In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 17‑year‑old woman recounted being sexually assaulted and raped by five men after she entered their car on the night of 27 December 2016. She described feeling paralysed and in autopilot as the men forced her into sexual acts, including being taken to a remote area where each man raped her in turn. She attempted to stop them, but they continued, even demanding she engage with all of them simultaneously. The defendants, aged 17 to 19, pleaded not guilty to 18 counts of sexual assault, rape and false imprisonment. The case remains in trial before Justice Tara Burns and a jury, with both parties entitled to anonymity under the 1981 Rape Act.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 33‑year‑old builder, Declan McGowan, was accused of assaulting a man and attempting to coerce a woman into his car while claiming to be a Garda. The prosecution described McGowan's account as "fantastical," asserting that when the woman's husband, Daniel Ion, intervened, McGowan "flew into a rage" and assaulted him. McGowan denied assaulting the woman, stating he never touched her and that he had only tried to protect her from the husband. He also denied impersonating a Garda, claiming any reference to being a Garda was a misunderstanding due to a language barrier. McGowan pleaded not guilty to attempted coercion, assault, impersonation of a Garda, and assault of Mr. Ion. The case remains at the trial stage, with jurors set to deliberate after the judge's instructions.
Two brothers, Gavin Quinn (27) and Lee Quinn (26), were re‑arraigned on lesser charges after a trial for the attempted murder of Garda Alan Murphy. Gavin pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder and to assaulting a peace officer, but later pleaded guilty to assaulting a peace officer in the execution of duty under Section 19(1) of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994. Lee pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder but guilty to assault causing harm and to attempting to cause serious harm to the Garda, and also pleaded not guilty to a Section 185 assault and to possession of an offensive weapon. Both men were remanded in custody by Justice Eileen Creedon until May 23 for sentencing, pending background reports. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court.
Dean Kerrie, a 20‑year‑old from St Brigid's Square, Portarlington, was accused of murdering 25‑year‑old fisherman Jack Power during an early‑morning altercation at Kerrie's mother's home. The original trial at the Central Criminal Court ended with a hung jury after two weeks, and Kerrie was released on continuing bail. At a hearing today, Mr Justice Paul McDermott set a new trial date for 27 June and ordered that transcripts from the previous trial be made available to both prosecution and defence before the new proceedings. Dean Kerrie pleaded not guilty.
During a murder trial, a detective testified that he entered the home of 71‑year‑old Ann Butler on Maudlin Street, Kilkenny, on 20 March 2020 and found her body on a two‑seater couch. The body had lacerations to the left side of the neck, an injury to the head and the left ear appeared to be missing. The detective also reported a strong, unpleasant odour, a metal crowbar, a Swiss army knife and a piece of an earlobe on the couch. The accused, Trevor Rowe, 29, was arrested at the scene and, while in a patrol car, repeatedly stated that he had "slit her throat and stabbed her in the head" and that he had "just wanted her to be found". He also claimed to have committed five other murders and to have worked for the Kinahan Cartel. The trial heard that Rowe pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ann Butler.
In a Kilkenny murder trial, Trevor Rowe, 29, pleaded not guilty to killing 71‑year‑old Ann Butler on 20 March 2020. During the hearing, Rowe admitted to the killing, describing how he slit Butler's throat and stabbed her head, and claimed he had committed five other murders, worked for the Kinahan Cartel, and received €5,500 for a murder. Garda Detective Martin Power recounted how Rowe collapsed in tears at the station, confessed to the crime, and later led officers to a house on Maudlin Street where a body was found. Rowe was arrested at 7.38 pm that evening. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, continues with a jury of twelve. The case remains at the evidence‑gathering stage.
Phillip McBride, aged 44, was arrested with a loaded semi‑automatic handgun, ammunition, gloves, a balaclava and a burner phone. He and his co‑accused Derek Byrne were both wearing two sets of clothing at the time of arrest. McBride pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition on 3 December 2019. He has six prior convictions for road traffic offences and no prior violent convictions. Byrne, aged 38, had 78 prior convictions, including drug possession and public order offences, and had previously been sentenced to seven‑and‑a‑half years with 18 months suspended. At sentencing, Judge Melanie Greally imposed a six‑year term on McBride, suspending the final three years on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation. The judge noted McBride's cocaine addiction and his efforts at rehabilitation, describing him as a pro‑social person who had fallen into debt and drug‑related pressure. Byrne's earlier sentence was not altered in this hearing.
