A man convicted of murder in England in 1973 appeared before the High Court in connection with extradition proceedings. Anthony Craig, aged 66, had escaped from an English prison and subsequently lived in counties Cork and Leitrim before his arrest in February 2013 on foot of a UK extradition warrant. In July, Mr Justice John Edwards determined that Craig should be surrendered to the United Kingdom authorities. Craig now seeks leave to appeal that decision to the Supreme Court. Ms Cathleen Noctor BL, representing the Minister for Justice and Equality, informed the court that written submissions from Craig's legal representatives had been received and would be reviewed. Mr Justice Edwards remanded Craig on continuing bail pending a further hearing scheduled for October 7th.
Darren Goodwin, a 26‑year‑old from Graigue, Mountmellick, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2004 for the 2003 murder of 14‑year‑old Darragh Conroy. Goodwin was 16 at the time of the offence, so the life sentence was not mandatory; Judge Barry White used his discretion after hearing that Goodwin had expressed a desire to kill someone. The jury found him guilty following a trial at the Central Criminal Court. Conroy's body was discovered on waste ground in Smithsfield, having suffered six blows to the head, with the skull described as "broken up" by the pathologist. Goodwin had previously attempted suicide in September 2003 and had met his father for the first time shortly before the attack. In 2014, Judge White reviewed the sentence and set a release date of 1 July 2016, directing that Goodwin receive forensic psychotherapy twice a week while in prison. The court noted that Goodwin's remorse had not been fully addressed.
Kenneth Brunell, 28, of Palmerstown, had his bail reinstated for a second time by the High Court after Dutch authorities sought his surrender for the 2009 murder of Keith Ennis, 29, whose dismembered body was found in an Amsterdam canal. Brunell was arrested in 2011 on extradition warrants and had previously had his bail revoked for failing to appear in court. He applied to vary his bail to attend a training course in Cork on 19 June, but did not attend and was missing for five days following a dispute with his father. Brunell denied any intention to flee, claiming he had nothing to run from. The court noted a significant improvement in his behaviour and, after hearing from his father, granted him bail of €3,000 on a €100 bond. The court found no evidence of conspiracy to escape jurisdiction. The case remains pending.
In September 2014 the High Court in Dublin opened extradition proceedings against Ali Charaf Damache, a 49‑year‑old Algerian‑born Irish citizen. The United States seeks to charge him with conspiracy to provide material support for terrorists and attempted identity theft to facilitate an act of international terrorism. US prosecutors allege that Damache, who used the username "Theblackflag," conspired with American woman Colleen LaRose (online name "Jihad Jane") and others to create a terror cell in Europe capable of targeting US and western European citizens. They also claim he participated in a conspiracy to transfer a passport stolen from a US citizen to a person in Pakistan believed to be a member of Al Qaeda. LaRose was jailed in the US for ten years for a plot to murder Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks, and another alleged conspirator, Jamie Paulin Ramirez, was sentenced to eight years for providing material support to terrorists. Ali Charaf Damache pleaded guilty.
Daniel O'Neill, 21, was sentenced to six months in prison after a three‑hour stand‑off with Gardaí in which he armed himself with a cross‑bow and two bows, barricaded himself and his 18‑month‑old child inside a house, and threatened to kill. The incident followed a domestic dispute with his partner, who had requested Gardaí to retrieve the child from the house. O'Neill pleaded guilty to possession of a cross‑bow, threatening to kill, causing criminal damage to a superintendent's car on 2 May, and violent behaviour at Balbriggan Garda Station. He had six prior convictions and spent two months in Cloverhill awaiting High Court bail. The court found no psychiatric evidence and directed O'Neill to receive psychiatric treatment while in custody, though his solicitor argued the services were ineffective. The sentence was fixed for potential appeal.
A 35‑year‑old Dublin criminal, Alan Wilson, was found not guilty of murdering 18‑year‑old Roma teenager Marioara Rostas, who died of four gunshot wounds to the head in January 2008. The trial, held at the Central Criminal Court, lasted five weeks. Wilson, who had been serving a seven‑year sentence for a meat cleaver attack, was accused of killing Rostas at Brabazon Street, The Coombe, Dublin. Witnesses included Rostas' brother Dumitru, who saw her with a man in a car, and Fergus O'Hanlon, who later became a state witness. O'Hanlon testified that Wilson had brought him to a site where a dead girl was found, and that they buried her at Kippure. The jury deliberated 2 h 53 min and returned a unanimous not‑guilty verdict. Wilson showed no reaction and returned to prison to finish his sentence. The victim's family left with support staff. No one was convicted of the murder.
