A 44‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment for striking his wife in the face with a suitcase during a family holiday, an act the court described as a "vicious attack" witnessed by their three young children. The defendant pleaded guilty to assault causing harm in August 2020, claiming the incident was a 100 % accident when he attempted to flip the suitcase to empty it. Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin imposed a 16‑month term, suspending the final 12 months on strict conditions, and directed the man to be supervised by Probation Services and to undertake anger‑management and domestic‑violence work. The wife, who sustained a facial scar and has been receiving counselling and antidepressants, was praised for her victim‑impact statement, which the judge found "very moving" and helpful in shaping the sentence. The court noted the presence of the children as an aggravating factor and the couple's strained relationship prior to the incident.
Shane Brown, a 35‑year‑old former postman, was sentenced to a suspended two‑year term after pleading guilty to 36 counts of stealing stamped addressed envelopes and one count of stealing €90 from An Post on 1 November 2023. He was caught with 39 stolen greeting‑card envelopes, including three 'test' cards each containing €30, during a sting operation triggered by suspicious mail found on a Dublin street on 27 October 2023. Brown had worked as a postman for four years but lost his job following the arrest. He has no prior convictions, had an online gambling debt that he has since paid, and is in a long‑term relationship with three children. The judge, Orla Crowe, noted his community involvement and new employment as a delivery driver, and ordered that €500 be handed over to An Post as a token of remorse. The sentence was suspended in full on a number of conditions.
An army captain, Captain Ross O'Shea, was convicted in October 2022 of sexually assaulting a female non‑commissioned officer at a barracks in Leinster on 25 June 2020. The assault involved moving his hands up and down her back while saying "come on" and pulling her against him. He was also found guilty of a Section 2 assault for moving towards her in a manner that caused her to apprehend an assault. A custodial sentence of six months was imposed, suspended for one year, and his dismissal was ordered. In October 2024 the Court of Appeal dismissed all grounds of appeal. The court held that any missing CCTV footage could not be considered a realistic line of defence, arguing that the footage would not have captured the key movements or words and that the evidence already presented was sufficient. The appeal was dismissed and the conviction upheld.
Sean Coffey, a recruiter at Azon Point Partners Ltd, claims he was dismissed in June 2024 after reporting that a senior colleague, Mr J, had drunkenly pulled his wife's hair at a leaving party. Coffey says the dismissal breached the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 and the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. The firm denies the allegations, stating the incident was a "non‑work event" and that Coffey was terminated for "lack of performance", having failed to meet a €100,000 fee target. The company's barrister explained that Coffey had only generated €23,000 in fees and that his performance plan was accelerated before his dismissal. Mr J is no longer employed by Azon, having left after failing to meet recruitment targets. The Workplace Relations Commission will hear the case in 2025.
A 51‑year‑old father was sentenced to 12 years in prison for repeatedly raping and sexually assaulting his daughter between 2010 and 2015. The court heard that the victim, aged 10 to 14 at the time of the abuse, had suffered lasting physical and mental health problems, including complex PTSD, chronic fatigue, anxiety, IBS, headaches, migraines and chest pains. She described the abuse as having "utterly changed" her life and said it would continue to affect her for the rest of her life. The victim's impact statement also criticised the use of her counselling notes in the trial, calling it "surreal" and expressing fear that the notes would be used to portray her as a liar. The judge imposed a headline sentence of 13 years for the rapes and nine years for the sexual assaults, with the sentences running concurrently for a total of 12 years. The unnamed 51-year-old was convicted.
Kacper Koszarski, aged 23, was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment for a series of burglaries and dangerous driving incidents in Leinster. He pleaded guilty to 17 charges, including four counts of dangerous driving, four of trespass, one of endangerment, four of criminal damage, two of burglary, one of knife production and one of unauthorised vehicle taking, committed between 2020 and 2022. Judge Elva Duffy imposed consecutive sentences totalling five and a half years, suspending the final year on strict conditions. Koszarski was ordered to engage with the Probation Service for two years after release and was disqualified from driving for ten years. The court noted his history of 39 prior convictions, including seven for theft, and his statements of remorse and desire for rehabilitation. The sentence reflects the seriousness of his offences and the potential benefit of rehabilitation to society.
A woman has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment for the manslaughter of a man during a stabbing incident in Ballyconnell, County Wicklow in February 2022. Nicola Brennan (33) pleaded guilty to manslaughter following a jury deadlock on a murder charge at the Central Criminal Court. Mr Justice Paul McDermott noted that Brennan and the deceased had previously been involved and that evidence suggested positive relations between them. The court heard the incident occurred during an evening of heavy alcohol consumption. Brennan introduced a knife into a situation where she faced no threat or provocation, striking the victim in the chest with a downward motion. The judge imposed a headline sentence of twelve years, reduced to nine years following consideration of her guilty plea, remorse and rehabilitation efforts. The final twelve months were suspended for two years conditional on good behaviour and engagement with probation services. The sentence was backdated to July 2022.
