A man in his 20s was denied bail after a court heard that armed Gardaí had to break into his mother's Dublin home to remove him, who is accused of breaching a barring order issued in August 2024 to protect his mother, a woman in her 60s. The order, under Section 33(1) of the Domestic Violence Act 2018, prohibits the man from being at the residence. Gardaí responded to a midnight call from the mother, who reported her son was present despite the order. The man refused to engage, barricaded himself, and Gardaí forced the back door to gain entry. The mother, who was at a relative's home, later testified that she feared her son, describing him as aggressive when drinking or using drugs, and that he had threatened to kill her and her family. The man's solicitor denied the threat allegations and argued the man believed he had the mother's consent.
A jury of twelve, comprising seven men and five women, will return to the Central Criminal Court tomorrow to continue deliberating on the verdicts in the trial of family members of Jozef Puska. The trial concerns charges of obstructing the arrest of Puska, who murdered school teacher Ashling Murphy in January 2022. The jury began deliberations last Wednesday and has spent 10 hours and five minutes in the jury room. Judge Caroline Biggs announced that the jurors would be dismissed for the day after a request to cease deliberations on Monday. The jurors will resume at 11.30am tomorrow. The accused—Lubomir Puska Jnr (38), Marek Puska (36), Viera Gaziova (40) and Jozefina Grundzova (32)—all pleaded not guilty to the charges. The case remains at the deliberation stage.
St James's Hospital issued a public apology to trans woman Paige Behan after she reported an unsatisfactory emergency department experience on 16 August 2024, following illness after gender‑affirming surgery abroad. The hospital acknowledged a gap in care pathways for patients returning from overseas gender surgery and expressed regret for the distress caused. A statutory complaint alleging discrimination under the Equal Status Act 2000 was brought by Behan, but the matter was resolved by agreement before adjudication. The resolution required only a public statement, which was read by the hospital's counsel. The hospital committed to meeting with the Transgender Equality Network Ireland to discuss concerns and improve services for similar patients. The adjudication officer noted the withdrawal of the complaint and praised the parties' cooperation in reaching an agreement.
An airline was ordered to pay €7,500 to a passenger who was denied an exit‑row seat he had booked for extra legroom after disclosing his autism. The Workplace Relations Commission found the airline had discriminated against him under the Equal Status Act and had harassed him by repeatedly asking him to explain his disability in front of other passengers. The passenger had requested special assistance in advance, citing difficulties with queuing and the need for space for his sleep‑apnea machine. When he arrived to check in for his return flight, the airline moved him out of the exit‑row seat, citing his disability. He was placed in the second row and could not move his legs freely. The airline's lawyers argued that safety regulations barred passengers with disabilities from exit‑row seats, but the tribunal concluded the regulations only restrict seating when a passenger's mobility poses a safety risk.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, jurors paused their deliberations over the weekend. The case concerns family members of Jozef Puska, who murdered school teacher Ashling Murphy in January 2022 and is serving a life sentence. The accused—Lubomir Puska Jnr (38), Marek Puska (36), and their wives Viera Gaziova (40) and Jozefina Grundzova (32)—are charged with withholding information from gardai and impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Jozef by burning his clothes. All pleaded not guilty. The jury asked the judge whether the accused needed to know their actions were unlawful to be guilty, and whether protecting the family could be a reasonable excuse. Justice Caroline Biggs explained that preventing Jozef's apprehension or prosecution cannot be a reasonable excuse, though self‑incrimination may be. She advised the jury to consider evidence beyond witness statements but warned against speculation.
In a Central Criminal Court case, a jury will continue deliberating on the trial of four Puska family members charged with obstructing the arrest of Jozef Puska, who murdered school teacher Ashling Murphy. Jozef, convicted of murder and serving a life sentence, was stabbed and slashed by Jozef on January 12, 2022. His brothers, Lubomir Puska Jnr (38) and Marek Puska (36), face charges of withholding information, while their wives, Viera Gaziova (40) and Jozefina Grundzova (32), are charged with impeding the apprehension or prosecution by burning Jozef's clothes. All accused pleaded not guilty. The indictment was amended to specify that the brothers knew Jozef had committed the murder or another arrestable offence. Prosecutor Anne Marie Lawlor SC argued that the brothers failed to disclose vital information, while defence counsel Karl Finnegan SC highlighted the right to remain silent to avoid self‑incrimination. The jury, composed of seven men and five women, will resume deliberations tomorrow.
