In a case heard by the Court of Appeal, a 17‑year‑old who pleaded guilty to the murder of his friend Glen 'Ossie' Osborne was sentenced to life detention with a review after ten years. The defendant, who used a knife to stab Osborne on 15 April 2020, will remain at Oberstown Detention Centre until his 18th birthday, when he will be transferred to an adult prison. The judge noted the aggravating factor of the defendant's armed assault and the mitigating factor of his early guilty plea, sorrow, regret and remorse. He also highlighted the defendant's behavioural, boundary and anger issues, describing him as impulsive with a chaotic lifestyle. The Court of Appeal ordered transcripts to be furnished and adjourned the case to 2 March for a full hearing, as the defendant seeks to appeal the severity of the life sentence before he turns 18.
A 44‑year‑old Polish national, Remigivsu Piotrowski, was arrested after returning home drunk from a work function and attacking his partner, Beata Iwaska, and her friend, Monika Wilt, on 5 October 2019. Piotrowski, who had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to two women and to resisting a peace officer at two locations on the same date. He was also charged with assault causing harm to a third person. During the assault he pushed Iwaska onto a couch, punched her, and pulled her hair; Wilt was punched in the head and knocked to the ground. After the attack, Piotrowski became aggressive towards Gardaí, head‑butting a van door while being transported to a station. He was remanded on bail pending a final hearing scheduled for 22 March, with a probation report ordered and the possibility of a custodial sentence not ruled out.
Desmond McGrath, 50, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to John Roche and false imprisonment of Martin and Lisa Byrne on 9 June 2015. McGrath was part of a gang of seven, including convicted murderer Declan Duffy and INLA kidnapper Dessie O'Hare, who were ringleaders of the forced eviction. McGrath claimed he had been told he was attending a job interview for security work and was dressed "almost as a bouncer". He admitted to punching and kicking Roche but not to physical violence against the Byrne family. The Byrne family has been in the Witness Protection Programme since the incident. McGrath was remanded in custody and the matter was adjourned to 3 February. The court noted McGrath's heroin addiction and his claim of remorse.
A man convicted of sexually abusing a child in County Mayo during the summer of 1978 has had his prison sentence reduced on appeal. The Court of Appeal found that the trial judge erred in principle by failing to apply any mitigating factors when sentencing. The man was found guilty by majority verdict in October 2018 of five counts of indecent assault and was initially sentenced to eight years and nine months, with one year and nine months suspended. The appellate court determined that the defendant's age at the time of the offences, his clean record over the subsequent forty years, and the significant delay before prosecution constituted relevant mitigating circumstances that should have been considered. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, sitting with the Court of Appeal President and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, re-sentenced the appellant to eight years and nine months with the final two years and nine months suspended, increasing the non-custodial portion of the original sentence.
Dillon Harris, 24, a recovering drug addict, was sentenced to a fully suspended prison term after a series of violent incidents in Dublin. On 21 November 2017, he spat blood, phlegm and saliva at Garda Gerard Whelan, Garda Peter Byrne and Dublin Fire Brigade Sub Officer Peter Fitzgerald, claiming he had AIDS. He also pleaded guilty to driving a stolen Volkswagen Estate without the owner's consent and to reckless endangerment. Harris crashed the stolen car into a wall, causing €3,456 in damage to an Opel Corsa and forcing a pedestrian to jump out of the way. He had no prior convictions. The judge imposed concurrent prison terms of 22 months and two years, suspended for five years on the condition of sobriety, participation in a restorative justice programme and victim‑focused work. The sentence was split between the victims and a charity of their choice.
In a 20‑month abusive relationship, a 52‑year‑old woman testified that she did not understand domestic violence until it was inflicted piece by piece, leaving her with tears. She described repeated physical assaults by a 52‑year‑old man, including burning her foot, cutting her with a pizza slicer, head‑butting her after nasal surgery, stamping on her arm causing fractures, and strangling her with finger marks on her throat. The man threatened to send explicit images to her family if she withdrew charges. In November, a jury convicted him of coercive control, intimidation, assault and 12 counts of assault causing harm, with acquittals on one assault‑causing‑harm and one endangerment charge. He pleaded guilty to a separate charge of intending to pervert the course of justice for attempts to get her to withdraw statements. The unnamed 52-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Kevin Brazil, 51, was convicted of sexually assaulting a 12‑year‑old boy in 2002. He lured the child to his flat with promises of high‑end electronic gadgets, then psychologically tortured him by threatening to expose the incident to the boy's friends if he did not return for further sexual acts. Brazil was first questioned in 2002 and made admissions to Gardaí at Rathmines Garda Station, but the files were never forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions. In July 2023 he received a fully suspended three‑year prison sentence after pleading guilty to six counts of sexual assault. At the sentencing hearing in January 2024, the victim reported lasting anxiety and depression, and the court noted the delay in prosecution. Judge Michael White ordered a custodial sentence, remanding Brazil for sentencing on 19 January 2024.
