In a 2023 Court of Appeal hearing, the court increased the sentence of Costel Pirvu, a 39‑year‑old non‑English‑speaking foreign national, for raping a 19‑year‑old woman with a mild intellectual disability three times after forcibly taking her to his apartment. The original six‑and‑a‑half‑year term was quashed and replaced with a ten‑year imprisonment, with the final year‑and‑a‑half suspended. The appeal judge criticised the trial judge for giving an excessive discount for Pirvu's language barrier, describing it as "extremely high" and "excessive". The judge noted Pirvu's prior convictions, including attempted rape, and a disturbing probation report that showed no remorse or empathy toward the victim. The new sentence was back‑dated to the date Pirvu entered custody in August 2018. The decision was made after a nine‑day trial at the Central Criminal Court where Pirvu pleaded not guilty to all counts. Costel Pirvu was found guilty.
The High Court ordered the extradition of 54‑year‑old Algerian Youcef Madani, also known as Abderrahmane Yahiaoui, to France. Madani, who lives in Ireland with partial blindness and a prosthetic eye, is a convicted forger and weapons trafficker linked to Islamic terrorism. He was convicted in absentia in 2001 and sentenced to six years for forging passports for Algerian immigrants and trafficking weapons from the Netherlands. Irish authorities arrested him in 2021 after he appeared on the Schengen Information System under his false name. The court rejected arguments that he would face inhuman treatment, lack of judicial authority for the French prosecutor, or denial of fair retrial and medical care. The judge confirmed that the offence was committed in France and the Netherlands, and that the French authorities had the power to issue an arrest warrant. The extradition order was issued with a condition that Madani surrender to Gardaí when contacted.
In the trial of 58‑year‑old Michael Scott, accused of murdering his 76‑year‑old aunt Christine 'Chrissie' Treacy over a land dispute, the jury was shown photographs of the deceased lying on a concrete pavement with tractor tyre marks on her legs. Garda Geraldine Doheny described the images, noting tyre impressions on Ms Treacy's blue slacks and the dirty windows of the tractor driven by the accused. The prosecution maintains that Ms Treacy was deliberately run over, while the defence argues the death was a tragic accident. Det. Sgt. David Conway also presented photographs, including one of the deceased's clothing, and agreed with defence counsel that one image was a "distressing photo" of the lower half of Ms Treacy's body. Justice Caroline Biggs explained to the jury that the prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt that the accused killed the deceased with intent, while the accused retains the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. Michael Scott pleaded not guilty.
Lorcan Merriman, aged 26, had his sentence increased by two years after the Court of Appeal reviewed his conviction for disposing of the firearm used in the cold‑blooded assassination of Thomas Farnan, a 37‑year‑old who was shot dead at his home in Clondalkin on 25 April 2016. Merriman had previously pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of disposing of a firearm and was sentenced to four years' imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended. The appeal court found that the original judge had erred by reducing the sentence from the appropriate six years with 18 months suspended to four years with 18 months suspended, and therefore quashed the original sentence and substituted a six‑year term with 18 months suspended. The decision was based on evidence that Merriman's dwelling had yielded a submachine gun, two magazines and 25 rounds of ammunition, and on his extensive record of prior convictions from 2014 to 2019.
A 58‑year‑old farmer, Michael Scott of Gortanumera, Portumna, has been brought before the Central Criminal Court on a murder charge. He is accused of driving a JCB tractor over his 76‑year‑old aunt, Christine 'Chrissie' Treacy, in a yard outside her home at Derryhiny on the afternoon of 27 April 2018. The prosecution, represented by Dean Kelly SC, argues that the incident was not an accident but a deliberate act carried out in the context of a long‑running land dispute that had eroded the relationship between the parties. Mr Kelly described the case as a "most terrible and dark" crime, noting that Mr Scott had a sense of being wronged and that he "callously and wilfully" drove over his aunt. Mr Scott has pleaded not guilty. The trial, which may last up to ten weeks, is set to continue tomorrow.
Mary Magowan, 88, was given a one‑year suspended sentence after she reversed her car in Stillorgan Shopping Centre's overflow carpark and drove over Suzanne Brennan, who was walking behind her vehicle. Magowan knocked Brennan to the ground and continued reversing at speed, striking her again while she lay on the ground. The car then crashed into a parked vehicle and railings before stopping. Brennan suffered a broken pelvis, dislocated shoulder, multiple fractures to her right arm, nerve damage to both arms, broken ribs, and a torn bladder, requiring seven weeks of hospital treatment and ongoing care. Magowan pleaded guilty to careless driving causing serious injury on 18 October 2021. She surrendered her licence after the incident. The judge, citing her remorse, lack of prior convictions and immediate licence surrender, imposed a suspended one‑year term, disqualified her from driving for three years, and did not order custodial imprisonment.
