The Court of Appeal has rejected the conviction appeal of Keith O'Hara, who was convicted of murder and burglary in December 2021. O'Hara, of Cahergal Avenue, Mayfield, Cork, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Paul Jones and a second charge of burglary. He was found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork and sentenced to life in prison by Mr Justice Michael MacGrath. The appeal, led by Vincent Heneghan SC, argued that DNA samples taken from O'Hara breached his constitutional rights and that evidence from search warrants should have been excluded due to the lack of an audio recording of the application. The State, represented by Jane Hyland SC, countered that authorisation was based on reasonable suspicion and that the District Court judge rightly granted the warrants. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, delivering the judgment, ruled that the grounds for the DNA samples were plainly present and that there was no requirement for the search warrant application to be recorded. He concluded that the trial judge was entitled to admit the evidence and rejected the appeal. Co-accused Helen Jones, the deceased's sister, also failed in her own appeal in June 2024, where the Court of Appeal rejected her bid to overturn her conviction based on the wording of the oath taken by a detective garda.
Cloverhill Prison agreed to facilitate a 90-minute virtual appointment between a psychiatrist and Ahmed Abdirahman, who is accused of murdering Mary Ward. The Central Criminal Court adjourned the case to April 22 for an update on the psychiatric report.
John English pleaded guilty after stealing €25 of Smirnoff vodka from Tesco in Dún Laoghaire days after leaving prison. Judge Anne Watkin remanded him on bail with strict reporting, probation and treatment conditions, warning that a breach would lead to jail; the case was adjourned for a probation report.
Carl McGuinness was remanded in custody after being charged with robbing a staff member at a Ranelagh ice cream parlour. Gardaí told the court they tracked him using the location finder on the allegedly stolen iPhone 13 and found a hammer when they stopped him.
An unnamed 35-year-old Dublin man was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a global term of nine years and two months after pleading guilty to six counts of child cruelty committed between 2016 and 2020. The court heard allegations that he subjected his six children to severe neglect and abuse, including repeatedly locking the oldest boy in a chest freezer, bathroom, and closet, as well as holding his head underwater. The children, aged between 10 months and eight years at the time of care in January 2020, were found living in filthy, cold conditions with inadequate food and clothing. The man's then-partner, the children's mother, was separately sentenced to two-and-a-half years in 2025 after pleading guilty to child neglect. During the sentencing hearing, the Director of Public Prosecutions entered a nolle prosequi on three counts of sexual assault and two further counts against the man, meaning those specific allegations were not proceeded with. Judge Elma Sheahan cited the repeated nature of the cruelty, the profound breach of parental trust, and the children's dependency as aggravating factors. The man, who has 20 previous convictions primarily for public order offences, has since undergone drug treatment. The children are now placed in three separate foster homes.
Andrew Connor avoided prison after Dublin Circuit Criminal Court suspended a six-year sentence in full for possessing cannabis for sale or supply. The judge treated his extensive and complex health problems as exceptional, while noting the value of the drugs was aggravating.
The High Court has dismissed personal injury proceedings brought by Anne Birkinshaw against the coroner for Tipperary North, North Tipperary County Council, and the Minister for Justice and Equality. Ms Birkinshaw alleged she suffered psychological trauma due to a 36-year delay in holding an inquest into the 1975 murder of her sister, Kathleen Cashin, who was killed in Co Tipperary. Following a Central Criminal Court trial in December 1975, an individual was found guilty but insane of the murder. Ms Birkinshaw claimed the late provision of a postmortem report in 2011, which contradicted her belief that her sister died quickly, caused significant injury. The defendants applied to strike out the 2013 proceedings under court rules on delay, arguing severe prejudice as key witnesses, including the State pathologist, are deceased or unavailable. Mr Justice David Nolan noted the case involved a "leisurely approach" with "total inactivity" between 2019 and 2024. He observed that the current coroner for North Tipperary is not liable for predecessors' acts. Although acknowledging the tragic background, the judge found the case offered little realistic prospect of success and that the defence faced clear disadvantage. Consequently, the court dismissed the matter, concluding it could not be saved despite the delays.