A 66-year-old man convicted of murder in England in 1977 will be extradited to the United Kingdom following a High Court decision, it was ruled on 2 August 2014. Anthony Craig, who escaped from an English prison and subsequently lived in counties Cork and Leitrim before relocating to south Dublin, was arrested in February 2013 on an extradition warrant. Mr Justice John Edwards determined that Craig's surrender was not prohibited, rejecting arguments raised by his legal team regarding preventative detention and the nature of mandatory life sentences. The judge distinguished Craig's case from previous jurisprudence on Imprisonment for Public Protection sentences, finding that UK mandatory life sentences are equivalent to their Irish counterparts. Craig will remain on bail until 8 September to allow his solicitors to review the judgment and consider pursuing an appeal to the Supreme Court. The bail conditions were tightened to require daily signing at Clondalkin Garda Station. Craig, who had served 28 years before his escape, has complied with bail requirements throughout proceedings.
The Central Criminal Court jury is deliberating the case of Alan Wilson, a 35‑year‑old Dublin man charged with the murder of 18‑year‑old Romanian teenager Marioara Rostas. The trial, which has lasted five weeks, recounts that Rostas was last seen begging at a Dublin City junction on 6 January 2008, after which her younger brother saw her enter a car that was driven away. Her body was discovered four years later in a shallow grave in the Dublin mountains, with four bullet wounds to the head. Wilson and his friend Fergus O'Hanlon were arrested in October 2008, but progress stalled until late 2011 when O'Hanlon, a convicted criminal with immunity, offered to help locate the body. He claimed to have found Rostas dead in his house on 8 January 2008, with Wilson holding a gun, and that he assisted in burying her and cleaning the scene. Alan Wilson pleaded not guilty.
Two men have received sentences totaling 15 years for their part in the killing of a man in Co. Kildare last year. Last week, Darren Wynne (21) was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his best friend Jamie Lindsay (20) who he shot in the face. Wynne of Ballyroe, Athy, Co. Kildare had pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to murdering Mr Lindsay at Coney Green, Coneyboro, Athy on April 6, 2013. Quentin Monaghan (21) of Tullamoy, Stradbally, Co. Laois and James Seery (21) of Canal Side, Athy who were also charged with the murder and were tried alongside Wynne but pleaded guilty to manslaughter during the trial. Today Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan sentenced Monaghan to eight years imprisonment with two suspended for the manslaughter. Mr Justice Sheehan sentenced Seery to seven years imprisonment with three suspended for the killing. Monaghan was sentenced to four years for firearms offences to run concurrently with the manslaughter sentence. Seery was sentenced to three years to run concurrently for firearm offences. Last week Mr Justice Sheehan sentenced Wynne to life in prison for the murder and adjourned sentencing for the firearms offences until November next when probation and psychological reports will be before the court. Although Wynne pleaded guilty to manslaughter during his trial the plea was not accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
James Connors, 27, of Rosemount, Drinagh, Co. Wexford, is accused of murdering Jason Ryan at Hollyville Heights, Wexford town, on 25 January 2012. He has been in custody with consent to bail. On 30 July 2014 the High Court, hearing an application from his lawyers, reduced the independent surety required and allowed Connors to be released on bail. His trial is scheduled for 30 November 2015. As part of his bail conditions he must sign daily at his local Garda station between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. and carry a mobile phone to contact Gardaí.
In a High Court hearing on 30 July 2014, Dean Evans, aged 22, was denied bail and remanded in custody. Evans, along with Edward McGrath (32) and Sharif Kelly (43), faces murder charges for the killing of dissident republican Peter Butterly, 35, at the Huntsman Inn in Gormanston, County Meath, on 6 March 2013. The trio were also charged with membership of an illegal organisation claiming to be the Irish Republican Army, or Oglaigh na hEireann, on the same date. Additionally, Evans and McGrath are accused of unlawfully possessing a 9mm calibre Beretta model 9000s semi‑automatic pistol and seven rounds of 9mm parabellum ammunition at their residence, and of possessing the same weapon and ammunition with intent to endanger life at the Huntsman Inn car park.
The Central Criminal Court jury will start deliberations on Thursday morning in the trial of Alan Wilson, 35, charged with the murder of 18‑year‑old Romanian teenager Marioara Rostas. Wilson pleaded not guilty. The case covers the period between January 7 and 8, 2008, when Rostas was last seen begging at a Dublin City junction and later found dead with four bullet wounds to the head in a shallow grave in the Dublin mountains. Wilson and his friend Fergus O'Hanlon were arrested in October 2008, but progress stalled until late 2011 when O'Hanlon, a convicted criminal with immunity, offered information. He claimed to have found Rostas dead in his house on January 8, helped Wilson bury her, and later cleaned the scene. O'Hanlon's testimony was described by the defence as a "master class in perjury," while the prosecution argued it was unreliable.
