In a shocking incident on 6 September 2021, Darren Brennan, 30, of Whitechurch Road, Ballyboden, Dublin, approached two toddlers in a buggy outside their home and used a mini blowtorch to burn the cheek of a two‑year‑old boy. Brennan, who was high on magic mushrooms and taking anti‑psychotic medication, was captured on CCTV and later identified by Gardaí. He denied harming the child at first, claiming he had merely intended to pat the boy, but later admitted the attack to his psychiatrist. The boy's parents gave emotional victim impact statements, describing the event as a "dark" day that left their son traumatised, fearful of strangers, and with ongoing sleep difficulties. Brennan pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to three years' imprisonment, with the final 16 months suspended under conditions. The case highlighted the severe emotional impact on the family and the child's ongoing recovery.
Rafal Karaczyn, 35, of Sligo, is currently on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the unlawful killing of his wife, Natalia Karaczyn, on April 29, 2018. Mr. Karaczyn has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to murder. The jury must determine whether he intended to kill his wife or was provoked to the extent that he temporarily lost self-control. Prosecution counsel Conor Devally SC argued that the victim's wish to end the marriage was not a provocative act, citing a Supreme Court decision that sexual jealousy or possessiveness cannot reduce murder to manslaughter. He described the alleged trigger—a slap and being pushed from a room—as "pathetically mild." Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC countered that Mr. Karaczyn was not a cold-blooded killer but a devoted father who lost control in the heat of the moment. He highlighted the absence of a weapon, a planned disposal site, or prior history of domestic violence. The trial has heard that Ms. Karaczyn returned home after having sex with another man, leading to a confrontation. The matter is at the trial stage, with the judge set to deliver her charge to the jury tomorrow.
Aaron Carey, aged 30, was sentenced to seven‑and‑a‑half years in prison for a series of offences committed during the Christmas period of 2019 and early 2020. The court heard that he attempted burglary at a nursing home on 23 December 2019, robbed a Spar shop and attempted robbery of a service station on 24 December 2019, and damaged a patrol car and two other cars on 7 February 2020. He also pleaded guilty to robbery of a Pizza Hut, attempted burglary of a family home, and other offences. Carey's defence cited psychiatric difficulties, including a recent diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, ADHD and other conditions, and drug addiction. The judge noted the lack of violence but the high risk of reoffending, and suspended the final 18 months of the sentence on strict conditions. No residential treatment facilities were available, so the sentence was imposed with a probationary period thereafter.
The Special Criminal Court sentenced Sean Ruth, a former mid-tier Kinahan Cartel member, to four years and six months for two money laundering offences. Presiding Judge Tony Hunt suspended both sentences for six years and ordered Ruth to repay €9,900 within 12 months. Ruth pleaded guilty to concealing or disguising the source of funds in his Allied Irish Bank account between 2016 and 2017, knowing or being reckless as to whether they were proceeds of criminal conduct. The court noted he had paid over €20,000 to the Criminal Assets Bureau, with his parents assisting with the remaining balance. Judge Hunt reduced a headline six-year sentence by 25% due to Ruth's guilty plea and mitigation, including his reformation and education since his 2019 release from a separate firearms conviction. Ruth was previously jailed for three years for possessing a .38 Special revolver and ammunition. The report also details that Jonathan Harding and James Walsh were previously sentenced to 10 and nine years imprisonment respectively, with the final year of each suspended, after pleading guilty to possessing nine revolvers, four pistols, a submachine gun, an assault rifle, and ammunition at the Greenogue Unit.
A man has been found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of disrupting the garda investigation into the murder of dissident republican Peter Butterly in 2013. Ray Kennedy, aged 41, from Blanchardstown, Dublin, was convicted of destroying a mobile phone SIM card on the day of the killing at Gormanston, County Meath. The court heard Kennedy had arranged to meet Butterly that afternoon and arrived at the scene shortly after the shooting. Evidence showed Kennedy's phone had contacted a burner phone connected to the murder. Kennedy claimed he panicked when approached by gardaí and destroyed the SIM card, but the judge rejected this account as not credible and found his actions were a calculated attempt to obstruct the investigation. Four men have already received life sentences for Butterly's murder, with two others also convicted and jailed for their roles. Kennedy was granted bail pending sentencing on 21 June. The unnamed accused was acquitted.
