Lorcan Merriman, 25, pleaded guilty to disposing of the firearm used to kill Dublin man Thomas Farnan, 37, on 28 October 2016. The murder trial jury was discharged after Merriman's guilty plea to a Section 7 charge of impeding apprehension by disposing of the gun. The court will hold a sentence hearing on 24 January next year, and the State intends to enter a nolle prosequi, officially dropping the murder charge, on that day. Merriman is remanded in custody until the hearing. Farnan was shot at his front door at Kilcronan Close, Clondankin, on 25 April 2016, dying almost immediately after being shot at least five times, with a single bullet through his right arm, chest and heart causing death. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Court, where Mr Justice David Keane presided. Thomas Farnan pleaded not guilty.
The trial of Stephen Penrose, 38, for the alleged murder of Philip Finnegan, 24, at Rahin Woods, Edenderry, Co Kildare, on August 10, 2016, is ongoing. Penrose, of Coolock, Dublin 17, pleaded not guilty. The Central Criminal Court jury has heard that Finnegan's decapitated remains were found buried in September 2016, with forensic evidence indicating death by multiple stab wounds. A DNA profile from a bloodied glove matched Penrose. The prosecution alleges Penrose brought Finnegan to the woods between 4.10pm and 5.13pm, a period supported by CCTV footage of his Alfa Romeo. Penrose claimed he was attacked by men in a black car while testing firearms, but the State argues his changing accounts were an attempt to conceal the body's location. Mr Justice Alexander Owens charged the jury to ignore Penrose's unrepresented status, courtroom outbursts, and character, focusing solely on the evidence. The judge noted Penrose declined to give a closing speech or call witnesses. The jury was instructed to decide if Penrose was the perpetrator. The judge will complete his charge tomorrow morning, after which the jury will begin deliberations.
Gardai questioned Stephen Penrose, accused of murdering 24‑year‑old Philip Finnegan, about the location of the attack that led to Finnegan's death in Rahin Woods, Kildare. Penrose gave multiple, conflicting accounts of where he and Finnegan were attacked by a group of men on 10 August 2016, initially saying it occurred on the outskirts of Kilcock, then near Clonuff, then near Edenderry, and finally near a caravan beside a woods. He claimed they were there to collect firearms, but later denied any knowledge of the attack. Penrose admitted to lying about the location out of fear for his life. Evidence presented included a blood‑stained glove matching Penrose's DNA found near Finnegan's remains, a garden fork, shovel, and knife blade, and a fire‑damaged glove. The trial continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury, with Penrose remaining in custody and refusing to attend. Stephen Penrose pleaded not guilty. Philip Finnegan pleaded not guilty.
In a 2021 court hearing, Damien Byrne, 44, was found guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm after brandishing an imitation pistol in Finches pub, Clondalkin, on 18 September 2016. Byrne, who was suffering from severe cocaine and alcohol dependence at the time, had pulled the weapon during a violent altercation with an associate and pointed it at security staff before waving it around the pub, causing patrons to flee for cover. He was arrested after leaving the pub with another man. Byrne pleaded guilty and his defence counsel highlighted his ongoing rehabilitation, noting he has been drug and alcohol free since 2020 and has established two successful businesses. Judge Melanie Greally, considering his progress and lack of prior convictions, suspended a four‑year prison term on the condition that he keep the peace for that period, thereby avoiding a custodial sentence. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
Derek Whelan, 37, of Glin Grove, Coolock, was found guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of making an unwarranted demand with menace and intent to profit when he demanded €500 from a Grindr date, threatening that his brothers would "slit" the man's throat if they discovered he was gay. Whelan had previously threatened the victim with his brothers' violence and sent persistent messages demanding the remaining €400 after the victim had paid €100. The judge noted Whelan's struggle with his sexual orientation and chronic depression as major triggers for the offence, and that his family was hostile. He was sentenced to 240 hours of community service to avoid a three‑year prison term. The sentence reflects the court's view that the offence was out of character and that Whelan is now in a stable relationship and has expressed remorse.
The trial of Douglas Glynn (37) opened at the Special Criminal Court, where he pleaded not guilty to assisting in a plot to murder James Gately by placing a tracker device on his car. Prosecutors allege Glynn participated in directing the activities of a criminal organisation between December 7, 2016, and April 6, 2017, to target Gately. The State's case relies on circumstantial evidence, including CCTV, mobile phone data, and tracking devices. It is alleged that Glynn travelled to Belfast with Peter Keating and David Duffy on March 30, 2017, to place the device on Gately's vehicle. Keating (40) previously pleaded guilty to directing the activities of a criminal organisation relating to the targeting of Gately and was jailed for 11 years. Imre Arakas (63) was jailed for six years in December 2018 after admitting to conspiring to murder Gately in Northern Ireland between April 3 and 4, 2017. Stephen Fowler (62) and David Duffy (33) have also been jailed for providing logistical support to the plot. The trial, presided over by a three-judge panel, is expected to last three weeks.
