William O'Gorman, 36, of Pine Lodge, Mooncoin, Kilkenny, was convicted on 17 April 2024 by a jury at the Waterford Circuit Court for unlawful cultivation of cannabis and possession of cannabis over €13,000 for sale or supply at a premises in Tramore, Waterford, on 18 January 2019. Judge Eugene O'Kelly sentenced him to ten years' imprisonment. O'Gorman appealed the severity of the sentence, arguing that the judge had erred in applying the mandatory minimum and had over‑valued his lack of cooperation and the absence of a guilty plea, while under‑valuing his family circumstances and efforts to address drug addiction. The Court of Appeal, hearing the case on 6 May 2025, found that the defence's arguments did not meet the threshold for departing from the mandatory minimum. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy dismissed the appeal, holding that no special circumstances of an exceptional nature were present to justify a lesser term. The ten‑year sentence remains in force. William O'Gorman pleaded not guilty.
The High Court has opened a civil case brought by the Irish Banking Resolution Corporation (IBRC) against former Irish Nationwide Building Society (INBS) chief executive Michael Fingleton. IBRC alleges that Mr Fingleton negligently mismanaged the society for decades, specifically regarding five property loans approved between 2006 and 2008. While IBRC estimates total property loan losses at €6 billion, it is currently pursuing €250 million in damages related to these specific loans. Mr Fingleton, who is 87 and in ill health, denies the allegations of negligent mismanagement. He is acting through his wife, Eileen Fingleton, and son, Michael Fingleton Jnr, under powers of attorney. Counsel for IBRC argued that Mr Fingleton engaged in speculative property gambles, often approving loans before board review and without adequate safeguards or independent valuations. The court heard that INBS shifted heavily toward commercial lending, a move warned against by the financial regulator. The proceedings, originally initiated in 2012, finally opened before Mr Justice Michael Quinn. The case is expected to last up to eight weeks. Mr Fingleton's son has stated that his father's assets are limited to €25,000 in bank accounts, despite outstanding judgment debts exceeding €10.7 million.
A man convicted of raping, assaulting and coercively controlling a woman over a six-week period has appealed his conviction at the Court of Appeal, arguing his trial was prejudiced by inadmissible evidence. Dean Ward, aged 38, was found guilty in June 2022 of twelve offences committed between June and July 2019 against a woman in Killybegs, County Donegal. He received a sentence of eighteen years, suspended by one year. Ward's counsel submitted that the complainant's references during evidence to previous threats to kill, and prosecution remarks concerning bank transfers, created unfairness that could not be remedied by judicial direction. Counsel also challenged the admission of impact evidence given by the complainant. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel countered that such evidence was admissible and essential to establish the complainant's state of mind and the coercive control element of the offences. Mr Justice John Edwards reserved judgment, with a decision to follow.
In a trial at the Central Criminal Court, Richard Satchwell, aged 58, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his 45‑year‑old wife, Tina Satchwell, who was found dead in a shallow grave beneath their Cork home in October 2023. The jury heard that Satchwell told a detective in 2015 he believed his wife was still alive, and that he had previously attempted suicide because of her violence. He also claimed that on the night of her disappearance, March 19, 2017, she tried to stab him with a chisel, and that he had held her weight with a belt before she died. Satchwell's statements were taken under an enhanced cognitive interview, a witness‑led technique used by Gardaí. The case is set to continue before Mr Justice Paul McDermott with a jury of five men and seven women.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, Lorenzo Cantaragiu, 21, was defended by Michael Lynn SC who argued that Cantaragiu was terrified when he drove alleged murderers Viorel Doroscan (23) and Otniel Richardo Clejan (24) from west Dublin to an isolated area where the victim, Muhamud Ilyas, was later found dead. Lynn said Cantaragiu believed he was at risk, had been threatened by the co‑accused, and had no way to escape. He claimed Cantaragiu told Gardaí he was shaking, had been beaten before, and feared for his family. Cantaragiu faces four charges of impeding prosecution or apprehension, having pleaded not guilty. The prosecution alleges the two men fatally assaulted Ilyas after a dispute over a stolen cannabis bag on 9 December 2022. Ilyas died from blunt‑force head trauma. The case is set for jury deliberation tomorrow.
An 18‑year‑old Dubliner, who was a minor when he appeared before the courts, was convicted of violent disorder in the melee that led to the death of steakhouse assassin Tristan Sherry. He has now pleaded guilty to a drugs offence, admitting possession of diamorphine for sale or supply on 8 May 2024 at Tolka Valley Park, Dublin 15. He had previously pleaded guilty to possession of a side‑by‑side shotgun, cannabis and 630 g of phenacetin, offences that were linked to drug trafficking on 7 May 2024. Fiona Murphy SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, said one of the 15 charges would be dropped at a later hearing and asked the court to consider the remainder when sentencing. Justice Karen O'Connor ordered a probation report and adjourned the sentencing to 18 June. The teenager remains awaiting sentence for the violent disorder offence that occurred at Browne's Steakhouse in Blanchardstown on Christmas Eve 2023.