A 37-year-old man, Sameer Syed of Grosvenor Lodge, Rathmines, Dublin 6, accused of murdering his wife Seema Banu (37), his daughter Asfira Riza (11), and son Faizan Syed (6) at Llewellyn Court, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16 on October 28 last year, will stand trial at the Central Criminal Court in June next year. The accused was charged with three counts of murder at Dun Laoghaire District Court on November 30 last year. At that time, arresting officer Detective Sergeant John White informed Judge Ann Watkin that reporting restrictions under Section 252 of the Children Act applied because two of the deceased were juveniles. The matter was adjourned and is now at the appeal stage. Mr Syed appeared via video-link for today's hearing and was remanded in custody until the trial date. The trial is expected to last five weeks, and the case was sent forward to the Central Criminal Court on April 28 after the accused was served with the book of evidence. Free legal aid was granted, and there was no State objection. The Children (Amendment) Act 2021 has been signed into law, which removes the restriction on naming deceased children except in certain exceptional circumstances.
During the first lockdown in April 2020, 20‑year‑old Edward Illes, a passenger in a car with flashing blue lights, pretended to be a Garda and attacked a pedestrian on Luttrellstown Road, Castleknock. Illes demanded identification, shouted at the man, and after the man called emergency services, he ran at him, punched him five or six times, and tried to take his phone before fleeing. He also approached other pedestrians, claiming to be a Garda, and was involved in a bus incident where he attempted to inspect the bus. Illes pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and impersonating a Garda. He received a fully suspended two‑year sentence, with strict conditions including payment of €1,000 and an additional €4,000 within one year. The court noted his prior four traffic convictions and that the driver of the car had not appeared in court.
In a 2021 appeal, the Court of Appeal dismissed the case of Andrzej Benko, 48, who had been convicted of attempted murder after striking his wife, Joanna, on the head with a lump hammer while she slept on 5 July 2010. Benko had been sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Central Criminal Court in April 2014. His lawyers argued that the trial judge's direction to the jury about the presumption that an accused intends the natural and probable consequences of his actions was inappropriate, claiming that such a presumption applies only in murder cases under the Criminal Justice Act 1964. Justice Ni Raifeartaigh rejected this argument, citing case law that the presumption extends to a wide range of offences involving intent. She also found the trial judge's direction correct, noting that the burden of rebutting the presumption lay with the prosecution. Benko's appeal was therefore dismissed, leaving his conviction and sentence intact.
Joseph Behan, 45, of Edenmore Park, Raheny, was convicted in February 2020 of robbery, attempted robbery, assault causing serious harm, assault causing harm, possession of a firearm and reckless discharging of the firearm after he shot two workers at Mizzoni's Pizza on New Year's Day 2019. He was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment for assault causing harm. Behan now appeals his conviction, arguing that the search warrant for his house was not lawfully obtained and that a glove found with firearms residue was unconstitutionally seized. His barrister, Ronan Munro SC, contends that the warrant was issued by Detective Superintendent Paul Scott, who was involved in the investigation, and therefore was not independent. The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgement. The appeal focuses solely on the alleged unlawful search and seizure, not on the trial findings or sentencing.
Former RTÉ producer Kieran Creaven, aged 58 and resident of Adelaide Street, Dun Laoghaire, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting and exploiting children. He admitted to exploiting three children at an Irish address between 26 May and 10 July 2017, assaulting two children in the Philippines in October 2014, and exploiting another child via a Skype conversation in the Philippines on 24 July 2017. Creaven also pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography, with offences involving three videos on an SC card, one video on a mobile phone, and a video and image on a disk, all linked to an unknown location in England on 18 November 2017, and to possession of child pornography at an Irish address on 20 November 2017, related to a Skype conversation. He appeared via video‑link before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where his lawyer, Lorcan Staines SC, noted that Creaven is undergoing psychological assessment and may not need to attend the sentencing hearing.
In the public foyer of the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin, a man in his mid‑20s was attacked and suffered head injuries. Gardaí responded at lunchtime and transported him to Mater Hospital around 2:30 pm for treatment. No arrests have been made. The area was secured by police, and blood was found on the floor of the CCJ atrium. CCTV footage of the assault is believed to exist, and neither party is an accused in any case currently heard at the CCJ.
The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgment on the appeals against conviction lodged by Jason Bradley and Dean Bradley. The brothers were sentenced to life imprisonment in July 2018 after being found guilty of the murder of Neil Reilly in Lucan, Dublin, on January 18, 2017. Their co-accused, Ryan Bradley, was acquitted of murder by direction of the trial judge but pleaded guilty to impeding the investigation, receiving a fully suspended five-year sentence. Their father, Paul Bradley, was acquitted by the jury. Counsel for the appellants argued that the trial judge erred in refusing to discharge the jury after Ryan Bradley's counsel sought a directed verdict, leaving the appellants with a tactical dilemma regarding the testimony of witness Danielle Cusack. They further contended that the admission of Cusack's evidence, derived from enhanced cognitive interviewing, was flawed. The prosecution rebutted these claims, asserting the trial judge's rulings were impeccable. The court, comprising Mr Justice John Edwards, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, heard the arguments and indicated the matter is complex, with judgment to be reserved.
