A 24‑year‑old pregnant woman was sentenced to 20 months in jail for money laundering after depositing €33,715 into her bank account between January 2021 and April 2022 and spending over €20,000 on designer goods while receiving the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. The court heard that she had no knowledge of the money's source and had not asked her former partner, who was also charged, about it. She is protected by a court order and has fled to a women's refuge due to domestic violence. Gardaí discovered the illicit activity after finding €700 in cash and designer items in a Mercedes Benz in Coolock in June 2021, and later recovered luxury goods from the couple's home. The defendant had a prior theft conviction in Spain and was between 20 and 22 at the time of the offences. The judge acknowledged mitigating circumstances but imposed the custodial sentence for her recklessness and participation in the laundering scheme. The unnamed 24-year-old pleaded guilty.
The murder trial of Daniel Blanaru (37) for the death of Larisa Serban (26) on 12 August 2022 has focused on the missing knife that caused the fatal stab wound to Serban's heart. Detective Sergeant Robert Madden testified that the knife has never been recovered and that Blanaru was the last known person to have it. Blanaru's interviews have shown inconsistent statements about the knife's location, and he has refused to disclose its whereabouts. The court heard video of a third interview in which Blanaru described the knife as a white kitchen knife with a silver blade about six inches long, very sharp and smooth. Gardaí have conducted extensive searches for the knife, but it remains missing, leaving the case to proceed without the weapon as evidence. The trial continues with Blanaru pleading not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a judge ordered Probation Services to assess Visak Rajesh Leela, a 26‑year‑old Indian national, after he pleaded guilty to attempting to abduct a five‑year‑old boy outside an apartment building in September. The boy's older sister pushed Leela away and the children fled. Gardaí footage showed Leela signalling to the boy, running after him, and pulling him toward the door before the sister pushed him back into bushes. Leela claimed he was intoxicated, had no memory of the incident, and suggested he might have known the children. He had attended a party at the complex, returned after a call, and was not visibly intoxicated at the time of the incident. The judge adjourned the case to 28 April, remanded Leela on bail, and directed a Probation Services report to evaluate his risk of re‑offending.
A Brazilian man has pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to operating a network of brothels across rural Ireland using falsified documents and landlord deception. Ilamar Rodrigues Ribeiro, aged 54, rented ten properties under a false Italian identity, with two located in Roscommon Town and others in Longford, Cavan, Leitrim, Carlow, Wexford and Kildare between 2018 and 2023. When arrested at Dublin Airport in November 2023, gardaí from the Human Trafficking and Co-ordination Unit recovered approximately €788,000 in proceeds of crime across multiple bank accounts. He also pleaded guilty to possessing child sexual abuse material on his phone comprising nine images and sixteen videos. Ribeiro entered guilty pleas to nineteen sample counts including fraud, inducing landlords to rent properties under false pretences, and possession of criminal proceeds. The investigation began following trafficking allegations from two women who identified properties being misused as brothels. Ribeiro has remained in custody since his arrest. Sentencing proceedings are scheduled for 21 March.
A 46‑year‑old man was sentenced to 12 years in prison, with the final year suspended, for repeatedly raping and sexually assaulting his wife's grand‑nephew over a five‑year period from January 2018 to May 2023. The boy, aged between nine and 14 during the offences, was being minded in the man's home in the south‑east of the country. The jury found him guilty of 13 counts of anal rape and 18 counts of sexual assault. The victim's mother, speaking on behalf of her son, described the abuse as tearing the family apart and leaving the boy with a grief‑like feeling after the loss of his great‑aunt who had minded him. Judge Paul Burns noted the serious breach of trust, the long‑standing impact on the victim, and the man's lack of prior convictions. He ordered the man to remain under Probation Service supervision for three years after release.
Randi Gladstone, a 41‑year‑old from Guyana with 19 prior convictions in the UK, was convicted in the Central Criminal Court of one count of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of false imprisonment against an 18‑year‑old woman in a Dublin holiday complex on 25 August 2023. The victim had been staying at the accommodation for several days and was approached by Gladstone who asked her about her age and boyfriend, offered money and attempted to kiss her. She refused, but he forced her to remove her clothing, kissed her body, and digitally penetrated her. She fled, called her mother, and later reported the assault. Gladstone denied all misconduct and claimed the act was consensual. The court heard a victim impact statement describing severe emotional distress. The Director of Public Prosecutions placed the offence in the ten‑to‑fifteen‑year bracket.
