Keith McDonnell, 32, of Tallaght, Dublin, appeared before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for sentencing. He pleaded guilty in April this year to burglary at St James's Road, Walkinstown, on October 14, 2013, and violent disorder at a Maxol garage on the Crumlin Road on February 3, 2014. Judge Elma Sheahan noted that McDonnell was on bail during the violent disorder incident and had 58 previous convictions. While acknowledging his guilty pleas, remorse, and addiction issues, the judge highlighted the seriousness of breaking into a family home with a hammer. Considering the 18 months already served and other charges on the indictments, Judge Sheahan sentenced McDonnell to 12 months imprisonment for the violent disorder and two and a half years imprisonment for the burglary. Both sentences were suspended in full for their respective durations. The conditions of the suspension include probation supervision and the completion of a residential drugs treatment programme. The court also noted that his co-accused received a three-year suspended sentence after pleading guilty.
Nikkita Brogan, a 24-year-old woman from Letterkenny, Co Donegal, appeared at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court regarding her role in a taxi hijacking. She pleaded guilty to the unlawful seizure of a vehicle at Rutland Grove, Crumlin, on May 6, 2019. Prosecution evidence, including dashcam footage, alleged that Brogan, seated in the back, released the driver's seatbelt to allow two men to drag the 60-year-old driver from the vehicle and assisted in reattaching the gearstick knob. The men, who have already been sentenced for robbery and assault, allegedly choked and punched the driver. Brogan admitted to unclicking the seatbelt but denied threatening the victim. Her defense counsel, Paul O'Carroll SC, noted that the case had been delayed by a procedural matter referred to the Court of Appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions to clarify the service of books of evidence. He also highlighted Brogan's 76 previous convictions, primarily for shoplifting, and her current three-month term for theft. Judge Melanie Greally observed that past leniency had not improved Brogan's conduct. The matter was adjourned until November 12 to allow a probation report to be prepared, with the balance of the plea in mitigation to be heard on that date.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Conor Clarke, aged 29, pleaded guilty to unlawful seizure of a vehicle, attempted seizure of a vehicle, assault and making threats to kill or cause serious harm after an incident on Hazelhatch Road, Newcastle, Co Dublin, on 15 February 2019. The case began when a car overturned on the street and three men, including Clarke, emerged. Clarke punched a resident, John Daly, and later jumped into another man's car, leading to a struggle that was ended by Daly's intervention. A nurse who had stopped to help also witnessed the altercation and left the scene after fearing Clarke might pull her out of her car. Gardaí arrested Clarke, who was remanded in custody pending a final hearing scheduled for 1 November. The court considered psychological reports indicating severe depression and high anxiety, and a probation report was ordered. The hearing concluded with the judge adjourned the matter for finalisation.
In a Munster abuse trial, a 27‑year‑old uncle pleaded not guilty to nine counts of rape, oral rape, anal rape, sexual assault and sexual exploitation, claiming he "witnessed nothing" and "did nothing." The charges, covering incidents between 18 August 2014 and 28 April 2016, involved a girl and one boy. A count of sexual exploitation of the eldest boy was withdrawn by the judge. The trial also involves five other family members—parents, aunt and uncles—who are accused of abusing three children between 2014 and 2016. All accused deny the allegations. The case against the uncle's 32‑year‑old partner and the children's grandmother was withdrawn. The trial continues next week before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury. The uncle's statements and the judge's withdrawals are the only procedural developments reported.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Joseph Behan, aged 45, was convicted of robbery, attempted robbery, assault causing serious harm, assault causing harm, possession of a firearm and reckless discharging of a firearm after a raid on Mizzoni's Pizza in Edenmore Shopping Centre on New Year's Day 2019. The jury found that Behan entered the takeaway with a gun, demanded money while staff toasted the New Year, and when a staff member threw a champagne bottle at him, he fled but fired several shots into the kitchen. Two staff members were shot, one sustaining a through‑and‑through chest wound that put him at serious risk of death. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Behan to 15 years' imprisonment for assault causing harm. Behan's appeal to the Court of Appeal was dismissed, with the court upholding the conviction and sentence.
Zoltan Almasi, 49, has had his plea to manslaughter accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions for the 2014 killing of Joseph Dunne. Almasi, who has been in custody for seven years, had previously faced three trials for the same murder, with the first conviction quashed by the Supreme Court and the second and third trials ending in hung juries. At his last trial he pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. He was remanded in custody until September 3 for a sentence hearing, with reports ordered from his prison governor, chaplain and psychologist.