During the trial, Garda Kevin Seymour testified that he received a call on 25 March 2020 from the control centre about a man claiming to be God who said he had murdered someone the previous Friday. Seymour and other officers visited Trevor Rowe's home on Abbey Street, where Rowe, who appeared intoxicated, shouted that he had "slit her throat, buried a knife in her head" and that this was his "fifth one". He also said, "I murdered her, I done her head in and slit her throat. I could tell you about five more too". Rowe then fell to his knees and cried. The officers took him to Maudlin Street, where they found a body on a couch in a nearby house. The trial continues before Justice Karen O'Connor and a jury. Trevor Rowe pleaded not guilty.
In a trial held in Kilkenny, Trevor Rowe, aged 29, pleaded not guilty to the murder of 71‑year‑old Ann Butler, who was found dead in her home on Maudlin Street on 20 March 2020. The prosecution presented evidence that Rowe made three anonymous 999 calls on 25 March 2020, each claiming he had killed a woman and that the body was behind Langtons Hotel. In the first call, the caller demanded to be called "God" and threatened further murder if the Gardaí did not take him seriously. The second call repeated the claim that he had stabbed and sliced a woman's throat, and the third call was made from a different number. Garda officers, including control‑room operator Padraic McInerney, recorded the calls and traced the numbers to a mobile phone owned by Noel Pierce, who lived at Cathedral Square. The Gardaí subsequently visited Rowe's home, where he had briefly used Pierce's phone.
A 16‑year‑old boy with 62 prior convictions was convicted of robbery on a bus in Dublin on 23 March 2021. He dragged a victim off the bus, punched him, threatened him with a knife and stole his phone and ear‑phone. The victim suffered facial swelling and cuts and was a promising footballer. The boy pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally noted the victim's psychological effects and the boy's history of violence, drug use and association with anti‑social peers. She said the boy was making good progress in education and skill development while in detention. The judge sentenced him to two‑and‑a‑half years' detention. The boy had been on bail for assault and theft offences at the time of the robbery. The defence counsel highlighted the client's family difficulties and foster placements, and that no knife was actually produced during the incident. The boy is receiving counselling for addiction while detained.
Two brothers, Gavin Quinn, 27, and Lee Quinn, 26, are set to stand trial at the Central Criminal Court for attempting to murder Garda Alan Murphy on 30 March 2020. Gavin Quinn pleaded not guilty to both the attempted murder and to assaulting the Garda, claiming he was reckless under Section 185 of the Criminal Justice Act 2000. Lee Quinn entered a special plea of not guilty to the attempted murder but pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to the Garda on the same date. He also pleaded not guilty to a Section 185 assault charge and to possession of an offensive weapon – a knife – intended to unlawfully injure, under Section 9(5) of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990. The jury, sworn today, will hear the case, which is expected to last five days, with the Director of Public Prosecutions opening the case on 3 March.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the State's barrister, John O'Kelly SC, presented evidence that Trevor Rowe (29) of Abbey Street, Kilkenny, had made three anonymous 999 calls claiming he had killed 71‑year‑old Anne Butler at her Maudlin Street home. The calls were traced to phones owned by others, leading Gardaí to Rowe's house where he admitted the calls and the location of the victim. Gardaí then directed Rowe to Butler's house, where they found her body in a state of decomposition on the couch, with injuries of asphyxia, blunt force trauma, an incised neck wound and multiple stab wounds. Forensic links included Rowe's DNA on a cider can, a pair of gloves with Butler's blood, and a crucifix fragment. CCTV footage showed Butler's last appearance at 9.30 pm on 20 March, followed by Rowe's arrival and departure from the house. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, is expected to last ten days. Trevor Rowe pleaded not guilty.
Paul Mohan, aged 42, of Grangegeeth, Collon, Co Meath, pleaded guilty to ten counts of raping his youngest sister between 1996 and 2001 and to a sexual assault in 2004. He had previously worked as a photographer and had no prior convictions. The victim, who gave her name, said she had believed the abuse was normal as a child but later recognised it as wrong, describing lasting mental health damage and feelings of being damaged, dirty and worthless. She struggled to disclose the abuse to her husband and family, but now feels able to speak openly. Mr Justice Paul McDermott noted the victim's moving impact statement and that Mohan had been her wedding photographer, making the day "totally ruined." The judge imposed a seven‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for the rape offences, with five years for the sexual assault offences to run concurrently, and suspended the final 18 months on strict conditions, including probation and no contact with the.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 14‑year‑old girl recounted how a rape by two Limerick men in a field in County Clare on 22 April 2017 altered her life. The men, aged 22 and 21 at the time, denied the assault and claimed the victim was 16. The court heard that the girl was heavily intoxicated, had limited memory, and was left alone with the men after her friends dispersed. She described being raped by the 21‑year‑old, then by the 22‑year‑old while the first man masturbated. After the assaults, they walked with her to a residential area where her mother and others found her. The girl later tested negative for pregnancy, but her mother confronted her about the rape. She said rumours and vulgar remarks spread, leading her family to leave the area. The unnamed 14-year-old was convicted.
