A witness at the Special Criminal Court was treated as hostile after giving conflicting evidence in the trial of two men charged with a credit union robbery in which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was murdered. Colin Hoey told the court he did not see Aaron Brady or accused James Flynn on the night of the Lordship Credit Union raid in Bellurgan, County Louth on 25 January 2013. However, his 2017 statement to gardaí at Carrickmacross stated that both men were present in his house between 9.15pm and 10.45pm that evening. Mr Hoey claimed he had been pressured to change his account and alleged a garda had threatened him with imprisonment. Brendan Treanor and James Flynn are charged with robbing €7,000 from the credit union and conspiracy to burgle homes for car keys. Both deny the charges. Brady is serving a life sentence with a 40-year minimum for the garda's murder and the robbery. The trial continues. James Flynn pleaded not guilty.
The jury in the trial of Michael Scott, aged 58, will return to the Central Criminal Court for a fourth day of deliberations. Scott denies murdering his 76‑year‑old aunt, Christina 'Chrissie' Treacy, by driving an agricultural teleporter over her outside her home in Derryhiney, Portumna, on 27 April 2018. The prosecution alleges that Scott deliberately reversed over Ms Treacy following a long‑running land dispute. Scott's lawyers claim the death was a tragic accident. Justice Caroline Biggs told the jury that while there is no doubt that Scott caused the death, a murder verdict requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt that he intended to kill or seriously injure her at the time or the instant before. If intent is doubtful, the jury must acquit of murder and consider manslaughter, requiring proof of gross negligence. If the prosecution fails to meet either standard, the jury must acquit. Michael Scott pleaded not guilty.
In a case heard by the Court of Appeal, William Lyons, aged 49, was found to have led a group of 11 men in a pre‑meditated invasion of a family home in Caherconlish, Co. Limerick, on 17 February 2021. Lyons and two others entered the house, armed with pitchforks and hurleys, and threatened to kill the resident woman. The incident caused a child to be injured by shattered glass. Lyons had pleaded guilty to burglary, making a threat to kill and violent disorder. The original sentencing judge had imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year term, with a final year suspended. The State appealed, arguing the sentence was unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal quashed the original sentence and imposed a four‑year imprisonment term, with no portion suspended, citing Lyons' role as leader and the seriousness of the offence.
Paul Coffey, a 46‑year‑old Limerick resident with 100 prior convictions, was charged with discharging a firearm in 2021 after a shotgun fired accidentally while he was removing it from a car. The incident injured his friend Alan Murphy, who sustained superficial abdominal wounds and was treated at Limerick University Hospital. Coffey had originally faced an attempted murder charge for an incident on 11 June 2020, but the Director of Public Prosecutions dropped that charge and accepted a plea of guilty to discharging a firearm and possession of a firearm. The offence carries a maximum of 14 years, with a headline sentence of seven to ten years. Coffey's sentencing is scheduled for 18 April. He has a history of drug misuse and was the getaway driver in the 2000 gang‑related murder of Eddie Ryan, for which he received 15 years, seven of which were suspended.
A 30‑year‑old man named Derek Coady, who had been charged with the murder of 44‑year‑old Alan Hall in Dublin, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge at the Central Criminal Court on 28 March 2023. Hall's body was found at a fire‑damaged property on Bluebell Avenue, West Dublin, on 18 May 2020. Coady admitted that between 17 and 18 May 2020 he had intentionally or recklessly engaged in conduct that created a substantial risk of death or serious harm to Hall. The court heard that the prosecution, represented by Roisin Lacey SC, intended to proceed on count number 5 of the indictment, while the defence, led by Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC, argued that a full hearing of the facts and a probation report would be helpful. Justice Mary Ellen Ring remanded Coady in custody until 24 July for sentencing and ordered a probation report, urinalysis and victim impact statements.
The trial of three men accused of raping a then-17-year-old girl in a hotel car park in the Leinster area on December 20, 2017, continued at the Central Criminal Court. The first defendant (22), second defendant (23), and third defendant (23) have all pleaded not guilty. The first defendant is charged with rape and sexual assault; the second with rape, oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault; and the third with rape and oral rape. Giving evidence on the ninth day, the first defendant told the jury that interactions were consensual, stating, "no rape was screamed." He alleged the complainant initiated sexual contact and that he refused her offer of oral sex. He denied pulling her toward the vehicle, claiming she walked willingly. Under cross-examination, he acknowledged the complainant's friend refused sex with the third defendant, contradicting his earlier claim that she offered sex to all four men. He stated he was not in the car when the second defendant was with the complainant. Witnesses described the complainant getting into the car first. The matter remains at trial stage; no verdict or sentence has been delivered.
