In a 2014 trial, Vesel Jahiri, a Louth Village resident originally from Kosovo, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Anna Finnegan and to assault causing harm to her brother Karl. The case centred on a ten‑year relationship that had deteriorated, with Finnegan and Jahiri having two children. On 21 September 2012, Finnegan was stabbed in the chest and head after Jahiri allegedly burst into the house with a knife. Jahiri claimed Karl produced the knives and that Finnegan was injured while trying to stop her brother. Witnesses, including Anna's cousin Brian Conlon, testified about text messages and alleged threats, but Conlon denied any plot to "wipe out" Jahiri. DNA and fingerprint evidence linked the knife to Jahiri, and a post‑mortem confirmed a fatal single stab wound. The case proceeded before a jury under Mr Justice Paul McDermott.
Three men appeared before the Central Criminal Court charged with the murder of a 20-year-old man in County Kildare in April 2013. James Seery, aged 21, of Athy, Quentin Monaghan, aged 21, of Stradbally in County Laois, and Darren Wynne, aged 21, also of Athy, all pleaded not guilty to murdering Jamie Lindsay at Coney Green, Coneyboro. Mr Wynne additionally faced a charge of possession of a sawn-off shotgun and ammunition with intent to endanger life, to which he pleaded not guilty. However, he entered a guilty plea to possession of a sawn-off shotgun and cartridges in suspicious circumstances on the same date. The trial was adjourned after Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan noted that a juror had become unwell. The jury was directed to reconvene on Monday, with proceedings expected to continue for three to four weeks.
At Balbriggan District Court, applicant Maria Covaci sought to withdraw an assault allegation against her partner, defendant Ioan Lucaciu. Lucaciu, 22, of Dublin Street, Balbriggan, is alleged to have assaulted Ms. Covaci at their home on June 10th. Ms. Covaci told Judge Dermot Dempsey she wished to withdraw the complaint because, as a Pentecostal, she believed making a complaint against her partner was against her religion and she did not want to be punished by God. Judge Dempsey clarified that she was merely making a complaint, not punishing him, and that the court would impose any penalty. Detective Garda Keith Horgan questioned why she had previously made allegations. Ms. Covaci reiterated her religious objection. Judge Dempsey also questioned Pasture Valentine Govinchi, who stated he was there to give a good reference and that God would be angry with Lucaciu. When asked if he would take responsibility for more serious assaults, Mr. Govinchi said he would explain how to be a couple. Judge Dempsey described the case as "very peculiar" and granted Ms. Covaci's request to withdraw the allegation, warning that any further alleged assaults would be on their own heads. He also refused Lucaciu's solicitor's request for legal aid, stating they wanted to avail of State finances but not the prosecution of the State.
In the Special Criminal Court, two Limerick men, Wayne Dundon (36) and Nathan Killeen (24), pleaded not guilty to the murder of businessman Roy Collins, 35, on 9 April 2009. Collins was shot once in the chest by gunman James Dillon while at Coin Castle Amusements. Dundon allegedly directed the murder from Wheatfield Prison, Killeen was the getaway driver, and Dillon fired the shot. A prison officer testified that Dundon and his cousin, Anthony 'Noddy' McCarthy, were non‑working members of a paint party at Wheatfield Prison, spending more than four hours daily in a cell chatting with each other while other inmates worked or were locked in their cells. The court heard that this arrangement was unusual and that Dundon had previously been sentenced to 10 years for threatening to kill Ryan Lee. The trial is before three judges presided by Ms Justice Iseult O'Malley.
In a 2014 Central Criminal Court hearing, Maurice Power, aged 31, was found guilty of murdering his childhood friend Shane Rossiter, 30, in October 2012. Power denied the murder but admitted to a long‑standing feud, including a stabbing seven years earlier. He claimed fear for his family and himself. The trial, lasting four weeks, included Power's full confession after his arrest on 11 December 2012. Pathologist Marie Cassidy described shotgun entry wounds to Rossiter's chest and abdomen, with no exit wounds, causing fatal internal injuries. The jury, composed of seven women and five men, deliberated over two days and returned a guilty verdict by 11 to 1. Justice Deirdre Murphy sentenced Power to life imprisonment. The impact statement by Rossiter's sister, Jenna, highlighted the sudden loss of a brother and the profound grief felt by the family.
