A 47‑year‑old man was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for sexual assault and exploitation of a teenage girl in foster care. He pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault, five counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and three counts of using technology to facilitate the sexual exploitation of a child. The offences took place between November 2021 and April 2023, when the victim was aged 14 to 16. The court heard that the man was in a relationship with the daughter of the girl's foster mother and that the abuse was discovered after the foster mother found sexual messages. The girl described repeated incidents of the man masturbating in front of her, giving her vapes and cannabis, and touching her breasts. She also reported that the man sent explicit voice messages in exchange for vapes.
Oluwasegun Azeez, 31, was sentenced to six and a half years in prison after the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found him guilty of participating in a Ghanaian criminal organisation that carried out PUP fraud, money laundering, social welfare theft, business email compromise and loan fraud between 2020 and 2022. Azeez recruited money mules, opened bank accounts, sent false documents to secure loans, and directed others to move money. Garda investigations revealed he used staff details to claim €49,500 in Pandemic Unemployment Payments, fraudulently purchased a suit from Louis Copeland, and entered a hire‑purchase agreement for an Audi Q3 jeep. He also attempted to recruit others for phishing and smishing scams. The court noted his early guilty plea and personal circumstances, but imposed the six‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence.
Four men – Adam Baker (25), Clayton Lieghio (23), Glen Lieghio (28) and Jamie Boyd (25) – were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for an affray that took place on 24 October 2021 at Priorswood Inn, Priorswood. The incident was discovered when Garda Alan Roche reviewed CCTV footage as part of a separate investigation. The court heard that a verbal disagreement escalated into a 60‑second brawl involving a large group, with each man throwing objects or striking others. All four pleaded guilty. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a 12‑month sentence on Clayton Lieghio, back‑dated to February 2024, an 18‑month suspended sentence on Jamie Boyd, a 10‑month sentence on Adam Baker, and an 18‑month suspended sentence on Glen Lieghio. The court noted each defendant's prior convictions, personal circumstances and mitigating factors presented by their counsel, but no victim impact statements were provided.
In a High Court hearing, former Limerick hurler Mark Keane, aged 43, presented evidence in a personal injuries claim against Johnson & Johnson Vision Care (Ireland). He alleged that on 10 September 2018, while working as a technician at the company's plant in the National Technological Park, Plassey, a co‑worker's arm was caught in machinery. Keane ran to help but was unable to free the colleague, and in the process his own right hand was caught, resulting in a severe deformity of his little finger. He described ongoing pain that radiates up his arm to his neck and back down, and stated he has not worked since the incident. Keane claims the company was negligent and breached its duty of care, seeking damages. He also noted that the company stopped paying him in December 2022, leaving him on an invalidity pension and unable to secure new employment. The case is scheduled to continue next week.
David McGrath, 31, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to five years' imprisonment for possession of child pornography. The court heard that a laptop seized from his home contained 1,730 images, including 708 in Category 1 depicting children aged one to eight in sexual activities, and 1,022 in Category 2 showing exposed genital or anal areas. Additional searches in December 2020 uncovered 445 illegal images on a laptop and over 2,200 on a smartphone, with 695 Category 1 images of children under five. McGrath had prior convictions in 2017 and 2018, for which he received suspended sentences and was on the sex offenders register. The judge imposed consecutive sentences totalling eight and a half years, suspended the final three years for six years, and set strict conditions involving the Probation Service, device disclosure, and Garda supervision. The court noted McGrath's acceptance of responsibility and his ongoing therapy and family support. David McGrath pleaded guilty.
A man has been convicted and sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for serious sexual offences against his sister. Kyle Jinks, aged 31, of Slievemore, Ballytivnan, County Sligo, was found guilty on 21 sample counts of rape and four sample counts of sexual assault committed between 2008 and 2014. The offences occurred at the family home in County Sligo when the victim was aged between 11 and 17 years old and the defendant was between 14 and 20. Mr Justice David Keane imposed sentence on 28 February 2025, noting the severe breach of familial trust, the victim's vulnerability, and the persistent pattern of offending over seven years. The judge observed that the family home became a place of fear rather than safety. Jinks maintains his innocence and intends to appeal the verdicts. He has 25 previous convictions. The court heard he is assessed as very high risk of re-offending. Two years' post-release supervision has been directed.
In a case heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Jake Walsh, aged 28, was sentenced to 27 months' imprisonment for dangerous driving that caused serious harm. The incident occurred on 30 October 2021 at the junction of Naas Road and Long Mile Road, where Walsh was estimated to be travelling at 129 km/h in a 60 km/h zone. He struck a motorist from the UK who had inadvertently passed three red lights at a confusing gyratory junction. The collision left the victim with a traumatic brain injury, liver laceration, fractures and the need to relearn how to walk. Walsh, who had previous convictions for road offences, pleaded guilty and was also disqualified from driving for five years. The court noted his remorse and good work history, but highlighted the excessive speed as an aggravating factor in the sentencing.