Blake Sweeney, 26, of Cahersiveen, was released from prison after serving an eight‑year, six‑month sentence for the manslaughter of Robert Elston, 33, in 2018. Three weeks after his release, Sweeney assaulted a woman and pleaded guilty. The State applied to activate the suspended portion of his sentence. A bench warrant had been issued earlier in the year after he failed to appear in court. He was arrested and remanded in custody. Judge Tony Hunt, hearing the case, decided to activate 12 months of the 18‑month suspended term, back‑dated to the date he entered custody. The judge noted Sweeney's prior good conduct but emphasized that the offence was serious and that the suspended portion would be re‑activated if he re‑offended. The decision was made in a special sitting of the Central Criminal Court. The article does not report any further developments. Blake Sweeney was acquitted.
Jim Connors, 30, a banned driver with 36 prior convictions, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a fully suspended term of four and a half years. The sentence, imposed by Judge Martina Baxter, is suspended on the condition that Connors keep the peace and exhibit good behaviour for five years, and he must engage with the Probation Service for two years and undergo any treatment deemed necessary, including drug rehabilitation. Connors pleaded guilty to five charges, including dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm, driving without a licence, and failing to assist a passenger after a collision. The collision occurred on 19 February 2022 when Connors ran a red light and struck a taxi, causing the passenger to sustain multiple fractures and the taxi driver to suffer soft‑tissue injuries. Connors was arrested in June 2022 and made no admissions to gardai. The court received CCTV footage, witness statements, and evidence of Connors' prior alcohol‑addiction treatment.
In a Waterford Central Criminal Court trial, a 34‑year‑old man was convicted of 17 counts of sexual assault against his young cousin over a four‑year period from April 2010. The abuse occurred in the family home and a nearby wooden area, with the victim, who was about ten when first abused, living under the care of the defendant's mother. Incidents happened several times a month, usually in the parents' room, and ceased after an alleged apology by the defendant before the victim entered secondary school in 2014, a claim denied by both parties. The victim, now 23, testified that the abuse left her with loneliness, pain and depression. Mr Justice Patrick McGrath, noting the gross breach of trust and the victim's vulnerability, imposed a headline sentence of 12 years, reduced to 11 years with the final year suspended on strict conditions. The judge highlighted the defendant's lack of prior convictions and work record as mitigating factors.
Two brothers were sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for the rape and indecent assault of three young children at their family farm in Co Offaly between 1987 and 1989. Neville Moody, 52, of Kildare Town, was convicted following trial of two counts of raping his niece, Charlotte Moody, and one count of indecently assaulting her brother, Kenneth Moody. Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo sentenced Neville Moody to a consecutive term of nine years, suspending the final year for two years. His brother, Norman Moody, 53, pleaded guilty to three counts of indecently assaulting Charlotte and one count of indecently assaulting a second niece, Annette Moody. The judge sentenced Norman Moody to a consecutive term of four and a half years, suspending the final six months for six months on strict conditions. The complainants, who waived anonymity, described severe long-term trauma. The judge noted that while both men were minors at the time, the abuse was not innocent experimentation. He acknowledged Neville's lack of insight and Norman's genuine remorse. The sentences reflect the serious nature of the offences against children aged between four and a half and eight years old.
Dessie Dundon, serving life imprisonment for the murder of a Limerick gangland rival, has been granted leave to challenge a refusal to grant him parole based on a "secret dossier" compiled by An Garda Síochána. At a High Court ex-parte hearing, Ms Justice Mary Rose Gearty granted leave for his case to be reviewed. Dundon claims the Parole Board breached his constitutional rights to fair procedure by withholding "considerable" Garda material until after its decision to refuse parole in March. His application alleges the board acted illegally and with procedural impropriety by finding "exceptional circumstances" that warranted keeping the report secret, thereby depriving him of natural justice. Dundon, who has served 21 years for the 2003 murder of Kieran Keane and the attempted murder of Owen Treacy, was convicted in December 2003 of attempted murder and twice of false imprisonment. He also had convictions for assault causing harm and larceny at sentencing, and has since received two further convictions for possession of a mobile phone in prison and wilfully obstructing a prison officer. An Garda Síochána were listed as a notice party. The matter was adjourned to November 5 for mention.
Diarmuid Phelan, a 56‑year‑old senior counsel and associate professor of law at Trinity College, was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court on 14 October 2024 for the murder of Keith Conlon, a 36‑year‑old father of four, at Hazelgrove Farm in Tallaght on 24 February 2022. Conlon was seriously injured on 22 February and died two days later at Tallaght University Hospital. Phelan pleaded not guilty. He will stand trial before a 12‑person jury and Justice Siobhan Lankford, with the prosecution led by John Byrne and Roisin Lacey and the defence by Michael Bowman and Sean Guerin. The trial is scheduled to begin on 15 October and is expected to last about six weeks. Justice Lankford instructed potential jurors to avoid any pre‑trial research or social‑media activity related to the case and to notify her if they had engaged with such content.