Ahemd Yagoub, 57, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to two counts of sexual assault, two counts of exposure, and one count of assault. The offences occurred over a two-week period in June and July 2020 in a Dublin park, where he allegedly followed and assaulted teenage girls. Judge Melanie Greally described his conduct as predatory. She imposed a prison term of two years and nine months for the most serious sexual assault. Concurrent sentences of one year were imposed for three other offences. The sentence on the fifth offence was adjourned to next February to allow the Probation Service to compile a risk assessment report. The court noted Yagoub's lack of previous convictions, his documented history of bipolar disorder and depression, and favourable testimonials from his current residence. While he made useful admissions to gardai, he denied the underlying offences during interview. Defence counsel highlighted his mental health history and expressed remorse. The matter was not fully concluded due to the adjournment of the final sentencing component.
During the murder trial of Lorcan Merriman, the jury was informed that Gardaí conducted a warrant‑driven search of Merriman's home on 4 May 2016. Detective Garda Sharon Duncan, who participated in the search, located a JD Sports bag in a small wardrobe in a corner of a box bedroom at the front of the house. Inside the bag she found an empty box for a white Nokia mobile phone. She also discovered two black, woollen gloves in a green area at the rear of the house. All seized items were handed to the exhibits officer, Garda Paul Dolan, who transported them to Clondalkin Garda Station. Additionally, Garda Eamon O'Brien examined mobile phones received by Gardaí as part of the investigation into Thomas Farnan's death. Lorcan Merriman pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Raymond Valentine, aged 60, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for sexual exploitation of a 16‑year‑old girl between June 2012 and June 2013. The victim, who was in care and described as extremely vulnerable, was abused by Valentine who gave her alcohol, assaulted her and attempted penetrative sex. Valentine continued the relationship despite a court order and the victim's attempts to leave care. The court noted that Valentine had been attacked by the victim's then partner in August 2015, resulting in life‑threatening injuries after repeated kicks to the head. The partner and the victim later pleaded guilty to assault and received suspended sentences. Valentine's guilty plea was entered before his trial, and he admitted the wrongdoing and expressed remorse. The victim's impact statement described the lasting damage to her self‑confidence. The case also highlighted Valentine's prior convictions for theft and drunk driving.
A 34‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his nine‑year‑old daughter between 8 and 11 July 2016. He admitted slapping her but denied using a broom handle or other sticks to beat her. The daughter described being forced to hold a stick from the kitchen and having her hands and knees against a wall, with the father striking her if she moved. Gardaí seized a broom handle wrapped in toilet paper and a thin blue plastic stick from his home. He has 17 prior convictions, including two common assaults and one on a Garda. The case was adjourned for a year and the man entered a guilty plea in May 2023. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to 240 hours of community service in lieu of an 18‑month prison term, warning that repeat offences would lead to imprisonment. The daughter remains on a counselling waiting list.
Stephen Penrose, 38, of Coolock, Dublin, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Philip Finnegan, 24, who was found decapitated in a shallow grave in Rahin Woods, Kildare, on 2 September 2016. Penrose testified that he witnessed Finnegan being stabbed in the back by a group of men on 10 August 2016. He claimed he had no involvement in Finnegan's death and that he had been attacked in a black car, sustaining a stab wound to his left arm. Penrose's DNA was found on a left‑handed gardening glove near the grave, and a bloodied glove was recovered from the site. He has repeatedly denied any role in the murder, stating he was not in the woods and that he only witnessed the attack. The trial is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court.
In a 2021 appeal, a rapist step‑father who had claimed a shorter sentence because of Crohn's disease was denied a reduction. He had repeatedly raped his partner's daughter from age six over a five‑year period, threatening her with death if she spoke out. The Central Criminal Court convicted him in May 2014 of eight sexual assault and four rape counts between June 2003 and May 2008. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy sentenced him to 12 years' imprisonment. The appellant appealed both conviction and sentence. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, rejecting the argument that the trial judge failed to consider his medical condition. Court President Mr Justice George Birmingham noted the offence's great seriousness and that the judge had explicitly considered the disease when sentencing. The Director of Public Prosecutions said the sentence was appropriate and that further medical management would be a prison matter.
