During his final sitting at the Four Courts on 24 April 2015, Mr Justice Paul Carney retired after more than five decades of service as Ireland's most senior criminal judge. He was called to the Bar in 1966 and appointed to the High Court in 1991, presiding over hundreds of civil and criminal cases, including high‑profile rape, murder and manslaughter trials such as those of Wayne O'Donoghue, Michael Bambrick and the Mulhall sisters. Carney also sat on the three‑judge High Court that heard the Marie Fleming assisted‑suicide case and was involved in the 1986 Kenny appeal that introduced the exclusionary rule. He was known for his strict adherence to tradition, wearing a horsehair wig, and for being a "tough but fair" judge who insisted on high standards and the rights of victims.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions to review the sentence of Alan Harte, finding it was not unduly lenient. Harte, 34, had pleaded not guilty to the murder of his friend Peter Gunn in January 2009 but admitted assisting in the disposal of Gunn's body. A jury found him not guilty of murder but guilty of assisting in the disposal of the body. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended. The DPP argued the sentence was unduly lenient and sought to have the suspended portion removed, proposing Harte serve an additional year or 18 months. However, Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, sitting with Justices Birmingham and Mahon, held that the trial judge had properly applied principles of proportionality and rehabilitation. The court noted that Harte was already under active probation supervision, making the proposed increase disproportionate. The appeal was unsuccessful, and the original sentence stands. Kastriot Boza, who was also involved in the disposal of the body, had previously received a six-year sentence with the final two years suspended, which was reduced by two years in a separate Court of Appeal hearing last November. Boza is currently in the witness protection programme.
An 81‑year‑old former primary school principal, Patrick Barry of Kilkee, has appealed his 11‑year prison sentence for indecent assault of 11 female pupils at Moyasta National School between 1964 and 1985. He pleaded not guilty to 67 charges but was found guilty on 59 counts by a jury; the trial judge, Gerald Keyes, directed not guilty on eight counts. Barry's sentence, imposed at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court on 19 November 2014, was 11 years with the final five suspended. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal against conviction, ruling it could not hold on any of his 12 grounds of appeal. Barry's appeal against sentence was reserved, with a decision expected on 15 May. The case involved allegations of indecent touching and forced positions in the classroom, with victims present. The court noted the seriousness of the offences and Barry's position of trust. The appeal was heard by Justices Garrett Sheehan, Alan Mahon and George Birmingham.
A 28‑year‑old man from the Midlands, whose identity is withheld to protect his sister, admitted to the Central Criminal Court that he sexually assaulted and attempted to rape his 26‑year‑old sister on the night of 16 June last year at his home. He pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault, attempted rape, threatening to kill and false imprisonment. The court heard that the sister had come to his house to remove alcohol and help clean up, and that he violently attacked her, threatening to stab her and threatening to cut her vaginal area. She described the assault as devastating, leading to depression, an overdose attempt and loss of contact with her children. The judge adjourned sentencing to May, noting the man is already serving a suspended sentence for a previous offence. The case highlights the severe impact on the victim and the defendant's history of drug addiction and prior convictions.
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence in the murder trial of Marius Gaizutis (52), who is charged with murdering Audrius Butkus (44) at Marsh Road, Drogheda, on September 9 or 10, 2013. Gaizutis pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter; the State rejected this plea, and a jury was sworn in. Co-accused Aivers Sonders (53) faces three counts of assisting an offender by impeding Gaizutis's apprehension, to which he pleaded not guilty. State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy testified that Butkus died from blunt force trauma to the head, consistent with strikes from an object with a rectangular surface. She noted extensive skull damage, over forty fresh injuries, and chronic alcohol use, concluding the assault was sustained and violent. Detective Sergeant Liam Archbold presented Gaizutis's statements, in which he alleged a struggle involving a broken bottle and claimed he used an axe in self-defense before ordering Sonders to dispose of the body. The trial is ongoing, with the judge adjourning proceedings to Monday at 2 pm.
Aaron Brophy, aged 24 and without a fixed abode, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for robbing Patrick Birmingham, a man with cerebral palsy, outside a Dublin post office on Ormond Quay Upper. Brophy followed Birmingham, put his arm around his neck, kicked him to the back of the knee, knocked him to the ground, called him a paedophile and then stole his wallet containing €20 and various cards. He pleaded guilty to robbery on 9 January 2014 and has 48 prior convictions, including robbery, assault, violent disorder, theft, burglary and criminal damage. Birmingham, who works in the Four Courts and usually takes lunch breaks at nearby Civic Offices, described the attack as a low point in Brophy's criminal career and said it has left him mentally and physically affected, making him wary of people on the street.