In March 2023 the Court of Appeal sentenced a 39‑year‑old man to 18 months' imprisonment for sexually assaulting his partner's 12‑year‑old daughter. The assault occurred on 5–6 October 2019 during a family gathering when the girl was asleep on a couch. The man woke her twice, touched her vagina and chest under her pyjamas, and then attempted to buy her silence, offering €20, then €600, which she refused. He pleaded guilty to sexual assault and had originally received a four‑year sentence suspended in full by Judge Patrick Quinn in February 2022. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed, arguing the non‑custodial sanction was too lenient. The Court of Appeal found the original sentence unduly lenient, quashed it, and imposed the 18‑month custodial term. The judge noted the assault had a profound effect on the girl and that the man had shown no immediate remorse.
A 17‑year‑old Dublin boy was sentenced to 16 months' detention for raping a 15‑year‑old girl in a park on 29 June 2021. The offence involved the boy bringing the girl into a bush, claiming a cigarette, then forcing sexual intercourse, putting his hands around her throat and calling her a "slut". The girl, who had never had sex before, was frightened, begged him to stop, and eventually pushed him away. She later described the assault as devastating, noting self‑harm, anxiety, depression and nightmares. The boy, who had no prior convictions, apologized and wrote letters of apology. Mr Justice Paul McDermott, hearing the case in the Children's Court, reduced a headline sentence of two years to 16 months, citing mitigation and the boy's education and work. Because Oberstown detention centre has no space, the boy remains on continuing bail until a place becomes available. The sentence was back‑dated to the day of sentencing. The unnamed 17-year-old was found guilty.
The jury in the Michael Scott murder trial was told by Justice Caroline Biggs that it is too early to return a majority verdict and that a unanimous verdict is required at this stage. She explained that a majority verdict could be considered later, after a number of days, but the case is not yet at that point. Justice Biggs outlined the legal principles, noting that the accused enjoys the presumption of innocence and the prosecution must prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. She stated that there is no doubt Mr Scott caused his aunt's death, but for a murder verdict the jury must be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that he intended to kill or cause serious injury. If the jury has reasonable doubt about intent, they must acquit of murder and consider manslaughter, which requires proof that Mr Scott was driving in a grossly negligent manner. Michael Scott pleaded not guilty.
Two forensic psychiatrists have testified at the Central Criminal Court that a jury should consider whether a man's criminal responsibility was diminished when he allegedly stabbed a 24-year-old County Mayo man. Matusz Batiuk, a 33-year-old Polish national formerly of Carrabeg Estate, Swinford, is charged with murder in relation to an incident on 16 November 2020. Dr Jamie Walsh told the court that Mr Batiuk suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, which was likely active at the time of the stabbing. The accused has pleaded not guilty. Dr Walsh outlined a lengthy history of psychiatric contact, including diagnoses of schizophrenia, cannabis misuse, and persecutory delusions. Dr Stephen Monks, a consultant forensic psychiatrist, similarly concluded that evidence strongly suggested Mr Batiuk was experiencing active psychotic illness and delusions in the period before the incident. Both psychiatrists confirmed it would be appropriate for the jury to consider diminished responsibility. The trial before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring continues with closing speeches.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Michael Carroll, aged 43, pleaded guilty to two separate offences. He admitted to attempting to murder Edward Staunton on 26 March 2017 at Railway Street, Dublin 1, and to possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life on 2 September 2016 at Drumalee Avenue, where he had also attempted to murder John Hutch, who was 63 at the time and has since died. Carroll, who was extradited from the UK in April, answered only "guilty" to each charge. His defence requested six weeks to prepare mitigating factors for the upcoming sentence hearing and a governor's report from Mountjoy Prison. Judge Tony Hunt adjourned the sentence hearing to 22 May 2023. The case remains at the sentencing stage, with no further verdicts announced.
Stephen Gregan, 42, was found in possession of 64 images and 57 movies of child sexual abuse material when Gardaí searched his Rathmines home in June 2017, following a complaint that he had sexually assaulted an 11‑year‑old girl in a Penneys shop. He pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and received a nine‑month suspended sentence in October 2019 for the sexual assault. In March 2023 Judge Melanie Greally imposed an 18‑month prison sentence for the child‑abuse‑material charge, but suspended it for two years on strict conditions, including probation supervision. The judge cited the time elapsed since the offence, Gregan's rehabilitation efforts, lack of further Garda attention, and the absence of distribution of the material as mitigating factors. The sentence was fully suspended, so no custodial time is to be served.
