In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 37‑year‑old man named Daniel Blanaru, accused of murdering his 26‑year‑old partner Larisa Serban, appeared at a Garda station with blood on his clothes and was described as crying hysterically. Blanaru told officers he had drunk half a bottle of whiskey the night of the stabbing at their Co Meath home. He also claimed he had begged the deceased's brother for cocaine that night. Garda John Wallace recounted seeing Blanaru pacing, handing over his licence, and later crying while in custody. Garda Rachael Carr observed him crying repeatedly in the cell. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, will continue next Monday with an enlarged jury. The State maintains that Blanaru was a jealous and controlling partner who stabbed Larisa on or about 12 August 2022. The accused has pleaded not guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Paul McDermott has warned the jury that it would be dangerous to rely on the testimony of Alan Vial, who has implicated his co-accused Nikita Burns in the death of Robert Wilkin. Both deny murdering the 66-year-old man, whose body was discovered in the sea near Sliabh Liag in Donegal on June 33, 2023, eight days after he died. The prosecution alleges that Vial and Burns were engaged in a joint enterprise to cause serious harm to Wilkin before placing him over the cliffs. Vial testified that Burns struck Wilkin with a rock, while Burns told gardaí that Vial inflicted the fatal blows. The judge instructed the jury that whilst Vial's cross-examined court evidence may be considered against Burns, uncorroborated testimony from a co-accused on the same charge carries inherent risks of fabrication or false implication. The jury was also directed on alternative verdicts and the distinction between murder and impeding prosecution. The trial continues next week. Alan Vial pleaded not guilty. Nikita Burns pleaded not guilty.
An unnamed 17-year-old defendant was sentenced to 20 months' detention by Judge Martin Nolan in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assault causing harm. The teen, who was 16 at the time, pleaded guilty to instigating an unprovoked attack on US tourist Stephen Termini in July 2023, which left the victim with serious brain injuries. Judge Nolan noted the defendant's nine previous convictions, including for assault causing harm and violent disorder, stating he had not taken prior chances to change. Although defence counsel Conor Devally SC requested a sentence with a suspended element to support rehabilitation, the judge reluctantly imposed custody, citing a total lack of insight. Two other boys involved in the attack, who pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and violent disorder, were previously sentenced to 32 and 26 months' detention respectively. The victim, who has since changed his surname to Donnelly, suffered ongoing health issues including PTSD and requires a cane to walk. He stated he forgives the boys but seeks help covering his €103,000 in medical costs.
In the Central Criminal Court, the jury heard that Daniel Blanaru (37) begged his brother, David Serban, for cocaine on the night Larisa Serban (26) was found stabbed in her home. Blanaru, from Rathmore, Athboy, Co Meath, pleaded not guilty to her murder. The State argued that Larisa was killed by her jealous, controlling partner. Serban testified he left the house at about 1 a.m. on 12 August 2022, with no arguing, and that he had stopped at a bank to withdraw money for rent. He denied planning to buy cocaine or return to Rathmore after. He claimed he was the last person to see Larisa alive and that he would have been present if a struggle had occurred. Garda evidence showed Blanaru presented himself at a station at 6 a.m., shouting in a foreign language and saying "my wife, my wife, we fight." The trial continues tomorrow.
In a case described as "desperately sad," a 70‑year‑old man, Zbigniew Bednarczyk, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for the manslaughter of his 37‑year‑old son, Rafal Bednarczyk Jacyna. The son, who had bipolar disorder and was under medical supervision, died after Bednarczyk severed the femoral artery in his leg during an altercation that began when the son returned home under the influence of alcohol and drugs. The court noted that the knife was being used for food preparation and that the severing of the artery was unexpected. Bednarczyk entered a plea to manslaughter in October 2024, and the judge imposed a two‑year sentence with the final six months suspended, subject to 12 months of probation. The sentence was reduced from an initial three‑year recommendation after considering the plea and the defendant's low risk to the community.
At the Central Criminal Court, closing arguments concluded in the trial of two people charged with the murder of Robert Robin Wilkin near Sliabh Liag in County Donegal on 25 June 2023. Nikita Burns (23) of Carrick and Alan Vial (39) of Drumanoo Head, Killybegs, have both pleaded not guilty to the charge. Defence counsel for Ms Burns contended she was a bystander to the killing and had no part in placing Mr Wilkin over the cliffs. She has pleaded guilty to impeding the apprehension or prosecution of another person, having cleaned blood from a vehicle. Counsel for Mr Vial argued the evidence demonstrates Ms Burns inflicted the fatal blows. Mr Wilkin's remains were recovered from the sea eight days after the alleged murder. State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster identified two depressed skull fractures inconsistent with the cliff fall. Mr Justice Paul McDermott will charge the jury tomorrow.
