In a Central Criminal Court hearing, food‑delivery rider George Gonzaga Bento, 36, is on trial for the murder of 16‑year‑old Josh Dunne, who was stabbed on 26 January 2021 in East Wall, Dublin. Witness Guilherme Quieroz, a fellow delivery rider, testified that he was attacked by up to three men that night, sustaining broken teeth, a broken nose and a knee injury, and that he feared for his life. Quieroz described the Dublin 3 area as "very dangerous" for riders and said they used a WhatsApp group to share information about trouble spots, noting that riders wore North Face clothing to identify danger. He said he had seen Bento holding a knife during the confrontation, but did not witness the knife being used. The prosecution alleges Bento produced the knife in response to a threat from a man on a moped, and that the knife was used to stab Dunne.
During the murder trial of George Gonzaga Bento, a 36‑year‑old Brazilian delivery rider, witness Mr Guilherme Quieroz testified that it is common for Deliveroo riders to have their bikes stolen. Quieroz, who had moved to Ireland in early 2020 and worked for Uber Eats, described how he and Bento were on their bikes near a McDonald's on East Wall Road on 26 January 2021 when they saw a man on a moped carrying a bicycle that appeared to be a stolen Deliveroo bike. Quieroz followed the moped rider with Bento, who confronted the rider and told him to leave the bike. The rider shouted and kicked the bike, but did not take it. Quieroz said the incident led to a confrontation that later involved the murder of 16‑year‑old Josh Dunne. Bento is charged with murder, assault, intimidation and assault causing harm, and has pleaded not guilty to all four counts.
In a 2020 incident, Charlene Lynham, 38, knocked on her former partner Colm Black's apartment door while intoxicated and stabbed him in the torso with a knife. The attack left a small wound; Lynham later claimed she had stabbed him "good enough." The struggle caused Lynham to wound her own hand when others wrestled the knife away. She pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. Black, who refused medical treatment and later recovered fully, did not provide a victim impact statement. Lynham had no prior convictions. The court considered her intoxication and lack of criminal history, and Judge Martin Nolan imposed a suspended two‑year sentence and ordered her to pay Black €2,000 within a year. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Two men, aged 27 and 26, were sentenced to 11 years in prison for raping a 14‑year‑old girl on the night of 22 April 2017. The judge described the offence as "cynical and calculated" and noted that the men had taken the girl to an isolated area, given her more alcohol and raped her in succession, robbing her of her innocence in extremely degrading circumstances. Both men denied the rape, claiming the girl was 16 and that they were victims. The 27‑year‑old was convicted on a single count of rape; the 26‑year‑old was convicted of rape and an additional charge of sexual assault, the latter carrying an eight‑year sentence to run concurrently. The judge suspended the final year of the 12‑year sentences and ordered both men to comply with probation supervision and attend offence‑focused work and support services.
An Irish Defence Forces officer, whose name is withheld by the military court, is accused of sexual and physical assault by two serving female members of the Defence Forces. He also faces charges of indiscipline and disorderly conduct while under the influence of an intoxicant. The alleged offences occurred at McKee Barracks in Dublin in June 2020. The officer appeared at a brief hearing on 9 May 2022, where a new legal team was appointed after his previous barrister withdrew due to a conflict of interest. Kevin Roche BL, instructed by Partners at Law solicitors, will now represent him. The presiding judge, Col Michael Campion, extended the officer's legal aid certificate to allow the addition of a senior counsel. Mr Roche requested a one‑month adjournment to review the case papers and advise his client. The matter was adjourned to 7 June, at which time the officer must decide whether a board will try any or all of the charges.
A 56-year-old man pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to 14 charges of rape, two charges of oral rape, and one charge of sexual assault committed between February 2009 and December 2015. The defendant, who has no previous convictions, admitted to these sample charges regarding the abuse of his foster daughter, who was aged 11 to 18 at the time. Prosecuting counsel Anne Rowland SC stated that the Director of Public Prosecutions classified the case as falling into the "exceptional category" due to the victim's extreme vulnerability, the abuse of trust, and the frequency of offending. Consequently, the DPP suggested a headline sentence of between 15 years and life imprisonment. The victim, now 24, read a statement describing the long-term impact of the abuse, stating she was raped multiple times weekly. Defense counsel Ronan Munro SC noted the defendant's remorse and mental health concerns. Mr Justice Paul McDermott remanded the man in custody and adjourned the case for finalisation this coming Friday.