Patricia Ducie, 50, of Gardiner Street Lower, Mountjoy, Dublin 1, had pleaded guilty in the District Court to 22 charges, including 12 thefts, four possession of stolen property, five failures to appear after bail, and one possession of an article intended for theft. The District Court, on 18 March 2025, imposed an 18‑month sentence with two months suspended. On appeal, the court noted Ducie's 182 previous convictions and the specific incidents: a €1,100 theft of liquor from a Tesco in Celbridge on 27 January, arrests with a man in a bush, and two separate thefts of €132 and €100 worth of chocolates from Butlers Chocolates Cafes. Other thefts involved Evoke, Marks & Spencer and Tribe stores. The appeals court, hearing arguments from defence counsel Seosaimhin Ni Chathasaigh BL, suspended 12 months of the 18‑month term, leaving Ducie with a 6‑month custodial sentence.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, the court was told that Kasonga Mbuyi, 52, who stabbed a German passenger at Dublin Airport, was acting out in a "cry for help". Mbuyi had been seen behaving erratically and was not wearing shoes. He had a paranoid delusion and was later diagnosed with schizophrenia, with a history of cannabis misuse. He had been arrested on September 17, 2023, for assault causing harm and production of a pen knife. The victim suffered eight superficial wounds and required 12 stitches. Mbuyi had been homeless, living in a hostel after his Limerick accommodation was sold, and had recently been treated for a broken foot and dislocated knee. He accepted responsibility and said he was trying to get help. The case was adjourned to July, with a probation report, governor's report and urine analysis to be prepared.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan warned David O'Callaghan, 41, that any repeat offence would lead to prison. O'Callaghan, who suffered a paranoid delusion and was later diagnosed with schizophrenia, had driven a white Ford Transit van into the gates of Leinster House, The Custom House and Aras An Uachtaráin, causing over €60,000 in damage. He pleaded guilty to driving into the rear gates of Leinster House and two counts of criminal damage on 2 August 2024. The judge imposed a four‑year prison sentence, suspended on strict conditions, including 21 months of Probation Service supervision. O'Callaghan was told he must comply with the Probation Service and that any repeat offence would bring him back before the court. The court noted his 11 previous convictions, including drug offences, and his ongoing psychiatric treatment. The case was adjourned for finalisation of the suspended sentence conditions.
A former Donegal GAA player will not serve additional prison time following an unsuccessful appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions at the Court of Appeal. Kevin McMenamin, aged 43, from Letterkenny, was convicted of dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm after striking a cyclist with a heavy goods vehicle in Dublin in July 2021. He was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment in January 2024 and disqualified from driving for five years. McMenamin had been released from custody in October 2024 after nine months, having been transferred to an open prison following enhanced remission application. The DPP argued the sentence was unduly lenient given McMenamin's 33 previous convictions, including multiple drink-driving and driving-without-insurance offences, and that he was already disqualified when the incident occurred. Justice Tara Burns dismissed the appeal, finding the sentence, while lenient, was not unduly so, having regard to mitigating factors including McMenamin's guilty plea, remorse, and work history.
In the trial of Richard Satchwell, the jury heard that Gardaí used an enhanced cognitive interview to question him about his wife's disappearance. The detective sergeant explained that this method, considered a gold standard, is witness‑led and conducted away from a station in a relaxed setting. Mr Satchwell, 58, told Gardaí on 24 March 2017 that his wife had left the home four days earlier and that he had no concerns about her welfare. He reported her missing in May, but her body was not found until October 2023, when Gardaí discovered her decomposed remains in a grave beneath the stairs of her home. Prosecutor Gerardine Small said that after the body was recovered, Mr Satchwell claimed he fell when his wife tried to stab him with a chisel, and that she died in his arms. He has pleaded not guilty to murdering his 45‑year‑old wife, Tina Satchwell, between 19 and 20 March 2017.
In May 2025 the Workplace Relations Commission awarded Thomas Farrell €1,000 after Salesforce failed to reply within the four‑week deadline for a formal remote‑work request under the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023. Farrell, a recruiter who had moved to the west of Ireland, had been told in June 2023 that he could work remotely and attend the office as needed. In May 2024 his line manager announced a return‑to‑office requirement of three to four days a week. Farrell filed a request on 10 June 2024 citing the unsustainability of a 550‑km daily commute, his proven remote performance and inconsistencies in Salesforce's policy. The company responded on 11 July 2024, after the deadline, and rejected the request on 26 July 2024, citing collaboration, in‑person meetings and alignment with a global hybrid strategy.
