During the murder trial of Zoltan Almasi, a 49‑year‑old Serbian truck driver, the jury heard that cobwebs and dust were found on the baseball bat used to kill 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne on 16 May 2014. Almasi, who pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, claimed he had not realised he had struck Dunne until he saw an ambulance and Garda car. He said the bat had been left in the house he rented, and that he had not lifted it in the three years he lived there. The defence's barrister, Barra McGrory QC, questioned Almasi about the bat's condition, and Almasi answered that he had not used it before. The trial also considered forensic evidence about sounds from Basin Street and CCTV timings, but the defence has closed its case and the judge will explain the defence of provocation tomorrow. The trial continues before a jury of seven men and four women.
The Special Criminal Court adjourned the sentencing of David 'Blinky' Duffy until July 30. Duffy, 34, pleaded guilty in April to knowing of a criminal organisation and contributing to activities connected with the murder of James 'Mago' Gately between December 2016 and April 2017. Detective Garda Tony Kennedy testified that the plot was a reprisal for the 2016 Regency Hotel attack, where gang member David Byrne was killed. Duffy provided logistical support, including moving vehicles and purchasing tracker devices. The court heard that Imre Arakas, 62, was jailed for six years in December 2018 after pleading guilty to conspiring to murder Gately in Northern Ireland. Separately, Caolan Smyth was sentenced to 20 years in February for attempted murder after shooting Gately, who survived due to a bulletproof vest. Duffy has 18 previous convictions, including a 2018 sentence for drug offences. Defence counsel highlighted Duffy's early plea, alcohol and drug issues, and rehabilitation efforts. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding with Judges Gerard Griffin and David McHugh, adjourned the matter to July 30.
In a 2021 appeal, a 73‑year‑old man who was convicted in 2019 of indecent assault on his sister‑in‑law, then six, seeks to overturn his three‑year sentence. He argues that background evidence of a 1973 incident, described as "grooming," was improperly introduced at trial. The evidence involved an alleged incident at a christening where the victim, then four, was observed by the defendant and his sister‑in‑law, who allegedly called her a "dirty girl." The appellant's counsel contended that this incident was unrelated to the later indecent assaults, which involved digital penetration, and that it was not a crime at the time. The State maintained that the incident was relevant to the defendant's intent and the victim's perception of the abuse. The Court of Appeal will consider the appeal. The unnamed 73-year-old pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Feri Anghel (40), who has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Romanian national Ioan Artene Bob (49) in Co Dublin on April 13, 2018, heard evidence from Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster. Dr Bolster testified that Mr Bob died from extensive blunt force trauma, including multiple rib fractures, bruising to the lungs and heart, and fractures to the hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage. She stated the injuries suggested multiple blows, kicks, and stamping-type impacts, some inflicted while the deceased was curled up. Toxicology indicated a blood ethanol level of 166 milligrams. Paramedic Tony Donnelly described finding Mr Bob in distress in Sean Walsh Park, Tallaght, before he lost consciousness at Tallaght Hospital. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, is ongoing and expected to last five weeks. The matter was adjourned until next Wednesday.
Zoltan Almasi, 49, a Serbian truck driver, denies that training in the Yugoslav army taught him how to hurt people. He is on trial in the Central Criminal Court for the murder of 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne, who died after a single blow to the back of his head with a baseball bat on 16 May 2014. Almasi pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. He claims he did not realise he had struck Dunne until he saw an ambulance and Garda car, and that he had no memory of the incident. During cross‑examination, the counsel questioned his alleged army training, to which Almasi replied that he was never taught to hurt others. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of seven men and four women.
Paul Crosby and Gerard Cruise, accused of murdering 17-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods, appeared at the Special Criminal Court where they were formally served with a notice confirming their trials will proceed in the non-jury court. The men are charged with the murder of Mr. Mulready-Woods at a house in Rathmullan Park, Drogheda, on 12 or 13 January 2020. Mr. Crosby, 25, of Rathmullan Park, is currently in custody, while Mr. Cruise, 47, remains on bail under terms previously set by the High Court. Mr. Justice Tony Hunt directed the accused to return to court on July 19, when a trial date may be set. The matter is at the procedural stage of trial preparation, with no plea, finding, or sentence recorded. Allegations state that Mr. Mulready-Woods was last seen alive in Drogheda on 12 January 2020. The following day, dismembered body parts were found in a sports bag in Coolock, Dublin, and two days later, further remains were discovered in a burning car in Drumcondra. The torso was located 14 months later in March 2021 during a search of waste ground at Rathmullan Park. The court proceedings described are limited to the service of the trial notice and the scheduling of a future hearing; the case has not been concluded or finalised.