Martin Cunningham, 27, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for assault causing harm and producing a machete. He pleaded guilty to these charges after the DPP dropped an initial attempted murder allegation. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon set a headline sentence of five years but reduced it to four years, citing Cunningham's remorse and early plea. The final 12 months were suspended for two years, with conditions including regular urinalysis and attendance at Probation Services programs. Cunningham, who has been in custody since April 2019, has already served more than three years. The court heard the attack on Kenneth Fitzsimons occurred near Finglas Garda Station and was part of a broader feud between rival gangs. Fitzsimons, who is serving a five-and-a-half year sentence for possession of a firearm, suffered severe injuries requiring four litres of blood. The judge noted Cunningham remains at risk of violent reoffending and must address anger management issues. Cunningham was on bail at the time of the offence and was subsequently fined for driving offences while on remand. He also has previous convictions for driving without insurance, possession of drugs, assault, and making threats while in custody.
A 22‑year‑old volunteer paramedic, Defendant A, was jailed for five and a half years after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting the sexual assault of a child and to producing child pornography. The offences occurred in May 2018 when Defendant A filmed a boy being orally raped after the boy was rendered unconscious with a pain‑relief drug, Penthrox, administered by a 31‑year‑old co‑accused, Defendant Z. Defendant Z had previously received an 11‑year sentence with 18 months suspended for similar offences. The court noted that Defendant A had no role in administering the drug or in the assault, but that he recorded the acts and was aware of the wrongdoing. The judge imposed consecutive sentences totalling seven and a half years, suspended the final two years, and ordered no contact with the victims. The case highlighted the abuse of trust within a voluntary paramedic organisation.
In a 2020 home invasion, 25‑year‑old Gerry Connors and his 25‑year‑old brother Myles attacked Edward Babos, punching him, threatening with scissors, cutting his hair, and forcing him to strip. They searched Babos, took his car keys, and drove him in his own car, kicking and damaging it. Connors threatened Babos that police would kill him, yet Babos escaped to his home and called Gardaí. Connors later admitted the crime, travelled to the UK for three days, and returned to give a full confession. He pleaded guilty to a 2018 robbery and was sentenced to two years for robbery and four years for false imprisonment, with 18 months suspended, under probation supervision. Myles Connors received a five‑year sentence for assault, false imprisonment, and robbery. The court highlighted Connors' remorse and efforts at rehabilitation. The case underscores the severity of violent offences and the court's dual aim of punishment and deterrence.
David O'Brien, a 70‑year‑old former scout leader, was sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment for indecently assaulting a nine‑ or ten‑year‑old boy during a scouting trip in 1981. O'Brien, who has 22 prior convictions for indecent assault and has admitted abusing more than 40 children between 1975 and 1983, is already serving sentences that include an eight‑year term and a six‑year term, with release not expected until February 2025. The court heard that the boy, who was sleeping with other cubs, was approached by O'Brien who fondled his genitals and anus while the boy was frozen and in shock. The boy later reported the abuse after media reports on sexual abuse in Scouting Ireland. O'Brien pleaded guilty, acknowledged his paedophilic nature, and expressed remorse. Judge Melanie Greally noted the boy's lasting harm and the breach of trust, and imposed the 16‑month sentence.
A former priest and Irish Times columnist has been sentenced to four years imprisonment following conviction for multiple sexual assaults on a schoolboy in the late 1990s. Barry Fergal Jennings, aged 56, of Cloonkeerin, French Park, County Roscommon, was unanimously convicted by jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in March of six counts of sexual assault committed between September 1998 and December 1999. At the time, Jennings served as chaplain at a Dublin community school. The court heard evidence that the assaults occurred at various locations, including the victim's home and within the school premises. In her victim impact statement, the man described severe and lasting trauma, including suicide attempts, substance abuse, and diagnosed PTSD. Judge Patricia Ryan noted the serious abuse of trust inherent in the offence and the significant age disparity involved. She acknowledged mitigating factors including Jennings' previous good standing but determined that a custodial sentence was unavoidable. The sentence was backdated to account for time already served.
Jonathan Dowdall, a former Sinn Fein councillor aged 44, and Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch, aged 58, have each filed a two‑pronged appeal against the High Court's refusal to overturn the Director of Public Prosecutions' decision to try them for the murder of David Byrne, 33, at the Regency Hotel in Whitehall, Dublin, on 5 February 2016. Both men are charged with Byrne's murder and are scheduled to stand trial before the Special Criminal Court, a non‑jury court. In separate judicial review proceedings, they argued that a trial before the SCC would be unlawful and a breach of their fundamental rights, claiming the court was a permanent institution despite being established on a temporary basis half a century ago. Judge Anthony Barr dismissed these challenges, ruling that the legislation was neither temporary nor limited in time. The appellants have now sought leave to appeal Judge Barr's decision directly to the Supreme Court.
