In the Phoenix Park murder trial, a 29‑year‑old homeless man, Ciaran Moran, was charged with killing 36‑year‑old Gerard Donnelly, who had €140,000 in a bank account. The jury heard a photograph of a severed toe that was sent from a phone attributed to Moran on the night after the alleged murder. Gardaí found a Sony Xperia phone and a €170 receipt from a menswear shop under Moran's bed. CCTV footage showed Moran walking toward the park before the killing, spending money the next day, and later lodging cash at an AIB branch. The trial also examined evidence of Moran's movements in the days surrounding the crime, and the case is set to continue before Justice Margaret Heneghan and a jury. Ciaran Moran pleaded not guilty.
Anthony Stokes, a 26‑year‑old footballer for Glasgow Celtic and the Irish national team, was brought before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on charges of assault causing harm to Anthony Bradley, 42, at Buck Whaleys on Leeson Street in June 2013. His solicitor, Michael Staines, informed Judge Patricia Ryan that the case was ready to proceed. The judge adjourned the trial to the following day, noting that no judge was currently available to take the case, and that the trial was scheduled to last two days. Stokes appeared in court wearing a white shirt, blue tie and grey suit.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed Joe O'Reilly's application to have his conviction for the murder of his wife declared a miscarriage of justice, ruling the bid an abuse of process. The 42-year-old appellant was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury in July 2007 and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife at their home in the Naul, Co. Dublin. The three-judge panel, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, agreed with the Director of Public Prosecutions that O'Reilly's application, based on events during his trial where a portion of the book of evidence was found in the jury room, was an unacceptable strategy to raise after his earlier appeal. The court noted that O'Reilly was fully informed and engaged with the issue at the time, having instructed his legal team not to discharge the jury. Consequently, his application under section 2 of the Criminal Procedure Act will not proceed to a full hearing. This decision follows O'Reilly's failed appeal against conviction in 2009 and a subsequent unsuccessful attempt to quash his conviction in 2012. Rachel O'Reilly's mother, Rose Callaly, expressed relief at the outcome, stating the family was thrilled to have continued to receive justice.
In a murder trial, the jury heard that DNA matching the accused, Keith O'Neill, was found on clothing that smelled of petrol, which he was seen disposing of on the same day a man was shot dead. O'Neill, 39, from Lissadell Drive, Drimnagh, pleaded not guilty to the murder of John Wilson on 28 September 2012 at Wilson's home on Cloverhill Road, Ballyfermot. Detective Garda Ronan Doolan testified that he saw O'Neill place two JD Sports bags into a skip on that day, and that one bag contained clothing with a petrol smell. Sergeant Paul Curtis confirmed that the bags held a pair of Nike Airmax runners, blue jeans, a green t‑shirt and two receipts dated 28 September 2012. Dr Emily Jordan of the Forensic Science Laboratory reported that DNA from the inside of the front jeans pockets matched O'Neill's DNA.
During the murder trial of Tadhg Butler, the former partner Mary Rose Burke testified that she visited Butler in Cork Prison in January 2014 and that he told her he had stabbed Michael O'Dwyer once. She said she had five children with him and that they had separated more than three years earlier. Burke claimed Butler had asked her to use her address for bail, which she refused, and that he had taken Valium and whiskey that night. She also said he was a good friend of O'Dwyer and had only stabbed him once. The defence questioned her about the relationship and her motives, and she denied using the children to extract information. The prosecution and defence discussed her statements to Gardaí and her alleged false claims. The court heard that Butler was arrested after the incident and that no weapon was found at the scene. The trial was scheduled to resume on Monday. Tadhg Butler pleaded not guilty.
In a 2015 case, a 74‑year‑old Kerry man was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for sexually abusing his sister‑in‑law during the 1970s. The judge, Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan, noted that under the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1935 the maximum term for a first offence was two years, and that a fully suspended sentence was rejected. The sentence included a six‑month suspension and six months of post‑release supervision, with a prohibition on unsupervised contact with children. The man pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of indecent assault between 1971 and 1974, was found guilty by a jury, and the judge considered his age, health and the defence's claim that the offences were "not necessarily the most serious." The victim, now 53, reported the abuse in 1986 but only filed a police complaint in 2007. She described repeated sexual assaults, the emotional impact, and her feelings of isolation and depression.
