Michael Carroll, 43, of Bride St, Dublin 8, faces a significant sentence in the Special Criminal Court after a series of violent offences. He was originally charged with the attempted murder of John Hutch, who died in 2016, but later pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life. Carroll also pleaded guilty to an attempted murder of Edward Staunton in March 2017, after a car attack that left Staunton severely injured. He has 58 prior convictions, including robbery, theft, drug offences and knife possession. A barrister urged the court to consider suspending part of the sentence, citing Carroll's progress in prison and the need for intense rehabilitation. Judge Tony Hunt acknowledged the value of turning people around and adjourned the sentencing to 2 October, noting the possibility of probation involvement.
A 51‑year‑old man from Galway was sentenced to nine years and a half in prison, with the final six months suspended, for the sexual exploitation and rape of his teenage nephew between 2016 and 2017. He pleaded guilty to one count of anal rape, one count of sexual assault and one count of sexual exploitation. The victim, aged 14 or 15, was abused at several locations including the defendant's home, car, a horsebox and the victim's home. The abuse involved inappropriate touching, masturbation, oral and anal rape, and a threat to report the abuse. The victim's behaviour changed from "happy‑go‑lucky" to misbehaving, and he eventually reported the abuse after his sister's encouragement. The court heard the victim's impact statement, noting mental health and family relationship effects. The judge, Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, acknowledged the victim's reaction and the support of family members.
A 23-year-old man from Sligo has pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to two counts of murder and one count of causing serious harm. Yousef Palani, of Markievicz Heights, admitted to the murder of Aidan Moffitt on April 10, 2022, at Cartron Heights, Sligo, and the murder of Michael Snee on April 12, 2022, at City View, Connaughton Road, Sligo. He also pleaded guilty to causing serious harm to Anthony Burke on April 9, 2022, at Cleveragh Road, Sligo. Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring expressed sympathy to the families of the deceased and directed that victim impact statements be prepared. The case was previously scheduled for a four-week trial on November 13 but has now been adjourned to October 23 for sentencing purposes.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Robert Dunne, 27, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault against a 24‑year‑old woman in Dublin. The assault occurred on 7 May 2018 at Island Bridge, when Dunne and the victim had alcohol and cocaine, followed by consensual sex that turned violent. Dunne repeatedly penetrated the victim while she pretended to be asleep, and she fled to a hotel where Gardaí were called. The victim's impact statement described lasting trauma, including thoughts of self‑harm and ongoing emotional distress. Dunne had no prior convictions and had shown remorse, including apologies and a letter to the victim. The judge, Justice Paul McDermott, imposed a headline sentence of four years, sentencing Dunne to three years on each count to run concurrently and suspending the final 18 months for two years under strict conditions. The sentence reflected the seriousness of the assaults and the victim's impact.
A 14‑year‑old teenager, now 17, has appealed his murder conviction for the killing of Urantsetseg Tserendorj, arguing that evidence of a second attempted robbery, which occurred 25 minutes after the fatal stabbing, was prejudicial. The appeal contends that the trial judge erred by allowing the prosecution to call this evidence and by permitting a sensationalist comment in the opening address. The court ruled that the second incident evidence was admissible, citing its relevance to the appellant's state of mind regarding the use of a knife. The appeal also questions the admissibility of a dying declaration and the judge's handling of the case's atmosphere. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on the appeal. Urantsetseg Tserendorj pleaded guilty.
An 18‑year‑old was sentenced to seven years in prison at the Central Criminal Court for filming himself raping a ten‑year‑old boy and for seeking to trade child‑abuse material. The court heard that the defendant's devices contained videos and images of adult men with boys aged five to fourteen, some showing children bound and distressed, and that 18,000 instant‑message conversations were found in which he asked for pictures or videos to trade. He pleaded guilty to one count of anal rape, five counts of sexual assault and one count of producing child pornography. The judge set a headline sentence of fourteen years, but the final year was suspended, leaving an effective custodial term of thirteen years. The defendant was ordered to remain in prison for eight years on the rape count, with the last year suspended, and to comply with strict post‑release supervision and internet restrictions.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Judge Mary Ellen Ring sentenced Andrew Lacey, 35, to seven years and six months' imprisonment, with an 18‑month suspended portion, for the fatal stabbing of Derek Reddin, 31, on 14 October 2019. Lacey, a long‑time parks officer, was found guilty of manslaughter after a jury acquitted him of murder. The judge noted that Lacey's knife was used after Reddin attacked him with a baseball bat, and that Lacey's initial denial of the knife's ownership indicated an attempt to evade responsibility. The sentence was reduced from an initial eight years and six months due to mitigating circumstances, and the suspended period is conditional on good behaviour for three years. The ruling highlighted that seven children are now father‑less, two permanently and five temporarily, as a consequence of the incident. The sentence was back‑dated to 15 June to account for time already served. Andrew Lacey pleaded not guilty.
