Alison Walsh, a disabled mother of two from Enfield, Co Meath, claimed that Tayto Park discriminated against her when it refused to issue a queue assistance pass because she could not produce a doctor's letter. She had shown her disabled driver's badge, adapted car licence and Public Services Card, but could not find medical correspondence on her phone that day. The park's policy required a letter stating an exact diagnosis for those with an "inability to queue." Walsh, who suffers from muscle seizures, spasms and incontinence due to spina bifida and neurosarcoidosis, said she was forced to wait on the side while her family enjoyed the park. The case was heard by the Workplace Relations Commission under the Equal Status Act 2000, with the park's managing director acknowledging the policy's shortcomings and promising that future visitors with a blue badge could receive a pass at the discretion of a manager.
Ciara Kelleher, 51, of Dublin 7, pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiring to defraud investors in Custom House Capital Ltd. She told Gardaí that she was not part of the company's "inner circle" and had no role in buying shares or in any alleged conspiracy. Kelleher's duties were to support John Whyte, head of private clients, by checking valuation reports and sending them to clients. She said she had no knowledge of wrongdoing and that she had never suspected any criminal activity. Kelleher also described an incident in which Harry Cassidy, then CEO, shouted at her over a client funds transfer request. The trial, heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, continues before Judge Orla Crowe and a jury. The case involves alleged offences committed between October 2008 and July 2011.
Two sisters, Hala Salman Alaabsali (39) and Raghad Salaman Alaabsali (29), were sentenced at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for fraudulently claiming Direct Provision payments totalling just over €10,000. Both pleaded guilty to making false statements to obtain weekly payments of about €38, accommodation and meals, which they were not entitled to as EU citizens. Each received a suspended 16‑month sentence and a 16‑month good‑behaviour order. Judge Martin Nolan described the case as an unusual form of criminal behaviour but noted the sisters had no prior convictions and were unlikely to reoffend. The court heard that the sisters had repaid the money to the State, were working, and had contributed to community groups. Their Iraqi and Spanish citizenships were highlighted, and they had been granted Spanish nationality in 2012 and 2014 before moving to Ireland in 2017.
George Radford, a 33‑year‑old former army soldier, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing drugs for sale or supply at his home on 2 October 2021. He admitted he had held just under two kilograms of cocaine, valued at €137,690, in a safe found in a shed on his property after a Garda search. Radford said he had brought the drugs in to help his younger brother, who was in debt over drugs, and that no one else knew about the drugs. He had resigned from the army when the matter came to light. Judge Martin Nolan described the case as "exceptional", noting that the problems were created by Radford's brother, and imposed a four‑year suspended sentence with a period of good behaviour, stating Radford was unlikely to appear again before the courts.
The Special Criminal Court heard evidence from victims of "creeper" burglaries in the ongoing trial of two men accused of conspiring to commit such break-ins across the border region. Brendan Treanor and James Flynn, both charged with conspiracy to steal car keys from residential properties between September 2012 and January 2013, have pleaded not guilty. They face additional charges relating to a seven-thousand-euro robbery at Lordship Credit Union in Co Louth on 25 January 2013. Detective Garda Neil Brady outlined gardaí investigations into overnight burglaries in Cavan, Monaghan, Louth and Westmeath where door locks were forced to access vehicles. Five witnesses gave accounts of thefts from their homes, including a vehicle stolen from Virginia, Co Cavan in October 2012 whose engine was later recovered on the M1 motorway. Other victims described vehicles taken from properties in Westmeath following forced entry during January 2013. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 19‑year‑old Josh Conlon received a fully suspended three‑year sentence for his involvement in a two‑hour assault on Ms Lyndsey Byrne in November 2021. Conlon pleaded guilty to assault causing harm but was deemed not the "prime mover" of the attack, which was led by Paul Clarke. Judge Martin Nolan noted Conlon's lesser role, early guilty plea, youth and lack of prior convictions, and ordered him to maintain good behaviour under Probation Services supervision for one year. Clarke, aged 29, was sentenced to four years and three months for the assault, while Craig Kelly, 38, received a five‑month sentence for simple assault. The court highlighted the brutality of the attack, including the use of a broom handle and boiling water, and the severe injuries sustained by Byrne. The sentences were back‑dated to the November 2021 incident.
At the Central Criminal Court, a garda has given evidence describing the fatal shooting of his colleague Garda Colm Horkan at Castlerea, County Roscommon on 17 June 2020. Stephen Silver, aged 46, from Aughavard, Foxford, County Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to capital murder but guilty to manslaughter. Garda Aidan Fallon testified that he witnessed the incident and found Garda Horkan shot eleven times with his own firearm. The court heard that Silver made comments and behaved disruptively as emergency procedures were performed. Multiple witnesses provided accounts of the struggle and subsequent gunshots on Main Street. Sergeant Michael O'Hara and other gardaí testified regarding Silver's statements and demeanour following his arrest. The defence has indicated that Silver's state of mind at the time remains the central issue in dispute. The trial before Ms Justice Tara Burns continues.