At the Workplace Relations Commission, Atlantic Technological University has been ordered to pay an assistant lecturer €1,640.88 following a complaint under the Payment of Wages Act 1991. The university had offered Ian Thornton a €15.25 stipend per dissertation for correcting eight postgraduate dissertations at its Sligo campus last summer, totalling €122. Mr Thornton contended that each dissertation required three hours of work and that he was entitled to his contractual hourly rate of €68.37, which would have yielded substantially more. Adjudication officer Brian Dalton found that the university's contractual terms remained applicable when Mr Thornton provided the services beyond the formal end date of his fixed-term contract. The tribunal determined that the non-payment of wages at the contracted hourly rate constituted an illegal deduction. The university was directed to pay the full amount subject to relevant statutory deductions.
A man in his 50s, unnamed for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to a Section 3 offence under the Non‑Fatal Offences Against the Person Act after assaulting his wife at a hotel. He struck her arm repeatedly, held her down on the bed and briefly placed a pillow over her face, but caused no serious injuries. The court noted aggravating factors such as the intimate relationship, the victim's vulnerability, the use of a pillow as a weapon, and alleged threats of serious harm. Mitigating factors included the defendant's impulsive reaction to a suspected affair, lack of prior convictions, early guilty plea, completion of the MOVE programme, and no subsequent Garda attention. Judge William Aylmer sentenced him to seven months' custody, fully suspended for 12 months, with probation supervision and a bond, while recognising the couple's ongoing efforts to resolve their difficulties. The wife does not currently hold a protection order.
Brian Carroll, 24, pleaded guilty to possession of MDMA and cannabis after his girlfriend died following drug use at the Forbidden Fruit festival and later at a house in south Dublin. Gardaí seized €44 of cannabis, €16.14 of MDMA and a small amount of cocaine, all for personal use. Carroll, who had been in a relationship with the deceased for two and a half years, voluntarily presented himself to Gardaí and has not been involved with the police since. He has engaged in trauma counselling, tested negative for drugs in recent months, remained in full‑time employment and volunteered during the pandemic. Judge Conor Fottrell, after considering the tragic circumstances and Carroll's remorse and recovery steps, decided not to impose a conviction, noting the low value of the drugs and the absence of prior convictions. The case concluded with a €1,000 charitable donation.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Judge Caroline Biggs instructed a jury to assess whether the brothers of Jozef Puska, charged with withholding information about the murder of schoolteacher Ashling Murphy, had a reasonable excuse rooted in fear of self‑incrimination. The judge clarified that protecting a family member is not a valid excuse, but the jury must consider if the brothers, Lubomir Jnr (38) and Marek (36), genuinely feared that providing information would implicate them. Puska, who stabbed Murphy to death on 12 January 2022, is serving a life sentence. The brothers and their wives, Viera Gaziova (40) and Jozefina Grundzova (32), are charged with withholding information and burning Puska's clothes to impede his apprehension. All accused pleaded not guilty. The judge emphasized that the prosecution must prove the brothers had no reasonable excuse for failing to disclose the information, and the jury must decide if the fear of self‑incrimination was present.
William Morrison, 60, of Tallaght, was sentenced by Judge John O'Leary to three months in prison for failing to appear in court on four separate occasions, a breach of Section 13(1) of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. Morrison, who pleaded guilty on one count, has 305 prior convictions, including theft, criminal damage, public order offences and previous failures to attend court. The judge described the case as "depressing" and said Morrison was "on a path to self‑destruction." Defence solicitor Kevin Tunney noted Morrison's long‑standing alcohol addiction and his place on a waiting list for treatment. Morrison was remanded in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on 13 June for further matters, with no bail application made and legal aid assigned.
A tribunal awarded a reduced sum to Janine Halpin, a part‑time Penneys retail assistant, after finding she was largely responsible for her own dismissal. Halpin was sacked for gross misconduct at the Tallaght store on 5 June 2024. She had replied with two "crying laughing" emojis to a colleague's threat to "skull drag" a manager in the private WhatsApp group "052 Madness". The tribunal noted that Halpin had previously received a final written warning in October 2023 for using foul language and refusing a management instruction. The investigation was criticised for giving her only 30 minutes' notice of a meeting, which the adjudicator described as an ambush. The tribunal reduced the compensation by 70 % and directed Primark to pay €1,277.64, less than four weeks' gross wages, rather than the four months' pay sought by her union. The case was heard under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977.