During the murder trial of Daniel Blanaru, the father of the victim, Larisa Serban, testified that his daughter had hidden the fact that her partner was physically abusing her. He also claimed that Blanaru had threatened to kill Larisa, saying he would "hear about" it. The father, Ronet Serban, stated that he had advised Larisa to "get rid" of Blanaru because he was violent. He recalled Blanaru's threat that one day Larisa would lose everything and that he would kill her. The father said he did not take the threat seriously at the time. Larisa's sister, Sarah Serban, also testified that she had advised Larisa to break up with Blanaru because of his jealousy and possessiveness. The trial continues before Justice Eileen Creedon and an enlarged jury. Daniel Blanaru pleaded not guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution has described Alan Vial, aged 39, of Killybegs, County Donegal, as a "cynical liar" who fabricated his account to evade responsibility for the death of 66-year-old Robert Robin' Wilkin. Bernard Condon SC, prosecuting, told the jury that Mr Vial claimed his co-accused Nikita Burns, aged 23, of Carrick, County Donegal, delivered the fatal blows after the three had spent time in public houses together in June 2023. The prosecution alleges that both accused acted with joint intention to cause serious harm. Mr Wilkin's body was subsequently deposited at Sliabh Liag cliffs. The prosecution case relies on DNA evidence, CCTV footage, blood spatter analysis, and admissions allegedly made by Ms Burns to witnesses. Mr Condon submitted that evidence against Ms Burns constitutes the "clearest possible case of murder." Both accused have pleaded not guilty to murder. Defence closing speeches and the judge's charge to the jury are scheduled to follow.
In a trial for the murder of Lisa Thompson, 52, the defence argued that the case was more complex than the prosecution's narrative suggested. They highlighted that Thompson had been involved in selling prescription tablets, with 24,500 tablets found in her attic, and that she had a brief relationship with the accused, Brian McHugh, 40, the year before her death. The defence questioned the reliability of identification evidence, the timing of CCTV footage, and the credibility of witness statements, including those of neighbour Sandra McMahon and Joan Lundy. They also pointed to text messages from a woman who claimed insider knowledge of Thompson's death, and to DNA found on a blind cord wrapped around Thompson's neck, which McHugh could not satisfactorily explain. The defence maintained that the prosecution had not proven guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and urged an acquittal. The trial was set to continue before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury. Brian McHugh pleaded not guilty.
Shane Byrne, 38, of Clondalkin, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to distributing child pornography in May and June 2016. Garda Deirdre Cotter reported that Byrne had been messaging a woman he was in an "on and off relationship" with, sending her unsolicited child abuse images and asking her to pretend she was a 12‑year‑old boy, to call him Daddy, and to obtain a child younger than five years old. He also sent images depicting a six‑year‑old being raped. Byrne denied sending the images and claimed he had never viewed child pornography. He was arrested after the woman contacted gardaí. Byrne had previously moved to England, where he was jailed for assault, and was extradited back to Ireland in July. He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the last 12 months suspended on strict conditions, including 12 months of supervision by the Probation Service, backdated to his July custody entry.
David McNamara, aged 24, was sentenced to five years in prison at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a series of violent offences. He pleaded guilty to assaulting his 16‑year‑old girlfriend in September 2019, to assaulting a second girlfriend and coercive control of her between 17 and 19 July 2023, to hijacking a taxi and threatening to stab the driver on 20 July 2023, and to possession of cocaine and heroin for sale at the time of his arrest on 5 September 2023. The court heard that McNamara had repeatedly failed to appear for court dates, was granted bail twice, and that armed support and a helicopter were required to surround his Tallaght home before he was finally arrested. He denied the allegations of violence and coercion, but the judge noted the seriousness of the assaults and the threats made to the taxi driver.
A 32‑year‑old man was jailed for three years and three months after pleading guilty to three charges of sexual assault against a nine‑year‑old girl who was staying at his house as a guest. The assaults occurred between August 2020 and January 2021. The girl reported that the man entered her room at night and touched her vagina outside her underwear, sometimes while she was sharing a bed with her three‑year‑old sister. She first told her mother in January 2021, who confronted the man and recorded his admissions. The family later brought him to Gardaí, where he repeated the admissions. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted the man's breach of trust and hospitality, and his expression of remorse, before sentencing him. The victim, now 14, gave a victim impact statement describing ongoing anxiety and the lasting effect of the abuse.