A 38‑year‑old man from Peachville, Kilshane, Dublin 11 pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Marcel Kusenda, a 47‑year‑old Slovakian, who was unlawfully killed in Newbridge, Co Kildare on about 8 March 2023. The plea was accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The case was adjourned to 9 December, with a governor's report from Midlands Prison ordered, and the victim's son in Slovakia is to give a statement before sentencing.
Two men from County Cavan have received suspended sentences at the Special Criminal Court for assisting the Continuity IRA in connection with a purported attack on Enniskillen police station in March 2021. Desmond Smith, aged 65, of Kilnavara Crescent, and Stephen Hamill, aged 52, of Gortnakesh, both pleaded guilty to knowingly rendering assistance to an organisation styling itself the IRA in furtherance of an unlawful object. The attack went unnoticed until media calls prompted a search near the station, which recovered an improvised "slam gun" device. Justice Tony Hunt noted the defendants were "surprising candidates" for such involvement, both lacking relevant previous convictions. He imposed a four-year sentence on Hamill, suspended for four years on condition of a €100 bond, and sentenced Smith to two years nine months, suspended for three years. Both men undertook to disassociate themselves from criminal and paramilitary organisations.
Jason 'Jay' O'Connor, 46, of Whitestown Grove, Dublin, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to 11 years' imprisonment for conspiracy to murder Charlie Cooper, a victim of a revenge attack linked to the death of O'Connor's friend Keith Walker. O'Connor pleaded guilty to the reduced charge of conspiracy to murder and to a facilitation offence involving the Kinahan crime group. The judge, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, set a headline sentence of 15 years for the facilitation charge, suspended the final four years, and imposed a concurrent seven‑year sentence for the conspiracy charge, resulting in an overall 11‑year term. O'Connor had 70 prior convictions, including assault, burglary and road‑traffic offences, and had pleaded guilty to the facilitation charge. The court noted his guilty plea and earlier steps toward rehabilitation in determining the sentence.
Philip Griffin, 37, pleaded guilty to manslaughter for the deaths of Anthony, 30, and his five‑year‑old daughter Nadine O'Brien in a house fire at Killeen Heights, Tralee, on 12 May 2012. The case was heard in the Central Criminal Court via video‑link from prison. Griffin denied murder but admitted manslaughter on both charges. The Director of Public Prosecutions accepted the pleas; a third charge for arson was dropped. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for 16 December, with a probation report and victim impact statements requested by the judge.
The jury for Brendan Mullin's trial, where he faces 15 charges including stealing over €500,000 from Bank of Ireland Private Bank and related deception and false invoicing claims, was discharged after a juror disclosed a familial connection to Mullin. Mullin, 60, has pleaded not guilty to all counts. Judge Martin Nolan adjourned the case until a new jury is empanelled tomorrow morning. The trial was scheduled to open in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on the day of the discharge.
Nathan McDonnell, a 44-year-old businessman from Ballyroe, Tralee, pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court to two charges related to the largest crystal methamphetamine seizure in Irish history. He admitted to importing methylamphetamine at Cork Port on October 16, 2023, and facilitating a criminal organisation between October 2023 and February 2024. The State alleges the 564kg haul, valued at €32.8 million, was imported from Mexico and destined for Australia. Roisin Lacey SC, for the DPP, requested a sentencing hearing for the week of December 16, a date accepted by defence counsel Caroline O'Connell BL. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding with Judges Elma Sheahan and Marie Keane, remanded McDonnell in custody until December 17 for sentencing. Co-accused James Leen, 41, of Listowel, also appeared. Facing five charges, including directing a criminal organisation and possession of drugs, Leen's defence, led by Brendan Grehan SC, requested a trial date. Mr Justice Hunt allocated a trial date of October 6, 2025, and adjourned the matter to November 11 for mention.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Liam McGrane, aged 59, pleaded guilty to two robbery offences committed at separate hotels in December 2018 and August 2019. McGrane, who had prior convictions for traffic offences and similar robberies, used a knife to threaten escort workers who had booked meetings through Escorts.ie. In the first incident, he stole €1,500 and attempted to extort more from a neighbouring room. In the second, he took €1,800 and fled in a blue car, which was traced to his residence. Gardaí obtained CCTV evidence and recovered the stolen sums. McGrane admitted the robberies, expressed remorse, and offered apologies to the victims. The judge acknowledged the seriousness of the knife crimes, noted McGrane's counselling, and adjourned sentencing to January 2025, ordering a probation report.
