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2015-10-07 · Dublin
A jury was sworn in at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin for the trial of Kenneth Cummins, 28, and Sabrina Cummins, 37, who are accused of murdering Thomas Horan, 63, at Cambridge Court, Ringsend, Dublin 4, on 6 January last year. Both defendants pleaded not guilty. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy informed the jury that the trial could last up to five weeks and it began on Friday afternoon.
2015-10-06 · Dublin
The Central Criminal Court opened the trial of Gary Walsh, 32, accused of murdering former Dublin rugby club captain Cathal Sweeney. Walsh pleaded not guilty to murder but later pleaded guilty to manslaughter, a plea the State did not accept. Prosecutor Patrick McCarthy presented the case as a murder involving intoxication and a fight at a flat in Terenure on 8 February 2014. Witnesses, including Colm Campbell, testified that Walsh assaulted Sweeney after a row over alcohol and an inheritance discussion. Sweeney was found unresponsive with facial trauma and active bleeding, was taken to St James's Hospital, and died at 18:32. The trial is expected to last about six days, with a possible fortnight set aside for the case. The proceedings continue.
2015-10-06 · Dublin
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Ceraldo Eyken, 45, of Chaplin Court, Clondalkin, denied assault causing harm to prison officer Gareth Sheeran, 36, at Cloverhill Prison on 11 April 2009. Eyken was accused of slashing a meal tray over Sheeran's wrist, severing a tendon and causing permanent nerve damage that left Sheeran with a constant tingling sensation. Sheeran, who received 19 stitches and plastic surgery, testified that he was caught in the middle of an altercation when Eyken, after being pushed down the stairs by another prisoner, used the tray as a weapon. Eyken claimed he was defending himself after being shoved and that he would never hit an officer, expressing remorse. The trial, presided over by Judge Sarah Berkeley with a jury of eight women and four men, was set to conclude within the next day or two.
2015-10-06 · Dublin
A jury was sworn in at the Central Criminal Court for the trial of Gary Walsh, 33, of Ravensdale Park, Kimmage, Dublin 15, who is accused of murdering 62‑year‑old Cathal Sweeney in Terenure on 8 February 2014. Walsh pleaded not guilty to murder but had pleaded guilty to manslaughter, a plea the State did not accept. Judge Patrick McCarthy told the eight‑man, four‑woman jury the trial should take about six days, but set aside a fortnight for the case. The trial began at 2.30 pm that day.
2015-10-05 · Dublin
Andrew Durran, aged 43, is set to be sentenced on 12 November for a sexual assault that occurred at a party in December 2006. He was convicted by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury after a trial in June. The assault took place in a house in Dublin where Durran, who had never met the victim before, forced himself on her while she was sleeping. She resisted, but he pushed her down and attempted to kiss and forcibly penetrate her. She reported the incident to the police and later told a friend what happened. Durran denied penetration and claimed the act was consensual, calling the allegation "a whole lot of shit." He has 17 prior convictions, including a 2007 defilement of his daughter, and is currently serving a seven‑year sentence for that offence. The judge adjourned sentencing to allow a psychiatric report to be completed. The maximum sentence for the assault is ten years imprisonment.
2015-09-05 · Dublin
In September 2015 the High Court in Dublin ordered the surrender of Francis Lanigan, 49, to Northern Irish authorities. Lanigan, who had been living in Dublin under the alias Kieran McCrory, was arrested in January 2013 on an extradition warrant for the 1998 murder of John Knocker, who was shot in a hotel car park in Dungannon, County Tyrone. Lanigan had claimed that his life would be at risk from loyalist and republican paramilitaries if handed over to UK authorities. He had previously been denied bail in February 2013 as a flight risk, but secured a fresh bail in December 2013 despite Garda objections. The High Court, after an unsuccessful appeal by Lanigan's lawyers, issued the surrender order, and he was remanded in custody pending transfer to the North. The decision was made by Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy.
2015-09-02 · Dublin
On Monday night, Pakistani national Mian Mujahid Ali Shahid, aged 19, was arrested at Dublin Airport under a European Arrest Warrant issued by UK police. The warrant sought his extradition to serve a 30‑month prison sentence imposed in his absence for sexual assault. Shahid, after being informed of the warrant and its implications, chose to surrender himself to UK authorities. He swore on the Quran, signed a legal form consenting to his surrender, and was remanded in custody by Mr Justice Raymond Fullam until the order could be implemented. Counsel for the Irish authorities, Anne‑Marie Lawlor, confirmed that Shahid was wanted to serve the 30‑month sentence for sexual assault and for failing to appear before court. All formal requirements for extradition were deemed to have been met. Mian Mujahid Ali Shahid was convicted.
