In a Dublin family home on 29 November 2020, a 32‑year‑old man assaulted his pregnant partner and his 12‑year‑old son. The partner, five months pregnant, was left unconscious with a head injury and bleeding heavily. The infant was found in a cot with the mother's blood on its babygro. The son, who had bruises and a cut, was thrown against a metal bed frame after attempting to intervene. The man pleaded guilty to assaulting his partner and son. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to 40 months' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions, including two years of probation. The sentence was back‑dated to 2 December 2021, when he entered custody. The court noted the intimate relationship, the violence involved, the victim's injuries, the son's age, and the defendant's remorse and willingness to engage with support services.
The Workplace Relations Commission ruled that it was reasonable to sack welder Shane Finnegan for entering a high‑pressure chemical tank without a required safety meter, a breach that could have caused serious injury or death. However, the tribunal found that Darland Enterprises Ltd's dismissal process was "clearly faulty" and that Finnegan had "contributed significantly" to his own dismissal. The tribunal therefore awarded him €1,000 in redress for lost earnings, half of the loss he suffered in the two years after his sacking. The decision noted that while the dismissal was justified, the company's handling of the disciplinary procedure was defective, and that Finnegan had not been given a copy of the investigation report or the meeting minutes before he was dismissed. The award reflects the tribunal's view that the employer's process was unfair, despite the seriousness of the safety breach.
A man has pleaded guilty to money laundering before the Special Criminal Court following his extradition from Spain. Gerard Mackin (40), originally from west Belfast, admitted to handling €4,780 in proceeds of criminal conduct at Rhebogue Road, Limerick, on April 17, 2019. He was arrested at Dublin Airport in December last year under a European Arrest Warrant. Mackin pleaded guilty to one charge under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act 2010. The three-judge court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt with Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Alan Mitchell, adjourned sentencing to March 30. The defendant's legal team requested a governor's report from Portlaoise Prison, which was granted. Mackin has previous convictions including a 2017 sentence for assault causing harm in Limerick.
Kenneth Reilly, 63, was jailed for five years after a jury found him guilty of three counts of indecent assault on his sister‑in‑law, Helene Hallisey Power, between 1982 and 1985 when she was aged 12 to 16. The trial, held in the Central Criminal Court in Cork, concluded in October after a series of allegations that Reilly forced Power to masturbate, photographed her without clothes, and made her watch pornographic films. Power, now 54, testified that the abuse left her feeling "dirty, ashamed, empty and completely confused," and that taking the stand felt like a re‑experience of sexual assault. She described the impact on her mental health and her decision to speak out. Reilly, who has no prior convictions, accepted the verdicts and was sentenced by Ms Justice Creedon to six years, with the final year suspended on conditions, back‑dated to his entry into custody.
Paul Coffey, 46, of Limerick, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to discharging a firearm and to possession of a firearm in circumstances that suggested it was not for lawful use, in connection with the shooting of Alan Murphy on 11 June 2020 at Long Pavement, Watch House Cross. He had previously been charged with attempted murder. The court was satisfied with the indictment counts and no victim impact statement was sought. A governor's report from Limerick Prison was ordered for his sentence hearing. Coffey was remanded in custody until 27 March for sentencing.
A 55‑year‑old Cork man was sentenced to eight years in prison, with the final two years suspended, for raping and sexually abusing his younger cousin over a ten‑year period from 1985 to 1995. He was convicted on 33 counts, including 20 of indecent assault and 13 of section 4 rape. The victim, aged between five and 15 at the time of the abuse, suffered repeated sexual assault, forced masturbation, oral and anal rape, occurring on average twice a week. The defendant, who was 18 when the abuse began, pleaded not guilty and continues to deny the offences. The court noted the significant age disparity, the prolonged nature of the abuse, and the victim's negative psychological impact, including suicidal thoughts and loss of friends, jobs and a normal life. The judge, acknowledging the defendant's serious medical condition, anxiety, mild learning difficulty and sheltered life, nevertheless placed the case in the more serious category and imposed the sentence.
Jeferson Pedrucci, 33, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to possessing cocaine for sale or supply at Dublin Airport on 20 January 2022. He was caught smuggling €650,000 worth of cocaine in shampoo bottles and sewn into a companion's luggage. Garda Ross Brierley reported that Pedrucci and a female companion flew from São Paulo via Lisbon, were stopped at customs, and the drugs were found in two shampoo bottles (valued at €154,000) and in the lining of the companion's bag (valued at nearly €500,000). The total seized was €651,875. Pedrucci, originally from Brazil and a dual Italian citizen, admitted full responsibility. He has nine prior traffic convictions and had been threatened by loan sharks in Brazil for transporting the drugs. His mother and sister, who had been threatened, had moved to Ireland and attended the hearing.