A Dublin man, Declan Tynan, aged 33, spent 11 months in jail after being wrongly identified as one of three men who attacked a customer at a Ladbrokes bookmakers in Tallaght on 13 December 2012. The prosecution's case relied on a single visual identification by a Garda from CCTV footage. Tynan pleaded not guilty, was found guilty by a jury, and sentenced to four years with the final year suspended. He appealed on the grounds of the perils of visual identification, but the Court of Appeal initially upheld the conviction. Later, a third party came forward claiming to be the third attacker, and a UK Met Police evaluation of photographs and stills confirmed Tynan's innocence. In April 2018 the Court of Appeal quashed the conviction under Section 2 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1993.
In a 2023 Supreme Court decision, a Dublin man, Keith Connorton, 44, had his appeal against a murder conviction dismissed. Connorton had been found guilty in 2019 of killing 32‑year‑old Graham McKeever on 18 February 2017 after an argument with his partner Claire McGrath. The jury, in a 10‑to‑two verdict, sentenced him to life imprisonment. Connorton's appeal centred on the admissibility of a 999 call made by McGrath, which the trial judge admitted under the "res gestae" exception to the hearsay rule. The Supreme Court panel, in a unanimous decision, upheld the trial judge's ruling, agreeing that the emergency call was properly admitted and that the conviction should stand. No new evidence or outcome was introduced beyond the confirmation of the original verdict.
In a Court of Appeal decision on 28 July 2023, the conviction of Bajo Ziflai, a 23‑year‑old Albanian national, was quashed. Ziflai had been found guilty by a jury of four counts of raping a 23‑year‑old woman he met on a dating website, where he used a false name, and one count of sexual assault. The original trial, held in Central Court in July 2022, had sentenced him to nine years' imprisonment. Ziflai had pleaded not guilty to all five charges and maintained that the woman's allegations were fabricated. The appeal argued that the trial judge erred in how the jury was instructed on the significance of lies told by the accused. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, held that the jury may not have fully understood the role of lies, found the verdict unsafe, and directed a retrial. No new sentence was imposed.
Three men have been sentenced to fifteen years' imprisonment following their conviction on fifteen charges relating to an armed attack on security personnel at a repossessed farmhouse near Strokestown, County Roscommon on 16 December 2018. Martin O'Toole, PJ Sweeney and Paul Beirne were found guilty of aggravated burglary, violent disorder, false imprisonment, assault causing harm, arson and animal cruelty. A fourth defendant, David Lawlor, was acquitted of all charges. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martina Baxter described the incident as a "well-executed plan" involving approximately thirty armed men who arrived in the early hours to terrorise the security guards. The judge noted the attack demonstrated "extensive planning and pre-meditation" and included "calculated cruelty". Sentencing to run concurrently, Judge Baxter stated there was no excuse for such lawlessness and declined to suspend any portion of the sentences. All three men are to be backdated to when they entered custody.
Jonathan Duke, 27, strangled at Bridge House, Bandon, on 12 November 2011, had his body moved downstairs, trussed with an electrical cord and thrown into the River Bandon. A day earlier, 42‑year‑old John Forrester had been killed in the same building and his body also disposed of in the river. Duke, a father‑of‑one, was visiting Forrester's murderers when he learned of the previous day's killing. Catherine O'Connor, former girlfriend of the victims, is serving life for both murders. Her boyfriend, Ciprian Grozavu, 49, denied murdering both men and was tried separately. Grozavu was found guilty of both murders and sentenced to life, but his murder conviction was quashed on appeal and he was retried in 2021. He was acquitted of murder but found guilty of two counts of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of another.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Thomas Neville, 59, was found guilty of one count of rape, one count of child exploitation and 20 counts of sexual assault against a girl who was 14 at the time of the first offence. The offences occurred in Dublin between 2010 and 2020. Neville, who has 35 prior convictions, including 34 for traffic offences and one for sexual assault, denied the allegations. The court heard that Neville gave the victim cocaine and took cocaine in her presence, and that he performed a range of sexual acts including placing his finger in her anus, touching her breasts, humping her, blindfolding her, forcing her to guess a food item, and making her mouth contact his penis and tongue. The victim, who has struggled with mental health issues, gave a victim impact statement. The case was adjourned for finalisation on 23 October.