Gerard McKenna, aged 52, of Rathmullen Park in Drogheda, County Louth, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court following his guilty plea in November to obstructing the investigation into the murder of 17-year-old Kean Mulready Woods. The court heard that McKenna cleaned and painted his house and removed evidence after the teenager was killed there between 12 and 14 January 2020. Blood-stained items recovered from the scene and a nearby burn site included a ballistic vest, an axe, rubber gloves and part of a sofa, all bearing the victim's DNA. The Defence submitted that McKenna had surrendered his house under duress from an organised criminal group and had no prior knowledge of the murder. The prosecution outlined that despite extensive cleaning efforts, forensic evidence remained throughout the property. McKenna was not present during the killing and has seven children with his wife and one from a subsequent relationship.
Four men are currently on trial at the Central Criminal Court, where they have all pleaded not guilty to charges including rape, sexual assault, and false imprisonment. The prosecution alleges that on December 27, 2016, the defendants, aged between 17 and 19, assaulted a 17-year-old complainant at various locations in the midlands. Counsel Lorcan Staines SC told the jury that the men allegedly picked up the complainant, who had a damaged phone, and drove her to a secluded area. The State's case is that the accused raped her "one after another," while others took photos and videos that were posted to Snapchat. It is further alleged that the complainant was falsely imprisoned when she was prevented from leaving the vehicle upon returning to town, where she allegedly suffered further sexual assault. The first accused (22) faces two counts of sexual assault and one count of false imprisonment. The second accused (24) faces two counts of sexual assault, one count of oral rape, and one count of false imprisonment. The third defendant (24) faces an additional count of rape, two counts of sexual assault, and one count of false imprisonment. The fourth accused (23) faces three counts of sexual assault. The first and second accused admit to sexual touching but claim it was consensual. The trial is before Justice Tara Burns and a jury, with proceedings expected to last six weeks.
A 29‑year‑old man, Trevor Rowe of Abbey Street, Kilkenny, pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to the murder of 71‑year‑old pensioner Anne Butler at her home on Maudlin Street on 20 March 2020. A jury of five women and seven men was sworn in by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, who announced the trial would begin the next day and is expected to last ten days.
The High Court has ordered the extradition of Kane Hull to the UK to face trial for the alleged murder or manslaughter of Ryan Kirkpatrick in Carlisle in 2021. Ms Justice Caroline Biggs rejected arguments that the extradition warrant lacked clarity, noting that murder and manslaughter are presented as direct alternatives for a UK jury. She confirmed that both offences carry a maximum life sentence in the UK. The warrant alleges Hull stabbed Kirkpatrick up to four times, an act captured on CCTV, and that he and co-accused Liam Porter returned to the scene wearing masks. Police allege the pair fled in a vehicle later found burned out, using a stolen car to travel to Northern Ireland before being arrested in County Mayo. Ms Justice Biggs remanded Hull in custody for a period of not less than 15 days, with a further period not to exceed 10 days, to allow time for the extradition to be arranged. Separately, on February 18, the High Court ordered the surrender of co-accused Liam Porter. It is alleged Porter assisted Hull by alerting him to Kirkpatrick's presence and was present when the vehicle was burned out. In the UK, assisting an offender carries a maximum of 10 years' imprisonment.
The Supreme Court dismissed Petronel Pal's appeal, allowing his extradition to Romania for an alleged murder in Ireland and for organising a crime group. Pal, 36, was arrested in Dublin and faces charges for a 2014 murder at Academy Square, Navan, and for creating an organised crime group. The Court found no legal barrier under the 2003 European Extradition Warrant Act, rejecting Pal's argument that Section 44 precluded his surrender. The Court compared the case to France's request for Ian Bailey, noting that the issue was nationality, not the nature of the offence. The Court upheld the High Court's order, confirming Pal's extradition to Romania for prosecution. The decision was unanimous by five judges, including Chief Justice Donal O'Donnell. The extradition order remains in effect.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 25 February 2022, Keith O'Neill, aged 46, sought to have his murder conviction quashed. He had been found guilty of shooting John Wilson, aged 35, to death on 28 September 2012 at Wilson's home on Cloverhill Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, and sentenced to life imprisonment by Mr Justice Tony Hunt in May 2015. O'Neill's lawyers argued that evidence of gunshot residue on clothes he had dumped in a skip should not have been admitted to the jury. They cited a forensic expert's testimony that a single particle of residue found in the right pocket of a coat had helped convict the Englishman Barry George of BBC presenter Jill Dando's murder in 2001. Mr Justice John Edwards noted that new guidelines in England recommend caution when considering small amounts of residue. Conor Devally SC for the Director of Public Prosecutions said the guidelines were proposals and not yet established protocols. Keith O'Neill pleaded not guilty. Jill Dando was acquitted.
