A 31‑year‑old man was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, for raping his brother and sexually abusing his sister while he was a teenager. He pleaded guilty to anal and oral rape of his brother between January 2007 and January 2008, and to five counts of sexual assault and one attempted assault of his sister between April 2004 and January 2007. The offences occurred in the family home and were revealed in 2018 when the brother disclosed the abuse and the sister followed suit. The judge noted the serious, long‑lasting effects on both victims and considered the man's young age, lack of appreciation of harm, and difficult upbringing as mitigating factors. He also recognised the man's remorse, admissions, and guilty pleas, and ordered three years of post‑release supervision. The victims' statements detailed psychological damage, relationship difficulties, post‑traumatic stress, and suicidal thoughts.
John McClean, aged 76, a former teacher and rugby coach at Dublin's Terenure College, pleaded guilty to 27 charges of indecent assault against 23 male students committed between 1973 and 1990. The allegations surfaced in 1996 when a victim's father informed Father Robert Kelly, the then Provincial of the Carmelite Order, about the abuse. McClean admitted the allegations during a meeting with Fr Kelly, who later claimed he had no recollection but accepted the notes as true. McClean had left Terenure College in 1996, taking a rugby coaching role at UCD. The court heard that victims were sometimes excluded from the school rugby team as punishment for confronting McClean. McClean denied the offences during Gardaí interviews, but ultimately pleaded guilty in November 2020. Judge Pauline Codd remanded him on bail, with the case to be finalized on 18 February. The hearing focused on the admission of abuse, the victims' impact statements, and the procedural history of the case.
Bernard Browne, aged 62, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for repeatedly sexually abusing boys at the CBS school on Richmond Street and later at his flat on Belvedere Place between 1983 and 1990. He pleaded guilty to nine counts of indecent assault, part of a larger indictment of 44 charges. Browne lured boys with promises of pocket money, claiming he was collecting sperm to donate to childless couples. Victims, aged 11 to 17, described weekly molestation, forced exposure, and intimidation. The judge noted severe emotional distress, long‑term psychological damage, and the impact on the victims' education. Browne's position of trust, the duration of the abuse, and his planning were aggravating factors; his guilty pleas, remorse, age and ill health were mitigating. The final year of the sentence was suspended on the condition of completing treatment programmes while in custody.
John McClean, aged 76, a former rugby coach and teacher at Terenure College, pleaded guilty to 27 charges of indecent assault against 23 male students between 1973 and 1990. The court heard that McClean abused boys during costume fittings for school plays, after disciplinary incidents, and in his office, using rulers and sexual conduct. Victims ranged from about 12 to 16 years old. McClean offered them a choice between being hit or having their parents informed of misbehaviour. He also threatened to withhold rugby team selection as punishment. The first complaint to Gardaí was made in 2016; McClean left the school in 1996 following allegations and later coached rugby at UCD. The sentencing hearing continues before Judge Pauline Codd.
In 2002 a 30‑year‑old former care worker pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 10‑year‑old neighbour in west Dublin. He failed to attend his sentencing hearing and fled to the UK, remaining at large for 17 years. He was located in 2019, extradited to Ireland, and in 2021 was sentenced by Mr Justice Michael White to three years' imprisonment, back‑dated to 19 April 2019. The court noted the assault occurred on St Patrick's Day 2000 when the victim, who had come to borrow Sellotape, was pushed off a couch, had her clothing removed, and was allegedly penetrated for five minutes. The defendant admitted sexual contact but denied penetration; the judge found the act to be "much more serious than touching" and imposed the custodial term accordingly. The sentence was based on the guilty plea, admissions and limited remorse shown. The victim's identity was protected.
John McClean, a former rugby coach and teacher at Terenure College, was found guilty of 27 charges of indecent assault against 23 boys between 1973 and 1990. The court heard that McClean abused boys during costume fittings for school plays, in his office after class, and while coaching rugby. Victims ranged from 12 to 17 years old. McClean's abuse included physical assault, fondling, and sexual touching, often while he was in a position of authority. He left the school in 1996 after allegations surfaced and later worked as a rugby coach at UCD. The sentencing hearing considered evidence of 15 of the 23 victims, with further charges under consideration. The hearing will continue tomorrow before Judge Pauline Codd.
The sentencing hearing for former Terenure College rugby coach and teacher John McClean, aged 75, began at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 10 February 2021. McClean, who pleaded guilty to 27 charges of indecent assault against 23 boys between 1973 and 1990, is remanded on bail. The hearing will span two days, with the possibility of extending into Friday, and will include victim impact statements from some of the adult complainants. The case involves three separate books of evidence.