2015-08-12 · Dublin
The court heard that Tom O'Gorman, a 39‑year‑old Dublin man, was killed by his tenant, Saverio Bellante, in Castleknock between 11 and 12 January 2014. Bellante, aged 36, admitted the killing and that he had eaten what he believed to be part of O'Gorman's heart. A jury found him not guilty of murder by reason of insanity after deliberating 1 hour 36 minutes. The judge, after hearing from psychiatrists, ordered Bellante to be committed to the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum. Bellante has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and has shown improvement but remains at risk. The order will keep him under treatment and supervision, with his plan reviewed every six months. The case ends with Bellante's commitment rather than a custodial sentence. Saverio Bellante was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
2015-08-01 · Dublin
Wayne Kennedy, 34, of Rathsallagh Park, Dublin, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter in the 2013 death of David Spain at the same address. The trial at the Central Criminal Court concluded after four hours and 48 minutes of deliberation. Kennedy was also charged with intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Sean Turner, a professional boxer, but the jury returned a unanimous not‑guilty verdict on that charge. The prosecution alleged that Kennedy, armed with a knife, stabbed Spain six times after a confrontation that began with a text message from Kennedy to Turner. Defence counsel argued that Kennedy was ambushed and acted in self‑defence, citing CCTV footage of him moving backwards. The case was remanded for sentencing on 23 November.
2015-08-01 · Dublin
The Court of Appeal overturned the High Court's findings that Daniel McDonnell's solitary confinement for a year breached his constitutional rights. The High Court had ruled that McDonnell, serving a life sentence for the murder of 16‑year‑old Melanie McCarthy McNamara, was being held in a 22‑to‑23‑hour lock‑up regime that violated his bodily and psychological integrity. The Court of Appeal held that the prison authorities were entitled to impose temporary restrictive conditions for the safety of prisoners, and that McDonnell's detention was justified for his own protection. The Appeal Court found the High Court's orders on how McDonnell was to be treated were overly intrusive and could not be upheld. The case was adjourned to October for final matters, including costs.
2015-08-01 · Dublin
A 51-year-old man charged with 50 counts of sexual abuse against two young girls has had his trial rescheduled to June 2016 at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The accused faces 40 counts of child exploitation, three counts of sexual assault, and seven counts of defilement of a child under 17. The alleged offences occurred between 2007 and 2011 at locations in Dublin and Donegal. The trial, expected to last a fortnight, was originally fixed for May 2016 but was adjourned following a prosecution application citing the unavailability of a State witness. Judge Martin Nolan rescheduled the proceedings to begin on 13 June 2016 and remanded the accused on continuing bail.
2015-08-01 · Dublin
A 39‑year‑old foreign national was given a two‑year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to wilful assault of her nine‑year‑old son on 24 June 2012. The mother beat the child with a tree branch and poured salt over his wounds after he had soiled his trousers. She then forced him to sleep in the bath and left him there. The court noted the mother's apology and remorse, and that she now recognises such discipline is unacceptable in Ireland. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a two‑year sentence, suspended in full for two years. The case was brought to court after the boy reported the abuse to his teacher, who alerted authorities. No prior convictions were recorded for the mother. The child and his siblings were briefly placed in care but have since returned to the family.
2015-07-31 · Ireland
A man from Mayo has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment following his conviction at the Central Criminal Court on 23 counts of rape and sexual assault of his daughter. The offences, committed between 2008 and 2012, occurred when the victim was aged seven to eleven years old. The abuse came to light after the child disclosed details to a schoolmate, prompting intervention by school staff, the HSE, and An Garda Síochána. The defendant maintained his innocence throughout the trial despite evidence contradicting his account. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy noted the lasting impact on the victim, who continues to experience significant psychological harm. In her victim impact statement, the young woman described the profound effect the abuse and subsequent court proceedings have had on her wellbeing and relationships. The convicted man has been placed on the sex offenders register as part of his sentence.
2015-07-30 · Dublin
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, the jury heard that Saverio Bellante, 36, admitted killing his landlord Thomas O'Gorman in Castleknock between 11 and 12 January 2014. Two consultant psychiatrists testified that Bellante's mental state met the criteria for a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Bellante had a history of schizophrenia, had been on anti‑psychotic medication Olanzapine, which was gradually reduced and stopped on 9 January 2014, two days before the murder. He claimed he saw O'Gorman as a devil and believed killing him and eating his heart would end evil. The defense also presented evidence of his long‑term psychiatric treatment and medication regime, supporting the insanity claim. The trial continues.