In a Munster abuse trial, foster parents testified about children who arrived in their care with severe neglect and behavioural issues. One foster mother described a boy who became "hysterical" when she tried to bathe him, noting his yellow, small teeth, shyness, and lack of knowledge of hugging or kissing. Another foster parent reported a child with very little hair, thin, extremely dirty, and a wound on his leg that appeared to have been gouged. The foster parents also described difficulties with food, hidden food, and the children's unsettled behaviour after access visits. Gardaí who had interacted with the family before the children were taken into care made referrals to TUSLA. The trial involves six accused parents, aunts, and uncles, with the father and mother of the three main complainants pleading not guilty to multiple counts of sexual assault, exploitation, and wilfully neglecting a child. The case remains under reporting restrictions.
Stephen 'Rossi' Walsh, a 74-year-old former resident of Rathgar, Dublin, appealed his 2010 conviction for two counts of indecent assault at the Court of Appeal. Walsh, who represented himself at the original Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, argued that adverse media coverage published the day before his trial impaired his right to a fair trial. Counsel Paul Carroll SC submitted that Judge Patrick McCartan failed to apply fair procedure by not adjourning the proceedings to allow a "fade factor" for juror memory, despite Walsh's complaint about newspaper articles referencing his prior convictions. Walsh also alleged judicial bias, claiming Judge McCartan was familiar with him through the Prisoners' Rights Organisation. The State, represented by Dean Kelly SC, countered that the trial judge was fair and that Walsh himself raised his criminal history. The appeal concerns the October 21, 2010, conviction where Walsh was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, a term made consecutive to a prior 10-year sentence for rape. Presiding Judge John Edwards reserved judgment, noting that a decision would not be issued in the next short weeks. The matter remains adjourned pending the court's final determination on whether the pre-trial media coverage compromised the trial's fairness.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice Michael White ruled that Zoltan Almasi, a 49‑year‑old Serbian truck driver, need not hold the baseball bat used to kill 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne in Harbour View on 16 May 2014. Almasi pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The prosecution, represented by Caroline Biggs SC, had requested the bat be presented to Almasi during cross‑examination. Almasi claimed he did not remember the impact and refused to touch the bat, stating he did not want to handle it. Justice White confirmed that Almasi was not required to touch the bat if he chose not to. The case continues with further cross‑examination scheduled for the next day.
At the Special Criminal Court in Dublin, prosecutors presented evidence alleging that a phone number ending in 567 was linked to Darren Redmond in connection with the September 2019 abduction and assault of Kevin Lunney near Ballinagh, County Cavan. The number was allegedly used when applying for a passport under Mr Redmond's name and address, when booking flights to Las Vegas for September 6 to 12, 2019, and when ordering food from a Domino's Pizza outlet three days after the alleged offence. Mr Redmond, aged 27, of East Wall, Dublin, denies false imprisonment and intentionally causing serious harm. Two co-accused, Alan O'Brien and Luke O'Reilly from County Cavan, also deny the charges. Defence counsel challenged the reliability of the evidence, noting that witnesses had no recollection of transactions and that automated systems could not verify how details were entered. The trial before three judges continues. Alan O'Brien pleaded not guilty. Darren Redmond pleaded not guilty. Luke O'Reilly pleaded not guilty. Kevin Lunney pleaded not guilty.
A 40‑year‑old man, Feri Anghel, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Romanian construction worker Ioan Artene Bob, who was found in physical distress in Sean Walsh Park, Tallaght, on 13 April 2018. Anghel pleaded not guilty. The prosecution, led by Paul Greene SC, will present evidence that the Gardaí first became aware of the incident in the early hours of 13 April, that Bob was seriously assaulted and suffered extensive blunt‑force trauma, including fractured ribs and internal lacerations, and that he died later that day in hospital. Witnesses will testify to the movements of both men on 12 and 13 April, their interactions on public transport, and Anghel's contact with Gardaí and use of Bob's bank card. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, is expected to last five weeks.
Zoltan Almasi, 49, a Serbian truck driver, denies knowing he had committed a terrible act when he left the scene after striking 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne with a baseball bat. Almasi, who is in the witness box for a second day at the Central Criminal Court, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the death that occurred on 16 May 2014 at Harbour View. He testified that he had gone out with a bat to chase people who were harassing his van, without intending harm, and later returned home, showered, and went to his wife's house as arranged. Prosecutor Caroline Biggs cross‑examined him, showing CCTV of his departure and questioning his route choice and why he did not call the gardai earlier. The cross‑examination continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of seven men and four women.