Colette Quinn, former chief superintendent and head of the national youth diversion programme, lost an age discrimination claim after being forced to retire at 60 in September 2022. Quinn argued that she was "forced to retire" and that her successor, a civilian principal officer, could retire at 70, implying ageist treatment. The Workplace Relations Commission rejected her claim, noting that Quinn had a 38‑year career, joined the force at 21, and held senior positions. The commission found no discrimination, stating that the mandatory retirement age of 60 was objectively justified for Gardaí to maintain equality, fairness, operational efficiency, and to avoid industrial relations claims. The decision also noted that the role was not advertised after Quinn's retirement and that the lack of an open competition was "at face value, unfair," but this did not negate the legitimacy of the mandatory retirement policy.
A 33‑year‑old man who violated a protection order by sending abusive voice notes to his ex‑partner had his six‑month custodial sentence overturned on appeal. The judge, after hearing the recordings, described them as "the worst he'd ever heard" and found the messages "shocking beyond belief." The court noted that the victim remained distressed and that the man's behaviour was linked to substance abuse. The judge allowed the man to apologise in court and ordered him to pay €5,000 to the victim, with €1,000 due within a week and the balance within nine months. He also imposed 240 hours of community service to be completed within 12 months, replacing the custodial sentence. The appeal was heard in the District Court. The unnamed 33-year-old pleaded guilty.
A 19‑year‑old pleaded guilty to murdering Aaron Keating on 13 June 2023 in Dublin. The defendant, who was a child when the offence was committed, is no longer subject to a mandatory life sentence because a Supreme Court ruling last year removed the mandatory life rule for those who were under 18 at the time of the crime, regardless of their current age. A further Supreme Court decision yesterday overturned a Court of Appeal ruling that a child could be identified if they turned 18 during proceedings, so the defendant's name cannot be released. The defendant had previously sought to halt the proceedings after turning 18, fearing a mandatory life sentence. After the guilty plea, senior counsel James Dwyer said the mandatory regime does not apply and a full sentencing hearing is required. Seamus Clarke SC represented the defendant, who had no prior convictions.
Aoife McHugh, a senior scientist at Rinocloud Limited, won a decision from the Workplace Relations Commission awarding her €11,500 in addition to a statutory redundancy lump sum after she returned from maternity leave to find the company closed. McHugh had begun maternity leave on 20 February 2023 and was scheduled to return on 6 November 2023. She was given a redundancy warning on 23 February and told she would receive a month's notice pay and payment in lieu of statutory leave entitlements, but received none. The company closed in 2023, and McHugh was locked out of IT systems. The tribunal found no evidence of pregnancy discrimination, noting the company's closure was due to financial difficulties.
Three female students – Margaret Eyong Taku, Wendy Briggs and Christina Igweze – have taken a joint High Court challenge against their expulsions from Dundalk Institute of Technology. They allege that the college imposed disproportionate sanctions without providing reasons or considering alternative measures. The expulsions followed four alleged violent altercations between the students, three on campus and one off campus, that took place on 30 and 31 January 2024. The incidents involved physical aggression, including a head stomp, a wet‑floor warning sign, and the pulling out of hair. A disciplinary committee recommended expulsion in February 2024, and an Appeals Committee rejected the students' appeals in April. The students were granted judicial review in July 2024. At the High Court hearing, counsel argued that the appeals committee failed to explain its decision and that the sanctions were disproportionate. The judge said he would reserve judgment.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Rachel Redmond (34) continues before Mr Justice Paul Burns. The State alleges that Redmond, who has pleaded not guilty to two counts of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Wayne Cooney for the murder of Jordan Davis, drove Cooney away from the scene and later checked him into a hotel. Prosecution evidence presented includes "tick lists" found at addresses linked to Robert Redmond, Rachel's older brother. Detective Garda Alan Roche testified that a list found in Kinsealy listed the nickname "Jordo" owing €153,000, while another list found at Woodview Close in Donaghmede showed "Jordo" with €70,000 and the words "not yet." The court heard that in May 2013, Robert Redmond pleaded guilty to the possession of heroin worth almost €37,000 and was jailed for five years. Sergeant Shane Behan also testified that he observed Robert Redmond and Jordan Davis on Grafton Street in August 2018, where Davis handed over cannabis. The jury, comprising three men and nine women, is tasked with determining whether Rachel Redmond knew or believed Cooney committed the murder. The matter was adjourned and the trial continues tomorrow.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 38‑year‑old husband and his 41‑year‑old sister‑in‑law were convicted of assault after a domestic dispute over laundry. The husband was found guilty of two counts of assault causing harm and one count of common assault, while the sister‑in‑law was convicted of two counts of assault causing harm. The incident occurred at the couple's shared home, where the husband and his wife argued upstairs, then the husband slapped the wife, who was later struck by the sister‑in‑law. The wife suffered bruises, cuts and breathing difficulties and was taken to hospital. She has since moved to emergency accommodation and has expressed that the abuse has caused her health problems and emotional distress. The defendants denied the allegations and had no prior convictions.