Balbriggan District Court heard several cases during its recent sittings. Richard Devine (21) had his case struck out after he admitted to assaulting Shane Christy and causing criminal damage to his car in Rush, Co Dublin on May 3rd, 2013. Devine, who was drunk at the time, paid €800 in compensation and completed 200 hours of voluntary work. Judge Dermot Dempsey accepted these actions and struck the case out. Pat Dwyer (60) pleaded guilty to driving while under the influence of alcohol at Miller's Lane in Skerries on December 22nd, 2013. He was fined €400 and disqualified from driving for three years. Eoin Maguire (29), Cornelius Price (32), and Edward Price (24) were remanded on continuing bail to re-appear before the court on July 17th when they are expected to be served with the Books of Evidence. They are charged with assault causing harm to Clifford Whitehouse and James Whitehouse, and production of a Stanley knife on December 20th, 2013. Cornelius Price and Edward Price are also charged with reckless endangerment of a garda at Balbriggan Garda Station on December 22nd, 2013. Thomas O'Donnell (24), Michael O'Brien (18), and Brian Stokes (21) were remanded on continuing bail for charges of unauthorized carriage in a car. Salius Peciulaitis (30) pleaded guilty to driving without insurance, driving while disqualified, and drink driving at Dublin Street in Balbriggan, as well as violent behaviour at Balbriggan Garda Station on February 22nd. He was given a four-month suspended sentence, disqualified from driving for six years, and fined €750. Neil Phipps (28) was remanded on continuing bail for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions regarding an alleged assault causing harm to Brian Cranny.
In a murder trial held on 5 June 2014, Vesel Jahiri pleaded not guilty to the killing of Anna Finnegan and to assaulting her brother Karl. The court heard that Jahiri and Finnegan had a ten‑year relationship that had deteriorated, and that they had two children. According to Karl, after putting the children to bed, he and Finnegan were having tea when Jahiri burst in with a knife. An altercation ensued, during which Finnegan was stabbed in the chest and head; she fled, ran to a neighbour, and collapsed on the roadside. Dr Hilary Clarke testified that Finnegan's DNA was found on a knife's tip, which was slightly bent and had a broken piece. The knife's blood matched Karl's. Detective James O'Hora confirmed that two knives found in the kitchen sink were not fingerprint‑examined. Detective James Cunningham examined the knife with Finnegan's blood and found a left‑hand fingerprint on the blade but none on the handle.
In the Special Criminal Court, Wayne Dundon (36) and Nathan Killeen (24) pleaded not guilty to the murder of 35‑year‑old Roy Collins, who was shot in the chest at Coin Castle Amusements on 9 April 2009. The prosecution alleges Dundon directed the killing from prison, Killeen was the getaway driver, and James Dillon fired the shot. The main witness, 31‑year‑old Gareth Collins, claims Dundon offered him €20,000 to participate, but Collins repeatedly refused. Detective Garda John Farmer, cross‑examined by Dundon's barrister, said he had taken Collins' statement in 2011 but did not know the content of the conversation. Farmer also admitted he was unaware that Dundon was in custody on 29 November 2002, the date of the earlier Brian Fitzgerald murder, and that Collins had not yet given a statement on that case. The trial continues on 16 June before three judges.
In a murder trial, the accused, Vesel Jahiri, pleaded not guilty to killing Anna Finnegan and assaulting her brother Karl. The court heard that a fingerprint from Jahiri's left forefinger was found on the blade of the knife that caused Finnegan's fatal wounds, but no smudge was found on the handle. Detective Garda James Cunningham confirmed the mark was about one‑and‑a‑half to two inches from the handle's edge, pointing toward the sharp end. No fingerprints were found on black‑handled knives at Jahiri's residence, and the detective had not examined knives from the kitchen sink. Dr Arun Khan noted abrasions on Jahiri's left thumb and face. The case was set to continue before a jury presided by Mr Justice Paul McDermott.
The Central Criminal Court jury began deliberations on the murder of Shane Rossiter, a 29‑year‑old Tipperary resident, by Maurice Power, 31, of Dranganbeg. Power pleaded not guilty. Justice Deirdre Murphy explained that the case hinges on Power's 2012 confession to gardai, noting that jurors must assess its reliability and any independent confirmation. She highlighted circumstantial evidence linking Power to the black Audi used in the crime, including CCTV showing him refuelling the vehicle. The defence argued the confession was unreliable due to repeated off‑camera interactions and inconsistencies in Power's account, such as differing distances to the shots fired. Pathologist Marie Cassidy had identified two shotgun wounds at varying ranges. The jury, after over two and a half hours, requested to view the confession interview and CCTV footage before concluding. The trial remains at the deliberation stage.