During the trial of 29‑year‑old Ciaran Moran for the murder of Gerard Donnelly in Phoenix Park, the jury was shown a blue Giant bicycle and a Sony Xperia smartphone that Moran allegedly purchased after the killing. Gardaí found Donnelly's body on fire in Phoenix Park on 29 November 2013, with evidence that he had been killed by blunt force trauma before being set alight. Moran, who was staying in a hostel on Camden Street, was found to have a key to a padlock and a new bicycle with a new lock, which the hostel manager confirmed he owned. The Carphone Warehouse receipt for the phone was dated shortly after 2 pm on 29 November 2013. Moran also checked into a bed and breakfast on Gardiner Street that night, paying €120 in cash, and was identified by the receptionist as one of the guests. Ciaran Moran pleaded not guilty.
During a murder trial, Keith O'Neill, aged 39, pleaded not guilty to the killing of John Wilson on 28 September 2012. O'Neill testified that he was the passenger in Wilson's car with Wilson's seven‑year‑old daughter when another vehicle pulled up beside them. He said he jumped out and ran, hearing a couple of bangs, and later entered the house to try to resuscitate Wilson. O'Neill also confirmed that he had described the passenger as a tall man in black in a statement to the Gardaí. The court heard that a 0.357 Ruger 100 revolver, six cylinders discharged, was recovered from a Volkswagen Passat, and that burnt striped clothing and black gloves were found in the vehicle. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, is scheduled to continue for two weeks.
During a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, witness Eamon Flynn testified that the accused, 36‑year‑old Ciaran Moran, often spoke of 'battering and torturing' Gerard Donnelly, a homeless man who had a large amount of money. Flynn said he had seen Moran purchase a fold‑up army shovel and an orange jump suit in October 2013, and that Moran had also bought a balaclava and a knife on another occasion. Flynn described how Moran would talk about Donnelly's money while drinking, and that he had borrowed money from Donnelly a few times. Another witness, Eamon Mahon, saw a blue canister, hammer and balaclava in Moran's bag. The jury heard that Moran did not stay in his hostel on the night of 28 November 2013, and that he was absent from the hostel on that night, returning the next day. The trial continues before Justice Margaret Heneghan and a jury. Ciaran Moran pleaded not guilty.
Patrick Browne, aged 26, was sentenced to six years in prison for a series of violent offences. He stabbed Constantine Consier seven times over a cigarette lighter, leaving Consier with a punctured lung, and also robbed a newsagent twice on Christmas Eve 2013, once dressed as a ghost and once as a skeleton. Browne pleaded guilty to assault and robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan described him as a danger to society, ordered psychiatric assessment and services, and suspended the final two years of the sentence, replacing them with two years of probation supervision upon release. The judge noted Browne's early guilty plea, admissions to Gardaí, personal problems, and serious mental health issues, including epilepsy. The sentence aims to protect the public while providing access to mental health care in prison.
During a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, witness Eamon Flynn testified that the accused, 29‑year‑old Ciaran Moran, repeatedly claimed he would "batter and torture" a homeless man who had money. Flynn said the accused made these threats while drinking and that he had purchased a fold‑up army shovel, an orange jumpsuit, a balaclava and a knife in October 2013. The case concerns the murder of Gerard Donnelly, a homeless man found burned in Phoenix Park in 2013. Donnelly's body was discovered on fire, and the father of one of the deceased had died from blunt force trauma to the head before being set alight. Moran pleaded not guilty, and the defence is cross‑examining Flynn before Justice Margaret Heneghan and a jury of nine men and three women.
In a Kilkenny murder trial, the jury heard a statement from the accused's nephew, Anthony O'Grady, who claimed his uncle, Tadhg Butler (also known as Thomas O'Grady), stabbed 25‑year‑old Michael O'Dwyer in the chest with a foot‑long butcher knife. The nephew described the night's events: the men travelled to Tramore, drank, and later, while the uncle was playing music, he allegedly lifted a knife and stabbed O'Dwyer. O'Grady said he did not remember the incident, citing prescription painkillers and alcohol. He also admitted to past violent behaviour when drinking. The statement was read by prosecution counsel, and O'Grady was cross‑examined by the defence. The trial continues with the jury considering this testimony. Tadhg Butler pleaded not guilty.