Two psychiatrists told the Central Criminal Court that Derek Mulligan was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia when he caused fatal injuries to his grandfather Derek Burns. Mulligan has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to murder, while the court also heard evidence that the release of Michael Ferry had caused him to 'spiral'; the trial continues.
The Workplace Relations Commission directed Dehac Retail Ltd to pay Amanda Butler €40,000 after finding she was dismissed without cause or procedural fairness. Adjudication officer Patricia Owens found ample evidence supporting a view that the company was unhappy with Butler's witness evidence and sought to retaliate when she returned to work.
Bryan Butler received a three-year-and-six-month sentence, suspended in full, after pleading guilty to attempted robbery at a convenience store in Cabinteely while wearing a children's clown mask. Judge Orla Crowe imposed conditions that he remain drug free and not come to further garda attention after hearing evidence of his rehabilitation.
Madison Jenkins was jailed for two-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to possessing cannabis worth €520,000 for sale or supply. The court heard that, although she claimed pressure and features of duress, messages on her phone discussed the use, purchase and sale of ketamine and indicated she had free movement in Bangkok.
An unnamed Somalian refugee was sentenced to two years, with the final year suspended, after admitting he used false documents to bring his sister and six-year-old son into Ireland through a family re-unification visa. The court found the planned scheme was a once-off offence and was not carried out for profit.
PJ Lyons received a global eight-year sentence after pleading guilty to an arson attack on a house in Castlepark, Ballybane, where Mary Sweeney and her four children were asleep. The family escaped through an upstairs window, were treated for smoke inhalation and lost their possessions; Judge Brian O'Callaghan described the risk to their lives as shocking.
Five men were sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for an alleged assault on Barry Moore, which involved waterboarding, beatings, and branding with the word "RAT." Ms Justice Karen O'Connor described the conduct as shocking, noting it bypassed any notion of humanity. The defendants were originally charged with causing serious harm and false imprisonment, offences carrying potential life sentences. After Mr Moore refused to give evidence, the State accepted guilty pleas to assault causing harm, a maximum ten-year offence. Devon Hennessy (30), who pleaded guilty early and allegedly tried to intervene, received the shortest sentence of three years. Jason Hennessy (29) and Dean Fitzsimons (26) received headline sentences reduced to eight and a half years each due to late pleas. Kenneth Fitzsimons (46) was jailed for eight years. Brandon Hennessy (23) received a six-year sentence to run consecutively to an existing term expiring in February 2028. All sentences, except Brandon Hennessy's, were backdated to February 17, 2025. The judge noted that four defendants entered guilty pleas only after the trial began and when Mr Moore was summoned by warrant, limiting the weight given to their remorse.
Matthias Kelly was given a 12-year sentence, with the final two years suspended, after pleading guilty to attempting to murder Fiona Timmermans during a knife attack in Dublin. Concurrent sentences were also imposed for burglary, threats to kill, criminal damage and producing a knife.
James Greengrass pleaded guilty to attempting to cause serious harm to a fellow psychiatric patient at University Hospital Waterford. His barrister said Greengrass believed the victim was a 'shapeshifting demon'; Ms Justice Karen O'Connor adjourned finalising sentence to April 27. James Greengrass was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
The Central Criminal Court fixed November 2 as a notional trial date for a Somali national accused of murdering 17-year-old Vadym Davydenko. The accused cannot be identified while the case proceeds on the basis that he is a minor, and legal issues around his age continue.
A judge said a judicial review may be needed if prison access problems prevent a psychiatrist from assessing Ahmed Abdirahman, who is accused of murdering Mary Ward. Counsel said the psychiatrist left one prison visit after staff were 'dismissive and rude', while video consultations were cancelled.
