Joseph Campbell (63), of Castle Court, Daingean, Co Offaly, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court to eight and a half years in prison for rape and sexual assault. Campbell, who maintains his innocence and does not accept the jury's verdict, was convicted last June of raping an 11-year-old boy, identified as Devin O'Donnell, in October 2017. Additional charges of sexual assault in December 2021 were taken into account. Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring imposed a headline sentence of 11 years, reduced to 10 years, with the final 18 months suspended. Concurrent six-year terms were imposed for the sexual assault offences. Campbell was ordered to have no contact with Mr O'Donnell during his imprisonment and for five years post-release, and must engage with the Probation Service for 12 months upon release. The judge noted aggravating factors, including Campbell's breach of trust as a grandfather figure and his lack of insight, while accepting his lack of previous convictions as mitigation. The sentence hearing had previously been adjourned to allow for the preparation of a Probation Services report.
A 55‑year‑old man, George Turner of Fairview, pleaded guilty to the murder of Emma McCrory, a mother‑of‑two and fashion wholesale manager in her 40s, who was fatally injured when a blaze broke out in her Howth Road home on 15 December 2022. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court, with sentencing scheduled for 10 October 2025 and Turner remanded in custody until that date.
Tara O'Flaherty, a care service manager, lost her claim for disability‑related harassment against her former employer, Mid West Healthcare Ltd trading as Kare Plus Mid West. She alleged that colleague Kristian Doyle had mocked her arthritic hands by "contorting" his fingers during a meeting and that other incidents of discriminatory harassment had occurred. Doyle denied all allegations, stating he had never behaved in such a manner and that any perceived mimicry was false. The tribunal, led by adjudicator Louise Boyle, found both parties' evidence evasive and lacking detail, questioning their credibility. Boyle concluded that O'Flaherty had failed to establish a case of discrimination or harassment, noting no failure to provide reasonable accommodation. The Employment Equality Act 1998 claim was therefore rejected. The decision was made in a hearing held in January 2025.
In a WRC hearing, Aer Lingus safety chief Conor Nolan explained that an engine repair report posted online by whistleblower pilot Tom O'Riordan was not intended for public consumption. Nolan said the report, dated 24 October 2023, detailed repairs to the number 1 engine of an Airbus A320 (EI‑DEN) after a fume leak on 5 June 2023. O'Riordan, who had 13,000 hours on heavy jets, was dismissed in September 2024 and claimed he was poisoned by toxic fumes. He alleged Aer Lingus had "whitewashed" safety issues and that the report's publication damaged the airline's reputation. Nolan maintained the document was highly technical and could be misconstrued by the public. The case was adjourned to January 2026. The hearing focused on the report's content, O'Riordan's claims, and the airline's defence of its safety procedures.
Seven men, aged between 32 and 55, have gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court, each pleading not guilty to charges of raping a deaf woman. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Caroline Biggs, is expected to last four months, with a break at Christmas. The judge noted that the complainant requires interpreters and an intermediary, which will slow the proceedings. An extended jury panel of 15 was empanelled, and the trial is set to open next week. Accused A (55) pleaded not guilty to raping the woman between December 2009 and April 2011. Accused B (48) pleaded not guilty to a count spanning December 2008 to December 2010. Accused C (34) pleaded not guilty to raping the woman between February and December 2001, as well as to anally raping another woman between September 2013 and September 2014, and sexually assaulting a third woman between September 2005 and September 2006. Accused D (33) pleaded not guilty to a count from December 2006 to December 2007. Accused E (32) pleaded not guilty to a count from April to December 2003. Accused F (32) pleaded not guilty to a count from December 2007 to April 2010. Accused G (45) pleaded not guilty to a count from December 1996 to December 1997. Some accused face further charges next week. No parties can be named for legal reasons.
In Tallaght District Court, Gary Brogan, 27, pleaded guilty to drink‑driving, careless driving, driving without insurance and without a licence after his Yamaha quad bike collided with a Nissan Qashqai carrying three young children on 18 August 2023. The collision occurred as the car was turning right; none of the passengers were injured, but Brogan sustained a broken collarbone and kneecap. A urine test at Tallaght University Hospital showed 207 mg of alcohol per 100 ml, exceeding the legal limit. Brogan could not produce a licence or insurance documents. He admitted no memory of the crash, apologized, and had no prior road‑traffic convictions, only minor public‑order and trespassing offences. Judge Patricia McNamara fined him €500 payable over five months and disqualified him from driving for a mandatory minimum of three years, citing the seriousness of the offence and the need for a wake‑up call.
