A group of film set workers who were blacklisted for raising contract concerns have been awarded tens of thousands of euros each by the Workplace Relations Commission. The Irish Film Workers' Association (IFWA) members complained that producers World 2000 Entertainment Ltd and Metropolitan Film Productions Ltd breached the Protection of Employees (Fixed‑Term Work) Act 2003 by failing to honour their right to a permanent contract after four years and by penalising them for challenging the situation. The WRC found that Metropolitan Films International Ltd was the ultimate employer and ordered it to pay €5,000 in compensation to each of 13 workers for the failure to provide a written statement of the reasons for employing them on a specified purpose contract. Ten workers received an additional €25,000 for dismissal penalties. The tribunal also awarded four weeks' wages for breaches of the Terms of Employment (Information) Act.
In a Circuit Court trial, Gerard O'Brien, a former secondary school teacher and then Circuit Court judge, was found guilty of one count of attempted rape and eight counts of sexual assault against six male complainants, some of whom were his students. The alleged offences took place between March 1991 and November 1997 in Leinster, when O'Brien was in his 30s and the complainants were aged 17 to 24. Evidence included accounts of O'Brien skipping classes to drink with students, inviting them to his home, and engaging in non‑consensual sexual acts while they were asleep or under the influence of alcohol. The jury deliberated for seven hours and thirty‑four minutes before delivering the verdicts. O'Brien, who has a rare birth defect, was remanded on continuing bail until sentencing on 4 March 2023. The judge thanked the jurors and noted O'Brien would be automatically added to the sex offenders register. Gerard O'Brien pleaded not guilty.
The jury in the trial of a 59‑year‑old teacher accused of sexually assaulting six young men, including students, has retired for the evening after a day of deliberation. The teacher, who was in his 30s at the time of the alleged offences, pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault. The State alleges that five complainants were assaulted in shared beds and one in a pub toilet, while the accused denies wrongdoing. The jury will resume tomorrow.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Adam Murphy, aged 22, pleaded guilty to manslaughter after he threw businessman Ian McDonnell from the bonnet of McDonnell's own car while attempting to steal it. Murphy also pleaded guilty to multiple counts of vehicle theft, attempted vehicle theft, property theft and possession of stolen property. His co‑accused, Keith McCormick Smith, also pleaded guilty to similar offences. The court heard that McDonnell was stopped at his business, Ozone Car Sales, and that Murphy and Smith had stolen several cars earlier that day. CCTV footage showed Murphy driving McDonnell's car, accelerating, and throwing McDonnell 46 metres before the car was abandoned. McDonnell was taken to Tallaght Hospital but died on 28 January 2022. The court noted the maximum sentence for manslaughter is life, but the Director of Public Prosecutions suggested a 10‑15 year range. The case was adjourned for finalisation on 12 February.
Soufiane Mountassir, 39, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for false imprisonment and assault causing harm after he attacked a woman who had let him into her home. The court heard that on the night of 13 November 2022 he forced the woman into the boot of her car, repeatedly punched and smashed her face against the vehicle's interior, and drove the car onto the footpath, damaging the wheel. Witnesses described him as "full of anger" and "entering into a blind rage", and the victim said she was left with blood all over her face and body. Mountassir pleaded guilty, was described as remorseful and ashamed, and the judge noted his lack of prior convictions in Ireland. He is currently under 23‑hour protection in Wheatfield Prison and is wanted in Germany for arson. The sentence was back‑dated to the date he entered custody on 13 November 2022.
Tony Hudson, 61, of Ballymurray, Enniscorthy, was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury of 70 charges of sexual offences against four children aged 12 to 17 between 2000 and 2009. The offences included oral rape, sexual assault, buggery, gross indecency and defilement. Hudson had befriended the children, invited them to his house for chores, paid them modest sums and gave them cigarettes and alcohol. He began touching them sexually, forced them to masturbate, and in some cases forced them to have sex with each other. One victim was recorded having anal sex with Hudson and the video was shown to another victim. Hudson denied the allegations. Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford sentenced him to 13 years in prison, with the final two years suspended, back‑dated to his custody entry on 27 October. The sentence was imposed on 21 December 2023.
A 42‑year‑old man was sentenced to four years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for four counts of sexual assault of a girl aged between four and seven, committed between 2016 and 2020 while her mother was away. The assaults included one on the girl's sixth birthday. The judge highlighted the man's position of authority, the large age gap, and the impact on the victim as aggravating factors, while noting his good work history and mental health difficulties as mitigating factors. The sentence was back‑dated to the man's entry into custody on 29 July. The court heard that the man had begun a relationship with the mother in 2015, moved in with her family, and looked after the children when the mother worked. He had taken the victim into the mother's room on several occasions, touched her private parts, and told the child not to inform her mother. The unnamed 42-year-old was found guilty.