Maura Thornton, 38, of Inverin, Connemara, was originally sentenced in 2013 to ten years imprisonment for the manslaughter of her former partner Kevin Joyce, 59, outside her Salthill apartment on 3 July 2011. Three years of that sentence were suspended. In February 2018 she was granted early release, but she breached the conditions of her partly suspended sentence by drinking alcohol. In October 2022 a bench warrant was issued after she failed to appear in court. At a hearing on 9 February 2021, Mr Justice Paul McDermott found that Thornton had not engaged with probation services and had attempted to negotiate with the court. He therefore sent her back to prison for 16 months, activating 22 months of the suspended term and leaving the remaining three years suspended. The court noted that Thornton had been in custody since 8 October 2020 and that her compliance with treatment and probation had been inadequate. Maura Thornton was found guilty.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Dubliner Dean McAuley to two years' imprisonment for assault causing harm, with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions. McAuley, 28, pleaded guilty to fracturing the nose of his then-partner, Rachel Williams, at Kingswood LUAS Stop in Tallaght on September 13, 2019. Prosecution evidence alleged that after an argument over a broken wine bottle, McAuley punched Williams in the face, struck her with his knee while she was on the ground, and punched her again, leaving her bleeding heavily. Although McAuley initially denied the assault to gardaí, he later apologized to the victim. Judge Martin Nolan noted McAuley's five previous convictions, including violent behavior in a garda station, and described the incident as a serious offense driven by alcohol. However, the judge acknowledged McAuley's potential for reform and his current homelessness. The effective custody period is six months, as the remaining 18 months are suspended. Judge Nolan stated that a more substantial criminal record would have resulted in a lesser deduction from the sentence. The matter was finalized with this sentencing.
A 21‑year‑old man, Shane Chubb, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual intercourse with a 16‑year‑old boy he met on Tinder and to one count of assault. The boy, a virgin, met Chubb at the latter's home, where they had sex. The next day the boy returned, and Chubb assaulted him, biting him and causing pain. The boy later reported the incident to Gardaí and did not attend the sentencing hearing. Judge Karen O'Connor, noting Chubb's background and guilty plea, imposed a two‑year prison term, suspended the second year, and required Chubb to cease using Tinder and engage with Probation Services. The sentence was one year of custody, with conditions aimed at preventing future offences. The case highlights the seriousness of sexual offences involving minors.
In a 2021 sentencing, a 63‑year‑old man was jailed for 16 years for repeatedly raping and abusing his daughters over a 16‑year period. The younger daughter, now 34, was raped from age seven until 18, and became pregnant by her father at 17. The older daughter was raped from age nine until 16, and was also raped while pregnant. The court heard that social welfare was notified in 2004 but only intervened after the younger daughter reported to Gardaí in 2015. The judge noted missed opportunities by state agencies and described the abuse as violent, neglectful and cruel. The father pleaded guilty to 105 charges, including rape, oral rape and sexual assault. The sentence was reduced from a headline life term to 16 years due to guilty pleas and remorse. The daughters' victim impact statements highlighted ongoing trauma and the lack of basic rights during their upbringing.
Paul Heaney, aged 37, and Gareth Mallon, aged 39, carried out a robbery near the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin on 21 October 2019. Mallon, who held a realistic imitation firearm, approached an Italian student, pointed the gun at his legs, and demanded money. Heaney, unarmed and wearing a tissue over his face, joined the assault. The student handed over €60, after which Mallon pointed the gun at a teacher who screamed. A second teacher intervened and the two robbers fled. Heaney voluntarily presented himself at a Garda station a few days later and pleaded guilty to robbery and attempted robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He has 51 prior convictions. Mallon was sentenced to four years' imprisonment in December. Heaney's sentencing is scheduled for next month, with the court noting his remorse and desire for rehabilitation. The case was highlighted on the Joe Duffy radio show and the Liveline programme.
In a written ruling on 8 February 2021, the Court of Appeal, comprising Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly, Mr Justice John Edwards and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, set out a sentencing framework for witness intimidation. The court identified a low, middle and upper range of seriousness. The maximum sentence is 15 years. For the upper range, judges should consider 10 to 15 years when there is evidence of serious or ongoing harm to the victim, involvement of two or more persons, organised crime, a sustained campaign, or accompanying offences such as false imprisonment, or when there is potential for serious harm to the administration of justice. The middle range, 5 to 10 years, applies where there is evidence of planning, the offence occurs at the victim's home, work or place of study, or is accompanied by criminal damage, threats of violence, actual violence or a weapon, or where harm is caused to the victim or the criminal justice process.