Sashi Buti, a 19‑year‑old former Blackrock college rugby player, was sentenced in June for robbing a taxi driver on 23 August 2014. He and another man forced the driver to take them to St Michael's Estate, where Buti assaulted the driver, robbed his iPhone, SatNav and €220, and left his passport, mobile phone and a necklace in the taxi. After the assault he reported the passport as lost at a Garda station. The driver suffered tenderness and swelling, and the stolen items were never recovered. Buti pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge described his reporting of the passport as a "clever ploy" and noted that he had no prior convictions. The case was adjourned to 13 June, with a report from Probation Services required.
The jury has begun deliberations in the Central Criminal Court trial of 39‑year‑old Jooda Akanbi, charged with murdering 45‑year‑old Taiwo Jamani on Main Street, Swords, on 10 October 2013. Akanbi claims he acted in self‑defence when he struck Jamani with a baseball bat, but the prosecution argues it was a fight and that he had the intent to kill or seriously injure. Judge Tony Hunt explained that the jury could find Akanbi guilty of murder, not guilty of murder, or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter if they believed he used excessive force in self‑defence. The judge emphasised that a unanimous verdict was required and that the jury would review evidence including the bats and gloves. The jury deliberated for an hour and four minutes before returning home, with deliberations to resume the next morning.
Anthony 'Tony' Kelly, aged 24, pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm after a May 2011 unprovoked attack on a 22‑year‑old man in Limerick. The original sentence, imposed by Mr Justice Carroll Moran on 10 February 2012, was four years' imprisonment with the final two years suspended. The Director of Public Prosecutions, represented by John O'Sullivan BL, appealed, arguing that Kelly had "gone on a rampage," robbed a man of money and a mobile phone, and then, 24 hours later, slashed the face of another man, causing permanent facial disfigurement. The Court of Appeal, hearing the case on 23 April 2015, found the sentence "unduly lenient." Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, joined by Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Edwards, ordered a probation report and postponed the new sentencing to 4 June 2015, where a revised sentence would be imposed.
Dylan Smith, 23, of Crumlin, pleaded guilty to producing an imitation firearm, unlawful seizure of a vehicle, and arson. On 26 March 2014, he threatened a taxi driver, John Lang, with a fake gun, forced him out of the vehicle, and drove off. Smith then set fire to Bernard Curtis Apartments in Bluebell. Garda Gary Keelan and others apprehended him near Jamestown Industrial Estate. Smith, with 69 prior convictions, was already serving sentences for robbery, false imprisonment and unlawful seizure of a vehicle. At sentencing, Judge Gerard Hogan imposed a four‑year jail term, with the final two years suspended, meaning Smith will serve an effective one‑year term. He is scheduled for release in 2020. The court noted his violent background, substance issues, and that he had become a father on the day of the incident. The case was prosecuted by Gareth Baker BL and defended by Pieter Le Vert BL.
The Special Criminal Court has fixed a trial date for April 2017, the earliest available slot, amid significant backlog delays. The court currently has 32 people before it and has scheduled 19 trials extending into early 2017. Among these is the trial of Donal Billings, a Co Longford man charged with possession of an improvised explosive device, scheduled for October 2016. Billings has been on bail for several years awaiting this trial, which is set to begin over five and a half years after the alleged offences. The Supreme Court previously criticised delays in the case of Thomas "Slab" Murphy, who faces alleged tax offences dating back to 1996, noting that much of the delay was caused by his repeated challenges. Recent high-profile proceedings have also contributed to the schedule's congestion. In July 2014, Wayne Dundon and Nathan Killeen were convicted of the murder of Limerick businessman Roy Collins and jailed for life following a 29-day trial. Additionally, the trial of three men accused of the murder of Peter Butterly collapsed in January after 55 days due to a disclosure issue; their retrial is ordered for January 2017, and they have been released on bail. A separate legal issue regarding IRA membership arrests is pending before the Court of Appeal, with the State set to hear an appeal next June against a ruling that gardai cannot arrest suspects for IRA membership without a warrant if previously arrested for the same offence.
The judge has begun charging the jury in the Central Criminal Court trial of 39‑year‑old Jooda Akanbi, who is charged with murdering 45‑year‑old Taiwo Jamani with a baseball bat on Main Street, Swords, on 10 October 2013. Akanbi claims he acted in self‑defence during a fight that broke out shortly before lunchtime. He was found dead on 13 November 2013 from a severe brain injury. Akanbi pleaded not guilty, the evidence finished today, and the judge has now begun summarising the case for the jury of five women and seven men.