Ross Outram, aged 30, was convicted in 2019 by a Central Criminal Court jury of murdering 90‑year‑old Paddy Lyons, the oldest man in his village, at Loughleagh, Ballysaggart, Lismore, Co. Waterford. Lyons was found dead in his armchair with blood on his face; he had suffered multiple blows to head and neck, fractures of hip, jaw and ribs, with the hip fracture deemed the cause of death. Outram, previously convicted of burglary and assault, claimed self‑defence, arguing that Lyons' fatal fall was unrelated to the assault. The Court of Appeal rejected this appeal, stating that the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt that the assault caused the fall and hip fracture. The appeal was dismissed, leaving Outram's life sentence intact.
In a 2016 incident on Belgard Road, Tallaght, Stephen Duffy, aged 28, struck a stranger who fell and suffered a brain injury requiring life‑saving surgery. Duffy left the scene, then returned to place the victim in the recovery position. CCTV footage captured the attack and his subsequent actions. The victim, who sustained a brain bleed and was in a coma for two weeks, later received €5,000 from Duffy. Duffy pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm on the basis of recklessness, with no prior convictions. The court noted his remorse and the victim's recovery, including loss of smell and taste but regained mobility. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Duffy to four years' imprisonment, fully suspended, with strict conditions and an additional €10,000 payment to the victim within two years.
In a Munster child‑abuse trial, Judge Paul McDermott directed the jury to return a not‑guilty verdict by direction for the 32‑year‑old woman who had been charged with four counts of sexual assault and exploitation. The judge withdrew those charges, stating there was no evidence to support them, and the woman would no longer be an accused. He also withdrew three charges against the children's father, one against the uncle, and two against a third man, entering not‑guilty by direction for each. The trial continues against the remaining accused, who have all pleaded not guilty to various counts of rape, assault, exploitation and neglect. The judge emphasized his responsibility to determine which counts remain based on the evidence presented. The case remains ongoing before Mr Justice McDermott.
In a case heard by the Central Criminal Court, a 17‑year‑old boy pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 14‑year‑old girl in a field in County Tipperary on 29 July 2019. The assault occurred after both parties had consumed alcohol, which the boy and the girl had purchased together. The boy admitted to touching the victim's genital area. The victim, who trusted the boy as a school friend, expressed fear and a desire for justice. The court, considering the boy's cooperation, early plea, remorse, and good character, imposed a sentence of two years' detention, deferred for one year. The boy must attend all probation appointments, engage with the Garda Youth Diversion Programme, and complete a sexual consent awareness course. He is also ordered to stay away from the victim. The case was adjourned to 23 May 2022.
A 42‑year‑old man, Vasile Plesca, withdrew his appeal against a three‑year jail term after being convicted of assault causing harm to his wife. The incident, which took place on 26 April 2017, involved Plesca striking his wife with a rolling pin in a jealous rage, forcing her to remove blood‑stained clothing and shower, and leaving her with bruises and marks. Video evidence recorded by the victim showed her screaming and pleading for help. Plesca denied strangling her and claimed he avoided hospital visits to protect his children. A psychological report noted an intellectual disability. Judge Karen O'Connor suspended the final year of a four‑year sentence, and Plesca had appealed to the Court of Appeal. Before proceedings began, Court President Justice George Birmingham allowed the withdrawal of the appeal, citing the seriousness of the offence and the importance of the appellant's awareness of sentencing options. Vasile Plesca pleaded guilty.
Claire Burke, aged 31, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a total of six years' imprisonment, with the final two years of the latter sentence suspended. The sentence is consecutive to a two‑year term for an assault in November 2018. In that assault, Burke stabbed a man in the wrist with scissors after he refused to return money she had taken from him. In June 2020, while on bail for that offence, she entered a garage in Clondalkin, produced a knife, and threatened an employee to hand over all the money in the till. She was found guilty of attempted robbery and the production of an article in the course of a dispute. The judge noted her history of drug addiction, homelessness and previous convictions, and stated that she had not shown the transformation her defence claimed. The court did not accept the argument that she had turned over a new leaf.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed Regina Keogh's appeal against her conviction for the murder of Gareth Hutch. The 42-year-old, who was sentenced to life in prison in 2018 by the Special Criminal Court, was found guilty of colluding with her brother, Jonathan Keogh, to cause serious injury to Mr Hutch. Jonathan Keogh, 34, was also jailed for life for the 'deliberate and callous murder' committed on May 24, 2016. A third man, Thomas Fox, 32, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison alongside the Keoghs. All three defendants had denied the crime. Keogh's counsel argued that the trial court erred in law by treating Jonathan Keogh's DNA on latex gloves as corroboration of prosecution witness Mary McDonnell's evidence, despite an innocent explanation for the DNA. The State contended this was not a fundamental error. Presiding Justice George Birmingham, with Justices Patrick McCarthy and Isobel Kennedy, rejected all grounds of appeal. The court found that the evidence regarding the gloves, in context with other relevant evidence, was capable of constituting corroboration. Justice McCarthy stated that the trial court was entitled to proceed on McDonnell's evidence and that the conclusions of fact were not perverse. The appeal was dismissed, leaving the original convictions and sentences intact.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Philip Kavanagh, 34, was acquitted of assault causing harm to Garda Theresa Moore after a jury found no evidence that he had injured her. The jury, however, convicted him by a 10‑2 majority of common assault on Garda Conor Mohan, who had confronted him at his home following a disturbance. Kavanagh denied both offences. Garda Mohan described Kavanagh as drunk and aggressive, refusing entry and lashing out when restrained. Garda Moore reported that Kavanagh resisted restraint in a patrol car, causing her a blunt injury to the right hand, later confirmed as a fracture. Kavanagh claimed he was assaulted by Moore in the car, alleging a black eye and whiplash, but denied causing her injury. The case was adjourned for sentencing on 26 July.