Celyn Eadon, 29, appeared at the Central Criminal Court for a sentencing hearing regarding the manslaughter of his mother, Noreen Kelly. Eadon admitted to her killing and pleaded guilty to manslaughter, a plea accepted by the DPP after the Supreme Court overturned his previous murder conviction. Defence counsel Patrick Gageby SC argued that gross intoxication deprived Eadon of the intent to kill, noting he suffered a brain injury from juvenile drug use. The DPP, represented by Seamus Clarke SC, assessed the case as high culpability but warned that Eadon would face homelessness if released, as probation services could not currently provide suitable accommodation. Mr Justice Michael White remanded Eadon in custody until February 22, when he will be sentenced. The judge indicated the sentence would include a suspended element of community supervision with strict conditions. Eadon has 13 other convictions, mostly for assaults, committed since his initial life sentence for the 2011 killing in Castlebar, Co Mayo.
Derek Lennon, aged 34, of Neagh Road, Terenure, Dublin 6, had his prison sentence increased by 18 months by the Court of Appeal after a violent assault on State witness Niall Fitzgerald. Lennon had 72 prior convictions, including robbery, arson, assault and assault causing harm. In March 2016 he was convicted of dangerous driving for a motorbike crash, banned from driving for six years and sentenced to 90 hours community service. In 2018, after Fitzgerald was called to testify again, Lennon intimidated him, threatened to kill him, and attacked him with a plank of wood, leaving a permanent scar and dental damage. Lennon pleaded guilty to two counts of intimidation, criminal damage to CCTV cameras, assault causing harm, production of a length of wood and threatening to kill. Judge Martin Nolan originally sentenced him to four and a half years.
In 2019, John McDonagh, aged 31, was jailed for a violent assault on Saurjan Syergaz in Dublin. McDonagh, who had over 80 convictions, punched and kicked Syergaz after the victim had intervened in a dispute between McDonagh and his partner, Donna Dineen. McDonagh walked away before Dineen slashed Syergaz with a knife and stole his wallet. The Court of Appeal reduced McDonagh's original three‑year sentence to two years and six months, suspending the final three months. The judges noted that McDonagh was not responsible for the stabbing, had only engaged in punching and kicking, and had retreated when the assault escalated. They also cited evidence of his rehabilitation efforts and a positive letter from a priest. Dineen, who had also been convicted, was jailed for four years for assault and robbery. The case highlights the court's consideration of culpability and rehabilitation in sentencing.
The Court of Appeal has requested written submissions from the prosecution and defence on whether David O'Loughlin, 33, had the intent required for murder when he threw Liam Manley, a vulnerable homeless man with an alcohol dependency, down a 40‑ft rubbish chute. O'Loughlin was convicted of murder in 2013 and retried in 2019 after his first conviction was overturned because the jury had visited the chute and possibly thrown a stone down it. The appeal concerns whether the jury should have been discharged for visiting the chute. O'Loughlin's counsel argues the act was intended to give a "soft landing" and that the chute's blockage made it a death trap, suggesting manslaughter rather than murder. The DPP maintains that O'Loughlin was aware of the chute's danger and that his actions contributed significantly to Manley's death. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment.
A 37‑year‑old man, whose identity is withheld to protect the victim, was convicted of one count of rape and two additional rape charges that were not upheld. He had previously been tried twice, with the first jury deadlocked and the second verdict overturned by the Court of Appeal. In his third trial at the Central Criminal Court in February 2019, the jury found him guilty of the single rape charge. He was sentenced on 9 May 2019 to twelve years' imprisonment, with six years of post‑release supervision. The Court of Appeal rejected his appeal, ruling that the trial judge had correctly warned the jury that evidence of the victim's distress could be strong corroboration of a rape claim. The case involved an assault that began with physical and verbal abuse, followed by the victim's escape after a fire alarm was triggered.