Workplace Relations Commission adjudicator Breiffni O'Neill awarded former Lionbridge EMEA managing director Caroline O'Connell €142,984 after the company conceded unfair dismissal. He rejected Lionbridge's argument that she had failed to mitigate her losses, finding her efforts to find new work reasonable given her seniority and the relatively few openings at that level.
The Court of Appeal dismissed Sean Kinneavy's conviction appeal, rejecting his argument that a jury's disagreement on two sexual-assault counts made its convictions on 47 other counts and two rape counts perverse. Kinneavy maintains his innocence; he was previously sentenced to nine years for rape offences and a concurrent eight years for sexual assaults.
Luke Kruger, 25, was sentenced at Galway Circuit Criminal Court for two incidents of unauthorised vehicle taking and associated offences. He pleaded guilty to charges arising from April 24, 2021, and October 15, 2023. In the first incident, Kruger allegedly took a car with a female passenger, driving 55km before crashing in Connemara while she begged him to stop. In the second, he allegedly bit a taxi driver and damaged a second vehicle before fleeing. Judge Brian O'Callaghan imposed a headline sentence of three years for reckless endangerment, reduced to 12 months. For the taxi offences, he set a headline sentence of two and a half years, reduced to 18 months to run consecutively. The final nine months of this second sentence were suspended. Kruger was jailed for a total of one year and nine months. He was placed under Probation Services supervision for 18 months post-release. The sentence was backdated to January 17, when he entered custody. The judge noted Kruger frightened the passenger and displayed aggression towards the taxi driver, while acknowledging his age and addiction issues as mitigating factors.
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence that Derek Mulligan described attacking his grandfather Derek Burns with a granite stone and cement block. Mulligan has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to murder and also faces charges arising from incidents involving Catherine McDermott and the McFaddens in Donegal; the trial continues.
David Craddock was sentenced after admitting 10 sample counts of theft from KPMG between 2014 and 2019. Galway Circuit Criminal Court heard that 129 thefts were uncovered, more than €900,000 was repaid, and the judge set a headline sentence of six and a half years before mitigation and suspension reduced the term.
The District Court Appeals Court reduced an unnamed man's 18-month term to 15 months after reviewing convictions for assault, criminal damage, safety-order breaches, obstruction and threats. The appeal court heard allegations of domestic violence, intimidation and threats to kill a garda, and imposed a two-year bond and course condition.
The State has appealed against the sentence imposed on Gavin Lawlor, arguing that the 12-month effective prison term for coercively controlling and assaulting his teenage girlfriend was unduly lenient. Lawlor, 24, pleaded guilty in June 2024 to eight counts of assault causing harm and one count of coercive and controlling behaviour, with offences occurring between March 2021 and March 2022. In April 2025, Judge James McCourt at Wexford Circuit Court sentenced him to two years in prison, with the final 12 months suspended. The prosecution contends the judge erred by failing to adequately weight aggravating factors, including that Lawlor committed some offences while on bail for the same victim. Defence counsel Ronan SC argued the judge correctly adopted a global approach considering Lawlor's low intellectual functioning and remorse, noting he has repaid €1,500 of a €2,000 compensation order. Mr Justice John Edwards, hearing the appeal, noted it was concerning that Lawlor was deemed at high risk of reoffending. He directed that a probation report be prepared and adjourned the matter to May 5.
Graham Travers admitted possessing cannabis, cocaine and pills worth almost €39,000 for sale or supply at his Finglas home. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court departed from the presumptive 10-year minimum after hearing about his bereavement, addiction, debt, guilty plea and charity work, and suspended a two-year sentence in full.