The Special Criminal Court is hearing the trial of Kenneth Donohoe and Darren Murphy, who are charged with the murder of Eamon Kelly and the possession of a Glock pistol with intent to endanger life. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to all charges. The court heard from forensic expert Dr Tom Hannigan, who testified that there is "very strong support" for the suggestion that firearm residue particles found on a jacket seized from a Tallaght house matched those recovered from shell casings at the murder scene. Dr Hannigan stated that seven different particles were identified in both the jacket pockets and the shells, noting the range of elements was the same. However, he clarified that it was not possible to date the metallic particles or conclusively determine how they came to be in the pockets. The trial concerns the December 2012 shooting of Kelly, a veteran criminal figure, in north Dublin. It is noted that in 2015, Sean Connolly was jailed for life by the Special Criminal Court for the murder of Kelly. The trial continues before a three-judge panel.
The Court of Appeal has quashed the murder convictions of Matthew Cummins and James Davy, substituting them with convictions for assisting an offender under the Criminal Law Act 1997. In a written judgment, the court found no evidence of a joint enterprise to murder 64-year-old Thomas 'Toddy' Dooley, whose death resulted from eight blows to the head and two to the torso. While the court described the defendants' subsequent conduct—attempting to burn the body and disposing of a baseball bat—as 'reprehensible,' it ruled this did not prove a prior agreement to kill. The appeal court rejected arguments for separate trials, noting the jury was entitled to hear the facts in totality. It determined that the trial judge erred in failing to direct the jury to return not guilty verdicts for murder but found overwhelming evidence of guilt regarding the post-offence conduct. The matter was adjourned and sent back to the Central Criminal Court for sentencing. Seán Davy, who had previously failed in a bid to have his conviction overturned in 2018, remains a convicted person in this case, though the current judgment specifically addresses the substitution of verdicts for Cummins and James Davy.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 34‑year‑old unemployed father of six 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, claiming the broom was part of a Halloween costume. The court noted the girl's injuries—a five‑by‑ten‑centimetre bruise on her left arm and a dry scratch on her right arm—were inflicted by the father. The judge, after considering the case, deemed the injuries "lower end" of the scale for assault causing harm but stressed the aggravating factor of beating a child. He ordered a report to assess the father's suitability for community service, with a maximum of 240 hours in lieu of an 18‑month prison term, and adjourned finalisation to 8 November. The father expressed regret and hopes for reconciliation with his children.
In a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Phillip Kavanagh (34) pleaded not guilty to assault charges against Garda Theresa Moore and Garda Conor Mohan. The incident occurred on 7 January 2017 at a Focus Ireland housing complex. Kavanagh, described as drunk and without a top, allegedly resisted officers' entry and became aggressive. Garda Moore recounted that after Kavanagh was arrested and cuffed, she attempted to restrain him in a patrol car. Kavanagh reportedly lunged, striking her hand, causing a sprain, broken knuckles, and a fractured wrist. He claimed the officers "battered" him, while Garda Moore denied any injury caused by her. The case is set to continue before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
In a Munster child‑abuse trial at Croke Park, the prosecution has closed its case against six relatives—parents, aunts, uncles—who are accused of abusing three children between 2014 and 2016. The accused, aged 27 to 56, live in various Munster locations. They are charged with a range of offences, including rape, anal rape, oral rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation and wilfully neglecting children. All defendants have pleaded not guilty. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, continues with legal arguments until Thursday. Reporting restrictions protect the children's welfare and identities. The case remains in the courtroom, with no verdict yet announced. The prosecution's case is now complete, leaving the defendants to face the court's forthcoming decisions.