2015-07-30 · Dublin
In a Dublin murder trial, the judge began his charge against Wayne Kennedy, 34, who is accused of killing 26‑year‑old David Spain on 26 December 2013 and of recklessly causing serious harm to Sean Turner on the same day. Kennedy pleaded not guilty to both counts. Prosecutor Paddy McCarthy argued that Kennedy deliberately used a knife in a cold, calculated attack, citing a text message threatening Turner and the subsequent fight in which Turner was stabbed twice. He described the incident as an ambush rather than a spontaneous altercation. Defence counsel Remy Farrell countered, emphasizing self‑defence and the possibility that Kennedy was reacting to an anticipated confrontation. He highlighted the CCTV footage showing Kennedy moving backwards, suggesting he was not the aggressor. The judge was to continue his charge the following day.
2015-07-30 · Dublin
Joseph Byrne, 21, who suffers from schizophrenia and was off his medication, attacked an innocent boy by slashing his face with a blade. Byrne approached the boy, who was walking home from school, accusing him of having his X‑Box console. When the boy denied it, Byrne cut a 10‑cm slash down the side of the boy's face. The victim was left with a significant scar and required 36 stitches. Byrne pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm at Balbutcher Lane, Ballymun, on 4 February 2014. He has 15 prior convictions, including two for possession of knives. Garda Niall Minnock and counsel Michael O'Higgins SC noted that Byrne comes from a respectable family who supported him, but that he was off medication at the time of the attack. Judge Desmond Hogan allowed Byrne to remain on bail pending sentencing, citing a high risk of reoffending and the need for psychiatric support. The case is set for sentencing next November.
2015-07-30 · Westmeath
In a Westmeath case, retired army private Jimmy Devaney, aged 67, was acquitted of murder but found guilty of manslaughter in the death of prostitute Marie Greene on 13 February 2011. The jury, after 4 hours 23 minutes, returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty of murder and guilty of manslaughter. Justice Margaret Heneghan thanked the jury and excused them for 15 years, adjourned sentencing to 2 November, and remanded Devaney in custody until that date. Greene was last seen alive on the night of her death and her body was discovered nine days later in Anagorta Bog. Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy reported six stab wounds to the trunk and multiple incise wounds to the head and neck, some possibly part of a continuous attack after death. The State alleged Devaney murdered Greene because she had blackmailed him for money and threatened to reveal his wife.
2015-07-30 · Dublin
Criostóir MacCárthaigh, 38, of An Gleann, Palmerstown, has lodged an appeal against his murder conviction for the killing of David Whyte, 35, in Dublin between 24 and 26 September 2008. The victim was stabbed more than 100 times in the ruins of an old church. A jury at the Central Criminal Court found MacCárthaigh guilty and he received a mandatory life sentence on 19 February 2013. In the appeal, MacCárthaigh's counsel, Diarmaid McGuinness SC, argues that the trial judge erred by allowing certain evidence before the jury, including a witness's assumption about an "invisible knife" and evidence of a prior Special Criminal Court conviction for possession of explosives. He also contends that MacCárthaigh's answer to a Garda question about DNA on the victim's trousers should not have been treated as a refusal. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel, Paul Burns SC, maintains that whether the answer was a refusal is a fact for the jury to decide. Criostóir MacCárthaigh pleaded not guilty.
2015-07-30 · Dublin
Leonard Dumbrell, aged 26, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for leading Gardaí on a high‑speed chase through Dublin city centre in a stolen car. He stole the vehicle in Ballsbridge, drove it at speed and in the wrong direction, nearly knocking over pedestrians on O'Connell Bridge before crashing it at Temple Bar Square. The court noted he had 108 previous convictions, including car thefts, assaulting a Garda and violent disorder, and that he had previously been allowed out on bail for drug treatment but failed to appear. Judge Mary Ellen Ring imposed concurrent sentences totalling three years, ordered that time already spent in custody be taken into account, and disqualified him from driving for five years. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where the court considered the evidence of the chase and the subsequent crash. Leonard Dumbrell pleaded guilty.
2015-07-30 · Dublin
During a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, the jury heard that Saverio Bellante, 36, admitted killing his landlord Thomas O'Gorman in Castleknock between 11 and 12 January 2014. Bellante, who had previously lived in Ireland and returned in 2011, claimed he was mentally disturbed and had been on anti‑psychotic medication. He told Gardaí that he had eaten what he believed to be part of O'Gorman's heart, but the body was found with a severed lung in a kitchen bowl. Evidence from Garda Patrick Traynor and Chief State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy described blunt‑force trauma to the head and multiple stab wounds to the neck and chest as the cause of death. The trial, expected to last two days, continues with the jury hearing the defence's admissions under Section 22 of the Criminal Justice Act. Saverio Bellante pleaded not guilty.