Mairead Hanlon, a physical‑activity project worker at North Kerry Day Centre Ltd, earned €15 an hour for a 20‑hour week. In October 2023 she testified at an employment tribunal that she did not intend to return to work, while she was on sick leave for significant stress. The centre had asked her to transfer to a care home for elderly dementia patients for two weeks to cover staff absences caused by Covid‑19. Hanlon argued the instruction was a fundamental change to her contract, which required her to work in the community. The centre's grievance process upheld the complaint, but the WRC rejected it on preliminary grounds because the complaint was filed too late. In a second WRC case, the centre accepted her resignation after she had not formally resigned. The adjudicator found the dismissal was unfair, awarding Hanlon €6,500.
Nathan McDonnell, former chief executive of Ballyseedy Garden Centre, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to 12 years imprisonment for facilitating an organised crime group and 6 years concurrently for drug importation, backdated to his custody. The judge found McDonnell, aged 44, had been "committed to and invested in" a €32 million crystal‑meth operation linked to the Sinaloa Cartel. He stored a machine containing the drugs at his premises, paid shipping charges, and arranged export to Australia, receiving no payment. McDonnell admitted to Gardaí that he was unaware of the machine's contents. The court noted his financial hardship, family responsibilities, and the impact on his three sons. The sentence reflected the international reach of the criminal organisation and the large quantity of drugs involved. The judge also considered McDonnell's cooperation, good character and lack of prior convictions in mitigation.
Derek Fee, a 37‑year‑old Dubliner, was jailed for six and a half years after a series of drug‑related offences while on bail. In June 2022, Gardaí stopped him in Tallaght and seized three deals of cocaine, 300 diazepam tablets, a weighing scale and a burner phone. A warrant led to a search of his home, where no drugs were found, but a false compartment in a car he had owned for four weeks yielded €14,000 worth of cannabis. The following month, while driving a rental van, Gardaí discovered a kilo of cannabis under the passenger seat, valued at €20,000. Fee pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply on both occasions. The court, noting his prior convictions and the mitigating evidence presented, imposed two and a half years for the first offence and four years for the second, to run consecutively.
Ian Kidney, a 37‑year‑old Dublin resident, was sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in a €3 million cannabis and cocaine operation. He had no prior criminal record but was under Garda surveillance from 3 April last year. Kidney pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of drugs for sale or supply: one for transporting drugs on Dublin's north side and another for a haul at a south‑side storage facility. Garda Brian Kirwan testified that Kidney drove a van to Finglas, delivering two boxes to Liam Mellows Road, where €320 000 of cannabis was found. He then drove into Dublin City Centre, where a stop on Beresford Street led to the seizure of €198 332 of cannabis. A self‑storage unit in Ballymount yielded €2.28 million of cannabis herb, €5 572 of resin and €694 858 of cocaine; Kidney held one of two keys.
A 50‑year‑old man was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting his 12‑year‑old daughter between January 2016 and August 2017 at a Dublin address. He pleaded guilty and had five prior convictions, including rape and sexual assault. The court heard that the victim and her siblings were in his sole care after their mother's death in 2012, and that the children often watched films in his room while he drank downstairs. The victim recalled being touched on the outside of her underwear and then being digitally penetrated; she fled to her bedroom and later told a family member before filing a complaint in 2023. The judge noted the aggravating factor that the victim was his daughter and that he had failed to fulfil parental responsibilities. The sentence was back‑dated to the date of the guilty plea.
In a High Court hearing on 27 February 2025, former Limerick hurler Mark Keane, aged 43, claimed he suffered severe injuries while assisting a coworker at a Johnson & Johnson Vision care plant in Plassey. Keane, who worked as a technician making contact lenses, said that on 10 September 2018 a colleague's arm was caught in a machine. He ran to help, but his own hand became trapped in the machinery's internal grating, bending his little finger backwards. Keane held the machine's lid and plate ajar for 30–60 seconds until colleagues used a crowbar to free the coworker. He alleged the incident caused sustained, continuous injury to his hand, elbow and back, leaving him with a frozen shoulder, pain along his arm and loss of grip. His lawyers argued Johnson & Johnson breached their duty of care and failed to provide a safe workplace. The case remains pending.