Desmond McGrath, aged 50, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for his role in a violent forced eviction that took place on 9 June 2015 at The Towers, Garter Lane, Saggart. McGrath, who claimed he was attending a job interview for security work, was part of a gang of seven men that included convicted murderer Declan Duffy and INLA kidnapper Dessie O'Hare. The gang falsely imprisoned the Byrne family, assaulted security guard John Roche, and inflicted injuries on Martin Byrne, who sustained fractures to his forearm and nasal bone. McGrath pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and false imprisonment, and his sentence was suspended for 12 months on strict conditions. The court noted his guilty plea, remorse, and efforts to rehabilitate from drug and alcohol addiction as mitigating factors. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with the judge distinguishing McGrath's conduct from that of the ringleaders. The Byrne family remains in the Witness Protection Programme.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by David O'Brien, a former scout leader, against the severity of his sentence. In 2018, O'Brien was convicted of indecent assault on four boys and sentenced to eight years' imprisonment, with 16 months suspended on condition of Probation Service supervision. This followed a 2015 conviction for abusing six other boys, resulting in a combined total of 14 years' imprisonment with three years suspended. O'Brien's counsel argued that the cumulative sentence was excessive given the offences occurred in the same period and that O'Brien had previously admitted to abusing 30 to 40 boys. However, the three-judge panel, presided over by Mr Justice Edwards, found no error in principle, noting that the sentencing judge had conscientiously considered the aggravating factor of a serious breach of trust by a person in authority. The court stated that a net sentence of 11 years could easily have been justified. During the hearing, O'Brien called on gardai to identify his remaining victims so he could address them under the Criminal Justice Act, though the court noted this was not a matter for the appeal. The appeal was rejected, leaving the original 2018 sentence intact.
Terry Meegan Jr, 27, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to an operating sentence of four years and three months imprisonment. He pleaded guilty to robbery at a Centra shop in Dalkey on March 10, 2020, as well as trespass, criminal damage, and assault committed in December 2019. Judge Martin Nolan imposed two years and three months for the robbery and two years for the earlier offences, ordered to run consecutively. The robbery involved Edward Andrews, 26, who received a separate sentence of three years and three months in December 2020. The getaway car was driven by Darren Rowe, 35, who was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years for dangerous driving causing death. During the escape, the vehicle struck two pedestrians, resulting in the death of Jacqueline McGovern, 54, and injuries to Audrey Began. Meegan was on bail for the 2019 assault at the time of the robbery. The court acknowledged mitigation including his guilty plea, remorse, and completion of residential drug treatment, but prioritized punishment over rehabilitation given the severity of the crimes.
In a Dublin apartment on 17 July 2019, a 28‑year‑old Moroccan national, Ibrahim Elghynaoui, broke in and sexually assaulted a woman who had just awakened. The woman described being strangled, having his hand forced into her vagina, and fighting back by striking his eyes, groin and biting him. She escaped through a bedroom window, and Elghynaoui fled. He admitted burglary but denied assault. He was convicted of aggravated sexual assault and burglary, and has been in custody since 18 July 2019. Sentencing was adjourned to 1 March 2021 to allow a psychiatric report and to determine his EU status. The victim's impact statement detailed ongoing hyper‑vigilance, PTSD, and the lasting physical and emotional harm she endured. The trial highlighted the traumatic nature of the assault and the victim's struggle to recover. Ibrahim Elghynaoui pleaded not guilty.
Imre Arakas, 62, an Estonian hitman jailed by the Special Criminal Court for six years in December 2018, is set to file a bid to halt his surrender to Lithuania on March 23. He was convicted for conspiring to murder James Gately in Northern Ireland on 3–4 April 2017, a plot carried out by the Kinahan cartel. Lithuanian authorities seek his extradition over the murder of a man who had an affair with pop star Vita Jakutiene, along with firearms, conspiracy and criminal damage charges. Arakas was arrested in Dublin in February 2018 under a European Arrest Warrant issued by Lithuania. His extradition hearing is scheduled for March 23, but the High Court may defer it pending the outcome of an appeal in a separate extradition case involving Liam Campbell. The hearing is expected to last a full day. The case is listed for mention on March 15. Imre Arakas pleaded guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the 28‑year‑old defendant pleaded guilty to murdering an 11‑year‑old boy in the south‑west on 3 November 2019. The boy was struck with a hammer and stabbed 27 times in the torso, arms and neck. The court heard that the boy's mother believed the uncle was "obsessed" with her son and that the uncle had been "trapped" by voices that told him to kill. The mother called on the Minister for Justice to change Section 252 of the Children Act so that child murder victims could be identified in court. Mr Justice Michael White described the crime as a "horrific breach of trust" and an "unspeakably violent crime" before sentencing the defendant to the mandatory term of life imprisonment.
A trial at the Central Criminal Court concerning the death of a five-time Irish boxing champion has been adjourned due to Covid-19 restrictions. Logan Jackson, aged 30 and with an address in Coventry, England, is charged with the murder of Kevin Sheehy, who died after being struck by a vehicle on Hyde Road in Limerick on July 1, 2019. Mr Sheehy's body was discovered in the road at approximately 4.40am. Mr Justice Michael White adjourned the proceedings to February 9, when a trial date will be set. The court indicated that Mr Jackson's trial would be afforded priority status.