Two creditors belonging to the Van Werven Group, claiming a debt of €2.3 million, have applied to the High Court for orders to wind up Cloughwater Plastics Ireland Limited, a joint venture with Cloughwater Enterprises Limited. The creditors, Kunststof Recycling Van Werven BV and Van Werven Plastic Recycling Holding BV, allege that the company is insolvent, has been mismanaged by its managing director Shane Woods, and that its books contain discrepancies. They also claim the firm no longer holds a licence to export its products and has overcharged the Irish recycling body REPAK, owing it more than €562,000 with a potential additional €600,000. The creditors seek the appointment of joint provisional liquidators, Ken Fennell and Andrew O'Leary of Interpath Ireland, to investigate and manage the company's affairs. The application was heard by Mr Justice Brian O'Moore, who directed that it be served on the company and other interested parties before being considered further.
An unnamed 17-year-old appellant, who was 13 at the time of the offences, was sentenced to one year of detention for sexually assaulting and raping his seven-year-old cousin. The defendant was found guilty by a jury of orally raping his cousin following a trial earlier this year. He also pleaded guilty to four counts of sexually assaulting her on unknown dates between October 1 and December 31, 2018. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor imposed a headline sentence of four years for the juvenile defendant, reduced to one year of detention after considering mitigating factors such as his age, lack of previous convictions, and cooperation. She also imposed nine-month sentences for each sexual assault count, all to run concurrently, and ordered two years of post-release supervision. The court noted aggravating factors including the age disparity, the power imbalance, and the fact the offences occurred in the victim's home. Last month, Ms Justice O'Connor agreed to defer finalisation of the case for two weeks while defence counsel made an application to the Court of Appeal. Defence counsel Lorcan Staines SC stated the intention was to lodge an appeal, challenging the "novel" approach taken during the trial where no cross-examination was conducted to avoid trauma to the victim. The matter was adjourned pending this application.
A human trafficking trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has been discharged after ten days due to unforeseen circumstances. The case against Natalia Nogueira Da Silva of Drumlish, County Longford, and Ivanilce Vailones Fidelis of Roscommon is expected to recommence before a new jury later this month. Judge Patricia Ryan discharged the existing jury, citing the impossibility of proceeding under current circumstances. Da Silva has admitted 35 charges including organising prostitution, facilitating illegal entry, and money laundering offences alleged between 2015 and 2020. She has denied a single count of human trafficking. Vailones Fidelis has denied all 18 charges against her, including two counts of human trafficking, one count of organising prostitution, and money laundering charges covering the same period. The original trial had been scheduled for six weeks. The matter was adjourned to Friday for assignment of a new trial date.
In February 2023, the Workplace Relations Commission ruled that Blue Line Coaches Ltd, trading as Nolan Coaches, had unfairly dismissed bus driver Martin Cormican after falsely accusing him of using a racial slur. The company's statements, produced in 2022, alleged that Cormican had called a passenger a "fat Chinese c***" on 13 September 2020 and that he admitted the remark at a meeting the next day. Cormican denied the allegation, claiming he had misread his work docket and missed passengers due to a route change. The tribunal found the slur claim to be false and unsubstantiated, rejected the company's claim of gross misconduct, and awarded Cormican €8,928 in compensation, including €1,200 for lost earnings and €7,728 for loss of accrued service. The decision highlighted that the statements were likely prepared in 2022, not 2020, and were used to add documentary ballast. The case was heard in May and June 2022.
The Central Criminal Court adjourned sentencing of a 17‑year‑old convicted of murdering Urantsetseg Tserendorj to allow the Oireachtas to consider legislative reform for juvenile serious offenders. Judge Tony Hunt noted the Children Act 2001 lacks provisions for suspended sentences or post‑release conditions, making a 13‑year review unsuitable. He preferred a life detention with review but, due to the law's gaps, would have to impose a life sentence without review. The defendant, 14 at the time of the offence, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was found guilty of murder. The judge highlighted the victim's background, the violent nature of the stabbing, the defendant's prior convictions, and mitigating factors such as family support and rehabilitation signs. The sentencing was postponed to 22 February pending legislative response.