The Special Criminal Court heard evidence of mobile phone contacts the prosecution alleges were connected to the abduction and assault of businessman Kevin Lunney in September 2019. An Garda Síochána intelligence analyst Edel Hannigan presented charts detailing calls between phones attributed to the three accused men and one belonging to Cyril McGuinness, whom the State alleges organised the offence. McGuinness's phone contacted a number associated with Luke O'Reilly multiple times in the weeks preceding the incident, with significant activity recorded on the day of the abduction near Ballinagh, County Cavan. Alan O'Brien, Darren Redmond, and Luke O'Reilly have each pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and intentionally causing serious harm. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and two other judges at the Special Criminal Court.
In the Bray Boxing Club murder trial, witnesses described a grey or silver Caddy van seen on the morning of the shooting. A Dublin Bus driver reported the van nearly colliding with his bus at speed, while a milkman noted a silver Volkswagen Caddy passing his truck and later returning with yellow registration plates. A witness from Willow Grove observed a silver van approaching her estate, noting the driver's high‑vis jacket and sunglasses. Garda reports linked a van with non‑Irish plates parked on Pigeon House Road, where a man and a bicycle were seen. The prosecution alleges the van was used in the fatal attack on Bobby Messett, with Gerard Cervi (34) pleading not guilty to murder and attempted murder charges. The trial continues with the judge noting a period of absence for the jury until late July.
The Court of Appeal has quashed the murder convictions of Matthew Cummins, Seán Davy, and James Davy regarding the 2014 death of Thomas Dooley in Edenderry, Co Offaly. Presiding with Justices John Edwards and Isobel Kennedy, Court President Justice George Birmingham substituted the verdicts with convictions for impeding the apprehension or prosecution of a person under Section 7(2) of the Criminal Law Act 1997. The court ordered that the men be sent back to the Central Criminal Court for sentencing on these substituted verdicts, with a written judgement expected later. The three men had previously been found guilty of murder by a unanimous jury in 2016 and sentenced to life imprisonment. During the appeal, counsel for Cummins argued that the trial judge failed to properly explain the law regarding joint enterprise and that Cummins should have been directed to plead guilty to impeding. Counsel for James Davy argued that the judge's directions were confusing and that his client's fear constituted a reasonable excuse. The DPP argued that all three men were intrinsically involved in the savage killing. The appeal court accepted the arguments for quashing the murder convictions but substituted them with the lesser offence, leaving the matter for sentencing rather than concluding it.
Noel McKeon, a former security guard, appealed to the Court of Appeal against his 14-year effective jail term for the rape and violent assault of two sex workers. The Central Criminal Court previously heard that McKeon contacted the victims via an escorts website, leading to attacks in June 2016 and February 2018. In the first incident, he assaulted the victim, who escaped by jumping from a window, and then raped her. In the second, he assaulted and raped another woman after she refused condomless sex. McKeon pleaded guilty to sexual assault, assault, robbery, and rape of both women, as well as false imprisonment of the first victim. Justice Tony Hunt imposed consecutive headline sentences of ten years for each victim, applying a four-year discount for the guilty pleas to result in a 16-year term. He suspended the final two years on condition that McKeon engage in sex offender treatment and anger management, specifically regarding violence towards women. McKeon's counsel, Barry White SC, argued that a "crushing sentence" had been imposed and that the totality principle was insufficiently applied. The DPP, represented by John Fitzgerald SC, countered that the effective 14-year sentence was within the margin of appreciation and incentivised rehabilitation. The Court of Appeal, comprising Justices Birmingham, Edwards, and Donnelly, reserved judgment on the appeal.
Jonathan Dargan, a 50‑year‑old martial arts instructor, withdrew his appeal after the Court of Appeal warned that his case was not a 'one‑punch manslaughter'. Dargan had been convicted of the manslaughter of Patrick Mullally, a 56‑year‑old man celebrating his retirement, after a drunken altercation on Harold's Cross Road in March 2016. Dargan struck Mullally with a punch that shattered his jaw and caused a fatal brain injury. He also assaulted Mullally's friend, Shane Cunningham, who was injured. Dargan denied unlawful killing and claimed self‑defence, admitting he had "lashing out" but asserting he was in control. The trial judge, Justice Pauline Codd, imposed a six‑year sentence, suspending the final six months, citing the impulsive nature of the assault. The Court of Appeal's warning that the case was not a simple one‑punch manslaughter led Dargan's counsel to withdraw the appeal. No objection was raised by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Diego Andrade, a 24‑year‑old Bolivian national, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, for sexually assaulting a four‑year‑old boy who was asleep in bed with his mother at a party. Andrade was on bail for a separate adult sexual assault conviction and had previously served nine months for that offence. He was identified by a photograph taken by the boy's mother and was found to have child sexual abuse material on his phone. The judge noted the boy's extreme anxiety and the family's suffering, and imposed conditions requiring Andrade to leave Ireland within 14 days of release, to be supervised by the Probation Service, and to avoid unsupervised contact with children for 20 years. The sentence is to run consecutively with his existing custodial term. Diego Andrade pleaded guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 34‑year‑old mother accused of abusing her children denied that her admissions were "dangerously unreliable." The mother, who pleaded not guilty to 25 charges including sexual assault and wilful neglect, was interviewed six times over two days in 2018, after her children had been taken into care. The detective who conducted the interviews said she was aware of the mother's mild intellectual disability and adapted the questioning accordingly, ensuring the mother understood that her statements could be used as evidence. The detective confirmed that a solicitor was present at each interview and that the mother had no complaints about her treatment. The trial continues with the mother and other family members still pleading not guilty to various charges.