A 31‑year‑old man was sentenced to two years and three months' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended for 12 months under Probation Supervision, for assault causing harm to his former partner on Christmas Eve 2020. The offence involved an hour‑long assault and threats while the victim, who was pregnant, was at home with her one‑ and five‑year‑old children upstairs. The man barged into the house, slapped the victim's face, head and mouth, verbally abused her, threatened to burn down her and her mother's home, and brandished a knife while saying he wanted to kill her. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge noted his intoxication, drink and drug issues, 30 prior convictions and the seriousness of the intimate partner violence, and imposed the custodial sentence after taking into account his guilty plea, apology and attempts to address his problems. No contact with the victim's children was allowed.
Naveed Rana, 42, of Newcastle, Co Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to three counts of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman in his taxi in October last year. The court heard the victim feared for her life during the incident, which involved erratic driving and forced sexual acts. Judge Elma Sheahan described the offending as serious, noting Rana breached his position of trust and caused significant harm to a vulnerable victim. The judge highlighted that Rana was on bail for a serious drug offence at the time of the attack, for which he later received community service. While acknowledging mitigating factors such as his early guilty plea, remorse, and family circumstances, Judge Sheahan declined to suspend any portion of the sentence due to his status on bail. Rana was handed a five-and-a-half-year custodial sentence. The matter was finalised with this sentence, with no adjournment recorded.
Michael Collins, 50, of Drogheda, was convicted of dangerous driving causing the death of 20‑year‑old Jillian Thornton after a 35‑minute pursuit by Gardaí. He was found to have been high on cannabis and was driving head‑on, without lights, and on the wrong side of the road. The trial, held at Trim Circuit Court in July 2019, also found him guilty of two endangerment charges, 12 dangerous driving offences and driving under the influence. Collins was sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment, with one year suspended, and a life‑long driving disqualification. At the Court of Appeal he argued the sentence was manifestly excessive, citing the lack of aggravating factors such as leaving the scene or disqualification at the time, and that the disqualification would impair his rehabilitation. The appeal was dismissed, with the judges reserving judgment on the appeal decision.
Gerald McQuillan, 37, was on bail for assaulting his former partner when he broke into her home and attacked her again, grabbing the steering wheel of her car and causing it to spin across traffic lanes. He pleaded guilty to endangerment, assault, criminal damage and trespass. The original 18‑month sentence imposed by Circuit Court Judge James O'Donohue on 30 April 2024 was deemed too low. At the Court of Appeal, Justice Isobel Kennedy quashed the sentence and set a headline sentence of five years for the endangerment count, then imposed a final sentence of three and a half years with the last twelve months suspended. The effective custodial term is two and a half years, to run consecutively to the sentence already imposed, with credit for time already served. The appeal was brought by the State, who argued the original sentence was unduly lenient. The case remains at the appellate stage. The unnamed 37-year-old was convicted.
Rachel Smyth, a former junior buyer at Iceland, was laid off while seven months pregnant after the supermarket group was sold to Project Point Technologies. The layoff occurred without notice and the company failed to provide her with maternity benefit forms for over three months, preventing her from claiming statutory maternity benefit. Smyth's union representative argued that the company's actions constituted gender discrimination under the Employment Equality Act 1998. The Workplace Relations Commission tribunal found Metron Stores Ltd, trading as Iceland, in breach of the Act and awarded Smyth €51,000 in compensation. The award was intended as a deterrent. Smyth's case highlighted the stress and financial loss she suffered, including a €42 weekly shortfall and a gross earnings loss of €21,589 between March and June 2024. The tribunal upheld her complaint and noted the company's failure to inform her of her status or provide necessary documentation.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a High Court judge condemned a father for allowing his four‑year‑old son to suffer repeated physical abuse and for misreporting the boy's fatal injuries as a fall from a bunk bed. The judge described the father's conduct as a "shameful betrayal" and noted the child's isolation and the father's deliberate disregard for his welfare. The defendant, 35, pleaded guilty to endangerment, neglect, and aiding an offender, and was sentenced to seven years for each of the endangerment and assisting an offender charges, plus five years for each of two child cruelty convictions, all running concurrently and back‑dated to March 2024. The judge highlighted the clear pattern of abuse, the father's role in hiding injuries, and the boy's tragic death from traumatic head and abdominal injuries. The mother's victim impact statement described the boy as a happy, cheery child whose life was "robbed" by the abuse.
