Jonathan Dowdall, 43, a former Sinn Fein councillor, was charged with the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in Dublin 9 on February 5, 2016. The Special Criminal Court heard that Mr Byrne was shot dead after five men, three disguised as armed gardaí, stormed the building. The Director of Public Prosecutions instructed that Dowdall be tried in the non-jury court. Justice Tony Hunt, sitting with Justices Sarah Berkeley and David McHugh, remanded Dowdall in custody until June 14 for the service of the Book of Evidence. He is represented by solicitor Jenny McGeever. Dowdall's father, Patrick Dowdall, 64, is already before the court, accused of facilitating a serious offence by making a hotel room available to a criminal organisation on February 4, 2016. Co-accused Paul Murphy, 59, is charged with supplying logistical support to a six-man team suspected of carrying out the murder on February 15, 2016, and providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. Jason Bonney, 50, is also charged with providing access to motor vehicles to facilitate the murder on February 5, 2016. All four defendants are due to appear before the three-judge court on June 14 for the service of their respective Books of Evidence.
In 2017, accountant Sidney Sutton, aged 43, was convicted at the Circuit Court of four counts of assault, one of assault causing harm and one count of producing a knife capable of inflicting serious injury, for incidents alleged to have occurred on 6 February 2016 after a wedding in Slane. He received a two‑year sentence with the final 12 months suspended, later increased by the Court of Appeal to 16 additional months. On 26 April 2021, the Court of Appeal quashed the conviction, citing an error in the trial judge's allowance of the prosecution to edit interview memos. The appeal was based on a ground presented by a former legal team, and the court found that the editing had prejudiced the defendant's case. Sutton will appear again on 10 May to determine whether the Director of Public Prosecutions will seek a retrial, and he retains the right to oppose any such application.
Anthony Paget, 46, was found guilty of murder after stabbing Aidan McMenamy seven times in the early hours of 19 July 2019. The killing followed a confrontation over Paget's estranged wife, Candice, who claimed McMenamy had become jealous and attacked Paget. During the dispute, McMenamy allegedly pulled a knife and stabbed Paget, who then fled outside where he stabbed McMenamy to death. The jury heard that McMenamy suffered seven stab wounds, including one to the neck and six to the back, and viewed CCTV footage of the fight. Paget had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The jury, after two days of deliberation, returned a unanimous verdict of guilty of murder. Paget will be sentenced to life imprisonment.
Barry McGee, aged 38, was convicted of raping and threatening to kill two Australian women in 2002. He was sentenced in 2003 to 17 years' imprisonment, with the last two years suspended, and ordered to be supervised by the Probation Service for 10 years after release. In 2017, a Probation Officer applied for three additional conditions: participation in risk assessment, notification of overseas travel two weeks in advance, and compliance with all lawful directions. The court, hearing the application in 2023, found the conditions necessary and imposed them, warning that non‑compliance could lead to a summary conviction and up to 12 months' imprisonment or a fine. The supervision period is set to expire in October 2023. The case details the 2002 assault, the subsequent arrest, and the court's sentencing hearing. Barry McGee pleaded guilty.
Robert Devine, aged 44, and his son Lee Kelly, aged 21, appealed the sentences imposed for a 2017 burglary and assault at the O'Reilly home. The original 20‑year sentence for Devine (12 years for burglary, 4 years each for two assault counts) and 17‑year sentence for Kelly (10 years suspended) were quashed. The Court of Appeal substituted a 12‑year term for Devine with the final two years suspended, and a 7‑year‑6‑month term for Kelly with the final year suspended. The four‑year assault sentences remain but will run concurrently. The appeal was based on the judge's error in imposing consecutive sentences for offences arising from the same incident. The Court noted the seriousness of the burglary and assault, the victims' injuries, and the defendants' guilty pleas and expressions of remorse. The decision was made by Justice Isobel Kennedy, with Justices George Birmingham and Patrick McCarthy.
A Dublin man accused of facilitating the 2016 murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel has been granted bail by the Special Criminal Court. Jason Bonney, aged fifty, of Portmarnock, faces charges of participating in activity that could facilitate a serious offence by a criminal organisation. The court accepted a bail proposal comprising a personal bond of one hundred euro, fifteen thousand euro from his own account, thirty thousand euro from his wife's account, and a further two thousand euro from an independent surety. Standard bail conditions were imposed and the case was adjourned to June. A second accused, Paul Murphy, aged fifty-nine, of Cabra, Dublin, remains in custody with consent to bail pending identification of an independent surety. He is similarly charged with providing logistical support to those involved in the killing. A third defendant, Patrick Dowdall, also of Cabra, did not apply for bail at this hearing. All three cases were adjourned to June for service of the Books of Evidence before the non-jury court.