In the Central Criminal Court, a 39‑year‑old Nigerian man, Jooda Akanbi, is charged with murder after striking 45‑year‑old Taiwo Jamani with a baseball bat on Main Street, Swords, on 10 October 2013. The prosecution, led by Denis Vaughan Buckley SC, argued that Akanbi's claim of self‑defence was unsupported, describing the force used as "unreasonable and excessive" and asserting that evidence indicated Jamani was not the initial aggressor. Witnesses testified to a brief fight outside a bank around 12.20 pm, with Akanbi admitting to hitting Jamani but denying it in Garda interviews. Buckley urged the jury to consider the evidence sufficient for a murder conviction, noting that the incident was a flash‑in‑the‑pan event on a busy street. The trial remains ongoing. Jooda Akanbi pleaded not guilty.
Stephen Hendrick, 47, of Ballymun, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to possessing a 7.62 mm Kalashnikov assault rifle and its components, as well as parts for Glock pistols, at his home on 15 November 2014. He also admitted unlawful possession of a flexible PETN explosive tube at the same address. Additionally, he pleaded guilty to holding 59 rounds of ammunition of various calibres and brands at Furry Park, Turnapin Great, Old Airport Road, Cloghran on 3 July 2013. The court remanded him in custody for sentencing on 15 May of the following year.
During a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, the defence presented Garda Damien Rogers as a witness. Rogers recounted a 2011 search of an apartment at The Bakery, George's Hill, Balbriggan, where the deceased, Taiwo Jamani, was present. He noted that Jamani's address was Dublin Street and that the premises was a computer business named Data Links owned by Jamani. Rogers claimed he entered a Garda Pulse system entry stating that Jamani and two others should be made suspects of computer and credit card fraud, but he also said no prosecution followed and Jamani had no prior convictions. The trial concerned the 2013 murder of Jamani by 39‑year‑old Jooda Akanbi, who was charged with killing Jamani with a baseball bat on Main Street, Swords. The defence argued that the alleged fraud allegations were unrelated to the murder case. The trial continued into the afternoon. Jooda Akanbi pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court is currently hearing the trial of Marius Gaizutis (52) and co-accused Aivers Sonders (53) under Justice Margaret Heneghan. Gaizutis, of Marsh Road, Drogheda, is charged with murdering 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 this plea, resulting in a jury trial. Sonders, of Termon Abbey, faces three counts of assisting an offender by impeding Gaizutis's apprehension, including moving the body to Mornington Beach and cleaning the scene. He pleaded not guilty to all counts. Prosecution counsel Patrick Gagey SC told the jury that Butkus died from a sharp, heavy implement, possibly an axe, to the back of the head. Evidence presented includes blood staining on a mop, bucket, and a red Suzuki Swift, as well as a blood-covered bag found near the body. Witnesses included Brian McAreavey, who discovered the body, and Garda Deirdre Semple, who noted drag marks. Gaizutis allegedly admitted to a fight with Butkus and instructed Sonders to dispose of the body. The trial is ongoing and expected to last five to six days.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, 39‑year‑old Jooda Akanbi pleaded not guilty to the killing of 45‑year‑old Taiwo Jamani on 10 October 2013 on Main Street, Swords. The prosecution closed its case after the defence presented evidence that the fatal blow was delivered in self‑defence. Akanbi testified that he had been threatened by Jamani, who had allegedly tried to coerce him into fraud and had threatened to involve the Gardaí. Akanbi claimed he struck Jamani with a baseball bat after being punched and that the death was caused by the accused's actions. The judge struck the second count of serious harm from the issue paper, stating the death was caused by the accused's own actions. No conviction or sentencing was reported in the article.
James Donoghue, aged 51, was sentenced to five years in prison for attempting to sexually assault a woman on 6 January 2014. He followed the woman home from work, lunged at her, covered her eyes and mouth, and threatened to kill or seriously harm her if she did not turn off her mobile phone. The victim, who had moved to Ireland in 2011, sustained facial cuts and was hospitalized. Donoghue was stopped by Gardaí shortly after the attack; evidence included bite marks on his hand, the victim's DNA on a ring on his finger, and blood stains on his jacket. He had 13 prior convictions for serious assault and had stopped taking medication that suppressed his sexual urges, which he claimed contributed to the incident. Judge Martin Nolan suspended the last two years of a seven‑year sentence, citing Donoghue's inability to change his behaviour. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. James Donoghue pleaded guilty.
