The Special Criminal Court has heard the appeal of Michael Carroll, who was previously sentenced to 22 years imprisonment for a firearms offence and attempted murder. Carroll, who pleaded guilty to a new charge of having in his possession or control a firearm with intent to endanger life, contrary to Section 15 of the Firearms Act, at Drumalee Avenue on September 2, 2016, was sentenced to 10 years and six months for the firearms offence. He also pleaded guilty to one charge of attempted murder of Edward Staunton at Railway Street on March 26, 2017, and was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment consecutive to that for the attempted murder offence. The judge noted that the firearms offence on John Hutch carried a presumptive minimum sentence of ten years imprisonment and that the attempted murder of Mr Staunton was aggravated by the recent commission of the serious firearm offence. The court considered mitigation and suspended the last two years and six months of the adjusted 14-year sentence, resulting in a final sentence of 22 years for the two offences. The matter was adjourned for further consideration at the Court of Appeal.
During the Stardust inquest, manager Eamon Butterly, 78, testified that if he had acted differently, he would never have converted the factory into a nightclub. He denied lying about the exit‑door policy, though he admitted his statements to the 1981 tribunal were contradictory to those given to the coroner's court. Butterly said the policy of draping chains over exit doors was initiated by head doorman Tom Kennan and that he could not claim full ownership. He maintained that the doors were open at the time of the fire, citing Kennan's confirmation, and that he had no role in post‑fire insurance claims. Butterly also explained that carpet tiles on the walls were approved by Dublin Corporation, and that he had consulted an expert, Harold Gardner, regarding their use. The inquest heard evidence that the tiles were Class 4, contributing to the fire's spread. The jury noted the conflicting accounts and the lack of a written policy.
During the Stardust inquest, manager Eamon Butterly testified that the policy of locking and unlocking exit doors was a joint decision with the doormen, initiated by the head doorman Tom Kennan. Butterly admitted that his evidence to the inquest contradicted statements he had given to the 1981 tribunal, where he claimed he had no role in the decision to lock doors. He said the practice of draping chains over panic bars—creating a "mock‑locked" appearance—had been in place for a long time, while the actual locking of certain doors began only about three weeks before the fire. Butterly maintained that he had not personally operated a door with a padlock and chain, and that responsibility for checking door status lay with the head doorman. He also stated that he had no knowledge of any arrangement to stall inspectors, and that he had not concealed any information from authorities.
During the inquest into the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire, manager Eamon Butterly testified that three of the club's exits could be considered failures. He explained that chains had been wrapped around panic bars on exit doors to give the impression they were locked, a practice he said was initiated by the doormen and only in place for two to three weeks before the blaze. Butterly admitted that the doors were not effectively opened during the fire, citing witnesses who described doors that would not open without force, were blocked by chains or padlocks, and that some exits were locked or only partially opened. He agreed with the coroner that exits two, three, four and five exhibited chaotic or obstructed conditions, while he did not consider exit five a failure.
During the first day of evidence at the Stardust inquest, manager Eamon Butterly testified that the nightclub's staff received no fire‑safety training. He said that responsibility for training lay with head doorman Tom Kennan, who would hire experienced doormen, and that general manager Brian Peel was ultimately responsible for staff training. Butterly denied having a role in hiring and claimed he was unaware of any policy requiring fire‑safety instruction. He recounted that on the night of the February 14, 1981 fire, the doormen were told the exits were unlocked and that they had men stationed at each exit. Butterly also stated that he had no recollection of any exit doors being locked or of any obstructions to exits, and that he had not been told of any incidents involving sparks or smoke prior to the fire. His testimony was read into the record and will continue tomorrow in the Pillar Room of the Rotunda Hospital.
The Workplace Relations Commission ruled that a "veiled threat" to veterinary inspector Louis Reardon was linked to his claims that Minister Simon Coveney and former Taoiseach Enda Kenny interfered with investigations by the Department of Agriculture. The tribunal, however, could not establish a link between the threat message, sent a day after Reardon's protected disclosure, and his involuntary transfer three years later. Reardon's complaint of penalisation under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 was rejected because the adjudicator could not be satisfied that the threat was part of a sustained retaliation. The tribunal noted that the transfer decision was made during a review that began before Reardon's disclosure and that senior officials had no knowledge of the disclosure at the time of the reassignment. The adjudicator concluded that the transfer was a legitimate reassignment, albeit questionable in its efficacy, and ruled Reardon's complaint "not well founded.".