Rafal Karaczyn, 35, of Crozon Park, Sligo, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the death of his wife, Ms Karaczyn, at their family home between April 29th and May 1st, 2018. He has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The trial heard that Mr Karaczyn demonstrated to gardai how he strangled his wife with both hands after she slapped him. He admitted to Detective Garda Pauline O'Neill that he unlawfully killed her and accepted he alone caused her death. Although he initially provided false accounts, including a claim of a gun threat, he later confessed to the truth after speaking with his sister-in-law. The defence called witness Piotr Korozan, who described the accused as mentally destroyed by marital difficulties. The prosecution noted the accused has no prior convictions or history of domestic violence. The matter was adjourned to continue on Monday before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
James Fagan, 28, was jailed for assault causing harm and three counts of making threats to kill or cause serious harm after punching a security guard at Red Cow LUAS Stop on 28 July 2019. He had previously been convicted of assault causing harm and was serving a five‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended. Judge Melanie Greally added a consecutive two‑year term, suspended the final 12 months of that term, and imposed strict conditions including engagement with the Probation Service for 12 months upon release. Fagan, who claimed to be part of a well‑known crime group, threatened to kill the guard and others, and was described as intoxicated and having taken ecstasy and cocaine before the incident. The court heard that he had violent tendencies for a significant period and that he was a father of three children. The judge increased his time in prison by a year. James Fagan pleaded guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court, a jury has heard evidence of exchanges between Natalia and Rafal Karaczyn in the months before her death. Text messages and Facebook communications were presented showing Ms Karaczyn repeatedly rejecting her husband's attempts at reconciliation, telling him to leave her life and forbidding him from entering their Crozon Park home in Ballymote, Sligo. Two days before her death, she stated he could "never set foot" in the house again. Detective Sergeant Oliver McHale testified about these communications. Rafal Karaczyn, aged 35, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. He admits unlawfully killing his wife by strangling her at their family home between 29 April and 1 May 2018. During garda interview at Ballymote station, he denied causing her death and described an alleged threat from unknown individuals. The trial before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon continues.
Richard Walker, a 33‑year‑old GAA player, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after punching an opponent's face during a match at St Mary's GAA Club on 15 July 2018. The punch fractured the victim's jaw in two places, caused nerve damage and required surgery with three plates, costing €4,400. Walker was sent off with a black card and later banned from playing for eight weeks. He paid €3,000 to the victim and agreed to pay the remaining medical costs. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Walker's lack of prior convictions and the circumstances, imposed a fully suspended two‑year sentence, ordering Walker to hand over the €3,000 to the prosecuting Garda and to raise an additional €5,000 within one year. The court deemed imprisonment unnecessary and unlikely to be required again. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Rafal Karaczyn, 35, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court, having pleaded not guilty to the murder of his wife, Natalia Karaczyn, but guilty to her manslaughter. The alleged killing occurred at their family home in Crozon Park, Sligo, between April 29th and May 1st, 2018. Mr Karaczyn admits to unlawfully strangling his wife and accepting sole responsibility for her death. Chief State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan testified that Ms Karaczyn died from asphyxiation due to pressure applied to her neck. She noted bruises on the chin, eyes, scalp, and left arm, with the arm injury potentially defensive. Dr Mulligan stated death was not instantaneous but could not determine the duration of pressure. The jury heard text messages from December 2017 to March 2018, where Ms Karaczyn told her husband she wanted her own life and asked him to leave her alone, while he repeatedly pleaded for forgiveness. Det Garda Oliver McHale presented these messages, describing them as bickering. The trial is ongoing before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of eight women and four men. Det Garda McHale's evidence was adjourned to continue the following day.
In 2016, James Lammon, aged 48, was convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of the brutal, pre‑meditated murder of Jason Doogue in Athy, Co. Kildare, on 21 August 2015. The jury found Lammon to be the masked gunman who shot Doogue three times before cycling away. He received a mandatory life sentence, back‑dated to the day of the murder. Lammon is appealing, arguing that his counsel failed to challenge a disputed statement attributed to him by Garda Daniel O'Shea. O'Shea had recorded a conversation in which Lammon allegedly said the bullet was meant for another man and that he would never be charged. The defence and prosecution reached an agreement allowing O'Shea's testimony to be admitted unchallenged, a decision Lammon claims he did not consent to. The Court of Appeal will consider whether Lammon had agreed to this arrangement and whether it was proper.