At the Central Criminal Court, a murder trial heard that James Kilroy, aged 49, a park ranger from Kilbree Lower, Westport, County Mayo, described to gardai how he "waited in the long grass" before attacking his wife at their rural home. The Chief State Pathologist testified that Valerie French Kilroy, aged 41, an occupational therapist and mother of three, died from ligature strangulation, blunt force trauma to the head, and a stab wound to the neck. Mr Kilroy has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to her murder on a date between 13 and 14 June 2019. His legal team has made formal admissions that he killed his wife. During garda interviews, he described the assault as "dark and frenzied" and claimed she was alive when he left her. The trial before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring continues.
At the Central Criminal Court, defence counsel Dominic McGinn SC argued during closing submissions that Stephen Silver's shooting of Garda Colm Horkan at Castlerea, County Roscommon on 17 June 2020 was not a rational act and should prompt questions about his mental capacity at the time. Mr McGinn told the jury that Mr Silver's behaviour in custody was erratic, including urinating in his cell and banging his head against walls, suggesting limited social functioning. He contended that the accused was experiencing a relapse of bipolar affective disorder when the incident occurred. Expert evidence was divided: consultant psychiatrist Professor Harry Kennedy maintained mental illness played no part in the shooting, while Dr Brenda Wright, interim clinical director at the Central Mental Hospital, concluded Mr Silver's mental illness was a significant factor. Mr Silver has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The trial, at the Central Criminal Court, continues with the judge's charge to the jury expected on Monday.
Seán Dillon, former RNLI country manager for Ireland, told the Workplace Relations Commission that staff at the charity's UK headquarters treated Ireland with contempt, calling it a "poor relation." He alleged that the organisation was a "governance basket case," citing non‑compliance with maritime regulations, inadequate safeguarding, and a lack of new lifeboats for Ireland. Dillon said volunteers were issued out‑of‑date kit and training, and that Irish donors' cheques were diverted to UK accounts. He claimed he was unfairly selected for redundancy and denied an interview for a new regional head role, which went to a UK employee. Dillon's redundancy was upheld on appeal, and he subsequently took a temporary contract with another charity, losing pension contributions and facing mortgage difficulties. The RNLI did not attend the hearing, which was adjourned by the adjudicator.
In March 2023, a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard a case where a man violently assaulted his former partner in front of their two teenage children. He strangled her, broke her nose, and threatened to kill her and the children. The victim, who had a barring order against him, had asked him to help with the children, but he arrived drunk and attacked her. She managed to escape, and the children called Gardaí, who arrested him. While in custody, he was violent towards Gardaí, spitting and shouting about Covid‑19, and set his jumper on fire. He pleaded guilty to six charges, including assault causing harm and obstruction of a peace officer. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to four and a half years' imprisonment, ordering that contact with the victim be limited to her solicitor for three years.
Michael Scott, 58, of Gortanumera, Portumna, Co Galway, pleaded not guilty to murder after his 76‑year‑old aunt, Ms Treacy, died when he allegedly ran her over with a JCB on 27 April 2018. In court, Scott said he did not realise he could call 999 for an ambulance and that he thought his aunt would survive. He denied deliberately rolling over her a second time and claimed the incident was an accident. Scott said he did not help her up because he needed someone with him and that he had called his friend Francis Hardiman for help. He denied any intent to kill and said he did not want his aunt to die. The trial, hearing the prosecution's case that the run‑over was deliberate, continues next week before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury.
Joe Dunne, a former priest from Ballycrystal, Geashill, pleaded guilty to five counts of indecent assault against a young woman in 1989. The victim, who had been abused and hospitalized, was driven by Dunne to the Rape Crisis Centre for counselling, during which he repeatedly assaulted her. She later wrote to her bishop, but little action was taken. In 2019, Gardaí discovered her letters and she disclosed the abuse. Dunne, who has no prior convictions and is the sole carer for his 94‑year‑old sister, was sentenced by Justice Paul McDermott to four years imprisonment. The judge suspended the entire sentence on strict conditions, citing the disproportionate impact on his sister and Dunne's health issues. The court noted the victim's 34‑year trauma and the breach of trust by Dunne. The sentence requires probation and offence‑focused work.