The Court of Appeal has criticised the six-day cross-examination of a 12-year-old boy in an appeal against his father's 2016 conviction. The father, a 70-year-old UK national, was convicted of nine counts of raping his son from age six and one count of child cruelty for locking the boy in a box. He received a 15-year sentence, with the final year suspended, and a four-year supervision order. His partner, also from the UK, was convicted of child cruelty but acquitted of sexual assault allegations. The appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, is ongoing. Counsel for the appellant argued that evidence of a video showing consensual sexual acts was prejudicial and irrelevant, while the DPP contended it was probative. The court also addressed the admissibility of the father's previous theft convictions. The boy, who was removed from the family home in 2011, provided a victim impact statement expressing severe trauma. The matter was adjourned and continues tomorrow.
A 19‑year‑old teenager pleaded guilty before the Central Criminal Court in Dublin to two counts relating to a violent incident in Cork City on 16 January 2020 that caused a fatality. He admitted to violent disorder and to producing a knife in a manner likely to intimidate another. The case was adjourned by Mr Justice Paul McDermott to 15 March for sentencing.
A 49‑year‑old man, Alan Graham of Limerick, pleaded guilty to helping facilitate the attempted murder of Lee Boylan, who was shot in 2019. Graham admitted knowledge of a criminal organisation and participation in activities intended to aid the offence. He was arraigned via video link from Mountjoy Prison. The prosecution noted two counts on the indictment; a nolle prosequi will be entered on the attempted murder charge after sentencing. Mr Justice Michael White remanded Graham in custody until February 2 for a sentence hearing and a victim impact report.
The Central Criminal Court could not proceed with the murder trial of 55‑year‑old Michael Scott, accused of killing 75‑year‑old Chrissie Treacy of Portumna on 27 April 2018. The trial was scheduled for 11 January 2021 but was postponed because the courts were not swearing in new juries amid Covid‑19 restrictions. Judge Michael White announced that jury panels are suspended for three weeks, with a review on 26 January and a new trial date expected on 2 February. Brendan Grehan SC requested a later court term for the case due to its anticipated length.
The trial of four men accused of abducting and assaulting Kevin Lunney, a Quinn Industrial Holdings executive, has been adjourned by the Special Criminal Court. Mr Justice Tony Hunt determined on Tuesday that proceeding with the trial as originally scheduled for January 11 would be "undesirable and imprudent" given escalating coronavirus case numbers. The judge stated the trial would now commence on February 1. Three of the accused are Luke O'Reilly from Kilcogy, County Cavan, Darren Redmond from Dublin, and Alan O'Brien from Dublin. A fourth man cannot be named for legal reasons. All face charges of false imprisonment and assault causing serious harm to Mr Lunney at Ballinagh, County Cavan in September 2019. The case will return for mention on January 11 to address disclosure matters. The trial is expected to last approximately twelve weeks.
The Special Criminal Court found Caolan Smyth guilty of attempted murder on Tuesday following the May 2017 shooting of James Gately at a filling station on the Clonshaugh Road in north Dublin. Mr Gately sustained injuries to his upper chest and neck but survived after being forewarned by gardaí and wearing a bullet-proof vest. The three-judge court determined beyond reasonable doubt that Smyth, aged 28 and from Cuileann Court, Donore, County Meath, was both the driver and gunman in the organised attack. Evidence included mobile phone location data, CCTV footage identifying Smyth by distinctive tattoos and clothing, and surveillance of Mr Gately's home the preceding day. Gary McAreavey, aged 52 and from Station Road, Castlebellingham, County Louth, was separately convicted of assisting in the destruction of the black Lexus getaway vehicle at Dromiskin, County Louth. The judge found McAreavey knew of the crime before providing assistance. Both men will return for sentencing on 25 January. Caolan Smyth pleaded not guilty. Gary McAreavey pleaded not guilty.
Aaron Brady was convicted of the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, who was shot during an armed robbery at Lordship Credit Union in County Louth on 25 January 2013. An investigation spanning several years culminated in Brady's trial, where the prosecution presented extensive circumstantial evidence linking him to the crime. This included CCTV footage connecting Brady to a stolen Volkswagen Passat used in the raid, phone records showing his movements, and witness testimony placing him in the vicinity. Brady's own statements to gardaí contained multiple falsehoods about his whereabouts that night. The investigation also revealed Brady had later made incriminating admissions whilst living abroad, boasting about shooting a police officer. The jury found Brady guilty of the murder. The case was handled by Dundalk District Court and involved cooperation between Irish and Northern Irish police services.