In the Central Criminal Court, the State informed a jury that the accused, George Gonzaga Bento, a 36‑year‑old Brazilian delivery cyclist, may have to consider self‑defence. The prosecution case alleges Bento stabbed schoolboy Josh Dunne, 16, to death after a confrontation over a stolen bicycle on East Wall Road, January 26, 2021. The jury was told that Bento also stabbed two other young men that night and that the events unfolded in a surprisingly short period. The State's case is that Bento used a knife during a stand‑off with a man on a moped, then stabbed Dunne twice in the chest and once in the left hand within five seconds of Dunne's contact. The prosecution claims the force was excessive and unlawful, and that Bento's fear invoked during Garda interviews must be weighed against the alleged intent to kill. The trial will continue before Justice Paul Burns and a jury of five men and seven women.
Kevin Joyce, aged 25, of Skerries, Co Dublin, was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to eight years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. The sentence covers six unprovoked violent offences committed between May 2017 and January 2021, including a sustained sexual assault. Joyce pleaded guilty to attacks on friends and strangers, such as striking a friend in May 2017, punching Ronan Murphy in August 2017, assaulting three young people while on bail, and attacking a woman in a public park. He also punched a man on Grafton Street in March 2020, breaking the man's jaw, and used a bottle to knock a friend unconscious in January 2021. The judge noted Joyce's remorse, his placement on the Sex Offenders' Register, and ordered him to attend programmes for sexual offending and addiction, and to engage with probation services for two years upon release. The sentence was back‑dated to January 2021.
An 84‑year‑old man was sentenced to 21 months' imprisonment for sexually abusing his granddaughter, who was aged between seven and eight at the time of the assaults in summer 2014. The attacks occurred in the grandfather's home, a shed and his car while the child's grandmother was away. The court heard that the victim, now 16, had made a voluntary statement in 2018 and had not denied the accusations. He pleaded guilty in December 2021 to one count of sexual assault of a minor. Judge Martin Nolan described the case as "pretty sad" and noted the repeated nature of the misconduct, the victim's courage, and the defendant's acceptance of responsibility. The sentence was imposed after the judge considered the man's age, cooperation with Gardaí, and the likelihood of re‑offending. The defendant is now isolated from his family.
In a Dublin court on 5 May 2022, Karl Smith, aged 25, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for an unprovoked assault on the mother of his children. The victim was walking near her home in Clondalkin when Smith ambushed her, punched her in the face, dragged her by the arm and shouted at her. He also stole €10 and her Leap card, preventing her from using the bus. After the attack, Smith removed his t-shirt and told the woman to clean the blood off her face. The victim, who had swollen eyes and a cut lip, eventually escaped his grip and was rescued by her mother and a relative. Smith had pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on 3 November 2021. The judge, Martin Nolan, considered Smith's early guilty plea, his attempts at rehabilitation while in custody, and his remorse, but also noted his history of violence.
A 46‑year‑old man was jailed for 13 years after a jury convicted him in February 2019 of three counts of sexual assault and nine counts of anal rape against his daughter, who was seven when the attacks began. He failed to lodge an appeal within the 28‑day limit and has now applied for an Enlargement of Time to appeal his conviction and sentence. His counsel argued that the man had been denied access to the trial transcript and that extreme circumstances justified the extension. The Court of Appeal, hearing the application, noted that the man's former solicitor had informed him of insufficient grounds for appeal but that he could still seek new counsel. The case was adjourned until 24 June, with the court granting limited access to the transcript. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
George Gonzaga Bento, a 36-year-old Brazilian national and Deliveroo rider residing in East Wall, Dublin 3, is set to stand trial at the Central Criminal Court accused of murdering 16-year-old schoolboy Josh Dunne. The alleged incident occurred on East Wall Road, East Wall, on January 26, 2021. Mr. Bento faces four charges in total, including the murder allegation, producing a utility knife in a manner likely to intimidate another during a dispute, and assaulting two other young men causing harm on the same occasion. During his arraignment, Mr. Bento pleaded not guilty to all four counts. The proceedings were conducted with the assistance of an interpreter. Mr. Justice Paul Burns addressed the jury panel, noting that the accused was a delivery person who resided in the area and made deliveries locally. A jury of five men and seven women was sworn in to hear the case. The trial is scheduled to begin before Mr. Justice Burns and is expected to last between three and four weeks. The matter is currently at the trial stage, with the accused's guilt or innocence yet to be determined by the court.