Peter McHale (38) and Robert O'Rourke (30) pleaded guilty in the District Court to burglary, false imprisonment, threats to kill, money laundering and, for O'Rourke, production of a screwdriver. The offences took place between mid‑March and 11 April 2023 when they broke into a man's home, held him for about four hours, threatened him with a screwdriver and demanded cash to satisfy a drug debt that had risen from €1,500 to €26,000. O'Rourke's partner, Nicole Munson (30), pleaded guilty to money laundering for allowing the victim's mother to transfer €5,000 to her Revolut account. The court sentenced O'Rourke to five and a half years, McHale to five years and Munson to a fully suspended sentence of three and a half years. The judge described the men as the "more serious actor" and the "lower tier" and noted the victims' fear and distress. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a High Court ruling, Smullen Logistic Solutions Ltd lost its application for an injunction against Goldstein Property ICAV regarding a disputed right of access to its Newhall, Co Kildare site. Mr Justice David Nolan refused the request, stating that damages would be an adequate remedy for the neighbourly dispute, which must be resolved at a full hearing. The judge characterised the application as tactical, noting it followed cease-and-desist letters sent by the defendant. Costs were awarded against the plaintiff, with no stay on the order. The court noted the decision may be appealed to the Court of Appeal. Smullen alleged that Goldstein locked a gate essential for its 250 trucks and containers, causing ongoing losses, while claiming exclusive use of the roadway until November 27. Goldstein denied wrongdoing, arguing no such roadway existed and presenting Ordnance Survey maps to support its position. The defendant contended the action was launched after Smullen began bulldozing works on disputed land and that alternative access routes were available. The matter remains subject to potential appeal, with the underlying ownership dispute pending a full hearing.
In a High Court case, Mr Justice Mark Heslin ordered the financial fund Promontoria Oyster Designated Activity Company to pay €53,000 in damages to Elaine Madigan, who claimed her signature on a 2004 mortgage deed was forged. Madigan, a businesswoman and mother of three, had sued the fund and receiver Tim O'Brien over a bungalow she owned in Ballinamorragh, Curracloe, Co. Wexford. She argued that she never signed the mortgage, had no knowledge of any loan, and that the property had been in her family since the 1990s. A handwriting expert retained by Madigan testified that the signatures on the mortgage and related documents were not hers, a finding accepted by the court. The judge dismissed the appeal that the property could be sold, upheld earlier orders preventing sale, and awarded Madigan €43,000 for damages over 43 months of improper maintenance plus exemplary damages of €10,000, totaling €53,000.
Anthony Walker, 52, pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court to possessing a .38″ special calibre Smith & Wesson revolver on November 23, 2021, on the south side of Dublin. He admitted that the circumstances suggested he had not obtained the firearm for a lawful purpose. A separate charge of possessing five rounds of .38 ammunition in similar circumstances remains active. Walker is also charged with participating in or contributing to activities that could facilitate a serious offence by a criminal organisation, knowing of its existence. The court ordered a psychological report and remanded him on continuing bail until April 8, when sentencing will occur. His co-accused, Ryan Kelly, 24, faces similar possession charges and a charge of facilitating a serious offence, with his trial date set for January 11 next year. The trial is expected to last four weeks.
Alan Ecock, a banking professional who had worked as a barman at Kavanagh's pub for nearly 30 years, was dismissed by the pub's owners in April for cost‑cutting. He claimed the dismissal was heartless and unlawful. Ecock had been employed full‑time by AIB since 1994 and worked two nights a week at the pub, a fact unknown to his bank colleagues. The pub's owners, the Peacock family, argued that Ecock was self‑employed and therefore not entitled to employment rights. The tribunal found Ecock was an employee under the Revenue code, and that the owners had breached the Unfair Dismissals Act by failing to consult or offer alternatives. Ecock was awarded €22,750 for unfair dismissal, €2,000 for lack of notice, and €1,000 for no written statement, totalling €25,750. The case was heard under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 and related statutes.
