Karl Adams, 53, of Portland Street, North Circular Road, Dublin, was sentenced to five years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman in her own home in June 2019. Adams pleaded guilty in January 2025 after failing to appear for his trial in 2019, which caused a delay. The victim, who prefers to remain unnamed, described being awakened by Adams tugging at her leggings, then being sexually assaulted twice. She reported a profoundly damaging impact, losing trust in people, struggling to sleep, and experiencing constant flashbacks. A probation report placed Adams at moderate risk of re‑offending, noting a lack of insight and minimisation of his actions, and highlighted his lifelong alcohol addiction and drug abuse. Justice Melanie Greally set a headline sentence of 80 months, reduced to 70 months for the guilty plea, and suspended the final 12 months on the condition that Adams engage with the Probation Service upon release.
A forensic archaeologist, Dr Niamh McCullagh, testified that Tina Satchwell's body could have been hidden at her own home, citing research that most concealed homicides occur within a kilometre of the victim's address. She recommended a more invasive search of Richard Satchwell's house, including stairs, ground floor and use of a cadaver dog, just weeks before Gardaí began the operation. The jury was informed that the body was found in a grave almost one metre deep beneath the stairway, over six years after she was reported missing. The crime scene manager, retired Detective Sergeant Shane Curran, described the discovery of a clandestine burial under the stairs, where concrete had been broken and black plastic wrapped around the body. Garda Brian Barry noted a different coloured concrete and a poorly built wall, while a cadaver dog named Fern indicated the presence of remains.
Kieran Meaney, aged 59, was convicted by a jury of 14 counts of indecent assault on two sisters aged six to eleven between August 1979 and August 1983, and of one count of rape of the older sister. The Central Criminal Court heard that the abuse began with inappropriate touching and escalated to forced removal of clothing and rape. The older sister's victim impact statement described the loss of innocence and lifelong fear, while the younger sister described a chaotic childhood but no fear of Meaney. Defending counsel argued that Meaney was a minor at the time of the offences and had no prior convictions. Judge Kerida Naidoo reduced the headline sentence from 10 years and 3 months to 5 years and 6 months, and imposed an effective global sentence of 4 years and 3 months. The court noted the age disparity and breach of trust in its decision.
In a tribunal hearing on 12 May 2025, Daniel Holland's claim that he was dismissed from James Whelan Butchers because of his SIPTU membership was rejected. Holland, who joined the company on 24 April 2023 and was terminated on 23 April 2024, argued that his emails to human resources accusing managers of dishonesty were the real cause. The tribunal found that the dismissal was linked to Holland's "misalignment" with the company, not his union membership. The adjudicator noted that Holland's emails were seen as damaging to the employment relationship and that the union was not a primary factor. The company's barrister described the union claim as a "retro‑fit" and highlighted Holland's lack of the required 12‑month service. The tribunal dismissed Holland's complaint under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977.
Rachel Redmond, 35, appeared before the Central Criminal Court for sentencing after being convicted of attempting to impede the apprehension of Wayne Cooney, who was convicted of murdering Jordan Davis. Redmond pleaded not guilty at trial but now accepts the jury's verdict. Counsel Dominic McGinn SC described her actions as "naive" and driven by a relationship with Cooney, rather than deliberate criminal intent. He highlighted her solid work record, including roles as a beautician and in security, and noted she wrote an apology to the Davis family. The court heard that Redmond helped Cooney evade arrest by driving him from the scene of the May 2019 shooting in Darndale and arranging his stay at the Clayton Hotel. Mr Justice Paul Burns adjourned the matter to next Monday to deliver sentence. The report also notes that in April 2024, Redmond's brother, Robert "Roo" Redmond, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder Jordan Davis. Robert Redmond, a career criminal with 99 previous convictions, received a mandatory life sentence in 2022 for the murder of Barry Wolverson in Swords in 2020.
A 33‑year‑old Limerick man was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment for repeatedly raping and sexually assaulting his partner's daughter, who is now 17. The Central Criminal Court found him guilty of five counts of rape and three of sexual assault committed between 2016 and 2018, when the victim was aged nine to eleven. The abuse began after the man took over child‑minding duties for his partner, who had previously relied on friends and family. The court heard that the victim's mother noticed self‑harm at age 15 and reported the abuse, leading to the man's arrest in October 2023. He denied wrongdoing and minimised his time caring for the child. The unnamed 33-year-old was convicted.