The Director of Public Prosecutions has appealed an 18-month custodial sentence imposed on a Donegal man, arguing it was unduly lenient. Leon Kelly, aged 34, pleaded guilty at Letterkenny Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm and criminal damage following incidents in April 2019 at Beechwood Grove, Lifford. The victim sustained a broken jaw and lost a tooth during an unprovoked assault. Kelly twice rammed his vehicle into the victim's car and home in what the court heard stemmed from a dispute over money. Following the first incident, Kelly fled and attempted to cross the River Finn into Northern Ireland, where he was apprehended by the PSNI. He rammed the home again eight days later. The DPP contends the original sentence failed to reflect the gravity of the offences, citing Kelly's use of a vehicle as a weapon while under the influence of alcohol as an aggravating factor. The Court of Appeal, comprising Mr Justice Séamus Woulfe, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, reserved judgment.
In Cork city, teenager Scott O'Connor was jailed for two years after brandishing a knife outside a house party where 20‑year‑old student Cameron Blair was murdered. The judge said O'Connor deliberately armed himself and threatened people for five minutes on a public street, but did not use the weapon. He had pleaded guilty to violent disorder and to producing a knife capable of serious injury. The court noted that O'Connor's actions contributed to the hostile atmosphere that preceded Blair's fatal stabbing. O'Connor's sentences for violent disorder and for producing the knife run concurrently and were back‑dated to the time he entered custody. The judge highlighted O'Connor's early guilty pleas, cooperation with Gardaí and lack of prior convictions as mitigating factors. The sentence was imposed in the Central Criminal Court by Mr Justice David Keane.
A forensic scientist told the Special Criminal Court that she discovered blood inside a horse box at a yard in Ballinagh, Co Cavan during an examination in September 2019. Dr Yvonne O'Dowd of Forensic Science Ireland used luminol detection to identify the presence of blood to the right of the door and subsequently confirmed through laboratory testing that the blood was human. The yard at Drumbrade belonged to Luke O'Reilly, one of four men accused in connection with the abduction and assault of businessman Kevin Lunney. O'Reilly, Alan O'Brien, Darren Redmond, and a man referred to as YZ have all pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and intentionally causing serious harm on September 17, 2019. The trial, heard before Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Gerard Griffin and David McHugh, continues. Lawyers for the accused are challenging the admissibility of evidence relating to the yard and associated items.
The Court of Appeal reserved judgment on appeals by Leroy Howard and Stephen Coyle against their sentences for violent disorder arising from an August 2016 attack in Ashbourne, Co Meath. Both men were sentenced to seven and a half years in prison by Judge Martina Baxter in July 2020. Howard, who pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assault causing harm, had the final 12 months of his sentence suspended. Coyle, who was also sentenced for the same offences, had the final two years suspended. Counsel for both appellants argued that the judge erred in law by setting a headline sentence of 10 years, the maximum term for the offence, citing the lack of premeditation, absence of weapons, and short duration of the attack. The DPP opposed the appeals, arguing the violence was not spontaneous and warranted a sentence in the highest range. A separate appeal by Declan Byrne, who was convicted of violent disorder following a trial and sentenced to nine years with the final 12 months suspended, did not proceed due to his last-minute wish to change his legal team. The matter regarding Howard and Coyle remains pending as the court reserved its judgment.
A 16‑year‑old boy, who was 14 at the time of the incident, was charged with violent disorder and the production of a knife outside a house party where 20‑year‑old Cameron Blair was murdered. The Central Criminal Court heard that the boy, who cannot be named, has become a "pariah" in his community and that his family have had to move homes to keep him out of trouble. He pleaded not guilty to producing a knife but pleaded guilty to violent disorder. The Director of Public Prosecutions decided not to pursue the knife charge, entering a nolle prosequi. The court heard that the boy was in possession of a butter knife and had punched a girl during the altercation. The case is still pending sentencing.