The High Court has ordered a halt to Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) hearings in a case brought by Bridget Casey-Mulligan, a senior civilian manager at Garda headquarters. Mr Justice Garrett Simons granted an interim injunction after finding grounds to suggest WRC adjudication officer Máire Mulcahy exceeded her jurisdiction by imposing reporting restrictions. Ms Casey-Mulligan, who alleged whistleblower penalisation and unlawful salary deduction, sought judicial review regarding these restrictions and a separate challenge concerning the adjudicator taking external advice during a recess. Justice Simons expressed concern that the adjudicator purported to impose her own reporting limits, citing Supreme Court precedent on the publicity of adjudication proceedings. He granted leave for the judicial review into the adjudicator's conduct and the press direction. However, he refused an application to restrict reporting on Ms Casey-Mulligan's medical situation, noting the irony of a party seeking anonymity while challenging others' naming, though he allowed the application to be renewed later. The matter was adjourned pending the High Court's consideration of the legal challenge to the WRC's procedural directions. The application was brought ex-parte against the adjudicator, with the Government, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, and the Garda Commissioner identified as notice parties.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 37‑year‑old man named Daniel Blanaru, accused of murdering his 26‑year‑old partner Larisa Serban, appeared at a Garda station with blood on his clothes and was described as crying hysterically. Blanaru told officers he had drunk half a bottle of whiskey the night of the stabbing at their Co Meath home. He also claimed he had begged the deceased's brother for cocaine that night. Garda John Wallace recounted seeing Blanaru pacing, handing over his licence, and later crying while in custody. Garda Rachael Carr observed him crying repeatedly in the cell. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, will continue next Monday with an enlarged jury. The State maintains that Blanaru was a jealous and controlling partner who stabbed Larisa on or about 12 August 2022. The accused has pleaded not guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Paul McDermott has warned the jury that it would be dangerous to rely on the testimony of Alan Vial, who has implicated his co-accused Nikita Burns in the death of Robert Wilkin. Both deny murdering the 66-year-old man, whose body was discovered in the sea near Sliabh Liag in Donegal on June 33, 2023, eight days after he died. The prosecution alleges that Vial and Burns were engaged in a joint enterprise to cause serious harm to Wilkin before placing him over the cliffs. Vial testified that Burns struck Wilkin with a rock, while Burns told gardaí that Vial inflicted the fatal blows. The judge instructed the jury that whilst Vial's cross-examined court evidence may be considered against Burns, uncorroborated testimony from a co-accused on the same charge carries inherent risks of fabrication or false implication. The jury was also directed on alternative verdicts and the distinction between murder and impeding prosecution. The trial continues next week. Alan Vial pleaded not guilty. Nikita Burns pleaded not guilty.
Brian McHugh, 40, of Ballymun, Dublin 11, was found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of murdering Lisa Thompson, 52, at Sandyhill Gardens on May 9, 2022. McHugh had pleaded not guilty to the charge. The jury, which deliberated for three hours and 24 minutes, unanimously rejected the defence argument that the killing involved "overkill" and that Thompson was a "woman of secrets." The prosecution presented circumstantial evidence, including CCTV footage placing McHugh near the victim's home, DNA on a blind cord used to strangle her, and jewellery found at his address matching items linked to Thompson. The court also heard evidence regarding text messages sent by a named woman to McHugh referencing the method of killing. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor thanked the jury and excused them from service for five years. She offered condolences to the Thompson family. The matter was adjourned; Ms Justice O'Connor will hand down the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment to McHugh on March 10. McHugh has been remanded in custody until that date, when the family will have the opportunity to make a statement. A prior pre-trial ruling excluding recognition evidence was overturned by the Court of Appeal, allowing that evidence to be considered at trial.
The Workplace Relations Commission ruled that Our Lady of Hope School must pay Christina Doyle €5,000 for unfair dismissal. Doyle, a cleaner employed from 9 November 2021 to 13 November 2023, earned €12 an hour for ten hours a week. She was dismissed after the principal accused her of leaving a bucket of diluted bleach in a corridor. Doyle denied responsibility, claimed the principal shouted and behaved abusively, and said she left due to panic and fear of a death threat. The school argued she resigned, citing her refusal to return keys and her statement "I am out of here, I am done." The tribunal found no sworn evidence from the school, deemed the death‑threat claim implausible, and concluded Doyle was unfairly dismissed with no fair procedures. The award covered over ten months' wages, just short of 42 weeks' pay.