In Waterford Circuit Criminal Court, Susan McGovern, 44, pleaded guilty to robbery under the Criminal Justice Theft and Fraud Offences Act, 2001. She was sentenced by Judge Eugene O'Kelly to a four‑and‑a‑half‑year term, fully suspended, on 10 October 2024. The State, represented by Conor O'Doherty BL, argued that the suspended sentence was too lenient, citing the seriousness of the robbery, the use of a nine‑inch knife, the victim's injuries, and McGovern's 19 prior convictions, including a knife possession offence. The State also highlighted McGovern's false claims of self‑defence and sexual assault, which were later admitted as unfounded. McGovern's counsel, Gareth Hayden BL, maintained that the sentence was not unduly lenient. The Court of Appeal will reserve its judgment until later in the week.
Damien Long, aged 26, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for raping a 17‑year‑old girl in 2018. The Central Criminal Court heard that Long forced the girl to lie on the floor, raped her, and repeatedly told her that "a boy has got to do what a boy has got to do when he is horny." He also threatened her, saying he would not stop because he was enjoying it, and later locked her in his bedroom before leaving. The victim, who wishes to remain unnamed, suffered severe emotional distress, began drinking, fought with her family, and engaged in self‑harm, resulting in 23 hospital admissions. Long had no prior convictions at the time of the rape but had 24 convictions for drug dealing, road traffic and public order offences. The unnamed 17-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In the trial of Richard Satchwell, the jury heard how gardai uncovered the body of his wife, Tina, in a grave dug almost one metre deep beneath the stairs of their home, more than six years after she was reported missing. The prosecution described how forensic archaeologists, led by Dr Niamh McCullagh, excavated the site after a detective noticed a different pour of concrete under the stairs. The body, wrapped in black plastic, was exposed at 8.35 pm on 11 October 2023 and fully excavated the next day, with the remains placed in a body bag at 2.40 pm on 12 October. Detective Garda Brian Barry and builders had broken the concrete, revealing the burial. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott, with Mr Satchwell, aged 58, pleading not guilty to the murder of his 45‑year‑old wife, Tina Satchwell, between 19 and 20 March 2017.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Padraig Delaney, aged 44, was found guilty of murdering his friend Shane Knott, aged 37, who was discovered in a dog pen in Delaney's back garden wrapped in carpet underlay. Delaney claimed self‑defence after an alleged attack with scissors, but the jury rejected this defence. The court described the killing as brutal, with Knott suffering multiple head and brain injuries and his left face crushed. Delaney's statements about a Kinahan crime organisation sending Knott were deemed unfounded. Delaney, a former cabinet maker with a history of alcohol and substance abuse, was sentenced to life imprisonment. The judge called the murder "particularly brutal" and the treatment of the body "callous and disrespectful.".
The Court of Appeal has adjourned proceedings in the appeal against the conviction of Stephen Silver, who is serving a life sentence with a 40-year minimum term for the capital murder of Detective Garda Colm Horkan. Silver, a 48-year-old motorbike mechanic from Foxford, Co Mayo, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Det Gda Horkan, alleging he was reckless as to whether the victim was a garda acting in the course of his duty. He had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter at Castlerea, Co Roscommon, on June 17, 2020. The jury found him guilty of murder, rejecting defences of self-defence and diminished responsibility. During the current appeal hearing, counsel for Silver stated that the legal team is unable to advance the appeal due to an impasse in obtaining crucial psychiatric disclosure from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP). Counsel described the situation as a "brick wall" and argued that the psychiatric evidence is a critical issue, particularly regarding Silver's bipolar affective disorder. Mr Justice John Edwards noted that the coroner for County Roscommon cannot complete the inquest into Garda Horkan's death until the appeal is determined. The judge described the delay as "intolerable" for the victim's family and stated that the matter "cannot drag on." Proceedings were adjourned to a case management list on June 20, with the judge indicating that a motion could be brought if the logjam persists.