During the capital murder trial of Aaron Brady, a video of a witness telling Gardaí that he heard Brady admit to shooting a cop was circulated on social media. The judge, Mr Justice Michael White, described the dissemination as "the most outrageous contempt of court" he had ever seen and noted he was powerless to prevent it. The video was posted on WhatsApp, YouTube and Facebook, with the latter two platforms deleting it after it was shared. The case was marked by intimidation and interference: witnesses and their families received threats, including a death threat to Molly Staunton via Snapchat after her testimony. Five witnesses who had given Gardaí statements failed to appear in court or claimed their statements were inaccurate. The prosecution counsel, Brendan Grehan SC, warned that the WhatsApp message was part of a campaign to disrupt the trial and prevent witnesses from testifying.
The trial of Kieran Greene, aged 61, centred on the murder of his partner's mother, Patricia O'Connor, who was found dead in a shallow grave in Wexford. Greene admitted to a physical altercation in the house, claiming he struck her with a hurley and she struck him back. He said she became unresponsive, that he carried her upstairs, placed her in the boot of a Toyota Corolla, drove to Wexford, dug a shallow grave, buried her, and later dismembered her body with a hacksaw. Greene told Gardaí he had acted alone, that he had no accomplices, and that he had handed himself in because he could not live with the guilt. He also claimed the murder was self‑defence. The prosecution presented CCTV footage, forensic evidence of hair and body parts, and statements from family members to show Greene's involvement. The jury heard that Greene's December interview was unreliable and that he had changed his account.
At the trial of Kieran Greene, Louise O'Connor, and Stephanie O'Connor, the jury heard evidence regarding the murder of Patricia O'Connor and a subsequent cover-up. The prosecution alleged that Greene murdered O'Connor on May 29, 2017, and that Louise and Stephanie conspired to disguise Stephanie as the deceased to create a false CCTV record of her leaving the house alive. The State argued this ruse was designed to mislead anyone reporting her missing. Evidence included CCTV footage showing a figure in a hooded jacket leaving the property at 9:34pm, which the jury was invited to identify as Stephanie. Prosecutors presented testimony that Greene gave conflicting accounts of the death, first claiming self-defence and later blaming Augustine O'Connor, while forensic experts noted a lack of blood evidence despite Greene's claims of a struggle and cleaning. The trial also examined Greene's movements, including fueling a car in Templeogue and purchasing tools with Keith Johnston, who was seen performing repairs at the house. The prosecution maintained that the defendants acted in concert to conceal the body, which was later found dismembered in the Wicklow mountains. The report details the procedural stage as a trial, with the jury hearing closing speeches and evidence regarding the alleged conspiracy and the disposal of the victim.
A case currently in appeal involves Paul Gregory (56) of Lucky Brook House, Cronroe, Ashford, Co Wicklow, who admitted to 205 counts of rape and sexual assault of his wife's two sons at his Co Wicklow home. The abuse, which began in 1993 when the victims were under ten years old and continued for a decade, was admitted by Gregory during a guilty plea in 2015. The victims, now adults, had previously waived their statutory anonymity, but a stay on the lifting of the gagging order was imposed to avoid prejudicing other trials. Those trials have since concluded, and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) applied to lift the stay. Gregory has expressed concerns about his safety if his identity is published, and his legal team has raised questions regarding the interpretation of Section 252 of the Children Act. The matter was adjourned pending an application to the Court of Appeal by Gregory, but no such appeal has been made, and the deadline has passed. The court has now lifted the reporting restrictions, allowing Gregory to be named publicly. The case remains in the appeal stage, with no finalised sentence or disposal at this time.
A 38‑year‑old Pakistani man, father of three, was convicted of raping a woman in the back of his car on a beach date. He was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, after a jury found him guilty of rape but not of sexual assault. He appealed, arguing that the trial judge had allowed a friend of the complainant and a Garda to give evidence of what the complainant had told them the night after the rape, claiming this was hearsay. The Court of Appeal dismissed all grounds of appeal. The judge noted that the two accounts differed only in detail, not in substance, and that the evidence was sufficient for a guilty verdict. The appeal was rejected, leaving the original conviction and sentence in place. The case was heard in the Central Criminal Court in 2019, with the appeal decided in December 2020. The unnamed 38-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Shaun Groome, 32, to 15 years' imprisonment for a brutal assault on Ciarán Murphy, 32, which involved 16 stab wounds and an arson attack that left Murphy with 96 % burns. Groome pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and criminal damage by arson. The judge described the offence as "exceptional" and noted Groome's "murderous intent" despite his guilty plea, reducing the headline 20‑year sentence to 15 years with no suspended portion. Groome claimed his actions were driven by misinformation that Murphy was a Garda informant and that he was influenced by drugs. The court considered his remorse, prior convictions, and potential for rehabilitation, but imposed the full custodial term. Murphy suffered severe injuries, lost his ears, and continues to endure pain. The case also involved co‑accused David Keena, 21, who received a five‑year sentence for his role.