Martin Cunningham, 27, struck Kenneth Fitzsimons, 41, with a machete during a gang feud near Finglas Garda Station. Fitzsimons suffered severe injuries, including exposed ribs and required four litres of blood. Cunningham had previously been charged with attempted murder but the DPP dropped that charge after he pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and producing a machete. Fitzsimons, who had a five‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for firearm possession, declined to testify at trial, citing drug‑related memory loss. Cunningham, who has prior convictions for driving offences and drug possession, was fined for driving while on remand and had been convicted of assault and threats while in custody. The Central Criminal Court heard that the assault was Cunningham's reaction to attacks on his home, including a firearm discharge, and that he accepted responsibility for his actions. The court will sentence him next Monday.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 37‑year‑old Owen Dempsey, a homeless man, pleaded guilty to four counts of assault, possession of a knife and threatening to kill. The offences stem from three separate incidents on 28 August 2020. Garda Orla Cashell, patrolling Talbot Street, was alerted to a knife‑wielding man threatening staff at Isaacs Hostel. She confronted Dempsey, who refused to drop the knife and fled. After a chase, she successfully pepper‑sprayed him, subdued him, and arrested him. Earlier that day, Dempsey had entered the hostel, demanded a single room, and when denied, struck staff member Paul Fermoyle, kicked at a door and window, and threatened to kill them. He returned with a blue‑handled knife. CCTV captured the incidents. Dempsey was taken to Store Street Station, decontaminated, and examined by a doctor.
A Polish man has been sentenced to four years' imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court after pleading guilty to rape. Rafal Stojanowski, aged 36, admitted raping a woman on 27 October 2018 at a house in County Monaghan where he was staying during a visit to Ireland for a birthday celebration. He pleaded guilty on the basis that he was reckless as to whether the woman consented. The victim stated she had fallen asleep and awoke to find him sexually assaulting her. She told him to stop and attempted to resist, but he did not cease until he ejaculated. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed the sentence, backdating it by 12 months to account for time already spent in custody. The judge acknowledged the significant impact on the victim and considered mitigating factors including Stojanowski's guilty plea, expression of remorse, absence of prior convictions, and low assessed risk of reoffending. The court heard evidence that no violence or threats were employed during the offence.
Stephen Silver, aged 45, of Aughaward, Foxford, County Mayo, is charged with the murder of Detective Garda Colm Horkan on Main Street, Castlerea, County Roscommon on 17 June 2020. The charge alleges the accused acted knowing or being reckless as to whether the garda was a member of An Garda Síochána acting in the course of his duty. Silver's trial at the Central Criminal Court has been postponed from its scheduled date of 15 June to 4 October. The adjournment was granted after the court heard that a psychiatric assessment of the accused, being compiled by Dr Harry Kennedy, Clinical Director of the Central Mental Hospital, would not be completed in time. Mr Justice Paul McDermott acceded to the delay reluctantly but noted the importance of the trial proceeding "with a clear run" when it resumes. The case is next mentioned on 20 May.
In a statement outside the Criminal Courts of Justice, Jason Poole, brother of the 24‑year‑old Jennifer Poole, thanked the court for handing down a mandatory life sentence without parole to the man convicted of her murder. He described Jennifer as honest, caring, hardworking, a loving mother to her two children, and a bright, bubbly person who was loved by all who met her. Poole expressed that the family now lives two lives – before and after Jennifer's death – and that they will continue to fight in her name. He called domestic violence "far too common" in Ireland and urged anyone experiencing it to seek help, speaking to guards or organisations for support. Poole also thanked the Finglas Gardaí, the family liaison officer, and the media for their support and privacy over the past year. The statement was delivered on the day the court delivered the sentence.
A man has been convicted and sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for the rape of a teenage girl at a rural gathering in County Leitrim in July 2020. The 27-year-old, whose identity is protected to safeguard the victim, was found guilty by jury verdict following trial in February 2022 of rape and oral rape charges dating to between 11 and 12 July 2020. He had pleaded not guilty to both counts. The court heard the girl, then 16 years old, was asleep in a tent when the accused carried her to another location where the offences occurred. She was examined at a sexual assault treatment unit and found to have extensive injuries. Mr Justice Michael MacGrath imposed a sentence of six and a half years, with the final fifteen months suspended on conditions including that the accused have no contact with the victim through any means.
Christopher Moran, 52, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for impeding the apprehension of an offender in connection with the 2019 murder of Wayne Whelan. Moran pleaded guilty to acting as a getaway driver, a charge proven by the court. Mr Justice David Keane described the killing as a "cold-blooded assassination" and noted that Moran's actions successfully impeded the prosecution of the shooter, as no one has yet been convicted of the murder. The judge set a headline sentence of eight years, reduced to six years due to Moran's guilty plea, cooperation with gardai, and lack of recent convictions. The final 18 months of the sentence were suspended for three years. The sentence was backdated to December 12, 2019. Moran's co-accused, Anthony Casserly, 25, previously pleaded guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder. Last January, Casserly was sentenced to nine years in prison with the final two years suspended. Both defendants had initially pleaded not guilty to murder before the jury was discharged and lesser pleas were accepted by the DPP.