In a 2023 Workplace Relations Commission hearing, landlord Brendan O'Brien successfully defended a discrimination claim brought by pregnant tenant Megan Kenna under the Equal Status Act 2000. Kenna alleged that her tenancy at an apartment in Howth, Co Dublin, was terminated because of her gender and family status, and that she and her husband were bullied and threatened. O'Brien argued that his request for Kenna to move to a different apartment was based on genuine health and safety concerns about a spiral staircase that could not safely accommodate a baby or a buggy. He offered alternative accommodation, which Kenna deemed unsuitable. The WRC disregarded secret recordings of meetings with O'Brien, noting that the recordings were made covertly and that the landlord's statements were not evidence of discrimination. The tribunal concluded that the landlord's actions were not discriminatory and rejected Kenna's statutory complaint.
James Flynn, aged 32, was sentenced to eight years in prison for conspiring to steal a Volkswagen Passat that was used as the getaway vehicle in the 2013 Lordship Credit Union robbery in Bellurgan, Co. Louth. The Special Criminal Court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, found that Flynn knew the full purpose of the conspiracy and that the theft of the Passat was an integral part of the robbery plan. Although Flynn was acquitted of direct participation in the robbery itself, the court convicted him of conspiracy to steal the Passat. The judge set a headline sentence of nine years, reduced to eight after considering mitigating factors such as family testimonials, and backdated the sentence to 15 July 2021 when Flynn entered custody in the UK pending extradition. Flynn had previously fled Ireland and was extradited from the UK in April 2022.
The multi‑million euro theft trial of former solicitor Michael Lynn, aged 55, ended after two trials totalling 24 weeks. The first trial in spring 2022 failed to reach a verdict after 16 weeks of evidence. The second trial, held in October 2023, lasted eight weeks. Lynn was charged with 21 counts of theft for taking about €27 million from seven financial institutions between October 2006 and April 2007 while working as a solicitor and property developer. He pleaded not guilty. The prosecution alleged that Lynn obtained multiple mortgages on the same properties, forged documents, and used the loans for overseas property developments. Lynn denied the allegations, claiming banks had allowed him to use the money for such projects. The trial concluded with the jury still undecided, and no verdict was reached.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 59‑year‑old teacher faces one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault involving six complainants aged 17 to 24 between March 1991 and November 1997 in County Dublin. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC urged the jury to consider the historical context of gay discrimination in 1990s Ireland, arguing that the accused's alleged self‑preservation and fear of repercussions may explain his alleged false statements. He highlighted inconsistencies in the complainants' accounts and suggested the accused's emotional immaturity and the age disparity between him and the victims. Prosecutor Anne‑Marie Lawlor SC countered, stressing the need to disregard sympathy, noting the implausibility of multiple similar allegations, and emphasising the lack of consent in five incidents where victims were asleep. The judge, Mr Justice Alexander Owens, began his charge, with the trial expected to continue tomorrow. The unnamed 59-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a High Court hearing, Garvagh Homes Limited presented evidence that its agents were assaulted with bricks, rocks, delft and other objects while attempting to secure parts of properties it claims have been illegally occupied for months. The judge, Justice Rory Mulchay, had earlier granted an injunction requiring all alleged trespassers to vacate the properties, including a former carpet showroom, flats over disused commercial units and a garage on the North Circular and Phibsborough Roads in Dublin 7. The injunction applied immediately to the commercial sections, while a stay was placed on the residential part until 8 January. Garvagh's counsel sought to vary the order, arguing that the assault constituted an affray and that the residential area should be vacated immediately. The court accepted that some named defendants were not involved, but others, whose identities remain unknown, were throwing objects from the residential side.
Declan Service, a 63‑year‑old former multinational employee now a carer, was fined £60,000 at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for insider trading. Between 18 and 22 May 2020, he used confidential information about Open Orphan's discounted share sale to sell his 3.89 million shares before the public announcement and then buy back a smaller amount at the lower price. The court heard he made a profit of about £11,500, which could have risen to £44,000 if he had held the shares for a year. Service pleaded guilty, admitted the wrongdoing, and expressed regret. He faces a potential 18‑month prison term when sentencing is finalised next February. The judge noted his cooperation, good character, and mental health issues as mitigating factors, but confirmed the insider‑trading offence. The fine was ordered to be paid to his solicitor's account.
In a High Court case on 20 December 2023, a judge granted a temporary injunction lifting suspensions imposed on four members and officers of the Cabra Racing Pigeon Club. The suspensions were imposed by the Irish Homing Union Southern Region in October after the club's new committee, led by Daniel Boylan, requested documents from former committee members. The club's former members allegedly failed to provide the requested information and were accused of discussing a property developer's sale of the club's leasehold interest in exchange for a new clubhouse and a six‑figure sum. The four plaintiffs – Daniel Boylan, David Boylan, John Aylmer and Robert Timmons – claim the suspensions are wrongful and prevent them from registering or ringing new pigeon chicks, which would risk culling them. The judge, Mr Justice Mark Sanfey, issued the injunction ex‑parte, hoping the dispute could be resolved through mediation. The matter will return to the High Court in the New Year.