In the High Court, a case brought by six animal welfare charities against the State regarding regulations for XL Bully dogs was settled. Sunniva McDonagh SC, representing My Lovely Horse Rescue, Clare Animal Welfare, Working Animal Guardians, Dogs Angels Ireland, Wicklow Animal Welfare, and the Haven Rescue, informed Ms Justice Sara Phelan that the matter had been resolved. Shelley Horan BL, for the State, confirmed the settlement and indicated that amendments to the controversial regulations would be made. Counsel for the applicants proposed that the case be struck out on consent, with an order for the plaintiff's costs, though both orders could be postponed. They requested that the existing injunction preventing the Department of Rural Development from seizing or euthanising dogs remain in place until final orders are made four weeks after the promulgation of the amended regulations. Ms Justice Phelan adjourned the matter for mention on April 29. The case challenged regulations that would have allowed agents to seize or euthanise XL Bully dogs in the care of animal welfare organisations. Previously, Mr Justice John Jordan granted an injunction against these regulations, citing the lack of a review mechanism for breed assessments. Under the proposed rules, owners found in breach of the 1986 Control of Dogs Act by keeping an XL Bully without an exemption certificate face potential seizure and euthanasia of the animal, alongside imprisonment of up to three months, a fine of up to €2,500, or both.
An unnamed 17-year-old defendant was sentenced to 20 months' detention by Judge Martin Nolan in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assault causing harm. The teen, who was 16 at the time, pleaded guilty to instigating an unprovoked attack on US tourist Stephen Termini in July 2023, which left the victim with serious brain injuries. Judge Nolan noted the defendant's nine previous convictions, including for assault causing harm and violent disorder, stating he had not taken prior chances to change. Although defence counsel Conor Devally SC requested a sentence with a suspended element to support rehabilitation, the judge reluctantly imposed custody, citing a total lack of insight. Two other boys involved in the attack, who pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and violent disorder, were previously sentenced to 32 and 26 months' detention respectively. The victim, who has since changed his surname to Donnelly, suffered ongoing health issues including PTSD and requires a cane to walk. He stated he forgives the boys but seeks help covering his €103,000 in medical costs.
David Williams, 68, was sentenced to six years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to multiple counts of deception, providing legal services while unqualified, and acting as an unauthorised personal insolvency practitioner between January 2019 and June 2020. The court found that Williams, who was not a practising barrister, defrauded hundreds of foreign nationals through bogus firms including THL Legal and Moore, Barrington and Walters. In a separate bill, he admitted to defrauding a Galway woman in her 80s by dishonestly inducing her to purchase a Kuboto U27 mini-digger for €7,841. Co-accused Crystal Talia, 46, pleaded guilty to impeding an investigation by allowing Williams to use her bank accounts. Talia, who has no previous convictions, was previously given a one-year suspended sentence. Judge Orla Crowe described Williams as an "endemic recidivist fraudster" who breached the trust of victims seeking to regularise their status in Ireland. Williams had previously failed to attend a sentencing hearing, resulting in two bench warrants. Defence counsel cited Williams' cardiac condition and employment history in mitigation, while noting his multiple prior convictions dating back to the 1970s. The matter was finalised with the imposition of the custodial sentence.
Debbie Fowler, 44, of Blanchardstown, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing cannabis for sale or supply at her home on 16 July 2021. The cannabis, weighing just under six kilograms and valued at €118,770, had been delivered to her address after being intercepted by customs and a controlled delivery was arranged. Fowler admitted she knew the parcel contained cannabis and that she had been paid €200 to accept it. Garda Anthony Quinn described her as an easy target, noting her alcohol difficulties and that she was under the influence when she accepted the package. The court considered her single‑mother status and co‑parenting responsibilities. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a four‑year suspended sentence on strict conditions, citing her low culpability and caring duties. The sentence was not immediate custodial, reflecting the exceptional category of the case.
Garda Nicholas Keogh, aged 46, has been granted permission by the High Court to pursue a judicial review against the Garda Commissioner over the reduction of his sick pay. Keogh, who joined the force in June 1999, had not taken sick leave until October 2011. He suffered a musculo‑skeletal injury in 2012, followed by periods of alcohol addiction treatment and work‑related stress diagnoses in 2012, 2013 and 2014. He claims that the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission failed to address his complaints of bullying, harassment and unfitness for work, and that his salary was reduced during his sick leave. The Disclosures Tribunal in July 2021 found his complaints unjustified, but Keogh seeks to quash the Commissioner's decision to end the special arrangement that allowed him full pay and to have his illness recorded as ordinary illness. Mr Justice Garrett Simons granted leave for the hearing, which is adjourned to 25 March.
Lawyers for senior Garda civilian manager Bridget Casey‑Mulligan claim anonymity directions are being misused by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). They intend to seek a High Court injunction to stop the WRC's order that the press cannot name the senior official who is the subject of a dignity‑at‑work complaint. Casey‑Mulligan's case, which involves alleged whistleblower penalisation and unlawful pay deductions, was scheduled for a second hearing day but she did not attend. Her barrister, David Byrnes, presented a medical certificate citing severe stress from the WRC proceedings. The WRC adjudicator, Máire Mulcahy, noted that the case could proceed with public hearings if no mediation occurs. Byrnes argued that anonymity should be granted for the senior official, Mr Y, who is no longer with the Gardaí, and that the WRC's direction to the press is "scandalous." The adjudicator said she would consider preliminary matters and that the case could be paused until a stenographer arrived.
