland and estimated a 1‑in‑50‑000 incidence for cocaine‑related deaths in Cork and Kerry, versus 1‑in‑50‑million for commotio cordis in the US. Brannigan, 24, pleaded not guilty to manslaughter, assault, and possession of a golf club, admitting a verbal row and head‑butting but denying striking Saunders with the club. The trial continues before Judge Patrick McCartan and a twelve‑person jury.
Jason Bowers, 31, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after a night out at Lillie's Bordello nightclub on Grafton Street on 22 December 2014. He claimed he had been drinking and a "red mist" descended after a verbal interaction. The judge described the attack as a short but savage assault, noting Bowers had become enraged and infuriated. Bowers was given a three‑year suspended sentence and ordered to pay €35,000 within six months, with €10,000 to be paid within seven days. The victim, a prison officer, suffered a broken eye socket bone and a tongue laceration, and reported feeling nervous and self‑doubting after the incident. Bowers had no prior convictions and now lives and works in Dubai.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, James Connors (29) of Rosemount, Drinagh, Co. Wexford, pleaded not guilty to the killing of 27‑year‑old James Ryan on 25 January 2012. Connors told Gardaí that he had called Ryan's home at Hollyville Heights after an argument with Ryan's partner, Samantha Hore, who was in prison. He claimed Ryan had a bat and a knife and that, when Connors approached, Ryan struck him. Connors said he pulled a knife from Ryan's waistband and stabbed him, after which Ryan hit him again. Connors admitted taking tablets and drinking spirits before the incident. The case is set to resume on Monday before Justice Margaret Heneghan.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Paul Brannigan, aged 24, pleaded not guilty to manslaughter, assault, and possession of a golf club in the death of Jason Saunders on 18 March 2014. Chief State Pathologist Marie Cassidy testified that Saunders died from commotio cordis, a lethal heart rhythm disruption caused by a blow to the chest over the heart within a 30‑millisecond window of the cardiac cycle. Cassidy described bruising and a rib fracture likely from a golf club strike. She noted that the fatal blow must occur at a precise moment, otherwise it would not be fatal. Defence counsel challenged the consistency of the evidence, arguing that Saunders' movements before collapse were inconsistent with typical commotio cordis cases. The trial continues before Judge Patrick McCartan and a twelve‑person jury.
During the trial of a 34‑year‑old foreign national accused of raping a woman with Down syndrome, the court heard that the facial features associated with the condition are universally recognisable. Pat Clarke, CEO of Down Syndrome Ireland, explained that people with Down syndrome typically have a round face and mouth, a short nose, distinctive ears, a tendency toward obesity and very lax muscle tone. He stated that these features are consistent across all races and countries, including the accused's native country, which has a lower rate of Down syndrome live births. The accused admitted some sexual contact but claimed it was consensual and that he did not know she was mentally impaired. He pleaded not guilty to rape, sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person. The trial also heard testimony from several women who reported uncomfortable encounters with a man matching the accused's description around the time of the alleged rape.
In the Central Criminal Court, James Connors, aged 29, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 27‑year‑old James Ryan, who was stabbed in Hollyville Heights on 25 January 2012. Connors was arrested after he told a friend to wipe the numbers and messages from his mobile phone. Mary Connors, a distant relative, testified that Connors had asked her to delete the phone's contents before she drove home and later retrieved the phone from under the passenger seat. She described a series of calls and visits in the days leading up to the murder, including an incident on John's Road where Connors was reportedly injured and refused medical help. Neighbour Danielle Kelly recounted seeing Connors with blood on his face on the night of 24 January, and that he had been seen climbing a window before police arrived. The trial is set to continue before Justice Margaret Heneghan.