At Tallaght District Court on 2 October 2025, a man in his 20s was denied bail after being charged with breaching a protection order that had been in place since July. The charge stemmed from alleged threats made on 30 September and 1 October, when the defendant reportedly shouted insults and threatened to kill the complainant, her family and himself while she was shopping. The complainant, who had been in a two‑month relationship with the defendant, testified that she feared further violence and wanted to live in peace. The defendant denied making the threats, claiming he had only brought food and that the complainant had rebuffed him. Gardaí argued that the defendant's continued daily contact with the complainant posed a real risk of interference, and the judge, after hearing both sides, refused bail and remanded the defendant in custody for a video appearance at Cloverhill District Court on 7 October. Legal aid was assigned.
In a WRC hearing, Aer Lingus's safety director Conor Nolan defended the airline's handling of a safety report linked to veteran pilot Tom O'Riordan, who claimed he was poisoned by toxic fumes during a repositioning flight in June 2023. O'Riordan spent five days in Beaumont Hospital and was dismissed in September. He alleged the report, submitted to the Irish Aviation Authority on 7 June, was falsified and that his name was inappropriately attached. Nolan explained that the aircraft had taxied to the gate when O'Riordan felt unwell, paramedics were called, and a triage process began. He said staff could create reports under crew members' names and that the airline had a 72‑hour window to notify the Authority. Nolan maintained the airline acted reasonably, expecting O'Riordan's later participation, and that the report's authorship was a procedural matter. The case was adjourned for the night.
In a County Galway housing estate, a 16‑year‑old boy pleaded not guilty to three charges of oral rape and one of rape of a 13‑year‑old girl. He was interviewed by gardai in February 2024 when he was 15, with his mother and solicitor present. In the interview he denied all allegations, calling them the "biggest lie" and "bullshit", and said he had never asked the girl for sex. He admitted only lightly pinching her. A forensic examiner testified that the girl had more than 20 bruises, some on her breasts, inner thighs and genital area, and that a bruise in the genital area was "consistent" with painful penetration. The court heard the forensic findings and cross‑examination of the girl's statements, and the trial continues before Mr Justice Patrick McGrath and a jury.
A man in his 30s was jailed for six months after breaching a safety order by banging on his former partner's door on New Year's Day while half dressed. He pleaded guilty at Dún Laoghaire District Court to contravening a safety order issued by Dublin District Court on 22 July 2022, which prohibited him from besetting the applicant's home and banging on her door. The court noted that he had been at the apartment earlier that morning with the woman's consent but was told to leave after an argument. About 18 months after the order, he was outside without his top and shoes and attempted to re‑enter to retrieve belongings. Gardaí arrested him at 8 am. The victim's impact statement described the fear and distress caused. Defence counsel acknowledged the client's unlawful presence and expressed remorse.
Aaron Crowley, a 21-year-old man from Tallaght, Dublin, appeared before Judge Anne Watkin at Dún Laoghaire District Court regarding an incident on March 17, 2024. Crowley admitted to charges of careless driving and the unlawful possession of cocaine under section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977. The court heard that Crowley was driving a Honda Civic on Simmonscourt Road when he failed to stop and swerved past a garda directing traffic. Although originally charged with dangerous driving, the charge was reduced to careless driving. Crowley pleaded guilty to both remaining offences. Gardaí noted that a drug-driving test yielded no positive results. The court was informed that Crowley has 33 previous convictions, including 25 road-traffic offences and drug-related charges such as possession of heroin for sale or supply. He is currently serving a two-year driving ban. Defence counsel Michael O'BL argued that Crowley had fallen in with the wrong crowd but had abstained from drugs for 18 months. Judge Watkin remarked that Crowley sounded like he was "the wrong crowd himself" and expressed surprise he had not been jailed given his record, which included supplying drugs he did not use. The judge ordered a probation report and adjourned sentencing until January.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 16‑year‑old girl denied that she fabricated a rape story to attract attention. She testified that the 14‑year‑old boy she dated had raped her on four occasions between June and July 2023, including three instances of oral rape and one of rape when she was 13. The incidents allegedly took place in a County Galway housing estate. The girl gave evidence via video‑link, assisted by an intermediary who read her written responses. She described the assault, stating the boy forced her to give oral sex and then raped her, leaving her traumatized. She also explained that she had informed her mother through a Snapchat message on 7 July 2023, claiming the boy had raped her, and that she had told friends about the events. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Patrick McGrath, continues with the accused pleading not guilty to the four charges.
A homeless couple from Latvia, Inga Punane (31) and Vitins Gintars (32), were denied bail after being charged with assault involving a broken glass bottle in Dublin. Punane faces assault causing harm under the Non‑Fatal Offences Act and producing a dangerous weapon under the Firearms Act. Gintars is charged with assault causing harm. Garda Dylan Higgins presented evidence of a fight where Punane allegedly smashed a bottle on the ground, struck the victim's legs and torso, and threw glass shards at another man. Two witnesses recorded the incident on their phones, and the victim was taken to St Vincent's Hospital with bleeding and scratches. The court noted the seriousness of the violence, potential sentence, and risk of witness interference. Both accused were remanded in custody, with legal aid and medical support for alcohol issues granted. The judge refused bail under the Bail Act and O'Callaghan principles, citing the severity of the charges and evidence.