A judge warned a 15‑year‑old that breaching his Christmas curfew could lead to a court appearance at short notice if the Gardaí sought to revoke his bail. The teenager appeared before Judge Karen O'Connor at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on the last day of the legal term after the Gardaí applied to revoke his bail. He faces sentencing for an assault at St James Luas stop in Dublin 8 on 30 December 2018, when he was 12. The court heard that he had repeatedly breached bail conditions, including failing to sign on at a local Garda station and associating with certain people. He also breached a curfew that required him to be inside his aunt's home by 9.30 pm each evening. Judge O'Connor said this was the most serious breach and that the curfew was a very important condition for a juvenile. She said it keeps him off the streets and away from the public.
Thomas Griffin, 26, of Croftwood Park, Ballyfermot, Dublin, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for his role in a high‑speed Garda chase that exposed multiple cars and a pedestrian to "very considerable danger." He pleaded guilty to two charges of endangerment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 17 June 2018. The judge, Melanie Greally, described the driving as "very extreme in nature" and noted that Griffin was intoxicated with drugs and alcohol during the incident. Griffin had 46 prior convictions, including assault, road traffic and public order offences. The judge suspended the final 12 months of a three‑and‑a‑half‑year term, citing his demonstrated potential and confrontation of his demons while on remand. The chase involved speeding over 140 km/h in a 100 km/h zone, running red lights, driving on the hard shoulder, and forcing other traffic to take evasive action.
A jury acquitted a 21‑year‑old defendant of raping a 14‑year‑old girl in a derelict building in County Kildare on 14 May 2016. The defendant, who was 17 at the time of the alleged assault, pleaded not guilty to counts of sexual assault, anal rape and defilement of a child. The complainant testified that they played truth or dare, during which the defendant allegedly dared her to touch his penis and later to let him hug her, during which he reportedly rubbed his penis through her clothes and inserted it into her anus. She reported pain and later sought medical treatment, where a doctor noted lacerations consistent with forced anal penetration. The jury returned not‑guilty verdicts on all three counts, with majority verdicts on sexual assault and anal rape and a unanimous verdict on defilement.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed a sentence appeal by Aaron Wilson, who was convicted of assault causing serious harm to Aaron Kiely in Dublin City on January 19, 2014. Wilson, a personal trainer, pleaded guilty to the charge after initially absconding from a scheduled trial. He was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Wilson appealed to the Court of Appeal, seeking a reduction of six months and one day to avoid classification as a long-term prisoner. His counsel argued the sentence was at the top of the scale and that the attack was not premeditated. The prosecution, represented by Tony McGillacuddy BL, urged the court to dismiss the appeal, noting the severity of the injuries. The victim, Mr. Kiely, suffered skull fractures, a brain clot, and hearing loss, leaving him requiring 24-hour care. Justice Patrick McCarthy, sitting with Justices Birmingham and Kennedy, dismissed the appeal. The court held that the classification of prisoners is a matter for prison authorities, not the judiciary. It found that the sentencing judge was correct to place the case near the top of the available range, given the victim's severe, life-altering injuries and the fact that Wilson's fitness exacerbated the harm. The court noted that a generous reduction had already been applied for mitigating factors and confirmed the original eight-and-a-half-year sentence.
In a serious assault case, the Court of Appeal ruled that a judge erred by excluding a medical certificate from a non‑examining doctor. The case involved a pub incident where a man was assaulted with a bar stool, leading to two charges of assault causing harm and assault causing serious harm. A consultant in emergency medicine had issued a certificate stating the victim suffered facial fractures and was transferred to a specialist setting; this certificate was not challenged. A second consultant, who had not examined the victim but based his opinion on others' notes, issued a certificate alleging likely permanent long‑term damage. The accused's counsel sought to exclude this certificate as hearsay, arguing it was speculative. The trial judge agreed, preventing the jury from considering serious harm and resulting in a conviction on the lesser charge.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 21‑year‑old defendant, who was 17 when the alleged offence occurred, pleaded not guilty to sexual assault, anal rape and defilement of a 14‑year‑old girl. The incident took place in a derelict building in Co. Kildare on 14 May 2016 during a game of truth or dare. The mother of the accused testified that two girls had repeatedly asked her son to play with them, describing them as "adamant" and claiming they had "bad intentions" and "bitterness" in their hearts. She said she had reluctantly allowed her son to go because the girls were insistent. The prosecution presented a doctor's findings of recent lacerations to the complainant's anus, while the defence argued the accused was unaware of the girl's age and that the allegations were false. The trial was set to continue before Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
Paul O'Shea, 34, of Owensilla, Ballymun, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three and a half years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended on the condition of good behaviour, particularly regarding drugs. He pleaded guilty to assaulting his former partner on 17 May, during which he threw chairs, punched her in the head, kicked her, dragged her to the front garden, and called her names. He also smashed a front door window, an upstairs window, a brick at her bedroom window, and a photo of her children and parents. The victim, who had a protection order against him, described him as "on a mad one" and was terrified, having marks on her left side from kicks and on her face from blows. Gardaí were alerted at 4 am by the partner, and O'Shea fled the scene, later being arrested after attempting to escape from his parents' house.