John Biggins, a 35-year-old man from Claremorris, County Mayo, was ordered by the Central Criminal Court to return to the Central Mental Hospital following his acquittal. Biggins had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of his father, Thomas Biggins, who was shot twice with a shotgun at their home in May 2012. The jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity after a two-day trial. Consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Sally Lenihan testified that Biggins, who has chronic schizophrenia, has made good progress in rehabilitation but requires ongoing specialist care. She recommended his return to the hospital, a recommendation accepted by Mr Justice Paul Carney. Defence expert Dr Paul O'Connell had previously stated that Biggins suffered from psychotic symptoms and paranoid delusions, fulfilling criteria under the Mental Insanity Act. The court noted that Biggins was diagnosed with severe schizophrenia and mild intellectual disability. The judge issued the order based on the psychiatric recommendations, ensuring the defendant continues to receive the necessary specialist treatment for his condition.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 3 June 2014, Vesel Jahiri pleaded not guilty to the murder of Anna Finnegan and to assault causing harm to her brother Karl. The case centred on a 10‑year relationship that had deteriorated, with two children involved. According to Karl Finnegan, Anna and he were having tea when Jahiri burst in with a knife, stabbing Anna in the chest and head. Jahiri claimed Karl produced the knives and that Anna was injured while trying to stop him. Gardaí interviews revealed Jahiri denied using the knife that killed Finnegan and insisted the knives found at his address were not from the same set. He also denied stabbing Finnegan, stating "about 30% of the case was not true." The trial was adjourned for a week, and the case was set to continue with a jury of ten.
In a Special Criminal Court murder trial, Limerick businessman Roy Collins, aged 35, died from a single gunshot wound to his chest, liver, aorta and inferior vena cava on 9 April 2009 at Coin Castle Amusements. The court heard medical evidence that Collins was at work around noon when a gunman fired a single shot, after which paramedic Damien Gaumont found him on all fours, breathing poorly, and transported him to University Hospital, Limerick. Dr Cathal O'Donnell confirmed Collins was conscious upon arrival but could not be revived, pronouncing him dead at 12:55. State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy's post‑mortem report identified the bullet's entry and exit points and the organs damaged. The accused, Nathan Killeen (24) and Wayne Dundon (36), pleaded not guilty; Killeen was alleged to have been the getaway driver, Dundon the mastermind, and James Dillon the gunman. The trial continues before three judges.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Judge Deirdre Murphy began her charge to a jury of twelve about Maurice Power, 31, who denies murder. Power is accused of firing two shots at Shane Rossiter, 29, on 17 October 2012 in Tipperary, allegedly causing fatal injuries. The trial proceeds with the jury set to deliberate tomorrow. Maurice Power pleaded not guilty.
In 2014 the Court of Criminal Appeal dismissed a man's appeal against his 2010 conviction for indecent assault on his daughter. The man, whose name is withheld, had been out on bail since June 2010. He had been convicted by a jury of four counts of indecent assault committed in the early 1980s, including one on Halloween night in his car. The original sentence was six years, with the final three years suspended on conditions. The appeal argued that evidence presented to the jury was inadmissible, that inconsistencies in the prosecution's case made the conviction unsafe, and that the judge's charge to the jury was inadequate. The appeal court rejected all grounds, finding no error in the judge's charge or in the admissibility of the evidence. The man will now serve approximately two years in prison, including time off for remission. The unnamed man was acquitted.
In a Tipperary murder trial, the jury heard closing speeches on the case of Maurice Power, 31, accused of shooting Shane Rossiter, 29, on 17 October 2012. Prosecutor Anthony Sammon SC urged the jury that the evidence was compelling, citing circumstantial facts such as Power's car seen "burning in a bog," the disposal of his mobile phone, and his own statements to Gardaí about shooting Rossiter twice. He highlighted a detailed confession recorded in Interview Seven, describing Power as relaxed and uncoerced. Defence counsel Dominic McGinn SC challenged the reliability of the confession, arguing that Power's relaxed demeanor did not prove truthfulness and that inconsistencies existed between his account and forensic evidence. He questioned the Gardaí interview process and the lack of a recovered firearm, suggesting the confession alone was insufficient to prove guilt. The jury, composed of seven women and five men, will return next Tuesday for deliberation under Justice Deirdre Murphy. Maurice Power pleaded not guilty.