In May 2021, Oliver Kane, 41, who was homeless and suffering from mental health issues, voluntarily appeared at a Garda station to confess that he had attempted to rape a 21‑year‑old woman in Ardee on 16 November 2020. Kane explained that he had approached the woman with the intention of forcing her into a secluded area, but she resisted and escaped. He admitted the assault and expressed regret. The victim, who has suffered ongoing mental health problems, stated that the incident had caused nightmares, sleep difficulties, and depression, and that she had taken time off work and begun counselling. Kane has a prior conviction for a public order offence. At the Central Criminal Court, the case was adjourned to 14 June to allow for a psychiatric assessment, and Kane was remanded in continuing custody. The prosecution noted that the victim's anonymity was maintained, while the defence highlighted Kane's untreated depression and psychosis. Oliver Kane pleaded guilty.
Following the enactment of the Children (Amendment) Act 2021, RTE successfully applied to lift a court order that had kept the identities of convicted child murderer Patrick Dillon (28) and his 11‑year‑old nephew, Brooklyn Colbert, anonymous. The new law removes the restriction on naming deceased children, except in exceptional circumstances, and allows media or relatives to request the court to lift such orders. Dillon, who had been named in the Central Criminal Court in January after a Court of Appeal ruling on Section 252 of the Children Act, admitted to striking Brooklyn with a hammer and stabbing him 27 times. The court described the murder as a "horrific breach of trust" and sentenced Dillon to life imprisonment. Brooklyn's mother, Sonia Aylmer, publicly demanded that the victim's name be released, arguing that her son's legacy should not be defined solely by his death.
A murder trial at the Central Criminal Court heard that the accused man described lying beside his wife's body for ten to fifteen minutes after strangling her with his bare hands. Magdalena McMorrow, the victim's sister, told the court that Rafal Karaczyn made this admission at Ballymote Garda Station four days after Natalia Karaczyn's death in May 2018. Ms McMorrow said the accused initially gave her false accounts, claiming not to know what had happened to his wife and later alleging involvement by a Traveller family. The witness described searching for her sister on the morning she went missing and the accused's anxious behaviour during that search. Karaczyn, aged thirty-five, of Crozon Park, Sligo, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The trial heard evidence that Natalia had been with another man the night before her death. The case continues before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and jury.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a jury found Edmundas Dauksa, a married Lithuanian man, guilty of murdering his former partner, Ingrida Maciokaite, by stabbing her 19 times in front of their six‑year‑old daughter. The killing occurred on 18 September 2018 at Bridgewater Mews, Dundalk, after a court had placed the child in Maciokaite's custody. Dauksa had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The jury rejected his defence that he was not "fuelled with murderous intent" and that he had been wronged by the court system. They accepted the State's case that he intended serious harm or death when he repeatedly plunged a 15‑cm blade into Maciokaite's body. The verdict was unanimous, with the jury deliberating for 3 hours 51 minutes over two days. The judge will impose a mandatory life sentence on 24 May and remand Dauksa in custody until then.
The eldest daughter of Aidan McMenamy, who was murdered by his girlfriend's estranged husband, told the court she will never forgive the killer and hopes he never sees the light of day again. Ms Veronica Carberry said her life was turned upside down by her father's death, that she now needs antidepressants and sleep medication, and that she has lost the bond with her children. She thanked the jury and Gardaí, stating justice had been served, but the family continues to struggle with the pain. The court also heard that the murderer, Anthony Paget, was sentenced to life imprisonment, backdated to 19 July 2019, after a week‑long trial in which he was found guilty of murder following a plea of manslaughter. Paget had 47 previous convictions, including possession of knives and serious assault. The trial included testimony from Ms Carberry, her sister Amanda McMenamy, and evidence of the fatal stabbing and CCTV footage.
In an appeal-stage application at the Central Criminal Court, Tom Murphy BL, acting for RTE, sought to lift a previous court order restricting the naming of a child murderer and the deceased victim. The applicant alleged that the existing restriction, imposed by Mr Justice Michael White in January, prevented public identification due to a family relationship between the accused and the 11-year-old boy killed in 2019. The accused, a 28-year-old man, had admitted to the murder and was sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment. Mr Murphy argued that the Children (Amendment) Bill 2021, which rectified a loophole in Section 252 of the Children's Act, was set to come into force the following day, thereby removing the legal barrier to naming the victim. Mr Justice Paul McDermott indicated he saw no difficulty in lifting the ban once the new legislation took effect. However, noting the application was ex-parte and that the Director of Public Prosecutions and the accused had not been notified, the judge stated he was technically restricted from making the order before the law came into force. Consequently, the matter was adjourned. Mr Justice McDermott instructed the applicant to return the next day, once the amended legislation was in force, to allow the DPP and the accused to be present and make any submissions. The judge emphasized that the order would not be made immediately but would follow the commencement of the new law.
