Lorcan Murphy, a 32‑year‑old serving Garda from Pearse Street Garda Station, is on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for two counts of assault causing harm under the Non‑Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997. The alleged assaults occurred on 1 June 2021 at Essex Street, Dublin 2 and Pearse Street Garda Station, when the complainant, a 17‑year‑old, was reportedly brought to the ground, handcuffed, and then lifted onto his head, resulting in a fractured skull. The complainant spent five days in Beaumont Hospital and later testified that he could not recall the events, was drinking and smoking at the time, and had been taken to hospital after the incident. Mr. Murphy pleaded not guilty; the trial will continue tomorrow before a jury of eight men and four women, presided over by Judge Pauline Codd.
A man who breached a safety order by posting a video of his ex‑wife on Facebook, with abusive rap music over four images, had his four‑month jail sentence replaced with a suspended term on appeal. He pleaded guilty in the District Court to breaching a safety order under section 33(1) of the Domestic Violence Act 2018 on 13 June 2024. The video looped four pictures: the ex‑wife in a swimsuit on a beach, her new partner, a vehicle she had owned, and another picture of her, all with digitally distorted faces. The rap music contained abusive lyrics. Defence counsel acknowledged the mistake and said the client now understands the order and apologised. Judge Christopher Callan suspended the four‑month sentence for 12 months, requiring the defendant to keep the peace and obey the safety order, including no contact with the injured party by any means.
A tribunal awarded former Bohemians FC coach David Henderson €26,000 after finding his dismissal on 30 November 2024 was a fabricated redundancy. The adjudicator, Christina Ryan, noted no evidence supported the club's claim of financial hardship or a need to cut the recruitment role. The club president could not confirm the board meeting date and admitted no letter of complaint existed. Henderson, who had served as player, scout, coach, and head of recruitment, said he received no prior warning, investigation, or chance to respond. The tribunal described the allegations as a gross fabrication designed to remove him, concluding the dismissal was a sham redundancy carried out ruthlessly and dishonestly. The compensation was the upper limit the tribunal could award.
During the trial, 24‑year‑old Moldovan national Valeriu Melnic pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in the death of Ion Daghi, 39, who was stabbed with a kitchen knife at The Close, Sallins Park, on 12 May 2024. Melnic, who was heavily intoxicated, told Gardaí that he could not remember the stabbing but later said that "all the evidence pointed" to him being "the only one responsible." He described a drunken argument with Daghi, a brief moment of choking, and a fight that escalated to the use of a knife. Melnic admitted he had caused the fatal wound but could not recall holding or stabbing the knife. The jury heard his statements, the prosecution's case that he armed himself with a kitchen knife, and the defence's claim of intoxication and lack of memory. The trial is set to continue before Mr Justice David Keane and a jury of eight men and four women.
Reagan Chang, 53, of Clonee, Co Meath, pleaded guilty at Dún Laoghaire District Court to possessing a hammer and crowbar in a GO rental car in Dundrum on January 30, 2023. The case was brought under Section 9(4) of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990. Garda Brenda O'Brien testified that she found Chang asleep in the vehicle and that he initially claimed the items were for his own protection. In court, Chang denied making such a statement and offered no mitigation. Defence counsel Michael O'Brien BL suggested Chang had been looking for discarded wooden pallets, a claim Judge Anne Watkin described as arriving "out of the blue" and inconsistent with the Garda's account. Judge Watkin stated she did not believe Chang's evidence, noting the explanation for needing a crowbar and hammer for pallets made no sense. She remarked that Chang had provided no legitimate reason for possessing the items and suggested he may have been lying to either the Gardaí or the court. The judge indicated there was no evidence Chang felt threatened or in need of protection. The matter was adjourned for a full probation report, with Chang due back before the court on November 17.
A 22-year-old man has pleaded guilty to criminal damage and assault following incidents at Irish Rail facilities in Dublin. Sean Cullen, of East Wall, Dublin 3, admitted two counts of criminal damage and one count of common assault under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The court heard that Cullen caused over €60,000 in damage through graffiti on train carriages, with Irish Rail indicating an additional €40,000 in costs. During a September 2021 incident at Fairview DART Depot, an Irish Rail employee was pepper-sprayed and sustained injuries including facial swelling and back pain whilst confronting Cullen and another man acting suspiciously. The employee subsequently recovered fully. Cullen was identified through CCTV and forensic fingerprint analysis linking him to further incidents at Docklands and Connolly stations. Judge Martin Nolan remanded Cullen in custody pending sentencing on 18 July, noting the defendant "deserves a salutary lesson". The defence noted Cullen's previous good work history as an apprentice electrician and requested a probation report and community service assessment.