During a raid on 16 October 2020, Gardaí seized 102 g of cocaine, 2 g of heroin and evidence of cannabis cultivation from the Dublin flat of Aivar Kuura (40) and the kitchen of Michal Pozniakow (43). Kuura, who had 17 prior convictions including a 2010 drug‑dealing offence, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and heroin. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three and a half years' imprisonment. Pozniakow, with three earlier drug convictions, pleaded guilty to cultivation of cannabis and possession of cocaine. He was jailed for 21 months. The court noted that Pozniakow had overseen the cooking of crack cocaine and that the flat also contained a sophisticated cannabis growing operation. Both men were arrested and the seized drugs were valued at €7,504 for cocaine and €46,400 for heroin. The case was prosecuted by Caroline Cummings BL.
Leon Wilson, aged 19, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assault causing harm after he threw a plastic bottle at a supermarket security guard, resulting in severe injuries. The victim suffered a fractured orbital bone, nose, bruised cheekbone and eye, with potential loss of sight. Wilson, who was 16 at the time of the incident, pleaded guilty and had no prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a two‑year prison sentence suspended on strict conditions, including 12 months under Probation Service supervision. Wilson was identified via CCTV, and a search warrant was executed at his home. The case was delayed, causing Wilson to lose the benefit of the Children's Act. Wilson expressed remorse and submitted a letter of apology; a psychological report was also presented. The judge noted mitigating factors such as the guilty plea and lack of previous convictions.
The trial of Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, who denies the murder of David Byrne, heard evidence regarding a YouTube video showing the victim dead after the Regency Hotel attack. Co-accused Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, both pleading not guilty to facilitating the murder by providing vehicles, face charges of participating in criminal activity. The court heard from Detective Garda Paul Darley about the clip, which captured voices discussing the scene and a van exiting the premises. The prosecution also presented evidence from taxi driver Paul Brady, who rented a plate to Murphy, and Detective Alan Crummey, who took statements from Murphy regarding a potential vehicle clone. The trial continues before Ms Justice Tara Burns. Separately, former co-accused Patrick Dowdall (65) was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for facilitating the murder by booking a hotel room. His son, Jonathan Dowdall, pleaded guilty to the same facilitation charge and was jailed for four years by the Special Criminal Court. A nolle prosequi was entered on Jonathan Dowdall's murder charge following his guilty plea. The validated procedural stage for the current defendants is sentence, though the trial is ongoing.
In a 2023 equality hearing, the Workplace Relations Commission ruled that Lantern Events Ltd must pay €3,000 to Maria Casey and her partner Karl Woods. Casey, who uses crutches, and Woods, who cannot stand for long periods due to injury, had requested reasonable accommodation for seats at a concert on 27 October 2021. They emailed the promoter over five weeks before the event and called again after no reply. Casey described the promoter's repeated use of the term "liability" to refer to her and the refusal to allow them to sit in the booths because they would have to climb three steps. The promoter claimed the term was used in the context of insurers and denied intentional discrimination. The tribunal found the complaints well‑founded and ordered the company to pay the couple €3,000 each.
Keith O'Reilly, 31, of County Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for offences committed in May 2022. He pleaded guilty to one count of assault, criminal damage, and production of a realistic firearm at Harold's Cross, Dublin. The court heard that O'Reilly broke into the home of his wheelchair-bound ex-girlfriend, assaulted her, and threw her dog onto the road. Gardaí discovered an imitation firearm in his rucksack upon his arrest. Judge Martin Nolan suspended a three-year term of imprisonment on full strict conditions. The judge noted that O'Reilly had no previous convictions and was remorseful, though somewhat intoxicated at the time. Crucially, the judge cited a letter from the victim, who requested he not be imprisoned due to his past good behaviour and her belief in second chances. Judge Nolan stated that it was only because of the woman's Christian views that O'Reilly avoided immediate custody. The matter was finalised with this suspended sentence.
Barbara Coyle, a former director of The Blackdog Communications Ltd, was awarded €25,000 by the Workplace Relations Commission for unfair dismissal. Coyle had been removed as director in October 2019 after a buy‑out dispute with Peter Wilson, who remained director and shareholder. Wilson alleged that Coyle had misappropriated company funds, an allegation that was never substantiated and was described by the tribunal as "outrageous." Coyle claimed the dismissal was pre‑meditated and that she was placed on layoff to force her resignation and diminish her shareholding. The tribunal found that Coyle was unfairly dismissed as an employee after being laid off, despite the company claiming a genuine redundancy. The decision awarded her €25,000 in redress for losses from the unfair dismissal. The case also references a prior 2021 award of €3,000 that was later overturned.
Unislim Ltd was ordered by the Workplace Relations Commission to pay €9,000 to part‑time fitness trainer Marsha Flannery after she returned from maternity leave and received a new contract that changed her employment "beyond recognition." Flannery had worked for Unislim since 2016, teaching two in‑person classes a week on a ten‑hour contract. She went on maternity leave in May 2019, was due to return in March 2020, but the Covid‑19 pandemic caused the firm to shut down and she remained on sick leave before being laid off in September 2020. She took further maternity leave from December 2020 to June 2021 and then sought to return to work. The company offered her either one extra remote class or payment for six hours a week to teach two classes, and issued a new contract that set a new start date of September 2021, effectively erasing her 2016 start date.