Michael Leonard, 63, of Hillcrest, Glenosheen, Kilmallock, Co Limerick, was denied bail by the High Court after being accused of murdering 72‑year‑old Mary O'Keeffe in Doneraile, Co Cork, on 4 February 2021. Leonard appeared at the hearing by video‑link. Detective Sergeant James O'Shea, of Fermoy Garda Station, argued that the evidence was strong, the charge serious, and that Leonard might interfere with witnesses. He described the scene where a burning vehicle was found at 2.20 pm on 4 February, containing Ms O'Keeffe's body. Leonard's defence, led by Mr Marc Thompson Grolimund BL, highlighted his client's 41‑year work record with Coillte and his recent retirement, and offered a €10,000 bond and a vacant property address for bail if granted. Mr Leonard pledged not to approach witnesses. Judge Robert Eager cited the "appalling" death and the seriousness of the murder charge in denying bail.
A murder trial opened at the Central Criminal Court on May 6th, 2021, concerning allegations that a Sligo man killed his wife following her return home from another man's house. The accused, aged 35 and resident at Crozon Park, Sligo, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The prosecution alleges the victim, aged 30, arrived home in the early morning hours after consensual sexual activity elsewhere, whereupon an argument ensued in the bedroom and she was strangled. The defence acknowledges the accused unlawfully killed his wife by strangulation and accepts sole responsibility for her death. The central issue for the jury concerns the accused's mental state at the time. The couple, originally from Poland, had lived together in Sligo with their three children despite an unhappy marriage, sleeping separately. The trial continues before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of twelve.
Fishmonger Edmundas Dauksa (51) is on trial in Dundalk, Co Louth, having pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the killing of Ingrida Maciokaite (31) on September 18, 2018. The prosecution, led by Conor Devally SC, argued that Dauksa possessed the necessary intent for murder, stating that repeatedly plunging a 15cm blade into the victim's body could only lead to serious harm or death. Devally contended that the accused's actions, which resulted in multiple stab wounds to the chest, back, face, and neck, demonstrated a clear intention to kill, despite the defence's claims of emotional turmoil. The defence, represented by Michael Bowman SC, submitted that Dauksa did not have murderous intent, attributing his state of mind to distress over a recent District Court order that placed his daughter in the custody of her mother. Bowman argued that while the accused felt wronged by the legal system, he was not consumed by vengeance and had not premeditated the attack. The jury, comprising seven men and five women, is set to begin deliberations after Justice Paul McDermott charges them. The matter remains at the trial stage, with no final verdict or sentence recorded in this report.
A jury of nine women and three men has been sworn in at the Central Criminal Court to hear the trial of a Sligo man charged with murder. Rafal Karaczyn, aged 35, of Crozon Park, Sligo, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter following the death of his wife at their family home in April 2018. The trial, which opened before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, is expected to continue for approximately two weeks. The accused denies the murder charge while admitting to the unlawful killing.
Keith Devine, 26, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for assault causing harm after he repeatedly stamped on the head of an unconscious homeless man and knocked out the victim's false teeth. The incident occurred in a laneway at Glovers Alley, Dublin 2, on 4 June 2020. Devine punched the victim eight times, stamped on his head five times, and then went through his pockets, though he did not steal anything. The victim was taken to hospital for a head wound and later discharged. Devine pleaded guilty and had 28 prior convictions, including drug possession and public order offences. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a four‑year sentence, suspended the final 12 months on strict conditions, and back‑dated it to June 2020. The sentence requires Devine to comply with Probation Service directions for 12 months after release. The case was prosecuted by Katherine McGillicuddy BL and defended by Keith Spencer BL.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Xolani Mdakani, aged 21, was sentenced to three years and nine months imprisonment for assaulting a woman in a city centre laneway on 9 February 2018. Mdakani, who has 36 prior convictions including assault, theft, burglary and trespass, pleaded guilty. He had previously lived in Finglas and had a history of violent offences as a child. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted his youth and the possibility that repatriation to South Africa might help him address his difficulties. The final nine months of the sentence were suspended on strict conditions. Mdakani was identified by CCTV footage, admitted the assault, and expressed remorse. He intends to seek assistance from the International Organisation for Migration to return to South Africa after his sentence. The victim did not submit a victim impact statement.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Asta Dauksiene, wife of Edmundas Dauksa, testified that her husband was deeply devoted to his daughter, describing him as "completely destroyed" after the court placed the child in the deceased's custody. Dauksiene recounted that the child had been in the family's care since infancy, with the mother, Ingrida Maciokaite, returning to work and allowing the child to stay with the family. She detailed the court's abnormal and accelerated decision to transfer custody days before the September 18, 2018, murder. Dauksiene also described Dauksa's emotional state, noting he was upset, crying, and later appeared to have a knife in his hand. The trial, with Dauksa pleading not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
Kyle Rafferty, 23, of Clondalkin, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of 1 kg of cocaine for sale or supply. He was found with a paper bag containing €70,000 worth of cocaine, which he admitted was "coke in the bag" and that he was holding it for someone to collect to pay a drug debt. Rafferty has 11 prior convictions, including traffic offences, assault and public order. He was arrested after a Garda tip‑off and surveillance of a house. The court accepted his guilty plea, his cooperation and the fact that he had a drug problem, and sentenced him to three years' imprisonment. The judge noted that Rafferty had not attracted Garda attention since his arrest and was "keeping away from criminality.".