In a 2014 incident at Show Nightclub in Tallaght, Alan Gilsenan, aged 26, struck Adam Morris, breaking his jaw and causing a week of hospital treatment and surgery with permanent metal plates. Gilsenan pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The prosecution noted that Morris had arrived at the club at 12 am, was speaking with friends, and was struck by Gilsenan, who was later identified through publicity photographs of nightclub visitors. Gilsenan, who has a few prior minor traffic convictions, was undergoing anger‑management therapy and had written a remorse letter to Morris. Judge Martin Nolan, considering Gilsenan's guilty plea, cooperation with Gardaí and good record, suspended a three‑year jail term. He ordered Gilsenan to pay €7,500 to Morris and to post a €100 bond to keep the peace for three years, with the payment due within 18 months.
A 29‑year‑old father‑of‑two who had sex with a 16‑year‑old girl he met on Facebook was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, by Judge Desmond Hogan on 27 March 2015. He pleaded guilty to two counts of defilement of a child at two Dublin locations on 22 January and 4 February 2013. The man appealed and the Court of Appeal set aside the original sentence. Judge Alan Mahon imposed a new 12‑month custodial sentence, suspending the unserved portion for two years. The man was required to post a €100 bond and keep the peace for that period. The girl was 16 years and nine months old at the time of the offences, and the man was 27. No aggravating factors were identified, and the judge noted the absence of violence, pregnancy or STDs. The appeal was heard by Judges Mahon, Birmingham and Edwards.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court unanimously found Stephen Cahoon guilty of murder on 3 December following his third trial over six years. Cahoon, aged 43, from Derry, was convicted of strangling his pregnant ex-girlfriend Jean Teresa Quigley at Cornshell Fields in Derry on 26 July 2008. Ms Quigley, aged 30 and ten weeks pregnant with Cahoon's child, was discovered dead at her home by her mother. Cahoon had admitted killing Ms Quigley but denied murder, claiming loss of self-control. The prosecution presented evidence of forced entry, defensive injuries, and bruising inconsistent with Cahoon's account. The jury deliberated for three hours and forty-three minutes before reaching their verdict. Justice Deirdre Murphy sentenced Cahoon to life imprisonment, backdated to his arrest on 5 August 2008. This conviction follows a previous guilty verdict in 2012, which was quashed on appeal due to judicial misdirection regarding provocation. Cahoon became the first person tried in the Republic under the Criminal Law Jurisdiction Act 1976 for a murder committed in Northern Ireland.
In a hearing before the Central Criminal Court, grieving mother Audrey Mahon, aged 44, pleaded with Justice Margaret Heneghan for her husband David Mahon's permission to travel to Portugal with her for two weeks. David Mahon, also 44, is charged with the murder of his 23‑year‑old son, Dean Fitzpatrick, who was killed on 26 May 2013 at Northern Cross on Dublin's Malahide Road. The trial is scheduled to begin in April 2016. Mahon's wife, who has suffered mental health problems since her daughter Amy disappeared in Spain eight years ago, said a psychiatrist had recommended a trip to Portugal to rest and relax. She explained that she has been drinking heavily and self‑harming while searching for Amy, and that she is on anti‑depressants, Xanax, and sleeping tablets. She also has chronic liver disease.
Keith Hall, aged 26, was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment 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. He was convicted by Mr Justice Paul Carney on 31 July 2013. Hall has now applied to appeal the sentence, arguing that the judge gave insufficient weight to mitigating factors such as his admissions, remorse, young age and guilty plea. His barrister, Caroline Biggs SC, contended that the judge's remarks did not clarify any discount applied and that Hall's intoxication with crack cocaine and benzodiazepines on the day of the offence should have been considered. The DPP's counsel, Brendan Grehan SC, noted that the judge had indicated the sentence was on the higher end of the manslaughter scale, between a life sentence and the maximum 20‑year term.