Gerry "The Monk" Hutch has been granted permission to file a High Court challenge to the jurisdiction of the Special Criminal Court (SCC) over his murder trial. Hutch, charged with the 2016 Regency Hotel murder of David Byrne, argues that the SCC's use of temporary emergency legislation from 1972 infringes his rights, including a fair trial and the right to a jury. He claims the 1939 Offences Against the State Act does not authorize the SCC and that the State's failure to enact permanent legislation breaches his constitutional and ECHR rights. Hutch seeks an order to halt his SCC trial, declarations that the trial is unlawful, and a stay pending the High Court decision. The judge, Mr Justice Anthony Barr, granted him permission on an ex‑parte basis, with the matter to be mentioned next month. A similar challenge has been filed by former SF councillor Jonathan Dowdall, also charged with Byrne's murder, and is scheduled for early next year.
Judgment commenced at the Special Criminal Court on November 8th in the trial of four men charged with falsely imprisoning and assaulting businessman Kevin Lunney. Mr Justice Tony Hunt began delivering his ruling after a 40-day trial, reserving verdicts pending continuation following lunch. The judge described Mr Lunney, who was abducted near his Cavan home in September 2019, as a most impressive witness and confirmed the court accepts his account in full. Justice Hunt indicated satisfaction that Mr Lunney was assaulted in a blue horse box located in Drumbrade, and that the treatment he endured constituted false imprisonment and assault causing serious harm. Medical evidence clearly met the threshold for serious harm, the judge stated. Three men have pleaded not guilty: Alan O'Brien of East Wall, Dublin; Darren Redmond, also of East Wall; and Luke O'Reilly of Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, County Cavan.
A blood‑stained glove found near the skeletonised remains of Philip Finnegan in Rahin Woods matched DNA from Stephen Penrose, a forensic scientist who is on trial for Finnegan's murder. The glove, heavily charred and bearing blood on five internal sites, was recovered by Gardaí on 8 September 2016 and later analysed by Dr Alan McGee of Forensic Science Ireland. McGee compared the glove's DNA with a buccal swab taken from Penrose on 16 November 2016 and reported a match, estimating the probability of a different source as less than one in a billion. Penrose, 38, pleaded not guilty to the murder of the 24‑year‑old, who was found buried in a shallow grave after being missing for just over three weeks.
A 48‑year‑old man was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, for sexually assaulting his 15‑year‑old daughter in December 2018. He pleaded guilty to the assault that took place at his Dublin home. The victim, who was 15 at the time, described feeling a "constant fear" and that her "soul has been ripped out" in her impact statement read by the prosecuting garda. She said she no longer feels safe in her bedroom or house and experiences nightmares of her father smiling in court. The judge noted the psychological and emotional damage, including isolation, loss of trust, insecurity and emptiness, and stated the family unit had been irreparably damaged. The man had no prior convictions and had been in mental health care between 15 and 24 December 2018. The sentence was delivered by Judge Melanie Greally.
Conor Emerson, 20, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis for sale or supply after a search of his Cabra garden shed revealed almost €20,000 worth of cannabis and €888 of cocaine. He had 15 prior convictions, including drug possession and assault, and was 18 at the time of the offence. Judge Melanie Greally noted his severe dependence on cannabis and cocaine, his early guilty plea, and his efforts to change his life, such as distancing from a negative peer group and addressing his addiction. Although a presumptive mandatory minimum of ten years existed, the judge considered the circumstances exceptional and imposed a suspended sentence of two and a half years, with 12 months of intense probation supervision. The sentence aimed to allow Emerson to continue rehabilitation and seek employment. The court did not impose any custodial term.
In a Dublin street incident on 10 October 2017, 28‑year‑old Roberto Arinella, a Brazilian resident of Mask Green, Artane, struck Laura Masterson, who had intervened in a dispute, causing her nose to break. Arinella pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Masterson suffered significant injuries, including a broken nose that required cosmetic surgery, and was taken to St James' Hospital. Arinella claimed he acted in self‑defence after a verbal altercation and alleged false accusations by the first woman involved. The court, noting Arinella's lack of prior convictions and good employment record, imposed a one‑year imprisonment sentence, fully suspended on strict conditions, and required him to raise an additional €1,000 in compensation for Masterson within 12 months. The case was prosecuted by Michael Hourigan BL and defended by Emmet Nolan BL. Judge Martin Nolan delivered the judgment.
In a murder trial, a pathologist testified that the decapitated, skeletonised remains of a 24‑year‑old Dublin man, Philip Finnegan, were found curled in a foetal position in a shallow grave in Rahin Woods, Kildare, after he had been missing for 30 days. The remains were partially burned and evidence of multiple stab wounds, including two fatal ones to the liver and aorta, was presented. Fingerprints recovered from a finger that had slipped away from the soil confirmed Finnegan's identity. The accused, Stephen Penrose, 38, pleaded not guilty. The trial also discussed a blood‑stained glove that matched Penrose's DNA and his phone's proximity to the site. The case is ongoing before Mr Justice Owens and a jury.