In a Dublin case, a 31‑year‑old man named Gareth Sheeran, who has schizophrenia, was charged with murdering his father, Harry Sheeran, on Father's Day, 20 June 2021. Psychiatric assessments in 2021 had found him unfit to stand trial, but further evaluations between June and October 2022 indicated that he was now fit to enter a plea. At the Central Criminal Court, defence psychiatrist Dr Ronan Mullaney and prosecution expert Dr Patrick McLoughlin both testified that Gareth had shown improvement, adhered to a medication programme, and understood the court process and his charges. Judge Paul McDermott accepted the evidence, declared Gareth fit to be tried, gave the case priority status, and adjourned the matter to 29 March for a trial date. The court did not alter the charge or the alleged offence. The decision was based solely on the psychiatric evidence presented.
At the Central Criminal Court in Dublin, the Chief State Pathologist provided evidence that a woman from Westport, County Mayo, died from ligature strangulation, blunt force trauma to the head, and a stab wound to the neck. Valerie French Kilroy, aged 41, was found in a campervan at her home on Kilbree Lower, Westport, on June 15th, 2019. Park ranger James Kilroy, aged 49, is charged with her murder between June 13th and 14th, 2019. He has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, though his defence counsel has made formal admissions that the accused killed his wife. A witness told the court he observed a naked man walking in circles in a nearby field on the morning of June 14th, heading towards Croagh Patrick. The pathologist detailed multiple injuries including defensive wounds to the deceased's hands and a stab wound measuring 4.7 centimetres in length. The trial continues before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring.
The Central Criminal Court has set a trial for 32‑year‑old Jozef Puska, accused of murdering 23‑year‑old school teacher Ashling Murphy in Offaly. The alleged killing occurred on 12 January 2022 when Ms Murphy was fatally assaulted while jogging along Fiona's Way, a stretch of the Grand Canal near Tullamore. Puska, who lives at Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, is charged with murder and will stand trial on 6 June. The court will reconvene on 31 March for a progress update. The case is expected to last up to four weeks.
A 37-year-old man from Sligo has pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to directing a criminal organisation. Barry Young, with an address in Cranmore, Co Sligo, admitted to the charge relating to directing the activities of a criminal organisation between October 2019 and January 2022, both within and outside the State. The accused, who is currently remanded in custody, appeared before the three-judge, non-jury court where he entered his guilty plea. The State's counsel confirmed that the Director of Public Prosecutions consented to his arraignment on the relevant section of the indictment. The court granted legal aid to cover the cost of a counsellor's report and adjourned the matter to May 9th for further proceedings. A previously scheduled trial date in April was vacated.
In a Dalkey coastal attack on 20 November 2020, 20‑year‑old Jakub Kaczar, then on bail, assaulted three victims at Hawk Cliff. He covered his hand in blood from a head cut and ran it along the face of Aisling Leahy, placing his fingers in her mouth, causing her to undergo blood tests and suffer great distress over a possible disease. Kaczar also punched David Morrell in the face and head, demanding an apology, and pushed Ciara Walsh onto a bench, bruising her leg. He pleaded guilty to separate counts of assaulting Morrell, Walsh and Leahy. The court sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions, and imposed concurrent sentences of 18 months for Walsh and two‑and‑a‑half years for Leahy, all to run consecutively to his existing 16‑month term.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, William Eagers, aged 62, pleaded guilty to the murder of his wife, Jean Eagers, aged 57, who died from wounds sustained in a samurai sword attack on 21 June 2020 at their Willow Wood Grove home in Clonsilla, north Dublin. Eagers, a former export operations manager and part‑time taxi driver, was charged with murder and the production of a samurai sword during the incident. The court set a sentencing date for 24 March to allow preparation of a victim impact statement, with the mandatory life sentence for murder pending.
Erik Nemes, a 22-year-old college student from Skerries, Co Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possessing the proceeds of crime. Judge Martin Nolan handed Nemes a one-year sentence, which was suspended in full. Nemes pleaded guilty to possessing €14,470 as the proceeds of crime at Bank of Ireland in Balbriggan on December 14, 2018. The funds were originally intended for the college fees of a UCD medical student from New Zealand, who discovered the money had been diverted to an account in Nemes's name. Prosecution evidence indicated Nemes provided his bank details to a friend under the pretext of obtaining discounted goods, before being pressured to withdraw cash and purchase iPhones. Judge Nolan noted that Nemes knew it was a criminal enterprise. The court ordered that €1,000 brought by Nemes be paid to the injured party within one month. Nemes, who studies engineering and technology at Drogheda Institute of Further Education, has no previous convictions. Defence counsel highlighted his difficult background and cooperation with gardaí, while the prosecution agreed he was unlikely to reoffend. A victim impact statement from the student's father, who suffered anxiety and had to replace the lost fees, was submitted to the court.