In December 2017, Christopher Warburton, 26, drove a red quad bike in a dangerous chase through Dublin city traffic, repeatedly ignoring police signals and driving on the wrong side of the road. He accelerated toward Donard Estate, forced an oncoming vehicle to brake, and continued on Nephin Road, overtaking a van and two cars, causing one to brake suddenly. At the Cabra gate of Phoenix Park, the quad bike lost power; Warburton jumped off and struggled with an unmarked Garda car. He then attempted to jump over a wall, kicked a Garda, and entered the grounds of Áras an Uachtaráin, where a mounted police officer apprehended him. A month later, he punched an elderly, intoxicated man from behind, an act recorded on video. Warburton pleaded guilty to endangerment and assault causing harm, was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison, with nine months suspended on condition of rehabilitation, and was banned from driving for three years.
In a Dublin city‑centre nightclub incident on 7 July 2019, a masked mob armed with a hatchet and a petrol bomb—made from a Hennessy brandy bottle—attempted to force entry into Lost Lane nightclub on Grafton Street. Moses Lulendo, aged 19, joined the group, some members wearing face coverings. The mob sought revenge against those they believed were inside the club and linked to a prior attack on a relative of Lulendo's, following an earlier car attack involving Lulendo and another man. Detective Garda Sarah Barry reported that the mob's intent was retaliation. Lulendo pleaded guilty to violent disorder and to two earlier iPhone robberies. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to 18 months' imprisonment for the disorder charge and 26 months for the robberies, suspending eight months on condition of probation for 12 months. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Dean Quigley, aged 23, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for a series of violent offences. In July 2018 he attacked a 17‑year‑old woman on the N11, punching her, pulling her hair and continuing to strike her while she lay on the ground. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. In July 2019 he broke into a 75‑year‑old neighbour's apartment, causing the victim severe injuries and threatening to kill him if he reported the incident. He pleaded guilty to trespassing and criminal damage. In October 2019 he again entered the neighbour's home, assaulting him and threatening further violence. The court imposed concurrent two‑year sentences for the assault on the woman and the July burglary, and a consecutive six‑year sentence for the October burglary, suspending the final two years on the condition of alcohol‑addiction treatment. The judge noted the seriousness of the attacks and the impact on the victims' safety and mental health.
During a trial in the Central Criminal Court, a 21‑year‑old defendant, who cannot be named, pleaded not guilty to sexual assault, anal rape and defilement of a 14‑year‑old girl. He was alleged to have assaulted the girl in a derelict building in County Kildare on 14 May 2016, when he was 17. In a Garda interview, the defendant initially denied the allegations, but after his father spoke to him in another language, he said that everything the girl had said was true. He later claimed he had hugged the girl and removed his trousers, but denied that his penis entered her. A second interview saw him deny knowing her age, claiming she was 15 or 16. A doctor examined the girl 21–23 hours after the incident and noted lacerations on her anal margin and canal, which were consistent with forced anal penetration but could have other explanations.
Anthony White, aged 25, received a five‑year custodial sentence with the final two years suspended on strict conditions, after pleading guilty to possession of a submachine gun, 50 rounds of ammunition, and €100 worth of cocaine. White admitted that a drug debt of €4,500 and a fear of violence forced him to hold the weapon, which he claimed he only discovered the next day. He had four prior traffic convictions. Judge Melanie Greally noted the firearm's lethal potential and the substantial ammunition, but also considered White's remorse, cooperation, limited offending history, supportive family, stable relationship, and successful rehabilitation efforts. The court accepted that the incident was a finite episode linked to a severe cocaine addiction. The suspended portion of the sentence is subject to probation supervision and other strict conditions. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Two Cork men, Niall Fitzpatrick (53) and Jerry O'Leary (62), appealed their seven‑year sentences for a burglary at a home in Charleville on 19 October 2023. The crime, described as carefully planned, targeted an elderly couple who were away at Mass. The men were caught by armed Gardaí after an intelligence‑led investigation. Fitzpatrick had 70 prior convictions, including escape and post office robbery; O'Leary had 48, eight of them burglary. Their counsel argued that mitigating factors such as age, health issues, and the fact that Fitzpatrick had never seen his child due to the pandemic had been insufficiently considered, and that a portion of the sentences should have been suspended to encourage rehabilitation. The Court of Appeal, presiding over the appeal, will decide on Monday. The case highlights the seriousness of the planning and the lack of aggravating factors such as violence or weapons. The appeal is pending. Niall Fitzpatrick pleaded guilty. Jerry O'Leary pleaded guilty.