Two men have been acquitted of robbery in connection with the 2013 Lordship Credit Union heist in Bellurgan, County Louth, during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was killed. Following a three-month trial at the Special Criminal Court, judges found insufficient evidence to convict Brendan Treanor of carrying out the robbery itself, though the court noted his association with the criminal gang involved. James Flynn, from South Armagh, was cleared of direct participation in the robbery but convicted of conspiracy to steal the getaway vehicle used in the raid. The three-judge panel, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, determined that while evidence established both men's involvement with the crime's planning and execution, the prosecution had not proven beyond reasonable doubt that either was among the four men who entered the credit union car park. Flynn will be sentenced on November 13th. Aaron Brady, separately convicted of Detective Donohoe's murder, is serving a life sentence and pursuing an appeal. Brendan Treanor pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court has convicted James Flynn, an Armagh man, of conspiring with garda killer Aaron Brady to steal a Volkswagen Passat on 22 and 23 January 2013 at locations in County Louth. The vehicle is alleged to have been used in the robbery of Lordship Credit Union near Dundalk two days later, during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was murdered. Presiding Judge Tony Hunt, sitting with Judges Sarah Berkeley and Alan Mitchell, found the prosecution case consistent with the conspiracy charge, citing CCTV evidence and communication timings as circumstantial support. Flynn's co-accused, Brendan Treanor, was acquitted of conspiracy to commit burglary, the court determining insufficient evidence for conviction. The judges continue to deliver verdicts on the separate robbery charge against both men, who deny all allegations. Both defendants face charges relating to the €7,000 Lordship robbery and the wider conspiracy involving car thefts between September 2012 and January 2013. Brendan Treanor pleaded not guilty.
Michael Martin, a Dublin Port docker employed by Scruttons (NI) Ltd, claims he was unfairly dismissed after failing a workplace drug test that found 234 ng/ml of cocaine, far above the 8 ng/ml fail rate and 10 ng/ml legal limit. He says the company's duty of care was breached because he turned to alcohol and drugs following a 2019 fatal accident involving a truck driver, for which he had no support beyond two counselling sessions. Martin argues the dismissal was excessive and that alternative roles such as a checker could have been offered, but none were available. The company's operations manager explained that random drug testing had been routine for years due to the high‑risk nature of the work, and that safety‑critical roles required a drug‑free state.
The jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict for Noel Long, a 74‑year‑old former British Army soldier, in the oldest murder prosecution in Irish history. Long, who has prior sexual and assault convictions, was found guilty of murdering 42‑year‑old Nora Sheehan in June 1981. The jury accepted the State's case that DNA from semen found on Sheehan's body matched DNA from Long's clothing, and that fibres and paint fragments from the victim matched those from Long's car. The defence argued that the State failed to prove intent and that the case could be manslaughter, but the jury rejected this. The verdict was reached after 5 hours and 32 minutes of deliberation. The judge thanked the jurors and indicated that a mandatory life sentence would be handed down shortly. The Sheehan family was expected to address the court about the impact of the loss. Noel Long pleaded not guilty.
In early summer 2023, Noel Long received a call from Detective Inspector Eamonn Brady about new evidence in the 1981 murder of Nora Sheehan. Long declined to meet with Gardaí or discuss the evidence, stating he wanted no involvement. The article recounts the 1981 discovery of Sheehan's body in Shippool Woods, describing the scene, the victim's injuries, and the forensic work that linked fibres and paint from Long's 1981 Opel Kadett to the victim. It details the 2008 DNA review that produced a partial male profile from a semen sample, later matched to DNA on a beanie hat taken from Long in 2021. The article also notes the defence's challenge to the reliability of the Low Copy Number DNA method and the State Pathologist's statement that Sheehan's cause of death was unascertained.
A jury of eleven returned to the Central Criminal Court to continue deliberating a cold‑case murder trial involving Noel Long, 74, of Passage West, Cork. Long is charged with the murder of 54‑year‑old Nora Sheehan, whose body was found in Shippool Woods in 1981. The jury had spent 4 hours 44 minutes on their first day of deliberations and was instructed by Judge Paul McDermott to resume at 10.30 am the next day. The prosecution's case, presented by Brendan Grehan SC, relied on forensic evidence, including a partial DNA profile from semen on Sheehan's body that matched DNA on clothing taken from Long in 2021, fibres from the victim's carpet that matched those from Long's car, and paint fragments that matched the same vehicle. The defence, led by Michael Delaney SC, argued that the evidence was solely forensic and did not establish intent, suggesting a possible manslaughter verdict. Noel Long pleaded not guilty.