Enoch Burke's injunction application was dismissed by the High Court, clearing the way for disciplinary proceedings at Wilson's Hospital School to proceed. Mr Justice Conor Dignam acknowledged that Burke raised a strong case that his challenge would succeed at trial but refused the injunction because Burke refused to comply with a prior order to stay away from the school. Burke, who denies wrongdoing and claims his suspension breaches his constitutional rights regarding religious objections to transgendarism, stated he would not comply with the September order, which he described as flawed. The judge clarified that Burke had not won the injunction and dismissed the matter. Burke was previously jailed for 108 days for contempt after breaching the stay-away order. The disciplinary hearing, stemming from allegations about Burke's behavior toward former principal Niamh McShane, is scheduled for Thursday. The court noted Burke may appeal to the Court of Appeal, and the full hearing of the dispute will take place shortly. Costs applications will be dealt with later. The school opposed the injunction, and the judge agreed Burke did not come to court with clean hands due to his non-compliance.
A High Court judge has determined that teacher Enoch Burke holds a strong case against disciplinary proceedings initiated by Wilson's Hospital School in County Westmeath, but has declined to halt those proceedings unless Burke complies with an existing court order to remain away from the school premises. Mr Justice Conor Dignam acknowledged that grounds existed to prevent the school from proceeding with a disciplinary meeting scheduled for Mullingar, yet ruled that Burke's ongoing refusal to observe the earlier order tipped the balance against granting an injunction. The judge indicated willingness to grant the injunction if Burke agrees to respect the suspension order issued in September, requiring him to stay away from school while receiving pay. Burke contests disciplinary action arising from allegations of gross misconduct related to his conduct at a school function and his objections to the school's policy regarding a transitioning student. He maintains the disciplinary process breaches fair procedure and his constitutional rights. The school opposes his application. The matter was listed for further hearing.
Brian Murphy, a qualified accountant and former Deloitte audit partner, appealed a High Court ruling that permitted his criminal prosecution for alleged tax offences. The Court of Appeal heard arguments regarding whether a 2015 settlement agreement with the Revenue Commissioners created a legitimate expectation that he would not be prosecuted. Mr Murphy, of Carrigaline, Co Cork, denies wrongdoing and argued that oral representations and the absence of a prosecution reservation clause in the signed document implied immunity. He contended that the High Court judge erred by applying contract law rather than the principle of legitimate expectation. Counsel for the Revenue and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) argued that the DPP is an independent body not bound by Revenue agreements and that the omission of a non-prosecution clause was an error. They maintained that the threshold for legitimate expectation was not met. The High Court had previously found that the 2015 agreement, which involved monthly payments of €4,000 and annual lump sums, did not represent a promise against criminal proceedings. In the Court of Appeal, the panel of judges, including Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, Mr Justice George Birmingham, and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, reserved their judgment. The matter was adjourned, and no final decision was reached during this hearing.
Karl McDermott, aged 26, was jailed for seven and a half years after a drug‑influenced spree in Finglas on 4 May 2022. He hijacked a push bike from a 14‑year‑old schoolboy, then attempted to rob a 15‑year‑old girl, a woman at a bank, and a man in a launderette, all within a 45‑minute window. McDermott used a knife described as a butcher's knife and was described by witnesses as drunk or on tablets. He pleaded guilty to two robberies, three attempted robberies and one bicycle hijacking. The court imposed a five‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for the May 2022 offences, to run consecutively with a three‑year term for a 2021 knife‑point robbery. The final year of the eight‑and‑a‑half‑year term was suspended on the condition he keep the peace and engage with the Probation Service for one year.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 17 January 2023, a 72‑year‑old pensioner pleaded guilty to sending sexually explicit messages to a minor. The victim, a teenage girl who was the daughter of his son's partner, received the messages on Facebook Messenger in 2018. The texts were described by the judge as "depraved" and included references to licking, riding and the girl's "tight pussy." The offender, who is effectively the girl's step‑grandfather, was not previously convicted and had not attracted Garda attention. Judge Martin Nolan, after noting the incident was a one‑off and that the victim reported no physical contact, imposed a fully suspended prison sentence. The court considered the lack of prior convictions and the absence of threat or intimidation, and the sentence was set as suspended with no custodial time.