In a 2015 murder trial, Charlene O'Connor testified that Ciaran Moran, a 29‑year‑old homeless man, told her he had killed Gerard Donnelly, a homeless informant accused of touching children, to "teach him a lesson." O'Connor described meeting Moran at Heuston Station on 28 November 2013, where he showed her a bag containing a blow torch, hammer, cable ties and wire. She said he explained the items were for a man who had interfered with children. Moran allegedly mentioned two Germans were involved and that he had bought a bike and had €150. O'Connor also identified photographs of a toe and a face, which Moran claimed were proof for the Germans. The trial heard from Garda Peter Devane about Donnelly's large cash holdings and from Pathologist Marie Cassidy about Donnelly's fatal injuries, including a hammer and a pincers‑type tool found near his head. The case proceeded before Justice Margaret Heneghan and a jury. Ciaran Moran pleaded not guilty.
During a murder trial in Dublin, a seven‑year‑old girl testified that she heard gunshots and saw her father, Keith O'Neill, being shot at his home on Cloverhill Road on 28 September 2012. She described hearing "bang bang bang" and feeling a mix of sadness and relief that her father was no longer with "bad boys." O'Neill, aged 39, pleaded not guilty to the murder of John Wilson. The prosecution, led by Conor Devally, presented evidence that a hooded gunman entered the house, fired six shots, and that two bullets struck Wilson, one in the chest and one in the left arm. The state pathologist confirmed the fatal chest wound and the presence of multiple internal injuries. The case is proceeding before a jury of five women and seven men, with the trial expected to last two weeks.
In a 2015 trial at the Central Criminal Court, the State Pathologist, Professor Marie Cassidy, presented evidence that Gerard Donnelly, a homeless man found dead in a fire in Phoenix Park, died from blunt force trauma to the head. She described catastrophic injuries to his face and head, likely caused by multiple blows from a moderately heavy object, and noted that death would have resulted from brain injury and airway obstruction. Cassidy identified a lump hammer near Donnelly's head as a potential weapon and a pincers‑type tool that may have been used to amputate his little toe and cut his left thumb, injuries she believed were inflicted after death. Ciaran Moran, 29, was charged with Donnelly's murder, claiming the killing occurred on either 28 or 29 November 2013. The trial, presided over by Justice Margaret Heneghan, was set to last ten working days. Ciaran Moran pleaded not guilty.
The trial of a 34‑year‑old Kilkenny man, Tadhg Butler, charged with murdering a 25‑year‑old man in Waterford, continues at the Central Criminal Court. Butler, also known as Thomas O'Grady, pleaded not guilty. The court heard evidence from a neighbour who claimed to have heard an "awful racket" outside her house on the night of the murder. Mr Noel Whelan BL called Mr Tony Walsh, who described watching a documentary with Ms Diana Doherty when they heard a disturbance. Walsh reported seeing men standing around a body on the ground, one shouting that the victim was not responding. He called 999 and noted the victim's name was Timothy. The court also heard from Ms Doherty, who confirmed hearing a fight and seeing a body, and expressed distress over the victim's mother. The trial is set to resume with evidence tomorrow morning.
In a 2015 murder trial, the prosecution presented evidence that the 29‑year‑old accused, Ciaran Moran, had almost €150,000 in funds just weeks before the body of Gerard Donnelly was found burning in Phoenix Park. Donnelly's body was discovered with a V‑shaped wound on a thumb, a freshly amputated left little toe, and extensive head fractures. The State Pathologist attributed death to blunt force trauma to the head, with fire damage under the head and neck. The prosecution argued that Moran, who was homeless and had been seen in the park, was in the area around 10:30 pm on 28 November and had items such as a hammer and a gas canister that matched those found at the scene. The jury was instructed to decide whether Moran caused Donnelly's death and had the necessary intent. The trial was scheduled to last ten working days.
Martin Cash, aged 20, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three and a half years in prison for theft and dangerous driving. He stole jewellery worth €1,830 from a house on Howth Road, Raheny, and was caught after a police chase. Cash also admitted to endangering traffic by cutting across a six-lane junction, driving in bus lanes, and mounting footpaths, forcing cars and buses to swerve. He drove dangerously at a green area where children were playing and at junctions on Collins Avenue. He pleaded guilty to trespassing at a house on Furry Park Road, Killester. Judge Mary‑Ellen Ring suspended the final 12 months of his sentence on the condition of good behaviour for a year, ordered probation supervision, and disqualified him from driving for five years. Cash has 37 prior convictions, including assault, criminal damage, drug misuse and possession of stolen goods. He was drug‑free at the time of sentencing.