In a sentencing hearing on 24 February 2022, Judge Melanie Greally imposed a suspended three‑year prison term on 22‑year‑old Kieran Comerford of Blackhall Parade, Stoneybatter, for a violent, unprovoked attack that took place on 17 February 2017 in Dublin city centre. The assault involved Comerford, then 17, and four friends who attacked two Brazilian men walking along the Luas line at Mary's Abbey. The victims were punched and kicked; one was hit several times. Comerford later admitted drunkenness and pleaded guilty to violent disorder in June 2021. The judge described the assault as "very frightening and cowardly", noting that while there was no lasting physical harm, one victim now feels unsafe at night and left Ireland that same year. She highlighted that most of Comerford's prior convictions were as a juvenile and that he has had no significant offending since the 2017 incident. The suspended sentence is conditional on him keeping the peace and behaving well.
The Court of Appeal has adjourned the extradition appeal of Martin Jude Wall, a 46-year-old Irish national, requiring further information before ruling on his return to the United States. Wall, who pleaded guilty in February 2012 to attempting to entice a child for indecent purposes, was sentenced to a detention period of not less than 240 days and not more than one year. He was remanded in custody last November after Mr Justice Paul Burns ordered his surrender at the High Court. Wall appealed this decision, alleging that Georgia's sex offender registration rules, which prohibit residence within 300 metres of places where children congregate, would force him into homelessness and expose him to inhumane and degrading treatment. Counsel for Wall argued these conditions previously resulted in him living in a tent and facing violence. In response, Patrick McGrath SC, for the Attorney General, stated that Wall is being returned to serve a period of imprisonment, not to live in a tent. Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly, sitting with Mr Justice George Birmingham and Mr Justice John Edwards, stated the court had not yet decided whether the alleged circumstances would amount to inhuman treatment. The matter was adjourned, with a future hearing date to be set tomorrow.
A 37‑year‑old man was convicted of a campaign of violence and rape against his younger brother between 2001 and 2006. He pleaded not guilty to ten counts of oral rape, seven counts of assault causing harm and one count of intimidation. A jury found him guilty of all assault counts and two of the rape counts. He was sentenced to nine years for the rapes and five years for the assaults, with both sentences running concurrently. He appealed, arguing that the trial judge erred by not directing the jury to acquit on the remaining eight rape counts and by admitting a memorandum of his interview with Gardaí. The appeal contended that Gardaí had induced him to confess during a two‑hour interview, promising release if he cooperated. The court noted that the interview had no break and that the judge's decision to admit the interview was correct. The judgment was reserved.
A Circuit Court judge lifted a gagging order that had prevented the naming of Garda William Ryan, 35, who is charged with false imprisonment and three counts of sexual assault at Aughrim Garda Station on 29 September 2020, and a further charge of false imprisonment on the same date and location. Ryan also faces a charge of offensive sexual conduct between 23 August 2019 and 25 February 2020 at another location in Leinster. The trial is scheduled for 4 June 2024. The order was originally imposed by District Court Judge Treasa Kelly after a defence solicitor's application, and was challenged by lawyers for several media organisations. Judge Melanie Greally, hearing the case, found no evidence that publishing Ryan's name would impair his right to a fair trial and therefore lifted the restrictions.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Feri Anghel, a 42‑year‑old cleaner with Dublin addresses, pleaded "one hundred percent not guilty" to the murder of Ioan Artene Bob, a 49‑year‑old Romanian national who was found dead on 13 April 2018. Anghel was charged with the killing at a location in County Dublin on the same date. The trial, scheduled to last six to seven weeks, was adjourned to 8 March after a juror fell ill and a new member had to be empaneled. The case is before Mr Justice Paul Burns.