In a decision issued by the Workplace Relations Commission, Dr Paul Coughlan, a cosmetic doctor and co‑founder of CPD Ventures Ltd (trading as Yung Medical Aesthetics), was awarded €86,608 in unpaid wages and a €5,000 damages payment for discrimination. The commission found that Coughlan had been removed as a company director and denied commission payments that he was entitled to under a December 2023 founder agreement, which stipulated a 30% share of revenue from procedures he performed. He had received only €30,600 before June 2024, leaving €86,608 outstanding. Coughlan also claimed constructive dismissal after the company threatened legal action over his Instagram account. The tribunal noted that the company was in liquidation when the case was heard and that no evidence was presented by the liquidator.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, Aer Lingus senior manager Méadbh Gallagher testified that she feared a "Barbara Streisand effect" if an injunction were sought to stop former captain Tom O'Riordan from posting online about his dispute with the airline. Gallagher said the airline had denied O'Riordan's complaints under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014, the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. She described a series of disciplinary processes over his social‑media posts, including a letter dated 1 July 2024 warning that posts containing personal data of colleagues could lead to legal action. Gallagher denied that any injunction had been discussed and said the threat was "baseless." The hearing focused on whether the airline's actions constituted whistleblower penalisation and unfair dismissal, with no outcome reported in the article.
In a County Galway court, a 16‑year‑old boy was tried for four charges of sexual assault and rape against a 13‑year‑old girl he had been dating for a few weeks. The boy pleaded not guilty. The prosecution, led by Anne Rowland SC, presented a Snapchat message from the girl to her mother dated 7 July 2023, in which she claimed the boy had raped her and threatened to hit her. She also sent photographs of bruises on her legs and left breast, which she said were caused by the boy. A video of her interview with specialist Gardaí was shown, where she described being forced into sexual acts, including oral rape, and a forced vaginal penetration on a Tuesday. The girl reported bruising, bleeding, and a burning sensation after the alleged assault. The boy admitted to seeing the girl but denied any sexual contact. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Patrick McGrath and a jury.
In a tribunal decision on 29 September 2025, the employment tribunal ordered Good Place Beauty Ltd to pay Joselyn Moreira over €11,000 for unpaid wages and tips. Moreira, a Chilean‑trained veterinarian who arrived in Ireland in 2024 to learn English, began work at the Dublin salon on 9 November 2024 after being offered €18 an hour. She worked long hours, including two hours on Christmas Day 2025, and claimed that the owner advised her not to have a contract to reduce tax. The tribunal found the employer breached the Payment of Wages Act 1991 and the Terms of Employment (Information) Act 1995, ruling that Moreira was owed €5,103 in wages and €3,000 in tips. The final award was a net sum of €7,700 plus €3,312 in compensation for the contract breach, totaling €11,012.
A disability centre in Carlow has requested that a tribunal impose reporting restrictions, citing "very sensitive issues" after a worker, Sandra Browne, was accused of penalising her for raising safety complaints. The Workplace Relations Commission noted that a prior agreement on a series of penalisation and discrimination claims brought by Browne against the Delta Centre CLG had not been fulfilled. Browne's statutory complaints under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014, the Health, Safety and Welfare at Work Act 2005, the Industrial Relations (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004 and the Employment Equality Act 1998 are now set to proceed to a full hearing later this year. The tribunal adjourned the case pending the arrangement of hearing dates at the WRC's offices in Carlow in the winter. The centre's legal filings ran to 1,000 pages, and Browne is self‑represented.
A man in his 30s accused of breaching a barring order by making mocking social media posts and sending text messages to his former partner was granted bail by Judge John Brennan at Tallaght District Court, despite Garda objections. The alleged breaches included a Facebook post directed at the complainant and texts sent after his release from custody. The complainant, who obtained a barring order in March following an alleged assault, described the accused as unpredictable when drinking and said he had sent apologies, declarations of love, and mocking posts. Defence solicitor Eddie O'Connor noted the complainant had once invited the accused to her home during a relapse in June, but denied a renewed relationship. The accused denied intent to intimidate, accepted responsibility for the Facebook post, and agreed to stay away from the complainant and comply with court conditions.