The High Court extended an injunction that bars four named individuals and unknown persons from entering or interfering with the former Crown Paints factory in Coolock, which is slated to become an asylum‑seeker facility. The injunction, originally issued in July amid violent protests, prohibits trespassing, threatening or intimidating behaviour toward employees or contractors of Townbe Unlimited Company and Remcoll Capital Ltd. It applies to anyone attending the site for violent or intimidating protests against housing foreign nationals. Two defendants, Kevin Coyle and Leon Bradley, were local election candidates who allegedly posted videos of themselves on the property and claimed to have thrown rocks. Sean Rush is accused of creating a social‑media page inciting riots. A fourth unnamed defendant was served via social media. The court noted that the violence seen in summer has not re‑occurred, but the protest remains unresolved.
Lawyers for Richard Satchwell, aged 57 and resident of Grattan Street, Youghal, Co Cork, have requested that his murder trial be transferred from Cork to either Dublin or Limerick. The request was made to Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring at the Central Criminal Court, where the defence, represented by Senan Crawford BL, stated that the trial, scheduled for April next year, should be moved. The prosecution, represented by Maria Brosnan BL, was not notified of the application. Justice Ring said the application must be made in the ordinary way and that the prosecution should be put on notice, and adjourned the matter to 15 November. Mr Satchwell is charged with the murder of his wife, Tina Satchwell, aged 45, who was found buried beneath the stairwell of their shared home on Grattan Street in Youghal. The body, discovered by Gardaí in October 2023, was skeletal remains of a woman reported missing on 24 March 2017.
Kris Coyne, 36, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after stabbing Arkadieuz Ujma in the stomach on 19 December 2020. Coyne told paramedics that Ujma had fallen from a tree onto a stick, a claim the court found dubious. The incident occurred after a family gathering where alcohol was consumed by all parties. Ujma, who was lying in the sitting room holding a towel to his abdomen, was stabbed with a medium‑sized knife, and Coyne also cut his ear and attempted to cut his face. Ujma suffered a serious abdominal wound requiring surgery and has since endured further health and mental‑health issues. Coyne, a father of four and delivery driver, denied intent to kill and claimed the story was fabricated. The case was adjourned to 16 December for finalisation and additional medical reports.
A former solicitor, Herbert Kilcline, 62, and two other men, Matthew Murphy, 52, and Philip Marley, 53, are on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for alleged fraudulent procurement of two Dublin City properties. Kilcline pleaded not guilty to eight counts, including failing to apply required measures as a designated person, using a false instrument and fraudulent procurement of entry to the land registry between September 2016 and June 2018. Murphy pleaded not guilty to four counts, including money laundering, theft and failing to keep records between April 2017 and April 2018. Marley pleaded not guilty to ten counts, including procuring the registration of a false deed, fraudulent procurement of an entry into the land registry and theft. The charges relate to a building on Phibsborough Road and a second property on St Mary's Road. The trial, opened before Ms Justice Sinead Ni Chulachain, is expected to last five weeks.
A pregnant woman, Hijacker Gillian Byrne (38), is to be sentenced later this month for her role in hijacking a taxi and assaulting the driver in the Phoenix Park on July 26, 2023. Byrne pleaded guilty to the unlawful seizure of a vehicle and assault causing harm. A co-accused woman is to be sentenced next week for the same offences and the additional charge of falsely imprisoning the taxi-driver. Byrne has 12 previous convictions, including a four-year-suspended sentence for a prior vehicle seizure. Counsel said Byrne had requested to be sentenced separately to her co-accused in this case and that she had allegedly been assaulted by associates of the other woman close to the court. The court heard that Byrne rang 999 immediately after the incident to inform gardaí about the offence and her role in it. A prosecuting garda agreed with Mark Lynam SC, defending, that Byrne had a 'passive role' in the hijacking and the assault and had not known they were about to happen. The matter was adjourned for finalisation on October 24.
The High Court has fixed a trial date of November 19 for a defamation action brought by Cllr Jimmy Guerin against Gemma O'Doherty. Mr Guerin, an independent Fingal County Councillor and brother of the late journalist Veronica Guerin, alleges that Ms O'Doherty defamed him through social media posts and a website video by implying he was a convicted paedophile. Ms O'Doherty, a former Irish Independent journalist, maintains she was referring to her brother, Martin Guerin. In 2019, Martin Guerin pleaded guilty to possession of hundreds of child sexual abuse images and 146 movie files of child pornography, for which he received a two-and-a-half-year suspended prison sentence. During the procedural hearing before Mr Justice Alexander Owens, Ms O'Doherty described the litigation as part of a six-year campaign of harassment. The judge stated he was doing his best to accommodate her schedule but could not create time that did not exist. Ronan Lupton SC, representing Mr Guerin, confirmed the case was ready to proceed. The matter was adjourned to the fixed trial date, where a judge and jury are expected to hear evidence for up to five days.