A man has been sentenced to eight years and nine months imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court following his conviction for the rape of his then partner's teenage sister. Stephen Lynch, with an address in Offaly, was found guilty in May 2021 of rape committed at a property in Athlone, County Roscommon, in October 2015. He was also convicted of sexual assault and assault causing harm arising from an incident in December 2015 at the same address. The court heard that Lynch had drugged and raped the first victim, then subjected a second woman to sexual assault while also attacking her friend who attempted to intervene. Justice David Keane imposed concurrent sentences, noting the offences were aggravated by the victim's age and the use of drugs. Lynch pleaded not guilty throughout. The sentences were backdated to May 2021 when he first entered custody following conviction.
A man has been sentenced to eighteen months imprisonment at the Special Criminal Court for perverting the course of justice during the investigation into a 2013 murder. Ray Kennedy, aged 40, was found guilty of destroying a mobile phone SIM card on the day Peter Butterly was fatally shot in a car park at Gormanston, County Meath. Kennedy had arranged to meet Butterly the previous day and arrived at the scene shortly after the killing. Gardaí had requested he remain for interview, but while waiting, he removed and disposed of the SIM card, which prosecutors described as evidentially significant. Justice Tony Hunt imposed a four-year headline sentence but suspended two and a half years on humanitarian grounds, citing Kennedy's daughter's serious health condition. The judge rejected Kennedy's account that he had panicked, finding instead that his actions were calculated. Kennedy must enter a good behaviour bond of one hundred euros for two and a half years following release. Ray Kennedy pleaded not guilty.
A contempt of court hearing concerning two witnesses in the trial of an unnamed 16-year-old defendant was adjourned until Friday. Darragh O'Connor and Craig O'Donoghue, both 20, are alleged to have left the jurisdiction for Ayia Napa to avoid giving evidence at the juvenile's trial. The 16-year-old, who pleaded not guilty to producing a knife, had previously pleaded guilty to violent disorder at a house on Bandon Road in Cork city where college student Cameron Blair was murdered. The DPP discontinued the knife charge. During the out-of-hours High Court sitting, defence counsel reported that prison authorities could not facilitate consultations due to a harsh regime and one witness's reported Covid-19 symptoms. Mr Justice Keane ordered the two alleged contemptors to be produced before him on Friday at 10.30am. The 16-year-old defendant was remanded on continuing bail until Friday, when the case will be mentioned to finalise a date for sentence. The alleged offence of contempt of court is punishable by imprisonment, fine, or both.
The trial of Gerard Cervi, 34, who has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Bobby Messett, 50, at Pete Taylor's Bray Boxing Club in Bray, Co Wicklow, on June 5, 2018, continued before Mr Justice Michael White. Cervi also denies the alleged attempted murders of Pete Taylor and Ian Britton. Witness Elizabeth Petcu testified that she heard an "explosion" and saw a man in a yellow hard hat and high-vis vest run from the club, jump a barrier, and drive off in a van. She described the vehicle as silver or white with a yellow plate containing "AZ". Another witness, Anne-Marie Holland, stated she was nearly struck by a reversing silver car in the car park and later learned of a shooting. Prosecution counsel Paul Murray SC presented evidence linking a silver Volkswagen Caddy with registration DFZ to the scene, noting it was found near the East Link toll bridge. The prosecution alleges Cervi was seen on a bicycle near the van earlier that morning. The matter was adjourned to Tuesday.
The Special Criminal Court heard that gardaí employed an "extremely impressive" identification procedure when examining CCTV footage related to the abduction and assault of businessman Kevin Lunney in County Cavan on 17 September 2019. Inspector Stephen Mullen outlined the controlled process whereby officers with potential knowledge of persons in the footage were segregated, shown material without context, and recorded independently. Three men pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and intentionally causing serious harm: a 40-year-old man identified as YZ, Alan O'Brien (40) of East Wall, Dublin, and Darren Redmond (27), also of East Wall. Luke O'Reilly (67) from Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, County Cavan, similarly entered not guilty pleas. Gardaí testified to identifying the accused at various locations including Dublin apartments and service stations. Physical evidence, including bleach bottles recovered from Mr O'Reilly's property and a recently positioned trailer at Drumbrade, was also presented. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judges Gerard Griffin and David McHugh.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 34‑year‑old mother admitted to gardaí that she had abused three of her children between 2014 and 2016, describing the incidents as occurring "maybe once a week or two times a week." She said the abuse began in 2015, that she felt "disgusting" and "ashamed," and that she had been "encouraged" to carry out part of it. The mother also claimed she had witnessed her own mother abusing her daughter once, and that she had told one son not to disclose the abuse. She apologized to the gardaí, saying she had been truthful. The case involves six family members, including parents, aunts and uncles, all of whom have pleaded not guilty to various charges of sexual assault, exploitation and wilful neglect. The trial continues, with the court noting that statements made about co‑accused persons in gardaí interviews cannot be used as evidence against those persons.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, retired State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy testified that Bobby Messett, aged 50, died from a single gunshot wound to the head during a fitness class at Bray Boxing Club on 5 June 2018. The bullet entered through the left side of the nose, travelled diagonally through the upper jaw, nose, left eye and into the skull cavity, exiting at the back of the head. Dr Cassidy described extensive fractures, brain swelling, haemorrhage into the brain stem and blood‑stained clothing, concluding that death was caused by the gunshot. She noted the absence of secondary projectiles, indicating a distance of at least one metre between victim and shooter. The trial also covers Gerard Cervi's charges of murder and attempted murder, but the evidence presented focuses solely on Messett's fatal injury. The hearing continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury. Gerard Cervi pleaded not guilty.