2015-07-29 · Dublin
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Christopher Murphy, aged 23, pleaded guilty to assaulting Sabrina Quinn on 9 December 2012, leaving her with a fractured jaw, a broken tooth and severe injuries. The judge sentenced him to three years, with the last 18 months suspended, and imposed strict conditions. Murphy's previous convictions involved drug and road traffic offences. Ms Quinn described the attack as "everything went black", and she later required hospital treatment, including stitches, tooth removal and a steel brace that forced her to eat only blended foods for months. The brace later snapped, necessitating further surgery. The court accepted evidence of Murphy's remorse, including letters from family, and noted his history of anger issues and counselling at Pieta House. The case highlighted the seriousness of the assault and the court's decision to suspend part of the sentence under strict conditions.
2015-07-29 · Dublin
In a 2015 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 19‑year‑old Josh Butler pleaded guilty to an unprovoked assault that left Seamus Lagan unconscious and with a fractured skull. Butler and a 13‑year‑old youth punched Lagan while he was defending himself against a third man outside a Londis shop on Grafton Street on 19 September 2014. The blows caused Lagan to fall and hit his head on the ground, resulting in fractures and brain bleeding. Butler was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended because of his cooperation with Gardaí and early guilty plea. The suspension is conditional on Butler keeping the peace for the full term. The judge noted Butler's propensity for violence and his two prior assault convictions within months of the offence. Lagan suffered lasting fear, anxiety and short‑term memory loss following the attack.
2015-07-29 · Westmeath
The jury in the trial of retired army private Jimmy Devaney, aged 67, is set to resume deliberations after an hour and fifteen minutes of discussion. Devaney, who pleaded not guilty, is accused of murdering prostitute Marie Greene on 13 February 2011 in Westmeath. Greene was last seen alive that evening and her body was found nine days later in Anagorta Bog. The State alleges Devaney killed Greene after she blackmailed him for money and threatened to inform his wife. Devaney claims he met Greene at Anagorta Bog, that she threatened to involve her brothers, and that he stabbed her in a struggle, losing control. He also says he had given her up to €40,000 over six months. Evidence includes a videolink testimony from Devaney's brother‑in‑law, Peter Boardman, who supplied knives used in his butcher trade. Judge Margaret Heneghan explained that provocation could reduce murder to manslaughter if the jury believes Devaney was provoked.
2015-07-29 · Dublin
Wayne Kennedy, aged 33, was charged with the murder of 26‑year‑old David Spain and the serious injury of 24‑year‑old Sean Turner on 26 December 2013 at his Shankill home. In a Garda interview, Kennedy claimed he believed he was meeting Spain for a one‑on‑one fight. He described a chaotic encounter in which multiple men, including Turner, attacked him, and that Spain threw a jacket over his head. Kennedy admitted striking the men but denied killing Spain. He also admitted lending Turner €50, which Turner never returned. During cross‑examination, a detective confirmed Kennedy's statements about the fight and his lack of a weapon were false. Witness Adam McMahon testified that Kennedy had been in a bad state, had a facial cut, and had stabbed Turner and Spain. The trial is ongoing. Wayne Kennedy pleaded not guilty.
2015-07-29 · Dublin
Stephen Nolan, 31, of Finglas, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to two offences. He admitted to assaulting Ryan Perkins, causing him harm at Cairn Court, Ballymun, on December 13, 2014, and robbing car keys at Poppintree Terrace, Ballymun, on January 1, 2015. The court heard that Nolan attacked the first victim with a glass bottle and later assaulted a second man to steal his vehicle keys. Judge Desmond Hogan imposed a two-year sentence for the assault to run consecutive to a three-year sentence for the robbery. The judge suspended the final two years of the total sentence, describing it as providing "light at the end of the tunnel." Nolan, who has 128 previous convictions, was noted to have cooperated with gardai and cited his father's recent death and substance issues as mitigating factors. The judge acknowledged Nolan's difficult life but emphasized the severity of attacking unarmed victims. The matter was finalized with this sentencing order.
2015-07-29 · Dublin
The Court of Appeal has referred Brian Rattigan's appeal against his murder conviction to the Supreme Court, citing a point of exceptional public interest. Rattigan, of Drimnagh, Dublin, was found guilty in 2009 by a majority jury of stabbing Declan Gavin (21) outside Abrakebabra in Crumlin Shopping Centre on August 25, 2001, and was sentenced to life imprisonment. His initial appeal was dismissed by the Court of Criminal Appeal in 2013. The current referral stems from an application under Section 29 of the 1924 Courts of Justice Act, focusing on whether Section 16 of the 2006 Criminal Justice Act, which modified hearsay rules, applies retrospectively to statements made before the Act came into force. Rattigan's legal team argued that applying this provision retrospectively was unfair and breached constitutional rights, contending that a speedy prosecution would have resulted in a trial prior to the 2006 legislation. The State opposed the referral, arguing the issue was unlikely to recur. The Court of Appeal, comprising Justices O'Donnell, Moriarty, and White, determined that the argument raised underlying issues regarding changes to criminal procedure and evidence, describing it as an issue of enduring importance. While other points raised on Rattigan's behalf did not merit referral, the Supreme Court will now consider the retrospective application of the hearsay exception. Rattigan was not present in court for the ruling.