In a Dublin city‑centre incident on 11 July 2020, 41‑year‑old Alan Brennan punched a woman in the face, causing her to fall. The woman's partner then attacked Brennan, stabbing him 11 times with a broken glass bottle, stamping and kicking him while he lay unconscious. Brennan, who was on crutches and had a history of drug addiction and homelessness, pleaded guilty to one count of violent disorder. CCTV footage showed the parties and other witnesses near Wellington Quay. Brennan was taken to hospital for lacerations. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to 22 months' imprisonment, suspending the final 10 months on conditions. The woman remains before the courts for her alleged role in the attack.
A Dublin man, Keith Connorton, aged 42, appealed his murder conviction for stabbing Graham McKeever, 32, to death at his home on 18 February 2017. Connorton claimed self‑defence after McKeever allegedly punched him and attacked with a knife. The trial hinged on conflicting statements from Connorton's partner, Clare McGrath, who first blamed Connorton for the stabbing but later altered her testimony. Lawyers argued that the prosecution should not have admitted McGrath's 999 call and statements to Gardaí, citing potential fabrication after she was assaulted. The judge allowed the evidence, and the jury found Connorton guilty of murder by a 10‑to‑2 majority. The appeal focuses on the admissibility of McGrath's statements and the alleged risk of false testimony. The case remains at the appeal stage.
Donal Fallon, a 31‑year‑old historian from Palmerstown, pleaded guilty to violent disorder at the Living Room pub in Dublin on 6 February 2016, after an anti‑racism march against PEGIDA. He claimed his group felt "under siege" when men he believed were shouting Nazi slogans entered the bar. CCTV suggested Fallon's arm moved, and Gardaí considered he may have thrown an item, but no evidence showed he struck anyone. The judge noted Fallon's cooperation, admissions, lack of prior convictions, and that he had not repeated the behaviour in five years. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a €500 fine and conditions, including gathering €2,000 within six months, and a deferred nine‑month sentence if conditions were not met. The court applied section 100 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 to avoid a conviction on Fallon's record. No further charges were brought.
In a murder trial, the jury heard that a mother‑of‑two, who was later stabbed to death by her former partner in front of their six‑year‑old daughter, had been granted custody of the child in an "abnormal and accelerated" District Court hearing days before the killing. The court order, issued on 14 September, was said to contain errors and irregularities, and the accused, Edmundas Dauksa, was unrepresented during the proceedings. Dauksa, aged 51, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the 2018 killing of Ingrida Maciokaite, who died from multiple stab wounds. The trial also covered the mother's attempts to secure custody, the solicitor's advice, and the Gardaí's involvement in the court order and child's transport to Drogheda Courthouse. The case continues before Mr Justice McDermott and a jury.
Peter Loughran, 36, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for rape and oral rape committed at a Dublin address on January 5, 2018. Loughran pleaded guilty to the charges, which involved an assault on a woman he met via Tinder. Justice Paul McDermott sentenced Loughran to nine years imprisonment, but suspended the final 18 months on strict conditions. These conditions require him to refrain from using any online dating apps and to not contact the victim or her family in any way. The court noted that Loughran had expressed genuine regret and remorse, and was assessed as a low to moderate risk of sexual reoffending. Aggravating factors included the offences being committed in the victim's home by a trusted guest, the degrading manner of the assault, and the fact that Loughran recorded part of the attack. The victim, who suffered physical injuries and a new genital herpes infection, stated in her impact statement that the incident drastically changed her future. Loughran, originally from Co Monaghan, has four previous convictions for unrelated offences including possession of drugs and drink driving. He had previously denied the offences to gardaí, claiming the contact was consensual, but later apologized in a letter read by his counsel.