Heherson Marquez, 53, of Vernon Avenue, Clontarf, was found guilty of careless driving after a collision at Larkfield Park, Kimmage, on 19 January 2023. While parked on the road waiting to pick up his 14‑year‑old child, he attempted a U‑turn and struck a motorcyclist who was thrown from his vehicle. The victim is believed to have suffered a broken leg, though this could not be confirmed in court. Judge Patricia McNamara fined Marquez €450, imposed a three‑month driving ban effective immediately, and gave him five months to pay the fine.
Raymond McCabe, 48, of White Pines Grove, Rathfarnham, pleaded guilty at Tallaght District Court to driving without insurance on the Tallaght bypass (N81) on 1 October 2024. He was stopped by Gardaí in a Volkswagen Golf, could not produce a licence or insurance, and the car was seized under the Road Traffic Act. McCabe failed to provide the documents at Tallaght Garda Station within ten days. The court noted he has 14 prior convictions, including 12 traffic offences and four for driving without insurance, the most recent in March 2024. Defence solicitor Jeremiah Breen explained McCabe's unemployment, grown‑up children, and cocaine addiction, stating he has "no excuse" but is now in treatment. Judge John Brennan, recognising McCabe's issues, imposed a four‑month prison sentence suspended for two years, a three‑year driving disqualification effective in 14 days, a €200 fine, and a €400 bond.
Rebecca Rolleston, 39, of Tallaght, was banned from driving for four years after refusing to give a blood or urine sample when arrested on 4 October 2024 for suspected drink‑driving. She pleaded guilty to the refusal, was fined €450 with a five‑month payment period, and was also found guilty of stealing four cans of Captain Morgan rum from a Maxol station in Bray on 28 April 2024. The court noted her two prior convictions and applied the Probation Act to the theft, requiring a €100 bond for good behaviour.
Emmanuel Ilunga, 23, of Navan, was convicted at Dún Laoghaire District Court for carrying a flick knife in his car on 14 April 2024. Ilunga admitted possession but claimed the knife was for his warehouse job, where he cut boxes and plastic. Garda David Buckley stopped him at 12:30 am in a grey Mercedes at M50 Junction 13. Ilunga appeared nervous, avoided eye contact and struggled to answer questions. A search under the Misuse of Drugs Act found the knife in the driver's side door and a wheel brace; no drugs were discovered. The judge, Anne Watkin, rejected Ilunga's work‑use defence, warned that carrying knives is "extremely serious", and imposed a €300 fine with a three‑month payment period, plus a €200 own‑bond recognisance. The case was prosecuted by Dr Sean Smyth for the DPP. Emmanuel Ilunga pleaded not guilty.
A 23‑year‑old e‑scooter rider, Jason Thornton, was convicted of a public order offence after shouting abuse at Garda Jack Hamilton during a criminal damage investigation on 15 June 2024 in south Dublin. Thornton, who was on an e‑scooter on a nearby walkway, raised his middle finger and shouted "F*** you, you red prick" while Hamilton was speaking to the injured party. Hamilton tried to issue a warning but Thornton accelerated away, and a crowd gathered. The court found that the incident, occurring while Gardaí were already dealing with a criminal damage case, met the threshold for a public order offence. Thornton pleaded not guilty, but Judge Anne Watkin convicted him. He has 38 prior convictions, including assault, criminal damage, misuse of drugs, burglary, robbery, theft and threats to kill, and his most recent conviction was under the Misuse of Drugs Act on 16 May 2025.
A garda with severe asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder has lodged complaints of disability discrimination, harassment and victimisation against the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána and the Minister for Justice at the Workplace Relations Commission. Garda Joseph Joyce, stationed in Longford, alleges he was ordered to return to frontline duty on 1 January 2022 contrary to medical advice during a Covid-19 surge, despite being granted special leave since April 2020 on grounds of severe health risk. He claims management ignored his general practitioner's guidance and assurances from a superintendent that he would not engage with the public, yet he was sent on foot patrol in Longford Town. Mr Joyce contends he encountered poor station hygiene, lack of sanitiser, equipment failures and subsequent claims he had breached protocols, causing work-related stress. The State disputes these allegations and argues An Garda Síochána was entitled to maintain operational capacity and that work-from-home arrangements were not sustainable. The commission has adjourned proceedings pending further evidence.
In a Dún Laoghaire District Court hearing, Chang Zhang, 45, was fined €100 for selling counterfeit Taylor Swift merchandise outside a sold‑out Dublin concert. Garda George McElroy observed Zhang offering hats, T‑shirts, wristbands and friendship bracelets from his car on Lansdowne Road on 28 June 2024. The goods were seized and Zhang was found to lack a required licence under the Casual Trading Act. He had no prior convictions and did not attend the hearing. Judge Anne Watkin set a three‑month payment period and recognisance of €100 for any appeal.