Waldemar Solowiow, 48, was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment for the death of his 37‑year‑old girlfriend, Mary Ryan, who was found unconscious in his Dublin bedsit on 18‑19 May 2012. Ryan died from neck compression and blunt force head trauma. Solowiow had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, claiming provocation after a physical fight the night before. He was found guilty of murder by a majority jury and received a mandatory life sentence on 31 October 2013. His counsel, Paul Burns SC, has now applied to the Court of Appeal for either a retrial or a substitution of the murder verdict with manslaughter. The appeal focuses on whether Solowiow's false statements about the circumstances, which he later recanted, could be admitted as evidence and whether they undermine the provocation defence. The Court of Appeal will decide at a future hearing.
During a trial at the Central Criminal Court, Jooda Akanbi, aged 39, faced charges of murdering 45‑year‑old Taiwo Jamani with a baseball bat on 13 November 2013, the day of Jamani's death at Beaumont Hospital. The case also included a separate charge of intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Jamani on 10 October 2013, when the two men fought on Main Street, Swords. Akanbi pleaded not guilty to both charges, claiming self‑defence. Judge Tony Hunt announced that the second charge would be struck from the indictment, describing it as a precautionary, non‑fatal allegation that was now superfluous because the death was attributed to the accused's actions. The trial continued with the remaining murder charge. The article reports only the procedural decision to drop the second count and does not state any verdict or sentencing. The trial was ongoing at the time of reporting.
In the Central Criminal Court, Frank O'Hara's two‑page victim impact statement was read by prosecution barrister Seán Guerin SC. He described his daughter Elaine as intelligent, emotionally vulnerable, and a future teacher who had earned a BA in Montessori Education. He recounted her disappearance in August 2012, initially presumed a suicide, and the subsequent discovery of her remains in September 2013, which shifted the investigation to murder. O'Hara expressed anguish over media coverage that he felt was insulting and over the questioning of his evidence's credibility. He highlighted unanswered questions about the circumstances of Elaine's death, including whether she was restrained or left to die alone. He concluded that the family's experience is a "life sentence" with no parole, emphasizing the ongoing pain and lack of closure.
Trevor Andre, a 27‑year‑old student from Pembroke Woods, Passage West, was convicted at the Central Criminal Court of attempted rape and sexual assault after he entered a woman's house on 8 June 2013, climbed into her bed while she slept, and attempted to insert his penis into her mouth. The victim, who is in her twenties, reported that she woke to find Andre straddling her and that he had tried to molest her breasts and mouth. She punched and squeezed his testicles and shouted for him to leave. Andre pleaded not guilty, but a jury of four women and eight men found him guilty. Mr Justice Tony Hunt sentenced him to six years' imprisonment, suspending the last two years on the condition that he remain under Probation Services supervision for two years after release.
Graham Dwyer, a Cork‑born father of three, was sentenced to a mandatory life term by Mr Justice Tony Hunt for the murder of 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara. Dwyer was found guilty after a trial lasting more than two months, during which a jury of five women and seven men concluded that he lured O'Hara up the Dublin Mountains that evening, stabbed her for sexual gratification, and disposed of her belongings to stage a suicide. The judge described the crime as chilling and pre‑meditated, noted Dwyer's lack of remorse, and praised the evidence presented by the O'Hara family and Gardaí. He highlighted the victim's hard work and love of children, and the judge's remarks on the family's courage. Dwyer was taken to prison to begin serving his life sentence.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, a 29‑year‑old fisherman pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault of a 58‑year‑old woman with mild intellectual disabilities and schizophrenia. The assault, which took place at the victim's home in Kerry on 29 July 2011, involved physical violence, forced sexual intercourse, and the victim's throat being held. The attacker forced his way into the house after a brief encounter at a pub, punched the victim, and used a cigarette to burn her face. DNA and a fingerprint matched the accused, and the victim's DNA was found on a memoriam card. The victim suffered bruising, abrasions, carpet burns, and difficulty swallowing. She has since lost her independence and her role in the community centre, and she feels frightened and guilty about the incident. The court remanded the accused in continuing custody for sentencing in July, after a guilty plea was entered and a victim impact report was presented.