A 29‑year‑old man, Thomas Power, was sentenced to seven‑and‑a‑half years in prison for stabbing a stranger, Eoin Casey, in the head on 20 August 2018. The knife entered Casey's left temple, travelled across his brain and left the tip inside the skull. Casey spent two weeks on a ventilator and five months in a rehabilitation centre, and now suffers lifelong disability, epilepsy, speech dyspraxia and impaired reading and writing. Power pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and assault causing harm, and was also found guilty of assaulting Aaron Grant, who sustained superficial injuries. Power's sentence, back‑dated to 20 January 2021, runs concurrently with the two convictions and includes an 18‑month suspended portion for the serious‑harm charge.
In July 2018 a homeless drug addict, Vaidas Pilibaitis, 46, entered the stockroom of a Louis Copeland menswear shop on Pembroke Street, Dublin, and accidentally set fire to a cardboard box of shirts while smoking. The blaze spread, causing nearly €400,000 in damage, and Pilibaitis suffered smoke inhalation and a badly injured arm after breaking a window to escape. He was caught by CCTV, left his rucksack and mobile at the scene, and later claimed no memory of the event. Pilibaitis pleaded guilty to one count of criminal damage. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that the fire was not intentional but reckless, sentencing him to two and a half years' imprisonment, noting a double sentence would have applied if the damage had been intentional. The case also involved a separate violent disorder charge pending sentencing. The store suffered extensive smoke damage, required repainting and replacement of props, and was closed for about a week.
Adam Dempsey, aged 23, was sentenced to two years in prison after stabbing Defence Forces member Ross Hayden seven times, including five times in the back, while attempting to protect Hayden's girlfriend. The incident occurred on 16 June 2018 at Ardlee Inn, Artane, when Dempsey, who was not involved in the initial pub altercation, approached the group and repeatedly made comments. Hayden's girlfriend asked him to "cop on," leading to a confrontation. Dempsey stabbed Hayden, left, then returned 20–30 seconds later to stab him again. Dempsey pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and had 15 prior traffic convictions. He was found intoxicated with alcohol and cocaine. The judge suspended the final 12 months of a three‑year sentence, requiring Dempsey to pay €5,000 in compensation to Hayden or a chosen charity. Dempsey is currently serving in the Defence Forces in Kosovo.
In 2014 a 47‑year‑old man was convicted of eight sexual assault offences, including three oral rapes and one rape, against his partner's daughter aged six at the start of the abuse. He received a 12‑year prison sentence. The case involved uncorroborated evidence, such as text messages sent while he was in hospital after a paracetamol overdose, which he later denied. The victim, who was 17 at trial, had previously reported abuse to Gardaí with her grandmother in 2003 but withdrew the complaint. She later wrote a letter to a social worker in 2008 detailing escalating abuse that culminated in rape. At the appeal hearing, counsel argued that the trial judge's warning to the jury about the dangers of convicting on uncorroborated evidence was insufficient and that the jury may have been misled. The appeal remains pending.
In a case heard in Dublin, Gerard Gunnery Senior, aged 60, was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, for sexually assaulting a passenger who had fallen asleep in his taxi. The victim, who was drunk and later described the assault as a "devastating" breach of trust, reported that Gunnery had placed his hand on her knee, masturbated, and then violently threw her out of the vehicle, leaving her on the side of the road. She suffered bruising to her elbows, kneecaps and jaw. Gunnery pleaded guilty to the charge of sexual assault, which had been brought in December 2017. The judge noted his age, health and previous good character, but also that he was now a registered sex offender and that incarceration was unavoidable. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the offence and the impact on the victim.
Cillian Cullen, 24, received a fully suspended five‑year prison sentence after pleading guilty to impeding the apprehension of a person in a failed gun‑point robbery that took place on 11 June 2018. Cullen joined his older brother Robert Cullen, 29, after the robbery, was present when the getaway car was set on fire, and then left with his brother in a car he had left nearby the night before. The court heard that Cullen's family had been threatened with violence and that they were under pressure due to Robert Cullen's drug debts. Judge Pauline Codd suspended the entire sentence on the basis of Cullen's lack of prior convictions, the exceptional pressures that led him to assist the perpetrators, and his low risk of reoffending as assessed by the Probation Service. The sentence was suspended on the condition that Cullen keep the peace and be of good behaviour for five years.
Four men are charged with the false imprisonment and assault of Kevin Lunney, a director of Quinn Industrial Holdings, at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, County Cavan on 17 September 2019. The trial at the non-jury Special Criminal Court has been further delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Mr Justice Tony Hunt indicated the 12-week trial would not commence before 1 March, following directions from the President of the High Court. The judge listed the case for mention on 24 February to confirm the March start date and establish trial procedures. Luke O'Reilly, Darren Redmond, and Alan O'Brien are named among the accused; a fourth man cannot be identified for legal reasons. The court previously dismissed applications to halt proceedings concerning data retention uncertainties and an ongoing Garda ombudsman investigation into allegations regarding evidence handling.
