A man already serving life imprisonment for the murder of his best friend in Co. Kildare last year has been sentenced to 12 years for firearms offences at the Central Criminal Court.

Darren Wynne (21) of Ballyroe, Athy, Co. Kildare was convicted by a jury in July of murdering Jamie Lindsay (20) at Coney Green, Coneyboro, Athy on April 6, 2013 and is serving a life sentence.

The court heard that Mr Lindsay was shot in the right eye at almost point blank range at the Coneyboro estate.

Wynne told gardai that Mr Lindsay was threatening him over €1000 for cannabis herb that ….read more

A 40-year-old has been convicted of murdering a Polish man in Co. Clare last year.

Michael Maughan (40) of Stone Court, Ennis had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Piotr Nowakowski (31) at Sandfield Mews, Ennis on July 23, 2013.

The Central Criminal Court was told the manslaughter plea was not acceptable to the prosecution and a jury was sworn in for the one-week trial.

Maughan had also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Declan O’Dea at the same address on the same date.

Today the jury of seven men and five women found him guilty on both counts by ….read more

(Pictured: Mr Justice Paul Carney)

A judge has told the jury in the trial of man accused of murder, that alcohol is not a defence to criminal responsibility.

Michael Maughan (40) of Stone Court, Ennis, Co Clare, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Piotr Nowakowski (31) at Sandfield Mews, Ennis on July 23, 2013.

Last week the Central Criminal Court was told the manslaughter plea was not acceptable to the prosecution and a jury was sworn in for the week-long murder trial.

Mr Nowakowski was stabbed twice and died in an ambulance on the way to Shannon Airport ….read more

The trial of man who admits killing a Polish man in Co. Clare last year but denies murdering him, has heard that the accused “would be known to drink a lot.”

Michael Maughan (40) of Stone Court, Ennis has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Piotr Nowakowski (31) at Sandfield Mews, Ennis on July 23, 2013.

Last week the Central Criminal Court was told the manslaughter plea was not acceptable to the prosecution and a jury was sworn in for the murder trial.

The accused has also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Declan O’Dea at the same address ….read more

(Pictured: Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis)

A man who admits killing a Polish man in Co. Clare last year but denies murdering him told gardai that he “just went berserk”.

Michael Maughan (40) of Stone Court, Ennis pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Piotr Nowakowski (31) at Sandfield Mews, Ennis on July 23, 2013.

Last week the Central Criminal Court was told the manslaughter plea was not acceptable to the prosecution and a jury was sworn in for the murder trial.

The accused has also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Declan O’Dea at the same address on the ….read more

A paramedic has told the trial of a 40-year-old, who admits killing a Polish man in Co. Clare last year but denies murdering him, that he saw the deceased being kicked in the head.

Michael Maughan of Stone Court, Ennis pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Piotr Nowakowski (31) at Sandfield Mews, Ennis on July 23, 2013.

The Central Criminal Court was told the court the manslaughter plea was not acceptable to the prosecution.

The accused has also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Declan O’Dea at the same address on the same date.

Paramedic Ralph O’Neill told the court ….read more

A 40-year-old who admits killing a man in Co. Clare last year but denies murdering him, has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court.

Michael Maughan of Stone Court, Ennis pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Piotr Nowakowski (31) at Sandfield Mews, Ennis on July 23, 2013.

The court was told the court the manslaughter plea was not acceptable to the prosecution.

The accused has also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Declan O’Dea at the same address on the same date.

Opening the case, Denis Vaughan Buckley SC for the State told the jury the accused and his ….read more

A trial date has been set for a 34-year-old man accused of murdering Tom O’Gorman in Castleknock last January.

Saverio Bellante, from Palermo in Sicily, is charged with murdering Mr O’Gorman, at Beech Park Avenue, Castleknock between January 11 and 12 last.

Today Sean Guerin SC defending told Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy at the Central Criminal Court that the trial would take less than a week.

Mr Bellante was not present in court when a trial date was fixed for December 14, next year.

A jury has been sworn in at the Central Criminal Court for the trial of a 40-year-old accused of murdering a man in Co. Clare last year.

Michael Maughan of Stone Court, Ennis pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Piotr Nowakowski at Sandfield Mews, Ennis on July 23, 2013.

Denis Vaughan Buckley SC for the State told the court the plea was not acceptable to the prosecution.

The accused has also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Declan O’Dea at the same address on the same date.

The trial is due to start on Thursday with Mr Justice Paul Carney ….read more