Andrew Pender, 52, was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment for running a sophisticated drug‑distribution cell in Dublin. He pleaded guilty to possession of nearly €10 million worth of drugs, €1.15 million in cash, two vehicles fitted with hidden compartments, a stolen Garda uniform and a rented shipping container. The drugs included almost €4.5 million in cocaine, €2.5 million in ketamine, €1.3 million in cannabis and €700,000 in MDMA. Pender also admitted money‑laundering offences. Judge Orla Crowe noted his long‑standing cocaine addiction, medical issues and a letter of remorse, but emphasised that he was in "clear control" of the operation and had no higher‑level contacts. The sentence was back‑dated to his initial arrest and credit was given for time served on remand. The State was ordered to forfeit the seized drugs, cash, vehicles and container. No part of the sentence was suspended.
The former head of the United Nations' migrant assistance bureau in Dublin, Charlene Maleady, claims she was constructively dismissed after the IOM reassigned its chief of mission, Lalini Veerassamy, citing her behaviour in Ireland. Maleady, who rose from intern in 2011 to a €67,000‑a‑year national protection and programme officer, alleges that Veerassamy increased working hours, sent late‑night messages, and pressured staff, leading to 13 complaints and her eventual reassignment. She reports that after her maternity leave her role was advertised and her desk reassigned, leaving her with only one project. Maleady pursued grievances through UN human resources, an ombudsperson, ethics and conduct, and the Office of the Inspector General, but resigned in September 2023 and joined the Irish civil service. The IOM invoked diplomatic immunity, arguing a 2015 cooperation agreement, while the Workplace Relations Commission heard the case and will issue a decision in due course.
Casandra Lingurar, a 19‑year‑old Romanian‑born teenage mum living in Tallaght, was sentenced to seven months' imprisonment at Tallaght District Court for stealing groceries worth €577.07 from a Lidl store on Nutgrove Avenue, Rathfarnham, on 6 October 2024. She entered the store at 4.50 pm with an empty trolley, filled it with groceries, and was caught by store security and Gardaí around 5.03 pm while attempting to exit. Lingurar pleaded guilty to a theft charge under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001. The court noted she has nine prior convictions, seven of which are for theft, and that she had previously received a three‑month suspended sentence for stealing clothing and jewellery from The Square Shopping Centre. The judge accepted her early guilty plea but, given her extensive criminal record, imposed the seven‑month custodial sentence. The case was heard in Tallaght District Court.
In a High Court hearing, Anna Thomson‑Moore testified that John Magnier's Coolmore group had delivered €50,000 in cash in two brown envelopes to her husband's estate agent after a purported hand‑shake agreement for the Barne Estate. She described the envelopes as "incredibly tainted and dirty" and said she returned the money days later. Thomson‑Moore also claimed that Maurice Regan, who later outbid Magnier, had called her "professional bullies" and that Coolmore had been intimidating her. She denied deliberately withholding information that could have delayed the sale and said the estate had taken a commercial loan from a Regan company without any indemnity clause. The case, involving the Barne Estate, Thomson‑Moore, and IQEQ (Jersey) Ltd, remains before Mr Justice Max Barrett.
A man convicted of rape at the Central Criminal Court has appealed his conviction before the Court of Appeal on grounds relating to the trial judge's handling of prosecution submissions and expert evidence. Thomas Wymbs, aged 68, was found guilty in February 2024 of raping a guest at Atlantic Haven B&B near Mount Temple, County Sligo, in February 2020. He received a sentence of seven and a half years, with the final eighteen months suspended, in July 2024. His counsel argued that the trial judge erred in declining to address the jury on comments made during prosecution closing speeches and on evidence concerning alcohol consumption and its effects. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel disputed both contentions, stating the judge's refusal was appropriate given the context of the evidence and submissions. Mr Justice John Edwards reserved judgment, to be delivered at a later date.
The sister of Valeriu Melnic, accused of murdering Ion Daghi, testified that her evidence to the jury last week was the opposite of what she had said in her Garda statement. In the statement, she described her brother as the aggressor who had a knife and threatened to kill her husband. In court, she denied that she was trying to protect him and said she had not seen the earlier part of the fight. She admitted that she had described her husband as the one armed and that her brother had wanted to leave the house. She also said she had only seen the leg of a chair in his hand and did not see them fighting. The trial continues tomorrow before Mr Justice David Keane and a jury of eight men and four women. Valeriu Melnic pleaded not guilty.
Clayton McKeever, aged 21, was convicted in the District Court for assault and violent disorder after a June 12, 2023 incident in a Drimnagh garden. He pleaded guilty and received a six‑month custodial sentence suspended for two years on the violent disorder charge, and a nine‑month sentence with six months suspended on the assault charge, leaving an effective three‑month jail term. On appeal, the District Court Appeals Court replaced the custodial sentence with a suspended term. The court noted CCTV evidence of McKeever punching and kicking the victim's head three times over 50 seconds, and that the victim was hospitalized. McKeever's defence argued he intervened to protect his mother, and that he had expressed remorse. The judge, Christopher Callan, accepted that the assault was serious but considered McKeever's conduct out of character and at low risk of reoffending, and therefore suspended the sentence for two years on the condition of good behaviour.