Micheal Scott, 58, of Portumna, Co Galway, is on trial for the alleged murder of his aunt, Chrissie Treacy, outside her home in Derryhiney on April 27, 2018. Mr Scott has pleaded not guilty, with his defence arguing the death was a tragic accident, while the prosecution alleges he deliberately ran her over following a long-running land dispute. During testimony, Mr Scott told gardai that his relationship with Ms Treacy was "fine" and that he gave a "deaf ear" to solicitor's letters seeking to partition their jointly owned land because he did not understand how it could be divided. He described Ms Treacy as "decent" and denied serious arguments, stating they only disagreed over minor issues like leaves or dirt. He claimed he did not see Ms Treacy when reversing a JCB teleporter, believing he might have hit a trailer tow bar. Witnesses included Detective Sergeant Paul Duane, who detailed the arrest and interviews, and agricultural consultant Declan McHugh, who testified that Ms Treacy instructed him to lease land and prevent Mr Scott from claiming farm payments for portions of the Derryhiney holding. Expert witness Robin Acheson explained the mechanics of the JCB, noting the handbrake was broken and that sudden direction changes could cause wheel tearout. The trial continues before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury.
Ciarán Roche, a graphic designer, claimed constructive dismissal after 17 months on layoff following Covid‑19. He said the employer, 3rockeco Limited, excluded him from work, meetings, and a staff barbecue, and omitted his photo from a rebranded website. Roche lodged a grievance in July 2020, which the company allegedly failed to address, and was offered no alternative roles despite meeting criteria for a February 2021 position. The tribunal found the company's failure to engage with his grievance constituted a repudiatory breach of contract. Roche's lawyer argued the company's actions amounted to constructive dismissal. The adjudicating officer upheld the unfair dismissal complaint, awarding Roche €33,718 for the dismissal and €3,728.28 for a breach of the Terms of Employment (Information) Act, totaling €37,446. The decision was based solely on the evidence presented in the tribunal hearing.
A 17‑year‑old teenager gave evidence at the Central Criminal Court on 9 March 2023, describing the night of 24 February 2021 when he was shot in Eugene Street, Dublin 8. He said he has no memory of the events before, during or after the shooting, citing medication. The trial concerns Stephen Mulvey (31) and Jamie Berry (27), both former residents of Leo Fitzgerald House, who are charged with attempted murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Both pleaded not guilty. Witness Yasmin Ryan, who lived on Eugene Street, reported hearing three shots and shouts of "Go on! Finish him!" before a cry for help. The prosecution alleges Berry fired the shots, Mulvey assisted, and a getaway vehicle was used. The case is before Justice Eileen Creedon with a jury of twelve.
The family of Richard Gracey, a 64‑year‑old cargo loader who died after falling five metres from a plane at Dublin Airport on 24 November 2018, has asked that families receive more information about workplace deaths without waiting for a prosecution to finish. Gracey, who worked for Swissport Ireland since 2005, was unloading an Air France Boeing 777 when he fell headfirst onto the tarmac. The court heard that the main deck loader was 2.7 metres from the aircraft door, a gap that should have been no more than three inches, and that a yellow safety net was not attached correctly. Swissport admitted it had failed to provide adequate fall‑prevention measures and was fined €250,000. The judge noted that if the loader had been flush to the plane, the fatal accident would not have occurred, and the family's impact statement described profound grief and anger at the loss of a meticulous, safety‑conscious worker.
Stephen Silver, aged 46 of Aughavard, Foxford, County Mayo, stands trial at the Central Criminal Court on a charge of murdering Garda Colm Horkan at Castlerea, County Roscommon on 17 June 2020. Mr Silver has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. In closing submissions for the prosecution, Michael Delaney SC argued that the shooting was a deliberate act carried out with intent to kill, and that Mr Silver harboured a seething resentment toward gardaí. The prosecution contends that Mr Silver knew Garda Horkan was a member of An Garda Síochána acting in the course of his duty. The defence of diminished responsibility should be rejected, Mr Delaney submitted, noting that psychiatric evidence regarding Mr Silver's mental state remains disputed. The jury, comprising seven men and five women, will hear closing submissions from the defence before Justice Tara Burns before deliberating.