In a six‑day trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 40‑year‑old Kerry man was acquitted of rape and sexual assault after a jury found no evidence that he had forced the woman to perform oral sex in a Dublin hotel room on 28 March 2010. The jury, however, found him guilty of two counts of threatening or putting the woman in fear between 29 April and 28 May 2010. He had sent her text messages and emails from unregistered numbers calling her a whore, threatening to expose her as a prostitute to her family and neighbours, and claiming she had "false allegations." The man pleaded not guilty to all charges. He was remanded in custody pending sentencing, and his defence sought bail to see his children, a request denied by the judge.
In a murder trial held at the Central Criminal Court, the jury heard that 29‑year‑old Adil Essalhi was killed on 6 January 2011 by Michael Kinsella (22) and his uncle Wayne Kinsella. The prosecution, led by Mr Kerida Naidoo SC, presented evidence that the killing took place in a field outside a block of apartments in Tyrrellstown. Mr Essalhi had met Wayne and another person at a pub that evening, and the three later went to an apartment where they drank before leaving together for the field. Mr Naidoo stated that medical evidence showed Mr Essalhi died from more than 50 wounds, including stabbing and chopping injuries, mainly to the head and neck. After the killing, the body was reportedly burnt with petrol. The jury, composed of five women and seven men, was to view CCTV footage during the trial, which was expected to last one week. Michael Kinsella pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court manslaughter trial, Paul Brannigan, aged 24, pleaded not guilty to the death of Jason Saunders, who died on 18 March 2014 after a confrontation at Fassaugh Avenue. Brannigan was accused of striking Saunders with a golf club, causing a fatal blow to the chest, and of assaulting him. Witnesses, including a shopkeeper and Spar store manager Kevin Coffey, described a scuffle where Brannigan head‑butted Saunders before repeatedly swinging a golf club. Brannigan allegedly asked the shopkeeper to "delete that camera for us?" after Saunders was described as "in a bad way." CCTV footage from the shop, pub, Garda station and a bus was shown to the jury. Nurses Melissa Lanigan and Lorna Nangle testified that Saunders received CPR but never regained consciousness, and an ambulance crew later took over resuscitation. The case continues before Judge Patrick McCartan and a twelve‑person jury.
During the murder trial of James Connors, a 29‑year‑old from Rosemount, Drinagh, witnesses described a fight that preceded the fatal stabbing of 27‑year‑old James Ryan at Hollyville Heights on 25 January 2012. Ms Catriona Purdy, a former neighbour, said she awoke after midnight, heard a loud bang, and saw two men – a taller, well‑built man waving a baton and a smaller man being struck. She confirmed that her statement to the gardai the following day was accurate. Neighbours John Purdy and Tina Grogan also reported hearing a bang and seeing the two men fight, noting that the taller man returned after a brief pause, limping and holding his side. James Connors pleaded not guilty.
The jury in the trial of Stephen Cahoon, a 43‑year‑old Derry resident, began deliberations on the murder of his pregnant ex‑girlfriend, Jean Teresa Quigley, aged 30, who was killed at Cornshell Fields on 26 July 2008. Cahoon pleaded not guilty. Judge Deirdre Murphy reminded the jury that a unanimous verdict was required and that if intent was found they must decide whether provocation could reduce the charge to manslaughter. The jury had deliberated for just over two hours and were scheduled to resume at 12.30 a.m. on Thursday.
Michael Kinsella, 22, of Swiftbrook Close, Tallaght, was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court on 2 December 2015. He pleaded not guilty to the murder of Adil Essalhi, who was killed in Tyrrelstown on 6 January 2011. The trial, set to begin that afternoon before Miss Justice Margaret Heneghan, will last one week with a jury of five women and seven men.