Irene Glynn, a dental assistant at the Carlow Dental Centre, was dismissed after her employer claimed a Facebook post she had made was "hate speech" against Ukrainian refugees. Glynn said she was never given a chance to defend herself and that her account might have been hacked. The Workplace Relations Commission found the centre failed to investigate the allegation properly and that dismissal was not justified, ruling it could have been a warning instead. The tribunal upheld her unfair dismissal claim under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977, awarding her statutory notice pay under the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Act 1973. The total compensation awarded was €10,564.62, including €8,552.31 for 17 weeks' pay and €2,012.31 for four weeks' notice pay. The case highlighted the employer's lack of a social media policy and the need for a proper investigation before dismissal.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice Paul McDermott informed a jury that the 74‑year‑old Noel Long's trial could be the oldest murder prosecution in the State, noting the difficulty of proving an old case. The jury, after 35 minutes of deliberation, will return tomorrow. Long, who lives in Maulbawn, Passage West, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of 54‑year‑old Nora Sheehan, who disappeared between 6 and 12 June 1981 and whose body was found at The Viewing Point, Shippool Woods. The prosecution's case rests on circumstantial evidence, including the victim's movements, the discovery of her body, and a DNA match between a sample from her body and a beanie hat taken from Long in 2021. Mr McDermott reminded jurors that no statute of limitations applies to murder, that over 280 exhibits were lost, and that the defence had concerns about a missing vaginal swab.
The Department of Agriculture is accused of transferring whistleblower Louis Reardon out of the investigations unit following his protected disclosure about political interference in criminal investigations, according to a lawyer at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). Reardon made the disclosure on August 2, 2017, alleging interference by former officials and politicians. The following day, a senior civil servant suggested Reardon be moved to the wildlife section, which he rejected. The department claims the transfer in 2020 was unrelated to the disclosure and part of a review initiated in 2017. Reardon argues the move was retaliation and has requested to be transferred back to the investigations unit. The department denies any breach of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 and states there was no penalty to Reardon. Evidence presented suggests the review began before the disclosure, and the department claims the transfer was due to internal management issues and the need for staff mobility.
At the Central Criminal Court, prosecutors have submitted that forensic evidence in a cold case murder trial points inescapably to the guilt of the accused. Senior counsel Brendan Grehan closed the State's case against Noel Long, aged 74, of Maulbawn, Passage West, County Cork, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Nora Sheehan between 6 and 12 June 1981. Ms Sheehan's body was discovered at Shippool Woods, Cork, six days after she went missing. Mr Grehan told the jury that fibres from the victim's clothing and paint fragments matched those from the accused's Opel Kadett motor vehicle. A DNA profile recovered from semen found on the deceased matched that from a beanie hat belonging to Mr Long, with odds of one in 23,000 against it being unrelated. Defence counsel Michael Delaney SC argued the 42-year delay was unprecedented and that critical exhibits had been lost, preventing independent verification of the prosecution's forensic findings. The jury's verdict is now pending.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, brothers Ian (34) and Daniel (43) Connaghan were found not guilty of murder after a jury deliberated 14 hours. The jury, however, convicted Ian of manslaughter and Daniel of intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to 55‑year‑old Michael 'Mick' Mulvey, who died 13 days after the November 14, 2019 assault. The brothers had pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and to the serious harm charges. The State's case alleged that Ian attacked Mulvey near The Halfway House Pub, leaving him on the ground, and that Daniel joined him in a subsequent beating on a traffic island. The jury accepted that the brothers' actions substantially contributed to Mulvey's death but did not find the intent required for murder. No verdicts were recorded for the two assault‑causing‑harm charges, and Daniel was granted bail pending a probation report.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 1 August 2023, a jury found 55‑year‑old Michael Connolly guilty of manslaughter by diminished responsibility for the death of 37‑year‑old Mark Lawlor in Cloverhill Prison in 2019. Connolly, originally from Louth, had scalded Lawlor with hot water before strangling him. He had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury considered conflicting psychiatric evidence: Dr Stephen Monks and Dr Sally Linehan both diagnosed paranoid schizophrenia but disagreed on whether Connolly was entitled to a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury reached a 10‑2 majority verdict of manslaughter. The case was adjourned to 2 October for sentencing and victim impact statements. No murder conviction was secured. The trial highlighted the dispute over psychiatric testimony and the application of diminished responsibility.