Gerard Jordan, 54, was sentenced to 12 months in jail for setting a fire outside the front door of an acquaintance's third‑floor apartment in Rosemount Court, Dundrum, on 2 July 2022. The blaze caused €14,000 of damage to the common area. Jordan pleaded guilty to arson and was a resident of a second apartment block at the same address. The court noted that no physical harm was caused and that Jordan had previously been assaulted by the victim. He had 12 prior convictions, mainly for public order, criminal damage and theft. The judge, Elma Sheahan, considered Jordan's guilty plea, cooperation with Gardaí, personal circumstances and mental health difficulties, and imposed a three‑year sentence with the final two years suspended on strict conditions. No injuries were reported, and the fire was extinguished by the Dublin Fire Brigade. The victim declined to give a victim impact statement. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Sidney Sutton, an accountant from Ashbourne, Co Meath, appealed to the Court of Appeal against a High Court ruling that refused him leave to prohibit a retrial. Sutton was originally convicted in 2017 of four counts of assault, one count of assault causing harm, and one count of producing a knife capable of inflicting serious injury following a Circuit Court trial. Although he was sentenced to two years with the final 12 months suspended, the Court of Appeal later deemed the sentence too lenient and ordered him to serve a further 16 months. In April 2021, the Court of Appeal quashed his conviction and acceded to the DPP's application for a retrial. Sutton subsequently sought a judicial review in the High Court, claiming malicious prosecution and abuse of process. Ms Justice Mary Rose Gearty refused his application in March of this year, noting his repeated attempts to delay the ordered retrial. Today, Sutton appealed this decision, alleging that the State suppressed crucial crime scene evidence and that delays were caused to ensure he served time. He also raised concerns regarding pretrial publicity and missing exhibits. The State's counsel, James B. Dwyer SC, rejected these claims, arguing that the retrial process is well-established and that any alleged unfairness from the original trial is irrelevant given the quashed conviction. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice John Edwards, reserved its judgement on the appeal.
Parnells GAA Club Ltd, once considered Ireland's richest club, now faces a growing bill for severance payments after leaving staff in "employment limbo" during the Covid‑19 shutdown. Two new orders under the Redundancy Payments Act 1967 have added to the list of former employees entitled to a lump sum, bringing the total to 11. The affected workers include bar and restaurant staff, security personnel, a payroll administrator and a receptionist. In recent WRC decisions, restaurant manager Louise Hannon and bar manager Owen Fanning were granted extensions to file redundancy claims, but were found too late to recover unpaid wages and holiday pay under the Payment of Wages Act and the Organisation of Working Time Act. They are entitled to statutory redundancy lump sums, calculated by the Department of Social Protection based on pay, length of service and social insurance records. The aggregate lump sums are expected to reach tens of thousands of euros.
The High Court has set a hearing date for former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams' defamation action against the BBC. Mr. Adams claims the broadcaster falsely alleged he sanctioned the 2006 killing of Denis Donaldson in Glenties, Co Donegal. The case centres on a 2016 BBC Spotlight programme and a related webpage article. The BBC denies defamation, asserting the content was published in good faith and constituted responsible journalism on a subject of public interest. At the hearing, Mr. Justice Alex Owens fixed April 29, 2025, for the trial at the Four Courts, which is expected to last up to three weeks. Counsel for the BBC noted that several witnesses, including some from overseas, would be involved. The matter was adjourned to this date following delays caused by preliminary issue hearings and document discovery. Previously, in July 2020, Mr. Justice Charles Meenan directed the BBC to provide discovery of documents, while refusing Mr. Adams' application for further particulars of the BBC's defence. Additionally, in March 2022, the High Court dismissed Mr. Adams' bid to strike out parts of the BBC's defence. The court has now scheduled the substantive hearing for next spring.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 10 October 2024, the appeal of a 59‑year‑old man convicted of 11 offences against his nine‑year‑old daughter was dismissed. The man had been jailed for 14 years after a Central Criminal Court trial in November 2022, where a jury found him guilty of repeated rape, oral rape, sexual assault, false imprisonment, threatening to kill and forcing a child to watch sexual activity. The appeal argued that the trial judge erred by not stopping the trial after the prosecution case, by failing to disclose WhatsApp or Viber communications, by not allowing cross‑examination of the victim's physical examination and by not giving a corroboration warning. Mr Justice John Edwards rejected all these grounds, stating that the trial judge had acted within his discretion and that the evidence presented was sufficient for the jury. The appeal was therefore dismissed, leaving the conviction and 14‑year sentence intact.
A man accused of murder appeared at the Central Criminal Court on October 10th after voluntarily presenting himself to gardaí with information about a body. Dean Caffrey, aged 38, of Beaucort, Achill Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 9, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Sean McCarthy, aged 28, between August 2nd and 7th, 2022. The prosecution outlined that Mr Caffrey attended Ashbourne Garda Station two days after Mr McCarthy was reported missing, stating the deceased was located in his apartment wardrobe. During subsequent interviews, the accused alleged Mr McCarthy had arrived at his home armed and demanding €5,000 over a heroin-related debt, and that a struggle over the firearm resulted in a fatal shot. A pistol was recovered from the Tolka River near Mr Caffrey's residence. The trial before Mr Justice Paul McDermott continues with a jury of seven men and five women.