An unnamed 67-year-old man, described as having community standing, appealed his conviction for repeatedly raping his friend's daughter when she was aged 12 to 14. The Court of Appeal heard arguments regarding the trial judge's decision to allow the jury to bring majority verdicts after they indicated they had not yet adjudicated on some of the 32 counts. The appellant was found guilty of six counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault, three counts of oral rape, and one count of attempted oral rape, while acquitted of 16 other charges. Ms Justice Kennedy originally sentenced him to nine years, suspending the final 12 months on conditions, noting the deep impact on the victim and the breach of trust. The appellant's counsel argued the jury was denied adequate time for debate on the remaining counts. The prosecution countered that the jury's statement meant they had not reached a final conclusion. The three-judge panel, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, reserved judgment. The matter was adjourned pending the court's decision.
In December 2020, a 17‑year‑old pleaded guilty to the murder of 20‑year‑old Glen 'Ossie' Osborne at Ballybough House, Dublin. Osborne's partner, Lauren Cray, had just given birth to their first child two months after his death. The teenager was sentenced to detention for life with a review after ten years. He will remain at Oberstown Detention Centre until his 18th birthday, when he will be transferred to an adult prison. Mr Justice Paul McDermott ordered health reports on the boy's 18th birthday and every two years thereafter, to be reviewed in 2030. The judge cited the use of a knife and the victim's unarmed status as aggravating factors, while the guilty plea and expressions of remorse were mitigating. The sentence reflects the boy's lack of judgment, chaotic background, and drug problems, but not a pre‑planned, malicious act. The review will consider the boy's progress and reports before deciding on continued imprisonment.
In a trial for a 21‑year‑old accused of raping a 14‑year‑old girl in a derelict building during a game of truth or dare, the complainant denied any suggestion that she sought the accused out or encouraged further sexual activity. She stated she was shocked when the accused allegedly pulled down his trousers and exposed his penis, and she rejected claims that she had taken her own trousers down or that she had agreed to further acts. The complainant also denied any promise to keep the incident secret and denied being terrified of her father or mother discovering the assault. A friend testified that the girl had been with her on the day of the incident and later described the assault, while a Garda confirmed that no semen was found on swabs or clothing and that the medical examination occurred about 22 hours after the alleged event. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
Maura Thornton, 38, of Inverin, Connemara, was sentenced in 2013 to ten years' imprisonment for the manslaughter of her former partner Kevin Joyce, 59, who was stabbed 18 times outside her Salthill apartment on 31 July 2011. Three years of the sentence were suspended. In February 2018 she was granted early release but breached the conditions by drinking alcohol, violating the suspended portion. In a hearing on 16 December 2020, Thornton appeared via video link from the Dochas Women's Centre at Mountjoy prison. She did not speak, but her barrister, Blaise O'Carroll SC, reported that she has been attending regular meetings with health professionals who describe her as open, insightful and realistic, and that she is engaging with prison services. Justice Paul McDermott expressed concerns and refused to release her for Christmas, requesting a structured treatment plan and adjourned the case until 9 February to allow that plan to be developed.
A 21‑year‑old man, who cannot be named, is on trial in the Central Criminal Court for anally raping and sexually assaulting a 14‑year‑old girl in a derelict building in Co. Kildare on 14 May 2016. He pleaded not guilty to one count each of sexual assault, anal rape and defilement of a child. The complainant, now 18, said she and a friend were roller‑skating when they called the accused's house. She had previously shown the boys a derelict site. During a game of truth or dare, the accused asked her uncomfortable questions, dared her to touch his penis, and later dared her to let him hug her. He allegedly forced her to hug from behind, pulled her clothes, and inserted his penis into her anus. She reported severe pain, bleeding, and shock, and later told her mother and went to a Garda station. The trial continues tomorrow before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
A jury found a 36‑year‑old mother and her 38‑year‑old partner guilty of wilful neglect of a 14‑month‑old baby. The child suffered bruising to her head, face and body after the family stayed overnight in a derelict house with no electricity or water. Doctors said the injuries were inconsistent with a fall from a mattress, as the mother claimed. The mother pleaded not guilty to wilful neglect and allowing her child to be harmed; the partner pleaded not guilty to wilful assault, wilful neglect and assault causing harm. Judge Martina Baxter directed not‑guilty verdicts on the assault charges and on the mother's charge of allowing harm, but directed guilty verdicts on the remaining neglect counts. The couple remain on bail pending sentencing in March. The child is now in foster care. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge exempted the jury from duty for three years.
