Michael Lynn, aged 55, was found guilty of 21 counts of theft involving nearly €18 million stolen from six banks during a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial last year. The jury reached verdicts on 10 counts but could not agree on the remaining 11. Lynn, a former solicitor and property developer, had pleaded not guilty to all charges. He has no prior convictions and has been in custody since his conviction just before Christmas. The sentencing hearing scheduled for 15 January 2024 was adjourned for two weeks to allow his defence team to obtain a psychological report. Judge Martin Nolan set a new sentencing date of 19 February 2024. The adjournment was requested to address matters concerning Lynn's psychological health and detention status.
The Court of Appeal heard an appeal involving members of the Burke family, including Enoch Burke, who is currently in Mountjoy Prison. Enoch Burke, along with his parents, sister Ammi, and brother Isaac, protested outside the Criminal Courts of Justice building after being excluded from the hearing due to their failure to provide undertakings not to interrupt proceedings. Enoch Burke was only allowed to participate via video-link after failing to make an undertaking to accept court rulings and not to be argumentative. He denied that he or his family had ever disrupted proceedings, stating they are law-abiding and respect the law. Enoch Burke is a respondent in an application by the Garda Ombudsman Commission (Gsoc) for access to digital audio recordings of a previous court hearing involving him on March 7th last year. During that hearing, a 'melee' occurred when members of the Burke family began shouting and were forcibly removed by gardai. Simeon Burke (24), Enoch's brother, was arrested and later convicted under the Public Order Act for engaging in threatening, insulting, and abusive behavior. Both Simeon and Ammi Burke have made complaints to Gsoc regarding their treatment by gardai on that occasion. Eoin Lawlor BL, representing Gsoc, applied for the release of recordings made after the court had risen, arguing that the evidence may be probative of innocence or guilt. Enoch Burke, representing himself, objected to the application, stating that 'proceedings' refers to the period when the court is in session and that the ambient recording system is only a backup. Mr Justice Edwards, sitting with Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Tara Burns, thanked all parties for their 'excellent submissions' and reserved judgment, saying the court had a 'lot to think about'.
Michael Crotty, 41, of Aras na Rí, Cashel, Co. Tipperary, pleaded not guilty to a single charge of facilitating a criminal organisation in the murder of Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan, 62, who was shot six times in his car on 22 December 2016 at St Ronan's Drive, Clondalkin, Dublin 22. The charge alleges that between 20 October 2016 and 22 December 2016, Crotty participated in or contributed to the commission of the murder while aware of the existence of a criminal organisation, contrary to Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act. The trial, scheduled to last up to five weeks, will commence at the Special Criminal Court on Wednesday. Crotty's co‑accused, Declan Brady, 57, a senior Kinahan cartel member, pleaded guilty to the same charge and will also appear on Wednesday for sentencing. Brady was previously sentenced to 11.5 years in prison, with the final year suspended, for firearms offences and money‑laundering.
A 49‑year‑old Dublin man was found guilty by a jury of 11 counts of sexually assaulting his wife, who had been married to him for 20 years, between January 2005 and September 2014. The assaults involved penetrating her vagina with a range of household objects – a knife, a cheese grater, a bottle, a carrot, a banana, a cucumber, a tulip, a wooden spatula, a decanter stopper, part of a shoe and a bicycle pump – while she was unconscious. The abuse was discovered when the wife found images of the assaults on her husband's computer in March 2019. She had reported the abuse to the Gardaí and asked him to leave the family home. The man, who has no prior convictions, maintained that all acts were consensual. Mr Justice Paul Burns sentenced him to 12 years, suspending the final year, and imposed conditions including a course on sexuality and consent upon release.
An inquest heard that a dental plate might have been key to identifying the body of Murtagh "Murty" Kavanagh, whose remains were unknown for over 25 years. The jury reviewed a 1981 post‑mortem report that did not mention a dental plate being removed. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane noted that the pathologist's report made no reference to a dental plate, and that expert witnesses could not confirm its presence. Family counsel Bernard Condon SC raised questions about the existence of a dental plate, citing a sister's statement that Murty had a partial plate from a sporting incident. Dr Richard Shepherd suggested that if records of the plate existed, they could aid identification, but no definitive evidence was presented. The inquest also discussed the identification of other Stardust victims through jewellery and dental records, but the case of Murty Kavanagh remains unresolved. The hearing will continue next Tuesday.