A man in his fifties, whose identity is withheld for legal reasons, has filed a High Court application to stop a pending trial for indecent assault against his nephew. He denies the charge and argues that the prosecution has been delayed for over 33 years, citing the deaths of potential witnesses who could exonerate him as a reason for an unfair trial. The alleged assault took place at the nephew's home sometime between early 1987 and late 1988, when the accused was in his late teens and the complainant was a primary‑school student. The case was charged last year after the accused had attended a voluntary interview with the Gardai. In his judicial review, the accused seeks orders preventing the trial, declarations that the prosecution breaches his constitutional and European Convention rights, and that it is oppressive and infringes his private life. Mr Justice Charles Meenan granted the lawyers permission to proceed and the matter was adjourned to April.
In a case heard by the Court of Appeal, the appellant argued that the trial judge had exceeded his jurisdiction by directing a jury to acquit a 72‑year‑old man of four historic child sex‑abuse charges. The accused had pleaded not guilty to indecent assault allegations dating from 1968 to 1970. The complainant, a relative of the accused aged seven to nine at the time of the alleged offences, first reported the allegations to the Gardaí in January 2015. The accused was returned to trial in November 2016, but the trial lasted only one day because the judge refused to grant the Director of Public Prosecutions an adjournment. A pre‑trial hearing in March 2016 had informed the court that the complainant could not attend proceedings, and with the chief witness unavailable the judge directed the jury to acquit the accused of all charges the following day.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 36‑year‑old Jason Goddard of Cloonlara Road, Finglas, was discharged from an indictment under the Probation Act after pleading guilty to violent disorder on 16 October 2018. The incident involved Goddard and 21‑year‑old Ryan Thompson following a man known to Gardaí who had made a lewd suggestion to teenage girls and produced a knife. The pair entered a nursing home where an altercation occurred; Thompson sustained slash marks and was taken to hospital. Goddard later admitted to Gardaí that he could not recall details due to drug influence. Judge Elma Sheahan noted Goddard had no Garda attention since 2014, had engaged well with the Probation Service, and had reduced his risk of re‑offending to low. She discharged him on the condition of good behaviour for 12 months, citing his minor previous convictions and lack of subsequent offences.
At the Disclosures Tribunal, Chief Superintendent Mark Curran denied that he had deliberately targeted former colleague Sergeant William (Liam) Hughes. Curran, who served in Coolock in 2006, was asked by Kate Egan BL whether he had harboured animus toward Hughes, to which he replied emphatically "Never, ever." When counsel Michael Lynn SC questioned whether a four‑year delay in addressing Hughes' work‑related stress constituted deliberate targeting, Curran again rejected the claim, stating he had no animus. The tribunal is reviewing a protected disclosure by Hughes alleging a "systems failure" in the handling of the murder of Baiba Saulite in 2006.
Paul Mohan, 42, of Grangegeeth, Collon, Co Meath, pleaded guilty to ten counts of raping his youngest sister between 1996 and 2001 and to a sexual assault in 2004. He had previously worked as a photographer and had no prior convictions. The sister, who gave her name, explained that she had initially believed the abuse was normal but later recognised it as wrong, describing severe mental health effects and loss of childhood. She estimated she was abused hundreds of times, beginning in 1990 when she was about six and continuing until she was 15, with a final assault when both were adults. Mohan admitted to the assaults, expressed remorse, and apologized in a letter. He was remanded in custody and sentencing was adjourned to March 1. The court considered his early onset of behaviour and his current maturity level. The sister's family has been supportive, and she is now able to speak openly about the abuse.
A 60‑year‑old retired Garda appeared in the Central Criminal Court on 21 February 2022 to deny a rape charge against his wife. He said he had sought a court safety order against her in September 2018, claiming it was to protect himself and his children, and that the alleged rape in July 2018 was a fabrication. He denied any emotional or psychological abuse, stating he was the one abused, and denied using abusive language. He recounted an incident on 2 September 2018 where his wife struck him with a phone, after which he reported the assault to Gardaí and later obtained a protection order. He denied planning any events after the order and said he feared a rape complaint. The trial is ongoing before Ms Justice Karen O'Connor and a jury. The unnamed 60-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A 41‑year‑old Romanian national, Feri Anghel, was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court on 21 February 2022. He faces a charge of murdering another Romanian, Ioan Artene Bob, at a Dublin location on 13 April 2018. Anghel pleaded not guilty. Judge Paul McDermott swore in a jury of seven men and five women, who will hear the trial before Judge Paul Burns. The trial is scheduled to begin on Wednesday and is expected to last about six weeks, with the judge noting that the jury may be asked to leave for a period if legal issues arise.