Keith Sullivan, a Meath resident, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment after he deliberately knocked over a post mistress, Ms Vivienne Griffin, and reversed his vehicle over her. The incident occurred on the night of a First Communion when Sullivan, who had a history of violent and threatening behaviour, drove his car at the Griffin family home in a threatening manner. Ms Griffin sustained multiple bruises and a cut to her lip, was unable to return home that night and later stayed with her mother. Sullivan pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and failing to provide a blood or urine specimen. The judge noted that Sullivan had reflected on his actions and appeared remorseful, but the seriousness of the crime warranted the custodial sentence. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Patrick Barry, 80, former principal of Moyasta National School in west Clare, was convicted of indecent assault on 11 female pupils between 1964 and 1985. He pleaded not guilty to 67 charges but was found guilty on 59 counts by a jury, with the remaining eight dismissed by Judge Gerald Keyes. Barry received an 11‑year prison sentence, of which the final five years were suspended. On 20 April 2015, the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal against conviction. Justice Garrett Sheehan, sitting with Justices George Birmingham and Alan Mahon, ruled that Barry's 12 grounds of appeal were unsubstantiated. The appeal was rejected, leaving the original conviction and sentence in place. The case highlighted allegations that Barry had physically abused pupils in class, including touching them indecently and forcing them to touch his genital area.
Oliver Kierans, aged 57, from Drumbannon in Bailieborough, County Cavan, has been sentenced to twelve years imprisonment following proceedings at the Central Criminal Court. A jury returned a majority verdict finding him guilty of manslaughter, but not guilty of murder, in the death of his wife Patricia Kierans on 5 September 2013 at their family home. He was also convicted of unlawful possession of a sawn-off shotgun and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly imposed concurrent sentences of nine years for manslaughter, eight years for unlawful possession, and twelve years for possession with intent to endanger life. The court heard that the couple had been married thirty-three years when marital difficulties arose in 2013. The judge noted that Mr Kierans, who has no previous convictions, subsequently attended a public house in Bailieborough where a protracted incident involving gardaí ensued, which was resolved peacefully. Oliver Kierans was acquitted.
During a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, the jury heard that on 10 October 2013, a fight involving two baseball bats broke out on Main Street, Swords. Jooda Akanbi, aged 39, was charged with intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to 45‑year‑old Taiwo Jamani and with murdering him on 13 November 2013. Akanbi pleaded not guilty, claiming self‑defence. Detective Garda James Tracey testified that Jamani was lying on the ground when Akanbi arrived, that Jamani had grabbed a bat from Akanbi's boot, and that Akanbi then struck Jamani's head with another bat. Akanbi was arrested at 12.40pm on suspicion of assault causing harm. The court heard from Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis, who described Jamani's skull fractures as caused by severe blunt force trauma. Two baseball bats recovered from Akanbi's car were shown to the jury. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt with a jury of five women and seven men.
In the Central Criminal Court, a jury resumed deliberations on the murder trial of Mark Nash, 42, who is accused of killing Sylvia Sheils, 59, and Mary Callanan, 61, between 6 and 7 March 1997. The victims were living in sheltered accommodation attached to St Brendan's Psychiatric Hospital in Grangegorman at the time of their deaths. The jury sought the initial statement of the late Dean Lyons, who had previously admitted to the murders and was charged with Callanan's murder on 27 July 1997, a charge later withdrawn in April 1998. Judge Carroll Moran reminded the jury that only evidence presented in court could be considered. The jury requested highlighters and drawing pens, viewed a video of the crime scene, and then paused for lunch before returning to continue deliberations. The trial remains ongoing. Mark Nash pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 17 April 2015, 19‑year‑old Aaron Shattock pleaded guilty to assault causing harm for a racist attack that left law student Yasser Saud blind in one eye. The assault took place on 21 August 2013 at exit 11 of the M50 in Tallaght, where Shattock and a companion confronted Saud and his cousin Hudi, who were with a female friend. A gang of up to 12 men joined, and Shattock swung a large stick, striking Saud's right eye and causing optic nerve damage. Hudi suffered a broken jaw and was left knocked out. Shattock admitted throwing the stick but denied intent to blind Saud. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Shattock's remorse, clean record and lack of intent, imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions, effectively sentencing him to two years' imprisonment.
James Mooney, aged 22, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after punching James Ferrari and biting off part of Ferrari's ear at a GAA club on 1 April 2013. The court heard that Mooney suffers from adult ADHD, a factor cited by a doctor as contributing to the late‑night assault. Judge Desmond Hogan sentenced Mooney to four years' imprisonment, suspended in full for three years on the condition of 12 months' probation. Mooney must pay €5,000 to Ferrari as a practical expression of remorse. Ferrari, who suffered serious injury, reported ongoing worry, depression, nightmares and social withdrawal. The court noted Ferrari's loss of €1,900 in earnings and €350 in medical costs. No further charges were mentioned.