A murder trial at the Central Criminal Court has heard evidence concerning the death of a forty-one-year-old occupational therapist discovered in a campervan at a rural property near Westport, County Mayo in June 2019. Gardaí located the body in a foetal position with a child's car seat covering the face. Three young children were found in the home in a state of distress, hungry and severely dehydrated. One child requested breakfast cereal, which a garda witness purchased. Park ranger James Kilroy, aged forty-nine, from Kilbree Lower, Westport, is charged with murder. He has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, though his legal representative has made formal admissions that he killed his wife. A consultant psychiatrist from Mayo Mental Health Services assessed the accused on the day of discovery and determined he did not meet criteria for involuntary mental health detention. The accused indicated to the psychiatrist that killing his wife "wasn't part of the plan" and attributed the act to God's will. The trial continues before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring and a jury.
James Kilroy, aged 49, of Kilbree Lower, Westport, County Mayo, stands trial at the Central Criminal Court charged with the murder of Valerie French Kilroy at their home between June 13 and 14, 2019. He has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, though his defence has formally admitted he killed his wife. The jury heard evidence that Garda Leanne Nallen discovered the accused naked and distressed in a field on the morning of June 14 and brought him to Westport Garda Station. Once informed of his transfer to psychiatric care, Mr Kilroy told gardai he had killed his wife. A body was subsequently located in a campervan at the property. The State Pathologist concluded Ms French Kilroy died from ligature strangulation in association with blunt force trauma and a stab wound to the neck. During four interviews, the accused demonstrated to gardai how he had killed his wife and sketched the knife used. The trial continues before Justice Mary Ellen Ring and a jury.
During the Central Criminal Court trial, Detective Garda Eoin O'Connor testified that Michael Scott, 58, who denies murdering his 76‑year‑old aunt Chrissie Treacy, would and should have seen her if he had turned his head while reversing an agricultural teleporter. O'Connor explained that Ms Treacy's age and mobility made it unlikely she could have appeared at the point where her body was found, and that she would have been observable moving across the yard. He described the teleporter's sight‑lines, noting a large blind area to the right and rear, and argued that a driver would normally look over the left shoulder when reversing. O'Connor also examined tyre marks, the teleporter's speed in second gear, and the yard's slope, concluding that the vehicle could not have rolled over a hitch 0.48 m above the ground. The evidence will continue tomorrow before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury of eight men and seven women. Michael Scott pleaded not guilty.
A 32‑year‑old Romanian national, Gheorghe Rafaila, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for sexually assaulting a three‑year‑old boy at a Dublin homeless hub. The court found that Rafaila had touched the child's genitals in a courtyard while his wife was present, an act that lasted about four minutes. He claimed the act was "playful" in the Roma community, but the judge rejected this defence. Rafaila pleaded guilty and was extradited from the UK to face the charges. The judge imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspending the final year, and ordered Rafaila to leave Ireland upon release. He was also required to demonstrate good behaviour for one year after his release. The sentence was back‑dated to the date he entered UK custody in October 2022. The court noted the child's young age as an aggravating factor. The mother of the child gave a victim impact statement, which was not read aloud.
A 33-year-old man from County Mayo has been sentenced to four and a half years imprisonment following his abduction of his two-year-old daughter from a health centre in October 2021, an incident that triggered a nationwide Child Safety Alert. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the man, who cannot be named to protect his daughter's identity, collected the child during a scheduled supervised visit and departed in a car driven by the child's mother at dangerous speed. Gardaí located them at a hotel in Dublin 8 after tracing his phone. The man also pleaded guilty to assaulting two of his nieces and attacking gardaí during a second abduction attempt at his sister's County Mayo home in December 2021, when he forced entry and caused damage to property. Judge Martin Nolan noted the man's expressed remorse and acknowledged substance abuse difficulties, but stated the second offences had substantially aggravated his case. The child's mother, a UK national, pleaded guilty to abduction but failed to appear for sentencing and is now resident in London.
Keith Kerley, former general manager at Arralis's Limerick factory, claimed the company discriminated against him by giving UK staff double the stock options he received. He alleged anti‑Irish bias and constructive dismissal after being told to "take it or leave it" by CEO Mike Gleaves. Kerley expected 3,000 shares following a 2019 management meeting but was allocated only 750. He pointed to an engineer with a UK passport who received 1,500 shares and a Swindon colleague who also received 1,500. Arralis denied discrimination, stating the higher allocation was for an Irish‑passport holder and that stock options were based on service. The Workplace Relations Commission, applying the Employment Equality Act 2000, rejected Kerley's claim, concluding there was no evidence of discrimination. The decision was made by adjudicating officer Conor Stokes.