During a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, trawler owner Richard Brannigan denied that his vessel, the Nausicaa, had migrant fishermen working 20‑hour days at sea. He explained that the boat, the smallest in Howth harbour at 19.5 metres, could only stay at sea nine or ten days and could only perform a limited number of trawls per day. Brannigan said the crew's daily hours were a maximum of 12, with two hours' rest between net shots, and that the fishermen were paid for the hours they worked. He argued that the union's claims of underpayment and inaccurate working‑time records were unfounded, citing the vessel's limited range, fuel capacity and the fact that prawns were less productive at night. The hearing also addressed the admissibility of monitoring data and the union's evidence of alleged unpaid holiday pay for one crew member. The case was adjourned for further evidence.
Owen Kavanagh, aged 53, was given a suspended three‑year prison sentence and a four‑year driving disqualification after he hijacked a car on 4 January 2021. He admitted to having drunk two bottles of whiskey, a bottle of gin and prescribed medication before confronting a woman at Campus Oil, East Wall Road, Dublin, demanding her car keys. CCTV showed him threatening the woman with a kitchen knife and two men attempting to stop him. During the subsequent Garda pursuit, Kavanagh broke red lights, drove on the wrong side of the road, drove at excessive speed, collided with a patrol car, and drove around a traffic island. Gardaí used a stinger device to stop his vehicle, deflating its tyres and causing a collision. The court found him guilty of seizing a car by threat or force, criminal damage to a patrol car, three dangerous driving offences and driving without insurance.
During a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, former financial services manager Ciara Kelleher, aged 51, denied any role in a conspiracy to defraud investors in Custom House Capital (CHC) Ltd. She was arrested on 29 March 2016 and pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiring to mislead investors between October 2008 and July 2011. In interviews with gardai, Kelleher insisted she was "absolutely not" involved in the alleged misappropriation of client funds and that her role at CHC was limited to customer relations and support for investment director John Whyte. She claimed no knowledge of the sale of a 'Valovis' bond, the sale of part of CHC to Appian, or the company's difficulties. Kelleher admitted using a template with her name on valuations but denied signing false figures. She also said she had provided documents to Brian Cahalin of Appian Asset Management but could not recall the details.
Kyle Boland, 27, of Ringsend, Dublin, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment after pleading guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing over five kilograms of cannabis for sale or supply, valued at €117,762. Garda Stephen Gillespie reported that Boland's van was stopped on Rathfarnham Road following a tip, where a holdall containing a kilogram of cannabis was found beside the sliding door and a cardboard box with the remainder of the drugs was discovered after the vehicle was seized and taken to a Garda station. A phone and a tick list were also found in the van's front. Boland's 99 prior convictions were mainly for road traffic offences, including possession of a flick knife. He had been staying in a hotel at the time and claimed he was transporting the drugs for €500 to reduce a drug debt, suggesting he was acting on someone else's instructions.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Paul Clarke (29) was sentenced to four years and three months' imprisonment for assault causing harm to Lyndsey Byrne, who was tied up, struck with a stick and repeatedly scalded with boiling water during two attacks in November 2021. Clarke, described as the "main man", was accompanied by Josh Conlon (19) on the first day and Craig Kelly (38) on the second. Conlon pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, while Kelly pleaded guilty to simple assault. Clarke's sentence was back‑dated to the date of his arrest. The court noted Clarke's 79 prior convictions and the severity of the assault, while Kelly received a five‑month sentence and Conlon's sentence was to be decided the following day. The proceedings focused on the assault and the guilty pleas, without reference to any subsequent developments.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal by developer Michael O'Flynn against a ruling that barred him from objecting to a Personal Insolvency Agreement (PIA) entered into by former business partner John O'Driscoll. O'Flynn alleges that O'Driscoll owes him more than €750,000 and that O'Driscoll was not insolvent when the PIA was granted. He claims he advanced a loan to a pub business in which O'Driscoll was involved, and that O'Driscoll became a signatory to a €2.2 million loan guarantee in favour of O'Flynn and a shareholder in the business. O'Driscoll denies the insolvency claim and insists his PIA should remain undisturbed. The High Court had previously ruled that O'Flynn lacked locus standi because he did not file a proof of debt.
The Special Criminal Court has ruled that burglary and robbery charges against two men will be heard together, rejecting an application to separate the trials. Brendan Treanor, aged 34, formerly of Dundalk, County Louth, and James Flynn, aged 32, from South Armagh, face conspiracy charges relating to house burglaries between September 2012 and January 2013, and robbery charges stemming from a credit union incident in Bellurgan, County Louth on 25 January 2013. Both have pleaded not guilty. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding over the three-judge court, exercised his discretion to combine the trials while confirming each charge will be considered separately. The court heard evidence from Virginia and Monaghan residents describing break-ins and car thefts during the relevant period. Detective Garda Laura Bolger provided maps charting distances between alleged theft locations and properties connected to the accused. Aaron Brady, previously convicted of murder and burglary in the same matter, is serving a life sentence with a forty-year minimum and is appealing his conviction.