Eamonn Gray, a 38-year-old mechanic from Clonee, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis with a street value of €118,760 on September 26, 2024. Judge Martin Nolan jailed Gray for two and a half years. Prosecution evidence indicated that Gray accepted a controlled delivery of nearly six kilogrammes of cannabis from a garda disguised as a delivery man. Although the package was addressed to another name, a warrant was secured to search Gray's home, where the drugs and a custom receipt were found. Analysis of Gray's seized phone revealed tracking information for the package. Gray admitted to owing a drug debt and stated he was coerced into accepting the delivery under threat. Defence counsel Mark Lynam SC argued that Gray was a vulnerable individual with a cocaine addiction who was effectively a "sitting duck" for those who threatened his family. Judge Nolan accepted that Gray was immediately cooperative and had been exploited due to his debt and vulnerability. The judge acknowledged Gray's strong work record and low risk of re-offending but imposed the custodial sentence.
The Court of Appeal has increased the sentence of David O'Sullivan, a 23-year-old convicted of raping two young girls he groomed on Snapchat, from nine years to thirteen and a half years. The State's appeal, brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions, argued the original sentence was unduly lenient given the extreme nature of the offending. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy upheld the appeal, finding the conduct demonstrated a calculating mind and measured intent. O'Sullivan pleaded guilty to multiple counts of rape, oral rape, communication with a child for sexual exploitation, and production of child abuse material. The court imposed a six-and-a-half-year sentence for the first victim, a consecutive nine-year sentence for the second victim, and a concurrent six-and-a-half-year term for possession of child abuse material. After reducing the total by two years for proportionality, the effective custody term is thirteen and a half years. O'Sullivan will also serve a fifteen-year post-release supervision order and remain on the sex offenders register for life. The original sentencing judge had suspended two and a half years of his eleven-and-a-half-year term, but this appeal finalisation results in the increased custodial term.
Lee Somers was jailed after pleading guilty to possessing 29 kilogrammes of cannabis worth €597,000 at Dublin Airport. He left the luggage on a carousel after arriving from Canada, telling staff his conscience had intervened; Dublin Circuit Criminal Court accepted he was under some duress but had made a serious decision.
Joshua Rush pleaded guilty to manslaughter after a kick caused Charles McCaughley to fall and suffer a fatal brain injury on Fairview Strand. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court adjourned sentencing-related matters while gardai seek more information about McCaughley's background.
A man who cannot be named for legal reasons had sentences for breaching protection and safety orders reconsidered on appeal. The District Court Appeals Court affirmed his three-month suspended sentence for the protection-order breach and increased a one-month sentence for the safety-order breach to three months, suspending it in full for 18 months. The court imposed conditions including completion of the MOVE course, civil contact with his ex-partner and compliance with court orders.
Stefano Gianluca Macari was jailed after pleading guilty to robbing and assaulting an American doctor in Dublin. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that he kicked the injured man and later lied about a child, family employment and testimonials used in mitigation. Judge Martina Baxter imposed seven years and three months, suspending the final three months subject to conditions including engagement with the Probation Service.
The Court of Appeal dismissed Trevor Richardson's challenge to one of his 55 sexual-assault convictions. The three-judge court found the discrepancies in the complainant's evidence were not out of the ordinary and said credibility and reliability were matters for the jury. Richardson's further complaint about the trial judge's summary of the defence case was also rejected. Trevor Richardson was found guilty.
The Workplace Relations Commission heard evidence in an unfair dismissal claim brought by solicitor Joseph McNally against Ferrys Solicitors LLP. McNally alleges he was subjected to a "sham" redundancy following his termination in October 2024, arguing he was told he had "no future" in the firm. Giving evidence, Ferrys partner Barry O'Donoghue stated that the firm had allocated a total of €180,000 to a personal injuries marketing initiative, comprising a €60,000 annual Google Ads budget, a €40,000 salary for McNally, and €80,000 in fees to his company, Venus Bell Ltd. O'Donoghue claimed the venture failed because the budget was not spent for months and the website was not ready by the fourth quarter of 2024. He noted that the firm had incurred €100,000 in costs with "nothing to show for it" and that the website generated non-fee-earning inquiries. Ferrys terminated its commercial agreement with Venus Bell Ltd on 20 September 2024 for "failure to deliver," and McNally was made redundant the following month. McNally's counsel, Tiernan Lowey BL, submitted that the redundancy was a "sham" and that the appeal process was "unfair and prejudicial." The case is continuing.