In a 2016 bar‑stool assault case, the Supreme Court upheld a Circuit Court judge's decision to exclude a doctor's certificate as evidence because the doctor had not personally examined the victim. The accused, charged with assault causing harm and assault causing serious harm, was found guilty of the lesser offence and received a suspended jail sentence, while the serious‑harm charge was acquitted. The DPP had sought admission of the certificate under Section 25 of the 1997 Non‑Fatal Offences Act, which requires a certificate signed by a practitioner who examined the injured person. The defence argued the certificate was based on clinical notes from another practitioner. The Supreme Court ruled that the certificate could not be admitted as the practitioner could not certify facts from another's examination, and noted the section's ambiguity and narrow scope. The Court of Appeal had previously ruled the exclusion was incorrect, but the Supreme Court reversed that decision.
The murder trial of Lorcan Merriman, 25, of Lealand Close, Clondalkin, is ongoing at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice David Keane and a jury. Merriman has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Thomas Farnan at Kilcronan Close, Clondalkin, on April 25 or 26, 2016. Chief State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan testified that Mr Farnan sustained nine gunshot injuries from at least five bullets. She identified a bullet that traversed the victim's arm, chest, and heart as the fatal injury, while wounds to the abdomen, elbow, and pelvis contributed to death. Toxicology revealed high levels of methadone, alcohol, and Zopiclone, though these did not contribute to the death. Detective Garda Lynn Johnson reported finding five discharged 9mm cartridges outside the home and one inside, along with three recovered bullets. Tool markings suggested the rounds were fired from the same weapon, though the firearm was never located. Gardaí also found three air rifles in the residence; one was classified as a firearm under the Firearms Act due to its muzzle energy. The trial continues.
During a murder trial, a dog walker recounted discovering what he believed to be a body in Rahin Woods, Kildare, on 2 September 2016. He found two dogs barking near a buried object that appeared to be flesh. He later informed two men, Ivan Pollard and Pat McGrath, who called 112. Garda inspectors Aiden Hannon and Padraig Nolan examined the site, noting almost skeletal remains protruding from a shallow grave, a stab‑proof vest, a garden fork, a shovel, a knife blade, a mobile phone, a fire‑damaged glove, and a black funnel. The remains were taken to Naas mortuary. The trial heard that the accused, Stephen Penrose, 38, pleaded not guilty to murdering 24‑year‑old Philip Finnegan, whose body was found decapitated in the woods. The case is ongoing before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
An unnamed 55‑year‑old man was sentenced to four years' imprisonment, with one year suspended, for 22 counts of sexual assault against his four nieces between 1991 and 2003. The offences occurred in the family home while the victims were between nine and nineteen years old. He pleaded guilty and received six months for the first victim, four months for the second, twelve months for the third and two‑and‑a‑half years for the fourth, with the latter two sentences consecutive. The judge noted the persistent, opportunistic nature of the conduct, the victims' ages, the emotional distress endured, and the offender's lack of prior convictions. Mitigating factors cited included the guilty plea, good character, solid work history and character references. The suspended year is conditional on no contact with the victims or unsupervised access to children. The court also heard victim impact statements describing fear, humiliation, and long‑term pain.
The Special Criminal Court has rejected a defence application to adjourn the verdict in the trial of four men accused of false imprisonment and assault causing serious harm to Kevin Lunney. The defence sought a delay until a Court of Justice of the European Union opinion is issued in the case of Graham Dwyer, who is challenging the use of mobile phone data evidence in his 2015 murder conviction for the killing of Elaine O'Hara. Dwyer's legal team argues that Ireland's handling of such data violated EU fundamental rights. In the current trial, Luke O'Reilly, Darren Redmond, Alan O'Brien, and an unnamed fourth accused, referred to as 'YZ', all pleaded not guilty to the charges relating to the September 2019 incident in Co Cavan. The trial, which sat for 40 days, relied on phone evidence similar to that in the Dwyer case. Despite the defence argument that a potential conviction could be complicated by the pending European ruling, the court refused the adjournment. The three-judge panel, led by Mr Justice Hunt, fixed Monday, November 8, as the date to deliver verdicts in all four cases.