Tony Walsh, a former priest known as the "Singing Priest," was convicted of raping and sexually abusing boys during the 1970s and 1980s. In 2010 he received a 16‑year sentence for raping and abusing three schoolboys, and in 2012 an additional 15‑month sentence was added for abusing two other boys. Walsh, aged 60, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of indecent assault and buggery, and had previously been convicted in 1997 of abusing six victims, initially sentenced to ten years but reduced to six on appeal. He appealed both sentences, but the Court of Criminal Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice John Murray, rejected the appeals, stating that the trial judges acted within their discretion and that the offences were of "utmost gravity" and "appalling nature." The court found no error in principle in the sentencing decisions and refused leave to appeal.
In the Central Criminal Court, Michael O'Higgins SC criticised the State's main witness, claiming the jury received a "master class in perjury." He argued that Fergus O'Hanlon, a convicted criminal with immunity, only offered information about the 2008 murder of 18‑year‑old Romanian teenager Marioara Rostas after being questioned about another crime. O'Higgins said O'Hanlon had lied to Gardaí and in court, and that he had benefited from the Witness Protection Programme. He described O'Hanlon as domineering, violent, and uncontainable, and questioned whether he was involved in the murder or merely a conspirator. O'Higgins also noted that O'Hanlon had refused a formal identification parade, claiming fear of Alan Wilson, the accused. Judge Patrick McCarthy has now charged the jury of 10 men and 2 women before deliberations begin. Alan Wilson pleaded not guilty.
Three Dublin men – Edward McGrath (32), Dean Evans (22) and Sharif Kelly (43) – are set to stand trial at the Special Criminal Court on 30 September for the murder of Peter Butterly (35) in the car park of the Huntsman Inn, Gormanston, Co Meath, on 6 March 2013. The men were originally due to appear earlier but the case was adjourned because the prosecution and defence agreed it was not ready. The Director of Public Prosecution intends to call former co‑accused David Cullen (30), who was jailed for 3½ years for unlawful possession of a 9mm Beretta pistol at the same location, to give evidence against the three. David Cullen pleaded guilty.
In 2014 the Court of Criminal Appeal ruled that Martin Conmey's 1972 conviction for the manslaughter of Una Lynskey was a miscarriage of justice. Conmey, aged 63, had been jailed for three years in 1970 before being acquitted in 2010. The appeal court found that early witness statements favouring Conmey were withheld from the defence and were radically inconsistent with later statements. The court noted that no credible evidence established Conmey's involvement in a joint enterprise, a key element of the original case. Conmey's counsel argued that the state had never clarified his role in the killing and that no factual or scientific allegations were directed at him. The court therefore overturned the conviction, allowing Conmey to seek compensation for the miscarriage of justice. The ruling was delivered by Justices Hardiman, McGovern and White.
In the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution argued that the murder of 18‑year‑old Romanian teenager Marioara Rostas was a precise, pre‑planned execution rather than a crime of passion. Seán Gillane SC presented evidence that the victim had been taken by a car driver on January 6, 2008, and that the accused, 35‑year‑old Alan Wilson, owned the vehicle. He cited forensic findings of bullets matching the victim's head, the discovery of the body in a pre‑prepared grave on Brabazon Street, and the destruction of personal effects. The prosecution also highlighted testimony from Fergus O'Hanlon, who had assisted in burying the body and had been granted immunity. The defense, led by Michael O'Higgins SC, challenged the reliability of O'Hanlon's statements and the sole reliance on a single witness. The judge instructed the jury to consider the evidence presented before deciding on Wilson's guilt. Alan Wilson pleaded not guilty.
Edward Piotrowski, 48, from Edenderry, Offaly, was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury on 25 November 2007 of three counts of rape, one count of aggravated sexual assault and one count of false imprisonment of a woman. He was sentenced to five concurrent life sentences by Mr Justice Peter Charleton in January 2010. The life sentences were imposed for the rape, aggravated sexual assault and false imprisonment, and he also received concurrent terms of 10, five and 10 years for aggravated burglary, assault and false imprisonment of the man. Piotrowski denied the charges and pleaded guilty only to the assault charge. In April 2014 the Court of Criminal Appeal upheld his conviction, finding no legitimate basis for overturning the jury's decision. Piotrowski's counsel argued that the trial judge had not explained why an extraordinary five life sentences were warranted and that the sentence lacked proportionality. The appeal focused on the life sentences and whether they were appropriate.
A 30‑year‑old man, Gary Flynn, charged with the murder of Seamus (Shay) O'Byrne, was refused bail by Mr Justice Paul Carney at the Central Criminal Court. Flynn was remanded in custody and a trial has been scheduled for 11 January 2016.
In a Swords District Court hearing, Jacek Nawara, 36, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his housemate on Christmas Day 2012. The victim, still suffering dizziness and requiring ongoing GP care, has incurred €450 in medical bills and lost €2,800 in earnings after being unable to work for two months. Nawara was ordered to produce compensation and an up‑to‑date medical report, with the case adjourned to 20 October for further facts to be heard.