2015-07-29 · Limerick
Kevin Coughlan, a 32‑year‑old Limerick man, had his murder conviction quashed after a successful appeal. The Court of Appeal found his original trial unsatisfactory, citing the late presentation of crucial evidence from Deputy State Pathologist Dr Khalid Jaber, who had stated that Francis Greene was strangled before drowning. The court concluded that Coughlan could have been found guilty of manslaughter and therefore quashed the murder conviction, finding him guilty of manslaughter under section 3(1)(d) of the Criminal Procedure Act 1993. Although the court could have imposed a sentence immediately, it decided the sentence should be delivered in the Central Criminal Court. Coughlan was not present for the sentencing hearing, and the judge scheduled the sentence for 5 October, noting that Coughlan will serve a portion of his new sentence in the meantime. Kevin Coughlan pleaded not guilty.
2015-07-29 · Dublin
A Dublin man, David Cully, aged 24, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of his uncle, Edward O'Connor, who died in 2013 from two gunshot wounds to the back. The Central Criminal Court heard that Cully, who had previously pleaded not guilty to manslaughter, shot his uncle after a fight in an open yard on a Sunday afternoon. Cully claimed he was provoked by a comment about a sexual‑abuse allegation, but the jury rejected this defence and returned a unanimous guilty verdict after more than eight hours of deliberation over three days. The judge imposed a mandatory life sentence back‑dated to 16 December 2013. The court heard a victim impact statement from the deceased's wife, Charlotte O'Connor. David Cully was convicted.
2015-07-28 · Westmeath
In the Central Criminal Court, retired defence forces member Jimmy Devaney, aged 67, pleaded not guilty to the murder of prostitute Marie Greene on 13 February 2011. The prosecution argued Devaney planned the killing, bringing a knife to Anagorta Bog where Greene was found. Defence counsel contended Greene regularly visited the bog and the knife might have been stolen from Devaney's jeep. Prosecutor Alex Owens highlighted Devaney's "cock and bull story" to Gardaí about the knife, suggesting an attempt to distance himself from the weapon. Owens urged the jury to consider whether Devaney's alleged provocation could have caused a sudden loss of self‑control, potentially leading to a manslaughter verdict. Defence lawyer Giollaiosa O'Lideadha denied any planning, emphasizing the seriousness of manslaughter and questioning the knife's role in the alleged plan. The jury, composed of six men and six women, was instructed to remain impartial and was later informed that one juror had been discharged.
2015-07-28 · Galway
A 66‑year‑old man, previously imprisoned in the United States for child abuse, had his 1993 conviction for raping his nine‑year‑old niece in Galway quashed on appeal. He had pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape and three counts of sexual assault. A jury at the Central Criminal Court found him guilty and he was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan on 21 October 2013. Mr Patrick Gageby SC argued that major inconsistencies existed in the charges and evidence presented at trial. Mr Justice George Birmingham, sitting with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Edwards, agreed that the cumulative effect of these inconsistencies meant the conviction could not stand. The Court of Appeal quashed the conviction without ordering a retrial.
2015-07-28 · Dublin
A 44‑year‑old Dublin man was convicted at the Central Criminal Court of eight counts of rape and 18 counts of sexual assault. The offences were committed against the former partner's daughter and her older sister between 1992 and 1997 while the man was in a relationship with their mother. He first sexually assaulted the eldest sister in her bed when she was 12, then raped the younger sister eight times and sexually assaulted her 16 times from June 1993 to 1997 after moving into the family home. The assaults took place in the mother's bed, other downstairs rooms and the kitchen, sometimes with the brother asleep beside them. The victims learned of the abuse only in 2010, and a formal complaint was made in 2012. The man was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment. The article reports the trial, the victims' impact statements and the man's subsequent registration as a sex offender. No further legal outcomes are mentioned.