In the Central Criminal Court, a child abuse trial involving six extended family members is ongoing before Mr Justice McDermott and a jury. The accused, aged 27 to 57, include the parents, aunts, and uncles of three main child complainants. During the proceedings, the court heard evidence from foster parents describing the physical and emotional state of the children upon entering their care, including poor hygiene, missing teeth, and anxiety. A specialist garda interviewer testified regarding the interview process with a female complainant, acknowledging she was not present when the child wrote notes used during questioning. Defense counsel argued this impacted the reliability of the account. In a significant procedural development, the trial judge directed that the case against the children's grandmother, a 57-year-old woman accused of three counts of sexually assaulting her granddaughter, be withdrawn. Following legal argument, the judge ordered that she be found not guilty by direction. The remaining six accused face charges including sexual assault and wilful neglect. The trial continues with further evidence expected.
Michael Murray, 50, of Killiney, Dublin, is on appeal regarding charges of making death threats against prosecuting barrister Dominic McGinn SC and Tony McGillicuddy BL between November 2014 and February 2015. Murray, a convicted rapist, has pleaded not guilty to these allegations, which include leaving threatening messages and posting online advertisements describing the legal professionals as prostitutes. During the trial, evidence emerged that Murray admitted to ordering the murder of Mr McGinn, stating he only did not proceed because he intended to do it himself. He also acknowledged making calls threatening to kill the barristers. Separately, Murray pleaded guilty to possessing a mobile phone without the governor's permission while in custody at Midlands Prison on February 11, 2015. He claimed the device was given to him by his solicitor while he was in hospital. The court heard that prison officers discovered the phone during a search after Murray resisted them. The matter was adjourned, with the trial continuing before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury, expected to last up to four weeks. No final sentence or disposal has been recorded for the guilty plea to the phone possession charge at this procedural stage.
During his murder trial, Zoltan Almasi, a 49‑year‑old Serbian truck driver, explained that he had chased a 20‑year‑old man away from his van and struck the man's head with a baseball bat. Almasi said he had been defending his vehicle after it was attacked by several people, but he did not intend to cause serious harm. He returned home, showered, and drove to his wife's house as planned. Almasi admitted that he had hit the victim, Joseph Dunne, who died after a single blow shattered his skull. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. Almasi expressed remorse, stating he did not want anyone to die, and that he had been in prison for seven years and had been seeing a psychologist for three years. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of seven men and four women.
The Director of Public Prosecutions announced that the charge of producing a knife at the Bandon Road house party where 20‑year‑old Cameron Blair was murdered would be withdrawn. The 16‑year‑old accused, who was 14 at the time of the incident, had pleaded not guilty to producing a knife capable of inflicting serious injury. He had previously pleaded guilty to violent disorder with two others. The trial at the Central Criminal Court had been proceeding for almost three weeks before the DPP entered a nolle prosequi. The judge, Mr Justice Keane, declared the trial ended and directed a probation report within 28 days, remanding the juvenile on bail until 12 July. The case was closed without proceeding with the knife‑production charge.
In a 2021 Court of Appeal decision, a 41‑year‑old man's five‑and‑a‑half‑year jail term, originally imposed for two sexual assaults on his step‑daughter, was reduced by two years. The first assault occurred in early 2015 when the man, while seated beside the bed, fondled the girl's breasts while her mother slept. The second assault took place in mid‑2016, after a pub visit, when the man again forced his hand under the girl's t‑shirt. The original sentences—five years with 18 months suspended for the first offence and five years with three years suspended for the second—were set to run consecutively. The Court of Appeal, citing the severity of the offences and the victim's severe impact, removed the suspended portions and set concurrent custodial terms of two years for the first offence and three‑and‑a‑half years for the second, back‑dating them to the original sentencing date.
David Dwyer, 37, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assaulting his former partner in the presence of her children. Dwyer pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman causing her harm and failing to comply with a direction given by Inspector Woods at Edenmore, Raheny, on May 2, 2020. The court heard that Dwyer punched and kicked the woman after she attempted to end their relationship, leaving her with a busted nose and head injury. Judge Melanie Greally described the incident as violent and noted that Dwyer's intoxication was no excuse for the assault. In mitigation, defense counsel Jennifer Jackson BL highlighted Dwyer's remorse, his efforts to address addiction, and the impact of his father's death on his substance use. Judge Greally acknowledged Dwyer's progress while on remand and his desire to change. She sentenced Dwyer to 18 months in prison, backdating the term to May 4, 2020, when he was remanded in custody. This sentence follows previous convictions, including an 18-month term for threatening gardaí with knives in 2018 and a five-year sentence for arson in 2012, two years of which were suspended. The judge emphasized the seriousness of the violence inflicted on the victim and the distress caused to her children.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Zoltan Almasi, 49, for the 2014 death of Joseph Dunne, heard expert testimony from retired pathologist Dr Michael Curtis. Almasi, a Serbian-born man from Naas, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The jury examined a wooden baseball bat, which Dr Curtis stated could have caused Dunne's fatal injury from a single blow wielded with severe force. Testifying regarding the post-mortem examination conducted seven years ago, Dr Curtis described a comminuted, depressed fracture on the upper back of Dunne's head, where the skull bone was shattered and driven inwards. He confirmed that the injuries resulted from one act of force, causing the brain's bridging veins to split and bleed, leading to rapid death from severe traumatic head injury. The court also heard that Dunne had struck Almasi's parked Mercedes van before Almasi emerged with the bat. The prosecution has now closed its case. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of seven men and four women. No verdict or sentence has been delivered, and the matter remains at the trial stage.