A man accused of murdering his wife at their home in County Mayo will face a retrial at the Central Criminal Court later this year. James Kilroy, aged 49, of Kilbree Lower, Westport, is charged with the murder of Valerie French Kilroy between June 13 and 14, 2019. His initial trial collapsed earlier this month after an unexpected and complex matter arose during proceedings. Justice Mary Ellen Ring discharged the jury on March 20. Mr Kilroy had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The retrial has been scheduled for November 6, 2023. A case management date of June 30, 2023 was set to allow correspondence between the defence and the Director of Public Prosecutions. Transcripts from the earlier trial were granted to the defence.
Patrick Sweeney, Martin O'Toole, Paul Beirne, and David Lawlor have pleaded not guilty to 17 charges each at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The defendants are accused of false imprisonment, assault, aggravated burglary, arson, criminal damage, violent disorder, robbery, and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal at a property in Falsk, Roscommon, on December 16, 2018. The trial heard that a video circulated on social media two days prior to the alleged attack, depicting security personnel at the repossessed residence and describing them as "mercenaries." Sergeant Bernard Kilroy testified that after viewing the footage, a garda presence was maintained at the property, though staffing levels prevented coverage past 3am. The court also heard evidence from court messenger Padraig Gilligan regarding the repossession order. The trial continues before Judge Martina Baxter and a jury.
The Central Criminal Court in Dublin heard evidence on March 24th regarding a fatal stabbing in Swinford, County Mayo. Matusz Batiuk, aged 33, formerly of Carrabeg Estate, Swinford, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael McDonagh, aged 24, who died from a single stab wound to the stomach on November 16th, 2020. The wound penetrated to a depth of at least 12 centimetres, causing rapid fatal blood loss. In interviews at Castlebar Garda Station, Mr Batiuk stated he acted in self-defence, claiming the deceased and another man, Paul Maughan, had been behaving aggressively in his home and that he believed he was in mortal danger. He told gardaí he had struck the victim once to make him back away rather than to kill him. The trial continues before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring and a jury.
A jury has begun deliberating on the trial of farmer Michael Scott, who denies murdering his 76‑year‑old aunt Chrissie Treacy by running over her in an agricultural teleporter. The trial, which began in January and was expected to last three months, had an enlarged panel of 15 jurors to accommodate possible absences. Three jurors were discharged and exempted for life, leaving 12 to continue. The jury will return to the Central Criminal Court on Monday to resume deliberations after spending a little over an hour today. Justice Caroline Biggs instructed the jurors that if they find the prosecution has proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr Scott intended to kill or seriously injure his aunt, they must return a murder verdict. If they find a reasonable possibility of accident, they must find him not guilty of murder. If not guilty of murder, they must consider manslaughter by gross negligence.
John Tighe will remain in prison serving a life sentence following the dismissal of his appeal against conviction for the murder of his infant son. Tighe, from Lavallyroe in Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, was found guilty by unanimous jury verdict at the Central Criminal Court in March 2018 of murdering six-and-a-half-month-old Joshua in June 2013. The child died from asphyxiation caused by a wad of tissue lodged in his throat. The Court of Appeal rejected Tighe's challenge to the trial judge's decision to admit extracts from a postmortem report prepared by a pathologist who was unavailable to attend trial for cross-examination. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy ruled that the report constituted a factual record within proper legal bounds and that no unfairness resulted from its admission, particularly as expert evidence based on those findings was subject to cross-examination before the jury. John Tighe pleaded not guilty.
William Eagers, 62, was sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of his wife, Jean Eagers. Eagers pleaded guilty on March 10, 2023, to killing his wife of 34 years with a samurai sword in their Clonsilla home on June 21, 2020. Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring noted the horrific circumstances, including the fact that their son, Dillon, witnessed the attack and was threatened. The judge refused to backdate the sentence to Eagers' custody date in 2020, stating the matter was resolved at a very late stage. Consequently, his life sentence commences from the date of his guilty plea, March 10, 2023. Eagers had been in custody since the incident. The court heard victim impact statements detailing the family's distress. Eagers, a former export operations manager, had one previous conviction for malicious damage in 1983. He told gardai he blacked out during the attack. The judge emphasized the loss of maternal stability for the family and rejected the defense's request to credit time spent in custody prior to the plea.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed Graham Dwyer's appeal against his conviction for the murder of Elaine O'Hara. President Mr Justice George Birmingham, delivering the judgment of the three-judge court, upheld the unanimous jury verdict from 2015. The court rejected Dwyer's argument that the admission of mobile phone call data records constituted a miscarriage of justice, noting that traditional detective work provided independent, compelling evidence linking the phones to him. The judges also dismissed claims regarding the trial judge's demeanor, adverse media coverage, and the admission of video evidence, finding no prejudice to the jury. Furthermore, the court rejected the defense contention that suicide remained a live issue, concluding there was sufficient evidence for the jury to infer Dwyer stabbed O'Hara to death. Dwyer, a 50-year-old architect, was originally sentenced by Mr Justice Tony Hunt to the mandatory term of life imprisonment for what was described as a chilling and premeditated murder following a campaign of manipulation. The appeal court confirmed that the admission of the limited call data evidence could not conceivably be regarded as giving rise to a miscarriage of justice, thereby upholding the conviction.
