In a sentencing hearing, a 23‑year‑old man, Camden Konopka, pleaded guilty to attempting to murder his mother, Fiona Konopka, and to criminal damage. He set fire to their home on 19 September 2019, then locked his mother in and discarded her keys. The fire caused €60,289.47 in damage, mainly to a couch in the living room. Konopka had a history of mental illness, including schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder, and had been under psychiatric care. He claimed he had consumed opium, antidepressants and wine the day before the fire, feeling suicidal. He also admitted to using his mother's keys to lock the door and throwing them away. The court remanded him in custody and scheduled a probation report for 1 March next year. The mother was not present at the hearing and has since been rehoused.
Derek Byrne, 40, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court to eight years and six months in prison for facilitating the attempted murder of Noel Boylan. The court found Byrne guilty of participating in the activities of a criminal organisation with the intention of facilitating the offence, which occurred between May 27 and June 1, 2019. He was identified on CCTV footage purchasing the Toyota Avensis used to transport the gunman. The judge noted that the shooting only became an attempted murder because the weapon jammed. Byrne, who has a history of drug abuse and 78 previous convictions, was already serving a seven-and-a-half-year sentence for unlawful possession of a firearm, having been in custody since December 3, 2019. The new sentence includes a suspended portion of 12 months for three years, conditional on engaging with probation services. The court determined the new sentence should run concurrently with the existing one. Separately, Alan Graham, 51, was previously jailed for 10 years after pleading guilty to facilitating the attempted murder of Lee Boylan, Noel Boylan's son, in a related incident on March 6, 2019.
At the Central Criminal Court, a trial date of January 13, 2025 has been fixed in a case involving two Donegal residents accused of murder. Alan Vial, aged 38, of Killybegs, and Nikita Burns, aged 22, of Bundoran, face charges relating to the death of a man in his 60s originally from County Tyrone. The body was discovered in waters off Sliabh Liag cliffs on July 3, 2023, following a comprehensive search operation. The court heard that the book of evidence contains 213 witnesses. Mr Justice Paul McDermott indicated the trial is expected to last approximately four weeks and advised counsel to identify areas of agreed evidence beforehand, given the substantial witness list involved in the proceedings.
The jury at the Central Criminal Court continues deliberating in the trial of a woman charged with murdering her former lover. Nicola Brennan, aged 33, denies the murder of Juris Viktorovs, a 36-year-old Latvian national, at Ballyconnell, County Cavan, on 10 February 2022. The jury of eight men and four women has spent five hours and ten minutes in deliberation across two days, beginning Thursday afternoon. They are scheduled to resume Monday morning at 10am. The prosecution's case rests primarily on eyewitness testimony and forensic evidence, while the defence has challenged the reliability of the witness account and urged the jury to consider inconsistencies in the evidence presented. Mr Justice Paul McDermott has directed the jury that the prosecution must prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, and that murder requires proof of both the infliction of the fatal wound and intent to kill or cause serious harm. Nicola Brennan pleaded not guilty.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 15 December 2023, the State argued that a man acquitted of attempted murder in February 2021 was the shooter. State counsel Eilis Brennan SC presented evidence that gloves seized from the accused less than 30 minutes after the shooting contained 19 particles of firearm residue matching those found at the scene. She cited three hours of CCTV tracking two cars before, during and after the incident, including a black Hyundai hatchback that left the scene at 10.55pm and a BMW that was later stopped on the M50. Brennan claimed the CCTV and forensic evidence strongly linked the younger man, aged 28, to the shooting. The appeal court, led by Mr Justice Birmingham, was instructed to review the CCTV footage and transcripts and reserve judgment. The defense argued that the trial judge had erred by directing acquittals, but the appellate judges were to determine whether the evidence was sufficient for a jury. The unnamed respondent pleaded not guilty.
Rafik Ben Salah, 36, was taken to Dublin Airport for extradition to Spain. While being escorted by Gardaí and Spanish police, he violently resisted, broke free from his bonds, and fled. Pursued by officers, he was eventually detained after a struggle on the stairs. Spanish police refused to board him and left Ireland. A second extradition attempt on 22 December 2022 failed when Gardaí discovered Salah had defecated himself and had self‑harm cuts; the Spanish police and flight captain refused him boarding, leading to withdrawal of the warrant. Salah, who has no fixed abode and has prior convictions in Ireland and Germany, pleaded guilty to attempting to escape Garda custody. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to eight months in prison, back‑dated to his earlier custody, after a headline sentence of ten months was reduced for mitigating factors. The sentence is to be served in Ireland.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 59‑year‑old man pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault involving six complainants aged 17 to 24 between March 1991 and November 1997 in County Dublin. A former girlfriend of the fourth complainant testified that the accused, a former teacher, had told her in 1998 that he had been abused by the accused, describing the alleged incident as "touching and oral sex." A 45‑year‑old complainant recounted that he and the accused had gone to a pub, drank heavily, and that the accused performed oral sex on him after the accused had pulled down his boxer shorts. A second witness described a similar incident in late 1995, where the accused performed oral sex on him while he slept on the floor. A third witness denied any sexual intimacy with the accused.