In an attempted‑murder trial, a Garda officer recounted being called to a Dublin street where a 17‑year‑old boy was shot multiple times. The incident occurred on Eugene Street, Dublin 8, on 24 February 2021, around 10.55 pm. The teenager was shot in the neck, cheek and leg after boarding a taxi outside an address on the street. He was taken to St James' Hospital, where scans revealed bullets had passed through his body, but no bullets remained inside him. Two men, Stephen Mulvey (31) and Jamie Berry (27), are charged with attempted murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Berry is also charged with criminal damage after a bullet fired by him allegedly passed through a front door, an internal wall and shattered an oven's glass. Both men plead not guilty. The trial is before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon at the Central Criminal Court.).
A consultant psychiatrist has given evidence at the Central Criminal Court in the trial of Stephen Silver, who is charged with murdering Garda Colm Horkan at Castlerea, County Roscommon on June 17, 2020. Professor Harry Kennedy told the jury that Mr Silver, aged 46, of Aughavard, Foxford, County Mayo, was "an unreliable historian" regarding his mental health. The professor said he found no positive evidence that Mr Silver had suffered a relapse of bipolar affective disorder at the time of the shooting. Mr Silver has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The court heard the main issue centres on his state of mind at the time. Cross-examination by defence counsel focused on evidence of abnormal beliefs and behaviour, including Mr Silver's admission to the Central Mental Hospital where he was placed in seclusion. Defence testimony from another psychiatrist suggested Mr Silver's illness had impaired his thinking and judgement. The trial continues.
Christopher Coakley, aged 31, pleaded guilty to a single charge of intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm for a stabbing with scissors in Dublin's north inner city on 28 January 2021. The plea was entered at the Central Criminal Court. Judge Michael MacGrath adjourned the sentencing to 7 June and remanded Coakley in custody until that date.
John Costello, 41, of Kileely, Limerick City, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to providing transport to persons allegedly involved in an assault causing serious harm to Christy Keane on 29 June 2015. He also admitted to knowing or believing others were guilty of an arrestable offence and providing transport to impede their apprehension, contrary to Section 7(2) of the Criminal Law Act 1997. The prosecution withdrew an original charge under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, alleging Costello facilitated the attempted murder of Keane for the McCarthy-Dundon criminal organisation, replacing it with the Section 7(2) charge. Detective Sergeant Padraig O'Dwyer served the Book of Evidence on Costello regarding the new charge. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding with Judges Sarah Berkeley and Alan Mitchell, adjourned the matter to 30 March for sentence. Co-accused Noel Price, 44, and Larry McCarthy, 44, both of Limerick City, remain charged with making a vehicle available to the McCarthy-Dundon criminal organisation to facilitate the attempted murder of Keane between 27 and 29 June 2015. Keane survived the shooting at the University of Limerick in 2015 after escaping via a running track.
A 49-year-old man has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of his wife at their rural home near Westport, County Mayo, the Central Criminal Court heard today. The prosecution alleges that James Kilroy killed Valerie French Kilroy between 13 and 14 June 2019. Her body was discovered in a camper van on the couple's property approximately 6 kilometres from Westport. A post-mortem examination determined she died from ligature strangulation, blunt force trauma to the head, and a stab wound to the neck. The jury heard that Mr Kilroy was found naked in a field in the Westport area and was subsequently brought to Castlebar Hospital, where he stated he had killed his wife and children. The three young children were found unharmed. The defence is expected to present psychiatric evidence regarding Mr Kilroy's mental state. The prosecution contends he is guilty of murder. The trial, before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring and a jury, is expected to conclude by month's end.
In a 2023 Workplace Relations Commission hearing, tenant Magdelena Kotecka claimed that landlord Michael Woodlock, who had previously refused to sign Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) paperwork, called her home in 2020 demanding the full rent after her HAP payments had stopped. Kotecka said she had been able to meet the rent with her terminally ill ex‑husband's help until his death in September 2021, after which she could only afford €100 a week and later €50. Woodlock allegedly threatened to evict her if she could not pay the full amount, and Kotecka reported feeling "very intimidating" and pressured into paying the full rent from May 2020. The tribunal found Woodlock's conduct "at the upper end of the scale" of discrimination and awarded Kotecka the maximum €15,000 compensation under the Equal Status Act 2000.