Rachael Kearney, 42, was on bail when she committed a series of offences over 20 months, from July 2023 to March 2025. The offences included shoplifting from Aldi, Tesco, Boots, Dunnes Stores, JD Sports and Lifestyle Sports, dangerous driving, setting fire to cardboard at a business premises, unauthorised vehicle use and fire damage. She pleaded guilty before Judge Patricia McNamara at Tallaght District Court. The court imposed a total of 24 months' imprisonment, the maximum that can be imposed for multiple charges in a single case, with some terms to run consecutively. Kearney also received a two‑year driving ban. She has been in custody since 28 March and will appear again at Arklow District Court on 14 May under a Section 99 warrant, where a partially suspended 10‑month sentence may be activated. She has indicated she does not intend to appeal her sentence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 16‑year‑old girl who was groped by Jasmin Nasic during a grocery shop described the emotional toll of having her counselling notes handed over to the defendant's legal team. She said the assault, which involved Nasic placing his hand on her buttocks, had no precedent in her life and that the trial, prompted by his plea of not guilty, caused her stress, anxiety and sleepless nights. The court noted the case took 1,375 days from the offence to conviction. Judge Martina Baxter praised the girl's courage and urged Probation Services to assess Nasic for recidivism. Nasic, a 36‑year‑old from Lucan with no prior convictions, was found guilty of one count of sexual assault and one count of offensive conduct of a sexual nature, offences carrying maximum sentences of 14 and 2 years respectively. He will now be registered as a sex offender.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 9 May 2025, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) argued that former soldier Lisa Smith's 2022 conviction for membership of the Islamic State (ISIS) was sound and should be upheld. DPP counsel Tony McGillicuddy cited evidence from Smith's own text messages, social media, and testimony from witnesses such as Carol Karimah Duffy and Tania Joya Choudhury, who described Smith's expressions of jihad, desire to fight, and intent to travel to Syria. He also referenced Smith's garda interviews about her divorce and expert testimony from Dr Florence Gaub on the misuse of a one‑finger salute by ISIS. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins countered that no evidence showed Smith recruited, funded, or actively participated in ISIS activities, and that her travel to Syria alone did not prove membership. The court was instructed to reserve judgment on the appeal. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty. Islamic State pleaded not guilty.
In the High Court's fourth day of the civil case against former Irish Nationwide Building Society chief Michael Fingleton, his lawyer, Niall Clerkin, argued that the case is plagued by "black holes" in documents and witness evidence. Clerkin said substantial tracts of paperwork are missing, including loan files for five property loans between 2006 and 2008 that IBRC claims caused €6 billion in losses but is now pursuing only €250 million in damages. He noted that Fingleton, aged 87 and ill‑health, cannot testify, and that only one senior staff member, Gary McCollum, remains to provide evidence, yet McCollum is too confused by the missing documents to give reliable testimony. Clerkin highlighted that no borrowers have been called by IBRC and that the critical triangle of Fingleton, McCollum and Tom McMenamin is incomplete. He urged the court to consider the lack of settled, factual documents before deciding on the case. The case continues at the High Court.
Jason Buckley, a 28‑year‑old plumber from Verschoyle Vale, Saggart, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for endangerment after he drove at Matthew Kenny, the boyfriend of Buckley's ex‑partner, on Fairgreen, Saggart, on 21 March 2021. The incident occurred while Kenny was helping the ex‑partner move house; he saw Buckley revving his engine and then driving at him. CCTV from a neighbour's house confirmed the revving. Kenny suffered a badly sprained left wrist, cuts, bruises and lacerations, and he described living in constant fear and anxiety, taking large amounts of medication, and being unable to pursue his dream of becoming a barrister because of medical bills. Buckley pleaded guilty, had eight prior convictions, and claimed the act was not pre‑planned.
On 27 March 2024, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Charlene Dwyer (35) of Corkagh Grange Avenue, Clondalkin, had hidden in a wardrobe to avoid detection by gardai who had found two stolen motorbikes in her house. She pleaded guilty to possession of stolen motorbikes. The bikes were a brand‑new model worth €11,000 and a second worth €2,000, both reported stolen. Dwyer was arrested, taken to a garda station and later sentenced by Judge Orla Crowe to one year and 11 months, with the final six months suspended.
In the trial of Richard Satchwell, the jury was shown photographs and a video of a shallow grave discovered beneath the stairs of his Cork home, where his wife Tina's remains were found six years after her disappearance. Gardaí used a cadaver dog named Fern to locate the body, and the excavation revealed a black plastic container holding the remains. The prosecution presented evidence that Satchwell had kept "bits and pieces" under the stairs and had been interviewed by Gardaí about the location of the body. Satchwell, aged 58, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his 45‑year‑old wife, Tina Satchwell, who died between 19 and 20 March 2017. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of five men and seven women.
In a 2025 tribunal decision, Bretland Construction Ltd was ordered to pay over €10,000 to Claudia O'Connor for discrimination under the Employment Equality Act 1998. O'Connor, a junior health and safety officer hired in May 2023, was placed on a performance improvement plan (PIP) after she disclosed her pregnancy in August 2023. The firm abandoned the PIP after seven weeks and terminated her employment on 14 November 2023. The tribunal found that the company's claims of performance issues were credible but noted that O'Connor had not been warned of any problems before she reported her pregnancy. The award included €10,415 for discrimination, €873 for breaches of the Terms of Employment Information Act 1994, and €201 for unpaid annual leave under the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997. The case was heard by adjudicator Máire Mulcahy, with Peter Dunlea representing the respondent and the Leinster Citizens Information Service representing the complainant.