In a Galway apartment on 1 November 2019, a 25‑year‑old former defence forces member raped, sexually assaulted and repeatedly choked a 20‑year‑old college student. The attacker, who was serving in the military at the time, taunted the victim with remarks such as "You like all this Ted Bundy shit" and used force that included biting, punching and headlocks. The victim, who survived the night, later gave a victim impact statement describing the terror and the physical injuries she sustained. The accused pleaded guilty to one count of rape. Mr Justice David Keane sentenced him to nine years' imprisonment, suspending the final two years on strict conditions. The sentence was back‑dated to the day he entered custody on 7 June. The court noted the offender's good character, lack of prior convictions and exemplary military service as mitigating factors, while the extended nature of the assault and repeated choking were aggravating factors.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a jury convicted former solicitor Michael Lynn on ten counts of theft, finding him guilty of stealing approximately €17.9 million from six financial institutions between 2006 and 2007. The verdicts were delivered after a two‑day, eight‑week trial and six and a half hours of deliberation. The jury could not reach a verdict on the remaining eleven counts, including a single count against Bank of Ireland alleging a €2.7 million theft. Judge Martin Nolan remanded Lynn in custody and set a sentencing date for 15 January. Lynn, who had pleaded not guilty to 21 theft charges, had previously been struck off the roll of solicitors and had spent time in Brazilian prison before extradition. The case centred on Lynn's alleged use of "off‑the‑books" agreements to obtain multiple mortgages on the same properties, a practice he claimed was common in Celtic Tiger Ireland.
A 40‑year‑old Galway man was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury in Mullingar of sexual assault, attempted vaginal rape, anal and oral rape of his niece between 2007 and 2017. The victim, aged eight to ten and later fifteen to eighteen, described the abuse as relentless and degrading, noting the uncle's threats and grooming. The court imposed a headline sentence of 17½ years for the rape offences and seven years for the assault charges, but the judge set a global sentence of 15 years with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions. The defendant, who has a prior assault conviction and struggles with mental health and addiction, maintains his innocence. The judge cited the prolonged period of offending, the victim's profound harm, and mitigating factors such as the defendant's cooperation and family support. The sentence was confirmed after a three‑week trial.
A teenager from Sligo pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to sexually assaulting his eight-year-old cousin and recording the incident on St Stephen's Day 2021. The boy, who was 14 at the time and cannot be named due to his age, attempted to upload the video to YouTube, which intervention by the platform prevented. The attempt to upload led authorities to identify him. He has been sentenced to 16 months in detention followed by 16 months of probation supervision. Ms Justice Melanie Greally noted aggravating factors including the victim's age, breach of trust, premeditation, and efforts to upload the recording to social media. She accepted mitigating circumstances including the guilty plea and expressions of remorse. The judge set a headline sentence of 12 years had the defendant been an adult, reducing it to four years due to his age, then imposing the 16-month custodial term. The case has been referred to Tusla. The victim and her family provided impact statements describing ongoing distress.
A bus driver who claimed he was misdiagnosed with a heart condition and taken off the road by his employer's medical department will not receive compensation. The Workplace Relations Commission found the public transport company did not act unfairly, but urged it to give the driver extra paid leave days after he argued that a faulty cardiac test used up his sick pay. The driver, represented by the National Bus and Rail Union, said the ECG on 15 November 2022 had sensor difficulties and that he was told he had suffered a cardiac event, which shocked him and his family. He was taken off work, used up his paid sick leave, and returned to driving on 10 December after a second, clear ECG at a private clinic. The company maintained that its fitness-to-work assessments were reasonable and applied uniformly.
The 59‑year‑old teacher, accused of attempted rape and eight counts of sexual assault against six students aged 17‑24 between 1991 and 1997, pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. He testified that he initially lied to Gardaí during voluntary interviews, denying any sexual contact with the complainants out of panic and shame. He later provided statements clarifying his position, admitting he had lied. During cross‑examination he denied grooming or pressuring the students, claimed some were mistaken or lying, and described his actions as "mutual" or "happened" without intent to assault. He denied attempting anal sex and said he stopped when a student did not want it. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens, continues with the jury hearing his direct evidence and the prosecution's case.