During the trial of Daniel Blanaru, a 37‑year‑old accused of murdering his partner Larisa Serban, Detective Sergeant Robert Madden was cross‑examined by defence counsel Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha. The defence argued that Madden had "already judged" Blanaru before the interview, claiming the detective had decided the accused had committed murder. Madden denied this, stating that each investigation is approached with an open mind and that any admission by a suspect must be corroborated with evidence. He explained that photos of the crime scene were shown to establish the murder weapon's location and that a doctor assessed Blanaru's fitness for interview after a night of sleeplessness. Madden also refuted claims that he had caused Blanaru pain to elicit information, insisting the interview was conducted professionally. The trial proceeds before Justice Eileen Creedon and an enlarged jury. Daniel Blanaru pleaded not guilty.
Patricia Higgins, a part‑time office worker at Cruinniú Bia Ltd, was made redundant after she complained that a tradesman was cutting a hole in the roof above her desk with an angle grinder. Higgins had worked for the company for 14 years, returning from maternity leave in 2017. In May 2022 she reported to a new desk, but a tradesman began cutting a skylight above her. She stayed in place, later moving her equipment each time she was told to relocate. Higgins wrote a health and safety complaint, alleging risk and harassment, and agreed to investigate it formally in July. On 8 August 2022 she was informed of redundancy with no appeal mechanism. The Workplace Relations Commission found the company had breached the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and the Protection of Employees (Part‑Time Work) Act 2001, awarding her €20,000 in compensation for penalisation and unequal treatment.
Stephen McKeever, 49, of Drimnagh, was jailed for three years after pleading guilty to assault causing harm to a neighbour in a SuperValu Walkinstown carpark on 22 November 2023. The attack, described as "90 seconds of madness", followed McKeever's consumption of 17–18 pints of beer the night before. CCTV showed him kicking and punching the victim for up to two minutes, resulting in a broken nose, fractured eye socket and chipped teeth. The victim required surgery and spent three days in St James' Hospital. McKeever, who has no prior convictions and is a father of ten children and ten grandchildren, expressed remorse and claimed the incident was a moment of madness. The judge set a headline sentence of seven years, reduced to four with the final year suspended, and imposed a one‑year probation period and a three‑year restriction on contact with the victim.
In a Dublin City Centre incident, a 25‑year‑old man, Sinore Iosca, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for false imprisonment after he controlled a 23‑year‑old woman with Down syndrome for about two hours. Iosca forced her to withdraw €420 from ATMs and to purchase an iPhone X costing €1,349, which he later took. The victim's family testified that the woman had been independent before the attack but has since withdrawn socially and suffered psychological injury. Iosca pleaded guilty to false imprisonment in 2018 and to three theft charges in 2019; the theft charges were later struck out. He was extradited from Germany after a bench warrant and was found guilty of the false imprisonment charge, leading to the four‑year custodial sentence. The court noted the victim's trust issues and the family's distress but did not award compensation.
Daniel Byrne, 26, of Camolin, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to making threats, demanding cash and handling proceeds of crime between February and June 2024. He extorted €22,750 from a former classmate who had contacted him to buy a small amount of cannabis. Byrne threatened the victim and his family, demanding €700, then €5,000, and later collected €15,000 in multiple meetings. He also threatened the victim's father and contacted the victim at his workplace. Byrne's prior convictions include money laundering, possession of drugs, obstruction and threatening behaviour. He was on a suspended sentence for money laundering when the extortion began. The court reduced the initial headline sentence of seven and a half years to five and a half years, citing mitigating factors and Byrne's guilty plea. The victim's impact statement was not read in court.
In the Central Criminal Court, witness Stacey Hayes testified that she was driving a silver Volkswagen Golf on May 22 2019 when she and Rachel Redmond, a 34‑year‑old woman, were directed to a bus stop to pick up Wayne Cooney, Redmond's boyfriend. Hayes said Redmond had been on the phone and instructed her to go to the bus stop opposite Tesco on Clarehall Road. Minutes after learning that 22‑year‑old Jordan Davis had been shot dead in Darndale, Hayes and Redmond drove to the scene, but Redmond asked to be dropped home. Hayes described the journey, noting that Redmond had told Cooney that a shooting had occurred. The prosecution alleges Redmond knowingly aided Cooney's escape from prosecution, while Redmond pleaded not guilty to the two counts of aiding a murder. The case is set to continue before Mr Justice Paul Burns and a jury.