An appeal is ongoing regarding the sentence imposed on Derek Lennon (34) of Neagh Road, Terenure, Dublin 6, who was found guilty of dangerous driving following a District Court trial in March 2016. Lennon was banned from driving for six years and sentenced to 90 hours community service. In 2018, Lennon intimidated Niall Fitzgerald, a State witness in the road traffic case, to such an extent that Fitzgerald was too afraid to go to court. Subsequently, Lennon attacked Fitzgerald at his home, using a plank of wood and punching him. Lennon pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of intimidation, criminal damage to two CCTV cameras at the victim's home, assault causing harm, production of a length of wood, and threatening to kill or cause serious harm. He was sentenced to four and a half years in prison by Judge Martin Nolan. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is appealing the sentence, arguing that it was unduly lenient and did not reflect the gravity of the offences. Counsel for the DPP, Tony McGillicuddy BL, stated that the trial judge had identified a headline sentence of between six and seven years imprisonment. He argued that the sentence imposed on Lennon failed to reflect the seriousness of the offences and that the trial judge should have imposed separate sentences for the witness intimidation charges. The matter is currently before the Court of Appeal, with the court reserving its judgment.
The 52‑year‑old man, already serving sentences for raping five children, was sentenced to an additional eight years' imprisonment for raping and sexually abusing his younger sister. The new sentence runs consecutively to his existing terms, which are set to end in 2034. Justice Michael White described the offences as brutal and terrifying rapes, noting that most occurred when the defendant was over 18. He pleaded guilty to five counts of rape and five counts of indecent assault, including anal rape, at various locations near the family home between 1983 and 1990. The court heard the victim's impact statement, detailing repeated abuse from the age of ten and the lasting trauma.
In a 2019 Westlife concert assault, Jackie Walsh, 26, attacked a fellow attendee by grabbing her hair and splitting her ear lobe. The victim, who suffered visible blood and hair on her shorts, received medical treatment and later reported a severe headache. Walsh pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge noted her intoxication, lack of memory, and that the act was out of character. Walsh had no prior convictions and was dealing with mental health issues. She was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment, suspended in full on the condition of 12 months' probation supervision. She was ordered to transfer €3,000 to the victim within a week. The victim accepted the payment. The case concluded with the court acknowledging Walsh's remorse and the victim's willingness to accept the restitution.
A man convicted of attempting to murder a drugs cartel target will be sentenced by the Special Criminal Court next month. Caolan Smyth, aged 29, from County Meath, was found guilty on January 5th of shooting James Gately five times as he sat in his car at a filling station in north Dublin in May 2017. Mr Gately survived the attack with injuries to his chest and neck. Smyth was also convicted of firearms possession with intent to endanger. Gary McAreavey, aged 53, from County Louth, was convicted of assisting in the destruction of the getaway vehicle used in the shooting. The Special Criminal Court determined beyond reasonable doubt that Smyth was the gunman in an organised murder attempt. Evidence included mobile phone data and CCTV identification. Both men have been remanded in custody pending sentencing on February 17th. Smyth faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, while McAreavey faces a maximum of ten years. Caolan Smyth pleaded not guilty. Gary McAreavey pleaded not guilty.
Four men are to stand trial at the Central Criminal Court in June 2021 on charges of attempting to murder Wayne Whelan in a shooting at Griffeen Glen Park, Lucan, Co Dublin on September 4, 2019. Darren Henderson, Cailean Crawford, and Charles McClean, all with Dublin addresses, face the charge alongside Wayne Ryan of Longford. The four are also accused of arson relating to a Ford Focus set alight at the Old Bog Road in Kilcock, Co Kildare on the same date. At a hearing before Mr Justice Michael White, the Director of Public Prosecutions applied to consolidate the trials, which was granted. The trial, expected to last six weeks, is scheduled to commence on June 21, 2021. Whelan survived the initial shooting but was killed in a separate incident two months later.
Liam Vickers, aged 23, was sentenced to a fully suspended two‑year prison term for a "cowardly" knife attack on a transgender escort in Dublin. The assault occurred on 30 September 2017 when Vickers entered the victim's apartment, brandished a large knife, and attempted to stab her in the face while demanding free sex. The victim, who was working as an escort, blocked the attack and was wounded in her arm and cheek. Vickers also threatened the victim's roommate, who was later instructed to delete Vickers' phone number and text messages from his phone. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and had prior convictions for driving while holding a mobile phone and failure to appear. The judge, Elma Sheahan, suspended the entire sentence for three years on strict conditions, including compliance with the Probation Service, monthly drug testing, and payment of €2,000 compensation to the victim.