The jury in the multi‑million euro theft trial of former solicitor Michael Lynn retired after a day of deliberation, having spent three hours and 45 minutes in the courtroom. Judge Martin Nolan sent them home, and they will resume consideration of their verdicts tomorrow. Lynn, 55, of Millbrook Court, Redcross, Co Wicklow, faces 21 counts of theft for allegedly stealing about €27 million from seven financial institutions between 23 October 2006 and 20 April 2007. He has pleaded not guilty. The trial continues.
Giorgi Bazadye, a 50‑year‑old Georgian resident of Dublin, was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to possessing false Slovakian identity documents. The court heard that he and his adult son had attempted to send a package to Italy containing four high‑quality fake Slovakian national identity cards and four matching driving licences. Gardaí had been alerted by DHL staff who expressed concern about the contents. Bazadye, who moved to Ireland in 2007, has 79 prior convictions, mainly for shoplifting and traffic offences, and his visa was revoked following earlier offences. He is married to a Lithuanian woman and has three young children, the youngest 14 months old. The judge emphasised deterrence and the seriousness of undermining the immigration system when imposing the sentence.
In December 2021 a 56‑year‑old woman, Helen Jones, was convicted of murdering her 52‑year‑old brother Paul Jones in Cork. The jury found that on 4 September 2019 Jones and her partner Keith O'Hara had taken a taxi to Paul's house on Bandon Road, where an altercation at the front door led to Paul being found inside the house wearing only underwear and covered in blood. A post‑mortem revealed 25 stab wounds and a chop wound to the head. Jones was sentenced to life imprisonment by Mr Justice Michael MacGrath. In December 2023 Jones appealed, arguing that the search warrant issued on 10 September 2019 by a district court judge was not valid because the detective's oath was not properly recorded. The Court of Appeal heard arguments from both sides, with the DPP maintaining the warrant was lawful and the appeal pending.
Helen Lucey, Coroner for North Kerry, has filed a High Court challenge against An Bord Pleanala, the Minister for Housing and Local Government, and the Attorney General over the decision that lands in Tonafoa, Dunmanway, Co. Cork, are eligible for the Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT). Lucey inherited the lands from her late father and intended to seek planning permission to build houses or sell the land to a builder. A planning professional advised her that obtaining permission would be futile because Cork County Council is refusing all planning permissions in the Dunmanway area due to the local wastewater treatment plant's limited capacity. In March, the council added the lands to a map of RZLT sites, a decision Lucey appealed to An Bord Pleanala. The board dismissed her appeal and upheld the council's decision. Lucey now seeks judicial review, arguing the decision is unfair, unlawful, and irrational, and that the 2022 RZLT guidelines were issued without proper jurisdiction.
Joshua Wilson, owner of Marlfield House near Clonmel, sued in the High Court to stop about ten alleged trespassers from occupying the historic Palladian house and its 33 acres. Wilson says the defendants, who claim valid tenancies, are blocking renovation work and causing damage by littering, blocking drains and damaging the roof. He purchased the property in October after receivership and has been unable to access parts of the house for repairs, including a collapsed ceiling that he says poses a danger. Wilson alleges the house was divided into 14 units and eight chalets were built without planning permission, and that no valid tenancy agreements exist under the 2007 mortgage clause. The court, hearing the case on Tuesday, granted Wilson permission to serve short‑notice injunction papers and adjourned the matter to January, allowing an earlier return if needed.
Roman German, a 41‑year‑old fishmonger from Vilinus, Lithuania, was arrested at Dublin Port on 6 December 2022 after a sniffer dog detected a bag containing €420,405 in cash. German had flown into Ireland on 5 December, stayed near Croke Park, then travelled to a security deposit box facility in Dublin 4 where he collected the money. He pleaded guilty to money‑laundering at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Garda Sean Dineen explained that German had no prior convictions in Ireland or Lithuania and that he was acting as a courier, not the owner or beneficiary of the cash, and was to be paid €200 for the service. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC noted German's business had failed and that he had no criminal record. Judge Elma Sheahan, taking into account his guilty plea, family and low re‑offending risk, sentenced him to 18 months' imprisonment, back‑dating the term to the date of his arrest.