In a decision by the Workplace Relations Commission, landlord Sherman Chan was ordered to pay tenant Olga Burla €15,000, the maximum under the Equal Status Act 2000, after Chan refused to accept State housing assistance payments (HAP) and later evicted Burla, who had become a single parent in January 2024. Burla had been renting from Chan for about two years and faced financial hardship while paying €1,650 a month. She repeatedly asked Chan to apply for HAP, but he declined, claiming he did not want to accept it and feared the local authority would take over the property, a belief he later learned was incorrect. Chan's solicitor argued he was confused about HAP, but the adjudication officer noted that ignorance of the law is no excuse. The award considered Burla's financial loss of €22,109 and the stress caused by the discrimination.
Patrick Kinsella, a security officer at RFC Security Ltd, claimed in a tribunal that a manager threatened him with anal rape in October 2024 and made other sexually offensive remarks in December and January 2025. He also alleged mockery and abuse over a dental problem. Kinsella raised these allegations formally in February 2025, after a prior warning in September 2024. The company denied all claims, stating no unlawful treatment occurred, and argued lack of corroboration. The tribunal found the alleged remarks "vile" and "outrageous," and noted that the alleged perpetrators did not testify while Kinsella provided detailed evidence on oath. The adjudicator concluded that RFC Security Ltd failed to displace the burden of proof, upheld the sexual harassment complaint, and awarded Kinsella €7,500 in compensation, but did not uphold an ageism claim. The award considered Kinsella's delayed complaint filing. The tribunal decision was issued on 23 September 2025.
Jason O'Brien, 39, of Mac Uilliam Green, Tallaght, was sentenced at Tallaght District Court after pleading guilty to 15 charges. The offences included stealing €72 worth of cologne from Lloyds Pharmacy in May 2023 and multiple road traffic violations, such as driving without insurance, a licence, or valid tax and NCT certificates, arising from incidents in 2019 and 2021. Despite having 123 previous convictions, O'Brien avoided prison. His defence solicitor, Padraig O'Donovan, argued that incarceration had not been effective and requested a community-based disposal, noting O'Brien had a job lined up. Judge John O'Leary imposed 120 hours of community service in lieu of a five-month prison term. The judge described this as a final chance, stating he believed O'Brien had changed his ways. In a notable exchange, the judge advised O'Brien to thank his solicitor for the outcome, to which O'Brien replied he would buy his lawyer a bottle of wine. The matter was finalised with this sentence.
Gerard Wilson, 46, serving a two‑year sentence in Mountjoy Prison for burglary, knife possession and criminal damage, was further sentenced by Tallaght District Court after a relapse. On 25 March 2024, Gardaí found him intoxicated in another person's car in the car park of The Square Shopping Centre, Tallaght, where he admitted to being under the influence, threatening and abusive behaviour. Five days later, on 30 March 2024, he stole items from Dealz in Nutgrove Shopping Centre, Dublin 14; the goods were recovered only after his apprehension. Wilson, who holds a diploma in addictions studies from UCD, pleaded guilty to public order, road traffic and theft offences. Judge John O'Leary imposed a three‑month sentence for the traffic offence and a two‑month sentence for the public order matter, to run concurrently and take effect immediately. He also imposed a separate two‑month sentence for the theft at Dealz, to run consecutively to Wilson's current prison term.
In a Tallaght District Court hearing on 19 September 2025, a man in his 40s was found to have punched his wife and assaulted Garda James Hughes on 14 January 2024 at his home. After a bereavement and heavy drinking, the defendant returned intoxicated, became highly argumentative, and threw an extension cable at his partner, striking her on the eyebrow before punching her three or four times. He then threatened to "bite off his nose" and attacked Garda Hughes, attempting to drag him to the ground and causing a serious head injury. The victim suffered swelling to her right eyebrow and redness to her bottom lip; Hughes sustained a large laceration to the back of his head, blurred vision for two weeks and headaches for two months. The defendant admitted a Section 3 assault under the Non‑Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997, and two Section 19 public order offences for assaulting and obstructing gardaí.
In September 2025 the Workplace Relations Commission recommended €5,000 compensation to a barista who resigned after her employer accused her of being "too friendly" with customers. The adjudicator found that the café had created an "unsavoury and undermining work environment" by ambushing the barista with serious misconduct accusations in January 2025, subjecting her to a punitive transfer to another branch, and demanding a private discussion without notice. The barista reported being physically threatened and that the employer threatened to report her to the Gardaí. The employer claimed it was conducting an initial investigation into alleged undercharging and free giveaways, but the adjudicator noted the transfer amounted to a disciplinary sanction without proper investigation. The barista quit shortly after, and the commission's recommendation was based on the distress and loss she suffered.".