An ex‑soldier, Niall Kennedy, aged 31, was convicted by a jury of 12 counts of rape on eleven occasions in August 2017 and of harassment and threats between February and August 2017. He denied the charges and did not accept the verdicts. Mr Justice Paul Burns sentenced him to 13 years, with 12 years of concurrent sentences and a final two years suspended for five years on strict conditions. Kennedy was ordered to never contact the victim or approach within 200 metres of her location. The court noted Kennedy's lack of remorse, his emotionally illiterate character and above‑average risk of reoffending. The victim, in her early 20s, described a controlling and violent relationship that culminated in repeated rapes and threats, and she expressed fear and trauma following the ordeal. The sentencing hearing highlighted the prolonged cross‑examination of the victim and the complexity of the case.
A British man has been ordered surrendered to the United Kingdom following a High Court hearing on charges relating to a fatal stabbing in Carlisle. The High Court judge, Ms Justice Caroline Biggs, ruled that Liam Porter, aged 32, should be extradited to face allegations of murder or manslaughter in connection with the death of Ryan Kirkpatrick on 18 September 2021. The judge rejected submissions from Mr Porter's legal representatives that insufficient clarity existed regarding the charges. The court heard that UK authorities allege Mr Porter assisted in the incident and was present when a vehicle was subsequently burned. A separate extradition hearing concerning Kane Hull, aged 29, was adjourned to the following Monday. Both men were arrested in County Mayo in September 2021 and first appeared before the High Court that same month following their arrest under extradition warrants.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 60‑year‑old retired Garda pleaded not guilty to a rape charge against his wife, claiming the allegation was a complete fabrication. The trial, conducted by Patrick Gageby SC, presented the defendant's cautioned interview from December 2018, where he alleged constant assault by his wife, including a broken tooth, kicks, spitting, and water thrown at him. He maintained he had never touched her and that she never made a rape claim. He described keeping a packed bag and staying in a box room for the children's sake, asserting he would return if he left. The prosecution's evidence included a family‑law solicitor's notes indicating the wife had discussed emotional abuse and a rape claim in July 2018, and that she sought to use the allegation in family‑law proceedings. The case remains before Ms Justice Karen O'Connor and a jury.
Peter O'Shea, aged 55, was found guilty by a jury in November 2021 of five counts of indecent assault on three children aged between seven and 13 in the early 1980s. He had pleaded not guilty to all charges. The court heard that O'Shea, who was between 14 and 19 at the time of the assaults, still denies the allegations and does not accept the verdict. Garda Niall Gibbs described the assaults, including repeated sexual contact and attempts to expose the victims' genitals. The victims, who were present at the hearing, had prepared impact statements. O'Shea's solicitor, Garnet Orange SC, reiterated his client's denial and lack of prior convictions. Justice Patricia Ryan adjourned sentencing to 1 March 2022.
Ross Hutch, aged 29, was denied bail after being charged with slashing the face of his ex‑partner's boyfriend with a knife and later assaulting his then girlfriend. He is also accused of making phone calls to his ex‑partner in which he allegedly threatened to kill her or cause her serious harm. Hutch appeared before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 18 February 2022, where he was remanded in custody. The court considered the seriousness of the allegations, including assault causing harm, threats to kill or cause serious harm, and possession of a knife between 22 and 24 August 2021. The judge refused bail, adjourned the arraignment to 29 April, and noted that a treatment bed previously available in a residential treatment centre was no longer accessible due to security concerns. The case remains pending for arraignment.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, lawyers for the national media argued that there was no reason to keep the name of a 35‑year‑old public servant, accused of false imprisonment and sexual assault, from being published. The defendant, who lives in the midlands, was charged with three counts of sexual assault at his workplace in the east of the country on 29 September 2020, a charge of false imprisonment on the same woman at the same place and date, and a charge of offensive sexual conduct at another location in the same county between 23 August 2019 and 25 February last year. The media had previously applied to lift a reporting restriction imposed by Judge Treasa Kelly in October, but the order was upheld. Mr.
The Supreme Court has referred a legal issue to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in an appeal brought by Naoufal Fassih, a Dutch national currently serving an 18-year prison sentence in the Netherlands for convictions including attempted murder. Fassih was extradited from Ireland to the Netherlands in 2017 under a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) issued by Amsterdam public prosecutors. He is challenging a request by Dutch authorities for Irish consent to his further prosecution on charges not included in the original EAW. The Minister for Justice opposes this action. The High Court and Court of Appeal previously ruled that Fassih could not raise this argument, as the legal issue was deemed decided in the prior surrender order. In a unanimous decision, the five-judge Supreme Court, led by Ms Justice O'Malley, determined that the complex relationship between the surrender order and subsequent consent requests involves autonomous EU law concepts requiring CJEU clarification. The Court asked whether a final surrender decision determines further consent requests and if national procedural rules preventing reliance on post-surrender CJEU judgments breach EU effectiveness principles. The Supreme Court also proposed an expedited hearing. The matter was adjourned pending the CJEU's determination.