In a 2014 decision, the Court of Criminal Appeal quashed the life‑sentence of a 33‑year‑old man who had murdered a man he believed was having an affair with his wife. The appeal court found that the trial judge had incorrectly explained the law on provocation to the jury, creating a "very real risk of injustice." The judge had been asked to recharge the jury on the provocation question, but the court was not satisfied that this was adequately remedied. Consequently, the conviction was overturned and a retrial was ordered. The man, who had previously been sentenced to seven years for serious injury to his wife and two years for assault, was remanded in custody pending the next Central Criminal Court hearing. The case involved the murder of a 32‑year‑old man, Muhammad Arif, on 7 January 2011, and the alleged stabbing of Rashida Bibi Haider, who survived after surgery. The unnamed 33-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In July 2014 the Special Criminal Court set a trial date of 4 November for Nathan Killeen, 24, who has already been convicted of a 2008 murder and sentenced to life. Killeen is charged with killing 20‑year‑old James Cronin sometime between 5 and 7 April 2008 at an unknown location in the State. The defence applied for an adjournment, arguing that Killeen had just finished a long trial and had changed solicitors, and that a fair trial could not be guaranteed. The court rejected the request. Chief Superintendent David Sheehan warned that the prosecution's case relies heavily on a single witness who has been under Garda protection for over two years, and that extending the trial could pose a real risk to that witness. The judge agreed that an adjournment could endanger the witness's safety and refused the application.
A 41-year-old man from Tullyallen, Drogheda has voluntarily surrendered to Northern Irish authorities following his arrest here in June on a European Arrest Warrant. Edward McDonagh appeared before the High Court in connection with 11 alleged offences committed in July and August 2010 across Armagh and Tyrone. The allegations centre on a series of farm burglaries during which a sledge hammer was reportedly used to assault a farmer. A vehicle was also allegedly stolen during the incident. Gardaí in Monaghan observed two men who subsequently crossed the border, leading to arrests at premises in Crossmaglen where false identification was allegedly provided. Two of the charges against McDonagh carry potential sentences of 14 years imprisonment in the North, relating to burglary and concealing criminal property. Mr Justice John Edwards granted the order for surrender, with an application noted to postpone the extradition until after completion of a separate sentence currently being served domestically.
During the murder trial of Alan Wilson, the solicitor Bridget Rouse testified that a man who claimed to have helped dispose of the body of 18‑year‑old Marioara Rostas had offered to give a statement against Wilson, even though he could be charged. Rouse explained that she was approached by Gardaí on 3 January 2012 and advised that any immunity would only be considered after a formal statement. She confirmed that she had no memory of details beyond the memo. She also clarified that Gardaí had destroyed notes of meetings with Fergus O'Hanlon, who had requested information about his post‑trial status. The defence concluded its evidence, and the judge instructed the jury to return on Monday. The trial remains at the evidence‑gathering stage. Alan Wilson pleaded not guilty.
During the trial of a Dublin man charged with the murder of 18‑year‑old Marioara Rostas, a Garda involved in the Witness Protection Programme testified that notes of meetings with the main witness were destroyed. The accused, Alan Wilson, 35, pleaded not guilty to the murder that occurred at O'Hanlon's house on Brabazon Street in January 2008. Wilson's former friend, Fergus O'Hanlon, 37, testified that he found Rostas with a hole in her forehead and Wilson holding a gun. O'Hanlon, who was granted immunity, helped bury the body. A detective sergeant, not named due to his WPP role, said he had taken keyword notes of meetings with O'Hanlon in June 2013 and that these notes were destroyed after transcription, replaced by more comprehensive documents. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of ten men and two women.
In a High Court hearing, Mr Francis Lanigan, aged 49, is awaiting a decision on whether to extradite him to Northern Ireland for the 1998 murder of John Knocker. Lanigan was arrested in Dublin in January 2013 on an extradition warrant and claims that surrendering him would pose a "significant risk to his life." He has been remanded in custody and is represented by Dr Michael Forde SC, who argues that evidence of risk is inadmissible and that the UK's detention plans should be excluded. The court has heard that Lanigan used a false name and has worked as a self‑employed barber. Justice Deirdre Murphy has reserved judgment until September, after which the court will decide whether to extradite Lanigan. The case remains at the extradition stage, with no verdict or sentencing yet.
During the trial of Alan Wilson, charged with the 2008 murder of 18‑year‑old Romanian teenager Maria Rostas, Detective Superintendent JJ Keane denied that the State's main witness, Fergus O'Hanlon, received preferential treatment or immunity in exchange for his statement. Keane testified that O'Hanlon had not been offered any deals and that no immunity was mentioned at any stage. He also confirmed that O'Hanlon had received a suspended sentence for earlier District Court offences after a superintendent informed the judge of his assistance in the murder investigation. Keane's cross‑examination was conducted by Michael O'Higgins SC, and the trial proceeded before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy with a jury of ten men and two women. The case remains at the trial stage. Alan Wilson pleaded not guilty.