Jack Manning, an 88‑year‑old former Christian Brother and teacher, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for repeatedly sexually abusing eight boys at a primary school in the 1970s. The court heard that Manning would call each boy to the top of the class, have them read a book from his desk, then approach them closely and touch their genitals, both inside and outside their clothing. He pleaded guilty to 14 charges of indecent assault, which were part of 74 charges in total. The judge noted that Manning had abused the boys on at least 100 occasions, that the victims were not protected, and that his behaviour had a profound impact on their lives. Despite his age and infirmities, the judge imposed two consecutive two‑year terms, citing the seriousness of the offences and the need for punishment. The victims, who wished to remain anonymous, were allowed to read their own impact statements in court.
In a Dublin City Centre incident on 23 July 2020, Peter Burns, a 50‑year‑old truck driver from Tallaght, caused a cyclist to be crushed between his vehicle and another after failing to check his mirrors. CCTV showed the cyclist's backpack caught in the wheels, spinning her body so her lower limbs were trapped rather than her head. The cyclist was taken to hospital in critical condition, suffered multiple fractures and crush injuries, and has undergone at least six surgeries with ongoing rehabilitation. Burns pleaded guilty to careless driving causing serious injury. Judge Martin Nolan, hearing the case at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, imposed an eight‑month suspended sentence and did not impose a driving ban, citing Burns' lack of prior convictions and the absence of aggravating factors. The judge noted Burns' responsibility to observe all road users and his failure to give the cyclist a wider berth.
During the Central Criminal Court hearing, Detective Sergeant Mark Looby explained that Daniel Blanaru, a 37‑year‑old from Rathmore, Athboy, Co. Meath, repeatedly deflected questions during his August 12, 2022 interview at Ashbourne Garda Station. Looby described how Blanaru would shift from the questions asked, often speaking about unrelated matters. The detective also denied the defence's claim that Gardaí had "pushed" a narrative onto Blanaru. He stated that Blanaru's statements about the knife and the victim's injuries were his own free narrative, not imposed by the Garda. Looby noted that Blanaru had admitted to being guilty and wanting to be locked up, but had not agreed to any statements for the sake of agreement. The trial continues before Justice Eileen Creedon and an enlarged jury. Daniel Blanaru pleaded not guilty.
In a hearing at Lansdowne House, Dublin 4, the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) set to consider statutory complaints against Huawei Technologies (Ireland) Co Ltd by former employee Wei Luo. Luo alleges discrimination, constructive dismissal, and breaches of the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977, the Payment of Wages Act 1991 and the Employment Equality Act 1998. Huawei's representative, Daire Ferguson, requested an adjournment because several witnesses could not attend. The WRC granted the adjournment, with a new hearing likely in late April. Huawei intends to call three witnesses – Luo's former line manager, an HR employee and a current employee who can speak to equality and inclusion policies – though the relevance of the latter was questioned. Luo's side has no witnesses but will rely on documents. The adjudicator emphasised that the case would proceed once the new date is set, even if witnesses are missing. The specific allegations remain undisclosed.
The High Court has granted a second stay on Workplace Relations Commission proceedings within a fortnight, following an application by Vincent Maughan of Crossmolina, County Mayo. Mr Maughan, a former retained firefighter with Mayo County Council, claims he was prejudiced by the adjudicating officer and that she should have recused herself from the case. Permission for judicial review was granted, and Mr Justice Micheál P O'Higgins issued an injunction pausing the WRC hearing scheduled for today. Mr Maughan contends that the adjudication officer violated fair procedures requirements, breached public justice principles by conducting remote hearings without public accessibility, and refused recusal without allowing proper legal representation. He seeks declarations that the respondent acted unlawfully and that he is entitled to professional recording and transcription of proceedings. The case has been adjourned to April. Mr Maughan resigned from his position on 6 April 2023 and subsequently lodged complaints to the WRC regarding alleged breach of his statutory employment rights.
During the trial, the jury examined CCTV footage that the prosecution claims shows Rachel Redmond checking Wayne Cooney into the Clayton Hotel near Dublin Airport on the night of May 22, 2019, the same night Jordan Davis was shot dead in Darndale. The footage shows a Ford Focus arriving at the hotel at 00:03, Redmond booking a room with her name and credit card, and Cooney leaving the car to stay the night. Later footage shows Cooney exiting the hotel at 11:39, taking a taxi to the AUL Sports Centre, and returning to the same Ford Focus at 11:49. The prosecution also presented evidence of Cooney's tattoos, including a series of €50 bank notes and the Ha'penny Bridge on his right hand, a crown with "RR" on his left hand, and other markings on his legs. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
Craig Maples, 29, of Green Briar, Dublin, is serving a seven‑year sentence for violent disorder and assault causing serious harm to Austin Doherty in 2022. In December 2023 he pleaded guilty to a 2020 assault on a housemate in Huntstown, Dublin 15, where he and two men attacked the victim, who was sleeping in his rented room. The victim suffered head wounds and a fractured elbow, required surgery, and later emigrated to Croatia after becoming homeless and unable to work. Maples was sentenced to two years and three months for the 2020 assault, back‑dated to his guilty plea, meaning he will not serve additional time beyond his existing sentence. The court noted the victim's life was severely disrupted by the attack. The other two men were never identified. The sentence was imposed by Judge Orla Crowe.