In a DART incident on 31 May 2020, 23‑year‑old Ivan Bruton, who was already serving a suspended sentence for assault, bit John Rock Sr. and punched his son Adam after Rock Sr. tried to stop Bruton's verbal dispute with a woman. Bruton, who had prior convictions for assault, stolen property and drugs, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and assault at Salthill & Monkstown DART Station. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Bruton's age and the "chivalrous" intervention of the Rocks, imposed a 16‑month prison term but suspended it entirely, subject to strict conditions including 12 months of probation. The judge also ordered Bruton to hand over €500 he had in court to the victims or a charity and to raise an additional €1,000 within a year. Bruton's lawyer highlighted his remorse, full‑time employment and young daughter, and the judge expressed hope for reform.
A compelling case for an internal garda disciplinary investigation into a garda whistleblower was presented to the Disclosures Tribunal by retired Assistant Commissioner Michael Feehan. The tribunal is examining claims by Sergeant William Hughes, now retired, that he was targeted for highlighting 'systems failures' within the garda force prior to the murder of Baiba Saulite in September 2006. The tribunal has directed that the chief suspect be referred to only as 'Mr A'. The Garda Siochana deny all allegations made by Sgt Hughes, who submitted a Protected Disclosure regarding Ms Saulite and various matters related to her dealings with the gardai. Chief Supt Feehan, who was Chief Superintendent in Store Street Garda Station at the time of Ms Saulite's death, was asked by former Assistant Commissioner Al McHugh to conduct a fact-finding inquiry into the level of knowledge within the garda regarding Ms Saulite's fears for her safety. Sgt Hughes had received a draft victim impact statement from Ms Saulite, which he placed in his station locker and did not read. Chief Supt Feehan stated that he believed there was a compelling case to institute disciplinary proceedings against Sgt Hughes and Garda Nyhan. However, these proceedings were discontinued in 2009 due to a lack of evidence of a real and immediate risk to Ms Saulite's life. The tribunal continues tomorrow with further cross-examination of Sgt Hughes.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Adam Murphy, aged 32, pleaded guilty to assaulting his then‑girlfriend, Roisin Macken, aged 31, on 3 July 2015. During an argument, Murphy pinned Macken to her bed and punched her face, fracturing her nose and causing two black eyes. The court described the offence as a very serious assault within a romantic relationship, noting the prolonged emotional and psychological impact on Macken. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Murphy to four‑and‑a‑half months' imprisonment, suspending the final one‑and‑a‑half months on strict conditions, including probation and treatment for violent emotions. The €4,000 he had in court was ordered to be transferred to Women's Aid. The case was resolved by a plea to common assault, carrying a maximum sentence of six months. No prior convictions were recorded for Murphy. The victim's impact statement highlighted lasting physical, financial and mental effects, and her reliance on a new boyfriend for support.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 20‑year‑old defendant, Dean Kerrie, claimed he acted in self‑defence when a 25‑year‑old fisherman, Jack Power, entered his home. Kerrie said Power smashed the front window, kicked in the door and attacked his family. He alleged that Power fell onto a knife he had taken from his brother's bed, resulting in a single stab wound to Power's chest that penetrated his heart. Kerrie's defence argued that he had no intention to kill and was merely protecting his home. The prosecution contended that Kerrie deliberately stabbed Power and used excessive force. After nearly seven hours of deliberation, the jury could not reach a verdict and declared a disagreement. Kerrie was remanded on bail pending the next court date. The case remains unresolved. Dean Kerrie pleaded not guilty.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, a jury of eleven deliberated over the case of 20‑year‑old Dean Kerrie, accused of killing 25‑year‑old Jack Power in 2018. Kerrie claimed he was defending his home when Power, a drunk fisherman, entered as a trespasser. The jury asked the judge whether Kerrie's age—he was 17 at the time—merited special consideration, but the judge said no. They also examined two knives found at Kerrie's house, one with no blood and another with Power's DNA. The prosecution argued Kerrie acted unlawfully, while the defence maintained he acted in self‑defence. The jury was instructed to reach a unanimous verdict of guilty of murder, guilty of manslaughter, or not guilty, and was released to return the next day for further deliberation.