Kevin Kletzander, a former Trinity College student, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting nine women in daylight attacks across Dublin city centre in August 2021. The sentence, back‑dated to August 2021, allows a maximum of 18 months' custodial time. The court heard that Kletzander, who had no fixed abode, was arrested after slapping a female Garda at Store Street Garda Station. He pleaded guilty to nine counts of sexual assault at locations including Grafton Street, St Stephen's Green, Aston Quay, Usher's Island, the Ilac Shopping Centre and the Garda station. Victim impact statements described the assaults as humiliating and shocking, with one woman unable to socialise afterwards. Kletzander's mother attended court, offering to pay for a private psychological assessment but not for accommodation upon release. The judge ordered good behaviour for four and a half years and compliance with probation and mental‑health treatment directives.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Michael Connolly, 55, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mark Lawlor, 37, in Cloverhill Prison. Connolly, who had been remanded for unrelated matters, allegedly scalded Lawlor with hot water before strangling him on the night of 22‑23 November 2019. Witnesses described Connolly as calm and unresponsive when officers entered the cell. Forensic evidence showed multiple superficial burns, lacerations, and asphyxiation as the cause of death. Connolly claimed he believed Lawlor was a "kingpin" and that a "homosexual conspiracy" existed between prisoners and officers. Two psychiatrists testified that Connolly was suffering from an active mental disorder, diagnosed as schizoaffective disorder in 2019. The jury will decide whether to apply a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity or a manslaughter conviction. The trial continues tomorrow before Justice Siobhan Lankford.
A Limerick man has been sentenced to seven and a half years imprisonment, with the final year suspended, by the Special Criminal Court for assisting the McCarthy-Dundon organised crime group in the attempted murder of drug dealer Christy Keane in June 2015. Noel Price, aged 45, of Kileely Road, Limerick, pleaded guilty to making a vehicle available to the criminal organisation with knowledge of its intended use. The court heard that Price travelled to Dublin with a senior member of the gang, collected a white Volvo, and drove it back to Limerick in convoy. The vehicle was later used as a getaway car following the shooting of Keane at the University of Limerick, where he sustained three gunshot wounds but survived. Presiding Judge Alexander Owens noted Price's extensive criminal history and applied a 25 per cent reduction to the headline ten-year sentence to account for his guilty plea and addiction issues. Price has been in custody since his charging in June 2020.
A 29‑year‑old Brazilian man, Miller Pacheco, is charged with the murder of 28‑year‑old Bruna Fonseca, a qualified librarian who had moved to Cork in September last year and worked as a cleaner at Mercy University Hospital. Fonseca was found dead in a bedsit flat on Liberty Street on New Year's Day, just hours after she had gone out to celebrate New Year's Eve in Cork city centre. Justice Melanie Greally has set a trial date of 24 June 2024 at the Central Criminal Court, with case management scheduled for 24 November.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, Andrew Lacey, aged 35, was acquitted of murder but convicted of manslaughter in the fatal stabbing of Derek Reddin, aged 31, on Loughlinstown Drive. The case centred on a feud between the families that escalated after a drunken row, not involving organised crime or drugs. Lacey claimed he was attacked by Reddin, who had a metal baseball bat, and that he used a knife he carried for work to defend himself. The jury found Lacey guilty of manslaughter, with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, but the judge noted his culpability fell in the middle of the four‑to‑ten‑year range. Lacey's defence argued his moral culpability was at the low end of that bracket, citing his lack of prior convictions and character references from family, friends and colleagues. The sentencing hearing will consider the impact on Reddin's family, including his two sons, and Lacey's own children.
The trial of Ian Connaghan (34) and Daniel Connaghan (43) for the murder of 55‑year‑old Michael 'Mick' Mulvey is set to resume after the jury was excused early due to a family issue with one juror. The State alleges the brothers assaulted Mulvey near The Halfway House Pub on 14 November 2019, leaving him on the ground and later delivering a severe beating at a roundabout. Mulvey died two weeks later, with the prosecution arguing the injuries contributed to his death but were not the sole cause. The brothers pleaded not guilty to murder, intentional or reckless serious harm, and assault causing harm. Mr Justice Paul Burns explained that if the jury finds the brothers caused the death but lack intent for murder, a manslaughter verdict is appropriate; if intent is proven, a murder verdict is required. The jury will return tomorrow for the judge to continue his charge.