Edward Wall, 32, of Newtown Park, Tallaght, was sentenced to five‑and‑a‑half years in November 2022 for the burglary of an unoccupied residence belonging to an Asian restaurant owner in Carlow Town. The burglary, committed with three others in December 2019, was part of a gang that targeted Asian businesspeople. Wall was on bail for burglary, trespass and handling stolen goods at the time of the offence and had 33 prior convictions. Judge Eugene O'Kelly imposed a six‑year term, suspending the final six months, and also sentenced two older co‑defendants to six years with 18‑month suspensions and a younger co‑defendant to a fully suspended three‑and‑a‑half year term. Wall's appeal to reduce his sentence was dismissed by the Court of Appeal, with the judge affirming that the sentencing reflected appropriate parity and mitigation considerations.". Edward Wall pleaded guilty.
A 65‑year‑old man from Co Cork was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment for 71 counts of rape, oral rape, indecent assault and sexual assault of his daughter between 1988 and 1997. The Central Criminal Court found he abused her while she was aged seven to 17, manipulating her and favouring her over his other children, which caused a rift with her siblings. The abuse progressed from touching to rape and oral rape over a two‑to‑three‑year period in her teens, continuing until she turned 18 and left the family home. The judge described the abuse as an egregious breach of trust in a place that should have been safe. The victim, who did not realise the abuse was wrong until later, said her life was significantly affected and that her father had ruined her childhood. The defendant, who has serious health issues, will require medical support while in custody. The unnamed man was found guilty.
Patrick McCann, 75, was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment for making offensive sexual remarks to a 15‑year‑old boy at an Applegreen petrol station on Stillorgan Road on 23 March 2023. The court heard that McCann, who has 391 prior convictions dating back to the 1960s, including two rapes, four sexual assaults and five breaches of the Sex Offenders Act, asked the boy questions such as "Are you a virgin?" and "Do you know how to break it in?" and told him he was a "handsome boy". The boy was alone when the offence occurred, a factor the judge said aggravated the conduct. McCann pleaded guilty early, was homeless for a long period, and has a history of alcohol addiction and other hardships, which the judge considered mitigating. The nine‑month term was back‑dated to the date he entered custody.
Bernard Corrigan, 39, with 147 prior convictions, was further sentenced for head‑butting a prison officer at Mountjoy Prison on 27 December 2021. The officer suffered bruised and bulging spinal discs, left‑arm, torso and neck injuries, and was unable to work for six months. Corrigan pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to a prison officer. Judge Orla Crowe described the attack as unprovoked and reprehensible, noting the large number of prior convictions as an aggravating factor, while mitigating factors included his guilty plea, the officer's full recovery and Corrigan's apology. She sentenced him to two years and nine months, back‑dated to his guilty plea on 25 October 2023, to run concurrently with his existing sentence, with an earliest release date of 2 March 2027. The court heard the officer's victim impact statement detailing the pain, fear of future assault, and financial costs. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 12 January 2024, Aaron Costello, 24, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to a male victim in Ballymun on 12 October 2022. The court noted that the victim, who had no animosity toward Costello, accepted the apology and expressed a "generous and spirited" attitude, stating he did not wish the defendant to be jailed. Judge Pauline Codd, after viewing CCTV footage showing Costello striking the victim from behind and kicking him twice while he was on the ground, found the assault unnecessary and placed the offence in the upper mid‑range of offending. Costello had no prior convictions and expressed genuine remorse, bringing €5,000 to court as a token of regret. The judge sentenced him to 18 months' imprisonment, suspended in full for two years, and imposed a lifetime criminal conviction.