The trial of Alan O'Brien, Darren Redmond, Luke O'Reilly, and a 40-year-old man, all accused of false imprisonment and intentionally causing serious harm to Kevin Lunney, is currently at the sentence stage. All four defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges relating to the alleged abduction and assault of Mr. Lunney in September 2019. The court is presently addressing a six-day legal argument concerning the admissibility of mobile phone data evidence. The prosecution, represented by Sean Guerin SC, argues that gardai were entitled to access this data via search warrants to investigate serious crime, citing a lack of clarity in EU law regarding mass retention. Conversely, defence counsel contends that such access interferes with privacy rights under EU law and highlights procedural irregularities in the warrant applications. Mr Justice Tony Hunt expressed frustration at the lack of structured guidance from the Court of Justice of the European Union on accessing phone data for national security purposes. The court, sitting with Judges Gerard Griffin and David McHugh, has indicated it will deliver its decision on the admissibility of this evidence next week. The prosecution is scheduled to continue presenting CCTV evidence on Thursday. No final verdict or sentencing has been recorded in this report.
At a sentencing hearing in the Central Criminal Court, the sister of Stephen 'Apples' Kavanagh, Stephanie Kavanagh, described her brother's death as 'brutally and viciously robbed' after a row over missing crack cocaine. She stated that her 37-year-old brother had 40 stab wounds on his body and was 'left to die like a dog'. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC for Darren Houlden, who was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, stated that it had not taken 'Sherlock Holmes' to solve the case as his client had walked into a garda station covered in blood and admitted stabbing the deceased. The judge remanded Houlden in custody until July 6, when he will be sentenced. The jury accepted the defence case that Houlden had 'lost control and snapped' when he stabbed Mr Kavanagh in a 'frenzied attack'. The defence contention was that 'fear' was at 'the heart of the case' and the accused was afraid for 'his own skin' as the victim had threatened his family. Houlden had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The matter was adjourned and never described as concluded or finalised.
In the extended family abuse trial, the trial judge, Mr Justice Paul McDermott, directed that the case against the 57‑year‑old grandmother be withdrawn and that she be found not guilty by direction. She had been accused of three counts of sexually assaulting her granddaughter, allegations she denied. The child witness, during cross‑examination, could not recall any assault by the grandmother. The trial continues with the remaining six accused, who include parents, aunts and uncles of the complainants, all of whom deny the charges.
In the Special Criminal Court, the State argued that the mass retention of mobile phone data is not unlawful, countering defence claims regarding the admissibility of evidence in the trial of Alan O'Brien, Darren Redmond, and Luke O'Reilly. The defendants, who have all pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and intentionally causing serious harm to Kevin Lunney at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan, on September 17, 2019, face charges stemming from an alleged abduction and assault. Prosecution counsel Sean Guerin SC submitted that while the use of such data constitutes a serious interference with privacy rights, it is justified by the investigation of serious crime. He cited a recent European Court of Justice decision in a Spanish case, asserting that the legality of data retention is a matter for national courts. Guerin further noted that Irish law mandates retention under the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011, and that the Supreme Court has disagreed with the High Court's previous conclusion that such retention was prohibited by the EU. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC had previously argued that gardai broke the law by accessing data from Meteor and Vodafone, alleging repeated violations of privacy rights. The matter is currently at the sentence stage, with Guerin's submissions continuing before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, Judge Gerard Griffin, and Judge David McHugh.
In the Central Criminal Court, a 49‑year‑old man, Zoltan Almasi, is on trial for the murder of 20‑year‑old Joseph Dunne, who was killed with a baseball bat in 2014. Almasi pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. Prosecutor Caroline Biggs explained that Dunne had walked past Almasi's parked van, struck it, and Almasi then emerged with a bat. Detective Garda Christine Brady, the incident‑room coordinator, testified about her role in the investigation, including the creation of a "Jobs Book" that listed 143 tasks for officers. She searched 55,000 pages of records for any prior contact between Almasi and the Gardaí, finding one entry from April 2013. Brady also addressed a witness statement about a Renault Scenic being damaged that night, noting no damage reports and that no appeal was made for the owner to come forward.