2015-07-28 · Dublin
In a Dublin murder trial, the State Pathologist testified that a 26‑year‑old man died from stab wounds to his chest and abdomen. Wayne Kennedy, 33, of Rathsallagh Park, Shankill, is charged with murdering David Spain on 26 December 2013 and with causing serious harm to Sean Turner, 24, on the same date. Kennedy pleaded not guilty. Professor Marie Cassidy identified six stab wounds on Spain's body, including a left‑side chest wound that penetrated the rib cage, lung and heart, and a right‑side abdominal wound that sliced major pelvic vessels. She concluded the cause of death was the chest and abdominal injuries. Witnesses described the night's events, noting a knife in Kennedy's hand and a fight that had ended by the time a friend arrived. The trial continues.
2015-07-28 · Westmeath
In the ongoing trial at the Central Criminal Court, a juror was discharged after a review by Justice Margaret Heneghan. The case concerns retired army private Jimmy Devaney, aged 67, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of prostitute Marie Greene in Westmeath on 13 February 2011. The jury, originally composed of six men and six women, confirmed they had not discussed the case with each other or any third parties. Following the discharge, the trial proceeds with the remaining six women and five men, who will deliver closing speeches this afternoon.
2015-07-27 · Louth
Michael McHugh, convicted in 1985 of the murder of Garda Sergeant Patrick Morrissey, is seeking immediate release from Portlaoise Prison in High Court proceedings against the Governor, the Minister for Justice, the Irish Prison Service, and the DPP. McHugh was originally sentenced to death, a penalty commuted to 40 years' penal servitude by President Patrick Hillery. He argues that he is entitled to credit for five months of pre-trial custody served between July and December 1985, which would mean his sentence expired on July 1, 2024. The State parties oppose the application, contending that McHugh has no automatic entitlement to this credit and that the authorities lack the power to adjust the sentence given the original death penalty. McHugh's counsel, Micheal Ó Higgins SC, submitted that the decision to ignore those months was wrong and that the failure to grant credit breaches his rights to natural and constitutional justice. He also challenges the rejection of his pre-release programme application. The defendants argue that McHugh does not have the power to take the five months into account as the original court sentence imposed was the death penalty. The hearing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott continues.
2015-07-27 · Dublin
During the murder trial of Wayne Kennedy, a 33‑year‑old from Rathsallagh Park, Shankill, a witness, Mark McGovern, testified that Kennedy had sent him a text message on the morning of December 26, 2013, saying, "I think I murdered someone last night." McGovern said he received the message at 5:34 am and, being drunk, ignored it, later turning his phone off and sleeping. He recalled additional messages the next morning, including pleas for help. McGovern also described learning of a dispute between Kennedy and Sean Turner, the 24‑year‑old victim, through his wife's Facebook page. The prosecution also called Ian Messitt, who claimed to have heard shouting from the estate and seen Turner's blood, and Garda Neil Dunne, who found a knife handle in a grassy verge. Kennedy pleaded not guilty to murder and serious harm charges, and the trial continues.
2015-07-27 · Galway
James Kelly, 59, from Cashel in Connemara, lost an appeal against his conviction and six‑year sentence for indecent assault on a boy aged six to ten between January 1976 and December 1979. He pleaded not guilty to 16 counts at Galway Circuit Criminal Court, but a jury found him guilty on all counts. Judge Rory McCabe imposed a net sentence of six years, with two years for each of the first 14 counts running concurrently and two years for the final two counts running consecutively. On appeal, Mr Justice John Edwards dismissed Kelly's challenge to the sentence, noting no remorse and that the trial judge had properly directed the jury. The appeal against conviction was also dismissed, with the court agreeing that the judge had not misdirected the jury. The case involved a progression from molestation to buggery, with the victim threatened by Kelly if he disclosed the abuse.
2015-07-27 · Dublin
Ian Dent, 22, of Crumlin, was convicted of violent disorder for his role in a group attack on two American tourists in Temple Bar on 29 April 2012. The original five‑year sentence imposed by Mr Justice Patrick McCartan on 29 July 2014 was reduced on appeal to three years, with the final 12 months suspended. The Court of Appeal found the original term excessive, noting Dent's "threatening and menacing" behaviour was common in the area but also that he had shown progress and a record of rehabilitation. The appeal court highlighted that the Americans suffered significant injuries, including a broken arm and facial scarring, and that Dent had attempted to intervene and defuse the situation. The new sentence reflects a balance between punishment and potential for rehabilitation. Ian Dent pleaded not guilty.
2015-07-27 · Dublin
Mark Kelly, 36, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to two offences of assault causing harm at The Schoolhouse Hotel, Ballsbridge, on 24 February 2014. Judge Mary Ellen Ring imposed a two-and-a-half-year sentence for these assaults, ordered to run consecutively to a three-year sentence for a burglary at Kincora Road, Clontarf, on 23 February 2012. The burglary sentence was backdated to July 2013. Kelly also received a two-year sentence for admitting to taking part in a robbery of an iPhone and wallet on Harcourt Street on 23 July 2012. Additionally, a four-year jail sentence for aggravated burglary, originally suspended in 2012, was activated in October 2013. The court noted Kelly has 34 previous convictions, including burglary and robbery, and has spent over 13 of the last 15 years in custody. During sentencing, Kelly apologized and stated he was taking cocaine at the time of the burglary. His defense counsel highlighted his history of heroin addiction, noting he stopped abusing the drug in 2006. The matter was finalized with the imposition of these consecutive and concurrent sentences.