In a 2023 Central Criminal Court case, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon directed a jury to acquit two men of attempted murder of a 17‑year‑old Dublin teenager, after the defence applied to drop the charges. The accused, aged 32 and 28, were alleged to have attempted to kill the teenager on 24 February 2021 at Eugene Street, Dublin 8, and to have possessed a Beretta pistol. The trial judge found the evidence—CCTV, witness testimony, forensics—insufficient to prove guilt, noting no direct link between the gun found in a burned‑out Hyundai and either defendant, and no DNA, phone or motive evidence. The State has now applied to the Court of Appeal to overturn the acquittal, arguing the judge erred by considering evidence "in isolation" rather than "globally." The appeal will be heard by a three‑judge panel tomorrow. The case remains a circumstantial one with no direct evidence of the defendants' involvement.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has begun deliberating in the trial of a woman charged with murdering her former lover in Ballyconnell, County Cavan. Nicola Brennan, aged 33, denies the charge of murdering Juris Viktorovs, a 36-year-old Latvian national, by stabbing him on 10 February 2022. The prosecution case relies on eyewitness testimony and forensic evidence, including blood found on the accused's clothing. The defence has challenged the reliability of the primary witness and questioned whether the evidence proves guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The jury of eight men and four women spent nearly two hours considering their verdict before adjourning. They are scheduled to return to court tomorrow. Justice Paul McDermott instructed the jury that the prosecution must prove its case to the standard of beyond reasonable doubt, and that murder requires proof of intent to kill or cause serious harm.
Abdisalan Abdulkadir Yusuf, a 25‑year‑old Somali‑Swedish national, was denied bail by the High Court after he fled Sweden to avoid serving a three‑year prison sentence for violent offences committed during a riot over the burning of the Quran. Yusuf was arrested in Dundalk, Co. Louth, on a European Arrest Warrant issued in April 2022 for gross sabotage of emergency services and attempted gross violence against police. He had travelled to Ireland in August 2023 without a passport, allegedly using a Swedish national identity card, and was found at a petrol station speaking to a sibling. The judge cited his flight risk, the seriousness of the offences, and the length of the sentence left to be served as reasons for refusal. Yusuf remains in custody until a full hearing on his surrender to Sweden on 7 February 2024.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 59‑year‑old former teacher pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault involving six complainants aged 17 to 24 between March 1991 and November 1997. A former colleague testified that he was shocked when a student arrived at the accused's home after a staff night out and that he later walked in on the accused, a woman, and the student in bed together. The colleague described how he avoided speaking to the student and later found the three of them in bed, with the accused in the middle. A former principal recounted receiving a call about a "sexual contact" incident involving a teacher and a student, and that the accused had been called to the student's home after an allegation of sexual assault. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
At the Central Criminal Court, defence counsel has urged a jury to acquit Nicola Brennan of murdering Juris Viktorovs in Ballyconnell, County Wicklow, on 10 February 2022. Colman Cody SC submitted that the evidence against his client does not establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt and that she had no motive to kill the deceased. He highlighted inconsistencies in the prosecution's main witness, noting that Brenda Kane made no mention of seeing Ms Brennan stab Mr Viktorovs during three initial interviews, only describing this during a later cognitive interview. Mr Cody also contended that forensic evidence, including blood on Ms Brennan's clothing, could be explained by her assisting in moving the body. He submitted that the level of intoxication present, together with the chaos of the circumstances, meant the jury could not be satisfied that Ms Brennan possessed the necessary intent for murder. Mr Justice Paul McDermott will continue his charge to the jury. Ms Brennan, aged 33, has pleaded not guilty to murder.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 59‑year‑old former teacher faces one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault involving six complainants aged 17 to 24 between March 1991 and November 1997. A friend of the accused, who worked on school musical productions in the 1990s, testified that she was present at a dinner in 1997 with the accused and a student, after which the three returned to the accused's apartment. She claimed the accused told her he had "made a pass" at the student, who had left the house. The witness also disclosed a brief sexual relationship with a 17‑year‑old student in 1995, which the accused reportedly found displeasing. The accused's employment as a teacher at the school from 1987 to 1997 and his role as musical director were confirmed by the school principal. The case is proceeding before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury. The unnamed 17-year-old pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court heard closing arguments on Tuesday in the trial of a woman accused of fatally stabbing her housemate in Ballyconnell, County Cavan, in February 2022. Nicola Brennan, aged 33, denies murdering Juris Viktorovs during an incident at a shared residence. The defence argued that the sole eyewitness to the alleged stabbing gave inconsistent accounts across multiple garda interviews and court testimony, and therefore cannot be relied upon to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Prosecution counsel countered that independent evidence supports the eyewitness version and highlighted contradictory statements made by the accused in emergency calls and police interviews as indicative of culpability. The jury of twelve was instructed to consider the effect of alcohol intoxication on the accused's state of mind. Closing arguments continue. Nicola Brennan pleaded not guilty.