Darren Wynne (21) of Ballyroe, Athy, was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Jamie Lindsay (20) at Coney Green, Athy, on April 6, 2013. Wynne, who pleaded not guilty, was found guilty by a unanimous jury after a trial at the Central Criminal Court. He was also convicted of possession of a sawn-off shotgun and ammunition with intent to endanger life. Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan adjourned sentencing for these firearms offences until November, pending probation and psychological reports. Although Wynne pleaded guilty to manslaughter during the trial, the plea was not accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Quentin Monaghan (21) of Stradbally and James Seery (21) of Canal Side, Athy, were tried alongside Wynne. Both men pleaded guilty to manslaughter and possession of a sawn-off shotgun and cartridges in suspicious circumstances. Their pleas were accepted by the DPP. Mr Justice Sheehan remanded Monaghan and Seery in custody, and their sentencing is scheduled for July 31. The court heard evidence that Wynne shot Mr Lindsay in the face with a sawn-off shotgun. Monaghan and Seery were alleged to have been part of a joint enterprise, with Seery texting the victim to approach the scene. A victim impact statement from the deceased's sister described the family's heartbreak.
In the trial of Alan Wilson for the 2008 murder of 18‑year‑old Marioara Rostas, the State's main witness, Fergus O'Hanlon, 37, denied hating Wilson and said he helped dispose of the body because he was "dead if he didn't". O'Hanlon, a convicted criminal, was granted immunity and testified that he arrived home on 8 January 2008 to find Rostas with a hole in her forehead and Wilson holding a gun. He said he had never seen the girl before, felt sick, but followed Wilson's instructions to bury the body in the Dublin Mountains and clean the scene. O'Hanlon denied ever saying he would "f**k him over" and denied making any deal for his immunity. The trial continues before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of ten men and two women. Fergus O'Hanlon pleaded not guilty. Alan Wilson pleaded not guilty.
Darren Wynne, 21, of Ballyroe, Athy, Co. Kildare, was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Jamie Lindsay, 20, at Coney Green, Athy, on April 6, 2013. Wynne had pleaded not guilty to murder but was found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court. He was also convicted of possession of a sawn-off shotgun and ammunition with intent to endanger life. Although Wynne pleaded guilty to manslaughter during the trial, the Director of Public Prosecutions did not accept the plea. Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan sentenced Wynne to life for the murder and adjourned sentencing for the firearms offences until November next, pending probation and psychological reports. Two co-accused, Quentin Monaghan, 21, of Stradbally, Co. Laois, and James Seery, 21, of Athy, were rearraigned during the trial. Both pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, and also pleaded guilty to possession of a sawn-off shotgun and cartridges in suspicious circumstances. These pleas were accepted by the DPP. Monaghan and Seery will be sentenced later. The court heard evidence that Wynne shot Mr Lindsay in the right eye at close range. Wynne claimed self-defence, alleging threats over missing cannabis and threats against his grandmother. The State argued the group intended to scare Mr Lindsay. Wynne's defence raised provocation and accidental discharge. The matter regarding the firearms charges remains adjourned.
In the trial of Alan Wilson for the 2008 murder of 18‑year‑old Marioara Rostas, the State's main witness, Fergus O'Hanlon, denied that he resembled a composite photofit of the driver of the Ford Mondeo seen with the victim. O'Hanlon, who has immunity, testified that he arrived at Wilson's home on 8 January 2008 to find Rostas with a hole in her forehead and Wilson holding a gun. He claimed he helped bury her body in the Dublin Mountains and cleaned the scene. During cross‑examination, the defence barrister showed O'Hanlon a composite photograph and a photo of him, suggesting a close resemblance. O'Hanlon rejected the comparison, stating the likeness was poor. He also explained a mark on his cheek, noting it could be due to lack of sleep, and denied picking up the victim. The cross‑examination continued on Tuesday before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of ten men and two women. Fergus O'Hanlon pleaded not guilty. Alan Wilson pleaded not guilty.
In 2011, Dean O'Brien, aged 28, was convicted by a Galway Circuit Criminal Court jury of assault causing serious harm after an unprovoked attack on bank worker Mr Barry Mannion. O'Brien, driving a car with passengers, revved the engine and beaded the horn at a group outside a takeaway. An altercation ensued, and O'Brien threw beer bottles at a man who had tried to calm the situation. O'Brien then punched Mannion, splitting his lip and causing severe head injuries that left Mannion in a coma for two weeks and required a titanium plate in his skull. The victim could not return to work. O'Brien's eight‑year sentence was reduced by 18 months on appeal, with the suspended portion to be served under probation supervision. The court noted the assault was spontaneous, unpremeditated, and without a weapon. The judge highlighted the severe, life‑changing injuries to the victim and the high risk of reoffending. Dean O'Brien pleaded not guilty.