Mark Kavanagh, aged 48, was sentenced by Judge Orla Crowe to a global term of six years and nine months, with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions. The sentence follows a high‑speed chase on 28 April 2024 in which Kavanagh attempted to ram a Garda patrol car, drove at speeds up to 120 km/h, and was later apprehended after the vehicle crashed. He pleaded guilty to endangerment, criminal damage, dangerous driving, driving without insurance, and failing to provide a blood or urine sample. Kavanagh also pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary and handling stolen property in 2024, including an intrusion into the home of an 85‑year‑old man on 10 June 2024, where a key was taken. He has 168 prior convictions, including burglary, trespass, firearms and drug offences, and is disqualified from driving until 2030.
Daniel Kelly, 36, of Tallaght, was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for aggravated burglary after he forced his way into a Dublin home on 6 July 2024. He entered the house armed with a large kitchen knife, threatened to stab the homeowner, and demanded money. The victim, a woman with an autistic child, was terrified; the child was present and distressed. Kelly handed over €20 and a box of cigarettes before fleeing with his former partner, who had knocked on the door under the pretense of selling clothes. Kelly, who has 71 prior convictions, claimed he was under the influence of crack cocaine and heroin at the time. He pleaded guilty, and the judge noted his difficult childhood, guilty plea, and drug rehabilitation efforts as mitigating factors. The judge imposed a four‑year, six‑month sentence, suspending the final nine months under conditions. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
A 41‑year‑old man who sexually abused his eight‑year‑old cousin while babysitting her in the summer of 1999 has not had his one‑year jail term reduced on appeal. He pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault at an address in Co Kildare. The court noted that at the time of the offence he was 15 and the victim was eight. Four incidents occurred in the family home where he was staying. The victim's impact statement said the abuse changed her life, leaving her with shame and guilt, and that she was celebrated by others who knew of the abuse. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three years, with the final two years suspended on strict conditions. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, affirming the sentence as proportionate and noting the aggravating factors of repeated offending, breach of trust, and the victim's secondary traumatisation.
Marcus Duggan, aged 53, appealed his conviction for two indecent assaults and one rape committed between 1983 and 1991 against his younger sister, Yvonne Ratcliffe, aged 52. He argued that evidence of alleged prior sexual misconduct, including pornographic videos viewed in the family home and claims that he had sex with his sister at about eight or nine, should not have been admitted to the jury. His counsel contended that such evidence was prejudicial and irrelevant, and that a hearsay statement from Ratcliffe's father that "Marcus was sorry for what he did" was improperly admitted. The Director of Public Prosecutions defended the admissibility of the background evidence and the father's statement, stating it was not an admission of guilt. The appeal was lodged at the Court of Appeal, with the court reserving judgment. The original trial resulted in a five‑year sentence, with the final year suspended on strict conditions. The case remains at the appeal stage. Marcus Duggan pleaded not guilty.
A 39‑year‑old man who raped his pregnant partner in their bed six years ago was still employed by a local authority until he was taken into custody earlier this month. The partner, who was five months pregnant, recorded the assault and could be heard saying she was not consenting. She testified at the trial in Tullamore, where the man pleaded guilty to one count of rape on 13 October 2019. He was sentenced to eight years in prison, with the final year suspended, and is now in custody. The judge described the recording as "distressing" and praised the victim's courage. The man has one prior drug‑related conviction and was granted visitation rights to his child, which the victim says has caused her ongoing anxiety and nightmares. The case was delayed twice before the hearing. The man's defence cited heavy alcohol consumption and lack of memory of the incident.
DHL has been ordered to pay €18,000 in redundancy compensation to Oscar Solano Fernandez, a warehouse worker who lost his job after refusing a transfer that would have required a five-hour commute. The Workplace Relations Commission upheld his complaint under the Redundancy Payments Act 1967, finding the relocation offer unreasonable. Mr Solano, who had worked at the Clondalkin warehouse for 15 years, argued that the new commute would interfere with his family responsibilities. DHL had offered a relocation package, including a €1,000 bonus and €5,000 in Perx vouchers, but the WRC ruled that the alternative job was not reasonable. The adjudication officer found that Mr Solano was entitled to a redundancy payment based on his weekly wages and years of service. The company denied claims that it sought to avoid redundancy payments by keeping workers nominally employed. The decision rejected claims of unfair dismissal and discrimination based on family status.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has viewed CCTV footage documenting movements in County Sligo and Mayo on January 18, 2022, the date of an alleged assault on 73-year-old Tom Niland at his home near Skreen. A garda detective presented a montage compiled from multiple camera systems showing a white Vauxhall Vivaro van travelling through Dromore West and Ballina that morning and afternoon, marked by distinctive features including a yellow number plate and a green roof stain. The prosecution alleges that John Irving, aged 31 of Shanwar, Foxford, County Mayo, Francis Harman, aged 58 of Ballina, and John Clarke, aged 37 of Ballina, broke into Mr Niland's home and assaulted him, causing injuries from which he died twenty months later in September 2023. The court heard that Mr Niland was discovered by neighbours crossing the N59 with severe injuries, including brain bleeding and multiple rib fractures. Mr Irving has pleaded not guilty to charges of unlawful killing, trespass causing serious harm, intentional or reckless serious harm, and false imprisonment.