In a Tallaght District Court hearing on 6 May 2025, a 24‑year‑old woman faced a charge of breaching a protection order that prohibited her from contacting her former partner. The complainant, a 25‑year‑old man, alleged that the woman sent him an abusive WhatsApp message on 3 January, which he had shown to Gardaí and printed as evidence. The woman's solicitor, Michael Hennessy, argued that the message was fabricated using Photoshop, noting that no digital record of the message existed on the defendant's phone and that the phone was water‑damaged and not examined. The prosecution, represented by Dr Seán Smith, maintained that the printed screenshot matched the complainant's phone and that no expert analysis was required. The case collapsed when Judge Patricia Cronin discovered that the charge sheet listed a different name and address, violating Order 38 of the District Court Rules, and dismissed the proceedings for lack of admissible evidence.
Lisa Lyons, a 36‑year‑old mother of four from Tallaght, appeared before Judge Michael Connellan at Tallaght District Court after a Garda search of her home on 15 November 2021. The search uncovered a handbag containing nine individual bags of cannabis (29 g) and €508 in cash. Lyons pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply under Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 and unlawful possession under Section 3 of the same Act. She has six prior convictions for road‑traffic offences but no drug‑related history. Her lawyer, Ethan Foley, argued that Lyons was pressured by criminal groups to hold the drugs and had been living in fear, noting her clean record, family responsibilities, and volunteer work. The court accepted her plea and imposed a €600 fine with a seven‑month payment period, urging leniency. Lyons stated she is now a born‑again Christian and that her anxiety has improved.
Anthony Macken, a 21‑year‑old from Oakpark Avenue, Santry, appeared before Judge Michael Connellan at Tallaght District Court after admitting he had handled a stolen motorbike and was later convicted of dangerous driving. The incident occurred on 28 October 2023 on the M50 northbound at Ballymount, Dublin 24, when Garda Aaron Wogan found a damaged motorbike that had been stolen. Macken pleaded guilty to handling stolen property under Section 18 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 and was convicted of dangerous driving under Section 53(1) of the Road Traffic Act 1961, as amended by the Road Traffic (No. 2) Act 2011. He was fined €200 for handling the stolen motorbike and €50 for dangerous driving, each with a six‑month payment period, and was disqualified from driving for two years. The court heard that a probation report assessed Macken as posing a moderate risk of re‑offending.
In a Dublin Circuit Court hearing, Judge Ronan Munro sentenced 24‑year‑old Dylan Gilligan to six and a half years in prison for carrying a firearm with intent to assault Scott Purdue on 17 December 2019. The final 18 months of the sentence were suspended on strict conditions. Gilligan, who denies any involvement, maintains he was not the shooter and claims the incident was a stand‑alone case. The judge highlighted the lack of direct evidence linking Gilligan to the shooting, noting no bullets, shell casings or recovered firearm, and that Purdue declined to give evidence. Munro emphasised Gilligan's youth and absence of a significant offending background, urging him to choose a crime‑free life upon release. The court also heard that Gilligan had been struck by a car in October, for which he is receiving rehabilitative treatment. Dylan Gilligan was convicted.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by a serving member of An Garda Síochána and his partner against a High Court order requiring them to vacate a property in Co Cavan. The couple had occupied the house at Lock Eala, Loch Gowna since 2012 under an arrangement with the previous landlord. However, businesswoman Sylvia Fox purchased the property at auction in March 2024 following the developer's insolvency. Ms Fox obtained a High Court injunction in February 2025 after claiming she had been intimidated when seeking vacant possession. The defendants argued their lease agreement with the former owner should remain valid, contesting Ms Fox's registered ownership at that time. Mr Justice Donald Binchy dismissed the appeal, finding Ms Fox now held clear title to the property as the registered owner. A four-week stay on the order was granted. The defendants' legal representatives indicated an intention to seek leave to appeal to the Supreme Court.
Two men, Viorel Doroscan (23) and Otniel Richardo Clejan (24), are accused of murdering 22‑year‑old Mahamud Ilyas. Defence lawyers argue the accused acted in self‑defence, claiming Ilyas was the aggressor and the "prime mover". They present evidence that Ilyas was beaten and tied, with a hammer used by Clejan and a fruit knife by Doroscan. The prosecution alleges the men were drug dealers who lured Ilyas to a field where he was left in the cold. The defence maintains that the accused were not planning a murder and that Ilyas threatened them with a weapon. The trial continues with counsel for Lorenzo Cantaragiu giving his closing speech. The case is heard before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury. Viorel Doroscan pleaded not guilty. Otniel Richardo Clejan pleaded not guilty.