The trial of three men accused of raping a then-17-year-old girl in a hotel car park in the Leinster area on December 20, 2017, continued at the Central Criminal Court. The first defendant (22) pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault. The second defendant (23) pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. The third defendant (22) pleaded not guilty to rape and oral rape. A security guard testified that he observed two people appearing to engage in sexual activity in a car, with one man responding to his presence with a sneer and a comment about "doing a bit of riding." The complainant's mother stated her daughter returned home with a "vacant" look and disclosed the incident two days later. A friend confirmed the complainant told her she had been raped by three men. Forensic evidence presented included DNA matches for the second and third defendants on the complainant's clothing and in the car's passenger seats. The trial continues before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and a jury.
In the Central Criminal Court, a 16‑year‑old victim of rape by two older boys disclosed that the assaults led her to develop an eating disorder as a means of self‑harm. The older defendant, 17 at the time of the offence, was convicted of one count of rape, one of oral rape and two of sexual assault; the younger, 15, was convicted of one count of oral rape and one of sexual assault. The attacks occurred over two‑and‑a‑half hours on the night of 26 July 2020 in a remote lane near a Co Kerry town, while the victim was intoxicated. Justice Michael McGrath sentenced the older offender, now 19, to five years and five months' imprisonment, suspending the final year on condition of good behaviour and probation. The younger offender, now 17, received a three‑year detention order, back‑dated to 31 July.
At the ongoing Roscommon eviction trial, a veterinarian testified that an injured Belgian Shepard dog was euthanised due to severe open wounds and distress following an attack at a property in Falsk, outside Strokestown. The incident occurred on December 16, 2018, five days after the property was repossessed. Patrick Sweeney (44), Martin O'Toole (58), Paul Beirne (56), and David Lawlor (43) have each pleaded not guilty to 17 charges at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The charges include false imprisonment, assault causing harm, aggravated burglary, arson, criminal damage, violent disorder, robbery, and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. The prosecution alleges that a group of approximately 30 armed men attacked four security guards present at the property. Security company owner Ian Gordon stated that one of the attackers struck the dog with a baseball bat, causing severe injuries. The trial continues before Judge Martina Baxter and a jury.
In the trial of Michael Scott, a farmer accused of murdering his 76‑year‑old aunt, Judge Caroline Biggs has continued her charge for a second day. She has spent about eight hours explaining the evidence and the legal principles the 15‑person jury must apply. The judge clarified that to find Scott guilty of murder, the jury must be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that he intended to kill or seriously injure his aunt when he ran over her. If they are not satisfied, they may return a verdict of manslaughter by gross negligence, or acquit him if an accident is reasonably possible. Scott, 58, has pleaded not guilty. The prosecution alleges he deliberately reversed over his aunt following a long‑running land dispute, while his lawyers claim it was a tragic accident. The judge will resume her charge on Friday, after which three jurors will be discharged, leaving 12 to decide the verdict.
A pathologist told the Central Criminal Court in Dublin that a single stab wound measuring at least 12 centimetres in depth caused the death of a 24-year-old Mayo man by severing a vital artery. Dr Kathleen Han Suyin gave evidence during the trial of Matusz Batiuk, aged 33, formerly of Carrabeg Estate, Swinford, who has pleaded not guilty to murder. The accused is charged with the killing of Michael McDonagh at the housing estate on 16 November 2020. Dr Han Suyin conducted the postmortem and confirmed the wound pierced the right common iliac artery, resulting in extensive and rapid blood loss that proved fatal. She stated the depth of the injury made survival impossible. The pathologist noted that while the wound was deep, it remained unclear whether significant force was applied or whether the victim may have moved into the blade. Forensic evidence presented showed the deceased's blood on the knife recovered, along with trace blood matching a witness. The trial continues before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring.
A 19‑year‑old named Darragh Lyons was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for his role in a savage gang attack that left 17‑year‑old Alanna Quinn Idris permanently blind in her right eye. The attack, which took place on 30 December 2021 on Ballyfermot Road, involved Lyons punching Idris and other members of the gang using a saddle from an electric scooter and a hurl. Idris was struck on the face, fractured her eye socket and lost vision in one eye. She suffered additional injuries and has undergone reconstructive surgery. Lyons pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm to Idris, assault causing harm to her friend Louis O'Sullivan and violent disorder.