In a High Court hearing on 31 July 2023, Justice Marguerite Bolger described the living conditions of the McInerney family—six members of the Irish Traveller Community—as "wretched" and "very unsettling." The family, who had been living in a one‑berth caravan and sleeping in a car for several months, had been moved from roadside accommodation in Toomevara to the Springfort Retail Park in Nenagh, only to be told by Garda Síochána to vacate that site as well. Between April and mid‑July they mainly slept in a car, with brief periods in emergency accommodation before receiving a caravan in mid‑July. The family claims that since May they have been denied hotel accommodation and have received only €100 per night toward B&B costs, which they say is insufficient.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 67‑year‑old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced to eight years and three months' imprisonment, with the final year suspended on strict conditions. He pleaded guilty to one count of anal rape of a nine‑year‑old girl in June 2021. The victim, who was the granddaughter of the man's distant relative, was living in the same house as the defendant and her mother until 2020. She disclosed the abuse to her mother on 16 July 2021, who called the Gardaí. The defendant was arrested in September 2021 after a Gardaí interview in which he admitted living at the address but denied the assault. He has two prior non‑sexual convictions and is due to appear later this year on a separate charge. The judge noted the aggravating factors of the victim's age and the breach of trust, and the mitigating factor of the defendant's guilty plea.
Jason Owens, 34, of Oak Grove, Royal Oak, Santry, Dublin 9, pleaded guilty to assaulting Conor Kelly at the Cock and Bull pub in Coolock on 1 January 2020. Owens, a former Taekwon‑Do international, struck Kelly with a savage, powerful punch in the pub toilets, causing life‑threatening injuries. CCTV showed the punch was extraordinarily effective, and Owens also kicked Kelly once in the head before leaving. Kelly suffered haemorrhaging to the brain, a fracture, and required 18 days in intensive care and four surgeries. Owens was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to three and a half years, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions. The judge noted Owens' lack of intent to cause such injuries but highlighted the reckless nature of the attack. No prior convictions were recorded for Owens.
Craig Lynham, aged 23, was sentenced to 16 months in prison by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for four counts of sexual assault committed against a 14‑year‑old girl during a sleepover in February 2020. The victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, was present at a gathering where Lynham, then 19, sat beside her on the sofa while they watched television. Over the course of the night, he inappropriately touched her on four separate occasions, causing her to freeze and not move. She reported the incident to her boyfriend the following day, who informed her father, leading to a complaint to the Gardaí. Lynham has 11 prior convictions, including possession of stolen property and drug offences, and is already serving a sentence for another matter. He has expressed remorse and accepted the jury's verdict. Craig Lynham was found guilty.
A 23‑year‑old woman was raped by Albert Crowley, 68, in his Dublin home on 8 March 2019. She awoke to sexual moaning, saw Crowley, slapped him and fled. Crowley later claimed she had consented. The woman, intoxicated and asleep, suffered severe trauma, including PTSD, self‑harm attempts and depression, and has struggled to care for her two‑year‑old daughter. She testified that she overdosed and was hospitalised for five days after seeing Crowley at trial. Crowley pleaded not guilty to rape and five sexual assault charges, was convicted on all charges, and was sentenced to six years' imprisonment with the final six months suspended. He must engage with the Probation Service for two years upon release. The case highlighted a breach of trust and a 40‑year age gap between the parties. The woman was described by the judge as brave and courageous, yet profoundly affected by the assault.
The cold case murder trial of Noel Long, 74, who has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of 54-year-old Nora Sheehan between June 6 and June 12, 1981, continued before Mr Justice Paul McDermott. Former State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy, called by the defence, testified that the cause of Mrs Sheehan's death remains unascertained. While she agreed with the prosecution that death by asphyxia via two specific methods could not be proved or disproved, she stated there was no evidence of strangulation. Dr Cassidy noted the absence of petechial haemorrhage and ligature marks, suggesting the victim may have died elsewhere before her body was transported to Shippool Woods in Cork. She indicated that injuries to the head and face were consistent with an assault but unlikely to be fatal on their own. The prosecution argued the death resulted from foul play, citing the victim's naked and bruised state. Dr Cassidy acknowledged that while smothering is difficult to sustain, it could not be excluded. The matter was adjourned, with the trial set to continue before the jury.
In a Central Criminal Court murder trial, the jury was instructed that the core issue was the differing conclusions of two psychiatrists regarding Michael Connolly, a 55‑year‑old from Louth. Connolly, who scalded and strangled cellmate Mark Lawlor, 37, in Cloverhill Prison on 23 November 2019, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Dr Stephen Monks testified that Connolly did not understand the nature or wrongness of his actions, supporting a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Dr Sally Linehan, however, found that Connolly understood he had killed another person, suggesting a verdict of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. Both doctors agreed Connolly suffered paranoid schizophrenia, but disagreed on the applicability of the special verdict. The jury was told to decide which psychiatrist's evidence they preferred, as this was the "nub of the case.".