Robert Wynne, 37, a legitimate nutrition supplements supplier, was jailed for 21 months after pleading guilty to possession of prescription‑only steroids—Metogen, TrenaGen, Clenbuterol and Enegen—without a prescription. He had bought the substances in Northern Ireland and supplied them to friends and acquaintances from his home and two business premises. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court noted his prior convictions for assault and endangerment, for which he had received suspended sentences, and emphasised that the drugs were dangerous and required proper supervision. Judge Martin Nolan highlighted Wynne's lack of qualifications to advise on the substances and his deep involvement in the illicit enterprise. The court ordered the forfeiture of €20,000 found in a locked cash box, and Gardaí seized small amounts of cocaine, zopiclone, and a mix of steroids valued at about €10,000, along with €15,710 of muscle‑bulking and fat‑burning drugs across all locations.
Anthony Paget, 46, of Cabra, Dublin, is on trial for the death of Aidan McMenamy, 45, who was stabbed at Clinch's Court on 19 July 2019. Paget has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The jury is instructed to consider whether Paget was provoked to the point of losing self‑control, or whether he believed he was acting in self‑defence, or was so intoxicated that he could not form intent. If any of these scenarios is reasonably possible, the verdict must be manslaughter; otherwise, the jury must find him guilty of murder.
Fishmonger Edmundas Dauksa (51), of Castletown Road, Dundalk, Co Louth, is on trial for the alleged murder of Ingrida Maciokaite (31) at Bridgewater Mews, Linenhall Street, Dundalk, on September 18, 2018. The accused has pleaded not guilty to the charge. Prosecution barrister Conor Devally SC outlined that Dauksa and Maciokaite, both Lithuanian nationals, had a relationship and shared parenthood, with their six-year-old daughter present at the scene. The prosecution alleges Dauksa stabbed Maciokaite multiple times in an arch passage, with witnesses describing hearing screams and seeing the accused make striking motions before discarding a knife across the street. Garda David O'Leary identified the alleged weapon, described as a boning knife, found near the scene. Witnesses Yetunde Awosanya, Paul Ruane, and Cyril Loughran testified to seeing the incident, with Loughran describing five or six striking motions and blood on the accused's hands. The trial is currently ongoing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury, with proceedings continuing on Tuesday.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Anthony Paget, 46, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the July 19, 2019 killing of Aidan McMenamy. Paget's defence counsel argued that he was highly intoxicated, having smoked crack cocaine, and that he used a knife as a last resort when faced with serious injury. The defence also claimed self‑defence, intoxication and provocation. Prosecutor Bernard Condon countered that the evidence, including CCTV showing deliberate knife handling and six deep stab wounds to McMenamy's back, negated self‑defence and provocation. Paget's wife Candice testified that McMenamy had threatened to cut Paget's throat and that the fatal stabbing occurred after a confrontation. The jury was instructed to consider the facts and the defence arguments before delivering a verdict.
A 15‑year‑old boy stabbed his friend twice during a pre‑arranged fight called a "straightener" to settle a dispute between their girlfriends. The boy, who cannot be named, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and production of an article in a dispute. He had no prior convictions. The fight lasted about two minutes; the boy had a knife and stabbed the victim, who fled to his home. The boy had earlier lit toilet paper on fire and placed it on the victim's car to lure him outside, but the fire was extinguished by wind. He claimed he was smoking weed and was "stoned" at the time. The court remanded him on bail with strict conditions, including curfew, school attendance and counselling, and ordered a 28‑day stay in Oberstown detention to engage with the Probation Service. The judge urged him to keep the experience in mind.
Two judges on the Court of Appeal heard Seamus Morgan's appeal against his murder conviction for killing Larry 'Bomber' Keane. During the hearing, President of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, realised that he had defended Morgan in Morgan's earlier murder trial, while his colleague, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, had prosecuted him. Birmingham said that if either side had a qualm, the appeal would be reheard by a different panel. Morgan, aged 53, had previously been found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for the killing of 29‑year‑old James Hand in 2002. The appeal is now pending, with lawyers for Morgan and the Director of Public Prosecutions to decide whether to proceed with a new panel. The court has reserved judgment.