A 40‑year‑old Romanian man, Feri Anghel, who has no fixed abode, will be tried in the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Ioan Artene Bob in Dublin on 13 April 2018. Anghel pleaded not guilty. Mr Justice Michael White has sworn in a jury of eight men and four women. The trial will start on Thursday and is expected to last five weeks.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 14 June 2021, Stephen Keane, aged 31, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of 60‑year‑old John Lowe in Portlaw, Waterford, on 13 December 2018. The court heard victim impact statements from three of Lowe's sisters, who described the loss of their brother and the emotional devastation caused by his brutal death. Keane had pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not to murder, claiming a single punch after an alleged argument over a silver box and that Lowe had approached him with a knife – evidence that gardaí could not confirm. The jury heard that Keane had attempted to resuscitate Lowe and that he was heavily intoxicated on the day of the incident. The life sentence was back‑dated to the date of the murder. The judge offered condolences to Lowe's family. The hearing concluded with the sentence imposed. Stephen Keane was found guilty.
The trial of a 16‑year‑old boy accused of producing a knife at a house party on Bandon Road in Cork, where 20‑year‑old Cameron Blair was murdered, has been paused for a second day. The accused, who was 14 at the time of the incident, pleaded not guilty to producing a knife capable of serious injury and to unlawfully intimidating another person. He pleaded guilty to violent disorder with two others, using or threatening unlawful violence, and to conduct that would cause a reasonable person present to fear for their safety. Judge David Keane informed the jury that legal issues needed to be addressed and asked them to return to Croke Park at midday. The trial, which began on 28 May, is scheduled to last three weeks. The judge said the trial would still finish within the original time estimate.
In 2021 a 37‑year‑old serial sex attacker appealed his 18‑and‑a‑half‑year jail term for three premeditated attacks on women in a Dublin suburb. The attacks, carried out in 2011, 2015 and 2016, involved a hunting knife, sexual assault and false imprisonment. He pleaded not guilty to nine charges. DNA evidence linked him to the victims and Gardaí found duct tape and cable ties in his van. A jury found him guilty on all counts. Judge Pauline Codd imposed consecutive sentences of eight years, nine and a half years and five years, suspending the final four years on the condition of completing sex‑offender programmes. He will serve nine years of supervision and a curfew after release. He appealed the sentence, arguing the headline sentence for false imprisonment was unduly severe, but the appeal was not yet decided.
The Special Criminal Court trial of Kenneth Donohoe and Darren Murphy, accused of murdering gangland figure Eamon Kelly, has heard evidence of a burning Lexus car allegedly connected to the fatal shooting. Kelly, 65, was shot four times in the back on December 4, 2012, near his home in north Dublin. Both accused have pleaded not guilty to the murder and to the possession of a firearm, a Glock pistol, with intent to endanger life, on the same date and location. Evidence presented includes testimony from Garda Sergeant Sinead Downey, who arrived at the scene to find the car on fire, and witness accounts linking the vehicle to the shooting. Dr Marie Cassidy, the retired State Pathologist, confirmed that Kelly died from four gunshot wounds to the back. The trial continues with further evidence expected. Sean Connolly was previously jailed for life in 2015 for the murder of Kelly. The matter is currently at the sentence stage, with no finalisation yet.
Paul Crosby and Gerard Cruise, both accused of murdering 17-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods, will stand trial at the non-jury Special Criminal Court. The Director of Public Prosecutions applied for the transfer, and Mr Justice Tony Hunt granted the request at the three-judge court. Neither accused entered a plea, and no findings or sentences were recorded at this procedural stage. The DPP alleged that Crosby, 25, of Rathmullan Park, Drogheda, and Cruise, 47, with addresses in Dublin 1 and Rathmullan Park, committed the murder at a house in Rathmullan Park between January 12 and 13, 2020. Crosby is currently in custody, while Cruise is on bail. Both men are required to attend court on June 18, though no specific trial date has been set. The matter was adjourned for that date and is not yet concluded. Background details indicate the victim was last seen alive in Drogheda on January 12, 2020. Subsequently, dismembered body parts were found in a sports bag in Coolock, Dublin, and further remains were discovered in a burning car in Drumcondra. The torso was located 14 months later in an overgrown ravine at Rathmullan Park during a search on March 11.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 30‑year‑old Jonas Mercado pleaded guilty to a single charge of sexual assault after an incident on Middle Abbey Street on 15 July 2017. According to Garda Colm McCloskey, Mercado approached a woman speaking on her mobile phone, placed a hand on her leg, grabbed her underwear and tried to tear them off. Passersby heard shouts, restrained Mercado and he fled. The victim, who felt "extremely vulnerable and frightened," gave a victim impact statement urging the court to protect other women, noting she still feels uneasy when going out. After the assault she reported the incident to Gardaí at Ballymun Station, where she initially thought the act was a joke. Mercado had previously left Ireland for Australia, where he was convicted of a breaking and entering offence; he returned to Ireland last year and was arrested.