Aaron Finn, 28, of Tallaght, was charged in Tallaght District Court with 12 offences after breaking into a commercial van in an underground carpark of a Dublin apartment complex on the night of 8 June. CCTV footage showed him smashing a window of a Scania van and stealing three mobile phones, a black sledgehammer, an air pump, a valve and several bags of tools. He was arrested shortly after the incident. Finn faces ten counts of possession of stolen property under Section 18 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, one count of criminal damage and one count of handling stolen property. The court refused bail, citing the seriousness of the alleged offences, the strength of the evidence and the use of a wrench to gain entry. Finn was remanded in custody to appear via video link at Cloverhill District Court on 13 June for DPP directions, and legal aid was granted.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Marek Puska, Lubomir Puska Jnr, Jozefina Grundzova, and Viera Gaziova is ongoing, with the judge's charge to the jury currently underway. All four accused, who have pleaded not guilty to all charges, are alleged to have been involved in the aftermath of the murder of Ashling Murphy by Jozef Puska in January 2022. Marek Puska and Lubomir Puska Jnr are accused of withholding information relating to the murder, while Ms Grundzova and Ms Gaziova are accused of impeding Jozef Puska's apprehension or prosecution by burning his clothes. Defence counsel argued that the women did not believe Jozef Puska was capable of murder and acted on second-hand information without knowledge of the crime. Counsel for Lubomir Puska Jnr contended that he delayed reporting information due to family loyalty but ultimately cooperated with gardai. The prosecution maintains that all accused knew of the murder shortly after it occurred and acted to prevent Jozef Puska's prosecution. The matter is not concluded; the judge's charge is in progress and will continue tomorrow.
A 24‑year‑old man named Brandon Deegan of Redwood Court, Tallaght, was sentenced by Tallaght District Court to 15 months in jail for a series of offences committed between April and September 2023. The offences included possession of cocaine on two occasions, possession of a silver extendable baton, and obstructing Garda Neil Lynch during a drug search. Deegan pleaded guilty to all charges. The court noted that he had prior convictions, including a six‑month sentence for drug possession in 2020 and a three‑month term in May 2023 for a similar offence. Defence counsel described Deegan's background as a "deeply traumatic upbringing", with 18 years in State care, the loss of his mother's body at age 18, the death of his father in 2014, and the loss of a close friend in a road traffic incident.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, the tribunal upheld the dismissal of Annette Ryan, a part‑time evening shift supervisor at Waterford Hospital's catering team, after she denied allegations of racial abuse and bullying. Ryan was sacked in September 2023 following complaints from four subordinates that she had used a racially charged remark, "you're not Irish, you're black," and other discriminatory language. She maintained that the accusations were fabricated, claiming she had never made such remarks and that she had worked with colleagues from diverse backgrounds for 13 years. The tribunal found that the employer, Campbell Catering Ltd trading as Aramark, had reached credible and reasonable conclusions during its disciplinary process, and that Ryan's dismissal was fair under the circumstances. The decision was made after Ryan's repeated denials and lack of mitigating explanations during the investigation and hearing. The tribunal dismissed her complaint and confirmed the fairness of the sanction.
Wayne Wilson, 45, was fined €100 for drunken threatening and abusive behaviour in public after making a xenophobic remark to Gardaí on November 13, 2024, on Belgard Road, Tallaght. He was found intoxicated, approached a patrol car, and said, "What the f** are you going to do about all the foreigners?" before sarcastically offering to help. Wilson claimed his views came from "Sky News." He pleaded guilty under Sections 4 and 6 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act. The court noted his 18 prior convictions, including a suspended six‑month knife‑possession sentence that is now activated because of this offence. Wilson returned voluntarily the next day with an apology letter. He was remanded on bail with a recognisance of €300 and must appear again on June 23. The judge also acknowledged Wilson's recent steps toward sobriety and mental‑health treatment.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, defence counsel Karl Finnegan SC argued that Marek Puska (36), Jozef Puska's brother, had a reasonable excuse for withholding information from gardai after the murder of Ashling Murphy. Finnegan said Marek was protecting himself, fearing that his statements could implicate him in assisting his brother. He noted that Marek had not believed Jozef had stabbed Murphy when he spoke to investigators two days after the crime. Prosecutor Anne Marie Lawlor SC countered that Marek knew Jozef's confession shortly after 9.30 pm on the night of the murder and, along with brother Lubomir Jnr (38), failed to disclose vital information. Lawlor also accused Jozefina Grundzova (32) and Viera Gaziova (40) of burning Jozef's clothes to impede his arrest, a charge they admit. All accused pleaded not guilty. Jozef Puska was convicted of murdering 23‑year‑old Ashling Murphy and is serving a life sentence.
In a workplace dispute that began in spring 2019, a black French baker alleged he was bullied by predominantly Polish colleagues at an unnamed food and drinks company because he did not speak Polish. The baker claimed he was threatened, isolated, and subjected to a racial slur in Polish on 23 June 2019. He did not understand the slur until it was translated months later, after which he filed a second complaint with the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). The WRC rejected most of his claims under the Employment Equality Act 1998 but found the employer liable for the racial slur incident. The adjudicator, Andrew Heavey, awarded the baker €4,000 in compensation for the discrimination, while dismissing all other claims. The decision, published on 26 May 2025, followed four hearings between April 2021 and November 2024 and noted significant delays due to postponements, pandemic, and illness.