A 55‑year‑old man, Michael Connolly, will stand trial for the murder of Mark Lawlor inside Cloverhill prison four years ago. Connolly pleaded not guilty before a jury of seven men and five women. Justice Tony Hunt told the jurors the trial is expected to be short and finish by Monday.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 25 July 2023, a 16‑year‑old boy pleaded guilty to one count of anal rape and two counts of sexual assault against his nine‑year‑old sister. The offences occurred between November 2019 and January 2020, with the anal rape around 12 August 2020. The boy and his sister continue to live in the family home. The case was brought to light when the sister disclosed the abuse to her mother in September 2020, leading to Gardaí, Tusla and a social worker involvement. The boy was taken to hospital for mental health concerns and later returned to the home under a safety plan. He has no prior convictions, is attending a treatment programme for young offenders, and is assessed as low risk of re‑offending. The court adjourned the case to 2 October, noting the need to consider detention carefully and to avoid custodial measures where possible.
John Paul McDonagh, 41, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for a series of threats against Gardaí. While on bail, he barricaded himself in a house armed with a hatchet and knife, and repeatedly threatened to kill a named female Garda and a male Garda, calling the female a "dirty slut." He also threatened another officer, saying he would deal with them when he got out. McDonagh pleaded guilty to producing threatening articles in Howth on 27 and 28 March 2020, and to making threats to kill or cause serious harm to Gardaí at the same location and date. He has 131 previous convictions, including threats to kill, assault, weapons possession and witness intimidation. The judge imposed two concurrent three‑year terms for the threats, with the final 18 months suspended and a requirement for alcohol‑use treatment. The sentence will commence in April 2024 after his current term is completed.
In a Central Criminal Court murder trial, defence counsel Garnet Orange SC argued that the death of builder Michael Mulvey was not a natural consequence of an assault he suffered on 14 November 2019. Orange highlighted that Mulvey, aged 55, was not in good health, had been released from hospital with painkillers, and had gone back to the pub to drink that night. He questioned the prosecution's evidence, noting that pathologists Dr. Heidi Okkers and Dr. Stuart Hamilton had differing views on the cause of death, with Hamilton suggesting heart disease and rib fractures contributed, while the defence's Professor Jack Crane concluded a heart attack. Orange urged the jury to consider whether the injuries inflicted by accused Ian and Daniel Connaghan contributed substantially to Mulvey's death, noting that causation could be sufficient for murder or manslaughter. The trial was set to resume with further jury directions from Judge Paul Burns. The unnamed 55-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Sean Nolan, 38, has been ordered to remain in prison after the Court of Appeal dismissed his bid to overturn his conviction for the murder of Amanda Carroll. In October 2020, a jury convicted Nolan of murder, a charge to which he had pleaded not guilty, though he admitted to manslaughter. He was sentenced to a mandatory term of life imprisonment by Mr Justice Michael MacGrath. The appeal, heard by Mr Justice George Birmingham, challenged the admissibility of roadside notes taken by gardaí and the trial judge's guidance to the jury regarding intoxication and the definition of serious injury. Mr Justice Birmingham ruled that the trial judge had exercised discretion correctly in admitting the roadside remarks, noting they were consistent with Nolan's formal interviews. He further held that the judge's instructions on intent and serious injury adhered to long-established legal practice. The Court of Appeal concluded that the trial was not unfair and the verdict was safe, thereby upholding the original conviction and sentence.
The Central Criminal Court heard Andrew O'Brien's victim impact statement after an attempted murder on 8 April 2022. O'Brien, aged 36, was shot twice in the face from close range while seated in his car, leaving him with shattered teeth, a throat hole, a burn scar and speech difficulties. The gunman, Sam Archibald, 36, was a passenger in O'Brien's car and later walked to another vehicle, shooting O'Brien through the open passenger side window. Archibald fled the scene, was later arrested on 11 April, and has pleaded guilty to the attempted murder. He also faces charges under the Firearms Act for possession of a .38 calibre revolver and ammunition. O'Brien was hospitalised with non‑life‑threatening injuries and remains depressed, with his father describing the psychological impact. Archibald is remanded in custody until 2 October, when he will be sentenced.