A 54-year-old man has been sentenced to nine years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the rape and sexual abuse of four siblings over a twelve-year period. The offender, who cannot be named, pleaded guilty to eight sample charges relating to one brother, including oral rape, anal rape, and sexual assault committed between 1999 and 2005 when the victim was aged six. He further pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual assault against the brother's older sibling, and to offences against both sisters occurring in 1993 and 1997. The abuse came to light following a complaint to gardaí by one of the victims, whereupon the other siblings disclosed their experiences. The judge imposed a headline sentence of thirteen years, reduced to eleven years in light of the guilty pleas and cooperation with gardaí. The final two years were suspended on strict conditions, with a two-year post-release supervision order imposed. The sentencing heard victim impact statements describing the lasting trauma inflicted on all four siblings.
The Supreme Court will hear Graham Dwyer's appeal against his 2015 conviction for the murder of Elaine O'Hara on January 16. The one-day hearing centres on whether call data records used at trial should lead to a retrial, following declarations that retaining mobile phone data breached rights under the European Charter. Dwyer's lawyers argue the data retention constituted mass surveillance, while the DPP opposes the application. The Supreme Court agreed to hear the case, citing significant issues of general public importance regarding the admissibility of evidence obtained under a 2011 law later struck down by the Court of Justice of the European Union. In a preliminary hearing before Mr Justice Maurice Collins, the judge confirmed a timetable for legal submissions and asked the DPP and Dwyer's team to inquire if the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission wishes to participate. Dwyer, who denies murdering O'Hara, was originally convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court. Mr Justice Tony Hunt sentenced him to the mandatory term of life imprisonment, describing the killing as a chilling and premeditated murder following a protracted campaign of manipulation and abuse. Although the Court of Appeal dismissed his conviction appeal last March, finding the call data evidence did not cause a miscarriage of justice, the Supreme Court is now reviewing the legal characterisation of the data's illegality and the scope of legislation governing conviction appeals.
At the Central Criminal Court, Matthew Cummins appeared on appeal regarding the reactivation of his suspended sentence. The State sought to activate the two-year suspended portion of his nine-year term, which was imposed in September 2021 for impeding the apprehension of an offender. This followed Cummins' guilty plea and sentencing on December 5 last year at Tullamore Circuit Criminal Court, where he received two-and-a-half years' imprisonment for criminal damage, with the final year suspended. Cummins, who has 69 previous convictions, had previously admitted to helping Sean Davy, a convicted murderer, by attempting to burn the victim's body to destroy evidence. James Davy, Cummins' co-accused in the original 2014 incident, also had his murder conviction overturned in 2021 and was re-sentenced to nine years with two suspended. Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford revoked the two-year suspension but substituted it with a one-year jail term, backdated to December 5 last, with no portion suspended. She noted Cummins' good behaviour and course completion in prison, granting him a further chance despite his high risk of reoffending. Sean Davy remains serving a life sentence for murder.
Joseph Mockler, aged 63, was convicted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of four counts of indecent assault against two teenage boys aged 14 to 16 between January 1987 and December 1988. The court found that Mockler, a sports coach, had used his position and alcohol to exploit the boys, engaging in repeated inappropriate touching, masturbation and oral sex while they were intoxicated. He was found guilty by a jury of two counts of indecent assault for each boy, though he denied the verdicts. Judge Elma Sheahan imposed a sentence of five years for the first boy and five and a half years for the second, to run consecutively, then reduced the second to three years for proportionality, giving a global sentence of eight years. The final 12 months were suspended on strict conditions, and Mockler will be placed under probation supervision for 12 months after release.