In a High Court case in Co. Tipperary, Mr. Joshua Wilson, owner of Marlfield House, seeks an injunction to remove trespassers from his historic Palladian mansion. Wilson argues the property is a fire‑safety hazard and must be vacated for renovation. He has presented a consultant's report claiming the building is unsafe, but the report's credibility is challenged by defendants Stephen Ghizdavu and Patrick Fogarty, who claim valid tenancy agreements. Mr. Ghizdavu's barrister, John Madden, disputes the safety allegations, and a sworn statement suggests the report's author may be the same person previously convicted for misrepresenting himself as an architect and building surveyor. Judge Brian Cregan adjourned the matter to later this month, ordering a timetable for document exchange and considering involving Tipperary County Council for a new fire‑safety inspection. Wilson, who bought the house in October 2023, maintains that no valid tenancy could exist under the 2007 mortgage clause and has never accepted rent from the occupants.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, Daniel Picton, a Bord na Móna truck driver, alleged that he had been forced to work excessive hours and was denied the statutory 11‑hour rest between shifts. He claimed to have averaged nearly 50 hours a week for a year, with only one documented breach of the rest requirement in July 2023. Picton said he had repeatedly complained to management about fatigue, including a statement that he feared he might "kill a family in the lorry," but was told to continue the run. He said a manager threatened to take him to court and refused alternative working arrangements. Bord na Móna admitted "nominal" breaches of working‑time legislation but argued the violations were not routine and that Picton had voluntarily worked overtime. The adjudication officer will issue a written decision later.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced four men for money laundering offences linked to €121,000 stolen from a Dublin solicitors' firm via invoice redirect fraud. Judge Martin Nolan warned that the court is "totally fed up" with young money mules using "stupidity as a shield" and stated that those providing bank details after January 2022 face potential custody. Cameron Fanning, 25, pleaded guilty to two counts of money laundering and one count of giving false information to gardaí. He was sentenced to three and a half years in prison, suspended in full on strict conditions. The judge noted the court would not use Fanning as a "sacrificial lamb" given his reckless but believable explanation. Mubarak Salawu, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering and possessing €600 Balenciaga runners bought with proceeds of crime; he received a suspended two-year prison sentence. Olumide Lawal, 27, admitted to two counts of money laundering and possession of an iPhone bought with proceeds of crime; he was also given a suspended two-year prison sentence. Aaron Clancy, 21, pleaded guilty to possessing €3,020 in proceeds of money laundering and a further unrelated count of possessing €4,650 in proceeds of crime; he received a suspended two-year prison sentence. The judge noted that for Salawu, Lawal, and Clancy, the amounts involved were lower and all three were young men with their "futures in front of them".
Richard Cox, 40, of Tallaght, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography on 26 October 2020. Gardaí, acting on confidential information, searched his home on that date and seized a mobile phone, two Xboxes and a USB stick. The phone contained 269 images and 39 videos of child abuse; 53 images and 39 videos were category one, showing children in or witnessing sexual activity. A production order from Google Ireland recovered an additional 110 images and 37 videos that had been automatically uploaded to the cloud. Cox admitted to accessing the material while at home during a Covid‑19 lockdown, when he was not working and was taking drugs and drinking. He had no prior convictions and cooperated with Gardaí. The court, noting the early guilty plea and his cooperation, imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, fully suspended on strict conditions, and referred him for therapy to address underlying addiction issues.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice Paul Burns sentenced a 25‑year‑old Cork man to five‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment, suspending the final year on conditions including a sexual‑consent course. The man, who had no prior convictions, was found guilty of anally raping an 18‑year‑old college student in her apartment on 11 February 2019. The victim, a virgin at the time, had initially consented to sex after a brief encounter in a nightclub, but the man forced anal intercourse against her repeated refusals, causing severe pain. He also filmed her and demanded oral sex afterward. The judge expressed concern over the rise of young men of good character committing sexual offences and questioned whether school programmes on consent and pornography are sufficient. The sentencing followed the jury's guilty verdict, and the defendant has since written an apology letter to the victim.
In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 12 January 2024, Declan 'Mr Nobody' Brady, aged 56, pleaded guilty to a single charge of aiding the Kinahan cartel in the murder of Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan, an innocent man shot six times on 22 December 2016. Brady admitted that between 20 October and 22 December 2016 he participated in or facilitated the commission of the murder while aware of the cartel's existence. He will appear again next Wednesday for a sentencing hearing. Brady's co‑accused, Michael Crotty, 40, was due to trial but the case was adjourned to Monday morning to allow him to consult his lawyers. Brady has previously pleaded guilty in 2019 to supervising a firearms arsenal and in 2021 to laundering over €400,000 in crime cash, receiving 11.5 years with the final year suspended. The court noted that Kirwan's murder was "disturbing" as it appeared to be a targeted killing with no criminal motive.
An electrician, Karl Lawlor, 40, was jailed for five and a half years after Gardaí stopped his untaxed van in Clondalkin. The van contained just under 25 kilos of cocaine worth €1.74 million and €220 worth of cannabis. Lawlor pleaded guilty to possession on 15 April 2022. He admitted having a drug debt of €7,000 and that he had been forced to carry the drugs. The court noted his severe cocaine addiction, visible septum erosion, and that he had been using drugs recreationally before escalating after his father's death. Judge Martin Nolan cited mitigating factors such as no prior convictions, a long work record, a guilty plea, cooperation, remorse, and a low likelihood of reoffending. The sentence reflected his maturity and the circumstances of his substance abuse. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
During the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire, Dr Richard Shepherd testified that any delay in escaping the toxic, hot environment would have increased the likelihood of death. He explained that rapid incapacitation from inhaling fire fumes and heat was the cause of death for the 48 victims. Shepherd cited specific cases: Jacqueline Croker, 18, who fell after running across a seat aisle; Liam Dunne, 18, who died 25 days later from bronchial pneumonia and lung abscesses; Michael Farrell, 26, with a high hydrogen cyanide reading; Michael French, 18, identified in 2007 with significant burns and a 24% carbon monoxide level; David Flood, 18, with a 56% carbon monoxide level; Thelma Frazer, 20, with a 25% carbon monoxide level; Josephine Glen, 16, who survived five days after being found near exit five; Brian Hobbs, 21, with 39% carbon monoxide; Eugene Hogan, 24, who was last seen on the dance floor before lights went out; Murtagh Kavanagh, 27, with a 48% carbon monoxide.