Vasile Muntean, 28, worked for the grocery‑shopping app Buymie and used his company debit card to shop at 23 supermarkets in Dublin and Kildare. Between 1 and 25 February 2021 he carried out 204 thefts, buying goods worth about €29,000, including €15,000 of One4All gift vouchers that he sold for cash to fund a drug habit. Buymie discovered the discrepancy when the card's spending did not match customer orders, and the company suffered a loss of €14,000. Muntean pleaded guilty to 32 counts of theft at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He was sentenced to a two‑year suspended term, with conditions that he hand over €6,000 to Buymie and save an additional €8,000 within two years. He has no prior convictions and has since undergone drug counselling and is working as a food‑delivery driver.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 17 January 2023, Kevin Shipley, a 37‑year‑old UK national residing in Spain, was sentenced to 33 months' imprisonment for possession of cannabis for sale or supply and handling €14,000 in cash, the proceeds of criminal conduct. The case centred on the seizure of approximately 3,000 cannabis jellies from a car and premises on Bluebell Road, Dublin, on 8 August 2021. Gardaí estimated the street value of the jellies at €10 each, totalling €33,000, while defence counsel presented an independent valuation of about €1 each. Judge Martin Nolan ruled that the true value was likely between the two figures and decided the court need not determine it for sentencing. Shipley's sentence was back‑dated to the time of his arrest, and the €14,000 in cash was confiscated. The court noted Shipley had been in custody for about 18 months prior to sentencing. Kevin Shipley pleaded guilty.
In a murder trial held at the Central Criminal Court, a 24‑year‑old man named Oliver Doran pleaded guilty to the axe murder of Kwok Ping Cheng, a 76‑year‑old vulnerable pensioner. The victim's mutilated body was discovered covered in blood in the living room of his own home at Robinson's Court, Cork Street, Dublin 8, on 28–29 April 2021. Doran had initially pleaded not guilty but, after discussions with his counsel, chose to enter a guilty plea on the third day of the trial. He expressed remorse and requested forgiveness from Cheng's family, providing a letter to be given to them. The court accepted the plea, directed a probation report and victim impact statements, and remanded Doran in custody for sentencing. The jury heard that Cheng died from multiple traumatic injuries, including a fractured skull and arm, chop wounds, bruises and lacerations, caused by an axe.
The High Court will decide next week on an application by Wilson's Hospital School to sequester or remove the assets of teacher Enoch Burke, who has refused to comply with a court order to stay away from the school. Burke, who was jailed for contempt for 108 days last year, claims the order breaches his constitutional rights and has no wrongdoing. The school, represented by Rosemary Mallon BL, seeks to sequester Burke's assets or fine him, citing his return to the school campus on 5 January after the Christmas break despite the order. Burke, representing himself, argues he was not disobeying a valid order and criticises the school's disciplinary proceedings, alleging they target his religious beliefs and opposition to transgendarism. The court will rule on the matter next week.
The High Court has adjourned a preliminary jurisdictional hearing in an application by Ezeon Entertainment Limited to set aside a Personal Insolvency Arrangement (PIA) granted to shareholder John O'Driscoll. The company, whose shareholders include rugby player Ronan O'Gara and businessman Michael O'Flynn, alleges the PIA was fraudulent and that O'Driscoll misappropriated over €15,000 in company funds. O'Driscoll denies all claims, stating he withdrew the money to repay debts he was owed and that the allegations are incorrect. Counsel for the respondent's Personal Insolvency Practitioner argued the High Court lacks jurisdiction, contending the matter should have been heard by the Circuit Court which originally granted the PIA in March 2022. Conversely, Ezeon's counsel argued the High Court does have jurisdiction. Mr Justice Alexander Owens stated the preliminary issue of jurisdiction must be decided first. He adjourned the matter for one week to allow the parties to exchange documents on this issue. The judge indicated he intends to fix a date for the hearing of the preliminary jurisdictional issue when the application returns before him next Monday. The court noted that O'Flynn previously lacked standing to overturn the PIA and that his appeal to the Supreme Court remains undetermined. O'Gara, who stated he was unaware of the PIA until media reports, expressed that he felt a material breach of trust had occurred, though he denied wishing to pursue a personal dispute.
During a sentencing hearing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 16 January 2023, Judge Pauline Codd addressed the case of Dean Pouch (31) and Jacek Luczyn (31), who pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and violent disorder for an incident on Jervis Street on 26 May 2021. The judge noted that the accused had opportunities to walk away but chose not to, and that Gardaí had been called at 10:45 pm after reports of an assault. CCTV footage showed Pouch kicking and punching the victim, who sustained a fractured cheek, and Luczyn also kicking and punching. Both men were intoxicated and expressed remorse. Judge Codd imposed a five‑year sentence for the violent disorder charge, suspending the final two and a half years on strict conditions, and a two and a half year sentence for assault causing harm, to run concurrently.
On 1 April 2021, Nathan Kiernan (21) drove an uninsured Ford Focus at high speed, causing a chase that ended in a crash that seriously injured his passenger, Jason O'Rourke, who suffered a ruptured bladder, fractured pelvis and pubic bone fractures. Kiernan was arrested after a patrol car spotted the vehicle with no headlights. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm, endangerment for driving at high speed, and driving without insurance or a licence. Judge Martin Nolan, after hearing evidence, ordered Kiernan to undergo a Probation Service assessment and imposed 200 hours of community service in lieu of a two‑year prison term, noting he had no prior convictions and was suitable for community service. Kiernan was remanded on continuing bail until the hearing. O'Rourke fully recovered and the two remain friends. The incident involved multiple patrol cars, a high‑speed chase, and a crash into a traffic island and tree.