Three serving members of the 12 Infantry Battalion, 1st Brigade of the Permanent Defence Forces, stationed at Sarsfield Barracks in Limerick, have initiated High Court proceedings challenging a decision to prevent them from graduating to the next stage of their training. The applicants, represented by SC Gerard Humphreys SC and Tim Dixon BL, instructed by solicitor Owen Swaine, deny allegations of assaulting and intimidating a fellow recruit in July. They claim that despite being informed they had successfully completed recruit training, they were barred from passing out on August 25 following a complaint reported to the Military Police on September 15. Counsel stated that no disciplinary charges have been brought, yet the men remain confined to barracks in a state of limbo without having been formally heard. The applicants seek a judicial review against the Minister for Defence, Ireland, and the Attorney General, requesting an order quashing the decision to block their graduation pending the Military Police investigation. They also seek declarations that their suspension constitutes a disproportionate penalty breaching their rights to a fair hearing, as well as violations of their Constitutional and European Convention on Human Rights rights. The matter came before Mr Justice Charles Meenan on Monday. On an ex-parte basis, the judge directed that the application be heard in the presence of lawyers for the respondents. Citing the urgency of the matter, the judge adjourned the case to a date next week.
Daniel Murray, aged 39 and of no fixed abode, appeared at the Central Criminal Court on charges relating to a house fire in Ballyjamesduff, County Cavan in August 2018. He had been charged with murdering Patrick Oliver Murray in the incident at Derrylurgan. Murray pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. He also entered a guilty plea to arson, with the charge alleging he acted with intent to endanger life or with recklessness as to whether life would be endangered. The defence indicated that psychological and probation reports would be submitted before sentencing. Mr Justice Paul McDermott remanded Murray in custody and fixed sentencing for January 17th 2022.
Stephen Penrose, 38, accused of murdering 24‑year‑old Philip Finnegan in Kildare woods, has re‑engaged solicitor Michael French while junior counsel Eoghan Weldon may return to represent him. He has not retained senior counsel Anthony Sammon. Penrose has repeatedly declined to attend his trial, which is in its fourth week at the Central Criminal Court. He previously represented himself, cross‑examining witnesses and accusing a Garda inspector of lying. The judge warned him that continued abuse of witnesses could lead to his removal from the courtroom. Penrose's trial continues with jurors hearing his multiple Garda interviews, where he gave conflicting accounts of the victim's movements and the location of the body. The prosecution has presented evidence of a bloodied glove DNA‑matched to Penrose and phone data linking him to the area where Finnegan's body was found. Stephen Penrose pleaded not guilty.
Alan Wilson, aged 42, denied attempting to murder three men in a 2010 shooting at the Player's Lounge pub in Fairview, Dublin. He claimed before the Special Criminal Court that evidence against him had been "doctored to facilitate a State show‑trial". At the arraignment, Wilson attempted to give a prepared statement but was interrupted by Judge Tara Burns, who asked whether he pleaded guilty or not. Wilson pleaded not guilty to the attempted murders of Brian Masterson, Wayne Barrett and Austin Purcell, and to possession of a .38 Special Smith & Wesson revolver, .38 ammunition, a .32 Auto Zastava pistol and .32 ammunition with intent to endanger life. Defence barrister Padraig Dwyer requested full access to CCTV footage and disclosure, citing an "enormous" amount of material. Judge Burns agreed to provide the defendant with the necessary facilities and scheduled the opening prosecution speech for Thursday, with the trial expected to conclude within five weeks before Christmas.
Daniel Corry, aged 29, was one of several men who attacked two Brazilian men in a late‑night incident in Dublin City centre. The attack was described by the judge as "cowardly and vicious" and was unprovoked. CCTV footage showed Corry punching one victim and another individual head‑butting the other. Corry pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Mary's Abbey on 17 February 2017. He has a history of drug addiction and homelessness. The court noted that one victim left Ireland the same year, partly due to the attack. Corry was sentenced to four years' imprisonment, but the sentence was fully suspended on strict conditions for four years, requiring him to keep the peace and be of good behaviour.
In September 2020 a 16‑year‑old boy, still a juvenile, robbed a young man of €250 in cash at the Q car park in St Stephen's Green. Ten days later he killed a 39‑year‑old man, Claudio Robu, by kicking him to death in a laneway off Madison Road. The boy, who is now 17, pleaded guilty to the robbery and is serving a life sentence for the murder with a review after eight years. He was sentenced to 18 months' detention for the robbery, to run concurrently with the life sentence. The court noted his chaotic childhood, abandonment, and drug use, and that he had no prior convictions before the robbery. The 18‑month term is to be served at Oberstown detention centre. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a single‑punch manslaughter case, a judge discharged the jury after a five‑day trial. Vincent Kelly, 45, died from a catastrophic brain injury one day after being punched by Paul O'Carroll, 46, outside the Royal Hotel in Bray on 9 June 2018. O'Carroll, who had pleaded not guilty, claimed he struck Kelly only to remove him from the situation, stating he did not intend to kill or seriously injure him. The trial heard that Kelly had suffered a transient ischemic attack two years earlier and was on blood‑thinning medication, which Dr. Michael Curtis said could worsen head‑injury outcomes. Kelly was taken to St Vincent's Hospital, then Beaumont Hospital, where he underwent surgery, suffered cardiac arrest, was revived, but later died. O'Carroll was remanded on continuing bail until 2 November to set a new trial date.