In the Central Criminal Court, the jury heard that Daniel Blanaru (37) begged his brother, David Serban, for cocaine on the night Larisa Serban (26) was found stabbed in her home. Blanaru, from Rathmore, Athboy, Co Meath, pleaded not guilty to her murder. The State argued that Larisa was killed by her jealous, controlling partner. Serban testified he left the house at about 1 a.m. on 12 August 2022, with no arguing, and that he had stopped at a bank to withdraw money for rent. He denied planning to buy cocaine or return to Rathmore after. He claimed he was the last person to see Larisa alive and that he would have been present if a struggle had occurred. Garda evidence showed Blanaru presented himself at a station at 6 a.m., shouting in a foreign language and saying "my wife, my wife, we fight." The trial continues tomorrow.
In a case described as "desperately sad," a 70‑year‑old man, Zbigniew Bednarczyk, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for the manslaughter of his 37‑year‑old son, Rafal Bednarczyk Jacyna. The son, who had bipolar disorder and was under medical supervision, died after Bednarczyk severed the femoral artery in his leg during an altercation that began when the son returned home under the influence of alcohol and drugs. The court noted that the knife was being used for food preparation and that the severing of the artery was unexpected. Bednarczyk entered a plea to manslaughter in October 2024, and the judge imposed a two‑year sentence with the final six months suspended, subject to 12 months of probation. The sentence was reduced from an initial three‑year recommendation after considering the plea and the defendant's low risk to the community.
At the Central Criminal Court, closing arguments concluded in the trial of two people charged with the murder of Robert Robin Wilkin near Sliabh Liag in County Donegal on 25 June 2023. Nikita Burns (23) of Carrick and Alan Vial (39) of Drumanoo Head, Killybegs, have both pleaded not guilty to the charge. Defence counsel for Ms Burns contended she was a bystander to the killing and had no part in placing Mr Wilkin over the cliffs. She has pleaded guilty to impeding the apprehension or prosecution of another person, having cleaned blood from a vehicle. Counsel for Mr Vial argued the evidence demonstrates Ms Burns inflicted the fatal blows. Mr Wilkin's remains were recovered from the sea eight days after the alleged murder. State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster identified two depressed skull fractures inconsistent with the cliff fall. Mr Justice Paul McDermott will charge the jury tomorrow.
In a Dublin rape trial, the jury was shown a 40‑minute CCTV clip of the complainant and a second man having a sexual encounter in a B&B hallway hours after the alleged rape. Judge Caroline Biggs warned the footage could be intrusive and distressing but deemed it necessary to play. The accused, a 33‑year‑old Louth man, pleaded not guilty to raping a 19‑year‑old Spanish tourist on a Dublin Castle street on 1 January 2019. The State alleged the victim could not consent due to alcohol or drugs. After the alleged rape, the victim walked with the accused, then sought help from a couple who directed her to a B&B where she met the second man. She described persistent kissing, anal sex, and pain, and later claimed she had been raped by both men. No charge was brought against the second man.
Roy Oti, aged 22, was found guilty of stealing €13,974 from a catering company that operated at Aviva Stadium, using a Sumup card‑reader system. He was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment, with a headline term of four years from which a final year was suspended. Oti's co‑accused included his sister Nikkel Oti (21) and Chidera Anago (22), who each pleaded guilty to thefts of €2,371 and €4,888 respectively. Both were dealt with under Section 100 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 and will be discharged if they donate €750 to The Simon Community before the finalisation date in July. A further co‑accused, Sean Atowo (23), pleaded guilty and his case was adjourned to allow a probation report. The court noted the pre‑planned nature of the fraud and the breach of trust involved. The total amount stolen was €32,489, with €9,334 recovered, leaving the catering company a loss of €23,154.
Jane Dowling, 54, of Newlands House, Baldonnell, Dublin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to deceiving Dublin City Council into paying her €12,000 finder's fee for sourcing rental properties under the Housing Assistance Payments scheme on 7 December 2018. At the time she worked for a rental property company while also running her own company, City Properties, which had no connection to her employer. Dowling used properties that her employer managed and claimed the finder's fee under her own company. She has since repaid the full amount. Judge Martin Nolan, noting that Dowling is the sole provider for her teenage daughter and has no prior convictions, sentenced her to one year in prison, suspended in full, and accepted that she is unlikely to appear again in court. The case was prosecuted by Aoife McNickle BL and defended by Justin McQuade BL. The Gardaí had arrested Dowling in September 2020 after her employer reported the deception.