Michael Ward, 33, and Melissa Collins, 26, pleaded guilty to theft in a south Dublin accommodation fraud case. Ward admitted stealing €1,800 from a bank account between 9 and 18 September 2022, while Collins admitted stealing €600 from a bank account on 27 July 2022. Both pleaded before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after reaching an agreement with the Director of Public Prosecutions. The case involves fraud against international students. A sentence hearing is scheduled for 24 November.
Seán Byrne, 44, of Tallaght, was jailed for four and a half years for arson on 20 October 2023. He set fire to two cars and a house where the owners were sleeping, but he was intoxicated and could not remember the incident. Gardaí were called to a car on fire in Tyrconnell, Inchicore at 3.15 am; CCTV showed Byrne entering and exiting the vehicle before it ignited. The second car also caught fire, and the front of the house suffered heat damage. The owners' insurance paid over €21,000 for the damage. Byrne had more than 70 prior convictions and was highly intoxicated when arrested. The judge, Orla Crowe, suspended the final nine months of the sentence for two years, provided he engages with the probation service after release. The case was described as unusual because no accelerant was used. Seán Byrne pleaded guilty.
An amateur MMA fighter, Karl Byrne (27), of Russell View, Russell Square, Tallaght, was found in possession of cannabis for sale or supply on July 29, 2022, during a traffic stop in Tallaght. Byrne admitted guilt to the charge and was invited by Judge Patricia McNamara to voluntarily engage with a restorative justice drugs awareness programme, described as an opportunity to reflect. The case was adjourned to October 10 for Byrne to complete the programme and submit a reflective piece. Byrne, who has 14 previous convictions, mostly for road traffic and public order offences, stated he had since stopped using cannabis and returned to training as an amateur MMA fighter. Thomas Kane (31), of Ard Mór Drive, Brookfield, Tallaght, was convicted of knowingly permitting the possession of drugs in a vehicle under Section 19 of the Misuse of Drugs Act. Kane had pleaded not guilty, claiming he was unaware of the drugs. Judge McNamara rejected his account and found him guilty. She imposed 120 hours of community service in lieu of an eight-month sentence, subject to a probation report confirming Kane's suitability. His case was adjourned to October 3 for finalisation.
Richard Brennan, 64, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court after pleading guilty to 24 counts of sexual abuse against his three sisters. He admitted to 18 counts of indecent assault and six counts of rape. The charges included four indecent assaults and four rapes against Paula Faye (aged 13-17) between 1978 and 1981; 13 indecent assaults and two rapes against Catherine Wrightstone (aged 9-14) between 1980 and 1984; and indecent assaults against Yvonne Crist (aged 20) between 1979 and 1980. Mr Justice David Keane imposed a global sentence of nine years, backdated to March 18. The judge suspended the final 12 months of the term on condition that Brennan engages with the Probation Service for one year upon release. No post-release supervision order was imposed. Earlier this month, his brother Bernard Brennan, 67, was jailed for four and a half years after admitting to 11 counts of indecent assault against Yvonne Crist and Paula Faye between 1972 and 1975. Bernard's global sentence of nine years was also backdated to March 18. Both men have no previous convictions.
Yossry Madian, a 47‑year‑old house painter from Dublin, was disqualified from driving for four years after a collision on the South Circular Road on 19 October 2021. Madian's van was smashed by two former employees of his decorating business, prompting him to flee the scene at speed. He then collided with a motorbike, injuring the rider who suffered severe wrist and groin pain and was taken to hospital. Madian was initially charged with dangerous driving causing serious harm but pleaded guilty to careless driving causing serious harm, a plea accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Judge Elva Duffy sentenced him to 12 months, suspended in full, and imposed the four‑year driving disqualification. The victim's impact statement noted a €17,000 loss, and Madian offered €3,000 to the injured party as a token of remorse.