At the Central Criminal Court, a garda recounted attending to her colleague Garda Colm Horkan after he was fatally shot at Castlerea, Co Roscommon on 17 June 2020. Garda Helen Gillen described witnessing two men grappling before one was shot multiple times with his own firearm. She performed CPR on Garda Horkan after realising he was the victim. Stephen Silver, aged 46, a motorbike mechanic from Foxford, Co Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to capital murder but guilty to manslaughter. The trial heard evidence from eyewitness James Coyne, who was with Silver that evening, describing how an interaction with Garda Horkan escalated into violence. Another witness, Paul McGarry, a local resident, testified to hearing gunshots and disturbances in the area. The defence has indicated that Silver's state of mind at the time remains the central issue, with responsibility for the shooting accepted. The trial continues before Ms Justice Tara Burns.
In February 2023 a Dublin court heard that Graham Armstrong, 38, had broken into a woman's home armed with a knife and threatened to kill her. The victim had met Armstrong on Tinder the day before, and he had stayed for about an hour, appearing "nice and normal." After a brief outing, she returned to find a draught and a shadow, then was pushed and held by Armstrong who demanded money. He forced her to hand over her passport, €150, and other cards, and took her mobile phone. The victim later contacted a friend who advised her to call the police. Armstrong had previously mugged a 75‑year‑old woman in August 2020 and had been convicted of robbery and burglary in 2021. He pleaded guilty to both offences and was sentenced to two years for the robbery and a consecutive three‑year term for the burglary, with the judge noting the seriousness of the knife‑wielding intrusion.
Mr Justice Paul McDermott, a senior judge at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin, criticised the persistent delays affecting criminal trials. He noted that only three of the ten trials scheduled for the day were ready to proceed, while seven were adjourned. McDermott highlighted that some of these cases had been listed since 2020, and that the courts have been offering case‑management support to lawyers. He accused barristers of presenting "tales of woe" about predictable issues, such as difficulties in obtaining reports from government agencies, late disclosure by the Director of Public Prosecutions, and unready expert reports. The judge also mentioned the challenges faced by complainants, especially in murder cases, and the impact on families of the bereaved. His remarks underscored the need for accountability to address the systemic causes of trial delays.
In February 2023, William O'Riordan, a 48‑year‑old farm labourer from Banteer, Cork, was sentenced to one year in prison for sexually abusing his niece on three occasions between September 2001 and March 2006. He pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual abuse at a location in County Cork. The judge, Mr Justice Paul McDermott, noted O'Riordan's reduced cognitive function but also that he understood his actions were wrong and showed no remorse. The sentence was suspended for two years, with conditions that he keep the peace and behave well for three years. The victim, who was nine to ten at the time, described the abuse as devastating, stating she no longer wanted to stay at her grandmother's home and feared future harm to her children. O'Riordan's mother, an elderly woman in her 80s, has been affected by the case, delaying her surgery and relying on O'Riordan for care.
Dean Paget, 34, pleaded guilty to attempting to murder his former partner Lisa Ward and to intentionally ending the life of their unborn child. At a Central Criminal Court sentencing hearing, Judge Paul McDermott imposed a 14‑year sentence, with the final 12 months suspended for two years on the condition that Paget work with probation services and continue treatment for drug and alcohol addiction. The court considered Paget's violent assault on Ward on 25 April 2021, during which he punched, kicked, choked and threatened her, and threatened to "rip" their unborn daughter, Ruby Rose, out of her. CCTV evidence showed a series of vicious assaults and appalling threats. Paget's guilty plea and admission of remorse were noted as mitigating factors, but the judge emphasised the severe and terrifying nature of the violence and the lasting impact on Ward. The suspended portion of the sentence was tied to addressing violence and addiction issues.
The publishing group behind the parenting website EveryMum, Zahra Publishing Ltd, was ordered by the Workplace Relations Commission to pay sales executive Sandra Varian €32,500 for maternity‑related discrimination. Varian, who joined the firm on 1 July 2021 as group sales director, informed the CEO on 5 August 2021 that she was 12 weeks pregnant. The company claimed she was dismissed for poor performance, citing a series of meetings and a reduced sales target of €100,000 by 13 December. Varian's solicitor argued that the company's decision to terminate her was linked to her pregnancy, noting that a former colleague had her probation extended despite lower sales. The adjudicating officer, Hugh Lonsdale, found that the employer failed to prove the adverse treatment was unrelated to pregnancy and awarded Varian compensation equivalent to six months' salary.