During a late‑night visit to her dentist, Elaine Heffernan was awakened by three gentle taps on the letterbox. She thought a neighbour was knocking, but as Thomas Farnan opened the front door a gunman fired a single shot that killed him before he could even open the door. He fell slowly, and Heffernan tried to stop him, but he was already dead. Neighbours arrived, one checked his pulse and confirmed he was gone. The shooting took place at Kilcronan Close, Clondak in the early hours of 25 or 26 April 2016. Lorcan Merriman, 25, of Lealand Close, Clondak, is on trial for the murder and has pleaded not guilty. The trial is being heard by Mr Justice David Keane with a jury of nine men and three women. The case remains at the murder‑trial stage.
Well-known historian Donal Fallon has been discharged from the indictment following his guilty plea to violent disorder at Living Room, Findlater Street in the city on February 6, 2016. Fallon, who was part of an anti-racism march against PEGIDA, admitted to the charge and was fined €500. The sentencing judge, Martin Nolan, imposed conditions including that Fallon gather €2,000 within six months. A sentence of nine months was indicated if the conditions were not met, with deferred sentencing for six months. At the hearing, Pieter Le Vert BL, defending, stated that the money had been paid over and requested Fallon's release from the indictment, which the judge acceded to. Additional fundraising was done for charities. The judge noted Fallon's cooperation with gardai, guilty plea, and lack of previous convictions. He also noted that there was no evidence Fallon struck anyone and that his involvement was not highly injurious. The matter was adjourned, and no further action is required at this stage.
In 2021 the Court of Appeal heard the appeal of a 60‑year‑old Dublin man convicted of sexually assaulting 14 girls between 1994 and 2001. He had pleaded guilty in 2002 to ten attacks and received a nine‑year sentence with two years suspended. In March 2020 a jury convicted him of 30 counts of assault on four girls aged 11 to 17, and he was jailed for seven years. The appeal, presented by his barrister Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC, argued that the first COVID‑19 lockdown in March 2020 may have pressured the jury, citing the Taoiseach's statement on school closures and the short two‑hour deliberation. The appeal also raised concerns about the handling of evidence, potential contamination of complainants' statements, and the adequacy of the judge's instructions on identification. The Court of Appeal said a judgment would be issued "some time" due to the multiplicity of arguments.
Stephen Penrose, 38, of Coolock, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Philip Finnegan, 24, who was found decapitated in a shallow grave in Kildare woods. During the trial, Penrose told Gardaí that he had heard rumours that Finnegan was "sitting in Jamaica eating a Big Mac" and that he had been "chopped up" in the Dublin mountains. He also claimed he had no knowledge of Finnegan's disappearance and that he had been stabbed in the arm during an alleged altercation on August 10. Penrose represented himself but has since hired new lawyers and declined to attend further court sessions. Gardaí have noted that a blood‑stained glove found at the scene matched Penrose's DNA and that his phone was linked to a cell site near the burial site. The trial continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury of 12.
A married couple, a 39‑year‑old man and his 36‑year‑old wife, were found guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of neglect and cruelty after their daughter suffered catastrophic brain injuries. The parents pleaded not guilty to two assault‑causing‑serious‑harm charges and three child‑cruelty charges for incidents between 28 June and 2 July 2019. The jury, after a 12‑day trial and four hours of deliberation, returned unanimous guilty verdicts on all counts. Evidence showed the father claimed to perform a ritual to expel a "devil" from the child, and the mother used a belt, phone charger, and other objects to beat her. Medical experts testified that the daughter's head injuries were from blunt force trauma and violent shaking, causing permanent neurological damage. The parents were remanded in custody until their sentencing on 24 January 2022. The prosecution sought a victim‑impact statement from the child's carers.
The Court of Appeal heard that the first Covid‑19 lockdown announced in March 2020 may have pressured the jury in a case involving a 60‑year‑old man convicted of grooming and sexually abusing teenage girls. The Central Criminal Court had found that between May 1994 and February 2001 the defendant carried out sexual assaults on 14 children, pleading guilty in 2002 to ten of those attacks and receiving a nine‑year sentence with two years suspended. In March 2020 the jury convicted him of 30 counts of sexual assault against four girls aged 11 to 17, and Ms Justice Tara Burns sentenced him to seven years. The defendant's barrister, Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC, submitted 11 grounds of appeal, including that the lockdown announcement may have created a "logical conclusion" for jurors to feel pressured, that the jury deliberated only two hours, and that evidence was introduced in a way that prejudiced the defendant.