A 39‑year‑old Dublin man, Keith O'Neill, will stand trial for the 2012 murder of a 35‑year‑old man named John Wilson in Ballyfermot. O'Neill pleaded not guilty and was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court. The trial, to be heard by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, is expected to last two weeks and will involve a jury of ten members.
A 34‑year‑old Kilkenny man, Tadhg Butler (also known as Thomas O'Grady), has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of 25‑year‑old Michael O'Dwyer, who was stabbed once in the chest at Butler's house in Tramore on 10 January 2014. Butler pleaded not guilty. The prosecution, led by Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley SC, presented evidence that a single stab wound was found on O'Dwyer's chest, that no defensive injuries were present, and that a post‑mortem confirmed the wound. Gardaí arrested Butler on suspicion of assault causing harm the same day and interviewed him twice at Tramore Garda Station. Witness Mr Luke Green testified that he, O'Dwyer, and Tony O'Grady travelled to the house, drank, and that O'Dwyer was found lying on the ground, stabbed, with Tony attempting to help. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, is expected to last two to three weeks.
A 29‑year‑old man, Ciaran Moran, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Gerard Donnelly in Phoenix Park, Dublin, in late November 2013. He was arraigned at the Central Criminal Court, where he was seen wearing a pink polo shirt and navy tracksuit bottoms. The judge, Patrick McCarthy, swore in a jury of nine men and three women and informed them of potential civilian witnesses from the Dublin 7 area. The trial, to be heard by Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan, is scheduled to begin this afternoon and is expected to last ten working days.
A 57-year-old man with a history of paramilitary activity has had his prison sentence reduced on appeal following his conviction for sexually abusing two young girls in Donegal. The Court of Appeal in Dublin reduced his sentence from fifteen years to thirteen years imprisonment, with the final three years suspended. The man pleaded guilty in 2012 at the Central Criminal Court to sixteen counts of rape and indecent assault against two girls between November 2008 and May 2009. The offences occurred across four locations over a nine-month period. The court heard the man had fled the jurisdiction after detection but was subsequently returned on foot of an extradition warrant. The three-judge panel, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, determined the original sentence was excessive as a starting point. Conditions of release include a €1,000 bond, eighteen months post-release supervision, and a permanent prohibition on contact with the victims.
In a Westmeath case, a 28‑year‑old man was jailed for twelve years for aggravated sexual assault and attempted rape of his sister. He had been serving a suspended portion of a four‑year sentence for an attempted armed robbery and was released in January 2014. After pleading guilty to the assault, the Circuit Court reactivated 18 months of that robbery sentence, making the new sentence consecutive to the remaining term. The victim, a woman in her 20s, testified that the attack left her depressed, in pain and unable to forgive her brother. She described the assault as a violent, threatening act that involved forced sexual contact and threats to kill. The judge noted the seriousness of the case and imposed the twelve‑year term, with the robbery sentence running consecutively. The defendant has a history of 21 prior convictions, including robbery and drug offences, and is placed on the sex offenders' register.
In a Dublin nightclub incident on 15 May 2012, mechanic Bryan Dunne, aged 34, struck former rugby player Andrew Culhane in the jaw with a single punch, fracturing it in two places. Culhane, who had been socialising with his former rugby team after a tournament win, later described the attack in court, noting the need for two metal plates, the disruption to his final master's exams, loss of confidence, and inability to play contact sports. Dunne claimed he felt threatened after being mocked in the club's toilets and pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. He had 12 prior convictions for minor road traffic offences. At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martin Nolan described the assault as "cowardly" and imposed a three‑year sentence, two years suspended, effectively a one‑year custodial term. The judge acknowledged the offence as a one‑off but stressed the need for punishment.
Sarah Nolan, a 22‑year‑old science student from Blackrock, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after she threw a glass at student nurse Hannah Foster at a Temple Bar nightclub on 23 September 2011. Nolan claimed she intended only to splash water over Foster, who was speaking to Nolan's late boyfriend, Ciaran Carr, but the glass struck Foster's mouth, damaging her teeth and causing nerve injury. Foster was treated at Dublin Dental University Hospital and requires costly ongoing care. Nolan, who was in her final year at Tallaght IT and had earned an An Gaisce President's Award, paid €5,000 in compensation and was sentenced to one year in prison, suspended for two years, with an additional €3,000 compensation order. The judge noted the reckless nature of the act and the pain inflicted on Foster.