A man accused of murdering his mother at her home in County Sligo in May 2023 told gardaí during interviews that he delayed contacting emergency services for approximately 20 minutes after discovering her body. Nigel Canavan, aged 39, of Erris Gardens, Crossmolina, County Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Angela Canavan at St John's Terrace, Sligo on 1 May 2023. The Central Criminal Court trial heard that Mr Canavan said he initially telephoned a friend before calling an ambulance, claiming he panicked and was unsure what to do. Gardaí arrested him six days after her death. Detective Garda Brian McMahon testified that during questioning at Sligo Garda Station, Mr Canavan described an altercation with his mother, who he said was intoxicated and agitated. He stated he removed a knife from her possession and subsequently heard sounds from downstairs, where he found her unconscious. Mr Canavan denied involvement in her death. State Pathologist Dr SallyAnne Collis determined the deceased died from asphyxia. The trial continues before Justice Kerdia Naidoo and jury.
During the trial, Richard Satchwell, aged 58, told Gardaí that he had stored "bits and pieces" beneath the stairway in his Cork home. The statement was made after officers showed him a live photograph of the area taken hours before the discovery of his wife Tina's body in a shallow grave. Satchwell also claimed that he and Tina had not been sexually active in the five years before her disappearance. He was arrested on 10 October 2023 for the murder of Tina, who was 45, at their Grattan Street residence between 19 and 20 March 2017. The case is being heard at the Central Criminal Court, with Satchwell pleading not guilty. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury. The proceedings focus on the circumstances of the alleged murder and the evidence presented by Gardaí. The trial has not yet reached a verdict.
In a case heard by the Workplace Relations Commission, Omar Mohammed Osman, a night manager at Cantarini Limited's City Quay aparthotel, was dismissed after allegations that he bullied a gay colleague, Mr D, for his sexuality. Mr D claimed Osman called him "a big homosexual" and "princess", whistled at him and mocked his accent. Osman denied the allegations, stating he had no issue with homosexuals and that the nickname referred to a female colleague. The tribunal found Osman had been "bullying and harassing a colleague in relation to their sexual orientation and race" and dismissed him. Osman later emailed the HR manager to appeal the dismissal, but the email was not responded to because the recipient had left the company. The WRC ruled that while the dismissal was reasonable, the failure to allow Osman to appeal made it an unfair dismissal, awarding him €3,000 in compensation. The case did not find any protected disclosure or safety‑related claims.
Liam Devoy, 23, was sentenced at Tallaght District Court after pleading guilty to driving without insurance, dangerous driving and possession of cannabis and cocaine. He had been disqualified from driving for four years in June 2023 and was caught driving a Volkswagen Golf on the N81 Tallaght Bypass on 7 July 2023, still disqualified and without a licence. Gardaí found small amounts of drugs in the car, and a blood sample was taken. Judge Patricia McNamara imposed a five‑month prison sentence, suspended for two years on the condition that Devoy does not drive or control a vehicle during that period. He was also disqualified from driving for an additional five years and fined €500, payable within five months. The court noted he had 17 previous convictions, including three for driving without insurance. The defence counsel highlighted his employment and impending fatherhood, but the judge warned that any future offence would lead to immediate arrest and imprisonment.
A man in his forties was remanded in custody after allegedly threatening his former partner and their young son during a domestic disturbance at a south Dublin house on the night of May 8. He was accused of breaching a safety order, shouting that he would kick the woman's head in, threaten to "kick the face off" her and her son, and that he would burn the house down, calling it "his house" because the children lived there. Garda Daragh Melinn arrested him after he resisted arrest, used handcuffs and a patrol van was called to transport him. The woman gave direct evidence at Tallaght District Court, stating she had to get her niece to take the children upstairs for safety and that one child was traumatised. The accused had three bench warrants in the past 18 months and was not intoxicated at the time of arrest.
The High Court case against former Irish Nationwide boss Michael Fingleton is in its third day. The civil claim, brought by liquidators for the Irish Banking Resolution Corporation, alleges that Fingleton, who ran the building society from 1971 to 2009, negligently mismanaged the lender and engaged in speculative property lending without board approval. The court heard that in 2007 Fingleton approved two loans to Laurent Properties for a casino and hotel project in the south of France, issuing a second €2.1 million loan before the board or credit committee saw it. The development never materialised and the loans were later sold at a loss. Similar "solo run" lending was alleged in a £1.75 million loan to Coast and Capital for petrol stations and a £20 million loan to Galliard (Sully) Ltd for a hospital outside Cardiff, both of which resulted in massive losses. The case continues at the High Court.