During the Central Criminal Court trial, Candice Paget, the estranged wife of Anthony Paget, testified that her boyfriend, Aidan McMenamy, was a jealous man who threatened to cut Paget's throat and then used a knife to slash him. She said the fight escalated outside, where McMenamy inflicted stab wounds that caused his death. Paget, 46, pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denied murder. She described the night of July 19, 2019, at Clinch's Court, where all three men were drinking and taking drugs. She admitted seeing Paget stab McMenamy once, though she could not recall the exact number of wounds. The trial continues before Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
Paul Murphy, 59, appeared before the Special Criminal Court where he is accused of supplying logistical support to a six-man team suspected of carrying out the murder of David Byrne on February 15, 2016. He is charged with participating in activity intending to facilitate a serious offence by a criminal organisation by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. The State objected to bail, citing the seriousness of the alleged crime and witness intimidation risks. Justice Tony Hunt noted that a sentence north of eight years could apply in a worst-case scenario, identifying flight risk as a concern. The judge ruled that the €1,000 offered was insufficient and that bail would be granted in principle only if an independent surety could be attached. Murphy stated he had no such acquaintances. The matter was adjourned to Monday, when Murphy, along with co-accused Jason Bonney and Patrick Dowdall, will appear before the three-judge court to bring their bail applications. Bonney is accused of providing vehicle access, while Dowdall is accused of making a room available at the Regency Hotel for the alleged criminal organisation on February 4, 2016. All charges are contrary to Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2006.
Three men appeared before the Special Criminal Court at an out-of-hours sitting charged in connection with the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in Dublin in February 2016. Patrick Dowdall, Paul Murphy, and Jason Bonney, all from the Dublin area, faced charges under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act relating to alleged participation in activity intended to facilitate a serious offence by a criminal organisation. Dowdall is accused of making a room available at the hotel, whilst Murphy and Bonney are alleged to have provided access to motor vehicles. Gardaí objected to bail for Bonney, indicating he was part of a well-organised crime gang, citing strong evidence including CCTV tracking and mobile phone data. The court granted Bonney bail pending further financial inquiries. Murphy and Dowdall were remanded in custody with bail applications to follow.
Ross Outram, aged 30, appeals his 2019 life sentence for murdering 90‑year‑old farmer Paddy Lyons. He argues that the fatal hip fracture was not caused by his assault but by an accidental fall after he left the scene. His lawyer, Michael O'Higgins SC, notes that pathology showed a hip fracture, brain injury and head lacerations, but the hip injury could have resulted from a fall. O'Higgins cites blood‑pooling evidence suggesting Lyons was mobile after the beating and that forensic analysis found no blood on Outram's hoodie. He contends the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the hip fracture was caused by the assault. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on the appeal. Ross Outram was found guilty.
In April 2021 the High Court granted Charlotte Mulhall leave to challenge her 2018 transfer from Mountjoy Women's Prison to Limerick Prison. Justice Anthony Barr accepted that the move had disrupted visits from her Dublin‑based family and that this constituted a disproportionate interference with her family rights. He ordered that, if Mulhall is transferred back to Mountjoy, she must be given the same visiting arrangements she had before mid‑2019, when visits were ended without formal notice. The judge also required sworn statements on the impact of Covid‑19 on prison visits and on Mulhall's current activities at Limerick. He dismissed the claim that her challenge was untimely, noting she had known of the transfer and had not acted for eight months. The case was adjourned to May for further proceedings. Mulhall, aged 21 at the time of the 2005 murder, is represented by Conor Power SC and Cian Kelly BL.
In the Central Criminal Court trial of Alan Harte, 40, who is charged with murdering wheelchair user Anthony Rogers, 61, a neighbour, Sharon Farrell, gave evidence describing how she found Rogers lying on the floor of his own apartment with blood everywhere after hearing him scream for help. Farrell said she was walking to her flat at Robinson's Court at 2.30pm on 6 November 2016 when a man approached her, calling her "Maureen" and accusing her of being a child molester. She later heard Rogers screaming, went to his flat, and found him with extensive blood on the floor. She called another neighbour, David McGuinness, and an ambulance. McGuinness also reported seeing Rogers with blood all over the place and unable to speak. Garda Sergeant Brian Hawkins and paramedic Tom McCrory also testified about the scene, noting puncture wounds and a pool of blood. Alan Harte pleaded not guilty.