A deli assistant with multiple sclerosis won €4,000 in compensation after resigning from her part‑time job when her manager could not guarantee her a reduction in working hours. The Workplace Relations Commission ruled that the unnamed retailer, a seaside resort business, failed to provide reasonable accommodation for her disability. The worker had requested four‑hour shifts, citing exhaustion, but the manager said he could not guarantee them and asked her to resign. She resigned in September 2024 after seven years with the company. The tribunal rejected her constructive dismissal claim under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977, finding no local resolution opportunity. However, it upheld her Employment Equality Act 1998 claim, finding the lack of accommodation discriminatory on the grounds of disability, and ordered the employer to pay €4,000 in compensation.
Ali Izzy, a former software salesman for Solar Winds Software Europe DAC, testified to the Workplace Relations Commission in Cork on 17 September 2025. He claimed that his ex‑boss, Middle East regional sales director Abdul Rehman, had arranged a "side deal" with a distributor known for corruption and approved a 62% discount—amounting to more than €500,000—on a technology licence for the Saudi government. Izzy said the discount was "crazy" and "unnecessary", and that Rehman had no authority to grant it. He alleged that a distributor had tried to bribe him in 2021 and that Rehman had been aware of the attempt. Izzy was dismissed on 22 July 2024 after a disciplinary process over his revocation of the discount. He has since applied for over 100 jobs and claims his reputation has been ruined. Solar Winds confirmed his annual salary was €197,062 at dismissal. The tribunal will hear closing submissions later.
A Workplace Relations Commission hearing in Cork, presided over by Adjudicator Tom O'Driscoll, has been adjourned overnight. The case involves statutory complaints under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 and the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 brought by former salesman Ali Izzy against Cork-headquartered Solar Winds. Izzy alleged he was dismissed in summer 2024 following a company probe into his management of business with clients in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Bahrain. He claimed a middle-man for a distributor offered him a €10,000 bribe related to a contract with an Arab government ministry, where a significant discount was allegedly applied. Solar Winds defended the dismissal, citing complaints of insubordination from former Middle East sales director Abdul Rehman. Rehman testified that Izzy refused to process an approved discount and revoked quotes, stating he had not received written proof of any bribe offer. Solar Winds' disciplinary officer Samantha Bengston stated the decision was based on Izzy overriding senior management directives. Counsel for Izzy argued that Rehman was aware of improper actions by the middle-man and that the discount was improperly large. The tribunal heard evidence regarding the financial details of the deal and the internal disciplinary process. No final decision was reached, and the matter was adjourned overnight.
In a Tallaght District Court hearing on 16 September 2025, a man in his 20s was denied bail after a judge found that a pregnant woman, who is unnamed for legal reasons, was left in fear for herself and her unborn child. The accused, who pleaded not guilty to criminal damage and theft, had allegedly threatened to drag the woman to an abortion clinic and had engaged in violent conduct at her home, including jumping on her car, smashing a wardrobe and chandeliers, and refusing to return her house keys. Garda Brendan Byrne cited the O'Callaghan principles, arguing the man might not appear in court and could interfere with the complainant. The court noted that a key to the woman's home was found in the accused's pocket. The accused, represented by Padraig O'Donovan, claimed any damage was accidental and offered compensation, stating he would stay away if bail were granted.
In a WRC hearing, Elly Kiprono Rop, a Kenyan security guard working for BGS Security Ltd (BGSS) in Dublin, was awarded €45,240 in compensation, two years' wages, plus €1,088 for unpaid wages and €1,200 for failure to provide a contract. Rop had worked unpaid shifts from May to June 2024, with extra hours assigned but not paid, leaving a shortfall of €1,088.49. He described feeling "let down and used" by BGSS. The adjudicator, Patricia Owens, found BGSS had shown "blatant disregard" for workers' rights and the Employment Regulation Order, disadvantaging law‑abiding competitors. The decision upheld claims under the Payment of Wages Act 1991, the Terms of Employment (Information) Act 1994 and the Industrial Relations Act 1949, and highlighted the risk of industrial relations instability. The company now owes over €193,000 to former staff for unpaid wages and employment rights breaches.
Billionaire John Magnier lost a High Court case over a failed bid to buy the Barne Estate in Tipperary. He had claimed a €15‑million handshake deal with Richard Thomson‑Moore, an heir to the 751‑acre estate, but the court found no binding agreement existed. The defendants argued that no consent from the estate trustees had been obtained and that the parties had not reached consensus on essential terms. The court noted that the parties understood that a formal written contract was required and that no one present had authority to bind the estate. The judge refused all reliefs sought by Magnier, concluding that the case failed on all grounds. Legal costs, expected to run in the millions, will be decided later. The case lasted 19 days in the Commercial Court.