Philip Dunne, a 29‑year‑old wheelchair user, was convicted after a night of reckless driving and violent conduct. On 14 November 2013 he was driving a BMW 5‑series at excessive speed on Lower Main Street, Rush, lost control and crashed into a parking metre, causing €4,000 in damage. He threatened a good Samaritan, Patrick Butterly, and, when Gardaí arrived, threatened and attempted to strike them with his wheelchair. Dunne pleaded guilty to careless driving, criminal damage, threatening and abusive behaviour and Section 2 assault. A charge of failing to give a blood sample was struck out. Judge Dermot Dempsey fined him €300 for careless driving, €100 for assault, €100 for threatening behaviour, and disqualified him from driving for three months. He also paid €4,000 in compensation to Fingal County Council for the damage. The case was heard at Balbriggan District Court.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, Vera McGrath, aged 65, pleaded guilty to materially assisting the killer of her husband, Bernard Brian McGrath, who was 43 at the time of his death. The offence involved the disposal of evidence linked to Bernard's manslaughter at Lower Coole, Westmeath, committed by Colin Pinder between 16 March and 18 April 1987. Mr Justice Paul Carney adjourned sentencing to the following Thursday and remanded Ms McGrath on continuing bail until that date.
The murder trial of Maurice Power, 31, of Dranganbeg, Kilmoyler, Cahir, was delayed because the jury foreman could not attend the Central Criminal Court. Power has pleaded not guilty to the killing of Shane Rossiter, 29, in County Tipperary on 17 October of the previous year. The prosecution says Power fired two shots that caused catastrophic injuries leading to Rossiter's death. Justice Deirdre Murphy explained the foreman's illness, thanked the jury for their patience, and scheduled the trial to resume tomorrow, with a conclusion expected early next week.
A 37‑year‑old man, Darren Murphy, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of 36‑year‑old Olivia Dunlea, who was his partner for three months. The trial, held in the Central Criminal Court, lasted seven days. Murphy pleaded not guilty to murder but attempted to plead guilty to manslaughter. He admitted setting fire to Dunlea's home, claiming he did not want children to see her, and pleaded guilty to a second charge of arson. The jury found him guilty of murder by a 10‑to‑one majority after four and a half hours of deliberation. The judge imposed a mandatory life sentence, backdated to the date of his arrest, and remanded him in custody for the arson charge. The verdict was met with sobbing from Dunlea's family, while Murphy remained silent throughout the proceedings.
In the Special Criminal Court, the trial of Nathan Killeen (24) and Wayne Dundon (36) over the murder of Roy Collins (35) continues. The court heard evidence and a video about the detention of Killeen at Roxboro Road Garda station. The case alleges Dundon directed the killing from prison, Killeen was the getaway driver, and James Dillon fired the fatal shot. Collins was shot in the chest at Coin Castle Amusements on 9 April 2009 and died. The hearing is a voir dire to decide admissibility of evidence, presided over by Justice Iseult O'Malley. Roy Collins pleaded not guilty.
Catherine Nevin has applied to have her murder conviction appeal heard by the Supreme Court in July. The Court of Criminal Appeal confirmed a hearing on 7 July, expected to last one hour, and granted a production order for Nevin to present her case. Nevin, 61, was convicted in 2000 of murdering her husband Tom Nevin at Jack White's Inn near Brittas Bay, Co Wicklow, and also received a seven‑year sentence for soliciting men to kill him in 1989 and 1990. She has denied any involvement and lost a prior appeal in 2003.
Darren Murphy, 37, pleaded not guilty to murder of his girlfriend Olivia Dunlea, 36, and guilty to arson of her house on 17 February 2013. The jury heard that the couple had been together for about three months and had a heated argument the night before the death. Prosecutor Thomas Creed argued that Murphy, described as possessive, had checked Dunlea's texts, drove past her home at 3 am, and then set the house on fire while she was inside. He claimed Murphy watched the blaze from Church Hill "like Nero" and left her in a situation where she could have been saved. Defence counsel Michael Delaney presented a narrative of provocation, citing a prior relationship with another man, Fás, and alleged that Murphy's loss of self‑control was sudden. The jury deliberated for 2 hours 17 minutes before returning the next day. The case remains at the trial stage.
A 66-year-old man is facing potential extradition to the United Kingdom following his escape from an English prison where he was serving a life sentence for murder. The man had completed twenty-eight years of his sentence before absconding and subsequently relocating to Ireland. He has been resident in the State for eight years, latterly in County Leitrim, having previously lived in County Cork. At a hearing in the High Court, counsel for the Minister for Justice and Equality informed the court that the respondent had expressed remorse for his offence and claimed to have been rehabilitated during his time in Ireland. Counsel for the respondent submitted that his current circumstances rather than historical matters ought to be the focus of the proceedings. Mr Justice John Edwards adjourned the matter, with judgment expected on 27 June 2014.