A jury at Croke Park convicted a 64‑year‑old man of oral rape and sexual assault of his daughter between 2000 and 2004, when she was aged four to eleven. The man pleaded not guilty to the rape and assault charges and denied two child‑neglect charges involving alcohol and pornography. He was alleged to have forced the child to drink cider, watch pornography while he masturbated, and perform oral sex on him. The victim, now in her 20s, testified that she spent most of her childhood in foster care but had access visits with her father, who was often drunk. The trial lasted just under three hours, and the judge remanded the man into custody for sentencing on 17 May. The case was the first criminal trial held at the GAA headquarters in Dublin. The jury heard the victim's civil claims against the HSE and her former foster parents.
Samuel Pop, aged 27, from Charnwood Court, Clonsilla, Dublin, has been sentenced to four years imprisonment following a conviction for false imprisonment and robbery at the Clayton Hotel, Dublin 4, on 6 November 2019. Pop pleaded guilty to his involvement in an attack on an escort in her hotel room, during which he and a co-accused, who has since died in custody, restrained and robbed the victim of cash, a phone and passport. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Pop's co-accused was the primary aggressor in the incident. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a sentence of five-and-a-half years with the final 18 months suspended, subject to strict conditions including payment of €5,000 compensation to the victim. Pop has previous convictions relating to a similar incident in Roscommon in October 2019.
A man has pleaded guilty to orally raping a woman in her Donegal home on August 9, 2017, during an attack lasting approximately 90 minutes. The Central Criminal Court heard that the 38-year-old defendant, who had known the victim for seven years, called her that evening requesting to visit for drinks. He arrived with another man whose case remains before the courts. During the evening, the defendant attempted to ply the woman with alcohol before sexually assaulting her and dragging her into the bedroom. The woman screamed throughout the ordeal and was in considerable pain. Both men eventually left, and she contacted gardaí. A charge of attempted rape, two counts of sexual assault, and criminal damage were taken into consideration. The victim read a statement describing how the defendant exploited her vulnerable circumstances, noting she has since achieved over three years of sobriety. The defendant initially denied being present but later maintained he had no memory of the night after viewing CCTV footage. His DNA was recovered as evidence.
The Central Criminal Court adjourned the sentencing hearing for an unnamed 17-year-old accused of murdering Claudio Robu (39) in a Dublin laneway on September 14, 2020. The accused, who was 16 at the time, pleaded guilty to the charge. During the hearing, counsel Brendan Grehan SC presented mitigation, noting the accused's history of neglect, his father's early death, and his subsequent placement in State care after his step-father was charged with assaulting him. A mental health report indicated the accused struggled to articulate emotions due to past trauma. The prosecution, represented by Dean Kelly SC, detailed evidence that the accused kicked the intoxicated victim to death and stole his phone, with the cause of death cited as blunt force trauma to the head. The victim's family submitted an impact statement describing their trauma. Mr Justice Paul McDermott adjourned the matter until May 25, citing a pending decision in a separate juvenile case before the Court of Appeal that may influence the sentencing outcome. The hearing was not concluded.
A jury of seven women and five men was sworn in at the Central Criminal Court for the trial of Edmundas Dauksa, a 51‑year‑old Lithuanian fishmonger from Dundalk, who is accused of murdering his partner, 31‑year‑old Ingrida Maciokaite, in September 2018. Dauksa pleaded not guilty. The court noted that both he and Maciokaite were Lithuanian nationals and that they had a six‑year‑old daughter together. Mr Justice Michael White mentioned a prior custody issue before the death. The trial is set to begin this Thursday before Mr Justice Paul McDermott.
A Belfast man, aged 70, lost an appeal against his conviction and six‑and‑a‑half‑year jail sentence for sexual assault. The Court of Appeal found no error in the trial judge's conduct or sentencing. The man had been convicted in October 2018 of five counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault, committed between 1989 and 1996 when the victims were aged seven to 14. Four of the assaults involved his godson's cousin, the other two involved his godson, the son of a neighbour. Lawyers argued the judge erred by treating a 2010 statement to the victim's wife as the first reasonable opportunity for complaint and by allowing the prosecution to link the victim's reporting delay to long‑term mental health issues. The Court rejected these arguments, concluding the 2010 statement was sufficiently close to the formal complaint to not alter the case dynamics.