Caitriona Nic Aodha, a financial advisor with AFS Wealth Management, was dismissed in July 2024 without notice or an opportunity to respond to bullying allegations. The Workplace Relations Commission found she was denied a fair chance to challenge the claims, which were based on alleged remarks about the company's future and a medical issue. The CEO, Victor France, deemed the remarks an "instantly sackable offence" and suspended her on full pay before terminating her. The WRC ruled the dismissal unlawful under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977, awarding her €45,000 in compensation, €3,460 for notice pay, and additional sums for lost earnings, redundancy, and pension benefits. The decision highlighted the right to a full and fair opportunity to state one's case in disciplinary proceedings.
Samantha Ward, a 30‑year‑old healthcare worker, was found with €182,450 of drug gang proceeds hidden in the bottom of a wardrobe at her home in Wheatfield Grove, Clondalkin. Gardaí received a confidential tip, obtained a search warrant, and raided the house where Ward lived with her husband, mother and brother. The cash was concealed behind a modified kickboard. Ward pleaded guilty to one count of possession of the proceeds of crime on 3 December 2023. She had no prior convictions. In court, her defence counsel said she cooperated with authorities and had a drug problem, using the money to pay a €5,000 debt. Judge Martin Nolan, noting her vulnerability and mitigation, imposed a headline sentence of six years but reduced it to three years effective from the sentencing date. No other charges were brought against her husband.
A 52‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to two counts of defilement of a 15‑year‑old girl in Galway. The offence occurred in an apartment in Salthill between 12 and 13 June 2021. The defendant met the girl through a 16‑year‑old mutual friend, misrepresented his age and occupation, and sent her a note with his phone number and a key to his apartment. After the girl returned home, the defendant texted her, she blocked him, and later she told her mother what had happened. The girl did not initially give a statement but later did so at nineteen. The defendant claimed he performed oral sex but not intercourse, and that he did not know her age. He had a prior conviction for defilement, served two years with the final year suspended, and was on the sex offenders register until 2031. The court heard the victim is struggling and did not give a victim impact statement.
Bernard Brennan, aged 67 and formerly of Rathfarnham, was sentenced by the Central Criminal Court to four and a half years' imprisonment for 11 counts of indecent assault against his younger sisters, Yvonne Crist and Paula Fay, committed between 1972 and 1975. The sisters, aged 13 and seven at the time, waived anonymity and gave moving statements describing horrific abuse, including forced removal of clothing, inappropriate touching, oral rape, and forced viewing of pornography. Brennan pleaded guilty to four counts against Crist and seven against Fay. The judge, Mr Justice Paul McDermott, imposed a headline sentence of 21 months per count, reduced to 15 months, resulting in four consecutive 15‑month terms (five years) before being reduced to four and a half years and backdated to his earlier custody. Brennan had no prior convictions and pleaded guilty before trial. The court noted his age at the time of the offences and the mitigating factors in the final sentence.
Conor O'Donoghue, 27, of Ardrahan, pleaded guilty to one count of assault after punching his housemate in the back garden of a Ballindooley house on 22 October 2020. The victim suffered a blow‑out fracture of the orbital floor and a nasal fracture, requiring surgery at Galway University Hospital. Garda Laura Devaney reported that the incident occurred during the Covid lockdown, that O'Donoghue was not intoxicated, and that both parties had struck each other and rolled on the ground. O'Donoghue admitted to being present, claimed the victim had shouted and head‑butted him, and said he punched in self‑defence. The court, noting no prior convictions and a positive probation report, applied section 1.2 of the Probation Act, ordered O'Donoghue to pay €1,000 to the Galway Simon Community within three months, and discharged him without a recorded conviction. The sentence was delivered by Mr Justice Brian O'Callaghan.
Two 13‑ and 15‑year‑old boys were sentenced to six years' detention for raping a 16‑year‑old girl in a car at Limerick Racecourse. A third defendant, now 18, who aided the rapes by moving the car, received three and a half years' jail. The judge noted the boys' lack of remorse and their juvenile status under the Children Act, and suspended the final 18 months of each sentence on conditions including participation in sexual offending programmes and no contact with the victim. The victim, who was intoxicated and had never had sexual intercourse before, was described as having been repeatedly told "no" and suffering extensive bleeding and bruising. The boys denied the rapes, claiming consensual encounters, but the jury found them guilty. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court in Cork. The sentences reflect the seriousness of the offences and the boys' ages at the time of the crime. The unnamed 16-year-old was acquitted.