Robert Cummins, 45, of Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, was jailed for ten years after pleading guilty to two drug offences. In August 2023 he was found with €196,540 worth of cannabis and €68,327 of cocaine for sale or supply at his home, and in July 2024 he was found with €55,695 of cocaine and €12,912 of cannabis for sale or supply while on bail for the first offence. Cummins admitted responsibility for the drugs, claiming they were hidden in a shed and that he had them for a few hours after work to reduce a gambling debt. He said he feared those to whom he owed money. His defence highlighted his family life and remorse. Judge Martin Nolan accepted pre‑meditation and imposed a seven‑year term for the first offence and a consecutive three‑year term for the second, totalling ten years in custody.
During the murder trial of Daniel Blanaru, the father of the victim, Larisa Serban, testified that his daughter had hidden the fact that her partner was physically abusing her. He also claimed that Blanaru had threatened to kill Larisa, saying he would "hear about" it. The father, Ronet Serban, stated that he had advised Larisa to "get rid" of Blanaru because he was violent. He recalled Blanaru's threat that one day Larisa would lose everything and that he would kill her. The father said he did not take the threat seriously at the time. Larisa's sister, Sarah Serban, also testified that she had advised Larisa to break up with Blanaru because of his jealousy and possessiveness. The trial continues before Justice Eileen Creedon and an enlarged jury. Daniel Blanaru pleaded not guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution has described Alan Vial, aged 39, of Killybegs, County Donegal, as a "cynical liar" who fabricated his account to evade responsibility for the death of 66-year-old Robert Robin' Wilkin. Bernard Condon SC, prosecuting, told the jury that Mr Vial claimed his co-accused Nikita Burns, aged 23, of Carrick, County Donegal, delivered the fatal blows after the three had spent time in public houses together in June 2023. The prosecution alleges that both accused acted with joint intention to cause serious harm. Mr Wilkin's body was subsequently deposited at Sliabh Liag cliffs. The prosecution case relies on DNA evidence, CCTV footage, blood spatter analysis, and admissions allegedly made by Ms Burns to witnesses. Mr Condon submitted that evidence against Ms Burns constitutes the "clearest possible case of murder." Both accused have pleaded not guilty to murder. Defence closing speeches and the judge's charge to the jury are scheduled to follow.
In a trial for the murder of Lisa Thompson, 52, the defence argued that the case was more complex than the prosecution's narrative suggested. They highlighted that Thompson had been involved in selling prescription tablets, with 24,500 tablets found in her attic, and that she had a brief relationship with the accused, Brian McHugh, 40, the year before her death. The defence questioned the reliability of identification evidence, the timing of CCTV footage, and the credibility of witness statements, including those of neighbour Sandra McMahon and Joan Lundy. They also pointed to text messages from a woman who claimed insider knowledge of Thompson's death, and to DNA found on a blind cord wrapped around Thompson's neck, which McHugh could not satisfactorily explain. The defence maintained that the prosecution had not proven guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and urged an acquittal. The trial was set to continue before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury. Brian McHugh pleaded not guilty.
Shane Byrne, 38, of Clondalkin, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to distributing child pornography in May and June 2016. Garda Deirdre Cotter reported that Byrne had been messaging a woman he was in an "on and off relationship" with, sending her unsolicited child abuse images and asking her to pretend she was a 12‑year‑old boy, to call him Daddy, and to obtain a child younger than five years old. He also sent images depicting a six‑year‑old being raped. Byrne denied sending the images and claimed he had never viewed child pornography. He was arrested after the woman contacted gardaí. Byrne had previously moved to England, where he was jailed for assault, and was extradited back to Ireland in July. He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the last 12 months suspended on strict conditions, including 12 months of supervision by the Probation Service, backdated to his July custody entry.
The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has set a deadline for the State and a senior Garda civilian manager, Bridget Casy‑Mulligan, to resolve a penalisation complaint by tomorrow or the case will proceed to public hearings. The complaint, lodged under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014, the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and the Payment of Wages Act 1991, involves claims against the Garda Commissioner, the Minister for Public Expenditure and the government. The WRC had scheduled hearings for three days this week at Lansdowne House, Dublin 4. During a short hearing, adjudicator Máire Mulcahy noted that the parties had previously sought a mediator but none was available, and that the case had been adjourned in September. Mulcahy said the parties were working to source an external mediator and that if a mediator could not be found, the hearing would proceed tomorrow.