Four senior executives of Custom House Capital are scheduled for sentencing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on April 21 before Judge Orla Crowe. Former CEO Harry Cassidy, former head of private clients John Whyte, and head of finance Paul Lavery pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to defraud investors and clients by intentionally misleading them regarding asset placement. Non-executive director John Mulholland also pleaded guilty to one count of neglectful discharge of a director's duty in relation to the company's dishonest acts. The offences are alleged to have occurred between October 2008 and July 2011. The sentencing hearing is expected to last one day. Separately, former senior portfolio relationship manager Ciara Kelleher pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiring to defraud investors and clients. After a jury failed to reach a verdict earlier this month, Judge Martin Nolan set a re-trial date for January 13, 2025. The matter involving Kelleher remains pending and has not been concluded.
Former soldier Lisa Smith, aged 41, remains in custody after the Court of Appeal rejected her appeal against a 15‑month sentence for membership of the Islamic State. The Special Criminal Court had convicted her for joining ISIS between 28 October 2015 and 1 December 2019, after she travelled to Syria in 2015. The appeal court dismissed all grounds relating to the sentence, noting that the reduction from a headline 30‑month term to 15 months reflected consideration of mitigating factors such as her prior good character, army service, motherhood and vulnerability. Smith's lawyers plan to appeal the conviction itself. With ordinary remission and one month already served in 2019, Smith is due for release on 27 May. The case will be heard again on 24 March.
In a Workplace Relations Commission equality hearing, former Dublin Lord Mayor Hazel Chu denied discriminating against atheist campaigner John Hamill or his Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Chu explained that she had invited various non‑religious groups to the Mansion House garden during the Rewind 2020 series, but that only volunteer and support groups were accepted after May 17, 2020. Hamill claimed he was denied a slot for his non‑religious ceremony and that the council's policy shifted from an umbrella group to a Lord Mayor‑directed approach. Chu said the council's barrister argued the Equal Status Act does not cover group discrimination and that the garden was within the act's provisions. The case was adjourned for a written decision.
The High Court heard that Mr Declan McDonald of PWC has been appointed examiner to Tower Trade Finance Ireland Limited (TTFI) and Deal Partners Logistics Ltd (DPL). TTFI has a net asset deficiency of €10.1 million and DPL €9.5 million. The companies attribute their financial difficulties to the collapse of JACC Sports Distributors and other issues, including fraud and client insolvencies. Mr McDonald has prepared an interim report and is working on a scheme of arrangement with creditors, hoping to present it before the end of the 100‑day examinership period. John Lavelle BL, representing the examiner, said creditors would benefit from a survival plan rather than liquidation. The court noted that both firms owe creditors over €13 million and that directors have committed €400 000 for the scheme. No objections were raised to extending the examinership period. The court heard that the examiner's report indicates a reasonable prospect of survival if the scheme is approved.
A consultant psychiatrist has told the Central Criminal Court that Stephen Silver, who stands accused of murdering Garda Colm Horkan with the officer's own firearm, displayed behaviour consistent with his personality rather than mental illness during garda interviews. Professor Harry Kennedy said the accused showed no regret or sympathy for the deceased and appeared angry and self-pitying, but these responses could be attributed to the stress of arrest. The psychiatrist stated that Mr Silver had developed "learned impunity" through a long history of disruptive conduct in Castlebar and surrounding areas, leading him to expect no charges would follow his actions. Mr Silver, aged 46, a motorbike mechanic from Aughavard in Foxford, County Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to capital murder but guilty to manslaughter. The shooting occurred at Castlerea, County Roscommon, on 17 June 2020. The trial, before Ms Justice Tara Burns, continues with the jury's focus on the accused's state of mind at the time of the incident.
In the Special Criminal Court, the prosecution argued that Brendan Treanor's back tattoo was a "pictorial admission" of his role in the 2013 robbery of a Dundalk credit union where Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was killed. The tattoo, photographed by Garda Aidan Hanlon during Treanor's 2021 arrest, shows four men with hats, a woman in a balaclava holding a gun, a BMW car, a pistol, ammunition, and money. The prosecution linked the BMW's registration plate "BOSS BFT" to Treanor's initials, suggesting the tattoo's imagery reflected the robbery. Treanor (34) and James Flynn (32) are charged with the robbery and with conspiracy to break into houses to steal car keys. Both plead not guilty. The court ruled the photographs were taken lawfully, and the trial will continue tomorrow.
In August 2021, 17‑year‑old Sean Squires stabbed a young man in the cheek and leg after the victim tried to intervene in an argument between Squires and his girlfriend on a Dublin bus. The incident began when the victim and his girlfriend noticed Squires and his girlfriend arguing; the girlfriend became emotional and threatened the victim's girlfriend, who slapped her. The victim and his girlfriend left the bus and called the police. Squires followed them, produced a knife and stabbed the victim. He was arrested shortly thereafter while attempting to board another bus. Squires, now 19, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and producing a knife. He has no prior convictions. The case is set for sentencing next week, with the court remanding him in custody pending finalisation on March 13.