Richard Burke, aged 32, of Killygordon, County Donegal, has been found guilty of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility at the Central Criminal Court. He was acquitted of murder in connection with the death of Jasmine McMonagle at Forest Park, Killygordon on January 4, 2019. The jury unanimously agreed on the manslaughter verdict following evidence from two psychiatrists that Burke's mental disorder substantially diminished his responsibility at the time of the killing. The trial judge noted that all evidence pointed toward the manslaughter conclusion, and neither prosecution nor defence disputed the psychiatric findings. Burke had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for April 18, at which the court will hear victim impact statements from Ms McMonagle's family.
A man has been convicted of the murder of a woman in County Donegal in January 2019. The victim, a 28-year-old mother, was fatally beaten and strangled in her home in Killygordon following a distressed emergency call. Gardaí from Lifford attended the property within twenty minutes of the call. Armed response units conducted a forced entry after observing a child at an upstairs window. The accused was subdued with a taser after confronting officers with a hammer and refusing to comply with instructions. During subsequent garda interviews at Letterkenny station, the man admitted to the killing. He claimed he had lost control after becoming aware that the woman had contacted gardaí. Forensic psychiatric evidence presented at trial indicated the accused had experienced psychotic illness, auditory hallucinations, and persistent delusional beliefs about the victim's behaviour. The court heard evidence of his extensive history of substance abuse and previous psychiatric intervention. Two young children were present in the property at the time but were found unharmed.
The Central Criminal Court trial of three men accused of raping a then-17-year-old in a hotel car park in the Leinster area on December 20, 2017, continued on its sixth day. The first defendant (22) pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault. The second defendant (23) pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. The third defendant (22) pleaded not guilty to rape and oral rape. All charges are alleged or contested, with no findings or sentences recorded at this procedural stage. During cross-examination via videolink, the complainant disputed the third defendant's counsel's suggestion that the encounter was consensual. She stated she said no and did not participate. Defence counsel Mark Nicholas SC argued it was improbable the complainant did not notice a security guard arriving, noting the guard is expected to testify to seeing sexual activity. The complainant maintained she saw no one else. She explained she did not seek help due to fear and was in "fight or flight" mode. She admitted to using a sibling's phone to message a friend, which counsel suggested was an attempt to deceive. The complainant stated she told her mother two days later, leading to a Rape Crisis Centre referral. The trial continues before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and the jury.
Fire brigade officers gave evidence on day 13 of the trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court concerning an incident at a property near Strokestown, County Roscommon, on 16 December 2018. Peter Carney, station officer at Elfin fire station, described arriving at the repossessed farmhouse at Falsk to find vehicles on fire and three or four seriously injured security personnel outside. He told the jury that fire officers cordoned off the property following a risk assessment and controlled access to the scene. Brendan Foy, station officer at Strokestown fire station, testified that security guards requested re-entry but were prevented from doing so due to safety concerns and the site being a crime scene. He confirmed standard procedure involved erecting cordon tape and stationing an officer to prevent tampering with evidence. Four men, Patrick Sweeney, Martin O'Toole, Paul Beirne and David Lawlor, have each pleaded not guilty to 17 charges including false imprisonment, assault causing harm, aggravated burglary and arson. The trial before Judge Martina Baxter continues.
Luke Strong, 25, of Saul Road, Crumlin, was sentenced to three years in prison for assault causing harm after he threw a shard from a broken ceramic bowl into the eye of a 59‑year‑old neighbour during a dispute on 6 September 2021. The incident stemmed from a quarrel between the victim's sister and her neighbours over a blocked driveway. Strong, who had not started the fight, was found to have acted recklessly, and the judge noted his remorse and guilty plea. The victim lost sight in his left eye and suffered serious injury. Strong had 53 prior convictions, including threats to kill and robbery, and had a chaotic background involving drug abuse from age 13. The sentence was back‑dated to 4 March 2023.
An 18‑year‑old named Alanna Quinn Idris was attacked on 30 December 2021 by a gang of four youths. She was blinded in one eye after being struck on the face with the saddle of an electric scooter and knocked unconscious. The attack, described by Garda Ciaran Murray as an organised, retaliatory assault, also involved a brief verbal dispute at a bus stop and subsequent violence against her friend Louis O'Sullivan. Darragh Lyons (19) pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and violent disorder and will be sentenced tomorrow. Lyons admitted assaulting O'Sullivan but denied involvement in the abusive behaviour on the bus. Two other men are facing trial and a fourth could not be identified. Ms Quinn Idris gave a victim impact statement, describing the loss of confidence, vision and the lasting emotional trauma caused by the attack. The court heard that she has undergone reconstructive surgery and may need a prosthetic eye.