A garda sergeant who was cleared of assault on a juvenile criminal has been informed he is too late to claim lost earnings from the 17 months he spent on suspension. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) rejected his complaint under the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, stating it was filed more than six months after his employment ended. Sergeant Damien Kirwan, with nearly 30 years of service, was suspended in May 2021 following an allegation of assault. He retired in December 2022 after being found not guilty of the charges in May 2023. His claim was submitted in March 2024, nearly 18 months after his retirement. Adjudicator Catherine Byrne ruled she had no power to consider the complaint due to the delay. Garda management was represented by Stephen Hanaphy BL, instructed by Bryan McNamara of the Chief State Solicitor's Office.
During the trial, Georgeta Serban, mother of the 26‑year‑old Larisa Serban, testified that her daughter's partner, Daniel Blanaru (37), threatened to kill Larisa if her family interfered in their relationship. She described Blanaru as extremely possessive, paranoid and controlling, noting that he had no stable employment and that his jealousy intensified after Larisa's children were born. Serban said Blanaru would dictate what Larisa wore, forbid her from wearing tight clothing, and accuse her of infidelity whenever she spoke to other men. She recalled that a month before Larisa's death, Blanaru warned that he would kill her if the family intervened. Serban also recounted that Larisa lived a controlled, depressed life and that she had spoken to her daughter on the night before her death. The case is proceeding before Justice Eileen Creedon with an enlarged jury. Daniel Blanaru pleaded not guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court, the State Pathologist gave evidence in the trial of two individuals charged with the murder of a man alleged to have been pushed from Sliabh Liag cliffs in County Donegal in June 2023. Dr Margaret Bolster told the court that two skull fractures identified on the deceased would not have caused immediate death if they were the only injuries sustained. She stated the fractures were consistent with blows from a blunt object rather than a fall from the cliff, but that such injuries would have resulted in death within five to thirty minutes due to blood loss. The cause of death remains undetermined due to the body's advanced decomposition following eight days in the sea. Alan Vial, aged 39, of Drumanoo Head, Killybegs, and Nikita Burns, aged 23, of Carrick, have both pleaded not guilty to murder. The jury will hear closing speeches following the completion of evidence.
During the Central Criminal Court hearing, Brian McHugh, 40, denied murdering Lisa Thompson, 52, who was found stabbed 11 times in the chest with a blind cord wrapped around her neck. McHugh claimed he had been "in and out" of Thompson's Ballymun home for the last three years, a statement he repeated when asked to explain the presence of his DNA on the cord and on jewellery seized from his Cairn Court residence. Forensic evidence showed a mixed DNA profile on the cord that could not exclude McHugh as a minor contributor, and DNA from the jewellery matched Thompson's. The prosecution also presented evidence that Thompson had been dealing prescription drugs and that she and McHugh had a brief affair the year before her death. McHugh pleaded not guilty and the trial continues before Ms Justice Karen O'Connor with a jury of four men and eight women.
Sean Kinneavy, 74, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment for 47 counts of sexual assault and two rapes involving a girl aged 10‑15, who was 50 years his junior. The offences occurred between January 2013 and June 2018 in Dublin and Galway. Kinneavy was directed to pay €38,000 in compensation to the victim and her mother for financial losses incurred while caring for the victim. He maintains his innocence and has no prior convictions. The judge noted the persistent nature of the abuse, the breach of trust, and the impact on the victim, describing the crimes as "deplorable". A two‑year post‑release supervision order was also imposed. The sentence was back‑dated to the date he entered custody in November last year. The court considered Kinneavy's age and good character as mitigating factors, but found the repeated offences outweighed them. The victim's impact statement highlighted the lasting trauma and financial burden she endured.
During the trial, a forensic scientist presented evidence that a blood‑stained blind cord wrapped around the neck of 52‑year‑old mother‑of‑two Lisa Thompson contained a mixed DNA profile. The profile could not exclude Thompson as a major contributor and could not exclude 40‑year‑old accused Brian McHugh as a minor contributor. DNA from jewellery seized at McHugh's home also matched Thompson's DNA. The jury heard that Thompson had been dealing prescription drugs from her home and that she and McHugh had a brief relationship in the year before her death. Thompson was found dead in her home with multiple stab wounds and ligature strangulation. McHugh pleaded not guilty to her murder. The trial continues before Justice Karen O'Connor and a jury.
In a Court of Appeal hearing, the lawyers for former Army Captain Ross O'Shea argued that his sexual assault of a female non‑commissioned officer was an aberration in a glittering 17‑year career and that his dismissal from the Defence Forces was a disproportionate punishment. O'Shea was convicted in October 2022 by a General Court Martial of sexually assaulting the officer at the Officer's Mess on 25 June 2020, moving his palms up and down her back and saying "come on, come on," and of assaulting her under Section 2 of the Non‑Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997. The court imposed a six‑month custodial sentence suspended for one year and ordered his dismissal. O'Shea's appeal was dismissed in October 2023. The prosecution highlighted the disparity in rank, the victim's inability to defend herself due to military training, and the appellant's use of his rank to intimidate other officers. Ross O'Shea pleaded guilty.