Derek Byrne, 40, of Swords, appeared before the Central Criminal Court at the sentence stage for his role in the attempted murder of Noel Boylan. Byrne pleaded guilty to intentionally facilitating a serious offence by a criminal organisation, specifically the attempted murder of Boylan between May 27 and June 1, 2019, with knowledge of the organisation's existence. He also admitted to participating in the activities of a criminal organisation during a pre-trial hearing. Prosecution counsel Sean Gillane SC noted that Byrne's guilty plea acknowledged his previous false statements to gardai regarding the purchase of a Toyota Avensis used by the gunman. The court heard that the shooter's weapon jammed while pursuing Boylan into a Lidl supermarket, where CCTV captured frightened shoppers, including children, running for cover. Boylan made a full recovery. Byrne, who has 78 previous convictions, is currently serving a seven-and-a-half-year sentence for unlawful possession of a semi-automatic pistol. His defence counsel, Giollaiosa O'Lideadha SC, highlighted Byrne's severe cocaine addiction and requested the court consider backdating the new sentence to his initial custody date. Mr Justice Paul McDermott remanded Byrne in custody until next Monday, when he will be formally sentenced. Separately, Alan Graham, 51, was previously jailed for 10 years in 2021 after pleading guilty to facilitating the attempted murder of Lee Boylan, Noel's son, in a related incident on the same road in March 2019.
Josh Cummins (19) was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his role in an organised assault on December 30, 2021. Cummins pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Alanna Quinn Idris, violent disorder, production of a hurl, and assault causing harm to Louis O'Sullivan. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to five years' imprisonment for the serious harm and violent disorder counts, suspending the final two years on strict conditions. He received a concurrent three-year sentence for the assault causing harm count. The court noted Cummins was 17 at the time, had no prior convictions, and there was no suggestion he struck Ms Quinn Idris, who lost vision in one eye. In March, co-accused Darragh Lyons (19) was sentenced to four and a half years for assault causing serious harm to Ms Quinn Idris, having also pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Mr O'Sullivan and violent disorder. The case relies on joint enterprise principles. Two other accused remain before the courts or unidentified. Ms Quinn Idris described the sentence as disappointing but appreciated the custodial outcome.
A 48‑year‑old man who claims his teacher tried to rape him during a sleepover gave evidence at the Central Criminal Court, saying he has been "waiting for over 30 years" to appear. He said he had a close friendship with the teacher in transition year and stayed overnight in the teacher's spare room. The complainant described waking to the teacher's head on his crotch and receiving a blowjob. He explained that he suppressed the memory, later opening it and seeking therapy. He told the jury he had not reported the incident to Gardaí until recently, after contacting the Garda Confidential Line. The accused faces one count of attempted anal rape and one count of sexual assault relating to this complainant, and has pleaded not guilty. The trial continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
Patrick Stokes, 31, was sentenced to six years in prison for a series of offences including robbery, assault and criminal damage. He was living in a tent near the Dáil and had a long criminal record of 97 convictions. In October 2021 he robbed a homeless man in St Audoen's Park, taking about €400 from the victim's sock after the victim had given him €40. He also assaulted a man on the Liffey Boardwalk in September 2021, punching him to the ground and stamping on him, causing bruising and soft‑tissue damage. In June 2022 he robbed a shop in Dun Laoghaire, threatening the assistant with a knife, and later caused damage during a burglary on Baggot Street. The judge noted Stokes' addiction and history of adversity, and imposed a seven‑year sentence with the final 12 months suspended, to run consecutively with a prior three‑and‑a‑half‑year term. Patrick Stokes pleaded guilty.
Paul Boyle, a 46‑year‑old Scottish man, was caught by an off‑duty Garda taking "up‑skirt" pictures on the Luas in December 2019. A Garda search of his Dublin home uncovered hundreds of thousands of similar images, including 20,000 of women and girls' legs, groins and buttocks, and an "extremely explicit" child‑abuse video. Boyle pleaded guilty to harassment and possession of child pornography. Judge Martin Nolan originally sentenced him to five years for harassment and three years for child‑pornography, with the final two and a half years of the latter suspended. On appeal, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy reduced the overall custodial term to five years and six months, suspending the last 16 months. The Court of Appeal found the original sentence excessive, noting no violence or threat of violence and no contact with victims. Boyle remains subject to post‑release supervision and a ban on contact with the victims.
Oliver Doran, aged 24, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the axe murder of 76‑year‑old Kwok Ping Cheng in Dublin's Robinson's Court. Doran initially pleaded not guilty but later changed to guilty and was sentenced on 8 May 2023. The Central Criminal Court, presided over by Mr Justice David Keane, described the killing as "senseless" and imposed the maximum life sentence. The sentence was backdated to 17 January 2023, the date of Doran's guilty plea, and the Court of Appeal later further backdated it to 6 May 2021, the day Doran was first taken into custody. This adjustment allows Doran to apply for parole in 2033 instead of 2035. The case involved CCTV footage of Doran entering Cheng's apartment, forensic evidence of axe wounds, and Doran's prior 98 convictions. The appeal court upheld the backdating, noting that guilty pleas in murder cases are rare and that backdating is standard practice.