Patrick Ward, 36, was jailed for 10 years after pleading guilty to raping his partner, Patricia McLaughlin, 41, in her apartment between 28 April and 4 May 2024. Gardaí arrested him on 21 May 2024 when he was found strangling her. McLaughlin, who wishes to remain unnamed, had previously reported fear of Ward and had lost her home and job due to the abuse. Ward, a registered sex offender with 98 prior convictions, had failed to notify authorities of his address change and had recently been released from prison. The judge reduced the headline sentence to 11½ years, suspended 18 months, and imposed strict conditions, including no contact with McLaughlin or her family for 40 years. Ward's plea of remorse and a positive prison report were considered mitigating factors. The case highlights the severity of intimate partner violence and the court's focus on rehabilitation and protection of the victim.
A 38‑year‑old man was sentenced to two‑and‑a‑half years in prison, with the final six months suspended, for defiling his employer's 15‑year‑old daughter in Co. Westmeath in October 2017. He was convicted of one count of defilement; he was acquitted of alleged rape and a separate count of sexual assault against the girl's sister. The court heard that he had made repeated phone calls and text exchanges with the girl, and that he entered her home through a side window and had sex with her in her bedroom before leaving. The judge noted the significant age difference, the groom‑ing and abuse of a position of trust, and the profound impact on the girl's mental and physical health. The sentence was back‑dated to the man's entry into custody in January 2018. The man has prior convictions for assault and two traffic offences.
Thomas McDonagh, aged 23, was convicted in the District Court of four offences after threatening a Garda, acting aggressively, spraying Lucozade, and spitting blood in a patrol car. The offences were failure to comply with a Garda under the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994, obstruction of a peace officer under the same act, threatening and abusive behaviour under section 6, and criminal damage to a Garda vehicle under the Criminal Damage Act 1991. He received a six‑month custodial sentence, which he appealed. On appeal the District Court Appeals Court, presided over by Judge Christopher Callan, suspended the custodial term for two years. The suspended sentence is conditional on McDonagh keeping the peace, engaging with probation services, and donating €500 to the Capuchin Day Centre. The court noted his 22 prior convictions and his recent family circumstances, but upheld that his conduct was "completely unacceptable.". Thomas McDonagh pleaded not guilty.
A 37‑year‑old man was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended on strict conditions, for sexually assaulting a friend while she slept. The assault took place in September 2019 at an address in Co. Dublin. The victim was socialising and drinking with friends the night before, and the next morning she slept on a sofa while the man slept on another. She woke to find him kneeling beside her and assaulting her. He had unbuttoned her jeans without waking her and asked, "did you want me to fuck you?" She replied, "Get away from me." He then re‑buttoned her jeans and left. The man pleaded guilty, had no prior convictions, and cooperated with investigators. He expressed remorse, apologised, and said he had studied consent. The judge noted the seriousness of the offence, the victim's sleep, and the man's personal circumstances, and imposed the custodial sentence with a suspended portion.
A 78‑year‑old man was sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment for sexually abusing two siblings between 1976 and 1980. He pleaded guilty to an attempted rape of a girl aged about five or six and to an indecent assault of a boy aged between six and eleven. The abuse took place in a shed and on a metal drum, with the boy's clothing bit down onto his shoulder. The court heard that there were three or four further incidents. The defendant had a prior conviction for assaulting a five‑year‑old grand‑niece, for which he received a two‑year fully suspended sentence. He expressed remorse, acknowledged his wrongdoing, and was found to have limited intellectual ability, chronic medical conditions, diabetes and a formal diagnosis of dementia. The judge, taking these mitigating factors into account, set a headline sentence of seven years, reduced to five and a half years.
Keith Macken, aged 44, was sentenced to nine years in prison for assaulting Lisa Lynch, a grandmother, with a wheel brace outside Dublin Airport. The attack left Lynch choking on her own blood, requiring emergency surgery to remove a ruptured spleen and resulting in serious injuries including a fractured rib, lacerated liver and spleen. Lynch suffered flashbacks and panic attacks, describing a changed relationship with men and a withdrawal from socialising. Macken had previously pleaded guilty to a burglary in Swords, for which he received an 18‑month sentence. The court imposed a total of 10½ years, nine years for the assault and 18 months for the burglary, to run consecutively. The case highlighted the severity of the assault and the impact on the victim's health and wellbeing. Keith Macken pleaded not guilty.
The High Court has granted TikTok permission to challenge a €530 million fine imposed by the Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) regarding the alleged transfer of European users' personal data to China. Ms Justice Mary Rose Gearty granted leave for the judicial review and adjourned the matter to October. The application was brought by TikTok Technology Limited and TikTok Information Technologies UK Limited against the DPC, Ireland, and the Attorney General. The applicants argue that the administrative fines of €485 million and €45 million constitute a 'penal' or criminal sanction, rendering the relevant sections of the Data Protection Act unconstitutional and incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. They further contend that the DPC was not exercising limited judicial powers and that the fines disproportionately interfere with their right to private property under the Constitution. The DPC originally imposed the fine and a censure on April 30, 2025, citing infringements related to remote access to data stored in the US and Singapore by personnel in China. The court placed a stay on the DPC's decisions pending the outcome of the legal review. The matter was adjourned to October.