In a 2011 incident outside Purrfect Pets on Longmile Road, Karl Dempsey (36) and others attacked Mark Eagers over a parking dispute. The confrontation escalated inside the shop, where CCTV captured Dempsey punching Eagers, kicking and stamping him. Eagers suffered a broken nose and had keys lodged in his thumb. Dempsey, who had three prior convictions including a seven‑year drug sentence, pleaded guilty to violent disorder at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to 20 months' imprisonment, refusing a non‑custodial alternative. No compensation order was made. The case highlighted a road‑rage incident that spiralled into violent disorder inside the pet shop.
A 25‑year‑old Latvian woman was given a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence after she threw her partner's six‑year‑old son against a wall and beat him with a mop while drunk. She admitted to drinking three bottles of wine that night and to having been upset and angry. She first told gardaí she had no idea how the child was injured, but later confessed to the assault. The boy was initially taken into foster care, but returned to his father after the woman's statement. The court accepted psychological reports that the woman was not a threat to children and that she had suffered a miscarriage and depression. Judge Martin Nolan, citing the circumstances, imposed a suspended sentence, noting the woman had no prior convictions and had shown remorse. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following early pleas of guilty from the District Court.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 1 May 2015, five men—Brian Mongan (30), Martin Mongan (39), Simon Reilly (28), Anthony Reilly (25) and Patrick Reilly (23)—pleaded guilty to violent disorder at The Castle Inn pub in Rathfarnham on 16 October 2012. The incident began when Brian Mongan spilled a drink over Simon Reilly, leading to a confrontation that escalated into a riot involving 40 to 50 men and women. CCTV captured the men throwing glasses, chairs, fire extinguishers and other furniture, causing over €26,000 of damage. Judge Martin Nolan described the event as "12 minutes of mayhem, violence, aggression and anarchy." He imposed three‑year suspended sentences on each defendant, ordered them to pay €8,700 in restitution to the pub owners, and gave them 12 months to raise an additional €5,400. The men were otherwise described as of good character but acted "grossly reprehensibly.".
Paul Henry, a 29-year-old Roscommon man, has successfully appealed his acquittal for the murder of his mother, Ann Henry, at The Spinney, Abbeystown, in September 2011. Henry had originally pleaded not guilty to the charge. At the Central Criminal Court in Castlebar, a jury found him not guilty by reason of insanity, resulting in his commitment to the Central Mental Hospital by Mr Justice Paul Carney in May 2014. Henry sought a retrial to plead and potentially be convicted of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility, aiming for a determinative sentence rather than indefinite detention. The Court of Appeal, comprising Mr Justice George Birmingham, Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, and Mr Justice John Edwards, ordered a retrial. The court found an "element of misdirection" by the trial judge regarding the burden of proof. The judgment clarified that where the prosecution contends for a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity, the prosecution must prove this on the balance of probabilities. The court noted that the previous outcome led to heavy medication and indefinite detention, whereas a murder conviction would result in a different prison regime. The retrial is scheduled to be listed in the Central Criminal Court in two weeks. This case is noted as the first in Ireland to address the standard of proof for this specific prosecution-led insanity verdict.
Sean Connolly, aged 35, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court for the murder of veteran criminal Eamon Kelly, 65, on 4 December 2012. Connolly shot Kelly four times in the back outside his home on Furry Park Road, Killester, after Kelly had returned from a Ladbrokes betting shop. Gardaí arrested Connolly minutes after the shooting, and forensic evidence linked him to the crime: 9mm cartridge residue, an accelerant matching that used to burn a black Lexus involved in the killing, and admissions made to detectives. Connolly had prior convictions in the Special Criminal Court, including a six‑year sentence in 2004 for IRA membership and a four‑year sentence in 2000 for firearms possession. The court described the murder as a "most heinous crime" and imposed a mandatory life sentence. Sean Connolly pleaded guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, Marius Gaizutis, 52, was found guilty of the axe murder of Audrius Butkus, 44, who was discovered on a Meath beach in 2013. Gaizutis had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter at arraignment. The jury, composed of four women and eight men, deliberated for two hours and forty minutes before delivering a unanimous verdict. The prosecution presented evidence that Butkus died from blunt‑force trauma to the head, consistent with being struck by a rectangular object such as an axe. State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy testified that Butkus had sustained multiple blows to the back, top and left side of his head, and that his liver showed signs of chronic alcohol use. Witnesses described a struggle in which Gaizutis allegedly used an axe after an altercation over a bottle of Captain Morgan's. The court noted forensic DNA evidence linking blood on an axe to Butkus.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, a 25‑year‑old Latvian woman pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after she threw her partner's six‑year‑old son against a wall and beat him with a mop while intoxicated. She admitted drinking three bottles of wine that night and that she had been angry. The boy, who had been under the care of his father, sustained extensive bruising and was initially taken into foster care. The woman denied causing the injuries until she later admitted the assault. She had no prior convictions. The judge remanded her on continuing bail pending sentencing. The case highlighted the boy's fear of women and the father's concern for his son's wellbeing. No sentence was announced in the article.