A 70‑year‑old man was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for raping and repeatedly sexually abusing his two younger sisters in Leinster between 1966 and 1974. He pleaded guilty to one count of rape and 14 counts of indecent assault. The first sister was aged five to nine when first abused, with the abuse pausing during his boarding‑school year and resuming in 1971–72 when she was ten to twelve. The second sister was eight to ten during indecent assault and was raped when aged eleven to thirteen. Victims described lasting fear, depression and anxiety, and the court noted the abuse had profoundly distorted their lives. The judge imposed a headline sentence of 13 years for the rape and 18 months for each indecent assault, but ultimately gave a global nine‑year term with the final 12 months suspended, directing the defendant to have no contact with the sisters.
A 27-year-old man has been jailed at the Central Criminal Court for sexually assaulting a woman while she slept at his apartment in County Donegal on 30 June 2019. He pleaded guilty to the offence. The victim, then 18 years old, was known to the accused and they had socialised together that evening before returning to his home. She fell asleep but woke to find him on top of her with his clothing removed. She asked him to stop and he did so. The woman reported the matter to gardaí the following day. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed a sentence of three years, with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions. The judge noted the accused was aware the victim was asleep and had denied her the fundamental right to refuse intimacy. He took into account the man's expressions of remorse, his difficult personal history, and lack of previous convictions. A no-contact order was directed. The victim's statement was read to the court, in which she expressed hope that her reporting would help others.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 38‑year‑old man was jailed for six years after pleading guilty to four counts of rape against his 8‑year‑old cousin between 2002 and 2003. The victim, now 29, described the abuse as repeated anal, oral and vaginal rape while he was babysitting in her Dublin home. The judge noted the defendant's teenage status and the grooming element, reducing a potential headline sentence of 13 years to nine, then to seven years and six months with 18 months suspended. Conditions include probation supervision and no unsupervised contact with children. The victim's impact statement detailed the lasting trauma, loss of innocence and subsequent substance abuse, concluding that the abuse was no longer a secret. The defendant's prior drug conviction was mentioned, and the sentence was back‑dated to his custody entry.
Barry Cull, a former site manager at BHA Construction Ltd, claims that the company unlawfully docked €620 from his final pay for a laptop damaged by spilled tea and that he was not paid €750 for his last three days of work. He says the payroll administrator, Marie Murphy, never told him he would have to pay for the replacement and that no written agreement existed. Murphy, representing the company, maintains that Cull admitted the damage and agreed to the deduction, and that the laptop was company property. She also says the time‑keeping system recorded only two of Cull's three days, and that the company policy required employees to contact head office if clock‑in failed. The tribunal heard cross‑examination from both parties and will issue a decision in writing. The hearing was held at the Workplace Relations Commission.
Ryan Kelly, 24, of Crumlin, pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court to possessing a .38 special calibre Smith & Wesson revolver and five rounds of ammunition on 23 November 2021 at Captain's Road, Dublin 12. He answered only "guilty" when the charges were read. Kelly also faces a charge of participating in or contributing to activity that could facilitate a serious offence by a criminal organisation, knowing of its existence, on the same date. Prosecutor Anne Marie Lawlor said the State will file a nolle prosequi on this final charge when Kelly appears for sentencing in April. Brendan Grehan SC noted Kelly's full compliance with bail conditions. Judge Caroline Biggs extended his bail to 8 April, when he and co‑accused Anthony Walker will appear for a sentence hearing. Walker, 52, also pleaded guilty to possession of a revolver and ammunition on 23 November 2021, and faces a pending charge of ammunition possession, with a plea required on 8 April.