The Central Criminal Court in Monaghan heard testimony on 22 March from two psychiatrists who both concluded that Richard Burke was suffering from a mental disorder that substantially diminished his responsibility at the time of the alleged killing. Mr Burke, aged 32, of Killygordon, County Donegal, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in relation to the death of Jasmine McMonagle at Forest Park, Killygordon on 4 January 2019. Forensic psychiatrist Dr Anthony Kearns told the jury that Mr Burke reported persistent delusional beliefs about Ms McMonagle's infidelity and claims she had given drugs to her children, beliefs found to be entirely false and without foundation. Dr Kearns also noted Mr Burke's history of substance abuse beginning in adolescence and periods of homelessness. Consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Dearbhála Duffy stated Mr Burke was acutely psychotic at the time of the alleged offences and shortly thereafter. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Burns and jury.
A key witness in a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court gave conflicting evidence regarding events at a house in Swinford, County Mayo, on November 16, 2020. Paul Maughan testified that he did not witness the fatal stabbing of Michael McDonagh (24), despite having previously told gardaí that the accused "went for" the deceased with a knife. Mr Maughan admitted breaking into the home of the accused, Matusz Batiuk (33), and stabbing him three months before Mr McDonagh's death, for which he is currently serving a prison sentence. The witness stated that Mr McDonagh carried a carpet knife that evening. When cross-examined, Mr Maughan acknowledged making inaccurate statements to gardaí, including claims that the accused had attacked him, which he later denied. Mr Batiuk has pleaded not guilty to murder. He maintains he believed his life was in danger when he inflicted the fatal wound. The trial continues before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring.
In the trial of Michael Scott, a 58‑year‑old from Gortanumera, Portumna, the jury is instructed that they may return a manslaughter verdict if they find he was grossly negligent in reversing his agricultural teleporter over his 76‑year‑old aunt, Ms Treacy, on 27 April 2018. The judge explained that to convict of murder the jury must be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Scott intended to kill or seriously injure Ms Treacy. If that standard is not met, the jury may consider manslaughter by gross negligence, which does not require proof of intent. The judge also clarified that a single lie by Scott is not automatically evidence of guilt; it must be deliberate and intended to conceal guilt. He further explained that evidence of prior misconduct, such as failing to remove rubbish or turning off her heating, is not proof of a propensity to kill but provides context for the relationship. Michael Scott pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin court, Judge Eileen Creedon directed a jury to find Jamie Berry (27) and Stephen Mulvey (31) not guilty of attempted murder and related charges because the prosecution's evidence was deemed insufficiently strong. The case involved an alleged shooting of a 17‑year‑old at a residential estate on 24 February 2021, with the defendants accused of being the shooter and an accomplice. The judge highlighted the lack of direct evidence linking the men to the crime scene, noting that CCTV footage did not show them at the shooting, and that a gun found in a burned Hyundai could not be tied to either. He also cited the absence of DNA, phone, social‑media or motive evidence. The defence argued that the circumstantial case was too tenuous, and the judge agreed, withdrawing all charges from the jury. The trial had reached its 11th day when the directed verdict was given.
The Central Criminal Court trial of three men accused of raping a 17-year-old in a hotel car park in the Leinster area on December 20, 2017, continued on its sixth day. The first defendant, aged 22, pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault. The second defendant, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. The third defendant, aged 22, pleaded not guilty to rape and oral rape. During cross-examination, the complainant testified that she did not consent to the alleged acts, stating she was scared and that the men became aggressive. She told counsel for the second defendant that she did not think she would have to shout no. Defense counsel for the first defendant suggested she had lied about the timing of her awareness and that she agreed to go for a walk, allegations she denied. The complainant stated she removed her trousers because the first defendant was going to do it anyway. She also denied suggestions that she lied to gardaí about the time before entering the vehicle or that she deleted apps to cover her tracks. The complainant confirmed she was sober and had not met the defendants before that evening. The trial continues before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and the jury.
A security guard gave evidence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court regarding an attack on a repossessed farm at Falsk, near Strokestown, County Roscommon, on 16 December 2018. The witness told the court he was struck repeatedly, cut on the legs with a meat cleaver, doused in petrol, and bound with cable ties during an assault by a large group of armed men. The incident occurred five days after the property's repossession. Four men—Patrick Sweeney of County Donegal, Martin O'Toole of County Mayo, Paul Beirne of County Roscommon, and David Lawlor of County Meath—have each pleaded not guilty to 17 charges including false imprisonment, assault causing harm, aggravated burglary, arson, violent disorder, and robbery. The trial is ongoing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Under cross-examination, counsel challenged inconsistencies between the witness's account to gardaí and his testimony regarding events in the kitchen during the attack.