In a Dublin murder trial, brothers Ian Connaghan (34) and Daniel Connaghan (43) plead not guilty to the killing of 55‑year‑old builder Michael 'Mick' Mulvey, who died 13 days after a November 2019 assault near The Halfway House Pub. The State alleges the brothers beat Mulvey at a roundabout, causing injuries that contributed to his death, though not the sole cause. The brothers also face charges of serious harm and assault. Judge Paul Burns instructed the jury to determine the dominant cause of death and the accused's intent, noting that intent to cause serious injury suffices for murder. Prosecutor Anne Rowland argued the beatings were severe enough to imply intent to cause serious harm. Defence counsel Garnet Orange contended no serious injury occurred and the death was likely natural. Post‑mortem findings identified blunt‑force chest trauma and underlying ischemic heart disease as contributory. The jury will resume deliberations tomorrow.
Michael Carroll, 43, of Bride St, Dublin 8, faces a significant sentence in the Special Criminal Court after a series of violent offences. He was originally charged with the attempted murder of John Hutch, who died in 2016, but later pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life. Carroll also pleaded guilty to an attempted murder of Edward Staunton in March 2017, after a car attack that left Staunton severely injured. He has 58 prior convictions, including robbery, theft, drug offences and knife possession. A barrister urged the court to consider suspending part of the sentence, citing Carroll's progress in prison and the need for intense rehabilitation. Judge Tony Hunt acknowledged the value of turning people around and adjourned the sentencing to 2 October, noting the possibility of probation involvement.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Vicky Hehir (30) and Warren Hehir (33) pleaded guilty to money‑laundering offences linked to €59,000 spent on renovations at Kilmurry Court, Garryowen, Limerick, between 8 August 2019 and 17 June 2020. Warren was charged with possessing, using, converting, transferring or handling cash of that value, knowing or recklessly believing it to be proceeds of crime, and with handling a Rolex watch on 17 June 2020 under similar circumstances. He pleaded guilty to both charges. Vicky pleaded guilty to the single charge concerning the €59,000. The court adjourned the case to 2 October for report production before sentencing. A third person, Warren's mother Sandra Hehir (54), is also charged with multiple money‑laundering offences; her barrister has requested the court to revisit her case on 19 September.
Anthony Byrne, 40, used a fake name and doctored a letting contract to defraud four victims, each paying €3,000 for a rental deposit that never existed. He advertised the property on daft.ie, claiming to be a letting agent named Stephen Cummings, and demanded cash payments. Gardaí traced the scheme after a woman reported the fraud; they found the doctored contract and evidence linking Byrne to the false persona. Byrne pleaded guilty to four charges of deception and use of a false instrument at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He repaid the €12,000 to the victims and, after early guilty pleas and expressions of remorse, was sentenced to a two‑year term suspended in full for two years. The judge noted the financial loss was made good and considered Byrne's difficult family and financial circumstances. The victims suffered significant hardship and emotional distress.
In a decision by the Workplace Relations Commission, a health‑tech start‑up, CSIS Health Ltd, was ordered to pay a former software engineering manager, Per Johansson, a total of €50,708.72. Johansson had worked from 4 May 2022 until 16 December 2022, when his employment ended because the company could not pay his wages. He claimed unpaid wages for September to December 2022, three months' notice pay, accrued holiday pay and the balance of unpaid wages. The company admitted the amounts were due but said it had no funds, having failed to secure grants or investment despite repeated applications, including to the European Innovation Council and potential US investors. The adjudicating officer, Peter O'Brien, found the company breached the Payments of Wages Act 1991 and awarded Johansson €3,489 for September, €8,333.33 each for October and November, €4,545 for December, €25,000 for notice pay and €1,008.06 for holiday entitlement.
Barry Young, aged 38, has been sentenced to eleven years' imprisonment at the Special Criminal Court for directing a criminal organisation. Mr Justice Tony Hunt imposed the custodial term following Young's guilty plea to the charge, which carried a maximum of sixteen years. The judge described Young's activities as a "scourge" on the Sligo community over several years, though acknowledged his gang was smaller in scope than other organised crime groups. Young operated a drug distribution network with hierarchical command structures involving at least twenty members across the northwest. Gardaí seized over €628,000 in drugs linked to the gang and €40,000 in cash from Young's accounts, despite his stated income being social welfare payments. The investigation, initiated following Young's arrest at Dublin Airport in January this year whilst attempting to travel to Spain, uncovered thousands of communications detailing drug sales, debt enforcement involving intimidation, and cash movements. Young's sentence was reduced to twelve years to reflect his early guilty plea and mitigating circumstances.