Derek Callaghan, 65, a former army officer with a "stellar career," pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply on 19 January 2022. Gardaí searching his Dublin 15 home found 608 g of cannabis worth €13,608, €3,110 in cash, drug paraphernalia, a ticklist and a burner phone. Callaghan accepted responsibility for the drugs but denied selling them, claiming the cash was savings. He has one prior road‑traffic conviction. Judge Orla Crowe, after hearing evidence, imposed a headline sentence of four years but reduced it to three years, citing mitigating factors such as his age, family and unblemished record. The three‑year term was suspended for five years on strict conditions. The court noted the serious consequences of drug dealing for victims and society.
In May 2025 a 22‑year‑old man was placed under Probation Service supervision for 12 months after pleading guilty in July 2022 to one count of sexual assault of his 13‑year‑old first cousin. The man claimed he believed he was in a "love relationship" with the girl. He had contacted her via social media in June 2022, and over the following weeks their contact became sexual. He visited the girl's home in late July 2022 with her parents' consent and sexually assaulted her on four occasions that night, in a nearby park and in a car. The abuse involved inappropriate touching and kissing on the lips. After the incidents he sent apologies, but his messages became persistent and distressing, leading the girl to block and later unblock him. She disclosed the abuse to a friend and a teacher.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 8 May 2025, a 42‑year‑old man's appeal against his rape conviction was dismissed. The man had been found guilty in August 2023 of raping his then‑partner in Co. Galway on 17 November 2019, when the victim's baby was sleeping beside her. The conviction followed a jury verdict that the man had entered the bed, raped the woman, and left when the baby woke. The appeal argued that the victim was unreliable because of mental health issues and that the prosecution's use of three recorded phone conversations was unfair. Justice Isobel Kennedy rejected all four grounds, stating the recordings were highly probative and that the victim's mental health did not render her unreliable. She also dismissed the claim that the jury's separate verdicts on two counts were contradictory. The appeal was therefore dismissed, leaving the six‑year sentence in place.
Richard Satchwell, aged 58, is on trial for the murder of his wife Tina Satchwell, aged 45, who disappeared on 24 March 2017. He told Gardaí that Tina had left the house four days earlier, had taken €26 000 from their savings, and was in the UK with her sister. He claimed to have kept her body in a freezer before burying it under their home. In October 2023 Gardaí found her decomposed remains in a grave beneath the stairs. Witnesses said Satchwell was selling Tina's clothes at car‑boot sales weeks after her disappearance, including a "flogging" of her items. He also posted a Done Deal advert for a free chest freezer days after the alleged murder. The trial is before Mr Justice Paul McDermott with a jury of five men and seven women. He has pleaded not guilty.
Michael Carter, a 56-year-old man from Buncrana, Co Donegal, has appealed his conviction for rape and sexual assault against his daughter, Karen Harkin. Carter was found guilty in June 2023 at the Central Criminal Court of one count of rape and 25 sample counts of sexual assault committed between 2010 and 2014, when the victim was aged nine to 12. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor sentenced him to ten and a half years in prison. At the Court of Appeal, defence counsel Michael Bowman SC argued that a statement by the victim's aunt should not have been admitted as evidence. He contended the disclosure was elicited by question and answer rather than being a voluntary complaint, specifically regarding the aunt asking if Carter was the perpetrator. The Director of Public Prosecutions, represented by James Dwyer SC, countered that the complaint emerged voluntarily from a distressed child and that Carter was the only logical candidate. The court heard that Carter had been found guilty of touching the victim inappropriately, including in the bath, and raping her on one occasion. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy reserved judgement on the appeal, meaning the matter was adjourned and not concluded.
Aaron Lee Kinsella Kelly, 23, pleaded guilty in the District Court to assault under section 3 of the Non‑Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997, after punching his then‑partner in the face at the Clayton Hotel, Dublin Airport, on 5 February 2024. The victim had a swollen and bruised face and claimed Kelly had accused her of flirting with another man. The District Court sentenced Kelly to one month in custody. On appeal, Judge Catherine White increased the sentence to six months imprisonment but fully suspended it for 12 months. She also ordered Kelly to pay €500 to a nearby women's refuge and to avoid the road where the victim lives. The appeal was based solely on the severity of the original sentence. No further legal actions or outcomes are mentioned in the article.