A remote worker from Monaghan brought a complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission against her employer, PFH Technology Group Ltd, regarding her redundancy payment. The complainant, who had worked as a scheduler and administrative assistant since October 2018 and was based remotely, received notice in April 2024 requiring her to relocate to the company's Cork office within four weeks. She stated this was impossible given her Monaghan residence and that no alternative arrangements were discussed. She subsequently took stress leave, and in July was presented with a termination agreement described as a gesture of goodwill. The employer's representative confirmed that a statutory redundancy payment of €7,788 had been correctly calculated and paid in September 2024, and submitted that other grievances fell outside the scope of redundancy legislation. Adjudicating officer Una Glazier-Farmer said she would issue her decision by email in due course.
The Court of Appeal heard submissions on whether to uphold convictions against three men jailed for the kidnap and torture of Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney. Sean Guerin SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, argued that the case rested on sound circumstantial evidence assessed in its totality, and urged the court to maintain the verdicts. Defence counsel disputed this approach, contending that errors in the trial judgment would not self-correct through broader analysis. Alan Harte, Alan O'Brien, and Darren Redmond were convicted in December 2022 of false imprisonment and intentionally causing serious harm to Mr Lunney at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, County Cavan on 17 September 2019. Harte received a 30-year sentence, O'Brien 25 years, and Redmond 18 years with the final three suspended. The appellants have challenged the admissibility of DNA evidence from a van destroyed in garda custody and phone records used at trial, among other matters. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, sitting with two fellow judges, reserved judgment to be delivered at a later date.
In March 2025, 18‑year‑old Josh Kenny of Tallaght was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for assault causing serious harm after he threatened and then slashed a security guard's face with a 13‑cm wound. The incident began when Kenny, riding an e‑scooter, confronted a guard in a car park. A verbal altercation escalated, and after a brief departure, Kenny returned and, while the guard was on camera, struck him in the face before fleeing. The guard was hospitalized and required stitches. Kenny pleaded guilty to the charge on 25 April 2024. He had no prior convictions at the time, but later accrued seven offences. The judge noted Kenny's age and personal circumstances as mitigating, yet described the crime as "nasty" and "vicious vengeance." The sentence was back‑dated to the day he entered custody.
Badruzzaman Masum, a 47-year-old taxi driver from Swords, Co Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for the sexual assault of an 18-year-old passenger. Masum pleaded guilty to the charge, which relates to an incident on November 27, 2024. Prosecution evidence presented by Garda Ciara Ryan alleged that Masum touched the victim's thigh, made crude sexual comments, and roughly groped her breast as she exited the vehicle. The victim had ordered the taxi via an app, and Masum was identified through CCTV and app analysis. Although Masum made no admissions during his interview, he has expressed remorse and has not worked as a taxi driver since entering his plea. Judge Patricia Ryan noted the significant breach of trust and the victim's young age as aggravating factors, while acknowledging Masum's lack of previous convictions. The court imposed a two-year custodial sentence. Additionally, Masum was ordered to be placed on the sex offender's register. The matter was finalised with this sentence.
In a north Dublin incident on 24 January 2023, 63‑year‑old John McDonagh struck a 95‑year‑old woman who mistakenly believed she had a green pedestrian light while crossing the road at Drumcondra Road Lower and Botanic Road. McDonagh was turning right when the filter lane's light turned green, but he did not see the woman and collided with her. The court heard that the traffic lights' sequencing did not indicate a green pedestrian signal, and that the investigating Garda agreed the victim may have assumed a green man. The elderly victim suffered fractures and other injuries, requiring a mobility walker after a 13‑week hospital stay. McDonagh pleaded guilty to careless driving, had no prior convictions, and was fined €1,000 with a six‑month payment period. The judge described the incident as unfortunate and noted McDonagh's low culpability due to his slow speed and lack of expectation of the victim's presence.