In September 2025 the Workplace Relations Commission upheld the dismissal of Timothy Seaton, a Breffni Air Ireland Unlimited employee, following an incident on 7 March 2022 in which he was alleged to have head‑butted a colleague. Seaton denied the head‑but but admitted to nudging the other worker, claiming he was provoked by the colleague's use of rebel music and a remark calling him an "English b*****d." The company's production manager, Gary Johnston, reported that Seaton was "agitated" and that the colleague had a hammer and was playing rebel music. Seaton was suspended immediately and both workers were sacked after separate investigations. The company's operations director, David O'Doherty, cited Seaton's admission of assault and the high‑risk workshop environment as reasons for dismissal. The adjudicator, Moya de Paor, found Seaton's conduct amounted to gross misconduct and ruled that the dismissal was within the band of reasonable responses. The complaint under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 was dismissed.
In a tribunal hearing on 15 September 2025, broadcaster Colm Ó Mongáin testified that he overheard an RTÉ manager instructing a supervisor to limit shift work for video editor Maebh Keary di Lucia after she requested more secure working conditions. Ó Mongáin, who had worked with Keary di Lucia on RTÉ's News2Day programme in 2008, said he was surprised by the manager's comments and informed Keary di Lucia, who then asked him to record the conversation. Keary di Lucia, aged 25, claims she was misclassified as a contractor from 2004 to 2011, denied statutory entitlements, annual leave, and a long‑service allowance, and seeks nearly €360,000 in employment rights claims under the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 and the Terms of Employment Information Act 1994.
Christopher Farrell, 69, of Tallaght, was fined €750 for dangerous driving after a police chase. He pleaded not guilty to two counts of dangerous driving. The court dismissed the charge relating to an incident on Fortunestown Way but convicted him of a second count involving a pursuit outside his home. Garda David Sheehan reported that Farrell drove behind an unmarked patrol car, flashed his headlights, shouted abuse, and accelerated away, causing dust to rise from the median. He later turned into the Suncroft estate, sounded his horn, and drove into his driveway. Garda Sheehan described Farrell as "extremely aggressive," throwing his keys and handing his phone to a woman. The court noted Farrell's claim of panic was not credible once the patrol car's blue lights were activated. He was fined €750 with a five‑month payment period. The case was heard at Tallaght District Court by Judge Patricia McNamara.
Sara Lucanich has failed in her appeal against her District Court convictions for drink driving and refusing to provide a breath sample. The appellant, aged 30, was originally convicted of driving while intoxicated on Ballymun Road in April 2024 and fined €350, with a three-year driving disqualification. She was also convicted of refusing to provide a sample and fined €200. During the appeal, Garda Doireann Byrne testified that Lucanich was observed swerving and failing to respond to police signals, and that she exhibited signs of intoxication. Garda Kevin Nolan stated that Lucanich successfully provided a breath sample, which returned a result of 94mg per 100ml, but subsequently refused to sign the required statements despite explanations. Lucanich argued she did not understand the legal requirements and was rushed by gardai. Judge Jonathan Dunphy rejected these claims, finding Garda Nolan's evidence meticulous and accepting that Lucanich completed the breath test without difficulty. The judge affirmed the District Court's convictions and sentences. However, he agreed to defer the driving disqualification for a period of six months from the date of the appeal hearing.
In September 2025, the Workplace Relations Commission rejected Katazyna Wadlewska's claim of unfair dismissal after Lidl Ireland Gmbh terminated her €50,000-a-year deputy store manager role. Wadlewska was accused during a 2023 internal audit of removing a six‑pack of Kong Light energy drinks from the shelf, drinking one, and leaving the rest in the warehouse. She admitted taking the drinks but claimed it was common practice and that she paid for them later. Wadlewska denied intent to steal and argued that the investigation was biased because the new store manager, Steven Morrissey, was married to a subordinate. The commission found the disciplinary process complied with the code of practice, noted that Wadlewska had not lodged a grievance against Morrissey, and concluded her dismissal was not unfair. The decision was published in a WRC ruling this week.
In a decision published by the Workplace Relations Commission, a youth group committee was found to have discriminated against a trans volunteer, Mr E, by voting to exclude him from working with younger children because of his gender identity. The WRC directed the organisation to pay Mr E €5,000 in compensation for a breach of the Equal Status Act 2000. Mr E had been a leader for about 18 months before discovering in spring 2024 that his trans identity had caused controversy when he applied to volunteer in late 2022. A witness, Ms G, testified that another leader, Mr D, inadvertently disclosed Mr E's identity during the application review, and that two other leaders objected to his assignment to younger groups, citing potential parental concerns. The chairperson called a vote that resulted in Mr E's exclusion from younger groups. Ms G later quit the organisation after the meeting.