During the murder trial of Maurice Power, 31, the court heard that Power had told his mother, Janet Fullop, he was not involved in the death of Shane Rossiter, 29, who was killed in Tipperary on 17 October 2012. Fullop, who had previously informed Gardaí about the close relationship between her son and the Rossiter family, testified that she had persuaded Power to go to the Garda station after the murder. Power's defence counsel, Dominic McGinn SC, confirmed that Fullop had told the Gardaí about the family ties and that she had encouraged her son to cooperate with the police. The prosecution, led by Anthony Sammon SC, also presented evidence that Power had taken a chip from a private security camera, claimed to have burned it, and had told Gardaí that he had asked Sharon O'Donnell about the camera. The trial is proceeding before a jury of seven women and five men, presided over by Justice Deirdre Murphy. Maurice Power pleaded not guilty.
A jury in the Central Criminal Court could not reach a verdict on the murder charge against 20‑year‑old Wesley Kelly, who was found guilty of assault by a majority verdict of 11‑1. The jury had previously found Kelly's 17‑year‑old co‑accused guilty on both the murder and assault counts. After 10 hours and 2 minutes of deliberation over four days, the jury failed to reach a majority verdict on the murder charge against Kelly, and the foreman confirmed there was no prospect of a unanimous verdict. Mr Justice Barry White thanked the jury and remanded both accused on continuing bail until June 23 for sentencing. The 17‑year‑old will be sentenced on both counts, while Kelly will be sentenced on the assault charge on June 23. The article reports no further developments. Wesley Kelly pleaded not guilty.
In a murder trial in Dublin, Darren Murphy, 37, is charged with killing 36‑year‑old Olivia Dunlea in her Pembroke Crescent home on 17 February 2013. He has pleaded not guilty to the murder but guilty to arson after stabbing her. During his final interview, his barrister Michael Delaney SC questioned Garda Sergeant Anthony Harrington about a nine‑and‑a‑half‑minute gap between Murphy's release from the cell and the recorder being turned on, suggesting a pre‑interview discussion. Harrington denied any discussion, citing possible discrepancies between the station clock and the recorder. Detective Garda James Nagle agreed that no discussion had taken place. The jury heard testimony from Sergeant Stephen Dennehy about a watch inscription on Dunlea's body. The prosecution has closed its case before Mr Justice Paul Carney and a jury of eleven.
In the murder trial of Vesel Jahiri, the jury was asked to leave for a week while Judge Paul McDermott dealt with complex legal matters. Jahiri, a Louth Village resident originally from Kosovo, pleaded not guilty to murdering his former partner Anna Finnegan and to assaulting her brother Karl on 21 September 2012. The court heard that Jahiri and Finnegan had a ten‑year relationship that deteriorated, and that they had two children. Karl testified that after putting the children to bed, he and Finnegan were having tea when Jahiri burst in with a knife, stabbing Karl in the chest and head while Finnegan fled and later collapsed. Jahiri claimed Karl produced the knives and that Finnegan was injured while trying to stop him. The jury also heard from a friend of Jahiri who said the accused claimed he had defended himself after an attack.
In a non‑jury court in Limerick, the murder trial of Wayne Dundon (36) and Nathan Killeen (24) for the killing of 35‑year‑old businessman Roy Collins at Coin Castle Amusements on 9 April 2009 has entered a "trial within a trial" to decide whether certain evidence is admissible. Collins was shot in the chest by a single gunman while at work; he was conscious for a short time but died. Prosecutor Michael O'Higgins SC argued that Dundon directed the murder from prison, Killeen was the getaway driver, and James Dillon was the gunman. Killeen's counsel, Giollaiosa O Lideadha SC, challenged the admissibility of evidence from searches, entries to properties, the legality of Killeen's arrest and detention, and material arising from that detention. The court heard legal submissions from both sides and, after the prosecution declined to call further evidence on the issue, Judge Iseult O'Malley said the decision would be reserved overnight. Wayne Dundon pleaded not guilty. Nathan Killeen pleaded not guilty. Roy Collins pleaded not guilty.
A 43‑year‑old Dublin man, David Mahon, is charged with the murder of 23‑year‑old Dean Fitzpatrick, who was killed on 26 May 2013 at Northern Cross on Malahide Road. Mahon appeared in the Central Criminal Court where a trial date was set for 20 July 2015.