Aaron Wilson, aged 31, attacked Aaron Kiely, aged 33, three times after seeing Kiely and his girlfriend interfere with Wilson's partner's car in Dublin. Wilson pursued the pair, punching, kicking, stamping on Kiely and beating him with a chair. Kiely was found on Patrick Street, breathing poorly and bleeding from his mouth. He was taken to hospital, where he suffered severe injuries: deafness in one ear, loss of hearing in the other, fractures to both sides of his skull, a brain blood clot, and now requires 24‑hour care. Wilson pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and was sentenced to eight and a half years. He appealed to the Court of Appeal, seeking a reduction of six months and one day to avoid being classed as a long‑term prisoner. The appeal was heard by Justice George Birmingham, with counsel arguing the sentence was not excessive, and a decision is pending.
The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment in an appeal against the murder conviction of Regina Keogh, with the matter adjourned. Keogh, 42, was convicted by the Special Criminal Court in 2018 of murdering Gareth Hutch and sentenced to life in prison. Her brother, Jonathan Keogh, 34, and Thomas Fox, 32, were also convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the same offense. All three defendants had denied the charges. During the appeal, defense counsel Patrick Gageby SC argued that the trial court made a significant error of law by finding that Jonathan Keogh's DNA on latex gloves corroborated the prosecution witness Mary McDonnell's evidence, despite an innocent explanation for the DNA presence. The DPP, represented by Fiona Murphy SC, responded that even if the court accepted an error occurred, it did not constitute a substantial miscarriage of justice. Consequently, the DPP requested the court to invoke the proviso to dismiss the appeal. The defense rejected this, characterizing the alleged error as a fundamental irregularity central to the case. The bench, presided over by Justice George Birmingham with Justices Patrick McCarthy and Isobel Kennedy, has reserved its decision.
In a 2020 appeal, an 80‑year‑old retired teacher, John Devlin, sought to overturn an 2017 conviction for sexually assaulting a student. His counsel argued that no evidence supported five of the eight counts and that reasonable doubt existed for the remaining three. The appeal court, hearing the case, noted that the jury had deliberated just over an hour and that the victim had provided detailed testimony for only three incidents. The court rejected the appeal, stating that the conviction was not perverse and that the jury's verdict was within its jurisdiction. The judge emphasized that the evidence was sufficient and that the trial had been fair, thereby upholding the original conviction. The teacher had already served his sentence.
The Special Criminal Court sentenced Jonathan Harding to five years and three months' imprisonment for laundering over €342,000 for a serious criminal organisation. Harding, 48, pleaded guilty to five offences under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act 2010. Mr Justice Tony Hunt imposed a headline sentence of six years and nine months, suspending the final 18 months on all charges, with all sentences running concurrently. Harding signed a bond to be of good behaviour for three years post-release. The judge noted Harding's prior conviction for possessing nine revolvers, four pistols, a sub-machine gun, an assault rifle, and ammunition, for which he received a ten-year sentence in January 2018. Co-accused Carol Davis, 45, pleaded guilty to three offences under the same Act, admitting she was reckless in allowing Harding access to her accounts but denying involvement in underlying criminality. She received a three-year suspended sentence on all offences, signing a bond to be of good behaviour for that duration. The court found that accounts linked to both were used as a travel service for the organisation. Separately, Declan Brady, 54, was previously sentenced to 11-and-a-half years' imprisonment in July 2019 after pleading guilty to possessing the same weapons cache, having been tasked by senior criminal figures to supervise it.
Regina Keogh (42) appealed her conviction for the murder of Gareth Hutch to the Court of Appeal. In 2018, the Special Criminal Court found Keogh guilty of colluding with her brother, Jonathan Keogh (34), to cause serious injury to Mr Hutch. Jonathan Keogh was found guilty of the 'deliberate and callous murder' of Mr Hutch on May 24, 2016. Both were sentenced to life in prison. A third accused, Thomas Fox (32), was also convicted and sentenced to life. All three defendants had denied the crime. The prosecution alleged Regina Keogh was instrumental in planning the attack, encouraging a neighbour to allow Jonathan Keogh to use her flat as a base, and providing latex gloves. Defence counsel Patrick Gageby SC argued the trial court erred in law by drawing inferences from DNA evidence on the gloves, suggesting Jonathan Keogh's own handling of the gloves provided an innocent explanation for the DNA. The DPP, represented by Fiona Murphy SC, countered that the gloves were not the sole basis for the conviction and that no error undermined the verdict. The hearing before Justice George Birmingham, Justice Patrick McCarthy, and Justice Isobel Kennedy was adjourned and continues tomorrow.