A jury convicted a 54‑year‑old man of sexually assaulting a woman who had come to Ireland seeking asylum, but could not reach a verdict on four other counts of rape and attempted rape. The man pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape, one of sexual assault and one of attempted rape for incidents that occurred in his Dublin home between 1 and 3 December 2017. After eight and a half hours of deliberation on day 10 of the trial at the Central Criminal Court, the jury delivered a majority verdict on the sexual assault charge. Judge Alex Owens accepted the verdict, discharged the jury, and remanded the man in custody, revoking his bail and postponing sentencing to 12 July 2021. He was ordered to submit a victim impact statement and a Probation Service report before being certified as a sex offender.
In 2018, a 54‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to 21 charges, including rape, attempted rape and sexual assault, against his daughter aged 5 to 17 over a 12‑year period. He also pleaded guilty to three counts of assault causing harm. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison, with the final three years suspended. He appealed the severity of the sentence, arguing the judge erred by imposing a life sentence as the headline term and that mitigating factors such as his early guilty plea and cooperation with Gardaí warranted a headline sentence of 10 to 15 years. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, found the appeal ground surprising given the seriousness of the offences and reserved its ruling for a later date. The DPP maintained that the life sentence was appropriate due to the aggravating factors.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Anthony Paget, aged 46, faced a murder charge for stabbing his ex‑wife's partner, Aidan McMenamy, 45, to death during an argument on 19 July 2019. The prosecution, represented by Bernard Condon SC, presented CCTV footage showing Paget and his ex‑wife together in Dublin, including a McDonald's visit and a subsequent return to Clinch's Court where McMenamy stayed. At about 3.39 am, a dispute erupted; Paget allegedly wielded a knife and struck McMenamy, who was later pronounced dead after being rushed to hospital. Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margot Bolster identified seven stab wounds to McMenamy's neck and back, with no defensive wounds. Paget pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter for the killing. The jury was instructed to determine whether the killing constituted murder, requiring proof beyond reasonable doubt that Paget intended to kill or cause serious injury. The case remains at the trial stage.
In the trial of a 54‑year‑old man accused of raping a 36‑year‑old asylum seeker, a jury was informed that it could reach a majority verdict. The complainant, who fled an arranged marriage in her home country, claimed that after a ceremony at a local mosque the accused took her to his flat and raped her repeatedly over three days. He denied the allegations, calling them lies, and said the ceremony, a Nikah, was not a legally binding marriage but a blessing for a sexual relationship. He asserted that they had sex during that weekend and that the complainant sometimes initiated it. He also suggested that her accusation might be motivated by a desire to remain in Ireland while the case was investigated. The accused has pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape, one of sexual assault and one of attempted rape.
Seamus Morgan, aged 53, seeks to overturn his 2016 murder conviction for killing Laurence 'Bomber' Keane, a 56‑year‑old former bomb‑maker. Morgan was jailed for life after a jury found him guilty of murdering Keane in a dark laneway near Greenhills, Athy, on 18 July 2013. He had previously served eight years for the manslaughter of 29‑year‑old James Hand in 2002. In the Court of Appeal hearing, Morgan's lawyer argued that the trial judge erred by allowing the prosecution to introduce evidence of Morgan's earlier manslaughter conviction and by failing to properly warn the jury about the reliability of witness identification. The appeal judges reserved judgment. The case remains at the appeal stage, with no outcome yet announced. Seamus Morgan pleaded not guilty and was acquitted.
A 36‑year‑old Dublin man was found guilty by a jury of repeatedly assaulting and orally raping his younger brother, who was 11 at the time of the first offence. The jury, after deliberating for three hours and 39 minutes, returned unanimous guilty verdicts on all counts of assault causing harm and on two sample counts of oral rape dated between 28 March 2001 and 27 March 2002. The jury found the accused not guilty on the remaining eight counts of oral rape and on the charge of producing an article to unlawfully intimidate, which involved an alleged attempt to place a loaded shotgun barrel in the brother's mouth. The accused was remanded in custody and the case was adjourned to 24 May for sentencing. The trial included testimony from the complainant describing daily beatings, forced sexual acts, and intimidation with weapons, as well as the accused's own admissions during police questioning.