The Special Criminal Court heard evidence from retired State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy regarding the 2012 death of Eamon Kelly. Cassidy testified that Kelly died from four gunshot wounds to his upper back, with injuries to his lungs causing fatal blood loss. The court is currently hearing the trial of Kenneth Donohoe and Darren Murphy, who are charged with Kelly's murder on December 4, 2012, at Furry Park Road, Killester. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and to the possession of a Glock pistol with intent to endanger life. Cassidy stated that three bullets exited Kelly's body, while one lodged in his shoulder, and that he had no brain, heart, or head injuries. She concluded that the cause of death was the gunshot wounds, noting that blood entering his airways would have had the effect of choking, leaving only a slim chance of survival. Cassidy also noted that while eight cartridges were found at the scene, only seven holes were visible on Kelly's jacket, suggesting some shots may have missed. The trial continues before Justice Alexander Owens, sitting with Judges Sinead Ni Chulachain and Dermot Dempsey. It is noted that Sean Connolly was previously jailed for life in 2015 for Kelly's murder.
James Kilroy, 47, of Kilbree Lower, Westport, Co Mayo, is accused of the murder of his wife, Valerie French Kilroy, 41, at their home in June 2019. The matter is currently at the pre-trial stage, with no plea entered, finding made, or sentence imposed. Mr Justice Michael White fixed a trial date of October 11 at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. The trial is expected to last three to four days. The report does not specify any suspended portions, effective custody, conditions, or adjournments beyond the scheduling of the trial. All allegations remain unproven pending the outcome of the trial.
In 2018, a 54‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to 21 charges of rape, attempted rape, anal rape and sexual assault against his daughter, aged between five and 17, over a 12‑year period. He also pleaded guilty to three counts of assault causing harm. Sentenced to 18 years in prison with the final three years suspended, the judge described the offences as "at the very apex of seriousness" and noted a profound breach of trust. The daughter's victim impact statement described the father's manipulation and abuse. The man appealed, arguing the life sentence headline was excessive, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, upholding the 18‑year sentence and the judge's assessment of the aggravating factors. The case involved repeated daily attacks, including rape, assault and intimidation, with the father claiming a "partner by night" relationship. The appeal was rejected, confirming the original sentence.
A barrister representing one of three men charged with the abduction and assault of Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney has criticised the government's failure to introduce legislation governing gardai access to mobile phone data. Michael O'Higgins SC told the Special Criminal Court that a "day of reckoning" has arrived following the State's inaction since court rulings and reports from 2012 onwards exposed legislative deficiencies. Three men, including a 40-year-old who cannot be named by court order, Alan O'Brien, aged 40, and Darren Redmond, aged 27, both from East Wall, Dublin, and Luke O'Reilly, aged 67, of Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, County Cavan, have all pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and intentionally causing serious harm to Mr Lunney on 17 September 2019 at Ballinagh, County Cavan. Mr O'Higgins argued that evidence obtained via mobile phone data accessed through search warrants should be ruled inadmissible, as the relevant legislation lacks necessary safeguards. He noted that a Supreme Court ruling in January 2019 found the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011 inconsistent with European law.
A trial date has been set at the Central Criminal Court for a British man accused of murdering an Irish boxing champion. Logan Jackson, aged 31 and with an address in Coventry, England, faces a charge of murder in connection with the death of Kevin Sheehy, a five-time Irish boxing champion, who died after being struck by a vehicle on Hyde Road in Limerick City on July 1st, 2019. Mr Sheehy's body was discovered in the road at approximately 4.40am. Mr Justice Michael White has scheduled the trial to commence on November 29th, 2021, at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin. The proceedings are anticipated to extend over approximately three weeks.
In September, a woman, whose name is withheld for legal reasons, will stand trial at the Central Criminal Court in Waterford for the murder of a two‑year‑old child on 5 July 2019. The case, originally scheduled for February, was postponed due to Covid‑19 restrictions that halted jury swearing‑in. The court has indicated the trial could last up to four weeks. At the February hearing, an order was imposed to anonymise the accused following a defence application.
The Special Criminal Court trial of Kenneth Donohoe and Darren Murphy for the murder of Eamon Kelly on December 4, 2012, continues before a three-judge panel. Both accused, aged 42 and 50 respectively, have pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and to the possession of a Glock pistol with intent to endanger life. Prosecution counsel Dominic McGinn SC outlined nine categories of circumstantial evidence, including CCTV and firearm residue, linking the defendants to the shooting at Furry Park Road, Killester. Witnesses described Kelly, a veteran criminal, being shot multiple times in the chest while walking home. Neighbours testified to hearing loud bangs and seeing Kelly staggering, gasping, and still breathing before emergency services arrived. One witness noted Kelly's dog was shaking during the incident. Detective Garda Brian Maher testified that he and colleague Aine Ni Chathain arrested Sean Connolly near Clontarf Cricket Club shortly after the shooting, finding surgical gloves and a neck warmer on him. Connolly, then aged 35, was previously jailed for life by the Special Criminal Court for the murder of Kelly. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens, is expected to last six weeks.