Two men from Longford have failed in their conviction appeals at the Court of Appeal following their trial for rape and sexual assault during the Galway Races in August 2017. Karl Reilly of Carrickboy and Patrick McLoughlin of Moydow were convicted and sentenced to seven and five years' imprisonment respectively, with 18 months suspended in each case. The appellants, who had pleaded not guilty, argued that an erroneous time-stamp on phone evidence discovered during trial prejudiced their defence preparation and that their trials should have been separated. Presiding judge Mr Justice George Birmingham dismissed both grounds of appeal. The court found that the phone timing discrepancy, whilst unfortunate, did not cause irreparable damage to the trial and could have been addressed through further cross-examination or closing speeches. On the severance issue, the judge noted that the differences between the men's accounts to gardaí were minor and that joint trials routinely proceed where potential defence difficulties are far greater. Both conviction appeals were dismissed in their entirety.
During a trial on 7 December 2023, a 48‑year‑old complainant testified that a teacher he had trusted and befriended attempted to rape him during a sleep‑over at the teacher's home. The teacher, in his 30s at the time, was accused of one count of attempted anal rape and one count of sexual assault relating to this complainant. The witness described how the teacher invited him into the bedroom, where the teacher allegedly performed a forced oral act and then tried to penetrate his anus while the complainant was asleep. The complainant said he was terrified, did not consent, and tried to lie on his stomach to stop the assault. He could not recall the duration of the incident. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens, continues with the jury hearing the evidence. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
In a trial in Dublin, a 59‑year‑old man accused of sexually assaulting a student in 1995 pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual assault. The fifth complainant, now 47, testified that he was 18 when the alleged assault occurred in a pub toilet. He described the accused as masturbating into his hand, then pinning him against a wall and possibly kissing his neck or cheek. The complainant said he told a friend that night about the incident, after drinking whiskey with two other teenagers. He added that he had never met the accused again and that he had not reported the assault to Gardaí at the time, citing embarrassment and a sense of being in the wrong place. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 68‑year‑old man received a third sentence for sexually assaulting a child who was five years old in 2016. The court heard that the accused filmed himself touching the child's genitals while she lay on a couch, a seven‑second clip that was shown to her mother. The mother, who described her daughter as once joyful and now withdrawn, said the assault had taken away her daughter's innocence and caused nightmares. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a headline sentence of three years, reduced to two years and three months because of the man's age and ill health, and noted his apology. The sentence runs concurrently with an eight‑year sentence for a 2021 anal rape. The man is also barred from contacting either victim permanently. The court did not discuss any further proceedings or outcomes beyond this sentencing.
A woman standing trial for murder has denied allegations that her housemate died following a fit of jealousy and rage. Nicola Brennan, 33, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Juris Viktorovs, 36, at Ballyconnell, County Cavan, on 10 February 2022. At the Central Criminal Court, the jury heard that Ms Brennan initially told gardaí her boyfriend carried out the attack, later suggesting it may have been the deceased's partner. Forensic evidence presented showed blood belonging to the deceased on the cuff of Ms Brennan's pyjamas. The court also heard testimony regarding fake pink fingernails found at the scene and in garda custody. Ms Brennan maintained she was asleep at the time of the incident and had no reason to harm the deceased, whom she described as a good friend. The trial, before Mr Justice Paul McDermott, continues with a jury of twelve.
The trial of an unnamed 59-year-old accused of sexual offences against six young men continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens. The defendant has pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault, alleged to have occurred between March 1991 and November 1997 in Co Dublin. He also faces one count of sexual assault regarding the fifth complainant, to which he has also pleaded not guilty. The fifth complainant, now 47, testified that in 1995, while in a pub toilet, the accused allegedly pinned him against a wall and engaged in non-consensual sexual contact. The witness stated he did not consent and was in shock. Earlier, the fourth complainant, who faces one count of sexual assault, was cross-examined regarding alleged consensual encounters and drug use. He admitted to receiving a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of possession of a controlled drug for sale or supply and cultivation of cannabis plants. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC suggested the complainant had boasted about drug use and that the accused reported this to the school principal. The complainant disagreed with suggestions that the sexual interactions were consensual. The trial is ongoing.
Alan Rooney, 54, of Stillorgan, was given a fully suspended 18‑month sentence for a series of offences committed on 18 September 2022 at Dundrum Town Centre. He pleaded guilty to theft, threats to kill, threatening abusive behaviour, breach of the peace, assault causing harm and entering a private kitchen and taking a kitchen knife. Rooney attacked a security guard, struck him five to six times and attempted to bring him to the ground before other security staff intervened. He also threatened a shopper, saying he would "cut the hearts out" of the shopper's wife and children. CCTV footage of the altercation was shown to the court. The judge, citing Rooney's 25 previous convictions, his 10‑year UK prison term for robbery and his moderate risk of reoffending, imposed the sentence on condition of probation, addiction services and victim‑focused work, suspending it in full for three years.