In a Dublin murder trial, a 61‑year‑old wheelchair‑bound man named Anthony Rogers was stabbed multiple times in the head, neck and other areas at his flat in Robinson's Court, Cork Street, on 6 November 2016. The prosecution, led by Sean Gillane SC, presented evidence that a 40‑year‑old man, Alan Harte, was seen leaving the complex that afternoon and had told a resident that he was a child molester. The resident, Ms Farrell, heard Rogers screaming "help me I'm dying here" from the hallway and found him bleeding heavily, lying in a pool of blood. Emergency services arrived, but Rogers was pronounced dead at 3:18 pm. A post‑mortem revealed 11 stab wounds to the left side of his head and neck, a puncture of the jugular vein, and a wound above the Adam's apple. The unnamed 61-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a closed trial at Croke Park, a 64‑year‑old man pleaded not guilty to allegations of oral rape and sexual assault against his daughter between 2000 and 2007, when she was aged four to eleven. He also faced two child‑neglect charges for forcing her to drink alcohol and watch pornography. The daughter, now in her 20s, testified that she spent most of her childhood in foster care but had visits with her father, who was often drunk and allegedly forced her to watch pornography while masturbating, and sexually molested her, demanding oral sex. During the second day of the trial, the defendant denied all accusations, telling Gardaí he loved his daughter and would not harm her. He confirmed he was circumcised, a fact the daughter had claimed he had told her. The case is proceeding in camera before Justice David Keane.
In April 2020, two Spar staff members, Dean Bheemal (33) and Victor Carvalho (23), punched a man who they believed was attempting to steal after CCTV showed him spitting in the shop. The men pleaded guilty to assaulting the victim, who was hit many times and later received stitches. Judge Martin Nolan found the assault grossly disproportionate, noting it involved only punches and no weapons. He imposed a two‑year suspended sentence on each, ordered the men to pay €3,000 to the victim and to each provide an additional €1,000 within 18 months, and expressed that imprisonment would be unjust at this point. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with the men cooperating and returning the stolen phone to the victim. The judge highlighted the men's guilty pleas and cooperation as mitigating factors. The incident occurred during the first Covid lockdown, a context mentioned by the defence. The men were not sentenced to prison.
In a case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Colin Doyle, aged 26, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after a heated argument with his long‑time friend Tiarnan Ollry. Doyle admitted punching Ollry, claiming he thought he had kicked him, and expressed remorse. The assault left Ollry with multiple facial fractures, a nose that required resetting, short‑term memory loss, mood swings, and a lasting spot in his left eye. Doyle was arrested, cooperated with investigators, and was described by Garda Emma Gleeson as having no prior convictions and good character. Judge Melanie Greally, after hearing evidence, sentenced Doyle to three years imprisonment, fully suspended on strict conditions, including no prolonged contact with Ollry. Doyle was ordered to pay €10,000 to Ollry as a token of remorse. The case highlighted the severe impact on Ollry's health and social life, while Doyle's remorse and cooperation were noted by counsel.
David Duffy, 33, of Clondalkin, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to having knowledge of a criminal organisation and contributing to activities connected with the attempted murder of James Gately. The court heard that Mr Gately was shot multiple times in his car on Clonshaugh Road in May 2017. Duffy admitted to participating in these activities with the intention of enhancing the organisation's ability to commit serious offences between December 2016 and April 2017. Presiding Judge Tony Hunt, sitting with Judges Sarah Berkeley and David McHugh, remanded Duffy on continuing bail until June 21 for a sentence hearing. Three other men remain charged with involvement in the attempted murder: Peter 'Peadar' Keating, 39, of Clondalkin; Stephen Fowler, 61, of Clonsilla; and Douglas Glynn, 35, of Dublin 1. Mr Keating is additionally alleged to have directed the activities of a criminal organisation between December 2016 and April 2017. All four defendants face charges under Section 72(1A) of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, with Mr Keating also facing a charge under Section 71. The matter regarding Duffy was adjourned for sentencing, while the cases of the co-accused remain ongoing.
The Central Criminal Court is now in the final stages of a trial involving a 54‑year‑old man accused of raping a 36‑year‑old woman who had sought asylum in Ireland to escape an arranged marriage. The complainant testified that after a ceremony between them, the accused took her to his flat and raped her repeatedly over three days. He denied the allegations, claiming they were lies, and said they had performed a Nikah ceremony, which he described as a blessing for a sexual relationship but not a legally binding marriage. He also alleged that the complainant had initiated sex on several occasions and that she had told him she came to Ireland because immigration laws were weak. The accused pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape, one count of sexual assault and one count of attempted rape. The jury, addressed by barristers for both sides, is expected to retire tomorrow to consider their verdict.
