The jury has begun their deliberations in the trial of a Westmeath man accused of raping a woman he met at a New Year’s Eve ball at a GAA clubhouse.

The 33-year-old man has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to rape at his home in Westmeath on January 1, 2017.

The complainant was visiting a friend and had planned to spend the night in that woman’s home after going to a ball in the local GAA clubhouse. She met the accused and they kissed.

In her evidence, she said that when she couldn’t find her friend, she decided she had ….read more

A man who raped a sleeping woman during a house party has been jailed for five years.

Brian Byrne (28) with an address at Drumagh, Crettyard, Co Laois, went on trial in Dublin in November last year accused of one count of raping the woman at a location in Co Kildare on June 21, 2015. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Following a week long trial, the jury of five women and seven men returned a verdict of guilty at the Central Criminal Court.

The trial heard that on the night in question, the woman was socialising with family members in her ….read more

A 23-year-old man has pleaded guilty to impeding the apprehension of a murderer in Tallaght five years ago.

Eric Shorthall, with an address at Muskerry Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court today.

He pleaded guilty to impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Warren Nolan on May 27, 2015 at Belfry Manor, Tallaght, Dublin 24, knowing or believing him to be guilty of the murder of Alan O’Neill.

Keith Spencer BL, for Shorthall, said his client was 18 years of age at the time of the offence and asked the court to consider ordering a probation ….read more

A health care assistant who raped a pensioner in her nursing home bed during the Covid-19 lock-down has been jailed for 11 years.

The woman’s family described how they have been unable to comfort their mother by hugging her as they normally would since the rape in April. The elderly woman remains terrified the man will return to her room.

Her daughter told the court: “We always said we will dread the day she loses her memory but now one day we hope she wakes up and doesn’t remember.”

She described how finding a nursing home for their mother had been an emotional ….read more

A man who tried to murder a teenager at a popular Dublin hiking spot has had the six-year suspended part of his sentence activated after a series of violent incidents while in prison on other charges.

Mr Justice Michael White said a psychiatric report on Micheal Corbett (30) showed that he is at risk of future violence and added: “It is a situation that will confront society again when Mr Corbett is released.”

The court has previously heard that Corbett has assaulted other prisoners in Mountjoy Prison, including attacking one with a hot kettle.

The judge had originally imposed a nine-year sentence ….read more

A Westmeath man accused of raping a woman he met at a New Year’s Eve ball has told a jury he did not cause any of the injuries found on her body after the alleged rape.

The 33-year-old man has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to a charge of rape at his home in Westmeath on January 1, 2017.

The complainant was visiting a friend and had planned to spend the night in that woman’s home after going to a ball in the local GAA clubhouse. She met the accused and they kissed.

In her evidence she said that when ….read more

(Pictured: Defence Counsel Mr Michael O’Higgins SC. Credit: Collins)

The man accused of murdering Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe could be found guilty of manslaughter if the jury finds that he killed the garda but only intended to fire a warning shot, the Central Criminal Court has heard.

Aaron Brady’s barrister Michael O’Higgins SC told the jury that his client did not shoot Det Gda Donohoe and was not involved in the robbery that led to his death.

However, counsel also told them that if they believe the prosecution case that Mr Brady was the gunman, they should consider that, “if a shot ….read more

A Westmeath man accused of raping a woman he met at a New Year’s Eve ball has told a jury that the complainant never made any reference to sex before coming back to his house.

The 33-year-old man has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to a single charge of rape at his home in Westmeath on January 1, 2017.

The complainant was visiting a friend and said she had planned to spend the night in that woman’s home after going to a ball in the local GAA clubhouse. She met the accused and they kissed.

The complainant said at some ….read more

(Pictured: Mr Justice Tony Hunt. Credit: Collins)

A convicted child rapist has told a High Court judge that he would be in danger if his identity is published.

The 55-year-old man pleaded guilty in 2015 at the Central Criminal Court to the repeated rape and sexual assault of his wife’s two sons at his Wicklow home over a ten year period. The victims were under ten years old when the abuse started in 1993 and the attacks continued for a decade.

In March 2016, Justice Tony Hunt imposed a prison term of 21 years, with the final five years suspended.

At this sentencing, the ….read more

(Pictured: Defence Counsel Mr Michael O’Higgins SC. Credit: Collins)

The “most significant” witness in the trial of the man accused of murdering Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe “might have had a lot of motives to make things up”, a barrister has told the Special Criminal Court.

Michael O’Higgins SC, for Aaron Brady, told the jury of six men and seven women that the background to Daniel Cahill giving evidence was “shrouded in mystery” and that he may have been subjected to threats or inducement by Homeland Security before speaking to gardai.

Mr Cahill has told the trial that he heard Mr Brady admit ….read more