2015-07-27 · Dublin
Sean Beumer, 19, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Court to assault causing harm after a vicious, unprovoked attack on Mark Kelly, a father of two, at Grace Park Heights, Drumcondra on 15 March. The assault, witnessed by Kelly's wife and family, began when Beumer confronted Kelly outside his home while Kelly was watching a rugby match. Beumer punched Kelly, breaking his lower lip and repeatedly striking him to the head and body, causing Kelly to fall and suffer injuries. Kelly's wife was thrown to the ground and suffered back pain. Beumer, who had 14 prior convictions mainly for traffic offences and one for attempted theft, apologized and claimed self‑defence. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Beumer's remorse and cooperation, imposed a two‑year suspended sentence, ordered one year of Probation and Welfare Service supervision, and declined a custodial term. A co‑accused, Peter O'Reilly, was previously ordered to pay €5,000 to the victim and his wife.
2015-07-27 · Ireland
A 25‑year‑old Clare man was sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment, with five years suspended, for anal rape and sexual assault of his partner's nine‑year‑old daughter between 2009 and 2012. He pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court. The abuse, described by the judge as "almost beyond belief," began when the man moved in with the victim's mother and continued until the victim's aunt returned from overseas. The girl, now 12, was described as extremely traumatised, quiet, withdrawn and suffering from post‑traumatic stress disorder. She reported that the man forced her to perform sexual acts, threatened to kill her if she disclosed the abuse, and caused her to bleed. The judge added the man to the sex offender register for life. The case was heard with the parties' identities protected.
2015-07-27 · Laois
A Lithuanian man, Deivydas Zigelis, aged 37, will stand trial in 2016 for the murder of a 26‑year‑old Latvian man in County Laois. Zigelis, who lives on Spa Street, Portarlington, was arraigned at the Central Criminal Court and pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of Alexander Karpov on 15 February 2014. The prosecution's counsel confirmed that a jury would still be required. A jury of seven men and five women was sworn in, but the trial was postponed to the next list, with a new date set for 28 November 2016.
2015-07-27 · Tipperary
A 47‑year‑old Tipperary man was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for raping and sexually assaulting his daughter between 2004 and 2008 when she was aged six to ten. He pleaded guilty to one count of rape, one count of oral rape and six counts of sexual assault. The judge described the acts as "vile and terrible" and noted the breach of trust and the victim's vulnerability. The sentence, back‑dated to 18 May 2015, combined a seven‑year term for the rape counts with a five‑year term for the assault counts, to run concurrently. The court took into account the child's age, the abuser's early guilty plea and his background. The victim, now 16, had previously expressed a desire for her father not to go to prison, despite acknowledging his wrongdoing. The case highlighted the profound impact on the victim and her family.
2015-07-27 · Dublin
Dean Adams, 22, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm after delivering a running kick to Deomid Ryabkov's forehead on 19 February 2012. Ryabkov was attacked while attempting to recover stolen headphones. Adams, who claimed the thief was a friend, later expressed remorse. Judge Mary Ellen Ring imposed a suspended sentence of three and a half years, conditioned on Adams keeping the peace and engaging with Probation Service education and training programmes. Adams has 52 prior convictions, including assault, theft, public order and road traffic offences. He expressed a desire to apologise to the victim and continue drug treatment, noting his problems arise mainly when intoxicated. The court noted the assault was unprovoked and resulted in a severe skull fracture for Ryabkov.
2015-07-24 · Westmeath
In the Central Criminal Court, 66‑year‑old Jimmy Devaney pleaded not guilty to the murder of Marie Greene, a prostitute, on 13 February 2011. Devaney told Gardaí he had been blackmailed by Greene for up to €40,000, claiming she threatened to inform his wife. He admitted to stabbing Greene after a confrontation in a bog near Ballykieran, stating he had previously given her €20,000–€40,000 over six months and had not repaid it. Devaney denied bringing a knife that night, but described wrestling with Greene, grabbing a knife from her, and stabbing her before burying the body. He recalled meeting Greene a decade earlier, developing a relationship that involved sexual favors for money. The trial continues with a jury of twelve, presided over by Justice Margaret Heneghan.