The trial of Michael Scott, 58, who denies murdering his 76‑year‑old aunt Chrissie Treacy by reversing an agricultural teleporter, heard that a person the same height as Ms Treacy would have been visible from the vehicle's cabin. Garda Eoin O'Connor, a forensic investigator, analysed sight lines for a 1.62‑metre tall person in the cabin and found that such a person would have been visible to the front, left and rear left, with no complete blind spot. He noted that the boom to the right reduced visibility on that side. O'Connor also mapped the yard, described the teleporter's layout, and placed a mannequin to investigate blind spots. He reported that Ms Treacy's height was 1.62 metres (5'4"). The trial continues with further evidence before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury. Michael Scott pleaded not guilty.
Christian Preston, aged 22, was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to a two‑year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to possessing €37,000 of proceeds of crime. The money had been transferred to his account when a home buyer's deposit was hacked during an email exchange with the buyer's solicitor in December 2019. Preston withdrew and spent about €1,200 on a holiday and made purchases of designer goods and Apple items from his account, though the identities of the purchasers were unknown. The bank recovered €16,200 of the funds after his account was frozen, leaving the victim with a loss of roughly €21,000. Preston was not the mastermind of the hacking operation and had no prior convictions. He was ordered to pay €2,500 to the victim within a year.
Michael Deegan, 37, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for four counts of taking Go Car vehicles without consent in Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow during October 2021. The court described Deegan as the driver who drove his or his wife's car to locations where Go Cars were parked; a second man then broke into the vehicles, which had keys inside, and stole them. Damage of €3,000 was caused to one car and two vans that were later recovered, while a third van was never recovered, resulting in a €26,000 loss to the company. Deegan had seven prior road‑traffic convictions. He pleaded guilty, cooperated with Gardaí and had no significant criminal record, factors that the judge considered in sentencing. Judge Martin Nolan imposed the custodial term without any suspended portion.
Chaotic scenes erupted at the Court of Appeal on 7 March when members of the Burke family were physically removed from the courtroom during the dismissal of Enoch Burke's application to overturn injunctions directing him to stay away from Wilson's Hospital School in County Westmeath. As Court President Mr Justice Birmingham prepared to deliver judgment, family members including Burke's sister Ammi and parents Sean and Martina loudly disrupted proceedings, voicing opposition to the court's findings. Following repeated warnings, gardaí removed the family from the courtroom after they refused to comply with directions to leave. One person was arrested. The three-judge court unanimously rejected Burke's appeal, finding the injunctions validly made and lawful. Mr Justice Birmingham stated the school had acted in accordance with the Gender Recognition Act when considering a student's wishes. The court also found the orders were not an attack on Burke's religious rights. Burke, a teacher suspended following incidents at the school, had spent 108 days incarcerated for contempt of court and currently faces a daily fine.
Two men, Stephen Mulvey (31) and Jamie Berry (27), have gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the attempted murder of a 17‑year‑old teenager shot multiple times on Eugene Street, Dublin 8, on 24 February 2021. The prosecution alleges the attack was a "well‑planned and premeditated hit" carried out by a joint enterprise of three individuals. Berry is accused of firing the Beretta pistol that wounded the teenager in the neck, cheek and leg, while Mulvey is alleged to have assisted. Berry is also charged with criminal damage to a home on Eugene Street, where a bullet passed through a front door and shattered a cooker's glass. Both men are charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. The case is presented as a circumstantial one, relying on CCTV footage, forensic evidence, and the recovered weapon, with the trial continuing before Justice Eileen Creedon.
Charlie Cunningham, 24, of Kellys Bay Heights, Skerries, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for demanding money with menace at a garda's home in Donabate on 1 January 2021. He knocked on the door at 4.30 pm, asked for a specific person, and when the homeowner – who identified himself as Garda Sean McIllroy – denied the request, Cunningham returned and repeated the demand. He threatened that a group of men would break doors and windows and, after leaving, told the homeowner, "Now I know you're a garda, you're cooked". The homeowner followed him to the road, saw a group of six or seven men, and called the gardai. Cunningham pleaded guilty, cooperated with investigators, and apologized. He has eight prior convictions, including assault causing harm. Judge Martin Nolan noted the seriousness of the offence and the lack of sufficient mitigation to avoid custodial punishment, and imposed the two‑year sentence.