A 19-year-old woman waived her anonymity and told the Central Criminal Court that she refuses to remain silent about repeated oral rape during childhood. Noel O'Neill was convicted of three counts committed when the victim was aged between six and 12. The court adjourned finalisation of the case to June 15 and remanded O'Neill in continuing custody. Noel O'Neill pleaded not guilty.
Maria Muntean, 37, pleaded guilty to robbery and endangerment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court regarding a fake taxi scam in March 2023. The court heard that Muntean drove a vehicle while her son, Damit Rostas, lured a 19-year-old victim into the car. When a garda patrol appeared, the victim was pushed from the moving vehicle. Rostas was sentenced to 27 months in custody last year for his role. Muntean, who has 50 previous convictions, admitted the charges. Defense counsel Gregory Murphy BL submitted that Muntean acted as a follower, apologized on her behalf, and requested a suspended sentence, citing her care responsibilities for seven children, including one with serious medical issues. Judge Martin Nolan described the offense as serious and concluded that Muntean could not avoid a custodial term given her record. However, acknowledging the impact on her children, the judge adjourned finalisation until May to allow time for care arrangements to be made. Muntean was remanded on continuing bail pending the adjourned sentencing.
Darren White, 49, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 13 counts of cash robbery at Dublin City hotels between August and December 2005 and one count of robbery of a Londis shop in 2006. The validated procedural stage is an appeal. White had previously pleaded guilty to the first count in May 2007 and was granted bail, but he failed to appear for sentencing and travelled to the UK. He was apprehended in April 2025 following a road traffic matter. Judge Martina Baxter noted that White had rehabilitated, raised a family, and engaged in community work. She determined that a custodial term was not appropriate given the breadth of his rehabilitation. The court imposed a 10-year sentence, which was suspended for 10 years, and ordered White to carry out 240 hours of community service. The matter was adjourned.
Ethan Casey received a fully suspended four-year sentence after pleading guilty to possessing cannabis and cocaine for sale or supply at his Ballinasloe home. The judge cited Casey's addiction, early plea and cooperation while warning about the harm of dealing and noting prison overcrowding. Ethan Casey was convicted.
Nancy Doherty was awarded €20,000 after a Workplace Relations Commission adjudicator found she suffered disability discrimination when her marina work hours were cut. The decision rejected her complaint about the first reduction but found discrimination in the later December 2023 treatment.
Gary Stephens received a suspended four-month sentence after admitting assault causing harm to a garda in Ballinasloe. The court heard about his long Defence Forces career, rehabilitation after the incident, remorse and €7,000 payment offered to the injured officer.
At the High Court, the State successfully applied for a stay on a Carlow District Court order that had annulled compliance notices issued to Slaney Duck Eggs, operated by John Fitzgerald. The matter was adjourned to next month for hearing. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is challenging a December 2025 decision by Judge Catherine Hayden, which overturned two compliance orders blocking the sale of duck eggs due to Salmonella concerns. The Department alleges that serious public health risks were identified following inspections linked to a cluster of rare Salmonella Hesserak cases. Officials sampled three duck houses in July 2024, with five samples testing positive for Salmonella Hesserak and four for Salmonella Typhimurium. Consequently, the Department served notices prohibiting the sale or supply of the eggs. Fitzgerald appealed, arguing that the Department's sampling procedures did not strictly apply to ducks and that positive results could stem from environmental contamination rather than the farm. Judge Hayden allowed the appeal, finding the Department's internal standards were not mandatory for ducks. Today, Conor Doherty SC secured the stay, preserving the compliance notices pending the full hearing next month.