Paul Byrne, 52, faces a trial set for 10 June 2026 in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after a defence application. He has not yet entered a plea. Byrne was charged in the District Court with three counts of assault causing harm to a woman, alleged to have occurred between September 2017 and May 2022. The court expects the trial to last four days.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Harry Smyth, 26, pleaded guilty to careless driving causing serious bodily harm after failing to see a stop sign on a rural road near Nevitt, Balbriggan. While driving a Ford Fiesta, he collided with a black Toyota Yaris whose driver suffered severe back and neck injuries, requiring surgery, while the passenger daughter was unharmed. Smyth admitted he had mistakenly gone through the stop sign, which he only noticed after the crash. He remained at the scene, cooperated with Gardaí, and later apologized to the victim, who described the accident as life‑changing and devastating to his family. The court noted no aggravating factors such as speed or intoxication and imposed a nine‑month prison sentence suspended on strict conditions, with no driving disqualification requested by the defence. The case also involves a civil claim.
Two women, aged 33 and younger, testified that they were sexually abused by an older cousin and a second cousin, and that their families did not believe them. The 33‑year‑old accused pleaded guilty to rape, oral rape and sexual assault of the older girl and sexual assault of the younger girl between 2004 and 2008 at their grandparents' home. His older brother, aged 34, pleaded guilty to one count of rape and sexual assault of the older girl in 2005. The second cousin, aged 14 at the time of the offence, was charged only for one incident. The court heard the women described lifelong trauma, PTSD and loss of family support. Mr Justice Tony Hunt adjourned sentencing to 31 March, remanded the men in custody and praised the women's strength. The accused men read apology letters and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
The High Court has ruled that Michelle Keane, an unsuccessful Independent Dáil candidate in Kerry, is out of time to challenge the November 2024 General Election result. Ms Keane, of Talbot Bridge, Knocknagoshel, claimed she witnessed ballots being torn from boxes at the Toureencahill polling station. She sought an order to release the marked register of electors and halt the destruction of election documents, naming the Clerk of the Dáil, the Irish Government, and Returning Officer Padraig Burke as respondents. Mr Justice Garrett Simons refused leave to present the election petition, noting that the 14-day limit under the Electoral Act 1992 had expired. The election was declared on November 30, 2024, but Ms Keane's application was not moved until March 7. The judge stated that Ms Keane was aware of her complaint on the night of the poll and that this was not a case of concealed fraud. He described her as "entirely unsuccessful" in the proceedings. Separately, last December, Ms Keane was jailed at Listowel Circuit Civil Court for refusing to comply with an injunction order prohibiting her from posting online about Listowel Garda Sergeant Melanie Walsh. She was released by Killarney Circuit Civil Court on December 13 after signing an undertaking to desist from such postings.
Georgina Tuohey, mother of three children who were raped and sexually abused by Brendan Cornally, spoke from the court during his sentencing at the Central Criminal Court. Cornally was sentenced to a total of 17½ years for the rape and sexual assault of her two sons and the sexual assault of her daughter. He had previously served 10 years for the rape of a boy aged 10‑14 and 21 months for the assault of a sister aged 13‑15. The judge imposed a headline sentence of 20 years, with the final two and a half years suspended on strict conditions for five years. Tuohey expressed that the sentence was lenient and that the justice system would let people like her down, while the judge noted the impact of Cornally's actions on her son, who suffered a severe decline in health and became catatonic. The sentencing was consecutive to his existing 11‑year‑nine‑month term. Brendan Cornally pleaded guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a woman who was gang‑raped by three men in a Dublin nightclub on 31 August 2019 gave a victim impact statement. She described how the men – Anthony Hickey (39), Fabio Vicente (42) and Matin Zolfaghari (34) – watched her movements, used her body as an object and raped her in a car and in a house. The statement detailed her fear, anxiety, flashbacks and nightmares, and her anger at the men's videos of the assault that were shared for a laugh. She said the criminal process was long and daunting, and that the men had taken away her freedom, her body and her love for life. The court noted the men were remanded in custody and the case was adjourned for sentencing on 27 March. The statement was given in plain Irish‑English prose, with no additional claims or inferences beyond the facts presented in the article. Anthony Hickey pleaded not guilty and was convicted. Fabio Vicente pleaded not guilty and was found guilty. Matin Zolfaghari pleaded not guilty and was convicted.
Charles Colthrust, owner of Blarney Castle, has been granted leave by the High Court to challenge two convictions—drink driving on the M8 in October 2024 and dangerous driving on the M8 in September 2023—on the basis that crucial CCTV footage was lost. The convictions were handed down by Fermoy District Court after the court found the requested CCTV relevant. Colthrust's lawyers had requested preservation of the footage in November 2023, but the footage was overwritten after 28 days and could not be recovered from the public office channel. Defence technicians later retrieved footage from 16 other channels, but not the relevant one. The High Court has ordered a stay of the convictions pending the judicial review, with the case adjourned to April 2026. The review will consider whether the loss of the footage affected the fairness of the proceedings. The case remains at the High Court stage.