Patricia Kelly, 61, widow of the late Paul Kelly, former chief executive of the suicide‑prevention charity Console, has been given a trial date of 11 January 2024 by Justice Patricia Ryan at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. She faces two counts of fraudulent trading and one count of money laundering. The first fraudulent trading charge covers the period from 6 December 2006 to 31 May 2015, alleging that she knowingly participated in running Console Suicide Bereavement Counselling Ltd for a fraudulent purpose, misusing the company's property that was meant for its charitable objectives. The second fraudulent trading charge concerns 1 June 2015 to 14 July 2016, alleging the same wrongdoing. The money‑laundering charge covers 1 September 2010 to 1 July 2016, alleging that she concealed the true nature, source, location, disposition, movement or ownership of property of Console Ltd or acted recklessly about whether that property was the proceeds of criminal conduct.
Costel Pirvu, 39, was convicted of three rapes and one false imprisonment after a nine‑day trial at the Central Criminal Court. He was sentenced to ten years, with the final three‑and‑a‑half years suspended and back‑dated to his arrest in August 2018. The Court of Appeal heard that the judge had applied a 50 % mitigation factor because Pirvu, a foreign national who does not speak English, would find prison life more difficult. The appeal argued this discount was extraordinary. Pirvu's defence said the judge acted within discretion and that Pirvu had medical concerns and limited access to English‑speaking support while in custody. The appeal was adjourned for judgment on 19 January 2023. The case involved a 19‑year‑old woman who was raped on a side‑street, taken to Pirvu's apartment, and raped twice more before being released the next morning. The victim suffered physical injuries and ongoing PTSD, depression and suicidal thoughts. Costel Pirvu pleaded not guilty.
The court heard that a 19‑year‑old woman, who was first found in possession of child abuse material at age 13 and again at 15, pleaded guilty to three counts of possession of child pornography on dates in 2017 and 2019. She had previously been subject to reporting‑restriction orders and had been placed in a secure special‑care unit after the second offence. A psychotherapist report and an after‑care plan were presented. Judge Martin Nolan described the case as very complicated, noted the woman's actions were extremely wrong, and imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence with the same period of probation supervision. He ordered that officers liaise with the services currently interacting with the defendant. No further criminal proceedings were reported at the time of the hearing.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, retired bus driver David Stamper, aged 68, was sentenced to a year in jail for a series of frauds and thefts that cost the Citybus Employees Credit Union over €100,000. Stamper, who joined the Credit Union in 1994 and became chair of its board in 2013, began misappropriating funds in 2009. He pleaded guilty to 10 counts of forgery, 41 counts of theft and 31 counts of money laundering between August 2009 and September 2015. The court found that he issued false cheques totalling €351,642, profiting €107,730. The judge noted the devastating impact on the Credit Union's members and the loss of trust, and imposed a custodial sentence of one year, suspended for 18 months on conditions. The Credit Union closed in 2019 following the fraud. The case highlighted the serious breach of trust and the financial damage caused to the members.
Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd has applied to the High Court to overturn a €405 million fine imposed by the Data Protection Commission (DPC) for breaching the privacy rights of teenagers. The fine was issued in September 2022 following an investigation into Meta's processing of data from Instagram users aged 13 to 17 between May 2018 and September 2020, specifically the automatic publication of mobile numbers and email addresses under default business‑account settings. Meta argues that the DPC's decision is unconstitutional, citing breaches of the 2018 Data Protection Act, the Irish Constitution, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights, and claims that the fine constitutes a criminal sanction and an improper exercise of judicial power. The company seeks to quash the fine, declare relevant statutory provisions invalid, and obtain a preliminary ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union.
CCTV footage shows Oliver Doran entered the home of 76‑year‑old Kwok Ping Cheng at Robinson's Court, Dublin, through a rear window on 28/29 April 2021 and stayed for about an hour and thirteen minutes. He allegedly dropped an "axe‑like tool" after leaving the flat and tried to retrieve it, falling in the process. Doran, who lives at Sophia Housing, Cork Street, has pleaded not guilty to the murder. The trial heard that Doran claimed he killed Cheng with an axe he had brought from his own home, but he could not recall details due to intoxication. Witnesses, including the victim's son and a neighbour, described finding Cheng's body covered in blood and with multiple broken bones and scalp lacerations, injuries consistent with an axe blow. The case is being heard by the Central Criminal Court with a jury of nine women and three men.