The jury was discharged in the trial of 34‑year‑old Tadhg Butler, also known as Thomas O'Grady, who is accused of murdering 25‑year‑old Michael O'Dwyer in Waterford on 10 January 2014. Butler, from Kilkenny and living in Seafield, Tramore, pleaded not guilty to stabbing O'Dwyer once in the chest. Judge Patrick McCarthy explained that a legal issue arose the previous day, leading to new legal submissions, and ordered a new jury to be sworn in next Tuesday. The trial is expected to last two weeks.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 29 April 2015, Mary Rose Burke, a former partner of 34‑year‑old Tadhg Butler, testified that she visited him in Cork Prison on 13 January 2014 after he was charged with the murder of 25‑year‑old Michael O'Dwyer. She said Butler, who also goes by Thomas O'Grady, told her he had stabbed O'Dwyer once in the chest, was drunk and had taken Valium, and that he was not remorseful. Burke denied that Butler had suggested a plea for manslaughter or that she had an agenda to harm his case. Prosecutor Denis Vaughan Buckley described the alleged events on 9 January 2014, when O'Dwyer was found dead outside Butler's house with a single stab wound. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, was expected to last two weeks. Tadhg Butler pleaded not guilty.
Thomas Finnegan, a 26‑year‑old Dublin boxer who had won a gold medal at a European competition, was sentenced to two years in prison by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assault causing harm. The offence occurred on 15 May 2013 at Cookstown Industrial Estate, Tallaght, when Finnegan, after a dispute over a tyre, repeatedly punched tyre fitter Mr Mantis Viknius. Viknius suffered a fractured eye socket, a broken nose, nerve damage and permanent loss of memory, and required a steel plate in his right eyebrow. Finnegan pleaded guilty and was described by the judge as a strong man who had applied his skills destructively. He had 23 prior convictions and had been stabbed in a previous assault, which ended his boxing career. Finnegan brought €3,800 to court as a token of remorse. The court noted his sporting achievements and the letters of support from mentors, but also his history of drug and gambling problems.
The trial of Marius Gaizutis, 52, of Marsh Road, Drogheda, Co Louth, is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court. Gaizutis is charged with the alleged murder of Audrius Butkus, 44, at that address on September 9 or 10, 2013. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter; the State rejected the latter plea, resulting in a jury trial. Prosecution counsel Patrick Gageby SC argued that forensic evidence, including skull fractures and a deliberate clean-up, demonstrated intent to kill. Defence counsel Ciaran O'Loughlin SC contended that Gaizutis acted under provocation and lost control, supporting a manslaughter verdict. Justice Margaret Heneghan charged the jury to decide the facts based on oral evidence and exhibits. After two hours and eleven minutes of deliberation, the jury was instructed to suspend deliberations until Friday morning at 10am, as there is no court sitting tomorrow. The matter remains adjourned pending the jury's final decision.
A 34‑year‑old Kilkenny man, Tadhg Butler (also known as Thomas O'Grady), has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of 25‑year‑old Michael O'Dwyer in Waterford on 10 January 2014. Butler, who lives in Seafield, Tramore, is charged with stabbing O'Dwyer once in the chest. Prosecutor Denis Vaughan Buckley SC opened the case to a jury, stating that O'Dwyer and two others were invited to a party at the accused's house on 9 January, where they were drinking. At some point a knife was used to stab O'Dwyer's chest. Emergency services arrived at 11.20 pm, found O'Dwyer lying outside the house, and he was taken to Waterford Regional Hospital, where he died two hours later. Gardaí saw Butler outside the house when they arrived, but he had retreated inside and locked the door. Tadhg Butler pleaded not guilty.