Jason Gumble, aged 21, was convicted of robbery and assault at Dublin Central Criminal Court. On 15 April 2014 he robbed cyclist Paul Roe on North Circular Road, smashing a bicycle U‑lock into Roe's face, then striking him again and stealing €100 and the bicycle. The next day he assaulted Garda Liam Kavanagh at O'Devaney Gardens. Roe suffered six stitches and surgery for a broken cheek. Forensic evidence linked Gumble to the crime. Gumble has 97 prior convictions, including assault, violent disorder, theft and trespass, and has a history of drug use. He was sentenced to seven years, with the last two years suspended, and ordered to remain under Probation Service supervision for 18 months after release. The judge noted Gumble's violent propensity and the foreseeability of the injuries caused by using a lock as a weapon. Jason Gumble pleaded guilty.
Mark Freer, 37, of Ballyfermot, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for assault causing harm after he struck neighbour Louise Smith on the head with a beer bottle. Smith alleged the attack occurred while she was walking home, claiming Freer had insulted and threatened her family. Freer pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 28 July 2013. He had ten prior convictions, including a two‑year jail term in 2007 for violent disorder. Judge Martin Nolan noted that Smith had reportedly insulted Freer's family and that Freer believed she was about to enter his house. Smith suffered severe cuts to her lip, nose and cheek, requiring stitches and a lump on her forehead. The judge suspended the last 18 months of the sentence on strict conditions, citing the seriousness of the assault and Freer's perceived provocation and fears.
Graham Bannon, 26, of Walkinstown, pleaded guilty to robbery at The Trader's Office License on 4 December 2013 and to possession of €210 worth of cocaine for personal use. He had 178 prior convictions, 146 for traffic offences, and others for theft, affray, criminal damage, knife possession, public order, failure to appear and violent behaviour. The robbery involved him entering the off‑license with a scarf and a claw hammer, taking €560 from the till, and fleeing after the assistant manager recognised him. Judge Martin Nolan described him as a "general menace" and sentenced him to two and a half years' imprisonment. Bannon has since engaged in education and counselling while in custody and maintains contact with his six‑year‑old daughter and mother. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
During a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, a taxi driver named John Clarke testified that on 10 October 2013 he witnessed a violent altercation on Main Street, Swords, involving two men and baseball bats. Clarke described one man pulling a bat from a car boot and striking the other, then the second man retrieving another bat and swinging it. He likened the scene to "something out of Star Wars." Another witness, Pearse Fagan, recounted hearing the fight from his phone call, seeing both men swing bats, and noting the victim's head bleeding. Fagan, a first aider, removed his t-shirt to stop the bleeding and photographed the assailant. The accused, Jooda Akanbi, is charged with murdering Taiwo Jamani and with causing serious harm to another man on the same day. Akanbi pleaded not guilty, claiming self‑defence. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Tony Hunt with a jury of twelve.
In a 2015 murder trial, defence counsel Hugh Hartnett SC argued that forensic evidence from the Grangegorman scene supports the innocence of Mark Nash, who is 42 and lives in Dublin. Nash, charged with the murders of Sylvia Shields (60) and Mary Callanan (61) in March 1997, pleaded not guilty. Hartnett highlighted that no hair or DNA from Nash was found at the Orchard View house, and that black fibres on the window came from another source. He also noted that forensic analysis of a jacket and bedding linked to Nash showed no blood contamination. Hartnett contrasted these findings with the detailed admissions of former inmate Dean Lyons, whose statements he claimed were accurate and corroborated by evidence. He urged the jury to acquit Nash, asserting the evidence fell far below the required standard of proof. The judge would later address legal principles.
In a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, a witness testified that the accused, Jooda Akanbi, told Taiwo Jamani he was going to beat him just moments before striking him twice in the head with a baseball bat on Main Street, Swords, in October 2013. The witness, Abayoni Oluvole, described the exchange in both English and Yoruba, noting that Akanbi repeated the threat three times before Jamani told him to leave. He also recounted that Akanbi took a bat from his BMW's boot and hit Jamani, who fell and did not rise. The witness denied any fabrication and was cross‑examined by Patrick Marrinan SC, who questioned the timing of the threat. CCTV footage showed the build‑up but not the actual strike. The case remains before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury, with a two‑week trial expected. Jooda Akanbi pleaded not guilty.