In a High Court hearing on 5 June 2025, it was revealed that JP Magnier, son of billionaire John Magnier, handed two brown envelopes containing €50,000 in cash to an estate agent involved in a failed €15 million sale of Barne Estate in County Tipperary. The money was described by JP as an "appreciation" for allowing the Magnier side access to the land and for the estate's alleged financial difficulties. JP claimed his father had instructed him to deliver the cash on 8 September 2023, and that the envelopes were to be passed to the Thomson‑Moore family, the trustees of the estate. The estate agent reportedly pushed the envelopes to JP on 11 September, citing concerns that the farm manager might have seen the original transaction. The case, which also involves an exclusivity agreement and a dispute over a reneged sale, is set to resume in two weeks before Mr Justice Max Barrett.
Two brothers, Colin Murphy (36) and Glen Murphy (33), are appealing their ten-year sentences for a Christmas Day crime spree that involved arson, criminal damage, and a serious assault. The appeal is currently before the Court of Appeal. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy noted that the assault on a man in his 60s was at the very top end of the scale and arguably could have been a section 4 assault, which is an offence of causing serious harm. At their sentencing hearing in Kilkenny Circuit Court in March of last year, Judge Cormac Quinn described the offences as a substantial crime spree and jailed both brothers for 10 years each. Glen Murphy was convicted of criminal damage to an MPV, criminal damage to Eir poles, and assault causing harm, with sentences of two, two, and three years respectively. He also received a five-year sentence for the assault that left a man unconscious. All sentences were to run consecutively, with the final two years suspended. Colin Murphy was convicted of arson and assault causing harm, receiving seven and five-year sentences respectively. The matter was adjourned for further consideration.
Philip Marley (53) of Rathbourne Court, Ashtown, Dublin, was convicted of two counts of using a false instrument, two counts of failing to keep records, two counts of the fraudulent procurement of an entry into the Property Registration Authority's registry and two counts of failing to apply the required measures as a designated person. All charges relate to events between 2016 and 2018 involving two properties in Dublin. Marley pleaded guilty during a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial last November. Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain described Marley as the 'author' of a €266k scam, which involved the insertion of false deeds onto property titles. Padraig Dwyer SC, defending Marley, requested a four-week adjournment to allow his client to make arrangements for the care of an adult son with severe neurological symptoms. Judge Ni Chulachain agreed to adjourn the finalisation of Marley's three-year sentence to June 19. Herbert Kilcline (64), a serial fraudster and former solicitor, was also convicted of similar charges. John McGowan SC, defending Kilcline, applied for an adjournment to take further instructions in light of a handwriting report and to make a plea of mitigation. Judge Ni Chulachain also agreed to adjourn the finalisation of Kilcline's sentence to June 19. A probation report noted that Kilcline does not accept the jury's verdicts and intends to appeal.
In a tribunal hearing on 5 June 2025, Keelings fruit and vegetable group dismissed warehouse worker Rudolf Csikos after he posted on LinkedIn that excessive night‑shift hours had contributed to the 2013 deaths of two colleagues. Csikos, who had worked for the north Co Dublin firm for 16 years, claimed the posts were protected disclosures, but the company argued they were false and defamatory, citing no medical evidence. The tribunal noted Csikos's ongoing complaints under the Organisation of Working Time Act, Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Act, Unfair Dismissals Act and Protected Disclosures Act. Csikos alleged the company breached night‑shift hour limits, failed to classify him as a special‑category worker, and neglected required medical checks. Keelings maintained it complied with statutory and collective‑agreement provisions, and that the posts damaged its reputation. The case was adjourned for a further hearing in July, with no new submissions made to the adjudicator.
Three Spanish men—Pedro Pablo Ojeda Ortega (36), Raul Tabares Garcia (48) and Angel Serran Padilla (40)—were denied a bid to have their charges dismissed in the Special Criminal Court. Their lawyers had applied under Section 4E of the Criminal Justice Act 1999 to prevent disclosure of evidence and arguments. Justice Karen O'Connor, with Judges Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin and Marie Keane, rejected the applications. The men face conspiracy charges for importing controlled drugs worth over €13,000 between 27 February and 14 March 2024, and the case was adjourned to 18 June.
A man with previous convictions for rape and kidnapping has been sentenced to eleven years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for harassing three female journalists. Mark McAnaw, formerly of Letterkenny, County Donegal, pleaded guilty to charges relating to harassment that occurred in August 2023. He sent explicit and threatening emails to the women, including threats to kill, and attended their workplace. Judge Pauline Codd imposed the full sentence after McAnaw declined to accept conditions that would have suspended the final twelve months. She imposed a lifelong contact ban and ordered McAnaw remain ten miles from the women's homes and workplaces. The judge noted McAnaw's history of violent offending and his failure to engage with mental health treatment while detained at the Central Mental Hospital. McAnaw is assessed as presenting high risk of violent and sexual reoffending.