In 2009, John Paul Buck, aged 34, was sentenced to life imprisonment by Mr Justice George Birmingham after a Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty of fatally stabbing 30‑year‑old Fergus Roche in a vacant house on 1 October 2005. The jury also convicted Buck of arson, for which a concurrent five‑year sentence was imposed. The post‑mortem revealed Roche died from a single chest wound before the fire, indicating he was stabbed while asleep. Buck denied involvement, but Detective Garda Larry Bergin testified that Buck confessed to the murder in August 2006 during a patrol‑car interview, describing Roche as his "best friend". The appeal, presented by Mr Michael Delaney SC, argued that the confession was improperly admitted, that the search of Buck's home was inadmissible, and that media coverage of an alleged escape attempt by Buck's brother had prejudiced the jury. The Court of Criminal Appeal reserved judgement on the appeal.
The Central Criminal Court heard that six months of CCTV footage are available in the murder case of Graham Dwyer, a 41‑year‑old south Dublin architect charged with killing childcare worker Elaine O'Hara, 37, on 22 August 2012. Mr Dwyer was present in court. Defence counsel Ronan Kennedy BL applied for a second junior counsel; the judge agreed. The case contains 540 witness statements, 408 witnesses, seven volumes of evidence, 925 exhibits and five terabytes of computer data. The trial is scheduled to start 19 January next year and is expected to last six weeks.
Lounes Ouachek, 44, of St Dominic's Terrace, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to attempting to murder his wife, Ruta Ouachek, 35, by striking her on the head with a kettle bell on 23 August 2012. The court heard the couple's marriage had deteriorated after he lost his job and she began an engineering degree, and that he resented her independence. The assault left her with skull and facial fractures, motor and sensory deficits, and required surgery at Tallaght and Beaumont Hospitals. Ouachek fled the scene, left the house, and later travelled to Tunisia via Paris, leaving his wife injured for nine hours. He was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment with three years suspended, backdated to 14 February 2013, and ordered to stay away from his wife and undergo 18 months of post‑release supervision. The judge noted his guilty plea, lack of prior convictions, and foreign nationality as mitigating factors. The sentence reflects the callous and brutal nature of the crime.
Fergus O'Hanlon, a former friend of Alan Wilson, gave evidence in the trial of Wilson for the murder of 18‑year‑old Marioara Rostas. O'Hanlon, who has immunity, described how Wilson allegedly "danced" on Rostas' body after dumping it in a hole in the Dublin Mountains. He recounted that Wilson, armed with a rifle, had taken the body from a bedroom, wrapped it in plastic, and transported it in a Ford Mondeo. O'Hanlon said Wilson began digging a hole, placed the body inside, and stood on it several times. He also claimed Wilson had removed the body from a green bag and pushed it into the hole. O'Hanlon's testimony was cross‑examined by Michael O'Higgins SC, who questioned his past convictions, violent conduct, and alleged threats. The trial continues before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of ten men and two women.
A man accused of murdering an elderly patient at Cavan General Hospital has pleaded guilty to manslaughter at the Central Criminal Court. Ian Harman, aged fifty, of Carrickallen, Mountain Lodge, Cootehill, changed his plea during trial proceedings regarding the death of Michael Treanor, an eighty-two-year-old man, on June 27th, 2011 at the hospital's psychiatric unit in Lisdarn. The Director of Public Prosecutions accepted the manslaughter plea under Section 6 of the Criminal Law Insanity Act, which permits a finding of manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility. Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan discharged the jury and remanded Harman in custody pending sentencing scheduled for October 6th. The defence had argued Harman was suffering from a mental illness following the abrupt withdrawal of anti-psychotic medication after his admission as a voluntary patient. Medical evidence was presented regarding whether this withdrawal caused a psychiatric condition affecting his culpability for the killing. Ian Harman pleaded not guilty.
In 2014, the Criminal Court of Appeal reduced the sentences of Aurelius Zrielskies (39) and Gintautas Bagdonas (35), both Lithuanian, who had kidnapped and violently assaulted an addict in May 2010 over a €2,200 drug debt. The original trial had sentenced them to 12 years' imprisonment for false imprisonment, with two years suspended, and four years for assault. The appeal court found the judge had erred in the false imprisonment sentence, deeming a 10‑year term more appropriate. The final three years of the original sentence were suspended, and both men were required to serve an 18‑month probationary period after release. The appeal did not alter the assault convictions, which remained at four years each. The case highlighted the severity of the kidnapping and assault, as described by Garda Inspector Michael Coppinger and the DPP's counsel.
In July 2012, three Lithuanian men – Edgaras Jurosiuniuys (24), Liutauras Meskauskas (27) and Andrius Bareikis (33) – carried out an armed robbery at Bramleys jewellers in Carlow. They entered with lump hammers, pepper spray and imitation hand guns, stole jewellery worth about €20,000 and fled in a Fiat Punto. The owner, Pat Bramley, was sprayed with pepper gas during the raid. The men were arrested shortly after and the stolen items were recovered near the motorway to Dublin. Judge Teehan sentenced Jurosiuniuys to five years for robbery and two years for assault, to run consecutively, and Meskauskas and Bareikis to seven years each. On appeal, the Criminal Court of Appeal reduced Jurosiuniuys's robbery term by one year and made it run concurrently with the assault term, giving him one year less in jail. Meskauskas and Bareikis each had one year cut from their seven‑year sentences. No portion of any sentence was suspended.