At the High Court, Ms Justice Mary Rose Gearty granted an application for leave brought by Paul McGarry SC for retired Donegal garda sergeant Paul Wallace, adjourning the matter to October. Mr Wallace, of Burtonport, is seeking judicial review against the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána over their alleged failure to determine his January 2023 application to restore his Gaeltacht allowance. He claims this inaction breaches fair procedures and prevents him from pursuing internal appeals. Mr Wallace alleges that his pension entitlements are affected, resulting in a claimed loss of €8,708.17 from his gratuity and €249.38 monthly from his pension. He states he served in Gaeltacht areas, including Glencolmcille and Bun Beag, and later in Letterkenny, which was designated a 'Gaeltacht service town' in 2020. Despite reapplying in 2023, he retired in March 2024 without a decision. The court did not conclude the case; it was adjourned.
A pensioner was so severely beaten during an alleged home invasion that neighbours did not recognise him as he walked along the road covered in blood with swollen eyes, the Central Criminal Court has heard. Witnesses described the victim as "crying blood" with multiple traumatic injuries following the incident at Doonflynn, Skreen, County Sligo on 18 January 2022. A surgeon from Sligo University Hospital testified that the injuries were serious and life-threatening, requiring the patient to be placed on life support. John Irving, aged 31, of Shanwar, Foxford, County Mayo faces four charges including unlawful killing, assault causing serious harm, intentional or reckless harm, and false imprisonment. The prosecution alleges Mr Irving, along with two other men, broke into the property and assaulted the occupant, who died more than 20 months later on 30 September 2023. Mr Irving has pleaded not guilty to all charges. The trial before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon continues.
In a 2025 Court of Appeal ruling, Mr Justice Brian O'Moore granted a 54‑year‑old woman an appeal against her conviction for sexually assaulting her three disabled sons and for child neglect. The judge said the only evidence against her were inculpatory statements she made to a psychologist and polygrapher retained by Tusla under extreme power imbalance. He noted that the Director of Public Prosecutions did not oppose the appeal and a retrial would not be sought. The woman had pleaded not guilty but was convicted by a jury in a retrial in July 2024 of four counts of sexual assault between 2005 and 2015 and one count of child neglect between 2008 and 2015. She was sentenced to eight years, with the final two years suspended. Mr Justice O'Moore ruled that the admissions should have been excluded, and that she should have been acquitted of all charges.
Brian Cummins, a 27-year-old from Tuam, Co Galway, had his prison sentence for money laundering halved on appeal. At the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice Michael MacGrath quashed the original sentence of seven years, with the final two years suspended, imposed by Judge Brian O'Callaghan at Galway Circuit Court on July 19, 2024. The appellate judge found the original headline sentence disproportionate, noting it erred in principle. Cummins, who pleaded guilty to money laundering contrary to the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010, was resentenced to three years, with the final six months suspended. The court considered his high culpability, the €1,000 amount involved, his guilty plea, age, and drug dependency history. The case stemmed from an investigation into Barry Young, the 'Scourge of Sligo,' whose seized phone revealed Cummins as a contact known as 'Tuam.' Messages indicated a €1,000 transfer linked to criminal damage. Young, who pleaded guilty to directing a criminal organisation at the Special Criminal Court in July 2023, was jailed for 11 years. Cummins' appeal, argued by Philip Sheahan SC, successfully challenged the proportionality of the original sentence.
The Court of Appeal heard the State's appeal against the fully suspended sentence imposed on Mohamed Adeagbo, a 24‑year‑old from Highfield, Ballincollig, who was caught with 1.6 kg of cocaine worth €114,000, cannabis and €1,530 in cash. Adeagbo pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine for sale and to a money‑laundering charge. Judge Helen Boyle sentenced him to three years and six months on the drugs charge, fully suspended, and one year on the money‑laundering charge, also fully suspended. The DPP argued that no wholly exceptional circumstances justified a fully suspended sentence, citing Adeagbo's active role in drug supply, weekly earnings of €500, and possession of an iPhone with incriminating messages. The respondent's counsel highlighted his youth, lack of wealth, and cooperation with probation. The Court will decide on July 29.