George Finglas, who lived on the North Circular Road, Dublin 7, was sentenced to nine years in prison for transporting more than 128 kg of cannabis, worth an estimated €2.56 million, to reduce a gambling debt. He pleaded guilty last year and appealed the sentence as excessive. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Ms Justice Tara Burns, rejected all grounds of appeal, stating the sentencing judge had made no error and the sentence was not disproportionate. In February 2021, Revenue officials discovered two pallets of cannabis at Dublin Port, and Gardaí from the National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau conducted a surveillance operation that led to Finglas's arrest at a commercial premises in Lusk, Co Dublin. Finglas admitted moving the drugs under direction, citing a €25,000 gambling debt and fear of debtors. He had no prior convictions and entered an early guilty plea.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal of Darren Murphy, who was convicted of the 2012 murder of Eamon Kelly. Murphy, of George's Place, Dublin 1, was found guilty by the Special Criminal Court in November 2021 for acting as a "spotter" in the gang's common design to ambush Kelly. He was sentenced to life in January 2022. The court also found Murphy not guilty of possessing a Glock pistol with intent to endanger life due to insufficient evidence. Murphy's legal team argued that the CCTV identification process was flawed and that Garda witnesses lacked credibility, claiming officers had prior knowledge of the case. Ms Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh rejected these submissions, stating the identification process was excellent and that the trial court's findings on witness credibility were not perverse. The appellate court agreed with the trial judge that the evidence demonstrated careful planning and advance surveillance, confirming Murphy's involvement in the joint enterprise. Separately, Sean Connolly, of Bernard Curtis House, Bluebell, Dublin, was jailed for life by the Special Criminal Court in 2015 for the same murder. The appeal hearing concluded with the dismissal of Murphy's bid to overturn his conviction.
Joao Silva Pinto, 25, of Mabbot Lane, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography on a phone at his address on 18 June 2022. He had downloaded 78 videos, 43 category‑one and 35 category‑two, and 784 CGI anime images, category‑four, from a file‑sharing site and stored them on Google Drive. Gardaí seized his phone and documents during a search, and a warrant had been obtained in February 2022. Judge Martina Baxter, hearing the case in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, noted aggravating factors such as the nature of the material and harm to real child victims, and mitigating factors including his early plea, full cooperation, remorse and family support. She sentenced him to 12 months' imprisonment, suspended in its entirety on strict conditions, and emphasised the need for rehabilitation and deterrence in his sentence structure.
In a December 2018 Christmas arson spree, 34‑year‑old Graham Shannon set fire to three cars and an auto‑body garage in Wexford, destroying the owner's livelihood. He pleaded guilty to four counts of criminal damage. The State appealed the original cumulative sentence of three and a half years, arguing it was unduly lenient and that the four arsons should carry consecutive sentences. The Court of Appeal, led by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, quashed the original sentence and imposed a new nine‑year term: four years for each of the first three vehicle arsons (concurrent) and six years for the garage arson (consecutive), with the final year suspended. The decision was based on the financial loss to the garage owner, the "revenge" element, and Shannon's extensive criminal history, including 82 prior convictions and multiple serious offences. The suspended year was back‑dated to April 7, 2022.
In a Dublin suburb, three brothers – Michael (30), Thomas (39) and Patrick (20) – were caught by Garda helicopter digging up nearly €80,000 in coffee jars at a field in Keatings Park, Rathcoole, on 14 August 2020. The cash, believed to come from burglaries, was found in Lidl coffee jars, with loose cash and a smashed jar, and was damp, suggesting recent excavation. The brothers had earlier approached local businesses to inquire about groundworks on the land and asked that the works be stopped, but were told a builder was removing hedges. They claimed they were building horse fences. Initially charged with money‑laundering, they pleaded guilty to possession of stolen property. The court adjourned sentencing to 4 March 2024 for mitigation pleas. The case involved the "Wall organised crime group" and was investigated with confidential information that the brothers were seeking buried cash. The brothers were arrested and identified on Garda footage.
The 17‑year‑old serving a life sentence for the murder of Urantsetseg Tserendorj shouted "f**k off, get me out of this court" when the Court of Appeal refused to reduce his term. He also shouted insults at staff as they escorted him to the cell. The appeal was dismissed by Ms Justice Tara Burns, who upheld the life sentence with a 13‑year review, citing the pre‑meditated knife attack on a defenseless woman. The appeal had argued the sentence was disproportionate for a 14‑year‑old at the time of the offence and that mitigating factors such as drug addiction had not been adequately considered. The court noted the defendant's intent to rob and the use of a knife, and rejected the claim that the sentence was too harsh. The judge said the defendant must work toward rehabilitation by the review date. Urantsetseg Tserendorj pleaded guilty and was found guilty.
A 26‑year‑old man was jailed for six and a half years after a Central Criminal Court jury convicted him in October of 31 counts of sexual assault, oral rape and attempted anal rape of a boy who lived next door. The offences took place between January 2012 and August 2017, when the accused was aged 14 to 19 and the victim 7 to 10. The court heard that the man touched the boy's penis, forced the boy to touch his, and escalated to oral rape and attempted anal rape. The victim said the assaults were repeated many times and described them as a "complete nightmare." The accused denied the charges and did not accept the verdict. Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo set a headline sentence of 14 years, reduced to eight years, and suspended 18 months on strict conditions. The case was heard in the Central Criminal Court.