The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal of a 78‑year‑old man convicted of raping and sexually abusing a child over a decade while he was in a relationship with the child's mother. The man was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment in 2021 for 72 counts, including rape, oral rape, anal rape and sexual assault, committed between 1991 and 2001. He argued that Gardaí failed to interview potential witnesses such as a grandmother and an uncle, who are now deceased, and that the investigation was incomplete. The appeal judge, Mr Justice John Edwards, found no evidence that the failure to interview those witnesses prejudiced the case and upheld the conviction. The State is appealing the sentence as unduly lenient, but the appeal against the conviction was rejected.
Sven Spollen Behrens, aged 54, a former lobbyist and director of the Small Firms' Association, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of stealing €10,250 each from the Dun Laoghaire Business Improvement District and the Sandyford Business Improvement District in 2017. He used the stolen money to pay private school fees and also diverted an additional €48,500 from Sandyford to Dun Laoghaire to aid cash flow, intending to return it when possible. Behrens had no prior convictions, had cooperated with Gardaí, and repaid over €40,000. Judge Martin Nolan, noting his financial difficulties and the impact on future employment, imposed a two‑year suspended sentence, concluding that a custodial term was not warranted. The case highlighted the misuse of company funds for personal expenses and the legal consequences of such theft.
The Regency Hotel murder trial heard evidence from a senior garda regarding four shootings linked to the Hutch-Kinahan feud. Detective Superintendent David Gallagher testified about the still open investigation into the shooting of Patrick Hutch Junior and the murder of Eddie 'Neddie' Hutch in 2016. The prosecution case against Gerard Hutch and his co-accused is expected to conclude on Thursday. Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch (59) denies the murder of Mr Byrne (33) during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016. His co-accused, Paul Murphy (61) and Jason Bonney (52), have pleaded not guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder of Mr Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. Patrick Dowdall (65) was jailed for two years before the Regency trial started after he admitted his part in booking the hotel room for the raiders. James Quinn (role: convicted_person) was convicted of facilitating Mr Byrne's murder and participating in activity intending to facilitate the commission of a serious offence by making a room available at the Regency Hotel on February 4, 2016. The court also ruled that CCTV footage concerning the movement of a silver Toyota Avensis taxi associated with Paul Murphy can be admitted as evidence against him. The procedural stage is sentence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 16‑year‑old boy was sentenced to three years' detention for stabbing another 16‑year‑old seven times with a kitchen knife outside Vela nightclub's car park. The attack, lasting 10‑15 seconds, left the victim with life‑threatening injuries, including a collapsed lung and severe blood loss, requiring intensive care, surgery and a period in a wheelchair. The perpetrator, who had no prior convictions at the time, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, violent disorder and producing a knife. He was later convicted of knife possession a week after the incident. The court noted the boy's abandonment by family, homelessness and lack of support, and highlighted the need for rehabilitation in detention. The victim's mother gave a victim impact statement, while the victim declined to speak. The knife was never recovered. The sentence was back‑dated to the boy's custody in September.
Bryan Kennedy, aged 35, was sentenced by the Central Criminal Court to four‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment for attempting to hire a hitman to murder two women who were exchanging intimate online messages with his former wife. The judge, Ms Justice Caroline Biggs, adjourned the sentence until 17 April to allow the child‑care agency Tusla to arrange support for Kennedy's children, who are his primary carers. Kennedy had previously been convicted of possession of child pornography, but the judge noted the images were few and old. He paid €8,000 to the would‑be assassin, named only as AL, after learning of the couple's online contact with his ex‑wife. Kennedy pleaded guilty, admitted the plan, and expressed remorse, citing depression and a difficult personal life.
A 27-year-old Donegal man has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a teenager as she slept at his home on 4 June 2017. The Central Criminal Court heard that the then-19-year-old was staying at the accused's apartment when the assault occurred. The woman provided a victim impact statement describing the profound effects of the offence over the subsequent five and a half years, including flashbacks, nightmares, and lost family support. She expressed how the ordeal had been life-changing but stated she now views herself as a survivor rather than a victim. The accused initially claimed the contact was consensual but now accepts he caused harm to a woman who did nothing to provoke the assault. Defence counsel noted the accused had been drinking, which does not excuse the crime. Mr Justice McDermott adjourned finalisation of the case to April 2023 to allow completion of a probation report and full mitigation hearing. The judge remarked that the five and a half year delay had compounded the complainant's suffering.