A Donegal man has lost his appeal against conviction for raping and sexually assaulting his daughter during her childhood. The Court of Appeal dismissed the challenge on 14 July, with Mr Justice Michael MacGrath ruling that evidence of the victim's disclosure to her aunt was properly admissible at trial. The appellant, Michael Carter (57) of Kinnego, Ballymagan, Buncrana, was convicted in June 2023 of one count of rape and 25 sample counts of sexual assault occurring between 2010 and 2014, when his daughter was aged nine to twelve. He was sentenced to ten and a half years imprisonment. The defence had contested the admissibility of the aunt's evidence, arguing the complaint was elicited through questioning rather than offered voluntarily. The court found the disclosure was consistent with the victim's trial testimony and properly admitted, identifying no error warranting reversal of the conviction.
The Central Criminal Court jury convicted an unnamed woman in her 50s of one count of rape, specifically facilitating the rape of her daughter by her brother between 2003 and 2004, and two counts of sexual assault at a family holiday home. Her brother, in his 40s, was convicted of one count of raping the girl between 2003 and 2004. Both defendants had pleaded not guilty to a total of 21 charges. The jury acquitted the woman of two further sexual assault counts and was unable to reach a verdict on two others. Regarding the brother, the jury failed to reach a verdict on a further rape count and an oral rape charge. A third accused, a man in his 50s, was unable to be convicted or acquitted on one count of oral rape alleged between 2008 and 2009. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon remanded the woman and her brother in custody. The matter was adjourned, with a sentence date set for next October. The third accused was remanded on continuing bail to the same date for the prosecution to seek instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
On 14 July 2025, a 24‑year‑old man named Conor O'Brien pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to possession of a knife in a public place in Carlow. He admitted having a knife on 21 October 2024 at Market View, New Oak Estate, with the intent to unlawfully cause injury, incapacitate or intimidate. O'Brien, who has been in custody since last October, was remanded until a sentence hearing set for 3 November. The court also ordered a probation report for his hearing.
Callum Howell, 21, of Sandyford, Dublin 18, was sentenced at Tallaght District Court after pleading guilty to trespassing, theft, public order offences, road traffic matters, and failing to appear in court. The court heard that gardaí found Howell on a residential driveway in Stepaside in April 2025 in possession of stolen goods. He admitted to the charges, which included offences under the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act, the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, and the Road Traffic Act. The judge noted Howell's 26 previous convictions but accepted evidence of severe mental health issues, including anxiety, neurodivergence, and substance misuse. Judge Patricia McNamara convicted and sentenced him on the trespassing charge to eight months in prison. This sentence was suspended for 12 months on the condition that Howell does not reoffend, possesses no illicit or non-prescribed substances, attends all medical appointments, complies with prescribed medication, and engages fully with Cluain Mhuire once a place becomes available. The judge warned that failure to comply would result in the immediate activation of the eight-month sentence. All remaining matters were taken into consideration in the disposal.
Daniel Keelan, 47, of Ashbourne, appealed a drunk‑driving conviction that had been handed down in the District Court for an incident on 21 August 2022. The original conviction carried a two‑year driving disqualification and a €200 fine. The appeal was heard in the District Court Appeals Court in Trim. Garda Saoirse Horan testified that she had pursued a black BMW on Frederick Street, observed Keelan in the driver's seat, and arrested him after he refused to exit the vehicle. She claimed he was argumentative, smelled of alcohol, and had a breath alcohol level of 59 mg per 100 ml, well above the legal limit of 22 mg. Keelan's counsel argued that the garda had not explained the arrest, that Keelan was not speeding due to road works, and that the licence information was inconsistent. Daniel Keelan pleaded not guilty.
Adam Mitchell McGrath, 32, pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and making threats to kill or cause serious harm. He attacked a former colleague, slashing his face with a blade, causing a deep laceration that required surgery and 120 stitches, severing facial nerve, saliva duct, vein and artery, and leaving him with a visible scar and speech difficulties. The victim also suffered a superficial leg cut and defensive wounds. McGrath's mental health diagnosis of schizophrenia was noted; he had stopped his medication, leading to a return of symptoms. He had no prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan set a headline sentence of eight and a half years, then imposed six years with the final two years suspended for two years, and ordered two years of probation supervision and no contact with the victim.
The High Court heard evidence in the ongoing dispute between John Magnier and Richard Thomson-Moore regarding a purported €15 million handshake deal for 751 acres in Co Tipperary. Anna Thomson-Moore, wife of the defendant, testified that the family was forced to take out a commercial loan to defend the case, describing the proceedings as an "onslaught" that delayed their plans to move to Australia for their son's care. She alleged that estate agent John Stokes conveyed a threat from Mr Magnier to pursue "litigation for years" at a cost of "millions" if the land were sold to others. Ms Thomson-Moore stated that the defendants had informed Mr Magnier that any agreement was subject to trustee consent, a condition Mr Magnier denies was mentioned. She also detailed receiving two brown envelopes containing €50,000 in cash from JP Magnier, which the family subsequently returned. The Magnier side characterised the cash as a token of appreciation. The defendants, including the Barne Estate and three IQEQ (Jersey) Ltd companies, deny any binding agreement existed, noting they ultimately preferred a higher offer from non-party Maurice Regan. The case continues before Mr Justice Max Barrett.