Closing speeches are scheduled to take place in the trial of a man accused of murdering a pensioner at a psychiatric unit in Co. Cavan. Ian Harman, aged 50, of Carrickallen, has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to the murder of Michael Treanor, aged 81, at the Psychiatric Unit of Cavan General Hospital on 27 June 2011. The defence has submitted that the accused accepts he caused the death but argues his responsibility was severely diminished due to akathisia, a condition allegedly resulting from the abrupt withdrawal of anti-psychotic medication while he was an inpatient. Expert witnesses for the defence have testified that this inner restlessness affected his mental state and behaviour. The prosecution's consultant psychiatrist disputed this assertion, stating there is no evidence that the medication's withdrawal causes akathisia. The court heard the trial is now in its final stages, with both legal teams due to present closing arguments.
In the trial of Alan Wilson, 35, charged with the murder of 18‑year‑old Romanian teenager Marioara Rostas, the judge, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, apologised to the jury for a delay that had pushed proceedings beyond the expected four‑week period. The jury had been absent for more than a fortnight while complex legal matters were addressed. Mr Wilson, who pleaded not guilty, was accused of killing Rostas at a house on Brabazon Street, The Coombe, between 7 and 8 January 2008. The teenager had vanished from Dublin city centre on 6 January, and her body was discovered in a shallow grave on the Wicklow border four years later, with four bullet wounds to the head. Mr Justice McCarthy explained that the delay was due to legal issues that required discussion in the jury's absence and that a bill was being considered to prevent such delays in future trials.
Kieran Ryan (29), of Craeval Park, Moyross, had his eight-year sentence for the possession of a Browning semi-automatic pistol and 15 rounds of 9mm ammunition reduced to seven years by the Court of Criminal Appeal. The court found an error in principle in the trial judge's assessment of the offence's seriousness and the excessive deduction for his guilty plea. Ryan, who pleaded guilty, was originally sentenced in July 2010 by Judge Carroll Moran at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court for possessing the firearm at Carrigmartin, Ballyneety. The appeal court determined that the maximum starting point should have been nine to ten years, with a justified reduction of two to two-and-a-half years for mitigating factors, resulting in a final sentence of seven years. The court noted that while the offence involved serious criminality, there was no evidence Ryan intended to use the weapon. His brother, Eddie Ryan (31), of College Avenue, Moyross, was sentenced to six years for the same offence. However, Eddie Ryan was subsequently released from the Four Courts after Mr Justice Max Barrett found his continued detention unlawful under Rule 59 of the 2007 Prison Rules. Kieran Ryan is the son of Eddie Ryan Snr, who was shot dead in the Moose Bar in Limerick in November 2000. The appeal court substituted the original sentence, concluding that a reduction of more than two years could not be justified given Ryan's serious previous conviction for violent crime.
In 2014, a Limerick man, Adam Fitzgibbon, aged 20, was sentenced to fifteen years for an unprovoked, sustained, and vicious attack that left a 16‑year‑old schoolboy with permanent brain damage. CCTV showed Fitzgibbon delivering 65 kicks, 26 punches, and multiple stamps to the victim's head, chest, and body, continuing the assault after the boy had stopped moving. The Central Criminal Court accepted a plea of intentionally causing serious harm, and Mr Justice Paul Carney imposed a fifteen‑year sentence with the final three years suspended. On appeal, the Court of Criminal Appeal reduced the sentence to nine‑and‑a‑half years, citing mitigating factors such as Fitzgibbon's young age, difficult background, substance‑abuse history, and attempts to address these issues. The reduction was based on a sentencing analysis that placed the offence at the upper end of the range for similar cases.
At the Central Criminal Court, a defence psychiatrist has testified that a man charged with murdering an elderly patient at Cavan General Hospital was unable to refrain from killing due to the withdrawal of anti-psychotic medication. Ian Harman, aged fifty, from Carrigallen in County Cavan, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael Treanor at the psychiatric unit on 27 June 2011. Consultant psychiatrist Dr Bob Johnson told the court that Mr Harman's olanzapine medication was discontinued upon admission, causing akathisia, a distressing condition characterised by severe restlessness. Dr Johnson stated that Mr Harman's responsibility for the killing was not merely diminished but destroyed. A clinical pharmacologist also gave evidence for the defence, asserting that Mr Harman should not have been prescribed the medication in the first place. The prosecution challenged these assertions during cross-examination. The trial before Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan continues.