A pathologist has given evidence at the Central Criminal Court regarding the death of a 58-year-old woman from County Sligo in May 2023. State Pathologist Dr SallyAnne Collis told the trial of Nigel Canavan, aged 39 and with an address in Crossmolina, County Mayo, that the deceased died from external asphyxiation caused by suffocation and manual strangulation. Dr Collis outlined injuries consistent with smothering, including pinpoint haemorrhaging around the eyes and bruising to the neck bones. The deceased also sustained stab wounds to both thighs and bruises across her body. Mr Canavan has pleaded not guilty to murder at his mother's home in Sligo on 1 May 2023. Under cross-examination, the pathologist acknowledged that some injuries could have innocent explanations, including assistance provided the previous evening and the deceased's significant alcohol intoxication and medical history, which would have made her prone to bruising.
A 48-year-old Dublin man has pleaded guilty to facilitating a criminal organisation at the Central Criminal Court. Patrick Fitzgerald, with an address in Finglas, admitted to participating in activities intended to facilitate serious offences by a criminal group between November 11th and 18th, 2021. He had been initially charged with attempted murder following an incident in Ballyfermot on November 17th, 2021, but the State indicated it will not proceed with that charge. The prosecution requested a victim impact statement be prepared ahead of sentencing. Mr Justice Paul McDermott remanded Fitzgerald in custody pending his sentence hearing scheduled for May 26th.
During the trial of Richard Satchwell, it was revealed that a phone linked to him posted an ad on Done Deal offering a large chest freezer for free, stating it was "working perfect just needs a clean." The ad appeared on March 31, 2017, a few days after the alleged murder of his wife, Tina. A forensic accountant testified that there was no evidence the couple had received a significant cash windfall, contradicting Satchwell's claim that Tina had taken €26,000 from their savings. The accountant also noted that Tina had a credit line with Littlewoods Ireland that was largely used and eventually fully breached, with significant arrears. Sergeant Ciaran Crowley confirmed that Done Deal had responded to inquiries about the ad, and the trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury. The case remains at the stage of hearing evidence regarding the alleged murder and financial allegations.
Patrick Lynch, 50, of Rosemount Glade, Dundrum, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment by Judge Anne Watkin at Dun Laoghaire District Court for a series of burglaries. He pleaded guilty to multiple counts of burglary, theft and trespassing. On 9 January 2024 he unlawfully entered the Rosemount Resource Centre at Waldermere Terrace, stole five Samsung tablets worth €5,500 and was prosecuted under Section 4 of the Theft and Fraud Offences Act 2001. The next night, 10 January, he returned, stole additional Samsung devices and €450 in cash. Gardaí later recovered five of the stolen tablets. While on bail, he committed further offences on 29 and 30 April, including entering a property through an open window and stealing a phone and a laptop worth about €1,000. Lynch has 134 prior convictions, including 11 for theft under the 2001 Act, and a history of drug addiction and mental health difficulties.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Mr Justice Tony Hunt explained that two men, Viorel Doroscan (23) and Otniel Richardo Clejan (24), could be found guilty of murder if they were part of a joint enterprise that intended to kill or cause serious harm, and if one of them used a weapon to fatally wound 22‑year‑old Muhamud Ilyas during a dispute over a stolen cannabis bag. The judge noted that if one participant exceeded the agreed plan, only that person would be guilty of murder. He also clarified that a verdict of manslaughter could be reached if the jury found no intent to kill, or if the death resulted from an unlawful assault without intent. The judge further addressed the case of Lorenzo Cantaragiu, who faced charges of impeding the arrest of Doroscan and Clejan, and explained the evidential requirements for conviction. Viorel Doroscan pleaded not guilty. Otniel Richardo Clejan pleaded not guilty.
In a High Court hearing on 7 May 2025, Irish Nationwide Building Society (INBS) faced a civil case brought by the Irish Banking Resolution Corporation (IBRC) against former chief Michael Fingleton. The case alleges that Fingleton, who ran INBS from 1971 to 2009, approved millions of euros in commercial loans and top‑ups without board approval, including a €28 million loan for two run‑down hotels in the French Alps that lacked planning permission. IBRC claims the loans were speculative, lacked security or personal guarantees, and were approved by Fingleton before they reached the board or credit panel. The court heard that Fingleton "nodded" through approvals by phone or handwritten notes, and that a €130 million loan was later disputed as non‑recourse. IBRC is pursuing €250 million in damages from five alleged loans, while the total loss from property loans is estimated at €6 billion. The case remains ongoing.
Conor Stewart, 31, pleaded guilty on 26 May 2024 to making an unwarranted demand with menace, threatening the parents of his former partner that their house would "go up like a Christmas tree" if a €4,000 debt was not paid. Garda Aaron Carney testified that Stewart called the house in Sandyford, where the father opened the door and saw Stewart on his phone, with a third party apparently directing him. The incident was recorded by a doorbell camera. Stewart, who has 84 prior convictions and was on bail for another offence, admitted he was in difficulty and had been told to do it. He has signed up for drug counselling while in custody. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced him to two years and three months, with nine months suspended for two years, to run consecutively to his current sentence, and ordered 12 months of probation supervision after release.