In the Central Criminal Court, Michael Scott, 58, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his 76‑year‑old aunt Chrissie Treacy on 27 April 2018. Prosecutor Dean Kelly SC argued that Scott deliberately reversed an agricultural teleporter over Treacy, citing evidence of clear threats, a history of cruelty, and a dispute over 140 acres of land. He described the teleporter's impact as geometrically precise, crushing Treacy's body and removing flesh from her left hand. Defence counsel Paul Greene SC contended that the evidence suggested an accidental death, questioning the absence of disturbance at Treacy's home and the lack of evidence that she had entered the yard. He urged the jury to consider the prosecution's failure to prove beyond a reasonable doubt and to assess Scott's intent at the time of the incident. The case remains at the jury's deliberation stage.
Timmy O'Reilly, 48, of Kilkenny, was jailed after the Court of Appeal overturned his fully‑suspended 18‑month sentence for laundering over €120,000 while receiving social welfare. The appeal court, led by Ms Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh, found the original sentence unduly lenient and re‑sentenced him to 18 months with the final six months suspended. O'Reilly had pleaded guilty to eight counts of money‑laundering under the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010, involving 32 offences linked to €125,000 in an Irish Life account and two credit‑union accounts over eight years. He also had a separate suspended sentence for assault causing harm. The State argued the amount laundered and the length of time involved warranted custodial punishment, while O'Reilly's counsel highlighted his lack of a broader criminal scheme and his role as a community member.
In March 2023 the Court of Appeal quashed the conviction of a 50‑year‑old man who had been sentenced to four years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a six‑year‑old girl. The conviction had been secured in a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in May 2021 after the man pleaded not guilty. The appeal was based on the fact that the girl, who was 11 at the time of the trial, had no memory of the alleged assault and could only offer flashbacks when her video interview was played. The Court held that this lack of memory prevented the man from exercising his right to cross‑examine the child, thereby rendering the trial unfair. Consequently the Court ordered the conviction to be quashed, citing a real risk of an unfair trial due to the child's impaired memory.
A senior Trinity College manager, Brendan Leahy, who was sacked after pleading guilty to sexual assault, has been informed by the Workplace Relations Commission that the Probation Act does not provide employment protection. Leahy's dismissal was upheld by the employment tribunal, which rejected his claim under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. The tribunal heard that Leahy's District Court conviction on 24 March 2021, which resulted in a three-month suspended prison sentence and a €1,000 fine, was widely reported in the media. This was followed by a further allegation of sexual harassment against him by a former employee, identified as Ms X. Leahy admitted to the sexual assault charge and was given the Probation Act in July 2021. However, the tribunal found that his failure to inform his employer of the charge before the hearing left the college with only the information of his guilty plea and the Probation Act. The tribunal ruled that Trinity College was entitled to consider the sequence of events as serious misconduct and upheld the finding of sexual harassment in respect of the second allegation. The matter was adjourned and never described as concluded or finalised.
Richard Burke, aged thirty-two and from Killygordon in County Donegal, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in connection with the death of Jasmine McMonagle at Forest Park on January 4, 2019. The Central Criminal Court trial, sitting in Monaghan, heard evidence that Mr Burke told gardaí during interviews at Letterkenny Garda Station that he punched and strangled Ms McMonagle with a rope after discovering she had contacted gardaí for assistance. He described losing control of his temper, stating his mind went blank during the assault. A post mortem examination confirmed Ms McMonagle died from ligature strangulation with blunt and sharp force injuries as contributing factors. The court heard gardaí responded to a 999 call within twenty minutes and encountered Mr Burke at the scene holding a meat cleaver, which he used to strike an officer's clothing. Ms McMonagle's two young daughters were found unharmed in the property. The trial continues.
Patrick Sweeney, Martin O'Toole, Paul Beirne, and David Lawlor have pleaded not guilty to 17 charges each at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The defendants are alleged to have committed false imprisonment, assault causing harm, aggravated burglary, arson, criminal damage, violent disorder, robbery, and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal at Falsk, Strokestown, on December 16, 2018. The trial is currently ongoing before Judge Martina Baxter and a jury. Evidence presented includes testimony from KBC Bank officer Danny Noone, who stated the bank repossessed the property in December 2018 after legal proceedings began in 2009. Noone indicated that public records showed the mortgage holder owned approximately 170 acres and other residential properties. Defense counsel Blaise O'Carroll SC argued that the execution order used for the eviction was invalid due to a missing affidavit of non-compliance. A security guard witness described an attack by approximately 30 armed men who forced entry into the farmhouse, using weapons including batons, crowbars, and a chainsaw. The witness reported being struck and overpowered while attempting to defend himself and colleagues. The trial continues with further evidence scheduled for presentation.