Marius Vardauskas, a 25‑year‑old Lithuanian resident of Ilford, Essex, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cocaine after he swallowed 49 pellets of the drug in an attempt to smuggle it into Ireland. The pellets were discovered on an X‑ray at a hospital following his arrest. Garda John O'Reilly reported that customs officers had been suspicious of Vardauskas after he was stopped for questioning following a flight from Madrid, which had originated in Brazil. He could not provide the required visa stamps or a Dublin address, and his luggage was scanned with no findings. Vardauskas denied concealing drugs, but the pellets were later confirmed to contain cocaine. He claimed he was pressured into the scheme and that his mother had been a victim of domestic violence in Lithuania, motivating him to raise money for her.
In a Dublin murder trial, a 39‑year‑old man, Jooda Akanbi, is charged with killing 45‑year‑old Taiwo Jamani with a baseball bat on November 13, 2013, and with causing serious harm to another Nigerian on October 10, 2013. Akanbi pleaded not guilty to both charges, claiming self‑defence. The incident occurred on Main Street, Swords, during daylight, but none of the 12 local CCTV cameras captured it. However, footage of the build‑up was shown to the jury, including the movements of Akanbi's BMW 5 Series, a witness speaking to the injured party, and cyclist Adam Ounch. Ounch testified that he was cycling behind the BMW, heard the driver shouting, and later saw two men near the car, one lying on the street and the other speaking to Gardaí. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, is expected to last two weeks.
In 2015 a masseur accused of sexually assaulting a customer during a massage in August 2011 sought to halt his prosecution, arguing he could not receive a fair trial. He claimed prejudice because the complainant had not identified two other men she said had sexually assaulted and raped her many years earlier. The accused denied the assault and said his lawyers needed the names of the alleged perpetrators to test the complainant's credibility. The lawyers argued that without those names they could not pursue a potential line of inquiry, especially since the allegation was uncorroborated. The accused filed judicial review proceedings against the Director of Public Prosecution, seeking an order to stop his trial. The DPP opposed the application, stating that the undisclosed names were irrelevant and that all prosecution material had been shared with the defence. The case remains pending.
Trevor Purdy, 41, was found guilty of aggravated burglary, possession of a firearm and ammunition, false imprisonment, making threats to kill and assault causing harm at Kilbarrack Avenue, Dublin, in September 2006. A jury at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court convicted him on all counts and Judge Patrick McCartan sentenced him to ten years in prison on 19 May 2010. Purdy appealed, arguing that his sentence had not been properly backdated and that the sentencing judge had effectively "thrown away the key". The Court of Appeal, hearing the appeal, confirmed that Purdy had spent nine months in custody for which he had not received credit. Consequently, the Court backdated his sentence by nine months, leaving the ten‑year term, the suspended portion and effective custody unchanged. The appeal did not alter the conviction or the nature of the offences. The case remains at the appellate stage. Trevor Purdy pleaded not guilty.
A 39‑year‑old Nigerian man, Jooda Akanbi, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of 45‑year‑old Taiwo Jamani on 13 November 2013. The alleged killing occurred on Main Street, Swords, in broad daylight at about 12.15pm on 10 October 2013, when Akanbi allegedly struck Jamani with a baseball bat, causing fatal head injuries. Akanbi pleaded not guilty to both the murder charge and a separate charge of intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm. He claims the act was in self‑defence. The prosecution, led by Denis Vaughan Buckley SC, presented eyewitness testimony, photographs of the scene, and post‑mortem evidence indicating blunt‑force trauma to the head as the cause of death. The trial is expected to last two weeks.
The trial of Mark Nash, 42, accused of murdering Sylvia Shields, 60, and Mary Callanan, 61, in March 1997, has entered its closing speeches. Nash, who lives on Prussia Street and Clonliffe Road in Dublin, pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. The victims were residents of a sheltered accommodation attached to St Brendan's Psychiatric Hospital in Grangegorman. Judge Carroll Moran informed the jury that the case's final chapter remains, and counsel for the State, Brendan Grehan SC, began his closing speech before midday, with the remainder of the day to follow.