The Minister for Justice announced a protocol to fast‑track rape and murder cases involving children, aiming to resolve them within one year. Seventeen agencies signed up, acknowledging that delays harm child victims and defendants. The protocol activates when a child under 18 reports rape or when a defendant under 18 is named in such an investigation. Courts will notify judges of protocol cases and, where practicable, expedite them. Expert reports, including psychological and psychiatric assessments, will be sought early. The Central Criminal Court will set a trial date within eight weeks of a case's first appearance, though complexity may extend this. The Director of Public Prosecutions must inform the court of pre‑trial applications within seven days, and lawyers must do so within 14 days. If a child is convicted, a sentencing hearing will occur within 28 days of the verdict, where practicable.
In a Dublin petrol station incident on 7 December 2023, 40‑year‑old Brian Cahill, who had no fixed abode, approached a driver filling petrol at Circle K on Usher's Quay and demanded €2. After the driver refused, Cahill and an accomplice began an assault that included punches, kicks and the use of an empty gas canister. The victim was struck on the body and legs, sustaining a broken nose, bruising and swelling. CCTV footage showed Cahill swinging the canister while the victim tried to escape. Cahill pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and possession of an article. He was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two years' imprisonment, with credit for time already served. The sentence reflected the unprovoked nature of the attack, the aggravating use of the canister and Cahill's extensive criminal record. The court noted his early guilty plea and personal circumstances as mitigating factors.
The High Court has placed a stay on the extradition of a 66-year-old man from Arva, Co Cavan, who is wanted in Northern Ireland for the murder of a part-time Ulster Defence Regiment member in 1979. James Donegan faces charges relating to the death of Joseph James Porter at Mountnorris, Co Armagh, in June of that year. He is also charged with firearm and ammunition offences and membership of a proscribed organisation. Mr Justice Patrick McGrath had previously ordered Mr Donegan's surrender to UK authorities, but has now granted a stay to permit an appeal of the extradition decision. Mr Donegan was arrested at Dublin Airport in June following his return from holiday. He has maintained his innocence. The Northern Ireland authorities issued the extradition warrant following a post-mortem examination that established Mr Porter died of gunshot wounds.
The High Court ordered the extradition of Richard Curtin, 57, who confessed to setting a fire that killed his roommate 20 years after the offence. Curtin, who had been sentenced to ten years in prison in 2018 for manslaughter, had been released on licence and moved to Ireland. He argued that extradition would breach his rights under the European Convention and the European Charter on Fundamental Rights, claiming that returning to the UK would expose him to ill‑treatment and that preventing his move to Ireland violated his right to travel. Mr Justice Patrick McGrath rejected these arguments, stating that Curtin had not shown a generalised risk of ill‑treatment and that the restriction on his travel was a logical consequence of his licence release. The court postponed the surrender order to allow Curtin to serve the remainder of his sentence, which ends on 6 May.
During the Central Criminal Court hearing on 20 February 2025, Raul‑Cosmin Tache, the brother‑in‑law of Daniel Blanaru, gave evidence about statements he made to Gardaí on 12 and 16 August 2022. Tache confirmed that he had recorded Blanaru's claims that the accused had "beat her" and "cut her with a knife" and that he had been "desperate and crying" when he arrived at the house. Tache also stated that Blanaru said he had "beat up his wife" and was unsure whether he had killed her. Tache admitted he could not recall all the words spoken at the time, citing stress and panic, but acknowledged the statements were written down. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, continues with an enlarged jury. Daniel Blanaru pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court heard that Brian McHugh, 40, allegedly tried to sell jewellery linked to Lisa Thompson, 52, to a cashier at an Applegreen service station in Swords on the night of Thompson's murder. The cashier, Staven Kadar, described McHugh as having dove tattoos, a sinister vibe, and offering a gem‑ring and other bands for €800, claiming they were worth €3,000. CCTV showed a Hyundai Tucson driven by a woman and McHugh into the station at 3:04 am on 9 May 2022. Garda searches recovered Thompson's house keys and medication from the wasteland beside the station, and jewellery from McHugh's bedroom. McHugh pleaded not guilty to Thompson's murder. The trial focused on these alleged attempts to sell the jewellery and the recovered items.