Dwayne McConville, 39, of Davitt Park, Ballybrack, was sentenced to one month in Mountjoy Prison after pleading guilty at Dún Laoghaire District Court to being intoxicated in a public place and to threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour. The offence occurred on Georges Street Lower, Dún Laoghaire, on 15 October 2024 when McConville, while drinking from a bottle of beer, shouted to Garda Dylan Walsh that he would shoot him. McConville was stumbling and unsteady on his feet when stopped on the footpath. The court noted he had 61 prior convictions for public order offences and 76 in total. He had previously received a two‑year peace bond under the Probation Act in December 2023. The judge, citing that this was his 62nd and 63rd public order offence, imposed the one‑month sentence. Recognisance was fixed at €500 own bond and €500 independent surety, half of each to be lodged in cash.
In a decision by the Workplace Relations Commission, a childcare centre that had taken a two‑year‑old girl since she was 18 months old was found to have discriminated against her because of a severe nut allergy. The centre had refused to allow the child to bring her two Epi‑Pens, citing that it was "not prepared to take responsibility" for her condition. The parents had informed the centre of the diagnosis only after the child's return, and the centre's owner insisted that the pens could not be allowed. The tribunal accepted that the centre's concern for the child's safety was genuine but concluded that it had failed to reasonably accommodate her disability. The centre was ordered to pay €3,000 in compensation for the discrimination and the distress caused to the child and her family. The decision was anonymised because the complainant is a minor.
James Meehan, a convicted murderer, appeared in the High Court where Ms Justice Caroline Biggs set October 23 for an extradition hearing. Meehan, 55, was arrested by gardai earlier this month under extradition warrants issued under the Trade and Co-operation Agreement after allegedly failing to return to Magilligan prison in Derry during day release in December 2024. He was sentenced in 2009 to life imprisonment, with a minimum of 14 years to be served, for the murder of Jim McFadden in May 2007. Meehan, who previously had addresses in Derry City and Headfort Grove, Kells, Co Meath, is alleged to have gone on the run for the second time in three years. In December 2023, the High Court found clear evidence that the terms of his release had been breached and ordered his surrender to Northern Ireland. Counsel for the State indicated that two matters regarding Meehan could be dealt with in approximately one hour each, potentially allowing the case to be heard in one day. Ms Justice Biggs ordered that all submissions be provided by the respondent one week prior to the hearing date. She further ruled that Meehan will be remanded on continued bail until October 23. The matter was adjourned to that date for the extradition proceedings.
In Tallaght District Court, 58‑year‑old Filippo Sangermano, a resident of Watergate House Hostel, was granted bail after being charged with a section 6 public order offence for alleged verbal abuse and aggression in the accident and emergency (A&E) department of Tallaght University Hospital. The court heard that Gardaí had been called to the hospital and that Sangermano was reportedly abusive towards staff and patients. He denied knowing Irish legal procedures, noting that in the UK he could speak to a solicitor and had not yet seen a social worker. Defence counsel Ciara Ní Ghabhann BL objected to a blanket restriction on his access to A&E, arguing he should not be prevented from seeking emergency care. Judge Patricia McNamara agreed, allowing bail on the condition that Sangermano may only attend the A&E if referred by a doctor. The bail was secured on a €200 bond, and the case was adjourned for disclosure at a later date.
David Fagan, 40, with 131 prior convictions, was convicted in the District Court for stealing €1,300 from the same shop on three occasions. He pleaded guilty to three counts of theft under the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001, and received two concurrent six‑month sentences plus a concurrent ten‑month term. On appeal, Judge Jonathan Dunphy upheld the two six‑month sentences but suspended the ten‑month term for the €700 theft on 7 May 2024 for a full two years. The suspension is conditional on Fagan being supervised by the probation services upon release, attending all meetings and referrals, and keeping away from the service station in Portmarnock. The court noted that the other offences were non‑violent and that Fagan had shown remorse and had no disciplinary record while in custody. The appeal was based on the claim that the original sentences were manifestly excessive.
Daryl Boyd, 28, pleaded guilty in the District Court to multiple offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 between 2020 and 2022. He received three consecutive six‑month prison sentences for supplying controlled drugs into prisons, with one of those sentences suspended. Additional charges included possession of controlled drugs and failure to appear in court. Boyd appealed the severity of his sentence. Sergeant Shay Leonard recounted that on 16 May 2020, 28 November 2020 and 26 September 2022, Boyd threw copper pipes and other items containing controlled drugs over the walls of Wheatfield Prison, the last incident involving 700 euros worth of cannabis. Boyd has 40 prior convictions, including theft and public order offences. Defence counsel noted his drug debt and severe pressure after a threat to a family member. Judge Jonathan Dunphy suspended Boyd's entire sentence for two years, requiring him to enter probation supervision, complete residential treatment and engage in education and training as directed.