A man from Buncrana, County Donegal, has been sentenced to ten and a half years imprisonment following his conviction at the Central Criminal Court for the rape and sexual abuse of his daughter. Michael Carter was found guilty last month of one count of rape and 25 sample counts of sexual assault committed between June 2010 and June 2014, when the victim was aged nine to twelve years old. Justice Karen O'Connor imposed a sentence of eleven years for the rape charge, with the final six months suspended for twelve months, and eight years for the sexual assault counts, to run concurrently. The judge noted aggravating factors including the breach of trust, the victim's young age, the duration of the offending, and that abuse occurred in Carter's home. Carter has not expressed remorse and maintains his innocence. The victim, now 22, waived her anonymity and delivered a victim impact statement to the court.
Five men were sentenced to suspended prison terms for a violent assault on three friends in Dublin. The men—Vasilii Birca (32), Ion Mustesta (19), Gheorge Onila (32), Nicanor Ionas (29) and Ion Soponari (24)—had believed they were helping a friend who had been misled into thinking he was the victim of an assault. They pleaded guilty to one count each of affray on Golden Lane on 3 April 2022. All had no prior convictions. The court heard they offered €26,000 in compensation and sincere apologies to the injured parties, and that probation reports placed them at low risk of reoffending. Judge Pauline Codd imposed headline sentences of two and a half years for each, suspended in full for 18 months (Birca, Onila, Ionas), 12 months (Musteata), and 16 months (Soponari). The men were ordered to keep the peace and behave well during the suspension period. The sixth man involved remains before the courts.
In a Dublin murder trial, brothers Ian (34) and Daniel (43) Connaghan pleaded not guilty to the killing of Michael 'Mick' Mulvey (55) on 27 November 2019. Prosecutor Anne Rowland SC presented evidence that the brothers beat Mulvey so severely that the intent could only have been to cause serious harm. She cited pathologist Dr Heidi Okkers' finding of 800 ml of blood in Mulvey's chest cavity and described the sustained assaults at the Darling estate and a traffic island near Halfway House. Witnesses, including Pauline Matthews and Mary Kelly, testified to the brutality and the brothers' presence at both attacks. Text messages from the Connaghans suggested a motive rooted in resentment. Rowland urged the jury to consider the evidence as ample proof of the brothers' guilt in the murder. The trial was set to continue the following day.
In the Central Criminal Court, forensic scientist Dr Jonathan Paul Whitaker testified that a partial DNA profile from material preserved 42 years ago matched DNA found on a black beanie hat belonging to Noel Long, the accused. Whitaker explained that the probability of the recovered DNA originating from someone unrelated to the hat wearer was one in 23,000, and that a database of the Irish population made it at least 20,000 times more likely that the DNA matched the hat rather than an unrelated person. He described using Low Copy Number (LCN) techniques to obtain a profile from a microscopic slide of a vaginal swab taken from the victim, Nora Sheehan, and how the male partial profile from the slide matched the hat's DNA. Dr Dorothy Ramsbottom corroborated the match, and the trial continues with a jury of seven men and four women. The accused, Noel Long, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Sheehan.
Derek Coady, a father of three, pleaded guilty to endangerment at the Central Criminal Court, having originally been charged with the murder of Alan Hall. The State accepted the plea, and the DPP indicated it would drop the murder charge. Coady admitted punching Hall in the stomach, causing minor harm, but denied involvement in the subsequent head injuries, strangulation, or the attempted arson that led to Hall's death from smoke inhalation. His co-accused, Conor Curran, has since died. Coady, who has 46 previous convictions including a three-year suspended sentence for assault, was remanded in custody by Mr Justice Hunt until a sentencing hearing on October 2. The judge stated there would have to be "some element of custody." The maximum penalty for the endangerment offence is seven years. Coady's counsel highlighted his two years of sobriety and deep regret, while noting reports of difficulties with his drinking problem. The court heard that the prosecution could prove Coady's presence but not that he caused serious harm or started the fire.
A 15‑year‑old boy, who had previously been convicted of assault, robbery and drug offences, attacked a man who had confronted a group of youths after a ball struck his car. The boy struck the man once on the right side of his face, knocking him unconscious and causing a serious head injury that has prevented the man from returning to work. The boy fled the scene by train, but was identified through Irish Rail CCTV and admitted to the assault. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 21 March 2021. Judge Orla Crowe noted the boy's early guilty plea, remorse, maternal support and an ADHD diagnosis, and considered the impact of the Covid pandemic and his negative peer group. She imposed a 12‑month probation supervision order and required an updated probation report for the year. The boy is now 17 years old and remains unnamed as a juvenile.