A 40‑year‑old man from Cork was sentenced to four years in prison in June 2021 for raping his younger sister when she was between five and nine and for sexually assaulting her again when she was 16 and he was 21. He denied both offences and had no prior convictions. In a Court of Appeal hearing on 20 March 2023, his counsel argued that the time elapsed between the offences should have been considered for mitigation, claiming the sexual‑assault sentence was disproportionate. The appeal was dismissed. The judges noted the victim's age, the breach of trust, and the fact that she had to fight off her brother during the assault. They said the sentence was proper and just, and that no part of it had been suspended. The appeal was rejected, leaving the original four‑year custodial term in place.
A 33-year-old Polish man has pleaded not guilty to murdering a 24-year-old at Carrabeg Estate in Swinford, Co Mayo on 16 November 2020. The Central Criminal Court heard that Matusz Batiuk told gardai he stabbed the deceased in self-defence after believing his life was in danger. The prosecution contends that when Mr Batiuk retrieved a kitchen knife and inflicted a single stab wound to the abdomen, he acted with intent to kill. Evidence will include recordings of emergency calls made by the accused on the night in question and garda interviews. The court heard the deceased was intoxicated at the time and that there were no defensive wounds on his body. Expert psychiatric evidence concerning the accused's diagnosed schizophrenia will be heard. Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring is presiding over the trial with a jury of nine men and three women. The case is expected to last two weeks.
A murder trial opened at the Central Criminal Court in Monaghan on 20 March regarding the death of Jasmine McMonagle at Forest Park, Killygordon, County Donegal on 4 January 2019. Richard Burke, aged 32, of Killygordon pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The State outlined that Ms McMonagle, a mother of two, died from strangulation and blows inflicted by her former partner. Gardaí from Lifford responded to her emergency call that morning and discovered her body after a three-hour standoff during which Burke wielded a meat cleaver. Her children were found unharmed. The trial will focus on Burke's mental state at the time of the killing rather than the circumstances of death, which he acknowledges. Two consultant psychiatrists will give evidence that Burke suffered from a mental disorder substantially diminishing his responsibility. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Burns.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 20 March 2023, the State successfully appealed the sentence imposed on William Lyons, a 49‑year‑old from Limerick, for his role in a "vigilante mob" attack on a woman in Caherconlish on 17 February 2021. Lyons and three others entered the victim's home with faces covered and weapons, threatening to kill her and causing damage to the property. He had pleaded guilty to burglary, making a threat to kill and violent disorder. The original sentencing court had imposed a headline sentence of five years, reduced to two‑and‑a‑half years after a discount of 18 months for the guilty plea and other mitigating factors, and suspended an additional year for rehabilitation. The Court of Appeal found this to be unduly lenient, noting the seriousness of the offence and the physical and psychological harm inflicted, and ordered a re‑sentencing hearing for 28 March 2023.
During the trial of Michael Scott for the murder of his 76‑year‑old aunt Chrissie Treacy, engineer Dr Mark Jordan testified that he is not a "hired gun" and that his duty is to the court and to the oath. He explained that he provides technical advice using the scientific method and that he would inform a client if his advice conflicted with their instructions. Jordan defended a statement in his report that a jury might find it difficult to persuade that a driver of a teleporter would not know they had driven over a large woman, arguing that it was a reasonable observation. He also described the impact that caused Ms Treacy's death, noting that her injuries suggested she was upright when struck by the rear left wheel of the teleporter, and that the front wheel had already passed her when she fell. Michael Scott pleaded not guilty.
The murder trial of James Kilroy at the Central Criminal Court collapsed on Monday due to an unexpected and complex matter that emerged during proceedings. Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring discharged the jury of ten men and two women, having sat since March 8, after informing them that an unforeseen issue had arisen unknown to all parties. The judge said both the prosecution and defence required further time to resolve the matter and that no party was at fault. Mr Kilroy, aged 49, from Kilbree Lower, Westport, County Mayo, is charged with murdering his wife Valerie French Kilroy, aged 41, at their home between June 13 and 14, 2019. He had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The defence had made formal admissions that Mr Kilroy killed his wife. The trial was listed for mention on March 27, with the judge expressing hope that a future trial date could be reserved.
Matusz Batiuk, a 33-year-old man formerly residing in Carrabeg Estate, Swinford, Co Mayo, entered a not guilty plea at the Central Criminal Court on 20 March 2023 to the charge of murdering Michael McDonagh, aged 24. The alleged murder occurred at the housing estate in Swinford on 16 November 2020. Justice Mary Ellen Ring empanelled a jury of nine men and three women to hear the trial, which commenced that afternoon and was anticipated to conclude within two weeks. The court was informed that the majority of witnesses in the case originate from the Mayo region, with the deceased having connections to the Ballyhaunis and Knock areas. The accused has resided in Ireland since approximately 2006 or 2007.