A woman who filed a damages claim against mixed‑martial‑arts star Conor McGregor in 2021 is set to have her case heard by a High Court jury on 5 November. The claim alleges an assault that allegedly occurred in 2018 in Dublin and seeks compensation for personal injury. The High Court hearing was postponed twice after McGregor obtained adjournments to allow him to participate in a UFC comeback bout and later a boxing match, both of which were cancelled. The plaintiff's counsel, John Gordan SC, expressed frustration at the repeated delays, while McGregor's counsel, Remy Farrell SC, argued that the trial could not proceed during the fight period. The case will be heard by a judge and a jury during the civil jury sessions in November, with no details of the claim having been disclosed in open court. The allegations are fully denied by the defendant.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 9 October 2024, a 44‑year‑old woman testified that a facial scar she sustained during a "vicious attack" by her husband remains a constant reminder of the assault. The husband, who pleaded guilty to assault causing harm in August 2020, claimed the incident was a 100 % accident when he attempted to flip a suitcase to empty it, striking her face and causing a wound between her nose and lip that bled heavily. The couple were on holiday with their three small children when the incident occurred. The woman described the children's distress, her fear of the husband, and her ongoing emotional and physical impact, including counselling and antidepressants. She also noted she had used up sick leave entitlements and worries about future support for herself and the children. The case was adjourned for finalisation to 15 October 2024.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Luke Daly, aged 23, was ordered to keep the peace and be of good behaviour pending a sentence in April. Daly pleaded guilty to simple assault for an incident on 7 December 2019 at Rock Road, Blackrock, where he admitted grabbing a teenager's jacket and pulling him to the ground. Gardaí could not confirm his involvement in kicking or hitting. The victim suffered three fractured fingers after being kicked by a group of 10–20 youths who mistakenly believed he was from a rival school. Daly was directed to pay €3,000 to the victim as a token of remorse. Judge Orla Crowe noted the offence could warrant a two‑month sentence but intended to dispose of the case under Section 100 of the Criminal Justice Act, pending the victim's full compliance with conditions. The victim did not wish to attend court or give a victim impact statement.
A teacher who admitted to a 'once-off' sexual encounter with a former student has failed in a judicial review bid to block evidence obtained by their former partner from being used in a fitness-to-practise inquiry. The teacher, whose identity is protected by court orders, argued that screenshots from their Snapchat account, obtained without consent, were unlawfully gathered and should be deemed inadmissible. The inquiry, conducted by the Teaching Council, follows allegations from the teacher's ex-partner regarding a relationship with the former student, including alleged social media communications. The teacher acknowledged a single sexual encounter post-Leaving Certificate but denied ongoing contact. They claimed the screenshots could have been from a fake account and that their identity was not confirmed in the evidence. The teacher left their school job following the allegations but was not subject to a suspension of teaching registration. The judicial review sought to quash a June 2022 decision allowing the screenshots to be used in the inquiry under the Teaching Council Act, 2001. Mr Justice Conleth Bradley denied the application, stating the disciplinary panel had the authority to admit the evidence and that the exclusionary rule does not automatically apply to evidence obtained by third parties. The judge noted no fitness hearing had occurred, no findings had been made, and no sanctions had been proposed. The matter remains ongoing under the appeal stage.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 9 October 2024, Mr Justice John Edwards dismissed the appeal of 31‑year‑old Richard Walsh, a boxer from Congress Villas, Dungarvan, who had been convicted of assault causing harm for striking a woman with an iron bar at Kilrush Park on 30 November 2020. The appeal centred on two grounds: that the mobile‑phone footage used at trial had been edited, and that the trial judge had misdirected the jury on self‑defence. Mr Justice Edwards found the footage to be authentic, not hearsay, and that no evidence suggested manipulation. He also held that the judge's instructions on self‑defence were adequate and that the jury's decision was sound. Consequently, the appeal was rejected, leaving the original conviction and sentence of two and a half years, with the final 12 months suspended, in place. The court's judgment was delivered in the Court of Appeal, Waterford.
Edco denies discrimination after Mary Tracy, a sales rep with lupus SLE, was told she could not stay in her role because medical advice limited her to lifting no more than 3 kg. Tracy claims the company's sales model required her to carry multiple textbooks—some up to 2.7 kg—into schools, causing flare‑ups. She alleges the employer failed to disclose the manual handling demands during her interview and that she was "managed out" after management adopted the 3 kg restriction. Edco argues the restriction made the job impossible and that any workaround, such as a trolley, would disadvantage the company. The WRC heard evidence from both sides, including a proposed role change that Tracy rejected, and noted her dismissal on 22 August 2023. The tribunal will conclude the hearing on Thursday.