2015-07-24 · Dublin
During a Central Criminal Court hearing, Wayne Kennedy, 33, pleaded not guilty to murder and serious harm charges. The prosecution presented evidence that Kennedy threw a rock at the head of Sean Turner, 24, an amateur boxer, during a confrontation at David Spain's house on 26 December 2013. Turner had previously given Gardaí statements about his alcohol and drug consumption, which the defence highlighted. Witness testimony described Turner's claim that Kennedy had approached him alone, that Turner had no intention of a "straightener" (fight), and that he had thrown a rock at Kennedy's head. Kennedy allegedly responded by using a knife. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, was scheduled to continue on Monday at 2 pm. The court heard no further developments beyond the rock‑throwing incident.
2015-07-24 · Dublin
Michael McDonald, 44, was arrested after a burglary at a priest's house in Cherry Orchard, Dublin, where he stole a Yankees baseball cap and a Lourdes purse containing €660. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a suspended prison term of one year, suspended for three years, conditioned on McDonald keeping the peace and continuing drug treatment with Probation Services, and on his participation in victim empathy programmes. The burglary occurred on 15 August 2013; the priest discovered the front door unlocked and a side‑room window shattered, with the house ransacked. McDonald admitted the theft to Gardaí, apologized to the priest, and was wearing the stolen cap and purse when apprehended. He has 27 prior convictions, including a 2002 sentence of three years for robbery and assault offences. His defence lawyer, Keith Spencer BL, cited his upbringing in the Travelling community and his son's success as a professional footballer.
2015-07-24 · Dublin
Rachel Keogh, aged 24, was sentenced to one year in prison for acting as a lookout and participating in a savage unprovoked attack on an elderly homeless man. Keogh kicked the victim at least five times while her co‑accused stamped on the victim's head and chest more than ten times. The pair claimed they stopped the assault when they believed the victim was dead. The attack, recorded on CCTV, took place at the Four Courts building where the victim was sleeping rough. Keogh had previously pleaded guilty to robbery in 2014 and had failed to appear for sentencing in 2014, leading to a bench warrant. She has 13 prior convictions, including theft and handling stolen property. The judge ordered her to cooperate with probation services and submit to urine analysis for 12 months after release.
2015-07-24 · Dublin
Kirsty Doyle, a 25-year-old woman from East Wall, Dublin, was sentenced to nine months in prison for smuggling a mobile phone into Mountjoy Prison. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Doyle pleaded guilty to bringing a prohibited item into the facility on September 9, 2013. The court heard that she agreed to transport the phone internally in exchange for €500, a decision attributed to her heroin and crack cocaine addiction and homelessness at the time. Gardaí reported that Doyle initially denied carrying contraband when a metal detector was activated but subsequently handed over a phone wrapped in a condom, which she had removed from her underwear. She refused to identify the individuals who requested the delivery or the intended recipient, citing fear. Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged Doyle's guilty plea and co-operation but determined that a custodial sentence was warranted. In mitigation, her defence counsel highlighted her history of drug addiction, previous trauma, and current sobriety, describing her as a pawn in the scheme. The court also noted her 29 previous minor convictions for offences including shoplifting and common assault. The nine-month term represents the effective custody imposed by the judge, with no suspended portions or specific conditions detailed in the finalisation.
2015-07-24 · Dublin
A 77‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to six sample counts of indecent assault and sexual assault. The indictment covered 18 counts of abuse that occurred over a six‑year period in the 1970s and a four‑year period in the late 1990s. He had adopted his daughter, now 61, when she was four. She was abused between 1972 and 1978, when she was aged eight to 14, and described the abuse as a "living hell" that left her with nightmares and a failed marriage. His granddaughter, now 22, was abused between 1997 and 2001, when she was aged four to eight. She reported feeling intimidated and that the abuse ruined her family relationships. The man admitted the offences, was voluntarily reported to the Gardaí, and was found guilty. The judge noted the prolonged nature of the offending and the breach of trust with the victims when imposing the sentence.
2015-07-23 · Westmeath
In a 2015 trial, Jimmy Devaney, 66, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Marie Greene, 37, a prostitute who disappeared on 13 February 2011 and whose body was found nine days later in a bog near Ballykieran. The court heard that a knife with a green handle, recovered under the boot cover of Devaney's car, bore blood that DNA testing matched to Greene. Detective Garda Lynn Johnson presented evidence of items recovered from the bog, including Greene's social services card and a rosary bracelet. Phone records showed 60 contacts between Devaney and Greene from January to February 2011. Forensic scientist John Hoade confirmed the DNA match, and State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy described the fatal stab wounds, noting multiple injuries to the chest, ribs, and heart that caused death. The case proceeded before Justice Margaret Heneghan and a jury.