Jack McCarthy, 24, of Ardbhaile, Mayfield, Co Cork, was sentenced by the Cork Circuit Court to four years in prison, with the final year suspended for two years, for a burglary committed on 11 April at a house near his home. He entered a signed guilty plea at the earliest opportunity in the District Court and maintained it when sent to the Circuit Court. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, reduced the sentence to three years, suspending the final six months. The judge highlighted the value of an early guilty plea and McCarthy's genuine remorse, noting his attempts to enrol in a residential rehabilitation programme before the first public‑health lockdown. Aggravating factors included McCarthy's prior convictions for burglary, assault and knife possession.
Two Dublin men, Robert Redmond, 32, and Bernard Fogarty, 33, were charged with attempting to murder Barry Wolverson on 17 January 2020 at Madigans Yard, Swords, Co. Dublin. The Special Criminal Court has served them with Books of Evidence for the attempted murder charge. Mr. Wolverson died on 21 February 2021 after a prolonged hospital stay. The prosecution, represented by Ms. Maddie Grant BL, noted that the trial could last up to four weeks and that a six‑week adjournment was requested because the deceased's long hospitalisation complicated matters. A pathology report is being prepared by Dr. Heidi Okkers. In addition to attempted murder, Redmond and Fogarty face assault charges against Gerard Wildman on the same day, and possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life.
A serving Garda, aged 56, was acquitted by a jury of three counts of indecent assault on a boy aged 6 or 7 between 1979 and 1982. The complainant, now 46, alleged the Garda had assaulted him in a Dublin address and in a green area, including touching his penis and a third incident involving a bike ride and chocolate. The Garda denied all allegations, claiming they never occurred. The defence highlighted inconsistencies, such as the bedroom layout and the presence of childminders, and argued that memory could have faded over the decades. The prosecution presented the complainant's testimony as clear and compelling. After a two‑week trial at Croke Park, the jury returned not‑guilty verdicts on all three counts following a four‑hour deliberation. Judge Karen O'Connor thanked the jury for their service. The unnamed 56-year-old pleaded not guilty.
At the Court of Appeal, the DPP is appealing the award of a Miscarriage of Justice certificate to a man who was found not guilty by reason of insanity of the murder of his infant child. The 20-month-old boy died on April 17, 2001, after being found non-responsive in the father's apartment. The now 47-year-old man was initially found guilty of murder in 2003 but had his conviction quashed in 2019 after being diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. The retrial heard evidence from four consultant psychiatrists confirming the man's schizophrenia diagnosis in 2001. The DPP argues that the new diagnosis does not constitute a 'newly-discovered fact' and that the criteria for the certificate were not met. Counsel for the State, Mr Brendan Grehan SC, stated that the diagnosis was a 'reappraisal' of medical evidence and that the original trial's evidence was 'honest and expertly' delivered. Responding for the appellant, Mr Barry White SC argued that his client was wrongly jailed for 16 years and that the retrial jury found him not guilty by reason of insanity within ten minutes. The matter was adjourned as the court will reserve its position following the review of significant documentation.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 40‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to 15 of 74 charges of repeated rape, sexual assault and harassment of a boy between 2004 and 2010. The offences include oral and anal rape, attempted anal rape, sexual assault, assault causing harm and harassment, beginning at a sports facility and continuing at hotels and restaurants in Ireland. Seventy‑one of the original sample charges will be considered for sentencing, while three overseas incidents are excluded. The judge remanded the defendant in custody, with sentencing scheduled for 12 July.
Alan Harte's second murder trial collapsed at the Central Criminal Court after the Director of Public Prosecutions entered a nolle prosequi, dropping the charge. Harte, 40, had pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Anthony Rogers at Robinson's Court, Cork Street, Dublin 8, on November 6, 2016. The prosecution withdrew the case following rulings by Mr Justice Alex Owens that excluded evidence from two gardai who claimed to identify Harte on CCTV, as well as alleged comments made by Harte to gardai 24 days after the killing. The judge subsequently discharged the jury. Harte has a prior conviction for disposing of the body of Peter Gunn at Dunsoghly Lane. In 2014, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy sentenced Harte to six years' imprisonment for that offence and impeding the investigation, with the final three years suspended. An appeal by the DPP to increase this sentence was later rejected by the Court of Appeal. In that earlier matter, Kastriot Boza was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, a sentence later reduced by two years by the Court of Appeal. Harte had previously been acquitted of the murder of Mr Gunn by a unanimous jury.