A 22-year-old woman from Buncrana, County Donegal, has delivered a powerful victim impact statement at the Central Criminal Court following her father's conviction on charges of rape and sexual assault. Michael Carter, aged 55, was found guilty last month of one count of rape and 25 counts of sexual assault against his daughter between 2010 and 2014, when she was aged nine to twelve years old. During sentencing proceedings, the woman described her journey from shame and isolation to acceptance and survival. She expressed hope that her decision to waive anonymity would encourage others in similar circumstances to come forward. Carter maintains his innocence and does not accept the jury verdict. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor adjourned the case to determine the final sentence, with the Director of Public Prosecutions recommending a headline sentence of ten to fifteen years due to the age disparity, breach of trust, and pattern of offending.
At the Central Criminal Court in Carrick-on-Shannon, County Leitrim, two brothers have been convicted of sexually abusing their young cousin between 1999 and 2003. Aidan Gallagher, aged 40, of Dadreen, Westport, was convicted of six counts of oral rape. Thomas Gallagher, aged 38, of Cuttenty, Annaghdown, was convicted of one count of rape and seven counts of sexual assault. The complainant, who waived anonymity, provided a victim impact statement describing how the abuse shaped her life, leading to substance misuse and mental health difficulties, though she has since achieved sobriety and recovery. Mr Justice David Keane noted that Thomas Gallagher was diagnosed with Motor Neurone disease in October 2022 with a life expectancy of less than two years, describing it as a unique sentencing situation. The judge remanded both men in custody pending sentencing on 9 October and directed the Prison Service to report on facilities for managing the defendant's terminal illness.
At the Special Criminal Court, Robert Redmond (35) and Jamie Gray (27) were sentenced for possessing a RAK PM-63 submachine gun at M11 Southbound, Shankill, Dublin, on May 7, 2020. Both pleaded guilty to charges under Section 27A(1) of the Firearms Act 1964. Mr Justice Paul Burns sentenced Redmond, who is serving a life sentence for murder, to six years imprisonment. This sentence runs from October 5, 2021. Gray received a sentence of five years and three months, with the final year suspended for three years, running from July 10, 2023. The judge noted the weapon was in poor condition, missing components, and had an erased serial number. Redmond has 97 previous convictions, while Gray has 91, mostly for road traffic offences. The court acknowledged both men sourced the weapon for others without intent to use it. Separately, Bernard Fogarty (34) was previously sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Barry Wolverson and jailed for five years in 2020 for possessing a similar firearm on March 7, 2020. Fogarty was involved in the initial handover of the weapon in Clondalkin. The judge described the prevalence of such firearms as a dangerous scourge on society.
The cold‑case murder trial of Noel Long, accused of killing 54‑year‑old Nora Sheehan in 1981, was adjourned to Monday because a juror fell ill. Judge Paul McDermott informed the remaining eleven jurors that the case would continue with a reduced jury. Long, 74, lives in Passage West, Cork, and has pleaded not guilty. The trial has focused on DNA evidence: UK forensic scientist Dr Jonathan Paul Whitaker presented a DNA profile from semen recovered from Sheehan's body, matched to material from Long's belongings, with a one‑in‑20,000 chance of a different source. The prosecution highlighted bruising and spermatozoa found in Sheehan's vagina, and the post‑mortem was conducted by Dr Robert Dermot Coakley in 1981. The hearing will resume on Monday with the same jury composition.
Andrew Lacey, 35, of Riverside, Loughlinstown, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for the death of Derek Reddin, 31, on Loughlinstown Drive. The case stemmed from a feud between their associates. Witness David Howard claimed Reddin attacked Lacey with a metal baseball bat, but Lacey said he had a knife in his pocket and used it to defend himself after Reddin lunged again. Howard denied Reddin had a bat and said Lacey produced the knife. The jury heard conflicting accounts and that Lacey had been drinking cider for about five hours. Lacey was remanded in custody pending sentencing. The trial lasted three weeks and the jury reached a unanimous verdict after just over three hours of deliberation. The verdict was announced on 21 July 2023.