Michael Scott, a 60‑year‑old farmer from Gortanumera, Portumna, was convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence after he drove an agricultural teleporter over his 76‑year‑old aunt, Chrissie Treacy, on 27 April 2018. The trial judge, Ms Justice Caroline Biggs, imposed a headline sentence of eight years, later reduced to six years after mitigating factors. Scott's counsel, Michael Bowman SC, argued the sentence was too high, citing the defendant's "blemish‑free" life and the circumstances of the incident. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Dean Kelly SC, defended the judge's discretion, noting the jury's finding that Scott's blind reversal for ten seconds across the yard posed a high risk to his aunt. The case was distinguished from dangerous driving causing death, and the judge highlighted Scott's lack of remorse at the time, though recent remorse was acknowledged. The appeal is pending. Michael Scott pleaded not guilty.
In a hearing at the Central Criminal Court, 70‑year‑old Zbigniew Bednarczyk was found guilty of manslaughter after fatally stabbing his 36‑year‑old son, Rafal Bednarczyk Jacyna, in the leg on 27 February 2023. Bednarczyk had originally been charged with murder but entered a plea to manslaughter, which the State accepted. The court heard that Rafal had serious mental health problems and had been admitted to hospital; Bednarczyk claimed he was trying to ensure his son took his medication, saying that if the son did not take it he would "go crazy". A witness described a physical altercation in which Bednarczyk allegedly pushed and kicked his son, who then struck him with a knife. The wound was a 11‑cm puncture that severed the femoral artery, causing hypovolemic shock. Bednarczyk's mother, Beata Przybylska‑Block, gave a victim impact statement describing the devastating effect on her life.
In a sentencing hearing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Romanian man Cristian Topiter, aged 39, was jailed for six years for setting fire to St Michan's Church crypt, destroying two mummified bodies and damaging others, including an 800‑year‑old "Crusader". The court heard that Topiter had been deported from Northern Ireland six years earlier after a prior arson conviction that caused €300,000 of damage. He also has convictions for drug possession, burglary, theft and assault. Archdeacon David Pierpoint described the fire as an act of desecration and sacrilege, noting the loss of irreplaceable relics and the financial impact on the parish. Topiter pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and cited intoxication and mental health difficulties as factors. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the six‑year sentence, back‑dating it to the day of his arrest, and highlighted the seriousness of the offence and the aggravating prior conviction.
In the Court of Appeal, Dean Byrne, aged 31, claimed he had a "benign" motive for attempting to persuade witness Daniel Cahill not to give evidence in the trial of garda murderer Aaron Brady. Lawyers for Byrne argued that Byrne honestly believed Cahill would give false evidence and that his actions were not intended to pervert the course of justice. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Lorcan Staines SC, countered that Byrne's conduct was an attempt to pervert the course of justice, citing a recorded exchange in which Byrne insulted Cahill. The Court was asked to decide whether any attempt to persuade a witness not to give evidence constitutes an attempt to pervert the course of justice. Byrne's appeal concerns the conviction and two‑year sentence imposed by the Special Criminal Court for conspiring with Brady to dissuade Cahill, a conviction that followed his earlier 18‑year sentence with four years suspended for a 2013 burglary.
Christopher Byrne, 29, was on bail when he pushed an undercover journalist at an anti‑immigration protest at the former Crown Paints site in Dublin. He pleaded guilty to affray on 6 April 2024, assault on a prison officer at Mountjoy Prison in March 2023, criminal damage and unlawful use of a car in January 2023. Byrne has 75 prior convictions. The court sentenced him to a total of four years and nine months: 21 months for the affray, three years for the January 2023 offences, and a concurrent two‑year sentence for the prison‑officer assault. He was given credit for time already served. Byrne's defence highlighted his addiction issues, family support and work offers upon release. The judge noted his "terrible history of offending" but acknowledged his guilty pleas and cooperation. No victim impact statements were presented. The sentences are to run consecutively, with the affray sentence following the three‑year term.
The trial of Brian McHugh, aged 40, for the murder of Lisa Thompson, aged 52, continues. McHugh pleaded not guilty to the May 9, 2022 killing at Sandyhill Gardens, Ballymun. The jury heard that a gold Samsung Galaxy phone seized from McHugh's Cairn Court address on June 23, 2022 contained a deleted text thread from a named woman to McHugh's phone between June 18 and 19, 2022. The recovered messages, retrieved with Cellebrite, include statements such as "Murder Lisa n al", "I could of been like Lisa today strangle n stab", and "Move the knife did u". A second Apple iPhone was seized from the woman's home on May 13, 2022, holding a contact named "Brian". The jury also saw Facebook Messenger exchanges between accounts titled "Brian McHugh" and "Lisa Thompson" from April 14–15, 2022, and a WhatsApp message from Thompson's phone to a named man on May 9, 2022.