A Brazilian man has received a three-year suspended sentence following an assault outside a Westport nightclub that left his victim requiring extensive dental treatment. Joao Hermino Sousa Correia, aged 23, of Middletown, Manulla, Castlebar, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm outside The Castle on Castlebar Street on December 17, 2023. The victim sustained a fractured jaw and deep lacerations after being struck with a pint glass, resulting in the loss of four teeth and an €11,000 dental bill. At Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Eoin Garavan imposed the three-year sentence, fully suspended for eight years on condition Correia return to Brazil within two weeks and not re-enter Ireland. Correia was ordered to pay €8,000 towards the victim's dental costs within three years. The court also heard of a second glassing incident occurring minutes earlier at the same venue. Leonardo Rodrigo Jesus Rosa, aged 35, of Orlagh Grove, Castlebar, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after throwing a glass on the dancefloor. Judge Garavan sentenced Rosa to 18 months and ordered 200 hours community service.
Keith O'Brien, 49, of Lowvalley, Crossmolina, Co Mayo, pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to a single count of dangerous driving causing the death of James Moyles, 33. The incident occurred on Lord Edward Street, Ballina, Co Mayo, on February 20, 2024. The plea was entered before Judge Eoin Garavan. The court noted that Mr O'Brien has no previous convictions and is a working father of two. The matter is currently at the sentencing stage, with the judge deferring the imposition of a penalty to allow for the preparation of a probation report. Consequently, the case was adjourned, and Mr O'Brien faces sentencing on October 23 of this year. No final sentence or disposal has been recorded at this procedural stage. The report attributes the allegation of dangerous driving to the prosecution, which the defendant admitted. The summary reflects the validated procedural stage of sentencing and the specific adjournment for a probation report, ensuring no accusation is presented as a final conviction beyond the guilty plea.
A man has been convicted of defiling a child under 17 at his home in County Mayo six years ago. The accused, whose identity is protected to safeguard the complainant, pleaded not guilty to the charge. He was acquitted of a separate count of sexual assault arising from an incident at a staff party. Following a week-long trial at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court, an all-male jury returned a 10–2 majority guilty verdict after deliberating for five and a half hours. The complainant was 16 years old at the time; the accused was 28. Judge Eoin Garavan remanded the accused on bail pending sentencing on 6 November, to allow time for a psychological report. The accused was ordered to sign on weekly at his local garda station. The judge commended the complainant's courage but reserved formal comments for the sentencing hearing.
Ian Gillen, a retired Garda and former international bowler, was sentenced to four years in prison, with the final 28 months suspended, for threatening to kill and assaulting his partner Jennifer Clinton on 23 December 2021. The court heard that Gillen's mental health deteriorated after he was the first responder to his son's suicide in his early 20s, leading to increased alcohol use and anger. Clinton recorded 40 minutes of the assault, during which Gillen repeatedly threatened her life and physically struck her. She later escaped and provided a victim impact statement describing lasting PTSD, anxiety and depression. Gillen pleaded guilty, accepted responsibility, and had no prior convictions. The judge noted his long service as a Garda, the tragic loss of his son, and his cooperation as mitigating factors, resulting in the suspended portion of the sentence.
Mark McAnaw, aged 53 and previously of Letterkenny, County Donegal, has been sentenced to an additional ten months in custody following a breach of suspended sentence conditions at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. McAnaw pleaded guilty last month to harassing three female journalists in August 2023 and was handed an eleven-year sentence for those offences. He had been released from custody in July 2023 on the suspended portion of an earlier eight-year-four-month sentence for aggravated burglary, imposed in 2023. Judge Martin Nolan activated ten months of the sixteen-month suspended element, to run consecutively to the existing eleven-year sentence. The court heard McAnaw sent threatening emails and messages to the women and attended their workplace. He is currently detained in the Central Mental Hospital. A lifelong contact prohibition and exclusion order have been imposed.
Thomas Delaney, who had worked for NSP Expert Lab Solutions for over eight years, was dismissed in May 2024 after a phone conversation with the company's HR chief was recorded and later sent to the CEO. Delaney claimed the call was confidential and that he had not consented to its recording. He represented himself at a Workplace Relations Commission hearing in August 2024, arguing that the disciplinary process was flawed, lacked transparency, and gave him no chance to respond to allegations. The company's solicitor argued that the recording constituted a protected disclosure and that the dismissal for gross misconduct was justified. The tribunal found that Delaney had been denied a fair hearing, awarded €10,000 in compensation for loss of earnings, and noted his 14‑week period of unemployment without evidence of job‑search efforts.