In a Dublin case, a 36‑year‑old man accused of orally raping his 11‑year‑old brother and repeatedly beating him until the brother left the home at 16 has pleaded not guilty to ten counts of oral rape, seven counts of assault causing harm and one count of unlawful intimidation. During Garda interviews, the accused admitted it was "a possibility" he had forced his brother to give him oral sex and claimed he was "out of his head" or drunk at the time. He also said his brother "probably gave me a bit of head." The prosecution argues these admissions confirm the complainant's allegations, while the defence highlights the lack of explanation for the long delay in reporting and the accused's prior false statements to Gardaí. The trial is set to continue before Mr Justice Michael White with jury deliberations expected to begin tomorrow.
A 40‑year‑old man, Alan Harte, will stand trial for the murder of Anthony Rogers, 61, who was killed at Rogers' Dublin 8 home on 6 November 2016. Harte, who lives at Island Quay Apartments, East Wall, was charged with the killing at Robinson's Court, Cork Street. He appeared before the Central Criminal Court on 14 April 2021, wearing a blue shirt and black trousers, and pleaded not guilty. The judge, Michael White, explained that trial dates are uncertain because the courtroom must be free and jury deliberations must finish. The trial is scheduled to begin on Friday morning before Justice Alexander Owens and is expected to last seven days. A jury of seven men and five women was sworn in, and the judge instructed them to consider only the evidence presented in court, avoiding external research. The case will be heard in the Central Criminal Court.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, William Twomey (56) and Thomas McGuinness (33) were charged with four non‑scheduled offences against Edward McAndrew. The prosecution alleged that on 2 December 2017, Twomey and McGuinness lured McAndrew to a remote site at One Ferry Hill, Cornamucklagh, Louth, where they beat him with iron bars, threatened him, and placed him in a car boot. They demanded €50,000 and robbed him of keys, money, a travel bag, a wallet, a briefcase, two mobile phones and an Irish passport. McAndrew was also alleged to have been falsely imprisoned. The court heard evidence that Twomey sent fraudulent emails to McAndrew, that McGuinness drove him to the attack, and that items taken from McAndrew were found in Twomey's possession. McAndrew was to give evidence of the assault, injuries and medical treatment he received. The trial was set to resume with three judges presiding. William Twomey pleaded not guilty. Thomas McGuinness pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 54‑year‑old man accused of raping a 36‑year‑old woman, who had sought asylum in Ireland to escape an arranged marriage, pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape, one of sexual assault and one of attempted rape. The accused claimed the woman had lied about her motives, suggesting she alleged rape to remain in Ireland while the case was investigated. He argued that a ceremony called Nikah, which he described as a non‑binding religious agreement, had taken place before any sexual activity. The woman testified that after a ceremony the accused took her to his flat and raped her repeatedly over three days. The trial is in its closing stages, with the judge and jury hearing final arguments from both sides.
In the Central Criminal Court, a 36‑year‑old man accused of orally raping his 11‑year‑old brother and assaulting him daily until the brother left the family home at 16 pleaded not guilty to ten counts of oral rape, seven counts of assault causing harm and one count of unlawful intimidation. He admitted during a 2018 Garda interview that he had hit his brother and that their father had also inflicted violence. The accused claimed he might have forced his brother to give him oral sex, stating it was a possibility and that he was "out of his head" or drunk at the time. He denied that the act occurred in the upstairs bedroom and said it happened only once or twice. The trial, presided over by Justice Michael White, continues tomorrow before a jury.
A 46‑year‑old man, Anthony Paget of Carnlough Road, Cabra, Dublin 7, will be tried for the murder of Aidan McMenamy, 45, who was killed at Clinches Court, North Strand, Dublin 3 on 19 July 2019. Paget admits he killed McMenamy but denies murder, pleading guilty to manslaughter. The Central Criminal Court will hear the case tomorrow at 2.30 pm before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon. The trial will last six days and will involve civilian witnesses from Clinches Court, garda and Dublin Fire Brigade witnesses, with a jury of twelve.
A 53‑year‑old Dubliner, whose name is withheld to protect his victim, has asked the Court of Appeal to quash a conviction for indecent assault of his male cousin. The appeal argues that the trial was unfair because the jury heard two separate allegations – one against a young girl and one against the cousin – in the same hearing. The appellant's lawyers claim no legal basis existed for a joint trial and that the prosecution failed to establish any cross‑corroboration between the allegations. They contend that the judge's refusal to allow the cases to be tried separately created a risk of prejudice. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on the appeal.