Space commentator David Moore abandoned a Workplace Relations Commission hearing into claims that a former manager at Astronomy Ireland breached workplace rights by "pocketing" money meant for the society. The tribunal had adjourned the case repeatedly since June 2024, and an adjudicator had criticised Moore's approach as "delay, delay, delay" and said the matter would "never be heard". Moore and a solicitor for Astronomy Ireland walked out of the hearing room after the adjudicator said he would press on, despite objections from the respondents. The claimant, Sonya Martin, had worked at the society's Ballycoolin office from 2021 to July 2023, resigned under stress, and filed complaints under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977, the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 and the Terms of Employment (Information) Act 1995. Martin alleged that Moore and other committee members were personally attached to the case and that he had taken speaking‑fee revenue for himself.
A murder trial at the Central Criminal Court heard that Nigel Canavan told his then-wife his mother "went a bit mad" and struck herself with a knife before her death. Mr Canavan, aged 39, of Erris Gardens, Crossmolina, County Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Angela Canavan at her home in County Sligo on 1 May 2023. The prosecution alleges fatal violence and manual strangulation caused her death. Claire Conroy, Mr Canavan's former spouse, testified that he described his mother swinging her cane and becoming aggressive during an altercation. He said he went upstairs and later heard thuds before discovering her dead. A friend, John Gannon, told the court Mr Canavan telephoned him that evening in distress and later asked him to corroborate a story about discussing hurling rather than disclosing details of his mother's death. Mr Gannon said he instead told gardai the truth. The trial continues before Justice Kerida Naidoo and a jury.
The Court of Appeal has scheduled a hearing on 18 November to resentence two men who were teenagers when convicted of murder. Both were sentenced to life with a 13‑year review. The first, a 14‑year‑old who killed Mongolian national Urantsetseg Tserendorj in January 2021, was convicted of murder and is now an adult. The second, a 17‑year‑old who killed Cork student Cameron Blair in January 2020, was also convicted of murder and is now an adult. The resentencing follows a Supreme Court ruling on 13 March that trial courts lack jurisdiction to review sentences for child offenders. The Supreme Court held that life sentences for children should only be imposed in exceptional cases and that a court may impose a part‑suspended sentence. The Court of Appeal will consider the Supreme Court's principles and determine new sentences for each offender. The hearing will also address anonymity issues for the second offender. The unnamed teenager pleaded guilty.
In a Wicklow case, a 77‑year‑old pensioner was sentenced to nine years in prison after the State successfully challenged the original four‑year term for repeated sexual assault of his granddaughter. The judge described the offences as grave and close to attempted rape, noting the victim was aged eight to nine at the time of the most serious incidents. The defendant had pleaded not guilty to five counts of sexual assault between 2007 and 2014, when the girl was six to thirteen. A jury had convicted him and the trial judge had imposed a five‑year sentence with the final year suspended. The Director of Public Prosecution applied for a review, arguing the sentence was too lenient. The appellate judge agreed, citing the severity of the abuse and the lack of remorse, and set a headline sentence of eleven years, reduced by two years for mitigating factors such as the defendant's age and medical issues.
In the Court of Appeal on 2 May 2025, Conor McGregor's lawyers presented new evidence from a woman who claimed to have witnessed Nikita Hand being assaulted by her former partner at Hand's home. The woman swore an affidavit that she saw Hand being pushed and, judging from the man's body movements, believed he had kicked her after pushing her to the ground. She had come forward after reading about the civil trial in the media and had also sent McGregor an Instagram message, though the timing was not specified. Hand, who had been awarded €248,000 in damages after a civil jury found McGregor had raped and battered her, disputed the woman's claims in her own affidavit. The Court of Appeal will cross‑examine the two proposed witnesses before allowing their evidence into McGregor's appeal, with a hearing scheduled for 1 July. The case remains focused on the credibility of the new witnesses and the alleged new evidence.
Luke Murphy, 38, was sentenced to five years for threatening to kill his ex‑partner. He is now to be sentenced again for making harassing phone calls from prison in September and October 2019, in which he threatened to burn her house, smash her head, rip her teeth out, torture her, and butcher her when he gets out. The calls were recorded and presented to the court. Murphy pleaded guilty to harassment on 30 September, 1 and 2 October 2019. He has five previous convictions. The court heard he had two boys with the complainant and that he had previously received a five‑year sentence with two years suspended for the same woman. The prosecution was based on circumstantial evidence and the complainant did not give a statement. Judge Elva Duffy adjourned sentencing until July for a probation report.
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 searched his home in Ashfield Grove, Huntstown, Dublin 15, and seized 608 g of cannabis valued at €13,608, €3,110 in cash, drug paraphernalia, a ticklist and a burner phone. Callaghan accepted responsibility for the drugs but denied selling them, insisting the cash was his savings. He also denied that he had sold drugs from his address. He has one prior road‑traffic conviction. His defence counsel, Carol Doherty, highlighted his unblemished record, his army service, his family, and the pressure he faced, and requested that the court consider a non‑custodial sentence. Judge Orla Crowe adjourned the case for finalisation later this month.