In 2014 a Dublin man, Kevin Walsh, aged 25, was sent back to jail after the Court of Criminal Appeal activated nine months of the suspended portion of his eight‑year manslaughter sentence. Walsh had originally been convicted of killing 20‑year‑old James Burke in 2005 and received an eight‑year sentence with five years suspended. In 2007 the appeal court increased the suspended portion to three years. Walsh had been required to keep the peace, remain under probation supervision and abstain from drugs or alcohol. In 2011 he pleaded guilty to stealing pizzas worth €34, a breach of his bond. The judge noted Walsh's sporadic attendance at the Tallaght Probation Project and his regular drug use while there. The court deemed his failure to comply with the probationary conditions serious and therefore invoked nine months of the suspended sentence, remanding him to the Circuit Court. Kevin Walsh pleaded not guilty.
In a Court of Criminal Appeal hearing, Adam Fitzgibbon, aged 20, was described as "vastly better" than two years ago after a brutal attack on a 16‑year‑old schoolboy that left the victim with permanent brain damage. Fitzgibbon's assault, captured on CCTV, involved 65 kicks, 26 punches and several stamps to the boy's head, chest and body, and was deemed unprovoked, sustained and vicious. He had previously been sentenced to 15 years, with the final three years suspended, for intentionally causing serious harm. The appeal argued that Fitzgibbon's severe background, including drug and alcohol problems, should be considered in sentencing. The court will review reports of his progress in prison and hear submissions from the appellant and the Director of Public Prosecutions before deciding a new sentence. The victim remains in a state of ongoing medical care for weakness, deafness and speech problems.
During a murder trial, the burnt-out remains of a car matching that of the accused, Maurice Power, were discovered by Gardaí 20 minutes from Clonmel. Power, 31, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Shane Rossiter, 29, in County Tipperary on 17 October 2012. The court heard that Gardaí searching for Power's vehicle found a burnt Audi in a bog outside Clonmel. Identification occurred after an embossed chassis number was located beneath the bonnet. Under cross‑examination, Garda Lorraine Hogan explained that manpower constraints had led to off‑camera contact with the accused. Defence counsel Dominic McGinn suggested that Power was pressured to confess during cigarette breaks, a claim denied by Detective Garda Adrian Cooke. The trial proceeded before a jury of seven women and five men, presided over by Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy.
A 45‑year‑old Algerian man, Lounes Ouachek of St Dominic's Terrace, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of his 32‑year‑old wife, Ruta Ouachek, at their home on 23 August 2012. He was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court, where Mr Justice Paul Carney adjourned sentencing to 14 July and ordered that the victim's evidence be presented by video link.
A 17‑year‑old Dublin youth was found guilty of murdering German student Thomas Heinrich and assault causing harm to Robert Rinker. The jury, after almost eight hours of deliberation over three days, returned a unanimous verdict on the murder charge and a majority verdict on the assault charge. The case involved a night out on St Anthony's Road in Rialto, where the accused were allegedly looking for a fight and were prosecuted on the basis of joint enterprise. The 17‑year‑old claimed he was attacked by a beer can and that he acted in self‑defence, but the court heard that he had a knife and that Rinker and Heinrich had brought knives to the scene. Rinker survived with stab wounds to his chest and abdomen, while Heinrich died from a fatal abdominal wound. The jury has not yet decided on the murder charge against Wesley Kelly, who was found guilty of assault causing harm to Rinker.
A 65‑year‑old Vera McGrath of Volvenstown, Fordstown, Navan, Co Meath pleaded guilty in the Central Criminal Court to being an accessory after the fact to her husband's manslaughter. She admitted materially assisting the killer, Bernard Brian McGrath, by disposing of evidence linked to his 1987 manslaughter at Lower Coole, Westmeath. The charge named Colin Pinder as the killer. Mr Justice Paul Carney accepted the plea and remanded her on continuing bail for sentencing on Friday.
In a murder trial, the court heard that text messages exchanged between the deceased, Olivia Dunlea, and the accused, Darren Murphy, were of a friendly nature in the days leading up to her death. Murphy, 37, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, and also pleaded guilty to arson on Dunlea's home. The court noted that for about three months prior to the incident, the pair were "an item." On the night before her death, they were at the Rochestown Inn, then had a quarrel at home. Murphy claimed he "just snapped" after a confrontation, describing a rapid escalation to a knife attack. Garda testimony indicated extensive texting of a good nature, no evidence of conflict, and that Dunlea's phone was destroyed by Murphy. The case proceeded to a jury hearing on Monday.