A farmer, Paul O'Shea, and his wife, along with several supporters including anti‑eviction activist Ben Gilroy, face possible imprisonment for alleged interference with the receiver appointed over lands in County Kildare. O'Shea had previously spent two weeks in jail for contempt of court orders that prohibited interference with receiver George Maloney, who was attempting to sell lands owned by O'Shea at his home in Davidstown, Castledermot. After O'Shea was released on a sworn undertaking to purge his contempt, the matter was adjourned. When it returned before Mr Justice Paul Gilligan, Maloney's lawyers reported ongoing interference: intimidation, verbal abuse, threats of violence, and surveillance on the land.
During a murder trial, forensic scientist Stephen Clifford presented evidence that blood on an axe found in Marius Gaizutis's house matched the DNA profile of the deceased, Audrius Butkus. Gaizutis, aged 52, was charged with murdering Butkus, aged 44, at the Marsh Road address on 9 or 10 September 2013. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter at arraignment before the Central Criminal Court. Clifford examined the axe, finding blood only in the hollow groove at its tip, and generated a full male DNA profile that matched Butkus. He also reported DNA matches from blood on a step, kitchen table, bannister, ceiling, a sock, a carpet from Matthews Lane, and a Suzuki Swift car. Detective Sergeant Liam Archibold testified about the search of Matthews Lane, the items recovered, and the medical examination of Gaizutis. The prosecution concluded its case, and the jury was instructed to resume the next day.
James Hogan, 39, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after a dispute over a drink at the Concorde Pub, Coolock, on 8 August 2011. Hogan had been drinking since about 12:30 and was mocked by Anthony Donegan when he did not buy a round. Hogan claimed he had done many favours for Donegan and had always repaid him. After a heated argument outside, Hogan punched Donegan in the face. Donegan fell, hit his head on steps, and was hospitalized for two months with head injuries. Hogan had no prior convictions and was unemployed at the time. He offered €5,000 in compensation and was given a four‑year suspended sentence, with the court noting the serious impact of a single punch. The sentence was imposed by Judge Martin Nolan.
Mary Maloney, a 47-year-old Limerick mother of four, was sentenced in the Central Criminal Court for withholding information related to the 2006 murder of Noel Crawford. Although initially pleading not guilty, Ms. Maloney changed her plea to guilty before the jury, a move accepted by the prosecution. The court heard that the charges stemmed from events on December 17-18, 2006, when her daughter, Jennifer Fitzgerald, was abducted and threatened with a gun. Ms. Maloney allegedly failed to disclose information she knew or believed would assist in securing the apprehension of the perpetrator. Mr. Justice Carroll Moran noted that while withholding information in a murder case is serious, he considered mitigating factors including the guilty plea, the traumatic context of her daughter's abduction, and the fact that her lack of cooperation did not prevent the prosecution of two others—one convicted of murder and one of manslaughter. The judge disregarded her previous convictions from her mid-teens. He imposed a two-year prison sentence, suspended for the same period, with a bond of €100. The judge acknowledged that the plea removed trauma from victims and affirmed that the jury's presence had induced the guilty plea.
Sean Connolly, aged 35, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to the murder of veteran criminal Eamon Kelly, who was killed on 4 December 2012 at Furry Park Road, Killester, Dublin. Connolly had originally faced three charges – murder, IRA membership and possession of a firearm – but the court was informed that the latter two would not proceed after his guilty plea. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel noted that a nolle prosequi would be entered for the remaining counts. A Victim Impact Report was being prepared, and the court was scheduled to reconvene on 1 May. The case was to be heard by Judges Paul Butler, Alison Lindsay and Flann Brennan, with a significant Garda presence in attendance. The trial, expected to last three weeks, was halted following Connolly's admission of guilt.
During a murder trial, a forensic scientist testified that blood found in the hollow groove at the tip of an axe matched the DNA profile of the deceased, Audrius Butkus, 44. The accused, Marius Gaizutis, 52, of Marsh Road, Drogheda, Co Louth, is charged with murdering Butkus at that address on 9 or 10 September 2013. Gaizutis pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter when arraigned before the Central Criminal Court. The jury was sworn in to try him, and the trial continues.