In a High Court case, Mr. James Buckley was warned by Judge Liam Kennedy that he was "perilously close" to being jailed for contempt if he failed to return the racehorse 'Big Time Louie' to Ms. Caroline Teltsch by 5 pm. The court had ordered the Buckleys to pay over €800,000 in damages after they were found to have unjustly enriched themselves with money loaned by Ms. Teltsch, who co‑owns the horse. The horse was to be placed in Ms. Teltsch's care, but Mr. Buckley removed it from the Emerald Equestrian Centre in Glenamaddy, claiming its feet were "rotting" and it could not walk. Judge Brian Cregan adjourned the matter to the following week, emphasizing that continued breach of the order could lead to imprisonment. The Buckleys' appeal of the original ruling was dismissed by the Court of Appeal. The case highlights the court's insistence on compliance with its orders regarding the horse's custody.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the jury heard that Viorel Doroscan (23) and Otniel Richardo Clejan (24) were accused of murdering 22‑year‑old Mahamud Ilyas on 9 December 2022. Counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions, Eoin Lawlor SC, described the use of a hammer as the accused's "modus operandi for conflict resolution" and said the body was disposed of in a field in bleak midwinter. Lawlor said the accused were drug dealers who had a joint enterprise to cause serious harm to Ilyas after he stole their drugs. He alleged that Clejan held a hammer and Doroscan held a knife while beating Ilyas, and that the body was wrapped and carried by the accused to a remote location. The trial continues tomorrow before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men. Viorel Doroscan pleaded not guilty. Otniel Richardo Clejan pleaded not guilty.
In a bid to overturn a conviction, a 55‑year‑old man who raped and sexually assaulted a seven‑year‑old girl in a shared rented house has appealed on the basis that the trial judge failed to give the jury a corroboration warning. The trial, held in the Central Criminal Court in May 2023, found the man guilty of one count of rape and twelve counts of sexual assault committed between September 2022 and September 2023. He was sentenced to 10 years and six months for the rape and a concurrent 7 years and six months for the sexual assault. Defence counsel Maurice Coffey SC argued that the judge erred by not warning the jury about the dangers of convicting on uncorroborated evidence, a warning that the court had declined to issue. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on the appeal. The unnamed 55-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A trial has commenced at the Central Criminal Court concerning the death of a woman in her Sligo home. The State alleges that Nigel Canavan, aged 39, of Erris Gardens in County Mayo, strangled his mother, Angela Canavan, aged 58, on 1 May 2023. Mr Canavan has pleaded not guilty to murder. The prosecution opening outlined that the deceased had enjoyed a successful career as a psychotherapist before developing severe alcohol dependency. She had sustained a brain injury following a fall and required periodic care. On the day in question, Mr Canavan had returned to his mother's home after work. Gardaí subsequently discovered her body in the kitchen and dining area, with evidence suggesting violent disturbance. A pathologist is expected to testify that death resulted from manual strangulation or asphyxia. The defence maintains the accused played no role in the death, asserting he discovered his mother's body after hearing noises. The trial continues before Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo.
In a High Court case, Nicolae and Florin Mazarache, residents of Lealand Meadows, Clondalkin, appealed a ruling that allowed their prosecution for allegedly breaching Covid‑19 travel restrictions by travelling to Dublin Airport on 17 April 2021. The pair were stopped by a Garda and issued fixed‑payment notices under the Health Act, 1947, which offered a €2,000 fine to avoid prosecution or risk prosecution if unpaid. The notices failed to specify the exact regulation breached, a point the High Court found violated statutory requirements. The Mazaraches chose not to pay the fines and instead sought judicial review, which was dismissed by Ms Justice Nuala Jackson on 17 January 2023. They now appeal to the Court of Appeal, arguing that the District Court lacks jurisdiction to prosecute because the notices were unlawful. Counsel for the State countered that the error does not remove the District Court's authority. The Court of Appeal will reserve judgment.
A chef employed at restaurants in Ballyjamesduff, County Cavan has lodged multiple employment rights complaints at the Workplace Relations Commission against a businessman and his limited company. The worker, a Chinese national, alleges he was subjected to excessive working hours, sometimes exceeding seventy hours weekly, between August 2022 and August 2024, while substantial deductions were made from his wages purportedly to repay recruitment fees of approximately €31,000. He claims these deductions breached employment law and left him earning below the statutory minimum wage. The respondent's wife, appearing as a witness, declined to address questions about wage deductions and working time compliance, stating such matters required her accountant's input. The respondent's legal representative denied the recruitment fees constituted unlawful deductions and characterised the dispute as a contractual matter between parties whose relationship had deteriorated. Adjudicator Shay Henry refused an adjournment request and heard the case over two days. The worker seeks back pay, compensation for unlawful deductions, and damages for breaches of working time and related employment legislation. The adjudicator reserved his decision.