The Special Criminal Court heard witness testimony during the ongoing trial of Christopher Slator, who has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Michael Barr at the Sunset House pub in Dublin 1 on April 25, 2016. Slator is the third defendant to face trial for this offense. Witnesses described a scene of "chaos and screaming" after two masked men entered the pub, where Barr was shot seven times. The State's case, outlined by prosecutor Dominic McGinn SC, links Slator to the crime through DNA profiles found on a mask and gloves recovered from a burning Audi on Walsh Road. The prosecution also noted that Eamon Cumberton, jailed for life in 2019, and David Hunter, jailed for life in November 2020, are connected to the case. Hunter has since appealed his conviction, placing his matter at the appeal stage. The trial, presided over by Justice Tara Burns, will resume next Tuesday.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Alan Joyce, aged 27, was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment for an unprovoked assault on a woman outside St Patrick's Mental Health Hospital. Joyce approached the victim on Stephen's Lane, Kilmainham, demanding she be his girlfriend, forcibly embraced her, and after she refused, knocked her to the ground, exposing her breasts. He attempted to mount her, she resisted, kicked him, and shouted for help. Joyce fled, calling her a prostitute and a whore. The victim sustained minor cuts to her breasts, forehead and wrist. Joyce pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, had ten prior convictions, and had been remanded in custody since a bench warrant was executed. The judge described the attack as insidious and unprovoked, noting Joyce's intoxication but rejecting it as an excuse. The sentence was back‑dated to his January custody entry.
In 2022, the Central Criminal Court sentenced Ian Ryan to three years' imprisonment for raping a 13‑year‑old girl in 1986. The case was brought to court after a 2021 anonymous letter prompted a Garda investigation. Ryan, then 18, had begun a relationship with the girl, who was 13, after meeting her at a disco in a rugby club. The court heard that the couple met at the victim's family home while her parents were away, and that Ryan asked her to use a condom, which she declined. He then forced sexual intercourse, which she described as painful and non‑consensual. The victim later became pregnant in December 1986. Ryan pleaded guilty in December 2021 to a separate rape charge. The judge, citing Ryan's age and background, imposed a four‑year sentence with the final year suspended, requiring participation in alcohol and violence‑prevention programmes and no contact with the victim. The victim, aged 50, waived her anonymity.
Michael Scott, 57, of Gortanumera, Portumna, Co. Galway, faces trial for the murder of 75‑year‑old pensioner Chrissie Treacy, who was found dead in her farmhouse at Boula, Portumna, on 27 April 2018. The Central Criminal Court, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, set the trial date for 11 January 2023. The proceedings are expected to last between six and eight weeks. This is the third time a trial date has been scheduled for Scott; earlier dates in January 2021 and January 2022 were postponed due to pandemic‑related court restrictions.
Jack Murphy, aged 23, was sentenced to five years in prison after a series of violent offences. On 11 April 2021, while at his partner's home, he became agitated during a playdate, shouted at a child, and assaulted the mother, who was pregnant. He threatened to "kick that baby out of you" and later called her twice, threatening her and her child. Murphy also assaulted the mother's partner with a metal pole. Two days after his release from prison, he robbed an Iceland supermarket in Coolock, shouting at the till and taking money, and then robbed a Tesco in Artane, taking vodka bottles and leaving without paying. He pleaded guilty to robbery, theft, assault and a threat to kill.
Kevin Brazil, aged 52, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to five and a half years' imprisonment for sexual assault and related offences committed between January 2019 and August 2020. The court found that Brazil had driven a 13‑year‑old boy in his car, given the boy money, cigarettes and alcohol, and on occasions invited him to stay at his home. Brazil also pleaded guilty to communicating by technology with a child to facilitate sexual exploitation. The judge re‑activated two years of a previously suspended three‑year term and imposed a consecutive term of three and a half years, making the total term five and a half years. Brazil is currently serving a term that is due to expire on 24 November. The case was brought by the prosecution after Garda investigations revealed Brazil's extensive history of child sexual assault, including 33 prior convictions. The judge praised the Gardaí for their work in apprehending Brazil.
Dean McCarthy, aged 33, was sentenced to 16 years in prison with the final year suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to attempted murder of neighbour Sinead Connolly, 34, on 6 March 2021. He also received concurrent sentences of eight years for possession of a firearm and six years for possession of ammunition. The court heard that McCarthy burst into Connolly's flat with a loaded G9A Grand Power handgun, shot her five times, and that the incident occurred while her eight‑year‑old daughter was hidden under a kitchen table. Connolly sustained a burst fracture of the T3 vertebra, became paraplegic, and remains in a rehabilitation hospital. McCarthy had a history of abuse toward Connolly, including verbal insults and physical aggression, and had previously been convicted of knife possession, criminal damage and traffic offences.