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence in the trial of James Connors, 29, of Rosemount, Drinagh, Co Wexford, who has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of 27-year-old James Ryan at Hollyville Heights in Wexford Town on January 25, 2012. Defence counsel Michael Delaney SC informed the jury that both parties agreed to submit evidence regarding Connors's imprisonment at Wheatfield Prison in 2011. It was stated that Connors was granted temporary leave for Christmas 2011 but failed to return to prison on December 28. Prosecution witness Samantha Hore, who dated Connors for ten years before breaking up in 2010, testified that she later began a relationship with Ryan. She alleged Connors threatened to harm anyone she moved on with and described a confrontation on the night of the incident where Ryan returned to their apartment with chest stab wounds. Hore also claimed Connors had stabbed Ryan twice approximately three weeks prior. Under cross-examination, Hore admitted Ryan was carrying a baton with metal studs and had chased Connors, details she initially omitted. Defence counsel suggested Hore exaggerated her account to prejudice Connors. Neighbours testified to seeing a man hiding in bushes outside the apartment before the argument. The matter is currently at the sentence stage, though the trial continues before Justice Margaret Heneghan.
A 24‑year‑old Dublin man, Paul Brannigan, is on trial for the manslaughter of Jason Saunders, who died outside a flat on Nassau Avenue, Cabra West, on 18 March 2014. Brannigan has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter, assault causing harm, and possession of a golf club during the dispute. Prosecutor Colm O'Briain told the jury that Saunders arrived at Brannigan's flat in a taxi at about 6 a.m., that the men argued, and that Brannigan head‑butted Saunders before striking him on the left side of the chest with a golf club. CCTV footage and witness statements will show Saunders stumbling, falling face‑down, and being tended by nurses before an ambulance arrived. The Chief State Pathologist will testify that the blow caused fatal interference with Saunders' heart, and the prosecution will argue that Saunders was "extremely unlucky" that the blow was fatal, without alleging intent to kill.
The Central Criminal Court trial of an unnamed accused, who has pleaded not guilty, is ongoing. He faces charges of oral rape and sexual assault of a woman in a Dublin hotel room on March 28, 2010, as well as two counts of threatening or putting in fear a witness between April 29 and May 28, 2010. Prosecuting counsel Sean Gillane SC argued the case centered on the accused's attempts to exercise control, rejecting the defense suggestion that the complainant's allegations stemmed from being underpaid. Gillane stated the texts sent to the complainant were a campaign of intimidation to drop charges. Defending counsel Thomas Creed SC contended the accused believed the encounter was consensual and that the complainant's testimony lacked corroboration of violence. Creed suggested the accused suspected the allegations were a scam to extort money, noting he did not know the complainant's real identity. The trial heard the accused used a pseudonym and unregistered mobile phone, only being identified when Detective Garda Ronan Conway linked an email address to a former employer via IP addresses. The jury is set to begin deliberations following the judge's directions.
The judge in the trial of Stephen Cahoon, a 43‑year‑old Derry resident, continued her charge to the jury, who are to begin deliberations tomorrow morning. Cahoon has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his pregnant ex‑girlfriend, Jean Teresa Quigley, aged 30, who was killed at Cornshell Fields on 26 July 2008. Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy said she would finish the evidence tomorrow morning and then send the jury out to begin deliberating by 12am.
The Court of Appeal has reserved judgement in the case of a man convicted of murder in connection with a dissident republican shooting in Donegal. Martin Kelly, aged 41, from Strabane, County Tyrone, was found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of the murder of Andrew Burns at Donnyloop, Castlefin on 12 February 2008, and received a mandatory life sentence in January 2012. Mr Burns was shot twice in the back in a church car park. Kelly's appeal centres on the legal doctrine of joint enterprise. His counsel argued that while Kelly agreed to drive Mr Burns to the location for a planned kneecapping, he was unaware the actual intention was a deliberate execution. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel contended that Kelly knowingly delivered Mr Burns to be shot and must have foreseen the grave risk of death. The court noted that UK authorities are examining murder convictions based on joint enterprise doctrine, and indicated this may inform its consideration. Martin Kelly pleaded not guilty.