In May 2014 a man from Portlaoise, Robert Corbet, aged 25, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of 30‑year‑old nanny Aoife Phelan. Corbet pleaded not guilty but admitted to strangling Phelan in his garage between 25 October and 7 November 2012. He claimed he had doubts about her pregnancy, that she threatened him, and that these threats caused him to lose control. He strangled her, covered her head with a plastic bag, tied her neck with cable ties, and placed her body in a barrel. He later buried the barrel in a pit on his property. Gardaí found the body and Corbet was convicted of murder. The jury found no provocation and the State described his actions as deliberate and calculated. Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan imposed a mandatory life sentence. The Phelan family left the courthouse without comment.
In a murder trial in Tipperary, Maurice Power, aged 31, pleaded not guilty to the killing of Shane Rossiter, aged 29, on 17 October 2012. The court heard that Power told Gardaí he would "do 15 to 20 years knowing that it is over" after Rossiter's death. He claimed he had decided to keep Rossiter close and did not want to show fear. When asked if he could have repaired the relationship, Power said the situation had been ongoing for years and that he would have been dead five times over. He denied regret, stating he did not want to look over his shoulder. Garda Adrian Cooke denied that Power was pressured into making the statement, and the trial continues before a jury presided by Justice Deirdre Murphy.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Nathan Killeen, aged 24, and Wayne Dundon, aged 36, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 35‑year‑old Roy Collins, a Limerick businessman, at Coin Castle Amusements on 9 April 2009. Detective Garda David Baynham testified that shortly after noon on the day of the murder he received a call about a shooting at the Steering Wheel Pub, where he found Collins seriously injured. Baynham described how he later observed two youths, one of whom was identified as Killeen, running from a garda patrol car near Hyde Avenue. Killeen allegedly fled across the road, used a junction box to jump a wall, and disappeared from view. The court noted that the trial is entering a new phase involving garda witnesses and evidence from warrants, and that Killeen's counsel will challenge the admissibility of evidence obtained from searches and his detention. The voir‑dire will be held on Tuesday before Justice Iseult O'Malley.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 22 May 2014, a 37‑year‑old man named Darren Murphy pleaded not guilty to the murder of 36‑year‑old Olivia Dunlea, whom he had dated for three months. He also pleaded guilty to arson of the deceased's home on the same night. Murphy told the court that a knife was "no sooner in my hands than it was in her neck" after a heated argument. He described how he stabbed Ms Dunlea at the back of the neck, then tried to leave the scene, wiping the knife on a pillow and discarding it in the toilet to stop a ringing phone. A taxi driver, Thomas Farrell, testified that he and Ms Dunlea had been friends and had a one‑night stand months earlier, but had no further contact. The case was set to continue before a jury the following day.
In a murder trial, Maurice Power, 31, pleaded not guilty to the killing of Shane Rossiter on 17 October 2012 in Tipperary. Prosecutor Anthony Sammon SC confirmed that Power told Garda Adrian Cooke that the incident was over, that he would go to jail and that no one else would be harmed. Power said the weapon was destroyed in pieces with a grinder and that he felt "very relieved, like a serious weight was lifted" and that he was safer and happier since the shooting. During cross‑examination, defence counsel Dominic McGinn SC questioned Garda Larry Burgan about time spent with Power outside formal interviews, alleging bullying and cajoling. Burgan denied this, stating that Power's statements were voluntary. The trial is proceeding before a jury of seven women and five men presided over by Justice Deirdre Murphy.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin began deliberations on the trial of two Dublin youths, Thomas Heinrich (22) and Robert Rinker (23), charged with murdering a German student and injuring another. The incident occurred on St Anthony's Road in Rialto on 1 December 2012, when Heinrich was stabbed to death and Rinker survived with injuries. Wesley Kelly (20) pleaded not guilty to murder and assault causing harm to Rinker, while a 17‑year‑old unnamed defendant also denied both charges. The State alleges a joint enterprise between the accused, and the judge instructed the jury to consider the defence of self‑defence and the amount of force used. The jury spent just over half an hour before being sent home, with a return scheduled for the next morning. The judge warned that if a verdict was not reached by lunchtime he would send them home for the weekend.