Phillip Kavanagh, aged 35, was convicted of assaulting Garda Conor Mohan on 7 January 2017 after an incident at a Focus Ireland supported housing complex. He was acquitted of a separate assault on Garda Theresa Moore. Kavanagh had pleaded not guilty to both offences. At a sentencing hearing in July 2021, Judge Martin Nolan had intended to impose 240 hours of community service in lieu of four months imprisonment, but the court found Kavanagh unsuitable for community service. Kavanagh refused to accept the jury's verdict. Judge Nolan sentenced him to four months imprisonment. The case involved conflicting accounts from the two gardaí, with Garda Moore alleging Kavanagh lashing out and Kavanagh denying assault. The court did not consider any later evidence or outcomes beyond the sentencing.
A jury has begun deliberating in the trial of a 39‑year‑old man and his 36‑year‑old wife, accused of neglect and cruelty toward their nine‑year‑old daughter who sustained life‑changing brain injuries. The parents pleaded not guilty to two charges of assault causing serious harm and three charges of child cruelty, alleged to have occurred at their Dublin family home between 28 June and 2 July 2019. The child was found unconscious on 2 July, later hospitalised with multiple bruises, cuts, bite marks, burns and brain bleeding, and now requires carers for basic daily needs. The accused are originally from North Africa and are not identified to protect the complainant's identity. On day twelve of the trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a jury of six men and five women began deliberations after Judge Martin Nolan directed them on the relevant law.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 37‑year‑old man known to the gardai was shot dead while speaking to his mother on the phone at the front door of his home. The case concerns 25‑year‑old Lorcan Merriman of Lealand Close, Clondalkin, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Thomas Farnan at Kilcronan Close, Clondalkin, on the evening of 25 or 26 April 2016. According to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Farnan was at home talking to his mother when, at 23:43, he heard a knock and opened the door. He was shot at least five times and died almost immediately. Neighbours reported seeing a lone male running from the scene with a gun, wearing a balaclava or ski mask.
In a Dublin trial, a 39‑year‑old man and his 36‑year‑old wife, both of North African origin, pleaded not guilty to two assault‑causing‑serious‑harm charges and three child‑cruelty charges. The case concerns a nine‑year‑old daughter who suffered catastrophic brain injuries on 2 July 2019 and remains fully dependent on carers. The prosecution alleged that the parents, acting in joint enterprise, inflicted violence on the child, including choking, burning, and forcing her hand onto a hot oven, and that they lied to paramedics and Gardaí. The defence argued that the father was not present during the injuries, had found the child unconscious, and faced a "Hobson's choice" between calling 999 and losing everything. The trial is in its closing stages, with jurors set to deliberate tomorrow. The child's identity is protected. The case remains ongoing.
A 17‑year‑old juvenile pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after a group attack on a man in Sallynoggin on 16 August 2020. He admitted kicking the victim several times while the victim lay on the ground, though he claimed he had tried to pull the main aggressor away twice. The court noted his remorse, school standing and positive character evidence. Judge Melanie Greally deferred a 12‑month detention sentence for a year, ordering the youth to engage with the Probation Service and to comply with its directions. She will decide in October whether to impose the detention or a community sanction, based on a Probation Service report. The case is adjourned to 2 December for further mitigation and report preparation. The other two youths involved are also pending further court action.
In a child cruelty trial in Dublin, a 39‑year‑old man and his 36‑year‑old wife, who are not named to protect the child's identity, pleaded not guilty to two assault‑causing‑serious‑harm charges and three child cruelty charges for incidents at their home between 28 June and 2 July 2019. The child was hospitalised on 2 July with life‑changing head injuries. On day 12 of the trial, consultant neurosurgeon Kieron Sweeney examined all medical records and photographs. He told the court that the parents' explanations – a bike fall two days earlier and a shower fall on the day of hospitalisation – were inconsistent with the injuries. He described the injuries as low‑velocity blunt force trauma with a symmetrical pattern, unlikely to be self‑harm, and noted a secondary injury from reduced oxygen supply to the brain, possibly indicating excessive shaking.
In a dispute over a mobile phone that was later found in the accused's flat, Scott Byrne, aged 31, stabbed his neighbour Jamie Shortt, aged 28, on 11 July 2020. Byrne and two friends had been at a party celebrating a six‑year‑old's birthday, then joined another party in Shortt's flat where alcohol and cocaine were consumed. After the party, Byrne's friend could not locate his phone and suspected it was in Shortt's flat. Byrne and two others forced entry, and Shortt locked himself in a bathroom. Shortt later armed himself with a hammer and entered Byrne's flat, where Byrne, holding a knife, stabbed Shortt six to eight times around the shoulder and neck. Shortt sustained superficial injuries and fully recovered. Byrne was arrested, tried, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assault causing harm, and was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment. The court noted Byrne's 16 prior convictions, including burglary, theft and violent disorder.