Two men have been given a provisional trial date of January 23, 2023 at the Special Criminal Court in connection with the death of a Drogheda teenager. Paul Crosby, aged 25, of Rathmullan Park, Drogheda, County Louth, and Gerard Cruise, aged 47, with addresses in Dublin 1 and Rathmullan Park, face charges relating to an alleged murder at a house in Rathmullan Park on January 12 or 13, 2020. The trial had been scheduled to commence on April 25, but the court heard that substantial additional disclosure to the defence would be necessary before proceedings could advance. Counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions informed the three-judge court of this requirement, and legal representatives for both defendants did not oppose the adjournment. Presiding Justice Tony Hunt fixed the new provisional date during proceedings at the non-jury court.
In October 2019, a 28‑year‑old man named James Brady, together with an unnamed accomplice, attacked and killed 53‑year‑old Timothy 'Timmy' Hourihane, a former chef, at a homeless camp in Cork city centre. The assault was unprovoked, brutal and fueled by alcohol and drugs. Witnesses testified that Brady repeatedly stamped on Hourihane's head and body and kicked him in the groin, leading to a collapsed lung, severe facial and head trauma, and death by inhalation of blood and cardiac arrest. After a four‑week trial, Brady was convicted of manslaughter, not murder, and sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. The judge noted Brady's prior convictions and the impact of the crime on Hourihane's family, including his son Elliot and brother Denis, who expressed profound grief and a desire for justice. The case highlighted the dangers faced by homeless individuals in the area. The unnamed 28-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 16‑year‑old boy, whose identity is withheld because he is a minor, faces a second trial at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Urantsetseg Tserendorj, a Mongolian national who lived in Dublin. Ms Tserendorj was stabbed on a walkway between George's Dock and Custom House Quay in the IFSC on 20 January 2021 while she was walking home from work at 9:30 pm. She died two weeks later at Mater Hospital. The boy had previously pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter on 29 January 2021; the State rejected his plea. He also pleaded guilty to producing a knife and attempting to rob Ms Tserendorj. A jury failed to reach a verdict in the first trial, and the case was scheduled for retrial on 24 October 2022. Defence counsel Mark Lynam BL highlighted the urgency of a retrial due to the boy's juvenile status and the need for a publicity fade factor.
A 31‑year‑old man, Jozef Puska of Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Co Offaly, is charged with the murder of 23‑year‑old primary school teacher Ashling Murphy, who was fatally assaulted while jogging along the Grand Canal in Tullamore on 12 January 2022. Puska is accused of murdering Murphy at Cappincur, Tullamore. His defence counsel, Rebecca Smith BL, informed Judge Paul McDermott that Puska will appear by video‑link and that a Slovakian interpreter is required for all court dates. The judge set 6 June 2023 as the trial date before a jury at the Central Criminal Court, with the case expected to last three to four weeks and all disclosure to be made within four months of that date. Puska was remanded in custody after a brief hearing and was sent forward for trial on 6 April after being served with the book of evidence. Free legal aid was granted for the trial.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 14 April 2022, Declan Brady (56) and Martin Aylmer (36) were charged with aiding a criminal gang in the murder of Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan, a father of four who was shot six times on 22 December 2016 in Clondalkin, Dublin. The charges allege that between 20 October and 22 December 2016, Brady and Aylmer, knowing a criminal organisation existed, participated in or facilitated the gang's activities that led to Kirwan's death. Both men were present when the charges were read. Aylmer had previously been charged by Gardaí, and Brady had been handed a copy of the charge sheet before the hearing. Both were remanded in custody until 23 May, with legal aid applications pending for Brady and granted for Aylmer. The case is being tried under the Offences Against the State Act because the Director of Public Prosecutions deemed normal courts inadequate for effective justice.
A jury in Dublin found 42‑year‑old Feri Anghel guilty of murdering fellow Romanian Ioan Artene Bob, 49, in Sean Walsh Memorial Park, Tallaght, on 13 April 2018. Anghel, a Romanian gypsy with no fixed abode, had pleaded not guilty. The trial, opened at the Central Criminal Court seven weeks earlier, lasted three hours and 44 minutes. Evidence included CCTV footage of Anghel and Bob together, a broken nose, extensive bruising, broken jaw and fractured ribs on Bob, and a cause of death of blunt‑force trauma with bilateral lung collapse. Anghel had been seen on CCTV attempting to use Bob's bank card at a shopping centre that night. The jury found the case against Anghel to be strong enough to convict, despite the defence's claims of prejudice and lack of direct evidence. Anghel was remanded in custody pending sentencing.