In a murder trial in Drogheda, Judge Margaret Heneghan decided to continue the case with only one defendant, 52‑year‑old Marius Gaizutis, after initially having two. Gaizutis admitted killing 44‑year‑old Audrius Butkus, whose body was found on a Louth beach in 2013. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter at arraignment. The co‑accused, 53‑year‑old Aivers Sonders, was charged with assisting an offender by moving the body, cleaning the scene and disposing of evidence, and pleaded not guilty to all three counts. The judge told the jury that they would no longer consider Sonders. The trial continues with further evidence, including CCTV footage of the night of the murder. The case remains at the Central Criminal Court.
In 2015, a 54‑year‑old Dublin man was convicted of 60 counts of sexual assault against six daughters of his former partner, for acts that occurred between 1994 and 2005 while he lived in their family home. A jury found him guilty on all counts and he was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended by Judge Desmond Hogan on 31 May 2013. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal against conviction, ruling that although the trial judge erred in its corroboration warning, the error worked in the defendant's favour. The appeal was rejected by Justice Garrett Sheehan, with Justices Seán Ryan and John Edwards. The DPP's application for a review of the sentence will be heard on 19 May. The case remains at the conviction stage, with no further outcome reported. The unnamed 54-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 74‑year‑old man was found guilty of 11 counts of indecent assault on a 53‑year‑old woman between 1971 and 1974. The woman, who was 10 when the abuse began, described repeated sexual assaults at the man's Kerry home, including incidents where he would pull her bed sheets off while she slept. She reported the abuse to her family in 1986 but only to Gardaí in 2007. The man denied the allegations when questioned in 2008. The jury agreed on eight of the eleven counts, with disagreement on the final three. The sentencing is scheduled for May 8. The case highlights the long‑term impact on the victim, who suffered depression, anxiety and flashbacks, and the court's consideration of the defendant's age and lack of prior convictions. The unnamed 74-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Duane Brady, 36, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of assault causing harm to his former partner on the number 39 Dublin Bus and on a public street near Blanchardstown Shopping Centre on 13 May 2011. The victim fled the bus, was punched by Brady, lost consciousness and suffered a fractured hand, swelling, bruising and rib abrasion. Brady had 43 previous convictions, including robbery and assault, and a long history of drug and alcohol addiction. On 10 March 2014, Justice Carmel Stewart imposed a wholly suspended two‑year sentence, which the Director of Public Prosecutions described as "unduly lenient." The DPP appealed, arguing the judge erred in imposing a non‑custodial sentence and that the suspension should have been longer. The Court of Appeal, led by Justice George Birmingham, dismissed the appeal, stating that the suspended sentence was appropriate and that incarceration was not warranted at this stage. The case remains at the appellate decision stage.
During a two‑week trial at the Central Criminal Court, 39‑year‑old Jooda Akanbi was acquitted of murder after a fight with 45‑year‑old Taiwo Jamani on Main Street, Swords, on 10 October 2013. Akanbi claimed he acted in self‑defence, striking Jamani with a baseball bat after the latter allegedly punched him. Witnesses described the altercation as "like something out of Star Wars". Jamani died in hospital from a severe traumatic brain injury caused by a blunt force blow to the head. No CCTV footage captured the incident. The prosecution sought a murder verdict, arguing Akanbi intended to kill or seriously injure Jamani, while the State denied self‑defence. The jury, after more than seven hours of deliberation, returned a verdict of not guilty, and Akanbi was discharged. No family members of the deceased were present at the verdict.
The trial of 47‑year‑old Mary Maloney of South Claughan Road, Garryowen, Limerick, will begin tomorrow. She is charged with failing to disclose information to the Gardaí that she knew or believed could assist in the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of a person for the 2006 murder of Noel Crawford. The charge covers the period from 18 December 2006 to February 2011. Maloney pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. A jury of six men and six women was sworn in, and the case is expected to last four to five days.
Tadhg Butler, 34, also known as Thomas O'Grady, from Kilkenny, was arraigned in the Central Criminal Court for the 2014 murder of 25‑year‑old Michael O'Dwyer in Waterford. He pleaded not guilty. The trial, set to begin Wednesday before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, will be heard by a jury of eight women and four men and is expected to last two weeks.