Craig Shevlin, 31, pleaded guilty to assaulting Garda Caroline Thornton on 3 May 2019 after a seizure in Dublin city centre. He was found to have 14 prior convictions. Thornton's victim impact statement described being slapped and bitten while trying to help him wait for an ambulance, noting the shock and horror of the bite. Judge Pauline Codd adjourned the case to allow reports, then imposed a two‑year sentence suspended in full on strict conditions, including engagement with the Probation Service. A psychologist reported that Shevlin's epilepsy, causing seizures with agitation, confusion and memory loss, explains his lack of recollection of the assault. The judge described the incident as "unfortunate" and "nasty", noting the aggravating factor that the assault occurred while Thornton was acting in the course of her duty. The court heard apologies from Shevlin's mother and girlfriend. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
A mother, whose name cannot be published for legal reasons, faces trial at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of her three young children on 24 January 2020 at their family home. The case is scheduled for a two‑day trial, with the judge setting the date for 17 May 2021. The accused was absent from the court during the brief hearing. The Children Act 2001 prohibits identifying child victims, and it is an offence to publish any identifying information about a child alleged to have been a victim, including a deceased child.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 36‑year‑old asylum seeker accused of rape, sexual assault and attempted rape of a woman in her Dublin home over the weekend of 1–3 December 2017 has pleaded not guilty. The woman, who arrived in Ireland in November 2017 to attend a conference and later sought asylum to escape an arranged marriage, testified that she met the defendant through a mosque that offered a Muslim community service arranging meetings for those interested in marriage. She denied that her asylum application was a "string to your bow" to secure residency, and insisted she had no knowledge of a Nikah ceremony in her culture. The defendant's counsel suggested her objective was to obtain residency, a claim the woman rejected. The court heard that after the alleged assaults the defendant drove her back to her accommodation, and that they continued to communicate via text and phone.
During a Central Criminal Court trial, a 36‑year‑old Dublin man, whose name is withheld, pleaded not guilty to ten counts of oral rape and seven counts of assault against his younger brother, who was 11 at the time of the alleged abuse. The accused is also charged with one count of intimidation. Witnesses testified that the accused repeatedly beat his brother, used a shotgun barrel in his mouth, and forced him to play "dartboard" with his body, leaving blackened feet. Another brother recounted seeing the accused in a bedroom with a blanket over him, laughing, and later pulling a pillow over the complainant's face. A sister described the accused using a stick with nails and glass to beat her brother, and a handgun to hit him in the eye. The accused denied all allegations, claiming the sexual abuse never occurred. The trial is set to continue before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 36‑year‑old woman seeking asylum in Ireland testified that a man raped her in his Dublin flat between 1 and 3 December 2017. She said she had come to Ireland in November 2017 to attend a conference, then sought asylum and was introduced to the accused through a mosque. The man allegedly arranged a "ceremony" at a mosque, asked her how much money she wanted for a marriage, and gave her €20, claiming he would pay the rest. She denied any marriage and later travelled to the man's flat where he allegedly tried to kiss her, pushed her into a bedroom, and attempted to take her clothes off. She said he forced his penis into her vagina, used a pillow on her face, and told her to stay quiet. The man pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape, one count of sexual assault and one of attempted rape.
A 36‑year‑old Dublin man is on trial for ten counts of oral rape and seven counts of assault with a baton or other weapons, all alleged to have occurred at a family home between 2001 and 2006. The complainant, who was 11 to 15 during the incidents, says he was repeatedly beaten with baseball bats, a nail‑laden baton, and darts, and that the accused forced him to perform sexual acts, including oral rape, on two occasions. He also claims the accused placed a loaded shotgun barrel in his mouth and threatened him with robbery. The accused pleaded not guilty to all charges. The trial is proceeding before Justice Michael White and a jury of five women and seven men, with the prosecution presenting the allegations as occurring while the brothers lived together after their parents separated and their father left the home.
A 36‑year‑old woman who sought asylum in Ireland after her family tried to force her into marriage is on trial for rape. She was introduced to the accused through a mosque in Dublin. The accused, who pleaded not guilty, is charged with three counts of rape, one of sexual assault and one of attempted rape, all alleged to have occurred at his Dublin home between 1 and 3 December 2017. The woman gave evidence via video link, describing how she met the accused, how he pressured her about marriage, and how he allegedly forced sexual acts on her, including an attempted rape that she resisted. The trial is being heard at the Central Criminal Court, with the prosecution presenting evidence of the accused's contact with the mosque's Imam and the alleged sexual conduct. The case is scheduled to continue before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.