The appeal of Richard Satchwell, who is accused of murdering his wife Tina Satchwell – nee Dingivan – at their home in Youghal, Co Cork, between March 19 and March 20, 2017, has proceeded before the Central Criminal Court. The jury has viewed 14 open sourced media clips of interviews given by the accused to various television and radio outlets, including statements made to 'TV3 News', 'RTE's Crimecall', 'Prime Time Investigates', and 'Red FM'. In these interviews, Mr Satchwell expressed his belief that his wife was still alive and made appeals for her to return home. He also stated that he had never harmed his wife and that he would take a lie detector test if necessary. The accused has pleaded not guilty to the charge of murdering his wife. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of five men and seven women.
Jordan Ryan, 28, sold a financed car for €13,700 to a buyer who was unaware of the outstanding debt. Ryan had missed two repayments and had tried unsuccessfully to arrange a payment plan. After the buyer discovered the debt, Ryan paid €2,500 and later an additional €10,000 to the buyer. He pleaded guilty to deception on 9 February 2023. The court noted his addiction, gambling, mental health issues and a personal tragedy but said these did not excuse his conduct. Judge Elva Duffy imposed an 18‑month sentence, suspended in full on strict conditions, and ordered Ryan to pay €2,000 to the buyer within six months. The buyer remains €1,200 short of the original purchase price. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
James Lawlor, 44, with 168 prior convictions, stole €3,000 worth of items from the Mater Hospital Foundation a week after his release from prison. He pleaded guilty to burglary on 7 February 2024 and had served three years for a previous burglary. CCTV showed him entering the A&E department, registering as a patient, then later entering the foundation's building and leaving with two bags. The burglary caused €380 in damage and involved three laptops, an iPhone, three headsets and bags, totalling €3,736.50. Lawlor denied involvement but admitted to the CCTV footage. He was arrested on 11 February 2024 and has been in custody since. The court noted his long history of drug use and rehabilitation efforts. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a sentence of three years and nine months, suspending the final nine months for two years on strict conditions, and directed him to be supervised by Probation Services for 12 months after release.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Viorel Doroscan and Otniel Ricardo Clejan, both accused of the murder of Mahamud Ilyas on December 9, 2022, continued before Mr Justice Tony Hunt. Both men have pleaded not guilty to the charge. The jury heard evidence that Mr Ilyas died from blunt force trauma to the head, with pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster describing depressed fractures typical of hammer blows. The State alleges the accused beat Mr Ilyas to death following a dispute over a stolen bag of cannabis. In contrast, the accused told gardaí they acted in self-defense after Mr Ilyas entered an apartment armed with a crowbar and threatening to kill them. Doroscan claimed Clejan struck Mr Ilyas with a hammer, while Clejan stated he only pushed Mr Ilyas away. Co-accused Lorenzo Cantaragiu, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of impeding the prosecution, told gardaí he drove the men to a field in Hollystown where he left Mr Ilyas alive in a ditch. The trial continues tomorrow.
Gary Murphy, 40, of Rosemount Park, Dundrum, was sentenced to three months in prison after pleading guilty at Dún Laoghaire District Court to driving while banned, uninsured and unlicensed on 17 April 2025. He was caught driving his partner's car, which had been parked at his home, on the Green Route in Dundrum. Murphy, who is serving a 10‑year driving ban, chose to drive instead of taking a taxi while his partner was experiencing a medical emergency elsewhere. The court noted his 101 previous convictions, including public order offences, criminal damage, assault, breaches of the Weapons Act, dangerous driving, drink‑driving and driving without insurance, making this his 102nd conviction and third for driving without insurance. He was under probation supervision at the time of the offence, works full‑time as a digger operator, pays rent to his father and supports two children aged one and 20.
A jury comprising ten women and two men has been sworn in at the Central Criminal Court for the trial of a 39-year-old man from Crossmolina, County Mayo, who denies murdering his mother in Sligo. Nigel Canavan pleaded not guilty to the charge of murdering Angela Canavan at an address in St John's Terrace, County Sligo on May 1, 2023. Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo presided over the arraignment. The trial is scheduled to commence the following day and is anticipated to run for approximately two weeks.