In the Central Criminal Court, the jury is hearing the case of Feri Anghel, 42, a Romanian gypsy with no fixed abode, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of fellow Romanian Ioan Artene Bob, 49, found beaten in Sean Walsh Memorial Park, Tallaght on 13 April 2018. The prosecution presents circumstantial evidence: CCTV footage of Anghel and Bob together, Anghel's attempt to use Bob's bank card at The Square Tallaght, and the fact that Bob's phone pinged a tower after the attack. Witnesses claim blood on Anghel's hands and boots and that Anghel had complained of pain after a night of drinking. The defence argues the evidence is weak, lacking DNA, fingerprints or motive, and that the prosecution has not proven the time of the alleged murder. Judge Paul Burns instructs the jury that if they find Anghel caused Bob's death but are not satisfied he intended to kill, they may return a verdict of manslaughter.
In the Central Criminal Court, Feri Anghel, a 42‑year‑old Romanian gypsy, stands accused of murdering fellow Romanian Ioan Artene Bob, a 49‑year‑old homeless construction worker, in Sean Walsh Memorial Park, Tallaght, on 13 April 2018. Anghel has pleaded not guilty. The prosecution's case relies on circumstantial evidence: CCTV footage of Anghel and Bob entering the park at 1.11 am, Anghel's alleged attempt to use Bob's bank card at a Tallaght shopping centre at 3 am, and the presence of Bob's phone near a Tallaght ESB tower at 3.20 am. Witnesses include Garofita Selin, a cleaner who worked with Anghel, who testified to seeing blood on his hands and a "pass" she received from him. The defence, led by Padraig Dwyer SC, argues that the evidence is weak, lacks DNA, fingerprints or motive, and that prejudice against Anghel's background may influence the jury.
A man, Michael Crotty, 40, was charged before the Special Criminal Court on 11 April 2022 with helping a criminal gang murder Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan, a father of four who was shot dead in Dublin on 22 December 2016. Crotty is charged under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act for participating in or contributing to the murder of Christopher (Noel) Kirwan between 20 October 2016 and 22 December 2016, with knowledge of a criminal organisation. Detective Sergeant Ronan Dunne informed Crotty of the charge at 7 am, read the charge in full, identified him to the court and served him with the Book of Evidence. State Solicitor Ciara Vivien applied for trial at the Special Criminal Court, and Defence Solicitor Claire Finnegan obtained a six‑week adjournment. Judge Alex Owens remanded Crotty in custody and adjourned the case to 23 May.
Diarmuid Rossa Phelan, a senior counsel and law lecturer, was granted bail by the Court of Appeal after the High Court had rejected his application on the basis of flight risk. The appeal court set strict conditions: Phelan must post a €50,000 bond and secure an independent surety of €50,000, surrender his U.S. passport, obey a curfew, provide a mobile number, and submit a comprehensive financial statement. He must also stay away from Tallaght, his Wexford properties, and any witnesses, and cannot leave the 26 counties or acquire firearms. The court noted that Phelan had never offended and was a person of good standing. The bail decision was made pending his trial for the murder of Keith Conlon, a 36‑year‑old father of four, who was shot on farmland in Tallaght on 22 February. The case remains at the bail stage, with the trial date yet to be fixed.
A 34-year-old mother, Sinead Connolly, described how her neighbor Dean McCarthy, 33, shot her three times in her home, leaving her permanently paralysed. McCarthy, who had a history of abusive behavior towards her and her daughter, entered her home with a gun and fired multiple shots. The court heard that McCarthy had previously called Ms Connolly a 'whore' and threatened to leave her in a 'body bag'. CCTV footage showed four masked men outside McCarthy's flat before the shooting. McCarthy was accidentally shot during the incident and later pleaded guilty to attempted murder and possession of a firearm. Ms Connolly's victim impact statement detailed the severe physical and emotional consequences of the attack, including her reliance on medical care and the impact on her daughter. McCarthy's defense argued that the incident was not premeditated and that he had no intention to harm Ms Connolly, but the court noted the severity of her injuries and the long-term impact on her life.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 38‑year‑old man was found guilty by a majority jury of sexually assaulting a woman while she slept. The defendant had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault at a south Dublin location on the early morning of 13 May 2018. The complainant, who was with a roommate, met the defendant at a city centre pub on 12 May 2018 and later at his home. After initial kissing and a conversation, they moved to his bedroom where the defendant digitally penetrated her and performed oral sex. She refused to perform oral sex on him and he demanded ejaculation inside her. She fell asleep, woke to find him on top of her and groping her breasts, and told him to stop. She stated she had not consented to any activity while asleep. The jury deliberated for just under eight and a half hours before returning a guilty verdict.
In 2011, 16‑year‑old Marian Lingurar Jnr left his employer, publican John Kenny, to die on a toilet floor after a violent robbery. Lingurar Jnr was not involved in the restraint or assault of Kenny, who sustained severe injuries and was found dead the next evening. He was convicted of manslaughter by a jury at Galway Circuit Criminal Court in January 2019 and sentenced to nine years imprisonment. In April 2022, the Court of Appeal quashed the original sentence and reduced the jail term by one year, citing the appellant's age and the fact that he was not a party to the violence. The appeal was based on the argument that the trial judge had not given sufficient weight to the appellant's age at the time of the offence. The Court of Appeal confirmed the conviction but adjusted the sentence to eight years, noting that the crime had a very grave impact on the Kenny family.