David Radford, aged 19, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for the sexual assault of a 15‑year‑old girl in a Dublin suburb on 12 November 2014. He was arrested after CCTV footage showed him following the girl from her Luas stop and approaching her to ask for directions. Radford denied the allegation in interviews but was re‑arrested in January 2015 when DNA from a semen stain on the victim's clothing matched his. He had 15 prior convictions, including three for sexual assault of women, dating back to 2010 when he was 14. At the trial he pleaded guilty. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted Radford's claim of no memory due to drug use but found this did not lessen his culpability. He was given a suspended 12‑month period of the sentence, subject to strict conditions. The case was prosecuted by Anne Rowland BL and defended by Kieran Kelly BL.
In a 2015 trial, Stephen Cahoon, 43, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his pregnant ex‑girlfriend Jean Teresa Quigley, 30, who was killed at Cornshell Fields, Derry, on 26 July 2008. Prosecution counsel Patrick Marrinan SC presented evidence of "violence from beginning to end" at the scene, citing broken door, bruising on Quigley's arms, scalp and head, and blood on tape. He argued that Cahoon's claim of accidental death and lack of intent was contradicted by the physical evidence and the circumstances of the relationship, including a falling out on 12 July 2008 and Quigley's fear of Cahoon. Marrinan urged the jury to consider the evidence as supporting a murder verdict, noting that Cahoon's alleged loss of control was not temporary or provoked. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC countered, focusing on the volatile nature of the relationship and the time elapsed, and argued for a manslaughter verdict if doubt existed.
A man serving a life sentence for his role in a dissident republican murder in Donegal in 2008 has lodged an appeal against conviction at the Court of Appeal. Martin Kelly, aged 41, from Strabane in County Tyrone, was found guilty by the Special Criminal Court in January 2012 of the murder of Andrew Burns, who was shot dead in a church car park at Donnyloop, Castlefin, on 12 February 2008. Kelly had pleaded not guilty to the charge. The three-judge court also convicted him of unlawful possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, imposing a mandatory life sentence for murder and eight years for the firearms offence. Kelly's barrister submitted that statements made during gardaí interviews should be ruled inadmissible, arguing they were not voluntarily given and that fair procedures were breached. Counsel also contended that the trial court should have considered whether the actions taken departed fundamentally from what was planned in the alleged joint enterprise.
A 40‑year‑old man, Terence Connors of Drumcairn Drive, Tallaght, is accused of murdering Peter Conroy in the Palmerstown area of Dublin on 9 June 2015. The Central Criminal Court has set the trial for 8 May 2017.
The trial heard that DNA from semen found on a woman with Down syndrome matched the DNA of the accused, with a one‑in‑a‑billion likelihood of it belonging to someone else. The accused, who pleaded not guilty, is charged with rape, sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person at his Dublin home on 12 June 2013. Forensic evidence included fibres from the accused's bedclothes matching those on the woman's clothes, and a laceration on her vagina, which the defence said did not prove lack of consent. The accused admitted some sexual contact but claimed it was consensual and that he was unaware of her impairment. Garda interview transcripts were presented, showing the accused denying prior contact and questioning the woman's appearance. The case is before Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of twelve.
During the trial of a Kerry man accused of raping a sex worker in a Dublin hotel room on 28 March 2010, evidence was presented that semen found at the scene belonged to two unknown men. The accused pleaded not guilty to oral rape and sexual assault, and denied two counts of threatening a witness in a Garda investigation between 29 April and 28 May 2010. Forensic scientist Michael Burlington extracted DNA from semen samples recovered from a sink in the hotel room, which did not match the accused's DNA profile; this profile was labelled "unknown one". The woman testified that the accused ejaculated into her mouth, after which she spat the semen into the sink and wiped her mouth with a towel. DNA from the towel yielded a second unknown profile, labelled "unknown two", which could not be ruled out as the source.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, James Connors, aged 29, pleaded not guilty to the killing of 27‑year‑old James Ryan on 25 January 2012. The prosecution, represented by Mr Gerard Clarke, argued that Ryan died from puncture wounds to his torso. Garda Leisha Fahey testified that she arrived at the Hollyville Heights apartment early that morning, saw blood on the front door, and entered with Ryan's girlfriend. She found Ryan lying on a couch with puncture wounds and described him as extremely pale, complaining of pain in his legs, though he had no leg wounds. Fahey also confirmed that another garda, Mr Michael Delaney, offered Ryan a "dying declaration" about who caused his injuries, which Ryan refused. The court was shown a mini baseball bat with metal studs seized at the scene. Garda Padraig Hartigan, on beat duty, reported seeing Ryan on the couch with chest wounds and breathing difficulties.