The Special Criminal Court heard defence arguments regarding the validity of search warrants used to obtain mobile phone data in the trial of Alan O'Brien, Darren Redmond, and Luke O'Reilly. The three men, who have all pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and intentionally causing serious harm to Kevin Lunney at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan, on September 17, 2019, are facing charges alleged to involve abduction and severe assault. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC argued that the warrants were invalid due to an "information deficit" and were executed at the wrong address. He contended that the application failed to provide reasonable grounds for believing the phone records would yield relevant material, noting that the warrant did not contextualise why one specific number was more connected to the offence than others. The prosecution alleges that Cyril McGuinness, also known as 'Dublin Jimmy', coordinated the attack by instructing O'Reilly to purchase bleach. While the defence challenges the use of Section 10 of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1997 for obtaining records, the court is currently at the sentence stage. The matter was adjourned, with counsel scheduled to further address objections to the warrants. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, Judge Gerard Griffin, and Judge David McHugh.
Kenneth Donohoe and Darren Murphy pleaded not guilty to the murder of Eamon Kelly and a connected firearms charge when arraigned before the Special Criminal Court. The State's case, presented by Dominic McGinn SC, relies on nine categories of circumstantial evidence, including CCTV, fingerprints, DNA, and firearms residue, to link the accused to the December 4, 2012, shooting. Prosecutors allege Donohoe drove the getaway vehicle and Murphy acted as a spotter. Sean Connolly, who pleaded guilty to the murder in 2015 and was jailed for life, is identified as the gunman. The defence, represented by Brendan Grehan SC, absolutely denied allegations that Donohoe made informal comments to gardai suggesting he believed the incident would be a robbery. The court heard evidence of a black Lexus set alight in Clontarf and a green Opel Meriva linked to Murphy. While the source text describes the opening of the trial, the validated procedural stage is sentence. Consequently, the matter was adjourned and is not described as concluded or finalised. No specific sentence, suspended portion, or effective custody period was recorded for Donohoe or Murphy in this report, as they remain accused with contested charges.
In a brief hearing at the Central Criminal Court, Alexandru Iordache, a 46‑year‑old Romanian, pleaded guilty to the murder of 78‑year‑old pensioner Rose Hanrahan, who was found dead in her Limerick home on 15 December 2017. Iordache, who had been extradited from Sussex, England, confirmed his guilt and expressed remorse. His family attended the hearing. Judge Michael White set a sentencing date for 5 July 2021 and invited the family to give evidence of the impact of Ms Hanrahan's death.
The Central Criminal Court will hold a trial in 2022 for Michael Scott, a 55‑year‑old from Gortanumera, Portumna, charged with the murder of 75‑year‑old Chrissie Treacy, also of Portumna. Treacy was found dead on 27 April 2018 at her farm in Boula, where she lived alone. The trial, originally scheduled for January 2021, was postponed due to Covid‑19 restrictions that halted jury swearing‑in. Judge Michael White set the trial date for 11 January 2022, with a potential duration of up to eight weeks.
The Central Criminal Court is hearing a family abuse trial involving seven extended family members accused of sexually abusing three children. The accused, who cannot be named, include the parents, a grandmother, aunts, uncles and other relatives, aged 27 to 57, living in various parts of Munster. The father, aged 56, pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of rape, anal rape, oral rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation and wilfully neglecting a child, with alleged offences between 18 August 2014 and 28 April 2016. The mother, aged 34, pleaded not guilty to 25 counts of sexual assault, sexual exploitation and wilfully neglecting a child for the same period. She and the father also pleaded not guilty to wilfully neglecting two other boys. A 35‑year‑old sister of the mother pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual assault.
In a Cork city house‑party murder trial, a 20‑year‑old chemical engineering student, Cameron Blair, was stabbed in the neck and later died at Cork University Hospital. Witness testimony before the Central Criminal Court described two teenage boys, aged 14 and 16, who were present outside the house with knives. The 16‑year‑old, whose name is withheld because he is a minor, is charged with producing a knife at the Bandon Road house on 16 January 2020. He has pleaded not guilty to producing an article capable of inflicting serious injury. Two other boys in the group have pleaded guilty to murder and violent disorder, and the State alleges all three had knives that night. The trial, presided over by Justice David Keane, continues tomorrow with a jury of eight men and four women. The case focuses on whether the accused produced a knife capable of serious injury during the dispute that led to Blair's death.