During the Central Criminal Court trial of Daniel Blanaru, 37, accused of murdering his partner Larisa Serban, 26, his sister Simona Terezia Ciurar gave evidence. She stated that she does not remember her brother saying "I killed her" or "I put a knife in" the victim, despite earlier statements to Gardaí on 12 and 16 August 2022. Ciurar explained that she was crying and stressed when she made those statements and could not recall all the words. She confirmed that she had signed the statements and that she had called her brother Leon to check Serban's house after an argument. The jury heard that Ciurar's memory of the brother's words was uncertain, and the trial will continue tomorrow before Justice Eileen Creedon and an enlarged jury. Daniel Blanaru pleaded not guilty.
Kia O'Connor, 34, pleaded guilty to robbery on 8 June 2024 in Dublin City Centre and was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment. O'Connor, who has 67 prior convictions and was previously jailed for violent disorder, participated in a robbery of two New Zealand tourists on a footpath outside the Belvedere Hotel. The tourists were approached by O'Connor and Joseph Boyle, 42, who demanded €20. When the victims refused, Boyle produced a knife and pointed it at the male tourist. O'Connor removed an iPhone, a Kindle e‑reader and a wallet from the female victim's bag before leaving. Gardaí recovered the stolen items, except the wallet, which contained no cash. O'Connor admitted the robbery but insisted no knife was involved. The court noted her early guilty plea, drug‑free status in custody and mitigating circumstances, and imposed the sentence. Boyle received a separate three‑and‑a‑half‑year term for his role.
The trial heard that the accused, Brian McHugh, 40, was identified on CCTV footage near Lisa Thompson's home by two Gardaí who noted his large stature, protruding ears and distinctive gait. A Detective Inspector denied that the identification process lacked impartiality. The jury was told that McHugh and Thompson had a brief relationship the year before her death. Gardaí found thousands of prescription tablets worth nearly €50,000 in Thompson's attic. McHugh, who lives at Cairn Court, Poppintree, Ballymun, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Thompson, 52, at Sandyhill Gardens on 9 May 2022. Evidence described Thompson's body with multiple stab wounds and a cord strangulation, and a mixed DNA profile on the cord. The trial continues before Justice Karen O'Connor and a jury.
In the Rathmore murder trial, Narcisa Serban, sister of the victim Larisa Serban, denied that her husband Marcus Cranus had any sexual or violent involvement with Larisa. She called the defence's suggestion that she was "covering up" for her husband "nonsense" and described the claim of a prior sexual relationship as "disgraceful." Marcus Cranus, through a Romanian interpreter, denied any sexual relationship with Larisa and denied having performed chest compressions on her, stating he had only attempted cardiac massage because he was trained in first aid. He also denied any physical or violent struggle with Larisa. Witness Simona Terezia Ciurar confirmed that Daniel Blanaru had come to her house on the morning of the murder, claimed an argument with Larisa, and later tried to jump out of the car, an action stopped by her husband Raul. The trial continues before Justice Eileen Creedon and an enlarged jury. Daniel Blanaru pleaded not guilty.
A 33‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to a threat to kill and assault causing harm. The court heard he repeatedly threatened to kill the mother of his child and her family, and that he had kicked her to the head during a taxi ride and later forced his way into her home, assaulting her and threatening to burn her house. He had 84 prior convictions, mainly for assault. Garda Darragh Cullen reported that the woman had alerted police and the man was arrested after a second assault. Judge Martin Nolan described the defendant as intemperate and noted his history of serious violence, giving full credit for time already spent in custody.
David Roe, 41, was jailed for one year after assaulting two gardai at his parents' home on Ribh Avenue, Artane, Dublin. On 7 February 2021, his mother called the gardai because he had been taking drugs all night and was abusive. When the officers arrived, Roe, described as "out of it on tablets," refused to leave and became aggressive. He pushed a female garda, causing her to fall and hit her head, then grabbed a male garda by the legs and punched him twice, cutting his lip and pulling at his cheek. The male garda was treated for swelling and cuts. Roe claimed he did not remember the incident due to drug use. The court noted his 55 prior convictions, mainly traffic offences, and sentenced him to one year imprisonment for assault causing harm to the male garda, taking the assault of the female garda into consideration. The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
During the Central Criminal Court hearing, Daniel Blanaru (37) was described as sounding "desperate" and "panicked" when he spoke to his brother on a phone call, telling him to "go quick" to his home because he believed he had stabbed his partner, Larissa Serban (26). The court heard that the accused had also mentioned catching Larissa in bed with someone else. Narcisa Serban, Larissa's sister, testified that she arrived at the scene with her partner at about 5:30 am, finding Larissa in a "pool of blood" with "foam" at her mouth and a stiff body. She reported that Gardaí initially denied entry and later searched the house. The evidence will continue before Justice Eileen Creedon and an enlarged jury. Daniel Blanaru pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 17 February 2025, a 49‑year‑old man was sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment for assault causing harm to his partner on Christmas Day 2019 and a subsequent assault the following year. The victim, a woman with a six‑year‑old daughter, described a violent attack in which the defendant, who had recently undergone dental implant surgery in Hungary, became irate, dragged her into their daughter's room, struck her in the eye, and later held a kitchen knife to her throat. The daughter witnessed the assault and pleaded with her father not to kill her mother. The court heard that the victim had been subjected to further controlling behaviour, including forced phone‑off rules, a cigarette‑fire incident, and a choke‑hold that left her unconscious. She had received a medical order against the defendant and had been attending counselling and a women's support group. The unnamed 49-year-old pleaded guilty.