Conor Stewart, 29, of Kilcross Court, Sandyford, Dublin 18, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm and possession of a samurai sword after a €50 drug debt dispute. On 18 June 2020 at Kilcross Grove, Stewart left a van, armed with a samurai sword, and attacked a man who had been carrying an adjustable wrench. The victim sustained a cut to the back of the head and a larger wound to the side of the head, requiring stitches, and later fully recovered. Stewart's prior convictions include criminal damage and burglary. The court accepted his guilty plea as valuable, noting reconciliation between Stewart and the victim's brother, and sentenced him to four years' imprisonment. The judge highlighted the seriousness of the weapon used and the potential for future offending if Stewart does not change. The sentence reflects the court's view that Stewart's guilty plea and the circumstances warranted a custodial term of four years.
Amy McAuley, 35, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of using a false instrument by submitting a false death notification form to Wexford County Council on January 19, 2023. She also admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice on January 23, 2023, and forging a medical report on November 23, 2022. Additionally, McAuley entered guilty pleas to five counts of theft and one count of possession of the proceeds of crime on separate dates between November 2015 and May 2023. The court heard that the Director of Public Prosecutions appealed her 2015 sentence of two years, suspended for 10 years, for stealing nearly €111,000 from a former employer, citing undue leniency. The Court of Appeal declined to alter the sentence but extended the repayment period to seven-and-a-half years. Judge Orla Crowe adjourned the case for finalisation next week.
A phone linked to Richard Satchwell sent text messages about buying monkeys during the same period he is alleged to have murdered his wife, Tina. Messages to family and Tina's cousin described a "mess" and claimed Tina had left, taking savings. The trial heard that Satchwell told Gardaí on 24 March 2017 that Tina had left the home four days earlier, and that he had no concerns about her welfare. He reported her missing in May 2017, but her body was not found until October 2023, when Gardaí discovered decomposed remains under the stairs of their home. A 10‑person Garda team searched the house on 7 June 2017 in a non‑invasive operation. Superintendent Annemarie Twomey, appointed senior investigator in August 2021, said she had reasonable grounds to believe Tina was dead and that arresting Satchwell was necessary. She noted up to 65 sightings of Tina in Ireland and abroad, all negative, and that Interpol was involved. Richard Satchwell pleaded not guilty.
Ifeanyichukwu Nwaneri, 37, of Donore Avenue, Dublin 8, was convicted by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury of four counts of money laundering for the period February to October 2017. He pleaded not guilty but admitted in Garda interviews that he had handed his bank accounts to another man for use in a larger laundering scheme. The accounts were used to lodge €34,918, €17,109 and €10,000, with an additional €7,000 bounced back. Nwaneri allowed further lodgements into a second account after the first was frozen. Judge Elva Duffy noted his accounting studies should have given him some awareness of the activity. He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended on strict conditions. The case involved Innocent Aigbekaen, who recruited Nwaneri and was sentenced to four years, three of which were suspended. Nwaneri had no prior convictions and had been in Ireland since 2015.
At the Central Criminal Court, a detective told jurors that Nigel Canavan appeared nervous and evasive when questioned hours after his mother's death in Sligo on May 1, 2023. Detective Garda James Conneely met the 39-year-old accused outside Angela Canavan's home on St John's Terrace and later conducted a voluntary interview at Sligo Garda Station. Mr Canavan, with an address in Crossmolina, Co Mayo, denies murder. The prosecution alleges fatal violence and manual strangulation caused Ms Canavan's death. In his recorded statement, Mr Canavan described hearing three loud bangs while upstairs and finding his mother on the ground surrounded by broken glass and a damaged chair. He told gardai he had been staying with his mother during a bank holiday weekend after recent separation from his wife. The trial, before Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo and a jury, continues tomorrow. Nigel Canavan pleaded not guilty.
Jim Connors, 30, pleaded guilty in the District Court to assault a Circle K worker with a wine bottle on Christmas Eve, 2021. The assault, described by the judge as "terrifying," occurred after Connors tried to steal three bottles of wine at a Circle K on Enniskerry Road, Kilternan. He was arrested after fleeing the scene. The case also included other 2021‑22 charges: theft, a public‑order offence and failure to produce a driving licence, for which he received a four‑year disqualification. Connors has 55 prior convictions, including traffic offences, burglary, public‑order violations and theft. On appeal, Judge Catherine White increased the original custody sentence from three to six months but suspended the jail term for 12 months, conditional on Connors staying away from the Kilternan Circle K. The defence counsel, Lydia Daly BL, argued only the severity of the sentence was appealed.