A 51‑year‑old man from Galway was sentenced to nine years and a half in prison, with the final six months suspended, for the sexual exploitation and rape of his teenage nephew between 2016 and 2017. He pleaded guilty to one count of anal rape, one count of sexual assault and one count of sexual exploitation. The victim, aged 14 or 15, was abused at several locations including the defendant's home, car, a horsebox and the victim's home. The abuse involved inappropriate touching, masturbation, oral and anal rape, and a threat to report the abuse. The victim's behaviour changed from "happy‑go‑lucky" to misbehaving, and he eventually reported the abuse after his sister's encouragement. The court heard the victim's impact statement, noting mental health and family relationship effects. The judge, Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, acknowledged the victim's reaction and the support of family members.
A 23-year-old man from Sligo has pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to two counts of murder and one count of causing serious harm. Yousef Palani, of Markievicz Heights, admitted to the murder of Aidan Moffitt on April 10, 2022, at Cartron Heights, Sligo, and the murder of Michael Snee on April 12, 2022, at City View, Connaughton Road, Sligo. He also pleaded guilty to causing serious harm to Anthony Burke on April 9, 2022, at Cleveragh Road, Sligo. Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring expressed sympathy to the families of the deceased and directed that victim impact statements be prepared. The case was previously scheduled for a four-week trial on November 13 but has now been adjourned to October 23 for sentencing purposes.
Moyrock Properties Limited applied to the High Court to stop a couple, Joseph and Margret Cooney, from using a hidden garden on land it bought in 2021 for over €1.6 million. The company said the garden, only visible by drone, was built on its property and that the Cooneys were trespassing. Moyrock requested an injunction but suggested a one‑month stay to allow the couple to harvest. In a separate case, Moyrock sued four other individuals—Garry Regan, Raymond Walsh, Philip O'Gorman and Anthony Dolan—who it says were occupying a part of the land near a structure called the 'Blue Shed'. The defendants claimed a lease, which Moyrock denied, noting no formal agreement or rent had been paid. The court granted the Cooneys' request for short notice of the injunction and ordered the case to return in August, while the other proceedings were also scheduled for a next‑month hearing.
A 14‑year‑old boy, now 17, was convicted of oral rape and rape after he drank alcohol for the first time and assaulted a 15‑year‑old girl who was too intoxicated to consent. The jury found him guilty in May, and the case was heard in the Central Criminal Court on 28 July. The victim's impact statement described severe psychological harm, nightmares, depression and self‑harm, and she said the boy "took something from me that can never be returned." Defence counsel argued that the boy's youth, lack of sexual education and first‑time drinking should be considered mitigating, and that he should not be labelled a rapist. The judge, after considering probation reports and the boy's acceptance of the verdict, imposed a fully suspended sentence of 106 days of detention, with conditions to attend probation, drug and alcohol counselling and maintain good behaviour. The sentence was limited to the period before the boy's 18th birthday. The unnamed 14-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Robert Dunne, 27, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault against a 24‑year‑old woman in Dublin. The assault occurred on 7 May 2018 at Island Bridge, when Dunne and the victim had alcohol and cocaine, followed by consensual sex that turned violent. Dunne repeatedly penetrated the victim while she pretended to be asleep, and she fled to a hotel where Gardaí were called. The victim's impact statement described lasting trauma, including thoughts of self‑harm and ongoing emotional distress. Dunne had no prior convictions and had shown remorse, including apologies and a letter to the victim. The judge, Justice Paul McDermott, imposed a headline sentence of four years, sentencing Dunne to three years on each count to run concurrently and suspending the final 18 months for two years under strict conditions. The sentence reflected the seriousness of the assaults and the victim's impact.
In a Court of Appeal decision on 28 July 2023, the €25,000 fine imposed on Palfinger Ireland Ltd for health and safety breaches related to a crane incident that caused the drowning of two stonemasons was upheld as not unduly lenient. The incident, which occurred on 29 August 2015 on the Thomond Bridge, involved a steel cage that fell into the River Shannon, killing Bryan Whelan (29) and TJ O'Herlihy (36). A third worker, Paul Murphy, survived. Palfinger supplied the crane to Nationwide Crane Hire, which was fined €200,000 for similar breaches. The Court of Appeal rejected the State's argument that the fine was too low, noting that the sentencing judge had considered aggravating factors and the long period of safe operation of the crane. The appeal was dismissed, confirming the fine as appropriate under the 1993 Act.