Kenneth Cummins, 28, of Ringsend Park, Dublin, was granted an adjournment until next year to consider an application to withdraw his guilty plea for the murder of Thomas Horan, 63, at Cambridge Court, Ringsend, on 6 January 2014. Cummins had initially pleaded not guilty but changed his plea to guilty four weeks into his Central Criminal Court trial. His solicitor, Mr Giollaiosa O Lideadha SC, argued that Cummins was not fit to plead on 11 November, citing a psychiatrist's assessment that panic attacks at the time of the plea could have affected his capacity. The prosecution counsel, Mr Remy Farrell SC, described the application as "breath‑taking" and a mere "stroke" by Cummins. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, who had reservations about the application, acknowledged the solicitor's professional duty and scheduled the adjournment for 1 February next year, noting that the matter was not urgent. The case remains pending, with the adjournment allowing further examination of Cummins' fitness to plead.
A jury of five women and seven men was sworn in at the Central Criminal Court for the trial of James Connors, 29, of Rosemount, Drinagh, who is charged with the murder of 27‑year‑old Jason Ryan in Wexford Town on 25 January 2012. Connors pleaded not guilty. Justice Patrick McCarthy said the trial could last up to three weeks, and Justice Margaret Heneghan will preside.
Gary Campion, aged 31, had two life sentences for separate murders. He appealed both convictions. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal for the murder of Brian Fitzgerald and confirmed his conviction for the murder of Frank Ryan. Campion denied involvement in both killings. The appeal focused on the admissibility of witness statements by Mr Errol Ibrahim, who was present at the scene and later retracted his statements. The Court of Appeal upheld the trial judge's decision to admit Ibrahim's statements under section 16 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2006. The court also considered other evidence, including pathology and ballistic evidence, and rejected all arguments presented by Campion's lawyers. The conviction for Frank Ryan's murder was therefore confirmed by the Court of Appeal.
A Kerry man is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for oral rape and sexual assault of a sex worker in a Dublin hotel room on 28 March 2010. He pleaded not guilty and denied that he pursued a vendetta to force the woman to withdraw her allegations. The accused also denies two counts of threatening or intimidating a witness in a Garda investigation between 29 April and 28 May 2010. The complainant, who had worked as an escort for four years, advertised herself as a former model on the Escorts Ireland website. She claimed the meeting was for a "girlfriend experience" but that the accused became rough, forced her to perform oral sex while holding her by the hair, and did not pay her. The accused was identified through a pseudonym email linked to a former employer. After his arrest he told Gardaí that the sex was consensual and that he had never assaulted anyone.