Derek Mulligan has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to murdering his grandfather Derek Burns in Carrickcoyle, Donegal, in December 2023. Prosecuting counsel told the trial that State and defence psychiatrists agree Mulligan was suffering from a mental disorder when the killing occurred. The trial also concerns alleged property damage, threats and assaults on the same date, and continues before a judge and jury.
Dan Brosnan is appealing convictions for indecently assaulting two sisters, arguing that evidence about a sexually charged question put to another witness was unfairly admitted. The Court of Appeal reserved judgment after hearing competing arguments about the evidence and the limits of cross-examination.
The Special Criminal Court heard that Abdullah Khan, who pleaded guilty to eight charges, described himself as a Salafi jihadist and was part of a wider like-minded group. The prosecution said he set fire to the Black Forge Inn and later stabbed Garda Gary Lynch in Dublin while attacking with a knife. Sentencing was adjourned to April 20 and Khan was remanded in continuing custody.
Anthony Kavanagh was sentenced after admitting his role in an arson attack outside an Inchicore apartment where a baby and child were inside. He bought and poured petrol in return for drugs, while another man ignited the fire; the judge imposed a partly suspended sentence and probation supervision.
The Special Criminal Court sentenced seven men to prison terms ranging from ten to twelve years for conspiring to import an estimated €42 million worth of cocaine into Ireland. All defendants, including Gary Monks, Miljan Koprivica, Conor Costello, Ryan Watson, Hanz Pangahin, Christopher Ampo, and Feljon Lao, entered guilty pleas to offences under section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. The court found that the group operated as structured cells under the control of an international cartel, using the MV Royal to transport 400 to 600kg of cocaine from the Amazon to the Shannon Estuary. Presiding Judge Karen O'Connor emphasized the need for a significant deterrent to protect Ireland's coastline from such criminality. Sentences varied based on individual roles and mitigating factors. Koprivica received the maximum twelve-year term for acting as a trusted conduit between criminal cells. Monks received the minimum ten-year sentence due to evidence of post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from service in conflict zones. Costello, Watson, Lao, Ampo, and Pangahin each received ten-and-a-half-year sentences. The matter was finalized with these custodial sentences imposed.
Conor O'Brien, 29, of Kilpatrick, Ardee, Co Louth, was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, after pleading guilty to importing guns and ammunition. At the Special Criminal Court, Ms Justice O'Connor noted that O'Brien used his dual citizenship to purchase firearms in America for sale in Ireland. He also pleaded guilty to five counts of possessing firearms components in suspicious circumstances, including AR-15 barrels and pistol frames, contrary to the Firearms Act 1964. The court ordered the forfeiture and destruction of these items. Although O'Brien was originally charged with two counts of money laundering involving sums of €7,450 and €9,980, the Director of Public Prosecutions dropped these charges. The State indicated it would not pursue forfeiture of the cash, and the court ordered the funds be returned to O'Brien. O'Brien was part of a criminal organisation led by Mark McCourt, 34, of Edenreive, Newry, Co Down. McCourt was previously sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court after pleading guilty to facilitating the importation of restricted weapons and possessing firearms components between February 2023 and July 2024. Detective Inspector Shane McCartan stated that O'Brien was central to the organisation, which distributed weapons to gangs in Derry, Armagh, Dublin, and Limerick.
Ejike Francis Ogubefi and Steven Silvester were sentenced after convictions for directing a criminal organisation and laundering or attempting to launder money through multiple accounts. The court described a sophisticated international operation and imposed nine years on Ogubefi and seven and a half years on Silvester.
An unnamed Irish father is asking the High Court to direct the Irish State to help locate and safely return his daughter from Poland. He says an extraordinary complaint by Poland's children's ombudsman automatically suspends enforcement of the return decision and has prolonged a separation he says has lasted 750 days.
The High Court refused Nilton de Morais's attempt to obtain more than €10,000 from the State redundancy fund after his employer became insolvent. The judge held that undocumented workers are not employees under Irish law and said the claim would undermine immigration policy.