Brian Scully, a night manager at Tesco's Portlaoise store, was dismissed after a company investigation into alleged breaches of checkout procedures. Tesco claimed Scully had served himself at the till and taken a pack of cigarettes without paying, citing loss‑prevention software and CCTV evidence. Scully admitted serving himself but argued he forgot to pay for the cigarettes, stating he intended to pay between 7am and 8am. The investigation, conducted the day after his shift, lasted over five hours and was described by his legal team as an aggressive, pre‑judged interrogation with only 14 hours' notice. The Workplace Relations Commission found the dismissal procedurally and substantively unfair, awarding Scully €23,000 in compensation for the unfair dismissal. The tribunal noted the investigation's lack of impartiality and the impact of pre‑judgement on the outcome.
Meath County Council told the High Court that a last‑minute legal action by plumber Michael (Chris) Murray and his wife Rose to stop the demolition of their 588‑sq‑metre house, built without planning permission, was an abuse of process. The couple had previously agreed in 2020 to vacate and allow demolition by 24 September 2022, following a settlement after a decade‑long dispute. In September 2022, their lawyers obtained a temporary injunction preventing demolition, citing new evidence that a Section 47 order on the land had never been formally entered. The council, represented by Deirdre Hughes, seeks to set aside the injunction and argues the action is an abuse of process. The High Court will hear the case later this month, with the injunction to remain until the full trial.
A Workplace Relations Commission hearing concluded with a decision in favour of painter-decorator Shadeem Khan, who alleged he was assaulted by his former employer while seeking unpaid wages. Khan claimed he was left in financial difficulty after VS Painting and Decorating Solutions failed to pay for eight and a half days of work performed between Christmas Eve 2021 and 3 January 2022. He stated that he went to the employer's home in desperation to collect €1,645 in owed wages, during which he was assaulted. Khan reported the incident to An Garda Síochána, which advised him to pursue a civil remedy. The statutory complaint under the Payment of Wages Act 1991 was heard by adjudicating officer Michael MacNamee on 9 December last year. The employer was on notice but did not attend or submit written evidence. Relying on Khan's uncontroverted sworn evidence, MacNamee found that the wages had been unlawfully withheld. The tribunal ordered VS Painting and Decorating Solutions to pay Khan €1,645, subject to tax and statutory deductions. The decision was published recently, resolving the wage dispute in the applicant's favour.
During a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Ciara Kelleher, 51, pleaded not guilty to conspiring to defraud Custom House Capital Ltd (CHC) investors by misleading them about asset placement. The alleged offences occurred between October 2008 and July 2011. Witness Brian Cahalin, former Head of Compliance at Appian Asset Management, testified that he joined Appian in 2011 to assess CHC assets before a proposed takeover. He examined portfolios, noting unusual bond holdings and discrepancies between client valuations and daily cash reconciliations. Cahalin reported that CHC staff, including Ms Kelleher, provided reports showing sales to bonds and manipulated entries to disguise cash movements. He also described meetings where CHC executives, such as Harry Cassidy and John Whyte, admitted to selling down portfolios despite knowing it was wrong. Cahalin claimed that CHC's board raised concerns to the Central Bank, leading to the company's cessation of trading. The trial continues.
Ciaran Heneghan, 38, pleaded guilty to cashing two cheques totalling €6,500 in his name at Ulster Bank in Dublin Airport between July and December 2019. His wife, Tracey Heneghan, also 38, admitted cashing three cheques totalling €13,000 in her name at the same location between January and March 2020. The court heard the cheques were proceeds of crime from a bogus roofing company that fraudulently obtained over €44,000 from an elderly woman in Dun Laoghaire. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Ciaran Heneghan to a two-year suspended sentence, ordered him to be of good behaviour for two years, and directed him to repay €6,000 to the victim. This includes €2,000 to be paid within two months and a further €4,000 within 15 months, or to a charity of the victim's choice if she declines. Regarding Tracey Heneghan, the judge noted her peripheral role and ordered her to be of good behaviour under Section 100 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. The matter was adjourned until June 8, with the judge stating he would discharge any sentence against her a fortnight later if she abides by the condition. A third accused is due in court separately.
Michael Campbell, 31, was jailed for three and a half years after being caught driving a Ford van that contained €600,000 worth of cannabis. He had been pressed by third parties to transport the drugs after accruing a drug debt of €1,000 to €2,000. Campbell pleaded guilty to possessing almost 30 kilos of cannabis for sale or supply when stopped at the Ballymun exit of the M50 on 22 June. He claimed he was the "lowest of the low" in the operation and had no knowledge of the quantity of drugs he was asked to transport. Gardaí found six black plastic bags of cannabis in the van's back. Campbell had no prior convictions, had voluntarily relinquished bail in September, and was described as having an excellent work record and a good family background. The sentence was back‑dated to 12 September 2022.