A 14‑year‑old teenager, now 17, has appealed his murder conviction for the killing of Urantsetseg Tserendorj, arguing that evidence of a second attempted robbery, which occurred 25 minutes after the fatal stabbing, was prejudicial. The appeal contends that the trial judge erred by allowing the prosecution to call this evidence and by permitting a sensationalist comment in the opening address. The court ruled that the second incident evidence was admissible, citing its relevance to the appellant's state of mind regarding the use of a knife. The appeal also questions the admissibility of a dying declaration and the judge's handling of the case's atmosphere. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on the appeal. Urantsetseg Tserendorj pleaded guilty.
An 18‑year‑old was sentenced to seven years in prison at the Central Criminal Court for filming himself raping a ten‑year‑old boy and for seeking to trade child‑abuse material. The court heard that the defendant's devices contained videos and images of adult men with boys aged five to fourteen, some showing children bound and distressed, and that 18,000 instant‑message conversations were found in which he asked for pictures or videos to trade. He pleaded guilty to one count of anal rape, five counts of sexual assault and one count of producing child pornography. The judge set a headline sentence of fourteen years, but the final year was suspended, leaving an effective custodial term of thirteen years. The defendant was ordered to remain in prison for eight years on the rape count, with the last year suspended, and to comply with strict post‑release supervision and internet restrictions.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Judge Mary Ellen Ring sentenced Andrew Lacey, 35, to seven years and six months' imprisonment, with an 18‑month suspended portion, for the fatal stabbing of Derek Reddin, 31, on 14 October 2019. Lacey, a long‑time parks officer, was found guilty of manslaughter after a jury acquitted him of murder. The judge noted that Lacey's knife was used after Reddin attacked him with a baseball bat, and that Lacey's initial denial of the knife's ownership indicated an attempt to evade responsibility. The sentence was reduced from an initial eight years and six months due to mitigating circumstances, and the suspended period is conditional on good behaviour for three years. The ruling highlighted that seven children are now father‑less, two permanently and five temporarily, as a consequence of the incident. The sentence was back‑dated to 15 June to account for time already served. Andrew Lacey pleaded not guilty.
Robert O'Leary, 44, a used‑car dealer from Finglas, was convicted in 2020 by a Special Criminal Court of being a member of the Irish Republican Army for a bomb plot that targeted a PSNI officer in Belfast. The conviction was quashed after it was revealed that the prosecution had not disclosed that the chief witness, Nik Kasapi, was a convicted drug dealer. O'Leary appealed for a miscarriage‑of‑justice certificate under the Criminal Procedure Act 1993. The Court of Appeal granted the certificate, citing a fundamental failure in the trial process. O'Leary's appeal was successful, and the conviction was overturned. He has called for the abolition of the Special Criminal Court, stating he was jailed for a crime he did not commit and that the case should never have gone to court. The case involved a Skoda Octavia sold by O'Leary, which was later used in the bomb plot.
A Dublin man, Declan Tynan, aged 33, spent 11 months in jail after being wrongly identified as one of three men who attacked a customer at a Ladbrokes bookmakers in Tallaght on 13 December 2012. The prosecution's case relied on a single visual identification by a Garda from CCTV footage. Tynan pleaded not guilty, was found guilty by a jury, and sentenced to four years with the final year suspended. He appealed on the grounds of the perils of visual identification, but the Court of Appeal initially upheld the conviction. Later, a third party came forward claiming to be the third attacker, and a UK Met Police evaluation of photographs and stills confirmed Tynan's innocence. In April 2018 the Court of Appeal quashed the conviction under Section 2 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1993.
In a 2023 Supreme Court decision, a Dublin man, Keith Connorton, 44, had his appeal against a murder conviction dismissed. Connorton had been found guilty in 2019 of killing 32‑year‑old Graham McKeever on 18 February 2017 after an argument with his partner Claire McGrath. The jury, in a 10‑to‑two verdict, sentenced him to life imprisonment. Connorton's appeal centred on the admissibility of a 999 call made by McGrath, which the trial judge admitted under the "res gestae" exception to the hearsay rule. The Supreme Court panel, in a unanimous decision, upheld the trial judge's ruling, agreeing that the emergency call was properly admitted and that the conviction should stand. No new evidence or outcome was introduced beyond the confirmation of the original verdict.
Thomas Phoenix, 61, of Saint Anne's Square, Blackrock, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a series of harassing and threatening offences. He pleaded guilty to harassing a woman at a pub in Blackrock in June 2019, to harassing a neighbour between 18 and 26 March 2022, and to making threats to kill or cause serious harm. Phoenix also threatened a shop manager on 26 March 2022. The court heard that he had sent about 60 threatening WhatsApp messages to a neighbour, had thrown eggs at a family, and had threatened to kill a partner. He had previously served 13 convictions, including threats to kill. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a four‑year term, with the final 18 months suspended for the shopkeeper case, and an additional consecutive 18‑month term for the harassment of the woman, for a total effective custodial period of four years under strict probation conditions.