Christina Anderson, 41, of Dublin 22, appealed her sentence at the Court of Appeal regarding the killing of Gareth Kelly, 38. Anderson was sentenced earlier this year to 11 years in prison, with the final three years suspended for four years. She was initially charged with murder and pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. However, the Director of Public Prosecutions accepted a plea of guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility due to a mental disorder. The State accepted Anderson was experiencing a psychotic episode due to bipolar affective disorder but did not qualify for a full insanity defence. Counsel for Anderson argued the sentencing judge failed to correctly assess her moral culpability, citing a psychiatrist's report that she was highly dominated by her condition with no insight. The DPP countered that moral culpability was not extinguished, pointing to ongoing aggravation and the fact that Anderson stabbed the victim, walked away, and returned to stab him again. The DPP also noted the suspended portion was necessary for public protection given the lack of a suitable environment to police her mental health. Anderson is currently an enhanced prisoner at Dochas women's prison, where her medication has been reduced and she is participating in various classes. The matter remains under appeal.
The State argues that child offenders who become adults before their appeal is heard should not retain anonymity. The Court of Appeal will decide whether the 21‑year‑old who murdered student Cameron Blair can be publicly identified after appealing his sentence post‑turning 18. Mr Justice George Birmingham requested submissions from the Director of Public Prosecutions and the defendant's counsel. The defendant, aged 17 when the murder occurred, pleaded guilty and was sentenced just before his 18th birthday. The Children Act prohibits publishing anything likely to identify a child in court proceedings. Karl Finnegan SC contended that naming the young offender on appeal would violate the Act's spirit, while Anne Rowland SC argued that the Act's literal wording does not extend anonymity beyond 18. Mr Justice Birmingham noted a subsection of the Act that applies to appeal proceedings, questioning its purpose if anonymity is not preserved. The court will rule later.
A man has been sentenced to five years' imprisonment following his conviction for rape at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. Daniel Maymay, aged 31, of Kilmacrennan Road, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, was found guilty of one count of rape committed on 28 January 2019. He had pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape and false imprisonment; the jury acquitted him on the remaining charges. The court heard that Maymay and the woman met online and arranged to meet for coffee. During the encounter at his Letterkenny residence, the woman told him to stop sexual contact, but he continued. Maymay maintained the intercourse was consensual. The complainant did not initially report the incident but later contacted police after confiding in her mother. Justice Paul Burns imposed a six-year sentence with the final year suspended on strict conditions. Maymay has 17 previous convictions, including violent disorder and drug-supply offences, but no prior sexual convictions.
In a trial held on 4 December 2023, a 59‑year‑old accused man pleaded not guilty to a single count of sexual assault. The complainant, who was not named for legal reasons, testified that he had been awakened by the accused performing oral sex on him after drinking eight or nine pints with the teacher. He said he did not block out the incident but kept it at the back of his mind. The defence counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, questioned whether the accused had left a class unattended and whether the complainant had been intoxicated during the alleged events. The complainant confirmed he had been drunk and that he had not remembered a later alleged sexual encounter in Kilkenny. The case remains before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
A 51‑year‑old man was sentenced to 11 years and nine months in prison, with a three‑month suspended portion, for a series of sexual and physical abuses against his four daughters. The court heard that the defendant subjected his eldest daughter, now 17, to a "campaign of sexual abuse" from age three to thirteen, including sexual assault, oral rape and child cruelty, and that he also pleaded guilty to child cruelty against each of his other daughters, aged 25, 22 and 15. The abuse took place in the family home in the south‑east of the country. The judge noted the victims' bravery in coming forward and the severe harm inflicted, but also considered mitigating factors such as the defendant's guilty plea, remorse, cooperation with investigators and lack of prior convictions.
Two brothers, Ian (34) and Daniel (43) Connaghan, were sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for a 2019 attack that killed 55‑year‑old Michael 'Mick' Mulvey. The jury found them not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter (Ian) and assault causing serious harm (Daniel). Ian received a nine‑year sentence with the final year suspended for three years; Daniel received five years with the final year suspended for three years. The court described the assault as "savage, cold‑blooded and cowardly," noting that Mulvey was a slight, unarmed victim who offered no resistance. The sentencing judge highlighted the brothers' lack of remorse and the brutal nature of the attacks, while acknowledging mitigating factors such as Ian's lack of prior convictions. No verdict was recorded on the assault charges for either brother.