In a Dundalk murder trial, the jury was shown CCTV footage of Edmundas Dauksa, 51, meeting his former partner, Ingrida Maciokaite, 31, moments before he stabbed her to death in front of their six‑year‑old daughter. The footage captured Dauksa walking onto Linenhall Street at 2.45 pm on 18 September 2018, entering an alleyway from Bridgewater Mews, and later being seen sitting on a wall with a knife on the ground. Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with a child distressed and a black Audi arriving. Dauksa pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, continues with 12 jurors hearing the evidence.
Alice Connors, 27, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to two robberies and one attempted robbery committed in Dublin City centre on October 2 and 3, 2020. She also admitted to two counts of criminal damage at Kevin Street Garda Station on October 7, 2020. Prosecution evidence alleged that Connors and a co-accused used a knife and a broken bottle during the offences, which included dragging victims to the ground. Connors, who was residing at Times Hostel, College Street, Dublin 2, had previous convictions for theft and road traffic offences. Defence counsel highlighted her homelessness, drug abuse, and mental health difficulties, including auditory hallucinations. Judge Martin Nolan noted that Connors was equally culpable as her co-accused, who had previously received an effective five-year sentence with two-and-a-half years suspended. Judge Nolan sentenced Connors to five years imprisonment, suspending the final two-and-a-half years on strict conditions. The matter was finalised at the sentencing stage.
In a Court of Appeal hearing, a 17‑year‑old who pleaded guilty to the murder of Glen "Ossie" Osborne was denied an appeal against his life sentence with a review after ten years. The appeal argued that the sentencing judge had not sufficiently considered the defendant's remorse, early guilty plea and rehabilitation efforts, and that another teenager who committed a planned, unprovoked murder without remorse received the same sentence. The Court of Appeal found no error in principle, noting that the bringing of a knife to the scene was a significant aggravating factor and that the judge had given "significant credit" for the defendant's early plea and remorse. The judge had ordered periodic reports for a review after ten years, and the appeal was dismissed. The defendant remains in custody awaiting that review. The unnamed 17-year-old was found guilty.
Anthony Wills, 63, was arrested after Gardaí found a 10‑minute video of him molesting a young boy. The footage, recorded on a camcorder seized during a search of his home in Tallaght, shows Wills naked, fondling the child and briefly performing oral sex before masturbating in front of the boy. The search also uncovered 34 images of children exposing themselves and 21 images of sexual activity, plus graphic text messages. Wills pleaded guilty to sexual assault of a male child, two counts of knowingly producing child pornography, and possession of child pornography from 2004 to 2019. He had no prior convictions. The court, acknowledging his cooperation, remorse and lack of previous offences, sentenced him to a four‑year term, suspended 18 months, with strict conditions including probation engagement for 18 months after release. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the video production and the depraved nature of the acts.
Anthony McNamara, 28, of Ard Mor Drive, Tallaght, was convicted by a Circuit Court jury in 2020 of violent disorder, criminal damage and production of an article capable of inflicting serious injury for an "animalistic" attack on a family home on 9 October 2018. The assault involved a gang of men, most wearing balaclavas, who broke a wooden fence, smashed the house's exterior, and used a machete. McNamara threw a child's scooter at a female resident, who was struck on the head. He was sentenced to five years and six months, with the final six months suspended on condition of keeping the peace. McNamara appealed, arguing that a witness's testimony about a nearby house being "smashed to the ground" was inadmissible and prejudicial. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, ruling the evidence was not referable to McNamara and did not prejudice the jury.
The jury in the trial of Edmundas Dauksa, a 51‑year‑old fishmonger from Dundalk, was discharged after a legal application was made in their absence. Dauksa was charged with the murder of Ingrida Maciokaite, a 31‑year‑old Lithuanian national, who was killed on 18 September 2018 at Bridgewater Mews, Linenhall Street, Dundalk. The judge, Justice Paul McDermott, thanked the jurors and exempted them from duty for five years, and a new jury will be sworn in for the case at the Central Criminal Court later that day. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
Marian Lingurar Junior, 26, a Romanian national, is serving a nine‑year sentence for his role in the 2011 murder of John Kenny, a Galway publican, during a burglary. He has applied to the Court of Appeal for leave to appeal, arguing that his appeal was mistakenly filed under his father's name and that his privacy rights were breached when Gardaí obtained phone records used at trial. The Court noted that Lingurar had breached bail, fled Ireland, and returned under a false name, delaying his trial until 2019. The Director of Public Prosecutions opposed the extension, citing insufficient evidence that the appeal would succeed and the need to protect the victim's family. The appeal's outcome remains pending. The case also involved a second burglary conviction for the same night.