During a Garda interview, a 35‑year‑old woman accused of abusing her niece and nephew said she was being blamed for things she did not do. The trial involves six extended family members, all unnamed for legal reasons, who are accused of abusing three children between 2014 and 2016. The accused include the children's parents, aunts and uncles, aged 27 to 56, and live in various parts of Munster. All defendants have denied the charges. The woman, who pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual assault, claimed she had no knowledge of any inappropriate behaviour in her home and that the children's parents had laughed at her when she raised concerns. She stated she could not accept allegations she had not witnessed or committed. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
The trial of Gerard Cervi and Peter Taylor for the murder of Bobby Messett (50) at Bray Boxing Club on June 5, 2018, continued at the Central Criminal Court. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the murder charge; Cervi also denies the attempted murder of Taylor and Ian Britton. Garda Glenn McLoughlin, the first responder to the scene, testified that he seized a grey sports top and trainers from Taylor to preserve forensic evidence, placing them in plastic bags before transferring them to evidence bags. McLoughlin stated he never saw or took any cash belonging to Taylor, contradicting Taylor's earlier testimony that his tracksuit bottoms, containing between €200 and €400, were removed and never returned. Taylor's partner, Karen Brown, previously identified a garda holding a blue bag with Taylor's clothing. McLoughlin confirmed Taylor was not wearing tracksuit bottoms in the ambulance or hospital, suggesting they may have been cut off by paramedics. He noted that the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) dismissed Taylor's complaint regarding the missing items. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of three men and nine women.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, witness Viorica Ciocirla testified that Ioan Artene Bob, a 49‑year‑old construction worker, had sent €2,600 from a casino jackpot win to her to deliver to his brother in Romania the day before his death. Ciocirla said Bob gave her the money on 12 April 2018, and she flew to Romania the next day. She reported that Bob appeared agitated and tired when she handed over the cash. Bob was found dead in a Tallaght park on 13 April 2018, with extensive blunt‑force injuries. Feri Anghel, charged with Bob's murder, pleaded not guilty. The trial, presided over by Justice Eileen Creedon, is expected to last five weeks. The court has heard details of Bob's injuries and the circumstances surrounding the money transfer.
During a June 5, 2018 early‑morning fitness session at Bray Boxing Club, a lone gunman fired nine shots from a semi‑automatic pistol. Witnesses reported the shooter was calm and wore a black helmet, gloves and jacket. The gunman fired at trainer Pete Taylor, who was struck and fell, after which the shooting stopped. The gunman also shot Bobby Messett, who died, and Ian Britton, who was injured. Gerard Cervi, 34, is accused of murder and two attempted murders. He pleaded not guilty. The trial, held in the Central Criminal Court, heard eyewitness accounts from Polish gym‑goer Wojciech Bak, gym‑partner Alan Hunter, and others, describing the rapid, chaotic scene and the gunman's sudden cessation of fire after Taylor was hit. The case continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, John Doran, aged 35, was found guilty of assault causing harm and production of an article after he attacked an off‑duty Garda, Craig Shields, on Aungier Street on 15 August 2020. Doran, who had previously offered a "fake drug packet" to people, approached Shields while he was socialising with his girlfriend and asked if he wanted cocaine. When Shields identified himself as a Garda, Doran and a co‑accused assaulted him, knocking him unconscious. Witnesses reported Doran threw punches and used a fork to stab Shields in the head and face, causing lacerations, a fractured nose, a concussion and permanent scarring. Shields' official Garda identification card was taken but later recovered. Doran was arrested after CCTV footage identified him. The court adjourned the case for finalisation on 22 October, with a report from Probation Services ordered.