A group of nine former employees of The Food Point Limited in Limerick City secured total awards of €21,728 from the Workplace Relations Commission for employment rights breaches. The adjudicator found that the employer failed to pay wages and premium rates for Sunday work under the Payment of Wages Act and the Organisation of Working Time Act. Former head chef Frederico Madureira testified that he worked 111 hours per week during the restaurant's launch in September 2023, including 222 hours in a fortnight, and was unpaid for 163 hours in November 2023. Other staff, including kitchen assistant Rafaela dos Santos and applicant Patrícia Gasperíni, stated they stopped working after wages were withheld. The employer failed to appear at hearings concerning Madureira, dos Santos, and Gasperíni in autumn 2024. The adjudicator awarded sums ranging from €962 to €2,926 for unpaid wages and annual leave. Additionally, orders were made to top up Sunday wages by 30% for eight workers and to pay €500 in compensation each for rights breaches. Claims for statutory notice pay were rejected because none of the workers had completed the required 13-week qualifying period. Complaints under the National Minimum Wage Act 2000 were declined due to the absence of requested statements of working hours, though the adjudicator noted the workers could lodge fresh complaints.
A 33‑year‑old Spanish tourist, who was accused of rape on New Year's Eve 2019 in Dublin's Castle area, denies being affectionate with the alleged rapist on CCTV footage. She pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. The State alleges the man raped her on a street, claiming she could not consent due to alcohol or drugs. She testified she was trying to find a bar, was led into a dark area where the alleged rape occurred, and felt powerless. Afterward she walked with the man back through the city centre, then met a couple outside a shop. She says she was frightened, held the man's arm to avoid falling, and later met a second man at a B&B where she was kissed and had anal sex. She claims she was coerced and that no charge has been brought against the second man. The trial continues before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury.
A 45‑year‑old gambler, Karl Jess, was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison after he deceived a vulnerable man into believing they were in a romantic relationship. Jess persuaded the man to hand over €25,350 in ten instalments between August and November 2023, claiming the money would repay creditors. The victim, described as having lower than average cognitive ability, was assisted by his brother who provided WhatsApp messages showing the false relationship. Jess admitted to a gambling addiction and previous drug‑related convictions. Gardaí noted the victim's life savings were largely lost, affecting his mental health and family relations. The judge highlighted the aggravating factor of exploiting a vulnerable person and imposed the sentence accordingly. Karl Jess pleaded guilty.
David McNamara, aged 24, was sentenced to five years in prison at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a series of violent offences. He pleaded guilty to assaulting his 16‑year‑old girlfriend in September 2019, to assaulting a second girlfriend and coercive control of her between 17 and 19 July 2023, to hijacking a taxi and threatening to stab the driver on 20 July 2023, and to possession of cocaine and heroin for sale at the time of his arrest on 5 September 2023. The court heard that McNamara had repeatedly failed to appear for court dates, was granted bail twice, and that armed support and a helicopter were required to surround his Tallaght home before he was finally arrested. He denied the allegations of violence and coercion, but the judge noted the seriousness of the assaults and the threats made to the taxi driver.
A 32‑year‑old man was jailed for three years and three months after pleading guilty to three charges of sexual assault against a nine‑year‑old girl who was staying at his house as a guest. The assaults occurred between August 2020 and January 2021. The girl reported that the man entered her room at night and touched her vagina outside her underwear, sometimes while she was sharing a bed with her three‑year‑old sister. She first told her mother in January 2021, who confronted the man and recorded his admissions. The family later brought him to Gardaí, where he repeated the admissions. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted the man's breach of trust and hospitality, and his expression of remorse, before sentencing him. The victim, now 14, gave a victim impact statement describing ongoing anxiety and the lasting effect of the abuse.
A garda sergeant who was cleared of assault on a juvenile criminal has been informed he is too late to claim lost earnings from the 17 months he spent on suspension. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) rejected his complaint under the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, stating it was filed more than six months after his employment ended. Sergeant Damien Kirwan, with nearly 30 years of service, was suspended in May 2021 following an allegation of assault. He retired in December 2022 after being found not guilty of the charges in May 2023. His claim was submitted in March 2024, nearly 18 months after his retirement. Adjudicator Catherine Byrne ruled she had no power to consider the complaint due to the delay. Garda management was represented by Stephen Hanaphy BL, instructed by Bryan McNamara of the Chief State Solicitor's Office.
During the trial, Georgeta Serban, mother of the 26‑year‑old Larisa Serban, testified that her daughter's partner, Daniel Blanaru (37), threatened to kill Larisa if her family interfered in their relationship. She described Blanaru as extremely possessive, paranoid and controlling, noting that he had no stable employment and that his jealousy intensified after Larisa's children were born. Serban said Blanaru would dictate what Larisa wore, forbid her from wearing tight clothing, and accuse her of infidelity whenever she spoke to other men. She recalled that a month before Larisa's death, Blanaru warned that he would kill her if the family intervened. Serban also recounted that Larisa lived a controlled, depressed life and that she had spoken to her daughter on the night before her death. The case is proceeding before Justice Eileen Creedon with an enlarged jury. Daniel Blanaru pleaded not guilty.