A 23-year-old man from Mount Prospect, Roscommon, has been sentenced to ten years imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, following his conviction for manslaughter at the Central Criminal Court. Ray Gralton pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Sara Staunton, a 28-year-old mother-of-two, who died at her home in Portagh, Mayo Abbey, Claremorris on 13 December 2013. The court heard the pair had been in a turbulent relationship marked by heavy alcohol consumption. During the evening of her death, a violent altercation occurred between Gralton and Ms Staunton, during which she sustained severe blunt force trauma to the head. A pathologist confirmed multiple bruises and brain damage. Mr Justice Paul Carney noted the offence's inherent gravity and the impact on the deceased's family. In imposing sentence, the judge acknowledged Gralton's remorse and good work record. The suspended portion is conditional on a €1,000 bond and that Gralton maintain distance from the Staunton family.
The High Court granted bail to Trevor Noone, a Dublin man charged with murdering 17‑year‑old Daniel McAnaspie in 2010. Noone, who lives on Whitestown Avenue, Blanchardstown, faces a murder charge. His lawyer, Michael O'Higgins SC, presented six bail terms to the Central Criminal Court. These include a €5,000 bond, weekly Garda sign‑ins, residence at Briarwood Avenue, Mulhuddart, surrendering any passport, no contact with witnesses, and providing a contact number. Mr Justice Paul Carney approved the bail on these conditions, with a trial date to be set later.
David Murphy, 25, of Wheatfield Avenue, Clondalkin, was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two and a half years' imprisonment for assaulting Garda Dara Kelly during a public order incident on 1 March 2014 in Rathfarnham. Murphy pleaded guilty to the offence and had a history of violent conduct, including four prior convictions for assaulting gardaí and 30 other offences. The assault caused soft‑tissue damage to Kelly's jaw, requiring treatment at Tallaght Hospital, restricted jaw movement for four days, and a ten‑day absence from work. The judge described Murphy's behaviour as disgraceful, noting he was not only drunk but also violent and aggressive. The sentence included a suspended 18‑month period, to be enforced on strict conditions. The court did not read the victim impact report.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 13 April 2015, Trevor Byrne, a 32‑year‑old former convict, pleaded guilty to an attempted robbery and two burglary offences committed on 15 September 2009. He had been sentenced in 2011 to eight years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended on strict conditions, including close supervision by the Probation Service and abstention from alcohol. Since his release in March 2014, Byrne had repeatedly breached these conditions, including a six‑month jail term in April 2014 for possession of six cans of cider and a phone call to a mental hospital nurse in which he threatened violence. He was again released in October 2014. In the present hearing, Byrne represented himself, expressed a desire to return to prison, and declined to contest the Probation Service's request to revoke the suspended portion of his sentence.
At the Central Criminal Court on April 13th, Kevin Moran was sentenced to twelve years imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, for the manslaughter of archaeologist Emmett Connolly. The thirty-year-old from Lodgeview, Cootehill, County Cavan, pleaded guilty to manslaughter following a jury finding in February that he was not guilty of murder. Mr Connolly, aged thirty-two from Rockcorry, County Monaghan, died from seventeen stab wounds sustained on September 28th, 2013. Mr Justice Paul Carney imposed the sentence on condition that Moran maintain a bond of one thousand euro and remain away from the deceased's family. The court heard evidence regarding the gravity of the attack and its impact on those bereaved. The Connolly family released a statement expressing relief that proceedings had concluded whilst acknowledging their ongoing grief. Moran was remanded in custody from December 7th, 2013.
Stephen Nangle, 31, of Maple House, North Circular Road, Dublin, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after an incident on 30 March 2013 at Forestwood Avenue, Ballymun. He had come to see his two‑year‑old son but was refused entry by the mother, Sarah Jane McSherry, who was at home with her son and her mother. Nangle attempted to force the door open, pushed Ms McSherry against a wall, kicked her, followed her into the apartment, banged her against furniture and pulled her hair. A neighbour intervened and warned him that the Gardaí were on their way. A Garda who arrived noted clumps of hair pulled from Ms McSherry's head. Nangle disputed her account, claiming self‑defence, but accepted his guilt. Judge Mary Ellen Ring sentenced him to two years and six months in prison, with the last 12 months suspended, and ordered that he stay away from Ms McSherry for three years after release.
In a North Dublin town, a 39‑year‑old man named Jooda Akanbi, of Ashton Avenue, Applewood, Swords, pleaded not guilty to two charges before the Central Criminal Court. He is accused of murdering 45‑year‑old Taiwo Jamani on 13 November 2013 on Main Street, Swords, and of intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Jamani on 10 October 2013. Akanbi, wearing a black suit and cream shirt, was arraigned and a jury of five women and seven men was sworn in. The trial is set to begin the following day and is expected to last two weeks.