The Court of Appeal has adjourned the sentencing appeal of Dessie O'Hare, a former INLA member known as "The Border Fox." Mr Justice George Birmingham agreed to the adjournment, noting there is "no particular urgency" as O'Hare's sentence is not due to expire soon. The judge stated he "wouldn't expect an early release" even if the appeal succeeded. O'Hare, of County Armagh, was jailed in 2019 by the Special Criminal Court for seven years for falsely imprisoning a family and leading a violent attack. He pleaded guilty to assaulting John Roche and falsely imprisoning Martin Byrne at Rathcoole and Saggart on June 9, 2015. The court also considered two counts of falsely imprisoning Mr Byrne's wife and son. O'Hare received three years for the assault and ten years for the false imprisonment, with the final three years suspended for life; the sentences run concurrently. The judge noted O'Hare's threat to society had not abated. A previous appeal hearing was adjourned after O'Hare dismissed his lawyers. He is currently unable to consult his legal team while in prison. O'Hare previously served 40 years for the 1987 kidnapping of Dr John O'Grady, from which he was released in 2006 under the Good Friday Agreement.
Two Dublin men, Robert Redmond (32) and Bernard Fogarty (33), are charged with attempting to murder Barry Wolverson in a January 2020 shooting at Madigans Yard, Swords, Co Dublin. They are also accused of assaulting Gerard Wildman on the same day, possessing a firearm and ammunition (.38/.357 calibre) with intent to endanger life or cause serious injury. The Director of Public Prosecutions applied on 5 January 2021 for the cases to be tried before the Special Criminal Court under Section 49 of the Offences Against the State Act, citing that ordinary courts were inadequate for effective justice. Judge Tony Hunt, with Judges Gerard Griffin and Flann Brennan, granted the order.
Patrick Maughan, 21, of Kimmage, was sentenced to three years in prison for a knife‑point robbery of a Domino's pizza delivery driver on 13 February 2018. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge, Melanie Greally, described the incident as a "frightening threat" and noted that Maughan had claimed it was "just a joke" in an interview with Gardaí. He had previously been convicted of four road traffic offences. The judge suspended the final two years of a five‑year sentence on the condition that he engage with Probation Services and a domestic violence programme. Maughan's family were described as "disgusted" by his actions. The delivery driver was not harmed and the pizza was eventually paid for by a woman who entered the house. The case was prosecuted by Derek Cooney BL.
Daniel Kane, 52, was sentenced to ten‑and‑a‑half years in prison for coercive control, intimidation, assault and 12 counts of assault causing harm. The offences occurred between May 2018 and January 2020 in Dublin and included repeated physical attacks such as burning the victim's foot, cutting her with a pizza slicer, head‑butting her after nasal surgery, stamping on her arm and strangling her. Kane also threatened to send explicit images to the victim's family if she withdrew charges and attempted to pervert the course of justice by pressuring her to change her statements. He pleaded guilty to the perverting the course of justice charge. The judge imposed a twelve‑and‑a‑half year sentence, suspended the final two years on strict conditions, and ordered that Kane follow all directions of the Probation Service for two years after release.
In a High Court case, Judge Paul Burns will write to UK authorities seeking clarification on post‑Brexit extradition law concerning Keith Anthony McCarthy, a 40‑year‑old Limerick man wanted in the UK for the murder of Kerrin Repman, 29, in Essex. McCarthy, also known as Keith Galvin, is accused of murder by deliberately running down Repman on a scooter and of grievous bodily harm with intent to a 79‑year‑old pensioner who suffered multiple broken limbs. Both charges carry a life sentence. An EAW was issued on 27 November, and McCarthy was arrested five days later in Midlands Prison, where he is serving a separate sentence. His lawyer, Brian Storan, argues that McCarthy was arrested before Brexit and is now "caught between two stools," claiming the EAW Act no longer applies under the post‑Brexit Trade Agreement.