A 23‑year‑old man with 41 prior convictions was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for his role in a gang attack on a man who was held in his own home for six hours. The victim was stabbed repeatedly, suffered a 10‑15 cm laceration to the scalp, was hit with a vodka bottle, had most of his right ear almost severed and was told he would be killed. The judge noted the severity and sustained nature of the assault, the victim's lifelong injuries and the fact that the attackers took turns cutting the ear. The offence was placed at the upper end of the scale, with a headline sentence of five years. The court imposed a three‑year‑six‑month sentence, suspended the final six months for two years, and required the offender to remain under probation supervision for one year after release. The unnamed 23-year-old pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 21 July 2023, Karl Core, aged 34, was sentenced to two years in prison for an unprovoked knife attack on his friend David Fox on 19 June 2021. Core, who was high on crack cocaine at the time, swung a 15‑inch kitchen knife over a garden gate and stabbed Fox's right cheek, creating a hole that penetrated into Fox's mouth cavity. Fox was treated at hospital and received stitches. Core pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm. Judge Orla Crowe described the assault as very serious, noting the severe facial injury and potential lifelong scarring. She imposed a headline sentence of four years, then reduced it to three years with a 12‑month suspended portion, and ordered Core to remain under probation supervision for 12 months after release. Core's guilty plea, family support, adherence to bail conditions, and prior minor convictions were considered mitigating factors.
Andrew Nash, 43, was sentenced to 14 years in prison, with the final 12 months suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to manslaughter for the death of John Ustic, 51, on 24 or 25 September 2023 in Skibbereen. Nash, a father of five, had repeatedly dropped a couch on Ustic's head during a "vicious and sustained" assault, causing blunt‑force trauma to the head, chest and neck. The victim was reportedly in a comatose state and heavily intoxicated, which limited his ability to defend himself. Nash apologized to Ustic's family, the court, gardai and ambulance crew, expressing deep shame and remorse. The judge noted Nash's efforts to address alcoholism and his desire to work and be a better family person upon release. The sentence reflects the high culpability and violence of the attack.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 32‑year‑old man named Gareth Sheeran was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of his 65‑year‑old father, Harry Sheeran, who was killed on Father's Day, 20 June 2021, with a World War II bayonet. The jury, after 42 minutes of deliberation, returned a unanimous verdict. Two psychiatrists testified that Gareth suffered from schizophrenia and did not understand the nature or wrongness of his act. Evidence included a post‑mortem showing multiple stab wounds, including one to the heart, and testimony that police found the father lying in a pool of blood. The judge thanked the jury and exempted them from service for seven years. The case was adjourned to 25 August for further proceedings.
In July 2023 the Court of Appeal quashed the conviction of a 73‑year‑old Limerick pensioner who had been sentenced to seven years' imprisonment in 2022 for indecently assaulting his two nieces in the 1980s. The appeal was based on the admission of rebuttal evidence from the first complainant's husband, which the court held was not properly excluded. The judge ruled that the evidence supported the complainant's credibility and that the original trial had erred in its discretion. The appeal covered all three counts of indecent assault, which had been heard together, and the court therefore quashed the entire conviction. The case had involved allegations of sexual assault in the accused's family home, with the first assault alleged to have occurred between May 1986 and October 1987, and the second and third between May 1987 and May 1989. The pensioner had pleaded not guilty to all charges. The Court of Appeal's decision was delivered by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy.
In a case heard at Trim Circuit Court, James 'Jake' Boles, aged 24, received a wholly suspended two‑year sentence for one count of coercive control and five counts of assault causing harm to his partner, Jody Duggan, aged 22, between 1 January and 5 April 2019. The assaults included dragging her by the hair, slamming her head, and pushing his fist into her face, and were described as "appalling" coercive control. After a successful appeal by the State, the Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, re‑sentenced Boles to one year in jail, citing the frequency and severity of the violence and the psychological harm inflicted. The court found the original fully suspended sentence to be too lenient and noted that the trial judge had erred in fully suspending the sentence. The appeal decision was based solely on the allegations and evidence presented in the original trial, without reference to any later developments or outcomes.
A man's conviction for rape and sexual assault has been quashed by the Court of Appeal following concerns about jury impartiality and the handling of evidence at trial. Stephen Lynch, with an address in Offaly, was convicted in May 2021 at the Central Criminal Court of raping his then partner's sister, aged 15, at a property in Athlone, County Roscommon, in October 2015. He was also convicted of sexual assault and assault causing harm relating to incidents in December 2015. He had pleaded not guilty to all charges. The appeal court heard that jurors reported concerns they had been photographed in the car park outside court, though a phone retrieved by gardaí contained no images. The trial judge declined to discharge the jury after they indicated the matter had been resolved. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy stated the court harboured disquiet that no proper inquiry was conducted into what had occurred or how it was resolved.