During a murder trial, witness Marian Dumitru recounted that two days before his death, his friend Ioan Artene Bob, a 49‑year‑old Romanian construction worker, claimed to have won over €2,500 at a casino after finding a €2 coin. Dumitru said Bob had been drunk and had asked him for a knife the night before he was found badly beaten in Tallaght. Bob was discovered in Sean Walsh Park on 13 April 2018, suffered extensive blunt‑force trauma, multiple fractures, bruising to his lungs and heart, and later died in hospital. Feri Anghel, charged with Bob's murder, pleaded not guilty. The court heard that Bob's injuries suggested repeated blows from fists, kicks and stamping‑type strikes, some inflicted while he was curled up or lying down. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, is expected to last five weeks.
Jambasambuu Ekhtur, 25, was convicted of sexual assault and assault causing harm after attacking two women in Dublin City centre on separate nights in 2019. In July, he grabbed a woman on Mount Street, dragged her into a laneway, bit her shoulder and attempted to open her jeans. She escaped, was taken to St Vincent's Hospital, and later testified. In October, he attacked another woman on Talbot Street, grabbing her privates and biting her shoulder. CCTV and DNA evidence linked him to both incidents. He pleaded guilty to both charges. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, with the two sentences running concurrently, citing the seriousness of the assaults and his lack of prior convictions. The court noted his language difficulties and potential deportation to Mongolia. The victims gave impact statements describing lasting psychological harm and changes to their daily lives.
Tony Walsh, aged 67, a former trainee priest, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two years' imprisonment for six counts of indecent assault committed between 1973 and 1977. The court heard that Walsh had previously been convicted of 39 offences, 34 of which were indecent assault, and that he had been sentenced in 2018 to five years with 18 months suspended. In the 2021 trial, the victim, aged between nine and thirteen, described how Walsh repeatedly abused him in a church, groping his genitals and forcing him to masturbate. The victim's impact statement highlighted long‑term emotional and relational damage. Judge Melanie Greally imposed 12 months' imprisonment on each count, with the first five sentences concurrent and the final one consecutive, for an effective two‑year term. The sentence reflected the seriousness of the breach of trust and the victim's suffering. The court noted Walsh's prior good conduct and the delay in the case's presentation. Tony Walsh pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 56‑year‑old Dublin man was found to have sexually abused his daughter for seven years, beginning in 2007, and then, after the daughter reported the abuse in 2014, defiled three under‑age girls. He had sexual encounters with two teenage girls and entered a sexual relationship with a third who lived with him for a time. He is currently serving a seven‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for the defilement offences. The court noted he had 17 prior convictions, including child defilement and child pornography offences. He pleaded guilty to six offences against his daughter between 2007 and 2014, including oral rape, sexual assault and incest, and to 25 further counts, including 14 incest and one child‑pornography possession. The judge praised the daughter's courage and composure, and the court will keep reporting restrictions until the sentencing on 22 July.
During a trial in the Central Criminal Court, boxing trainer Pete Taylor recounted being shot while conducting a morning fitness class at his Bray Boxing Club on 5 June 2018. He said he was within a foot of the gunman, a man named Gerard Cervi, when a bullet struck him, causing him to spin and fall. Taylor described the gunman as about five feet eight inches tall, wearing a black jacket and high‑visibility vest, and reported hearing seven or eight shots over 15 to 20 seconds. He also complained that his runners and tracksuit bottoms, containing €200‑€400, were removed by paramedics and never returned, a claim he later lodged with the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission. The case involves Cervi's plea of not guilty to the murder of Bobby Messett and the attempted murder of Taylor and Ian Britton. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Michael White with a jury of twelve.
David O'Loughlin, aged 34, was convicted of murdering Liam Manley by throwing him down a 40‑foot rubbish chute, where he died of asphyxiation. O'Loughlin had 54 prior convictions, including four assault convictions and five for producing articles in disputes. He had previously been jailed for a "frenzied" stabbing in December 2005 that left two foreign men alive after being stabbed ten and six times respectively. In 2004 he was convicted of assault after stabbing a youth three times, and in June 2005 he stabbed a man under the heart after a verbal argument. The Central Criminal Court heard that the Court of Appeal had overturned his first murder conviction and replaced it with a manslaughter conviction, citing lack of intent to kill. O'Loughlin's defence counsel described his client as remorseful, having written a letter apologising to Manley's family and seeking forgiveness.
Mary Bridget McCann, 18, a resident of a Dublin 2 hostel, was involved in a violent incident on 11 October 2020. A fight erupted between McCann and another woman, prompting a porter to intervene. McCann bit the porter's finger and, after the porter left, stabbed a cleaner in the thigh with a steak knife. The cleaner suffered significant blood loss and a 2 cm thigh cut, while the porter received a bite wound and a hepatitis B and tetanus injection. McCann pleaded guilty to two assault‑causing‑harm charges. She has 23 prior convictions, including nine assault‑causing‑harm and eight assault offences. She is remanded on bail pending sentencing, with the court noting her unstable accommodation and history of placement changes. The sentence is adjourned to 3 November.