In a sentencing hearing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Annette Keane, mother of 34‑year‑old motorcyclist John Keane, delivered a victim impact statement after her son was killed in a collision with a car driven by Karl Ennis on 14 April 2021. Ennis pleaded guilty to careless driving. The court disqualified him from driving for three months and fined him €2,000. Judge Pauline Codd noted Ennis's lack of attention and the serious consequences of a momentary lapse, while also acknowledging the family's forgiving attitude. Ennis, who had no prior convictions, was cooperative with Gardaí and had retired after the incident. The hearing included testimony about the collision, Ennis's apology, and the family's profound loss. The judge extended legal aid for any appeal and directed the fine to be paid within 12 months.
The Court of Appeal heard submissions on 8 October concerning the convictions of Jason Bonney and Paul Murphy, who were found guilty at the Special Criminal Court in 2022 of facilitating a murder at the Regency Hotel, Whitehall, Dublin on 5 February 2016. Their barristers argued the trial was unfair and that judges made conclusions unsupported by evidence, including claims that one gunman travelled in Murphy's Toyota Avensis and that the vehicle was later part of a getaway convoy from St Vincent's GAA ground. They contended insufficient evidence existed to prove the men knew of a criminal organisation or that they were facilitating serious crime. The DPP's counsel countered that identifications could be made by CCTV registration details and that the men's knowledge could be inferred from their actions in relation to the meticulously planned offence. Issues regarding un-cautioned interviews and vehicle searches were also raised. The three-judge court reserved judgement. Murphy, aged 62 of Swords, received nine years imprisonment; Bonney, aged 53 of Portmarnock, received eight and a half years.
Elizabeth Lock, 56, was jailed for two and a half years after customs officials at Dublin Airport discovered 30 vacuum‑packed bags of cannabis worth €270,460 in her luggage. A drugs dog had indicated the presence of contraband, and a search revealed the cannabis. Lock claimed she had been given the bags in Canada by a third party and believed she was transporting precious metals for tax‑avoidance purposes. She said she had answered an online job posting, was in financial difficulty, and was promised $10,000. She pleaded guilty to possession and importation of a controlled drug for sale and supply. Judge Orla Crowe cited the large quantity and financial motive as aggravating factors, but noted Lock's medical issues, lack of prior convictions, and guilty plea. The judge imposed a three‑year sentence, suspended the final six months, and backdated the term to her March arrest.
A former Irish rugby international, Brendan Mullin, aged 60, appeared before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 8 October 2024. He pleaded not guilty to 15 charges, including one count of stealing €500,000 from Bank of Ireland Private Bank on 16 December 2011 and eight other counts of theft of various amounts between July 2011 and March 2013. Mullin also pleaded not guilty to one count of deception and five counts of furnishing false or misleading information to the bank to authorise payment of invoices. The alleged offences all took place at the bank's Mespil Road premises. Judge Patricia Ryan empanelled the jury, instructing that no one connected with the bank should serve and warning against independent investigations. The trial, to be presided over by Judge Martin Nolan, is scheduled to last four to five weeks, with the jury being sent home until Friday at the earliest to allow other matters to be dealt with.
Trade union Siptu claims that the demotion of Indian manager Syed Baqur‑Hussain by security firm Complete Solutions Ltd (OCS) was due to direct racial discrimination. Baqur‑Hussain, who had been the company's contract manager, punched a man identified as a shoplifter during a melee on an escalator at Tesco's Jervis Shopping Centre on 30 August 2022. The company says he escalated the situation and was disciplined for his own actions, while a Polish colleague involved in the incident was not sanctioned. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has heard a complaint under the Employment Equality Act 1998 and is reviewing the decision. Siptu's representative, Nicola Coleman, argues that OCS's disciplinary process was biased, that the company failed to provide proper guidance on self‑defence and racial abuse, and that Baqur‑Hussain suffered a €62,000 loss in earnings. The WRC will issue a written decision in due course.
Paul Beggs, 49, of Brookfield Park, Rush, was found guilty of four counts of theft after diverting €26,785.53 from Eventhouse's bank account to his own. He admitted the fraud, citing a gambling addiction, and accepted responsibility. Beggs has paid €1,000 in 2020 and raised an additional €10,000, but the total restitution remains incomplete. He has no further theft convictions and has not been involved with Gardaí since the incident. Beggs has expressed remorse, is drug‑free, attends Alcoholics Anonymous and Gamblers Anonymous, and has re‑entered employment after a period of unemployment. The court, acknowledging his early plea and low re‑offending risk, imposed a suspended sentence of two years and three months, with the full term suspended. He must repay the remaining amount within the next week. The case was heard by Judge Dara Hayes in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.