Sarah Jane Byrne, a 27‑year‑old mother from Drimnagh, appeared before the Special Criminal Court and pleaded guilty to five offences involving firearms. She admitted possession of a 9mm Makarov pistol and ammunition, 27 rounds of Luger 9mm ammo, a sawn‑off Beretta shotgun, and a Tokarev submachine gun, with the items located at Old Navan Road and her home. Byrne, who has been attending a rehabilitation programme for addiction, was released on continuing bail. The court set a sentencing hearing for 20 October and ordered a probation report.
Sean McGovern (39), who is charged with murder and directing a criminal organisation, has raised concerns about the legality of his extradition to Ireland from the United Arab Emirates. His legal representatives, including Olan Callanan BL, have informed the court that a letter will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) regarding an application. The court was asked to set a date for a hearing, with Mr Callanan expressing concerns about the legality and process of McGovern's arrival in Dublin. Sean Gillane SC, for the DPP, stated that a first book of evidence will be ready by the end of July, with updates on a second book of evidence to follow. McGovern appeared via video-link from prison and confirmed he could hear the proceedings. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor agreed to set a hearing date for Wednesday, June 18th, with McGovern again appearing by video-link. The court also set a date in late July for the service of the book of evidence. McGovern, with a previous address at Kildare Road, Crumlin, Dublin 12, is charged with the murder of Noel Kirwan on December 22, 2016, and directing the activities of a criminal organisation in connection with the murder and the surveillance of James Gately between October 17, 2015, and April 6, 2017. He is also charged with contributing to or participating in activity intending to facilitate a criminal organisation in the murder of Mr Kirwan and facilitating a criminal organisation in a conspiracy to murder James Gately. The matter is currently at trial.
In a High Court hearing on 4 June 2025, David Wachman, son‑in‑law of John Magnier, denied that Coolmore used a "ruse" by employing third parties to bid on a 751‑acre Tipperary farm before allegedly "low‑balling" the sellers with a €10 million offer. Wachman said it was "common practice" to start bids below a vendor's valuation to control expectations. He explained that Coolmore had an exclusivity agreement from 31 August to 30 September 2023, during which the Barne Estate could not solicit offers from anyone other than Coolmore. The estate, held by a Jersey trust for Richard Thomson‑Moore, rejected the alleged deal and sold the land to US construction magnate Maurice Regan for €22.25 million. Regan is not a party to the case. The hearing continues before Mr Justice Max Barrett.
Thomas Greene, 33, of Sarsfield Street, Sallynoggin, Co Dublin, was sentenced to three months' imprisonment by Judge Conor Fottrell at Dún Laoghaire District Court after pleading guilty to 14 charges covering theft, public intoxication, abusive behaviour in a public place and repeated failures to appear in court. The offences, committed between March 2021 and March 2023, included stealing €10 worth of petrol from Applegreen, shoplifting four Kindle products and a €25 scarf, stealing €140 worth of Bulmers cider, and pushing a buggy while heavily intoxicated. Greene, who has 107 prior convictions including robbery, assault, drug and firearms offences, was already in custody since June 2 on multiple bench warrants. The court noted his history of drug use, a drug‑induced coma, seizures and fractures, and his current treatment at St Michael's Unit, Beaumont Hospital. Judge Fottrell back‑dated the custodial sentence to June 2 and rejected a cash recognisance in favour of an independent surety.
Brian Early, a 54‑year‑old from Newbridge, pleaded guilty to theft, possession of stolen property and possession of certain articles in two incidents in February 2024. He stole 17 bottles of spirits worth about €700 from Dunnes Stores, removing security tags with wire cutters and making a small purchase to appear legitimate. Two bottles of Bombay Sapphire gin were recovered. Early admitted the theft was to repay a drug debt, citing a serious crack cocaine addiction that worsened after a five‑year cancer battle and his father's death. He has been clean for 10 months, has not attended a formal drug programme but has sought support from Pieta House following a mental‑health crisis, and receives a disability allowance. Judge Conor Fottrell, considering the guilty plea, personal circumstances and support engagement, imposed a 12‑month probation bond requiring Early to keep the peace and continue engaging with Pieta House and any further counselling.
In a Central Criminal Court sentencing hearing, 39‑year‑old Shane Flanagan of Co Clare pleaded guilty to two counts of inciting men to rape a woman between November and December 2020, and to six counts of endangerment for impersonating the woman on Facebook and Fetlife.com, inviting violence that posed a substantial risk of death or serious harm between 2018 and 2020. He also pleaded guilty to one count of possession of four images of child sexual abuse material. The hearing was adjourned for two weeks after the court was informed that Flanagan had been admitted to hospital earlier that week. A medical report was submitted, and the judge ordered an updated report before the case is mentioned again later in the month. The complainant, who wishes to remain anonymous, was informed of the adjournment. The case remains pending pending the updated medical report.