Brendan Martin, 55, pleaded guilty to a single count of indecent assault on his seven‑year‑old nephew in 1982. The victim, Joseph Martin, waived anonymity and gave a video statement from Spain, describing the abuse as "unquantifiable" and its far‑reaching, destructive impact. He said the assault destroyed his relationship with his father, caused bed‑wetting until age 14, and left him with lasting emotional difficulties. Judge Martin Nolan noted the offender was a child at the time, aged 15, and suspended a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, ordering Martin to register as a sex offender. The court heard that Martin had been babysitting the nephew for months, that the abuse involved fondling and forced kissing, and that the victim's mother had stopped allowing him to babysit. Martin had previously been convicted of sexual assault in 2003‑2004 and was fined. He is now homeless and lives in his car.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a Brazilian woman gave evidence that she was required to engage in sexual relations with one of the accused and her husband on multiple occasions. Testifying via video-link with an interpreter, the complainant described being selected as a "girlfriend" for weekends at properties in Roscommon and various hotels. She stated she was not willing to participate in these activities. The prosecution alleges that Ivanilce Vailones Fidelis, of Racecourse Road, Roscommon, and Natalia Nogueira Da Silva, of Drumlish, County Longford, trafficked two vulnerable Brazilian women for sexual exploitation. The court heard the complainant was encouraged to consume alcohol and drugs, and was instructed to continue working during menstruation. She was subsequently evicted from an apartment near Kildare Village after requesting repairs. Ms Vailones Fidelis, aged 46, has denied all 18 charges including human trafficking and money laundering offences dating between 2015 and 2020. Ms Da Silva, aged 32, has admitted 35 charges but denies one count of human trafficking. The trial continues before Ms Justice Patricia Ryan.
In a High Court case brought by Sheelagh Conway against her estranged husband Frank Conway and John Harty, the parties sought to appoint a receiver to wind up the Peig Sayers Hotel Partnership, which owns the 29‑bedroom Riverhouse Hotel complex in Dublin's Temple Bar. Conway alleged that the partnership was mismanaged and that Conway had not acted in good faith. She requested the partnership be formally dissolved and its assets sold. Conway's claims were denied by Conway, while Harty was not represented. After out‑of‑court discussions, the parties agreed to resolve the matter. Judge Conor Dignam struck out the proceedings, allowing either side to re‑enter the action if necessary. No settlement details were disclosed in court. The case was concluded without any orders or declarations being granted.
An application to wind up GWD Forestry Ltd was adjourned after the company agreed not to hold a creditors meeting. The High Court will consider appointing Mr Declan de Lacey as provisional liquidator later this month. The court also authorised notice to over 400 investors who are creditors. Mr Franco Bertellino, represented by Robert O'Reilly BL, had sought Mr de Lacey's appointment due to concerns over the company's management and its attempts to enter voluntary liquidation in December, which he claimed were not in accordance with Irish law. The company's alleged mismanagement includes claims that its director, Mr Benjamin Taylor, was effectively a front for Mark Raynor, a convicted fraudster, and that the company falsely reported itself as dormant while raising about €30 million from investors. The matter will return on 20 February.
Jane Burton, the sole Irish sales executive for Knights of Old Group, claimed her LinkedIn account was accessed by a colleague without her consent while she was laid off. She argued that the company's decision to terminate her employment as redundant was unfair. The Workplace Relations Commission found that Burton had been placed in a "pool of one" for redundancy purposes, despite the firm's claim that her role was redundant. The commission noted that the company was still expanding its Irish business and that Burton should have been pooled with other business‑development staff. The tribunal concluded that the dismissal did not meet the required criteria for redundancy and ordered the firm to pay €7,000 in redress to Burton for her financial losses. The decision was based on evidence that the company was still developing business in Ireland and that Burton's role was essential to that effort. The ruling upheld Burton's complaint under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977.
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence on Thursday that Stephen Silver, a forty-six-year-old mechanic from Foxford in County Mayo, was shouting in a Castlerea street on the night Garda Colm Horkan was fatally shot, daring armed gardaí to confront him. Witness testimony established that Mr Silver had visited Castlerea Garda Station earlier that day to lodge an angry complaint about a garda raid on a neighbouring property. Several residents of Knockroe estate told the court they observed Mr Silver riding a motorbike recklessly around the area at approximately ten-thirty that evening, engaging in erratic behaviour including aggressive shouting. One witness stated she heard him challenge the armed squad to come down. Mr Silver has pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Garda Horkan on June seventeenth, twenty twenty, but has pleaded guilty to manslaughter. His defence team has indicated that Mr Silver's state of mind at the material time remains the central issue in the trial before Ms Justice Tara Burns. The case continues.