Sean Kemp, 29, raided an Applegreen petrol station in Inchicore on 1 October 2020, brandishing a realistic imitation handgun and demanding cash. He forced staff to fill a bag with €315 before leaving. CCTV identified him and he was arrested, admitting the robbery and apologising. Kemp had a history of 73 convictions and was spending up to €70 a day on drugs, including heroin, methadone and crack cocaine. He used the robbery proceeds to pay a drug debt and claimed the offence was out of character. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced him to a headline five‑year term, reduced to three years and nine months, with the final nine months suspended on strict conditions after noting his rehabilitation work. The court highlighted that drugs were a root cause of his offending. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Sean Kemp pleaded guilty.
In a case described as "difficult", a 17‑year‑old Galway teenager pleaded guilty to one count of anal rape and two counts of sexual assault against his nine‑year‑old sister. The court, noting that both the victim and defendant still live in the family home, imposed a fully suspended detention of three years for the rape and one year for each assault. All periods were suspended for two years on strict conditions, including the teenager's continued education and completion of his Leaving Certificate or an equivalent programme. He was placed under Probation Service supervision for 12 months. The judge cited a "positive" report and urged the boy to remain grateful to his sister and family, while acknowledging the family's ongoing trauma and the need to keep the matter behind them. The teenager's mother attended the hearing. The case was handled with sensitivity by the court and involved reports from Tusla, Probation and psychological services.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a woman whose husband of 20 years repeatedly raped her with household objects while she was unconscious revealed her shock upon discovering "perverse, indecent, hideous images" of the assaults on his home computer. She described the moment as "like a bomb went off in my head" and said the abuse had altered her past, present and future. The 49‑year‑old man was found guilty of 11 counts of sexual assault, including penetration with a knife, cheese grater, bottle, carrot, banana, cucumber, tulip, wooden spatula, decanter stopper, part of a shoe and bicycle pump, between January 2005 and September 2014. The verdict followed a retrial after the first jury returned not‑guilty on four counts and could not agree on the rest. The woman, now 50, was unconscious and unable to consent during the assaults. She had a drinking problem and was on medication for depression.
The 59‑year‑old teacher, accused of sexual assault, pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault involving six complainants aged 17‑24 between 1991 and 1997. In his testimony, he described a 1997 incident where an 18‑year‑old student stayed at his house and slept in his bed. He claimed the student entered the bed because the house was cold, that he left after the student was dressed, and that he later returned to sleep. He called the student's presence a "major mistake" and denied any sexual contact. He also addressed allegations from other complainants, stating he had no recollection of the incidents and denied sexual interaction, though he later admitted performing oral sex in some cases. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury.
The jury in the multi‑million euro theft trial of former solicitor Michael Lynn is ready to begin deliberations after Judge Martin Nolan delivered his charge on day 33. Judge Nolan instructed jurors to set aside prejudice and remain dispassionate, noting that most people dislike banks and that reckless behaviour had harmed the state. Lynn, 55, is accused of stealing about €27 million from seven financial institutions between 2006 and 2007, including Bank of Ireland, National Irish Bank, Irish Life and Permanent, Ulster Bank, ACC Bank, Bank of Scotland Ireland and Irish Nationwide Building Society. He pleaded not guilty to 21 counts of theft. The prosecution alleges Lynn obtained multiple mortgages on the same properties without banks knowing other lenders were involved, while the defence claims he had "off‑the‑books" agreements with all banks to use the loan money for overseas property developments, and that the banks were aware of this purpose.
Joe Dunne, 82, a former priest, was given a fully suspended four‑year sentence in March 2023 for five counts of indecent assault on a young woman who was already vulnerable. The victim, who had been abused previously, described the abuse as violent and terrifying, noting that Dunne exploited his chaplaincy role and repeatedly assaulted her in remote locations. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, overturned the suspended sentence, citing the gravity of the offences and the impact on the victim. Edwards imposed a headline six‑year custodial sentence, discounted two years for guilty pleas and personal circumstances, and suspended an additional two years, leaving Dunne with a two‑year jail term. The decision was made after the court considered Dunne's age, health, and the dependency of his 94‑year‑old sister, whom he solely cares for. The case was originally uncovered in 2019 when Gardaí found letters from the victim to her bishop.