A 23‑year‑old man, accused of possessing child abuse material when he was a minor, has applied for a judicial review of a decision by the Garda Juvenile Diversion Programme that he is unsuitable for entry because the offence is deemed too serious. He was charged at 18 and a search warrant was executed at his home in January 2020. His counsel, Breffni Gordon, argues that the three‑and‑a‑half‑year delay between the search and the programme's decision was excessive and that the applicant was not properly informed about the seriousness of the offence or the criteria for admission. The applicant claims he chose the programme after admitting the offence, but was later told he was unsuitable. The High Court granted leave to pursue the review, stayed the criminal proceedings, and adjourned the case to 18 March 2025.
In February 2025, X Corp's Irish subsidiary appealed a €550,000 award ordered by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) to pay former Twitter executive Gary Rooney. Rooney, dismissed after Elon Musk's takeover, had sued under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. The WRC had awarded him the sum, the largest under the Act, after finding his dismissal stemmed from his refusal to click "yes" on Musk's November 2022 email demanding "extremely hardcore" work. Rooney's lawyers, led by Arthur Cush, sought to have Musk testify remotely, but the WRC decided not to summon him. The appeal, set for March 7th before the Labour Court, may allow the court to increase the award. Rooney's case highlights the dispute over Musk's email and the dismissal process.
At the Central Criminal Court, the State Pathologist gave evidence in the trial of two individuals charged with the murder of a man alleged to have been pushed from Sliabh Liag cliffs in County Donegal in June 2023. Dr Margaret Bolster told the court that two skull fractures identified on the deceased would not have caused immediate death if they were the only injuries sustained. She stated the fractures were consistent with blows from a blunt object rather than a fall from the cliff, but that such injuries would have resulted in death within five to thirty minutes due to blood loss. The cause of death remains undetermined due to the body's advanced decomposition following eight days in the sea. Alan Vial, aged 39, of Drumanoo Head, Killybegs, and Nikita Burns, aged 23, of Carrick, have both pleaded not guilty to murder. The jury will hear closing speeches following the completion of evidence.
During the Central Criminal Court hearing, Brian McHugh, 40, denied murdering Lisa Thompson, 52, who was found stabbed 11 times in the chest with a blind cord wrapped around her neck. McHugh claimed he had been "in and out" of Thompson's Ballymun home for the last three years, a statement he repeated when asked to explain the presence of his DNA on the cord and on jewellery seized from his Cairn Court residence. Forensic evidence showed a mixed DNA profile on the cord that could not exclude McHugh as a minor contributor, and DNA from the jewellery matched Thompson's. The prosecution also presented evidence that Thompson had been dealing prescription drugs and that she and McHugh had a brief affair the year before her death. McHugh pleaded not guilty and the trial continues before Ms Justice Karen O'Connor with a jury of four men and eight women.
Sean Kinneavy, 74, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment for 47 counts of sexual assault and two rapes involving a girl aged 10‑15, who was 50 years his junior. The offences occurred between January 2013 and June 2018 in Dublin and Galway. Kinneavy was directed to pay €38,000 in compensation to the victim and her mother for financial losses incurred while caring for the victim. He maintains his innocence and has no prior convictions. The judge noted the persistent nature of the abuse, the breach of trust, and the impact on the victim, describing the crimes as "deplorable". A two‑year post‑release supervision order was also imposed. The sentence was back‑dated to the date he entered custody in November last year. The court considered Kinneavy's age and good character as mitigating factors, but found the repeated offences outweighed them. The victim's impact statement highlighted the lasting trauma and financial burden she endured.
A Spanish tourist, aged 33, gave evidence in the Central Criminal Court that she was raped on January 1, 2019, in Dublin's city centre. She described feeling "like a doll" and having no strength, and that she was unable to consent due to alcohol or another drug. She recalled walking with the accused, a 33‑year‑old Louth man who is anonymous until the trial ends, and that he held her arm and waist tightly. She said he penetrated her vagina, though she has no clear memory of the act. She later claimed a second rape occurred in a B&B, where she was forced into anal sex. The accused denies any wrongdoing and has pleaded not guilty to one count of rape. The trial continues before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs.
During the trial, a forensic scientist presented evidence that a blood‑stained blind cord wrapped around the neck of 52‑year‑old mother‑of‑two Lisa Thompson contained a mixed DNA profile. The profile could not exclude Thompson as a major contributor and could not exclude 40‑year‑old accused Brian McHugh as a minor contributor. DNA from jewellery seized at McHugh's home also matched Thompson's DNA. The jury heard that Thompson had been dealing prescription drugs from her home and that she and McHugh had a brief relationship in the year before her death. Thompson was found dead in her home with multiple stab wounds and ligature strangulation. McHugh pleaded not guilty to her murder. The trial continues before Justice Karen O'Connor and a jury.