Mark Carty, 55, of The Mill Race, Chapelizod Village, pleaded guilty to several counts of theft and fraud involving €13,662 taken from various post offices and a Bank of Ireland ATM in January 2017. He also admitted fraudulently obtaining a Visa debit card in the name of Edward Glennon in April 2019 and using it to check Glennon's bank balance. The court heard that Glennon had been reimbursed for the €52,000 stolen, but the bank remained at a loss. Carty, who has 25 prior convictions, was arrested in August 2019 and denied knowledge of the thefts, claiming he was a recovering drug addict with a gambling problem. He was given a suspended two‑year sentence, with the judge citing his role as a caretaker for his terminally ill partner and their eight‑year‑old child. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
The Special Criminal Court heard that Jonathan Dowdall, a former co-accused of Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch who has turned State's witness, asked a garda 'is there any way out' and 'if him and his family could get into the Witness Protection Programme' in the days following his arrest. The status of Dowdall's Witness Protection Programme (WPP) application remains unknown, with a decision expected in the middle of this month. Gerard Hutch (59), of The Paddocks, Clontarf, Dublin 3, denies the murder of David Byrne (33) during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016. His co-accused, Paul Murphy (61), of Cherry Avenue, Swords, Co Dublin, and Jason Bonney (52), of Drumnigh Wood, Portmarnock, Dublin 13, have pleaded not guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder of Mr Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. The court also heard that Patrick Dowdall was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment in June 2017 and later re-sentenced to 7 years and 11 months after successful appeals, following his guilty plea to falsely imprisoning Mr Hurley and threatening to kill him at Jonathan's family home on January 15, 2015. The matter was adjourned and never described as concluded or finalised.
A Central Criminal Court judge agreed to postpone sentencing for a 17‑year‑old Kildare teenager who was found guilty of orally raping his seven‑year‑old female cousin and of four counts of sexual assault between 1 October and 31 December 2018. The defendant, who was 13 at the time of the offences, is a minor and cannot be named. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, after hearing the case, decided to adjourn the matter for two weeks to allow the defence to lodge an appeal application to the Court of Appeal. She noted the trial was unusual, with no closing speech by defence counsel and no cross‑examination, so the victim did not attend court. The judge expressed that a period of detention would be imposed, taking mitigating factors such as the defendant's age and cooperation into account, and that the sentences would run concurrently.
In a High Court decision, Justice Mary Rose Gearty ordered that two children, who had been taken from their home EU country to Ireland by their mother, be returned to that country. The judge rejected the mother's claim that one child would be at grave risk of self‑harm if returned, noting that any relocation must have the consent of both parents. The children had been subject to family‑law proceedings in their home country following the parents' separation, and the father had applied under the Hague Convention for their return. The mother had opposed the application, citing the child's alleged risk, but the judge found no evidence that the child's risk was recognised in the home country's courts. The judge concluded that, despite the child's expressed unhappiness and references to self‑harm, the evidence was insufficient to justify keeping the children in Ireland, and therefore both must be returned to their habitual residence.
In a High Court decision, Mr Justice Cian Ferriter awarded €2,500 in damages to each of three men—Fintan O'Farrell, Declan Rafferty and Michael McDonald—who had been unlawfully detained in Portlaoise Prison. The men, all from County Louth, had been arrested in 2001 while attempting to procure arms for the Real IRA and were extradited to England, where they pleaded guilty to conspiracy to cause explosions and received 28‑year sentences. In 2014 the Irish High Court found that the warrants transferring them from an English prison to Ireland were defective, as they referred to the full 28‑year term rather than the 18 years and 8 months they should have served under Irish remission rules. The court held that the men's continued detention on the basis of an invalid Irish order constituted false imprisonment, but noted that their conduct in serious terrorist offences limited their interest in liberty.
Mum-of-three Christina Anderson has pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility for stabbing a man to death outside her home after spending over a month on trial accused of murder. Ms Anderson, who has been a patient at the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) since shortly after she stabbed 39-year-old Gareth Kelly to death, had previously pleaded not guilty to murder by reason of insanity. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has considered a plea to the lesser charge of manslaughter, and Ms Anderson was arraigned on the new charge of manslaughter and pleaded guilty in front of the jury. Patrick McGrath SC, for the DPP, said the plea was accepted and the DPP intends to enter a 'nolle prosequi' in relation to the murder charge at a sentencing hearing next April. Michael O'Higgins SC, who acted for Ms Anderson, said that the plea decision was taken 'after lengthy consideration and appraisal of this case'. The court has previously heard that Professor Harry Kennedy, a consultant psychiatrist, disagreed with Dr Brenda Wright, a consultant psychiatrist called by the defence, who said that Ms Anderson was suffering from bipolar affective disorder and as a result of her mental disorder she was unable to refrain from stabbing Mr Kelly. Professor Kennedy had written a report in which he said that Ms Anderson's behaviour was better explained by cannabis intoxication. Intoxication cannot be used as a defence under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006. Following today's plea, Ms Anderson began to cry as Mr O'Higgins told the court that his client's first instruction was to 'apologise profusely' to the Kelly family for the events that led to Mr Kelly's death. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor will hear evidence and submissions relating to sentencing on April 17 when the Kelly family will also be invited to make impact statements to the court. The judge remanded Ms Anderson in custody after hearing that the accused will be taken to the Dochas women's prison before being transferred back to the CMH where she is undergoing treatment for her psychiatric condition. Gareth Kelly, the defendant, faces a charge of murder by reason of insanity and has pleaded not guilty. The matter was adjourned.