Bernard Fogarty, 32, known to Gardaí as heavily involved in organised crime, will be sentenced at the Special Criminal Court for possession of a RAK PM‑63 submachine gun. The weapon was found in the passenger footwell of a white Nissan Pulsar that was intercepted in the Shankill area of County Dublin. Fogarty was a passenger in a second vehicle, a silver Hyundai jeep, and was not involved in the hand‑over of the gun. DNA from Fogarty matched DNA on the gun, and a red baseball cap he wore on 7 March was recovered at his Donaghmede address. The gun was not loaded, was in poor condition, and had been heavily gummed. Fogarty pleaded guilty at a non‑jury court and has 40 prior convictions, including criminal damage, assault and burglary. He has been remanded in custody until his sentencing next Monday. The court will consider mitigating factors such as his drug difficulties and cooperation with the investigation.
Chad Redmond, 27, of Belclare Park, Ballymun, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault and criminal damage for an incident on 24 February 2019 at an apartment in Finglas, north Dublin. He entered the apartment of his ex‑girlfriend, shouted, kicked the door down and grabbed her by the throat. Redmond dragged her to the bedroom, threatened to kill her and burn the place down, and attempted to take their three‑year‑old daughter from her mother. He twisted the victim's right hand and fled, later trying to re‑enter. Redmond was on bail at the time and was arrested the following day. He had been under the influence of cocaine. The court noted his prior convictions for burglary, criminal damage, public order and road traffic offences. Judge Elma Sheahan described the case as "disturbing" and sentenced Redmond to three and a half years, suspending the final nine months.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 28‑year‑old man was found guilty of sexual assault on an 11‑year‑old girl who was staying at his sister's house. The victim was trying to retrieve a spare key when the accused grabbed her and forced her onto a couch, then touched her chest and groin. She screamed and shouted a boy's name, who ran downstairs and jumped on the man's back, allowing her to escape. The court noted the man's prior conviction for a 2007 sexual assault on a 15‑year‑old boy and his current sentence for a 2011 offence. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a three‑year prison term, suspending the final 18 months on strict conditions, including probation supervision for 18 months after release. The case highlighted the seriousness of the offence, the victim's youth, and the man's remorse and isolation from family and community.
Former INLA member Dessie O'Hare, known as "The Border Fox", has dismissed his legal team ahead of his appeal against the severity of his seven-year sentence. O'Hare, of Newtownhamilton, County Armagh, was jailed by the Special Criminal Court last year 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 counts regarding Byrne's wife and son. O'Hare received three years for the assault and ten years, with three suspended for life, for the false imprisonment, with sentences running concurrently. In a remote hearing before the Court of Appeal, new counsel Patrick Jackson BL and Dominic McGinn SC, representing Ferry Solicitors, stated they could not proceed on the originally scheduled Monday date. The DPP opposed the delay, but President Mr Justice George Birmingham permitted the change of solicitor, noting no prejudice to the prosecution. The appeal, which cites a lack of parity with former paramilitary Declan "Whacker" Duffy—who received six years for similar offences in 2018—was adjourned. The Court of Appeal fixed January 22 as the new hearing date for the appeal against the sentence.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court found a 17‑year‑old boy not guilty of raping a 15‑year‑old girl in a public park. The boy claimed that after meeting the girl at a shopping centre, they kissed and she suggested they go to a nearby park where she proposed sex. He said he was physically unable to have penetrative sex but claimed the girl masturbated him. The girl, aged 16, testified that she was happy to kiss the boy but did not want to do anything else, and that he led her into bushes and forced her to have sex with him while she was too drunk to stop him. The trial lasted eight days and the jury deliberated for just under four hours before returning not‑guilty verdicts on both rape and sexual assault charges. The jury had to accept a majority verdict after the foreman noted they could not reach unanimity.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 23‑year‑old man, Dean Quigley, pleaded guilty to assaulting a 17‑year‑old woman on the N11 in July 2018, where he punched her face, pulled her hair and continued striking her while she lay on the ground. He also pleaded guilty to trespassing and assaulting a 75‑year‑old neighbour in July and October 2019, threatening to kill him if he reported the incidents. The elderly victim's daughter found Quigley five days after the second assault, and he was hospitalized for a brain bleed, neck ligature marks and severe chest bruising. Quigley's court record includes 12 prior convictions and two recent convictions for knife possession and a threat to kill. The judge adjourned sentencing to 17 December 2020, while the court heard the victim's impact statements and Quigley's expressions of remorse and progress in custody.