Paul Penrose gave evidence at the Central Criminal Court in a murder trial concerning his son, Stephen Penrose, aged 38, of Coolock, Dublin. Stephen Penrose has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Phillip Finnegan, aged 24, at Rahin Woods, County Kildare on August 10, 2016. The father described meeting Mr Finnegan on August 8, two days before the alleged killing, and stated that the two men appeared friendly towards each other. Paul Penrose testified about subsequent events, including his son's hospitalisation with stab wounds, the discovery of bloodstains on a vehicle, and an attempt to purchase cleaning products. The trial heard that Mr Finnegan's decapitated remains were discovered in a shallow grave in Kildare woodland. The prosecution has indicated that a bloodied glove found at the scene matched DNA belonging to the accused. The trial continues before Justice Alexander Owens and jury.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Vincent Kelly, aged 45, died from a catastrophic brain injury after being punched in the face by Paul O'Carroll, aged 46, outside the Royal Hotel in Bray on 9 June 2018. O'Carroll, who pleaded not guilty, claimed he struck Kelly only to remove him from a verbal altercation. Kelly was on blood‑thinning medication, including aspirin, following a transient ischemic attack two years earlier, which a pathologist said likely worsened his injuries. Post‑mortem findings showed a single blow to Kelly's left face causing him to fall and hit his head on the ground, with skull fracture, brain bleeding and bruising. CCTV footage corroborated the sequence of events. Kelly was taken to St Vincent's Hospital, then Beaumont, where he underwent surgery, suffered cardiac arrest, was revived, but died early on 10 June. Traces of cocaine were found in Kelly, suggesting recent use. The case remains before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury.
A 19‑year‑old named Josh Henney was jailed for six months after he killed a 10‑month‑old mixed‑breed dog named Sam by kicking it twice in the underbelly while the owner was speaking with his mother on North William Street, Dublin. Henney pleaded guilty to killing a protected animal on 23 March 2020. He already had 36 convictions and was serving a two‑year sentence for violent disorder, with the final six months suspended. The court heard that Henney shouted threats, including "fucking kill your dog", before running up to the dog and delivering the fatal kicks. The dog was taken to a veterinary practice, anaesthetised, and died during treatment. Dr Alan Wolfe's autopsy found multiple fractures and liver fissures consistent with blood loss from acute trauma.
The jury in the trial of Stephen Penrose, 38, accused of murdering 24‑year‑old Philip Finnegan, watched a montage of CCTV footage showing a blue saloon car's movements on the day of the killing. The footage, presented by Garda Shauna Nolan, shows Finnegan leaving a filling station in Edenderry at 3.46 pm, entering the car with Penrose, and the vehicle driving toward Rahin Woods. The car is seen passing Kinnefad at 4.05 pm, arriving at Grange West at 4.10 pm, and later at a house in Balrinnet at 5.13 pm. At 6.21 pm the car stops at Browne's filling station in Kilcock, where a man in dark clothing is seen with a bleeding left wrist. The final clip shows an ambulance outside Connolly Hospital at 7.39 pm, with a paramedic treating a patient's left forearm injury. Stephen Penrose pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court announced that a judgement in the murder trial of Eamon Kelly will be delivered on 15 November. Kenneth Donohoe, 43, of Hazelgrove Estate, and Darren Murphy, 51, of Rory O'Connor House, are charged with the 2012 killing of gangland figure Eamon Kelly on Furry Park Road, Killester. They also face a firearms charge for unlawful possession of a Glock pistol with intent to endanger life. Both men pleaded not guilty to both charges. The court heard the case this morning, with Justice Alex Owens presiding.
Karl Dalton, aged 24, was convicted of violent robbery of a businessman who had purchased over €10,000 worth of mobile phones for his shop. The robbery took place near the victim's home on 16 February 2019, when Dalton and two other gang members attacked the victim, one attempting to stab him and another striking him with a wheel brace. Dalton's fingerprints were found on a car at the scene, linking him to the crime. He pleaded guilty to robbery and was sentenced by Judge Melanie Greally to six years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation. The victim's phones, valued between €11,000 and €12,000, were taken and the robbery caused a personal loss as the shop's insurance did not cover them. Dalton has prior convictions for drug possession and traffic offences. He has since claimed to have stopped drug use and is employed.