Michael Corbett, 32, was convicted in 2018 of attempting to murder a 17‑year‑old at the Hellfire Club, Montpelier Hill, where he used a knife and a piece of timber to strike a teenager. He received a nine‑year sentence, of which six years were suspended; the suspended portion was re‑activated in 2020 after he assaulted other inmates. In 2019 he pleaded guilty to assaulting a psychiatric nurse and was sentenced to five years, with the final two and a half years suspended, and was placed under strict conditions for 15 years. In October 2020 he tried to attack a prison officer at Mountjoy with a homemade shiv made from a toothbrush and a blade. He pleaded guilty to assaulting the officer and producing a weapon. His defence counsel argued that he suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and was not taking his medication, making him a risk to the public.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 15 February 2022, a senior judge warned Stephen Ennis, 32, that the "ball was in his court" if he wished to avoid a prison term after a one‑year sentence was quashed. Ennis had stabbed a hospital doctor three times in the back with a needle taken from his own arm during the first wave of the pandemic in St James' Hospital, Dublin. The doctor, a foreign national who had moved to Ireland to train as an emergency medicine consultant, was left "shattered" and later gave up that career. Ennis had 72 prior convictions, including violent disorder, drug possession, knife possession, burglary and begging. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed the original sentence, arguing it was unduly lenient, while Ennis' counsel argued he was a drug‑addicted, mentally detached offender who had been drug‑free for six months. Stephen Ennis pleaded guilty.
A jury of seven men and four women returned to the Central Criminal Court on 15 February 2022 to consider the verdict in the murder trial of 20‑year‑old Dean Kerrie. Kerrie, who lives in St Brigid's Square, Portarlington, claimed he acted in self‑defence after a drunken fisherman, Jack Power, 25, entered his home at Shanakiel, Dunmore East, on 26 July 2018. Power was stabbed once in the chest, a wound that pierced his heart. Kerrie pleaded not guilty. Defence counsel Ciaran O'Loughlin SC argued that Kerrie had no intention other than to protect his home and had acted in self‑defence. Prosecution counsel Michael Delaney SC contended that Kerrie had taken the law into his own hands, using excessive force. Justice Eileen Creedon explained that the burden of proof lies with the prosecution and outlined the three possible verdicts: guilty of murder, guilty of manslaughter, or not guilty.
During a Disclosures Tribunal hearing on 15 February 2022, solicitor John Hennessy criticised a disciplinary inquiry against retired Garda Sergeant John Hughes, whom he said was victimised for raising concerns about systems failures before the murder of Baiba Saulite. Hennessy described the inquiry as "ridiculous" and a "trumped‑up internal quasi‑manslaughter charge," arguing it was a knee‑jerk reaction to media pressure and a distortion of the facts. He noted that Hughes had been disciplined over a draft Victim Impact Statement that Hennessy had given to the Garda shortly before Saulite's death. Hennessy also criticised a 2008 Star newspaper article that he said unfairly linked Hughes' actions to Saulite's murder. The tribunal heard that Hughes had previously worked with Hennessy on the abduction case that returned Saulite's children to her. The Garda Síochána denied all allegations against Hughes. The tribunal was scheduled to continue the following day.
In a Central Criminal Court murder trial, 20‑year‑old Dean Kerrie pleaded not guilty to the killing of 25‑year‑old Jack Power, who entered Kerrie's Portarlington home as a trespasser. Kerrie's defence counsel, Ciaran O'Loughlin SC, argued that Kerrie acted in self‑defence, claiming he was attacked and feared for his life. He said Kerrie brandished a knife but did not stab Power, who allegedly fell onto the blade. O'Loughlin highlighted the 999 call where Kerrie expressed fear and stated he stabbed Power "by accident." The prosecution, led by Michael Delaney SC, contended that Kerrie's account was implausible, citing inconsistencies with witnesses, the placement of the knife, and the lack of defensive injuries on Power. Delaney urged the jury to consider whether Kerrie used excessive force and whether a threat justified the stabbing. The case remains at the jury's deliberation stage.
Brendan Treanor, 33, of Dundalk, faces charges for a 2013 robbery at Lordship Credit Union where Garda Adrian Donohoe was murdered. He is also charged with conspiracy to burgle but not murder. Treanor has been denied bail and is remanded in Portlaoise Prison. He has filed a judicial review against the DPP, the Minister for Justice, and the Attorney General, challenging the decision to try him before the Special Criminal Court (SCC). His lawyers argue the DPP failed to give detailed reasons for the SCC trial, citing that the murder suspect, Aaron Brady, was tried in a jury court. Treanor claims the SCC's permanent status breaches constitutional rights and seeks an order preventing prosecution before the SCC, declarations of breach of equality, and a requirement for detailed reasons. The case was heard by Mr Justice Charles Meenan, with a hearing scheduled for March.