The Special Criminal Court heard mitigation submissions for eight defendants who pleaded guilty to offences arising from the seizure of 2.25 tonnes of cocaine on the MV Matthew. The court heard that the Dubai-based organisers considered crew members Jamie Harbron and Vitaliy Lapa "completely expendable" after their vessel, the Castlemore, ran aground. Harbron and Lapa pleaded guilty to attempting to possess cocaine for sale or supply. Mykhailo Gavryk, Vitaliy Vlasoi, Soheil Jelveh, Saeid Hassani, Harold Estoesta, and Cumali Ozgen pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine for sale or supply. Defence counsel argued that the defendants were hired for specific roles, were not the leaders of the enterprise, and relied on their guilty pleas and foreign imprisonment as mitigation. Harbron, the only defendant with prior convictions, was described as being on the "lowest rung" of the operation. Counsel for others highlighted their good character and financial vulnerabilities. The court, comprising Ms Justice Melanie Greally, Judge Sarah Berkeley, and Judge Grainne Malone, will deliver sentences on July 4.
Ms X, a scientist with stage‑2 endometriosis, was hired by Abbott Ireland Ltd in spring 2024 and worked on site for just under six months. She claimed the company's policy of denying probationary staff the option to work from home was implicitly discriminatory, as it withheld accommodation for her disability for six months. Ms X said she had been promised a hybrid role and had turned down other jobs that required a five‑day on‑site commitment. After a sudden department‑wide meeting, a senior manager announced that no more work‑from‑home would be allowed beyond one day a week. Ms X was later found to have failed her probation for "conduct and performance" after eight late arrivals and three uncertified absences, and was terminated with a letter stating her performance did not meet company expectations. The case is adjourned for further witness evidence.
At the Central Criminal Court, the trial of Jozefina Grundzova, Marek Puska, Viera Gaziova, and Lubomir Puska Jnr continued. All four accused, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, are alleged to have impeded the apprehension or prosecution of Jozef Puska, who was previously convicted of murdering Ashling Murphy in January 2022. Grundzova and Gaziova face charges of assisting in burning clothes, including a bloodstained t-shirt, while Marek Puska and Lubomir Puska Jnr are charged with withholding information from detectives. Evidence presented by Detective Garda James Duffy indicated that Grundzova told gardaí that Gaziova received a phone call instructing her to burn specific items. Grundzova stated she observed blood on the lower half of a t-shirt and that she herself threw socks into the fire. The court heard that the accused were living with Jozef Puska and his family in Co Offaly at the time. Presiding Judge Caroline Biggs adjourned the proceedings, informing the jury that they would not be required again until the trial resumes on June 9th.
Two men in their 70s have been granted leave to appeal their extradition to Northern Ireland on charges connected to the 1975 murder of an RUC officer. At the High Court, Mr Justice Patrick McGrath ruled that while authorities had provided detailed explanation for the delay in seeking their surrender, this was incomplete and included lengthy periods of inaction. John Edward McNicholl, of Newmills, Letterkenny, County Donegal, and Seamus Christopher O'Kane, of Scalestown, County Meath, face charges arising from the investigation into the death of Constable Robert John McPherson, shot in an ambush in County Derry on 26 July 1975. Both men escaped from the Maze Prison in May 1976 before trial. The judge certified questions for the Court of Appeal regarding whether the 48-year delay constituted abuse of process and whether the omission to seek surrender for all original offences was an abuse of process. Both men were remanded on continuing bail pending further hearing.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Pauline Codd imposed a 17‑month suspended prison sentence and a two‑year driving disqualification on 29‑year‑old Frienna Rockett of Ballybrack, Kilmacthomas, Co. Waterford. Rockett pleaded guilty to one count of careless driving causing serious bodily harm after she broke a red light at a pedestrian crossing on St Peter's Road, Crumlin, and knocked down an 81‑year‑old woman. CCTV and dash‑cam footage showed the red‑light violation; Rockett claimed she was looking for her sister's house and had misread the traffic light. The victim suffered a brain bleed, multiple fractures and a dislocated shoulder, requiring intensive care and rehabilitation. She now lives with chronic pain, relies on a walking aid and a mobility scooter, and has a son as her full‑time carer.