A woman accused of murdering her former housemate became visibly distressed when a jury at the Central Criminal Court failed to reach a verdict following a month-long trial. The jury of twelve spent seven hours and 33 minutes deliberating before informing Mr Justice Paul McDermott that unanimity was impossible. The judge had indicated he would accept a majority verdict of at least ten jurors before they returned unable to agree. Nicola Brennan, 33, of no fixed abode, had denied murdering Juris Viktorovs at Shillelagh, Ballyconnell, County Cavan, on 10 February 2022. The prosecution case centred on eye-witness testimony and forensic evidence. The defence challenged the consistency and reliability of the key witness account and questioned whether guilt had been established beyond reasonable doubt. Mr Justice McDermott adjourned the matter until 24 January 2024, when a date for retrial will be set. The jurors were discharged and exempted from further service for ten years. Nicola Brennan pleaded not guilty.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, Barbara Remic, former head of products and marketing at Suirsafe Technologies Ltd, secured an €88,000 award for unfair dismissal and breaches of wage law. Remic had agreed to a 50% pay cut in May 2022, reducing her salary from €180,000 to €7,500 a month, but the company stopped paying her in July 2022. She lodged complaints in December 2022 and resigned on 4 July 2023, claiming constructive dismissal. The tribunal found Suirsafe breached the Payment of Wages Act from October 2022 to June 2023, ordering payment of €67,500 for the unpaid salary, €10,384 for statutory annual leave, and €3,000 for breach of the Organisation of Working Time Act. The unfair dismissal award was €6,923, bringing the total to €87,807. The company's management did not attend the hearing.
In a sentencing hearing, a 23‑year‑old man, Camden Konopka, pleaded guilty to attempting to murder his mother, Fiona Konopka, and to criminal damage. He set fire to their home on 19 September 2019, then locked his mother in and discarded her keys. The fire caused €60,289.47 in damage, mainly to a couch in the living room. Konopka had a history of mental illness, including schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder, and had been under psychiatric care. He claimed he had consumed opium, antidepressants and wine the day before the fire, feeling suicidal. He also admitted to using his mother's keys to lock the door and throwing them away. The court remanded him in custody and scheduled a probation report for 1 March next year. The mother was not present at the hearing and has since been rehoused.
Derek Byrne, 40, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court to eight years and six months in prison for facilitating the attempted murder of Noel Boylan. The court found Byrne guilty of participating in the activities of a criminal organisation with the intention of facilitating the offence, which occurred between May 27 and June 1, 2019. He was identified on CCTV footage purchasing the Toyota Avensis used to transport the gunman. The judge noted that the shooting only became an attempted murder because the weapon jammed. Byrne, who has a history of drug abuse and 78 previous convictions, was already serving a seven-and-a-half-year sentence for unlawful possession of a firearm, having been in custody since December 3, 2019. The new sentence includes a suspended portion of 12 months for three years, conditional on engaging with probation services. The court determined the new sentence should run concurrently with the existing one. Separately, Alan Graham, 51, was previously jailed for 10 years after pleading guilty to facilitating the attempted murder of Lee Boylan, Noel Boylan's son, in a related incident on March 6, 2019.
At the Central Criminal Court, a trial date of January 13, 2025 has been fixed in a case involving two Donegal residents accused of murder. Alan Vial, aged 38, of Killybegs, and Nikita Burns, aged 22, of Bundoran, face charges relating to the death of a man in his 60s originally from County Tyrone. The body was discovered in waters off Sliabh Liag cliffs on July 3, 2023, following a comprehensive search operation. The court heard that the book of evidence contains 213 witnesses. Mr Justice Paul McDermott indicated the trial is expected to last approximately four weeks and advised counsel to identify areas of agreed evidence beforehand, given the substantial witness list involved in the proceedings.
In a High Court case, Garvagh Homes Limited, claiming ownership of several Dublin 7 properties, sought vacant possession after alleging unlawful occupation by trespassers who allegedly used the sites for raves, poetry readings, boxing, gigs and as a community centre. The developer, represented by Martin Hayden SC and Paul Fogarty BL, argued that the occupants had no legal right, that alcohol was sold, and that serious fire safety concerns existed, citing a Dublin City Council fire safety notice. Some residents denied the trespassing claims and said they had entitlement to reside there. The court, after hearing submissions, granted Garvagh an order requiring occupants to vacate the premises and cease trespassing, but imposed a stay until 8 January 2024 to allow residents time to find alternative accommodation. The judge also upheld previous prohibitions on commercial activities on the site and ordered a map to delineate commercial and residential areas. The case will return for confirmation of the injunctions.