In a 2015 case, a 34‑year‑old foreign national was arrested and charged with rape, sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person. He claimed he had never heard of Down syndrome and denied knowing the woman was mentally impaired. He admitted some sexual contact but insisted it was consensual. The woman, in her twenties, had been separated from her mother and was taken to the accused's home where the alleged rape occurred on 12 June 2013. During Garda interviews, the accused denied having sex with anyone that day, said he frequently had sex with women met on the street, and repeatedly claimed he had never spoken to a woman on the street that day. He also denied grabbing anyone. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, continued with a jury of twelve. The unnamed 34-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A Derry man has given evidence at the Central Criminal Court denying murder but admitting he caused the death of his pregnant ex-girlfriend. Stephen Cahoon, aged 43, of Harvey Street in Derry, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Jean Teresa Quigley at Cornshell Fields in Derry on 26 July 2008. His defence counsel stated that while Mr Cahoon acknowledges killing Ms Quigley, this does not constitute an admission of murder. Testifying in his own defence, Mr Cahoon described losing his temper when Ms Quigley told him the baby was not his, saying he grabbed her and placed his hand on her throat to silence her. He stated he did not intend to kill her. Prosecution counsel challenged his account, presenting evidence from a witness via video link from Glasgow High Court who claimed Mr Cahoon visited him early that morning appearing distressed. Mr Cahoon denied this meeting occurred. The trial continues with closing speeches from counsel.
A Kerry man, whose identity is protected, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for oral rape and sexual assault of a prostitute in a Dublin hotel room on 28 March 2010. He pleaded not guilty. The woman, who had agreed to a "girlfriend experience", claims the man forced her to perform oral sex while holding her by the hair, threatened her, and sent threatening texts and emails to her family and neighbours after the alleged assault. She says she was not consenting and that the man's behaviour was aggressive and violent. The accused's counsel argues that the woman consented and that the acts were a quickie for which she was paid. The trial is before Justice Patrick McCarthy with a jury of twelve. The case also involves the man's alleged attempts to pervert the course of justice by sending threatening messages to the victim.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, a foreign national was arrested and charged with rape, sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person. The accused, who was found at the victim's Dublin home on 12 June 2013, claimed that the sexual contact was consensual and that he was unaware of the woman's Down syndrome. During the arrest, he told Gardaí that he wanted "this woman to stand in front of me". The victim, a woman in her twenties who had become separated from her mother while walking, was taken to the accused's house where the alleged rape occurred. Garda Alan Hughes reported that the accused was handcuffed and brought to the station, where he repeated the statement. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with a jury of six men and six women, continues to consider the allegations and the accused's defence. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
Stephen Cahoon, aged 43, with an address at Harvey Street in Derry, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jean Teresa Quigley at Cornshell Fields in Derry on July 26th, 2008. The case is being heard in the Central Criminal Court. During cross-examination, a PSNI Detective Constable agreed with defence counsel that a key prosecution witness was "suggestible". The witness in question had conducted multiple interviews with Mr Cahoon's alleged visitor to Letterkenny, during which the account reportedly changed substantially regarding details such as clothing and demonstrations. Defence counsel highlighted inconsistencies in the witness's statements across six separate interviews. A Detective Sergeant denied allegations that he had threatened the witness. The trial is ongoing.
In a 2015 trial, a woman in her twenties with Down syndrome was alleged to have been raped at the accused's Dublin home on 12 June 2013. The accused admitted some sexual contact but claimed it was consensual and that he was unaware of her mental impairment. The victim's mother testified that her daughter was "white as a sheet" and "retching" when she returned home, and that she had been taken to the accused's house by the man. She described people with Down syndrome as trusting, gentle, and non‑assertive, and noted her daughter's developmental delays and need for supervision. The mother recounted the day's events, the victim's distress, and the alleged sexual acts. The trial was conducted before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of twelve, with the accused pleading not guilty to rape, sexual assault and sex with a mentally impaired person.
In the trial of a Derry man accused of murdering a pregnant woman, a prosecution witness, Stephen Cahoon, 43, has a conviction for wasting police time. Cahoon pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jean Teresa Quigley, 30, on 26 July 2008. Prosecution counsel read two statements made by witness James Casey, who had previously given them to police on 29 July 2008. Casey described a relationship between Cahoon and Quigley as "rocky" and alleged that Cahoon had hit, grabbed, kicked and slapped Quigley, and taped her mouth to stop her screaming. Defence counsel cross‑examined Casey, noting his conviction for wasting police time and questioning his credibility, including claims of police pressure and threats. The trial continues on Thursday morning.