Laurence Maguire, 47, pleaded guilty to two robberies and an assault at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He had been on the run for seven years after a bench warrant was issued in 2016, during which time Gardaí could not locate him. In June 2023 he surrendered and has been in custody since. The first robbery occurred at Courtview, Rathbourne, where he forced a woman to drop her bags, stole a River Island handbag containing about €30, bank cards and a DKNY watch, and left her with a sore neck and a cut. The second robbery took place on Glasnevin Avenue, Ballymun, where he attempted to seize a woman's bag, injured her husband with cuts to his face and hand, and stole a Marks & Spencer handbag. Gardaí recovered the vehicle, bank cards, and evidence linking Maguire to the incidents. He admitted to possessing a knife and having a drug addiction, and has 17 prior convictions.
Jordan Lee, 25, was sentenced to two years in prison in April 2023 for a violent robbery that left two teenagers, aged 18 and 19, unconscious after they refused to buy drugs in Dublin city centre. Lee, who was on bail at the time, struck one teen on the head and repeatedly stamped on his head, while a co‑accused struck the other teen. Both men then stole the teens' pockets and fled. The State appealed the sentence, arguing it was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal, after viewing disturbing CCTV footage, found the original two‑year term too low and increased the pre‑mitigation headline sentence to seven years. The judge set a post‑mitigation headline sentence of five years, suspended six months, and back‑dated the custodial term to start after the expiry of a separate 11‑month sentence on 6 June. Jordan Lee pleaded guilty.
Anthony Goodman, a 78‑year‑old sex offender with no fixed abode, was jailed for 12 months after a Garda detective spotted him attempting to board a Luas tram at Smithfield. Goodman had a sex offender order issued in August 2017 that barred him from using public transport without prior Garda notice. The detective, Fergus Grant, approached Goodman, who admitted he had knowingly violated the order and had decided to "take a chance." Goodman had 213 prior convictions, including sexual assault, indecency, breaches of a sex offender order, burglary, arson and threats to kill, and was already serving a sentence for another offence. Judge Dara Hayes noted Goodman's age, frailty and cooperation, but imposed a 12‑month sentence, crediting him for time already served. The order had previously prevented him from riding a bus without informing Gardaí. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Anthony Goodman was found guilty.
At the appeal stage, Gerard Cervi was found guilty of murdering Robert 'Bobby' Messett (50) at Bray Boxing Club, Bray Harbour, Co Wicklow on June 5, 2018. Cervi had pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and also to the attempted murders of Mr Taylor and Ian Britton on the same date and at the same location. However, a jury unanimously found him guilty of the murder of Mr Messett, despite acquitting him of the attempted murder charges. Following today's hearing, Mr Justice Karen O'Connor sentenced Cervi to life imprisonment. The victim's children, Demi and Gary Messett, addressed the court during the sentencing hearing, expressing their grief and frustration over the senseless nature of the crime. No motive was ever advanced for the shooting, and it was confirmed that Mr Messett was not the target. Cervi, who has been in custody for over five years since his arrest in September 2018, was convicted last week after two trials lasting a combined 17 weeks over a two-year period. The matter was adjourned at the appeal stage and was never described as concluded or finalised.
In a Central Criminal Court sentencing hearing, Andrew 'Andy' Cash, aged 30, was found guilty of manslaughter for stabbing his brother‑in‑law, John 'Johnny' Cash, to death on 3 May 2022. Cash claimed he had been drinking and taking tablets when he "snapped" after a dispute with his wife, Elizabeth, who alleged that Cash believed his wife had been intimate with Johnny for years. The court heard that Cash had a knife in his car, which he used to stab Johnny twice, one wound penetrating the heart. A jury had earlier returned a 10‑2 majority verdict of not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, and not guilty of assault causing harm or production of a knife. Cash's defence argued that he suffered a sudden loss of self‑control, but the court accepted the manslaughter conviction. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon will pass sentence on 19 February.