Jonathan Dowdall's appeal against his four-year prison sentence for facilitating the murder of David Byrne has been adjourned until after judgment is returned in the trial of Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch. At a brief hearing at the Court of Appeal, counsel Gemma McLoughlin-Burke BL applied to postpone the appeal to await the outcome of the Hutch trial, where Dowdall, a former Sinn Fein councillor, gave State evidence. The court sent the matter to the next list to fix dates on March 27. Dowdall, who did not attend, had previously pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to making a room available to the Hutch gang at the Regency Hotel in February 2016. He was originally charged with murder, but the State dropped that charge after he admitted to the lesser facilitation role. In October, the Special Criminal Court sentenced him to four years' imprisonment. The presiding judge noted Dowdall was complicit in the crime despite claiming ignorance of the room's purpose. Separately, Patrick Dowdall was jailed for two years for his own facilitation role in the same incident. The source notes that Patrick Dowdall's name was used to book Room 2104 one day before the murder. Jonathan Dowdall's appeal remains pending, not concluded, as it awaits the Hutch trial judgment.
The Court of Appeal reduced the sentence of a 38‑year‑old man, who had 41 prior convictions, from six years to three years on each of four defilement charges. The man had been convicted in 2016 of two counts of defiling a 16‑year‑old girl, with the original sentences running consecutively: four years for the first offence and three years and six months for the second, the last 18 months suspended. The appeal argued that consecutive sentences were unnecessary because the offences occurred over a short period and involved a single victim. The Court agreed, quashing the consecutive structure and ordering that all four sentences run concurrently, thereby halving the total custodial time. The man remains on the sex offenders register. The case highlighted the victim's anxiety, depression and suicidal attempts following the offences. The unnamed 38-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing, defence counsel Sean Guerin SC argued that the prosecution sought to introduce evidence of burglaries committed by Brendan Treanor and James Flynn to prejudice them in the Lordship Credit Union robbery case that resulted in the death of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. Guerin said the burglaries had no connection to the robbery and requested separate trials for each charge. Bernard Condon SC supported this position for Flynn. Prosecutor Brendan Grehan SC countered that the burglary and robbery charges were joined because of a continuum of facts, citing similarities in location, timing, method and mobile phone evidence. He argued the burglary evidence would show the accused were not in innocent association on the day of the robbery. The court would rule on the matter next Tuesday. Treanor (34) and Flynn (32) have pleaded not guilty to both the burglary and robbery charges.
Aaron Brady, aged 31, is awaiting a new trial for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, a charge that arose from attempts to persuade State witness Daniel Cahill not to testify in the murder case of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. The Special Criminal Court postponed the trial to April 8 2024 to avoid conflict with Brady's October appeal of his murder conviction. Brady and co‑accused Dean Byrne, aged 29, are accused of conspiring between April 8 2020 and June 22 2020 to influence Cahill's testimony, and of recording a video of Cahill being interviewed by Gardaí between February 20 2020 and May 7 2020. The video, circulated on social media, was described by Judge Michael White as "the most outrageous contempt of court" and a "deliberate attempt to intimidate." Brady was convicted in August 2020 of murdering Garda Donohoe and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years.
In a dispute over employment status, fiddler Matt McGranaghan claims he secretly recorded conversations with country singer Michael English during meetings in 2019 and 2021. McGranaghan alleges that English told him he was being dismissed and that the band's manager wanted him gone. He says he was later declared an employee by the Department of Social Protection in 2020, a decision later overturned by the Social Welfare Appeals Office. McGranaghan has brought an unfair dismissal claim under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 against MEPC Music Ireland Ltd, which denied the claim. During the Workplace Relations Commission hearing, McGranaghan presented excerpts from his recordings, despite objections from the company's lawyer. The tribunal allowed the excerpts to be used as evidence, noting that no party was permitted to record the hearing itself. The case remains at the unfair dismissal stage.
A Brazilian woman has testified at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that she expected merely to survive each day while allegedly trafficked in Ireland for sexual exploitation. Giving evidence via video-link with interpreter support, the woman described arriving in 2018 after being promised massage work, but was moved weekly between locations including Ballymahon, County Longford. She stated she was required to engage in sexual services, serving seven to nine clients daily at €100 to €150 each, while having limited English and facing aggressive clients. The witness detailed a system whereby she paid weekly fees for website listing, accommodation ranging from €500 to €900, transport, and transferred half her earnings to an account controlled by accused parties. She recalled meeting other women at a Christmas gathering organised by one of the accused. Natalia Nogueira Da Silva, of Drumlish, County Longford, has pleaded guilty to organising prostitution and money laundering but denies one human trafficking charge. Ivanilce Vailones Fidelis, of Roscommon, denies all eighteen charges including two human trafficking counts.