At the Central Criminal Court, a psychiatric nurse testified that Ian Harman (50), from Carrickallen, Co Cavan, appeared calm and composed following an incident at Cavan General Hospital's psychiatric unit. Harman has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael Treanor on June 27, 2011. Nurse Ciaran Boyle told the court that when he encountered Harman in the smoking room after discovering the elderly patient deceased, Harman stated he had killed Treanor "because he was an easy target". Boyle described Harman's demeanour as "quite nonchalant and relaxed". A second nurse, Laura Owens, testified that Treanor, who suffered from Alzheimer's dementia, was found in his room with a pillow removed from his head, and that CPR proved unsuccessful. The defence has indicated Harman accepts responsibility for Treanor's death but contests his state of mind at the time. The trial before Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan continues.
In 2010 a man was convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of rape, buggery and 44 counts of indecent assault against his two daughters, aged between five and eleven. He was sentenced to concurrent terms totalling two and a half years, two years of post‑release supervision and registration on the sex offenders' register. The daughters, who could not be named, described the abuse as devastating and called the father "evil." The man, now in his eighties and released from prison, maintains his innocence and claims his conviction is unsafe. He appealed to the Court of Criminal Appeal, which dismissed the appeal, and then sought to have the Supreme Court consider his case. The Supreme Court, sitting with three judges, found no point of law of exceptional public importance and refused to refer the appeal. The judges noted that other legal avenues remain available to the appellant.
Wayne Dundon (36) and Nathan Killeen (24) were sentenced to life imprisonment at the Special Criminal Court after being found guilty of murdering Roy Collins, a 35-year-old father of two. The court found that Dundon, of Lenihan Avenue, Prospect, ordered the murder from prison, while Killeen, of Hyde Road, Prospect, acted as the getaway driver for gunman James Dillon. Both defendants had previously pleaded not guilty to the charges. The victim was shot in the chest while operating Coin Castle Amusements at Roxboro Road Shopping Centre in Limerick on April 9, 2009. Following the sentencing, Roy Collins' father, Steve Collins, stated that his family might return to Ireland now that the perpetrators are jailed. He described the ten-year legal process as a nightmare that has finally ended, expressing gratitude to the gardai, the legal team, and the public for their support. Collins emphasized that his family had been forced into exile and protected by bulletproof vests due to threats from criminal gangs. He encouraged others in similar situations to trust the justice system rather than succumb to criminal pressure, noting that the diligence of the gardai and the credibility of witness testimony were crucial to securing this outcome. The matter was concluded with the imposition of life sentences on both accused.
Wayne Dundon and Nathan Killeen were sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Roy Collins. Both defendants pleaded not guilty to killing the 35-year-old father of two, who was engaged to be married. Following a 29-day trial at the Special Criminal Court, the three-judge panel found them guilty. Ms Justice Iseult O'Malley, presiding, imposed the mandatory life sentence, backdating it to February 2013 when they were charged. The court accepted evidence that Dundon ordered the killing from prison, while Killeen served as the getaway driver. Steve Collins, the victim's father and an applicant in the proceedings, delivered an emotional victim impact statement, stating he was the intended target due to a previous successful prosecution against Dundon. The court relied on testimony from Anthony McCarthy, who stated Dundon admitted to ordering the murder, and forensic evidence linking Killeen to the scene. The defence challenged the credibility of witnesses, but the judges found the evidence coherent. This conclusion ended the first trial heard by three female judges in the jurisdiction.
A psychiatric registrar at Cavan General Hospital told the Central Criminal Court that he had worked 77 hours when he was alerted to a death on the psychiatric unit on 27 June 2011. Dr Akindele Serinmade said his shift, which began on 24 June, was nearing completion when he was informed of the incident. He gave evidence that he had prescribed sleeping medication to the accused over the telephone after nursing staff reported concerns about the patient's distress and insomnia. Dr Serinmade described a brief consultation with the accused at 10.35pm on 26 June, noting that the patient's previously prescribed anti-psychotic medication had been recently discontinued. The doctor said he prescribed an alternative sleeping tablet before returning to rest. He was contacted at 6.44am the following morning to inform him of the alleged killing. Ian Harman, aged 50, of Carrickallen in County Cavan, has pleaded not guilty to murder at the Central Criminal Court.
A 44‑year‑old Algerian man, Lounes Ouachek, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to attempting to murder his wife, Ruta Ouachek, by striking her on the head with a kettle bell on 23 August 2012. The court heard that the couple's marriage had deteriorated after he lost his job and she began an engineering degree. After the attack, Ms Ouachek fled the house, drove to Dublin airport and left for Tunisia, leaving her injured. She was found unconscious on the bathroom floor by a neighbour and taken to Tallaght Hospital, where she suffered a complex skull fracture and later transferred to Beaumont Hospital for surgery. Ms Ouachek sustained bruising, motor and sensory deficits, and continues to suffer physical and psychological effects. The court remanded Ouachek in custody and adjourned sentencing to the following Monday.