Keelings fruit and vegetable group failed to secure a private hearing for allegations of whistleblower penalisation and multiple employment rights breaches by former warehouseman Rudolph Csikos. The Workplace Relations Commission adjudicator, Brian Dalton, rejected the request for a closed‑door hearing, stating that the possibility of certain people being named was not sufficient grounds for secrecy. Dalton noted that the law requires exceptional circumstances for a private hearing and that the case concerned the administration of justice, which must be conducted publicly. He briefly held a 25‑minute private session before reopening the hearing to the public. The matter was adjourned, with a further hearing scheduled for 27 May. The decision was made in accordance with the Workplace Relations Act, which mandates public hearings unless special circumstances justify otherwise. The case will proceed in public court.
In the trial of 58‑year‑old Mr Satchwell, the senior investigation officer, Superintendent Annemarie Twomey, told the jury she could not explain why Gardaí did not carry out an invasive search of his home in the weeks after his wife Tina was reported missing. She was appointed to the case on 16 August 2021, after Tina had been missing for four years and five months. Twomey said she had reviewed incident‑room material and believed Tina was not a missing person and that Mr Satchwell's arrest was necessary for the murder investigation. She noted that a 10‑person Garda team searched the house on 7 June 2017, but that search was non‑invasive. In October 2023, a warrant for an invasive search was obtained, and Gardaí searched the house with an archaeologist and a building contractor present. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
A 45‑year‑old woman from Tymon North Gardens, Tallaght, Dublin 24, is due to be sentenced next month after pleading guilty to a series of theft and deception offences that spanned from December 2022 to October 2024. She stole cosmetics, clothing and toiletries worth between €60 and €270 at several locations, including Penneys on O'Connell Street, Arnotts, Citywest Shopping Centre and a Spar outlet in the Village Green. In one incident she was stopped after taking two suitcases worth €90 from Penneys, and in another she stole €150 worth of cosmetics. All items were recovered in saleable condition. The most recent offence occurred on 10 October 2024 when Gardaí were called to Spar; she became abusive and was arrested for theft and deception under Section 4(3) of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001. An active bench warrant was executed during her court appearance that day.
A 22-year-old woman from Athlone with a history of 19 bench warrants has been refused bail at Tallaght District Court. Janelle Quinn, currently of no fixed abode, faces charges including theft, public order offences and criminal damage. She was arrested on foot of two active warrants and made no reply when cautioned. During the hearing, Judge Catherine Ghent expressed concern about the accused's presentation and condition, noting apparent withdrawal symptoms. Her barrister submitted that Ms Quinn was undergoing detoxification and willing to engage with the process, including daily signing at Athlone Garda Station. However, gardaí objected, citing her pattern of failing to appear. The judge stated serious reservations about whether Ms Quinn would return to court if released, despite acknowledging the charges were not of the most serious nature. She noted the accused required medical attention. Ms Quinn was remanded in custody for one week to reappear on 13 May. Legal aid was granted.
Ger Malone, a veteran SIPTU organiser, claimed she was penalised after making protected disclosures about alleged wrongdoing in the union and local government. She alleged 30 acts of penalisation in response to 17 disclosures from February 2020 to August 2022, including criticism letters and alleged interference with her work. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) held hearings in Waterford and Carlow between April 2024 and February 2025. Adjudicator Marie Flynn found that Malone had made protected disclosures on five occasions, but rejected her claim that 12 other events constituted penalisation. The WRC excluded the first 19 allegations due to lack of time extension and judged the remaining 11 as not penalisation under the Act. The decision, published in a 76‑page document, concluded that no detriment had been suffered by Malone in the staff‑representative election or other matters. The case was heard under the law in force when Malone lodged her claim in November 2022.
A 35‑year‑old man accused of two attacks on his former partner was refused bail by Judge Catherine Ghent at Tallaght District Court. The man is charged with two counts of assault causing harm, alleged to have bitten the woman's forehead, strangled her, pulled her hair and head‑butted her nose in separate incidents in April and July 2024. The victim sustained a broken nose; hospital records and photographs were presented as evidence. She reported the assaults after receiving support from counselling services and Women's Aid, citing a controlling relationship as a reason for the delay. Garda Sarah Cullinane objected to bail on grounds of the seriousness of the offences and potential witness interference. Defence solicitor Michael Hennessey denied the allegations and offered strict bail conditions, but the judge cited grave concerns for the victim's safety and refused bail under Section 2 of the Bail Act.