In a non-jury trial, Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo found Noah Musueni (18), David Amah (19), and Michael Andrecut (23) guilty of the murder of Tristan Sherry. The court rejected defence arguments of provocation and loss of self-control, citing CCTV evidence of deliberate, composed violence inflicted after Sherry was disarmed. Sherry died from traumatic brain injuries and 27 sharp force wounds. The judge noted Andrecut's actions were considered, while Amah and Musueni displayed control despite their ages. Musueni, previously on bail, was ordered into custody. Separately, Brandon Hennessy (21), Jonas Kabangu (19), and Diarmuid O'Brien (18) were convicted of violent disorder. The court found their claims of self-defence unreasonable, noting Hennessy struck Sherry with a dustpan and brush, while O'Brien and Kabangu attacked a defenceless victim. The judge ordered reports for the violent disorder defendants. The matter was adjourned, with the court to mention the case on March 10th and a sentencing hearing scheduled for April 7th.
Damian Szatkowski, 38, of Peachville, Kilshane, Dublin 11, pleaded guilty in October to the manslaughter of Marcel Kusenda, 48, in Newbridge, Co Kildare, on 8 March 2023. Szatkowski had moved into Kusenda's house shortly before the fatal incident and had previously assaulted the victim twice. He prevented a witness, Marytn Najder, from calling an ambulance and threatened her not to do so. The court heard that Szatkowski struck Kusenda twice in the nose and then kicked him three more times, leaving him unconscious in the bedroom for hours. Kusenda was later found with a large subdural hematoma and died on 10 March. The judge, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, set a headline sentence of ten years, reduced to six and a half years after mitigation, including Szatkowski's guilty plea and apology. The sentence was backdated to his first custody in April 2023. The hearing included victim impact statements from Kusenda's son and sisters.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Daniel Cashen, a 12‑year‑old victim in 2004, recounted how Anthony Lynch, 75, repeatedly abused him at Lynch's Rathsallagh Park home. Lynch, already serving a long sentence for similar offences, was found guilty of anal rape, oral rape and two sexual assault counts between 2004 and 2007. Cashen, who has since struggled with trust, friendship, and substance addiction, gave a victim impact statement describing Lynch's ongoing psychological torment. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, imposed a global headline sentence of 12 years, but ruled Lynch would serve an additional three years consecutively to his current term, extending his release to 2033. Lynch was also ordered to be supervised by the Probation Service for two years after release. The sentencing considered Lynch's age, medical conditions, and lack of a guilty plea.
Martin Burke, 28, of Ballinorig Estate, Tralee, was on bail when he strangled a woman at 3 am on 18 December 2022 and then repeatedly raped her. He pleaded guilty to four counts – rape, oral rape, anal rape and sexual assault – and was sentenced by the Central Criminal Court to 17 years, with the final two years suspended. The sentence was reduced from an initial headline of 22 years after mitigation. Burke is to remain under Probation Services supervision for five years post‑release, must keep the peace and be of good behaviour, and is prohibited from any contact with the victim. The victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, described the attack as an unspeakable ordeal and expressed ongoing fear and trauma. The judge noted Burke's history of 17 prior convictions and that he was on bail for similar offences at the time of the attack.
A 53‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment for raping and sexually abusing his younger sister between January 1987 and August 1991. The court heard that the victim was about seven when the defendant, then 15, began forcing her to perform oral sex and touch him inappropriately in their family home, a laneway and a field in County Dublin. He pleaded guilty to nine counts, including indecent assault and two oral rapes. The judge imposed a global sentence of six years and six months, with the final 12 months suspended for two years on strict conditions. The victim, whose name is withheld, said the abuse destroyed her childhood, caused ongoing shame, nightmares and mental health problems, and that she had finally come forward after years of silence. The court noted the defendant's young age at the time of the offences, his health issues and his willingness to engage in therapeutic programmes.