In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, witness James Ellis testified that he discovered the body of Kwok Ping Cheng, 76, in his sheltered accommodation on 29 April 2021. Ellis said he had visited the pensioner's home several times a week to check on him, and that on that morning he entered the apartment, found Cheng "covered in blood" in the sitting room, and called emergency services. State Pathologist Dr Heidi Okkers gave evidence that Cheng suffered multiple broken bones and scalp lacerations, most likely caused by an axe, and that his death was due to hypovolemic shock from blood loss. The accused, Oliver Doran, 24, pleaded not guilty to the murder, claiming he was intoxicated and could not remember much of the incident. The prosecution presented CCTV footage and DNA evidence linking Doran to the axe used in the killing. The trial continues before Mr Justice David Keane and a jury.
Clare Parsons, wife of the 34‑year‑old Vincent Parsons, gave a victim‑impact statement at the Central Criminal Court after the mandatory life sentences were imposed on Philip Disney (27) and Sean Carlyle (30). She described her husband as a loving, gentle family man who had never been aggressive. She said she was in denial when she first heard the news of his death, that the body was returned to her after ten days, and that the loss had shattered her family's life. She recalled the fear she felt when she realised he had been murdered, the long wait to see him, and the emotional toll of losing him. She thanked the court, the jury, the police and the public for their support, and said she would never get Vincent back but that justice had been served. The statement was read in plain Irish‑English prose and did not speculate on future outcomes.
A 49-year-old Dublin man has pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to facilitating the murder of teenager Keane Mulready-Woods. Gerard Cruise, with an address at Lower Sherrard Street in Dublin 1, was originally charged with the murder at a house in Rathmullan Park, County Louth, on January 12 or 13, 2020. He pleaded guilty today to participating in activities with intent to facilitate the serious offence, with knowledge of a criminal organisation's existence, contrary to Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. The 17-year-old was last seen alive in Drogheda on January 12, 2020. His remains were discovered in various locations over subsequent months. A co-accused, Paul Crosby, pleaded guilty to the same charge last month. Mr Justice Tony Hunt remanded Cruise in custody until January 23 for sentencing.
A 39‑year‑old Dublin security guard was sentenced to nine years in prison for grooming, molesting and raping his partner's daughter, aged eight to ten, between 2018 and 2019. He threatened the girl with violence if she disclosed the abuse and was found guilty of sexual assault and one count of rape at several Dublin locations, including his home. The judge noted the defendant's admission of wrongdoing, his attempts to blame the victim, and his ambiguous moral stance. The victim, now a mid‑teen, described her childhood as a period of terror and expressed fear and guilt. The judge praised her courage for coming forward. The sentence includes a suspended final year, conditions for psychiatric and drug‑abuse treatment, and a post‑release supervision order to protect the victim and other children.
Oleg Mihalas, 28, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after a verbal row over a football pitch at UCD. He tackled a 13‑year‑old boy to the ground and kicked him in the face, causing bleeding, a swollen lip, a graze to the arm and bruising to the leg. The boy fully recovered. Mihalas was sentenced by Judge Orla Crowe to an 18‑month prison term, fully suspended for three years on strict conditions. He was described as remorseful, had no prior violent history, and had cooperated with Gardaí. He brought €2,500 to court as a token of remorse, covered the boy's GP costs and clothing, and handed a letter of apology. The court noted the seriousness of the charge and the victim's trauma. The sentence was imposed with full suspension and strict conditions.
Jamie Walsh, 18, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for assault causing harm after he and a co‑accused attacked a man on Naas Road, Dublin, on 18 November 2021. The incident began when the victim and his partner were kissing on a Luas stop; a boy shouted "It's so gay" and the two teenagers then punched and kicked the victim, leaving him unconscious with bruises, a swollen lip and a broken eye. CCTV identified Walsh and he was arrested a month later. Walsh had 48 prior convictions, including theft, robbery and assault. The court noted his upbringing in state care and his parents' criminal history. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three‑year sentence, suspended the final 16 months, and ordered good behaviour and probation supervision for one year upon release. The victim's impact report was filed but not read aloud. The co‑accused, aged 14, had already been dealt with by the courts. The unnamed teenager pleaded guilty.
Jean Louis Fancony, a 39-year-old French national formerly of Limerick, appealed his conviction for assault causing serious harm to his flatmate, Tim Crowley. Fancony, who pleaded not guilty claiming self-defence, was convicted by a jury in November 2020 and sentenced to seven-and-a-half years' imprisonment in February 2021. Judge Tom O'Donnell described the injuries as "appalling" and "horrific." At the Court of Appeal, defence counsel James Dwyer SC argued that an alleged admission made to Garda Enda Clifford was inadmissible because it was not read back to or signed by Fancony. Dwyer contended this undermined the fairness of the trial, particularly regarding the spontaneity required for a self-defence argument. The State, represented by John O'Sullivan BL, submitted that the trial judge had delivered a reasoned ruling on admissibility and that the notebook's contents remained open to interpretation. The three-judge court, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, reserved its judgement. Consequently, the matter was adjourned and remains pending a final decision.