Richard Satchwell, a 59‑year‑old British national, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court in Dublin for the murder of his 45‑year‑old wife, Tina Satchwell, who was found buried under the stairs of their Youghal home. The jury, after nine hours and 28 minutes of deliberation over four days, unanimously rejected Satchwell's defence that he acted in self‑defence during a struggle with a chisel. Witnesses, including Tina's sister Lorraine Howard and niece Sarah Howard, testified that Satchwell had hidden Tina's body in a chest freezer before burying her, and that he had offered the freezer to Sarah. Satchwell's 14 prior convictions include larceny and theft. He intends to appeal the conviction. The sentence was back‑dated to 12 October 2023, the day he entered custody. Tina Satchwell pleaded not guilty.
In Tallaght District Court, Judge Catherine Ghent sentenced a 26‑year‑old man to 11 months' imprisonment for breaching a protection order, criminal damage and obstructing Gardaí. The judge highlighted that the offender, who has been in custody since age 12 and has a "very serious history of violence," has not received the services he needed. She noted that the victims, particularly the man's former partner, are now bearing the consequences of his actions. The partner's victim impact statement described how the man "ruined her mental wellbeing" and left her living in fear. Judge Ghent praised the partner's courage in seeking protection and warned that domestic violence directly affects children, who must be protected. The sentence included five months for breaching a protection order, four months for criminal damage, and two months for obstructing Gardaí, all to run consecutively. A separate five‑month sentence for breaching a safety order was also imposed. The unnamed 26-year-old pleaded guilty.
In a sentencing hearing, the mother of Dylan McCarthy, who died after a fatal assault outside a Kildare pub in August 2022, delivered an emotional victim impact statement. She described her son's life as abruptly ended, noting that money saved for his wedding was redirected to his funeral. Dylan's girlfriend, Aoife Talty, also spoke, recalling his kindness and their future plans. The court heard that Calvin Dunne (25) was convicted of manslaughter and violent disorder, while Sean Kavanagh (27) pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Eamonn McCarthy and was found not guilty of murder. The trial detailed the chaotic melee, with witnesses describing a kick to Dylan's head and a "loud thud." The judge adjourned the case to June 30 for finalisation.
A mature student in his late twenties pleaded guilty to raping a college student on a university campus in February 2022. The victim, who was intoxicated after a night out, could not recall the assault but later discovered semen on her leg and bruises. DNA matched the defendant. He had no prior convictions. The court heard the victim's impact statement, describing the trauma and her refusal to forgive. The Director of Public Prosecution placed the offence in the seven‑to‑ten‑year category. The defendant's counsel highlighted his lack of remorse, his apology, and his character. Judge Paul McDermott sentenced him to six years' imprisonment, with post‑release supervision for three years, and directed him to have no contact with the victim or her family. The sentence reflected the seriousness of the offence and the defendant's guilty plea.
In a 2025 ruling, the Workplace Relations Commission rejected a discrimination claim by chef Serhat Aksakal against the Odeon Bar and Restaurant in Dublin. Aksakal alleged that a senior employee, Mr Z, thrust his genital area into him and made a "yee‑haw" noise, describing the act as having "undeniable sexual overtones." The WRC found the incident did not occur in a workplace where sexual harassment was tolerated. Aksakal had used ChatGPT to draft his complaint, and the tribunal noted the language used must accurately reflect the events. Mr Z was dismissed the month after the incident, and the company had already rectified a separate claim of unpaid tips. The commission upheld the dismissal and dismissed the discrimination claim, while acknowledging the claim under the Payment of Wages Act was well‑founded but had been remedied.
James Fuery, 32, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply after customs officers at Dublin Airport seized €404,520 of cannabis in a suitcase he had brought from Ibiza. The drugs, weighing just under 22.5 kg, were found in 45 vacuum‑sealed packets. Fuery claimed he was under pressure from a €15,000 drug debt and that this was his first time bringing drugs into the country. He described difficulties with cocaine and cannabis, a relapse into addiction, and previous homelessness due to addiction. He has eight prior convictions for road traffic, theft and public order offences but none for drug offences. The court accepted his early guilty plea, noted his cooperation and lack of wealth, and remanded him in custody while ordering a urine analysis. The case was adjourned for finalisation on 7 July.
In a High Court hearing on 3 June 2025, Mr Justice Garret Simons considered whether to lift a suspension on 15 boating permits for ferries to and from Skellig Michael, a UNESCO heritage island. The permits had been withheld while a judicial review of the Office of Public Works' (OPW) tendering process was pending. Two companies that lost the 2025 season tender—Skellig Michael Boat Trips and Atlantic Endeavour Limited—had challenged the OPW's decision, arguing the process was deficient and lacked transparency. The OPW claimed that Irish and EU law prevented it from issuing permits until the legal dispute was resolved. Mr Justice Simons expressed surprise at the OPW's claim that preparing the case would take six months, describing the matter as "the most straightforward case of competition for licences". He ordered the case to be heard next month, gave it top priority, and said he would rule on Thursday whether to lift the suspension.