Patrick Challoner, a former AIB manager aged 54, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment with the final 12 months suspended for two years after a 16‑year scheme that saw €2.7 million stolen from the bank. He created bogus loans and investment accounts, taking money from customers who believed they were authorising investments that were never made. The scheme involved over 100 charges and thousands of transactions, with the bank suffering a total loss of €3.2 million. Challoner did not personally profit; he repaid €60,000 and expressed remorse. He pleaded guilty to five theft charges and one deception charge, and the court noted his early guilty plea, cooperation, and good character as mitigating factors. The judge highlighted the seriousness, amount involved, duration, and repetitive nature of the offence as aggravating factors. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
A barrister, Brendan Grehan SC, told Mr Justice Paul McDermott that the Legal Aid Board's fixed fee of €1,800 for psychiatric expert reports is too low, making it hard to secure psychiatrists for murder trials where up to 20 per cent involve psychiatric issues. Grehan explained that a psychiatrist charged €120 per hour, so the cap would cover only about 15 hours, insufficient for the extensive assessments, evidence review, and interviews required. He said the board had not agreed to raise the fee and that the situation could delay many trials. Justice McDermott adjourned the matter to the end of the month, insisting that an expert must be obtained before the case can proceed and that the board must explain the difficulty. This follows a similar issue raised in October last year, which was resolved without board intervention.
A secondary school teacher from Donegal Town has been sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment following her conviction for indecently assaulting a male pupil in 1985. Jacintha McSherry O'Connor, aged 63, was found guilty of two counts of indecent assault at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after a trial in October 2023. The offences occurred when she was a student teacher and the complainant was 13 years old. Judge Elma Sheahan considered the serious breach of trust, the age disparity between the parties, and the lasting impact on the victim in determining sentence. Mitigating factors included the defendant's previously unblemished record and her cooperation with gardaí. McSherry O'Connor was sentenced to three years on each count to run concurrently, with the final six months suspended. She will be supervised by the Probation Services for six months following release and must register as a sex offender.
An inquest jury in Dublin has begun hearing evidence on the deaths of the 48 victims of the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane explained that the jury's role is to determine each victim's date, place and cause of death. Pathologists Dr Richard Shepherd, Dr Nat Carey and Dr Benjamin Swift presented post‑mortem, toxicology and photographic evidence. They confirmed that high levels of carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide and heat were present in many victims, and that inhalation of fire fumes and heat caused rapid incapacitation and death. The evidence was presented alphabetically, starting with 17‑year‑old Michael Barrett, who had 50% carbon monoxide in his blood, and included other victims such as 17‑year‑old Richard Bennett, 18‑year‑old Carol Bissett, 23‑year‑old Jimmy Buckley, 19‑year‑old Paula Byrne, 17‑year‑old Caroline Carey and 21‑year‑old John Colgan.
Yong Yue Wang, a former Dublin Bus driver, was dismissed in September 2022 after the company found he had used a mobile phone while driving twice in under a year, breaching its zero‑tolerance policy. The Workplace Relations Commission heard Wang's claim under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977, seeking reinstatement. Wang had previously received a final written warning and a three‑day unpaid suspension for an earlier incident in November 2021. In July 2022, a chief inspector reported seeing Wang holding a phone while driving a 15B bus on Townsend Street; Wang maintained the phone was in his pocket or had fallen off the dashboard. The tribunal noted procedural concerns, including language barriers and the lack of CCTV evidence, and the adjudicator said a decision would be issued in weeks. Wang has since obtained a taxi licence and is earning about €700 a week.
An expert witness has stated that the lack of proper documentation of body recovery following the Stardust fire prevents any meaningful analysis of the fire's effects on victims. Dr Richard Shepherd, a forensic pathologist, testified that the mortuary facilities were overwhelmed and inadequate, with victims placed on the floor beneath mortuary tables. He emphasized that immovable exit doors during emergencies could cause significant issues, as people tend to congregate near them. The inquest has moved into a new phase, with expert pathological witnesses providing evidence on the cause of death for the 48 victims. Dr Shepherd noted that the management of mass fatalities has evolved significantly since 1981, with modern practices including unique identifiers for each body. He highlighted that the lack of documentation made it impossible to analyze the effects of the fire and fumes on individuals.
A migrant chef, Jinxiu Zheng, who had borrowed money to work in Ireland, claimed he was subjected to humiliating and degrading treatment by restaurant operator Ming Feng Ltd. He said he was promised €15.78 an hour for a 39‑hour week but received only €300 in cash for 50‑60 hours of work, with minimal breaks. Zheng alleged that his employer questioned whether tax was paid on his behalf and threatened to cancel his work permit if he raised concerns. He also claimed he was forced to sign a resignation letter and that his last week's wages were thrown on the floor. The Workplace Relations Commission found discrimination on race grounds and harassment, awarding Zheng €15,000 for discrimination, €10,000 for harassment, €1,525 for minimum wage arrears, €250 for underpayment, and €1,800 for excessive hours and other breaches, totaling €28,275. The company denied the allegations and did not appear at the hearing.