The Court of Appeal has rejected an appeal against the severity of a sentence imposed on an unnamed 67-year-old man for sexual assault. In November 2020, at Sligo Circuit Criminal Court, the appellant pleaded guilty to 23 counts of sexual assault committed against a victim between September 1999 and May 2011. Judge Francis Comerford sentenced him to twelve-and-a-half years, with four years suspended, resulting in an effective custodial term of eight-and-a-half years. The appellant, who suffered from ill-health, argued that the sentence was excessive and contained an error in principle. His counsel, Eileen O'Leary SC, highlighted mitigating factors including his early guilty plea, admissions to TUSLA before a Garda complaint, lack of prior convictions, and a public apology. The Director of Public Prosecutions, represented by Leo Mulrooney BL, countered that the abuse was serious, occurring in the appellant's car, home, and a garden shed, causing the victim severe psychological harm. In an ex tempore judgment delivered by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, sitting with Mr Justice George Birmingham and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, the court found the sentence fell within the judge's margin of appreciation. The judges noted the appellant had been "living a lie" while serving as a Minister of the Eucharist and concluded that no error in principle was made in imposing the custodial term.
In the trial, the 17‑year‑old victim recounted a night of repeated sexual assault by six men. She was lured into a car after a taxi wait, where she was forced into the back seat and subjected to molestation and rape by Gabriel Gomes Da Rocha, Marcos Vinicius De Silva Umbelino, Conor Byrne, Ethan Nikolaou, Eduardo Dias Ferreira Filho, and a fifth unnamed man. The victim described being coerced into touching a man's genitals, forced oral sex, and being prevented from leaving the vehicle. She reported feeling shocked, paralyzed, and crying throughout the assaults. The court heard CCTV footage of her running to a friend's house after the final assault. The defendants were convicted of various sexual assault and rape charges, with one defendant pleading guilty before trial. The case highlighted the victim's lack of escape options and the men's coordinated abuse.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal of an unnamed 71-year-old man, upholding his conviction for three counts of sexual assault contrary to Section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act 1991. The appellant was originally convicted by a jury at Wexford Circuit Criminal Court in June 2019, following a trial presided over by Judge Cormac Quinn. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, resulting in an effective custody period of five years. The charges related to alleged assaults on his nine-year-old granddaughter, who was babysitting at his home between 2015 and 2016. The appellant challenged the conviction on two grounds: first, that the trial judge failed to issue a corroboration warning regarding the complainant's uncorroborated evidence; and second, that the judge erred by not directing a verdict of not guilty for assaults occurring prior to a specific wedding night. In a judgment delivered by Ms Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh, sitting with Mr Justice John Edwards and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, the appellate court rejected both submissions. The court found the trial judge was within his discretion to omit the corroboration warning, noting the complainant's evidence was not vague or unusual. Furthermore, the court determined it was proper for the trial judge to leave the case to the jury based on the totality of the evidence, rather than removing it. Consequently, the conviction stands.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a jury convicted four men of multiple sexual assaults during a gang rape of a 17‑year‑old girl on 27 December 2016. The girl was taken in a car by five men after she was separated from friends. While traveling, she was repeatedly groped and molested. The car was parked at a remote spot where two men raped her consecutively, then the car returned to town and was parked again. The girl attempted to leave; two men prevented her, one raped her again, and another orally raped her. After nine hours of deliberation, the jury found Marcos Vinicius De Silva Umbelino (22), Eduardo Dias Ferreira Filho (24), Gabriel Gomes Da Rocha (24) and Ethan Nikolaou (23) guilty of various charges, including rape and sexual assault. A fifth man, Conor Byrne (24), pleaded guilty to rape. All verdicts were unanimous.
In 2019, Marian Lingurar Jnr, then 16, was sentenced to nine years for the manslaughter of publican John Kenny, 56, during a robbery in Oughterard, Co Galway. The attack, on 25 September 2011, left Kenny severely beaten, tied, and left to die in a ladies' toilet. Lingurar Jnr, who had worked as a doorman for a week, was part of a gang that robbed the pub after closing. In April 2022, he appealed the sentence, arguing the judge failed to consider his youth and the lack of evidence that he personally restrained or assaulted Kenny. The Court of Appeal noted the crime was a "common design" and that Lingurar Jnr bore responsibility, but the appeal was based on the judge's handling of his age. The appeal was still pending at the time of the hearing. The case highlighted the complexities of sentencing juveniles for violent robbery and manslaughter.