Nathan Ndaba, 26, of Coolmine, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to money laundering €8,500 on August 15, 2019. The court heard that an injured party fell victim to a phishing scam, resulting in an unauthorised transfer to Ndaba's account. Garda Darragh Cash testified that Ndaba was approached by a man known as "Black John" to use his account, though another individual later attempted to withdraw the funds. Under cross-examination, the garda acknowledged Ndaba's peripheral role, his early plea, and that the full amount was recovered. Judge Nolan noted Ndaba's 29 previous convictions for road traffic offences and failing to appear, but accepted his defence counsel's mitigation that these were not of a similar nature. The judge stated that the appropriate sentence was 20 months, which he suspended in full on strict conditions. Additionally, Ndaba was ordered to pay €1,000 to gardai for application to a charity within three months. The judge remarked that providing one's bank account to others indicates wrongdoing, and the fine was intended to remind Ndaba not to re-offend.
During the Central Criminal Court trial of Daniel Blanaru, a 37‑year‑old accused of murdering his partner Larisa Serban, Detective Sergeant Mark Looby rejected the defence's claim that the interview was tainted by the accused's tiredness. Looby told the jury that Blanaru had changed his account three times and that the detective did not accept that the accused's statements about being tired raised any concern. The detective noted that Blanaru had admitted to being drunk and unable to remember everything, but he insisted that the interview was conducted properly. Looby also stated that the accused had not introduced the word "knife" into his narrative and that any mention of a knife was a new account given during the interview. The trial continues tomorrow before Justice Eileen Creedon and an enlarged jury. The unnamed 37-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Mark Davis, 35, with 207 prior convictions, was sentenced in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for stealing a DPD delivery van on 4 December 2023. Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin imposed a headline sentence of three years, reduced to two, but suspended the entire term. Conditions include engagement with the Probation Service, drug treatment, employment or education, and victim‑focused work. Davis was also disqualified from driving for five years. He pleaded guilty to the van theft, stealing 66 packages worth €901, and driving without a licence. The judge noted his lack of insight into the seriousness of the offence but acknowledged pro‑social support from family. Davis had previously been under a 20‑year driving ban and had a history of hit‑and‑runs, burglary, theft and other offences. The court remanded him on bail pending the sentencing hearing.
The mother of a five‑year‑old boy with autism, who was told she must wait six years to access HSE services, has asked the High Court to review the proposed time frame. She says the boy's assessment application was made on 13 December 2022, but the HSE's own timetable would have had it started on 13 February 2023 and finished by 13 May 2023. The report, received on 16 October 2024, confirmed the boy met the criteria for autism spectrum disorder and showed significant delays across motor, language, cognitive and social‑emotional domains. She argues that a six‑year wait until May 2028 would cause significant harm to his health and education. The court granted permission for a judicial review, reserved costs and adjourned the case to April. The case is now set for a hearing.
A 28‑year‑old man, John Glynn, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment by the Central Criminal Court for six counts of sexual assault against a girl aged between eight and thirteen who was being minded by his mother at his family home in Co. Kildare. The victim, who chose to waive anonymity, described ongoing fear, trust issues and psychological distress in her impact statement. Glynn pleaded guilty to the assaults, which occurred between 2013 and 2018, and was also charged with possession of child sexual abuse material, a charge pending sentencing in May. The judge noted Glynn's high risk of re‑offending, his admission of shame, and his ongoing cannabis use, and imposed a two‑year post‑release supervision order and a requirement to engage in a sex‑offender treatment programme. The sentence was reduced from a potential seven years to five years and six months, reflecting that Glynn was a juvenile for part of the offending period.
A 59-year-old man from Dunfanaghy, County Donegal has been sentenced to 11 years imprisonment following his conviction for the sexual abuse of two teenage girls over two decades ago. Andrew Robert John McElhinney was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury on seven of nine counts following trial in Monaghan last July. He was convicted of three counts of sexual assault and three sample counts of rape relating to the first complainant, and one count of sexual assault against the second. The offences occurred between May 1998 and September 2000 and took place predominantly in McElhinney's home. At the time, the victims were approximately 14 and 16 years old, while McElhinney was 19 years their senior. Justice Patrick McGrath imposed the sentence having regard to the serious and lasting impact on the victims, the breach of trust involved, the age disparity, and the repeated nature of the abuse. The judge noted McElhinney's lack of cooperation with probation services and his continued assertion of innocence despite the jury verdict.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Lucas Da Silva Cruz, a 30‑year‑old Brazilian, was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 23‑year‑old flatmate on 4 July 2019. The assault occurred while the victim was sleeping on a sofa in a three‑bedroom house shared with 12 others. Da Silva Cruz claimed the act was consensual, but the victim's impact statement described ongoing anxiety, sleepless nights, nightmares, anger, sadness and vulnerability, and her need for regular therapy. She also noted her pregnancy and gratitude for justice. Da Silva Cruz had no prior convictions, had resigned from his IT job after conviction, and was supporting his elderly mother in São Paulo. Judge Orla Crowe sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, back‑dated to 17 January, and placed him on the sex offenders register. The sentence was reduced from a headline four‑year term. The case highlighted the breach of trust and the victim's lasting psychological harm.