The trial of Alan Vial and Nikita Burns at the Central Criminal Court has been adjourned for ten days to allow legal representatives to address an outstanding matter. Both defendants deny murdering Robert Robin Wilkin, whose body was discovered in the sea below Sliabh Liag in Donegal in July 2023, eight days after his alleged death on 25 June. Mr Justice Paul McDermott informed the jury of twelve that proceedings will resume on 24 February. The trial, which commenced on 17 January, had been anticipated to conclude this week or next. Vial, aged 39, of Drumanoo Head, Killybegs, and Burns, aged 23, of Carrick, both deny the murder charge. State Pathologist Dr Margot Bolster identified depressed fractures to the deceased's skull inconsistent with injuries sustained from a cliff fall. A rock found at the cliff top, bearing blood and DNA matching the deceased, was presented as potentially consistent with causing those injuries. Alan Vial pleaded not guilty. Nikita Burns pleaded not guilty.
Michael McDonagh, 58, of Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty to stealing a handbag containing €2 from a 78‑year‑old woman outside an Applegreen service station in Dublin 8 on 9 November 2020. The victim, who had been on her way home after a doctor's appointment, was shocked and unable to give a statement. CCTV and a description of two men led to McDonagh's arrest minutes later. He was intoxicated at the time of arrest and had been a chronic alcoholic, but his lawyer said he had since undergone treatment and was now a "changed man". McDonagh had 83 prior convictions and had been homeless for 10–15 years. Judge Martin Nolan noted his remorse and the absence of violence, yet sentenced him to 15 months in prison, citing his long history of offending and homelessness. The court did not accept the claim that he had been provided housing or support workers at the time of the offence.
Shane Susa, 19, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after striking a man with a pickaxe about ten times during an attack on July 6, 2023. The victim was taken to St James Hospital and remained there for several days. Susa, who had no prior convictions and was 17 at the time of the offence, was found to have mental health difficulties. Judge Martin Nolan, after hearing the facts, sentenced Susa to a suspended term of three and a half years, with the entire sentence suspended. He ordered Susa to pay €4,000 to the victim over three months. The court noted Susa's cooperation, remorse, and the absence of any further garda attention since the incident. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The jury in the trial of Brian McHugh, a 40‑year‑old man, continues to view a CCTV montage that the prosecution says shows McHugh's movements after the killing of Lisa Thompson, aged 52, on 9 May 2022. McHugh, who lives in Ballymun, has pleaded not guilty to the murder. In his opening speech, counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions, Fiona Murphy SC, described Thompson's body as found inside her home with multiple stab wounds to the chest and a blind cord wrapped around her neck, and said a mixed DNA profile was found on the cord that could not exclude McHugh as a minor contributor. The prosecution has presented witness evidence that Thompson was dealing prescription drugs from her home and that her death was caused by a combination of ligature strangulation and multiple stab wounds.
Two teenage boys, aged 14 at the time of the attack, were sentenced to 32 and 26 months in detention for assault causing serious harm and violent disorder after viciously kicking and punching US tourist Stephen Termini on 19 July 2023 in Dublin city centre. Termini suffered serious brain injuries, skull, orbital and cheek fractures, and required emergency surgery to save his sight, followed by two weeks of specialist intensive care. He has ongoing cognitive issues, PTSD, constant pain, trouble sleeping, and mobility problems. Termini's victim impact statement highlighted over €103,000 in medical expenses and his desire for restitution. The court noted the attackers' actions were "vicious and unprovoked", with no weapons used, and that the injuries were foreseeable. The sentences reflect the severity of the assault and the lasting impact on Termini's life. The third boy, now 17, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of assault causing harm and will be sentenced on 26 February.
A 55-year-old man has appealed to the Court of Appeal against a High Court decision that he should face trial for a single count of alleged indecent assault committed between January 1987 and December 1988. The appellant, represented by Michael O'Higgins SC, argued that the delay in prosecution caused prejudice due to deceased witnesses and that his severe anxiety and suicidal ideation constituted exceptional circumstances preventing a fair trial. He contended that the High Court judge, Ms Justice Marguerite Bolger, erred in preferring a GP report over a psychological report that documented his suicidal ideation and a plan to crash his car. The State, represented by Kieran Kelly BL, countered that the trial court was the appropriate forum to assess fairness and noted that the appellant's anxiety was linked to other factors. Presiding Judge John Edwards highlighted inconsistencies between the reports regarding the suicidal ideation. The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgment, meaning the matter was adjourned and remains unresolved.