The appeal of Richard Satchwell, who is accused of murdering his wife Tina Satchwell – nee Dingivan – at their home in Youghal, Co Cork, between March 19 and March 20, 2017, has been ongoing. Tina Satchwell is also an appellant, having pleaded not guilty to the same charge. The trial has heard that gardai were suspicious 'something untoward' had happened to Tina over six years before her body was discovered. Evidence was presented that gardai conducted a thorough search of the Satchwell home in June 2017, during which they found signs of recent renovations, including new plasterboard on the stairs and a new red bricked wall underneath the stairway. The body of Tina Satchwell was discovered in a grave dug beneath the stairs of the home. The trial has also heard that Mr Satchwell made media appeals for his wife's return, including a statement to RTE in June 2017. The matter is currently before the Central Criminal Court, with the trial continuing tomorrow before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of five men and seven women.
In an employment tribunal case, a woman who worked as a company secretary for her partner, an alleged sex‑addicted businessman, was awarded nearly €100,000 after she was dismissed in 2023. She claimed that while on a family holiday she discovered her partner had downloaded Grindr and had seen a message from Escort Ireland on his phone. She told him she would not join a proposed treatment programme and that she intended to separate. He then terminated her employment, stopped her pay, and had her company car towed. The tribunal upheld her claims under the Unfair Dismissals Act, the Terms of Employment (Information) Act and the Organisation of Working Time Act, awarding €63,362 for loss of earnings, €30,000 for loss of the company car, €3,712 for lack of a contract, and €2,000 for working‑time violations, totalling €99,074. The decision was anonymised to protect the identities of the woman's children.
In a Tallaght District Court hearing on 30 April 2025, Christopher Armstrong, 39, was convicted of failing to remain at the scene after striking a pedestrian on Old Bawn Road on 20 December 2024. CCTV showed Armstrong stopping his van, checking on the injured man, and then leaving the scene without providing details. The victim suffered serious injuries, including four broken ribs, a broken nose, 12 stitches, and a broken wrist that required surgery. Armstrong pleaded guilty, admitted the incident, and cooperated fully with the investigation. He was fined €1,000 and disqualified from driving for three months. The judge noted mitigating factors such as Armstrong's remorse, lack of prior convictions, and his full-time employment, but upheld the conviction due to the seriousness of the injuries and his failure to remain at the scene.
Evan Clarke, 33, borrowed a friend's car and drove it the wrong way into a Circle K car wash on 10 November 2019, causing damage worth €57,408 and writing the facility off. He drove without a licence or insurance, with three passengers in the vehicle. Clarke pleaded guilty to one count of criminal damage, one count of driving without insurance and one count of driving without a licence. He has 41 prior convictions, including assault, theft and drug offences. CCTV footage identified him, and a matching fingerprint was found on the car's bonnet. His defence cited significant drug and alcohol addiction, early cannabis use, mental health issues, ADHD and ASD, and supportive parents. The case was adjourned to 21 July for updated reports.
During sentencing of Keith Daly, 31, at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Garda Sergeant Wes Kenny read a victim impact statement. Kenny, injured when Daly resisted arrest on Killakee Road, described his finger as forcibly bent and injured, noting a heightened fear and psychological toll. The incident began when Garda Natasha McAleese and Kenny stopped a car at 11.10pm; Daly, a passenger, became agitated, opened the door aggressively, and shouted. A struggle ensued, Kenny was thrown to the ground, and Daly fled. Kenny seized a bag of 9.6g cannabis, valued at €192, and two smaller bags with €3,445 cash. Kenny was treated for his finger injury. Defence counsel apologized, noting 33 of Daly's 55 convictions were juvenile. Judge Orla Crowe called the case unusual, directed a probation report, and acknowledged Daly's efforts to turn his life around. The unnamed man pleaded guilty.
A 73‑year‑old former school teacher and convicted rapist was sentenced to an additional five years in prison for indecently assaulting eight boys between 1977 and 1984. He had already been convicted of 118 counts of indecent assault and was serving a 14‑year‑five‑month sentence with an earliest release date in August 2025. The abuse involved inappropriate touching, and in one case included masturbation and oral sex. The victims were aged six to 14 and were taken to various locations, including the school, the teacher's home, and his car. The teacher, who also had a conviction for raping a teenage girl, maintains his innocence. Judge Orla Crowe described his conduct as manipulative, exploitative, persistent and highly predatory, and imposed the extra sentence to reflect the severity of the offences. The judge noted the victims' courage and the profound impact on their lives. The sentence will take effect after the current term expires in August 2025.
During a sentencing hearing, Mr Justice Paul McDermott warned that teenagers are targeted by manipulative propaganda from terrorists and other dangerous elements online. He criticised those who argue for minimal internet regulation, noting the harm to children and the suffering inflicted on others. The judge spoke about a case involving a teenager who, after being exposed to radical Islamist ideology online, attempted to murder an Irish Defence Forces member. The teen, whose name is withheld due to age, attacked and stabbed army chaplain Father Paul Murphy (52) at Renmore Barracks in Galway on 15 August 2024. McDermott described the attack as "terrifying as it is extraordinary" and highlighted how vulnerable teens can be drawn to extremist content. He warned that "so‑called influencers" spread extreme political, religious or discriminatory views to children, who are easily preyed upon because of their immaturity and open access to the internet.