In August 2020 a pregnant Garda, Siobhán McCoy, was marked down in a detective‑post interview, receiving 70 % versus 81 % in a 2019 competition. The Workplace Relations Commission found the interview process flawed, favouring "performance" over competency answers and allowing potential manipulation of marks. The panel, lacking an independent member, consisted of a superintendent and an inspector. McCoy's representatives argued the difference in assessment was due to her pregnancy, not intent to discriminate. The adjudicating officer noted the panel's subjective judgments and the absence of an independent member as concerns. The commission upheld McCoy's gender‑based discrimination claim and ordered the force to pay €10,000 in compensation. The decision highlighted the flawed process and the risk of unconscious bias in the interview.
In a Court of Appeal decision on 28 July 2023, the conviction of Bajo Ziflai, a 23‑year‑old Albanian national, was quashed. Ziflai had been found guilty by a jury of four counts of raping a 23‑year‑old woman he met on a dating website, where he used a false name, and one count of sexual assault. The original trial, held in Central Court in July 2022, had sentenced him to nine years' imprisonment. Ziflai had pleaded not guilty to all five charges and maintained that the woman's allegations were fabricated. The appeal argued that the trial judge erred in how the jury was instructed on the significance of lies told by the accused. The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, held that the jury may not have fully understood the role of lies, found the verdict unsafe, and directed a retrial. No new sentence was imposed.
Three men have been sentenced to fifteen years' imprisonment following their conviction on fifteen charges relating to an armed attack on security personnel at a repossessed farmhouse near Strokestown, County Roscommon on 16 December 2018. Martin O'Toole, PJ Sweeney and Paul Beirne were found guilty of aggravated burglary, violent disorder, false imprisonment, assault causing harm, arson and animal cruelty. A fourth defendant, David Lawlor, was acquitted of all charges. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martina Baxter described the incident as a "well-executed plan" involving approximately thirty armed men who arrived in the early hours to terrorise the security guards. The judge noted the attack demonstrated "extensive planning and pre-meditation" and included "calculated cruelty". Sentencing to run concurrently, Judge Baxter stated there was no excuse for such lawlessness and declined to suspend any portion of the sentences. All three men are to be backdated to when they entered custody.
A 32‑year‑old man named Gareth Sheeran, who suffered from schizophrenia, was found not guilty by reason of insanity after killing his 65‑year‑old father, Harry Sheeran, with a World War II bayonet on Father's Day. The jury reached the verdict in 42 minutes after hearing from two psychiatrists who agreed that Sheeran's mental condition qualified him for the special verdict. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, hearing a report from a psychiatrist and statements from prosecution counsel James Dwyer SC, ordered Sheeran's committal to the Central Mental Hospital in Portrane for continued treatment. He will be subject to ongoing reviews by healthcare professionals. The judge expressed sympathy for the Sheeran family and described the case as a tragedy for all concerned.
Jonathan Duke, 27, strangled at Bridge House, Bandon, on 12 November 2011, had his body moved downstairs, trussed with an electrical cord and thrown into the River Bandon. A day earlier, 42‑year‑old John Forrester had been killed in the same building and his body also disposed of in the river. Duke, a father‑of‑one, was visiting Forrester's murderers when he learned of the previous day's killing. Catherine O'Connor, former girlfriend of the victims, is serving life for both murders. Her boyfriend, Ciprian Grozavu, 49, denied murdering both men and was tried separately. Grozavu was found guilty of both murders and sentenced to life, but his murder conviction was quashed on appeal and he was retried in 2021. He was acquitted of murder but found guilty of two counts of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of another.
Angela Manning, 59, of Ballinteer, pleaded guilty to seven charges of stealing over €122,000 from the joint account of an elderly couple, Ms Laetitia Lynam and her husband Enda O'Regan, during the Covid‑19 pandemic. She had been hired as a carer, given an ATM card and pin by Ms Lynam, and withdrew the money after falling for a Facebook romance fraud involving a fictitious US soldier named Sam. The court heard that Manning believed the money was a loan to be repaid and that she had no personal benefit from the theft. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced her to a fully suspended three‑year prison term, suspended for four years, and ordered her to undergo two years of therapy and to make efforts to repay the victims. The couple's home deeds were transferred to them, and Manning's husband had to return to work after her taking his retirement savings.