Brian McHugh, 40, was sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of 52-year-old Lisa Thompson. The sentence was backdated to July 11, 2022, when he entered custody. McHugh had pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Thompson at Sandyhill Gardens, Ballymun, Dublin 11, on May 9, 2022. A jury unanimously found him guilty after rejecting his defence that she was a "woman of secrets." The court heard three emotional victim impact statements from Ms Thompson's teenage daughter, son, and sister, Ashley Duckett. The daughter described the injuries as resembling "horror movies" and stated McHugh's face would haunt her. The judge, Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, noted the "horrific and brutal circumstances" of the death. Prior to sentencing, the Court of Appeal overturned a pre-trial ruling that had excluded CCTV identification evidence, restoring it for the trial. Evidence included McHugh's DNA on a blind cord used to strangle the victim and text messages from a named woman referencing the killing. McHugh has 50 previous convictions, including theft, robbery, and drug offences. The matter was concluded with the imposition of the life sentence.
The Court of Appeal quashed the conviction of a 34‑year‑old man who had been jailed for eight years for conspiring to steal the getaway car used in the credit union robbery that killed Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe. The appeal court held that the Special Criminal Court had breached the defendant's right to natural justice by amending the indictment after the three‑month trial had finished and without consulting the prosecution or defence. The amendment added a charge of conspiring to steal a Volkswagen Passat from a property in Clogherhead, a charge that had not been presented to the defendant during the trial. The Court of Appeal did not consider other arguments raised by the defence and will hear whether the defendant should face a retrial on 18 March. The court also dismissed mobile‑phone evidence used to link the defendant to a series of burglaries, finding it insufficient to prove conspiracy beyond a reasonable doubt.
Two Brazilian drug mules, Felipe Oliviera Gaspar, 30, and Valter Soares, 26, were apprehended at Dublin Airport in separate incidents within weeks of each other, each carrying a kilogram of cocaine in their bodies. Gaspar swallowed 67 pellets and inserted three larger ones rectally; Soares swallowed 120 pellets. The cocaine recovered from Gaspar was valued at just under €70,000, while Soares' was worth €71,000. Gaspar pleaded guilty to possession for sale or supply and to drug importation, had no prior convictions, and was arrested by customs, taken to hospital for eight days of treatment, and later sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan to two years and nine months in prison, backdated to his custody date. Soares pleaded guilty to drug importation, had no prior convictions, and was sentenced to two years and three months, also backdated to his custody date. Both men cited debt to loan sharks and fear of criminal gangs as motives for smuggling the drugs.
Michelle Keane, an unsuccessful Independent candidate in the Kerry General Election, appeared before the High Court to seek the setting aside of the election result. She alleged that she witnessed ballot papers being torn from boxes at a polling station on November 29, 2024, and requested access to the marked register of electors under the Electoral Act 1992. Mr Justice Garret Simons noted that any petition against an election should have been initiated within 28 days of polling day, which had passed. He reserved his judgment until Tuesday. Separately, regarding a distinct matter, Ms Keane was jailed at Listowel Circuit Civil Court on December 11 for refusing to comply with an injunction order prohibiting her from posting online about Listowel Garda Sergeant Melanie Walsh. This followed a July order from Ennis Circuit Civil Court requiring the removal of such posts. Although Ms Keane submitted an affidavit claiming she was not in breach, the court found otherwise. She was subsequently released by Killarney Circuit Civil Court on December 13 after signing an undertaking to desist from making further online statements about the sergeant.
In a Darndale lane on 22 May 2019, a young father, Jordan Davis, was shot to death while pushing his four‑month‑old son in a pram. CCTV footage, examined by Garda Cormac Flynn, shows Davis walking with a pram on Primrose Grove at 3.56 pm, then meeting a man who later is identified as Wayne Cooney. At 4.00 pm a cyclist in dark clothing, holding a weapon, points it at Davis and he collapses. The cyclist then rides back toward Primrose Grove. Fire‑brigade officer Gerry Woods later found Davis lying on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds, deemed incompatible with life. The case is before Mr Justice Paul Burns with a jury of three men and nine women, expected to last three weeks. Rachel Redmond, 34, is charged with two counts of aiding and abetting murder by facilitating Cooney's escape, and she has pleaded not guilty. The trial continues on Tuesday.