The trial of Wayne Dundon (36) and Nathan Killeen (24), who have pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of 35-year-old Roy Collins at Coin Castle Amusements, Roxboro Road Shopping Centre, on April 9, 2009, continues before the Special Criminal Court. Anthony "Noddy" McCarthy (32), a man serving a life sentence for the murder of Kieran Keane in Limerick in January 2003, was cross-examined after giving evidence. In his direct evidence, McCarthy stated that while in Wheatfield prison with Dundon on the morning of the incident, Dundon told him he had "ordered James Dillon to go kill Roy Collins." During cross-examination by Mr Remy Farrell SC, McCarthy acknowledged that other witnesses suggested the target was Steve Collins, Roy Collins' father, but maintained he heard "Roy Collins" and denied making up the statement. When asked by Mr Michael O'Higgins SC if he had received any benefit for his testimony, McCarthy replied that it had brought him "a world of misery" and that his circumstances in prison had worsened. His brother, Christopher McCarthy (31), also gave evidence at the trial last week. The matter is ongoing under the presiding judge, Ms Justice Iseult O'Malley.
The jury has begun deliberating the trial of Robert Corbet, 25, of Capoley, who is charged with murdering 30‑year‑old Nanny Aoife Phelan in his garage. Corbet pleaded not guilty to murder but admitted manslaughter between 25 October and 7 November, when Phelan's body was found in a barrel buried 10 feet below ground. He claimed they had met a few months earlier and that Phelan had told him she was pregnant with his child, a claim disproved by an autopsy. Corbet testified that he lost self‑control, strangled her, put her body in a barrel, buried it behind his house the next day, and then flew to New York. His barrister urged the jury to ignore the desecration of the body and focus on the moment of death, suggesting a verdict of manslaughter on the grounds of provocation.
Richard Cleary, 42, a former Irish Defence Forces member, is serving a three‑year sentence in Mountjoy Prison for assaulting his ex‑wife and step‑daughter in their home while a barring order was in place. He had pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. In March, Dundalk Circuit Court sentenced him to three years with six months suspended. On appeal, the Court of Criminal Appeal increased the suspended period to fifteen months, citing mitigating factors such as Cleary's good character, army record and the impact of custodial time on his career. The court noted the injuries sustained by the victims.
In a 2014 trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 25‑year‑old Laois man, Robert Corbet, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 30‑year‑old Aoife Phelan. Corbet testified that he had argued with Phelan about a claimed pregnancy, after which she threatened to ruin his life and business. He said he lost self‑control, strangled her, hit her, and placed a plastic bag and cable ties around her neck before dropping her body into a barrel on his property. Corbet admitted to having suicidal thoughts during Garda interviews and claimed he would have said anything to finish them. The prosecution argued he was not provoked and that his actions were calculated. The case was heard by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan with a jury of nine men and three women.
In the Rialto murder trial, two Dublin youths, Thomas Heinrich (22) and Robert Rinker (23), were charged with stabbing a German student, Heinrich, to death and injuring Rinker on St Anthony's Road on 1 December 2012. A 20‑year‑old Wesley Kelly pleaded not guilty to murder and assault causing harm, while a 17‑year‑old, unnamed, also denied both charges. Prosecutor Tara Burns argued that the accused sought a fight and were acting under joint enterprise, noting that Rinker and Heinrich each brought knives and that the 17‑year‑old admitted to striking the fatal wound but denied responsibility for the other three wounds. She rejected self‑defence for all accused. Defence counsel Sean Gillane highlighted panic and confusion, asserting his client had no intent to kill and that his Garda statements were consistent. Aileen Donnelly defended Kelly, claiming he was not part of a joint enterprise and had no intent to cause serious harm.
In the trial of Maurice Power, 31, of Dranganbeg, Kilmoyler, Cahir, the accused pleaded not guilty to the murder of 29‑year‑old Shane Rossiter on 17 October 2013. Power admitted to the Gardaí that he had "let a shot" at Rossiter at 6.45 am that morning. He claimed the shooting was a "kill or be killed" situation, citing a seven‑year history of conflict and a belief that he was being set up. Power said he fired a sawn‑off shotgun twice – once from the passenger seat of his car and again from inside Rossiter's house – killing him in the chest and on the right side. He also stated that he had burned his car and disposed of the weapon. The case is proceeding before a jury presided by Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy.
A 37‑year‑old man, Darren Murphy, was accused of murdering Olivia Dunlea, 36, in Passage West, Cork, on 17 February 2013. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, and he also pleaded guilty to arson on the victim's home. During the trial, Murphy admitted to handing over a pair of clothes to Gardaí that were not his, claiming they were worn on the night the body was found. He explained that a heated argument in a taxi and at the victim's house led him to stab her twice with a knife he described as a long blade with a red handle. Murphy said he lit the house on fire because he did not want her three children to find her body. He also admitted to suffering from depression and having stopped taking medication. The case was set to continue before a jury the following day.