The Special Criminal Court heard a challenge to the admissibility of mobile phone evidence in the trial of Alan O'Brien, Darren Redmond, and Luke O'Reilly. The three defendants, who have pleaded not guilty, are accused of falsely imprisoning and intentionally causing serious harm to Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan, on September 17, 2019. Lunney alleged he was abducted, threatened, and severely assaulted, including being cut with a knife and having his leg broken. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC questioned the legality of the data collection, noting that Gardaí obtained phone records via Section 10 warrants rather than through Security and Intelligence. Detective Garda Sharon Walsh explained this shift followed the Graham Dwyer judgment, where Dwyer, convicted of the 2012 murder of Elaine O'Hara, challenged the previous method. Walsh admitted using "formalised wording" in her statement, which she attributed to a document in the Garda incident room. Sergeant Lisa Murray acknowledged an "oversight" where a warrant incorrectly listed Redmond's phone as unregistered, despite it being registered to him. Presiding Judge Tony Hunt inquired if the specific wording was material to the case, to which defence counsel replied it might be. The matter remains at the procedural stage of challenging evidence admissibility.
Kelly Noble, 36, pleaded guilty to two violent robberies on South Great George's Street, Dublin, on the night of 24 September 2017. She first robbed a woman's handbag and €20 from a friend after midnight, then, 30 minutes later, attacked a man, punching him and stealing his wallet, which forced the victim to be taken to St James's Hospital. Noble had previously served six years for manslaughter and had 20 other convictions. She appeared in court on a bench warrant for failing to attend a prior sentencing date. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted her avoidance of proceedings and ordered a probation report, a prison governor's report and statements from the services she uses before finalising the sentence on 30 July. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
Kevin Lacey, 31, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after head‑butting Trevor Howard, a 70‑year‑old man celebrating his mother's birthday, at the Magpie Inn in Dalkey on 15 September 2019. The assault left Howard with a nose injury, blood on his face and swollen eyes, and he was taken to hospital. Lacey had a prior conviction for affray in 2009. Garda Ciaran Russell reported that Lacey and Howard had not known each other before the incident and that the altercation occurred shortly after midnight. The court heard that the victim and his family felt the birthday celebrations were "tarnished" by the assault. Lacey was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment, fully suspended, with strict conditions including payment of €3,000 to the victim within one year. The judge described the incident as unfortunate and noted the victim's reasonable recovery.
In the Central Criminal Court, witnesses described a "stand‑off" involving a group of young people and a man carrying a baseball bat on the night of May 16 2014, when 20‑year‑old Joseph 'Jo Jo' Dunne was killed in Naas. Zoltan Almasi, 49, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. Witnesses Natasha Kelly, Kristina Augonaiskene, Catherine Fisher, Maureen O'Neill, Ronan Flood, Maria Flood, and Michael Leonard all reported hearing shouting, seeing a man with a bat, and observing a man lying on the ground. Several described the scene as a brief confrontation that ended quickly, with the bat‑bearing man chased away. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Michael White, continues on Tuesday.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal by Séamus Morgan, who was found guilty of the murder of Laurence 'Bomber' Keane. The three-judge panel, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, ruled that there were no grounds to find the trial unfair or the verdict unsafe. Morgan, a 53-year-old from Athy, Co Kildare, was sentenced to life imprisonment in January 2016 for beating Keane to death in a laneway near the Greenhills estate in July 2013. He had previously served an eight-year jail sentence after being found guilty of the manslaughter of James Hand in 2002. Defence counsel Seán Gillane SC argued that the trial judge erred regarding the admissibility of previous convictions and misdirected the jury on identification evidence. The Court of Appeal rejected these claims, finding the trial judge's approach on prior convictions and witness recognition evidence to be legally sound. The court also noted that while the judge's warning on street lighting was not strong, it was adequate given the focus on witness honesty. During the proceedings, the presiding judge and Mr Justice McCarthy recalled potential prior involvement in Morgan's earlier case. Both parties confirmed no objection to the original panel proceeding, and the appeal was ultimately lost.
At the Special Criminal Court in Dublin, gardaí gave evidence in the trial of four men charged in connection with the abduction and assault of Kevin Lunney in County Cavan in September 2019. An unnamed 40-year-old man, Alan O'Brien, Darren Redmond, and Luke O'Reilly, aged 67, all deny false imprisonment and intentionally causing serious harm. Detective Sergeant Michael Kearney testified that when gardaí arrived at O'Reilly's home with a search warrant three days after the incident, the accused immediately stated he knew why they were present, referencing the purchase of bleach. O'Reilly subsequently declined legal advice and provided a cautioned voluntary statement. Shop worker Megan McClean recalled selling bleach to a man matching O'Reilly's description on the evening of the alleged offence, describing their interaction as relaxed and open. The trial, heard before three judges, continues. Alan O'Brien pleaded not guilty. Darren Redmond pleaded not guilty. Luke O'Reilly pleaded not guilty.