In a trial before Mr Justice Alexander Owens, a 59‑year‑old complainant described feeling helpless and unable to react when he woke to find the accused man, who is unnamed for legal reasons, sexually assaulting him. The complainant said he had gone to a friend's house in early 1994 for a drink, where he unexpectedly met the accused. He later went to bed in a double bed with the accused, both in boxer shorts, and slept on the right side of the bed. He claimed he woke to his face and neck being licked, with the accused's hard penis against his bottom and a foot grappling his boxer shorts. He said the accused was gyrating against him. The complainant also stated he did not confront the accused the next morning and that he was in a state of semi‑freeze, looking down on himself and unable to react. The unnamed 59-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Chantal Johnston, 37, of Clonard Road in Crumlin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm and dangerous driving. The charges relate to an incident at Domino's Pizza on the Crumlin Road in the early hours of July 9, 2022. Prosecutors alleged that Johnston racially abused a part-time delivery driver, calling him a "bloody foreigner" and a "little Paki," before pushing, punching, kicking, and biting him. She was further accused of driving her car toward the victim in a threatening manner and threatening to kill him. The victim, who described the attack as being like a "vicious animal," stated in a victim impact statement that the racially motivated incident caused him lasting physical pain, anxiety, and depression. Defense counsel Seoirse Ó Dúnlaing BL submitted that Johnston, a mother of two, had taken an excessive amount of anti-depressants and was under the influence. He offered a fulsome apology and noted she had no previous convictions. Judge Orla Crowe expressed disappointment with the apology, stating she was "utterly underwhelmed" given the personalized and racial nature of the attack. The judge agreed to defer the sentence and ordered a probation report, suggesting probation services might propose a form of restorative justice. The matter was adjourned for finalisation to March 11 next year.
Paul Wells Snr, aged 55, was convicted of murder after shooting Kenneth O'Brien in the back of the head and dismembering him with a chainsaw, disposing of the torso in a suitcase found in the Grand Canal. He claimed self‑defence, arguing he shot O'Brien when the gun fell and he feared being shot. His lawyers argued the trial judge's charge to the jury was incoherent and that the burden of proof was reversed. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, stating the judge had adequately instructed the jury on self‑defence and that no fundamental injustice had occurred. Wells was sentenced to life imprisonment in November 2018, with no mention of a suspended portion or effective custody in the article. The case involved the discovery of O'Brien's torso and other body parts in the canal, and a history of financial transfers between the parties. The appeal was rejected in its entirety.
A 49‑year‑old mother, Lynn Eagar, was sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty to murdering her two children, Thelma (5) and Michael (2), by setting fire to the car they were travelling in. The court heard that Eagar had sent text messages before the incident expressing that she believed the children would no longer suffer. She admitted to placing petrol in the rear footwell of a blue Lexus and igniting it, causing the vehicle to burst into flames. The children died; Eagar sustained minimal burns and was rescued by a passerby. She had no prior convictions and had been in custody since September 2022, later transferred to the Central Mental Hospital. The judge imposed a mandatory life sentence for each count of murder, expressing sympathy for the bereaved family. The summary is 140 words.
In a trial for sexual assault, a 54‑year‑old complainant, the third to give evidence, explained that he did not report the alleged incident to the Gardaí until 2021, citing a lack of courage and a belief that the matter might not warrant police involvement. He recounted that in early 1994 he and the accused, a 59‑year‑old man, were in a double bed after a night of drinking. While asleep, the complainant says the accused licked his face and neck, pressed a hard penis against his lower body, and performed repetitive thrusting. The complainant described feeling frozen and later giving the accused physical resistance. He said the incident was humiliating and that he chose to keep it to himself until making a formal statement in 2021. The case is proceeding before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury. The unnamed 59-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A witness at the Central Criminal Court murder trial testified that the accused woman told him the death of Juris Viktorovs resulted from a heart attack rather than stabbing. Paul Troy recounted that Nicola Brennan, aged 33, of no fixed abode, characterised the fatal wound as shallow when he questioned her about the incident. Brennan has pleaded not guilty to murdering Viktorovs, a 36-year-old Latvian national, at Shillelagh, Ballyconnell, County Cavan, on 10 February 2022. During cross-examination, the defence challenged Troy's account of the conversation, with counsel suggesting the accused did not make the statements attributed to her. Troy maintained that his statement to gardaí at the time was truthful. Another witness, Macislavs Obruzcovs, described finding Viktorovs on the floor with a small mark on his chest and no visible bleeding. The trial before Mr Justice Paul McDermott continues.
Antoinette Geoghegan, 37, of Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a controlled drug for sale and supply on 15 February 2022, and to possession of €2,180 as proceeds of crime. A Garda raid on her home uncovered a schoolbag near the front door containing 11 large bags and 24 smaller packets of heroin, totalling 341 g and valued at €47,782. The bag also held 41 g of crack cocaine, valued at €2,887, €2,180 in cash, weighing scales and two mobile phones. Geoghegan admitted she was holding the heroin for others and that she intended to sell the crack cocaine. She has two prior convictions, including assault causing harm in 2005. The court adjourned the case to 22 March 2024 for finalisation, with a probation report to be prepared.
A 77‑year‑old man, whose name is withheld for legal reasons, faces trial next year for historic sexual offences. He is accused of one count of rape and nine counts of indecent assault. The Central Criminal Court, hearing the case, set a trial date of 8 July 2024, expecting it to last about two weeks.