In a 2021 Court of Appeal decision, a 36‑year‑old man convicted of serial sexual assaults in Clondalkin was denied an appeal. The judge upheld convictions for false imprisonment, sexual assault and assault causing harm across three attacks in 2011, 2015 and 2016. The final assault involved a knife and resulted in a victim's hand injury requiring surgery. DNA evidence linked the suspect to all victims, and items such as duct tape and cable ties were found in his van and at the crime scenes. He received a 18‑year‑six‑month sentence, described by the sentencing judge as "brutal and primal" and "premeditated." The appeal was dismissed on all grounds, including alleged breaches of custody regulations and unlawful detention, with the court finding no prejudice or illegality. The defendant will serve a nine‑year supervision period after release.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Dean Fitzpatrick, aged 28, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after punching David Curran on Grafton Street on 15 February 2017. Curran suffered a broken nose, three jaw fractures and a fracture above his eye, requiring surgery and extensive stitches. The assault left him with lasting nerve damage, forced him to drop out of college and lose his degree, and caused a significant increase in his anxiety and depression. Fitzpatrick was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended on the condition that he engage with Probation Services and addiction treatment for 12 months. The judge also noted Fitzpatrick's 70 prior convictions, including assault, theft, public order and road traffic offences. The case highlighted the severe physical and psychological impact of the assault on the victim.
Kevin Brazil, aged 51, was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 12‑year‑old boy in 2002. The boy was lured into Brazil's flat with the promise of high‑end electronic gadgets and was psychologically coerced into further sexual acts. Brazil had been questioned by Gardaí at Rathmines Garda Station in 2002 and had admitted to the abuse, yet the file was inexplicably not forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions. In July 2020 Brazil pleaded guilty to six counts of child sexual assault and received a fully suspended three‑year sentence. In January 2021 the Central Criminal Court, presided over by Justice Michael White, imposed a five‑year sentence, reduced to two and a half years, taking into account the delay in prosecution, Brazil's cooperation and guilty plea. The victim reported lasting anxiety and depression as a result of the abuse.
In a 2017 Circuit Court trial, 43‑year‑old accountant Sidney Sutton of Ashbourne was convicted of four counts of assault, one count of assault causing harm and one count of producing a knife capable of inflicting serious injury. The offences occurred on the early hours of 6 February 2016 when Sutton, after a wedding in Slane, returned home with his partner Edele Aherne. He allegedly pushed her into a taxi, then punched and kicked her in their home, dragged her to the floor, stamped on her legs and finally stabbed her in the leg and shoulder with a knife. Sutton pleaded not guilty, claiming Aherne had assaulted him and self‑harmed. The Court of Appeal heard that he had fallen out with several solicitors and granted an adjournment to 26 April, warning that failure to proceed would result in the appeal being disposed of as abandoned.
A 28-year-old man pleaded guilty to the murder of an 11-year-old boy in the south-west of the country on November 3, 2019, at the Central Criminal Court. The defendant, who cannot be named due to legal restrictions regarding the victim's status as a minor and their family relationship, appeared via video-link from prison. Prosecution counsel Michael Delaney SC informed Mr Justice Michael White that the victim was a child, invoking Section 252 of the Children Act, 2001, which prohibits the identification of child victims. The judge ordered that the identities of both the accused and the deceased remain undisclosed to the public until further order. The court is currently at the sentencing stage, where the judge directed the preparation of a victim impact report. The man was remanded in custody until February 1, when he is expected to be sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment for the admitted offence.
In a 2018 incident at Rathmines, Stephen McNamee (26), his partner Natalie Mulligan (34) and her cousin Mark Connolly (26) chased and assaulted Paul O'Kelly after he made a derogatory remark about Mulligan's weight. The trio, all intoxicated, punched and kicked O'Kelly as he lay on the ground in a car park. CCTV footage showed the violence, prompting the court to describe it as "very disturbing". All three pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and were placed on bond to keep the peace until January 15, 2021. Judge Karen O'Connor discharged them under section 11 of the 2006 Criminal Justice Act, noting their remorse, lack of prior convictions, and young age. Each defendant paid €1,500 to O'Kelly as a practical expression of remorse. O'Kelly suffered nerve damage, dental surgery and ongoing anxiety as a result of the attack. The court recorded the defendants' expressions of regret and the impact of the assault on the victim.
An Algerian man, Lounes Ouachek, 50, of Tallaght, pleaded guilty in 2014 to attempting to murder his wife, Ruta, by striking her with a kettlebell on 23 August 2012. He was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment, with the final three years suspended, and the sentence was reduced by one year in 2015. In January 2021, Ouachek applied to the Court of Appeal for permission to bring a new appeal after the statutory period had passed. He claimed he was misled by his legal team, that Garda evidence was fabricated, and that he had not understood English or had an interpreter at his hearing. The Court of Appeal, hearing arguments from the Director of Public Prosecutions, found no basis to extend the time and refused his application. The appeal was therefore denied. The case remains at the stage of a denied appeal application.