A jury will return to the Central Criminal Court tomorrow to begin deliberations in the trial of Andrew Lacey (35) of Riverside, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Derek Reddin (31) at Loughlinstown Drive on a date between 14 and 15 October 2019. Justice Mary Ellen Ring is presenting the evidence to a jury of six men and four women, explaining that there are three possible verdicts: guilty of murder, not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, or not guilty. The trial has established that a feud existed between associates of the deceased and the accused. On the night in question, Reddin and his cousin David Howard were waiting for Lacey as he returned home from a pub. Lacey produced a knife, claiming it was a work tool he had inadvertently brought, and used it after Reddin attacked him with a baseball bat.
In a cold‑case murder trial, the prosecution explained that DNA material recovered from the body of 54‑year‑old Nora Sheehan, who was killed in 1981, had to be sent to the UK in 2008 because Ireland lacked the technology to interpret low amounts of DNA at that time. The material, a vaginal swab taken from Sheehan's body, was sent to Dr Jonathan Whitaker of Forensic Science Services in the UK, who generated a DNA profile. The profile was later matched to DNA recovered from the accused, Noel Long (74), who has pleaded not guilty. The trial, held before Mr Justice Paul McDermott, continues with a jury of seven men and four women, and the State's case is expected to conclude tomorrow. The proceedings remain at the evidential stage, with no verdict yet announced.
In a cold‑case trial, forensic scientists presented evidence that Nora Sheehan, who vanished in 1981 and was later found dead in Shippool Woods, had been in a car driven by Noel Long. Fibres from Sheehan's clothing matched those from the carpet of a blue Opel Kadett linked to Long, and paint fragments from her garments corresponded to paint on the vehicle. Dr Maureen Smith, Dr Sheila Willis, and Dr Amanda Lennon all confirmed the strong support for the view that Sheehan was in the Kadett. The trial also heard that Long, aged 74, has pleaded not guilty to her murder. The proceedings are ongoing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury. The case remains at the evidence‑presentation stage.
A 52‑year‑old man was jailed for two years after a Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty of three counts of indecent assault and three counts of rape against a seven‑year‑old girl he was babysitting in 1985. The victim, now 45, reported the abuse to Gardaí in 2018 and gave a victim impact statement in court, describing the lasting psychological harm. The defendant, who was 14 at the time, denied the allegations and has no convictions for the 1985 offences. The judge, Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring, noted the passage of 38 years and the defendant's subsequent law‑abiding life, but also the enduring impact on the victim. She imposed a sentence of two years for each indecent assault charge, suspended the final two years, and set all sentences to run concurrently, back‑dated to the date of his custody.
A 44‑year‑old Dublin man was jailed for 12 months after pleading guilty to threatening to kill his former partner in June 2019. He sent dozens of abusive messages, including the threat "I am going to f**king murder you." The judge described his conduct as "reprehensible and vulgar" and ordered him to have no contact with the victim for ten years, stay away from her home, and remain under probation supervision for 12 months after release. He received an 18‑month sentence with the final six months suspended. The victim, who suffered post‑traumatic stress and panic attacks, said the threats caused her great suffering and forced her to leave her job. The defendant, who has 71 prior convictions, was also ordered to engage in offence‑focused programmes. The judge noted his behaviour had harmed both the victim and her child.
During a Central Criminal Court hearing on 19 July 2023, the jury heard that Ian Connaghan, aged 34, sent a WhatsApp message on 14 November 2019 in which he claimed he was "after opening Mulvey's face up" after a confrontation with Michael Mulvey, aged 55, near a Dublin public house. Connaghan alleged that Mulvey had almost struck him with his car while he was crossing the road, that Mulvey had screamed at him, and that later that day Mulvey "came running at me from behind." Connaghan said he dropped his bag, "caught him a dig," and "opened up his face." He also claimed Mulvey had spat on his leg in the pub and that Mulvey "had it coming." Daniel Connaghan, aged 43, sent a separate message claiming Mulvey had "tried to knock down Iano" and that the brothers left Mulvey in an awful state. Ian Connaghan pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin murder trial, Judge Mary Ellen Ring instructed a jury that Andrew Lacey, 35, could be found not guilty if he used reasonable force in self‑defence after being attacked by Derek Reddin, 31, with a baseball bat. The judge explained that if Lacey used more force than necessary, the jury must decide whether he honestly believed it was required; if so, manslaughter could result, otherwise murder. Lacey claimed he stabbed Reddin in a scuffle, unaware of the fatal wound, while the prosecution alleged excessive force. The judge noted that the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Lacey's force was unnecessary and that he did not honestly believe it was needed. The jury was also told to consider Lacey's intoxication, the threat's imminence, and the possibility of retreat. The judge's charge was to be delivered the following day.