Alan Kiernan, 58, pleaded guilty to affray after a street brawl outside a women's refuge on St Patrick's Day. Gardaí saw him with blood on his head and a wheel brace. He was struck about 20 times by the co‑accused, who later received a 15‑month suspended sentence. Kiernan had previously been arrested in January 2020 and exercised his right to silence. He had 12 prior convictions, including sexual offences. In court he offered €1,000 as a token of remorse and a letter from an employment service. Judge Orla Crowe, noting the CCTV evidence and Kiernan's guilty plea, imposed an 18‑month prison sentence suspended for four years on strict conditions, directing the €1,000 to be donated to the refuge.
Stacey Harcourt, 41, pleaded guilty to unlawful cultivation of cannabis at her north Dublin home after a Garda search in October 2021 uncovered 448 g of the herb. Harcourt, a cancer sufferer diagnosed with skin cancer in 2010 and treated with eight neck operations and 15 melanoma‑related procedures, said she grew the plant from seed and used about five grams each evening for pain relief, claiming it was the only effective treatment after chemotherapy failed. She denied ever selling the cannabis. Her lawyer, Olan Callanan, argued that the drug was used solely for her own medical comfort. Judge Martina Baxter acknowledged Harcourt's situation but reiterated that each use constituted an offence. The court adjourned sentencing to 21 April, pending a Probation Service assessment and urine drug analysis.
In a High Court case involving the Wright family, Mr Justice Brian O'Moore urged the parties to seek mediation to resolve their dispute. The judge noted that the parties were willing to mediate and warned that, if they did not, the case would proceed to a five‑day hearing. The dispute centres on the Wrights of Howth group's claim that they were wrongfully locked out of a storage unit, Store E, West Pier, Howth, by two family members not part of the business. The court had previously granted a temporary injunction restraining former shareholder Mark Wright and his daughter Shona Wright from obstructing access to the premises. The injunction also prohibits the defendants from placing locks or access‑control devices on the store. The case will return to court later this month, with the Department of Agriculture and the Marine applying to join the proceedings.
A 34‑year‑old man, Charles McClean of St Mark's Grove, Clondalkin, has been charged with the murder of gangland figure Mark 'Guinea Pig' Desmond, who was shot at least three times at Griffeen Valley Park, Lucan, on 2 December 2016. Mr Justice Paul McDermott set the trial for 29 January 2024, with all disclosure to be finished by 22 May 2023. Desmond, aged 41 at death, had links to dissident republicans and the drug trade in west Dublin. He had earlier faced, but had those charges dropped, the murder of two men in 1999.
A man has been found not guilty of attempted murder by reason of insanity following a trial at the Central Criminal Court. The jury returned the special verdict in the case of Neil O'Dowd, who was charged with stabbing his former employer 19 times at The Elphin Pub on the Baldoyle Road in Sutton on January 28, 2021. The victim sustained serious injuries including a pseudoaneurysm requiring surgical intervention. Medical evidence presented to the court indicated that O'Dowd was experiencing a psychotic episode at the time, consistent with paranoid schizophrenia, and did not know the nature or wrongfulness of his actions. Two forensic psychiatrists agreed on his mental state. The jury deliberated for 28 minutes before returning a unanimous verdict. The matter has been adjourned to February 15 for assessment of O'Dowd's current mental health status, with O'Dowd remanded on continuing bail.
Patrick Murphy, a Coca‑Cola sales rep, claimed unfair dismissal under the Unfair Dismissals Act. The Workplace Relations Commission upheld his complaint but found he was 80 % responsible for his own dismissal. Murphy, who denied falsifying records, said he was punished for supporting a colleague's bullying complaint. The tribunal heard that Murphy's role involved scanning Coca‑Cola cooler units to monitor stock. In early 2020, an internal audit flagged 38 anomalous records worth €138,000 across 19 sites, which the company deemed gross misconduct. Murphy argued the geographic codes were incorrect, a claim the company found highly improbable. The adjudicating officer ruled out reinstatement, citing a breach of trust, and ordered Coca‑Cola to pay €10,000 for the unfair dismissal.
Two men have been charged with conspiracy to commit a series of burglaries known as "creeper burglaries" across Ireland between September 2012 and January 2013. The Special Criminal Court heard that the offences involved late-night break-ins at residential properties, where car keys were stolen and vehicles removed. A Volkswagen Passat taken during a creeper burglary in Clogherhead, County Louth in January 2013 was subsequently used in a robbery at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan on 25 January 2013, during which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was shot dead. Brendan Treanor, 34, formerly of Dundalk, and James Flynn, 32, from South Armagh are charged with conspiracy and with the credit union robbery. The prosecution indicated it would rely on circumstantial evidence including phone records, cell-site data, and CCTV footage. Aaron Brady, previously convicted of murdering Detective Garda Donohoe, is serving a 40-year sentence. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and two other judges.