Dublin City Council has regained possession of the former home and shop of 1916 Rising leader Tom Clarke on Amiens Street after a group of alleged trespassers vacated the property. The High Court heard that the council had initiated proceedings last November to restrain "persons unknown" from trespassing following reports of unauthorised occupation in May. At the hearing, Gavin Mooney SC represented the council and reported that the alleged trespassers had agreed to vacate the house and had now provided their names. An inspection of the Georgian building, which dates from the 1790s, was previously adjourned due to concerns about a potential stand‑off with occupants. The council, which purchased the run‑down building for €630,000 in 2018, had planned to convert it into a museum and community centre, but works had not begun after a contractor withdrew in 2023.
Jamie Birmingham, 34, of Drumfinn Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, was fined €1,300 by Tallaght District Court after a hearing that found he was driving a van on the N81 on 4 April 2020 without a licence, tax or insurance. Garda Michael Gleeson reported that Birmingham was stopped at 3.30am, failed to produce the required documents at a nominated Garda station, and had 39 prior convictions, including three for driving without insurance, violent behaviour at a Garda station and failure to comply with Garda direction. Earlier this year he received a four‑month suspended sentence and a four‑year driving ban for driving drunk and without insurance, and was convicted of three counts of no insurance at Blanchardstown District Court.
A 17‑year‑old boy was sentenced to eight years' detention for attempting to murder Defence Forces chaplain Father Paul Murphy. The boy, who had no prior convictions, was radicalised online, mainly through ISIS content, and developed a warped view of Islam that led him to target a member of the Defence Forces. On 15 August 2024, he attacked Father Murphy with a large knife while the priest was in his car, stabbing him for about 90 seconds. The attack was stopped only after a soldier fired warning shots and intervened. Father Murphy suffered permanent scars and required surgery. The judge, citing the boy's age, immaturity, early guilty plea and remorse, set a headline sentence of 20 years, reduced to ten years with the final two years suspended for three years. The boy entered a bond to keep the peace and engage in a de‑radicalisation programme.
A 42-year-old Donegal man with 33 previous convictions, including multiple road traffic offences, appeared before the Court of Appeal on 29 April regarding his sentence for dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm. Kevin McMenamin, from Letterkenny, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the offence and was sentenced in January 2024 to 21 months imprisonment and a five-year driving ban. The incident occurred in July 2021 when McMenamin, who was disqualified from driving at the time, broke a red light at Ballsbridge in Dublin and collided with a cyclist in her late sixties. The woman sustained severe injuries including a broken pelvis and leg trauma, requiring nearly five months of hospitalisation. McMenamin was released from open prison in October 2024 after serving nine months. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed for an increased sentence, arguing the original term was inappropriately lenient and characterising McMenamin as someone who drives with disregard for road users' safety. The court reserved judgement, with delivery scheduled for 6 May.
Richard Satchwell, 58, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his 45‑year‑old wife Tina Satchwell, who disappeared on 20 March 2017. In the Central Criminal Court opening, the State counsel presented evidence that Satchwell told Gardaí he had kept Tina's body in a freezer in the shed for two days before burying her beneath the stairs of their Youghal home. He claimed that during an alleged attack, he had used a belt around her neck to protect himself as she fell limp and died. Gardaí had earlier recorded Satchwell's statements about Tina's alleged violent outbursts and her refusal to take antidepressants. A search of the house on 10 October 2023 uncovered decomposed remains wrapped in black sheeting in a three‑foot grave, later identified as Tina. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott, is expected to last six weeks.
A man accused of conspiring to steal vehicles with garda killer Aaron Brady has been refused bail ahead of his retrial at the Special Criminal Court. James Flynn, aged 43, with an address in Newry, County Down, faced objections from gardaí who contended he poses a flight risk. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, presiding over the three-judge, non-jury court, noted that Mr Flynn holds citizenship of the United Kingdom and the United States and has established businesses in both jurisdictions. The judge cited evidence of his financial capacity to evade justice and rejected submissions that his ties to the Republic of Ireland are sufficiently substantial. Proposed bail conditions, including residence with his mother-in-law in Monaghan, did not allay the court's concerns regarding the seriousness of the charges and the probable sentence upon conviction. The Court of Appeal previously quashed Mr Flynn's conviction on the conspiracy charge and ordered a retrial, finding the Special Criminal Court had breached his constitutional right to natural justice by amending the indictment without consulting legal representatives.